#Kunstpause answers stuff

[kunstpause-archive]

How dare you make me have Emet-Selch feels just as I'm going to bed. 😠😭

I am not sorry!

[sinsbymanka]

Writing Tag Game

Okay listen I’m on vacation XD hence why I’m ignoring everyone’s tags/taking forever to respond. But I’ve been tagged in this A LOT and I really liked it/wanted to do it so thank you to everyone who tagged me (oh my god I’m so sorry if I missed one of you there were SO MANY): @noire-pandora, @in-arlathan, @thevikingwoman, @morganlefaye79, @elveny, @kunstpause, @pikapeppa

I’m not tagging anyone because I’m tagging everyone since I’m too lazy to find my tag list (I’m on VACATION). If you’ve not gotten tagged and wanted to do this, say I tagged you. 

How many works do you have on Ao3?

147 - I have 145 linked to my profile and two in the anonymous collection. 

What's your total Ao3 wordcount?

1,468,248. Almost 1.5 million!! 

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Of Miracles and Heroes (FenHawke, Cadash/Varric, Varania/Blackwall): 269

Interspecies Relationships Have Their Ups and Downs (Shakarian): 145

Don’t Make it Hawkeward (Varric/Hawke): 135

The Ambassador’s Vices (Josephine/Adaar): 111

The Girl with the Arrow Tattoo (Cadash/Varric): 101

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I do (but - to be honest - it takes me FOREVER). I love comments. It’s so much easier to not leave comments than leave comments, so every time someone leaves one I’m blown away. I feel like - for leaving me a comment - you’re definitely owed an answer! I do apologize that it takes me awhile though - I am very bad at answering because they mean a lot to me and I get easily overwhelmed by the AO3 inbox I don’t know why. Blame anxiety. 

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

I’ll be honest, I don’t like angsty endings so I don’t have many of them. By far the angstiest ending I have is Flowers, Lies, and Forgiveness. This is a Bianca Davri/Varric Tethras fic set during the final act of DA2. I wrote it from Bianca’s POV - showing Varric unraveling under the pressure of Kirkwall and Bianca’s complicated feelings about infidelity to her husband who clearly cares about her as well. I wrote it for @hollyand-writes who always lets me lean into the tragic “fucked upness” of the pairing when I’m feeling like making Varric suffer.  

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending

I prefer happy endings so almost EVERYTHING has a happy ending. My favorite endings, so far, are for Cheating the Dread Wolf, which is my Varric/Cadash/Solas polycule (or as I like to refer to it - Solas has a dwarf kink) and The Viscount’s Mistress which is my Hurt/Comfort Cadash/Varric Trespasser bullshit. 

Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the craziest one you've written?

I have not written crossovers - but I am very into AUs in another setting that belongs to a different fictional universe. Most recently I got back into my Downton Abbey bullshit and wrote Flappers for Fen’harel which is basically a Downton Abbey AU Solas/Cadash and I’m not taking comments about the outrageousness of it. 

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yep. Honestly though? Over the two years I’ve been active in Fandom, the shitty comments can be counted on one hand and usually came from the same people over and over again, who are easily blocked, and should stop seeking out clearly labeled content they don’t like. Me and my work are not for everyone - that’s REALLY okay. I’ve blocked people for no other reason than making things I don’t like - that doesn’t mean they’re bad people. 

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

GOD DO I.

I am extremely sex and kink positive. Because of this - a lot of my work involves sex in some way or another. I think sex is a beautiful part of many (although not all) relationships, and that it’s frequently glossed over in mainstream media (particularly queer, kinky, and polyam sex). 

This ranges from sort of vanilla slow burns (My Cole/Bea fic, Compassion for an Assassin, has smut which hasn’t been posted yet. It’s Cole’s first time and is fairly vanilla and romantic, and occurs approximately 40k into the fic) to some pretty dubious consent near 24/7 dom/sub dynamics with BDSM kinks (I’ve written JUST as much of the Sereda/Gorim problematic smut as @jarakrisafis has in our series Forced Moves). 

There’s very few kinks I’m not willing to touch at least to try out - even if I end up not liking them. And the ones that aren’t for me are 100% allowed to exist and I will fight for them to the bloody end. My only recommendation is CLEARLY labeling your shit and not being afraid to add a tag if someone asks you to. 

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I’m aware of? I’ve seen ideas I’ve tried on picked up by other people - but I don’t consider that stealing and it’s hard to trace “who has been inspired by who” because we ALL have been inspired by thousands of other people and frankly more stuff for me when I pull you over to my weird AUs and rarepairs. 

