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alexandra-emerson · 6 days

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Dramione Short

Check out this next installment of lovely writing from @onebedtorulethemall.

Scenes From a Life We Never Lived

Summary:

“It wouldn’t be a secret correspondence. Just – private.” Draco nods. “What’s there to tell? We’re barely acquaintances.” “Who only see each other once a year.” They’re smiling now, him and her. At each other.

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alexandra-emerson · 14 days

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why don’t you just delete your harmony fics so you have no ties to the fandom, maybe harmony fans will leave you alone then?

Harmony fans do leave me alone. Thanks for the suggestion though. I like to imagine there are people out there enjoying my fics, as silly as that may sound. So I’ll leave them for those two people who still like me. ☺️

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alexandra-emerson · 21 days

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Hiii!!! I am reading my first longform HHr ever, “Always There” (after you sold me on them in “Lost and Found”), and I needed an outlet to unleash my love for your words and your brain for this story. 💓💗💕💖🩷!!! Their dialogue and internal thoughts and the understanding they have of each other and pure yearning you’ve conveyed. UGH. I love them and this fic so much. Thank you for sharing this with us. 🫶🥰

Thank you so much! That was the first Harmony story I wrote after discovering my love for them when I wrote them as a side-pairing in my Drinny fic, "Counterplay". I had a lot of fun messing around with their dynamic and just exploring what it would be like if they hung out a lot and how love could blossom from a really strong friendship. I'm so happy you enjoyed the story. Thanks for letting me know! 💖

#harmonyfanfic #harry x hermione #harmonyfanfiction #harry potter fanfic

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alexandra-emerson · 27 days

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Things That May Be Causing Your Writer's Block- and How to Beat Them

I don't like the term 'Writer's Block' - not because it isn't real, but because the term is so vague that it's useless. Hundreds of issues all get lumped together under this one umbrella, making writer's block seem like this all-powerful boogeyman that's impossible to beat. Worse yet, it leaves people giving and receiving advice that is completely ineffective because people often don't realize they're talking about entirely different issues.

In my experience, the key to beating writer's block is figuring out what the block even is, so I put together a list of Actual Reasons why you may be struggling to write:

(note that any case of writer's block is usually a mix of two or more)

Perfectionism (most common)

What it looks like:

You write one sentence and spend the next hour googling "synonyms for ___"

Write. Erase. Write. Rewrite. Erase.

Should I even start writing this scene when I haven't figured out this one specific detail yet?

I hate everything I write

Cringing while writing

My first draft must be perfect, or else I'm a terrible writer

Things that can help:

Give yourself permission to suck

Keep in mind that nothing you write is going to be perfect, especially your first draft

Think of writing your first/early drafts not as writing, but sketching out a loose foundation to build upon later

People write multiple drafts for a reason: write now, edit later

Stop googling synonyms and save that for editing

Write with a pen to reduce temptation to erase

Embrace leaving blank spaces in your writing when you can't think of the right word, name, or detail

It's okay if your writing sucks. We all suck at some point. Embrace the growth mindset, and focus on getting words on a page

Lack of inspiration (easiest to fix)

What it looks like:

Head empty, no ideas

What do I even write about???

I don't have a plot, I just have an image

Want to write but no story to write

Things that can help:

Google writing prompts

If writing prompts aren't your thing, instead try thinking about what kind of tropes/genres/story elements you would like to try out

Instead of thinking about the story you would like to write, think about the story you would like to read, and write that

It's okay if you don't have a fully fleshed out story idea. Even if it's just an image or a line of dialogue, it's okay to write that. A story may or may not come out of it, but at least you got the creative juices flowing

Stop writing. Step away from your desk and let yourself naturally get inspired. Go for a walk, read a book, travel, play video games, research history, etc. Don't force ideas, but do open up your mind to them

If you're like me, world-building may come more naturally than plotting. Design the world first and let the story come later

Boredom/Understimulation (lost the flow)

What it looks like:

I know I should be writing but uugggghhhh I just can'tttttt

Writing words feels like pulling teeth

I started writing, but then I got bored/distracted

I enjoy the idea of writing, but the actual process makes me want to throw my laptop out the window

Things that can help:

Introduce stimulation: snacks, beverages, gum, music such as lo-fi, blankets, decorate your writing space, get a clickity-clackity keyboard, etc.

Add variety: write in a new location, try a new idea/different story for a day or so, switch up how you write (pen and paper vs. computer) or try voice recording or speech-to-text

Gamify writing: create an arbitrary challenge, such as trying to see how many words you can write in a set time and try to beat your high score

Find a writing buddy or join a writer's group

Give yourself a reward for every writing milestone, even if it's just writing a paragraph

Ask yourself whether this project you're working on is something you really want to be doing, and be honest with your answer

Intimidation/Procrastination (often related to perfectionism, but not always)

What it looks like:

I was feeling really motivated to write, but then I opened my laptop

I don't even know where to start

I love writing, but I can never seem to get started

I'll write tomorrow. I mean next week. Next month? Next month, I swear (doesn't write next month)

Can't find the time or energy

Unreasonable expectations (I should be able to write 10,000 words a day, right????)

