#writing on ao3

[leanmachine5]

My average writing experience:

"Alright I think I'm almost done actually-"

*Google doc grows second health bar and a choir starts singing in latin*

[tahbhie]

Creating Emotionally Devastating Scenes.

Crafting a scene that earns the total sympathy of your readers can be challenging, but it's not impossible. Most emotionally devastating scenes fail at two things, but when these are done right, the results can be powerful.

⚪ The Important Concepts for Writing an Emotionally Devastating Scene

1. The Build-Up,

2. Breaking the Dam.

Before I explain these concepts, let me share a case study.

⚫ Case Study

I wrote a story about a young orphan named Jackie and her younger brother. Their village was burned down, leaving them as the only survivors.

For the next few chapters, readers followed their painful journey and their struggle to survive. The younger brother had a heart problem, and Jackie vowed to become a cardiologist to save him.

She was very ambitious about it, but at the time, it was very ironic. Later in the story, when they encountered a tragic living condition with a family, the brother died while telling his sister how much he missed their parents.

When her brother was fighting for his life, she was sent out of the room, only to be let in again to see his cold, lifeless body.

⚪ Explanation of Concepts

1. The Build-Up

The build-up is extremely important when you aim to convey strong emotions. Here's a secret: if you plan for a scene with strong emotions, start leaving breadcrumbs from the very beginning of the story.

Take the previous case study. I carefully built up their journey so people could easily relate and feel the pain of the older sister during her brother's sudden death.

You need to give the situation enough reason to feel utterly hopeless and devastating. Gradually cultivate the tension until it's ready to let loose.

⚫ Understanding the Use of Breadcrumbs.

Breadcrumbs in stories ensure you utilize the time you have to build up certain emotions around your characters.

At the beginning of my story, Jackie’s fate was already pitiable, but she survived every hurdle. This gave the readers enough to feel for her while still leaning away from the outcome. When I built enough, I introduced her brother's sudden death.

Hence, leave your breadcrumbs while leaning away from the outcome.

⚪ How to Properly Leave Breadcrumbs

When building up your story, consider these elements:

☞⁠ Character Relatability: The characters need to be realistic to draw readers into the story. This helps readers invest themselves in your story.

☞⁠ Realistic Emotional Pain: Just as characters need to be relatable, their emotions need to be realistic and not appear forced.

☞⁠ Create a Strong Emotional Attachment: Give them something they care about or that has the power to ruin their lives in any way. It could be something that makes them happy or something their happiness relies on. When it's time, snatch it away without remorse.

☞⁠ Have a Backstage Struggle: This struggle keeps readers occupied, so they won't see the outcome coming. For example, Jackie’s constant struggle to find food and shelter keeps readers engaged while the impending tragedy looms in the background.

☞⁠ Attach Believable Elements: For a realistic character, emotion, and struggle, attach believable elements. It could be death, ailments, sickness, disorder, disappointment, failure, etc.

Now that we've covered the build-up, let's move on to the next crucial part.

2. Breaking the Dam

This is when you make your readers feel the strong emotions alongside your characters. All the tension you’ve been building up is released, making all emotions come into play.

☞⁠ Break Your Strong Attachment: Cut off your strong attachment from your character when they least expect it or at a point when they couldn't use more struggles (i.e when they are helpless).

This will not only evoke readers’ emotions but also pique their curiosity as they wonder how the character will survive the situation.

☞⁠ Description of Sensory Details to Invoke Emotions: The advice of "show, don't tell" will be really helpful here. It's crucial to ensure that the final execution matches the build-up.

A well-crafted build-up can fall flat if the emotional release isn't handled effectively. To avoid this, blend the climax seamlessly into the narrative, making it feel natural and impactful.

Reblog to save for reference! 💜

[introvertathome]

Hello everyone!

Here's a nice little Destiel oneshot

The premise comes from a post from @colorlessjay where Dean crashes Castiel's wedding instead of Sam's and takes Cas with him

I hope I did this justice and that you enjoy!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64697068

[biowaredisasterbisexual]

Okay, so, I see a lot of people talk about “stats” on fics. Here, Reddit, other social media…often in a way that suggests one can gauge quality of a fanwork based on those metrics. Writers using them to try and determine if their work is “good.” Readers using them to filter fics for just the “best” ones. So let’s talk about stats.

And yeah, this is going to be long, so let’s have a cut, but TL;DR:

AO3 stats numbers can, in the aggregate, tell us some things but they cannot tell us the quality of a piece. Authors, stats don’t mean that your writing isn’t good, no matter what the “ratios” are. Readers, stats are poor indicators of fic quality, but you should know that writers are using those numbers as indicators of engagement with and enjoyment of their work; engagement is the encouragement writers use to keep writing.

