#watch me edit this 500 times as I remember characters to add

[dathen]

Happy ace week to Walter Pensive and Sherlock Holmes and Jonathan Sims and Caduceus Clay and the Audio Tour Guide and Sasha Rackett and Winona and Murderbot and Rudyard Funn and Jo March and Essek Thelyss and Miles Edgeworth and the Broker and Aubrey Killian and Zolf Smith and Keyleth and

#fuck it I’m tagging #hello from the hallowoods #the magnus archives #sherlock holmes #mistholme museum #rqg #murderbot #wooden overcoats #critical role #ace attorney #black box podcast #skyjacks #watch me edit this 500 times as I remember characters to add

[lavender-long-stories]

Writing Advice: Getting Words on a Page

With the 75k word count in November and 90k in August, I have been asked questions like how do I keep focus and what do I do when I get stuck. I am going to compile all the advice I have.

Over the last few years, I have posted 700k+ words of fan fiction and have been posting 3 to 6 chapters every week for the last ten months. This is not how to make your writing better. This is how to get words on a page. 

This is not all my original ideas. This is just a collection of things that have worked for me.

I am not sure I am the person to tell you how to make your writing better, but if people want my thoughts on that. I can make that post too.

When inspiration strikes, write like wild. 

If you have the time and you are bitten by the writing bug, keep writing anything while you are in peak form. You will thank yourself later when you feel like you can’t write everything. I have done the extreme version of this where I have a month (four chapters) written ahead of almost everything on my post schedule (you don’t need this), but this was really nice after I brunt out after finishing out the 90k challenge I destroyed myself with in August.

Write in little pockets of time.

You don’t need to sit down and write for two hours. Write 100 words here and 500 there. It will all add up. When I was struggling at the end of the 75k, I would just open a doc every few hours and write half a page until I got distracted and tried again later.

Change your font.

If you are struggling to edit or even just find yourself drifting while writing, change your font. It helps trick your brain into paying attention. (I like doing a mono font like Courier when I need writing vibes. It looks typewriter-y)

Take a shower. 

Not just for shower thoughts, being clean and fresh helps with focus

Get dressed.

I love being comfy, but something about getting dressed makes me feel like I am working and should finish my task. Extra points for it being fun. (Maybe cosplay a pirate or something.)

Move Locations.

Desk, kitchen table, bed, outside: changing location helps move you out of a brain rut.

Handwrite notes.

I take most of my notes on notion, but when I am struggling with my plot, I write out notes by hand, starting with what happened last and continuing from there, writing even things I know will happen. Then I transfer this to my digital notes so they are easier to move around in order, AND a lot of time, I add details when revising them to digital. Double power.

Always, always write down your thoughts and keep them.

Some of my most popular stories came from me rediscovering a 2 am thought that I wrote down six years ago. Keep a notepad next to the bed if you have to.

Change POV

If something is not working in a scene, maybe it is who you have reacting to it. Try switching POV. It helps you think of the scene from another perspective.

Watch a show in your genre.

I watch a lot of the silliest KDrama’s and get lots of romance ideas. Maybe I didn’t think of sending my character to a park or trapping them in a sky lift. Maybe I should add a stalker that sounds fun.

Take your bathroom breaks.

You should always drink lots of fluids and remember to take your bathroom breaks because the brief moment of walking away always gives me an idea.

Skim through the story and make notes on what HAS happened, not just what will happen.

This helps more with my style of having next to no plot outline. Need your next plot point and don’t know where to go? Remember that time they did x? Let’s build off that. This helps intertwine the plot without losing things.

Just read the story back.

You don’t always need to make notes, but sometimes just reading from the beginning can make you pick up on a detail that was unimportant at the time, and you may not even have meant to put in that could have a lot more meaning now. Then, you can call it clever foreshadowing.  

Explain your problem or the scene you are struggling with out loud.

It doesn’t have to be to someone. It could be a glass of water. This is called ‘rubber ducking. It’s a programmer term (hello, that is my day job). Restructuring your problem in a way you have to articulate it most of the time makes the solution come to you.

Try focusing on the scenery.

If you can’t get a scene to work open with the weather or how the floor is creaking under step, give the world a new feeling. How does the person feel about the weather or the temperature of the room? 

Can’t figure out what is wrong? Rewrite the chapter from scratch. 

Open a new doc and rewrite the chapter from memory. I do this a lot in the beginning of a story that didn’t quite hit the way I wanted it to. I will start the chapter from memory and skim the old one to ensure I didn’t miss anything important. Can’t do it from memory? Read a paragraph and write that from memory. 

Take a left turn.

Sometimes, if you can’t go any further, go back a sentence, a paragraph, a scene, a chapter, and just make a different decision. Turn left instead of right. Change how someone reacts to an argument. It opens a whole new lane to go down.

Excited for a scene that is in the future?

Write it! You don’t have to use it word for word in the future. Sometimes, you can copy and paste it in, and sometimes, you can just rewrite it, and you lose none of those thoughts you originally had.  Writing it might remind you of something that needs to happen first to help you get there.

Have more than one story you are working on.

I don’t think you need to be working on four+ stories like I do, but having something to switch to when your brain really isn’t feeling your main is a great way to keep you writing. Call it productive procrastination. This is the REAL reason I have so many stories uploading.  (ᵕ—ᴗ—)

Other Somewhat Related Advice

Context Switching

I work on multiple projects at a time, and I tend not to mix them up because they have a different vibe to me. It feels like stepping into each world.  If you are struggling with context switching between stories, I suggest finding a song or making a playlist that gives you that story’s ‘vibe’ and keeping a link to it in your writing folder or snagging a section of your story that captures the vibe you are going for and keeping it off to the side to reread when you need to switch.

Don’t edit the same day you write.

You’re not going to catch errors. Your brain is too familiar with what you wrote. Also, I recommend Grammarly or another grammar checker for all your missing comma and period needs. (Word, Docs, and any other text editor simply won't bully you enough.)

If you hate editing, don’t leave yourself with a painful amount of editing.

When people ask me how I edit my work, how many passes I take, etc, I tend to disappoint them. The short answer is one read-through (after using a grammar checker).  I learned a LONG time ago that as much as it would be nice to write a bunch of dialog and then tell yourself you will go back to add all the actions or write without quotes because it takes time, you will save yourself a lot of time and pain if you learn to write it correctly the first time and then editing won’t be as much of a chore. I have been writing for years, and I am used to how I write and edit. If you are newer to writing, give it another pass or two, but try to shift some of that work to the writing process, not the editing process.

Make yourself an editing cheat sheet.

Make yourself a doc or a notion of words you notice you use too much or common words you misspell when writing.  I usually make one when I get back and do a post edit (when the story has been up for a while and I get back with fresh eyes and edit it). Reading through your old work and find things that you don’t like or don’t want to do anymore is a great way to build this list and improve your writing.

Now go write.

Got any advice for me? Reblog and tell me.

#writing problems #writing #writing tips #writers block #writing advice #writer #writing community #writeblr

[smellingofpoetry]

400 Follower Celebration - Summer Edition

Hello there!

It has been quite some time since the first time I posted my first story here on Tumblr. I remember being quite nervous when I had to click on the post button and would like to say that the nervousness has gone since then but I would be lying. I was lucky enough to find some amazing people in here ready to support my work.

And thanks to you guys, today I’m here ready to celebrate a new milestone: 400 followers. I’m amazed and grateful for the support you keep giving me.

This time, I’ve decided to give you a list of summer prompts. I love summer deeply, and even though she always makes me wait for her, I’m already in the mood for warmer times.

Below the cut, you’re going to find the prompts and all the rules to participate.

RULES:

Writers must be 18+ to participate.

You don’t have to follow me, but it would be nice if you did since this is a follower celebration.

You can write about Supernatural and Dean Winchester, which isn’t surprising, but this time you can also write about Beau Arlene, Soldier Boy, and Jensen Ackles too.

You can add an OC character, or a Reader insert if you’d like.

Once you choose your prompt, send me an ASK to let me know. Once you finish your story, you can ask for a new prompt if you like.

You can write anything from angst to fluff, to AU, there’s really no limitation in that.

Do not write anything that contains: underage smut, incest, non-con/rape, Wincest, Destiel.

Tag all of your warnings appropriately, please.

No word count limit but insert the “keep reading” line if you go over 500 words.

You can combine the prompt you pick with other challenges and bingos.

There’s no deadline, so no pressure.

Tag me in your fic and use #smellingofpoetry400celebration within your first five tags, so I can find you easily. Also, if I don’t like your post within three days, feel free to send me an ask or DM. Sometimes Tumblr notifications aren’t the best.

I will reblog every entry and create a Masterlist at the end of it, but I reserve the right to not reblog any post that goes against the rules, sorry.

Feel free to send me an ask or DM if you need more questions or some clarification.

PROMPTS:

Backyard camping

Barbecue

Barefoot on the send

Beach day

Bonfire

Camping trip

Catching waves

Dancing through the night

Drive-in theater (@jessjad)

Fireflies

Fireworks

Flower crowns (@all-alone-he-turns-to-stone)

Fourth of July

Freckles

Ice Cream

Long car rides with the windows down

Night swimming

Outdoor festival

Picnic

Pool day

Road trip (@superwholockmarauders-primary)

Roasted marshmallows and burnt fingers

Sandcastles

Seashells

Skinny dipping (@dean-winchester-is-a-warrior)

Sleeping under the stars (@jessjad)

Stargazing

Staying up till sunrise

Summer fling

Summer rain (@kazsrm67)

Summer storm (@little-diable)

Sunscreen

The warmth on your naked skin (@all-alone-he-turns-to-stone)

Trip to the beach

Vacation

Warm nights

Watching the sunset

I'm tagging some of my mutuals who may or may not be interested, or could simply give me a signal boost.

@snowlovespie @avanatural @libre1rose8 @little-diable @waynes-multiverse @all-alone-he-turns-to-stone @flamencodiva @roonyxx @jay-and-dean @deanwanddamons @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior @winchest09 @pastelpeaxch @eevvvaa

#smellingofpoetry400celebration #writing challenge #follower celebration #supernatural writing challenge #dean winchester #dean winchester writing challenge #supernatural fanfiction #spn fanfiction #spn family #beau arlen #soldier boy

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #461

“this city looks so pretty, do you wanna burn it with me?”

