#I swear this is relevant to next plot post | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

adelaides-hall · 1 month ago

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politely batting my eyelashes about the astra inclinant tumblr drama

Oh god. If you have more specific questions, let me know, but:

The problems would vary a bit depending on point in canon. ALSO LIKE IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING EVERYTHING BELOW IS NOT CANON AND DOES NOT HAPPEN FOR VARIOUS REASONS ETC. the foremost reason being there’s no reason why they’d all be forced to Social Media, but if they had to —

General problems: Saint drama. The Saints are mostly a bunch of drama-mongering terrible people of varying shades and they would sic their followers on each other and do petty vague blogging like a bunch of middle schoolers. Saint Solis would not participate only because he cannot be bothered. He would have an inbox full of anon hate messages he didn’t read. He would have posted like one single time, only because he had to. Saving this comment here:

He would not know or care that he got meme-ified. It would almost certainly be one sentence and would be dry or snippy as fuck.

Disciples would blog like teenagers because most of them *are* teenagers, so the usual problems would apply. Caladia specifically would be a fuckin tumblr powerhouse because she is into like everything and has lots of snappy rebuttals to The Discourse. River as a teenager would only reluctantly engage with fandom content (or lgbt content) because he was a little shy about it at that stage.

Apostle Solis would use his almost exclusively for reblogging #certified bug posts from his students. I think he’d get a lot of cute asks from his disciples, but they’re nosy, so they’d also try to anon probe personal info out of him with no luck.

(He already has an official communication channel elsewhere for conveying updates relevant to class, etc. but that would all remain on an official communication platform the station controls. So that part wouldn’t be different from canon.)

He would maybe sometimes make little personal posts, but of a very generic and nice variety. Photo of his tea or something. Photo of the sticker someone gave him. Solis is not evading his inherent teacher vibes. Saint Solis would be like, legally obligated to look at what he posts lest his Apostle embarrass him, and he consequently would think that everything the Apostle posted is asinine but wouldn’t be able to do anything about this because he’s not technically doing anything wrong. Privately really mad about it when Zihrun (on THE most bland professional account you can possibly imagine) always likes the Apostle’s posts. (He’s not special. The Commander would just Like all the higher staff’s posts for optics.)

I made my friend go NOOOOOO BABY!!!!!!!!!! ): about this part but like, plot-element specific things:

> For the sake of Fun Pretend Scenario, if Tumblr existed on both sides of the veil and could connect (perhaps unbeknownst to most people or something idk), Ch 11.5 River would spend several weeks post-recovery agonizing over what to do before finally, finally working up the courage to look at Solis’ Tumblr, only to find it’s exactly the same as usual and that he has not said even the vaguest word about Going Through It. The “maybe something went wrong and he didn’t want to do this to me” -> “maybe he actually doesn’t care about me at all” teeter-totter would be so much worse. The already-upset and traumatized teenager does not need more reasons to overthink himself into a crying mess. (He would then proceed to swear off social media for the next two years, which is probably for the best.)

> ~19ish year old River and onward would have a new, remade account under a different handle and he would use it for collecting cute mlm fanart (even of stuff he’s not familiar with) and talking about stuff he’s reading, etc. Maybe would also reblog moodboards and nice quotes/poetry sometimes. Post-canon would be much the same except he would ALSO post nauseating sappy TLDR about how much he loves his significant other (whose identity he does not disclose at all because uhhh technically not allowed). Would tag those relatable romantic relationship text posts with “#him 💚💜” or something similar.)

Solis never likes/interacts with anything on his account in the case of the post-canon stuff (for plausible deniability reasons), but every time River catches him scrolling through it he’s like /chinhands “do you like my posts about you? 💕” and delights in the flustered reaction this nets him.

#sagetext #Astra With Tumblr AU #it gets its own tag

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asksoldieron · 6 months ago

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S0-33: Oops, We Did a Cielois.

If there's a lot of engagement on this, this post is liable to get real long, beware before you expand.

More art to come, I hope, but that's where they are and where they're headed!

Welcome to the Engagement Lounge, for Welcome to Farsia (262|33) an instalment! Short comments can go in the replies, but there's a 475 character limit. Longer ones will need a reblog. Remember to @asksoldieron if you're reblogging someone else's reblog, so I can see it too!

Oooh, we got a lot of goodies for this one. Look! I edited the map for you! And now let me deal with the obscure reference!

I like Black Butler, even the second anime season, and I don't mean the ship, I mean THIS:

Heh. Decisions were made. But, what happened there, because reasons, is a demon took two people with similar experiences and scrambled them together for a snack.

Mordecai has just accidentally scrambled Erik's experience of being sicker than a dog in a bathtub with ice (see here) and his memory of Alba's experience (see here). And now Erik has no idea he almost died calling gods. They aren't in contact with the Rainbows and they don't have John's notes. David sure ain't gonna tell 'em. This little misunderstanding is not going to get cleared up for quite some time! But I'm sure it'll be fine.

And we got a little musical scene! I'm parodying The Music Man. Harold Hill arrives in Iowa and is perfectly nice to everyone, but they're not nice to him. Maggie arrives in Zadrakarta and does the opposite. I quit embedding YouTube at the site due to ads - those are a real mood-killer, but I'll embed the reference here.

youtube

If you want the melody to sing, there it is. If you want the whole movie (and you should!) it's on Archive.org at the moment!

Maggie's gone a bit Soap Box Sadie and made some people uncomfortable without doing much to improve the general situation. Given that she's sided firmly with Zanzamin, I can't expect her to keep a lid on it, but going off on a low-level idiot doing his job only scares him and frustrates you. Not unlike her mother screaming at everyone who thinks a solitary lady in glasses could use some help with her bags.

But she helped me with the world-building! Yay! There's more than one way to deal with a magic storm, and this isn't the only one we're going to see on this trip. I really hope it's not a frustrating, exposition-heavy diversion from the plot you're expecting. I'm trying to keep it fun! I was hoping to get them home faster than this, but there are one or two things they need to do outside of San Rosille. I think they'll be home by the end of Volume 14. I hope. I have no idea how long it's gonna take to write and put it up, but I'm aiming for two more six-packs on the road and then HOME.

I updated the Setting page for Farsia, and they'll only be there for 2 instalments, so grab that now while it's relevant! (And I'll probably post it on the main blog. I'm proud of myself.) Farsia would love to get involved in that nasty business in Prokovia, and vacuum up ALL the refugees, but they'd need evidence and Erik's little group has none. For now.

Erik will be taking care of some significant (I swear!) business in the next one, which is going up near his birthday and mine - although it's springtime in Zadrakarta. Then it's off to Zanzamin! Farsia's fun but we have a lot more to do in Zanzamin! Have a happy holiday and I'll see you there!

#tin soldier and soldier on #instalment #engagement lounge #Youtube

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swordgorl · 7 months ago

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Wind and truth is an insane book and in the post-conclusion buzz I'm going to try and get out all my thoughts. And I mean All of them

General thoughts: How the fuck did Brandon manage to balance 3+ character povs per chapter for majority of an entire book that huge and keep them generally interesting and engaging? This book didn't quite reach the heights of others in the series but maintained a strong level of consistency. Character arcs were concluded satisfyingly. The ending is truly a rollercoaster in ways most sanderlanches, the sheer number of resolved plot threads is incredible.

Kaladin: I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Kaladin taking Jezrien's place. The more I think about it the more I think I like it. I liked his soup and his fluting, and I'm interested to see him return as a herald, having ten years of helping the others, I'm very curious to see how they read in the second arc (this will be a common point). His swearing the fifth was a little anticlimactic honestly, I wish he'd done a little more with it. The implications with the armor spren were interesting, I wanna see what that's about.

Dalinar: A fucking madlad. Interesting to see his continual bullheadedness catch up to him again. Gavinor being the enemy's champion was completely unsurprising but Dalinar's solution was compelling. I'm a bit disappointed his bondsmithing wasn't a bit more relevant in the climax but eh. Also fucking ooft with the blackthorn he accidentally gave form to lmfao. His relationship with Honor was interesting and I'm glad he went down fucking Taravangian's whole plan

Shallan: Glad she got more closure! Her mother being Chana feels like such a minor revelation all things considered, I can see why Brandon didn't really bother to keep it a secret. I'm sad to see Veil and Radiant taking more of a back seat, as I really enjoyed the Three's dynamic in RoW, but I'm glad they're not completely gone. The games with Mraize and Iyatil were clever. I wonder what she's gonna be up to for the next decade while stuck in shadesmar.

Szeth: Continues to be the funniest character. Wants more of Kaladin's shitty soup. Gets dragged into a fight in shadesmar while Kaladin's dancing with Syl. Has to be chaperoned by Nale because his highspren was a huge nerd (sorry Aux but it's true). Immediately breaks his oaths after attaining the fifth ideal before fighting the rest of the Honorbearers. The Shinovar roadtrip was everything I was hoping it'd be. Also on a serious note his becoming truthless was way more high stakes than I'd anticipated, I wasn't expecting a civil war. I hope those splinter Skybreakers have a good reason for not fucking doing anything during the war.

Adolin: He continues to be the best lad. Pushing Yanagawn to be a more active emperor is cool, and I was sad at how long Maya had to spend away from him (my favourite part of the book was her calling him a slut). Hope we get to see more of them as the Unoathed (I think that name kinda sucks ngl). Sad he never got to see Dalinar again but him reading Oathbringer is a really nice touch.

Renarin and Rlain: Finally, some good fucking homosexual behaviour in this books. I'm excited to see Renarin being more confident as well as controlling his visions better. Them breaking Mishram's prison was appropriate, and I want to see Rlain grow into his role as Bridger of Minds more. I wonder what Sja-anat is gonna do now lmfao.

Venli: Easily my favourite appearance of hers. I'm really glad the listeners took Narak, their plan to exploit the loophole was so funny. Their control of the perpendicularity is gonna be super interesting later on, I wonder if it has any special properties beyond typical Shardpools. I'm glad the listeners/willshapers will be more relevant in the second arc.

Taln and Ash: Sick fight scene. I was hoping to see them bonding radiant spren but oh well. Can't wait to see Taln in action again, and I'm curious how Ash's transition to Dustbringer occurs if she's maintaining her position as the Lightweaver herald

Navani: Nice to see her working through the last of her insecurities. She's going to wake up to a huge mess.

