#I have several plot points & subplots planning between here and there so it's not like there will be nothing happening

[ask-suns-pup]

how long do you think it will take to get to five pebbles?

Seven Red Suns will be unavailable for asks for the rest of the cycle.

[rukbat3]

Babylon 5 Rewatch - Mind War

This is a post I originally wrote several years ago for Mark Oshiro’s Mark Watches blog. I don’t really plan to edit them before posting, so there may be some references that don’t make sense. If you see words that look like gibberish, they are actually rot13, which was our way of discussing spoilers. There are plugins you can install to decode the text (Cryptext is the one I use), or you can copy/paste to rot13.com, or just ignore it.

Hooray! Catherine Sakai is back! This means she’s going to be a recurring character, not just a single-episode romance character! I love how in this episode you can see the conflict between their two jobs, but it’s not a huge deal; it’s just something they’re learning to navigate. [season 1] Nyfb, unun, V sbetbg nobhg guvf yvar jurer Fvapynve gnyxf nobhg univat gb znxr ohqtrg phgf va pbafgehpgvba. Guvf vf rknpgyl jul V ybir O5. Gur pbagvahvgl srryf fb betnavp.

As you can see farther down, I think the way that G’Kar interacts with Catherine is so interesting. From everything we’ve seen about his character so far, we absolutely buy into Catherine’s interpretation of his actions. And the episode itself basically leads us to think he’s up to something nefarious. But no! He really was just trying to help. It gives us another level of insight into his character that makes us think maybe there’s something more to him than just the loud, brash, antagonistic person we’ve seen before.

As far as the main plot of the episode, it’s Star Trek comes to Babylon 5! (Or if you’re me, the other way around. The first time I watched Star Trek: The Motion Picture, I gasped when Chekov first appeared and said, “It’s Bester!”) There’s not much more I can say at this point. We get some hints of shady doings happening back on Earth, but whether anything more will come of it is yet to be seen.

I would like to highlight two scenes, though. The first is Talia’s description of what it’s like when telepaths make love. It’s very evocative, and I have always found this scene to be particularly memorable. Naq vg’f fhecevfvatyl vzcbegnag zhpu yngre ba va gur fubj. Abg gb zragvba znxvat pregnva guvatf jr svaq bhg nobhg gur Cfv Pbecf rira zber ubeevslvat. And the second is Jason Ironheart’s explanation of what the Psi Corps experiments were aiming to do. “Think about it. You want to assassinate someone, so you get a telekinetic. He reaches into a person's throat and gently, quietly, with a thought, he pinches the carotid artery shut. The blood stops; the brain starves; the target dies; and then you just let go. Murder without a trace.” Absolutely chilling.

There’s a third scene not directly relating to this subplot, but relating to telepaths in general that I think it’s important to discuss. And that’s the scene where Talia is explaining to some random guy what it’s like to be a telepath and they share an elevator with Garibaldi, who is obviously thinking something sexual about Talia, which she picks up on. I feel like we get a scene like this one in a lot of books/shows/movies where mind-reading is a thing, and it’s often played for laughs, as it is here. But for me, there are a lot of questions raised by this brief moment. In a world where the existence of telepaths is widely known, how responsible is Garibaldi, who is not a telepath and presumably hasn’t received any form of mental training, for controlling his thoughts? What if he hadn’t known Talia was a telepath? Would that make it okay? On the other hand, he’s just overheard her talking about how hard it is to block out strong emotion. Does that give him more responsibility to control himself then before?

Because if he can be held responsible, then it seems to me that what he did to Talia is a form of sexual assault, or at least harassment. But are we okay with what amounts to a form of thought policing? Once you open the door to punishing someone for what may well have been a stray thought, there are any number of ways that could be abused. On the other hand, why should all the responsibility lie with Talia, or any other telepath to protect themselves? I don’t see any easy answers here.

[season 4, TV movie] Nyfb, jung vf vg va guvf frevrf nobhg gryrcnguf naq gur zra jub ner vagrerfgrq va gurz va ryringbef? Vg arire tbrf jryy!

Favorite scene: The two scenes that G’Kar and Catherine Sakai have together often get mixed up in my head when I’m thinking about this episode, so I can’t really pick one over the other. In each of them, G’Kar says something I really love. In the first, it’s “No one here is exactly what he appears. Not Mollari, not Delenn, not Sinclair. And not me.” This is borne out in the events of this episode, at least in G’Kar’s case, which makes you wonder: How right is he about everyone else? V nyfb ybir guvf dhbgr orpnhfr vg frrzf gb zr gung vg’f bar bs gur birenepuvat gurzrf bs gur fubj va trareny. Ab bar vf rknpgyl jub gurl nccrne ng svefg tynapr. Abg rira Orfgre! In the second scene, I love G’Kar’s explanation of what Catherine saw at Sigma 957, but I love what he says next even more: “They are a mystery. And I am both terrified and reassured to know that there are still wonders in the universe—that we have not yet explained everything.” And when you put both scenes together, I find them collectively eye-opening about what this show is trying to do, not just with the character of G’Kar, but with the world of the show in general. Vg’f rfcrpvnyyl vagrerfgvat gb pbzr onpx gb gurfr fprarf nsgre lbh’ir svavfurq gur fubj naq guvax nobhg whfg ubj evtug T’Xne vf.

[thechaoscryptid]

👀👀 hello! Here to ask about Wake the White Wolf for the WIP name game 👀👀 is this about Kakashi?? Or Sakumo??? TELL ME MORE PLEASE 🥹

(curious about my WIPs?)

Also tagging in @mrssakurahatake, who also asked about WWW 🥹🥰

It is indeed about Kakashi! And, by subplot extension, Sakumo lmao. So Wake the White Wolf was a project I embarked on in late 2018 into early 2019, back in my KakaIru days. It's the longest fic I've ever written, even though it's nowhere near finished - I did 120k in a little over 8 months, and I've never come close to anything like that before.

It was, however, an idea that was too advanced for my skill level at the time, I think. I had a lot of ideas (good ones!) but not the skill to do them justice, which is part of why it's sat in WIP purgatory for the last several years 😭 I've been so busy actually leveling up as a writer and exploring different fandoms that the work it's going to take to breathe new life into the fic was just too much.

Now, however, my Wake the White Wolf document is a beautiful blank page, and also going to be part of my novel-plotting process! I've got a few different plotting methods I'd like to try before I sit down and try to actually puzzle out my novel's plot, and because I know how WWW was supposed to go, I want to do a test run with that story (and then, of course, rewrite it).

There are things I plan to do a little differently this time around, aspects I'd like to flesh out and nail down, but it's been ages since I've really sat down with a Naruto fic and I'm just. Kinda. Giving myself space to feel all right in the fandom again as I work the story out.

Story-wise:

I'm JAZZED AS HELL to really develop the secondary relationships in the fic more. There's a lot of healing to do between Kakashi and Iruka before they really can start to be together (forced marriage trope heehee), and I want both of them to be a little more mature before the turning points really start to hit. I'm especially excited about the IruAnko besties-with-benefits and GenRai "oh, so these relationships CAN work" vision

There's also a great B-plot about Kakashi that has to do with the fic's OC, Sera, and Orochimaru, which was like really vaguely alluded to in what's posted but I'm feral about actually working into the fic.

I wrote this at a time I was really just starting to question my gender and long before I came out as trans, and I think writing the fic (which, looking back, is an exploration of that gender angst) through the lens of a better-adjusted person is going to be a great experience and make for a more coherent, cohesive narrative.

I guess like LONG long story short this is a fic that's haunted me for ages because I really appreciate every single person who's read it but there's also that "fuck, I'm so much better than this" that I just have to GET OVER and rewrite the thing so people can see!!!

[connorsnothereeither]

as a fellow writer, how do you typically plan your fics? i tend to just kind of wing it and figure it out later so i'm curious about what you tend to do

I had so much fun answering this question but I’m so sorry it’s so long of a response akagkagskav

(Also this post contains mild spoilers for both On the Edge of Worlds Unknown and My Blood Between Your Lips on AO3)

Honestly most of my fics start completely winged! Both Brink and Blood were entirely winged for a good chunk of the word count, but I do have a system that I put in place when the fics get too long.

I tend to hit my “winging-it” limit around 25 chapters into a fic, and at that point I look at all the plots currently happening, note them down, and do planning from there. I would love to go in depth on the way I plan writing somewhere as like a video or livestream or something, but to summarise as best I can (which is still kinda long, my bad haha):

Most of my fics are planned by sub-plot (which I like to colour code) and by chapter, which I number. I like to look at what’s happened so far that I’ve winged, and conceptualise the “end point” for those themes/ideas. From there I take it in chunks of planning about 3-5 chapters ahead at a time. To plan those, I note down in 1-2 sentence summaries of what’s gonna happen in each of those coming chapters (I don’t always stick to them, but it’s just my rough guide of what I think should happen to bridge the gap between where the story is and where I want it to end). Once I write those chapters, I reassess where the story is at, and from here I just keep doing that process until I hit the ending I came up with (or one I prefer)!!

As an example, this is my chapter planning list for Blood! (Here is where the spoilers start btw)

Starting at chapter 26 (after that 25 chapter mark) you can see where it’s split into the “hunter subplot” (blue) and “vampire subplot” (red), and the rough summaries for each chapter. I have a similar (if a little more complicated method) for the Brink fics, where I just do the same process of building on chapters across the books (this is the planning from Edge, which because I was building off the final chapters of Brink planning started at Prologue/Chapter 1)

I have some other methods which are more context and fic dependant. For the Brink books I have a spreadsheet that lets me track which date chapters take place on, depending on their colour-coded subplot, because of how spread out it is chronologically (on the right), and with Blood I have a little bullet point list which lets me keep track of which things happen when and in what order in the far more condensed timeline, where several where the whole plot is all happening at the same time over a few days (left).

So yeah!!! I don’t know if this was in any way helpful or interesting or made sense to any brain other than mine lol, but this is generally how I plan most of my longer fics!! I’ve never gotten to like,,, lay it all out and explain it before, so this was really fun!! Like I said, I’d love to go more in depth somehow, but I’m not sure how to do that in text format without it becoming convoluted haha

[slashmagpie]

How long do you spend planning/world building for fics? If I should be more specific, how long did you plan the lore and mechanics that feature in Lifeline au before you wrote it? I mean it’s technically based on a video game but still

Okay so actually my answer for fics in general and my answer for LLAU is different! Normally before I sit down to write a fic I will figure out enough of what's going on to write a page of bullet points of lore/worldbuilding, work out the magic system, and draft an outline. I'm the sort of writer who, even when I have an outline, will inevitably drift from that outline and add a bunch of new subplots and worldbuilding elements as I go to flesh out the story more, and I'm familiar enough now with my process to account for that and roll with it.

For example: screenshots from my planning doc for TFatBatG, the fic I wrote before LLAU.

^ Here you can see me workshopping the premise and beginning to flesh out the character arcs, using points from canon to bounce off of. Some of this stuff didn't even make it into the final fic!

^ Parts of my actual chapter-by-chapter outline. As you can see, it's a lot more detailed at the beginning then it is towards the end, and if you've read the fic, you'll notice that there are several subplots that occur during these chapters which aren't even mentioned here. Those are things that I came up with on the fly. Things tend to stray for me more in later chapters than earlier ones, because things just tend to develop organically as I'm writing, and then need to be resolved later.