Have you ever wanted a Nikon camera? Or do you have one already? My camera before the one I have now was a Nikon D3200. I use a Canon now. Who was the last person (if anyone) you said Happy Birthday to? A friend. Do you have Photoshop? If so, how often a day do you use it? I have it, but I barely use it nowadays. I use it to edit photos for character profiles or profile pictures, add a watermark for my actual photography, and I used to make Mark-oriented gifs like crazy. They mostly did really well, so... I might wanna get back into that and get That Sweet Validation. Do you watch any shows that you know your parents wouldn’t approve of? No. Have any of your exes gotten married or had kids since your breakup? None, I think. Do either of your parents have a mental illness? My mom has depression. Can you tolerate children for a long period of time? NO. Have you ever lived with someone you felt thoroughly uncomfortable around? No. Are you into dubstep? Yeah, I tend to enjoy it. Zelda or The Sims games? Can I pick neither? lol I don't feel very much at all for The Sims, and Zelda games have always looked... boring to me? Like I've watched most of the Game Grumps' playthroughs of all the games, and they make it hilarious of course, but the games themselves? Nah. Are you terrible at assigning bands their proper genre? YES YES YES YES YES YES. Even in my preferred category, that being metal, FUCK if I know the sub-genre. Have you ever made out in a closet? No, that shit sounds claustrophobic as hell. Have you ever been to a laser tag place? Yeah, on a triple-date once! It was SO fun. How do you wanna celebrate your next birthday? Have a couple friends over, pig out at The Cheesecake Factory. o3o Do you tease your parents about them being old? No, especially not Mom. She's self-conscious about getting older. Are you in love with someone? "In love" is a bit too far, buddy. But I love someone. Have you ever ridden a unicycle? No. Have you ever wanted a pet bunny? I was VERY serious about getting a lop-eared bunny for quite a while, but we just couldn't afford to adopt one (even off Craigslist) and get a cage for it, toys, etc. Are the bottom of your feet clean? I HATE seeing the bottom of my feet. Not because they're dirty, but because it's Callus City. I ain't even fuckin jokin'. Do you like really salty food? Yeah. :x When’s the last time you bled a lot? Well, I just recently finished my cycle after not menstruating for three or four MONTHS, so you can figure that one out. Have you ever watched a needle go into your own skin? Yeah. I like to know exactly when it's coming. Have you ever seen someone get a piercing/tattoo? Yes to both. When you’re done eating finger foods, do you usually lick your fingers? Usually kasdjlf;kalsdjf shut up ok I like food. What’s the most racist thing you have ever said? As a little kid, when my really good friend (a neighborhood kid, even) asked if he thought we'd be a good couple, I told him no because "blacks and whites don't date" or something like that. It was an idea I'd never been exposed to before; the idea was so foreign to little kid me. I had no idea I was being racist. It ended in a small fight and we didn't talk for a few days 'til he came to my house telling Mom that he had to "be a man" and fix this and if that ain't the cUTEST SHIT RIGHT THERE. We were friends again after that. He's still on my Facebook, and he actually semi-recently got married! :') Do you know someone that is mute, deaf or blind? No. Have you ever spent more than two weeks in a wheelchair? No. Does weed smell good? Or no? Ugh, no. Where do you see your closest friend in ten years? Successful and happy she kept pushing. Mama to so many reptiles that are blessed with the best lives possible in human care. Got at least one amazing book out there. If she's reading this, you've fucking got this. <3 Would you like to have twins? Mother of fucking god, no. Even if I WANTED kids, do fucking not give me twins. Who was the last person you got into an argument with? My mom. Want to have kids before you’re 30? Once again, I don't want kids, but IF I did, that'd be preferable before the risk of birth defects and other issues climb with age. Does anybody have a tattoo with your name on it? My older sister has my initial. Do you think somebody’s in love with you? No. Do you think you and your best friend will be friends in ten years? Yes, I genuinely do. Who were the last people to hang out at your house? Miss Tobey, our friend and landlord. Does anyone like you? Welp... I hope he still does. Guess we'll figure that out soon. What person on your Facebook do you talk to the most? VIA Facebook? Probably my friend Lyndsey. She likes to comment on stuff I share. Do you want to fall in love? I do, but I'm also utterly horrified to and risk being hurt again. Are you interested in more than one person at the moment? No. Once I realized I was so deeply into Girt, all other romantic feelings kinda just... poofed. How was your last break up? Civil and done with both of our best interests in mind. What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to say? Probably the first time I admitted I needed to go to the hospital for suicidal thoughts. I was so, so scared of what it was going to be like. What is the hardest thing you NEEDED to hear? That if Jason wasn't happy with me, he had every right to move on. She was right. Do you treat yourself well? No... but I'm trying to change that. What was the last song you sang out loud to? This "Set Fire to the Rain" cover. Do you take good pictures? I think I do? Have you ever done any internship? No. What’s a topic you’ve drastically changed your opinion on? Holy shit, so much, especially when it comes to morality and political stances. I am now a massive supporter and member of the LGBTQ+ community, I'm pro-trans rights, pro-choice... I've done like a dozen 180s in a lot of topics. Do you know anyone who has a PhD? I mean, some doctors, but no one in my truly personal life. Do you know anyone who works as a lawyer? Yes: my cousin. Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? LAKSDJFKLA;JWD NEVER AND I PRAY TO THE HOLY LORD THAT I NEVER DO. Does the thought of having wrinkles when you’re older upset you? Not massively? Like literally everyone gets them and is natural and inevitable. Do you know anyone who’s struggling with addiction? I know one alcoholic, and one that's probably borderline. I also have two friends who are extremely addicted to weed. Look me in the eyes and say it's not an addictive substance and I wouldn't believe you one bit. Is there a video or computer game that you can get lost in for hours? Eh, sometimes World of Warcraft. Some days I'm really into it, and others I barely touch it. What’s your favorite Disney Channel movie? I have no clue. I don't even remember movies that were made *for* Disney exclusively. Do you ever have to do yard work? No. We have a friend from the dance studio mow the lawn. Do you have any live versions of songs in your music software? My iPod has a whole live album of Ozzy. Did you or do you listen to Britney Spears songs? Both did and do. Britney is a boss bitch. Does your favorite band have a male or female lead singer? Male. Have you seen the movie Moulin Rouge? No, but I've seen some of that P!nk music video of the song and it brings out the Gay in me. Do you have a key to anything besides your house? No. Could you ever complete a 500-piece puzzle? I've done that before. I miss doing puzzles... Have you ever been to any sort of convention? I went to a reptile expo with Sara!! I REALLY want to go to another when my legs are stronger and can handle standing and walking so much. Is your mom or dad the older parent? Mom. Have you ever tried to walk on a moving vehicle and fallen over? No????? What is your favourite kind of bread? Is there any of that in your house? Pumpernickel. No. Are/were you in the school band, and if so, what instrument did you play? I played the flute all through middle school and I wanna say half of HS. Have you ever ordered an unusual drink at a bar? Never even been to one. Have you ever been pulled aside by security at the airport? I think once for some reason I don't recall? What is your favourite seasonal candy? (only available at certain times) Gingerbread men, probs. Or chocolate bunnies!!! :') How do you feel right now? My stomach is KILLING me. I'm super excited though that Girt is coming over tomorrow. Have you ever had surgery that kept you in the hospital for over a day? No. What would you like your generation to change? How we treat nature. Is there anyone that you truly could not live without? No. I learned that is a very unhealthy mentality to have. Do you like carrots more if they’re raw, or cooked? I just hate carrots. What restaurant did you last go out to dinner at with friends? With friends? I couldn't even guess. Does your refrigerator have an ice maker or do you use ice cube trays? It has an ice maker. Do you have a favorite sibling, if any? No; I love them all. Do you have a favorite brand of clothing? I STAN CLOAK. How’s the love life? Something new might start tomorrow. I think it will. Do you watch the news? No; that shit is depressing. Who do you admire most? Mark. Do you have a favorite album? Black Rain by Ozzy Osbourne takes the cake and always will.

#survey #surveys #random questions #lyrics: ''city'' by hollywood undead

[gaknar]

Review: The Claremont Crossovers

Geez, I haven’t written a review for this blog since my Secret Wars review from like 17 years ago. How can that be? Well, I guess I used to work on this blog a lot more often and now I’ve gotten way more into Super Nintendo games and BDSM. Like a lot of people. But now that I finally finished reading Inferno, it is time once again to bookend my experience with an overly wordy wall of text filled with the worst kind of oblivious meninist butt humor jokes and pretentious sounding run-on sentences that are trying to sound smart but are always improperly ended with prepositions of. And lots of ridiculous comic book panels.

These are only the silliest panels from this reading that I could find after looking for about 25 seconds.

Bookeeping. This review covers everything that I have read since X-Factor #1. This includes Uncanny X-Men #204-243, X-Factor #1-39, New Mutants #38-73, along with a smattering of annuals, Daredevil, Power Pack, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Excalibur, and X-Terminators comics that were all part of the Mutant Massacre, Fall of the Mutants, and Inferno crossovers. There were a lot of developments over the course of the 4 years these comics were published. Jean Grey was resurrected and the original members of the X-Men reformed under the moniker X-Factor.

Mr. Sinister formed his band of evil mutants, the Marauders, who would become the X-Men’s main antagonists, and their most devious act would include committing mutant genocide against the Morlocks in the New York City sewers while dealing critical wounds to main X-Men team members Kitty Pryde, Nightcrawler, and Colossus during the fight.

Later, the X-Men were seemingly killed in a struggle with the mystical being known as the Adversary, but in reality they went into hiding in their new Australian outback base.

Illyana Rasputin lost control of the hell dimension Limbo which led to a demon invasion of Manhattan.

And finally, perhaps most prominently, Cyclops left his wife Madelyne Pryor and their son to get back together with Jean Grey, an act that led Madelyne to become corrupted with Pheoenix Force power and to turn into the Goblin Queen.

This era of X-Men comics contains the first major crossovers between the main X-Men comic book and its spinoffs. These events would become common as Marvel found ways to use its more strongly published works to carry the weaker ones, and the ploy still works apparently since here I am 30 years later reading 500 page omnibus collections just because there are 4 or 5 absolutely killer X-Men comic books in them. I love the X-Men so much that I’m willing to wade through the unending buildup to get the most out of the climaxes.

Seriously this artwork.

However, I find that this style of editing leads to a peculiar trend in pacing that can be tough to recover from in-between the major storylines. As Mutant Massacre leads into Fall of the Mutants, which then leads into Inferno, the characters are faced with consistently increasing stakes. With each passing story line, casualties grow and become more grave, and the consequences are more lasting. Mutant Massacre starts with the genocide of a mutant community, and several main characters are critically wounded as the X-Men face the worst defeat they’ve ever experienced. Then a year later in Fall of the Mutants, just as the team is starting to recover, the entire team of X-Men is killed during their battle against the Adversary. They would immediately be resurrected as a reward for sacrificing themselves to save the world, but it is still a defeat that claims the lives of every member of the team, if only for a moment. By the time we get to Inferno, the world is literally ending. Demons are raining from the sky and regular people are straight up getting slaughtered in the streets and elevators as the X-Men are more or less helpless to stop the destruction.

Inferno is an amazing storyline, if only for all the scenes of inanimate objects coming to life and straight up eviscerating common folk who are just minding their own business. Look at this shit!!! How did the comics code of conduct ever approve this. A mob of people just packed themselves into a demon FOOD PROCESSOR and every inch of them was liquefied except their bones. Chilling. (And let’s just forget about how the writers retconned all this blood orgy stuff in the Inferno Epilogue).

This all works in a capitalistic sense. Constantly raise the stakes and don’t let up for a second because if you do, the reader will take their eyes off the page and you will lose money. But the problem is, you can’t do this forever. And if you try, eventually you are going to write yourself into a corner where you’ve raised the stakes so many times, and you’ve re-manufactured the drama so often, people will stop caring. I call this the Dragon Ball effect.

How many times have these characters become gods at this point? Like three movies ago, the most recent movie was literally called “Battle of Gods.” I’m not even watching Super. Once your characters get so far away from humanistic stories people can relate to, you are no longer creating art. You’re manufacturing sensationalism. And it gets boring. These guys are starting to look like different flavors of freezie pops.

Maybe this is why the X-Men comics that come after this, the comics that make up the last leg of writer Chris Claremont’s 17 year run on the series, become so weird. Because perhaps there was no way to continue to raise the stakes any higher. After this point, we don’t get any more big crossovers until X-Tinction Agenda, but even that story is small and quaint when compared to what is presented here. Wolverine completely disappears from the series, all our other favorite characters disappear into the Seige Perilous to be transformed into completely different versions of themselves, and we get a lot of surreal stories that don’t have any sort of climax in the way that we’ve been conditioned to expect. The series becomes murky and ambiguous, without a solid narrative arc, and I think that’s why people regard the end of Chris Claremont’s writing on the series to be the weakest part of his run.

I can’t wait to read the X-Men comics that are coming up next. Because I didn’t know what in the FUCK was going on in these comics when I was a kid and I’m hoping they make more sense now.

Anyway, I’ll be the judge of all that, once I get there. (I may even indulge in the Infinity Gauntlet omnibus because, you know, there’s a couple X-Men involved in that). But regardless of what comes after this, I think it’s also true that the crossovers presented in this reading are generally regarded with less respect than Chris Claremont’s earlier work on the series, such as the Dark Phoenix Saga and Days of Future Past. This I don’t agree with. While the stories in this reading do range in quality, with Fall of the Mutants definitely being the weakest of the three big crossovers, and even though the Uncanny X-Men portion of Inferno isn’t even the central story of that crossover (the critical story elements take place in the far inferior issues of New Mutants and <ugh> X-Terminators written by Louise Simonson), Claremont’s writing is still much stronger, more layered, and more elegant than anything else that is presented in these collections. These crossovers may not be as timeless or original as the most famous X-Men stories, but the writing here is still really darn good and engaging (at least in Uncanny X-Men), and in my opinion, does not represent a decline in aptitude on the part of the writer. It’s clear that Claremont’s writing has continued to mature and become more nuanced, so much so that when you compare it to the first issues he wrote for the series, it seems like he’s a completely different writer.

