#talking about writing
Text
Reading the rules for FFXIV Write and I'm just reminded of how much fanfics, for whatever reason, is held at a much higher standard than fanart. Like no one cares if an artist spits out a rough sketch for warmups, but a rough fic is treated so much more poorly. Which I get, really, reading a fic is way more effort than glancing at a fanart so if you think it isn't worth the time you just spent, then of course you'd feel negatively. Still, imperfection in writing feels like it's so scrutinised compared to visual medium.
Maybe it's just my personal feeling bleeding out as an ESL writer with a bunch of grammatical mistakes, but this isn't a new sentiment either; and I'm one of the lucky ones who could, and did, weather those 'little criticisms' people threw my way. I wish people would be more encouraging to those imperfect fanfic writers because in the end we do this all for free and out of love 💖
#ffxivwrite2023#be kind to your writers#they put a lot of effort and love into their words#no matter how imperfect they are#talking about writing
296 notes
·
View notes
Text
A little progress.
I'm working on "Infraction." My precious baby, uh.
This art is part of it in a way. Eileen Prince and Tobias Snape. When people are falling in love everything seems easy, but then life happen.
(I'd like to talk about how things are going with Infraction.)
I'm back on it since couple of weeks and working on it is intense (my brain is literally boiling). I don't think I ever planned a story for that long. The first idea has born 6th January this year. I was writing down (like crazy) everything I wanted to be in this fic. During first months it was chaotic and messy, but brought me so much joy. When I've had everything that (I thought) I needed, I wrote first chapters, yeah. And then shared them, because was so excited about all of it and just couldn't wait. Gosh.
Now I... hm... well, maybe not "regret" it, but I think, I totally should have wait. Why is that? First thing first, this story is not ready yet for being written in, you know, final version. It's too fat, lol.
I may want too much from it. There is a lot, like, seriously, A LOT of things to cover. First notes took me around 80 pages and it had many gaps in it (too much if you ask me). Things I needed to figure out and fill in, in the same time making everything work together. Because this Snarry is not sprinkled with crime. It's filled with murder, political shenanigans, family shiteshow and tough, not always appropriate, love. There are secrets and lies, blackmails and history that matter. Backstory of many people, whose actions over the years supposed to bring us to the point where we are now. And, you know, all of it gives me the thrill.
First time in my life I feel like a true Puppet Master.
So, couple weeks ago I started to write a proper outline, if I can call it like that. To put everything in order and, going from the very beginning, to fill all the gaps. To answer all the questions I was asking myself in notes. To figure out the missing clues, some details without I couldn't go further and with that - to find out how characters will change facing new situations. How they will grow (I really love this part).
Sometimes I think, "why am I even doing it?" I could just write some cosy, little fic where Harry and Severus' silly problems would be the main goal of the story. Like, focusing on them should be enough, right?
Why am I going for all the other things, if I just want them to shag and have their happy end after all? 😂
Well, if it's not for fun, I don't know the other reason. The level of excitement is just incredible. I don't know, if what I'm writing is good or bad. If it really has sense, because I've always seen myself rather as a potato, not as a great mastermind who can plot some good shite, you know. That said, "Infraction" feels even more challenging that I ever thought it will be. But I feel deep inside that I can do it. Going step by step where the main plan leads and... it just feels good.
I've started in October 1989. Now I'm in January 2011. It means that I managed to finish everything that happen before the fic starts, lol. And, actually, I almost covered the first part of the book. So, two more to go? Hehe. It'll take time, yes.
It's crazy how much I want to continue writing the main chapters, not only swim in the plan-phase. Drawing the series of "Muggle London" art helped me a lot with easing this itch. However, it's still there. I know, though, that I have to finish it. The whole outline, I mean. Without it, things can go south.
That said, I can't tell how long it will take. Couple weeks? Maybe months. This is really... a lot of work and I want to be proud of it. Even more so, because this fic means a lot to me. I know it may not be, you know, mind blowing or something. But I hope that giving it all my love, it could be, you know, not that bad for reading, hehe.
93 notes
·
View notes
Text
OH I FIGURED IT OUT
I was talking to Punct about how two cognitively dissonant ideas exist in my head
One: it's good to write porn for the sake of porn, it's good to write a comfort fic just bc you want to, it's good to have a scene that is just funny dialogue or a pretty bit of wordplay without technically "adding" to the story. You should have fun, and the fun is it's own means and it's own end.
