#< the prequel title. as it turns out my dreams of having a wip titled after the saying ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’

[carnivalls]

MERRY christmas i fucking GUESS. if anyone ever cared for good intentions turns out it needed a prequel

[solisvia]

Feel free to adapt these in whichever way you see fit in case they’re not applicable :) 2, 20, 24, 39, 43, 51 for the ask game!

Thank you 🥹🤗 No issues with answerability

2. Where do you get your fic ideas?

The Muses shoot ideas into my head and my body becomes a mere vessel. 

Sometimes I get inspired by other media and tweak their ideas and see how that works. Pretty often though, I just think about the things I'd like to see in fics and go from there.

20. Do you prefer writing AUs or canon fics?

I'm dancing on canon's grave. 

Well, most of the time. My Winx rewrite is my sandbox and my focus is on Domino and the related characters, and since my interpretation of events, plot points, the magic system et cetera differs so much from canon, I'm firmly in the AU camp. That said, I sometimes write pieces that are vague enough to be canon compliant. 

24. How do you choose whose POV to write in?

Most of what I write has very clear central characters, so I never really struggle with choosing the POV. Whoever has the most relevance to the events of the chapter will be the POV character. Let's say the Company of Light are discussing Valtor, then Griffin will most likely have the stage. (My multichapter Domino prequel will never see the light of day. I haven't written anything down, but I've certainly Thought about it 😆)

Sidenote, but first person is so unbelievably difficult to write in. Third person limited my LOVE

39. What’s your most self-indulgent wip?

The one where I smoosh all my favorite things together, of course.

Daphne is a major character in my Season 3 rewrite, and it features a plot point where her own magic is turned against her - she's put in an enchanted sleep. I was inspired by the episode Rapunzeltopia in Tangled the Series, as it uses a similar setting. Pending title The Lady in Gold.

It stars Daphne in her spirit form, as a warrior-guardian to an amalgamation realm of Magix and Domino. She's simultaneously venerated above other people and expected to give all of herself for their benefit, and as a spirit, she internalizes that role. Once she meets her subconscious self, it forces her to confront the things she's kept buried since she first appeared to Bloom - the anger at the people dehumanizing her, the despair at the Fall of Domino and everything she lost in consequence, the hatred of the people responsible, the desire to live the life that was stolen from her. Bit by bit, the illusion lifts and the dream shatters.

The sequence plays out like a fairy tale, in narrative style and general mood. It's a character study as well as a turning point for her. She comes out of it changed, and I don't just mean as a person, but also ✨plot reasons✨

43. Is there a trope or idea that you’d really like to write but haven’t yet?

Platonic soulmates! And I have no idea why I haven't written it yet, because I go verifiably insane over this trope. I don't mean magically predestined soulmates, but rather the people the characters choose to love and connect with. The kind of relationship where the characters bring out the best in each other, and complete and contrast one another as best friends/family is. My. SHIT

51. Does what you like to write differ from what you like to read?

The scope of what I write is pretty limited, as most of it is character studies or snapshots of their lives. That's also what I gravitate towards when reading, but far from the only thing. Show of hands if you love a good adventure longfic, par exemple. 🙋🙋🙋

[anderstrevelyan]

I've only barely edged my toes into Act 3, but I have to ask what is "Haunted One"?

thank you!! (answering questions about my WIPs here)

This one's a prequel fic! The title comes from the name of the in-game background if you play the Dark Urge. But I'll still be super cautious and go under a cut in case you don't know what the Dark Urge is yet and don't want to know.

.

.

.

So this is the origin story for my Valas DeVir, told in four days: the last day of his childhood, and his first day in Bhaal's temple, then the first day he meets Enver Gortash and the last day before he's betrayed by Orin.

He's the son of my character from the first two games, so there's a fair amount of reconciling that with the bg3 backstory: his relationship with Jaheira, tension with Sarevok and Helena Anchev, Bhaal taking hold of him through his dreams and the arrival of his Urge. It flirts with some broader dnd canon, too, especially the Murder in Baldur's Gate campaign: the death of Valas's father as he turns into the Slayer, and the off-page presence of Torlin Silvershield, the former Chosen of Bhaal.

Plus a whole lot of durgetash in the second pair of chapters.

This one's my biggest focus right now and the first time I've ever written all the chapters of something before starting to post it, so I'm ajsdklfjsfldsgfjdslf very excited to get it out into the world soon!

Hmm, for an excerpt I'll do some of the Gortash chapter I've never shared before:

It’s a singular feeling, the anticipation that comes before a party within the Upper City’s wall. Enver Gortash had savoured it, back when he’d had to arrive grasping a signed invitation to be admitted after dark, to stand on the edges at some minor family’s manor making eyes at Wisteria Jannath until she could steal away. He enjoys it still, new in his lordship, even as each night’s extravagance grows uninspiring: the moments before the performance, where his very presence is a show of power. And tonight, as he makes his way to the storied Silvershield Estate—tonight has the air of one he’ll want to remember. An important meeting, an introduction choreographed with a gravity befitting its promise. Later, with hindsight, he’ll look back and see this as a turning point. As perhaps the most important evening of his life. But for now, with a jacket dark and fingers adorned gold, he breathes in that potential in the evening air as he reaches the neighbourhood’s western edge. He chose today for the location itself, and he hadn’t had to wait long for the right invitation: the Silvershields are consummate hosts, their property the length of a city block, their gardens expansive and expensive, the walls themselves carved intricately, patriotically with yellow granite from the bluffs. It’s an unmistakable honour to be invited for newer members of the Gate’s gentry; being seen here—making an impression here—that’s been a coveted thing for generations. Yet the list is far from exclusive, to attract enough revellers to keep the grounds from looking too sparse: a place possible to bring an unexpected guest. A dangerous guest. Even better, in Gortash’s mind, is the layer of iniquity past all the pristine gravel and polished gossip, if you know what lies beyond the hinged bookshelf in Duke Torlin Silvershield’s office on the second floor. Gortash doesn’t, not exactly, but he has his suspicions from information spied and stolen: enough that he’d be surprised if his invited guest hasn’t graced these halls before, though surely not in the view of so many gentle, innocent eyes. No, a party like this is Lord Gortash’s world. And he intends to keep the upper hand.

[wolfboy88]

Year In Review

tagged by @thiamsxbitch and @theoceanismyinkwell

 RULES:

post the top 5 works you’re most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)

The One That I Want: Stiles decides to make it the packs new mission to find Liam a girlfriend so Liam will stop hanging out with Theo but their unaware that Liam and Theo are in a relationship.

The second fic that I ever wrote, the first one for 2022 and one that kinda got me started in wanting to continue writing fan fics. I remember I had the general idea for this fic while I was at work and ended up writing the majority of it while on break over numerous docket sheets then pretty much typed the first draft when I got home that day. It was one of those ones where the story is so vivid in your head and you know if you don’t get it out now you know it’s not gonna be there later. It’s also the reason why I pack a notebook in my backpack now!

Heart of Stone, my Warrior Guardian:  Liam inherits an old bungalow from his grandfather that has a life-sized stone statue of a gargoyle perched above the fireplace. But why does the gargoyle keep appearing in his dreams? Are they even dreams or is he losing his mind? And what does the gardener know about it?

My gargoyle au and one of my Halloween/Writober challenge pieces. I was intrigued by the gargoyle prompt and didn’t know if I was actually gonna be able to fill the prompt. I fell the down the rabbit hole of researching gargoyle mythology/architecture and fell in love with legends. I’m really proud of what I accomplished here and of the end result.

Coming Home: It's been almost two weeks since everything went down at the hospital and an injured Theo turns up at Liam's house.

This was basically my first time writing from Theo’s POV as I always tend to favour Liam. I am proud of the balance of restraint I had in this (as sometimes I get to wordy or descriptive) and the blend of emotion and fluff.

The Alpha’s Authority: Scott's wolf is upset with his beta mating Theo and breaking primeval traditions. After seeking advice from Derek and under the influence of his wolf, returns to Beacon Hills to satiate his rampant alpha urges that only his beta can please on the full moon.

The fourth entry in the Dominance & Submission series. This was just basically a little bit of plot and a hell of a lot of smut but it was thanks to a lovely guy commenting and mentioning Dom Scott and it rolled around in my brain until a plot formed and then I spat out 20k’s of smut which is literally the longest thing I’ve ever written.

The Way You Shake & Shiver:  Theo is helpless to a pleading beta wolf and ends up at Lydia's Halloween pack party wearing Liam's jersey.

This piece was part of my Halloween challenge I set myself and this was one of those that was just fun to write. Snarky Theo is just a treat, and I don’t know why I haven’t written more from his POV.

 your top 4 current WIPs that you’re excited to release in the new year:

A Little Less Lonely: my piece for the Liam Dunbar Appreciation Week 2023. I am finding this one a little bit trickier/challenging to finish as it dives into Liam’s IED/mental health. I had wanted to do more pieces for the Liam event but I don’t think I’ll get there and I’m just gonna focus on finishing this one.

The Wolf & His Chimera (working title): dark thiam retelling of S6B although it will basically pick up from the defeat of the Ghost Riders. Currently it’s plotted to be a 6-chapter fic and I have most of it plotted out.  

