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#Literary Community
syderary-theory · 2 years
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What I’ve learned over the past year about poetry as “not a poet.”
Concepts: start with images, not feelings
A mistake that I still make on occasion when drafting a poem is thinking it’s all about the feelings instead of how my reader experiences the poem. The problem with that is that feelings are subjective and abstract. What feels like anger to me might just be mild irritation to you. You’ll often get a stronger poem from building up from imagery, where you can use your language to evoke whatever feeling you want your poem to capture.
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Drafting: read it aloud to yourself
This is how you’re going to eventually learn rhythm and meter. It’s also a great way to identify opportunities for sound play.
Editing: look for opportunities for concision
The real art of poetry is trying to say the most with the least amount of words. Literally every. word. matters. Often times the first words you can cross out are conjunctions, relative/subjunctive clauses, and articles. Lyric poetry especially lends itself to concision.
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Revision: get feedback if you can
I’m all truthfulness, I am still learning how to revise. Having access to a group of peers has proven to be a wonderful tool for me when it comes to tightening up my poems. However, if you don’t have access to a peer group, something that helps me is identifying my original goals for the poem, and asking myself how those goals may have changed and why.
Formatting: let’s just keep this one simple
Left aligned, 12pt Times New Roman, single space. You’re done.
Grammar: how to get away with run ons
Poetry is one of the most flexible genres when it comes to grammar because of the way it relies on pause for punctuation. Instead of trying to decide where the comma should go, it might be better to ask where you want the reader to pause, and that’s when you decide how you want to convey that pause. One of the most effective vehicles for pause is white space, the more white space you see on the page, the more pause implied. This means shorter lines elicit more pause between lines than longer lines.
Additional note: dude just have fun
None of these are hard fast rules, these are just the tools I’ve found most effective when crafting poems. Also, poems don’t have to be deep dark scary little things, they can be joyous, hopeful, and even silly (look up flarfs). Poems are great opportunities to express our innermost turmoil yea, but there’s no reason to pour your heart out each time you sit to write a poem. Have some fun with it and experiment.
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librarycards · 7 months
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Hey I was a contributor for the trans youth folio you edited and I was very moved by all of the work youve put into it alongside your editors note! I really can’t thank you enough for the lovely opportunity. If it’s alright to talk about, how did you work out a name for the literary community and what to write about in cover letters? Ofc you shouldn’t give any specific advice if you’re not comfy but to shed light on my situation I’m closeted rn, not planning to change my name legally but (1/2)
(2/2 contributor anon) still want to participate in publishing events and a physical literary community while in college. Do most people not question the use of pseudonyms? Please feel free not to answer stuff if you’re not comfortable but I would find any answer to be illuminating as your blog and previous answers are already filled with delightful insights on writing and literature. ^-^ hope you have a wonderful day!
thank you for sending this and for your wonderful contribution! <3
here are a few thoughts on my experience with names, etc. and submitting:
I began submitting / publishing when I was 17 and still using my full legal name. This is still how most of my publications, academic and nonacademic, are listed based on, like, google metadata. I used this name between 17-21 (aka from the start to end of undergrad) because this was the name I used on campus, and had used all my life.
when I was 21, I started grad school, and made a bit of a "fresh start" by beginning to go by my legal surname. soon after, i began experimenting with different ways to style my legal name, including omitting my first name, using brackets/lowercase, using an initial, switching the order of my names, etc. if you go through my literary publications here, you can see a variety of different versions.
any literary publication worth their salt will accept a different name than your legal one for your byline, end of. i have never once had a problem with this, and using a pseudonym, especially in the case of marginalization, is a longstanding practice (I mean, George Eliot!). As an editor, I have published a variety of modifications for peoples' names: initials, nicknames, full on pseudonyms or very obviously constructed names/terms. Basically, published names matter only inasmuch as a magazine can create an archive for your work so others can find it. You will have to give a mag your legal name for legal reasons (contract, payment, shipping of print material) but there's no reason they'd ever have to share that with readers.