KALIDASCOPICALLY. Again, these were just the silliest panels I could find after looking for about 25 seconds.

Personally, I love this period of X-Men comics. Under Claremont’s executive control, no plot thread gets dropped. No minor detail goes disregarded. Characters continue to grow and develop at such a natural pace, sometimes it feels like my own life is developing right alongside theirs. This adds depth to these readings and I can’t describe how it feels to be a part of them, and I think it’s this element that is missing from so many other comic books written by so many other comic book writers, including nearly every X-Men story written after Chris Claremont left the series.

Case in point, there are so many minor recurring characters that appear in these stories, like Franklin Richards. (I seriously tear up every time I see these panels). This little guy bounces around the Power Pack, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four like a ping pong ball. He’s a key character in the story line where Kitty Pryde finally recovers from the wounds she suffered during Mutant Massacre. And even though Kitty and Franklin have only met each other a few times, those meetings have meaning and they are remembered and called upon in the telling of the current story. All of the efforts made by the writers and editors to keep the narrative linked make these characters seem like real life people with weight and substance, rather than a thin layer of ink on a piece of paper. And it totally works.

Ugh, this review turned into another circle jerk about the writers of these comics, and especially about Chris Claremont. But what can I say. It’s because of the writers that we are here. Love or hate these comics, and I know Claremont’s wordy scripts are not everyone’s cup of tea, but these are the stories that make the X-Men what they are. It’s tough to be aware of these things when you’re in the middle of reading them, but I’m having the absolute best time writing this blog right now, and it is primarily because these are the comics that resonate with me the most. And when I’m finished with Claremont’s material and I’m slogging through some crap written by Chuck Austen, I bet I’m going to look back on these days with envy.

#x-men #review #madelyne pryor #jean grey #inferno #Mutant Massacre #fall of the mutants

[authorincrisis]

How do I finish a simple AU when I get too caught up in wanting to perfect the plot,the character chemistry,wanting to keep the readers interested,in short just make it way too complicated and end up losing the fun of writing?

Hey, anon! Thank you so much for your excellent question! Now, I'm sure that you and many other writers may be wondering the same thing in regards to completing your story and really pounding things out before you get into specifics in the second draft and actually getting things done which, at times, can seem tedious and impossible. Maybe you have a million dollar idea, the idea that you’ve been working so long and hard on but it just isn’t working out because you can’t move forward. There’s always something more that you feel you have to add, one detail, one scene, one character, etc. So here’s the thing (and the main point of this response, I think): there is no one solution or any best solution.

Obviously, there is a lot going on in your mind, not to mention all the hullabaloo in your planning, but in order to get things done, you need to figure out the root of the problem. So, the first thing that I want you to do is really dig in. Why are you feeling the way that you are now? Is it because your plan is truly incomplete, maybe unorganized, that perhaps there is a reason preventing you from enjoying writing, or because you are starting to doubt your own literary skill? These are some of the main reasons as to why you may be stuck in the cycle and often, they might be interconnected as well. I will write a bit for each scenario below that you can skim through with the addition of some strategies that you can use to power through this period and hopefully, this can help you to get over this obstacle in your writing endeavour. : )

NOTE: The planning advice is worth reading over but if it is starting to feel like you are doubting yourself unnecessarily, the thought of your plan being ‘not enough’ may not be the case. If it is just the writing that you are worried about, please don’t dig yourself into another hole by restarting or tearing apart your current plan. Instead, perhaps only consider following points three and four.

1. Your plan isn’t actually complete: Often, writers can see themselves at the very endpoint of their story and know their goal, but not how they will actually get there. And although this may not be the case for you, it is worth looking over. Do you have a plan written out of your story that is comfortable for you? Is it solid enough that you have a base but also outlets for potential bursts of creativity? You are the only one who can decide if your plan is complete or not because it is designed for you and you only. It’s essentially the skeleton that holds together your story because it is the story, just a shorter, blueprint of it anyway. That’s a reason why it makes it so important. So, if you need any guidelines, I’ll link some resources here and here. These should be taken almost as checklists and are just to make sure that you have it all.

2. You need to organize your plan to better suit your needs: So, you’ve gone over your plan and decided that you indeed have everything that you need, but for some reason, it just isn’t working out. All the information is there, perhaps additional tidbits as well, but it’s just difficult for you to read and/or follow. For this, I want you to think if the format of your plan is working for you. If yes, you can skip this point but if no, maybe think of reorganizing it. There are so many types of plans, and I am 100% sure that there one perfect for you. This is why you should try out something new! Experiment with yourself and your flexibility and see what will allow you to move forward with your writing for not only this project, but for others to follow. Here’s a helpful link that can help you with just that! 

3. There’s something that’s preventing you from enjoying writing: There may be multiple outcomes for this point here because honestly, it sucks. You have everything figured out, but you just can’t write because you aren’t enjoying it enough to do so. So, for this, again. Find the root of the problem. Is it the particular scene that you don’t love writing or is it the research and energy that it takes up bringing you down? Either way, there is good news. There are so many strategies that can help you with this and other measures that you can take from preventing it from happening so frequently. I’ll describe a few below and remember, experimenting is always encouraged, especially in a first draft:

Put your planning on a lockdown. Maybe you can’t help but constantly feel the need to add more. Maybe it’s because you think it’s not enough. Well, if you have everything you need for a proper plan, more times than not, what you have is great. So, try to stop planning until you get something done. Even if you think you can add something more, don’t. Write it down on a piece of paper and then wait for your second draft, the place where it is realistic for that to happen. By doing this, not only will it give you motivation, but also potential time for you to actually write. It will shift your focus elsewhere and hopefully, you’ll be able to complete something. 

Sometimes writing isn’t fun and you have to be okay with that. Push yourself and write as much as you can! 500 crappy words are so much better than none at all. Remember that you are writing your first draft and this is where you’re supposed to mess up. Whatever you do, don’t look back and constantly read the whole thing, simply just power through.

Make a habit out of writing. Eventually, the quality will get better but instead of thinking of things to motivate you, just write. I cannot stress this enough. No matter what you do, what you learn, or what is around you, the most important part of writing is writing. And that just can’t happen if you don’t write. So, I will say it again. PLEASE JUST WRITE.

It’s the first draft, you’re bound to suck. Again, be okay with that because it is the whole purpose. If you are feeling insecure, perhaps after reading the works of other authors, be sure to remember that they had help editing, experience writing, and overall more time and people working on their project. They sucked one time too, but the difference is that they fixed it because they could actually get to the editing part of it.

Write the parts that you are most excited about and fill in the blanks later on. This is an interesting thing that Stephen King does as well. He writes the key parts and saves filling in the details and adjusting for later. (shit, I just repeated that sentence, it’s fine) Anyways, this helps you to have fun with your writing and also allows you to think about what could make the other details more interesting. It gives you practice and also purpose so with that in mind, why not try it out? See if it’s right for you.

Make your writing fun. Remind yourself of why you chose to write and why you were so excited about starting this project of yours. Obviously, it means something to you, and if it isn’t fun, maybe you aren’t focusing on the proper thing. Here is a resource that I found on the internet that could definitely help with getting back on track. This author, I believe, is really quite great and the article is extremely worth checking out.

Take a break (only if you haven’t been taking constant breaks so far though). Perhaps you’re pushing yourself too hard. For this, relax. Read a book and learn from it. How the author plays with their style, how they write. Watch a movie and see how it leads up to a twist. Learn by watching, and that will translate to your writing. Keep yourself healthy too! Drink lots of water, eat healthy, exercise, and sleep. If your writing is taking a toll on any of these things, please make it up to yourself by taking care of your mind and body. This is the most important thing, after all, because if you don’t have proper health, you won’t have any writing at all! At the end of the day, remember that you should be writing for yourself. This is absolutely crucial and a must-have for the success of your works. 

4. You are afraid or don’t believe enough in yourself: The thing is, you, really, are the only one who has the power to dig yourself out of that hole. No matter how much help you get or how many of the strategies above you use, it won’t matter unless you actually start writing for yourself. You have to be willing to fail or mess up and take those risks in order to be a writer. So, in short (and again) just write. And when you do, write to please yourself. I know that it seems like the most terrifying thing at first but it will get better and you will see that clearly as your story unfolds. It’s always difficult, but that’s a part of the process, and you just have to trust it and yourself. You’ll thank yourself later for it too!

So, I really do hope that this advice could help! If you have any further questions about this, or anything else, please don’t be afraid to shoot me another question. I nearly have all the time in the world and would be happy to assist. Have a fantastic day and good luck! Cheers!

[ceciliatan]

Silk Threads! Erotic novellas of passionate Japan – last day on Kickstarter!

Folks, it’s the last day of the SILK THREADS Kickstarter and it’s been such a whirlwind that I am only getting around to making this post now. The first draft I made was on the first day, but things have been changing so fast and growing so quickly, every time I came here to edit it, it was already out of date!

SILK THREADS is a book of three erotic, romantic novellas, all set in Japan, and written by me, Laura Antoniou, and Midori. Laura wrote a section in a samurai-era past, Midori wrote a paranormal present, and I wrote a cyberpunk future, all tied together with a magical silk element that runs through all the stories LIKE A COMMON THREAD ha ha ha (now you know what we called it “silk threads”). Each novella is a romance between a different couple, and there’s rope bondage and shape-shifting tengu and lots of passionate sex and women seizing their sexual agency and pleasure. Because that’s what we do!

We launched the campaign on Friday, October 12th, and it funded ($7,600) before 24 hours had gone by, and within 5 days had surpassed all our stretch goals ($15,000). So we made new ones. If we reached $25,000, we’d add 9 pieces of interior art and also send a set of custom chopsticks to every backer. We hit $25,000 on November 7 and the number has just continued to climb. We passed 500 backers yesterday and topped $30,000.

So now’s your chance to jump in, too! Want to know more? Watch our quick and entertaining video:

Why are you self-publishing this?

Now, some backstory. We didn’t intend to self-publish this at all. The idea first came up in 2010. We were at a BDSM convention hanging out together and I brought up the idea that my literary agent had told me that Harlequin was looking for anthologies of erotic novellas for the Spice imprint. Three novellas by three authors was very hot at the time. “Diversity” was also getting sought, so non-Western settings, non-white characters. Excellent! And it was when ebook erotica in particular was starting to explode with BDSM and kink topics. My agent’s words were “I think the world is ready for something like this.”

Well, here we are EIGHT YEARS LATER, and you know the world has changed drastically in that period of time. In 2010 can you remember 50 Shades of Grey had not yet sold 150 million copies in the English language? And Obama was still in his first term as president? Since that time the Spice line of Harlequin has been dissolved and Harlequin itself has been bought by HarperCollins. The manuscript made the rounds of every publisher. Some wanted the diversity but not the bondage, some wanted the bondage but didn’t like the paranormal fantasy aspects, etc. etc. Nobody wanted the whole package and in the end it came back to us with nothing but low-ball “we could take a chance on this for no advance” or such a low advance that we may as well publish it ourselves. One publisher offered $2,000 to be split among us. That would be $666 each! You can see why we opted for Kickstarter with offers like that!

And readers have come through in droves. Over 500 backers have pledged over $30,000. Half of that money will end up going to fulfillment costs of the rewards, printing, shipping, and the processing fees, but the other half we’ll keep. And it will be reader support that made the eight years of effort all worthwhile.

In thanks, every backer is receiving a pair of custom-printed chopsticks, a red silk bracelet, and a postcard set of the art.

