Anna

This is a separate post (and not a response to a specific message) because we all need to see it.

Folks have been asking Support (through the form) as well as the other social media mods, and we have now been given the following to tell you.

We are continuing to closely monitor political developments that may affect AO3 and the OTW as a whole. First, we want to assure you that there are several factors that tend to protect AO3 and its users from legal risks and challenges. These include that we are a non-profit, do not host images, do not use algorithms to promote or advertise content to users, are not aimed at children, and collect very little user data. The results of the 2024 U.S. election are deeply concerning, but the OTW remains committed to providing an inclusive space for fannish expression and will continue to fight for fans' free expression, both in court and through legislative efforts, in the U.S. and worldwide. We have seen that fans are a powerful force for promoting free expression, and we will continue to inform people about opportunities for their voices to be heard. If a bill is likely to be passed in the future that could impact our ability to provide services, our legal team will be prepared to offer updates, guidance, and legal support to our users. Fans are not alone in this fight. Both the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) (https://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/the-aclu-is-fighting-back-against-trump ) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) (https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/11/2024-us-election-over-eff-ready-whats-next ) made preparations for this outcome and have developed strategies to combat anticipated efforts to curtail online freedoms. We urge our users to support these organizations and others as they fight for your rights and ours.

Someone has probably already done this but

For anyone looking to lock their works for only registered users over on Ao3 in light of the sudowrites scraping thing here is how you can lock all of your fics at once.

Log into Ao3 and go to your Profile, Works or Dashboard

At the top under you’re user name there are four buttons pick Edit Works

Second row of buttons on the right chose All and then hit Edit

Scroll down past all of your works and then keeps scrolling until you find Visibility  change it to Only Show to Registered User

(If a fic is over the tag limit you have to edit those down to make edit to the work.)

Exsqueze me? But are you talking trash about Darcy Lewis, Queen of Tasers?

It’s one thing to not want her in Ragnarok but she is one of the most complex female characters in a long time.

1) Darcy Lewis is the only character in any franchise that has any actual common sense.

At the beginning of Thor, Jane and Erik want to drive into a tornado but Darcy has enough sense to stand up to her friends and say no.

She only drives into the storm because Jane grabs the wheel, forcing her to turn.

Do you know how rare it is for any character to have even a shred of common sense? So few that the concept should be renamed rare sense.

I know I don’t have to scream at the screen for the character not to do the stupid thing because if Darcy Lewis is there, she has enough sense to tell people not to do the stupid thing.

How many other MCU characters can you say that about? If your answer is anyone other than Phil Coulson, you’re the one self inserting fan fiction.

2) Darcy Lewis is the only female character who UN-appologetically defends herself.

Thor, a man who is much larger and physically stronger, who could easily overpower two young women and a senior citizen, who seems drunk/on drugs, starts to act belligerent and hostile.

So she tasers him.

The scared woman trope has been used for eons: lone woman hears someone breaking in so she grabs a baseball bat/knife/feather duster to defend herself. The audience is scared for her safety because she’s a poor, helpless maiden and he’s a big, bad predator.

But we’re not scared for Darcy. Why? Because Darcy Lewis doesn’t second guess her instincts. She has the confidence to keep herself and her friends safe!

Later, at the hospital when Jane tries to deflect her own blame by pointing out that Darcy tasered him, what does she say?

Darcy Lewis is PROUD of her actions, she owns her decision to keep her friends safe from Schrodinger’s Rapist.

Our sexist society says that women should be nice, even to their own detriment but Darcy Lewis is an example of putting yourself and your own safety before men’s ego & comfort.

I hope that more women in the real world decide to take a page out of Darcy Lewis’ playbook.

3) Darcy Lewis speaks her mind.

You know you were thinking it. For once the everyman trope is played by a woman and she does a fabulous job of being the audience surrogate but let’s put that asside.

Darcy Lewis is honest and doesn’t care about society’s expectation that women should stroke an ego as if her life depended on it.

4) Darcy Lewis IS the backup plan.

Even though she’s a poli-sci major, Darcy decides to go for an internship in the “hard” sciences with Jane. Armed with nothing more than her common sense, bravery and honesty, Darcy decides to follow Jane to London.

At one point in Dark World, both Jane and Erik fall off the map and SHEILD doesn’t returning her calls. Darcy makes the most logical call in the history of the MCU!

Sidebar here: how many times did you ask why the Avengers never showed up in Iron Man 3? I bet it was more than zero.

Darcy is left to deal with the Convergence, an actual-sci problem, by her poli-sci self.

She doesn’t fall apart, she doesn’t let her male intern take over the decision making, she just goes about saving the world the best way she knows how.

Darcy finds Erik and hatches a plan to get him out of the hospital and when the battle starts she doesn’t run away to hide, she does her part.

5) Darcy Lewis is funny.

Men are funny and women laugh at their jokes. That is the pre-ordainded hierarchy of the world.

Only Darcy Lewis is having none of your chicanery. She is witty, sarcastic, dry, charming and knows she’s awesome. She doesn’t need your approval or support because at the end of the day she knows how to take care of business.

ron: or 4000 degrees for one minute

Choosing You is officially done!

If you haven't checked it out yet, then I'd love it if you did and I'd love it even more if you tell me what you think. It has:

Fake marriage

Bucky reading Darcy's fav romance novels

Sassy, take-no-shit Shuri

A blossoming friendship between Bucky and Tony

Gas station burritos

A 90s rock soundtrack

Boxer briefs

An orally-fixed Bucky

Kidnapping

Caretaker Darcy

Late-night TV show binges

General Ross being an asshole

Sam Wilson's cooking

So, in the wake of Avengers: Endgame (and perhaps some people grappling with some other fandoms madness, I’m still processing Game of Thrones myself) it feels like we all could use some fun and fluff. And fandom is always the place to escape what we don’t like, or don’t want to dwell on anyway about what canon hands us and surround ourselves with what we do love. Thus, I submit a fandom Marvel Summer Fluff and Fun Fest.

