#about like OC vs reader insert

[aimfor-theheart]

feel like when ppl talk about the xreader community, they very desperately want to keep the genre and its writers in a box of what they believe it to be. and they can’t fathom that the style of xreader by nature uses certain literary devices (specifically the second person perspective) to tell its story as a way to be immersive. like yeah whatever we can argue about the semantics of an OC vs a reader-insert forever but at the end of the day, if i put my OC fanfic in second person perspective, doesn’t it then become xreader? because of the nature of the genre and the devices it’s using? i think some folks think of these fanfic genres very narrowly and only through the lens of fandom and not of writing as a craft (which predates fanfic genre you know?)—and writing itself uses literary and storytelling devices, which we can then categorize into genres if we see them repeated in certain ways.

[zepskies]

Podcast Interview With Idling in the Impala: "Y/N and Let Y/N…"

Here we go! Sandra and Kasey, the lovely hosts of @idlingintheimpalapodcast — the podcast for all things SPN and fanfiction — invited me on the pod for an interview…

We chatted about Dean Winchester and Jensen Ackles’ early roles, the best and worst seasons of SPN, the joys and pains of writing Soldier Boy, and much, much more.

That’s right, there be some hot takes coming in this convo, and I had an absolute blast with these two! (And like I said in Sunday's announcement, I’m also putting my name and my voice out there for the first time! 😆)

So if any of that sounds interesting, feel free to dive in!

(**Important Note: Just to preface, we recorded this back in June, so it was before I posted certain stories or even started developing Lost on You. It was also when Tumblr activity/engagement was going through a spring/summer slowdown lol.

Links to all the fics and podfics we mentioned are at the end of this post.)

Have a listen: ⤵️

Interview Timestamps –

(Plus fic recs, SPN writer shoutouts, and more!)

1:44 – Who’s your guy: Sam or Dean?

3:35 – Getting into Supernatural for the first time (and seeing “Deanisms” in Jensen’s early roles).

10:15 – We debate the best and worst seasons of SPN: talking Mary Winchester, the British MOL, MOC Dean vs. Demon Dean, Chuck/God villainy, “jump the shark” moments, and that ending.

30:29 – Favorite SPN characters besides Sam and Dean.

32:34 – Writing fanfiction, joining Tumblr, and writing reader inserts vs. OCs.

38:05 – To “Y/N” or not “Y/N,” and the power of 2nd person. (**Disclaimer: Despite my hot take on this, I’ve loved a lot of stories by authors who use Y/N in reader insert stories.

Also, if I’m remembering the book You and its characters incorrectly forgive me, it’s been like 5 years since I read it lol.) 

51:00 – Favorite fanfic tropes in romance, the joys and challenges of writing Soldier Boy (AKA: the Original Asshole), and attempting to humanize Ben in Break Me Down.

Shoutout to @deans-spinster-witch always for giving me the inspiration to write BMD. 💚

Why We Love The Boys – A review of Supes Ain’t Always Heroes

1:07:57 – Engaging with readers, tips on increasing engagement, optimizing your Tumblr blog, writing schedules and processes, and incorporating reader feedback into stories.

1:26:38 – Sandra graciously narrated Midnight Espresso (Dean Winchester x Plus-sized Latina!Reader). We chat about what sparked the idea for the ME-verse, self-representation in fanfic, feeding Dean, loving Dean, and writing about culture and ethnicity in the fandom space.

1:38:26 – Chatting about the inspirations behind Smoke Eater, a firefighter!Dean AU; law enforcement procedurals, House MD, and researching for stories.

1:44:30 – Which Jackles character is the easiest or most fun to write?

1:47:39 – The challenges of writing Sam vs. Dean.

1:53:15 – Shoutouts! To some of my favorite SPN authors. I could only remember a few people off the top of my head (stupid me), but I love all of you!!

@waynes-multiverse @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior @luci-in-trenchcoats @rizlowwritessortof @waywardxwords

@deanwinchesterswitch @deanbrainrotwritings @deanwritings @spnbabe67 @thatonewriter15

@justagirlinafandomworld @kaleldobrev @artyandink @princessmisery666 @wayward-dreamer (– and many more.)

2:00:40 – How I came up with my username.

2:05:04 – Kasey’s Secret Question…

2:07:38 – Advice to fanfic writers and creatives for inspiration and/or wisdom.

2:16:35 – Sandra and Kasey’s lovely outro: self-representation in fandom, escapism, diverse voices, and more. (“Reach out a hand. Touch somebody. …Not like that.”)

📖 Fics Mentioned:

Sandra: @talltalesandbedtimestories -

Some Sunny Day Series – Dean Winchester x OFC - (I'm in the process of reading this entire series and it's been a joy to read! 💜)

Past Due – Dean Winchester x Reader

The Iceman Cometh – Dean Winchester x Reader

Cowboy Canter (Original Fiction) – Inspired by cowboyish Dean/Jensen.

Kasey: @sam-is-my-safe-word -

English Cottage-verse – Sam Winchester x Reader (I've read it and it's fantastic! 💜)

(K)not for sale – Soldier Boy x Dean Winchester

Alex (Zep/Me) -

Break Me Down – Soldier Boy/Ben x F. Reader

Midnight Espresso (& the Series Masterlist) – Dean Winchester x Plus-sized Latina!Reader

Dream With Me – Dean Winchester x Plus-sized Latina!Reader

Smoke Eater – Firefighter!Dean Winchester x F. Reader

Every Second Counts – Russell Shaw x F. Reader

🎙️ Stories/Podfics Sandra has narrated for me:

Podfic Playlist

And please remember to check out all the other awesome interviews, narrated podfics, and fun topics covered by Sandra and Kasey on the Idling in the Impala Podcast!

[arthelia]

🎯Benjamin Poindexter Rarepair Rec List🎯

The upside of being obsessed with a ship (in this case MattDex) that has only a relatively small amount of fanfiction is discovering & reading stories with even rarer pairings you may never have given a shot otherwise... and discovering some absolute gems along the way. Here are some of my favorites (please mind the tags/warnings/ratings!):

Dex/Buck Cashman: the bird and the hunter by mikaminato @kanashikute

"A pretty face is a useful face, Poindexter," he answers, smiling again. "Like yours? Like yours is useful, Cashman?" The rifle shifts and the barrel settles against his cheek, almost like a caress, cool metal on warm flesh. "You said it. Not me." He laughs softly at that, breath ghosting against the rifle as he leans just a fraction into the contact. It's a dangerous play, and one that pays off as Dex's hold eases up by a hair. "And there are a lot of other pretty things I can do with my face." (Or, Poindexter and Buck Cashman making out. And some mind games. That's it.)

(This one is so, so good, I've read it like 5 times so far!) 

