#i haven't translate fanfictions in a while

[garunsdottir]

WIP Wednesday So, I was tagged by lovely @lord-aldhelm and decided to take part! <з

Please share your last sentence; or, if you don’t have one, share a plot bunny or idea!

If you follow my blog, then you probably know that I make gifs (mostly TLK & some other shows I'm currently watching), but I do write from time to time. Firstly, I share my wip gif project, which I hope to post this evening. Then I'll show something from my wip fan-fiction, but with a long ass explanation on how to perceive it lol

I. So, the gifs in progress:

Currently working on these two toxic boyfriends! It's gonna be a sort of 'web weaving post', so there are a lot of quotes and some paintings.

II. Now for the writing

The thing here is that I write in my native tongue, and, truth be told, I break a hella lot of rules. What is the point of knowing grammar perfectly if you are not going to butcher it later? I always play with grammatical cases and omit subjects (because the language allows it and the sentences are still comprehendable), invent weird-sounding descriptions, or let nouns drive the sentences. And when I write in English… Let's say it's complicated, as it is my second language, and I won't ever be able to convey my thoughts properly and with the depth that I was initially guided by. But yet, I've decided to try and exercise my brain a bit. So if you see strange grammatical constructions and incorrect word order - I'm sorry, but it is what it is, and sometimes I struggle to translate it.

background context: I write for small and strange fandoms, cause I love my characters and pairings. For instance, Ruby x Moody (awae), Warren x Layla (high sky), Jonas Baerb (RC: Psi), some modern hotd (mostly the greens), and Felix x Wendy (ouat). This super small part is from my wip 'Cheerful oblivion' in which Wendy is stuck in Storybrooke but is not being accepted by her former family because of how drastically she has changed on the island. Guess who is ready to open his arms in exchange for some fairy dust and help getting out of this shithole? Yep, Felix. Of course, they both had toxic connections with Pan. Of course, they both have an undeniable unhealthy attraction to each other.

***

Her tender smile, instead of an answer, slowly shakes her head from side to side.

This is her reality now.

Not going to high school, the iridescent chime of Grace's voice after classes, and coffee at Granny's. Wendy Darling doesn't wear skinny jeans, doesn't know how to use messengers, and, at seventeen (give or take one hundred years), doesn't know how to drive.

'Let's come to the table, or the food will go cold.'

The role of "mother"—Wendy has mastered it skillfully. Not exactly the best one, but impeccably needed. Once the one and only for boys on the island. Brutalised orphans demanded fairytales and medicines during the day, and at night they whined in her arms, writhing from screams in their own nightmares.

Wendy remembers everything: the first hunt, self-made spears, and arrows ineptly smeared with poison. The club on the shoulder of the great hunter, his sneaky, almost auricle-licking:

'The bird sings sweetly in the wild but looks much nicer in a cage.'

Prickly chills on the spine, aching tension in her calves—Wendy grabs the edge of the table, trying to keep her balance. Since then, she has also learned to run quite well.

From the living room, John screams something about an extra knife. The girl inhales the air into her lungs and raises her head, emerging from that deep maelstrom of rotten memory.

That's right, dinner.

The last one. The boys will be back in Boston tomorrow.

The food on the plate became cold because she had to tend to the pudding that was adored by the eldest as a child. The nervous laughter of the youngest, who is so eager to stuff himself with the second portion of the pie to make Wendy happy. The clatter of cutlery is annoying; the room begins to shrink, pressing against her temples.

A salt that John could go get on his own.

A thick mass of cream that seems too heavy to Michael, although Wendy took butter and milk in equal proportions.

Palms on her knees, right tops left one in an attempt to stop damaging nails and cuticles, shoulders lowered. Wendy's forehead itches at John's probing gaze.

'We'll find a way to get you out of here,' he says abruptly.

Michael freezes with a fork in his mouth. John's lips are a crooked line, a desperate attempt to make himself believe what he just said. He avoids her eyes, a torn scar on her lower lip, and an unseen habit of biting her nails.

As for Wendy…

Wendy'd just rather be left alone.

***

I don't know whom to tag, so if you see this and you want to participate, pray, do so!

[janmisali]

FAQ

Q: wow, you're on tumblr?

A: that's not a question, but yeah, this is the Official blog of youtuber jan Misali. I also have my main blog @hbmmaster where I reblog stuff and make more low-effort text posts.

Q: wait, you're on youtube?

A: yeah, I make videos. for new viewers I recommend checking out the best of jan Misali playlist. for people who already watch and enjoy my videos I recommend watching my inspiration playlist, which is a curated selection of videos I personally keep finding myself coming back to.

Q: can you put your name and pronouns in this FAQ?

A: you can call me Mitch, jan Misali, or Misali. "jan" works too, just make sure not to capitalize it. I use he/they pronouns, with no strong preference between the two sets.

Q: when is [video you've announced] coming?

A: by asking this, you have delayed it by another month. sorry!

Q: when is [series that hasn't had a new installment in a while] returning?

A: when I want to go back to working on it, and no sooner

Q: are you going to make a video about [thing you mentioned in a post]?

A: no. some things are just posts

Q: I want to make something based on something you made. is that okay?

A: I'm not a cop. I broadly approve of any stuff people make that's derivative of my own work, as long as I'm given the appropriate amount of credit for it and you tell me about it once it's posted somewhere so I can see it. the only exceptions to this are if you're like just fully reuploading something I made (not cool!) or if it's something I'd disapprove of even if it wasn't derivative of my work (do not write fanfiction with me in it, or like, south park character AI covers of song translations I've made).

Q: you're into languages, right? how many languages do you speak?

A: none

Q: what font do you use in your videos?

A: Noto Serif

Q: what software do you use to make videos?

A: Google Slides and Audacity

Q: can you reblog the scoobypost again?

A: only if you ask nicely.

questions about "the /hj tone indicator is worse than useless" (March 2023)

Q: I think what /hj (half-joking) is supposed to mean is...

A: the reason I find /hj confusing is not, in fact, that not enough people have told me their own personal definitions of what they think it means. I do not need or want to hear any more, thank you.

Q: I think I get what the /oj anon was saying, it's something like...

A: I am not exaggerating by saying that I spent years coming up with interpretations of what the /oj anon could have meant. there is a 0% chance that I haven't at some point considered the exact interpretation you're suggesting. if you want to share your interpretation with someone, find a different person who thinks they understand it and tell them instead of me.

[thinkingaboutjaedyn]

messy kisses [j.gutiérrez x reader]

prompt: jana does your makeup and then you two mess it up.

author notes: there is no tigres fanfiction and that's actually disgraceful 💔 so i decided it's my job to introduce the girlies to woso tumblr, starting with my babygirl jana. enjoy it y'all, it's a cute lil fic! P.S. i know nothing about makeup so don't kill me if this is inaccurate thanks! (and badly translated spanish, duolingo is my worst enemy).

"if you poke my eye with that, i will hit you," you move your face out of the way of the eyeliner in jana's hand. she was trying to do your makeup for the first time ever after begging you, but it wasn't going so well so far.

