#But I'm a realist I can also see the flaws in an author I love Fujimoto likes the dissident and morally controversial aspect of his work

[sugar-grigri]

If Fumiko is monstrous then Fujimoto should start presenting her as such

Fumiko is written to remind us that Denji is a child, and I repeat, she is the symbol of a child's sexual trauma in all its horror and "paradoxes".

Touching Denji without his consent, catching an adolescent who hasn't yet discovered himself off guard, is the most obvious way of proving the link between the theme of sexual assault and Fumiko, but it doesn't stop there.

The fact that Denji accepts only proves this point: it shows just how much he's someone who needs boundaries and protection. He passively listens to what he's told without question simply because Fumiko has the upper hand.

She has one, but spends her time pretending she doesn't, in particular by disguising her age like a predator, calling him "senpai" when she's 22, and playing up her protective role as a "bodyguard" when she's only there to stop Denji thinking for himself

As can be seen in the dialogue between Miri and Denji, she positions herself as an interlocutor, standing in Denji's shadow, influencing his decisions and distracting the boy from the substance of Miri's message.

But she's a complete paradox, still trying to make Denji believe she's protecting him, she refers to Chainsaw Man as a "child", which rather than demonstrating a good intention shows that she's well aware of what Denji is and that she's abusing him head-on.

Who protects a child by attacking him?

Once again, I insist, these are two pages from the same chapter. Dare you tell me that Fumiko doesn't present any contradictions?

Above all, she makes it seem as if she only wants what's best for Denji, even when he hasn't responded to her pleas for help. Once again, there's a paradox: the predator blames her victim for not having seen her own vulnerability, whereas she’s only abusing those of her victim.

Fumiko is a metaphor for the very dangerousness of sexual assault, gentle on the surface but insidious, its violence only made clear and felt after the event, rising like a tide.

When Yoshida convinces Denji to give up his normal life, he leaves him in the hands of Fumiko, a public hunter, who symbolises the extent to which, despite the monster in front of them, danger also exists among men, and that the milieu of public hunters is a harmful world for a child.

I think the reason Fujimoto doesn't immediately place Fumiko in a position of condemnation is to instil a feeling of frustration and powerlessness at seeing Denji unprotected, to make it clear that "he's missing something", a parental figure.

But I think that for the writing to be complete, the author has to take a clear stance on the subject, in his own way of course, but explicitly

Seeing Fumiko next to Denji makes me anxious, it's such a common form of violence that it pulls me out of my reading.

Fumiko is a monster, so I pray that Fujimoto will have fun explicitly detailing her dark side and her horror.

If he doesn't, then she'll remain an unfinished and confusing chimera, the result of lazy writing and a fear of commitment.

#csm 136 #csm 137 #csm 139 #csm 142 #chainsaw man #csm #csm part 2 #csm spoilers #denji #fumiko #fumiko mifune #my thoughts #But I'm a realist I can also see the flaws in an author I love Fujimoto likes the dissident and morally controversial aspect of his work #Even when the violence is correctly presented there will be no narrator to condemn it Fujimoto doesn't risk accentuating Fumiko's horror #but just making it more present more controversial Just to disturb his readers who sometimes have no real use for the script. #Maybe I'm being too hopeful and justifying the shortcomings of Fumiko's writing to reassure myself #It's possible she's the black spot in part 2 #In a jump shonen you can't present a 22-year-old girl touching a teenager as a joke. #I'm in favour of creative freedom but I'm also in favour of authors being aware of their audience.

[nocturnalazure]

An answer to Echoweaver

@echoweaver - I thought it best to make a separate post again in reply to your comments but we can continue the discussion via PM after this if you prefer?

Your comments:

I don't really have a better place to post this, since it seems weird to put an essay about your story on my blog. I wanted to follow up on this, since I'm sure it was my reaction the prompted your thinking. I definitely had feels about Erik and Gloria's breakup, and I wasn't coherent about them. Mostly I was feeling defensive of Gloria. The first responses seemed to indicate she'd overreacted, and I don't really think she did.

The core of my thinking was that she told Erik she wanted to be his priority, and he didn't answer her. I'm sure his body language gave her an answer at some level, and we all knew what it would be. But he didn't actually tell her until he was leaving, about to walk into danger and leaving her to process alone. That's very different from Romeo and Jamie, where Romeo brought his disclaimers up front and allowed Jamie to decide what he could live with.

I wish Gloria had made a different decision, but with the way Erik forced the decision on her, I would have broken up with Erik too. And of course, Gloria came not only second in Erik's life, but third, since he's in love with his boss. She also came after Laurie as a person, and she was sensing that. There wasn't a lot of Erik left over for her.

I do still have a lot of trouble with Erik/Laurie. Erik's intense way of defining himself by his role in the mob makes it impossible for me to see a route to them having a healthy relationship -- Laurie is Erik's boss, and Erik has no line between personal and professional. In addition, Laurie is very cerebral, and Erik is not a verbal communicator. Erik seems like he'd be better with someone like Carmen (we all marry our parents??).

As a side issue, I've spent decades dealing with friends and fans who compulsively sexualize male intimacy, and I find it frustrating. I really liked Erik and Laurie as platonic partners, and I still kind of mourn it. I love Anh, and I do hope her arc with Laurie, whatever it is, takes her to a good place.

The end.

My answer:

As an author, I haven’t found the right balance yet between leaving the readers have their own interpretation and giving them a nudge in the direction I want. So two sides compete inside of me: the thrill of seeing my characters dissected and analysed, and the frustration when the results are not what I had hoped for. It brings up all sorts of self-questioning about my writing abilities. Is a good writer one who manages to make their characters as universally relatable as possible? Or is it one who simply sparks some thinking? If I were to judge by all the bad books that I have read and that I still remember to this day… I’d rather go with the former proposition. But at the same time, I can’t deny that it is flattering that someone would take some of their time to think about my characters. So thank you for this, sincerely.

I see Erik as a flawed human being. So basically, just a human being. It wouldn’t have struck me as very realistic for him to discuss beforehand with Gloria everything that his job implied. Sometimes, discussions happen when they have to happen, because that is how it goes in real life too. And yes, in Erik’s case, there is more to it than just the job. Maybe he’s not ready to admit it out loud. Maybe he’s afraid to hurt Gloria even more. Maybe he wants to keep his promise to Laurie to keep it quiet. Anyway, you’re right: no, he wasn’t upfront with her when she asked him to be his priority and he didn’t answer for many different reasons. And obviously, she was right in asking that precisely, because that is the core of the problem between them and why it would never have worked. Gloria tried, thought she could do it, but in the end it meant changing Erik and that is asking for the impossible. And to Erik’s credit, he did try too, so much. He threw himself headlong into that relationship, in a very Erik way, and he wanted so bad to make her happy because from the get-go, he was afraid that he wasn’t good enough for her. All things considered, it doesn’t matter if Gloria ends up second, third or even tenth in Erik’s list of priorities. She would not have been first in any scenario. And to be fair, that is also the case for many real-life couples: your partner comes second after work, the kids, friends, even hobbies,… Sure, that is not healthy but many people live like that. I don’t pretend to depict ideal couples either.

Gloria was surely right in breaking up with Erik, since they have different outlooks on what being in a relationship involves. That being said, she was (still is) in love with him and she hadn’t expected him to choose his work (or Laurie) over her if she issued an ultimatum. Right now, the poor girl is devastated and kicking herself for not leaving the door open. It is too late, unfortunately. Something has switched in Erik’s mind too.

From a long time now, I have shown Erik as being loyal to Laurie as a person. Not necessarily to an organization or what it represents. He even says at some point that he has “faith” in Laurie. This goes beyond simple duty, and yes, personal and professional are intrinsically connected. However, I don’t see Laurie and Erik as having a strictly hierarchical relationship. Erik has a disregard for the rules inherited directly from his father, and even if Laurie did use his authority from time to time to distance himself from Erik, he’s never been able to really keep him away. Erik, by default, just does whatever the fuck he wants to do. And that’s also what Laurie likes so much about him.

I see your point, but I don’t agree: opposites attract. I think it is very interesting, particularly in fiction, to explore how two characters with very different personalities and backgrounds can find common ground and how they can actually enrich each other. I am always cautious of making similar-minded people automatically get together, be it as friends or lovers. In real life, it creates a dangerous cognitive bubble. I love to find out how two outwardly conflicting personalities can interact and ultimately appreciate each other. By the way, Anh and Laurie are far from being completely similar. Their brain functions in much the same way but they are both strongly opinionated and will clash inevitably. We either marry our parents, or the complete opposite of them (as is my case).