Feeling discouraged and wondering why I'm even trying

Things that can help:

Follow the 2 min rule (or the 1 paragraph rule, which works better for me): whenever you sit down to write, tell yourself that you are only going to write for 2 minutes. If you feel like continuing once the 2 mins are up, go for it! Otherwise, stop. Force yourself to start but DO NOT force yourself to continue unless you feel like it. The more often you do this, the easier it will be to get started

Make getting started as easy as possible (i.e. minimize barriers: if getting up to get a notebook is stopping you from getting started, then write in the notes app of your phone)

Commit to a routine that will work for you. Baby steps are important here. Go with something that feels reasonable: every day, every other day, once a week, twice a week, and use cues to help you remember to start. If you chose a set time to write, just make sure that it's a time that feels natural to you- i.e. don't force yourself to writing at 9am every morning if you're not a morning person

Find a friend or a writing buddy you can trust and talk it out or share a piece of work you're proud of. Sometimes we just get a bit bogged down by criticism- either internal or external- and need a few words of encouragement

The Problem's Not You, It's Your Story (or Outline (or Process))

What it looks like:

I have no problems writing other scenes, it's just this scene

I started writing, but now I have no idea where I'm going

I don't think I'm doing this right

What's an outline?

Drowning in documents

This. Doesn't. Make. Sense. How do I get from this plot point to this one?!?!?! (this ColeyDoesThings quote lives in my head rent free cause BOY have I been there)

Things That Can Help:

Go back to the drawing board. Really try to get at the root of why a scene or story isn't working

A part of growing as a writer is learning when to kill your darlings. Sometimes you're trying to force an idea or scene that just doesn't work and you need to let it go

If you don't have an outline, write one

If you have an outline and it isn't working, rewrite it, or look up different ways to structure it

You may be trying to write as a pantser when you're really a plotter or vice versa. Experiment with different writing processes and see what feels most natural

Study story structures, starting with the three act structure. Even if you don't use them, you should know them

Check out Ellen Brock on YouTube. She's a professional novel editor who has a lot of advice on writing strategies for different types of writers

Also check out Savage Books on YouTube (another professional story editor) for advice on story structure and dialogue. Seriously, I cannot recommend this guy enough

Executive Dysfunction, Usually From ADHD/Autism

What it looks like:

Everything in boredom/understimulation

Everything in intimidation/procrastination

You have been diagnosed with and/or have symptoms of ADHD/Autism

Things that can help:

If you haven't already, seek a diagnosis or professional treatment

Hire an ADHD coach or other specialist that can help you work with your brain (I use Shimmer; feel free to DM me for a referral)

Seek out neurodiverse communities for advice and support

Try body doubling! There's lot's of free online body doubling websites out there for you to try. If social anxiety is a barrier, start out with writing streams such as katecavanaughwrites on Twitch

Be aware of any sensory barriers that may be getting in the way of you writing (such as an uncomfortable desk chair, harsh lighting, bad sounds)

And Lastly, Burnout, Depression, or Other Mental Illness

What it looks like:

You have symptoms of burnout or depression

Struggling with all things, not just writing

It's more than a lack of inspiration- the spark is just dead

Things that can help:

Forget writing for now. Focus on healing first.

Seek professional help

If you feel like it, use writing as a way to explore your feelings. It can take the form of journaling, poetry, an abstract reflection of your thoughts, narrative essays, or exploring what you're feeling through your fictional characters. The last two helped me rediscover my love of writing after I thought years of depression had killed it for good. Just don't force yourself to do so, and stop if it takes you to a darker place instead of feeling cathartic

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alexandra-emerson · 30 days

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I forgot how lonely it is to write original fiction.

Where are the kudos? The subscriptions? The comments? The people cheerleading me chapter to chapter? Where are the kind words and compliments and reassurances that what I'm writing isn't complete crap? Where are the unhinged emojis? The asks on Tumblr? Where are my mutuals in my dms apologizing for not reading the latest chapter right away (side note, you know you don't have to apologize at all, right??). Where is the fanart? Where are the recs?

Where is my motivation to keep going?

It's something I've been thinking about a lot, actually, lately. How the experience of writing fanfic is so unique. How you already have an audience, willing and waiting and captive. And that's really it, isn't it? You have an audience. It's almost performative, writing fanfic. It's being on a stage, a one-person show (or two, if you do it with a friend); it's getting live reactions to your performance, it's feeding off the energy of the crowd and informing it back in a feedback loop; it's improvised, sometimes, in almost-real-time. It's building something that you couldn't have built by yourself. A thing that takes on a life of its own.

It's an experience you can't get writing original fiction, and, honestly, not having it is making it hard to write something original at all.

