#same with much ado about nothing! the blondes simply break his heart

[camellcat]

I kept seeing people say to watch The Decoy Bride and I was not interested at first simply based on how it looked but oh my god you lot were right I fucking love this movie ohh it's so funny I'm. I'm. oh! you should watch it too if you've also seen people talk about it. I literally had no idea what it was about nobody ever said and I will not be the one to break that they just said DT finally gets a happy ending and he DOES!! I'm smiling so hard I love it

[takamakisu]

『♥🖤Akira X Ann: Why I Support It.🖤♥』

In honor of the upcoming ShuAnn week, I have decided to contribute by writing a long post about why I love these dorks so much. I haven't seen a meta for them yet, so I figured I'd try my hand at it. (Which will be updated and expanded as I find more content) Without further ado, let us begin! Tagging the wonderful @shuann-week for this one.

1. The first encounter.

In media, the first interaction that two characters have with one another, regardless of relationship; lays the groundwork for said relationship and therefore is absolutely vital. When Akira first meets Ann, he's casually texting away on his phone and not really paying attention to much, but when she walks by he looks up. Already his curiosity is piqued, as is the player's; and then when she removes her hood, even then we don't get to see her face. But we DO see Akira's reaction, and he seems absolutely dumbstruck.

This is when things get interesting. Ann takes a few moments and sort of surveys her surroundings, and then she senses Akira's eyes and turns to him. And he doesn't look away, or get flustered; Akira keeps looking at her with that flabbergasted expression. He doesn't even blink. He is so taken aback by her he can't even greet her, and Ann just smiles at him and looks away- but even then, he doesn't break his gaze, and he never does until she actually leaves: Ann leaves him absolutely spellbound. And the music that plays during this encounter is exclusive to this encounter and this encounter alone. It never plays before this scene, nor does it ever play again after. There are heavy romantic undertones in this encounter, from the body language to the background music, and only Ann receives this treatment. It screams "attraction at first sight", and now with the groundwork laid, the relationship can begin to blossom.

 This is very important. Even before we get to see Ann's face, we already know from Akira's viewpoint that she must be pretty, at least in his eyes. And when we finally do get to see her face, she is indeed beautiful.

2. Her closeness to him.

First off, she's with you from essentially the beginning of the game, so you get a lot of time to get to know her and become closer to her. Ann is the third member to join your party and the first female member and therefore the first available romance option as well! (That's pretty big.) She's also your classmate, so you get to see her literally every day and there's a sense of familiarity that is built on from the beginning. 

Ann was the first to see Akira for who he truly was, and she looked past the rumors of him and got to know him for herself. Because she understands being an outsider and being mistreated, there's a level of understanding Ann has with you that the other girls simply do not. That's not to say they're bad, but Ann just connects better with the protagonist on that level. Let it also be remembered that before she met Akira, and by association the rest of the Phantom Thieves; Ann didn't have any friends, besides Shiho. Due to being a foreigner (and a very pretty one, at that) and the rumors surrounding her with Kamoshida, no one talks to her. While having a two-parent household, they are rarely home; and so Ann's lonely as well as bullied. Akira saving her from Kamoshida and then giving his genuine friendship then allows her to open up and be vulnerable to other people and that's very healthy. 

Another interesting interaction is during the Kamoshida arc, Makoto will ask you in essence what's the relationship between you and Ann, if there's something between you. If you say "there's nothing", her reply is "Didn't seem that way yesterday" and if you tell her you're classmates she'll say "But do friends get that close?"

3. How she falls for him.

For these reasons, I support these two. Lemme know in the comments what won you over to this pairing and any other moments that get your heart warm and fuzzy! 

In addition, Ann gets an on-screen kiss with the protagonist; a luxury only two other Persona girls have received (from 3-5, Maki kisses Naoya in P1): Margaret and Marie from Persona 4. The fact that Ann gets an explicit kiss (and possibly an implicit one as well because in Rank 9 her reaction to Joker hugging her hints he MIGHT have kissed her too) screams that while she's not 'canon' (nobody is) it sure does seem Atlus is sneakily pushing her towards Joker. They even match costumes in the dancing games! Oh yes, and Ann doesn't go home on Valentine's Day + Sojiro literally just "ayyyy" when she walks in- XD

Her Confidant has the protagonist and Ann getting closer as friends and also helping Shiho recover and you get to be a part of a few of Ann's interpersonal relationships. Shiho, as stated before, was Ann's closest and only friend before she met the player; and so earning her trust and helping her heal is significant. Suzui also hints to the player Ann seems to be attracted to them, talking about how her best friend talks highly of you and then the blonde gets flustered.

Her confession shot me through the heart. With Ann you don't have to increase your Knowledge or your Guts; just Kindness. To her, it doesn't matter if you get the best grades in the class or how brave you are, she just wants a friend who'll be there for her when she needs them, and that's what Ann falls for in the protagonist: his genuineness and his willingness to stick by her side. She falls in love with you for who you are and it feels the most natural and realistic. Something that's also very interesting about Ann's rank 9 event in Japanese is instead of saying “I guess we’re more than friends now...” she actually says, “I just realized it,” referring to her feelings for him (when she said “I love you”) in the original dialogue. And this is so so important. This hints at a love that developed slowly over a friendship and Ann wasn't even really aware it was there at first, until the only friend she'd had moved away and she felt alone and abandoned again. Akira being her pillar in that moment was the paradigm shift from platonic feelings to romantic ones and that is absolutely beautiful. But she ALREADY loved him, did you catch it? She just realized and became aware of it in that situation. Ann's been in love with the protagonist for who knows how long before she even confesses. And at the end of her confidant she calls you her light.. that just speaks volumes to me. The protagonist basically saved her, and because of that she wants to become stronger and encourage other people as well. It's beautiful. 

5. Other characters reactions to them.

There's a specific scene where the protagonist is in the bathhouse with Ryuji and Yusuke, and Ryuji will ask you what you think of Ann. If you admit you think she's pretty, he gets extremely excited ("Ooh, you straight up said it!")

Another very interesting thing that's different in the original language is when Akira gets home from interrogation. In English, Ann just chirps "Hey there!" No big deal, right? But in Japanese, she says, “okaeri”, which means “welcome home”. This greeting is said amongst family or couples in Japan, hinting a deeper level of closeness than the translation. 

(It's also something of note that when Ann got locked out of her room in Hawaii she went to Akira's room first. )

Additionally, after the school festival; Ann will talk to you about how she thinks about your future together! And if you tell her in another instance that you'd like to get married, she gets extremely excited whereas some of the other romance options become all flustered and blushy; a cute and interesting contrast.