I also think that’s a huge part of not getting stolen - I’ve got so much weird niche shit that only a couple people read that stealing from me is going to most likely be caught IMMEDIATELY the audience is so small. 

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I don’t believe so!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! I’ve got some co-written secret smut with @blarfkey which almost nobody has seen, I’ve borrowed @tightassets Hawke, Lavellan, and Shepard for fics that she has illustrated, borrowed @tuffypelly‘s Adaars for some great fics, and my most ambitious project - the Forced Moves series with @jarakrisafis. It started out as us just exchanging gifts back and forth but we’ve wrangled it into Gambits and Countergambits, an Aeducan-origin prequel, that I’m VERY proud of. 

I love co-writing very much, but it’s very important to find the right partner and for it to be someone you trust completely. 

What's your all time favourite ship?

This is a stupidly hard question because I am, at heart, a multi-shipper. 

I love Varric/Hawke and Varric/Cadash. I’m also a sucker for Solas/Cadash. My fandom pool noodle is Varric/Cadash/Solas which I adore, and I’m very fond of Cole/Cadash. 

Most recently I’ve been DEEP in Aeducan/Gorim Saelac, Bhelen/Rica/Vartag, and Aeducan/Brosca feels. Dwarf origins are the best origins in my opinion and those characters are PERFECT. 

What's a WIP you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

I fully plan on finishing everything. My writing style changed a lot, for the better, in a short period of time. I need to integrate my old style/new style and had to get a pep talk about how to do that. Now I’m ready to try as soon as I finish Compassion for an Assassin. 

What are your writing strengths? 

I write very sexy, hot smut. I also really like playing with character voice and making sure I get them “right” so I do a lot of experimenting before publishing a new character for the first time. 

I struggle to write action scenes - it’s like pulling fucking teeth - but people really LOVE my action scenes and they read well. So that’s something I’m proud of even if it feels like doing fucking pull ups. 

What are your writing weaknesses?

I never learned anything. My experiences with English and writing teachers were overwhelmingly negative. I’m unsure if I’m just not cut out for classes or if they were that bad, but I always left feeling like there was one “right” way to do it, and everything I liked was “bad”, so what was the point of “learning” anything? 

It turns out there’s this very pompous, pretentious thought process in writing where people “assume” things must be done, but GOOD writing teachers teach you the rules and then how to break them. I either never had a good writing teacher or got too intimidated to give them a chance before bouncing. 

So I’m exceedingly self-taught. I lack the vocabulary to discuss plot structure, characterization, grammar, etc. I instinctively know most of these things based on trial and error and reading, but I didn’t learn them and I miss a lot of nuance in the rules, but until recently I was still too intimidated and unsure of myself to admit that or take it seriously. 

So - my defense mechanism is NOT taking ANYTHING seriously. If my writing is a joke to me, it’s gotta be a joke to everyone else, but that’s been a shield to hide behind instead of being thoughtful about things. I’m here to have fun, yes, but there’s nothing wrong with learning a technique to the art. 

I’ve learned - mostly thanks to @blarfkey who is an amazing person and a wonderful teacher - that I am a good writer based on my self-teaching. And being intimidated of people who throw around impressive sounding words is a weakness that I am working on. 

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? 

Use sparingly and with good reason. It should be short and explained later or clear from context. 

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter on message boards back in the fucking day. Thankfully none of it exists anywhere anymore. 

What's your favourite fic you've written?

This is such a sappy answer and I’m so sorry. My favorite things have been written for and because of people I love and care about. When I read them, I’m not just reading the story, but remembering the relationships I’ve made and how important they are. 

So, my top three fics for THAT reason: 

1. Cheating the Dread Wolf - written for @blarfkey who inspired the idea and ruthlessly encouraged me to make it happen. This fic was so healing for me because it heavily features Fatherhood within it - and I lost my father in June 2020. I don’t know if I’d have been able to do it without her and it was so important for me to do. 

2. Gambits and Countergambits - written with @jarakrisafis and the culmination of a years worth of gifting shit back and forth and crafting a shared universe. The worldbuilding, smut, relationships, EVERYTHING about this fic is so deeply and passionately cared about by both of us and to our knowledge it is completely, totally unique.  

3. Relentless, Ridiculous, and Rakish - one of my only primarily gen-fics focusing on a forming brother/sister relationship between Maria Cadash and @tuffypelly‘s Otsar Adaar. I very much enjoyed writing it for her <3 

And then my overall favorite fic: 

The Viscount’s Mistress: I have a lot of opinions about how fanfiction treats the anchor’s meltdown and the aftermath. It’s one of the things in DAI that resonated with me SO much as someone who lives with chronic pain and a disability. I loved the fact my OC was in the same shoes and STILL saving the world. This is very much a fic that explores all the dark sides of trauma, pain, and the mental health effects of it. But it ends on a happy and hopeful note.  

