#tww fic authors

[twwpress]

Weekly Press Briefing #29 - January 8th - January 14th

Welcome back to the Weekly Press Briefing, where we bring you highlights from The West Wing fandom each week, including new fics, ongoing challenges, and more! This briefing covers all things posted from January 8 - January 14, 2023! Did we miss something? Let us know; you can find our contact info at the bottom of this briefing! 

Challenges/Prompts:

The following is a roundup of open challenges/prompts. Do you have a challenge or event you’d like us to promote? Be sure to get in touch with us! Contact info is at the bottom of this briefing.

@thefinestmuffin and @JessBakesCakes are hosting a casual Josh/Donna Rom Com Fest that will reveal on February 14. Prompts and claims are open; details here. 

Photos/Videos:

Here’s what was posted from January 8 - January 14. 

Josh Malina posted a screenshot of an email about his donation to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 

Marlee Matlin posted photos of herself with the late David Bowie in honor of his birthday.

Marlee Matlin posted a selfie with makeup artist Brett Freedman.  

Marlee Matlin posted a memorial post for her friend Vae who has passed away. 

Mary McCormack posted a star-studded group photo from a To Leslie screening party at Courteney Cox’s house. 

Rob Lowe posted a trailer for his new movie Dog Gone, which came out on Netflix January 13. 

Janel Moloney posted a video from a performance she attended at STREB in Brooklyn.

Donna Moss Daily: January 8 | January 9 | January 10 | January 11 | January 12 | January 13 | January 14

Daily Josh Lyman: January 8 | January 9 | January 10 | January 11 | January 12 | January 13 | January 14

No Context BWhit: January 8 | January 9 | January 10 | January 11 | January 12 | January 13 | January 14

@down_brad_: January 9 | January 10 | January 11 | January 12 | January 13 

@janelmilfoney: January 9 | January 10 | January 10 (2) | January 11 

 Edits/Artwork:

The West Wing | Holy Ground by @dark_timeline_ [VIDEO EDIT]

#CJTOBY: we had it good there for a while by @zieglercregg [VIDEO EDIT]

Creator Spotlight:

Each week, we will talk to a fandom creator and interview them about their work and their process. We’ll also give you the opportunity to ask them questions, too! Want to be a featured creator? Find us via one of the methods listed at the end of the briefing!

This week’s creator is worldsofdreamers on tumblr and on ao3. You can find the spotlight on tumblr or on twitter.

 This Week in Canon:

Welcome to This Week in Canon, where we revisit moments in The West Wing that occurred on these dates during the show’s run.

Season 1, Episode 12: He Shall, From Time to Time aired on January 12, 2000.

Season 2, Episode 11: The Leadership Breakfast aired on January 10, 2001.

Season 3, Episode 10: H-Con 172 aired on January 9, 2002

Season 4, Episode 12: Guns Not Butter aired on January 8, 2003.

Season 5, Episode 11: The Benign Prerogative aired on January 14, 2004.

Season 6, Episode 11: Opposition Research aired on January 12, 2005.

Season 7, Episode 10: Running Mates aired on January 8, 2006.

Editor’s Choice: 

This week brought us the anniversary of two big Josh and Donna hurt/comfort episodes in Guns Not Butter and The Benign Prerogative. We thought there was no better way to celebrate than to share some of our favorite Josh/Donna hurt/comfort fics this week!

so cover me up and know you’re enough to use me for good by sam_writes_fics | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | “I need to learn how to not be so… how to keep things at arm’s length.”

“I hope not.”

It’ll be a cold day in hell before he lets this city turn his Donnatella into a hardened, soulless political operative, he decides right then and there. He’ll quit his job and drag her out the door with him before she even comes close.

 all we know is don’t let go by mikaylawrites for defendingtheearth | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | Donna nods, but a tear slips down her cheek. Josh reaches for her, wishing he weren’t wearing gloves so she could feel his skin on hers. She grabs his hand with both of hers, clutching onto him with surprising force until the anesthesiologist puts her under and her grip slackens. He watches her eyes close, unable to tear his gaze from her face.

The last thing he wants to do is let go of her hand, but one of the nurses gently tells him he has to leave. They guide him out of the room, and the moment the door closes behind him, Josh knows.

He’s in love with Donna.

In which the events of the Gaza arc bring Josh and Donna together rather than drive them apart (and Donna’s mental health gets the attention it deserves).

if you’re feeling small, i will love your shadow by scullymuldrs | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | The one consistency in her life was that: Donnatella Moss could take care of herself.

 often a sweetness by thefinestmuffins for hufflepuffhermione | Rated M | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | Josh and Donna cope with a series of increasingly intense and unsettling events in the only way they know how: by turning to each other.

*Or; a fic to fill in the emotional gaps in late season 4*

 now and at the hour of our death by aeoleus | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | Who was with you, Stanley asks.

Everyone was with me, Josh replies.

I thought we agreed not to lie to each other, Josh, Stanley says.

 Coda to Noel.

 home, in varying degrees by joshatella (shuuuliet) | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | After Amy asks Josh a question he doesn't really want to answer, he calls Donna for comfort. But Donna, unbeknownst to him, needs a little comforting, too.

Set after the events of 3x08: "The Women of Qumar".

 stood on the cliffside (screaming ‘give me a reason’) by hanyolo | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | And she’s glad she isn’t there to see the doe-eyed look of concern she knows he is giving her right now. It’s the same look he gave her when she told him about her car accident, right before she told him she wouldn’t stop for red lights and left him speechless in the doorway of his dimly lit office; as they sat together on a park bench on a cold October night waiting for Cliff Calley to return her diary; as he held her hand in the operating room because she’d been scared and disoriented and needed him to tell her she was going to be okay.

It’s a look she’s seen plenty of times before and she knows it has the power to break her.