A Mementos conversation also has Ann absentmindedly talking about how coffee goes well with sweets, to which Ryuji immediately replies 'Joker always smells like coffee, doesn't he?'

Now, I may be looking too deeply into this, but this could possibly be Ryuji "hint hint-ing" he thinks Akira and Ann are a good pair for each other. Ryuji also flat out refuses to date Ann during a scene in the gym when she offers to let him take her out. I don't know about you, but if I had a crush on somebody and they offered to let me go out with them, I don't think I'd turn it down as quickly and explicitly as Ryuji did (He tells her 'hell no, quit acting like you're some sexy anime character'). Personally I think Ryuji supports Ann with Akira and so he tries to gently nudge her over like "Okay, this guy? He's a good fit for you." Sakamoto's a great friend for Ann but I personally believe he's better as just that: a friend. 

4.  Their personalities blend well.

Ann's bubbly personality contrasts wonderfully with the protagonist's more introverted, reserved side. They're sort of like Robin and Starfire, just to less extremes. Ann is very pleasant and tender and she's got a big heart and it shows; consistently. She's a great friend to Ryuji and Shiho and big sister to Futaba, while at the same time tolerating nonsense from absolutely no one, regardless of status. I now want to cast attention to Meyer-Brigg's personality types. These are headcanons, but after analyzing Akira and Ann's characters Joker seems to be an ISTJ, while Panther is an ENFP. These are abbreviations for Introversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging (ISTJ) and Extroversion, Intuition, Feeling, Percieving (ENFP) respectfully. Ann, at her core; is the heart of the Phantom Thieves honestly. She is very sensitive to others' emotions and feelings, and very emotionally intelligent. Being an extrovert, Ann also needs interaction and validation from other people: it energizes her and fufills her. And, in return she's a caregiver; Ann wants to support others and help them become stronger. She's a wonderful sister figure and just a comforter in general, and very amiable and chirpy. Contrast that with Akira, who makes decisions based on facts and logic rather than feelings and intuition (although in the Metaverse he seems to throw caution to the wind, quite frankly) and analyzes situations from a logical rather than emotional angle; (and there are exceptions to this like helping the woman Shido was assaulting and chasing Ann down to talk to her) and they seem on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. However, their differing personalities balance one another. While Akira keeps Ann grounded logically, she keeps him grounded emotionally and the bounce off is extremely healthy. 

In Yusuke's Confidant, saying Ann is the definition of beauty nets the most points. 

Atlus seems to like putting these two together as well, from giving them matching songs and outfits in the dancing games to putting them together in advertisements. It's pretty cute and though it's subtle, it's a nice little nod. 

[cssns]

Event Roundup Time!!!!

I am SOOOOOOO sorry y’all!!! I completely forgot to do an event roundup!!! Please forgive me!!! Fanmail from @killianjones4ever82 brought it to my attention and I’m so glad she did! We had an incredible summer and we need to have a post that can be easily accessed with all the fabulous fics and gorgeous artwork that dropped for the event! So without further ado, here we go!!!!

Under the cut, because this is gonna be a LOOOOOOONG post!!!

Here is a link to the entire collection of fics on ao3.

@welllpthisishappening opened us up this year with her first fic for the event, All the Subliminal Things. Rated T with four chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @resident-of-storybrooke.

Emma Swan does not believe in soulmates.

Or so she says. Because if her soulmate did, actually, exist, he should have shown up by now. So, she must be a fluke, a broken cog in a system that really doesn't make much sense anyway. It is, she figures, why she agrees to meet David's friend before Regina and Robin's wedding. This guy doesn't believe in soulmates either.

She's intrigued.

Until she hears him talk. And everything flips after that.

At the end of June, Laura posted All Was Golden In the Sky. Rated M and we have five chapters left. Artwork by @resident-of-storybrooke, extra artwork by @distant-rose and @optomisticgirl can be found on Laura’s chapter blog posts.

Magic is dying.

Emma knows it. She can feel it, the emptiness rattling around in her, like it’s trying to make sure she disappears as well. What she doesn’t know is what to do about it, because, suddenly, there is a man in Storybrooke claiming she’s the Savior and a seeress certain a prophecy promises the same and the last thing she expects is for her minimal amount of lingering power to pull her away.

To New York City.

And another oddly familiar man with blue eyes and a smile that sinks under her skin and makes magic bloom in the air around her. Things are about to get interesting.

@darkcolinodonorgasm posted One Day, a LadyHawke AU with artwork by @sherlockianwhovian. Rated T and we are two chapters in. 

By day, Emma is the beautiful swan gliding over the waters of Misthaven's pond, but when night falls, the voice of the wolf the people living in the little town hear is Killian's cry. The curse was meant to be forever, to keep them always together yet eternally apart. No force in Heaven would be able to break such spell, nor any force on Earth. Or so Emma and Killian thought.

Towards the end of June Sara posted Hidden Paths Between the Moon and Sun, the sequel to her Hades and Persephone AU, Until the Stars Are All Alight. Artwork by @sherlockianwhovian. Rated M with one of six chapters so far.

The King of the Underworld has never taken a vacation before, not a proper one and not one that lasted more than a few months. Now that his firstborn is capable enough to take the throne ad interim, Killian can finally show his beloved Queen the world, giving her the honeymoon they never had the chance to have. But the King’s plan doesn’t stop quite there.

@allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 posted original art Killian Falls for Siren Emma

Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be

Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea,

My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold, There is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor bold.

and Paranormal Photographers/Reporters.

When you hear the knell of a requiem bell Weird glows gleam where spirits dwell Restless bones etherealize Rise as spooks of every size

@donteattheappleshook posted Just Human Vol2, the sequel to her submission last year, Just, Human. Artwork by 1 2 by @djlbg. Rated M with five chapters. COMPLETE.

A continuation of last years CSSNS story Just Human. Now that Killian is a ghost and Mary Margaret knows everything, what does life have in store for a group of supernatural misfits? With the threat of Gold gone, Emma learns that sometimes just being human is the most complicated challenge of all.

@thislassishooked posted Wake Me Up Inside. Rated M with three chapters so far. Artwork by @tennant-the-tigger.

Killian Jones has lived longer than any man has a right to live. Most would argue that what he was doing was not living, but merely existing. The day he lost the love of his life was the day he lost the will to live, but instead of ending his life he inadvertently became the strongest being on earth and unfortunately indestructible. His mortal enemy followed him into immortality and craves the power only Killian possesses. With his brother by his side and the help of a quirky, blonde hematologist, who makes him question whether he is ready for death after all, he will fight against evil, but more importantly, for the cure.

