#id read writers and love their prose and not know what to do with that

[dallonwrites]

Ashley touched him with a delicate precision that Beau had imagined was the same type of delicacy he used in ballet to perfect a pirouette or an arabesque, that holds onto a quiet consideration of the body and all its parts.

so you're telling me i wrote line this like a month ago and then completely forgot about it only to be jumpscared by it right now at 2:28am and have Feelings over it????

[theotherbuckley]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

tagged by @nmcggg @underwaterninja13 @saybiwithme @your-catfish-friend @jesuisici33 @cal-daisies-and-briars @perfectlysunny02 @hippolotamus @wikiangela @smilingbuckley @diazsdimples @dangerpronebuddie @tizniz

How many works do you have on ao3?

18

2. What's your total ao3 word count?

92,593 !

3. What fandoms do you write for?

9-1-1 currently (previously criminal minds and lucifer)

4. Top 5 fics by kudos:

1. Because You're Exhausting 10K words (917 kudos) 2. Pancakes, kisses, and a little bit of TLC 4.8K words bucktommy (890 kudos) 3. I'll Take Care of You 5.1K words | buddie (879 kudos) 4. Cow Eyes 2.2K words | buddie (720 kudos) 5. Tripped and Fell 5.8K | buddie | E (464 kudos)

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes💜 i try to respond to them all but sometimes i forget and then i feel bad because i get another comment and i cant respond to it because i didn't respond to the previous one but by then an extend period of time has passed and i feel weird about replying to the previous comment so i stop responding... oops.. also that time i go a few hate comments and it made me stop responding to comments on that fic

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

Because You're Exhausting - uhhhh this is depression in 10K words its so fucking sad and you will need tissues and most of the comments on this fic are people telling me they cried so... yeah sorry about this (read the tags please for the love of god read the notes there's a lot of trigger warnings)

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

There are quite a few with good happy endings but I'm especially fond of Cow Eyes i think its silly and cute

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Yeah kinda - Because You're Exhausting has got a few mostly about the ending which i to an extent can understand but if you're going to be triggered by something please for the love of god READ THE WARNINGS IN THE NOTES - i don't wanna spoil everything but the tags on its own should have been enough to go hey maybe i should read the notes too asjkdaj so yeah a few hate comments on that

9. Do you write smut?

Yes! didn't for the longest time but yes yes I do :)

10. Craziest crossover?

I don't write crossovers

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope i think if i ever did id be so honoured I'd cry

13. Have you co-written a fic before?

currently writing one with @diazsdimples <3

14. All time favorite ship?

Buddie!!! (but I am really enjoying bucktommy atm)

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Healing fic is killing me rn - I may write a lot lot of angst but seeing buck so happy on my screen is making me struggle to write depressed buck but I will write it but also uni is killing me rn. this fic is over 17K so far with no end in sight so is by far my longest which I think is why its so hard

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm good at writing depressing shit

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Like the rest? Idk I struggle with dialogue tags and switching from dialogue to prose I think

18. Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I love it but too scared to do it because I just speak English. But I love pet names etc in other languages.

19. First fandom you wrote in?

I think Sherlock bbc on wattpad when I was a kid and then Lucifer first on ao3. Looking back these are pretty trash idk what I was thinking but we all start somewhere.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Hmmm good question. Even though Because You're Exhausting is so sad I really do like it. Also running from myself (and the memories of you) (12K) which is also depressed!Buck but it's lighter and has a happy ending. Also both my chronic pain!Buck fics make me happy. Idk this is hard I can't choose.

I won't tag anyone since most people have done it but if you wanna do it then consider this your tag!

[thatneoncrisis]

20 questions for 20 writers!

tagged by @waitineedaname thxx

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

21 works, i feel like thats a healthy number

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

i have 439,385 words, a very large chunk of that is from We Have Always Lived in the Apartment

3. What fandoms do you write for?

right now its the locked tomb, used to be homestuck, i have some crossovers with the magnus archives and one with john dies at the end

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

We Have Always Lived in the Apartment -- TLT horror mystery modern au

Insert Jesus Allegory Here -- solkat focused continuation of karkats pesterquest route, i NEED my new fics to get more popular than this oh my god

Gehenna the First -- TLT houseswap au with harrow as god

the gap between a tragedy and comedy (in this life its just you and me) -- TLT coffee shop au.

What's Eating Gideon Nav?  -- TLT catholic boarding school horror au

5. Do you respond to comments?

not typically, theres some weird thing with my head where i kind of hate that it counts my comments in the total comment amount. i cant explain it i just dont like how it looks, plus just repeating variations of "thank you!!" feels hollow after a while. im more likely to answer direct questions about the story rather than general commentary i do love talking about my thought process and intentions

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

ok so i cant actually tell you this because none of those fics are Done yet but all you need to know is that i consider all of my TLT fics tragedies to some extent. take that as you will. i dont even Like the word angst really it portends a level of melodrama id like to avoid

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

I'd say its a dead tie between A Brief Lesson In The Occult and Shit. Let’s Build A Fort. i can barely look at these anymore and if you read them and feel compelled to tell me you like them: dont. i can do better now

8. Do you get hate on fics?

never to my knowledge has anyone ever publicly disliked one of my fics. in fact sometimes i dream about someone posting it in their discord group chat and making fun of it because im so curious about what theyd say

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

yes i have. i do it almost exclusively as satire or character analysis as i find like, the physicality of sex to be inherently kind of goofy. liek the second you have to describe a dick or boobs with words the magic is gone it just becomes weird silly looking flesh. so i like focusing on weird and bad sex, unsatisfying or clumsy sex. sex that changes you in no significant way

10. Do you write crossovers?

yes i have. A Brief Disappearance and Statement of David Wong are both TMA/JDATE crossovers and i DID write a homestuck/TMA crossover but its not on my ao3 i guess? odd

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

no? does that happen?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

i think once someone asked but i have no clue if it happened

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

@notedchampagne is my co producer in all things forever but ive basically written everything myself and they help polish it up

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

shiiiiiiite uh. jade/davepeta still means a lot to me. i think there are a lot of really engaging ships in TLT but i always kind of default to griddlehark i just kind of understand them the best

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

eventually SAM and i would like to circle back to our fanventure Therapystuck but we both got really busy with school, work and a general lull in the HS fandom. also maybe someday ill go back to Insert Jesus Allegory Here i liked the direction of the story i just have to get myself back in that headspace. being into homestuck Does something to you, like psychologically

16. What are your writing strengths?

after asking some friends theyve told me im good at tone, prose, funny metaphors, and dialogue but a caveat for the last thing as "I have yet to see how your Own guys talk and how you'd handle distinct voices from scratch so I'm only giving you about 80%"

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

i hate like. writing Around the important bits of a scene. i love the physicality of characters and what it reveals about them, along with pieces of the scene the narration deems important or interesting enough to mention to the audience. but im always worried im jsut fucking yapping. also i hate like, political scenes theres a rhythm to them that i dont quite understand. people sitting around using specific language that Feels important in a way that doesnt make it clear im bullshitting like 99% of what theyre talking about

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

AHAH. GOD. i actually looked this up the other day because theres an original story i want to write where i want to make it clear theyre basically speaking french the whole time, even though its written in english. i only speak english (i took some french in hs, its left me though i want to pick it up again) so i wouldnt know anything about how it reads to polyglots but i guess theres really only so much you can do outside of literally learning a new language just to write a story for free. ive seen a whole host of tips so i gues sit just matters how you employ them

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Homestuck. my only regret is that i wasnt a better writer

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

FUCK christ uuuuh. favorite right Now would be The Apartment but EVENTUALLY id like it to be Gehenna the First because its the hardest to write and i need it to pay off. if you havent read it uhhh. hi. hello. you should do that. i think its really cool and fun and junk

CHRIST who to tag i dont follow big writers uuuh @tranquilitybasehotelcasino and @accidentallyadorable sure have fun

[aria-ashryver]

Positivity Chain!

