Hex

[hexlikeawitch]

Hello There!

Hello!

We're Hex, this is our writing sideblog!

We use they/them pronouns in the plural form, and are a proud system!

We publish on AO3 under the same account name as this blog :>

We also might discuss our forays into original fiction here. Current project tag is #archetypes in progress.

Things we write:

Fandoms - BNHA, MCU, Sanders Sides, The Witcher, Harry Potter (occasionally), and more.

Genres/tropes - canon divergence, hurt/comfort, queer, system AUs, family feels, mental illness and disability (esp trauma), and more

Podfics, remixes, and other forms of playing with our fics will be received with great joy, and we would very much like to be told about them.

AO3 'inspired by/translation of/gifting and telling us via tumblr is what we typically prefer, but you can do it however you want and we will thank you for it!!

We do not consent to our fics or characters being fed to any form of generative AI such as ChatGPT, character.ai, and similar.

We do not consent to our fics being monetised in anyway.

We love receiving asks, please go wild with it!!

[hexlikeawitch]

I have broken my writers block :DDDD

I've been stuck on this one scene for several weeks, and today I cracked it! Current wordcount for the day is 570~, and hoping to get up to about 1k.

Excerpt:

“It doesn’t matter what I really am, Mum. From the moment I got that letter, the only thing anyone will ever see of me is that I’m a Mastermind,” she said helplessly. “That’s… that’s my life now.”

Rosa put a hand on her daughter’s cheek and turned it so they could see each other.

“Vermillion, listen to me,” she said seriously. “Your Archetype does not define you. I fell in love with your father knowing he was a Monster. I stayed with him after our story ended, even when it was hard.” She smiled. “I’ve never cared about his Archetype, so why would I care about yours?”

[hexlikeawitch]

New Fic!

The Hunting Lady

Lady Marta, Duchess of Ysegarth, eldest daughter of the Noble House of Roggeven has found, by all accounts, a very good husband for herself. Unfortunately, he's not all he's cracked up to be, and she rather thinks she could find something better and arranges the situation such that she can. Adventures ensue.

I am finally beginning the posting of this mammoth fic, excited to share with you all <3

[teddywesworl]

i do write for attention, actually, because that's a normal reason to create art

[teddywesworl]

did you hear about that actor performing a play in front of a crowd? clearly only doing it for attention

[teddywesworl]

im trying to say something and im not gonna say it in an empty room

[lena221bee]

tags by @yuanzhous

[stickynotecemetery]

[ID: Tumblr tags reading: #I wish people understood that when writers/artists bring this up they're not complaining about a lack of NOTES/STATS #they're complaining about a lack of COMMUNICATION and COMMUNITY #this is what all the pieces of fanworks you see mean. the people who make them are trying to have a conversation with you!! #they say 'this is what I think' or 'wouldnt it be cool if' or 'hey everyone look at the neat guy we all like' #and you're not obligated to be a part of that conversation if you don't want to! #but if you do want to hear more of what they have to say? you can't ask them to monologue about it #it REQUIRES your participation" /End ID]

[teddywesworl]

i do write for attention, actually, because that's a normal reason to create art

[teddywesworl]

did you hear about that actor performing a play in front of a crowd? clearly only doing it for attention

[teddywesworl]

im trying to say something and im not gonna say it in an empty room

[lena221bee]

tags by @yuanzhous

[stickynotecemetery]

[ID: Tumblr tags reading: #I wish people understood that when writers/artists bring this up they're not complaining about a lack of NOTES/STATS #they're complaining about a lack of COMMUNICATION and COMMUNITY #this is what all the pieces of fanworks you see mean. the people who make them are trying to have a conversation with you!! #they say 'this is what I think' or 'wouldnt it be cool if' or 'hey everyone look at the neat guy we all like' #and you're not obligated to be a part of that conversation if you don't want to! #but if you do want to hear more of what they have to say? you can't ask them to monologue about it #it REQUIRES your participation" /End ID]

[this-is-varsexism-transphobia]

"AFAB/AMAB reader" is improper! Writers, please stop.

[PT: "AFAB/AMAB reader" is improper! Writers, please stop.]

AGAB =/= anatomy! Intersex people can be AFAB or AMAB, and anyone (intersex or perisex) can go through sex-altering surgeries or HRT!

Please, I am begging people to popularize the following as tags:

#Estrogenized-leaning reader (Or "#E-lean reader" for short) #Androgenized-leaning reader (Or "#A-lean reader" for short) #Androestrogenized-leaning reader (or "#Anes-lean reader" for short) #Unspecified reader (or "#Unspec reader" for short)

To add along with the previous tags, if genital anatomy is necessary to discuss:

#Reader with penoscrotal setup (or "#Reader w PSS" for short) #Reader with vulvovaginal setup (or #Reader w VVS" for short) #Reader with ambiguous setup (or "#Reader w AS" for short)

To add along with the previous tags, if reproductive anatomy is necessary to discuss:

#Reader who menstruates #Reader impregnation (with the mpreg, fpreg, & enpreg/nbpreg hashtags.) #Reader with seminal vesicles (or "#Reader w semves" for short) #Reader with prostate

And ofc, these aren't gender tags! Add gender tags! These are anatomy [PT: anatomy] tags.

