#sleepstxtic asks

Hello there! Thank you so much for the questions <33

I've answered 🎀 here <3

🌻what makes you want to give up on writing? what makes you keep going?

Two words. Writer's block.

Sometimes, I get so stuck. I claim the most wonderful prompt but when I open the google doc I go blank and I absolutely cannot, for the life of me, come up with a way to write it in a way that excites me. And I cannot write unless I'm enjoying the process because if I'm not interested in what I'm writing, how can the reader be?

So it's taken a bit of introspecting and moving away from what I think people might want to read and simply writing what I want to write.

Hey blue! How are you? I hope you're doing well. Thank you so much for the ask <3

I've answered 🌈 here <3

🦋what are you most insecure about when you post a fic?

As for what I am most insecure about - the smut, sometimes. I'm never sure if it reads authentic enough. Also, sometimes when I'm on a deadline, I tend to dash through fics really quickly with the objective of getting things done. So in these cases I can feel the quality of my writing deteriorate a little bit and I'm always worried if people can tell, and if it's going to stick, and if I've maybe lost the ability to write nice things completely. It's times like this that my friends and my betas cheer me up. I'd never get anything done without them - and it's because of this that I really do think that all writing is a collaborative act.

Thank you so much!! I am so excited too! There is so much I want to say but I will save it for the fic itself. But in the meantime, thank you so much for the questions!! ❤️❤️

🌈 is there a fic that you worked *really fucking hard on* that no one would ever know? maybe a scene/theme you struggled with?

I'm so glad you asked this because yes, there is! And in fact, I am finally getting done with it in time for @harrypocter's festival of colours fest! So I can't reveal too much about what it is, BUT, the thing I struggled with the most is getting the representation right.

I started this fic sometime last year as one of the first ever things I wrote, but discontinued it because it was getting too big of a project. Not length-wise, I just felt out of my depth. It's a story set in India, and the thing about this country is that it isn't homogenous. It's diverse, and everyone belongs to different communities/castes. And some communities have, historically, oppressed other communities, the socio-economic effects of which are still extremely prevalent today. So when you're attempting to tell stories that come from outside your community, there is an obligation to get it right - especially when the power dynamics of caste come into play.

The story isn't my story, it's an adaptation and I will be crediting the original one, but I've been taking a lot of pains to ensure that I get it right. I may make mistakes (although I sincerely hope I have not) and I'd also like to disclaimer this by saying the research that has to be put in when taking from stories outside one's community, and crediting the community for it, is the bare minimum that everyone should do. (Along with, of course, not profiting off of it - hello elephant whisperers). So yes!! That is something that I'd been struggling with, and I thought no one would get to see it, but now they are, and I'm really excited about it <3

🎀give yourself a compliment about your own writing

This is so sweet gahhh thank you!! One thing I really enjoy about writing is the ideation that comes before it. I've found that I'm very quick to identify stories. I feel like the world is full of stories - in academia, in sports, in activism, in law etc etc etc. I have the "oh this would make a great story" thought so many times a day (hence my ever-growing pile of plunnies) and I love that that is something I can do!

🧿what steps do you take to not take things personally if a fic doesn't do well, or if your writing/posting/sharing experience isn't going how you'd like it to?

This is a really interesting question! I used to write with the objective of reaching as many people and getting as much feedback as possible. That has faded over time, which is why I'm branching out more into gen fic and rarepairs and things like that. But also! I cannot deny that I enjoy engagement and all the wonderfully kind comments people leave me. They make my day! And I'm privileged enough that almost all my fics have done reasonably well in terms of the sharing experience.

But even if a fic doesn't do well, it's balanced out by the feedback I get from all my wonderful betas. Particularly you and @nanneramma!! And your feedback is especially special to me because of how much I respect and admire and love both you and your writing! That kind of gives me the satisfaction of having written something good, even if it doesn't do "well" as such. I also reread my work a lot, and if I come across a particular line or phrase that I really like, that definitely boosts my confidence.

I don't really have a set of rules or habits that I fall back on when a fic doesn't do well. I kind of just take it in stride and focus on the next one? The best part of writing is writing, and soon, I'm so immersed in writing the next fic and enjoying the process that I forget to feel bad about the previous one not doing too well.

This is a wonderful community and people are always cheering on other people and I always feel like there's so much love to go around! So that's mostly how I deal with it all.