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#fanfic is a little easier but original fiction
space-writes · 9 months
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why i write in obsidian.md (and why you should try it!)
hey, hi, have I mentioned my notes app? let me tell you about my notes app! I’ve been writing in obsidian for over a year now, for fanfic and original fiction/worldbuilding (and dungeons and dragons, and life organisation, and a myriad of other things) and so far I’ve gotten at least three people to also start using it, and I am in fact on an endless quest to get more people to try it.
obsidian.md how do i love thee, let me list the ways:
It’s offline. you are not beholden to the whims of wifi!
Did i mention it’s free? it’s free!
you can pay to support the devs, or to access the sync service, but honestly I just use a free file sync service to move things between my desktop/laptop.
It’s super lightweight at its core. you can (and I do) run it with a bunch of plugins and customisation, but at it’s base it’s just text, in simple files. plaintext. readable by anything. your writing is not trapped in proprietary file formats.
HOWEVER you can in fact customise every aspect of it and if you like Making Your Notes Cute I cannot recommend it enough as a Way To Procrastinate Actually Writing
Crucially, you can link your notes. This is phenomenal for not only worldbuilding, but planning, research, outlining and connecting characters and events. You just make a note, type in square brackets, and boom. linked notes. You can make yourself a little writing wikipedia with approximately 0 effort.
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I have separate vaults (Instances, pretty much. Big overarching folders with separate sets of content) for my Valloroth project, my day-to-day notes/fanfic, and my D&D game. They’re aesthetically very different, which is so so so great for getting in the right headspace for the work I’m doing.
OH and we have obsidian canvas now! which is a simple mind-mapping feature where you can make and connect note cards, which can also be notes in your vault. I haven’t had a chance to do timelines with it yet, but it’ll be fun for that. I have made relationship charts with it, and it was great for that. If you like visually laying out boxes of information and connecting them into a pepe silvia board of plot, canvas is incredible
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this is a pointcrawl map I made for my D&D game. Those red words in the boxes? links to the locations in the city the players were exploring. phenomenal
do you like split screen? you can have multiple notes open at once in horizontal and vertical configurations, and you can also open multiple tabs in each split window. it’s SO great for research and outlining, when you need like ten documents open at once to move between
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finally, there are so many addons to COMPLETELY CUSTOMISE your Writing Setup. styling for tags. kanban boards. LINKABLE MAPS. ways to label scenes with metadata and pull just so many different tables/lists of story information. AND SO MANY MORE. I’m gonna do a whole post of my favourite writing plugins at some point so i can yell about them
the only downsides are that it’s somewhat clunky still to export things out of obsidian—I copy my fics into googledocs for my beta, and I have a plugin to make exporting to html easier to post on ao3, but it’s still kinda fiddly. Also, if you want a program that Has Everything and Just Works, this is…not that. you can build a lot of really useful writing specific features, but you do have to build them. it’s a sandbox, so if you don’t like sandbox-style programs, this may not work for you.
that being said, I do think everyone should try it and play with it and love it like I do and convince all their friends to start using it like i did. come play with obsidian with me! it’s fun! there’s a great community in the official discord that’s very active, plus an ever-growing collection of resources, particularly on youtube (highly reccommend Danny Hatcher’s videos as a jumping in point, they’re super accessible imo)
anyway, come try obsidian!
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I had one question: I had a bad burnout a couple months ago (which especially affected my creativity) and right now I've gotten a bit more energy back but currently only for fanfic ideas I had as opposed to my own original worlds and their stories, which is a bit frustrating. Is there anything I could do to get back to writing my original worlds or should I just give it time?
Getting Back to Original Fiction After Creative Burnout
It can be tough to get back into writing after creative burnout, so it's important to find a balance between pushing yourself and letting yourself stay where it's comfortable for now.
If you have a WIP that you want to return to, you might try reading what you have so far to see if that inspires you to pick back up with it. You can also do any number of exercises with your characters (I'll paste in links below) to see if that gets the wheels moving.
If you don't have a WIP you want to get back to, or if you try the above and aren't feeling it, it's fine to just run with your fan-fiction ideas for now and ease yourself back into writing with something that is inspiring and comfortable. When I'm in a slump, writing a little fan-fiction almost always gets me back to where I want to work on original fiction again. There's just something about fan-fiction that makes that possible... maybe because it's familiar, comfortable, and the possibilities are easier to see. There's also a different drive to write fan-fiction, so when that's there, it can serve as a launching point to get us into writing or back into writing.
Here are some exercises that might help:
Getting Excited About Your Story Again Getting Unstuck: Motivation Beyond Mood Boards & Playlists Guide: How to Rekindle Your Motivation to Write
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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!
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ohheyjudesummers · 11 months
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Pride Aside - Gojo Satoru fanfic
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Generally, this story is Minors DNI. 18+ PLEASE (but this first part doesn’t rightly need a warning since its set in the past while they’re young with nothing inappropriate)
Fandom: Jujutsu Kaisen (As regular humans for the most part with little to no/nonexistent cursed energy or sorcerer ability. Some supernatural abilities are present).
Character: Gojo Satoru (As he is currently in JJK221 as of right now. Meaning some spoilers as far as his *New appearance* but not regarding the office JJK plot line story and character outcomes/circumstances)
Summary: It’s always come natural for you to look out for your little brother (by a couple of short years) and even his best friend, Gojo-or at least it used to come naturally when you guys were kids. Now as Adults, Gojo is womanizing, flippant, cocky, and tends to play agitator; and while you still care about him, sometimes it isn’t the easiest being around him.
Even so, you still care about Gojo. You’ve seen vulnerable sides of him that he’s never shared with anyone and provide a listening ear to him when he needed. You wouldn’t of quite described him as a second brother, but you did feel an attachment and appreciation toward him; and you imagined he felt the same.
So, for the life of you, you can’t figure out why his behavior has shifted toward you. His smile towards you always seems to have a hidden cruelness in it, his stare, if hes not busy overlooking you, feels as if tis piercing through you when no one is looking. And when-IF-he talks to you? its feels damn near condescending. It’s as if hes trying to make you annoyed on purpose to get a rise out of you…or maybe it’s something much more personal that he’s been harboring over the years.
General author’s note: If you've read any of my previous stories or even my original works, you'll know that I typically write stories with girls of my culture in mind (even if it’s X reader) so by default, my stories are black!coded /implied. While I can’t control who reads my work and I do write for the women in my culture to be represented and be included! Not necessarily to exclude anyone.
 I’m not typically against anyone reading my stories with respect . I believe people are capable of reading and enjoying interactive literature or general writings, even if the coded/implied “Y/N" or character doesn’t look like them (Especially since girls of my own culture have had to silently use their imaginations to feel included in stories coded for lighter audiences or readers) However, I will still continue to use and include black and POC fem tags to make it easier for my people to find stories. 
Also, my fanfiction stories can be found on both Wattpad and Archive of Our Own, as well as on Tumblr (all linked on my page). Thanks so much for reading!
Also like my other fan fictions, I’m not sure if there will be a second part to this one. it depends on both my imagination and the genuine responses/interactions towards it.
As of this moment (I’m writing this 4/20/2023* this is important cause as we know, Gege could add more info to the JJK universe) we don’t really know about Gojo’s family life in depth at this moment. but even so, the info written about his backstory in this fan fiction is crafted by me *along with some other info* and is no way associated with his actual official story.
Some notables in this chapter: Black!reader, Hockeyplayer!Gojo, Jock!Gojo, slight age gap as well. Slow burn, and a bit of fluff. Think of this chapter as building a foundation for the next installment. <3
*Some time ago*
Even the gloomy gray skies outside your window couldn't keep you from smiling as you admired your masterpiece in front of you.
“Finally got it right! Drew is going to love this!” You gushed, slowly spinning the revolving cake stand.
It wasn't just years and passion that made you such a dedicated and aspiring baker, but the circumstances: it was your little brother's birthday tomorrow. Even though you loved your brother to death, you knew he could be a picky eater. While he's never complained about your baking, you didn't want to give him any reason to start. 
Before he left a few days ago to be with your father and his smother, he kept dropping hints at how much he wanted to try homemade Tres Leches cake topped with fruit. Most would have been annoyed with their younger sibling ‘pushing’ at them to work on their days off, you were silently grateful. Drew, as annoying as he could be, was actually quite considerate when it came to you. He had given you something to keep you occupied while he was away. Sure, you had your part-time job, but you were on break from classes and had more time to think about your late mother than usual this time of year.
Your step mother, Drew’s mom, was a nice lady and always open to you as a daughter, but she wasn’t your mom-not that you were looking for a replacement. You always found yourself apprehensive about family life as a whole. But at the same time wanting it. Because of this, you always got an array of conflicting feelings. Mainly, they consisted with being both content with being along in your apartment after Drew finished his stay (for however long he decided) and lonely when he went back home.
 Even though your dad wasn’t keen on the idea of you moving out so early when you just turned 18, he navigated through this as best as he could. He was always proactive in making sure you knew he was there and that Drew was allowed to stay over at your spacious apartment usually whenever. However, Drew’s schedule has become more rigid this holiday due to hockey practice. But now, he had some time spare and asked for a specially made cake- the perfect motivation for you to zone out  and kick you in gear.
The size you made in front of you wasn't overtly large compared to the other you had sitting in the fridge, which is fine considering this was a tester. You wanted to test the aesthetics Outside, it looked good; the perfect amount of  cream topping was added, and it didn't appear soggy. The only thing that made a frown twitch at the corner of your lips was the fruit topping, a cherry. It wasn't as if it weren't aesthetically pleasing. You actually liked the idea of adding fruit to the top; you just knew Drew didn't like cherries; he was more of a strawberry guy. 
