Evendale

Serquel blog. Evendale on AO3.

[evendale]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

I was tagged in this by the lovely @once-in-a-blue-moon-rising. Thank you! 😊 It's nice to revisit my fics, it's been a while.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

23

2. What's your total Ao3 word count?

1,014,041 words. Yikes 😂

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Most of my works are in the La Casa de Papél fandom. Before that, I was in the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries fandom. I also have a handful of ficlets in the fandom for the Stormlight Archive books by Brandon Sanderson.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

My top 5 fics by kudos are all in the LCDP fandom, and they're all +100k words.

Number one is 'The White Queen', a Regency romance AU. It's got almost double the amount of kudos than the second-highest fic.

'Personal Relationships', a canon-compliant AU.

'Back to Galicia', a movie star second chance AU.

'Safe House', a witness protection program AU.

'Tell Me What You Like', a collection of canon 'fill the gap' smutty scenes.

5. Do you respond to comments?

I used to 😅 I used to love spending a lot of time writing elaborate and personal responses to comments, and I in fact met several of my best fandom friends through comment conversations! However, over time I just simply didn't have the energy for it anymore. There are still a bunch of super lovely comments on the last chapter of my last fic that I really should have responded to, but I simply don't have the mental space. I do feel bad about that 🙈

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't write angsty endings. I love angst in the main fic, but I'm committed to HEAs :)

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably 'The White Queen', where I spent about 50k words describing just how happy they were 😂

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I've had a few nasty comments, but they're absolutely nothing compared to the vast sea of incredibly kind, lovely, and supportive comments I've gotten. I've been very lucky.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

My earlier work is almost entirely smut 😂 It's funny to see my later fics evolving into containing more and more plot, and less and less smut. I wonder how my readers felt about that 😂 The smut is explicit, but I've always tried to keep it tasteful.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I haven't written any crossovers yet. I'm usually obsessed with only one piece of media at a time :)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes -- I discovered a few years ago that one of my LCDP fics had been stolen and put on Amazon for money! It took ages to explain things to Amazon (because I didn't own the characters) and to get it taken down. It was a very icky feeling.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, I've had several requests from people who wanted to translate my fics into Russian :)

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, and I don't think I could. I love to brainstorm about plot with a friend or beta reader, but I couldn't actually share the writing process. I'm too much of a control freak 😅

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

If we're only looking at the first 2 seasons of LCDP, then Serquel. However, the subsequent seasons partially ruined them for me, so maybe I'd better choose Phryne and Jack from Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

My only unfinished fic on AO3 is 'Tell Me What You Love' in the LCDP fandom, but that's more a series of vignettes that I kept open in case I wanted to add more. It wasn't really meant to have an ending. That said, I don't think I'll ever add to it anymore.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue, I think. I also think in general I'm a clear writer who gets to the point without too many flourishes or detours.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

For a long time, I felt like I couldn't come up with any kind of original plot, but I think I got better at that over time. I'm still pretty bad at descriptions, though. I just want to get to the action and dialogue, and I forget that my readers are not in my head and can't see the characters or surroundings like I do :D

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I wouldn't include more than a few words of phrases sprinkled through the dialogue.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I was all of 26 when I first discovered fanfiction!

20. Favourite fic you've written?

That's such a tough choice 😅😅 If I absolutely have to choose, then I think 'The White Queen'. I was really just writing the exact fic that I wanted to read myself with that one. I had so much fun with it, I was so inspired that the chapters literally flowed out without any effort, and I got the most amazing response to it from the fandom. It will always be extra special to me 😊

I'm not tagging anyone in particular, but if you see this and want to do it, consider yourself tagged! :)

[dailyitziarituno]

La Casa de Papel: Part 5 Vol. 1 | Official Trailer | Raquel Murillo

[excessivebookshelf]

“As you read a book word by word and page by page, you participate in its creation, just as a cellist playing a Bach suite participates, note by note, in the creation, the coming-to-be, the existence, of the music. And, as you read and re-read, the book of course participates in the creation of you, your thoughts and feelings, the size and temper of your soul.”

— Ursula K. Le Guin

[once-in-a-blue-moon-rising]

Asexuality and fanfiction

So I’ve had an article idea… I think the general public (those who don’t consume fan work) often think of fanfiction as purely bad porn as, let’s be honest, that’s the stuff that’s fun to read out on talk shows. So, with International Asexuality Day coming up, I thought it would be super fun to write a piece where I talk to ace fic writers who write and read fanfiction, and their reasons for doing so. Of course I’m well aware that aces may enjoy sexual content, but to those who aren’t versed in the definition of asexuality or don’t know much about the diverse nature of fanfiction, an ace fanfiction writer would seem pretty unlikely (so it’s also an opportunity to get some much-needed definitions in too). With this in mind… ace fic writers, message me! I’d love to talk to you whether you read and write about ace characters and relationships, or if you happily read/write the smutty stuff. I’d actually like to speak to one person from each camp, if possible. I don’t have a publication yet, but I’m thinking The Mary Sue might be a good fit, or maybe just my own Medium… we’ll see. I know there are a tonne of great younger writers, but for this I want to speak to adults only please (18+).

[karendeidre]

[tsunderesasuke]

Your Guide To Reviews

The Problem

Fic writers wonder why people don’t review. They honestly can’t understand the silence. Writers assume that readers:

usually have something to add/criticize/say

know how to articulate their own thoughts/feelings

withhold feedback because they’re lazy or apathetic

don’t appreciate how much time/effort/energy goes into writing

On the flip-side, readers assume that:

the writer already knows how ‘good’ their work is

someone else will review because this fic is ‘obviously’ awesome

if a fic is already ‘popular,’ their feedback won’t matter

if they comment, they ‘must’ leave an awesome, insightful, detailed comment that 100% reflects their love for a fic

since words aren’t adequate, it’s better to stfu and just click the kudos button/favotite/bookmark

None of these assumptions are accurate.

The reality is that:

there is no reason for a writer to post their work except to get feedback that validates their vision, helps them improve and/or gives them an outsider perspective/interpretation of their work (which can be absolutely mind-blowing)

like, you can and should write for yourself, but if that’s 100% the case, every good fic would be wasting away in a private word document

‘readers’ are not always ‘writers’

‘writers’ can naturally put their ideas and emotions into words

‘readers’ usually don’t know what to say, which words to use to express themselves, and belittle the importance of their perspective

many ‘readers’ don’t write, so they can’t empathize with the struggle of writing a fic for a silent but attentive audience

Basically, readers don’t understand writers and vice-versa. Both parties are wired differently. Readers who also write are more likely to review because they empathize with both sides of the equation.

The Solution

Writers

Be patient, understanding, and persistent

Appreciate those who do review

Don’t get bitter, discontinue a beloved story, or assume the worst of your readers

Realize that everyone is really trying their best

Readers

Be patient, supportive, honest, and empathetic

Realize that there’s no minimum! Even two words (like ‘good work!’) can have a huge impact

Review Templates

Things to say when you’re tongue-tied:

Verbs

I liked the part where/when…

I wonder why…

I smiled/laughed when…

I was confused when…

I think that…

I predict…

I was sad/happy/angry/[other emotion] when…

Nouns

[character] did/said/felt/will do [this thing]

because… (if applicable)

[insert plot point/event]

Example: I think that [this guy] ran away from [his friend] because he was trying to protect him.

And that’s it. You don’t have to say anything else. One sentence is more than enough, but you’ll notice that once you get started, you’ll have a lot to say- so say it!

Author’s style

Your writing is:

Detailed/descriptive

Vivid

Concise (to the point)

Funny

Serious

Surreal

Unique

Compelling

Provocative

Leaves me wondering about a lot of things, and I’m curious about what happens next

Confused me a little at times (talk about what confused you! The author will be more than happy to clear things up!)

Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t

Worry about grammar/typos in your review

Suggest a direction for the story (most writers know what they’re doing and you just gotta trust them)

Think that clicking the kudos button is all you can do! Your opinion is important!

Tell the author to do more of [this] and less of [that]

Ask them to update without leaving any other feedback

Do

Leave short comments if you can’t think of anything else to say (“I like this” is more than acceptable, seriously)

Inform the author of typos (be specific)- many fics are un-beta’d. The writer will appreciate your attention to detail.

Express your own perspective even if it isn’t ‘correct-’ I think [character] did this because she was jealous, which explains why…

Understand that your unique interpretation of motives/symbolism/foreshadowing/anything is extremely valuable

Be honest, but diplomatic 

Bookmark/rec works if you enjoy them, esp to help lesser-known writers 

You can copy/paste from this post into your reviews. It’s hard to find the right words sometimes, but for writers, anything is better than silence.

[longlivefeedback]

This is great! I have a few things to add. 

Writers

Be patient with your readers, yes. Commenting is a skill, and even when it seems like something easy, it isn’t - not for everyone, at every time. However. It is okay to be disappointed that a story didn’t get much of a response. This is normal, and it doesn’t make you entitled or ungrateful. It makes you a person. 

If a fic isn’t getting much feedback, and you decide to discontinue it for that reason - that’s okay too. No matter how much you want to tell a story, the motivation to put in so, so much effort and make it happen comes from a lot of sources, and comments can be a vital component. 

Post on multiple sites (ao3, FFN, wattpad, tumblr, etc). You want that audience? Go get ‘em!! 

Readers

Don’t get mad at an author for requesting feedback, or discontinuing a story due to lack of it. It’s easy to feel guilty, and it’s often more pleasant to turn guilt into anger and push it outwards, but it’s unfair. The author’s statement isn’t targeting you and only you, and the vast majority of the time, they’re not angry either - they’re scared that they’re pouring their energy into something that no one else cares about. 

You don’t have to go from never commenting, or commenting very rarely, to commenting on every single thing you read. You don’t have to comment at all. But, if you want to comment more, don’t start out with the goal of going from 0 to 100. Instead, tell yourself “I’m going to comment on at least one fic today,” or “The next time I bookmark a fic, I’m going to tag it with a description of how it made me feel.” 

Using a template isn’t cheating!! “It’s not completely original,” well, who cares. Most of what we say has been said countless times before, but that doesn’t make it meaningless - it’s been said so many times because it’s been meant. 

If you’re worried about commenting because you’re not a native speaker, it’s okay! However, when authors get a comment from someone who says that they’re reading this in a second language, that you’re still learning, we go “oh my god Dedication I love you so much.” 

To those readers who are also writers - commenting is different than writing. They might as well be different languages (and depending on what languages you read/write in, they might actually be different languages). The fact that you write stories might not make commenting any easier, and that, again, is normal. I’ve said several times that “I can only say what I mean when I can put the words into a character’s mouth.” 

If you don’t want to leave a short comment but you don’t know what to say? Talk to a friend about the story while you’re reading, if you have fandom friends. Make them read it too. When you’re done, copy the best parts of the chat log (including keyboard smashes) into the comment box and post it. Authors love that. 

- Mod Rose

[karendeidre]

This story gets better and better with every chapter! ❤ And I even ceased to be perplexed about the french windows in the last house. :)

P.s. And yes, the picture shows a look into the future. I hope! :)

[evendale]

Ooh, I love this so much! 😍😍😍 Thank you!! ❤❤❤

[karendeidre]

New Year’s holidays are a great occasion to re-read your favorite fan fiction! This story is in my personal top 5 forever! =)

[evendale]

I love this!! Thank you so much! 🥰😍

[jupitersmusings]

good things will happen 🧿

things that are meant to be will fall into place 🧿

[overlord-fire-bubble]

THIS ONE FUCKING WORKS. REBLOG IT.

[essenceofrose]

Okay I reblogged and got into the entrepreneurship program I wanted. This WORKS

[magicalmerry]

Reblogging for some added help for the coming months

[bright-young-thing]

the way @evendale has resuscitated my mental health with the white queen...

[evendale]

I’m really so glad you like it!! 😊😊😊

[blogjustashygirl]

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

THE BEST FIC EVER I WANNA LIVE IN IT

[blogjustashygirl]

The passionate smiles from the beginning. That's all, let me just cry in the corner.

[lebaised]

[danaskulls]

sergio + loving raquel

bonus:

[blogjustashygirl]

The way that was just their first time and they look to each other like there is no one else, they are so confortable, the way he holds her, the way she keeps getting closer to him like she is feeling safe in his arms, the way they can't stop smiling, It is like they are home, from now on there is no way back and they know It. It is pure love.

[lizzibennet]

jane austen really just repeatedly said “the sexiest thing a man can be is kind, selfless, attentive and honest about his feelings” and, as always, she was correct every single time

[vilindeer]

She also said women should have financial autonomy and legal rights. :)

[lizzibennet]

jane austen: men should be softer and kinder and women should be allowed to be witty and funny and independent

me: fuckin superb u funky little regency ladie

[satanickpanick]

jane austen: soft masculinity! strong femininity! 

me, yearning: yes ma’am

[spider-heda]

Did I already mention that I love Raquel and Sergio too much ? Yes, well, here it is again. Some gifs about the two of them, because they’re so beautiful together.