Marked For Later List

Day 8: favourite trope to read or write and is there a difference in reading or writing that trope.

Hmmm … a very good question! I recently read the Phedre trilogy by Jacqueline Carey. After reading the first book, Kushiel’s Dart, my life and writing has been rendered transformed. The books are written in first person and the detail of the world building and the twists in the plot are exquisite. Reading this trilogy has pushed me to reconsider the roller coaster plot structure and approach my current wip into something more interesting. Hopefully I can be at least a quarter as successful as Carey. If you have not read her stories, I highly recommend them.

In the trilogy, the tropes of “enemies to lovers” and “lovers to enemies” is explored. It is so beautifully done! In my current wip, I’m working on lovers to enemies for my main character. A character who is also a flawed hero with a heart of gold.

Wish me luck!

And there was much rejoicing!

KL_Morgan aka @entirelytookeen has posted the first chapter of The Red King Awake, the sequel to The White Queen Running. Happy Day!

Excellent list! I encourage you to read one of my all time fave cannon clexa fics <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/4218687"><strong>Within Me An Invincible Summer</strong></a> (61657 words) by <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/thrace"><strong>thrace</strong></a><br />Chapters: 12/12<br />Fandom: <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/tags/The%20100%20(TV)">The 100 (TV)</a><br />Rating: Not Rated<br />Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings<br />Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa<br />Characters: Clarke Griffin, Lexa (The 100), Abby Griffin<br />Summary: <p>Clarke spends the winter resenting Lexa. </p><p>But seasons change, and so do people.</p>

Clexa fic rec masterlist

1. She by thefooliam- This fic is probably the number one popular Clexa modern au and one of the top fics period (in my opinion, is number one; I’m so weak for Clexa modern aus). Clarke and Lexa are paired together as college roommates, much to their dismay, but they’re fucking soulmates. This fic is so well-written, it’s one of the very best pieces of writing I’ve ever read (and I have a BA in English literature) in its depiction of real, meant-to-be love, and honest to God it just feels so real, it’s so Special, and even if you don’t ship Clexa, even if you aren’t LGBT, seriously EVERYONE should read this damn fic okay, because it’s amazing. Also, I feel like the author is psychic and someone took a peek into my life and the development of my relationship with my wife back when we fell in love in college, and wrote it down just for me. It’s just so special to my heart and I hope this fic stays up forever. I hope she converts the names to OC and publishes this book. I will buy  it. God, I will buy it and read it every fucking day of my life, that is how much I love this fic. I reread this at least once a month. 65,983 words, completed.

2. We Looked Like Giants by colonelpancake04

One of the earliest Clexa fics I read. I can’t even describe why exactly I love this little nugget so much. It’s a modern au about Octavia’s cousin Lexa moving in with them and she is totally off limits to Clarke because of that, but of course, fuckin’ soulmates, they can’t resist each other. I love their first time and they just make me smile. A lovely fic and one of my top 3 faves. I reread it often. 21,537 words, completed.

3. I’d Give Up Forever to Touch You by geralehane

I’m probably going to hell for how much I love this fic. Pretty much every chapter is delightfully sinful smut. Clarke and Lexa are two girls that are forced to live together when Abby is dating Lexa’s father. They ‘hate’ each other and they’re freaking out because once Clarke’s mom and Lexa’s dad marries, they’ll legally be step-siblings, but they’re fucking soulmates and they can’t keep their hands off each other. They love each other so much, real love. The dynamic between them is hilarious, I love partygirl!Clarke/asshole!Clarke paired with sexynerdyfocuseddriven!Lexa, and I just love this fic. I reread this all the time too. 49,762 words, completed.

Other favorites (after about 5, these aren’t really in any particular order, I love them all so much):

4. More Women Than Warriors by Steklir

This fic is incomplete but still in top 5 favorites. It’s incredibly well-written, descriptive and gorgeous, and this author too is one of those rare gems that is able to really put across in her writing knowledge of what real love feels like. It’s a british boarding school au, Clarke is from America but transfers there, Nia is the mean lil ice queen here too, Lexa is the badass, dedicated Heda, and she and Clarke are hopelessly in love, total soulmates. Trigedasleng is cleverly integrated in this fic, and Clexa’s relationship is beautiful. I’m so weak for it. 98,441 words, in progress.

5. They take their shots but we’re bulletproof by nightshifted

A canonverse au, one of the first Clexa fics I read. Clarke is PISSED at Lexa after the end of season 2, but Lexa finds her and makes sure she’s cared for. They play chess and talk and it’s just wonderful. 9,539 words, complete.

6. Ground and Pound by dance_tilyouredead

This is an MMA au with Clarke and Lexa as rivals going to throw down, the world can’t help but ship them, and fuck, they practically ship themselves. They try to maintain that rivalry and hate one another but, come on…again…soulmates. I love this fic because even when they’re fighting, the thirst is so real. 19,336 words, complete.

