#well actually I am a better writer in the sense that I have the ability to write better fic than I have been

[pizzaqueen]

Man, I’d be a way better writer if life didn’t keep kicking me in the ass

(Probably not the most important thing to worry about though)

#well actually I am a better writer in the sense that I have the ability to write better fic than I have been #because I’ve done it in the past when life was kinder #but I just don’t have the mental capacity or energy needed to get my fic to that same level pretty much ever anymore #and when I say better I mean prose wise especially but just in general I guess #but my choices are stop writing or keep going and just be happy I can write at all no matter the quality #because telling stories and sharing them is more important to me at the end of the day #misc #personal #vent #negative #tbd #like I spent about three hours crying? i could have used that time and energy on writing!

[ascendedastarionapologist]

The Rite of Profane Ascention and Projected Shame: A Meta Analysis of Authorial Intent and Bias in Interpretation

If you are an Astarion enjoyer you are probably familiar with the following sentiments:

The crew member we can attribute this reading to would be Baudelair Welch, and they are not Astarion's main writer, rather the Senior Narrative Designer for Baldur's Gate 3. Astarion's creator and lead writer was Stephen Rooney, Rooney does attribute great assistance from Welch, however.

Welch was not initially part of the team, only being hired after the release of Early Access. As Welch as recounted the story, they saw Astarion during EA, wanting to become a part of the BG3 writing staff to enforce a particular narrative. The one that we are familiar with.

To better understand Welch's perspective on the concept of "Objectifying Fictional Characters" we must take a look at the indie game they developed during their time at Larian.

Don't Wake Me Up is a text based adventure game that puts you in the shoes of a game developer who is making a vampire dating sim. The twist being that the vampire character you created resents you for having romantic feelings for it.

While discussing the fact they wouldn't be adding "Good Endings" to their game, Welch describes their experience of having romantic feelings for fictional characters, often over real life people. A trend that, to their apparent frustraition, continued into their adulthood. I get this sense of shame, this desire to experience a more normative relationship with romantic feelings.

In a way, I feel kind of bad for Welch. I am a selfshipper, I think fictosexuality and genuine romantic interest towards fictional characters is morally neutral. However, my sympathy stops when Welch uses this to guilt their readers into feeling a certain way over narratives they don't have total authority over. Only very recently have people started to be cool about selfshipping, and phrases like "parasocial sexualization of fictional characters" does nothing to aliviate that stigma.

Hearing how the other staff talk about the endings, they do not share Welch's perspective more focused on player choice and the evolution of Astarion's Character through the player's eyes rather than a meta commentary on the relationship between player and character. As a roleplaying game, this is very much purposeful. Larian gives you the tools to tell the story you desire. To quote Neil Newbon,

"You might find him scary, and you should [...] but other people might really like that ending [...] going, actually I always saw Astarion going that route."

This a lot of meta context. Context that is not as blatant within the text as many who ascribe to this interpretation would want you to believe.

As a roleplaying game, BG3 gives you the option to depict your player character in a multitude of ways.

Is your player character a reluctant accomplace, determined to stay by Ascended Astarion's side no matter the cost? The game gives you that ability.

Do you see your character as an unwitting victim, a damsel to Ascended Astarion, a prisoner in a gilded cage? The game rewards this perspective in kind, the "freedom" lines coming to mind.

Or, perhaps your player character is mutually obsessed, a willing and enthusiastic participant in Ascended Astarion's villainous shenanagins. The game has options and responses that reflect this role as well. He is giddy, and gushes over how much fun you two will have if you lean into it.

A companion to this post, the poll I made measuring people's ending preference and weather not they were spoiled, is loosely tied to this. My methodology was, admitedly, a bit off. I neglected to add a neutral option, and of course my sample size is limited.

However, my theory was that among people that preferred keeping Astarion as a Spawn over Ascending him were exposed to spoilers, and my follow up question was meant to measure weather or not Welch's commentary had an effect on that.

Taking a look at the poll, the overall preference is for the Spawn ending, however, amongst Spawn enjoyers, they were often spoiled for his ending. I didn't get much feedback though, so weather or not this perception of Ascention had an effect on their choice remains conjecture.

What is interesting, however, is that through the polling process, (and the poll is still in progress at the time of posting this, so keep that in mind), the spilt between the other options were relatively even.

Make of that what you will.

Looking at all of this together, and from my perspective, I cannot see ascention as the "bad ending" , sense much of the argument for that perspective uses Welch's words as if they were gospel. To me, a bad ending is zombie astarion, or blowing up Gale in act 2, or letting Lae'zel perish at the Creché. I will however call it the EVIL ending. Ascended Astarion IS a villain, but I think the distinction between "bad" and "evil" is an important one to make. I cant see it the way Welch does, because I simply have an idiological opposition to their veiwpoint, a sentiment I feel is shared by many AA enjoyers.

I want to end this by stating very directly: this is not an attack on Welch as a person, rather a cirtique of of the bias inherent to the way they write and interpret fiction. A bias, I feel, people should be aware of.

#astarion ancunin #ascended astarion #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #my posts

[transtravisstoll]

Batkids Age Reversal List

want to do a age reversal AU for the batkids but why do the comics keep fucking up their ages this has taken me weeks of trying to figure out i’m gonna off the DC comic writers. if you have any better ideas for their ages pls let me know im going to gouge my eyes out if i have to do any more math.

alfred: ???

-immortal. fuck you. he looked death in the face and told him to stop tracking mud all over his freshly mopped floors and that dinner was at eight.

bruce: 39

-had damian at eighteen bc i wanted it to be as close to his age gap with dick in canon as possible but i am not having this man fathering a child at 15

damian: 21

-came to gotham at age 8, refused to be a normal kid bc he was literally raised an assassin and bruce doesn’t know how to encourage nonviolent activities in children so letting him fight crime seemed… better than being an assassin. he, at the age of eight, could not come up with a name that wasn’t fucking Terrifying so whenever gordon asked for his “little shadow”‘s name they were suspiciously silent bc no, damian, you can not call yourself Vengeance or Malice. the media called him shadow and it stuck.

duke: 18

-wanted to keep his age gap with tim similar, but with duke being the older one, instead of doing dick and jason’s age gap bc it makes more sense this way.

-his parents got jokerified when he was 12, and so did a Lot of people in the Narrows. it absolutely decimated their little community so duke became signal. he didn’t fight crime, he gave back to his community, he helped with the cleanup. bruce ended up basically kidnapping the poor kid. (duke ran away from his foster home because he wasn’t a glorified babysitter or maid, fuck you, he can crash on couches.)

STEPH: 16

-again, wanted to keep the age gap between steph and tim the same but keeping steph the older one. makes more sense this way!! leave me alone.

-became spoiler at 13, was only spoiler for a year before she became shadow at 14 for about six months in between damian and jason. there was a six month period as well where bruce didn’t have a shadow and alfred literally had to bribe steph to be shadow bc he wasn’t abt to let a kid run around the gotham night without knowing batman was two steps ahead of them. plus, having a kid with him made bruce more cautious.

TIM: 15

-FINALLY got to mimicking the age gap between dick and jason in canon

-never becomes shadow, actually, he takes bab’s spot as their computer wiz. doesn’t call himself oracle though because he fucking sucks at making names. calls himself override (barf).

-also, steph is the only one who hes told he’s override to and also knows the batfam’s identities

-duke knows tim is override bc he’s scary like that!! tim doesn’t know duke knows he’s override, but duke knows that tim knows their identities and tim Also doesn’t know that. duke is fr terrifying. love him.

-tim figured out the batfam because of duke’s meta abilities bc he’s also scary like that

Jason: 14

-oh, he’s… currently out of commission. became shadow at 12.

-didn’t die in ethiopia, because fuck that plot. he was doing a stakeout but the joker had kidnapped this itty little baby (an eight year old boy) who he found running around the gotham night. jason went out of commission saving that little boy. what does out of commission mean? who knows. could be dead. could be severely injured. kidnapped. the possibilities are endless.

-i think it’s fucked that the comic fans voted for a fifteen year old to die by the joker. y’all are crazy.

cass: 13

-mimicking jason and cass’ age gap with cass being younger bc it makes more sense leave me alone

-isn’t a Batman approved shadow (yet) but she shadows batman anyways after jason’s… indisposed. the bonus is that batman doesn’t Know he has a shadow but gotham is kept in the dark abt shadow being (redacted) because cass and jason had the same exact fucking build, okay, jason hasn’t gotten his growth spurt yet (because of childhood malnutrition) . weird how batman lost weight though, after he went on that rage incident after the latest arrest of the joker. he’s leaner now. (is it the same batman? who knows.)

dick: 8

-mimicking the tim and damian age gap, bc it’s six years in my head leave me alone.

