#kushielsmercy

[crushcandles]

Yes, you should write a cowboy romance

I think you're right!

[lambden]

Tell me about 7 and 41!

!!! thank you for asking, i would love to! sorry this is three days late i have been Very sick

7.  Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of?

worldbuilding in general is something i don't spend a lot of time on for fanfiction, as the worlds are already established! but i liked getting to establish settings in these AUs: (links redirect to AO3!)

Cahir is an android aboard an abandoned Nilfgaardian spaceship / Eskel is a space pirate raiding the ship

Tissaia is a sorceress who visits the pirate queen Calanthe's ship in an attempt to charter her vessel (and also, sleep with her)

Jaskier is the accidental (unreciprocated) soulmate of 'Sam the Baker'

Letho gets injured on a spy mission and has to go to his retired rival Gaetan's secret safehouse to recover

For worldbuilding in fic I think the important aspects are setting up the expectations for the universe. as a fun treat you get to populate that universe with the characters that you and the reader already hold so dear, almost like adding easter eggs except it's. canonical characters displaced from time/space. but maybe this is just how my brain works??? lmk

41. Link a fic that made you think, “Wow, I want to write like that.”

OH SO MANY. i'm going to randomly trawl through my trove of witcher ao3 bookmarks for only a few. YMMV because these are, of course, affected by my own emotional attachment to the characters, but specifically i really enjoy how these people wrote witcher fanfiction:

the first and most obvious answer for this is Ouroboros by @octinary, aka one of my favourite fics in this whole fandom! fuck I love the writing I love the CYCLES of trauma I love the depth. god I have to go reread it all over again

for fans of Coen (yes I'm still on my bullshit and always will be) But There Is This by @brighteyedjill gave me some serious writer's envy. it's hard to balance plot with emotion and I think this fic does it masterfully

if I could write sex even one tenth as well as @grassylampshade writes it in Effortless, i would make a living off of it. because that fic really does... make it seem... effortless... ba dum TSS.

probably the best piece of writing to ever be tagged with # Sabrina Glevissig's Canonically Huge Boobs; I wish that in dark and twisted braids by @limerental had ten thousand times the comments it does now because it is So good

i could keep going. i better not. oh my god there are so many good writers in this fandom what are you all doing writing fanfiction (please keep writing fanfiction)

WAIT wait wait one last mention: @ghostinthelibrarywrites 's Cryptid Fucking For Fun And Profit because i have literally sent the premise and multiple excerpts to a friend of mine and threatened to badly plagiarize the entire thing because not only is it a VERY good witcher fic, it fits another fandom nearly to a T and. idk have you ever read an AU that you didn't think would scratch your itch and then it's the only thing you care about in the entire world? jenn you did that to me

I have several answers to both these questions that aren't from the witcher fandom, which i suspect is going to be a common thread with these asks lmao. but i want to keep it witcher-centric because that's what this blog is about. and also because this answer is already way way way way way too long. but once again thanks so much for the ask!! <3

original 'questions for fic writers' post here!

[starred-fics]

Author: kushielsmercy

Fandom: The Old Guard

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolo di Genova

Summary: They are blessed in love: Nicoló knows this. It's just—Nicoló could go home now, pack a bag and set out in search of adventure, leaving Yusuf to entertain a new romance for a decade or two. Yusuf could spend years making love to someone else on the blankets he’s piled on their shared bed, he could write sonnets about some brown-eyed love. He could taste pomegranates from another man's lips and dream up curly-haired, dark-skinned babes. He could speak nothing but his native tongue for years and share morning prayers with someone of the same faith. And yet, time would pass, and Nicoló would return, and Yusuf would rage and curse his name, and then he’d take Nicoló back anyway. What else was he to do? Yusuf loved love, and the universe was cruel enough to give him only one imperishable choice.

Words: 3,639

[honeyvanity]

things of all time*

*fics of 2023

i couldn't find last year's font :(

again, template and idea from @witchyficbindery - i swear i was so, so, SO excited for this, and, again, it's so good to have a look back! i read a truly incredible amount of wonderful stories this year and you all made me cry and laugh and stay alive, and i couldn't be more grateful. choosing was truly hard. (this year's finalists: self-exploration through the kink!) happy new year, and thank you. READ THESE EVERYONE!!!!

