#you're also trying to weave in the action and the characters' perception of it into the conversation in a way that doesn't fuck shit up

[possamble]

why is writing so hard.

#guh #ive realized ive gotten a lot better at the prose sections just bc i write articles for a living #but the dialogue... #dialogue during a very active sequence i think is the pinnacle of difficulty in all aspects #not only are you worrying about the usual bullshit with dialogue like characterization and body language #and varying the dialogue tags so things dont get monotonous #you're also trying to weave in the action and the characters' perception of it into the conversation in a way that doesn't fuck shit up #if its an extremely emotionally charged scene on top of all that then it's just a fucking shitshow #bc you have to try and properly escalate the intensity through All That Shit #auuugh #fight scenes. crying scenes. sex scenes. #like trying to weed a rocky field with a wooden hoe #sidenote did you know that trying to write about food in an appetizing way and about body parts in a sexy way feels the exact same #something something the inherent grotesqueness of bodily pleasures all being the same #possramble

[further-fields]

Hi, I'm not alterhuman myself (as far as i know) but plan on writing one.

So my interpretation of a character I love (Silver the Hedgehog specifically) is deeply connected to angels while not specifically identifying as one, and they (they/ae pronouns in my human!AU) use this angel theming as a superhero. However, idk how to express this side of aer character and relate it to their personality/identity, without overshadowing other aspects of them if that makes sense? I use "angelhearted" to refer to this, but lately I've been feeling that it either isn't that accurate or I'm not portraying it right. Do you have any tips on portraying alterhumanity in writing? If not, do you know anyone who does?

Oh this is an interesting question! Sorry for the late response. I don't have alterhuman OCs, but I can breakdown my experience of being otherhearted and how that could translate to written expressions. A character who is deeply connected to angels without identifying as one certainly sounds like a 'hearted experience.

My hearttype is something that has shaped who I am. I see it as there being two forms of expression: the internal and the external. The extent of which any person focuses on either varies between people.

Personally, I'm quite shy with external expressions and there's little that I do that indicates my hearttype. (Scale weaving, taking walks through fields, and having an open interest in astronomy for some examples. Certainly nothing that looks meaningful together to anyone but me.) On the flip side of internal expressions, there exists my reason for why I feel 'otherhearted' fits me. There's no brief explanation for it, but it involves my daemon being a complimentary part of me. I am incapable of looking at their alien species and not seeing myself in them. It is also my ideal self. Actions I'll take include daydreaming, starting envisage shifts, meditating to induce phantom shifts, going about my day while letting my mind drift about how my hearttype perceives the world, and pondering how the species behavior compares to myself (which is something I have retroactively learned about myself through). I even wrote a daemon style analysis once. If a narration of myself existed mostly outside of my head, there would be little indication of alterhumanity :p I think regulating how the narration is balanced between self-perception and actions could provide good flexibility in how to focus the writing. Certain actions they take and habits they have can be mentioned without continually explaining the reason behind them. It's also worth mentioning that it's very common for folks to go through cycles of how connected they feel to their 'types.

For character examples, I think Hiccup is a good one who reads as alterhuman. In the first movie, the way he regarded dragons was considered weird for his community, one way of marking his relationship with them as unusual. Dragons are an pivotal part of his character and he loves incorporating them into his life. In his pursuit of learning more about them, they've brought out good traits in him. His mannerisms aren't draconic, but he does actively try forming a closer relationship with dragons in his own image through wearing scales and inventing a wingsuit. Hiccup reads as dragonhearted to me, but some would say dragonkin due to Valka's "soul of a dragon" line. Honestly, there's a lot of overlapping experiences between the two.

I know Poppy mentioned another character as a good example of being otherhearted.

I'll be honest, I cannot remember who has made alterhuman OCs. But @who-is-page if you're up for it, do you have any advice for writing alterhuman characters?

Of course anyone else, please feel free to add on to this ^^

#As the inky paws zine manager I thought you might have some good things to say if this interests you #alterhuman #otherhearted #asks #imagigaurd #corv speaks

[branwendaughterofllyr]

Re some of these ASOIAF metas. Look, I think GRRM is a clever writer, but not THAT clever TBH. Like, I read or skim some of these super in depth detailed metas and I just think "Yall know GRRM hasn't thought about this minor character or plot point since the Obama administration, right?" "Let's right essays about the lemon trees!" "What about all that stuff in Dani's chapters about her being incompetent, torturing people, burning people alive, and all that negative foreshadowing about her being a daughter of death, mother of monsters, and how she's gonna have all these people betray her on top of having clearly delusional 'advisors' blowing smoke up her ass about everyone in Westeros longing for the Targ dynasty return?" "Umm, so what you're saying is that you're a Dani anti, you hate women, and are pro-slaver." LMFAO. It's like you said, they can't see the forest through the trees. Anyway, the only meta that matters is the lord and savior's Adam Feldman's Mereenesse Blot essays.

