Are you going to continue Lonely Neighbor? Can I be added to the taglist if you are.
Hello! First of all, thank you for reviving this blog again haha. Although I don’t consider myself actively part of the SPN fandom anymore, I love(d) writing for this universe. And Lonely Neighbor is a series I am quite proud of.
That said, I had no intention of turning it into a series. It was just supposed to be a one-shot but I got carried away. So two bad news: (1) I don’t think I’m going to continue LN and that’s mainly because (2) I don’t know where that story is going anymore. I’d post my WIP for it but it’s terrible LOL.
If it helps, I planned for Lisa to find out about them (nothing happens between them while Dean is with Lisa, they just meet up late at night and talk) but she doesn’t get angry about it. She lets Dean go, knowing that their life together was just a distraction and that only the reader could help him deal with what he’s going through.
PHEW TLDR; I’m sorry I couldn’t complete this series but I’m very happy that you enjoyed it!
A/N: The first of my abandoned WIPs that I’ll be posting. It was born from a request by @silverwingedfox about how Reader was Chuck’s “soulmate.” Destined to be together in every lifetime and all that. A quote: I thought if I could keep your story from being written down that I could influence it so it’s not set in stone, y’know? That maybe yours won’t end bloody and sad the way Dean thinks it will.
In retrospect, you should have known something was off the moment you spotted the fleet of Impalas resting quietly in the parking lot. The sight had briefly registered as odd, but you were too busy worrying about Dean’s text to dwell on it.
911. Could use you kid. That was all it took for you to hand your case over to another hunter and drive nonstop to the coordinates of The Pineview Hotel.
You informed the brothers of your arrival via text--under the umbrella of hope that the situation wasn’t dire enough that they couldn’t check their phones--then scrambled out of your car with a duffel bag of weapons in your hand. It was better to be over-prepared, especially when you didn’t know what you were getting into.
Every possible worst-case scenario crossed your mind at least once, but you’d never imagined the sight that greeted you when you entered the hotel foyer: mugs that bore images of the Impala, t-shirts emblazoned with sigils, a blown-up image of a cheesy book cover featuring two illustrated male models. Supernatural?
A guy dressed remarkably like Dean entered your field of vision. He had on a brown leather jacket with the collar turned up, a perfect replica of the amulet hanging over his shirt, and a flirty smile. “Hi. Are you supposed to be Jo?”
“Nope. Wrong number.”
“Wait, wait,” he stopped you before you could walk away. “Wanna partner up with me on the hunt later? I’ve got my own EMF meter. Bought it off Amazon.”
Before you could dissect his sentence for questioning, the real Dean apprehended the both of you. “Don’t do this, man,” he advised his look-alike with a grimace. “Don’t be creepy.”
Embarrassed and a little intimidated, the Dean-copy mumbled an apology and slinked away to join another pair of fake brothers. “This has got to be the weirdest fever dream ever,” you said.
“More like a friggin’ nightmare.” Dean scowled at him before shaking his head and turning back to give you a quick one-armed hug. “C’mon. Sam’s waiting.”
He led you further into the foyer past the merchandise stands, which you eyed with mild interest, towards the bar. More people wearing Sam’s and Dean’s wardrobes were scattered in here. You were alarmed to see a few baddies, until human laughter came from beneath their masks.
A disgruntled Sam was tucked away at a corner table, surveying the room from his seat. Upon seeing you, his shoulders sagged with relief.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he said, standing to give you a hug. It had only been about ten days since you were last face-to-face with the brothers. But any time spent apart always felt too long. “You got here quick. Thought we wouldn’t see you until tomorrow at least.”
“When the bat signal’s raised, I come a-running.” You plopped down on the chair beside him and placed your duffel bag by your feet. “So I gave up murderous twin ghosts for what exactly?”
“Nothing,” Sam sighed. “Thought it was life-or-death. Turned out to be a false alarm.”
“Uh, I wouldn’t call this”--you twirled your finger in a circle, indicating the room--”a false alarm. It’s Attack Of The Clones. A full-on disaster.”
Dean scoffed. “Please. This makes Clones look like a cinematic masterpiece.”
“What is going on here anyway?” you asked, squirming around in your chair to get a good look at everyone in the bar. None of them looked familiar. You usually remembered the faces of people you’ve saved over the years, and that was the only reason you could think of for strangers to want to pretend to be them.