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alexandra-emerson · 1 month

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New Dramione WIP - A Certain Slant of Light

This is my atmospheric post-Hogwarts gothic horror. New chapters every Tuesday!

The ghosts of Hermione’s past have risen, and they carry with them a message: Come home, come home, to where it all began. Driven to the cusp of sanity by a curse without a name, Hermione has no choice but to obey.

It’s silent as the grave in Wiltshire, and the manor stands nearly empty save for a dying woman and her reclusive son. But something stirs in Malfoy Manor that shouldn’t be there. Something with teeth.

And when she walks at night, she doesn't walk alone.

Read the first chapter on AO3

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alexandra-emerson · 2 months

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I wrote another book!!

Happy release day to ‘The Many Lives of Serena Page’! Behold, my happy dance. And I am very happy today and proud. While this isn’t bmy first published work, it’s the first one that I created all on my own with no ties to fanfic (‘One Day at a Time’ was a fanfic first). So yay! This was confirmation I needed to see that I CAN do this.

This book was all about Serena finding the courage to really live and embrace her unique life, so it seems fitting that it was the same book I discovered my writing courage on.

I hope you all enjoy it!! You can find a link to order it or read it on Kindle Unlimited here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CRPRJ6DF

#contemporary romance #self publishing #indie books #romance books #original novel

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alexandra-emerson · 2 months

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WIP Tag

Thanks for the tag @myst867. I'm a one WIP at a time writer, and my writing lately has been focused on original works, so this is going to be a little boring.

List the titles your top five priorities for WIP updates (link your fics for new readers!)

An upcoming scene, event, or detail in each fic that you're looking forward to writing

Bonus: make a poll for your followers to vote on which top 5 WIP they are most excited to see an update on!

Then tag 10 writer friends

Titles

Enchanted Fable - This is my first shot at romantasy and is book 1 of 2. It has wizards (but they're called mystics), an enemies to lovers thing going on, and pages and pages and pages of banter.

Nothing Gold Can Stay - This is a Dramione I'm planning for the Cry Me a River Fest. I'm hoping to finish draft one of 'Enchanted Fable' first, but with the deadline for the fest creeping up, I may need to start writing this one.

That's all I've got. I can barely manage two things in my head at a time. I don't know how you all do five!

Scene

The end!! I just finished writing the big 'they get together' scene I had been planning for months and months. Once I got past that, the ending finally revealed itself to me. So now I have about five chapters to write and I'm just hoping to get this damn thing done.

The beginning! Haha. I really really need to start this and get at least the first chapter posted. And as I write, I hope details about the story, like characterizations and overall tone just come to me. I haven't done that much planning on this one.

Poll

No way I'm writing a poll. You all will just tell me to give up on this OW stuff and start writing fic again please. 😂

Tags

I've seen this one going around for awhile and I think it already made it to all of my friends. If you see this and want to play, please just consider this your tag and do so! I'd love to see what everyone is working on.

#dramione fanfic #dramione fan fiction #draco x hermione #wip game

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alexandra-emerson · 2 months

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Some Thoughts

(For readers horrified by what’s been going on in fandom who want to help)

Twats

I’m sad that some authors have been pulling their works from AO3, though I totally get it. But I’m not going to add to the “don’t sell fanfics” commentary much. I’m working with a lawyer to get mine taken down from Etsy, and it sucks, but I think this is an opportunity to talk about the fandom community as a whole. Specifically, what you can do to keep it alive and healthy.

I think it’s easy to sit at home, read about this illegal fanbinding drama with interest, run to AO3 to mass download your favorite fics, pat yourself on the back for not buying or selling fics illegally or not adding them to Goodreads, then move on with your life. But I would argue this passive attitude is just as harmful to the community, in some ways.

The Criticism Ratio

You all have probably heard that you’re supposed to deliver compliments and criticism with a ratio of 5:1. This is because negative comments stick in our heads more, so even if you were balancing the good and bad, or giving twice as many good comments as bad ones, the bad ones carry so much weight, they still seem to be winning.

With writing, I would argue this ratio is probably more like 10:1. Because it’s so personal. And most of us are so new to it. And it’s so much freaking work. I timed it once, and one chapter typically takes me 12 hours to write. That doesn’t include editing, or the hours my beta puts into editing. Then, to float all that work out into the world and get negativity back … oof, it makes embarking on the next 12 hours, and the next and the next VERY difficult.

My Experience

I’ve been an author of some popular fics in both the Harmony and Dramione spaces. On the Harmony side, I’ve dealt with personalized attacks, not just against my stories but against me as a person. And when that was going down, there weren’t a ton of fans speaking up on my behalf. I got a lot of DMs telling me those bullies were just the “loud minority” but from my point of view, with my supporters sounding like crickets, they felt like a majority.

(Quick note to my Harmony readers: No I’m never writing Harmony again, get over it, and stop following me to every work I write next to ask me when I’m writing Harmony again. You had your chance to support me, and you fucking missed the boat.)

