I want to engage with you all. ;; But because this is a fic-site, let's talk about actual writing stuff from both a writer's and a reader's perspective (because I'm both) so nobody needs to feel left out. 

And today - let's talk about AU's. 

In case you're unaware, an AU is an alternative universe ergo a story set in some universe wherein your idol is not the idol they are now. (I find it a little harder to distinguish between AU's in kpop fiction since there isn't much "canon universe" to begin with, which is why I define AU's as anything but stories wherein they're the idols they are right now).

Anyway, these are my favourite AU's both as a reader and as a writer.

Merpeople AU's

No secret, I am a huge fan of the ocean. I have always felt drawn to the ocean in ways I have never been able to explain, when I was a child my dad rented a memory game with sounds at the library. One of those sounds were whale song and I have - ever since - been fascinated by especially big whales and orcas. I fall asleep to whale sound when my mind just can't seem to find peace. 

Therefore, it should be no surprise that I am a huge fan of merpeople fanfics. I fear writing them because of my love for the ocean but I love them. I love the idea of my idols being merpeople (doesn't even have to be half-fish) and being all kinds of different merpeople. I saw fanart of Taekai where Jongin was a reef merman while Taemin was a deep ocean merman and it was beautiful. The different tails they can have, they different fins, the ocean as a setting. It's magnificent. 

Needless to say I can be a little picky when I read them as well, especially if they mention whales because ... well, I can't gloss over things I know to be wrong, even if I'm no expert. But that said, seriously, merpeople AU's are just absolutely stunning and I think everybody should write one so I can have a million to read ;)

Sports AU's

I am not a sports-person. Seriously, I hate sports. But sports fics wherein one or more characters are elite athletes in one sport or another. Yes, please, thank you. 

Yesterday I read an EXO Volleyball AU and even though I know absolutely nothing about volleyball it was such a joy to read. I think it's the passion that goes into writing sports AU's more seriously. You really have to know your sport, you have to know the terminology and to put it into writing, making it a good fic, you have to know and understand your character's passion for the sport as well. You can't really half- a sports AU if you want it to be more than a side-thing. 

If sports is the main you need some basic knowledge and I think it's amazing. Sports AU's often lead ways for passionate ambitious main characters that can be a little cocky but nonetheless soft. There's the competitiveness in sports that translates so well into sports AU's. 

Not to mention, imagining my idols playing sports is kind of hot. I dig it. 

Harry Potter AU's

I do not consider myself a Potterhead but maybe I am anyway. I love the universe JK Rowling created, even though it might not be perfect. There's just something about it. And the magic, haha, the magic is just so nice. I love magician characters who can whip up this and that and it doesn't necessarily have to be HP AU's but when the HP universe is mixed in, I find something comfortable, something tangible and something that somehow just ... really works. 

It's fun to read about happenings on Hogwarts that may have nothing to do with anything but knowing the setting makes it somehow easier to imagine. I don't need to create a world on my own when I read HP AU's - I'm kind of handed it on a silver platter, even with descriptions. That way I can focus on the characters instead and I love characters more than anything when it comes to writing/reading. Without pleasant (as in well-developed) characters, the story falls flat. 

And well, magic. Magic works and it forever will.

Criminal AU's

So - I refuse to call the mafia AU's unless there's an actual mafia in them. Instead I have dubbed them criminal AU's and it's because it's exactly what it is - an alternative universe in which the main characters are criminals. 

This is most definitely one of my favorite AU's to write rather than to read. I do enjoy reading good criminal stories but I guess I just haven't found a lot of fanfics that live up to my standard (although the only genre I read in real life is crime, lmao). I think it's because I'm very much in love with the genre nordic noir and I don't necessarily think it's very much "used" or "seen" outside of Scandinavia so when I find criminal AU's they tend to focus on a lot of different crimes instead of just one. 

That said, I have read crime AU's as fics and those were great! 

Beyond that, what's so fun about criminal characters? The criminal mindset.

What has a person turn to theft? What makes a person start dealing drugs? What makes a person murder another person? 

Where do you draw the line? Who is the antagonist and are they really bad even though they're criminals?

(Also, I really love writing bizarre crimes, it's fun.)

I wish there were a lot more criminal fics in which the characters don't need a whole gang and be a gang lord that does everything imaginable but just ... are low-life criminals with one specialty. 

(And no, I'm not the saint. I have written ty criminal stories.)

Honorable mentions

• University AU's 
  • ​​​​​​​They're a joy because I can relate to the university-life.
• Singer AU's
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In which my idols are not who they are in real life yet still work in the entertainment business.
• Other fantasy AU's
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Because fantasy is a great genre.

What are your favourite AU's? Tell me! Please. 

​​​​​​​And tell me why. :D