#or everything just sucks now like quality wise

[branchofcinnamon]

the feeling of fading into obscurity with your friend group, having nothing to talk about or contribute to the conversation because you’re not up to date on the same shows or games anymore because you kinda just don’t care anymore

#negative #depression #rambling in the tags #it’s like sure I still like this thing #but at the same time I don’t really care #don’t know if it’s the depression #or everything just sucks now like quality wise #i dont think thats it though lol #i just know my friends keep telling me to ''read this'' ''watch this'' ''play this'' #and internally im like #i dont really care you guys #but i dont say that cuz then im being a killjoy downer #just not excited for anything anymore #or nothing is holding my interest long enough #i always distracted myself with shows/games/whatever #but its not working anymore #✨oversharing✨

[sunsafewriting]

Keep Your Arms In - 1 Do A Flip extended cinematic universe

basically just extra one-shots sets in and after do a flip.

excerpt:

Diego forgets about the lie almost as soon as they leave the grocery store. He’s got other, more important things to think about, like how late he can convince Ava to let him stay up, and whether he’ll be able to get a tattoo like Shannon’s one day. 

Ava’s answers to his questions are, in this order: nine-thirty, and yes, one day, but for now, they can hit the mall kiosk that sells temporary tattoos. 

It’s not until they’re back at Ava’s place, unloading their bags, that he remembers their capsicum. 

“I don’t want to eat that,” he says, wrinkling his nose. 

“Nor do you have to,” Ava promises. “I’m going to try it, though. And you’d better start brainstorming vegetables you will eat, because otherwise you’ll get leprosy. Wait, that’s the wrong one. It’s the sailor one, isn’t it? Scurvy.” She taps her temple. “And Sister Frances thought Pirateology wasn’t an educational text.”

He watches her wash the capsicum, chop a chunk off, and pop it into her mouth. 

“Hmm, okay, that’s not winning any awards from me,” she declares, wrinkling her nose. “Nevermind, you were right. Capsicums suck.” 

“See?”

“It’s no broccoli, that’s for fucking sure.” She pauses. “Should I swear in front of you less? Now that I’m a responsible adult, and everything.” 

Diego shrugs. “I don’t know.” 

That ship has probably well and truly sailed, but they Google it anyway, just to be safe.  

For the next several months, Diego lives a blissfully capsicum-free life. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at St Michael’s are mostly the same, day in and day out, even if the options have become slightly more nutritional since Mother Superion arrived and overhauled everything. 

When he’s with Ava, they experiment with all sorts of different foods — some he finds he likes and some he finds he doesn’t. It becomes a tradition of theirs. Ava doesn’t have enough money for them to do anything really crazy, but picking out something from the grocery store that neither of them has ever had before is always affordable and always fun. 

It’s still just their thing, even once Beatrice is there, because Ava has never wavered in her promise to keep the things he wants to be just Ava and Diego as just Ava and Diego. But at a certain point, it feels stupid to keep doing it without Beatrice, when like everything else, it would probably be even more fun with her. 

Also, he’s kind of excited to show her their notebook, which is the closest thing he and Ava have ever managed to meticulous record-keeping. 

He presents their ledger while they’re having lunch at Ava’s apartment on a Saturday — the three of them sitting cross-legged on the floor in the living room, because Ava maintains that sandwiches shouldn’t be eaten at a table, that such formality is an affront to the spirit of the sandwich. 

“What’s this?” Beatrice asks, when he hands her the notebook. 

“It’s all the different foods Ava and I have tried this year. And whether we think they’re yuck or not.” 

“Writing it down makes it science,” Ava says wisely. “Learned that from MythBusters. ” 

Diego’s dogeared the page of their most recent entry, and Beatrice opens the book there, reads their review of pineapple upside down cake.

“Is it perhaps slightly unfair to penalise the cake for tasting burned when that’s not an inherent quality of pineapple upside down cake?” she asks, dragging her finger across the line where Ava’s written their criticism. 

“It’s like the Olympics,” Ava replies. “Doesn’t matter how good you are, it’s all about what you bring to the arena on the day. We can only judge based on what’s in front of us.” 

“Also, we got distracted making giant soap bubbles,” Diego explains. “And we had the oven on too high.” 

Once they’ve tried something and it’s gone into the book, Diego doesn’t usually think about it too much anymore. There seem to be repeats of things he really loves and not of things he hates, but he doesn’t really, properly think about the fact that this means that Ava and Beatrice remember .

Or, at least, he doesn’t think about it until the day that they’re cooking together.

Ava’s ducked next door to help Camila with her fire alarm, which won’t stop going off, so it’s just Diego and Beatrice in the kitchen. 

He watches, with moderate to extreme dismay, as she pulls a capsicum out of the grocery bag she’s brought with her. She washes it thoroughly in the sink, just like the zucchini before it, and then slices it up. This time, though, rather than dumping all the slices into the bowl, she offers him one. 

“They’re your favourite, yes?” she says. 

Diego’s chest tightens suddenly, unexpectedly. He can count the number of people who’ve ever bothered to learn his favourite anything on one hand without even needing to use all his fingers. 

But Beatrice only thinks capsicums are his favourite because he and Ava are liars and he doesn’t even understand why they lied, but they did, and now Beatrice is being so kind to him, and her kindness is in capsicum form and it’s like God is punishing him for being deceitful. 

The piece of capsicum looks red and evil — but Beatrice is smiling at him, and he can’t let her down, so he accepts it, thanks her, and shoves it into his mouth. 

It’s wretched, spicy and cold. Still, he swallows. 

“Let me know if you want more, okay? Once it’s in this, you won’t really be able to taste it.”

Diego tries not to let the relief show on his face. 

#yes i started another thing but in my defence i wanted to write diego #new chapter of actual do a flip will be up soon! ish hopefully #avatrice #ava x beatrice #sunsafewriting #avatrice fic #avatrice fanfic

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Hey there

I just wanna so a question

The other day I was out with my mum and i was wearing a hoodie

It was really hot out and because of this I got really mad

Everything became annoying to me

Like every sound became too loud and that sort of thing if that makes sense

I just wanna know if over sensitivity to heat has anything to do with autism or am i just really dramatic

Thank you :)

Hi there,

I also have a hard time in the heat. I find unbearable. I’d rather be freezing cold.

I found an article going over heat intolerance and autism. Here’s a excerpt:

For those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this problem can be exacerbated. This is because many people with ASD may experience hypersensitivity and heat intolerance.

Hypersensitivity can make the feeling of sweat, warmth, and uncomfortable clothes even more unbearable. While not everybody with autism struggles with this, hypersensitivity is a relatively common symptom of the condition.

The article will be below in case you’d like to read more.

I also found another article listing some ways to cope during hot weather:

1. Water, water everywhere

Keep water, or herbal tea, or anything drink-wise that is non-soda based and caffeine-free with you at all times. Sip (don’t gulp) at regular intervals. If the heat is unbearable, simple tricks like sucking an ice cube can also work; it will cool you down and keep you properly hydrated. Try and avoid anything sugary or carbonated, as that can sometimes make you sweat more or even induce anxiety.

2. Let us spray

Do you have an old spray bottle or an atomizer? Fill this with cool water and use it to spray your hands, face, neck and head if the heat feels like it might be too much for you. It’s very refreshing and as the water evaporates, you will cool down.