Gargoyle Prequel: to Heart of Stone, my Warrior Guardian, focusing on how Jordan broke the curse on Derek.

After Practice II: another instalment in the Thiam’s Smutty Adventures series and Nolan joins the fun.

your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing (or art) over the past year:

1.      Planning – I always like to try an outline or a rough idea of where the story is going although sometimes the story goes in a totally different direction anyway, but I find it helps with getting me started at least.

2.      Knowing when I need to delete/cut something because it’s not working or is not relevant to the overall story anymore.

3.     Being able to know when I’m being too descriptive and I need to par it back

 your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year:

1.      I tend to overuse descriptive words when someone is speaking and I’d like to be able to just you ‘says/said’ more or infuse the speaking into the action maybe.

2.      I’d like to branch out and write other ships which is why i’m looking forward to working on the gargoyle prequal but I’d also like to maybe write Mason/Corey or Scott/Isaac 

 and your number 1 favorite line you’ve written this year!

Um, I just gonna go with this one from Coming Home because I feel it sums up Thiam perfectly:

And for the second time tonight, the beta��s managed to throw him off centre and knock the wind from his lungs. Theo shakily places the beta’s hands onto his hips, and they gaze at each other knowingly. They don’t need to speak or use words, just communicate with their eyes. It works for them and it’s just easier that way, emotions and feelings are overrated anyway.

Tagging @blue-runt @maplefire18 @sterekshipper-writer

and anyone else who wants to participate.

But no pressure only if you wanna!

[synthapostate]

Another WIP list update

Because for some reason I think I'm capable of getting organized.

Resist Psychic Death - Possessed Newt. :(

Can't Control My Fingers - Newt makes a terrible mistake. (A comedy.) (Definitely coming up with a better title.) (Complete)

For Alien Syne - Five times Hermann Gottlieb got drunk and needed to hug the stuffing out of that infuriating little man. (Complete.)

Smut (it's not smut) - The morning after their first time. Turns out it's smut. It's not smut.

Like Cats and Dogs - Domesticity and possible pet adoption. Angst. Turns out it's smut.

The Tropes Nobody Asked For - A bodyswap AU. Comedy. Hurt/comfort.

I could be writing sweaty nerd sex like a normal person but no - Mostly a story about self-image. Angst. Fluff. There is no plot. Some kind of stream of consciousness BS. (Complete in the sense that anything can be complete given continuity of identity within linear flow of time.)

More tropes nobody asked for - A time travel AU. Drama. Comedy. (Complete)

Decontamination Shower - A lab accident makes things weird. (Still not sure where I was going with this but now everybody's naked, so.)

Fear of Flying - A deep dive into my aerospace engineering special interest, technically includes a lot of hand-holding. (This one's really taking off.) (Oh no, it's stalled.)

Heating Pad - A cat adopts Hermann.

Expectation vs. Reality - My take on their first meeting. (Complete but needs another pass to make Hermann more of a dick.) (I added a fourth chapter as an afterthought and it's the best thing I've ever written. I reread this and I cry genuine tears, WTF.)

Hermann's Ex - Newt meets Hermann's siblings and Learns Things he never knew before. (Complete but the last chapter really went off the rails.)

Thriller - The Shatterdome is kind of spooky at night.

There Was Only One Bed - We like tropes here. (This was supposed to be a trope subversion but I forgot where it was going, so I guess it's just the trope now.)

Miserable, Lonely and Depressed (Pathetic) - The return of Cool Uncle Newt. (He's not cool, he's possessed.)

Vampire AU - I mean obviously I had to write a vampire AU at some point. (Comedy.)

Whump - Was supposed to be about a car accident, but it turned into emotional hurt/comfort. With pie.

Some Days You Just Can't Get Rid of a Bomb - Newt tries to solve capitalism.

Retail Horror Stories - Newt and Hermann commiserate over the shitty jobs they worked when they were younger. (Maybe scrapped because honestly no one needs my nonfiction about MegaKaren.)

Ghost Story - Comedy, it was SUPPOSED TO BE A COMEDY Death of a major character. 50k word novella about grief APPARENTLY.

Nightmares - Ghost drift bleeds into their dreams.

Cold as Ice - Hurt/Comfort? Something. Contains no hurt/comfort and has nothing to do with cold or ice, but...it's...something.

Newt's Passion - A sex pollen fic. (No, it isn't.)

Other, Funnier Ghost Story - Will it be a comedy this time? Let's find out. It is a comedy but it's about vampires now.

Fever All Through the Night - Sick fic. All comfort.

Consent is Sexy - A team-building exercise leads to certain confessions that would not be made while sober.

Always On My Mind Some Sign to Pursue a Promise - Hermann overthinks everything. A story of missed connections. (Nearing completion.)

The Moon Turned to Gold - Newt is desperate to impress his old classmates. Good thing he has this amazing new husband to show off. (A comedy.) (Zine fic!)

Dinner With a Friend - Oh NO I DON'T WANT THIS. (Hermann accepts Newt's offer to meet Alice, and I lie awake at night trying to think of a way to get him out of it.)

Alternate PR2 - The biggest shitpost I've ever made. IT'S SO ANGSTY WHAT HAVE I DONE. (Complete, and maybe my favorite thing I've ever written. I might write a sequel. And a prequel. And do some art? Maybe write a song.)

Cold as Ice 2: Alaskan Boogaloo - Does have something to do with cold and ice.

The Worst Thing I Can Possibly Imagine - My genuine attempt to work through something, but then I thought of a punchline so now it's a funny little shitpost.

False Alarm - Their first meeting since their First Meeting.

Splash - A...feelings thing. The first tentative steps toward getting along.

Coffee Shop AU - I swore I would never write a coffee shop au, but...

Scrooge McDuck - Budgetary concerns.

Stop You Have Enough WIPs - Some silly fluff for these stressful times.

Shoes - Newt's past catches up with him. Hermann is intrigued.

Groundhog Day - Hey man, these sci fi tropes exist for a reason.

[sparkledfirecracker]

WIP Game

Thank you @ghotifishreads for the tag. You can find the post here.

I’ve added a few more WIPs since the last time I played this. I think at this point there’s well over 100 WIPs in my docs. So I did make a selection, I left all my original works one out and kept it strictly fanfic based. It was fun to see some sitting in my docs since 2020/2021 untouched(no pun intended), but no desire or idea to finish them.

The rules given were as followed: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! Then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

I will change them a little, if you are curious to find out more about a title, ask me about it and I’ll share a little snippet or tell you about it if there’s literally only 1 line in it 🤣.

WIP LIST (under the cut, it’s a long one)

Daddy Academy - Ari - Our Little Secret incl 4 & 5

1 Daddy Academy - humping

2 Daddy Academy - wand voyeur

3 Daddy Academy - missionary

6 Daddy Academy- anal both ways

7 Daddy Academy - Somnophilia

M&H spin off Lloyd Hansen vs assassin- Becoming Mrs. Hansen

FA Freezy spin off M&H Good for You

FA M&H Nick spin off - New Beginnings

FA - Nick vs turtle - Love is a Verb

FA Nick & Turtle - The Night We Met

FA Andy - spin off M&H Waves

FA Andy - part 3

FA Pebbles backstory

MH spin-off Pete Brenner

FA Steve - spin off biker au M&H

FA Curtis part 2 - M&H spin off

FA Ari spin off M&H Wildest Dreams - Returning Home

FA Ari - spin-off part 2

FA Hayden - When the Phoenix Rises

FA Frank - spin-off M&H

FA Jake Jensen vs notes

FA Ari - prequel his POV

FA Mace & Needle - spin-off M&H

FA Johnny biker spin off

FA Colin spin-off M&H

FA Nick G vs babysitter

Gym Rats Olympic Winner Steve

Wellness resort CEO Andy Barber

Wellness Resort - Ransom

Golfer Ransom Finale

Spicy Neighbours Steve & Bucky

Sinful Guilt - Andy and Steve

Sorority Story

Unruly / Roaring Nightskies

Cuckolding - Ari / Andy

Corrupt stepdad Andy

Promiscuous invitation

Valentines stepdad

Champagne New Years - Ransom

Ice Hockey Jake

Pornstar Galore

Spinning Wheel of Death

Coffee & Shakes

Halloween - Ransom Sugar daddy

Santa’s sack

Cam girl - dildo review

12 days of Christmas

Endearing Sins spin off - Ransom & Lee

DPP story ransom and Ari

Pegging skinny Steve

Brazen and Buff

Blasphemy- Lloyd

Mechanic Frank

Request Andy - The One That Got Away

Loyalty of Life - Cult leader Andy

Ari vacation

Viking Freezy part 2

The hook-up

Dangerous Thirst

Escort Ari

Test of Faith - Endearing Sins spin-off / finished not posted

Ari - turned down date

Mister silver Fox

Skating rink

Viking Freezy part 3

Gardner game - Curtis

Dark Prince Ari

Magician Jake

Rafe/Ransom Dare Night

0900-TeleRidge

Panty sniffing Devin

Masquerade club

Favorite convict

Chateau inheritance

Blowing the dice

Barbarians

Travel diaries

Worked up - Andy

Skating rink - Jake

Tree chopping

Welder Steve

[evilishei]

Saw this from @itsthemoofacewriting​. It honestly looks fun and what better way to start 2021 here in Tumblr? 😊

3... 2... 1... START!!!