Billy Russo/Dex: the nickname thing. by @monicfever

Billy starts calling Dex pet names — completely unserious ones. “sweetheart,” “soldier boy,” “Sniperella.” Dex HATES it. Doesn’t show it, but his eye twitches every time. Until one day Billy doesn’t say it, and Dex starts to spiral.

(Extra kudos for the (from my personal experience) very accurate portrayal of someone (especially with BPD) spiraling about the behavior of another person.)

James Wesley/Dex (all three are set in the same universe, I think):  guy.exe by symbidex @comedyaoi

Dex felt himself lose focus as he watched Wesley work the knife, his sleeves pushed up to his forearm. He never realized how strong Wesley was, how formidable he was. He knew he was big, taller than Dex, but he was so used to Wesley fading into the background for Fisk. He was probably often underestimated, his true power not yet realized until it was too late. Dex wondered how many times Wesley had been pushed to the side, ignored, until it was too late. “Have you ever killed before?” Dex asked, looking at Wesley’s hands gripping the knife. Dex finds a new North star.

The author has written more stories with the same pairing, so if you like this one, be sure to check out the others as well!

Frank Castle/Dex: Killshot (something like a death wish) by CuthalionB (multi-chapter) 

In the middle of a mission, an agent catches Frank's eye. Unusually skilled and unnecessarily lethal.

Foggy/Dex:  Band-aids Don’t Fix Bullet Holes by rawrasaurus @millennialtrashjigglypuff (WIP, multi-chapter) 

Foggy Nelson has had a Pretty Crap year—getting shot, getting kidnapped, getting imprisoned by a vindictive art dealer turned crime lord with great taste in clothing. But if there’s one thing Foggy has always been good at, it’s getting out of tight spots. The dirty blonde sharpshooter he acquires along the way is just an added perk. AKA: How Foggy Nelson saves himself, saves Matt Murdock, and manages to get a disturbingly attractive murder-boyfriend in the process.

(I’d also like to use this opportunity to draw attention to a MattDex fic (also WIP) by the same author, because I absolutely adore this story. It’s a little bit more light-hearted than a lot of the other fics and I love the Daredevil/Bullseye vs. Matt/Dex dynamic so much here! If you haven’t read it already, definitely check it out: I'll be your number one (with a bullet) )

Not really a ship but a well-written and dark story about Dex's time in gen pop during DDBA featuring Dex and a male OC (not a reader-insert). Heads up: this is non-con! Matt makes an appearance at the end (separate scene, he isn’t involved in the non-con):  How to Hang a Witch by Anonymous

Dex is taken to the general population section of the prison per Fisk's orders. Things go as badly as they can. He receives a lifeline in the form of one Matt Murdock.

This story has MattDex but also features Frank/Dex and Matt/Dex/Frank. Dark & also features some non-con elements: Deep, dark waters by LillilX (WIP, multi-chapter)

There he lies, Bullseye, at the Devil’s mercy. He took Foggy from them, from a world that needed him, from him. He took several other lives in his deranged outbursts, he’s a psycho, he’s a wild animal. He’s broken beyond repair and Matt knows, that under God’s ever-watching eyes, he deserves to die… but even though it’s God’s will he intends to heed, it’s the devil’s appetites to which he complies. Or, the one where Matt decides to get retribution for Foggy's death, in the most twisted way.

Another Matt/Dex/Frank: Matthew 18:21-22 by Sam_Haine @hainethehero (I am not quite sure if it’s a oneshot or a WIP)

Matt forgives Dex as both him and Frank realize they've all been played by the Fisks.

Special mention:

This is technically MattDex and also not set in the MCU, but it also features Elektra Natchios/Matt Murdock/Dex, and it is so well-written I had to include it!: Devil In The Details-Verse by @carrion (completed Series) 

The year is 1982 and Elektra is not dead. Instead, she's working for Fisk alongside bullseye. Almost everyone's hunting for daredevil but only a handful of people are hunting for Matt Murdock and sometimes it just so happens that people's motivations intersect. They've both got their sights set on Murdock, but Elektra's the only one who can get through to him, even if that means dragging him down with her.

---

Happy reading!

I tried to tag everyone, sorry if I missed someone!

[punchdrunkdoc]

On OCs vs Reader-inserts (a long, rambling, train of thought post)

@hollandorks gave my fic a lovely shout out the other day, urging people to read it even though a lot of fans of DD/Marvel are weird about OCs, and it got me wondering...why?

I'm the opposite, to be honest - I find it really difficult to get into reader fics, which I wish wasn't the case. There are sooooo many more of those stories here and on AO3, and I feel like I'm really missing out. I just find the format so jarring, which I think is a product of my long fanfic/book-reading history.

Backstory time:

I started reading fanfic at the ripe old age of 14, during the height of the original X-files run (which should tell you how old I am!). In fact, the first stories I read were printed in a fanzine that used to get delivered to my house! In the actual mail. On actual paper!

Eventually I found Gossamer.org and I would stay up way too late every night in my bedroom, sitting at my PC reading every single fic available, trying to hide the sound of the computer whirring and my chair creaking so my mum wouldn't know what I was up to.

And they were all mulder/scully fics. No one else was allowed to come between them (Diana Fowley can fuck off and die). I don't even know if people were writing Mulder/reader fics back then, but I certainly never found any.

Fast forward to my next ship, which was Olicity from Arrow. It was far too long between obsessions, but an obsession it became. I got back into reading fanfics after YEARS. I even started writing! But it was all Olicity, all the time. Reader fics just weren't on my radar.

Until Spiderman (Garfield version), then Daredevil. Both characters I found fascinating, but where the canon relationships just didn't do it for me. I found myself wanting to read stories of them with someone new, someone interesting...but the majority were this weird thing called a Reader-insert fic, which my old ass hadn't even come across before.

I made the mistake of trying some that had the y/n thing, and NOPE. Not for me - pulled me right out of the story. And I know a lot of authors don't use that convention, but I still find it difficult to get into them. Maybe because I never actually relate to the reader - I'm not able to insert myself, because it's not me. It's not my life, or the way I would act, or the job that I have. I keep reading the stories thinking, 'why isn't this just an OC?'

Or maybe its not the reader thing, but the 2nd person POV thing. Every fanfic I'd previously read - and every novel I've ever read (and I've read A LOT!) - were either 1st or 3rd person, so it's weird reading from a different POV after all these years.

So is that it? Am I just an old dog who can't be taught new tricks?

Do I lack the imagination to become the 'reader'?

Does anyone else have this problem?

Please tell me how I can learn to enjoy reader fics! Give me your recs for the best stories ever with that format, or just tell me to get over myself and go read something.

Convert me, please!!