On the Dramione side, the public spaces are more moderated (thank God) so I’m less likely to stumble upon downright bullying. But this space is overwhelming in how BIG it is and how much conversation goes on about my fics. I always feel like the last to know when there’s some big Tik-Tok boom happening with one of my stories, when a story gets added to Goodreads, when there’s a reddit thread discussing the flaws in ‘Timeless’, when it gets posted for sale on Etsy, when someone popular binds it. It’s very hard to keep up with this giant fandom and it’s too much to handle at times. Which means if people don't send us things directly, we don't see it.

I also get this thing in Dramione that I didn’t get as much in Harmony where people act afraid or embarrassed to reach out to me. They’ll say things like, “I’m so sorry to bother you…” or “I’m sure you hear this all the time, and I know you don’t need to hear it from me too, but your works are great…” I think in Dramione people assume because it’s so big, other people are taking care of things, but that’s not the case. There is a lot of activity, for sure, but not much of that is making it back to the author.

My Ask

So anyway, think about the role you play in fandom. Are you contributing to the compliment bank, or the criticism one? (Remember, abstentions go with the majority. And in this case, every negative experience holds x10 weight).

Good things can be as simple as sending a quick note like, “Just letting you know I thought about your story today” or “Here’s another kudos because I just reread this gem!” It can be correcting a negative comment or review you see out in the wild, so that if the author ever stumbles across it, they see that their people are out there, sticking up for them. Ten people can instantly negate a bad comment with ten positive ones. Then if the author ever finds it, no harm done.

We all know the bad things that harm fandom, so there’s no need for me to rehash them here. But don’t forget that the passive things can be just as harmful. Things like: Rating a fanfic on Goodreads, because it’s already there, and you really want it to count towards your goal. Downloading a story, loving it, and never letting the author know. Reading rude comments online, complimenting yourself for not being that mean, then scrolling to the next thing.

My challenge to fandom is this: Let’s fill that compliment and support bucket so full that when an author does encounter a negative experience with one of their fanfics, they have a giant, fluffy pillow of endless love to fall back on. Let’s make those rare moments of nastiness truly feel like a minority to our creators. It’s not a ton of work. Our fandom is so flipping large, it just takes a tiny comment from each person to keep our community feeling like a fun, positive place to play.

#fanfic writing #dramione fanfiction #harry potter fanfic #hp fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #dramione fan fiction #dramonie

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alexandra-emerson · 3 months

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Pacing your Story (Or, How to Avoid the "Suddenly...!")

Arguably *the* most important lesson all writers need to learn, even for those who don’t give a damn about themes and motifs and a moral soap box: How your story is paced, whether it’s a comic book, a children’s chapter book, a doorstopper, a mini series, a movie, or a full-length season of TV (old school style), pacing is everything.

Pacing determines how long the story *feels* regardless of how long it actually is. It can make a 2 hour movie feel like 90 mins or double the time you’re trapped in your seat.

There’s very little I can say about pacing that hasn’t been said before, but I’m here to condense all that’s out there into a less intimidating mouthful to chew.

So: What is pacing?

Pacing is how a story flows, how quickly or slowly the creator moves through and between scenes, how long they spend on setting, narration, conversation, arguments, internal monologues, fight scenes, journey scenes. It’s also how smoothly tone transitions throughout the story. A fantasy adventure jumping around sporadically between meandering boredom, high-octane combat, humor, grief, and romance is exhausting to read, no matter how much effort you put into your characters.

Anyone who says the following is wrong:

Good pacing is always fast/bad pacing is always slow

Pacing means you are 100% consistent throughout the entire story

It doesn’t matter as much so long as you have a compelling story/characters/lore/etc

Now let me explain why in conveniently numbered points:

1. Pacing is not about consistency, it’s about giving the right amount of time to the right pieces of your story

This is not intuitive and it takes a long time to learn. So let’s look at some examples:

Lord of the Rings: The movies trimmed a *lot* from the books that just weren’t adaptable to screen, namely all the tedious details and quite a bit of the worldbuilding that wasn’t critical to the journey of the Fellowship. That said, with some exceptions, the battles are as long as they need to be, along with every monologue, every battle speech. When Helm’s Deep is raging on, we cut away to Merry and Pippin with the Ents to let ourselves breathe, then dive right back in just before it gets boring.

The Hobbit Trilogy: The exact opposite from LotR, stretching one kids book into 3 massive films, stuffing it full of filler, meandering side quests, pointless exposition, drawing out battles and conflicts to silly extremes, then rushing through the actual desolation of Smaug for… some reason.

Die Hard (cause it’s the Holidays y’all!): The actiony-est of action movies with lots of fisticuffs and guns and explosions still leaves time for our hero to breathe, lick his wounds, and build a relationship with the cop on the ground. We constantly cut between the hero and the villains, all sharing the same radio frequency, constantly antsy about what they know and when they’ll find out the rest, and when they’ll discover the hero’s kryptonite.