For the cover letter: short and sweet is always the way to go, unless a mag explicitly states otherwise. I generally use the template of:
introduce myself (name, pronouns - these are for the editors to use when corresponding with me)
intro to my work: title, wordcount, is it a reprint, is it a simultaneous submission
content warnings, if applicable
thank the readers/editors for their consideration, provide any extra info that has been requested on the submission guidelines
closing
below your sign off - a short, third person bio with previous publications/professional associations/anything else you want published with your work
rarely are my cover letters more than 200 words + a <100 word bio.
Apex Magazine formats theirs very slightly differently, but offers another excellent template.
if it is not safe for you to have your legal name connected to your work, tell the editors upon acceptance (usually, when your work is accepted, you'll be asked for an updated bio and/or other materials). Unfortunately, this is almost certainly a situation that the editors have dealt with before –– queer/trans people, people in countries with heavy restrictions on expression, people experiencing or fleeing abuse/in precarious housing situations, etc –– may all ask to use pseudonyms.
In the case of your college mag, I recommend talking to established members of that specific literary community about your situation, if only for your peace of mind. i can almost guarantee you are not the only person to have that experience. a faculty member who has been there a while might have a better idea of what other students in that situation have done in the past.
Lastly, and I cannot stress this enough: if a mag blames, coerces, forces, or guilts you into doing anything you're uncomfortable with, drop them. no exceptions. basic principles of enthusiastic consent apply for mags as well as with people, because mags are made up of people. i promise you, no publication, no matter how prestigious, is worth a violation of your comfort and consent. same goes for if a magazine treats you badly for any reason, or honestly, just gives you a bad feeling. chances are, they ick you out for a reason. trust your instincts and be confident with your needs: as a writer, your safety matters, and dozens of magazines out there are excited about publishing you in a way that feels good for everyone involved (and, notably, these are also the mags who will retract your work/edit your bio if needed).
hope this helps!
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booksandbrunchcast · 1 year
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prosegalaxy · 16 days
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In the land of uncertainty, where shadows loomed and whispers echoed, a choice was made. The weight of destiny rested on their shoulders, as the unlikely heroes ventured forth on an epic quest. With each step, they forged ahead, driven by the promise of ancient magic, a sword that shone brighter than the sun. As the journey unfolded, unforeseen trials tested their resolve, and their hearts pounded with every heartbeat. But in the end, it was the power of friendship and courage that would triumph, forging an unbreakable bond between them all. And so, the heroes stood together, united by fate and destiny's call, as they claimed the prize and changed the world forevermore.
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beingjellybeans · 7 months
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Author Andrew Jalbuena Pasaporte to hold book signing event at the Manila International Book Fair 2023
The stage is set for the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) to return to the SMX Convention Center in Pasay from September 14 to 17, 2023. In the heart of the literary world, MIBF serves as a vibrant gathering point for book enthusiasts, authors, and publishers to revel in the enchantment of literature. Rising Star: Andrew Jalbuena Pasaporte As the countdown to MIBF 2023 begins, the…
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raysofluminescene · 10 months
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From Time Wasting to Time Thriving
Daily writing promptHow do you waste the most time every day?View all responses In a world filled with distractions, it’s easy to fall into the trap of time-wasting activities. We all have our guilty pleasures, and for many of us, it’s the allure of video games and the captivating pages of books. However, what if we could transform these seemingly idle pursuits into something more meaningful?…
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mark-matos · 11 months
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The TikTok for Avid Readers 📚🐦
Are you a bookworm who can't get enough of TikTok's fast-paced, bite-sized content? Say hello to your new literary paradise: Twitter! 🎉📖 With its snappy, 280-character limit, Twitter has become the go-to platform for readers and writers alike. Let's explore why Twitter is like TikTok for readers! 🚀🧠
Instant Gratification: Much like TikTok, Twitter is all about short, punchy content that provides immediate satisfaction. From book recommendations to literary quotes, Twitter is brimming with quick reads that you can consume in a matter of seconds. ⏱️📕
