Superhero Muses

Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-09-04T05:22:01Z

Posted by: mithen

--How do you decide what to show versus what to summarize or skip entirely?

Here we are with battle and fight scenes again! Basically, unless there's an important character beat, I'll summarize fights as much as possible. No one needs to hear every single move that happens! It's enough to be like "there was a flurry of activity that Bruce couldn't follow--he wasn't sure even Clark could have--and at the end of it Darkseid was holding Black Canary by the throat." Character and relationship beats often DO happen in fight scenes, but if they don't I say summarize and move on. (I'm the same way about sex scenes at this point, I'm not interested in writing them for the sake of writing them unless something important happens to the characters or the relationship).

What are you detailing and what are you summarizing this week? In the history I'm writing, there's about a year with no real interaction between my two characters, so I'm compressing that a lot.

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-08-29T07:16:55Z

Posted by: mithen

--What writing technique or craft element are you focusing on improving in your current story?

In good news, I've been approached by my publisher about doing an addition to my book now that one of the subjects is back from career-threatening injury! And it's basically formal fanfic that follows canon very closely, so I think I can apply questions to that project.

What would I like to do better this time around? I'm struggling to make sure that my writing doesn't sound too much like AI writing, to be honest. In part because so much AI was trained on reams of freely-available fanfic, AI writing has a lot of the tics and habits that my writing tends to have. I don't think it's any good weeding them all out (I'd be left with the flattest prose) but the writing goes more slowly when I'm constantly second-guessing myself. I guess really the true answer to this question is more "I'm trying to relax and not get too hung up on worrying about it."

(I also am trying to make sure I stop using "very" so much! I cannot break myself of this bad habit, lol).

I hope things are going well with you and your writing!

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-08-21T07:13:52Z

Posted by: mithen

--How do you know when a scene is working versus when it needs to be completely reimagined?

Oh, the anguish of writing a scene that somehow isn't working and you're not sure how to fix it! I think for me the hint is that it starts to feel like I'm running into a wall. What's going to come after this scene? It's like the road disappears into fog. That's usually my best indication that things are going off the rails and I have to back up and find a new path (which sometimes can take me WAY back, which is very depressing).

I hope whatever you're working on is going smoothly this week! I've been on the road visiting family, which was lovely, but it's also nice to be home (and talking about fanfic with you!)

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-08-02T05:16:54Z

Posted by: mithen

--What's the most challenging scene you've had to write in your current WiP so far, and how did you approach it?

Well, so far all of them, alas! Right now simply finding the time to write at all is almost impossible. In the past my most challenging scenes have always involved either the Joker or Harley Quinn, because writing erratic and unpredictable characters is always hard for me. Honestly I think once of my hardest scenes ever was at the climax of a fic where Harley was threatening Batman by putting civilians in danger, because between the logistics of creating the deathtrap and also having Harley be unpredictable I was really stretched thin! It took forever to get through it and my beta really had to re-write large swatches of it.

What have you struggled to get through and how did you do it?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-07-25T01:12:09Z

Posted by: mithen

--What partnership or team dynamic in your story brings you the most joy to write, and what makes their chemistry work?

I mean, in my case, obviously Bruce and Clark, lol. The Jeph Loeb Superman/Batman series was very formative and I love the way he writes their banter (over time, his ability to write a plot that actually hangs together has become more suspect to me, but boy do I love his interpersonal dynamics).

I also really enjoyed Dick (as Batman) with Damian as Robin for that run! I found the flipping the a fairly upbeat Batman and a very grim Robin fascinating as an inversion. Probably doesn't work as well as Bruce/Dick in the long run, though!

Who on the many teams and groups you write is compelling to you?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-07-17T00:35:07Z

Posted by: mithen

--How does the city or location itself function as a character in your story, shaping events and atmosphere?

I mean, any time you write in Gotham or Metropolis or Smallville, the way you see the character of the city can make a huge difference in the storytelling! In the past I've often leaned into seeing Gotham as a nearly supernatural, almost sentient being, though it's rarely done in canon in a way I enjoy. Superhero cities especially can be really resonant, but I feel like the character of the setting is really important in a lot of fandoms. Though when I think about it, in professional wrestling writing the city itself often isn't terribly important because when they're on tour it can all become a blur--the only setting that matters in the ring, because all the arenas and stadiums end up feeling much the same.