2. Make every scene you write do at least two things at once

This is also tricky. Making every scene pull double duty should be left to after you’ve written the first draft, otherwise you’ll never write that first draft. Pulling double duty means that if you’re giving exposition, the scene should also reveal something about the character saying it. If you absolutely must write the boring trip from A to B, give some foreshadowing, some thoughtful insight from one of your characters, a little anecdote along the way.

Develop at least two of the following:

The plot

The backstory

The romance/friendships

The lore

The exposition

The setting

The goals of the cast

Doing this extremely well means your readers won’t have any idea you’re doing it until they go back and read it again. If you have two characters sitting and talking exposition at a table, and then those same two characters doing some important task with filler dialogue to break up the narrative… try combining those two scenes and see what happens.

**This is going to be incredibly difficult if you struggle with making your stories longer. I do not. I constantly need to compress my stories. **

3. Not every scene needs to be crucial to the plot, but every scene must say something

I distinguish plot from story like a square vs a rectangle. Plot is just a piece of the tale you want to tell, and some scenes exist just to be funny, or romantic, or mysterious, plot be damned.

What if you’re writing a character study with very little plot? How do you make sure your story isn’t too slow if 60% of the narrative is introspection?

Avoid repeating information the audience already has, unless a reminder is crucial to understanding the scene

This isn’t 1860 anymore. Every detail must serve a purpose. Keep character and setting descriptions down to absolute need-to-know and spread it out like icing on a cake – enough to coat, but not give you a mouthful of whipped sugar and zero cake.

Avoid describing generic daily routines, unless the existence of said routine is out of ordinary for the character, or will be rudely interrupted by chaos. No one cares about them brushing their teeth and doing their hair.

Make sure your characters move, but not too much. E.g. two characters sitting and talking – do humans just stare at each other with their arms lifeless and bodies utterly motionless during conversation? No? Then neither should your characters. Make them gesture, wave, frown, laugh, cross their legs, their arms, shift around to get comfortable, pound the table, roll their eyes, point, shrug, touch their face, their hair, wring their hands, pick at their nails, yawn, stretch, pout, sneer, smirk, click their tongue, clear their throat, sniff/sniffle, tap their fingers/drum, bounce their feet, doodle, fiddle with buttons or jewelry, scratch an itch, touch their weapons/gadgets/phones, check the time, get up and sit back down, move from chair to table top – the list goes on. Bonus points if these are tics that serve to develop your character, like a nervous fiddler, or if one moves a lot and the other doesn’t – what does that say about the both of them? This is where “show don’t tell” really comes into play.

4. Your entire work should not be paced exactly the same

Just like a paragraph should not be filled with sentences of all the same length and syntax. Some beats deserve more or less time than others. Unfortunately, this is unique to every single story and there is no one size fits all.

General guidelines are as follows:

Action scenes should have short paragraphs and lots of movement. Cut all setting details and descriptors, internal monologues, and the like, unless they service the scene.

Journey/travel scenes must pull double or even triple duty. There’s a reason very few movies are marketed as “single take” and those that are don’t waste time on stuff that doesn’t matter. See 1917.

Romantic scenes are entirely up to you. Make it a thousand words, make it ten thousand, but you must advance either the romantic tension, actual movement of the characters, conversation, or intimacy of the relationship.

Don’t let your conversations run wild. If they start to veer off course, stop, boil it down to its essentials, and cut the rest.

When transitioning between slow to faster pacing and back again, it’s also not one size fits all. Maybe it being jarring is the point – it’s as sudden for the characters as it is for the reader. With that said, try to keep the “suddenly”s to a minimum.

5. Pacing and tone go hand in hand

This means that, generally speaking, the tone of your scene changes with the speed of the narrative. As stated above, a jarring tonal shift usually brings with it a jarring pacing shift.

A character might get in a car crash while speeding away from an abusive relationship. A character who thinks they’re safe from a pursuer might be rudely and terrifyingly proven wrong. An exhausting chase might finally relent when sanctuary is found. A quiet dinner might quickly turn romantic with a look, or confession. Someone casually cleaning up might discover evidence of a lie, a theft, an intruder and begin to panic.

--

Whatever the case may be, a narrative that is all action all the time suffers from lack of meaningful character moments. A narrative that meanders through the character drama often forgets there is a plot they’re supposed to be following.

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alexandra-emerson · 3 months

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Marietta's Revenge

As I stir in the pearl dust, the color of the brew changes to that mother-of-pearl sheen to which I’ve become accustomed. Next, the rising steam turns into spirals, and I’m overcome by the scents of cinnamon biscuits, French cologne, and salty air.

I wave the steam away from my face and carefully pour in a nearby pitcher of water. The color of the potion pales. Now, it needs to simmer for thirty minutes so some of the potency can burn off. I set the spoon to stir in languide circles and put a timer on my wand before leaving the room.

