#but thank you writers and fellow readers for making this year fun for reading

[bloomingdarkgarden]

So, I'm a complete sucker for a good good romance. THIS particular elriel romance in WBITDG is my absolute favorite. And honestly? I'm reading other books to get the same feelings I get when I read your romance between Elain and Azriel, and they always fall short. They just don't compare, unfortunately. So thank you for taking the time to write this absolute beast of a fanfic and sharing it with fellow elriels as we wait to see sjm make a move on their story. I appreciate the hours/days/weeks you put into staring at your computer editing and wondering "Is this good enough?". Well, it's beyond good enough. Quite fantastic, if you ask me. I can't picture these two characters any other way.

Also, I'm so excited to read the full flashback of Elain and Az after the war. I look forward to more if it's in your plans.

Anywho, all this to say thank you.

This just made my week thank you.

The process is funny, it takes readers I dunno, 10-25 minutes to read an update. But each chapter takes me appx. 30 hours of writing / erasing / reworking / cringing / self loathing, rinse, repeat lol. This story has taken over my life this year. It's 520 pages long in novel format, can you believe?!

I know a lot of fandom writers write for themselves. But the deeply emotional nature of the darkgarden is not... fun. I am not writing it for my own enjoyment. I write for yall and so that Elain gets a love story that aches and burns and destroys worlds in the softest ways, no matter what happens in canon.

I frequently wish I had pursued something short, fun, sweet or sexy to try my hand at writing rather than taking on a full length angst+longing centric slow burn novel. but here we are 😂

Thoughts like yours really makes it all so worth it. All my love to you, honeybee.

Ch. 33 up on Monday ish!

#ehoney answers #darkgarden #elriel

[alpydk]

THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT MY FELLOW WRITERS

this is a super fun tag prompt list, thanks @orangekittyenergy

tagging: @sofancydancy and @senualothbrok

Right, let's see how this goes.

Last book I read: Pride and Prejudice. Had never read it before but the whole Tim Downie cameo got me doing it. Then watched the BBC series with a friend and we swooned something major over Colin Firth. I've picked up some other books since then but just haven't found the motivation to get through them. Looking at Dark Tower book 5 as well for the last year...

Greatest literary inspiration: I'm honestly not sure. My partner is the real reader of the two of us. I've enjoyed Dark Tower, The Witcher Series (Honestly still in love with Cahir from them), and Leaves of Grass is my poetry go-to. But inspiration, going to be silly but the Hardcore series by Andy Remic (RIP), is such a great series of books. They're not the most literary genius type books but the action is cool, I love the characters. They make me want to write cool shit too.

Things in my current fandom I want to read but I don't want to write:

Smut. Honestly, my abilities with writing smut are limited. I have no patience for flowery language (yeah I write poetry but I know what I mean.) but it means when it comes to writing my own smut it is very matter-of-fact and lacks what I'm looking for. I'm also very picky about my smut due to an annoying logical brain. If you say someone moves their arm and then they move something else I see that and if I can't follow it directly I'm just going to put it down.

You can recognise my writing by:

Lots of short prose-type sentences. I like the effect of repetition and I especially like writing in a more personal talking type way. I especially love to monologue so if anyone does recognise my writing it's probably from these things. I especially love writing anything angst, it's so therapeutic and I love being able to draw out emotions from other people. I can do this with sweet fluff stuff too but angst really is more enjoyable.

My most controversial take ( current fandom):

I hate the word folds. (Not fandom relations but still.) Makes me think of a packed ham sandwich.

Fandom-related though - Astarion fans can get pretty feral over their views of his character. I get it, Gale fans are the same but I've left groups over the rabidness.

Current writing mood (10 – super motivated and churning out words like crazy, 0 – in a complete rut): Currently about a 4 but it can vary depending on the hour and the inspiration. I completed the Nana story and now feel a little lost as to what the next project will be. Ideas are escaping me.

Top three favourite tropes: The whole "enemy to lovers" thing. I mean this in a 2 people who argue and fall in love, not as in the real enemies to lovers.

Star-crossed lovers, especially if they really are both doomed. Astarion/Karlach if she is going to burn up. I love that tragic acceptance. Give me more of that.

I like a loveable rogue too. Hook from OUAT.

Share a random frustration: AU fiction losing characterisations. Once your fiction hits a point where you could replace the characters with any other from any other series I'm going to stop reading it. Great, you want X to be sub, but if he wouldn't actually act that way in canon, why are you even using him as a character? It's AU, fine but then make it OC or use another fandom. Don't force me to read through 13 chapters of semi-ok stuff just to destroy the characters so you can fulfil the soap opera-esque drama that gets you the hits. I get it's difficult but this is my pet peeve. Rant over...

#tag game #omg writing is hard #rant post

[frizzle-mcshizzle]

your writing is so good 😭 teach me your secrets big sister

i literally let this sit in my inbox for a week because it made me so happy!! thank you!! (*screams* im a good enough writer to be asked for writing advice) (also being called big sister makes me insanely happy in general so)

anyways other than the classic write as much as can and you need to be ok with it sucking.

my #1 thing is (and this applies to everyone): even if you having a learning disability that effects your ability to write words and spell it doesn't mean you can't be a good writer. it effects your spelling and punctuation not the knowledge of how to tie words together to write an deeply emotional story

learn how to write in third person i realize that first person can be easier when you begin. but only writing in first person isn't going to give you the tools to improve. i realize the switch can be a bit daunting to some but its an important step. first person isn't bad, its just there's certain things you can't do in first person that you can do in third in vice versa. (also when it comes to fanfic people will click away more often if the fic is in first person)

if you are not having fun writing something, stop. you won't get inspiration by forcing it. either switch to another project, or ramble to a friend about why you're stuck and inspiration might hit you or maybe it won't thats ok too.

