captainauthor

Fanfic extraordinaire Find me on AO3

[captainauthor]

Master post, ig

Hi, you can call me Danny or Dan. I write fanfic and make fanart (primarily Sherlock & Co right now but will definitely branch out in the future). Big fan of hurt/comfort and projecting my issues onto my favs.

♡ My Fics ♡

Caught in the Inbetween (Sherlock & Co. [Podcast]) ⊹₊⟡⋆ Sherlock and Mariana help John after a severe PTSD episode ⊹₊⟡⋆ T, 6k, Complete

If I Could Hold You For a Minute (Sherlock & Co. [Podcast]) ⊹₊⟡⋆ John's hit by a car and it's a long road to recovery ⊹₊⟡⋆ M, 14k+, Ongoing

One Final Problem (Sherlock & Co. [Podcast]) ⊹₊⟡⋆ A few hours after falling down Reichenbach, Sherlock shows up in their hotel room with a shaky memory. Written for the Sherlock & Co. October 2025 Flashbang! ⊹₊⟡⋆ T, 5k, Complete

Your Lips Are Blue (Sherlock & Co. [Podcast]) ⊹₊⟡⋆ A suspect corners John and locks him in a crate ⊹₊⟡⋆ T, 2k, Complete

Next Time, Say Something (Sherlock & Co. [Podcast]) ⊹₊⟡⋆ Sherlock tries to work through a case of appendicitis ⊹₊⟡⋆ G, 4k, Complete

A Study In Olive (Sherlock & Co. [Podcast]) ⊹₊⟡⋆ The trio ends up looking after a seven-year-old who's a little too good with a gun ⊹₊⟡⋆ T, 43k, Complete

Up One Minute, Down the Next (Sherlock & Co. [Podcast]) ⊹₊⟡⋆ John is poisoned ⊹₊⟡⋆ T, 4k, Complete

♡ My Prompts/Resources ♡

For all my whump lovers out there, try out my Whump Wheel! A variety of whump and h/c prompts to get you started or to make a challenge for yourself.

♡ Requests ♡

My inbox is open! I don't have any particular schedule/plan that I follow for requests, but if you really want to drop in and ask for something, there's a good chance I'll consider it! If your ask/submission goes ignored, it's most likely I've passed on the idea.

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

[whumpuary]

Whumpuary 2026!

these prompts came together through community submissions and a voting form where people voted for their favorites, here are the top 53 prompts

i enjoy this format so like last year there are 15 creation prompts and 15 community prompts/questions. the community prompts are entirely voluntary but are here to possibly inspire some community interaction and trying new things

very excited to see some awesome creations in january!

go here for info/rules/tagging go here for faqs

(note: number 31 is not a creation prompt and not required to complete the challenge, it's just colored black so the colors add up)

text version of the prompts and rules is under the cut

(image description note: there are 31 numbered prompts, on each odd number the text color is black and on even numbers the text color is white)

Whumpuary 2026

a whump-themed multi media creation event for january

create for at least one prompt from each odd/black number to complete the challenge community prompts (even/white) numbers are voluntary

main prompts

memory loss | tied up | winter

do you prefer fandom or oc whump?

can't speak | caught | broken glass

have you done other whump events?

ransom | burns | not good enough

share your favorite whump media (tv, game, book, …)

drowning | "something isn't right" | hunted

send an ask to someone in the whump community

cornered | shaky hands | phone call

have you always liked whump?

trapped | sleep deprivation | "please"

share any music/videos/etc you listen to while creating

"hold still" | possession | impaled

any favorite things you'd like to see more of in whump?

breaking point | came back wrong | breathe

halfway through! rest & take a break

blood trail | "is this real?" | storm

take 5-10 minutes to work on a wip

seeing double | shivering | restrained

who's your current favorite character to whump?

attacked from behind | poison | red

comment on someones work in the #whumpuary tag

interrogation | numb | wrist grabbing

draw/doodle something whumpy

limping | fatigue | "i don't believe you"

what are your top 5 favorite whump tropes?

"i tried" | pinned against the wall | haunted

create in a new/less familiar medium

touch starved | "i need help" | secret reveal

share your favorite whump creation you’ve made

share your favorite whump creation someone else made

alt prompts

failed escape gagged old injuries exhaustion blood loss "don't" nowhere to go flashbacks

rules & info

-any medium is allowed (art, writing, gifs, edits, ...) -prompts are open for interpretation (but the context should be whumpy) -create for at least one of three prompts on creation prompt days (black/odd numbers) to complete the challenge -if you're not aiming for completionist you can do however many prompts you want any way you want -community prompts (white/even numbers) are voluntary and don't count for completionist (but can be combined with creation prompts if applicable) -use alt prompts to replace main prompts you don't like

some works posted on tumblr will be reblogged if tagged correctly -#whumpuary2026 -#whumpuaryno1 (number of the prompt(s)) -any trigger/content warning tags -any additional tags (fandom, oc, other used tropes, ...)

