#and that ending makes me cringe. the one in this first draft i just wrote also makes me cringe

[northern-passage]

i think the hardest thing for me to write is endings.... which makes sense since i've never written any 💀 

#one day hike the only thing i've ever finished loool #and that ending makes me cringe. the one in this first draft i just wrote also makes me cringe #and i've almost finished another project but. i dont know if im finished actually cus idk how i want it to end #im stuck on this chapter bc i Could just end it. but i cant tell if it feels right to end it there #or i could keep going. but then i dont really know what to do lmfao #and tnp isnt ending for like 500 years so that's a problem for future me #i just want it to hit right... i dont want it to feel disappointing or too abrupt #sigh. sigh sigh sigh #also trying to get inspiration is like pulling teeth lately nothing i watch or read is really hitting #read a novella that was super hyped up and it was SOOOO disappointing!! i wanted to like it so bad... rip #anyone with extreme horror recs (preferably written by women) pls... hmu im dying

[khoipyan]

First of all, love your writing (*´▽｀*)

Feel free to ignore this if i'm direspecting your rules or anything.

I got a funny idea for a request: imagine playing octatrio with Adeuce. Ace is Floyd, Deuce is Jade he is trying his best and Reader is Azul. And then, for their horror and cringe, actual octatrio walks in. Fluff for Jade, Azul and Floyd.

are you me?

adeuce + gn!reader playing around as the octavinelle boys, only for the actual trio to come along.

warnings; no warnings. but i’ve never written for deuce so he might be a bit ooc??? i hope either nobody notices (yippee!) or doesn’t mind…

also if you’re one of those people who don’t get embarrassed easily from this type of stuff, that’s good! but reader will get embarrassed in this ^_^

notes; wake up, check tumblr, see this request, proceeds to start a draft. this idea is so funny in my head, TY ANON omg💀 imagine ur playing somebody and they walk in and ask tf you were doing I WOULD DIE. also i may have wandered off og idea too much so im sorry if its not to ur liking 🙁 also i wrote this in school so its not proofread (i say that as if i proofread any of my works…)

notes2; i hate mint this was not relevant at all i just wanted to say IM THE WORLDS BIGGEST MINT HATER 🤬 don’t ask what i brush my teeth. idm toothpaste but i still don’t like the mint flavour. i like charcoal toothpaste bc it's less minty…. (helix if u saw this no u didnt RAAGR GRGWGRDS)

leading up…

“i can’t believe you broke 3 of the dishes, ace. and why is this mop so hard to use?!” you sweat as you push the mop harder across the ground.

ace paused with his own mopping, “it wasn’t my fault! deuce asked me a question which was distracting, and then YOU bumped into me while i was carrying a tray of food!”

“hey, hey. i think we’re all sort of at fault here.” deuce sighs, “doesn’t matter anyways, we’re still stuck with cleaning duty.”

"azul was like," you mimic the action of azul pushing up his glasses, "’i'm going to land you into a weekend of cleaning because even though i can just buy three more plates, i'll just make you suffer.’"

ace grinned, "oh? we're doing impressions now? well in that case," he clings onto you, and you both tumble to the ground. "’shrimpyyy! i'm SOO happy you're here. come entertain me. i’m SOOOO bored!’ come on, deuce! join us, do your best impression of jade."

you laugh, trying to get ace off of you. "trappola, please- you're squishing me!"

"ah, well.. er, if you insist." deuce clears his throat, "’how many i be of assistance to you...?’"

ace shook his head, "no way! he's more confident and scarier than that! seriously, have you seen that guy smile? it's like he'd bite you."

"listen, i'm trying my best, okay?“

when suddenly—

azul ashengrotto

"what exactly are you three doing?”

oh, he’s absolutely just as embarrassed as you are. if not, even more. it's especially not helping how floyd is laughing in the background, using azul's shoulder for support.

you sweat, "oh— err... not really—! it was just, y'know, a more dramatic impersonation of you...?"

"are you saying i'm… dramatic?"

you walk up to him, taking note of his expression. "not at all! look, i'm sorry, azul! please don't be upset! i'll even mop the vip room for you."

azul denied that he was upset in any way (although he was just a tiny bit).

you two awkwardly stare at each other for a few minutes, before azul pushes up his glasses (at least you got THAT part right);

"well, if you perhaps do that AND cover floyd’s shift for tomorrow, then..."

floyd interrupts, "oooo~ i get to have a break?"

"it’s not like i heard you saying you were going to skip your shift tomorrow anyways," azul mumbles. returning his attention to you, he smiles, "so? what do you say? i think i’m pretty lenient this time."

well, what DO you say? to make up for his hurtful impression of him, you have to do extra work…? since you’re embarrassed of your mistakes, you agree.

this could’ve went a whole different way and ended badly anyways, so this was okay for you.

jade leech

jade is greatly amused by you three fooling around.

"i find that description of me quite endearing, ace. although, i believe deuce had the more correct impression."

ace gets startled and tries to play it cool, looking away shamefully as he continues mopping in the opposite direction. "err. yeah, whatever. pshh."

jade turns to you, "prefect, who do you think portrayed me better? deuce, or ace?"

still embarrassed he caught you guys playing out their roles, you're unsure what answer he desired. "...haha, i'm not sure?"

the tall eel feigns sadness, "so am i not flattering enough to have you decide on a proper response? is my personality really that dull that you're unconfident in yourself?"

"no, no! that's not what i meant. uhh, ace's description matches you perfectly...?" you didn't know what answer he wanted, so you took a guess.

ace slaps you in the back of the head (ouch), whispering, "you should've disagreed!"

"ow-!" you look back at jade.

jade smiles at you two (and the fact that ace hit you for saying the wrong answer), “i’m still hurt that you think that way, but your answer is satisfactory.”

so… is he hurt or not? knowing him, he’s probably not very offended, but who knows? you just may never find out.

floyd leech

you heard a laugh, and it’s definitely floyd.

if he was in a bad mood or this was anybody else who worked here, he wouldn’t tolerate you at all. scary to think about.

but luckily, he’s in a good mood!

“ahaha! you guys were so funny, but i don’t think i’m like that at all!”

ace mumbles, but loud enough to hear. “well, you kind of are, actually.”

floyd turns to ace, “get to work, crabby. are you asking for a squeezing?”

“no…” trappola silently weeps while he starts mopping again.

well that was a quick change of mood.

floyd walks over to you and sighs, “i’m bored, and azul isn’t here. so,” he leans on your shoulder, “ditch the work and come play with me! i’m SOOO bored.”

you’re confused, “eh? but what about work?”

“who cares? would you rather leave all the work to crabby and macky, or would you rather play. with me!”

if this means you’ll get out of work, then…

ace and deuce are looking at you, you can already tell they’re silently begging you to stay. however, it’s not like you wanted to do the work anyways.