@let-it-raines posted Not Your (Soul)Mate. Rated M with sixteen chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork 1 2 3 4 5 6 by @captainsjedi. 

Killian Jones doesn’t like the idea of soulmates. He sees how happy his friends are with theirs, but he still doesn’t like the idea, not when he’s found love and lost it time and time again only to still not know his sign. He has no markings on his skin, no voices in his head, but then one day he meets Emma Swan and everything changes. Because, well, he may not have ink on his skin to tell him who to love, but the very first time that he hears Emma’s voice he knows that she’s the one for him. Then again, that could simply be his desire talking. After all, for every word she speaks, he becomes aroused.

It’s not the worst thing in the world to be incredibly attracted to a beautiful woman, but things aren’t that simple when she doesn’t have any interest in being his soulmate.

He’s screwed. And not in the good way.

@shireness-says posted A Drowning Soul Will Clutch at Any Straw. Rated T one shot. Artwork by @hollyethecurious.

Though this is far from Killian Jones' first encounter with a mermaid, he's never met any quite like this blonde siren. Together, can they break a cruel curse?

@snowbellewells posted her first fic for the event, Face to Face in the Broad Daylight, her sequel to last years Run to Me (In the Dead of Night) in early July. Rated T with five chapters so far. Artwork by @branlovestowrite.

Here we have a sequel to my werewolf, alternate season two and beyond fic from last year’s CSSNS. You probably want to read that story "Run to Me (in the Dead of Night)" first, or it might be a bit confusing in places. This second story in the same universe partially exists just because I wanted to revisit these couples and enjoy a bit more of their fluffy happily ever afters. However, we may also see them get into some new surprises and challenges, and of course we need to see if Rumplestiltskin is still under control or back to his usual scheming and plotting. I hope you will enjoy. 

Marta also posted at the end of July A Story Told at Last. Rated T with three chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @branlovestowrite.

Historical Literature Professor Henry Mills has the chance of a lifetime before him. He might finally uncover the truth of a folktale that has intrigued him for years. But, when the whole story comes to light, will he be able to accept the story that needs to be told?

@thejollyroger-writer posted her first fic of three for the event, Love After Death: The Afterlife Hotel. Rated T one shot with artwork by @captainsjedi. 

Emma Swan has spent sixty years in the afterlife believing she was never going to meet her real soulmate, after believing in the wrong name tattooed on her wrist. But when she keeps seeing the same new guest of the Afterlife Hotel around, might she be able to learn how to love again?

Megan’s second fic for the event was What Happened in Berkshire. Rated G with two of three chapters posted. Artwork by @captainsjedi.

When Emma’s boyfriend leaves her for the woman he’s been cheating with, she accepts an offer from her hospital to move to England. While she is out celebrating her thirtieth birthday with her friends before they head back to America, she drunkenly kisses the statue of Captain Hook in front of Eton College, and he comes to life. Together, he and Emma try to figure out what this curse means for them by searching for the witch that cursed him in the first place — are they really True Love, as he wants to believe they are, or did Emma’s magic go awry?

Megan’s third fic for the event was Falling Paws Over Heels. Rated T one shot. Artwork by @captainsjedi.

Captain Killian Jones -- the notorious Captain Hook -- has heard all kinds of stories during his travels around all of the realms. But the story that has always interested him the most is that of the enchanting sorceress of Storybrooke, a small town in the Enchanted Forest's Misthaven, the sorceress who takes men to her bed, but will only give her heart to the man who befriends her cat. Will Killian be the one who finally has what it takes?

@gingerchangeling posted Luck of the Irish. Rated M with one chapter of seven so far. Artwork by @resident-of-storybrooke.

Emma needs parent volunteer hours. So she offers to chaperon Henry's upcoming field trip to the museum. Its just a pack of prepubescent angst ridden children, an exhibit about dead people, and a rock used in blood sacrifices with a curse carved into it. What's the worst that could happen?

@jarienn972 posted A Simple Spell. Rated T with six chapters so far. Artwork by @cocohook38. 

This story is my entry into the 2019 Captain Swan Supernatural Summer event and is my first venture into AU territory. Storybrooke remains our setting but I've switched up some of the characters and familial relations to better suit this tale of prodigal witch Emma who returns to her birthplace to learn lots of secrets about herself and cast a spell that could change everything.

@profdanglaisstuff posted The Very Witching Time. Rated M with six chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @gingerchangeling. Extra artwork by @mariakov81 can be found on Saira’s chapter posts on her blog.

Emma Swan is a hereditary witch, last in a long line of wise women who for centuries have guarded the coast of Maine and the small village of Storybrooke with their homemade cures and their ancient magic. She holds the delicate balance between magic and mundane, but now that balance is threatened by a new foe, one capable of bringing an end to everything Emma is and everything she loves. To defeat it she will need all her power, help from her friends and neighbours, and the loyalty of a very unusual dog who answers to the name of Killian.

@searchingwardrobes gave us the first of two fics for the event, An Education in Southern Gothic. Rated T with two chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @hollyethecurious.

Fact: there’s a graveyard between the football field and the science building. Debatable: a ghost haunts the halls of Misthaven Hills High. Emma Swan is about to get an education. Killian Jones is about to get a whole lot more.

Melanie’s second fic was titled Until the Day Breaks and the Shadows Flee. Rated M with eight chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @hollyethecurious.

Every night, she traces the contours of his body as Killian whispers words of love against her skin. But can Princess Emma ever be fully happy with a husband who only comes to her in utter darkness? A Captain Swan AU of the Roman myth of Cupid and Psyche.

@spartanguard posted Sick of Love. Rated M with three chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @sherlockianwhovian.

If Emma’s not careful, she just might bump into her soulmate. Physically. And while she might like the idea of what comes with that—an almost psychic connection whenever they make skin contact—she’d rather not deal with the awful withdrawal sickness that can come when they inevitably leave her; she’s got a son, so she doesn’t have time for that. So she keeps herself covered and thinks she’ll be okay. Until she meets Killian, who does the same thing. Will their barriers protect them, or just hurt them more?

@snidgetsafan posted Whom the Gods Love Die Young. Rated G (for the moment) with one chapter so far. Artwork by @tennant-the-tigger.

The bride bit into the shiny red apple as everyone cheered around her, the wedding ceremony ending with this ritual gesture. The clapping and hurrahs soon turned to screams of horror as Snow dropped the apple, choking and clutching her throat as she fell in her groom’s arms, a last I love you leaving her lips before she died, David’s screams the loudest of all.