Biggest Rule is that the fanwork should be light, fun, or fluffy. It can contain other elements, provided the overall feeling of the piece is still ‘feel good’. Some great stories and films and such things have a touch of drama, nostalgia, longing or what have you, but end off with you feeling happy and good about things, and that’s the aim here to feel good at the end, to help brighten the mood for summer.

It is the Summer Fun and Fluff Fest, but pieces don’t have to be super summer themed as long as they are fun, light, fluffy, feel-good kind of things. Especially since many of the fandom are living in the Southern Hemisphere which are in their winter months during the northern hemisphere’s summer, so they might not be feeling summery. Though many prompts will probably have a summery vibe, prompts are also open to the creator’s interpretation.

Guidelines/FAQ

What can be created to fill a prompt?

Anything creative that you can make and post up somewhere. Fics, arts, mood boards, vids, style boards, playlists, etc. Just make sure to use any applicable warnings/ratings/ships etc on your post so people know what they are about to enter into.

Where can such things be posted?

Any readily available appropriate online site. Ao3 for fics, youtube if it’s a vid, tumblr for whatever it allows these days, Dreamwidth, whatever your spot for doing such things is, as long as it’s reputable (aka won’t give people’s computers viruses and popup hell) and can be easily linked to and viewed.

If you are posting to places such as Tumblr or Dreamwidth do use the keep reading/under the cut feature for any larger pieces/fics longer than 200 words etc.

I created a Collection over on Ao3 that everyone can add their work to. Tumblr I’ll make up a masterlist as things get going. If you’re posting anywhere other than Ao3, please let me know where you’ve posted and send me a link. Message or Tag me on Tumblr or discord, whatever works. If you’ve posted something and it’s been a week or two and I haven’t seemed to notice, poke me again in case tumblr or something is being weird or crappy, or it somehow slipped past me. I’ll be trying to upkeep the masterlist as things go.

Collection at: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/marvelsummerfunfluff

Does the fic/art/etc have to be of a certain size?

No? Not really.

I suppose if you’re writing a fic to fill a prompt shoot for 100 words, but I’m also not going to count your words. No upper limits. If your inspiration takes off, follow it.

For Moodboards and Aesthetic type things (style boards stuff like that), I’m going to say maybe at least 6 images/elements put together to create your piece.

For digital or traditionally created Art and Vids, these things are time and labor intensive for even a small image or short video. I suppose a video should maybe aim to be at least 20 seconds long or more? And Art piece should at least be a 100x100 pixel avatar size or larger?

If you’re doing a playlist or something, then perhaps 6 songs or more?

I’m not going to be overly fussy though, this is for having fun and making something for the fandom.

What ships are allowed?

Most ships are allowed. Let’s avoid incest and adult/underage ships. Otherwise, have fun. The aim though is light and fun, so whatever the ship, context shouldn’t dwell in the dark stuff.

Also Gen (aka no ship) is also allowed. Ships not required.

If you are of age to, and desire to write smut, fics can be smutty, as long as they fall to the side of light, fluffy, feel-good smut.

When can things be posted?

I’m going really open here. Let’s make it a fun and fluffy summer. Schedules can be crazy over summer, and I want everyone who would like to participate and contribute something to hopefully have the chance to do so. Memorial Day through Labor Day (aka Monday, May 27 - Monday, September 2) and the Ao3 Collection and my updates of masterlist will continue at least until Monday, September 23 (the Autumn Equinox) for any last/late submissions, since that’s the official end of Summer.

How many prompts can a person do?

As many as you’d like. No claims needed, as two people using the same prompt will come up with different things. Also feel free to combine prompts/mix and match to get you creating whatever it is you want to create. The prompts are to help spur ideas and make something you and the fandom can enjoy.

Thanks to @blackirisposts for some prompts help especially with the quotes prompts, she was kind enough to raid her stash for some good quote prompts. :)

Aww, thanks, anon!  I don’t know that I do anything special to keep myself motivated other than writing every day. Even if I know I only have 20 minutes, I’ll still pull up Google Docs and write a few sentences.  Honestly, most of my fics are written in one to four 20 to 60-minute writing sessions each day.  Sometimes I’ll write for 40 minutes before I head to work.  Then I’ll write for 40-60 minutes if I have time to take my lunch at work.  Another 20-40 minutes after dinner.  And if I’m not too tired, I’ll write on my phone in bed for 20-60 minutes.  Although, I do fall asleep on my phone sometimes when I do this.  During the weekends, I’ll try to write for at least three hours each day but can usually get a little more than that in as long as there are no responsibilities.

If focusing at home is tough, I’ll pack up my laptop and go to Starbucks or some other place that offers free wifi.  I’m an adult with a 9-5 job.  I don’t have kids.  And I have a boyfriend who doesn’t mind if I tell him to go away.  It’s not too hard for me to find time to write.  So, yeah, I write when I can, even if it’s only 20 minutes.  This keeps the story fresh in my head and prevents me from being too intimidated to pick up a fic that has sat for days or weeks.

Alright, y’all!  This hecka lucky girl got to see BTS live last night, and wow.  I have a lot to say.  I didn’t sleep much afterwards because I was so hyped.  Here we go.

**Check out my Instagram for videos! @dabbler_lyons**