#wow feels like it’s been years since i posted a wip of this story…

[oldfashionedmorphine]

oh what’s this?

a lil peek of ch 21 for iawwyh??? 👀

tagging:

@across-thestars @boahey @magentamee @daydreams-in-the-moonlight @greenfiend @rebellius @booksandpaperss @castelobyers @total-serene560 @karenchildress @sparks-olivarpente @hazmatazz @suzieburself @krakoansam @mandycantdecide @robin-therobber @foodiewithdahoodie @soyboystan @trvbblemaker (if you want to be added or removed, let me know!)

[fortheloveofbuddie]

High school sweethearts?

Hi Ashley! Long time no see, so glad that you’re back 💗

I made a moodboard and an introduction to the story here but I’m posting a snippet as well 👀

Buck’s eyes scanned the crowd, searching for a familiar face or rather - one particular familiar face - at his high school reunion. Life hadn’t been so easy for him back then but now when he had become a public figure, people that he had never spoken to, took a sudden interest in him. But there was only one face that he truly longed to see.

And that’s when he saw him. Eddie Diaz, the man that he had loved since he was 16. And hadn’t seen since he was 19. That was over a decade ago now.

The brown eyed man bore clear signs of aging, small lines starting to form around the corners of his eyes. Yet he hadn’t seem to have changed at all - a big, bright smile plastered on his face as he greeted old classmates and friends.

Buck discreetly slipped his fingers under his shirt, fingers seeking the silver chain that held the promise ring that Eddie gave him back in high school. It rested against his skin, concealed from view but stayed a constant reminder of the chapter of his life that had meant everything. Eddie had been his whole world for years.

Hesitant yet excited, he approached Eddie on unsteady feet and as soon as Eddie’s eyes turned to him, a wave of nostalgia washed over him, setting back time instantly.

“Eddie, is that really you?” He chuckled like he could ever forget the face of a man that he had loved for almost half of his life. Eddie turned to face him and somehow the world seemed to stop spinning, memories of shared laughter and secret glances clear as the summer sky.

“Buck?” Eddie’s voice held a hint of disbelief. The stark blue eyed man in front of him had aged amazingly, standing like the masterpiece that he was in front of him.

It took another moment for the two of them to share an embrace and a laugh of nervousness escaped Buck’s mouth.

“Wow you look-…”

“Older? Taller? More rugged?” Buck joked, unable to take the situation seriously. As much as he had longed to see Eddie again, it stung. Years had passed, years that Eddie promised that they would spend together and then never did.

“I was going to say good but sure, yeah, that too” Eddie returned the laugh, still able to read Buck’s voice and body language like an open book.

A bit painstakingly awkward, the two of them started to catch up and for a moment, everything seemed to be exactly like it was back then.

The love was never lost, it just wasn’t their time.

Until Eddie raised his hand to comb through his hair - something he did when he was feeling out of place - that Buck saw the wedding ring on Eddie’s finger.

“Married, huh?” He questioned, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips.

Eddie's expression shifted, a mix of emotions crossing his face. "Yeah, I met someone after college. Her name's Shannon, and we have a son called Christopher”

Buck nodded, trying to mask the disappointment that he felt. “That’s great, Eddie. I’m happy for you. Glad to see that you’re doing well” Buck’s words were laced with something that resembled a mix of sarcasm and sadness.

Just as the conversation settled into a slightly awkward silence, a woman approached, wrapping her arm around Eddie's waist. "Eddie, who's this?" she asked, glancing at Buck with a careful smile.

Eddie introduced them, "Shannon, this is Evan. He’s an old friend”

They were never just friends.

Ask me about my wips 💗

Using this as my Tease Tidbit Tuesday cause ya girl is a mess because of exams 😐

Tagged by @daffi-990 @jamespearce9-1-1 @athenagranted mwah mwah mwah 💋

Tagging!! @watchyourbuck @jeeyuns @jesuisici33 @giddyupbuck @fionaswhvre @thewolvesof1998 @theotherbuckley @callmenewbie @cal-daisies-and-briars @honestlydarkprincess @butraura @spotsandsocks @hippolotamus @disasterbuckdiaz 💗 🦋

[colorfullyminded]

PLSS TELL ME UR STILL DOING KISS THE COOKK!! its almost gunna b a year since ep 6 and i rlly need to know if the other 14 in the works. (take ur well deserved break u dont need to be making fics 24/7)

Oh wow, I wasn't sure if people still wanted that. To be honest, we actually have written up to chapter 8 (9 technically because there's an 8.5). All I really need to do is finish editing them before posting them. The reason I've been so hesitant is also my feelings towards the fic. I both love the fic and also feel incredibly self conscious with some of the decisions I chose in the fic (especially later chapters--some of which haven't been posted yet). I love writing smut, and I do think Wirt deserves to be written more unhinged than people allow him to be (he's a poet for godsake, if he can be so despondently dramatic laying on a couch-- you know his yearnings are just as fantastical, dramatic, and probably hella thirsty. And let's not mention Dipper's search history). I love writing these two because they're so multifaceted and I love trying different perspectives of their personality. Also writing with my friend Clubs has been amazing and I genuinely enjoyed his help with this fic! I want to continue this series when I'm more motivated to write. But again, for how much I love this fic, there are moments where I go back and read and blush and go "I'm sorry, I made Wirt say what? I made him do what?! IS THIS HOW HE WOULD ACT?! THIS DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT? WHATTHE FUCK WAS I ON TO THINK THIS WAS OKAY?!" (I'm in charge of Wirt's dialogue/actions in this story, Clubs does Dipper, and occasionally, though very rarely, we may also add something to the other's characterization). There are times I worry I've made him ooc. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that. I was having fun, I'm enjoying my extra smutty era (where all I wanna write is to be a problem) and honestly if I wanted to explain my reasonings I probably could make an accurate presentation on why Kiss the Cook is not that out of character. But I also do pride myself on my fics and a lot of comments I've received are about how well and real the characters feel. I feel so good that I'm able to articulate and present them in a way that feels genuine and makes the readers feel like it's just another adventure-- but with the two. I like bringing that feeling into my writing. And Kiss the cook, some elements do feel very much like the characters (Clubs does amazing with an older Dipper), but I do start to doubt some of Wirt's actions or my writing in this particular fic as being too "Horny on Main". So it's kind of a love/hate relationship I currently have with this piece of work. But if people do still love this fic and want to continue this adventure, maybe I should go back and get these chapters prepped for posting? Despite my fears, everyone who has commented on KTC have been very supportive and encouraging and sweet. So this whole anxiety and self doubt is probably just in my head. I shouldn't be so hard on myself. I do have other smut WIPS that tackle different layers and so I can always finish those up if I need to take a break from the wildness of KTC. So to answer your question, yes, we do have more in store, and maybe it's time I show you what we've cooked up (no matter how embarrassed I make the reader...or myself)

