free for all! feed the trees, eh?

free for all means:

-you get to start a campfire for anything. ANYTHING.

-you do NOT need to add a recommendation to your campfire during the freeforall. unless you want to!

-still no nudes or filthy effing language on the front page. and no personal attacks.

-please tag your posts! we have ridiculous tags, but there are tons of useful ones. tags make searching way easier, and i get annoyed when you don't do it and put your name on this running list i have of people i'll ban in case of zombie apocalypse.

-feed your forest!

-now, tell me what your weekend plans are. i'm going to an estate sale this morning, and i think i'll go see the avengers. again.

the funniest thing i've ever seen fyt. i just watched this for the 239840712093847th time and still, it makes me cry actual tears of mirth.

So, I’m pretty sure most campers know Sri. Why do I say that? Cause she’s just that awesome! I met Sri about a month ago, but look at us now and you’d think we’ve known each other since we were in diapers!

Today is Sri’s birthday!

But she is also writing a very big exam this morning…

SO: Come inside and wish her a Happy Birthday! Or wish her good luck on her exam! Spam her with Dramione pics or inspirational quotes or banana bread/cake or A REALLY BIG HUG!!! OR… you can make use of that pretty new tag that we campaigned for earlier this week *wiggles eyebrows*

IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE ANOUNCEMENT: As Sri is writing her exam this morning, I am FORBIDDING any comments from her until this afternoon!!! Hear that, bb? You may come and view your good luck/birthday wishes before writing your exam (to give you a bit of confidence), BUT YOU MAY NOT RESPOND UNTIL AFTER YOU’VE WRITTEN! :D

THIS (early FFA) CF WAS APPROVED BY BOTH RANGERS EKSMITH AND TOR!!! (lol, because I’m paranoid like that ;P)

This is the campfire of Self Promotion:

THE PIMP CAMPFIRE.

Tell us about what you or a friend write. If you beta something fantastic, let us know. If you are hosting a contest, tell us about it.

Don't be shy! Give us a link. Give us a sample. Show us your banner.

We wanna see!

Sorry about missing it last week :(

Okay. I know the writers kitchen campfire is at the bottom of the page, but I'm desperate enough right now to be posting a separate campfire. Seriously, I feel like ramming my head against the wall...

I just sent in the latest chapter of my wip to my beta's and pre-reader, and I feel like nothing's working in this chapter. Like it's too rushed, not enough angst, too much angst, certain things just don't make sense like before. It doesn't click. Dn't get me wrong, certain things I love...but I feel like I'm getting away from what initially got me into writing this fic in the first place.

My question to you all is how you do you get through this? What do you think about when your writng a chapter, writing a point of view, or a scene?

The funny thing is, this is one of the few chapters that I've had drafted for months and have basically translated everything I wanted to include from the outline to the page. Some new things were added into the mix, sure, but the essential formula has remained the same as the outline.

So give your advice. How do you beat writers block and the urge to tear out your hair? 

REC, just in case: 

My Mate, by PrincessRachael

either/or

start a comment comparing two things

we'll choose which is better

the year of the archer for everyone's time:

The always beautiful High Fidelity by IReen H updated! 

Chapter 13

Discuss here. Get your pain out, if you need to. 

Or talk about the pictures painted in your heart, take your breath away prose!

Happy Thursday!

Remember to come back and discuss once you've read.

XOXO

So lately I've been reading a lovely little fic. It's cute, the characters are likeable, I can identify with the conflict, the writing is good, there are very few, if any, grammatical or spelling errors. There's just one little problem:

I don't particularly care for the "lemony" parts.

It's not that they're poorly written! And it's certainly not that I'm a prude (ask my husband). It's just that I feel, at this point, there's not really a whole lot of new stuff to say. I've lost count of the number of stories I've read in which the author/narrator describes the exact mechanics of how they perform particular acts (which I won't name on the front page), with some phrases repeated verbatim by different authors across the fandom. I don't require any further exposition of who puts their hands or mouth where. It's. Been. Done.

