#i'm so very much done with ff.n

[writergeek]

further proof ff.n is dying the grimest of deaths

a few years ago it got infested by bots, and unlike ao3, did nothing to root them out. it's... a bit of a problem.

Is anyone else getting messages on ff.net from random people who are like, "I love your story and would love to draw it/your story is one of my favs, follow me on Insta!" This has happened 3 times now from 3 different people.

[grey-gazania]

20 questions for fic writers

Yoinked from the lovely @sallysavestheday and @melestasflight!

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 65, though one is a compilation of unrelated short pieces.

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 199,601

3. What fandoms do you write for? Mostly Tolkien, though I have a few older bits and bobs from other fandoms hanging around.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos? In terms of kudos, my various Kidnap Fam stories are overwhelmingly my most popular:

A Stitch in Time (Elrond's life as seen by a quilt)

And They Looked Up and Saw a Star (Early-days Kidnap Fam WIP)

Root and All (Kidnap Fam feat. Maedhros, Elrond, and botany)

Speak No Evil (Kidnap Fam feat. Orkish lessons)

Little Drop of Poison (Kidnap Fam feat. injured Maedhros and healer Elrond)

5. Do you respond to comments? I try to respond to them all, but sometimes my responses are very late, especially if the comment comes when I'm having a depressive episode or a chronic illness flare-up.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Leaving aside unfinished multichaps that will have angsty endings but haven't gotten there yet, it's probably either The Hearts of the Eldar (the Third Kinslaying and all that it entails) or Pain Unbearable (Maedhros' death).

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Probably Half Past Ten in the Rose Garden (Caranthir/Caranthir's Wife engagement rom-com). Still debating whether I should add another chapter or wrap it where it is.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Only ever on fics featuring Fingon's wife. Some people get real heated about those.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? I don't, nor do I read it. It's very much Not My Thing. I think the closest I've come is The Bed We Share (Fingon/Fingon's Wife, Fingon/Maedhros), which does have a sex scene, but it's not particularly detailed.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? No, though I do enjoy reading them on occasion. I'm going to take this opportunity to recommend Evidence by Camwyn on FF.N, which is the single most delightful crossover I've ever read. (Silmarillion/Discworld)

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Yes! A kind reader translated Root and All into Russian, where it seems to have been moderately well-received, at least from what I can tell using Google Translate.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Nope. I suppose I'd be willing to give it a shot, but I do have Very Strong characterization opinions that might make it difficult.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? Maedhros/Fingon! Though Elrond/Celebrian and Caranthir/Caranthir's Wife are close seconds, and Glorfindel/Erestor and Legolas/Gimli are very old and longstanding favorites as well.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Things ain't lookin' good for The Longest Journey I Have Known (Fingon's wife and Celebrian travel to Valinor). I am Extremely Stuck.

16. What are your writing strengths? Worldbuilding, character dynamics, and description.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? PLOT. God, I am so bad at come up with interesting plots. Also probably pacing, I need to improve in that respect.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I do it rarely -- in fact I think Maps might be the only Silmarillion story where I've done it. I included a Quenya translation of part of a Yiddish folk song, and in that case I had help from the Lizard Council, and particularly from the esteemed and dearly missed Darth Fingon, who looked over my translation and corrected a few errors.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Star Wars, back in, uh, 1999, I think? I've been doing this for a good 25 years.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written? Girl, that's like asking a mother to choose her favorite child! But if I absolutely must pick, it's probably The Flight of Birds, which features Elrond, newly arrived on Balar, dealing with his conflicted feelings about his mother.

Tagging @thelordofgifs, @vidumavi, @cuarthol, @swanhild, @leucisticpuffin, @emyn-arnens, @polutrope, @welcomingdisaster, @zealouswerewolfcollector, @that-angry-noldo, @thescrapwitch, @spiritofwhitefire, @swanmaids, @hhimring, @elfscribe, and anyone else who wants to share -- @ me and say I tagged you!

[johnandrasjaqobis]

20 Questions: Writing Edition

@ex-textura didn't technically tag me but i'm technically a mutual who writes so Close Enough!!

How many works do you have on ao3?

37 ~ It never feels like many until I actually scroll through the whole list

What’s your total ao3 word count?

365,335

What are your top five fics by kudos?