// josh trying to take care of donna while she deals with the aftermath of gaza

 On Joyful Mornings by JessBakesCakes | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | “Are you afraid of me?”

What she wants to say is Joshua, sweetheart, right now you’re about as terrifying as my neighbor’s new puppy. But there’s a palpable sadness in his voice when he asks her. So instead, she can only say “Of course not, Josh,” and put down the carton of eggs before joining him on the other side of the counter. 

Or, Josh and Donna wake up on the morning after the events of "Noel".

Fics:

 Presenting your weekly roundup of fics posted in the tag for The West Wing on Archive of Our Own. If you are so inclined, please be sure to leave the authors some love in the form of kudos or comments. Be mindful of posted warnings/tags for each story.

 Josh/Donna

The California 47th by pipisafoat | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

To Our Women by Prof_Frink | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

to live for the hope of it all (the folklore drabbles) by flowersinapril | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

Do You Have Room For a Turncoat On Your Coatrack? by TemperanceCain | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

heartbreak, you know, drives a big black car by phos3 | Rated M | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

that's the kind of love i've been dreaming of by hanyolo | Rated E | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

A Dream is a Soft Place to Land by StealtheRest | Not Rated | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

but i knew you by swancharmings | Rated E | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

For As Long As You’ll Give It by Bric_a_Brac | Not Rated | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

Thanks, for Noticing by TemperanceCain | Rated M |  | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

 Other Pairings/Gen Fic

walk it for you anytime (thin, thin line) by jazzjo | Rated G | C.J. Cregg/Andrea Wyatt | Complete

No Matter What by All_That_Jazz_93 | Rated G | Kenny Thurman/Male OC | In Progress

Where The Hell…? by dumbchemist | Rated T | No pairings listed | In Progress 

Figures of Speech by Darsynia | Rated T | Toby Ziegler/Original Female Character | In progress 

bartlet for president! by buddyhollybenhur | Rated T | Josh Lyman & Sam Seaborn, Josh Lyman & Leo McGarry, Sam Seaborn & Toby Ziegler, C.J. Cregg & Josh Lyman | In Progress

almanac by jazzjo | Rated T | Amy Gardner/Andrea Wyatt | Complete

A Different Life by PreppyPrincess5103 (JAG crossover) | Rated M | Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie/Sam Seaborn | In progress 

Multiple Pairings

Children of the Apocalypse by murph283031 | Rated T | Leo McGarry/Annabeth Schott, Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Mallory O'Brien/Sam Seaborn, Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet | In Progress

There are no second acts in American lives (except when there are) by norahb | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Original Female Character, Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Sam Seaborn/Original Male Character(s) | In Progress

Paradise City by casliyn | Rated E | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Amy Gardner/Josh Lyman | In Progress

THE WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING TEAM CAN BE REACHED VIA THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

Twitter: @TWWPress

Email: weeklypressbriefing@gmail.com

 Feel free to let us know if we missed something, if you have an event you’d like us to promote, or if you have an item that you’d like included in the next briefing!

[mihrsuri]

Any The West Wing fic recs? Namely for either CJ x Danny or Jed x Abbey. Please & thank you.

I love anything by @miabicicletta for CJ/Danny of course (thee foremost CJ/Danny writer) but I think a lot of the West Wing fic I currently have bookmarked is mostly ensemble/gen which I can share some of.

I love love love this Star Trek AU so much. it’s a beautiful beautiful CJ and Donna fic - there’s so much to explore in it.

ETA: this one! (I remember it being good when I read it age 15!)

[callixton]

hey why was raedbard so good. riddle me that. how was every single thing they wrote heartwrenching and deeply compelling on every level. i should reread basic principles of relativity

[heathtrash]

The Worst Witch December Events

Well met, everyone! 

It’s that time again where the festive holiday-themed fics are plentiful, and we all come together to collectively ignore canon in favour of being kinder to our favourites. Many of you are probably wondering if anyone’s organising any fun little Worst Witch fandom events, and the answer is yes! Over on the TWW Discord we've come up with two challenges that can be attempted by themselves, or combined - a gift exchange you can sign up for on AO3 via this link, and a December holiday-flavoured prompts list.

Gift Exchange

For the gift exchange, everyone will be secretly assigned a person to write a fic or make art for, matched according to your shared ships. There’s a simple form where you can provide details for what you’re offering as a gift and what you’d like to receive. Be sure to provide as much detail as possible and specify whether you are requesting or offering fic/art, what you are willing to create, and what you’d prefer to receive. For example, “I will write/draw fluff, but will not write/draw anything nsfw”.

When you submit, all fics will be invisible until the final submission date, when they will be revealed anonymously. Try to guess which fandom writer you received! The authors will be revealed on the 25th December.

Fics must be a minimum of 1,000 words (there is no maximum), and art (while subjective) must be of decent image size and quality. Your work must be submitted to the collection on AO3 (linked on this post). To give and receive gifts, you must have an AO3 account. Ships must involve consenting adults only. If you are submitting to the December Prompts, do not add your gift fic/art to that collection until after the authors have been revealed. No AI art or fic is permitted.

While this is for fun, please be serious about having something (relevant to the request given, of course) to submit. It would not be fair for someone to miss out after having put in a lot of hard work and effort on their own submission. 

Due dates are as follows:

Sign up is open until 20th November 2023.

Completed work submission is 18th December 2023.

Authors are revealed on the 25th December 2023. 

Full guidelines are up on the collection. Remember to sign up this week before it's too late!

Prompts List

There is a separate collection just for prompts! You can freely submit your works here to the AO3 Collection as and when you like.

The images below contain a variety of prompts that may be interpreted in any way you choose. How you complete those prompts is entirely up to you - whether it’s doing an entire day’s worth of prompts together, mixing and matching prompts from different days, choosing one prompt from each day, or picking a few that you like and working with them.