7. Blood rush in the hazy glow by firetestsgold

A modern au where Clarke is a college kid who relentlessly keeps going to the locals favorite bar because she can’t resist challenging the broody mysterious Lexa, all dark leather and darker eyeliner. I love the love/hate dynamic and eventual relationship. 59,256 words, complete.

8. You See the Smile That’s On My Mouth (it’s hiding the words that don’t come out) by heartshapedcandy

A childhood modern au where Clarke and Lexa are fuckin soulmates and best friends and it takes them a ridiculous amount of time to figure that out. 48,667 words, complete.

I also feel like I should mention I have loved you since we were eighteen (long before we both thought the same thing) by forbiddenquill, but it’s incomplete and hasn’t been updated since November of 2015 :( It’s another childhood au where they take way too long to realize they’re soulmates.

9. Are you a kidnapper? (Because you abducted my heart) by 707

Clarke and Lexa have ‘hated’ each other since childhood, partly because of the sexual tension between them. When they’re kidnapped and trapped together, that sexual tension comes to a head. 61,373 words, in progress.

10. Where There Is A Flame by eternaleponine

This fic is MAJOR slowburn. Chapters are very short and updated twice a week; Clexa don’t properly meet until like after chapter 50, I can’t remember the exact chapter. Lexa is depressed and in a bad place after losing Costia, Clarke is not in a great place either because Finn is a creepy stalker, and the two girls end up helping one another out, becoming friends, and falling in love. Their relationship is heart-achingly beautiful and it’s well-written. 153,810 words, in progress.

11. Lover in Low Light by chrmdpoet

I mean, anything charmed writes is going to be great, and this certainly is. It aches your heart, how much these characters are meant to be. They’re soulmates who were split up but find each other again 5 years later, and even though they’re both in relationships and try to fight it, come on, soulmates, they can’t! My favorite parts of this fic are definitely the flashbacks (especially the library ones hehe) and I whole-heartedly wish there was a big prequel to this with all those flashbacks expanded upon just because I love it so much. 85,157 words, complete.

12. Help, I Need Somebody (Not Just Anybody) by thesummerofrain

Poor Lexa is totally fucked up from losing Costia, and Clarke is a volunteer on a chat line that ends up helping her. It’s heartbreaking, sweet, and Clarke and Lexa are adorable. Unfortunately it hasn’t updated since May, but I have hope it’s going to update again. 85,604 words, in progress.

13. An army of one by gostorain

Military academy au, Clarke and Lexa are totally adorable. This hasn’t updated since May either…but again, I have hopes! 55,190 words, in progress.

14. Heads Up, Eyes Open by Superskygrounder

This fic is cute. I like the beginning of it the best, with Clarke and Lexa as rival hockey players that have a soulmate connection they don’t understand. 85,653 words, in progress.

15. Break Your Plans by pizzaoctavia

Lexa is a hockey player in this au too. Linctavia’s sexcapades force Clarke to go over to Lincoln’s apartment to study, and his roommate Lexa usually happens to be there too. 82,951 words, in progress.

16. I Wanna Be (One Night Stand) by seaunicorn and Possibility Days by adreamaloud and daneorange are both fics celeb au fics that are great! The first one is where Lexa’s the daughter of a hotshot hollywood producer and Clarke’s a big celeb shooting her father’s movie and she shouldn’t get with her (but totally does), and the second fic is where Lexa is an actress too who shouldn’t fall in love with her co-star Clarke (but totally does). Both great! The first is 9023 words and complete; the second is 30,026 words and complete too.

17. But still good by thrace

This is a cute fluffy modern au where Clarke has to take Octavia’s kids to a soccer game and meets Lexa, who happens to be the hot coach. 46,959 words, complete.

18. Easy O by Avarosier

Lexa’s next-door neighbor is always having super loud sex that Lexa can’t (really can’t) get out of her head, so when Clarke asks Lexa to be a nude model, of course she’s not going to say no. I actually wish this was longer and had smut in it, but I still love it. 3418 words, complete.

19. Pink Skittles by Avarosier

Clarke and Lexa do this film project that involves two strangers kissing, but that sexual thirst means it doesn’t end there. Lexa also has a tongue piercing Clarke is very fascinated with. 4270 words, complete.

20. She got me up all night (all I’m singin’ is love songs) by mostlyunstablefangirl

Clarke and Lexa are neighbors who have never met, but regularly partake in singing shower duets together. 2822 words, complete.

21. Spelling It Out by geyranger

Oh my God I LOVE this fic, one of my very favorites right now. Clarke and Lexa are rival apprentices to different wandmakers, and they drive each other crazy by popping up sabotaging the other’s efforts to procure various ingredients for wand-making. Super cute, well-written, and an HP au! 58,153 words, in progress.

22. Love on the Ground by Heda’s wolf (the baddest wolf)

This!! fic!!! is fucking fantastic. Canon-verse, angsty, so, so good. Just read it. 18,753 words, complete.

23. When Love Becomes the Reason by clarkesquad

This fic hasn’t been updated since February and I’m kind of losing hope it will ever be completed, but it’s still great. It’s a fake-dating au, Clexa are fucking great, and I love it. 35,148 words, in progress.