A Different Sort of House Call (Danny Phantom / House MD crossover) because Of Course it is, even though I posted it on ao3 years after it started on ff.n a truly bizarre amount of people still found it

Cloaks, Daggers, and Cigarette Smoke (Fallout 4, Nick/Deacon) aka the one I feel actually deserves the kudos count it has fjdksl Longest fic i've ever written, still going strong (relatively, anyway), I love this one a lot

Speak (Z Nation) or that one where 10k had been on his own for a Very Long Time and kinda had to relearn how to. talk to people.

When Ghosts Speak (Pacific Rim!Mad Max au) where Furiosa lost her arm and nearly lost her mother in a kaiju fight, Max just wants to be left alone to repair the jaegers, and unfortunately they keep running into each other

One Step at a Time (MCU, Steve/Maria) that's just a collection of one-shots for a vastly underrated ship, Maria Hill deserves so much more appreciation and also she was definitely wearing Steve's coat in age of ultron

What fandoms do you write for?

there's. a lot. I had a good chunk of Marvel stuff back in the day, a bunch of Helix fics (relatively, for a fandom that tiny), the occasional niche podcasts and syfy shows, some Critical Role, Fallout 4 of course, and I've written a lot for my own dnd games. I have an itch to write something with Severance and Helix but. I gotta figure out What

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

barring the times I read it and then tell myself I'm gonna reply when I get home and then Forget To Do That, yeah!! I love replying to comments, I post stuff so that people can share in my vague flailing about whatever fandom currently lives in my brain, it's even better if it's a conversation!

What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

ahahah you say as if any of my chapter fics have Endings for the one shots I think Homecoming is kinda the most depressing because it is. well, canon adjacent to what Helix pulled on us in season 2. If I were ever to finish my chapter fics. Turning Point would absolutely have the angstiest end. My silly little Left4Dead2 fic that I wrote entirely out of spite with the intention of it ending poorly.

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

Genuinely most of my stuff ends at least vaguely optimistically, especially since I write a lot of ship stuff. I think maybe Morpheus, the EOS10 fic, might take the cake on that one though, that was practically all fluff and chasing a cat around a space station and did end very sweet

Do you get hate on fics?

I think I had one review that might've counted as a flame years ago, statistically on House Call, but I don't really remember much besides being proud that I'd come far enough to get a bad review fjdskl

Do you write smut?

tragically no, I've made attempts every now and again but simply cannot manage it (never say never and all that but. god.)

Do you write crossovers?

My most popular fic by a landslide is an insanely bizarre crossover. I did a lot more of them in the early years, but they still hold a special place in my heart (again, would Love to do Severance and Helix, but hmmmm) ((and also it's the weird difference of. an au is not necessarily the same as a crossover, right, I throw so many characters into Helix aus but it's Different))

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so -- I've done a quick check every time one of those fic scraper sites pops up and so far I think I'm in the clear

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I know of!

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

ehhhh some of the stuff Cyrus and I wrote kinda borders on it -- we've turned quick roleplays into fics before, but not really cowritten, I wouldn't say?

What’s your all time favourite ship?

you ask me to choose between my dear beloved children, I simply cannot clint and natasha will always hold a top spot, but so will sergio and anana. I think if anything those two tie.

What’s the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

of all the wips I'm determined to finish (and I've got a number that I just know are dead in the water). I honestly don't know that I'll go back to Turning Point. which like, is disappointing (to me, it never had a very big following), but also there's some Real Life emotions tied up with that one now and I know how it ends so. idk again never say never, but as much as part of me would like to wrap that up, it might just stay as is

What are your writing strengths?

I've been at this a long time. I'm good at characterization and dialogue specifically, and I've been told I have a skill for making even one-off npc type side characters feel like real fleshed out people. One comment said I am good at resolving a cliffhanger in a chapter only to hit you with Another Different cliffhanger and I think that's funny because half the time it's unintentional fjdksl

What are your writing weaknesses?

fuking. ending Anything. if it's more than a chapter, it will just never end, there's a reason the vast majority of my works are one shots

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

Depends on the context; if it's one or two words that the POV character doesn't understand, I'll probably write it out in that language. If it's more than that it'll just be something noting that they said something in a different language. If it's something that the POV character would understand, probably just note the switch to the other language and write it in italics maybe

First fandom you wrote for?