With an obvious lack of enthusiasm, Sam gave you the bullet points. If you weren’t seeing the aftermath with your own eyes, you wouldn’t have believed him.
“So everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been through, this guy Chuck Shurley dresses it up as fiction and makes money off of it?”
“Pretty much,” Sam nodded.
You leaned back on your chair, feeling only slightly overwhelmed. “Huh. Why didn’t I think of that? I’ve got the real scoop. Sam and Dean Winchester: The Prepubescent Years.”
“So help me, I will shoot you,” Dean threatened.
You cast him a wide grin then turned your attention back to the lounge. “Okay, I’m seeing lots of you guys, and a pretty decent Hook Man. Where’s me? Where are my clones?”
Sam hesitated. “You’re not… actually in the books.”
“What?!”
“Yeah, consider yourself lucky, kid,” Dean said enviously. “You ain’t full frontal. Which, thank you, Chuck, because I sure as hell don’t wanna read that about you. Matter of fact, I don’t want any of these pervs readin’ that about you. That’s just straight up wrong.”
You wrinkled your nose in distaste. Dean looked really bothered, meaning there were things about him in these books that he didn’t want anyone else to know. Maybe it was good that you weren’t exposed like they were.
Still, it hurt not being included. These stories were as much yours as theirs.
“But I’m badass. Saved both of you plenty of times. I should be in it. Or at least get a spin-off with me as the lead. Where is this prophet? I don’t care if an archangel’s guarding him. I’ll kick his ass.”
“Oh, maybe I should come back later then,” someone chuckled nervously. You looked up and saw two people approaching your table. One was a young blonde woman in a green vest and checkered blouse staring openly--and adoringly--at Sam.
The other was a guy who could barely meet your eyes. Instead he fidgeted, his fingers tugging at the hem of his jacket.
Sam introduced them to you as Chuck and Becky. “So you’re the writer I’ve been hearing about,” you said, leaning forward to rest your arms on the table. He briefly glanced at you then looked away. “There’s a major plot hole in your story, my friend, and it’s got all my curves.”
Your statement brought color to his cheeks, while Becky tilted her head curiously. “What do you mean? Who are you to Sam and Dean?”
“Well, you know how there’s three Ghostbusters?” She nodded. “I’m Venkman.”
Dean rolled his eyes. “You are not Venkman.”
“Of course I am.”
“I’ve got way more Bill Murray in me.”
You turned to Chuck and said seriously, “See, you’ll never get these kinds of quotes without me. I’m just saying.”
Becky giggled, clearly amused where Dean was not. “Well, good news! Chuck got an investor so he’s going to be writing more books! He has to add you this time. You will, won’t you, Chuck?”
“I--w-well,” he stammered, and the fact that he had to think about it kind of bruised your ego.
He was spared from answering further by a shrill scream piercing the air. The brothers and you quickly leaped to action, along with every other fake Sam and Dean in here. Chuck called you back, but the three of you were already rushing out the bar and into the foyer. You climbed the stairs up to the second floor where the scream came from.
A maid was cowering in the hallway, her arms covering her head. Sam helped her to stand. You asked her what happened just as the other clones gathered behind you.
“I saw a ghost,” the maid whimpered.
“A ghost?” a man playing Dean repeated in a gruff, lowered voice. “Could you tell us what it looked like?”
“Why don’t you leave this to the grown-ups, pal,” Dean said, pushing him and the others back. If an actual ghost was involved, these guys were in over their heads.
More people tried to squeeze into the hallway to listen to the maid’s story which, as it turned out, was completely fake. It was a staged hunt, all part of the convention’s activities.
The three of you trudged back down to the lobby. A suited bunch was gathered around a man recounting the tale of one Leticia Gore who ran an orphanage here and butchered four little boys on this very night.
“Is that how we look like when we’re in our fed suits?” you wondered as you observed them from a distance.
“Of course not. They’re kids playin’ dress up.” Dean gave a disgusted groan. “This is about all the community theater I can take.”
“Yeah, this cannot get any weirder,” Sam agreed.
“I’m gonna find a quiet corner and do some reading,” you said, patting both their arms. “I wanna know once and for all if Dean swiped that last piece of pie back in New Orleans.”
Ignoring his remarks, you headed to the merchandise booth that had all the books for sale. The vendor was a man wearing yellow contacts, imitating Azazel. Although why anyone would willingly choose to dress up as him was a mystery to you.