24.  Catch Me, I’m Falling by EffortlesslyOppulent, sam_kom_trashkru

Lexa’s a football star, smooth jock, and Clarke can’t stand her. Until they totally end up falling in love. Aden is Lexa’s adorable little brother who plays matchmaker, too. 216,438 words, in progress.

25. Time Heals by Girls_aremyweakness

Lexa’s parents die so she has to take over caring for her little brother Aden and hires Clarke as a babysitter while she works. She and Clarke end up falling for each other, and Clarke fits right into their new little family. It’s actually not angsty at all, and is pretty much just fluff. 57,461 words, in progress.

26. Touch or Carry by paint_the_brain

Olympics au where initially it’s Lexa/Anya vs Clarke/Raven, but then Lexa permanently injures Raven. Lexa and Clarke are forced to team up but Clarke is determined to hate Lexa, until she pulls her head out of her ass and realizes she likes her. Indra and especially Gustus are hilarious in this. 12,953 words, in progress.

27. Find your way to me by lightfighter08

This fic is lovely, although the sinner in me wishes it was rated M or E :P it’s only T but it’s so fluffy and cute I mean, I have to shake my head in disgust at the sinner in me, you know? Lexa and Anya move in with the Griffins for foster care after Lexa comes into the ER with injures and Abby rescues them. Lexa and Clarke are so gay for each other. This whole family is fucking adorable, especially Jake Griffin and Abby, AKA perfect parents. So fucking cute. 50,788 words, in progress.

28. Once Upon a Confession by AntaresChild

A modern au AKA Lexa is an innocent cupcake until she accidentally gets high on a brownie and admits her gayness to her roommate Clarke, who then takes Lexa under her wing and brings her into her super gay, sinful partygirl lifestyle. It’s great, hilarious, and I want Clarke and Lexa to pull their heads out of their butts and be in love already.

29. You’re magic & you’re real by unicyclehippo

OH MY GOD THIS FIC. Is SO well-written! Octavia is actually the main character, and is non-binary in this au. Clarke has dyslexia, Lexa is on the autism spectrum, and this fic is just fucking fantastic, okay, everything about it. 113,525 words, complete.

30.  Caught Inside by awriterofthings

A surfer au where Clarke hates Lexa at first (who seems to be loved by everyone) then realizes she totally loves her too. 71,617 words, complete.

31. After You by chrmdpoet

This modern au is so sad and heartbreaking, because Lexa is abused by her father Titus from such a young age. Starts from childhood and Clexa are soulmates. 14,273 words, in progress.

32. Our Hearts (have minds of their own) by EffortlesslyOpulent

Fake dating au, nuff said. Super cute! 103,319 words, complete.

33. Love is Blindness (I don’t want to see) by EffortlesslyOpulent

Lexa Woods and Bellamy Blake are rival gangleaders; Clarke, raised with the Blakes, infiltrates and tries to deceive Lexa, but Lexa’s not stupid. They totally fall in love, it’s great. 182,697 words, complete.

34. You’ve Got Me Seeing Stars by thisaintascene

Lexa faking injuries to see the cute nurse. Adorable. 37,718 words, in progress.

35.  Mysteries of Love by 10milestereo

There’s another apocalypse, but Clexa are soulmates, and there’s a happy ending. 13,203 words, complete.

36. Strangers on the Phone by rochke11

A modern au where Clarke accidentally calls a stranger’s number and they become friends, but little does she know Lexa is actually a super famous musician. 86,723 words, complete. It also has a nice sequel that is complete that you really have to read, since this fic doesn’t have the closure you need.

37. And Your Eyes Are the Size of the Moon (you could ‘cause you can so you do) by heartshapedcandy

A sweet modern au where Clarke and Lexa meet at a carnival. One of the first Clexa fics I ever read. 12,139 words, complete.

38. The Business of Caring by coldmackeral

Lexa’s part of campus police and Clarke drives her crazy. They’re super cute. 71,956 words, complete.

39. I Need You Closer by seaunicorn

This is adorable and fluffy, Clarke and Lexa are kids that meet online. 43,798 words, in progress.

40. Some Angels Fall by lostinjellybean

Modern au. This fic is fascinating to me, Clarke is killed but 4 years later wakes from the dead. Lexa still loves her. 16,219 words, in progress.

41. Your Hand in Mine by Geralehane

A golddigger!AU where Clarke pretends to date the rich Lexa Woods to get money to support her father, but she is totally falling head over heels for Lexa. It’s by Geralehane so come on, of course the writing is fantastic! Updates every Wednesday which is even better :) 25,439 words, in progress.

42. Suffrage by stringingwords

20th century London, Clarke is fighting for equality and women’s right to vote. Enter help in the form of the esteeemed Lexa Woolcott. Great writing and there’s a genius little twist in this. 25,194 words, in progress.