Warriors. yes, the cats. both in the sense of first fic posted anywhere And literally the first stories I ever actually wrote

Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

the fallout 4 fic is a gem, honestly, I adore that one. and it's technically kind of a spinoff of the main story but or be taken out alive when Carly fights the courser I maintain is probably some of the best writing I've done please if you read the main fic please read that one it came out so good

i am too sleepy to tag anyone tbh it was just fun to do this because a h i love writing, i swear i'll get back to it some day

but of course if any of my beloved mutuals want to yell about their fics consider this your tag i wanna see!!

[that-wildwolf]

Get to know your fanfic writer!

Thank you @callista-curations for tagging me!

When did you post your first ever fanfic?

Circa 2008 I think. Let me tell you those were the wild days. FF.n wasn't really that popular and AO3 straight up didn't exist yet. You would make a whole ass entire blog. And you would post your fic on that blog. And people actually found that shit???? Wouldn't work now.

First Character(s) you wrote?

OCs actually, in the PJO fandom. I don't really enjoy writing OCs now but that's what was cool back then 😅 The first canon characters I wrote were Sarah Jane and the Doctor from Doctor Who.

Main Character(s) you're currently writing?

Well I've always got that Shakarian brainrot, don't I? Also like. Saren and Nihlus I guess.

Character(s) you haven't written about before but plan to soon?

Jolyne and Jotaro Kujo! I've still lowkey got that Eyes of Heaven brainrot, and isn't it cool to write characters that are biologically parent and child as having a sibling relationship, but I'm aware that the target audience of that fic would be uh. me. so I'm not in a rush.

Fandom(s) you're currently writing?

It's mostly mass effect. Even the WIPs I have of other fandoms are scarce among my mass effectses.

Platonic Pairing(s) you're currently writing?

Jotaro and Jolyne, definitely. Shepard and Saren is always a lot of fun to write, though my Kryterius fic mostly focuses on Shepard and Nihlus. Also fun, but not as much.

Romantic Pairing(s) you're currently writing?

Shakarian and Kryterius. I mean what did you expect? a magic trick?

Your top AO3 tags?

Interspecies Relationship(s) absolutely sweeping at 32 fics. Followed by Fluff (19 fics) and Post-Canon (18 fics). Like I said I have no idea where this idea that I'm an angst writer came from, I'm all about the fluff--

Current platform you use for posting?

I guess I might as well officially say that since finishing up my first contact Shakarian AU two years ago, I am no longer posting my fics on FF.n anymore. It's all AO3 now.

Snippet of the WIP you are currently working on?

"Saren." Nihlus is immediately at his side, one hand on his cowl and another grabbing his good arm. "Saren, you're not going to die. I'm getting you out of here. I swear."

"Shepard will never allow that."

"She doesn't have a say in this. You're my responsibility." Nihlus nearly growls at the thought of anyone getting in the middle of that. After everything he's done, the Council will have to agree if he asks. Damn what Shepard thinks. "She doesn't have the authority."

"Nihlus..." Saren shakes his head at him. His subvocals, as always, remain infuriatingly silent, but Nihlus has learned to read his body language to make up for that. He doesn't like what he's seeing: Saren's eyes are completely vacant of any emotion and his shoulders drooped. There's nothing left in him, no fight, no hope. He's given up already.

And that's something Nihlus can't accept.

“I’m getting you out of here,” he promises again. This time, he receives absolutely no reaction.

It nearly breaks his heart to leave now, but he has to. He has to get Saren out of this as quickly as possible, he can’t allow this to go on. So he quietly slips out, silently hoping that Saren isn’t looking. He wouldn’t bear to have that hopeless gaze on himself right now.

Shepard is waiting for him just outside the holding cells. Of course she is. Nihlus doubts she would ever allow anyone to make a decision about Saren that she didn't approve, or at least know, of.

Which is probably going to make things very difficult for him from now on.

"You can release him," he says simply.

Shepard, to her credit, doesn’t say a word. She just looks at him like he's just done the worst thing she could imagine. In all honesty, the flicker of rage, disappointment, and disapproval that lit up her eyes almost made him pause.

She slowly shakes her head and walks away without as much as a single look back. Nihlus isn’t sure how he feels about that.

He just hopes he hasn't just made an enemy he won’t be able to deal with later on.

Tagging (but you guys know my tags are no pressure. I won't be upset if you don't do it.) @whiskynorocks @milkywayes and @nicolasadrabbles

[mediocredoots]

Kaijou, unsurprisingly 🤭

I'm always happy to answer kaijou stuff though!