David and Emma travel to the Underworld to claim back Snow after her untimely death. In order to do so, they're going to have to face the dark and mysterious God of the Underworld and complete his challenges.

Seems simple enough until you add magic, divine quarrels, and the worst thing of all: feelings.

@eastwesthomeisbest posted original artwork, The Love of the Samodiva Pts1 and 2.

In Bulgarian folklore Samodiva is an ethereal female wood nymph. She is unearthly beautiful and eternally young. Her hair is blond and long, her waist is thin and petite, her eyes can bewitch and dazzle or even kill. Any man who lays eyes on her instantly falls in love. Samodivas’ attire consists of long white gowns and shirts and a rainbow-coloured or green belt. They have a white mantel, also called a shadow, in which their power lies. They like to ride deer, using twisted snakes for reins and often carry with them bows and arrows.

If a huntsman accidentally kills a samodiva’s deer, she will make him blind or give him a disease which will inevitably lead to his death.

The wood nymphs live in dark forests, in big old trees, caves or forgotten huts which are near water sources, wells or rivers.

Samodivas can be spotted from spring to autumn. In winter they live in the mythical village Zmeykovo, which is located at the edge of the world and is a home to many mythical creatures. When they are on earth they are active at night and disappear immediately when the sun comes out, because they fear it.

At twilight, the samodivas go to fresh water sources, strip naked, wash themselves and their clothes which they lay out to dry in the moonlight. They keep a watchful eye on their drying clothes, because if a man steals their mantle, where their power lies, they turn into normal women and have to obey the man. After washing themselves and their clothes, the samodivas gather around and start singing and dancing. It is known that the samodiva’s songs are the most beautiful and their dances are the most graceful. If a late traveller sees the samodivas’ dance, he is enticed to join them and dances with them from midnight to dawn. When the sun’s rays appear, the nymphs disappear in haste and leave the traveller to die from exhaustion. The samodivas love music and often kidnap shepherds, so that they can play kaval (shepherd’s pipe) for them while they dance.

Samodivas are not always harmful. Sometimes they appear like normal working women and help with the harvest. They would especially help women with children. If a man does something good for a samodiva, she becomes his patron or a sworn sister. Sometimes, a samodiva can fall in love with a human and bear him children, who grow up to be great heroes.

Samodivas are forest creatures and therefore knowledgeable about herbs and cures. However, they never share their secrets willingly. The only way to obtain their knowledge is to eavesdrop on one of their gatherings.

@courtorderedcake posted two fics for this years event. Hallow rated E with eight chapters so far with accompanying artwork 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11.

"The Goblin King was prepared to host the Darkness, stealing Fae women away to their corrupted lands underneath the ground as concubines. The Darkness chose another in his stead, but not before this selected vessel enacted a devastating attack in its vengeance, revealing its hatred & rage. The battle was a lesson the old kings had forgotten; never underestimate an opponent. Many more lives were lost as they razed over any who dared defy The Goblin King's will. Only the pure love of our rulers united in matrimony, breaking the Vorpal Dagger, sealed the darkness and the Goblin menace away. The light flourished under their fair rule, and the queen bore a child as pure as moon beams, swan feathers, and starlight. They lived happily ever after, and shall be written in history as Heroes for All Time."

This is the history Princess Emma memorizes from the day she is born, paraded about and presented only with the highest protection. The palace is a cage she wishes to escape, desperately. Not careful what wishes she made, Emma discovers history is written by the victors - The Dark One has an entirely different version of the events that took place.

Roses, rated E with two of four chapters so far. Artwork by @eastwesthomeisbest.

A CS retelling of Tam Lin, the classic fairytale. Liberties taken. Magic and Fae BS in play.

@pirateherokillian posted Wanderer Redeemed. Rated T with just the prologue so far. Artwork coming soon from @tennant-the-tigger.

Emma, Goddess of Hope and Happy endings, finds herself in need and her only real chance of ever getting what she desires comes in the form of Killian Jones, a shunned outcast of their kind. A Modern-Day Gods Captain Swan AU written for CSSNS.

@ilovemesomekillianjones posted The Soldier, the Witch, and the Dragon. Rated M one shot with artwork 1 2 by @spartanguard.

When soldier Killian Jones shows up on witch Emma Swan's doorstep, two worlds will collide. He will learn of worlds and wonders he never imagined possible and she will learn that true love might just be in the cards for her. Witches, Dragons and Magic, Oh My! A CS story for the 2019 Captain Swan Supernatural Summer event.

@whimsicallyenchantedrose posted Until the Stars Are All Alight. Rated T with two chapters of twenty so far. Artwork by @clockadile.

CS LOTR au: When Emma Swan steals a yellow Volkswagen Beetle, she has no idea it will lead her toward an adventure filled with danger and intrigue, sacrifice and a love stronger than anything she could imagine. Tasked with bringing the Savior home, the elf, Killian Jones of Misthaven travels to the Land Without Magic. Can he convince Emma to fulfill her destiny before the Dark One regains power and takes over all of the Enchanted Forest?

And last but certainly not least, @teamhook posted Rionnag Dorcha Gorm (Dark Blue Star). Unrated with two chapters so far. Artwork by @hollyethecurious

It is said that evil is not born but made. This is how an act of kindness is twisted into a story about revenge. Emma and Killian are childhood friends until a tragedy separates them will another reunite them.

I’ve read all of these fics and they are all absolutely FANTASTIC!!! It’s been so much fun reading all these wonderful fics and staring at the gorgeous art that went with them!! Be sure to let them know how much you’re enjoying their hard work! The WIP’s will continue updating until they are finished and I will be back at the end of the month with everything that has updated in September! Until then folks!

[spookyspaghettisundae]

Lonesome Country Roads

Paul wandered along the empty road. He walked alone.

Not in a perfect line, for his legs were tired and he had no idea where the next roof over his head awaited him. He was alone on his cross-country trip, happy to find out where the road would take him. But also a bit creeped out from this stretch of forest area with nothing but wild animals all around.

Crickets chirped, owls hooted, and raccoon scurried through the dark forest that swallowed both ends of the winding paved path. Or at the very least, those were the creatures he wanted to imagine being out there. Although not a single human being was around for miles, Paul’s environment was anything but quiet. Still, he heard a car approaching from behind him. He turned to look back over his shoulder, peering over the top of his heavily packed hiking bag a couple of times. Only on his third glance did he see the headlights shine through the trees that obscured the curve. The vehicle swerved into sight, shining its bright lights onto the walking man.

Paul winced and narrowed his eyes. Then he did what he had been doing for the past days. He held up his hand with an outstretched thumb, signaling to the driver that he wanted to hitch a ride.