-huh, jason went out of commission saving an eight year old and dick is eight… suspicious. coincidence? hm.

babs: 7

-mimicking the babs and dick age gap but with babs being younger bc i think she’s older in canon? unsure. DC please i’m going to kill you and then me.

#batkids #batman #dick grayson #stephanie brown #tim drake #damian wayne #duke thomas #jason todd #reverse robins #dc comics

[veronika-tserber]

3rd House Ruler Through the Houses

The 3rd House in the Birth Chart Tells Us About:

How important communication is to us

How we express ourselves through spoken/written word

Our learning style and high-school education

Our relationship with siblings & the immediate environment

Our driving skills, as well as why we take short trips

We analyze the sign, the ruling planet of the sign, the degree, and any planets in the house (and their aspects). For this post, I am only asking you to look at the sign on the cusp and where its ruling planet is placed. This area of life is where your communicative abilities can shine the most.

E.g., if you have an Aries 3rd house, look at the house where Mars (also check out the modern ruler, Pluto) is placed, and read the explanation below.)

Some signs have TWO rulers, so read about both:

♈ Aries: Mars & Pluto

♏ Scorpio: Pluto & Mars

♐ Sagittarius: Jupiter & Neptune

♒ Aquarius: Uranus & Saturn

♓ Pisces: Neptune & Jupiter

3H Ruler in the 1H Your communication is closely tied to your self-image and self-expression. Others notice your manner of speech right away, and this could mean different things depending on the ruling planet. You express yourself best when you are able to freely speak up, and share your humor and opinions. You might learn best when you are physically involved in your learning. You can have a great sense of orientation and driving skills. Close relationships with siblings. Great communication is vital to you and your self-confidence. You could be a great writer/journalist/comedian or be involved in business and marketing. Short trips by yourself or for personal reasons.

3H Ruler in the 2H You probably like to think and talk about practical topics such as money, work, health, etc. You could also be skilled at crafting things and working with your hands. Similarly to the 1H people, you can have a "hands-on" approach to learning, and probably like to put any theory to the test. "Does it ACTUALLY work?" You might like to invest money into technology, education, cars/vehicles, and books. You could be interested in financial education, economics, real estate, or the arts. The financial state of your family affected your education and early environment. Your siblings ask you for financial support. Short trips for practical reasons.

3H Ruler in the 3H Communication and mental health are extremely important to you in this lifetime. Your immediate environment, education, and relationship with siblings play an important role in your life. You can be great at expressing yourself in verbal or written form and have the ability to sell goods, advertise, and be driven to learn things. You could be highly involved in your day-to-day life and love to find new and better ways to deal with everyday reality. You can be naturally skilled at solving everyday problems and fixing things. You could be quite fond of social media or the news - you like to stay in touch with everything that's going on in the world right now. Short trips with your siblings or acquaintances/schoolmates.

3H Ruler in the 4H You communicate best when you feel emotionally safe. You might be shy around strangers or people you don't "vibe" with. You could be interested in psychology and the themes of deconditioning, trauma, inner child healing, and family. You could've been homeschooled or you like the idea of homeschooling your children one day. A sibling of yours might've played the role of a mother/nurturer to you or vice-versa. You think deeply and love to see people open up to you and reveal their emotions and vulnerabilities. You could be interested in real estate, creative writing, and working from home. Your upbringing affects your communication and thinking patterns. You learn best in a safe environment that feels cozy and protective. You also might be a visual learner with strong emotional memory. You might be prone to thinking about the past a lot. You can be a skilled cook or good at fixing things around the house when they break. Short trips with the whole family.

3H Ruler in the 5H Your style of communication might be emotionally expressive, theatrical, and lively. You might love to draw people's attention by voicing your opinions or using your communicative abilities to entertain. You could be naturally skilled in the arts or want to go through formal art education. You might also have siblings that are artists. You love to talk about fun stuff, discuss art, movies, and flirt. You learn best when you are having fun! Communication with your own children is important to you, as well. You could have a "gambler" mindset or might like to take risks. You might like to buy or sell beauty/luxury items. Short trips for the purpose of having fun and enjoyment.

3H Ruler in the 6H This is double Mercury energy, so the importance of communication and service is amplified in your life. You can use your intellect and communicative abilities in your work or as a way to serve others in a practical way. In your education, you are punctual, responsible, and efficient. You love to learn! Especially about things that improve your day-to-day reality such as how to fix things around the house, how to improve your health, be better at your job, etc. You are probably a cautious driver, as well, and you can take short trips for work or for the sake of fulfilling other responsibilities. You could be interested in medical education/naturopathy but it really depends on the planet.

3H Ruler in the 7H Communication is crucial for you in your close personal relationships. If the planetary ruler isn't afflicted, you likely express yourself freely in front of others, and can easily forge new connections and partnerships. You can be a huge flirt! If the ruler is afflicted, you can struggle with self-expression. Nonetheless, people pay a lot of attention to how you think and communicate. You could potentially meet your future marriage partner during a short trip or thanks to your siblings/neighbors. You could also meet them while you are out riding your bicycle around the neighborhood, or buying coffee from your local coffee shop. Potential "high school sweethearts" placement, as well. You could have an education or a strong interest in relationship dynamics, and depending on the planet, that could be the placement of a counselor or a lawyer. Short trips with your partners, people close to your heart, or for business.

3H Ruler in the 8H In your communication, you like to go DEEP. You aren't satisfied with superficial information and you likely avoid social media, gossip, and small talk. You can keep a secret. You could potentially be challenged in your communication, and appear asocial or closed-off. It all depends on the ruling planet and its aspects. Nonetheless, you have an interest in the occult, psychology, sex, death, and other "taboo" topics. You could also come off as critical and sharp with your words. You could study and be interested in financial topics, and investments, or run advertising for a funeral agency. (I'm only halfway joking lol, and this is my placement, too 🤣) If the ruling planet is afflicted, you can be prone to accidents with vehicles or in your close environment. There could be issues in early education or perhaps strong bonds with some of the people you went to high school with. Possibly love-hate relationships with siblings, too. You like to take short trips with your intimate partners or by yourself.

3H Ruler in the 9H Your long-term goals and philosophy in life can be formed through your early education and experience of the early close environment. In your communication, you could be quite philosophical and might love to think about existential questions and the "big perspective" in life. You communicate and express yourself best in an academic environment of like-minded people/colleagues or with your professors. Alternatively, you could have issues there, depending on the ruling planet. You could be interested in foreign cultures, be multi-lingual, or skilled in literature or history. You could be the local tour guide for foreigners. You could pursue higher education in journalism, science, and writing, or decide to become a teacher, yourself. A lot of it depends on the ruling planet. Short trips for educational purposes and for the sake of adventure.

3H Ruler in the 10H Your communication abilities play a role in your career. Your education is the foundation of your profession and social status. Learning more languages, improving your practical skillset, communication, staying informed, and using social media constructively can help you advance career-wise. You could work in the field of trading, marketing, writing, teaching, and other Mercurial fields. It largely depends on the ruling planet. You could benefit (or suffer) from your ability to relate to authority figures and those "above you" on the social ladder. You probably like to feel in charge of your learning and education, but also love structure and measuring your achievements. You could have been ambitious and competitive at school. Taking short business trips.

3H Ruler in the 11H You communicate with pleasure among friends and like-minded individuals. This includes internet friends and communities. You love sharing your thoughts, visions, and interests with others, and engaging in inspiring conversations. You probably enjoy discussing social issues and topics and talking about your dreams and aspirations. You could also be prone to changing your interests a lot, and you could join many groups and communities over the years - especially in high school. You love to learn more about progressive ideas, technology, astrology, astronomy, science, etc. You might have a friendly relationship with your siblings. Regarding your learning style, you could be more fond of learning through the internet or working in a collaborative environment than sitting at a desk and having to "memorize" stuff. You could take short trips with friends.