Lift and Zahel: I'm so fucking excited to see Lift learning under Zahel. I'd been wondering why he was actually in SA and I think this is it. Her going sicko mode was cool, I'm very happy that she's the first viewpoint for the second arc because competent Lift is gonna be so cool to read, such a compelling direction for her character imo. (Also Axindweth was a full feruchemist so I assume she had access to healing from goldminds, I assume that Lift made her burn though that instantly by tripping her which is hilarious)

Jasnah: Interesting arc! Taravangian completely undermining her philosophy means she'll begin the next arc from a new perspective, compounded by her losing Thaylen City. It was good for the "philosophy lesson" from Kharbranth was reexamined. Taravangian was at least partially right that she acts of Odium, but his expectations that she'll come to his side because of it is wrong; she'll grow instead.

Moash: Still a bit disappointed with how one dimensional he's been since RoW. Oh well.

El: He's interesting, I'm sure he'll be up to many shenanigans.

Tanavast: Bro fucked around and found out. Reading his chapters with the altered font was sick. He and Rayse really just made a mess of things both on Ashyn and Roshar. Really fucked himself with Mishram oof. Glad he got some redemption in the end.

Cultivation: Sis fucked around and found out LMFAO. I wonder if she expected Dalinar's decision, and also where she's headed.

Taravangian: He really made this book, Rayse would've been so lacklustre in comparison. As is a theme he also fucked around and found out, bro painted the biggest target in the cosmere on his back with no preparation while gloating at Dalinar. Retribution is gonna be scawy, I wonder what the plans to fight him will be, if it has much to do with Honor's growing awareness; will it spread to Odium? (Also his Dustbringers are chilling in fake Kharbranth I'm sure)

Wind, Stone and Night: Really cool to see these spren recontextualised as being so central to Roshar's history. I wonder if we'll see Wind will return to creating a Bondsmith. I'm intrigued to meet Night too.

Rysn: Hope she has a fun boat adventure and makes out with Cord on it

Sigzil: Bro had a rough time, and man is it gonna get way worse. Him meeting Aux was extremely funny.

Hoid: Can't believe this mother fucker. Fucked around and found out. Just has his dawnshard on him, I wonder if he had it before he was protected by the contract. I liked watching him get absolutely obliterated by Retribution, he deserved it.

Closing thoughts: Rollercoaster of a book, can't believe I have to wait 6 years to see what the fuck happens next. Kind of the ending I thought we'd see but certainly didn't get there the way I'd expected

#wind and truth #wind and truth spoilers

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seeyouonsaturn · 5 months ago

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Finally got around to making a proper TFA version for my girl Trixie!

Her primary verse is Transformers One, and you can find its introductory post here (and all Trixie content in the tag #oc: i'll be your animal on my blog, this is my beloved freak baby!). But she's shipped with Sentinel Prime, and he must be bothered in every universe, especially TFA. We all agree he's got a very repressed thing for organics, right?

Well, here it is! TFA!Trixie [she/it]. Fucked up critter, professional menace.

I kept its design mostly as-is, only changing some minor markings, making its snout a teensy bit shorter, gave it whiskers and ear tufts (I'm not 100% sold on the ear tufts). And, of course, she doesn't have her collar, because she's not a pet in this verse.

Why is its name still Trixie if TF1!Sentinel specifically named it that, as a nickname for Matrix? I don't know. Don't think too hard about it. I'm too attached to Trixie being its name, I don't want to give her another one, so just go with it lmao.

Though she's similar in personality to TF1!Trixie – it's still Trixie after all – TFA!Trixie is not nearly as evil as her counterpart. TFA!Sentinel may be a jerkwad, but he's still a good guy, and would never be okay with the kind of shit TF1!Trixie pulls (affectionate). So she's, at least on a technicality, a good guy, and allies herself with the Autobots. That said though, she's by all means still an utter menace of a creature.

Backstory under the cut!

Trixie came to Earth on the Nemesis, but she's not, and has never truly been, a Decepticon. Rather, it was on the run from her home planet (she's still a wanted criminal, just... not quite as bad), and chose to stowaway on the wrong ship. The Decepticons were not happy to discover they had a hitchhiker, but, possibly feeling kinship to a fellow organic, or perhaps simply sensing her plot-relevancy, Blackarachnia took enough pity on her to convince Megatron to allow her to live. Trixie had no choice but to swear fealty to him, living as little more than a slave on the Nemesis for the next months, barely avoiding several sessions of being experimented on (well, there was some experimenting, but nothing that left lasting damage).

As time went by though, she sort of grew on the Decepticon crew enough for them to treat her as more of a tolerated pet rather than a captive. Her personality does mesh with them rather well, and once it felt secure enough they wouldn't kill it for speaking out of turn, and dared to diss them back whenever they insulted her, they wound up getting along, by Decepticon standards. Luckily, Blackarachnia had already outfitted the ship to support the survival of organic beings – meaning, herself – which gave Trixie access to food and water, and anything else it may need, and the two of them especially formed an unexpected bond, although they can hardly be considered close.

When the ship crashed, Trixie managed to snag an escape pod and get out of there with everyone else (except Starscream). It even brought her straight to Earth, crashing not too far from Detroit. However, the pod – another one of Blackarachnia's works, outfitted for organic life – put her in stasis, knocking her out and burying itself in the ground, never to be found by any humans. 50 years later, the dispersal of the Allspark sent a pulse through the air, finally bringing the downed pod back to life, awakening Trixie from its prolonged nap.

It crawled out, disoriented and with a headache, but otherwise not worse for wear. Once it had managed to get at least the most basic idea of what was going on, she tracked down the bots in Detroit, if only because they were the only species on the planet she knew. But it was well aware, and reasonably terrified, that Megatron would likely kill it for deserting, or being gone so long, or simply for existing – and even if not, it did not want to go back to the Decepticons either way – so she decided the Autobots were her best bet. Out of necessity, not want. For protection.

Trixie managed to befriend Sari, who has the sort of plot armor allure that makes everyone love her, even Trixie; and Sari convinced Optimus and the others to let it stay. Considering it's behaving itself at least somewhat decently, and has inside information on the Decepticons it's more than happy to share, he agreed. The citizens of Detroit barely even care at this point. What's one more alien?

And then the Elite Guard shows up, bringing Sentinel with it, and Trixie catches on very quickly that he's fun. Fun to mess with, that is. His utter disgust for organics causes him to be repelled by it even when it's not doing anything, and when it touches him he screams like a little girl, so Trixie immediately latches onto him and delights in clambering up to sit on his shoulder and licking his face. She can't help herself; his reactions are too funny. Optimus does not feel inclined to help the poor mech either.

(Un)fortunately for Sentinel, though, he comes to find that he really does not hate it nearly as much as he acts like he does. And once Trixie figures that out, it'll never leave him alone again. Rip.

Yeah, good luck with that.

#oc: i'll be your animal #transformers animated #two talks #two's ocs #maccadam #transformers oc

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uevos · 29 days ago

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PSUEDO ECHO - DELTARUNE - AND FUNKY TOWN POST 2

POST 1: https://www.tumblr.com/uevos/784994190325088256/psuedo-echo-deltarune-and-funky-town?source=share

PART 2 CONTINUED

Last time we were analyzing "Everybody Knows" and the only lyrics i still had to point out from that before reaching the image limit were

I mean this is how Chapter 2 ended. So there's that. Anyways lets see what the next song is called. "I need some cash" oh shit

It's about a guy who wants money. Spamton! Spamton alert! idk nothing else in the song is specifically spamtoncoded or referenced in deltarune so next song. Still though.

Background singer! aside from the stuff about being overshadowed and spotlights, we can't get much from this song that can be tied back to deltarune. Man. Bit of a drought.

Next song can't be tied back to deltarune so NEXT ALBUM! It's called 4.

AND THE LYRICS ARE MISSING FUCK!!! Funk 108 says "Body. You can create." Maybe that's how Spamton Neo was devised. I dunno nothing else here matches.

Cryin' Over You has some Noelle stuff. "Pretending things didn't go sour. You're gonna do what you need to do." Yeah okay maybe some songs aren't relevant to Deltarune's development and plot. But maybe the next song has something for us?

KRIS SLEPT ALL DAY THROUGH CLASS THINKING ABOUT GOING OUT TO THE DARK WORLD KRIS NEEDS A [[BIG SHOT]] OFF THE STREET KRIS IS ADDICTED TO THE DARK WORLDS (NIGHT)

KICKS? LIKE SHOES? ADDISONS? FUCK. FUCK. GET SHOEPILLED BUDDY,

Burning optic nerves... This is too fucking close.

So, throughout these songs, it seems that Chapter 2 in general has been inspired by Lipps Inc, the songs aren't inspiring individual characters, so it's okay for some lines to fit Spamton and some to fit Kris. It's okay. Anyways. It's too bright in the light. Too bright in the night. Spamton wants to escape the dark world. Also the song talks about wanting to be alone in the dark and spamton says he doesn't need friends.

The next song, On To You, is more stuff about being suspicious of someone sneaking around. We know what thats about already so after that is "Never could be sorry"

uhh stuff about trains and tracks and predeterminism. stuff about the "World is shining in my eyes" and "Nows my chance" and hearts. You can connect it but ehh. The song has TWO sick ass solos. TWO. That's fucking awesome. Go listen to it NOW. listen to never could be sorry now.

After the Instrumental "Choir Practice" (I don't need to tell you deltarune has religious symbolism in it, it's an RPG) there's the song Obsessed.

Okay that's noelle and dess maybe. Yeah i know the song is romantic but you can. you can just ignore that. maybe it's about noelle and kris. i dunno. Okay next album!!! i get that alot of these connections are probably bullshit but there are some really strong ones and all these little weak ones sort of shore up those strong ones so please PLEASE keep reading. Anyways the next song "Lets all get back to the floor" is more Noelle is suspicious of Kris stuff. Next album time. I swear i have some more concrete shit coming up. Infact...

Does Anybody Know Me?

First instinct- "Everybody knew who i was" makes this a Spamton inspiraton. WRONG! Gaster. Nobody knows him. He doesn't exist anymore. No one recognizes him.

Gaster is gone, gone from the world. Dreaming in the night? All alone?

STAIRS???

Hit the Deck is the last song here and it doesn't really fit our analysis in any way.

The next album, and the last album, is funkyworld. It's all songs we covered before, but it was released in 1997. Interesting!

Anyways I know this was all a bit of a stretch, but post 3 is coming. Later. I'm gonna go do something else now

#deltarune chapter 2 #deltarune #utdr #deltarune theory #gaster #spamton #noelle

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ariscats · 2 years ago

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Jameson Hawthorne POV in The Brothers Hawthorne, why so different?

Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of ppl who dint liked or enjoyed jamesons pov in the new book, the brothers hawthorne, as it felt “rushed” or “flat” to some ppl, and im not here to try to change or fight w you, only to explain why it felt like this.

If you just want the reason, its bc the emotional side of Jameson wasnt worked with bc it wasnt necessary to the purpose of the book and the new triology, but there is an explanation for this.

First of all, Jamesons character already went thought his character arc in the main triology, so when JLB was writing his pov, she dint “care” at all for his emotions, only on the characters on his plot line. Its hard to say now as the new triology (the grandest game) isnt out yet but you cannot say that the characters on jamesons game (the adult ones) wont appear again, JLB let too many open windows to not.

We also have to understand that TBH wasnt necessarily a book on its own in question of character and plot ( i swear to god the day i find the mtf that said it was ok to sell TBH as a standalone) but a rl long prologue to the new saga, so my theory is that when TGG come out, jameson plot line will make much more sense as it will actually have some use.

In my opinion, this is what JBL needed to do, and was thinking, when she wrote the book:

- need to finish grayson character arc as it will be essential to the next saga (he’ll be one of the mc there)

- need to introduce the characters from the Devils Mercy and their secrets as we’ll need to already know they exist for The Grandest Game

In conclusion, Jamesons pov dint rl need its emotional part bc, theoretically, that part was already finished in the main saga. Was it rl finished? For the purpose of what we were presented in tig (the trauma of his relasionship w emily) yes. (but it was rl funny how she wrote 3 book abt jameson and grayson trauma w emily only to mention it twice in flashbacks on their books)

But for the purpose of his family trauma? his so called granddaddy issues? no. So JBL needed to fix that, but i think its clear that she prioritized the plot over his family (mother and fathers side) problems, but that can also be explained.

JBL needed to write two very different plot lines with as little pages as she could, bc lets be honest, no ones wants to read +500 pages books, specially coming from the TIG universe, that is sold as a fast read bc of its short chapters. That means she needed to present all of the things that will be important to the next book AND she needed to finish Grayson character arc as 1- itll be important to the next book 2- there as a popular request to it since THL, and it grew so much after TFG, she just needed to work a LOT w him and w that, jameson got put aside and his pov often felt more of an observer than a character.

honestly? i dont think its that bad as ppl are talking, i see and understand the reasons that ppl dint liked it but i spend to much time overanalyzing it to not like it.

not relevant to this post but if you read until here just be aware that the understanding i have for jameson “hate” in TBH, i dont have for whoever is talking abt my n1 girl Avery Grambs. Im sorry if you thought she was “boring” in this book, again this is your opinion and blablabla and genuine not trying to offend you, but she wasnt. im sorry, she just wasnt, it was simply not her book.

and again this isnt an insult to ANYONE, dont feel offended by anything i said, im not trying to change your mind or fight w you.

#the inheritance games #the brothers hawthorne #jameson hawthorne #avery grambs #grayson hawthorne #the final gambit #averyjameson

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rockinlibrarian · 2 years ago

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For the writing ask game: 2, 6, & 7 ^_^

Yay! An ask from the actual AUTHOR of The Happy Fic Writer Ask Game reblogged here, who is famous for also once, see question 13, guessing my TUA Masked Author submission by title alone!

So let's start with 2. Talk about a favorite comment you received.

I think the one that jumps out at me is from a "Guest" who I believe I've since come to know as "hc-silver" on the Summerland Discord, on "Two (or Three) Mutant Freaks and the Strictly Scholarly Collaboration":

"Your dedication to the interpersonal relationships shows; I would go as far as to say its your strong suit! The interactions are true to the characters and not contrived. For me it makes your work a pleasure to read."

That just gave me all the warm fuzzies! Such a genuine compliment about something I always try hardest to get right!

Runner-ups to Lovely_Number_7's "Reread this is amazing" on "On Soul Mates and Nemeses" because it's what it says on the tin-- someone is REREADING this because they think it's AMAZING; and to this guy in @destinyandcoins's reply to the aforementioned Masked Author submission "How to Catch Up with your Therapist after a Couple of…Busy Months":

I just like looking at that guy, he makes me laugh.

6. Describe what you do and your feelings after posting a chapter.

Well. I link it in relevant social media locales, and then usually end up clicking through the link and rereading it immediately, just to get the experience of reading it like other people will be reading it. Then I refresh to see if anyone else has found it yet! They inevitably haven't, so I noodle around on the internet for awhile, then keep refreshing and/or checking gmail to see if anyone has commented yet! This probably still hasn't happened! But I keep doing it! Then the next morning at about 6:45 is when AO3 sends the "You've Got Kudos!" email notifications, so I attempt to keep my pants on until then. If no one has Kudoed it by that first morning, I get down, but then immediately start going through my other WIPs to decide which one is closest to being publishable so that I can hurry on to the NEXT source of potential validation!

7. What do you love most about being a fic writer for your fandom?

I don't know, I guess I just love playing with characters. It's like that scene in one of the Anne books, maybe Anne of Avonlea, where she's like "It's just a string of fancies! I enjoy writing such things, but editors insist on PLOTS!" which I have always identified with. It's ACCEPTABLE to write fanfic that's basically just "characters do stuff" without any world-stopping plot-building on my part!

Fandom-specifically, which the question seems to be leaning toward, I don't know, because I'm a multi-fandom writer anyway. Legion I am one of the ONLY writers for, so there I feel a bit, um, knowledgeable I guess? So, confident. But it makes me a little sad that "The Magic Man of Oz," possibly the coolest fic I have ever written, therefore has like no audience. And it also makes me sad that, being pretty much the only person in the fandom writing about the Summerland founders, I always have to write it in order to read it, which is why I requested it on the Yuletide exchange!

My fandom with the second-highest number of fics written (and highest number of fics READ), Umbrella Academy, I still feel kind of like the dork on the sidelines saying, "Hi, I'm here too!" And currently the only other fandom with more than one fic posted at all is the MCU, and two fics in the MCU, one of which is really more of a Wrinkle in Time fic anyway and which I swear has not been abandoned, is like one molecule of salt in the ocean.

I have been enjoying browsing all the requests for Yuletide, because there are so many ITTY BITTY fandoms that make me go wow, I never thought of fanfic for that, I can't wait to read it! One prompt was so brilliant I'm writing it as a Treat even though it's not my official assignment. My official assignment is actually for a fandom I was surprised is even eligible for Yuletide, but I'd better stop talking now. I'm very bad at writing surprises.

#ask game #writing #fanfic

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shortysus4 · 2 months ago

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50, 47 & 67 for the writer game! <3

47: How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

Hmm... obviously it depends (duh, everything does lol) but some definitely go through more revisions than others. Typically I write something out and write for as long as I can (if I'm sprinting, until the timer goes off, or if I run out of steam, whatever) and try really hard not to edit as I go (easier said than done), and then next time I dive into it, I'll probably reread what I already have before I continue. Not always, but usually. I'll reread the entire thing (chapter or fic) as a whole before I even open up Ao3, and then as I'm formatting in Ao3 I'll reread again and again... and I swear, the act of hitting "post" makes typos appear out of thin air. (I should use a beta more often but I usually only do if it's as a gift for someone and I want to be extra sure it's done halfway decently, usually I'm too lazy to bother and just hope for the best.) TL;DR probably at least 3-4 times, sometimes much more, very rarely less.

50: How long is your longest fic?

CBCK rolls in at a hefty 168,284 words! Considering I started writing about the boiz as a random placeholder because I was waiting for June to get back to town, it's kind of a miracle TBH. I *never* expected to write a whole ass novel.

67: Do you prefer prompts and challenges, or completely independent ideas?

That is a very good and very relevant question. I'm currently super frustrated with my inability to write, well, much of anything, but especially the rarepair week thing that's supposed to be happening right now (well, it is happening, I'm just missing it). I wanted to be excited about this, especially since any of the modded characters count as rare, and I was hoping it would be a piece of cake and I could pair June with literally anyone in-game and it would be fine. And yet... like Galentine's Day, none of the ideas I had have blossomed into real fic ideas, and I just feel pathetic and inept. I'm not very good at "plot" a lot of the time, I mostly prefer "vibes", and I had some assistance from a friend on some plot advice for a WIP I have hanging around, but it's not a rarepair because it features Ben (Ben is SO MUCH EASIER to write about than any of the canon vanilla characters, ughh) so it can't work for this.

All that to say... in theory, I prefer prompts/challenges, but right now my brain does not want to do that, and even independent ideas have been a struggle lately. I can feel the desire to write like, inside my body, but nothing seems to want to come out, which is mega frustrating.