3. Inhale “cool” essential oils

If you can tolerate fragrance, make up a blend of cool-smelling essential oils that can be inhaled from a tissue or handkerchief at regular points. Peppermint, eucalyptus and tea tree are all great ideas — they’ll clear your head and cool you down.

4. Adapt your clothing to suit your ASD

I hate the feeling of having my arms uncovered outdoors, even in extreme heat, so I’ve had to adapt my clothing accordingly. I’ll only really ever wear long sleeve shirts in light-colored, lightweight fabrics. I won’t ever wear shorts for the same reason, so I’ll switch to linen trousers or light jeans if I can.

5. Protect your eyes and your head

Sunlight and ASD can equal problems with sight and vision. Always have good quality sunglasses, and a few pairs so you’ve got them to hand. If you have to wear them indoors, do so and don’t apologize for it.

6. A once a day sunscreen can really help

There are some brilliant once-a-day application sunscreens on the market now, which can mean the difference between having to stay in because you burn easily and going out for at least a few minutes every day. Sometimes, ASD folks can be photosensitive to sunlight, and a product like this can help them tolerate the heat and light better.

7. If you need to shut out daylight, shut it out!

Close the curtains, blinds and drapes if you need to, and it doesn’t matter what time of day it is. Sunlight can be intrusive and cause pain. There comes a point in every day — usually about 6 p.m. — when I have to give in and close everywhere up. I become too tired to focus and concentrate and I find the slight darkness quietens my head down a little.

The link to this article will also be below in case you want to check it out.

I hope these sources help answer your question. Thank you for the inbox. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. ❤️

#inbox #inbox reply #inbox is open

[forgottenluck]

This is....extremely hard for me to write. It's not going to be a happy post. I'll put the meat of it under a readmore, since there's....a lot to explain.

This morning, (Wednesday April 3rd) at 6:15am, My mother left us.

I knew that this was coming, sooner than later. The past few weeks have been hard.

She had no quality of life. She couldn't get up in bed, she definitely couldn't walk. She'd been bed-bound for 6 months. There's been close calls before too....when she's had UTIs and covid. The last time she got a UTI I....really thought I was going to loose her. She looked so bad, couldn't stay awake for more than a few moments...

It was nothing like this.

I went to visit her on Thursday of last week, before my convention. She wasn't great, but she was still responding to me, still eating if i helped her. She didn't eat much....but it was something. I figured it was another one of her dips. She's always been on a roller coaster, health wise. She'd have good moments, she'd have bad. It was always a toss up on a given day that she'd be good or bad.

She never recovered from this one.

And my Aunt, who took over careing for her and handling her affairs so that I could escape from that, did not tell me until Sunday evening. Though at that point, it was just "she's not doing great" type of deal. Monday was the same.

Then Tuesday came. I was feeling good, ready to get back to work after my little vacation. I was chipper, happy.....Only to get a message from my aunt saying that Hospice had called her, to tell her that the end was extremely close.

I dropped everything and ran up to the Nursing Home to see for myself, since there'd been plenty of times where the alarm had been sounded but she actually wasn't that bad.

But she was.

She was not awake at all. They hadn't given her anything, but she wouldn't wake up. She was so tiny and skinny from not eating, palid and grey....it's indescribable unless you've been through it yourself. I knew at that moment that she wasn't going to last long. I stayed with her for hours until the weather forced me to get home. She was still drinking water....to an extent. It had to be on little sponges that she would suck on. But she was running a fever that never left, her oxygen level had tanked to the point where they put her on oxygen.

But the clencher was the rattle. I knew what that was. I'd heard it before.

Hospice said since she was still drinking water, she likely would live through the night.....and she did. Just barely.

I'm glad I got to see her one last time. To tell her that it was okay. That i'd be okay. Eventually. Even if she couldn't hear me. I think she was waiting for me to come, since it was only about half a day later that she passed on.

Close friends of mine will know that while I might have complained a lot, had a lot of issues with my mother......I loved her dearly. I was super close with her even if it was a massive strain on me. I was her main caretaker for 15 years. I sacrificed my youth, my teenage years, my college years....so that I could make sure she was okay, was alive, was healthy. She was my world for so long.

And now my world is very broken.

A part of me is glad. Glad that she's not suffering anymore. Glad she went in her sleep. She's not in pain anymore. She doesn't have to sit and lay in that tiny little room with people she doesn't know. She doesn't have to worry about what pills she has to take, or how they're going to get her changed. She doesn't have to worry about anything anymore.

But the rest of me is devastated. I no longer get to see her. I no longer get to hear her voice, or talk with her about her favorite shows. No more sitting with her and watching the news. No more lunches, dinners with her. Nothing. It's a big empty hole that can't be filled easily.

I feel like a bird that's been given freedom....only to have one of it's wings broken, rendering it unable to fly.

It's hard. Harder than anything one could imagine. Loosing family is not something to be wished upon to anyone. I've cried so much today that I just feel empty....and I still have to figure out funeral arrangements and the like.

I'm not...going to have a lot of energy for tumblr for a bit. I might respond to a few things, to attempt to get my mind off things....but it'll be very sparce for a while. I know i've been sparce for a bit....as my adhd has caused me to focus on other things....but this is a completely different animal to that.

I'll be back. I will. And I'll be here off and on. Just....give me a bit of time to heal.

#{out of luck} ooc #tw death #tw medical #tw vent

[ultraericthered]

So Pocket Monsters Gen 9 Edition, or Pokémon Horizons, has aired 34 episodes this year, enough episodes to asses its quality thus far. And honestly, from the writing, the animation, the sound, the pacing, the ideas, and the characters including all the Pokémon themselves, this seriously might just be the best that PokeAni has ever been. It's already a far superior series to Pokémon Journeys, is at least on par with Sun & Moon, and on a technical level can be called better than even the Gen 1 era (The Beginning) of the original series! And it should go without saying that it's far stronger than anything PokeAni had to offer in Gens 2 through 6, where I strongly believe that the stuff that sucked about those series' always ended up outweighing the stuff that was solid in them in the end, sorry but not sorry.

And then there's Liko, who I could go on and on about why she's such a breath of fresh air and works fantastically as the lead of this series. But I won't, 'cause...that's sort of what this hot take concerns. With Liko being the first full-time main protagonist in a PokeAni series who is not Ash Ketchum (I say "full-time" to say Jimmy and Alain don't count here), it will naturally stand to reason that I'd think to draw comparisons between her as she's starting out and Ash in the Indigo League arc of the original series back when he was starting out. Not just trainer experience and battle-wise, but as characters.

So when I compare the two, and think on it deeply, as unbiased and objectively as I can manage, this is the conclusion I come out with.

Don't get me wrong, I would gladly and without a hint of hesitation take Liko any day over Ash from any of the Gens 3 through 8 anime, and that includes Ash from SuMo and Journeys who I actually liked! I'm beyond thrilled to have Liko as the protagonist of the current series instead of Ash, who'd really needed to be retired ages ago.

But neither my love for Liko nor my nostalgic adoration for Indigo League really factor into this. Between OG Ash and Liko, I find the former to be the slightly yet significantly stronger main protagonist than the latter. And it's primarily for a reason I couldn't even quite convey into thoughts or words until out of the blue, Suede returned to Youtube with a new video that just put it into clear perspective.