The last twenty vehicles aside from a trucker had never stopped to give him a lift. Some had slowed down and taken a careful look before speeding off—presumably because he was not an attractive woman, Paul thought to himself more often than not. But contrary to prior experiences and much to his surprise, this black sedan now slowed down and then came to stop completely, right by the side of the road where he had been walking.

Paul blinked and then hunched over to look into the passenger seat window as it automatically rolled down for him. It took him so long to believe that someone stopped so readily for him that he only lowered his arm with a few awkward moments of delay.

On the driver’s side sat a man with greasy shoulder-length hair and thick black rings under his eyes. He gave Paul a tired look. The inside of the car smelled like the mixture of an ashtray and a poorly-cleaned toilet. Crumpled up wrappers of fast food and other trash littered the backseat and the floors inside the car. The whole interior had a grimy and unclean look to it.

Paul stared at this stranger with a feeble smile playing upon his lips and he thought that getting inside this vehicle had to be a textbook case of hitching a ride with a serial killer. Then again, Paul had blonde dreadlocks, was unshaven and wore washed-out old brand clothing that belonged in the wardrobe of a hipster—he too might as well have been a textbook case of the serial killer you pick up as the seemingly-innocent hitchhiker.

In a whiskey-soaked voice sounding like it was about to break out into a hacking cough at any given moment, the driver asked, “Where you headed?”

Paul stammered his way through naming the next town. If this guy turned out to be alright, he could see if he could travel any farther with him than that. If he only took him past this Godforsaken forest, then that would be just as well.

The driver sneered, possibly at the mention of the town. But then he nodded and opened the passenger seat door and said, “I’m headed that way anyway, so feel free to hop on in.”

What was it that his friends always said? Gotta live a little—no risk, no fun.

Paul sat down inside the car and placed his pack onto his lap. He closed the door behind him and buckled up. Then the stranger drove off.

The next minutes passed in awkward silence. A thick knot in his gut prevented Paul from opening a conversation, even if just to exchange names or small-talk somehow. The stranger turned out to be quite the smooth driver. The way he maneuvered the car down the lonesome country roads was quite the opposite of what Paul had expected from the smell and sound of this guy. He had almost expected a bumpy ride of maniac on wheels or the swerving of a drunk. Instead, it reminded him of the way that really seasoned taxi drivers handled their vehicles.

The quiet was almost suffocating. Not just the weight of his own pack on his knees made Paul uncomfortable, but how he felt even more isolated now than before. He felt more alone than when he had been walking down the road for hours on his own.

There was something desolate of how the headlights illuminated the empty road before them, this sea of vast nothingness between the winding pathway of trees lining both sides and making it seem like no other world existed outside of this forest.

“So, where are you from,” Paul asked in what he considered a safe attempt at breaking the ice. The driver blinked and shot him a short glance without answering. “I’m from Jersey,” Paul said, followed by a short and nervous chuckle.

“Oregon,” said the driver.

“You out here on these roads for work, or,” Paul asked, attempting to pose a question. But he let the “or” trail off indefinitely, making the ensuing silence infinitely more awkward.

“Vacation,” the driver finally replied. He kept his eyes on the road. His eyes narrowed and his lips turned downwards into a frown.

Paul swallowed quietly, afraid now to even clear his throat although he would have needed to do that badly—just in order to rid himself of the fearful imaginary lump that had lodged itself in his pipes.

Then the thumping began. He wanted to mention it, as they drove in silence, because Paul—at first—suspected something like a flat tire to be the cause of it. But the car continued to glide along with the same smoothness. It eventually dawned on Paul that it was coming from the back.

From the trunk.

He looked out the passenger seat window, seeing nothing but silhouettes of dark trees painted against the backdrop of the dark blue sky. It was not like he wanted to look out there, rather that he wanted to avoid eye contact with the driver.

Who might not have been a serial killer, after all. Maybe he was “only” a kidnapper.

The thumping stopped.

Paul waited for it to suddenly continue, and he continued to wait for what felt like an eternity.

Nothing.

He bit his lip until he tried to broach the subject of the unnerving sound, or rather, of its absence. Instead, he croaked, “So, how are you enjoying this part of the states?”

Paul’s words did not hang in the air for long. But instead of the driver responding, the arrhythmic thumping continued. Paul forced himself to blink in order to conceal his instinct to flinch in response to hearing the sound’s return. He swallowed again and turned his head slowly to look at the driver.

The nameless man kept his eyes locked on the road in front of him and he never blinked. Either he did not hear the thumping, he pretended not to hear it, or he did not care.

What really freaked Paul out was the latter—that he picked up Paul despite knowing that a hitchhiker might hear the person locked in the trunk. That he did not care if there were any witnesses.

Because if he did not care about witnesses, it meant that he would not leave any.

Paul’s heart raced and only now did he realize how all the blood had drained from his hands and feet, rendering them as cold as ice. His fingers clawed into the latches on his hiking bag. In his mind, he pictured himself ripping open the door and jumping out of the car while it was still in motion, rolling in the dirt and then running off to get away from this psycho.

At the same time, he told himself that he was just being foolish. And that he might get himself killed if he jumped out of a moving car at its current speed. Besides, there could just as well be a rational explanation for everything: the driver might just be a jerk who put an unruly dog or other pet in the trunk. The fact that he did not care about taking a hitchhiker was because he had nothing crazy to hide.

Paul tried to tell himself all those things to calm his nerves, but it didn’t work. He worried that his first instinct—his paranoia—was on the money here.

Before he could dwell yet more on the thoughts going around in circles in his mind, the driver pulled over and let the car roll to a gentle stop. He pulled out the keys and stared at Paul. After an awkward moment of looking him up and down and Paul only glancing back at him through the corners of his eyes, the man said, “Sorry, gotta take a leak.”

Without further ado, he got out of the car, walked around its front where the glaring glow of his headlights illuminated him to the point of him looking like a ghost for a split second, and then he disappeared into the unfathomable darkness of the forest.

Paul’s heart beat faster than ever before in his entire life. He needed to know what was in the trunk. If this guy was some sort of lunatic who had locked anybody in there, he needed to free the victim and run away before he got back. This—now—was his only opportunity.

In a moment of strange clarity and dubious heroism, he hit the switch on the dashboard to unlock the trunk, and rushed out of the car without shutting the door behind him.

He reached the back of the car to find the trunk’s lid popped open and inside—

Well, the sheer oddity of what he saw simply paralyzed him.