You dumped the newly bought stack of books in your arms on the bar table you’d occupied earlier and settled into a chair. Carefully peeling back the cover of the first volume, you began to read.
There was a short introduction to their story which, according to Chuck, started when Sam turned six months old. You were familiar with the origin story, as it were. Bits and pieces of it came out the more you spent time with the brothers.
Then it cut to the night Dean pulled Sam out from Stanford to look for John. The book only mentioned Dean, but you were there too. Dean hadn’t broken in like Chuck had written, but rather you were there invited. Everything else that played out, though, happened just as you remembered.
Chuck captured the details really well, and it was nice to see those moments from a perspective that wasn’t your own.
“Hey kid, turns out we got a real case here,” Dean interrupted, pulling you out of the story. “We’re about to go roast a ghost with Dumb and Dumber over there. You in?”
“Nah, I’ll pass.” Your eyes drifted back down to the page. “Who needs me when there’s more of you?”
Sam nudged your shoulder with the back of his hand. “Come on, it’d be nice to have you along.”
“I’m fine, guys, really,” you assured them. “I wanna finish these books. Go enjoy the barbecue. Here.” Using your foot, you slid your duffel bag over to Sam, who picked it up off the floor. “You can even take my gear. That way it feels like I’m there with you.”
“You just want me to put this in your car for you, right?” Sam said with narrowed eyes.
“Keys are in the side pocket,” you mumbled, mind already immersed in the story. He chuckled and patted your shoulder affectionately before leaving with his brother.
You were halfway through the sixth volume when you were joined by Chuck. He placed a bottle of your favorite beer before you, and you wondered if it was purely coincidence or if he really knew this was your drink of choice.
“Consider this a peace offering,” he smiled.
You raised the bottle in thanks then took a pull. He still lingered by your table, and you sensed he wanted to talk so you invited him to sit down.
He was quick to take a seat, scooting the chair closer to the table as he did so. “So, uh, how are you liking the books?” he asked, trying--and failing--to hide his eagerness. He seemed to really want to know your opinion.
“There’s some pretty extensive editing,” you began cautiously. “Take Wendigo. Sam following Dean’s M&M trail? That was me. In Phantom Traveler, Dean was too much of a wuss to get on the plane so Sam and I took on that demon. Things I’ve done are on here. Someone else is just taking the credit.”
Chuck gnawed on his bottom lip, looking rather shamefaced. “You’re really bothered by this, aren’t you?”
“It’s hard not to feel bad about it,” you admitted. “I never knew my parents. Bobby tried to be the father I never had. Sam and Dean and I just clicked. I tagged along with them. I guess I wanted to feel like I belonged somewhere, and these ‘Winchester gospels’ reminded me I’m just an outsider. A secondary character not worth mentioning. Expendable.”
“No, no, you’re not expendable,” he rushed to explain.
“I am. I obviously am. Look how easy it was to take me out of the story. It would be just as easy to take me out of their lives.”
Hesitantly, his hands stretched across the table to cover yours. “You’re not expendable, okay? You are important to Sam and Dean. You are important.” It was really nice of him to try and comfort you, but you just needed a moment to really wallow in your own self-pity.
His hands retreated back to under the table. “Can I be honest with you about something?” he asked, looking more nervous than you’ve ever seen him. “Truth is, you were in my visions. I just took a little authorial freedom and kept you out of the books.”
“But why?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “Something about you. Kinda wanted to keep you to myself. My own little secret.”
Okay. So. It has been... probably about a year now? So many things have happened in my life. I’ve been busy, and sadly none of it involved me writing.
To the few people who’ve reached out to me in messages, I’m sorry for not responding at all. I haven’t logged on in a solid year, but I appreciate you for thinking about me. You’re still dear to my heart <3
Anyway I’m reviving this blog for a little bit because I was heading to work and a song I listened to a lot as writing inspo came on and brought me back to that fic. I ended up reading that WIP during my break and... man, I miss writing.
So, good news and bad news.
Bad news: I still don’t think I’ll be making any more new SPN fics. The muse has retired somewhere in Europe, and she sends the occasional postcard but otherwise she’s moved on. Sorry.
Good news: I think I might be posting the few WIPs I had saved. They’re unfinished, of course, and some are just bullet points of rough plot ideas but I’m still proud of them. So be looking forward to that I suppose?