Finally, I hear what you’re saying about sexualizing male friendships. It is a bit of a touchy subject. I don’t do that in real life, that’s for sure. But I allow more leeway in fiction because a big part of the fun is to explore different aspects of life, including sexuality. I’m a straight person. That doesn’t mean I’m not genuinely interested in other sexual identities. Love is love after all.

I can only say that I’ve never intended to write a gay romance with Laurie and Erik. It did start out as a true friendship. But their relationship developed as we know, and I don’t regret a thing because to me, they make a lot of sense together. It just seemed that obvious and I felt like I had voluntarily kept them apart because I was scared of what people would think. Now my favorite part of their relationship is that they never question their (bi)sexuality. They just have romantic feelings for each other that they cannot help, and neither of them really care about labelling those feelings (very much like Sam doesn’t want to define how she feels for Ash).

Finally, l I want to say that Laurie and Erik’s relationship and my determination to write it as well as possible have been an opportunity for me to learn a lot more about the LGBTQ+ community. That has certainly enriched me.

#text post #replies

[raayllum]

I know you love The dragon prince and that’s great. I binged the show after season three released. I listened to podcasts about the show . I listened to yours and felt really happy when I found people who also liked the show. Unfortunately I fell of during the hiatus between season three and four. I am patient person but three years was long. Also I watched the show for rallylum and through the moon just kind killed my love for them.Then I found your blog and was really happy. Then I saw how you felt about the owl house and it bothered me. As a neurodivergent person the show made me feel really seen. I know it’s stupid to be upset about an opinion. As a person who wants to be an English major how do find parallels between relationships and characters. You talk about certain ones and I don’t see them at all. Your probably more seasoned as a writer than I am so

Ps : sorry this is long and hope tdp ends well in your opinion

Few things:

1) I'm also neurodivergent (hi!) - specifically Autistic - and I have also largely wanted to be understood my whole life, much like Luz (according to S3). While a show making you feel seen can certainly be wonderful, meaningful, and sometimes even life changing, to me that's not enough to make it a Good (per my subjective tastes) Show. That's not to say TOH is a bad show - far from it - but it's one that didn't appeal to my particular tastes due to 1) too many characters and not enough screentime, 2) a lack of theme (which many kids shows don't have a ton of because they're, y'know, for kids), and 3) all of the characters have very black and white morality, and that's just less interesting to me.

Being upset about opinions is very natural, and it's not stupid, but it is also important to acknowledge that 1) you can't control how anyone else feels or interprets things and 2) no one else can control how you feel or interpret things.

2) I adored Through the Moon. Rayla's tendency to leave (and why) is always a hurdle I expected them to have to tackle at one point, and given that it's her main character flaw, I'm really excited and happy with the way it's been handled so far and how TTM kicked it off. The graphic novel also really resonated with me in Callum's place, as I too have loved many of my loved ones through incredibly difficult periods regarding their mental health, and the graphic novel felt very honest about the toll that can take on both parties in different ways, and how love/support can help, but ultimately isn't enough if the person isn't ready (or willing) to start trying to get better. It's not an easy pill to swallow, but it is a realistic and important one and I've enjoyed how the show has continued that storyline with Rayla (and Callum) into S4 and S5

3) Being an English major is not for everyone! I know many people who love to read and who are very good writers where an English degree would not suit them at all. It's a lot of reading (by my final year, there were some weeks where I was reading an entire 400 page book roughly every week, if not multiple at the same time). It is also a lot of writing (and my professors regularly chewed me out for my grammar). You also tend to kind of double being a history major as depending on what you're reading, you learn a lot of the religious/historical/cultural context in order to understand the language, references, and messaging intended by the author (and then whether or how much to disregard it, lmao). Being able to analyze — to see connections between characters and themes in particular, but other forms of symbolism and messaging — quickly is probably the main thing that saved my ass and let me stay on Honour Roll throughout my undergrad.

I have also been writing pretty seriously for a long time (I 'started' at age 10 but only really count age 12 onwards, cause that's when I first started writing 70k+ drafts every 1-2 years for original WIP stuff). A lot of what makes a good writer is being a good reader, taking your favourite stories (books or otherwise — movies, musicals, tv shows, etc can be gold mines) and figuring out what works in them and why, or why you like them (or don't like them), etc.

For example: The Owl House is a primarily character driven > plot driven story. In book form, it'd likely be Middle Grade to early YA. It's interested in character relationships among the main cast (any of the more villainous characters like Belos are never given the same amount of development or screentime) and some mild worldbuilding. It has some social commentary (mostly on the school systems through Luz and mental health through Eda) and an overall theme of "being different is good," breaking away from abusive systems/dynamics, and the importance of solidarity.

If I compare and contrast this to TDP, The Dragon Prince is far driven in equal parts by the plot (because it's wholly serialized) and by character. It is also very thematically driven — most notably how to break intergenerational cycles of trauma and violence, but also self-destructive tendencies, abuse, responsibility, power, grief, and concepts of justice and punishment. This is also reflected in the fact numerous villainous characters (Viren, Claudia, etc.) share close to equal screentime with the 'good guy' protagonists and heavily explores morality across a decently wide spectrum. It thereby has a more mature tone in its subject matter and would easily be YA in book form.

Which is to say: the best way to get better at analyzing is to break characters down to their basic plot structures (Character A does this, they want that, Character B does this, they want that, etc.) and see what pops up (for example, in Avatar The Last Airbender, Aang and Zuko both cannot go home, and duel Ozai when they're 13 years old, ultimately refusing to be violent against their opponent). You can also look at similar personality traits (curiosity, selflessness, carelessness, etc). Practice looking at the stories you love and figuring out what works and doesn't work for you personally — and then go beyond relatability to look more at subtext and symbols. Some of the best things I've ever read were books that had nothing relatable to my personal experiences in them (like The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini), and that was why I loved them because they got to broaden my horizons.

#thanks for asking #non tdp #forbidden op lore #long post #anonymous #requests

[mejomonster]

Okay so I've been reading Red White and Royal Blue the novel and I'm thrilled to report it IS a different experience.

I saw the movie first? Phenomenal. On its own merit, as it's own experience, hands down best movie I saw this year. And definitely one of my fave romances I've seen (along with But I'm a Cheerleader).

This book? I can see already the impression that the movie simplified, softened, and changed some things in some areas. I think the movie, based on the 100 pages I've read so far of the book, changed enough that the movie does read as different characters In The Spirit and Themes of the book. Movie Alex is like book Alex, but almost another universe of him (like Guardian Zhao Yunlan in chinese drama versus book). Henry so far reads as similar in novel to movie, but movie did not have the time to do his traits with as much nuance. Which like. I think many movie differences were made for making a concise movie length story, a slightly more on the nose story to make the main points hit audiences strong enough to get understood clearly, and to of course emphasize more of the points the movie script aimed to emphasize and focus on in that limited time.

I'm reading the book now. And delighted to say Alex's family is handled with much more nuance. Also the book is fascinating in my experience as the first fictional novel I've ever read with so much clear real life applicable casual political references. I've seen biographies and nonfiction books do this on occasion, but it's fascinating seeing a fiction novel do it. I think it's a brave and higher risk writing choice as it's both individual to author and even more so using the political as a reflection of characters, drawing concrete lines by which to judge them in the sort of terrifying "this stuff effects people's lives" way real public figures get judged. Fitting in seeing Alex and June as Public figures, but also risking as a writer your characters No Longer conforming to the "everyday man" character everyone can project onto. Bella in Twilight has a lot of Mormon related cultural experiences bleeding into how she's written, but the author didn't make her overly Mormon with a church she belonged to and overt commentary on that religious view of the world in relation to say Vampires and marriage and sex. (There are books that do tho, I've read realistic fiction like The Poisonwood Bible about missionaries which very much heavily directly discussed real religions and those beliefs effecting people's personalities and actions in the story). It's interesting to see a Romance novel go for the specific at the risk of making those characters less easy to "project" onto. I prefer this choice, the same way Fingersmith by Sarah Waters is one of my favorite romances and those two fucked up women sure aren't "everyday" average joes you can project onto. This writing choice makes the points made in Red White and Royal Blue a lot more pointed qnd with a lot more to back them up. It's interesting seeing. The movie definitely toned down things in this regard (while still including more overt politics than I've seen in many romances except say But I'm a Cheerleader with its brazen condemnation of conversion camps). I can see how the movie flattened Ellen to make her a more likable less flawed person, because it's easier to sell a loving mom President in a movie under limited time to give her no Significant Flaws. But the book has time to hammer her stubbornness has destroyed personal things, at times clashes strongly with her son who turned out so much like her (and is partly why June does not click with mom the way Alex does), how moms choices and personality were not necessarily good for June and Alex at times, how Alex clearly learned to be a workaholic qnd avoid his personal pain by being stubborn like his mom. She's someone he admires, and someone he emulates both good and bad, and someone he's infuriated that has those stubborn workaholic realistic traits he's copied. But a movie doesn't have time for the good and the bad, the realism of the damage all parents in some ways cause even if unintentional, the realism of what going through divorce means for each partner and their kids. The movie doesn't divorce them, because it's easier to sell a married mom as a positive (like the book lol comments on). I get it.

