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#125k. wow you Really liked this one
buthowboutno · 9 months
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buthowboutno's Unsolicited Writing Advice
Howdy fam!!
This is a post that i’ve been wanting to make for a while so!!! Finally fucking sat down and did it lmao
Considering we’re past the halfway point of ATWLP and over 125k words written for the universe, I thought I would share some writing advice and tidbits I’ve picked up along the way!! (especially for you baby writers out there) (we’re ignoring the fact that I only broke my five year writing hiatus like seven months ago)
ANYWAYS, ramble under the cut <3
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Don’t force yourself to write linearly
If you’re dragging your feet along writing sections just to get to a certain scene in your head and losing motivation, just… write the scene you wanna write. This might be specific adhd oriented advice, but you gotta use your juices when you have them. 
I’ve recently posted a chapter that I wrote all the way back in November. Did I have to edit some parts in light of changes I made to the outline and the way my blorbos have developed? Yes, but that’s way easier than starting it from scratch and losing all of my ideas when the scene was first bouncing around my head.
Outline outline outline… but don’t be a slave to it
Sometimes all I can manage the energy for is a long series of bullet points outlining a chapter, but it makes it SO much easier to sit down and type everything out properly later.
I also find that having a main outline for my entire story helps me from falling into plotlines that I don't know how to get out of or losing motivation for a fic because I haven't figured out the end goal for my characters. It's easy to sit down and work on a chapter because, for the most part, I already know how it's going to end up.
Having said that, sometimes your characters are stinkasses and decide to completely break away from what you had planned, and that’s okay! Understanding how you can and cannot shove your blorbos around for the sake of plot is a part of learning how to be a better writer.
Don’t delete your writing!
Chances are if you hate a section, it’ll read a million times better after you set it down for a few hours. Us writers can be so incredibly critical of ourselves, but resist the urge to select all and backspace!!! If anything, leaving a section you hate allows you to come back and edit it into something way better instead of starting from scratch again.
If you have to delete a section that just doesn’t fit in the story anymore, still save it!! I have a bits and pieces doc that houses all my deleted scenes that have been revived in later chapters. You never know how deleted scenes might help you pad out future parts of your story.
If you’re a literature snob (like me) and want to just flat out improve your craft… you gotta do your homework
You will always become a better writer the more you write and for those just looking to get out some emotions or have fun, that is perfectly fine! Ignore me! You’re already doing fantastic, look at you go!
But if you’re the type of person to read a fic and be like… “wow, that was better quality than most published books. how do i get to that level??” this is for you
When you’re reading, regardless of what it is, make a mental (or physical!) note of the things you like and dislike.
 Ex: How does the author portray a certain emotion? How do they lay out the scene? What different aspects of characterization stick out to you? What’s the word choice like?
Never gonna bash on anyone who just wants to read for enjoyment, but when you start to exercise that muscle I /promise/ you that your writing will improve that much faster. (It really is annoying how the fucking rhetorical analysis skills they teach you in highschool help, but they do.)
Ages ago I went to this conference for young writers and in one of the seminars I went to, this pair of authors talked about this spreadsheet they set up to better lay out the aspects of writing they really loved or wanted to avoid in their genre. I think this is vv important when you’re planning out longer pieces of writing; you don’t want to get stuck in a trope you hate!
Watch critiques of books!
Booktube is super fucking great for this. I’m personally a video essay bitch, so I’ll sit and watch a three hour long video of someone dissecting a novel and giving a review. That shit will help you with everything from learning how to construct longer and cohesive plots to avoiding certain pitfalls that may turn an audience away from your work. 
Rachel Oates is one of my forever faves and Alizee is a youtuber that I’ve just recently stumbled upon but love all the same.
 I WILL SING THE PRAISES OF OVERLYSARCASTICPRODUCTIONS ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
They have really excellent videos that go into the different tropes and all the ways they can present in stories, whether it be good or bad. This helps you get familiar with the building blocks of a narrative and decide things like wanting to subvert a trope, build upon the popular ones, or even reject them all together. Fic is basically built on fandom-wide tropes, so I think it’s good to be familiar with them.
Just like artists, we gotta do our studies, too
Back when I was a infant writer (i.e. in eighth grade) me and my friends would find different writing prompts on pinterest and spend a few hours working on them before sharing what we wrote. Even if it's not for a larger work, it is /really/ good practice to describe scenery in a picture or come up with a character on the fly and explore how they interact in a situation.
It’s is the literary equivalent of drawing a hand instead of putting it in a pocket so you didn’t have to deal with it
Write messy! Write fast! Write garbage that you’re going to delete in five minutes! You’ll be surprised about the gems that come out of doing this. Literally some of my favourite lines have come out of a frenzied 10 minute keyboard mashing session.
Don’t be afraid of critique but know the difference between that and simply being hard on yourself.
 I think this is probably the biggest thing I’ve struggled with as I’ve gotten back into writing. Before I started posting, I had about five chapters saved up ‘cause I was agonising over making everything perfect. Do I see, six months later, things I know I could have done better? Yes, but! I wouldn’t have been able to grow or develop as an author if I didn’t take that first step of posting and moving on to other parts of the story.
There is a time and place for critiquing and editing your own work and seeing where you can improve, but you also gotta meet yourself where you’re at. We’re not going to be Shakespeare overnight. Getting better is a process, baby! Embrace the fact that if you’re embarrassed about your work years or even months down the line, that means you’re growing as a writer.
And remember stinkies, any creation is good creation. Don’t go comparing hits or kudos or likes and being down on yourself, the act of creation is an important part of the human experience!!! Even if the only thing you ever put out is a 100 word drabble about lightning mcqueen making love to bowser, i’ll be proud of you. 
Happy writing and get yourself some water <3<3
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sam-glade · 9 months
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Happy STS!
Have you ever gotten decently far into a story and realized that your title made no sense? How much does your initial premise mean to the development of your story?
Hello, hello! Happy STS!
Oh wow do I have a story for you.
In general, I struggle with titles. It's one of these things I don't feel like I can judge well, whether it's corny, or catchy, or just boring.
So. I've written close to 400k words of Days of Dusk (just going by the latest completed drafts of all three books), before realising that the oldest, the very first title that I'm super attached to, no longer works.
This is going back... 12? years, when I started the first draft of Aftermath. Bear that title in mind. The concept/premise was: the typical YA fantasy teenage hero needs to deal with consequences of being a hero. Basically, put the arrogant guy in his place. Defeating the villain doesn't give him any actual leadership or strategy skills, and he's going to learn it the hard way.
I've written Aftermath and Prodigal Children, its sequel, as a duology. I've redrafted Aftermath about three times. I've then decided maybe I'll try publishing it, since it's a shame to keep it to myself. I wanted to share it with people!
Aftermath was never supposed to have the story that had led to it written down. The backstory was meant to be so typical and predictable that it didn't need writing down. A few friends have read Aftermath and have always known it as that. That's what it's always been.
And as I was polishing it, and trying to get it under 125k words, I started realising that the backstory of the hero's great deeds was becoming too nuanced and complicated to weave into the main plot.
All right. Fine, let's find another project to write, considering these lessons learnt.
It just so happened that I was off-work for health-related reason for all of January this year, and I was bored. So I wrote Gifts of Fate, as a self-indulgent, this-will-never-see-the-light-of-day story. I'm still incredibly proud to have completed a draft of 107k words in 6 weeks - sure, a lot of the behind the scenes work was done ahead of time, the setting and characters were developed already, but come on, putting over a 100k words into a doc in a month and a half?
And you know what, it worked better as a novel, in terms of structure and just craft. It was more focused, the themes were clear, it was shorter... It worked. Ok, it may be a little bit of a typical hero's journey, but still, it's a cohesive story, with hopefully enough of an individual take to be interesting.
I've started this blog in February, and I've started talking about the now-trilogy. And only then it struck me, Aftermath no longer works as a title. It looses the oomph. It's just a second book in a trilogy now, obviously it's an 'aftermath' to something.
It really didn't help that all the friends who've read it and been informed that a prequel now exists, unanimously and independently started calling the prequel (Gifts of Fate) 'Premath'😅
It took me until early June (as in, a couple of weeks ago) to come up with a new title for Aftermath (The Prince's Shadow), because titles are hard.
(I'm going to tag @writernopal who's expressed some interest in the injoke-y title 'Premath' and also add Days of Dusk taglist for the meta-lore: @acertainmoshke @another-white-hole @poetinprose )
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drpupper · 2 years
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your honor, in my defense: who cares like omfggggggggg who cares???????????? like. come On
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ashkise · 3 years
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YOU FORCING KUROKO NO BASKET BOYS TO MAKE A TIK TOK DANCE WITH YOU
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characters— TIMESKIP! akashi seijuuro, kise ryouta, takao kazunari, murasakibara atsushi
a/n— lmao i am not on dance tik tok anymore so im going to be using the old tik tok dances😫 omg i didn’t mean to make this long....
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✎AKASHI you were on your phone scrolling through tik tok trying to find that one video you wanted to do with sei. “darling?” you heard akashi call, walking into the bedroom. “sei! let’s do this tiktok!” you said with so much enthusiasm that seijuuro couldn’t say no. 15 minutes later you were in a giggling fit, “uh darling?” akashi mumbled clearly embarrassed of what he was wearing. “i-is this necessary?” sei stuttered. “of course sei! you look cute!” “uh thanks” akashi uttered playing with the hem of the dress. “okay! so do you know what you are doing?” “uh slightly?, i just lip-sing and dance?” akashi said clearly not understand what was happening. “yup, okay im going to hit the timer!”. when the timer hit 1 you came out wearing akashi’s lakers jersey and his sweatpants that were way too big. you had your hair tied up and a lakers hat that was sitting on your head backwards. after you did your short act, akashi awkwardly strutted in your high heels which were a bit small for his liking. sei started lip singing trying to remember what the words were. he was too distracted that he was wearing a dress and earrings haha. after akashi finished, the video ended and showed the preview of what y’all did. you were giggling when akashi came in view of the camera awkwardly walking and lip singing. “i wouldn’t mind doing another uh tiktok with you” akashi blushed which made you peck his cheeks and asked if he would want to do another. you posted the video and his former teammates were making fun of akashi, especially kise and aomine lmao.