Use the hashtag "#tww december prompts" when linking your AO3 works so we can find and share them!

Many, many thanks to @hydr0phius for helping set this up, and all the lovely folks on the discord for providing inspiration!

(silly little art by me)

[unseenacademic]

20 questions for fic writers

I was tagged by my dear, talented friend @mihrsuri Thanks, friend! 💜💜💜💜 1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 13 at the moment 😅

2. What's your total Ao3 word count? 28,823

3. What fandoms do you write for? The West Wing.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos? The First Lady - my ongoing fic where I answer the most important question in the world: what was Abbey Bartlet doing during the episodes she didn't appear in?

Josh and the Jackass - what happened right before Governor Bartlet decided to follow Josh to the airport in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen.

Breathe - a post-ep for Dead Irish Writers. Her birthday party is over, and Abbey Bartlet must face the New Hampshire Medical Board.

A Bit Desperate - part three of a series of three-sentence fics about Abbey and Jed in the aftermath of Zoey's kidnapping.

Anything Else I Need to Know - Five times the staff of Bartlet for America interrupted a barbecuing session and one time CJ interrupted a different kind of session. Takes place during the First Bartlet Campaign.

5. Do you respond to comments? Yes, I do. I do my best to respond to every comment I get, as fast as I can. It's a two-way street, we, as fic authors, often complain (and rightly so) about the lack of feedback, the lack of comments and kudos, but we don't respond to comments. As a reader, I am more likely to comment on a fic from an author who's replied to my comments earlier. But I guess I get so few comments that I can easily respond to all of them 🤷‍♀️ and since there are like 7 people who care about what I write, the least I can do is respond to their very kind comments 💜💜

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I guess it's Anything Else I Need to Know. The ending isn't too angsty by itself, but if you put it into context and you know the overarching plot of first few seasons of TWW, it's definitely angsty. Honorable mentions: With Pomp and Parade & And the Silence Haunts our Bedchamber - they both deal with the aftermath of Zoey's kidnapping.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? White Christmas. And Something for Us to Remember too also qualifies. You have to read them to know why 😊😉

8. Do you get hate on fics? Luckily, I'm not popular or interesting enough for that 😅

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yes! Oh, all kinds! The worst thing I've ever written came before I started my fanfic writing career (I used to be involved in forum RP, I'm less active there now) and... nope, I'm not going to write about it here. Too cursed. 🙈🙈 If you want to see some sane smut I've written, check out Game On, Boyfriend! I hope I'll write another barbecuing fic soon, so stay tuned.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? I don't. But I'd love to see a TWW/NCIS crossover.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? I hope not.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? No, but if anyone's interested, go ahead.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, I haven't. The closest thing to co-writing fics was RP-ing which is sort of similar, but not really lol. It might be fun, so if anyone's interested in writing with me, let me know.

14. What's your all time favorite ship? Abbey/Jed! There are many ships I love, but I have to go with my horny nerds.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? There was a WIP I started last year, the first fic I posted, but I ended up deleting it, so it's not very likely that I'll ever finish it.

16. What are your writing strengths? I'm really, really good at research lol! If I'm writing a fic set in the 1960s, I'll make sure that they're eating food, wearing clothes, listening to music etc. that was popular in that period. You won't catch any of my characters wearing historically inaccurate shoes. I'm also really good at digging up random canon details and writing thousands of words around them.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Plot lmao. I write fics about nothing, it's just banter and nerdiness, with the characters and/or the author showing off 🤣🤣

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Hmmm... I don't know, don't think I've ever needed to do it, but I guess it depends on what I want to achieve, I might write it in English and add a dialogue tag like "she said in French" or something.

19. First fandom you wrote for? The first fandom I published a fic for was The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, but the first fandom I wrote for was Harry Potter.

20. Favorite fic you've written? Can't choose only one, so have a few of them:

Breathe: Once again, Abbey is reminded how cruel the world can be towards women. 

No one asked Jed what he was wearing when he took the censure. 

Anything Else I Need to Know: Josh finally opens the door to his room and slumps on his unmade bed.

Next time, he’s going to pay attention. He’s going to pay attention to Mrs. Landingham’s notes on the Governor's schedule. And he’s going to pay attention to Mrs. Landingham’s instructions, so he’ll know what her notes on the Governor’s schedule actually mean. Next time, he’s going to pay attention.

Had Josh been paying attention, he would’ve noticed when the Governor dashed across the hall and up the stairs right after lunch. Had he been paying attention, he would’ve noticed Leo’s smirk that followed the Governor’s departure. Had he been paying attention, perhaps he would’ve noticed the soft, rhythmic squeaking of the bed and muffled gasps and groans coming from the Bartlets’ suite right before he opened the door.

Well, too bad that Josh wasn’t paying attention.

And Something for Us to Remember too: “I take it your conversation with Doug didn’t go well?”

“I spoke slowly and I didn’t use big words, but I couldn’t talk him out of marrying Liz. Maybe I should’ve taken him on a hike. A six-hour hike through Vermont wilderness in the dead of winter would’ve changed his mind.”

“It wasn’t a six-hour anything! I was there, Jed, you were only gone for two hours.”

“You weren’t there, Abigail, you were baking with your mother, while I was fighting for dear life, braving the cold and wolves and bears.” He sighs and adds, “Guess it’s too late to take Doug hiking now and leave him for the bears.”

White Christmas: “’She – New Hampshire – is one of the two best states in the Union. Vermont’s the other’, said Robert Frost, your favorite poet, who also happened to be the poet laureate of Vermont.” Abbey made a dramatic pause and gave Jed a pointed look.

“She’s one of the two best states in the Union. Vermont’s the other.” She continued her performance. “And the two… the two lie like wedges, thick end to thin end and thin end to thick end.”

Jed chuckled.