Anyway more on Alex's family. I deeply appreciate they're flawed and realistic in the book. In the movie, in its own interesting way I found it interesting to watch Alex (raised primarily with secure attachments and open loving secure support from both parents Together) with Henry who did NOT have the same emotional relationships foundation from family (only his Sister being a Safe Enough relationship to trust to emotionally rely on). Versus now the book, seeing they actually both can bond over these imperfect situations of their families. Which in its way, is realistic to many people who've found love. It gives them more to see understanding with each other in. And in Alex's case in the book in particular, his background details give us more about who he is qnd what drives him. The movie had to simplify those elements of him qnd Harry outside romance in order to tell a timely romance story. The book has more space for those individual character stories of trauma and pain and growth and connection.

#lb #red white and royal blue

[aster-ghost]

please, would you share your thoughts on the dispossessed?? (this is externalmemorycomic's main blog btw)

Oh geez sorry this is so late. Life stuff.

Anyway I would be delighted to talk about The Dispossessed.

For starters it's maybe my favorite book ever? And it's the book that got me to finally truly read science fiction. I think Ursula LeGuinn was an amazing author.

Now for the actual story. I am completely and utterly fascinated my Annares. As a bit of a commie myself I think it's really interesting to see a fully collectivist society. I also appreciate that it is a flawed society. It shows that greed and xenophobia still exists and the complacency that the people have fallen into is extremely realistic in my opinion. They don't want to rock the boat even though their ancestors were the ultimate boat rockers. It really makes me think about our own world.

And Shevek. I love Shevek. I want no other person to introduce me to this world. His own biases and flaws are relatable and interesting. Him calling Urras Hell was so fascinating. His speech during the protest make me want to fight too. He's a perfectly imperfect human who doesn't even exist.

There's also so many little details Ursula LeGuinn specifically has as an author.

She likes to focus on one or two characters and explore a world through them.

She can actually write children which is rare.

She includes at least a few words of a conlang that I want to learn.

She goes into great detail about the vocabulary of Annares like how there is only one word for father while it can mean any man who took care of the child.

Lastly she included the most tender reunion between Shevek and Takver which is extra interesting because they're middle aged and usually romance only gets to be for hot young people.

So yeah I'm kind of a fan.

#the dispossessed #ursula k. le guin #ursula le guin

[kyouka-supremacy]

One of the reasons I love sskk is that you get the best of both worlds. One day I will analyse the way they are both mirrored versions of each other and the same and the next day I will clown them to hell and back because both are dumbasses (affectionate)

(Sorry if I'm sending you too many asks. I don't have anyone in my life that has read BSD, so this gives me a chance to talk about it [and my sons]. Love your blog ^-^)

THAT IS SO TRUE. They are a full 360° ship where you just can't go wrong. They'll be unpacking their deepest fears and bringing out the darkest sides of their minds and hitting and hitting and hitting because they hate themselves so much that they can't help but wanting the person that is most similar to them dead and then right after they'd be like “this riding experience is terrible” and “want to get some tea or something” and “you don't shop normally in normal places!” and whatever delightful thing their inexperienced attempts at plotting in chapter 85 was. They're profound and silly at the same time and it's so amusing and it basically forces you to want to pinch and pull at them untill you've seen all the forms their interactions can take.

Random babbling incoming but like. Their apparent stupidity and simplicity is exactly as important as the narrative symbolism and depth of their connection, because that's what makes them human, and relatable. We CAN'T all be supergenius, and sskk are so so ///so/// flawed, and it's so beautiful in its own way!!! Because humans are flawed, and it makes them feel all the more realistic and easy to sympathize with. And - crazy enough, listen to me carefully here - this duality of depth and simplicity is itself yet another side to the way the two mirror each other. Where Atsushi is always dwelling on his past and overthinking his actions, Akutagawa holds a way more simple, straightforward mindset: he's the “what a foolish question” and he's the “I don't need words, only actions”. I think they really work perfectly together, because Akutagawa often comes as someone who can help ground Atsushi from the ghosts that surround him, make him understand that the past is gone and what matters is here and now (see chapter 35 “The words of your past are fundamentally unrelated to who you are now”). Relating such concept, it's now been more than a month but I haven't been able to stop thinking about this reply from a fic author- quoting it directly because I wouldn't be able to explain it any better. (Please, make sure to read their works if you have the chance, they're incredible)

one of my favorite parts of bsd is how it addresses that 1. your emotional realities are valid and should be lived out and 2. sometimes mental blocks are solved not by indulging in them but by a reality check. sometimes when a person says “it feels like i’m drowning in my emotions”, “learn to swim” is a correct response. it’s silly and funny, but it’s also true. akutagawa engages with a lot of atsushi’s emotional realities by directly telling him: you have to move on. not in a “get over it” dismissive way, but in a “that’s just what you have to do” way. it’s a reminder that things are not hopeless, and they could never be, and indulging such a notion is mighty silly.

That's exactly it. I've particularly been reflecting over the “learn to swim” figure because it's. so silly and at the same time so serious and important in the way it perfectly‚ flawlessly exemplifies this aspect of the sskk relationship and in what Atsushi and Akutagawa are so different. The way they can actually, realistically help each other overcome their insecurity and fears, the way they unintentionally yet perfectly push each other to be better people every day makes me insane.

#There's not such thing as sending too many asks! Apologies if I take time to answer though //// #atsushi nakajima #ryūnosuke akutagawa #sskk #shin soukoku #bsd #bungou stray dogs #people asks me stuff

[drkstrudd]

A tip on writing characters

One of the main challenges in writing a character comes in the form of making said writing realistic enough to get invested in their actions, yet entertaining enough to not be a bore. When I write my characters, whether they're my own or I'm writing a fandom piece, I want to avoid that very real feeling all of us who have consumed any sort of narrative media have felt one time or another, which is, "Why are you renting a cabin in the middle of the woods where someone died? Are you stupid???" And the infamous, "Ugh, nobody would say that." 

And while I can't say my writing is the most realistic or the most watertight, what I can say is that striving for more realistic characters is something I keep doing, even unconsciously.

So, how am I approaching that goal?

Through writing a character that is bad first, then add goodness on top. All my characters are bad people first, then they're good out of those same traits that make them bad. Sure, this person rented a cabin in the woods after somebody died. Why? Maybe they're too into true crime. Maybe they were negligent, and didn't even see the news. Maybe they have a huge ego, and believe nothing will happen to them. It's in these choices where an author can make a character their meanest, their stupidest, their most cowardly, their angriest, where the most character can be derived.

Does a character cry when angry? Do they lash out? 

Making a hero doesn't mean one should scrub their flaws clean, nor should the narrative try to scrub said flaws off. If they show up, in my opinion, one should pursue these hints that perhaps, this character is wanting to take the narrative somewhere else. 

But Luna, what if my protagonist is an unreliable narrator? You may ask. Then, the mental gymnastics your character goes through to justify their actions should be clear and visible, and not dampened by the inherent belief that a protagonist should be good for a story to be enjoyable. 

Remember, that as an author you're also naturally bad, with good on top. You also have flaws inherent to being a human being, so I suggest looking at your fuck-ups as inspiration instead of shame. You are not above your artwork, nor are you above sinning or making stupid choices. You are not above being a monster, nor are your characters. Live, look around, read up on sociology and anthropology, but first and foremost, feel the cringe, feel the pain and the shame. Know you've lived, and that experience and passion shall take you to amazing worlds inside your imagination. You create from inside of you, as reality and fiction happens through you and not outside of you. 

Happy writing! :)

If you like what I do and what I write, consider buying me a coffee! I'd appreciate it. 