“bye guys, see you later!” you smile, letting floyd drag you away.

“WAIT! come back—“ deuce tries shouting to you, however you’re already gone.

there’s a long pause of silence and mop noises, before ace speaks up,

“see deuce, my impression was TOTALLY right!”

— due to be edited at anytime —

#writing!🍤 #twst #twisted wonderland #azul ashengrotto #floyd leech #jade leech #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #floyd x reader #floyd leech x reader #jade x reader #jade leech x reader #azul x reader #azul ashengrotto x reader #ace trappola #deuce spade #scrib.bles🫧

[goodluckclove]

I have a project that I started for Nanorimo. I won Nano but after it was over I lost the motivation to write the last of the first draft. I think it’s a combination of not knowing exactly how to end it, not a lot of people to share it with, and being worried that I’m gonna re-read what I have and just find it bad.

Hello, Friend! Please, sit down. Take a deep breath. I'm going to say a variation of a form of writing advice that I'm sure you've heard a lot, but I'll hopefully elaborate it to the point where it clicks. I actually started writing through NaNoWriMo, it was a really great way to build up the muscle of consistent practice. Did my first six or so novels like that. Fun!

But I have good news and bad new about your first draft. The bad news is that it probably isn't perfect. The good news is that that's a great place to be in.

For one thing, NaNo specifically is not a traditional way to write a very stable first draft. People will spend years on what you've done in 30 days. To compare them is comparing your blanket fort with someone else's McMansion and thinking "dang what if my blanket fort never has faux-Roman arches".

Some people say their first drafts are perfect. This confuses me but I accept it and believe them when they say it. I do think that these people are not talking about drafts they carved out of word-flesh in a month or less. That's an entirely different game to play. When you hear people talk about how you're supposed to have a shitty first draft it could be hard to swallow. We don't want to feel like we put in all this hard work to make something shitty. So maybe I can say it a different way:

Your first draft is the skeletal structure of the story as a whole. It is the frame to what you're trying to achieve.

And I can say from experience that not liking your first draft doesn't feel the way you might think it will if you go at it the right way. I've written twelve books and there's only maybe two that I read fragments from and genuinely cringe. And even then there's still stuff I like about it.

Maybe you went into some kind of fugue state for a month and wrote a bunch of stuff that you hate every part of. You're a big high fantasy fan and you wrote a gritty detective novel. You love Dark Academia romance and when you read your NaNo you find it is just a list of every slur you could think of and new ones that could be added to the lexicon. If this happens to you then yes, your first draft is objectively terrible and you should probably take yourself to the hospital.

More likely your thoughts will look like this:

Maybe I should cut this. It's not really needed.

Oh I forgot the protagonist has this specific trait, I should remember that and incorporate more in the rest of the book

Hah yeah I see where I was going with this.

I should add more details about this concept, considering I now know about this other concept.

Hah man that's a lot of typos. (Assuming you're like me)

These are the types of things I have thought when I looked over literally every first draft I've ever edited since the dawn of my time as a writer. You are not likely to rend your clothes in shame and burrow underground. Even if you find some weird shift that happens in NaNo novels, like the genre or tone changing midway through the document - professional writers do that too. It can be a more efficient way to explore the space you're working it.

It can be a really interesting challenge! It helps too that you took some time off - I try and take at least a week between draft edits, even though it can be painful. You'll be able to see it with fresher eyes.

My usual strategy for editing my own drafts is to read from the top with curiosity and excitement and treat it like a puzzle. Is this what I want? Can it be better? Was there something I missed? Incidentally, when I'm stuck at a point in the novel I use the same trick and it helps every time. It's how Chuck Palahinuik did Fight Club!

So yeah you already did a huge thing by finishing a NaNo. Why not take a look back, if not just to enjoy the crazy and chaotic fruits of your effort?

Also - in regards to people not reading your work. Out of 12 novels I've probably had 3 read all the way through. It can suck, but it's okay and it doesn't mean they aren't good. Validate yourself and enjoy your own writing and start putting shit online/self-publishing/querying to take a chance!

#writeblr #writers on tumblr #writing #on writing #writing community #actually writing #writing asks #writing tips #writing resources #writing inspo

[calaisreno]

2022: Writing Year in Review

This year I posted 19 stories, less than my usual, but that was one of my goals. I'm satisfied with what I wrote.

I'm most proud of posting The Last Envoy because that story had been in the works for years and it was time to figure it out and share it. Doing that was a great writing experience and a great fandom experience for me. I'm so grateful to everyone who read it and let me know what it meant to them.

[I also read a lot of stories this year and added authors to my list of favorites. I'll share those in another post.]

My writing goal for 2022 was to post less. Not because I am bowing out of the fandom, tired of writing, or hoping to become a 'real, published writer.' (*sarcasm: fanfiction IS real writing. Fight me.)

I wanted to post less because I needed to write differently and that required a new mental attitude. According to my Scrivener writing history, I actually wrote as many words in 2022 as I have in past years; I simply haven't posted them all. (They are steeping, or ripening, or whatever first drafts do when you leave them be for a while.)

One of the ways I learned to write was simply by writing a ton of stories and posting most of them. This is the Just Get Over Yourself and Do It School of Writing. I've been in the Sherlock fandom on AO3 for five years now, and I've written far more than the 133 stories and 1.6 M words I've posted. I'm proud of some stories, and I cringe at others. They all stay up for anyone to read because in writing them, I became better; they are a record of progress.

But writing well isn't the only goal of writing. Nor are numbers the goal (words, stories, hits, kudos, comments). As I consider where I'm going with my writing this year, I remind myself why I write:

To tell a story I'm excited to tell.

To try out something new that might not succeed, but I just want to see if I can do it.

To thank someone who's been supportive by writing something they will love.

To start a conversation with readers.

To get something out of my system.

To have fun writing a story that's just fun to write.

To work out feelings about something that happened, either in RL or fiction.

To imitate something I admire.

It's a new year! I've got stories in progress, but I'm not making goals. Working on goals implies that "done" is more important than "doing," that "being a writer" is more rewarding than "becoming a writer." For me, goals do not produce joy. If I have to make a goal, it is to carry on becoming a writer, and (I hope) never actually arriving. Being is not as much fun as becoming. Well, if I have to have a goal, it will be to have fun writing in 2023.

As Ao would say (quoting Ursula Le Guin): "It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

I'd love to hear your reflections on the year just ended or goals you have for the new one. Tagging a few; probably not all I should tag; consider yourself tagged.