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-07-11T07:31:54Z

Posted by: mithen

--What original character has surprised you by becoming more complex than you initially planned?

I try to keep original characters to a minimum, but in one series I had to have a tour guide around as Clark and Bruce were visiting Japan--of course they didn't technically need her, so as a result her POV got more ironic as she slowly started to realize that, which was fun! She was one of my favorites, I think. Where have your original characters taken you that you didn't expect?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-07-03T00:45:13Z

Posted by: mithen

--How do you maintain each character's distinct voice when writing rapid-fire dialogue or group scenes during tense situations?

Basically, how do you deal with the challenge of group scenes? Personally, I know I often try to weasel out of them by either finding ways to avoid them entirely or summarizing everyone else's part ("There was a chorus of disagreement, but Clark stood firm" rather than saying what each character said.) Like we were talking about last week, unless one of the group characters is getting character work in a story, it doesn't seem always necessary to focus on them (but sometimes with a group I'm really comfortable with, like the animated Justice League, it can be fun!)

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-06-26T11:36:14Z

Posted by: mithen

--How do you handle ensemble dynamics when multiple characters all deserve attention and development?

For those of us working on a story that has a big ensemble! This can be a problem in superhero fic, wrestling fic, and anything else based on a large workplace or from a large universe, because they tend to have VERY large casts of compelling people and you don't want to neglect characters, but you also don't want to get tugged too far away from your main characters. I've had readers get frustrated that my focus has stayed really tight sometimes, or that I've used other characters as plot devices for my story--I try to avoid it because every character is a favorite character for someone, but sometimes you really need a plot device, lol!

Which supporting character is tugging at your attention right now?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-06-19T04:53:17Z

Posted by: mithen

--We're all writing about people who have careers that are important to them. What details about their job—the routine, the paperwork, the small moments between crises—do you think add texture to your stories?

Superheroes are not known for doing a great deal of paperwork (one way I envy them!) But I do love writing those moments on the Watchtower in between crises when everyone is hanging out--there's got to be a few of them, right? In the AU I'm poking at, Clark is a sheriff, and there's a lot of down time keeping guard over criminals in the jail, for example, that serve a lot of the same purpose.

I was in the US last week playing watchdog for 26 young students, but am back to think about fic this week! (Speaking of job details...)

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-06-05T00:55:03Z

Posted by: mithen

--What would your characters miss most if they had to leave their world behind?

That's pretty open-ended depending on how you define "their world," huh? I'm imagining if the Gaslight Clark and Bruce found themselves in the regular DCU suddenly--they both seem pretty unrooted interpersonally right now, Clark just met Lois and Jimmy and there's been no mention of the Kents at all, Bruce has a fiancee he doesn't seem to think about much, lol. So not that, probably! I think Clark would find the modern world unbearably noisy at first--long quiet stretches would be hard to come by, and he'd really appreciate the idea of a Fortress of Solitude.

However you define the world for your characters, what would they miss if they left it?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-05-31T06:31:55Z

Posted by: mithen

--What sensory details are you using to make your world feel lived-in and real?

AKA the Cigarette Smoke Question! Having grown up in the 70s I can testify it was basically a fog that hung around everything.

Wild West in the 1880s... lot of dust, smoke, and horses! Clark likes to whittle in this world and keep his hands busy, so the sensory feeling of carving wood definitely is a part of it. (I just realized writing this that whittling a bat to silently give to Bruce would be a very nice way of letting him know he's figured out his secret identity!)

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-05-22T03:44:46Z

Posted by: mithen

--How does the time period or setting of your story amplify the themes you're exploring?

We're all working in pretty different time periods and settings! I can definitely see some of the new technology marvels of the late 19th century being really key to the Gaslight universe--that steampunk influence. And also the frontier feeling of the West that permeates the most recent canon. There's a sense of wonder and exploration that really suits Clark especially, and contrasts nicely with the more "punk" side that Batman represents, all shadows and grime.

