gaitwae

Gait || author formerly known as @lupine_phoenix || She/Her, Adult, Author, FanFic Writer || Downton Abbey, Star Trek, Superheroes, Pirates, and Princesses || My Book! || [gaitwae's masterlist] || [AO3] || @trip-tuckers-hyperspanner

[gaitwae]

Garbage With Gait

gaslight, @gaitwae, girlboss

Gait \\ I am over 18 \\ She/Her \\ Multifandom \\ Age-Inclusive (M rated works do not contain smut but are still not geared towards minors — read with caution my loves)

I have my requests open! If you want to see what I've written, please visit my AO3 or visit my tag gaitwae writes to find my posted works!

published original works: Candy Brides & Soldier Princes

Other important tags: #garbage with gait (my ramblings), #shut up gait (my music tag)

Some Fandoms I've Written For:

MCU

Downton Abbey

DC

Star Trek

Sherlock

Merlin

Requests are open for all the above fandoms! Look around!

Anons and Asks are open! (but if you're rude I simply will not answer. This does not mean if I haven't answered I think you're rude, I might just not have seen it/gotten around to it yet!!)

[cuunos]

being a kid and hearing adults say stuff like "woah 2011 was 4 years ago haha" didn't really convey the fucking horror of a youtube video crossing my recommended labelled "9 years ago" and it's from 2017. that's not true. 9 years ago is 2010 or something. don't lie.

[ratsoupee]

field trip cancelled

Based off hit tumblr post:

[jaimehwatson]

My Deep Space 9 self-insert fantasy is working for Garak in his tailor shop, however, I also know for a fact that he would be a terrible boss. He would be liable to snap and yell at me over tiny mistakes just because he's having a bad day. He'd drop everything and leave me to man the counter myself, no matter how many customers were waiting, the second Bashir showed up and asked him to lunch. He'd get drunk and oversleep the next morning and be late to open the place, but expect me to just stand there waiting indefinitely on the promenade and be ready to start working whenever he feels like showing up (obviously I can't unlock the door myself, he would never give me his constantly changing series of complex security codes). And then I'd probably die because he forgot about me when he blew it up.

[loveridden1999]

the thing about phone in bed is that it's so awesome. almost makes you feel like betraying & destroying yourself for nothing isn't all so bad

[danielkanhai]

i’m not against vaping, but man, vaping two inches from my face on the subway is a ridiculous asshole kind of move. this dude was billowing like he was auditioning for the role of haunted house fog machine. the humidity in the whole car changed, he was ruining haircuts. just jump starting the water cycle. condensation was dripping down my glasses. people were slipping off poles, it was chaos. it was like watching one man try to terraform the moon. a planet with one dense, root beer scented atmosphere blocking out the sun and choking all life. 

[jazzcochina-deactivated20180807]

i consider this a sort of prose poem to be honest

[ceruleanheaven]

[looking at people younger than me] you have your whole life ahead of you [looking at people older than me] you have your whole life ahead of you [looking at myself] its over

[ineffablejadzia]

I'm about to give a Vulcan sparkling water, they don't know what's about to hit them, I'll keep you guys updated

[gaitwae]

Where's the update op

[kaity--did]

The problem with having a child with an attorney that has spoken to the child like an adult since birth is that she's 4 years old and she's negotiating the order in which we're going to complete tasks as a family to best suit her idea of an ideal day.

[kaity--did]

Penny: We go home, we play the mirror game, we have dessert, we play more games, we have fun deal?

Me: Okay well actually we're going to go home, have dinner, then dessert, then we can play your video game, then tubby then bed

Penny: Okay no tubby, games first, deal?

Me: This is not - what is happening right now?

Penny: Dada?

Dada: Arbitration?

Penny: DEALS!

[kaity--did]

Every single thing in our lives has become a negotiation and it is frankly ridiculous as it is hilarious.

Penny: I want to use bare foot when we go outside

Me: I didn't know we were going outside but you have to wear shoes girl

Penny: okay but what about I use bare foot's but at Penny's house? This deal?

Me: you know what yeah fine if you agree to not fight about shoes when we leave the house you can be barefoot in the back yard, deal.

Penny: -sticks her hand out expectantly- we deal?

I think I just made a verbal contract with a 4 year old.

[kaity--did]

She's attempting to establish evidence I think

Penny: but I want to go shool pwease

Dada: okay well it is 8pm, so you have to go to sleep now

Penny: okay but I see my fwiends at shool now please, deal?

Dada: Darling no one is at school, all your friends are asleep as well.

Penny: all Penny's fwiends are sweep? What about we... get in Dadas car and check to see watch them sweep, yes deal?

Dada: I cannot begin to explain to you why that can not happen

[kaity--did]

The great thing about being beholden to Penny the Deals Warlock is that she is also beholden to the art of the deal

Me: (watching Penny scoot her step stool over to where we keep the candy jar): hey honey we're literally walking out the door to go get dinner, maybe we wait on the candy okay?