“No worries, I’ll use the last few I have for the official cake in the fridge.” You say, lifting your spirits back up. “For now, it won't hurt to have some of this for myself." 
Just as you're about to pick up a nearby fork, a ripple of knocks comes at your front door. Your brows furrow as you take a glance at the clock: 7:30 p.m. Not inordinately late for someone to stop by, but one look outside the window would leave one to believe that not even delivery would feel inclined to go out in the sudden downpour.
More knocks come at the door, just as light but more rapidas the ones before. 
“Y/n? Are you home? It's me."
Me?
You recognize the voice.
Stepping away from the counter, you take the disposable mesh net off your head of curls, tossing it in the trash. Once you untie your waist apron and drape it on a chair, you step across your apartment's threshold to the front door. When you swing it open, you're met with a pair of piercing ocean blue eyes staring up at you.
Gojo. Drew’s best friend, and teammate on his hockey team. Drew did ask earlier this week if his friend could stay over for a bit. Even if, as a younger teen his independence was peculiar to you,  it wasn’t an anomaly for him to stay at your place shortly before Drew came by. Or to just sleep over entirely when he was here. You didn’t know exactly where Gojo’s family stayed but you  imagined it didn’t much matter since Drew did live a bit further than both of you. Because of this it was easier for Gojo to use your spot as a meeting place for himself. so, he tended to come over whenever he pleased.
On one end you didn’t mind this. But on another, Gojo’s free ability to roam wherever, was interesting from a certain perspective; a paternal one. From what you gathered, Gojo himself and his family weren’t really normal. You never bother to push on the subject. This was only because you didn’t notice any real red flags in his overall condition. His bottomless appetite *for sweets especially* you learned, was not out of malnourishment but more so gluttony (You’ve seen the size of his school lunches before. And he was always clothed and cleaned-even though he had this annoying habit of preferring to using the bath at your place. You didn’t know why at first, until you realized your favorite shea butter, honey scented body wash was depleting faster than normal. Initially you had suspected Drew but then you remembered his preference in scent was something more ‘manly’ as he put it.  
Be this as it may, He hardly seemed eager in elaborating on his mannerisms and family life. Maybe it didn’t matter much.
He always seemed in high spirits and overall fine. Much like now.
 A wide, Cheshire grin appears across his face—a typical greeting of him. 
“You’re here a bit early this time, Gojo. Drew doesn’t come back till tomorrow." You say as you observe his face. That’s when you pause. Wisps of his damp, snow white hair stick to his forehead, and his clothes are splotched with droplets. “Boy, d-did you walk here in the rain? Are you crazy? You'll get sick!"
Without a second thought, you grab his slender wrist and pull him into the apartment. You wait until you close the door behind him to turn your scolding gaze back in his direction.
“Why would your family let you walk in this weather? at this time especially? Could they not drive you?" 
“My family doesn’t care about what I do as long as I don’t skip on my studies.” Gojo chuckles, letting his backpack slide off his shoulder. 
A question edges itself at the tip of your tongue hearing him say this, but something stops you. Specifically, the sound of a soft ‘thud’ when his bag hits the floor. Actually, now that your eyes zero in on it, his bag looks rather full for more than a day or two stay like Drew had informed you it’d be.
“Why is your bag so heavy? What did you pack- Hey, what exactly are you doing?”  By the time you pull your eyes from the backpack, Gojo is no longer standing in your living room, but in the kitchen. Particularly near the counter where the Tres leches cake sits. 
Oh, you knew from previous events what he was thinking. Past experience had taught you that Gojo, like your brother, enjoyed your baking. However, unlike your brother, Gojo wasn't picky when it came to his food. Because of this, you *usually* enjoyed giving him the results of any recipes you were experimenting with, and he gladly inhaled accepted them. But sometimes it felt like feeding him had no end. That in itself could be exhausting for someone even if they liked to cook.  
“Do not touch that cake.”
“Huh? why not? It's just sitting here. Wait, is this…for me? Can I have it now?"
“Gojo, I like you, really, I do. But your sense of self-importance is beyond what I can comprehend sometimes.” you tell him, approaching his side. “You really think when I make sweets and Drew is not here that its always for you?”
Gojo's produces a ponderous, audible grunt with the tilt of his head. His gaze is fixed on the cake, and his fingers grip the stand as he slowly begins to rotate it. After a moment, he breaks from his awe-struck trance and looks over to you, “Well, not always. But this time, can I?” 
There’s  no real harm in allowing him to eat it. But you wanted it. How exactly could you explain that without sounding immature? Never mind that you two were still teenagers-you were still a little older. 
He’ll be fine this time around. it’s not like he absolutely needs it.
Even with your rationality, a thin slice of guilt swipes past you. You couldn't help it; you'd inherited a portion of your mother's nurturing mannerisms. 
At the same time, you couldn't see why Gojo couldn't just go out and buy one or have someone make it for him in his own family. This didn't apply to Drew; his predicament was different since no one in your father's household was a decent cook. You'd experienced more than one family dinner before coming to this conclusion yourself. Gojo, on the other hand, while he didn't speak forthrightly about his family dynamic, you could tell he was well-off enough to have someone buy him a cake made by the best pastry chefs in town
But you're not convinced he'd do something like that.
You'd grown to know Gojo as a confident young man since Drew introduced him to both street and ice hockey, and this was a fair assessment.
Gojo appears to be a talented young athlete, based on what you've seen so far. But that was the extent of his boasting—what he could offer in terms of physical ability. His usefulness when he was present. Not his finances . Money, could be replaced. But people—specifically, their abilities? Not so quickly. And Gojo was unquestionably of that nature.
Money, even if he hardly mentioned it, you knew it wasn't a concern for him. He always seemed to have more than he considered necessary, and his clothes were nice.
Aside from the water droplets on his clothes, his pale orange hoodie and loose black track pants appeared brand new and of high quality without even seeing the label. His demeanor was also relaxed, as if he didn't have a care in the world.
You clear your throat, pushing past the unsettling tenseness in your chest that usually accompanied with having to be firm. "No, you can't have this one. Not this time."
You expected Gojo to react with a joke or something witty. Instead, your gaze is drawn to his collapsing shoulders. And then he turns to look at you, his face a mix of uncertainty and hurt.
“But why? Drew said you usually make cakes for birthdays. Doesn't that mean I can eat this now?"
“Well, yeah. But it was a test for Drew's birthday. And I kind of wanted to eat it myself," You smile sheepishly. 
This discipline lesson was becoming far more trouble than it was worth, and his somber expression wasn't helping matters. You were on the verge of giving in and letting him have it. But Gojo shocks you with a terse head nod and a feeble smile.
 “Ok then. I'm gonna go wash up before bed. I know we have to set up for Drew's birthday tomorrow morning." Is all he says before going back into the living room to grab his bag and bolting down the hallway. 
You didn't realize the tension you'd been holding on your shoulders until you felt them sag at the sound of the bathroom door closing. 
Well, great. I feel like shit. 
Your sweet tooth had suddenly vanished, so you began cleaning up the small mess you had made in the kitchen area while cooking. But something catches your eye—a notification on your phone on the counter not far away.
Picking it up, you shuffle through some of them until your gaze is drawn to notifications from Drew that you missed earlier this morning.
I really need to be more prompt with these things. 
You sigh as you unlock your phone and read his messages.
Thnks for Gojo stay over! But do you think you can do me a huge favor? (ಠ_ಠ)
 I know it's last minute, but I'll pay you back and do dishes for the next two weeks!   before he swings l8ter today, do you think you could bake a small cake for him? When I was texting him earlier about how you make special cakes for my birthday, can you believe he asked me why? (⚆_⚆)
I thought he was joking around, but he told me he'd never done something like that in his family. something about how they acknowledge it as a hallmark in their family's history—whatever that means. But it’s not an actual moment they celebrate with or for him—they don't even give him a cake. 
I want to be there for it, but we're still driving back. Plus, today is the official day, and I want him to have something for himself. So please do me this solid! thanks! 〵(^ o ^)〴
oh..god. 
You placed your phone on the counter before clenching the area of your shirt where your heart was beating. In that moment, if it could sink, it would end up at the earth's core.
“Wait, is this for me?” His small voice of innocent curiosity-- It'd been genuine. Not out of self-centeredness, like you initially assumed. 
You wanted to give yourself some comfort by not believing someone would be so cold toward a child as to not give them a birthday celebration for the 14-going on 15- years they've been alive. You didn't want to believe someone who could literally be so sure of himself around his peers, and his abilities, was robbed of something so basic as human contact by his own family for that special day. 
But as you thought more about the matter, you realized you had to be realistic with yourself. With Gojo's mannerisms, and what little you know about his family, Drew's words about him didn't seem so farfetched. Not in the slightest.
You'd been blessed with some logical adults in your life; they'd taught you that multiple things can, on occasion, be true at once about an individual, whether they make sense to you or not. 
Gojo emerges from the bathroom now wearing his pajamas after taking a much-needed hot bath. There was another special reason he felt better, in addition to the simple fact that his skin felt warm, fresh, and spotless. A small smile appears across his mouth as he breathes deeply while aiming his face at his shoulder. He presses his nose much more firmly against the softness of his shirt, to his shoulder. The scent of your body wash hits him; the aroma of flowers, sweet citrus fruit, and Honey—His new favorite scent since his visits at your house started—was delicate as well as prevalent.
It's almost like... She's hugging me. Honey.
The thought emits a dull ache in Gojo's chest. It's a strange reaction, along with the floating, warm feeling he gets whenever he's close to you. But it's not a new sensation; rather, it's been with him since the first time he saw you on the sidelines at one of Drew's street hockey games—before he knew either of you officially.