3H Ruler in the 12H You could be really private with your thoughts. You could speak in a compassionate and gentle way that draws people in. Alternatively, you could be closed off and avoid communication or have some sort of a speech impediment/disability. You could be interested in learning more about spirituality, healing, art, mental health, etc. You could find that you tend to daydream a lot and your imagination is really vivid. It could be the placement for a painter, dancer, or creative writer, but it depends on other factors. Your education can involve the things above, plus psychology, energy healing, or the more traditional medical field. You could struggle in a traditional school environment. Your learning style is highly intuitive and may involve storytelling, metaphors, and visualization. You could definitely study better in solitude. Strong emotional memory. Great listener. You can take short trips to be by yourself and jam along to your favorite music.

The Ask Box is open for specific questions, folks! 😊

- Foxbörn

ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ 1

ᴄʜᴀʀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢꜱ

ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜʏ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ?

#astro notes #3rd house #astro observations #astrology houses #natal chart houses #astrology #zodiac #astro community #zodiac signs #birth chart #natal chart #astroworld #horoscope

[blues-valentine]

The thing about the love triangle in NHIE is that Paxton is the type of guy I would’ve wanted to date as a teenager and that’s where the conflict comes from for a lot of people. He feels like the ideal guy so a lot of people project this on Devi. And don’t get me wrong. He is great. He was a good boyfriend to Devi and his arc was great but the problem is not about his ability to be a good boyfriend to her but how Devi has put him on a pedestal and is unable to see him as anything more than an ideal, a dream. When it came to his relationship with Devi it felt like it was driven just by physical attraction, at least on Devi’s part and aside from that it felt like that type of explosive relationship that wouldn’t last past high school but it’s a good first relationship experience. And the show hasn’t been shy on this. They constantly tell you she used Paxton as a way to distract from her grief.

On the other hand, the thing about Ben is that he is a constant in Devi’s life in a more down to earth way. He’s seen Devi in her worst and in her best moments. Even when they “hated each other” their scenes still feel intimate because they do know each other. You could still feel the familiarity despite the animosity. Devi feels like the most comfortable version of herself when she’s with Ben because she doesn’t have to overthink herself around him. He is also able to understand her volatile reactions. I actually believe they’d most likely stay friends past high school than Devi/Paxton would, because they have common ground.

It’s interesting when you compare the pro and con list between Paxton and Ben because while Paxton’s was all full of physical attributes, Ben is the only one that has one about his personality and how it directly influences her: challenging. Ben pushes Devi intellectually and as a better person as well. She recognizes she works better when he is around because he has the same type of ambition and drive. He also holds her accountable in ways she don’t expect. Paxton stimulates her horniness. Ben her brain.

The triangle has never been about “which guy is better” but about what each guy does to help with Devi’s arc. Paxton is the distraction, the dream, the scape from her trauma. Ben is the tangible reality that forces her to look ahead. It’s not surprise that while she used Paxton to avoid her life drama, Ben would literally make her face it by asking the hard questions and even seek out her friends to help her deal with the issue. It’s also not a coincidence that while she was dating Des, Ben was still the person she would turn to for advice because she trust. This isn’t me saying who’s the “best” for her.

The triangle is rich narratively wise because they both genuinely care about her and could be good for her but it’s not about them is about Devi and how she acts around them. For Paxton and Devi to be “endgame” they would need to let her see him as a real person with flaws instead of the symbol she has made him up to be but I don’t know how believable that would be after last season. Ben and Devi just feel like the inevitable. Like everything was leading up to them. I could see the ending having them go their separate ways for college but with the promise of finding each other when they’re more grown up and with life experience — because I honestly think they make sense but I am not the writers. To me the last 10 minutes of Season 3 explained the love triangle and what it has meant narratively for Devi this whole time.

Realistically, both could work depending on the path the writers want Devi to take on Season 4.

#never have i ever #nhie #devi vishwakumar #paxton hall yoshida #ben gross #benvi #daxton #text post #devi x ben

[disturbedreams]

How do you write horror?

I actually had like a conversation with my friends abt this a little bit ago so I'll talk about it here- this is a very broad question so I am going to answer it to the best of my abilities (like, how do I write vs. how do I write horror), so,,, pls be patient with me haha.

So, to kind of lay the groundwork I've kinda come to the conclusion that there are maybe 3 types of horror writers/ways to come at horror?? Or at least, that's how it gets categorized better in my head! Inspired by a post where someone described Jacob Geller as an architect's mindset, I think the 3 main ways to come at writing horror are as follows;

- The Language

- The Philosophy

- The Architecture

Keep in mind that this is all like ENTIRELY my own opinion and just how I come at writing my favorite genre, & I was/am an on and off fic writer and that's where most of my style was able to be developed!

Understandably these categories do seem a bit random but I think the example I can use best to explain it is gore, probably?

So with gore & body horror as an example, I'll go in the order of Philosophy > Language > Architecture for it to kind of make most sense.

Philosophy - Gore is many things. A lot of times the human mind meets it with, "that's wrong- that's wrong, wrong, wrong!"- and it gets worse with body horror, which seems to almost make an art form out of it. It is grotesque and obscene, and it forces you to be vulnerable- all things the mind hates. Organs that were never supposed to see the light of day are now being exposed to air they were never supposed to touch- and it's incredibly disturbing and upsetting because this isn't supposed to happen.... and worse, the longer you sit in it all, and you let it fester, it starts to become a "What really makes us human?" kind of thing. Everyone's reaction to the initial reaction to horrifying vulnerability of viscera is different.  Some curiously engage with it, some will become obsessed with how intimate it is, some will still desperately want to get away from it. It's always a fun little "how will I write these gore scenes this time" & understanding how I want ppl to react, which brings me to the next bit- language

(P.S. no body horror in it, but if you do want a good horror book that delves into like the "What Makes Us Human?" bit of things, I rec Obscura by Joe Hart!! like it literally becomes an overarching theme in the book! A+)

Language - I spend a lot of time trying to put human experiences down on paper, and it just... doesn't work because language as a whole is not enough of a vehicle to get across all of my thoughts and my feelings on this one subject- this one subject that is, undeniably intricate (no matter what subject it is, at any point in time). With body horror or just generally terrifying scenes where I really need to get across what exactly is happening and why it's so terrifying and you should be scared too- it helps to find words that are as specific as possible to the moment, especially with gore, because it forces the character(s) and the reader to be vulnerable. I focus a lot on character's reaction to things as well, as a way to convey like 'holy shit this is NOT OK!!! I am not cool with this!!', and really- it wouldn't be a good story if I didn't intrigue myself a bit imo- whether I terrify, or I scare, or I just get myself obsessed... understanding the concept of what I want to get across as much as I can, so I can then spend as long as I want trying to get it across as accurately as possible in a way that will have others sharing my fear/intrigue/obsession... that is my personal goal!

Architecture - Your terror needs legs to stand on. Your dread needs legs to stand on. Fear/scares can be induced from a simple movie's jumpscare, or a couple of terrifying lines that build a scene quickly and get the ball rolling- but for good 'ol gothic terror it's a bit of a consistent slow burn that slowly grows over the course of the story. It's usually why the gore happens towards the end of a story if it's the climax of the story, or, in other cases, gore tends to be used as a way to break a character. It's not only about the structure of the story, it's about the structure of the character. When you develop a character it's like you've carefully constructed a small building- and in this case, the gore scenes are direct attacks on where this character's support beams would be. A building within a building.... within a building...? If you will.

Kathe Koja's short story The Neglected Garden (Extremities) is actually a perfect example of this, as it starts off with the gore straight off the bat- and from there it's a slow decline (in this story specifically, it's akin to watching a team of workers construct a house incredibly quickly, then being like "it doesn't seem that sturdy-" right when a storm comes by and the house itself sinks and gets *really* fucked up... and then from there starts to slowly deteriorate and crumble.)

I think this applies to writers as well lol- like, I'm definitely more of a language oriented horror writer because of how much I focus on my vocabulary, my sentences, my prose, etc- and not even in a way where grammar is my strong suit. In fact, I am like, incredibly bad with grammar and this post is probably a prime example of it! but I really try hard to get across a concept/idea with the tools available to me and I try to expand those tools when I can, because it frustrates me when there aren't enough words in the dictionary for "he screamed".

Outside of gore and body horror, I usually have a concept, and then I write the scenes were I'm very into the concept of it and what I want to be portrayed... and then I start expanding from there and building plot, etc, until I eventually sit down and write it in it's entirety- so my personal order tends to be; Philosophy, Architecture, then Language.

