on ao3, an orufrey fic wip, and other things
ao3
i won't lie. i have been thinking of deleting ao3 for a while now.
if you're wondering why, it's because their policies are total shit and i just don't feel comfortable using that platform anymore.
still, i use it because that's where most fic writers post their stuff, and i don't like using tumblr to upload my fanfics.
i've been using it for more than half a year but that's too much for me already. i need to get rid of my account soon, even if it means it takes away the sweet validation of getting kudos, comments, and bookmarks.
so at this point, you may or most likely be thinking, but what about your already published fanfics, m?
i've been thinking about that a lot, actually. well, not really, but i think about it enough.
i've been talking about this for a while now and i'm finally doing it! in fact, you're already reading the solution.
yes, i'm going to be using newsletters to share my fics now.
is it old fashioned?
yes.
is it going to cause me to lose readership?
oh, definitely.
but it's worth it because ao3 isn't just something i want to use anymore. besides, i write my fanfics for fun, not because i want a lot of people to read them (the validation is just a sweet bonus).
so from now on, i'll be uploading all my fanfics through a newsletter.
i won't delete my ao3 YET.
i'll slowly move my fanfics over here and use linktree (or some other thing) to collect all the links to the stories. that way, i can still organize them and will still be, for the most part, accessible to the public.
i think it's good idea? i'm not sure. but i think it will work well.
orufrey fic preview
a/n: LOL i cant believe im using a/n again. that's hilarious. god this is so nostalgic.
anyways, i'm thinking of entitling this one saw you in a dream. it's gonna be a multi-chapter fic that revolves around olruggio and qifrey's relationship over the years with uh angst, i guess.
i'll be publishing the first chapter on ao3 just to announce to any interested ppl i won't be using ao3 anymore and i'll be using a newsletter to upload my fics now. then the rest of the story will be uploaded here.
on that note, i'm not finished with it yet so here's to hoping i actually finish it! because this idea has been on my mind for so long fjshfksdjfh
Sunlight streams from the curtains and shifts the colors of the atelier into honey. Particles of dust float through the gold, adding to the ethereal glow of the room.
Olruggio stares at the beams of light and brings his hand up to meet it, casting shadows on the ground, creating red incandescence on his skin.
The floorboards above him creak and groan under the weight of whoever is upstairs. Probably one of the girls as it’s too light to be Qifrey’s. Somewhere in the distance, Olruggio can hear the songs of the birds and the telltale flaps of a dragon passing overhead.
“Lazy day?”
Olruggio rolls his head to catch sight of his best friend who looks at him with ever-growing concern backed with those unmistakable eyes that are drowning in guilt.
He wonders why Qifrey would seek him out now, when they have nothing else to talk about. The seconds stretch out unbearably long as he continues to look into Qifrey’s eyes.
“Yes, you could say that,” Olruggio says at last, breaking eye contact. “Don’t you have better things to do?”
“I… I suppose so. I’ll see you for dinner then?” There’s a bit of hope in Qifrey’s voice, like he’s expecting him to play along and say yes.
“Maybe. Maybe not,” Olruggio stands up and looks back at Qifrey, almost taken aback at how absolutely angelic he looks painted in yellow. Almost. But they’ve been friends far too long and Qifrey is far from angelic. “I’ll be in my atelier.”
When he reaches his atelier, he shuts it and breathes in deeply. It’s far warmer there, almost unbearably so. Or maybe Olruggio is just burning up from the insults he could throw at Qifrey after seeing him.
He heads to his work desk where an assortment of rocks, tiles, and ink bottles sit. One of the rocks act as a paperweight, holding down important letters and documents just in case a breeze scatters them. On the very top of the pile is an invitation to a ball from one of his clients.
He picks it up and looks at the golden ink scrawled on it, elegant strokes depicting his name with the note that he could bring a plus one if he pleases.
Several days ago, he invited Qifrey to come with him but things have changed.
Still, it would be a shame not to go just because Qifrey wouldn’t come with him. So he takes out clothes more suitable for a ball.
A shirt embroidered with shining gold depicting the sun and the stars on the collar. Its sleeves only cover a bit further than his elbow, and the back tied together almost like a corset. His trousers flow freely, almost like a skirt. Beads of jewelry fall from the edges which land comfortably above his ankles. His outer robe is as dark as the night sky but when he moves with it, it sparkles almost like the stars.