(Is this why Stephenie Meyer went all fade-to-black on us in the Breaking Dawn honeymoon? Not because of the age of her intended audience or her religious beliefs, but because she thought it was too cliche?)

So, ladies and gents, let me ask you: do you read sex scenes in stories enthusiastically or reluctantly, do you skim them, or do you skip them altogether? Why do you do what you do? If you skip/skim, do you feel like you're missing out on a psychological dynamic to the character, or do you feel you aren't missing anything important? Do you prefer graphic or non-graphic depictions of sex (or no depiction at all)? Do you wish authors would find a new way to talk about it? Does your age, level of prior experience, or current sexual activity impact how you feel about sexually explicit scenes in written fiction? Do you feel the same way or differently about visual depictions of sex in TV and film?

Mods: I tried to keep it clean, but if you feel a little extra mopping is necessary, be my guest.

If you could rec an author/etc.* (whose book/s or etc.* have inspired fanfiction) one fic, which would it be? And why?

JK Rowling?
 Jane Austen?
  Stehenie Meyer?
   Joss Whedon?
     Suzanne Collins?
       Assorted Actors, perhaps?
         Etc, etc, etc?


ANNOYING PLEA FOR HELP - FEEL FREE TO IGNORE
While I've got you, I'd like to try a Harry/Ginny OR James/Lily fic preferably set at Hogwarts.
Something so good you'd rec it to J.K. herself as this is my first venture into canon Harry Potter fic.

I'm in the mood for a strong/confident/cocky female character. Something canon-ish as in James pining after Lily and her ignoring him or hopeless Harry lusting after Ginny. 

*screenwriter, director, playwright, ya get mah drift. 
*movie, tv series, play, you also get mah drift.

There have been a lot of amnesia campfires this week so I figure this weekly help desk is just in time!

As always, the weekly help desk is your place to ask questions:

Did you forget the name of a fanfic?

Do you have a request for a special kind of fanfic?

Do you want to know what happened to an author or a story?

Do you have a question about ADF and how it works?

In addition to this, you can ask questions about pretty much anything at all.

Want to know how to take pictures like a pro?

Not sure of the words to a song?

Want to paint your nails tonight but are unsure of what color?

This is your campfire. Ask away! Many people like to answer!

Anyone see the trailer for BB's new show called Revolution?

NBC's pitch: Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why? Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it? On the fringes of small farming communities, danger lurks. And a young woman's life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously—and unbeknownst to her—had something to do with the blackout. This brutal encounter sets her and two unlikely companions off on a daring coming-of-age journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future.

When you write, how do you decide what point of view to write in?

I've written in 1st person as Bella and 3rd person. 

If you write as the opposite sex, what makes you feel you can? I don't think I'd be able to write out a man's thoughts and be correct in them. I know how boys speak, but not  how they think.

I ask, because for some reason the Edward in my newest story keeps talking to me, so I've been writing what may or mostly likely will not become an outtake.

J

Over the three years I've been reading fan fiction, I've seen many people post about how they don't want real life people to know they read and/or write fan fiction.  Is this true for you?  If so, why?  If not, why?

I read Twilight, Harry Potter and Pride & Prejudice fan fiction and there are so many talented writers out there!  In fact, I've found myself reading published novels that aren't even half as good as some of the fan fiction I've read.  What's to be ashamed of?

I realize it can be very liberating sharing words with people who don't know you personally, but when it's art, I want to share it with everyone!  I've shared stories with my friends, family and even the pastors wife. 

I've been thinking about this often recently because a lot of real life people are asking if I've read 'Fifty Shades of Grey'.  I respond with, "I read a few chapters when it was a fan fic called 'Master of the Universe' and didn't like.  Here's a link for 'The Submissive'."