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✎ KISE was babbling on about how practice was and how they were going up against the spurs next week. “babe! aren’t you listening?” kise whined clearly wanting your attention. “hey ryo, wanna do a tiktok with me?” plsss his face went from whinny to cheery. “of course babe! which tik tok?” “hmm, how about this one?”. you showed kise the tik tok you wanted to do and he had an mysterious look in his eyes. “sure baby! whenever you’re ready!” bro this took like 20 tries for kise to actually understand. “wait babe slow down” kise pouted clearly irritated that he cannot move his body well. you had to hold in your laugh when kise was whining and pouting, blaming the couple and saying they are aliens who don’t have bones so they could move really well. you honestly didn’t expect kise to be THAT stiff. on the 23 try, you both finally got into rhythm and was pleased with the results. “how can you move like that babe?” plsss he was trying to copy your movements while watching the video. “i guess your perfect copy doesn’t work on dancing huh?” “BABEEE! HOW CAN YOU DISS ME LIKE THAT!”. you ended up posting the tik tok on your page and was surprised that it got so many likes and views in under an hour. the next day your phone was blowing up. you checked your tik tok page and was stunned at the amount of people who liked your post. lmao the whole generation of miracles + kagami and kuroko were making fun of kise and how he was dancing. you see kise’s comment saying “at least im famous!( ̄^ ̄)ゞ”. you had to tell him he was famous either way since he plays in the nba haha. your video got 298k views and 256k likes.
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✎TAKAO was actually the one to ask you to do a tik tok dance with him. “princess! do this tiktok with me! pleaseeee” takao gave you a slight pout and puppy eyes. “sure kaz, which one are we doing?”, takao was giggling when he showed you the tiktok. takao gave you one of his hoodies and grabbed him one as well. you both had to watched the video multiple times, trying to mimic the couples dances. “okay princess, ready?” “born ready” you giggled when takao hit the timer button. you both kept on messing up and laughing having a great time. “no no kaz-” you wheezed when he hit his knee on the living room table, tumbling down like a soldier getting shot. you both agreed to keep that video of takao falling over, grabbing his knee, and whining asking you to kiss it to make it feel better. you both decided to send it to midorima and his response was “don’t text me again”. takao posted it on tik tok and only got 10 likes but he was glad that you were one of the 10 to like the post plus himself lmao.
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✎MURASAKIBARA was sucking on a lollipop watching ‘big brother’ in the living room . “atsushi! let’s do a tik tok!” his eyes wondered towards your figure. “ehhh? tik tok? okayy” he sluggishly got up and wrapped his arms around your waist. “this is the one i wanna do!”, murasakibara nodded and let go of your waist. you both watched it numerous times to actually get a hang of it. “okay, let’s get started!” atsushi did a small acknowledgement grunt getting in position. it took murasakibara a while to get the dance while you had to encourage him to keep on going. “come on atsushi! just one more” “but sugerrr, im tireddd”. he ended giving up half way and picked up up bridal style, twirling you around. after the video, you posted it not actually thinking that others would see. the next morning you woke up hearing a bunch of dings every second. you opened your phone seeing that the video was apparently on a lot of peoples for you pages. you saw kise’s comment saying ‘wow murasakibaracchi! great video(´∀`)’ and aomine saying that he was so lazy he that murasakibara gave up half way. you had a soft smile when you saw atsushi’s comment. ‘that’s my sugar :)’. your video got 134k views and 125k likes.
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allwaswell16 · 3 years
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This is a fic rec of One Direction fic writers who both appreciate positive, long comments and enjoy replying back to these comments! This was made in honor of an enthusiastic friend who had a few bad experiences commenting in our fandom and receiving less than kind replies. Instead of just fuming about it, I decided to do something about it. I knew that most writers would absolutely love to receive comments like the ones she leaves, so I made a post asking for writers who fit this to recommend their fics to us. And wow did you all come through for us! 
Below the cut are 54 writers, each with one of their fics to recommend to us! But please be sure to check out all their other fics as well! I’ll put the fics in order of wordcount and I’ll list pairing, rating, and wordcount along with the summaries. 
(Please note that there are really lovely writers out there who also very much appreciate each and every one of their comments, but are too overwhelmed or anxious to reply. I am not at all saying that writers who don’t reply are unappreciative!)
Love After the End of the World by @mercurial-madhouse​ / writing_practice [Louis/Harry, E, 162k]
“Wait. Just so I’m clear in me fucking noggin,” Niall says. “An international worldwide takeover is well under way and the only thing standing between having hot showers and a second end of the world is us five fuckers?”
-----
Society shattered when all electricity suddenly cut off across the globe, plunging the world into darkness. Now, Prometheus Industries is the sole remaining supply of power, a saving grace to those who survived Lights Out. As fugitives in no-man’s land struggling to break into Prometheus HQ, death lurks around every corner for Louis and Zayn. Things get complicated when a routine recon falls apart and Louis collides with Harry and his mates Niall and Liam, survivors with their own agenda.
When staying alive is already a constant battle, the deadliest weakness is to be in love. For Harry and Louis, finding each other sits on top of the endless list of What Else Could Go Wrong.
Hold You Now by @solvetheminourdreams​ [Louis/Harry, M, 131k]
The string within Harry's own sweatpants is now dangling outside of his pocket, stretched so far out that the seams of his pants have tightened. His eyes remain hyper focused on Louis, how oblivious he is—scrolling through his phone without a care in the world, while Harry feels his tilt on its axis.
Three years ago, Harry Styles said goodbye to communications consultancy firm McQuiston Worldwide, leaving a life of travel and agency PR behind. When he accompanies his best friend to a family wedding across the Atlantic, he'll be forced to reopen old wounds and face his past—one that no one wants to hash out, but may just have to.
forever is in your eyes by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed​ / we_are_the_same [Louis/Harry, M, 125k]
Harry looks fragile in the moonlight, and Louis stands there, pondering, not even sure what it is that he’s thinking of. It’s all just noise in his head, a mix of melancholy and desire, of longing for something that he doesn’t even have a name for.
He wants-
He wants love. He wants to be held and cherished and have a home. Not just a place to lay his head down at night. He wants to be loved the way that Louis had loved creating Harry. He wants his perfect man, but he wants him to be real. He wants Harry to be real-
His lips press against marble, against something cold and unforgiving, and it’s not until his hand comes up to rest against a sculpted neck that his eyes fly open and he stumbles backwards, nearly falling off the stepladder that he’d stood on.
“Jesus Christ.” He whispers, shaking his head and resisting the urge to brush the back of his hand against his lips, erase evidence that isn’t even visible to the naked eye. Harry stands there, as though nothing’s changed, and of course he does, because he’s a statue.
A statue that Louis has just kissed.
don’t want to fight you by @lt2soon​ / starryharry [Louis/Harry, M, 124k]
Louis hates that it’s familiar. He hates that sparring Harry is familiar because they train together. He hates that he even has to spar Harry at all, because Harry is good.
Louis wonders what his life would be like if him and Harry didn’t hate each other. He can’t picture it, really. The incessant bickering that often turns into real arguing, the nasty looks, the eye rolls, the middle fingers. It all feels very necessary at this point.
Or, the one where two fighters can also be lovers because routines are never permanent.
Mine Would Be You by @crinkle-eyed-boo [Louis/Harry, E, 114k]
Louis blinks his eyes open, his eyelids fluttering as the room swims around him. He takes several gulps of beer once he confirms that he’s definitely not hallucinating, that the very first portrait Harry Styles ever painted of him is hanging on that wall.
Louis stares at the wall, his heart jackrabbiting in his chest as he realizes that there’s not just one painting of him, there’s five, the portraits lined up like they’re some sort of storyboard depicting the rise and fall of his deepest love. His greatest heartache. A pain that cut him so deep that he left the fucking country, severing all ties with his life in New York, now suddenly surrounding him as if he’d never left.
Fucking shit motherfucker fuck.
Louis returns to New York City five years after he left it – and the love of his life – behind. He didn't intend to see Harry again, but fate has a funny way of pulling them together, whether they like it or not. After making a begrudging truce, they both start to wonder: Would it be so bad if history repeated itself?
promise your whispers are mine by @lightwoodsmagic​ / lightswoodmagic [Louis/Harry, E, 94k]
"Where did I say it’s been easy for you, or,” he paused, staring at Harry’s lowered head and willing him to look up, “where have you ever gotten the idea that it’s been easy for me either?” When a few beats had passed and Louis was sure the conversation was done, Harry looked up, straight into Louis’ eyes like he was trying to physically pin him in place. “Our situations are completely different and you know it, please stop trying to - .” “Then let me help you fix it, Harry,” Louis interrupted, desperate to reach out and cover his hand with one of his own. “Let me help, please.”
Harry’s the head chef at Azoff’s Catering, and he loves his job; the opportunity has always been more than he could dream of and he’s proud of the food he creates. Until he meets Louis, an event coordinator rising through the ranks with his own company, and who reminds him of the dreams he once had for his own career. While their easy friendship initially thrives in an industry known for chaos and betrayal, they soon discover they both have their secrets, and maybe it’s too late for either of them to try to find happiness outside of their work. Especially when they realise that their happiness might rely on each other.
Playin’ It Safe and Breakin’ The Rules by @local-troubled-writer​ / local_troubled _writer [Louis/Harry, M, 90k]
In his life, Louis Tomlinson set out to do three things: find a way to make art that he loves, make his mum proud, and have as much fun as he could reasonably fit into one lifetime.
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“Hello?” Harry’s deep voice calls.
“Hi,” Louis pops his head out of his doorway, motioning Harry back. “Louis,” he holds his hand out for Harry to shake and a small grin takes over the popstar’s face. He’s taller than he seems in photographs, but his smile is just the same as the ones that used to wallpaper his sisters’ walls.
“Harry.” He seems to have just gotten off stage, still sweating in a pair of skin-tight black jeans but a soft-looking blue vest. A beige headscarf holds his long curls off his face and he has all the easy confidence of a world-famous pop sensation, but still slouches in a way that isn't unfamiliar to Louis’ own posture.
“Yeah, I know who you are, popstar.” Louis teases, pulling his hand away and jabbing his thumb over his shoulder. “Shall we?”
--
or the One Where Maybe this Fake Relationship Gets a Little Too Real.
Consequences by @allwaswell16​ [Louis/Harry, E, 78k]
Two years ago Harry let his powerful family come between him and the love of his life, something he deeply regrets. Louis has tried to move on from their devastating break up. Sometimes, he even thinks he has. It only takes one moment to freeze them back in time.
