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If We Were Villains fanfics - a thread by me

Since some of you asked me to recommend some IWWV fics in order to process that devastating ending, here’s my personal thread. I vividly hope you’re gonna enjoy it :)

1. what is woven into the lives of others - helloearthlings - If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio [Archive of Our Own]

I think this is the most popular IWWV fic since the first review on Goodreads has posted a link to this story, but that’s only fair given that it is masterfully crafted. The story’s centre is Oliver and James’ reunion, and therefore Oliver’s journey to find him.

2. you’ve got me wrapped around your finger (do you have to let it linger?) - orphan_account - If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio [Archive of Our Own]

This is a “what if..” and explores how things could have been if the night of their last party -the one in the library, talking through King Lear’s riddles- Oliver would have figured out the truth in time and they would run away together.

I’ve read it an embarrassing number of times, and each time it has the ability to broke my heart in shards not only for the two of them but for the bigger picture of those six as a family (I’m a sucker for a good found-family trope and this one didn’t fail to deliver a heart-warming feeling with only using spare details, shreds of memories and careless laughter from a payphone at 2am).

Also, there’s this brief inner monologue that perfectly encapsulates Oliver’s perspective and his ardent loyalty for his real-life Shakespearean Tragic Hero:

“I never blamed him. Forever, I will blame the plays. I will blame the theater. I will blame myself and I will blame Richard, but I will keep James safe“.

This is it. This is canon for me. I’d tattoo it on my skin if I could, there’s so much sentiment in these few lines. Also, can we please talk about the prose? ”but the sparrow had begun to open its eyes, and I met James’ glazed eyes with my own“, it had me in tears.

3. as if it were the first - Chapter 1 - crownsandbirds - If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio [Archive of Our Own]

This is another reunion fic; it takes place two years after Oliver’s release from prison, and in this universe, we found a broken James who is living -literally- under Alexander and Colin’s wing since his failed attempt to suicide six years ago.

It’s written by James’s pov, which allow us to know the real reach of his feelings, how pervasive is his sense of guiltiness, how broken beyond recovery he is –“James doesn’t self-harm physically anymore, but he doesn’t think he’ll ever stop looking for opportunities to break his own heart”- so buckle up for some angst -but really, when it’s not angst when we’re talking about two Shakespearean lovers?-.

Bonus point: the story gives us an intimate view over Alexander and Colin’s relationship, a criminally underrated couple in IWWV in my opinion.

4. the dead man’s float - misandrywitch - If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio [Archive of Our Own]

Another reunion fic -yeah, you can practically sense our desperate need of a closure whatsoever after M.L.Rio thrown us under a bus with that last line- passed with full marks not only for its peculiar use of a theatre structure which resembles the original novel’s structure -enter, final act, exeunt- but also for the honest portrait of its characters. There are not cheesy moments nor big declarations of love, which is something that represents the original characters: James and Oliver never opened up about their feelings, not even in the end (M.L.Rio once highlighted the importance of Oliver’s answers to James, a simple “you know why”; not even in that moment, behind the bars, they can state their feelings for each other), they’re only capable of Great Acts as papa Shakespeare taught ‘em (aka: go to prison for a crime you didn’t commit. Aka: fake your own death in order to recreate the only non-tragic Shakespeare novel. Aka: ME SICK AND TIRED OF THOSE THEATRE KIDS).

Despite the premise, I very appreciate this Oliver: long gone the insecure shy obtuse kid, we now find a practical man that knows what and who he wants, who doesn’t step back in front of a confrontation with James -but still, he would blindly follow him to the end of the world-; and I deeply cherish this James Farrow who openly admits and accepts that he’s not the flawless Tragic Hero the Dellecher decided for him to be, so he’s finally free now to live his life according to his own rules and desires, that it’s okay if he’s a bit coward; human.

BONUS SMUT FIC - cuz sometimes a brief first and only kiss in the middle of a school play is not enough, no matter how poetic it was

no other companion - crownsandbirds - If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio [Archive of Our Own]

Christmas came early this year. You’re welcome

Now, some secondary fics, shorter but still impressive

1. home is where it hurts - crownsandbirds - If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio [Archive of Our Own]

This is through Alexander’s point of view, and it focuses on the weight of Richard’s death, the motifs that led him to say that fatidic and excruciating “nothing”. There’s a lot of James and Oliver here; there’s this part that to this day is still impressed on my brain:

“Oliver and James were truly a pair of the kind Alexander had only seen in books, old classical books that talked about turning a river into blood and defeating Gods. The prince and his companion, Hamlet and his Horatio”.