Death Kindly Stopped by @kushielsmercy (The Witcher, Geralt/Jaskier)

there you are by @wingedquill (The Witcher, Geralt/Jaskier)

bet on losing dogs by f0urshame (OFMD, Ed/Izzy)

All I Have, I Give to You by @round--robin (The Witcher, Eskel/Geralt/Lambert)

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by @sssrha (HP, Dumbledore/Grindelwald)

lessons in wayfinding by @penandinkprincess (TLOU, Ellie & Joel)

of wounded minds and wounded souls (we are coming home) by @cardigains (TLOU, Ellie & Joel)

Try to Remember by hobbitdragon (The Witcher, Borch/Geralt)

And This, Your Living Kiss by @asecretvice (Supernatural, Dean/Castiel)

Definition of Insanity by @xbydefault (LazyTown, Robbie Rotten/Sportacus)

Twisted Ivy by @autistichalsin (Baldur's Gate 3, Astarion/Halsin)

Telling the Bees by @cibeewastaken (HP, Draco/Harry)

[disregardandfelicity]

got tagged in the 10 songs/10 people game by @jennaflare! thank you for letting me do this one

i picked from my Spotify On Repeat playlist on shuffle

Oh babe it ain't no lie - Elizabeth Cotten

Iko Iko - the Dixie Cups

I'm Not Okay But I Know I'm Going to Be - Raleigh Ritchie

Time is On My Side - Irma Thomas

Lost Track - Haim

Dedicated to the One I Love - the Mamas & the Papas

Ca pourrait changer - Brigitte Bardot

Do I Ever Cross Your Mind - Chet Atkins and Dolly Parton

De Temps en Temps - Joséphine Baker

Città vuota - Mina

if you wanna: @little-ruru @mekana47 @beepbeepsan @boutiquetraveltravelboutique @sellkii @bewires @mieraspeller @torch-the-throne @good-nightsocialite @kushielsmercy

[zairaalbereo]

I was tagged by my dear, dear bearded brother in arms @good-nightsocialite for the 10 songs, 10 people game. Thank you for the tag! 💕

And since I’m old and have felt a little nostalgic music wise lately, I’ll give you ten songs that make my heart rise with that feeling because they mean something. (Don’t you love that music can do that?)

Maria — Blondie

Torn — Natalie Imbruglia

Summer of ‘69 — Bryan Adams

The Story — Brandi Carlile

Run — Snow Patrol

No Basta — Franco de Vita

Hollywood Hills — Sunrise Avenue

Snow on the Sahara — Anggun

The Rising — Bruce Springsteen

Ein Hoch auf Uns— Andreas Bourani

And if they want to do it, I’m tagging @begaydocrime-nickyjoe @albymangroves @kushielsmercy @pinkninjapj @morganasand @spacewitchqueen @emjudo @laviejaguardia @bazinmousqueton @oldjane — no pressure!

[maddielle]

WIP Wednesday/Thursday 😎❤️

Tagged by @aphroditestummyrolls and @non-un-topo

As soon as Joe sits up, arms free while Nile works on his legs, Nicky is there with a hip propped on the table and putting both palms to his beloved's ears firmly. Joe immediately clasps Nicky's hands with his, holds him there, and Nicky aches with both the relief at finally being able to touch him and concern at the physical tension visible in Joe's face and upper body.

"We have to go," Andy says from a few feet away.

"Only a moment, Andromache, I beg of you," Nicky rasps. Joe has his eyes closed now and is breathing slowly, controlled and deep. He shivers periodically. When Nicky's thumbs stroke his cheeks, he blinks and gazes back.

"Okay," he whispers. He clears his throat. Louder, "Okay. Let's go."

I feel like everyone already been tagged… hm, calling @kushielsmercy @captainshakespear @takiki16

[sellkii]

Rules: Share in a new post the last line you wrote and tag as many people as there are words

"It seemed like any other way the dinner ended would threaten the already delicate power balance they’ve just managed to salvage"

for a JoeNicky fic obviously. I was tagged by @disregardandfelicity and there are way too many words for me to try to tag that many people sooooooooo I'll just tag a few gooduns @beepbeepsan @boutiquetraveltravelboutique and @kushielsmercy who have already been tagged by Felicity but I'm only active in one discord so we know the same magnificent writers :)

[nicolos]

Tagged by @polarcell thank you thank you!!