But Gojo never gave much thought into the feeling other than him appreciating your company to the point where he wanted to be around you more. Thankfully you allowed it without much question. yet, still, Gojo silently couldn’t help but feel it was a luxury he could never seem to be able to afford. Gojo loved Drew like a brother he’d never had, truly he did. But whenever he thought about Drew’s relationship with you for long, he could feel envy grip its cruel green fist around what felt like his heart. The tightness would increase Moreso when he thought about how Drew could have access to your time whenever.
Despite having more money than he knew what to do with, being applauded and acknowledged as a possible prodigy of hockey; He felt inadequate to his best friend simply because he had you. Not as an older sister, but as someone who was concerned and…loved him. But Gojo would do his best to hide this ugly side of him; always brushing it off as best he could and having a good time. Like now
Except for one difference.
For the first time since entering the corridor, Gojo noticed how quiet it was. In the past, even when it had just been the two of you hanging out, he would at least be able to hear you moving around the house.
“Y/n?” He calls for you, but gets no answer. puzzled, he steps further down the hall, just nearing the corner to round leading toward the kitchen archway-only to be stunned at the sight. 
“Happy Birthday!”
You beamed, holding a rectangular glass cake pan angled toward him. Gojo freezes at the sight in front of him. His blue eyes blink rapidly before locking back on toward the cake. It's similar to the one you told him he couldn't eat, with the whipped topping evenly spread out. Aside from being bigger, this one was thoughtfully topped with fresh strawberries along the frame of the cake. And in the middle, in red, carefully pipped lettering, were the words, "Happy birthday, Gojo!"
Even after seeing his name on the surface, Gojo, as self-assured as he depicted himself to be, began feeling unsure at the display. "I get to have a cake?”
“It's December 7th, isn't it?” You tease. “Of course, you should have a cake; today's a special occasion." Your smile widens as you set the cake down on the kitchen island. You motion for him to sit on the stool in front of the cake as you round the opposite side of the island, which he does.
Even though Gojo took long baths, you felt that the amount of prep time you had to make things to your liking was nonexistent. Granted, you already had this cake made with the intention of giving it to Drew tomorrow, so that cut time down by a bunch. But decoration wise? You wanted it to be a little more presentable with something besides a clean application of whipped topping. So, in your haste to finish the last-minute cake, you decorated it with strawberries and practiced piping a few fonts before writing on the cake itself. Everything was at least acceptable to you, but you could only find one box with a single red and white striped candle.
It'll do for now. 
You think, as you remove the candle from the box and gently insert it into the cake's surface. Gojo watches attentively as you grab a nearby lighter and angle it over the candle wick.
“You know, it's tradition to blow the candle out, but you have to make a wish first. You can ask for anything you'd like." 
“A wish...?” he repeats slowly, wrinkling his nose. “Why would I wish for something when I can just go and get it myself?"
Your lids lower.
Why am I not surprised that he would say something like that?
You fight the urge to  follow up his remark with something witty; that would be immature given the situation.
“Not everything is easy to get—that's why.”
“It doesn't need to be.” He shrugs lightly. “ I'll have it if I really want it.” 
It's so annoyingly amazing how this boy can be so innocent but at the same time so sure of himself. 
“Fine, Mr. Confident." You chuckle, lowering the lighter. “If you're so undoubtably confident that you don't need even an inkling of help from a wish to afford every luxury this world has to offer, then we don't have to—"
“Wait!” His hand clasps around your wrist suddenly. "I mean, we can still do it. For fun, I mean.”
Your brow furrows at the sudden change of heart. You're almost tempted to question him about it, but you quickly dismiss the idea. It didn't matter right now. 
The vivid orange flame peaks from the lighter with a soft 'click' and ignites the wick.
"If you need a second to think of your just-for-fun wish, you can give yourself a little time."
“I don't have to say it out loud either, do I?”
“You don't," you confirm with a kind smile. “Just close your eyes, think really hard about what you really want, and then blow out the candle.”
Even with your genuine patience, you can't help but notice the way his eyes fidget back and forth between you and the flame on the candle. Regardless of whether it's a harmless superstition that he claims he doesn't believe in, his body language towards this part puzzles you. Then, a faint pink rose to his cheeks. It's almost as if he feels embarrassed or protective of his superstitious beliefs being reveled to you.
Maybe he actually does have something unobtainable that he wants, but can’t admit it —boys are so stubborn. 
You think humorously. 
It wasn’t so hard to believe. you distinctly remember overhearing him and Drew once talking about some rare hockey trading cards weeks ago. 
But you weren't going to poke fun at him about it-even if it was a silly superstition, this was a moment—a hallmark for him...
His long, snow-white lashes flutter close as he leans forward slightly. His chest inflates slightly as he takes a breath, and he expels the flame in one whisk of breath. 
…cause in that innocent instant, neither of you knew how much of a hallmark that moment was and how it set off a butterfly effect promised to intertwine your lives for the long haul. 
End note from the author:  I enjoy and appreciate comments, likes, reblogs (on Tumblr), and kudos (on AO3). I don't always have the spare time to respond back or properly view in a timely manner, but please know that I appreciate the interaction purely because I love sharing my imagination with people who enjoy the escape from reality <3 also, heres a pic of the vision I had of the budding hockey start Gojo
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©JUDESUMMERS. Please do not copy, Translate, Plagiarize, or repost (sharing via link is excluded). This story is only uploaded on Tumblr, Wattpad and AO3. Anywhere else under any other name besides JUDESUMMERS is prohibited
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tozettastone · 2 months
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as someone who wrote a fair few soulmate AUs, what do you think of the trope? (long time fan, btw 😊)
Oh, of soul mates as a plot contrivance?
Hm, I think it is really fun to write soulmate au fics when it's characters who might otherwise never interact! You can think of the ways that being somehow connected to one another might make their lives easier or harder, and how that might intersect with the plot of canon.
Although I'm sure it has its charms for other writers and reacers, I personally find it a little dull when the premise is like, "what if [canon characters with an existing relationship and a lot of chemistry] were soulmates?"
I admit I don't read soulmates stuff outside of fanfic, though and I've never felt an interest in writing original fiction that centred on it. I like this mechanism as a transformative intervention into canon, which definitely means fanfic to me.
(thank you!)
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farfromstrange · 8 months
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OKAY.
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I’ve got something to share with you!!
So, you guys remember when I said that I had an idea for a new Michael Kinsella fic a while back?
Well, whatever you think you’re about to read, this little news of mine is different, I assure you. But go ahead and read anyway if you find enjoyment in my writing regardless of fandom.
So: As it turns out, the idea I had was way too complex for a fanfic. I carried it around with me for a while, started writing down ideas and that’s when it all took a turn.
Writing for Kin these past few months kind of challenged me to broaden my horizons from the action and supernatural elements I put into my Matt fics, and while I love writing that side of fanfiction, it was also fun to explore something more human.
I’ve been writing pretty dark stuff from the beginning, and as you know I also write a lot of porn. I love dark romance books, I love angst and I love morally grey characters.
My first ever original book idea was also fantasy, and while I’ve spent months planning that one, I never got around to writing it.
HOWEVER!!
When I started writing Butterfly Effect, it sent a stone rolling, and then Chaos Theory happened, and it helped me explore other areas of fiction. I was afraid of diving into Kin, but I did it and it was the best choice I could have made.
The amount of planning I put into the story so far is surreal. The feedback I keep getting makes me feel so appreciated, and I’ve realized that building and writing for morally grey and damaged characters is what I do best. In all genres, really.
While writing this series, I noticed how much easier it is to shape characters when they don’t have any special powers. Like, it is so much easier when they’re just psychologically complex people, and I bow down to everyone who has no problem creating superpowers for their characters because it always takes me so long to get it all planned out. That is a superpower in itself. And while I love it, exploring this new side of my writing is very, very exciting, and I can just write very human humans if that makes sense to you.
Don’t get me wrong, I love writing for Matt and I love working on Foreigner’s God, but writing something about a bunch of normal human beings gave me a joy I had been lacking before. And it makes it so much easier to write.
Don’t worry, I am not switching things up or anything. But I have something else to tell you that directly connects to Kin and Charlie Cox, really, because without him, I would have never gotten back into writing, I would have never started doing Tumblr and AO3, and I would have never watched Kin.
This Mikey fic transitioned into an original idea, and I am so excited right now because I have officially started my first original story!!
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I have it all planned out, and while I am still working on the characters, the profiles are slowly coming together as I write. And I owe it all to the Daredevil fandom being obsessed with Kin and me jumping into it for Charlie. Thanks to you all and our shared love for Charlie and his impeccable acting, I think I might have found my niche.
I know you came here for the fanfiction and I will continue writing it as normal, but I was so stressed the past weeks, I had to channel my emotions into something and that’s kind of what brought this to life. I needed an escape. I just wanted you all to be the first ones to find out because you have all been so supportive and I couldn’t wait telling you that I’m starting to put something of my own together.
I was also inspired by that one interview Charlie did for Kin where he said he had no idea that organized crime in Ireland was such a problem, and I did some research into it because I had no idea either, and that shit is scary. I was always like ‘omg the Italian mafia is the only one we always hear about in books’ and stuff like that, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone mention the Irish mob before, so I was surprised, but also intrigued because if we romanticize the Italian mafia in fiction so much, why not the Irish one?
Yeah, you can tell what the story is inspired by if you have watched Kin. And you can tell by the name I used for my main character that Daredevil will always have a special place in my heart (but also because I love the name Matthew, don’t attack me).
AND I took some inspiration from all the fics I wrote, especially when it comes to the names of my characters because I’ve already created OC’s, why not steal some of their traits? They deserve their time to shine. They’re a piece of me, after all. They’re all variants.
So, for those who are interested:
The book I’m working on is Dark Romance. It’s like Kin meets Killing Eve meets Taylor Swift’s Reputation.
The trope: Enemies to lovers.
Title: Checkmate.
It’s not written in stone yet, so just read it for fun or don’t read it at all; I’m just so proud of myself right now. Who knows if this will ever see the light of day, but I share everything with you all already, so maybe you DO care. I don’t know. I’m bad at this.
Basically, it’s ‘mob boss meets female assassin tasked to kill him, but she can’t kill him’. And they’re all morally grey.
I’ve written a little description for myself. It isn’t the official blurb because I want to finish the story first, but to give you a little insight, this is my idea so far:
“Checkmate occurs when a king is placed in check and has no legal ways to escape. That's the law of chess.
In a world of high-stakes assassinations, an assassin dubbed The King reigns supreme. However, unlike popular opinion, The King is not a man, she's a woman, and she is more dangerous than any man could ever be.
Recruited from prison and ruthlessly trained by the Four-Thirty-Two, a lethal organization that has turned contract killing into a lucrative business, she takes only one type of job – eliminating men she deems monsters.
Her next target: Matthew Callahan, a reputed figure in the Irish mafia.
As she delves deeper into Matthew's life though, the man she thought was a heartless criminal shows a side that challenges everything she's believed. Secrets unfold, and a conspiracy emerges, intertwining their fates in a way neither of them saw coming.
It soon becomes clear that she is capable of many things, but she can't kill Matthew Callahan, and she definitely can't stay away from him either. He draws her in like a moth to a flame, and she is highly susceptible to the pleasure of desire. But there is something else about him that she can't shake.
She can't kill him, that much she knows, but is she capable of loving something other than the thrill of the kill?
In a deadly game of cat and mouse, life and death blur, and she must decide where her loyalties truly lie.
A king can't checkmate another king unless there are too many kings on the board. And once the king finds his queen, there is nothing they wouldn't do for each other, even if it means burning the world down together.”
(The assassin organization has a hierarchy based on a chess board’s hierarchy, by the way, that’s why the story is titled the way it is AND that’s why the organization is called the way it is)
I feel like I just wrote an essay and I am afraid of the teacher’s feedback. But yeah, this is what I have so far and I’ve also started writing, but I’m not gonna share that just yet because it’s still in the works.
I think I’m 10k words in so far.
I just had to share this with you because ever since I started writing at like ten years old, my biggest dream was to be able to write my own books one day. I never felt like I had enough ideas, so I took on fanfiction, and that’s when I realized that I CAN build stories and have people like them, and that there might be hope for me after all.
I’ve been waiting for an idea to come around for a while, and the other book I have planned never made it out of the notebook. Doesn’t mean I won’t write it, but somehow this is easier. It really came to me in a dirty ass hotel room before the Harry Styles concert, and it started out as a fic idea. Look how far I’ve come since May.
CRAZY.
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If you do want to read a snippet, let me know. Or not. I don’t know. I’m kinda shaking in my boots. It’s just an idea, and it might still change. God, I’m too nervous sharing this. It’s like a heart attack.
Anyway, thanks for staying with me, I gotta get back to packing for my move in five weeks now 🏃🏼‍♀️ (not at all running away in fear or anything nooo)
Bonus:
Possible book cover made by me. Will be edited once the official blurb is finished. (Yes, I do have Photoshop, I’m just very self-critical and barely show anything I make lol)
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(The code at the bottom isn’t real. I just put it there so I can see if it would fit)
Okay, that’s it. Bye!
*excitedly runs out of here*
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smtown-tourist · 1 year
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Advice from a fellow Fanfic writer:
Writing fanfiction is awesome because it gives us the freedom to continue stories we weren’t ready to end, see characters in a new/different environment, create the romances we wish had been canon, and so on and so forth.
But going into writing your first fic, especially if you are a young writer, can seem pretty overwhelming because you want it to come out amazing. I was once in your place where I had no idea how to go about creating this story that I’ve had stuck in my head. Now, it’s been 12 years since I wrote my first fanfic. That by no means makes me an expect nor a perfect writer, but I’ve learned some things along the way that I want to share because I wish I’d had these tips when I first started out.
Whether you find this helpful is up to you and what you do with it is up to you. Scroll past this for all I care, but I want to put this out there in case no one else has. I’ve also thrown in a little fanfic etiquette for those that are new to fanfiction.
Don’t let anyone else control your story unless YOU want their advice. This is your story and you have the right to make it turn out the way YOU want it to
Always carry something with you (a notebook or the notes app on your phone) to jot down any ideas that come to you. Trust me - you won’t remember them like you think you will
Write detailed notes about your characters (physical description, personality traits, past experiences, likes/dislikes, hobbies, clothing preferences, etc.). These notes will come in handy later on when you’re wanting to throw in personal touches that make your characters seem more realistic
That being said, you don’t need to add a character profile to your story unless YOU want to. Just because it’s helpful to your writing process doesn’t mean it has to become a part of the story
MAJOR PLOT POINTS!!! Keep track of them, even if they’ve already happened. The last thing you want to do is contradict something that has already happened or write yourself into a corner when you’ve strayed away from the original purpose of the story
Write what you feel inspiration to write, no matter how far away that part of the story is. It’s easier to bridge gaps than write in chronological order. It will save you a lot of time down the road
Writer’s block is real!!! And if you are feeling stuck on a certain part, skip it and come back later. I live by the bridge the gap theory
RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH!!! Accuracy and little specific details about a certain something can turn a good story into a great story. It will also keep out those know-it-all commenters that want to correct you
Also, don’t be a know-it-all commenter. No body likes you, I hate to say it. You might think you’re helping but all you’re doing is making a hard working writer feel shitty. Not everyone is well informed on a subject and not everyone wants to put in the time/energy to become well informed. It’s just a fanfic. Get over it
If you don’t want to do research on something before you start writing, that’s okay, too. Whatever details you add to your story are up to you
Your characters don’t have to be realistic for them to be good characters. That’s the beauty of fictional writing - it can be as out there and far from reality as you want it to be
Naming your chapters isn’t important or a necessity but it’s a fun addition that can give your readers a little insight into what that chapter might be about
OUTLINES!!! Writing brief descriptions of what you want to happen can make the writing process go much faster and helps you keep track of where you want the story to go when that nasty writer’s block hits
Reference photos are GREAT for when you have an idea in your head but struggle putting that into writing. It can also make a story more interactive and fun for the reader
If you used a reference photo to help you write something, there is no pressure for you to post that. Nobody needs to know the tools you use in your writing or where an idea for the way something looks comes from
Not every fanfic needs to be a chaptered fic. One-shots can be amazing, too. It’s also okay to have a story start out as a one-shot and turn into a chaptered fic later on
Don’t feel pressured to write any sequels/prequels for a one-shot that got a lot of love. It’s okay to let that story live on as a one-shot. Same goes with a chaptered fic. If you liked how your story ended, you don’t have to continue it just because your readers can’t accept that it’s over
Writing a fanfic is not your job and you owe NOBODY your time. Write when you feel motivated. Don’t let it take up every second of every day unless that makes YOU happy. Burnout is real and a lot of good fanfics go unfinished because of it
If you feel burnt out, take a break, no matter how long that might be. Writing should be fun, not feel like a job on top of everything else in life. And don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for taking a break or quitting altogether. You don’t owe anyone an explanation
It’s OKAY to give up, if it stops being something you enjoy. Writing is meant to bring joy and creativity to your life. Don’t let anybody guilt you into doing something that doesn’t bring you joy anymore
It’s OKAY to give up on a story if you don’t know what to do with it anymore. Not every story you start is going to find that perfect ending. Don’t punish yourself because you feel you owe it to your readers
It’s OKAY to take down a story you no longer feel proud of. It’s your account and it’s your story. What you do with it is YOUR choice
It’s OKAY to leave up stories you don’t feel very proud of because they are proof of your growth. No one should expect perfection from every story you write
It’s OKAY to revise a story you’ve already posted because you weren’t happy with the original. The beautiful thing about digital writing and publishing is that you can delete and edit anything at any time. There is no commitment
It’s OKAY to have those stories you never post online or to even never post anything. Writing should be done for YOUR enjoyment first and for others second. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing that with everyone, that is perfectly acceptable
Not every story you post is going to be a big hit. As long as YOU like it, that is all that matters. Getting a bunch of likes, comments, and subscribers is just a bonus. Don’t beat yourself up because your story isn’t as popular as others
It’s OKAY to celebrate milestones for your story. If your story hits a certain number of likes, subscribers, word count, whatever it may be that you are proud of, share that because you DESERVE to be proud of the hard work you’ve put in
Word count is meaningless. Don’t feel self conscious because of your stories word count. How long or how short a story is doesn’t make it good. It’s the content that makes it good
If you are writing a fanfic for something specific (tv show, book, anime, manga, comic, you name it), don’t feel pressured to include every character/person/animal from that source material. You can include whoever you want because it’s YOUR story
Use your characters however you wish. No one has a right to shame you for how you use your characters. This is a fictional universe that you are creating and you have the right to make it turn out the way YOU want it to
You don’t have to have a Beta (someone who revises your story for you) if you don’t want to have a Beta. If you don’t feel comfortable having someone else doing your editing, that is completely acceptable. Some people prefer to edit themselves and that’s OKAY
Using a Beta doesn’t make you lazy or incompetent. Some people need that extra hand in their writing or don’t have the time/energy to edit, and that’s OKAY
If you have a Beta, it’s OKAY to decline any changes they suggest. In the end, it is YOUR story, not theirs
If you are doing your own editing/revising, I suggest using an editing program like Grammarly. You can reread the same thing a dozen times and still miss those silly mistakes. Programs like Grammarly are also great for non-native English speaking writers because it’ll pick up on those mistakes you didn’t know were mistakes. It will also come up with better ways to word a sentence, improper uses of punctuation, repetitive word usage, and so much more, and the great thing is that YOU get to control the changes it makes
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS turn on the setting that doesn’t let people select the text. There are some people out there who will steal your story and repost it as their own. There might not be any money coming from posting a story online, but no one should get credit for your hard work and creativity but YOU
If you use an idea or other source material to help you write GIVE CREDIT FOR IT!!!
Don’t leave comments begging someone to update. It never has the effect on the writer that you think it does. Positive comments about the story, like sharing how something made you feel, are so much more motivating than constant pestering
Don’t leave comments bashing a writer’s story, writing style, etc. That’s not constructive criticism. That’s just hateful
Don’t leave any constructive criticism unless the author has ASKED for it. Not everyone appreciates getting unsolicited advice
If you liked a story, SHOW IT IN SOME WAY!!! If this writer has put themself out there to share their writing with the world, and you LIKED IT, they deserve to hear your praise. It’s the only sort of reward that they are getting from something you are reading FOR FREE
If a story ends, it’s okay to be sad about it but don’t pressure someone into writing more because you can’t accept that it’s over. Thank them for their hard work and dedication
If a writer wants their readers to be involved in the story, BE INVOLVED. They are asking for your opinion for a reason and it is so disheartening when they get no responses in return
If your input was asked for and not taken in the end, don’t bash a writer because of that. It’s THEIR story, not yours, and they have the right to make it turn out how THEY want it to. Be grateful that they even asked for your opinion in the first place
If your story has sensitive topics or mature content, add warnings. PLEASE!!! Most fanfic websites have a protocol for stuff like that, but even then, it can’t always properly prepare a reader. Be aware that some of these topics are sensitive to readers, and while it might not be necessarily BAD to write about them, nobody deserves to be unexpectedly triggered. We all want to have a good time - be kind to your fellow readers/writers
That being said, be cautious about what you choose to write. You never know what someone else might take pleasure from. You might write something that is meant to create this heart wrenching, tear jerker of a story that someone else is finding enjoyable and pleasurable. That’s not on you as a writer that they felt that way, but I want you to be aware that there are sick and twisted people out there
Yet, also don’t feel restricted by those people and feel as if you can’t write about something like that because you’re afraid of the wrong hands getting a hold of it, especially if your story deals with how these sensitive topics can affect someone. Some of the darkest writing is also the realist writing, and people who have been through these dark things can sometimes feel seen and heard when they are shown in formats like this. It’s that relatable aspect of a character that makes us fall in love with them and their story
At the end of the day, remember that this is YOUR story, YOUR hobby, and NOBODY has control over it but you. No one is entitled to your hard work, time, and energy. Do what makes YOU happy first
That’s all the advice I can think of to give. I hope it was helpful in some way.
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poisonandpages · 1 year
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Ok so I just finished my first read of Peter Darling by Austin Chant after completing it in a few hours, and here are my thoughts (spoilers if you haven't read it) ;
The writing is of better quality than I was expecting. I've been fooled by the "progressive retelling of (x beloved story)" kind of marketing before so I had braced myself for something distinctly subpar in the vein of un-proofread fanfic and was pleasantly surprised to find how well done it is as a novel.
I think the story is more nuanced than I've seen certain reviews give it credit for. Specifically, I think a lot of people saw "Peter Pan/Captain Hook love story" and assumed it had a paedophilic angle to it. Is it kinda sketchy for an adult to get with someone who is technically also an adult but was known to them as a child? Of course, this is something that always makes me uncomfortable irl and I hate to see it played straight in fiction, but it's established in this story that both time and memories are made blurry by the very nature of Neverland, so it enters instead somewhat vague and implausible territory like criticising a vampire for getting with a young human adult - there is no real world equivalent to this so it's easier to hand-wave the age stuff away.
I also felt the author approached the characterisation of the leads and the themes of growing up and coping via imagination vs reality in a much more complex way than most Pan stories do. At times it was brilliantly heart-wrenching.
I can only applaud the decision to leave out the "Indians" from Barrie's original work. The Doylist explanation is of course "it would be hard work trying to justify such a thing in the work of a 21st century writer", but I like to think that the Watsonian explanation is "Peter may still have some growing up to do but he matured just enough to realise Native Americans are people too".
The ending where two people made miserable by their real lives who felt they had no choice but to hide in a fantasy land choose to return to this world together, as honest, awkward versions of themselves? Beautiful. Spectacular. Chef's kiss.
I loved how the fairies were written as these little half-human half-bug creatures, more real than the nameless pirates but less so than Hook and Pan, much more alien than the miniature winged people that could be expected in a disney story. The way they're described and the way in which Neverland "traps" people felt a lot more like traditional legends of the Fair Folk than anything else.
I'd like to know that Ernest lived a happy life but I understand why the author chose not to include that.
As a cis person I don't know how much I can talk about the trans narrative that is key to the entire story, but I personally thought that it was very well done and knowing that it was written by an actual trans person made it all the more wonderful.
In short I enjoyed it, but I know it's the sort of story that won't be for everyone. Glad I got it.
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A little explanation of Metaphor
Link to the fic (nsfw)
A copy of this explanation is pasted as the second chapter of the fic, if you find this easier to digest.
I decided to detail the double meanings I had in mind for this fic. Please read it first, so you can experience it on your own; and rest assured that if your interpretation is different it's not necessarily WRONG, as fiction exists in the eye of the beholder...
Note: The first few explanations are very long but the rest are easier to understand and much shorter.
I was inspired by Neil Gaiman's A Study In Emerald to write a fanfic about Elysia being an eldritch being.
There are three layers I intentionally inserted into the conversation between Elysia and Mei.
The literal layer
The "Elysia is aware of and talking about the narrative" layer
The “I am talking about what happened to Mei and Elysia’s characterization in the main story” layer
I will quote and then explain the text step by step.
“What is nature? The original intent of you, or what is made of you? Does it even matter when it’s all in the eye of the beholder? Nature isn’t meaningful for people like us.”
Literal level
As a non-human being who is trying to be a human woman (much like her canon counterpart), Elysia identifies with Mei's transness: they both choose to be what they feel is deeply right for them, regardless of what seemed to be "intended" by their original identity/form.
Meta-awareness level
What is the nature of a fictional character? What makes them "in character" or not? Is it real? Does it matter, if you consider that the reader is the judge of whether a character is "themself" or not, that they exist solely for the purpose of the beholder?
Elysia argues that there isn't "one fundamental truth", but a truth that is constructed with interpretation. In other words, the author is dead, and what you make of what you read is the "true" character, regardless of intent.
Admittedly this probably shouldn't apply when you're straight up misreading something, balance is important, but I'd say it remains a solid belief to have so long as you're doing your analysis honestly and rigorously.
Commentary on canon level
This line is also commentary of whether the “true” Elysia or Mei are what they were originally intended to be written as, or what they were eventually badly (my opinion, but one I know is shared by quite a few others around these parts) written as, and the answer is neither because the reader is as much a part of their character as the writing.
A fanfiction writer is both a reader and a writer, as well, which means that I am writing the “true” Mei and Elysia just as much as the main story or ER did, because they are fictional characters, their nature is what I see of it.
To briefly go back to the meta-awareness level, they are not real, objective quantities. Therefore, to ask who a fictional character truly is, is not a meaningful question, because there is no objective truth and reinterpretations by authors paid for it, authors who are not paid for it, and readers, are valid (so long as they are honest and rigorous, at least).
“Humans live and die all alone in the world, only able to connect with the world indirectly, through their senses. Because perception is the everything of humans, the changes you choose to make express your nature, so nature can only be what is made of you— and because you are alone, your nature only exists in the eye of a beholder, whether that beholder is you or me.”
Literal level
First, Elysia points out that, unlike herself as an Eldritch being who is capable of perceiving the world in a more objective way (in a sense, she's reading the story too), humans are bound to their senses to experience the world. Therefore, she believes only the "exterior" matters between humans, as it's all they can communicate, including self-perception (which she sees as "beholding yourself").
Following that logic, changing as a person is simply refining and expressing your nature better.
This further uses the fact that Mei is trans in the story as a step-stool to make the point that “nature” does not mean “original state”.
For example, a baby is probably the closest you can get to your "original state", prior to any influence from the world. However, a baby is quite literally an unfinished human, and it has no sense of identity, yes? You grow, change, start having your own tastes and personality, preferring some of your toys, picking your favorite colors, dressing in your own style...
The changes you make to reflect your identity express your nature better than what you used to be. This applies to gender, which is one of the most obvious ways this manifests, but other things, too.
Elysia's thesis statement is that what you become expresses your nature, and it is therefore not a "secret truth to be found at the origin", but the result of your changes that best represent who you are. She's a girl because she chooses to be one, just like Mei.
Meta-awareness level
Because people and especially characters live in the eye of the beholder, their perceived nature is the only nature that will ever be accessible.
Of course it would be a mistake to fall into relativism with this reasoning— there’s always things that people decidedly are not even if “who are you at your core?” is a meaningless question. For example, I'm currently not a deep-sea crab, and you'd have to be lacking in a lot of either honesty or diligence to claim otherwise.
It is not true that a "core" doesn’t exist, but because as humans we only have access to subjective perception, it cannot be grasped as an objective truth, that’s all.
You and I are definitely something, but to be seen a light must be shed on us and that always paints shadows: We will never be perceived accurately in our entirety.
(And that’s okay! That’s the beautiful way humans live in motion, a dance with the shifting lights)
Commentary on canon level
Characters don't have the agency people do— Elysia can't choose to do anything in the writing sense because she is a construct of writers and artists. She cannot express her own nature, and it only exists because we choose to create it.
Therefore, the Elysia that is written and read only exists in the eye of the beholder.
“You relate to me.”
Literal level
Trans women are women, as an act of self-realization and not one of genetics. Simple.
Meta-awareness level
Elysia relates to Mei as an audience relating to a character! She's talking to you!
Commentary on canon level
Mei is pointing out that fans may relate to herself (Mei) as a character in general. I know I do on a number of topics!
“You’re such a smart girl, Mei. Ah… this is why I like you so much already. You’re right. Don’t you think we’re exactly the same?”
Literal level
Trans in this specific story, in their own way (Eldritch -> Human girl counts here).
Meta-awareness level
Both characters in a story, puppets of the same strings.
Commentary on canon level
Tongue in cheek reference to canon getting accused of making Mei a pseudo Elysia lately!
“You could be anything, and you want to be a girl?”
Literal level
Trans narrative. You can be anything you want, but you choose to be a human girl? (Why not an astronaut?) Inviting the question of why people choose to be the gender they are, why it's important (or not).
Meta-awareness level
Mei pointing out you can read to be anything, and you choose to read about the lesbians game!
Commentary on canon level
References the canon narrative of Elysia being a Herrscher who wants to be a human girl, of course. As clumsy as I found it in canon, it's not without interest.
“Aiya, I simply like cute girls too much!”(…) “We are twisted mirror images, flat yet aggrandized, complex yet warped to shadows with the same problems. Despite this, beheld in just the right light, puppet and human, we are one!”
Literal level
Elysia is a trans lesbian eldritch monster in this story, and she relates to the human Mei.
Meta-awareness level
One way of describing fictional characters: mirrors of humans, but flattened and exaggerated, yet simultaneously complex and imperfect systems. Despite this, they are read as humans when written well enough.
Commentary on canon level
The canon’s writing problems: flattening Elysia while making her sound perfect, and Mei being a huge mess because the writers have a complex character they don’t know what to do with. Despite this, they are still perceived as people by players, who may even get mad at THEM for the way they’re being written (Elysia especially) although that's absurd since, again, they have no agency.
Elysia isn't responsible for anything because she is a fictional character, and yet, we project onto her, get mad at her as if she were a person. In this way, she did succeed in becoming human?
This also calls back to the earlier point about nature and what you see of it: there is no difference between a character and a person in the "right light", such as within a story.
“Mmm, Mei, Mei, do you think I’m doing a good job being human?” “Not always. Not never.”
Literal level
The, well, literal meaning of the exchange. Elysia's human act is flawed, but she is perceived as a person regardless within the framing of the story.
Meta-awareness level & Commentary on canon level
Characters, Elysia in particular, aren't always written well enough to seem like believable human beings. (but they are not "never" perceived as such, either).
Here are blinking stars and emptiness and yearning and pages and eyes and branches and sleep and teeth and pixels and love, the all-consuming amour of all things—
All levels
Mei realizes (and the narrative points out that) her reality is made of love and words being written and then read on a screen. Literally. I'm doing it again right now, and you're reading it right now. Amour is french for love, it feels more real to me in my mother tongue.
Mei was also created by Mihoyo out of the same ingredients.
Elysia was still there, but the outlines of her body looked faint, superposed with shifting light and darkness that passed through the furniture and Mei’s body like words.
Literal level
Mei starts seeing the world like she’s reading the story instead of living inside of it.
Meta-awareness level
You may be mentally picturing the scene, but you're really just reading words on a screen. This paragraph explicitly points this out.
She could only babble a simple name that could persist in a human mind collapsing on itself, dictated by circumstances— Elysia, Elysia, Elysia…
Literal level
Eldritch influence is literally fucking with her, and Elysia is all she can hold onto.
Meta-awareness level
The circumstances is that it’s an elymei fic! So she really only has Elysia to rely on- there are no other characters that directly appear.
Commentary on canon level
The way the canon handles Mei has her always with Elysia’s name on her lips in Elysium Everlasting and a bit later too. Tongue-in-cheek again, maybe.
The two of them came together, because they had become inextricably tied by a narrative, and the curtain dropped.
Literal level & Meta-awareness level
The story drops any pretense of not being told in a meta way as Mei's perception stops being merely human.
Commentary on canon level
This is a pun— they showed up in the game together a lot, and became tied together in the canon plot, to the extent that one without the other feels more shallow. (Yes, even if you didn't like the arc.)
“...it’s alright. I’ll always be next to you like this. It’s as I always say— I’ll stay by your side no matter how long the road is.” The world and the future had faded into static, blank like an undescribed scene, but hearing Elysia’s gentle words, the prostrated girl felt herself gain substance. Elysia sat down next to her, and the bed she had been sitting on all along materialized.
Literal level
Mei was shaken from having realized she is in a story and the story is ending soon. However, interacting with Elysia brings her back to her senses a little.
Meta-awareness level
Surroundings in a story only exist when described, so the featureless dialogue of this scene did not manifest a room for them to be in, not until it started being described. Mei's perception is the same as the reader's here. No description? She only sees an empty void. Spooky.
Commentary on canon level
At the time, part 1 of Hi3 was not over yet, and the reader may have felt anxious about how it would end. Remember, people used to claim Kiana was going to die (pretty sure that was even the original plan, but they clearly have other ideas now). Elysia's words were also meant as reassurance in that sense, using the same conclusion that she did in the canon, that the story would stay with the reader even with a sad ending.
“Are you scared of our sendoff? I am, too. That’s alright.” Elysia leaned forward until they were forehead to forehead, so gentle that Mei almost believed she was a real human being. “Please don’t be too afraid. There will always be more stories.”
Literal level
Mei is still trapped by the knowledge she’s in a story, but Elysia leads the narrative into a physical description instead of simply speaking her dialogue lines, giving their world and the scene substance.
This way, Mei can feel more real in their last moments.
Meta-awareness level
The story is ending but there will always be more stories for them to exist in, and you can even reread this one! Also pointing out stories humanize the concept of characters via inducing such a perception of them, which is a throwback to the earlier points.
Commentary on canon level
This line was meant to reassure the reader (and myself) about the end of part 1, and writing decisions of the canon in general, because no matter how it turns out, there WILL always be more stories to read or tell. If it sucks, or if it's good, ultimately, life goes on, and that's okay.
Final words
If you've made it this far, I'm thankful! I was planning to post this in JANUARY, but you can tell that didn't happen because it's the first of July for me now.
It was important to me to complete this, though, so albeit late, here it is. This will be cross-posted between tumblr and ao3 for better accessibility.
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mollymarymarie · 8 months
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I just wanted to tell you that you are the most amazing writer and my go to author whenever I need something to read. I have read and re-read all your fics more times than I can count. Out of curiosity (I hope this doesn’t come off as pressuring in any way) are you working on anything new at the moment?
friend. FRIEND. thank you?? i'm crying, genuinely.
this is absolutely not pressuring at all! I have an original fiction story i'm working on - still not sure what i'm going to do with that, whether see if publishing is something i want to pursue or if i just want to post it on ao3? - but i hope you like it. i'm more nervous about this one than anything else because it's not wolfstar (even though, let's be for real, it ABSOLUTELY IS, i just changed their names)
(also i'm writing fanfic for satosugu now because they ruined my life, so click keep reading if you're into them)
And Suguru – well, Suguru would just sit back and try not to accidentally kill anyone. It was more difficult than one would think. Especially with Satoru around. It must’ve been his level of power that made him oblivious to the fear of death, but that power wouldn’t protect him from Suguru. All it would take was an accidental step too close and the limitless power in Satoru’s body would all go to waste. That didn’t mean that Suguru made it any easier on him, of course. Oh, he still leaned back when Satoru got a little too close and kept the majority of his skin covered when Satoru was around, just for safety measures, but when Satoru said it was his purpose to stay by Suguru’s side - how was he supposed to help himself? Especially when Satoru was still kneeling in front of him and Suguru was wearing his robe.
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kvetchinglyneurotic · 5 months
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Hi! I, evidently like so many others, absolutely loved THD!! I am spinning it in my hands, bouncing it up and down, examining the fractals it throws off when held to light... it's just SO GOOD! I wandered over here when you posted the final chapter, read your plan of attack post for the series and am now stuck on this somehow being the first fandom fic you've written?? If you're happy to answer, I would love to know what it is about TL and Jamie Tartt specifically that inspired you to jump from original work (which I will definitely be checking out later!! Your prose demands no less!!) and into fan fiction, any why this particular AU gripped you to the point of delivering 80k words of brilliance? Thank you for the story and (hopefully) thank you in advance for the response!
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! My venture into fanfic is the result of a confluence of a few different factors. I finally got around to watching TL maybe a month before season 3 aired, having already osmosed some of the major plot points from Tumblr at large — most notably the Wembley scene, which was the main reason I decided to watch it and probably gave Jamie an edge going in. The show falls into the sweet spot between "bad but I had a good time" and "this is a beautiful work of art" that made me want to dig my fingers in and pick it apart: it has defined themes and character arcs and is overall well-crafted, but also has a number of flaws and bits that didn't quite work, particularly when it comes resolution of Jamie's arc with his dad — which annoyed me so much that it's the origin of this sideblog.