learn how to brainstorm with other people well. brainstorming is more than just listening to someone's ideas, it's asking specific questions, and giving suggestions, getting excited not just hear about their story but to participate in the idea processes. if you're able to ask someone questions about thwir story and engage them they're be more likely to do the same to you.

my trick for writing big emotions is using nature (or natural disaster) analogies, or using the character ability to show the loss of control over their emotions. for example in White Noise, i used the storm outside to represent Juline's emotions building up on the outside, while also giving her more normal physical reaction.

honestly the abilities are a good tool to use to show emotion, if a character is experiencing a strong emotion have them lose a little control over their ability to show how strong their emotions are, this is especially effective when you normally have them keeping good control over their abilities.

if you have never written anything before, its gonna be crap at first its apart of learning anything, when you finally push past that phase and you can start to focus more on style and less on the fundamental parts of the story like of pacing or dialogue or description. thats how you know you're getting somewhere

ask. for. help. when i struggle with a scene or with pacing a ask a fellow writer friend for advice or suggestions, when i was just getting back into writing i struggled to write a kiss scene and asked like four different people for help. its ok to ask for help and its a good way to improve. i for one would love to get questions about writing and im sure other fic writers would too

you can actually control readers heart rates using this tip, that i saw on tumblr last year, i had already been using this trick as pacing tool and as a stylistic choice, but after i read that post i did it much intentionally

#i would share my favorite writing books be alas you can't share files on mobile #thanks for the ask! #writing tips

[malleleothreesome]

So I scrolled down and just met you through your stage sex fic and scrolled through and couldn't find the pt.2 and it has been a month but I only met you today and I haven't read anything else just yet but I will but my question is will there be a pt.2 cause you have me frothing at the mouth for him and if I have to commission u to do it I will!

Hi!!! Thank you both so much for your interest in my fic. @starshiningsirius ahaha I'm truly honored that you would consider paying me for my work 😅💖 It means a lot to me! Unfortunately, I have not started working on part 2 yet. YET!! I promise I'll get it out to you, I still have interest in finishing it. I'm feeling just like a little... blocked on it.

I think it's because I'm unsure of how kinky to make it. I think there are two camps—people who want 3rd years in the audience, and people who don't. Ever since it was first suggested to me, I think having 3rd years in the audience is a really fun suggestion. Tbh, if it was up to me (which I guess it IS adbjasbdiu but that doesn't necessarily mean I'll go through with it)... I think it would really tie into the story if I had 3rd years forced to sit in the audience as they slowly turned into wood 💀 But I know that's like an extremely kinky thing (and really morbid) to do and theres a lot of ppl who would be like 'ew Erica wtf is wrong with you?' (Also if I have Lilia turning to wood I guess he can't film the show for Malleus so like 🤔🤨🧐)—See I have lots of varying ideas.

I also thought about making a separate post that was like "How would 3rd years react to seeing you on stage having sex with Fellow" and that would give all 3rd years a chance to shine while also keeping things separate for people who don't want to read that. I don't know!!! Please feel free to comment or send me an ask with your suggestions! I mean, I'm even open to the idea of including more than just the 3rd years (I know the Tweels are very beloved characters even though I myself am not into them) but I know that creates even MORE of an ick for other people.

My fear is: now that we are getting deep into the smut of it all, I know everyone has very specific tastes, wants, needs, & icks when it comes to sex, so I'm filled with trepidation when trying to come up with the rest of the plot. Since I separated it into part 1 and part 2, I'm kind of afraid of writing something that will ruin part 2 for people who enjoyed part 1 and were eagerly anticipating part 2. Does that make sense? So I'm thinking about it too deeply, and therefore, I am feeling blocked on starting because I want to come up with something that will please everyone.

Like, if I had just released the whole story from the start, people could have chosen not to read it at all if the content warnings weren't their vibe, but noooow... people who read it already are invested in the outcome of part 2. Ah, the pressure! 😩

Realistically, I know I can't please everyone, but I'm still very new to writing (I've only been posting on here around 2 months now!) and I still have that eagerness to want to strive to make everyone happy. So, I guess it's something I have to work through and get over as a writer.

Also, I've been having fun ignoring my Stage Sex Part 2 anxieties by writing completely different prompts for my writing event going on right now lol. However, I think I'll rip the metaphorical band-aid off starting next year (aka like in a few days lol) and just start writing part 2. Hopefully my blockage will melt away and I'll be able to come up with something I'm happy with! At the end of the day, my main goal is to make reader x Fellow have AMAZING sex, so I guess I'll start with that and see what other things I want to add to spice things up at the end.

Again, thank you both so much for your interest, it means the world to me. I hope to get Part 2 out to you ASAP and I hope I can write something that you really enjoy!

#‧͙+ ̊*・༓☾ Erica Answers ☽༓・* ̊+‧͙ #this is so long sorry #as you can see i have a LOT OF THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS!!!!

[gingiekittycat]

Hi, and happy Yuletide, holidays and/or the end of the year! I'm once again wandering from askbox to askbox, asking questions from my fellow Good Omens fanfic writers.

How was your writing year? What's the favourite story you wrote? Yes, YOUR favourite of YOUR work! Feel free to gush about your creations, I'm looking forward to hearing all about it!

I wish you all the comments and kudos, and an exceptional new year! 🧡 Mirjam

Happy holidays Mirjam! And thank you for the ask 💜.

How was my writing year? Spectacular, actually. I finished a fic I'd been picking at for four years, where which every sentence I wrote felt like pulling teeth (but I FINISHED it, the bastard). I wrote (goes back to check) 5 new fics after GO season 2 was released (I did the math, over 135,000 words in less than 4 months!!! How did I sleep? Eat? Do basic daily tasks? I don't even know) and the first three were only because writing was the only way I knew how to cope with all of my big feelings after the finale.

