#sqsn spotlights: author post

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Author Interview — ariestess!

We sat down with @ariestess to talk about Caught in the Act, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

I had a really hard time getting a solid bead on an idea this year, and then I just hit on the "five times" trope and ran with it. I love playing with Regina's willingness to be daring in public. She's always seen as such a tight-laced person, and it's nice to see her breaking out of that and ENJOYING herself.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

It really depends. This particular fic was mostly seat of my pants with a loose idea of locations and who caught or didn't catch them. I think I mostly wrote it in order, simply because it was easier to build on previous encounters in each new one.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

I really love the final chapter. Snow's reaction was one of my favorites to write because I totally needed her to go overboard toward a wedding like she did. The idea of Regina expecting to have to fight for her relationship with Emma, only to be surprised that Snow's okay with it, was really appealing to me. Oh, and Granny and Mal's reactions were pretty priceless, too.

Is there anything you'd change now?

I might adjust the order, maybe add in a couple more encounters, more segues with David trying to get more food out of Regina throughout the month, that sort of thing.

How do you deal with writers' block?

I had a lot of it with this particular fic. I honestly tend to do other creative things {playing solitaire, coloring, Zentangle, crocheting} to see if it'll distract me enough to let my muses chew on what they need to fix. If that doesn't work, I whip out the heaviest of heavy metal and headbang while I work past the block.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

Yes and no? LOL I seem to have some issues with sticking to single longfic ideas for these two the last few years, but I keep plugging away and usually come up with something pretty decent in the end.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Honestly? I say go for it. Take a chance and see what happens. You never know your limits if you don't try. And you may find yourself with a great idea that you wouldn't have done otherwise.

You can read Caught in the Act on AO3, along with ariestess’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post —  lostlilsnail!

We sat down with @lostlilsnail to talk about Nothing on Earth, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

It was a completely 100% original idea definitely not inspired by a 2014 remake of a classic movie musical.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

An unhelpful blend of every method that leads to very low productivity. Sometimes there are rough outlines. Sometimes there are nonsensical scenes scribbled on napkins. Sometimes there are tears.  

What in your fic are you most proud of?

Some people said they liked it enough it made them tear up, which was nice to hear. I was very grateful for the kind words people shared.

Is there anything you'd change now?

There's too much cheese in some parts. Awkward wording in others. The usual after-posting blues.

How do you deal with writers' block?

lol

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

~Spooky~ deadlines!!!

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Have a good time. Write what you want to read. Try not to procrastinate. Don't worry about reception. Empathy improves all art. Also the number one most important thing to remember is to never listen to me. What do I know? I'm a straight up mess

You can read Nothing on Earth on AO3, along with lostlilsnail’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post —  hummingbirdswords!

We sat down with @hummingbirdswords to talk about Growing Roots, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

I pulled inspiration from SO many places when writing Growing Roots. It's one of my most personal fics, I believe. Or, better put, I feel like I dug into my own personal experiences and emotions the most when writing this. I had no idea what I really wanted the story to be about until I was halfway through writing the first chapter, but once I knew, I had so many different ideas to go with. I had just recently watched Anne with an E, so I think that inspired me a decent amount. Both Anne as a character on her own and her friendship with Diana. The beauty of that show, those characters, the relationships that were built... it sparked something inside of me.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

Honestly, this changes from fic to fic. Sometimes I plan, but rarely do I follow my plans when I do. My stories usually just go wherever they want, and I just accept that I'm not in control and let them run wild. I do typically write in the order the fic is presented, though. Sometimes I might go in and add a section later, as I did a few times with this particular fic, but I mostly write from beginning to end.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

The relationship between Emma and Pam. Not only do I think Emma needed someone like Pamela in her life, I feel the story needed Pamela and her viewpoints. I feel like more stories in general need to show parental figures being accepting, being loving, and teaching children that they don't have to it into the molds society continuously try to squish them into so they lose what makes them uniquely them. I'm not usually big on adding original characters, but I feel she makes the story so much better than it would have been if I didn't write her and Emma the way I did.

Is there anything you'd change now?

Yes, but also...no. I would have actually started writing this fic more than a week before the deadline hahahaha. There was more I wanted to add to the story, that I started writing, but I hit a wall, and with the limited time I allowed myself, I had to leave it out. I would have loved including it. But at the same time, I'm happy with the fic as it is.