Please recommend 3 favorite fanfics by other creators and 1 of your own.

Then tag 5 other creators to do the same.

This is the sweetest ask, thank you anon! 🌷

Choices Fandom

Incident in the Ghostland (AO3 | Explicit) by @dreamscapingsblog

sorry for the notif my sweetest bestest friend, I know tumblr isn't your vibe but I can't have the opportunity to rec your works put in front of me and not JUMP at the chance to put Ghostland out there first and foremost!! Your prose is poetry, your angst makes my teeth hurt, and I will forever be in awe of how you capture such beautifully emotional motifs in the most unique and expressive ways. I'd put this whole fic in an art gallery if I could. Love you, love you, love your writing 💖💖💖

Let Me Be Your Valentine, Saint Valentine (AO3 | Teen) by @aallotarenunelma

Another beloved ID writer, but a MAH fic this time! I was tossing up between this and Indigo Blood because I adored the bond between Skylar and Saini (see how I'm cheating by linking both? 😈💞), but they way you told Donovan and Edelmina's story just brought me so much peace. I always loved their bond in canon over their shared grief, and seeing in here as this deeply vulnerable and trusting relationship just made my heart so happy (and it was really cool to read about Edelmina's aspecness)

The 2AM Christmas Tree Farm by @thosehallowedhalls

Listen I'm a fool for only having just caught up on CoP, because I have been missing out on all this goodness, and I just know I'm going to have so much fun making my way through the rest of your works, but holy hell what an introduction to your Emma and Trystan this was!! You can perhaps tell, from the absolute chaos that was my comment, that I rather enjoyed this one!! And with the way you write? I know I'm going to find some more gems to adore in your masterlist 😊

Non-Choices Fandom

For a Good Time, Call (AO3 | Explicit) by ScarlettStorm

I gotta take a second to rec this, because it might be hands down my favourite fic of all time. The authorial voice is just ✨DIVINE✨, and it is just so deeply moving, I have no words. Its just so... healthy? Portrayal of sex and consent and sex work? Amazing. Attitudes towards trust and communication? Wonderful. Exploration of mental health, PTSD, panic attacks, ASD, inward growth as well as fostering something beautiful between the two romantic leads? Fan-freaking-tastic. Plus it also features lines such as

He wonders if Wei Ying would keep talking, even while being kissed. He thinks he probably would.

Its absolute ADHD meets Autism solidarity, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. (Plus, the smut is seriously god-tier.)

Oh, yeah! I was mean to rec one of my own!

Uhhh... Snow in Crimson, Starlight in Gold (AO3 | Explicit) is very much my baby, and every time someone tells me they liked it and/or my charactersation of Cas, Gabe, and Luca, I go ugly cry for ten years

But also! If you want something about a million times shorter, Whatever You Say, President Adalhard (AO3 | Explicit) is a wlw!Gas fic which is pretty cute. (and I'm trying so hard to finish chapter 2, I swear)

[moonsaver]

Hi ! This may be late but i saw your posts asking for opinions on your writing. First, I think its best when a writer concentrates on writing for the characters they love the most at the moment (Sunday in this case). When writers write for a lot of characters, I tend to see that the content for the characters they dont like becomes repetitive and it doesnt have as much passion as a piece made for a character they love. Readers can tell when the writer doesnt really care for a character and personally Id rather find another writer to read content on that character. Im just saying you dont need to force yourself to write for more characters you dont know much about /arent interested in.

Second, I love your writing ! I like that you dont tend to stray from the main point with unnecessary dialogue and prose. Also I like that they are scenarios that leave a lot to the imagination (I always end up daydreaming of what could happen next, or what happened before, which is fun for me). In summary, i feel like your writing is easy to digest and takes a new angle on the character (no unnecessary violence that is out of character).

I cant criticise anything since im not knowledgeable on writing and grammar so i can only give my opinion on what i do like as a reader. Hopefully i didnt say anything hurtful ):

Hello, anon!

Let me first say you didn't say anything hurtful, haha. You were very kind and honest with your answer I believe, and even if you did say so, i wouldn't really mind, since the opinion poll was kind of open ended and i did mention taking criticism. Thank you for the feedback! I really appreciate you taking the time to write this entire paragraph out and submitting it, and being very polite with it aswell. Please don't hesitate to add in some criticism, even if you don't have experience with writing yourself. It's just something id like to know from your stance as a reader. Im completely open to any and all feedback regardless of your experience, so don't feel obligated to hold back. Thank you once again for the feedback!

[quickreaver]

hi cris, thanks for doing the fandom bingo -- and now, happy wincest wednesday! :) To keep the fun wincest engagement going: who are some no-longer-in-the-fandom authors that you think newcomers should go back and read?

Hey, Z! This is such a good question! SO MANY. And since the numbers are high, I'm gonna stick to folks I've read that are easily found on AO3. I would be here all week otherwise. (I was a late bloomer and still am a slow reader.) We're so lucky here in SPNland. Back in the day, when YKINMKATO reigned and people knew how to scroll on, the field was verdant...

~I already mentioned paxlux in a previous post, who has made a recent return to the brothers, at least briefly. If you appreciate poetic prose, lots of atmosphere, give them a try.

~In a similar vein as paxlux: lovetincture. And part of what I really adore about both of these authors is that they don't feel the need to go into (porno)graphic detail. Sometimes, the relationship, the feeeeeelings, are enough. But if you do loves you some durty:

~dollylux, homo_pink (they're still floating around the fandom, pretty sure! They just haven't written in a while), riyku, leonidaslion (tho they don't always hit my id, they're good), nutkin and mollyamory. Gorgeously shameless!

~One of my fave authors, with or without the brotherlovin' is candlebeck, holy crow, are they GOOD. Same with kroki_refur. Masterful writers, period. They make it seem so easy but we know, it sure as heckin' is not.

~Road_rythm writes some beautifully complicated stuff! Complicated, in that it's thinky and twisty and unsettling in every way it really should be.

~And lastly, rei_c. Anything they wrote set in New Orleans is *chef's kiss*. And one of my old go-to 'verses is their Five Districts, Five Drugs series. Due for a re-read, actually!

