When I say “Fanfiction is free” part of what I’m saying is yes, you did not pay for the thing.
But I saw a comment from someone that made me realize the rest of the intention behind these words is being lost.
Fanfiction is provided for free, but it is not produced for free.
Authors pay their effort, including physical and emotional and mental. Authors pay their time, in planning the story (mental time) and writing the story (physical time). Sometimes it’s less than an hour for something quick and dirty, like askbox prompts. Sometimes it’s years of their lives in epic fic hundreds of thousands of words long. Authors pay additional time to alpha read their own stories, trying to make sure that they’re free of SPAG errors and make sense and sound good. Beta readers pay their time and effort alongside the authors for editing the stories. Authors pay for posting their stories with all of the anxieties that come from allowing their work - which to this point they have invested all of the above - into the public eye because while it has certainly cost them a good amount to produce the story, fandom history has proved that many other people out there enjoy fanfiction, and authors believe that at least someone else will enjoy their story, too.
What I am saying when I say “fanfiction is free” is that it costs the writers a lot of something in order to produce it. A lot has already been paid into a piece of fanfiction by the time it is available for readers to read. The expense of fanfiction creation is, by and large, resting squarely atop the shoulders of writers.
What I am saying when I say “fanfiction is free” is that readers don’t have to pay the cost of creating fanfiction.
What I am saying when I say “fanfiction is free” is that readers don’t have to pay in anything - not time, not money, not effort, not anything - in order for fanfiction to be created. It’s a donation. It’s a gift. It’s available for you to take or leave, at the expense of someone else.
Writers have, for a very long time, requested donations of one thing as remuneration for everything they put into making fanfiction: comments. Authors have asked, in so many different iterations: “If you have consumed what I have labored and invested in to create and if you have found any enjoyment in it, please tell me, so that I can recharge enough to do this again.” Some of them may recharge on critical comments, but most of us don’t because we’ve already paid everything we want to pay to create the story.
What I am saying when I say “fanfiction is free” isn’t just that it doesn’t cost you any money. I am saying “Please respect the time and effort you didn’t have to pay into creating this thing you enjoyed, by respecting the individual creator’s requests.”
What I am saying when I say “fanfiction is free” is “be kind to authors, they have paid a lot for this gift they’re sharing with all of us, and they deserve to feel like it was worth it.”
What I am saying when I say “fanfiction is free” is “please don’t charge authors more time and emotional effort than what they’ve already provided you at no absolute cost.”
I’m not saying any of this to argue. It’s a fact that authors pay into providing fanfiction. They do it for fun. They do it out of love. They do it because they enjoy writing. No one is making them do it. No one is paying them to start or finish the story. That doesn’t mean it’s not WORK. And the only return they get on what they put into the story is the kindness of strangers that invest a little bit back by leaving a nice comment. That is why they stay, that is why they do it again, that is why we have fanfiction.
What I am saying when I say “fanfiction is free” is “please don’t be the one charging authors so much more that they leave.”
What I am saying when I say “fanfiction is free” is “please keep it that way.”
Temporal immunity and inner nature manipulation. Hell yeah 😎😎
Click on it twice. These are your two super powers.
Aannnddd now this is gonna be stuck in my head rent free lol
Okay but what about a kinda-funny-kinda-depressing post-rots AU where Obi-Wan joined the rebellion?
Imagine young rebels, sharing scary rumours about the mysterious and deadly Imperial commander with a black suit and a red lightsaber, and Obi-Wan Kenobi is sitting right here.
“I heard Vader can destroy entire fleets with his mind.”
“I heard he’s too much of a machine to really die.”
“He took a hula-hoop class in secret at 15 to impress his crush,” Obi-Wan adds suddenly.
And all the rebels turn towards the washed-up general, who is a legend, sure, but also keeps throwing these insane facts about Vader, so everyone knows that he’s not quite right in the head, but you can’t say that to The Last Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, so they’re like, “okay Mr Kenobi, how many glasses of brandy did you have? I think it’s time for you to go to bed now.”
“He wanted to adopt a loth-cat as a teen.”
“Sure, Mr Kenobi.”
“I should have let him have his loth-cat, it would have been good for him.”
“Of course, Mr Kenobi.”
Fox: *after watching Obi-Wan yell at the chancellor through a glass wall with no idea what he was saying because soundproofing but amused cause he just KNOWS that smile means Sheev is only holding back the rage of cold blooded murder because of witnesses* Heh. Cute.
Obi-Wan: *yelling at Palps for telling his kid the Jedi will kick him out for being married and now he’s throwing accusations around and about to go public with Palps hanging out with little boys by threatening their guardians and ruin him forever*
Palpatine: :/
Fox: *after Obi-Wan storms out of the room* Respectfully, like /super/ respectfully, do you even know you were being watched by an entire floor of secretaries and clone guards who def recorded that?