Away from the steaming potion, it’s cold, and I pull my dressing gown tight as I walk through my flat. Back in the bedroom, I dress quickly. I avoid looking in the mirror. I already know the black trousers and tailored blouse I’ve picked suit my slim frame. I don’t need to see the proof.

I choose a dark green robe and toss it on the bed, then stand by the window, watching the Muggles scurry along the pavement below my window. Like bloated ants.

In the bathroom I clean my mouth, brush my hair, and wash my face. All without meeting my reflection. But soon, I can’t put it off anymore. It’s time to confront the face in the mirror. I wince, just like I always do. Did she have to make the pustules so close together? So dark? Did she have to ensure they’d leave a scar?

Rage courses through me as I dip a few fingers into Lady Hyde’s Cover-All. I spread the cream over the scars that still spell the word SNEAK.

It was one mistake. One. Bloody. Mistake. And looking back, I still can’t see what else I could have done. It wasn’t my fault the Ministry put the wrong person in charge. It wasn’t my fault that person ended up being a horrid woman who had it out for Harry Potter. That her actions almost got in the way of him saving the world damn world. How was I supposed to know all that? I was a kid! And my mum’s job was in danger! What was I supposed to do?! I—

My wand trills, breaking into my thoughts.

I touch it to silence it, smearing the smooth hazel wood with brown makeup. I scowl, hit my hands with a quick cleaning spell, then wipe my wand with a towel, causing sparks to fly out the end. I look at the unhappy face in the mirror, then watch my frown deepen as I see the faint marks under the so-called cover-all.

Cover-all my arse. It can barely conceal a few scars. And I’ll need to reapply it in a few hours anyway. Stupid Lady Hyde and her worthless make-up.

I throw the towel into the sink and march out of the room, back to my cauldron.

This is all Hermione Granger’s fault. Everyone says she’s perfect, the Golden Girl, a selfless advocate for the underserved. Well, I’m underserved, and undeserved, and I don’t see her trying to help me! She refuses to remove the jinx. She says she can’t, but I know that’s a lie. She could, if she wanted to, but she’s a vindictive bitch.

Unfortunately for her, she’s not alone.

My potion is ready. I add the final ingredient—a strip of a Chudley Canons hat I stole years ago—and carefully pour it into six vials. After applying a cushioning charm to each vial, I slip them into a box, fill it with crumpled pieces of paper I tear from the Daily Prophet, then address it to my dear sister, Eliana Edgecombe.

I smile and plop back on the chair. I think of Eliana, and I wonder at Hermione’s stupidity. For the brightest witch of the age, she thought nothing of hiring as her assistant the sister of a person she so thoroughly wronged. Nor did she think anything of letting that sister bring her tea every morning. Of drinking that tea. Of never checking it for potions.

My smile is so large, it’s hurting my cheeks. My eyes land on the article in the Daily Prophet, which is at the top since I’ve torn off a few pages.

War Heroes Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley to Marry This Summer

I almost bend forward to read the article again, but there’s no need. I have it memorized by now. Hermione Jean Granger and Ronald Bilius Weasley will be married at his childhood home in June. They’ll be using traditional wizarding vows, complete with a soul binding spell.

I cackled when I first read that part. Even now, it draws a small laugh from me.

They almost broke it off several times. This isn’t in the Prophet. I learned this from Witch Weekly, which dedicated three separate articles to the mystery of why Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley always come so close to breaking things off while on holiday. (Eliana can’t provide Hermione’s tea every day.)

But they have no more holidays planned before the wedding. Three months. Just three more months, and I’ll be done.

Their souls will be bound, and Eliana will stop delivering special tea. That’s when Hermione will truly see the man she married, away from the cloud of teenage infatuation and potion-fueled adoration. She won’t see the prince from her dreams, but an ordinary man. Not a bad man, but certainly a terrible one for her.

She’ll tear apart a dozen libraries researching marriage bonds, and eventually come to realize they’re inescapable. That she can either spend the rest of her life with Ronald Weasley, or alone.

I don’t plan to tell her my role in it. I’m not stupid. But I don’t need to see the devastation first-hand. Simply knowing my part in it is enough.

I’m not the only one who will be forever haunted by a mistake from my youth.

I laugh. A loud, hearty sound that echoes around the cold and empty flat.

A/N: I wrote this for a recent writing challenge, where we were writing first-person for a character we've never written or considered. Hope you enjoyed it! It definitely gave a better explanation for Ron/Hermione than canon did, haha.

#hp fanfic #marietta edgecombe #harry potter fanfic #i wrote some words #to remind myself I still can

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alexandra-emerson · 3 months

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The Cry Me a River Fest is back this year! Last year I wrote a Harmony story, but this time I have a Dramione idea in mind. Artists and writers out there who like to make people cry, come join us!

HP Cry Me a River Fest Details

Intro:

A collection of Harry Potter fanworks with no “Happily Ever After.” All pairings and ratings welcome!

