#i also have plans to try and post my first ever piece of fan-fiction

[atdhpgirl]

Happy birthday to my favorite ravenclaw! (And the best one)!!🎉🎂🎈🎀🎁💙💙💙

February 13 1981!

[choicesficwriterscreations]

January Creator of the Month: Jerzwriter

Each month, CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers or artists, and this month’s creator of the month is CFWC's own @jerzwriter.  The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page.

Quick Links:

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How do you want to be known on Tumblr? 

Elsa

More below...

1- When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played? 

It was sometime in 2017, and the first book I ever played was The Royal Romance, Book 1.

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I joined a couple Facebook groups in 2019. I just wanted to discuss stories with others who were interested, as no one in my real life reads Choices. I didn't even know I was entering a fandom. lol I started reading fanfic on Tumblr the following year, but I found Tumblr intimidating, so I was mostly a silent reader. I didn’t start writing and contributing until May 2021, mostly because Open Heart was ending and I was in denial. 🙂

3- How did you pick your blog name? 

It’s pretty boring, actually. I’m from NJ, and I write. I wanted it to be JerZwriter, so people would know it is Jer-ZEE-Writer, but that wasn’t doable, so it’s Jerzwriter, and most think it is Jerz-Writer. Oh, well!  

4- Pull up the first and last posts in your archive, and tell us about them!  

My first post was the first chapter of my Ethan x Casey x Tobias love triangle, Delaying the Inevitable (OH).  It was my very first fanfic and I really didn't think I'd write anything beyond that.  I was so green back then, not only to fanfic but to the fandom as well. I’m really glad that I was naive because I don’t think I would have had the courage to post it if I had, but I’m glad that I did. 

My last post was Falling for You, a little drabble I wrote for Tobias x Casey (OH), and it featured a commission by the talented artist @weetlebeetle. It was a light, fun piece that took place early in Tobias and Casey's relationship, and it shows Tobias at his absolute simpiest. Lol 

5- Do you write fanfiction, create fan art, or are you one of those really gifted people who do both? 

Oh, how I wish I could draw, but I can't.  So, I’m strictly a writer. I may try giving drawing a go again, but I don't expect much to come of it. lol

6- How long have you been creating for Choices and for any other fandoms?

Choices was the first fandom I ever wrote for, and I started in May of 2021.  So, just over two and a half years. I have written a little bit for some other fandoms since that time, but I primarily write for Choices.

7- What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to create for?

Tough question.  I write for Open Heart, Crimes of Passion, and Wake the Dead, and they are three of my favorite stories. I also loved Desire & Decorum, but I never wrote for it.  Though, I’m planning a re-read, and you never know. 🙂

8- Share your first Choices fanfic or fan art that you posted with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were creating it today?

It was the first chapter of Delaying the Inevitable. I was so green when I started that series that I’m sure there are things I would change, but I’m still very proud of it.  That series will always have a special place in my heart.  I’d like to revisit it one day to “clean it up”, it could use some condensing. But I would never change the storyline.

9- What is your favorite piece of fiction or art that you created? 

This is such an unfair question. lol The Delaying the Inevitable Series definitely comes to mind, but I’m also very proud of my Eli Sipes prequel stories, A Mother’s Journal, Coming Up Blank, and The End of the World. But Tobias and Casey are my favorite pairing, and I simply love the world I created for them. And while my headcanon for them is my favorite, I cannot pick just one fic for them, and I'm not going to! lol But, I've also written a bunch of AUs for them, and Friends* is one of my favorites.

10- Do you have a fic/art that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to do well but found it could use a little more love?

Yes, to both! The fandom is much smaller today, but back when we were more active, I learned you couldn't predict how a fic would be received.  There are too many to name, but I will say whenever my smut does well (and quite a few of them have), I’m always astounded. lol 

11-  If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

This is such a difficult question because I believe the best stories incorporate a little of each, and, as a writer, exploring all three helps spur creativity. Also, my absolute favorite is angst with a happy ending, so there is definitely some fluff in there (and I'm never mad at a little smut being thrown in!) But if I were forced to choose, it would probably be angst.  I think that's where I am strongest, and I just love raw emotion. I think that’s where character development really occurs. I have not written as much angst recently, and I miss it.  Perhaps I need a change in 2024. 

12 - Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

There are definitely parts of me in my MCs and OCs, but I do my best to prevent them from becoming self-inserts.  I'm not as cool as any of them, that's for sure! lol That said, I do find inspiration for my fics in real life, so there is bound to be a little crossover. When using real-life inspiration, I try to change details so that the fiction is not a carbon copy of the real-life event. Normally, by the time I'm done, they're hardly recognizable.

13 - What element of writing/art do you struggle with most? Where do you feel you are strongest?

I struggle most with setting a scene. Dialogue is my strong suit, and that just flows for me. It flows so much that sometimes I forget to describe what's going on around the conversation. I think this is particularly easy to do in fanfiction because so much of the "world" has already been provided for us, so I recognize this more when I'm writing original works.

The other thing I struggle with? Brevity. I know I can go on, and on, and on. lol I've gotten much better at this, but there is still room for improvement.

14 - Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

(Elsa leaves the room, quietly crawls under her desk, and hides…) YES!!! Far, far too many, and no matter how much I share those posts that say, "You don't have to finish! If you're not feeling it, move on!" I don't believe it! lol I really want to make wrapping them up a priority in 2024.  But I also know writing - particularly good writing - cannot be forced.  So, it's a goal, but I'll only do it if I feel it’s right. 

15 - If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to see your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you show them first? 

It would depend on who asked.  I’m not ashamed of writing fanfic at all, but if I believed the person would be judgemental, I wouldn't be willing to share.  A few of my friends have read select pieces of my fanfic, and I’ve always received positive feedback from them. I wouldn’t be opposed to sharing more.  What I'd share would depend greatly on the person asking.

16 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing or art? Are there any artists that influence you?

There are many published writers that I admire, but I don’t think they've influenced my writing here. Within the fandom, there are many writers who have inspired me in different ways. There is no way I can ever name them all. But I'd like to give a shout-out to some.

@jamespotterthefirst and @bex-la-get were among the first writers I read when I joined Tumblr. I found their passion for both canon and the worlds they created inspiring, especially as Open Heart was nearing its end and all of us addicts needed our fill. Reading their works helped keep the story alive for me and so many others, and it inspired me to try my hand at it as well. To my shock, they were both so encouraging and supportive of me when I arrived, and I'm forever grateful. Back then, I thought they were rockstars - and they are! But now, they're also friends. I wasn't familiar with @alwaysmychoices from the start, but when I came across their work, I was just blown away.  Weekend with Dr. Ramsey will live rent-free in my head forever, and that headcanon about Charlie calling Ethan the night before she marries someone else. (I faint.) Ohhh, the delicious angst! The way she made me feel what Charlie felt was just mind-boggling, and it encouraged me to really dig into my character's emotions and bring them to life in a more meaningful way.

Early on, I read @utterlyinevitable, and the thing that impressed me the most was how Dom was willing to "write stories that “went "go there.”  They tackled issues that others wouldn't touch.  In their world, everything wasn’t perfect, including the characters themselves. I admired that vision and, frankly, bravery, and it definitely encouraged me to write what I wanted to and not what I felt was expected of me.

More recently, @mydemonsdrivealimo inspired me to explore parts of my MCs that I have not delved into in the past.  In particular, Casey's bisexuality. It can be challenging to represent a bisexual character when they are in a straight-presenting relationship, and you risk alienating readers no matter what you do (looking at all readers here.) So it becomes easier to be lazy and ignore it. But that's a disservice to the character as much as it's a disservice to people living similar situations in real life... like I have many times. Through MJ's writing and our conversations, they've helped me become more aware and do a better job in this regard, and I'm not even sure if they know this - it may totally be news to them lol - but I'm eternally grateful. Now, I feel my girl Casey is free, and OMG, how I love our characters playing together in HC now!

Then there are @lilyoffandoms and @storyofmychoices, who bring joy to all that they touch. Who knew when Lily created a little drabble putting our characters in a new world together, it would end up being one of the brightest fandom spots of 2023? Who knew that so much more would stem from that one work? Seriously, it's been one of the highlights of my fandom experience this year, and it's helped me to find inspiration at times when I felt like it was lost. Thank you both - I am so lucky to have you both here!

There are so many more I could mention, but I'd still forget people and feel horrible, so I want to take the chance to thank every writer in the fandom for sharing their gifts with us. Each of you is an inspiration in your own way; each of you can give someone an idea, and you have no idea where that spark will lead. So, never stop sharing!

17-  Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

Delaying the Inevitable, Friends*, All in the Past, and the WIP What’s Forever For. I also think some of my Ethan x Tobias works would have made for a good sitcom, and how I wish my Tobias x Casey friendship with Bryce x Jensen would be an epic sitcom. The world needs it! lol   (Jensen belongs to @mydemonsdrivealimo.)

19- Do you write original fiction or create non-fandom art? 

I do. Mostly shorter stories that will never see the light of day, but also some more substantive works... which will also never see the light of day! lol I wrote a novel-length political thriller some time ago. It would need a ton of work to bring it up to 2024, as the political landscape has changed so much. I also have two original WIPs I've been writing. One is an angsty story about a friendship that's loosely based on a childhood friend I lost to cancer a few years ago.  The other is a polyamorous romance about two best friends who fall for the same person. It's really a beautiful, emotional story. If I like the end result, maybe I'll let it see the light of day... maybe. lol

20-  What other hobbies do you have?

I enjoy theater, and I'm lucky enough to live in the best part of the world to partake in that.  I go to a lot of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and local theater productions. I also love going to concerts - they’re like group therapy! Trust me, I got more out of seeing Noah Kahan and Hozier in 2023 than I did from the entirety of sessions with my therapist - and I loved my therapist. lol

Prior to 2020, I did a fair amount of traveling, and I hope to start doing a little more this year.  But I have to admit, since the lockdown, I’ve become more of a homebody, and I like it, so we’ll see how that goes! 