"Average kid who's really nice and sweet yet painfully average is going about his regular life when he suddenly recieves the CALL TO ADVENTURE through no fault of his own, usually through some kind of power that puts him above others. He's reluctant at first but through friendship or world-shattering stakes, he's won over, starts enjoying himself...." Switch the gender around and this describes Liko almost verbatim. She's much closer to what was usually the norm for young male protagonists in adventure anime, and I get the sense this was a deliberate choice similar to what was done with Avatar Aang and Avatar Korra, where the succeeding protagonist contrasts with the preceeding one. And that's another area where Liko works so brilliantly: she had to work up the courage to allow herself to be drawn into a new life by the call, as opposed to boldly but recklessly jumping at the call well before it had even actually come for her like Ash did after turning forever 10 years old.

However, there's another area of interest for Liko's character VS OG Ash's that Suede missed. Shall we call it the "Chosen One Factor?" You all know what I'm talking about, the trope in stories where the protagonist has been predetermined by fate to be the main character and to have a great big adventure where they realize their destiny, and usually due to the single factor of bloodlines; that they're related to someone big and important, so they must carry on that big and important family lineage in their own way. In Pokémon Horizons, it could not be more subtle that Liko comes from the blood lineage of Lucius the Ancient Adventurer, meaning that everything that has now happened to make her a trainer didn't simply just happen to her: it was destined to happen. It was, as Thanos would say, inevitable. And I in no way mean to suggest this is an inherently bad trope, that Horizons is doing it poorly with Liko, or that it's any worse off for doing it. I'm only saying that we see this thing done so frequently.

Ash Ketchum at the start of the original series, meanwhile? He's nobody. His father was a deadbeat who prioritized Pokémon training over raising a family. His mother gave birth to him while still very young and has to be both self-sufficient and a good parent to him all on her own. The last name "Ketchum" means jack shit to anybody in-universe. In fact, it's his chilhood friend/rival Gary who's the special somebody around town; he's the one with the big important family lineage, being the grandson of Professor Oak. Ash...is just a random 10 year old kid who's very passionate about Pokémon. More than that, the kid starts off as an absolute loser. He oversleeps and misses his chance to pick out one of the three Kanto starter Pokémon to be his first Pokémon partner. The Pikachu he's given doesn't get along with him at first. His sendoff party is dinky and low key compared to what Gary got. He has trouble dealing with the sort of low level wild Pokémon that most newbies would take down and/or capture in no time. He always thinks he knows what he's in for and what he has to do and has to be as a trainer who aspires to be "the world's greatest Pokémon Master" yet ends up missing several basic steps any new trainer has to take and has difficulty understanding information that could help him make those steps. His own Poke' Dex throws shade at him for being a "stupid traveler". This kid is a dense, thick-headed, ignorant boob and on top of that has got a heavily flawed personality. An absolutely disatrous little shithead, and I just fucking love him for it. In a sense he's actually quite like a younger precursor to Re:Zero's Subaru Natsuki, a young male who starts off with all the entitlement that a super special awesome and exceptional main character would feel is warranted only to find that the world does not exist to owe him anything and that he will have to struggle, suffer, learn, adapt, and perserve while being entitled to nothing because in truth there is absolutely nothing super special awesome and exceptional about him: he has to put in the work to make himself special, awesome, and exceptional. In its original conception and understanding, To Be A Master is about what's earned, not owed.

Now, as PokeAni dragged on and on and on and on AND ON with Ash still in the lead role, they messed up this initial setup with many occasions that seemed to contradict it and convey to us that actually yes, our main character IS a truly special boy because he just loves Pokémon more than any other mere mortal in this wourld could ever love Pokémon, that the world does exist to owe him shit and in fact mostly revolves around what he and his merry band of friends do, he encounters all the mythical and legendary Pokémon, he beats all the bad guys and shuts down the regional evil teams' evil plots, and he competes in all the Leagues of all the regions until he ends up the first ever Champion of one of them by winning its first ever League Tournament, and from there he gets to become the World's Strongest Master just like that. And while those major victories were legitimately earned and very rewarding to witness, it's a terrible shame they had to come after years of canon twisting Ash's character and function in the world of PokeAni inside out multiple times ad nauseum, and it had the unfortunate effect on many in the fandom, male fans especially, where they got overcome with this entitlement regarding the character, dead set on wanting to live vicariously through his experiences and project onto him as a power fantasy, wanting and expecting a consistently growing character who only gets better, smarter, savvier, more badass, more mature, and more respected the Poke' World over with each regional quest undertaken, and throwing hissy fits when the anime, due to various factors, did not deliver. This is what made the retiring of Ash's character and his replacement in the lead role by Liko such a sensible and positive direction for the anime to take and why I'm so, sooooo damn glad it's been taken.

So all in all, Liko >>>>>>>> Ash Ketchum for most of the anime, but the OG Ash Ketchum we had in Gen 1 >>>>> Liko in Horizons.

But both are superior to the player character of Scarlet & Violet.

#Pokemon #Indigo League #Pokemon Horizons #Pocket Monster #anime #Ash Ketchum #Liko #comparison #opinion #analysis

[nekobami]

HUGE SPOILERS. (Screenshots I took w some comments & thoughts - not too hight quality however)

Oh wow. Long text.

I mean, finding out that everything was a plot fanficed by the demon and Morty's mind alone couldn't have been a better plot, I mean, It's really funny how Morty sees the random and insane things that happen to them.

Even though it's always something really out of the ordinary, I don't know how to explain it, but... Like, I can't help but feel like everything is too convenient. Because the focus is on fear, I mean at the end, it's an unconscious fear-focused narrative built using Morty's worldview as bricks. So that he didn't even know that this was really his fear at the end of the day.

But I'm surprised he doesn't even suspect how convenient and quick everything is. Like, "HOLY SH#T, A YOUNG RICK JUST ENTERED THE LIVING ROOM BURNING TO DEATH HOLDING A DIANE." JUST LIKE THAT. IN THE SAME SPEED YOU RED IT

But in parallel, I love how Morty sees the partnership between him and Rick. In the end, despite all the lore, all the narrative burden that should separate Rick from this family, Morty still sees them as the two weird friends who isolate themselves to talk to each other when something sinister happens. I also felt something in Rick's expression during this episode, but I talk about that in the screenshot

(( Marriage working out sounds ))

I also loved the "anti-aging thing" and the "Dad, stop! you're traumatizing her." I mean, For Morty, everything is so convenient for Rick that he can simply inject a blue liquid into his vein and become young again. CASUALLY. Not that it doesn't exist. It's probably something exactly like this.

WAKE UP, SUNSHINE! YOU HAVE A VIRTUAL EXISTENCIAL CRISIS TO LIVE!

By the way. I agree with other opinions I've seen recently. All of this is completely set up from the beginning, and it certainly wouldn't be so easy for Diane to simply ignore her grandchildren and her thirty-year-old daughter just to casually hang out with Rick. I mean, it's part of it. But bro. I'm sorry, I know Rick is a silly and romantic guy when it comes to it, even more so with HIS WIFE, the woman of his life, BUT, a breakfast bot? It still sounds too much like Morty's vision of Rick's flirting skills to me. Anyway. BREAKFAST BOT.

OHHH yeah, look at them. They're not real, but will make you feel good.

Oh, also. About this... this... thing. Like, I have to agree that it was a very wise choice to have only Morty go into the hole. Like. That demon devours your fears clearly means he enters your mind, he knows you by what you fear. He will use everything you know to taste your fear and suck everything out of you. He won't kill you, I guess. He was probably just making fun of Morty about his fear thing being able to actually kill someone. But he is a demon. Supposedly that's what he does. Unless maybe he has adapted to feed himself without actually needing to kill someone, or if he casually lets people live just for the sake of it. I don't know... I can't help but feel like this guy never needed them to go into the hole to build the narrative.