Rules: Share in a new post the last line you wrote and tag as many people as there are words.

Jawhar gave him an flat look, a flare of amused irritation sparking in their Bond. Yusuf leaned into it, propping his hand up on his chin and widening his eyes. “Smugness does not suit you, Yusuf, and it never has.” Yusuf shrugged, the very image of innocence. “Everything suits me,” he said, and dodged out of the way when Jawhar reached physically out to smack him on the back of the head.

I am not tagging 22/25 people I am so sorry but my sentences are always just SO LONG.

I tag @kushielsmercy @aphroditestummyrolls @raedear @knoepfchen @aphroditestummyrolls and anybody else who wants to do this !

[crushcandles]

2022 AO3 word count: 39,469

I didn't set any word count goals for 2022, which was the right choice this year. Sometimes it feels good to stretch in that way but it was good to focus on other things this turn around the sun.

2022 goals in review:

do something with this Witcher A/B/O - ✅ – 5k and counting, baby

do something with this old stucky fic - ❌ – if it's been waiting since 2014 it can wait a little longer, I guess

ask for, and fill, 10 fic snippet requests - ✅ – 13 done and posted

write something totally weird and gross-hot - semi-✅  – I didn't do anything totally weird, whatever that means, but wrote some dub-con, some DP, some fuck or die, some jewelry kink

write more femslash - semi- ❌ – I have written some ronance but nothing in sharing-shape

look for opportunities to beta - ❌ – I didn't actively pursue this at all, for shame

be a brave little toaster and do at least one fannish event -  ❌ – I expected an event to fall into my lap, despite knowing that's not at all how fandom works in 2022

just start picking things and reading them - semi-✅ – I am very slowly getting my reading and commenting muscles back in shape

Writing more, shorter things was a great success this year. I loved getting to touch so many interesting ideas and write for people. I had a lot (too much) time by myself this year for different reasons than 2020-2021 and was a different kind of lonely. Writing snippets and ficlets for people turned into a really wonderful way to connect with people and make something of the too much time on my hands.

Speaking of connect with people, I had the best time with so many people this year. We shared pictures and posts, watched things together, laughed, sighed, shared opinions and theories, gay gasped, and encouraged each other and it was everything to me. So much love and thanks to @zambonirider, @candybarrnerd, @yolki-palki, @samstree, @likecastle, @greyduckgreygoose, @storm-and-starlight, @ex0rin, @kushielsmercy, @major-trouble, anyone else I was lucky enough to interact with this year, and my incredible anons.

2023 goals:

Finish this witcher A/B/O before S3 hits – Love a mystery premiere date for me. There's no way this will go wrong AT ALL.

Finish one of two ronance ideas – if I can half-see both of them then I'm sure I can finish one of them

Beta for someone – if you want one, hit me up! I'm rusty but I've got the skills in storage

Write some horror

Make 5 bookmarks on AO3 – really low-ball but I need to change my AO3 ways to remember what I've read

[andordean]

I was tagged by @poeti-kat and @jawanaka

Thanks! 💜

Rules: We would like to ask you to recommend us 3 of YOUR fics: 1 that is "most popular" and 2 that are "hidden gems”!

My most popular by both kudos and hits is "Blood Ties" (mature, 83,353 words) my ever so slightly ambitious attempt to fix TW3 plot holes and discrepancies from the books, address Ciri & Emhyr relationship, and come up with a way in which Ciri could reclaim independent Cintra that would be politically feasible. (One of my most treasured comments compared the political plot of my baby to Misethere, and, well. I'm still speechless.)

I honestly find it bewildering that it is my most popular work. It's a fic that has such a fleet of Weird Ships (TM) that go against any shared fandom hcs (except for Ciri/Cerys) that I'm beyond grateful people still give it a chance. I did put everything I had in it and it's my most beloved piece to this day, so if you ever expressed your appreciation for it, know that I'll love you forever.