1. ZoNa. Romance... with a hint of suggestiveness and a dash of nsfw.

2. The first one-shot in the Treading Uncharted Waters collection. It was NSFW, smut. Something I haven't tried to write ever since I started fanfiction writing. It was then I realized that: "Boy this stuff is HARD!" My respect for the authors who are able to write it flawlessly tripled, even quadrupled!

3. The Whimsical Kisses scribbles. It's like chose one prompt and there all done!

4.  The Importance of Not Being Nosy and Behind Closed Doors from the Little Bits and Pieces of Heaven collection. I've enjoyed everything from it. Thinking of scenes, writing the scenes, the way the story just flowed out. It turned out to be really a fun piece.

5. Hop around. Most of the times, the scenes will just come to me at random. From that one scene, I work around to complete the whole story framework. Very rare it happens that the scene would be the actual start... if it does, I still hop around.

6. Yeah. For another fandom. It was the first story I've ever written and I honestly didn't like the way it turned out, planned to fix it and forgot all about it.

7. To just keep writing, regardless.

8. So far... none that I can remember?

9. No. I haven't done that yet.

10. So far the official count is 34. Not including those that are in my phone notes or wasn't officially titled "draft #".

11. Every single one of them. I can't choose really. I wrote them with everything I've got. Be it a scribble, drabble, a vignette or a one-shot.

12. I Don't Dance & Sweet Dreams by Anonymous Being and Mystery Pants by AshaRose. Everything I want in ZoNa is there. I can read them over and over again and still feel what I felt when I first read them.

13. There's this one review I've received this year that was really thoughtfully written. And I appreciate it so much. It made me feel really good that I still kept writing for my ship. I didn't know how much my stories can affect other shippers especially since my OTP is not one of the popular ones in the fandom. It gave me the drive to continue writing.

14. I wouldn't call it worst... though I'd give points for that reviewer for speaking his/her mind. To be honest, I don't really care what he/she thinks, I have writing style preferences and if it the style proves to be a bit uncomfortable for you... you're welcome not to read it.

Funny thing, the reviewer does not even ship my OTP.

15. Uhm... I don't think I want to touch that. I sincerely believe that each writer have their own take on their stories and I'm afraid if I try to write a a prequel or sequel, I might end up sullying their story. Hahaha!

16. Yes. That's what happens when fics for you OTP is scant.

17. Not the stories for my ship. Hahaha! Probably for a more novel-like story I would?

18. Nami.She's an easy character to write. And Usopp. They're both upfront with their thoughts and emotions.

19. I struggle with Zoro. And Luffy to be honest. Both are simple-minded. And the simplicity is what honestly gets me most of the times.

20. Yes. And miserably fail at them. That's how the WIPs reached 34.

21. Any Zona writer is automatically my favorite writer. I'm that biased.

22. Yeah. A lot. But I want a babyfic or a time travel trope.

23. Hmm... same sex relationship tropes probably, for now.

24. Let's see... 18 years if we count my writing hiatus in between 2003 up to now.  Dear god I'm old.

25. A lot actually. Writers who wrote really superb stories, my favorite book authors... in the end everything is mixed up that I cannot pinpoint whose influence is in what.

26. Writer's block. And drained enthusiasm. Both gets you stuck in a place that's really hard to get out. And eventually leads to procrastination and forgotten WIPs that just keeps piling up.  

27. The sudden, random idea that pops inside your head, making you jot it down the nearest available, writable surface.

28. When it's done and up in your blog or page. You get to stare at its entirety while thinking: "Damn I can't believe I finished this! I can't believe I wrote this!".

29. It's a fantasy fic. My OTP is a witch and a man cursed to become a familiar who met accidentally and ventured on a random adventure together, helping people and unwitttingly causing mayhem every where they go until they eventually end up in a kingdom where the familiar came from. The kingdom was in an uproar because one of their nobles who was supposed to marry another from a neighboring country, had disappeared three nights before his wedding day.

That's all I'm willing to share. Hahaha!

30. I honestly don't know. Hahaha! The OTP? Hahahaha!

[theriveroflight]

Name your WIPs Challenge

Buckle up, this is gonna be long!

Tagged by @silveryeet and @noirequin

Published Multichapter WIPs:

to run away (RWBY): Monochrome canon divergence focused on V4 and V5 where Weiss runs from Jacques at the end of V3 and ends up going with Blake and Sun to Menagerie.

be my dream(s) come true? (RWBY): for JNPR berries week. chapters left: AU, free

of learning and acceptance (should've raised a baby girl) [Miraculous Ladybug]: In which one of Marinette's kids is trans.

get burned every time my back is turned: in which identities ruin relationships

i promised myself (wouldn't let you complete me): uh post-relationship pre-reveal

where the lightning splits the sea (Miraculous Ladybug): a Lilagami apocalypse au for the current @miraculousfanworks event

Other WIPs:

hold courage to your chest (Miraculous Ladybug): sequel to "there's no sacrifice i won't make"

tell me it's love (Miraculous Ladybug): an adrigami songfic of "let's get real" from the RWBY soundtrack.

"lukadrigaminette animals" (Miraculous Ladybug): title is what I have for the Google doc, post-canon(ish). Luka adopts strays, Adrien is an enabler, and Marinette+Kagami are both unimpressed.

"mirror adrinette" (Miraculous Ladybug): in which Ladybug and Chat Noir have to set up an OC couple designed as foils for Adrien and Marinette

The Dark Side of the Tsurugis (Miraculous Ladybug): future Multichapter where Adrigami fake date to cover for Adrien being aro and Kagami being a lesbian. oh and also Tomoe runs a gang

trust love (Miraculous Ladybug): aka, the Ladynoir saga; an exploration of Ladynoir throughout the series and the development of their relationship, designed to fill in some of the gaps in canon

the truth of a thousand lies (Miraculous Ladybug): lith/akoiromantic Marinette, recipromantic Adrien

the big bang fic: an urban fantasy AU

[Redacted] (Miraculous Ladybug) x2: for a @miraculousfanworks discord event

Learning to Love Again (RWBY): in which Yang dies, and Blake learns how to love someone else (set in the same universe as this queerplatonic whiterose oneshot, with other parts of the universe also started)

"hairbrushing" (RWBY): in which Yang brushes Blake's fur out of her hair, set during V6

"strq prequel" (RWBY): the prequel to sunrise in my heart, about STRQ and their falling apart

"azura" (RWBY): For a fanfiction collab in the Guild of the Eternal Flame Discord.

"not in the same way" (RWBY): aro!Ren + Renora

"spy AU" (Sanders Sides): pretty much exactly what it says on the tin.

The Miraculous Caper (Carmen Sandiego 2019/Miraculous Ladybug crossover): When VILE goes after the Miraculous, Carmen is on the scene to help Ladybug and Chat Noir defend them.

have you heard there was good to gain the day (Warriors): Crowfeather/Leafpool/Nightcloud where Nightcloud follows the other two when they run away.

peut-être, encore, jamais (Miraculous Ladybug): for the bad things happen bingo slot "Don't Let Them See You Cry"

parting is such sweet sorrow (original/hopeless 'verse): for bad things happen bingo "parting words regret"

throw me into the fire (Warriors): for "self-loathing" bad things happen bingo square. nonbinary!Tree

"fg Illuminae au" (RWBY): a sci-fi AU, featuring Qrow as a hacker, Clover as a flyboy, and capitalist space battles. for @/qrowbang2020

painting a picture (TDP): a Rayllum 5+1

No More Secrets (RWBY): or, as in google docs, "oblivious Ruby + wbyjnpr polycule"

help me hold on to you (RWBY): 5 times Qrow left, and one time he stayed. taiqrow with hints of STQ, ace!Qrow that slipped in by accident

Send the title of one of these into my inbox, and I will provide a snippet!

[faejilly]

author interview

tagged by @twistedsinews tagging: anyone who wants to blame me! (also, uh... no pressure: @junemermaid @jadesabre301 @firstaudrina @fancytrinkets @laughingmagnus)

Name

jilly

Fandoms:

Shadowhunters is most active atm, but historically also BioWare (Mass Effect/Dragon age) and whatever catches my eye re: Yuletide or the occassional gifty-prompt-fill-type-thing

Where You Post:

AO3, and I try to cross-post here on tumblr and on twitter (and occasionally I even think to mention a thing in a discord server or two?)

Most Popular One-Shot:

By hits/kudos, two are halves of one

By comments/bookmarks, i cannot touch because they are too near

Most Popular Multi-Chapter Story:

Finished (tho only about 22k words, so it’s still not really long-fic for all it’s not a one-shot either): with an if in its soul

WIP: I am for you

Favorite Story You Wrote:

fAV0riTe?!

that’s an impossible nebulous criterion wtf

uh

today I am going to pick out of some dreaming tree

Because Fairy Tales! (In tone, not specifics.)