Penny: Oh but I will have some candy?

Me: Why don't you come have some mac and cheese and then when we get home you can have some candy, deal?

Penny: (running out the door) oh, yes this is deals!

[kaity--did]

We are visiting my family and Papa has quickly had to pay patronage to Penny the Deals Warlock

Papa: (yesterday morning, when Penny was a little grumpy) What about you come downstairs and we'll have some waffles and then tomorrow Papa will take you to the Diner in town for breakfast?

Penny: (extending her tiny hand to a VERY confused man) this is deal?

Papa: (not knowing hes entering a literal contract) uhm yeah deal.

-smash cut to 6:30 AM this morning-

Penny (running down the hallway in bare feet) 👹BREAKFAST DEALS👹

[kaity--did]

Penny has a canker sore to end all canker sores, to the point where she hasn't been able to eat so we had to make some deals surrounding getting some medicine on it because a hungry Penny Rose is like a angry demon queen

Me: Okay baby this is going to suck. This is going to hurt real bad for a second and then it's going to feel weird and then it's going to feel good. You're going to hate it. But if you let Mama get these three medicines in and on you [Listerine, Antacid, Tylenol] you can scream it out and then we'll go get some ice cream! Deal?

Penny: (obviously not thrilled with this idea) okay, three big shreams, three medicines, ice cream ... it will suck... ice cream ... deal. (Sticks out hand and we shake on it)

Me: okay let's do this I'm so sorry (starts the process)

Penny: ( In between her big screams ) IM GONNA GET LOTS OF FRINKLES

[kaity--did]

My husband is trying to make a deal with Penny to get upstairs and get in the bath tub

Penny: I will go upstairs and get my body clean but you hafta titch me, deal?

Dada: I would love to make this deal with you kid but I literally have no idea what you are saying- I don't know what the terms are, you're speaking a language I don't speak

Penny: you have to titch me like mama does okay DEAL!? (Sticks tiny hand out aggressively)

Dada: (looks at me bewildered for help)

Me: ( starts making a quick tick tick tick sound imitating a stop watch like I'm timing her, while penny jumps around yelling YES TITCH ME LIKE THAT)

Dada: In what world was I ever going to figure that out, thank you for acting as our legal interpreter yes deal let's go!

and off she sprints.

[kaity--did]

Penny does not want to go to bed, but man is it time for her to go to bed

Penny: But I don't want to be sleeping, I want to stay up now! I want to see Grampy and Cozy and Guppie and Papa!

Mama: What if we video call all the grands and say good night to everyone? If we do that will you then go to bed no fussing?

Penny: Oh yes, this is deals! -sticks her hand out to shake-

** we make the rounds and video call all her grandparents, they are all already in bed and say good night and penny hangs up the last video call and toddles into bed with minimal fussing **

Penny : (after a few minutes of silence, over the video monitor, to herself in her dark bedroom) I hafta respect da deals.

[kaity--did]

Every morning Penny wakes up, and she asks if we have decorated her house with "Halloween every where" and every morning I have had to tell her not yet baby but soon. This last morning Penny had to go to pre k a little earlier then she is used to cause Daddy had court and I had a dentist appointment, which made her a little bummed out... or so I thought

Me: Hey baby do you want to make a deal about school?

Penny: (immediately sticks out her hand, literally no hesitation, her entire demeanor changing in an instant) yes let's deals, I will be big and brave and go to school no fussing, and you will put Halloween every where all over my house, okay this is deals Mama??

I think I just got hustled by a 4 year old...

[kaity--did]

A tangentially related update :

Penny: (is doing some strange interpretive dance to let us know she's not a fan of the cup we've chosen to put her juice in, mind you this is the only clean cup at this moment. She is hopping up and down, and swinging her arm like an elephant trunk, she is pirouetting, her hands are on her hips. Shes is completely silent)

Husband: (exasperated) okay but DID you make a deal with SOMETHING while you were pregnant ? It's the only explanation I can come up with.

[kaity--did]

sometimes people will ask me if penny is still making deals and here is an update for you to let you know:

Husband: okay, you can not leave your room until someone comes and gets you okay? You're getting up way too early and we're guests in Papa and Guppies house so you stay and play in your room and someone will come get you when you can come out of your room tomorrow morning, deal?

Penny: (hand extended, plotting) deal

-smash cut to the next morning, penny is NOT in her room at the allotted 7:30 AM retrieve Penny Rose Time, we find her in bed cuddled up with my mom and dad watching a movie-

Penny: (hands out in a "calm down" gesture) LISTEN LISTEN I DIDNT LEAVE! I DIDNT- I didn't break da deals! I just knocked on the door until Papa came and got me.

Papa: (laughing hysterically) WELL DONT SNITCH!