#writing #writing tips #writers #writers on tumblr #writeblr #writers and poets #writerscommunity #fanfic #strud.fics #strud.txt

[thedrarrylibrarian]

I'm so excited to have @tackytigerfic join me in the library today! I greatly admire not only their own incredible writing, but also the way that they cultivate and promote such a positive fandom space. I often find new and exciting fics and art from their blog and I just knew they'd be an amazing guest reccer. Not to brag on myself, but I was right! I loved the fic Tacky picked, and I think you will too!

I do want to give a heads up that this week's fic deals with heavier themes such as incarceration. The tags tell you at the beginning that in this fic Draco is incarcerated, and Harry is in auror training. This fic is also rated Explicit. Draco is a willing participant in making this fic explicit, but if the gray area of consent in a rehabilitation center might squick you, then this fic might not be your cup of tea.

That said, I now get the immense pleasure of welcoming Tacky to give their rec!

I’ve long been a fan of the Drarry Librarian, so it’s a real pleasure to be here today, taking part in the wonderful weekly fandom tradition of Happy Hour!

The Librarian has introduced me to so many new creations through their thoughtfully compiled rec lists, and I’ve always loved their Friends of the Library series. For me, fandom is first and foremost a community endeavour, and I love how the Librarian focuses on building and supporting that community.

I’m so excited to get the chance to contribute to this generous and encouraging fandom space.

I first came across Elaine’s writing through her delicious microficmay work jesus, etc featuring a starkly poetic series of linked fifty-word microfics. It’s a tense, steamy, lush fic featuring Charlie x Draco x Harry, and this snippet was the first piece I read (as you can see, these little micros often work brilliantly as compelling little standalones). 

I was then absolutely blown away by a licence to kill. This is still a WIP with one chapter of two completed, but even that one chapter had me gulping it down and holding my reading bowl up begging for more. It’s such an enchantingly funny premise (hitwizard Draco whose struggle to get his kill licence renewed made me actually, genuinely laugh out loud), with a cracker of a summary that had me rubbing my hands together in glee: Draco Malfoy has a licence to kill. Unfortunately, it expired last Tuesday. OR: how Draco Malfoy learned to stop worrying and love form AK-86-G. 

But despite the fact that I could rave about everything I’ve read by Elaine, the fic I’m here to recommend for Happy Hour is any day now. This is a 16k fic piece of political angst set in a Ministry-run “rehabilitation” centre for former Death Eaters. I am not sure how Elaine makes 16k fly past in one breathless rush, yet still creates something that feels epic in scale; whatever it is, it’s magical.

This fic was first recced to me by not one but two friends with superb taste — @corvuscrowned and @sweet-s0rr0w, who both told me I HAD to read it — but I was experiencing some Drarry burnout that meant I had been struggling with reader’s block. What I really needed was a fic that grabbed me by the throat from the very first line; a fic that brought me on a journey so intense and emotional that I couldn’t tear myself away; a fic so inventive and vivid with world-building that it made me gasp with admiration; a fic with such richly-developed, realistically flawed, truly lovable characters that made me root for them desperately. I got all this and more from any day now — it reminded me so forcefully of why I’m here in fandom, and how much I love this ship. 

This is really a Draco fic — and he’s a brilliant, beautiful Draco, perfectly imperfect, very human, a bit of a dick in the best possible way. We pity him but also really, really want him to be okay. We recognise his flaws, while also seeing the best parts of him even as he struggles. The character development is really topnotch. It hit me right in my soft spots in a way that authors like @astolat and @letteredlettered also do — it’s a very incisive and moving Draco arc. Elaine is very, very funny, but there’s a thread of real sharpness and poignancy under the humour. This, combined with the exuberance and pace of the writing, makes her fics simply unputdownable for me.

Yes, both Harry and Draco are morally grey. Yes, the ending is ambiguous. Yes, this fic deals with trauma and grief and loss and hopelessness and regret. But it also has a lightness and a zest to it that makes a grim subject feel very moving. It takes such skill to write the prosaic rhythms of a life of incarceration, and the smallness of the world behind bars, and make them feel huge and searching. There is a lot of really intense world-building and plotty detail here—political machinations! Undercover spying! Superhot smut! Feelings puppets!—but for me the most magical thing is how Elaine brings beauty and tenderness to the grubby, tedious realities of daily life, and makes the reader fall in love with these two hurt, hurtful, damaged boys. 

I loved this fic, and I hope you do too.

Read all the HP works by oknowiss here on AO3.

any day now by @oknowkiss (16,958 words, rated E)

Draco supposes he should be grateful. 

The rehabilitation centres were the Minister’s idea, or that’s what the Prophet said anyway. Their stated objective is simple: to provide a safe space for low-tier Death Eaters and high-tier sympathisers to reconsider the entirety of their life choices. All guests–because no one is a prisoner here, the literature brags–are to be provided with shelter, food, clothing, and the guided support of a Mind Healer via a programme they call “ideological restructuring,” which is, of course, mandatory. 

As always, if you find a fic you enjoy, please remember to leave the author a kudos or a comment!

❤️ Lots of Love and Happy Reading! ❤️

#friday fic rec #happy hour fic rec #happy hour #friday happy hour #tackytiger #drarry #the drarry librarian #harry potter #draco malfoy #thedrarrylibrarian #harry/draco #draco/harry #harry x draco #lots of love and happy friday #friends of the library

[chiconisroc]

Have you seen this review of your fic? (Sending in another ask cause I don't want people to think I'm trying to stir up trouble)

I appreciate that everyone has their own unique perspective. It's interesting to see my fanfiction being rated, as fanart doesn't typically receive ratings, which seems a bit unusual to me. Personally, I find it difficult to imagine giving an artist a rating for their artwork. I can’t even do so on a fanfiction either. Usually, I don’t care for a story, or I just love it, hahaha, but I never proceed with giving them a number. I'm not sure if fanart is typically rated by others; perhaps I'm out of the loop with such things?

Since the story hasn't reached its halfway point yet, there are many aspects that haven't been explored or will be addressed later. For instance, the puzzle… hehehe. The review was made before they read past chapter 20, so they didn’t get to see how Camila reached for the puzzle that was stored under her bed to bring along with them, so I didn’t forget about it ;3. So, it's intriguing to have a rating based on what has been presented thus far.

I would also like to emphasize the physical and mental challenges that Philip is going through in the story, from the beginning until now. He has faced near-death experiences with the Collector and has had Gus unearth memories that he had locked away for centuries. As a result, he hasn't had much time to gather himself and is struggling with his emotions/traumas that he shoves to the side a lot.

In my writing, I strive to create characters that feel realistic rather than conforming to the resilience typically seen in cartoons. Philip, being a 400-year-old man, carries a lot of baggage that is finally catching up to him mentally.

It's worth mentioning as a reminder that this is a fanfiction and not a fully edited and polished novel. Expecting perfection and have everything answered right away would be unrealistic, especially since I am constantly updating with new chapters more frequently than others :o. So, if there are some flaws in my story, which most likely there are, well, it is to be expected since I’m not an actual published author, and thus I’m practicing and learning to get better at writing so one day I can become an actual author one day : ). **This reminds me of the more recent question that if I were ever to rewrite the story. If i were to rewrite it, then yeah, for sure peeps would have a more published work which would be way better than it is right now, hahaha

That being said, I do appreciate the positive aspects the reviewer pointed out, which I find encouraging. To the person who wrote the review, if you would like, I can provide further explanation and defend the decisions made for the story through direct messaging. Rest assured, everything I write has a purpose behind it : ). And if you are enjoying the story now, then great! It's nice to have you along the ride with us : ). It's just always fun enjoying things together, hahaha

I won’t say more about the reviewer’s opinion since I’m currently working on the next chapter for the other story x.x, so… I got to write and write : ), hahaha

#philip wittebane #the owl house #emperor belos #was not the hero #belos #owl house fandom #owl house fanfiction

[somewhereinthepines]

hi hi! been curious about .. will you ever write a non-murder hector?

i suppose, i might do it at some point? but then, if i’m being completely honest, i kinda dig the canonical hector / du’met’s attire the most. *twirls fingers together* so in a way, it’s not easy for me to separate his murderous intent from him completely. in the back of my mind, i will always make a mental note about how it's smth, that he's capable of.  

besides, i generally love deeply nuanced characters. their mental struggles & misery is a good food for my brain. and their flaws are usually very precious to me. i tend to play into it vs making the characters overcome it. i usually don’t make my favs better, than they really are. in fact, i often make them give into their worst traits/impulses, bc it’s the most fun for me.