43. do you got room for one more troubled soul? by callieincali

Nuclear apocalypse is approaching and Clarke is on the run to find shelter. She’s robbed by a girl she can’t quite get out of her head…and who ends up being the one to (grudgingly) provide shelter. Now the bombs have struck and Clarke is stuck in a shelter with this Lexa and she’s also pretty damn hungry. 25,363 words, in progress.

44. Open Windows, Open Hearts by sheisme

Clarke and Lexa are neighbors with windows that look directly into each other’s bedrooms. Some naughty times ensue…but also really cute fluffy times :) smut that develops into an adorable relationship. 57,926, complete.

45. It’s For Your Own Good by trying

Clarke is sent to a gay conversion camp and Lexa is there. Titus, Nia, Jaha, and other baddies are just hilarious in this. 21,091, in progress.

46. The Spectator by amybot3000

Lexa is so thirsty you almost get second-hand embarrassment reading this. Lexa was once the greatest tennis player in the world until an injury stopped her playing. She commentates now, and an impressive up-and-coming player Clarke Griffin ends up catching her eye, mostly due to the fact that her bouncing around means certain…parts….bounce…..and the world can’t help but to notice that Lexa has definitely noticed that. It’s hilarious. 12,265 words, in progress.

47. In Love and War and Politics by centuriesofexistence

This is one of my all-time favorite fics. I fucking live off sexual tension and oh my Godddd is there sexual tension in this. The first time they hook up, I just afjkldsajfdl;sa it SLAYED me. I absolutely love this fic. Clarke and Lexa are the ultimate power couple and the writing is absolutely fantastic in this. Summary: It’s the most watched Senate race around the country, and Clarke Griffin is running one hell of an underdog campaign against the favored Cage Wallace. But she has a secret weapon that might save the campaign–and a secret that might ruin it. And both are named Lexa Ward. 122,892 words, in progress.

48. A Series of Avoidable Events by toolateintheday. Another coworker Clexa au, more sexual tension, just yas. Clarke Griffin works for renowned advertising company, Trikru Incorporated. She’s coasting through life, unsure of what she truly wants to do and settling for mediocrity. Its not her dream job but it pays the bills. It’s comfortable, familiar and what she needs. All that changes when the company bring in Lexa Woods, a new visionary, with the aim to shake things up. Clarke finds her entire existence unsettled by the arrival of her new boss who is as intriguing as she is intimidating. Can they put aside their differences and work together? 138,731 words, in progress.

49.  Your hand in mine pt ii by geralhane. She’s easily one of my very top favorite fic writers after that glorious ssau. This is the sequel to the Clexa golddigger au, it’s heartbreaking, my chest literally aches with pain whenever I read it. It hurts so good. Summary: Five months after breaking Lexa’s heart, getting her back is Clarke’s first priority. She doesn’t care about destroying herself in the process. 32,688 words, in progress.

50. The Taste of War and Heartache by thefooliam. OH MY GOD I have been LITERALLY praying for this person to write another fic after the holy grail of all fics, She. This fic is fantastic so far, a fix-it, and I can’t wait for more. Summary: After saving the world for the last time, Clarke Griffin finds herself bitter and angry and grieving for more than just the woman she lost.That’s until she finds a map that might possibly lead her to the answers she’s been looking for.It’s a suicide mission. A fool’s errand. She’s almost certainly going to lose her life in the process.Except Clarke has nothing left to lose and, even if she did, she doesn’t care anyway. 36,723 words, in progress.

51.The White Queen Running by KL_Morgan. Clarke wakes up wearing tattoos of the ice nation. 121,642 words, complete.

52. In the Shallows by Blindwire. A role reversal au where Clarke is Heda and Lexa falls from the sky. Summary: Raised for war and forged in fire, Clarke has vowed to be a leader for her people, to protect them and to make sacrifices so that they do not have to. This is what it means to be Commander and the spirit has chosen her for a reason. 65,066 words, in progress.

53. Bloodbound by Raedmagdon. Lexa inherits a charm from her late grandmother. The last thing she expects is for a (naked) demon to pop out of it. 15,316 words, in progress.

54. This is Heaven in Hiding by orangeyouglad8. There’s no one Clarke Griffin loves going up against in court more than Lexa Woods. And there’s no one Clarke Griffin hates going up against in court more than Lexa Woods. Lexa always knows just how to get a rise out of Clarke, how to ruffle her feathers and make her work for it. Winning against her is a unique challenge that Clarke thrives on. Little does she know that Lexa’s particular talents transfer out of court and into the sheets as well. But, she’s about to find out. 19,015 words, in progress.

55. Sail with Me to Someplace New by almostafantasia. When Clarke learns that her father’s trading ship has been attacked by pirates, she sets out on a daring rescue mission. The only problems – Jake could be being held prisoner anywhere in the Caribbean and Clarke has never sailed a ship before. To help save her father’s life, Clarke attempts to enlist the help of the notorious Captain Lexa Woods, a fearsome pirate who is just as broody and mysterious as she is unwilling to offer her assistance. 28,321 words, in progress.

56. Fall Away by Reedballoon. Lexa is a sailor and Clarke is a lawyer. Somewhere, between jobs and secrets and families, they become something together. 20,391 words, in progress.

