Here to collect helpful tips and resources, engage with fellow writers, and share some of my own works!
I am firmly against the use of generative AI in any sort of creative field. I do not, and will NEVER, use any kind of genAI content in my work, at any point.
Bigots, transphobes/queerphobes, fascists/nazis/neo-nazis/white supremacists/ice supporters, zionists, antisemites, prolifers, ableists, fatphobes, terfs/radfems, pro-genAI/AI “artists”, and pedos need to fuck right off. Your hateful and harmful ideologies are NOT welcome here.
Your dialogue is stiff because everyone is being too honest
Great dialogue can come from radical emotional honesty. But in most real conversations, people
dodge questions
answer indirectly
lie (badly)
change the subject
crack jokes to avoid serious answers
lie (convincingly)
say half of what they mean
tell the truth but get so anxious/angry/defensive others now think they're lying
If your dialogue feels unnatural, it might be because everyone is saying exactly what they think, or articulating their thoughts too well. Try letting characters hide things instead.
Leader -- The most powerful member of the Clan, chosen to guide their Clanmates through their harsh life in the wild.
takes a sacred vow and is granted a secret blessing from StarClan at the start of their reign
acts as their Clan’s first connection to StarClan, interpreting messages and providing spiritual guidance to their Clanmates
manages Clan matters and needs, and navigates relations with other Clans/outsiders
hosts Clan meetings, leads ceremonies/rituals
assigns mentors to new apprentices, oversees apprentice training
represents the Clan at Gatherings
names a deputy to assist them in their duties
Deputy -- The leader's second-in-command, chosen to assist the leader in their duties and to fill their role in their absence.
co-manages the Clan alongside the leader
oversees apprentice training and completing assessments
organizes hunting parties and border patrols
takes over leader duties when needed, and becomes leader when the previous leader dies, retires, or is exiled
Healers -- Cats dedicated to healing their Clanmates by using the preserved medicinal knowledge of ancient talented healers.
collects and preserves healing herbs
treats wounds and sickness throughout the Clan
oversees the health of elders, queens, and kits
maintains the Clan's burial grounds
often communes with healers of other Clans to trade herbs/knowledge
Warriors -- Trained and experienced cats that were raised under the Code to serve their Clanmates. The heart and blood of every Clan.
participates in hunting parties and border patrols
guards camp and escorts travelers
trains new apprentices
completes tasks and missions assigned by leadership
older warriors that have seen several years of service (aka "senior warriors”) advise the leader
Apprentices -- Young, untrained cats fresh from the nursery. Trained by select warriors in the ways of the hunt.
completes warrior training under their mentors
maintains camp and completes chores
participates in hunting parties/border patrols with their mentors
Queens -- Pregnant and nursing warriors, charged with the great duty of raising newborn kittens in the way of the Clan.
stays in camp and is cared for by healers
protects the nursery and raises kits
shares the care of all kits in the nursery with other queens
raises kits under the Code/Clan culture
Elders -- Former warriors that have fulfilled their service to their Clan. Warriors may retire voluntarily at old age, or due to disability at any age.
stays in camp most days, cared for by healers
preserves stories and traditions, passing them on to each new generation of kits before they are apprenticed
often advises their Clanmates and the leader
not required to hunt, fight, or assist in day-to-day tasks but can do so voluntarily
Kits -- Tiny warriors, too young to hunt or fight. The most vulnerable, and most valuable, members of any Clan.
doesn’t earn their Clan name (ex. Cinderkit, Brackenkit) until they are two moons old. names are chosen by the queen that raised them
often referred to by their coat color, their gender (ex. tom, molly, or sam), or simply as “kit” until they earn their Clan name
Cat Ages/Life Stages
newborn: blind and deaf. unable to keep warm on their own. unable to sheathe claws. starts to vocalize within a day of birth. almost always sleeping. needs constant care; nurses frequently.
kit (1 week, infant): ears starting to unfold. learning to wriggle & move, often mewling when not kept company. still constantly sleeping.
kit (2 weeks, infant): eyes start to open. sense of smell develops, will start hissing/spitting at unknowns. learning to crawl. nursing often.
kit (3 weeks, infant): eyes and ears fully open, senses developing. learning to walk and socialize, exploring the nursery.
kit (4 weeks, toddler): able to sheathe claws. learning how to communicate & play. starting to explore outside the nursery & meet the Clan. nursing a few times a day.
kit (5-6 weeks, toddler): weaning begins. very playful & curious, steady on their legs. introduced to solid prey.
kit (6-8 weeks, child): weaning continues. eating solid prey on their own. true eye colors start to develop. ready to earn their Clan name & begin learning Clan life.
kit (2-5 months, child): weaning completes; weaned kits have free range of camp. learning Clan history & traditions, practicing new skills with littermates/Clanmates. senses strengthen, eye colors fully develop.
apprentice (6-12 months, teen): apprenticed to a trained warrior. begins participating in border patrols and hunting parties. taught the deeper meaning of the Code, as well as the intricacies of hunt & battle. starts to attend Gatherings.
warrior (1-4 years, adult): apprentice training completes. ready to fully devote themselves to their Clan and the Code. earns their full warrior name, and can take on an apprentice of their own.
senior warrior (5+ years, adult): seasoned warriors that have seen several years of service. more likely to be selected as deputy.