If you want to see a bunch of the gorgeous art we’ve already received to put in the book, lots has been posted as Updates to the Kickstarter campaign, as well as on our social media like Midori’s instagram, my instagram, Laura’s Facebook, and more.

Sketches by Leen Isabel, Michael Manning, and Autumn Sacura in progress.

The campaign closes at 9pm eastern time on Tuesday, November 13th (which is later today, I’m posting this at 4 in the morning…). So jump in now if you’re going to! And thank you to everyone who has supported so far! Please keep sharing the campaign link:

* http://kck.st/2RPdiQa *

#cecilia tan

[sunflowerspectre]

Writing Commissions Are Open

WRITING COMMISSIONS ARE OPEN - FAQ and Fandoms have been updated, the read more has been removed to make it more mobile friendly.

Popular Fandoms I’m Familiar With

Avatar The Last Airbender

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Danny Phantom

DC Universe

Disney/Pixar

Doctor Who

Gravity Falls

Harry Potter

How to Train Your Dragon

Lord of the Rings/Hobbit (Movies and Books)

Marvel Universe

Miraculous Ladybug

NCIS

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

Sherlock

Twilight 

Obscure Fandoms I’m Familiar With

Lucifer

Monster High

Strange Magic

Jackie Chan Adventures

Winx Club

WITCH (Mange & Cartoon)

Video Games/Online Games/Otome Games I’m Familiar With

Cardinal Cross (ImpQueens)

Dragon Age

Dream Daddy

Elderya

Mass Effect

My Candy Love/Amour Sucre

Rinmaru’s Ascension

Anime I’m Familiar With

Black Butler / Kuroshitsuji (Manga & Anime)

Dragonball / Dragonball Z / Dragonball Super

FMA & FMA:Brotherhood

Ghost Hunt

Inuyasha

Ouran High School Host Club

RWBY

Soul Eater

Pricing

Headcanons: $1 - $5 USD (varying on how many characters per headcanon, up to five characters)

Surprise Me!: $4 USD (Up to 2 characters + one sentence prompt + genre, varies between 100 – 500 words)

Drabble: $5 USD (Guaranteed minimum of 500 words)

Fics Are $1 USD Per 100 Words

Guaranteed Minimum of 1000 words: $10 USD

Guaranteed Minimum of 1500 words: $15 USD

Guaranteed Minimum of 2000 words: $20 USD

Etc

Additional Prices

NSFW: Add $2 to commission price

Crossover: Add $1 per fandom in crossover

Unfamiliar Fandom: Add $2 to price; unfamiliar fandoms will also take roughly a week longer, the price + longer time is due to needing to research/watch/ready anything I need to write characters correctly

FAQ

My story’s at 1506 words! Do I have to pay the extra pricing per word?

All extra words are negotiable. I will be lenient if I go over due to just being a few words over or if I happen to get really into the commission. But if you request more, then it’s on you.

Why does the pricing go up for longer stories?

The more words, the more time I am putting into the commission. Longer fics mean more time and effort, this includes editing, rewrites, double checking, and triple checking. You want what you’re paying for to be worth it and so do I.

I have this great idea for a novel…

I’m glad you have an idea, but no. I will not write your novel for you. It’s not fair to me, and it will cost you more than you’re probably willing to pay.  Plus I have my own projects and novels to write.

I have a fandom OC, will you write with them?

Yes, as long as you’re willing to provide as much information as possible so I can write them properly without embarrassing myself or you.

I have a completely original character and would like you to write with them. Is this okay?

YES. But be prepared to give me a decent bio as well as physical descriptions and all the basic information. The more information I have, the more I can bring your baby to life.

Could you write ‘insert name here’s character with one of mine or yours?

As long as we both have the permission to use the character, then yes. Just like writing your OC, I will need as much information as possible on their OC to write them properly.

What kind of stories do you write?

Fanfiction mostly, varying on genre, though I do have some published short stories (some fantasy, some horror). I enjoy fantasy, angst, realism grittiness (particularly toward shows that gloss over serious subjects), and romance. I am willing to write almost any genre.

What won’t your write?

I absolutely will not write anything involving the following:

Vore

Children in sexual situations

Non-consensual sexual acts

Explicit abuse (very few exceptions – will be okay with most implied abuse, but not rape)

Anything romanticizing serious/traumatic events (includes Slave Aus)

I reserve the right to refuse a commission that I am not comfortable writing.

How does this work?

Message me with your intent and a brief idea of what you want. Once I approve, we discuss what length of story you want, what genre, what characters, a loose outline, price, and how long it will take me to get it done for you. We will exchange e-mails. Big info. Dumps (such as character ref. Sheets) will be done over e-mail so I can save them for quicker reference.

I send you my paypal link over e-mail and you can either pay half the commission price before I get started, or full price. Over the course of time it takes me to write your commission, I will send you updates, give you up to two paragraphs and/or dialogue at random to give you sneak peeks, and when it’s completed I’ll give you the final word count and total (if you choose to pay half up front, the total refers to what you have left to pay). I let you know it’s done, you pay the other half of the commission (unless you paid full upfront), and after full payment I will send you a link to the final product.

Will you be showing my story off to everyone else?

I do post everything to A03 and to tumblr. This is just a way for me to secure my writing so that someone cannot easily claim it as they wrote it by themselves. There can be exceptions and I can negotiate depending on the situation. If you don’t want anyone to know you’re the one who requested it, let me know and you can remain anon.

Side Notes

OC/Original Characters: Be prepared to give information regarding any and all Ocs involved

Please remember to stay in contact – I will contact you throughout the commission to make sure of the following:

That you enjoy what I have so far (I will NOT send the entire work, just small previews and information of how the story is moving along with up to two random paragraphs and/or dialogue)

To answer any questions I may have regarding your commission (keep in mind if I have a question about your OC, it will be hard for me to work on your commission unless you help and answer!)

#miraculous ladybug #my candy love #elderya #gravity falls #lucifer #monster high #avatar the last airbender #danny phantom #buffy the vampire slayer #harry potter #twilight #doctor who #how to train your dragon #ncis #rwby #witch #w.i.t.c.h. #winx club #strange magic #commissions #writing commissions #wastelandspectrecommission #commissioninfo

[princessnowvie14]

My Top Romance Anime

I made a new set of list of my fave romance anime series since I guess i deleted my post accidentally w/c i always update ( i dont wanna talk about it i'm still in shock lol) so here it is i made it as simple as possible, no long description. Just my collection of anime that caught my heart while watching it. 

1. InuYasha

InuYasha follows Kagome Higurashi, a fifteen-year-old girl whose normal life ends when a demon drags her into a cursed well on the grounds of her family's Shinto shrine. Instead of hitting the bottom of the well, Kagome ends up 500 years in the past during Japan's violent Sengoku period with the demon's true target, a wish-granting jewel called the Shikon Jewel, reborn inside of her.

Inuyasha has always been my fave since childhood. I love the love and hate relationship they have. Inuyasha being stubborn but ever since he met Kagome he learned a lot of being a good person. I just hate their love triangle with kikyo nevertheless I love how it ends. It's really worth it after so many years of watching and waiting for it.

2. Kamisama Kiss

 Nanami immerses herself in her divine duties. But if she must keep things running smoothly, she will need the help of a certain hot-headed fox. In her fumbling attempt to seek out Tomoe, she lands in trouble and ends up sealing a contract with him. 

I’ve never been so satisfied in my life until after watching all the episodes of this anime, the twist is amazing . It ends well. My heart was happy.

3. Wolf Girl and Black Prince

 Erika Shinohara has taken to lying about her romantic exploits to earn the respect of her new friends. So when they ask for a picture of her "boyfriend," she hastily snaps a photo of a handsome stranger, whom her friends recognize as the popular and kind-hearted Kyouya Sata.

This is the first time i tried to watch anime series continously, i mean i never wanted to stand up while watching it haha it was good . I love how Kyouya manage to be so mean while everybody thinks he's a perfect prince, but i fell in love with this couple, theyre so perfect. 

4. Noragami

Just as things seem to be looking grim for the god, his fortune changes when a middle school girl, Hiyori Iki, supposedly saves Yato from a car accident, taking the hit for him. Remarkably, she survives, but the event has caused her soul to become loose and hence able to leave her body. Hiyori demands that Yato return her to normal, but upon learning that he needs a new partner to do so, reluctantly agrees to help him find one.

aahh yatori makes my heart crave for more haha i mean dont expect a lot of romance on this, it highlights friendship . Yato being so childish and Hiyori is such a good girl, i cry whenever she loses her memory. The story is fun and I hope for the next season they will give exposure for my fave couple.

5. Inu X Boku SS

But Ririchiyo's troubles have only just begun. As a requirement of staying in her new home, she must be accompanied by a Secret Service agent. Ririchiyo's new partner, Soushi Miketsukami, is handsome, quiet... but ridiculously clingy and creepily submissive.

I love the twist, i dont mind watching this all over again. Their personalities is quite interesting, the story is cute with mix of mystery.

6. My little Monster

Shizuku Mizutani is apathetic towards her classmates, only caring about her grades. However, her cold view of life begins to change when she meets Haru Yoshida, a violent troublemaker who stopped attending class after getting into a fight early in the school year. He is not much different from her, though—he too understands little about human nature and does not have any friends.

oposite attracts haha Haru is so adorable. And their relationship is quite bumpy and unsure. But i think their feelings for each other are genuine.

7. Hatsukoi Monster

After meeting her rescuer yet again and discovering that his name is Kanade Takahashi, she confesses her love to him. Kanade says he would like for them to be a couple, but that Kaho may not want to date him after she finds out his secret. To her shock, Kaho discovers the startling truth: Kanade is a fifth grader!

 Hatsukoi Monster follows Kaho's first steps into love with Kanade, her immature, yet kind, fifth grade boyfriend.

Age doesn't really matter lol. Its kinda weird as it may seems but who cares as long as you love each other then jump and take a risk. You can wait for the right time anyway haha. This anime is funny and i love how their friendship show. Accepting the situation and learn how to deal with differences is the lesson.

8. Guomin Laogong Dai Huijia

Lu Jin Nian and Qiao An Hao were not married by choice. On the first day of their wedding night, Qiao An Hao made three rules regarding their marriage. One, you are not allowed to touch me. Two, you are not allowed to announce publicly that I'm your wife. Three, you are not allowed to say that we are living together.

I've watch only the first two seasons. and i loved it. Its like a prequel to the story but i dont know why im satisfied with it haha, the truth is i dont have the strength to watch the season 3 and i dont even wanna know how it ends. haha while watching i was desperate and frustrated them to be together, i want a happy ending. But all I can see was barriers and situation wont let them be happy together. I hope they will make a movie based on this. All i know is it was too depressing but definitely has a good story line.

9. Red Data Girl

Izumiko begins by cutting her bangs, which shocks both her classmates and protectors. And that's only the start! Her guardian, Yukimasa Sagara, forces his son, Miyuki, to come to the mountain shrine and become Izumiko's lifelong servant and protector. Too bad Izumiko and Miyuki cannot stand each other. They have known each other since they were children, and Miyuki bullied her terribly.  Will Izumiko and Miyuki work past their differences? Is she actually a literal goddess? Find out in RDG: Red Data Girl!

This anime left me hanging and didn’t give me the ending i crave for, i hope they gonna make a next season. but i enjoyed it so much, i love the main characters and the vibe it gives me. It's a serious mystery and a little bit of romance but not much. anyway i love this, never regret watching it.

10.  Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?

Willem takes refuge on the floating islands in the sky, living in fear of the Beasts below. One day, he is tasked with being a weapon storehouse caretaker. Thinking nothing of it, Willem accepts, but he soon realizes that these weapons are actually a group of young Leprechauns. Though they bear every resemblance to humans, they have no regard for their own lives, identifying themselves as mere weapons of war. Among them is Chtholly Nota Seniorious, who is more than willing to sacrifice herself if it means defeating the Beasts and ensuring peace. 