I used to be very involved with activism and advocacy for women’s, lgbtq+, and mental health issues. I still am, but in a different capacity than I was in the past. These issues require people fighting for them, and doing so has always been a huge part of who I am, but it can be draining, and burnout is real. I really reached the end of my rope. So, nowadays, I work as a volunteer for a couple local organizations that really mean a lot to me. I'm not involved in grassroots efforts or taking trips to talk to legislators as often, but I'm helping people on a smaller scale, and that still goes a long, long way.

22: BONUS - tell us anything you’d like (if you want to).

As most of you know, I’m one of the mods here at CFWC, so it was a little weird when my the wheel landed on my name.  But, honestly, it’s happened before, and I've just spun again, even though I am eligible. But this time around, I decided to do it. This fandom really means a lot to me, and I wanted to share a little more about myself and my crazy pixelated people.

I'm truly grateful to everyone in the fandom who does their part to make this a place that many, like me, still see as a place they want to be. We're smaller, it's imperfect, it has plenty of problems, but I am choosing to focus on the good... because there is much more of that than there is bad. So, thank you to each of you... and I hope we all have a wonderful 2024! xo

PS... My header... I know Tobias wasn't technically an LI... which was truly criminal. So, that's what fandom is for, fixing what canon effed up. lol My favorite canon LI is Trystan Thorne (COP). I tried adding their picture to the header alongside Tobias, but it looked terrible, so here I am. :)

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I can't wait to highlight more of you in 2024! :)

[gojosbf]

I started following you after 236 because your emotions and posts echoed my sentiments. I love your posts. They make me laugh, they make cry. But most importantly they make me feel like I am not insane to feel this way for something fictional.

I hate the fact that bringing any criticism towards Gege’s writing results in being called a Gojotard. You can like the entirety of something and still criticise certain aspects of it.

I am not condoning all the threats and hate directed towards Gege but fans are allowed to be mad at the direction this story is going. Yes it is Gege’s world but we can have complains about it. That doesn’t make us fake fans. That just shows how much we’ve loved what he has created and how it affects us when it is taken away.

I feel many fans are tiptoeing around it because there are two extremities now in the JJk fandom. One - that will defend anything Gege produces and the other who is so done with characters being killed off and not adding anything to the plot. Both these sides are equally loud and thus polarising this fandom. People were on the edge after how Yuki’s fight with Kenjaku was handled and I think 236 was the final blow that divided the fandom.

I came across one post yesterday where it highlights the huge power difference between good guys and the bad guys with just Sukuna’s power alone. This is minus all the power Sukuna gave up (we don’t know if he got them back after).

It contains spoilers for 237 - https://www.tumblr.com/sleep-deprivedracoon/729649802609082368/jjk-manga-leaks-heavy-spoilers-ahead-please-do

To me, it feels like Gege has written himself into a corner indeed with shattering the ceiling (Gojo’s power was considered the ceiling in JJK power scaling) with Sukuna’s abilities.

What do you think?

i am trying to piece all my thoughts together in this so pls don't mind if it gets too long or loses track a bit.

first of all thank you and we are in this together i feel you I am still trying to wrap my head around the recent leak, until and unless we have proper leaks i will remain in denial about megumi also it's so sad to see how after the massive shock and reaction we got last week we've just given up this week it has become a thing where we are just hoping gege doesn't kill another of our favs and atp this trick is getting too overused to be appreciated (also the reason why as you mentioned we have two extremist side of fandom). i get it. gojo's death and sealing got jjk trending yet again, publicity even if negative publicity is still garnering the intrigue of many more people, not to ignore we have equal amounts of, if not more gojo haters because he was too strong.

now coming back to the story line, yes we are allowed to criticize when there are obvious plot holes and it serves for no purpose other than shock factor. Gojo's death was massively poorly written because all this time gege kept implying that even if sukuna had all his fingers gojo was the strongest (which is why he had to use mahoraga) his plot was gojo and sukuna are AT par with each other which is why this was a big deal and why he had to be sealed so kenjaku could follow through his plans and when sukuna regained his powers gojo wouldn't be a hindrance. now compare that to 236, it says sukuna actually wasn't going all out and NOW sukuna is to reveal his true form. really? really?? when the strongest character you've ever created does not stand a chance against this demon we're supposed to believe that the rest can? his students who are yet to unleash their full strength, the only special grade is supposed to? i mean we can still hope on yuuta because he has rika, the queen of curses and sukuna being the king of curses (love kashimo but as they said he's probably not surviving) but that doesn't seem much of a hope (as much i wish it was).

now coming back to the topic of when was the last time the good guys had a proper win since shibuya? do we really remember it?? (ofc apart from maki and unsealing) the bad guys are still standing strong, we have yet to see atleast one of main villains to fall and when is this going to happen??? it's been over 2 years now just how long are we supposed to keep digesting as "not so shonen" writing? (even mahito's death was just kenjaku absorbing him). i mean yeah it keeps us on edge but you as the author have the responsibility to keep the readers addicted and going and by the looks of it the og fans are dropping it one by one, is it really worth it? is it gege?

ofc course i don't condone the death threats but cmon a frustrated reader watching their favourite characters losing all the time is allowed to express themselves, maybe gege has a plan to turn this around but right now people are allowed to be angry and pissed and confused and frustrated, it's only natural, they cannot just expect people to see evil winning all the time and be alright about it now can they? these people calling others a "gojotard" are here for fun and they understood the premise of the mcs always losing so they root for the overpowered villains and hence enjoy the manga and move along what they fail to understand is that some of us are not capable of switching sides, we are still rooting for trios, the initial sorcerers whom we got attached to and we are tired of seeing them constantly unhappy. you're allowed to complain!! criticism is valid!!!!

and i seriously hope gege has some trick up his sleeves or he's ready to lose a good chunk of his loyal fans because this isn't looking good. we wasted last six months for nothing really, unsealing gojo did not help with anything except a 13 chapter long fight. and the outcome? back to square one!!!! so what was the point of the whole unsealing arc and shinjuku fight? not to mention the lukewarm reaction to his death portrayal and barely a passable explanation. sukuna is very oped currently but i have two bets against him, angel and yuuta (remember when sukuna thought angel was a pain and he wanted to kill them because he thought they could get in way).

i agree with t user sleepdeprivedracoon hakari has to win, there's no way gege is planning to kill him because then the manga is done for and i do not care what others say we are allowed to grieve, complain and make memes and jokes out of this hopeless situation we are currently in because that's literally how this manga is going so others who are so aggressively defending gege need to understand the criticism is valid and these reactions are valid and they need to get off their high horse. the not so shounen excuse is really not that convincing and we are allowed to be frustrated and angry it's a natural human reaction damn it. till then keep reading and remember life gets better but jjk doesn't (surpise us this halloween gege pls)

[hochsleep]

Post for introductions and important information!

Hi, cuties!

My name is Hochsleep and here I write stuff about Daryl Dixon (my favorite man ever)

Basically I'm just learning how to use this site, so I apologize for my mistakes and errors, I'm a newbie;)

I'll tell you a little bit about myself before we discuss some important things about my art and this account!

• Hochsleep ("hoch" is a form of a word in my native language that translates to "want", sleep you know what it means. I am a Hochsleep because I always want to sleep😴)

• I'm 20 so I can read and write all sorts of vulgarity and am more used to twd content with violence (which I actually hate, I'm a pacifist and don't accept violence anywhere but movies, TV shows and games)

BUT if you are under the age of 18 you really should leave this profile and only come back when you are of legal age!

• she/her

• I'm a big fan of twd and Daryl Dixon (obviously, yes) so you and I here will enjoy the company of this wonderful man (yes, I only like fictional men, no other way)

• I'm really just learning how to use Tumblr (it's important for me to say that again) and I really admire the design of other accounts, so hopefully I'll grow in that my profile will get better and more comfortable for us us!

Well, I don't have much more to say at this point. I mean, I'm just an ordinary young girl with no personal life and dreaming of a fictional man from the show, what else is there to tell? But maybe I'll update this post later if you're interested and I feel like sharing;)

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Now important information regarding this profile and my work!

• Here will be mostly headcanons or small sketches, big works I plan to publish on ao3 (working on one now) But maybe on requests and my desire I will write something impressive and here!

• I plan to write mostly for female readers with a female anatomy, as it's closer and easier for me. But I don't mind the prospect of gender-neutral and male readers in the future!

• I'm currently writing a big paper on ao3 (the link will be below, as well as all the other necessary links, leaf to the end of the post to get it!)

• But I have to warn you, I don't plan on writing big pieces for Y/N just yet! My fanfic on ao3 is entirely about my OC, who has a spelled out past, appearance, character, and more (but it's still interesting, I promise)

• But don't worry, all the work here will be all about you, dear readers. In Y/N format without detailed descriptions of appearance or any specific character (that everyone could more or less match themselves with the character). Everything about Y/N will be mostly left to your taste and imagination ;)

• I'll mention again that English is not my first language! I mostly use a translator (with a bias towards American English), so there may be mistakes and inconsistencies. Feel free to correct me in the comments! If I use any phrases from my native language that are unclear due to being translated word-for-word (I mean, every language has such phrases and stable expressions), I will be sure to clarify for you the meaning of the speech abortion I used! I try to improve my English (also with the help of this blog), so I write in a way that the translator and readers can understand me, so I hope you will find it easy and comfortable to read me!

• You can send me your ideas and requests if you would like them written in my hand, I very much welcome this and would be delighted! All copyrights are reserved, I make sure to credit anyone and everyone whose material, including post ideas and queries, I use! It's important we stay ethical here, guys!