001 | send me a ship and I will tell you:

when I started shipping it if I did: I don't know the exact fic or doujin that opened my eyes completely to the two but after discovering slash for the 1st time on quizilla from a weird oc trying to get kaiba and joey to kiss fic to being directed to FF.N was a wild ride fhksdjf. Somewhere along the lines of browsing all the fanfics lemon and all, then rewatching ygo in the og dub changed my mind about them and from then on I was on board.

my thoughts: I love them 🥲 sometimes the content around them leaves a bad taste in my mouth esp from the times of yore fhdskjf but the way I personally see them and frame the way I want them to interact is what I like. sometimes I like them just getting on each other's nerves and despising one another, other times I like the idea of them being domestic in their own little way but it's the build up of trust/understanding and maybe a little fucked up abnormal situationship that brings them together?

What makes me happy about them: The thought of them coming to the conclusion that although they're different the things they lack in themselves might actually be the other person's strength. ie kaiba seeing losing as the end of the line yet jounouchi seeing it as another chance to keep going & improving—the tenacity. on the other end jounouchi has some insecurities that peek through when he's cornered or unsure of himself but kaiba's confidence in himself is overwhelmingly high. annoying at times perhaps but still an admirable trait I'd believe jou would be slightly envious of.

What makes me sad about them: That they didn't duel nearly as much as I'd wanted them to only 2x, 3 if you count the 4way battle. I swear I watch that one duel from BC at least 3x a month i'm not joking. I would just loved to see jou have kaiba on the ropes for once.

things done in fanfic that annoys me: oh man there were so many things. not so much annoying but gives me the ick fhksdjf. Kaiba being overly lovey dovey like baby talk and always hugging and kissing? I just can't see it. I think he'd have his own type of love language for sure but just not that. this is more so what older kaijou fics were like but the uwu uke jounou who cannot defend himself from big baddie seto. like c'mon let jou deck him in the face or knee him in the stomach pls.

things I look for in fanfic: How kaiba is written & if I can tolerate it. That's the biggest thing tbh 😂

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: the only other person I'd set kaiba up with is no one at all lmao or ishizu only because she wouldn't put up with his bs lol but also other reasons. jounou ofc otogi or anyone he is my shipping bicycle lol 

My happily ever after for them: Realistically is them being on decent terms with one another that they can stand to be in the same room together hfkjsdf. But otherwise at a point where they can both say "I love you" ( even if it may not be exactly those words ) without getting flustered over it 😩💕

who is the big spoon/little spoon: I feel jounou would've tried to fight to be big spoon & kaiba wouldn't even let him get the chance lol. I think the only time jou can manage to be big spoon is if kaiba is so delirious with sleep that he simply allows it and jounouchi is very happy those times. he doesn't mind being little spoon but he is very much a giver and wants to give that experience to kaiba too!

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: Dueling haha. other than that I think it'd be pretty adorable that they took frequent trips to Kaibaland when they're both free. Jou with a BEWD hat like the mickey ears 😂

[theggning]

Hahahaha, oh wow. You're very welcome! I fell out of KH fandom a long time ago, but I'm honestly still floored that my silly little parody fic (which started as a trollfic targeting popular but dumb trends on LJ) got so big and touched so many people. I am genuinely flattered every time someone mentions how much they liked it, or how it brightened their days.

I did the AO3 upload a few years ago because AO3 is a vastly better website than FF.N in every way, and also I wanted to make a few delicate edits here and there. I'm by and large still quite fond of TLS but there is undeniably an element of "times were different back then" in some of the humor. Some of the jokes were pretty specific to the fandom as it was in the mid-2000s, some were a bit "edgy" in a way that's no longer kosher, and some (particularly surrounding slash and certain pairings) come off as a little meaner than I intended them to be. I did cut a couple of really dumb lines, and they will not be missed.

(If I could do it all again, I would tell my college self to unclench a bit. I am now in my fandom old rocking chair on the porch live and let live phase, not giving a shit about drama or what other people feel like writing. And in my crusty elderly wisdom I believe TLS improved drastically once I fuckin' chilled out and started trying to be equal-opportunity silly and not trying to write a provocative troll manifesto.)

