First and foremost, I'd like to clarify that I've had no issues with the fanfiction community (at least the fandoms I've been in) and that my leave has nothing to do with anyone who has interacted with me through my work. This relates to how I've felt personally and how I want to move forward as a writer.

Secondly: I know some people will feel upset reading the content of this note. However, all I ask is for your understanding of how I've felt, and how I want to move forward. Any barraging, negativity, or overall rudeness toward me about my choices won't stop me from doing anything. Please read with understanding.

And lastly: thank you for taking the time to read this. It's been a long road coming, but I finally feel compelled to voice what's been laying on my mind for a while. Thank you for your time and patience. =)

…

On September 7th, 2021, I created my fanfiction account. I was thirteen years old and obsessed with How to Train Your Dragon and Rise of the Guardians. COVID was still rampant at the time, and I was a virtual student with nothing else to do. So, after finally convincing my dad, I started posting fanfics. Everything I wrote at that time revolved around my favorite movies. My posting schedule was super consistent. I never outlined, never planned, I just wrote what I liked. And honestly, I think that carried me through one of the most difficult times in my life.

Now, almost 4 years later, I'm seventeen years old and I've changed drastically from the thirteen-year-old kid I once was. I've gotten older, I'm more mature, and I'm attending school in person. As you can probably tell from how sporadic my posts have become, I'm much busier than before. I have more responsibilities, but despite the major changes in my life, I still do my best to put time aside for my writing.

The me four years ago would never have foreseen the amount of support or growth that I've received. Honestly—I would be smiling like a lunatic at just one favorite or review. Then the numbers kept growing, more readers came to check out my work, and I felt more motivated to improve my writing. I was bursting with creativity, I had so much time on my hands. Even when upsetting things regarding my family happened, I still wrote because I didn't know how else to cope.

I've grown and changed so much as both a writer and a person since I started writing on FFN. Which now leads me to my poignant announcement:

Soon, I will no longer post in the HTTYD and ROTG fandoms, or on FFN.

Now—BEFORE YOU ALL FREAK OUT!—I won't be departing immediately. I have four stories (two ROTG, two HTTYD) that I am going to write before I leave entirely. Think of them as my "departing quintet" (but one is also a story that my sister has been demanding me to write for three years, and I finally decided to start it ='D).

I know some of you must be thinking: "BUT MOON, I THOUGHT YOU WERE A DIEHEARD HTTYD AND ROTG FAN! DO YOU NOT LOVE THE MOVIES ANYMORE?! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO WRITE NOW?!"-which are all valid concerns.

First, my love for HTTYD and ROTG hasn't changed. I mean, why would it? If it weren't for those films, I would never started taking writing seriously or posting any of my works. While I don't watch the movies on repeat anymore or bombard my sketchbook pages with doodles of Jack Frost (yes, I was one of those fans), I still deeply appreciate what the two films have done to cultivate my creativity, and they still proudly sit at the top of my list of favorite animated films.

That being said, my interests have changed since I was thirteen. I've fallen into new fandoms, I don't indulge in HTTYD or ROTG as much as I used to, and I don't feel as passionate about them as when I was younger. I can't force myself to write for something I don't feel as strongly about anymore, or feel restricted as a writer simply because: "This is what everyone knows me for, and what I've always done, so I might as well just write it."-which is how I've felt for quite a while now.

This is a more personal standpoint, but I've also been having issues with the way FFN's been running over the past year. Posting and editing stories isn't as easy as it used to be; I lose all my formatting when I copy into my docs, and it takes forever to reformat everything. I can't review my stats the same way either—FFN removed the organizational features to help me keep track of story performance. Knowing the way the site used to run compared to how it is now genuinely frustrates me, and I've heard nothing about any of these issues being fixed or replaced.

Now, I'm not saying I'm leaving just because the site doesn't work the way I want or to garner more views (I couldn't care any less about the numbers anyway). What I want is to reach a wider audience and branch out as a writer, which I can't do on FFN as it currently stands.

So what does that mean for me?

I'll be moving over to Ao3, which has more of an audience for the fandoms I'm currently into, and a little more flexibility when it comes to posting fanfics. Once I start building my buffer there, I'll put my user in my bio if you guys would still like to follow my work. Just note that it won't be HTTYD or ROTG related anymore.

I'd also like to add that I will no longer adhere to a consistent posting schedule. It just isn't possible for me to post something new every week with the way my life is now. However, I will have a schedule for all the stories I will be posting here from now on, and those schedules will be in my bio, as usual. I won't be posting any more one-shots either, since I want to put my time and effort into these last four fics (which, I promise, will be certified bangers—at least in my book).

I know I've said this a gazillion times—but you guys have no idea how much you made my FFN journey so amazing. When I was thirteen, I didn't think any of my silly stuff would garner attention. I was always satisfied with so little, and now some of the stories I produced without too much thought behind them are some of my most popular works. You guys have overwhelmed me with your unrelenting support. Not once have I ever regretted starting an account here.

And to all the new, young writers who also want to write and post their fanfictions—I know it can be hard starting out knowing there are so many amazing writers out there (which is definitely how I felt and still do sometimes, even now), but you never know how far you'll go unless you make that first post. In the end, it doesn't matter how many people read your work. So long as what you create brings you joy, then the numbers and views couldn't matter any less.

Thank you all so much for reading my stories, for your love and support, for making me laugh in the reviews, and for your words of comfort when I was struggling. Thank you for everything. I love you all so, so much.

I'll see you all in the next story (wherever it may be),

~BeyondTheMoon1203