#not that you have to

[antivan-sprig]

Skip to the Good Part

Writing Exercise Asks

The goal of these asks is to get you to write as little or as much as you want without feeling like you need to add in a lot of context and set up. We don’t need to know how or why Rook is where they are, we just need to hear how the situation itself unfolds. Idk if that’s good writing practice or not, but it is fun!

Basically we are skipping straight to dessert 🧁

These are divided into sections, each with their own limitations.

I also added some suggestions of story beats/dialogue to include, feel free to ignore, change, or add on to them however you see fit. Remember, there are no rules here.

Action

W rite with minimal or no dialogue, utilizing only descriptions of a character’s physicality.

Your left eye twitched: Write a physical description of Rook experiencing uncertainty, lying to someone, or panicking.

Use a different character’s point of view, ex: Neve watching Rook deciding the fate of the mayor of D’Meta’s Crossing.

So THIS is love: Write about the moment Rook/Rook’s partner first realizes they’re in love.

What does Rook/their partner notice about the other’s physicality?

It felt like fire: Write about a time Rook experiences pure hatred for someone/something. Does this reveal anything about themselves?

Write from the perspective of an onlooker. What would a stranger notice about Rook when they’re angry?

Voice

Write primarily in dialogue

It’s outside the door: Write a scene in which Rook is lured into the fade by a strange voice. (What qualities make the voice enticing to Rook? Is Rook aware that this may be a trap?)

“You can trust me, really.”

Rules for thee but not for me: Write the dialogue exchange between Rook and their mentor at the moment when Rook is forced to leave their faction. (What, if anything, has changed about their relationship by the end of the exchange?)

“So that’s it? I have to leave?”

The dog has the keys: Rook is in dire need of help, but the only person available is reluctant, scared, or ambivalent to giving aid. Write the dialogue of how Rook convinces them.

“Look, I need you to give me that.”

Thoughts

write in inner monologue. (In the case of stream of consciousness their inner monologue is said aloud)

A Rook big enough for two: Write an inner monologue of Rook merging with, fighting off, or being overcome by a powerful spirit.

“What are you doing to me?”

Stream of Consciousness: Rook is overcome by a magical force that essentially puts them into an emotional trance. They're unable to filter their thoughts or emotions and end up giving a graphic retelling of one event in their life to a companion(s).

Write the monologue.

Hindsight’s 20/20: Rook strolls through the city/place that they grew up in. What, if anything, has age changed in the way Rook perceives the space?

“Was it always this _____?”

There’s an egg in my head: Write a scene where Rook suspects Solas of tampering with their thoughts or emotions. Does this intrusion worry Rook? Do they begin to doubt themselves?

“Wait… why did I just think that?”

[faaun]

WHEN ON PERIOD:

do not crash out

your feelings are NOT valid

do not send that text

don't kill yourself. lock in

do not act on negative emotions until at least 2 days have elapsed

[teaboot]

what annoys me about explaining evolution to people who don’t think it’s real is that everyone’s idea of how it works seems to be from this

Whereas the reality is far more like

[meanao3thoughts]

a feel like the new generation of fanfic readers NEED to understand that clicking on a fic (interaction) does nothing. ao3 has no algorithm. your private discord discussions of fic do not reach the authors. if you do not actively engage with writers they will stop posting. this isn’t social media this is community.

[pillowfriendly]

i love this website i just feel at home here you know

[just-french-me-up]

'ao3 needs a like and dislike button'

what you need, my algorithm-rotten minded friend, is a grip

[stealingpotatoes]

life can't be that bad when there's still cat and other assorted creatures

[podcastwizard]

my most toxic trait is i fucking love work gossip. i play neutral not to be the bigger person or take the high road but to hear slander and hearsay from every side. two coworkers complained about each other to me in the same afternoon and i nearly blacked out from the rush

[solrookera]

PSA

Just a heads up, there are bots going around on AO3 accusing people of using AI. Considering the timing, this is likely AI bros' retaliation for AO3 users calling them out for scraping their work. Examples of what you might be sent:

Screenshots from here.

If you get a comment like this, just report for spam and delete.

Edit: apparently they're also using people's usernames to try to make the spam seem more authentic, so if you get a guest comment from someone you recognise, it's likely not them.

[doortongs]

something a friend said

[dullanyan]

a few weeks ago i needed worcestershire sauce for a recipe but i didnt have any so i had to leave it out.

u are never gonna believe what i found in the cabinet today, unopened, probably has been there for months,

[kennico]

huntrix x saja photoshoot

[monstermonger]

~3 months traveling in my wife’s home-country -> 100 journal pages

[sadgirlautumn]

“kids spend too much time on their devices” well what else are they supposed to do? there’s no corner shops with pinball machines in them on every corner anymore. there’s no malls or stores in small towns for teens to hang out in without being suspected of shoplifting or kicked out for loitering. sidewalks are too broken for them to ride their bikes and there’s no bike lane in the street to make it safe for them. i just don’t understand where they expect these kids to go when they keep taking places away from them. and yes having no safe public places for them is what leads a lot of teens into addiction if they end up at a place where people aren’t truly looking out for them.

[robyn-i-guess]

liking someone platonically is so embarrassing like. yeah i admire you. yeah i think about you all the time. yeah i look forward to every time i see you even if it's only for a minute. yeah it's all platonic and yeah i couldn't explain this because it'd sound romantic. fucking hell