I believe that! At the SAME TIME I also believe
Two: every scene of a story should contribute to the thematic, holistic center. Every sex scene should say something about the characters, every dialogue should move the plot forward, if something doesn't contribute, either cut it or rewrite it so it does.
I believe that too, so..... How.
BUT I FIGURED IT OUT. The second thing is specifically if you want to Enhance Your Craft. It's an exercise. But if that's not your goal at this time, you don't owe anyone shit, have fun with writing!
Sorry it's just been bothering me, holding these seemingly incompatible ideas both as true, I'm hyped to have figured it out.
94 notes
·
View notes
Text
Grabs @ruledbyproblematique 's shoulder and wheezes
#is it too soon to make this joke?#cackles#I am not even in the same Blue as sorry#still#talking about writing#instead of writing#I'd like to nominate 'maximising buggy's insecurities'#as an Olympic sport#why?#I'd like to win at some thing some time#lmao#buggy thoughts#one piece#sir crocodile#buggy the clown#buggy x oc#crocodile one piece#buggy one piece#cross guild#KINDA
61 notes
·
View notes
Text
Am I the only writer who doesn't like to listen to music while writing? It seems like everyone else has a collection of playlists to write to. It's weird, because practically every other minute of my life I've got headphones on to listen to something, but not while writing. Maybe it's because I'm a singer, so any song with lyrics I'm tempted to sing along, which is the ultimate distraction. I thought the solution would be classical music. I have a lot of movie and video game soundtracks, but even those are distracting to me.
Music is just so emotionally specific, and if the vibes don't match the scene I'm writing, it throws me off. I feel like I'd spend half my time finding just the right song, then I'd get sick of it because I'm not a fast writer. I also don't really want my favorite songs to become associated with moments of frustrating writer's block forever more. I prefer total silence, but have sometimes settled for white noise videos like "wind in the trees" or "afternoon rainstorm" to drown out more annoying sounds like construction next door. I've thought of getting some really good ear plugs to ensure silence no matter where I am.
Are there any other writers out there who crave pure silence while you're working?
#fic writing#fic writer#creative writing#writer#writing#the writing process#write#writers#writers of tumblr#i'm a writer#silence#the sound of silence#craving silence#storytelling#talking about writing#on writing#writing playlist#writing community
22 notes
·
View notes
Text
Hands, Paws, Fingertips, or Claws?
This question goes out to the fanfic writers. And anyone else who wants to participate. What do you call Knack's appendages? Is there any reason why?
I tend to refer to Little Knack's hands as paws, but not always. This may or may not extend all the way up to Short Knack*, but we'll see. I'm not good at remembering what things look like. Beyond that, I refer to them as hands.
So far, I haven't found much need to point out the tips of Knack's fingers, and the rare times I do, it feels appropriate to call them claws in those instances.
I haven't referred to any goblin hands as paws; it has to do more with shape than size. But I haven't messed with goblins much either.
*size categories still pending, sorry - short answer is about the size he starts in the first level of the second game. Having the snout piece and sometimes the whites of his eyes, but not the forehead crystal or facial hair.
12 notes
·
View notes
Text
10 notes
·
View notes
Text
Twenty Questions for Fanfic Writers
Tagged by @numinousmysteries! Thank you!
1. How many works do you have on AO3?
37
2. What's your total AO3 word count?
493,156
3. What fandoms do you write for?
The X-Files, pretty much exclusively.
4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
By the Dim and Flaring Lamps
Ripper Weather
She's Beauty, She's Grace
Between Sorrow and Bliss
Someday Your Child May Cry
5. Do you respond to comments?
I do if someone has a question, or if someone comments on the way I've written something in a way that makes me feel like I should explain the choices I made (biggest example was a commenter on BtDaFL who seemed to be viewing the story through a modern lens without taking the time period into account). I wish I did respond to every comment but honestly I get so in my head about it that I end up paralyzed most of the time. But I absolutely read every single one and return to them frequently, especially when my self-confidence is ebbing.
6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?
Probably the short prompt where I gave elderly Mulder pancreatic cancer?
7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?
Most of mine have happy endings but By the Dim and Flaring Lamps was probably the most unambiguously happy since everyone who dies in canon- Melissa, Samantha, Ahab, Bill and Teena Mulder- are all alive and well at the end of it.
8. Do you get hate on fics?
Not really? There was some out-of-the-corner-of-their-mouth sniping about Pequod (not to my face), but it was clear that person didn't understand how character arcs work. Someone sent an anonymous message that BtDaFL was boring, but lots of people find historical fiction boring.
9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?