There’s a plot! (Said plot is a quest and very straightforward, but still!)

(because a dash of speculative metaphysics!)

BECAUSE THERE’S A FOREST THAT (sometimes) EATS PEOPLE! Or Demons. And stuff?

Romance and sex magic! Flirting over weird magical investigations! (My favorite lady Cat makes tea!) It was for a BANG. It’s the only Bang-Fic I’ve ever finished! It has pretty art!

It’s a good story, y’all should give it a try. (Even if I haven’t sucked you into watching the joyfully sincere trash-fire that is Shadowhunters. It’s Very AU! It stands alone whether you know the SH canon or not!)

Story You Were Nervous to Post:

known subjects because that is a heck of a niche fic, it’s about an OC designed to fit the fusion setting (Criminal Minds’ BAU) rather than the fandom the other characters are from (Shadowhunters), it’s an outsider POV of the main ship rather than being about said ship... It is basically five steps sideways from all the things that usually attract readers but wow, am I ever so glad I wrote it and posted it anyways.

I love Fuller. I may very well stick him into my actual-Shadowhunters-canon fic as a background character some day. <3

How You Choose Your Titles:

For Malec I cruise my way through my e.e. cummings complete poems book until I find a thing I like and then I poke at it ‘til a line falls out

For everything else I reference the canon or do something relatively literal, an emotion or an event or a description of the main character. Sometimes I grab someone else’s poetry or song lyrics! (I like things besides cummings, who knew. Me. I knew.)

/I’m bad at titles, y’all. SO BAD. Sometimes I get an AO3 email and don’t recognize my own title and have to click the link to figure out what fic someone liked. I honestly have no idea why anyone ever clicks on my fic, I am not good at selling them 😅

Complete:

Uh. Published? I have 104 completed fics on AO3!

(Excluding fanmixes (because not fic!) & ficlet collections, because counting those/their chapters gets REALLY WEIRD AND EXCESSIVE VERY QUICKLY.)

In-complete:

(published, and again excluding ficlet collections because those are both always finished and yet potentially never done)

FOUR:

12 Moons is an old DA2 game prequel fic that will never ever get any more but a few people seemed to quite like so I haven’t taken it down.

Persephone Rising is a Mass Effect collaborative fic, and my two co-authors and I just cannot seem to line up for writing together again, so it probably won’t ever get any more, but you never know. Life is weird. It could happen.

Next is if broken hearts were whole, (Malec soulmarks fic!) which I am still working on but I’m not going to post again until it’s all done. (To avoid more things like those first two.)

And last is i am for you, my epistolary!fluff fic! I posted a chapter for it last week and it’s actually pretty close to the end? Should only be a couple more chapters, I just have to, you know, actually write them.

Do You Outline:

I wish. So much no.

Coming Soon / Not Yet Started:

More Clizzy post-canon fic. It appears to be turning into ficlets rather than a long-fic, but IDK, we’ll see what happens.

I also have a wing!fic that is remarkably about politics more than wings, some relationship reconciliation/Pandemonium Porn, a s3 retelling/sequel to with an if in its soul, mer!Alec sequels, priest!kink, a weird mafia/procedural/omegaverse thing that was SUPPOSED to be a sex!farce and isn’t cooperating, a Practical Magic thing I want to do for Halloween and MANY MANY Shadowhunters CODAS/FICLETS.

And maybe some day I’ll dig the Persuasion!AU or the pro-bono-porn or the sequel to out of some dreaming tree out of the archive and try them again. Or some #7kpp fic, or the Code: Realize and Scarecrow & Mrs. King epilogues I started!

My brain is full of possibilities. I don’t actually finish a lot of them though, clearly. 😳😅🙃

Do You Accept Prompts:

Yes. I may not fill them, but I am never unhappy to receive them. <3

Upcoming Story You Are Most Excited to Write

Malec Arranged Marriage AU. I did a twitter thread on why I like this particular trope, like, literally two years ago and then I tried to write it for the 3b countdown thing but realized very quickly that it was going to be MUCH TOO BIG to finish in time, and started something else (Pandemonium Porn iirc?) which also didn’t cooperate, and then I finally managed i cannot touch because they are too near instead! And now I’ve pulled the Arranged Marriage back out for the @wipbigbang​ this year so HOPEFULLY YOU WILL ALL SEE IT AT LAST IN AUGUST.

[itscookieoverlordtoyou]

40 Questions — Meme for Fic Writers

Don’t you sometimes see those ask games and wish you could just fkg do them all? On this sunny Saturday, we make our dreams reality lolol

1.  Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

Short fic, I usually get a small scene I want written so I write around it, plus I love short stories with interesting punchline.

2.  Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

Probably, I don’t know them all ^^’

3.  Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?

Writing about stuff that disgust me I guess.

4.  How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

Like 5-6? I want to write about a restaurant but set in a world where people have powers I think the combo could be very funny. The main character has the power of insight, the plonge is a giant pool where you swim around cleaning. Backstories of characters with shitty and amazing powers and how they ended up here. Rival to lover character that has the power to see into the future.

5. Share one of your strengths.

Dialogues, subversion, and humor; classmates often said I have a touch to spin a sad story into something positive/happier.

6.  Share one of your weaknesses?

I get tired when I describe something for longer than 4 sentences.

7.  Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

“In what kind of trouble have we walked right into?”, I ask my companions as they’re idly fixing their attire. Together, we’ve face many perils and this mission ranks among one of the most dangerous. Yet, the others had been…how should I say it…professional! Rescuing kidnapped princesses, vanquishing terrifying monsters, quests to restore mythical artifacts, save nations from insidious plots. Oddly enough, “Does this dress make me look fat?”, is not the answer I’m looking for.

Ribbon in my hair is the first time I wrote about my knights, I first dreamt about them when I as 18, my boyfriend at the time called my idea stupid and my world building pointless so I only started writing about them when I was 21. Now I write about them a little bit every year :)

8. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

“Do you really want your last words to be complaints?”

“I die as I lived.”

“Will we become a fruit tree?”

“I don’t think so, it’s never been the case for my ancestors.”

“I’d love it if we could turn into a banana tree.”

“I’m not from the southern regions, plus I like apples more.”

“Just imagine, our fruits could have been banana flambée”

This death scene was a big finale to a story I wrote for a class in Uni, a story of war between clan of forest and volcano people, of the supposedly brutal death of a Goddess, of a mysterious apple tree whose fruit give vision of the past. I should revisit it.

9.  Which fic as been the hardest to write?

My analysis on D’Artagnan and the figure of the hero. Granted it’s an essay for school but I deeply loved it. I was too afraid to write or ask for help from the professor in charge of me (which made our relationship tense ^^’) but when I did, it was beautiful and I was very proud got 89% :D

10.  Which fic has been the easiest to write?

A play called Adelaide where an old couple reads their old fairytale book about a Prince on a quest to save a Princess. They bicker about the other misreading the story but we finally get to the part where the Prince tosses the princess apart to get a better view of the dragon of which he falls instantly in love. The book is actually their wedding album.

11.  Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?

It’s one of my passions, but it’s not something I think I could live on so I delegated it to my hobby.

12.  Is there an episode above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?

The wedding scene in Shrek 2, my mind was blown when I saw it in theaters and when I need inspiration to write, I rewatch it.

13.  What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?

Presentation is important. If trying to read you gives people headaches, they’ll stop. Choose a nice big font, space with paragraphs, be mindful of your spelling and missing words. Read out loud because some things written are bad said.

14.  What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?

I must’ve been lucky in this regard, I don’t think I’ve ever received advice that made me go NO, but I did have to listen/read stuff that made me gag.

15.  If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?

I would love to the Adelaide acted out, some adjustments would be required because I’m no expert in play writing but I think I’d be great.

16.  If you only could write one pairing for the rest of your life, which pairing would it be?

Luyenor’a and Taram, names are placeholders as of now but they’re two of my knight, being the “only pairing I’m allow to write about forever” means I’d get more knight shenanigans done.

17.  Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?

I’m doing bullets point of what I want to happen and write stuff without much order. Some days I have no inspirations for what goes in the beginning but have loads for a later point. I surf the wave when it presents itself.

18.  Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?

Word on my computer, a notebook in my bag, the note app in my phone.

19. Stephen King once said that his muse is a man who lives in the basement. Do you have a muse?

I have little trinkets all around my computer to invite inspiration.

20. Describe your perfect writing conditions.

Freshly woken up, having eaten, drinking something sugary and sometimes apple cider because the alcohol help lower my inhibition.

21.  How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

I read out loud at least once the whole thing, helps with missing words but dude I reread my stuff on ao3 and always find mistakes still ^^’

22. Choose a passage from one of your earlier fics and edit it into your current writing style. (Person sending the ask is free to make suggestions).

I’m not going to put here because it’s in French and I don’t want to translate now but I wrote Vision of a world, mine when I was 16 and damn was I already depressed then?

23.  If you were to revise one of your older fics from start to finish, which would it be and why?

The Princess and the Soldier, some gay fairytale I think my first one, I’m sure I can do better bow

I also have one about a janitor and it’s a murder mystery I could redo

24. Have you ever deleted one of your published fics?

Once by accident, I was so angry I never rewrote it.

