apothecarypants

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Reblog if reading someone else’s fanfiction has helped you get through a hard day

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Red, White, & Royal Blue (2023)

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HEARTSTOPPER SEASON 2

3rd August 2023, Netflix

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this actually is rewiring my brain as we speak

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How is it that starting pretty much anything new is so much more difficult than continuing to do the thing once started, unless it's a WIP?

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‘am I really about to start watching this show solely because of repeated exposure to gifs of two lovestruck assholes looking at each other’ is the core drive of my fandom experience

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*looking sternly at @five678patty *

Me: *Has a drawer full of empty notebooks*

Also me: *Goes to a store* omg notebooks

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I want to read a fic exacly like my most beloved favorite fics but also NEW and DIFFERENT. but also the same. 

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Whisper

“Good night, Patrick,” David says softly before walking away.

“Good night, David,” Patrick says, touching his lips.

“Good night, David,” Patrick repeats to the closed motel door, picturing the man on the other side getting ready for bed. What would he wear? Would he shower first?

(David, naked, rivulets of water running down his body)

“Good night, Patrick,” he says sternly to himself, starting the car. Leaving before he does something insane like knock on the door.

Home, in his own bed, Patrick whispers urgently as he feels his climax coming.

“oh god good night david good night oh fuck”

@schittscreekdrabbleblog

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the one thing all of us writers have in common is that none of us are fucking writing

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The Truth About First Drafts

First drafts are not great quality. Some lines might be fantastic, but overall, it probably won’t be amazing. And that’s totally fine, it’s normal, it’s exactly what you want.

Our silly writer brains expect perfection on the first go for some reason?? Which makes no sense. 

They’re meant to be terrible, just thoughts spewing onto paper, really. Just get the dialogue out, get the story into a tangible, clear sequence of events that’s actually a readable story, not just an outline. You can fix it later <3

Think of it as the “zero draft” instead of the first draft. “Garbage draft” works too.

Write it out on paper with pen, or add messy notes to your documents everywhere to really reinforce the idea that there’s no pressure or expectation for perfection.

Don’t look at any of the draft as you write it until you’re done the draft. Looking back at bad writing while working on the same project can be really discouraging, so just don’t look. 

Once you finish the draft, wait a couple weeks. Long enough to distance yourself from it, so you can come back to fix it with a clear head. 

Don’t compare your first draft to published books. Ever. Those books might be on their tenth, twentieth, thirtieth draft. It’s unfair. Don’t bully yourself or your project.

Set yourself a goal, x words per day, x minutes spent writing, whatever you want. Just make sure it’s achievable. Don’t set yourself up for failure unless you’re asking for discouragement.

You got this <33 Just get that draft down. 

When you finish the draft, rewrite the whole thing, using the original draft as a reference if you like. There will almost certainly be countless details you want to change, so rewriting the story will be easier than fixing the original. 

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Things to say about your writing instead of “this is so bad”

My writing doesn’t have to be perfect all the time

The dialogue in this scene feels stale (or another adjective), but I can revise that later

The descriptions lack specificity (or another issue), but I can revise that later

The [another specific craft element] isn’t working the way I’d hoped, but I can revise that later

I don’t feel like I can objectively judge my work at this current moment

I’m not happy with my writing right now, but that doesn’t mean I’ll feel this way forever

I’ll reread this writing at a later time and move on for now

This scene isn’t turning out how I’d pictured in my head, but I can accept that for now and tweak it later

I trust myself to edit this in the future

I’m afraid people are going to judge my work, but I’ll accept that I can’t control the reactions of other people—my reaction matters most

This scene/subplot/character/etc is overwhelming me.

I’ll take my time through this scene/chapter/subplot as more time may allow me to immerse more in the draft.

I’ll write this scene/chapter/subplot as quickly as I can—I would like to get through this part ASAP.

It’s okay to make mistakes in my writing.

I’m not feeling very confident in my craft right now, but I know this will pass

This scene might be bad, and that’s okay. Sometimes I write gems, and sometimes my writing needs a bit more work (that’s normal)

This scene relies on [certain skill] that I’m still honing. I understand to get better at something, I have to practice and practicing requires mistakes.

I’m not excited about this scene right now

I had high expectations for this scene, and unfortunately, I don’t feel like I’m hitting them. However, it’s okay for expectations to change.

I’m disappointed with how my writing is turning out. That’s normal, even though it sucks.

I’m going to remind myself what I DO like about my writing because this feels bad, though I know this feeling won’t last forever.

Sometimes writers need to say “my writing is so bad,” and that’s fine too! Sometimes though, it’s good to note what is specifically wrong in case you need an extra boost forward! <3

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Canvas

For @schittscreekdrabbleblog

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The first time David watched Patrick sleep, he admired his own artistry. The expanse of Patrick’s pale skin, a near blank canvas at the start of the night, was adorned with marks of their passion. Swollen nipples, fully formed hickeys and the gorgeous pink hue of beard burn on delicate skin.

Now, decades later, he does the same. He marvels at the marks he’s left on Patrick’s body. Amid the evidence of enthusiastic sex are laugh lines around Patrick’s eyes and mouth, evidence of so much more. David knows they, too, are his doing. It's his favorite work of art. 

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writing reminders

it's ok to write only for yourself

it's ok to not share your writing with the world

it's ok to want validation

it's ok to write self-indulgent stories

it's ok to write only one genre

it's ok to share your writing regardless of your skill

it's ok to praise your own writing

it's ok to abandon wips

it's ok if you don't write every day

it's ok if you write fanfiction (because people who claim it isn't real writing is wrong)

it's ok to use clichés

it's ok to have a bad day of writing

it's ok to be a slow writer

it's normal to have days in which you doubt the things you write, that doesn't mean you're a bad writer

it's ok to ask for feedback

it's ok to cringe at your old writing

it's ok to hype up your writing online

it's ok to celebrate your achievements

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Bitches be like "man I'm tired, I think I need to head to bed early" but really they're going to go lay in bed and read hoardes of fanfiction like the little gremlin they are

It's me, I'm Bitches

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The missing internal monologue files.

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The end of another year you say?

Fuck New Year, New You. Perhaps New Year, Same You? Maybe this is the year you love yourself, like yourself, accept yourself… at least stop hating yourself? Drop the guilty, keep the pleasures. Let someone in. Let someone go. Finally grieve that version of yourself that had to be left behind. Or never got to live at all. Try saying yes to the unexpected, and no to the because isn't that what I'm supposed to do?

Pick up your sketchbook, notebook, camera or paintbrush. Trail your fingers over the piano keys like a long lost friend. Belt out a showtune. Dig your ballet slippers out of storage. Oh, someone said that you’re terrible and it’ll never be more than a silly little hobby? Fuck them. That’s not who it’s for.

Whether your new year has already started, or is still several hours away, I sincerely hope the next spin around the sun brings you the most wonderful adventures yet, friends 💙