(And yes, these are all just fancy words for plotting and drafting but they help me think about it easier so pls be nice to me LMFAO)

#writeblr #writeblr community #writing community #creative writing #horror writing #horror writers #writers of tumblr #writers #horror fiction #horror stories #horror story #jacob geller #kathe koja #character development #writing #writing stuff #on writing #cw gore #cw horror #cw body horror #body horror #gore #used as examples #writing process #no this is all legitimately like plot structure and drafting etc etc but in a funny little mindset bc I am AuDHD #I will procrastinate if I don't give myself a fun way to look at things

[azrielgreen]

Do you have any advice for publishing? Both traditional and self-pub. My work isn't anywhere near ready to be legitimately published but I'd like to gather all the info I can ✨️

Hi, thanks for your Q, sorry it's taken so long to answer. I am by no means an authority on publishing, I can only relate my own experiences to you and offer up advice based on those experiences.

I'm sure you know the basic stuff required for trad publishing: a polished manuscript, a query letter, the first three chapters (or 10K) and then you can start searching for agents to query. Traditional publishing requires an agent, who will then submit your work to publishers. Querying to agents can be tough and I recommend doing it in batches of 5-10 each time. Leave a month between each query batch for replies and I would say brace yourself for rejection, which isn't personal (but can feel like it) and is just part of the querying process. Once you're agented, it's much simpler from there as they will then work on getting your book through the door of a publisher and agents only get paid if you do. Beware of any false agents trying to charge money up front, a real agent will NEVER do that.

Self-publishing requires a polished manuscript, the will and desire to get your book out there, the ability to self market, and a reasonable budget for things like cover design, editing, marketing tools etc. Basically, self-publishing means you're doing it all yourself, but that you have a larger degree of control. I will absolutely be self publishing, I'm extremely excited for it.

So, my actual advice is this.

Hold your passion close and cradle it, remain wildly in love with your story and don't let anyone diminish that love for it. Equally, go forth with the kind of expectation that sharing your book with the world is THE desired outcome and anything else along the way will be a pleasant surprise. Once established, I do plan to write a book every 1-2 months which is obviously not for everyone, but that kind of flow and continuous output works well for me. I would say try to avoid the pitfall of any Wizard Lady Publishing Folklore expectations because those are heavily distorted and deeply misleading. Too many writers have been lost to the mythology of being "chosen" from obscurity, of not trying very hard and being plucked from obscurity anyway. And yes it can happen, it can take a single book to turn lives around but it's extremely rare and I think I healthier approach is to remain fluid. Disappointment can be debilitating in this profession. You have limitless stories inside you. You can do anything, so do many things. Level up, keep your passion close, know you are learning constantly. You are the best you've ever been. You'll only get better from here.

Hope this makes ANY sense, all my love and luck.

Az.

💜💜💜

#askaz

[pinkandpurple360]

Thanks for sharing your perspective.

To be honest I didn't see Striker having any specific hatred for Ozzie. He hates all Nobility indiscriminately so the "master" could be equally Mammon or Ozzie, Fizz smells like a rich bastard b cause his clothes are cleaned with the same products. We can assume he washes with expensive skincare. It doesn't matter who "master" is because they are all the same to Striker.

The issue with "Master" being linked to Mammon, even in the show, is that Fizz has only been working with Mammon for 10 years. And we see in the ad that he already had his prosthetics by the time he won the first pageant.

I'm sure the show will retcon the timeline again or make up some dumb excuses to hand wave this issue away and to fit this idea that Mammon owns Fizz, but the episodes given make it clear that Fizz could not have won the pageant before meeting Ozzie. His shows involve a lot of physical ability, most of what he does is musical theatre, not stand up comedy. He would have needed the prosthetics to win prior to working for Mammon.

Even Ozzie's line about Fizz having been only working for Mammon for 10 years screws up the timeline. Because for 5 years, what was Fizz doing? And because Blitz and Fizz are about 14 in the flashback with Creepzo, based on them having prepubescent voices that are in the beginning stages of dropping, there must have been other winners to the pageant prior to Fizz. Which means Fizz would have had to be so good to beat out a previously favored performer to win, which further pushes the necessity that Fizz already has his prosthetics before the pageant.

Also, maybe I need to go back, but I don't believe that was a spotlight. It appeared to be a skylight in the canopy. And canopy beds have been a symbol of luxury, sensuality and opulence since the medieval era. Having a skylight or cutout in the canopy just felt like a weird aesthetic. The spotlight joke seemed to just be that, a joke. Seeing as it was immediately followed a sequence of Fizz putting himself in the spotlight and drawing all the attention to himself needlessly. It's a juxtaposition which either cements Fizz as a class traitor, looking down on those he was equal to at one point, or that he's actually just that stupid.

I'm not trying to say you're wrong, obviously. I am interested in your interpretation. It's far more earnest than the writers are to try and make this show anything but skin deep. The one thing I realized with this series after Western Energy was that if it looks shallow, it has less depth than that.

I had pointed out that Stella divorcing Stolas was more advantageous than killing him. And because of that it also made no sense to Viv's excuse that Stella was the reason the divorce never happened because she refused to accept it. I had pointed out that the solution to this discrepancy is obvious: have the status mean more than the money. Andrealphus is a marquise, which is a lower rank than Stolas as a prince. Have it be that she needs to kill him to keep the status because a divorce would strip her of it, like what happened to Princess Diana after her divorce. It is an extremely simple fix that would have allowed the entire world, not just the characters, have more depth.

Instead it's just that Stella is an idiot.

So I find your interpretation interesting. It's a cute way to give meaning to this show that doesn't give a shit.

I don’t have much of a response anon, the timeline is confusing.

I think episode seven fell on its face (lol) when Blitzø said “why do you need to do the pageant? You have the worlds best sugar daddy” because there is not really a rebuttal to this argument. He’s kinda right? If mammon was black mailing him it should’ve been stated better idk. The implication of the episode is even “well fizz has a new royal demon, he doesn’t need this specific royal demon anymore” but he does need a royal, and does need his approval. The class hierarchy is kinda validated in this show.

His codependency and self worth needs just shifted from mammon to Asmodeus, who are the exact same tier of power. I’m just glad Asmodeus is kind.

[alwaysxlarrie]

underrated fics of 2021 + 2022

ok so yes i did a masterlist of my fav fics of 2021/2022 but i wanted to end the year w some fics from 2021/2022 that, in my opinion, are underrated! as a smaller writer, i know how discouraging it can be to see lots of popular writers/fics on everyones’ lists all the time, but never see yours. & that’s no one’s fault! but i wanted to balance it all out a bit w this. just a friendly reminder that not getting many hits, kudos, comments, etc is not an indicator of your talent !!! write something because you want to & it makes you happy -- you’ll find your audience along the way!

i actually didn’t read a ton of fics that came out this year (i was surprised before i remembered that i work in retail & we’ve been short staffed the majority of the year & i pet sit on the side & am a student .... makes sense that i wasn’t able to read nearly as many fics as i wanted to lol.) so i’m incorporating some fics from 2021 as well, just like i did w my previous list & managed to compile a list of my top 15 underrated fics :)

as usual, the fics are in alphabetical order 

consequences of public breeding by @jaerie / jaerie

as someone who’s very passionate about social justice & inequalities, this fic spoke to me. i love the way jaerie writes harry’s internal monologues acknowledging the difficulties & bleak realities of the situation while still allowing himself to be/feel empowered however he can. we love to see it! & the tension & dynamic between harry & louis? top tier!

charm your pants off by @evilovesyou / 4ureyesonly28

i know this was released super recently but i’m counting it anyway lol. from the banter to louis’ immediate flirting to harry’s clumsiness, everything packed into this short fic is so cute and is guaranteed to have you grinning the whole time. 

darling, can’t you see by @tommokat / tommokat

this fic is such a good combination of crack, humor, fluff, hurt/comfort & smut. it was on my ‘marked for later’ list for a while before i finally got to sit down & read it this past week & it was so worth the wait !! plus we love cat mom harry hehe

do you think the tides know by @loveislarryislove / livelaughlovelarry

i betaed & helped out with this fic BUT would i still think the writing & story telling is phenomenal even if i hadn’t? yep! annika’s ability to write the raw emotions, navigation, dynamics, etc of this fic is incredible.