[fimbry]

Okay, tell me about your favorite OC (don't lie, we all have a favorite)? What's their name? What story do they belong in? Have you written any of it? Drawn them? Who is their best friend? Where'd you come up with them? Do they have snakes? If not, what snake WOULD they have?

Oh Ked you sly dog, you'll get me monologuing!

Okay big shocker but it's Tikall, he is my 100% fav.

My stories don't have titles, but he's in my "main" story. I only have two stories, the other one has that little brown/gold dragon in it.

I haven't written any of it, and I've hardly drawn much of it because compositions are hard when you're trying to tell stories with it-- they often get abandoned in the WIP stage. Wow, sad! That's what I was hoping to change this year, but I've been very unproductive and feeling crappy so far.

I do draw him constantly though, he's the most fun to draw.

His best friend has changed over the years as I tweak the story, and I have done some major changes over the last few years. So, it's Tast though!

(I love drawing him too)

When did I come up with Tikall phew um, well he's always been my self insert character into media so I started drawing him like when I was 4 or 5 as a Land Before Time character except he was just a fox because I liked foxes back then. A baby dinosaur sized fox. Same guy, just changed a lot with time. A LOT.

He did have snakes, which were just my own snakes, but now post-2020 story edits he doesn't considering he travels a lot and it wouldn't make sense. He does have his own Tobiko though because gosh, everyone needs a little cat. As a base Tikall is very "me," but he is also his own character since his story is not my story. So there are a lot, a lot, of differences.

[ripeteeth]

Writing Patterns

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there’s a pattern! Tagged by @perverse-idyll, thanks for tagging me! This is really interesting, especially as I’ve been playing with my writing style and changing it up lately.

1. “A long cloak of night has fallen across the bed.” [Milk Teeth, MDZS, Jiang Yanli/Jiang Cheng. If I’m ENTIRELY honest, this is an inside joke with myself, as an old livejournal friend once described Snape by saying “pick up your long cloak of darkness and get to therapy”, which is a statement I think describes Jiang Cheng quite well.

2. “The trouble with stories is that they don’t always line up quite right.” [Over My Dead Body, MDZS, Wangxian, WIP. I like to bullshit about storytelling and story structure. There’s something fascinating about the interplay of author and reader, and of reminding the reader that they are sitting down to a story. There’s a special charm when the author editorializes and goes off on tangents - such as Victor Hugo in Les Mis - and while I am no Victor Hugo, it IS extremely fun to do.]

3. “‘Please,’ you say, and he likes it when you say it.” [empty, save you and i, Good Omens, Aziraphale/Crowley. I just love the cadence of this and the way it establishes the close, confessional second person POV.]

4. “Naked, wrapped in silk, and turned away on his side.” [say it like you mean it (with your fists for once), Kinnporsche, Gun/Vegas. Does the lyric “why is the bedroom so cold / you’ve turned away on your side” from Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart haunt you like it does me? I like how this established the feeling of isolation and loneliness.]

5. “This is how it goes.” [Zoetrope, MDZS, songxuexiao. Again with the storytelling.]

6. “The day he meets them is a red-sky day.” [blood, bones, and butter, MDZS, songxuexiao. Red sky at warning, sailors take warning! How else should you introduce my babygirl Xue Yang? I’m realizing a lot of my lines have tucked-in references, allusions, and inside jokes with myself.]

7. “Spring is pale in Revachol.” [Revachol Calling, Disco Elysium, Harry/Kim, WIP. Honestly, I don’t like this line and if I ever rewrite it, I hope to have something that fits better. This doesn’t grab in the way a DE fic should grab the reader. God, this WIP haunts me. Someday I WILL finish it, but it’s been three years since I’ve played the game and I absolutely need to play it again to get a feel for the voices.]

8. “The walk home is lonely.” [long slow love song, TGCF, fengqing, WIP. I really like short first sentences, huh? I suppose this is just brief scene-setting. Mu Qing seems like a guy who takes a lot to open up, so a short opening line suits him.]

9. “He wonders how he’ll die.” [impact, Beyond Evil, lee dongsik/han juwon. I’m proud of this one. I feel like this sets the tone and grabs attention. It’s just a short fic inspired by J.G. Ballard’s Crash, so I can’t think of a better way to begin.]

10. “When Kinn had been a boy, he’d had an old tomcat that liked to sleep in his bed.” [shotgunning, Kinnporsche, vegas/kinn/porsche, WIP. Introduces this as a Kinn character piece.]

Bonus from unposted Frankensmut: “One should not travel these woods alone; the Wild Hunt is strong here, and all are prey.” [Introduction to Natural Philosophy, Frankenstein, The Creature/Victor Frankenstein, WIP. An opening line that promises you that the hunter WILL get his prey. I promise you this.]

What I’m really learning here is that 1. I need to work on finishing my goddamn wips, and 2. wow I really rely on passive voice to open. Huh. Are there any other patterns? Maybe some authorial direction to remind the reader of the story structure. I’ve also got a bit of a penchant for short opening sentences followed by paragraphs that either elaborate on it or negate it, usually heavier in length and description as a counterbalance. Like adding acid to balance fat or sugar. Truthfully, I’ve kinda grown bored with my typical writing style, which is partly why I haven’t posted much fic lately. Art is all about pushing yourself and trying new things and innovating. I’m dead sick of writing present-tense third person limited and am vibing with first and second-person POV, which aren’t fan favorites for fic. I’d also LOVE to try something much more zoomed out, like omniscient third-person.