There are more I'm forgetting, I'm sure! So we'll save them for another Wednesday. In the meantime...

[dearestones]

Twisted Wonderland Matchup: Rook Hunt

@fourtyfourcatss Request: hi hi! may i have a romantic twst matchup?

interests/hobbies/talents: i like to read and write and listen to music and taking walks. i'm really good at explaining things in a very cohesive manner. my logic is really good, so my persuasion is extremely good too. im very efficient and creative, which i apply to many things in real life.

5 good traits:

passionate (not overbearingly), levelheaded, reflective, honest, realistic (but optimistically)

4 bad traits:

im a bit envious, somewhat greedy, running my mouth (either too opinionated or no opinion at all), too loud.

appearance: black hair, shoulder length, curtain bangs, slightly wavy. id say i look more cute than beautiful or alluring. i have some really sparkly and nice eyes though

thank you! take all the time you need!

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After going through the description provided, I believe that you best pair well with Rook Hunt!

First of all, Rook is taken aback by your beauty! My, you remind him of the Fairest Queen's step-daughter! What a coincidence! He absolutely adores your black hair (as dark and as beautiful as the night) and appreciates that it's so wavy! Perchance, will you allow him the highest of honors to comb through your hair? Or maybe even style it? (Despite his own haircut, he'll assure you that he's deft with his fingers and quick study. He can braid your hair or style it to your precise and specific demands).

Cute is such a lovely term for you, but have you considered that he thinks you're beautiful and alluring? Do not be ashamed of your appearance! Rook will always have eyes on you and his prettiest purple prose at the ready for your ears! You're as bright and as ethereal as the stars in the sky, as deep and mysterious as the depths of the ocean, and as fragrant and graceful as the loveliest and hardiest of flowers.

And your eyes? Such a lovely sight to see whenever he meets you time and time again. They say that eyes are windows to the soul and your soul... Not even the Dark Mirror can fully appreciate or quantify just how gorgeous and enticing yours are! What is even more attractive than your eyes is the fact that you embrace and acknowledge that as one of your best features! Truly, such confidence has Rook swooning when he learns of that fact!

Efficient and creative? You are definitely a candidate for Rook’s heart! While he may enact some convoluted plans and may be ostentatious in his execution, he cannot deny that there is also a great appeal to being logical. When he sees you utilize such skills in everyday life, he implores you to teach him your ways, it’s a boon even when hunting unsuspecting prey!

What wonderful hobbies that you have! As a chaser of all things beautiful, he automatically respects you for reading, writing, and listening to music. What books have you read? What are your favorite things to read? You're a writer? Could you perhaps proofread some of his poetry? Would you like to exchange works so that you can read each other's honest thoughts? And music! What have you graced your ears with? Honestly, if you recommend things to him, he'll definitely do so with gusto and give you his honest opinions on them! Furthermore, he'll personally curate some of his favorite things that he knows will tantalize you as well.

Taking walks with you will immediately become one of his favorite things to do with you! To walk around in nature, in school, or around town, he will treasure those moments with you. It doesn't matter if you choose to fill the air with conversation or to simply live in the moment hand in hand with silence; Rook cherishes it all. (A little warning, however, Rook will definitely stalk you from afar sometimes just to observe your beauty. Eventually, he'll make himself known, but don't be too surprised if you hear a camera shutter or the sound of footsteps from a few feet away).

Your passion! If there's one thing that Rook thinks should be universally loved, it is a person's passion brought to the forefront. If you're passionate about your interests, please regale him tales of your recent exploits! If you find yourself interested in a new hobby, invite him along so that he can enjoy it with you! If you're angry or irritated about a matter you're truly passionate about, feel free to vent to him. Rook will listen with no judgment, empathize when needed, and offer solutions or simply be a comforting presence on what you need most at that moment.

Such a lovely personality that you have! Reflection alongside honesty are wonderful to see in partners. It makes Rook happy to note that you are levelheaded and willing to listen to reason. There are few things he can't find beauty in, but he would much prefer people who would rather see reality and still move forward in their lives rather than blind themselves to their own willful delusions. (He must commend you as well on your perspective on life. Realism can be dreaded, yes, but to still carry optimism is a practice that more people should enact! It astounds him and makes him wish that he can emulate you as well!)

Everyone has their bad traits, but that does not mean that they are exempt from the beauty he finds in his day to day life. So what if you’re envious and a little bit greedy? Everyone else has their own flaws and no one can say that they aren’t those things at least at one point in their lives. The trick is to acknowledge those faults (as you have done here) and discipline yourself to become a better version of yourself. Like the Fairest Queen, you must work hard to surpass your old self! If you need help, Rook will be there to guide you and witness your transformation—like a caterpillar steadily emerging from its cocoon. 

In addition, being too opinionated and loud? How nonsensical! He likes listening to you rant about your opinions and the louder you are, the more people will be aware of how siren-like your voice is! What really matters is moderation. So long as you respect others opinions and you are not being rude, then he won’t stop you. In fact, he might encourage these traits of yours because even positive traits may go sour and even the most negative of traits can be utilized in a positive manner. It’s all about intent and the resulting consequence. 

Overall, Rook appreciates you for who you are now and who you will become in the future. Like a flower starting to bud, he will see you bloom and wilt again and again, always finding beauty in both your highest and lowest points of your life. 

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If you want to donate a Ko-Fi, feel free https://ko-fi.com/devintrinidad.

TWISTED WONDERLAND MASTERLIST

[nialltlynch]

kk 2022 reading roundup

total books read this year: 41!! (which is a lot. to me)

my goal, as it has been the past couple years, is at least two books per month. and. dear reader, in the interest of being truthful and fair, I did not meet my goal. july wasnt a great month for both for interpersonal reasons and also because I was coming down the high of having read the gideon the ninth and harrow the ninth. so like. everything kinda tasted like dirt yknow what I mean? I read ZERO books that month. other than that, I did read a bit more than I did last year so it's a win all around

overall I do feel like this was a bit weaker. the majority of the books were fine. interesting enough to finish but not really memorable once closed. not as many of them hit quite very hard BUT the ones that did were INSANEEEEEEEE which! fine! okay! not all books are going to be mind blowers but I think it made reading this year feel a little bit more like a slog than previous. blah. you win some you lose some.

that being said, im only counting books that ive finished but I did start far more books that I ended up not finishing. I mayyyyy come back to some because I might not have been in the right place but idk. im still a very picky reader I think.

random observations:

i overwhelmingly read women writers. this is not by design. kinda neat i guess

i purposely try to read a variety of authors instead of delving into one author's bibliography (except shirley jackson, who has my heart). maybe next year I'll try to read more deeply into author's I enjoy??? we shall see

im surprised that apparently my top genre for the year is horror? i think the bulk of that is because shirley jackson is labeled horror which i suppose i have to agree with though i never considered myself a horror enjoyer. I think id like to delve more into the genre next year but ummmm im squeamish and I get scared and start shaking all over very easy ((:

i should read longer books. ill admit seeing an ebook with 300+ pages and preemptively mentally checking out....... this habit will probably follow me into the new year unfortunately )):

anyway. here are my rambling nothing thoughts on my top 10 reads this year!

top 10:

Harrow the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir | easily one of the most succulent, juicy, mind searingly delicious things I've consumed in..... I don't even know how long. possibly ever. all my thoughts can be summed up as: ooga booga

Hangsaman - Shirley Jackson | ive read a lot of shirley jackson this year and I think ive read all her novels excepts one (the road through the wall). anyway. this fucking book. no one understands the tragedy of being a young woman quite like shirley jackson.

Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield | this is one of those rare books where a confluence of things I love all come together AND it actually works out. just off the top of my head this book has (and executes WELL): floaty yet vivid prose. sea monsters. a healthy fear of the ocean. lesbians. mundane yet sublime body horror. unanswered mysteries. it's just!!! one of those things you hear about and you're like. there's no way this is actually that good right??? and true it has issues but I personally find the blemishes forgivable. I think my biggest problem is that it feels a bit drawn out but the vibes were so pitch perfect i can barely fault it for that. anyway. absolutely had a wonderful time reading this book. I went into it with relatively high expectations (especially for me) and left delighted and fed.

The Bird's Nest - Shirley Jackson | i went back and forth a lot about which jackson book was my favorite this year and it was really difficult because 1) they're all insanely good and exactly to my tastes and 2) this was the year i read the locked tomb so...... dsjkdsjkfd decisions man. ANYWAY the vibes in this book are off the charts

The Sundial - Shirley Jackson | ms jackson does it again!!! you would think that a book about a house that becomes a prison that symbolizes some form of control inhabited by a collection of delusional rich assholes would rank a lot higher since its so so so painfully quintessentially made for kk. it's also funny! I laughed out loud a few times and it was all in good fun. let me tell you. the only times I was laughing during her other books - say, idk, hill house - was at the absurdity of it all. the sundial was legitimately good fun.

Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir | DO NOT get it twisted. just because this is number 5 does NOT mean this book didnt make me absolutely insane feral. the difference between gtn and htn as far as my love is thin. razor silk spider web fucking thin. but theyre also completely different books so ughfdhfdjh okay. im not going to get into comparisons because who knows how we'll be at it. tamsyn muir is insane (affectionate with a twinge of awe.) i, a guy who sidestepped getting into A Certain Webcomic, have had a tab open for months now with fanfic for previously mentioned Webcomic (that i know next to nothing about) because im just so hungry for more tamsyn. gimme hands waaaarabslkdsb

Salt Slow - Julia Armfield | i read this before our wives under the sea and let me tell you... it set such high expectations. i obviously like her better when she's exploring subdued terror that slowly grows and grows and grows over time but she's very good at the fanciful and the deranged. she's contemplatively imaginative and the fact that she seems to also have a love for the ocean is just gravy for me. she wrote a fun little piece called the ocean is a lesbian. it was nice.

The Last House on Needless Street - Catriona Ward | this book is like one of those old timey anatomy diagrams to me in that i feel that really sums up the overall mood of the book AND also my feelings AND also conveniently describes how i read this book. this is an S-class concept with A-class writing which is delicious and delightful because it's both wonderful as a reader AND a writer. i was unnerved from the very first page and it was equally fun to luxuriate in that slow panic as a reader and to also unravel it through scrutiny as a writer. do you get what im trying to say? (i do feel presumptious referring to myself as a writer but this book really did make me remember why i love writing. so fuck it. I am a guy who writes aka writer)

Calling a Wolf a Wolf - Kaveh Akbar | im still very wet behind the ears insofar as my poetry knowledge goes and ill admit to not really. hmm. well, "getting it" sometimes. im learning! however. that being said. this collection. ooooof. i didn't feel like i had to stretch to grasp the concept. it ate my brain though thats for sure.

Devil House - John Darnielle | this book came to me at a very opportune time because I've been putting a lot of thought into the whole. true crime thing. still chewing tbh (got caught up in other stuff) but it definitely had a lasting effect

[potatoleeksoup]

3, 4, and 13!

ty!!!

(3) what were your top five books of the year?

in no particular order i loved:

mrs caliban by rachel ingalls. this is SO good. ingalls went straight on my list of forgotten 20th century women that i want to become. actually it's an extremely short list but she's on it right behind my forever queen gina berriault look her up

what you can see from here by mariana leky. honestly this has faded from my memory a little bit since i read it in the spring but i remember being totally obsessed with the prose and narrative movement of this. id love to relearn all my german and read this in the original and also all leky's other books (i believe she has other novels but idk if any have been translated?)

a home at the end of the world by michael cunningham. is it boring to recommend michael cunningham maybe. did this book make me insane and do i frequently think about specific lines and phrases from particularly the first third of it YES. michael call me i just want to talk

the tree and the vine by dola de jong. being in secret unrequited love with your roommate is so scary and horrible ! this book is like a very very sharp gemstone !

all fires the fire by julio cortázar. cortázar is one of my favorites ever and this collection is just like completely complex and perfect like a box of bitter chocolates. right after german i will be learning spanish in order to experience these stories for the first time in a new way again

honorable mentions to:

reprieve by james han mattson. it's possible that this isn't good but i had SO much fun reading it. one of the only books i have read over the past few years that i found really and truly exciting. escape room novel!!!!

the glassy, burning floor of hell by brian evenson. good book! but MOST importantly my favorite title of the year.

anddddddd interview with the vampire. sorry. i loved this.

(4) did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

definitely rachel ingalls! i had heard of her but never read her and i am so pleased to have finally dipped my toesies into her work. maybe rivka galchen too... everyone knows your mother is a witch was good and i am excited to see if i like her other work even better. and dola de jong! i had never even heard of her! if any of her other work is ever available in english translation i will be sprinting to the library

(13) what were your least favorite books of the year?

ahh yes my favorite. hating. let's see...

the charm offensive by alison cochrun. unfortunately had to revoke the bisexuality card of the dear friend who recommended this to me. stupid and really bad in ways that matter (fetishistic strange representation of gay men) as well as ways that are just annoying (horrible prose and overtherapized emotional narratives)

a visit from the goon squad by jennifer egan. sad that i broke my 11 year streak of never reading this but it was required for a class. the PULITZER PRIZE? for LITERATURE? are you SURE?

the snow queen by michael cunningham. goddamn the higher they climb the harder they fall!!!!!!! this was one of the worst structured and most sloppily and fluffily written novels i have ever read. and from the king of structure and perfect sharp prose himself. sad... well there's other fiction writers

how to find your way in the dark by derek b miller. a genuinely antisemitic book recommendation from the aforementioned formerly bisexual dear friend. horribly written and with a bad case of my protagonist is the specialest little boy in the world. special shoutout to this book for inspiring the novel i am currently working on by being so bad that i looked at it and thought even i could do a better job at this

the temps by andrew deyoung. no more clever little books by clever little guys. it is appropriate that the cover of this is green like toxic slutch because it gave me horrible indigestion. thinks it is so smart about the world and is so fundamentally mistaken about every single one of the issues it tries to tackle

and i COULD GO ON!!!!! there are bad books being published every day on this bitch of an earth!

this was so fun i love yelling

[wastrelwoods]

E for “every hateful instrument” (one of my all-times faves by the way), K, M and R for the fanfic writer ask game! ❤️👀

E: If you wrote a sequel to [insert fic], what would it be about?