25.  What do you look for in a beta?

I don’t really use beta (beta reader right?) but I guess I’ve had like 3-4 when I was in Uni and had to read people’s wip and they read mine. They’d talk about what they liked, links they noticed, things that seemed weak or to change

26.  Do you beta yourself? If so, what kind of beta are you?

I usually just point out the stuff I like

27.  How do you feel about collaborations?

For a class in college, we had to act out a play we wrote collectively. Ten sketches written in pairs/alone. I made sure I was alone so I wouldn’t be saddled with someone else to write my sketch

28. Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

I don’t follow fic writers; I just am in a mood for a ship and read what’s available. I do like my friend @alumort ‘s fics tho ^^

29.  If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

There was a Phineas and Ferb fic focused on Perry I really loved. Their world building was something I’d never seen and they abandoned the story, so I did fanfic of a fic. Never dared to post it anywhere I mean it was their world to begin with.

30.  Do you accept prompts?

Of course, when inspiration is given I accept

31.  Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant?

I don’t care about canon but I do love using it when there are little trivia to enrich the character.

32.  How do you feel about smut?

Love to read it sometimes, would love to write it. Some I’m like………….youveneverhadsexhaveyou…………………

33.  How do you feel about crack?

Love it!!!!!!!! I’m too self-conscious to write it tho. Oh maybe that could be a never before written trope I could try?

34.  What are your thoughts on non-con and dub-con?

Rape I can’t, dub-con where underlying requited feelings exist but anxiety™ don’t let the characters express them but they’re drunk so it surfaces is okay

35.  Would you ever kill off a canon character?

Hell yeah! I do when/if the death makes sense (I am still pissed at Kishi for Neji)

36.  Which is your favorite site to post fic?

Ao3 is where I post,I used devianart when I had one

37.  Talk about your current wips.

Marry Me for the Love of Cake: God I’m so sorry to the few people who followed it, I said I’d pick it up before the end of 2019 and well……I have the ending in bullet points

Yours, with Love: I hope I’ll finish it…I have most of the ending in bullet points

I guess I’m into rom com at the moment lolol

38.  Talk about a review that made your day.

I made my best friend read All this for a Roll Cake, and she laughed so much at my work, I took a picture I look at from time to time to remain humble.

39.  Do you ever get rude reviews and how do you deal with them?

Thankfully I’ve never received a rude review. My professor once told me it seemed kinda unnatural how unlucky my protagonist was vs. how lucky his love interest was (All this for a Roll Cake) but that was the whole point of the story so I just ignored her.

40.  Write an alternative ending to [insert fic title] (or just the summary of one).

Writing this I realised I lost my final version of All this for a Roll Cake T^T so I guess I’d rewrite the ending I have of the before the last version I still have.

Well this was fun ^^ got to revisit my works and remember many beloved pieces of fiction I wrote, I look forward to my next projects

[idreamofdraco]

Hello again! Do you have a favourite from your list of WIPs that you’d really like to share? 😏

- thedeathdeelers

From the “Send me an ask with the title of one of my WIPs and I’ll post a snippet or tell you something about it” meme thing.

I think my favorite WIP is TDC Prequel, which is Pansy and Theodore’s story from The Dating Charade. I really enjoy writing them in TDC, and I just came up with this backstory for them that seemed a waste not to use. :(

~*~

To her utter disgust, Pansy’s engagement party was an extravagant, peacocking affair. She’d known asking for a quiet engagement would be a futile endeavor, so she hadn’t wasted her breath on the request. Maybe she should have tried convincing her mother anyway.

Theodore Nott stood alone next to a fountain of firewhisky as he considered the precarious pyramid of drinking glasses next to the fountain. Pansy’s mother shoved her through the crowd to his side, loud and unceremonious in her conversation.

“Theodore, dear! It really is too bad your dearly departed mother could not join us on this glorious day, but I’m sure your father will manage a toast in your honor in Azkaban!”

Pansy closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, wishing for patience and nerves of steel. Her mother would be the death of her. Or perhaps Pansy would be the death of her mother? She wasn’t sure which option she preferred at the moment.

“I’m fairly certain my father doesn’t care one way or another about this arrangement,” Theodore said, turning back to the thought-provoking glasses on the table.

A pang went through Pansy’s heart. Did Theodore also not care one way or another for the arrangement? When he’d accepted her mother’s proposal (for, by her mother’s telling, that’s exactly how the conversation had happened, with Ianthe Parkinson asking for Theodore’s hand in marriage on behalf of her daughter), she’d never dreamed that they could ever love each other. But marriage was a partnership. At the very least he could give her that, right?

Apparently not. Theodore ignored Pansy and her mother as he finally selected a glass, picked carefully out of the middle row of the pyramid, and filled it with a finger of firewhisky.

“Well,” Ianthe said, disapproval clear in the thin line of her lips. “Come along, Pansy. There are plenty of guests to greet.”

This was the first time Pansy had seen Theodore since Hogwarts, not that they’d been great friends at school, either. She would have thought he’d have shown at least a little interest in his eventual nuptials. Didn’t he have concerns? Or demands? Even Goyle had had a list of wifely duties he’d expected Pansy to fulfill before an engagement had ever been agreed to between their families. She just didn’t know what to do with Theodore’s complete indifference to her.

[bazzybelle]

COC 2019 Masterlist

I’ve seen a few of these going around and I figure I should add mine as well. I didn’t manage to complete all the prompts, but 13/30 isn’t terrible, considering everything. 

Day 1: Sun/ Moon

Title: Midnight Sun

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: A year after the events of Wayward Son, Simon and Baz take a small trip to Dover and spend the night taking a romantic stroll through the Kent Downs. While staring at the sky, Simon gets a wicked idea in his head, to taste a little more freedom and share it with Baz.

Day 2: Role Reversal

Title: Hush, Love

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: During a very difficult night, Simon finds a way to comfort Baz, using a tried and true method.

Day 3: Magical Creatures

Title: Keep Calm and Save a Unicorn

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: Agatha Wellbelove finds purpose and meaning to her life as she cares for and protects vulnerable members of the magical community.

Day 4: Dreams

Title: Have You any Dreams You’d Like to Sell?

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: Penelope processes her relationship with Micah on the plane ride home from America, while listening to "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac.

Day 5: Carry On Prequel

Title: A Million Dreams

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: Positive.  

Those two little blue lines, so simple, so plain. Yet they hold such a profound weight that I feel the need to take a moment to collect my thoughts. It does not do well for Natasha Pitch to come undone on account of two little blue lines. Still, I find myself sitting at my desk in my grand Watford Headmistress’ office, in absolute disbelief as I hold onto the pregnancy test in my hands.

Day 6: Vine/Meme Reference

Title: Everything’s Better With a Little Bit of HOLO!

Find it: Tumblr // AO3 

Summary: I steal the bottle from Simon’s grasp and give it a look. I inspect it closely, turning it around in my fingers. It does not look like anything particularly spectacular. It looks like a typical silvery nail polish. I am pretty sure Mordelia has a similar one. The polish’s brand name is somewhat more reflective, and I do think the slight rainbows coming off it are pretty. I do not understand the name, however. 

“What on Earth is a Holo Taco? Aren’t tacos supposed to be food? What do they have to do with nail polish?”

Day 7: WLW

Title: I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: “People like me are meant to be alone.” I try to make my voice sound icy and intimidating. But, Merlin help me, it sounds breathless, like I’m choking it out. I take a sharp inhale of breath through my nose. Shan, the fool that she is, reaches over and grabs my other hand, she gently turns my body towards her and leans a little closer to me. She speaks in a soft and calm voice. I almost miss what she says because of the music in the background.

“You don’t have to be alone.”

Day 11: Angst Day

Title: Let It Be

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: It’s better if I lay here on the sofa.

That way, I can’t muck up anything more than what I’ve already mucked up.

It’s better if I lay here on the sofa.

That way, I don’t have to see the looks of pity and sadness on Baz’s and Penny’s faces. That way, Baz won’t have to look at me and realize that I’m not worth his time. I’m not worth anyone’s time.

It’s better if I lay here on the sofa.

That way, the constant light and hum of the television can help numb me of whatever I’m feeling inside.

Useless, wasted, worthless…

A fraud, a phony, a fake.

Day 12: Music/Song-Inspired

Title: You Get My Love

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: Now, we’re in bed, but not talking. It’s what we do… We don’t talk. We don’t know how to talk to each other. I don’t know how to talk to Baz. I wish I knew what to say to him. I wish I could find the words to tell him how I feel inside. But it’s so hard. It’s so hard to look at him and tell him how I feel.

I look at him now, face turned away from me, his hair fanned out behind him. I reach out and lightly touch it. I know it won’t wake him. Baz isn’t a heavy sleeper, but it’ll take more than a touch of his hair to wake him. I settle into the sheets and play with a silken strand, twisting it in my fingers.

“I’m such an idiot.” I say it so quietly, though I know he can’t hear me. Maybe this is how I find the words to say to him. I continue to run my fingers through his hair and watch him breathing. I love him so much. Maybe eventually, I’ll be able to tell him this when he’s awake.

