In this episode, we kick off 2025 with an exciting new chapter for The Fanfic Writer’s Craft! This marks our first episode with my new co-host, Blayne (@btelling, aka Nargles15 on AO3), who you may remember from her fantastic guest episode in Season 2 on writing dystopian hellscapes. We chat about what’s ahead for the podcast, our evolving format, and introduce a brand-new segment: fanfiction news!

In this discussion, we dive into a hot topic in the fanfiction community: the removal of Manacled by SenLinYu from AO3 and its transformation into Alchemised, an original novel published by Penguin Random House. We explore the broader implications of fanfiction-to-original transitions, the publishing industry’s growing interest in fanfic authors, and the tension between creative opportunity and commercial trends.

We late dive into our main discussion on canon-compliance, discussing what it means to different fandom spaces, and how we each navigate staying true to canon while crafting original, compelling narratives. This episode is packed with insights on publishing, fandom culture, and our personal approaches to writing so we hope you enjoy! Please let us know your thoughts, and feel free to send us topic suggestions—we love hearing from you.

This week, we mention:

• Books: Alchemised by SenLinYu; After by Anna Todd; Divergent by Veronica Roth; Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins; Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
• Fandoms: Harry Potter; Star Wars; The Good Wife; Peaky Blinders; One Direction
• Fics: we only make tsunamis by disOrderly; castles by pebblysand; Knowing Where to Look by Ala_baguette; Manacled by SenLinYu; The Squib by Nargles15
• Films & TV: The Vampire Diaries
• Podcasts: [The Fanfic Writer’s Craft] S2E4. Writing Dystopian Hellscapes with @Nargles15; [The Fanfic Writer’s Craft] S3E8. 2024 Wrap-Up (Or, Stop Treating Fanfic Like Social Media)
• Other: Victoria Aveyard’s TikTok on fanfiction & publishing ; Vampire Diaries video by Jenny Nicholson; West Side Story

Our recommendations this week are:

• Blayne: Severance (Apple TV+)
• Jo: Silo (Apple TV+)

You can find us online at:

• The Fanfic Writer’s Craft: tumblr ; spotify ; ko-fi
• Blayne (@btelling): tumblr ; AO3
• Jo (@pebblysand): tumblr ; AO3

In this episode, Jo (@pebblysand) and Lani (@copper-dust) discuss the art of evoking emotion in fanfiction, focusing on how to craft narratives that resonate deeply with readers. They explore the importance of allowing readers to connect with characters through their positive traits, rather than relying solely on trauma, with Lani emphasizing the "show, don’t tell" approach to avoid emotional manipulation.

Jo shares how she draws inspiration from observing others, while Lani incorporates her own emotional experiences, particularly when handling intense themes like grief and trauma. They also discuss the challenge of pacing emotional scenes in longer works, and Jo stresses the value of outlining to maintain balance.

This week, we mention:

• Books: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney ; Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery ; Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling
• Fics: castles by pebblysand ; The Seam Between by copper_dust ; the fault in faulty manufacturing by pebblysand ; Check the Spindle by copper_dust
• Films: Love Actually
• TV: Friends ; Anne with an E ; The Good Wife
• Other: Jo’s Tumblr post about writing emotional scenes

Your recommendations for this week are:

• And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts
• Capital (TV series)
• American Horror Story & American Horror Stories

You can find us online at:

• The Fanfic Writer’s Craft: tumblr ; spotify ; ko-fi
• Lani (@copper-dust): tumblr ; AO3
• Jo (@pebblysand): tumblr ; AO3

In this episode, Jo (@pebblysand) and Lani (@copper-dust) discuss the significance of writing about money, business, and economics in fanfiction. They explore how these themes can add depth and realism to stories by reflecting the financial decisions and social class differences between characters. Lani touches on how class dynamics and poverty are central to her stories, while Jo discusses how economic power imbalances are intentionally woven into castles. They also share challenges in portraying historical economic realities and prices, and in making business plotlines engaging. They finally show how using these themes can enhance character development and world-building, making fanfiction both entertaining and thought-provoking.

This week, we mention:

• Books: Room by Emma Donoghue ; Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue ; The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
• Fandoms: Harry Potter
• Fics: castles by pebblysand ; Merry Men by copper_dust ; Check The Spindle by copper_dust
• Films: It Ends With Us ;
• TV: The Bear ; Abbott Elementary ;
• Other: Coffee Shop Post

Your recommendations for this week are:

• Sundew by elen (elennaen)

You can find us online at:

• The Fanfic Writer’s Craft: tumblr ; spotify ; ko-fi
• Lani (@copper-dust): tumblr ; AO3
• Jo (@pebblysand): tumblr ; AO3

The pod will be going on hiatus until September! If you want to stay in touch, you can find us online at:

• The Fanfic Writer’s Craft: tumblr ; spotify ; ko-fi
• Lani (@copper-dust): tumblr ; AO3
• Jo (@pebblysand): tumblr ; AO3

Have a lovely summer!