i’m also not the kind of author, who writes good-natured ‘fix it’ stuff tbh. many things (media), that i like on this acc are tied up to a narrative, that is written to be both disturbing & tragic. so instead of giving the characters a ‘happy ending’, i just try to give them smth nice in the middle of all the mess. or just make their situation even more shitty, haha. depending on the idea, that lies in the center of my story, anyways. but in most cases, the final goal isn’t to make the characters get better in some ‘fully healing’ way or smth, but to consider a variation, where they can get what they want without being ‘saved’. naturally, it can differ in the level or in how far the narrative can go with it, but in the end, i kinda love ‘fixing’ smth very messed up & sad in canon by changing the tone, rather than overwriting everything.

and when it comes to hector, i’m very enamored by the possibility of him still having charlie’s love, even when it’s all gone too far & he can no longer turn back. i mean, if charlie can accept hector munday like that, at his very worst, then what else can hector realistically ask for? this is the maximum level of devotion, that someone can show to a person. sticking with them, even when everything goes awry & wrong. charlie isn’t there to act as hector’s savior. he’s smart enough to know, that he can’t truly change him at that point. but maybe, he can make it easier & offer him a distraction. a hand, that doesn’t chastity or punish, but that keeps one grounded. 

i guess, what i’m saying is that it’s easy to imagine charlie being in love with hector munday, who’s just well, a sad, lonely dude with a traumatic past. but it’s more thrilling for me to imagine charlie, who would still love hector, even when he poses as granthem du’met. their canonical dynamic is predator/prey, after all. and i rarely see it being executed in tasteful ways in the media, so starting from the demo of the game, i was just like ooooh, that’s so pretty & intriguing. their first meeting made my heart go doki-doki lol. so like maybe, this is also why i’m kinda mentally unwilling to fully let go of this imagery? it was more, than i could have hoped for. and then, i’m historically weak in my knees for captor/captive stuff, when it’s done ‘right’. and now, i have one of such kind and it’s supermassive too! *girly giggle* for me, it’s like a present on bd tbh. i'm so happy to unwrap it.

but honestly, it’s a mere personal pref. a whim. and nothing stops me from eventually giving hector a story, where everything goes more smoothly and somewhat ‘normally’ for him. well, to a degree. so at some point, maybe i will write smth like that. but atm, all ideas that i have for du’lie are tied to du’met being a murder. the themes & visuals that it implies are very appealing for me, when it comes to the horror genre, and i’m a simple fella. i just do what feels ‘natural’ to me. 

sorry for a long answer, i guess, i just wanted to kind of explain my current view on this topic. everybody depicts things differently, and tbh, this fandom offers a fair share of different outlooks on du’met & charlie. and thankfully, there are a few authors/creators, who provide fics with set-ups, where hector is just a man with issues. so it’s not like this au doesn’t get covered. 

as for me, i’m a weirdo who tends to play in their own sandbox. so at times, if the wind blows, i might write smth unexpected, but well…usually, there is still a murder or some disturbing stuff looming in the background lol. i have very little understanding of 'naked' gentleness or pure fluff, or like…well, just nice things being nice without smth surrounding it, like a slowly closing fist. so usually, i just sit on side, watching how other folks do it. so this isn't like i don't like those set-ups. i'm just isn't the person, who can easily conjure smth like that, haha.

#asks

[knightotoc]

I just finished The Bone Clocks and I'm a weepy mess. What a luxurious read. Every book I love hits me in at least one weak spot (things I either deeply love or deeply fear), but Bone Clocks was punching the whole set: science fiction, protecting children, tragic dads, Bush-era trauma, medievalism, jaded characters with one sliver of humanity left, characters who are very good but deeply angry, characters who are very bad but deeply guilty, realistic "immortal" characters, devastating near-future apocalypse, satisfying payoff to a distant setup, and, most heartbreaking, our brilliant young fool becomes old and sad. I'm almost feeling more like this thing read me. There's even a quote that contradicts that feeling in the book, something like, "Books can talk but do not listen." Are you sure, book?

I did find the grounded parts of the story much more compelling than the fantastical parts. I feel like this is partially intended by the author and partially the result of me growing old and boring. So I appreciated that the coolest things about the fantastic powers are their limitations. Every miracle has to come with confusion and tragedy. If I were writing, I would have made the "good" magical group more clearly flawed.

I'm also wary of the role of race in this story, as POC are less fully realized than white characters -- more often temporary hosts for immortal souls than true individuals (as in "Get Out" or "Soul"). There's also this strange attitude toward spirituality, that illogical Western beliefs (Jesus, God) are obviously wrong but mysterious Eastern beliefs (reincarnation, third eye) are kinda true; I remember someone else observed this assumption in "The Good Place," and you can see it in a lot of sci-fi by ex-Christian (?) white people.

#the bone clocks #david mitchell

[haleigh-sloth]

the outcome were the villains switch to the heroes side and stop all for one would be a very 'sweet/happy' path, but would it be the right path to actually getting what they're fighting for or to surviving at all? I do believe that both the hero kids and villains can come to understand each other but if that does happen and the LOV goes to the good side, what power do the hero kids really have to change things besides microphone preaching? Heroes are loved in bnha but they aren't truly leaders of society/government, even if (somehow) they get many more civilians to change/become less apathetic, what happens if another hero commission comes along(or anyone in government power) and just says FU? What happens then? I know this seems harsh but bnha has set up these problems: quirk discrimination, a seemingly complete lack of social/system help even for children who face hardship, quirk singularity (big problem!). So I guess what I'm asking is, if 'good' methods of change wind up not working out, are the heroes the ones who should start considering the other side's methods?

Well, a couple of things here:

For me personally and the things I care about within the story and the story’s ending, you’re being way too realistic with this. It’s a story. If the author wants things to magically start to work out in the end, then they will. Diving into the nitty gritty details and logistics of it can be fun for analyzing for sure! But if we’re talking about analyzing the story WE HAVE and predicting what ending we’re heading toward—this is kind of an unproductive discussion because it’s based on things that aren’t canon. Since these are all “what ifs”.

You’re saying “what if” it doesn’t work out? I mean, when the story ends, that’s where it ends. We won’t know if it doesn’t work out ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . Also, that’s an “if”. But again, does it really matter?

In-universe wise—as for how? Idk, that’s for Hori to decide. But I see it going down a path where things get really really drastic and bad, the heroes HAVE to rely on the help of the LOV, and through that team up they start to actually TALK and hear each other out. My prediction for that hasn’t changed.

The whole point is for them to absorb each other’s ideals and learn from each other, and that’s exactly what it seems to be heading toward.

Do I think the heroes need to start considering the LOV’s methods?

No????

The LOV aren’t doing anything productive. They’re not supposed to be these vigilante social justice warriors that are deconstructing a corrupt system from the inside out. They’re angry, hurt, lashing out at everybody around them, and desperately in need of help. Stopping them takes priority because more people can’t die, then rather than punishing them they get help. That’s the idea of them “switching sides”.

I say “switching sides” because it’s just an easy way to describe what I mean. But what I really mean is both sides come together. Nobody is more right than the other, more innocent or more guilty. However, on the hero side most of the characters are individually innocent, because they haven’t done anything to intentionally hurt the LOV but rather they benefit off of a corrupt system that they aren’t individually responsible for creating. The teenagers and Aizawa and the UA teachers and All Might all have flaws as people, but none of them individually can be described as guilty of hurting others with the intention TO hurt.

The LOV are a bit different and that’s why it’s a challenge. Each of them IS guilty of hurting someone or something, directly through their own choice. Yes they were reactionary choices, that’s why they need to be saved and helped rather than fought and then killed.

The LOV are hurt by the system that the heroes uphold, but the LOV hurt the heroes (some of them) directly and personally on their own accord.

Don’t get me wrong I love the villains and the hero side is just…so bleh in comparison in terms of development and learning and changing. But the whole “THE LOV ARE INNOCENT!!!” takes are just incorrect lol. And their methods are wrong. Their beliefs are up for personal interpretation for whether they’re valid or not (imo they are) but their methods are not. Terrorizing and mass killing is objectively wrong so I don’t think the hero side would ever take those methods as The Way To Go lol.

