#but this one writer on ao3 writes excellent fanfic for them that I really like and binged while procrastinating on smth

[apollo-cackling]

oh come on catradora's going to be going up against griddlehark in the ao3 femslash poll only in round 3? that's semifinals material! (I could just be in a bubble but I doubt it. also either could hypothetically not make it but I doubt that too)

[aliensunflower-fics]

My Recommended Fic List

So, I got this ask awhile ago, and since I have been re-reading a bunch of my old favorite fics as a way to cheer up after work I figured why not. This list will be long... and varied but mostly its older fics cuz idk there my favs. Now lets go:

Fashion Upgrade - By @soap-lady : Straight up one of my favorite fics ever, its fun, its creative, it never fails to make me laugh when I need something warm and wholesome after a bad day. Also go check out the rest of her stuff there's so much good okay like shes just a writing queen. Shes on AO3 I don't want to spoil you on her other stuff just GO experience it for yourself.

Ode To Decoy pt 1 / 2 / 3 - By @a-marlene-s : Ive always liked this short sweet little fic about Lila getting caught. Its Lila + class salt though so avoid if that's not your flavor.

EVERYTHING - By @unmaskedagain : They have salt, they have sugar, they have funny, they have crossovers. Like honestly they are a just a great writer with so much variety so go check out the masterlist I linked and I guarantee there will be something there you like.

@ravennm84 Is a writer on the saltier side but they have a wonderful selection of weird wacky tales from the salty but oh so well written Damning Evidence that sees Lila get caught in the best way to the 3 part Horror inspired Serafina other great fics from them include Marinettes Family Court Circus pt 1 / 2 and Of Moldy Bread and Cockroaches / Be Kind to Servers honestly its worth giving there blog a look.

@mochinek0 Is another writer with several beloved fics. They write a lot of Maribat and we love them for it. Ones to check out would be Blind Date / Bruce vs Gabriel just go check out there tag list of daminette for more.

Accidental Crime Boss Marinette - By @lady-literature : This is a wonderful idea and a wonderful little fic and I just... I just like it okay. Sadly I haven't read a lot of there other stuff... But I might after finishing this list considering how much I enjoy this one.

@nobodyfamousposts I love a LOT of there fics. They are one of the best when it comes to striking that sweet spot of calling out the show for some of its garbage while not getting so salty that you cant have fun lighthearted goodness. I have been looking for a masterlist of there work but cant find one so just go stalk there tags. I do recommend there Chloe's Lament Series 1 / 2 exploring how certain 'wishes' would backfire. Guardian Assistant Kevin is also a good one Miracle Queen Aftermath pt 1 / 2 / The 8 parter Burn the Witch series / The Wisdom Teeth Reveal / Kagami Vs The Wall of Faces / Resigning With Grace & Spite / I tried to give a lot of links cuz they have a lot of stuff

Kill Them With Kindness - By @luki-fanfic : Well written, good salt without going overboard. Just good vibes. I havent stalked there other stuff but if its anything like this fic its probably excellent quality.

Stephen Vladislav pt 1 / 2 - By @stormiclown : Adrien centered salt on the idea of finally giving Adrien his own proper rival. I like the idea of Adrien having a rival because its usually Marinette and this was just the right length to get those creative ideas flowing. Also just well written what more can you ask for.

Power Trip - By @storygirl000 : This was the first fic that made me go... Wait would it be more fun if Lila was actually competent? And that set me on the path to writing my own fics where Lila is more villainous and more capable. Its short, well written. Good.

Your Wish is My Command - By DemiGoddess28 on AO3 : A great 11 chapter fic looking into Lila's life if she were to win and get a miraculous wish. Its got sugary goodness for our protagonists and the class and salt for our dearest friend Lila.

LadyBugOut AU - By Miraculous-Content on AO3 : A 50 chapter fic made up of snippets and ideas. I found it really inspiring in many ways. I also love how it redeems Marinettes classmates showing how and why they were tricked but holding them accountable anyway its just... Good.

Juleka vs The Forces of the Universe - By goldenlaurelleaves on AO3 : For those of us not yet ready to accept the death of luka/mari we have this wonderful fic showing Juleka being the biggest wingman as she helps these idiots find there way together.

ChaoticNeutral on AO3 has there own Chloe's Lament fic as well as a Gabriel's Lament fic for people who need sweet salty of those two characters.

BroadwayCutie16 was Inspired by the person above and DemiGoddesses your wish is my command fic to write Lila's Lament fic going over Lilas failed wish. Honestly I always love these fics because there just so interesting and the way wishes can be taken and twisted is always a fascinating idea to me.

#WayneAngel - By Tired-Writing-Teach on AO3 : For us Maribat lovers. Its fun and lighthearted with some good gags and some light fluff.

Damian in Paris - By Lilliesandliveries on AO3 : A sweet Maribat series showing what would happen if Damian ran away from home and found himself in Paris and getting therapy.

How a Demon Commissions an Angel - By AlixAnonymous : Damian blackmails Marinette into letting him be her client so he can get his bros the best gifts, they end up becoming penpal buddies.

Mythomania - By LadyEnna_50 on AO3 : Proof that I dont hate Adrien or Mari/Adrien. In this fic Adrien's spine gets titanium plating and he sees just how bad Lila is hurting Marinette and does something about it.

The Contingency - By AbyssalGuardian on AO3 : SALT. Also Tim/Mari but even still I love the way this was written, the style, and some of the ideas just ugh love it. Its not for those who dont like salt so just avoid at your own discretion. Its about a chaotic Marinette done with her life running away to Gotham where she meets her true black cat, and gets her life back on track.

The String That Binds Us - By FaithAndATypeWriter on AO3 : Okay so is there any Mari/Bat fan who hasnt already heard of this one? Who cares its good, its cute, I love it. May the author be blessed with snacks.

The Great IKEA Game - By @batsandbugs : Okay again... I think every Mari/Bat fan has probably heard of this one already because its just that good and that popular. But who cares I am recommending it anyway. Don't read if your allergic to fun I guess.

If this list still doesn't somehow have enough salt for you then try @goggles-mcgee fics here is a link to there Masterlist. They are in a way a professional at salt and angst and they make you want to adopt Marinette and pop her in a blanket fort.

Honestly I could keep going but this list already feels so long for other great recs though I can link you to @jayphoenic who has some great Daminette Fic Recs and some Lila Salt Fic Recs!

Feel free to reblog this and add some links to stuff you would think I or others might like! Also lets just acknowledge how many talented authors the community has like wow.

[veratrance]

do u have any aot or jjk ao3 fanfics recommendations? especially abt erwin, levi or nanami love them dilfs

Ohyes the dilf fic request, you are the voice of the people!!

For the Levi recs, I'll link two posts I've made in the past: post 1 and post 2. Also, I want to add this fic I had forgotten to put in the list:

rule #3, do not fall in love with me by ComeHitherFool

There are also fics that got recommended to me and that I've heard are really good, but that I haven't had the chance to read yet, though I definitely will! Here are some I remember from the top of my head:

- Like Devil To The Street Rat by missEmpress

- Project Arcane by missEmpress

- A Red Legend by writertitan

- A Ballad of Broken Wings by silesy

As for daddy Erwin and Nanami, I should really write down all the one-shots I read and enjoy because I know for a fact I've read some amazing toe-curling one-shots of our dear dilfs, but I can't remember the titles right.