“Sweet Knees, we’ll lie like wedges, thick end to thin end and thin end to thick end any time you want,” he leered at her, “on our bed, in front of the fireplace, on the kitchen table…” his smirk grew when Abbey’s lips curved into a little smile and her cheeks flushed, “but Robert Frost named his poetry collection New Hampshire, not Vermont.”

“Well, I’m going to write the words ‘Freedom and Unity’ on the pie and you’re going to eat them!”

The First Lady: “Mrs. Landingham withholds food from me,” he complained.

“Because I asked her to.”

“Yeah, cause you don’t want me eating real food like steaks or hamburgers. She won’t let me have a banana.”

“I’m sure you did something to piss her off.” Abbey shrugged.

“Do you two enjoy torturing me?”

“Yes,” she said innocently.

Tagging (no pressure!): @claudiajcregg @onekisstotakewithme @hondagirll @miabicicletta @librarianmouse @holy-ships-x-red-lips

💜💜💜💜💜💜

[claudiajcregg]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by both @mihrsuri and @unseenacademic 💜💜💜 Thank you so much! I actually wrote up most of the answers the day I was tagged, and then forgot to post them. For over 10 days, probably. Me bad.

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 23! (One of them is a 'collection' of short ficlets, and has 6 chapters. So 28 stories in 23 works so far. Probably about to be more stories in still 23 works.)

2. What's your total Ao3 word count? 156,597 words. For now.

3. What fandoms do you write for? Currently? Just TWW. Who knows in the future!

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

They have about 35% of my total kudos, but the first two are ~21% alone. (The first one is the only fic that has over 100 kudos. Then again, any of them getting above 30 is a miracle.)

maybe everything's just turning out how it should be (Big Block of Cheese 2008; CJ & Josh. Posted Feb 2021) [121]

say it's here where our pieces fall in place (Vignettes, 1998-2008. Posted Jan 2022.) [66]

just your smile lit a sixty-watt bulb in my house that was darkened for days (Thanksgiving 2006. Posted Dec 2022.) [55]

nobody knows how to get back home (Missing scene from ITSOTG. Posted April 2023) (wait what. top 4?!) [50]

we could be the way forward and I know I'll pay for it (B4A Campaign Fic, spring 1998. Posted May 2021) [47]

5. Do you respond to comments?

YES. I don't take them for granted, and I like interacting with my readers. Sharing is nerve-wracking and makes me feel so exposed, so any comment makes it worth it. I like to thank peeps for their time! As of late, it's taking me weeks to get back to comments for Brain/spoons reasons (and because I try to do so in order, though not always). I sometimes feel bad I have fallen behind on leaving my own comments, so replying to what I get makes me feel bad. I love getting the rare, long, thoughtful comments, because I love seeing what people pick up on (had to restrain myself from commenting on everything), so if that one's up next… It'll delay everything. I have a harder time letting go of those.

I know replying or not is a hot topic, and I fall on the side of 'whatever the author does is fine' (I see them as being voluntary gifts to the author, kinda, but I understand why some authors can't or won't reply! Especially those who get dozens.). It does feel weird(ly demoralizing) when you see that yours is one of a couple of comments they haven't replied to, though. (Selfishly, as someone who tries to write medium-long comments, lack of anything can sting. It's irrational, it's not what I'm after, but it'd be nice to know whether that hour plus of my time was worth it. It's not transactional and I hate that c4c idea or whatever. Just. weird feelings.)

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

As we've established in previous similar memes (lol, I think I've answered these questions before), my fics don't really have angsty endings! For the most part. I think I said don't want you to go but I'll be okay then, and I can still buy that/definitely popped into my brain. I think some of my late S7 fics have an ominous feel to them, with some references/buildup to the angsty parts of IM, but I wouldn't call them angsty endings.

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

Um. The opposite is true! still you never took your hand from mine was my first thought, but I feel like oh, and I will be with you to feel the California sun is pretty darn happy. I could have picked almost any of them and I could make a case for them!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I luckily do not. I have gotten a couple of comments that have messed with my brain, and made me second-guess things, but they were not hate.

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

Yes, but not regularly and not that well. It's usually short, mild scenes at most, but I did challenge myself to write a more explicit one last summer, especially after I got those 'one bed' tropes in the Wheel but didn't go there in the 500-word limit. Streets say it's hot. IDK. I also wrote a smutty continuation to the exchange fic. Best if we forget parts of that one happened. I also started writing one that would be in my S5 pregnancy universe but 🤐

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I don't. But this question confirms to me I have answered this before because I know I've joked about how TV has already done that for me, lmao. See: Bones/Sleepy Hollow.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? (I had to track down this question because it wasn't anywhere.) I don't think so!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope! I'm having déjà vu here. I know I have answered this before: I could do it myself! But I have a feeling it wouldn't be as easy as one might think, but I'd be honored.

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

I don't think so…? If I have, it was years ago, in my forum/LJ days. I've been trying to make it happen for a while now, but who knows if it'll ever happen. WE HAVE IDEAS. We want to make it happen. (Wink wink, nudge nudge. You know who.)

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

Spaceships are so cool. Atlantis was the first space shuttle I saw in person (and also the one I've seen the most) and it and its exhibit are awesome. I'm only missing Discovery out of the four space shuttles, because I didn't go to the second National Air and Space Museum location in Virginia back in 2015. And once the new exhibit center is completed, I'd love to see Endeavour again.

(In all seriousness, I don't have one. Booth and Brennan will forever and always hold a special place in my heart, but I love CJ and Danny so much, writing for them, their journey. Pls don't make me pick.)

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

I am a big 'never say never' person, because I end up picking stuff up (and maybe rewriting it to fit my current style/ability) if I remember an idea… But I'm guessing many of them won't get finished. Probably some of those that are deep in my notes app or on the drive.