2. And Therefore is Winged Cupid Blind - Civilbloodoncivilhands - If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio [Archive of Our Own]

Set during the third year of Dellecher, the clique is in the middle of one of Gwendolyn’s classes; Oliver is oblivious, James is whipped, Richard is a dick and Alexander is the queer queen we all know and love.

3. Merely a Madness… - sapphicfratboy - If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio [Archive of Our Own]

This is a close-up on James Farrow’s private life, from his first kiss and first crush to the encounter with Oliver.

Something I really appreciated here beside the impeccable prose is the way the author sticked to the truth of the facts: the students of his father that used to slip in the library with him, Oliver’s love for old rock band t-shirts, James addressing his own father as “Professor” in a sardonic way etc

4. Maybe This Is Where It Ends (Take A Bow) - fathand - If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio [Archive of Our Own]

A brief “what if…” if James would have gone to prison. Short but incisive.

More Posts from Orangevinyl7 and Others

orangevinyl7

1 year ago

So the concept was to 'kill the straight' i guess

(In contrast to all the Shakespeare-plays where the concept is to kill the gay)

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orangevinyl7

4 years ago

I Finished My Reread Of Carry On And My Info Skimming Of Fangirl, And I Now Proudly Present:

I finished my reread of Carry On and my info skimming of Fangirl, and I now proudly present:

The “WTF Happened before Eighth Year again???” Resource!

For anyone writing a fic that takes place before Carry On, anyone trying to add extra references into your SnowBaz arguments, and anyone (like me) who has a severe need to be canon complacent even when canon isn’t entirely a thing

Here’s the google doc link too! It has more explanation and some facts that didn’t make it into these graphics

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orangevinyl7

5 months ago

I have an ao3 account 🫶🫶

archiveofourown.org

Orangevinyl | Archive of Our Own

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

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orangevinyl7

6 years ago

Well, this was possibly the greatest thing I have ever come across on this hellosh website! 😂😍

Choose your fighter

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orangevinyl7

4 years ago

According to the laws of physics, a planet in the shape of a doughnut (toroid) could exist. Physicist Anders Sandberg says that such planets would have very short nights and days, an arid outer equator, twilight polar regions, moons in strange orbits and regions with very different gravity and seasons.

Read more: http://bit.ly/1kPLXGT via io9

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orangevinyl7

4 years ago

Kirishima wearing fantasy Kirishima’s scarf around his ankle and then both wearing eyeliner... It’s beautiful...

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orangevinyl7

6 years ago

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlYrTJqnolW/

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orangevinyl7

6 years ago

she snapped

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orangevinyl7

6 years ago

Hey guys! As a writer myself, it’s hard to have a lot of resources for writing in one place. That’s why I decided to create this masterpost, and maybe make more if I find future resources. I hope you like it, and expect to see more masterposts like this in the future!

Generators

Character

Appearance Generator

Archetypes Generator

Character Generator

Character Traits Generator

Family Generator

Job/Occupation Generator, (II)

Love Interest Generator

Motive Generator

Name Generator

Personality Generator, (II)

Quick Character Generator

Super Powers Generator

Names

Brand Name Generator

Medicine Title Generator

Name Generator

Quick Name Generator

Vehicle Generator

Town Name Generator

Plot

First Encounter Generator

First Line Generator, (II)

Plot Generator, (II), (III)

Plot Device Generator

Plot Twist Generator

Quick Plot Generator

Setting/World-Building

City Generator

Fantasy Race Generator

Laws Generator

Pet Generator

Setting Generator

Species Generator

Terrain Generator

Prompts

Subject Generator

”Take Three Nouns” Generator

Word Prompt Generator

Misc

Color Generator

Decision Generator

Dialogue Generator

Journey Generator

Title Generator, (II), (III)

Some Tips

Just a few I found from the writing tips tag!