Day 13: Parental Figures

Title: You’re F***in’ Perfect to Me

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: When Malcolm showed up on my doorstep, a year after losing the love of his life, and asked that I become his second wife, well my parents all but jumped at the opportunity to marry their daughter to a Grimm.

I refused. I wanted nothing to do with Malcolm Grimm and with being the replacement to the great Natasha Pitch.

Then I met Basilton.

There was something about the sad, lonely little boy that broke the walls I had put up around my heart. I would never replace his mother, I knew that. But this child needed someone to give him comfort, a sense of stability. This child needed a motherly presence. So I accepted and I married Malcolm.

Day 18: CRACK!

Title: Love is Blind (As A Bat)

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: The bat dives straight towards me as I keep whipping the towel to deter it. I stumble into the kitchen and pull out a spatula. It isn’t ideal, but I don’t want to hurt the thing, just get it out of my flat. The bat keeps trying to reach me, but I’m waving the spatula at it. I’m hoping to move towards the window again and push it outside, when Penny shouts.

“Simon! It’s got something in its claws!”

As if on cue, the bat drops the item it’s been holding the whole time. I pick up the item and inspect it; An ivory wand with a leather grip. Baz’s wand.The little bat lands on the bookshelf and perches upside down. Penny sees the wand and looks to the bat. She figures it out before I do and begins to laugh.

Day 20: Fairytale/Myth Retelling

Title: Den Eho Matia Gi’Allo - I Have Eyes for No Other Boy

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: I know something terrible has happened as I arrive at the Temple’s entrance. The lanterns are shattered on the ground, the offerings to Athena are strewn all over the floor. Mud has been thrown upon her sacred altar. Worse of all, the sacred statue of Athena is completely desecrated.

Day 27: Time Travel

Title: Love is a Dream of Beauty

Find it: Tumblr // AO3

Summary: I am known by many names in this court. Signore Pitch is one, but I find that to be dreadfully formal. I am not a master, nor am I nobility (well… not anymore). Amongst my peers and the scholars at the Academy, as well as the members of Lorenzo’s court, I am referred to as Tyrannus (which is probably worse than Signore Pitch, but these Florentines do love their classical history). My closest friends (of which I can count on one hand) refer to me as Basil or Baz, which is frankly what I prefer. It was what my mother and father called me before they died.

There is also what enemies of the Medici like to refer to me as: The Displaced Prince. I would find it rather insulting, if I wasn’t so amused by it.

***

That’s all... I hope you’re all enjoying your holidays, and time off. 

Sappy message... Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who liked, reblogged, and gave me encouragement. I know I’m still a newbie to this fandom, and I don’t deserve the love I’ve gotten. With that being said, the kind words I’ve received have kept me going, even on days where I wanted to give up and close my account. 

Thank you to the amazing friends I’ve made here so far ( @fight-surrender , @carryonsimoncarryonbaz , @giishu , and @f-ing-ruthless-baz ) who’ve listened to me crying and stressing out, who’ve reached out during my spirals, and who keep encouraging me to come out of my shell. If I ever had the guts to talk/leave comments, to share, or to join things, it’s because of these lovely people. I’m still working at coming out of my shell, but I encourage people to come talk to me, I’m rather nice (at least, my friends think I am). 

I’ve got so many fics to catch up on / comment on, as well as working on my WIPs. That’s my next goal... To read the many many fics/authors that I’ve seen during this countdown and to comment as much as I can. :) 

[khanze]

Failsome - fear of failing

Redefine awesome. It’s okay to fail some but be persistent and believe, to not fail it all. Success is not the opposite of failing. Failsome is not the opposite of awesome. And the best try is after trials—this is the real awesome, which happens post your failsomes. So failsome is the prequel to awesome. Why not make dreams step outside of your daydreams and support yourself? Validation is like underrating your true potential. Do the work and gradually results will pop. Success takes time and process to deliver success. The world wasn’t made in a day, in fact it’s an every day, every seconds’ creation, so do a hope experiment and be relentless in your efforts to make it happen. Whatever it is that breaks inside of you—that voice who refuses to quiet down—you're calling. What if I say, you are born to failsome before you meet your awesome—which part will you believe?

Focus on purpose, value and what these mean to you as an individual. There is no shame in failing some. But it's a shame to give up new adventures and healthy risks due to an obtained fear of failing. Turn your dreams to goals—don't impose them, but reveal them, to achieve them and not for agreement. You are doing enough if you're failing some, because this means you're working on overcoming your state of sorriness and moving towards awesome.

Let it pass, without fail. There is no awesome without failsome. No success without failure. Never fail to keep going. Never fail to realise you're awesome. Never fail to disappoint validation. Never fail to accept you’re humanness.

It's easy to give up and true failing is like a fearful stoppage. You can't accept failing to become your limitation and affect your doing so that you stop often. Stop often, but remember to start often too. Disowning a challenge is the easiest form of failure and if you choose to fail, at least fail hard before you throw your hands up and claim to not know anything anymore. Why not use those same hands to smack the fear of future failure and shake it off the abyss of your shoulders, where it’s resting like cold dust on a shelf? It’s never that the shelf can't be cleaned again unless you imagine it deserves the mess. It doesn't. Your failure starts from you and you give power to it. You nourish it with fear, its prime fuel and you helplessly accept it as your fate. You let it possess you and don't even exorcise your right to do anything about that possession—That's true failure.

Can you be certain where to know where you came from? I don’t know. But some of us believe in theories which state that we arrived from the big bang or dropped off the cosmos. Well, what’s untold yet an established story, is that, where you came from, is actually a mystery slave to theories—or it can be an awesome imagination! So why fear where you're going? I'm sure there is a plan revealed at the end of a journey and even if or not, when you don't summon up the courage to take, walk and live that mystery, it may feel like you're baggage is walking into a void—that emptiness and buckets of failures and hurt on an unfulfilled chariot. But isn't it so that you can empty your miseries and drop them all and leave these all behind you? So when a new journey begins, perhaps that’s your purpose—to failsome, offload the unworthy and walk forward with awesome.

Awesome. So what is awesome really—Healing, moving ahead, succeeding, overcoming, filling your gaps, loving yourself, or all of it? All of it if you allow. It's asking for your consent—you see it respects your rights—awesome is decent like that. It’s not an antihero, or a shocking rude failure. If you give up and act broken, timid and cowardly, then I lose nothing. If I give up on doing and act frozen, I am defeated, and you lose nothing. But if we lose to fail some, we lose the chance to become awesome.

We need to be in awe of something. Something to keep us going and not lose hope, value and purpose to stay alive when we go offtrack or when we take a forced detour - perhaps it's another route to the same awesome we were set out for in the first place - have you thought? Yes, a happy ending to a rotten failure. Maybe this something is the very oxygen, the inner validation AKA affirmation, to take that risk and keep working while surviving some failsome, as we move closer to awesome.

If I give you a choice: at the conclusion of every failure you may cry or die or try, then what will you choose? There’s some omnipresent power within each of us, the ability to regrow—a limb—perhaps or not, but the ability to regrow spirit, a walk away, a path. When we are lost, all we need is a map, some direction, the courage to ask for directions, to feel stupid and alone. Whether a social misfit, whether alone in solitude or alone in a crowd, or unsuccessful according to the desires and chronology of this world, press on. The circaic rhythm of society may not match your heartbeats. But value your contributions to all times. You could've given up halfway and had no progress, but you're a WIP and the day you are titled complete, will be the end of a journey—a life. Perhaps something awaits post that biological death too—the awe of something continues. But even if not, at least you would fail some of the regret of giving up too soon, and of spending hours looking down on yourself too much, while you could've looked around at nature to find some reason to be in awe of something and make meaning out of your failsomes.

The laws of life are strange: you have to invest in blood and bones to make an existence. After all, raw materials make the finished product and so several failsomes = awesome—yes that rare awesome. That unique euphoric almost magical something your being craves—I call it dreams. The ones you play on loop after waking up and before you’re asleep. And dreams? They take a lot of raw material AKA failsomes to make an awesome, but the result is worth the sacrifice—you become anew, you regrow your lost self-worth and sometimes even outdo yourself, refusing your sorry-self, and that's true success in my eyes. The void within fills with hope. The storm settles to sail. A new bloom of hope and persistent work makes the almost lifeless failure become awesome—the reason to live.

[singtheskyandfightlikehell]

Fic Writer Interview

I was tagged by @sun-moon-stars-jedi thank you so much!

