#thewhitehun

[scribe-of-the-sky]

Ten months of writing...

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been writing The White Hun for more than three-quarters of a year already. From a single crazy idea to unite the world of Frozen with a Central Asian/Mongolian monomyth, it has grown from pretty much a crackfic to one of the most extensive stories I have ever written. Beginning with a simple premise: “who really built the Great Dam of Arendelle?” At its core, it’s a story of historical wrongs and systemic injustice, set against a backdrop of a society thrown into upheaval. And though I’ve done my best to stay true to canon in terms of characterisation and plot points, I have not shied away from depicting the consequences of such conflict in their full extent. The White Hun can be found on FFN. I am also in the process of uploading onto AO3, with minor edits and additional author notes. I want to thank the readers who have shared their thoughts, both in reviews as well as in private messaging and public forums on Discord. A special shoutout to @themarshmallowattack and @lianthuss, two wonderful authors who have kept me motivated and inspired through their messages and reviews. Without them, The White Hun would be long dead. Do check out their stories: The Sky Is Awake - by @themarshmallowattack. A series of one-shots set after the death of Elsa and Anna’s parents, it showcases the author’s skill at compacting so much emotion and meaning into such short pieces of writing. Can be found on FFN and AO3. The Next Unknown - by @themarshmallowattack​. Set after Frozen II, it’s a compelling tale about tragedy, personal loss, and character growth, set against the backdrop of an evolving political drama. Highly recommended. Found on FFN and AO3. Also please do check out @themarshmallowattack​‘s many one-shots on her author page. Sparks - by @lianthuss​. A modern AU set in a Nordic city. Barely escaping a back-alley assault after leaving her dance studio, Maren is rescued by Elsa Larsen, a svelte career woman - and a relationship begins. Saying this story has Elsamaren content is like saying vodka has alcohol content. Found on FFN and AO3. On another note, I have been contemplating what to do with this blog. It seems weird to post chapter-by-chapter story updates when the chapters in question were uploaded months ago. However, I do plan to post supplemental notes on each chapter detailing my writing process and inspiration, as well as the material that went into each chapter. I hate long and obtrusive author notes with a vengeance, and hence have kept my notes on FFN and AO3 relatively brief. Posting behind-the-scenes notes here seems to be a good compromise. If Disney can do well with behind-the-scenes commentary, so can I. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

[scribe-of-the-sky]

Behind the scenes: The White Hun, chapters 1-2

First off, the links: Chapter 1: FFN/AO3 Chapter 2: FFN/AO3 Welcome to the first in a series of short posts about the work that went into my ongoing post-Frozen II fanfic, The White Hun. Looking back at the first two chapters of my story, I can see my initial struggles at defining the heart and direction of the fic. To establish the universe and the connection with canon, I made use of dialogue with the two sisters as well as Agnarr’s old letters as a plot device. In the meantime, the endgame was always to find a way to introduce the steppe tribes and former slaves, and their motivations, in a way that made sense in the universe. Writing dialogue is a struggle. Writing good dialogue is doubly so. And writing engaging, moving dialogue that involves the two main characters of the film in a fandom with so many amazing authors that can do it so much better...at times, it almost felt like I was putting out a bootleg version of something that a better writer could execute effortlessly. In the end though, I think I can say that my favorite scene to write was the reindeer-hunting scene on horseback. I enjoyed capturing the fluidity of movement and the insight into the steppe tribes’ unique cultural background. The song sung by the nomads during the skinning of the reindeer carcasses is The Rising Sun by Hanggai. It gave me chills the first time I heard it.

[scribe-of-the-sky]

This is how it starts off in Chapter 1. And believe me, the story pulls an extremely HARD right almost immediately after.

Who says I don’t have range?