[allycryz]

tagged by @kunstpause​ and @elveny​​

Tagging everyone who wants in!

Coming up next in Daughter of Gelmorra (I write far ahead because I need stuff to marinate):

A fic where Haurchefant takes his leave of his brothers and they have a heart to heart. After that: a duology set in early SB. The first is about Thancred visiting the Waking Sands and grappling with grief and jealousy, the second is later that night when Uri and Haurche hook up for the first time

This is from the Thancred one:

--

“...Answer me this,” he says in a quiet voice. “Urianger is not just a distraction, is he? Because he does not give his heart easily.” Thancred would know, having failed to obtain it. “And if seducing him is a way to pass the time, you would be better suited with Ned or someone else.”

When Haurchefant looks at him, it is as if those bright blue eyes see into his marrow. Thancred feels his soul is being weighed, no doubt found wanting but before that verdict: a parsing of what is inside. 

“He is not a way to pass the time,” Haurchefant says at last. “When I do take lovers for a short span, I am clear about it. Were that all I wanted from him, I would make that apparent from the start. But that is not all I want from him.”

“No?” Thancred’s voice is soft. Dangerous. Sharpening the edge in a way Haurchefant cannot miss.

“No. Urianger is...a man I would love, if he would let me. And I am not telling you what you want to hear to avoid getting punched like my brother.”

Thancred lets himself relax and chuckle, though the bitter irony does not go unnoticed. Looking at Haurchefant is like gazing into the warped mirrors at festivals, the ones that show children distorted images of themselves for them to scream and laugh at. Only he has the strong sense that he is the mirror and Haurchefant the fair-goer.

“Good,” he says instead of voicing any of this. “He has been through a great deal and deserves someone who will be patient with his wounded heart.”

“They are lucky to have you, Thancred,” Haurchefant says. “To watch over them.”

He cannot stop the flinch that moves through him. The blow is unexpected when he has become so used to guessing when another apology, another consolation, another you did all you could and no one here is to blame, it is Ilberd and Teledji and Lolorito who did this is about to appear. 

[in-arlathan]

Got tagged by @serial-chillr, @johaeryslavellan, @faerieavalon, and @kunstpause today. Thank you so much <3

I meant to edit Chapter 5 of “The Rebel’s Ascension” this week, but my mind keeps skipping back in forth between various scenes for various chapters that still need to be written. The following scene is from what one day will be Chapter 13. It is a conversation between Solas and Geldauran before the latter was exiled from Elvhenan.

“Last time I let you out of my sight, the All-Mother took you into her service. You can’t blame me for being worried.”

“Are you still upset about that?” Solas chuckled. “After all this time?”

Geldauran let out a long sigh. “I know you trust Mythal, but I wish you hadn’t pledged yourself to her so willingly. An elvhen with a spirit likes your should always act of his own accord.”

“I always act on my own accords, even with the vallaslin,” Solas clarified. “Besides, you seem content enough to bind others to yourself. I see enough of the People wandering around wearing your blood writing, as well as Dearn’thal’s and Anaris’s.”

“We are bound by a common cause. The blood writing only shows whom we can trust. I have no intention of exploiting our bond, just like Mythal promised you that she won’t take advantage of the magic that ties you to her.”

Solas frowned, unconvinced.

“If you say so.”

Geldauran regarded him for a long moment, an air of uncertainty about him. His eyes seemed darker than last Solas had seen them as if his friend had been staring into a void waiting for an answer to all the questions that pestered him. Solas wanted to reach out to him and pat his shoulder to help him snap out of it, but before he got the chance, Geldauran put on a broad smile. “Let’s not talk of these things any longer, Solas,” he said in a cheerful tone. “It is good to have you back. I have missed your company.”

I’m really digging the relationship between these two. It’s almost as emotionally complicated as the stuff going on between Solas and Mythal.

And now it’s time for some tags. Since many have already posted, consider this tags for next week if you want. There you go: @noire-pandora, @kita-lavellan, @midnightprelude, @schoute, @midnightprelude, @elveny, @zuendwinkel, @solas-disapproves, @cornfedcryptid, @dreamerlavellan, @elfrootaddict and everyone who likes to play. As always: No pressure!

Much love to all of you ♥︎

[maudus1]

Tropes!

Tagged by @kunstpause and @in-arlathan thanks loves! 😘

Do you enjoy the occasional trope, do you love them all, do you hate tropey stuff with a passion?

Which tropes are your favs? Which ones do you avoid? Have you written any yourself or is there one you really want to write?

Do you have different preferences for reading than you have for writing? If so, is there a reason for it?

My answers & tags under the cut...

Do you enjoy the occasional trope, do you love them all, do you hate tropey stuff with a passion?

Personally, I love tropes. It's a given, though, that they work or fail largely by how they’re mashed together; whether they suit the tone and theme of a story, the world it takes place in, the characters, etc.

Literature has been around so long I think it’s fair to say every motif, cliché, and literary device has been passed around more than once. Tropes are kinda... everywhere, even if you don’t always realize it. So nah, I can’t hate them entirely, even if there are a few I'm not fond of.

Which tropes are your favs? Which ones do you avoid? Have you written any yourself or is there one you really want to write?

Oh, man. Hurt/Comfort - I don’t even look for it specifically, but somehow most of the fics I read have that in there somewhere. I’m a sucker for Angst with a Happy Ending especially with healthy doses of Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, and fluffy/funny Found Family thrown in.

I’m not super picky. Toss me some and they were roommates! or there was only one bed! crack any day, I’ll gobble it up. But I lean toward fics with a lot of deep, emotional bonding, vulnerability, character growth, things that make me feel and inspire me.

There are a few tropes I cannot deal with, though - Major Character Death (if it’s permanent), Unhappy Ending, Unrequited Love/Unresolved Sexual Tension. If I get to the end of some 500k slow burn and the main ship never actually got together, someone’s dead, and everyone’s sad... 😤 I simply do not have the spoons for that kind of psychological trauma.

I just came out of a 15-year writing hiatus so there's a lot I have yet to try. The two major WIPs I’m currently focused on include some tropes that are new to me as a writer, and I’m having fun with them so far. I’d love to continue experimenting, perhaps take on a prompt or two once I’ve the time.

Do you have different preferences for reading than you have for writing? If so, is there a reason for it?

Not really. I write what I want to read. I get an idea and think, “I wish there was a fic for this” and of course... *sigh* 🙄 that usually means I have to write it myself lol.

That said, there are times I read much darker, angstier whumps than I’m willing to write myself simply because putting myself into that character’s headspace is... not great.

~

Tagging forward to @lostinfantasies38 @dothwrites @wanderingcas @schoute @pikapeppa @charlatron @kemvee @jacklyn-flynn @midnightprelude @queen-kass-the-writer​

& anyone else who’d like to answer - please tag me so I can read yours!

[deathvalleyqueen]

Fic Writer questions

My lovely and supportive friend @kunstpause​ tagged me in this thing about Tropes... i swear cuz she knows I LOVE tropes... so lets look at these questions and you know answers and such bellow the cut for like dash saving reasons...

Let’s talk about tropes.

1. Do you enjoy the occasional trope, do you love them all, do you hate tropy stuff with a passion?

2. Which tropes are your favs? Which ones do you avoid? Have you written any yourself or is there one you really want to write?

3. Do you have different preferences for reading than you have for writing? If so, is there a reason for it?

1. Do you enjoy the occasional trope, do you love them all, do you hate tropy stuff with a passion?

Listen... everything even things that profess to not be “Tropy” are tropy... like even real life has Tropes so I say lean in and explore the hell out of them. I love looking at various common or even uncommon tropes and playing off them, sometimes subverting them or combining several into possibly a new one... I think for me that’s half the fun of plotting something is figuring out the trope and which ones would be fun to explore in the context of whatever fandom I am writing. Like the tropes I would use with Maeve wouldn’t be the same ones I would use with Mary Jane... one story is high fantasy while the other is modern drama naturally the tropes used would be vastly different... so yeah... I love me some Tropes...

2. Which tropes are your favs? Which ones do you avoid? Have you written any yourself or is there one you really want to write?

