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#i stand with israel #israel

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#i stand with israel #israel

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Title: Children of Ash & Fire Written for Mane Event Exchange 2024 Characters: Harry Potter, Pansy Parkinson Rating: T Summary: She’d long since given up railing at the fate that landed her here, as wife of the man who’d once been an enemy. Somehow, his defense of her turned into an acquaintance that became a friendship . . . and eventually blossomed into a romance.

#harry potter #pansy parkinson #mane event #exchange

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It's almost that time again! I'll be answering the questions, but I want to think about them so my answers make sense.

TRSB 2023 Gallery Opening

& 2024 Schedule Premiere

It’s almost time for TRSB 2024! Sign ups for artists for TRSB 2024 open in a month. The full schedule for 2024 can be found here.

To start getting excited for this year’s event, please enjoy the opening of the TRSB 2023 Gallery (and the completion of the TRSB 2022 Gallery!) Many thanks to @usuallysublimepenguin for doing the lion’s share of the work to get both galleries ready and online and to @fishing4stars for supporting that effort!

Before the suggestions form opens on March 24th, we want to invite veteran participants to share their wisdom about the event. If you were speaking to someone curious about participating in TRSB for the first time, what would your advice be on picking what to draw? Or, as an author, what do you look for in a prompt? 

The mods have given their own answers under the cut. We can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

~TRSB Mods 2024

Mods answer the question:

Fishing4Stars (roles: artist, writer): As a writer I look for prompts that either give me a clear inspiration that I think matches the artist’s idea - or that leave me enough flexibility to write something I find inspiring. Either works! I do get inspired by my favorite characters, but the underlying idea can be a great source as well. I had a blast writing a story focused on Thorin last year even though he’s not a character I normally write for because the underlying prompt, about being an outcast and having a complex identity, inspired me. I loved working closely with the artist on this - I will probably make my ‘involvement level’ preference this year more specific, because I’d love to do that again.

I think my biggest takeaways as an artist after participating last year were: 

(1) Be a little selfish when picking prompts: As an artist, I’m responsible for supporting my writers and their works - whether cheerleading, brainstorming, beta reading, or hands off, my writer deserves for me to be excited to read their work in September and give them comments. So it’s to both our benefit for me to pick something I like and want to read. Last year I picked a prompt off the suggestions list that I normally wouldn’t have. It actually turned out really well and I had tons of fun reading it, but it did make me think about maybe giving slightly more personalized prompts this year. 

(2) Leaving room for collaboration can be fun: Both of the works I submitted last year were in mostly finished form. The bit of collaboration I got to do to adjust the work to the writer’s story was really fun, though. So this year I’m thinking about leaving some room for the writer to weigh in on the art.

Usuallysublimepenguin (role: artist): I’ve participated as an artist for a few years now and can warmly recommend joining, as it’s been such a joy every time.

Regarding the prompt list, I can certainly echo Fishing4Stars: draw something that you like! The list is great for sparking ideas, but be careful of picking the very specific ones; they might be something the prompter would want to read but not necessarily write. So, if it’s not something you want to draw, do not pick it. Use the list for inspiration, or if the list is too dauntingly large, go for something completely different from your own head.

My prompts have gone from quite detailed "Lothiriel, a new bride getting to know Éomer" to very open "here's one or two characters in a pose I wanted to draw; please fill in the blanks" or "Here's a landscape; please fill in the details." Keep in mind that the open prompts require quite high levels of collaboration, and that the stories might take you to new places you never even thought existed - but for me that works very well. Every single story that came from these prompts are dear to me. 

Ettelenë (roles: writer, sometimes artist). Since I am mainly a writer who sometimes draws, I tend to pick prompts that suit the characters or stories I want to tell. The first time I participated as a writer, it was with a prompt/character I never thought I would write about (mermaid Voronwë!), and, surprisingly, it was not the most challenging time. So, to start, writing or drawing something completely out of our comfort zones can actually draw people in. Nowadays, though, as I don't have much time to write a fully complex story with worldbuilding etc, I’ll go for the prompts that I am 100% sure I can bang 5k in the blink of an eye. As for drawings, I usually stick with what I do best, which is watercolor. And curiously enough, the two times I did art for TRSB, it was about the Valar, characters I mostly never write about, but who always spark my artistic creativity.

Raiyana (roles: writer): I have a tendency to fall in love with a piece or an idea and fall HARD… so far, happily, the artists have been pleased to have me write for them ;) And then I find that weird secondary prompt in the gallery, generally during second claims, that tickles Something. I usually filter out characters/ideas I definitely can’t do and then something or someone (often a co mod, actually) will challenge me to come up with a way to do a prompt and spark another fire of creativity ;). 

I never thought I’d be able to write a streamer script version of FoG, but here we are…

Lathalea (roles: writer, artist): When I joined TRSB for the first time, as a writer, I definitely felt overwhelmed with the size of the event and the amount of prompts, and then art pieces. It wasn’t easy to pick just one, so many of them screamed “pick me!”. I managed to narrow them down and mull over them for some time. I asked myself what ideas and parts of the Tolkien legendarium spoke to me the most, what “blank areas” of Middle Earth I would like to fill with my works, and how I wanted to do this. What I learned back then is that it worked for me best to focus on a very particular and narrow theme so that I could delve into proper worldbuilding – which is something I live for when it comes to Dwarves and their culture.