16. What are your writing strengths? I (try to) dig into the emotion of a scene as best as I can.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Everything else? I know it sounds like an excuse (at least to my ears), but writing in your second language is hard. I know my writing sounds limited because of it – my descriptions will never be as evocative as I wish they were, my dialogue won't be there. I am not the most imaginative person, either.

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

If it makes sense, and won't take the reader out of the story, go for it! (A few words, or a line or two, might work if there's appropriate context.)

But also, as a non-native speaker, I'll always recommend using pals who might be fluent in that language and checking with them! I know that, throughout my many years in fandom, I've read quick things in Spanish within English fics that weren't entirely correct in the context they were being used (i.e. character's fluency, smaller details), and they took me out for a second. (I know, I know – pot, meet kettle. If anyone has read an unedited story of mine, they've found me making up English phrases.)

19. First fandom you wrote for? Bones. In Spanish. (I also think I wrote some ficlets in English that are probably hidden in some random LJ comm I created for my writing. They're probably 14-15 years old.)

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

I honestly cannot pick! And maybe it's yet to come. But basically, if I've gone through the embarrassment of having someone edit/beta a fic and catch all the avoidable mistakes, it's because it genuinely has something I like about it and that I think others will like, too. (Perceived quality aside.)

Off the top of my head, and out of the posted fics (obvious recency bias, sorry). I have a story for all 23… Also, let's consider I've mostly not read them since they were posted so I might be off. (Would love to hear what everyone's favorite is, if you've read any and are reading this!) Obviously, that top 5 by kudos has great ones. There's a reason

don't want you to go but I'll be okay: I just remember finishing it and knowing it was something special. Felt like many things coming together. I wanted to write angstier, a break from the endgame of the IM AU I've yet to post, and I think it works. I had had that quote as inspo for a while, and I think the trip to Berlin put it back on my mind. (The first haunted by the notion draft is from around this time, too!)

your love is a secret I'm hoping, dreaming, dying to keep: the structure is likely a tad repetitive, maybe (but also, the point of 3+1s, sort of?) but I love writing in that s7 period, and there should be more fic with the press corps. I think the stuff I wrote while editing (which included an overhaul of the +1) is even better than what was there.

oh, and I will be with you to feel the California sun: recency bias, yes. I love a good early Cali story, and even if this was nowhere the story I sat down to write originally, I love how it turned out. It's silly but fun, and so sunny.

still you never took your hand from mine: I will always have all the soft spots for my memoir stories, even if two of them have yet to be posted. This one doubled its size a year and a half after “finishing” it because I realized what it was missing. It's sappy, probably unrealistic re: the publishing industry, but damn it if it's not one of those that have made me cry while editing them.

we could be the way forward and I know I'll pay for it: I had to include an oldie but goodie from my first year, and this one is so special to me. (Along with BBC 2008, which I also absolutely adore. That was the fic I always wanted to post. Hilarious it was third. But it's also my most popular fic by a huge margin.) Seeing it recommended on Tumblr? God. I love campaign stories and all their potential. I love that I took a random line from some unposted story and it evolved into this fic.

nobody knows how to get back home: I almost added the most recent one because of how fun it was to write (or, as I mentioned above, Big Block of Cheese) but I like how bittersweet this missing scene one is. I find CJ's internal struggle so interesting to explore, and this is one of her most vulnerable moments. I also wanted to see a hug so badly.

[onekisstotakewithme]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 🤍

you AND @youngpettyqueen both sent me this which 💜 this just means ten deranged self-recs because. deranged. i'd like to pretend this will be a diverse collection of recs, but. lmao.

1. None of Us are More Than Caretakers (The West Wing)

I wrote this whole story in about six weeks, and I loved every minute of it! About my only real complaint for season 7 of TWW is the transition stuff was so largely focused on the incoming administration, and I wanted to focus more on CJ and Danny (and the secret relationship!) and it overall turned into a little thing about legacy. And all because Gerald Ford happened to die during that time frame IRL! The alternative title is "what if I spent this whole fic setting up the events of Institutional Memory".

A snippet:

“Off the record?” Danny laughs, leaning back against the headboard. “How exactly would you expect me to quote you on this, CJ? The president’s chief of staff, while sitting in this reporter’s bed eating ice cream after sex, was quoted as saying…” CJ smiles too. “Force of habit.” “Sure.”

2. Don't Bet Your Future (M*A*S*H)

My most indulgent, most SILLY passion project. The combination of my love for M*A*S*H + Back to the Future = "Don't Bet Your Future". Essentially, it's a retelling of Back to the Future only BJ is Marty, Daniel is Doc, and... in 1955, Hawkeye is Daniel's son whom BJ has never heard of. This was the best thing I've ever written if only because it was so much fun. You should all write a fic based on your favourite movie, actually. 🥰🥺 (someday, sequels...)

Snippet:

And then a minute later, “What year is it?” BJ scoffs a little, turning on his side. He can just see the outline of Hawkeye in the dim of the room, a negative space with a warm voice, “Don’t laugh, I’m serious.” “It’s 1955.” “And who’s the president?” “Ronald Reagan,” BJ says grumpily. “Can I go back to sleep now, or are you gonna keep making me think about Ronald Regan?” “Is he a good president?” Hawkeye asks curiously. BJ thinks of AIDS and grimaces, his reply a little shorter than he means it to be. “No.”

3. What Unites Us (M*A*S*H)

One of my favourite gen fics I've written for MASH! Essentially, all of the letters sent back to the 4077 post-party. 🥰

4. Ties That Bind (Star Trek: TOS)

The Journey to Babel tag because Jim and Spock accidentally being linked by Amok Time and only finding out because Sarek lets it slip can be so personal (my first K/S day fic)

5. xenia (M*A*S*H)

The first time Peg meets Hawkeye, as seen through a classical lens (aka I wrote this one December while procrastinating studying for a classics final. Triad-ish, Peg's POV.