"it wasn't even about to go into your eye. stop, amor," she giggles as her free hand moves your face back where she wants. placing a kiss on the corner of your eye which the eyeliner poked you. "it just feels like that sometimes," jana shrugs. adjusting herself on your lap as best as she could with your hands gripping her waist. still a frown sits on your lips as you look up at her. the woman was already pulling out her signature puppy eyes that you couldn't resist. you try to look away from her, but jana's hands are strong, so you couldn't even get out of her grasp.

jana mumbles a pretty please as she leans down and pecks your lips. pulling away with a small pout on her lips; puppy dog eyes and a pout? she was pulling out the big guns.

you just roll your eyes before throwing your head back against the couch, "ugh, fine, continue on. but if that thing pokes my eye, i'm calling the cops."

"you don't even like the cops, bebe," jana immediately gets back to working on your eyeliner. going slow so you could feel as comfortable as possible. "i like brooklyn nine-nine, so basically the same thing," you reply.

"so not the same thing, but keep telling yourself that," your girlfriend basically whispers as she focuses all her energy into doing the eyeliner. with comfortable silence settling in-between you two, it's easy for you to start to appreciate the cute face of your girlfriend. the mexican player have recently dyed her brunette hair red and the color was really doing wonders for her. of course jana is always gorgeous, but she has a new sparkle with the new hair color; it fits her. the cute habit of hers where she sticks out her tongue in concentration is showing as the eyeliner presses against your skin. you fight the urge to poke her tongue like you always do when that habit pops out, but you would rather not be poked in the eye so you don't.

it feels like an hour passed by the time jana is done. pulling away slightly to look at her work. "perfecto, te queda adorable," the redhead giggles. admiring how the black sharpens out your eye shape. now it's your turn to pout as you say, "okay, great, so does this mean we're done?"

"of course not, mi amor! i haven't even done your other eye yet," jana rolls her eyes. giving you a small pinch on the cheek. a light groan leaves your lips, pulling her hand away from your cheek. "babe, my love, my pretty girl, can we please just stop all this and go watch some netflix? i'll even massage your shoulders how you like it," you reason.

the mention of a massage almost makes jana give in, almost. however, of course she couldn't let you have a day of peace as she shakes her head. already getting back into position to do eyeliner on your bare eye.

"nope, just sit back and relax. just relax, bonita. i'm going to make you look better than an instagram model," jana says, her tongue already getting ready to poke out of the side of her mouth. you groan hearing her words, but still does exactly what she says. i mean she is your girlfriend.

it takes way longer than it should for jana to finish the makeup; you kept trying to distract her and beg for her to just cuddle up with her, but the woman always refused. too determined to get the makeup on your skin.

a mix of pink and white eyeshadow sits on your eyelids while a rosy pink colors your lips. a dark shade of red lip liner sharpening out the pink color. you begged jana to not put any foundation or contour on you and she let you get that one little thing for this once, but the next time she does your makeup she's doing everything. regardless of your complaining.

now it was time for the final boss; "time for fake lashes, princesa," jana says mischievously, holding up a pack of the shall not be named item in her hand. she can already tell you are about to fight against this too with that scared expression on your face.

"babe, nooo!" you whine as she walks closer to you. you put your hands up, grabbing onto her waist. pulling her down onto the couch before straddling her. "even contour would have been better. can't we just do that instead?" you lay on top of her. forcing her down with your weight (those days at the gym have been helping out truly).

"nope, that offer expired when you said no the first time," the mexican player giggles. giving your cheek some kisses. "but babe.." you try one more time to change her mind, but nope. jana just kisses the tip of your nose when you pulled away to look at her.

"absolutely not. get up off of me and lay back, you know, just relax," she says.

now jana is straddling you by the waist, giggling as you keep moving your face. trying to avoid your inevitable fate. it didn't matter if she needed to tape your face down to the couch, you were going to get these lashes on your face, no matter what.

"bonita, please, just calm down," the redhead tries to reason. using her free hand to grip onto your face, holding it still.

"no, babe, you don't get it! what if it glues on and never comes off?" you try to bite at her hand, but she pinches your cheek making you finally give in. letting out a soft hmph of annoyance as you can tell jana won't be letting up any time soon. "it wouldn't do that, my lashes are nice. i swear. just relax, bebe, i got you," she smiles. moving slightly to grab the lash glue bottle near your head.

you watch as she puts some of the glue on the lash strip, making sure it wasn't too much. then she leans down close to you; again her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth like it always does when she's concentrated. at least you will have a great view while being basically tortured.

finally jana puts a lash on your lash line, mumbling out a soft is this okay? as her eyes peer down at yours. "always, baby," you mumble back up at her. your hands holding onto her waist, rubbing gently on the skin there. once jana thinks she's been holding onto the lash long enough, she lets out. her hands going to hold onto your face. leaning down to kiss you.

you giggle into the kiss. the feeling of the lash on you doesn't feel bad; a little funny, but not bad. jana presses down on you, pulling away to look at your face fully.

"you're so pretty.. you know that right?" she says softly. one of her hands holding your face, her thumb playing with your lower lip. before you can even say some sarcastic comment, she says, "not because of the makeup or the single lash you have on," that makes you chuckle. "i'm just in love with your face and you and everything about you and just you. i don't know," she says softly.

"if you love me so much then you are going to not put that other lash on, right?"

"nope. i can't leave my baby with just one lash on," the mexican player laughs. leaning down to kiss the pout that sits on your face. grabbing another lash for your other eye. doing the same process of putting the glue onto the lash strip before putting onto you. letting it sit for a minute or two, jana giving a kiss as an reward for you being so still.

"now can we finally just go cuddle? i don't even want to wash this all off yet," you murmur as you pull her fully onto you.

"whatever you want, princesa," she says into your neck.

you two are now cuddling on the makeshift bed in the living room. you have pushed all the parts of the couch together to make one huge cushion and just threw blankets and pillows over it. jana having grabbed some snacks from the kitchen so you two can munch while lazing around watching bottoms.

"between us, am i the loser girlfriend and you're my super hot cheerleader girlfriend or no?" you say as you lay your head on jana's chest. "loser girlfriend probably, but in a good way. i swear," she plays with your hair as her eyes focus on the tv screen.

your makeup was already a little smudged from laying your face against the redhead, but it wasn't that bad. that was until jana asks, "would you make a fight club just to get me to pay attention to you or no?"

"of course, babe. i would even beat your ass to show my love," you say. smiling once she leans down to kiss you. "very hot of me, huh?" you mumble against her lips.

"so hot," she mumbles back. moving her hand onto the back of your neck to pull you back into the kiss. it lasts long as you eventually have to pull away for air. panting as you admire how pretty jana looks; her lips slightly swollen.

"your lipstick.." she pouts as she looks at how smudged your lipstick and lip liner is now. "noo, my hard work," she rolls her eyes before giggling, "it's my fault i guess."

"all your fault. i didn't tell you to kiss me," you pull her back into a cuddle. jana wraps her arms around your waist, her turn to snuggle her face into your chest now.

"mhm, whatever, you're just too pretty and irresistible."

"whatever. shut up and watch the movie."

© thinkingaboutjaedyn

credit to @/cafekitsune for the dividers

[iminyourbookshelf]

QSMP community positivity because the streamer awards made me so happy

(under the cut because it's going to be A LOT)

QSMP Digital Artist - Ate and left NO crumbs ever omg. The amount of detail, varying styles, and epic scenes are my favorite. The variety of art styles for QSMP artist is like just going to a buffet to browse and they're all special little dishes made with so much love.

