Guardian fic progress reports & sausage factory status

[extrapenguin]

So, I promised myself, if no-one else, to open the lid of the inspiration part of the sausage factory and make a DW post!

Stuff I have written/am definitely 100% going to write:

• Exchange fics, all of which are classified. (Do y'all want me to post about what I made come author reveals? Warning: I sign up for a bunch of exchanges.)


• Sequel/extended epilogue to Every Door a Death. It currently clocks in at 4.4k, and is technically complete, but the final scene needs some work and also words – I'm zooming from Point A to Point E too fast and need to reroute through points BCD for the characterization to make sense, basically.

Exists in some WIP form, am hopefully going to complete:

• A fic where Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan fuck, Zhao Yunlan goes "congrats on losing your virginity", Shen Wei goes ???, there is a discussion on definitions of virginity and they fuck some more; I've been writing this on my phone and the porn fairy has deserted me, so this might stay an abandoned WIP


• Sequel to Fate's True North, detailing the developing relationship and Shen Wei's sexual firsts. See above about the porn fairy escaping to Antarctica, plus this is laptop fic and I've lately had little laptop-usage time for schedule rearrangement reasons.


• Action adventure set between episodes 14 and 15, so Zhao Yunlan knows about the secret identity but hasn't gone to Dixing yet. Shen Wei gets kidnapped and has a terrible day. I'm currently a bit stalled in the intro segment; I should just skip forth to the POV switch action sequence and fill things in here later, but sometimes the brain just needs to mull things over by itself.

Concept level stuff, no words committed:

• Loveless AU (i.e. everyone has kitty ears that disappear when they lose their virginity) with a get-together that features Zhao Yunlan plucking Shen Wei's cute ears, and then a fixit, both for Guardian and for the concept that kitty ears fall off after sex. Pros: shortish, easy enough to write. Cons: sex scenes when the porn fairy is away.


• Omegaverse Imperial China AU, where Haixing and Dixing are at war, the person in charge of Dixing is the Rebel Leader, Zhao Yunlan is the Crown Prince of Haixing and also an alpha general at the border, Shen Wei is an omega general pulling a Mulan for the sake of his brother, they end up married, and one of the notable tags would be Shen Wei & Original Female Horse. *g* Dixingians would still have powers, albeit heavily nerfed, and there would be lots and lots of battle scenes. Pros: has a plot with start and end. Cons: is very long, also no-one likes omegaverse or mpreg.


• Canon divergence ft. the true purpose of the Hallows, Dixingian & pre-meteor worldbuilding, some of Shen Wei's relatives waking up, and Dixingese: the conlang (post updated with more stuff!). Pros: very cool. Cons: how does it end??


• Canon divergence where Shen Wei dumps Zhao Yunlan when he goes blind, so Zhao Yunlan has to figure out WTF is going on with Shen Wei, in addition to fixing his eyes. He also went on Tantan to get some ego boostage and came across someone surprisingly intriguing, so he has a bandage relationship of sorts (no prizes for guessing with whom) while he spies on Shen Wei. Pros: potentially intrigue-y. Cons: characterization needle hard to thread.

So. Which of the ideas sounds like it'd be most likely to make you squee in the resulting fic's comments section? :P (Or just, any thoughts. Chat plz?)

Comments

[riventhorn]

no-one likes omegaverse or mpreg

In an AU like you describe here, I would be all for omegaverse and mpreg. I love arranged marriage fics (I assume it would be arranged marriage) too. BUT I don't really read much Guardian fic in general, so my opinion is not worth much.

[extrapenguin]

Well, it would be arranged marriage technically, but arranged by the participants, so it would press none of the arranged marriage buttons. :P I guess I'll think about it some more and decide what to write once I've finished the current batch of exchange fics and edited that one epilogue/sequel into submission.

[riventhorn]

Ah, I see. I do have a very specific set of criteria that I like in an arranged marriage fic, it is true. :D

[extrapenguin]

Most arranged marriage has the first meeting (save glimpses) be on/around the wedding day, plus some other relatively codified stuff like getting to know each other after the wedding, whereas here they'd know each other already from the battlefield + other circumstances, and know exactly what they'd be getting into when they added that clause to the peace treaty. So technically arranged marriage, but nothing I would tag as such.

[cyberbrain]

Reading's been slow for me recently but here are some thoughts. If I have to pick one:

A fic where Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan fuck, Zhao Yunlan goes "congrats on losing your virginity", Shen Wei goes ???, there is a discussion on definitions of virginity and they fuck some more
I'd read this even with fade to black smut, tbh. It sounds hilarious, especially the potential description of "Shen Wei goes ???"