One of those fics actually became quite popular. It wasn't meant to be. It was meant to be a rant about my feelings after the finale, a rant about writing in general, a rant about how fanfic is such a strange and chaotic animal. I had just finished writing a super plotty fic which had been SO difficult, and I was tired of plot. I was tired of editing each sentence into oblivion, like I always did. I was tired of character arcs. I was tired of posting chapters and getting very little, if any, reader response. I was so tired that I wanted to stop writing, and I was angry that I couldn't. Even if no one was reading what I wrote, I couldn't stop.

Imagine my shock when people started reading the thing. Commenting on the thing, kudosing the thing. I kept writing it, with no end in mind, just pouring out word vomit in each chapter, pulling crazy stunts because I felt like it, because I wanted to, because I didn't care if it was good. It was some kind of eureka moment in a way, where I really understood what people have been saying about "write what you want."

And then something even more shocking happened: I stopped being tired and angry. I started having fun. And the plot and character arcs I was actively trying to avoid just came naturally, appeared out of nowhere, except they hadn't been out of nowhere, they'd been there the whole time. All of that painful work I'd done in previous fics, over previous years, had become second nature in this one. It just sort of happened.

What an experience in the end.

So yes, "We Can't Keep Meeting Like This" has to be my favorite of my own fics of the year. Not that I haven't written parts of other fics that I've liked more--because there are lots of parts in my other fics that I've liked more--but just for the catharsis that came from writing it. And, of course, for the readers who read it. I've made so many new wonderful fandom friends this year. I've never had many fandom friends before. I felt I came too late the fandom in fall 2019 to break into the already close-knit circles, and then I went through some intense person stuff in 2020 that caused me to take a pretty solid break from fandom for over a year. And by then, making GO fandom friends felt like a lost cause. Fandom is strange that way. The internet is a big place, but it can also feel so small.

(You said you wanted me to gush, Mirjam, and I'm not sure if this counts as gushing but this is your lesson anyway to be careful what you wish for.)

I'm on a self-imposed writing break right now. The holidays are busy, and there are parts of my real life that I've been neglecting (uh, like sleep). I have about 8 fics in my head instead, I've been making notes for them on my phone. So there will in all likelihood, be more to come.

But then again, I also feel like I might be brave enough to do something I haven't done in twenty years: write something original. Maybe. Maybe.

Anyway, thank you so much for the ask! It was a good opportunity to reflect on my personal experience with writing fic and the whirlwind of the last few months. Reading it back, it sort of feels like navel-gazing drivel, but then where else can you write that junk if not on your own blog? 😂

#My asks #Personal

[kweenkday]

Top 5 vs Personal 5

List your top 5 fics ranked by kudos on AO3. are you surprised by what's most popular to your readers? then provide your ranking of your personal top 5 fics, and tag a few fellow writers!

Thank you for the tag @mostlymaudlin! Finally got time to do this.

Tagging @knickknacksandallthat because WE NEED TO KNOW! 😋😎

Stealing @mostlymaudlin's strategy because OBVIOUSLY you will be spammed with my favorites first and the ao3 top 5 will be below the line. Sorry, I don't make the rules. 😁

1. I Will Find You Here Inside The Dark - Andreil - After Baltimore, the FBI put Neil under witness protection and he never came back to the Foxes. Ten years later, Andrew and Neil meet again. //obviously my current favorite but.. damn. this is right from my sappy soul to yours.

2. The Shore We'd Come To Find - Kandreil - Neil and Kevin end up in Andrew’s house, hiding from the mafia. The three of them spend the summer together until Kevin and Neil's past catches up with them and they have to run again. Angst but HEA. Also love letters. //I wrote my favorite paragraph of ALL my fics into this one. this fic makes me so emo 👀

3. Like A Wildfire Burning Up Inside My Lungs - KevJean - 'And they were roommates' fic where Kevin asks Jean to teach him how to flirt.  //KevJean is my favorite ship, are you really surprised this is here...

4. Addicted To Disaster - Andreil - RWRB-vibey secret NOT-relationship where Neil is the senator's kid and Andrew is begrudgingly IN WUV. //new baby in my top 5

5. Least Favorite Only Child - Aaron-centric/Kevaaron vibes - Andrew and Aaron fall out during therapy, Kevin messes up Aaron's head and everything feels like a giant landslide. Maybe Aaron just needs to do some healing on his own. //ok, I lied, THIS fic makes me so emo 👀

AO3 Top 5 under the cut!

1. Somebunny To Love - Andreil - Andrew was there when the Date Me, Neil Josten dare started. It goes like this: each week Neil must fake-date the first person to ask him out on Monday morning. If Neil can pull it off for 3 months, he wins. Everyone gets FIVE days only. No exceptions. Until Andrew asks.

2. The Photo Strip Predicament - Andreil - Neil Josten is the worst. As if it wasn't enough that all Aaron's friends love him and he stole the math competition victory right under his nose, but now he photoshopped Aaron's face in a picture of them kissing and no one believes Aaron that this isn't him in that photo.

3. Was Sorta Hopin' That You'd Stay - Andreil - Neil and Andrew have HATED each other since an incident in college. They really, really do. The Minyard-Josten rivalry is not a sham. But now Andrew's transferring to Neil's team and all hell is about to break loose.

4. North Star - Andreil - ANGSTY Break-up/getting back together. Seriously, read the tags. //y'all are crazy to rate this one this high istg

5. Inked Petals - Andreil - Andrew spent 3 years in a shithole small town in Florida trying to get through the loss of the only person who made him feel something. Then Aaron convinces him to move to New York to start living his life again. It all goes well until Andrew makes a tinder account and matches with his dead boyfriend.

Well, that was fun. 💜

#aftg fic #andreil #my writing

[bitbybitwrites]

My top 10 fics . . . (according to A03)

Thanks to @rockitmans for tagging me in this challenge! 💖

Rules: List your "top 10" (or up to 10 if you haven't written that many) fics ranked by kudos on AO3. Are you surprised by what's most popular to your readers? Then, under a cut, provide your ranking of your personal top 10 fics (with explanations if you want!), and then tag a few fellow writers!

