#I took a hot minute to get it out...

[onlyhereforturtles]

20 Questions For Fic Writers

So, I am brand new to the posting fics online scene and don't have much to back up these questions with. Most of what I've written are personal WIPs I will probably never release if finished, and I don't release much due to my inability to finish stories as well as my writing mostly being personal. So, since I've only got two released fics out due to this, I'm going to use my WIPs to answer some of these.

Thanks so much to @daboyau for the tag! This was fun!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

2 at the moment. Much of what I write is personal or I don't finish it, so I haven't released many.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

29,684, though with all my countless WIPs it's around 500,000

3. What fandoms do you write for?

TMNT, TF2, Creepypasta, MLP, and Hetalia, though I've only posted one of the TMNT fics and the others will never see the light of day!

(They're not finished and won't be).

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Of the two that are on there, the 2003 Lighthouse AU ranks above Work or Death in kudos.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Of course! But I'm also a bit (a lot) antisocial, even on the Internet. So I know there's going to be comments I want to respond to but don't know how to 😅

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

So, I tend to fail no matter how hard I try at writing bad or angsty endings. Somehow everything always ends up going well for the characters, even if I want them to fail. I'm great at giving trauma, just not giving bad endings. I also don't finish a lot of what I write, so there's a small pool to pick from here.

That being said, there is one I know of where both of the endings were planned before I even started writing it, (and no, I'm not finished with it yet), and one of them is a "bad" ending, so to speak. I don't want to talk too much about it, since it is a personal project, but essentially the main character has traveled to a different time and place where an alternate version of her family exists, except all of them are dead but one of her brothers. A lot happens, of course, but it eventually ends up with him being so injured he's rapidly dying. She has the ability to heal him, but he tells her not to because he wants to be with his family again. They have a whole emotional conversation and he dies in her arms. And then she's reunited with her real brothers hours later and won't let the one who died in her arms go for days afterwards. So, like, a bittersweet type of thing.

And that is quite literally the only angsty ending I've ever written. Angsty middles, however, is all I do, and angsty beginnings are a specialty of mine.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

The good ending of the one above! After years of battling through several different places on the way home, most of which consisting of alternate versions of people she knew, she finally got to make it back to her real family! They thought she was dead, so the reunion is of course filled with tears and group hugs and a lot of feelings. But that technically happens in both endings. The thing that makes it the good ending is that she was able to save her alternate brother and take him home with her, so he had a new family to love. (Yes I know the new family being his old family is a whole thing that could be psychologically bad. I assure you there's circumstances in place that change that whole perspective, but it'd take forever to explain).

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not as of yet, but we'll see what happens! If I do, it's fine by me because I loved it enough to release it and that's all that matters to me.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I have indeed tried to write smut before. My brain apparently doesn't do that. But that was also a super long time ago when I didn't know as much about that whole subject as I probably should if I want to write it properly, so maybe I'll try again and see how it goes. Not really interested in writing it now though, with all the WIPs I have putting me so far away from that mindset.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I've never been super interested in crossovers. Official crossovers are cool to see, but I don't usually look beyond that. I've found a small handful of crossover fics I liked, but have never written any. I guess my brain just prefers to stay within the world I'm working with.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope! I hope I never do, but I'm aware it's always a possibility, unfortunately.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but if anyone ever wanted to, I'd be honored.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I was once writing an original story (that I still hope to finish one day) and was telling a guy I was talking to about it. He came up with his own character to help me beef up the story background a bit, and we had a whole storyline about his character meeting the MC. We were going to determine how he fit into the main plot once I'd developed it more. Sadly, I lost inspiration for that story and fell out of touch with that guy, so that most likely won't happen. But that's the closest I've come to co-writing anything, except for a little back-and-forth with @allyheart707. That was fun!

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

Uhhhh I'm not really into shipping? I enjoy seeing other people's ships, but I'm not majorly into the romance part of watching or reading things unless it's the main point of the story. So, if a ship isn't canon, then I'm not obsessed over it or looking for or making content for it.

On a side note, I was very happy for Lyra and Bonbon when-

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Every. Single. One of them. There are a couple from my high school years I could care less about now, but all the others are still interests and still things I want to get finished. I have two original stories I already started writing, but got lost in the plot so I had to pause. I've got at least eight that I'm working on right now, all TMNT related except for two, and there's probably a couple more somewhere but I've lost track. But yeah I want to finish all of them. Once I can get them straight enough in my head to do so.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm pretty good with dialogue and character/world building. I tend to do a lot of go-with-the-flow with conversations, and I've been told they feel very natural. And I always know everything about who is in my story and why they are where they are and why the world or area is the way it is before I even start writing, which makes everything fall into place a lot easier.

I'm also pretty good at making small points, forgetting about them, and somehow coming up with something later on that connects perfectly with it in a way that makes it seem like that was the plan all along, even if it was done mysteriously enough the reader couldn't figure it out but the clues were all there. I really don't know how I do that, but I'm not complaining.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Plot. I'm horrible at developing a proper sequence of events or, you know, what we're even doing here. Are we fighting someone? Uh, maybe, but why? What'd they do? What are we trying to to stop them from doing? If we're not fighting someone, what world-saving quest are we going on, and what exactly are we meant to do on it? I have no clue. But everyone here is super developed and has a backstory and detailed list of powers if you need them. My go-with-the-flow attitude is a hindrance here because I can't connect everything if there's no greater picture to weave the threads through. Lighthouse is some strange outlier and I have no idea how it came together so cohesively.

I'm also not the best at describing things in a not straightforward kinda way. I can explain to you in detail how something looks and how the characters are moving and acting in the scene, but I can't do it in a fun way with analogies or flowing descriptions of emotions or any kind of whimsy to fill the scene out and immerse the reader further.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

If I specifically want the words spoken in the other language for a particular storytelling purpose, I'll do so. But only for, like, a couple words. If there needs to be longer sentences or conversation in another language, I'll clarify that that's happening and just write it in English. Unless I'm trying to make the reader feel like they're in the room but and don't know what the other characters are saying, maybe that'd work. But the couple times I've done it, it was the MC speaking in another language, so it felt more important to see it from her perspective and put it in English so the reader would understand her.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

TF2! My main character from one of my original works was originally my TF2 OC, but she ended up having such a complex story built around her that I pulled her out and gave her her own world. However, my first ever story was inspired by my uncle's book, and I believe it was meant to exist in his world. It doesn't have a fandom around it, as far as I know, but it was the first time I wrote within someone else's world. It was the first time I wrote at all, I'm pretty sure.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

My favorite one I've released is the 2003 Lighthouse AU, because it features my favorite turtle boys and took a lot of research to develop properly, and I love the way it came out. My favorite one I've written out of everything is the one I mentioned in 6 and 7. It's so complex and takes place at the almost end of a very long journey MC has taken to get home. So emotions are high, back stories are long, characters are tired and don't want to be here but still have to do this thing, and new bonds are created.

There's a lot that happens before the start of that story, but it's a personal work so I don't care too much for writing all that out. But it creates such a cesspool of history and emotion, all negative and positive mixed together, leading to certain character development moments I just constantly come back to and watch over and over again in my brain. And then there's the two endings that create whole separate sets of overwhelming emotions. I just can't get enough of my MC and her relationship with her alternate brother. They're perfect to me.

So it got a little wordy, whoops. I love talking about the stuff I write, and probably a little too much. And I would love to see @wendigomahana or @allyheart707 try this for themselves. Or just ignore it if you want. If anyone else happens to see this and wants to give it a shot, go for it!

[starry-bi-sky]

i think i'm hilarious -- aka i made blood blossom danny au memes

all of these come from my DpxDC prompt "i am pushing the batdad agenda--" and it's corresponding additions in the reblogs ksdjlf.

i am. rotating them in my head. forever and always. personally i think there should be more batdad aus in dpxdc, their dynamic could be neat. :)

[kasterarts]

Moving Forward. (Spoilers for YTTD up through 3-1b)

[sketchy-tour]

NEW COMPUTER OBTAINED!!!! Sai is redownloaded!!!! Drivers reinstalled!!!!!!!

Maybe I'll host a whiteboard after work to celebrate! 😈

[a-cat-in-toffee]

ideal humanstuck dynamic the most annoying douchebag in the universe and guy who Really doesnt wanna be there

[skywalker42]

What people think ADHD is:

So I went to my room to grab sticky notes to leave my roommate a reminder on the dryer but then I saw my week old mug on my nightstand so I went to put it away and then when I was in the kitchen I realized there's no room for it in the cabinet and now I'm measuring the wall for shelving units.

Which, yeah, it is that. It's definitely that. But it's also this series of texts I sent to my friend this morning:

[luck-of-the-drawings]

OH ARTHUR BENNETT.. such a gorgeous and intriguing character. terribly burdened by a GRUESOME set of crimes, his light suffocated by a HEAVY century of GUILT. so tragic, so dark and broody, and yet PAINFULLY awkward in any social setting ever

[gunstellations]

"お前は失ってばかりじゃねえ"

"you haven't only received loss"

[enhanced-operatives-division]

i don't think you've made a solaris design yet.... but am i allowed to request solaris anyways. or will i get beaten with two billion hammers until i die. for this.

No hammers for you, these asks hold me accountable to actually design the characters...

Filled a double page spread with just her...thus the 'Oops! All Solaris'

On THAT note, +2 sketchbook pages filled, 6/30 completed. I have 2 weeks until my hand in so I gotta pick up the pace. Blimey.

[ivy-saurs]

i've been feeling more positive lately about the progress i've made with my drawing :)

[candycryptids]

‘How Does Your Journey End’ [Quiz]

I got tagged by @archaiclumina !!! thank you 🥰‼️✨

You know where you belong

The adventure involving swords, blood and gold may be over, but the one with your new-found friends has only just begun. Home, once dull and boring is now alight with laughter and joy as you find love in the little things. You love your friends and your friends love you.