An amnesia au
The Sound The Leaves Make In The Heat Of The August Sun by @sleepwalk-living / anderscones [Louis/Harry, T, 76k]
Louis is an elf who lives in the Kingdom’s forest, as far away from the pompous Castle Court as he can get while staying within city limits. He’s a thief out of necessity and is happy enough to steal from the rich when they’re not looking. He notices something mysteriously dangerous happening in his forest one morning and begs for an investigation from the Court, who of course tells him he’s seeing things.
Intro a shamed knight, a runaway prince, a blacksmith, and a mage with fae blood who figure something is better than nothing. The King is all too happy to make criminals out of them and run them thinner than they already are just to prove a point to his son. With the combined powers of Captain Pla- One Direction, they figure it out.
adjudication by @bottomlinsons​ [Louis/Harry, T, 75k]
Harry's been engaged to Princess Charlotte of Ryde for as long as he can remember. He's come to know her, to love her, through the letters she's sent him over the past three years.
But when the wedding finally arrives, Harry quickly learns that nothing is as it seems. With his crown and country at stake, Harry must decide who to trust in this strange new land. And the sly Crown Prince of Ryde doesn't seem inclined to make things easy.
The Ground Below is Above My Feet by @zanniscaramouche​ / zanni_scaramouche [Louis/Harry, E, 63k]
“-ouis, are you awake?”
“M’ff,” Louis manages. Slowly he remembers where he is. Who he is. His nerve endings take stock of his body, the soft sheets twisted around his legs and the warm rush of breath on his face. Harry.
“You were sleeping like the dead,” Harry muses, calloused fingers delicately brushing through Louis’ fringe. “Could barely tell if you were breathing.”
Louis' heart stutters, his throat working hard to swallow the lump of ugly truth. Blinks until Harry’s bright eyes come into focus across the pillow.
He holds back the obvious joke.
Plant New Seeds in the Melody by @vintageumbroshirt​ / 28sunflowers [Harry/Louis, E, 58k]
After losing his husband in a tragic car accident, the last thing Louis needs is to keep running into popstar Harry Styles, who David was quite fond of.
Obviously, that’s exactly what keeps happening.
But as their unlikely friendship blossoms, Louis realizes that, maybe, having Harry in his life was the only good thing that came out of his adverse circumstances. Harry could be just the right person to help Louis find trust and intimacy in someone new.
Live a Thousand Lifetimes by @laynefaire​ / Layne Faire [Zayn/Liam, E, 57k]
It’s 2025.
After secretly writing and producing their first album in ten years, One Direction is weeks away from releasing their first new single and announcing a world tour.
With the whirlwind about to begin again, Liam re-evaluates the last ten years - the fame, the money, the people who changed his life forever - and the person who walked away.
just a flicker in the dark by @falsegoodnight​ [Harry/Louis, E, 57k]
Harry Styles is his case partner. High and mighty, annoyingly smug Harry Styles who’s known him for years and has fucking seen him naked for fuck’s sake.
He glances at Venus who’s blinking up at him with curious eyes, no doubt sensing the agitation sparking in his magic.
“This is not happening,” Louis says loudly. “This is not fucking happening. I am going to kill Liam, oh my god.” He doesn’t even know if Liam is responsible for this but it feels like something he’d do to drive Louis absolutely insane - exes don’t just show up to your assigned haunted house out of nowhere. “Fucking fuck!”
He nearly jumps when Harry knocks again, his muffled voice carrying through the wood. “I can hear you, you know,” he drawls, sounding frustratingly amused.
Louis exhales, resisting the urge to scream.
-
Or, Louis is a struggling witch desperate to prove himself after yet another magic disaster and finds a calling in the haunted house of client Niall Horan. Things get more complicated when he’s assigned a case partner: acclaimed medium and ex-boyfriend, Harry Styles.
I'm On the Hunt Now (I'm After You) by @afangirlfantasy​ [Louis/Harry, M, 56k]
Omegas haven’t been able to shift into their wolves for two hundred years. That is, until Louis Tomlinson changes everything.
Or...an AU where Alpha Harry and Omega Louis have a lot more than falling in love to deal with after The Mating Ceremony.
That Smile and That Midnight Laugh by @uhoh-but-yeah-alright​ / yeah_alright [Louis/Harry, T, 50k]
Harry’s never noticed how lovely Louis really is. Maybe it’s just that she’s usually so guarded – a little tense, a little irritated, a little put out. At least when she’s at school, and also usually when she’s around Nick, which are the only times Harry has really seen her. Until tonight. Tonight Harry’s seen her with her guard completely down. Too busy laughing and enjoying herself to remember to be prickly, maybe. She seems different.
It feels different.
A Ferris Bueller's Day Off AU that picks up right where the movie leaves off, and imagines what might happen if Ferris' girlfriend and sister become friends. And maybe something more, too.
Baby, Won’t You Look My Way? by @peachbootylouis​ / PeachBootyLou [Louis/Harry, E, 50k]
Louis tiptoed to the door and opened it, looking over his shoulder for a moment. Harry looked absolutely gorgeous, almost enough to make him strip back down and give it another go. But that wasn’t who Louis was. So he sighed and stepped outside, leaving back to his flat. And for the first time in years, he felt alive.
Or the where Louis’ routine centered life runs like clockwork until a chance hook up throws a wrench named Harry into it all. But as it may turn out a change in plans could be what Louis has needed all along.
dirty laundry looks good on you by @tomlinvelvetfics​ / tomlinvelvet [Louis/Harry, E, 50k]
When Louis Tomlinson finds his clothes lying in a sad soapy mess on top of the washing machine in which they are supposed to be, he acts upon his anger and retaliates. What he doesn’t expect is having to deal with a six-feet tall, curly-haired and dimpled man in return, who seems to arouse confusing feelings within him and to make his life take an unexpected turn for the better (or worse?).
OR; the utility room is a great place to fall in love.
Passing By by @larryyouknow​ / Larry_you_know [Louis/Harry, E, 48k]
Sometimes, people are in each other's lives just for the briefest of moments. They meet and then go their separate ways because being vulnerable is scary and it might be easier to not let anybody else in. But some people aren’t meant to be just passing by. Maybe when they open their eyes, they can learn things about themselves they haven’t known before. If they let their hearts speak they will find a way to be together.
Or the one where Harry doesn't even know he's into guys until he meets Louis on a boat trip. There's something more to their friendship but it ain't gonna be smooth sailing.
i kiss you (across hundreds of separating years) by @milkcurls / loveroflou [Louis/Harry, M, 44k]
He reminds Louis of the day he met him, the first day of Harry’s first year and Louis’ second, when he stood on wobbly legs beside Zayn, his cheeks flushed and hair parted to the side and tucked neatly behind his ear. He’s all dainty and soft – he’s pretty, Louis can admit that.
He’s also a rich frat boy who fucks every omega that will throw themselves at him – and they all do – so instead of pretending to be a precious little doll Louis thinks he should spend more time learning how to be a decent human being.
or, the stars and two amused boys are playing cupid, and there are one too many coded love letters and a duck plushie that smells like home
don’t want no other shade of blue by @louisisworthit​ / padfootyoudog [Louis/Harry, E, 43k]
“I know you’re putting on an act,” says Harry after a moment, and Louis scowls when he realises the prince is actually amused.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” says Louis.
“All I’ve heard over the past couple of years are rumours of Prince Louis’ kindness, and generosity, and oh, he’s so handsome I can barely pour his tea without shaking!” says Harry, putting on a silly, high-pitched voice for the last bit. Louis’ scowl deepens. “I would already know if you were just another selfish, bratty omega prince. You can’t fool me, darling, but I admire your efforts.”
“As you said,” Louis grits out, “those are only rumours. I assure you, I’m a terrible person.”
prompt 339: it was foretold that Alpha Prince Harry would be mated to a beautiful male omega with eyes that could rival the stone amethyst, but Omega Prince Louis refuses to believe it.
A Thousand More by @travelingwinchester​ / Ot5aresoulmates [Louis/Harry, NR, 42k]
Harry wakes up one morning during the separation of April 2015 missing Louis fiercely. He wonders if they had never been on the X-Factor would they have met. Cue the weirdest "dream" he's ever had in which lessons about the course of true love are learned.
fondre ton absence by @scrunchyharry​ [Louis/Harry, T, 41k]
Harry had never really given much thought to the future. He preferred to let life steer him forward and to follow in the footsteps of Louis, his best friend from as far as his memory went, his lover, his everything. Louis knew better than he did what was good for him.
It changed drastically when Louis was ripped away from him, drafted and sent to the front to fight in a war that Harry had always been sure would never reach him. Too young and too sickly to follow, Harry was left on his own for the first time in his life.
When he thought things could not possibly get worse, Louis went missing at the Somme and was declared dead. While everyone buried and mourned him, Harry never moved on. If Louis were dead, he was sure that he would know it. Their lives were too entwined, he would know if half of his heart had died.
Determined to find Louis, Harry did everything he could in his quest to be reunited with him, except prepare for the state Louis might be in.
He did not prepare for the harsh truth he would have to face: was love possible without memories?
I’ve Been Hoping You’d Be Somewhere Better Than This by @runaway-train-works / runaway _train [Harry/Louis, E, 40k]
“Does she know who it is then, from the New York office?” Louis enquires.
“Yeah, some guy Henry? Henry Styles I think she said?"
“Harry.”
“What?"
“Harry. His name is Harry Styles.” His heart sank. Louis hadn’t met him, they had only shared a couple of emails back and forth, but he knew exactly who he was. And Harry hadn’t just been killing it in the Big Apple, he’s been ripping the place to absolute shreds, nailing some of the most lucrative accounts in the business.
Louis is so fucked.
Or
The one where Louis is up for a promotion, he just has one tiny, little problem standing in his way.
Without you it’s a season I ain’t needing by @whatevertearsyou​​ / perfectdagger [Louis/Harry, M, 38k]
Spring was everything in '17, now I'm just cold Summer fell to fall after all November froze Without you it's a season I ain't needing, I want to go come back home The reds and all the greens don't mean a thing when you're gone Winter means nothing to me now without you.
A long distance relationship au in which Harry is away for a year and Louis is left to pick up the pieces.
take my hand, wreck my plans by @daggerandrose​ / amomentoflove [Harry/Louis, T, 38k,]
Louis meets the man in the center of the room, feeling every eye on him.
“Mr. H,” he whispers.
The man smiles brightly and laughs as if he can’t believe his eyes. “It’s you,” he says breathlessly. “I didn’t think I would see you again.”
“Nor I you, especially under these circumstances.”