He's already managed to find out about everything Morty knows about Rick. Now imagine what we would have seen if he knew everything Rick knows about himself and others? I'm sorry, but it would obviously be too heavy. I know, it hurts. And you cannot compare the extent of people's fear, after all it is completely individual. But, my friend, imagine what this guy would discover about the multiverse as it is, just by getting into Rick's mind? The recourse he would have in this here is above tolerable. HOW DAMN POWERFUL CAN THIS GUY ACTUALLY BE? Hihi. Fear hole demon. I'm totally not attracted by him.

Also. Holy sh#t.

Cursed as f#ck, damn, ew, it wasn't even necessary, please don't do nothing similar to this, I'm begging you. I can't see this again in any context.

About Rick's expressions. (Yes. Yeah, yeah, the whole narrative load of this interaction between them, and Rick coming back after hearing that Diane was there, Morty afraid of Rick hugging him still being a hole thing, Morty afraid of being replaced, Rick coming back to put up Morty's photo, photo of Morty in the wallet, yes yes, extremely nice, lots of cool stuff, of course. But I would like to point out something.)

I could be wrong, after all I didn't watch the episode again. Like, I know Rick being with his wife must have exacerbated that factor, but throughout Morty's fear-centric narrative, Rick's features are softened, I don't know how to explain it. But in that moment, when Morty comes out of the hole, what really is Rick as an individual comes in, and not just the Rick built with Morty's vision of him and their interactions. Like, he just got that totally tired annoyed-like expression, since, after all, he's still affected by the recent events, and his face... Uh, I can't explain it perfectly, but around him is still heavy, while in Mortys narrative, things seems... lighter, since they've SUDDENLY, VERY CONVENIENTLY got another worries. And even if he was romantic with her in the narrative... I can't explain, but he was still very... cold and insensitive at times. Something that I find very difficult for Rick to do, as an individual and being extremely affected by all his experiences.

Anyway. Nice episode. Definitely. Merry Christmas too. HAHA. Christmas.

#rick and morty spoilers #screenshots #S7E10 #thoughts #Fear hole demon

[hologramcowboy]

Part of the reason that Jensen’s voiceover sounds so bad in TW trailer is poor production quality. The audio is too loud, the sound quality itself poor (like recording yourself on your phone vs professional sound booth) and it seems out of sync with the visuals.

You have to remember that this project is obviously poorly funded. The prequel was leaked last June in an attempt to get investors, and that very clearly failed. I imagine they’re just working with the funding that the CW gave them, which isn’t going to be a ton because they’re in the middle of being bought out. Signs that the budget just isn’t there:

Actors with few to no credits to their name that can be paid less because they don’t have the backing to demand higher pay, are afraid to negotiate for it or simply don’t know any better yet and think they’re getting a good deal. And look at who is working behind the scenes- all CW affiliated workers who were announced as attached to the project very late in the game. The CW pretty much reuses the same producers, directors, costume designers etc for everything, so it’s pretty weird that it took so long to get people for the project. My guess is that they were having a hard time finding people who wanted to work on it. And it shows, the wardrobe department didn’t even try.

The stunts and special effects seen in the trailer (where the Ackles were meant to showcase the best parts of the pilot) were poorly done and outdated. Even by TV standards. The prequel is on par with the 2010 Twilight parody “Vampires Suck” quality wise.

The quality of the filming itself looks cheap. Jensen has talked a lot about the cinematography for The Winchesters, what lens they’ve used and how they wanted it to be lit different to distinguish it from Supernatural and the present day. I guess he forgot that later seasons Supernatural were all filmed in that same blue tone he used for the prequel, and that nothing about the lighting screams vintage. It actually looks like several other shows on the CW currently, so it’s more likely he’s just using equipment borrowed from Nancy Drew and passing it off as an artistic choice rather than a necessity.

The music used in the trailer. For a show that’s supposed to embody the 70s with the protagonists getting together over their mutual love for rock and roll, there sure was a lack of rock and roll or even any music from the 70s. Why? Because that music is very expensive. That’s why the music from the trailer sounds like the CW bought the rights for it back in 2008 for One Tree Hill, forgot to use it, so it ended up being used for The Winchesters. I’m surprised that Jensen didn’t use music from Radio Company, but I’m sure that will come. He’s used it on Supernatural and the episode of Walker he directed, there’s no way he’s not going to use it on a show he produces.

Beyond the budget which at this point is fixed (Upfronts are for advertisers, producers already had their chance to appeal for funding either from the network or outside investors) the bringing on of a new producer is not a good sign. Especially because it’s McG who is known for and has gone on record saying that he only comes on projects to clean them up/save them. Jensen’s comments about sitting in his car, producing being boring because your only job is to put out fires, come off even worse now. It’s obvious that Jensen had no clue what went into being a producer, he was used to it being a vanity credit that actors get so that they get a higher pay without technically getting a raise. And that’s really bitten him. The producer is in charge of getting funding (Jensen’s first failure), getting the project rolling (finding casting directors, being involved in the final stages of casting, finding writers and going over scripts etc) and sticking around while the project is being filmed to ensure that things not only go smoothly, but in the direction you want them to.

It’s very telling that a project descended from an established, money making IP wasn’t given a good budget and doesn’t have any care being put into it. The CW and the Ackles thought that the Supernatural association and Jensen would be enough to bring in the audience, and now they’re scrambling because they’ve been proven wrong.

I'm in awe of this post. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 Beautifully expressed, grounded in reality, full of detail and I could have never explained all of that so clearly and effectively. Thank you, Anon.

#anti SPN prequel #anti the winchesters #jensen critical

[socoolinmypajamas]

This is something I have to take out of my system: Christopher Columbus is a VERY well made character in Fate/Grand Order.

His design is unique, his seiyuu is amazing, his performance gameplay-wise is quite good, and he manages to shine no matter the quality of the story. Every human trait he could be the embodiment of, he does it almost flawlessy.

Now, this doesn't mean he's someone we should love, like nor even feel something for that isn't disgust. And if we do, that's just us falling for his facade which, again, shows how well written this absolute bastard is.

In Agartha, a horrible story overall, he becomes our ray of sunshine during the first 3/4 of the story. He's the old rebel captain telling us to never give up and push through all the hardships, making the reveal that he's the worst of them, ready to kill and steal everything in sight, a fitting thing for his record as a "hero" despite being a genocider.

In Oniland, he got trick and ended up lost in a house of MIRRORS, which is hilarious when you think of all the stories in which he and other conquistadores scamed natives by trading GLASS beads with them. It was also a situation where his "never give up" trait shone, and we are again wondering if we should trust him or not. (Maybe I'm reading too far into this one but meh, worth poiting it out).

In Summer 3, he was scamming artists under the pretention of doing a fair trade, so we had to beat his ass. Again, good use of him.

In Fate/Grand Carnival and Summer 5, we see how his most positive trait mix with his hideous greed: In the first one, he's playing slots just to hit the jackpot, even if it lefts him bankrupt because he set his dream on hitting it, and will not stop no matter what until he does it. And in Summer 5, when we se a version of himself that couldn't reach his dream, he's... The same. Just because he couldn't archive his dream doesn't mean he gave up trying. It was just another example of how feral and determinated (obsessive) he could get to reach his dreams, the further away from them he is pushed.