How do you deal with writers' block?

I don't. The whole "just write" thing that people are always saying you should do when you're blocked does not work for me. I try to write, but when I'm blocked, I'm blocked. I can't force my creativity, and I don't want to.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

No.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Go for it! Be kind to yourself when writing. It's hard sometimes, and we all struggle. But, if you wanna try, then try.

You can read Growing Roots on AO3, along with hummingbirdswords’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post —  chasing_the_wild_dream!

We sat down with chasing_the_wild_dream  to talk about A single kiss, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

My ex-girlfriend, who was battling cancer while I wrote and died a couple of months later

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

I do outline beforehand most of the time; I take notes by hand in one of my many notebooks. Most of the time I write linearly until inspiration for a particular scene hits me so intensely that I have to write it down immediately.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

Regina's development and her courage in the end

Is there anything you'd change now?

I don't think so.

How do you deal with writers' block?

By spending quality time with my dogs. Getting lost in the forest or mountains with them usually helps me put my thoughts in order and free my mind.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

It was indeed. Funny enough I work "better" under pressure, so deadlines are something I appreciate. It was my first Supernova, which made it already super special. And seeing someone close to you die while you write a story inspired by them was quite an experience.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Anyone who thinks about doing it, but has doubts whether they can pull it off - do it! Don't hesitate. Write straight from the heart and believe in yourself and everything will be fine.

You can read A single kiss on AO3, along with chasing_the_wild_dream’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post —  saxgoddess25!

We sat down with @saxgoddess25 to talk about The Darkest Hour Before Dawn, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

A friend wanted me to write a story where one of them was on the autism spectrum and I just didn't think I could do that sort of story justice, so I started out writing one where Regina had OCD and it sort of morphed into the story it became.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

Outline? Never met her. I am absolutely a "by the seat of my pants" writer and I have a tendency to write out of order, however, this one required me to write linearly. I did write a couple little snippets out of order just so I wouldn't lose them but in order to keep the flow, I made myself write from start to finish...which was really tough at times.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

The fact that I finished it. I was going through a bunch of really rough stuff, including the death of my father, so just completing it was an accomplishment. I'm also really proud that many people have said to me that I got the mental health and addiction parts so right. I did lots of research but much of that was having a wonderful beta who is a counselor and was willing to field my questions about how things work. It wouldn't be half the story it is without her.

Is there anything you'd change now?

Not really. If I'd had more time, I probably would have expanded the ending, but there are a lot of things that I intended for the sequel so that's not a big deal.

How do you deal with writers' block?

Bang my head on my desk. Seriously though, I have a hard time dealing with it. I basically just open the file and try to get something on the page. Even if it's just a sentence at a time. Eventually those sentences add up.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

Somewhat. The only time I've had to write to deadlines before was for fic exchanges (and school). I've discovered that I'm not good at writing to deadlines...which is why I'm not doing sqsn this year. I might give it a shot again in future.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Do it! I can't give a lot of advice since we all write differently. The writing sprints and the chat room were a lot of fun so take advantage of those.

You can read The Darkest Hour Before Dawn on AO3, along with saxgoddess25’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post — KizuRai

We sat down with @kizurai to talk about Rain World, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

Listen. I was stuck in traffic on my way home from work one day, and it was pouring rain – as it does in Seattle, or anywhere near the northwest – and I thought to myself, “What if- but rain?”

No, but seriously though, I really was stuck in traffic and I wondered what would happen if rain could eat through materials. I would’ve been just stuck there, with nowhere to go and just melted there. Which is, okay, it’s morbid but I mean I wrote a post-apoc, what did you expect?

That and also I took inspiration from this indie game called <i>Rain World</i> (where I got the title if you couldn’t tell) and it… honestly there’s almost zero resemblance but I loved the concept of lizard monsters and the pressure of the rain killing you and having to run shelter to shelter. Like I said, kinda resembles my fic but not really?

Anyway, my fic is not frightening I swear!

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

Outline? hAHA I tried, I honestly did try considering that was one of the requirements for the first draft: to at least have an outline written out (although it's a little more than that, be sure to read the rules lol). So I did write one, but then I threw that right out the window when I started writing because these ridiculous characters just don’t like to stick to script.