57. The Sex Tape by Sheisme. Professional stunt woman Lexa Woods loves her job and takes it very seriously. She has a very strict no-dating policy when it comes to people she works with. When she meets famous actress Clarke Griffin on the set of their new action film, sparks fly and Clarke might just be able to change her mind. However, after one passionate night between the two of them, a sex tape is leaked that sends their lives into a spiral. Will the fallout be too much for them? Or will they be able to find their way out of the chaos together? 55,830 words, in progress.

58. Skylark by RunawayMarbles. A superhero fic that’s pretty damn cool. Clarke and the gang had illegal experiments done to them by Mount Weather and it gave them superpowers. They fight crime while trying to remain anonymous as well. This story is so clever and incorporates the City of Light/chips/ flame so cool, and Clexa are badasses, and just…read it, trust me. Summary: “And they don’t have superpowers. They are semi-successful experiments. Your people will not take any action against Sky Crew without my order: their code names are bad enough. I will not have Polis turn into some Gotham-esque battleground. Dismissed.” “Uh, actually, Metropolis had more superpowers—”“Dismissed.” 115,948 words, complete.

59. Knock Me Down by Haligh24. Clarke Griffin couldn’t stop thinking about the sad, mysterious woman who had recently become a regular at her favorite bar. And when that woman turned out to be Alexandria Heda, CEO of Trikru Media (aka her new boss), Clarke realized that she was totally and completely fucked. 33,193 words, in progress.

60. You Can’t Trust Water by UnraveledMind. “You can’t trust water: Even a straight stick turns crooked in it.” -W.C. Fields. She really wanted to get her wet– wait, that came out wrong. She just wanted to squirt her- Oh, God. Mental images not helping, Clarke. Clarke crawled slowly through the bushes, knees collecting dirt. This was her chance. Lexa was alone. She was going to take her shot and proceed to victory. 7,750 words, in progress.

61. Stellar Collusion by TheSSClexa. When two soccer stars collide, it’s a super nova.Meeting as stark enemies, both Captain of their respective high school soccer team, Clarke and Lexa unknowingly meet again as roommates their freshman year at Stanford. 21574 words, in progress.

62. Empath by RaspberryTree. Lexa is a writer at ALIE, a tech mega-corp. One morning, she inexplicably wakes up with the ability to feel other people’s emotions. Her next encounter with the office receptionist, Clarke, is a lot more powerful than she knows how to deal with. 11400 words, in progress.

63. Of Wolves And Men by ur_the_puppy. After being bitten three years ago, Clarke has had to adjust to a complete derailing of her life. Abandoning her dreams of becoming a doctor in fear of what she could do, she hides away in the small town of Polis with her best friend Raven. It’s a humans only town. That is, until a girl is killed, and Clarke suddenly realises she’s not the only werewolf that exists. or werewolf au where clarke has no idea the extent of what she is and lexa really shouldn’t be falling for a mutt. 72675 words, in progress.

64. The trick is to keep breathing by vespero. Cheerleader Clarke’s boyfriend Finn cheats on her with nerdy Lexa’s girlfriend Costia, so the two girls scheme up a plan to fake-date to get revenge. Backfires when they fall in love! 75662 words, in progress.

65. You, the Ocean, and Me by billet_doux. Clexa mermaid/H2O au! Lexa’s a marine biologist who helps Clarke, Raven, and Octavia when they suddenly find they turn into mermaids when touching water. 67417 words, in progress.

66. Six Shooter by centuriesofexistence. This is one of my faves of all time and it’s only two chapters so far fdlksajfdklsa; Lexa’s a contract killer, Clarke’s a hitwoman, they both get assigned the same target. It’s gonna be a fake dating au too. I check for updates for all fics like, at least a dozen times a day, and when this one updates I will pee my pants, straight up.

Welp that’s it for now. Please keep in mind that these are only 65 fics out of literally thousands of incredible fanfics. There are plenty of wonderful ones I forgot to list! But I have over 400 bookmarks on ao3 so feel free to peruse them. 

I can shamelessly list some of my own fics too. If you’re in the mood for a one-shot, I wrote The World Had Less Color Without You; it’s a college au where Clexa become friends after being paired together for a project, and fall in love even though they’re both terrified of it. 13,821 words and, obviously, complete.

If you want an average-sized fic, I have All That You Got (Skin to Skin, oh my God), about Clexa from childhood up to college. Kind of a childhood friends au, a high school au, and a college au. Lots of fluff, humor, and sexual tension. A slowburn with a lot of thirst. A small amount of angst since Lexa’s dad is a dick, but Clexa love each other so fuck him. 58,689 words and one more chapter to go.