Rules:

1. This collection is not open to works that feature underage marriage/sex, incest, beastiality, necrophilia, or pedophilia/grooming.

2. Authors are allowed to use the “creator choose not to use archive warnings” option as desired. However, some triggers must be tagged. See FAQs for details.

3. Each work must be at least 500 words.

4. The fest hosts are the final arbiters on whether a piece violates fest rules or is inadequately tagged. Respectful discussion is welcomed, but tantrums on these subjects will not be tolerated.

5. You may post your work to the AO3 collection at any time. It will appear publicly as soon as the moderators approve it. Final due date for one-shots, artworks, and the FIRST CHAPTER of multi-chapter works is April 21, 2024.

FAQs:

1. Readers beware, especially if you are easily triggered. All stories in this fest will be sad.

2. Open to all HP fandom eras (canon years, post-war, Marauders, next gen, etc), pairings, ratings.

3. Accepting one-shots, multi-chapter works, and artworks of all kinds.

4. The following triggers must be tagged using either the AO3 tags or with an author’s note at the start of the story: -suicide -self harm -violence -torture -non-consensual/dubious consent sex (even if only referenced).

5. Stories that glorify rape, sexual assault, or domestic violence will not be accepted.

6. Events/situations such as breakups, infidelity, miscarriage, murder, angst, kidnapping/imprisonment, addiction/substance abuse, mental illness, and character deaths do not require tagging in this fest.

7. If you have any additional questions, please submit an ask.

AO3 Collection Link

#hp fests #hp fic fest #harry potter fest #hp fanfic #hp fanfic fest #no happily ever after

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alexandra-emerson · 4 months

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WIP Word Search Game

Thank you for the tag and the words, @glitterwitch1

My words were: laugh, reach, and light

WIP: This is not HP fanfic, sadly. It's from my next original novel called 'The Many Lives of Serena Page'.

Snippet 1 (laugh):

"So ... this is awkward." He flashed her a smile. She did not return it. Didn't even quirk a lip. Why did she hate smiling so much? Did she have bad teeth?

"You must have questions," she said.

"Yeah, I do."

"Okay." She waved her hand imperiously. "Go on, then. What do you want to know?"

"Do you ever smile?"

She scowled. "That's your one question?"

"You didn't say I only get one," he pointed out. "If I only get one, I want to know your name."

"What? That's a terrible use of a single question."

Nolan shrugged. "I would ask where you learned to apparate, but I don't think you'll answer honestly."

She laughed, but there was no humor to it. Though he did get a glimpse of her teeth. Perfect, of course. She was obviously one of those people who hid her imperfections from view.

Snippet 2 (reach):

Serena pushed out a choked exhale and hid her face behind her hands.

He reached out and lightly tugged on one of her wrists. "Hey, come back."

"I don't know how to do this." Her voice was muffled by the hands she was still hiding behind.

"Do what?"

"Share this ..." She finally let her hands fall so she could motion to herself.

"You—you've never told anyone?"

She hesitated before saying, "No."

Snippet 3 (light):

The sea glittered under the sun, looking like it was winking at her. Mocking her. Or maybe those glimmers of light were tears. Maybe it was crying for her.

She wasn't sure which was worse.

Okay next I'll tag @onebedtorulethemall and @bluestringpudding with the words candle, smirk, and blue (reserve words: inch, laden, gold).

To play share three snippets from your current WIP that include the words above (you can use the reserve words if those first three don't appear in your story). Then tag some more people with some new words!

#wip snippets #original novel #I know you all wish I were writing fanfic #I'll get back to it #Soonish

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alexandra-emerson · 5 months

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Bad Omens - Chapter 9 update

This week on my idiots-to-lovers dramione, everyone is more idiotic than usual.

Chapter 9 excerpt:

Benjamin looked as though he couldn’t conceive of a world in which someone could kiss Hermione Granger and then immediately pretend it hadn’t happened. “You are an absolute moron,” he said, in a moment of exceptional bravery.

“Yes, I’m well aware,” snapped Draco.

“Draco—” Hermione began pleadingly.

“Nothing’s changed, Granger, so don’t start calling me that.”

He couldn’t understand why she looked as though she wanted to cry. He was the injured party here, after all.

Benjamin coughed nervously. “Actually, it has. You, erm, have to get married.”

“How horrifically pureblooded of you. Did my mother put you up to this? This is a new tactic for her,” Draco sneered, misery eating away at his nerves like battery acid. “Kindly inform her that snogging does not equate to an engagement. Otherwise I’d be married to Tracey Davis and Granger here would have a baker’s dozen red-headed miscreants running about.”

She had the gall to look affronted. “Tracey Davis? You can’t be serious. And I would’ve been married to Victor Krum, actually.”

“Somehow I always manage to forget that,” Draco said sourly. “Thank you for the reminder.”

“You brought up Tracey Davis!”

“Jealous, Granger?”

“Of course not,” she scoffed.

