Voting for the Spank the Monkey contest ends this Thursday!  If you haven't read the entries yet, you should do it now!  Lots of fun, fluffy stories.  You can vote for your three faves.

My first ever fic is one of the entrants!  I am RobzBeanie. :)

To make it interactive:

Do you enter one-shot contests like this?  Why or why not?

A lot of people I know have read the Twilight series and LOVED it. I tried it, got throough the first one, but it just wasn't really my thing. I was discussing it with my friends, and they were absoulutly appaled that i didn't like it! They got really mad at me and said that i wasn't respecting their opinions. But I was! All I said was that it wasn't really my thing. Now they keep pressuring me to read them and see the movies, by getting me for my birthday Twilight stuff: like the box set, t-shirts, bookmarks, and more!

WHAT DO I DO? They just aren't really my kind of thing...

Because my summer has been extremely busy lately, I've taken a break from reading completed fics in favor of updates, onesies and drabbles, and... it's been wonderful. Lots of good stuff out there.

I've found that a short story or a snapshot of a character 's feelings or plight can be as compelling as as a full-length story, if not more. It could be a notable lemon, a gut wrenching tragedy, a mind-bending twister, or a series events that are just delightful and lovely. So...

Let's talk one-shots, drabbles, and Twi-25's (short, prompted stories).

- Which ones captivated you?

- Which ones made you smile, snicker, laugh, or cry your eyes out?

- Any pairings. Any fandom

- Authors, what's been your experience plotting them out? I imagine a lot of work goes into the structure and resolution of such compact stories - y/n?

Share your recs and thoughts, please. Mine are inside. Milk and cookies, FYT:

Hey guys, this is my first time starting a campfire. Since it is fanfiction related I hope its ok.

Has anybody read the latest update yet? I would love to discuss it with somebody.

Per Kharizzmatik Ragazza's facebook, the EP blog (and chapters) will no longer be available as of July 31. While I am overjoyed for her & the fact that it's being published, I am so sad to see it go.

Do you follow your favorite authors on Twitter?

Do you want to know them better as people or do you think this intrudes on the fantasy world created by their stories?

When writing, and when trying to become better writers, we all hear about how we should "show" not "tell".  So we practice and hope we get it right.  My favorite books and stories are the ones that pull me into the mind of the characters, where I see what they see and feel what they feel.  Though, as a writer, it's not as easy as it sounds to do.

I stumbled across this essay by Chuck Palahnuik.  It's interesting and breaks down the idea of showing vs telling in a way that should get you thinking....

link to full article

the site doesn't let you c&p so here's an excerpt:

According to research, people who keep misplacing their things (the biggest loser of whom is moi) are people who prefer not to be in the 'here and now'. These people keep thinking about other things rather than, say, what they're holding. Thus, they constantly end up losing their keys, glasses, wallets, and, the worst of all, kids.

Would we have a case to hypothesize that Twilight fans, who so obviously like to be drawn to a fantasy world rather than their rl, are more likely than others to be losing their stuff? Am I the only loser here?

"Now where the fuck did I put my earphone"

Rob and Tom in California, taking Bear for a walk. Some thoughts:

That is the most beautiful man I've ever seen. Not sure if you all know this, but I'm really into Robert Pattinson.

That is the grizzliest beard I've ever seen. Tom's head is too small to pull that giant beard off. 

That is one of the ugliest dogs I've ever seen. I feel kinda bad saying that, because I'm basically calling my stepson ugly. But damn.

I love the new jeans Rob is wearing. It emphasizes his height and lankiness. BRB, unfing.

I was hoping Rob had buzzed his hair all over now that 'Cosmopolis' has wrapped, but I can tell that the right side is buzzed and the left is still normal. Please please please let him buzz it all off and NOT WEAR A FLIPPING HAT to ComicCon. I might spontaneously combust but it will be worth it.

Nice shout-out to Baltimore (DeeLovely!!!) but I'ma have to buy that boy a good ol' Yankees cap.