[hey-august]

In what feels like a post from ages ago you talked about Buggy and opposing headcanons of him you enjoy at the same time. One of these was “Outgoing and confident flirty Buggy who makes panties drop all around him.” Vs “Creepy clown not having much experience besides rigging his own mast.” Or something to that effect so…. Surprisingly a virgin!Buggy would not be out of the question y/n? I can see it honestly, secret romantic who never done anything with anyone because it didn’t “seem right” regretting it as soon as reader insert comes along because now he has no experience to show for all That romanticism and he’s sure if he doesn’t impress in the first act they are never gonna attend a repeat performance and all in all it’s just a miserable time, until reader grabs him by his adorably flushed cheeks and turns his face to them, assuring him that they are gonna have PLENTY of practice takes in the future if he’ll only be honest enough to communicate what he wants and is ready to listen to their input, so he better drop the high and mighty ring leader act and turn back into that adorably awkward clown they fell for… don’t mind me I just really like hcs of non young adult characters loosing their virginity and with Buggy it just… FITS so well yanno?

Listen anon, I am RIGHT THERE with you. 😩😩😩😩

I can absolutely see a romantic-at-heart Buggy, who overthinks every interaction. (Not to mention getting in his own way because of low self-esteem.)

But when someone is able to break through that barrier he’s built up, those giddy little butterflies are taking flight in his stomach. His heart is going pitter patter. His pants are getting tight.

It’ll still be a struggle - Buggy’s just so used to protecting himself. However, the right look, a little touch, a small comment - just the right thing and it’s like a switch flips. Eyes that fall from his face when he’s talking, going on a leisurely journey of his body. A hand on the back of his neck. A whispered compliment.

He’s blushing under all that face paint. Wringing his hands because he wants to put them on you so badly, but he’s nervous. He doesn’t want to fuck up. He stammers through a silly pick-up line, acting like it’s a joke.

But when you agree, all he can do is nod and awkwardly follow you to bed. Because goddamn does he want you so badly. He wants you to know how you make him feel. He wants to make you feel good.

And he’s willing to learn. ---

BTW, for more virgin!Buggy needs, I recommend There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin by @rorywritesjunk It's about a virgin touch-starved Buggy and a non-binary OC, and oh so good.

[super-paper]

What was the point of Chapter 419 with AFO giving Tomura decay and being involved in his life since he was born, besides generating AFO is behind everything and Kotaro gay affair memes?

I still believe Hori could have pulled this off if he hadn't veered completely off course after 419 because a LOT of Tenko's (and AFO's) arc revolves around the concepts of "identity" and fantasy vs reality (Like, just scratching the surface: AFO attempting to escape from his reality through fantasy, Tenko angrily attempting to pull away the curtain of fantasy and expose the cruel reality of their world. AFO using "reality" as his source of power by claiming its victims for himself, Tenko using "fantasy" as his power by offering those same victims a dream and the promise of an "escape" from their painful reality. "Shigaraki Tomura" as the fictional construct that both AFO and Tenko are attempting to insert themselves into, for both different and similar reasons-- Tenko because he decides to embrace the fact that he killed his family and uses it as evidence that he was "born evil" and "wanted them to die" as a way of explaining his existence. AFO because he wants to escape from the reality that he murdered his brother, while also escaping from the reality of his origin as a helpless infant who no one would look at no matter how much he cried. Blah blah blah etc etc when I say u have to read AFO and Tenko's arcs as a set instead of getting angry at AFO for "inserting himself into Tenko's story," I really do mean it lmao).

Like, MVA aside, Chapter 115 in particular set the tone for Act 2 and HEAVILY foreshadowed what Tenko's arc would end up being about:

(lmao ya'll there is so much evidence in Act 2 that points to the idea that Hori really did want to write a deconstruction of your typical hero story. like, the framing of this panel with Jin angrily turning the TV off when they start talking about "focusing on the positives"????😭I get so sad when I think about the mha we coulda had)

(Side note: Jin was just so so so good as both a character and as a device meant to introduce the reader to MHA's concepts of identity + how a "hero/villain" identities are frequently used as crutches to stop a person from breaking apart under the weight of their trauma

..... which of course makes the fact that Hori rendered his death pointless in the end all the more upsetting :/)

(Pictured: AFO and Tenko fighting over the role of Shigaraki Tomura)

(this scene where Jin talks about the importance of knowing "who u really are" immediately transitions to a scene with AFO, btw. lmao)

((As an aside: 115 is another shining example of how Hori is definitely a competent writer, bc it manages to set up pretty much the entirety of Act 2 + its themes up in just 15-17 pages-- which is all the more reason why the extremely poor quality of MHA's conclusion is so hard to swallow. I definitely don't believe in blaming the editors/publishers alone for how things turned out, but all the same, I do think there was some executive meddling from behind the scenes bc of how rushed and disjointed the epilogue ended up being. It's not the quality we're used to, not by a long shot, and you can tell as much by reading pretty much any chapter before 423.)) /tangent over

ANYWAY. To me, it ways always pretty obvious that AFO was more or less grooming Tenko to be his perfect ~Demon Lord~ OC-- the idea of treating a real person like a fictional character is something I find pretty terrifying + it's something that further emphasizes MHA's metafiction elements, with Tenko being trapped in a role that was written for someone else. I feel that there was adequate build up to AFO being "the author" behind Shigaraki Tomura, specifically-- and it all seemed to be leading up to a point where Tenko would be encouraged to break free & finally take control of his own story ("I needed to hear those words" -> "Those guys (the villains) need a hero, too" -> "You CAN be a hero" "Uh, whoopsie??" 🥲🥲🥲)

Sadly it ends up amounting to nothing because..... Tenko isn't even allowed to fully process the implications of his birth/life and how this has influenced his actions/beliefs/"dream" before exploding, a core scene between him and Nana gets offscreened, and our MC never even bothers to react to the revelation that Tenko's life was scripted. It renders a HUGE part of Tenko's character arc almost completely pointless because we get no actual resolution/pay off for everything that was set up. Like, so much of the finale + epilogue just feels like Hori was going down a check list of plot points/parallels he wanted to include before putting MHA out of its misery, rather than building up to them naturally-- and it's just sad it had to end this way, bc, well. It didn't HAVE to end this way. Hori had all the ingredients necessary to make something truly wonderful, but he didn't use them.

[willofthequill]

🎱 ⇢ post your AO3 total stats (the bookmarks aren't right though... They don't match up to what shows under stats for the fics vs what shows when I click on the individual fic)

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction? My best friend and I were obsessed with BSB so we wrote a story about being married to them, sending it back and forth across states in the mail since this was before email. Gods, I'm old but what a great memory.

🌵 ⇢ share the link to a playlist you love (sorry my playlists are private lol)

🕯️ ⇢ on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? why is that? 7ish - I like rereading what I've written and adding to scenes and changing stuff around but I dislike that sometimes I pick my own work apart seeking perfection.