[captainauthor]

Thinking I might lock in for January and participate in this

[nctinmotion]

Source: This

[brindlefern-deactivated20210619]

[xcziel]

[cellophanes-princess]

I really needed the last one

[captainauthor]

To everyone waiting on an update for If I Could Hold You For a Minute...I'm sorry </3 It will come eventually

[captainauthor]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

John is poisoned. Sherlock and Mariana stay by his side until the ambulance arrives.

My first @badthingshappenbingo​ space has been filled!

Enjoy some Sherlock & Co whump :3

[captainauthor]

titles are hard :(

[nekoqueenalice]

PSA: AO3 Bots Are Getting Worse (And Here's What You Need To Know)

Alright so if you're active on AO3, you've probably heard about the bot problem. It's been going on for years but it's gotten way worse lately, so here's a breakdown of what's happening and how to protect yourself.

What Are AO3 Bots?

Basically spam accounts that leave comments on fics. They're automated and they've been plaguing the site since like 2021, but they keep getting more sophisticated.

Types of Bots You Might See:

Praise Bots - These leave super generic compliments that could apply to literally any fic. Stuff like "This is pure genius, I'm in awe of your world-building" or "This deserves all recognition." The dead giveaway is when someone praises your "heartwarming" fic when everyone literally died and the earth shattered around them lmao.

Hateful/Cruel Bots - These are the really fucked up ones. They scrape REAL AO3 usernames and attach them to horrible, cruel comments. So innocent people get their names attached to hateful shit they never said. If you see a mean comment, check if the username is clickable - if it's not linked to an actual profile, it's a bot.

Kudos Bots - Some authors have woken up to like 30-60 fake kudos dumped on their fics all at once, with no corresponding increase in hit counts. This completely destroys the metric system especially in smaller fandoms.

AI Accusation Bots - These accuse authors of using ChatGPT or other AI tools, sometimes on fics that are literally older than the AI programs they're being accused of using. Some link to "AI detection tools" which are likely just trying to get you to feed more fics into AI training databases.

Misinformation Bots - A newer type that showed up in May 2025 claiming AO3 was removing works to "conserve server space" and telling authors to delete their own work or risk being banned. Complete bullshit - AO3 has never done this and never will.

Mary Sue Bots - Accuse your OCs of being Mary Sues, even when your fic only has canon characters and no self-inserts at all.

Art Commission Scam Bots - Leave praise then offer to make comic/art commissions of your fic. They get you off-site to Discord or Instagram, take your payment, then either send AI-generated garbage or ghost you completely.

How Do They Work?

The bots comment as unregistered guests and scrape real AO3 usernames to attach to their comments. The username shows up but isn't clickable and has no actual profile associated with it (unless you search for that name directly, which makes it look legit at first).

The newer ones are getting smarter too - they scrape your fic's tags and use them to make the generic praise seem more personalized. So if you tagged "angst" they'll specifically mention emotions and tension.

How To Spot Them:

Username isn't clickable/has no profile

Generic praise that could apply to any fic

Comments that make zero sense for what actually happened in your story

Multiple comments hitting your fics really fast (like 7 comments timestamped over 9 hours)

Sudden spike in kudos with no matching increase in hits

Anyone trying to get you off-site for commissions or services

The Emotional Impact:

This shit genuinely hurts authors. Some don't realize they're bots at first and think the hate comments or AI accusations are real criticism of their writing. There's also concerns from neurodivergent and ESL authors who worry their real comments will be mistaken for bots because their writing style might seem stilted.

And if your username gets stolen? You might have to track down authors and explain that hateful comment wasn't actually you.

What You Can Do:

As an author:

Delete bot comments as soon as you spot them

If it gets bad, lock your comments to registered users only (Settings → Privacy → "Only show your work to registered users")

Report the comments if you can

As a reader/commenter:

Don't panic if your username got stolen - reach out to the author and explain it wasn't you

Keep leaving real comments! Authors need to know there are real people who love their work

Maybe make your comments a bit more specific/personal so authors know you're real

Everyone:

Spread awareness so people know what to look for

Don't feed fics into "AI detection tools" that bots link to

Why Are They Doing This?