“Even so,” Mr H says, his eyes bouncing from Louis’ eyes to his lips. “Will you do me a great honor and join me in leading the first … um…”
“Dance?”
Mr. H laughs and nods. “Yes, that’s the one.”
Louis bites his lips and doesn’t hesitate before whispering, “Yes.”
Mr. H beams and reaches for Louis’ hand. Sparks fly at the touch and a zing of excitement shoots through Louis’ body. His face heats up as he’s afraid his scent would give away his feelings towards the other man.
I Wish, I Found Love by @slytherinzouis​ / friendofhayley [Louis/Harry, E, 37k]
A fandom retelling of the Maiden Without Hands.
Solace is a land of religious hypocrisy, demons, and two ostracized families. When prophets from every denomination foretell a boy of unknown origin who might change the tide of the magical world, is any place safe for him?
Harry and Louis grew up together, two pariahs among their peers. Will their love be able to overcome distance, prophecies, and the trials of finding out who you truly become under pressure?
You Try To Be Everything (I Need) by @lululawrence​ [Harry/Louis, NR, 36k]
Wars, and rumours of wars, were nothing new for the world in the twenty-fourth century. The fighting had evolved over the years, and rarely did it involve traditional weapons. A group most widely known as the Southern Powers gained strength amongst portions of the western European continent and spread quickly.
There was a fight the Southern Powers didn’t expect coming from the north of England, though. Resistance came in the form of an organised underground; a group comprised of people with the Touch that did the best they could to enforce a line that would not be crossed. Slowly, that line was moved from the Channel to boundaries further and further north. It seemed only a matter of time before the Southern Powers took over everywhere.
Until that time, people did the best they could to live their lives in some semblance of normality. For Louis Tomlinson, that sense of normality was about to change when his best friend, Harry Styles, goes missing.
Louis embarks on the journey of a lifetime where he uses his newly developed abilities to search for his friend, even when it takes him to places he never thought he would see while surmounting trials he never could have imagined.
Your Wonder Under Summer Skies by @emilee1421​ / Emilee_1421 [Louis/Harry, NR, 34+, wip]
Needing an escape after a particularly hectic year, Louis decides to join Harry in Italy where Harry is working on his next Gucci campaign. While in Italy the two decide to join an old friend at her county home to enjoy a much deserved break from their usually busy lives. Louis and Harry begin to see their friend in a different light and all three are forced to confront the possibility that their friendship may actually be something much deeper.
Work of Magic by @justalarryblog​ / Bekita [Louis/Harry, NR, 34k]
"C’mon Liam, are you really going to use this against me now? You know the kind of humans his kind is! You know very well why we hunt them!" Louis said, done with the conversation and walking down the hall.
"No! We hunt people who don’t care about others, and neither Harry nor anyone in his family is like that!” Liam exasperated, following behind. “Louis, it's been two weeks, don’t you wanna know how Harry is? Has this hatred taken over so fast?" Liam inquired, knowing the hit a nerve.
"You know what, Liam? I'm not going to have this conversation with you." Louis said decisively, turning his back to his friend ready to go to his class.
But life is never fair, is it? When he turned around he was face to face with Harry in the middle of the hallway. The two stared at each other. Do I hate him? Louis wondered as he watched Harry's eyes fill with tears and seem to be begging for something. He preferred to ignore the pang in his chest and the urge to comfort the boy in front of him. He lowered his head and continued on his way.
Or the one that Louis is a WitchHunter and Harry is a Witch and they keep it as a secret, but they fall in love.
Swear I’ve Known You Since Forever by @louinlavender​ / abaddxns [Louis/Harry, T, 33k]
Harry then pats around his trouser pockets only to remember that Gemma has his phone in her bag so he can’t even call her, and he’s far too intimidated to ask a stranger if he can borrow theirs. She has his wallet, too, so all he has on his person are the stick of gum in his back pocket and his muddy wellies and a too-long scarf he’s ready to ball up and throw the ground, because he’s only sixteen and he’s just a shopboy in a bakery and he’s about to cry twenty minutes into his first music festival that he had to beg to attend, all because he lost his big sister and her uni friends, who didn’t even want him to come in the first place, and—
“Oi, y’alright, mate?” a bright voice asks, just as his eyes start to water.
Or: Harry attends his first music festival and promptly gets lost. Little does he know that the first friendly face he encounters is bound to change his life forever.
Part one of three of 'And The Sun Came Out'—a series detailing the growth of Harry and Louis' relationship through the years after meeting at Leeds Fest as teenagers.
i’m gonna keep this love, if you let me by @tomlinbuns​​ / pixies [Louis/Harry, E, 26k]
Louis makes Harry pretend to be his boyfriend one night out. The rest is history.
Dear Diary (series) by @alwayslarry-vol28​ / kikiberosski16 [Louis/Harry, E, 20k]
Life in quarantine is hard, especially if you're an arrogant son of a bitch and your husband is a stubborn little shit. Harry and Louis argue a lot, so much it affects their daily routines. Harry tries to write his feelings down in a diary, but will this cause more trouble for the couple?
The Golden Prince by @behappyhl​ [Harry/Louis, E, 19k]
When He arrives in London, he’s speechless.
It’s so different from his little hometown, he can’t help the feeling that it is an unknown planet. Everything is bigger; The streets, the buildings, the stores. The people are always running somewhere, always in a hurry. Harry instantly feels out of place.
Or, Harry lives a perfectly normal life until he gets a life changing job opportunity.
The Boy with the Tin Chest and a Glass Heart by @louloubabys1992​​ / louloubaby92 [Louis/Harry, M, 17k]
Alpha Harry Styles, world-renowned author of fairy-tales, is being persuaded by the Beta, Liam Payne to hire a new illustrator. Since Harry’s own illustrations are too graphic for what is supposed to be children’s stories, Liam feels the need is dire. Omega Louis does not agree with Liam since he believes that Harry’s stories are fine just the way they are. Of course this has nothing to do with Louis being totally biased or totally head over heels for Harry. It certainly has nothing to do with being jealous of the mysterious omega illustrator Liam has in mind to team Harry up with. Seriously, it has nothing to do with that at all. Nothing, absolutely nothing, zilch, nada. Yeah...
Sweet Heart by @bluecolouredlou​ [Niall/Louis, G, 16k]
Designing clothes, not falling in love.
That was what Niall had in mind when he first met up with Louis. He couldn't be falling in love with the other omega. Not while work as one of the few omegas at the company was getting more stressful. Not when he was supposed to find an alpha and settle down.
just one look (and i fell so hard) by @disgruntledkittenface​ [Harry/Louis, M, 15k]
Louis takes a small step back, breaking the moment first. “Well, I should–”
“Do you want to come up?”
The words are out of Harry’s mouth before he’d even planned them, and he bites his lip.  
“Oh, thank god,” Louis laughs, stepping back into Harry’s space. “I wasn’t, um…”
“Wasn’t ready to let go of you yet,” Harry finishes quietly, glancing up at Louis.
“Yeah,” Louis nods, reaching up and twirling one of Harry’s curls in his fingers. “Yeah, exactly.”
Harry has wanted to go to the Shubert Theatre ever since he moved to New York and lucked into a rent-controlled apartment just outside of the Theatre District. When he finally gets his chance, he hopes the night can meet his sky-high expectations. But the last thing he could have expected was the man seated next to him.
wasting my time when it was always you by @hometothecanyonmoon​ / sunflower_lwt [Harry/Louis, T, 15k+, wip]
A "Married To The Maverick Millionaire" AU. Louis is the captain of Manchester United, Harry's the heir of the richest charity organization in the country as well as his best friend and they have to fake being married to save both of them from impending doom.
Sounds like love to me by @neondiamond​ [Louis/Harry, G, 14k]
“Do you want to hear the heartbeat?”
Louis watches as Harry’s face falls with the realization that this is one of those things he won’t be able to experience. For a second, Louis considers saying no, to show Harry they’re truly on the same boat through all of this. But he nods in the end, reaching over for Harry’s hand as the doctor flips a switch. Noise fills the room then, and it takes a few seconds for the sound to become clear enough for Louis to make out the baby’s fast heartbeat.
“It’s really fast,” he voices his thoughts out loud as he uses his thumb to tap against the back of Harry’s hand, replicating the rapid rhythm of the baby’s heartbeat. It takes the younger man a little while to figure out what Louis’ doing, but a huge grin breaks out on his face as soon as he does.
“Is that them?” He signs with the other hand, his own eyes starting to tear up when Louis nods.
OR: Harry is deaf, Louis is pregnant. They figure it out.
The Prince and the Youtuber by @haztobegood​ [Louis/Harry, E, 12k]
The Annual Rosendal Spring Gala hosted by the Royal Family is the most prestigious fundraiser in the country. When a problem with the honorary foundation arises, Crown Prince Louis Tomlinson must pick a new worthy foundation on short notice. He discovers the perfect replacement in an unlikely place, while watching his favorite YouTuber, Harrysparkles.
One Way Road To Something Better by @femstyles​ [Harry/Louis, T, 12k]
Four years ago when Louis and Harry moved in together, Louis promised Anne that he’d take care of Harry no matter what. But things don’t always go as planned, and sometimes risky choices have to be made.
Inspired by Don't Let It Break Your Heart
stop the world ('cause i wanna get off with you) by @thedevilinmybrain​ / devilinmybrain [Harry/Louis, E, 12k]
Five times Louis and Harry get walked in on at the worst time, and one time Louis makes sure they don't.
my solitude ain’t the same no more by @dryourtearsaway​​ / louisnights [Harry/Louis, M, 10k]
Louis is a traveling homicide detective who goes to the small town of Holmes Chapel to investigate the murder of a young woman.
somewhere only we know by @quelsentiment​ / wordsnnotes [Zayn/Louis, T, 9k]
Their eyes meet again, and the man suddenly frowns, asking: “Do we know each other?” Oh. So maybe that’s why Zayn is so intrigued with him. He’s always been pretty bad at remembering people’s faces, but there is some kind of vague familiarity to the man’s appearance. “Might help if you told me your name”, he points out. “Right. Sorry, I’m an idiot”, the man chuckles. “I’m Louis. Louis Tomlinson.” And of course. With this voice, Zayn should have known. He’s actually surprised he didn’t recognize it right away. “Lou”, he says, his own voice caught in his throat. “It’s me, Zayn.” Or: Zayn and Louis grew up together, but haven’t seen each other in over a decade. Now they're both in their twenties and meet again on a flight from LA to London, with ten hours in front of them to catch up, and maybe start something new.