#stardew valley #ao3 fanfic #coffee beans candles and keyboards #ask games #fanfic writer #ask writer #ao3 writer #ask me anything about writing #i guess #this is fun

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unearthlytwilight · 2 years ago

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so... 20E complete!

spoilers: he was hit and also did not crit. this run is surprising and not always in a good way

Liveblogged thoughts (long, lots of swears and images, one video) below:

Huh. I guess Nils just gave Ninian a power-up. Sure, that can happen.

cute that she has Ninis' Grace equipped. I remember getting that back aaaaall the way back in 7x.

also, remember that that chapter boss was so scared of failing those assassins that he took poison after he died? feel like that might be relevant soon

Eliwood really letting her help because he wants her to feel better. what a guy

hot damn, a Restore staff! also the lady getting mad that it's the middle of the night is funny

I forgot there were wyvern riders this map. the poison was annoying

the enemy monks suck. not sure if that's just light magic being bad or enemy quality but :/. also I forgot this game had enemy monks. Black Fang enemy monks at that! that's relevant to a magic system lore tidbit

Ninian got a level! didn't catch a screengrab but it was all the stats she can get I think so. yay

Fiora also got a level! at least she's getting strength (Florina callout post)

FUCK Oleg moves. he missed though so it's fine

stole his Hero Crest. maybe take some dodging lessons here, Eliwood, I have it on good authority Canas loves teaching

I know it's just because of the blinking but. the smug in this image. Eliwood clowning on Hector will never not be funny. friendship goals

oh look it's Eliwood acting out of noblesse oblige rather than simple niceness again. it's almost like it's an integral part of his character

*item get sound* Isadora get! because the game apparently thinks I need 5 cavaliers. I do not

not gonna use you, Isadora, but you make some good points. also you're pretty

still really like [Mark]'s integration into the story. they're a presence and acknowledged but they're not the focus. unlike some more recent games *cough Fates and Engage cough*

not a lot to say here. just good power of friendship stuff

man, I understand that you're trying to to be nice but... your father literally died in your arms very recently. please stop apologizing it's uncomfortable

yeah! power of friendship. it's executed pretty well here.

this plot decision is... confusing. the main villain sits around twiddling his thumbs while the Black Fang plotline happens. we already know his motives, but he doesn't get to act on them for quite some time because reasons. on the other hand, it's nice to see an FE dad actually accomplish something with his death

...I'll go into how this is handled later. suffice to say I have issues with it but not the usual ones.

a miniboss squad, you say? fun times! anyway, off she goes to do crimes

this becomes 20 times funnier when you consider later revelations about Sonia. that's all I'll say for now.

and so Limstella valiantly journeys offscreen to murder important people. iirc they aren't relevant for a while so. that's happening

next time: stat snapshots! 21E has lots of plot, so while that's happening you all can look at what horrors level-up RNG has wrought on the blorbos

#fire emblem #fe 7 #fire emblem blazing sword #twilightplays: fe7

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greyias · 2 years ago

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Okay I got so sidetracked with my beach cleanup I wound up clear across the island. Time to QT back and start over. PLOT. WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE PLOT.

GNK GNK GNK GNK

This is plot relevant I swear!

How dare you. She would never.

Oh my god. That is cruel. Making a choice between the kidnapping victims, and, you know, from what the game led me to believe, was the cooling rods that would prevent the planet from blowing up.

And now Suddenly Force Sensitive Cathar Lady is dead, and her sister is kidnapped. And I'm wondering if this was actually a good choice I made 😬 Was I supposed to ignore the cooling rods?? Like, knowing how the branches in this game do frequently connect back together, I'm wondering if there was a big impact on this decision and the "good" option was to let the rods blow up, or if the kidnap victims would have been kidnapped either way.

What a bummer. RIP Cathar Lady. The fact that she died of wounds while Grey was talking to someone else???? IS JUST???? I....???? I'm tempted to restart the mission. THat's. um. A writing choice for sure. Kind of on par with the Dantooine Murder Hobo character writing choice??

Fuck... I just did that. But now I'm seriously considering doing it again unless someone can tell me this is the same result either way. I just... why is this default writing choice so callous? Not the death part, but like. The fact that you just literally don't even check on an ally as they're dying???

The fuck.

EDIT: my god I don't know if I'm stupid or what's happening but she's literally fine, see next post in the chain

Okay, I launched the first cutscene I'm into it, going along and then the camera pans over

"Oh hey look, we're hanging out with Rass and--"

"goddamnit I forgot to change her back into her normal outfit ESCESCESC"

Change outfits. Get ready to start the cutscene again. And then

I'm getting nowhere at this rate. As usual.

#swtor 7.4 #swtor 7.4 spoilers #swtor spoilers #swtor release week #swtor patch day #dashpocalypse #grey’s silly swtor tag

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cowgurrrl · 2 years ago

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BWFW

Pairing: rockstar!joel miller x actress!reader

Summary: You and Joel call a truce [3.8k]

Author’s note: dude I’m having so much fun writing this (PS this song is named after BWFW by Blunt Chunks)

Warnings: smoking (don’t smoke kids (drunk cigs don’t count)), Joel being an asshole momentarily, spicy thoughts (no smut), enemies to ???

Joel Miller Caught Kissing Actress After Date: Everything We Know About Her

Hollywood's Newest Power Couple?

Joel Miller Has A New Boo, And We're All A Bit Jealous

Who is Joel Miller's Newest Girl? Everything Their Waitress Told Us About Their Secret Romantic Date

Pictures of you and Joel making out against your front door are everywhere. You can barely log onto Instagram without being bombarded with DM's, comments, and tags in news articles about you two. Melanie even texted you with several headlines attached and a "Great job, kid!" Even your mom texted you about it. Granted, it was a screenshot of a Buzzfeed post, and all she sent you was a bunch of question marks, but she texted you. You try to put it out of your mind by leaving your phone in your trailer when you go to set instead of handing it off to a PA.

You decide that Joel Miller isn't worth more brain power than absolutely necessary. He has his own life, and you doubt he's thinking about you, and if he is, it's probably plotting his next reputation-saving move. The only thing you can do is work, make the best movie possible, and move on with your life until he summons you for another contractually obligated date. It's only a few months. You can make it, right?

You were asking the director about a scene, script in hand, when Ryan strolled up to you with a mischievous look. You ignore him and listen to Greta give you notes and ideas for the next movie sequence. He waits for you to be done with the conversation, like a third grader, before grabbing your arm and pulling you toward him.

"Why didn't you tell me you were seeing Joel Miller?" He asks, and you laugh. He walks you to a more secluded part of set, hiding from eavesdropping extras and chatty interns as they set the sound stage for the next scene.

"It didn't seem relevant to work."

"Not relevant? This is huge," he says, somehow more excited about this than you are, and you cross your arms over your chest. "You haven't dated at all since you made it big."

"Okay, that's not true."

"Really? Before last night, when was the last time you went on a date with anyone? Famous or not?" He asks. You open your mouth to answer, but your brain short circuits as you search through your memories. You're ninety percent sure that your last date was with the guy you had a showmance with before you moved to California. He was tall, handsome, and full of himself just like every other actor. You vaguely remember telling him you booked your first movie with A24, and he said you didn't have the "right look" for A24. Last you heard, he was living with five other roommates in the Meatpacking District back in New York.

"Okay, so maybe it's been a while," you admit, and he raises his eyebrows at you. "Please, don't make this a thing. I've already had enough people clawing at me for answers about it, and I'm exhausted."

"Fine, fine, but you have to promise you'll go out for drinks with me and Carolina on Friday. She's been dying to make couple friends, and I need to make sure he's good for you."

"You don't need to do anything, but sure. I'll talk to him and see what he thinks." You say, and he smiles. Before he can grill you any further, your names are called over the intercom, announcing that they're ready for you, and you silently thank whatever god is out there for getting you out of that situation. You and Ryan walk back to the sound stage and get flanked by people from makeup who need to touch you up and frantic ADs who repeat the same notes the director already gave you. You swear if their heads weren't attached to their necks, they'd run around looking for them at all hours.

You do several takes of the same scene, yet another scene of your characters arguing, this time about what they'll do now that your character is pregnant. Ryan progressively gets more despondent as he sinks into his character, frustrating you as his scene partner and the pregnant woman you're playing. After about two hours of running the same scene over and over again, you're at your wit's end and need to do something different. Everyone on set freezes when you shove at Ryan's shoulders and force him to look you in the eyes for the first time since you started filming. The entire scene shifts as you continue to push at him, tears unexpectedly falling from your eyes as you beg him to say something. It hurts more when he walks out the door without looking back. When Greta cuts, Ryan all but runs back in the door and wraps you in a big hug.

"You're gonna break my heart if you keep doing that!" He says, and you laugh as you wipe away your tears. You watch the scene back together, and jump up and down at how much better it flows. It feels like you're watching magic. Times like this remind you why you became an actor in the first place.

You film a few more scenes before breaking for the night. Your body hurts from carrying so much emotion as you walk into your trailer to gather your things to go home. You barely grazed the door, dinner plans already filling your head, when your phone buzzed in your back pocket. It's a text from an unsaved number, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out who it's from.

The lipstick on the collar was a nice touch, he writes, and you sigh.

That almost sounds like a compliment, Miller, you shoot back.

You're not even halfway to your car when your phone buzzes with another text from Joel.

Paul is really happy with how everything's going. He said he wants us to see each other again before I go back to Texas.

Good timing because my costar practically begged me to go on a double date with him and his wife.

We're already in double-date territory? How official.

Har har. How's Friday night sound?

Sounds like Paul is going to be very happy.

That makes one of us.

The rest of the week flies by with you dodging the online chatter about you and Joel somewhat successfully, but Ryan keeps reminding you how excited he is to hang out with you and your new "boy toy," as he has affectionately nicknamed Joel. You hate it, but he thinks it's funnier that way, so he just keeps calling him that. You swear Ryan was your annoying older brother in another life.

You're curling your hair when he texts you a cute picture of him and his wife in the car with the message, "Ready to interrogate JM." You laugh and return to messing with your hair, mentally going through every possibility that tonight could bring. You're wearing a pink tank top and jeans with pink heels. Nothing super fancy, but it's definitely more dressed down than your first date with Joel. You debate on which necklace to wear and wrap the final piece of hair around your curling iron when your front door opens.

Joel calls your name as he shuts the door behind him. You almost throw the hot iron down as you step into the hallway to face him. He's wearing a black shirt with a matching black leather jacket and jeans. He looks you up and down unapologetically, and you roll your eyes.

"Who told you you could just walk into my house?" You ask as you duck into the bathroom again. He leans against the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest as he watches you spray your hair to help it withstand the California heat.

"Hello to you too, darlin'."

"Don't call me that."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want you to."

"So, what can I call you?" He asks with a smirk pulling on his lips. You grab your bag off the counter and move to leave the bathroom, but he doesn't budge. You huff as you look up at him.

"Move."

"Answer the question." He says. You think about pushing him out of the way, but he's broad and has those strong guitarist arms and probably wouldn't even flinch. You copy his stance as you rack your brain for an acceptable answer.