This was fun! Tagging @brawlite-archive, @iodhadh, @jaggededges123, @rcmclachlan, @weatheredlaw, and @darcylindbergh if you’re vibing, and anyone else who’s interested!

[rebelrebelwrites]

Fic Friday! ❤️ Rebel’s Weekly Fic Recs

As always, this week's recs are...

As always, please mind the tags on any recommended story for your own personal preferences.

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The Classic You’ve Heard Of But Somehow Haven’t Read Yet: Say Something True by eastwynds

What you need to know going in:

I read this fic a while back, thought I bookmarked it and somehow didn’t, and have been thinking about it since, planning on highlighting it in one of these weekly fic rec posts. Lo and behold, this week I started reading its sequel (more on that in a minute) and found it again! Another one of the great “what happened on the way to Eregion” fics, this one thrums with an undercurrent of fear—Galadriel’s fear that Halbrand won’t make it before they reach Eregion. Her grappling with her growing feelings and her barely-restrained terror that he might die is a standout in this story. In addition, you’ll see a stoic but pained Hal, and a supreme softness between the two of them that’s breathtaking. Bonus! It also has a few unique twists and turns that are a joy to read, and a brush of scintillating smut to boot. May I advise bookmarking then diving in? 😂 At the very least, don’t make the mistake I did!

Complete, Mature

Read the story.

Follow the author on AO3.

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The AU You Need to Immerse Yourself In Because, Well, Wow: just what i needed by @hazelmaines

What you need to know going in:

This fic! This week! Along with the last fic on this week’s list, this story basically got me through this week at work for its sheer delightfulness and how fully-realized and immersive it is. (Also, a major thank you and kudos to author @hazelmaines for the flurry of updates, always appreciated, even if it’s only temporary!) This modern AU has Galadriel and Halbrand meeting and majorly sparking at a religious summer camp. Gal’s exhausted by her family’s (unfair and unreasonable) expectations of her and her faith, and Halbrand is dealing with a similar aimlessness as the son of the pastors in charge of the camp. It’s early days for this story, but the back-and-forth between these two is electric, and the setting serves as a fantastic metaphor for canon in so many ways, and is just incredibly authentic. I’m so excited to see these where these two go, and how they’ll reckon with a world where they don’t seem to fit… except together, that is. 😉

WIP, Explicit

Read the story.

Follow the author on Tumblr and AO3.

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The Complete But Never Forgotten Masterpiece: the once and future -- by @mortaltempless

What you need to know going in:

Hnnnng this fic, another great addition to the Saurondriel fandom from @mortaltempless — and another favorite of mine. A canonverse, post-S1 one-shot, this has such a unique and harrowing (in the best way) premise: 10 years after Sauron deceives Galadriel, she, Celeborn, and Elrond capture a prisoner from the Southlands… who recounts the chilling legend of the Southlands lost queen. 👀👀👀 Care to guess who she might be? I won’t say more since this is a self-contained story, so just trust me when I say that as always with @mortaltempless’ works, this fic is impeccably written, has a dash of smoldering smut, and a simmering, soulful angst that will take root in your soul. So. Damn. Good.

Complete, Explicit

Read the story.

Follow the author on Tumblr, Twitter and AO3.

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The WIP That Will Wreck You (In the Best Way): An Ocean of Tears by @honeyfarts666

What you need to know going in:

A Sauron redemption story! Yes, it’s Sad Mairon in this fic, burrowing away in the wilderness to lick his wounds after Galadriel finds out who he is and rejects him. There, he begins to contemplate a better existence—if he’s capable of one. Jury’s still out, but I’m very intrigued to find out. Meanwhile, Galadriel has her own secrets she’s keeping… (that I won’t spoil) and when they meet again after so much time apart, the secrets are bound to be revealed. It feels like there’s so much on the horizon for this fic, which is just getting started, but Sauron’s genuine-(ish?) repentance (plus, his having a few animal buddies to keep him company) is enchanting to read. Still, angst and inner turmoil feel like they’re just under the surface of every moment, and I’m steeling myself for what will come next. Can’t wait! 😍

WIP, Mature

Read the story.

Follow the author on Tumblr and AO3.

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The Can't Stop Consuming No Matter What Time It Is Fic: In Case of Defeat, Break Glass by eastwynds

What you need to know going in:

Aaaaand I’m totally doing it and putting TWO stories by the same author in one fic rec post, but it’s so warranted! This story is the sequel to Say Something True that I mentioned above, and I kid you not, this fic basically got me through this week at work. I binged it like a fiend after rereading it’s precursor, and my only regret with doing so is that I’m now all caught up. Where the prequel ends in Eregion for our favorite ETL pair, the sequel picks up after Halbrand’s reveal, with Galadriel on her way back to the Southlands to treat with Sauron after he sent her a mysterious missive. I’m going to gloss over plot because I don’t want to spoil anything and the TWISTS, you guys… SO good. Literally, every chapter I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was coming next. What I will spill is that it’s a post-S1 epic journey in which Gal and Sauron are thrust together to work against another foe, and again, I’m just so impressed with the amount of surprising but familiar plot threads this author weaves, and I also thoroughly enjoy the characterization they employ for Gal and Sauron. It’s such a contrast to the prequel, which had so much more raw tenderness to it, whereas here, Sauron is so much cheekier, and Gal bristles but also basks in their banter together, and the weight of what came before is this ever-present shadow of sadness. It’s… I mean, you can’t stop consuming it, like the title of this fic rec category says! So don’t try; just start reading it today if you’re not already on it. 😂

WIP, Mature

Read the story.

Follow the author on AO3.

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🤩🤩🤩

Me at all these fics:

Don’t see your story on this list yet? Keyword: yet. Please don’t fret! I can only recommend so many each week, but I am always looking for more stuff to read, share, and generally shower with love, so please feel free to reply with your own fics or your personal faves. I have plenty more to recommend… ❤️

Until next week!

[mistressheroine]

author interview

Thank you for the tags @gneebee & @im-immortal

Happy New Year everyone!

1. how many works do you have on AO3?

6

2. what's your total AO3 word count?

43,408

3. what fandoms do you write for?

The Walking Dead - Beth Greene/Daryl Dixon

4. what are your top five fics by kudos?