• I will try to appear here as often as possible, so hopefully we won't get lost;)

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Now it's time for the very important part: the rules of use!

• All my work, here and on ao3, is copyrighted!

• You can use my art as inspiration for your pieces, but be sure to tag me!

• If you want to share my art on other venues discuss it with me first! I do not authorize the copying and distribution of my art without my permission!

• I do not give permission to copy and distribute my creations to pass them off as your own without any mention of the real author!

• As for Daryl Dixon and other "The Walking Dead" characters: they are all entirely the property of the creators of the series. I am only responsible for MY OWN vision of the original characters of the series and signing them as part of the fanfiction!

Yes, it's gotten pretty long here, but please understand me. Don't think I'm a nerd, but the intellectual property part of legality is really important to me.

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Now as for the rules for reading this profile! It's pretty simple here.

• I'm completely open to constructive criticism, it is necessary. Therefore, be sure to write if you consider it necessary to correct me and of course express your opinion!

• But don't forget that your opinion shouldn't include: insults and aggressive forms of expression! No insults towards me, other readers and authors!

• My content may contain detailed descriptions of sexually explicit scenes and violence. IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 DO NOT READ THIS PROFILE!

• No distribution of materials prohibited by law in the comments!

• I don't accept hatred based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, nationality, etc. here. NO HATE!

Okay, we're finally done 🫠

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I'm happy to everyone and anyone here! I suggest you to lose yourself in the forest of my fantasies ;)

I will endeavor to provide a comfortable environment for all of us here. This profile is your safe space!

We have a lot of interesting things waiting for us, guys;)

Thanks for sticking around! Enjoy reading!

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Useful links to other:

ao3:

The darkest night is before the brightest dawn

[gasha40k]

I’ve been reading a lot of 40k fiction in between painting recently, and I’ve gotten a good bit of progress done on both. I’ll start with a little reading update.

Horus Rising

False Gods

Galaxy in Flames

Flight of the Eisenstein

Fulgrim

First Heretic

Know No Fear

Butcher’s Nails

Betrayer

Wrath of Khârn

Khârn: Eightfold Path

I finished Betrayer just a couple days ago, and holy shit. What an incredible book. I am a strong Khârn stan (Argel Tal, too) and I am more convinced than ever that I’m a World Eaters gamer.

I plan to read the three (or four) Unremembered Empire books before I loop back to A Thousand Sons to read the “main” Heresy storyline through to Slaves to Darkness, and eventually Siege of Terra. But for now, I’m making a little detour through all of the books that Khârn takes center stage for, so that I can satiate the hyperfixation and figure out what he’s up to in the 42nd Millennium. I also plan to finish most of the World Eaters books, as that was the whole reason that I started reading the Heresy in the first place.

Betrayer is by far my favorite Warhammer novel. Fulgrim was my top for a while—I may be a closeted Emperor’s Children enjoyer, don’t tell Blood Daddy—but man. Betrayer blew it out of the fucking water. What an incredible ending to an incredible trilogy. My biggest takeaways were as follows: nobody fucking likes Angron, and Khârn is my favorite guy ever. Enough gushing, though. Time for painting stuff.

The second Ultramarine I’ve ever painted, weirdly enough. My first Ultramarine was my first model, so my second being a keychain-corpse for a new army is weirdly sentimental

Since we’re on the topic of Khorne, I finished up the torso of my old school Daemon Prince. I’m exceptionally proud of this! I think the shading and blending is maybe some of my best, most advanced painting yet, and I pulled out just about every technique that I know for this thing. I even did a little drybrushing on the Necron skull. Here’s to hoping I can maintain this level of quality across the other pieces of this mini once I get some more primer.

Getting some good use out of my technicals, and finally utilizing my skull box

Still on Khorne, here’s some more progress on those Bloodletters from last post. They’re just about done, complete with horn blending and everything. I’m planning on doing flaming blades for them, but I’ll have to buy some more paints before I tackle that. I’ve got a handful more of primed and based Bloodletters, so they’ll probably be my backup easy paint for a while. The bases are simple and easy to make, but decently visually effective, which I think is good and fitting for such a massed unit.

Next up, I decided to give highlighting a go with one of my newer Thunderbearers, since I’m trying to boost my painting technique all around. This is definitely my best highlighting work yet, certainly leagues ahead of my first try from last year. I think he looks pretty clean!

I’m also experimenting with new photography backgrounds since I got kinda sick of having pasta or hamster cage cleaner or whatever the fuck in the background of my poorly lit update pictures. Think I may have stumbled upon a good method for backgrounds.

I love you, empty white void

Last but certainly not least, I finished up the first bike for my lone Outrider Squad. I’m really happy with him, as well. The hardest part of painting these dudes is definitely base painting. They just have a lot of ground to cover with your brush so they absolutely devour paint, but it’s cool cause I finally finished him up after like, actual months of sitting half-painted in my vehicles box. I’m a particular fan of the little white lens glare in the top left of his eye. I just think it’s neat.

This unit is gonna be mad satisfying to finish, and I can’t wait to get more work done. In the meantime, I’m chugging away at my first 5-man Berzerker squad, including their bases, which are gonna be pretty unique. They’re like, black mountainous rocks littered with skulls and blood-stained snow. Alongside that, I’ve also been stripping my Custodes, so I’ll have a bit of an update about that next time, too.

[theidiotwhowritesthings]

Hi!! First I want to say that A Fresh Start is absolutely my favorite thing I’ve ever read. I binge read it over the past week and I’m getting ready to re-read it. You write so amazingly that I was hoping I could ask you some questions? I’ve been trying to write a Din Djarin piece for a couple months now and I just hate it every time I read through it; and you write him so well! I am not new to the Star Wars fandom, my parents practically raised me on Star Wars, but I’m new to writing fan fiction for the Star Wars community. Do you do a lot of research to get the languages/terms? Do you also do a lot of research on the different worlds? When you’re writing do you pre-plan your plot or do you just write while it feels good? How extensively do you edit? I feel like editing is my downfall. Do you have any advice for for someone like me who is striving to be as good of a writer as you? 🥹 thank you and I can’t wait to read more of your writing!!

PS. Don’t feel like you have to answer this publicly or at all! I mostly just want to give you love on your writing because it is absolutely amazing!! 🩵🩵

OKAY FIRST OF ALL, YOU’RE SO FUCKING SWEET. Thank you so much omgg. And absolutely yes ask me all the questions. I will always answer (you didn’t even have to butter me up with compliments💁🏻‍♀️✨)

I love when people say they like how I write Din b/c I’m low-key just throwing a bunch of headcanons together and praying for the best lolol.

Long rambles ahead of me attempting to answer questions:

For Mando’a, I am not awesome at it. Some people are so way better. I had someone actually correct me once on the tense of a word and it blew my mind. However, I use this dictionary and this translator. I have no idea how accurate either is but I wing it from there lol.

I am a big researcher and it’s b/c I’m a perfectionist. I’m shockingly more lazy about it when it comes to Star Wars worlds. Like, I’ll search it up and get the big things (world name, setting, city names, etc.) but from there I just toss things in that I think would make sense? And in my last chapter of AFS, I just straight made up a world b/c I didn’t feel like doing research. I think that’s part of the beauty in working with a medium like Star Wars is that when it comes to setting you have a lot of free reign.

Ah. The age old question of ‘plotter vs pantser’. There are huge merits to both. For my original story, I have sat down and extensively plotted things out. Like a good little organized writer, which tbh is part of the reason why I’ve been lazy with it. Naturally, I am very much a pantser. I will come into a story with a vague idea of what I want, a few mental scenes I want to play with, but from there I just sort of let it roll. Writing fan fiction is like playing jazz for me. Very in the moment, improvisation, winging it.

Many times, I am surprised by my own ideas and that’s why it’s so much fun. Now, granted once I start writing a plot begins to form in my head. A rough outline. For example, in AFS, I started out with one idea: Domestic Din Djarin. And I had one scene in my head I specifically wanted to write: the scene where reader save a sick Grogu. So, I just started writing things and around chapter 6 or 7 my brain had a rough plan on where I wanted the story to go and how I want it to end, but I still leave it very open for if a new idea suddenly comes to me.

UGH EDITING SUUUUCKS. I go through one round of editing b/c otherwise it feels miserable. I write the chapter or the drabble without stopping to look back and edit. My only recommendation is ‘DONT EDIT WHILE YOU WORK’, b/c you end up getting stuck in this loop. Write it all out, just get it on paper, then read through it and edit afterwards.

I’ll type out a Drabble in google docs without re-reading it or editing it, then I post it over to Tumblr and when it’s on that new page win a different style I read through it and edit as I go. Then I hit post. (So if you come across errors in my work that’s why lolol)

My advice is don’t strive to be like me. (I mean I am totally honored to hear that you think I’m a great writer and want to be like me, that went STRAIGHT to my ego).

But what I mean is, never try to shape yourself into any other style. Don’t ever compare yourself to others. Because I guarantee you, right now, that you have skills and gifts that I probably can’t bring to the table. You are going to write something and just by it being in your voice you are creating something unique and beautiful. So don’t ever try to edit the way you write to match someone else b/c then you’d be depriving the world of your own voice. That being said the best advice I was ever given about improving my own writing skill and style was ‘JUST WRITE’ and it’s so hard lolol. B/c I wanna write but I don’t wanna write. You feel me? I just want all the words in my head to be on paper and that be it hahah. But the point of that is, it’s like any other skill or hobby or sport, the more you do it the better you become and the more comfortable you feel with your style.

I have no formal training in writing. My degree is in science, only took the baseline literature classes in college, so everything I know and do is self taught through trial and error. One of these days, I might post one of my early works b/c it is ATROCIOUS. Like literally godawful. I swear to you I’m not being humble, it was actual trash BUT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. The first things you create are not going to be brilliant or moving and they might even make yourself cringe when you look back on it, but as long as you had fun writing it that’s what matters. Then you keep writing and writing and writing and eventually you find your rhythm.