QSMP Tradtional Artist - HOW CAN YOU DRAW/PAINT SOME OF THIS STUFF?? Watercolor paintings of QSMP bulids, notebook spreads with cute little details, the fact that you can draw traditionally at all. All so talented.

QSMP Beginner Artist - NEVER GET DISCOURAGED <33. Everyone was a beginner at some point and seeing people improve over time with their art is so cool. I consider myself still a beginner even though I've been drawing for a couple years now lol. There is still so much for me to learn, and the fact how kind the qsmp art community is makes me so happy. Keep improving, your art looks great <3

QSMP Fanfiction Authors - I don't know whether to compliment you or ask for my therapy payment (/lh). So many authors have ripped my heart out and left it out to dry and others are like a bucket of fluff and joy. I love both of these. The writing quality is genuinely amazing on so many of these. I love to visualize when reading and with all the details it's basically just watching a movie.

QSMP Web Weavers - You guys are AMAZING. Finding so many quotes, transcripts, fanarts, aesthetic photos, and being able to combine them in a way that represents characters so well is beautiful. Not to mention the fact how your able to put credits for everything in an easy to find way??? Perfect.

QSMP Moodboards/Stimboard makers - These are so cute aaaa. I love seeing them, all the little collections of photos or gifs of characters I like is very fun.

QSMP Poll Accounts - I LIVE for taking polls. It's just fun to have a place to put an opinion you had for yourself that you didn't know how to put unprompted on your own post. Seeing results after a while also makes me happy to see what as a general consensus the fandom is on.

QSMBLR and QSMPTWT users - Transferring information from one hellsite to the other, I admire anyone who can survive in the discourse trenches and come back with account updates.

QSMP Clip accounts - I love seeing silly clips of cubitos, and especially those with transcripts and translations. It's a lot of effort and I admire that. Gives me so much info I would've missed otherwise.

QSMP translators - As someone still currently learning the other languages, it is so helpful when people translate it. Sometimes your brain just hurts and you can only read your native language. Also anyone who translates things from English to other languages, yes please make it for other speakers.

QSMP Multi-Shippers - It's so fun to see these, yes give your cubito 7 different romantic/platonic partners. You guys collect ships like Pokémon and it is inspiring

QSMP Cosplayers - I respect cosplayers so much. The wigs, the makeup, the costume, the PROPS?? All take so much work it's amazing to see final products. I reccently tried making a scythe for one I want to do, and I was struggling. Y'all are so cool.

QSMP Character Analysis Posts - Keeping fanfiction accuracy and my personal view on characters as close to canon as possible. These help so much when I need to look for a character I haven't watched much and easy to read.

QSMP Livebloggers - Save me from losing track of lore when I'm busy. I swear some of you just never sleep (please do but thank you for information). The amount of stuff I can figure out from vague post of combined livebloggers makes it much easier to know what's happening. Most of my mutual liveblog a lot and it saves me so much time <3

QSMP Rebloggers - KEEPING THIS FANDOM ALIVE‼️‼️ Tumblrs algorithm is based on reblogs, accounts that are just lurkers rb stuff ily. Hell yeah man, take all the cool stuff and share it.

QSMP Animatics - Movie night exists because of you guys!! Sometimes you all make me want to sob violently or laugh till I can't breathe. The differences in each video is so fun to see. The effort in each one is just beautiful too, animatics are NOT easy.

QSMP Editors - The fact that people can take a cube game and turn into epic/sad/cute edits with a few clips, transitions, and audios astounds me. You guys are so cool and I love seeing them. Also the fanart edits are so sick, finding the best ones to match.

QSMP Fan Video Creators - Stuff like the Federation Welcoming Workers Video, that one cucrucho cereal video, things like that. Quality is usually amazing and all the unique takes or camera work is epic. Idk what else fits in this genre but I just wanted to mention it.

QSMP RP Accounts - Seeing other people's takes on characters are so interesting and fun to see. RP is a skill I need to work on and it's done pretty well with these accounts. The amount of detail y'all can put is insane.

QSMP OC creators - Cringe culture is dead, I love seeing people make their little characters interact with eachother based on the QSMP. Keep it up and pls share it.

QSMP 3D Animators/Modelers - I never expirence more joy than when I see a 3D model of a qsmp rat spinning around. Also any 3D animators your dedication is insane. I tried learning 3D animation once and that was a STRUGGLE.

QSMP Vod savers/YT summaries -Actual lifesavers, there is no way I could've been apart of this community without them. Watching a few videos a day about what happened on the server makes it easier for me to actually do other things. Also that one person who made a QSMP2023 summary in UNDER 10 minutes, you are insane and did such a great job.

QSMP Accounts in Different Languages - QSMPBLR is heavily more English speaking than other languages, and when people main tag with post in different languages it makes me so happy. This was the point of the server, to let people post in whatever language they wanted. It's also fun for me to practice and try to translate it for myself.

I tried to get everything but please add if you have anything <3

[billsfangearring]

11 Good Omens Fic Favorites

a.k.a. I was going to choose my personal top ten but was too indecisive

One of my fandom resolutions for 2023 is to get back into reccing, so here’s a very casual GO rec list to kick things off! Fics are ordered longest to shortest.

As with any rec list, please read the warnings and tags on ao3 and make whatever decisions are best for you. I hope you enjoy!

the bucket list by darcylindbergh (@forineffablereasons)

There was a certain look that Aziraphale wore occasionally—a pinched sort of moue that looked like he’d just taken a very large mouthful of cinnamon—which meant he thought Crowley was being ridiculous. He had put it on. “Hang on,” he had said. “You want us to do human things?” * If you're going to go native, you might as well go all the way.

absolutely stunning, I wanted to take breaks while reading to really let it all sink in, I felt ALL THE EMOTIONS (44k, incomplete, E)

Your Mirror by equestrianstatue (@justlikeeddie)

I'll be your mirror; reflect what you are, in case you don't know. Crowley drummed his fingers briefly against his mug, and then sat back a little in his chair. He gave Aziraphale a long, appraising glance, and then seemed to come to some decision. “Listen, angel,” he said, “let me pitch you something.” Lulled by the familiar patter of Crowley’s voice as he was, Aziraphale still recognised this to be vaguely dangerous territory. He swallowed. “Go on,” he said.

one of the best-executed non-linear narrative fics I've ever read—just masterful, really peels back the layers in their relationship (28k, E)

This Soul Outstreaming by Rend_Herring

“Why did you come here?” Aziraphale interrupts. “Why do you keep doing this?” All the saving, he means, all the chasing after Aziraphale he does. It can’t only be that he’s not keen to endure a replacement. That can’t be it, not anymore. He’s going to get himself in trouble, and then it’ll be Aziraphale’s fault. Crowley’s mouth shuts with a click. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, reaches for the handle of the fork and taps his fingertips against it before setting his hands in his lap. When he speaks, it’s very soft. “Don’t you know?” he asks. Aziraphale, unnaccustomed to his heart refusing to translate why it throbs with such haste, shakes his head.

sad, tender, funny, and romantic with beautiful prose, really just everything you want, so many quotable lines (22k, E)

Lay me down in Eden by caricari (@heycaricari)

Two supernatural entities go for a walk and Crowley gets more than he bargained for.