Keep Me

A Stolen Moment

La Dame Blanche

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Something

5. do you respond to comments?

Yes, and I try my best to respond to every comment I get. I massively appreciate all the support and feedback I get so I try my best to acknowledge that.

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

Something was definitely the angstiest thing I've written so far, although I do have a second part for La Dame Blanche in my notes that would probably beat it...

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

I Want Your Midnights probably 😉

8. do you get hate on fics?

No, thankfully I haven't had any hate directed my way since I started posting earlier this year but I know it happens.

9. do you write smut? if so, what kind?

I want Your Midnights was my first attempt at writing smut and I gotta say I'm so proud of how it turned out. Writing smut always made me really nervous but once I got started it was actually so much fun and it's defintely something I plan to do again.

10. do you write crossovers? what's the craziest one you've written?

No, and I don't have any plans to.

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of.

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

No.

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

No, although it sounds like it coulld be fun!

14. what's your all-time favourite ship?

Beth & Daryl - I am literally never getting over them.

15. what's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have a lot of ideas jotted down, snippets of fic ideas or scenes rather than stuff in my WIPs. I do intend to get around to them all eventually. I did have a whole Beth Lives idea that I came up with a while ago about her going back to the farm but I think it's more likely that the idea is going to get incorporated into Keep Me at some point rather than it growing into it's own story.

16. what are your writing strengths?

Oh wow, I don't know. I'm not very good at critquing myself. Hopefully keeping them as much in character as I can?

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

Right now I feel like action sequences (I'm trying to write some action sequences for the latest chapter of Keep Me) - creating the right vibe for them and building the suspense. I also think sometimes I'm in danger of repeating the same words a lot when describing something. Having the confidence to trust myself once I've written something out as well, I do look to @im-immortal for a lot of reassurance and I massive appreciate her taking the time to read the stuff I send to her 😊

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

I did a bit of this in La Dame Blanche but I don't think I'd ever be confident enough to use more than a few words at a time. Google translate is notroious for messing stuff up and I wouldn't want to do it if I wasn't confident that I was getting it right.

19. first fandom you wrote for?

Alias on FF.net - I post one very short fic there once and then Something was originally posted over there back in 2014 but I didn't write anything from then until earlier on this year.

20. favourite fic you've written?

Keep Me has my heart right now because it's the biggest thing I've ever attempted, but writing I Want Your Midnights was so much fun and really made me feel more confident as a writer.

A lot of you have been tagged already so sorry if I'm tagging you again but anyone who wants to join in please do! @burningupasun @boltthrutheheart @sasusc @fairybellworld

[writer-and-thrasher]

Fic in Review 2023

Thanks to @trentcrimminallybeautiful for the tag! I'm (fucking hopefully) starting to get over being so deeply ill after two whole weeks, so I decided it was the time to do this! Yay!

tagging: Literally anyone who wants to, plus I'll tag @providing-leverage, @jamietarttdoodoodoodoo, and @trentcrimmisgay (sorry if you've already been tagged or if it's too late, my brain is rebooting)

Total Number of Completed Stories:

I completed 8 fics this year (1 for Dimension 20 and 7 for Ted Lasso)!!! It's way more than I planned to write in a year, especially given that four of them are over 10k words and I genuinely didn't think I was gonna write any fanfic this year. All in all, I'm really really proud of how much I've written!

Total Word Count: AO3's word count put me at 63,919, which... woah. The one D20 fic I wrote this year wasn't even 2k words, which means that I wrote over 60k words of Ted Lasso fanfic in 6 months. I didn't start writing for TL until June, which honestly makes me even prouder and more excited for tackling stuff next year!

Fandoms Written In: Ted Lasso, almost exclusively. I've also written for Dimension 20, and I figure I will more when Fantasy High: Junior Year releases, but for now I'm on a pretty big TL kick.

Looking back did you expect to write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expect: I expected to write way less than this! I'd hoped I'd write some, but nothing was really grabbing ahold of me until Ted Lasso crashed into my brain.

What’s your own favorite story of the year, personally?:

Ooh, that's really tough. I'll split it into two because I can't choose:

In my Dichotomy series (I'm just really proud of it tbh), my favorite of the fics was The Dichotomy of a Captain, aka Roy's perspective. It felt the truest to any of them, though I continue to try to stay true to all of them. It's also the first of the fics in this series that made me realize I really could finish the series.

My favorite one-shot of the year is probably Out of Practice, if only because sometimes I get WIP ideas and rarely follow through, but I worked hard to finish this one. And also, I really like watching through Isaac's eyes as he learns stuff about his best friend.

Did you take any writing risks this year?: Honestly, I think the fact that I came back and started writing again was my biggest risk of the year. I wasn't really sure of my voice or style, and it was intimidating to come back and keep writing, but the community made a world of difference.

Do you have any fanfic goals for the New Year?: I've got different WIPs I want to write, like finishing the Dichotomy series and a few series I have in the bank. I think more tangible goals are to get more comfortable with writing new scenes and being more comfortable with past tense. I've always been drawn to canon-explicit stuff, and for some reason, present tense has me in a headlock lmao

Best story of the year: I don't know that I can say anything is "objectively" the best, since fanfic is subjective as hell anyway, but I feel like The Dichotomy of a Captain is the one I feel is the best written. But that one is also my favorite, so I may just be biased.

Most popular story of the year: I'm stealing @trentcrimminallybeautiful's way of doing this because I think it's good, so shoutout

By kudos: "The Dichotomy of a Couch" with 268

By subscriptions: "The Dichotomy of a Couch" with 52 (This was originally going to be one work I wrote the series on, but someone suggested I turn it into multiple works in one series, and this one was first, so it has the highest)

By comment threads: "The Dichotomy of a Captain" with 14

By bookmarks: "The Dichotomy of a Couch" with 65

By hits: "The Dichotomy of a Couch" with 2604

Overall, definitely "The Dichotomy of a Couch", though I did admittedly post it first. But also, wow, these numbers are super humbling, and I'm honored that anyone has read and reacted to what I've written. It means the world for this fic (and my others) to be so kindly received.

Most personal story of the year: Most definitely Who Tells Your Story. No contest.