LLAU, however, is a little different, in that I originally started writing it as a fun chill burn-out project. You see, I'd just finished writing TFatBatG, which was the first longfic I'd ever finished, the first thing I'd written to pass 100k, and also written during a 14 week period in which I finished my masters and started working a full-time job, so as you can imagine. I was feeling pretty burnt out by the end of it. But I also then had a lot of free time open up (started working night shifts), and I needed something to do with that time. I had a bunch of other ideas that I wanted to write (and still want to write!) but trying to start any of them was really difficult for me. I just wanted something fun and easy and chill to work on when I felt like it to try and get me through that burn-out period and back to actually writing.

And then one night on discord we were making moon's haunted jokes, and I went "haha Hermitcraft Lifeline AU" (because Lifeline is a moon's haunted-ass piece of media), and then I went ".....hang on. Hermitcraft Lifeline AU,"

I picked my main characters, wrote up the summaries for EO, MB, and LB, redownloaded the game to play through it, and then wrote and published the first chapter the very next day.

And people liked it! And I liked it! And then I had a 10-day busy period between Empty Oceans chapter one and two where I couldn't write, and I spent some of that time plotting out what I wanted to do with the series and where I wanted to take it. (Shoutout to @/lunarblazes for bouncing ideas around with me!) This planning period was when I decided that Bdubs would be the time monk guy as well as the captain guy, and that Impulse was the Queen, and I figured out the basics of the magic system, but the picture of the series I had in my head at that time was still very limited.

I don't have a proper outline for LLAU: my planning document complains the fic summary, character lists, and bulletpoints taken from the Lifeline wiki. For EO and MB I was using the games themselves as an outline, since they follow the plots pretty closely, and the only fic that had a chapter-by-chapter outline was AfaM (which I didn't even know I was going to write when I started EO; I decided that I was going to write it somewhere towards the end of working on MB). LB has a general outline but it's definitely not comprehensive and has changed a lot since I wrote it (I don't even open the doc when I work on the fic anymore.)

^ The LB outline, up until the point that we've reached now. You might notice that False is not mentioned once here. That's because I didn't realise I wanted her to be part of the story until I was halfway through AfaM.

^ Some of the notes that I took from the Lifeline Wiki, which are basically all the notes I have explaining the magic system, some of which I didn't even use. (And some bonus stuff about PWG which was the basis for Impulse's backstory.)

So yeah: while I had some stuff planned from the very beginning, a lot of the specific details didn't work themselves out until much later in the process. Since LLAU is based on a discontinued game series, I basically came into it with pieces of a puzzle, and I had to figure out how to make them work together; the facade was there and I had to create the inner workings. So whilst I've always had the vague "this is what the magic system can do and this is how it works," a lot of it wasn't set in stone until... I wanna say when I was working on AfaM? That was when I worked out the specifics of time travel and also "time = space = sentience."

So yeah! I do do a lot of planning, but most of that is in the form of me daydreaming on the bus and yelling incoherent ideas in my friend Doc's dms (you may know her as doctortrekkie of Still the Echoes Give Us Light). I have a vague general outline in my head (this will happen, then this, then this), and chapter-wise I tend to have the next 1-5 chapters planned out, but I give myself a lot of room to work things out organically. (Also currently I'm doing a lot of planning/brainstorming for the endgame climax of the fic, so I can begin setting up my dominoes to knock down now that the Impulse reveal is out of the way.) This is definitely not the way I normally write (I prefer having more structure/plan than this), but the fact that this was a fun impromptu project that took over my brain in a way that I wasn't expecting has allowed me to be a lot more fast and loose with it, lol.

It does also mean that some of the stuff that cropped up in EO and even MB is what I would consider some Early Installment Weirdness, and if I was writing it now I would definitely do it differently, but I'm very happy to be transparent about that kinda stuff when people ask. I'm not gonna pretend I'm a genius and that this was some kind of expertly crafted long con plot from the very beginning. I'm figuring things out as I go and having a blast with it.

Sorry for the long ramble! I love talking about the writing process, and LLAU has been unorthodox even for me, so it was really fun to break it down. This is, I think, the creative project I have enjoyed working on the most in my life, and it's taught me a lot of things that I will definitely be taking away with me for the future.

But tl;dr to answer your question: I did very little prior planning and the entire writing process has also been a continuous planning process that isn't over yet.

[robzombies-hotwife]

I saw Barbie last Friday and here are my honest thoughts about it:

Pros

Visually STUNNING

Hilarious

Heartfelt at times

Good acting

The basic premise of Barbie Land and Real World existing together was cool

Cons

The plot is completely incoherent after a certain point in the movie. Barbie needs to go to the real world to save the girl playing with her. No wait, she needs to bring that girl to Barbieland to escape the evil executives! The executives want to put her "back in the box" for reasons unexplained. Oh wait, now Barbie needs to save Barbieland from the Kens! Now Barbie suddenly wants to become human even though that desire is NEVER brought up at any point in the film before the last 10 minutes. And then the movie just sort of... ends. Every plotline besides the Kens (the rift between worlds, the plans of the Mattel executives, Gloria's emotional state, etc.) is dropped with no resolution.

The subplot with America Ferrera and her daughter is severely underdeveloped. If you want to make a point about mothers and daughters (like the line from Handler to Barbie), maybe you should actually develop the mother-daughter relationship we see in the film? Both characters needed more development as individuals as well, particularly as America Ferrera's emotional/mental state is supposed to be the driving factor that forces Barbie into the human world. I will also say that as well-written and well-acted as Gloria and her daughter's big speeches about feminism were, they didn't feel like natural human dialogue at all.

The film's feminist politics are similarly muddy. America Ferrera's speech was well-acted and well-delivered, but it doesn't make sense HOW any of the Barbies would emotionally connect with it (besides our main Barbie, who has seen and experienced the human world). "Having it all" and looking hot while doing it is not and will never be a problem for Barbie dolls, so why would speeches about it snap them out of the brainwashing? Similarly, why would they have such a fear and disgust of cellulite, something they don't even experience, at the beginning of the movie if they don't know about patriarchy yet? Is the director trying to say that an inherently female trait is caring about this, doll or human?

Similarly, how did the brainwashing work? Because Ken said that the Barbies became docile, vapid servants for the Kens as soon as they learned about patriarchy which is... not a great message to send if you're writing female characters we should root for. Yes, real human women can behave in ways that contribute to our oppression (I am not exempt from this at all). However, we have thousands of years of patriarchy influencing that behavior. I'm sorry, but if matriarchy is all they know, the smart, competent Barbies are not going to suddenly buy into patriarchy just because Ken gave a presentation on it. Why would they suddenly start acting stupid to win the Kens' favor when prior to that, nobody cared about their boytoys' opinions?

What is Barbie's motivation to become human at the end? "Well, she feels like she has no place in Barbie Land as she doesn't have a role outside of being pretty" that's literally not a good enough explanation when "you can be who you want to be! Ken or Barbie, you can find yourself!" is the main message of the film before the ending. I felt like Ken and Barbie were given directly contradictory messages. Ken's was "you don't have to just be Barbie's boyfriend or a macho asshole! You can do anything!" and Barbie's was "Ah geez, you really CAN'T do anything since you don't have a pre-determined career role in Barbie Land. Yes, this directly contradicts America Ferrera's speech from earlier about the pressure on women to 'have it all.' Uhhhhhhhh become human I guess?" If Ken could find himself without having to leave his home in Barbie Land, why couldn't Barbie? I wish there had been more and clearer scenes of Barbie falling in love with being human to really connect the ending to the rest of the film.

Overall, I'd give it a B-. The film's visuals, humor, and acting have to work hard, but manage to balance a mediocre and confusing plot. I'd see it again as I quite enjoyed it and had fun watching it, but I definitely wouldn't count it as the greatest film of all time or a feminist masterpiece.

Before the "omg you're so mean!!! just turn off your brain!!! let people enjoy things!!!" comments, let me just say that any film which hypes itself up as a social commentary is not exempt from having its quality examined just because the director is female and it's marketed towards women.

[thisischaostragic]

MCU (Magic Corner) Multiverse Saga Predictions

I am just a lone MCU ScarletVision fanfic writer who has made a funny volume of accidentally corroborated predictions, so here's a running list for posterity. (I don't want all of these to happen; it's based on where I think writers are foreshadowing things going.)

Wanda confirmed alive/mentioned in a post-credit scene of Loki or the Marvels.

Agatha: Coven of Chaos delayed to 2024/2025 because they want it to be closer to DS3, so that they can reveal that Agatha got the Darkhold from Sinister Strange.

Sinister Strange gave Agatha the Darkhold with the intention of getting it to Wanda so that she'd either destroy it or kill 616 Strange.

Sinister Strange knows Wanda would be severely hurt and/or die if she read the Darkhold, but he does it anyway with the "in the grand calculus of the multiverse" quote.

616 Strange did actually get corrupted by the Darkhold, which makes him one of the Strange variants "destined" to destroy the multiverse.

Kang is pro-Wanda and saved her from dying on Wundagore.

Wanda and Agatha formally become a little morally ambiguous duo at the end of Coven of Chaos, possibly with Billy.

Wanda wants to find Tommy and begrudgingly decides to look for Vision, too, because the 'twins deserve to know their father' but she's mad at him because seriously why did he go on a self-discovery journey for a YEAR after they lost their kids...?

Hex!Billy and Tommy were physical embodiments of cosmic entities who sought new "hosts" when the Hex ended, choosing children who'd get to cross paths with Wanda and Vision. (Kinda similar to Love from T:L&T. Less complicated than reincarnation.)

Vision Quest is unfortunately not as dark as it could be, and Wanda mostly makes flashback appearances for more "stolen moments" heartbreak.

Wanda shows up in real-time at the end of Vision Quest and he apologizes but she rejects it for the added drama.

White Vision identifies all the Young Avengers in Vision Quest and introduces many of them, but the team doesn't form until later.

The Young Avengers formally become a team in Kang Dynasty, when a mysterious young Kang variant shows up to tell them that the 616 heroes are actually helping a destined supervillain who Kang Prime is trying to stop, so they need to defect from the Avengers.

The YA team is who brings Wanda in knowing that she'll believe them about the Avengers having a future supervillain. She joins forces with them and the team is initially seen as antagonists from the Avengers POV, especially due to affiliation with Wanda.

616 heroes splinter over whether or not to trust YA team. Monica, Carol, and Sam side with YA team. Inexplicably, Spider-Man does not.

KD subplot: the YA team does Darcy-style live commentary of "oh my god just KISS ALREADY" trying to get Wanda and Vision back together.

Scott and Clint die in Kang Dynasty.

Plot twist at the end of Kang Dynasty is that the YA team + ScarVis are right and Sinister Strange is actually a huge threat. Everyone turns to 616 Strange, whose hands are black before the movie cuts.

DS3 ties all the Strange lore together but leaves it ambiguous as to whether or not 616 Strange is "doomed." Sets up Clea to be the next 616 Sorcerer Supreme.

Secret Wars features a fight about whether or not to just preemptively kill 616 Strange like the Illuminati did in 838. Most people are on board but Wanda comes forward to say she refuses to treat a good man like he's expendable just because of the Darkhold. Everyone stares awkwardly.