Lying in the trunk was the nameless driver: same greasy hair, same rings under the eyes. The entire trunk’s inside reeked of urine, like a stronger version of the smell inside the car’s cabin. The only differences were that this driver looked at him with eyes wide in terror and his mouth was sealed by crinkled silvery duct tape circling all around his head. The man’s hands were tied together under layers of duct tape wildly wrapped around them, in a way that stopped him from even using his fingers. His entire face screamed of desperation and fear, pleading Paul to free him. Only labored, muffled groans escaped the tape-gag that kept his mouth shut.

When Paul heard the sound of gravel crunching underneath a boot behind him, the man’s eyes also fixated on someone behind the hitchhiker, upon which Paul spun around.

It was like looking into a mirror, except that the eyes of his double were devoid of passion and tired. He looked the stranger up and down, but it was not the stranger anymore, it was himself. The blond dreadlocks, the scruffy beard, the hipster outfit. A perfect clone.

“Which one of you do I keep, and which one of you do I dispose?”

He heard himself pose that question, but it did not come from his own mouth, it came from his mirror image in front of him. It sounded just like him.

Then he saw the big hunting knife in his hand.

Or rather, in the hand of the other him.

Paul tried to run, but he did not get far. The first stab hardly slowed him down, but the next five really cost him speed. A slash must have severed something that forced him to limp along, and finally, the doppelganger stood above him and stared at him. Paul begged and his eyes welled up with tears, but the next dozen stabs eventually silenced him. The forest grounds began swallowing his blood and the stranger left his body out there to rot.

The thing, now looking like Paul, returned to the car and dragged his original victim back into the trunk, for in the meanwhile, the real owner of the car had stumbled out of his cramped prison and staggered down the road, though not far enough to escape this evil thing. He kicked and impotently screamed against his gag but the creature was as strong as five people.

Once it had locked him back inside there, it sat back down in the driver’s seat of the car it had appropriated. It readjusted the rear-view mirror and inspected its new appearance.

It did not smile, it did not laugh. It showed no signs of emotions.

Instead, it revved the engine and drove off, continuing down those lonesome country roads.

—Submitted by Wratts

[aliceinthewritingrepublic]

Quiet

Title: Quiet

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV

Pairing: Prompto Argentum/Reader

Rating: MA

Word Count: 1974

-

If you're going to have sex while sharing the tent with others, you'll have to be very careful.

Maybe going to bed so early had been a bad idea on your part. But Ignis had reminded everyone that you were to get back on the road early tomorrow morning, and after Gladiolus and Prompto, too, had decided to call it a night, you had not been too far behind. Being the last one left by the campfire had not seemed like such a great pastime.

Now, your lack of tiredness was keeping you awake. It was not that your sleeping arrangements were uncomfortable. Not at all, in fact – while Prompto and you had only recently become an official item, you did not have to hide your growing relationship from the others. As such, you had connected both of your sleeping bags at their zippers, making it into one large and surprisingly comfortable place to sleep. You were using Prompto’s arm as a pillow, the way you preferred it – but still, despite how nice it felt to be so close to him, sleep would not come.

You sighed, shuffling around a bit because one of your arms was starting to feel numb. Wrapping yourself around your boyfriend a little more in the process, you entwined your legs with his, enjoying the feeling of his cool skin against your warmer body. It was not a cold night. Less careful than you could have been, you wrapped an arm around his slender waist and pushed your face into the side of his neck, breathing in his familiar scent. A certain sweetness you were never able to quite place. Gunpowder. The slightest bit of sweat from a warm summer’s evening. Caught up in the moment and without really thinking about it, you placed a soft kiss on the side of his throat. Even when asleep, he was impossible to resist.

Closing your eyes once more with the intent of finally falling asleep, you tucked up your legs a little further, thigh brushing Prompto’s crotch in the process.

He was hard. Perhaps not entirely there yet, but well on his way.

Your eyes opened almost automatically, and you lifted your head from his shoulder to look at his face. Obviously, it was rather dark inside the tent, but even if it had been pitch black, you would not have been able to miss the bright shine of Prompto’s blue eyes looking back at you. Had he not only just been sleeping? Still, his eyes were light as day. Perhaps it was the arousal that had woken him up so quickly – the arousal you could feel pressing against your leg. Perhaps the way you were moving your leg against him was not helping.

The sly grin that formed on his beautiful, freckled face told you that he approved of your intentions. You felt a matching smile pulling at your own lips, pausing for a short moment to listen. The other three guys’ breathing sounded even enough to reassure you that they were asleep.

With that assurance, you leaned down and pressed your lips against your boyfriend’s, positively delighted at how eagerly he responded. Your mouth opened almost naturally to welcome his tongue against the tip of your own. There, he left teasing licks that made you give up a sigh he immediately swallowed. He was such a good kisser. A true natural.

Lifting your leg from its spot between his, you straddled him, already feeling the wetness collecting at your center. There was not a lot of room to move around inside your doubled-up sleeping bag. Considering that there was nothing you desired less than for there to be any kind of space separating your bodies, it was not such a bad thing. The way he held onto your waist with both hands, pressing your crotch against his now completely hardened erection, let you know that he agreed.

With a single word yet to be spoken between the both of you, you reached downwards for the sweat shorts you slept in, pulling them down as far as you could in this position and then moving your legs until they had been pushed off to find their place somewhere at the bottom of the sleeping bag.

When you looked back up at Prompto, the sheer desire with which he gazed at your body sent a shiver through you. Hovering above him like this, your tank top was hanging off of you, revealing more of your braless chest than it was hiding. A view he very clearly appreciated, if the way his eyes lingered on your form was any indication. Already, he was breathing heavily, his cheeks and the upper area of his chest dusted red. Your heart beat faster at the sight. Tonight, more than ever, you were grateful that he slept in only his underwear.

While you were still lingering on that thought and appreciating the conclusion that there was a maximum of only two more layers keeping you from impaling yourself on Prompto’s cock, he took your momentary distraction and used it to flip you over.

Now, this was a position you, too, were able to appreciate. You gave him a lopsided smile, spreading your legs a little further and waiting for the good things that were sure to follow.

He did not disappoint. One of his hands cupped your cheek, pulling you in for a soft kiss that was almost too chaste compared to the rest of the situation you found yourself in. Still, you sighed into his mouth lovingly. You simply could not get enough of kissing him. His hand left your cheek, moving downwards slowly at first, and then, without further ado, grasping the neckline of your tank top and yanking it down, your breasts spilling out, leaving you half-bare despite still being clothed.

You let your head fall back, breaking the kiss in the process and releasing an appreciative sound, disregarding for a moment that if any of the guys were to wake up now, they would get a full view of you naked tits. Prompto shushed you wordlessly, the amused expression in his eyes telling you that had he not, too, needed to be quiet, he would have laughed out loud.