I do remember some smutty 18+ Levi x Erwin x Readers that caused my soul to leave my body:

- scam by wikelia

- Private Affairs by AnastasiaNoelle

- ALSO this fic that got recommended to me: Two Lovers by feelingthorny (I haven't read it yet but I did take a short peep and I really love the writing style and everything! I can feel in my bones that it's a bombass fic)

As for Nanami: I was just searching for one-shots I read in the past about him, and though I didn't find them, I did stumble across a wonderful one-shot I just read (18+ as well):

on the edge of a blunt knife by almondblossoms1000 (Tumblr: @capricornlevi)

There's also a longer Nanami/Reader fic from the same author, which I'll also put here because I know for a fact May is an excellent writer:

Mise en Place by almondblossoms1000

Hope you enjoy the reads!

[superlc529]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thanks for the tag @esmealux ❤️❤️

How many works do you have on AO3?

I have 29 works on AO3. I've been working on a new Lucifer fic for the past 2 years on and off (mostly off) and that'll be my 30th on the site. However, I do have 63 works on ff.net (29 of them are the same) from various fandoms.

What's your total AO3 word count? As of right now, I have a word count of 179,925 words on AO3. I know that total is sometimes some writers' word count for a single fic. ;)

What fandoms do you write for?

Right now, it's mainly Lucifer (and Supernatural). I've been writing fanfics since I was a sophomore in high school. On ff.net I have written for (in no particular order): Bewitched, The Big Bang Theory, Castle, Doctor Who, Forever, Heroes, Jimmy Neutron, Lucifer, Smallville, Supernatural, Timeless, and Will & Grace.

Top five fics by kudos:

The More Things Change... (Lucifer): 1,090 kudos

Been Down This Road Before (Supernatural): 621 kudos

A Unique Guilt Trip (Lucifer): 548 kudos

Trick-Or-Treating Revelations (Lucifer): 543 kudos

Thanks For Listening (Lucifer): 449 kudos

Do you respond to comments?

Yes! I try to respond to every comment if I can... at least on AO3.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't actually write angsty endings. All my fics have happy endings actually. ❤️

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Oh, wow. Since all my fics have happy endings, it's hard to choose just one... for the ones I wrote over a decade ago, honestly, I can't remember... LOL. Read them if you so choose and pick your own. ;)

Do you get hate on fics?

I would get hate on fics on ff.net but thankfully (not so far) on AO3. When I first started writing fanfics, I interpreted some helpful advice AS hate, but it really wasn't. Thankfully the response is mostly positive on my writing. Sometimes I'll still get some "hate" on ff.net, but I still feel an obligation to post there for consistency since I cross-posted since getting an AO3 account.

Do you write smut?

No. (But I read it).

Craziest crossover:

The only crossover I have written was a Castle & Forever crossover that can be found on ff.net and AO3 called Ties That Bind.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I think somebody wanted to translate one of my older Smallville fics back in the day. Honestly, I can't remember which one or if it came to fruition.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not to my memory, but I used to beta all the time for Smallville. And I was a "consultant" on a fanfic on AO3 from a friend for a Forever and Quantum Leap crossover fic. Plus, I bounce ideas off with fandom friends in the Lucifer fanfiction world. ❤️

All time favorite ship?

Uhhhhhhhhhh... I can't say an all-time favorite ship because I love all of my ships equally. But I'll settle for my top two: Clois (Clark Kent and Lois Lane) and Deckerstar (Chloe Decker and Lucifer Morningstar).

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I've had a WIP for Sherlock/Sherlolly in my documents for quite a few years. It's a time travel one where Sherlock from post S4 gets sent back to the time between the end of S1 & beginning of S2. I don't think that one is ever gonna be finished to be honest. I never post fics until they're finished anyway, so at least there won't be anybody disappointed. ;)

What are your writing strengths?

I try to pride myself on the characters being written in-character - where the reader can actually picture the actor's expressions, mannerisms, etc - like they're watching an episode. Dialogue is definitely where I excel.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I really suck at descriptions. I'm not gonna lie. I have tried to work on setting the scene and character movements, etc but I still struggle with those factors.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I'm not really great at it. If the character is known to say words or phrases in another language, I might write it in a few times, but nothing that needs a long translation.

First fandom you wrote in?

Jimmy Neutron (on ff.net) when I was about 16 years old.

Favorite fic you've written?

I have a few, but honestly I'm more proud of my Lucifer stories and my one Supernatural story, so I'd have to go with a tie between my first ever Lucifer fic: The More Things Change... and my Supernatural fic: Been Down This Road Before. And right now the Lucifer fic I've been working on for 2 years is quickly becoming a favorite too. LOL. We'll see if people like it once I've finished it and started posting. ❤️

---------

Tagging a few of my fandom friends: @my-crazy-awesome-sox, @mightbeawriter, @wendeckerstart, @kaykat666, @thewollfgang and anyone else who wants to or feels inclined to do it! And to those that I tagged, please don't feel obliged to do it. Love oo!! ❤️

[linmeiwei]

OMG! I recently found your stories and

I'm.

In.

Love.

You've rekindled a fire I haven't felt about P&P variations in a very long time! Yes, there are many good writers, but not very many excellent ones! Your Darcy and Elizabeth, their interactions in all stages are—at least to me—so true to their canon selves, I can easily imagine several parallel universes in which Austen herself might have come up with something like I Dreamt or Betrothed!

Another (very, very) important aspect of their dynamic I absolutely adore in your portrayal of ODC is their sensuality and ardour. It's unlike any other I've read so far, and I'm so grateful for the little scenes of intimacy you've given us— in spite of the position of much of the fandom on sex no less!

(Alas, I am greedy fanfic heaux who was raised in fandoms much hornier than this one, so i cant help but wish for Darcy-centric outtakes for Stranded. Does this exist??? Can it????)

Since I don't yet sound desperate enough, let me ask this: Please tell me you're currently writing a new story? I do realise it takes work and effort and time. Nevertheless, i'm fully committed to being the needy, greedy reader and have therefore no shame in demanding ever more!!

(in reality, of course, I'm beyond thankful for what we have, and can't wait to read all your stories from back to front again and again and again once I've rampaged all the way through, which, at my current speed, should take just another couple of hours, lol 💗💗💗)

Oh wow, thank you so much! It genuinely means so much to me that someone reads what I write, let alone likes it. It's so nice to hear, genuinely, thank you.

Partially, I'm a little flustered reading comments like this, because I write so painfully slowly, and honestly have to go through fifty complete re-writes (as in start from scratch-go again) before I think a story fit to be seen by the eyes of another human being, and even then I'm a bundle of anxiety until the first review comes in. But the fandom has been so forgiving of my many mistakes and so kind in their feedback, and so that really helps me keep going. So, again, thank you!