Kang actually builds Battleworld in Secret Wars to save people from Strange, who's been destroying universes with no actual plan, whereas Kang wants to rule them all.

Scarlet Witch vs. Sinister Strange rematch in Secret Wars.

Kang wants Wanda's help with something and offers her time with her kids. She says no, which is a "turning point" in her redemption for the other heroes.

Main fight in Secret Wars is deciding between order and chaos, basically. This doesn't focus extensively on Wanda, who is pretty firmly against both destruction and time fascism.

Before the big battle, Wanda and Vision finally admit they're still in love "just in case."

Wanda and Loki chaos teamup.

Monica has a cross between Wanda's and Carol's Endgame roles where she basically saves everybody's asses and establishes herself as the most powerful, but isn't the thematic core of the movie.

Wanda (and maybe Billy, America, and Franklin Richards) has to "destroy the world" (Battleworld) and essentially restart the multiverse. Prophecy fulfilled.

X-Men don't exist in 616, but Wanda finds out about Magneto in Secret Wars and ends up bringing the X-Men into the main continuity from another timeline as a "reverse" House of M and speedrunning the "redeemer" arc. (Mutants were still an oppressed class in the other timeline.)

838 Maria Rambeau lives and 838 Monica Rambeau died pre-DS2, so 838 Maria and 616 Monica are reunited. (Please let Monica be furious at Wanda. I know they're unlikely to go this route but JESUS.)

Wanda tells Strange that his destiny isn't sealed, but someone has to stay behind to close Battleworld and Wanda's going to do it ("I fucked up, I should be the one to sacrifice" vibes) but Strange stops her and sacrifices himself instead (sad).

Strange and Thor die in Secret Wars. Maybe Carol. Sorry.

Vision doesn't die (SHOCKING) and they go home together :')

Sometime at the end of Secret Wars, someone tells Wanda that even though the timeline and prophecy fuckery was caused by Kang and Strange, Chthon IS real and DOES want her.

Post-SW Scarlet Witch movie is an adaptation of Darkhold: Omega. She does not ever get heavily involved with the mutants.

Wishful thinking:

Morgan le Fay (Aubrey Plaza) and Agatha Harkness are ex lovers.

Scarlet Witch movie is actually three witches harmed by the Darkhold (Wanda, Agatha, Morgan) taking back their autonomy from Chthon.

Monica Rambeau trilogy.

Love is actually Tommy's reincarnation and after Thor dies, she chooses to grow up with Wanda and Vision.

Vision is a background character in the Scarlet Witch movie but really only as a sexy house husband.

[ink-and-dagger]

Question to you as a writer if you don't mind answering! How do you plot out your stories? You seem to have everything so figured out with the little sneak peaks/ideas about what the next chapter is going to be about you give us. Genuinely you are one of the best authors I've come across since entering the fanfic world like 8 years ago (I'd argue one of the best authors period because you write slow burn like no other) and I'm so interested in your process! I've been re reading different chapters from drink with me so often to get my fix between updates that I've been finding more and more about your writing that I love! I hope you have a fantastic day!

I weeeeeeeep 😭😭😭🥺🥺🥺 thank you so much, you’re too kind ❤️❤️❤️

Of course I don’t mind sharing! Forewarning though, I’m a rambler so this may not make any sense whatsoever.

Also apologies if this sounds pompous, I really don't mean it to. I’m under no illusions here; I know I’m just a crunchy internet thot, not Jane Austen.

So, I like to have my fics fully plotted and at least half written (super rough drafts) before I begin posting. And by fully plotted I don’t mean that I know exactly every detail of what’s going to happen - I just mean that I have a clear idea of the below:

What the story is - what the vibes/themes are, what I want to achieve, what I want people to feel when they read it

Where it’s going - the main story through-line (beginning, middle, end), and several key points/scenes/moments/goals to hit along the way.

Content - any ratings and warnings/tags that may be applicable. It helps draw in the right audience for the story from the get go.

Character Arcs - goals/dreams, lessons, mistakes. Where they start vs where they finish.

I have a master outline which I work from. This takes the form of a chaotic, quite frankly illiterate note on my phone. And I add to it as ideas pop into my head - sentences/dialogue, words/phrases, scene ideas, plot/sub-plot ideas, really just any thought I have I shove it down for later. It's messy.

Despite having the core plot locked in place from the start, I always find that the story organically develops further as I’m writing. I’m constantly expanding the plot and coming up with new ideas for scenes and subplots which I then weave into the main storyline - often as a tool to expand on points that I already intended to make as part of the core story.

A few examples for DWM:

The Blackout/Chapter 8 - Simply never existed until maybe one or two chapters before it was posted. Because I was finding that the story was naturally evolving into much more of a romance than originally intended, and because Silco’s an uptight bastard, I needed something to give us a flash of his true feelings, and to ramp up the stakes a little higher.

Max - He really didn’t exist until I opened the document for Chapter 11 and started writing. Again, because the romance was kicking in earlier than originally planned, I wanted to give Reader an opportunity to actually talk through her feelings/receive some legit advice. And I also wanted to provide a foil for her and Silco’s relationship. I planted mention of Jasper having a partner in the earlier chapters purposefully, just in case I needed to add in an extra character for whatever reason. But the mention was ambiguous enough that it could be easily skipped over if I found I didn’t need one.

By having the main story locked in place, it allows me to look at the whole picture and see where I can slot things in. However, I never add a new element unless I know exactly how I’m going to resolve/round it off in the end. Or without considering how it might effect later plot points. (As tempting as it was to have them play strip poker in Chapter 9, that was only ever going to end one way, and I’ve had my heart set on that cigar smoking moment from the very start).

I also have the story roughly split up into chapters ahead of time to ensure the story flows nicely and we’re not being overloaded with too much of one thing at once. (E.g. Angst needs be interspersed with a bit of fluff and vice versa etc.)

Also, I have to say, I don’t think readers understand the power of leaving comments on fics. Personally, I’m really influenced by them. It always really surprises me what little nuggets and details people pick up on. If people are really vibing with a particular element of the story, then I’ll develop it further in future chapters. I’ve even added whole new scenes because of what a reader has said (not in DWM yet, I’ll always credit if this is the case). Even such a simple comment as “I love this” lets the writer know that they’re on the right track.

Although, this being said - I’ll never deviate from my main plot because of a comment. I always believe fully in the base story I’m telling, and will stick to my guns on it. And every writer should do the same.

I believe in flawed characters, and I love a bit of angst, miscommunication, drama, and bad decision making. It makes for an interesting story. Who wants to read about perfect characters doing perfect things? So I’m never swayed by comments expressing annoyance/disappointment at a character’s actions or flaws. Everything they do, they do for a reason, which becomes apparent when the time is right.

Okay I went on a bit of a tangent at the end there, but I guess that’s mainly it.

This is just how I personally plot. Everyone is different, and what works for some doesn’t work for others. You’ve just got to trust your own process.

I honestly love talking about writing and story crafting. So I’m always happy to answer questions or give advice 🖤🖤🖤

[celiabowens]

underrated SFF books (YA and Adult)

So uhm, since I keep seeing the same books on my dash all the time (and I like them too, just...there’s more! to read!) here’s a list of less popular SFF books, divided into YA and Adult. I’ve tried to mention when there is lgbt rep and the trigger warnings. Also, books written by poc will be in bold. Please point out any typo or mistake or if I’ve forgotten specific rep/tw mentions.

All of these are books that I’ve read and enjoyed (by enjoyed I mean anything from 3 stars and above), but if anyone wants to add titles please feel free to do so!!

YA:

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi: beautifully written, fairytale-like story rich in mythology (inspired by several Hindu myths. There’s a full list on goodreads indicated by the author herself). Roshani’s prose is gorgeous.

A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi: it’s a companion novel to The Star-Touched Queen, but both can be read as a standalone. I liked this one more than its companion and I particularly loved how the romance was written (slow burn, but specifically, the author really highlights the mutual respect between the characters, we love to see it).

The Young Elites by Marie Lu: fantasy trilogy set in a world inspired by Renaissance Italy, in which children who survived a mysterious and deadly illness ended up with strange and dangerous powers. Secret societies and a female villain!

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu: historical fantasy following Mozart’s sister, Nannerl, a girl as talented as her brother, but afraid of being forgotten because of the lack of opportunities she has to be seen and heard. Nuanced sibling relationship, no romance.  

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski: fantasy f/f romance! Both a coming of age story set in a society with a rigid class system and a slow burn f/f romance with a lot of banter. TW: abuse.

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore: magical realism. The book follows two families of traveling performers that have been locked in a feud for over a generation. This was the author’s debut and I remember getting an arc of it and being impressed by both the prose and how the forbidden love trope was handled.

When the Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore: another magical realism novel. One of the main characters is a trans boy and the book focuses on issues of racism and gender. One of my favorite YA!

Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton: fantasy romance set in a village that periodically sacrifices a young man in order to keep a deal with the devil that ensures their prosperity. Also, polyamorous and non-binary rep.

The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee: first book in a duology following avatar Kyoshi’s life. It explores the political and cultural aspect of the Earth Kingdom and Kyoshi’s past. Bisexual rep.

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He: sort of a murder mystery fantasy, as the main character finds herself suddenly thrust into power once her father has been murdered. The story has a slow build up to a last part full of twists and machinations and it features lots of court intrigue. Warning: the ending is quite open and afaik there isn’t a sequel planned as of now.

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones: a quite unique take on zombies influenced by Welsh mythology (it’s super cool). The novel follows Ryn and their siblings, as they try to get by after their parents’ death by working as gravediggers. Only well, the dead don’t always stay dead. The characters read a bit younger than they are imo. There is chronic pain rep.

The Magnolia Sword by Sherry Thomas: retelling of the original ballad of Mulan. The book follows Mulan, who’s trained her whole life to win a duel for a priceless heirloom, as she joins the army. There’s a lot of political and historical details, which I really appreciated. Do not go into it expecting a fun adventure though. The descriptions of war aren’t extremely graphic, but be aware of the fact that most of the book is set during a conflict.

The Candle and The Flame by Nafiza Azad: standalone fantasy set in a city on the Silk Road! It’s a quite slow-paced tale about love, family and politics. It has lush descriptions of landscapes and cultures (and FOOD, there are some really great descriptions of food). It’s a very atmospheric book and while I struggled a bit with the pace I’d still recommend it.

Forest of a Thousand Lanters by Julie C. Dao: sort of an East Asian inspired retelling of Snow White, but following the Evil Queen before she became Snow White’s stepmother. I honestly haven’t read its sequel (which should focus on Snow White herself), but I do think this can be read and enjoyed as a standalone too.

The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner: it’s hard to point out exactly what this series is about because it has evolved so much with time. It starts out as classic quest/adventure series with The Thief (which may seem a classic and simple book, but is actually full of foreshadowing and has a really clever set up), but develops into a complex and intriguing political fantasy in The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia (and then goes back to the quest theme in book 5, Thick as Thieves).

Adult:

A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers by Alyssa Wong: I’m cheating with this one because it’s technically a short story but I love Alyssa Wong’s stories so I’m putting it here anyway. It can be read for free and you should just...read it.

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang: grimdark fantasy (TW: abuse, self harm, rape, drug abuse), inspired by Chinese history. It’s adult, but follows younger MCs and the unique blend of different historical periods/inspirations makes it extremely interesting. The characters are extremely fucked up in the best possible way, plus the use of shamanism is awesome. Please make sure you check all the TW before reading.