In this episode, Jo (@pebblysand) and Lani (@copper-dust) discuss motifs and symbolism in writing. Lani goes through the different motifs she either intentionally or unintentionally uses in her own work, and they both caution against the use of clichéd symbols, like relying on weather to reflect a character’s emotions. They also address misconceptions about symbolism and Lani insists that not every detail in a story is symbolic. They encourage writers to develop their own personal motifs and use of symbols in their own works.

This week, we mention:

• Books: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald ; The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker ; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling ; none of this is serious by Catherine Prasifka
• Fandoms: Harry Potter
• Fics: the wolf’s just a puppy (and the door’s double locked) by pebblysand ; castles by pebblysand ; merry men by copper_dust ; Check the Spindle by copper_dust ; The Atoners by copper_dust ; March Hare by copper_dust ;
• Films: Pride and Prejudice ;
• Music: Ren ; Taylor Swift
• Musicals: Rent
• Podcast episodes: S1E12. Writing War (Or, All of Us Are Going to Geneva)
• TV: The OA ; Peaky Blinders ;
• Visual Art: Susan Rotherberg ; Grayson Perry ;

Your recommendations for this week are:

• Baby Reindeer (TV)
• this is how you remember it by Catherine Prasifka

You can find us online at:

• The Fanfic Writer’s Craft: tumblr ; spotify ; ko-fi
• Lani (@copper-dust): tumblr ; AO3
• Jo (@pebblysand): tumblr ; AO3

In this episode, Jo (@pebblysand) and Lani (@copper-dust) delve into the use of time in narrative, focusing on techniques such as flashbacks, foreshadowing, and non-linear storytelling. Lani discusses her approach to incorporating time in her fanfiction, emphasizing the importance of moments of emotional intensity. They explore the use of non-linear narrative structures, discussing how they can enhance character development and mirror immersive thinking. They also share our strategies for handling transitions and overcoming challenges when incorporating time-related elements into fanfiction.

This week, we mention:

• Books: He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly
• Fandoms: Harry Potter, Silk (BBC)
• Fics: Maps to the Stars’ Homes by Lizbee, The Atoners by copper_dust, The Seam Between by copper_dust, Check the Spindle by copper_dust, castles by pebblysand, Children by pebblysand, Merry Men by copper_dust, Seven Simple Machines by fluorescentgrey, the fault in faulty manufacturing by pebblysand, ce ne sont que des cailloux by pebblysand
• Film: Memento, Inception
• Previous episodes: [BONUS] Wattpad & Platforms with @MyLittleDuckies (Or, Please, Save Your Works!)

Your recommendations for this week are:

• The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift
• Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (and the Bad Blood: The Final Chapter podcast)

You can find us online at:

• The Fanfic Writer’s Craft: tumblr ; spotify ; ko-fi
• Lani (@copper-dust): tumblr ; AO3
• Jo (@pebblysand): tumblr ; AO3

In this episode, Jo (@pebblysand) and Lani (@copper-dust) come back to the topic of outlining, which they briefly touched upon in our first season. Outlining is defined as the process of creating a structured plan before drafting a story, and is seen as crucial for both original fiction and fan fiction writers. They discuss their individual approaches to outlining, including the various tools they use, from quick notes they leave in notes apps to full visual boards. They delve into benefits they feel they gain from outlining in terms of maintaining coherence, aiding in pacing, and ensuring consistency in the narrative. Finally, they also note how outlining can serve as a tool for overcoming writer’s block and facilitating brainstorming sessions.

This week, we mention:

• Fics: The Arcane Thief by Snollygoster, Check the Spindle by copper_dust, The Seam Between by copper_dust, Merry Men by copper_dust, Lilac Falls by copper_dust, slipped (and said something sort of like your name) by pebblysand, castles by pebblysand, the fault in faulty manufacturing by pebblysand
• Podcast: S1E2. How To Plot? (Or, Vibes - It’s 90% Vibes)?
• Screenshots: for those of you who are curious, including here some links to the outline “board” for castles. Overall view ; Excerpt from the timeline ; More timeline notes ; Chapter outlines: example #1, chapter 18 ; example #2, chapter 19
• Other: Webnovel contracts article, Miro, The Sorting Hat Chats test, pebblysand’s tumblr posts on outlining #1 & #2

Your recommendations for this week are:

• God is alive, magic is afoot by Buffy Sainte Marie
• Rome by Solann
• Taking a break from writing!

You can find us online at:

• The Fanfic Writer’s Craft: tumblr ; spotify ; ko-fi
• Lani (@copper-dust): tumblr ; AO3
• Jo (@pebblysand): tumblr ; AO3