I’ve read so many posts — on Tumblr, on the AO3 subreddit, fanfiction and writing subreddits, in other social media arenas — by both authors and readers talking about the stats on fics. Wondering if they’re good, or if they aren’t. Lamenting or judging a writer’s skill based purely on those numbers. Using those numbers as a way to filter fics to find the “best” ones. Wondering if writing is even worth doing in the writer’s fandom.

Usually, because of where I hang out, they’re talking about AO3 stats, but I occasionally see stuff about Wattpad in a similar vein. I don’t know Wattpad; I’ve never used it. So I’ll just focus on AO3 here.

So, first things first, I’m not going to tell a fanfic author that they should just not care about their stats. Not because I think stats matter, really, but because I know that’s an impossible ask. If we didn’t want people to read and enjoy our stuff, we wouldn’t post it. I can read my own writing with way less work and effort if I don’t post it, honestly. I post it to share it. So I get that saying “who cares what the stats are” is actively not helpful advice for a demoralized writer and doesn’t encourage participation for readers. So here’s what I’ll say instead about what we can, and more importantly can’t glean, from AO3’s stats as writers, and try to put those AO3 stats in perspective for writers and readers of fanfic alike:

AS A WRITER:

1) Comparison is the thief of joy. If you’re getting engagement with your fic and it makes you happy, try not to dwell on whether other authors are getting more engagement. I know this is a tough one to implement.

2) If you’re going to compare, it needs to be apples to apples, and I see a lot of folks comparing apples to oranges and then feeling let down by that comparison.

2A) Someone writing for the most popular ship in your fandom while you write a rare pair is probably going to get more engagement; not because it’s better, but because more people are going to see it. They will get more hits because more people are filtering for that pairing. That doesn’t mean what you wrote isn’t good or compelling.

2B) This goes even more granular: someone who is in the Neve/Rook tag on AO3 and either excludes M/F or filters for F/F isn’t going to see my fic. And that’s okay; they’re looking for something specific and I’m not writing it. I’m writing M/F Neve/Rook at the moment. The longer a fic is up, the more engagement it’s likely to have gotten, so I need to look at dates. If I were going to compare - and I don’t and shouldn’t for my own sake - M/F Neve/Rook posted within a few days of my post would be what I should compare myself to.

And even then, given that different fics tackle different subjects, have different OCs, etc., it’s still not likely to be truly 1:1.

2C) Multi-chapter fics and long fics get different numbers and ratios of hits/kudos/comments than one-shots. The engagement pattern is different.

2D) Smut/NSFW/Archive Warning fics also tend to get different engagement patterns than fics that don’t have those markers. Some people are concerned about their usernames being linked to those themes/plots/topics. Some readers are smut fiends (and we love that for them). Both these things can skew numbers here.

3) A registered user who is logged in can only kudo once, even if the fic has multiple chapters. Someone can read an entire 27-chapter 200k word novel and love it and only be able to leave a single kudo. Guest users are tracked by IP address, so if their IP address hasn’t changed they too can only kudo a fic one time.

4) The above means that re-readers are often not getting seen in kudo numbers even if they’re your biggest fans.

5) “Hits” counts individual views, but only if outside certain timeframes. If someone reads your fic 5 times in 24 hours it won’t count as 5 hits. However, outside that time box it will register as multiple hits, which may mean you’re getting more hits and no kudos because of re-reads.

6) Engagement from readers is lower across the board. There’s been entire articles about it. It’s not just you, I promise.

7) There is no “hits to kudos” or “kudos to comments” or “hits to comments” ratio that can reliably tell if something is good or not for all the reasons above.

AS A READER:

1) Writers want engagement. Crave it. If an author didn’t want engagement, they wouldn’t post their fanfic. It’s not like they’re getting paid. And it can be incredibly discouraging not to receive any. Writers use those stats numbers - hits, kudos - and those comments to determine if people are looking at and, more importantly, enjoying their work. It’s a way of gauging engagement.

Does that mean a writer is entitled to engagement? No. But if you want an author to keep posting fic, engagement is the way to encourage that. Like I said, I can read my own stuff with much less work if I don’t post.

2) As I said above, a registered user that is logged in (or a guest still on the same IP address) can only kudo a fic once, no matter how many chapters it has or how many times they’ve read it. If you want to show you like a new chapter after you’ve dropped that initial kudo, or show a re-read, you’ll need to comment. Even if it’s just a “❤️” or “have another kudo!”

3) You aren’t bothering writers by commenting on something; really, you’re not. I see so many readers worried that they’ll come across as weird by engaging.

Friend, we’re all weird here. Go for it.