Tagging ( and only do this if you are interested and apologies if you've done this and I missed your post): @kirakiwiwrites, @madas-ahatters-world, @gleefulpoppet, @blurglesmurfklaine, @heartsmadeofbooks, @special-bc-ur-part-of-it, @1908jmd

***********

Top 10 according to readers

Trick or Treat (9,093 words)

Under The Cover Of Darkness (20,871 words)

Come Into My Parlor (3,543 words)

Nightshade (5,267 words)

Klaine Drabbles and Shorts (1,465 words)

All Aboard (7,288 words)

Promises, Promises (5,215 words)

Feeding Time For Woodland Creatures (2,799 words)

Vervain (3,913 words)

Sugar and Spice (3,557 words)

I only have about 12 stories posted so far, but not surprised what made the top 10. I'm surprised that Under The Cover of Darkness is my number two. I'm surprised the drabbles and shorts are up in the top five. I would have thought All Aboard might have been higher up there on the list. And I think I'm surprised Nightshade is up as high as it is on the list.

My rankings/ thoughts under the cut . .

Trick or Treat (9,093 words)

Under The Cover Of Darkness (20,871 words)

All Aboard (7,288 words)

Promises, Promises (5,215 words)

Come Into My Parlor (3,543 words)

Sugar and Spice (3,557 words)

Nightshade (5,267 words)

Vervain (3,913 words)

Lavender (2,141 words)

Feeding Time For Woodland Creatures (2,799 words)

#1 - I'm glad Trick or Treat is at the top of the readers list (and my own). It's the first fic I ever wrote. And one that I edited and agonized about for over a year. I nearly didn't share it. I really didn't think anyone else would be interested in reading it, besides a couple of friends I wrote it for as a gift - so I'm always surprised and pleased to see that others have liked it. I'm looking forward to adding more to this universe. Work on the prequel has already begun.

#2 - Under The Cover of Darkness. I'm very surprised and really happy this one is high on the readers list. I really like the finished product. It was fun researching everything from opera to superheroes for this. (Gotta love it when you find a superhero power Wikipedia!) It also was the first time writing something specifically for someone else based off of their prompt. That was challenging because of the inherent pressure of not delivering what the other person wants. Thankfully my crazy ideas actually worked out!

#3 - I nudged All Aboard up on my list just because I loved the whole idea behind the story - and the setting:) It was fun and challenging for me to try to keep the secret in the story going as long as I could while at the same time leaving clues about it from the beginning. I figured a reader, if they read it a second time could then easily see the breadcrumbs I was dropping.

#4 - Promises, Promises got bumped up because of my fondness for the AU it's in. I'm looking forward to writing more for it. Another story is in the works.

#5 - Come Into My Parlor - I understand why this one is up on the readers list so high . . it might be the most explicit thing I've written so far. 😂 So I'm assuming I did pretty well bc it got that much attention. Erotica is not an easy thing to write and there are so many writers out there who do it well. I admire them and will keep working at it to get better! This story is also one of the darker things on my story list (part of a Klainetober 2022 writing challenge). So that was tough: trying to make it sexy and, at the same time scary/suspenseful.

#6 - Sugar and Spice was my attempt at a sweet and fluffy one-shot. I think I accomplished it.

#7, #8, #9 - Nightshade, Vervain and Lavender. Nightshade was the 2nd ever fic I ever wrote. All 3 stories are part of the Klainetober 2022 writing challenge I found on Tumblr. So I was trying to push myself to write more fan fic ( and a dear friend who I sweet talked into doing it with me). And this was my first attempt at a horror-type story. And to be honest, I'm not the biggest horror fan (I'm a huge coward. I can't watch any of those movies! I still have PTSD from just a snippet of American Werewolf in London that I saw as a kid. 😂) But I took it on as a challenge. This is also my first ever series, entitled An Herbalist's Handbook (which is still ongoing) that I attempted. I liked having each story based around a particular plant and its magical/mystical properties. ( The stories kind of fit a fantasy/horor genre I guess) Again, I'm a sucker for research, so it was fun trying to find plants that fit into what I was trying to convey as a theme in each story.

#10 - Feeding Time For Woodland Creatures. It was very hard for me to wrap my head around supernatural Glee/Klaine fan fic when I started reading. So once I got over that hump as a reader, I was curious to see if I could actually write any of it. Zombies and vampires and all . . oh my! I liked how this turned out. But I think more could be added, so I'm toying around with an idea to maybe add more to this AU and make it a series when I have time.

So I bumped off the drabbles, not so much because I disliked them - I enjoyed them and need to get back to writing more. I just liked the Herbalist trilogy together as a whole a bit more. :)

And my other story The Child, which isn't on the list - I still like too (that's a humorous horror type short from the Klainetober prompts) just again, I just like the others a little bit more.

So that's it.

If any of you have read my stories, thank you! (*blows kisses, gives virtual hugs*)

I really appreciate you taking time out and giving them a chance!

Happy reading folks!

#klaine fanfiction #klaine fanfic #klaine #klaine fic #kurt hummel #blaine anderson #writing #fanfiction #bitbybitwrites

[winterandwords]

Author ask tag game

Thanks to @rickie-the-storyteller for tagging me in this one! I'm answering for Spin Cylinder (the sequel to November Breaks)...

What is the main lesson of your story (e.g. kindness, diversity, anti-war), and why did you choose it?

I know I should say something deep and meaningful for this, but if there's a lesson in it at all, it's just "It's fun to make up some guys and then make them do fucked up shit"

What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding (like real-life cultures, animals, famous media, websites, etc.)?