Jamie falls into the category of like. characters alchemically created for me to like them. As in, the first time I heard a description of the show, they got to Jamie and I was like "if I ever watch this, he's going to be my favourite." And I was right! I have a real soft spot for what I lovingly refer to as "narrative problem children": if there's one member of the main group who causes problems for everyone else and is an asshole that no one likes, they're probably my special little guy (think season 1 Izzy Hands, Catra from She-Ra, Thomas Barrow from Downton Abbey who was the only reason I watched that show), which of course means I want to put them through the emotional blender. Bonus points if they're either very talented/good at whatever they do (especially if it comes from hard work rather than natural affinity), a schemer (I love me a schemer), have a tragic backstory, and/or have autism vibes.
My reasons for getting into fanfic are maybe surprisingly pragmatic: I'd finished part 1 of my original fic series and wanted to write something else before I started editing so I wouldn't be thinking about that universe and would be able to judge the world-building more accurately. I'd also spent enough time in my academic life defending my ideas and having my writing critiqued that I stopped being as nervous about having an audience and became curious about how people would respond to my fiction writing, which I figured would be a lot easier to find out with fanfic. (Was it also a bit of a guerrilla marketing campaign for my original fic? Maybe a little).
As for this AU in particular, I was really interested in how the relationship that we see between Georgie and Jamie in 3x11 fits in with everything we'd previously learned (or could deduce) about his past, as well as how Jamie might respond to being made vulnerable the way he is in 2x08 at the height of his prick era. I fully did not intend for it to be 80k (it was supposed to be a one-shot) but the story kept expanding and sometime around chapter 3 or 4, it got upgraded from "quick break from the original fic" to "long-term project."
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vhstown · 6 months
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ok im not really good at writing advice and am definitely still an amateur but i wanted to share a lil thing that helps me out
what i personally do whenever i write fanfic is imagine my fic in scenes kind of like a comic/film/animation? i feel like it helps with shifting between of focus when you describe it like you're moving around a camera.
it also helps put the "show don't tell" advice people give all the time into practice more easily. you don't usually have narration for every little thing in that sort of media (he was sad/upset/distant etc) so you have to actually USE your characters as if you were directing an actor in order to show these things. whether that's emotion or personality or whatever
but the cool thing about writing works of fiction is that you're not limited to just dialogue and visuals... you can enhance all of this through flourishing descriptions and little details. it's just a lot easier when you have a strong base that your narrative can function through that is then made better through the details rather than being driven by the details (which can often get too detailed)
obviously this is a lot easier when it comes to fanfic because in original fiction your readers knows nothing and you might have to establish things in a lot more depth. this also might not be fitting for all writing styles or formats so bear that in mind
again this is just me ;p just my 2 cents the real wealth is in observation and practice and lots of patience
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Do you have advice on how to use writing prompts? I see so many creators come up with such good short stories with original characters on here based on prompts and I would like to do that too but I just find it hard to go anywhere with them. Especially since I only write fanfic but I want to start writing my own stuff too
How to Use Writing Prompts
I'll let you in on a little secret...
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If you sit down to do a writing prompt and expect "a really good story" to flow from your fingertips, you're probably going to be disappointed. Writing prompts that lead to the writing of great stories are one in a million. When you see those stories posted by other writers, what you're not seeing are the countless writing prompts they did before that and since that didn't amount to anything.
Writing prompts aren't really meant to inspire award-winning short fiction. They're meant as exercises... challenges to push you to new limits. If you're finding it hard to go anywhere with a writing prompt, that's good, it really shouldn't be too easy. You want it to force you to do the work of finding the story in an unlikely or unfamiliar scenario. You want it to push your mind into overdrive figuring out who the characters of this story might be and what their individual stories might be. It's the entire point of a writing prompt. Not as a shortcut to writing a great story.
So, keep at it. Don't give up on a challenging writing prompt. Don't say "I find it hard to go anywhere with them." You wouldn't decide to do a puzzle, dump the pieces onto the table, and then say, "I find it hard to go anywhere with this, so I'm putting it away." No, you find all the edges, sort out like colors, look for patterns, start putting pieces together... You have to do the same thing with writing prompts. And honestly, the more you do, the easier it will get. :)
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have you done research on witchcraft/tarot for writing spellbound? if so, can you share them with us? i've been reading books on witchcraft to expand my knowledge on the spellbound universe (and honestly, to daydream about it lol) and some feel like pretty great backstory info, like something out of the everdeen's library zosjcbdhd especially arin murphy-hiscock's books
and the tarot reading for peeta made me so emotional, a huge chunk of the fic was revealed through those readings; it's incredible how deep and accurate and mystical you've made this universe. the vibes are immaculate
Hey Anon, thanks so much for the love on Spellbound!
I have done some research on witchcraft. Quite a bit of it has been online, but in terms of print, I’ve read (more like skimmed) a few works by Alexander Skye, Silver RavenWolf, Scott Cunningham, and as you mentioned, Arin Murphy-Hissock. Since Spellbound is a fanfic and not an original piece, nor is is it intended to be a handbook or treatise on witchcraft, I’ve been kinda loosey-goosey with how I’ve applied the research to the story.
It’s more about the vibes and feelings than being accurate to one experience of magic or witchcraft. Especially since witches and magic figure into a lot of different cultures across the globe, I didn’t want to tie my story down too much, if that makes sense? In the end, Spellbound is meant to be a work of fiction.
The one big thing that I kept coming back to though was the connections between any kind of witchcraft and the four cardinal directions, four elements (earth air fire water), nature, and the cycles of the moon. So those have figured heavily into the story in a way that’s both kind of researched and kind of imagined.
The tarot reading is a little bit easier for me to pin down how I researched it, since it’s a very specific example and fairly common. I bought a deck of tarot cards, a reproduction of the kind of deck I thought Madge might use, read up on how to do a reading, and based on the significance of the cards, had an idea which ones might show up in Peeta’s and Prims readings. Then I actually… did several readings for the characters. A couple different spreads. I took notes as the cards showed up, and there were a few that surprised me but I decided they worked really well for the story itself. The final result is a blending of my reading books on tarot and actually laying the cards on the table.
Hope that answers your question!
❤️ kdnfb
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tendertenebrosity · 4 months
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Not sure if any of you have read Ocean's Echo, but this is fanfic for it! Surit is a cinnamon roll and I wouldn't have him any other way, but this is an 'assholes-slowly-learning-not-to-be-assholes' blog, so.
I wouldn't get attached to these guys in their current incarnation because this is likely to become original fiction and then all of this will become noncanon, but it might as well go here in the meantime.
“It will feel like a key in a lock,” the pilot in the instructional video had said. “Or like one of those telescoping rods - I don’t know, it could feel like something totally different to you. But you’ll feel it click. Might be difficult if the reader has strong walls - sometimes it’s hard for them to drop them, but they have drugs for if that happens.”
“All right,” the medical technician said, pushing the scanner wand on its articulated arm aside. She managed to look bored; how many of these did she oversee? “When you’re ready, sir.”
Davi moved in as if he was going to write the person in front of him, but - all of him? He tried to encompass too much of the mind at once, was pushed back by slippery walls and lost his grip.
“Could you try to drop your defences, please?” he asked, distantly, all of his attention focused internally. Anxiety and insecurity gnawed at him. He wasn’t doing it properly. It should be done by now. It hadn’t sounded like a difficult procedure in the instructional vid.
The reader - Davi’s reader, as soon as he managed to actually do the procedure - took a deep breath that hitched in the middle. He looked small, even now that the guard had left; shorter than Davi, hair cropped close, the featureless prison scrubs loose and faded in stark contrast to Davi’s smart uniform. The ID cuff on his left wrist had a wooden gender token on it, plainer and somehow even less like jewellery than Davi’s button.
“I don’t…. Do I have defences up?”
Davi gave him a suspicious look, but the reader looked honestly bewildered behind his neat little glasses. No formal training, huh.
“Yes, you do,” Davi told him. They wouldn’t have stopped a determined probe, but this wasn’t a normal probe and they made things just slippery enough that he couldn’t get purchase. “If you can relax and be open, this will be a lot easier.”
“I’ll - I’ll try.”
And he did, Davi could feel it, the walls softening and thinning and the mind turning its face up to him and -
It wasn’t a click, but he could see why you’d describe it like that. Like the threads of a screw-top jar engaging. Like one of those intricately carved puzzle boxes that needed to be moved in a very specific way before they opened up. More than anything, the sense that two things that were supposed to fit together in a whole had finally found the orientation in which they did. Davi reached out and pushed those pieces together firmly.
And suddenly there was a presence, filling the tiny interview room, warm and alive and close enough that Davi felt like he was crammed up against the walls moving with its breathing. Breathing with it.
The reader’s knees buckled. Davi was somehow there as soon as it happened, to catch the slight frame in his arms and stop him tumbling to the hard metal floor. He’d known that was going to happen because the body was his, in some weird way. Part of him.
The technician spun in her chair, pressed a few buttons. “Successful sync,” she said. “All vitals looking good.”
No, Davi wanted to say. Wait. They can’t all be good. If they’re good why does this feel…
What did it feel like?
He still felt like Davi. He was just Davi with… something else stapled into the middle of his senses. It was difficult to talk around it, difficult to think around it.
The reader’s fingers moved against the chest of his uniform shirt. Stiff coarse fabric, the line of piping hard underneath his thumb - wait, what?
The fingers closed up as if to grasp him, but then flattened to push him away. Sensation, emotion, something poured out of the unfamiliar presence in Davi’s head. He struggled to name it but it was… bad. Like fighting against a torrent of dark water.
You’re in control of this, he told himself. You’re the architect. This is under your control. Get a grip.
He set his mental shoulders against the deluge, tried to rise above it. He made himself push the reader’s body away from his - not you, that is not you, keep all of that to yourself - prop the reader back up, set him on his feet. The reader was looking around the room, blinking, looking as stunned as Davi probably was.
What have you done? What have you DONE?
The thought arrived in his head, not so much in words but more the impression, but still crystal clear and foreign. Blank horror.
“You should probably head back to your quarters and rest,” the technician told him. “It’ll take a while for you both to settle into it.” She retrieved something from one of the cupboards in the med-bay - a rectangular packet of cloth. She slapped a packet of medication tabs on top of it and held it out to Davi. “Standard issue equipment for Agent Thirty-two; you shouldn’t need these, but just in case. Come back here tomorrow, or sooner if there are any issues. Do you need help getting him to your quarters?”
Davi didn’t question why she was giving the pack of uniforms to him and not to the reader, swaying and wavering in the middle of the room. Even if the other man hadn’t been on the brink of falling over or throwing up, he was Davi’s responsibility now.
He would always be Davi’s responsibility.
Oh Guidance lights what have I done…
Davi shook off the thought, exerted what he hoped was firm but gentle pressure on the alien presence in his head until it receded a little. He stepped forward and took the packet.
“No, that will be fine,” he said. “Our quarters aren’t far, and we can walk without assistance. Thank you.”
The technician gave him an odd look as he tucked it under his arm.
“Need a tissue, sir?”
“What?” Davi put a hand up to his face. To his complete surprise, his eyes were streaming with tears. He hadn’t even noticed.
The reader - Agent Thirty-two - Saelin Cor - made another small noise from behind Davi, a pained inhale. He was lifting one hand up to his temple, fingers pushing through his hair, and Davi was suddenly convinced that it was supposed to be much longer than it was, that having it short and prickly was strange and unfamiliar still.
Davi hadn’t needed to see him to know any of that.
“I’m fine,” he said roughly. Panic fluttered at the edges of his mind - what have I done what have we done what is this - and if not all of it receded when he shoved it away, well, it would improve. Nobody was expecting them to be out there at the bridge tomorrow. There was time to figure this out.
He blotted one side of his face with the heel of his hand, and turned away. “We’re fine. Come on - Agent Thirty-two. Let’s go home.”
Continued here.
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relishredshoes · 1 year
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Preventing Plot Holes
“The difference between reality and fiction? Fiction has to make sense” - Tom Clancy
I don’t think I need to tell most of you seasoned fanfic readers and writers what a plot hole is - like Potter Stewart, most of us “know it when [we] see it”.
Lapses in a story world’s logic when authors either bend their own rules or invent convenient new rules at the last minute. In a format as complex as long-form fiction (especially in a community largely made up of amateur or emerging writers, such as fanfiction), it’s little wonder plot holes are common. In some beloved source material the stories are good enough in all other respects for audiences to forgive the lapses — even using them to spawn elaborate fan theories, it is how much beloved fanfic began - but at other times, plot holes are so egregious problematic that even emotionally invested audiences respond with downright anger.
As writers, we combat this trap by using the tools available to us like story structure, character arcs, and outlining. The longer a story, or series of stories the easier it is to fall into this trap. TV series often end up “jumping the shark” because they give in to the temptation to rewrite or bend their world’s rules in order to keep the stakes high and the conflict raw.
So here are 4 useful questions to ask yourself to help avoid falling into a plot hole:
Do You Know Your Story’s Ending? In general, most story forms are designed to make a point—to present a cohesive picture of the lives of our characters that (either implicitly or explicitly) has meaning. This only happens when the story’s beginning and ending are part of a whole. The beginning asks a question that the ending answers.
Do You Have a Purpose for Every Character, Setting, POV, Relationship, Scene, Etc.? No stories avoid loose ends entirely. Indeed, many that try too hard to do so, often lack emotional truth because they feel manufactured. We, as fans originating in the HP ‘verse, are well aware of the fashion to include an epilogue that spelled out the remainder of the characters’ lives, but this robs the story of a sense of continuance. In my humble estimation, it is often of benefit to your story when a few minor subplots are not completely resolved, so readers get a sense of the characters living on even after the story’s ending. That said though, in order to create a story that leads satisfactorily into its Climax, every major piece within the story should be there because it contributes to that momentum. This is also accurate when you dial deeper into the themes and symbology of your work, if any particular “bit” ”— a character, a relationship, or a scene—exists within the story without expanding upon the theme or driving the plot forward in some way, it is probably extraneous and perhaps even deadweight. I have said it often and still believe it - kill your darlings. Don’t hold onto something just because you love it. If it doesn’t serve your story it is hurting it. If you maintain a tight rein on these aspects of your story from the beginning the less winding roads to deadends and plot holes they can lead you down.
What Is Your Antagonist’s Throughline? Very often we neglect our antagonist or villain up until we need them to show up and oppose our heroes, but if the audience doesn’t have a clear sense of the antagonist or villain and a reasonable understanding of their motivations it becomes almost impossible to employ them effectively at the climax of your story. They are two-dimensional and will leave any victory over them feeling flat too. Make sure they are present all the way through your story, setting the pieces and plans into motion - clearly establishing them as a force to be reckoned with so when the protagonist and villain meet the stakes are high and so is your audience’s investment in the outcome.
Is this the simplest way to set up my characters’ backstories and motivations? From the outset, you know you want your protagonist to behave in particular ways and to do certain things because you’ve already seen them being and doing those things in specific scenes in your mind’s eye. So you write the scenes and develop the backstory as you go - but the longer the piece and the more story events occur your character may find a need to be other things and to do other things so you change, retcon, or add onto their backstory. Before you realize it, your characters’ backstories might have moved from “complex” to “convoluted”. When this happens you risk creating a domino effect that ripples along the seams of through threads in your story and risks opening plot holes elsewhere in the story. (Like JK blithely introducing time travel as cannon and then having to explain away why no one saved the Potters, for example.) Over complicating your character's backstory and motivations is a great risk for allowing slips and lapses in the internal logic of the world you are writing and once that happens, your readers will find themselves pulled out of the story. So stick to the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid) and build your characters’ backstories and motivations out of the fewest possible moving pieces.
Happy writing folks! I hope this helps. Artist: Unknown. Found on Fanpop
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siriuslysatorusimping · 7 months
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I'm a little afraid to write this because English isn't my native language, but I feel the need to say what I feel with this story.
The truth is that I wasn't even looking for a long story full of layers when I stumbled across yours. Let's just say that I have traumas with long fanfics, because it always seems to get lost at some point or everything goes wrong and I leave shaken (laughs).
But in my search for something about Gojo, I came across the synopsis of "I Say "Sayonara" and it caught my attention so much, it gave me a feeling of wanting to know more about it and how Gojo could be involved in this drama, so I went all out to consume his story.
And seriously, the first chapter I was so excited, it just made me love everything in the first second, Rinko is so endearing, so unique, she's determined and that's incredible, but she knows her limits and wow, she really knows something that could easily be in the original work, Rinko she fits incredibly in this universe.
In the rest of the chapters, I was already completely caught up in it, glazed over waiting for more, everything is exciting and makes me want more.
Rinko and Gojo are really perfect and I love the way this relationship is built, how everything starts from pure ego and goes up to something more intimate, at first they are friends with benefits, and they really work, that's incredible, it's not something we look at and think, "gee this isn't working" negative, this is working very well.
Well, I'm loving following this, and you're so quick with the updates, I confess that when it takes a little longer than usual I'm already anxious and looking forward to more.
I'm so apprehensive about what's to come, how their relationship will go through this whirlwind of emotions, how they'll have to deal with it all and still be there for each other.
I thought I was looking for a story about Gojo, but actually I needed Rinko, I found a unique and perfect character that I love very much.
Please don't abandon us, I need more of this, thank you also for being so communicative with your community, I love being here reading your answers.
That was long, sorry (laughs)
And once again, sorry if it wasn't all very clear, English isn't my strong suit.
Thank you for this incredible work.
Oh, oh my dear, dear sweet Anon.
This is the best message I have ever received.
First, you are incredible and there is no need at all to apologize for your English or how long your message is. You came across perfectly clear. I used to teach college English and please believe me when I say your message was easier to understand than some of the papers I used to get(this makes me sound so old, but I'm NOT 🥹 it was in grad school). So please, please don't be so hard on yourself!!
I am including the rest of my response beneath the cut. But thank you again, sweet Anon. You are truly an absolute gem.
For others, if you haven't already, you can read Another Level on AO3 💕
This message made me smile so much and it made me so genuinely happy. Thank you so, so much for sending it.
I cannot express how touched I am that Rinko means so much to someone. Rinko has quickly become one of my very favorite characters that I've ever written.
One thing that I think has made her meld so well with canon is how broken she is as a person lol
But really, almost every work of fiction has holes. It can't be perfect. So really, I'm just using Rinko to help patch those holes up a bit. And it's wonderful and humbling to know that she's become important to someone other than me, or the beans in our lil JJK universe.
As for how well they work, they really do don't they? Better than I thought they would from the beginning.
To be 100% honest, we are coming up on the hardest times for these two.
They're both going to be tested and they're both going to fail a few times. But they'll eventually come out on top. I've said their ending is a happy one, and I'll stay true to that word, it's just going to be after quite a few more big bumps in the road.
I have their story planned out, it's just getting there that I'm struggling with a bit, so updates might slow down a bit, but I'm not going anywhere if I can help it! I intend to see these two idiots in love friends with benefits through to the end 💕
Thank you, sweet Anon! You have truly made my day. Seriously. As soon as I post this I'm going to send your message to my best friend and maybe cry.
You are a wonderful, beautiful person, and thank you again for your kind words.
I really, really hope to hear from you again in the future if you're comfortable with messaging again! 💕😊
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