I made a typo on my username and never looked back ...
Hi, I’m new here.
I have no idea what I’m doing with Tumblr, but I’m trying to increase the engagement I crave from my writing. Sometimes it feels pathetic how excited I get to receive a comment on my Archive of Our Own stories. And sometimes I wish I could send out an update. Like, “hey I know I said I was going to post the next chapter today, BUT ...” Or maybe get a little encouragement. Or a pulse check on a new story idea.
That’s why I’m making an attempt with this ... page? ... social medium? ... blog? Whatever this thing is, I’m going to try it. I’ve been asked a few times if I have a Tumblr and the excuse of “I don’t know what that is” has worn thin.
Now, the story about my usernname: A few years ago, I bought a very simple yet expensive Dior necklace. I love to travel, and the design reminded me of a compass. Christian Dior loved eight-pointed stars, and his design is called a “wind rose.” I learned the wind rose is a symbol for travel and adventure, and that seemed perfect. I have always loved this necklace as a symbol for my world traveling, and always vaguely remembered the collection was called “rose de vents.” It is, in fact, “rose des vents.”
Rose des vents means compass. Rose de vents means wind rose. I’ve never studied French, but I think leaving off the one “s” might change the meaning entirely. Like, now it’s just two words together versus something with meaning. Perhaps the mistake is akin to writing shift without the “f,” or perhaps the French wouldn’t expect an American to get it right anyway.
It took me more than a year to realize my typo. A year of posting stories on Archive of Our Own as “RoseDeVents,” thinking it evoked my worldy ways and not ... something that is probably meaningless. I tried to change my username and add that extra “s,” but apparently “RoseDesVents” is taken by some other travel-loving fool. Or someone who is named Rose.
I guess it doesn’t really matter, in the end. I use the name to remain anonymous, like I’m sure most do with usernames. And if you’ve read any of my more depraved stories, maybe you can see why. I’d rather not have my real name in big letters next to the absolute filth that simmers in my mind, begging to be written down and shared.
2020 was a tough year, to say the least. I don’t even know how I got the idea to peruse fanfiction on one, I’m sure, very boring day locked down in my house. Once I let myself have the guilty pleasure, I became ravenous for it. I think I probably read more in eight months of that year than the previous five years combined. The more I read, the more ideas I had. Eventually, I started writing them down and turning them into my own stories. And when I was brave enough to create an account, for some reason my fanciest necklace popped in my head. I wanted to keep it fandom-neutral in case my little hobby went on for a while. After a year of posting continuously, I can say it will go on for at least a while longer – I’m at 31 stories and counting.
I will always be grateful that the pandemic brought me back to my love of writing, which was a passion I thought died out years ago. I truly appreciate Archive of Our Own and the accessibility to so many wonderful stories. I’ve tried fanfiction.net but I don’t like the functionality as much, so let me know if you ever see my stories cross-posted there or anywhere else - that isn’t me!
This was probably way too long, right? Well, all of it was to say: Hi, you can call me Rose. I will be posting here about my writing, but I can’t promise there won’t be a few typos now and again.
Xx Rose