"Well, you could start with just my name," you say, and he laughs. "But other than that, I don't know."

"Baby?" He suggests, and you almost gag.

"Absolutely not."

"Which do you hate more? Darlin' or baby?"

"Baby."

"Alright, then, darlin'," he says, stepping out of your way. You scoff and walk past him into the hallway. "You know, you really should get a dog or somethin'. It's not safe for you to just leave your door unlocked like that."

"Oh, with all the psychos running around my neighborhood? I can handle myself but thank you for your input." You say, and he laughs as you do one last sweep of your living room to make sure you didn't forget anything. Once again, Joel opens your front door and the passenger side door of his car for you. You can say many things about Joel Miller, but one thing you can't say is that he's not a gentleman. You think it has something to do with his Texas upbringing, or it might just be a testament to the kind of woman his mother is. You don't say anything the whole way to the restaurant, saving up your mental energy to deal with him for the whole night, and he doesn't fight you on it.

When you get there, you can see Ryan waiting near the host stand through the windows, obviously ready to escort you and Joel to the table. You're surprised that the sidewalk isn't flanked by photographers, but you take it as a good sign. Joel parks the car and reaches for your hand as he locks it. You almost smack it away before remembering you're in public and take it in yours. The smooth ring on his middle finger is cool and smooth, a stark contrast to his calloused palms. Ryan lights up when you two step through the doors, and he quickly wraps you in a warm hug. He introduces himself to Joel and holds his hand out for a handshake which Joel reciprocates.

When he walks you to the table set for four, Carolina smiles and stands to hug you and Joel in true Carolina fashion. Joel doesn't hesitate to pat her back and smile as Ryan jokes about having two of the prettiest women in the restaurant sitting at his table.

"Sorry, I'm a hugger," Carolina says as you sit across from them. Joel lays an arm across the back of your chair like this is a perfectly normal thing he does all the time.

"That's alright, ma'am. I don't mind." He says, and Carolina gives you a look.

"Ma'am? I like him already." She says, and you laugh.

Joel settles into the dynamic between the three of you easily and listens as Ryan tells stories from set and press events. It's no small feat that you let Joel meet two of the most important people in your life, and even though you didn't tell him to be, he's on his best behavior. He doesn't try to annoy you or do anything inappropriate in front of them. He compliments Carolina, calling her ma'am even after she told him he didn't have to, and exchanges dude-bro stories with Ryan all night. Except for the arm on your chair, he doesn't make any affectionate moves which you're grateful for.

With Ryan and Carolina there, it almost feels normal. It could also be your third glass of wine helping you relax too. Ryan makes a snarky comment about your drinking, to which you flip him off. "I'd be drinking too if I had to work with you all week!" Carolina says. Ryan feigns a blow to the chest, and she smacks his shoulder. "Did he tell you that Elizabeth started calling you Ryan's movie wife?" She asks, and you laugh.

"God, I hope she doesn't repeat that at school. Otherwise, you," you point at Ryan. "Are going to have a lot to explain to that poor teacher."

"Who's Elizabeth?" Joel asks as you take a bite of food. You hum to let him know you'll answer in a second, but Carolina beats you to it.

"Elizabeth is our daughter."

"And my goddaughter," you jump in. "She's the best kid in the world."

"Well, of course, you think that because you're not there for bedtime," Ryan says, and you roll your eyes.

"You're just mad because she's as stubborn as you are."

"That is... not entirely untrue."

You spend the rest of the dinner laughing and messing with each other. You even catch yourself leaning into Joel's side because he's so warm and comfortable, and the wine is making you deliriously happy. When the bill is placed on the table, you all fight over who gets to pay until Carolina chucks Ryan's card at the waiter. Joel holds his hand over the table, and Ryan shakes it in a form of masculine affection. "You really didn't have to do that, man," Joel says. "Next dinner is on me, alright?" He could be saying it to save face, but the idea that Joel likes Ryan and Carolina makes something in your chest feel warm and fuzzy.

Ryan practically carries Carolina to the car so they can relinquish the nanny for the night, but you and Joel go upstairs to the rooftop bar. You reason that it's high enough to hide from paparazzi, and you also needed an excuse to get some fresh air. You both order water and perch on a couch in the corner. At first, you don't say anything. Not because you're mad at him but because you're worried you'll ruin the night if you do. However, you don't need to exchange words for Joel to see you shivering and put his jacket over your shoulders. You smile and turn to look at him.

"This is the second time you've given me your jacket."

"Want me to stop?" He asks, genuinely curious, and you shake your head. A soft smile takes over his features, and you have to look away before you get sucked in.

"What'd you think of Ryan and Carolina?" You ask as you take a sip of water. His arm rests behind you again, and he adjusts to get more comfortable.

"I really liked 'em. They seem like good people."

"They are. Ryan and I were friends before I even moved to LA," you say. "I think they liked you too."

"Yeah?" He asks, and you nod. You meet his eyes again and hope he can see your sincerity.

"Yeah. Thanks for not being a total dick to them." You say, and he laughs. He puts his water on the table in front of you before reaching across you to dig into his jacket pocket. This close, you can smell the detergent he washed his shirt with and see the freckles faintly littering his skin. He doesn't break eye contact with you as he pulls a pack of Marlboro Reds and a lighter out of his jacket before relaxing into his spot again. Maybe it's the wine in your system or the joy from the night still filtering through your skull, but you don't take your eyes off him as he lights a cigarette. The ember glows brighter as he takes a drag and turns away from you to exhale. His jawline is sharp, and his neck looks especially pretty as he takes a breath.

"What're you thinkin' bout, pretty girl?" He asks, breaking your train of thought, and you smirk as you lean forward. His eyes drop to the neckline of your tank top, giving you the perfect opportunity to snatch the cigarette out of his hand and put it to your lips. He watches as you take a drag, your lipstick staining the filter, and exhale with a sigh.

"Thinking bout you."

"Me?" He raises his eyebrows as you pass him the cigarette back. His thumb traces your lipstick stain before he puts it back in his mouth. "What about me?"

"About how stupid this whole situation is," you gesture vaguely around you. "About how we really shouldn't be so mean to each other."

"You're a sentimental drunk," he says, passing you the cigarette without acknowledging it, and you smile. It really wouldn't be that hard to pull another cigarette out of his pack for you, but he doesn't. Your fingers graze his as you take it, flicking the ash to the side. He waits until you blow smoke out of your nose to mess with the sleeves of his shirt and nod. "But, maybe you're right."

"Oh, say it again." You say, and he gives you a look. You pass the cigarette back even though about half of it is burned down from you two sharing it. His long drags don't help salvage it.

"I really shouldn't have said what I said bout you sleepin' with people to get famous. That was really fucked up, and I'm sorry."

"It was really fucked up. And unoriginal. And fucking stupid. And completely untrue," you say, and he looks a little worried. "But, thank you for apologizing." He nods and offers you the last little bit of glowing cigarette.

"Can we call a truce?"

"A truce?"

"Yeah. We'll stop goin' out of our way to make each other's life fuckin' miserable and move on. Maybe at the end of this, we could even be friends." He says, and you take a deep breath as you take the cigarette from him.

"You always make peace agreements with nicotine?"

"You're my first, pretty girl."

There's that fucking nickname again. It's better than darling, and you should hate it, but the way he says it makes your head swim. You inhale the last drag and stub it out in the ashtray next to your water as you try to get your thoughts under control again. You catch the bartender looking over at you and Joel, and an uneasy feeling crawls up your spine. You swallow it down and look at Joel.

"I'll agree to a truce." You say, smoke leaving your mouth as you talk, and he smiles.

"Should we shake on it?" He asks. You glance between him and the bartender and scoot closer to him. His eyes flick from yours to your lips and back up to your eyes.

"I would say yes," you whisper. "But, I think that bartender figured out who we are."

"So, what should we do instead?" He asks, his voice so low that you almost miss it over your own heartbeat. You want to roll your eyes at how stupid his question is but kiss him instead. His hands come up to your jaw, and you wrap your hand around his wrist to keep him there. There are traces of nicotine and tequila on his lips, but you can't focus on it too hard before his teeth graze your bottom lip. He swallows your gasp and soothes the sudden pain with his tongue. You would push him away and yell at him if it didn't feel so good. You can’t help but wonder what his mouth would feel like on your neck or your thighs. You wonder what pretty girl would sound like in between pants and broken moans. You wonder if he’d leave bruises on your inner thighs for you to find in the morning. The thoughts startle you out of the moment, and you pull away from him, turning to kiss the inside of his wrist.

"'M getting tired. Can you take me home?" You ask. He looks like a kicked puppy but nods anyway. He holds your hand the whole way down the stairs, through the restaurant, and to the car. You make shitty small talk the whole way back to your house like nothing happened, but you're grateful to have moved past the suffocating uncomfortable silence. He taps on his steering wheel again and changes the station when his own song comes on the radio, making you laugh. When he pulls into your driveway, you linger for a moment and look at him through the darkness. "Thank you for being so nice to my friends."

"I really did like 'em," he says. You pick at your nailbeds as you try to find a way to apologize for abruptly ending the evening. You feel bad for some reason. You were actually having a good time together, and then you made it weird. "Can I walk you to your door?" He asks, and you take a deep breath.

"I think I can get myself inside. Thank you, though."

"Welcome." He says as you unbuckle your seatbelt and open the door. Joel's jacket shifts around you, and you suddenly remember that you're still wearing it.

"Oh, here. Let me give you your jacket back before I forget."

"Don't worry about it." He waves you off, and you furrow your eyebrows at him.

"What do you mean don't worry about it? I'm not gonna steal your jacket, Joel."

"You're not stealin' it. You're just borrowin' it, right? I bet tabloids will eat it up if they see you wearin' it," he says. "Besides, it looks better on you anyways." You laugh and shake your head as you adjust your purse on your shoulder.

"Goodnight, Joel."

"G'night, pretty girl." He says. You shut the door and walk up the sidewalk to your front door, secretly cursing that stupid fucking nickname and how weak in the knees it makes you. His car lingers in the driveway until he sees you unlock the door and flicker the front lights at him, letting him know you got in safely. He honks twice before pulling away and driving off into the night.