Obi-Wan: Don’t know, can’t care, I’m gonna spread rumors the Chancellor likes little boys now.
Fox: 😨… why didn’t I think of that…
Three hours later
Fox: *storms into the officers lounge* Cody! I’m marrying your general. Or bedding him. He’s worthy of this deece.
Cody: *halfway through his seventh caff of the day* …listen. I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that, and give you a five minute head start.
Fox: Fair.
Rex: I hate everyone in this family.
The 212th medics have enlisted the help of one very tired Marshal Commander in order to wrangle Obi-wan “it’s not broken if I can still move it” Kenobi post mission. There are holo recordings now being circulated around as blackmail.
US Elevation.
by @cstats1
Castle In The Sky (1986) Grave of the Fireflies (1988) My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) Only Yesterday (1991) Porco Rosso (1992) Pom Poko (1994) Whisper of the Heart (1995) Princess Mononoke (1997) My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) Spirited Away (2001) The Cat Returns (2002) Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) Tales from Earthsea (2006) Ponyo On A Cliff From The Sea (2008) The Secret World of Arrietty/The Borrower Arrietty (2010) From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
If any of the links stop working, please let me know so I can fix it.
For Castle In The Sky, wait for the free user button to be clickable and it will send you to the video.
Ghost: Hard dom (but also enjoys the occasional submission… won’t tell u tho :p)
Price: Soft dom… this man loves taking care of you but also reminding you of who’s in charge
Gaz: He don’t give a fuck as long as you both feel good
Soap: Switch (leaning depending on his mood or how work was)
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an: very merry christmas to @drmsqnc and belated happy birthday~ I didn’t have much time at all but I still hope this makes you smile Vina~
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“I can’t believe you did this.”
Markus’ happy expression flattered slightly at your dull words.
“If you don’t like it—”
You almost shoved him. The fact that he even questioned whether or not you would like this was insane. Of course, you liked it—loved it, in fact, because it was truly that stunning.
“Don’t talk to me right now,” you said, turning towards him. His gaze was warm, but slightly worried, as it took in your expression. “Markus this—it’s incredible. How long did it take you?”
His expression smoothed with your words, a small grin twisting the corner of his full lips. A soft brush of his fingers registered against your cheek and you couldn’t help but lean into his touch, into the comforting warmth of his touch.
Markus was like the sun.
There was something about him that just pulled you in, drew your attention towards him. You could understand why androids followed him so willingly, why even humans listened to him and no one else but him. He was special, he had the charisma that you couldn’t quite escape or remain indifferent towards. You could understand all the androids that were willing to lay their lives down for him. Sometimes when he spoke, you felt like that too. Like you could follow him to the edge of the world without a second thought.
He was beautiful and warm and determined and—
He was too much. This was too much.
“It doesn’t matter how long it took,” he argued firmly but softly, and you rolled your eyes at his reply. “As long as you like it,” he added again, and you could read the self-cautious tilt to his words.
Your heart swelled at his worry—at his clear display of vulnerability. He was always self-assured and strong in front of everyone but you. When it was you two, he let his cast crumble away to dust. With you, he could just be himself.
“This is the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen Markus,” you told him and gave his large hand a reassuring squeeze. “I can’t believe this is supposed to be me. Are you sure—”
“Very,” he interrupted softly, and taking your hand in his brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss against it. “I wanted you to see yourself how I see you. Strong, smart, beautiful. I wanted you to know that I think you’re…incredible.”
Warmth bubbled in your chest and you turned your eyes away from his in clear show of embarrassment. How he could he say stuff like that with a straight face, you didn’t understand.
The portrait stood in front of you on a display. The colours were rich and beautiful; a delicate mix of reds, greens, yellows and oranges. The portrait was warm and earthy; almost ethereal in its wild beauty. It was a side profile that made you appear like some woodland nymph. If this is how Markus saw you…
“You need to be stopped,” you whispered weakly, shooting an irritated look his way when you heard him chuckle. It was a deep and warm sound, warming you despite the bitter cold outside. “I think I’m going to have words with Carl—”
He didn’t let you finish, tugging you slowly towards him, and kissing you softly. It was slow, gentle; with his arm curling around your waist and his lips pressing against yours with a passion that made your breath hitch. His embrace was a cocoon of safety and love, and you would not trade it for anything.
You pulled back first, desperate for breath as he grinned at you, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
“Merry Christmas, (Name).”
“Be careful who you trust, Sergeant. People you know can hurt you the most.”