Found family is huge one that I use through out my works, also because I am...a Villain Fucker... I usually end up doing some manner of dark mistress trope or good girl loves a bad man... type thing. Also... Destiny tropes... like either you can’t escape it or fighting against it is one I use a lot. Also like having kids... maybe it’s cuz I am mom... but a lot... not all but A LOT of my OC’s and fics at some point...have a pregnancy story arch... cuz I guess we write what we know? LOL...  I don’t really avoid tropes, there are ones obviously I like less... helpless women tropes kinda get on my nerves now but I used to write them. I like to think MOST tropes have their place in the fictional world...  I really love the Action Girl trope but because I have never written a real action “hero’s journey” type story before the closest I have gotten is Maeve... but even Maeve’s story is kinda an “anti-hero’s journey” rather than pure hero... I plan on exploring these with Grace because that whole idea of - Girl from the “Bad” family, with a father that some would consider “a monster”... who is fighting her own family to try and basically the “white sheep” of her family and Save Hope County is conceptually really appealing to me. Like her story concept has basically been me taking tropes I have liked but never played with and trying to fit them into a really compelling story... that’s usually how I plot tbh

3. Do you have different preferences for reading than you have for writing? If so, is there a reason for it?

Not really, because I am pretty open as far as like what topics I would read. I tend to enjoy more complex characters, deeply flawed MC’s are like my faves because they usually to me are so well crafted and their stories are ones that use tropes in a subtle ways and tend to have a lot of lore behind them... but like family tropes... more fluffy like “only one bed” tropes are always fun and I am old enough to really appreciate a good “Coffee Shop AU” fic cuz like... those ones just take me back to this odd like happy place of like “the good old days” of fanfic rofl. 

I am going to tag some people that I think would really enjoy these questions no pressure at all... as always: @nightwingshero​ @lobanhart​ @xbaebsae​ @thebookworm0001​ @bluemojave​ @funkypoacher​ @fadedjacket​ @fine-tevinter-wines​ @bleudragonfire​ 

[kemvee]

@kunstpause​ had questions, I have answers!

1. Do you enjoy the occasional trope, do you love them all, do you hate tropey stuff with a passion?

Tropes are life. I love almost all of them, it’s like getting a big hug from the story you’re reading. So what if I have read a hundred different stories where the OC trips and the dashing Commander catches her before she can fall I LIVE FOR THAT SHIT!!!

That being said I don’t think inclusion of Tropes should be an excuse for a lack of originality. Maybe it’s set in a AU? Maybe you do something different with your character to avoid making him/her overpowered or too flawless? The stories I remember are the ones that differentiated themselves from the thousands of others out there.

2. Which tropes are your favs? Which ones do you avoid? Have you written any yourself or is there one you really want to write?

Accidentally seeing them naked (or nearly naked). Nursing them back to health. Interrupting a Nightmare. Naughty Dreams. Big strong man finds he can show his softer side to nice kind woman. Shirtless Sparring. (I've written all of the above. Some more than once)

As for dislikes I don’t know if it’s a Trope as such but I really dislike size difference kink (especially if they are the same race.) If OC is banging the Iron Bull then fair enough but I take issue with teeny tiny 4'11 petite characters with enormous boobs bedding 6′4 walls of muscle. Feels a little too Hentai to me.

3. Do you have different preferences for reading than you have for writing? If so, is there a reason for it?

I don’t think so. I’m too old and set in my ways now. I like what I like and fortunately for me some of you lovely people like my writing too :)

[curiousthimble]

Fic Writer Questions

I was tagged by the amazing @kunstpause who came up with the wonderful idea of asking writing-related questions that are a bit different to the usual OC/writing asks (Thank you so much!). The original post is here.

This is about getting to know each other and discussing writing-related stuff. This round starts with three questions for us writers to answer and so I jumped right in.

Let’s talk about tropes.

1. Do you enjoy the occasional trope, do you love them all, do you hate tropy stuff with a passion?

2. Which tropes are your favs? Which ones do you avoid? Have you written any yourself or is there one you really want to write?

3. Do you have different preferences for reading than you have for writing? If so, is there a reason for it?

I’m tagging @thebakinglibrarian, @rpgwarrior4824, and @cartadwarfwithaheartofgold- but anyone can grab if they like! Just tag me so I can read your responses!

1. Do you enjoy the occasional trope, do you love them all, do you hate tropy stuff with a passion? I really don’t think about them that often- it’s not something that’s ever going to really turn me on or off a fic. 

2. Which tropes are your favs? Which ones do you avoid? Have you written any yourself or is there one you really want to write? I do love myself some slow burn, but again it’s not a “thing” for me. Oh! I wrote a really cute meet-cute fic for my friend called The Therapist that I thought was a lot of fun.

3. Do you have different preferences for reading than you have for writing? If so, is there a reason for it? um...not really? I’m already pretty picky about what I read, and I like to think my writing style mirrors that.

[vengefultoad]

thanks for the tag @spiffinessabounds​! i’m finally crawling out of the woodwork to do this~

“Answer 21 questions and tag 21 other people you want to know better.”