Only if it fits into the plot of the story, and only if I can make it match the overall tone of the fic.
10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?
I have one short Doctor Who crossover on AO3. I also have a Harry Potter crossover where William is a wizard and a wizard friend of Scully's secretly adopts him when she finds out Scully gave him up because she recognizes the phenomena happening around him, but that's never seeing the light of day while I'm still alive.
11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?
Not to the best of my knowledge.
12. Have you ever had a fic translated?
Someone asked if they could translate one of mine into Russian but I'm not sure if they did or not.
13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?
No.
14. What’s your all time favorite ship?
Always gonna be MSR.
15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?
That ballroom dancing lessons one is languishing and I doubt I'll get back to it anytime soon, mostly because I have no idea what the rest of the plot was going to be.
16. What are your writing strengths?
Dialogue, plot, and distinct original characters, I think.
17. What are your writing weaknesses?
I'm not very good at making my words beautiful or lyrical. I'm in awe of authors like @aloysiavirgata, @leiascully, and @slippinmickeys whose styles are so fluid and lovely. I feel like mine is often very matter-of-fact and clinical.
18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?
I've had to do it once or twice.
19. First fandom you wrote for?
I wrote something about The Land Before Time when I was in elementary school, long before I knew what fanfic was.
20. Favorite fic you’ve written?
Probably But Always Together.
Tagging @leiascully and @mldrgrl if they haven't done it yet!
10 notes
·
View notes
Text
No Variations update this week, sorry! It might be a little bit of time before I'm able to get back to posting pages, but I am Dead Set on finishing the chunk that I've already sketched out. I have a few finals to take so my brainpower is mostly being deviated towards those things >.<
We haven't gotten very far into the project, so I can't really talk much about particular details to stave off spoilers, but my ask box is always open for any observations or questions. (I love talking about my blorbos. i will unleash a torrent of words onto you !!)
Recently, I've been able to delineate some more stuff regarding Variations and Horsemen's beats, so it's easier for me to talk about characters and whatnot without actually spoiling things !! which is very exciting.
#allzy rambles#variations prequel#writing#talking about writing#and not actually writing#but I will write#but not for variations because I have a creative writing final to write
3 notes
·
View notes
Note
😂 What’s the funniest comment someone has left on a fic of yours? ( i can certainly think of a couple XD) anddddd 💕 What is the WIP that you are most excited about? <3
It's so hard to pick a favorite. Every comment makes me smile (except that weird aggressive one that one time). I really love seeing long analysis comments! But for funny ones, uh let me see if I can list a couple that come to mind first. In no particular order:
The reactions to chapter 5 of the factory fic are so funny.
I recently got one on Chapter 10 of Cupbearer assuming I had planned something and I had not. Funniest thing to happen as a writer honestly.
I thrive on reactions to plot twists and cliffhangers >:)
I appreciate comments on fics about OCs getting "batted around like a meat-filled pumpkin"
Also got a comment on the sexy Alex/Fires fic I wrote for Prophet last year asking why it was so sexy. Because monster hot next question
Chapter 6 of Cupbearer had a great discussion about a new menace feature for gaining the attention of a giant possessive bat
2. Well I only have one fic wip right now but a scene I'm excited to write in Chapter 11 does not involve the discordance hehe
8 notes
·
View notes
Note
1, 2, 7 and/or 8, 13
1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.
2 and 8 and 13
Already answered.
7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.
/laughs. Jake's POV chapter in KTOWL. I'll grab some excerpts. MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR ACT THREE OF KTOWL.
Ah, Striders. He was becoming uncommonly fond of them. And how could he not? In Abraxas, every vice and temptation flowed like water from a well, and Jake rarely considered any of them. All the designer drugs their apothecaries cooked up, and Jake stuck to good old dextroamphetamine and calmag.
But now that he'd gotten one Strider and glimpsed the other two? Jake wanted in a way he rarely wanted anything. His hands curled when he thought about the Umbral Executor. Oh, he carried a torch for him. Or, a knife, really. The very same Dirk had flung into Jake's shoulder was always on Jake's person, always in a tidy little sheath Jake had put together for it. He'd wear it over his heart if it wouldn't break the line of his shirts.
Not that the lovely accountant was forgotten. Truly, the manner in which he assumed he was forgotten was enough to keep him vivid in Jake's mind. Sorrow hung around him and clung to Jake in his wake, like a bruise he couldn't stop touching, like a sticky remnant that clung to his fingers no matter how much he washed. Sweet and sad, and Jake wanted to drive a knife through Caliborn's skull for the chance to see him smile.