gotta get (me) outta my head by @parmahamlarrie / parmahamlarrie

as someone who has severe adhd, this fic made me feel super seen. i, unfortunately, do not have a lovely dom like harry does, but i am perfectly content with living through harry for this fic. the way bee describes harry’s feelings going from trying to navigate the scrambled mess that is her head to how louis’ praise makes her feel to how safe & protected she feels with louis? amazing. groundbreaking. we love to see it!!!

i need you right now, baby (won’t you come home?) by @non-binharry / enbyharry

this fic is a great representation of the fact that a fic does not need to be long to good!!! things happen fast but they don’t feel rushed. louis & harry’s dynamic right off the bat is cute & sexy. is sexy even an applicable word to describe a dynamic? idk either way i’m going with it lol

know you better. by @wabadabadaba / wabadabadaba

this fic always keeps you on your toes, wondering how the next interaction louis & marcel have will go. the pining, flirting, louis being protective & supportive, marcel opening up & letting louis in & their healthy communication is amazing. i’ve included this fic on some of my previous lists, so it’s a shocker to no one that i love it & would absolutely recommend.

little freak (aka: jezebel) by @homosociallyyours / homosociallyyours

if you know me, or read some of my fics, you know how pro adopt don’t shop i am (especially for older animals but i digress), so i’m obsessed w the lecture harry’s mom gave him. the whole fic is so cute, funny, cozy & just a lil bit steamy. my cat’s at the vet today, actually, so kind of ironic timing. regardless, if you’re looking for a feel good fic, i 10000% recommend this one !!! (also my house is an acab household so we love louis’ reaction to harry’s joke ab his occupation)

lazy days and pancakes for two by @cyantific / cyantific

i also betaed this fic & know first hand how much work, research & love was put into this. another wonderful feel good fic that will leave you grinning for hours after you read it. larry’s banter, love for the each other, respect for each other, etc. calling it wonderful is an understatement, to say the least, tbh.

making my way downtown by @disgruntledkittenface / disgruntledkittenface

i love how maggie describes louis & harry’s dynamic in any larry fic she writes, including this one. i’ve included this fic in my previous masterlists before & it’s for a good reason !! whenever harry’s internal monologue went into how louis acted with harry at the party, i just wanted to know more!!! and then when louis panic spam texted him?? ugh. so cute. my heart.

where’s the divide? by @2tiedships2 / 2tiedships2

melanie always writes the funniest internal monologue for louis, you will never get through one of her fics without laughing. this one is super short, sweet & lovely. niall & louis’ friendship dynamic is always top tier, too. there’s so many cute aspects about this one. shoutout to harry going along with louis’ fake chef abilities.

wanna play you like a game, boy (what’s the thrill of the same toy?) by @thebreadvansstuff / thebreadvan

ari already knows how obsessed i am with this fic, but let me tell all of you. i’m obsessed!!! i am normally very much a praise kink type of girl, but the way larry’s dynamic was written in combination w the humiliation kink? louis’ dirty talk? harry thinking he’s been nonchalantly getting louis to go along w his experiment, just to find out louis was -- & always is -- ten steps ahead of him? YUM. WONDERFUL. AMAZING. brb i’m manifesting that part 2 !!!!

when did i first know? i always knew by @panye / eynap

steph is literally carrying the weight of the shiall main pair fics fandom on her back & she deserves more recognition for that. the way she writes the foreshadowing build up to shawn’s realizations, zayn’s observant ass observing correctly & helpfully & niall’s reaction/response?? i absolutely think that even if shawn isn’t your otp, you’ll love this fic. it’s so cute & fluffy & hot & she’s even given everyone a nice dose of larry & ziam on the side.

your head in your hands as you colour me blue by @hershelsue / docklands

this is such a wonderful, cute, raw fic. greta is phenomenal at writing metaphors & bringing anything they write to life. it’s written in first person which i think, instead of putting readers off, it just makes you feel so much more immersed in the fic & the wonderful world greta created.

you make the world taste better by @loveislarryislove / livelaughlovelarry

ok so yes i also betaed this fic bc annika is wonderful to work w but i genuinely recommend this one as well. the psychology major in me is obsessed w the dark & twisted plot twists & the ending. i loathe miscommunication used as a plot device (in some fics, it’s understandable, in others it’s used an excuse to create unnecessary angst, but. i digress) & i cannot tell you how relieved i was when i saw that there was an opening to use miscommunication to create more angst & annika instead decided to throw in communication that was healthy yet understandably withdrawn. the bittersweet ending always gets me conflicted bc like i want a happy ending??? but it’s so good & absolutely makes sense for the fic??? i could go on forever.

-----

in a last second decision (i swear lol),i’m gonna use this as an opportunity to shout out my current wip bc it’s my first chaptered wip & i’m very proud of it so far & i’m excited to continue it (new chapter goes up every saturday! i’m not sure if i’m gonna post this saturday’s upcoming chapter on monday instead bc of new years eve. idk. we’ll see. but other than that, every saturday!):

you are my destiny (you are the reason that i still believe)

“Being a new employee at a company means that you have to learn to brush off the shitty bosses, shitty coworkers, and not getting the credit you actually deserve for things. At least, that's been Harry Styles' experience. Coworkers who steal his ideas in pursuit of getting praise and a raise, and a boss who's indifferent at best and condescending at worst. Harry has learned to expect this reality for the foreseeable future. He's accepted it.

What he hadn't expected was for Louis Tomlinson to waltz into their company, and his life, and change around everything he thought he knew about fate. -- A Cinderella AU.”

-----

as always, if you read any of these fics, please remember to leave kudos & a comment for the talented authors!! i also have more masterlists planned for 2023 bc i have no self control so watch out for those lmao

#loveislarryislove #livelaughlovelarry #hershelsue #docklands #panye #eynap #thebreadvansstuff #thebreadvan #2tiedships2 #disgruntledkittenface #cyantific #homosociallyyours #wabadabadaba #non-binharry #enbyharry #parmahamlarrie #tommokat #jaerie #underrated fics #my fic recs #evilovesyou #4ureyesonly28

[reireichu]

I am so intrigued!!!!! Please write the story. Why is Will Jealous of Sophie (his own baby mama)? Why is Hannibal choking Sophie? Is Hannibal going to cheat on Will with Sophie? Is the story going to angst with Happy Ending? Something like Herringbone???

Hello anonny!!!

I’m guessing you’re talking about the excerpts about Soph that I posted somewhere in reference to the Ask I sent to @suchawrathfullamb about a Hannigram Baby Trapping Soap Opera.

Those are basically just the Hannigram coded traits that I couldn’t yank out of her character in the fic she originated in (it was for House of the Dragon, a modern AU, I think many people loathed it and it was also written within two months after my life fell apart).

I’m still thinking about how I’d write the story, mainly because I’m not a very happy endings type of writer, and also I tend to lean into the darker side of things. Soph’s background and story actually was quite dark and that was after I toned down a lot of things. She has her own traumas and her own outlook on the world and where she was at when I wrote her, she does NOT want babies because she doesn’t really know what parenting is even like.

Theoretically, if I wrote it, there would probably an attraction between Will and Soph that leans more into his narcissistic tendencies and his growing need and ability to manipulate and control people around him. Soph is quite used to giving people what they want, not because she’s a people pleaser but because it gets them to let their guards down and she in return gets a better sense of a person, to slowly nudge them in the direction she wants. It’s a different game to the one Will and Hannibal play.

The resentment and jealousy would be there as well, probably because Will has always been so discomforted around trying to fit in or at least DEALING with others that he doesn’t find engaging, and he’s terrible at faking it. Hannibal and Soph as individuals possess an effortlessness that he doesn’t have—it’s both attractive and irritating for him. Will also likes to be the smartest person in the room, but again, it’s a different type of mental game he’s up against this time.

This is all in consideration of the dynamic PRIOR to Will’s attempt to fix his shitty marriage with a baby plan. That part is just a whole other thing I’d have to consider and also, just. ITS A LOT.

I mean the likelihood of me writing this is just getting higher and higher. Send help plz. Dont let me write this. I will never escape it. Also you can blame Lambie if it happens.

#rei fic #bandaid to a shitty marriage #anon hello #ask box #oh my god what am I manifesting #send help pls

[xsezzie]

Profile Tag Game

Hello: My name is Sezzie, I know I can be rather blunt and robotic at times, but I promise you I don’t wish to intentionally hurt you. I am always open to having a chat whether it be in my DMs or through asks.