@totallysilvergirl @thetimemoves @discordantwords @therealsaintscully @shiplocks-of-love  @sherlockwatson-holmesblog @jobooksncoffee @keirgreeneyes @raina-at @7-percent  @a-different-equation @shelleysprometheus  @helloliriels @blogstandbygo @jrow @mydogwatson @momma2boys @thegildedbee @copperplatebeech 

#journeys #becoming a writer #ursula le guin #the last envoy #my fics #writing in 2023 #2022 year in review

[a-hopeless-romantic-fanatic-blog]

One Piece - shipping drabble

Law x Nami

Just some silly, incorrect quotes about marriage and being in a relationship with pictures! That I personally think fit really well with the LawNa dynamic!

( I also think it is neat and fun to explore that possibility and idea between these two fictional characters)

Rating: SFW

Warnings: some minor bad language, but nothing too bad.

...

I am aware this isn't a popular ship, but any form of hateful or negative comments will not be tollerated. You can like what you like and that's fine~ Because we all want to have fun, and a good time here! A wise person once told me: "If you got nothing nice or actually constructive to say, then probably don't say anything at all."

Let's spread love and kindness. Not hate and war.

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ･:❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤍🩶🖤🤎

If you wanna see other stuff check out my

Main Shipping Harbor! Lots of verity there~

Heads up!

So marriage isn't just between a man and a woman. Marriage should be all about being with the one you love regardless of their gender or ethnicity. So long as it's not toxic or against the law (like actual cringe stuff)

Then go for it! Get out there and find love in whatever way makes you and your significant other happy~

Okay now that's outta the way...

To this self-indulgent drabble~

...

Sleeping together:

"Some mornings, I wake up grouchy. Other mornings, I just let him sleep." -Nami

(Quote from:Unknown - Marriage humor of great men and women.)

"Marriage is an alliance entered into by a man who can’t sleep with the window shut, and a woman who can’t sleep with the window open." -Law

(Quote from: George Bernard Shaw)

...

The benifits of being married:

"Why do married people live longer than single people? I think it’s because married people make a special effort to live longer than their partner—just so they can have the last word." -Nami

(Quote from: Janet Periat)

"Look, you want to know what marriage is really like? Fine. You wake up, she's there. You come back from work, she's there. You fall asleep, she's there. You eat dinner, she's there. You know? I mean, I know that sounds like a bad thing, but it's not." -Law

(Quote from: Robert Barbone - Everybody Loves Raymond)

...

Tolerance and Compromise:

"I love you no matter what you do...

...

... but do you have to do so much of it?"

-Law and Nami

(Quoted from: Jean Illsley Clarke)

...

A doctors' take on marriage:

"Marriage is like vitamins: we supplement each other’s minimum daily requirements."

-Law

(Quote from: Kathy Mohnke)

...

It's totally normal:

"My husband and I have never considered divorce… murder sometimes, but never divorce." - Nami

(Quote from: Dr. Joyce Brothers)

"And she might be a pain in the ass. But she's my pain in the ass." -Law

(Quote from: A Very Potter Musical)

...

Extra benefits:

"I married for love, but the obvious side benefit of having someone around to find my glasses can not be ignored."

-Law & Nami

(Quote from: Cameron Esposito)

...

Vows

"The first draft of my vows, which I wrote the day after we got engaged, clocked in at around 70 pages."

-Law

(Quote from: Leslie - Parks and Recreation)

...

This was meant to be.

"I never fell in love with you.

Falling is an accident.

No, I walked aggressively

towards love for you.

It was on purpose and

with purpose." -Law

(Quote from: f.k.q)

...

The greatest thing...

"My most brilliant achievement was my ability to persuade my wife to marry me."

-Law

(Quote from: Sir Winston Churchill)

The End~

...

Picture/Art work credits:

Law playing with Nami's hair by: Unkown

Law and Nami in a comfy place: saram_80

Nami putting her lip gloss on Law: @ZSxJvsKNpB7AVoE

Law fighting with Sanji and Nami trying to stop them: One Piece Episode - 913

LawNa week day 4: Height Differences - Unknown

Straw-Hat's and Nami laughing at a not so amused Law: shevoj

Nami beating everyone up. Including Law: Unknown

Nami helping Law with his Dressrosa disguise: Unknown

Law passed out at his desk, and his crew sneaking in with gifts for him: Unknown

Law and Nami meeting at Sasbody: xMinyuV

Nami whispering something into Law's ear: Unkown

...

I do not own any of the pictures above nor characters from the One Piece franchise, but go give those artists and Anime/ Manga some love if you can!

And if you know who any of the "Unknown" Artists are, please send me a link to their portfolio (if it also includes the picture that's excellent too!)

...

Want more? Check out this other LawNa Drabble I did (warning it is kinda sad).

Also, my main Shipping Harbor. For even more stuff to explore here on this blog!

...

Like what you see? Consider sharing and / or leaving me a tip! Thank you, and I hope you have a lovely day~

#one piece nami #trafalgar law #one piece #one piece shipping #incorrect quotes #funny quotes #lawna #lawnami #nami #cat burglar nami #surgeon of death #drabble #self indulgent #just for fun

[andromedadoesntwrite]

Twenty Questions: Fic Author Edition

Thank you @bodyelectric77 for tagging me! I always love participating in these fun things. I am quite new to fanfic though (two months more or less) so I'll do my best to answer as much as I can <3

1-How many works do you have on ao3?

2

2-What's your total AO3 word count?

23,538 words

3-What fandoms do you write for?

The Hunger Games. But I'm not closed to maybe writing for others.

4-What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Cold Coffee

Fated From The Start

I've only published two atm :)

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

yesyesyesyes

I absolutely love comments. No matter how long they are I appreciate them so much. To know that people read my stuff AND that they like it AND wanna let me know, it completely makes my day. So I try to answer all of them, even if its just to say thank you. I especially love when the commenter references a specific part of the fic that they liked or made them laugh. It hits a spot.

6-What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

uhhhh.

at the moment I don't have any out. None of my fics have ended lmao. But something may or may not be in the works. Idk, not sure yet.

7-What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

once again, none of my fics have ended but I think Fated From The Start's will be the happiest.

8-Do you get hate on fics?

No at the moment, no. But if I keep writing its possible I will. But we'll cross that bridge when it comes to it.

9-Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Nope. Not really my strong suit or focus when writing. I've written a few suggestive scenes but nothing too intense or graphic. It's very difficult to write good smut so kudos to all writers who do.

10-Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

No

11-Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No and hoping it stays that way lmao

12-Have you ever had a fic translated?

No

13-Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

No

14-What's your all-time favorite ship?

Honestly Everlark. I really like both characters individually and think they're ship is pretty fitting. But if you had asked 12 year old me, she would've said Marshal lee from Adventure Time and me.

15-What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

There's a piece about Katniss not liking Peeta back till they were much older and both married sitting in my drafts buuuut I don't think I'll ever get to finishing it.

16-What are your writing strengths?

I actually don't know lmao. At least I'm not sure when it comes to fics. But I've been told I'm good at evoking emotion when it comes to sadness in other pieces I've written. I guess I still have to develop them.