I know both Brady and Svgurl are writing in times and milieus that were much more repressive for same-sex couples, which is an extra challenge!

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-05-15T01:50:47Z

Posted by: mithen

How do the social, political, or cultural systems in your world shape your characters' choices and conflicts?

Part of what I love about these kinds of questions is thinking about how interesting your answers are likely to be! The historical research that Brady is doing, the possibility of the Russian cultural influence Svgurl might be digging into--it's really fascinating. For me it's mostly the urban/rural divide of the Victorian age and the tension between the "frontier" (which Kansas kind of is at the time) and the more elegant city life is really interesting, I am very eager to write Clark visiting Gotham for the first time!

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-05-09T00:11:17Z

Posted by: mithen

--What research rabbit hole have you fallen down for this story, and what unexpected discoveries did you make?

I think most of my research so far has been on Thunderbird myths in the different Native American tribes in the Kansas area (which has been fun!) I love that touch from the Gaslight series that Clark is connected to the Thunderbird and was in some way mentored by Black Condor (and I also learned there have been three Black Condors and the first two were white guys!) 

What research have you been doing, whether it's into illnesses, flowers, New York or Edwardian times?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-05-01T10:23:43Z

Posted by: mithen

--How does the physical environment of your story reflect or contrast with your characters' internal landscapes?

Back to Gotham and Metropolis again! It's such a classic case of the setting being practically an outgrowth of the characters' personalities. The story I'm (hypothetically) working on is a steampunk version, so Gotham's a little more ornate and grimy (though really, the canon version of Gotham is pretty steampunk at its base!). Bruce embodies Gotham at both the high society, glittering top level and the dark underbelly full of shadows beneath it, while Clark's Metropolis is a much more evenly sunny experience--not so many dark dirty corners there (fitting for its avatar).

How is your setting reflecting, and reflected in, the characters you're writing right now?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-04-24T01:01:25Z

Posted by: mithen

--What detail about your setting surprised you as you developed it, and how did it change your story?

Time to talk about setting! I feel like setting tends to be surprisingly important in superhero comics--how different cities have different characters that reflect the tone of their superheroes (I mean, obviously Gotham and Metropolis are the the most famous examples!) The version I'm looking at is a Wild West Smallville, which so far hasn't surprised me, but it's been interesting. I feel like Gaslight Metropolis is closer to this Smallville than in DC canon, just because traveling from the East Coast to Kansas feels like it must have been so much more difficult back then. Lots more train travel for Bruce, for example! 

Where is your most recent fic set, and what difference is that making in your writing?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-04-17T06:52:40Z

Posted by: mithen

--How do you balance showing character growth while keeping them recognizably themselves?

I think with fanfic this is an especially interesting question! How do you keep characters that you've lifted from canon and are giving their own, separate character arcs "recognizably themselves"? And... do you even want to? I think for a lot of people there's a joy in developing the characters off in their own direction. I like hewing fairly close to the originals most of the time, but now and then I do like just... untethering them from canon and seeing where they wander to...

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-04-10T13:42:09Z

Posted by: mithen

How do your characters' backgrounds and histories influence their present-day choices in ways they might not even realize?

That's kind of a funny question for people writing anything superhero-related, because of all the genres in the world, I think superheroes are one of the most "your background and history determine who you are." Thus the idea of an "origin story," the event that literally set the course of the character's life, you know? It's hard, for example, to think of a way that Bruce is influenced by his background that he doesn't realize--he's kind of exquisitely aware of his own issues about guns and crime and parents, and how they drive him to take in orphans, etc. And Clark always seems very conscious of how being an alien immigrant shapes his actions and his views of the world. How about the versions of characters you're writing right now, maybe they're less self-aware?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-03-27T03:22:03Z

Posted by: mithen

I've been sightseeing all March with an old LJ friend and her family, which has been fun but left me no time for anything else! But I'm back, getting ready for classes, trying to find time to write...

--Which character's voice came to you most naturally, and which one requires the most effort to capture?