And finally, if you want a hella long fic, there’s also Those Icy Fingers Up and Down My Spine (That same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine). It’s an hp au where Clarke just wants to get through her last year at Hogwarts in peace, her world having been upended a year ago when her father was mysteriously arrested and sent to Azkaban, but instead she finds herself in the middle of conspiracies when she’s chosen as Champion. She definitely shouldn’t fall in love with the enemy, Durmstrang’s Champion Lexa Woods, who is full of secrets and every bit as determined not to develop feelings, but of course, they’re fuckin soulmates, they belong together! (This takes place 100 years after the events of Harry Potter, too). It’s 303,659 words thus far and I update long chapters (between 10,000 to 30,000) usually once a month.

If anyone wants to reblog and add their own favorites, please feel free!!! Let’s spread the love (and I am always up for new Clexa fics to read)

Pi

100 Days of Writing

Recently, I noticed my writing friends dropping away. They don’t talk about their stories anymore, they aren’t posting snippets anymore, they don’t talk about this great idea they just had under the shower. And somehow they don’t seem to write as much anymore.

And I get it, you know? We’re all busy. Life doesn’t wait for the muse to come around and we all got some sort of pandemic trauma. But there’s a thing I noticed recently in that I write more if I talk about writing and when I don’t talk about it, I kind of lose the drive. Does that make sense?

So here’s what I’m proposing for one hundred days, starting on June the 1st.

We write. Duh, of course. But I don’t want us to get stuck on wordcounts. Writing is not just about the amount of words we throw on the page, writing is also about developing the story further, the characters, worldbuilding, themes, and all these intangible things.

For 100 days, every day, you write about something that pertains to your stories. It can be about what you wrote of course, maybe a snippet you really liked. But it can also be about a song that fits so well, a faceclaim, a worldbuilding idea you had. It doesn’t have to be long, but it has to be every day.

Yes, I’m dialing up the pressure! I want you to think “oh, I can write about this today on my 100daysofwriting post!” or maybe “oh shit, I need to find something to show for my 100daysofwriting post!”.

Every day. For one hundred days. Write about your writing.

I’m basing this event around this tumblr. Mention this blog (the-wip-project) and use the tag #100daysofwriting so that I and everyone else can see it.

You can make your posts anywhere, of course, I just find it easier to interact with posts here. If you post on a blog or on twitter or anywhere else, maybe you can make tumblr post to link to it? This event is mostly for yourself and if you want to write in your personal journal you are not obligated to share that with anyone. Maybe you see me in a chat somewhere and rather want to write there, that’s fine too.

I hope that talking/chatting/posting about writing will be its own fountain of inspiration.

100daysofwriting, starting on 01. June 2021.

If you register here in this [form], I might chat with you or nag you sometimes about your posts. Let's write!

The Clexa Fic List That No One Asked For

I’ve been re-reading a lot of my favorite Clexa fics and figured to put them all in a list in case anyone hasn’t read any of these BRILLIANT CLASSICS. Enjoy, y’all!

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Quality Ingredients by HurricaneJane/@thatonewherelexasachef - Boy, oh BOY. This is the first Clexa fic my thankful eyes had ever laid upon. HJ’s writing is absolutely spectacular here. It’s a brilliant AU where Lexa is a chef and Clarke is a doctor and they meet because OF A BLOODY HAND DUE TO ROAN (Hellooooo 3x04!!). The fic isn’t finished, but I do have hopes that maybe one day it will be. I’ve re-read it 3 times. 

Coeurastronaute/@coeurdastronaute Fics:

Kiwi - Lexa is a hottie rockstar/musician and meets Clarke on Tinder. It’s a cute piece of fluff that I’m dying to have updated. I haven’t read it in quite some time, but it’s on my list of things to re-read. Coeur is an AMAZING writer, their stories never fail to please.

Essays In Existentialism - A VAST collection of one-shots or shorter 2 - 3 parters from Coeur. Lots of amazing content here. If you’re looking for some AU, you got it. Canon, you got it. Fluff, you got it. Angst, you got it. If you’re down for any kind of Clexa read, I suggest just doing down the list.

Footy - Clexa AU where Lexa is the world’s best soccer star. She meets Clarke by chance, and a little bit if fate keeps bringing the girls together. This is a cute, fluffy piece, and coming off the World Cup, I dove right in for a re-read. The status of this one is still WIP, but like the rest, I’m truly hoping for an update.

Except You Love by @theproseofnight - Words can’t even begin to describe the quality of writing in this story. If you’re looking for a super angsty, slow burn that could possibly shatter your heart a million times over, this is the read for you. If you haven’t read it, I promise it is really well worth it. The story was just completed (god bless) last month and it seems that @theproseofnight is working on a piece similar (holy shit, can’t fucking wait). This is a must.

This is Heaven in Hiding by @orangeyouglad8 - Holy moly, angst, fluff, and smut all rolled into one juicy story. Lexa and Clarke work in similar fields and H.A.T.E. each other. I don’t want to give much away, but if you haven’t read this one, I really suggest it. The flow of the story is quite fantastic. I’ve re-read it once and it definitely won’t be the last time.

In Love in War and Politics by @centuriesofexistence - This one is fantastic and probably next on my re-read list. Clarke is running for senate and Lexa is her campaign manager. It’s a BRUTAL race with her opponent and the pair working so closely together leads to some Clexa sexa. Highly recommend it.