17-What are your writing weaknesses?

I can get impatient quickly, leading me to sometimes not expand on something at first and just quickly writing it out. It sucks. And in the end slows me down even more. Since I have to come back and write things over. So a lot of times my descriptions fall short. It cringes me out when I read something back that I wrote in a hurry.

18-Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I would love to. I'm actually trilingual but Spanish is my first language so I'd love to write a fic in it. I think some things are just better written in Spanish, at least for me. Maybe one day I'll include it in one of the fics.

19-First fandom you wrote for?

The Hunger Games

20-Favorite fic you've ever written?

Fated From The Start! It's the one I spend more time in.

This was super fun and I'm tagging @thelettersfromnoone should they choose to do it, and anyone else who sees this since the rest of my mutuals have been tagged <3

#everlark #the hunger games #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #katniss and peeta #ao3 fanfic #tag game

[metanarrates]

What you wrote about letting the Poster in your mind die struck a cord in me. Lately when I'm writing I can't help but censor myself & add a tone of irony to it & lampshade cliches. Do you have any advice on how to write earnestly? Do you have any favorite media that is written with sincerity you would suggest?

my opinion is that if you're trying to cut out your own urges to be ironic and detached DURING the process of writing, you may end up overly scrutinizing your writing while it's happening, and that's usually what gets you too trapped in your own head to even get many words out. my advice is to simply let it happen in the first draft of whatever you come up with, and then have it be one of the things you look for while going over it in editing. ask yourself when you edit: am I saying what I actually want to say? am I being ironic for a reason, or is it because I don't know how to write anything else? can I try to do something less ironic? if I feel like I want to write something funny, can I come up with jokes that aren't "hey look at this cliche?"

above all else, when editing your own work, I find it valuable to think about whether this is the sort of story you really want to tell. if you feel passionate about it, why do you find it necessary to censor yourself? and if you find that you don't feel passionate about it, maybe you should restructure the work to make it more enjoyable to you. of course, not every scene in a story is fun to write, and not every moment of irony or lampshading is necessarily a bad thing. but if you find that irony is becoming a major habit in a work, it might be worth thinking about whether or not you're actually enjoying your own story.

as for the sincere media - most good media is very sincere! i actually think irony poisoning is the exception rather than the rule, though it is common enough in big blockbusters and the like that I do feel I have to complain about it. I would say most works I've read and enjoyed have been quite sincere. there's good stuff out there if you look.

that said, the works that come to my mind as being particularly upfront in their sincerity are:

mob psycho 100 - you've probably heard of this one. middle schooler with psychic powers and a severe case of emotional repression dispels a lot of ghosts with his con artist mentor and also figures out how to be a more well-adjusted person. mp100 has had a LOT of very eloquent reviews, so I won't say too much about it. it's just an extremely funny and shockingly emotionally resonant work.

witch hat atelier - absolutely gorgeous manga about a little girl who becomes an apprentice witch after discovering that magic is not exclusive to those who were born witches as she thought, but instead a teachable skill that has deliberately been kept in the hands of a few. the art in this is stellar, and its moments of horror are just as well-captured as its moments of gentleness. one of the themes of witch hat atelier is the beauty of art/magic and the joy an artist finds in its creation, and the artwork of the manga REALLY reinforces this theme. it's beautiful to look at and there's a quality of sincere love for both the work itself and its audience that suffuses the manga. though I will give a general tw for child harm - another major theme of the story is the responsibility adults, particularly teachers, have towards children, and this theme necessitates showing the ways that children can be harmed by teachers, as well as showing the ways that a good teacher can affect a child. it's very good!

omniscient reader's viewpoint: this one is LONG (over a million words) but is a great example of what I would call "post-cringe." a guy ends up seeing the events of his favorite fantasy-apocalypse action novel be recreated around him, and is determined to survive in this world where only he knows everything. one of the most charming things about orv, to me, is that the novel read by the main character is pretty obviously "cringe." it's a badly written escapist webnovel that is sometimes overly edgy, relies a lot on clichés, and can be very dense. the story points out sometimes how facts of the novel's world are kind of stupid or contrived. and yet, our protagonist loves that novel, and the story VERY much validates his love of it. despite him having at times a little bit of that ironic detachment towards the novel he loves, it's always clear that he thinks the cool monsters etc. are The Shit and that he is enthralled by the events playing out around him. the writing leans into how cool its setting and set pieces can be. hell, one of the big themes is how a story, no matter what kind of story it is, can mean everything to the reader who loves it. it's a good example of a work that can poke fun at its own clichés sometimes WHILE still loving those cliches and wanting the audience to enjoy those exact clichés.

again, there's a lot of good stuff out there! these are just my picks for having notable sincerity. if you read a lot, chances are that you will find a lot of great, earnest work. personally, I would recommend figuring out what genre you enjoy reading or watching, and then trying out some highly rated works in that genre. it's a great way to try out shit you haven't tried before! I would also recommend trying out stuff from 15 or more years ago, generally, if you're looking at more mainstream novels, movies, and TV series rather than specific genre fiction. the irony poisoning problem wasn't so prevalent then.

hope this helps!

edit: I FORGOT EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE. please watch eeaao, it's a deeply sincere and whimsical piece of art

#narrates #LONG post but here you go. #killing the Poster in your head can be a bit of an involved process #if you make the effort to be less detached & ironic in your self-expression the habit will eventually fade

[mightbewriting]

hi so i want to ask how i would go about improving my craft. more specifically, how do you do that, and do you have any advice?

i've accepted that my writing now isn't going to be perfect by any means, but i've also found myself wondering how i'd go about improving my craft to that point where i'm satisfied with it? or is it always going to feel like you have more to improve and more to change and more, more, more even when you've come a long way? like idk it's so hard to measure the endpoint (is there even an endpoint/end goal?) because even when i can see that i've improved in certain ways, there are also times i cringe at myself so much, which actually leads to fluctuating motivation too.

hi anon!

so sorry for taking a bit to get to this! i think the place i want to start with is no, there is no end point. at least, not one i've ever found. and truly, i think the most helpful point of growth with writing is in finding a way to accept that nothing you write will ever feel 100% perfected to you. even the things that readers might give you glowing feedback on and say there's nothing they would change, even if you can't necessarily figure out what it is that's wrong or that you would change, in my experience, there's always going to be a lingering sense of "but i could do this better, i know i could." the trick is in letting that be okay and, if i may be grotesquely trite, accepting that writing is the kind of activity that's pretty exclusively about the journey, not the destination. i'm not convinced there is a destination.

with regards to how i've gone about improving my craft, i'm a big proponent of craft books and reading a wide variety of them (which is boring, tedious advice, i know, but it's what i've done). i think it's easy to want to take craft advice as prescriptive, but processes are so unique to the way each of us thinks and how our brains work that i employ more of magpie technique. i want to pick and choose from a bunch of different sources to build my own little treasure trove of what works for me.