SO ROMANTIC OH MY GOD in the dialogue, interior monologue, and actions, excellent characterization, so pure (then explicit lol) (17k, E)

You've Got Kudos by curtaincall (@fremulon)

Aziraphale and Crowley both write fanfiction. As it happens, they both write Good Omens fanfiction. Of course, neither of them would ever admit this to the other. (A love story told primarily in AO3 comments)

this is the most meta thing ever lmao, really impressive skins for the ao3 look—pay attention to all the little details like usernames, etc. (4k, M)

build me a city, call it jerusalem by gyzym (@gyzym)

Man begets man begets The Tales of Men, and there's nothing godly in that; Those Above and Them Below haven't any need for the stories humans have been hungry for since the snake and the Angel with the flaming sword.

pre-show fic written in 2012, leans heavily into religious themes and Biblical references, melancholic, spare but beautiful writing style (3k, T)

The Gift by entanglednow (@entanglednow)

In which there is a little wooden elephant, and a long overdue confession.

simple yet checks all the boxes, very very soft and sweet, the DEVOTION, more biblical settings, truly just lovely (3k, T)

Anthony J. Crowley, Retired Demon and Airbnb Superhost by TheOldAquarian (@darkpurpledawn)

What are you supposed to do when you've been fired from your sweet job in Hell for thwarting the schemes of Satan, you've got a swanky flat in Mayfair, and you're looking for an excuse to spend all your time in someone else's bookshop? Obviously, you turn to the dubious world of short-term vacation rentals. The resulting Airbnb property has been variously described as "an instagram trap," "a vampire den but make it botanical," and "the weirdest bed and breakfast in the shared history of beds and breakfasting."

a highly entertaining series of Airbnb reviews of Crowley’s flat—every single one kills me, as do our ineffable duo’s cameos (3k, G)

Kissing, Accidentally. by skybound2 (@skybound2)

Crowley doesn’t mean to kiss him, really. It just sort of…happens. An…automatic response, if you will. An unintended automatic response. Unexpected, even. It’s not planned, that’s what he’s trying to say. ~~~ Or the one where Crowley gives in and kisses Aziraphale while he has him pinned against a wall.

winner of best use of footnotes, hilarious, Crowley is WHIPPED and an absolute disaster of a demon, just delightful (2k, G)

Too Generous by rfsmiley (@redfacesmiley)

“You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.” Or: what happened after the [ we all got hit by a ] bus scene (aka "you could stay at my place, if you like")….

the TENSION, the PINING, ahh my heart was in my throat, excellent dialogue, and multiple P&P references (1.5k, T)

Interwoven Footsteps by skybound2 (@skybound2)

It takes them a while to get there. Six thousand years, give or take. But they get there.

criminally underappreciated (probably because it's super short), gorgeous, lush, sweet, their whole story in under 1k words (700, T)

[slippinmickeys]

Twenty questions for fanfic writers

I was tagged by @agent-troi and @randomfoggytiger Thanks for the tag, guys!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

53

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

712,000 exactly, which is sort of creepy?

3. What fandoms do you write for?

The X-Files mainly, though a million years ago I wrote two fics for JAG, and technically, I have a His Dark Materials fic (but it's an XF crossover)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Mesas of Deuteronilus Mensae

Prompt Drabble Collection

The Annapolis Grant

Three Part Harmony

A Companion Unobtrusive

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to! Comments are the only payment fanfic writers get, and it's an incredibly valuable and underrated currency. Fanfiction as a community is one of the most generous you'll find, and I'm incredibly proud to be a part of this particular one.

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

Oh man, probably La Comtesse de Saint-Germain.

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

In this day and age I feel like we deal with enough shit, so I try to end most of my fics happily. I think A Gem-Like Flame probably has the most uplifting happy ending, but then, I'm a sports nerd.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I haven't yet.

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

Um, probably pretty vanilla het MSR. No shame.

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

I've only written one, but it turned out really well, I thought. It's an X-Files/His Dark Materials novella-length crossover that takes place in Lyra's world, pre-Lyra, called Out of the Little Grove.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Anyone who steals my fic is going to catch these hands.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, a couple of years ago someone asked if they could translate one of my fics to Russian. It's out there somewhere.

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

I jumped in and helped @monikafilefan get Five Years and a Lifetime over the line for a fic exchange a couple of years ago. A fun, collaborative experience, that was like 85% Monika. It's a great fic, check it out if you haven't!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Mulder & Scully are my OTP. Always and forever.

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

I'd love to finish Madam Scully's Spiritual Services, Inc., it's an AU where Scully works for her sister's Psychic Boutique while prepping for med school. Scully ends up being actually psychic and she helps newly minted FBI agent Fox Mulder solve a series of murders. I have it almost completely plotted (except for the nitty-gritty hard stuff), but I don't think I'll ever get it done, sadly. It's just too big a story to tackle with where I am in my life. Though I never say never.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I'm decent at dialogue, have a pretty firm grasp on plotting, and, I hope characterization.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

My character work is probably my weak spot, which is why I have so much fun writing fanfic--the character work is already done, I just get to play around a world where everybody already knows the characters.

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

When I do it, I hope like hell that I'm doing it right. I think it's necessary for some stories and you just hope you're properly respecting a language you don't speak.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

The X-Files, in the year of our lord nineteen hundred and ninety eight.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

It's a toss up between Proof of Life, an AU where CNN conflict reporter Dana Scully is kidnapped and imprisoned with fellow kidnap victim and photojournalist Fox Mulder, and they, you know, fall in love. And North of Zero, a post-col novel where Mulder and Scully get William back and have to save the world. The one I totally pantsed (made up as I went along), and it came together like alchemy. I love that story. If you don't like AU, you'd like Proof of Life. If you don't like post-colonization stories, you'd like North of Zero. I don't always like everything I've written after I'm done writing it (a writer's life), but I'm incredibly proud of both of those fics.

Tagging @monikafilefan because she's already tagged, and anyone else who wants to do this!

[brawltogethernow]

I don't know if you're the best person to ask this but you're the only person on my dash who reblogs Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya shit in 2023. I have to know, did Haruhi... finish? I know it was a light novel series (tho I've only seen the anime) but like did the story arcs conclude? Are they translated?

You've lucked out: I am. It did not finish, but it got a lot further than the anime took you. Everything is translated.

The anime adapts light novel volumes 1-3 and some of 5 (short story collection partially set before 4). The movie adapts 4. I've heard "Endless Eight" is the way it is because they were set on doing 4 as a film, and...didn't just use their episode slots to adapt achronologically despite their existing reputation for doing that for some reason? Incomprehensible. Anyway.

If you haven't seen the movie because it came out after the moment was already dead, you should, even if you were just kind of neutral-positive on the show, because from a purely objective perspective it's a contender for the best quality movie following an anime show that exists. Also that installment is just a much better stopping point than where the TV part left things. Like the ~entire concept~ remains open, but some arcs actually evolve or wrap in a way where you can be satisfied with the story you've gotten.