Funniest story of the year: Ooh, I genuinely made myself laugh while writing The Dichotomy of a Prick, so I'd have to say that one. It's the least serious, and writing Jamie's thoughts brought a smile to my face.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Mmm, I guess Who Tells Your Story.

Most fun story to write: I gotta go with The Dichotomy of a Prick again, it was a breath of fresh air between two very serious parts of this series and amidst other more serious one-shots.

Story with the sexiest moment: I genuinely don't write sexy fics, so the answer is going to be very silly. The best I've got is an illusion to a sexy moment in the past during The Dichotomy of a Prick, but Definitely nothing actually sexy lol

Sweetest story of the year: I gotta go with Who Tells Your Story again, considering that I wrote it for the sweet moment.

“Holy crap that’s wrong even for you!” story: I'm also gonna take this to mean angsty instead of scandalous and say The Dichotomy of a Captain

Hardest story to write: The Dichotomy of a Prick was hard to write on a more technical level as far as Jamie's POV went; I was really conscious about not fucking up his character or writing him too OOC. But considering how personal it was for me, Who Tells Your Story gave me some gut punches as I wrote it that made it hard emotionally.

Biggest disappointment: I think that some fics I liked didn't do as well as others that I didn't like as much, but I also know that my writing got better over time, so I'm really not dwelling on it.

Biggest surprise: Writing again in general, definitely, but also how much love I've gotten for things I've been really excited about. I fully didn't expect so much kindness (far more a me thing than anyone in this community, y'all are wonderful) and it's definitely inspired me to keep going. Y'all are amazing and I'm so grateful for all of you.

[greenmegsnoham]

2022 Fic Review 📖📝

thanks for the tag, my dear @gaylord-zuko !!! This is going to be fun! (I hope) I wrote a TON the first half of the year, and then it sort of teetered out... so let's see what the damage is!

Most popular fic: Yes, Daddy - my 2022 @call-me-daddy-fic-fest fic! I really embraced my breeding kink here, and fell completely head over heels for Scarry in the process! Can't wait for this year's fest works!

My favorite fic: Wait For Me - My ultimate Dralbus for @hp-nextgen-fest - "it was only going to be 20k" - yeah, okay. My longest fic to date (and the longest Dralbus on AO3 😳) at 85k. Exploring the growth of their relationship over the course of 17 years was quite the feat. I almost didn't make it, you can thank @makeitp1nk for being the world's best beta and cheerleader. I'm so glad I finished it and I absolutely love it.

Most unexpected fic: And Still I Dream - My H/D Reverse bang ( @harrydracobang ) work and the very first all out AU. I never read AU, and I never in a million years pictured myself writing one, and yet I did! When I saw Gaudium's art - wow - the story was just there. Took me right back to my own high school days. Theatre Nerd Draco and Basketball Jock Harry for the win! Oh, and Draco sings Les Mis... a lot lol.

Fics for next year: Well... I have 1 collab and 3 WIPs that I want to finish, or at least get well on their way....

Until You're In My Arms Again (Remeber Me): my heartbreaking Rarry amnesia fic collab with @stonedregulus - I'm so thrilled you were willing to do this with me. I don't doubt it will be one of the best things we've ever made. 💕

Time Heals All Wounds: A Snarry time-travel/soulmate fic that has been around since 2019?? It's my most popular work to date, and I really need to finish it. 😭

For Love and Legacy: A James/Lucius that takes the Drarry dynamic to the next level - strangers / enemies to lovers with denial of feelings and fake(ish) dating - lord of smut and drama - but what would a story about Lucius be if not drama??

The Wands Chose the Wizards: My 2021 Tomarry Big Bang that has been chilling for far too long. A Drarry to Tomarry fic with Time Travel, and the launching of a new ship: Draco/Lestrange Sr. - I did manage to post a chapter last week and fell right back in love with the story!

I have my Call Me Daddy 2022 fic in the works, with a pairing I've wanted to write for ages! I can't wait! There's also @hpshipuary and @kinkuary ... so who knows what might happen!!!

I've been doing a lot of fandom hopping and have a lot of fun writing for Anime fandoms too, like Sk8, Naruto, and Free!, with plans for more. BNHA, I'm looking at you! (I use an alternative alias for these 🤫)

Next fic I plan on writing: From scratch? Oh goodness... My ideas are always endless and often hit me like lightning with no prior warning. Hopefully I can make a dent in those above! 😅

Tagging @makeitp1nk @thebooktopus @fantasyborn @cindle-writes @danpuff-ao3

[ufuckingpastry]

I've been feeling in a rough patch lately and most of it's manifested in insecurities and a general lack of motivation to work on any writing projects. I haven't touched PB since I put it on hiatus. I came up with a really fun writing series that just petered off into nothing. I've barely progressed and done anything, even though I'm having all these cool story ideas!

If you've been here for a while, you might've noticed that I stopped writing a couple years back, right around when Homestuck ended. Homestuck was the first major fandom I was in and the first one I posted fanfic for. My AO3 has 50 works just for Homestuck. And, when it ended, it felt like so did my desire to create.

Of course, this was right around my last year of college and ohhhhh fuck that was stressful. Plus I got really into WoW too. I didn’t really have much time to write in general.

I struggled for 3 years feeling like I could barely write anything at all. I was in such a depressive funk at the time, and the feeling like I couldn't create only worsened it. It took me 3 months to write 1000 words.

And then, one day, something amazing happened. I got into dsmp, I got into these characters, and on a whim, I sat down and wrote my first fic for it. In the span of 3 days, I wrote 3000 words! And I was happy! And I posted it and people seemed to love it!

My AO3 now has at least 30 fics just for dsmp, and I've got folders upon folders of other projects and ideas springing up every day for new fics for other smp series!

And yet, I'm starting to see myself falter. With the dsmp ending, and especially ending like it did, it reminds me so much of Homestuck. And I see myself doing the same things and behaving the same way I did 6 years ago. Struggling to write. A lack of focus and motivation to work on any of my projects. An external source of immense stress that makes me feel like I don’t have much time to write anymore.

And it's frustrating on a personal level to see that. Therapy opened my eyes to recognizing my patterns of behavior. I can prevent myself from spiraling. I can recognize when I need a break and I can take that break and barely feel guilty for it. And yet, here I am again. Will it soon take me a month to write 1000 words?

