Magic is better than Reality

my songs know what you did in the dark...

Drawing completed for Amnesty Week, Aug. 10-16, 2026, for the Magicians Fanworks Extravaganza @magiciansfanworksextravaganza challenge Welcome Home!, Week 1, "Home."

This art is dedicated to my friend @godihatethisfreakingcat (aka seashadows on AO3)! This is the next piece of your birthday present from December ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you for all the amazing creative works you put out into this world—I love them so much, and deeply appreciate the time and energy you put into giving us beautiful insights into the characters we love ❤️❤️❤️

This drawing is part of Mosaic Haiku, Chapter 16: Home on AO3, where it can be seen with greater resolution/sharpness:

Mosaic Haiku (with Art) - Chapter 16 - EliotQueliot - The Magicians (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

See also the sketch and message in Chapter 38 of Queliot and The Magicians Previews: Art and Fic Snippets for WIPs:

Wishing my friend @itsminimes, a very happy birthday!! Thank you so much for all the warmth and magic you bring! Your enthusiasm for The Magicians (and my work), your fic, and the glimpses of Hale and Jason (and your cats) you share are always such a delight!

(You can't see it in this scan, it's too small and the lines are too dark, but El's eyes are cutting back toward Q just a little) (I love how we can tell how attached they are to each other already, such an iconic moment)

The Wonderful Clock - by Lev Grossman - Last Stop Corbenic

Post by @levgrossman.com — Bluesky

Why read short stories?

Here is a direct quote from my best friend, Heather:

If I turned into a vampire and was given a library of infinite options, I would probably not read a short story collection until the sun had died.

Even though I guffawed at this (it was in response to me talking about my own short story collection), admittedly I once felt the same way. And, as it happens, the journey to discovering my love of short stories is also the journey of how I came to found OFIC.

Well, have I got the html for you!

Plop any of these in a comment (by copy&pasting the code) to make an author's day and show your appreciation!

Second kudos: <img src="https://i.ibb.co/tHMjbb6/second-kudos.png" alt="second kudos">

Third kudos: <img src="https://i.ibb.co/52bggQH/third-kudos.png" alt="third kudos">

nth kudos: <img src="https://i.ibb.co/6y7qGtC/nth-kudos.png" alt="nth kudos">

yet another kudos: <img src="https://i.ibb.co/wKtcj0s/yet-another-kudos.png" alt="yet another kudos">

It will look something like this (and will be transparent with white outline on dark backgrounds):

UPDATE with some suggestions from the replies! And bonus: cookie kudos.

HTML codes under the cut.

Date Posted: July 23, 2026

AO3 has recently seen a wave of comments claiming to be made by the "AO3 Trust & Safety team", notifying you that your account has been restricted. These claims are not true. These comments are not being made by real AO3 volunteers and your account has not been restricted.

AO3 volunteers, including the Policy & Abuse committee, will never communicate with you through comments on your work. All important communications from AO3 will be sent through the email associated with your account. More general announcements will be posted on our official social media accounts or published as news posts on AO3 or OTW.org.

If you receive one of these comments, do not click on any of the links in it, reply to it, or interact with it in any way. The links in these comments lead to sites asking you to verify your identity by providing payment information. This is a common credit card scam. AO3 does not ever ask users to provide payment information, and the Policy & Abuse committee will never comment on your works asking you to "complete an identity verification process".

If you encounter one of these comments or believe your account has been compromised, please view the instructions under the cut!

1x01: “Unauthorized Magic” / 2x13: “We Have Brought You Little Cakes”

I need you to tell them they were wrong about me. I need to show you something, and you need to promise me that you're not going to tell anyone. 'Cause you're the only person that I trust.

We have a lot of exciting new works, and a lot to look forward to!

We recently held our first Queliot Week revival! And if you wanted to make something but missed it, please join us for next year's Queliot Week in this same timeslot. We'll reopen all prior Queliot Week themes for Queliot Week only!

Queliot Week 2026 Recap

On the horizon, please join us, or mark your calendar to enjoy new works! All prior events, except Queliot Week, reopen for Amnesty Week! And we have our very own Keys Quest coming up!

Amnesty Week 2026: August 10-16

The Tales of the Seven Keys (Aug. 31-Oct. 25, 2026)

Also, our sibling station @peachesandplumsbigbang has new illustrated fic for The Magicians (any ships or none, all welcome) on the horizon. These new works will be at least 25k (no maximum) and each will include at least one artwork (no maximum). They will post anonymously at first, with works beginning to go up on Monday, October 19, 2026, and continuing to post until all works have been shared. Creator identities will be revealed later after all works have had a chance to shine.

Do NOT change the story to make it palatable to them. They will never like it. There is nothing you can do to make them like it

But there are so many people out there who will like it. And if you tone down the things that make other people not like it, you’re also toning down the things that make these people really like it

Would you rather have a story that’s loved and hated, or a story that nobody finds notable, and thus is easily forgotten?

Don’t tone yourself down to make people like it — tone yourself up. Make it so unapologetically you that instead of merely disliking it, they absolutely hate it

You have no idea how many people lurk on your work. No idea how many times people go back to revisit your work. How big they smile when they simply think about your work. How fast their heart beats, how excited they get when they see that you posted something.

People are shy with their feedback. Sometimes it’s because they’re simply shy. Other times it’s because they assume you already know how great and talented you are. Could be both.