I started writing in the 7th grade. If you compare my 7th grade work to my 10th grade work, I improved by leaps and bounds. Compare my 10th grade work to my sophomore year of college works, again HUGE changes. Compare my college years of writing to what I do today? Even better.

I still have days where I’ll stare at a page and feel incompetent and illiterate. It happens. But I never gave up on writing, b/c it was truly what I loved to do, and gradually I found and solidified my voice. I don’t think I’m an extraordinary writer by any means, but I am confident in the words I use and the style I write in. And that makes me happy.

So, that was my VERY long winded way of saying: I am so proud of you, I think you're being harder on yourself than necessary (everyone is their own worst critic), and have fun. 💜

[faceless-conspiracy-buff]

A Bit of an Update

[ Hi everyone! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

Since I haven’t posted anything new in the past... four months? Ish? I thought I’d take a moment to let you all know where things currently stand with regard to my life, this blog and its future.

Fair warning, though: I’ve got a lot to say. ]

[ Let’s start with the obvious: I haven’t posted anything new since December, and even then, I wasn’t posting very regularly.

There are reasons for that. Four big ones, to be precise.

The first (and biggest) of those is my job. I might have mentioned it before, but I started my first full time job last summer. It’s not a fun or fulfilling position and I plan on leaving it as soon as I possibly can, but right now, it’s the only source of income I’ve got. 

It also takes up most of my free time. Back when I was in university, I was able to answer multiple asks each day. Now, I’m lucky if I draft a new post once a week. 

Secondly, this blog has gotten a lot more attention than I ever expected it would.

As I’ve said many times before, I started faceless-conspiracy-buff as a passion project. I just wanted to try my hand at writing Q and maybe respond to a few questions from my friends. I had no idea that I’d end up with nearly three hundred followers. 

And I’m grateful for the attention! It’s really, really flattering to know that so many people are interested in my art and writing. 

But it’s also a little intimidating, which brings me to my third point: I’m trying to prioritize my mental health. 

I’m an anxious person by nature and the past year has been quite rough on me. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is challenging under the best of circumstances and since my circumstances aren’t the best... I’m sure you can see where this is going.

Things have been slowly improving. I’ve been practicing self-care, spending more time with friends and family, and generally trying to deal with my issues in a healthy way. 

I’ve also been trying to cut out sources of unnecessary stress and, unfortunately, writing for this blog can be quite stressful. 

I want to learn to manage that stress before I dive back into my inbox, y’know?

Finally, I’m working on a couple other projects right now. My dad’s a writer, and his number one piece of advice has always been “make your own stuff”. He understands the appeal of fan fiction, but he has always stressed the importance of having full creative control of your work. 

And while I’d like to think that this version of Vic is uniquely mine, in the same way that Gail Simone’s Barbara Gordon is uniquely hers, I don’t own him. I can’t put any of my asks in my portfolio, or submit my flash fiction for publication. 

I like writing Q, but I think it’s important for me to create original stuff too.

All of this is a long way of saying that there were legitimate reasons for my absence this time around.

I don’t want to abandon this blog. I don’t intend to abandon this blog.

I may eventually decide to throw in the towel, but I don’t plan on leaving without giving my boy a proper send off. 

Q is still a major source of inspiration for me and a huge comfort character to boot. He is, for lack of a better term, blorbo from my shows. I love him.

And I love you. All of you. The mutuals, the strangers. The long-time followers, the newbies. The AIs, and the Riddlers, and the Dannyzens, and the vampire hunters, and all the people who send me in-character messages and delightful fan art.

I love you all.

Working on this blog has been hard, but you guys make it worthwhile.

Expect some kind of... something, in the near future. The issues I mentioned will probably keep me from settling into a schedule, but I’m going to try to put something together for all you kind, patient people. It’s the least I can do. ]

[hollygl125]

Summer Reading / Writing / Arting Tag

Tagged by: @coping-via-clint-eastwood. (Fun! Thank you!)

1. Describe one creative WIP project you’re planning to work on over the summer.

I’m planning to submit a story for the ficwip 5k AU challenge, but I wrote that two days after it was announced (I have absolutely zero control over my mind), so now I’m just waiting for sign-ups and posting. I consider it a pre-canon divergent, canon convergent modification of a coffee-shop AU (not that I’ve ever read a coffee-shop AU). I think it’s pretty cute. But, since it’s already complete, I won’t exactly be working on that over the summer….

I will still be working on my ongoing series. It was ostensibly finished last August, but it’s grown in length by at least 50% since then (by adding to the middle—the end point is roughly the same). I currently have two unfinished sections (sections where I started adding something but need to fill in the rest).

In a dream world I would make a video to accompany the fic series, but I am an extreme perfectionist and don’t currently have the patience, so I think I would likely just drive myself crazy in the attempt.

I’d love to learn to make gifs in Photoshop, with pretty colours and layers and I don't know what…. I made a gif-set in PS once, but the end result was really big and unusable for most purposes because I didn’t really know what I was doing.

I’d also kind of like to embroider something. I bought some embroidery kits while slightly out of my mind during the height of the pandemic, and I think it would be fun to try using them and then, after learning a bit, make up something on my own. (Would it involve bees and butterflies? Probably.)

2. Rec a book!

Fiction: Girlfriend in a Coma by Douglas Coupland. I haven’t read this in forever, but I meant to recommend it to someone about a decade ago and never got the chance. So I’m recommending it now to y’all instead.

Non-Fiction: Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi, which is about the development of racist ideas and non-racist ideas alongside each other. I think this is one of the last books I read before I broke my brain.

3. Rec a fic (outside your character tag)!

How cute of you, question-asker, to think I read any fic outside GSR!

4. Rec music!

I’m terrible at recommending music, but I do have a Spotify playlist for my GSR series. (The Spotify playlist is only current to the stories I’ve posted so far. My private iTunes playlist has about 100 more songs. The Spotify playlist will get there eventually.)

5. Share one piece of advice!

I did my undergrad in History and English Lit, but I have no background in creative writing (aside maybe from previously running my dog’s Instagram account), so I don’t know if I’m in much of a position to give advice, but I’ll tell you how I approached my writing process (and had a lot of fun with it!), and maybe that’ll help someone.

Writing fan fiction was not something I seriously considered doing until the day before I started doing it. On the day before I started, I thought of it as something I might do quite a ways in the future, when I’d prepared more. But then the next day my brain was like, actually, no, we’re doing this now.

The reason I’d decided to write fanfic was that I had all these little romantic GSR scenarios running around my head at night (and in the morning, and in the afternoon, and in the evening…), and it was getting really tiresome having to recreate the dialogue every night.

When I started I did an outline in a Word doc with story or chapter headings, based on the different aspects of the GSR story I knew I wanted to address. After I had the outline, I didn’t fill in the story linearly, though. I first wrote whatever scenario was most pressing to get out of my head. Then I wrote the next thing, then the next, then the next, all based on what was most urgently trying to escape my head. Sometimes I added more headings when I had new ideas.

But it was never work; it was always fun. I probably looked a little goofy. I kept thinking… oh my god, I can’t believe I’m doing this. (You have to keep in mind that, until January 2022, I had not read any fic since (or before) I read fic for Josh and Donna when they were taking their own sweet time back in the mid-2000s.)

Eventually I had to write some sections that were more functional—stuff that was simply necessary to get from Point A to Point B—but that was really minimal and still relatively enjoyable. (I have a hard time even remembering what those sections were anymore, but I think the chapter explaining how they got from the year of honeymoons to the events of season 13 was definitely one of them).

So I guess my advice would be that you should just do whatever works for you. (E.g., you don’t have to start at the beginning.) I think this works well with c-v-c-e’s advice: “This is art. There ARE no rules, especially ones restricting flexibility and expression.”

And, most importantly, please remember to try to have fun!

Tagging: If you would like to participate, please consider yourself tagged!

[romanceandshenanigans]

Writer Q&A

What is your absolute all-time favorite idea you’ve ever had?

I've been playing around with a fantasy setting centered around an archipelago where a multitude of magical creatures have made their home, but now the mainland has the means to get to them and navigating what exactly to do next. I've got a witch queen married to a shapeshifting dragon, a fey king in a poly relationship with a fairy and an immortal human, shifter clans, mermaids, themes of colonization the works.

There are just so many directions I can take it and my tendency to overwrite means it'll be a long time before I get anything coherent out of it. It's part of the reason I'm starting with this regency romance first. I want to prove I can complete a full novel before I commit to a whole fantasy series.

Is there a question you’ve been asked in the past that really stands out to you, and you still think about sometimes?

Not especially when it comes to my writing. However, whenever people have asked me for writing advice and specifically writing OCs, I've always felt flattered.

What is your favorite part of being a writer? What parts could you take or leave?

Favorite part is finally giving all these voices in my head some place to live. It's a relief exorcising all those little conversations and flashes of moments out of me only to realize I've got a bit more to say than just "wouldn't it be cute if". Of course, this prompts only more voices and the never ending cycle of mental abuse continues.

Descriptions. I know what the scene is supposed to look like. Why can't I just telepathically communicate it to the audience? It's the screenwriter training. Can't be helped.

What is your greatest motivation to write/create?

Any free time. Literally. Doesn't matter if I"m particularly motivated. If I have some free time, I know I will just feel better if I go somewhere and write for at least an hour. Doesn't have to be good. I don't necessarily have to use any of it. I just need to do it.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?

Let it be bad. It's a lesson I'm still trying to instill within my self, but it is vital. Just let it be bad, it's what a first draft is for.

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out writing?

Theming actually is really important if you want to keep any kind of cohesion through various drafts, especially for long term pieces.

What is your favorite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you’d like and can!

Honestly I've only written only short pieces, all fan-fiction. This is my first attempt an a wholly original creation. I've completed a couple of short film scripts, but honestly nothing I'd particularly want to share here.

What is your favorite out-of-the-box quote?

"I am haunted by humans." - Death (The Book Thief by Markus Zusak)

Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?

I think it depends on what you mean by controversial. I mean, I am setting my story in regency era England so there are characters who are going to have homophobic view points on some of the characters I plan to write, but I know I'm also going to make a point about showing how that view point is wrong. I'm not afraid to cast authorial judgement on my characters. So, what is controversial about that set up?

If you, when you first started writing, met you now, what would younger you think?

Well my younger self who have a rude awakening about certain aspects of her sexuality, I can tell you that much. And that also goes for political ideology and general attitudes towards life. The difference between a sixteen year old and a twenty-eight year old is frankly staggering.

Tagging: @kittttycakes, @16boyfriends-and-me, @can-of-pringles, @auroramagpie and anyone else who would like to join in. (Just make sure to make your own posts)

[euphoricfilter]

did you ever think you would ever be writing fanfiction or any piece of writing?

(i just wanted to say your writing is so good too like perfect)

nope! if this is part of the yes or no game it’s not anymore LMAO because i make the rules 😎 and i’m suddenly realising that maybe just a yes or no isnt enough for me because i have a habit of over explaining things…

honestly it’s hard to answer? because i used to write a shit ton of fan fics on wattpad with a variation of tropes but just never uploaded any of them for whatever reason, which thank goodness i didn’t because they’re so musty now that i look back at them.

bts was my first introduction to fanfics, and i literally hadn’t read like a book in years, school doesn’t count because you’re technically forced to read all that stuff but i had and still don’t really have any experience in writing so i never planned to have it as like basically a full time hobby because i was never interested in reading

i have a very very big imagination, so many running ideas going on at once that i just started writing them down and what better way than to have my favorite boys as the main cast 😋 i think i’ve said this before but when i think of a story idea i always imagine it as a drama, so music plays a big part in my writing of certain scenes or what set designs would look like and i think that’s why my writing is very descriptive because i really hope that people can imagine what i’m seeing as i construct a story

and i don’t know what possessed me to post my first piece of writing on the internet but i remember the first thing i ever posted on this blog was the ‘devil that i know’ teaser and i think it got like 100 notes and i thought i made it so big and i guess my writing has just grown since then 😭 and i still haven’t completed that series either and it’s like 2 months away from being a year old

i don’t know if i’ll ever move my writing from fan fiction into like my own novel with original character designed by me or anything because the thought of literally no one reading it would end me and i’d probably make it free like i do my fics just so people are tempted to try it out but it’s not something i have in mind for now

it always surprises me when people praise my writing 😭 because i have basically no experience, somehow my english grades were one of my worst, but to be fair i hate hate hate analysis it’s sucks ass and i’m still learning as i go along! i also have a habit of comparing my writing style to other peoples which is stupid but alas we move!

so short answer: no?

thank you so much though! it really means more than words can explain how happy it makes me when i hear people say they enjoy my work 😭

[saey-bae]

Hello! I've been meaning to tell you this for a while but I couldn't find the right time. So when I saw your post right now I thought this is it!!

Your Saeyoung fic "Bet on me" that you wrote for the no strings detached zine was THE first Mysme fic I read! and It was absolutely beautiful!! It made me feel so many emotions, both happiness and sadness and I cried,, the way you portrayed Saeyoung's inner turmoil in facing his brother in the hospital and still trying to make MC happy even when he himself is completely drained emotionally and physically was so painfully accurate and yet full of warmth and tenderness! It completely melted my heart. 😭♡

Your piece was also the one that made me want to explore more Mystic Messenger fan fiction and I'm truly grateful for that! Thank you so so much for all your wonderful works!! Please take all my love and do take care of yourself! And I would love to read your works if you plan to post again!!💖💖💖

aaaaaaaaa ;-; thank you so, so much, lovely 💜💜 honestly, that fanfic was probably the longest thing i've ever written for mysme and it was a huge source of anxiety at the time bc i struggled so much with it ahaha. looking back now, i'm pleased with how it turned out and i lucked out on having the most wonderful artist to bring our creation to life. this is the first time someone's mentioned "bet on me" to me and i am so grateful that you enjoyed it. being able to share and evoke such a broad spectrum of feelings is one of the things i strive for as a writer with too many feelings of my own 💜 writing for the mysme fandom has been one of my greatest pleasures and i look forward to doing so again when the motivation strikes.

much love and peace to you, i hope you find more fics to love 💜 extremely belatedly --like a year and a half too late-- here's "bet on me" from the nsd zine

(please also go check out the rest of what the @nostringsdetached content creators had to offer!! we had an insanely talented team)

[belethlegwen]

Welcome, to the MASTERLIST POST!

[HEADER CREDIT TO: @chamomile-g-tea <;3] Hey everyone! My name is Belethlegwen, or Belle for short! (Please call me Belle, it's just so much easier) I'm a Giantess-leaning G/t fan who writes G/t fiction and enjoys art, writings, and getting to chat with people about G/t and other nerdy things. I currently have two active works ongoing over at the ol' AO3, (and one unfinished/abandoned, more explicit work that I won't be directly linking here).

The Stranding is my biggest work ever, even outside of the G/t fandom. It is currently being updated (roughly) weekly, and is still actively being written. Almost two years after a man named Henry suffers a shipwreck and is rescued by a woman named Melanie, the two left on a journey to try and return him home, only to suffer a shipwreck of their own. The good news? They made it, Henry is home and is among his own people again. The bad news? To him, and everyone else in his homeland, Melanie is over fifty feet tall. An out-of-time, out-of-place situation, Melanie has to navigate being integrated into a small military force for a nation that seems to be in a tense, fracturing peace with it's nearest neighbour, and also just navigate a world that has never had to deal with anyone or anything like her before. [I personally recommend reading until at least Chapter 12 - Nightmares before starting on The Rescue]

The Rescue is the prequel-piece to The Stranding, and is also currently being updated (roughly) weekly, and is still actively being written. Melanie travels to the beach after a storm, as she often does to find driftwood and debris that can be used for crafts to keep herself busy in her lonely life, and sees a ship in distress just off of the shore. Unable to believe what's happening, she is able to rescue a sailor from the nearly-doomed vessel and take him under her care.

She helps him adjust to life in her land, which is vastly different-- almost like a different time entirely-- from this own. The biggest obstacle to doing so, however, is that the man isn't even eight inches tall. [I personally recommend reading The Stranding up until Chapter 12 - Nightmares before beginning this work, but I am also not your real Dad and can not control you.]

ABOUT RECURSIVE FICS: Click Here

Here is a link to the SHORTS AND BONUS SCENE Masterlist Here is a link to the FanArt and Commissions MasterPost!

The Faerie Spell is a separate work of fiction from Melanie and Henry's adventures, happening in the same world as @adjacentperception's Rose & Laporte series.

Blurb: A first-person-perspective written work (at least thus far) following Daphne as she attempts to navigate a strange and upsetting curse where a Faerie has stolen parts of her essence so that the Fae can, whenever the mood seemingly strikes them, steal Daphne's height and attain a more human-like appearance to hide that they are a Faerie. While the spell is active, however, Daphne becomes 5.5 inches tall (give or take a few millimeters). [More is available in the synopsis on the Directory Page!]

Written by: @adjacentperception and @belethlegwen

What's left of a hero when everything is taken from him? What's left of a villain with no identity?

What's left of a man who has no choice but to save the symbol of a system he's fighting against?

Within a city constantly besieged by a super-power fueled war between Good vs Evil, a hero is captured by a powerful villain and their secret organization and forced to play part in a twisting and enigmatic plan; to tear down the systems in place that keep the League of Heroes in an ultimate seat of power to rival the government itself. But… is the system as good as it projects itself to be? Are the villains and their henchmen really as evil as the media says? Is it truly as simple as tearing it down, or does that simply open up space for a new, worse system to enter?

Is the harm we do when we believe we're helping mitigated merely by our wishes to be better? To create something more? To fix what we believe is broken?

Do we hold blame for creating the evil we think we're fighting against, regardless of our intentions?

This work features descriptions of violence, abuse, neglect, and uses adult language, as well as mentions of nudity and sexual topics.

KO-FI LINK:

If you like what I do and wanted to send along some thanks, I was heavily encouraged by an extremely sweet tumblrite to make a Ko-Fi so they could force their generosity on me and I could use it to buy Starbies (Starbucks) to fuel me while I write more! It was an incredibly thoughtful and sweet thing to mention to me and if I think too hard about it I will cry, so here, please! Enjoy this link!

CHARACTER REFERENCES:

Henry:

[Image credit: RL friend of mine who wishes to remain anonymous for now] Age: 30 (Rescue) - 32(?) (Stranding) Height: 5'9", or 7.2 inches A highly-skilled sailor from the land of Vogunti Royalty, Henry Lemuels left the port of his home's Capital City on a privateering mission from the King, only to have his vessel, his crew and himself, swept up in an immense storm. The wreck claims the lives of all but him, and he washes up on the shores of a strange land to be rescued by a giant woman.

Melanie:

[Image credit: @LNBeep on Twitter!! Amazing artist <;3] Age: 32 (Rescue) - 34 (Stranding) Height: 5'4", or 50 feet An "early-retirement" crafter from Canada, Melanie Barnes suffered a string of bad relationships and a devastating loss in her family before stepping away almost completely from her old life, isolating herself in grief. She picked up driftwood art crafts to keep herself busy and semi-social by selling them at flea markets, and one days comes across the bizarre wreck of-- what she believes to be-- an elaborate model ship. After rescuing a small man, she has to adjust her life again to try and keep him safe, and hopefully help him return to his homeland in the future.

I'm hoping to add more character info and references in the future as I get more commissions done, but I hope you like what I have so far and that you enjoy my works! If you'd like to ask me any questions at all about myself, my works, my characters or my worlds, my asks are open! Much love, - Belle

[divinefireangel]

You are my Honey and my Forever Moon

SF9 Inseong x Wife! Reader Fluffy Smut.

ADORABABY ADORABABY ADORABABY ADORABABY ADORABABY ADORABABY

Disclaimer: This is just a work of fiction. If this piece of fan fiction is offensive to any celebrity, fandom or culture please let me know so I can take it down. Also note that this is my version of a character or celeb, which will vary from person to person.

Author's Note: I finally got to finishing this request!! 🥳 Not gonna lie I kinda like this one lol. I have a free day tomorrow so let's hope I post tomorrow as well🤞

Copyright: Please note that this is my work and if you want to publish this on any other platform, take my permission before doing so. Taking an author's work and posting it somewhere else without any intimation is just disrespectful. I readily welcome suggestions and criticisms. That being said, Happy reading! 🤍

Warnings: 18+ ages and female readers (nothing specified with respect to appearance, etc of reader). Tbh all can read it. Soft sex. Unprotected sex (just don't do this unless you want kids). Probably slow burn I'm not sure. Sexy but soft Inseong 😂. Lmk if I need to add more! Italics is flashback.

Requested: YES. By our fav @inseongsfoxybae

Hey, babe Sush 🥰🥰🥰 Can I request something?

Would you mind writing a honeymoon scenario with Seongie? Smuty and with a lot of softness at the same time 👉🏻👈🏻

Oh babe I hope you like it and that this makes your day a lil better 💞❣

1.8k Words

Staring down at your left ring finger, you traced the new golden band that your finger adorned. Smiling, you remember the moment that changed your life forever. Finally, you were each other's happily ever after. How did you get so lucky to have Kim Inseong fall in love with you, you'll never know. But what you do know, is that there is no one in the world whom you can love as much as him.

You remember the look he gave you just before you got wedded, standing opposite you holding your hands in his, that always fit together like a puzzle, the moment in which you knew, there is no one who will love you as much as him. Seeing his love filled expression, reminded you of every single time he looked at you like that. The first time he saw you on your first date, the first time he saw you all glamed up, the first time he saw your natural perfections, the first time he saw you naked, the first time he kissed you, the first time he smiled at you, the first time he smiled because of you, the first time you made him laugh, the first time he saw you laugh, the first time he saw you dance your little happy dance because you got your favourite food, the first time you told him you loved him, the first time you held him when he cried, the first time you let him sleep on top of you after a long day and the first time he realized you were the one he was looking for his entire life.

And since all those firsts, he's looked at you the same way. Because he doesn't know how else to look at you. You, his soulmate, his eternal love, his forever and forevermore.

Gathering the crowd's attention, the officiate began the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved, we are present here, to experience the blessed union of Ms. Y/N L/N and Mr. Kim Inseong. As I start, I have a passage to read, written by me, about falling in love.

When you hear the word falling, it's generally assumed to be a neutral word. No one prefers to fall willingly. But falling in love, is one of the purest ways to use the word falling. Not a single person is scared of falling like this. Falling from a height of course is scary for most." The crowd laughs at this remark. Smiling, the officiate continued.

"Well now really when we go back then to falling in love. And say it's crazy. We don't say rising into love. The moment you enter any kind of human undertaking relationship, you've given yourself up. But this is the most powerful thing that can be done. Surrender, you see. And love, is an act of surrender to another person. I give myself to you.

These two young people standing here, in front of each other, have surrendered themselves to one another, creating a strong bond, and I pray, that it only gets stronger with time." Staring into each other's teary yet love filled eyes, Y/N and Inseong slipped on a band on their ring fingers to indicate their eternal love.

"What are you thinking about my love? " Handing you a glass of champagne, your husband asked you.

"Just..... Us. "

"Us? " He questions chuckling, sitting next to you on the couch in your hotel room, which is rented for your honeymoon.

Humming a yes, you lean in to kiss him. Meeting you halfway, Inseong attached your lips together, as a hand stroked your hair.

"Don't you want to change into your nightwear? " Tilting your head innocently, you looked at your husband in curiosity.

"I kinda have other plans." He said sheepishly grinning at your confused demeanour. Placing the two identical glasses on a table nearby, Inseong grabs your face gently with both his hands, connecting your lips again.

Carefully he moves his hands to your hair, trying to find for things that may hurt you when you laid down on the bed. Removing the U pins from your hairbun, he slowly lets your hair down. Breaking the kiss completely, staring at your with a soft smile, warming your heart, he moves to remove your earrings and other jewelry.

Chewing in anticipation on your bottom lip, you lift your fingers to unbutton the buttons of his dress shirt. This action isn't something foreign to either of you, having done this multiple times before in the past. But this time, today, right now, is just more softer, more intimate.

By the time you finish his dress shirt, he's already pulled down the zipper of your dress.

Admiring you again, he moves his hand to the side of your face, slowly pushing a strand of hair behind your ear.

Moving the same hand to the back of your head, he tilts your head up, engulfing your lips again in a needy kiss. A kiss of this type from him never fails to make you lose balance, lose your sense of presence of mind and makes you aroused enough to close your eyes as a your lower abdomen starts heating up for attention.

Breathing into each other, you stand up taking his hand and pull him towards the bed, stopping at its foot. Slowly you slide off him shirt from his shoulders, letting it fall on the floor. Looking up at him through your lashes, you bite your lower lip, as you feel yourself getting wetter by the minute. How can you not be wet when you have such a sexy husband? Smirking a little, Inseong traces your skin from your neck to your shoulders to your back, gliding your dress down near his shirt. Taking your delicate hands in his, he gazes down your body, the tent forming in his pants approving your pretty lingerie. How did he get so lucky to have found you. You goddess of a being, so in love with him, a mere man who worships you more than anything.

Placing your hands around his neck, he leans down to kiss your lush lips, as his hands go down your body, reaching behind your back to unclasp your bra, and settling on your waist for a moment, before going down to reach the back of your thighs. Lifting you up without breaking the kiss, Inseong kneels on the bed as your legs wrap around him in instinct. Laying you down lovingly on the bed, your husband looks into your eyes, with that sweet look of his. For him although, he feels like he is looking at you for the first time ever, starting from your forehead to the distance between your eyebrows, to your cute nose and to your parted lips, waiting to be kissed again.

Swallowing in the sight below, his lips find themselves at the base of your jaw. Sucking there lightly, Inseong rolls his hips such that his clothed length rubs against your core. Even with so many layers you could feel the outline of his dick. Kissing down till your neck and collarbone, he continues to grind into you, groaning when he feels your nails scratch his back.

Gasping at a sudden forceful thrust, you wrap your legs tighter around his waist. Detaching his lips from your body, he sits on his knees, looking down at your, enjoying the view of you in your loving needy state. Making eye contact, he unbuckles his belt removing it sexily, followed by his pants and boxers. Placing his hands on your bent knees, he moves his torso up as his hands glide freely from your knees through the top of your thighs, coming to a still on your hips.

Leaning down, Inseong kisses your lips again, as his fingertips trace the upper elastic of your panties. Grabbing ahold of them, he peels your panties down your legs and throws it to the side. One of his hands comes next to your head to support himself up as he stays close to you, kissing till you run out of air in your lungs, while the other takes liberty to part your folds.

Sighing into your mouth, he spreads your wetness from your entrance to your clit, giving it a few strokes to stimulate you more. Moaning into the kiss, you silently beg for more, wanting more, more of him in you, taking you to paradise.

Removing his fingers from your folds, he breaks the kiss just to rile you up more by sucking them as his eyes never left yours. Biting your lip you look at him with pleading eyes. Dropping his cockiness at your cuteness, he slowly guides the head of his cock to your entrance, nudging it in little by little, letting you get used to his size. Pecking your forehead repeatedly Inseong bottoms out into you. Stilling for a moment, he takes your hand in his free hand, bringing it up to kiss your knuckles.

Melting at this sweet gesture, you intertwine your fingers together, as your eyes close overwhelmed by the feeling of his cock starting to move back and forth, in and out of you slowly. Petting your hair with the hand that's next to your head, Inseong joins your lips again, but only for a small kiss. He then proceeds to kiss your cheeks, your nose, your eyebrows, your eyelids, your chin, your jaw, your forehead and back to your lips, all while rutting his pelvis against yours in a loving pace.

This isn't the first time he's made love to you. He's done that multiple times and more. But now, you are his wife and he wants nothing but to take care of you and your burdens and to keep you happy. He wants to spoil you in every way possible. He wants you fulfilled to the maximum extent, and he will do anything for you and your future together to be as perfect as possible.

Moaning his name, when you feel yourself coming closer to the edge, you clench your walls around him. Shuddering in response, he increases his pace to help you both have a blissful orgasm. Nuzzling his nose against yours, he squeezes your intertwined fingers looking back up into your eyes, wordlessly conveying that he is close. So so close to you.

"I love you" He whispers roughly, feeling his release approaching.

"I love you too" You gasp as you tighten your legs around him, clenching your walls as you come undone below your lover. Repeating your name as if it's the only word he knows, Inseong comes down slowly from his high, falling on top of you as slowly as he can.

Pressing your foreheads together, you catch your breath, hugging each other. Setting his head in between your shoulder and neck, Inseong starts to feel drowsy. How cute, you think fondly as you wrap your arms securely around you lover, your husband, playing with his hair as he drifts to sleep with you in his arms, and you following him soon after.