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang: a Japanese-inspired militaristic fantasy, with elemental magic, a badass housewife dealing with her past and hiding a sword in her kitchen’s floor. It has interesting and nuanced family dynamics and a great reflection on propaganda and the use of narratives.

Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri: first book in an epic fantasy duology inspired by Mughal India (TW: abuse, slavery). I really liked both Empire of Sand and its companion and I find them pretty underrated. Both books have great slow burn romance (with a focus on mutual trust and respect) and focus on culture, religion, self acceptance and politics.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: a fantasy bildungsroman set in Mexico during the Jazz age. It’s a great approach to adult SFF as it follows a young girl on a life changing adventure. It features Mayan mythology and a god slowly becoming human (this trope is everything!).

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: a coming of age story inspired by Russian folklore. The trilogy as a whole has one of the best arcs I’ve ever seen: each book is perfectly self-contained and has its own arc, but also fits perfectly in the bigger picture of the trilogy. The atmosphere is amazing, the cast of characters is extremely well developed. Also frost demons are better than men.

The Binding by Bridget Collins: historical fantasy, but with very minimal fantasy elements. It’s set in a world vaguely reminiscent of 19th century England. I’d say this book is about humans and self discovery. It’s about cowardice and the lies we tell ourselves and those we wish we could tell ourselves. Gay rep. (TW: abuse, sexual assault, pretty graphic suicide scene).

The Divine Cities trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett: starting with City of Stairs, it follows a female diplomat and spymaster(!!). The whole trilogy features an interesting discussion about godhood, religion, fanatism, politics, without ever being boring or preachy. It has complex and rich world building and a pretty compelling mystery.

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett: heist fantasy following a thief as she’s hired to steal a powerful artifact that may change magical technology as she knows it. Set in a Venice-like merchant city. Also, slow burn f/f romance.

Jade City by Fonda Lee: sort of a gangster urban fantasy, heavily inspired by wuxia and set in an Asian-inspired metropolis. It follows a pretty big cast of characters, each with their own journey and development. It features nuanced family dynamics and a lot of political and economical subplots. Not extremely prominent, but book 2 features m/m side rep.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse: inspired by Native American culture and specifically by the idea of subsequent worlds. It has a kickass MC and a good mix of original elements and typical UF tropes. TW: the book isn’t extremely violent but there is death and some gore.

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine: space opera inspired by the Mexica and middle period Byzantium. It focuses on topics like colonialism and the power of narratives and language. It has one of the best descriptions of what it’s like to live in between spaces I’ve ever read. Also very interesting political intrigue and has a slow burn f/f romance (and a poly relationship recalled through flashbacks). I ranted a lot about it already.

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee: a Korean-inspired space opera with a magic system based on math. It’s honestly quite convoluted and difficult to follow, but it also features some of the best political intrigue I’ve ever read. Plenty of lying, backstabbing and mind games. It also features lesbian and bisexual rep and an aroace side character (TW: mass shooting, sexual assault, abuse). I also really recommend Yoon Ha Lee’s short-story collection Conservation of Shadows.

The long way to a small angry planet by Becky Chambers: character driven space opera featuring a found family journeying through space. A fun read, that also deals with topics such as sexuality and race. Quite easy to go through, as the world building and plot aren’t particularly complex themselves. f/f romance.  

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo: an Asian-inspired fantasy novella that gives a voice to people usually silenced by history. It follows a cleric (non binary rep) as they chronicle the story of the late empress, retold through objects that she used in her life. It focuses on bonds between women and the power that lies in being unnoticed. f/f side rep.

The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark: an urban fantasy novella, based on Orisha mythology and set in an alternate, sort of steampunk, New Orleans. I really like how creative Clark’s worlds are and how good he is at writing female characters (which rarely happens with male authors).

The haunting of tram car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark: novella set in an alternate steampunk Cairo populated by supernatural entities. It’s set in the same world of a Dead Djinn in Cairo, which is a short story you can read for free.

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone: epistolary novella set during a time-travel war. It has gorgeous writing and an amazing f/f romance. As a novella, it’s quite short but it’s beautifully crafted and so complex for such a short book!

The Citadel of Weeping Pearls by Aliette de Bodard: a novella set in the Xuya universe (a series of novellas/short stories set in a timeline where Asia became dominant, and where the space age has empires of Vietnamese and Chinese inspiration), but can be read as a standalone. It’s a space opera featuring a disappeared citadel and the complex relationship between the empress and her daughter as war threatens her empire.

One for My Enemy by Olivie Blake: self-published urban fantasy following two rival families in New York. Sort of a Romeo and Juliette retelling but with gangster families and magic. Honestly recommend all of her books, I love how Olivie writes and especially how she writes female characters.

[birb-tangleblog]

Rise of Flynn Rider - THOUGHTS

THE PROMISED LONGER POST ON THE RISE OF FLYNN RIDER- spoiler warning!

Ok so first off, a very brief summary: the book centers on Eugene and Arnie (Lance), childhood best friends. The orphanage they've grown up in is financially struggling, under threat by a crooked tax collector, and they're both aging out of the system; the only clue Eugene has to his parents is a letter from the woman who left him there, which is signed with a ~mysterious symbol~. When a traveling circus run by the Baron (yes, that Baron) passes through town and Eugene learns of a possible lead on his past, the two boys reinvent themselves, join up, and eventually end up entangled in a scheme to steal from the King and Queen of Corona. 

I won't lie, I enjoyed this one a lot- it was a fun read, very cozy to curl up with, and even with some contradictions, it felt like a novel that was derivative of the series and set in that world. There are a lot of cameos and references, enough that I think most TTS fans will find something they like to nibble on.

Like I said in my earlier post abt the prologue and first few chapters, I'm so happy that Lance got a role alongside Eugene- he's definitely a secondary character to Eugene’s main, and he does get sidelined somewhat, but it's charming to see his friendship with Eugene and his growing passion for cooking. 

'I didn't expect anything, so I'm more delighted and pleasantly surprised than genuinely unhappy with the execution' is a running theme with this book for me and basically the tl;dr of this write-up.

There are soo many cameos and little treats- I get the impression Calonita didn't have the most complete knowledge of the series, but her chats with Chris and interest in the series’ writing definitely show. King Edmund, the Stabbingtons, all of the pub thugs, Weasel, Stalyan, and the Baron all make appearances, and we get cameos from Cap, Maximus, Pascal's mother, and even Cass gets a name drop. Several series-exclusive locations are also mentioned by name- Vardaros, the Spire, and the Forest of No Return.

I'm not immune to the fannish hit of 'hey! I understand that reference!' and I really enjoyed hunting for easter eggs, so even if the presence of the pub thugs in the Baron's crew, or the boys stumbling on Rapunzel's tower in one scene and making nothing of it (yea that happened) is a lil questionable, it made me smile and I can't be mad.

I would just describe this book as 'comfy'.

(That said, I'm a little unsure who all those references are for- I feel like if you hadn't seen the series, you'd lack context and some details would be meaningless, but if you had, I think you might long for more depth and exploration...)

Structure & Progression

Here's the part where I start criticizing the book aimed at middle and elementary schoolers lmao

It's a v short book, but the plot progression still feels a little scattered- it didn’t feel quite like a heist OR a mystery. The subplot that takes up a lot of focus is actually interpersonal conflict between Lance and Eugene- and they reconcile, but not after spending much of the book in a standoff due to a misunderstanding/'liar revealed' trope.

One of Eugene's motivations for joining the circus is spotting a man with a mark on his arm that matches the one from his letter working there, and believing he'll be able to learn more abt his parents from him. He doesn't disclose this to Lance right away, and when it comes out later on, he's upset that Eugene didn't tell him- he feels tricked, and like Eugene's prioritizing his biological family over their bond. I had a hard time with this, b/c I honestly think Eugene could've literally said to Lance, 'hey, joining this circus is a great opportunity to travel, make money, send some back to the orphanage, AND I found something about my parents, will you come with me?' and Lance still would've jumped on it. Later on, there's also another similar miscommunication that deepens the rift. 

It feels like manufactured drama, and I would've loved a book of the two of them just being buds, bouncing off each other, and trying to unravel the mysteries of the DK symbol and the Baron's ulterior motives together. Lance's fears of being left behind by his friend absolutely could've surfaced without the misunderstandings, especially the closer they got to the truth. (And I don't think that'd have been dissimilar to the unused 'Trial' episode concept and flashback.)

The pacing itself... meanders. After the boys complete an initiation mission to get a hold of a special key for the Baron, time passes (two weeks in-story) and there's some slice of life as they learn the ropes, get inducted into a lifestyle of thieving (it’s revealed the circus is a front for a crime ring), and get to know the Baron's crew.

I liked these parts and would've kept them in a longer book! But maybe there could've been some fine-tuning here so big events (Eugene stealing for the first time, the heist, the meeting with the mysterious Man with the Mark) weren’t so one-and-done. There are several points where nothing's really happening because the characters can't quite connect with each other, or they're waiting around for an opportunity passively, and that makes for a frustrating exp for me as a reader.

There were also lot of elements I thought were getting set up to come into play later, but not a lot of follow through? The folk hero Lance Archer is mentioned several times and has wanted posters, but we never meet him in the flesh. The Man with the Mark is revealed to be a former member of the Brotherhood(!) named Vedis(!!), but he isn't seen again after Eugene speaks with him... once. (More on this later this post is getting so long omg) 

The Baron’s plan is revealed to be stealing a reward offered for the lost princess when it’s on display to the public during a festival. Eugene and Lance balk b/c stealing doesn’t sit well with them, especially when it’s from what are ultimately a family trying to find their lost child- they decide to do the right thing by foiling the scheme/stealing it back and returning it to the royals. It goes a bit pear-shaped and they’re caught, but are forgiven and face no consequences after explaining, other than being ousted from the circus/crime ring and making enemies of the Baron. Eugene hasn’t given up on finding the DK, but he realizes he already has a family in Lance, and that’s the most important thing; the two resolve to travel the world and have adventures together.

I want to make another post on it, but at the least it feels like a foregone conclusion given we know ‘Flynn Rider’ goes on to become a renown thief who steals the crown of the lost princess- that’s literally the plot of the movie, and being a dashing rogue is Flynn’s defining trait- so even aside from questionable ideas about wealth, class, and morality, the novel’s ending doesn’t fit what’s firmly established about his character, and I think big fans of Eugene might have an even harder time with that then me. 

(I’m very suspicious that there might’ve been some executive meddling in an attempt to soften young Eugene’s character, and send a more palatable/upstanding message to children- it feels like Disney editing the old SW films to show Han didn’t shoot first.)

It’s def one of those novels where you can take some elements you like and leave others, but overall I’d still rly rec it for series fans! I’ve been buzzing and what-iffing about it for a few days, and I got some tasty tidbits on the characters and nods to the series, which is exactly what I wanted out of it.

And maybe it’s a funky take, but honestly I want to think of this book as the beginning of an alternate timeline where Lance and Eugene got out of crime earlier, Eugene got a clue abt his heritage by chance, and it changed his course. I think embracing the retcons and contradictions to canon makes for an interesting angle, and you’ll enjoy it more if you don’t take it too seriously. 