Name(s): singtheskyandfightlikehell, angelsandbrowncoats. I used to go by (The) Q bc of star trek and a private joke but some fuckers went and ruined that as a fun thing to call myself online, so if you want something a little easier to roll off the tongue than my usernames, idk bro... in middle school, my tolkien elf!sona was called Lethgaril, I guess that works lmao

Fandoms: So many. My current obsession is Batfam|Jayroy (and I’m inching towards Arrowfam as well). My lifelong fandom is Lord of the Rings. A (believe it or not) short list of some others I may or may not make content for in the future includes: Les Misérables (the brick over the musical, but I like both), Jane Austen’s works, Shakespeare’s works (esp. Hamlet & Much Ado), Pygmalion/My Fair Lady (the author has never been more alive, Eliza can’t mustn't shouldn’t and won’t marry Higgins), Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Death in Paradise, Shakespeare & Hathaway, Redwall, Dirk Gently, Galavant, Oxford Time Travel, Bartimaeus, The Good Place, and like... 30s/40s screwball comedies in general

Where you post: AO3 (angelsandbrowncoats), but I post links to tumblr & I have a full list of fic links and descriptions on my pinned carrd

Most popular one shot (by kudos):

Overall: It’s You, You’re All I See (Good Omens)

This Year: Worth the Wait (JayRoy)

Most popular multi-chap (also by kudos):

Overall: 2 Cups Feelings & A Dash of Common Sense (Gotham, permanent WIP, sorry)

This Year: PriestHood (JayRoy, technically multi-chap)

Favourite story you’ve written so far: Probably one of my WIPs, tbh (actually I’d say my original work based on my wild as fuck connected dreams that I may or may not ever publish) but of the complete ones, I’ll say It Need Not Follow (JayRoy) bc I really enjoy writing misunderstandings that turn out well and I amused myself a lot writing the confrontation between Jason and Roy in that one

Fic you were nervous to post: Of my recent ones, I’d say Worth the Wait because it was my first JayRoy fic and also it has a darker, more serious tone than a lot of what I write (although recently I’ve been in the mood to write heavier emotional scenes, so maybe that’s not quite true anymore).

How do you choose your titles: My preferred method is choosing a recurring theme or meaningful quote from the work as the title, but if I’m struggling to find one I like, I’ll sometimes use song lyrics or references to other works that vibe with the story. Mostly I use the latter for chapter titles rather than work titles, though.

Do you outline: I never mean to, but on longer fics I always end up losing the thread of the story and I end up having to outline anyway. Usually I just type a paragraph or two about what I want to have happen, or I’ll make a list of the things I don’t want to forget to include (mostly jokes for comedy pieces).

Complete: 105 total (not including original fiction or my recently orphaned high school works), 3 recent

In progress: 6, only counting ones with a significant portion written

Coming soon/not yet started: I no longer post my WIPs until they’re complete bc I’m really bad at finishing things and I’m tired of disappointing my readers, but here are a few of the ideas I’m working on or planning:

>A Thanksgiving JayRoy romcom that I’ll probably wait until next year to post bc it took too goddamn long, based on that “hire me to be your shitty (fake) boyfriend for thanksgiving” post except they fall for each other ofc. Also for some unfathomable reason I wrote a dark prequel for it featuring badass good mom!Talia

>A kinda sorta requested fic about the Bats needing to find the Supers and finding them at a good old fashioned midwestern barn dance that ends with the Bats having to square dance

>A fic based on an idea I had three years ago that Amanda Grayson from Star Trek is Dick Grayson’s descendant where she accidentally travels into the past and meets him

>A JayRoy bodyguard fic that was, again, supposed to be a short comedy but has quickly morphed into something huge about Jason refusing to become the Red Hood and instead getting revenge on Bruce via a long prank where he becomes Oliver Queen & family’s bodyguard but they don’t know who he is

>An experimental piece to help me explore relationships where a magical artifact traps various people connected to Jason in a strange, empty world that feels a bit apocalyptic but isn’t. There are four total groups of people, each in a different location to start with, and they basically have to work all their issues with each other out before they can leave.

>My one and only Bruce-centric fic designed to keep the Graysons alive where a lot of the same elements of Batman’s story happen but for different reasons, all beginning with Bruce’s parents getting shot outside the circus instead of the theater, Bruce getting amnesia, and John Grayson convincing his family to take in the injured amnesiac boy he finds

>and The Big One (aka the longest thing I’ve ever written in my life, which isn’t half done yet): JayRoy fake marriage featuring Lian, mutual pining, PTA/suburban shenanigans, social commentary, and long emotional arcs about familial reconciliation for both of them that may or may not be slower than the slowburn romance

Prompts: Feel free to send me prompts/requests, but I don’t guarantee I’ll write them. If I’m feeling it, I’m feeling it, and if I’m not, I’m not!

Upcoming work you’re most excited about: The novel-length fake marriage story, of course! Also the bodyguard AU, because the entire thing stems from one (1) incredibly inane joke and I can’t wait to post the chapter that includes the joke and revel in the groans

I can never think of anyone to tag for these things, esp. since I don’t really talk to people much on here anymore, but as always, if you see this and want to do it, consider yourself tagged by me!

[sethnakht]

sw fics i love (vader + leia-centric)

because it’s helpful to organize one’s thoughts. a work in progress. 

long post is long.

old but memorable (written before 2013)

ebony and jade by brendon j. wahlberg, with illustrations by ian mcintosh (gen, vader + mara). lord vader & the emperor’s hand team up against a jedi and his psychedelic plants, and it’s glorious.

father’s heart by fernwithy (gen, vader + leia, series). vader befriends young princess leia. the fic that shaped me as a child. politics, corruption, betrayal, handmaiden culture, unspoken affinities, and fire.

the penitent by bellebayard, fernwithy, jediskysong (mostly gen, some anakin/padmé). begun in 1999 and now only available in its original form*, it seems - the jedi council forums, where so much fic was written back in the day - and only incompletely, this post-rotj anakin redemption story is the sprawling product of collaborative authorship (and a follow-up to “father’s heart”). ymmv on some of the plot devices and characters as a result, but it had an enjoyable take on skywalker family dynamics and a riveting, fully-realized trial for vader. *if you find a better copy of this, please message me!

the smart one by fernwithy (gen). written in 2002. excellent outsider pov on vader, who has taken especial interest in a particular piece of naboo art. a meditation on art and politics.

by the grace of lady vader by fernwithy, ami-padme and alderaan21 + the ascension of the queen by fernwithy, ami-padme (vader/dark!padmé, han/leia). written from 2000 until right after aotc on the jedi council forums (original posts + comments here & here). this story has remained with me as a set of unforgettable scenes and images - amidala in blood-red veils, praising schoolchildren for their talents and services to her empire, luke the obedient child, leia the freedom fighter, vader at once gratified and disturbed by what they’ve all become. 

dark labyrinth pt 1 | 2 | 3 by Shayne1 (luke, han, chewie, vader). luke’s in trouble. vader kills the best lead on his whereabouts, and has to team up with han to find him. terrific voices all around.

various one-shots (also here and here) by MjMink (gen, mostly luke + vader). these were incredibly influential back in the day, and still manage to surprise and delight.

tamarisk by Arco (vader gen). splendid little vader adventure with memorably gory imagery and one hell of a bizarre twist

about turn by Mina / Mina1 (gen, vader + leia, vader + luke, luke + palpatine, background han/leia). written in 2001. vader & leia work together to save luke from the emperor. creepy luke-emperor interaction plus some nice scenes on tatooine. see also: legacy (vader + leia), a lovely short where vader survives rotj and leia has to come to terms with him, and in plain sight (vader, luke, leia), a variation on the theme.

deep as you go by @garnettrees / Meredith Bronwen Mallory (vader/padmé). written in 2002. vader creates a clone of his wife. a terrifying glimpse into his psyche - and the ethics of cloning. “but she’s not the painting, she’s just the print – no texture.”

return of a jedi by JHMLYNDALE (gen, vader + leia, rotj-legends cast). written in 2005. luke, han, lando and mara jade all die in the attack on jabba’s barge. leia, vader, and their allies take on the emperor. if you can stomach the character deaths, this is one hell of a ride.

equally cursed and blessed by Mina / Mina1 (gen, vader + luke, rotj-legends cast). written between 2005 and 2008. epic luke + vader story with a vividly-portrayed full cast, particularly leia, lando, chewie, piett and palpatine.

the protege by jedinemo (gen, vader, luke, obi-wan, leia). written in 2007/8. vader discovers a familiar clone skulking around the imperial palace. vader’s personality issues are on full display.

missing in action by cwbasset (gen, vader + luke). written in 2008. my favorite take on the ‘luke and vader crash-land together’ trope. includes grade-a vader-artoo bickering. fantastic author, see also: shattered (wip, luke + legends & prequel cast, time travel AU)

omelas by Deja Vu (vader, luke, xixor). short story from 2009 that packs quite a punch. 

interregnum by PlaidButterfly (clone trooper + vader). written in 2011. short and chilling story showcasing just how desperate vader is to believe he’s still the hero.

canon-compliant

and there I shall find by ambiguously. lovely take on post-TFA General Organa in a whump/survival scenario, speaking - listening - to her father’s hated ghost for the first time. Anakin is insufferable, jealous, smug and sullen and somehow still unable to understand why his children were kept from him - and yet also knowingly deploying his worst traits to keep the daughter so like him alive. Leia has no reason to forgive but is listening, and not only to his engineering advice. Hopeful, with flashes of humor, and crawling with sorrows that would never end

the black buzzard by @jerseydevious (vader + luke). sweet, sweet body horror and father-son banter. see also gleaming in the wreckage

bursts of stardust by @redrikki (anakin/padmé, assorted cast). set of insightful shorts, including AUs, that lend shade and nuance to anakin, padmé, the jedi order, even palpatine.

the funeral pyre by anendda_rysden (gen, vader, piett). superb story showcasing vader’s struggle with his own body from an outsider pov. vivid, powerful writing. contains sci-fi/horror elements.

liberation by redone (gen, vader + luke). vader’s walk with luke from the throne room to the end. written in 2002, as lovely now as it was then.