A Pleasant Undoing by @mopeytropey - This one is a personal favorite because of their occupations. Feels a bit close to home! Clarke is a bar manager and Lexa works for a brewery. The two meet because of work and the crushing and pining is super cute. I finished this one so quickly because the pace was amazingly set. This is definitely on my re-read list!

The White Queen Running by KL_Morgan - I think this is actually the only canon-ish fic I have on this list. To be honest, I’m not big on canons, I’m a HUGE AU kinda gal. Anyway, a good friend had bugged, and bugged, and bugged me to give this one a shot. I’m so fucking happy I did. The writing is exquisite, absolutely exquisite. I’m honestly not sure how to describe this one, I was pretty confused in the beginning, but then realized I was supposed to be confused. Just take my word for it and read it, mmkay?

Catch Me, I’m Falling by @clexa-hsau (two very talented writers) - The HSAU of all HSAU’s. Lexa and Clarke couldn’t dislike each other more, but little Aden does some matchmaking and helps the two realize that maybe they’re meant to be? Bit of angst, lots of fluff, and lots of sequels/one-shots to follow. I haven’t gotten through all of the one-offs, but they’re all definitely on my life. READ THIS.

Living on a Fault Line by anddirtyrain - Holy hell. Holy angst, holy slow burn, holy hell. This was recently recommended to me on here because I was asking for a fic that would hurt my heart the way “Except You Love” did, and this recommendation did not disappoint. Clexa are divorced with a daughter and this story shows the struggles of co-parenting when love still lingers. I recently just got my best friend to start reading this one and love every “WTF” text I get when she’s reading it. It’s amazing.

Lullaby Without You. by LJT - This is a heart-wrenching one. It really pulls at your heart. Clexa are married, but Clarke wakes up from an accident with no recollection of who she is. Lexa comes to the hospital every day to try and help her wife remember, while still having to take care of their son who very much misses his other mom. This one isn’t complete, but I’m reaaaaally hoping for an update.

Polis 433 by @ecfandom - AH, hot fire fighter Lexa and nurse Clarke. This one is a slow burn FO SHO. Clarke’s house has a super faulty fire alarm which sends Lexa to hear house on a weekly basis. Clarke’s kid takes a liking to Lexa, leading to Clarke taking a liking to Lexa. It’s all just so, so great. It’s being actively updated (the most recent update being this past week, WOOOP). Start it and subscribe to it and love it.

Grand Slam Thank You, Ma’am by @femininenachos - Nothing gets to me like a sporty Lexa. Let me present you with hottie tennis player Lexa and her hottie physio Clarke Griffin. It’s smutty and it’s fluffy and now that we’re in tennis season, I’m going to be reading this whole thing from cover to cover again.

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A little shameless self promotion goes a long way, right? Below are three pieces I have on Ao3 as LostAndDelirious.

Maple Bourbon Candles - Clarke and her friends are on a 10-day trip up north during the winter and meet the small town’s general store owner, Lexa. They bump into each other after their initial meeting and start hanging out and Clarke finds herself to be a babbling mess around the girl. Not gonna lie, it’s pretty fluffy and kinda cute. It’s a WIP but I’m regularly updating it.

13 Clans - I’m a bit in love with writing this story at the moment. Lexa “The Commander” Woods works for a spirits company, heading up the marketing division. The company merges with a few others, and enters an influx of new people in the office, including Clarke Griffin who is now heading up events and sponsorships for all their brands. There are a lot of happy hours, a lot of drinks, and a lot of traveling. It’s a bit of a slow burn, especially because Lexa is kind of a bitch, but the two find that they don’t always get on each others nerves. WIP and regularly updated, I actually just posted the most recent chapter earlier this afternoon.

Why Do You Think It Feels This Way? - This one’s a one-shot. There are a few fluffy moments, but the overall theme is far from fluff. Clarke and Lexa are both fresh out of heartbreaking relationships and meet because of mutual friends on a weekend trip to a lake house. They find a bit of solace in each other over the course of the weekend and well, just read it to find out the rest.

Writing vs Storytelling Skills: Improving Writing

Though “writing skill” is often used to refer to all aspects of story crafting, it best refers to the actual writing and technical skills that create the written word of a novel. Addressed in the previous post: Writing vs Storytelling Skills (link embedded), now I’m here to tell you how to work on that specific writing skill.

1. Study up on Literary Techniques: English class isn’t just for assigned reading and essays if you’re serious about bettering your writing. While essay writing and creative writing are different, the literary techniques and how they’re used and applied is good knowledge to have. Especially because a lot of them overlap with tropes and tie into storytelling!

2. Read a variety of books. Various authors, various genres, the more you expand your examples the better. Variation of reading means you’ll be exposed to more ideas, more ways of thought, more writing styles, more everything that you can draw ideas from and help develop your own skill. Even take up books you may not like. Give them a chance, and if the writing isn’t working for you then keep tabs on why.