\

COUPLE MORE INSIDE

DO YOU MAKE FAN VIDEOS?

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE YOU WANT TO SHARE?

POST THEM ALL HERE!

MY WEEKLY RECS:

"I GAVE YOU ALL" by verotruth

"you have fought valiantly" by TheVioletHours <- WARNING: SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SPOILERS. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN HP DH PT. 2, DO NOT WATCH THIS.

POST AWAY CAMPERS!

I recently convinced a good friend to read the Twilight books. It was fun to hear her comments as she read through the books. She wasn't an "easy sell" on them, yet was open minded enough to give it a try. I've mentioned fan fiction to her a couple of times and each time she has resisted. Today she actually came to me and said she was interested in "trying this fan fiction thing out".  She then asked me to tell her where to begin. 

Gah! Now I feel the pressure to be sure to pick stories that will win her over. I did this with another friend about a year ago and started her on Wide Awake. That friend is now as addicted to fanfic as I am.  

My friend today though insisted she wanted a vamp story? I think I'd like to give her about five stories to "start" off on covering the range from AH to Vamp/AU, angst to comedy, etc. 

I'd love to hear your recs for what five stories you would give to a FanFic newbie, please! 

ah, it seems like all of the fics i've been reading have recently completed.

what's new and exciting in the fandom? 

what are the fics that everyone's talking about?

what are you HOOKED on?

Looks like I'm becoming a post pest.

I can't help it - this story is really difficult to write! It's requiring a little more brain power than I'm used to giving (which I hope will produce some good results!) and it's giving me brain pain, as well as slowly wearing out my backspace button on my keyboard.

I know why. I want to get the characters absolutely perfect. Which is tricky.

Which then got me thinking - which is your most favourite take on a character that you've come across in a fic?

Sorry KStew lovers, but this is all kinds of funny!!!  You have to admit the hit the mark on a few of her speaking traits!

whatcha doing?

this made me lol this morning....

ive seen some negativity lately (not here or in the fandom even, just in general, which is why im here, where its light and happy)

what makes you happy?

this is awesome...

Hey girls! Please search your brains! I am in the mood for:

A broody, possibly troubled Edward. Like "How To Save A Life", "Wide Awake", "High Anxiety" etc. I've read a lot of fics, so it'll be tough to maybe find one I haven't read. I have tons on my TBR list, but i'm not sure which stories will fit my craving. I like Edward being a mystery to Bella.

Did anyone read "Loner"? I am apprehensive due to the number of chapters. 

Please rec only well written, completed, and I do like UST and lemons. 

You guys are the best! 

For those of you attending Comic Con in 2 days, be forewarned:
There is ALREADY a line forming for Hall "H" Where the Breaking Dawn panel will be held on Thursday.

It was on the news last night.

J

I have a very good friend who is looking for some new reading material this summer.  I keep trying to push FF on her and she is starting to cave.  She broke down and read Twilight and New Moon....and stopped in the middle and threw it against the wall.  She hates Edward and his controlling behavior but does really like Jacob.  Er, anyway.  She's asking for Jacob fics.  I haven't read any.  I know there is a Bella/Jacob section in the Master Fic List, but I'm wondering if there aren't any new and impressive ones as well.  Or Bella and anyone else, I suppose.  As long as it's not Edward.  I'm looking for AU or AH as long as it's well written and a good representation of fanfic for someone who is new to it all.  Thanks for any responses!

I'm looking for a fic that was based on the film pretty woman. Bella was never actually a prostitute, but Edward thinks she is at first.

Please say someone has heard of it, and it wasn't just a crazy dream I had.

If it is just a crazy dream does anyone feel like writing it?

Is there any other fics based on films out there?

I have also read and loved 'When Edward met Bella'.

Richard Armitage Lord of the Rings fans....

Thorin Oakenshield acquired.  Let the fangirling commence.

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2011/07/17/46145-theonering-net-exclusive-behold-thorin-oakenshield-and-orcrist/

wtvoc? you like?