Chat: Tickling - Of course I like tickling, no shame in that. It’s completely normal… some people get flustered by it? Oh well, those people are the cutest~ Hm? You aren't cute? Well, I guess someone will need some tickles to convince them otherwise!

Chat: Identity - I wonder who I was yesterday, who I’ll be today, and what I’ll be tomorrow… I wish I knew who I was.

Chat: Masking - That thing I just did now, it was incorrect. I will be sure to act correctly in accordance with societal norms next time. If I do not act correctly then others will become disgusted or angry... Just as I would if you were to do the same.

When It Rains: Ugh, this would be nicer if it was at night time…

After the Rain: Everything either looks really clean or really dirty depending on the area… oh look, the birds are coming back out.

When Thunder Strikes: Ah… so relaxing.

When It Snows: What’s that?

When the Sun Is Out: Everything is as it should be…

When the Wind is Blowing: Ugh, my hair is messed up now…  

Good Morning: Get up already, the world is perfect at this hour. The bad people don’t come out until later so it’s best to enjoy it while it lasts! 

Good Afternoon: So hungry… must do my best to not eat a big meal…

Good Evening: Better get inside… they will be coming out soon.

Good Night: The optimal sleeping hours for those who suffer from depression are 10pm to 5am. Setting yourself a strict bed time will do wonders for your mental health, so hurry along, time for sleep.

About Sezzie: Alphabet - A fellow neurodivergent coworker taught me to think of all my disorders as “my alphabet”… so my alphabet currently is GAD, MDD and BPD… with ASD and ADHD in the process of being diagnosed.

About Sezzie: Writing - I actually hate that I’m the writer in the family and cannot physically draw. But, having a high literacy IQ certainly comes in handy when I’m creating. I’m glad people are able to feel my writing when I put the effort into it.

Something to Share: Name - My real name means “princess” apparently… I hope I don’t come off as one.

Interesting Things: Senses - Ah I love exploring sensory things. Honestly, I believe that feeling sensory pleasure is very soothing and not always supposed to be NSFW as most see it.

Sezzie’s Hobbies: Each of my personalities seems to have different hobbies, but if had to take a guess on the true me… writing, worldbuilding, and video games would be on top! I do also enjoy learning new things and gardening.

Sezzie’s Troubles: My existence troubles me… too dark? Well, deal with it. Life isn’t sunshine and rainbows, and I’m tired of coddling the special ones.

Favourite Food: I do not have the ability to have a favourite food due to my sensory eating issues… my addictions and interests change constantly. Ah but if there is one I’ll always come back to… Chicken Kievs hehe

Least Favourite Food: All of them! I like the art of food but eating? Bleh. I wish we didn’t have to.

About @otomiyaa: Ahhh she is my idol! I have been following her for years.. and only recently got the courage to begin talking to her more. I get nervous and think I come off as some weird fan that thinks they are friends with their idols. Forgive me Otomiya-SAMA!!

About @ticklystuff: He is the first person I began talking to when I joined the community. I feel like I owe him something for all the kindness and chats we have had together. I wish I could talk more often about hot MEN with him hehe

About @ticklish-n-stuff: Sakura-chan is one of the few people I can let my guard down and show my more "embarrassing" or "fangirl" sides to when it comes to characters I like. I am grateful to have her in my life. She also gushes about MEN with me and we have a blast discussing tickling.

About @nataliewritez: Nat is my adorable little sister and is a joy to chat to about anything. I can't believe we have known each other for nearly 2 years already!

About @fanfic-chan: Dessie is so adorable and such a comfy person to be around! Also the biggest lee ever hehe

About @ticklygiggles: Little does she know how cute she is. Perhaps I should go tease her sometime soon...

-

Tagging @fanfic-chan @nataliewritez @ticklish-n-stuff @ticklystuff @italeean @thatonetickleblog @anzynai @stopiteatpopcorn

#genshin impact #profile game #profile tag game #personal

[conundrumoftime]

Twenty questions for fic writers

From a few people!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

At the moment 59 under my name, plus a couple of anonymous ones for fic exchanges that haven’t hit the author reveal date yet.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

345,058

3. What fandoms do you write for?

At the moment: Rings of Power, Silmarillion and LOTR. My other big fandom is Babylon 5, although my much-loved WIP for that one is currently on hiatus.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I don’t think these are my top 5 fics by a metric I care about given my love for small fandoms and obscure niche content alongside the Haladriel juggernaut stuff, but with that in mind:

- Shadow-Bride, my big Haladriel WIP, my baby, my love, my precious;

- A man is a god in ruins, my first multi-chapter Haladriel, which started life as a short ficlet to be the ‘+1’ of a 5 Things fic and took on something of a life of its own;

- Silver Queen, my first half-Maia Celebrian story - really I just wanted to give her enough half-Maia powers to blast ambushing orcs down a mountain;

- Five times Halbrand’s secret got revealed, my second (I think?) fic for Rings of Power. One of the scenarios turned into Shadow-Bride, and the +1 scenario in which Galadriel doesn’t learn his secret (well… arguably…) is ‘A man is a god in ruins’.

- Lady of the Seas, second part of a Haladriel two-parter; Haladriel smut with Sauron doing a lot of thinking about Ossë and Uinen.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to! I got behind at one point and had to declare temporary amnesty. I am so grateful for almost all (see answer to q8) the comments I get, and I love responding to either discuss things or just say ‘thank you’. I never manage to find time to do it as soon as I would like.

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

This would probably be one of my Babylon 5 ones - either ‘A spirit haunts the year’s last hours’, an AU drabble where the Minbari took Valen prisoner and now Delenn has her own pet god figure; or ‘MIssing’, about Delenn searching for Lennier after s5 and not finding him.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

‘Tar-Mairon of the Shire’, a Rings of Power AU where the Harfoots really did find Sauron. Does what it says on the tin. My summary for this one is ‘Hobbits make everything better, including Dark Lords’ and I stand by that.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Yes! A ridiculous amount! I have had multiple comments inviting me to harm myself in various graphic ways over making the wrong fictional characters kiss. I get the most hate for writing Celeborn in a way the haters have decided is mean to him (?? he’s fine!) and particularly on my G-rated baby ficlets. Who can even fathom this, honestly.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do, and mostly the ‘overly wordy’ kind.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I was going to say yes but apparently nothing I have on AO3 is a crossover and I can’t remember what I’ve written in my pre-AO3 days. So: yes I think so! once! But alas, can’t remember what.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not the whole fic in a copy/paste sense, but: yes. I won’t lie, it was pretty weird and unpleasant to discover, but once I’d got over the initial “?!” reaction I saw it a little differently - that kind of plagiarism was obviously coming from an author who was insecure in their own abilities, was deeply jealous of mine, and who ultimately was missing out on much of the actual fun of writing. What’s even the point of fanfic if you aren’t coming up with your own work? It’s not like we’re getting paid! How unsatisfying must it be to have readers like your work and know it’s actually someone else’s thing they’re liking anyway, right? So I ended up in a place of taking it as a compliment in the ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness’ sense.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes - one of my Rings of Power fics got translated into Russian. I am very happy, and very impressed by the translator’s work.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes and it didn’t go well and I nearly fell out with my co-writer friend over it because we had different schedules and different takes on the story, so: never again.

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

It’s probably one I haven’t even written for: Jack and Irina in Alias. It’s got everything I love about ships! They’re enemies working for rival organisations, they’re married, they try to kill each other, they can’t quite bear to do it, they have to sort out awkward co-parenting arrangements, they plot, they dance, there are stabbing attempts… honestly, SpyParents forever.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I plan to finish all my WIPs! I only have three at the moment: Shadow-Bride; Set Fire to the Stars (Babylon 5 pre-series Minbari worldbuilding with Branmer, who I love); and All The Kinds of Alive You Can Be (Rings of Power Sauron/Celeborn where Sauron shapechanges into Galadriel).