So 4 1/2 volumes have been animated. There are 13 light novels. 4 is a stronger book than the preceding volumes, and the quality continues to wobble irregularly upwards from there. It pulls off another unprecedentedly good entry that isn't an ending but is a pretty acceptable place to put it down in 11 and 12 (which are functionally one two part book). 13 came out a literal decade later in 2020 and is another short story collection; nice to have but doesn't change the metrics much except to make the indefinite hiatus look slimmer on camera.

All of the books have been officially translated by Yen Press. (They recently did some sort of rerelease that didn't fix any of their typos but removed the slurs they added in the first place? So that's...nice ? ?) Everything they've covered except a chunk of 13 has also been unofficially translated, which I like to keep on hand because while the YP translation is very readable, it...requires a second opinion sometimes. There are also still some loose short stories that only have fan translations, and apparently there's about to be an official release of some nonessential short story collection from twenty years ago I heard about for the first time in my life a month ago. (Also there's a like, officially licensed Koizumi POV fanfiction short, fanlation only.)

Will Tanigawa ever put an actual cap on the series? Idk it's not technically impossible. It seems more likely to me that he'll pull off one more absolutely batshit installment that resolves nothing and then vanish forever except to write a new short story every eight years. It's worth catching up though imho. The later books do a lot to pull the earlier ones up behind them retroactively. Themes solidify, elements that were wavering between parody and deconstruction collapse into sincere reconstruction, the characters actually like each other, that sort of thing.

[coffeeanddonutscafe]

BG3 Chronicles of Misadventures

I was a bit sad today so had to use the best therapy in the world :D FANFIC WRITING THERAPY. *it's a joke* I'm working on a fic where Tav is the main caretaker of the group and she is so used to being the one - providing the emotional care to others - that she doesn't notice the subtle ways everyone is showing that she is appreciated and loved too. I haven't finished writing THAT fic - but I want to make something funny too. If you wanna check out some of my fluffy Astarion fics, CLICK here.

My RANDOM BG3 Headcanons for my fanfictions. (I'm thining of turning them into some funny BG3 chronicles - what do you think?)

Gale's Hidden Talents: One day, just as the sun was setting, Tav stumbled upon a scene that defied all expectations. There stood Gale, his usually ink-stained fingers now wielding brushes with a grace that would put any artist to shame. Before her eyes, he unveiled a landscape so vivid, it was as if the canvas held a piece of the world itself. And then, in the corner, an unexpected touch of humor: Astarion depicted as a bewildered goose, WITH SHARP TEETH - a stolen sandwich firmly in beak. GOOSTARION - was the name of that sketch. The sight left Karlach in peals of laughter, while Astarion's affronted expression was a masterpiece in its own right. (I really think that GALE WOULD DO IT - little passive-aggressive little comics on EVERYONE)

Shadowheart's Vulnerability and Cheese addiction: In a rare moment of candor, Shadowheart unveiled a piece of her past to Tav. It was a tale shrouded in mystery, starring a little mouse who once shared her world. Details were scant, but the mischief they got up to in Shaar's academy kitchen floor made for a tale that painted a smile on Tav's face, imagining a young Shadowheart orchestrating daring cheese heists. However, Shadowheart never told what happened to the mouse.

Lae'zel's Grudging Praise: Lae'zel's rare compliment was like a unicorn sighting - everyone heard about it, but few actually witnessed it. They were also legendary for their awkwardness. It was like watching a bull in a china shop trying to do ballet. One time, she attempted to compliment Tav's weapon-wielding skills by saying, "You would wield a chair with the deadliest dignity." Tav had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. It was like getting a compliment in a foreign language that had no direct translation into compliments as we know them.

Astarion's Confusing Support: In the midst of battle, Astarion's protective instincts kicked in, but it seemed like his emotional well had run as dry as a desert. He swooped in, attempting to shield Tav from an incoming blow, but his battle cry came out more like a dramatic sigh. He shot the attacker a look that was equal parts "I will end you" and "I need a nap," as if he was auditioning for a melodramatic play. "Touch my bloodbag, and you'll... maybe regret it, or not, whatever." Tav wasn't sure whether to be grateful or slightly miffed, but she decided to roll with it. After all, having a suave vampire who was one step away from a mid-battle siesta watching your back had its unique set of perks. Maybe Astarion just needed a double espresso and a quick catnap between skirmishes.

Wyll's Tap Dance Sacrifice: Wyll, the warlock extraordinaire, decided to offer himself up as bait to a gang of hobgoblins. Tav could hardly believe her ears. Ina moment of bravado mixed up with panick Wyll started dancing. It was like a one-man tap dancing show in front of an audience of sword-wielding hobgoblins. She half-expected them to start clapping along. Who knew that warlocks had such a flair for the dramatic? The hobgoblins were too stunned to speak. So they disengaged from the battle. Tav could swear, she heard Mizora laughing somewhere in the distance.

Halsin's Honey Escapades: Halsin, the wise druid, had a not-so-secret passion for honey. His quiet escapades into the forest to find his golden treasure were the stuff of legends. And the fact that he preferred to enjoy it in his birthday suit just added an extra layer of hilarity. It was like a scene straight out of a comedy play - "Halsin and the Honey Chronicles." Tav couldn't help but wonder if he had a secret stash of bear-themed underwear.

Withers Sassy Chronicles: Whenever Tav approached Withers, it was like stepping into a tabloid's editorial office. The gossip flowed freely, each insight served with a side of catty commentary and sassy flair. With a twinkle in his eye, Wither became Tav's very own gossip columnist, regaling Tav with tidbits that painted a vivid portrait of their companions, quirks and all. (they gossiped the most, even more than Astarion)

These uproarious moments turned their perilous journey into a laugh-out-loud adventure. Who knew that adventuring could be this side-splittingly entertaining? Would you like to hear more - in-depth stories about each of the gang members?

[kronofobia]

So

I was reading a short comic in a ninjago magazine and I suspect that it might be canon, or at least can be considered as such.

It takes place after crystalized, after Kai, Jay, Cole and Zane lost their elemental powers. They are trying to find a way to get their powers back, so they decide to read some of the scrolls Quanish wrote. And in one of them they read something about how chronosteel can provide elemental power.

And the reason why I think this comic can be canon is because we haven't got any explanation about how they got their powers back in Dragons Rising.

"By risking my own life I learnt that elemental power can be materialized under specific circumstances."

"For example, if we use elemental energy while the lava is cooling down, it hardens into a type of chronosteel which contains elemental power."

"If at least three chronosteel from different places are put together, the elemental power is freed up again and can be used."

(Please excuse my crappy translation :') but I'm sure it's still more understandable than that silly goofy alien language ndhdmdh)

Anyway... the point is that it's possible to get elemental power from/by using chronosteel! Which means theoretically the Time Twins should be able get their powers back, right?

If Maya and Ray got the chronosteel from different places, yes. Otherwise... probably still yes.

Why?

Because Acronix and Krux should be able to somehow get their powers back from the blades by breaking them or something. But even if not, there's another thing that shouldn't be missed:

During the series it's made clear that elemental powers cannot be fully taken away, it'll always be part of the elemental master.