What I did do was write a bunch of random blurbs and facts about the world (which I never ended up using) and drew out some concept art and some floor plans, because I'm nothing if not a thorough game developer LOL

I also cannot for the life of me write out of order. If I do I just end up throwing it out even though I like it; I end up not being able to fit it anywhere.

So yes, I write linearly (not by choice) and write at the seat of my non-pants (because I hate wearing pants) and I just sit there, staring at a blank google doc until inspiration hits, or lightning strikes, whichever one comes first, and I just write and force myself to write and I keep writing until the stupid thing is done.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

Um, that it’s done? I’m still surprised I completed something, surprised I even managed 74k of words, like was I possessed?

Serious answer though, I wrote like up to chapter 9 and realized I didn’t add in any relationship stuff and Emma and Regina’s relationship went from 0 to 100 in a chapter. So I had to go back and sprinkle their relationship here and there. I guess that’s probably what I am most proud of, lmao, that I managed to make swanqueen for a swanqueen fic lol

Oh, and also making everyone hate me because of my fic. That is a joy.

Is there anything you'd change now?

Serious talk, which means this part is uninteresting but:

The thing is, we’re always changing, we’re always moving forward in one way or another, our minds are in constant movement. Therefore, whenever I look back on my old stuff I always get caught up in “god, that’s awful, why did I write that?” or “maybe I could’ve done better” and I’m sure I could if I spend the time to do so but why?

It’s done, if I’m really upset about something I should change then I’ll write a new story and do better because we grow with experience and each story writers churn out is like gaining experience points, eventually we’ll level up and maybe gain an extra skill.

The point I’m trying to get at is that, sure, there are plenty things I would love to change – burn the whole thing in a fire if I could (believe me I wanted to a couple of times) – but instead of looking back I’m going to look forward and make something better than the last. 

How do you deal with writers' block?

So I follow Emily Andras on twitter and she mentioned something that I took to heart; she said something along the lines of ”writer's block is for amateurs” and I got confused and a little angry at first but let me say, I think I get it. Even though I do get writers block and I’m screaming at my screen hoping for something to happen, I wonder what professional writers do when they’re on a deadline?

I think they power through.

And even if you think what you’re writing is terrible and it might never make it into the final copy, it’s still something, it’s still words on a page and sometimes just writing something might spark something. That’s basically what I did, I kept powering through even though I hated every second of it, but I managed to get it done on time (early actually because I remembered the deadline day wrong, but let’s not talk about that) and it’s done. Period.

Also, deadlines. Those help a lot.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

As mentioned above I really think the deadlines helped me. I’ve always been kinda the ‘goal-orientated but lazy otherwise’ type so on my own I’m pretty much whatever and I have a billion WIPs but forcing myself to write and do daily sprints really helped. There’s also a bunch of other writers facing the same thing as me so we can all suffer together.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

You know what, don’t listen to all the other authors telling you outlines are the key LOL sure, go ahead and write one if that helps you, but really you gotta find the process that works for you. It’s a little bit like education, everyone learns differently, everyone has a different way of doing things.

Oh but, yeah, listen to me on that ‘forcing yourself to write’ thing, you might hate yourself, or you might hate me while doing it – most likely me but whatever – but just get words on a page.

Also, don’t be so anxious about sharing your work. Your fic is not representative of your self-worth. Don’t write because you want validation or have everyone praise you. Write because you enjoy it and get happy if even one person reads your fic and loves it because these things tend to turn out like a popularity contest and a lot of new writers get lost in the crowd (I mean, like 6-8 things will pop out daily so unless you have a following already, people may or may not leave you until a lot later) so

1) Don’t be upset if you don’t receive any comments until a month (or 5) later 2) Be happy you finished something! Look at what you’ve accomplished rather than focus on the extraordinarily high expectations you’ve put on yourself 3) Have fun

That’s it for me on advice. #fluffwriter signing out.

You can read Rain World on AO3, along with KizuRai’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post — gaypanic!