I love when people send me a multi-paragraph comment or kudo 7 of my fics in a single night. (I also love all comments, to be clear. An “OMG” or keysmash is also great. So’s a random one-off kudo.) Don’t worry you’ll annoy the writer. We can turn comments off if we don’t want them.

4) Writing and posting fic is time consuming. There’s the writing itself (already a major labor of love) and, even if there’s no editing or beta-reading, formatting and summarizing and rating and all that. Bare minimum. If there’s editing or beta-reading, now there’s an additional (and often lengthy) part of the process that has very likely meant a time investment not only from the authors but the folks that helped them. Engagement is the only pay they get.

5) To put a finer point on topic 1: Yes, lack of engagement has absolutely ended fics people loved or led writers to stop writing/sharing fanfic at all. I don’t say that to insinuate you owe a writer your engagement, but no one wants to shout into an empty room; if fanfic doesn’t involve participation from both sides, the system does eventually break down.

If you read a fic and don’t kudo or comment, the author has no way to know if you liked it or if you accidentally clicked the wrong link and immediately fled. Writers aren’t mind readers.

If you’re someone who reads a rare pair, this is doubly true. Authors of rare pairs can face a lonely existence in fandom spaces if the readers that read rare pairs don’t engage.

6) Please read the writer’s list to understand why kudos/hits/comments numbers are poor indicators of fic quality.

In Conclusion:

I don’t say all of this to suggest that someone’s feelings about fic stats and engagement levels aren’t valid. Writers, you’re allowed to be frustrated or let down by engagement levels; I’ve been there, and I see you. Readers, I have absolutely been the person that read an author’s entire catalogue of fics and didn’t comment because I didn’t know what to say or if I should (though I’m working on that). Like many people, my earliest days in fandom were spent lurking with the lurkiest among us. I’m not judging. But I think some of this stuff is helpful to remember.

You all make fandom better by your presence. No matter what the numbers are. Be kind to yourselves. And, if you’re ready, maybe throw your writers a kudo or comment. It’ll make their day.

[avizare]

Writing fanfiction goes brrrr

Me: Okay, it's simple: little fic idea; little execution. Just write a cute little ficlet, edit it down and post it at the end of the week Also me, one month, 18 pages and 8,000+ words in: *still hasn't written a conclusion to the story but has two whole pages of cut content and has edited through the unfinished document like four times* ...

[gioia-writes-and-others]

SO....

In the spirit of "fuck it, we ball" here Blog 2.0

The author had to create a new one because tumblr randomly shadowbanned the first two 😒😒 @gioiaalbanoart and the side blog @ashleyknoxtrilogy (they're still here.....somewhere)

*****

I share writing, art and.... other stuff.

My main actual wip that I brag about a lot is The scarred angel, current status draft zero.

Given the recent events me and Ashley (my OC) decided to run things a bit different, so :

SNIPPETS DRAFT ZERO for the The scarred angel (book 1 of the Ashley Knox trilogy) on AO3 HERE (yes, it's a wip draft zero) Ashley Knox trilogy DISCORD server if you wanna discuss, see the behind the scene, etc. (don't be shy) Previous MAIN post because there is quite a lot on it

*****

OTHER LINKS

WRITING : Banana Fish fanfictions + other originals

ART (abstract)

Main web site

******

THE HUMAN RUNNING THIS BLOG

No EFL author. Artist too.

She/Her : yes, I like my boobs

Proud X generation : I'll probably survive the apocalypse because of that

Pan I think...? Actually it might be polysexual..... To make it short I don't care if/what gender you are

Somewhere in the demi/gray spectrum and married aro (yes it's possible….)

Probably close to other spectrums too but they always said it's because I'm an artist.

Mother of dragons : I have three teens so DON'T INTERACT if you're <18 because my hands are already FULL !

*****

I'm Bender btw

[zer0brainc3lls]

when the fic hits so hard you gotta hit this pose

[hollisterhunni]

Ｍａｓｔｅｒｌｉｓｔ👛ᵎᵎ⋆˙ᝰ.ᐟ

#2000sblog

Prepare to be blown away with Y2K inspired manifestation content and the best writing you've ever seen! Welcome to the Ultimate McBling Haven called PinkStyleGuru! I'm Holli Hart, your resident 2000s enthusiast and sub-maker extraordinaire. ヾ(☆▽☆) For the past 8 years, I've been honing my craft as a writer (through bouts of writer's block-- (╯_╰) and I've been creating manifestation subs for about 6 months!

Whether you're a McBling/Brohoe fan or just love a good dose of immersive fanfic writing, you'll find everything that you so desire right here. Now grab your low rise jeans and dive into the PinkStyleGuru Masterlist of must-read fanfics, deep dives, and all things early 2000s inspired!