[hawkland]

Destiel fic recs (round #4) + commentary

Time for another (mostly) Destiel fic rec round-up post before my bookmarks get out of control! This one’s a mix of longer and some shorter fics (or series thereof), no particular theme except I guess a lot of angst, hurting Cas, and all the other things that tickle my Id. Several Season 9 human!Cas divergence fics, plus some later season angst-fests and rewrites.

In the Shadow of your Wings by Enochian Things (Salr323) (52k) The first of two fics by this author which I absolutely fell in love with! Canon-divergence from the end of Season 11. Cas finds himself blasted to Naples, Italy by the banishing sigil in the bunker and he stumbles — almost literally — into a sexy, delightful Italian Man of Letters, Luca. When he makes his way back to the bunker and finds Dean still alive, he tries to confess his feelings but Dean panics and shuts him down. Cas goes back in Italy soon thereafter and ends up beginning a relationship with Luca, much to Dean’s chagrin. Meanwhile Sam is still missing and it turns out there may be some dangerous individuals who are out for Cas more so than even the Winchesters. 

I loved everything about this fic so much - Luca is an amazing OC, the Naples and London locations are wonderfully evoked and took me straight back to places I’d been. The angst, the pacing, the plotting and the eventual Dean/Cas getting together are all amazing and this is definitely on my re-read in the future list.

The rest of my recs below the cut!

My heart is beating from me by Enochian Things (Salr323) (55k) The other fic by this author that I literally inhaled in one day! Season 9 Human!Cas canon divergence. It’s been months since Sam and Dean have heard from Cas, and when they do, it’s in the form of a wedding invitation. Cas is getting married to Daphne - the woman who “rescued” him and named him Emmanuel when he’d lost all his memories post-Leviathans. It seems Cas went back to her while on his own and they’ve rekindled their relationship...whatever it is. Dean just knows something isn’t right about her, so he sets out to investigate and try to figure out WTF Cas is doing before it’s too late. 

This story is so, so good! The case Dean gets Cas to come along on is unique and provides a neat investigation subplot, but what’s so especially wonderful is the explanation the author gives of who Daphne really is — and why she’d been so cool about just having a strange man with no memories move in to be her “husband” (and then want to marry him for real a couple years later, after he’d vanished from her life!) In fact it’s so brilliant I’m basically accepting it as my Daphne headcanon from now on and I don’t want to spoil it. The fic is also great in exploring Cas still struggling with understanding human emotions, customs and etiquette, Sam is A Very Good Friend, and Dean is, well, Dean. (I’m just sad this author hasn’t written more SPN fics because what they have is just brilliant.)

The wilderness. by orange_crushed (8k) Wonderful, shorter Season 9 canon divergence fic by an author who consistently makes me happy. Human!Cas leaves the bunker with a few things to get off the ground from Dean and directions to connect with Garth...but he ditches that plan to try to find his way on his own. It’s wonderfully detailed about the basic struggles of survival, finding work, making ends meet and trying to make some new friends...and why it’s important for him to prove he can make it on his own before he’s willing to welcome Dean (back) into his life.

I Through My Window See by deHavilland (26k) This is an interesting one, written well before we had canon human!Cas in Season 9. Canon-divergence in which Cas remains human after they avert the apocalypse in Season 5. Sam and Dean set him up in an apartment in Sioux Falls and then...just kind of abandon him there. He spends most of a year just barely existing before a visit from Sam finally stirs him out of his inertia and depression, to eventually get a job and also start hunting on his own. This is an interesting read, if just to see an author exploring the idea of human!Cas abandoned by Dean a few years before it actually...ended up becoming canon! I love how Cas is written in this (it’s a story much like the next one on my list that I thought does an amazing, realistic job of capturing what depression feels like), but I do have some issues with Dean. It’s never fully resolved or explained why Dean was being such an ass so I honestly wasn’t totally sold on the ending - I wanted some more out of Dean, some more explanation or apology or something. It’s a story that would have been great to have a sequel from Dean’s POV but after all this time, that will just have to exist in my brain, I suppose! Still worth a read because it’s excellently written, Cas becomes totally bad ass again by the end and it’s always fun to read early SPN fic speculating on future developments.

I Shall Not Want by domesticadventures (20k) I found myself inhaling a bunch of wonderful short ficlets by this author the other day, but this is the one I had to stop at to rec. It’s another Season 9 divergence fic, of a sort - Cas is newly human, for the sake of the story there’s no Abbadon to worry about, Sam is healed...and Sam wants to move out and get on with his own life. Cas and Dean are both struggling with adapting to their new lives and it’s a hauntingly rich and stark portrayal of depression, inertia, and the slow healing process of accepting and adapting to change. I also liked that this story gives us a Dean who is a little more aware of his feelings for Cas and they both struggle to reach out to each other - for once it’s not sexuality causing a crisis of identity but all the other shit they are coping with.

Don't Sing Love Songs by ireallydidthistomyself (17k). I’m not normally a big fan of baby/toddler!Jack fics - I like the angst that he was forced to grow up too quickly, and in general I’m not big on kid!fic in fandom. This author’s work is a big exception to that. They’ve written several stories along a similar theme: Cas raising Jack on his own/in secret for years, Dean only finding them or coming back into their lives later on. But this is the version of that idea that really packed the most punch for me and was incredibly emotionally satisfying. Dean finds Cas after 6 years, where he’s kept Jack mostly isolated and safe from the world. But with Dean allowed back into his life, Cas may be inviting grave danger upon Jack as well. This one ripped my heart out but managed to make it all better by the end.

Better Ways to Kill Our Time by always_a_birthday_girl (8k) I don’t know why I torture myself reading Dean-in-the-Ma’lak-box AUs, but I do. I think because it’s pretty much my biggest nightmare/horror and for some reason it’s cathartic while terrifying? Anyway here’s one where Dean goes through with his plan, Cas crashes and burns for most of a year, until Dean finally starts doing what he promised he wouldn’t: praying to him. Cas figures out a way to communicate back and over the distance, they manage to have certain conversations they should have years before. It’s painful but lovely and there is a happy ending, so it’s well worth the read!

Time Flows Like Water and We're Drowning by triedunture (7.9k) A little break from the later-seasons stuff I (mostly?) read, featuring a seriously hot (but angsty) Cas/Endverse!Cas/Dean threesome. When Zacariah’s plan to show Dean the future doesn’t change his mind about taking on his “responsibility”, he sends Endverse!Cas back in time to try to convince Cas instead, showing him what he’s to become. I don’t think Zac expected it to turn into a threesome, but it’s hot and beautiful and sad and wonderful all at once. 

hachikireru by vaudelin  (23k) At one point I went on a wallow-fest of reading a bunch of sad 14x20-15x03 divorce-arc fics. Just to hurt myself more, I guess. I know this fic’s been recced around a lot (at least on fail_fandomanon) and I can see why! After leaving the bunker, Cas ends up in Sioux Falls to visit Claire. She’s busy tracking down leads to find Kaia’s killer and he decides to go along with her on one such hunt. But what they find is an unexpected supernatural threat targeting those with broken hearts. Well. I think you know where that might be leading. This is a wonderful casefic with lots of character moments between Cas & Claire and then Cas & Dean, working through their pain and angst and just...it’s a very satisfying read.

Moriah Codas: A Trilogy by Toomanyfandoms99 (11k total) A series of 3 shorter fics spinning off the events of 14x20, developing a slightly divergent universe the author’s written where Cas does have his wings back and has helped resurrect a few of the angels (Balthazar, Gabriel, and Samandriel in particular). This series is absolutely heartbreaking — Cas is completely broken by Jack’s loss, has “fallen out of love” with Dean after he was ready to kill Jack, and sees no way back to what he’d had and felt before. He’s determined to just let the Empty take him...but not until he and his assembled squad of “avenging angels” clean up the mess Chuck has created, smiting zombies and taking out super-powered monsters across North America. 

Cas’s motorcycle gang/angel squad is so fucking awesome (I want a happy fic where they do this!) and this is BAMF!Cas at his finest. I just have to include a quote:

He set down the empty glass, and Gabriel said, “well, dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to kick some zombie ass. Since they have chosen to amass in Carthage, we are here to take out as many as we can without causing this town to flip the fuck out. Are we in agreement?”

“I expect,” Balthazar grinned, “a full-on bar brawl. Do not disappoint me.”

“Cassie, Driel,” Gabriel addressed the duo, “how are we with weapons?”

“I have enough machetes in a storage facility uptown to film a Jackie Chan movie,” Castiel said.

But it’s also utterly and completely heartbreaking, so don’t read this one if you need a happy ending. If you do read, check out the author’s other later-season coda fics and fic series as they are all really great.

to mend what is not broken by gothyringwald (2.6k) This last short one I’ve mentioned before, but I just have to rec it again! It was my gift for the 2021 Hurt Comfort Gift Exchange and it’s everything I wanted, and more. Sweet and caring Dean, wounded but still prideful Cas, and some lovely wing!kink/wing!care that pushes all of my button just right.

Anyway, that’s it for now as I think this is long enough. If you enjoy my recs, could you let me know? I try to not just list titles but give some commentary...as it helps me re-find stories I enjoyed the most, too!

[sluttbuttsstuff]

Mista x Reader fic Not SFW: The Slurpee Incident

This fic was dangerously self-indulgent, but I hope you’re still able to enjoy it.  Also an alarming amount of Angela Lansbury to not be a crack fic

WARNING: Not sfw, blow jobs, deep throating, fluff, public indecency (?) several references to older tv shows including murder she wrote, etc

“Angela Lansbury is a saint, and I won’t tolerate any more slander to her good name!”  Mista proclaimed, stomping down the snack isles of the local convenience store.  Mista had called you about an hour ago to let you know he was done with “Work” and the two of you were in the beginning of your domestic routine.  Mista and you would, at least once a week, grab as many snack foods as the two of you could carry to replenish your boyfriend and the Sex Pistols, build a pillow fort in your living room, and binge watch old tv shows no one had heard of for decades until you either fell asleep, had sex, or sometimes both.  The two of you had  gotten through Dragnet, Boston Legal, Trailer Park Boys. You had recently started watching murder she wrote, which had brought you to your current discussion.

“Of course she’s a saint, Mista, i’m not arguing that at all- for god’s sakes she’s Mrs. Potts, it’s impossible to hate her!  I’m just saying, would it kill the writers to come up with plot lines that don’t revolve around her family?  I mean, Grady’s cool and all, I like the relationship  between him and Jessica-”  Jessica is, of course, the name of Angela Lansbury’s character-”But Grady’s fiance?  And family??  Donna’s a cute enough character, but the episode about their wedding was like something from a sitcom, not a murder mystery.”  You argued your case to him, stopping by the Slushy machine to fill a cup, “Your favorite still Blue Raspberry?”

“Yes, and I will admit, that sometimes the familial subplots run a bit thin, and certain episodes don’t let Angela shine her brightest-BUT!”  He Pointed at you for emphasis, as he grabbed the slushie from you and took a dramatic sip, “ -BUT the small town drama and family drama is what  MAKES Murder She Wrote the show it is!  I mean, Doc Seth, Sheriff Tupper?  They’re just as important as Jessica to Cabot Cove!” 

A cleared throat followed by a glare from the cashier interrupted the two of you, pointedly looking at the drink and open packages Mista had been too impatient to get into.  Sheepishly, the two of you paid for your stash and quickly left, nothing but a bell to signal you were even there.  