Honestly? Probably to keep AI brands in the "fandom news" cycle and create controversy. Some are straight-up scams. Either way, they suck.

Stay safe out there and keep supporting your favorite authors with real comments. We need that genuine engagement now more than ever. 💜

Tagging all my mutuals @ruinationz and @turbotasticnumberone and @cartoon-cat7241 and @cru5h-cascades and @seleyaaaa and @mono-squamblo and @strayfelinez and @strangelilangel and @yukihirop and @rivertheemoo and @meatmedallion and @drownedsilverforever and @senpaipaws and @cartoonlover999 and @byronicmoron and @resolutelymadvermin and @wanka-wanky and @looksmokin and @justwatchedsometv and @oakwoodvida and @human-n0-l0ng3r and @glooberousgoon and @goddess-of-lov3 and @lucifersdog-luci and @casethecreep and @aoihibiki247 and and @klyju and @fleshistic and @golshi-sweetheart and @femmesagemoon222 and @4ggravatez and @resonanthideoutruin and @saddmyths and @homestuckyaoi413 and @blueloky and @divine-vxnity and @ace-productions7 and @fiberopticemoweeb666 and @cryptedlullaby and @3veryth1ngstays and @blossomletters and @alpheiaa and @juniizhq and @sapphicavocado and @bloodybigirl and @yanderehiro and @dnplicoricenutttt and @russkiy-american-dreams and @2catnip4me and @miracle-winkel and @mickyx-x and @biblicallyunhingedtheo and @the-only-good-ai and @prettirei and @unhinged-pink-espresso and @patchofglass

[curiouspupsicle]

I'd also add, resist the AI bubble that companies are forcing on us. Don't use generative AI to make cute cat pictures. Actually click on a website written by humans, instead of relying on the AI summary at the top. Turn off AI features on apps you use. It's bigger than AO3. Tech companies are trying to convince us that we need shitty AI to do things it's not actually capable of doing. The AO3 scams are one part of an entire scammy infrastructure.

[very-sincerely-yours-zine]

The Very Sincerely Yours Kickstarter is now live!🎉

Very Sincerely Yours is an anthology dedicated to Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson, and the idea of home. It is over 150 pages of illustrations, comics, and fiction from a team of 46 creators around the world, and it's now ready to become yours!

The anthology will be printed as an 8.5 x 11 softcover, perfect bound book, with full colour artwork, comics, and illustrated stories. The stories—written specially for our anthology—explore themes of home, belonging, and family. 🏡

Our merchandise bundle will include 6 vinyl stickers, 3 postcards prints, 2 sticker sheets, 1 bookmark, and a sticky notepad! We're offering 2 additional pieces of merchandise as add-ons: a cotton tote-bag, and a hinged wooden charm.

Our Kickstarter will only be running until December 21st, 11:59PM EST, so please help us spread the word and buy your own copy while you have the time! 📢💕

Link to our Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/haedraulics/very-sincerely-yours

[captainauthor]

Soooooooo excited for this. Not a contributor myself, but proud to back it and support such amazing artists as well as a good cause!

[naefelldaurk]

AO3 & Spam

I received a handful of spam comments on my latest story, which I reported to the abuse branch of AO3. Received the email posted below the fold in return, with the suggestion that I share it for the benefit of others.

One of the suggestions is to close down comments to guests, which I hate to do, but I'm now seriously considering it. Spam isn't always easily identifiable and it's no fun wearing cynics' glasses all the time—but that seems to be the world we're living in these days.

Thanks to @calaisreno, who some months ago posted a guide to using AO3's abuse reporting procedure and, along with @hasturswig, promptly warned me of their suspicions regarding a particular comment for my story.

Thank you for contacting the AO3 Policy & Abuse committee. 

The anonymous spam you reported has been removed. 

Similar anonymous comments have recently been spammed across the site. We recommend using the "Spam" button to mark any such comments you receive as spam. Doing so will remove the comment and – while not an immediate fix – will help train our automated spam-checker to reject similar spambot comments in the future. 