I say this a lot but people should really go read Fullmetal Alchemist and see how its ending was executed. Systemic change was heavily implied, but the story had to come to an end before we saw the change. But we’re left thinking “oh so things will change and get better!” You’re not supposed to close the last volume and think “I wonder how long before their next world war 🤔”. Like….it’s a story. That’s how I see BNHA ending. On the note of change, but we probably won’t see all of it happen. Maybe in extra content? Light novels? But in manga, I doubt it.

When BNHA ends I’m not gonna sit and wonder how the details will play out. I’m just gonna take the happy ending for what it is.

It’s not that the questions you posed aren’t good ones, but they’re not the kind of things I am interested in dissecting and taking apart story-wise. I understand this is a fun discussion for people who like to get into the logistics of the world building, but personally I’m not into it enough for these talks. For me I just wanna see my favorite characters have a happy life at the end.

#bnha #boku no hero academia #anonymous #bnha asks #bnha lov #bnha league of villains #league of villains #mha #my hero academia

[sneezysinclown]

!!TSAT SPOILERS!!

So I read it. And I really don’t overall feel too strongly about it. I mean it’s not my favorite book in the world, but I don’t hate it. That being said there were a couple things that no one wants me to but I feel the need to rant about. Just a quick warning if you loved the book and don’t want to hear any criticism that's totally fine, this post isn't for you :)) I don’t want to bash anyone’s enjoyment there are just somethings that I think need to be talked about. And listen, I get that it’s a kid's book, and I know that some of the criticisms are completely unwarranted, but I still think that it deserves some regardless. (And i’ve seen the argument that this book is getting more criticism/hate bc it’s centered around a gay couple and not a hetero one which is valid in some respects but is also used to discredit a lot of legitimate criticism) So that being in mind here’s my two cents on a few things.

First of all, the relationship dynamic. I have always liked the ship (or the idea of it) fairly well. And I really tried to be completely open to however it would be presented in the book seeing as so much of it that I know was created by the fandom. I have to say overall it wasn't bad. There are many genuinely sweet moments and for the most part their dynamic makes sense considering their age and experience. But while reading both perspectives something I couldn't shake at times was how one-sided it felt. This ties into something I see pretty much everyone talking about which is the off-putting way Will's character was written at times. I felt like Nico was always talking about how beautiful Will was, how sweet and kind and good he was (which don't get me wrong was nice), but I felt like I saw barely any of that from Will. It felt kind of uncomfortable at times, especially with the whole point of their relationship being that Will accepts Nico and reciprocates his feelings. I don't really have anything else to say on that but I will mention how I did genuinely enjoy how the relationship wasn't as developed and close as could have been made out to be. They were flawed and were developing and learning how to support each other which was what made some parts so lovely. I feel like that was realistic.

Alright now the Persephone’s Garden scene and the framing of Will’s character. From what I've seen people either absolutely hate or totally love this scene. Again, I'm somewhat neutral on it as a whole I think in theory it could have been nice but with the weird way the authors went about writing Will it again just fell sort of flat. The conversation Will has with Persephone where (to my understanding) he asks her how he is supposed to love Nico felt very odd to me. It, along with a few other scenes, made it feel like Will's purpose with Nico was to "fix" him. Which I mean??? Again, the is the whole thing about their relationship not that Will accepts Nico as he is?? I feel like this line of thinking from Will could have been an interesting subject to talk about to develop his character and his and Nico's relationship, but it was never acknowledged. Sometimes it felt like the writing was trying to make you like Will or sympathize with him but it just didn't work and instead did the opposite. (also the whole thing with him calling his boyfriend's stepmom the "most gorgeous person he'd ever seen" right to his face didn't sit well with me but that's just kinda a personal thing).

So can most of us agree that the coming out thing was weird? I'm not going to say too much on it bc honestly I'm just kind of baffled. The whole thing felt very uncharacteristic and was framed as Nico like "taking back his power" or something but just kinda left me like :/. After everything Nico struggled with (and was still struggling with) it felt very disrespectful to his character. But yeah, again, :/?

Finally, what was that first kiss? Seriously? I’m sorry but it really didn't sit right with me. Nico’s breaking down bc his best friend is DEAD and Will chooses that moment to kiss him or the first time? And it’s made to seem all romantic and sweet? What would have been sweet would have been Will being there (which he admittedly was) and helping Nico work through his grief however Nico needed him to. After all Nico’s been through surrounding his sexuality the fact that he’d be okay with that makes no sense. This really made it feel like they were throwing all of Nico’s previous baggage out of the window for this scene (or book lol). It should have been treated with more respect. I feel like Nico should have initiated it. The way it was done didn't really feel meaningful it felt disrespectful to BOTH their characters. And I’ve seen people saying that Nico kissed Will when he was upset plenty of times throughout the book and people criticizing the first kiss scene are just doing it to villainize Will. Ya’ll. That. is. Not. the. Same. thing. Kissing someone FOR THE FIRST TIME while they're going through tremendous grief and in distress to comfort them and kissing someone who you’ve been dating for a while and kiss casually all the time while their upset to comfort them are VERY different situations. I’m not trying to say Will is horrible, I honestly think that a great deal of backlash for his character is undeserved, I’m just confused to why anyone would think that was a good decision. In the end, I think the scene really just boils down to a complete misunderstanding of a character on EITHER author's end. 

So yeah in conclusion:

#posting is nerve wracking #this is a lot #but what do i know lol #tsats #the sun and the star #tsats spoilers #the sun and the star spoilers #solangelo #will solace #nico di angelo

[em-writes-stuff-sometimes]

Okay…just between us girls…how much to drop chapter 7 now? 👀

Jokes aside, I love everything about chapter 6. I swear I’m not a stalker despite how many times I’ve refreshed ao3 and reread every chapter. You’re an amazing writer and the characters you’re building are so well fleshed out. Plus the smut is epic, I’m mentally preparing myself for the next part.

I’m gonna stop gushing in a bit, I just wanted to also say I love how this story just evolved and you just ran with it. As someone who never posts their stories because I always get stuck midway I feel really inspired by your approach. I hope it keeps being as fun for you as it is for us, you’re honestly doing God’s work by feeding out feral/pervy Daemon addiction.

Oh my gosh, this comment made me SQUEEEEE! I'm so so flattered and grateful that you like my story - I'm not an author by any means, but Daemon awoke something feral in me that I had to exorcise in written form.

I hate the idea of demonising Rhaenyra OR Alicent; I find both flawed and realistic and so, so sad in the way they are essentially driven by their circumstances into this large-scale conflict. Otto can go die honestly, don't care about him; I don't like Aegon either (as you can tell). I'm honestly torn about how to approach Aemond - he's a monster in canon, and it could be fun to play around with that, but I also see the appeal of using Reader as a guiding force to rein him in a bit. Decisions, decisions.... And of course, I love Daemon in ALL his awesome, sexy, irredeemable forms. Adding a Reader character is a great way to be in the story, and as boring as it can be to write some parts, I can't skimp out on the character- and relationship-building.

I honestly don't know how this happened - it started as a 200-word idea on the 24th of September, and now it spans 60,000 words and counting. I have ideas for at least four additional fics in this universe too, and that doesn't even cover the period of the Dance. I will be expanding donus rinus as it is technically the 'main' fic of this series, and it bothers me that Daemon somehow had more to say lol.

Thank you so so much for your comment, it was lovely :)

#fanfiction comments

[psychewritesbs]

even though I do not mind the weekly or bi weekly chapter releases and enjoy them, I kind of wish I would wake up one day and the final chapter of jjk would be here lol

I mean this as like the time left with the series is fast forwarded. I don't like rushing in any context, but I feel like I want to know the ending before I fall out of love with the series. I've enjoyed what gege has given in the story so far, but there is plenty of choices I would say I do not agree with imo. He seems like he has a vision of how things need to go, but getting there seems to have some issues. I also kind of hate it when authors say they want to end the story especially when it feels like it will be rushed, and is JJK's case it's sometimes hard to enjoy the story after its been said bc I'm just wondering if we're spending too much time on one thing before we need to move to the next point, but I'll still try to see the story's good and the bad and enjoy what I can. I'm going to reread the culling game arc soon, but I feel like those first fights were about gaining allies, but I can say I wasn't expecting it to go like that if that was the intention. I don't mind kenjaku having secret plans bc it's obvious when it comes to them, but I feel as though that plan overshadowed the point of the cg?? I thought there would be more focus of to kill or not, etc and I see that the most for megumi and yuji (they had my fav colony battles), and I get it somewhat with yuta, but I dont see it too importantly with hakari or maki. I'm going to reread the arc regardless because I can always be confused or a bit slower in catching on so forgive me if my insight is lackluster. I liked the running themes during yuki vs kenjaku, but her "death" felt very unnecessary because she seemed really important in achieving a curse free world and idk about you but that seems like an important goal imo and yeah someone else could lead that charge but what was wrong with yuki doing that? I don't know, but I can only hope the remaining part of the story alongside its ending is something not only we can gain some satisfaction with, but the author too can look back and say, "hey it was pretty good at least"

Gege doesn't seem to drop the ball too much with Yuji or at least megumi too, and I'm not too worried since they're my characters of interest currently, but I want to reread this story and actually believe it when I say I thought all the cast was good and I believe the writing can be better or can get worse (idk) but time will tell it all. I'm a recurring anon, so I'm sorry if the apologies are constant and sound like emails at the end 😅

Dear Recurring Anon,

HOLA! Thanks for being my recurring anon and reaching out again!