You paused outside of the doors, looked at one another, and burst into laughter.

“Man,did you see that guy’s face?  Can you imagine, he probably had no idea what we were talking about at all!”  Mista cackled.  

“He must think we’re crazy or something!”  You giggled, pulling him away and toward your favorite shortcut.  

Normally you wouldn’t go home down a back alley like this, especially in the dark of night, but with Mista you had zero worries.  Yes, he was a silly man passionate about old tv shows and actresses, but he was also a full-fledged mafioso that you trusted with your life. 

 “Hey, gimme some more of that slushie, I'm super thirsty.”  You pulled the straw to your lips, sucking.  You couldn’t help but notice the way Mista eyed you so intently, a flush on his cheeks and a lump on his throat.  Looking down, you could see another lump as well.

“Seriously, Mista?”  You asked, rolling your eyes.  Your boyfriend had a hair trigger in his pants, and you weren’t talking about the sex pistols.

“Hey~ cut me some slack!  It’s been awhile since i saw you last, and, y’know,”  Mista stammered, trying to justify himself, “I like the way you drink my slushie~”

You snorted, “Are you sure it’s not because you’ve been thinking about Angela Lansbury”  You teased him.

“I plead the fifth.”

“Just shut up and kiss me.”  You grabbed Mista, dropping your grocery bags (without spilling them onto the dirt soaked asphalt, thank you) and Kissed him hard.  Mista quickly reciprocated, letting you push him against the brick wall behind him.  You bit his lip before pulling away, tasting the blue raspberry on his lips.  

“Your tongue’s blue,”  Mista said, sticking a thumb into your mouth, poking you to stick it out.  You licked his finger, and felt him twitch through his pants, groaning.  You pulled away from Mista, only to kneel down in front of him.  

“Holy shit, y/n, for real?  Here??”  Mista whispered, as if he was afraid someone was going to find the two of you. 

“ Keep drinking your slushie and stay quiet, I'm gonna make sure I'm the only woman you can think about for the rest of the night~”  You replied, playing with his happy trail, gleefully watching the way  Mista’s body leaned into your touch.  

Mista  choked on the straw with how quickly he jammed it into his mouth, moving with you to help you take his belt off of his tacky pants, and pulled him out of his underwear’s fly.

He groaned, biting the straw and bucking into your hands.  Giggling, you shushed him stroking his shaft briefly, making sure he was fully hard and ready for you.  You stuck out your blue tongue and licked a stripe from base to tip, swirling it around the head teasingly.  Mista growled,  his free hand Pushing you face first onto his cock, too impatient and nervous to draw out the teasing in a back alley like this.  You moaned on his shaft, feeling it hit the back of your throat, savoring the feeling of fullness that would have intimidated you at the beginning of your relationship.  Mista was large, but you weren’t a quitter- you had conquered his dick in your mouth, pussy and even ass like the size queen you were. 

“Fuuuuck, y/n, you really know how to drive a guy wild.  Did you do this sort of thing with any  other lucky punk who dated you?” He grunted, trying not to move his hips and choke you on his cock.  You just looked him in the eye as you deep throated him to the base, massaging his balls in one hand.  

“Jesus, bella, keep doing that and I'm gonna cum real fast!”  Mista gasped, nearly dropping his slushie.  

“That’s kind of the idea,“ You told him bluntly, popping off his throbbing prick, to catch a deep breath before continuing.

  Bobbing your head on and off him steadily faster, careful not to hit your gag reflex.  Mista grinned down at you, clearly enjoying himself.  In truth, he had been wanting this long before your slushie, but had planned to be a gentleman and ignore it until you were home and comfortable.  But you, you could read him like a book, and always treated him right.  Not just in the bedroom, but all the other ways that made him feel warm and fluffy inside.  You were wonderful with Sex Pistols, you let him hang out with his gang no questions asked, you even accepted the unsavory, highly illegal parts of him as well.  This?  This was just icing on his cake, or rather  syrup in his slurpee.  

You could tell from the way Mista was looking at you, and leaking in your mouth, that he was close.  You made sure to focus your efforts on his sensitive head, stroking his shaft with one hand and playing with his testes in the other.  

“H-hey, i’m… y’know, so either pull off or don’t choke,”  Mista warned you. You nodded; you wouldn’t dream of it.  You said his name around his pulsing cockhead, and he busted hard and fast down your waiting throat.  His cum was thick and creamy, and tasted vaguely sweet, or was that the slushie?  Either way, you swallowed it all down as you stared at him unashamedly.  

“y/n~~!”  He giggled.  Watching you swallow his load was always his favorite part.  Like he was marking you as his.  He pulled you off of the ground and kissed you, tongue tasting the remnants in each other’s mouths. You brushed off the dust from your pants, and grabbed the now-melted slurpee from Mista and finished it off.

“Heyyy!”  He complained, watching you throw it into a dark corner of the alley.  “Oh hush, I have plenty of soda at home.” Mista moped a little, but let it go, throwing an arm over your shoulder after he and you grabbed your grocery bags.

“Hey y/n,” Mista asked, walking to your place, “I was thinking- after we finish Murder she Wrote, do you wanna watch Friends?”

“First, you can eat my pussy out when we get home. We’ll figure out what to binge watch later.”

[katherinewilliams221b]

For A Greater Good Fun Facts and Self Assesment (spoilers)

Long Post

What worked and what didn’t:

I think the overall structure worked pretty well. The most difficult part was, with the plot and subplot already created, scattering all those ideas throughout the text in such a way that at least made some sense. I regret not writing more about Mer Yankelevich, I feel like the crumbs I left on the way were not enough; in my attempt to make it subtle it lacked information about her. The key piece was of course her sister, and I should have introduced her sooner.

MC’s evolution. I feel like Kate’s learnt a lot with this experience (I’m not only referring to the Deathly Hallows or Grindelwald) When it started, she was very discreet and kept a low profile, not knowing what to do really, not taking more risks than necessary. And then she ended poisoned and splinching just to protect a document she thought was important. I hope her evolution is noticeable for the reader.

Worldbuilding. Grabbing HP concepts that were forgotten and full of potential, plus a dash of original ideas from me and blending them with muggle features was my absolute favourite part of the process.

On that note, I dont own these concepts: Durmstrang, Igor Karkarov, Nerida Vulchanova, umbrella flowers, fanged geraniums, billywigs, Appare Vestigium, glow-worms, trick wand, chamaleon ghouls, 

If you’ve read the fic and thought: “everything happened so fast” or got a general odd feeling about the timeline it's because I made a series of  monumental mistakes: setting a chapter limit, telling you about it and then tried to stick to it.  At first the idea sounded nice: this is my first “big” story  with complicated components. I should (and I did) do an outline of what I want to happen in each chapter and stick to it methodically so I don't forget what's happening or lose track of the plot. Well...it kind of backfired. So I wrote the first 3 chapters and at that point I thought “okay everything is going as planned, I’m going to put it out there”, bam, instantly cursed. After that it got ridiculously difficult to make the story that I wanted. Why? I needed chapter space that I convinced myself I couldn’t add. Dumb.

The major consequence of this was the lack of character backgrounds. It started out good, but as I kept writing and publishing I realised that I missed some great opportunities to make amazing ocs. That’s Corentin’s fault in a way: he wasn't going to be a major character, really, just a piece to help Kate a bit. But we all fell in love with him so what was I supposed to do? Also, Sheyi Mawut owns my heart and he got just a bit of spotlight. A shame.

I wish I had written more about them, but I think I wasn’t ready just yet to make it even more complicated.I just wanted to prove I could concoct a mystery plot and now that I know I can manage a fair amount of information I think I can take it a step further and deepen new ocs a little bit more.

I’m thinking about the datura series and I know why I got blocked and tired of writing it; it wasnt going anywhere because I wasnt prepared, and I didn’t do the months of outlines and planning that I did with this one. I’ll come back to the datura story one day, subjecting it to a sever rewrite. The ideas are there, I just need to be organised.

Although the chapter limit was problematic it was also a good exercise of managing space and deciding which things were unnecessary for the story. I dont think there’s any filler chapters, perhaps the last ones, but there is important information there too so... However this sentence  from the blog  wordsandstuff reassured me (and I think I did a good job at that?)

If you set out to write 10 parts and you write a fantastic story in 8, you haven’t failed and it’s not too rushed. Concise writing is an underrated talent. Focus on how effectively you engage the reader, not for how long.

I spent more than year writing this! When I started, I had a lot of ideas, I wrote the last two chapters then the first 3 and I really thought it was going to be that way with the rest of the story... okay... lesson learnt. #humbled

Other thoughts:

I received a couple of comments on ao3 that said that they were pleasantly surprised. Maybe I should change the tags because they are misleading? Clearly this wasnt what people were looking for lol.

One particular comment stood out to me and quoting it said:  “You did not choose the easy way with a fiction with so few characters from the fandom.”  And I’ve been thinking about this since I read it. It didn’t occur to me that there were few mystery fics (maybe I should write more things like that? Maybe throwing some power couple detective work 👀 ) In any case, I’m glad  I contributed with something different to the fandom, and the fact that the Charlie bits are very scarce but people who read it still liked it is really flattering.

I wanted to make sure that all the characters had strengths and flaws, I didnt want to severus-snape them so maybe I overdid it with that bit of introspection kate does at the end...

Also, I did the kiss and fade thing twice to mention sex. I know some people dont like that but since it wasnt the point of the story and I havent done research on how to write sex scenes I didnt include them. I have that on my “to learn” list.

Conclusions:

Writing the whole thing was incredible. It's my first ‘big’ project and its not a great work (there are some things I wish I did better, thats what you get when you are an agatha christie wannabe) and not writing more character backgrounds will haunt me to this day,  but I think it's at least good for a first series and I’m proud of it. I loved spending hours doing research and trying to piece together this puzzle. And of course I’m not an expert and I dont want to sound pretentious (like this is my first story) but if you are planning to write this type of genre I can be another source of tips and tricks for you.

If I read the story after a while and I dont cringe, I would call that a success.

FUN? FACTS!

Bakunawa really belongs to Filippines mythology

Snapdragons have different meanings, one of them being: “grace under pressure or inner strength in trying circumstances”

The entrance to Grindelwald’s room was going to be in the duelling classroom, strangely shaped as a triangle. I had this system where one of the round candle lamps descended and lined up with a line on the floor (serving as separation for duels) it created the Deathly Hallows symbol. I couldn’t make that work because it wouldn't make any sense for Nerida Vulchanova to shape a room like that.  Here are some sketches:

Lucius Malfoy was going to appear as the Ministry employee that goes to Durmstrang, but after revising the events of the OoP I realised it was impossible.

Kent Jorgensen was going to be around Kate’s age and the charms teacher and he would have a small crush on her. After seeing some pics of Pen Medina, I rewrote the character completely.

The series was going to be 6 chapters long (I’m glad I decided not to) one for each month. The chapter names were ridiculous: January of Beginnings, February of reputation, March of Students, April of Discoveries, May I? and June of Endings. #tragic

The Dolohov family was going to be a part of the plot but I had to erase that part because it was unlocking another layer of complexity that I just couldnt handle.