I'm going to miss you, darling! You're such a wonderfully talented writer so I hope your muse comes back one day. Don't be a stranger - love you xx ❤
Thank you so much! Hopefully I’ll get the inspiration back, because i do love writing. I love you too and I’m so happy we got to know each other <3 I’m terrible at reaching out and keeping in touch but if you ever want to message me, I’m sure to respond at the speed of light. I’m still eager to go on that tour we talked about haha
I haven’t been that active on here in a long while, and that’s made me feel guilty. I think it’s mostly due to me not putting out any new content in a while. I get notes and notifications here and there about people following me and liking my stuff, and I’m super grateful for it.
But I’ve been stressing myself out to write something new, which also hinders my process. Not to mention I’m so far behind on the show and the fandom in general. Mostly due to my hyperfixation attaching itself to a completely different interest. My inspiration to produce anything SPN-related is... gone. And that sucks. I really thought I’d be in this for the long haul but I guess it happens, seasons change, all we are is dust in the wind...
So I’m hanging my hat up on zepppie. I’m still keeping this blog up though because I can’t possibly take down any of my stories. Besides, once the conditions are right and the temperature is perfect and the planets have aligned thusly, I could come back. My muse could suddenly kick my ass and get me to finish all the WIPs I have cooking.
I’m so, so, so touched by all the sweet comments and supportive notes that people have left behind on my stories. Seriously, they keep my withered heart beating. Most of all, I’m really thankful that I got to know some cool people and make new friends on here. You guys message me constantly and never forget me and that makes me so happy. If you still want to keep in touch, you know where to find me!
There’ll be no new stories from me anymore, unfortunately, but I’ll still be lurking in this here swamp, emerging once every full moon. Love you guys <3
Writer friends, mutuals and followers: you are all treasures.
As are the stories you weave, both original and inspired by other works. And It goes unsaid far too often. For every scene that extends my favourite worlds that much further, for every character you breathe life into, for every piece of yourself you have shared: thank you.
As an outsider, I can see that there is a huge lack of feedback when it comes to writers and their work. I have read the most stunning stories on here, most of which received little attention. I promise you that it is not down to the quality of your work, and that you should never doubt yourself over it.
People like content that is quick to consume. Stories are not. They take time to craft and patience to read, but have a lasting effect that can’t be matched. The afterglow of lingering words and haunting plots, of lines that never leave you… It’s magic. It’s awesome. It’s something to be cherished.
Please remember that, please take pride in it and please keep writing.
tfw ur trying to write plot but ur brain only provides you with out-of-sequence snippets built on vague ideas and an endless number of potential outcomes that develop and branch out unnaturally over an unspecified timespan
The Nail's Spring/Summer 2017 Round-Up: Gold Star Stories
My favorites - and some of yours, too! - from the first season [May - August] of “The Nail”. These folks didn’t just nail it, they drove that sucker clean through walls, floors, ceilings, and didn’t break a sweat. I aimed for top 10, but I had a hard time choosing, so you’re getting my top 20. Introspective heart-grabbers, adventures through time, and chuckle-worthy tales from the world of Supernatural await you [including 4 short supernatural-ish originals that you won’t wanna miss].
Thanks for the tag @seenashwrite! Look at me, answering questions like some kind of professional *preens*
1. What inspires your work most? (The show it is based on, the actor who portrays a certain character, maybe the character itself? It could even be an experience.)
It’s anything that gives me a sudden burst of inspiration. It’s been a song, a quote, a passage from a book I read, and a real-life experience. Anything that gets me thinking “What if this was with Dean? Or Sam? Or Cas?” and then has me burning to sit in front of my laptop to get the words out.
2. What is your favorite fandom to write for?
I’ve only ever posted fics for SPN, but I generally like writing stories for things I’m passionate about. In the past, it’s been anime and K-pop.
3. Which perspective do you prefer writing in? (First-person, second-person, third-person)
At this point, I only write second-person. Other POVs? Sorry, don’t know her.
...
Okay, truthfully, when I write reader-inserts, I like to imagine myself telling the story much like one would a scary story around a campfire in the woods. I honest-to-god picture myself bathed in ominous firelight while narrating Winchester fluff. And every note is another person come to join my little circle.
4. Do you prefer writing reader fics or OCs?
See above. I do have a Sam/OC fic I’m developing but it feels weird giving the character a name so that’s been going slowly.