Don't come at me with the "thats too many tagsssss" bullshit, either. Thats like, five tags max, and only if all three categories are relevant to your story.

Example:

#A-lean reader #Reader with PSS #Mpreg #Reader impregnation #male reader

Please separate sex from the binary in your mind if you want to be an actual LGBTQIA+ ally.

[the-bar-sinister]

I'm so glad to see AO3 making it absolutely clear that none of these things are allowed to even be HINTED at.

Here's some of the language from the new post about AO3's police on commercial promotion:

-

There is a wide variety of things that are not allowed under AO3's non-commercialization rules.

Any other language which one might interpret as requesting or having requested financial contributions, whether for yourself or others. This covers indirect references, euphemisms, or other language intended to get around the TOS. Some examples of this include:

Thanks for the coffee!

My ☕ username is the same as my username here

This chapter is brought to you by my patrons

You know where to find me if you want early or bonus chapters

Check out my Twitter to learn how you can donate to me since I'm not allowed to discuss it here

If you want to hear more about my ideas, talk about fandom, or find more of my stuff for a coin, visit my Tumblr

Solicitation is not allowed, whether it's for yourself or on behalf of someone else.

[srfirefox]

Here's the crazy thing, folks. You *can* day things like "My Tumblr is [username], come over and scream into the void about these blorbos with me!" And then plaster your kofi all over your Tumblr. You can say "Thanks to [someone] for suggesting this fic! I listen to people's suggestions all the time on Tumblr!" for literally any reason someone told you to write a fic.

It's not hard to filter out the things you shouldn't say based on environment. Back when I was in high school you'd hear about all the fun someone had that weekend, but they wouldn't say there was drinking and weed and throwing firecrackers into a campfire where a teacher or parent could hear them.

[inqorporeal]

The reason we're not allowed to post monetary links or use any language alluding to it on AO3 is for our protection. If a copyright holder wants to sue a fan writer for making money or demand their work be taken down as "property" of the copyright holder, AO3's lawyers need to be able to defend us by saying money isn't being made and not perjuring themselves.

It's a LEGAL issue. AO3 has no issues with writers earning money. Just not directly via their platform. Not enough people seem to understand this. There's a very long history of copyright holders throwing their weight around and taking a hatchet to fandom spaces using legal backing, and we're trying to avoid that.

[lierdumoa]

It's more than that though. It's not just about protecting their asses, legally. It's also about the principles and values upon which AO3 was built.

AO3 came out of an exlicitly anti-monetization fan culture. You will hear the founders of AO3 use the term "gift economy" a lot if you follow any of their socials, which is another way of saying "mutual aid economy."

AO3 is a non-profit organization built and coded and maintained by volunteer labor and charitable donations.

Understand that when you try to use the AO3 platform to monetize, you are not just monetizing your own labor as a fan creator. You are also monetizing the volunteer labor of everyone who built that platform.

And they will tell you that they are NOT OKAY with you exploiting THEIR LABOR, THEIR HOURS UPON HOURS OF CODING AND TAG WRANGLING AND ORGANIZING AND FUNDRAISING, for your personal gain.

Stop trying to sell books in the middle of a library.

[what-even-is-thiss]

I think a lot of writers might benefit from giving themselves permission to get weird with format.

Use second person, drop classic rising action and climax format, write backwards, just sit in a moment, tell all you want and refuse to show, make an entire book that’s just one run on sentence, reject tropes, use all tropes, cliche yourself to death, produce something that’s completely gibberish. Break all the rules of marketability. Become ungovernable.

[what-even-is-thiss]

Write a story that just takes place inside one pathetic little person’s head. Do it. It’s enrichment in your enclosure.

[what-even-is-thiss]

Do the writer’s equivalent of playing with finger paints. Do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it

[what-even-is-thiss]

It’s the middle of the night and I should be sleeping but listen. Listen. Just get weird with it. Open your soul up a little bit. Like actually don’t worry about it being palatable. I’m serious. Get weirder. Get weirder right now. I’m demanding that you get weirder right now. It’s not your responsibility to make your reader feel good. It’s your job to make art, goddamnit. Make art. Make weird art. Open up your third eye and eat an entire cheesecake.

[mromitosen]

I am a PASSIONATE commenter on fanfiction, but sometimes it slows down my reading because I don't want to read if I don't have the mental energy to leave the long comments I want to

Still, as an author, I know even a short note can mean the world.

So, I put together a little guide with different “levels” of comments, so it’s easier to leave something without overthinking!

Hopefully this helps someone else too!

[blackbird-brewster]

As someone with cognitive impairment, who is also extremely passionate about leaving comments, I too put off reading sometimes because I know it takes additional energy to comment.

So, if I may add another couple of tips for fellow readers who don't always have the time/capacity to leave well thought out comments:

Reading a multi-chapter fic and finding it difficult to say something new every chapter?