I'm Asking You Please, Don't Talk Dirty to Me by @larry-hiatus​ / larry_hiatus [Harry/Louis, E, 9k]
Prompt #68: Harry’s best friend Louis is a nice, well-mannered omega, at least when it comes to sex talk. He has always been closed off and quiet... until Harry hears how Louis talks during his heat. Now, it's all Harry can think about before his upcoming rut... (Original prompt wording edited for clarity)
making me sweat by honey_beeing [Harry/Louis, E, 9k]
A not-exactly University AU where Harry and Louis meet at an orgy where the both of them don't intend to have sex at.
Twist the Knife by @snowjosh​ / jishler [Harry/Louis, E, 6k]
Infuriating, but Louis missed it. Louis missed him. His thighs and his chest and breath and warmth and toothbrush next to Louis’. He missed sex with Harry but he missed his presence more: Louis would settle for watching Harry get himself off if it meant he got to see him; hear the voice that was like a soothing balm over all his wounds.
Two weeks after their breakup, Harry wants his toys back.
the stars are coming home by @harrystinyshorts​ / lsforever [Harry/Louis, G, 5k]
For years Harry has been waiting for their schedules to click just right. Finding a day where he’ll not only be available but also is the only visitor on the premises has been near impossible.
After three years together and nearly a full year of marriage, Harry has finally been permitted to sit in for one of the team’s practices. They get more than they bargained for.
My True Love Gave to Me by @ponymom-stuff​ / ponymom [Louis/Harry, NR, 5k]
After puzzling over a Christmas gift for Louis, Harry comes to what he believes is the ultimate gift for his true love.
Fistiana by @louandhazaf​ / YesIsAWorld [Zayn/Louis, NR, 2k]
They met in the center of the ring and bumped their bare knuckles together.
Strawberries and Cigarettes by @hlhome28​ / ThoseFookin_Avacados [Louis/Harry, T, 2k]
strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you
"Need help there, love?" "Oh god, yes-" Harry turned around to look at the source of the voice and his heart dropped to his stomach as they caught each other's eyes.
Or on a very lonely valentines day, Harry's car breaks down in an unknown alleyway, where he bumps into a blue-eyed boy who takes him back seven years ago on the same day.
Safe Like Springtime by @beelou​​ / cherrylarry [Louis/Harry, G, 1k]
On the way out of the park, Gabriel gasps suddenly and points across the grassy area. He starts running.
When Harry catches up to Gabe, - that boy runs fast - he's with a man and his dog and Gabe is petting the dog.
"Gabriel James. You know better than to run off like that! Did you ask to pet the dog?" Harry scolds.
"I'm sorry Uncle Harry. I saw a dog and I just wanted to see the fluffy dog! Look how fluffy!" Gabe exclaims.
Harry rolls his eyes and turns his attention to the dog owner. The very attractive dog owner.
Or, the one where Harry takes his nephew to the park and runs into Louis and his Labradoodle Clifford.
best hangover cure by @loulovehome​ [Louis/Harry, E, 1k]
"A wank will miraculously cure your hangover, honey."
Stay Till The A.M. by @flexible-racoon​​ / goneforbooks [Harry/Louis, G, 1k]
It's 23rd July and Louis reminisces.
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elsecrytt · 2 years
Note
Im an f2p player and there's absolutely no way we can complete this event without spending money. Unless you have been saving some dp and energy drinks for MONTHS, you can't even get past box 3. There's a total of 5 boxes for the event, and unless you have some godly luck and only ever get the cards, the backgrounds and maybe the icons, there's a possibility you won't even get past box 2. An f2p player could even get all the cheat cards and it will still mean nothing because we can only do so much battles in one day. Its already bad that all the cheat cards are ur cards, but now even the rewards are rng? This event is not going to end well for f2p players, heck even the dolphins. It's clear that this event was made to ring out as much money as they can from the whales and that's not really looking good for their image. It's becoming more p2w each time.
In theory, the new rewards system gives f2p players a chance at obtaining difficult to obtain rewards that they never would have gotten otherwise... ...At the cost of DRASTICALLY increasing the price for anyone who might have been willing to pay for it. And reducing the ONE place in the damn game where there WAS an element of certainty to getting SSR/UR cards. It's gross and I don't like it. There's a reason I never played gatcha games before this. If a drop rate for a card is .5% just give me an option to spend $100 on getting the fucking card if I want. Give me an actual product that I can pay for like a real corporation. I don't know why they thought this was necessary. I'm actually going to go back and do some somewhat involved math to calculate the average amount of points you'd need to complete one of the boxes. It's actually a pretty interesting math problem. They're not quite loot boxes, technically - it's selection without replacement, meaning, at 124,500 points, your final roll will have a 100% chance of giving you the last item. Solmare might have thought they were being generous with it, since 125k points is actually the worst case scenario for loot box advancement, and they ARE giving you free rolls towards cheat cards. "Completing" an event as f2p has never been a thing. Even p2w people, even people like me who spend wayyy too much on this game, generally DON'T finish page 5 of a rewards sheet. You only need to complete box 4 to get all the cards for the event. Which, at 500,000 for the guaranteed completion, is coincidentally exactly as much as it would have taken to normally finish page 5 of the rewards sheet... so wow, anon, you're right XD Every game tends to start out being generous and f2p friendly (or friendly-er), and then becomes more p2w as time goes on - that's just marketing strategy and stuff. But like... I know how much I spend on this game. I know I'm not some complete 100% ultra outlier. Plenty of people already spent lots of money on this game. Do they really think they're doing f2p players a favor? Mathematically, it does probably check out - since the odds of finishing a box actually approach ONE, the more points you get - but for the unluckiest players (and I personally have been SUPREMELY unlucky lately), it's a really fuckin' raw deal they're offering. Particularly if you were hoping for some of the higher end rewards :(
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luulapants · 3 years
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OK, I know y’all are having fun and I love a good SPN season 16 as much as the rest of you, but I do get worried by how seriously some people take this stuff. I don’t think many people realize how much of celebrity culture and social media presence is scripted and negotiated for strategic marketing purposes.
Sure, in the little leagues, things might be less constructed. But once you get up to Jensen Ackles, one of the highest paid TV actors? Someone who got $175k per episode of Supernatural? I promise you, none of his social media is spontaneous or personal. The Jensen Ackles you see on Twitter is just another role he plays as an actor. The public persona is not the actual person. He has a media consultant who strategizes and drafts every social media post, every public appearance. His image is incredibly valuable and carefully cultivated.
When you see actors posting pictures of them hanging out or they make public appearances together, they may be friends, sure! But keep in mind that they’re also choosing to make public posts about it, and that is strategic. There’s a reason celebrity galas and award shows get great ratings - people love to see celebrities interact with one another. Two C-list actors posting pictures together will get more attention than just one posting a selfie. Less successful actors will take pictures and interact with more successful actors to boost their image. Agents will actually pay for these opportunities. So instead of thinking, “Wow, XYZ’s costars seem to really love them - they must be a popular/nice person!” instead consider that they’re just a rising star and being seen with them is valuable.
Likewise, drama between celebrities generates a lot of attention, which can then be farmed for profit. Jared Padalecki gets $125k per episode for Walker. The post he made about not knowing about the prequel? That was approved by his social media consultant. Why? Well, either they decided independently that this was a great way to get his name in headlines and raise his public visibility or (as I think is more likely) his team worked with Jensen’s team to stir this drama. Do you think the prequel announcement would have gotten anywhere near this much attention otherwise? Jensen’s fans largely hate John Winchester, but suddenly it’s become “Jensen’s show vs Jared’s hurt feelings” and people care less about the content of the show and more about which celeb they’re siding with in the divorce.
It’s okay to enjoy celebrity drama, but please, please understand that this is just as real as any other media you consume for entertainment.
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wsl-chelsea · 2 years
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this is an essay sorry but it’s really impossible to know right now how much the uswnt players will make next year. the nwsl players cba with the league hasn’t been ratified yet, allocation just ended, every year top players are getting paid more than the year before. the only uswnt player whose salary for next season is public and not a rumor is Christen Press who is getting 275k a year PLUS an unknown amount to be an influencer for the club which is basically a salary cap work around where the club pays her to post about the club and games but it doesn’t go towards the teams salary cap because it’s filed as part of their marketing budget. for all we know they could be paying her 25k or more to be an influencer. if i had to make an educated guess i would say Kristie will probably get paid between 80-125k for a full season and preseason with gotham but that’s a total guess she could potentially get paid more. i would also not be surprised if Kristie, Midge, Ash and Ali get paid to be influencers so they would be making thousands on the side not included in their salary for marketing the club. end of the day right now no one knows how much the uswnt players are going to be getting paid, might leak in the next few months but no one knows for sure.
wow interesting, i wouldn’t be surprised if she gets more than that along with what she might get on the side but there’s no way to know like you said, i didn’t know that.
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soloredeemed · 4 years
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Reylo Rec Masterpost II
Because there was actually a huge response to my last ficrec post, I decided why not make another one. So here’s some more fics that weren’t on my original post. If you haven’t seen that one, feel free to check out the list here.
 User Not Found  by  violethoure666
9.8k words, Rated E
Rey is having trouble logging into her work computer, Ben is the grumpy IT guy, tension ensues. This was a great little read. 
crown of love by  hi_raeth
4.8k words, Rated T
Hair braiding hair braiding hair braiding. Ben and Rey are friends. Ben likes to braid Rey’s hair. It definitely means something even though she tells herself it doesn’t. 
wholly to be a fool  by  becksolo
9k words, Rated T
Cute little soulmate fic where Ben gets drunk and admits his feelings for Rey. It’s adorable and silly and an awesome read. 
Drunk Stream   by    BenSoloOfPotter
16k words, Rated E
Oh this is a great one, I actually might go back and read it again right now. Rey is a youtuber, Ben is a famous actor. A drunk youtube stream by Rey leads to shenanigans. Loved this. 
if you're not made for me, why did we fall in love?  by  aldeeraan
54k words, Rated E
Oh this is angsty and soft and beautiful and painful. A soulmate AU where Rey is Luke’s foster kid and she falls in love with Ben--except he has a soulmate mark and she doesn't. This is a really great read if you’re interested in a they’re destined for each other but don’t know it kind of soulmate AU. 
call me home and I will build a throne  by  BensCalligraphySet
2k words, Rated G
Short, sweet, adorable. Ben Solo is a famous recluse of an Indie Film director who shows up on the red carpet for the first time in a long time. It may or may not be because Rey is there. 