I dont remember exactly the chapter but I got really confused with the names Rhode and Hodges and there’s one chapter where I accidentally mixed them (I corrected it I think), but for a while I could stop calling Rhode, Hodges, and vice versa lmao

Here are some sketches that helped me describe and imagine things

Thank you for accompany me in this journey, especially if you endured the process with me lmao. You’ve been here for over A YEAR! <3 Mindblowing

Also I’d love to know your opinions about the way you read the story, I mean, I know some people read it as I published, and some other readers found the story already finished, what are the differences? Should I stop the updating system and drop a story all at once? I know it is difficult to keep up with a complex story if there’s a lot of weekly or monthly gaps between the chapters, so I wanted to know.

Sending you a virtual hug 💜💜

[writing-with-olive]

A starting place for self-editing your novel

I wrote this in a reblog to one of @boy-who-can-fly​‘s posts, but as I couldn’t add any tags to that that would make it findable to more than just my followers, I figured I’d make the same content in an original post because YAY TAGS!

Without further ado...

1) Take a break.

Some authors have suggested taking a break for six or so weeks, but I find anything longer than three makes me too distanced from my story, and I have to work a lot harder to get back into my protagonist’s head. During this break, don’t so much as look at your story. Instead, focus on something else. Maybe growing your author platform, planning or developing another wip, or researching the publishing industry if publishing is the end goal for your book (this goes for both traditional and self pub). The point of this is that without some distance, it’s going to be a lot harder to see larger developmental flaws.

(this is a very long post, so the rest of the steps are below the break)

2) The first read-through.

After your break has ended, and you’ve got to be a little stern with yourself not to extend it farther than what you set, or else you’ll never return to it, do a readthrough. This means either just reading it off you’re computer or kindle, or going to somewhere like staples and getting it printed and spiral bound (this costs money, but I found it helpful down the line). Two rules: 1) no editing. 2) look at the first rule. This read-through is going to help give you a general sense of what is and isn’t working in your book; the problems you notice here are likely going to be the biggest ones. (if you want, you can combine this step with step three, but I found it more helpful to keep them seperate)

3) Outline.

It doesn’t matter whether you outlined before, or whether you decided to pants it. By the time you get to editing, you need to have an outline that’s reflective of what you actually put on the page. Go through your story, chapter by chapter, and for each new scene write down

what is your character’s goal in this scene

what is standing in their way

what is the outcome of the scene.

This list should not go into depth; one short sentece per point, MAX. That being said, make sure to keep things specific, so “MC wants to convice X to go with them to Y.” is going to be a lot more useful to you later on than “MC tries to convince them to go.” This outline is going to help you objectively look at your story structure, as you can see a lot more of what’s happening at once, without being quite so overwhelmed by the sheer mass of the words you wrote. Yes, this step can be a bit tedious, but it is so, so worth it.

4) Sort out what you need to fix, aka start making a game plan for your edits.

Now that you’ve read through your wip at least once through, and probably twice, you probably have a pretty good idea of what you need to fix. The key here is that right now, you want to be fixing on the global edits - the things that span beyond just a single scene or chapter. The reason why is that you don’t want to be spending hours perfecting a scene that you’re just going to need to cut later because it doesn’t advance the plot.

In a new document or spreadsheet (whatever you think will work better for you, I liked using a google doc), write issues you see with:

Each of your main cast (regarding character development, motivations voice, etc)

Setting/s (consistancy, realism for your world)

General worldbuilding (consistancy, things poorly explained/set up)

Main plot (following a given plot structure, building tension, etc)

Each subplot (how it intertwines with the main plot, plot structure, building tension, etc)

Other major things you noticed during your readthroughs

These things tend to be larger scope, and generally are worth addressing first.

5) Picking your edit.

Look at the list of edits, and see which one is going to cause the most ripples through your story. This is going to be the first thing you look at to fix. If there are more than one edits that will all have major impacts on the story, think about which edit would make the other ones easier.

For example, in my wip, Project Toxin, my plot was, well, a trainwreck and a dumpster fire’s love child. But my characterization for my MC was also a wreck. Still, getting the overall plot more in order would make it easier for me to edit my MC, so I chose plot first.

6) Make a game plan for your edit.

Before diving in and ripping through your first draft, come up with a game plan. Brainstorm possible solutions to the edit you’ve chosen, and look at what ripples it would cause. You want to make sure that what route you take isn’t going to upset something major or crucial to your story. Most likely whatever solution you choose will cause some other upsets, so just make sure to think through what makes most sense for your story.

For example, when working on my story, I was fixing plot first. Figuring out my game plan meant looking at my scene list and moving things around/adding/cutting content until I had a plot that was much more satisfactory, and that was, in my mind, not a wreck.

Possible game plans for different types of edits:

1. Plot:

Look at your scene list. What helps to advance the plot? What is dragging the pacing. Are there any elements that you are adding or cutting in your overall story that need to be accounted for? With this in mind, cross out scenes that you want to cut, move scenes around that need to come in a different order, add scenes that need to be added, and mark scenes that need to be combined into one.

2. Characters:

For each of your characters, look at their character development. It’s going to be hard to make them come to life better on the page unless you’ve got a grasp of who they are, even if you didn’t plan them out originally. If you have not, consider listing in a spreadsheet or google doc what their backstory is, what their goals are, why they want those goals, and what a few of their strengths and weaknesses are. Also think about their voice: what words do they use more often? Sentence structures? What do they sound like when they’re talking? Stuff like that. If your character is inconsistant, pick one version of them that you want to follow (knowing that they will likely change over the course of the story), and look at what parts of them you will need to change to accomodate that.

3. Setting/Worldbuilding:

I’ve put these together here as they’re somewhat similar. For poorly explained aspects of worldbuilding, look at where you might add in little details so you can better set that foundation (this is not usually a global edit). If things are inconsistant, look at what makes the most sense for your story, and like what we talked about with characters, alter the rest to accomodate that.

7) Making edits.

This is where you really get to dig in and really move things around. Using the edit you’ve picked and the game plan you’ve developed, go through scene by scene and make the changes. I strongly recommend having a seperate doc from your rough draft to store your second draft in. Currently, my process is to have both open at the same time, and if a scene is already fine, I’ll just copy/paste it over. At least for me, however, it’s usually not, and I’ll either make tweaks to fix it up, or, more often at this early stage, I’ll rewrite it. As an added bonus, I also find that rewriting it makes my prose a lot stronger, since I’ve grown so much as a writer since I originally wrote the scene.

Since you know your story better, you may find other elements that you want to change are improving as you edit. If not though, don’t worry - they’ll get their own editing pass.

8) Repeat steps 5-7

You made a list of edits you needed to make back in step four. Now, follow steps 5-7 to make all of those edits and changes.

9) Repeat steps 2-8

Two steps telling you to repeat in a row? Yes. The deal now is that you want to make sure you’ve cleaned up any global edits before moving on to anything smaller. If you’ve been thourough thus far, this will be a very fast step. If not, think of this step as a safety net. There may have been ripples that you didn’t notice earlier on, and it’s a good thing you’re catching them now.

10) Chapter edits

At this point, we’ve cleaned up all the big edits. Now we’re going to look at each chapter. Within each chapter, there needs to be a mini-arc. A beginning, middle, and end. This is the time to really focus on that. Also focus on things like tightening up prose, combining or compressing paragraphs, making sure you’ve adequately set the scene, etc. If you’re over the word count limit regarding your genre, also focus on cutting a certain number of words from each chapter to put your story back within those limits.

11) The little things

This is about combing through your wip to find all of the little errors that have made their way through edits. Typos, weird or incorrect grammar, useless adverbs, things like that. At this point, everything is on a more superficial level.

Beta Readers

Given that this has gotten quite long, I’m not going to go in depth about beta readers here, but around step 10/11, you’re going to start recruiting beta readers (you’re going to want to try and have multiple rounds of somewhere around 10 betas each, which is why having a good author platform is useful: recruiting is easier). Between each round, you’re going to look at their feedback and make the necessary edits. After several rounds of beta readers, you’re going to look it over a few more times, and then if you’re going the traditional publishing route, you’re going to query agents. If you’re going the self-pub route you’re going to look to hire a professional editor. If you’re not looking to publish, this may be the end of the line.

Good luck editing!

[juniaships]

Actiontoongorlz's Top 8 Canon x OC Ships 💖💖

I've been looking at OTP/Couples memes for a while and decided that it's time for me to make my own! For an extra surprise I'm not putting Ben Tennyson x Jora Holiday on this list because I focus too much on them anyways & I want my other OCs & their loves to have the spotlight for a change. The timing couldn't be more perfect as we're close to Valentine's Day!!! If you don't support canon x oc or find my ships displeasing then move along because this is a Happy Place! 😁😁 Again these are couples that I consider my personal OTPs in regards to canon x oc. That and making more content with my ships in general! Be warned the text is long and contains spoilers for certain shows and such!!

Clarify: these are my own ocs so there's not going to be anyone else's oc/canon. I might have to save that for another post in the future! 💚 But yeah these are characters that I came up with :]

Alright I'm done ranting, let's get started!

1. Sonic x Lani: I never quite gave much thought into this pair as I should so I promise to do something with them in the future! I promise! What I appreciate about SonLani is that there's little drama, like everything is super chill because both parties are chill. It's not a big deal and they don't need grand gestures to show how much they care about each other. Unlike Preboot Archie with its carts full of poorly written romance and strangely OOC moments on Sonic's end, SonLani had a lot of time to grow, while keeping his established personality in check. They actually communicate with each other, and stick by each other thick and thin. Lani loves Sonic for who he is & has no plans on changing him. Likewise Sonic has someone he can rely on when things get tough; not to mention he can really be himself around her without going all "iLl sLOw dOWn fOr U." Plus the ship name I gave them is a huge nod to the games ^_^

2. Jason x Vanessa: A recent pair due to Vanessa being a new creation but I'm honestly in love with them right now. In-universe they are regarded as the prime example of 'Opposites Attract' in Odyssey. They didn't get along very well in Jason's first couple of months in town due to his hardheaded self and her aloof demeanor. But through events such as Blackgaard and Novacom they gradually learn to trust one another. They see each other in a different light, Vanessa realising that Jason is a lot more thoughtful than he lets on, and Jason discovering her hidden fun side and kindness. Vanessa provides challenges and a sense of normalcy Jason can enjoy away from spy business. Meanwhile Jason fulfills her thirst of adventure & simultaneous desire for a peaceful life as well as spirituality. They're a equals, regarding each other as such and not to mention the BANTER! Hard to believe a former nun can keep up with a secret agent both physically and trading barbs XD. There's also the Forbidden Love factor of Vanessa being the duaghter of Regis Blackgaard, Jason defending her because he KNOWS she is nothing like her old man. Their friendship and romance overcome so many obstacles. I can honestly say that if Vanessa was canon she'd be the type of person Jason would like to be with especially over Jillian Marshall *gags*

3. Kaysha Wallace x Leo Hamato: Now here's a ship that I want to get more into 😁😁 Honestly I love the idea of this pairing: the serious leadee x bubbly spirit! Kaysha is very perky yet understands Leo's feelings on shouldering so much responsibility (she being the oldest child in her family). She's very willing to support him because she doesn't want to see him get all weary from burden. Likewise Leo can be himself around her, and teach her to be more responsible. He doesn't doubt her potential and sees her as an equal even during those periods where she was not on par with the other ninja. Kaysha shows Leo it's okay to relax and let other people help him out and not shut everyone out. When Leo expresses his ability to give her a safe life she simply laughs it off; the way she sees it him simply there in her life is enough. The most interesting facet is their dynamic varies between shows, so you'd see different scenarios and reactions as well as similarities and differences in their romance subplot.