Even with the short time you had been dating, already you had fallen into a blissful easiness when it came to sex. You were able to laugh without ruining the mood, any funny situation usually followed by something else that blew your mind and was sure to not only uphold, but increase your excitement.

Just like now, when Prompto’s lips closed around your left nipple, sucking on the hardened bud arduously, knowing exactly that for every fraction of a second he kept at it, another white-hot flash of arousal found its home between your legs. Holding onto his head and threading your fingers into his soft blond hair, you were trying quite desperately to keep quiet. If only you had been able to press your legs together to relieve some of the building pressure – but Prompto’s hips between them made sure that that was not an option.

You squeezed your eyes shut when he released your nipple with a soft, yet unbelievably dirty popping sound – only to give you no rest at all before he continued his treatment, this time on your other breast. God, how you wished you could tell him to get inside you already – or hear him say anything to you at all. Around this time, perhaps he would be telling you how soft your breasts were and how much he loved that about them. He had said so a few days ago, while he had romantically been fucking you in a surprisingly well-kept gas station bathroom. It had been too long since you had seen the inside of a hotel room.

Prompto’s mouth was back on yours, and he was shuffling around on top of you. A few seconds later, something warm and undeniably solid was poking you in the stomach. After that, it all happened in a flash – already, he had pushed the soaked crotch of your panties to the side, fingertips circling your entrance and spreading your wetness generously. Lining his cock up with you, he pushed the head against you, pausing for another short moment. You could feel your insides twitching, beckoning him to enter.

And then, with one precise stroke, he did. Before you were able to forget yourself and cry out, Prompto had clutched his hand over your mouth, keeping you quiet. His fingertips were still covered in your arousal, now wet against your cheek. With the way he was fucking you, quick and hard, never pulling out of you fully due to the lack of room the sleeping bag offered, it was a good thing he was keeping your mouth covered. You were close, had been close since before he had even opened you up, and because you needed something to find purchase on, you reached up and rested your hands on his shoulder blades. Pulling him down against you, you pushed your chest upwards to touch your naked skin to his, desperately needing the contact.

He was panting, trying to make as little sound as possible. Since you were so cautious of any noises, for the first time ever, you realized how audibly wet it sounded as he drove himself inside you. How the fabric around you rustled with each movement. How loud your heart was pounding, almost certainly in sync with his.

Your hands slipped from his shoulders to his lower back, pulling him inside you along with each thrust he gave. Prompto’s hand that was not muffling your moans snuck past your breasts and navel, finding your clit and rolling it between two fingers. At the same time, his movements became noticeably arrhythmic. A few more pushes inside you and he stilled, buried to the hilt, eyes shutting in concentration before his forehead fell against your collarbone. The knowledge that he was spilling himself inside you right then blurred into the feeling of his fingers still stimulating the core of your sexual need. And then you were falling over the edge.

The squeal that found its way into Prompto’s palm may have been louder than was strictly necessary, but you could not help it.

After a few seconds of utter silence, your boyfriend lifted his head from your still partially bare chest, finally removing his hand from your face. The wetness he had had on his fingers earlier had dried on your cheek. You were too spent to care about it all that much.

Your eyes met Prompto’s and you could not help but laugh, of course as quietly as you could. If any of the guys had noticed your actions, they would have teased you to no end for being unable to keep your hands off each other even in a situation like this. He joined in with a deeper, similarly low laugh of his own, pushing his forehead against yours affectionately.

When the moment had passed, he removed himself from on top of you, letting you fit yourself against his side once more, the way you liked it best. You pulled on the fabric of your panties and tank top until you were at least the slightest bit decent again. Then, you did the same for Prompto, who had simply shoved his underwear down far enough to free himself earlier. For just a moment, you considered looking for your shorts at the bottom of the sleeping bag, but then decided against it.

Lying here like this, exhausted and satisfied, bodies fitting together like two pieces of a very simple puzzle, was far too perfect to allow for even a single inch of movement. The last thing you registered before you fell asleep was Prompto pressing a soft kiss against your scalp.

You would simply have to be the last one to leave the tent tomorrow morning.

[naomi-l-tiessen-blog]

Tips on Planning out your Novel

Hellllloooooooo everybody ~

Happy Thursday Blogday!

If you’re in the same boat as me, the writing world is completely foreign territory. Every single day you are presented with a brand-new challenge, and like a puzzle, you need to figure out how to solve it. But you’ve made this far, and there is no fucking way you are backing down, right? You’re involved now, committed. You’ve joined the writing cult, and are in much too deep to back out now.

But here’s the thing: you don’t know the first thing about being a writer…or writing a story.

Hooray, me neither!

Don’t worry, from one newbie to another, I’ve got you covered. Don’t be afraid…the writing cult can smell fear….

So, you want to write a novel, but don’t know where to begin? I’ve got your back! In today’s blog, I’ll cover 5 essential points on planning your novel up to the writing phase.

So, without further ado, here are 5 tips on planning your novel and getting you started on the path to success:

1) The Brainstorming. This is generally the most exciting part of the writing experience itself, where the birth of magnificent ideas take place. They can come to you in dreams, while reading or watching TV, or randomly when you are, say, taking a bath and day dreaming about mermaids (may or may not be speaking from experience). This is, needless to say, the most vital part of the novel-writing process. Because, let’s face it, without an idea, there’d be no story, right? So, say you come up with an idea that you know, deep in your bones and heart of hearts, needs to be written by you and you alone. So, now what? Well, things to consider: 1) does the idea have substance? Can it carry the weight of an entire story, or would it be stretched thin from beginning to end with the threat of developing holes and breaking? And 2) are you going to be just as passionate about this idea in 2 months’ time? 6 months’ time? A year? Now I know that’s sort of a trick question, and unless you are a psychic, you aren’t really going to know the answer to that question. But sometimes it’s good to write down an idea, and then put it away, out of sight, out of mind. Allow the initial excitement to die down a bit, the glamour, the glare from your rose-tinted glasses. If, after a week or two, this idea is still as captivating as the day you thought it up, then you might have a story on your hands! 