Anyway, thank you so much for the kind post! Fandom is at its best when people from all different age groups and walks of life can inspire each other and brighten each other's experiences, and I'm incredibly honored to have done that for others.

I can't believe Ienzo was goddamn 8 years old. Like, fucking seriously, Nomura? People made jokes and then you actually went and did it. How dare you turn me into a clown like that?

PS: Haven't played a single moment of KH since KH2, but you bet your sweet bippy I cried when they announced Sora for Smash.

Kingdom Hearts Fanfic Nostalgia

The YouTube recommendation algorithm has led me to the fandom deep dives of Izzzyzzz recently. Izzzyzzz’s videos have been a fun exploration of early 2010s internet culture. I wanted to explore more content like these videos, so that led me to Sarah Z, a related channel. I found out about the Fanlore wiki following this video of hers, which led me to browse Archive of Our Own and see how fanfiction was doing as of December 8, 2021.

On a whim, I typed “Those Lacking Spines” into the search bar. And to my surprise, it was on there. Uploaded by the original author, 10th anniversary edition, with newly-added author’s notes.

The nostalgia hit me like a truck. This was a work that epitomized the online culture of my tween/teen years, as well as being a genuinely gut-busting story to read. I was obsessed with this fanfic at the time and shared it with all of my friends who were into Kingdom Hearts. I had saved the fanfic onto a Word document on a flash drive for the times without internet (this was before the proliferation of smartphones, remember).

If I had to characterize my experience as a teenager on the internet, it would be through the lens of this fanfic. It perfectly encapsulates the trends of the mid-2000s as I experienced them on DeviantArt– shipping, RaNdOm humor, emo angst, Mary Sues, self-insert OCs, Sailor Earths, and so on.

At the same time, it was my first brush with a lot of new concepts as well.

The fic introduced me to all of the above as tropes, which spun off into a decade-long fling with TV Tropes.

The fic was how I learned about voice actors. (“And anyway. Arguing about voice actors is stupid,” he added.) I ended up learning about all of the other projects my favorite Kingdom Hearts VAs worked on.

It was my first brush with anime beyond the dubbed anime we got from 4Kids and Toonami.

Dare I say that it helped cultivate Vicerre as an OC?

As I’m writing this blog post, I can’t help but grin. I’m trying not to look at “Those Lacking Spines” again, knowing if I do, I’ll be compelled to read it in its entirety and laugh again. At the same time, it pains me to know that, in this day and age, I won’t be able to share this fic again and have the humor hit the same way. As tagged on AO3, #Vintage Humor That May Or May Not Have Aged Well, #I understood that Reference, #Mid-2000s Time Capsule.

@theggning, thank you for creating this work. I know that it’s an old work of yours by now and I’m sure it was never meant for it to be a defining moment in a teenager’s life, but in a way, isn’t that what the fic is all about?

Additional highlights

Rediscovering this fic also dredged up other Kingdom Hearts fandom memories, which I thought I should mention for some future online historian’s sake.

Demyx Time

Imagec0rrupt3d = Blithegirl = @elasmosaurus

I discovered DeviantArt when Google search linked me to one of her comics!

Lynxgriffin/@lynxgriffin

Roxel

Silvestris/“The Renegades”

[nikkxb]

I'm the anon who asked about your opinion of ffnet. I've used the site for over ten years as a reader/writer, and I have had some of my most fulfilling writing experiences while working with authors there. It's possible that people are less willing to provide feedback when you don't ask for it, and even then, I'm sure you've heard of authors taking personal offense to criticism of their fics. I recommend finding a writing group/forum to join online, since they'll be good for immediate feedback.

(previous ask anon is referring to.)

Anon, I understand that you have the best of intentions with this message, but how do you know I haven’t asked for feedback? At the end of every one of my chapters and stories, I’ve included my thoughts and opinions of what I wrote and conclude with a variation of “Let me know what you think!” If I am to literally ask for reviews in a blunter way than that, then the site is not for me. No author should have to beg for feedback.

“Authors taking personal offense to criticism” – okay, but has the criticism been constructive? Has it been helpful? Has it been anything other than a statement of what the reader has not liked?