in addition to that, my trick for a very, very long time was disciplined practice. writing is one of those things you have to do to improve. i had a lot of success with daily word count minimums because, at least for me, having to get a certain number of words on the page no matter what they were or what project they were for, really helped me push past perfectionist tendencies. there just isn't time to obsess over 100 words when i have 1500 more to write and don't want to spend every second of my life doing it. if you're struggling to let something be a little bit imperfect, i highly recommend giving daily word counts a try for at least a month to build the habit and see how it feels. it doesn't work for everyone, but it worked for me. and if community helps, i highly recommend nanowrimo (national novel writing month) as a way to make a little event out of those daily word counts (i've done nano many times in my life and even wrote at nano pace for an entire year. and while that was...a lot, it also did a lot for my ability to write first drafts without shame). additionally, word sprints (timed, focused writing as fast as you can) with friends are a great way to help get words in with a support system cheering you on.

the last thing i'll throw out there, if it's helpful at all, a lot of the time my "endpoint" with a project is when i can't stand working on it anymore, not when i feel like it's perfect. because at a certain point, i'm not the project's best advocate anymore; i'm too close to it. and calling it done is usually the best thing for both me and the story.

i hope this is at least a little bit helpful anon! good luck with your writing! i promise you deserve way more credit than you're giving yourself right now!

#anonymous asks

[davepetea]

((just ranting abt writing fanfics you can ignore me lmao. I'm just in a weird place atm but I'm feeling kinda passionate abt writing rn so I'm gonna vent

originally I wrote a lil of this in the tags but then decided to just chuck it under a readmore so people aren't subjected to it against their will. then it got really long.

I'm not actually expecting anyone to read this im just sorta venting to myself. it helps me get my thoughts sorted if I write them down. I can also look back through my #.vat file tag in a few years from now and hopefully be like "wow I'm doing so much better than THAT now", so if that's the case, hi future Vatta! I hope you're having a good day. and if you're not future me, then I still hope you're having a good day, I love you, and this is your chance to turn back bc my rants are boring and LONG

(not turning back yet? ok. your funeral)

so, I haven't been online much bc I've just been in a weird limbo lately and I'm really busy when I'm at home either sorting stuff out or, with my PDA, doing anything I can to avoid my responsibilities lmao

I've been rereading my Tokyo ghoul light novels (I only have Void and Days ? I think they're called), rewatching Zankyou no Terror, and Bungou Stray Dogs (plus the live action Beast film which was? hilarious but I don't think it was supposed to be), and just suffering lmao

(you're still here? wow. you need a hobby. jk. ily)

I've been locked out of the systems at work for a bit, but I still need to be there and wait for the IT ticket to be sorted, so I've gotta be at my desk, cant have my phone or anything, so instead of sitting there doing nothing, I've either been reading, doing codeword puzzles, or I've been writing up 'drafts' for potential fanfics.

in this year of our sufferer 2024. I've been writing up some self indulgent homestuck college AU lmao. I've written over 60 sides of a5, (not inc the inbetween sections where I wrote some stuff on the chromebook at home) some notes, some accidental first draft, bc I wanted something to take up the time. but my handwriting is terrible, I don't write fast enough for my brain, I have a lil dyslexia so the letters and words get jumbled sometimes, and I have this weird thing where I don't do spaces right. but I've been trying to upload it to Google docs with Bixby's photo text extraction. it's pretty good considering how bad my writing is, then I just need to go through and touch it up, the main issues are things like names, there's some letters I do weird like my v turns into an r, or every p it thinks is a capital, but overall. amazing how technology do that.

(see my long ass rambling isn't just confined to venting. I also pretend to write actual things. you can still leave you know. I'm not holding you hostage until you read all this. you have free will)

can't remember how I ended up back in fanfic hell but I read back through like all my old published fics (aside from the cringe ones I orphaned) and the writing isn't terrible. I don't think I actually finished any of them though, which really shows my true nature lmao,,, but I've picked up a few things on my writing style now. and I've got a few things I see other people do that I wanna avoid bc I personally don't like it, and it's mostly about balance, like using names too often/not enough, being too descriptive like All The Time and making the writing really nice, but not much happens in the story so you take like an hour to read each scene, vs not enough description so everything is happening but you don't really get a visual or a breather to appreciate what's happened so far. I've been working on finding my right balance, which is imo easier if you're writing fanfic bc first up you hardly ever have to describe the characters. if someone's reading it they already know who they are. and for scenes you can take some inspo from the source material. does the original work put alot of effort into setting a cool scene? if not, then you don't have to either! if it's 90% scenery then you've gotta do it too I don't make the rules

I'm losing steam now I'm so sleepy and I've gotta go to work in a bit ugh.

(bet you're sleepy reading this too huh. told you it'd be boring)

I've been thinking about trying out writing some BSD fics but on an anonym not linked to my main Ao3, bc the themes are doozys and I kinda just wanna have the freedom of anonymity. also I'm a baby and if someone publicly criticises my stuff without it being a requested critique then it makes me bleh (I've had a few comments in the past of just general negatives, not even constructive feedback, not that I asked for any anyway...), but the abilities are tricky to write for, so it's effort lol

anyway I'm gonna stop now ive gotta get ready for work

(if you actually read this then thanks for going on this emotion deep dive with me. tune in next week when we'll get back to my usual mental breakdown)

#ooc post. #.vat file #genuinely I haven't been online on any blogs lately bc I'm doing. v bad. mental wise. #/rant off

[piracytheorist]

Fanfic writer emoji ask: 🤡 🍦🎯🤗 👀

What's a line, scene, or exchange you've written that made you laugh?

You know what, I don't actually remember a specific line. I've laughed a lot with my own crack recaps, if that counts XD but I do have an entire short fic I wrote that I was cackling all through writing it, and it's the one about Hope from OUAT growing into a teenager who likes whump. It was written in a bit of spite but I actually poured my own experience into it and I found it so funny! Considering that angst is my main inspiration, I don't get a lot of chances to laugh while writing my things XD

What's the sweetest fic you've created so far?

I think the one that has the least amount of angst is that ficlet about Rogers and Tilly (while still cursed) "accidentally" spending Christmas together. I really enjoyed writing that one and getting into the feeling of it :)

Have any of your readers accurately guessed major plot points? Care to share which?

I only have two multi-chapters where that would be possible, and though it wasn't something too unexpected, (SPOILERS for Macabre Theme and Variations), I was so excited when I saw people comment they wanted to see Twilight and Yor team up at the end to get the guy!! I was so close to commenting back with a "YES! Read on and you'll see!" but I had to hold back to not spoil it for them, lol.

What advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?

For starters, write. Just write your heart out. It may be cringe, it may look silly, it may be out of character. Write it. It's your only way to get better. Experience is the first thing that makes a writer grow and become better, so write your shit. You'll be better before you know it.