Not every story has good ending but im glad i watched this. The couple reminds me of kaname and sagara of full metal panic but in different way. Their personalities are so perfect for each other. I wasnt really into anime girls with different hair colors but Ctholly change my point of view, she's exactly one of my fave girls now, her being childish, jealous and innocent around Willem caught me. Funny moments will be present too and their feelings for each other blooms slowly every episodes that you just wanna watch more. I wish the last episode ended the way I wanted, anyway, I still dont get why Willem is involved into two different girls in the past, i guess it wasnt explained that much, i just hate the flashback how he remember the girl while he's with Ctholly,. Well all in all, i enjoy much I just hope they add new season, but i dont know how it will start haha. Im just happy to meet and add this perfect couple in my list.

 So that’s it, i’m still in search of finding good anime romance. I hope i wont let my foolish hand delete this post again lol. Im definitely gonna edit this and add more . Hope you enjoy reading. :)

#anime #cute #couple #romance #shojo

[trojanjean]

questions for ao3 writers

tagged by @meimagino, thank you dsgsfa !! <3 <3 

Tagging: @kumikirin and @rayraywrites ! i don’t actually know a lot of ao3 writers SO PLEASE DO THIS AND TAG ME? <3 i’ve LOVED reading other people doing this tag and it’s so exciting to know more abt your stuff so please please if u use ao3 and wanna do this, please let me know! <3

1. How did you come up with your username and what does it mean?

my username is seaworn. i didn’t want my ao3 username to be the same as my tumblr url because my tumblr url is pretty much always associated with a certain fandom and i didn’t want that because i had a feeling that i’m going to write something for different fandoms. seaworn is a word i came across in one of nightwish’s lyrics, “sea-worn driftwood”. i just thought that was nice, and everything sea-related is really close to my heart. 

2. Which fanfic of yours has the most feedback? (bookmarks/subscriptions/hits/kudos)

fingers crossed my obsession with you is tameable has most hits, kudos and bookmarks, but my heart’s a stereo (it beats for you so listen close) has most subscriptions (because it’s an ongoing series).

3. What is your AO3 profile icon, and why did you choose it?

it’s a picture of some random boy who i think looks a lot like my favourite trainwreck boy harry and i wanted it lmao 

4. Do you have any regular/favourite commenters?

 i get really warm and giddy if someone i know comments something on my fics because it means the world to me that my friends read my shit asdgdfs. but i also get warm and giddy and excited when i get any kinds of comments!! <3 i appreciate every single comment i get and i sometimes cry when i get an email notification about a comment someone left me asfsg <3 i notice a few “regulars” that always comment of my stories when i publish something new and i LOVE them and it means the world to me that someone has subscribed to me/checks out my page to see whether i’ve published smth new. but i ALSO love people who just leave kudos bc seeing that someone has actually read my stuff? amazing. i love every single one of you so much. i go through my comments and my kudos/hits whenever i’m feeling down/insecure and they give me so much confidence and make me feel better about everything

5. Is there a fanfic that you keep going back to read again and again?

oh yeah, i have plenty!! i mean, i have over 500 bookmarks and i go through them a lot to read many of my old favourites. i’m going to list a few i could remember without actually browsing through my bookmarks! :) they’re mostly drarry because i’m super into that again. also i really wanna scream about all of these but i’m just gonna link them and let them speak for themselves sdgdfsg 

Twingenuity by Caeseria. Viktuuri, explicit, 160k. summary: “Victor arrives in Hasetsu, completely unaware that Yuuri has an identical, overly affectionate, twin brother. The resulting temptation might actually kill him before he gets Yuuri to the GPF like he promised.”

Coffee, Cakes And Doorknob Snakes by Omi_Ohmy. drarry, explicit, 40k. summary: “Harry's house is trying to kill him, and only one person can help him: pity it's Draco Malfoy”

Eternally Consistent by kitsunealyc. drarry, explicit, 40k. summary: “Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter assumed they would never be anything but civil enemies, until Potter lands on Malfoy's doorstep, bleeding, covered in curses, and acting very strangely indeed.”

Reparations by Saras_Girl. drarry, explicit, 87k. summary: “Harry is about to discover that the steepest learning curve comes after Healer training, and that second chances can be found in unexpected places.”

Winter Song by proantagonist. viktuuri, explicit, 149k. summary: “The set of Yuuri’s mouth softened into a private smile as Victor squeezed his knee beneath the table. His hands were bare, free from the gloves he so often wore when they were together on the rink, and the heat of his palm burned straight through the denim of Yuuri’s jeans. He slipped his own hand beneath the table and found Victor’s. Hidden from sight, their fingers began to flirt and play. A secret conversation all their own that needed no words.

Yuuri was aware that at some point—a moment in time he couldn’t quite place—Victor had become his boyfriend.

There wasn’t a single instant when it happened. It was a slow awareness, as if Victor had silently been asking the question for months now, and Yuuri had been giving him the answer a little more with each passing day.”

i’d love to link everything i like but aSFASD!! just believe me when i say that with 500 bookmarks and having lots of writer friends in tumblr, i read a LOT of the same fics over and over and over again. the ones i mentioned just now are all longer stories i fell in love with because it took me days and maybe even weeks to read them and it’s like i’d found a whole new universe?? you can def ask me for fic recs because all i do is read fics but i found it really hard to just pick a few so i decided to pick just a few longer ones for this question!! but ask me for my favourite coffee shop aus? do it. favourit otayuri fics? ya please. fav modern au captive prince fics? you really should. 

6. How many stories are you subscribed to? How many do you have bookmarked?

i can’t see the number of my subscriptions anywhere? but i get maybe 3-10 email notifications every day about an updated work so i guess it’s a lot. i have a little over 500 bookmarks! :)) 

7. Which AU do you find yourself writing the most?

hmm, i maybe haven’t written enough to have, like, a special au i enjoy writing? but i DO think about coffee shop au’s and writing them a lot so i guess it’s that asfdsf. i just really really love coffee shops?? 

8. How many people are subscribed and bookmarked to you in total? (you can view this on the stats page)

274 subscriptions and 704 bookmarks holy sHIT hey i love every single one of you?? 

9. Is there something you’d like to write about but are afraid of people judging you for it? (Feeling brave? If so, share it!)

i have a bunch of really, really sad and depressing headcanons i would love to write but i’m probably never gonna? like, lots of things about eating disorders and cutting and someone getting injured or cheated on, someone losing an important person or having to give up on their dreams, etc. lots of sad characters trying to be brave on their own and slowly fading away :’’)) i don’t want to write then because i haven’t come up with any good endings for those and i DON’T want to write stuff with no happy ending, so. i just really think i need to get out all kinds of crap rn and writing them would make me feel better but i think i’m too involved to actually write something worth reading? i fear that if i wrote smth i’ve headcanoned, it would end up being super immature and illogical. idk. my point it that i’m afraid to write really self-indulgent, depressing angst sadgsghdf 

10. Is there anything you would like to be better at? Writing certain scenes or genres, replying to comments, updating better, etc.

i would love to be a little more consistent in writing. my concentration is bad and often i can’t get into the flow when i’m working on something. usually i add something to a wip every few days, then one day i write 1000 words and then continue editing sentences here and there, jumping from scene to scene, deleting smth and then adding 57 words. like...i often feel like i can’t get into the scene i’m writing and it feels like i’m watching it on the outside instead of being the writer? whenever i can focus properly i get solid, consistent, meaningful writing done, but honestly 80% of me doing anything is messing around and i have to do A LOT of damage control before everything is finished? 

this is related to what i just described but i’d also love to be able to write chronologically because i feel it makes the story and the journey more real when i’m actually working through what my characters are feeling/experiencing throughout the story? instead of writing an exciting plot thing A and an exciting plot thing number B and then later writing the boring parts inbetween. 

i have a lot of problems with plots in general - i feel it’s easier for me to write 2 k about, like, yuuri making tea in the morning, than writing 2k about someone walking to the store and buying milk. i’m better at describing moments and feelings than concrete plot points or someone dojng something? idk. 

11. Do you write rarepairs or popular ships more often?

popular ships. i mean, i might read rarepairs but i usually have one or two otp’s from each fandom i write about. i’d love to write about chrisabek one day though sgdfg. 

12. How many stories have you posted on AO3 to this day (finished and unfinished)?

18 ???? what how when has this happened?? .  13 of those are yoi and the rest either drarry or johnlock. 

13. How many stories do you have saved in/with your writing program?

18 published works and about....25-30 unfinished things? some over 10k words, some less than 500. also but i wrote A LOT of original shit when i was like 16-18 so if i count those in the number would be about 100 probably

14. Do you write down story ideas, or just keep them in your head?

i write them down potential ideas, but i have a lot of headcanons i don’t write down because i don’t think i have the ability to write them. but most of my ideas go to google docs/notes. 

15. Have you ever co-authored a story?

yeah, i actually have one wip going on with someone :) it’s unfinished but maybe we’ll finish it one day? it’s drarry and super sweet. 

16. How did you discover AO3?

i really can’t remember? i wish i could? but it probably in 2012 when i got into the sherlock fandom. 

17. Do you consider yourself to be a popular or famous author in your fandom(s) on AO3?

i don’t think so omg, but i’m really glad people read my stuff! but i’m definitely more known in the yoi fandom than the others i’m in bc my drarry/johnlock fics get like 5 comments, max, whereas i can get 20 comments to my yuri on ice stuff! :) it’s really nice that people read my stuff fhdh 

18. Do you have a nickname or fandom name for your readers?

omfg no but everyone who reads my stuff is an actual Angel  

19. Was there an author who inspired or encouraged you to write?

yeah, a lot! a lot of original fiction authors & a lot of fanfiction authors! whenever i read a good text i’m like “wow, this is awesome, i wish i could write this well” and that always gives me a huge boost. the support of my friends is really encouraging and inspiring, too. 

20. What writing advice would you give to a beginning author?

the “i will be a stronger writer after i finish this piece” is REALLY good advice, because...not everything you write will be the best you’ve done and you maybe feel like your writing has some flaws or something. but you know what? even if it’s not perfect, you’re a lot more experienced writer when you’ve done it. i do the “it’s gonna be shit anyway so i’m not gonna write it” thing quite often but then i have to remind myself that every single word i write gets me closer to being better, so i plunder through. and when i get finished with something, i usually think “well, this is not my strongest work but i’m glad i did it” and!!!! that’s really it!! i took part in otayuri reverse bang this spring and god i wanted to give up so so many times and i wrote lots of plots for it because i didn’t like ANYTHING i did. but i got through it, and while i think that the two stories i did for it are the worst i’ve written, it’s still 18 000 words more than i would have written if i hadn’t participated :) be your own biggest supporter & give yourself time to practise & be super proud and happy about what you’ve achieved so far!! <3 you wrote 10 words today? THAT’S 10 WORDS MORE THAN IT WAS BEFORE. you had a huge writer’s block so instead of writing you just wrote down some plot point you wanna write later? YOU PLANNED SOMETHING. you couldn’t even plan, you just opened your computer and gave up? YOU TRIED AND RESPECTED YOUR LIMITS TODAY AND THAT’S AMAZING. 

21. Do you plot out your stories, or do you just figure it out as you go?

i usually plan big plot points but figure everything else out as i go? planning in actually one of my weaknesses and instead of making a plan and sticking to it, i just wait for inspiration and get as much done as i can before it goes away, lol. 

22. Have you ever gotten a bad comment on a story? If so, what did you do?

not really :) everyone has been really sweet to me. 

23. Is there a certain type of scene that you have a hard time writing? (action, smut, etc..)

action scenes are pretty hard? i think i’m better at writing dialogue and feelings than action or something dramatic happening. i’m working on it and i would love to get more edge to my writing! 