The North Shore  by strawberrycupcake_huckleberrypie
125k words, Rated E
If you haven't read this one it is a definite must. Movie star Ben Solo is in town for filming, and Rey owns the video store that he happens to stumble into one day. It’s lovely. 
how to be something you miss  by  akosmia
7.7k words, Rated T
Another modern AU that is short and sweet and beautiful. Even though Ben and Rey have broken up, she still calls him over whenever she sees a spider in her apartment, even though she isn’t afraid of bugs. He comes every time.
and yet she lived but once by  crossingwinter  
6.7k words, Rated M
Soft, painful, beautiful. A mythological AU in which Ben is stuck by Hades (Snoke’s) side in the underworld, and Rey tries to free him. I really can’t do this one justice, but just trust me, it’s worth a read. 
Also! If you have made it to the end of this list and are telling yourself, wow, I wish it was longer, always feel free to ask me for some recs. I might be able to point you in the right direction! 
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mojoflower · 5 years
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Teen Wolf mpreg fic recs (99% Sterek, 1% Steter)
I know that you love me, even when I lose my head by LunaCanisLupus 22 E, 136k, Complete.  “We’re not mates, Cora,” he insists. “I mean look at him-“  //  “Ouch,” the kid says, no longer pushing that shit eating grin.  //  “He’s- he’s,” Derek tries, at a loss of how to explain why this can’t be possible. Why it shouldn’t be possible.  //  Or the one where Derek gets attacked by hunters, ends up with amnesia and forgets Stiles is his mate.
Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Stiles, Alpha Derek, but Stiles is a BAMF, BAMF Stiles, presumably Actual Derek is also a bamf, but College Derek is pretty useless, Heh heh
Wow, this story just grabbed me and didn't let me go and now it's the end of a full day and I have no excuse for abandoning everything except that I was really involved and enjoying the plot.  //  Stiles is such a fucking badass, I love this, he's super-smart and strategizes and handles everything that comes up like a pro and it's totally easy to see why they have such a large and powerful pack. 'College Derek', meanwhile, is a complete sexist asshole (with the whole Alpha/omega thing) who says some super hurtful things in the first half out of sheer ignorance mostly -- although occasionally it's spite. Stiles handles it as well as he can, trying to hide that it hurts and striking back because he has backbone for god's sake... but his bondmark is slowly fading and that's terrifying and tragic.  //  Meanwhile, the Silva pack is due to arrive with some manifest bad intentions, and Peter is lurking around stirring up trouble, and it's a really fucking bad time for Derek to not remember who he is, because it makes their pack vulnerable.  //  Great story.
The Lighthouse Keeper by tugela54 E, 75k, Complete.  On a rural island just off Alaska’s northern Inside Passage, stands a centuries old lighthouse - the perfect sanctuary for its keeper to hide when the moon is full, to burn and rage through its cycle with the townsfolk being none the wiser.  //  But then a new resident comes to Beacon Harbour – a bright-eyed young student chasing an elusive whale species – and all of a sudden those thick stone walls seem paper thin…
Bottom Stiles, Like Whoa,  
 Whoa, that was an intense climax, I'm kinda breathless. Great story. Stiles is earnest and funny (and sooo hot for the giant, hairy, handsome man -- when author says size difference they are not messing around and it's mentioned frequently) and Derek is monosyllabic and awkward. They figure it out eventually, and there is hot sex (did I say size difference and hirsuteness?). Laura's a great werewolf-sister (Derek is the only werewolf) and her son Seth is a cutie. The cast of characters (Chris, Jordon, Finstock, Angus, Gladys and the two First People Miriam and Jonah) are interesting and fleshed-out. Love the plot, and the take on Derek's werewolf (not Teen Wolf style), love the First People lore and rituals, love the setting waaay up in Alaska on this tiny island.  //  (Don't let Major Character Death tag scare you, you're gonna be just fine.)
Hey Lover, I Got a Sugarcane by pibroch (littleblackdog) Steter, E, 17k, Complete.  [References to Mpreg rather than straight-up #mpreg]  “Put Peter on the phone,” Stiles says, too sharp to be polite.  //  “What?” Derek sounds completely thrown. “Stiles, I don’t think— Okay, you’re obviously not understanding what’s happening here. Peter isn’t talking. He’s basically just growling at this point, and he’s rounding on anyone that gets too close. He actually bit me when I tried to take back my pillow. I nearly lost a thumb.”  //  “Derek.” The reality of this shitshow of a situation is finally kicking in, undeniably, and Stiles needs to hear Peter’s voice. “Just trust the omega, okay? Tell him it’s me, and give him the damn phone.”  //  ---"Wrangling Rut-Drunk Alpha Boyfriends 101" by Stiles Stilinski, omega and responsible adult person.
I've loved other things I've read by this author
Delicious. And also funny.
I've Got A Sure Thing by skoosiepants  T, 11k, Complete.  Stiles's water breaks ten miles outside of Beacon Hills.
Fox Stiles, Werefox Stiles, Daddy Stiles
Precious: I love the style, it tumbles and tumbles over itself. Stiles is himself. Derek keeps hanging around, and he loves little Princess Leia. Cora keeps laughing at them. Stiles might be a little confused.
******
He calls Derek and says, “I think your entire family is here, dude,” and Derek roars, “What?” and, “Don't call me dude, “ and, “Fuck, I'll be right over.”
Derek shows up in his EMT uniform and with his partner Boyd, stoic and amused, and the wild look in Derek's eyes is probably as close to a panic as Stiles will ever see him in.
Derek says, “Oh my god, Laura,” and grabs for Prin just as Prin launches herself out of Laura's arms toward him. He swings her up in a practiced movement and settles her on his hip and Laura grins so wide her fangs are showing.
“The pack wanted to meet her, even Mom's here,” she says, gesturing toward a big black wolf that looks almost exactly like Derek in wolf form – the wolf lifts her head and sneezes at them, then goes back to nosing through Stiles's DVD collection.
“Mom,” Derek says, and holds Prin up so she hides his face. Prin tugs at his hair and knees him in the eye and giggles when he shoves her up so her tummy is balanced on the top of his head, it's so cute Stiles can hardly stand it, his life is insane.
“Okay,” Stiles says, clapping his hands together, “I'll make tea.”
I don't think that means what you think it means by ThroughTheTulips  M, 21k, 7 works, Complete.  Ever notice how aliens have mostly similar customs to humans in Stargate? There never seem to be words or concepts that just don't translate. For the most part that makes sense given how they were spread deliberately across the universe, but there should be more weird stuff.  //  So I made some. This is very fluffy and ridiculous. Enjoy.
I simply can't with this. What an unanticipated, hysterical delight.
 I Know Where Babies Come From, Derek by DiscontentedWinter  E, 52k, Complete (series is 132k of deliciousness)  [Implied Mpreg, rather than actual #mpreg].  Stiles finds a baby on the porch.  //  It looks exactly like him.  //  Well, this is awkward.
Favorite, read again, still a favorite
Funny and unique and gripping (and there's one part that's simply fucking heartbreaking, god every.time. I bawl like a baby). I love this so much. It's totally one of my return-again-and-again-comfort-fics (even though there's very little that's slow-paced and domestic about it).
 monday i can fall apart but by friday i'm in love by tryslora  M, 6k, Complete.  It's just past five in the morning and Stiles is barely awake, wearing only sleep pants that hang low below his pregnant belly, and he can't get the damned brand new jar of decaf coffee open. But he has a neighbor, and he's too tired to think that waking someone else up at this hour might not be the best (or politest) of ideas.
Alpha Derek, Omega Stiles, Caretaking,  
lol.  short and funny and sweet and Alpha!Derek is a caretaker (and pregnant omega!Stiles is a sass-spewing dork)
 finger on the trigger and all fired up by tryslora  E, 6k, Complete  [Implied Potential Mpreg rather than #mpreg].  Derek goes undercover to expose a drug trafficking ring running inside of a porn studio. What he finds is Stiles.
Hot and funny.
 I'm Not Immune by moodwriter  E, 24k, Complete.  “Did they inject anything into you? You can hold me back. You can stop me. I can’t stop you.” Stiles is in full blown panic mode now.  //  The one where Stiles and Derek get kidnapped, and sex needs to happen for reasons.
Great story, grows as it's written. Follows a lot of emotional development, tangled in the godawfulfucking situation they're trapped in.
Fire, Fury, and Flame by IAmAVeronica  E, 125k, Complete.  Stiles Stilinski was never going to be the omega who got knocked up right after high school, and then he's accidentally artificially inseminated with a stranger's sperm.  //  Awesome.  //  And the father of Stiles's baby just so happens to be Derek Hale. Half-feral, quite possibly a murderer, and pursued by a gleefully sadistic band of hunters who are only too eager to use Stiles and his baby to hit Derek right where it hurts.  //  Joy.
Omega Stiles, Alpha Derek, Mpreg, Kidnapping, Stalking, cultural ramifications of a/b/o
So, Stiles, the omega-rights activist who never wants anything to do with an Alpha and wants to avoid any of that biological imperative bullshit, winds up pregnant a la Jane the Virgin. BUT. Derek is unwilling to commit, or even to have Stiles tell anyone who the baby-Daddy is. This could be because a complete psychopath has him in her targets.
Kate is one fuck-scary villain, just, crazy as a bag of cats and vicious with it, and the filth that comes out of her mouth is truly chilling.
Stiles gets kidnapped pretty early on, which is frightening enough, and then she's back for another try. At that point, he's kidnapped again, this time by Derek, who whisks him across the country to the Preserve, a werewolf compound in Maine. Here, Stiles is the only human, pregnant and vulnerable and trying to make a temporary life until the baby is born. But will it only be temporary?
There's love, sociopolitical musings, lots of angst, lots of danger. The baby is born about 3/4 of the way through the story, and then Kate comes around to terrorize everyone again. Even though Derek and Stiles are living in a house that's reinforced with bars and a panic room, she still manages to nearly burn Stiles and the baby…
 Rescue Me (& Take Me In Your Arms) by tumtatumtum  E, 34k, Complete (series is 37k so far).  Just when Stiles is starting to reach panic-attack levels of stress, a leather jacket and firm thigh are pressed right up next to him, and an arm is casually thrown over his shoulder. Stiles looks up to thank this kind person who is saving his life, and suddenly forgets what air is.  //  Because HOT. DAMN. Call the police and the fire-man, this guy is smoking.  //  Or the AU where Derek helps save Stiles from an ex, and a steamy BDSM relationship ensues- with feelings all over the place.