We sat down with @swenswanswoon to talk about stay alive (that would be enough), their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

the short answer is 'hamilton the musical.' the long answer is that one day i was listening to 'satisfied' and i just thought about swan queen angst (as i do lol) and knew i wanted to capture the emotion angelica felt in that moment in swan queen form. from there, i kept thinking, how much of the story can i do? it took mONTHS for me to actually figure out how to adapt a musical adapted from american history into the fic it became, but once i had the major concepts figured out ("casting" the characters, using the realms the way i did, and creating the regulation of magic debate) it was mostly smooth sailing!

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

wELL lol. before this fic, i always wrote linearly. in the case of this fic, it was anything but. i started with the really hard scenes (i.e. "blow us all away" and "the world was wide enough"), then the beginning, and then i would just shuffle the soundtrack to determine which part of the fic i would do. if it sounds complicated, that's because it was. honestly i can't believe i ever managed it. the only scene i wrote when i was supposed to was the very end, but that was only because i wasn't sure how to do it until after everything was being edited.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

the whole thing honestly. i'm proud that i made it all fit together like i did, and that i included so many references. it was hard since i wrote it the way i did to feel like it was actually effective, but reading all the comments was incredibly validating. if i had to pick something specific, i'm very proud of the end and the macrocosmic concept that hugs the fic. also triplet regina!

Is there anything you'd change now?

i'm going to say no. i'm really glad it came out the way it did and that i let the angst run rampant instead of holding back because "people don't like angst." i love angst.

How do you deal with writers' block?

a lot of time i have to recognize that i'm in my head too much to create, and find something to pull me out of that. not forcing it is the best first step, and then trying to find a creative outlet that's a distraction more than an obligation. sometimes working on something else can get you into the right head space to focus on what you need to be doing

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

don't take on too much!! and make sure to have fun :)

You can read stay alive (that would be enough) on AO3, along with gaypanic’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post — lanasmyfeather!

We sat down with lanasmyfeather to talk about i still remember the way you taste, their process, and their Supernova adventure! lanasmyfeather had the following to share with us:

I was so happy to get the email about the spotlight because it took me back to the feels surrounding this particular fic! I had wanted to take part in the Supernova in the earlier years, but every time I seemed to be just a little late, for one reason or another. This time I decided I would go for it and put everything I had into writing this fic. The show ending and peoples worry about the lack of new material also affected my decision to join, because hey, I’m totally one of those worried people as well.

I went through a lot of ideas for this fic, wanting it to be something special but something I couldn’t wait to write. Originally I planned to write about the graduation trip Emma and Regina took Henry, but after five different beginnings and the serious lack of spark, I decided it was time to try something else. I was going through some one line writing prompts on Tumblr and one of them was “I still remember the way you taste” and I knew that was it. I decided that was going to be the name of my story and I quickly knew what I wanted to write around it.

Timing it all was crucial because I was preparing to move to another country to live with my girlfriend. My girlfriend was and is the biggest supporter of my writing and she was the one to encourage and remind me to write on days when I struggled to pick up the laptop. So, she is the main reason this fic made it in the first place!

And knowing how important this milestone was for me, she was in touch with my Supernova artist who send her the art so she could make my fanfic into an actual book with the matching cover art. Still the best gift I have ever received!

I am so happy I took part on this magical experience that brought Swen together in so many beautiful ways. My social medias were full of people dying over fics, artist and writers getting praise and everyone just being constantly in a good mood. Knowing how much we have gone through as a fandom, that was something we really needed. The show might be over, but I really hope this tradition continues.

Thank you for everyone who liked and commented on my fic, I really appreciated it and it always made me smile so wide!

You can read i still remember the way you taste on AO3, along with lanasmyfeather’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post — InkyBlueMind!

We sat down with @inkybluemind​ to talk about You and Me, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

The thought of what would have happened if the heart split had not worked.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

Generally starts with an idea, thinking about scenes and then basic outlines. Even with that the stories sometimes write themselves in certain ways but I always write in a linearly order.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

The dynamic between all the main characters in the fic. How Ruby was originally supposed to be a somewhat side character that pushed the storyline on but the friendship that developed between her and Regina literally took on a life of its own. My favourite scene that I loved writing was when they all built the crib together and when Ruby took an exhausted Regina home.

Is there anything you'd change now?

Maybe another scene further on from the end diner scene with Regina and Zelena tolerating one another based on Emma until they realise they get along. Maybe with the tables turning on Emma a bit more.

How do you deal with writers' block?

