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INKED - TioStyles

We all know how hard it is to find new writers on tumblr (let’s face it, it’s hard to do anything on tumblr these days), and that sometimes means talent gets buried. So, as two writers, we wanted to do something to highlight the wonderful talent the Harry Styles fandom has.

If you’d like to take part, or you have a writer you’d like to see get some recognition, fill out this handy form HERE! Please don’t be shy about putting yourself forward, this isn’t a popularity contest, this is about you and your writing being found. We’re also on Wattpad so if you have an author on there you’d like us to talk to, feel free to suggest them.

Here’s a shameless plug for our work!

@harrystylesgotmefuckedup : Masterlist

@imnottherealharrystyles : Masterlist

and be sure to also follow @huccimermaidshirts if you don’t already!

Love, Mo, Van, and Elena x

Our author this round is @tiostyles!

You can find their writing here: TUMBLR

When did you start writing?

I started writing stories when I was in like second grade, pretty much falling in love with it right there at 8 years old. But I started writing fanfic when I was in middle school.

Tell us your 1D/Harry origin story.

I saw a photo of Harry on Tumblr in like 2010/2011 and I genuinely thought he was someone else so I paid no mind, but then I saw them more and more and looked them up and watched the WMYB video and the rest is history. I stuck with Harry, though, because I was actually already hyping up his solo career to my friend after Zayn left and I’m glad he didn’t disappoint 2015 me.

Tell us why Harry is your muse.

The most important reason is that I find myself relating to him a lot and he’s honestly helped me, over the past 8 years, become a better person.

Do you tell people you write fanfic? Do you tell people you write at all?

No. I tell people I like to write my free time, but that’s it.

Do you have a writing playlist, or do you need complete silence to write?

I don’t have a playlist but I do usually listen to music when I write because I find a lot of inspiration in the sounds mostly and I use the vibes of songs to help with setting the tones of stories.

Favorite thing you’ve ever written?

I don’t think it’s the best thing I’ve ever written, but my story (The Heart) Wants What It Wants is definitely my favorite. I have gone back and reread it so many times and I think about it all the time lol.

Name your favorite things you've ever read, fanfiction and non-fanfiction.

For fanfiction, one that sticks out is this really old Liam fic that I’ve read multiple times called Rescue Me by @some1dfanfiction on tumblr. Another one I loooove that is a one-shot called In The Morning by @stylesunchained. Another favorite is The Golden Hour by standingfacingwest.

For non-fanfiction, my all-time favorite book is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.

Do you lean toward one genre over others? What are your favorites?

In the fan fiction realm, I tend to read more enemies to lovers because it’s my absolute favorite (if that is considered a genre?) but in general, I do lean a little more toward contemporary and sometimes fantasy, depending on my mood. I really love historical fiction and I don’t read enough of it. I’ve also come to enjoy more non-fiction things as well like biographies and case studies.

Do you have a fixed plan of what you’re going to write, or do you just see where the story takes you?

Try to have somewhat of a plan, but I don’t always and sometimes even when I do plan things out, I tend to change things as I write so my process is a little bit of an unorganized mess, not really completely one way or the other.

Is there a schedule you follow in terms of when you write? Or are you more impulsive and just write where and when you can?

Impulsive. I tried doing a schedule and fell behind. I’m just not someone who can write whenever, I definitely struggle with motivation.

Are your stories driven by plot or character?

I think they’re mostly driven by character. I spend a lot of time on dialogue and actions more than anything else and trying to actively convey a character based on what they say and do rather than descriptions.

Some readers are wary of leaving feedback because they’re unsure how the writer will take it, how do you personally like to receive feedback? Do you want to be critiqued, or would you like to just know if they did or didn’t enjoy what they’ve read?

I would definitely welcome any kind fo feedback as long as it isn’t non-constructive hate. I want to know if they liked it or not but I also want to know why. And I especially love when people quote parts of the story in their feedback that they really enjoyed. This is pretty cliche, but it really is just very heartwarming to know that something I created has affected someone in any way.

Do you use a beta? If so, feel free to give them a shout out! How do they help you?

I don’t, but I definitely should! I was lucky enough to have @verorax helping me with my 1dffexchange last year and she really made such huge differences in my writing and made my own editing better because I tend to not write in the simplest way possible. So, now I’m always looking at sentences that sound weird and trying to figure out how to say it in more concise ways.

Is writing a hobby or do you have aspirations of writing professionally outside of fanfiction?

It is just hobby and I’ve always said I’d love to write a book one day, but I don’t think it would ever be my career.

Do you post your writing in other places? Where do you you find to be the best place for your work?

I’ve posted on Wattpad only recently, but I’m still pretty faithful to Tumblr. I’m not really sure where the best place is to be honest. I’m still testing the waters with Wattpad at the moment.

Favorite writing trope?

Enemies to lovers. Of course I found a way to already have answered this question.

AU or OU?

AUs. I enjoy creating my own worlds and giving my own personality traits to the face claims I choose rather than being restricted to how, for example, Harry might actually behave based on what we know about him. No hate OUs though, I still like them too!

Preferred types of writing: Blurbs, short stories, or full fics?

Full fics, even though I don’t write them enough. I like creating OFCs and really going deep into developing their personality. I, once again, tend to feel little restricted when I do shorter things with a Y/N instead, even though I do those a lot more often lol

Do you draw anything from your personal life? What inspires your subject matter?