You make a point to lock your door behind you and lean against it. You let out a shaky breath like it will expel his voice from your head and jump when your phone buzzes in your back pocket. When you pull it out, a bright text from Melanie stares back at you.

Two dates in a row?! You're killing it! This will be over before you know it <3

And attached to her scarily cheerful text is a picture of you and Joel kissing. It's blurry and obviously taken from far away, but it's there nonetheless. You pinch the bridge of your nose and send her a thumbs-up emoji before sending Ryan a "made it home" text and turning your phone off. The image of Joel's teeth scraping your bottom lip burns into your eyelids as you close your eyes and try to figure out where the fuck you go from here.

#one for the money two for the show #the last of us #joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller fic #joel tlou #the last of us x reader #joel miller the last of us #joel miller fluff #joel miller au #the last of us au #tlou au #joel x reader #joel miller drabble #joel miller x female reader #rockstar!joel miller

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flightfoot · 2 years ago

Note

So, that one ask about Luka got me curious: Do you have fic recs for Luka being an actual, fleshed out person? I know you read a lot of fic and you mentioned it specifically, so I thought you might? I'd be interested in really getting into his head. Bonus points if there's Lukagami involved (since that's my preference), but stuff about Wishmaker or Desperada or any other episode were he was particularly relevant should be the most interesting? Or Couffaine/Jagged family stuff. If you do, thanks!

Sorry it took me nearly a week to answer this, but there was a fanfic one my radar I needed to read first, since I suspected it would be perfect for this list. And I was right!

In The Shadows by @19thsentry-blog is the best Luka fic I've ever read. I just finished binging it today, and am looking forward to reading its sequels!

On one side is Luka, 140-year-old Snake Miraculous holder and keeper of the Guardian's secrets, on the other is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a relatively newly minted hero of Paris and Guardian of the Miracle Box. Each is looking to fulfill their promises to their now gone mentors to reunite the Kwamis and keep them safe. Sounds simple--until you throw in a rocky start, the Atlantic Ocean, Félix Graham de Vanily, and a whole host of secrets…and suddenly simple becomes complicated (story of Marinette's life, right?).

Yes, this is a Lukanette fic. I don't normally read those since I've had enough bad experiences during my early days in this fandom (particularly while season 3 was airing) with Adrien, Alya, the class, etc getting demonized in those sorts of fics, that it put me off of the pairing as a whole, even though the pairing itself is fine (I happily read poly fics that include Lukanette so long as Adrien's in there too, since those have historically been pretty nice to all the characters).

This one I decided to take a chance on, since I read one of 19thsentry's more recent works (See This Chance, a FeLuka fic where Luka's a ghost, it's under 4000 words so if you want something bite-sized it's a good read), was impressed, and decided to give "In the Shadows" a shot since it had an interesting premise and the sequels sounded like they were nice to Adrien and Alya, with the second fic featuring Alya as Scarabella and the third fic going into Adrien adjusting to adult life post Hawkmoth-defeat.

I wasn't disappointed. I adore how fair it was to all of the characters, From Luka to Adrien to Marinette to Felix, and even though it's tagged as having slight Master Fu bashing, it's fair to him as well. Felix received some of the most interesting characterization in fact. He's not exactly the greatest guy, and he's not super well-liked for good reason, but he is intriguing and I found myself enjoying watching his machinations, as well as him very obviously getting a crush on Viperion that he resolutely tried to ignore. 19thSentry's love for FeLuka shown through here quite a bit.

Luka's a little different since he has a very different backstory in this fic than in canon, but he's still recognizably himself. We get to see a lot of his thoughts, feelings, concerns, and baggage, and while his feelings for Marinette are an important part of the fic, they're not the driving force behind his entire character, he's got a lot of other things going on.

Honestly even if you're normally put off by Lukanette, I'd still recommend this fic, just for the plot and characterization alone, it's really solid and deserves FAR more attention than it's gotten.

---

Now as for other Luka fics, ones that build out his characterization while still being recognizably him, I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up this next fic, though it's not Luka-centric by any stretch of the imagination.

one does not love breathing by @wackus-bonkus-maximus

All of Paris watched as Hawkmoth murdered Chat Noir, taking the Black Cat Miraculous for himself. Ladybug swears revenge, but her enemy—and every miraculous in his possession—disappear without a trace.

Six years later, a new team of villains launches an attack for the last remaining Miraculous: Volpina, armed with new powers; Queen Bee, with questionable loyalty; Argos, the new holder of the Peacock Miraculous; and Cat Walker, who Ladybug hates the most.

Takes place after S4 - Strike Back.

I adore this fic for so many reasons, but as far as Luka goes, this is the fic that gave me the best insight into why Luka might have lied to Ladybug in Wishmaker about not discovering hers and Chat's identities, and didn't bring up that he knew them in Ephemeral, when it was relevant. One of my biggest issues with Luka has been my inability to get into his head, to see what he could reasonably have been thinking and feeling that makes his actions and characterization in the show make sense. Wackus delivered here, really showcasing what he might have been thinking in those cases, with Luka not wanting to rock the boat, afraid of causing harm, until a catalyst came along and spurred him to action. Luka's characterization in one does not love breathing may not be the focus of the fic, but it's one of the parts of it that stands out the most for how unique and exceptional it is.

---

When Feelings Are Too Big For Words by ClockworkCaptain

When Luka takes a gig playing for a drag show he's falls hard and fast for the drag queen Buttercup who uses her performances to work through her own emotions. Meanwhile Adrien's been using drag to work through his own emotions and thinks maybe Luka coming back into his life and showing interest might mean a second chance.

Made for @mlsecretsanta 2022

I greatly enjoyed this one-shot, seeing Luka's feelings about "Buttercup", and him getting to know Adrien a bit better. It's a fun read!

---

Come Take My Hand by @carelisswriting

Luka heard his soulmate for the first time when he was ten. All he knows about her is that she likes fencing. It's just a coincidence that Kagami likes fencing, right?

(Lukagami Soulmate AU, written for the Miraculous Ladybug Secret Santa Exchange!)

You specifically mentioned liking Lukagami, so I recommend giving this one-shot a shot! I loved seeing Luka figure out that Kagami was his soulmate especially, with Kagami having figured it out first.

---

Forced Perspective by @emmalylis

A bodyswap akuma hits Ryūko and Viperion, then promptly vanishes. While Ladybug and Chat Noir track down the akuma, Luka and Kagami must live each other’s lives. Along the way, they discover some things about each other.

Another Lukagami one-shot here that I think you might enjoy! They both have to live with each other's families, which is interesting.

---

Transparency by kopycat_101

Luka and Juleka come out of the closet.

(An apparently very thin, very transparent closet, but a closet nonetheless.)

A story about two siblings, the complications of family, standing strong in the face of hardship, bonding, and supporting one another no matter what life throws at you. Told in three parts/three days.

You asked for some Couffaine family stuff, and this is some of the best I've seen, with it mostly focusing on Luka's, Juleka's, and Anarka's family dynamic. Jagged isn't their father in this, partially because it wasn't revealed as canon yet, and partially because the author didn't feel like using that (at the time) popular headcanon.

---

I hope these help satisfy your craving anon!

#ask #miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic rec #luka couffaine

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psylunari · 3 years ago

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Comments: thoughts, types, how-tos, and etiquette (part 2 of 4)

This is better read sequentially, but you can skip to any section. They are as numbered:

1) The basics

2) Thoughts on comment culture

3) Types of comments

4) Writing cohesive and coherent comments

5) Etiquette

6) Technical questions

7) Short-answer questions

8) Long-answer questions

Part 1: Sections 1 and 2.

Part 2: Sections 3 and 4 (you are here).

Part 3: Sections 5 and 6.

Part 4: Sections 7 and 8.

PDF version here, containing the whole thing. It has a table of contents and cute formatting.

♥ 3: Types of comments ♥

Comments are detailed below with a description and examples. I wrote all the examples. They might be based on comments I’ve seen, but aren’t real ones left by readers.

3.1 Emojis, keysmashes, second kudos, and not-so-verbal comments

Usually short. Might be hard to make heads or tails of them. If it’s all emojis/kaomojis, the comment is likely trying to express the reader’s emotions. The keysmash is internet “slang” for speechless or at a loss for words, but strong feelings about the thing, often positive. Second kudos are also emojis, but heart emojis, imitating the kudos/favorite button.

Example(s):

“😭😭😭😭😭😭” “ヽ(♡‿♡)ノ” “skjhgsdkfljgsdlkgfsjdh” “❤️” “!!!?????!!!!??????”

3.2 Short positive comments

One or two sentences expressing appreciation about the whole fic or some aspect of it.

Example(s):

“Loved it, thanks for sharing!” “This chapter is everything. Good to see this pairing more often in the fandom.”

3.3 Medium and long positive comments

Longer than the previous ones. Might delve into detailed opinions, quote the fic back to the author, and contain a deeper analysis of something.

Example(s):

“I’ve been reading this fic since day one. The writing is stellar and the characterization is on point. It’s good to see things getting finally resolved. Those two deserve peace and quiet in each other’s arms, after all.” “Ok, so it’s 3 am and I totally should be sleeping. My finals start tomorrow, and I was scribbling a few notes for an assignment, but I couldn’t resist this update. 5k words? How come?? The plot twist was SOMETHING ELSE. I don’t wanna spoil the other readers who might see this, so take my word for it and GO READ. When we thought we were done getting into her flashbacks, we get THAT. OH MY GOD. What will be of me until the next update? (probably a sleepless mess because broke college student juggling two jobs) LOL see you anytime, your writing is a blessing to this world.”

3.4 Constructive criticism (concrit)

Concrit points out flaws in whatever the reader can find them, and provides ways to improve the fic. Ideally, it’s a polite, considerate comment, but might not be.

Example(s):

“While I love the premise, worldbuilding, and first act, I think it’s a bit dragged out from chapter 5 onwards. Stories like yours could use faster pacing and less domesticity. If you trim the less relevant scenes and turn them into extras (maybe posted as one-shots in a series), it’ll flow a lot better. Also, be sure to use a spellchecker. English is hard. I know you’re not a native speaker, so that’s why I’m suggesting it. This fic will be a hit, you just have to polish it, to make it shine its brightest. HMU if you need help, and good luck!”