“Of course not!” he repeated, illogically infuriated that the nervous peck he’d bestowed upon Tracey Davis’ upper lip at the age of thirteen hadn’t driven Hermione mad with envy. “I’m the one that has to spend all my waking hours thinking about what you’re getting up to with him.”

They both looked in the direction of his finger, which was aimed at Benjamin. Benjamin cast a hopeful glance around the otherwise empty room.

“What?” Hermione sounded on the verge of hysteria. “What about him?”

Benjamin recoiled. “We haven’t been getting up to anything, I swear—”

“Fine, not him, but the other bloke, whoever he is. Imaginary Benjamin.”

She looked completely lost. Draco reminded himself sternly that she really was an incredible actress. She’d been faking all those moans, after all.

Read it on AO3

#dramione #draco x hermione #dramione fanfic #dramione art #dhr fanfiction #dhr #draco malfoy #dramione fanart #dhr fic #good omens

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alexandra-emerson · 6 months

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Read this!!!

Bad Omens - Chapter 6 update

New chapter of my idiots-to-lovers comedy of errors! Read it here. From Chapter 6 - A Swift Return of Hostilities:

Except that the soft, secretive smile she gave him was not remotely virginal. It was sadistic. He wondered when she’d had time to purchase new, impractical nightwear in the five hours since she’d granted herself permission to live in his house.

The lingerie was not lingerie. It was an attack.

A decently successful one, given that he suddenly found he had no idea what to do with his hands.

Well, he had one idea of what to do with his hands and that carefully-memorised mental image, but he suspected if he did it he wouldn’t ever be able to stop doing it, and then she’d win the war by default because he’d be unable to fight her with one hand permanently relocated down his pants.

“There’s a moratorium,” he snapped. “This is cheating.”

“I haven’t any idea what you mean. I’m just on my way to bed.” She adjusted the camisole, which cruelly involved pulling it down a little.

“I’ve seen what you wear to bed, Granger. This” – he waved a hand at the spill of cleavage – “is a direct violation of the rules.”

“I don’t see how. You know I like to be comfortable, and Lilith’s already asleep.” She plastered on her most infuriatingly tranquil expression.

“Merlin’s tits, you’re insufferable.”

“Perhaps if you stop thinking about tits all the time…”

Draco studied the blank, titless ceiling. “I am trying extremely hard to not think about your tits. Or your nipples, which, by the way, are perfectly visible.”

“I had no idea you were so prudish about loungewear. This might be a difficult six weeks for you.”

With a jolt of discovery, Draco found that he wasn’t looking at the ceiling anymore. He dragged his errant gaze back up to her face, where a smug smile awaited him.

Read it on AO3

#draco x hermione #dramione #dramione fanfic #dramione art #dhr fanfiction #dhr #draco malfoy #dramione fanart #good omens

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alexandra-emerson · 6 months

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This is how I strive to write all of my stories! I love this way of putting it.

Leaving Holes

Your story is 50% reader. It’s that mixture of reader and writer that makes the magic.

Which means your story needs to have holes for the reader to fill in. You need that negative space for the puzzle pieces to fit.

I’m not talking about plot holes, I’m talking about giving one sentence the power of two. A book that means what it says is a mediocre book. A book that means more than what it says is a great book.

Don’t over-develop your characters, having them analyze every feeling, or spelling out what every character in a scene is thinking. Don’t follow up a powerful line with an explanation with what makes that line powerful.

Let your words imply as much as they state.

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alexandra-emerson · 6 months

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Also known as: the “what if they were both WERWOLVES” AU?

Rating: M

Word count: 100k total (and I’m still writing!)

Chapter 1

Neville had the feeling that he’d made a terrible mistake.

“This was a mistake,” he said, accordingly, as he stumbled over yet another root in this gods-forsaken forest, blindfolded, with his hands tied in front of him. A thorny branch ripped across his face. It wasn’t like he’d meant to spring a suspect from captivity, sneak them out through the back entrance and then meet up with them a few weeks later.

“Too late now,” came the cheerful rejoinder. His captor pulled his hands forward yet again, and they navigated through the dark forest under the waning moon, Neville groaned inwardly. He was absolutely going to get fired for this. At least Gran would have been thrilled, had she still been alive. Who knows? Maybe her ghost was dancing a merry jig at the mere thought.

His musings were interrupted by Mara’s triumphant voice. “We’re here!”

Neville refrained from asking, exactly, where they were - as that would have defeated the point of a secret werewolf society, hidden deep within some forest, somewhere. Flexing his wrists as the ropes were untied, he was very glad to have his range of motion. But there was something missing…

“Mara,” he said, firmly.

“What?”

“My wand?”

“Oh, fine,” she said, sliding his familiar cherry wand into his hand. “Spoilsport.”

Neville rolled his eyes, but tucked his wand into his arm holster and finally, finally, pushed up his blindfold to peer into the clearing ahead of them.

His jaw dropped.

[continue reading on AO3]

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