Once he fits his pen and three bottles of ink inside the lining of his robe he leaves the atelier, mouth pressed into a fine line because he knows Qifrey will end up seeing him leaving.
“Master Olruggio! Where are you going?”
Of course, Tetia finds him first. The girl has an uncanny ability to find anyone who wears clothes she’s never seen before. Still, it’s never a nuisance to Olruggio so he bends down to meet her eye to eye.
“I’ll be going to a ball. One of my clients invited me to one,” he says, offering her a small smile. “And I’d like to look my best.”
The young girl looks at him with bedazzled eyes, looking him up and down as she takes in his outfit. “You look great! I really like the cape! Where did you get it?” She asks, placing her hand on the shining fabric.
Olruggio feels someone’s gaze on him and when he looks up, it's Qifrey standing by the doorway.
“Well, I got it from a friend,” he says, watching said friend wince as if he slapped him. “To celebrate my first invention.”
Qifrey coughs into his hand and makes himself known to Tetia. She looks around and lets go of his cape.
“Master Qifrey! Did you know Olruggio was going to a ball?” Tetia sighs dreamily, looking like she herself is going to the ball and not him. “He looks like a character from a fairytale!”
From behind Qifrey comes the rest of his students, looking at Olruggio with some interest when they see his clothes. It makes feel like he needs to run from their gazes but he manages a smile for them.
“Well, I need to get going if I’ll make it,” Olruggio says. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning at the latest.”
The girls chorus their goodbyes and well wishes before heading somewhere else, talking animatedly among themselves (it really was just Tetia and Coco talking while Agott and Richeh listen to them). Unfortunately, it’s just the two of them again.
“I must have ruined everything,” Qifrey starts. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re not. Obviously not sorry enough,” Olruggio scoffs. “After everything you’ve pulled on me, it’s a miracle I still want to be—ugh.”
Olruggio sighs and puts his hands on his waist, breathing in deeply to try and calm himself. “I’m not going to cause a scene before I leave. The kids shouldn’t see us… like this,” he says, trying to catch Qifrey’s eyes. Alas, the man won’t look at him, his eyes trained firmly to the floor.
“I know. Well… you should be going. I’ll make dinner for the kids,” Qifrey says, unsure of what to do. “Safe travels, Olruggio.”
Olruggio steps out of the front door and puts his shoes together, floating off the ground.
“Farewell, Qifrey.”
He looks at Qifrey one last time before taking off like he just said his final goodbye.
end.
formatting the newsletter
if i'm sending out the newsletter for fics that are completed in its entirety or for the chapter, i'll be sure to indicate the title + chapter number without anything else so people can access it easily.
of course, i'll also be posting the link of the fic on my socials like i always do.
but if it's a fic wip and other rambles, you'll see WIP + [other subject] in the subject line.
i'll be putting the wip in the first section then the rest of my rambles in the following sections. so if you're not interested in reading those, you can just stop once you've finished reading the wip.
okay, so what if i want to leave a comment or like?
actually, i DIDN'T think about that. lol.
for one thing, you can use your email to send a reply to my newsletter (i promise i will read it and treasure it like i do with any comment i receive).
what if i want to be an anonymous commenter?
i didn't think about that either!
this service only offers the barebones essentials—which is exactly what i want!
or wanted. i didn't think things through.
ANYWAYS, i'm fond of my privacy as a person on the internet and this service does it well enough so... i'll stick to this owo
opening a print shop?
i'm fond of drawing, yes.
do i think i'm particularly good at it?
no, not really.
it's a fun hobby that i do admit i put effort into and that i'd be terribly sad if i had to stop doing for any reason.
so while i think i'm not like really skilled at drawing, i still want to make prints of my art, maybe stickers? a notebook even?
i don't know.
i think i just like the idea that my art can be a corporeal thing that people can touch and look at without looking at a screen.
i'm still thinking about it.
maybe i'll open a real interest check soon (unlike the twitter poll i made without really thinking lol) just to gauge interest.
we'll see.
oh but i just got approved on inprnt so kfjdkfsjdjfks oh well might as well just post whatever art i want there to be sold as prints lmao
closing notes
well, those are my plans for now! hmm, maybe i should type with proper capitalization next time. oh well. lol.
see u all next letter :>
m
p.s. this is a resend of the newsletter bc the other service i was using suspended my account. and well, this is good too <3
im gonna be messing around with the coding over the weekend but for now take this V simple looking newsletter