Fairly accurate I’d say! After EW I think Ishi settles down for a little bit with Kizuna, for a (somewhat forced by Ishi) vacation from being in the worlds spotlight (they cultivate an Island Sanctuary together with minimal Mammets uwu) but I think they’re both too restless and prone to wanderlust to fully retire from adventuring lmfao. After all, Kizuna is still drawn to helping and saving people, and evil/trouble isn’t going to take a vacation either.

Though they’d both probably love the chance to go back to being no-name nobodies, doing small scale low-stakes quests… something less stressful than the fate of the shard hanging in the balance maybe…

Gonna tag a few people I think would enjoy this! But no stress, pressure, obligation, etc! This is just for fun uvu;! (Also if you’d rather not be tagged in future stuff lemme know I’ll make a note ! OvO) @cindernet-explorer @verysmallcyborg @oneiroy @mythandral

@sjofn-lofnsdottr @cadrenebula

[anto-pops]

Heard you got covid and came here to drop something. Hope it lifts your spirits in these troubling times 👀

(it's a pov from that bj in you library scene)

I'M HYPERVENTILATING OH MY GO D

[yanyanderes]

me crawling out of my coffin to tell my followers i’m not dead i swear

little ramble in the tags-

[becauseplot]

uuu ask game!! 3 and 23??

Cal!!!! o///

3 - Five songs you have recently been obsessed with?

OOOOOHHHHH okay okay lemme have a look through my playlists. A lot of these are going to be tied to Ordem characters n stuff but I don't think you'll mind lmfao. I'll make sure it's spoiler-free for you (up to opc 7) so dw <33

Breezeblocks by Alt-J (for 90 Seconds to Midnight AU, Lizago-centric)

Over & Over by Rio Romero (for Sr. Veríssimo)

Put It on Me by Matt Maeson (for Joui & Gal from opd6->opc2)

Oh No! by MARINA (for Loneliness AU, occultist!kaiser)

Snakes from the Arcane series (no real character ties for this one, and I've never even watched Arcane, it's just very fun to listen to)

23 - Talk about a WIP?

Ah yes, WIPs. Daaaangerous to get me talking about my WIPs. Main one I'm working on rn is another Lizago fic (yeah yeah go figure I'm obsessed with them) but it's a bit different from what I usually ramble on about.

Long story short, I'm actually gonna dip into romantic-leaning Lizago rather than the platonic/qpr-leaning Lizago I usually like to play with. Basically: what if Thiago asked Liz out? What would be going through her head? Is that kind of relationship even possible for the kind of life they lead? Does a date really mean anything in the face of, "Hey we've almost died together several times and now my life centers around that danger and, by association, you"? Or is she completely overthinking this. It's fun to chew on! Also Joui will be there. I'll put a snippet of the draft under the cut <3

Shout at me! Distracting asks game!

Have a snippet of the drafted banter that may or may not appear as written in the final cut (takes place between aop and osnf, Liz is driving):

[ghostofasecretary]

it's been a while since i've cried hard enough to have a headache but. sure got there today, babes!

[anipgarden]

The Biodiversity Saga - Parting Words and Sources

This is my final post in a series I’ll be making on how to increase biodiversity on a budget! I’m not an expert--just an enthusiast--but I hope something you find here helps! 

Finally, at long last, it’s almost time for me to shut the fuck up. But before I go, I just wanted to say a few things!

First things first, every little bit you do counts! And I genuinely mean that. Even if you can only do a handful of these things, or even just one, that’s better than doing nothing. I know it can feel like it doesn’t matter in the long run, that you’re not having an impact--especially when you’re first starting. 

But the ecosystem wants to work with you to grow back and be biodiverse. Even just doing some of these actions will help the ecosystem gain resilience and build itself back. Once you get the process of increasing biodiversity started, it can and will build on itself after a while in a positive feedback loop. Something as simple as mulching or composting will bring decomposing bugs, which bring pest-hunting bugs and birds. The birds will bring seeds in their poop, which then drops more native plants into the mix. As those plants grow, they’ll attract more diverse insects to the area, which’ll then attract reptiles and amphibians to eat the insects. The cycle you start will continue. You can certainly do more actions to speed things along, but they’ll happen nonetheless.

So no matter how big or how small. Whether you can spare a few potted plants on a balcony or patio space, or are collecting seeds to turn your backyard into a wildflower meadow. Whether you’ve got a birdfeeder, or a birdhouse, or even just some tomatoes and beans and sunflowers. Whether all of this is feasible for you, bit by bit, or if all you can do is know how to help and talk to people about it. I see you. And I appreciate the work you’re doing to improve our world for the wildlife we share it with.

And I’m sure the wildlife appreciate it too. Even if you don’t see it directly.

With that being said, in a reblog I’ll be linking additional sources, if you want to do some additional reading. Whether you use these links to do further research, to help decide what route you want to take on your next project, to win an argument/support your arguments, or to 'well, actually' me in the comments, I hope they're of help to you!