Something that isn't discussed much but helped me actually finish the aforementioned multi-chapter: write as the flow goes, and if you can't remember a word or aren't sure about a fact and can't find it within a few seconds, write a bunch of question marks (or whatever kind of symbol will help you find it later with control + F) and keep writing. You might end up spending too much time googling what you wanted and you'll lose track and flow otherwise.

Take an estimate of how much time you need to find the information you're seeking. For example, it takes a couple seconds to find how much an African elephant weighs in average. But if you want to find out how to properly take care of an elephant, you might need some long minutes of research. Find the weight, then add your symbols for the second information.

For me, that was a saviour for writing MTaV. I don't think I would have finished it if I hadn't implemented it. Treat the first draft as it is; a first draft, that you will edit later, so let it have holes and questions (to a certain degree, of course). When the long process of editing starts, you can take your time spending long hours researching because the scenes and dialogues are already written with the flow.

Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

Hm I actually have one for SxF that I should be finishing up. It's short, sad but with a bit of a feelings ending. One hint I can give is that it has a lot to do with Bond :D

Send me an emoji!

#priscilla9993 #ask and ye shall receive #ask meme

[blairsanne]

Writers Truth & Dare Ask Game:

🍓🕯️🦷 (thanks!)

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction? 

To be honest I don't even remember when it started. As a kid I would imagine fanfics in my head, and at some point I started RPing Sailor Moon OCs with my neopets guildmates... and that eventually became writing fanfic on my own, although I'd say I RP'd exclusively for a long time.

At some point as an adult I started writing a Big Wolf on Campus fanfic, and then I did a Rise of the Guardians one for a NaNoWriMo challenge. I wrote original fiction almost exclusively for several years after that but then in 2021 I watched the Hobbit movies for the first time and fell into that fandom which eventually led me to start writing for it (and eventually Dean O'Gorman roles!).

🕯️ ⇢ on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? why is that?

Maybe a 4? I find it a bit tedious and I often feel like if I sit too long between drafting and editing I forget how I laid the story out and want to make edits that end up being pointless...

On the other hand, it means it's close to being ready to post, which is the goal XD Also I don't think I could post without editing.

🦷 ⇢ share some personal wisdom or a life hack you swear on

If you're into it, just be into it.

Which is one of the house rules actually. But it basically means don't be self-deprecating about your likes and interests. It's fine. It's not cringe. It's only cringe to think stuff is cringe.

#thank you for the ask!! #ask game

[doomednarrative]

My bestie @catgirladjacent tagged me in a little "20 questions for fic writers" ask game so :3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

12 currently

2. What is your AO3 wordcount?

29,178. I mostly write one shots lol

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently I have on my ao3 published fics for FFXIV, Pathologic, Resident Evil, Borderlands and Gotham Rogues. I don't really actively write for any of those except FFXIV and Resident Evil these days however, along with various Kamen Rider shows and some BG3 stuff.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

God this is gonna make me cringe cause it's all older stuff I don't like as much anymore lol except for the RE ones

Help Me, Heal Me - 191 kudos

I Think She Knew Everything You Are - 196 kudos (nice)

He Always Held Him When He Cried - 98 kudos

No Sleep - 93 kudos

You Are Yourself - 77 kudos

5. Do you respond to comments?

Usually yeah. I rarely get them so it's nice to see when people do actually leave them

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

Surprisingly as much as I Love writing angst, none of my published fics actually really end on an angsty note. The closest would have to be "Doing Your Best (And Still Failing)" because it was written about my WoL A'cera after losing his first fight with Zenos during Stormblood, so it's a bunch of his raw emotions from the encounter.

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably "Just Exhale", which is my personal take on the end of the MSQ for Endwalker with my WoL Alyx after they land back in the Ragnarok following the encounter with Meteion.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Nope, never have

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

Only in my rp's with Tibby lol, or Occasionally something that won't ever get published that's just for myself. Usually it's oc/canon stuff that's just self indulgent for the sake of it ~

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

No lol it takes a Lot for me to enjoy crossovers unless it concerns toku stuff since those actually happen in canon

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I know of

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

Hmm sort of? I hash out ideas with friends sometimes but I do all the actual writing for anything I publish myself

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

If we wanna go solely by what I've actually Published? Hades/Hythlodaeus/Azem or Wol, I really like writing my personally FFXIV stuff when I'm in the mood. If we wanna go off of unfinished wips by number tho? Hoffstrahm and Chreon by a fuckin mile, those two fucked my brain up for long spans of time

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

There's a few honestly:

"Kiss me baby with your hapsburg lip," one of my many Hoffstrahm wips in my au verse shared with Tibby about Peter having to sew up Mark's face after the bear trap incident, only in this au it's much more comedy than horror

I have at least 5 different Hellhopper fics in my drafts, I would like to finish ONE of them at least someday

My fuckin multichapter Hotline Miami BikerJacket fic aughhh. I havent given up hope with it for how much of it I actually do have plotted out but god it'd take so long to write

I have a whole little various connected one shot series I was working on as a fix it series to the OOO 10th vcine, would love to finish them but I would have to rewatch OOO to pick the character voice back up for it

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue, it's the thing everyone always points out to me that they enjoy in my writing and it's usually always the starting point for my fics

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Prose lol. I struggle so hard sometimes with connecting scenes and describing whats happening when people aren't actively speaking. I've gotten better at it but it took a lot of conscious effort to learn it

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

I rarely do it, most things I write are in my native language media already, but whenever I do it I usually just italicize it, write it in English and make mention of the language switch in the paragraph somewhere so the reader knows it's happened

19. First fandom you wrote for?

DRAGON BALL Z BABEYYY I'm not ashamed of that I still love DBZ so much. I was so shameless and wrote my own oc to be Vegeta's cousin in one of my first fics and I had fun doing it. They've long since been deleted, not because I Wanted to do so but for other reasons I don't feel like going into rn.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

"Help Me, Heal Me" by far out of my published ones. It's my most solid out of them and I feel like I really nailed Chris and Leon's dynamic well in it, it's the one I'm most proud of ~

Hrmm let's see, I think I'll tag @silenthillmutual, @lunar-gl1tch, @skajador @adrianicsea and @stickers-on-a-laptop for this one ~

#as always answer only if you want to dont feel obligated ~ #yall are just my writer friends so you came to mind first #tag game

[druidx]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

@inkoherentwriting, @bretongirlwrites, and @wispstalk have all tagged me in this so I should probably do it (this is not a complaint! I love tag games, I'm just think it's funny).

I'm not sure who of my usual list writes fanfic so this is an open tag.

1 – How many works do you have on AO3?

151 in total. Druidx has 107, and my pseud for PodFics, Dru-Pod, has 44

2 – What's your total AO3 word count?