PRojects IN Controlled Environments, version Sith by Beth Winter (vader, ocs). clever imperial outsider pov on vader, showcasing his engineering skill. ketha, the female protagonist, picks up on fascinating little details, my favorite being: “The handwriting was atrocious, a combination of two different styles - one with romance holo titles flourishes, one absolutely primitive - and cramped enough that she needed to zoom in.”

the sith who brought life day by ophelia_interrupted (vader, ocs). vader is often at his best when one has to guess at what’s going on behind the mask, a job all the harder for imperial underlings without access to the force. very nice outsider perspective made all the richer for how believable it remains while mixing the serious and humorous.

speak to me by @cyberdyke-industries (kylo ren, anakin/vader’s force ghost). read this now. this gets what makes kylo and vader monsters, what makes them pull at us - a way of being vader both understands and condemns. cinematic, mythical, chilling down to the level of syntax. the ending is less a cliff-hanger than an image to think through, a powerful allegory..

AUs

everything, including in the valley, by @darth--nickels (many wip, vader-centric, be aware that you need to be logged into AO3 to see them). gems, all of them, even if some may never be finished. my go-to for insights into vader’s psyche. vader is hilariously and horribly unstable–suicidal in one moment, megalomanic and full of bluster in the next, and yet deeply compelling through it all. 

> timetravel / parallel universe

of queens, knights and pawns (wip) by @chancecraz (vader + leia, han/leia on the horizon, full cast). tfa!leia ends up reliving her life as anh!leia, and comes to terms with both her past and future. this story is currently my life. come for leia yelling at vader, stay for the lovingly realized cast, their constant miscommunication, and deep-seated psychological trauma. see also scenes from the middle game, encounters in queens told from the perspectives of other characters, starting with a harrowing vader pov, and of dreams and other whims, a au re-write of chapter seven with old man luke!

queen’s gambit by @bedlamsbard (anakin/padmé, padmé/obi-wan, tcw!cast), sequel to wake the storm. this swept me away. ymmv on the pairing(s), but the opening scene alone deserves an essay, and there’s so much to love here: incredible world-building, a full and well-realized cast of characters, political intrigue, media critique, and finger-biting tension.

out of the dark valley by @irhinoceri (anakin/padmé, eventual luke/mara, leia, ahsoka, cast). riveting au where vader is able to return to his rots!self with his consciousness intact, and make slightly different choices. things still go downhill, and the author is unafraid to explore those dark and frightening places, especially with leia.

stand the hazard of the die (wip series) by KeelieThompson1 (anakin/padmé, vader + luke, TCW!cast). young luke is sent to the past, but his mind is marked by a sith lord’s magic and the trauma of what he’s seen. anakin and padmé have to deal. lovely exploration of a situation where anakin does not fall (yet), but vader is still a factor and palpatine still at loose. leia’s story here is at once highly tragic and highly amusing.

edges of the world (wip) by @glompcat (leia, vader, ahsoka, anakin/padmé). leia organa and leia skywalker switch places, de-stabilizing anakin and shocking vader. a brave and important story about the struggles of identity, growing up, what family means, and finding acceptance.

reflected legacy (wip) by DAsObiQuiet (han/leia, anakin/padmé). legends!leia and han are sent back in time to when anakin still dreams of his mother. terrific characterization. see also hindsight is not perfect + the dangers of foresight (wip series), where vader’s consciousness is sent back to his tpm!body, and his emotional stuntedness is both a boon and a problem.

old man luke (wip) by @scarletjedi (luke, obi-wan, anakin). tfa-era!luke - and possibly his sister - ends up in the middle of the clone war. enjoyable exploration of how age contributes to perspective.

> canon divergence before ROTJ

afterimage (wip) by @garnettrees (vader/padmé). vader pursues the promise of resurrection. for those who enjoy clever metaphor, games with myth, linguistic invention, and a shot of gothic horror. “The first word she says is, ‘Help’. ‘I am here,’ says the thing in the dark.”

betrayal of the finest sort (wip) by @cadesama​ (vader/padmé, vader/obi-wan, ahsoka). relentlessly bitter, spiteful dysfunction at its best. fantastic author, see also: if blood be the price (padmé/anakin, obi-wan, AOTC!AU) and lost things that are never found (adult!ahsoka/anakin, leia, rebel!AU).

echoes of mortis by @sunshinedaysforever (anakin/padmé, cast). powerful what-if with palpable, believable character growth. see also time to change the road you’re on (wip; anakin + ahsoka, timetravel).

flesh of my flesh by @igrockspock (vader + leia, gen) - when precocious eleven-year old Leia is taken from her home on Alderaan to live with her birth father in his lava castle, both understandably have to adjust. An absurd situation that the author mines for its humor and the humanity it can reveal while never forgetting what Vader is and what he ultimately wants.

how the other half lives (series in progress) by @reedroad​ (luke + leia + vader, OT + Rebels + comics cast). gorgeously written switched!au, with prince luke and jedi leia. and while much remains the same, the devil’s in the details. vader steals his scenes: angry and awful.

in loco pirates + palpatine ad portas (wip) by @izzythehutt​ (gen, vader, palpatine, luke, leia, aphra). vader, driven by his fear of weakness, and luke, who sees right through him. lovely father-son interaction offset by an utterly compelling and terrifying palpatine. leia’s in for the ride, too. also: hondo!

in which vader discovers he’s a father by @glompcat (gen, vader + luke + leia). vader kidnaps or discovers one or both of his children, in situations varying between the harrowing and humorous. 

the light you leave behind (wip) by @laventadorn (anakin/padmé, anakin/obi-wan, ahsoka, tcw!cast). great author in many fandoms. this particular story features vivid action and even lovelier domestic scenes - wonderful characterization especially of the female characters, from padmé and ahsoka to ventress.

masquerade (wip) by PlaidButterfly (gen, vader-centric). vader is forcibly taken out of the suit, only to find that the emperor has his hands on luke. memorable for the physical description of vader as a kind of grey-haired shaggy bear, his chilly interactions with leia, and his attempt to survive unnoticed in the lower levels of Coruscant by returning to what he knows best: fixing things.

on the day ... by @cacchieressa (vader + leia, series in progress). vader discovers his daughter and comes to an agreement with her parents

the tyranny of kinship (wip) by @amarielah​ (mostly suitless!vader + leia, cast). vader and anh!leia come to an understanding. leia shines in particular, bringing across that astuteness and political savvy she’s often said but not shown to have. see also precious illusions (wip; vader/vision!adult!ahsoka), an unsettlingly lovely take on vader’s contradictory impulses.

slipping by radioboca (gen, vader, leia, luke, bail, breha, han, etc.). leia gives in to her hatred for her biological father. leia is so, so young in this story, and painfully, palpably afraid. vader just thinks he’s doing the right thing.

violence in the library (wip) by @radioactivepeasant​ (gen, vader + luke). alien meets star wars. a heady mix of uncompromising gore and father-son shenanigans, with a great supporting cast and lots of humor.

> canon divergence after ROTJ, i.e. vader!lives 

wounds by @azalea-scroggs (han/leia, vader + leia). luke dies in the battle of endor - vader acted too late to save him. leia is left with her grief. mesmerizing take on vader and leia, their struggles to hold on to reason despite overwhelming emotion. a powerful statement on mourning. see also: black squadron (wip, vader + luke), a take on the ‘luke becomes an imperial pilot’ scenario where luke is faced not only with vader, but also his own morality.

love thy enemy (series in progress) by @threadsketchier (vader + luke, leia, cast). vader survives rotj, but luke may not. body!horror, angry!leia, lovely prose and quality angst.

the trial of darth vader by The Librarian (ocs, vader, luke, leia). brilliant examination of vader’s crimes and legacy from the perspective of his prison interviewer, the kind of man vader would not have hesitated to kill. while this might seem like the lead-up to a trial rather than the trial itself, the reader is invited to be a juror of sorts. vader is dispassionate and alert, reciting information with cold precision, warming only to artoo and luke in his prison cell as his suit wastes away, unsure if he can use the force again - some incredibly memorable scenes here.

the smell of burning by deaka (luke + vader). luke saved vader, but at what cost? short but searing conversation between luke and vader about selfishness, about the costs of getting what one wants, about forgiveness, about whether we change so much in a setting as telling as it is metaphorical.

unvadering (wip) by @cadesama (vader, ahsoka, luke, leia, cast). vader loses the suit and works for the alliance now, but what does that really change? a conundrum nicely played-out in a scenario where ahsoka hadn’t known what he became. features glass-smashing leia.

untitled by @jerseydevious (vader + luke). vader survives rotj and is subjected to probing questions from an alliance doctor. poor luke plays interference

untitled by @sith-shame-shack (vader + luke). vader survives rotj and surgery, slipping in and out of consciousness. panic over loss of the suit, consuming awareness of touch, exhaustion tempered by luke’s presence.