All the time. I think my main inspiration is my own experiences and it always tends to turn out better when I write about something I know because I can be really detailed without worrying that I’m wrong. But, I also get a lot of inspiration from movies and music. For example, in my story Counting Stars, the concept for it is pretty heavily inspired by a mix of outside sources, like the song it’s named after by One Republic, the movies Pursuit of Happiness, Coyote Ugly, and (a little bit) The Basketball Diaries.

What’s your purpose for writing? What do you hope to accomplish?

I just hope to be able to write something that someone can get so lost in that it inspires them to create something of their own.

And finally, do you have any advice or tips for fellow fanfiction writers?

Just to have fun with it and not get so bogged down by lack of recognition. I know how hard it is, I still see lack of notes or feedback and doubt myself all the time, but it’s something I’m trying to get better at. Because even if only one person likes what you write, that person still matters and you’ve still affected them enough for them to come and tell you how much they liked what you wrote and that’s what should be the most important. Not whether or not you have 1,000+ notes on something. Also, I would encourage everyone to step out of your comfort zones every now and then and write something you wouldn’t normally, or take a popular trope and really make it your own. It’s really good practice on getting better with writing!

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Inked - Adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy

We all know how hard it is to find new writers on tumblr (let’s face it, it’s hard to do anything on tumblr these days), and that sometimes means talent gets buried. So, as two writers, we wanted to do something to highlight the wonderful talent the Harry Styles fandom has.

If you’d like to take part, or you have a writer you’d like to see get some recognition, fill out this handy form HERE! Please don’t be shy about putting yourself forward, this isn’t a popularity contest, this is about you and your writing being found. We’re also on Wattpad so if you have an author on there you’d like us to talk to, feel free to suggest them.

Here’s a shameless plug for our work!

@harrystylesgotmefuckedup : Masterlist

@imnottherealharrystyles : Masterlist

and be sure to also follow @huccimermaidshirts if you don’t already!

Love, Mo, Van, and Elena x

Our author this weekend is @adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy​

You can find their writing here: TUMBLR 

Keep reading

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Inked - Adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy

We all know how hard it is to find new writers on tumblr (let’s face it, it’s hard to do anything on tumblr these days), and that sometimes means talent gets buried. So, as two writers, we wanted to do something to highlight the wonderful talent the Harry Styles fandom has.

If you’d like to take part, or you have a writer you’d like to see get some recognition, fill out this handy form HERE! Please don’t be shy about putting yourself forward, this isn’t a popularity contest, this is about you and your writing being found. We’re also on Wattpad so if you have an author on there you’d like us to talk to, feel free to suggest them.

Here’s a shameless plug for our work!

@harrystylesgotmefuckedup : Masterlist

@imnottherealharrystyles : Masterlist

and be sure to also follow @huccimermaidshirts if you don’t already!

Love, Mo, Van, and Elena x

Our author this weekend is @adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy​

You can find their writing here: TUMBLR 

When did you start writing? Who inspired you to give writing a go? I started writing when I was 14, I think! I started reading fic on wattpad (like the best of us yeehaw) and I read a Niall fic called Grey Matter and that was the story that really made me think, “Man, I want to write like this one day and make people feel the way this story made me feel.” Then I started reading one shots, eventually found tumblr through @littlebitofharry and her stories were just phenomenal and she eventually inspired me to get a tumblr and start putting my writing out there!

Tell us your 1D/Harry origin story. I first heard of 1D through my friends when I was like 11 and I remember watching the WMYB music video and being like “eh okay” but I never really got into them until I was 13/14, right after the release of Midnight Memories because I’d heard Best Song Ever on the radio and was like, “okay now hold on just a minute.,,.,..maybe she SLAPS!!” After that, I bought the album and literally just fell through the hole rip.

Tell us why Harry is your muse. Harry’s my muse because I feel like he’s just so easy to read and creating characters based around him and his personality just flows so naturally. Everyone knows how open and honest Harry is and even though he’s very private, for some reason he still comes off as an open book because of how genuine he is, and I just love channeling that into the stories I write. He writes himself, to be honest.

Do you tell people you write fanfic? Do you tell people you write at all? I don’t tell people I write fanfic or that I write at all because I just don’t want it to spread to my family that I write smut djjdjdjdjdjdkd no gracias

Do you have a writing playlist, or do you need complete silence to write? I like to write in complete silence because if there’s other stuff going on around me, I just can’t concentrate. The only mental thing I can do while listening to music is math rip

What’s your favourite thing you've ever written. Probably Fixer-Upper because it’s the longest thing I’ve ever written and i feel like it has a lot of plot and side stories and details! However, demon!harry is my favorite character to write because who doesn’t love cocky Harry.

What's your favourite thing you've ever read? Fanfic and non-fanfic? My favorite thing I’ve ever read that is a fic is the one I mentioned before, Grey Matter! I forgot who wrote it because she deleted her whole wattpad, unfortunately, but the story just flowed really nicely and it was so cute! Non-fanfic would have to be the Percy Jackson series because it’s just so funny and witty and entertaining. 

Do you tend to stick to one genre, or do you like to change things up a little? I tend to stick to one genre: fiction. I just feel like fiction is way more creative and interesting.