✧ my AO3 ✧ author's notes ✧ dividers @saradika-graphics ✧
I. Serve your Clan, even at the cost of your life. Any cat that follows the Code is your ally, but your first loyalty must be with your own Clan. Enforce your borders, defend your Clanmates, and raise your kits with honor and integrity.
II. A peaceful Gathering of all Clans is held on the night of the full moon. The truce lasts from sunset to sunrise. During this sacred time, no blood shall be spilled.
III. An honorable warrior does not need to kill to win their battles. Another cat's life should only be taken to protect yourself, your Clan, or the Code.
IV. If a leader is no longer fit to lead, they must be challenged. It is the Clan’s duty to challenge their leader if they cannot uphold the Code or serve their Clan. The majority of the Clan must agree to the objection before leadership can be reassigned.
V. Elders, queens, the sick and injured, and kits must be fed first. Warriors and apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed their Clan. The leader and deputy are always the last to eat.
VI. Prey is killed only to be eaten. Ensure every life feeds another. Give thanks for its life, however small it is, and bury remains with respect.
VII. A kit must be at least two seasons old before becoming an apprentice, and an apprentice must be at least four seasons old before becoming a warrior. Before a kit is made an apprentice, they are forbidden to hunt, fight, or leave camp.
VIII. A cat may leave one Clan to join another, but at a cost. If they succeed and meet Clan expectations, they may join as an apprentice. If they fail, they must either return to their birth-Clan and reaffirm their loyalty, or face exile.
IX. A true warrior rejects the pampered life of a kittypet. Accepting food or shelter from humans is to reject the laws of the wild, and your own nature as a cat.
✧ my AO3 ✧ author's notes ✧ dividers @saradika-graphics ✧
Rusty had been fascinated by the forest beyond his garden from the very moment he set paw outside for the first time. The gentle sway of branches in the breeze and scents of warm, scurrying things hiding under leaf litter made his pelt tingle with excitement. He wanted nothing more than to explore the forest, but his fellow house cats murmur stories of vicious beasts that hunt there: feral cats.
Wild, untamed creatures that prey on little kitties that wander too far from their yards.
Though surely those stories were mere kitten-tales, even if there were wild cats out there. Rusty didn’t understand their fear, and the allure to explore only grew stronger. One fateful night, the young tom finally follows the call of the wild and enters the woods.
What he finds there will change the course of his life forever.
I’ve loved Warriors all my life. It’s the series that taught me to love reading and creative expression, and simultaneously it introduced me to my favorite fiction genre—animal xenofiction. While I chip away at my own original story (and other personal projects) I decided I wanted to explore the world of Warriors again, but this time through my own interpretation of it.
For now at least, I’m starting small and just tackling the first book, but I'm hoping to take on the entire first arc... if I can. Being a working adult, we'll have to see how that plays out...
My primary goal is to refine the central plot of the first arc, restructure Clan society, change the setting, provide stronger queer and disabled representation, utilize realistic cat biology… and honestly? Mix up various small details throughout that I felt would better serve the story. I want to explore the original narratives and challenge the same obstacles, but in my own way.
This series gave me so much over the years, and now I want to give back by retelling it in my voice. Stay tuned for updates, and I hope you enjoy!
May StarClan light your path...
Disclaimer: Warriors Reimagined is a fan-made, non-commercial, transformative creative writing project. The original Warriors series is written by Erin Hunter and published by HarperCollins, and is a registered trademark in EU. I do not claim ownership or monetization of the contents presented throughout this project. Please support the original franchise by visiting warriorcats.com.
✧ my AO3 ✧ author's notes ✧ dividers @saradika-graphics ✧
Everyone is new to something once, and it's sometimes hard to dive into the middle of a new culture. Let me help.
The most important thing to know is that everything is allowed on AO3, and as such it is critical to tag your stories properly and understand the tags when looking for things to read.
First up, the symbol square:
Top left: rating (General Audiences (fine for everyone), Teen and Up (usually for swearing, some dirty jokes, or generally more serious topics), Mature (Generally for graphic depictions of violence or self-harming behaviors. The line between Mature and Teen is a bit fuzzy but I usually use Mature for things that have major trigger warnings.), Explicit (Sex of any kind, violence or subject matter only suitable for adults))
Top Right: Relationship types (Gen (No romantic or sexual relationships unless very background), F/F (female/ female), F/M (Female/ Male), M/M (Male/ Male), Multi (More than one type of relationship-- auto applied if for example F/F and M/M are checked.) Other (Other relationships-- ie. none of the above/ genderfluid/ it's complicated)
Bottom Left: Content warnings (White exclamation point on red background (One or more archive warning applies such as: Graphic depictions of violence, rape/ non-con, underage sex, major character death ) The specific warnings will be listed again elsewhere. Blank box (no warnings apply). Orange Background white exclamation point/ question mark (The creator did not label archive warnings. They may still be present)
Bottom Right: Completion Status ( Complete : Green background with white checkmark ; Incomplete ; Red background with white exed-out circle)
If any of these boxes are left blank/ white that means the author has not specified the information-- not that no warnings/ ratings apply (Except for content warnings)
The example below is a story rated Teen with General relationships, at least one archive warning, and has not been completed.