3.5 Pure criticism

Simply state an opinion, not ways to improve. Ideally, it’s polite, but might not be.

Example(s):

“It reads very amateurish, repeats many clichés from the fandom, and the characterization is off. I was in for the tags, ends up it’s not great.”

3.6 Hate/harassment, demanding updates, unwanted comments

Comments that try to bring the author down, attack them, demand faster updates, are impolite in general, or outright creepy. Might contain swear words and threats.

Example(s):

“lol this fic is trash, don’t waste your time” “I bet you live in your mom’s basement to this day and will never get a girlfriend” “Why don’t you post the next chapter already? It’s been a month. We’re all waiting” “Ugh, such disgusting content, what to expect from shippers of that pairing?” “Write even one more chapter, and I’ll doxx you” “Quick question, do you have an OnlyFans?”

3.7 Requests/prompts

Ask if the author could write a specific thing or suggests ideas for a fic.

Example(s):

“Could you write more one-shots of them? I need this pairing in my life.” “Put them all in a high fantasy AU, each one from a different race, competing for the throne. Three parts minimum. It’ll be awesome in your style and I want to see it.”

♥ 4: Writing cohesive and coherent comments ♥

AKA “I don’t know how to write X type of comment, help me”.

If you need further help, check the Long Live Feedback (LLF) Comment Builder.

4.1 Types I’m not going to cover and why

I’m not going to teach you how to write “pure criticism” and “hate/harassment” comments. Section 3 had a guide on identifying them, not encouragement to write it.

Pure criticism can be “an opinion”. Sure, “critic” is a job, like film critics, book critics, etc. There’s also such a thing as a nice opinion. However, I’d like to keep it positive. I don’t want to teach you how to tear a fic down without teaching you how to tell the author ways to do better. It might scare people away from fandom, especially newbies and/or insecure writers. Avoid criticizing total strangers (do it to friends who take it well, and it’s none of my business). You don’t know who’s behind the screen and the hardships they’re facing. Be kind.

I don’t need to go into detail about why teaching how to bully and harass others online is a bad idea. It’s unavoidable to come across hate comments on the internet. Anonymity makes people think they’re free to say as they please. Be the change the world needs to see.

If you do end up spreading hate online, I hope you face consequences, learn from your mistakes, quit doing it, and find something healthier to pass the time.

4.2 Not-so-verbal comments (emojis, keysmashes, second kudos…)

Emojis/kaomojis: send the ones that best represent your emotions.

Keysmash: type lots of incoherent letters without any words.

Second kudos: send heart emojis, maybe with “second kudos!” written as well.

4.3 Short positive comments

“Loved it!” or “great/amazing fic!” are fail-proof. You can also add “thanks for sharing”, “Love this [ship/plot/trope/other]”, “your style is great”, and other things you can think.

4.4 Medium and long positive comments

You can open comments with things like:

What you were doing when you found the fic (at school/work? procrastinating? looking for a rarepair? looking for a specific tag/theme?);

What time of the day it was;

Stating if you’re a newcomer to their works or not;

Other things you can think of.

There are a few things you can praise:

Writing style;

Characterization/development;

Plot;

Pacing;

Dialogue;

Being engaging;

Being original;

Other things you can think of.

You can proceed with:

Quoting your favorite lines of the fic;

Mentioning if you usually read that type of fic or not;

Saying if a scene made you cry/laugh;

Saying if a scene will stick with you for a while;

If it’s your favorite fic of that pairing/tag/theme;

If it’s your favorite fic of that fandom;

If it’s your favorite fic ever;

Other things you can think of.

4.5 Constructive criticism (concrit)

This one needs a little more structuring.

Create a document somewhere. Google Docs, Word, Notes app, etc.;

List strengths. Writing style? Characterization? Plot? Character development? Pacing? Dialogue? Spelling, punctuation, grammar? Being engaging? Being original? Others?;

List weaknesses. Same list as above;

Try to come up with ways the author could improve on the weaknesses. Grammar and the like? Spellcheckers. The plot structure is on the weaker side? Studying storytelling and structure. Robotic dialogue? Paying attention to real conversations, and so on;

Then, use a model like this if you want:

[These are all the things that I think are good, and don’t need to change.] [Next, these are the things I think need more work.] [These are ways they can do it better, and solutions for the problems I found.] [Here, you wish the best of luck to them, reassure them you’re doing it out of liking the fic, and state your intention to help them if they need it again.] [If they need further feedback, and you’re willing to do it, leave your contact info.]

4.6 Requests/prompts

If the author hasn’t stated publicly that they take requests/fill prompts, don’t send them uninvited. Always ask first. If they respond positively, proceed. If they don’t, it’s nothing personal. Some aren’t good with prompts or have no time/desire to write them.

Some authors provide sheets for requests or list things they will/won’t write. If there is a sheet, fill it out and send it. If they don't write something, don’t insist they do.

If it’s a request, be polite and non-demanding. Phrase it like “could you write this?” or “would you be open to writing that?”. Never “5k fic of this/that character doing this, ready by tomorrow night”, you’re not their boss. Preferably, thank them for their time and effort.

If it’s a prompt, provide enough information, not too much information. Don’t go overboard on details: the author won’t be able to elaborate with their personal touch. You’re asking them specifically to write it, so in theory, you want their take, not just your ideas.

If you want a specific thing to be out of the fic, state it, especially if there’s a chance the author could add it because it’d fit the context. For example, in a car accident prompt, someone dying isn’t out of place. Don’t want any deaths? Tell them.

An example of a weak prompt:

“Write a one-shot about Main Character.”

An example of a well-rounded prompt:

“Three years after canon ends, Main Character and Side Character #1 see Character Dead in Canon walking on the street on a Friday night. Character Dead in Canon didn’t seem to notice them, then entered the most suspicious nightclub. No smut/incest, please.”

An example of a too-detailed prompt:

“What if Main Character woke up, checked their phone, and there is a text message demanding they get to work at 7:35 am? Their former boss requested they deal with this, this, and this activity they used to do. However, they’ve been retired for years, since they were deemed unfit to work. Thing is, their boss has a miracle solution for the health issue they’re facing, but their boss isn’t going to tell them about the solution until they arrive at the office. I’d like it to be 30k words minimum, it should include spicy scenes here and there, but nothing explicit. Their car should be red. Their cat is a Maine Coon named Salt. They are dating me specifically. I am 165 cm tall, my weight is 60 kg…”

Part 1 // Part 3 // Part 4 are waiting for you.

#archive of our own #ao3 #fanfiction.net #ffn #wattpad #fanfiction #fanfiction tips #fandom etiquette #feedback #comments #comment culture #psyluna.txt

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ending-the-cycle-ask · 4 years ago

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💎 EtC Master Post 💎

Mod: Mod Mello 🍓 (they/them)

Co-Writers: Erik 🦊 (he/him)

Mercy 🍵 (they/them)

———

[Characters currently available for asks]

Henry 💎

Charles 🚁

———

[Chapter Select]

_-_-_-_

Act 1: Long Road Home

Beginning / Dream / Walking / Zen

_-_-_-_

Act 2: Government Supported Rescue Operative (ItA)

Beginning / New Mission / Rescue / Escape(ism)

_-_-_-_

Intermission

_-_-_-_

Act 3: Rose (FtC)

Beginning / Wake-up Call / Breakout / Escape(ists)

_-_-_-_

Red Strings Intermission

———

Act 4: Beginning of the End (To be continued)

Beginning /

Rules and Additional Info below the cut (Please read before sending in asks!)

Rules:

No NSFW. This blog is 13+ for mild violence and blood. (Potentially triggering themes and flashing images will be tagged. Please ask if a tag needs to be added.)

Do not spam my askbox! I (the mod) physically can’t get to every single question, and sometimes another asker words the question better, or I don’t have an interesting answer. Sending the same ask in every few minutes just makes me far less inclined to answer you.

Swearing is allowed, but discouraged, as the characters and I do not swear on this blog. (Any in character swearing will be censored.)

No roleplay is allowed. Period. This is not a roleplay blog. Do not ask for your character to be added, or take on a role in the replies.

Replies do not count as asks! I can only respond to questions that are sent to my inbox.

No Magic!Anon. This is a story-driven askblog, so magic anon asks don’t work here. This also means that askers cannot physically interact with/summon anything, characters or objects. In universe, askers are only voices in the characters’ heads.

I reserve the right to block anyone I don’t want interacting with the blog anymore for any reason. Harassment of any kind towards me, the writers, other askers/commenters, the characters, or anyone else, will not be tolerated.

Please be patient. One person can only do so much, and big updates typically take a while to produce. I’m in college now, so I’m very busy, and I need breaks just like any other human being.

———

The ask box is almost always open, but will close during specified intermissions, and only a few characters will be available for questions at any given time. (The mod is always available for asks!)

Voting for choices will be done through Tumblr’s poll system. These polls will close approximately 24 hours after the post is made, unless it is a quick time event choice, in which the poll will be closed after an hour. Votes made in the ask box or in the replies will not be counted.

———

[Additional Tag Info]

-All plot relevant posts have [First | Previous | Next] at the bottom, for anyone reading through hyperlinks.

-Posts tagged #askmodmello are ooc asks towards the mod.

-Posts tagged #theiris are text post asks that go a bit deeper into the comic’s universe, but don’t necessarily have to be read to enjoy the rest of the story.

-Posts tagged #ending the cycle announcements are important ooc announcements, such as any brief hiatuses or other such events followers should be aware of.

———

Bio card archive: (Work in progress)

Character file/system access archive: (Work in progress)

Red String’s Archive: Start searching here.

Find my other art here: @melonsalts

———

-Much love from Mod Mello 💎

#henry stickmin #henry stickmin collection #henry stickmin fanart #henry stickmin series #henry stickmin charles #ending the cycle #askblog #ask #askmodmello #theiris

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duckprintspress · 4 years ago

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How can I write quickly?

I (hi, I’m @unforth) have been asked frequently over the years how I write a lot quickly. I’m a pretty fast writer - for example, I wrote the 5600 words of my May Trope Mayhem fill from yesterday in under 2.5 hours.