24. What story(s) are you working on now?

i’m finishing the last part of my heart’s a radio (it beats for you so listen close). the chapter is what i intended to write in the first place (yuri and otabek seeing each other at world’s and getting it on in a hotel room) but then i just....needed to have 14 000 words of stuff before it, apparently. 

i’m also working on a drarry fic that has been in my drafts for a long time. it’s about 8k and i think it’s going to be 10-13k, and that’s fine. it’s all about margaritas and blowjobs and being hungover, basically. it’s really fun to write lol.

and then i have this captive prince smut one shot that’s also like half-done. it’s really fluffy and sappy but still just smut. 

aaaaalso i’m trying to finish the next chapter for my viktuuri dog sitter au fic now my heart stumbles on things i don’t know ! i’ve been procrastinating because i don’t really have a plot for it planned yet. 

25. Do you plan your next project(s) before you finish your current ongoing story(s)?

i have too many ideas in my head constantly and that makes it reaally hard to focus on finishing something before jumping onto something else. that’s why i have tons of wips and no finished works, lmao. 

26. Do you have a daily writing goal set for yourself?

not really. sometimes i try to push myself by setting goals, but in the end it really stresses me out because i’m usually away from home at least 9 hours every day and my work is really physical and tiring so asfsgas i really don’t have the strength to write every day. now my goal is to finish three fics before the year ends. they’re all oneshots that are maybe 80% done, so i should be able to do it. 

27. Do you think you’ve improved as a writer since you first started?

i hope so but i really don’t know?? 

28. What is your favorite story that you’ve written?

hmm. it’se been really fun writing i am to see to it that i do not lose you series because i’ve gotten a LOT of positive feedback along the way! and i’m not done with the series - i have a chrisviktuuri smut oneshot planned in this universe, happening at the same time when yuri’s figuring out how to date™. it was the first part of the series that made me think that maybe people actually enjoy my stuff & that encouraged me to write more!

I also really liked writing a oneshot i hust posted yesterday - listen how, under the breastbone, the rhythm changes . i wrote my first yuri on ice fic about a year ago and i just really wanted to return to that moment and write smth sweet about viktor and yuuri. the story has no plot or anything, but it felt REALLY good to write bc i sort of want and need a lot of soft things right now! 

also i’m having SO MUCH FUN with the drarry fic i haven’t posted yet, omg. 

29. What is your least favorite story that you’ve written?

hmm. probably cautiously peering, absorbing, translating hey eve stop with the pretentious fic names  because it was basically my first multichapter fic and i feel like it fell apart a little? i had to write it in less than a month bc it was part of otayuri reversebang. i felt like the idea was good and that it didn’t reach its full potential? i have very mixed feelings about this fic. i haven’t been able to read it even once after i published it bc i’m so afraid of what i’ll find lmao 

30. Where do you see yourself (as a writer) in 5 years?

hopefully my english is a lot better then, at least! i hope that i’ve started writing original fiction, really :) 

31. What is the easiest thing about writing?

coming up with ideas!!! i don’t even use most of the ideas hat get in my head and i get lots of new ideas especially when i’m at work, out doing shopping, basically doing anything active??  but writing everything down, especially ideas you know will get 20-30k long once you start...damn. 

32. What is the hardest thing about writing?

managing long stories? i haven’t written very many longer (like, over 10k?) stories and dgsgsg it’s just hard to make the plot interesting with lots of interesting cliffhangers, sad parts, etc? it’s hard to balance everything. 

and yeah writing just in general is hard because it’s at least 80% writer’s block but having ideas flood your head and making it hard to focus on real life sfsg

33. Why do you write?

to express myself, i think? i still haven’t learn how to process my more uglier emotions through writing (it would be really helpful if i could) but i’m definitely writing about the kind of things i miss and would like to have for myself - someone being really happy, having lots of quiet mornings, being loved, maybe being a trainwreck but having something to cope through it, having a special connection with someone. idk. all kinds of things.

writing is fun and actually writing down the fics you’d want to read is super duper cool. i don’t get very much done in my life otherwise, so writing gives me the feeling of accomplishment i’m not getting anywhere else. 

i’m not very good at expressing myself so writing definitely helps with that, too. 

#tagged #personal #writing #phew i promise to dial down with the fic names sdagsdhsag #i feel super shy posting this

[the-suriel]

which parts of acowar did you dislike/didn't sit so well for you? i don't want you to get hate or anything but like what did you wish sjm didn't do? x

Hey Nonnie!

Ok. This turned out to be a REALLY LONG list so I’m putting it all under a cut, that way people don’t feel obligated to read this if they are tired of ACOWAR hate.

 If you are one of those people that are really tired of ACOWAR hate it’s totally ok to just scroll down, you do not have to read this.

Here we go… 

1) Mor.

I feel that she was so mistreated in this book. Even in the beginning when Rhys pulls the whole Eris scheme on her and letting her in the dark??? Why? I don’t understand. Why couldn’t he just sit her down before the meeting, explain the situation and ask for her input? Or at least let her know what is happening and give her the choice to stay if she is not ready to face what is possibly the two people that hurt her the most in her life. 

It felt so OOC for Rhys to do that to her. SJMaas is always reinforcing how good he is for always giving everyone a choice, but with Mor that didn’t happen at all. Not only was it cruel to put he in that situation, but as his third, she should have known. She is the Queen of Hewn city she is supposed to know these things before they come into action. 

I hated so much the way she came out. Don’t get me wrong here, I was so so happy to see that we finally get LGBTQA representation, but it was executed so poorly. I mostly agree with what a lot of people have been saying, it felt like a last minute decision on Maas’ part. 

I was also really sad that with the way it was written it almost makes it seem cruel that she didn’t tell Azriel about it for all those years. I just really really hate that? I am not supposed to blame someone for not coming out, everyone takes their own time until they feel comfortable enough to take that step. I feel like it was not ok for SJMaas to write her into that situation. 

And plus it was just kind of unrealistic??  I remember someone on Tumblr pointing this out, now I can’t remember who, but are you really trying to tell me that Mor kept this a secret from her cousin the deamati and her friend the shadowsinger and spymaster for 500 years!!?? They should have found out by this point honestly.

2) The Resurrection

This is more of a personal pet peeve than anything. Maybe this is because I watched TVD for so long, but I really, really hate when people come pack to life like that. It’s fine when it’s someone that was never introduced to the story and was believe to be dead, or when we don’t know for sure if they are dead but when someone drops dead on the ground I expect them to stay dead. 

I could swallow it when it was Feyre back in ACOTAR, I cringed when Jurian was resurrected but I draw the line at Rhys. It felt like cheating, and that’s not something I want to feel a few chapters before the book ends.

3) Tamlin 

Tamlin was a wild ride. His character shifted so much throughout the book, and I understand a fair amount of that is due to the fact that we read the story through Feyre’s point of view. I really wanted to see some closure on the Tamlin plot line. He was such an essential part of Feyre’s arc, and he kind of got brushed to the side in most of ACOWAR. I really wanted to see a scene when they sit down and talk about what happened, I wanted him to recognize his mistakes and perhaps, I dunno apologize. I felt like Feyre still needed to say a few things to him to truly move on (same goes for him honestly). Obviously she has no obligation to have a conversation with her abuser if she does not feel like she is ready, but I think that it would have been a good way to complete her arc. 

4) Lucien

Why did she get rid of him???

I started resenting Lucien a bit after the end of ACOMAF but I was so sold on him again by the start of the book. 

Again Why did she get rid of him??

He had so much to add. why???? It felt like a cop out for not having to deal with elucien in this book.

His absence made me sad :’(

5) The Threads 

 I know, I know, this is just the end of feysand’s arc and there are going to be more books, but the number of unanswered questions I have is very annoying. I have more questions now that I finished the book than when I first started. 

There are going to be more books but that does not change the fact that this is supposed to be the closing book in a trilogy. She should have ended a few more threads instead of leaving it all so open. ACOWAR almost felt like a week second-book-in-a-series. it felt more like a bridge book than the resolution to this section of the story. 

6) Papa Archeron 

Although I did appreciate that he died and stayed dead, I wish SJMaas had explored his relationship with his daughters a bit more. I wanted to see his reaction to them being Fae, or the inner circle’s reaction to meeting the man that gave up on their High Lady when she was a child. It would have been such good character conflict. I also felt like the Archeron sisters deserved more closure than just a last minute funeral. 

7) Mor & Nesta

Why was Mor so mean to Nesta???

That felt so OOC of her. Can she not see that Nesta is going through some shit right now? They all expect Nesta to be very cruel and cold (which I would even argue is just a front [Feyre had literally told Cassian before that she thinks is a front but anyway not the point]) but I really didn’t expect Mor, a 500-year-old woman who has also seen some shit in her lifetime, to act that way to someone. She could have really used Mor’s help. Mor has no obligation to be there for Nesta when she is very rude towards most of them, but it would have been nice to see that friendship blossom.

8) Explanations

This point kind of relates to the previous point on threads. There was so, soo, so much thrown into this book, and not much of it was explained. People have already mentioned the lack in world building in the magic department, but even the subplots were lacking in context and explanation. 

The continent territories that were briefly mentioned were just that, briefly mentioned. I don’t really know what the king’s Ravens were all about (why were they called the Ravens? why did they look like all black and white? was it coincidence? was it just for the aesthetics?) The cauldron was also not developed enough for something that is so significant in the story, we still don’t know what power Mor holds, (The power of truth?? What does hat even mean?) and apparently Azriel can turn into shadows, I think, but like how ???? how did he become a shadowsinger? do the shadows speak to him? And Elain being a seer? Was that explained? How do the death gods work? I thought they couldn’t die. I mean obviously not.

SO MANY QUESTIONS

9) Moriel 

If you were a Moriel shipper you are put in a position where you either resent Mor’s sexuality (WHICH IS NOT HOW PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL, SPECIALLY FOR A BOOK THAT IS SOLD AS YA, A GENRE THAT TARGETS A YOUNG AUDIENCE) or you feel like your feelings toward the ship are/were invalid. 

Moriel, to many of us, was written with the intention of being end game. I don’t think it was even a question for most people. It was almost heartless to give so much hope for a ship and then completely squash it, I don’t think that it was fair to the readers. She should have hinted at it a little more or just written this situation differently so that this didn’t happen. It was sad to see that something that was supposed to be such a positive representation, this strong independent woman that is also a member of the LGBTQ community, get caught in the middle of this. Sarah should have written this better.

10) Feysand

It was nice to see feysand happy but I wish we still got some development in their friendship. They have only known each other for a year, they have only really gotten to know each other 6 months (ish), I felt like their relationship could have been further explored maybe bringing in new sides to their personality.

11) Grammar and Diction

Ehhh well, there is definitely some improvement to be done in this section. It wasn’t horrible and it didn’t damage my understanding of the plot or the character but I have to agree with what people are saying, this book was severely under-edited. 

The most prominent things that drove me insane were the sentence fragments, the use of –dashes– and …ellipses… in almost every page. Oh and the diction. The diction especially though. The one that stuck out to me was how many times she use ‘the former and the latter’ in her sentences. It is a good way to describe thoughts or action, but not when it is used every 3 chapters (I have the ebook, I checked). In my version of the book there is even a quotation mark missing (page 461 I believe). I understand that mistakes happen especially when writing a book this size, but this is a sequel to a best-selling series, and she probably has a whole team of people helping her with things like this.  

Again, it just felt lazy. For a best-selling author, she should not have mistakes like these in her work. It became such distraction that I am now writing about it.

 Anyway, this got a bit long but here are my 2 cents. I hope I didn’t offend or insult anyone, and if I did that was never my intention. 

#acowar spoilers #anti acowar #writing this was so therapeutic honesty #I literally feel lighter #ask #anon

[superman86to99]

Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)

OVERSIZED ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! Featuring the return of Superman! And Superman! And Superman, and also, Superman! But first: The Badass Adventures of Pa Kent in Hell. The last time we saw ol’ Pa, he’d just had a heart attack and seen a ghostly vision of his dead son (that’s Superman, for those joining us), who grabbed his hand and pulled Pa towards him. Now Ghost Superman is like, “Whelp, nice seeing you dad, gotta go.”