Do you have a fixed plan of what you're going to write, or do you just see where the story takes you? I usually just see where the story takes me. Like, I very rarely plan out a fic. I kinda just go with what feels right.

Is there a schedule you follow in terms of when you write? Or are you more impulsive and just write where and when you can? I’m definitely more impulsive and write when I can. I wish I could be the type of writer that can be like, “Okay, I’m going to sit down and write this much today” but I’m just not. I won’t write for, like, 4 months and then have a random rush of inspiration, write a 10k fic, and then not write again for another 4 months #tragic

Are your stories driven by plot or character?

I’d say both. Like, certain times I’ll develop a character in my head through certain scenes I imagine them in and that character gets channelled into stories, or I’ll imagine a scene and then make a character to go with it. For example, demon!harry came to be through me imagining him being really blunt and inappropriate and confident in that cocky way and through fitting him into scenes with angel!Y/N. But hades!harry came to be through me wanting to write a sex scene in a throne room and then someone mentioned mixing Harry and Greek mythology and I was like, “Oh, these two could work!”

Some readers are wary of leaving feedback because they're unsure how the writer will take it, how do you personally like to receive feedback? Do you want to be critiqued, or would you like to just know if they did or didn't enjoy what they've read? I feel like I’m very accepting when it comes to feedback, whether it just be praise or critique. I love to know that someone liked what I wrote and I take every message very personally because the fact that someone took time out of their day to tell me they enjoyed my writing is one of the nicest things anyone could ever do for me! I’m also very grateful for critique because I feel like there’s always room for improvement and I appreciate the honesty behind someone trying to help me evolve. As long as you say it in a respectful and kind manner, I don’t think any writers will ever not accept feedback. We LOVE it, actually!

Do you use a beta? If so, feel free to give them a shout out! How do they help you? I don’t have a beta because (and this isn’t anything personal tbh it’s just what I’ve observed and what I experience myself betaing for someone) I feel like no one will be as nit-picky with your writing as yourself. Like, I go through it and try and mostly fix typos and reword things but I very rarely change scenes and such. I feel like betaing has more to do with someone giving you feedback on the plot and characters of a fic and in my head, once I write a story, I don’t want to go through the trouble of changing it because I’m, como se dice, a laZY BITCH. So if I ever ask anyone to beta, it’s my way of asking them to help me edit and revise rather than look at the actual plot of the story jsjsjsjsjdj

Is writing a hobby or do you have aspirations of writing professionally outside of fanfiction? Writing is just a hobby for me. I feel like I could never write a full book/novel or anything like that because I can’t write on command and being an author requires you to make book deals and haves deadlines and that just ain’t it, chief.

Do you post your writing in other places? Where do you you find to be the best place for your work? I used to post my stuff on wattpad but I mostly just stick to tumblr now because it’s easier and more convenient when it comes to feedback (with the anonymous feature) and people can share it by reblogging and what not.

Favourite writing trope? I love a good enemies to lovers story because even though it’s cliche, it’s never fails to make me soft.

AU or OU? Oh, AU for sure. Creating new and unique universes and storylines and characters with what you have is the best part of writing.

Preferred types of writing: Blurbs, short stories, or full fics? Blurbs and one shots because it doesn’t require the time and commitment of a full fic but it gives you a sweet taste of what the author has in mind.

Do you draw anything from your personal life? What inspires your subject matter? When I first started writing, I did draw stuff from my personal life as far as characters and environment but nowadays, not really. I think what inspired it then was just me projecting myself into the writing. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but when I personally project myself I tend to forget about others so my writing becomes more limited in terms of audience. For example, I used to use blushing in my writing because I’m fairly pale and get red really easily, but then I realized that not everyone blushes because of difference of skin tones so I try to stay away from that so everyone can feel included in my stories.

What's your purpose for writing? What do you hope to accomplish? My purpose is just providing people a break from the real world with a story that will make them feel happy and entertained!

And finally, do you have any advice/tips for your fellow fanfic writers? Revise and edit!! Paragraph breaks!! Proper grammar and dialogue!!! That’s really it, I just happen to be picky about that stuff. And this goes without saying but don’t write just to gain followers because then you’re not writing for yourself or for others, you’ll just be writing for popularity and doing anything to gain popularity backfires in the end. Write because it’s your passion and don’t be too hard on yourself about it. Take it step by step and you’ll be surprised how far you go. :-)

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what a fantastic idea for a blog... this afternoon i tore through the interviews you have posted because sarah is a close friend. i think what you’re doing is very cool and provides a really interesting purview. keep it up, thanks for doing what you’re doing

We really wanted to do something a little bit different, something that will hopefully help get more writers new readers, so thank you very much!

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Inked - Always-Jackedup

We all know how hard it is to find new writers on tumblr (let’s face it, it’s hard to do anything on tumblr these days), and that sometimes means talent gets buried. So, as two writers, we wanted to do something to highlight the wonderful talent the Harry Styles fandom has.

If you’d like to take part, or you have a writer you’d like to see get some recognition, fill out this handy form HERE! Please don’t be shy about putting yourself forward, this isn’t a popularity contest, this is about you and your writing being found. We’re also on Wattpad so if you have an author on there you’d like us to talk to, feel free to suggest them.

Here’s a shameless plug for our work!

@harrystylesgotmefuckedup : Masterlist

@imnottherealharrystyles : Masterlist

and be sure to also follow @huccimermaidshirts if you don’t already!