Have I even written 1000 words this very month?

... so I've written 5000.

In 2022, I decided that I wanted to track my yearly word count. I wrote so MUCH in 2021 that I broke 100k words posted on AO3 for that year. But that was just finished works! None of my wips, which I knew I had a lot more of! So I tracked my word count in 2022 and I think I hit around 150k? And that's impressive! That's cool!

So I did it again for 2023. But it's been harder to keep up with that over the last few months. I've been in a limbo of not knowing how many words I've written. Based on the fact that I haven't made any progress on my fics, that number must be very low, I thought.

And then I updated my word count yesterday. And I realized something:

I've written over 5000 words this month. Which isn't a lot, sure, but it's a lot for me. And, you know what? That's on track for January and February. March was fucking wild cuz I broke 14k words in March. And I know from tracking it last year, whenever I get a huge spike of words in one month, it takes maybe another month to recover. So my next month won't be as big or grand, but that's okay.

And that made me sit back and really look at what that means. I've been rping a lot, which is where the majority of those words come from. I wrote 1.5k words in a single DAY and I'm over here wondering why I don't have any words left in me! When I was in my last writing slump, I was still rping. All I did was rp.

I'm still writing, even when I don't think I am. I'm still expressing myself in these creative outlets even when I don't think it's "real writing". And why does it matter what's real writing anyways? Isn't it enough that I'm still doing it?

It is. It is enough. Therapy helped me recognize my patterns of behavior, and sometimes the answer really is to just. Take a break.

It'll still be here when you get back.

[misshallery]

recent fire emblem fics dump <3

hiiii i realised i can use my blog for whatever i want and i've been writing a lot since last summer. like, a lot a lot. so i decided to share some of the stuff i've written recently here for personal ref and in case anyone is interested <3 (using 'recently' VERY loosely)

"well enough alone" lucina & morgan (as siblings), a drabble exploring their relationship. i regret never really sitting down and writing a chrobin during the peak of chrobin but here is my kinda painful take on some post canon things.

"older and wiser" azelle/tailtiu. i had so much fun with this one. a lot of my twitter friends have been talking about azeltiu lately so i wrote a little about how their relationship came about with an emphasis on their naivety and innocence kinda fading with the war but finding some sanctuary in each other.

"to live a legend" owain and severa and inigo. a wip i started in 2017 and only just updated THIS YEAR. it's still unfinished and my writing is very old but the idea is that the events of fates are a myth in ylisse, and that's the backdrop to a story about the awakening trio feeling discontent with their lives postwar.

"letters from afar" celica, alm, and marth. this was a nagamas gift for a prompt asking for something about a relationship between the three! they exchange letters on a whim which isn't how diplomacy works but it's about them healing and finding people who understand them in an unexpected place.

"absent friends" dimitri and the ghost of glenn in between the timeskip. this is the only 3h thing i've written, wow.

"a rose painted red" quick nyna character study that explores why she wanted to leave archanea.

"conviction" ares/seliph aka one of my fav kinda-rare pairs ever. ares decides he wants to desert the army because he's not sure about his choice to join seliph but really because he's grappling with difficult feelings about seliph himself.

"where they belong" neimi/colm through the eyes of eirika, and exploring how strength comes in different forms.

"things inherited, things buried" midia, jeorge, and astram aka the culmination of me spending years fixating on the midia and jeorge engagement backstory!

[fractualized]

Just reread your Free John Doe series, and I’d love to hear about the third one :)

I hope you enjoyed the reread! :) This gets a little long so I'll talk about Theoretical Part 3 under the cut.

I actually hadn't opened that doc in a literal year, and really I can just post its contents because wow it's short:

My conception of the Free John Doe story stopped at the end of Backstitch, but of course it's a world that lives on in my head so I've played around with revisiting it. The very basic idea I have is that Ivy has an accident in her lab and starts to display unusual abilities, nothing as wild as controlling vines, but probably poison kisses and a healing touch on plants. Waller sends Harley to kidnap Ivy and bring her to the Telltale equivalent of ARGUS to see if these new abilities can be nurtured, and of course Bruce gives chase to rescue Ivy. I don't imagine he asks John to help, but John knows that Harley is around and feels the need to prove that she doesn't mean anything to him anymore, so he comes along. At Telltale ARGUS we'd meet Dr. Victoria October, who is one of the scientists researching strange abilities and their potential for bioweaponry. She'd be more sympathetic to her patients than Bruce expects, seeing herself as helping them and fighting bad guys, sort of like how Avesta saw the Agency.

So it's an idea that needs to be fleshed out, and I need to do more research. Mainly, I still haven't read the issues where Victoria appears; I saw tumblr posts about her and read her wiki page, and she seems like an interesting character that I could link with the appearance of Croc at the end of Backstitch, rather than leaving it as an isolated event. I'm also not sure if I just want Telltale ARGUS to just be a wing of the Agency or a separate organization that Waller is keeping tabs on or what

I also want to try to get harlivy to work in this universe, which is a bit of a challenge. Typically Harley and Ivy's dynamic is along the lines of Sunshine One/Grumpy One, with Harley adding lightness to Ivy's life and Ivy grounding Harley, but Telltale Harley isn't really someone you'd call bubbly, and I left Ivy as a misanthrope since that's just how it be when you think humans are ruining the planet. Maybe in this universe they would bond over a dislike of people?? I'd need to start writing to figure out the nuances.

As for Bruce and John's relationship, it would just be playing out from their promises at the end of Backstitch, with no more betrayals to reckon with because there's been enough of that. lol Though I'm sure John would make some unexpected decisions for Bruce to grouse about. There is that note that maybe Telltale ARGUS is connected to whatever happened to John, but… eh… In any universe I prefer Joker's past to be a mystery, so I don't know if I'd go that far with it, if any distance at all.

So yeah, it's very much on the backburner for now given all the WIPs I've done much more work on. Plus I'm only halfway through editing On the Mend and want to do the same for Backstitch. Maybe when I convince myself to focus on that, it'll get the juices (or juces oh ho ho) flowing.