Community Engagement: Twitter's literary community is alive and thriving! Connect with fellow book lovers, join hashtag discussions, and participate in reading challenges. It's never been easier to find your tribe and share your passion for reading. 🌍💬
Author Interaction: Twitter grants readers a direct line of communication to their favorite authors. Engage in conversations, get sneak peeks of upcoming works, and even participate in Q&A sessions. It's a book lover's dream come true! 🤩🖋️
Writing Tips & Resources: Aspiring writers, rejoice! Twitter is a treasure trove of writing tips, resources, and motivation. Learn from established authors, editors, and agents to refine your craft and pursue your literary dreams. ✍️🏆
Bookish Humor: If you love the witty, entertaining side of TikTok, you'll find plenty of bookish humor on Twitter. From clever memes to relatable reader problems, Twitter is sure to keep you giggling as you scroll. 😂📚
Real-time News: Twitter's fast-paced nature makes it the perfect platform for staying updated on the latest literary news. Be the first to know about book releases, awards, and literary events happening around the globe. 🌐🏅
So, book lovers, it's time to dive into the world of Twitter and discover the literary haven that awaits you. With its quick, engaging content and thriving community, Twitter is the TikTok for readers you never knew you needed! 🌟📖
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poorly-drawn-mdzs · 6 months
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I ABSOLUTELY ADORE YOUR SQQ HE LOOKS SO FUCKINH DONE WITH LIFE
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The recipe for SQQ is: calm on the outside, screaming on the inside.
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novlr · 8 months
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yourqueerbookshelf · 5 months
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Not sure what my motive is here, but . . .
The results will not affect which books I post about, because I actually have to want to read them, but I'm dying to know who likes to suffer!
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purplecowbell · 1 year
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If only one of my posts gets read by amateur authors let it be this:
SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO THE TOP PUBLICATIONS FIRST AND WORK YOUR WAY DOWN!
What do I mean by top? Standards of quality, audience, pay rate, legal contract; it can be anything. What matters is that you set the metric you prefer and aim for the top.
I say this because most new authors think that when submitting short stories, or flash fiction, or poetry, you need past credentials to publish with the highly-ranked publications. That's probably true but the logic is backwards. By the time you're good enough to publish in the highest ranking magazines, you've probably already published in a lot of others. Don't settle, you have nothing to lose.
Let's look at two scenarios. One in which you believe in your writing and one in which you don't.
The confident writer starts submitting to all the top publications. They submit, wait for a rejection, and submit again to a different one. They slowly work down the line until finally they hit the very top of the range of publications that are willing to accept their work. They now know what market they have a chance in and what markets to read from to improve.
The insecure writer starts submitting to all the unknown/unpaid/unvetted publications. They need to build credentials before they can submit to the preferred publications, right? If they don't get scammed out of rights they slowly move up the line of publications. They stop when they get accepted by the very bottom range of publications that will pay them the least amount, or give the least exposure, and think themselves lucky. And now they find themselves gaining much less confidence, and much less understanding of the markets, than if they started from the top. They'll have markets they believe they have to learn from when really they've surpassed them.
Even in the worst case publishing scenario: only one market accepts your publication at the very bottom, the only thing that is lost by being confident is your time. With any other publications willing to accept your work, you're guaranteed to get the better deal by being confident. Starting from the bottom is only self sabotage.
You may get more rejections (or even fewer than you think), but if you keep your head up and keep pushing, it'll be better for your writing and your confidence in the long run.
Besides, you'll probably be scammed less if you start with the ones that everyone trusts.
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featheredstudies · 9 months
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2023.05.23 // 17:26  summer reading <3 (first up: joan didion, a book of common prayer)
pic: bear mountain state park, stony point, n.y.
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earlgrey24 · 13 days
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Some Julius Caesar x The Danton Case Parallels to Celebrate the Ides of March, Frev Style 🔪🥳
Firstly, both Przybyszewska’s Danton Case and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar are obviously (excellent!) tragedies that are set in a dying republic on the brink of collapse.
