#ask pause things

As we reach the end of the year, what writing-related thing you did in 2025 are you most proud of? It could be something you published or posted, a draft you completed, a character you created, a line you loved, or anything else that you look at and think hell yeah, I did that 💜

hi! you know, I wasn't able to write much this year. I started writing two short stories but didn't finish either, and I didn't work on any of my stuff from last year. I started looking at an old document from 2003-2004 and picking at it to see if there's anything there but haven't gotten very very far with it. but I started doing free writing, recently, just opening a document and typing whatever words come into my head, whether it makes sense or not, whether it's a phrase or a single word.

I will not subject you to any of it but it's just literal stream of conscious with no filter or intentional shape. it's been really fun! it hasn't gotten me to anything substantial but it's been good for my creative brain and mental health in general to do it once a day (more if I want!)

apparently my stream of consciousness is really interested in cannibalism? because that seems to come up a LOT.

HI WINTER HI

I have actually not written a single word of fiction yet this year, but I've been re-reading the projects I've put on hold and am mulling over them a little bit. it comes and goes like most things do, and since it's not my job it's okay if I need some down time

I'm excited to get back to it once I've gotten something more concrete in mind, though! Right now it's kind of a murky stock, but I'm working on turning it into a beautiful consommé

have u ever thought it putting them all in an anthology kinda thing?

hi Anon!

wow, thank you so much! :D

I sort of have a few anthologies on wattpad, but they're all kind of... self fanfic? of play by post RPs I've been in with friends, so a lot of the characters are theirs, and a lot of it is quick scenes without context. if you want you can find them on wattpad though!

there's Sheraton Academy, stories about a bunch of teenage boys at boarding school

there's Sheraton Academy All Grown Up, about many of those same characters, as well as new people in their lives (partners, friends, children, coworkers, etc), after they've finished school and gone out into the world

and there's Three Wishes Hongnan and Selan, which are two countries in the world of the story of Three Wishes, mostly featuring characters who live in each of those countries. this one is based on the story of the Four Gods and was created by @z-bot!

as for other stuff, I have tried self publishing a couple of novels in the past, but because I have NO idea (or interest in) how to market, and really what I wanted was connection, not money, I ended up taking them down and just putting them up for free on ao3 and wattpad! I figure since on ao3 you an download fics as .epubs and .pdfs, I didn't really need to have them on amazon anymore, and people could just get them there!

and on ao3 I have a few series/stories linked together that all take place in the same world with the same characters (like The Most Beautiful Puzzle or Holding Our Hearts in Our Hands) that are all grouped together. I think this is what you were asking for? if I'm confused please don't be afraid to correct me!

You're visiting the local autumn art fair, checking out the paintings, sculpture, textile art; everything you could possibly imagine is here! Occasionally something catches your eye and you pause your ambling to look, but you haven't found anything you want to buy yet.

Then you see a stall where someone is selling absolutely gorgeous handmade mugs. They're seasonally apt, in bright oranges and reds and yellows, with leaves and pumpkins and black cats painted on them.

You catch the attention of the... person behind the table and they turn toward you with a grin.

"Oh, hey!"

You offer a smile and ask if you can see one of the mugs behind them, the purple one lined with bat silhouettes. They smile, maybe a little mischievously, but you don't take notice until they hand it to you and you look inside. You jump and nearly drop it, because inside is a spider! But it's just made out of a little lump of clay. You frown at the mug, but can't help but smile a little when the person says, "I love that one. It's great for guests."

What a rude trick!

For your trick, I'd like you to post one (or more) songs that inspire you to write! It can be the writing process in general, or something more suited toward one of your projects, in progress or finished!

It's Halloween night, and while it's dark, it's still relatively early. Trick or treaters come up to your door every now and then, but, unfortunately , not as many as you'd hoped. You have so much candy, and you don't know if you and your friends can (or, let's be real, should) eat it all on your own.

The streetlights are on, Halloween decorations covering the street on all sides.

It's been about thirty minutes, but finally, someone knocks on your door!

Excited, you jump up to answer. On the other side are three college-aged students holding a bowl of candy.

Well, you weren't expecting it, but you have plenty to share, so you're about to grab your own bowl when the woman in the front shoves the big plastic bowl at you.

"Take one!" she says.

Your brow furrows. "What?"

The taller of the two men behind her says, "What, would you rather have a trick?"

"I mean, we can do that instead, if you want," the shorter one says.

"Oh!" You take a piece of candy at random and say, still a little surprised, "Well, thank you!"

They grin at you and they all offer you a salute, and you watch after them as they go on to the next house.

What an odd, but delightful treat!

I did a little digging on your page and found your story The Bucket List from last year. Here is a moodboard for you!

You're in line at your favorite coffee shop looking up at the menu, trying to decide between the dozens of delicious drinks. The man in front of you is chatting amicably with the cashier, seemingly not realizing you're there. You shift your feet a little and look away from the menu, but even though it's frustrating, at least you're not in a rush. You can't help but notice he looks familiar, but you're not sure from where.

You're about to clear your throat to hurry him along, but he offers the cashier a smile and a nod, hands over a flyer, and moves along to wait for his coffee.

You order your drink and are about to pay when your eye catches on the flyer. It looks like some local band playing a Halloween show in a few weeks. Maybe that's where you recognize him from? Maybe you saw him online somewhere.

The cashier rings you up and calls out your order to the barista, but as you pull your wallet out, she shakes her head and offers you a smile. She gestures at the man waiting for his drink at the bar and says, "He said to pay for the next person and keep the rest for a tip."

"Oh!" You look over to thank him, but he's already grabbed his drink and gone.

What a lovely treat!

Since you left this anonymously, I can't make you a personalized treat, so here instead is a Halloween music video by one of my favorite internet dudes

The scoreboard was also seriously stressing me out, but Duolingo is the only way I can consistently motivate myself to keep practicing my Japanese, so disabling that feature really helped me. That is to say, you're not alone in your frustration, and I really hope this workaround benefits you too!