It does mean that I'm slow with producing more work, though! I do in fact have a completed draft of another novel, that I am now letting rest before I start re-working it again. Which is my long-winded way of saying that, yes, there's something new coming out at some point, but I really don't know when it will be ready (I'm really rather ashamed of how long it's taking me). I have a little toddler and a full time job, which doesn't help, I'm afraid!

Oh and the sex scenes! Yay, I love a good sex scene! I also love horny P&P variations! And I'm so rubbish at writing them, lol! My genuine position on this is that the sex scene comes if it feels right that it should be there (like, in Betrothed it felt right to be more descriptive when it happens, because something fundamental changes for Elizabeth at that point in the narrative, and she breaks the distance between them, purposefully, er, letting him in, so to speak). Stranded was my first novel, so I didn't really know how to do this stuff, so it's coy and full of banter, rather than anything remotely explicit. I hadn't thought about writing any extra scenes for that one, but maybe I will (and if I do, I'll pop it on AO3 for everyone to laugh at :D)!

[nottawriter]

20 Questions More

This is a deeper and more detailed version of the 20 questions for AO3 fanfic writers. Thanks to @casualsavant for the tag.

1) How do you keep getting ideas for your ship / fandom? Supercorp brainrot… I see a picture or meme or video, I watch a movie or read a synopsis, I hear a song and it reminds me of them. They are ever present in my mind. I cannot escape (nor do I want to) and therefore, you cannot escape :chaos laugh:

2) Which authors inspire you in your fandom, and why are they so freakishly good? There are sooo many super talented people in the Supercorp fandom. I’m constantly impressed and overwhelmed with the volume of amazing content. There are the fandom favs: @lostariels, @jazzfordshire, @searidings, @lynnearlington, @coffeeshib, @mycatismyeditor, @lgbtimelords and @melui-the-bookworm, and there are personal favs: @snowydragonscave, @fazedlight, @casualsavant, @luthordamnvers, @gveret-fic, @briefunknowntrash, @cantdrawshaw, @karalovesallthegirls, @vox-ex, Veritas33 (AO3), @writershapeholeonthedoor… Sooo much talent. I just want to read all the time!

3) Aside from the characters of your main ship, who are the characters you love to write? I love all the side characters. I think the relationships in Supergirl are what make Kara and Lena so great and relatable. After Kara and Lena, I think I’m most comfortable writing Alex, but I enjoy writing almost everyone. My WHBL series is an ensemble-cast style story that is primarily Lena pov, but has other povs throughout.

4) Are there pairings or tropes you know for sure you’d never write about? Which ones? I’m not a fan of writing Kara or Lena outside of Supercorp unless in reference to their past relationships. I’m not sure if I would rule any specific trope out completely

5) What is your writing process and why is it cursed? Sav’s answer for this one is pretty relatable lol but uh… I typically put notes in my phone if I don’t have paper/pen handy. I use Excel to plot out timelines and chapters. I like to use color to show what I still need to write versus what’s done or what’s uncertain. I use a simple Word doc and typically write in story order, though if I write a scene I like, but don’t like it’s placement, I’ll cut it out and save it separately for potentially using later or in a different fic. I struggle with writer’s block, anxiety, guilty, sooo much uncertainty. It’s stressful and sometimes overwhelming… But I’m still here, so I suppose getting the story out into the world is all worth it in the end.

6) What is your favorite part of your writing process? I enjoy the research, having something completed and ready to post (if not the anxiety of actually posting), and I enjoy reading the comments

7) What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had to research for a fic? Um, probably sniper rifle stuff

8) Is there a particular writing rule you struggle with (grammar, spelling, tense, reality in general)? I catch myself switching tense all the time. I try to catch it all in editing, but don’t always succeed.

9) What was your hardest scene to write so far and why? Pretty much all of Evermore because it’s Kara’s dreamscape with mixed references to Wizard of Oz and Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven combined with The Adjudicator’s last scene. I think it actually came out well, but it’s really different and specific, so it’s gotten low interaction.

10) Have your characters ever done something you didn’t expect, changing your plot completely? 100%

11) If you could converse with any of the characters, who would it be and why? I would be in awe to meet Kara or Lena. They’re iconic and these huge symbols for so many feelings and thoughts I’ve tried to convey, but they’re also very relatable characters who’ve suffered through much. I hope I do them justice with my writing. I know others do it so much better... I would also love to meet Melissa or Katie. I hope they know how many lives they've impacted for the better.

12) What are some of the tropes or themes that you find yourself returning to in your writing? Originally, I wrote a lot of mental health themes and hurt/comfort, currently it’s fluff and smut or rom-com. I guess it depends a lot on what emotional headspace I’m in and capable of conveying. Almost always there’s some angst, but I gotta have a happy ending. Whether I’m reading or writing. A happy ending always.

13) What’s your most important resource as a writer? Talking with other writers! I’ve been so thankful to meet so many great ones this year <3

14) Can you share some of your strategies for editing and revising your work? I do many rereads, before and after I post. I will go back and reread before I add more to a story as well, esp if it’s been a while since I wrote for it. I’ve also gotten someone else to read over fics from time to time.

15) Which is worse: making the summary, picking the tags, or the anxiety when you post your fic? All of that gives me anxiety lol

16) How do you define success for your fanfic - hits? Kudos? Comments? Bookmarks? Or just if you like it? I try really hard not to define “success” when it comes to my writing. You never know what other people are going to like or connect with. First and foremost, I write for me. Secondly, I write for the enjoyment of others. I like to see kudos, but ultimately it’s the comments that are most encouraging. Seeing even just 1 person connect with a story that I wrote… there’s no feeling like that.

17) Do you have a playlist for your favorite character / ship? I don’t, but there are songs or artists I associate with the characters, esp Supercorp- Taylor Swift, Hozier, Lord Huron… Not the question, but there’s a video edit by @talconnect with Running with the Wolves that fits perfectly for Kara. https://twitter.com/TalArtM/status/1658567350046674967 I love it.

18) If fan art was going to be made from your work, which fic would you pick and which fan artist would you like to create it? I recently commissioned a piece for one scene in I Believe in a Thing Called Love and there are a couple of other scenes in that one that I would have done. Really, I would appreciate any scene though. It would be an honor to have someone chose one of my works for something like that and I would be stoked to see any of it.

19) How many WIPs do you currently have? Active WIPs: 4 (What Has Been Lost, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, and Tis the Damn Season); Mayhem WIP idea to be started soon. A few others always percolating

20) What’s your advice to new fanfic writers? I had no idea what I was doing or that I even wanted to write when I started. You can’t improve until you try. You can’t learn until you make mistakes. Just try. I’ll keep Sav’s advice as well: Write for yourself. Write what you’d want to see. You’ll get better at it over time.

My fics: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Notta_Writer/works Tagging but no pressure: @itsalliebitheway @jetgirl1832 @flyingpotstickers @sneezewizard

[amemenojaku]

Akyuu for the ask game!!

General opinion/How much I care about them: She's a girl she's a boy she's neither she's 1400 years old she won't live past 30 she can remember anything she sees she can't remember her past lovers she's the most influencial person in the human village she writes silly Agatha Christie fanfics!!! I LOVE her!! Easily a top 5 for me. Everything that surrounds her is fascinating, from the lore to her duty to the window on the world of touhou that she opened for the fans. I like that she's a tragic character yet she has such a strong personality, both that of a noble and of a woman who just wants to live her life and have a little fun As A Treat.