Both Spin Cylinder and November Breaks are set in and around an unnamed every-city. Some of the locations are based on places I've been, like the cafe, Alchemy, which is based on a bar that no longer exists next to the beach in Edinburgh. Brett and Noah's house is pure wish fulfilment though. It exists in my head in so much detail and is basically what I would want from a house if money was no object.

What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness, and help readers grow as a person?

There's a lot about identity going on, a lot of "Who am I without external expectations and this job that defined me for years?" The characters are also adjusting to a state of obsessive togetherness that they both fell into after being aggressively disconnected from the people around them for most of their lives. Please god do not let anyone be inspired by them. They are literally criminals and murderers. They are not supposed to be inspirational. They wouldn't know forgiveness if it shot them in the face. No-one is growing as a person as a result of reading this book. I'm just having fun writing their story and offering it up to anyone who enjoys exploring the dark side of human nature in a fictional sandboxed environment with lots of weather symbolism and expensive coats.

How many chapters is your story going to have?

I have absolutely no idea. I don't know if it's going to be a novel or serialised/episodic fiction. I'm still discovery drafting so it'll figure itself out.

Is it fanfiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?

It's original content and I'll be posting it here on Tumblr.

When and why did you start writing?

I missed this question first time round so I'm back to answer it now. I honestly don't remember when I started writing. Forever ago? As soon as I could write? I've always loved fiddling around with words for creativity and escapism, so I've always done it. I wish I had a better origin story, but I don't. It's very boring. I started writing novel-shaped things a few years ago. Before that it was short stories, creative non-fiction, and poetry. I worked in marketing and online comms for a while, so the word fiddling ended up being useful for that too.

Do you have any words of engagement for fellow writers of writeblr?

Is that meant to be words of encouragement? I'm going to assume it is. So. Write what makes your soul sing. If you love it, someone else will love it too. Creativity is not a one-size-fits-all pursuit. Make sure your goals are authentically your own and not other people's recycled expectations. Stop shoulding all over yourself. Have fun.

What other writers on Tumblr do you follow?

SO MANY AWESOME WRITERS!! I struggle to list people because I feel like I always leave someone out by accident. Look at the names that crop up regularly in my tag game posts. Those are good humans.

Tagging @leebrontide, @lunarmoment, @magic-is-something-we-create and @manathen if you'd like to do it, with an open tag for anyone else who wants to join in. Questions under the cut 💜

What is the main lesson of your story (e.g. kindness, diversity, anti-war), and why did you choose it?

What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding (like real-life cultures, animals, famous media, websites, etc.)?

What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness, and help readers grow as a person?

How many chapters is your story going to have?

Is it fanfiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?

When and why did you start writing?

Do you have any words of engagement for fellow writers of writeblr?

What other writers on Tumblr do you follow?

#writeblr tags #author ask tag game #spin cylinder #november breaks

[proxima-writes]

in honor of 2023

(sappy post below the cut)

i want to extend the tightest hug and biggest thank you to everyone who has been here with me and for me. while my time reading fic goes back over 15 years (fanfic dot net? quizilla?), i started my writing journey on AO3 with a boba fett fic that wouldn’t leave my head.

then stranger things season 4 introduced eddie munson to the world. that’s when my writing really took off and i loved every second of it. and every comment and kudos i got fueled the desire to write more.

when the last of us aired, i joined the party late. i’m notoriously bad at watching tv shows and movies. so much so, that much of my early joel fic was born from watching joel miller thirst tik toks and reading TLOU wiki pages. when i did finally watch the show, i fell further in love with the character, and i hope that’s translated into my work.

other characters have joined the list - frankie morales, din djarin, dieter bravo, könig, mike schmidt, javier peña, tommy miller, and more. they’ve all been fun to read and write and i look forward to exploring them, and others, some more in 2024.

so, again, to my readers - thank you. i love you. every reblog and comment and like etches itself onto my heart. and maybe that sounds dramatic, but it’s true — the impact you have on a writer is immense.

and to my fellow writers and the friends i’ve been lucky enough to make this year - you mean more to me than i could ever put into words. thank you for all your support and feedback; for listening to me scream about an idea or even just talk about my day. i love you i love you i love you.

cheers to a new year! may it be good to you all ❤️

#the sappy new year post

[personasintro]

Hi, just been an admirer for the past few years? haha, it's been more than a year I guess. I followed you when Mutual Help was just 4-5? chapters I think, it's always fun to read. I laugh when some fellow readers make this story their entire personality and get angry about the way the story is going. It's like a movie, we can be critiques and have likes and dislikes but can never lead it because we never made it. To say a movie should have a different ending because it doesn't align with their interest is just foolishness, so I hope as a writer you know that you own it, interpretation can differ from reader to reader, but the storyline goes where you want it to go. So keep striving. and writing and enjoying while you write. anything you are writing or creating, it can never grow with extreme emotions. rage never creates art, it just cripples anger. love love love

The fact that this ask was sent at the beginning of November just proves this has been ongoing topic for so long 😭 I tend to not answer every ask about mh ending, purely because I get attacked for anything I say. But I’m thankful for readers like you. Purely because you understand. And that means the most to me! 💓

#ask: anon #ask: mutual help

[screadingchallenge]

Behind the Keyboard: Volume 2

Behind the Keyboard is a series of interviews with different Schitt’s Creek fanfic authors. The series will last as long as there is interest (from authors) and capacity (from me). If you are an author from the Schitt’s Creek fandom who would like to participate, send a DM to this account.

Each author was given ten questions. The first five questions are the same for every author, the last five will vary.

Remember, this year’s Reading Challenge begins July 15, so polish up those MFL lists.

Let’s meet our next author:

mallpretzles / @mallpretzles​

How many fics have you written? 

20 - All for Schitt’s Creek.

When did you publish your first fic on AO3? 

8/1/21

Describe your writing process from “Oh, I have an idea” to pushing publish on AO3.  

