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I was on the Fanfic Maverick podcast! I chatted with host Chaosblue about my Harry Potter fic, "The Draught of Asphodel!"

It was a wonderful conversation and so fun to talk to her.

In this episode I got to chat with Ttime42 about her journey through fandom and her Severitus fic ‘The Drought of Asphodel.’

#fanfiction #fanficmaverick #podcast #harry potter #severitus #the fanfic maverick #Chaosblue

falseknees

Gray day

#bird #art #rain #comic

writingquestionsanswered

how does one cope when mid-way through they realize they are writing a tragedy and there is no possibility of a happy ending? especially when that was not the original intention? i'm absolutely gutted by this realization and i hate that i feel wedded to it.

Upset Because Story Went Off the Rails

You're a Writer, Not a Marionette - Long ago, I bought into the believe that characters and stories have minds of their own... that it was beyond my control if my character did X when I wanted them to do Y... that there was nothing I could do if my happy meet-cute story decided to be a dark tale of horror. It can be kind of fun (and freeing, honestly) to believe we're just helpless vessels through which some greater storytelling force speaks, but that's not the case at all. There's no magical entity pulling the strings beyond your control. If your character does X and you wanted them to do Y, you did that, not your character. If your happy meet-cute turns into a tragic horror, you did that, not your story. You're the writer, and you're in control of everything that does or does not happen in your story.

Does It Make the Story Better? - Human brains are incredible things, and sometimes when your character does X when you intended for them to do Y, it's because some part of your brain realizes that's the better choice. Maybe it's more believable or more natural. Maybe it just works better with what you're laying out. Maybe it's just more interesting. So, the trick is to look at the unintended thing that happened and ask yourself if it makes the story better. Make a list of pros and cons... what are the ways the story is better if you stick with X rather than Y. What are the ways it's worse? Ultimately, if the change truly makes the story better, it's worth following through.

Beware of Story Parasites - Parasites are organisms that invade and thrive inside a host organism, at the host organism's expense. When you're writing your WIP and it takes a massive shift in tone, genre, or direction, sometimes that's because a whole new story idea has bullied its way into this one and is now feeding off this story to survive. If the unintended thing doesn't make the story better and leaves you feeling upset about the direction things are heading, you've probably got a story parasite. In which case, the best thing you can do is write the idea down as generally as possible, and set it aside to work on another time. Treating this invasive idea as something distinct from your WIP can help you move on and keep your story on its intended path.

What To Do When the Change Has to Stay - Very rarely, you may find that story's original direction just isn't working, and that this new (and vastly different) direction makes for a much better story. In that case--if you're absolutely certain this is the right path--it's worth making a list of all the reasons this idea will be better. Try to imagine what the story will be like if you stick with the original plan, versus if you make the drastic change. Can you think of anything that excites you about this new idea? Can you find reassurance in the many ways that this story shines versus the original idea?

Ultimately, It's Up to You - If your story takes an unexpected and upsetting turn, and you're certain it's the superior course, and that there's no point in pursuing the story's original path instead, it's worth really taking a look at why it's so upsetting if it's the right thing to do. If you're disappointed that your original plan didn't work out, spend some time trying to figure out how to make the original plan work better than the new idea. If you're upset because this idea is too personal or triggering, set it aside and see if you can come back to it later. You're not obligated to keep working on a story if it shifts in a direction that makes you unhappy or uncomfortable. You can set it aside or figure out a way to keep it in your comfort zone.

I hope that helps!

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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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#writing #writing advice

yuumei-art

Happy (almost) New Year everyone!!! 🎉🎇🎆

I hope 2024 will be amazing and filled with stars for you ✨🌟🌠

#stars #art #ocean #sky #inspiration

cosmos-kitty

Finally finished this one after working on it incrementally in my spare time for the better part of a year 🐍

#art #snake

storminateacup-97-deactivated20

“That’s why high school, or a crappy job, or any other restrictive circumstance can be dangerous: They make dreams too painful to bear. To avoid longing, we hunker down, wait, and resolve to just survive. Great art becomes a reminder of the art you want to be making, and of the gigantic world outside of your small, seemingly inescapable one. We hide from great things because they inspire us, and in this state, inspiration hurts.”

— One of the best articles I’ve ever read. Rookie Mag. By Spencer Tweedy. (via wildyork)

#art #inspiration #dreams

uroko

夏の終わりの入道雲

#sky #clouds #blue

severitus-big-bang

Less than a week til pitching begins!!

Happy holidays, and happy New Year!

We can’t believe how many of you contacted us already and asked questions, told us your thoughts or helped us along with concrit and ideas. This is already shaping up to be such a wonderful event.

2023 is almost over and that means it's less than a week until this fest starts. We can’t wait to see all your ideas and pitches.

Pitching will start January 1st, the How-tos of pitching will follow very soon.

Until then: we hope you have a great last week of December and we wish you all the best.

See you in 2024!

Eso, Rose and Serena

#severitus #severitus big bang 2024 #harry potter

memeuplift

#silent book club

toastweasel

fiction-is-not-reality

In bigger letters for those in the back:

As a critiquer, your job is not to “make this piece of writing better” but to understand what the writer wants to achieve and help them to achieve it

notactuallyaduck

Applies beyond writing as well.

jordanlhawk-deactivated20260503

Also applies to editing. I was recently talking to another writer whose editor (at a publisher) almost destroyed her desire to keep writing. Writers, know the signs of a shitty editor versus one who actually wants to help you achieve your vision, and don’t be afraid to ask for a different one. (Or fire a bad one if you’re indy.)

kedreeva

This is why some random person on the internet isn’t qualified to give unsolicited critique to fanfiction writers. Because they don’t know what the author wants to achieve. They can’t.

#critique #fanfiction #constructive criticism