Once you are able to answer these questions, the fun begins! Keep a notebook handy, and start jotting down your thought dumps. Scenes that keep playing in your head nonstop, lines of dialogue, characters and their aesthetics. Create a name bank, pay attention to street names for inspiration (that’s how I got my MC’s last name), and unless your story takes place on Earth, maybe start daydreaming up things you might want to include in your new world (ie: language, terrain, wildlife, inhabitants, main food staples, etc). Write down things you’d like to have happen in your story. It could be anything…a coffee date, playing Marco Polo quietly at a bookstore, singing horribly at karaoke (ah, just learnt that I can’t, in fact, spell karaoke without spell check saving my ass), or a romantic picnic that ends in disaster when a rogue rain cloud unleashes its inner Poseidon and drenches everything. Some of these ideas you might be able to incorporate, some of them you might not, but it’s always safe to keep of list of ideas handy to give texture to your story. By the end of this, you should have a pretty good idea of the gist of your story. Having said that, never STOP brainstorming; it’s ok to come up with ideas for the beginning of your story, even as you write the end. I mean, it’s a bit difficult, and you might need to revise the shit out of your manuscript, but hey, that’s what drafts (and drafts, and drafts) are for!  

2) The Researching. Maybe not as fun as the brainstorming part, but important. At this stage, you are diving deeper than just ideas. What sort of story are you telling? What genre is it going to fall under? If you don’t know much about that genre, learn about it. Read and watch movies that fall under the same category, and take notes (if anyone judges you for watching hours upon hours of Doctor Who, just declare it in the name of science. And if that fails, just tell them Scarlette made you). If your novel isn’t taking place on Earth, hit up tutorials on world building and stage setting. Dive into workshops about dialogue, chapter structures, and making believable characters. You know the bare bones of your story at this point. With that in mind, can you describe it in a single sentence? Can you explain it, start to finish, on a single page? These exercises help train your mind into getting the meat and potatoes of your story, the nitty-gritty. What is so important, so prioritizing, that you simply HAVE to mention it vs. what is, meh, maybe not that heavy duty, and can sit on the sidelines. It’ll help produce plot points, subplots, potential climaxes, and maybe even the mythical theme (le gasp!). Doing these sorts of exercises well help give your story shape, and point you in a solid direction.    

3) The Creating. Don’t get me wrong, you’ve been creating this entire time. But this is sort of a different level of creating. In this part of the planning, you should no longer be picking ideas out of thin air. Your ideas should be taking structure…you should have a general idea of what your characters look like, what your world looks like, and the direction your plot is going. This “creating” process is dedicated to further solidifying those features. Your characters should have names, a vivid description, and profile pages full of their likes and dislikes, fashion sense (or lack thereof), fears, goals, where they start in the story vs. where they end up, etc. This is where the internet is your friend. Find pictures that best resemble your characters, and keep them around for inspiration. But try not to be creepy about it. Trust me, a lot of weird shit comes up when you type in things like, “7-year-old girl with blond hair and green eyes,” blah blah blah. Don’t want the cops paying you a visit! 

You should be creating character profiles for your main characters (protagonists and antagonists), and at LEAST half-assed ones for your side characters. Side-note: create a cheat sheet for your character descriptions and names close by just in case. You don’t want Sir Maxwell McFeelya’s hair color to change from shoulder length, greasy dirty blond, to a crew cut with a totally-there bald spot in the middle of his more-pepper-than-salt hair. Talk about awkward. Or if your Sue-Ellen McAlister in chapter 2 suddenly becomes Virginia Davies in chapter 10. Oops. Once again, may or may not be speaking from experience here. During this stage, your new world should be really taking shape. Once again, don’t be afraid to use pictures as references and inspiration. You should know the main ins and outs of your world, such as language, professions, climate, terrain, food staples, religion, etc. There are some great templates explaining things you need to consider when creating a world from scratch...seriously, a ton. At this time, you should also be thickening up your plot, figuring out the main points, subplots, and climaxes. If you know the beginning, middle, and end, but don’t know how to piece them together, that’s ok. That’s what the next step is for.  

4) The Outlining. This is on the list?? Shocker. Ok, before you pantsers get all up in my face about this, I stand firm in my belief that this stage is freaking CRUCIAL to the planning and writing process. To begin writing without an outline, you are more than likely going to end up with plot holes, inconsistencies, and a hell of a lot of frustration. Granted, there are a lot of people that don’t outline, and that works just fine for them. I am not one of those people, and therefore outlining is on my list. Plus, I kind of sort of love outlining. This is the point of the process where we have all (or at least most) our ducks, and now we are going to get them in a row. It’s time to organize your story, getting it in order. THIS is where you need to figure out how to glue the beginning, middle, and end together. 

Think of outlining as a puzzle: you have all the pieces, and now you need to figure out where they all go. Don’t force the pieces into spots where they don’t belong, because you will end up with bent edges and something that is bumpy and doesn’t flow well. If a certain piece doesn’t fit anywhere, it might be for a different puzzle; take it out, and keep working. If you can’t find all the pieces, that’s ok too, just keep working, and when you’ve used up all your pieces, go back and focus on the holes. Maybe the piece is under the couch with the rest of your cat’s toy hoard. Or, much more likely, the piece hasn’t been discovered yet, because you haven’t thought it up. That’s totally fine. It’s also fine to push forward despite having holes in your outline (as long as they are nothing too major, of course). Often, I find that while I’m writing, solutions to those holes come to me at random. It’s sort of like your fur baby suddenly wanting cuddles the fucking second you stop pleading for their attention. Keep in mind that this part of the planning will take some time. Seriously, it can take weeks, and that is a-ok; it’s not a race. Just make sure that you don’t lose your passion during this time, because if you lose it now, then your story might be hooped. And on that happy note, we move on!

5) The Writing. Ah, yes, the stage where we actually do the thing. No more dancing around the subject, no more planning, no more outlining (yet, anyways). At last, you are ready, young Padawan. So, the first most important thing here to keep in mind is to write first, edit later. Seriously, that’s it. Don’t stress yourself silly about how shitty it sounds (newsflash, it probably does sound shitty), because if you let this fear consume you, your story will never leave your brain. Just get it all out of your noggin. Convert brain vomit into word vomit. Some people like to edit after every couple chapters, and if that works for you, then go for it. But don’t be picky, because if you get really down and dirty with the editing now when you don’t have the entire image in front of you, you might remove or change things that 1) don’t need it, or 2) are actually super freaking important. And while some don’t agree with me (HOW DARE YOU…just kidding *not really*), I highly recommend trying to write in chronological order to save yourself the misery of discovering holes and time inconsistencies and having to re-write a shit ton. Not fun.

And there you have it! Easy peasy right? Well, easy in theory, anyways. Lord knows that this is actually a shit ton of work. But with these tips in your tool kit, you are now one (or 5) steps closer to destroying the pipe dream of being an author, and actually becoming one! Hooray you!

With that said, I post new blogs every Thursday, and if there is anything you’d like me to discuss, feel free to message me on here, or tweet me  @ScarletteStone

Until next time,

Happy Writing!