AH yeah i saw u put EHI on a rec list and i had to get up and jog in a circle around the room a half dozen times HELL YES HELL YES! if there WERE to be a sequel i think it would be fun to maybe play with a reversal of the vassal and lord dynamic? i feel like i could get them into a situation where will has a crown on his head and hannibal is standing behind him in a cloak and armor looking imposing and devoted to his liege. OR i would elaborate a little on alana and how getting shoved off a balustrade impacted her. also i think she and freddie are together now. lady of ravenstag and her spymaster. that's cute, right? id read that

K: What’s the angstiest idea you’ve ever come up with?

HM i havent come up with one that i feel inclined yet to write but i do enjoy a thematically resonant major character death of tragedy is the correct genre so if i were to go for it that would probably be the direction. i guess i DID play in that space with qui tollis peccata mundi but it wasnt FOR TRUE

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

WELL as i said i have a lot of ideas sitting around waiting to be worked on. there's a bigger mizumono divergence one i'm waiting for the right time and energy to take on and for right now i just jot down ideas about it when they strike me but i would love to make it more ensemble focused and like. rotating POVs and following a few concurrent intersecting character arcs. and also clarice starling is there ? hopefully that pans out one day

R: Are there any writers (fanfic or otherwise) you consider an influence?

OOOH yeah i mean i do a lot of imitating the tone of the show as much as i can more than really getting into outside literary influences but other fanfic writers DO get me hooked on trying new things based on stuff i admire about their work. my partner sarah (@howlikeagod) is one of my favorite writers ever (she does not go to hannibal specifically) for the way she takes big adventurous creative swings with format and always knows the right place to insert the funniest bit i have ever seen in my life. insofar as hannibal writers i think emungere's work with dialogue and the way every spoken word carries paragraphs of weight is so so cool? i love chaparral-crown's magic realism and the introspective asides? i think zipegs crafts the most evocative imagery and has a way of making the setting work as a living and breathing character and i love his STUFF. kissing that beautiful brain. lectercunt and h0neybeebear write so well together in complimentary ways and i happen also to love their prose individually its so rich with detail. im saying a lot but there's a lot of good writers out here i lick my chops at like a cartoon wolf

[aye-write]

An aye-write Guide to Beta-Reading and Feedback!

Beta reading and feedback is an important part of the writing process! Whether you’re looking to fix simple spelling and grammar errors in a short drabble, or a full examination of a 150k epic, it’s really valuable to you and your beta-reader to have a good grasp of how to give - and receive - feedback!

How to Ask for Feedback One of the things that I will always suggest giving your beta-readers is a Beta Reading Worksheet. Simply put, the writer puts forward a list of questions, topics, or points they’d like the beta-reader to address. I did this when I sent my murder mystery out to betas: 

As you can see above, the questions I chose gave me a great overall impression of how my betas felt about the novel and also I was able to address specific concerns that I had. Another great reason for giving beta-readers a list of questions is that it also helps them give you meaningful feedback, especially if the beta-reader is unsure of what you want from them or struggles to think of “good things to say”. 

Be as specific as possible! Do you want your beta-readers to look out for spelling, punctuation, and grammar? Let them know! You don’t want them to comment on the overall story but more on the technical details? You need to tell them! The more you help them, the more help they will be able to give you!

.-.-.  

Ideas for Questions for Getting Great Feedback  Here are some questions that I’ve either seen used or used when considering feedback for all sorts of pieces! Some may be of use to you, others not, so feel free to adapt any of them to suit you!

GENERAL

As a reader, what did you like about the story? 

What makes you want to read on? 

What makes you want to stop reading? 

What questions did the story make you want to ask? 

Did the story hook you in? 

PROSE AND TECHNIQUES

Was the prose easy to read? 

Were the sentences too short or too long? 

Were there too many adverbs or other writing quirks that stuck out? 

How well is the prose written?

Is there too much description, too much dialogue? Not enough? 

Does the text feel repetitive in places or are there descriptions missing? 

DIALOGUE

Is the dialogue believable and easy to follow? 

Can you tell who is speaking? 

Are there too many distracting dialogue tags? 

Does the dialogue seem boring or does it move the plot along? 

CHARACTERS 

Are the characters believable and interesting? 

Do you know what their motivations are? 

Were they described enough to picture them, or too much?

POV AND TENSE

Do you know what the POV (point of view) is? 

Does the story stay in the right POV or does it switch and become confusing? 

Does the written tense stay consistent? 

Does it change or come across as confusing? 

SETTING AND WORLDBUILDING

What did you think of the setting? 

Was there enough detail to set the scene, or too much detail that overpowered the story? 

Could you tell where the story was set easily? 

Does the setting/world building come across realistically? 

PLOT

Can you follow the plot of the story? 

Does the plot seem too obvious or vague? 

Does the story end satisfactorily or do you feel cheated/bored? 

Are there any plot holes? 

 How is the story paced? 

Does it move slow, drag on and bore you? Or does it move too fast and feel rushed? 

Can you tell the theme of the story? 

Does the plot and characters evoke any particular emotions? 

Personally, I wouldn’t send everything on the above list to a beta-reader, you don’t want to overwhelm them after all, but you could pick and choose a couple!

.-.-.  

Be Good to Your Betas  Whether they’re beta-ing a three page short or a 400 page novel, beta-reading is a huge commitment, and can be a tough, and sometimes thankless, job. Giving them guides for betaing like above can really help! Here are some more top tips to help out your lovely betas: 

Give them an as polished a draft as you can! This will help both you and your beta-reader get the most out of the experience.

Give them plenty of time! My betas had three months to read my 104k novel. More time for more words and more detailed betaing. 

Be flexible! Life happens and things do go wrong. 

It’s fine to disagree with what a beta-reader has to say - they are only one opinion after all - but asking for clarification or more details will serve you better than getting annoyed!

.-.-.  

What If I Don’t Like my Beta Feedback?  It’s definitely disappointing when you get some feedback that you don’t like. Especially if it’s a piece you’ve put a lot of heart and soul into. If you think there’s some problems with your beta feedback, consider the following points: 

Get a second pair of eyes (or third... or fourth!) It’s always better to have multiple eyes on a piece of work - even just to make sure nothing gets missed - but especially if there’s discrepancies between feedback. If four out of five beta-readers pick up on an issue, odds are it’s something you may have to address, even if not in the particular way the beta-readers suggest. 