[stars-inthe-sky]

For the fic asks meme!

For your TWW fic: 5.

For any/all of your Natasha MCU/fics: 10 & 11

5. What's a piece of lore you haven't shown in your fic or don't think you'll be able to add in?

I specifically thanked @scullyseviltwin for helping me kill my darlings in the author's notes for The Seconds Before I Jumped, and I went back to the email thread from nine years ago to answer this question correctly. The thing I remembered cutting was the opening verse and chorus of "You Better You Bet," a song by the Who that I was debating using for the story's title. But the massive chunk of lyrics was distracting and added nothing.

The main actual thing that didn't make it into the final fic was more of a formal resolution to the Donna/Josh thread; apparently the line that she (100% rightly) made me cut was a tag at the very end: "About eight months later, Josh takes credit for the whole thing, and Donna elbows him in the stomach." It's probably accurate in the little universe of the fic, but I couldn't make a scene work at all around that single sentence. And, as a good beta should, @scullyseviltwin helped me realize that the fic didn't need it—it's about C.J. and Danny.

10. What is your favourite au? Have you written anything for it?

I don't have a favorite AU premise, because what a writer does with the premise matters so much more than whether it's a coffeeshop or a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

For my own work, though, it's probably the post-apocalyptic setting, since I covered that in Momentum Building and tell me where your strength lies ages well before I ever thought to write anything Marvel-related. how to get back there fits right into that category, to answer your question—though very loosely inspired by Terminator: Salvation, it's not a fusion (Every Part a Flame is, albeit of the original Terminator movie), and it's from Natasha's POV.

All that said, Making Your Way is still probably my favorite proper MCU AU I've written, although it's a bar/pub setting and not remotely related to the end of the world.

11. Is there anything important in your fic you think readers have missed/overlooked?

I'm struggling to think of an answer! Just about everything I've written that wasn't a short prompt-a-thon response was beta-read (typically by the brilliant @angstyteenagesam and/or @redrackham87), in part to make sure things worked the way I meant them to.

The stuff that probably get missed/overlooked in most of my stories is probably the same obscure research items everyone ends up with that don't really matter but that, for the author, must be exactly correct (e.g., when seatbelts were invented relative to the events of Every Part a Flame, since they bounce around—accurately—in a Jeep).

Alternatively, I also have a habit, as I'm sure many others do, of seeding my own little in-jokes with myself into fics. The bit about junior CEA staffers in the West Wing fic, for instance, and just about every location in that story are pulled from my own D.C. years.* Kaliningrad and Szeged (from shapeshift and trick) were places of significance relative to a summer program I did in Hungary in high school, and the Glenn Miller namedrop in that fic was for Rose Tyler.

There are also several instances across several fics of Natasha wearing my clothes, or preferring my coffee order at the time!

[bonesstiel]

Hi!! i'm asking a bunch of people but do you have any destiel au best friend to lovers fic recs???? pleaseeeeee (no abo) thank youuuuu!!!! or just any destiel AU (no abo) if you don't have any best friend to lovers fics? thank you so much!!

you bet your ass i have au recs!! i love to put those guys in situations. i tend to read longer fics because im insane, so most of these are over 100k. i feel like i have more best friends to lovers fics that are hiding in my bookmarks, so this might get updated later

Friends to Lovers

More Than Kisses - epistolary, two-person love triangle where dean and cas have been friends since they were teens. my Ao3 notes: "the penpal one!! book nerds!!! baltimore!!!"

alone together - quarantine fic, dean and cas are roommates, now forced to be around each other 24/7. cas pines, thinking that dean is straight

Carry You Home - non-linearish baseball AU, starting when dean and cas are in college. also: secret relationship! my AO3 notes: "i don’t understand baseball but OH FUCK I LOVED THIS SO MUCH"

Starstruck - dean and cas were childhood best friends, and now cas is a single father to claire and jack and dean is a movie star. dean comes out, and in the process references a childhood crush that sounds a lot like cas.

Playing With Fire - best friends to fwb in a D/s relationship. part of a larger series with other ships and there's a threesome, so watch out for that if its not your cuppa.

General AUs

Breathe Easy For A While - country musician dean starts working with producer cas. technically friends to lovers, but more of a meet-cute.

Prince Of My Heart - 400k+ words of a royalty/the bachelor AU. my AO3 notes: "red tbis entire thing in less than 24 hours while sick <3," which i consider a rave review

FROTUS (wip) - it would not be a bonesstiel rec list if i didnt include this fic it scratches my little tww and rwrb loving political science major brain right. cas is the president of the US and dean is a restaurant owner in Kansas. if u read nothing else on this list read FROTUS

The Way to a Man's Heart is Through Chlamydia - exactly what it sys on the tin. after a one night stand, dean has to track cas down to let him know he has an STD.

Let Me Come Home - the author's summary says it best: "It would be very inconvenient for Castiel to get a crush on Claire's foster parent."

Any Little Heartbreak - fwb to partners hospital AU, so so good i literally have quotes from this on sticky notes on my wall

What I Need - i love hospital AUs and i think this is my favorite. cas is a surgeon and dean is the only surgery tech he's willing to work with.

I have a million more, so just ask if you want more of a certain trope!! in going through my bookmarks for this i have discovered that i apparently hoard bdsm aus, hospital aus, kid fics, and two person love triangle fics.

[onelargecoffeepls]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💗

<3 <3 <3

Thank you for the tag, dear! In no particular order:

1.) Talking (And Not Talking) - My beloved King Corn fic 2.) Les Mains - Roy Mustang character study 3.) Before and After - Short little TWW missing scene 4.) we speak the language/no one understands us - Royai love languagessss 5.) Better Than Before - My massive post-series Royai undercover fic

[twwpress]

Creator Spotlight: Week 4

Welcome back to our TWW Creator Spotlight! For every spotlight, we’ll ask each featured creator the same ten questions as well as select questions submitted on twitter. This week, we’re chatting with @sapphiccjcregg // jedianniescrambler on ao3. Emma creates lovely fics and edits, and we’re thrilled to feature her this week!