Juicee Gallery💋ᵎᵎ⋆

Relive the glory days of Hollister, Juicy Couture, and that iconic Motorola Razr. Indulge in the nostalgia of mix CDs, AIM away messages, celebrity coverage and those unforgettable early 2000s fashion trends!

₊˚⊹♡Fashion Central! (Juicy Couture, PINK, Baby Phat, etc.)

₊˚⊹♡Celebrity Gossip (Starring Britney Spears, Xtina, Eminem, and more!)

₊˚⊹♡The Hits of Tha 2000s! (Music; Playlists with the best 2000s songs!)

Writing Centre✎ᝰ📓. ݁₊ ⊹ᵎᵎ⋆

Lose yourself in fanfictions and stories of romance, drama, and action with the best immersive storytelling!

₊˚⊹♡ Bratz (Rock Angelz, TV Series, Movies, Video Games)

₊˚⊹♡ Barbie (Life In The Dreamhouse, MyScene, etc.)

₊˚⊹♡ Call of Duty (with Simon "Ghost" Riley, John Price, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick and more!)

₊˚⊹♡ Mouthwashing (Curly, Swansea, Daisuke, Anya)

₊˚⊹♡ Marvel (Peter Parker, Wade Wilson, X-Men, Avengers, etc.)

₊˚⊹♡ DC Universe (Batman, Wonder Woman, Dick Grayson, Starfire, etc.)

₊˚⊹♡ Detroit Become Human (Connor, Hank, Kara, Marcus, etc.)

₊˚⊹♡ Additional Writing Prompts (quotes, concepts, etc.)

(More Fandoms Coming...<3)

₊˚⊹♡YouTube Subs (sneak peaks, subs, thumbnails, etc.)

If you'd like more organized blog posts about my personal life with McBlingy goodies, check out my spacehey: https://spacehey.com/hollisterhunni

For more writing content, look at my A03 page!: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HollisterHunni/profile

Impressed by PinkStyleGuru's writings, blogs, and subs? Feel free to support the blog at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HollisterHunni💋ᵎᵎ⋆˙ᝰ.ᐟ

Do you have any original writing or sub requests you'd like to be created? Please see this page to submit your requests: https://ko-fi.com/hollisterhunni💋ᵎᵎ⋆˙ᝰ.ᐟ

Any fanfic ideas you'd like to see on this blog? Go to my ask page! https://www.tumblr.com/new/ask/hollisterhunni

Interested in seeing iconic Y2K-inspired videos by PinkStyleGuru?: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6k-dxkQRCl3RGokhDI364w 💋ᵎᵎ⋆˙ᝰ.ᐟ

[purpleskiesupwardsxx]

One of my reader, at the end of their review: Sorry for rambling...

Me (having my mind blown by the ping of a review): Ramble? RAMBLE? KEEP ON RAMBLING, MY DEAR! WE WRITERS ARE WH/ORES FOR REVIEWS WITH RAMBLINGS ABOUT STORIES.

[sorrowsofblackwood]

In case anyone following this blog is still interested, Solemn Graces is alive and well on AO3! Currently, I've been running the storyline as a serial under my larger Pick-n-Mix Comix Presents project, and other storylines that were meant to be part of Sorrows Of Blackwood — like Prospero's Call and Eighth Wonders — will eventually join it.

There's a few other starter/test issues for other Pick-n-Mix ongoings, but since Solemn Graces is the core of all this for me, it's the one that's been sticking and giving me the most writing versatility and forward momentum. In this issue, Grace fights the Spring-Heeled Ripper and a werewolf, and there's a bonus story about Dorian Belgrave and the painter he's fond of, Galen Belmont.

And in the next issue: Gallo Belgrave finally shows up! Grace and Gallo, united on the page once again!

[themightyhumanbroom]

*me reading my own fics*

"Heeheehoohoo I made this."

[xrlyz]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/50004538/chapters/126257341

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60429475/chapters/154253257

[introvertathome]

Hello everyone!

The final chapter of From the Heights of Heaven to the Depths of Hell is up on AO3.

I'm extremely proud of this work and the ending. I'm hoping you like it too

Thank you for being such an amazing and supportive fandom throughout the writing process!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/62968204/chapters/165962140

[tsukimefuku]

Question for the AO3 writers

Have you ever been hit by the AO3 writer curse? if so, what was it?

[kawarikisaki]

Ya know I’m sure someone else has made this joke before, but as a DCMK fanfic writer on AO3 there’s just something so satisfying about receiving Kudos. Looking at my statistics page feels like staring at the whole Kudo family in a little glass jar.