Hello, my friends!
How are we all this brisk, autumn day in November? It is National Novel Writing Month also known as NaNoWriMo, and I am trying my hand at this thing for the first time this year. It’s been pretty crazy.
My NaNo project is my Adlock fanfiction, The Emotional Children, and it has been coming along nicely. I had already started this work in April of this year (which is crazy to think about), and it was originally just a short little seven-page blurb I had written about what happened to Sherlock and Irene after he rescued her in Karachi. I never even meant to show it to anyone until my sister found an untitled document on my laptop.
But…
As you all can tell, it has erupted into a full-on fanfic.
And it is also my first really long work of fiction; I’ve written short stories before, but this is actually morphing into a novel-length project. It has officially passed the 50,000 word mark, and I’m hoping to write a few thousand more before the month is over. I’m not sure if I technically win NaNoWriMo by making it to the 50,000 mark during this month (as opposed to writing 50,000 words all in one month), but it motivated me to get where I am, so I’m at least grateful for that. And I’m not even done writing for the month of November. I’m still adding to my NaNo word count. Also, this is also my first time doing NaNo, so don’t judge me, peeps.
I might try to get this novel (can I even call it that?) published, but honestly, publishing fanfics is really hard, and I’d be too afraid of copyright infringement. Who knows, though? Maybe I’ll send it to Moftiss, since they just up and decided that Sherlock isn’t coming back and they have no plans!! DID ANYONE ELSE READ THIS THREE DAYS AGO???? I must write; my fandom needs me, people!
But anyway, on to my update!
The story has been more of a success than I had ever imagined, and it is currently #3 out of 72 “Adlock” stories. This may have changed by the time you read this (since Wattpad calculates my best rating based off of how often my story is read), so if it’s different when you investigate, I’m not lying heeheehee.
I will admit that I’m incredibly surprised. I never dreamed that it would do this well, and the following I have is encouraging.
Considering my ship (Sherlock/Irene) is an incredibly unpopular Sherlockian opinion, there are way more Johnlock (please just burn that ship!!!!) and Sherlolly (God have mercyyyyy) fics out there than Adlock fics. Nevertheless, we do exist…so maybe read my story and join what we call, “The Adlock Yacht.”
This is literally so true.
Anyway.
This fic of mine has an official cover and title which I uploaded a few weeks ago but have failed to update on this blog. The title is, as you probably got by now, The Emotional Children, and the cover (designed by yours truly) is below:
Still working on it, obviously, and nothing is set in stone yet, but I rather like this. This is an original Sherlock and Irene manipulation I created (using a Sherlock promo pic and a photo of Lara Pulver’s character “Ann O’Neill/Ann Fleming” from The Man Who Would Be Bond which I have not seen, so do not judge me).
So yeah, this is original.
And my pen name on all my platforms is Miss Holmes of Gondor, so there’s that. 😀
Content advisory: I don’t write sexual scenes. That’s pretty obvious, right? But I ship Adlock, and Irene is something of a dominatrix in the show…so…the general Adlock audience is expecting quite a bit of smut from fellow shippers who write fanfiction. And trust me, pretty much every Adlock story has some kind of smut.
I just happen to believe that Sherlock has way more conviction than people give him credit for, and that while Irene possesses quite a large chunk of his attention, I don’t think Sherlock would be so easily ensnared.
Besides, wasn’t he the one who told Janine he was “waiting for us to be married” before anything happened? I feel like he would carry this conviction into his relationship with Irene.
But then there’s hypersexual Irene, if I may be so bold as to use that word. Because…that’s honestly who she is in the show. Don’t even get me started on the battledress scene. I think we all remember that (*cue image of a bug-eyed Sherlock*)…
Nevertheless, in my story I do something called a “character arc.”
Haha.
Yeah.
There’s no explicit sex scenes, but again, I’m dealing with Irene Adler, so things get a little flirty, a little steamy, but never explicit or graphic…et cetera. I’m writing fanfiction here. I’ve got to say this stuff, because a lot of people write this stuff (to my utter dismay).
My fic is rated T for “sexual discussion, language, and violence,” which is all to be expected of a Sherlock episode, am I right? I want my story to read like a Sherlock episode, and seeing as Sherlock episodes don’t (and most likely never will) have explicit sex scenes in them (if you don’t count Irene scaring poor Sherlock by parading around in her birthday suit), then my story fits just fine.
On AO3, I have a Rape/NonCon advisory in place (and have added this as a note in the summaries on Wattpad and Fanfiction.net), because in chapter three the details leading up to and the aftermath of a rape are discussed by one of the characters. Once again, though: gory, explicit sexual details of the act itself are not not not discussed. That’s just gross. But this chapter was not included for shock value; it has purpose, I can tell you that (and I hope some of my readers can, too).
Last thing I want to address before concluding: the Sherlock and Irene dynamic. A lot of readers have told me that they’ve appreciated the way I have written the flirtation, interaction, and actions happening between Sherlock and Irene.
And this makes me happy.
You wanna know why? Because I have read way too many fanfictions about these two that are sappy as heck (cue Sherlock cooking Irene a burnt breakfast and her calling him adorable as she pats her baby bump…no. Why? What the actual heck? That’s not the insane relationship we are shipping!!!). That’s not my ship by any means. It’s cute, but that would never happen.
Let’s not forget that this happened.
And this…kind of…happened…too…
Because my girl is a wreck. And she has violence problems. A lot of them.
One of the things I work really hard to do is to make their relationship authentic, believable, and actually coinciding with their characters as they interacted in A Scandal in Belgravia (please note that Adlock shippers only have one episode upon which to evaluate their ship).
And I have heard (specifically from my friends who ship Sherlolly) that Irene and Sherlock would wind up practically killing and psychologically wrecking on one another if they were a couple.
…I partially agree with this, and I think it is an incredibly valid point. Yes, you read that right: I think it’s definitely plausible, and I could see both of their egos getting bruised easily. And yes, I still ship them.
That said, make sure you read up to chapter thirteen, “Discidium.”
Intrigued, are we? I certainly hope so 😉
And just so we’re clear on this: my story isn’t just a bunch of Adlock fluff. It’s got plot, baby. And lots of it! So don’t go into it thinking it’s just a bunch of romantic fluff (there is that, but…); like I said before, I want my fic to read like a Sherlock episode…and Sherlock episodes have plots!
😉 .
In conclusion, allow me to say that NaNoWriMo has been really fun so far, and I hope I’m better prepared to do it again next year! Many thanks to Eva over at Coffee, Classics, and Craziness and Maribeth over at A Writer’s Tale (I LOVE THE NEW TEMPLATE ON YOUR BLOG, BTW) for being so awesome and recommending this. They are writing BOSSES, and you need to go and follow their blogs if you don’t already. I have been glad they’ve become my bloggy friends. I know that I definitely will be doing this again next November, guys! Thanks so much! Just doing it this month helped kick this project into some crazy action, and I definitely feel like an official “writer” now that I’ve participated in NaNo.
Here are the links that you can use to access my fanfic if you would care to read it, my lovelies! Be sure to follow me on AO3, Fanfiction.net, and Wattpad. Whichever platform you’re on (if you’re on), please go and check out my profiles. 😉
I sincerely hope you enjoy my story, and do please vote for it or leave a comment! It always makes my day to hear that people are reading…the writer craves a hungry audience.
Maybe this next bit sounds a bit silly, but I’m honestly so thankful to the Lord for allowing me to have been able to write this story, to imagine Sherlock and Irene in this complicated relationship, and to accurately write their intense romantic dynamic. I’m also thankful to my parents who have been incredibly interested in my story and my ship (thanks for bearing with me, Mom hahaha), and to all the readers who have been following along and giving me such great support! You guys keep me writing, I can tell you that!
To the rest of you: I hope all of my fellow Sherlockians find this story interesting and uplifting…and something with which to nurse their “Sherpression” whilst we wait for season five (if it ever comes at all *weeping and snivelling*).
I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this, and I still am.
Thanks for listening to my update and slightly OCD fangirl attack.
Long live the Adlock yacht!
Emily 🙂
Ohhh mah goodness, where to start with this comment…
First of all…I LOVE THIS STORY. As someone who has shipped Sherlolly for many years, I am nevertheless absolutely loving the complexity of your plot, the believability of your characters, the captivating sizzle of the Adlock ship, and the INCREDIBLE ACCURACY of your story to the original Sherlock show. Seriously. It reads like a Sherlock episode, all the way down to John Watson’s nose-wiggling and Moriarity’s sing-song way of speaking. I love the fact that you don’t sugarcoat Irene’s past, but you’re not gratuitous about it. The suspense is killing me. Whatever you do, don’t abandon this fanfic–I’ve GOT to know what happens to Irene and Sherlock XD
(By the way, I’m using all caps in place of italics because, alas, italics are not easily placed in a comment.)
Secondly…congratulations on your Wattpad ratings!!! I’ve been reading “The Emotional Children” on Fanfiction, not Wattpad, but that is awesome!
And thirdly…thank you so much for your kind words about my new blog remodel, haha!!! I’m going to officially announce it (and the new name) on Monday, but I’m so glad you like it! I’m so glad NaNoWriMo has proved beneficial for you, as well. Maybe next year my life won’t be so crazy and I can participate again 😀
Oh, thank you so much for your comment, Maribeth! I am so glad that you’re enjoying it – especially flattered that you hopped back on Fanfiction.net just to check it out! I really appreciate your readership, and your praise of my story; it really encourages me to keep writing! Thanks so much for your support and advice. I’m still getting started in this fiction writing business!
And congratulations on your blog! It looks stunning, and I am really looking forward to your book’s release, as well. I’m afraid I feel like I spoiled the remodel by telling my readers…oopsie! Please do accept my apologies… I was so very excited at how pretty it was 🙂
No apologies necessary, my friend!! I went ahead and put the finished product online knowing people might stumble upon it, so it’s no biggie. I’m just really glad you liked it! I’ll be explaining the new name in tomorrow’s blog post as well.
As far as all the support and advice…you are so welcome. You’re a very talented writer–that it clear from your fanfic–and I have a feeling you’ll be doing great things with that skill in the future 😀
Ah, it was so fun reading this post! Sounds like NaNoWriMo is going fabulously for you – I’m so happy to have been a part of your NaNo journey. ❤
Also, I SO appreciate your dedication to the craft/art of fanfiction. I hate it when I fall in love with a new fandom and the only fanfics I can find are poorly written, fluffy one shots. I pour my heart and soul into my fanfiction – it's awesome to find someone else who does too.
Thanks, Eva! And yes! Fanfiction is a genre, too! Fandoms deserve better fics! Thanks again for motivating me into NaNoWriMo! 😉
Hi, Emily! Just wanted to notify you that I tagged you for this tag: https://swordmaidenoftheking.home.blog/2019/11/28/10-things-that-make-me-happy-tag/. I know how tags can pile up, so I will not feel bad if you decide to skip it. Just wanted to let you know! 🙂
Ah! Amelie! Thanks so much for your comment! I certainly hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! I’ll definitely be participating in this…thanks for tagging me 😁
You’re welcome! Thank you, my Thanksgiving was wonderful. I hope that yours was lovely, as well! 🙂
So I’ve gotta go ahead and “out” myself right now… I’ve yet to actually watch the BBC Sherlock series. *ducks beneath the covers of her bed from whence she’s getting caught up on blogs instead of sleeping* I’ve only just managed to get a grip on Doctor Who, but Sherlock is definitely right up on my list of fandoms I absolutely have to infiltrate as soon as I have a chance.
BUT I HADNT HEARD THE NEWS ABOUT MOFFAT AND GATISS ABANDONING THE SHOW WHAAAAAT?!!
I really appreciate your dedication to get the story and ship dynamic *right* without trespassing into areas you’re uncomfortable writing/reading. I know we’ve already chatted about this a little on Insta, but sometimes there are these characters that we can’t help but love and yet are so problematic… That’s something I’ve encountered since getting into Doctor Who and becoming a big fan of River Song, haha… *slightly nervous laugher as she remembers the… sketchy… tags on MANY of the fics revolving around that character* 😬
And what you mentioned about the bad/out-of-character writing in some of the fics you’ve read… ohhh girl, have I read some fics that make me outright *cringe* with the ooc-ness… I’m pretty sure DoctorRiver possesses a level of crazy quite comparable to that of Adlock (they WERE both created by Moffat, after all), and as much as I absolutely love the idea of them getting happy moments of fluff (especially between River and the Twelfth incarnation of her husband), I’m going to tell you now that if they ever happened, they DIDN’T happen the way some of these fics illustrate them. 😛
Also, I totally support the idea of you sending your story, once it’s finished, to Mofftiss!! Hey, you never know, maybe it’ll help them remember how many people love the series and their versions of all the characters, and renew their interest in continuing it someday! 😊
Shay! Hello! Danke danke danke for your wonderful comment. It made my day. It really did. I’m so sorry I didn’t reply sooner as university is quite kicking my bloody rear end and I am having a crazy time keeping up with literally *anything.*
Anyways, do not feel like you have to “out yourself,” my friend. I’m still barely getting my toes wet in Doctor Who (which is awesome), and I have no idea what I’m going to do with Supernatural. It’s there. Just staring me down, and I’m honestly afraid to open the door on that fandom hahaha. At least we both have Rise of Skywalker to look forward to, eh? Fellow Padawan?
Hahaha, and thank you so much for your appreciation for my fanfiction dedication. It is definitely something that is lacking in the fanfiction genre, and people write whatever they want about people they like…the only problem is, those characters would never do that! I haven’t read any River/Twelve fics, but I’m sure there are some cringey ones out there. Some of the Adlock ones out there are either incredibly cringey or incredibly smutty…both of which I cannot abide.
And yes…those problematic, troublemaking characters. I remember being in so much torment after first watching A Scandal in Belgravia because I LOVED IRENE SO MUCH. And then I’m just like…but she’s so bad! You will probably see what I mean when you watch her episode…it’s, it’s…yeah. It makes me laugh right now thinking about it, but it literally drove me nuts for the longest time when I first saw it, just thinking to myself why are you such a fan of Irene Adler (I even wrote a blog post for it back in Feb). I will say that River Song is wayyy less problematic than Irene, but she is definitely a problematic character as well. But sometimes, I just really gravitate toward those baddies who are kind of goodies…it makes no sense, but I can’t help it, am I right? Like LOKIIIIII. Don’t even get me started, homie.
Anyway (wow this is getting very long), thanks so much for your support of sending my fic to Moftiss. You know, I have already found contact info for their agents and managers and wanna just see. I highly doubt anything will happen, but no harm in trying, amen?
And thanks so much for your comment! Sorry I took so long to get back! I’ll be talking with you soon 🙂
Auf Wiedersehen!
Emily
P.S. I saw this thing on Pinterest or tumblr somewhere that was comparing Irene and River Song – it was like “If you are a male character in a show written by Steven Moffat, sooner or later your female counterpart will end up slapping you in the face.” Poor Benedict and Matt!!!
You don’t have to apologize for anything! I’m only taking a few college courses as dual-credits this semester, and that alone has given me a run for my money. Part of why I’ve been having to “catch up” with blogs lately; I follow so many amazing bloggers whose posts I absolutely love to read, but I rarely have time to stop and enjoy them as they arrive in my inbox.
And yes! The Rise of Skywalker has me both incredibly hyped AND terrified right now – I can’t believe the core saga of the Star Wars universe will be over in less than a month!! 😭
I’ve actually been considering writing something myself about my love for certain problematic characters (River Song as well as Missy. And YES, LOKI. MY CHILD WHO IS HORRIBLE AND I CAN’T HELP BUT LOVE ANYWAY.) So I may go hunt down that post of yours because I’m curious to read what you made of it all. 😊
That thing you saw was SPOT ON – not to mention Clara slapping Twelve! It’s funny to me to notice the same “threads” that can be found throughout a writer’s work, and feisty female counterparts who aren’t afraid to challenge (and yes, slap upside the head) the heroes from time to time seems to be one of Moffat’s favorites! 😄
(Oh, and btw- I wanted to let you know that I recently created a personal Twitter account so I could tweet about non-Star Wars things without feeling the guilt that doing so from my podcast’s account always brought. I’m not sure if your twitter is still active, but I did send you a follow request a little while ago; just wanted to let you know that was me and not some rando. 😄)
I wish you a productive Friday and restful weekend!!
– Shay
Ah! This comment made me soooo happy. College is crazy though, isn’t it? OMG we need to just chat for an hour on Insta or something. I’m currently not on Insta or Twitter (school is such a hog), but when I get back on we need to just spend an hour chatting. So much to talk about. (and thanks for letting me know about your other Twitter handle – I’ll go check it out when I get back on!)
Rise of Skywalker is getting me so nervous. I’m just nervous that Disney is pulling a fast one with Emperor Palpatine. Seriously? How is that homie still alive after all this time? If I remember correctly from the original…he got electrocuted and thrown down a hole into space…how, Disney? How? Because for me, The Last Jedi wasn’t horrible, but there was a lot of stuff I didn’t love about it. Rose Tico (i’m sorry – I really wanted to. I bought her Funko pop before the movie came out and I regret it immensely), Canto Bight, Laura Dern’s pink haired character, the stuttering crook guy, those horse things that Finn and Rose rode on. I just didn’t dig it. Rey and Ren and Snoke though. Okay. That was legit. I was pretty much screaming the whole time when THAT was going on. And HUX though. I love HUX. And I wanted way more Maz Kinata. I love her.
Anyway (sorry for my Star Wars rant) I need to write that post about Star Wars. Like *now*
And LOKIIIIII. My son. I love you so much. Cut your hair, but yes. I love you. Are you watching the Loki show when it comes out? I want to get Disney+ just for that. Loki my child…be a good boy and stop killing people. We love you; the fangirls need you to be good.
Hahaha anyways, I will talk to you soon! We have so much to discuss!