#ask-answers

[somethinglikesawyer]

i also get unadulterated joy when you update pmttg, my favourite fic :) maybe i'll write another two-part comment about it even!!

Hi spectacularbastard, someone I definitely do not know and have definitely never spoken to before. Thank you for your kind message. You are a professional menace.

On a completely unrelated note, I want to recommend this really wonderful dance instructor Mira and student Rumi fic I read recently by an author I really love. Featuring comphet Rumi which is one of my absolute favorites. And also jealous Mira which is perfection. Just the first chapter is out right now but I am eagerly awaiting great things for the second:)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/79165631

[deusn-determined]

@bloodbuttercups

[somethinglikesawyer]

Hey, how do you personally outline your fics? The impression I’ve got is that you know exactly where you’re going with your stuff and I’d be really interested to know how you do it if you’re comfortable sharing

Hey!! I'm SO glad you asked, I love yapping about process.

Disclaimer, there will be light spoilers for Crystal Clear, sky's the limit (falconer Mira au), and PMttG below.

You're right, I do know where I'm going with it!! I never publish something unless I have, at minimum, an ending and a rough idea of the plot along the way. I didn't always do that for other fandoms, but I quickly realized just how much I'd want to go back and edit previously posted chapters if I didn't, so I try to flesh out at least a light plot and character arc(s) first. Which makes it very rewarding when people say they noticed something differently on a reread because of new things in more recent chapters.

But my outlines definitely aren't set in stone! I try to aim for a middle ground where I have a good idea of what's going to happen, especially main events and underlying character arcs, but I'm not bogged down by lots of minor details at the beginning that would make it feel overwhelming. And that way there's a lot of flexibility as I go, which makes it the most fun :)

So changes to/from the outlines are very common, especially changing where to break/end a chapter, or cutting one in half because it got too long, or taking something out because it doesn't fit or swapping it for something different or shuffling it someplace else. Some examples from PMttG: I originally had chapter one as being multi-PoV, but quickly realized that would complicate things too much; chapter four originally had Rumi staying to snuggle on the couch and watch movies, before I decided that would be too intimate for where they were at that point in time; and chapters five and six used to be one chapter, but it got too long, and so I split it. My original outline for PMttG was nine chapters, but it grew due to chapter mitosis and adding a few plot points.

Okay, so. The outlines themselves. The length and amount of detail varies a lot depending on what it is, but usually my outlines include a rough overview of events, paired with details like PoV, setting, specific lines of monologue or dialogue I want to hit, key moments/turning points in a chapter, emotional vibes and character motivations/thought processes, any objects/symbols of focus, and the like. I also sometimes include questions or notes for myself if I am not yet sure where or how something will go, and want to leave a reminder to address that later. And then I always have a bunch of moments/dialogue/lines unattached to the plot, and have to figure out how to work them in somehow, or otherwise discard them (heartbreaking).

The outlines are usually shorter/simpler for oneshots or short chapters, and longer for more complex ones. For my longfics (both PMttG and my next upcoming one), each chapter has its own outline well before it's ever published. I also think of each chapter as having its own distinct arc and a "goal," no matter how small, in that it should move the overall plot forward, to avoid filler.

I spent a while going through my outlines trying to find shareable ones (they're all very rough parts of the process, haha), and here's what I found:

My outline for chapters one and two of Crystal Clear:

So, pretty simple, but it's not a very complicated fic.

My partway-through outline for sky's the limit:

Again, not too complicated.

Most of my PMttG outlines are a bit more thorough, but I can't share a lot of them because I include how they tie in with future chapters (D:). BUT, I did some combing through drafts, and this is my second version of the outline for chapter six:

Here, the outline changed a little (even from the second draft lol), since I originally had the conversation between Zoemira and Rumi going quite differently. But I also ended up adding what I call the "text message interlude" in place of Rumi interiority since I thought it would be more interesting and efficient, and avoid redundancy.

I will say, the second list was more of a motivational checklist for me to get through the chapter than it was my outline, skdjfksdf.

Here's another one from PMttG. This is for chapter four:

For four, obviously the movie and snuggle plan changed, but the other big changes were booting the taking care of her to end of 5/beginning of 6 (to the extent that she lets them, anyway) and adding the morning after stuff at the beginning.

Some other notes... I tend to plot out smut much more extensively, which I elaborate on a little more in this ask.

One fic that has defied most of my plotting attempts (...although now I think I have it nailed down somewhat) is I had it all (I had you), or my immortal Rumi au. Chapter one was really tough because it is composed of so many little different moments, which is tough to capture in an outline, and of which I had written out of order and then had to place IN order. So that took me a while, and I am currently dealing with the same problem in chapter two, which is a beast of a chapter for multiple reasons and also currently has multiple ongoing sheets of paper plots/outlines attempting to make sense of it.

Also, if I'm having trouble with a more specific section in a fic, like a conversation or event/encounter, I find it helpful to write it out on paper and see how it goes. I start out with the key moments I want to hit, and then see how they all work/flow together. It's really nice sometimes to "visualize" it in this way.