Superman is taken “into the light” by a couple of demons disguised as robed Kryptonian ladies. However, Pa refuses to give up on his son and follows them, only to find himself in a battlefield covered with corpses -- those of his Korean War buddies. Pa is (understandably) confused and thinks he’s back in the war, carrying out a mission to rescue some captured “airman”. Private Pa then comes across a farm littered with more dead people, including one that reminds him of his brother Harry... mainly because that’s exactly who it is.

In case you hadn’t noticed, something fishy is going on here. A demonic-looking enemy soldier tries to kick Pa out of wherever the hell this is (get it? hell?), but Pa just punches him into oblivion and soldiers on. Sometimes you just gotta punch some Nazis, folks.

Next up, Pa runs into Lady Blaze, the satanic mistress/recurring Superman baddie. Blaze generously offers to help Pa find his son in exchange for one million do-- I mean, his soul. Pa apparently thinks “eh, I don’t love him that much” and prefers to jump into the void beneath him.

At this point, Pa is saved from pinballing from sad memory to sad memory for all eternity by Kismet, the nice cosmic entity Superman met a while back (“our favourite naked outer space lady in a cape”, as Don Sparrow puts it). With Kismet’s guidance, Pa finally finds Superman, but he’s in the middle of some sort of weird funeral procession carried out by more demons disguised as Kryptonians (and Superman’s old furry friend, the Cleric).

Superman has completely fallen for the show these guys put on, and is prepared to let them take him to the “Kryptonian afterlife”, but Pa eventually breaks the spell with his hollering. More punching ensues!

Superman gets rid of the demons, but he still thinks that Pa should go back to the land of living without him. He’s been gone for too long, and it’s not his place to deny death. Superman’s Kryptonian father Jor-El suddenly shows up to reinforce this notion, telling Superman to join him and his biological mother, Lara, in the afterlife. It is the natural way of things.

Naturally, Pa Kent ain’t having any of that.

Pa practically carries Superman through the portal in front of them. Cut to: Pa waking up in a hospital bed in Smallville, whispering “Clark is back” to a freaked out Ma Kent and Lois Lane.

Suddenly, Superman sightings are reported all over Metropolis -- it’s like he’s in four places at once! Lois refuses to give herself any false hopes, but just to make double-sure her fiancee is still dead, she decides to take a peek inside his tomb. Inspector Henderson opens the casket for her, and it’s... empty?!

TO BE CONTINUED! But first...

Epilogue 1: Two rival gangs are fighting over turf when one pulls out some futuristic super-weapons that literally blow the other guys to pieces. As the cops roll in, out of the rubble emerges a hulking figure saying “DOOMSDAY! GOTTA STOP DOOMSDAY!” Holy shit, it’s Superman! He’s back! Also, black!

Epilogue 2: As an evildoer tries to carjack an innocent citizen, a caped figure flies to the rescue... and blasts the absolute crap out of the would-be thief with some energy blasts, throwing him off the roof of a building. The familiar figure explains that he’s “risen from the dead” and been changed by “the fire and darkness” -- OK, that has to be Superman. There’s no other explanation.

Epilogue 3: There’s an emergency at Project Cadmus, the genetic experimentation facility that recently held Superman’s corpse: some type of secret cloning experiment has broken out before it/he was ready. We see this brash young clone being led to the outside world by the Newsboy Legion, and upon hearing the way they refer to him, he exclaims: “DON’T EVER CALL ME SUPERBOY!” Because he’s actually Superman! Oh my God!

Epilogue 4: A tourist family stops in front of the Daily Planet and reflects solemnly on the plaque marking the spot where Superman died... until a man in blue tights lands from the sky, rips out the plaque, and burns it with his heat vision. We then see that he’s got robot parts all over his body; you know, as if he’d been brought back to life after being pummelled to death by a monster. Whelp, that’s it. That’s Superman, right there.

Character-Watch:

First appearance of these four mysterious Supermen: Black Superman, Blind Superman, Brat Superman, and Beep-Bop-I’m-a-Robot Superman. Or is it?!

Creator-Watch:

This is a suitably epic finale for Jerry Ordway’s original Superman run, which started way back in 1987. Ordway went from artist to co-plotter to writer/artist to just writer, along the way pioneering the house style that all Superman series will use throughout the ‘90s. This is often called the “Byrne” and/or “Jurgens” era, but I’d argue that Ordway was the single most influential creator involved in this period, and although what comes directly after his departure is cool as hell, we’ll definitely miss the heart, humor and realism he brought to even the most obscure background characters.

Speaking of which, this wouldn’t be an Ordway comic without a shit-ton of subplots, so here we go...

Plotline-Watch:

One detail I never caught as a kid: one of the “Superman sightings” at the end of the issue is clearly a drunken Bibbo in a Superman shirt.

The Final Misadventure of Jose Degaldo: He’s been beaten, burned, broken (literally), had buildings dropped on him, and dumped by both Lois Lane and Cat Grant, but Jose “Gangbuster” Delgado has finally had enough -- he’s ditching Metropolis. A regular crime-punching adventure goes wrong when Jose accidentally beats up an undercover cop posing as a drug dealer. Upon learning there’s a warrant for his ass and getting shot by another cop, Jose decides to call it quits and leave town (using the bus ticket Inspector Henderson recently gave him). He’s actually going to Fawcett City along with his creator -- he’ll show up again in Jerry Ordway’s Power of Shazam, but that’s it for Jose in these pages! Goodbye, Suicide Slum’s rose.

Incidentally, Cat Grant is feeling rather down since she split with Jose, and her boss Vinnie Edge uses the opportunity to invite her to dinner. She agrees, even though A) her relationship with Vinnie’s son did not end well, and B) he’s a disgusting perv who just grabbed her butt. Don Sparrow says: “The interplay between Cat Grant and Vinnie Edge hasn’t aged well -- though in some ways it seems timelier than ever.”

The “favor” Vinnie mentions above is not what you might think: he wants Cat to talk to Jimmy Olsen, who has neglected his duties as star of the hit Turtle Boy TV series ever since a certain pal of Jimmy’s was violently killed. Jimmy isn’t in the mood for light-hearted TMNT copyright infringement, though, so the series is currently on reruns.

Those Turtle Boy reruns are watched by the cellmate of Oswald Loomis -- aka Superman’s least intimidating rogue, The Prankster. Loomis, once a children’s entertainer himself, doesn’t appreciate ‘90s television and tries to electrocute said cellmate (who, in my memory, was Vinnie’s son Morgan Edge, making this scene slightly less random).

Pa Kent smashing the ghostly Jor-El with a shovel that materializes out of nowhere is, of course, a shout out to John Byrne’s classic Man of Steel #6, when he does the same thing. I want a full series about Pa dispatching Kryptonian ghosts the same way. His maligned brother Harry was also mentioned in a Byrne comic, World of Smallville #1.

As usual, I’m forgetting or lazily leaving out plenty of important details, so check out Don Sparrow’s section after the jump for way more!

Art-Watch (by @donsparrow​):

Even more than Superman #75, it’s this issue (and the storyline that follows) that most define this, my most beloved era of Superman comics for me.  Perhaps it’s because I was actually opposed to Superman’s death, rather than excited about it, whereas with this issue, I was only completely excited, and totally curious about how they’d bring Superman back.

Still more nerdy background:  as we’ve mentioned in previous blogposts, I live in the same city as Super-teamster Tom Grummett, so the fact that he drew this comic was big, big deal in my hometown.  Our local comic store (which sat below Tom Grummett’s art studio upstairs) had Tom in on the day it was released to sign copies, so it was a major event.  Though I was only a lad of 13 at the time, both that day, and in the years since, I bought enough copies of Adventures of Superman #500 to insulate my house with them (and so did the rest of the world, making the resale value not quite what Superman #75 was). How big of a deal was Superman’s return in my hometown?  Well, we made the evening news…

The direct market edition cover features a stunner of a painting by the great Jerry Ordway, of a ghostly Superman reaching out to Pa Kent from beyond the void.  It was billed as being a removable translucent screen, but I don’t know anyone who was successfully able to remove the vellum without ruining their cover, but the softening of the add-on is very effective.  The newsstand edition (remember when comics could be purchased on newsstands?) has a decidedly story-driven cover, which must have perplexed the many non-regular Superman readers who came out in droves for this big issue.  It features Superman and Pa Kent floating over a background of enemies (including the demonic Blaze, which, to the uninitiated, must have been pretty spooky) with Pa Kent inexplicably in a Challengers of the Unknown looking jumpsuit.   Confusion aside, it’s still a great cover, and a nice hint at all the zip-a-tone goodness we’ll find inside.

Throughout the issue, the real world and the afterlife are given very distinct visual styles, with the ‘real’ world being inked and coloured normally, and the spirit world with lots of zip-a-tone shadows and gleaming bright colours.  It’s such an effective way to delineate the storylines, and man, I love how the extra shading looks on the afterlife pages.  It’ll be hard to single out only a few pages, because, honestly, this is one of the best drawn comics of the era.    

In the first few pages, I was struck that, despite seeing Superman in full uniform at the end of Superman #77, the Superman Jonathan Kent sees on the ‘other’ side is Clark Kent, which is a telling note about how he sees his identity.  The image of Pa stripping away his Clark garb is a great one, with the mist and swirling clouds establishing we are indeed, not in Kansas anymore.

The direct market edition also has some differences within the book, in addition to the difference in cover—it has a number of full page splashes inserted into the storyline, which are missing from the newsstand edition, and each one is a stunner.  The first one is Gangbuster descending a fire escape on page 6, having ignored the warnings he got from Inspector Henderson in the Superman specials that preceded this issue. 

The most interesting thing about these splashes, aside from how just about every one of them would have made for some killer poster art, is how seamlessly Jerry Ordway matches the scripts.  Many of the splashes contain dialogue, but if those sentences are removed (as they are in the newsstand edition) the story still makes sense, which must have been a real challenge. [Max: Oddly enough, the one flaw I’ve found in my giant Death and Return of Superman omnibus so far is that some of the dialogue from these pages is duplicated, presumably from combining pages from both editions.]

Page 9 features another great Gangbuster image, and the fight choreography in the pages that follow has a real sense of place and pace.

As we return to Pa Kent’s near death experience, the visuals go a good job of selling the story’s dreamlike conceit—“reality” is pretty flexible where he is, so as Jonathan spends time there, his thoughts get muddled in with memory, and he can lose his purpose.  It really feels like a dream in that way. Also, having heard about Jonathan’s brother previously, I thought he’d look a lot worse. There’s a strange cutaway to the Prankster in these pages, and while it’s a funny little scene, it has no bearing on the story, and Prankster doesn’t pop up again in these pages for a very long time---if memory serves, until the ill-fitting reboot of his look some 80 issues later. [Max: We saw him during the Dominus storyline, but I’m not sure if that counts.]

I also love how Grummett seems to draw Prankster as looking like UK comedian Terry Thomas, which is a great fit.  It’s always tricky to translate such goofy-looking characters into real people, and here, perhaps for the first time, Prankster looks like a human being and not a doughier Alfred E Neuman.  (Do prisoners really get their own portable TVs? Surely this scene demonstrates the danger of such a luxury!)

The scenes of Pa Kent falling into a pit and being pulled out by Blaze are chilling, but, like the rest of the issue, doesn’t it just make you fall in love with tough, no nonsense Jonathan Kent?  It’s a mini-Godwatch when he pulls a Luke Skywalker and choose oblivion over joining forces with Blaze. (Extra points for Jonathan asking the question on the minds of a lot of Superman readers—is Blaze the devil or what?)

Next up is an appearance by what would seem to be Blaze’s opposite number, Kismet, our favourite naked outer space lady in a cape.  Both sides of the two-page splash are pretty stunning here. 

The ersatz Kryptonian funeral is pretty interesting too.  Here, Grummett walks a fine line, having the Kryptonian stuff accurate enough that we know what it’s supposed to be, but just off enough that we know something strange is going on.