Love, Mo, Van, and Elena x

We took a little break for personal reasons, but we’re back, and this time we spoke to @always-jackedup

You can find their writing here: TUMBLR | WATTPAD

When did you start writing? Who inspired you to give writing a go? I’ve always been a writer, taking creative writing classes in school and writing stories on my own time, but I started writing fanfic on this account in July of 2018! I had just finished going to my HSLOT shows and after seeing Harry prancing around on stage after so long away, I was just feeling more inspired by him than ever, so I decided to sit down and write my first one shot! If I was to pinpoint one person who inspired me to start writing most, it would have to be Nora, ( @theasstour )! I had read her Sweet Creature series and absolutely fell in love with it and decided it was something I wanted to try.

Tell us your 1D/Harry origin story. I started listening to 1D in late 2011/early 2012 and just fell in love with Harry and his dumb dad jokes and laugh and hair and voice and just everything almost instantly! But then the hiatus happened and I didn’t really keep up with anything he was doing and I was focusing more on graduating college until those white boxes appeared on his instagram! And I’ve been in too deep to ever think about leaving since!

Tell us why Harry is your muse. I think it’s a plethora of things really; how he’s managed to stay the same person he was when all the fame began 9 years ago, how relentlessly kind he is to literally every single person he meets, and how no matter your sex/age/ethnicity/sexual orientation/how you identify/ anything else, he makes you feel welcome and loved. It’s like being anywhere in his presence or even just looking at photos of him, makes me feel warm inside. Like I’m looking at a close friend and it just constantly gives me so much inspiration.

Do you tell people you write fanfic? Do you tell people you write at all? I do tell people that I write in my free time, but I don’t tell them what about. I absolutely don’t think there should be any shame in writing fanfic, because it’s just as valid as any other kind of writing, and no shade, sometimes much better than things that  are out there being published, but I do think there is a stigma around it that makes people feel a bit iffy. I’m not ashamed of what I write about, by any means, I just don’t feel like people need to know.

Do you have a writing playlist, or do you need complete silence to write? I can’t write in silence!! It really makes me nervous for some reason, like me just sitting alone with my thoughts and computer lol! There’s no specific playlist that I listen to, it just has to be something I consider calming, because I get distracted extremely easily. Seriously, like one catchy song and I’m just out of it. Generally it’s on a classical music rotation, but lately I’ve been listening to Hozier radio on spotify!

What’s your favourite thing you've ever written. I’m currently writing an AU called Another World and it’s my absolute favorite thing! It’s my little baby

What's your favourite thing you've ever read? Fanfic and non-fanfic? When it comes to fanfics, my two favorites are Sweet Creature by @theasstour - because it hold a special place in my heart as the reason I started writing - as well as Under the Same Roof by @harryonstage - because I had never read something that made me feel like that fic did. It was like watching a movie! But if we’re talking about non fanfic, it’s another tie between All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh

Do you tend to stick to one genre, or do you like to change things up a little? I tend to stick to one genre just because it’s what I know I can do, and I’m just a ball of nerves when it comes to writing/posting writing in general, so branching out to different genres makes me even more nervous. But I’d love to step out of my comfort zone one day and do something crazy lol

Do you have a fixed plan of what you're going to write, or do you just see where the story takes you? For my one shots or blurbs, I just start with an idea and let it flow. I think I write best, for small pieces like those at least, when I just let the story write itself! I think it’s always super interesting see where a simple idea can take you and what little world it can create. But when it comes to my fic, I have everything planned out. From locations, to dialog, to outfits, and events, I literally have almost everything planned out in a little notebook and a word document. It’s just a matter of doing that extended research (since it’s a true to 1D history fic) to make sure everything lines up correctly! I think I’d definitely go insane writing this series if I didn’t plan it all out!

Is there a schedule you follow in terms of when you write? Or are you more impulsive and just write where and when you can? This is the first time I’ve ever put something out on a somewhat decent schedule - granted I haven’t been writing for very long. I take the first 3 days of the week and use that for research and collecting all the information I need, then I use Thursday/Friday/Saturday to write and then post on Sunday morning after work! It’s become a nice system, but sometimes, when things aren’t working the way I want, it does make me feel a bit stressed, which then makes me nervous that I’m not putting out the quality of writing that I expect of myself. For any one shots or blurbs, I really just try to write as soon as any form of inspiration strikes, so that’s really impulsive!

Are your stories driven by plot or character? I think any story is somewhat driven by both, in a way. To create a well rounded and in depth character, I think you have to know where the plot is headed, as well as what happened previous to the story, to said character. Those are things that are going to make the reader feel like they’re reading about a real person with depth and not just random details about a character. I think my stories are more focused on the characters relationships with one another and that’s what helps pave the way for how the plot goes.

Some readers are wary of leaving feedback because they're unsure how the writer will take it, how do you personally like to receive feedback? Do you want to be critiqued, or would you like to just know if they did or didn't enjoy what they've read? Feedback is one of the most important things to me. Whether it’s positive or negative, hearing what readers have to say about something I’ve written is extremely motivating. As long as what you’re telling me is constructive and not just “I hated this”.  Like, okay thats totally fine, but tell me why you hated it, what can I do to make it better and improve my own writing skills. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, receiving positive feedback is what makes me more excited to continue writing! Even if it’s a simple “I loved ____ part” or a simple reblog makes me, as well as every other writer out there, so beyond happy! Writing takes a lot out a person because there’s just so much that goes into it, so a reader taking 1 minute to show their appreciation for free content goes a long way!!