More thoughts:

Action adventure set between episodes 14 and 15
Sounds fun. Shen Wei having a terrible day is *chef's kiss*

Canon divergence where Shen Wei dumps Zhao Yunlan when he goes blind
This does sound intriguing. The way I'm imagining it going is: Shen Wei, thinking he's fucked up the timeline, decides that the way to save Zhao Yunlan and the world is to get away from him; but told from Zhao Yunlan's POV, so we can revel in the angst (and casefic-y stuff?).
But I OTP weilan and don't want them separated forever. :( Would they get back together? I'm asking for spoilers, aren't I?

[extrapenguin]

I'd read this even with fade to black smut, tbh. It sounds hilarious, especially the potential description of "Shen Wei goes ???"
I'll see if I can write it up in some form, then! But don't hold your breath.

Sounds fun. Shen Wei having a terrible day is *chef's kiss*
I'm glad we agree! >:D (It's also the fic most likely to get written and posted.) Shen Wei suffers so prettily. Especially when given an emotional whiplash of a day.

But I OTP weilan and don't want them separated forever. :( Would they get back together? I'm asking for spoilers, aren't I?
I guarantee that they would get back together! The actual fic would have more hints that something's not right, which Zhao Yunlan can then fix.

[cyberbrain]

I'll see if I can write it up in some form, then! But don't hold your breath.
Yay! Noted.

I guarantee that they would get back together!
In that case, I'm in!

[lannamichaels]

I am behind on everything but I would just like to say that I like omegaverse and mpreg (both classic mpreg and omegapreg) and think that bulletpoint sounds great to me :D

[extrapenguin]

It would be pretty standard omegapreg! (Or, well, idk what the standard is? But while the omegaverse may be mild, it'd be pretty conventional.)

[ratbones]

I'm a useless data point because I expect to like all of these except the omegaverse one (only because it's omegaverse). I guess if porn is not happening, then the action adventure fic is the one I'm most excited about? I still don't know how you manage to have so many ideas at once!

[extrapenguin]

You're in luck - I added 800 new words to the action adventure one just yesterday after making this post! (Sometimes one just needs to complain, it seems. *g*) I need to finalize that scene/fill in the (words here) and then I can switch to Shen Wei POV!

(Is it just omegaverse, or any and all mpreg? Asking for a friend.)

I still don't know how you manage to have so many ideas at once!
My brain insists on being at 110% capacity at all times. Having it overflow with fic ideas is one of the better options. :P

[ratbones]

Sometimes one just needs to complain, it seems.
This is TOO TRUE. But wow, 800 words! Glad that things are progressing!

Is it just omegaverse, or any and all mpreg? Asking for a friend.
hee. Uh, well, it's a bit complicated? I don't have any problem with the wacky biology of omegaverse, it just tends to come implicit with fixed sexual roles/sex-based social roles/structural sexual power imbalance, which stresses me out much like het does. Mpreg can definitely come without most of that baggage, so if a story sounds interesting and doesn't have that vibe, an mpreg tag alone won't put me off. But I also find babies boring so there's another potential stumbling block. ...ANYWAY. If you want to write omegaverse, you absolutely should, with no regard for my personal likes and squicks!

My brain insists on being at 110% capacity at all times. Having it overflow with fic ideas is one of the better options. :P
Gotta get me some of that, lol.

[extrapenguin]

I don't have any problem with the wacky biology of omegaverse, it just tends to come implicit with fixed sexual roles/sex-based social roles/structural sexual power imbalance, which stresses me out much like het does.
Nodnod. I can see how it'd be a mismatch. (Also, now I want to write Dixingians with weird biology, lol.)

[ratbones]

I would read that! (And I suppose if anyone could handle unexpected anatomical strangeness with aplomb, it's Zhao Yunlan.)

[extrapenguin]

Oh no, brain is having ideas when it's supposed to be writing things! But ... Dixingians reproduce like slime molds, where the Dixingians we see are actually the fruiting bodies that'll eventually spread spores everywhere. Or plant-style stuff with stamens and pistils. Or maybe Shen Wei simply doesn't have a body under his clothes, only a swirling vortex of dark energy! Or Weiwei is actually a larval form, who will go into a pupa at some point and emerge a beautiful butterfly?

[ratbones]

My Husband Was A Slime Mold - The Zhao Yunlan Story. lollll.