[blehblarghblah]

I know this is probably annoying. Great start right. But I just want to say, I read one of your very old stories (the untold avatar one) like once a year. Idk why, I only ever shipped that a little, yet the way you wrote the characters was so dramatic, fun and full of banter that it's one of the stories I haven't gotten out of my head since 2019 when I first read it. I'm not expecting a continuation btw, I'm an author myself and I know how you can lose the passion for a story people deeply love or just don't have the means to write it anymore emotionally speaking. But I just want you to know that whenever I think of that fandom, I specifically think of your fic. And I want to you to know the impact your stories have on people. You're a great author. And I'm sure in the years that passed you have become even better at your craft. You have a real talent at storytelling and especially at building character arcs. And you probably don't hear that enough.

Shit Anon, you got me actually crying here.

I really needed to hear this today.

This isn't annoying in any capacity at all, but instead very refreshing to hear. I gotta preface this with saying that Legends of Avatar: the Untold Story, is a very dear fic to me that I do plan to return to eventually. Not anytime soon, but ATLA's fanbase is timeless and I believe I can return to it whenever. But Taang has always been a special ship to me and so has Legend of Korra's lore and world building, and bridging the two quasi fandoms as a semi canon compliance/divergence fic mixed with a pre-canon timeline was a great challenge.

But in all honesty? That fic was a blast to write. As you say, the characters gave me so much to work with in the lens I wanted and I was warmed to see it was well received. Knowing I was working with an angle perceived as borderline crazy in shaking up canon, but still adhering to a strange set of consistencies was entertaining as I saw people slowly find intrigue. It worked.

Here's a crazy fun fact for all you new followers/readers of mine: all the shit I'm writing right now? Would not be possible if it weren't for Legends of Avatar: the Untold Story. It's why the stories I make today are thought out, thorough, but most of all, as true to character as I can work with. Putting my all into that story taught me that there is a payoff to dedication and practice. I was still an amateur then, but even I look back at that story and occasionally find myself gobsmacked with my prose.

"Wow, I wrote that? Me? Amazing!"

I don't think I'd edit anything aside from grammar mistakes when I do return, but I'm still proud of it. I still have notes and the whole plot laid out, so it's not like I don't know where it'll go. I still have the next chapter WIP set up and already begun. I've reworked it many times, but it's there!

And you, Anon?

You're the reason why I write these stories. I used to grow up reading fanfics, and to this day, I still stay up reading them. But I always had that feeling you describe, the one where when I think of a fandom there's just one fic, fanart, cosplayer, who just comes to mind. I never thought: "Wow, I wanna be that person!" But I always thought,

"I wanna make others feel things with stories the way they made me feel."

Occasional praise like yours is all I need sometimes, because it's a good reminder that though I have progressed as a writer, I still did touch people with my stories even then. Thanks, Anon. And I'm glad I managed to impact you and others, in ways like this.

Stay safe and take care all!

Until next post,

-- Bleh

[heroes-villains-side-blog]

Still in love with "Villain’s trap goes awry and tries to make it up to Hero" but I'm very curious about "Of sword and spade." I feel like it's flangst with a smidge of crack and I really really hope there's a sword wielding hero/villain/both because why not :) No matter what I know it'll be great!💜

Hehehehe, you're kinda right

I was considering not putting this in the WIP game since it's got named characters and is more than a snippet BUT yes, there's a hero and villain(s) so... I gave in

It's actually a full-on novel @asexualone and I are writing (I think she said we'll post it on AO3). We've been working on it for months!

It's funny and fun and has a sword wielding hero and villain, you're right!

There's fluff, my fav chapter is an adorable found family one I wrote🥰

There's angst, my co-writer had the idea to murder someone and I gasped out loud when I read it XD

Crack, oh yes, most definitely some instances could be called crack, just wow, those parts are so funny (to me) 😂

Here's a snippet which isn't part of the main story, nor does it give you a taste of the vibes, but everything else is too spoiler-y or too plot-y 😅

Next year, she was assigned at the local sheriff’s station. That was certainly more interesting. Her first day she got to help a struggling farmer find his prized chicken! That was already more excitement than she had had as Belir’s guard! It wasn’t dragon-slaying but after almost two years of nothing, she’d take it. She followed clues, talked to suspects, eventually the chicken was found... but not by her. The chicken had wandered into a fellow farmer’s field and she had so kindly brought it to the station. She did next to nothing but was still supposed to do the paperwork. Just great.

[pipermca]

Writing Year in Review - 2022

On the one hand, I really like doing "year in review" posts and musings. It gives you a chance to look back on what you've accomplished, and lets you prepare yourself for what you want to do in the year head. On the other hand, if your accomplishments didn't measure up to whatever yardstick you're using, it can be a disappointing and demoralizing experience.

This year was, in my opinion, a rather lackluster year for writing for me. It's definitely not for a lack of ideas or interest – if anything, my WIP folder and ideas list are filled with all sorts of stories that I really want to finish. What has been lacking is the time, energy and motivation to apply butt to seat and get some writing done.

That's not the only thing I "failed" at – I came nowhere near my reading goal of 24 books. But there was a book I finished in the summer that had bogged me down for years and I was determined to finish it, which I did! And I'm working my way through The Expanse series by checking the books out of the library. (I'm about 75% done with the series!) I think I'll be scaling my reading goal back to 12 books again this year, so that I can feel pleased when I blow past it. 😅

However, I am trying to be kind to myself, as there were a lot of competing priorities and distractions. I struggled with anxiety of a whole variety of things. I buried myself in video games (specifically grabbing some titles recommended by others), and the new WoW expansion came out in November which has sucked up a lot of my time in December. And since the pandemic is over now (huge, massive /sarcasm tag on that) we spent time travelling: first heading west to see Spouse's family, and then driving east to visit my family.

This summer I got to hug my parents for the first time in three years.

Anyway, with all that happening, I am happy with what I did get done. December was a complete bust (see previous bit about WoW: Dragonflight coming out) in that I only wrote 735 words, but I also worked on the photocomic I posted in December.

In 2022 I posted 10 works to AO3, for a total of 47,609 words. A lot of that was either zine pieces that I could finally publish, or comic scripts. I also wrote 84,544 words. A chunk of that was for the IDW2 worldbuilding reviews (which I really have to get back to), and for a WIP that I haven't started posting yet.