Once Clark figures out that the wraiths mean him harm (has there ever been a nice wraith?) it’s so, so great to see him back in action after all these months without him.  Major kudos to the colourist, here especially, but throughout the book, for the unique colours which look great here on Superman’s uniform.  Plus, I always like the times when Superman loses his cape.

The visual effect of the portal back to reality is just amazing, and from their perspective, probably pretty accurate. Next to the blinding light of the afterlife, earthly life would probably seem pretty dark. That last image from the direct edition, of Superman flying through the void with Pa Kent is just such a stunner. And from a story standpoint, this is just so definitive of the Super-team.  That a story about bringing back Superman is told in the most personal, meaningful way, with a chubby, balding old farmer as more or less the lead character.  It’s a total rejection of the grit teeth and substance-less Image comics trend of the era in its’ wholesomeness.  And I love this is how they chose to bring him back.  My very favourite detail, that I came back to again and again was that the heartbeat that returns to Pa Kent’s monitor goes across his panel, into the panel of Superman’s tomb.  So subtle, and so, so awesome.

The four page previews kicking off the Reign storyline are almost an issue unto themselves, but I love how all the eye-witness accounts from page 45 are later seen within issues, and give clues to very different Supermen.

If you’ll allow me just a little more nerdiness, DC sent comic shops some previews of this issue to create excitement, and these pages included scans of the end section with the new Supermen.  The only catch was, on these previews the figures were totally whited out, so you couldn’t see what he looked like.  So having read those short previews, I thought they were all referring to ONE new Superman, who I assumed had been changed by his experience with Doomsday.  It wasn’t until I got the issue home that I realized they were launching four different storylines.

The art on these is pretty interesting.  This is really the point where Jon Bogdanove shifts into a really loose, less constrained style, which honestly works quite well for the larger than life character of John Henry Irons. And that first look at him—you can definitely see why they thought that Shaquille O’Neal would work for this character.

Next is a spooky look at the Last Son of Krypton, who I 100% believed was the real Superman, mainly because of his appearance.  The panel of Superman lowering to finish off the thug is a great, eerie look, and I dig the Gandalf the White style dialogue here, too.

I love everything about the “Metropolis Kid” section, because it’s all built-in, and even gives us hints of this character’s “tactile telekinesis” with the grating not being damaged from his blow.  Maybe it’s just nostalgia, but man, it’s a great costume too.

Lastly, the Man of Tomorrow segment, which is such great, great storytelling, as, until the very last second, you don’t realize anything is amiss, in spite of the facial expressions of the tourists. [Max: This guy freaked me out even before I saw his full face, and I just realized why: the panel of him turning to face the family reminds me the end of this traumatizing BTAS episode.]

STRAY OBSERVATIONS:

It’s interesting to me that this issue establishes that Jonathan Kent fought in the Korean conflict, and not, as was established in the World of Smallville mini-series, World War II. It’s amazing that enough time had passed by this point, that they had to move the timeline up.  I suppose if Pa Kent were still in modern stories, he’d have been a Vietnam veteran by now.  I’ll admit being surprised watching Smallville that Jonathan Kent had never been in any war—I thought for sure they’d have made him a Gulf War veteran or something.

Even completely in shock and grief and confusion, Lois Lane really rocks those stretchpants. 

GODWATCH: This is the big one, where, as hinted to in past issues, the belief system that the Kents raised Clark within is made explicit.  First on page 22, in a moment of despair, Lois admits she wishes her faith were stronger, and Martha relates that their beliefs included Heaven, and that Clark himself, to her knowledge, subscribed to those beliefs. Finally, when Pa stabilizes, Ma Kent thanks the Lord, on page 42. [Max: I also find Pa’s theory that Clark only ended up in this limbo because he’d been raised as a mortal pretty interesting.]

“Sure—have some of my hootch, why don’tcha?” A very funny exchange. [Max: I forgot to mention High Pocket’s essential contribution to this issue, when he fishes Jose out of the river, gives him booze, and tries to recruit him for some larceny! Shame on me.]

#superman #jerry ordway #tom grummett #louise simonson #jon bogdanove #roger stern #jackson guice #dan jurgens #ma kent #jose delgado #cat grant #vincent edge #the prankster #blaze #kismet #steel #superboy #newsboy legion #karl kesel #reign of the supermen #doug hazlewood #dennis janke #denis rodier #brett breeding #gangbuster #pa kent #jor-el #cleric #high pockets and lamar #inspector henderson

[zak-animation]

Mystery Box: Blocking a Stepped Pass

This week, my main focus was on beginning my Mystery Box animation within Maya: having prepared extensively through reference iterations, storyboards, and a refined animatic, I’ve reached a point where I’m ready to jump into Maya and begin animating. With my research into industry professional Jeff Gabor, I found that CG animation starts in a ‘stepping’ process which describes the layout and blocking of the key poses. These are held to allow clarity for review, allowing us as animators to critique our own work and analyse whether or not the pose is able to communicate the desired narrative beat. This ensures clarity of pose, and thus clarity of visual storytelling within the performance.

Instead of developing and refining the animation in the spline process, I will be placing a focus on refining my animation at this early stage to eliminate any crucial errors and issues with posing and timing. This week, I wanted to begin this stepped process and start blocking out my sequence. This was a long process, but I actually found it to be relatively intuitive and straightforward: simply creating key poses based on my animatic by breaking the scene down, and moving the rigged character into place. Although this is a new process for me, I would say that I am slowly adapting to this new workflow and I find it to be similar to a more structured version of stop motion, giving us the ability to plan our animations through an iterative process. This is a key part of the appeal of CG to me, and here, I’ve been able to present my first experiments into this stepping process.

First Attempt As a rough idea of posing, I think my first attempt gets the idea of what I’m going for - but it’s an extremely flawed sequence. Not only is the timing off, the character feels very stilted and robotic. As expected, there’s no fluid motion, but looking at this sequence I can see how the posing isn’t as effective as it could be. There’s an unnatural look to the placement of the arms and legs in coordination with the body, and the initial steps have an almost floating quality to the movement.

There is some value in this test, however: as my first attempt at blocking a sequence on this scale, this was relatively quick to make and I was able to develop my confidence with Maya and animating with a rig as a process. The walk up to the box is a slightly different approach to the one described in my reference footage, but I wanted to use this as an opportunity to explore a more cartoon-inspired movement in comparison to more realistic performance. This is one of the key themes of the Mystery Box project, and I wanted to exaggerate the steps in this first test. There’s an almost elastic quality to the movements, something which I quite enjoy and wanted to incorporate into my second attempt at this task.

The main takeaways from this initial stepped sequence were to focus more on my posing and timing of the sequence, instead of rushing through the entire thing, it’s important that I take the time to develop more considered and refined posing of the character. Even at this rough stage, I need to be focusing on good posing to tell the story of my scene.

Second Stepped Pass In comparison, my second stepped pass is much more interesting. I’m beginning to understand a clearer idea of timing and posing and took the opportunity to push my sequence further within the Maya workspace: looking back at alternate reference footage and adding a little touch that works to further communicate my idea of a disapproving father. The poses are stronger, working more closely to my animatic and reference footage whilst also understanding the need to take creative liberties with my references and add new ideas such as the creep up to the box.

There are a few interesting ideas in this sequence, and represents a closer realization of my own vision for the animation. The steps walking into the frame are more natural, there’s a good amount of processing time before the character stands up to the box, and the added finger wagging further communicates the character’s fatherly nature. It’s still too slow, however, and watching it back, I can’t help but feel like the actual staging of the shot is too geometric and centered. The movements are still too slow for a blocked animation, and as a way to develop my own critical feedback on the test, I took the chance to get a tutor to have a look at my work.

Firstly, they noted how the steps coming into the frame are too quick: there needs to be in-between poses to soften the bounce on each step - otherwise, it looks like the character is stomping down onto the ground rather than a playful bounce. We also raised the issue that when the character goes to crouch down, the movements are weirdly stilted and lifeless. Looking back, I can absolutely see this, which makes the entire sequence feel very robotic and unnatural. I was reminded of the value of practicing primary research: simply acting out the sequence (even without recording it) allows us as animators to grasp the basic mechanics of the movement in a way not possible with simple sketching.

Lastly, we spoke about the complexity of my sequence. It’s over 500 frames, and whilst it meets the requirements of the brief, it was noted that the length of my shot would bring a personal challenge. Whilst we discussed cutting it down, I ultimately reached the conclusion that I want to stick with this idea and will challenge myself to work beyond the brief’s expectations. However, I need to consider the age-old adage of ‘quality before quantity’ and remember that the animation has to be smooth and successful - and value this over a longer sequence: it’s something that I will consider moving forward.

Third Stepped Pass Taking these feedback points into consideration, my next move was to go back into Maya and develop a third stepped animation. With all of these iterations, I wanted to challenge myself to work from scratch each time and develop confidence and habit of working quickly. This is a valuable skill and something that our tutor mentioned several times in the workshop.

My third iteration of this process is my most successful, I think. Having started again with a blank project file, I was able to develop stronger key poses, a natural look to the movement and more interesting composition.

Firstly, with this last test, I’ve been able to develop confidence working with Maya and found the process of keyframing the main poses to be more intuitive and was able to start from scratch more quickly and easily in comparison to my first attempts. With this, I had the confidence to change key poses and even cut out entire areas of the shot which proved to be too difficult and didn’t add anything to my sequence. This process of cutting areas and editing my own work serves as a way for me to consistently reconsider and reflect on my ideas, refining them to a more successful final product. I was encouraged to experiment and take away parts of the work that is unrealistic given the time frame and limitations of the project and took this as inspiration for a new composition.

Something discussed in the early storyboarding workshop from Helen Schroder was the use of shot types to tell a story, and to convey a meaning. Good staging and composition should communicate ideas simply in the arrangement of elements in an image - and I wanted to take another look at my own. My first attempt at staging had a visual appeal: framing centrality is a key cinematography technique and helps frame characters in a clear way, whilst also allowing for a sense of visual style beyond the standard ‘rule of thirds’ law of photography.

My first composition was ultimately indulgent: inspired by the likes of Wes Anderson and other auteur filmmakers, I wanted to challenge the expectations of the brief by placing my character in the center of the frame. Something I didn’t consider earlier on is the framing centrality of my shot: although it’s visually pleasing, it does lend an unwelcome stilted quality to the composition of the sequence. It doesn’t communicate anything about the power dynamic of these characters, and it doesn’t provide an engaging visual language. With this in mind, I explored a more interesting approach to staging: by tilting the camera, I’m able to make the character appear much larger in the frame - and as we are looking up at the parent figure - the audience understands that this is an authority figure: in this case, a father. Whilst this is different than my initial animatic, it’s important to have the flexibility and creative freedom to explore alternative ideas in the animation stage.

The sense of timing is much more successful than my earlier iterations and having been introduced to the basics of lighting and rendering, I have been able to add some lights to the shot that communicate a warm sense of home and family life. In comparison to my earlier attempts, this last stepped pass demonstrates my development in Maya and the evolution of my ideas. The sequence now has staging that communicates a sense of authority in the character, stronger key storytelling poses and a shorter run-time.

Despite this, this will not be my final stepped pass on the animation. There are a few areas that I want to hone in on and refine in this early stage of the process before moving to splined animation: having changed my idea, edited parts and exploring a new approach to staging, I want to take the time that I need to fully grasp animating in Maya using the ‘Max’ rig, and refine these key poses. We were encouraged to polish and refine in this preliminary stepped process before moving onto spline, as a way to iron out the posing issues and sense of timing.

Summary Having taken the time independently to develop upon this task and reiterate the process, I’ve gained more of confidence working with the Maya animation workspace. Whilst I’m not at a stage where I’m ready to submit a sequence for feedback, I’m happy with the amount of progress I’ve been able to make so far and will continue to develop this next week. Here, I’ve presented my own iterative development with new software and working methodology that I’m still getting used to. As a whole, though, I’m enjoying working with Maya and taking the time to develop my skills outside of timetabled hours has allowed me to get to grips with the fundamentals of the software.

#ba1b:mysterybox