Is the feedback fit for purpose? Does the beta-reader have an innate bias or dislike for a certain aspect of your work? So, if you’re told that your dialogue between two girlfriends is “cringe” and you discover your beta-reader dislikes romance, that feedback may not be fit for purpose. This is another reason why you should lay out your expectations and explain what your piece will explore before taking on a beta reader. A good beta-reader should be able to tell you how/why something works despite their own personal preferences. 

Are you asking readers... or writers?  A lot of people think readers make the best betas. Others argue writers. Personally, I think there’s value in asking a mix of both. Reader feedback may be able to indicate where things don’t “feel right” but may not be able to articulate exactly why. But reader feedback can also be invaluable because they’re the target audience! Whereas writers can usually articulate the problems “under the hood” of the piece, as it were, and help you with more targeted support. Fellow writers are also fabulous for earlier drafts. 

Trust your instincts!  At the end of the day, beta-feedback is just feedback! And your story is your story. You’re the one who knows it inside out, you’re the one who knows what you want to get out of it, and ultimately you’re the one who decides what goes into the piece. You don’t have to take every piece of advice as gospel. 

[annlillyjose]

TWINEPATHY

[Image Description: The words TWINEPATHY and Ann Lilly Jose written in a serif font on a background of rippled water// End ID]

Hey y'all. Yep, you read that right. We are re-introducing my short story Twinepathy, aka the piece of work that led to a major change in my writing process and style. Rambles towards the end of the post. Enjoy the specifics now.

TWs: Death, suicide, drowning

Logline: Protagonist is being interrogated on her twin sister's death, and she's reminded of all the dreams she's had of her death.

Word Count: 1665

Characters

Norah

Protagonist

16-17

Has freaky dreams

Hates her parents

Too scared to lose her sister, but ends up losing her

Insecure™

Renee

Norah's twin sister

16-17

Loves art

Wants to love her parents

Obsessed with ladybugs and moths

Dead (oops)

Parents

Has issues but that isn't explored in the book

Just know that they're immature af

Police Officer

Basically just doing his job

Is too nice to be true

Wants to help Norah but doesn't know how

Process

I started drafting this story a few months back when it started off as a totally different story. The characters had the same names, but they weren't twins. Norah was the younger sister then. The dreams weren't an element of the story as well. This version of the story took me about an hour and a half to draft, and went through some minor changes after it. For several months, I believed that the story is complete and that I'll not go back to change anything. Why, then, am I making this update?

This version of the story has helped me find myself as a writer and feel more confident in who I am, my prose, and my skills, and for that reason, this will definitely hold a special place in my heart. I wanted to make a post specifically for it because... um... well... I love it, okay? That's it.

We'll now move on to some excerpts.

Excerpts:

The last time I dreamt of my sister, I killed her.

This is my opening sentence. Quite proud, to be honest. Death in the first sentence is my new favourite thing oops.

Renee and I are in the midst of a forest, a full moon shining translucently through the dark clouds. My teeth chatter in the cold, breath catching mist, turning exhaled air into short-lived frost. We're roasting marshmallows over a little fire, the crackle of twigs burning blended with the music playing from my phone, her dancing to it, swaying from side to side. Observing that she's too close to the fire, I get up, asking her to move away, but she doesn't.

She's dancing to the music as flames turn her into ashes.

This is one of the dreams and is the best one I guess. I sorta really like the imagery in sentence two.

I walk out of the building and take the longest way to the plantation. Reaching a hand into my hoodie pocket, I crumble with teary eyes the painting I'd torn from the back of Renee's History notebook - the one of her submerged in water.

This is how the story ends. I really sorta like this little paragraph, too.

That's all for excerpts. At this point, what I think is that the story requires a rewrite because there's a lot of scope within the draft and I don't want to leave it to waste. The current word count is very low and I'm pretty sure I can take it to about 2.5k to 3k. There are so many aspects of the story that I can expand on, so let's hope it goes well. I'm not sure when I'll get to the edits, because editing this story is a bit of an emotional process. I've seen this as my best project for such a long time and now it feels weird to know that it requires changes. But it'll be for the best, and the process will hopefully be for the best too. (Expect an update post sometime soon haha)

That's all for now, friend.

Love, Ann.

General Taglist (ask to be added or removed)

@maxgraybooks @shaonharryandpannisim @heartfullkings @bookdragonfanish @vnsmiles @dallonswords @wannabeauthorzofija @sienna-writes @violetpeso @flip-phones @avakrahn @ambidextrousarcher @showgirlcurio @jenetmoses @17nim

[cicaklah]

Fic writer meme

Nicked from @alienfuckeronmain

1) How many works do you have on AO3? 83 as of touched by the feasting tendrils of the night, my first mainline oxventure fic (which no one but me cares about)

2) What's your total AO3 word count?

372k (as of 10th August 2021)

3) How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

27 though there's a couple of multitags in there. 22 without.

4) What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

look what you made me do - So I'm good at writing fast and being new to fandoms. This paid off for me. I wrote this very quickly and it includes a lot of taylor swift references, including some very oblique ones that I'm pretty proud of. Also its got a great sex scene and some good OCs and the phrase goatus interruptus.

feel you from the inside - my first viral fic! AKA when do you guys do rec? Turns out Stormtroopers have orgies like workouts and superstitions about wanking and Poor Poe Dameron. Never saw it coming. Jas Queen - the sequel to lwymmd. There's so much in this story that I really love, I think the sex scene is one of my best, its symbolic, its funny, it has songs and puppetry and crossdressing! Catch me when I'm falling for you. - again, early to the fandom, reaps the reward. The perfect girlfriend is better, but this was me on a post-ghostbusters high writing science girlfriends

vestis virum facit - this is a reverse striptease/clothing porn/cockblocking geralt for fun and kudoes fic.

5) Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Probably 99% of them. Only really don't answer ones that are "thanks for sharing" on very old stories.

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

Lolololol consent to be wrecked. I genuinely thought I'd write a sequel after the last Jedi came out so I purposely didn't give them a happy ending. Absolute lols. I also thought I'd be a bnf off the back of it. the amount of humble pie I ate in the aftermath of that story would give me diabetes if it was real. I needed it though, the experience.

However, if there is love at the end of everything is a twilight zone style story, it has the most "bad ending" of all my fics.

7) What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

The schmoopiest ending is definitely the rose of terok nor, I kind of almost hate it but it is the point that they have a romance novel ending. Honourable mention to go let the stars watch let them stare...the happy ending is a single line but fuck did I work so hard for it.

8) Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you've written?

I've written and published two crossovers but I don't think either are crazy really. I wrote never noticed the rain, an X men/Hannibal fusion, and a dS/bsg fusion/crossover called the poets let a generation down that I think everyone in latter-day dS fandom has to write. I wrote a lot of weird ones in my nsfw Fridays days, and I wrote two raffles/star wars crossovers interesting basically just me and one other person. Oh and I have an outline for a Hitman/Bloodborne fic I will never write even though I really, really want to.

9) Have you ever received hate on a fic?