Read, watch TV or movies, writing prompts or write on something else, developing plot ideas and listening to music etc.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

Yes because it forced me to stick to a deadline and get my writing done. I struggle with being more consistent and the event helped me keep it moving all the way to the end.  

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Having a beta really helped and working alongside my amazing artist Kennedy, her artwork was more than inspiring as well as discussing plot points with her.

You can read You and Me on AO3, along with InkyBlueMind’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post — spookycat!

We sat down with @spookycatsq to talk about I Wish, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

Originally I thought hey, wouldn't it be absolute crack if I dropped the characters from OUAT into the world of Into the Woods (my favorite musical) and gave them all identity crises because they had to learn to be different fairytale characters than before, and hi-jinks would ensue? But when I was toying with which characters to match up just for fun, I accidentally started taking it seriously and realized some of the things I find most moving about the emotional journeys of Emma and Regina overlap with those of Cinderella and the Witch. So I decided to try for a story that honored those characters and had some actual emotional heft to it in addition to wackiness -- just like the musical, which has emotional depth beneath the campy surface. The OUAT Wishverse device served that purpose well and lined up perfectly with the beginning of the musical, when Cinderella sings "I wish...."

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

This was the first time I made a really detailed outline, because there was just so much to juggle. And because of that, I was able to write out of order sometimes if I felt in the mood to write a particular scene (or wanted to avoid writing one, tbh). But that made me super paranoid it wouldn't flow well or that I'd mix up what info got explained at what time. So I read it through and edited from start to finish, all in one sitting, a few times after the first draft was done. I think it worked pretty well, and I've started outlining everything I write now.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

Well, I'm rather fond of Princess Glitterbomb.

But also, I put so much into this fic that I wasn't sure anyone would pick up on, from small, random details from the musical to major things like weaving together themes and character development from both source materials. Balancing all of that while creating a new narrative at the same time was definitely the biggest challenge I've given myself so far. But when readers started commenting and pointing out all those things I worked to include, it was so, so rewarding, and I was really glad I pushed myself.

Is there anything you'd change now?

There are a couple of things I know people found either confusing or unpleasant to visualize (I'm being vague to avoid spoilers), but I wouldn't change them. I think one element that may not have translated well for people who aren't familiar with the stage musical, particularly Act I, is that it's very over-the-top and ridiculous at times. So the things people seemed to struggle with were just events or character traits I intentionally took to the extreme. But I apologize if I made anyone reach for the eye bleach.

How do you deal with writers' block?

Letting it go and working on something else entirely, just for a little while.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

I would never have gotten to have such an amazing and unique piece of art associated with something I wrote, so yes, it was different in the best way! Working with Randi was such a delight and privilege.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

First, if you're considering writing longfic, this is a great way to try it because there are lots of opportunities for troubleshooting and encouragement.

Second, if you can find the addresses of the mods, send them booze and/or a box of puppies or kittens (don't forget to poke lots of holes in the box), because they are your number one champions, and they work hard to help you shine.

You can read I Wish on AO3, along with spookycat’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post — Applesaday and NikiFrost!

We sat down with @keepapplesaday​ and @niki-frost​ to talk about Castling, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

Apples: Well, after having found out about what happened to RedDove's partner in the Supernova, I felt that I wanted to do something for it. And coincidentally, NikiFrost and I were thinking about collabing and when she asked if I wanted to do something, I jumped at the opportunity!

Niki: It was perfect timing, really! We already wanted to collab, so we were super excited to get to do something for RedDove as well. And working with Apples was a dream come true. ;)

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

Apples: Haha, well for this one we just kinda got together onto a google doc and we were going wild with ideas and it was great because we just fed off the other's idea and went 'ooh what about this!' and 'yeah, how about that afterwards!'

Niki: I normally write by the seat of my pants, but with our google doc, we did have to rein it in a little with an outline so we could work easily even when we weren't both online at the same time. But yeah, like Apples said, it was a little chaotic and very fun. Bouncing ideas back and forth is so great for motivation!

Apples: We def didn't write linearly though, I think we were even inspired by things happening after the fact to what happened before.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

Niki: The plot twist with the timeline thing. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet, but I wasn't expecting something like that in our story, and it really adds that dramatic punch. I loved the reveal. Apples can probably attest to my evil laughter when I realized what we were doing.