An example of this, from the chapter six conversation between Zoemira and Rumi, for which I had a lot of the dialogue written but wasn't initially sure how it should slot together:

And overall, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

So I think that's all I've got!! If you're trying to learn how to outline for yourself, I think it's really just a lot of trial and error and figuring out what works for you by doing it a lot! However, I tend to recommend starting with events that your fic can't happen without, and then trying to build on those: what makes them so important? What effect do you want to achieve with them, and how can you best do that? Would changing it in a certain way make it hit harder, or leave something to be revealed later? Generally, when I first sit down to plot/outline, I'm doing a lot of brainstorming and experimenting and just all around having fun with it. The nitty-gritty comes later. So I definitely recommend playing around and just enjoying the ride.

Also, definitely try out different mediums. Some people enjoy paper, and I've even seen authors with elaborate color-coded notecards pinned to physical plot boards. Some like myself mostly just write out lists. A lot of people find programs like Scrivener to be really helpful, which has excellent built-in plotting features. So for sure experiment with different ways of doing it!

Finally, not technically an outline, but just for fun, this is the summary of PMttG I sent to a friend all the way back in July:

(Partially censored for light spoilers)

OH one last thing for real -- I do want to mention that this is, of course, just how I do it, and every writer will do things a little differently. A lot of the fics I really love and admire have an absolutely masterful grasp on plot and tying together details/plot points/arcs from previous chapters, and they're absolutely worth the read, both just for fun and also to study/analyze. Just off the top of my head:

the problem with radio by lyctors

so we were liars (and also Aren's newest fic, paint my frozen heart with fire)

I crave the applause (yet hate the attention) by Yannie (and also Yannie's other fics)

when did you get hot? by wholetthishappen

behind open doors by Frenchsoda

I want to die like a citrus tree (but that's not a milkweed's fate)

So I definitely recommend those. And I think there's room for it in every fic, it doesn't necessarily have to be a longfic, or something super serious, to have great plots/subplots/character arcs. Also, reading novels/non-fic books can also be a great way to get a better grasp of plot and arcs and whatnot.

Okay I am. So sorry. I may have gotten a little carried away with this one. Regardless, thanks so much for the ask and I hope I answered your question!!

[somethinglikesawyer]

What been your biggest challenge writing PMTTG?

And also

What's been the most exciting part to write ?

Hi Mason! This is a good question, and I've been chewing on my answer for a while, so sorry about that, lol.

The biggest challenge for me writing PMttG was/is figuring out Rumi's interiority and her characterization. To me, she's difficult sometimes and I think that's because she's very self-contradictory. She wants things, but she doesn't WANT to want things, and she hates that she does anyway, which creates an interesting situation where she's not usually honest with herself. She wants things, and yet acts in ways that are inconsistent with getting those things, so her desires and actions don't always align and can feel illogical. She's self-sabotaging, in that I think she constructs a reality for herself and then becomes trapped within that construction, which has become a self-fulfilling prophecy that pushes her further away from people she'd otherwise be able to connect with. So that sense of inconsistency from her has made her both difficult and fun to try to figure out.

I think the most exciting part to write so far... skdfjksdf it's a little hard to choose but probably the end of Chapter 5, since I had that scene on my mind for so long and I also enjoy more emotionally tense or confrontational moments. The most exciting parts coming up though (for me anyway) is one scene in Chapter 7, and another in Chapter 8. :)

Thank you so much for the ask!!

[somethinglikesawyer]

I accidentally downloaded Pull Me to the Ground from Ao3 FOUR times, because I didn't understand that you couldn't download one chapter at a time prior to trying. I wanted to be able to keep reading it while Ao3 is down for maintenance today.

To be clear, I was trying to download just chapter 6 and then the whole work in both PDF and HTML versions. I am OBSESSED with this story.

None of that was actually a question, so I suppose I'll ask one now. You mentioned in the author notes on chapter 6 you have a few projects you're working on. Is any of it stuff we can see eventually? More fan work? Original work, mayhaps? I am chomping at the bit for more of your writing.

Hi Cicero! sdkfjkdfjsdkf I am very sorry for the unintended collateral damage of the update timing

And oh my gosh, I am SO happy you asked!!

I DO write original work (I was mid-novel when I stopped writing that so I could instead write kpdh fanfiction, lmao) but I'm not currently working on any. My main priority is to finish my ongoing fics with only one chapter left (Best Behavior, Crystal Clear, and I had it all (I had you)), and also continue PMttG, and then I have a queue (dubbed the Pipeline) of mostly oneshots and twoshots/smaller multichaps that I want to write, currently all kpdh. But my biggest and also favorite ongoing project right now is another longfic featuring one of my favoritest tropes which is sex before feelings/FwB (except they're not friends. Like, not even a little bit). In no particular order, this one will be: stone top Mira, very smutty, rumira, inspired by art (thanks alex dremenec), anddd in an AU setting I don't typically read myself or feel very drawn to at all, so that's been interesting. I utterly adore this Mira with my entire soul. I don't know when it'll be out and I ideally want to make reasonable progress on it before publishing the first chapter. I wasn't planninggg on saying anything skfdjkf but my yap buttons were pushed, so now you know! :)

Thank you so much for the ask!! 🩶

[somethinglikesawyer]

hey so I wanna start off this ask by saying that obvs u don't need to answer if ur too uncomfortable,just don't want to, have a rule not to, or already have answered etc but what kinda goes thru ur head when writing the more intimate parts of a fic?