Here are some other interesting parallels I was able to trace:
1. Brutus and Robespierre:
Both of them are driven to execute an important figure even though they initially do not want to do it. They are both conflicted but feel like they have no other choice and have to commit the violent act for the good of the republic.
They are also arguably quite alike in terms of character: you have the „noble Brutus“ and then Robespierre, who is consistently referred to as „the Incorruptible“. Both are seen by others as selfless and committed to the good of the state (the people in the crowd very much emphasise this fact in both of the plays, I do have the receipts)
There is even the scene in which Brutus chastises Cassius for taking bribes, which plays into the idea of him as being (literally) “incorruptible” as well. And vice versa, traces of Brutus’ famed stoicism can then certainly be found in Maximilien.
2. Cassius and Saint-Just:
Both are characters who convince the protagonists (Brutus/Robespierre) to go along the violent act while not necessarily being portrayed as antagonists (at least Saint-Just definitely can't be seen as one in Przybyszewska’s play).
There are also parallels in the close relationship between Brutus and Cassius and Robespierre and Saint-Just, where they are very much portrayed as each other’s closest confidants. Of course, this idea can easily be pushed even further if one wishes to read between the lines. (There is no Camille Desmoulins in Shakespeare though)
3. Manipulating the Crowd:
I'm perhaps the most fascinated by how both Brutus and Mark Antony as well as Robespierre and Danton have the necessary rhetorical skills to manipulate the crowd of commoners (Robespierre being able to “play the crowd like an organ” very much came to my mind when I was reading Act 3 Scene 2 of the Shakespeare’s play).
Both Shakespeare and Przybyszewska portray “the court of public opinion” and how it can easily be manipulated - how opinions can be changed in the matter of minutes - in a way that is genuinely fascinating.
Specifically, the similarity between A3S2 in which people first listen to Brutus only to be immediately swayed by Mark Antony’s speech shortly after and the scene in the court in which Danton manipulates the crowd were in fact so similar in some respects that it was borderline uncanny.
The problem arises when looking for a mirror to Danton’s character in Shakespeare’s play.
4. The Case for Danton x Caesar:
It is Caesar who gets killed for being perceived as a danger to the republic
Both Caesar and Danton are portrayed as being very much beloved by the common people
Also, the idea of Danton being immortal is expressed at the end of Przybyszewka’s play, and while he does not come back literally as a ghost like Ceasar does, Robespierre nonetheless explains to Saint-Just that Danton’s spirit never truly dies.
5. The Case for Danton x Mark Antony:
If we see Danton and Robespierre as foils, Mark Antony makes more sense as a parallel to Danton (even though he does not die), since both Robespierre and Brutus as the classic ascetic/stoic archetype while Danton and Mark Antony’s are well-known for their appetite for drinking, women (or, you know, people, in the case of Mark Antony) , and the pleasures of life overall.
Both are also severely underestimated by their enemies at first, yet they prove to be quite cunning and are able to use their words skilfully to win over the public
Overall, reading both of the plays – especially the parts about manipulating the Roman public and the citizens of Paris just with the power of words – really makes me wonder if Przybyszewska read Shakespeare’s play and used it as a source of inspiration. It would make sense, especially given how the parallel between the French Republic and the Roman Republic was well-established long before her time (even, somewhat tragically, by the revolutionaries themselves).
I promise I think about Przybyszewska's and Shakespeare’s play and the Roman Republic along with the French Revolution a totally a totally normal amount of time & that they definitely do not consume my every waking thought that should be very much going towards the exam preparation.
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that-ari-blogger · 2 months
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On Grim Spectacle and Greatest Fears
There's a reason Enchanting Grom Fright is beloved by fans of the Owl House, not only is it just a plain old good story, it's also a phenomenal queer story.
But why is that so, and what makes it so important? That's what this post is about.
And if you're wondering whether I'm going to talk about @moringmark in this post, you bet I am.
Let me explain.
