Fangirling and Writer-Nerd Chaos

Swallow: What is one thing you wish you knew about this book/WIP sooner?

Oh boy. Guess I'll go with the complicated WIP one that's still stuck in fixing the first draft: I wish I'd paid way more attention during my single year of hanging out with physics nerds on the regular bc the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know about large-scale mechanical and materials engineering -_-

For Sunnyforks: I wish I'd known about/had the chance to watch the vampire media that Twilight pulled from again. So full access and time to rewatch Buffy and also more recently, Interview with the Vampire, which has a remarkable number of details I'm sure SMeyer was trying to model some elements of her characters and plot on. Anyway, too late now to fix first impressions of the fic from four years ago but I may try to tweak some shit. We'll see!

Wren: Tell us about a recent writing victory.

I'm getting better at knocking out drafts of things, at least for shorter works. Recently, I was able to knock out the draft of a <5k fic within like 2ish days of writing and 1ish day prior to writing of thinking about how I wanted it to go, which is uncannily quick for an idea going from brewing to drafted format for me.

Gonna go with the one (Down to the Bone) that's been occupying my brain and free time since Sunday lol. Apologies since that means it's still in the process of being written as a first draft.

📚 Technically a standalone but also part of a collection I have on AO3 because tis a rarepair ship. Like, I think after this one, I will make up a solid 33% of the fandom by number of fics written for it, less by wordcount total since I am not capable of churning out 15k words of smut per fic (sorry). Started as a joke ship between a friend and I and then we started going "wait, actually..." and, well. That's how a crackship becomes a genuine ship, doesn't it?

💖 Hmmm hard to decide atm because I have a few more scenes to write but how about this: The scene I am most looking forward to is when as a group, the characters collectively decide "fuck this place" and make trouble. Or rather, Gay Violence. I'm hoping I can make it satisfying.

🖋️ Two grizzled dudes meet and end up committing Gay Violence as a direct result of their sexual tension.

Gonna answer for the one that's been stuck in my brain all year and is drafted but not re-drafted/edited etc. bc it is angsty and also needs some rework to fix the tension/pacing/characterization. And it is a monster for something I intended to be "short". Hah. SOON. I promise! Technically have two beta readers but the bulk of the work needs to come from my procrastinating, cowardly ass. I have to be vague but you can probably guess which one this is:

💖 Honestly? Probably the scene between [Protag] and her love interest where they spar and things turn a lil bit heated. The fic isn't gonna be explicit, but it is intended to tease the very small shipperbase that exists. Hoping to fix a bit of that to make it better since one of my betas has more experience with martial arts than I do.

🎶 Oh yeah. I mean, I haven't used pinterest in years so I don't have one of those alas but I have character profiles (in a super private doc bc it's still in progress), plus a reworked outline doc, plus my messy notes and saved links, I am following certain podcasts and youtubers for worldbuilding research etc. It's turned ridiculously serious for something I originally thought would be a 10k oneshot. But I do also have a playlist! (I have maybe 2-3 more playlists made by other people to credit when it's published on AO3 but they could give too much away so bug me when it's out and I'll share them then ;D )

I am in these fandoms but am still game to explain badly:

Gravity Falls: two kids, old people, and a pig fight the Bermuda Triangle

Galavant: there's a bunch of bisexuals tempting both Spamalot and Disney to sue them

Looked up the song since I wasn't as familiar as I thought and oooh even though I don't really write angst, I immediately thought of Galadriel in her angsty years missing Celeborn and Finrod dearly and feeling a bit like a pariah for relentlessly pursuing Sauron. The first episode of TROP, to me, makes it clear Galadriel feels utterly alone and unsupported in a lot of ways.

So something like: A Long Time Gone, rated T, ~10k word oneshot, Hurt/No Comfort and Angst

With something to the effect of Galadriel's thoughts, feelings, and memories over the centuries while pursuing Sauron and other allies of Morgoth post-the War of the Jewels. Specifically missing moments of angst where she allows herself little bits of grief or otherwise suppresses it when little things remind her of her late brother and missing husband. Finrod Felagund shone so brightly and died in the dark. Her husband loved her unconditionally and if he's not dead, he's something worse. She's cut off from her support system in so many ways. Even when she reconnects back to it after her forces insist they return to Lindon, the people who haven't experienced what she has or internalized the utter violence in such a way kinda devalue her lived experiences.

Just a lot of hurt and rage. IMO it's deeply unsurprising her speech to Adar later in the series was expressed the way it was. For all she knows, someone is torturing her husband to become the same ruthless killing machine that he is. That's horrific.

Ask game: send me a made-up fic title and i’ll tell you what i would write to go with it

Belated due to traveling but thanks so much!

5. Favorite song, album, or artist to listen to this year

Swan Upon the Leda by Hozier

6. Favorite movies of the year

Everything Everywhere All At Once and Glass Onion

7. Favorite TV show episodes of the year

“Udûn”, Season 1, Episode 6 of the Rings of Power and then “Private School” from Season 4, Episode 5 of What We Do In the Shadows

6. Favorite character dynamic?

So hard to choose but like... I am very fond of Elrond and Durin and Disa's scenes (like, all of them) and also Horse Girl Supremacy Family (Isildur and Elendil bonding over horses gives me liiiiiife and aaaaaangst)

10. Favorite one on one conversation?

Had to think about this for a bit, but honestly the scene in the mine between Durin and Elrond. You know the one. All mushy and shit. Gah. Aronwyn's pre-battle kiss is a very close second tho bc I lost my mind when I saw it. Instant rabid fangirl frothage.