🛼 ⇢ describe your latest wip with five emojis 🪄❤️‍🔥🐉👑❄️

🥑 ⇢ you accidentally killed somebody, which mutual(s) do you text for help? @onwinedarkseas @nalufever @weeaboo-god get your shovels ready, mates! 🤣

🥤 ⇢ recommend an author or fanfic you love @onwinedarkseas and her fic The Invitation. An absolutely incredible author and absolutely enthralling, sexy read!!

💌 ⇢ how many unread emails do you have right now? I plead the 5th

🌻 ⇢ tag someone you appreciate but don't talk to on a regular basis @oryu404 ! First friend I made in any fandom and a absolutely fantastic writer and incredible drawer of the Stingue!!

🐇 ⇢ do you prefer writing original characters, reader inserts, or a mix of both? I like doing reader inserts, though I'm not the biggest fan of doing it with Y/N. My OCs tend to be self inserts but I absolutely love writing those! I wish there was more love in fandom for OCs/Yume!

🧃 ⇢ share some personal lore you never posted about before: personal lore... Hmmm... I was pretty much raised by maternal grandparents. My Poppy was a widely known scientist in his field and my Nana was a classically trained artist who hung in galleries and worked with archeologists.

🎲 ⇢ what stops you from writing more in your free time? Distractions, exhaustion, migraines, depression lol soo basically life

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings : big surprise the first that pops into mind is NSFW: Tengen x Kyojuro - Tengen is a bratty bottom/sub and Kyojuro has a filthy bedroom mouth

🧸 ⇢ what's the fastest way to become your mutual? Talk to me?

🪐 ⇢ name three good things going on in your life right now? 1. It's Friday. 2. The bills are paid and the groceries bought. 3. I got to video chat with my niece and great niece today.

📚 ⇢ what's the last thing you wrote down in your notes app? It was cast into a pocket dimension and put behind a door that was bound in a blood spell of 4 aspects and 4 elements

🍬 ⇢ post an unpopular opinion about a popular fandom character? this one is hard for some reason lol I guess my unpopular opinion would be that Sukuna would not be a cruel sadist to the person he loved romantically in any sense. I think he would have been a good partner to someone he let in, look how he is with Uraume.

[spnfanficpond]

Livechat recap: Writing Reader Inserts - How to Reduce the Y/N of It All

We had a great chat in our Discord server about different aspects of writing reader insert fics! Those who were there or have contributed to the discussion after the fact are: @notsofly, @spn-fanfic-reblog-writes, @kazsrm67, @thoughtslikeaminefield, @zepskies, @talltalesandbedtimestories, and @stunudo. Below the cut is a rundown of the points that we discussed!

How do you reduce the use of Y/N and similar placeholders?

Nicknames - This is especially easy when writing SPN because Dean loves giving nicknames to everyone.

For placeholders like Y/H/C and Y/E/C - When writing from the RIC's (Reader Insert Character) POV (Point Of View), this is easy because most people don't consider their own hair or eye color. When writing from another character's POV, like an SPN Character (SPNC), focus on attributes like how eyes can shine, or narrow. Hair can be soft or shiny.

Decide if the detail you're referring to is necessary to the story. If the plot doesn't change without it, do you really need to include it?

How much detail does an RIC need?

Only those details that would change the story if they were different or missing. For example, if a story is about aging/maturity or how a RIC reacts to new tech, then age is necessary.

What specific details should you leave out when possible?

Hair length/style - Some women have very short hair that can't be put into a ponytail or braided. Focus on feel of the hair, not tangling it into someone's fingers.

Weight - You can mention curves and leave the rest to the imagination.

Blushing - You can feel your face get hot, but you can’t really see yourself blushing. Describe the feeling over the appearance. Darker skin tones don't turn noticeably red when blushing.

Race/ethnicity - Unless your story involves ethnic customs or dealing with something specifically racial, this is not a necessary detail.

Clothing - Unless a hunter is dressing up, clothing does not need to be specifically described. Even when dressing up, clothing can be described generically. "A dress in her favorite color that showed off her assets and minimized those little parts of herself she wanted hidden." A job can affect clothing, but just going to the mall or on a date does not. Describe comfort over style.

What is the difference between an OC (Original Character) and a RIC?

Backstory - OC's will usually have a backstory to help define their character. RIC's only need backstory as it pertains to the current story. They can have one, but only what's needed for the story.

Name

Physical description - OC's need to be described but RIC's need to not be described as much as possible.

Does an RI fic need to be in 2nd Person POV?

No. They can also be written in 3rd person omniscient (the audience knows what everyone is thinking) or 3rd person limited POV (the audience only knows what one person is thinking, as if they were in that character's head).

Are RI fics more popular on one platform vs. another?

Yes. RI fics seem to be a lot more popular on Tumblr than on AO3. Tumblr also seems to prefer RIC's over OC's. We don't know why.

Ways to describe eyes that don't involve color?

Focus on the emotions - see emotions in their eyes instead of color

Focus on actions - eyes crinkling, slitting, narrowing, widening. She batted her eyes or looked up at him through her lashes.

Other adjectives besides color - Bright eyes, shining eyes, etc

NO ORBS.

How do you write a Gender Neutral RIC (GNRIC)?

You have to avoid gender stereotypes like women being more emotional and emotionally available while men are more stoic and stubborn. Women and men stereotypically flirt differently. You need to identify those traits in your story and balance them out to neutralize them. Get down to your basic "people" traits for the character.

Who cuddles who? Maybe the SPNC comes to the GNRIC and asks for cuddles? Decide if that kind of thing matters and why.

The GNRIC discussion at the end of our time led to the creation of a writing challenge to explore gender. How would we write a female RIC differently from a male RIC if they were put into the same story? How does knowing this help us to strip gender stereotypes from our story to make a truly gender-neutral RIC? If you would like to know more about this writing challenge and how to participate, click here!

If you have any questions about anything here, or want to add something to this topic, please let us know! You can send an Ask to the blog, add your comments to the #livechat-events channel in our Discord server, or DM one of our admins here or on Discord.

Admins

Michelle - @mrswhozeewhatsis

Marie - @mariekoukie6661

MJ - @thoughtslikeaminefield

Mana - @manawhaat (Founder and Admin Emeritus)

[swiss-mrs]

EVERMORE: Update/Announcement

(Modern!KAS!Eddie Munson x POC!Werewolf!Reader)

11/08/2024

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy,

So, I'm currently reworking some of the existing/posted Evermore chapters as I'm revisiting and expanding my character work and story outline. 😅

I'm sorry to the like two people who are actually following this story for the massive delays, but my "remastered" work will be posted in full in the upcoming days along with some new content (YEE!)

