I've been writing fanfiction since mid-2023. The only fandom I've written for so far is Zootopia, but I'm not against branching out at some point. There are a few sites where I go by donutbarn or some variation, Barney for short. (Yes, I realize that it isn't much of an abbreviation.)
The sites I frequent and the IDs I use are as follows:
Archive of Our Own (AO3): donutbarn. I consider AO3 to be my primary site for publishing my fics.
Tumblr: donutbarn was already taken, so I had to settle for dbarn. I post unfocused, rambling stuff here, usually variations on the theme of 'oh no why am I not writing'.
FanFiction.net (FFN): donutbarn. I've started to publish a few of my fics here, but I prefer the AO3 interface.
DeviantArt (DA), donutbarn. DA was the first place I published fanfic, but it didn't take long for me to realize that it was oriented more towards illustration and other graphic arts rather than writing. I no longer have any fics on this site.
FurAffinity (FA): donutbarn. Nothing published here, just a place to view others' art.
Xitter: donutbarney. I very reluctantly joined recently looking for information on Zootopia 2. I regretted it immediately.
Bluesky: donutbarn.bsky.social. Still making up my mind about this platform, but it certainly seems less enshittified than the above.
I've also plunged into the Discord world, where I'm still trying to figure things out. My handle is @donutbarn.
Note that I don't claim to be "donutbarn" or "dbarn" or anything similar on any sites not listed above; anyone with a username that looks like these may not be me.
If you're confused by some of the terms used on this page (or elsewhere in fanfiction), the Fanlore wiki can help.
I optimistically created a FAQ page, then populated it with questions I asked myself.
Currently, I am not accepting commissions or requests.
Published Works (on AO3)
To date, I've written two series, D.B.'s Fluff 'n Stuff and Beyond the End, described below. There are also a few assorted stories that don't really belong to either, which are listed separately.
I decided to participate in a version of Zinktober in 2024 as well. See the entry below for a description.
Click any heading below to expand its table. Each of the links in an expanded table opens the corresponding series or story on AO3.
Nick and Judy have been partners at the ZPD for a few months. When he casually mentions checking out a new bar, she impulsively decides to join him. She's never been much of a drinker, but surely it'll be fine...
General Audiences; pretty innocuous despite some consumption of alcohol
Takes place a few days after Sleepover. Nick wants to thank his friend Finnick for helping out in a delicate situation. Finnick takes the opportunity to insult Nick until he's finally able to see what's seemed so obvious to everyone else.
Nick and Judy have finally stopped dancing around each other and started dating. Something that seemed like a distant concern at first is rapidly getting closer.
This story doesn't have definitive ties to the others in this series, however, it conceptually fits somewhere after Begging the Question, in that Nick and Judy are now a couple. A torrential rainstorm matches Nick's mood. He texts Judy to try to lift his spirits. (Uses a CSS "work skin" and contains several embedded images, so it may not display well on mobile devices. Or maybe it will!)
Nick and Judy are a happy couple, until Nick reacts unpredictably to an incident while they're on patrol together. After Judy presses, he discloses some painful events from his past. Angsty but with fluff.
Teen and Up for adult situations and discussion of death
Only loosely coupled to the other stories in this series. Nick and Judy see the Northern Lights for the first time. Presented as a script from which a comic could be drawn.
Today is an occasion Nick takes great pride in celebrating -- the anniversary of his first date with Judy. He's given her an escalating series of memorable experiences to mark the date, and she can't help but wonder what he has in store. This ends with a bit of wordplay that I am perversely fond of.
Years after an acrimonious breakup, Nick and Judy unexpectedly run into each other. He tries to play it cool like he always does, but Judy knows him a bit too well to be fooled.
Teen and Up for profanity, alcohol abuse, and adult themes
Nick is suffering through alcohol withdrawal. Judy's by his side to help him through the worst whenever she can. In his darkest moments, Nick begins planning to sabotage her current relationship.
Finnick gives Nick a job to help keep him occupied. His coworker, as it turns out, is a fellow recovering alcoholic. (Introduces an original character: Coogan)
Judy's fiancé wants to meet Nick. This news makes Nick very anxious. What can he expect? How should he react? (Introduces an original character: Luke Packton)
Nick really isn't sure what happened, and Judy seems to be as confused as he is. It'll be best for both of them, he's convinced, if they just go their separate ways. But deep down, he can't quite convince himself.
A tentative effort to clear the air was an utter disaster. Nick is beginning to wonder whether it's possible to move beyond a troubled past. When he bumps into Luke again for the first time in months, he realizes a few things. (This ends on a deliberately ambiguous note and was originally intended to finish the series.)
A very short story for those who felt unsatisfied by the open ending of Leap of Faith. (It's me, I'm those. I noticed that it was "Zootopia Day" and felt obligated to publish something. Forgive my weakness.)
A fairly downbeat story that follows an internal dialogue as Nick jogs. He can't seem to stop himself from flirting with Judy, no matter how many warning bells start to ring; one part of his mind beats up the other part.
Instead of following Nick into the ice cream parlor near the beginning of Zootopia, Judy is distracted by an equipment malfunction. She doesn't volunteer to find Emmitt Otterton, which has additional ramifications. This was my first (misguided) attempt at writing something longer than a short story. It has at least two fatal flaws: a surplus of ambition and the terrible decision to begin publishing chapters before it was completed (or even fully planned out). Be warned that the official status of this story is abandoned. I have a vague plan to try rewriting this, but I'm still working on details of that.
A look at the life of Nick Wilde, and more specifically how he deals with troublesome emotions. (Spoiler: he doesn't.) The events of Zootopia are (somewhat obliquely) referred to, but this story starts when Nick is very young and goes on to cover some time a few years after the film ends. Angsty but ultimately fluffy.
Rather than list all 31 stories, here is a link to the introductory post. If you don't want to read them in order, you can click the "Chapter Index" button near the top of the page and skip to any one that interests you.
General Audiences
11,945 (as of 14 Oct 2024)
Disclaimers:
I have no legal, financial, or other connection to Disney. Disney, as a corporation, are the rightful owners of the names and concepts of Zootopia/Zootropolis and all its characters (including but not limited to Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps, Finnick, Chief Bogo, and Benjamin Clawhauser). The contents of this site are fanfiction, which, as a transformative work, qualifies as fair use.
I do not earn any money from my fanfiction via hits/comments/kudos on this site, AO3, Tumblr, or any other site.
I am not affiliated with any business that sells donuts. Similarly, I am not affiliated with any business that builds barns. I do not endorse any specific maker of either donuts or barns.
If you'd like to contact me by email, it is very cleverly encrypted here as: Good luck decoding that, bots!
Good luck decoding that, bots!