Apples: Oooh yes the evil laughter was something. But def the same for me, it felt like it added something more than to our original idea, I'm not even sure we had originally thought of it. I think it ended up being something we worked on as we went along.

Niki: And it was such a wonderful surprise. We got to do some pretty dark stuff to the poor characters and still have the story end in a good place.

Apples: Exactly! And it allowed us to explore the characters more as a result of that.

Is there anything you'd change now?

Apples: Hmmm nope, I feel like our story was pretty good as it was, and would leave it just like that.

Niki: Agreed. I think we did everything we wanted to do with this fic. I'm really happy with it, and I'm glad we got the chance to do it for RedDove too.

How do you deal with writers' block?

Niki: I look for inspiration. I'll watch movies and play video games or do some other creative endeavor, something that brings me joy or gets me excited. I think in this case, though, we had no time for writer's block! There was a deadline and we were ready for the challenge.

Apples: Mhmm! I also try to reread what was already written, to see if maybe reading that helps with getting things going. But agreed, we were already running low on days so we just geared up and got to writing.

Niki: Having a buddy definitely helps. We were each other's betas and kept poking at each other to keep writing. I might've been passive aggressive with my casual "heyyy, how's it going?" messages. Sorry, Apples. xD

Apples: Hahaha not at all, I usually panic with deadlines so I probably annoyed the living daylights out of you with my messages about working on the fic :P

Niki: I think we can agree that pairing up and pestering each other is the best motivation. :D

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

Apples: Oh definitely different. I mean, it'd been a while since I've worked on a collab, but it felt natural in a way, our writing and our ideas really hit it off.

Niki: It was actually my first collab fic ever, so it was a whole new experience for me! Apples was so easy to work with, though, we really hit it off and our ideas flowed. I'd love to do more collabs in the future.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Apples: Just go for it and jump in! You never know what you might come up with, and it's definitely worth it when you complete it and get to see what the end result is.

Niki: Oh for sure. Just jump right in and be ready for anything with an open mind. I think half the fun is seeing where it takes you. Apples and I definitely hadn't anticipated a last minute fic collab, but it ended up being an awesome experience! And I think this goes to show that no matter what happens, fellow Supernova participants will always be willing to support each other.

Apples: For sure, and you can be sure you'll be making quite a few people very happy [after the angst of course~] with your fics.

You can read Castling on AO3, along with Applesaday and NikiFrost’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post —  ariestess!

We sat down with @ariestess​ to talk about Caught in the Act, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story? 

I absolutely fell in love with @trinadeckers​' artwork and the possibilities it offered. I knew I wanted to do something post-series finale, given what everyone was wearing in the artwork, but I couldn't quite decide on a specific plan of action for a while. It was a close call, but I finally came up with an idea that the muses and I really liked, so we wrote like the wind so to speak. LOL I love exploring Regina as a mother in general, and this whole idea of a magic baby without Regina being the one pregnant just makes me smile for some reason.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order? 

I'm a plantser, aka I usually have a rough idea of where I want the fic to end, but little to no firm details along the way. With this fic, all I knew was that I wanted Regina to learn she was Hope's other parent and that she would get together with Emma by the end of the fic. I knew I wouldn't answer every question Regina would have about the whole process, but that's the beauty of fanfic, isn't it?

What in your fic are you most proud of? 

There are a couple things.

First is "Operation Make Ma Smile Again" and the whole thing of adult Henry still doing his operations like the little boy we watched grow up in canon. As I wrote it, I could see the gleam in his eyes and that mischievous smile, especially as he explained who all was involved in the operation. Oh! And the whole thing with him worrying about whether or not Regina would fireball his ass. I couldn't help myself with that bit. LOL

Related to this first point is the whole "I love your wife, but she needs to stay the hell away from my chocolate silk pie." bit. I cackled so hard when I wrote that whole bit between Regina and Henry. I could see and hear Regina saying it to Henry, as well as his reaction. As I said in a comment on the fic, all of my Reginas are closet snobby chocoholics and absolutely go crazy for chocolate silk pie.

The other big part I'm proud of is the way Regina realizes how much she wants this chance with Emma and Hope, despite how many times Emma gives her an out. It was just a wonderful way of letting her start to sort through her feelings about both motherhood and a relationship with Emma. I've always loved to delve into Regina's thought processes in general, and this gave me ample opportunities.