Do you use a beta? If so, feel free to give them a shout out! How do they help you? I do use a beta… or multiple for that matter! Nora (@theasstour) is the first person that I go to to read over pieces of what I’ve written to make sure that the language and slang is used correctly! Because I’m from the States, I have literally no idea what British terminology to use, so she helps me out so much with that! And Lee ( @writingsfromlee ) and Ken ( @emotionally-imbruised ) are always helping me fix my grammar and just tell me what they liked/thinks needs more work! I appreciate them more than I can ever explain! I think having a beta writer can be super important (although not for everyone!) because as a writer, you get lost in your head and you know how the scene or dialog is supposed to play out and you read it how you want it! But it doesn’t always flow from your brain to paper the exact same way, so having someone read over it and be like “hey that’s awesome!” or “um that doesn’t make sense, can you expand/explain?” can be super helpful!

Is writing a hobby or do you have aspirations of writing professionally outside of fanfiction? I never really saw myself going anywhere with writing until recently. It had always been something that I did in my free time simply because I enjoyed it, but I’ve recently started to think about what it would be like to try and write something professionally. It obviously isn’t my career and what I would put all my eggs into, but I think it would be something fun and interesting to do on the side!

Do you post your writing in other places? Where do you you find to be the best place for your work? I just recently starting posting on Wattpad! Since I just started using the site, I still have to say tumblr is the best for me!

Favorite writing trope? I’m a huge sucker for friends to lovers slow burns but I also really love a good fratboy/badboy fic

AU or OU? A little of both! I absolutely love writing something that I can just completely make up and not have to worry about anything be factual or following a specific timeline! But there’s also something nice about writing something that sticks to the original.

Preferred types of writing: Blurbs, short stories, or full fics? Now that I’ve done it, definitely full fics. I feel like I had a baby and slowly watched it grow up

Do you draw anything from your personal life? What inspires your subject matter? I have the most boring life ever so I don’t do much to warrant inspiration lol but I have included small details in a few pieces that I’ve either had a friend tell me they’ve done or witnessed! My inspiration comes from the most random places - like just listening to a song or hearing a snippet of a stranger’s conversation, so I wouldn’t say that there’s anything in particular that inspires my subject matter! The closest thing I would say is that I’m a huge hopeless romantic so I tend to daydream about that and ideas just stem from there.

What's your purpose for writing? What do you hope to accomplish? When I sit down to write, I do it solely because it makes me happy. I love getting to completely immerse myself into this world I’ve created and forget about anything else in my life, if only for a small period of time. It makes me insanely happy. So, to see that others enjoy what I put out, makes the entire experience tens times better. That’s really all I want to get out of writing - to continue to make myself, and readers happy. That and just continuing to improve all aspects of my writing!

And finally, do you have any advice/tips for your fellow fanfic writers? --Despite what a lot of people say, it’s okay to second guess yourself. It’s okay to write something and then suddenly sit back for a moment and be like “this isn’t going the way I want” or “I don’t know what I’m doing.” or “this is horrible.” Don’t let that deter you from writing what’s floating through your mind. Finish what you have and then reread it! Editing is a wonderful thing! -- Sometimes, taking a moment to step away and focusing on something for a bit can bring a sense of clarity to whatever you’re stuck on writing and get you out of a writer’s block. -- It’s okay to ask other writers to read something over for you! As long as you’re polite and understanding that everyone has their own life and busy schedules, I feel like most writers wouldn’t mind taking a look at something you’ve written and giving you a few pointers! Just don’t abuse their help/support!!!!! -- Be open to criticism, both constructive and not. Despite not asking for it, some readers take it upon themselves to tell you everything they disliked about a piece you’ve written. Take it with a grain of salt and try not to dwell on it too much, as for every bad/negative comment, there is generally always positive people sending you love! -- One of the most important tips for me is to make sure you’re writing because you enjoy it! not because you want recognition!!! It’s very easy to tell when someone is writing for passion as opposed to when someone is putting something out simply because it was demanded! When you write something you’re passionate about, it’s magical and it just flows out of you and people can tell! Plus, if you’re only writing to get recognition or because people want it, you’re going to be miserable. -- Just have fun with it!!! As long as you’re having fun and it makes you happy and you’re loving what you’re putting out, it doesn’t matter what anyone else is saying!

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Inked - Stylishmuser

We all know how hard it is to find new writers on tumblr (let’s face it, it’s hard to do anything on tumblr these days), and that sometimes means talent gets buried. So, as two writers, we wanted to do something to highlight the wonderful talent the Harry Styles fandom has.

If you’d like to take part, or you have a writer you’d like to see get some recognition, fill out this handy form HERE! Please don’t be shy about putting yourself forward, this isn’t a popularity contest, this is about you and your writing being found. We’re also on Wattpad so if you have an author on there you’d like us to talk to, feel free to suggest them.

Here’s a shameless plug for our work!

@harrystylesgotmefuckedup​ : Masterlist

@imnottherealharrystyles : Masterlist

and be sure to also follow @huccimermaidshirts if you don’t already!