A ship I love: Akyuu/Kosuzu is so so so important to me as a tragic best friends enjoyer. I can do literally anything I want with this ship, tragedy, fluff, comedy, historical study pieces, bad ends - it always works. Their interactions are one of the reasons why I loved Forbidden Scrollery so much, the little moments when they just chat together around a cup of tea, when they do research on youkai, the ceremony under the sakura to extend Akyuu's lifespan, the Agatha ChrisQ chapters, the excellent "youkai are the enemies of humans" moments…

why does the panel on the right look like it's from a shoujo manga OUGHHH!! anyway um. I'm also really fond of Reimu/Akyuu (the longing and the parallels toi même tu sais) and Marisa/Akyuu (they'd be so funny together). As a whole I think every variation of Reimu/Marisa/Akyuu/Kosuzu works really well either as platonic or romantic.

A non-romantic relationship that I love: Probably with Yukari. There's definitely something fun to do with the guardian of Gensokyo and the reincarnations of its beloved chronicler. I like to imagine Yukari's existence has become almost reassuring to the children of Miare despite the fact that she's still a dangerous youkai. She'll always be there after all! In my mind it's also like the relatonship between a writer and an artist.

The NOTP: Don't have any!

My biggest headcanon about them: I've got a lot of headcanons for Akyuu which I'd like to do something with in the future, one of them is that she's really into flower language and personally chooses the flowers in the Hieda house. Each of Are's reincarnations also have a flower linked to them :) I love flowers myself so I'm projecting a little haha

An idea for a fanwork I would like to make/see about them: I have this idea for a mystery story on the Hieda family with lots of scheming and backstabbing but I am not very good at writing so it's only a silly dream for now. If someone on ao3 goes insane over Akyuu and a million different Hieda ocs one day that'll probably be me just saying

Something that makes me think of them: April Come She Will <3

[brighteyedjill]

🥤 📚 🏜️ 🐝 🧩 for the ask game!! <3<3

🥤 ⇢ recommend an author or fanfic you love

Here's a few amazing fics in some different fandoms:

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Edgin/Xenk: To the Ends of the Earth by @moorishflower. An AU in which Xenk comes to recruit Ed while he's in Revel's End, there's a lot of irritation, and then they discover maybe they both misjudged the other. Xenk's internal monologue is so good.

The Witcher, Aiden/Lambert, Keira/Lambert, and Aiden/Lambert/Keira: Even if you don't know anything about Keira, or don't usually read about her, the Trust series by @bomberqueen17 is a treasure. It's got nonbinary Lambert, Aiden captured by an evil sorceress, cute domesticity, and heart-wrenching misunderstandings. You can start with Very Dark Magic if you're mostly here for the Laiden of it all, but I bet you'll want to go back and read what's been going on with Lambert and Keira.

Shadow and Bone/Six of Crows, Jesper/Wylan: My Little Pony: BDSM is Magic by @sparrowmoth. I'm not saying this just because they sent this ask! If you haven't really thought pretending to be a horse could be hot, prepare to have something awakened. Also, it's tremendously sweet and the characterization is spot-on.

MCU, Bucky/Steve: Lead Me Not into Penn Station by @kaasknot has an excellent title. It's a delicious little one shot set in pre-war Brooklyn about Bucky taking Steve to the baths for a good old-fashioned gang bang.

📚 ⇢ what's the last thing you wrote down in your notes app? 

A list of things I wanted to google when I had cell reception back. 😂 I cannot function without immediate access to all knowledge!

🏜️ ⇢ what's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

All comments are cherished. One kind I really enjoy is the live slug reaction kind where people write down reactions as they go, sometimes pulling out quotes from the text that really strike them. Like, "Oh noooo that is so like them!" or "This line hits hard." Another type of comment I really enjoy is the woeful sort, usually in response to an angsty fic, i.e. "I am in a puddle on the floor of my bedroom now my heart will never be the same, brb my feelings are slowly draining into the void."

🐝 ⇢ tag your biggest supporter(s) and say one nice thing about them

@bittylildragon is a tremendous beta and cheerleader (and writer and artist). The amount of helpful insight and criticism they have provided over the years I've known them is.... massive.

@contemplativepancakes is such a stellar commenter. I think she's commented on, like, every Witcher fic I've ever written? I always smile when I get an AO3 notification about one of her comments.

@ainawgsd is another power commenter. I always enjoy seeing their icon (is it a German Shepherd?) in the comments section.

@kuwdora is the patron saint of obscure pairings. They are always right there with incandescent joy and thoughtful comments when I post a fic for a little pool noodle of a ship.

@rubynye is a delight who is always a bright spot in my inbox. Also, there is no squee like a rubynye squee.

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

No paragraph breaks. I am sorry, my eyes no work like that!

From the Writers' Truth of Dare Ask Game. Send me an ask!

[aubreysheadspace]

Hi hi can I present to you fluff? Since I don't have any angst ideas for today;;;

So, basically: the omori cast (mainly focuses on Mari) with a reader who's the same age as Sunny, and also a secret popular writer on the internet!!! (Platonic as usual, please!)

So uh. Imagine Mari is on her summer break! She was about to practice and study for the next year but... she discovers Ao3, got curious and clicked on it! She chose the most kudos fic in her fandom, but she was bored so she invited others to read with her, including the reader! After reading, all of them were impressed by the quality. The moment Mari complimented the fic and how good the writer is, the reader gets flattered and just reveals they're the mastermind behind the story! How did Mari react? And I don't mind if you also wrote the others and what does everyone think about the reader before the Ao3 thing..

Sorry if this wall of text scares you,, just tell me directly you will not do this resquest if you don't want to, that's fine ^^!

MAIN CAST (MOSTLY MARI) with a reader who’s secretly a who’s secretly a popular writer on AO3 (PLATONIC)

DW ABT THE WALL OF TEXT!! Idm it one bit, i always enjoy your scenarios!! hope you enjoy this <333!!!!!~

so! HERO, KEL, AUBREY, BASIL, and YOU planned on spending most of the time in MARI and SUNNY’s house

they wouldn’t show up until later though, so now MARI and SUNNY were simply waiting. SUNNY was in the living room, reading his old baby books for nostalgia.

great! so the cookies are done! …what now other than to just wait?

hm, well, MARI was in her room surfing the internet on the old computer. then goes on her AO3 account and smiles to herself

"Hm! Maybe I should search up my name on here? There’s gotta be something I can read for the time being!~"

then, MARI searches up her name on AO3, curious to see any fanfics that were worth reading

she checks out the one with the most kudos and then starts to read it

she was.. astonished!

she was taken aback! now she understands why this got so many kudos in the first place!

she hasn’t even realize time had passed when she finishes reading it.

so, when you guys finally come over, MARI immediately rushes all of you into her room and to the computer

"Is everything alright, MARI?" HERO had asked, it was a bit surprising to see MARI so quick to show something.

"I’m fine, I’m fine. You guys should see this fan-fiction I saw just now! It’s so good, trust me!~" MARI replied with an excited tone in her voice. She goes to the first chapter of the story and everyone began to read it.

hang on a second…

you know this fanfic..

you MADE this fanfic!

oh boy, this is gonna be fun.

as soon as you figured out that this was your fanfic, you were genuinely flattered

you were even more flattered when everyone else started to read and complimented it

"Woah.. this is.. really amazing! The text.. the dialogue, the plot.. is actually really good!" HERO complimented as he continues to read the fourth chapter.

"Wow! This person is really good at writing! They could be an amazing writer in the future!!~" AUBREY said in a happy tone of her voice, her eyes sparkling. SUNNY nods in agreement, his eyes widened a bit as he reads.. Wow…

"I don’t usually read, only when I have to at school.. but I would read this all the time if it were a book!" KEL spoke, donning his usual toothy grin. HERO chirps in and goes, "KEL.. you’d forget about it in.. in about 3 days.."

"Oh wow.. this person writes really good.." BASIL complimented as he reads. He then asks, "Gosh, I wonder who made it.. they write so perfectly..!"

MARI nods in agreement, giggling as she did so. "I’d like to meet them one day! See if I could get a writing tip or two!"

Well.. funny enough. You suddenly spoke, "Hey.. I wrote this!"

…

HELLO?

MARI immediately looks back at you with a surprised look on her face. everyone else does the same.

once she asks and you confirm it, she gets all excited.

"[READER], I didn’t know you had excellent writing skills!!~" MARI teased you a bit, you laugh sheepishly. "You’ve been keeping this secret talent of yours hidden from us?~"

oh, MARI wasn’t kidding. she wanted a writing tip or two, maybe three or four, from you! she automatically calls herself your number one fan on AO3!

HERO congrats you for making a successful fanfic like this. he is a bit surprised since he never pegged you as the writer type but hey, he’s not judging at all!

SUNNY sometimes goes on the computer and looks back at some of your works. he is a bit jealous of your skills but he doesn’t hold anything against you at all. he just thinks your fanfic’s are really talented, you even earned a "wow…" from him!

AUBREY and BASIL would always like to see if you’re writing anything new. AUBREY would always ask if you could add some dialogue that she came up with herself! BASIL doesn’t mind if you do the same for him, but he does get happy, he just likes reading your work!

and KEL is.. KEL. he’d definitely come up to you in school and ask you to help him with his writing assignment. and by helping him, i mean doing the work just for him. don’t worry, he’ll treat you something just after you finish it! he does like your writing skills after all!

[jittyjames]

so late to this, but! for the ask game!! 5, 13 (bc i need to read more fics in both hamilton and jcs lmao), and 16!

5. i think my writing has improved a lot since i first posted mine to subdue. i think i've grown more confident with knowing what i want to say and how i want to say it. i might be wrong, but i think i've developed a style that is consistent which i'm very proud of. i basically improved on the smoothness of writing, too, i think (i could be so wrong). i basically improved all of this just by working nonstop, and writing every chance i get. i do want to write different things every now and again. i feel like my works can get repetitive very quickly, and often that's what stops me from posting if i think a fic is too similar to something i've already done, or someone else has written something under the same premise. so that's kind of what i'm working on. i want to be able to bring something fresh and unique, so i'm trying to work on expanding my vocabulary a bit more and think of new ideas.

13. oooo this is so good. first and foremost i will say, i believe fic writers (And fan artists naturally) are what keep fandoms and my fixations on them alive, so these fics have greatly impacted me in that way, and the excellence of them inspires me to keep writing and keep going. for hamilton, i have read the fics for years. i've been on ao3, fanfiction.net, and wattpad since practically the beginning. i remember when there was <100 posted on ao3. like it goes so far back. sons of libertea by fihli was my favorite fic when i was thirteen and what really got me into reading hardcore for hamilton. i haven't read it in a long time so i don't know if it holds up, but i'm sure it does. so that one is really iconic for me, and i know it was really popular at the time. i've talked about it before but the monticello furlough was a game changer for me. anything by holograms is brilliant and i die every time. and it's not just bc y'all are my pallys and kiddos, but @youreverydaydemikid @cecescomposition @fireballdance, the fics y'all write literally have me dropping whatever i'm doing to read what you post. it's so so good. like it's genuinely consistently good work that i squeal over every time. also @binch-i-might-be is an absolute icon that has kept the fandom fed for a good few years. there have also been numerous fanfics that have been deleted over the years that i adored, so we will have a moment of silence for them, but alas, it's the price i have to pay for being in a fandom that became "cringe culture" and made everyone delete their work even if it was really good.

NOW FOR JCS. it is such a small fandom, but that does not mean there is any lack of wonderful content. OBVIOUSLY, i will start by recommending anything by @solarflicker. their work is genuinely jaw dropping and i die every time. their characterizations are so good, and their stories are so well written. i could not recommend them enough. if i had to choose one, though, it would have to be judecca. like that one is one i reread practically every week. but as i said, all of them are so good. you would be doing yourself a disfavor by skipping any of them. @ohsoldier is so so good too. their good omens au is chef's kiss. picking up the palm fronds by @hobgoblinns is also very very good. beserk's jcs fics are also golden little au's that are so so good!! they have like a reincarnation au that i adore. another good reincarnation au that i love is that's what you had (but you don't have it anymore) by zartbitterpoetin. this one is so unique and well written. like it's so creativeeee. those are all a bit angsty BUT there's a really cute coffee shop fic (i think it has smut in it so be careful youngins) but it's the fic that all the people not in the fandom find and it blows their minds that people ship jesus/judas lmaooo. but it's called i'm falling for brew by framblebee. NOW I'VE RAMBLED ON THIS QUESTION FOR FAR TOO LONG SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH ONE MORE. you have to have an account to view it, but it is the 2012 revival fic (once again i think it had a tad bit of smut so watch for that) but so tonight that i might see by altzfic is amazing. like honestly there are so many good fics out there. it's crazy how talented people are in both of these fandoms. i could go on for ages, but i will end the rant here.

(i could genuinely make a long post of just fic recommendations for both fandoms and it would be longer that this. it's just so good.) (lemme know if y'all want that. it would take a while to collect all the links, but i would gladly boost the fics i love)

16. the worst writing advice i've ever been given was to delete everything and start over if you get stuck. my storage might hate me, but i've learned i regret very much if i delete my work. even if i don't use something in the fic i originally wrote it for, i could always use it somewhere else or expand on it and make it it's own thing. another bad piece of advice i got was never use flowery language. i resent that. i loathe that. i am a writing maximalist, my dears. i will make my writing as longwinded and drawn out as possible.