Title, Fandom, Warnings, and Tags:
This one is easiest to show by example. I've made a blank Ao3 post for example purposes.
How To Read/ Tag on AO3 - TheMaidenOfWords - This is where fandoms go [Archive of Our Own]
Title: the name of your story. It will be at the top just to the right of the symbol boxes
Fandom: One or multiple fandoms can be listed just below the title and author. The fandoms listed here will determine your ability to include/ exclude crossovers
Warnings: Any and all Archive warnings will be bolded and at the top left of the tag list. Keep an eye out for these.
Tags: The example tags listed are ones that I think are common/ helpful and not an extensive list. The most important thing to know about tags is that they should be comprehensive, and if they are not that should be tagged. Anything that could be a trigger warning should either be tagged or it should be clearly stated that the tags are incomplete. Tags are for the safety and comfort of everyone involved. The more detailed the better. If you are reading, the tags should be the first place you look to determine if you are comfortable with a story's content. Never harass the author for the content of their tags or for story events that were tagged properly. If it's not your cup of tea, don't read it.
Readers: How to filter tags
Initially clicking on/ searching a specific tag/ fandom will lead you to a list (sorted newest to oldest) of all works including that tag/ of that fandom. If you do not want to see certain things, do not start scrolling yet.
At the right of your screen is the filter bar. It is my favorite part of AO3.
Sort By: used to change the sorting method from date updated newest -> oldest to another method like: Creator or Title Name alphabetically; Date posted oldest -> newest; Kudos (likes), comments, bookmarks (saves), hits (views) from largest -> smallest.
If you sort by kudos or bookmarks, that is valid, but know that you may be missing out on wonderful new works that have not had a chance to gain traction. Your favorite story will rarely be the most popular.
Include: Check all boxes you want to see
Ratings: (the advised reader level: General, Teen, Mature, Explicit, Not Rated)
Warning: (the relevant archive warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-con, Underage Sex)
Categories: (Types of romantic or sexual relationships: F/F, M/M, F/M, Gen (none), Other, Multi)
Fandoms: (List of most common fandoms included in your search)
Characters: (List of most common characters included in your search)
Relationships: (List of most common relationships included in your search (both romantic and platonic))
Additional Tags: (List of most common general tags associated with your search)
Other Tags to Include: (Any additional relationships, characters, fandoms, or additional tags you want to be included.)
Exclude: Check all boxes you do not want to see
Same categories as include, but will exclude checked options from the search. Not infallible, but with proper tagging, you can avoid most stories that include things you want to avoid
More Options:
Crossovers: (Include Crossovers, Exclude Crossovers, Show Only Crossovers).
Completion Status: (All works (baseline), Complete Works Only, Works in Progress Only)
Again, you are valid if you only want to read finished works, but subscribing or marking for later unfinished works is one of AO3's greatest joys for both authors and readers.
Word Count: (From: (minimum amount of words); To: (maximum amount of words))
Date Updated: (From: (oldest date updated); To: (Most recent date updated))
Search Within Results: Will display word matches of the search found in the titles, author name, or tags
Language: Written language of the story
Sort and Filter: Applies all of the filters we just selected (located at the top and bottom of the filter bar)
Alright, that is my crash course. My word is not law, but I think understanding how these guidelines work makes AO3 more enjoyable for everyone.
Now: I have been seeing a lot of new users to AO3 lately. Hi there! And, like all people, we sometimes skip the tutorial. That’s okay! Here’s some AO3 101 for you! This doesn’t cover every little thing that the Archive has to offer, but it covers everything the basic reader may need to know.
Enjoy these little tidbits to help your experience!
Part 1: Your Base Tag
Part 2: The Works Page
Part 3: Inside the Fic
Part 4: Your Account and What it does
I think this covers all of the important places for readers. Let me know if I need to cover anything else!
Ophidia is a horror webcomic written by Razmerry, centered around a group of wild foxes and how they deal with a foreboding omen of the oncoming apocalypse. It updates twice-weekly, on Tuesday and Friday.
You can also read it here on ComicFury.
For supporters on Patreon, you can read up to 10 pages ahead right now!
Discord fan server is available to join. Ask for the link.
Welcome to Pinepaw and the Forgotten World! If you’re new here, this is an experimental writing/comic Warriors OC project that will update semi-regularly. It is loosely based on the Clan Generator Challenge, which I made a video on recently. The plot is all my own, though, and I’m very excited to get more into this story.
I do my best to answer any ask that is sent my way, so don’t be afraid to send a question or comment. My most favorite part of posting things online is hearing people’s reactions.
You can find character sheets of all the cats under the hashtag “reference”.
I would also like to mention, up-front, that PATFW will get into some darker themes than my typical Warriors work. I’ll always include a content warning if I feel it’s necessary.