Bonus, from Nash’s answer, just because I cried laughing:
[I will say, major kudos to whomever developed the name replacer add-on, I have had many laughs inputting things like “Smegma” and “Your Mom” on more than one occasion]
sMEGMA HECK
5. Do you prefer writing longer works or one shots?
I’m gonna interpret “longer works” as chapter fics and say one shots. I don’t have the attention span to do anything more than two chapters :/
6. Do you take requests?
I do! I don’t openly ask for it but people are totally free to send in their ideas if they have them and want me to take it on.
7. Do you enjoy getting random Asks?
Please. I like friends ;n;
8. What inspires the names for OCs (or extra character names) in your works? Do you pick them from real life or just select them at random? A mix?
Random. Although the Sam/OC that’s in the works has a name that’s specifically picked for story purposes. I’m lazy about naming hence why I barely write OC fics.
9. If your story(ies) have OCs, are their appearances based on real people or celebrities? If so, who?
I actually imagine myself (but like, a Sims version) just so I can visualize the story as I write it. But I make it a point not to describe “you,” gender included. So, yeah, I’m gonna be cheeky and say they’re based on real people and that’s whoever happens to be reading my story.
10. How long have you been writing fanfiction?
Wow, a while. I’ve been writing SPN fics since 2012 and other fics since before that but I haven’t posted any of them until recently. I think I’ve been Zeppie for a solid year though.
This was fun! I’m gonna tag my fellow writer friends: @imaginingadifferentlife @supernaturallymarvellous @line-viper @samtomydeanwinchester @elizlyn
first law: write the fic you wish to see in the world aka goddammit do I have to do everything myself around here
second law: it’s going to be longer than you think. much longer. hahaha so long. why are you crying
third law: the time spent writing is inversely proportional to the amount of smut present, dammit
fourth law: flesh out your secondary characters. make them real people. have them take over. oh god. put them back. somebody please help
fifth law: the time spent researching canon is directly proportional to the amount of time you’ll spend altering your plot. that one person on the internet
sixth law: the time spent researching in general will eclipse the time you spend writing. the nsa agent monitoring your internet search history is curled up in a corner. his boss wants to know if you’re a threat. “I don’t know,” the agent sobs. “I just really don’t know.”
seventh law: at some point, someone will ask what your favorite hobby is. you will feign a heart attack to get away
1. What was your first fic and could you stand to reread it today?
Okay the first fanfic I ever wrote ever was for Naruto around 12 or so years ago. If I could find it again, I would love to reread it just because lol. In terms of my blog, my first is The Promise. I like rereading my old stuff. It’s super encouraging if you look at it as “wow I’ve progressed so much as a writer” rather than “oh god what was i thinking”
22. Has there ever been anyone who’s made you freak out because they read your work and followed/favorited/reviewed?
YES. @ilostmyshoe-79 (who, if you, person reading this, are not already following her then ????) is one of the few writers that immediately pop into my head if anyone asks for recs. So getting to write Imperfect for her challenge and reading her comments about it was !!!! It’s going on my resume y’all I don’t even care
37. Have you ever purposefully bashed a character/ship in a fic?
I don’t think I ever have. Probably only some banter that’s still in-character. If I ever would, it’d be for crack lol. I’m gonna retire as soon as I write a crack fic, I swear, I’m just waiting for that one big idea.
43. Your least popular?
I actually wrote this super short drabble for you, which literally has 4 notes. A lot of my stuff with minor characters (Jody, Benny, Ghostfacers!) gets the least notes which is understandable. But Against the World didn’t do well. I’m not bothered though, because I had fun writing it and people left some really nice comments!
My first ask meme, and one that’s been on my mind for a while! Feel free to reblog for your it for yourself, answer them, or ask me for my answers! Read more break after 10/50 to help keep this from clogging any dashboards
1. What was your first fic and could you stand to reread it today?
2. What’s your most recent fic and how far do you think you’ve come?
3. In your opinion, what’s your best fic?
4. In your opinion and without looking at any numbers, what’s your most popular fic?
5. Is there any fic that makes you super happy to reread and remember you wrote that?
6. Is there any fic that makes you super embarrassed to reread and remember you wrote that?
7. What’s the fic you most want to continue (unfinished or no)?
8. What’s the oldest (longest since last update) fic you most want to continue (unfinished or no)?
9. Have you ever written for a fandom without watching/reading/playing the source material?
10. Have you ever written for a fandom without reading other fanfic for it?