Nicknames: i don’t have any :( feel free to give me one lmao

Zodiac Sign: LEO

Height: 5′10″

Hogwarts House: It’s usually Slytherin or Ravenclaw, but emotionally it’s Hufflepuff. So... Slyenpuff? idk. j.k make me canon please

The last thing I googled: If there’s a way to import a UI in FFXIV. thrilling stuff really.

Favorite musicians: gonna be boring and say the same old Ramin Djawadi, John Williams, etc. although I have been partial to a bit of Florence lately

Some song stuck in my head: Jenny of Oldstones by Florence + the Machine, and Farewell by Ramin Djawadi. (the last minute and a half of Farewell is beautiful imo). both are from game of thrones but hey the soundtrack was still excellent this season. obviously i love to make myself sad

Following: 347

Followers: 82 (lol)

Do you get asks: Rarely, but I appreciate them all the same!

Amount of sleep: atm it ranges between 3 and 10 hours

Lucky number: I’m going to say 9. idk why

What you’re wearing: black t-shirt, black jeans, and pink socks

Dream job: BOY OH BOY. if i could be a cast member at galaxy’s edge, while simultaneously being an accomplished author, therapist but also retired? that would be amazing

Dream trip: STAR WARS LAND. also Egypt, Athens, and Rome, but ehh. there’s lots of places.

Instruments: None really! I used to blow into a harmonica every now and then, and I could use my throat as an instrument but honestly nothing exciting

Languages: English, French, i’m ok at German, and know a teeny tiny bit of Spanish and Greek

Favorite songs: this is gonna be the most basic, gay answer I could give, but I will always, always, ALWAYS love Born This Way, Judas, and Americano. Maybe I should have stuck Gaga up on my musicians thing

Random fact: i cried when i watched the pokemon direct earlier

Aesthetic: Black and gold; PINK; piles of blankets; thunderstorms; fluffy socks.

Not sure who to tag because I’ve been absent and I’m not sure who might’ve already done it, but I’ll go with @cole-saberhagen, @motheatenscarf, @dancinghare and @kunstpause. If you guys have already done it then my bad, and if anyone else wants to do it, feel free!! <3

[kunstpause-archive]

meta asks! 3, 15, and 23?

From this nice ask list - thank you 💕

3 What is that one scene that you’ve always wanted to write but can’t be arsed to write all of the set-up and context it would need? (consider this permission to write it and/or share it anyway)

I honestly think I don’t have one of those. I write pretty much everything that I want at some point, be it as a one-shot or a long story.

15 Which is harder: titles or summaries (or tags)?

Summaries. I can do them reasonably well, but they are a pain. Titles are no big deal, I love titling things.

23 What’s the story idea you’ve had in your head for the longest?

Mass Effect ot3 things. Well, actually ot4 things by now. I've been carrying that around since my first playthrough but I am pretty sure I am going to write it during my MELE playthrough

[wishyounew]

@kunstpause answered your question : so are these new overwatch stuff leaks or did my...

leaks I think. It’s for Chinese New Year which is on January 28th I think? Not entirely sure

thank god because my brother and sister have been telling me the new stuff dropped today and ive been like restarting the launcher trying to get it to update like what is going on

[halfbakedporxie]

what kind of stuff does sera say??

there are micro aggressions in a lot of things she says, even outside the romance.

in a romance she uses the threat of breaking up with you to get you to do what she wants

I am sure there is youtube videos of it, or there will be at some point.

For me it was hitting too close to home to write that down word for word tbh.

edit: oh and I almost forgot: She constantly, purposely missgenders Cole

[in-arlathan]

Fic Writer Questions (#1)

I was tagged by @kunstpause who came up with the wonderful idea of asking writing-related questions that are a bit different to the usual OC/writing asks (Thank you so much!). The original post is here.

This is about getting to know each other and discussing writing-related stuff. This round starts with three questions for us writers to answer and so I jumped right in.

Todays Topic: Tropes

1. Do you enjoy the occasional trope, do you love them all, do you hate tropy stuff with a passion?

2. Which tropes are your favs? Which ones do you avoid? Have you written any yourself or is there one you really want to write?

3. Do you have different preferences for reading than you have for writing? If so, is there a reason for it?

Tagging forward to some of the writing friends I know around here, but feel free to join in, opt-out, or tag me back. Hello @serial-chillr, @johaeryslavellan, @solas-disapproves, @cornfedcryptid, @elfrootaddict​, @pikapeppa, @rivainisomniari, @midnightprelude, @kita-lavellan, @noire-pandora, @kittimau, @faerieavalon.

My answers are below the cut to keep your dashboard nice and clean.