As I keep saying, I really love this project and feel terrible about the long gaps between posts, but I am ever so appreciative of the support I've gotten so far!

It's hard for me to give a realistic timeline on completion/posting schedules for chapters as I want my vision to really get out there in the best way possible. Just know I am NOT giving up on this. I'm just an overthinking perfectionist 🙃

I've also decided on some BIGish changes to some fundamentals. For starters, I will be leaning a bit more into my "POC!Reader" idea, specifically of African decent/mixed race. I've really skirted around it in my previously posted work to make it more inclusive, but I'm really wanting it to be more obvious. As such, it is REALLY going to start riding that line of what makes it an original character vs reader insert. If you want to read it as an OC, it will be approached as such, but if you want it to be reader insert, you'll just have to suspend your disbeliefs a bit.

Along with my updated chapters, I will be updating the masterlist information. I ask you at least revisit the masterlist to update your expections moving forward if you do not want to revisit the chapters.

As always, if y'all have any questions or whatnot, feel free to roll the dice and send me an ask! They're always welcome. That's all for now!

~ swiss

Evermore Taglist (OPEN):

@ali-r3n  @mother-oshun @madelynraemunson  @starmilks @ohmeg @avidreader73

Swisslist (General Taglist):

@rosecentury @solacedthistest

[desceros]

hello! so new writer here, I'm just starting out with writing x readers, but I'm having a bit of trouble. I saw in a previous post that when you are reading a fic marked x reader, you want it to actually be an x reader, and (as much as possible) not be an oc from the writer. And I agreed with that and want to try to make my reader self-insertable for everyone. the only problem is that I'm not sure how much I can have set opinions for them and have things up in the air. You've written a lot, so I was hoping you'd have some advice? If not that's totally fine. I appreciate you and your writing 🫶 hope you're having a good day!!

hmm well what i Specifically meant by that was when you have someone who has a fic that is written in the first person or third person with a named character who has a physical description, but they've tagged it as "reader-insert". to me, that's not a reader insert. that's an oc, and your fic is incorrectly tagged.

to me, a reader-insert fic is very specifically a fic in the second person without a name or physical description as much as possible. which isn't to say that oc fics are bad!! i write them myself in other fandoms. i just... don't really like reading oc fics for fandoms where my brain has decided This Is A Reader-Insert Fandom. Nod Nod.

so there is a delicate art to writing second-person fics with the intent of having it function as a reader-insert. the balance between giving enough flavor to have it be compelling vs so much that a reader can't comfortably put themselves in an insert-chan's shoes is actually a real passion of mine!! it's one that is kind of... something that you eventually get a Feel for after writing them for a while.

that said, here are some little tricks and whatnot so hopefully you can shortcut things a little. also, obvious warning since you're asking desceros dot com for writing advice, but this is a long post:

first, embrace the fact that you're going to exclude some people. no matter how bland and empty you make an insert-chan, you're going to exclude someone. and that's okay! if you try to cast Too wide a net, you're going to have a boring, bland insert-chan, and that's not going to make Anyone happy. still, there are a few things that i keep in mind since i want to appeal a broader audience: 1. try to be mindful of race coding, and avoid it. very specifically, describing hair (length, texture, care, etc.) and blushing or general discoloration of skin besides bruising are both something i avoid. i don't describe someone's night routine beyond, say, taking a shower, putting on lotion, and brushing teeth. this allows for black readers to more easily read your fics, which is something i'm particularly passionate about since i've had friends who feel excluded from the reader-insert community because they're black and that really makes me sad. 2. avoid describing favorite things, clothing, etc. little things that don't matter don't need to be described. does the reader need to know that your character is wearing a green sequin dress? or does it matter that they're wearing a pretty dress? 99 times out of 100, the latter suits the writing just fine and allows for a reader to picture what THEY think is a pretty dress. hell, unless i'm writing something that involves removing clothing, 9 times out of 10 i won't even mention what a reader is wearing, because it doesn't matter, and describing it gets in the way of someone's imagination. same thing with favorite foods, what someone is eating for breakfast. in symphony, viola-chan is famous for a baking cookies--but i don't specify what kind, and i won't. because my favorite cookie is different from someone else's, and the specifics don't matter. what matters is that they taste comforting, and everyone else likes them a lot, too. 3. avoid physical descriptions where possible. as i said before, i typically don't mention hair at all. instead of having someone run their hands through your hair, i have them stroke your nape. same basic touch, but one allows for short-haired readers or curly-haired readers to insert easily, one doesn't. i don't mention an insert-chan's size or height, other than a relative "you're shorter than donnie" or "leo's bicep is so much bigger than yours." i try to avoid weight-coding as much as possible so that fat readers can feel just as welcome as very skinny readers. that stuff just doesn't matter, and so cutting it out broadens how many people can read and feel represented.

4. keep unimportant details vague. for example, in a lot of my fics, the insert-chan has a family, but communication with them isn't mentioned. the status of the family or its makeup isn't important. a lot of writers will tell you to kill them off for convenience sake (which i do sometimes write inserts with dead families), but to me this is just lazy. you can have an insert-chan with a family. but instead of showing their relationship with the family, show how that relationship has shaped the insert-chan's personality. for example, in the latest fic i wrote, infinite singularity, the insert-chan's family is alive and well, but they're distant. not only does this mean, yay, i don't have to define what that family is--but it also allows me to show that piercing-chan avoids pain, emotional as well as physical. now i don't have to say you don't like pain. i can show it. and that always makes for more powerful writing.

so that's how you keep things broad. but there's a flip side to this, which is "how do i make an insert-chan compelling without any details?!" and the answer here is, well, add details!! which, hey, didn't we just say to eliminate details? to which i'd say, yes, Except for the Ones You Need.

1. give your insert-chan something they like to Do. whether this is a hobby or a career, this one has several functions in your story. one, it gives you something on which you can hinge characterization. for example, in my fic electromigration, that insert-chan likes camping. now i can have conversations about it, have an excuse for you to know how to do things camping-related, etc. it propels the plot forward. and two, it gives your insert-chan something interesting, which is the secret to a good character. you don't want to go too overboard on this, since again we don't want to overload the insert-chan with things that aren't helpful, but one, maybe two hobbies, or a job, makes them rounder and makes the fic more enjoyable to read.

2. give your insert-chan a personality dot dot dot carefully. now this one sounds weird. "don't i want to have a blank canvas onto which people can put themselves?" well, kind of, but really, no. that's how you get a bland character that's so boring no one wants to read your fics. and it doesn't even have to be a mild personality! in my fic goldilocks, that insert-chan has a Very strong personaity, such that i've even gotten requests for a chef-chan/reader fic. but because i've stripped away all of the other identifying things, it can still read as an insert-character without being an oc. that said, this is a tricky one. the more personality you give, the more people you alienate. but also, the less personality you give, the less interesting the fic. it's a delicate balance, and one you'll figure out eventually as you write more and read more.