Ok but listen... I’ve been sitting on your ask for a while thinking of what I wanted to say and how to say it. I’ve probably started 3 different drafts for my response. So thanks for your patience!

Truth of the matter is that when I read your words, what it comes down to is that, even though you don’t like the recent direction the manga has taken, Jujutsu Kaisen still holds an important place in your heart. 

So I think the most important question to keep in mind is that, in a story like JJK where the strongest sorcerers have the most overwhelming sense of self... where does your sense of self stand in all of this?

What do you want to take with you from JJK? 

The stuff you didn’t like because it didn’t live up to your expectations? 

Or the stuff you loved even though JJK was incredibly flawed?

Of course there’s more word vomit under the cut lol... you know how I roll.

I’ll start by asking you to forgive me if I’m wrong and you just really needed a container where your thoughts on the current state of JJK would be honored and acknowledged. The truth is that I totally get where you’re coming from. 

I do. 

I hear you.

It’s just that it’s in my perhaps annoying nature to be stupidly optimistic even when I am being a realist. There’s always a silver lining to everything if you are willing to make the effort to find it. 

So, yes, I agree, and I’m also going to challenge you to find a way to continue loving JJK if that’s what you want for yourself.

That said... lets get on with the bitching lol.

Problems with JJK, problems everywhere!

Your concern regarding the pacing in the story is something that I share with you. Most especially the concern that, moving forward, Gege is going to cut corners. I’d also say that at this point this “concern” is factually canon lol. 

I also agree so much with the sentiment of “is he taking too much time on this when he should be addressing this other plot point?” And I think nothing captures that dilemma quite like the Culling Game arc does--ESPECIALLY with the way he handled the chosoyuki ordeal.

Like we got pages upon pages of all of these characters and exposition and dialogue and like... wait, what was the point of the Culling Game again? 

Why has no one died yet?! 

Why is Yuta kissing a cockroach and why are Kashi-chan and Kin-chan trying to see who has the biggest ego (pun intended)? 

Like I swear for weeks I've been like “ok it’s going down!!!! yeah here comes the angst and the deaths aaaaaaand ok never mind then.... maybe next chapter? ok.... next chapter? ok next chapter for sure. no? next chapter?”

FOR WEEKS! It’s all recorded in my chapter liveblogs lol.

Truth is, to me, the Culling Game is a weird arc because I am still trying to understand its significance within the larger Jujutsu scheme of things.

Perhaps he bit more than he could chew with the Culling Game? And as a writer myself I find this kind of relatable. I’m actually seeing what is happening with JJK and taking note of how having too many themes and plot lines can ultimately be detrimental to a story if you can’t, or are unable to execute them all to a satisfying conclusion.

So to your point about re-reading the Culling Game arc... let’s hope that Gege manages to bring it all full circle. But as things stand right now, we’re in the middle of whatever Gege has in mind so it’s hard to see the forest for the trees.

What I’ll say is that I have enjoyed parts of it with reckless abandon...

Literal picture of me reading through the absolutely ridiculous battle between Kashi-chan and Kin-chan:

I also think that, at best, we have gotten in-depth character studies (because Gege is harping on the idea about the sense of self being at the core of power in JJK) and needed exposition. 

For example, even though Naoya coming back was soooooo cringe to me, I can still see the purpose it served in the narrative. Did I enjoy the journey? Not really. Same for Maki’s development.

The thing is that even if I agree with you on everything I just mentioned... I can’t unsee the story written between the lines even if the execution of the panels falls short, because I am always reading at a meta level.

I am passionate about story telling and how stories move humans, so to me, now that I’ve seen and acknowledge these flaws in the work, reading JJK is less about what’s on the panels, and more about the story he is trying to tell on a meta level through the panels.

My chosoyuki meta is a great example of me recognizing the story being told between the lines. And once I went down all of the rabbit holes I went down, even though I agree wholeheartedly that the execution fell short, the story told in the symbols was amazing to me. It honestly made me wish that Gege would have had the patience, time, energy, and space to birth that side story into the world the way it deserved to be told.

To me, I want Gege to be able to ground his vision onto the page, but if he is not able to, I’m still there for the “story” told between the lines because there’s so few mangaka whose imagination has captivated me.

In the end, as you say, it does feel like Gege is struggling to ground his vision into the page. And it kind of does suck because we, as an audience, have to work that much harder to understand the story he is trying to tell.

But the story being told is still there... so now it’s up to you to decide what you want to focus on: the flop, the bad execution, the failed attempt, JJK not living up to your expectations, or Gege, the flawed human behind the manga, trying and showing up.

What is good enough for you? That’s something for you to decide. 

I’m not saying to ignore the execution. 

I’m saying to remember that this is Gege’s first manga and that JJK is not what it started as--but not because it’s gotten worse, but rather because JJK is now more like Gege than it has ever been... because in a story like JJK where the strongest sorcerers have the strongest sense of self... yadda yadda yadda.

Trust the process: life is a journey, not a destination

I think your concern that you want to experience the ending makes a lot of sense and feels very relatable even at this point in my life. 

But the truth is... 

Foregoing the journey in favor of the destination is a recipe for perpetual dissatisfaction. Look at what happened to Denji after he finally got to touch boobs!

Ok yeah, there’s a lot more to it than that in this particular case but the concept still applies.

It also applies to JJK. Again, right now we can’t see the forest for the trees because Gege is executing a complex arc.

The timeline is confusing af, and I think it’s because he may be trying to pull a similar literary trick to what happened in Westworld’s season 1 and 2 where the timeline is scrambled out of order to purposely confuse and mislead the audience. 

Perhaps the timeline is out of order for another grand purpose. Perhaps he just thought it would be fun and wanted to try to execute a fun literary trick.

But we won’t know until he delivers--and delivering is a process, not a destination.

And you know what... if you still get to the end and realize that you didn’t like JJK and the latter part of the story ruined your love for JJK, well...

It’s personal

Dude like... I respect that people LOVE Chainsaw Man, and I also think Chainsaw Man is ridiculously overhyped. I’ve seen countless of videos with people hyping it as the all end be all of manga and that Fujimoto is a genius and...

I. 

just. 

don’t. 

get. 

it.

I am just not a fan of Fujimoto’s brand of navel-gazing existentialism. It feels so anti-climatic to me.

Does that mean that CSM objectively sucks and is bad?! No. It’s personal.

Similarly, I overhype the hell out of CLAMP manga, and I am also aware that people might read CLAMP manga and not like it. 

Even so, to me, the four women behind CLAMP are genius story-tellers.

Shameless Subaru and CLAMP plug because this is one of my favorite Tokyo Babylon panels.

It comes back to personal taste, right?

For me, I love JJK despite the flaws because I still love the story being told between the lines, I find Gege’s brand of ironic humor funny, and I like how the story has progressed. 

Say goodbye to mainstream, Gege’s work might become a cult classic moving forward

Now... I bring up Fujimoto and CLAMP to illustrate the idea that there are people who are going to be dedicated fans of a mangaka and their work, people who enjoy and appreciate their work but don’t necessarily love it,  people who are in it for the hype, and people who don’t like their work.

CLAMP’s Cardcaptor Sakura is mainstream hype. Tokyo Babylon and Clover are what you read when you’re a hardcore fan.

Fujimoto’s CSM is mainstream hype. Fire dude punch something something and Goodbye Eri is what you read when you’re a hardcore fan. 

Watanabe’s Cowboy Bebop is mainstream hype. Zankyou no Terror and Carole and Tuesday are what you watch when you’re a hardcore fan.

Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen is mainstream hype. 