...If THIS is Weiwei's larval form, I cannot imagine the butterfly form. Okay, maybe instead of getting prettier, he's just more eldritch? My Husband Turned Into Cthulhu? Kinda want to see him preparing to pupate in Zhao Yunlan's apartment, regardless.

[extrapenguin]

All that cooking is simply preparation for pupation! He'll turn into an eldritch monstrosity, but Zhao Yunlan would still find him perfect.

(Alternatively, something relatively benign, like Dixingians constantly producing and replacing new sets of teeth. That'd still be a bit unnderving!)

[ratbones]

Actually, I think that's worse. Zhao Yunlan can deal with eldritch! He's developing seven new kinks at this very moment! But the first time they're making out and one of ordinary-superpowered-man!Shen Wei's teeth falls out? OH GOD. OH GOD. WHAT WAS THAT.

[solo]

That one that would probably make me squee most is the action adventure set between episodes 14 and 15, because I love action and adventure and nice casefic.

All the WIPs sound interesting to me, actually. Also very intrigued by the holy tools worldbuilding thing.

I have no particular views on kitty kitty ears. I don't like dumping and can see why you might run into characterisation problems there. Omegaverse is a hard sell for me, and mpreg is one of the maybe three squicks I possess, so, yeah, sorry.

[extrapenguin]

Luckily for you, I put down 800 all-new words of the action adventure after making my post! (Sometimes one just needs to complain, I guess.) The other two WIPs are much less likely to get completed, though.

I'm not worried about the Shen Wei characterization for the dumping fic - he's supposed to be off, let us say. ;) Zhao Yunlan's the one I'd be worried about. (Oops, i forgot to specify it'd be a casefic.) I have negative interest in mundane break up fic, or break up make up fic.

Also, the omegaverse would be the one with the smallest concentration of Ye Zun. :P

[solo]

Yay for the action story! :)

Also, the omegaverse would be the one with the smallest concentration of Ye Zun. :P

My reception of Ye-Zun-containing works is slightly more nuanced than that of mpreg-containing works. Ye Zun near any / symbol: nope. Ye Zun without / symbol... sure, let's hava a look. ;)

[extrapenguin]

I cannot give assurances about Ye Zun's proximity to ships, as I haven't written the fics yet, but I can state that Shen Wei & Ye Zun will be a tag for ... all of them, I think, unless one becomes a twincest threesome. You know my appreciation of the floofy evil twin.

[lessonsinescapology]

"Sausage factory" got my attention. *laughs* Even though I have no idea what it means.

[extrapenguin]

Based partly on the quote oft misattributed to Otto von Bismarck – "If you like laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made." And I've seen people call fanfic-writing the sausage factory, so: sausage factory of fic.

[rheasilvia]

Hee, I see that your WIP situation is a lot like mine. ;-) They are uncontrollable and multiply at every opportunity...

I think you should go for whichever story most interests you right now. Not the one you just want to be finished, or the one you think most people will want to read - the one you most want to write. :-)

[extrapenguin]

I mean, I'll have to pick, lest I flit between 400 different files that never reach completion, and the best sensation is that of completing a fic, so. I'll finish the action adventure thing I started, and then look at my ideas to see which one I'm most likely to finish. (Or get a completely new idea and go pursue that instead! That is also an option. A very likely option, too.)

[waterscroll]

Sequel/extended epilogue to Every Door a Death.

I will read the heck out of that. I liked that story a lot, although I haven't commented yet, but I will. Possibly after finishing the finale so I can comment on the clever things you seem to be doing with canon I haven't seen yet.

Canon divergence where Shen Wei dumps Zhao Yunlan when he goes blind, so Zhao Yunlan has to figure out WTF is going on with Shen Wei, in addition to fixing his eyes.

I'd be interested in that *because* the characterization needle sounds so difficult to thread, I'm always interested in seeing characters going against the way they are typically written.

[extrapenguin]

I liked that story a lot, although I haven't commented yet, but I will. Possibly after finishing the finale so I can comment on the clever things you seem to be doing with canon I haven't seen yet.
Ooh! I look forward to hearing what you think of the fic as a whole. The sequel is currently undergoing revision so that it sticks the landing better. Maybe it'll be posted in June...

I'd be interested in that *because* the characterization needle sounds so difficult to thread, I'm always interested in seeing characters going against the way they are typically written.
It would start with Zhao Yunlan trying to investigate WTF is wrong with Shen Wei. After that ... well. Depends on how I feel when/if I get along to writing it.