Penny: I DIDNT DO NOTHING I KEPT MY DEALS! YOU JUS SAID SOMEONE HAD TO COME GET ME! PAPA COME GET ME!

(so we have to be insanely detailed in our deals because she did knock on her bed room door and yell PAPA! PAPA! PAPA! At 4:30 in the morning until my dad came and got her and you know what that's on us 🤣)

[kaity--did]

Yes she's still at it folks

Penny: can we watch a Pokémon?

Me: I'll make a deal with you?

Penny: -sits down at the dining room table like she's on literal trial- Listening

Me: if you can do bath time and get around for bed with literally NO FUSSING you and I can watch ONE POKÉMON in mama and dadas bed before you go to bed! IF I HEAR ONE BIT OF FUSSING POKÉMON IS OFF THE TABLE!

Penny: -folding her hands ready to counter, speaking to me like I'm losing my faculties- uhm, no deal Mama, I want Pokémon on the TV not on the table.

Me: -trying not to die- that's ...no I just mean the deal is if you fuss at all there will be NO POKÉMON TONIGHT

Penny: oh! Yes! This is deals!

[ifuckinglovemirage]

they call it a lab gown because we're getting marriedd ^_^ to the chemicals ^_^

[kushblazer666]

[wolfish-trickster]

Do people with really strong glasses have blurry dreams? Do you guys wear your glasses in dreams?

[gaitwae]

I can see fine in my dreams. I wear glasses in my dreams because that's primarily what's been on my face since I was 8. Whatever your brain is used to is usually what your dreams translate to, I imagine

[kosmogrl]

it’s june I desperately need to stop wasting time

[hellsite-testing-ground]

˙ʇɐqʇᴉnɹɟ ɐ ǝɯoɔǝq oʇ pǝpᴉɔǝp ǝʌ,I

[ivipl1]

nastiest trick in the book is getting you genuinely deeply attached to a character whose name sounds fucking stupid in any other context. this WILL happen to you at some point in your life.

[tiktoks-for-dead-pope]

[ao3commentoftheday]

Something that I haven't seen emphasized yet in the beta discussion is that at least in my experience, betas are generally giving suggestions rather than saying that something must be changed. If I'm saying "I don't think this line makes sense" I'm not saying it has to be changed, just that it's confusing to me, and maybe to others, but that you are in no way required to change it if it's a stylistic choice, or you just like it like that. If I suggest a different word choice, you're always free to ignore me. There's also a chance that I'm wrong! I'm human, you're human, we can make mistakes. Some of my suggestions are also personal opinion on how to say something, but in english there's usually no singular way to represent something!

I spent some time as copy editor for a newspaper before I moved up to senior board, but I still do a lot of copy work for it as we don't have a copy editor currently (copy is what we call the editing process of our articles, so similar to proofreading as a beta). We work in google docs and as we edit articles, we always use the suggestion mode to make sure we aren't making changes unilaterally that wouldn't be noticed, and that could be wrong. After two rounds of editing (one for grammar and one for fact-checking, although the latter is probably more relevant to newspaper than fic), the author of the article could go through the comments and decide if they agreed that they used one word too much or a paragraph should be moved to make a line flow better or to add a sentence, etc. or just ignore the comment. Their name would be on the article, so authors always have the final say.

There's obviously some differences in these two types of writing (especially as for newspaper work I have to follow a style guide and make comments about capitalization or how we write people's titles that had to be changed), and I can only talk more about shorter pieces as articles are only so long, but the "Suggestion Mode" method of thinking about betaing is something that I retain in fandom and I think is a good way to think about it. 

If you want to soften the blow as a beta, try phrasing your comment as a suggestion rather than a fact to avoid coming across as negative or accusatory. If you are the author and you're scared of rejection or harsh words, try to think of your beta's comments as light suggestions from a friend on improvements rather than them criticizing you, harsh, etc. They don't think you're a bad writer just because they said you used the word "glowing" too many times in one paragraph, and their opinion of you does not depend on your skill or your work, but who you are. It may not work for every case as everyone's preferences are different, but this "Suggestion Mode" method of working/thinking can help ease friction between betas and authors and I hope it helps!

Thanks for giving your perspective on things!

[westiec]

As someone who likes to beta, I find it so so helpful when an author can tell me what style of feedback they prefer or don't want! I think sometimes writers who are new to working with a beta don't realize this is allowed, but especially for fanfic where there's no style guide to worry about, we can absolutely tailor the kind of notes we give you.

Sometimes that's suggested changes for SPAG and unclear phrasing, sometimes that's highlighting lines to flag with comments or questions, sometimes it's big-picture developmental notes on the pacing or story progression or character voice, sometimes it's "omg please just fix my accidental tense changes," sometimes it's "please don't suggest wording changes, just let me know anywhere you're confused," sometimes it's even just "hey can you hype me up? I'm nervous about this one."

Beta readers want to help you feel good about sharing your writing!