Gege followed the Battle Shonen recipe, added his own twists, and created an accidental mega hit. In fact, oddly enough, JJK has always been known as a story that defies expectations and uses tropes in new and unexpected ways.

So what happened? Why are people not liking Gege’s current execution?

To me, there’s something about how JJK is written that has changed, and it has nothing to do with Gege’s ability to write, and everything to do with his sense of self, who he has become in the process of writing JJK, and what he wants to express through his work.

In other words, JJK is more like Gege than it has ever been. Some people are going to like that, and some are not. 

Truth is that Gege is one of the VERY few mangaka who can write beautiful, multidimensional, engaging and extremely human characters who are true to their nature and aspirations.

He also writes on a very meta level and you don’t see that very often... like at all. 

All this to say that I think this is why you see such vastly different reactions in fandom right now. 

Some people still think he’s a fantastic writer and that he’s writing a unique work that has transcended generic Shonen tropes (like yours truly), and some people think that the way JJK is right now is generic Shonen. I don’t understand this last take but...

Who is right?

Who holds THE ultimate truth?

It doesn’t really matter because it’s personal.

All I know is that I am going to keep up with anything Gege publishes moving forward because I like the story he is telling through JJK.

Above all, I’m curious to see what other stories want to be born through him into this world.

Now, I HIGHLY recommend you listen to this 20 minute Ted talk by Elizabeth Gilbert to understand what I mean when I say that Gege is giving birth to stories. Her talk is a mind-opening take on what happens to your sense of self when you accidentally write a mega hit, and how that in turn affects your creative process.

I don’t know that this is how Gege sees his work as a mangaka, but I have to wonder about the possibility that Gege, someone who has very clearly studied the psychology of Carl Jung, sees JJK as an exercise in creative imagination, and/or as a story he’s been handed from the collective unconscious.

His job as a mangaka is to show up and write, to play, to express himself creatively.

That means that sometimes what he writes is going to be magnificent in the eyes of others, and sometimes it’s going to fall short of everybody’s expectations.

And that’s what it comes down to... 

Expectations

I see a lot of people complain about JJK failing to live up to their expectations without acknowledging that their expectations are simply that, expectations.

There’s nothing wrong with having expectations per se, and it is also important to realize when expectations are defining what we think is and isn’t good enough. 

And let’s not forget that you too probably don’t live up to other’s expectations. Does that mean that your effort too isn’t good enough? Gosh now I sound like Lacus.

Again... who holds the ultimate truth?

In the end, Gege is the one telling the Jujutsu Kaisen story. 

I also cannot emphasize enough that Gege is also a mangaka in the very early stages of his writing career. 

I don’t buy that his writing was better in the beginning of JJK. 

Quite the opposite, I see his writing AND art in the beginning of JJK as having followed a recipe: the three man team, found family, the strong mentor figure, etc... all the tropes are there executed in fresh and unexpected ways. 

But that was 5 years ago. Again... in a story like JJK where the strongest sorcerers have the strongest sense of self... what does that mean for Gege?

That said, Gege isn’t following the same recipe anymore, he’s coming up with his own recipe and he’s learning how to write his own recipe.

This is not to make excuses for him, it’s just something to think about because most people aren’t born naturally talented at anything that requires mastery, and writing is a craft that requires mastery through execution. 

As a quick side note, if you read Tokyo Babylon and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle by CLAMP, the 10+ year gap between both manga shows a marked improvement in the writing. AND EVEN THEN CLAMP MANAGED TO FUCK UP THE TSUBASA PLOT!

In other words, Gege has to fail to get better. 

Now add to that the pressure of a weekly publishing schedule that dampens the creative process with tight deadlines, and then on top of that having to draw the whole thing. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

Gosh, if I had to guess, I would have to say Gege is ready for an extended vacation. 

But, as you say, I also just want for him to be satisfied with his story. 

As for us being satisfied with his story... well, it depends on what we choose to focus on.

Will you focus on how he failed at executing his vision?

Will you focus on the beautiful story he told between the lines?

Or will you focus on how how he managed to tell a beautiful story despite failing at the execution?

Can you hold the tension of opposites?

Ok SO SORRY this took me so long to get back to you my dear recurring anon. I just had so many thoughts because, like I said before, I agree with you, and I also wanted to challenge you to see things a little differently without being patronizing.

In the end, you want to continue to love JJK, right? 

So love JJK! 

Acknowledge its flaws and be at peace with them for the sake of that love. Nothing is perfect.

Anyways, I love that we can be in conversation about this and that you have come to me to share your thoughts on jjk. 

Merci beaucoup. 

#for anyone who thinks the writing in jjk sucks right now #and is worried about it #god I love jujutsu kaisen #ask the mental gymnastics anime girl

[cleanlenins]

Hello Lenn!

I’ve been following your mc sideblog for a like, a few months(?) and have been reading to be truly free since the first chapter and I just have to say:

You are literally my favourite fanfic writer. Between updates I just keep rereading to be truly free over and over again. It’s just so brilliant, every sentence is just so !!!! Idk how to describe it, I don’t think I can describe it, you can just tell you poured a lot of love, energy and time into it and it paid off so well! All the scenes just work so well. And the characterization! You capture everyone’s personality perfectly and I love how you write Techno. I get so hyped for your updates I’ve literally spoken about it to real life friends lol. Also! You introduced the politics and worldbuilding so well so well that I just me wanna know more.

I’m sure you get this a lot, that you’re a wonderful, really talented writer.

(Also that ask you sent anarachy-and-piglins, yeah how are you able to get me SO hooked with one tumblr ask? that was amazing I will be thinking a lot about it thank you very much, if you have even one crumb to share about it I would love to hear)

You know anon, first I gotta thank you because I did NOT realize I had asks turned off on paladinpalindrome. That's a big oopsie on my part. And you sending this ask let me know I did that so now I can fix it. So, omg thanks.

Second of all, I am currently a puddle of goo. Just, goo on the floor. This comment was so nice, I just completely melted. I am the first goo to be able to use a keyboard because you are just SO INCREDIBLY NICE. I don't even know WHAT to do with you telling me I'm your favorite fanfic author. I am overjoyed that you enjoy my story that much. I'm having a blast writing it, and it just makes it so much fun knowing that others like it to.

You saying you reread it is breaking my brain. Like asjkhks. Someone liked it enough to reread. I'm blushing. Blushing is something goo can do, right?

I do pour a lot of effort into it. I want it to be good. I enjoy making it good. Even if sometimes I get a little stuck, I love the story so much and want to do it justice. Sometimes I feel a little like I am being a bit too much of a perfectionist with it, seeing little flaws that are probably not there or not a big deal, but I think that is everyone who tries to make art or write or create in general. Like, Characterization? I try really hard on that. Like really really hard. I want it to feel authentic. I don't want the characters to feel ooc. But I also want to indulge in the writing tropes that I find fun. Which means thinking of realistic reasons for those situations to occur. And I am so so touched to hear that I am doing that successfully. It makes me feel great.

Also, the politics and worldbuilding is so fun, but also INCREDIBLY exhausting. Why did I make the world so big, oh ancients. (The answer was because it's fun but keeping everything straight is very hard).

I'm so incredibly happy that you think I am doing a good job. That is-well, goo-inducing. I don't have the words to describe the happy bubbling feeling. I am twirling my hair.

I'm assuming you mean the Dark Royal SBI ask I sent to Anarchy-and-Piglins. I don't have a ton of concrete ideas on it yet. If I do write it, I won't post it until I have the whole thing written out. Just because that would maybe help me NOT blow it up into a 100k word monster like To Be Truly Free has become. Maybe. Hopefully.

As for crumbs with it, hmmm. I kinda like the idea that Tommy doesn't like Techno at first? You know, he's jealous of all the time that Will spends with Techno and so he isn't warming up to him. But at a dinner, Techno secretly offers to eat Tommy's vegetables that he doesn't want to eat (they were carrots, why would Tommy want to eat carrots? ew). When Phil turns his back for a second, Techno scoops them up in his hand and shoves them all in his mouth in one bite. When Phil turn back, all of Tommy's veggies are gone so Tommy can go play. Techno has to pretend that he doesn't have a mouth full of food, because that isn't very polite. Luckily, its not all that strange for him to be a little less talkative. Tommy starts to warm up to him after that.

Phil knew, of course, but he wanted his new sonboy to get along with his kids. However, he doesn't give them a chance to do it again so Tommy still has to eat his veggies.

Thank you so much for the ask! And thank you for your kind words <3 <3 <3

#hannahmail #mcyt #to be truly free #long post