SPOILERS AHEAD
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If you look at online discourse, there is a lot of discussion about "good representation" and that is certainly an interesting discussion, but I don't think there is much explanation as to why representation is important in the first place. It is a good thing, we all know this, but why?
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One word: Normalisation. Representation of varying identities, cultures, and ethnicities is important because it takes apart the implicit bias inherent in society.
The generic individual in western society is white, male, and straight, and while there is nothing wrong with these character traits, this means that anything added to that template becomes a statement. It becomes an important metaphor for the story which doesn't get applied to someone with the three characteristics I mentioned earlier.
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For example, there is a question in analysis of what a character being gay does for a story, where a character being perceived as straight doesn't get that level of scrutiny.
This is a problem for a number of reasons, most notably it abnormalizes certain traits that a large proportion of society (myself included) exhibit, effectively othering those people as a result.
Representation does the opposite of this, it allows real people who are not the generic individual to be treated with the same level of respect and for audience members who don't usually see themselves in media to find characters like themselves, to see their own stories reflected in fiction.
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I think the best reason for representation actually comes from Ordinary, by Joriah Kwame, the sequel to Little Miss Perfect. This song, written explicitly from Luz Noceda's perspective, says this:
"The characters I read never act or look like me I can't depend on them to lead me through the right door"
Stories are a way of learning about the world and yourself, and in stories with extremely low representation for marginalised people, that lesson is pretty clear.
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@jameswoodall has a video essay on YouTube titled How Much Representation Is Enough. In it Woodall discusses the benefits of representation through a queer lens, and argues about the end goal thusly:
"It's not about achieving a certain percentage. It's about making that percentage stop mattering. When queer representation is no longer noteworthy. When queer inclusion is so naturally assumed that nobody feels the need to count anymore. When even if we did put queer rep in every story, nobody would bat an eyelid. Because we have just as much right to be there as anyone else."
So, let's talk about Grom.
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Meromorphic is a channel with a two-hour long video about The Owl House as a whole, and while there is a lot in that video that I disagree with (as is the nature of media analysis) it is comprehensive and fascinating, and I would recommend giving it a watch.
However, I am not bringing up that video to talk about its points, instead, I would like to shamelessly steal borrow a term from it: Magic Literalism. In this context, it means when a piece of media uses magic to make physical an intangible concept. In this case, it turns fear into a monster, that being Grom.
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When Grom looks into Luz, she sees Luz's mother, and she sees Luz's fear of disappointment. She sees that Luz has a secret that she hasn't told her mother in case she breaks her heart. It's literally about the Boiling Isles, but there's something written between the lines here.
It is possible to read this as Luz's fear of coming out to her mother, and by "it's possible", I mean that this is how I read this.
Coming out is terrifying, even if you have supportive parents, it's still asking people to accept a part of you, and that comes with risk, because if they don't accept you, what do you do?
That's what I think Luz is afraid of.
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Amity, on the other hand, is afraid of getting rejected in a similar way, although hers is more direct. Amity is scared of falling in love and not being loved back.
As a side not, I think it's a really cool detail that of Odalia's many flaws, homophobia isn't one. As in, Amity isn't afraid of coming out to her parents, and when she makes passing remarks about having a girlfriend to her mother and father, their surprise is that it's with Luz, not with another girl. Bellos kind of keeps this going, and the message with that is clear. Homophobia is too low, even for these villains.
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Anyway, Amity's experience with Grom is the other side of being queer, the romantic part. I am aware that romance isn't something everyone experiences, but when you do, especially when you are queer, confessing your feelings for someone is terrifying.
So, Amity avoids the question and doesn't really confront it directly at all. Even at the end of the episode, she has everything thrust upon her and still doesn't confess. Luz does the same thing with her mother. Fear is a powerful force, and I would argue that the best time to deal with it is when you are ready, not before.
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I really like the scene in the forest. The light gives the two a feeling of warmth and safety, and it wards of the night. Once again, it's Luz giving hope to those around her, and here it is in a more personal sense. Light, do not falter.
The colour palate of the scene (that warm light) conveys that these two people are comfortable in each other's presence and can talk freely around each other. They are already in love; someone just needs to say it.