3. give your insert-chan a story. this one is one that is more relevant for longer fics, but is still helpful to keep in mind for shorter fics. what i mean is, okay. you're writing a reader-insert. but for a moment, treat it like an oc. where did they come from? how did they get to new york? what personality arc do you want them to have over your plot? are they going to change, and if so, how? for this, let's look at my fic amaranthine. the history is vague enough that it doesn't impede a reader's imagination, but there are enough details that you Feel like there is a story that was happening before, and you've dropped in at this point to ride along with these people before you leave them to go on their way again. things like being best friends with raph after he found you drunkenly crying on the sidewalk. things like leo having known you and donnie were gonna be a mess when you got together. things like splinter always loving to drink tea with you. these are small details that make the world feel rich, but not so much that it's impossible for a reader to build their own narrative around it.

anyway, these are just some broad tips, and i hope you found them useful!! my main, tldr thing i'd say is just to write. it's going to take practice. writing in general is hard, writing something new is Really hard, writing something new and being picky about how you want it to come out is REALLY REALLY hard. so be kind to yourself, and remember that this is supposed to be fun. don't fret, don't get stressed, just take it cool. maybe write a few that you don't publish, just so you can get the voice under your fingers and take some of the pressure of Oh God People Are Going To Read This off your shoulders. i always do that when i enter a new fandom, and it's soooo helpful.

good luck, and let me know if you have any specific questions! :D

[thedomesticanthropologist]

Fanfic giveaway for followers

My tags aren't working I can't find the link to it but I promised a 2k fanfic giveaway at 500 followers and we are currently well over 400! So I'm gonna start again here

If you follow me, like and reblog THIS POST for a n entry into the contest, sorry to those who got the first one I can't find it anywhere 😅 and I'm gonna tag this one better this time hghk

I'm also gonna refine it, I have decided it can include in-game characters from BG3 only, or be reader insert, ie "you x (whoever)" but not your Tav or Durge as it takes longer for me to wrap my head around an OC vs known characters.

I write smut! Yes it can be explicit

This is for the Baldurs Gate 3 fandom so it must be about that

It can be SFW, no restrictions on rating

The rest can be discussed in messages prior to writing it. There's no ship I can think of that I wouldn't write 🤔

Anyways yeah! Thanks for following me, follow/like/reblog to enter and contest ends when I'm over 500 followers

[delvalentine]

Hi!

I've been reading your fanfics since I was in middle school and I'm in college now, so that's really funny to think about lol.

I know that you've been writing for a really long time and you may have been asked this question before (I promise I tried to scroll through and look for a similar question, but I couldn't, so sorry if you've answered this multiple times before!!), but how do you stay motivated when writing?

I have a few writing projects that I've started on, but have yet to finish or publish because I always find something that could be fixed or changed. And whenever I try to write shorter, one-shot type fics, they end up being longer and I keep adding new ideas to them. But this ask is long enough as is, so I'll stop here.

I really love your work and I hope you're doing well!!!

A long-time fan ♥️

It’s so emotional for me to hear that my writing is impactful enough for people to keep reading it as they grow up with me 🥲 thank you so much for reaching out 🤧 & no need to apologize as I’m happy to answer any question or chat! I don’t think I’ve gotten this one yet either 😙

The simple answer is: I don’t stay motivated 💀

I have drafts I never go back to or publish. Fics I think about for years and years and suddenly 5 years have passed and I still haven’t finished it. I have plenty of incomplete stories on my page right now; some I still think about wanting to finish, and others that I’ve abandoned and moved on from. People come to ask and even beg me to finish fics, and I wish I could for their and my sakes, but creativity doesn’t come on command no matter how much you want it to. I tire out while writing a chapter and forget to go back for months. Even when I’ve planned out the whole story, I’ll still lose steam when it comes to actually writing it. The main thing is forgiveness; it’s okay.

I’m sure you’ve heard of motivation vs discipline. Nobody is motivated all the time; it’s impossible to be. Now that I’m a working adult I’ve lost the time and energy I used to have, so I end up prioritizing other things—but I’ve never felt the need to quit writing, because I still enjoy the process of it.

When I write fanfic, the goal is always just to have fun. Like you said, I’ve written fics for a long time; my first ever Big Time Rush Logan x OC on Quotev (when it was Quizzaz) was written ~2010. And I still write reader insert romance fics today even after I graduated university and got married 😂 and the only reason I would be able to keep doing something for so long is because I still find it enjoyable to craft stories!

It always helps when I receive reader feedback. I don’t think anybody should write with the main goal of hitting kudos goals or getting clout as it sort of takes the joy away from creation, but that’s my personal belief. Knowing people liked your hard work can make you feel validated and proud; but I think if you’re not proud even if 0 people left a like or comment, then there could be some introspection about why you’re writing something that doesn’t bring you, the author, joy.

It sounds like your concern is less that you have a block in creation and that you feel that it has to be perfect before you can release it for others in the public to read. Every artist feels this way; I myself reread my fics and wish I’d said this, or worded it a different way, added a scene, etc etc. But the base feelings I look for before I’m ready to hit publish:

- am I proud of this?

- did I convey my story meaningfully?

- if it’s a chapter, does it make me feel like I’d like to keep reading? Did it serve the purpose of answering questions posed earlier in the story?

Sometimes the philosophy “fuck it, we ball” and hitting publish without looking back is enough. It’s just a fic; if there’s some spelling errors or it’s boring to some or OOC to others or whatever—it doesn’t spell the end of the world. In fact, noticing flaws means you’re able to recognize areas that you’d like to grow in to become an even better author. The joy of online fanfic is that the genre is so broad and diverse. It’s all subjective. No matter what you put out, somebody’s put out something “better”, and somebody’s put out something “worse”, and people would still disagree in their personal opinions. If nobody read your writing, would you still feel proud reading it? Did you have enough fun writing your story that you’re keen to write the next one?

Sometimes writing and not publishing has value. Sometimes writing and not editing helps spark creativity or gives you a base of a different story. Sometimes dumping the skeleton of a draft in word dumps on a page without going back to edit until you’re done is what you need to complete your product. If your good ideas stay trapped in your head, I think it’s better to have at least the bare minimum down so you have something that you can edit and clean/fluff up to your liking instead of working yourself into circles and not having anything to show for it. A drill to help practice breaking that particular habit is setting timers and not allowing yourself to go back until the timer is over; this can train your brain to work in a continual flow rather than get tripped up and losing steam.