Most months I didn't hit that 10,000 word threshold I have for myself, but that's ok. For the most part I was still writing consistently, even if the output wasn't quite as high as I would have liked. Looking at my writing tracker, you can also see the slow trend downwards in word count per week... Not great, but understandable.

 When I did get some writing done, my words per hour were still rather consistent. Last year I averaged 500-600wph, while this year it's more like 600-800wph. Not bad! I just need to carve out more time to do that writing in my day. 💗

And speaking of making time to write, here's another graph where you can see the slow erosion of the time I spent writing. There was a big burst in September (as I think that's when my muse really wanted to work on that smutty story with Prowl) but otherwise I've been spending less and less time writing as the year went on.

As for the concrete goals I set for myself in 2022, I didn't do terribly. I originally posted these in order of priority.

Finish Must Like Cats Yes! Done!

Finish Sun and Moon (working title) Haha no, but still working on it

Apply for two zines (if something catches my eye) Mmm, I applied for one*. So, 50%.

Write two comic scripts for practice I wrote one, so again, 50%.

Finish The King and the Bounty Hunter Nope.

Start By Fire and Flame (working title) Hahhaa no.

*No word on if this zine is getting off the ground, and I'm not holding my breath at this point.

In coming up with priorities for this year, I want to make sure they're obtainable, and focused on getting stuff done. (sigh) So here's this year's list:

Finish Sun and Moon (working title)

Finish one Sparkr story (any of my bunnies or WIPs!)

Write two comic scripts for practice

Make more progress in IDW2 reviews

Finish The King and the Bounty Hunter

Also, one of my "maintenance" goals is to repost the stories I pulled down. I have a couple of story compilations, and the fact that they're in compilations have caused me some issues (for example, it's difficult to link to a specific chapter in some cases, and I can't include a single chapter in a series.) So I'm going to be revising and reposting those stories in 2023.

Behind the cut is the first sentence of each of the stories I posted, and the month it was posted in. I hope everyone has a lovely 2023.

January. Armed. We're in a medical bay. (This is a comic script; you can view the comic here.)

March. Must Like Cats. Sideswipe woke slowly, rising out of recharge one system at a time.

April. Private Parts. A heavy arm fell across Blast Off's shoulders.

May. An Interview with the Award-Winning Engraving Artist Sunstreaker of Kaon. At first glance, the studio looks empty, almost abandoned.

June. The Wild Hunt. Hot Rod couldn't remember when he'd first heard about the Wild Hunt.

July. Time Together. Emperor Starscream watched as Skywarp bounced on the tips of his pedes, his wings flicking with every bounce.

August. Quiet Now. Hound felt like the unluckiest bot in the galaxy.

October. How the Praxians Lost Their Wings. "Kup, tell Dinobots a story."

November. VIP. "In conclusion, this operation should result in an estimated 63% reduction in the Decepticons' offensive ability, and provide us with an additional two months in which we can work with our human allies to fortify our defenses."

December. Mission Creep. Jazz is driving in alt mode. (Another comic script; you can view the comic here.

[loubouskz]

update on me(loubouskz) & my stories that are coming soon!

hey everyone! I hope y'all are doing well? How's winter doing you guys? I'm sorry I've been M.I.A(haha) for the last couple of months. That wasn't part of the plan at all. I was so ready to be posting stories on here more that I had planned. I was going to post my next one about I.N in October after I had gotten back from a concert bc I was so excited for it. but I got the flu the following week and when I get sick, which hardly ever happens, I get sick sick. bad sick. after all that, without going into too much. my mental state vanished and I was not in a good place at all, it still isn't. mainly bc of eating and body issues. so I haven't been on the internet of much, like I would pop on tumblr here and there. hardly got on twitter, insta, fb, etc. the only thing I have been on is youtube, watching Markiplier. I'm hoping next year, I'll finally get therapy like I've been wanting and needing. but I'm doing a little better, I feel a little better today. enough to start writing and posting again. I'm okay, I will be.

so on to the stories that have been in my drafts since the middle/end of this year. let me tell you about some of them. I have 4. and for the person who sent in a request with chan, don't worry, I saw it! It's coming and I love your request. and for anyone reading this, my requests are always open, even if it takes me a min to see. even if it is just a small one, I would love to write something for you. writing in general makes me happy.

1.) Yang Jeongin - it's called love for an angel. basically it's ab a guardian angel(i.n) that falls in love with the human their protecting(the reader), which isn't supposed to happen and isn't allowed. angels are supposed to be invisible, but one day the reader sees him and fall in love. and yeah, I don't want to spoil too much but I absolutely love it and is probably one of my favs that I've been working on.

2.) Lee Felix - it doesn't have a title yet, still thinking of one. it's where felix and the reader are best friends and roommates(and they were roommates. did anyone see the tiktok update ab that vine and the story broooo). oh wow, shocking! and the reader tells felix that she's hasn't had great sex and felix offers to try and maybe help her out. it's short, but I'm pretty sure I haven't written something smexy for felix yet. and if I did, I probably didn't post it...memory is kinda foggy still.

3.) Hwang Hyunjin - it's part 2 to it's gonna happen. I've only written a few sentences. It was the last thing I worked on before going M.I.A, so I didn't get that far. I have bullet points of what's going to happen in the story(and so I don't for forget what I was going to write) and from the looks of it wont be as long as the the first part. just kinda of any update of what happens next in this story. don't worry, I wrote down in one of the bullet points: "a lot a smut scenes" ehehe

and 4.) Lee Minho - the story that I've been working on for the longest time and so proud of. and that still doesn't have a name! 🫠 sadly, it is still not anywhere close to being finished. I really want it to be good so I'm taking my time with it. I'll give WIP updates about it soon. rn, it has 4k words. like I'm at the part where the reader and lino are having their first convertion...this fic is my baby. I love it so much bc it has space, and I love space and the stars. I'm fully ignoring my fear of heights and big metal objects that go in the air or under/on the water.😀

but yeh, that's it. guessing what fics are coming out soon. felix and jeongin's most likely. then hyunjin's then....maybe not the lino in space one. pffft. next year, I promise!