TheCreativeWritingStudent

Oh… you’re (hopefully) in for a treat!

These are my favourite wot fics of all time:

1. First impressions by @tedwinisconfused.

There’s really nothing I could say that would do this fic justice. Pride and Prejudice (by Joe Wright) used to be one of my favourite films growing up, and Tedwin did an amazing job converting the plot into a fic. In all honesty, if you were to ask me if I’d rather rewatch the film or reread the fic, I’d hands-down choose to reread it again and again. It is truly a masterpiece.

2. The First Wind of Spring by RiddleRedCoats

To me, this is the G.O.A.T when it comes to AMoL AUs. The dynamics between the characters are masterfully presented, there’s real (felt, even) complexity to the way each scene and each character is written. The angst makes my heart clench, and I am not ashamed to admit I’ve read too many times. In fact, this is the fic that initially convinced me to join the fandom as an author, believe it or not.

3. Long Winter by @tedwinisconfused

Sadly this fic has been abandoned, so read at your own risk (don’t come crying to me— blaming me for suggesting it— when you fall in love with it). The angst and the yearning in this fic are heaven-sent. I don’t know what else to say.

4. In Secret, Between the Shadow and the Soul by firetoflame

Does this fic even need an introduction? All I can say is that the vibes are immaculate. If you want to read NS-era Siuanraine, this is one of the fics to (re)read again and again.

Honourable Mention:

S3 hypotheticals by migratory (not Moiraine x Siuan)

Now, keep in mind that this series of fics is *not* for most readers. I started reading this series back when the first trailer for season 3 dropped. The prose is everything to me. What hung from me (now hangs from you) gave me the perfect insight into what Rand and Moiraine’s relationship is like at its core, and it helped me with writing their dynamic in The Sun and Her Sea.

Thank you for taking the time to reach out!

Look, I'm picky with what I read as well— as I think most of us are. That being said, as long as the prose and the characters' voices feel true, I'll read almost anything.

But, I do have to admit that I visibly wince when I read "okay" in dialogue. It breaks my immersion instantly. The same can be said about every word or phrase that reads to me as too modern or contemporary. I don't know why, but in fantasy/historical settings like the Wheel of Time I like it when I can get lost in the text. Does that make sense?

Adequate syntax and grammar are a must too. I'm not asking for perfection, of course. Technically, despite growing up fully bilingual, English is not my first language. And I do find mistakes that make my eyes bulge in my writing too, so I try to be lenient with others as I hope they are with me. But mistakes like "cutted" instead of "cut", lack of punctuation, and seeing the story being written in one continuous paragraph force me to stop reading instantly. I can't help it. I just can't.

AI use is a no-no as well. I understand that as the models evolve, recognising AI patterns will get increasingly harder, but we can still identify some of them. I just learnt that AI stole my friend's job, so if I was against it before, now I am on the verge of pitchforking my way to the data centres.

You're bulling me (or so I think?) but...