And I think one of the most important things for creators to do is ingest media from other creators. Read other peoples fics; what do you like about them and what might you do differently in your own style? Published books, TV, movies, etc. The more exposure you have, the more ideas you have available to draw from, and the more you can visualize how you want to tell your own story.

Another tip that helps me to achieve that writing flow is to see your fic/writing as visual media. How does your “movie” end? How would people write the synopsis for your “film”? Are these scenes actually necessary or is it awkward and taking up screen time? Might it be better for the scene to be earlier or later to help with the flow of the “movie”?

This in itself was more of a word dump than a concise answer, but I hope it’s helpful at least a little bit to your writing journey. TL;DR… just publish it 😉 if it’s got a beginning, middle, and end, it’s ready. You can always publish a rewrite (I’ve done that before!), so just trust yourself. There isn’t anybody you have to please online in the fanfic world except for yourself 😌

💌 Love, V

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Friday, September 13th

XANDER: No, it's just... this Malcolm guy? What's his deal? I mean, tell me you're not slightly wigged. BUFFY: Okay, slightly. I mean, just not knowing what he's really like. XANDER: Or who he really is. I mean, sure he says he's a high school student, but I can say I'm a high school student. BUFFY: You are. XANDER: Okay, but I can also say that I'm an elderly Dutch woman. Get me? I mean, who's to say I'm not if I'm in the elderly Dutch chat room?

~~I, Robot... You, Jane~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

cherry lipgloss by sapphistically (Buffy/reader, not rated)

Oblation by The_Crazy_Knight (Buffy/Giles, E)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Shadowed Suspicion, Chapter 341 by madimpossibledreamer (Ensemble, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure crossover, T)

Don't Swerve, Chapter 9 by thisyearsgrrl (Buffy/Faith, E)

My (love) Kill, Chapter 3 by witchywriter3 (Buffy/Spike, G)

Book Stew! Chapter 5 by MGAllan (Michael (from Gingerbread)/Lance (from The Pack), G)

After Life, Chapter 5 by Alwaysandforevermylove (Buffy/Faith, E)

A-Z of Sex, Chapter 1 by KatyAmberAuthor (Buffy/Giles, E)

Soul Mate Magic, Chapter Three by emma-m-black (Giles/OC, 18+)

Out of this World, love..., Chapters 7-8 by Miss Kitty (PG-13, in French)

The Neighbor's Point of View, Chapter 130 by the_big_bad (Buffy/Spike, PG)

Little Light, Chapter 7 by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Way Beyond Chaos, Chapter 1 by Girlytek (Buffy/Spike, R)

Wallflower, Chapter 24 (complete!) by Girlytek (Buffy/Spike, R)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Manip: MerMade For You by Claire (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Lego: my custom Lego Buffy the Vampire Slayer by buzzlymuzz

Artwork: Collage #160 by thedecadentraven (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Collage: Spike by thedecadentraven (worksafe)

Gifset: Buffy/Cordelia by lovebvffys (worksafe)

Fanvid: Andrew Wells | Puppet Boy [slight flash warning] by homoeroticvillain

Fanvid: Spike/Buffy - The Albatross by DarkEleni

Fanvid: Andrew Wells | Puppet Boy [slight flash warning] by homoeroticvillain

Fanvid: Don't Stop Me Now [BTVS Season 6 BLOOPER REEL] by Aurora Edits

Fanvid: Buffyverse by juliaroxs241

Fanvid: willow and tara | i know the end by editsbysarahx

Fanvid: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2 Opening Credits (Charmed Style) by Rotten Lemonade

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - Are You That Somebody By Aaliyah by Naki-a Littlejohn

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - Bang Bang By Ariana Grande by Naki-a Littlejohn

Vidlet: hello kitty | buffy summers | mep part by DreamingWithDragons

Vidlet: Buffy summers || legends never die || by CaptainSwann

Vidlet (untitled) by cupcakexmeow (Buffy/Spike, Buffy/Angel)

Music: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER THEME SONG / ‪by JETT Fighter Drumming‬ (age 12 )

Acting: Anya's Monologue by Skyler Brown

Song: Something to Sing About - Singing - by Sparkly Rainbow Kaz

Song: Rest In Peace - Spike - Once More, With Feeling - Buffy - Singing by Sparkly Rainbow Kaz

[Reviews & Recaps]

Video: Top Grumps - Buffy The Vampire Slayer by Nerdy Up North

Video: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 4: Episode 7 - The Initiative by The Cheshire Kiwi

Video: Our Love of Buffy The Vampire Slayer PART 1 by It Crept From The 80s

Video: Buffy 2.15 Phases by Jen Katz and Ryan Something

Video: Buffy Vs Charmed | An Observation of Unnecessary Comparison by They Call Me MR. G

Video: Buffy S02E22 "Becoming (Part 2)" Spoiler Review by LGRN - Entertainment

Video: Sleeper-Slayer Sunday by Jane Talks Buffy

Podcast: Showtime S7 E11 Buffy and the Art of Story by Lisa M. Lilly

Podcast: BwB 609 - Point Insertion [Smashed] by Beer With Buffy

Podcast: Tales of Music and Film Season 8 Episode 8 Buffy The Vampire Slayer Take Two by Tales of Music and Film Hosted By Christian Taylor

Podcast: Tales of Music and Film Season 8 Episode 9 Angel by Tales of Music and Film Hosted By Christian Taylor

Podcast: The Quintessential Buffy The Vampire Slayer by Sure Look Sure Listen Podcast

[Search & Recs]

Fic search: Actor spike fic lost by YummyCookies333

Vid rec: Anya Jenkins | Why? [Character Study.] by HostilePoet17 recced by IceStorm22

Fic rec: The Devil's Elegy (Buffy/Angel, M) by coalitiongirl recced by I Will Remember You Marathon

Fic recs: favourite Spuffy recs by userttpd

Vid rec: Charles Gunn - The Loss and Recuperation of the Self by Honeycutt Videos recced by umbralsong

[Community Announcements]

Buffybot and Gilesbot, sitting in a tree… by Buffyverse Kinkmeme

[Fandom Discussions]

Buffy saying “I just wish my mom was here” really falls flat by canary-prince

Rewatch thoughts and questions [Shells, Underneath] continued by multiple posters

Two comics artists who've worked with Joss have died this week by Skippcomet

What happened to the parents in Buffy? continued by multiple posters

Podcast : "Alyson Hannigan Reveals Her #1 Hidden Theory About Me" by Klaus Kartoffel

Spikes justification for not reuniting with Buffy from the episode Harms Way by wtffu006

If I were her relatives, I’d request a refund from the funeral home by Jade_Pratt953

Anyone else believe that the police/coroner/hospitals knew about the undead Americans? by CountChocoula