And finally, his interlude. Probably one of the better written ones in the entire game. I'm not going to spoil this one because it really is THAT good and worth reading, but I do gonna say that every good and bad aspect of his character is explored, well used and detailed stablished without making him likeable.

Columbus' writting is consistent (hopefully it will in Summer 6) and does a great job portraying an irl villain that lots of people keeps thinking was a hero, even up to this day. He's a servant that only shows up in the Grand Order because it would be bad for bussiness if the Earth was destroyed, and while is ok (and encouraged) to hate him (because that's like, the whole point), I think is important to consider where does the strong feelings for a character come from.

Tl;dr: Columbus suck and I hate him but his FGO version is a fantastic fictional portrait of a historical figure.

#fgo #rider of resistance #colombus #christopher colombus #writting #character #analysis #historical figure #fate/grand order #fate series #gacha game #gacha games #fate #agartha #epic of remenant

[apoptoses]

"you gotta tell me exactly which part it was that scrambled you, them's just the rules"

OKAY FINE

jk I literally just finished reading and had to run to your inbox ofc

Consensual somnophilia is something I'd never given a lot thought ngl but now that I *have* in the context of these two unhinged freaks, I am obsessed! How the mere sight of Daniel's near unconscious body made Armand feel like a newborn vamp... insane. And Daniel offering himself up to Armand like that even though he wouldn't remember any of it, but the physical evidence of Armand's presence all over his body AND the knowledge of having been ravished by him in such a manner was more than enough jerk off material to last for an entire lifespan. I love this unhinged man sm 🥹

Kink-wise I feel like it had a little of everything? Armand biting his foot, under his arms, his dick (not Armand thinking the blood flowing from Daniel's dick tasted sweeter than the rest of him jfc he absolutely would), and him talking to Daniel through the whole thing was incredible. "Never has he allowed himself to be such a leech" dear god😭

Also loved getting to see Daniel high at the club and Armand wanting to taste the drugs through him (such a Devil's Minion staple, can't ever get enough of it), Armand keeping the bloody bedsheets and taking them to his coffin (WHO's the mordbid romantic now huh???), and him dragging some random blond man into an alley before sunrise because he absolutely needed that release as well... 15/10 I sometimes can't believe you're actually out here blessing us with such incredible work on a regular basis. HOW lucky this fandom is to have you for fucking real, xoxo DA ❤️

Ahhhh dungeon anon!!!

I feel like a broken record saying this because lately every day sucks and I'm having a rough time, but today was bumpy and so reading this really cheered me up!!

Honestly somno evaded me because I couldn't wrap my brain around the appeal of someone being completely asleep for the entirety of an experience. So the only way I could tackle it was via Armand and his sensory stuff, because having no thoughts or reactions to play off would open up so many doors for him and let you really have him do anything.

And I said it a million times in my comment replies but I was worried the horniness of Armand's feelings wouldn't telegraph and like if Daniel enjoying it the morning after would make sense but!! I'm so happy it did!! They're freaks together and like now the door is also open for me to have Daniel ask to be bitten in weird places while he's awake for it.

I also loved making him talk to Daniel's body because at that point he was really just rattling on to hear himself speak lmao But also I think saying out loud what he was about to do allowed him to give himself permission to do it. The vibe would have been so different if he just silently feasted, and honestly I think it would have been one or two bites and then him leaving.

And making him take the bedding as a souvenir!! Idk I just love Armand have gross weirdo trophies from lovers (and actually in my wip I need to finish editing Daniel finally gets a gross weirdo trophy of his own, so hopefully I get that done this week)

but YEAH thank you for messaging about it, and for telling me my work counts ♥ I never really get down on the quality of what I do, just like- I worry about if it means anything. But I guess all creative types are inherently dramatic about that sort of thing lol Still.

It means a lot to get DM'd about my stuff!! ♥ I appreciate YOU!

#apoptoses answers #dungeon anon

[trulyinspiringmovies]

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

“Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” is a perfect sequel to a perfect movie, but I’m not sure I could overlook this one problem.

Mile Morales is having trouble balancing his life as a student and his life as Spider-Man. He’s now completely focused on pursuing a career that will allow him to research ways to travel between universes. One day, Gwen meets with him and shows him that she’s able to travel between universes using a bracelet given to her by Miguel O’Hara. It turns out that she’s not just here to visit Miles. She’s been sent to Mile’s universe on a mission.

This is a review that was a little difficult for me to make. For the past few days, I’ve been debating on whether or not I should give it four or five stars. The reason is that I think this movie is absolutely fantastic. My only problem is with the supposed ending. I felt like this was an incomplete movie. I think by now, everyone knows that this is the first half of a two-part movie. I think a lot of people are using that as a justification and calling it a cliffhanger rather than an incomplete movie. There’s a lot of rising action, but never really any climax. Plot-wise, there’s not a whole lot going on once you put aside all the Easter eggs and references. Now, I still think the writing is still extremely well done and what this movie is setting up is brilliant, but that’s all this movie is: set-up. I find myself comparing this movie with “Avengers: Infinity War” because they’re both the first half of two-part movies. With “Avengers: Infinity War”, there was a third act and the heroes surprisingly fail to stop the antagonist. There’s a climax that pays off all the journeys each character went through, but ultimately they were in vain. It’s still narratively satisfying because you get a full movie, just with an unconventional ending. In “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse”, you don’t get that. You get exposition that leads to rising action, but it cuts off there. If you really boil things down, this movie is just about Miles learning about the society of Spider-people, learning about Canon events, learning his dad dying is a canon event, and then running away from everyone only to end up in the wrong dimension. Miles doesn’t really do much with the new information he’s given. Now, you could argue that he does do something with that information and that’s run away to try and save his dad, but the story ends before he could directly affect that outcome. Don’t get me wrong. I thought the animation was insanely impressive. They managed to push the boundaries of the already boundary-pushing visuals of the first movie. This movie is just, to put it simply, gorgeous to look at. I thought The Spot was a great villain and voiced excellently by Jason Schwartzman, although the movie kind of forgot about him in the latter half. As I said, the writing is ingenious. I have an idea of where they’re going with everything and it’s all super creative and a lot of fun. It’s that perfect blend of meta, but also still stands alone as its own great story. It sucks that I had to give this movie four stars because it truly was a well-crafted movie. But, I always stand by that story must come first, so an incomplete story is a big thing for me. I saw somewhere online that this wasn’t actually an incomplete story because Miles and Gwen are completely different at the end of the movie from where they were at the beginning. I still don’t think that’s enough. I’m excited to see the second part, but not as excited as I would be if I didn’t feel so unsatisfied walking out of the theater for this movie. Still, this movie is damn good and should be watched on the biggest screen with the best sound quality. You don’t want to miss it.