Basically if I'm writing anything with Clark in it, that's always the answer for who is easiest to write! He's kind of my eternal preferred POV...

Anyone who's insane or unhinged is always the hardest for me to write, which is why I'll try to find some angle that Poison Ivy makes sense and has some level of rationality. Luckily she isn't hard to write that way! But characters like the Joker or the Creeper or any chaotic/irrational character tend to be really, really hard for me, their voices always sound incredibly forced.

Which character's POV is a pair of comfy slippers for you, and which are like a pair of tiny stilettos?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-03-06T03:45:13Z

Posted by: mithen

--What does your antagonist believe they're fighting for, and how do you ensure their motivations feel genuine?

Oh dear, here we hit a snag, which is I don't know for sure who my antagonist is! The Joker is dead in this Elseworld, and both Luthor and Zod are recently-defeated. I might look into Brainiac, or find a Batman villain who fits well with a steampunk vibe (I think there are probably plenty of choices!) I can never write the Riddler well, but a Victorian Riddler might be fun. He would definitely be bored and amusing himself, fighting to prove himself the smartest in this new age, and that will always be a very genuine motivation for Eddie.

Or Poison Ivy! An anti-technology Pamela Isley who hates all this new-fangled electricity and machinery and is fighting to return humanity to an agrarian age could be really interesting, hmmnmm. That might be inspiring!

Who is your antagonist right now? In general, I don't tend to focus as much on my antagonists, which I do think is a weakness in my writing...

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-02-21T09:37:34Z

Posted by: mithen

--How has writing this story changed your understanding of human nature or relationships?

Hmmm, my writing is definitely not at that stage yet. Writing in general has really pushed me to think about the different ways people approach relationships and communication within them--I guess specifically, people's reactions to my stories have sometimes expanded my worldview, you know? Sometimes there are people who are really confused about how I write conflict and communication, and it's been very eye-opening.

I know there are some really interesting stories out there about human nature and relationships and what they require, so I'm curious to know what has expanded your worldviews!

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-02-06T03:33:49Z

Posted by: mithen

--What's the most difficult conversation your characters need to have, and why are they avoiding it?

This is such a great question, especially for those of us writing romances! Though sadly I'm not sure my characters are even quite to the point of having conversations they need to have, lol. Based on where the canon has left them at, they have to sit down and have a chat about Clark's history and what he sees as his place in this world. There's a moment where he says maybe it's his destiny to take the dangerous Kryptonite into space (and, it's implied, die in the darkness of space) and I think Bruce would very much like to talk to him about this assumption he has that he doesn't belong in this world. They've touched on it, but of course canon doesn't have any time for in-depth conversations, so... it's up to the ficcers!

I already have some guesses about your answers, and I'd love to hear them! What are your characters dancing around and refusing to talk about?

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-01-30T09:40:10Z

Posted by: mithen

--How do your characters' relationships reflect or challenge the themes you're exploring?

That makes a lot of sense as a question! And tends to work well for those of us who are writing romances, because of course the themes tend to come out in the relationships. Bruce is the first person besides his parents that Clark can really trust (okay, he's mentioned Black Condor in a way that hints that he was mentored by him in this world, which I also would like to explore more!), and trust and loneliness are definitely going to be themes. (Really common in my Bruce/Clark work!)

Hope all your themes (and your relationship!) are coming together nicely!

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Open Thread: Oracle Hotline

2026-01-24T03:25:16Z

Posted by: mithen

Well, the holiday season absolutely took it out of me, but I'm slowly starting to get back on top of things, and canon is still being kind to me as we get more glimpses of Clark in the Victorian Justice League.

--What internal contradiction or conflict drives your protagonist, and how does it manifest in their actions?

From what I can tell of this version of Clark, he's very uncertain what his place on Earth is (and if he even has one). In the final issue of A League for Justice, he faces a vision of his parents that hints at his feeling that he doesn't deserve happiness, and it brought me a great deal of joy:

That's the stuff! I would love a chance to write more of them, but for now it's got to just percolate and simmer for a while longer...
How is 2026 shaping up for you? And what conflicts are your protagonists dealing with?

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