[tumbleweedtech]

twenty questions for fic writers

Thanks @losersimonriley <3

how many works do you have on ao3? 69 (heh)

what's your total ao3 word count? 397,040

what fandoms do you write for? Right now? CoD. Previously? Critical Role and the Witcher (mostly Games)

top five fics by kudos Standing on the Precipice - Lambert/Jaskier, unfinished. (Sorry. I'll get back to it sometime.) The Viscount - Lambert/Jaskier (my first published fanfic omg be nice to it) Treasure - Jaskier, hints of Lambert/Jaskier. Lettenhove - Eskel/Jaskier and Lambert/Aiden Epilogue fic Bones - Ugh, Eskel/Jaskier ish, I don't even really like this one.

do you respond to comments? I... try to? I do respond to many of them. My inbox is very, very full because the nicest comments I leave in there to cheer me up on bad days. I appreciate all of them.

what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? You were Spring , probably. I'm not sure. I do tend to love a good deep ache. The pain makes the softness feel deserved.

what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? The Viscount , probably. Happy ending, everybody lives.

do you get hate on fics? Nah. Every now and then there's someone who borders on rude on my witcher fics, but I just delete them. So far I've been lucky and my CoD and CR fics have met with kindness.

do you write smut? Sometimes, largely when goaded or doing so to harass a friend.

craziest crossover: I don't know if it counts as a crossover, but I did There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury from the point of view of Kaer Morhen.

have you ever had a fic stolen? No?

have you ever had a fic translated? Yes, Three.

have you ever co-written a fic before? Yep. And while they aren't usually listed as authors, largely because they argued with me about it, @hungarianbee and @piranhaincaps are often major, massive, absolutely essential to some of the fics I've written because they somehow manage to poke the braincells into trundling along in the correct direction. There's a few lovelies in my discord server who are excellent at coaxing my ridiculously skittish muse back to the page.

all time favorite ship? Truly, no idea. There's so many ships (romantic and platonic) that just fill me with joy. I love, love stories and I love to break apart a character and see how they'd react under different circumstances, with different motivations. It's fun. I will say the only ship art I have on my walls (so far) is pacrimau!ghoap, and johnlock.

what's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will? There was a Scheherazade fic I had wanted to write but it ... well. Sometimes when you spin stories with other people, the story ends up reminding you too much of that person and you don't wanna write it anymore.

what are your writing strengths? I have no idea. I think I'm most pleased with when I succeed in showing you the emotion in a moment without saying "He was sad." Oh! I am also quite proud of how practiced I have become in writing characters without using any pronouns (or epithets, thank you) for them. I have two characters (one OC, one ... rare char that's basically an OC) that prefer their name, and it's given me a lot of practice. It makes me happy. I prefer my name, too.

what are your writing weaknesses? Tenses.

thoughts on dialogue in another language? Get over it, nearly every browser has translate abilities, no matter how remedial they may be. If it makes sense, if the character does and would switch, do it. Especially if that language is important to the story or the character itself. However - uerhg. Sometimes it's really, really jarring when people use the language in ways that bilingual people just don't.

first fandom you wrote in? Witcher. My first fic was this one: The Viscount . I've considered going back to fix it up but.... tbh? Nah. Let it live as it was birthed. I wrote that 70k monster in ... 12? days. There's bound to be errors.

favorite fic you've written? Essea Eate, probably.

Now for tagging... @jayofolympus-writes, @major-trouble, @frenchkey, @on-a-lucky-tide, and my beloved @hungarianbee. (Only tagging 5 to give the rest of you people to tag lololol

[acacia-may]

Hiya Acacia! For the ask game; may I ask for 4, 7, 31, and 46 please 🥰?

Hi there, Lyra! Thank you for the ask, friend!! 💜 These replies got really long so I've put them under the cut.

4. What is the plot bunny you’ve been carrying for the longest? optional bonus question: do you ever wonder why you haven’t written it yet and experience deep existential dread?

Since I have way too much WIPS, I am going to take a very narrow focus for this question and make myself choose from plot bunnies I have never written anything for (rather than including any existing wips). In which case, I've got to go with my Langris x Finesse Beauty and Beast AU where the Golden Dawn is all turned into the palace furniture (It's based off the Disney movie (loosely) and Alecdora Sandler made an excellent uptight clock, William was a candlestick, and David is particularly hilarious as a wine glass). I wanted to write this one so badly but just never could figure out how to make it into an actual story rather than vignettes of scenes and shenanigans, so it never came to life. 😭

And yes, I feel deep existential dread when I think about all of my wips and the stories I will (probably) never get to write... 🙈

7. Tell us about the plot of the first fanfic you ever wrote

I think I was "writing" fanfiction pretty much my whole life. When I played make-believe as a little kid, it was always continuations of my favorite stories or putting my favorite characters into AUs. I remember writing some short stories about my favorite book and cartoon characters too, but I'm not sure what my very first one was about. I want to say it was Star Wars because my friend and I wrote this whole series when I was about 9 called "The Adventures of Space Cat" (which was my friend's Star Wars OC: a talking cat who was basically adopted by Luke, Han, and Leia and brought on all their adventures after the end of the original trilogy).

When I was in middle school, I wrote what was essentially Ben 10 Alien Force fanfiction for an epic poetry school project and just changed all of the names and some of the more specific details. This absolute gem (I say with total sarcasm) is unfortunately lost to time but my sister swears she vividly remembers this one particular line that was basically, "Character A paused during the battle because of his trauma and confidence issues" (which I think probably says a lot about me & the kinds of characters that compel me even back then...).

I don't think I got serious about writing fanfiction until high school though when I wrote my big, long Secret Garden epic which was 46 chapters and 176,134 words long (and was going to be a duology so was technically never finished even though book 1 has a complete first draft...) The plot was pretty basic. It was a sequel to my favorite book of all time, The Secret Garden, and (believe it or not) a period romance that took place when all the characters were adults mostly during World War 1. It was split perspective and had OCs as major characters too, so it was, honestly, a really ambitious project.

I made so many changes to it after I had a complete draft so I'm honestly very relieved I never posted it anywhere and just shared it with my friends and family irl. They seemed to like it well enough but...it's a bit of an embarrassment for me tbh as I feel my writing has gotten so much better since then. A friend I met in college wanted to read it but I had made so many changes to the draft & had never finished the 2nd draft so it was basically unreadable (i.e. the beginning no longer matched the ending, random plotlines were taken out and added ect.) so I wrote Secrets and Sugar Mice for her as a little taste of my overall ideas and also to introduce her to one of my OCs (and I actually did post that to AO3 (linked here) if you are at all curious).

Writing that story helped me grow so much as a writer, character creator, and storyteller and I'm so grateful for the experience, but I'm not sure I will ever actually resurrect this project, especially since I'm not sure this particular 100+ year old book has much of a fandom.😅

31. Tell us about one of your characters who’s an absolute joy to write

I've answered this here (about one of my OCs) and here (about Black Clover canon characters I enjoy writing), but since we're doing blast from the past here a little, I will give a shout out to very first real OC, Julia, who taught me so much about how to create a character and fit them into an existing world (and as an eventual love interest for an existing character). Some of the most fun I have ever had as a writer was writing her and Colin's quick-witted rivals to friends to lovers plotline. They're both highly intelligent people, strong-willed, and stubborn as heck, and their plotline took place in a hospital (mostly during the war) where he's a doctor and she's a nurse and they are just butting heads about how best to run things at every possible turn. They end up playing up their rivalry because neither wants to admit defeat or that they actually have a lot of respect & admiration for each other and want to be friends. (Secrets and Sugar Mice is about that specifically if you're at all interested).