3. Critique the writing of others. What did you like? What didn’t you like? How does the writing style affect how the book reads? When you critique others, you identify what makes and doesn’t make “good writing”. While a writer can only critique at a close level to their skill, the more they critique, the higher skill climbs, and the better they get. To become a better writer, you should get used to tearing other’s, and your own, work apart. It can help to keep a journal or some kind of record of critiques because as you gain more skill you may change your mind on some points. 

4. Tighten up your grammar. It’s fine to make mistakes, especially in a first draft, but if you have consistent grammar errors then it’s time to tackle the issue. Grammar isn’t optional; it exists to help with clarity of communication and a clearer writer is a better writer. It’s true that creative writing allows for the use of semantic grammar or a more fluid approach to sentence structure, but there’s a difference between using purposefully altered grammar for a reason versus just not knowing how to write properly. 

5. Try writing exercises. Many of these exist, from things like The Sprint (link embedded), which can help train you get work done, or The POV Swap (link embedded), which works on distinguishing character voice and perspective. Not all exercises are for everyone because there’s a variation to writing styles, but it never hurts to put in some effort to step outside our comfort zone to see if it could work. Further the benefits of writing exercises by developing a routine of regular use.

6. Read your work out loud. The mind has a tendency to put a haze of glory over some things and one way to help look at your writing realistically is to read it out loud to yourself. Reading out loud helps catch errors, some even grammatical, measure flow, evaluate pacing– it’s an amazing technique that gives the writer a better idea of what they’ve really put down. When reading, don’t be afraid to get into it and put emotion into your voice as long as it’s coming from the flow of the writing itself and isn’t forced.

All that said, there’s no such thing as a “perfect writer”. Brushing up on writing skills isn’t about being perfect, it’s about getting better relative to where you were before (and potentially helping close the gap between writing and storytelling skills).

Keep trying, keep practicing– keep writing.

Thinking of asking a question? Please read the Rules and Considerations to make sure I’m the right resource, and check the Tag List to see if your question has already been asked. Also taking donations via Venmo Username: JustAWritingAid

yay to long haired vegetables and their strap ons! lol

Thank you for sharing this.

Here is a very useful resource where FOG is an acronym for “fear, obligation, guilt”. The website is intended for those who are in relationships with people who have personality disorders but the toolbox is useful for everyone.

Out of the FOG | Personality Disorders, Narcissism, NPD, BPD

Out of the FOG | Personality Disorders, Narcissism, NPD, BPD

Helping family members & loved-ones of people who suffer from personality disorders.

it's hard to explain because inevitably you sound like an asshole, but some people are allowed to lose their temper, lose their mind - you're not, though.

when your friend never texts you first and misses your birthday and never makes an effort; you don't mind. you know she's struggling, and you want her to get the help that she deserves. you give her every excuse and every chance.

it shouldn't matter to you so much that people are always coming through for her. you want her to be happy, you love it for her. you love that her community rises up to the occasion. why does it bother you that when she snaps at someone, says horrible mean things - but two hours later, everyone is comforting her while she's crying. you know she's stressed. why do you kind of hate that she is welcomed back to her job, that her parents are endlessly wiring her money.

and you're - fuck, are you envious?

but when you don't text back, someone sits you down and says i know you're struggling, but you're being a bad friend. when you're too numb to show up for work, your boss just shakes his head. i'm sorry. i can't approve more time off. we have the company to protect. when you finally snap back at your family for making that shitty comment again, you're forced to apologize for being too sensitive.

god forbid you need something. people aren't used to you being the one asking. you're the giver like the book you hated; your pages all open and rumpled. you always have the answer, always have the solution. you are reliable, trustworthy. people like you don't struggle with things. you're supposed to be lifted by tragedy. you are given a maximum of 24 hours to grieve, and then you need to just behave at the party.

you can't read the giving tree without feeling like crying, and even that feels like it's too much emotion. like, nobody looks at you and assumes you're the tree; they'd name five other people before even considering you in the running. you're just there, never-asking.

your friend gets to say mean shit, that's just her personality. when you make a snide comment, you're just being petty. people laugh when your friend stands you up for another event; they say she's just like that. you were 5 minutes late to a meeting with friends and they were mad about it for the rest of the evening. your friend sets everything on fire; everyone applauds her through the ashes. you so much as light a candle: and suddenly now you're an arsonist.

you don't want your friend to suffer, though. the thing is that you just wish that the empathy and kindness your friend gets - you wish you had that option, that everyone offered you grace and money and a gentle reception.

the other day you were fighting down the bad urge; the void call, the end note. you tried-anyway. you went to the family event, tried laughing at the right moments. nodded and smiled and all of it. one of your siblings threw a fit, but she's allowed to, so everyone just rolled their eyes about it. you took 3 whole minutes to stand outside when you got overwhelmed. you literally set a timer about it.

in the morning you woke up to a text from your parents: you were a complete disgrace last night. idk what your attitude problem is, but you really need to fix it.

Avengers: Infinity War aka The Bachelor: Tony Stark Edition