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However, there is another side to Grometheus that also factors into being queer. When Amity explains the event, the art style changes into this style that I want to call classical, even though it probably isn't (art nerds, rise up in the replies and tell me what this is please). But she also directly calls the Grom event a tradition.
"Every year it tries to break out and a student has to defeat it before it invades town. Ever the optimist, Bump holds a party and calls it tradition."
Perhaps tradition, at least in the Boiling Isles, isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Perhaps there is an issue with seeing a problem and instead of trying to fix it, stalling it and making a spectacle out of achieving nothing. Maybe there is an issue with willingly putting children in danger for the drama of it. Maybe the fact that certain sports are just the audience enjoying people getting life threatening injuries might be an issue. I'm just throwing ideas out at this point.
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If we link Grom with fear, there is the idea that fear spreads from schools and it is the role of the students, as decreed by the adults, to contain it. See the plot of Footloose for an example of this, or certain places in the real world today, where fear of the other (mainly bigotry) takes the form of arguments about schoolbooks.
This is a valid reading, but I'd like to go a bit wild with my interpretation and talk about @moringmark's comics.
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Chapter three of A Little Hint of Blue is a brilliant piece of storytelling that actually characterises Bosha a ton. It carries the theme of fear over to both Skara and Bosha, but it shows them in real time. Skara is scared that Bosha won't let her spend time with... (*checks notes*)... Fledermaus?
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She has good reason for this, Bosha is overprotective to the point of toxicity and runs on her own fear. Bosha's hierarchical worldview comes from a place of fear as well, she's afraid of being out of control, and a really subtle thing that gets done in this comic is the association of Bosha with fire.
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It doesn't really get done in the original series, but Bosha and fire are such a neat thematic paring. They both consume, they both try to reach out, and fire is heavily associated with strong emotions, like anger and fear.
Bosha tries to control everything in the same way she controls her flames, but as it turns out, people aren't fire. People, when they are free, don't immediately destroy things, and a lot of people actually benefit from that freedom. Most notably, artists and musicians, like Skara.
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Grom Factor also deals with the subject matter, but from a slightly different perspective.
First up, the most obvious, at least to me. Enna saves the town but it outcast in the process because what she is scares people, despite her heroism, she is not accepted. The metaphor isn't perfect and reading it as a one-to-one analogy is a detriment to the story. For example, the reason for Enna being outcast is because of a curse, and queer people are generally not magically cursed to be queer, they are born that way.
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But, there is also the idea of Luz's fear as an adult being the exact same as when she was a child. She is scared of disappointing people, specifically her family and her daughter. This means that she is acutely aware of Ayzee's own mirror of that, and this line is spectacular:
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"Make yourself proud"
It's ok to be afraid of what others think, that's part of being human (or a witch, or a demon. It's part of being sentient), but in the end, the only person who you have to make proud, is yourself.
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Final Thoughts
I've been dying to talk about the Moringmark comics, and I do plan on talking about them more, but that will happen when I get there. I will do more gushing about their serious artistic and storytelling skill when that happens, so buckle up.
Enchanting Grom Fright is one of my favourite episodes of the series as a whole, and its a testament to the writing of it that there is more that I am yet to cover, and more that I am discovering as I watch it. For example, the storyline with Gus and King is a big part of the episode, but I didn't mention it because it wasn't really relevant to my main point, and the whole thing with the dance is stellar.
Next week, I am looking at Wing It Like Witches, so stick around if that interests you.
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prosegalaxy · 1 month
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A twist is revealed, as time-worn pages unfold, A future's past, unwritten truths unfurled; Time's arrow bent, an echo in the wind, The present shifts, a new tale begins.
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Moodboard!!! Edgar Allan Poe - The Raven!!! (⁠ノ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ノ⁠*⁠.⁠✧
I gonna do a Tell Tale Heart version cause it's my favourite of Poe's!!! (This 1 is my 2nd favourite)
My mum read it to me!!!
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