Writing action / @berrybird

How to create a strong voice in your writing / @collegerefs

How to plot a complex novel in one day! / @lizard-is-writing

8 ways to get past writer’s block / @kiramartinauthor

psa for writers / @dasakuryo

”Write Using Your 5 Senses” / @ambientwriting

How People Watching Improves Your Writing / @wherethetransthingsare

Writing Science Fiction: Tips for Beginners / @fictionwritingtips

Creating Likeable Characters / @authors-haven

Vocabulary

Descriptive words / @somekindofstudent

Words to replace “Said” / @msocasey

Obscure color words / @mintsteelpeachlilac

Words to spice up your stories / @busyibee

Words to describe someone’s voice

Words to Use Instead of Very / @gaybybirth

Touchy Feely Words / @gaybybirth

Some Advice

Stephen King’s Top 20 Rules for Writers

”But my plot isn’t UNIQUE or BIG enough!” / @youreallwrite

8 Things Every Creative Should Know / @adamjk

(How To) Get Over Comparing Yourself to Other Creatives / @adamjk

How to Get Over Common Creative Fears (Maybe) / @adamjk

14 Tips From Stephen King On Writing / @i-can-give-you-prompts

Playlists

Electronic Thoughts / @eruditekid

“Mix About Writing” An Instrumental Mix / @shadowofemirates

Shut Up, I’m Writing! / @ninadropdead

Chill / @endlessreveries

Breathtaking Film Scores / @tweedskirts

Music to Write to Vol. 1: Starlight / @crestadeen

Music for Written Words / @ghoulpatch

Dead Men Tell No Tales / @scamandersnewt

Fatale / @dolcegf

All These Things that I’ve Done / @referenceforwriters

Feeling Soaking into Your Bones / @verylondon

I Can Feel Your Pulse in the Pages / @rphelper

Morally Ambiguous / @scamandersnewt

Wonderwall / @wheelerwrites

Pythia / @mazikeene

Ballet: To Dance / @tanaquil

Websites and Apps

For Writing

ZenPen: A minimalist writing website to keep you free of distractions and in the flow.

The Most Dangerous Writing App: A website where you have to keep typing or all of your writing will be lost. It helps you keep writing…kind of. You can choose between a time or word count limit!

Evernote: An online website where you can take notes and save the product to your laptop and/or smartphone!

Writer, the Internet Typewriter: It’s just you and your writing, and you can save your product on the website if you create an account.

Wordcounter: A website to help check your word and character count, and shows words you’re using frequently.

Monospace: An Android app for writing on the go when you feel the inspiration, but you don’t have your laptop on you!

For Productivity

Tide: An app that combines a pomodoro-esque timer with nature sounds and other noises! (Google Play / Apple Store)

ClearFocus: An Android app with a pomodoro-type time counter to let you concentrate easier and stay productive.

Forest: An app with a time counter to keep you focused and off your phone, and when you complete the time limit, a tree grows in your garden! (Google Play / Apple Store)

SelfControl: A Mac downloadable app that blocks you from distracting mail servers, websites, and other things!

Prompt Blogs

@writeworld

@dialouge-prompts

@oopsprompts

@prompts-for-the-otp

@creativepromptsforwriting

@the-modern-typewriter

@theprofessionalpromptmaker

@writers-are-writers

@otp-imagines-cult

@witterprompts

@havetobememes

@auideas

@putthepromptsonpaper

@promptsonpaper

@fyotpprompts

@otpisms

@soprompt

@otpprompts

@ablockforwritersblock

@awritersnook

Writing Tips Blogs

@writeworld

@anomalously-written

@awritersnook

@clevergirlhelps

@referenceforwriters

@whataboutwriting

@thewritershelpers

@nimblesnotebook

@slitheringink

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orangevinyl7

4 years ago

The first pride was a riot, more specifically a riot against police violence. Trans women like Miss Major and other people of colour paved the way for the celebration of pride today. You cannot celebrate your pride this month, or any month if you aren’t also supporting Black Lives Matter and the riots going on against police violence right now. Us white LGBTQ+ need to stand up for our black siblings and their rights, their struggles. We need to amplify their voices and show any support we can. (Edited to add links and make the image clearer)