JUST FREAKIN' IMAGINE THESE IDIOTS GETTING THEIR POWERS BACK

*whispers* And what if I told you they might have already got it back? 👀

In golden hour we can see that the iron doom is blown up and there's no sign of the time blades or the twins. And since these idiots are my comfort characters, I refuse to take into account that they might be dead- WU SURVIVED AS WELL AND HE WAS CLOSER TO THE EXPLOSION, OKAY?! /nm

But with all seriousness... They probably don't have their powers back, because it's not likely the writers would consider such thing. But... who knows...?

Whatever, it's still fun to think about haha

And it's also ✨fanfiction material✨

[misc-obeyme]

The anon's point about the Mc's presence and how it could be more representative of a wider range of players if the character had an independent goal or mission is definitely a valid one.

But just like you said, a lot of otome games often focus on romance and relationships, with the Mc' s main motivation being to connect with and date the "main" love interests. But there is potential to introduce more complexity and appeal to players if the Mc has their own goals, motivations or missions that are separate from the romance aspect of the game.

Personally, I do think the idea of exploring the more "plot-based" angles and incorporating more elements of action-adventure into the story is a great suggestion and one that could make the narrative more engaging and relatable for us/players.

While the focus of the game may still be on romance aspects and character relationships, adding more depth and complexity through plot-driven angles can definitely add an extra layer of interest and appeal.

And I would love a buff mommy Mc or love interest by the way

I absolutely agree with everything you're saying.

The thing is, that is what you would get from something that is well written.

You are not going to get that level of consideration or good writing from a mobile otome game. Especially one that regularly rotates writers and also has a whole translation team that also mangles the story when they put it into other languages.

I love Obey Me, I really do. But the writing leaves a lot to be desired. I think it's inevitable. And honestly I think that right there is the only reason I decided to write fanfiction for it.

Because the characters have so much potential that's wasted. So why wouldn't I feel the urge to elaborate on them myself? I haven't written fic for a fandom in ages because I never felt compelled to until Obey Me came into my life. I couldn't possibly fuck it up, right?? LOL okay I'm exaggerating, it's not that bad. But they definitely have more characters than they can actually develop effectively.

So I would argue that the main story is more focused on MC's goals independent of their relationships with the characters. In the first season of OG, MC's whole goal is to get pacts, eventually the reason for this is to free Belphie from the attic. But none of that really has anything to do with MC's love story with any of the characters. You can go through that whole season and give them only platonic responses. Season two is similar in that MC's whole thing is figuring out how to deal with their "ring."

In fact, I would say that after season one, the events of each season don't even have an impact on MC's relationship with the seven brothers. The main thing that connects them and deepens their relationships in season one are the pacts. But in subsequent seasons, it doesn't seem to matter what happens, the brothers always see MC as family.

So I actually feel like the romance of the game is a side plot and even then, you can still choose to go through all of it without choosing lovey options for any of the characters.

However, they are expecting you to want to romance the characters. So they have to make MC someone that all the characters can fall in love with, whether their romance is front and center of the story or not.

Would it be more compelling for all of us if MC had a more interesting personality? Yeah, probably! But do I think these guys could pull off something like that? No, not really.

I'm not trying to bash the game or anything, obviously I totally love it. Look at my blog lol. I'm obsessed with it. But I've never found the writing to be especially good.

I've seen complaints that it's not romantic enough. I've seen complaints that it forces romance on the players. I've seen complaints that MC is too generic. I've seen complaints that MC is not generic enough. I'm sure they're doing the best they can, but I highly doubt writing quality is high on their list of concerns.

All that is to say that of course every anon that has come to my ask box about this particular topic has valid opinions on it! And you can certainly discuss what would improve the overall story. I just generally choose not to think about it too deeply because I'm not expecting anything of higher quality than what we've been getting all along. Which is just quality enough to keep me hooked lol.

Lastly, all I want in life is a buff mommy love interest asdlkfkjf not at all holding my breath, but SHEESH. Just gimme a stunning muscular demon lady, huh? I would die on the spot.

[soaps-mohawk]

As someone who has written a chaptered fic, I completely understand that you need to take a break. Clearly the anons who are all mad have never tried writing outside of any educational purposes (like for school and university) because it takes a lot of effort and time!!

Please take as many breaks for as long as you need. While I was writing mine, I literally didn’t update it for 3 months because I was so burnt out and my characters were on average half the length yours are.

I’m actually happy that updates are planned to be once a week because then it’s something I can look forward to and not some chore to catch up on.

Writing is so hard and it does take so much time and effort. Published books, fanfiction, academic writing and everything in between takes time and effort and energy to do well. Honestly that anon was giving "I use AI for my writing" vibes. Head's up anon, most of us in creative spaces don't. We write out every word, type out every letter, translate every idea and vision onto paper and a lot of us do it for free. Fanfiction is free. I put these chapters out for free in my spare time. I choose to share because I want to. I absolutely don't have to. I can keep all of this to myself. I know a lot of creators that are now because people are abusing fanfiction and making being part of a fandom not fun anymore.

Even published authors that do this as their job take breaks. Things happen, they get delayed. Capitalism loves to convince us that we have to put in maximum effort all the time and that taking breaks and time for ourselves is weak and frowned upon and we should just be working 24/7, but that's not sustainable. It's not human nature to work ourselves to the point of breaking just for the sake of someone else. I already know if I try to push through and try to put out as much content as I possibly can, I'm going to burn out. I'm going to quit writing because it's happened to me before. Happened with the last fandom I was in (of course there were other things too that happened), but I haven't written for that fandom since October. I put out almost 80 fics last year for one fandom and I have no plans of going back because I'm so burnt out still almost seven months later.

So yeah, fuck that anon, I'll take as many breaks as I need. I know most of y'all will wait patiently and eagerly for another update, no matter how long it takes. I appreciate all of you so much and I especially appreciate your support.

[softguarnere]

Fic Writer Interview

Thank you for the tag @mercurygray!

How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently 6, but hopefully that number will go up over spring break

What's your total AO3 word count?

119,136

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Like A Girl (Like A Man) - Band of Brothers

Just A Kid - The Outsiders

Bear The Burden Alone - The Chronicles of Narnia

For Whatever We Lose - Band of Brothers

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes, absolutely! I share my writing because it allows me to connect with people who share my interests. If I'm not posting replies, it feels more like a one sided conversation, imo. Also, it seems the polite thing to do

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

It's about to be Like A Girl (Like A Man)! You'll see why soon >:)

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

On AO3, it's probably Bear The Burden Alone, but I try to keep the fics that I post here on Tumblr kinda upbeat with hopeful -- albeit open-ended -- endings.

Do you write crossovers?

Yeah! For Whatever We Lose is actually a crossover with The Pacific, and I'd love to do more crossovers in the future

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yep! I've deleted the comments, but some people were VERY ANGRY about the background Babe/Roe content in LAGLAM -- you know, despite the fact that the plot of the fic is driven by a queer woman's decision to cross-dress. Guess they had to draw the line somewhere, but the hypocrisy of it all makes me chuckle

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Kinda? I deleted most of it from the original LAGLAM drafts and instead just alluded to it, but things are going to be different in FWWL. Get ready for crappy ocean metaphors and religious imagery, babes!

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I hope not :( That would stink

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to my knowledge

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I think it would be fun!

What's your all-time favorite ship?