Of course, I've had to explain what fan fiction actually is to some, but I've yet to receive weird looks from anyone (I mean, no more than usual).

So, please share with me whether or not you talk about fan fiction with the people you know, or if you prefer to keep it separate and why.  Thanks!

My Rec: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5456274/1/Empty  by Remuslives

Marriage Law fic, no yadda yadda about the new law, no falling in love/lust at first touch. Hermione needs a husband, Sirius steps up. Sirius/Hermione.
Harry Potter - Rated: M - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 18 - Words: 35,113 - Reviews: 769 - Updated: 6-24-10 - Published: 10-20-09 - Hermione G. & Sirius B. - Complete

There's something that I've noticed over the past few years of reading fanfic and I was wondering if anyone else had noticed it, too.

Many of the fic stories I've read rely on flashbacks to tell the story.  I'm not talking about quick jumps back in time to help fill us in about something that happened in the past, or Back to the Future style jumps that are truly part of the plot.  I'm talking about stories that spend half of the narrative in the present and another half in a flashback.

While there are some notable books that use jumps in time to tell the story, this is not something that you see very often in published fiction.  

Any thoughts as to why flashbacks are used so heavily in fic? 

How about a good ole version of HUMPDAY GAMES?

Let's play FAN-FICTIONARY for old time sakes.

Rules:

Find 1 or 2 images (MAX) that are related to a fic and post them. Others will try and guess which fic you are talking about. Get creative, have fun.

PSA: When replying to someone's guess, i.e. telling them they are right or good job, to the extent possible, don't use images there. It will just take longer for the campfire to update and load and all that stuff !

Here's an example:

(Answer: Semper Paratus: That Others May Live)

Thanks for the pin ranger!

Anyone see this article in Hollywood Life?

Robert Pattinson Refuses To Let Model Lick His Nipples 

"Robert Pattinson is such a good boyfriend to Kristen Stewart! During a recent photo shoot for ‘French Premiere’ magazine, R-Patz reportedly became increasingly uncomfortable with what he was asked to do and eventually pulled part of the spread entirely."

Kristen discusses the nude scenes.  Anyone planning on seeing this flick?  Read the book?  I haven't read the book, I'll probably wait until the movie comes out on DVD.

Tell us what you are reading RIGHT NOW!

Books and Fanfiction alike

It can be supernatural or not, it can be a copy/paste of your reading list, it can be a flyer for the local supermarket. We don't care. 

Please link if you are reading fanfiction or give us a nice summary if you are reading a book. We also LOVE reviews, so tell us what you think of what you are reading!

Special Assignment:

Share with us your favorite fic or book from the darker side of things. This could be a vampire fic or book, a horror fic or book or one where one of the characters is just not that nice. 

But, as always,

ANY recs are GOOD recs in the WEEKLY REC!

Reading wckdqueen's Back To Basics CF down below has made me nostalgic for some sweet vamp Edward.  I feel the need for a vamp Edward who falls very quickly for Bella and then proceeds to woo her.  Extra points if they get together later in life - after high school. 

I am already reading Spanglemaker9's new fic Dog Star, and I am loving it.  I think (maybe) it will eventually fall into this category.  Fingers Crossed :)

My rec is is the story I thought of when I posted this:

The Decision by windchymes
Edward made a decision after that second biology lesson. Two years later that decision is challenged.
Twilight - Rated: M - English - Romance - Chapters: 9 - Words: 104,481 - Reviews: 2254 - Updated: 10-15-11 - Published: 3-5-11 - Edward & Bella - Complete

I adore this story.  Edward and Bella meet up in college, and he decides that he wants to pursue her, guilty conscience be damned.  So sweet all around!

The Season Finale of The Vampire Diaries was last thursday, which concluded 3 seasons of episode.

I want to know, what is your FAVORITE EVER episode of The Vampire Diaries?

What is your favorite scene? Favorite fanvid? Fave musical montage? Fave screen cap?

This is one of my favorites of this season: