GUEST: majorasmasc

[quinnpriv1]

GUEST: majorasmasc

PROFILE RATING: E/18+

BIO: Hello :3! My name is majorasmasc (25+ he/him). I'm a fanfic writer (and theoretical fanartist.) Currently mostly involved in fandom through my fanfics in the Sonic sphere, but I used to be in the Critical Role, Transformers and Star Trek, etc. fandoms as well. I like horror movies and emo music and DIYing my own clothes and accessories on the side. I love reading weird fiction, the weirder the better—if you got a rec, I need it. ♡

PREVIEW: Fiction is a powerful way to interface with something in a way that cannot, and never will, physically harm you.

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GENERAL QUESTIONS

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[Quillifer: What is the first fandom you remember being involved in? What drew you to this fandom / community?]

The first fandom I remember being heavily involved in was the Warrior Cats fandom. It was really active on YouTube and on forum boards back in the 2000s, and also on Flipnote Hatena for the DSi, which is where I spent a lot of my time being involved in fandom as a kid.

I loved the endless creativity of the Warriors fandom. The ability to make whatever kind of OC you want, the neverending amount of roleplaying opportunities, and the community feeling the fandom had as a whole was something else.

A lot of my friends growing up were also into Warrior Cats, so we would pretend to be the Warrior Cats at recess in elementary school or at each other's houses when we were really little. I actually still have hand-written copies of the roleplays (RPs) and art we made for each other filed away with old birthday cards and photos I've gotten from friends over the years.

I also have to thank Warrior Cats for being the gateway furry fandom drug as well, lmao. (Hello, all my fellow furries.)
 

[Quillifer: Were you a fan of the artist who did—does?—all the animal animations? Kekeflipnote, or something like that?]

Kékéflipnote! It's hard to remember the names sometimes, but they were genuinely doing wizardry with that animation interface. And there were so many super good edgy/emo wolf Flipnote makers too. I think McKenna was a big one? I can't remember their handle now, but if I saw their art, I would know it on sight. Same with Bioshadzard, who did a lot of Warrior Cats stuff.
 

[Quillifer: How long have you been involved in fandom?]

In a conscious and deliberate way, probably since my mid-teens. Before that, I wasn't necessarily online as much — I didn't have a smart phone or a laptop until the end of middle school/beginning of high school, which is really what cracked open the fandom door, I think.

Round about the early 2010's is when I actually got involved in fandom via ff.net and AO3. I didn't make a fandom related social media until 2016 or so, I believe. Unfortunately, I missed the heyday of Tumblr.
 

[Quillifer: Do you do research? If so: how much and how in-depth is it?]

I do research for my fics, yes! It's one of the more fun parts of writing. The research can vary from being as in depth as studying the effects of solitary confinement in academic papers and reading memoirs to get an understanding of how it can shape someone — to reading and watching coming of age stories and literature to tap into that awkward teenage phase so I can write that POV better, especially since it's been a sec since I was a teenager.

Some pieces of writing involve no research at all, however. It really depends on the subject matter and what I'm sitting down to do. I think I'm always doing ‘research’ subconsciously. In every movie or book or experience I have, I'm silently taking notes and filing things away in case I can use them later.

[Quillifer: If you were to go to trivia night, which category do you think you could sweep?]

Animal facts! I volunteered at a zoo throughout my teen years. I came away from it knowing way too many animal facts and information about all kinds of animal biology in general. Marine biology especially, I'd sweep at, even if I'm a bit rusty on it these days.
 

[Quillifer: What are your hobbies / what do you do outside of fandom involvement?]

I do art! I actually sell my art semi-occasionally (mostly in person or if it's hung in a local gallery/bar or something.) I'm not so good with technology and online stuff when it comes to that, so I don't really have an online store front, and all my work is traditional at the moment.

I also like to put together jewelry for myself, and modify T-shirts and pants and make patches. I enjoy teaching people about printmaking methods and old punk ways. Soon, I'm hoping to help hold a workshop for my local Anti-ICE organization to show them how to make patches from old sheets and jeans and also how to make pin buttons out of old bottle caps/soda tabs as well.

I could honestly list off hobbies for a while, but I suppose the other basic ones are: working out (I'm trying to bulk out while the T is giving me a boost), going to museums, zoos, and aquariums, watching movies, and honestly just vibing around with my family and friends in general.

(I would say that being involved in BDSM / kink events is my hobby as well, but I don't know if other people consider that a hobby, ha ha.)
 

[Quillifer: Fellow printmaking fan here—what’s your favorite method? I was a big fan of Linoleum (lino) cuts back in the day. I never learned how to screen-print, but I love buying screens; they look so cool.]

My favorite method is also lino cut. I do like wood blocks, but rubber stamp blocks are fast and convenient, honestly. Relief printmaking as a whole is definitely my favorite.