I immediately start a google doc when I get an idea. I can add to it if I think of something I want to include or write a paragraph here and there. Brainstorming with my writer friends when I’m stuck is very helpful with getting to the finish line. They also talk me off a ledge when I’ve procrastinated too long and it just isn’t coming together. The last step before publishing is to panic that it’s not good enough. I’m a perfectionist and my own worst critic but I’m getting better!  

Tell me about your most recent fic. What do you love about it? Is there anything you think you could have done better? 

It’s called The Truce and it was my first anon ask. I love that two people in the fandom came together and made a fic idea come to fruition. The anon loved it so this fic is extra special to me. Something else I do (because I’m ridiculous) is run my fic through a text reader. Hearing it read back is much different than reading it because you catch things you ordinarily wouldn’t have especially if you don’t have a beta. In terms of whether the fic could be better, of course. I always think my fics could be better even if I’m happy with how they turned out 

What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about publishing their fic for the first time? 

Use a beta!! You will be much happier with the result and having a beta I trust has been invaluable. If you’re interested in being a beta make a post about it because a lot of writers have no idea how/where to find one. Your fic will never be perfect so just rip the bandaid off and publish it. Tag the hell out of your fic so it’s easier to find. Use a pseud that sticks out from the rest so readers are more likely to remember it. Lastly, choose a fic title that is unique or used less frequently so it doesn’t pop up with multiple other fics in a search. 

Plot vs vibes - pick one. 

Vibes. I think anyone can come up with a plot but your vibe is what makes a fic unique to you. It also shows readers what to expect from your writing so if they're looking for something specific they may be more likely to keep your fics in mind. 

If you could say one thing to your fellow fic writers, what would it be? 

Writing should be fun! If it’s stressing you out then consider taking a break and do some self care instead. I have one more, which is to support other writers. Reblog their posts and if they don’t have Tumblr make a post with a link to their fic. If you see that a writer is struggling then consider reaching out to offer support. 

If you could say one thing to the people who read your fic, what would it be?

Thank you!!! Your support and encouragement means the world to me! I really look forward to your comments and what you thought about the fic. It makes me a better writer and your encouragement keeps me motivated to continue writing. 

Do you think your fics have a brand? What is it? 

Yes. I like writing about David & Patrick’s emotions, vulnerability, and their relationship dynamics.The show not tell of nonverbal body language is a bitch but it often conveys emotions/feelings that dialogue just can’t. It also gives the fic more life and pulls you into the character’s experiences. It definitely helps with the pining idiots trope especially so for Patrick. I’m drawn toward writing angst but it always results in strengthening their relationship and/or gaining a better understanding of each other. Okay, and smut. 

Tell me about one of your favorite headcanons. 

Patrick changes his mind about going slow. We all saw the want in their second kiss, which also  leads me to believe that he’s confident and competent in the bedroom despite his lack of experience. Rachel and not coming out to his parents were fear based and not necessarily things he was trying to hide. David shouldn’t have been as upset as he was since he also avoided talking about the past. 

#behind the keyboard #meet the authors #sc fanfic #sc fic reading challenge #sc reading challenge #schitt's creek #schitts creek

[luckydragon10]

Writer asks! 3, 7 and 16 please!

Whee, hello there, fellow writer. :)

3. What are some tropes or details that you think are very characteristic of your fics?

This is a gimme because I already made something of an attempt to answer it in a previous post.

BUT! In addition to my previous answer, I will throw out there again -- what do READERS think are characteristics of my fics? I'd desperately love to know that. 🤔

~~~

7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of?

All of it? 😅 All of what I've published, at least. To be honest, I wouldn't publish it if I didn't take especially strong joy and pride in it, so just assume that what you see published IS what I'm particularly proud of.

What you will never see are the dozens and dozens of ideas that never reach the writing stage, let alone the publishing stage. Numerous ideas spark briefly only to die in my head. It's a constant cycle of daydream, consider, and then either reject or accept.

Some ideas get toyed with or tossed around between me and a brainstorm buddy but never quite make the grade, or they just aren't as good as this other idea that's also sparkling at me.

The King's Tree is still my baby, though. But shh, don't tell my other kids that. Okay, but I did have lots of fun with Shieldtail... AARGGG, so many worlds to build.

~~~

16. What’s an AU you would love to read (or have read and loved)?

OMG, I love this question. This is an easy one. Thank you, thank you for asking this!

I truly, desperately need an AU where the whole Theerapanyakul situation is DIFFERENT.

I really need to read an AU where all of the Theerapanyakul younger generation boys are working together and have been operating that way for a long time. Give me an AU where Vegas's mom shot Khun Gun years ago and took over the minor family, where Korn died of a heart attack when Kinn was in college, where EVERYTHING is different and the Theerapayakul boys have had to rely on each other face certain death together. Give me a Kinn who's a confident head of the minor family, no chess bullshit, who relies on Vegas and teams up with him to problem solve. Give me a Tankhun who manages business from his cozy couch and runs Zoom meetings with an iron fist. Give me a Kim who WANTS to help but keeps getting shooed away to live a normal life. Give me a Macau who's struggling with what it means to be an heir as Vegas steps into take over leadership from their mom.

This particular long-lived brain worm came about in large part thanks to art like this gorgeous art from @thatgothsamurai.