In my experience, no. The only anon hate I’ve ever received has been on FF.N and the only ““““““criticism”””””” I’ve received sang to the tune of this:

You know what really pisses me off? How so many people assume that the dominant Alpha in a wolf pack Alpha pair is always male. I’ve seen documentaries and read books (Julie of the Wolves, for instance) where a female is the dominant Alpha. It. Doesn’t. Have. To. Be. A. Male. And guess what? That works for domestic dogs as well. This common prevalence where the female - no matter how feisty or independent she acts - eventually submits to the male is utterly ridiculous. Or at least, it shouldn’t be one sided. It’s an equal partnership, with give and take on BOTH sides. If Kagome is supposed to be a trained Miko, she shouldn’t be putting up with the Youkai misogynists.

Which is hilarious for a number of reasons, but the biggest thing that strikes me is I can’t even respond to the person and try to find out what their actual issue with my story is. If someone has an issue of there being a male Alpha of a pack of wolves, then they shouldn’t be reading a story about Kouga – a canon male Alpha of a pack of wolves. If this reader’s issue lies with the other domineering men in the story, then they simply need to keep on reading because that will be handled.

But they didn’t even give me the opportunity to explain that. And there’s nothing constructive about that review. Nothing because it ignores the actual plot of the story. Are those the reviews you’re referring to? Because yes, I wouldn’t react well either. But I have reacted well to constructive reviews. Reviews intended to help and show options and talk to me like a human being with critical thinking to try and figure out how to get from Point A to Point B. Just pointing out the problems isn’t constructive.

Readers should leave reviews. Period. Whether part of a community or not, readers should always leave reviews – even if it’s something small like a “I liked it!” I saw a friend say this very succinctly:

Readers are consumers - and if you consume something that’s not yours, leave payment.

She expands on this here. This is a brilliant way of stating everything I feel. I’m writing for free, I’m taking time out of my hectically busy life to write, using skills that I’ve cultivated for over a decade and want to keep growing, and I’m now being told that all of that isn’t good enough – that I have to explicitly beg to gain feedback and that I’m being punished for slights other authors have done that have nothing to do with my own personal history when I’ve already found a home on other platforms.

I am so happy you’ve had a wonderful experience in FF.N. I adore that you’ve found your niche, that you’ve cultivated a wonderful group, and that you’re enjoyed your time there. That’s amazing and I hope sincerely it continues. There’s such a fount of people on that site in comparison to others and that you’ve been able to make it work for you is absolutely fantastic. I’m jealous.

My experiences have proven different. I have tried to explain why the site left a bad taste in my mouth. Does that mean I’m going to stop posting? No, not really. It just means I will try to keep my expectations for feedback lower. I will continue updating and posting on that site, and I will try to keep all of my stories there. But I will not spend my free time there. I will not try to find a community on a site that I’ve had horrible experiences with when I’ve already found that through AO3 and Tumblr.

I have found my niche. I’ve explained why FF.N is not for me. Not everything is going to fit everyone and that’s fine. I’ve tried in the past to make FF.N work and it didn’t. I clicked immediately with other platforms and I’m okay with that. I do not begrudge those that click with FF.N, I wish you so much success with it, I’m glad you were able to do so. We are all allowed to enjoy different things which is why I’ve tried to keep my criticism of the site personal to myself. 

I apologize if this has been construed as an attack on you and your enjoyment; that was not my intention. I really am only explaining my experiences and why this site doesn’t work for me and I’ve been interacting with FF.N for 14+ years. It works for you and that’s wonderful! It doesn’t work for me and that’s completely okay! Thank you for your message.

[theroadyouchoose]

I'm a fan of the Stand by You series by chipotlepeppers. I recently started yours and I like your series a lot. I feel like anyone who reads Stand by You series would also really like yours, because it has a similar theme of all the protagonists over the years coming together and also a next generation of fankids. Have you read Stand by You? It seems like many of the themes are similar and I want to know if chipotlepeppers was an influence. I am not sure which series came first

 No, I never read that one before. I unfortunately have very little time to read myself. Wish I did.

 If you look at the publish dates on ff.n that one was first published on March 11, 2016. The first one in my series, The Mystery of Aura, was published on May 31, 2013, and I had planned WTWE before I was done posting that, so there’s roughly a 3 year difference there. The first chapter of WTWE was posted on Feb 1, 2015. (Sidenote: I had originally wanted to post the epilogue on Feb 1st this year but things didn’t work out  by a lot). 

Not that it really matters since the ideas and themes themselves have been around for a very long time. Pretty much since Pokemon began, right? :D