What is your favourite single scene in the Buffyverse… by tommywest_123

Which ep would you choose [to watch for 24 hours straight]? by No-Jaguar8044

On S2 - watching for the first time and loving it! Will it continue with this quality? by RedRxbin

So I watched a theatre show called Buffy Revamped by CaptainZir0

Your Own Buffy The Vampire Slayer Episode Concept? by Big-Restaurant-2766

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Video: Buffy The Vampire Slayer | Full Q&A | For The Love Of Fantasy (London) 2024 by Monopoly Events

Video: Anthony Stewart Head interview, Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Regis and Kathy Lee (with Tom Arnold) by Cleverkio

Video: Episode 364: Interview With Julie Benz by Don't Go Out There Podcast

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[insociometry]

Hi Inso! Not a question about RON exactly, I just wanted to say I love RON and have read almost since you first posted ☺️ It actually inspired me, and I have been writing an x reader story of my own! I wondered, what do you think about reader or fmc characters, what you prefer, and how they're different? I looked it up for advice but found a lot of negativity. Sorry, I'm not sure this makes sense 😞

Aw, hi there! First off, thank you for reading, and that's sooo exciting that you're writing a story!!! Genuinely I like bounced in my seat reading that, I love hearing about inspiring people to write 🥺💛

Hahaha, the topic of OC vs reader is a surprisingly divisive one, isn't it? 😆 I've read and written a few reader (or OC?) fics in the past, but this is actually my first time posting this type of fic/interacting with this type of fandom, so I was totally unaware until recently! I know the kind of negativity you mean; people get really heated about self-insertability. But ultimately, I think... the line between OC and reader is pretty thin, and a lot of characters just aren't self-insertable for a lot of people. And that just has to be okay! Like, not to be unsympathetic to them, but when you're the writer you kind of just have to think to yourself, "Eh, they'll live; can't please them all," and continue to write your story. Because that's the most important part of a passion project like fan fiction!! You!!! And writing your story!!!! 💛

I guess to get into the weeds of it-- hypothetically, a reader character is a blank slate for projection, while an OC is a fully-formed character. In practice (hot take alert, sorry), I kind of just think a reader character is an OC without a name 😅 At least for long form stories, in my opinion it's kind of impossible for your narrator to NOT be a character; even if you don't get into their past or other specifics, characteristics and patterns get shown through actions, and even if they start as a wishy-washy character, they'll just naturally get fleshed out over enough time. I think that's just how writing is; they need to feel like a person for it to be a good story. So even reader characters can't really be blank; when they ARE blank, that in it of itself is a character choice! And a pretty jarring one, really -- which I like, personally 😊 I like my protagonists a little messed up hahaha

Anyway, I think reader characters that specifically aim for high self-insertability actually betray a lot of what the writer thinks normal looks like (am I admitting to psychoanalyzing my fellow writers right now.... maybe...), more so than what "normal" actually is. Which is totally fine! It's just a funny thing once you start noticing it. I constantly encounter characters who are too straight or tall or white or trusting or sarcastic (etc etc etc) for me to heavily relate to, just right off the bat, or whose internal thoughts and workings just don't resemble mine at all; there's nothing wrong with it, and it doesn't mean I won't like the story 😊

I guess all that is to say that I think reader vs OC is a bit of a false dichotomy? So don't stress over it! I think you should write whatever you want, forever and ever 💛 I can't speak for all canon/reader fandoms, but in my experience so far, the manners in this fandom have been a bit different than I'm used to (in good and bad ways!), and sometimes it can feel like things are really negative for writers, or like people have a lot of expectations or demands. But the people who complain or make negative posts are by far the minority, and it's best to just ignore them and focus on the good stuff!! Don't worry about what other people will think! Write, write, write!!!! 💛💛💛

[vampires-bitrs]

Please write your story about sacrificial brides! The DL fandom is still very active, however rarely do people write about the dark and twisted side of this franchise. Or at least share your ideas and headcanons on what your story or OCs would be like! 😭🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

OMG OMG THIS ASK HAS ME GEEKING ＼(^-^)／

So far, the story is still in its outline phase. I did have a writer wave where the ideas flowed freely so now I'm just trying to piece all the fragments together

I know some people don't like to know what happens at the end of a story but I feel like the appeal of doing that setup comes with the progression of the actual story but on to the headcanons

Cordeila is still alive during this time (yes, the MC will run into her)

It takes place around 1994

The boys are living in Romania

My OC for the story I was having a hard time coming up with a name or specific look for her, so I was thinking maybe she could just be nameless or a self insert like Y/N L/N but I'm still deciding...

I have noticed that the boys have been written more fluffy in recent years and don't get me wrong I love it but sometimes I do wish there was a little bit more content focusing on their more darker side so if your looking for more DL fanfiction like that @jardinsdeminuit has a wonderful one shot selection of fics on their ao3

My personal favourite was "Shackled" 🤭

"The Switch" by Rinster is truly one of the best DL fanfiction I have ever read. The story telling, the boy characterization, the fact that it's choices based, meaning your actions can have consequences it's still ongoing, but so far it has 74 chapters, which should be plenty for now!

If you're looking for art that really captures the mood of the different routes, @ausd has amazing art that captures that chilling feeling, especially laitos route mmm CHEFS KISS everytime I look at their art it's just!

If you want some analysis that'll make you cry read "The Fall of Yui Komori: A Partial Analysis of Laito’s HDB Route" by @everything-laito I swear after reading this I needed to put my phone down and take a breath of fresh air it definitely gave me a new found perspective on just how strong Yui it's just so good.

@carlatsukinamistolemyhamsandwich also makes analysis, but her fanfictions MWAH they capture Shin sadistic side perfectly my personal favourite is Siren’s Call (Siren!Shin x Reader One Shot) (this one is not a shin fic but it's my guilty pleasure Bathtub Merman - Merman!Azusa Mukami x Reader One Shot you can tell I have a thing for under water creatures)

@dixbolik-lovers does all the boys and her Aus are to die for, and the fanfiction can be found on ao3 and Wattpad as well.

@sakamakibride "Lunacy one & two" based on the DIABOLIK LOVERS VERSUS Ⅱ Vol.2 Shuu VS Reiji perfectly grasp the tension between the Shu & Reiji If you have time, I would recommend a read.

@nutaella-kookie-storage has some of Nutaella-kookie old works wonderful OC amazing headcanons and unique world building.

Honestly, if you want the boys at their rawest, take them straight from the translation! @dialovers-translations

[littlemary45-blog]

Reader vs OC

Currently writing my first fanfiction after a long time. It's going to be an insert long, slow burn fanfiction and I need some opinions.

I was going for x reader, but my writing tends to follow a more in depth style that I think is OC territory. I like to flesh out characters, give backstory etc.

How much detail is too much detail for x reader? Not talking about physical description here, but character and backstory.