This is an idea that I desperately love, but I don't think it plays to my particular writing strengths. It has a lot of different angles to balance out at the same time, and that's something I'm pretty weak at. Working on it, but weak. I think the person who could pull it off the best would be @majestictortoise, but the tortoise has their own project(s) to focus on.

~~~

Thanks for asking!

Ask game questions.

#nemi answers #ask game #kinnporsche #kinnporsche fanfic #my fic #the king's tree kp fanfic #shieldtail

[lemonluvgirl]

I feel like you are a legend in the THG fanfic community. I’ve started posting recently, but do you have any tips for writing fan fiction in this fandom? <3

Wait, I'm legendary?

When did this happen???? 😳 Did I miss a memo or something?

Lol I barely started writing fanfiction 2 years ago 😅 so I guess I don't feel qualified to be called legendary! But hey, thank you so much for the compliment!

Hopefully none of the OG thg fanfic authors will be offended, I just imagine people like:

But on a more serious note, you said you wanted advice for writing in the Fandom. Even though I'm still relatively new to this, I will try my best to give you the advice I would have liked to receive when I started writing and engaging with the Fandom community.

1. Write for yourself: Seriously. Don't write the majority of your stuff so you can get kudos and likes. Write what makes you happy, and invest time in writing stories you enjoy and love. Because at the end of the day social media and statistics are fickle and don't often accurately reflect the impact your writing can have on the world at large.

I learned this the hard way. It was an uncomfortable lesson, but suffice to say that these days I am definitely more focused on the stories that inspire me everyday, the ones that live rent free in my head and are just begging to be put down on paper, or typed out on my keyboard. And I am loads happier because of that choice.

2. You do not have to answer every prompt or ask that finds its way into your inbox. It's OK to leave some things on the backburner and focus on your priorities. Fanfiction is a hobby and most people aren’t getting paid for doing it. (Almost no one I know or have heard of) I personally try to answer all my asks, even if only to say I'm not interested in writing the story the reader is requesting. But I've also just flat out deleted some rude or offensive asks before. I do not obligate myself to respond to rude anons or their questions.

3. It's OK to take breaks from writing. For your mental health, for your well being, and also when you just don't have the time or energy to churn out a chapter every weekend. Again, fanfiction is a free gift, not an obligation. Don't get sucked into the pressure to perform or feel guilty if real life circumstances make it hard or impossible to write.

4. Don't delete your old/first fics. The better you get at writing the more you will be tempted to do this, but trust me, there will be people who love your early stuff, grammar errors and all. Don't deny them the privilege of reading your first story. Even if it is tropey or whatever. Let it stand as a testament to how much you've grown and how much you love this universe. The Fandom will love you for your authenticity and realness.

5. Take chances. Write that dark or slightly weird fic. Write that PWP smut fic. Publish your spotify inspiration playlist. Send your fave author a chat or inbox question. Make connections, laugh at the weirdness or mundane aspects of your hyperfixations. Write 10 stories about the one bed trope. Write 100 enemies to lovers fics. Just do whatever makes you happy and allows you to be creative. Make friends and reach out to your fellow writers. Literally 99% of people I've met in the Fandom are freaking awesome and I do not regret any of the connections I've made in the 2 years since I joined.

6. Just have fun. Real life is full of so much negativity and hardships, and fanfiction should be about enjoying the journey of the characters and the story. All of this is literally just for fun. Publishing on Ao3 or FFN or here on Tumblr, is simply for enjoyment, its not a job or a career. So enjoy it! 😉 Make memes and gifs and chapter covers and mood boards. Write drabbles and weird snippets of dialogue. Let it all out, and say what you want to say. Somewhere out there, there is a reader who will fall in love with your words if you just have the courage to set them free.

#lemonluvanswers #ask answered #my writting #advice #fandom #thg fandom #community #fanfiction

[thatgordongirl]

Fanfic ask! 🥺 🤡 🛒💋🤩🤗

Thank you so much for the ask! If anyone else wants to send one, the list is here

🥺 Is there a certain type of moment or common interaction between your characters that never fails to put you in your feels?

Most of the time, I write singular character focused stuff, but Julian being uncharacteristically kind to someone has always been endearing to me. Whether it be taking Captain outside to avoid loud party music or reassuring Pat that it’s not his fault he got cheated on. Hugging his wife or hanging out with his daughter, stuff like that. 

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

I technically haven’t written it yet, but there’s a scene I’m planning for the fic where Julian and Pat live, and Pat finds some of Thomas’ poetry online, though it isn’t attached to him. Pat shows Julian and the conversation basically boils down to:

Pat: Well it really spoke to me….

Julian: it’s about worms

I don’t write a lot of funny stuff, I usually write when I’m sad, or if an idea suddenly hits me. 

🛒 What are some common things you incorporate in your fics? Themes, feels, scenes, imagery, etc.

I’m really attached to Captain and butterflies, not only does it symbolise his transformation, but also his disconnect from his former self. A caterpillar looks almost nothing like a butterfly, but it becomes it’s true self when it changes in such a way. Julian and alcohol intertwine quite a lot, but that’s probably due to my own experiences with people drinking. Stories involving Thomas usually have more similes and metaphors, or colourful descriptions because that’s how I think he would describe it in his head. He’d try to make a poem and end up comparing one thing to another in no particular pattern. I try to make it sound more pretty? If that makes sense? Like 1800s novels I’ve read. I know he’s from 1824, but I drew a lot of inspiration from The Picture of Dorian Gray when writing Thomas stuff. 

💋 First kiss fics. Love em or hate em?

I love reading them, even if it’s a ship I don’t like because how it comes about is interesting regardless. But I cannot write them to save my own life, I’ve done it before and it never seems to go well. It’s so much more natural for me to write love that can’t be expressed like Captain or complicated like Julian or Thomas. I’ll get used to it eventually, but for now, I’ll just enjoy other people’s lovely works. 

🤩 Who is your favorite character to write? 

Captain feels the most natural because he’s the first Ghosts character I ever wrote and probably the character I’ve wrote the most for, but I don’t know what more I can explore about him that someone else hasn’t already written, considering he’s so popular. I feel bad throwing my own Captain onto everyone else’s good Captain fics. Julian is really fun to write because me amuses and frustrates me so much as a person. The best way to describe what it’s like to write Thomas is flowery and I love it. 