4. Artie x Rhodanthe: Another couple I seriously need to give more attention to, they're meant to be is the foil to Shrek and Fiona in several ways. Artie and Rho may come from different social classes but they're both searching for a purpose to prove their haters wrong. Artie lacked confidence while Rho was overconfident believing she didn't need help. Together Artie learns to stand up for not only for his kingdom and loved ones hut also for himself; Rho's pride gets tempered by Artie's kindness and willingness to compromise. Another thing I like is that Artie has someone who loves him for him not because he is attractive and of royal blood. Likewise Rho has someone who respects her in spite of her social standing & shares her beliefs in making life easier for the poor & outcasts. While both lacke the physical prowess of Shrek and Fiona they rely on each other's resourcefulness and strategic thinking to get by. Unlike Shrek and Fiona they don't get married at the end of their focus movie, resolving to figure out where to take their relationship next. They still have their own life goals and don't want to rush into a relationship which sends a pretty good message. However they have their disagreements - in fact they got a huge argument that became a plot point in Shrek Forever After - but through it all they rediscover the things that made them fall in true love with each other. I'm really loving the subplot I have planned where they forget their memories and slowly fall back in love again.

5. Finn x Alma: Surprise! Yes8 I have a Cars OC (that was originally a fanon Disney Princess) who is the niece of Tow Mater in my verse and she enters a relationship with Finn McMissile. The thing I love about this pair is that it allows Alma to use her skills to flourish, treating amd healing injured spies. She's also into travel and adventure so she can pretty much keep up with Finn. Likewise Finn realizes she is more than just a pretty face or a one-off fling but someone with the passion to face challenges head on; Finn seems to love a good challenge! But overall they'd make a nice pairing, Finn showing Alma the world and Alma showing Finn some of the more simpler things in life.

6. Alexander Paine & Qiu Jin: Well well well look at what the cat dragged in? If it isn't our first villain pairing? XD Just kidding only one half is a genuine villain. What makes this couple so unique in that their storyline goes way back to before the events of the show, he being a agent and she a mechanic. They loved each other deeply, even to the point of starting a family, but forced apart due to some troubling events. When they do get back together it's not so much a bittersweet reunion as Paine became a full villain and Qiu Jin had spent years in&out mental institution before being released There's visible pain & regret, Alexander desperately wanting a semblance of what they once had. He seeks power not just for himself for to heal her. But Jin refuses to go along with his schemes wanting nothing more than to move on and see their children. Jin is a huge Mortality Pet for him, but his own selfish desires for power is a major obstacle their love can't overcome. It's the more bittersweet of my pairings but an important one nonetheless.

7. Bruce Wayne x Nicola Holden: Ok the Brooding Guy/Gentle Girl trope is a mixed bag these days but I really like this trope in regards to Brucola. Like with Artie/Rho, Bruce and Nicola come from different social classes but has that same compassion and drive to help others. Nicola is someone Bruce can trust but at the same time she lets him know there are boundaries (aka don't use my weaknesses as a contingency plan). I also feel like Bruce needs a sort of normal love interest, while he has canon normal girlfriends most of them were pretty boring. At least with Nicola she has has a life outside being a love interest her own goals and motivations. She also loves Bruce for him, not because of his money and good looks. It's a generally healthy dynamic built on honesty & empathy. Another reason why I find this pair adorable is that it actually matches with the rest of the Trinity; you know, like how Superman is with a journalist and Wondy is with a soldier/agent. Nicola & Bruce having different ways of pursuing justice while still sharing similar moral codes. It helps that Nicola is actually a hero rather than an antihero/villain/straight villain (Bruce dating a villan would only make him look like a hypocrite). Nicola sees all facets of Bruce's life and makes the choice to stay; provides some much needed light not just in his life but also the rest of the Batfam. In turn Bruce has another connection to the normal world that is willing to be in his life and see him genuinely happy. They're mature adults who ground each other and build each other up.

8. Optimus Prime x Malina Lovelace: Okay is it just me or do I think TFA Optimus Prime needs more love? What's funny is that at first Malina didn't like the thought of being outshined by newcomers in her superhero career. Spending time with Optimus makes her realize that there's more to being a superhero than fame. Optimus doesn't look down on her, and is more than willing to work with her and appreciate her work. She becomes touched by his friendliness and aceepts him and the other Bots. At the same time Malina reminds Optimus that it's okay to make mistakes and move on, and that it's okay to cut toxic people out. I even wrote a noncanon ficlet where Malina calls out Sentinel and Blackarachnia for the way they treat Optimus. OptMalina is a romance built on respect despite the obvious differences. Not to mention they have each other's back, and they learn about each other each time. And just like with KayLeo and BatRose there's different continuities which means unique versions of the Optlina pair. The Bayverse *chortle* and Prime versions are a few I'd love to explore in the future!

Miscellaneous

- Chad Charming x Soraya Nedakh: Essentially snobby rich kid who learns to be self sufficient and see past appearances through a positive influence. Soraya helps Chad to understand that being royalty isn't just pretty clothes and parties but actually using that status to help others. And Chad actually has his views challenged: Soraya doesn't back down easily.

- Jetta x Zane: The concept of JettaZane (or A Touch Of Snow/IceMagic) is that the robot teaches the human what it's like to be human. Jetta started out as an extremely cold person and a loner, but her time with Zane - the literal ninja of ice - gradually melts her heart & she becomes more caring and accepting. So the robot programmed to be human helps the human raised to be a cold machine unlearn her toxic traits and reclaim her humanity. Also Pixane is kinda boring imo, like they're only together because they're both robots. Not very compelling if you ask me.

- Brian Crown x Kelly Arbol: The wellmeaning goofball and the beatnik poet are something I rarely see much of, but that pretty much sums up their ship. Brian may be a bit self centered but he has a heart of gold and through Kelly's influence he becomes more confident in being a worthy successor to his dad. Meanwhile Brian respects Kelly in and out costume and teaches her how to have fun. Not to mention Kelly interacts with someone outside her circle, which is a welcome change from the trope of only dating someone within your circle.

- Janus Lee x Lenora Rose: Another pair from the same show as Paine and Qiu Jin, there's not much to say on them other than it's one of the most tragic couples. Lenora died a long time ago due to circumstances beyond her & Mr. Lee's control and it's her death that was the catalyst to his gradual descent into evil. As the show goes on we see glimpses of their life together and realize that Lenora is more than the Ghost, she was someone with her own dreams and motivations. She and Janus were outcasts who found companionship in each other, and were able to build a life together using their hard-earned resources to help others. Even in the last few months of her life she didn't go down without a fight, wanting her legacy to be one of love and hope. It's her memory that may be the key to redeeming Mr. Lee in the future of A.T.O.M.

- Ben Florian x Paige: Again not much else to say but they're the antithesis of Mal x Ben. One thing that bothers me about Mal & Ben is that they are supposed to be equals when it's pretty darn obvious from the scenes they were not. With PaigeBen it's clear that they ARE equals who respect each other. Ben's agency isn't reduced to just love interest, he has someone he has good communication with and wants to see him succeed. Paige has someone who shares her interests and see her more than just that One American Newbie. They LEARN to work together without love potions involved. Plus we haven't had a commoner Disney Princess in a while so Paige fills in as someone who works her way into high status then uses that status to help others with Ben at her side.

That's enough of my Canon x OC OTPs! I hope to explore them more throughout the year :) I work hard to flesh out my OCs and their romantic storylines as if they're real 💚😌

I do have KayLeo week planned for Feb 14 to Feb 21 so don't be shocked when I start posting rottmnt stuff or art of Kaysha! Anyways these are my personal ships that I enjoy despite the lack of content I made of them, so hopefully I have the creative juices flowing to make more stuff! Final note I'm working on a platonic oc x canon meme to show that love doesn't have to be romantic. A

[out-of-this-dimension]

M

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

Oh gosh, what do I NOT have on the back burner at this point?  I guess mild spoilers ahead for projects, although I’m really just going over the major plot point, not really what happens at the end.  Here’s a rough list of WIPs that have yet to be published in any capacity:

Transparent Hearts -- Several months after the events of Star Fox Adventures, Fox receives a message from General Pepper that there are rumors of a rebellion occurring between several of the fringe planets of the Cornerian Empire.  To try to smooth out tensions, General Pepper has decided to hold rallies featuring pop sensation La Luna, who is famous across all of the Lylat System.  Unfortunately, La Luna has become the target of an enigmatic assassin and Star Fox is hired to protect them from a grisly fate.  Also will feature a Fox and Krystal slow burn romance subplot.  This is the next “big” fic I have planned.

The Investigation -- Effectively, my hot take on the death of Vixy Reinard-McCloud and, more importantly, the investigation into her murder.  Takes place through the POV of an OC who is working as the detective on the case.  Features stuff like young Andrew, Fox being injured in the blast that killed his mom, James being mournful and trying to be a vigilante to figure out who killed his wife, and Andross being creepy.  Also lots of General Pepper.

Cheap Thrills -- The story of Falco joining the Star Fox team.  Involves Falco’s career as a criminal, Bill Grey makes an appearance, and Fox blackmailing Falco at one point.  Lots of shenanigans, probably won’t be a super long fic but more like And the World, A Little Bit Darker (25k words)

Serendipity -- A sequel to To Ashes, that follows Fara Phoenix becoming a vigilante on Papetoon.  Features Katt Monroe a lot.

Love and War -- Love Guru rewrite, aka how Krystal and Panther ended up together.  Also how Amanda and Slippy ended up together. Pre-Command stuff.  I started writing this idea a while back and ended up hating my own pacing so I’m rebooting it eventually.

O Fortuna -- A fic about Andrew getting into a political marriage with the Empress of Fortuna.  Lots of fluff and Andrew being awkward.

Requiem -- the story of what happened to Cerinia from Krystal’s POV, featuring Randorn.

Shadowed Starlight -- The fic idea that actually birthed every single SF fic I’ve ever made.  A completely original story that happens post-Command in which Dash and Andrew team up to cause the Second Lylat War against Corneria.  POV switches between Fox McCloud and Lloyd Darkmoon (OC), who are on either sides of the war.  Features Miyu and Fay as well as some spoilers from And the World, A Little Bit Darker.  Basically every fic I’ve written is supposed to point to this fic, which goes into a lot of worldbuilding stuff I’ve made over the last few years.

Aphelion -- The tentative sequel to Shadowed Starlight. 

Unnamed Sequel to Aphelion -- Self-explanatory.  I have 3 ideas for post-Command stories and this would be the last one officially.

Along with these are some vaguer ideas:

A short fic about Fox and Krystal breaking up 

A fic about Star Fox investigating suspicious activity on Sauria post-aparoids.

A fic about Fox being in a coma and Krystal has to use magic to pull him out of it.  Lots of mind magic, deep dive stuff with Fox’s childhood.

A fic about how Leon and Wolf found Panther.

Obviously these are a lot of fics and I don’t know if I will ever get to them all.  HOWEVER... I plan to be around for awhile so let’s hope I at least get to half of them.  Some of them are not going to be super long.