16. What are your writing strengths?

Especially these days (I’m a fandom old) I like that I’m happy to try writing new things based on thinking it would be interesting and I’d like to go with it, and not being intimidated by finding the fandom too scary or writing in a different direction to popular fanon or getting a baffled “that’s… nice… I guess?” reaction from my usual readers. I love writing Rings of Power Celeborn; I love writing fics about him raising half-Maia Celebrian; I get untold fury about this from a lot of the Twitter fandom youth, but I continue to have fun :)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I have tons about my actual writing (dialogue, endings, failure to come up with titles I’m happy with) but along the lines of the above answer: I wish I was better at doing long multi-part fics, because the ones I’ve done I have had loads of fun with but I usually stick to one-shots because I don’t feel like the energy of the story will keep going long enough.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

A few of my fics across fandoms have language as important, and specifically, different languages belonging to different people/who’s speaking and what they’re speaking in. My Silm-LOTR Galadriel/Celeborn fic ‘Softest of Tongues’ is a lot about Quenya and Sindarin, and how inadequate translation can be - one of the tags is ‘Sapir-Whorf hypothesis as a metaphor for the pain at the heart of your marriage’.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Poltergeist: the Legacy, back in the late 1990s. Fandom OLD. (I am glad none of those stories nor the forums they were written in have survived the ravages of internet time, I tell you.)

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

I have a few and the thing they all have in common is ‘I am really pleased I was able to make this thing I like work’. So:

- Tar-Mairon of the Shire (Rings of Power), for combining hope and Hobbits and History of Middle-earth, in a way that is both fluff and also genuinely sincerely written Sauron redemption;

- Civil Twilight (Rings of Power), for getting Haladriel and Galadriel/Celeborn into the same fic and for a take on Celeborn I’m really happy with;

- Softest of Tongues (LOTR and Silm), for writing Galadriel/Celeborn in a way that got the exact right language-as-symbolism and the tone of sadness and love and hope and grief that I was trying to hit;

- Deceptions (Babylon 5), for being a short fic that still captures Lennier going from protective to horrified in realising how terrifying his boss is (and also for Delenn making Neroon bow to her)

- Things That Go Bump In The Night (Ghosts), because I was not sure if I could write comedy fic for a comedy, and it turns out I could!

Tagging: @bad-surprise @stitchingatthecircuitboard @liminal-zone @myrsinemezzo @ophidion @formerlyir @hazelmaines @wyrd-syster and anyone else who wants to do it!

#eyeofacat fic #eyeofacat writing process #babylon 5 #rings of power fic #rings of power #seriously though between the hate comments and the plagiarism fandom can be a deeply weird place #but writing is fun enough to make it all worthwhile :)

[hhorror-vacuii]

I am asking this without malice: I don't know anything about her, what's so great about Przybyszewska?

Hi!

Well, if you don't know anything about her, I guess the best answer would be: the fact she wrote The Danton Case.

And this in itself should be self-explanatory, because this play is amazing in every aspect: multi-faceted, and complex, and ripe for analysis, which is many a person favourite pasttime (and might be yours too, since we're mutuals/mutuals in law).

But actually the answer is the above, with an addendum that The Danton Case is all these things because Przybyszewska herself was all of them. She is worth mentioning because while she went unnoticed for dozens of years, and is still a rather niche figure, through just few of her creative works alone she established a new look on some themes (revolutions, relationships on the father-daughter line, same-sex relationships, female independence, the genius of a creator) at least in Polish literature. She is a cog - somethimes: a forefront cog - in a machine of literary developement.

(Her biography is also quite unique, but I try to step down from seeing her through this lense, because it's been overused in the past, so I won't get into it. Because it's a popualr take on her, there are even texts in English you can read if you want.)

And just this afternoon I finished rereading a book on her I think to be the best book on her ever, so have this short excerpt, which I think illustrates my views on her very well as well, and might persuade you to give her works a go:

"The way in which Przybyszewska shows a revolution is meant to persuade the readers and the interpreters of her texts to repeating the construction of a model, to repeating her attempt at inhabiting an utopia. This repetition is an indispensable condition of undestanding her "revolutionary" texts. The one who does not grant a permission to do this, who will not admit onto themselves the same co-creating approach to the revolution (even just in the act of reading) - they will remain outside of this world and will not understand it in even the most basic of senses. It is very distinctive, that when one reads Kroński, Bensacon or Staniszkis (researchers gifted with an extraordinary theoretical sense, builders of these abstracts models), one is under the impression that their relationship with theird readers is somewhat helpless. It is as if from one point onward they began pointing their fingers at a phenomenon, whose core they see and understand, whose logic hey live, but these news - which we know are rather bad - they are unable to convey in a discursive way. They can only point their fingers, send us back to it. As if at one point - in the description of the phenomenon itself, in the cration of the "metamodel" - hermeneutics ceased to exist, and mere demonstrating began. One needs to repeat their mental and emotional gestures even just so that one may understand the people who had lived in this reality. The subject who writes and explores, situating themselves inside the model which they want to describe, may sometime loose all external points of contact and let themselves be locked inside the space of this model. Esepcially when - like the author of The Danton Case - they hate the external reality and want to live someplace else. Then they begin to write according to the revolutionary order and live by it. It seems that it is what has happened to Stanisława Przybyszewska."

So as you may see, she a is a total writer, and in my opinion as far as genius artworks go, it doesn't get better than that. It's one of those things that make it possible, permissible and actually desireable to analyse both her, and her private letters, and her unfinished pieces of prose, and her prizeworks of dramas altogether as some big, artistic magnum opus (which it was) - while in the same time retainign the ability to nitpick at it, and analysing every line out of context, or ina foreign context, or as a philosophical thought dilemma. There aren't that many writers with whom you could honestly do that.

Thank you! I hope I have convinced you somewhat at least.

#please visit my blog sprawa-przybyszewskiej here on tumblr if you're curious about her works etc. #i'm actually reactivating it #ask #stanisława przybyszewska

[mittenlady]

Hi. I am bored and also wanting to bother you specifically. Which theory is better? Athena Cykes being a robot (evidence being widget, how did she never get hurt/see blood, Métis “studying” just being working with her code, autism) or her dad being the Phantom (this evidence is more Métis based like how would the psychological profile work without a match, why didn’t she just kill him, why doesn’t Athena see Bobby as weird, Athena gets double autism genes) Both work well in any context. I like Phantomdad cause Athena and Apollo can bond over terroristic fathers <3

omg me specifically… such an honor… ok lemme think this thru (this is a long one)

robothena:

• actually how does widget connect to her emotions… bc there is a way to judge how someone’s feeling based on bodily signs like pulse, temp., etc., but even at that a lot of emotions have very similar bodily reactions and part of determining how u feel is like… from the mind. if i remember my AP psych 5 correctly 😎 but also even at that widget wouldn’t logically have access to her thoughts that does not make sense unless metis like… chipped her??? or something????? which is still impossible

• i think if she’s sheltered enough then at 11 when she saw metis die, she might not have recognized it? but i feel it’s very implausible that she as a child would be so that intensely cautious + NEVER get into an accident + absolutely always be supervised enough to never get hurt. it is odd that her perspective would be that warped so that she’s unable to recognize it but idk. if she has no frame of reference is it human instinct to recognize blood… (i will not do further research at this time i am lazy)

• last two points u bring up i don’t think it’s mentioned what metis does specifically so no comment also elaborate on what you mean by the autism point because athena is giving neurodivergent but like what do you mean in context of that being evidence 😭

• she does seem to enjoy orange juice and little girl treats tho so how would that work… robots don’t really need to eat…

• also based on the navigation companions (ponco and clonco; only reason i know the proper term is for CAYA) why would her machinery be so more advanced than theirs? if aura and metis r capable of creating something so lifelike then why are ponco and clonco, made after her (i think) so far behind?

phantom dad ??:

• metis likely wouldn’t have a match for the phantom’s identity but it was simon who brought her the audio recording of the phantom’s voice i believe so that’s how she composed the psych profile knowing that. 95% sure because i had to look this up for CAYA

• tbf the phantom was wearing a jacket, but also yeah she likely could have done something in self-defense… but if they used the sword on her it’s likely any attempts @ self-defense wouldn’t have gone well regardless. there’s not really enough information in the game i don’t think to say whether or not there was an attempt or not

• bobby was able to fuck w his emotions in game and put on the appearance of emotions, if i remember correctly that was an aspect during the cross-examination/mood matrix part during it, so that’s likely why she didn’t find it off. and if she did, the game didn’t think to actually foreshadow anything by having her mention it either in passing or in her own narration during turnabout academy

i think athena and apollo both having terrorist fathers would be funny tho lol

but based on my minimal research as i consider this, the robothena one seems more plausible as it does better explain some of the illogical parts of the game. ofc it’s in the “future” but literally this made me realize that widget doesn’t make much sense with his ability to literally know what she’s thinking. like unless there’s some wack-ass science shit the writers just didn’t think necessary to share like… what is going on with that