Everlark! (said while frothing at the mouth because they make me go insane) I've been obsessed with them since I first read The Hunger Games at age 9. I could write you a whole novel about why I think they're perfect together, but I'll spare you the ramble (unless anyone wants it?)

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

Tears in my eyes when I tell you that it's probably the requests in my inbox. I keep telling myself that I'll get to them, but I've just felt unmotivated with all the stuff I've had going on in my personal life/at school. I really really do hope to get to them someday, though, because some of them will be really fun to write

What are your writing strengths?

I have no clue, lol. I tend to get compliments about how I describe settings, so I'm gonna say that!

What are your writing weaknesses?

My abuse of commas and italics.

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

Personally, I love doing it. Especially in a fic like LAGLAM, where even though most people don't speak the language I'm using (Cherokee), I feel like they can still see the importance to the characters and to the story. And I like tricking people into caring about Indigenous language preservation. My teachers told me that anything can be a vessel for carrying language on, and by God, I took that to heart

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Oh boy. I was in the fifth grade. I had won many writing competitions. Two classmates approached me and told me that they wished The Hunger Games had more post-Mockingjay Everlark content, and that since I was a good writer, they wanted me to write it. I was traded many cosmic brownies and other such snacks throughout the year for my services in providing my classmates with Everlark fics on pages of notebook paper that are probably crumpled up in a landfill by now. At the time, I had no idea I was writing fanfiction, but it was the start of my favorite hobby. Look at me now, baby!

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

I've always wanted to write for TURN: Washington's Spies but have never had the courage haha

What's your favorite fic you've written?

I have a couple of one-shots that I'm pretty pleased with, but currently I'm going to say LAGLAM because it's been so special to me <3

Tagging (but no pressure!): @almost-a-class-act @latibvles @footprintsinthesxnd @liebgotts-lovergirl

[ri47]

A Reminder on VesalBlood Project Fanworks Policy

we've been on hiatus for a little bit, and seeing as it looks to be in fashion, it's time for us to emerge from hiatus solely to shoot ourselves in the foot.

probably an ill omen to joke about that, but it seemed like the most eyecatching way to open a business as usual reminder. how're you all doing? this update's from rin's desk

feel free to skip this if you're mad about the clickbait or have already read the fanworks policy. there is a bit about translation at the end that may interest international fans, though.

GENERAL STUFF

I've gotten a few asks about this, and while it's covered on the official site, I wanted to lay things out here so that people who haven't checked out our beautiful hub (check it out! I like to think it's quite pretty!) know it in no uncertain terms

RI47 HEAVY INDUSTRIES fully supports all fanworks within the extent permitted to us by international copyright law, which we unfortunately must obey. would that I could tell you to break that, but I can't, so I shan't.

you can make zines, comics, fanfiction, games, songs, whatever you want. you have blanket permission to produce crafts, physical and digital, as long as you don't attempt to impersonate RI47, pass it off as official, or otherwise operate in a for-profit capacity. we ask that, in cases where you do want to sell something, you run it by us first (and send us a copy!)

TRANSLATION STUFF

because VesalBlood Project is the work of a small team (presently consisting of two permanent members and a few contributors), it's not currently viable for us to work on releasing anything in multiple languages. not gonna attach any sob stories here, but every member of the team is below poverty line and works on the project as a labour of love.

English speakers, as it stands, make up the majority of the audience. this means that releasing in English is the most viable way to make sure that VesalBlood is available to as many people as possible with a budget of zero. I regret that it's this way, but officially translating an unfinished work is unfortunately just not in the cards.

all that aside, while you have permission to translate and distribute things related to VesalBlood to your heart's content, we do have an official book of translation documents that has been maintained for the entirety of the project's existence. while these documents aren't publicly available due to containing spoilers for future projects, we would be happy to share relevant sections with anyone who would like to translate VesalBlood for a wider audience

if we haven't released something in your language, whether or not it's commercial, we'll look the other way if you happen to be offering it somewhere that it's otherwise unavailable.

while we have general translation notes for most localisation efforts, mainly detailing connotations of certain terms and which ones should remain untranslated, there are slightly more specific translation notes available for French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Polish, Portugese, Russian, and Spanish efforts. these notes mainly contain information specific to speech patterns and the characters used in names, but contain a few "official" translations for trickier setting terms that don't exist outside of VesalBlood

all that being said, I don't personally recommend translating Diesem Fernen Traum yet, unless you specifically want to translate the beta version of a work-in-progress

translation is the greatest show of love that I, personally, think can be given to a work. sharing something with others even when it's not easy is a deeply beautiful thing, and I'm eternally thankful to everyone who's ever set out to do it

The Short of It

if you want to make fan merchandise related to RI47, you can do it as long as it's not for profit.

don't impersonate us (it's very rude)

if you want to make something based on RI47's works on a for profit basis, we can talk about it, but you need permission.

if you want to translate anything official from RI47, you can do it.

we have translation documents we want to share with you. it will make your life easier. there are some translations that were written in advance solely to take work off your shoulders.

if you release a translation of something that would otherwise be paywalled, we wouldn't hold it against you.

as an addendum to the previous note, if you want to translate something that would otherwise be paywalled, we would like it if we could work with you on the process

Diesem Fernen Traum is unfinished and subject to revision with time, so consider that before setting out to translate it

in this studio, we love and respect translators

until next time, rin

[starchasersunseeker]

9 people you want to get to know better

Thank you for the tag @emlovessid

Last song: Keep Your Friends Close from The Ocean Saga of the musical Epic

Favourite colour: red and purple!!

Last film / show: Saltburn / Ginny&Georgia {I think, not sure tho since I haven't had time to watch any series in a while}

Sweet / savoury / spicy: sweet {but spicy is a very close second}

Relationship status: painfully single lol {very much ready to mingle}

Last thing I googled: translate because I had to translate the word savoury 🙃

Current obsession: jegulus and Barty

Last book: Vampire Academy - Blood promise

Looking forward to: fanfiction updates 😅

No pressure tags: @beautyoftheships @my-castles-crumbling @gay-mirrorball @tripably @thebibutterflyao3 @whoopsiesnodaisies @theres-an-endless-starry-sky @pickinglilahs @kirinthepotato

[a3heritageposts]

What's A3

I'm SO glad you asked!

A3! (Act! Addict! Actors!) is a mobile game that was launched in Japan in 2017. (It also got an English version in 2019, but that was discontinued in 2021 and fully shut down in 2022. Sigh.)

The game follows Mankai Company, an acting troupe comprised of twenty (later twenty-four) cute and conventionally attractive male characters, an assortment of side characters, and You, the theatre's director (default name Izumi Tachibana). You play by collecting cards (souped-up jpegs) of the characters through the in-game gambling system or through playing "events" aka limited-time competitions, leveling up your cards' power stats, and then using them to compete in events so you can get more cards like some sort of gacha-based Sisyphean boulder.

Ahem. While the gameplay itself is pretty simplistic - while it can get competitive, it only requires a little bit of strategizing and time management on the player's part. You can literally play while also scrolling through tumblr - the main appeal comes from the story and characters, who are all very fun and interesting. Each character feels nuanced and in-depth, and one of my favorite things about this fandom is the sheer love people have for their faves, whether it's expressed through fanart, fanfiction, memes, or analysis. Despite the premise, the story is actually very light on romance with more of a focus on found family, which I find refreshing. (Don't worry, the romance can still be there if you want it to be XD.) Explaining what I love about each character would be another post entirely, so in conclusion, I'll leave you with these links.