- It is TOTALLY fine for your comments to fluctuate from dissertations to just a sentence or two, or even just some enthusiastic emoji from chapter to chapter! The author will still appreciate the love, no matter what.

Just got an Update email on your fave WIP, but you know you don't have capacity to read and leave a comment in the same sitting?

- When low brain capacity means I only have enough juice to read a chapter, but won't have enough for a long comment after, I usually post something like "Loved this update! I'll leave a longer comment once I've had time to really process everything that happened."

Then, I set myself a reminder to go back and post my thoughts when my brain recharges a bit. Oftentimes, this method actually leads me to noticing even more details when I go to write down my thoughts.

Have you ever read a fic in multiple sittings, then gotten to the comment section and suddenly, you can't remembering every little thing you loved?

- I have short term memory issues, so this happens to me even when I read something all at once. To combat this issue, I always have a note open in another window, or even just a scrap of paper nearby, and I write my live reaction notes as I'm reading.

I really like this method, because it means my comments are sort of a play-by-play. When I've had authors reply to these comments, they usually add some insight into the fic I wouldn't have gotten otherwise! It's like unlocking bonus features 😍

No matter what your style is, commenting is an integral part of fanfiction. I promise you, no matter what you end up commenting, we authors appreciate it!

[prokopetz]

The reason your fantasy pantheon doesn't feel authentic is because you're starting from the wrong end. Real-world polytheism is syncretic – just deities from neighbouring cultures getting smashed together at high speed and leaving it for nerds with too much time on their hands to figure out how it makes sense. You are yourself a nerd with too much time on your hands. Don't start out asking yourself what domains make sense together. Pick domains at random and work backwards to invent a theology and metaphysics whereby of course the god of war is also the god of baked goods. What kind of silly question is that?

[kuttithevangu]

One of the things about writing that feels the silliest is when there’s a detail in the scene that the character doesn’t think is important but you know the reader will know it’s important because otherwise it wouldn’t be there, so you’re just sort of making eye contact with the reader over the character’s head and whispering “don’t tell them”

[kkglinka]

This is a Moving Forward PSA for everyone using AO3. I am witnessing the results of a culture clash and communication failure. Not a lack of communication, but a misunderstanding caused by changes in fandom culture.

Before fic tagging was common, fics weren’t tagged. You had a pairing, if applicable, an author’s note about genre or general content, and if they were feeling charitable, a vague content warning. There are even a few genres of fic where even vaguely tagging literally spoils the plot and impact (such as horror, psyche thriller, in which the likely content is implicit to the genre). As a result, there is a basic category tag that permits this, as a courtesy to “old-fashioned” writers.

“No Archive Warnings Apply” means the fic is PG13 at worst, probably fluff, totally safe.

“Choose Not to Use Archive Warnings” is the polar opposite. It’s a glaring Enter at Your Own Risk billboard. It means: a shitload of warnings apply but I ain’t telling because this story requires shock value. It’s very important to read the author’s notes for those fics because they might be using that older format from above.

But without the context of fandom culture that generated AO3, it’s understandably easy to conflate the two categories, given their similar wording.

[mrv3000]

“No Archive Warnings Apply” means there’s no

graphic depictions of violence

major character death

underage

rape/non-con

“Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings” =  HERE BE DRAGONS. (implies that one or more of the above exists, but the author doesn’t want to give anything away by tagging)

[pussyhoundspock]

joining the war on kids reading any book they want on the side of kids reading any book they want. simply you will be fine. it's even good to be confronted with things you don't understand and even find upsetting, uncomfortable and difficult. it's a surprise tool that will help you later.

[acorviart]

never been so disgusted as when I open a fanfic and the notes happily describe how they had assistance from chatgpt. like I'm sorry are you so useless that you need a lying machine to help you play with toys, something I assumed most people master in toddlerhood

[general-sleepy]

Fic writers, put in the tags what the difference in hits is between your most and least viewed fics. Mine is 7,720 (7,779-59).

[andhumanslovedstories]

It really is crazy how if you mention you write fanfiction with people outside fandom, they're always like "you should change the names and try to sell it." It misses the point (fun), but more importantly to me, I get slightly (and I know irrationally) insulted on a craft letter. Excuse me, my fanfic is entwined with the canon, thank you very much. I wish sometimes less entwined. You wouldn't believe the stupid bullshit some of my fics have to include because of canon.

[neil-perrys-suicidal-tendencies]

REBLOG POSTS❗❗ COMMENT ON FICS❗❗COMPLIMENT FANART ❗❗LEAVE LITTLE NOTES IN THE TAGS❗❗ BOOKMARK FICS YOU LIKE❗❗ TELL AUTHORS WHAT YOU LIKED ABOUT THEIR FICS❗❗COMMENT ON DECADE OLD FICS ❗❗ADD YOUR OWN ANALYSIS IN LONG POSTS❗❗ENGAGE❗❗ INTERACT❗❗ BUILD A COMMUNITY ❗❗

While people don't work for engagement, it certainly doesn't do any harm..