Currently 246,748. (I've got three other large fics in the works that'll bring that up to ~500k when posted.)

3 – What fandoms do you write for?

My main ones right now, by number of works, are:

TES IV: Oblivion

Fighting Fantasy World of Titan by Steve Jackson & Ian Livingstone

Starbound

Thunderbirds Are Go (2015)

Those in the past, and that will never grace AO3, are (in order of recency):

Star Wars (Savage Worlds TTRPG)

Sherlock (2010)

Star Trek: Deep Space 9

Discworld

4 – What are your top five fics by kudos?

Technicolour Nightmare (Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion)

Flowers and Ice (Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion)

Crimson Storm (Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion)

Family Treasures (Thunderbirds 2015)

Avoiding the Emperor (Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion)

Technicolour Nightmare is a kind of a surprise, because I don't think it's one of my better fics, and was a half-assed kinda throwaway story about a feverish HoK being rescued and cared for. For the longest time the top fic has been Flowers and Ice which never surprised me given that it's very much about Everyone worrying about Martin doing something stupid, and then descends into the HoK worrying about everyone, and ends with the promise things will be better. Avoiding the Emperor is also not a surprise, since it was the very first thing I posted on AO3.

5 – Do you respond to comments?

I try my hardest to, when I get them.

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

Of those posted, it's probably Bitter Winds and Rain, which is about Aderyn not handling Martin's coma well. Young Dagger, False Dream which is drafted but not yet posted, comes a close second with Alexis feeling forced out of the group she thought were her friends after an ideological split.

7 – What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

TIL a lot of my fics have an upbeat ending XD At First Blush takes the win, I think, with Methredhel and Rhiannon's kiss.

8 – Do you get hate on fics?

Gotta get comments to get hate, eh? The worst I had was on Tumblr for No Rose Without a Thorn, where someone was rude about the OC I was writing about (wasn't even my OC - I'd borrowed someone else's which might be why it made me angry).

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

Nope. I have tried and tried and decided it's not for me. It's never been published, because it makes me cringe at how bad it is. The most you'll get from me is some heavy petting and a fade to black.

10 – Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Dinner Time is probably the wackiest crossover posted, with the main Trio from Oblivion and some characters from Fighting Fantasy World of Titan. I also started a crossover with the Trio from Oblivion and the main characters from Thunderbirds (2015), but that's unlikely to see the light of day

11 – Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge.

12 – Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I'd be honoured if anyone ever wanted to.

13 – Have you ever co-written a fic?

Not a fic, no. I tried co-writing an original story and it did not go well, and has soured me towards the idea TBH.

14 – What's your all-time favorite ship?

That I've written, I suppose I have to say Martin/Baurus since I've written 26 fics about them... By fave to read though is Bilbo Baggins/ Thorin Oakenshield (Bagginshield). TBH though, shipping isn't something that I really bother with much; Martin/Baurus was for a friend.

15 – What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Her Lonely Shadow is currently the top contender. It's the 'what happens next for Alexis Dalliance' story, set after the end of her campaign and before Elo's campaign. I've been writing it since 22 Apr 2015, it's still on the 1st draft sitting at 174,266 words. I don't feel like it's ever going to be finished...

16 – What are your writing strengths?

Pacing, the balance of prose to dialogue, descriptions, and character voice.

17 – What are your writing weaknesses?

Plotting, subtext, and making sure 'c' grade characters still have some 3d-ness to them.

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

All for it. I think it's fun for a character who doesn't speak that language to have to figure things out from body language or other social cues, or muddle through with their broken skills. In fantasy it's less risky though, because you can mash words out that sound good, but for IRL languages, you need to take a bit more care. One would hope, however, that if a native speaker has an issue with something I've used Google Translate for, they would mention it in the comments so I can fix it.

19 – First fandom you wrote for?

Discworld.

20 – Favorite fic you've written?

... I'm going to do them by fandom because this is an unfair question XD

Starbound - Home That Our Feet May Leave, But Not Our Hearts

FF/World of Titan - Dead Reckoning Returned

Oblivion - Abecean Blue

Thunderbirds 2015 - Family Treasures

#meta writing #meta wandering words #tag games #ao3 question game

[greatprotector-if]

Hii, I want to make if game but I'm kinda slow writer. Also I have never written so many words like other authors and it's a bit paralyzing. Do you have any advice how to deal with it?

anon i am so sorry this is 100% just rambling. the TLDR; my advice to you is this: comparison is the thief of joy. i know it's hard not to compare yourself to others, it's a super natural instinct for most of us, but seriously, as long as you're doing the best that you can, it doesn't matter how much or how little everyone else is doing. try changing your scenery! write in a different location! write using different materials! don't even bother with proper grammar and punctuation or whether things sound good or make sense for your rough draft. just write. Don't go back and fix things. and it might suck and you might just end up having to rewrite the entire thing in the end but at least now you know what not to do! and i am wishing you the absolute best in all your if writing endeavours <3

i'm fr just a guy so i'm so sorry if this advice is shit. i'm not a professional. idk if you came to me just because you saw the "slow writer" in the intro post and you saw a kindred spirit, but just in case you are not aware.... i am such a slow writer and i'll be so honest when i started tgp by far the longest thing i'd written was 11k words and it took like... 10 months to finish. usually the stuff i wrote was 500 words in Total and i was also the type of fanfic writer on wattpad who'd post three chapters and then never touch the book ever again

so, not a great foundation for a game that requires this level of commitment, and i knew that!! but i dunno i was so excited about the idea and the characters and i felt like i needed to share it with the world so i just went fuck it and started. when i first got that intro post up i had nothing but a handful of characters, a vague idea and a dream.......

basically what i'm trying to say is. I get it.

and my advice to you is: just do it LOL just write your if game!!!

it will be scary and impostor syndrome is SUCH A BITCH. you will encounter authors who will write like 100k words in the time it takes you to write 5k and THAT IS OKAY. I FEEL THIS EVERY DAY. BUT YOUR WORTH IS NOT BASED ON HOW MANY WORDS YOU CAN WRITE IN AN HOUR, SO TRY YOUR BEST NOT TO BE TOO HARSH ON YOURSELF. COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY. if your best one day is 15 words and they aren't even good words? that's fine. at least you're getting something down. you are doing the best you can in that moment, and that's what's most important!!!