I did enjoy lithography when I was in school, but unfortunately the equipment needed for that isn't as accessible. Screen-printing is so dope. It's one of the easier ones to pick up. Especially with the ability to do the photo emulsion method, so people who do digital art don't have to learn how to carve blocks or anything. Just slam it on there, expose, and go.

Risographs also own my heart. If I ever had a Risograph printer, I'd go ham on that thing. The look is sorta similar to screen-printing because of how it works, but the colors are so vibrant.

[Quillifer: What kinds of technology do you use to write and for everyday life? (iPad, laptop, phone, etc.)]

I exclusively write on my phone. My laptop is from 2014 and it…well, it works, but barely. I prefer typing on my phone. It's faster and more comfortable for me. And, I can also do it on the go. A lot of my writing currently happens on breaks at work and when I have downtime if I'm out and about. Or, in the super late hours if I can't sleep.

Writing on my phone has always been nice as well because I can pull it out quickly and take notes or jot down an idea as they come. I do also occasionally write out my plots in whatever notebook I'm carrying with me if I have some kind of revelation and don't feel like yanking my phone out.
 

[Quillifer: What is your advice for fellow creatives / people interested in getting involved in writing fanfiction?]

Read. Read a lot. Read whatever interests you. But keep reading. And don't just read fanfic, even if there's plenty of amazing fics and writers you can learn a lot from, of course. Read books. Short stories. Poems. Memoirs. Go to spoken word nights. Go to writer's groups in your community. The more you read, the more you'll write.

Also, learn how to "steal like an artist.” I taught myself how to write as a kid by reading short stories from my favorite writers and then I would write a version of my own in an attempt to emulate their styles. It was the same way I learned how to draw as a little kid: by copying what I saw until I became confident in my own skills to have a style and work flow of my own.

You aren't trying to reinvent the wheel with fanfiction, you're just rolling it along. We're all already technically stealing someone else's IP, so go wild with writing fanfic. Get indulgent. Be hedonistic. Perhaps even a little bit perverted. My greatest advice for getting into writing is to make sure you're having fun with it whenever you can.

I'd say the other main thing to do is try to write a little bit every day. The same way you learn how to draw, you have to create a habit out of writing, even if it's boring. Sometimes, you simply have to do it bored.
 

[Quillifer: How do you want people to remember you? What do you want them to remember you for?]

I don't know if I want to be remembered or known to be honest, but I think if one person remembers something that I wrote, I think that means something! Even if they don't remember who I am as the author, the piece has a life of its own.

One of my favorite fanfictions has lived in my head rent free since I read it. I think it'd be cool if something that I wrote was fanfiction that someone couldn't forget, either.
 

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WRITER-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

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[Quillifer: What are some of your most commonly used words/phrases/etc.?]

Ah…. That's hard to say. I tend to have choppy sentence structure throughout my works. I also know that I reuse motifs a lot. And symbolism. I particularly like visceral metaphors.

For example: comparing innocuous things to body fluids/gross uncomfortable imagery. I love a good dog metaphor too. Comparing characters to dogs, characters being dog-like, characters constantly being juxtaposed against a dog, or literally being called dogs by others.
 

[Quillifer: What do you want readers to take away from your work? What is your favorite type of comment/feedback? (I.E. what makes you honored for people to point out when they read your work?)]

It depends on the work.

If it's purely explicit/for adults, the main takeaway I want is: “Wow, isn't that fucked up?” or “Wow, that's kinda hot.”

Sometimes I want the reader to get what they can from it, and that might look different for everyone that touches it. A lot of times, I write to give the reader an experience. To sit inside this character's head for a moment and live as them and then, at the end, they can take away something from that or not.

As for comments, I love whenever people pick up what I'm putting down. Especially the subtle stuff. I often write in a way that skirts around just saying ‘he's upset at x character’ or ‘he's mad’ or ‘he's doing this because he loves him.’ I often write around just stating these things as fact, so I love when a reader is like "OH, I GET IT— HE'S DOING THIS BECAUSE HE'S WORRIED ABOUT HIM.”

…Or something like that. And not everyone will pick up everything I put into the fic, but it's nice when someone does pick up on the little things. Even just subtle color symbolism or items of importance—things like that.
 

[Quillifer: Did you find yourself leaning into this methodology of obscurity for any particular reason? I.E. because you wanted more intrigue/like things to be a bit vague/unanswered?]

Honestly, I've been doing it so long it's hard to remember when or exactly why I started doing it.

I think maybe it's because I always liked stories that were like little puzzles, in a way. To me, it feels like foraging around for pieces to try and figure out what the character's motivations and thoughts are, which is kinda fun. Especially when you bring in an unreliable narrator who's lying to themselves and the audience, and said audience has to keep up with what's actually happening constantly.