Unfortunately, when a comment is not left by a registered user, there is little we can do directly. It's not possible to ban specific guest users, and blocking IPs or email addresses is ineffective. This means that the only way to stop guest commenters is for creators to adjust one or more of the privacy settings on their works: 

Disable anonymous comments: We recommend this setting for anyone receiving anonymous harassment or spam. It prevents guest users from commenting, but still allows them to leave kudos on your works. Information about disabling anonymous comments can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/faq/comments-and-kudos#anondisable

Restrict access: If you lock your work to registered users only, guests will not be able to view, kudos, or comment on your works. You can read more about restricting access to your works here: https://archiveofourown.org/faq/posting-and-editing#controlaccess

Moderate comments: Enabling comment moderation will prevent new comments from appearing publicly on your work until you approve them. The comments will still be sent to your inbox. You can delete unapproved comments from the Unreviewed Comments page of your work. More information about comment moderation is available in our FAQ: https://archiveofourown.org/faq/comments-and-kudos#commentmod

You can use the Edit Multiple Works tool to change the settings for some or all of your works at once: https://archiveofourown.org/faq/posting-and-editing#editmultipleworks

Please feel free to share our advice with other users who may be experiencing these same issues.

[iwantthatbelstaffanditsoccupant]

I have decided to go back to restricting.

At first I did it for my workplace, then for AI scrapong, and now because of all these artists offering to draw for me.

The “artists” have made me so depressed—more than any other thing in my life over the last 5 years or so—because hey are only reading me to use me. Hits a very special dark place in my psyche.

[captainauthor]

Ugh, it's gotten so bad!!! I used to only get spam/scam/bot comments from guest users, which was easy enough to filter out, but now I get more scam registered users commenting than actual readers commenting :( which is definitely.....disheartening.... to say the least

I should probably just turn on comment moderation, but it sucks big time that scammers have somehow started getting registered accounts, it's a huge problem. Are the invites/waiting lists not a thing anymore??

[moldybee]

I really need to start locking in and learning how to actually draw Sherlock Holmes

[thebibliosphere]

Floating face down in a blank word document file, while not physically possible, is nevertheless a tangible authorial state.

[captainauthor]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Hi, yes, hello, I’ve been consumed by this fic the last two weeks. I’m almost done writing the whole thing, so I’m looking forward to actually updating this one regularly!!

Chapters: 1/14 Fandom: Sherlock & Co. (Podcast) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Mariana Ametxazurra, Archie the Dog (Sherlock & Co.), Gwen Lestrade (Sherlock & Co.), Original Characters Additional Tags: Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Government Conspiracy, Mentioned Mycroft Holmes, Paternal John Watson, Child Soldiers, Child Endangerment, Found Family, Cults, Religious Cults, References to A Study in Scarlet - Arthur Conan Doyle Summary:

Airing out the dirty laundry of adults who committed crimes was one thing, but this little girl was a victim. Even if she did shoot somebody.

John and Sherlock are saved by some benevolent marksman when attacked on a case. The last thing either of them expected was for their savior to be a traumatized little girl.

[maxthebutchdyke]

[maxthebutchdyke]

maybenoots is the only one who understands

[m3djed]

"he would not fucking say that" but you ever be looking at fanart and suddenly its "he would not fucking have abs"

[the-poll-squad]

Fanfiction Writers! How long have you been writing fanfiction!

Less than 1 year.

1 to 5 years.

5 to 6 years.

6 to 7 years.

7 to 8 years.

8 to 9 years.

9 to 10 years.

10+ years.

20+ years.

30+ years.

40+ years.

50+ years (Star Trek fanfics FTW).

Voting ended onNov 17, 2025

Feel free to reblog to have more people to vote. Feel free to explain why you voted the way you did. DO NOT SENT ANON HATE FOR HOW PEOPLE VOTED.

[niennanir]

I had to stop and think about how old I am, but I think it must be around 40 years now.

[itsnobodysproblem]

Really wanted to draw this scene. Only needed ten million billion references... And five days

(small hound p8 spoiler?)

Very important you can't really tell but the "my" in "my Doctor Watson" is italicized. Bc i feel like that's how he said it in the pod and it's making me a bit crazy!

Also did you know that Sherlock doesn't even have a licence? They said in a mailbag. So idk but that little bit of information made the scene even cuter for me.

Bonus stuff under the cut

The big one but without the windshield and darkness inside. To see the boys better

Also i was a dumbass and i forgot that British cars are the other way around so this is what it initially looked like:

Had to include it bc obviously i got attached to it. I was very pissed to have to flip it. (I was attached to the placement of the moles yes I'm being fr. As you can see i could save Sherlock's but not John's. But it's fiiiinneee)

[captainauthor]

Here is your card for Bad Things Happen Bingo. Happy writing! OMG yay!! Bit busy right now, but I’m slowly going to start working on these as Sherlock & Co fics! If you want to see one of these in that fandom really badly, drop an ask and I might get to it first!

I’m already thinking how I’d do some of these.....