Yaycupcake - the A3 wiki, an absolute godsend, has fan translations of most stories. To get started, read the prologue and Acts 1-4 of the main story, then head on over to the events, which have eleven-episode ministories and exclusive cards with their own backstage stories

This post - links to an archive of the official English translation (highly recommended)

Obligatory spotify playlist link

If you do want to actually download the game, you can do so off the Japan app store using an APK if you're an android user. If you're an iphone user...I can't help you :/. I also recommend downloading a screen translator app if you don't know Japanese, if only so you don't accidentally delete your progress.

Aside from the game, we also have an anime (which I cannot, in good faith, recommend), several stageplays (better, but can be difficult to track down), and a movie (that I haven't seen).

That pretty much covers it? Sorry you unlocked the rambly infodump haha but we're always excited to see interest in our little acting blorbo simulator ^_^

[epersonae]

Because you said we could ask anything I wanted to ask about the whole meta level to the whole "rpf but not rpf" thing? I feel dense for not picking up on whatever is being commented on but I haven't been able to pinpoint anything.

Then again I'm not an RPF person at ALL but I've been following your stuff and I blew through WFU like it was nothing so there must be something special going on.

Before I get into it, this is the first time I've tried to put any of these thoughts in writing other than in rambly DMs, mostly I've thought about this out loud or talked in voice chat or a few times in person, so it may be a bit incoherent!

I'm also tagging in @gaypiratebrainrot, who I'm sure will have a quite different but intersecting take - I took what they did and ran with it in my own way. (I feel exceptionally fortunate to have had them both as an editor and as a friend who encouraged my various ramblings on this topic.)

That said, below the cut are my thoughts about the "meta level", which I think fall into two categories: constructing characters and the role of fanfiction inside of the story.

First, the whole process of constructing characters. For me, it was a very deliberate thing; with Ed and Stede, it's figuring out how to balance the canon characters and (the public perception of) the people who perform them. This, with the bonus complication of the actors having talked about how they feel about the characters in relationship to themselves, for me at least makes for a very self-aware writing experience. (And an entirely new conception of parasociality, I think it permanently changed my mental landscape!)

In WFU this is also addressed directly in the text by the characters themselves talking about AUs:

“It’s sort of like, you take the essence of the characters and their dynamic, and see how they might behave in different worlds,” Wee John says. “It’s experimental. You’ve got your coffee shop alternate universes, your sci-fi alternate universes, your actor alternate universes—” “Yeah, but, like, isn’t this the actor alternate universe,” Frenchie says, gesturing around them. “Like, Stede and Ed are kinda like alternate timeline Rhys and Taika.” “No, no,” Wee John says. “It’s all about transporting enough elements of the character for it to read like the same person, just living a different life. You couldn’t just write a story about Ed and Stede and call them Rhys and Taika.” “It’s kinda like, reinforcing the idea of some inherent self, though,” Frenchie says. “Like, as if we have some kind of soul that would be consistent across circumstances, instead of all of us being dynamic living bodies that are massively shaped by the events of our lives. Whole thing sorta reeks of cartesian dualism.”

There was a great post that I saw recently that talked about AUs and understanding what are the core aspects of characters in the canon and how to translate them into a new setting, using the term "concretes", which I immediately added to my vocabulary. So these guys, WFU Ed and WFU Stede, have this strange mix of concretes (both canon and fanon), and in writing my piece, I'm also trying to match the concretes of WFU while expanding out the universe that they exist in. (This is true to a lesser extent of other characters who have a one-to-one match canon to IRL, which hasn't yet come up in my work but does a little bit later tho it is in my other fic of WFU, a secret third thing.)

Which leads me to the construction of Mary and the unnamed wife (her interior-to-my-head name is Carlita, fwiw; I actually have a "alignment chart" of variations of her name that maybe I'll throw onto this post) - because they don't match that pattern. Which made me conscious on a different level of how I was creating these amalgams: the vanishingly small amount of information I know about either Rosie Carnahan-Darby or Rita Ora or Carly Rae Jepsen, and deliberately so! I didn't want to write RPF; I wanted to match the not quite one thing or the other of WFU, and so these two women are amalgams in a different way, with different ingredients, and they're also constructed from archetypes: the Manager Wife and the Pop Star, and the whole cultural soup around those ideas.

(I have a whole separate thought about the character of Javid Denkins but that's kind of a spoiler at this point. tl;dr: It's a very goddamn funny joke that ends up having bonus meaning.)

I am forever grateful for a specific little bit of canon that was in WFU, because it let me do something different in my work: Ed takes his coffee with seven sugars (and a little bit of godawful creamer), and so when Mary and the wife meet and have coffee, suddenly that has meaning in comparison to Ed. A canon bit of goofery can become something about diet culture, and that gets to be a whole new thematic thread through the story.

And then there's fanfiction as a story element within the fanfiction. We handle it very differently, I think, between my work and WFU, because we're looking at different aspects and from different perspectives. Among other things, it fundamentally changed my approach to learn that both Rita and Carly Rae had RPF written about them over a decade ago, when both women were in their 20s.

But in both cases, fanfiction is woven through as both contrast and mirror to the story, which is of course itself fanfiction. In both stories, Ed's fic reading habits say something about him and Mary's attitudes (about RPF in particular!) say something about her. The wife's reactions to both of these things, as well as her prior experience, shape how she interacts with them. The existence of tropes or characters say something about us, the readers and writers, as well as about the world that these stories' characters live in.

For me, both the fanfiction element and the character construction end up being partially about how much is it ever possible to know anything about another person. The obvious limits, in the case of someone who is in the public eye - I love this bit from WFU: "built [...] from a handful of Youtube interviews, my Twitter feed, and a level of horniness that would fix the climate crisis if only we could harness it for renewables", and I started joking that the wife was "three youtube videos and an architectural digest article in a trenchcoat", even though it's quite a bit more complicated than that.

But not just famous people: Mary makes assumptions about Ed and his wife based on their public personas; Ed makes assumptions about Mary based on pieces of past history through the lens of his feelings for Stede, and the wife's exploration includes piecing together information from Mary's social media and Ed's fic reading habits. All we can ever know about another person is what we observe, whether that's a public persona or their words and behavior. (There's a secret third level of how much can one ever know about oneself, but that's probably a different post.) And that circles back around to the writer and the reader: how much do we know about the canon characters? the famous people? the characters in the story?

(MASSIVE shout out to the phenomenal beta team of @gaypiratebrainrot, @veeagainsttheday, and @emi--rose for pointing out where I needed to really boost this question of who knows how much of what and when. Their incredibly smart observations did so much to help me bring out that theme among others.)

I don't know if that even answers your question, but it's some of the extra material that's been in my head as I've been writing and editing. I also had never read any RPF (with the curious exception of a notable No Reservations - Narnia crossover) before WFU and it basically melted my brain, which I have continued to process through the experience of writing for the benefit of all the broken hearts. So yeah, something different going on here for sure.