Lithopus

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I DM you?

If we're mutuals, you can DM me for any reason. Otherwise, you're welcome to send me a DM if you have a comment or question that you'd prefer to ask privately. If it's not a private or urgent matter, though, sending an ask on Tumblr is probably best—but please note that I can't answer anonymous asks privately, and will have to post my replies publicly on my blog.Also, if I don't respond to your message within 2 weeks, please send a follow-up message—any time that happens, Twitter probably marked your message as "read" and then I forgot that I needed to respond.

Do you reply to AO3 comments?

I read and appreciate every AO3 comment I get, and I try my best to reply to all comments in a timely manner, but sometimes it takes me a while to get through my inbox. (And by "a while" I mean that as of February 2025, the oldest message in my AO3 inbox is apparently over 600 days old. I'm sorry, guys—when it comes to fandom stuff, I am wretchedly bad at staying on top of things.)

Why didn't you answer my ask on Retrospring?

I'm very slow to respond to Retrospring asks, and I don't post all of them on Twitter. If you want to see if I replied to your ask, you'll have to manually check the page!Note: In light of Retrospring shutting down on March 1, 2025, I will be transferring all answered questions to a page on my Tumblr blog. I'll also use Tumblr to respond to any unanswered questions that are currently in my Retrospring inbox.

Do you accept fic requests or suggestions?

I don't, unfortunately. I already have a very long "to-write" list, and I outline my multichapter fics ahead of time, which means that reader suggestions will have zero influence on the plot. That said, I might sometimes ask for reader input via polls on Twitter.

Why aren't you updating or posting a fic?

I have a life outside of fandom, and I write for fun—not to mention that when I do write, I'm usually not writing fanfiction. If you're ever wondering about how much progress I've made on my current WIPs, please check this page on my Tumblr. I typically update it every month or so.

Can I make fanart of a scene from one of your fics?

Yes—you don't need permission to create fanart of scenes from my fics. If you do, please just credit me for the idea and provide a link to the fic somehow, either with an AO3 link or a quote retweet. And please tag me or DM me so that I can see your art!

Can I write a fanfic for one of your fics?

Yes, because I'd feel pretty hypocritical if I wrote a derivative work and then tried to forbid people from writing derivative works of it. However, please don't promote your works as official sequels or companion pieces to my fics, and please don't tag me on social media, since I'd rather not interact with fanfiction of my writing. Just credit the original fic either by using the "inspired by" feature on AO3 or by somehow linking to the fic another way.That said, there's a difference between being inspired by my fics and retelling my fics. If your recursive fanfiction is going to be a rewrite/remix that contains substantial portions of my own words, please DM me to ask for permission.

Can I translate your fic and repost it?

Yes—but before you do, please review my translation policy posted on Tumblr.Note that my translation policy has changed as of February 2025. Previously, I asked that people obtain my permission before they post translations of my fics anywhere. My reasoning was that translation work can be complicated, and I was wary of my words or ideas getting misinterpreted in languages that I don't understand well enough to proofread.However, I've realized that I will probably never have enough free time to answer all of a translator's questions, nor to check the accuracy of a translation to ensure that my works haven't been misrepresented. I've also realized that I am extremely indecisive when it comes to approving individual translations, to the point that I've irresponsibly left at least one translation request completely unanswered.I'd like to avoid that scenario, because if someone cares enough about my writing that they're willing to spend hours and hours on a translation, then I consider it my responsibility to at least honor them with an answer. So, considering that I've proved to be unreliable in that respect, I've decided that it's best if I provide blanket permission for translations—albeit with stipulations, and with some fics being excluded from this permission statement.

What's your stance on pro-shipping and anti-shipping?

I have no desire to get involved in that conflict, so when it comes to my corner of the internet, I have zero tolerance for any type of ship hate or discourse. If you think that a ship is problematic or bad, that's fine, and you should discuss that with like-minded friends or mutuals—but keep it out of my comment sections, please. I recognize that my followers ship (or don't ship) all sorts of things, and I don't want anyone to start arguing or harassing each other in my fandom space.

Are you a "switch" shipper?

Technically, no, because my "shipping" of two characters has never been predicated on what they do with their genitalia. When I become a fan of a fictional romantic relationship, it's because I enjoy the characters' emotional connection with each other; the topic of their sex life literally doesn't cross my mind.And if you think I'm being dishonest about that, please consider the fact that I am a bisexual man, which means that for me personally, a male/male relationship isn't some escapist genre of fiction or porn—it's just life. As a result, I'm not viewing ships through the top/bottom-focused lens that is prominent in some fandoms. In fact, until I joined the Genshin Impact fandom, I had no idea that was even a thing. (This isn't a condemnation of anyone who does adhere to that fandom convention. I'm just explaining how my personal perspective differs.)So, when it comes to writing fanfiction, sex positions have no impact on how I approach relationship dynamics or characterization, because my perception of a character's personality is completely unrelated to that character's participation in penetrative sex or prostate stimulation. That's why I would say that no, I don't identify myself as a "switch shipper", because that would require me to approach shipping within a top/bottom-based framework, which I don't. I'm just "a [ship name] shipper", period.Setting that aside—regarding my personal tastes when it comes to erotic content, I don't really have a preference in terms of a certain type of character being "hotter" on top, though of course it makes sense to me that other people do have those aesthetic preferences. So, if I write an M or E-rated fic, the characters are always portrayed as top/bottom versatile, and if I write anything with a lower rating, then the question is irrelevant. The characters might as well have Barbie doll crotches if they aren't having sex in one of my fics.