Here is a short excerpt if I can be completely self-indulgent (just a short little exchange between her and her dad (who technically is a canon character but we know next to nothing about him so he's basically an OC too lol):

Julia stopped abruptly, staring at the medical supply cabinet. It was exactly as she had left it with supplies organized for practical use—bandages next to gauze as they would often be taken together and so on. It only made sense after all—at least to Julia anyway. Some people were of the opinion that it would be better if the supplies were arranged alphabetically.

“Dr. Craven didn’t rearrange the cabinet today,” said a voice from behind her. She turned and found her father, Dr. Louis Cartwright, dressed in his white coat with files in hand. He smiled slightly at her.

 “So I see.”

“He was very busy,” her father explained. “It’s alright if you’re a bit disappointed.”

Her cheeks flushed, but she frowned. “Why would I be disappointed?”

Her father sighed and smiled knowingly at her. “I think you enjoy your little squabble over it.”

Julia could feel a deep blush rising in her cheeks, but she huffed indignantly. She most certainly did not enjoy arguing over the cabinet. It was bad enough that Dr. Colin Craven had somehow convinced her father to move them across the country to work in his hospital, but to then refuse to organize said hospital in a practical manner was even worse. Well, perhaps the rest of the hospital was alright, but this blasted cabinet simply wasn’t practical. She had reorganized it almost immediately, and he had rearranged it right back stubbornly insisting he couldn’t find anything unless the supplies were organized in alphabetical order. She insisted that putting frequently grouped items together saved time and rearranged it again. Then he reorganized it alphabetically again. And so on and so on. This had gone on for months now. It was a matter of pride not something she enjoyed—or at least not something she’d ever admit to enjoying no matter what her father said.

“It’s a matter of principle only, and if this is a sign that Dr. Craven has finally conceded, I would be glad of it.”

Her father laughed—his dark eyes sparkling. “I think it’s more of a sign that he was busy and had lots of patients today. I suppose, we’ll see tomorrow. Unless of course you want to ask him. He hasn’t left yet.”

Julia blinked. As much as she relished the idea of him admitting she was right about the cabinet, she was fairly certain that, as her father had said, this spoke more to Dr. Craven’s workload than to him conceding to her.

“I think I’ll just wait to see. Plus, I think this is a new record for my organization system.”

Her father chuckled quietly to himself but shook his head. “Don’t you think this cabinet squabble has gone on long enough?”

“We haven’t reached a resolution yet.”

“I don’t think you’ll ever reach a resolution this way.” Her father sighed. “I don’t understand why you won’t just admit you want to be friends and find something else to talk about.”

Julia’s cheeks grew hot, but she huffed and shook her head. “I don’t want to be friends.”

Her father raised his eyebrows and tilted his head slightly at her. Julia fidgeted. He could always tell when she was lying. The truth was she wouldn’t mind being friends. In fact, maybe a part of her did want to be friends—but at the same time she barely knew the man, and the little she did know of him was not particularly flattering. Still, she couldn’t help but concede that he was at least intriguing—this heir to a grand estate who spent his time as a doctor in a country hospital—or at least he would be if he was actually sociable from time to time and wasn’t so stubborn.

Julia huffed again. “It’s beside the point. Even if I did want to be friends, he clearly has no interest in making friends with me.” She sighed. “And besides, even if we did try to make friends, I doubt we would even get on—we so often disagree.”

“I think you’d get on extremely well if you got to know each other a little better. You have lots of common interests.”

“Which he never talks about,” Julia protested.

“He’s just shy and…”—Her father paused as if thinking of the right word—“awkward.”

“He’s very opinionated for someone who’s shy,” she countered her brow furrowing. 

Julia’s father laughed, but he smiled kindly. “He is a bit of an odd duck, but he’s a kind person at heart and very generous.”

“Why don’t you make friends with him then?” Julia teased with a chuckle.

Her father laughed. “I already am friends with him, and it’s quite pleasant.”

Julia wrinkled her nose, but her mouth turned up in the corners in spite of herself. She sighed. “I know that you’re very fond of him, Papá, and I can tell that he admires and looks up to you, but he has been nothing but cold and standoffish to me. Arguing about that cabinet and occasionally discussing work related issues is the full extent of our interaction. It’s not nearly enough to build a friendship.”

“I haven’t seen you try to talk to him about anything else, either,” her father countered pointedly before his face softened. “I know he wants to be friends, but I don’t think he knows how to strike up a conversation with you especially since you’re so set on disliking him.”

Julia sighed. “I’m not set on disliking him, but it is difficult to like someone who is so often disagreeable.”

46. what time are you the most productive when it comes to writing?

First thing in the morning or the middle of the night. But I think it changes based on my health and how busy I am. I am a very slow writer in general so it takes me a lot of time in the drafting/outlining stages before I actually sit down to start writing.

[epersonae]

Tagged by my bestie, sometimes beta, always cheerleader @emi--rose. Rules: Share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. (I'm going to follow her lead and tag one with each fic.)

There’s a flash in Ed’s eyes, jaw working with unexpressed tension. (end up several worlds away) (the missing scenes sequel to for the benefit of all the broken hearts, this chapter is about Ed and Mary.) tagging @knotwerk for the comment today that was TOO LONG FOR AO3, god bless.

It’s one of those rare weeks when they’re not just in the same time zone, not just under the same roof, but under their roof. (for the benefit of all the broken hearts) (my surprisingly long fix-it sequel to the weird and wonderful meta-fiction sort-of-but-not-RPF Water Flowing Underground) tagging @veeagainsttheday for excellent betaing and critical reassurance early on in the project.

Stede loves camping. (BIGFOOT STOLE MY HUSBAND) (idk it's modern AU monsterfucking I GUESS) gotta tag @mxmollusca for this one.

It all started when Stede took Ed to be his plus one at his ex-wife's wedding. (Commit to the Bit) (modern AU where Ed and Stede talk themselves into getting married as a bit; reader I lived this one) tagging @nekosd43 who is not a pirates person, but who was a very good friend to me and Ryn and honestly part of how we originally got to be friends, what with all their excellent taagnus writing.

Thing is, once he gets a break from the routine (wait around, raid, drink, cry, repeat) he doesn't really want to go back. (can't cross the same river twice) (part 3 of "the devil's threeway", a very weird way to get to a reunion fic but I think it works) tagging @chuplayswithfire who kept giving me good ideas for this series.

Later, much later, Stede realizes he can divide his life into two parts, split by that exact moment: when by all rights he should have been dead, gut-stabbed and strung up, and instead the most beautiful man he’d ever seen strolled up to him through fire and smoke and men screaming. (Hungry for love, ready to drown) (me @ me: jfc that's a longass sentence) (Stede POV canon retelling, my very slow love letter to canon. YES the next chapter is on its way, I just finished an editing pass that it very much needed before actual betaing) tagging @red-sky-in-mourning because things they have written or reblogged are DEFINITELY in my project notes.

He has to cut him off. (A secret third thing) (oh look more Stede POV retelling! this time of Water Flowing Underground: I woke up at 3am less than a week after reading WFU with the beginning of this fic.) tagging @gaypiratebrainrot for writing the thing that melted and reformed my brain, and because this fic ended up being the start of a very good friendship.