Fake/Pretend Relationship, Sub Stiles, Dom Derek
Whoooaa, Nellie. Strap in for a ride, folks. Hot and also hilarious, which is a difficult combo to achieve. Loads of D/s sexy times. Stiles is precious. Derek is possessive and a wee bit insecure. They're awful fun to watch together.  ***The one where Stiles is Alpha Mate which magically means he starts leaking slick outta his ass, even tho he's human.
*******
[Kept trying to find this fic using key words bar and boyfriend and ex-boyfriend... which finally got me there. It's SO worth a re-read or ten.] I also tagged it with fake/pretend relationships, since it's fake for about the first 5 minutes, until Derek puts his hand on the back of Stiles' neck and Stiles moans and MELTS and lo, romantic and sexual interest is born.)
 It's a mad, mad world by ElisAttack  E, 74k, Complete [No #mpreg]  "They call him the Feral Wolf." The man laughs hysterically as Stiles backs away from him, fear coursing through his veins. "Feral Hale. Do you know why? Huh?" The man creeps closer, testing the restraint of his chains, white talcum falling from his skin, swirling in the air like the dust devils plaguing the wasteland. "Because he's fucking mad."  //  Or the one where Stiles is a prisoner looking to return home, but to do so, he may have to rely on a questionable drifter.
Really enjoyed this. Very interesting take on alpha/omega, haven't seen it before. And yay for apocalyptic mad max-type world. Scary as fuck.
a little advice for aspiring fires by The Byger (Byacolate)  E, 42k, Complete.  Regardless of his sadly lacking social circle, Stiles was going to have to get some physical contact or he was going to explode. Seriously. It’d be messy and Derek would probably become even more emotionally constipated having to clean up little bits of Stiles from his pristine walls and furniture.
Touch-Starved, Skin Hunger, Omega Stiles, Sassy Stiles, stiles talks CONSTANTLY, Mpreg, Kidfic
But We're Still Sleeping Like We're Lovers by CharWright5  E, 110k, Complete  [No #mpreg].  There are several things Stiles Stilinski knows to be facts: he's a werecoyote like his parents; his twin sister Malia could use a filter more than him; he's an Omega and terrified of his upcoming heat; and Derek Hale-McCall will never see him as anything more than his kid brother's best friend. Doesn't stop Stiles from asking the Alpha to help him during his heat. Or from developing some serious feelings that go beyond the bedroom. Basically, he's totally screwed, in more ways than one.
Fox Stiles, Creature Stiles, he's not a fox, but when I'm cruising that tag, I'll like to read this story
Idiot boys. Hot sex. More idiot boys. Angst. Fluff.
Jurisdiction by elisera  M, 7k, Complete (series complete at 20k).  John is a pretty level-headed guy. He wasn’t always, back during his own Sturm und Drang period, but he married a firecracker of a woman and got a kid with an affinity for trouble like he got payed for ending up in it, so someone had to level out or they would’ve ended up living in a treehouse or Lapland doing god knows what. Anyway, getting a hold of his temper is one of John’s better life achievements. It makes him a good sheriff and it kept him from blowing his lid too badly those last two years when Stiles started acting out in a way that John had never seen before.  //  But the temper is still there.  //  He’s reminded of it when he comes home on a random Saturday in March after spilling his milkshake all over his uniform shirt only to notice he didn’t have a spare in the station and finds Stiles bend over the kitchen sink with hunched shoulders.
Papa Stilinski is a total badass and mmm mmmm mmmm, so is Derek. Stiles has got some awesome muscle looking out for his best interests.
Into Something New by marguerite_26  E, 9k, Complete.  [Implied Mpreg rather than #mpreg].  Something is happening to Stiles. He’s losing time. Something is messing with his head, with his body. Maybe if he felt better he’d think to be worried.
 Nowhere Man by 1lostone  E, 76k, Complete.  [Mpreg (off screen)]  When Stiles leaves Beacon Hills, he does it without a backwards glance. For two years he is happy on the other side of the country- until someone targets not only him, but his daughter.  //  Unfortunately, the asshole bodyguard his dad hired to make sure he gets back home is none other than Derek Hale. And that's really not very good for either of them.
1lostone is, as always, the goddess of the lengthy, painful, disturbing, angsty, violent, sexy story. God, I love it.
The Second Coming (of Werewolf Jesus) by lupinus, uraneia  E, 40k, Complete.  Stiles was enjoying his senior year until his crazy English teacher decided he made the best candidate to gestate Derek's kid. Now Stiles is a seventeen-year-old pregnant dude and he and Derek have to figure their shit out, because in nine months they are going to be tied together for the rest of their lives.
Sweet: very fluffy and domestic.
Pride and Place by DarkAthena (seraphim_grace)  E, 63k, Complete.  (Part of series A/B/O bodice rippers) [Mpreg, Discussion of mpreg, no men were pregnant in the making of this fic].  Derek Hale, Earl of Osterbrook, has inherited, following the death of Lord Montfort, a run down house in Yorkshire he neither needs nor wants, convinced his staff are robbing him, and with the mystery of a missing ward, he manages to get himself talked into a ridiculous bet, that he cannot pass as a steward until Midwinter, nearly two months away. So can he maintain the charade? Find the missing child? and manage to turn the shambles of a house around, or will he give up and let Peter take the thousand pounds he bet.  //  now with explicit epilogue - the rest of the story is teen rated though, so if you don't like the idea of explicit sex in your bodice rippers - just don't read that bit.
Great story.
The Well of Living Waters by kalpurna  E, 30k, Complete.  King Derek takes a consort.
 Within His Power by NoBezel  E, 69k, Complete.  [Discussion of mpreg]  Derek is a wolfish cyborg, brother of the Governor of California, heir to the Hale fortune. Stiles is a un-sequenced human in a world of designer DNA. When Derek is forced to choose a mate, no one expects him to choose Stiles. To be fair, Derek doesn't expect him to say no.
Pretty fucking phenomenal. Lots of world-building and political intrigue. If you're in it for the tropes, you'll be disappointed, but otherwise it's intense and dense and lovely.
The Threat of Human Sacrifice by vampireisthenewblack  E, 45k, Complete.  The sheriff bought a crib and made Derek help him put it together. Stiles thought of Hemingway and the shortest, most heartbreaking story ever told, and dismantled it on his own while Derek was out.  //  [The one where Stiles getting knocked up is the least of his worries.]
So excellent and intense.
The Honey and the Sting by the_ragnarok  M, 19k, Complete (series still wip)  Derek didn't remember what happened when he went into heat. He could only assume the worst. The truth may be stranger than that.
Beautiful.
Tiny Houses by ohmyjetsabel  E, 77k, Complete.  "So this is what Stiles does. He lies in Scott’s bed and waits for Melissa to say she’s found someone to get it out of him, to cure him of the wrongness and the bad, and he dreams.  //  God, he dreams.  //  He dreams of fire and swollen bellies and that scene in Alien, of giving birth to jackals through his urethra, the whole horrific nine yards. His head is a terrible place to be, he can’t imagine his stomach is much better, why anyone would want to put a thing inside of it."
Fuck.
 Shifts by gryvon  E, 15k, Complete.  Stiles has what he's always secretly wanted - he's in a relationship with Derek and he's one of Derek's betas - but all that gets turned upside down when Gerard kidnaps him and his unexpected baby.
Who doesn't want Stiles having emotionally confusing sex with Derek, getting knocked up unbeknownst to either of them, and then kidnapped for the future baby? I mean, really. It's classic.
A Mating Moon by unpossible  E, 37k, Complete.  (Series 55k so far.) [this is not mpreg, just to be clear]  “Hey, Scott, so, I uh, there’s this amazingly hot guy and I’m uh, gonna spend the weekend with him but, you know, just to be careful, I’m sending you his picture, so if by some terrible chance my bloated corpse shows up sometime Monday, just, y’know pass this along to the authorities.” He pauses. “Uh. Kidding?” and then hangs up with a rush of air.  //  “That is the worst voicemail in the history of voicemails,” Derek says.
fucking fantastic
 (Once in a) Blue Moon by clarkoholic, skywardsmiles  E, 60k, Complete.  (Series 63k so far.)  Stiles and Derek are getting along, but they’re not a family, and they’re sure as hell not mates. Christ, they’re basically just two stupid guys who happened to get pregnant because of a full moon and sheer dumb luck.
Oh, the angst, the pining, the guilt, the blame, the anger. Total pain-fest while we watch Stiles nearly die from the burden of the pregnancy. Lovely sweet ending, of course.
Tried and Tested Series by dancinbutterfly  E, 53k, 12 works, Complete.  In which Derek has a sex emergency with unplanned results, Stiles could be the baby daddy on one of those horrible MTV pregnancy shows, Sheriff Stilinski takes in strays and life in Beacon Hills never has a dull moment, not even when things are calm.
Really wonderful series. Stopped at Part 11, so am waiting for updates. A good investment of time, even incomplete. ;D  //  [Huh, evidently I missed an update somewhere along the line!]
In the Solstice of our Hearts by ravingrevolution  E, 73k, Complete.  "You're not putting that up your butt," Scott told him flatly and Stiles couldn't stop the pissed off whine he made, but his friend continued. "Stiles, you can't put that up your butt, you know that. Your butt won't be ready for anything to go in it until-"  //  "Okay, okay!" he said, flailing his hands to stop his friend's lecture. "Message received, no butt stuff until I'm pounced on by some freaking animal in the forest and ravished to within an inch of my life. Got it. Thanks, Scotty, I mean heaven forbid I actually try to take control of my life and give myself a fighting chance or anything."  //  "Not all alphas are animals," Scott said quietly.  //  Maybe he was right, but Stiles wasn't holding his breath.
Omega Stiles, Berserk Stiles, omega beast, everyone's a virgin, Hurt/Comfort, care taking
The one where there's a Mate Run in the woods, and Derek with his pack manage to frighten Stiles up a tree from whence he falls and is impaled on a branch (ouch!) and then they spend a week in a cave while Stiles heals. Meanwhile, Kate and her cronies are sneaking into the month-long Mate Run with the intent to a)finally kill Derek and b) sneakily bond with some omegas. So Stiles goes berserk, which is the omega form of a hulking violence monster, to protect Derek. (Story could have stopped there, but carries on for another 1/3.)
