You Are Lost Without The Waiting

Reader Appreciation

I’ve been seeing a lot of amazing posts lately thanking fanfic writers for that good, good content that we’re all disappearing into right now. And I love these posts, and FUCK YES, the healing power of art during these rough times, it can’t be said enough. But I feel like there’s something missing from these posts, and that’s the readers.

A lovely friend of mine recently shared something with the caveat that they “contribute basically nothing to fandom” and I was fucking floored. Like. This person has made playlists for fic, and shared art, and reached out to me to talk about my stories and other stories and like - that is the Work. They made me feel like my shitty writing was good enough to share, and that made me write more, and connected me with more people, and that sort of contribution doesn’t get acknowledged enough. I don’t write fiction because I have to, or for the likes or hits or whatever; I write it because I have a story I want to tell. On the days when my brain is cooperating, writing is a pleasure. On the days when my brain isn’t cooperating, comments from readers make my words feel meaningful anyway. This isn’t a one-way street, a producer/consumer situation. Or at least, it doesn’t feel like that to me.  And my best writing has been done when people are holding me accountable, or are pushing me to do better and I’m so grateful for that. And so grateful for you.

So. To the readers who comment on every chapter. To the readers who leave thoughtful essays in the comments and the readers who leave 😭❤️😱 or keysmashes. To the readers who are inspired for the first time to make art or write something themselves. To the readers who leave kudos. To the readers too anxious to comment (I’ve been there, sat in a space where I had no idea how to express how a story made me feel) and the fandom ghosts who dip in and read and vanish.

To readers who like or reblog or share or rec or send messages or don’t do any of these things.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for building this community.

Thank you for reading.

Jude and Cardan vs Cardan and Vivienne. Who would kick your ass more?

Never make decisions out of fear. Only out of spite.

quick sketch

Finished off the six of crows trio + milo

Okay but the comedic potential of Kaz and Jesper's wildly different education levels is too incredible not to explore. Kaz hasn't had a crumb of formal education since he was at most 9 and only learned the skills and information he needed to do crimes, and Jesper was literally a college student for a hot second.

Kaz goes on some highly specific tangent about Kerch law or finances and then casually says the sun goes around the earth, and Jesper's just staring at him like...excuse me?

Jesper starts commenting on the particular architectural feature of a building they're planning to rob and how it belongs to an artistic movement that started in Shu Han while Kaz and Inej are side eyeing each other like...whomst?

There's just so much here

hello!! i’m back for another milestone celebration! thank you to everyone following me and for supporting my works 🥰  i don’t really have the energy for a big celebration yet, so here’s something small to thank y’all for putting up with me 

to celebrate with me:

✦ follow me!

✦ reblog this post!

✦ send me an ask with a gv pairing + emoji for a 200 word drabble!

✦ mutuals special: send me an ask with 🔪  and i’ll vibe check you as a horrible book i’ve read

that’s it! blacklist #tiffs3.6k if you don’t want to see posts from this celebration!

Nicky: I can’t believe Neil ignored us all winter break! He better be dying.

Neil: Hey guys, sorry I ignored you all winter break. I was dying.

Nicky: I take it back I take it back I take it back I take it back.

It's all fun and games with Neil 'I'd rather be free than safe' Josten vs. Kevin 'I'd rather be safe than free' Day - until you whip out Jean 'Please just kill me' Moreau

andreil 😌 my love for them is insane I wish them all the happiness

ig: oliviaillustrations