ohohooo 🥺✨🤗✅ for the fanfic writer emoji ask meme if I may, please and thank you xoxo
🥺 Is there a certain type of moment or common interaction between your characters that never fails to put you in your feels?
Absolutely, yes. So a lot of to-do is made about that “italicized oh” moment, but usually when people refer to that it’s “the moment where shipmates realize their feelings are reciprocated”. Now I’m not really about that, but feel like one moment I always find super satisfying is kind of similar with respect to emotional punch.
My favorite character arc is enemies with benefits to lovers– and I feel like the equivalent oh moment is both a combination of “we’re in this fucking deep and there’s no looking away from it just being (hate)sex anymore” – but it’s more than that because I really like when (a) the stakes are deeply interpersonal and (b) the characters realize that they themselves have to…change a little bit, despite the unconditional acceptance they are being offered.
In short– they are in love, and love requires compromise– but I love the moment where they realize they need to find that compromise and they want to offer change in order for things to be a bit gentler for their lover.
This moment is always at the middle point of my fics, by the way. The Chapter 3 moment. You being familiar with Sighted Crows especially will recognize the frostbite scene, that moment of “she was right, she’s always right” // “Do you know how I knew I cared about Sue? I don’t like seeing her in pain. Never have.”
I like it most of all when the shipmates reckon very deeply with the mess they are in, and then realize they have to step up and try to disentangle it. Delightfully, I just wrote that scene for you got fuck all clue what the work really is; which was a real treat.
✨ Give you and your writing a compliment. Go on now. You know you deserve it. 😉
I’m feeling all kinds of ways about my wrestling research in the writing lately, so I’ll pat myself on the back for that <3 getting to learn a ton about an art form I really care a lot about while also spinning silly lil narratives has been so good. A friend recently complimented my use of recontextualized finisher moments in fuck all clue, and I really appreciated that and felt the work deserved it <3
🤗 What advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?
Oh, I feel like you really said a lot of my favourite things!! I think for myself I would add that while finding your voice can be a really satisfying thing, you don’t have to write a Unique Thing(™) (™) always. It’ll be unique just by virtue of the fact that you’re writing it. Treasure that. Also, as a corollary to your “don’t compare yourself to others” (which is excellent advice!)-- try not to compare yourself to your past writing, or meet your past and present self with compassion if you do. If your writing before was “”worse””, celebrate that you’ve gotten better and be kind about the fact that that was your best then. If your writing is “”worse”” now, take a gentle look at your goals and capacities now vs. then and be gentle with judging yourself. Your writing is where it is. It’s good to have goals but always be kind, especially with you.
✅ What’s something that appears in your fics over and over and over again, even if you don’t mean to?
Never over a good “meaningfully provided hot liquids” scene, I think. Platonic or romantic :”)