1. Do you enjoy the occasional trope, do you love them all, do you hate tropy stuff with a passion?

There are many tropes that I enjoy, although I have a hard time remembering them all. There are certain types of stories like Modern or Coffee Shop AUs that are not really my thing, but that’s about it. For me, it really comes down to the story and how it’s told.

2. Which tropes are your favs? Which ones do you avoid? Have you written any yourself or is there one you really want to write?

Is Mutual Pining a trope? If so, I’m a sucker for it. Best served with a slow-burning enemies-to-lovers plot. Any Unresolved Sexual Tension sucks me in and the Found Family trope gets to me every single time. I’m also a big fan of Redemption Arcs if they are done well (and it’s not just the villain being sorry for about 5 minutes before dying).

I’m a bit tired of Chosen Ones and Star-Crossed Lovers, but they can be done well. There are some Dragon Age time-travel AUs that did the last one pretty neatly tbh. When it comes to hate... well, I could go with a classic, the Love Triangle. I hate it with a burning passion. Although I might admit that I hate it a lot more in mainstream media than in fanficiton. In fics, I’m much more forgiving of tropes like these (usually because they are set up in an interesting way and/or don’t involve unhealthy/abusive relationship behaviour).

Looking at my own writing, I’m not sure if I use tropes that much. I don’t use them on purpose, that’s for sure. I have a tendency to build plots that involve a complicated family history complete with betrayals and backstabbing both in my original works and my fanfiction. My one-shots are full of emotional epiphanies like when one character realizes they are crazy in love with someone else. I do it so often I could call it a trope. 

I did notice that I tend to use a trope called Sealed Evil In A Can instead of McGuffins and red herrings. I also do the Aloof Ally a lot. Like A LOT. There is always at least one secondary character throwing shade at people. I guess that’s my evil subconscience emerging from the depth of my brain in the form of characters such as Solas or Mythal to have its five minutes of fame.

3. Do you have different preferences for reading than you have for writing? If so, is there a reason for it?

I guess I read different stuff from what I write for two reasons. The first one being that I enjoy the difference between my own writing and the ideas and writing styles of other creators. Secondly, there are many writers who can pull off certain types of tropes that I’m too afraid to do myself. Some fics are so self-indulgent and yet so well done, but I’m often too afraid to take the leap and do it as well. Beginning with things like There Is Only One Bed, ending with anything that is remotely kinky. I do read smut, especially smutty fanfiction, but for some bizarre reason I avoid writing it myself. As Dorian likes to say; “A mystery for the ages.”

Thanks for reading. Thoughts? :)

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7, 10 and 14 dor the Fun Meta Asks! (Ignore the first ask 😂)

From this ask meme, thank you! 💕

7 What do you think are the characteristics of your personal writing style? Would others agree?

Ahh, another really hard one. 👀 I’d say character-driven and introspective? That would be my first assessment. Also getting by the feedback I get - people that read my stories seem to really like my characterization.

Oh, and dialogue-heavy. There is a lot of dialogue back-and-forth in nearly all of my stories. It’s simply something I really enjoy writing. And progressively getting more out-there smut. 😅

10 How would you describe your writing process?

I get brainworms for a very specific scene/moment usually and then work from there. Often that’s either a key scene the fic revolves around or the actual ending even. Then I usually go back and plan out how characters get there. Next step is often just pages of dialogue. The other stuff gets filled in later.

Sometimes I write three different stories or chapters at the same time and switch documents every 500 words or so because my mind is all over the place and wants to do everything at once. That’s usually when I am most productive and can throw out a few thousand words per day.

14 At what point in writing do you come up with a title?

Either before I even put a single word down or right before I get to posting. There is no in-between.

But regardless of when there are usually a lot of thoughts that go into my titles and I am always super happy if someone gets even one of the implications I put in there.

Examples: 

Insatiable is named after the OST track from Shadowbringers, which is the main bossfight theme for the expansion the story takes place in. It’s also a state of mind for the protagonist and her driving force for leading to a happy ending, despite the conflict. (And since the conflict is so important I especially loved the idea of naming it after a bossfight theme)

Tears in the Rain is also names after an OST piece from the same expansion. It’s a very sad piece that illustrates hopelessness in a musical sense - which fits the theme of a corruption arc story perfectly. And then there is the blade runner quote “All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.” Which I love to pieces and also fits perfectly.

Eyes on me describes the main protagonist's motivation and illustrates her need to get and keep a certain person’s attention on her. It’s something she demands for herself. At the same time, it’s the title song from Final Fantasy 8, an old long time favorite of mine. The lyrics fit the emotional story arc I have in mind for that story perfectly.