#dual destinies spoilers #i suppose #ask #typing this in the law college bathroom as we speak i got here too early lol

[solarmorrigan]

1, 11, 20 and 35 for the fic ask game <3

Hello! <3

1. How long ago did you start reading fanfiction? Writing fanfiction?

About 21 years ago, I think! My older sister introduced me to ff.net when I was nine or so, when she was really into Yu-Gi-Oh and wanted someone to cowrite a fic with. She knew I liked writing and roped me into it even though I had never watched Yu-Gi-Oh and had no real intention of doing so. Honestly, I was just happy to be included

My first solo fic was a little after we gave up on the joint Yu-Gi-Oh venture, and it was a crossover between Buffy and Scooby-Doo. I made it about two chapters in before abandoning it on a cliffhanger, like a true fic writer

11. How do you come up with your fic titles?

They usually fall into four categories: one-word titles (I do this less these days, because I have 250+ works on Ao3 and I started getting confused about which single word belonged to which fandom), puns, lines (either song lyrics, part of a quote, or a line from the fic itself), and ones that might best be described as "If they didn't want me to give it such a long title, they should have set a lower character limit"

Some favored examples of the latter include "Beating Up a Teenager Won't Solve All Your Problems, But it Might Make You Feel Better," "Home is Where the Heart Is, and Various Other Colloquialisms," "Idle Hands Are a Terrible Thing to Waste (Or Something Like That)," and "On the Importance of Upper Body Strength, Physical Coordination, and a Continued Lack of Head Injuries"

I am not good at titles

20. What's your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

Oh! I was talking to a friend about this the other day! My favorite part is also kind of my least favorite part: the puzzle piece stage. When you have all the chunks of the plot that you need and you're trying to put them all together in a way that makes sense

As I described it to them: When it's going well, you're like "fuck yes, I am a genius and also invincible," but then sometimes you have two pieces that are shaped like they should fit together, but one has, like, part of a tree on it and the other looks like water or some shit and you're like "...well that can't be right," and everything is terrible forever

I love the feeling of everything clicking into place and realizing exactly how the story is supposed to go; there is nothing better than getting everything settled in the right order. It's a challenge sometimes, but that makes it all the more satisfying when I finally wrangle everything together

35. How much has fic writing changed your life?

Immeasurably. I've been doing it for... well, decades now, I guess. It's provided a creative outlet, it's given me a way to connect with and deepen friendships with people, it's given me ways to examine my own mental state and emotions, it's even boosted my confidence in myself and my abilities

It's been a defining hobby for so long that I don't actually know where I'd be if I'd never started doing it. Somewhere completely different, possibly, but I think I'm glad that I am where I am, overall

Fic Writer Ask Game

#hey-there-ghouls #answers from solar #speaking of 'if they didn't want me to make it so long' #sorry for throwing many paragraphs at you??

[acacia-may]

For that new ask game, can I ask 2, 4, 7, 14, 18, 19 and 27 for Nozel? Sorry if it's too many numbers.

Hi Anon! No worries at all. I'm happy to answer any and all questions about Nozel. Thank you so much for playing my game and for the ask! 🥰

Questions from this Character Ask Game

Answers & Headcanons Below the Cut [because this post got a bit lengthy]

(Warnings: Contains Spoilers for and through the Spade Arc)

2. When I think I truly started to like them (or dislike them, if you've sent me a character I don't like)

I think my perception of Nozel really began to change in the Elf Arc during the battle at Silva Castle. We learned so much about Nozel's deeper motivations and saw that he did actually care for Noelle and wanted to protect her (he just went about it in the absolute worst way possible), and he does admit he was wrong about Noelle and her abilities and actually apologizes to her there which helped paint him in a more sympathetic light to me.

All that said, I think it was really in the Spade Arc when we learn even more about why Nozel acted the way he did--that on a certain level he was really almost forced into this more antagonistic role because he literally couldn't explain that Noelle wasn't responsible for Acier's death due to the curse. Suddenly, in my mind, I have this incredibly vivid and heartbreaking mental of Young Nozel a literal child forced to carry the weight of the world alone. Not only has he lost his mother but he has also been quite literally cursed with such a heavy burden. The pain and the loneliness of that has to be unbearable for even an adult, but Nozel was only a teenager. And I think when looking at the situation from that kind of perspective, it's easy to have a lot more sympathy for him. Yes, he didn't handle the situation as well as he could have especially with Noelle, but I just started thinking to myself: would I have been able to do much better under those circumstances at only 14 years old? Would anyone, honestly? And that isn't to excuse away what he did, especially when he got older, but it does make him more sympathetic to me and I feel genuinely bad for how much he suffered and wish him good things and a reconciliation with his sister going forward.

4. How many people I ship them with

This is a very difficult question for me to answer, honestly, because I am much more invested in Nozel rebuilding his relationship with his sister, Noelle, than in any potential romantic relationship he could have. My personal view of shipping in general is as more of an actively wishing or wanting certain characters to get together with other characters, and in this particular case I'm not sure I am actively wishing for Nozel to end up with anyone in particular. There are certainly a handful of ships I like or would be okay with for him (Nozel x Dorothy and Nozel x Vanessa come to mind off the top of my head, and I also like several Nozel x OC ships created by some talented writers and artists in the fandom). Ultimately, however, I think in my mind, Nozel just has so much internal turmoil and a lot of things he personally needs to work through before I can see him really getting into a relationship with anyone (and, honestly, on some level, before I can see him even wanting to get into a relationship--but that's just my personal interpretation) so I really think I am actively wishing for him to take time to heal and to work on himself more than I am actively wishing for him to find love, if that makes sense?

If I had to put a number on it...um...I guess, since I'm not really set on any particular ship for Nozel, I'd honestly say the possibilities are kind of endless. I'd really like to see him marry for love someday, but my more practical side thinks he has probably already been betrothed to somebody and he's not really the type who'd break that kind of commitment even if he wanted to. But who knows?

7. A quote of them that you remember

I remember just my jaw dropping in this moment. (I watched the anime first, but it was also an important moment in the manga). It was such a big thing for Noelle to have her brother finally show he believed in her and suggest they fight together side-by-side. Another that comes to mind is his entire little speech at the end of the battle where he reveals to Noelle his reasons for treating her coldly were that he was trying to deter her from joining the Magic Knights and he admits that he was wrong about her and that he's sorry. It was the first step in repairing their broken sibling relationship, and though they still have a lot of work to do to see Nozel actually admit he was in the wrong and apologize for that was a big step in the right direction.

14. Best storyline they had

As of writing this, Nozel's arc in Spade and his battle versus Megicula, but we'll see if this changes with whatever Tabata has in store for him in the final arc.

18. How do you think they were as a kid? (Like, were they shy, noisy, wild, etc)

Nozel was always an old soul--wise beyond his years, quiet, serious, and responsible. He worked hard and studied conscientiously, and he very rarely got into trouble. If anything was a bit of a stick in the mud when it came to more imaginative, raucous, and childish games, and I imagine Acier often had to encourage him to stop working so hard and have fun every once and a while so he'd remember to actually be a kid while he was still young.

19. The most random ship you've seen people have with them

To start with a disclaimer: I actually like this ship, but I think I'd have to admit that Nozel x Vanessa is pretty random to me seeing as they haven't ever really interacted in the canon and I honestly would have never thought of it as a pairing if I hadn't seen it in the fandom. I think imagining the potential of it and what it could be like is part of the fun of that particular ship, but I'd classify it as random even if I feel positively about it.

27. If they could meet a character from another show/movie/etc, who would be the most fun for them to meet?

So for a very silly answer, I'm going to say Rui from Demon Slayer just because my sister and I have this running inside joke that he's basically a Nozessa love child since he has this thick, angular silvery-white hair like Nozel and a thread-based magical ability (blood demon art) similar to Vanessa's magic (Rui also has an attack called "Murderous Eye Basket" that looks very similar to Nozel's "Silver Star of Execution"). He is a villain though, so I guess you'd have to ignore that... 😅😂 Still I could see Rui wanting to adopt Nozel into his "Spider Family" and Nozel just having no patience for these kinds of shenanigans which could be a fun mashup. (I also wouldn't mind watching these two battle too, so either way, I think it might be an interesting meeting).

#nozel silva #nozel silva headcanons #black clover headcanons #thanks for the ask! #character ask game #answered anons