1) What are your top 5 desert island TWW fics?

The Journey of Wells and Roads by kennedygailparker

My absolute favorite fic ever. Post canon, absolutely gorgeous. This is my season eight and no one can convince me otherwise.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20657867

I hold with those who favor fire by internationalprincess

This was the first Amy/Andy fic I read and it’s just so good. The blueprint honestly.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/146182

 States of Union by Iamsherlocked07

The secret married hurt/comfort of my DREAMS.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/31008557

 summer, highland falls AND extracts, a six act play, and a tango by crossingdelancy 

Everything by crossingdelancy is beautifully written but I especially love these two.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/34995025

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32778259 

2) Do you have a favorite character to write/edit? Favorite ship(s) to write/edit? Are there characters or ships you'd like to write/edit more of?

I love writing Amy Gardner, she’s so funny and I don’t know what this says about me but I feel like it’s really easy to get into her headspace.

CJToby is definitely my favorite tww ship to write for, along with cjandy and abbey/amy, the latter two I always mean to write more of! 

 3) Tell us about your creative process (setup/location? Night or day? Snacks/beverages? Computer/phone/notebook? Music or silence? Anything else you want to share is welcome!)

I don’t really have a set process for fic writing. It usually happens on my phone between doing other things. Sometimes I’ll go to a coffee shop to finish writing a book review and end up procrastinating by writing fic, but that’s as close to an actual process as I get. (And always music over silence!) 

4) What video editing/writing advice do you have for others who may be reading this?

Just write! The only way to get better is to keep doing it, over and over and figuring out what you like and what you don’t like in your writing. Also developing your own voice in storytelling is important, there’s nothing worse in my opinion than a narrative voice that sounds average and mediocre.

 5) From where do you usually draw your inspiration? (Other forms of media, music, tropes, etc?)

Honestly everything? Sometimes it’s songs or random tweets or photos. Most of the time it’s brainstorming with Sam. There’s a trope/kink/au generator I use sometimes when I need that extra kick though. 

 6) What is the fic/edit you've written/created that you're most proud of and why?

still got love for you. I think is my favorite fic I’ve written. I love how it turned out, it just feels so soft and cozy when I reread it. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32699131 

 7) What's the fic trope/concept/AU you'd read 1000 of? What's the fic trope/concept/AU you'd write 1000 of? And/or, are there any editing tropes/artists/themes you can't get enough of?

I have a soft spot for marriage of convenience/arranged marriage fics and I would definitely both read and write 1000 fics of that. But looking back at my past posted fics I seem to have written more than one “only one bed” fics haha 

 8) Is there anything you'd like to try writing-wise/video editing-wise that you haven't yet?

Technique wise not really? I’m working on a quasi epistolary fic for another fandom, and it would be kinda fun to write one for tww if I came up with the right plot to suit it. 

 9) What's your go-to Starbucks/coffee shop/other drink order?

Iced chai (or matcha) with almond milk! 

10) Do you have any current projects you'd like to promote or anything upcoming you'd like to tell us about?

I’m quite happy with my parent trap au (and your eyes look like comin’ home / https://archiveofourown.org/works/40186941) which I posted back in July as well as my most recent fic (come in with the rain / https://archiveofourown.org/works/41303256). I have several fics in progress that I need to finish but work has been really busy and I have been far too tired afterwards to write lately. I hope to post four more fics by the end of the year though- I currently have 96 published West Wing fics on ao3 and I’d like to make it 100. For sure I’m working on a fic about Ellie and another cjtoby au. 

 Submitted questions:

From @mlea7675: What’s your favorite AU you haven’t tried yet?

I love a classic coffee shop au and have written them for other fandoms but not tww! It’s definitely on my to write list. 

From @jessbakescakes: What's a line you've written that you're really proud of?

Serious line answer: California didn’t suit her. Ohio, Washington, she was at her best in a wool coat, the cold chill never cutting through her warmth.

Much less serious line answer: CJ did remember, distantly, that she found him handsome in that older, put together kind of way. She always felt like he looked as if he did his taxes on time and gave really good head. But it wasn’t like she devoted a lot of time thinking about this particular neighbor.

From @thefinestmuffin: When did you start writing? Have you written in other fandoms? What's your favorite thing about your OTP?

I started writing fanfiction when I was 13, before I knew what fanfic even was! Then I didn’t start writing West Wing fic until July 2020 after my second watch through. I’ve written for a lot of other fandoms but the most for TWW, Once Upon a Time, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Unreal.

I think my favorite thing about CJ and Toby is their mutual respect for each other, and how they seem to get each other on a level no one else does. Their relationship seems to mirror Sam and Josh, and Jed and Leo. 

From @S4MWILSON: craziest au you’ve created? favorite au from someone else? most and least favorite tww ships? which tww character deserves a spin off most? most overrated + most underrated tww episodes? favorite thing about cjtoby? funniest part of tww? ship you’ve never written but would like to?

Craziest AU: I’m working on a western au which has been fun! I’ve also written a cjtoby art thief au which was also pretty out there.

Favorite AU from someone else: I love Sam’s (iamsherlocked07 on ao3) bookshop au, Takes One to Know One!

Most Favorite Ship: CJ/Toby Least Favorite Ship: CJ/Danny

Character that Deserves a Spin Off: Ainsley Hayes!

Overrated Episode: I plead the fifth! Underrated Episode: my personal favorite episode is The US Poet Laureate which does not get enough love. 

Favorite thing about CJToby: (answered with thefinestmuffin’s question above)

Funniest part of tww: definitely a toss up between the Toby and Sam walking to breakfast in Mandatory Minimums and the CJ/Amy/Will scene where they’re definitely not hazing Amy.