I was the target of dsanon like everyone in latter day ds fandom, and once a peer in swtfa fandom said that one of my stories was rapey (it was not ctbw) and I'm STILL furious about it. Also back in my ff.net trigun days someone said I was "waisting my talent" and I was sad for ages.

10) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

lolololol. I used to exclusively write slash smut, then I moved to femslash smut, now I write 75% het smut. honestly I wonder what happened to me.

11) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

12) Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! Mostly femslash stories into Chinese, Russian and Thai.

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

No. I don't even have a beta. I've discussed it a couple of times but honestly it feels too much like work.

14) What's your all time favourite ship?

Raffles and Bunny, probably. Obviously 47 and Diana are my current otp, (we will always have Mendoza and the launch trailer even if we don't have the lust dlc) and I have other fandoms and I'll always love most of the pairings I've written (sit down johnlock). That said, I think only Raffles and Bunny still give me the fluttery feeling in my chest with how hard I ship them, 12 years since I first read the first pages of the ides of march and lost my mind.

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

Pioneer au. The last Jedi killed off everything good about star wars, but this was going to be SO iddy and SO brilliant and I'm still SO keen to write it. I might file the serial numbers off it and make it an original story...but its such a star wars story, its such a classic fic, I think it'd just feel like a fic with the names changed. plus, the twist won't work...god fucking damn it Kyle Ron. I'll never get over the loss of that fandom.

16) What are your writing strengths?

Character studies, smut, character studies through smut. Cadence and rhythm of prose. Dumb sex farces.

17) What are your writing weaknesses? Dialogue, pacing, plot, OCs. They're improving though.

18) What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?   I think there's only one fic where there's another language that's a plot point, which is in blow a kiss fire a gun, which no one has ever told me was wrong, unlike every single time I try and use Latin for fic titles. I once got Latin so wrong I got so immediately called out for it I ended up using the translation in the gibberish of chapter three of consent to be wrecked.

19) What was the first fandom you wrote for?  Trigun. Well, technically the X files, but I never posted it. Trigun was my first fandom, I was 13, I wrote smut. It is still floating around on the internet and I'm not linking it. You're welcome.

20) What's your favourite fic you've written?

I have a list on my ao3 profile of my faves but it needs updating, but number one probably has to be even steak don't cry. Second place is the rose of terok nor...2019 was a good year for my fic writing. Shout out also to the currently unpublished final part of watch me (its coming!) which I have reread and redrafted so many times and love so much.

I'd love to read other people's, so if you want to, give it a gooooo.

[vhs-ghost]

whatever class(es) i end up picking for this semester will be 80% influenced by the Six Idiots, and i think thats beautiful. The other 20% is influenced by starkid, tin can brothers, and shipwrecked comedy.

my options:

British Literature - influenced by Horrible Histories of course, and Ghosts, due to my love of Thomas Thorne (tho the time period is pushing it). "Survey British literature from the Anglo-Saxon period through the 18th century. Read selections from British writers of poetry, drama, and prose of the Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, Renaissance, Restoration and Neoclassical periods.“

World Literature - Horrible Histories of course lol. Seems difficult tho. “Explore great works of literature from the earliest written records through the 17th century. Read selections from ancient Mesopotamian, Biblical, Islamic, Asian, classical Greek and Roman and medieval and renaissance European literature.“

Early Mod/Modern Western Civ - Horrible Histories, and partially Ghosts. “Explore societal changes and continuities in structure, thought, government, economics and culture through readings, critical thinking and writing from the Renaissance to the present.”

US History since Civil War - Horrible Histories, but since that didnt focus too hard on American history (it was there, just not as prominent as like, England’s history of course), it may be a bit of a stretch. It’s an option, but I think after watching HH, id rather learn about world history or England’s history at the current moment. I wanna know more about US history tho. “Explore American politics, cultures, economics and the interaction of class, race and gender through reading, critical thinking and writing, from the Civil War to the present.“

Video 1 - kind of all of them, but mostly Six Idiots things, Shipwrecked Comedy, and a bit of Tin Can Bros with Wayward Guide. Havent taken a class like this in years, and this is what i want to do i think? As a career? Especially editing, and i have so many ideas for things, but I want to learn about it all. “Study film and video production theory and techniques. Learn to create storyboards, to use video equipment, to organize shoots, and to put together a video crew. Create, mix and edit images, sounds and video into presentations for various genres”

The American Novel - Poe Party. I was lucky to read Poe last semester, but im not 100% sure this class would feature any of the writers. “Study representative novels of the United States from the 19th century to the present.“

Modern & Contemporary Drama - Starkid & Tin Can Bros. Not sure its what i want tho. I think i picked this one last semester but dropped it bc i didnt vibe with it. “Study significant individual works from modern and contemporary playwrights writing in English. Discuss thematic, stylistic, and conventional/generic concerns as well as social, literary and historical contexts of the plays.“

Introduction to Theater - Starkid & Tin Can Bros. “Explore various forms of modern theater in Western culture from expansive Broadway-style productions to low-budget, high-demand local community theater.“

Script Analysis - All, but mostly Starkid & Tin Can Bros. Looks very interesting. “Gain an introduction to the skills and techniques required to read and analyze a play text. Focus on the critical information that the text provides to inform the work of directors, designers, performers, and technicians.“

[aliatori]

L, T, U for the writer asks?

Oh hey, Hope. <3 Thanks for these asks—they were thought provoking and fun to answer.

L: What advice would you give to other writers?

Oh man. This is one I could write an essay on. I will do my best to stick to the few points I wish I had internalized earlier in my creative journey.

1) Comparison is the thief of joy.

Fandom in particular can be brutal for this, but I have seen it happen in ugly, messy ways in original writing communities as well. The more you focus on what you think someone else’s writing has versus your own, the less time you’re spending on nourishing your own creative joys. Comparison also assumes juxtaposing any two works is an apples to apples situation, when in reality it’s usually apples to oranges (or chandeliers, or old dusty skeletons, or whatever).

2) Be willing to experiment with both prose and process.

So much of writing advice is filled with prescriptive black and white maxims when the reality as I’ve observed it is a lot more flexible. For every person who froths at the mouth about unnecessary adverbs or avoiding the phrase ‘X let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding’, there will be readers who are delighted by the inclusions. The same goes for process stuff. There’s no magic number of words/days/hours/places you need to write—only that you put some amount of words down on a page in a way that works for YOU.

3) Find your people.

Writing becomes far less difficult and lonely when you are surrounded by a community that supports you in meaningful, positive ways. Having inspiring, skilled creators in my orbit who have also become dear friends has made me strive to improve my craft, to push myself past my comfort zone, and to keep going when I otherwise would have given up.

T: What’s your favourite part of the writing process? Why?

In official terms, honestly, prewriting is my favourite part. This is usually where character creation happens for me and is a favourite without a doubt. Aside from sometimes a loose concept or idea, characters are the first elements of a story that come to me and the central focus of my writing process.