ALSO WRITE WHAT YOU WANT TO WRITE. you cannot appeal to everyone. there will be people who simply will not enjoy your game and you know.. we ball anyway because there will also be people who LOVE YOUR GAME JUST AS MUCH AS YOU DO, IF NOT MORE. i find that a lot of the time i'm stuck because i'm so worried about catering to my audience, and while it's okay to be conscious of these things, don't let it paralyze you. do not make your story about a bunch of bullshit you don't care about just because it's popular or something or you will just Never progress because you don't care about writing it. those days i shit out 1k (WHICH IS A LOT FOR ME IN ONE DAY) are because i'm like JUMPING OFF THE WALLS EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I'M WRITING ABOUT. WHO CARES IF WHAT YOU WANT TO WRITE ABOUT IS CRINGE (cringe culture is dead anyway) OR SUPER NICHE OR WON'T GET YOU A MILLION FOLLOWERS IMMEDIATELY. i mean don't get me wrong validation feels so good i'm a bit of an attention whore myself but also you deserve to create things that make you feel good, and this is what sustains a long-term project. You know? You feel me? You pickin up what i'm putting down? plus there will always be other people who vibe with your story, no matter how much you think you're the only one it appeals to.

but just in case you aren't just here for incoherent moral support, i would highly recommend straying away from plain old google docs or whatever it is that you usually use to write and trying new things! pen and paper??? pen and Cardboard box (this one works really well for me for my art block for some reason LMAO)??? write while sitting on the stairs instead of at your desk??? stimuwrite 2.0 (i cannot recommend this enough the bubble wrap sounds are sooo good)???

also. remember that rough drafts are just that: Rough Drafts. just write!!! maybe it'll turn out great, but maybe it'll be complete shit. maybe it'll make you want to throw up just reading it back. DON'T DELETE IT AND WORRY ABOUT HOW TO MAKE IT SOUND BETTER. I DONT CARE IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY USED THE WORD "JUST" 3 TIMES IN 1 SENTENCE. AS LONG AS YOU GOT THE MESSAGE ACROSS ENOUGH FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND IT YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.

ok sorry i am mildly sleep deprived at the time of writing this i'm so sorry if i literally just didn't answer any kf your questions at any point in here. i have no idea what i'm doing i just roll with the punches!!!!!!

#answered asks #anon #I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR IF GAME ANON #IT WILL BE AMAZING

[queenofbaws]

an old one from me,

14, 17, 20, and 25 for Book of Retribution because I'm obsessed with it (and the favorite line of mine for 14 is "How does it feel to be on the other side for once?")

!!!!! oh my GOSH!!! talk about a blast from the past!!! i would love a little stroll down memory lane, hehehe!!!

14. My favorite line from this fic was [xyz]. What inspired it?

ahhhh, i love that that line resonated with you - i felt sooo slick writing it, way back when!

so!!! as this was a silent hill crossover, i was really, really trying to capture the idea of the town (or in this case, world) using the protagonist's inner turmoil against them. "how does it feel to be on the other side for once?" was absolutely meant to sort of twist the knife in the sense that it alluded back to the experiments done by the RG crew - they were the ones in charge back then, they were the ones pulling the strings and doing horrible things to people...so now, pray tell, how does it feel to be tormented in return?

as we later come to find out, it's a line that's probably mostly meant for zexion.............but that doesn't mean it doesn't apply to anyone else ;)c

17. What was the hardest scene to write?

any! of! the! combat! scenes!!!!!!!!! the fight with zexion in particular, i remember just. staring at my screen like "how on earth do i go about this?!" dsklfjskldjf straight up-and-down action scenes have always been difficult for me, i find it hard to write that sort of thing without it reading like "then he punched him. it hurt. a lot. it hurt, like, a lot. so he punched him back." any time one of the basement boys found themselves facing off a monster (or one another, heheheheheheheee), there was definitely a very, very exasperated and self-conscious struggle involved on my part.

20. What is something you wish more people noticed about this fic?

hmmmmmmmm...well, since it IS a silent hill crossover, i for sure poured the symbolism on thick, let me tell you sldkfjksd oooh i wish i could be more specific than that, but i wrote this puppy several computers ago, so i'm sure my original drafts and outlines are lost to time 😔 the monster designs specifically i remember spending sooo much time on, trying to line up as many sneaky little details as i could to make them line up with my hcs of the guards, ansem, and just zexion/ienzo's inner struggles in general. the use of a doppelganger as an antagonist, too, was SUPER pointed but i feel sort of fell by the wayside - i was trying to be so smooth like "get it? get it, because you...you can't...you can't trust...the schemer......you...do you get it??????"

but again, like i said with an earlier fic, the fact people read this story at all meant - and continues to mean!!! - the absolute WORLD, so regardless of what my intentions were when i was writing it, i'm just touched and flattered and honored that others got something out of it! <3

25. Is there anything you would change now about this fic? Why or why not?

i'm sure i could change......most things. about this fic. now. hahahaha, but not because i hate it or anything!!! BoR is an interesting study, imo, because it really sort of...marked the beginning of the end of my time writing kh stuff, and the beginning of me REALLY focusing on horror more generally. a lot of the spooky stuff i was experimenting with in there feels pretty...idk unrefined to me now??? if that makes sense???

i think it comes down to the fact i've just kind of evolved as a writer over the years, and that the way i approach psychological horror now is very different to then, when i was taking my first tentative steps into the genre. but you'll notice i said i COULD change things - not that i WOULD. BoR was and is, like i said, suuuuuuuuuch an important piece in my heart, and even if i do feel those little 'omg i can't believe this was how i used to write' cringes when rereading some sections of it, i wouldn't change any of it for the world!

#firestorm09890 #asks #queenie writes kingdom hearts #man was that even a tag i used??? jfc im getting oLD AND FORGETFUL OVER HERE!!! #this made me smile so much you have no idea!!!! tysm for the ask - i can't tell you how much it means you still enjoy this one!!! T_T

[chouchen]

/lh I'm in a similar boat as you, actually. Finally ended a year-long writer's block and all my writing feels cringe now. However, I do have a recommendations that should hopefully help? First thing's first, mentally prepare yourself to write the work multiple times. The first time, write everything you're genuinely excited about (eg. if you really want to write a scene from chapter 13 of your work, write that first; don't worry about writing in a linear timeline). This stage is the one I cringe the most in. Take a break (approx. one day works for me) to think about what you wrote, which will help you make more sense of your writing and hopefully reduce the cringe. Keep on tidying up the work by changing minor plot points (as needed, of course), adjusting the vocabulary used, touching up the formatting, and so on. I notice that a lot of new writers have an issue with excessive cursing and...I guess just general angriness? I'm not sure, a lot of protagonists seem irritated all the time, which can be comedic when used right, but not when it's in excess. Try to keep this in mind when characterizing your cast, as they may come across as unrealistic otherwise. TL;DR: Write a rough draft with plot points in whatever order your want, whether or not it makes sense. After mulling it over, go back and piece it together in a way that seems coherent. I really hope this helped in some way, best of luck to you on your writing journey!!

hi thank you for the advice !

it's been a few days now and i know what to do now >:D

i've also read more but this time to analyse how people write and its fascinating to notice and actually see how people write (idk how to explain it i just woke up haha)

#ask