TROP Ask Meme

1. Favorite character?

That question is hard af and I really cannot limit myself to like... a singular character. So bc I am a slut for more Dwarf content in like any fantasy medium, definitely Durin, Disa, and Elrond. But also I am very fond of the little Arondir, Bronwyn, and Theo family!

11. What is your favorite quote?

21. Are there any changes to the source material that you hated?

Hrm, hard to say bc I do realize it had to be adapted to TV format and that Amazon cut two whole damn episodes, just like they did to Wheel of Time! Super rude of them! It's less hate and more like "I think this sure was a Choice you made!" But I will say I do agree with a friend of mine who says they felt like Finrod escaped the Riverdale cast and was primarily cast for that One Scene in Episode 8 to Rule Them All. The actor pulls off the creepy well, you know? Also I have some strong feelings about the Dwarves and mithril so I can't say I'm fond of the revisionary history about mithril and making it once again tied to something the Elves did. Let the Dwarves just have this, ok? It's already rough being Eru's adopted children, pls. (And I wouldn't, again, say hate per se, but I got spoiled on a different fanon version of Gil-Galad so the show Gil-Galad rubs me the wrong way. Also the fact that the male elves are allowed to age but Gramma Galadriel who pre-dates the sun and moon can't?)

TROP Ask Meme

19. Answered here! :)

23. Your chance to show of a piece of fan content that you really like! (A favorite fanfiction and/or fanart)

Technically already answered here but since I will always take a chance to show off more cool shit my friends are making, my friend is writing the Galadriel/Elendil rarepair content pretty much no one else is writing and my other friend has a multi-part fic series and my OTHER OTHER friend also has a multi-part Valandur fic series!

TROP Ask Meme

9. What is your favorite scene?

Obviously the one scene that made science nerd me and book nerd me flip my everloving shit! I'm still not over it! 10/10 use of CGI budget, I fucking approve!

19. Is there a dynamic or a story arc you would have liked to see explored in more detail? Any character you would have liked to get more screen time?

Aronwyn, always! I was very sad Episode 7 was the end of their content for the season. I wanted mooooore, I want them haaaaaappy! No one destroy the adorable blended family that slowburned its way prior to episode 1 or I will be desolate!

TROP Ask Meme

monroesimons asked:

23, 24, 25 for the rings of power asks!

22. Do you create fan-content for the show? Any headcanons?

*points to incorrect quotes blog* very much so! and uhhh maybe fic. At some point. Not promising anything!

Cracky headcanon that has zero basis in reality and shouldn't be taken as meant to conflict with other people's headcanons: Adar is Maglor. Bc it would be angsty and a li'l fucked up.

Other headcanons (shared by many of my friends so I'm not the originator of all of them): Berek is the best of Elendil's sons, Isildur looks a bit like his mom, Valandil has two moms, Isildur is not a twink, Celeborn is stuck in a cave somewhere, Celeborn clearly must have very good seduction powers to have bagged Galadriel as a Sindarin princeling, Kemen and Eärien are doomed AF, etc etc

23. Your chance to show of a piece of fan content that you really like! (A favorite fanfiction and/or fanart)

@inkwingart's Valandur art, of course! It always deserves more love.

24. If you could ask any of the characters a question; what would that question, be?

Me @ Halbrand: WHO ARE THE RAFT PEOPLE WHO IMMEDIATELY DIED. TELL ME THEIR NAMES. WHAT IS THE BACKSTORY WITH THEM??? *ahem*

25. Any predictions for the next season? Or anything you would like to happen?

Wouldn't say I want all of these to happen bc angst haaaaa

TROP Ask Meme

Already asked here :)

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

Oof that's a hard one since I am very not confident in writing good lines or quotes or pretty descriptions; it always feels odd and clunky when I do it, like a child is writing it. I'm better at punchlines tbh.

From the Vox Machina/What We Do in the Shadows AU that may or may not ever see the light of day:

Delilah Briarwood, calling from the doorway: Anders? Where are the virgins you told me you could procure for Lord Briarwood? You know how hangry he gets when he wakes up!

Anders: My apologies, Lady Briarwood, but virgins are in short supply in Whitestone these days, and, well, with the ongoing supply chain issues…

Delilah: Pah, I don’t care to hear your excuses! Tell me what you are doing to make sure my Sigh-Sigh gets his favorite dinner! Anders, thinking for a beat: Best I can do is a priest who confessed to auto-fellatio.

1.How many words have you written this year? augh I'm not able to count the incorrect quotes posts although I'm very glad people are using them as TROP writing prompts bc the concept of them being used for that delights me. So instead I'm counting up the stuff in my fic drafts and whatnot and uhh 6698. Definitely not my best year but not my worst, either. Maybe some of it will be posted to ao3 before end of year. idk.

17.Your favorite character to write this year?

Hrm. I really did have a fun time thinking up how Gil-Galad would react to people embarrassing themselves with confessions. So he was probably the most fun. Bronwyn is probs the most relatable but writing Aronwyn has been a struggle bus due to brain goblins. bleh.

22.Which work has the most comments?

Based on unique comment threads instead of comments per se: Still my Sansaery Game of Thrones AU but the Twilight/Buffy crossover fix-the-damn-Twilight-canon fic is just about tied, funnily enough