Love, Mo, Van, and Elena x

Our next talented author is the lovely @stylishmuser!

Find her writing here: Tumblr | Wattpad

When did you start writing? Who inspired you to give writing a go? I first started writing in 2013! It’s kind of weird how it started, actually. I was put in an AP English class against my will and every week we had to write a 1000 word essay about whatever we read that week. It was around the same time I finished ‘Gossip Girl’ and I started discovering what fanfic was. I got really mad about how the series ended so I decided to write my own ending for Nate’s story! I originally only shared it one friend, a guy, and he told me it was so good. Encouraged me to publish it, and I did!

Tell us your 1D/Harry origin story. I’m one of the fans that got into them after hiatus and have been suffering ever since! I actually had a Harry Potter fanfic blog, and I got curious about this other Harry so I started reading some fic, listening to more 1d. And then one day I realized I wanted to try something new and I made a 1d sideblog. Eventually I delete the hp blog and it wasn’t long before I started wanting to write for Niall too and was a full fledged Narrie. 

Tell us why Harry is your muse. AH well that’s a very tricky question. Obviously, he’s very attractive but as I started getting more into him and 1d in general, I realized he’s one of the kindest guys I’ve ever come across. Which, I guess, is strange because we don’t really know him, do we? I think what makes Harry so fun to have as a muse is you can write him into any situation because his personality is so concrete across the fandom. 

Do you tell people you write fanfic? Do you tell people you write at all? I do, yeah. I don’t tell them for who or what the fic is really about, at least not to people I’m not close to. I don’t really suffer from the societal “shame” that comes with fanfic. I’m proud of what I do and I obviously don’t pass out links in real life but I’m not afraid to defend my writing and fanfic in general. All the important people in my life are supportive so I’m lucky! 

Do you have a writing playlist, or do you need complete silence to write? I don’t have a playlist! But I do listen to music from time to time. I listen to the same song on repeat usually cause it’s like background music and doesn’t distract me. 

What’s your favourite thing you've ever written. Oh man.. hm… okay for Niall I really liked the blurb “Something More” and Harry definitely “Timeless.” 

What's your favourite thing you've ever read? Fanfic and non-fanfic? I think my all time favorite fic is “Little do you know” by nightingiall. Book wise, my favorites are “The Light of Paris” and “Still Me.”  

Do you tend to stick to one genre, or do you like to change things up a little? Hmm I guess romance would be an overarching genre to all my stories, but I’m trying to do more AU’s. They’re challenging, but really fun! 

Do you have a fixed plan of what you're going to write, or do you just see where the story takes you? Oh god no I always have a tedious outline, down to the pieces of dialogue I want in that chapter. In some cases I have just a general idea of what happens and then I flush it out once I get there, but most times I known exactly what I need to write. 

Is there a schedule you follow in terms of when you write? Or are you more impulsive and just write where and when you can? For my chaptered stories, yes. I upload every Friday and then write on the weekend. I think when I write blurbs and drabbles I’m more impulsive. 

Are your stories driven by plot or character? Both work together, I think. The characters are flawed and that makes the plot move on and whatever the plot throws at the characters makes them transform.

Some readers are wary of leaving feedback because they're unsure how the writer will take it, how do you personally like to receive feedback? Do you want to be critiqued, or would you like to just know if they did or didn't enjoy what they've read?

I think, personally, if I didn’t receive the feedback I do then I would’ve deleted my stories a long time ago. The thing about feedback on tumblr is that it comes in two forms: asks & notes. Some, if not most, writers get one or the other. I consider myself really lucky to have readers that not only want to read each week but take the time to message me their thoughts. As far as what the feedback is, I think it depends on how people read. It’s always nice to hear what people liked, or what made them curious, but I’m not against constructive criticism given the right way. If it’s telling an author they don’t like the character, etc, or yelling for an update — not here for it. I had someone once tell me Rhea was spineless (like 4 chapters into the book) and it rubbed me the wrong way. If you read on, you know she isn’t! So I guess what I’m trying to say is, if that person would’ve phrased it differently like - “Rhea bothers me because ___” then it would’ve been constructive rather than destructive. It’s all about how you word things!!!! (I rambled on this one, sorry!)

Do you use a beta? If so, feel free to give them a shout out! How do they help you? Absolutely! I use a different beta for every story cause I like to see what they suggest. Some betas read, some betas suggest, and some do both! They’re genius at helping me figure out minor plot holes. Some of my lovely betas are: @thatoddpanda, @yeahmynameissushi, @fireawaynjh, @harrysdodgyankles, @roseonhissleeve, @irish-nlessing

Is writing a hobby or do you have aspirations of writing professionally outside of fanfiction? I would love to publish books one day! I write for work, non-fiction, but my heart resides in fiction.

Do you post your writing in other places? Where do you you find to be the best place for your work? Yes,wattpad! I like tumblr for feedback and visual content, but I like wattpad because you get concrete numbers on stats and have in line comments!

Favorite writing trope? Enemies to lovers & friends to lovers! I can’t pick.

AU or OU? I’m going to say BOTH but with a strong inclination towards OU.

Preferred types of writing: Blurbs, short stories, or full fics? Full fics. I used to write blurbs all the time but now… it’s just so nice to dig your heels into a full storyline and really develop characters!