(I feel like a freak just saying this idk how to ask without sounding creepy RAAGHHCEHHVYY) Now if u don't mind I will place this very neatly in ur inbox and die <3

Hey!! So I want to start off with a disclaimer: I'm actually fairly new to writing smut. Prior to KPDH fic, I'd only written it once, so PMttG is... attempt three? Four? Ish? (Depending on how you count it, I suppose). So there are definitely many people with more experience to be learning from!! (And, on a similar note, I also want to mention that everyone's process is very different, this is just my approach!)

For smut scenes I have found that outlining extensively is quite helpful. I don't want to get halfway through and all their clothes are off and then it's "...okay what now?" So I have a plan for the whole thing, usually more so than for non-smut writing. (I outline my whole fics, and I never post anything multichapter unless I know, at minimum, an ending and rough plot -- but it's usually not in quite as much detail as the smut!)

From there, it's a lot of balance, and trial and error. Ultimately I don't really think that smut is any different from any other writing, which is to say that you're still describing a scene with dialogue and actions and interactions and interiority and characterization, so I try to find a balance between those things. Also like all other writing, finding that balance is just something that kind of happens when you read it a lot and write it a lot. So, trial and error, as you learn what does and doesn't work and develop your own style. Which sometimes means, writing it and figuring out that did not, in fact, work as you thought it would, and then trying it again differently.

As for what goes through my mind, it's just a lot of visualizing in detail. I think that daydreaming is one of my greatest assets as a writer, and I just kind of let things unfold over and over again in lots of different ways before I actually settle on what I want to write. If I keep returning to a scene over and over again, then I know it's something of appeal and that it'll likely work. And don't be afraid of the details! Same as describing anything else, I try to think of what's going on with all the senses, and what actions are happening, and what reactions are happening to those actions... with smut I think the most salient details to the characters' perspectives/positions are texture/touch, taste and smell depending, physical comfortability, physical and emotional pleasure or other states -- things like that.

For the actual writing, I return back to the concept of balance; I try to strike a balance between not too much dialogue, not too little dialogue, not too much description, not too little, not too much interiority/narration, not too little... which is how I tend to approach writing in general, and again, it's something that comes naturally just from reading and writing a lot, figuring out what you like, and developing style as you practice! I think I was able to jump into writing smut fairly easily precisely because I don't treat it too differently from anything else I write. And the more that I write smut, or anything for that matter, the less it becomes a conscious balance I'm striking, and the more it starts to flow naturally, and I start to get a sense of what should go where or if something is missing without having to overthink it. I'm definitely making it sound way harder than it actually is, haha, I think it's really just about reading a lot, and writing a lot.

I am now looking back and realizing I may have gotten on my yap horse, so... apologies for that.

Thank you for the ask!:) I hope this answered your question.

[somethinglikesawyer]

hi im so so so normal about pmttg yep yep yep dont worry

(subspacerumi aaaaaaaaah subspacerumisubspacerumisubspacerumi woah what the heck who said that thats crazy. must have been the wind huh)

in all seriousness you might genuinely write the best polytrix smut i have ever read. and i read a LOT of polytrix smut. idk if it's your characterisation, your writing style, the way you manage to appeal to my own interests and what i love to read.... i obsessively check pmttg maybe 5 times a day lmaooooooo im not joking about the best smut bit. holy shit.

anyway have a break drink water sit up straight i love your writing so so so so much they are everything to me actually

~🪽

Thank you so much!! I'm really happy to hear you like it:) (and also thank you for being my first ask!!)

I also am a big fan of the concept of subspace Rumi!! To me personally I think one element is because she is so stubborn that actually getting her to subspace is Earned; it's not really something that just happens or would happen every time otherwise. So to me it feels rewarding in that sense. She had definitely never been so deep in it pre-start of pmttg timeline. I also think it's a subconscious sign of trust, cause it's such a giving of the self, like a surrender of sorts, and I don't think that Rumi's mind would let herself do that if she didn't trust who she was with -- even if she didn't fully understand how or why just yet.

I will be taking breaks and drinking water dw!! I don't know how much sitting up straight I can promise, as I have the posture of a shrimp, but I appreciate it nonetheless. And I'm sorry about the length of time between chapters, I know it takes a while and I'm trying to go faster!! I hope over the holidays coming up that I'll have more time to write.

I hope you enjoy/enjoyed chapter 5 :)