Eh, yes, I have an obsession with finding perfect titles for myself and put waaaay too much thought into that, but it makes me happy. 😅

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1 & 4 for the "Fun meta asks for writers" <3

From this nice ask list - thank you 💕

1 I answered here

4. Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you’re really proud of (explain why, if you like)

His voice rings in her ears, almost painful in its sharpness, but at the same time, it gives her something to hold on to, even if she cuts herself on it.

This is one of my fav sentences from Tears in the Rain. I also really like this bit of the same story:

"I can help you," he offers at that moment, a gloved hand held out to her, inviting and daring alike. “You need only let me.”

A shudder goes through Rhea. One she doesn't know how to place. Is it caution or eagerness that trembles down her back? She swallows heavily in her uncertainty. The memory of the Light raging through her so painfully it takes away all her senses is still fresh on her mind. 

"Why?" she asks, suspicion in every word. "Because I remind you of someone?"

Emet-Selch lets out a scoff. 

"No, my dear, because you are someone," he says in a slightly condescending tone. 

Rhea narrows her eyes. 

"Everybody is someone!" she insists, and she is almost certain that the look on Emet-Selch's face is one of pity. It makes something on her tongue feel bitter. 

"That is a matter of perspective." 

His voice is as cold as his eyes are hard at the words. It drives home what Rhea has suspected for a while now. 

"You really don't see us as people, do you?" she asks in a quiet voice, and there is no mistaking his behavior for anything but pity this time as he shakes his head.

 "No,” Emet-Selch simply answers. "These broken husks, the semblance of tattered souls ripped to shreds, are barely more alive than any shade of memory you find here." He gestures around the empty streets of the vast city where half-transparent figures follow their beaten paths with no mind of their own. 

"So if we are not people, what are we?" The question makes Rhea swallow heavily, but she asks it nonetheless. 

"A means to an end," Emet-Selch says with a shrug, but when his eyes find hers, his whole demeanor changes. He lowers himself down to one knee before he draws a strand of unruly hair out of her face. "But you specifically, my dear, need not count yourself among those," he says in a low voice, a hint of promise weaving through every word as his hand cups her cheek and he murmurs, "You will never be just a memory, I intend to make sure of that."

I am just really happy about their dynamic in this one.

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From the Fun Meta Asks For Writers: 1, 2 and one of your choice!

From this nice ask list - thank you! 

1 Tell us about your current project(s)  – what’s it about, how’s progress, what do you love most about it?

I have so many things going on at the same time atm but I am very invested in all of them.

Insatiable is almost done. 8/10 chapters posted, chapters 9 and 10 are mapped out and halfway written each. It’s my slightly longer Shaodbringers story (currently sits at 47k words)

It’s an enemies to lovers story where Cassia and Emet-Selch bond over their shared love for theater. It goes heavy on the past-lives angle with the added bit that he remembers it perfectly while she doesn’t even recognize him. What I love most about it - hm, it’s either the emotional moments or the magic tentacle sex. Or both.

Tears in the Rain is at 2/5 chapters, It’s planned out but not as meticulously as Insatiable bc I am leaving myself a little more freedom there. It’s a completely different approach to Shadowbrigners.

I think it’s a bit of a thing for many people who have a villain/hero ship that you inevitably think how a corruption storyline would look like. When I did I quickly realized that such an arc doesn’t work for Cassia, so I created a completely different OC. Romantically, this story is going to have a happy ending. But everything else is going straight to hell. My favorite thing about this is probably the prose I used so far. I’m really proud of the first two chapters.

Eyes on me - I’m currently writing the 3rd chapter and have solid plans for 4 and 5.

This is a modern AU loosely inspired by Insatiable and that moment where I put Emet-Selch into reading glasses and it did things to me.😅 It’s a professor/(adult) student story with a few twists and what I love most about is the tension.

Everything you know is wrong - This is my current BG3 ot3 story, I’m 7 chapters in and have 2-3 to go I think.

It’s written from the perspective of a Drow who is out of the Underdark for the first time in her life and finds that the preconceptions she has grown up with really don’t hold up at all. The character’s different dynamics with each other is my favorite thing about it.

2 Tell us about what you’re most looking forward to writing – in your current project, or a future project

The ending of Insatiable, because I am very invested in this story and I’ve had that ending planned for months. And the sex scene in Tears in the Rain, because it is vastly different from anything else I’ve written so far and a bit of a challenge - that I am looking forward to. Apart from that, I have an arranged marriage AU planned for a different ship and some Mass Effect ot3 plans I am excited about.