[supernovadragoncat]

Hello! Do you have any tips on starting to write fan fiction?? Like any advice for beginners or maybe some prompts (or places to find prompts)? I, of course, was thinking of venturing into Sansan ff but the idea of writing even a fully fledged small one shot seems quite daunting so I was thinking of just writing small scenes to begin with.. like idk a paragraph about their first kiss or the first time they meet or a scene describing something about them that could some day belong in a larger piece, maybe..

I wrote some fanfic when I was like 14 and now I’m 22 and recently rediscovered my love for it so honestly I really feel like I want/need to write but I’m also scared I’ll hate anything I’ll jot down :( When I was a pre-teen/early teen I was really into writing (even if it was bad, I deeply enjoyed it) but then I kinda stopped (bc life, teen angst, then depression etc) so now I feel like I have to make up for lost time.

I would gladly appreciate any advice. And I’m sorry for the confession, I’m writing to you because I really admire your writing, both in general and in the context of our lovely fandom, and I suppose because you had that break from posting fan fiction I am genuinely curious how you managed it and how you got back into writing?

Thank you!

Hi Sweet Nonny! ❤️

Thank you so much for reaching out. I’m so happy that you did and no need to apologize for the confession! My ask box is always open.

Congrats on getting back into writing! It’s always both scary and exciting, but the SanSan fandom is filled with wonderful souls who are forever gracious and welcoming!

In terms of writing prompts:

There are great SanSan-specific prompts here.

Also this blog is a treasure trove as well

The SanSan Writers Guild (SWG) also does one-word prompts on Sundays and Wednesdays (Six Sentence Scribbles). Folks share in the SWG Discord server (you can join here!), tumblr, and Twitter.

Below are some things that I’ve found helpful in my own writing. Ultimately, you’ll know what works best for you, so if some of this is helpful, that’s fantastic. If some of it doesn’t resonate with you, that is completely fine too! Take what works and leave the rest!

Most of what I’ve discovered about writing comes down to this:

Self-imposed restrictions kill motivation. Writing on a strict schedule, trying to update with a certain frequency, aiming for perfection on the first draft, writing towards an audience’s expectation, not your own vision. I’ve done all of these things and it zapped a lot of the joy out of writing.

So here’s what I try to keep in mind to avoid those things...

Your contribution is always worthy

The wonderful thing about fanfic is that it can be anything you want it to be. Drabbles, snippets, text fics, pic sets, long fics…all of it is worthy and fandom needs diversity. We all bring something different to the table and that's what keeps fandom interesting and alive.

For my first fanfic, it started as just two sentences. That’s it! Once I wrote those two, I wrote a couple more. Then I got an idea for a scene, so I wrote that out. Then the next one. Before I knew it, I had a chapter, then an idea for another. It just snowballed.

The things is—it doesn’t have to snowball. I could’ve written just those two lines and it was still something worth being proud of. If you ever doubt yourself, just remember anything you create is worthy. No one else could've made it because they’re not you. Every single writer has a unique voice and something to contribute.

Write what you’re motivated to write.

If it’s just a short bit of dialogue, then start with that. If it’s a small scene, then write that. If it’s a small bit of imagery, write that. Write out of order if that helps too. If the muse wants you to write something that’s a sharp left turn from what you planned or had envisioned, follow that muse!

And if you find yourself with a handful of WIPS or ideas and you’re feeling one more than the other, write whichever one rocks your socks off. There’s no shame in following the inspiration!

You will probably hate your first draft. Embrace the mess.

I always hate my first draft. Always. I honestly believe it’s part of the process. I think of writing/editing like sculpting. The blank page is a hunk of marble and the first draft is just the first pass. It’s probably going to be rough and a squint-and-you’ll-see-it shape of a story. It’s not meant to be David on the first go.

Once I got comfortable knowing I’d nit-pick a lot of what first goes on the page, writing became easier. I stopped trying to create magic on that first draft and I focused on just letting go. You can’t edit a blank page, so anything you write down is progress, even if you hate it. You can fix it later, but the process of creating isn’t meant to be neat and seamless. It’s messy and hard, but therapeutic, fun, and so very worth it!

Delete whatever you want.

I’ve written thousands of words that just. weren’t. working, but I couldn’t bear the thought of deleting them, so I banged my head against the wall trying to make it work. Finally, I took the unworkable text, put it in a separate document, and started fresh.

This is where self-evaluation comes in handy—knowing the difference between writing that just needs a little more time and some sculpting and writing that I’m stubbornly holding onto and needs to be put out of its misery so the idea can be reborn again.

Have a routine.

A lot of writing advice I’ve read on the internet talks about writing every single day. I think what these people are really getting at is to establish a routine, but no one says your routine has to be writing every day or at a certain time or writing a certain amount.

I used to try to write after work, but it took too long to get into the right headspace or I was too mentally zapped. If I didn’t write, I felt like I was missing opportunities to get words on the page, so guilt crept in. I was trying to write on a schedule, not a routine.

Now, I write to a routine—write on the weekends and edit during the week (if I feel up to it). I don’t hold myself to a schedule, but I embrace a pattern that is conducive to the rhythm of my life and outside responsibilities. Do whatever works for you and, if guilt creeps in, just remember—you are on no one’s timeline but your own!

Take breaks and prioritize self-care.

We all love to write and taking a break can sometimes feel like procrastinating, letting people down who are waiting for updates, etc. I think it’s important to take breaks as needed and to prioritize self-care; to be gentle and patient with ourselves and to enjoy the creative process, not just the final output.

As you mentioned, I took a four-year break from fandom that was unplanned. I didn't write or read fanfic at all during this time. I got back into writing the same way I got into it in the first place. It started with a small idea that I wrote one sentence at a time.

I also didn’t post what I wrote for a long time. There was a joy in writing just for myself. There’s absolutely no shame in that at all, so if you find yourself enjoying the writing experience, but aren’t ready to post or share, that’s completely okay! You share when you're ready.

One last thing...

Someone once said that we need to take breaks from writing if nothing more than to collect experiences in life because it’s those experiences—the people we connect with, the places we visit, the things we endure—that we take to the page with us.

When I came back to writing, I too felt like I needed to make up for lost time or that I’d wasted years of my life not doing what I loved. But I hadn’t wasted anything. I’d spent years collecting experiences and the me of 2016 could never have written the stories that the me in 2021 writes simply because I lived through a lot in that time.

You too now have experiences you’ve collected and that you’ll bring to the page and, if you ever need to take a break and collect more experiences, that is completely valid and just as important.

Now that I’ve written you a novel, I wish you all the best in writing and in fandom! Again, my ask box and messages are always open if you ever need anything! Thank you so much for the ask! I hope this helps!

Happy writing and much love! ❤️ ✍️

[secretbangtnn]

BTS fic poll | Version 2

Important!Okay so i decided to make another poll, this time it's going to be about one shot. I have a lot of ideas - as you probably have already seen, but i know there are a lot of people that prefer one shots, or one shots series then a whole big fan fiction with chapters that leave you unsatisfied with the suddenly ending plot. Also im still thinking of taking requests so if a lot of people would be interested I could do some kind of post where everything would be described with rules.

Anyway down there im gonna write some of my ideas that were firstly were normal fics ideas that could be one shot or one shots series - with drabbles to them.

You yourself can decide if you prefer it as a one shot or a normal fanfic with chapters +decide which one i should start first (ou can send me ask with your choices or comment )

Ps. All of those fics will have smut in it

Incredible creation | Taehyung (ft. Jungkook)

Greek God au, yandere au, age gap au, slightly incest (they are grek gods you know what crazy shit there is, Zeus do be wildin)

Short summary.

Apollo the God of beauty is sended to earth to get rid of a human that is suppose to be more beautiful than goddess itself. However what if Apollo falls in love with his own creation, gaining an obsession.

Just Us | Jungkook

werewolf au, aplha au, mates au, humanxwerewolf, yandere or not, maybe

(tbh I'm thinking about this more as a series with super long chapters but only a few of them, because there will be heavy plot)

short summary

You lived as an only human in a pack of wolves, knowing that as an alpha daughter you brung only shame. Beaten, degraded daily you accepted that you were worth nothing more than a piece of dirt, so when the strongest alpha announces his visit, you can do nothing but hide in your room. But what happens when you see an opportunity to start a new life, to leave this place while people are distracted - sadly the plan did not go as you wanted, but maybe that's better and the mysterious alfa will show you how much you mean.

Don’t know what to do | Min Yoongi

stalker au, stockholm syndrome au, kidnapping au, age gap au

(I took a little bit of inspiration from the manga”Sachi-iro no One room” but the plot is going to be different.

short summary:

Knowing that getting kidnapped than being abused everyday, you go with a masked man, agreeing with staying in a room while getting taken care of by him. And maybe just maybe, the silent boy is not as scary as he seems.

Love Lies | Kim Taehyung

CEO au, Prostitution au, Hostess au, soft yandere au

short summary:

Making a decision about selling your body was definitely something you did not think you would have ever done. However knowing that fees won’t just disappear you decide to take your friends' offer, and try in this industry. Oh how wrong you were thinking that this job was going to be easy, not when your client is Kim Taehyung, who just loves to lie.

Write to me | Park Jimin

angst, school au, suicide themes, texting (writing on a school deskt)

short summary:

You were tired, just tired, not only from living but existing, you started to count - second, days, weeks, hoping that maybe someone will save you. So you tried scribbling on an old school desk, you wrote the message with a mind that no one would see it. What if this one boy does, what if he is the first one to see you. But what if he will be too late to save you?

Artificial love | Jeon Jungkook

android au, social anxiety themes, angst, fluff

short summary:

So what if your only friend left, and so what if you yourself know that without him you won’t leave your apartment. Crying over your friends departure you suddenly see funny commercial - thinking its only a stupid game where you make your perfect bboyfriend, you give it a try. Oh how wrong you were, when a big box is delivered right outside your doorstep, and an overprotective android that is programmed to baby you is waiting just inside it, you can’t believe it you just got a whole artificial boyfriend for your awkward ass.

Sea’s Secrets | Jeon Jungkook

Pirate au, slavery au, yandere au, blood and gore

short summary:

You were just a little girl when a pirate invaded your small village, seeking revenge from your father who was a proud captain of your kingdom. Being one of the people who survived your life turned upside down, now living as a toy, constantly bought from hand to hand. So How surprised you were when a legendary pirate, dominating all of the seas, bought you wanting just your love.

[bananaofswifts]

For Women's History Month 2021, GRAMMY.com is celebrating some of the women artists nominated at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show. Today, we honor Taylor Swift, who's currently nominated for six GRAMMYs.

When we met Taylor Swift in 2006, it was immediately apparent that her songwriting approach was like ripping a page out of her diary.

"Just a boy in a Chevy truck/ That had a tendency of gettin' stuck/ On backroads at night/ And I was right there beside him all summer long/ And then the time we woke up to find that summer gone," she lamented in the first verse of her debut single, "Tim McGraw(opens in a new tab)." The way the then-16-year-old Swift could turn personal anecdotes into instantly memorable hooks mirrored the prowess of an industry veteran, appealing to more than just the teenage girls that could relate to a short-lived high school romance.

Now, nearly 15 years later, Swift has introduced another layer of intrigue with a foray into indie folk, unveiling a pair of albums, folklore and evermore, last year. Recorded entirely in isolation after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, folklore has been widely acclaimed(opens in a new tab) as Swift's best album, touted for its intimate songwriting and cinematic dynamics; evermore has received similarly glowing reviews(opens in a new tab).

folklore was 2020's best-selling album(opens in a new tab) and earned Swift five GRAMMY nominations at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show, including her fourth Album Of The Year nod. (evermore will be eligible for the 64th GRAMMY Awards in 2022.) As her 10 previous GRAMMY wins suggest, though, this new chapter isn't an abrupt departure for the star—it's a masterful continuation of her evolution as a singer/songwriter.

If there's one thing that Swift has proven throughout her career, it's that she refuses to be put in a box. Her ever-evolving sound took her from country darling to pop phenom to folk's newest raconteur—a transition that, on paper, seems arduous. But for Swift, it was seamless and resulted in perhaps her most defining work yet. And folklore’s radiance relies on three of Swift’s songwriting tools: heartfelt balladeering, autobiographical writing, and character-driven storytelling.

While there was always a crossover element to Swift's pop-leaning country tunes, her transition from country starlet to pop queen began with Red. The album’s lead single, the feisty breakup anthem "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together(opens in a new tab)," was Swift's first release to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and, ironically, scoffed "indie records much cooler than mine"). She declared a full pop makeover with 2014's 1989, but the response proved that her bold move was the right one: Along with spawning three more No. 1 hits, the project won Swift her second GRAMMY for Album of the Year.

From there, 2017’s Reputation, a response to media scrutiny, and 2019’s Lover, an often bubbly exploration of all facets of affection, followed. Although they shared similarly grandiose production, Lover featured a handful of poetic ballads, including "The Archer(opens in a new tab)," a self-reflective love song that teased Swift's folk sensibilities through storybook lyrics and ambient textures.

Swift’s ballads are key in understanding the full essence of folklore. They’ve regularly marked standout moments on each of her albums, both thanks to her poignant vulnerability and rich tone. Fearless standout "White Horse" earned Swift two GRAMMYs in 2009; Red's painstaking "All Too Well" was an instant fan favorite; 1989's "This Love" and Reputation's "New Years Day" provided tenderness amid otherwise synth-heavy sounds.

The raw emotion she puts into her downtempo songs comes alive on folklore, introducing a new wave of neo-classical sonics that elevate her fanciful penmanship to an ethereal level. Whether or not Swifties saw a full indie-pop record coming—at least not yet—the shift isn't all that surprising. Folklore’s romanticized lyrics and relatively lo-fi production are arguably what many fans have been patiently waiting on.

Lyrically, the super-personal nature of Swift’s music has always captivated fans and naysayers alike; diehards and critics dissected each of her albums for its real-life subjects and hidden meanings. While she played into those conspiracies at the time—whether she was revealing names in titles like "Hey Stephen(opens in a new tab)" and "Dear John(opens in a new tab)" or scathing the other girl on "Better Than Revenge(opens in a new tab)"—even Swift herself admits that her teenage method had an expiration date.

"There was a point that I got to as a writer who only wrote very diaristic songs that [it] felt unsustainable for my future moving forward," she told Apple Music's(opens in a new tab) Zane Lowe in December of 2020. "It felt like too hot of a microscope ... On my bad days, I would feel like I was loading a cannon of clickbait when that's not what I want for my life."

That realization is what helped make folklore so memorable: Swift stripped away the drama to let her artful storytelling shine. Sure, there are occasional callbacks to personal happenings ("invisible string(opens in a new tab)" references sending her exes baby gifts and "mad woman(opens in a new tab)" alludes to her legal battle with Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun). Still, she largely shies away from her autobiographical narratives to make way for her imagination.

"I found myself not only writing my own stories, but also writing about or from the perspective of people I've never met, people I've known, or those I wish I hadn't," Swift wrote in a letter to fans(opens in a new tab) on social media the day folklore arrived. "The lines between fantasy and reality blur and the boundaries between truth and fiction become almost indiscernible."

folklore might be her first full project dedicated to creating characters and projecting storylines, but Swift has shown a knack for fantasy from the start. Tracks like "Mary's Song (Oh My My)(opens in a new tab)" on her self-titled debut and "Starlight(opens in a new tab)" on Red saw Swift craft stories for real-life muses ("Mary's Song" was inspired by an old couple who lived next door to Swift in her childhood; "Starlight" was sparked from seeing a picture of Ethel and Bobby Kennedy as teens). Even when songs did pertain to her real life, Swift often had a way of flipping memories into whimsical metaphors, like the clever clap-back to a critic on Speak Now's "Mean(opens in a new tab)" or the rebound relationship in Reputation's "Getaway Car(opens in a new tab)."

To think that we wouldn't have folklore without a pandemic is almost surreal; it's already become such a fundamental piece of Swift’s artistic puzzle. There was no telling what may have come after the glittering "love letter to love itself” that was Lover, but it seems isolation made the singer rethink any plans she may have had.

"I just thought there are no rules anymore because I used to put all these parameters on myself, like, 'How will this song sound in a stadium? How will this song sound on radio?' If you take away all the parameters, what do you make?" she told Paul McCartney in a November (opens in a new tab)Rolling Stone(opens in a new tab) interview(opens in a new tab). "And I guess the answer is folklore."

Even if she hasn’t been making indie music herself, Swift has shown an affinity for the genre over the years through curated digital playlists(opens in a new tab). Those included four songs by The National including "Dark Side of the Gym," which she references on folklore single "betty(opens in a new tab)," and "8 (Circle)" by Bon Iver, Swift's collaborator on folklore's gut-wrenching "exile(opens in a new tab)" as well as evermore’s title track. (“Exile” is one of folklore’s GRAMMY-nominated cuts, up for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.)

The National’s guitarist Aaron Dessner co-wrote nine and produced 11 of folklore's 16 tracks, soundtracking Swift's imaginative tales with sweeping orchestration and delicate piano. Their partnership started with "cardigan(opens in a new tab)," a melancholy take on teenage love(opens in a new tab) that's up for Best Pop Solo Performance and the coveted Song of the Year. The team-up was a dream come true for Swift, a self-proclaimed National superfan and a career highlight for Dessner, who shared in an Instagram post(opens in a new tab) about folklore that he's "rarely been so inspired by someone." He sees the album as a pivotal moment for both Swift's career and pop music.

"Taylor has opened the door for artists to not feel pressure to have 'the bop,'" Dessner shared with (opens in a new tab)Billboard(opens in a new tab) in September. "To make the record that she made, while running against what is programmed in radio at the highest levels of pop music—she has kind of made an anti-pop record. And to have it be one of the most, if not the most, successful commercial releases of the year that throws the playbook out.

"I hope it gives other artists, especially lesser-known or more independent artists, a chance at the mainstream," he continued. "Maybe radio will realize that music doesn't have to sound as pushed as it has. Nobody was trying to design anything to be a hit. Obviously, Taylor has the privilege of already having a very large and dedicated audience, but I do feel like it's having a resonance beyond that."

Swift's other primary folklore collaborator was Jack Antonoff. He has been her right-hand man since they first paired up on 2013's promotional single "Sweeter Than Fiction(opens in a new tab)" (Swift referred to him as "musical family" in her folklore announcement(opens in a new tab)). Even after years of creating stadium-ready pop smashes, Antonoff said in his own folklore Instagram post(opens in a new tab), "I've never heard Taylor sing better in my life / write better."

As Swift recognizes herself, folklore ushered in a new way of thinking for the superstar that not only brings out her best, but sets a promising precedent for what's to come. "What I felt after we put out folklore was, 'Oh wow, people are into this too, this thing that feels really good for my life and my creativity,'" Swift added in her interview with Lowe. "I saw a lane for my future that was a real breakthrough moment of excitement and happiness."

Her enthusiasm is tangible on both folklore and evermore. Dubbed folklore’s sister record, evermore further expands Swift’s newfound mystical atmosphere. Much to the delight of many Swifties, the follow-up also calls back to her country beginnings on tracks like the HAIM-assisted “no body, no crime(opens in a new tab),” as well as her pop expertise on more uptempo cuts like “long story short(opens in a new tab).”

Together, the albums are a momentous reminder that Swift is a singer/songwriter first. Her wordcraft is some of the most alluring of her generation, and that’s never been lost on her music, regardless of the genre she’s exploring. But now that Swift also feels she's at her best, it’s evident folklore was just the beginning of Taylor Swift in her finest form.