After a few years of reading 150+ books a year, I’ve come to find strong characters are one of the elements that make a story stand out to me years down the line (followed by unique worldbuilding or memorable style/prose), so I made the conscious decision to direct my focus towards robust, three dimensional characters to align my interest with a useful craft decision. My other big love, worldbuilding, usually happens in prewriting, though much like characters will tell me fun new things during the drafting process, worldbuilding gets expanded on too.

The bulk of my daydreaming, Pinterest board making, playlist curating, and worldbuilding is 1) absolutely is a tandem favourite part of my process and 2) I have started to think of as post-pre writing. 😂 In trying to adhere to the old adage of writing for yourself first and foremost, I find this sort of in between mental work keeps me engaged and internally motivated between drafting sessions.

And like… hear me out, but I love drafting (with one exception I’ll note in my other answer). The satisfaction of building a story brick by brick, scene by scene, is so satisfying to me. And I have gotten better over the years at not self editing too hard as I go, so feeling myself and my oats on a first draft brings me a lot of joy. The more id, the merrier. Also, as a recovering pantser, discovery writing certain parts during drafting—like characters surprising me or teasing out an interesting answer to a plot hole—lights my fire.

U: What’s your least favourite part of the writing process? Why?

*grabs an imaginary mic and pulls it too close to their mouth* Editing.

Full disclosure, I am biased because editing has given me so much trouble the past several months. I can admit it’s a weakness. BUT! It actually makes sense in a way. In my last fandom experience where my writing got kick started after long dormancy, I didn’t spend a lot of time doing more than perfunctory revisions since, hey, people get this for free and can take it or leave it. So like any unused muscle, I am feeling the growing pains as I attempt to keep expanding and making significant structural changes to a previously ‘finished’ story.

The addendum to my drafting note above: I also hhhhhhaaaaaatttteeeee middles of any novella+ length story. Act 2 is my forever nemesis. It’s where I’m most prone to lose my grip on pacing, likely to write weaker scenes, and feel impatient until I get to the brain buzzing material when the rising action kicks up.

And, though I don’t delete anything outright, I hate when I have to make the hard decision to give up on a story that isn’t working/ready. Feels bad, even though I recognize it’s still valid practice.

[letteredlettered]

i love the way you write more than i do any other writer, of fic or otherwise. do you have any particular writing inspo that’s shaped the way you write? like any books, shows, etc? thanks!

Thank you so much! This is such an amazing thing to say. I’m so glad you feel this way and thought to tell me so.

I wrote about my influences, but it got long, so here is a cut:

Here are some early influences:

-Christy, by Catherine Marshall. This was the first book I ever wrote fanfic for. I was in 4th grade. I was upset with the ending. I wanted so desperately for the book to continue that I studied the writing a lot so that what I wrote would feel like the book. I don’t actually know that it’s particularly well written, but I learned SPAG, show-don’t-tell, and dialogue tags from it.

-Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley. We’ve learned some bad stuff about MZB over the years, but when I was in 7th grade, I was obsessed with this book. I thought a lot about how she constructed her characters by putting the plot together and I studied the writing style. I can’t say that this book is particularly well written either, but I learned about POV and character voices from it.

-Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. I was absolutely obsessed with this book for years. I cannot even calculate the way in which this book influence both me as a person and my writing. As far as writing, I was particularly influenced by the themes and the syntax.

-Robin McKinley. I used to love this author devoutly. I didn’t “study” her books as much as the other ones, but I always wanted to sound like her. I think I was very influenced by her subject matter and tone.

When I got older, I started to look back on books I’d read and use them as ways to create certain voices. Here are a few I turn to:

-Jane Austen. I would go to her for syntax, word choice, simplicity and clarity of phrasing, and humor. I think unconsciously, she influenced a lot of what I do in terms of the reader and the author sharing things that the main character doesn’t exactly see themselves.

-Toni Morrison. I learned a lot about lyricism from her, but one of my favorite techniques of hers is switching between highly literary and super colloquial language, sometimes in the same sentence. Morrison also consistently reminds me that there is not a General Audience. Instead, there is you. Just you, reading these words, wherever you are, and I’m writing for you, and not for anyone else. I think about that all the time.

-Borges. I think about him a lot when I need very striking word choice. He’s a lot like Jane Austen in that he can describe something quite precisely in a way that feels quite light and amusing, but unlike Jane Austen it feels staggeringly literary and elevated. I think about that a lot--how to be pretentious but still be comprehended.

-Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey. Whenever I get too pretentious and stop writing things I like, I read this book. It is not well written. It is the tween fantasy of so many of us who loved horses and wanted to be magic. I use it to remind myself that you don’t have to sound smart or write what other people want. If your id wants it, you’re still okay if you give it exactly what it wants.

In later years, I started to watch more TV. You can’t get things like style and voice for prose from TV, but they can be great for dialogue and very instructional on how to put plots together. Here are some shows I think about all the time:

-Avatar the Last Airbender: This show has a lot of archetypal characters that manage to not feel cliche even though they’re archetypal. It also has fairly tight plots, many of which are episodic but fit extremely neatly into larger arcs. This is hard to do and can be great for taking apart the pieces and looking at how they work.

-Buffy the Vampire Slayer: I mentioned this in another post, but I took notes on this show to see how jokes were constructed. It’s also quite useful for sharp, fast-paced dialogue.

Gilmore Girls: I’ve only ever used this exclusively for sharp, fast-paced dialogue.

Lastly, I could not conclude this post without mentioning that I’ve been very influenced by fanfic over the years and things I’ve read online. Some of these have been more influential to me than anything else:

mistful. This writer no longer has fic online, but this is where I learn how a tight 3rd POV can reveal things to the reader that the viewpoint character does not see. The lightness of her writing also helped me to finally say goodbye to my overly chunky prose, which did no service to the character-driven stories I tend to prefer. I also learned to write attraction from her.

kita. I started reading kita’s fic when I was in a post-modernist literature class. While I was reading kita, I was reading Gravity’s Rainbow. Kita’s writing is the opposite of mine, usually dense and heavy without much dialogue. She did a lot of experimental stuff, some of which worked for me and some of which did it, but it gave me the bravery to try a lot of things I otherwise never would have done.

lynnenne. Lynnenne has a deft, clean style that you don’t notice at first but can really pack a punch when it needs to. She has a great sense of rhythm. The biggest influence she had on me is she beta’ed a fic once and just started chopping out sentences. It was strange to have things I thought were good deleted, and see that through the deletion, the rest became more powerful. I became a huge fan of hardcore editing after that.

Luckily I have @icmezzo, who deserves mention as a fantastic beta who literally made me kill darlings. Literally. She made me cut the word darling.

refur. Refur’s SPN fic is still one of the most shockingly good things I’ve ever read. I think of them as someone who taught me some things about parentheses.

Captive Prince. This is not a fanfic! This is an original novel, by C.S. Pacat, but I first began reading online. Their sharp, clean style is something I really admire. The most important thing I learned from them was the value of the word “said.”

I’ve read and seen a lot of other things that have influenced me over the years, but these are the things that always come to mind when I think about what shaped my writing.