Is there anything you'd change now? 

Honestly, I'm not sure? I mean, I could probably find a lot of little nitpicky things to work on, like I always do with my work. I think the biggest thing I'd consider changing is adding more to the end of it, making it longer and delving into the new family dynamic that got started. But who knows? Maybe I'll do that for SQSN IV... I'm pretty sure someone asked for a sequel of this fic and I haven't written proper curtain!fic for Regina and Emma in a while now...

How do you deal with writers' block? 

It really is a situational thing. I don't think there have been any two writer's block incidents that have been alike, but I have a whole stable filled with ideas of how to deal with it. Anything from playing solitaire to coloring or doing Zentangle or crocheting, y'know, pretty much anything that lets me get out of my head for a bit. That usually helps me process whatever isn't working out for me without causing a lot of stress. Sometimes I work on other writing projects, because that can give breakthroughs when you least expect it. And if none of that works, then I will pull out the headphones, open up Spotify to the heaviest of heavy metal at top volume and headbang my way through the block until I figure out a solution.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience? 

Nope, it was pretty typical for me. I've been doing bigbangs and fic exchanges with deadlines for the better part of twenty years now, going all the way back to the old LiveJournal days, and this one worked out pretty similarly to my typical M.O. for them. I really do love living under the threat of a deadline. LOLOL

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year? 

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Just throw your hat in the ring. Take a chance and see what happens. You never know your limits if you don’t try. And you may find yourself with a great idea that you wouldn’t have done otherwise. If it doesn't work out, at least you gave it a shot, right? No regrets.

You can read Caught in the Act on AO3, along with ariestess’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post —  KSQ!

We sat down with @xksqx to talk about What’s It Gonna Be?, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

Shura's song 'What's It Gonna Be'. I thought to myself, what if Robin and Killian ended up bursting at the seams with love for each other? And what if Regina became that one mega crush to Emma as we always seem to have in university days.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

I draft up every chapter's synopsis, character backgrounds on paper. Then I try to follow the schedule as close as possible. Perhaps the hardest part in writing is having  Regina suddenly say something to Emma that was not planned for. Lol! Then I feel as if she has disrespected me in some way because I need to go back and rewrite everything else.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

I'm most proud of becoming so immersed in the scenes I wrote between Robin/Killian and Emma/Regina. It was like being in their bodies and feeling what they felt. I intentionally pull readers into the room to witness sounds and feelings and hearts racing.

Is there anything you'd change now?

I always tell people that I am never proud of my work. Because I'm a perfectionist. I have mild OCD and I tend to rewrite chapters often. So what would I change about WIGB? Perhaps the ending. I wanted to add a little more between Emma and Regina but I didn't want to ruin the innocence of this newfound romance.

How do you deal with writers' block?

I always try to base my stories on a song. Or a playlist. So when I'm blocked, I have something to fall into. The songs are like me drinking in words. And becoming drunk enough to write again.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

It was! I felt excited to be dedicating my story to Shura. And when I posted it on Twitter, she FAV the tweet! I was so proud.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Yes. Start writing early. Start planning early. Fins your song or songs to inspire you. Write from within, not from without feelings. Try to grab a little from yourself to write through these characters.

You can read What’s It Gonna Be? on AO3, along with KSQ’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

[sqsupernova]

Author Post —  soundslikehope!

We sat down with @soundslikehope to talk about until fate lays down her weapons, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

The Disney comedy ‘Enchanted.’ It’s one of my favourite movies and the premise seemed like a perfect fit for SQ: fairy tale character meets real-world cynic; they fall in love despite the odds. But when I thought about the story from Regina’s point of view, it seemed really depressing. She’s a villain. Our world knows her as a Disney cartoon. No one would take her seriously—including Emma, which would put them at odds. On the other hand, our world believes in redemption, so Regina could actually have a second chance (that wasn’t based on getting a man). The story seemed angsty but hopeful, and I liked that.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

I can’t function without an outline. That’s partly because I tend to write out of order and an outline helps me stay on track. I can write a first draft relatively quickly, but it’s very rough, so editing takes me forever—it’s more like rewriting.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

I like how much Emma and Regina help each other grow. At the beginning, Emma’s given up on fairy tales, while Regina comes from a fairy tale world that sees people as either Good or Evil (and she knows she’ll never be Good). They end up believing in the best parts of each other’s worlds, and they both get to that point because their belief in each other is so strong. I think that’s a nice foundation for a romance.