First, a little of my personal history for context. I’ve always written, starting from when I was able to string letters into (very poorly spelled) words and (horrible un-grammatical) sentences. When I started trying my hand at serious, professional-level fiction writing, I joined a community called novel_in_90, which was founded by the author Elizabeth Bear. The purpose of novel_in_90 was “to be NaNoWriMo but more realistic.” Instead of 50,000 words in 31 days, it was 67,500 words in 90 days, or 750 words a day. I participated in multiple rounds of novel_in_90 starting in mid-2005, and in 2007 I completed my first (godawful) novel. When I started, even writing a couple hundred words of day took me forever, but it got easier with time.

During those same years, I also got a job that required I do professional writing on a deadline: I was a grant writer, and I only got paid when the grants won. That often meant working fast under high pressure, culminating in the weekend I wrote and edited an entire 40 pages grant that was due on Monday. I think, if I hadn’t had a solid foundation of “regular daily plodding writing,” I’d not have been able to marathon when the moment came...and it came because I had to, not because I wanted to. However, I learned a valuable lesson: I could. Subsequently, I found that, when I had the time and space and was rested enough to use my brain, I could bust out a huge amount. Like, I wrote an entire 150,000 word novel in 17 days.

My personal record is about 200,000 words in one month (it was the month I wrote that novel; I wasn’t tracking when I did that so I don’t know exactly), 25,000 words in a day, and I’ve topped out around 3,000 words an hour. I do know people who can do more...but not many.

Not everyone will be able to do this. Flat out, I MUST preface the rest of this post by saying that. Some people will find that writing fast fits their brain, and for others, it just won’t, and that’s okay. Fast doesn’t equal better, and it isn’t inherently “good” to write fast. Furthermore, even for those who can write fast, not everyone will find the same strategies helpful. I can share what works for me. Try out one item, some items, or all of these - if writing faster is something you want to be able to do, which it certainly never has to be. Use what works for you, and discard the rest.

Sit in your chair, put your fingers on your keyboard or touch screen, and write. You can’t write 1,000 words in half an hour until you write one word, however long that one word takes. I know saying this is obvious, but I’ve been asked “how can I write fast” by people who struggle to write at all...fast can’t be your priority until you’ve got a foundation of just writing. (Honestly...fast should never be your priority, but it might be helpful to you regardless, which can make it worth learning.)

Start small. Set an achievable goal, and make yourself meet that goal (daily, weekly, whatever) come hell or high water, no matter how long it takes you. Keep the goal small at first; you’re not trying to torture yourself, you’re trying to build a skill. If you set the goal high enough that you consistently fail, you’re not teaching yourself anything. And, if you find the goal IS too high...lower it. There’s no shame in working within your limits. Think of it like starting a new work out regimen: you wouldn’t try to run a 10k at a record time if you can’t run a mile slow. Treat your fingers and your brain the same way you’d treat your legs and joints. Give them time to grow, learn, and improve before you try to push yourself.

Trying to write daily is worthwhile if you want to work on your writing speed, because you’ll be forced to try to fit it in as you’re able - that might be ten minutes in your morning, or an hour in your evening, and it might vary from day to day, but making it daily means you have to fit it in somewhere.

Building skills takes time and isn’t easy. For some people, it will come easier than for others, and even when you’re fast, going from “I can write words fast” to “I can write damn good words fast” takes practice and dedication and accepting constructive criticism - speed alone will never be worth more than writing well.

Having a community can help. Ya’ll will check in on each other, cheer each other on, remind each other that missing a day or a goal isn’t the end of the world, and keep each other’s spirits up. If you don’t know other writerly folks online, I recommend Weekend Writing Marathon ( @weekendwritingmarathon ) as a good place to start (I used to be a mod there). Once you’re trying to work up to larger word counts in a day, remember that even writing fast will take minutes or hours. You can’t write 2,500 words in an hour if you don’t set an hour aside. Make sure you’re giving yourself the room and time you need to succeed.

You will probably never be able to do high, rapid word counts every day, every week, every month. The best runners in the world don’t run marathons every day. Set realistic long term goals.

Work on projects where you have a clear idea of where you’re going. I’m not saying “pantsers” can’t write fast, because of course they can, but if you want to write fast, and well, and coherently, to create a first draft that’s in pretty good shape, you’ll do better if you have a good sense of what you’re trying to accomplish with your story. That doesn’t mean you need to do all your world building up front, or have a complete outline (I never have either). All you really need is what happens next. I tend to plan projects - and write them - one full scene at a time, with only a vague idea what’s going to come after. (I’m personally a “plantser,” and the strategies in this post will likely be most effective to other plantsers.)

Visualize ahead of time what you’d like to write...but don’t get too attached to what you visualize. When I go to bed, I plan the next scene I’m going to compose, often to the least detail. I then forget all of it overnight, at least all the specifics, and I’m left with a general sense and shape of what’s to come. You’ll never be able to replicate the “perfect” dialog you pre-conceive, so give up on trying to. Instead, play through the scene and think about the emotional beats you want to hit and plot points you want to forward. If you keep that in mind, you’ll be able to get the words out faster than if you’re agonizing over every word or regretting the “oh-so-great” idea that you’ve since forgotten.

Practice different work styles. If writing every day doesn’t work for you, try instead saying, “this is my writing day each week,” and aim for a lot that specific day, and write little or nothing other days. Try writing at different times of day and on different days, fitting it into your schedule. If you’re beating yourself up for not writing when you “should,” it’ll be that much harder to succeed, so instead, as I said for point 2 - set a reasonable goal that fits your life and working style, fitting it around your other responsibilities, and push yourself within that framework, instead of trying to shoehorn into a style that you “think you should” use to succeed.

Track your word counts, and take notes on how much you did and what project you were working on. If you’re also experimenting with different times of day and different days, make sure you note that too. I personally use a simple Excel sheet (well, Google Sheets, now) - column one is the date, column 2 is “starting word count,” column 3 is “ending word count,” column 4 is “=column 3 - column 2”, column 5 is notes. Pay attention to when you succeed at writing faster, and when you don’t, and consider what factors might have played into your success...and then try to replicate those factors next time you’re doing a sprint. Control as many variables as you can while you’re “training.”

If you find social media distracting, trying getting a web browser extension that prevents you from connecting to websites for a set period of time.

If you find you tend to dither before starting, I find it helpful to run through everything that I might do to procrastinate (check my social media! grab a snack! make some tea! set up my playlist! check my social media again! finish making the tea! check my social media for what I swear will be the last time!), and when I’m done, it’s like, well, I’ve done all those things, I’ve got no choice left, time to write, no excuses left.

If you find you struggle with picking up a WIP, try leaving off in the middle of a sentence at the end of a session, one where you know exactly how it ends - or, leave off mid-paragraph, or when you are positive you know what happens next (and I mean literally next, as in the very next sentence.) It’s much easier to “pick back up” when your first words are super clear. (Do not do this if you think there’s any chance you’ll forget or end up in a situation where you won’t return to your WIP for months!)

If you find you struggle to maintain continuity across multiple writing sessions, try rereading what you wrote the previous day before you proceed. Resist the urge to edit it!

Avoid stopping when you get stuck, even to do research. Don’t know a fact? Add a comment to your manuscript flagging the relevant text, “LOOK THIS UP LATER.” Can’t think of a word? Put in something you can use the “find” function on easily (I personally use “XX” since there are no words that have a double x in them) and so you can come back later, search for your chosen placeholder, and fill in the blanks. Not sure how a scene ends but know the next scene? Jump ahead.

That said, if you really don’t know what happens next, you don’t do yourself any favors by pressing on. As I’ve said previously, speed alone should never be your writing object. It’s better to slow down, consider your plot, figure out where you’re going, and then write, than to just plow ahead - or at least, that’s better if you want a manuscript you’ll actually be able to use for something at a later point. If you’re truly just practicing, you can also say “screw it, who needs coherence?” and keep going. I’d personally never have finished my first novel if I’d spent a lot of time worrying about making the pieces fit together and yeah, it’s a mess, but it’s a mess I wrote instead of a mess I got stuck on and never completed.

Don’t move the finish line. If you’ve set the goal of 500 words a day, don’t beat yourself up if you get 550 because you think you think you could have done more. If you say you’ll write five days a week, don’t get mad because you DID have time the sixth day but chose to use it on something else. If you make yourself feel like shit when you succeed, what’ll happen when you fail? And when you’re comfortable and really think you’re ready, change the goal - reassess every month, say, and up your goals. While working for speed, trying upping your word count goal without changing the amount of time you allot for working.

Your need to adhere to the above suggestions will change over time. Once, I always had an outline; now I often don’t need one. Once, I wouldn’t let myself stop even to use a thesaurus; now, I find I can look up words without breaking my flow or significantly slowing myself down. This is not an “all or nothing” prospect, nor is it a “do things the same way forever once you’ve found one (1) thing that works” prospect - you’ll experiment, and find strategies that work for you, and then at some point, your needs will change, and you’ll experiment more, and find new strategies that work for you, on and on, as your skills grow.

To reiterate: writing fast should never be your objective in and of itself! Greater writing speed will come with practice and as a general side effect of improving your craft. Simply being able to write fast is useless; being able to write fast and well will enable you to get more of your ideas out there, so if that’s something you’d like to accomplish, focus on building your general skills and training yourself to be able to use those skills rapidly and in tandem with each other to produce decent writing, in a first draft, at a decent speed.

Once you try, you may find none of this works for you! That’s okay. That’s good! You tried, which means you learned something about yourself and your own writing style, and that too will help you to improve. Keep experimenting, keep learning, and find what does work for you - and accept that no two writers will ever be the same, and one of those differences will be writing speed. Some writers will never write fast, and that’s doesn’t make them any less awesome or valid. And some writers will always write fast, and that doesn’t make them inherently awesome or valid. Only with a suite of skills that suit your individual life, personality, work style, writing capabilities, goals, etc., will you succeed as a writer (for various, personalized definitions of the word “success”); speed is only one of those potential skills, and not one that’s particularly important in my opinion...yet I still get asked about it fairly often, so here we are, these are my suggestions

Go forth, and write some words! <3

#duck prints press #writing advice #original content

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