★★★★

Watched on June 3rd, 2023

#Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse #June #2023 #Action #Comedy #Superhero #Adventure #Fantasy #Science Fiction #Family #Animation #PG #Joaquin Dos Santos #Kemp Powers #Justin K. Thompson #June 2023 #4 stars

[avathestarwarrior]

Hey there Ava, I wanted to say something in regards to those posts you recently made about your characters and art as a whole. Apologies in advance for the essay ahead, I had a lot to say and I really feel passionate about this because, hey, I've been there and I don't want to see you discouraged over this. First I want you to know that you aren't alone- when I was your age and still learning the ropes of art I felt exactly the same. All my friends around me what felt like suddenly jumped in their skills and only perfected their characters (design and story/personality-wise) while I sat stagnated in both. My characters were one-dimensional and I had little to no understanding of the major principles of art. And without a doubt, it is discouraging because they're being noticed for it and I hadn't made any ground in improvement at the time. This is a horribly common feeling especially for those without any access to formal training/teaching and beginners alike. Most of my friends lived in places where they could easily gain professional guidance and tools (usually through college, many countries allow you to jump to college while still in mid-teen years onwards), while I remember having to teach myself everything and struggling to learn even the most basic digital programs. Neither my high school or college (that I went to art classes specifically for, even the introductory ones) ever went in-depth when teaching the basics, and so generally I never had that strong foundation all my friends built onto. It's painful, but it's going to be okay because there are ways to help this. Now real quick, I'm going to go ahead and address what you were saying about your characters and art. Being completely honest, you were one of the first people I followed when joining this site, and I've really enjoyed seeing your work. While you may think that others would ignore your work over currently higher-skilled artists, I need you to know that there is a certain joy in watching someone find their way in a skill and grow within it. Drawing and designing characters (and yes, even writing them regarding their backstories/personalities) is a skill. For some, naturally they jump off and fly right away, with little to no friction. But for others? There may need to be a little more guidance and work. Some people also learn more slowly than others, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. You do not "suck" at these things. You just may need more supplementary sources to help guide your growth is all. That leads me into my next point;

When I said that you aren't alone in this, I don't just mean "I've been there". I also mean, there's an insane amount of free sources that are online you can use to push yourself forward. Pinterest has a lot of good references ranging from 'how to draw this' to 'something I can use for inspiration' and you can easily amass a huge collection for just about any of your drawing needs. Also YouTube! I stagnated in my art and designs for years, but when I started actively seeking out tutorials my skills slowly-- very slowly-- grew and I was able to not only learn new things but also build off of them from there on. Some of my favorite tutorial/art/design tips channels are: -Marc Brunet (short and sweet, easily digestible tutorials on drawing from a professional game artist turned art teacher. Just about anything drawing related is on his channel). -Brookes Eggleston - Character Design Forge (a channel specifically for improving character design (and a few tips on personality qualities as well) and some of the principles you can use to apply when designing). Both of these channels also have tips for the whole mental aspect of these things, which is very encouraging and helps when trying to get out of a mindset that may be hindering you and your progress, including artblock and feelings of inadequacy. I apologize again for the long ask, but I really hope this helps you in some way! Know that you're not in this journey alone and that with some time and a little bit of guidance, you will improve-- which I want to also say that it's much easier for others to see than for you to. At the end of the day, try to be a little more compassionate towards yourself, because it can only get better and I know you're doing your best. The fact that you're posting your art and characters online like this is already inspiring enough to many who are afraid to even start, and I genuinely mean that from experience. As scary as it is, maybe ask some of your friends or artists in general that you look up to for tips, most people are happy to provide insight on their work when asked politely- and definitely seek out some resources for yourself as well, those that I mentioned are without a doubt a good start. I wish you all the best of luck, and please take care! <3

Thank you there friend for this long ask. After reading this, I think I forgot something important! I already know these things and I have't tried it out recently! Thank you so much for reminding me and everyone who might come across this that we are indeed not alone. I am truly touched and I'll make sure to never underestimate myself again! Sadly I don't know exactly who you are (Although I assume you were like the first one to like the rant post I just made) but thank you again. And I hope that maybe you can like DM me? Anyways, thank you so much!

#ava the star warrior #anon ask #thank you soo much

[pumpkinnning]

⭐️ for the ask game!

Hii thanks for asking ! Love yr fic too btw !

(tw body horror)

For Sanctuary AU I want to talk about the dream sequence/memory Charles has about seeing the witch being taken away as a kid and the suitcase full of gory stuff - it's actually a scene that was originally planned for much earlier in the story (ch 8 I think) and it originally was the first hint that Charles had magic but then I realized it was maybe too on the nose/out of nowhere and first I wanted to build this sense of longing where magic is Seb's world and Charles really wants to be part of it, and then this starts bringing things to the surface ; and for the reader to be in the same space of uncertainty for a bit ; it also ties magic more into their developing feelings for each other and vice versa.

This memory is about Charles growing up associating magic with danger, loneliness and social exclusion. So, unsurprisingly he's pushed it down, but meeting Seb has changed this. However, it still terrifies him.

The part with the intestines and eyes in the suitcase is about his fear of exposure, visceral feelings, "listening to his guts" and "being seen" and stuff like that, which will happen if he taps into his magic because magic in this universe is not just energy transfer, it's a very personal and emotional thing that reveals a lot about you and is influenced by your psychology. And overall like he says earlier denial is a key coping mechanism for him, born from a place of survival, perfectionism, not wanting to disappoint people/himself, and having this gap btw his romantic ideals and reality. And so I wanted to make his choice to use magic for the first time to save Seb heavier and more meaningful so it makes sense to have this scene right before that ! He is absolutely sacrificing something. Ofc he is a decent person and would try to save anyone like this but would it have worked, against a lifetime of repression, if it hadn't been Seb ? Not sure.

+ and also it's linked to the drunk conversation they had earlier about their pasts. Because even though it sucked I don't think Charles is right saying it just made everything worse. It created this deeper kinship between them. And after these conversations about wanting too much and loving too much, there's this sense of like 'okay now I am going to pull all these parts of myself I have hidden for so long into the light even though I hate it, for you, there's something about that that feels a bit grotesque and excessive about this kind of vulnerability but it's still worth it!' & maybe it's the only antidote against fear and horror etc because fear and horror also have this excessive, monstrous quality of breaking your perception of the world/yourself or sth

Anyway not sure where i am going with this but writing wise, from ch 8 onwards I did a lot of reshuffling of scenes, in the first draft a lot of them were in a very different order (the beard shaving scene was much later, for instance). And I have been thinking a lot about how in big plotty stories you can really change the emotional impact of a scene (without necessarily changing the scene much) depending on where you put it in the sequence of events and ! yeah !

#lmao sorry this is super ranty i am still putting all of this together i hope it will all make sense in the end #sanctuary au

[storiesofsvu]

Brazen Qualities Ch 8

Warnings: language, politics, a foreshadowing of potential angst/drama, dirty talk/mentions of smut.

Heather was in the campaign office, working through a couple of things with Cynthia and another few workers when you knocked on the door jam. It was only the day after you’d returned from Iowa, but you knew you had to check up on things. You also felt Heather’s eyes drag up your frame, drinking your body in.

“Somone looks fancy.” She teased, her words soft enough the others in the room wouldn’t suspect anything.

“I had a meeting with a few Justice’s earlier, had to look my best.” You settled into an empty chair, “how’re things going? Anything I need to know?”

“Everything’s smooth.” Cynthia replied, “all the info you gave us last week was all we really needed. Now that Sharp as pulled out and said she’s openly supporting Heather, things are looking up.”