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faejilly · 5 years
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rather than fic or meta or other assorted fanwork rambling on this, a US holiday (because holidays always make tumblr a little weird), I’m gonna take a second to say thank you to @maleccrazedauthor.   (She’s spending more time on twitter than tumblr of late, thanks to #SaveShadowhunters and all that, but for all I’ve done much the same, I do feel more like tumblr is my online home-base, so to speak, so I figured I’d put this here rather than there.)
Beyond being a wonderful fic & meta writer and a general awesome person, @maleccrazedauthor is entirely the reason I actually started watching Shadowhunters at some point during season 2b, and thus is kind of directly responsible for at least 125k words of published fic on my AO3 (and another *mumble-thousands* in assorted WIP drafts). 
All the really awesome SH people I’ve subjected to my presence online this past year can indirectly blame her too... ;) 
Even kind of also my impulsive trip to NYC this year? Since part of the what the heck of it all was knowing I might be able to run into @rutherinahobbit & @michellemisfit at Comic-Con and we’re generally on opposite sides of an ocean so it seemed a chance worth taking. And wow, do I like NYC. And Cons. And meeting online friends in person and whiling away an afternoon in a pseudo-irish-pub surrounded by people in funny and/or awesome costumes.
Finally, let’s include a rec that oh my gosh, if you aren’t reading her One Easy Answer series you should absolutely go do that. Like. Now. She’s started posting part three and it’s so very very good. (Even if I didn’t have a weakness for a good canon-divergence and assorted arranged marriage tropes, it’d be great, but it does ALSO HAVE THOSE. Which makes me very happy.) I’m not gonna link it, because wtf tumblr is a broken hellsite, and I’m not in a spot where I can easily make a referral page to game the system, but she’s maleccrazedauthor on ao3 too so hopefully y’all can find it.
So yeah. Happy Thursday, enjoy your food if it’s that sort of day for you, try and enjoy something else if it’s not... 
<3
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eorzean-capitalist · 6 years
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Watching human behavior while working the marketboard is very interesting, and sometimes hilarious.
I deal in a lot of different markets.  When one starts to drop, I just shift to another one.  Constantly putting out feelers for markets I’m not really concentrating on to see if they might become a new one for me to dabble in.  I have all my crafters and gatherers at 70, so I have access to everything that can be created.
I’ve gotten a feel for the server and for my usual competition.  Which is why I always shake my head when someone new stumbles in and thinks they can just take over the market and drive all of us out.   Oh sweet summer child, have a seat.  You aren’t the first to attempt this, you won’t be the last.
Thing is, tactics used on WoW don’t really work on FFXIV.  You can’t use mods (legally, and let me tell you if someone admits they’re using mods to get ahead in the market place, they get reported by the rest of us fast).  You only get so many retainers, and you have precious real estate (retainers have only 20 slots you can put up on the MB) there that you need to use wisely.  You can’t throw up thousands of auctions to try to bully people out of your market.  You can’t aggressively undercut constantly and watch your auctions like a hawk.  You absolutely can try the tiered price tactic, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen this work.  (If you only have 2 retainers, you can only put up a max of 40 auctions.  Good luck making the tier prices or bulk items tactics work with that.  You might win one market, but it’s gonna crash and burn before you know it.)
These things worked on WoW because there’s no limit to how many auctions you can put up at a time.  I remember having up like 5000 auctions at one point, and mods to help me rip them down and relist them in seconds.  I also remember this tactic worked because I kept prices low in areas where things sold fast.  So sales volumes made up for higher priced, less popular items selling more slowly.
The thing is, there’s not much that sells hyper fast on FFXIV.  Most people who understand the marketboard know that you list your item(s) and walk away for a bit.  Sitting on your auction won’t make it sell faster.  I can’t count how many markets I’ve seen crash and burn because two to three people get into an undercutting war.  (These can be fun, but they crash the market so fast it’s not even funny.)  I’ve watched items regularly selling around 125k a piece drop down to 10k or less in hours because two people are so determined to be the lower priced auction.  (Though sometimes this is fun when you get one of those new guys trying to force you out of the market.)  
I write this as I watch yet another new comer to the market sit on his auctions and constantly undercut.  I’ve wandered off to do other things, returned to check specific markets and he’s dropped it another 50% battling it out with someone else.  One of the regular competitors, who, like me, is probably finding it hilarious.  I’ve pulled my items out of this market for the time being, give it a week or two and it’ll return to normal again.  In the meanwhile I have dozens of other markets to sell things in.
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lindyhunt · 6 years
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Facebook Will Limit Data Available to Advertisers
Facebook announced yesterday that it will be shuttering Partner Categories: the product that allows third-party data providers to supplement advertisers with targeting information directly through Facebook.
In the announcement, Facebook noted that "this is common industry practice," but will still shutter the product to "help improve people’s privacy on Facebook."
Source: Facebook
For Facebook and marketers alike, the announcement is what ProPublica reporter Julia Angwin called "a big deal." Here's what's going on -- and why it matters.
Where Facebook Advertisers Get Their Data
Prior to these recent changes, advertisers on Facebook had a few primary sources of user data that they could use for targeting purposes, including data that Facebook itself has from what users provide on their profiles, as well as their activity on the network. It's not entirely unlike what's available in your downloadable Facebook data archive file, which I wrote about here.
That data could be used in combination with other sources of information that the advertiser might have on its own, like email contacts or survey responses.
Finally, there are the third-party data providers, which are the ones Facebook has severed ties with. These companies possess and provide advertisers with data that are often based on non-social-media activities, like shopping history and income -- which is part of what Angwin and her team discovered when ProPublica started investigating the breadth of Facebook user data in 2016.
We also found that 600 of the 29,000 categories Facebook offered to advertisers were from data brokers. They were extremely specific and often financial, such as income between $100k and $125k or frequent shopper at dollar stores. /6https://t.co/S4Yo2nEa1T
— Julia Angwin (@JuliaAngwin) March 29, 2018
The data from these providers are often synthesized in tandem with information that Facebook has from user profiles, helping to match (or target) promoted content to the most relevant audiences. It's a powerful combination that could be at least partially responsible for Facebook's growth as a valuable advertising platform -- to the point where 98% of its 2017 global revenue was rooted in advertising.
And again, as Facebook said itself, these practices are not limited to Facebook advertisers, and are frequently promoted as a value-add by some of the larger data providers involved, like Experian and Acxiom. The latter calls it a "data package" that can help advertisers "accurately identify relevant audiences for all of your media campaigns."
It's no secret, then, that providing these services is a source of revenue for the data providers, too. According to the Wall Street Journal, Acxiom stands to lose $25 million in fiscal 2019 revenue and profit. And while it seems possible for advertisers to still independently enlist these third-party services, a barrier to access is now in place that was previously removed by direct data availability through Facebook.
Acxiom's stock price at 2:25 PM EDT March 29, within 24 hours of Facebook's announcement. Source: Google
What This Means for Marketers
But how much do advertisers stand to lose from these changes? Well, that depends who you ask. When I first tweeted this news after it broke last night, one of my followers suggested that he'd be losing a major source of information for his work.
Of course that’s the targeting foundation of all my current campaigns...
— Scott DeRuyter (@SDMad) March 29, 2018
The extent of the setback to marketers and advertisers also depends on the industry -- those who depend on a consumer's shopping habits and history, for example, could potentially lose out by not having access to detailed, third-party data on it.
But keep in mind that Facebook has quite the cache of user data entirely on its own. Remember that downloadable data file I alluded to earlier? Have another look.
The file shows that Facebook possesses a decent -- if not confusing -- amount of information on users' interests and activities. And where that data really comes into play for most advertisers is in its own ad-targeting platform.
That doesn't necessarily reveal individual user data, but it allows advertisers to customize promoted content audiences based on it -- interests, location, and so forth. Here's a page from my own file with some of the "interest" data Facebook uses to help target ads:
That data isn't exactly minuscule, and some advertisers could still be able to effectively reach audiences with it. "The reality is that Facebook’s targeting tools are so powerful," says Henry Franco, HubSpot's Social Campaign Strategy Associate, "some analysts think this change won’t make much of a difference in overall targeting capabilities."
Why Is Facebook Doing This?
Here's the thing about the user data in Facebook's possession (the kind that's used within its own targeting tools): Advertisers aren't supposed to have direct access to that information in a way that attaches it to specific people.
Instead, it's supposed to be anonymous and general enough that, for example, an advertiser can target Boston-based women in a certain age bracket who are interested in KitchenAid and BarkBox -- but not be able to do is know who, specifically, the women are within that targeted audience. 
And as Google Product Manager Michael Sayman explains, that's part of what helps Facebook earn such revenue through advertising: by requiring advertisers to use that platform to reach the right audience by leveraging a targeting system based on Facebook's (proprietary) user data. If Facebook didn't keep that information to itself, he explains, advertisers wouldn't need the platform to accomplish their goals.
What’s considered identifiable user data? Your name, pictures, videos, address, phone numbers, emails, any contact info, or any identifiable info of their friends. For FB to make the most amount of money, it is in FB’s best interest to NOT sell any of this data to advertisers.
— Michael Sayman (@michaelsayman) March 29, 2018
But that's also part of what got Facebook into this situation in the first place. Previous policies allowed third parties like app developers and academics to access user data for things like research purposes -- but prohibited them from transferring that information to others. But when it came to light that one app developer may have violated that policy by supplementing data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica with that information, the social network began making changes to the availability of and policy clarity around user data.
The suspension of direct access within Facebook to data from third-party providers is just the latest in a series of changes. "More than anything else, it looks like Facebook is trying to clean up its act in the wake of the recent data scandal involving Cambridge Analytica," says Franco. "While this change might be a little reactive, it’s a step in the right direction for a company of Facebook’s stature."
Facebook isn't alone in its recent onslaught of privacy and other policy changes. Companies ranging from Apple to Venmo have also been notifying users of modifications, at least partly in response to the heightened scrutiny of Facebook and some of its Big Tech counterparts. (In addition to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, chief executives from Twitter and Google have also been asked to testify before Congress in the wake of these ongoing events.)
Wow, Apple with the timely shade in OS update form. pic.twitter.com/YL34i4DKnn
— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) March 29, 2018
But it may not be entirely in response to this particular situation. On May 25, which is less than two months away, the General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) comes into force and will impact the way organizations obtain, store, manage or process the personal data of EU citizens -- which some believe is also behind these recent policy changes and notifications.
But all things considered, this is likely not the last policy change expected from Facebook. And as the story continues to unfold, I'll be monitoring it. Questions? Feel free to weigh in on Twitter.
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