For hidden gems, I don't want to go through my stats page to figure out the hits, but by kudos, and by how much I love the story, I'd go with "Business Matter" (explicit, 12,916 words), the smutty sequel to "Ties", that lays the foundation for Ciri and Tankred's relationship. Writing Tankred has been a joy and making people love him is such a delight. (And the fact this fic happened to inspire Jawanaka still makes me cackle like a maniac.)

For the second one, going by the kudos, that'll be the other Ties sequel, but for variety, I'm gonna go with "Inside the Walls" (gen, 616 words), a short scene between Emhyr and baby Ciri that I still unabashedly love. Writing both Duny and the little brat was so much fun.

Tagging @namesonboats, @arse-blathanna, @kushielsmercy @xpityx if you fancy sharing your works? 💜

[quia-nominor--leo]

Tag 9 people you want to get to know better

Tagged by @the-butch-of-blaviken (thank you!!❤️)

Three ships: for Witcher I genuinely enjoy most ships but I’m partial to any Lambert/anyone who gives him a modicum of happiness, and Roche/Iorveth/Geralt. Outside of Witcher it would be Booker/Nicky/Joe if written well (I know I know), Grimmer/Tenma/Lunge, and Matt/Mello.

Last song: Wonderlust King by Gogol Bordello

Last movie: its been a while since I watched a movie! I think it was Glass Onion.

Currently reading: working on the Earthsea Cycle and I’m currently on The Farthest Shore.

Currently watching: two weeks ago I finished Naoki Urasawa‘s Monster and I am still not over it enough to start watching anything new and I don’t think I will be for a while. I have been watching The Simpsons reruns though which counts as self-care.

Currently consuming: copious amounts of tea because stress.

Currently craving: has to be a tie between the shawarma or biryani that @kushielsmercy‘s husband makes

Tagging: (I’m still feeling my way through interacting with more people on Tumblr so please consider that I am tagging anyone who sees this and may or may not have forgotten!) @kushielsmercy (who is now an irl bestie but I will forever tag her in everything because I love her and need to constantly annoy her), @on-a-lucky-tide, @jayofolympus, @justleaf, @anonymousblueberry

[kuwdora]

WIP Title Game

Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! Tag as many people as you have WIPs. 

Tagged by @seventfics - omgg, bwah, thank you for tagging me!

All of these titles are Witcher WIPs! Some are merely extensive summaries or outlines, but plenty of these have a fair amount of words. Starting things is easy. Finishing things is hard.

Yen’s nightmare/cuddles

Surface Tension

Istredd/History

Our Tears of Sorrow/Jaskier's season hiatus: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

A Constellation of Loss

A Beardless Bard

the real bros of crookback bog

You and I Becoming

fill me up buttercup

i can see through you

sexual chemistry

Sigismonda/Philippa

show, don’t tell

Rage Against the Eternal Fire

Old Husbands, No Plot Yet

Jaskier Spies on His Grandkids and It’s Not Sad

Jaskier Finds Himself a Hobby in Retirement

allergies

yeahh, so Ask away if any of these intrigue you!

uhhh do i have 19 people i can tag that haven't done this already?? aahhh. hmm @xianvar @acemoppet @shetiger @handwrittenhello @kushielsmercy aaaaand whoever else wants to play?? @akilah12902 d'you got fic titles to share?

[disregardandfelicity]

Rules: Share in a new post the last line you wrote and tag as many people as there are words

He tossed the ball back.

I was tagged so long ago that I think it's now reasonable to re-tag the two lovely ppl who at some point previously tagged me in this so: ✨@bewires ✨ 🌈@boutiquetraveltravelboutique 🌈 and then 3 more: @beepbeepsan @sellkii @kushielsmercy if u guys want to/are writing

[zairaalbereo]

Last Line

I was tagged by the lovely @linaxart to share the last something I’ve been working on — thank you, darling, love that variation! ❤️

From last night. No idea where it’s going, if anywhere lol.

Tagging to share a little something if they’d like to @seanchaidh7 @albymangroves @begaydocrime-nickyjoe @falcon-fox-and-coyote @kushielsmercy @pinkninjapj

[maddielle]

last line tag game

pinged by @boutiquetraveltravelboutique :)

rules: share the last line of a WIP and tag as many people as there are words

Falling in love is an afterthought given everything they already share.

voila

paging @raedear @yusufsmoon @non-un-topo @kushielsmercy @aphroditestummyrolls xoxo