“Perfect.” You shot Heather a soft smile as the team began to sort through everything coming up. You had to admit, you were only paying half attention, the memory of Heather railing you against her desk in Iowa still burning fresh in your brain. You shot out a couple of ideas and replies over the next hour or so before Heather dismissed everyone. Once there were a smatterings of ‘good nights’ and the like (despite it barely being 5pm) and the door was officially shut, Heather turned her attention to you. You’d started to gather your things, everything work wise was done after all. Your breath hitched as she caged you in between her arms against her desk,

“Shame that I can’t fuck you over this desk…” she murmured, chuckling as your lips chased hers after the small kiss she gave you, “the rush…knowing someone could walk in any minute?” Her lips traced down the side of your neck, purposely nipping at your already bruised skin that you’d tucked under a scarf for the day, “but believe me…once I win..” her lips sucked at your skin again, “I’ll fucking destroy you over the desk in the Oval Office. You’ll like that won’t you kitten?”

You could barely whimper out a reply, clenching your thighs together as Heather kissed and bit at your skin, “fuck you so good you can barely move. Then prop you up on the desk and eat that delicious pussy until you’re screaming my name.” You let out a whine as Heather’s mouth detached from your skin, her brows furrowing as her eyes shot to her phone, letting out a huff, “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With a soft kiss that you couldn’t help but pull Heather back in for a second, she was gone from the office.

You let out a heavy sigh, dropping into the chair behind you, trying your best to distract yourself from the images in your head. Fuck. This woman had you wrapped around her goddamn finger and you both loved and hated it at the same time. It sure didn’t help that she was so fucking talented with her mouth, you knew things were only just sexual, and that was more than okay with you, you didn’t have the time to indulge in anything else anyway.

The next hour or so consisted of you going over paperwork and the like in the campaign office. You’d been busy with your other meetings the last couple of days that you had more than a few documents to go through for the Dunbar campaign. As you finished up what you’d meant to do, you spent a bit tidying up the office, the stress of the days having left it messier than normal. In your cleaning, you accidentally knocked over a vase, cursing yourself at first at having even more to clean, before your fingers dug the small device out amongst the pieces of porcelain.

*

Heather was at home, working through a few things in her home office. Rob was supposed to be making sure the kids were indulging in their schoolwork now that dinner was done. She barely heard the doorbell ring, so entranced with work that it barely left her mind.

“Mr Dunbar…” you stuttered, suddenly ever so aware of the sitaution you were involved in.”Uh..is..Ms Dunbar here? I really need to talk to her.”

“Yeah just give me a minute.” He darted back down the hallway for a minute, returning quickly but not before the kids crossed through the entrance way.

“Wow, her hickey’s almost as bad as the one you came home with last week Becca!” He teased. She punched her brother in response, cheeks flushing the same amount your felt yours burning.

“Hey! Homework! Now!” Rob replied, ushering the kids away, “I’m so sorry..”

“It’s fine..” you  avoided his eyeline, brushing your hair over your neck in an attempt to cover the bruising on your skin. You’d completely forgotten you took off the scarf once the office was empty.

“Y/n.. what’s going on?” Heather’s voice broke your embarrassment as she stepped towards the doorway.

“You got a minute?”

“Yes of course.” She replied. Your eyes darted between her and her husband, trying to give her a knowing look.

“Uh..attorney client privilege? No offence.”

“Spousal privilege applies, you can say whatever you need.”

“Can we take a walk…please?” Your eyes silently begged Heather, thankful for an argument breaking out in the kitchen that distracted her husband. Heather cocked a brow, but grabbed her coat, following you down the steps to the sidewalk.

“You wanna tell me what this is about?”

“Aside from your kid just calling me out about the hickey on my neck?!” Heather laughed, falling in step beside you as you moved down the street.

“Oh please, as if you didn’t enjoy getting that.”

“I was in meetings all day…anyone could’ve seen it.”

“Well then we’ll be more careful.” She replied, “now…why are you here?” You sighed,

“I…may have accidentally smashed a vase in the office.”

“Okay?”

“I found a bug…”

“A what?”

“An electronic listening device. Somone’s been recording conversations in that office for God knows how long!”

“What did you do with it?”

“I left it there. If I destroyed it or moved it, whoever planted it would know that we knew they were listening in. We’ve got to continue on like we don’t know it’s there, we’ve got the leg up on them right now, but I am worried.”

“There’s no reason to be, we’ve been running a clean campaign. Besides, are you even sure it’s a bug? The only people who have been in that office alone are you, myself and Cynthia.”

“And Doug…”

“Shit.” She muttered. She had forgotten about that. It wasn’t very long, but it was more than enough time to drop a bug.

“We know he’s back working with Underwood, he was always sided with him, he only came to you so he could gain information that Underwood could use and thus would know he could trust him again.”

“You’re making something out of nothing. There’s nothing on there that would be useable.”

“Heather! Are you serious? That little conversation we had earlier today? Also, you said you were in the office the night you..coached me through things. You really think Underwood’s above using something like that to derail your chances of getting the nomination? With Jackie dropped out you’re his only competition, we’ve got to get in front of this before he realizes the juice he has…if he hasn’t already.”

“Hey.” Her voice softened as her hands grasped at your shoulders, steadying you and gaining your full attention, “it is my voice on that tape. I will take care of this. Now go home, drink some wine and relax. Don’t worry your pretty little head over this, okay? Stay focussed, we’ve got the caucus in Arizona coming up.”

“As your legal advisor, isn’t something like this exactly what you brought me on board to be worried about?”

“If Underwood tries to use this, he has to admit that he had the office bugged in the first place, looks bad on him.”

“All he has to do is publicly fire Doug, throw him under the bus and it’s water under the bridge.”

“Sweetheart…” Heather gave you a warning glare.

“Okay, okay. I’ll drop it for now.”

“Thank you.” Her hand softly moved your hair off your neck, wincing slightly at the purpling mark, “that is bad…sorry. No one’s called you on it?”

“My scarf collection’s been getting quite the workout. You better hope it’s gone by Arizona or it’s practically a dead giveaway.”

“And you need to stop worrying so much.” She smirked, “now go get some rest.”

“Good night Heather.”

“Sweet dreams kitten.” She winked at you before she made her way back up the sidewalk, causing you to shake your head at her teasing.

#heather dunbar #heather dunbar x reader #house of cards #brazen qualities

[bookwyrminspiration]

Hi Quil! I just had a really nice weekend and I hope you enjoyed your weekend too.

Recently, I’ve been working on some of my longer story ideas, but I also had some concepts for oneshot and shorter stories to write, which I might try out. I know you have written both oneshots and longer stories, so I was curious what your thoughts were on different kinds of stories and if you had any advice for either type, especially for longer-form stories. 

Thank you!

- Amethyst

~

Hi Amethyst! I’ve been rather busy lately, but really soon my weekends and weeks should be very free and enjoyable! I’m about to have a summer break for the first time in four years and I’m not quite sure what to do with all that time!

I can share advice, but just keep in mind this is my experience and what works for me; if it doesn’t work for you, don’t give up, that just means what works for me doesn’t work for you. I’ve also shared general writing advice before, like here and here and here. I’m sure there’s more on my blog, the tagging system just sucks at finding things.

No one form (long or short) is better than the other; its about adequately representing and doing justice the concept. Sometimes you have a really complex idea and it would be best explored over a really long story with lots of depth and side plots, and sometimes you want to really highlight one aspect of something (of a society, a relationship, an idea, etc) and you want it to be shorter, more focused, eliminating background noise. it’s also wise to take into account what you can realistically do and how much time you have. If you’ve never written before in your life, for example, it’d probably be best to start with smaller projects.