ASOIAF is such a richly detailed series, and I understand the urge to analyze every piece of text but also- it's 1,770,000 words long!!!!! You'd have to be some kind of god-emperor with psychic powers to remember everything single thing you've written, and last I checked, George was but a mere mortal. And while there are plenty of subtle clues in ASOIAF, in my opinion, GRRM's writing is not as opaque as some people make out. I mean, I think the key example of this is probably the big shockers like Ned's death and the Red wedding. Like, it is shocking because it goes against genre expectations and the reader desperately doesn't want them to happen, but also the foreshadowing for it is everywhere, especially when you reread. George may not spell it out directly, but the writing is usually on the wall. It's why I roll my eyes at D&D crowing over figuring out R+L=J, because I think the average reader paying attention can flag onto it pretty quick.

George is a great writer who loves hiding little details *but* he's not hiding the endgame in some super elaborate puzzle that only the most dedicated super-fan can tease apart, because what would be the fucking point of that????? What is the added of value of burying so deep the true meaning of the narrative that most people will never see it, rather than subtlety weaving it in, so that the close readers might get it on the first read through, but that everyone will be able to follow once they know the ending, adding richness to subsequent rereading?

That's why I think patterns in ASOIAF (and actually all literature as this is kinda a basic tenet of literary analysis) is key to understanding not just the possible endings but also the overarching messages GRRM is trying to convey. What is emphasized, what is repeated? Why are characters highlighted this way, or why are they're actions mirroring each other?

I feel like the biggest thing lacking in the Meta-industrial complex is the question of "why?" What purpose does this serve for the narrative? Why would this detail be relevant?

And Dany's fandom perception is a low-key amazing phenomenon because it's such a great example of how the reader can become completely caught up in a characters pov, even when the narrative is actually contradictory.

And also the lemon trees thing is dumb, because AGOT has a TON of early installment weirdness, since GRRM hadn't ironed out all the details of ASOIAF's story and world building yet. There's a lot of weird, incongruous details that don't match the rest of canon because the story simply wasn't set yet, and a lot of the fandom ignores this lol.

#I've gotten so many asks after my BNF post lololol #branwen answers

[emblazcned]

Is there something you actively craft about your writing style, such as literary techniques utilized, or a specific word choice that sows itself into your writing based on the character? Is there something you wish to change about your writing style? If you're feeling kind, why not shout out a writer whose work you like? A roleplayer preferably; let's share the love!

hello there!! :) Thanks for tossing this my way!how convenient that you’ve opened up the opportunity to love on people so i can focus more on that than actually answering the question B) but no, ah—

I do try to change my writing style a little bit for every character I write. it tends to add variety beyond just exploring different personalities. for example, when i’m writing a muse with a lot of pomp and circumstance, i may make my prose more flowery and poetic to match. which usually means long, drawn-out sentences and figures of speech to describe things.

with muses like Zuko, i try to be a bit more casual while also employing some “grandeur” that isn’t over-the-top (like, “civilized” but not waxing poetic). also, since he has an awkward personality, i’ve made attempts to bring that out in my writing, but i still struggle with that, which is one thing i want to improve on. tbh zuko is one of the hardest characters i’ve ever written and i’m still not happy with the style i’ve picked for him; i think it could use improvement in both syntax and vocabulary. i get sick of using the same words over and over again… though “ridiculous” is a word zuko quite enjoys.

as for roleplayers whose work i enjoy? i’m going to do a lil list here of people i look up to (each on i could gush about, but i’ll keep it short and sweet). 

in no particular order…

@magicianbound ; i’ve known audrey for years now and she’s honestly been one of the reasons i’ve felt myself improve so much since we first met back on some older blogs. what i really adore about her writing style is the expert balance she has with weaving figurative language into common, easy-to-read prose. her writing flows beautifully and her turns of phrase are to die for. i really do pick up a lot from her.

@rollingsnowsmasher ;  becky’s writing is lovely in the way it really paints a picture of both external actions and internal feelings for her muses. she doesn’t just say a muse is “curious” or “happy” or “sad.” she shows the reader that her muse is feeling a certain way without outright saying it; just in the way they behave and the language she uses to describe their perception of a situation.

@ironbloodcd ; impy is another one of those people who has a fantastic hold on being descriptive, but not painfully so (overtly purple prose is no threat for her because she has it down pat). i really look up to her ability to switch her writing style just a touch to match her muse since that’s something i try to do, but she’s well-practiced now and can alter some of the rhythm and vocabulary of her writing for a particular muse to really get you in that muse’s head.

@intothewildsea / @runestaars ; what i really adore about rini’s writing is that she can do a lot with a little. she’s the type of writer who has the ability to be concise but have an amazing impact with it and has a very melodic way of using both short and long sentences together. i look up to her ability to take, say, a three-word sentence and really make an impression with it; she doesn’t go crazy over-the-top with her syntax, and honestly it’s really refreshing and fun to read.

other mutuals i look up to and love their writing: @burstbombbitch, @archangcli, @actualrealliveanna, @driptgold, @condomglitter, @gamenu, @darkchemy, @formadr, @sangfear, @spacymuses, @oceantempered, @draeconia, @sunsreign, @finestprize, @moonstonetm, @ravensbled

#☼🗶|| answered #throws love out at people bc any opportunity is gucci #thanks for this question!