Jake's POV chapter was all about showing off what an absolutely unhinged motherfucker he is, the specificity of him. And the specificity of Jake Abraxas English is so goddamn important for a lot of reasons, but mainly to make him feel as inhuman as possible. He's the head of a drug empire and sticks to his prescriptions. He got stabbed by Dirk and keeps the knife in a handmade sheaf as a sign of devotion. He thinks killing Caliborn would make Dave smile.
Jake hated losing, and picked his battles accordingly. That one, he kept folded up in his pocket, waiting for such a time when he might win. If only she'd realize his winning was to everyone's benefit.
But that was a matter for another night. For now, Jake mixed some of the botanical gin she always had on hand, cucumber, mint, and a splash of St Germain.
A little of this, a little of that, all captured in glass. Jake never drank, but there wasn't much difference between neon and cocktails. There wasn't much difference between neon and anything.
Jake never loses not just because he's a formidable foe and powerful presence Under the Table, but because he selects his fights like he's counting cards against the universe.
And "There wasn't much difference between neon and anything." Not only does Jake have a batshit way of looking at the world, but he applies the same ruleset to everything, from mixology to gunfights to corporate warfare.
"Isn't that rule one? Never put yourself in a position to lose." She came into view with proximity, melting out of the shadows. Her cane tapped very quietly against the dubiously-colored carpet.
"That is what I say, isn't it," Jake murmured, picking up the ball and starting it up again.
Again, specificity with how Jake phrases everything is-- I put TREMENDOUS effort into every word in every sentence. I wanted to foster this idea that Jake was Crafted. He was created by his grandmother to be this exact monster. So he mentions how he manipulates circumstances to always win earlier, then the same thing is said by the woman who created him, trying to imbue this... discomfort to his making.
Once, Rose had snippily asked if Jake had been grown in a vat for just this purpose, his purpose. He had smiled but had not laughed.
(CACKLES)
It was a special kind of fool who cheated his way into Jake's territory and then didn't even have the decency to have arms ready when Jake stepped into the trap.
The knife Dirk had gifted him just a few miles away in an alleyway in this very city seemed a fitting end for this absolute idiot. Drawing it silently, Jake quick-stepped across the plush (silent) rug that ran from the door to the desk.
There was no hesitation; if the troll looked up, he was done for. Jake kicked the back of the fellow's leg hard, buckling it. The troll let out one of those panicked trills, his hand slapping against the desk.
The muscle in that arm corded as he prepared to shove himself back up. Jake grabbed a fistful of hair— his horns were too short to be of any use here— and yanked him back.
The posture pole pressed firmly against Jake's thigh as he shoved the knife against the troll's throat. "Clementine, what a surprise! Have you done something to your hair? New cologne?"
Up to this point, the audience has mostly experienced Jake through Dirk's eyes, and there's always been an unspoken understanding that Jake would not kill Dirk. So when an intruder shows up and annoys Jake, I wanted his response to feel smart and certain and natural to him. I wanted the audience to understand that Jake is fucking dangerous.
"How much do you love him? Because some things you won't get back."
Jake watched Karkat realize his meaning, dark and bitter chocolate melting across Jake's tongue as comprehension dawned on Karkat's face.
Jake is a freak. He tells a guy he likes, who he's taken an immediate shine to, tells the guy "I'm gonna cut off your arm" and Karkat's dawning understanding does for Jake what any Abraxas designer drug does for the masses. He's a monster, and I love him.
29 notes
·
View notes
Text
Do you have any idea how annoying it is writing smut choreography and having to remember there's a gdamn hook involved?
Sure, it's sexy in some hyper specific situations (neck pulling, ahoy!) but literally the most annoying prop in every other damn instance. And it's not small, either.
No sexily lighting cigars. You need two hands for that.
No little clap when she does the cute spin around. You need two hands for that.
No sexual-tension-riddled slow-mo finger linking. You. Need. Two. Hands. For. That.
No quintessential hip-holding for those extra deep thrusts. Because. You guessed it. You neED. TWO. HANDS. FOR THAT.
I mean, I can make it work, don't @ me.
But you get my frustration?! I am going over this perfectly fine draft, having to revoke hand privileges left, right, and centre, and it hurts my emotions.
And that's even ignoring the part where you could actually accidentally rather seriously, rather easily gauge yourself, your partner, or any of the squishy bits of skinsack (or very expensive bedsheets) involved in the throes of any of this. I need to pay so much attention to the damn thing's whereabouts at all times that it's basically its own character at this point.