It turns out there is a second fucking pirate ship trying to board this stupid little Dutch freighter. (Cannonball) (part 2 of devil's threeway, this is the one where Ed gets together with Anne Bonny and Mark Read and also cries a lot) tagging @adreamingofguns, who hasn't written any gay pirates fic, but who has a Special Interests in pirates and contributed to my thoughts about Mark.

It’s not that he prefers the beard, exactly. (nice either way) (the tiny Beard Discourse fic) tagging @blakbonnet for beard discourse reasons.

For Frenchie, that afternoon has the unreal quality of a dream as he sits cross-legged on the deck of The Revenge sewing an addition to Blackbeard’s flag. (what makes me kind) (rest in pieces, this fic) (listen. I had an idea. I had a LOT of ideas. but I kept getting sidetracked. see: everything else on this list. someday? weirder things have happened but idk. if nothing else someday I might just post all the fragments I have written, because some of them I do like very much.) tagging one of my favorite post-S1 longfic writers, @not-nervous-jester. (who has actually finished theirs! two of them!)

[27-royal-teas]

hiii toby!! I just followed you recently and decided to look thru your ao3 account and your bookmarked fics and ended up reading that fic called "just to seal my fate". and it was soooo good. like the writing was great, it was funny, the story was cute, I just loved it. I was wondering if you had any recommendations for anything in a similar sort of style/vibe or a similar story? I haven't read any fanfic at all in quite a while and I'd forgotten how absolutely delightful it is.... nothing like rotating those characters around in your mind in silly little situations is there haha

ANON OH MY GOD ANON I AM KISSING U ON THE MOUTH WIRH PASSION,,,, JUST TO SEAL MY FATE IS LITERALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE FICS IN THE WORLD. you cannot COMPREHEND my delight at receiving this ask, I love you to DEATH

ok so everything by the author of that fic — jalex_barakarth3012– is absolutely FANTASTIC and it all has that melancholic smoky dramatic vibe, which is something I really really like and strive to recreate in my writing (which you can probably tell if youve read Burn It Up All Night). I’ve recommended this to LITERALLY EVERYONE but my favorite fic in the whole entire universe is also by that author and it is called erode. erode has the same type of vibe and it’s extremely fucking long but the pacing is amazing and the storytelling is incredible and I adore it so, so much, I have left so many comments on it that I think the author probably despises me now lol. so basically if you haven’t yet please read everything by that author and give them ur support because they are so underrated and I love them so much. they have three other DELIGHTFUL fics and I never ever get tired of their writing. if it’s more ATL fic you’re looking for, unfortunately there isn’t too much with the same kind of writing style— believe me, I’ve looked. a large majority of ATL fic is smut and I have no problem w that it’s just nice to get a balance sometimes, yk? anyway the first author that I really love in the ATL fandom is probably bellawritess— or, on here, @clumsyclifford. she excels in tooth-rotting fluff and I believe she’s got 70 or so incredible oneshots in that fandom. she’s good at keeping a story feeling light and funny and in-character, and I basically lived off of her fics all of last year. also, she has friends who also have written fic in the same fandom, which is really nice. specifically, her cruel summer series is the most in the vibe you’re looking for.

ok, so if you want more vibes— idk what fandom you’re looking for but you’ve probably noticed im a big fan of the dark, melancholic, neon kind of vibe, with writing AND with reading. scarredsodeep (@shark-myths) and earlgreytea68 (@earlgreytea68) both write some of the BEST peterick out there if you’re in the fob fandom (I assume you probably are at least a little if ur on my blog). I adore their writing and they’re both also really huge inspirations for my writing style and YEAH, THEYRE JUST REALLY GOOD.

hmm ok I’m also gonna tag a couple of my other writer friends on this blog — @spirallingstarcases, @setting-in-a-honeymoon both write FANTASTIC fic and have their ao3 posted on their blog, I believe. they’re also super nice people and very cool and I’m very lucky to even get to know them slightly!!

ok this was a lot longer of an answer than I anticipated giving, I apologize— if you check my bookmarks, the fics on there I can’t rave about ENOUGH. the authors are all so fucking talented. give them some attention, because they deserve it!! they are lovely writers and even better people!!

I THINK IM DONE NOW. THANK YOU FOR THIS ASK

[ailendolin]

dropping by to say that you're single handedly feeding half the Thomas Thorne tag on ao3 and i love you for this because there are way too little Thomas-centric fanfics tbh. Kudos, i love your work! (even though I don't comment much, I swear)

Aw, this is so sweet! Thank you so much, anon! Comments and messages like this honestly mean the world to me because not many people take the time out of their day to write them. Nothing is more motivating for a writer than reading that someone enjoyed what we wrote 💙

I'm not sure I'm responsible for filling half the Thomas tag on AO3 (I don't think I post enough fics for that lol) but I do enjoy writing character-centric stories, especially about him. He's such a complex, fascinating character and it's really fun to explore that in fics.

I actually have a Thomas-centric story in the works right now - one where the ghosts start a creative writing club and poor Thomas has very complicated feelings about it. Here's a little snippet of the first draft as a thank you for your lovely message!

For his fellow ghosts, the club would be like any other: something to do to pass the time; a safe place for them to express themselves. He didn’t have that luxury. The others would expect him to excel at it – or, perhaps even worse, would expect him to fail. He could already see the Captain and Julian sitting there, like tigers waiting for the right moment to jump on their prey and wound him with their laughter.

“Not one single bone of talent in his body, I say!”

[sharpestsatire]

Hello, again! :) I summon forth Writing Asks: 7, 17, 11, 21 and 2.

hello!!!! you are the best for sending these questions in! thank you!

2. Anything that you’d like to write but feel like you’re unable to? I only say this because I was just drafting a message to a friend about this: I feel like I can't write in the star wars or star trek fandoms and do it justice. it's an entirely different world. also probably romance. i can only do yearning, it seems like. 😅 and characters being oblivious. 7. Your favourite ao3 tag. happy ending :) i'm quite fond of some au as well but that depends on what au it is. also subcategory of like... timeline divergence/what if fics? those tags can be fun. 11. Three tropes that are fine but overrated. blind date, characters are in a band au, high school au. they can all be done excellently but rarely have i actually found any really good ones. 17. Past or present tense? Why? past tense. it leaves you flexible to step in as a the narrator or do a flashback scene, which can add tension and foreboding if the reader doesn't know why you added an ominous sounding line or whatever. 21. Can you accurately predict how long your fics are going to be? If you can, what’s your secret? it's funny you should ask that. i semi accurately guessed the finished length of a fic recently! completely by chance, i assure you. in this post i guessed 5k being a third or a fourth of the way through. the final word count was about 15k and 5k is a third! so i was right! no idea how i guessed it and i certainly didn't want it to be 15k but... oh well. i think the only writers who know how to guess how long their fics are are the ones who fully plan and chart it out before putting pen to paper at all. which i rarely do for fanfics since i write them out of bursts of inspiration and it's hard to know how far inspiration will take you word count wise lol

thanks for the writing ask, friend! 🌻