I try my best to emulate that in my writing and give people a chance to piece things together on their own whenever I can, even if I'm not always successful.

I also find that vagueness and obscurity can be a useful tool. Certain kinds of specificity can cause disbelief in a reader. For example: specifying what a character is drinking or the existence of an alarm clock by their bed, etc. Especially if it's irrelevant to the plot and the character. Sometimes, you want the reader to fill in these monotonous blanks for you or it brings on more scrutiny.

As much as I usually have an idea of what I want to convey through the character and their actions or thoughts, I like to try to leave the window open for interpretation as well, although misinterpretation and interpretations I never expected can happen as a result—which can still be a pleasant surprise.

[Quillifer: Are you the type to outline your work or do you just go for it? What does your drafting/editing process look like?]

Sometimes I outline and sometimes I’m a pantser.

Works like Limerence and The Mark of Cain and Please Stay were written without much thought to plot. I had an idea, but no structure. All vibes.

Stuff like my longer form or multi-chapter fics definitely have outlines that are constantly being edited and changed. I usually write everything in a first draft and then go back and rework it paragraph by paragraph in a second draft before I essentially reread it way too many times to edit it. I inevitably miss things; if you read something a hundred times, you stop seeing how wonky stuff looks.

For fanfiction, I don't sweat it as much as original work when it comes to the end result.
 

[Quillifer: What are the easiest and hardest parts of writing?]

The easiest part of writing is writing conflict. Or turmoil, I suppose. Basically anything where a character has to throw themselves against something: man vs. self, vs. nature, vs. others.

The hardest part of writing for me is when something is kind of boring. Which―I suppose mileage varies on what others consider boring, but if I have to write pure fluff or sappy romance, it becomes a bit stagnant for me—or hard to sit down and finish.

Editing is also a hard part of writing for me. I tend to get stuck on not posting something once I hit the editing and refining stage if it just doesn't feel right. Even after over a decade of writing, I can still find myself overthinking and second-guessing a fair chunk of what I'm doing.
 

[Quillifer: What are some of your major media influences? (Books, movies, music, etc.)]

One of my biggest influences is actually horror films! I engage with a lot of indie horror. I really like seeing what the little guys are making instead of Hollywood. It's kinda wild how much inspiration you can get from them when it comes to writing fanfiction. Or at least, that's what happens when I watch them.

For specifics: books like Salvage the Bones, Wasp Factory, and short story collections like Difficult Women. Movies like It Follows and Mysterious Skin. Too many bands and musicians to list. There's a lot of poetry in music in general and I like discovering music that’s going to smack me upside the head with something. I'll listen to any genre or artist as well, especially if a friend or someone I know shares a tune with me. I like finding new stuff all the time and sometimes a song will inspire a fic idea, to be honest.
 

[Quillifer: What is your dream story to write? Who are some of your favorite authors (fanfiction or published)?]

My dream story to write is one that has a really good ending. I struggle with endings and making things come to a close. Writing a good ending is really hard, but one day I'll write a multi-chapter fic that'll be immaculately wrapped up.

For published authors, my favorites right now are: Roxane Gay, Jesmyn Ward, Julia Armfield, and Ray Bradbury. I'm sure that will change again over time. My favorite fanfic author to date is still luminousbeings, but specifically their fic, You Don't Have To (Say Yes).

[Quillifer: What makes your writing stand out from the crowd?]

For Sonic fandom: the fact that I write whatever I want, since a lot of people shy away from ‘problematic’ fiction.

I write for myself first and for my fellow perverts and freaks second. I think some people find a lot of comfort in the ‘disturbing,’ which I relate to, especially because I think a lot of people also don't get a choice to pretend this stuff doesn't exist in real life.

Writing is a mirror. The serious stories I write are reflections—the words on the pages didn't invent these things. They've unfortunately always been there. Fiction is a powerful way to interface with something in a way that cannot, and never will, physically harm you.

It can be scary and sad, but sometimes you need to experience the scary and sad aspects, too. At the end of the day, it's playing pretend. It's immersion. It can be catharsis.

(Also, writing fiction has no impact on morality, in my opinion. It's interesting that people ended up equating the two in western fandom.)
 

[Quillifer: Do you like your old work? Why or why not?]

I actually like my old stuff! I occasionally go back and read it as well. My first fanfiction is still hosted on fanfiction.net from 2011. It's cute. I think it's important to keep an archive of where you used to be. I keep old sketchbooks as well for the same reason.

I like seeing how much I've developed my writing style and I also like seeing what kinds of things still echo in my writing. It's like past and current me are shaking each other's hands.
 

[Interview hosted on May 5, 2026 via Discord. Edited & Posted by Quillifer.]