Do you draw anything from your personal life? What inspires your subject matter? Not heavily, but yeah. It’s subtle things. Like a character’s favorite cereal, or what kind of pens they prefer to use. Rhea’s family story was reminiscent of mine in some ways. I would say my Indian culture kind of has a big play in my stories too.  

What's your purpose for writing? What do you hope to accomplish? I like to write because I like to create worlds where I get things I don’t in my own life. It’s the perfect combination of escape and want. I want to keep challenging myself and keep writing until I die, lol.  

And finally, do you have any advice/tips for your fellow fanfic writers? Yes! I think, it’s very easy to get caught up in the validation aspect. It’s natural, and it’s something I still go through, but I’ve learned that enjoying what YOU do is really the key to writing. I would say don’t stop doing what you love no matter what people think of it. Don’t get caught up in the accolades and the humdrum and just keep doing you. It’s hard on tumblr, but sometimes the validation we crave comes when we least expect it. Write for you, not anyone else. And most of all… have fun, because that’s kind of why we all started writing right? To have a fun escape. Tell your authors you love their fics! And finally, don’t feel scared. Reach out to other writers, writers you admire! It’s a community that can seem very cliquey, but it doesn’t have to be that way. People are always willing to help in my experience (me included).

[inked-iwtfw]

Do you guys do a interview every month?

That was the plan! But life got a little bit in the way in February. We'll be posting a new interview later tonight, and then hopefully another one later in the month. - Van

[inked-iwtfw]

Two little announcements:

The first is that the wonderful Elena @huccimermaidshirts has joined our little team! That'll hopefully mean we can get to speak to more wonderful writers!

And secondly, we are now posting on Wattpad! Wattpad has some insanely talented writers, and so does Tumblr, so this could be a fun chance to bridge the gap and gain a new readership.

We have some new interviews coming soon, but if you haven't applied and would like to, just fill out THIS form, and we will try get you as soon as possible!

[inked-iwtfw]

January - 2019 - hsmuffintop

We all know how hard it is to find new writers on tumblr (let’s face it, it’s hard to do anything on tumblr these days), and that sometimes means talent gets buried. So, as two writers, we wanted to do something to highlight the wonderful talent the Harry Styles fandom has. 

If you’d like to take part, or you have a writer you’d like to see get some recognition, fill out this handy form HERE! Please don’t be shy about putting yourself forward, this isn’t a popularity contest, this is about you and your writing being found.

Here’s a shameless plug for our work! 

@harrystylesgotmefuckedup​ : Masterlist

@imnottherealharrystyles : Masterlist

Love, Mo and Van x

January’s brilliant author is @hsmuffintop

Find her writing HERE 

When did you start writing? Who inspired you to give writing a go?

I started writing in 2010, but didn’t post anything anywhere until 2011. I don’t remember anyone really inspiring me to write. It was more of a way to get everything inside my head out, a way to deal with my life and terribly complicated 17-year-old feelings.

Tell us your 1D/Harry origin story.

I knew about One Direction around 2011/2012, who didn’t? I will admit I was one of those people who “hated” them because they were popular, not really ever giving them a chance. But then, one fateful day in 2013, I watched the Best Song Ever video and with the thought of “oh, they’re all really pretty,” my whole life changed. I dove in headfirst and never looked back. Harry has always been my favorite, at first because I thought he was the hottest member of the band, but then I started learning more about him as a person and that solidified my love for him.

Tell us why Harry is your muse.

He’s just...the best. He’s so kind and genuine; I’ve never heard anyone who’s met him say anything negative about him as a person. He makes me feel better about myself, which is hard to explain, but I’ll give it a shot. It’s mostly because he’s so confident in himself, especially with his fashion choices, and he doesn’t care what other people think, which is a huge change from when 1D first started out. He’s grown to love himself over time and that’s really inspiring to me. He’s also got an amazing muscular body with some soft spots here and there, and that makes me feel better about my soft spots. If Harry has them and can be seen as so perfect by so many people, maybe mine aren’t so bad.

Do you tell people you write fanfic? Do you tell people you write at all?

I don’t usually tell people in regular conversation, but if the subject of writing comes up, and I feel comfortable enough with the person to share that it’s fic that I write, then I’ll tell them. Most of the time, it’s something I keep to myself.

Do you have a writing playlist, or do you need complete silence to write?

Definitely complete silence. It’s hard for me to listen to something and try to string words together at the same time, especially when I’m making up dialogue or trying to describe something.

What’s your favourite thing you've ever written.

I have a couple WIPs that I’m really proud of, but my favorite fic that’s been posted is We Gamble With Desire, my Zirry fic. I love writing those characters so much, and I’ve got so many timestamps and continuations planned for that verse. I could write in it forever, honestly.

What's your favourite thing you've ever read? Fanfic and non-fanfic?

Favorite book has to be either The Outsiders or The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles. It’s a children’s novel kind of like The Chronicles of Narnia in that it’s about three kids who go on adventures in a fantasy world, but this world is created by the kids in their own imaginations. I’ve read it about ten times over the years and it never fails to make me happy.

Favorite fic, that’s a little more difficult. I’ve read so many! The first one to pop in my head is Landslide, one that I’ve only read once but has really stuck with me ever since. I think it sticks out because it’s the first actual AU that I read, one that takes place in 1976 with Harry as an undercover FBI agent and Louis as a suspected cult leader. It’s long, about 140K if I remember correctly, but it really gets you hooked fast. There’s also Big White Lie, an OT5 A/B/O fic (which I know some people aren’t into), and the Working For The Skin Trade series, in which girl!Niall is rich and hires male escorts to keep her company.