Focusing on long-form stories, I think a huge thing is patience and consistency. The gratification and pay off for these comes much further down the line and requires a considerable amount of effort. Going into it knowing there’s a very long road ahead helps get you through the times where it feels like you’ll never get there and nothing’s happening. Things are happening, they just take time to write. There’s a lot of words and even the most prolific writer can’t knock it out all at once. It’s more reliable to write smaller amounts consistently than large amounts sporadically, in my experience.

A big one for me personally is also to have an end goal in mind. Know, at least generally, where you’re going. Long form tend to have subplots and side things happening, so keeping in mind where the story should be heading alongside that makes it more cohesive and, in my experience, you’re more likely to actually get there. When I’ve tried to write long form stories without a decided direction, I got completely off track and had to start over. Something vague like “at the end they’re going to have a fight with this person” is enough, nothing fancy, you have something to keep in mind to head towards.

Oh here’s another thing! Don’t worry about editing your first time through. Editing and revision comes later. If you’re focused on making things good and perfect before moving on, you’re going to massively hinder yourself. Writing the story through (or your chapter through), and then go back and make changes. Having the whole thing in front of you makes it easier to adjust where needed because you can see how everything interacts with each other. Sometimes the inspiration for a change you make in chapter 2 comes from something you write in chapter 20. So discard these quality standards; the point of the first draft is to get something down, that’s its only purpose; even if its the shittiest writing in the world, its better than an empty page. you can make it better later.

I’m sure I could think of more, but since I just threw multiple long linked posts at you I’ll stop here for now! If you have more specific questions I’d be happy to help however I can, though again, these are just my thoughts and experiences. At the end of it all remember why you’re writing! For fun? To express something about yourself? To reflect on something? Try to keep that in mind so you don’t make yourself hate writing when you get stuck (which is pretty much inevitable. we all run into problems at some point)

I hope this helps!

#submission #quil's queries #amethyst nonsie #writing advice #i focused on long at your request but I do have a few things I try to do when writing short form i could share if you'd like #another thing! steal ideas from stories you like #not plagarize. #but like. if an author has something they do you like (a voice. a kind of characterization. a plot structure) then use that in your own work #i imitate a millioin different things I've picked up from other books and combined them all into my style #i realized you could ignore punctuation grammatically for style and emphasis from the shatter m.e books #and while they're by no means my favorite. i did like that element #so that's just one example #for writing in general #this feels like very vague and chaotic advice but hopefully it makes sense enough to help!

[dragonflavoredcake]

Sometimes I genuinely wonder if we're living in a future Dark Age.

Our archaeology relies on physical objects, because for most of human history, that's been the most concrete proof that someone was here. We look for dishes, for bones, for grave markers.

But we get so much more information from cultural discoveries, things like clothes and books and inscriptions. Historians get excited when we find ancient trade records, letters, and clocks.

A lot of things are digital now. Personal letters have mostly been replaced by email and text. Clothing falls apart in just a few years. I don't think that print books will ever go away, but digital books are on the rise, especially with physical copies being so expensive. TV and movies are our new culture-defining medias, but they've mostly moved to streaming, and the HBO/Warner Bros. merger is proving how quickly entire pieces of culture can be deleted when streaming is the accepted norm.

Before, a company could recall a VHS or DVD, but they needed to have a good reason and it was ultimately up to the customer to comply. Customers no longer have a choice in the matter. This goes for ebooks, too—there have been instances of people buying ebooks only for them to disappear from their digital shelves because the hosting company purged the title from their catalogue.

They say the internet is forever, but it scares me to see Warner Bros./HBO scrubbing their histories of any mention of their murdered shows just for a "penny wise, pound foolish" tax scheme. Because what's to say that other companies won't do the same thing? What's stopping other companies from pretending that properties no longer exist when it's no longer convenient?

A dark age isn't necessarily an age where everything sucks. Dark ages are called dark ages because we don't have much information about them. Websites can be lost—just look at the effort that was put in to preserve hundreds of sites when browsers stopped supporting Flash. The Wayback Machine is a gem, but it can only do so much.

I don't doubt that future archaeologists are going to find a lot of stuff when our time becomes a past era. They're going to find a lot of plastic and a lot of low-quality junk. They're going to find books and worn-out clothes and building inscriptions. They're going to find dishes and bones and grave markers.

They're not going to find trade records, because those are digital now. They're not going to find library catalogues, because anything bigger than a small church or school library is digital. I don't think they're going to find nearly as many clocks. Our electronics are made to break, and it's not easy to figure out what a smartphone is supposed to do if you can't turn it on.

I wonder, if the internet was taken down forever, what would we have left?

#my posts #my essays #archaeology

[pashminalamb]

Omg belle good thing you know it was me I forgot to put a label😭. And about ur posts not uploading in the tags, i don’t really know how to help with that maybe you just need to refresh tumblr or smth? but I hope that you will still stay in tumblr right? But yeah ur right a lot of writers are complaining about tumblr and its getting really annoying for them too

Anyways pls take care of urself, have a breather, take a nap drink some water then deal with it again okay? I know u work so hard but health always comes first. I luv u belle🫶🏻

-💙

There’s only one person who obsesses over Oliver on my blog- and that’s you. Plus I can tell who is who by language and familiarity. I can’t be fooled that easily tbh (￣∇￣)

I tried refreshing tumblr but it doesn’t seem to work- I sent out emails to support staff and I’m waiting for their reply, I’ve even tried reuploading by deleting the whole fic and then trying again, first it was the links and then it was this. Not to mention I had other weird accounts and harassing messages (and sometimes really kind messages sent to me Ty for those) And other tumblr users are having issues are having issues as well? The only blog I interact with is Zari’s through my moots account (including other accs of my followers as well - but it’s mostly reblogging stuff) and I think she had issues with posting her things too… I will be on tumblr, yeah but I’ll probably be posting more of my things on ao3. On the positive side of things, I can get more solo fics out for characters… hcs is something I write when I get lazy or get guilt tripped into not posting enough. And with ao3 there’s more quality control? Like you get really good quality content on ao3, ofc other authors here are great as well- but the real stuff is on ao3. I don’t read ff here anyway and I’ve nearly stopped reading on ao3 as well, but not completely cause there are some amazing content creators there as well- but tumblr is also getting really annoying cause the algorithms been built in such a way where smut is given more pref than the actual writing (like I get it erotica- fun stuff is fun stuff) but at the same time my writings are more of 90% leaning more towards the plot and 10% leaning towards smut - cause my plot writing is heavy and the smut… well passable. (Haven’t gotten into more serious things so far) and that’s why I think I should move to ao3.

I’ll keep this account running ofc so that I can have better interaction with my anons, but posting wise- it’s getting really sloppy for me here. Not to mention I get followed by…. nude accounts here (literally got one rn on @isagiusagi - my side account). All the time. Ao3? I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem. Ik I sound over dramatic and everything but this is a plot I’ve been working on for 3 months and it’s 7.3k words. Smut part that I had to slog over and the cry over some of the dialogues. Not to mention that on ao3 the maturity labels are more easier to set. On tumblr, the moment I put a maturity label, my work won’t show up on the main tag until I take it off only for it to get flagged down again - yeah tumblr sucks cause of that. Followers and likes never really mattered to me (cause I’m posting for myself and wanna get an opinion out there too regarding characters) and it’s actually nice to see people interacting abt my work with me here and I’ll to keep that going in future as well. As of now, I’ll post more on ao3 since my fics are longer, with more content cause I just think my writing is built for that platform- not to mention the yandere content that going on there

I heart u too blue 🫶🏻

#belle.☏ #.lost sheep : 💙 anon