Like, I have to consciously remember which hand he can gdamn finger her with. I can't even remember which eye Euron's eyepatch is supposed to be on. How am I expected to remember this?!
WHY is my life this hard.
Wtf did I do.
#sir crocodile#one piece#yea not actually about Peter Pan#though I am down with Hook also (quick act surprised)#granted this is obvious my man's theme#what with the crocodiles and everything#talking about writing#instead of writing#buggy thoughts#cross guild#crocodile one piece
50 notes
·
View notes
Text
hey does anyone else hate it when you're writing a scene and you have a specific direction you need to push the scene (to get to the next part you need to write) but the characters just refuse to let the dialogue happen naturally, and thus end up making you rewrite the dialogue
BUT THEN THE DIALOGUE TAKES THE SCENE INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION EVEN IF YOU TRY TO PULL IT BACK ON COURSE???
or is it just me?
#the inquisitor speaks#talking about writing#do you think I can get Y/N to HAVE THIS CONVERSATION??? No.#Moon is also not helping.#Sun is just there.#Sun is getting scritches#he has zero brain cells in operation right now#like yes Y/N I know it's an awkward AF conversation I'm going to make you sit through#BUT IT'S NECESSARY#I s2g if you three derail the smoochies to another three chapters down the road SO HELP ME#scp-au#ALMM#A Love Most Monstrous
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
i have a friend from school a decade ago who i recently reconnected with, and she’s also trans now!! love that for us. anyways she’s been reading my book
there’s a gay ass scene where my shapeshifter MC copies the LI’s erogenous zones in his own body for sexy reasons, and when i got into her car yesterday she said “i’m at the part where he turns himself into an allosexual furry”
what do i say to that!! she was right but goddamn OTL
anyways it was really nice to talk in depth about my lore with another trans person and have her tell me what parts of my MC’s journey resonate with her. i want this book to be for the queers and transsexuals! i’m glad it’s working!
it was also nice talking about how like, i intentionally wrote this trans character who is like the stereotypical trans guy—someone who knew at birth, did everything possible to fix it, and now lives stealth and tells no one—and i show him being in community with all these genderfucky people. we NEED that on screen. we need “tru trans” transsexuals being friends with and supporting so-called “trenders”. we’re all trans together and should act like it
anyways yeah i love my book and i love talking about it and thinking about it. i really want to finish it and make something nice and gay out of it.
#my gay little thoughts#trans#trans man#ftm#transmasculine#writing#talking about writing#queer lit#secondborn
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
Maybe I'm a weirdo (I definitely am but let's try to stay focused) but I don't hate that part in the writing process when I'm like, "I...have no idea where I'm going with this."
That's a little scary, right? You spent time on this project, time thinking, writing, planning it, and now you're at this point where it almost feels like a waste? What if you can't bring it back around, what if this whole arc you've been working on doesn't match the ending you're starting to envision, what if this character doesn't even have a point in the story?
But for me, instead of that being scary, it's just a room. More empty or messy than I'd like, but it's a room in a house and I just have to get out of it.
The room won't go away while I'm working in another one. Maybe I'll find some items that go better in that first room, so I run over and end up rearranging a shelf or two. I hang up some new curtains. The room still doesn't have a point, but it makes more sense. The theme is more cohesive. And then I go outside for a while, stumble into an enchanted forest, meet an ancient tree spirit, get sent to another dimension, fall through spacetime, pop back out in one of the rooms, deposit my souvenirs in the room on a new table and clear out some of the cobwebs before I leave.
It occurs to me that the room might never have a concrete theme, but while I was avoiding it, I ended up finding new stories, building a tree house, discovering plot threads to the secret attic I'd forgotten about, and accomplished a lot of storytelling merely because I failed to properly decorate one room in a house of rooms.
And that's okay with me. I still get frustrated standing in a room that refuses to let me finish decorating it, sure. But it doesn't bother me in the long run because there are always more rooms.
And, this one, this stubborn one, isn't going anywhere. If I want to come back later, maybe much later, I can.
In fact, I have.
67 notes
·
View notes
Text
I wish there was a way to italicize italics; a way to show in written form that while two words are both stressed, one is stressed just slightly more then the other.
11 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
mitochondriencocktail
Not A Porn Factory
alimentosdealtura
@alimentosdealtura
iinotinlxve
╭✰akari✰╮
rottenthought
eYe#aM+THe&LiZaRD%KiNG