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

I don’t know if I’m qualified enough to give advice, since I’ve only been posting a year or so, but I’ll throw my two cents in anyway. Don’t feel obligated to post or finish a story just because you think it’ll disappoint someone if you don’t. Engage with your readers and fellow writers, @ginevralinton always leaves wonderful comments on my fics and writes fantastic ones of her own. You’ll feel more connected with the fandom your write for. 

#Ask game #bbc ghosts #the captain #julian fawcett #thomas thorne #pat butcher

[deanwinchesterswitch]

Hired you get started with fanfic? And tips for aspiring writers?

What a fun ask!😍

I apologize in advance as this will probably be more than you wanted to know; I will add a cut. I love talking about writing and helping fellow authors if I can.

The first tip, and in my opinion the most important, is to just write. I have notebooks and pens everywhere. I have fragments of ideas in the Notes app on my phone and tablet. I have dozens of google docs with snippets of dialogue or scenes. I have random sticky notes and pieces of scrap paper full of scribbled words. Inspiration comes at the weirdest times, so be ready for it.😏🤣

Aqua notes are a great way to preserve those shower ideas.

My second tip is to write for you, write what you enjoy. I don't care if it sounds cliche or cheesy. If you are not writing about something you enjoy, then how do you expect others to like it? A lack of delight in what you are writing will definitely show in the finished product.

Read. When you find stories that you love to read, try to pinpoint what you like most about them. Chances are the things you like to read will be part of your writing style.

Your writing will evolve over time. Everyone has their own style and skill level. Don't be too hard on yourself. I cringe a little reading my first fics. However, I still love those stories.

On the technical side, follow proper grammar rules, but don't get hung up on them. A couple of typos are not going to ruin your story. A lot of typos, though, will make it difficult for others to read.

If you are not confident in your grammar skills, find a good beta and/or alpha reader. Someone who understands your style of writing and communicates well. It may take a couple of attempts to find that person. Don't be afraid to not agree with your beta reader.

I can't underscore this enough, it's about communication—from both parties. They should not be forcing their suggestions on you and you should not be rude when disagreeing with them.

Try not to self-edit and proofread while you are writing. Get those ideas on paper or in a doc first. It's a draft—there will be mistakes, and changes will be made. Edit, then proofread. Or have someone else proofread for you. That should be the last step before posting or publishing.

I have a few more tips/thoughts on writing, but I feel like the ones above are generally a good foundation. You are welcome to contact me through my DM if you want to chat.☺️

As far as my personal journey into fanfic ...

I've always been a creator. When I was younger I wrote poems and short stories. Even won a couple of awards in high school. Papercrafts, knitting, and crocheting are on-again off-again hobbies. I had my own business for a while-mixed media art and home decor.

About six years ago it cycled back around to writing. I knew about tumblr through my kiddo.

Yes, I have a kid old enough to be on this site. Yes, they know what I write. No, they don't read it. It's not their genre/fandom of interest. We don't interact on here.

After falling in love with SPN and more specifically Dean, I joined the site to find like-minded individuals. I had already started writing a very self-indulgent fic which I will probably never post. Some things you just have to keep for yourself.😁

After lurking for a few months and connecting with a couple of people, I decided to join a challenge and posted a fic.

It spiraled from there. 🤣🤣🤣

Once again, I apologize for the length of this response. If you read any of my fics, though, you should know how wordy I can be.

Thanks again for this ask. I hope you have a wonderful day!🤗💜🤗

#dw's witch responds #lovely asks #personal post #long post #writing

[worldenough-and-time]

For the asks! 11, 60, 77

Omg hi Zo, thanks for asking :)

11. Do you write scenes in order, or do you jump around?

I am notorious for writing out of order (many apologies to my poor beta reader), but I think that is something that happens much more in the early stages of project development, and then when I get into a good groove with a draft I tend to write chronologically. I still keep a very chaotic outline doc for every project that has “snippits”- basically unfinished scenes/ ideas/ lines of dialogue for future scenes that I can’t get out of my head. If I can get down a rough sketch in a snippit, usually that allows me to continue drafting chronologically.

60. In [insert fic], what inspired the idea for the plot?

Okay this is perfect that you’re asking me Zo, (and you already know this story but I will tell it again) so Tough, Tried, True Blue, my current WIP, was inspired by Zo’s fantastic one-shot Pomegranates. Basically I read Pomegranates, and then I made myself some eggs, and then I read Pomegranates again, and then I stared into space for like three hours, totally possessed by the idea of transfem!Sirius and sapphic Wolfstar. And then I just started writing. First the prologue, all in one sitting, and then 5th year summer post- prank, and then summer on the Lupin Farm, and then Gender Euphoria Mirror of Erised, and then, finally, Chapter 1. Now I’m over 100k words into a draft and still having the time of my life.

Anyway, everyone go read Pomegranates!

77. Why do you enjoy writing fanfiction?

Oh man. I think I just love writing, and fanfic has really helped me to write consistently and enjoy it without the perfectionism mind games and pressure I tend put on myself when I’m working on something. The community I’ve found writing fic has been so validating and really just made writing so joyful. I see writers on the bird app and such talking about how writing is a miserable slog and it just like… doesn’t have to be! It can be hard to find a rhythm but I genuinely believe it should be fun! It is joy I can create for myself entirely by my own power and that is really cool!

Writing for me has been this way of feeling connected to myself and affirming my own existence. Like there’s this thing that wouldn’t exist if I didn’t make it! I tend to be a very internal person, like so much of how I experience the world is in my head (I frequently forget I have a body). So the idea that I can write something and translate what’s in my head for someone else to experience helps me feel very connected to the world and my fellow humans. It’s just a really cool thing that I get to do, and I feel lucky that I have a job that allows time for it, and friends and family that take it seriously, and very kind people on the internet who inspire me and read my stories and leave nice comments and kudos. ❤️

#ask game