Do you tend to stick to one genre, or do you like to change things up a little?

I think all of my writing ends up being kind of the same. Mostly smut, some angst here and there, maybe some feelings sprinkled in. I’m trying to branch out a bit with some of my WIPs, so we’ll see what happens with those.

Do you have a fixed plan of what you're going to write, or do you just see where the story takes you?

A little bit of both? Sometimes I start with a fixed plan, then get to the end of that plan and go where the story takes me. Other times I start with a plan but it all goes right out the window once I start writing. It really depends on what it is I’m writing and what kind of mood I’m in while I’m working on it.

Is there a schedule you follow in terms of when you write? Or are you more impulsive and just write where and when you can?

Where and when I can, definitely. I can make plans to write on certain days, usually whatever weekday I have off from work, but sometimes motivation doesn’t line up with that. An idea will occasionally strike me when I’m at work or busy doing something else, so I’ll jot it down in my phone real quick so I don’t forget it. Maybe I should try and make a schedule for writing. It might work better than my current process.

Are your stories driven by plot or character?

Plot, I think. The ideas I have are usually more about the plot and less about the characters. If I feel like it’s going to be a long fic, I try and plan out the plot first and then figure out who I want my characters to be after. The main pairing probably changes two or three times before I find a couple that sticks and fits with the plot best.

Some readers are wary of leaving feedback because they're unsure how the writer will take it, how do you personally like to receive feedback? Do you want to be critiqued, or would you like to just know if they did or didn't enjoy what they've read?

I like people to let me know what they liked and didn’t like, and also suggestions of what they want to see next or what they think could have made the story better. It helps to know what people want to read so I can post things they’ll like.

Do you use a beta? If so, feel free to give them a shout out! How do they help you?

I don’t, but I would love to have one! I have a few friends who I can bounce ideas off of, but an actual beta would be lovely to have.

Is writing a hobby or do you have aspirations of writing professionally outside of fanfiction?

100% a hobby. I’ve played with the thought of writing professionally, because I love writing and getting paid to do it would be amazing, but I’m terrible at keeping to deadlines so professional writing probably wouldn’t be a good idea for me.

Do you post your writing in other places? Where do you you find to be the best place for your work?

I’ve only posted my writing on Tumblr and AO3. I think they’re both good platforms because it’s easy to post writing on them and feedback is easy to give and to get.

Favourite writing trope?

Oh, man. There’s so many to choose from! I like writing “they’re in love and everyone knows it but them” and all of its variations, and I love reading “oh no! There’s only one bed/couch/seat left! Whatever are we to do??”

AU or OU?

AU. I’m not great at coming up with original characters but I can come up with alternate universes in a heartbeat.

Preferred types of writing: Blurbs, short stories, or full fics?

Either blurbs or full fics, depending on what kind of mood I’m in. I like blurbs for second person/self-insert pieces because most of my blurbs are based on things that have recently happened to me or certain feelings I’m having and need to get out, but I like full fics because I like being able to take my time telling stories with more complex plots, and full fics allow me to take all the time I need to tell them.

Do you draw anything from your personal life? What inspires your subject matter?

I draw a good portion of the blurbs I write from personal experience. A lot of my early writing was me turning my daydreams about my various crushes into little things I would keep to myself, just things I would use to get the ideas out of my head so I could move on to other impossible and unrealistic daydreams. A lot of my big fic ideas stem from me wanting to read a certain thing and not being able to find it anywhere so I just write it myself.

What's your purpose for writing? What do you hope to accomplish?

I’ve never really thought about it, to be honest. The main reason I started writing was to get stuff out of my head. My first Tumblr fandom piece was written for somebody because they had an idea and didn’t know how to flesh it out, so I figured I’d do it. More recently I’ve tried to come up with ideas for things that may not exist yet, try to cater to the parts of the fandom that don’t always get things written for/about them. I just like being able to give people the opportunity to read something different and maybe make them happy along the way.

And finally, do you have any advice/tips for your fellow fanfic writers?

Something I’ve learned recently is that if you keep going back and editing every little thing until it’s perfect, two things happen: it’s never going to be perfect, and you’re going to start hating writing. It’s going to feel more like a chore than something you enjoy and look forward to. A way I’ve been trying to combat that is to post whatever I write after looking over it only a few times. So far I’ve only done this with blurbs, and it’s helped a bit. Another tip is to write whatever you want. Trying to write to satisfy other people puts too much pressure on yourself, so just write whatever and however you like. You’ll find your groove in time.

[harrystylesgotmefuckedup]

You might remember my post from a couple of weeks ago mentioning plans to do something for the underrated quality authors in the Harry Styles fandom. Why not shine a much needed light on the lesser known/lesser acknowledged writers providing us quality fiction? Lo and behold, an angel named Van ( @applysomepressure) approached with a lovely idea.

From this blossomed a monthly series we’ll be launching in mid-January called Inked: Interview With The Fic Writer. Let’s face it, being a fanfiction author is hard. You crank out thousands of words, for free, to share for fandom entertainment. We will feature you and your work on our INKED blog in order to try and help you gain readership. Two writers per month will be chosen.

Keep reading