Ship I’ve never written but want to: Andy/Amy!!

Thanks again, Emma!

If you’re interested in being featured for a future spotlight, please drop us a line here on tumblr, on twitter, or email weeklypressbriefing@gmail.com.

xx, What’s next?

[romana-after-dark]

So is there a reason you are romanticizing the most fucking disgusting acts of abuse, assault, and manipulation imaginable??? And a reason you think homophobia is something you even remotely have the authority to talk about like you’re not some little bimbo housewife anyway? You could write hurt comfort like a normal traumatized person but you have to take Joel Miller and turn his violently protective nature into the most vile and unforgivable acts of humiliation and abuse. And you can’t even give it a once over before publishing it?

Well first and foremost I am bisexual so I would think I have an authority on homophobia

God I WISH I was a little bimbo housewife. Unfortunately I gotta work

Finally, it’s a dark fic. Take it or leave it lol.

I write lots of hurt comfort too on my main but this account is for dark

And I don’t really think Joel is the good guy. TWW is portrayed through little one’s eyes so of course it’s gonna seem romanticized but that don’t mark her’s meant to be good. Joel will get what he deserves.

The violence and rape, however, is fictional. You don’t have to like it or read it…. But it seems you do read it since you know the details 🥰

Enjoy!

[etraytin]

Hi, I thought I'd ask you since you seem to magically know where everything is! I'm looking for a TWW fic where Donna witnesses a murder and goes on the run because she's being pursued by the killer. I've looked high and low myself and but it seems not exist anymore.

Anon, I am pretty sure I have also read that story, but unfortunately none of the details are popping into my head right now! All I can do is give you my big list of links so you can poke around and see if one of these authors is the one you are looking for. And maybe even if you don't find that particular one, you'll find something else you like?

[coolhandlukes]

sorry but rwrb isnt social network ff with the serial numbers filed off but the author did also write sn fic around the same time (if it's anything it would've been merlin or the west wing given all the minor characters that rhyme with tww)

oof the way i was SO close. thank tommy c for giving sorkin a career anyway

[claudiajcregg]

B,U, & Z for the fanfic ask game. Please & thank you!

Thank you for asking, Danielle! And apologies for taking this long to reply - I actually wrote most of it a couple of days ago and just forgot to finish (some of these questions were hard!). I've also been a little under the weather, so that didn't help.

And if you still want to ask me some more of these fun questions... this is the list! ♥️

B: Any of your stories inspired by personal experience?

Not really. I see a lot of myself in them, and details of things that have happened to me are there but main plot lines? No. I feel like there are people who hide in them, and it amuses me to find them. And anything Alzheimer's-related I include is often rooted on something I've lived.

U: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

Way to put me on the spot! I'm followed by and I follow some amazing writers I adore. I admittedly haven't read a lot of fic this year, so I'm going to go with three authors at the top of my history tab for whom I've read more than one story...

gayicedlatte - even though I've mostly read Tedbecca fics in the last year (... and some change) (wow has this show been gone for a while), I know that I can trust this author to deliver. Their writing makes me feel all the things, and her long stories are just incredible. I'm always enraptured by their writing and the journey she takes us on.

krazykitkat - old school here, maybe, but her fics are some of the first TWW fics I read almost six years ago and she's now posting older stuff that I'm loving. She can do angst and she can make me laugh, she has the voice right, and I love feeling when reading, you know. I just enjoy her writing a lot, whether it's her drabbles or her longer pieces. (She has also read some of my stuff??!?!?!? And been complimentary about it?!?!? Mine?!?!)

miabicicletta - brillaint, amazing, showstopping... Her recent TWW fics are all that and a bag of chips. Three bangers in the span of a couple of weeks, full of sharp, fun dialogue and some really great character exploration. I wish I was as talented 🥹♥️

I would like to add Sarah/thebreakfastgenie, Ruth/theoofoof, Pan/eyes-onthehorizon, piperset, and all the wonderful authors whose work I admire and have read over and over (but that's between my history and I, lol). I'm in awe of everyone's talents and thankful they've shared their stories with us ♥️

Z: Major character death–do you ever write/read it? Is there a character whose death you can’t tolerate?

Writing-wise, I can only think of the one time I did it this year... And it destroyed me because I'm a weenie. I have read major character death throughout the years, and as long as it's done well, I mostly can do it! I do have to be in the mood for it, though (with 'it' being crying my way through it).

[onekisstotakewithme]

🍰 🧠 👖

I am so sorry this took so long to answer... not me having a depression session lately.

BUT ANYWAY HERE I AM. I love answering asks and I love blathering on about my writing. Ten years of fic writing will do that lol 💜

🍰 Name one of your fave comfort fics (doesn’t have to be your all time fave).

*immediately forgets every fic I've ever read*

oh! Big duh. The Bureau Files. I usually re-read them every few years - The Cat Returns is probably my niche-iest fandom, but these feels so canon to the story told in the movie, are a great spin on casefic ideas, everyone is pitch-perfect in character, and I've adored the world-building and Lore behind this series for LITERAL years. @catsafarithewriter is a deity.

🧠 What’s an idea you have that you can’t quite call a WIP yet?

I colloquially refer to it as DAA (Danny All Along), where the premise is fairly basic - essentially, what if (since I, as an author, am not dependent on actor availability) Danny was on TWW for all seven seasons, and in the press room for the bulk of that time. Spiritual companion to missing scenes, essentially. It doesn't and maybe will never exist outside my head, but nevertheless.

👖 Are you a planner, plantser, or pantser? Is it consistent?

Both?? I guess a plantser, because I routinely get struck down by the Outline Curse (if my outline is too specific, I lose all will to actually write the story!) so I generally stick to like. general outlines or brainstorming notes of things I'd like to include. But this is story dependent.