Finally, I chose the one that sparked the most creativity in me that year. I feel that for writers who decide to work on a specific art piece, prompts can be a great help, making you enrich your story or add a detail or two that you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. As a bonus, you get at least one very happy reader: the author of that specific prompt! 

One year later, I decided to submit art for TRSB because I liked the prompts so much – I just had to create a piece of visual art inspired by them. It resulted in a great cooperation that explored a completely new subject that I always wanted to focus on but never had a chance to do properly before.

Feel free to surprise yourself and pick prompts or ideas you haven’t worked on before, you never know what way your creativity will go!

Legolasbadass (roles: writer, artist): There are always too many great artworks, so I usually make a list of pieces I’d be most interested in writing for to help narrow down my choices. I look for ideas and characters I am most inspired by and comfortable writing about — though it can also be fun to step out of your comfort zone and try something new! Another really important thing for me is the collaboration level. I really enjoy brainstorming with the artist, sharing my progress with them, and getting regular feedback, so I tend to avoid choosing artists who prefer a less collaborative experience. 

When looking for inspiration for art, I usually look at the answers to the suggestions form as well as my personal list of prompts and pick an idea that I’d be most excited to share with someone. The collaborative aspect of the event is what excites and inspires me the most, so I tend not to submit an idea I feel too possessive of. I like working closely with an author and letting their vision inspire my art as much as my art will inspire their story.

#tolkien #jrr tolkien

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Got this one finished finally! Latest installment of our epic, Complicated.

A Murder for Christmas - Crime never takes a holiday, which means the NYPD doesn't get to sleep either. Jason and Casey catch a homicide on Christmas . . . among other issues the holidays bring.

#jason walsh #casey shraeger #the unusuals

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So, I am definitely working on a Doctor Who fic as Twelve & Clara currently are my obsession. Planning to get a few chapters written before posting so I can give myself some breathing room.

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Title: Queen Triumphant Written for Consent Issues Exchange 2023 Characters: Helen, Menelaus, Paris Rating: M Warning: Rape/Non-Con Summary: Ten long years she’d spent as a captive in this city and now her liberation came with a cleansing fire.

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Did both black/white and color mood boards because I couldn't decide which way I liked best.

#ancient greece #helen of sparta #menelaus #paris of troy

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Title: At the Mirrormere Written for LotR Secret Santa Exchange 2023 Characters: Aulë | Mahal, Durin, Yavanna Rating: G Summary: Family is found and created in many ways, and a son will always seek to match the example, the legacy of his father.

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#aule #durin #yavanna #lotr #lord of the rings

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Title: Hope Under the Stars Written for HP Soulmates Secret Santa Exchange 2023 Ship: Sirius Black/Lily Evans Rating: T Summary: For someone most people called the ‘smartest witch of her age’, Lily Evans often wondered if she would ever manage to understand all of the subtleties of the magic-filled world she now found herself in.

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#harry potter #sirius black #lily evans #soulmates

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Title: Echoes in Memory Artist: Caiti Relationship: The Doctor/Clara Oswald Rating: T Note: Should any of my mood boards prompt a fic, please link me so I can enjoy and brag! But please - take this as permission to write it!!

I've got a couple of ideas playing around in my head for a fic or two, and I wanted to get these created to help keep it churning.

#doctor who #twelfth doctor #clara oswald #eleventh doctor #doctor/clara

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Been binging on Doctor Who . . . might have to do some stuff from my favorites . . . Classic & New.

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#signal boost

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Title: Lost in Shadows Written for @be-compromised Secret Santa Exchange 2023 Ship: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanoff Rating: T Summary: Clint planned to spend his evening sprawled on the couch, a game on the television, and maybe some pizza and beer to finish off the stereotypical guy’s night at home theme. That was his plan . . . that was not how his night ended up going.

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#clint barton #natasha romanoff #clintasha #marvel cinematic universe

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Title: Mission - Home for Christmas Written for @be-compromised Secret Santa Exchange 2023 Characters: Clint Barton & his Family/Strays Ship: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanoff/Kate Bishop Rating: T Summary: Clint doesn't think he can make it home for the holidays, but his family and friends decided to do something about that. In other words, what happens when the strays he's collected over the years decide to save him this time around?

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#clint barton #natasha romanoff #kate bishop #hawkeye #marvel cinematic universe

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Something told me to share this, so for whoever need it. Here’s the sign you’re looking for.

#citizen soldier #reason to live #a sign of hope

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Title: Sparks from the Stars Prompt: Making Snow Angels Artist: Caiti Relationship: Druig/Makkari Rating: G Note: Should any of my mood boards prompt a fic, please link me so I can enjoy and brag! But please - take this as permission to write it!!

#marvel cinematic universe #druig #makkari #the eternals #advent 2023