Is there anything you'd change now?

I’m always thinking of things I’d like to change about it, but I also want to move on with my life, so I’m mostly happy to leave it as is. I think if I were to revise it now, I’d try to make the last five chapters smoother since I ran out of time to edit them properly. But if I could rewrite it entirely, I think I’d make Regina less evil in the beginning because although she’s a much better person by the end, she never really gets the chance to redeem herself for everything she did.

How do you deal with writers' block?

If I’m feeling disciplined, I’ll brainstorm, listen to my fic playlist, go for a walk, or do a writing sprint. But if I’m in a giving-up kind of mood, I’ll probably just go to bed (I usually write late at night). And then I’ll stress about my fic instead of sleeping.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

Completely. It was like a several-month-long writing party where everyone was some degree of stressed the entire time, but we were having so much fun that it almost didn’t matter. I met so many amazing people and made a bunch of new friends. My typical writing experience involves none of that and is therefore far less awesome—and much less productive. In a way, Supernova *is* my typical writing experience because it’s the only time I seem to get any writing done.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Time management is important if you’re writing to a deadline, but that really depends on you knowing what you’re capable of writing (and editing!) in a given amount of time. So if you’re new to this, my advice is to write a little bit of your story, edit it (including beta feedback if that’s something you want), and see how long that takes you. Then you’ll have a better idea of what you can handle. Other advices include: ask for help when you need it, don’t worry about being perfect, and maintain a stash of emergency ice cream at all times.

You can read until fate lays down her weapons on AO3, along with soundslikehope’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

[sqsupernova]

Author Post — lextenou!

We sat down with @lextenou to talk about Loved I Not Honor More, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

The classic poem "To the Truly Noble and Obliging Mrs. Anne Owen" by Katherine Phillips, aka Orinda. I'd wanted to write a sequel to "Always Earned, Never Given" but needed the right inspiration. I always knew it would have to be in Regina's POV, to match Emma's from the first story, so when I found the works of Orinda, it was truly serendipitous. There's something incredible about the classic poems and works, and their supreme gayness.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

I have never been able to write with established outlines. When I do outline, its more of a general sequence of events rather than a strict outline. It works out a lot better for me to improvise.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

Honestly, I'd have to say how Regina insults Emma's storytelling while committing graver sins of storytelling herself. Its like she can't tell that she's being a complete hypocrite.

Is there anything you'd change now?

I'd make it longer.

How do you deal with writers' block?

Curl into a ball and sob.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

It was a lot of fun! I really enjoy participating in these and being able to write these fics for others to enjoy.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Do it. DO IT!

You can read Loved I Not Honor More on AO3, along with lextenou’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!

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Author Post — ughaghost!

We sat down with @annalisequeer-ing to talk about Feels Like I Only Go Backward, Baby, their process, and their Supernova adventure!

What inspired your story?

a very popular coalition girl fic far better than my own.

How do you form your stories? Do you outline beforehand or write by the seat of your pants? Do you write linearly or out of order?

i try to outline just so i have an idea of where everything is going. I do jump around a bit and fill things in later.

What in your fic are you most proud of?

My fic I Never which is probably the best i've ever written.

Is there anything you'd change now?

wooo so many things. it isn't at all what it was supposed to be but oh well.

How do you deal with writers' block?

cry.

Was this Supernova experience different than your typical writing experience?

worse. I've been struggling since my health declined even further, to write anything because even sitting up for a long time can sometimes be hard for me. last year's supernova was a real struggle. hopefully this years will go better.

Any advice to other writers who might want to write a longfic, or participate in Supernova next year?

Don't be afraid to ask for help or advice or what have you. Sometimes writing in a vacuum can be really demoralizing. An event like supernova is good because it brings people together. you don't have to struggle alone. there are so many people available to help. dont be like me, take advantage of that.

You can read Feels Like I Only Go Backward, Baby on AO3, along with ughaghost’s other works! And don’t forget to feed the author!