#(I Love Mystery & Sci-Fi Tropes)

[magicaldragons]

when a character is in a serious/dangerous situation, and the scene cuts to another character, in a situation of equal intensity.

and both are interwoven with a powerful soundtrack????

that's my shit.

[clarisimart]

Everything about The book of Bill and Journal 3 and Stanford Pines' backstory fascinate me, because WDYM the lore and backstory for this children's show where two siblings have Scooby-Doo style mystery adventures all summer and there are multiple gags about the town making it legal to marry animals, is a Sci-fi psychological magnus archives/return to night vale style horror about one isolated barely restrained mad scientist with good intentions and a list of baggage a mile long who gets into metaphorical (and maybe literal(!!!!!)) bed with what is basically an eldritch horror-beyond-human-comprehension being, literally worships and devotes himself to that horror as his god at times, and sorta even loves him, until he realizes that the god he made his house and body into an an altar for is not a benevolent one, and he tries to severe ties with him.

But it's too late, the god is equally as obssessed with him, he made a home of his mind, and he's not letting him go, and even though the horror might even love him back, and in a twist it might even be the one of the most horrifying cases of the "one fell first, one fell harder" trope, it is still cruel and not above unleashing torment on his former devotee to get what he wants.

And then looking back on the scientist life, you also see that he's been haunted by symbols of what would become his god and betrayer literally since birth.

AND WDYM THE WHOLE THING IS (rightly, because it's a children's show and they are not the main characters) BARELY HINTED IN THE SHOW

I AM BITING THE DRYWALL

someone give me a horror podcast about Ford's time with Bill and later his life dimension hopping is what I'm saying

[koushirouizumi]

{T.M.O.H.S. Pt. 5 End Ch.}

"Nagato has NEVER CALLED ME BY MY NAME, NOT EVEN Once..." - "K Y O N" (DO NOT Copy) (DO NOT re-post) (Please ASK to Copy)

[deerspherestudios]

Short Break and To Dos!

Hello all! 🍄🍄👻 I'm glad to see people enjoying Day 3 so far! I was so nervous about showing another side to Mychael in the update I thought people wouldn't like him as much but plenty have reacted positively! ❤️

I'll add a TLDR; above the read more, but if you don't mind my ramblings and want more details about everything, I'll write everything below! Light spoilers ahead!

I'll be taking a short break from MO development until 28th October to work on a short VN for the Monstrous Desires jam!

Most probably missed it, but there's a tiny small patch to Day 3 explained here.

Queue will return soon! I just gotta handle some housekeeping first with my Patreon.

Regarding the feedback on Day 3, I'm glad people aren't as averse to the new side of Mychael, in that he isn't always soft and sweet. I want people to fall in love with a person after all, not a yandere caricature, and that means that person can get upset, angry and sometimes irrational when we don't know what's going on in their head even towards the subject of their affections. While some (understandably!) were shocked about his reaction to the mushrooms, it'll be clear as to why (hopefully!)

Some of you have given incredibly accurate theories, and I'll take that as something I've done well in building up the mystery!!! I'm excited to share more in the next update, but for now!

1. I'll be taking a short break from MO development to work on a short VN for the Monstrous Desires jam!

What I have planned for Day 4 of MO might be the biggest update so far, since one route will lead to a few official BAD ENDINGS as opposed to 'dead ends' like the current demo has. To those who really want to, you finally get to see Mychael at his worst. As usual, writing the script takes a few months with plenty of changes in between, and I don't wanna bulldoze ahead and rush the story when it's getting to the climax!

But before I jump into all of that I just wanna give myself a creative exercise and try exploring a different theme, style and setting with a fresh new character for the jam! Since I'm a sucker for the trope... yes, the new blorbo will also be a yandere, sorry, I'm predictable.💔 The jam ends on October 28th so development on MO will continue then!

The last time I wrote something remotely sci-fi was in high school, so this will be fun to try!

2. Most probably missed it, but there's a tiny small patch to Day 3 explained here.

What it says on the tin! If you've already played Day 3, rest assured there's no significant story changes. Just an updated credits list, three extra sprites for one route and a small fix in the code.

3. Queue will return soon! I just gotta handle some housekeeping first with my Patreon.

Plenty of people have sent such sweet and encouraging messages to my inbox on what they thought of the update and I cannot thank all of you enough for the support!! I can't wait to post them out to archive them on the blog and answer all your interesting theories and queries in my queue!

But for now I'm due for a short break from my socials and to catch up on my Patreon sketch requests haha. I also plan to release cut content from Day 3 for my Yearling and Deer patrons. Plus, I'll be working on some written prompts for extra lore so that's something to look forward to!

I'll be back soon! Take care, fireflies!! ❤️

[unboundprompts]

Romantic Prompts

↳ a masterpost for writing prompts with romantic themes.

↳ (#) is from my collection of random prompts, (list) contains multiple prompts.

If you like what I do and want to support me, please consider buying me a coffee! I also offer editing services and other writing advice on my Ko-fi! Become a member to receive exclusive content, early access, and prioritized writing prompt requests.

I also have a Patreon! Become a member to gain access to a Member's Only Community where you can chat and message other members and myself. Also gain access to my personal writing, which includes completed short stories, chapters from novels in progress, as well as completed scenes.

Unrequited Love, Reluctant Love, Falling Out of Love Prompts:

Unwanted Love (#3)

Not Good for Each Other (#7)

Not Meant to Be (#9)

Questioning the Validity of Romantic Feelings (list)

Character in Love with Someone Who They Think Hates Them (list)

Couple Fell Out of Love (list)

Controlling Childhood Friend in Love with their "Puppet" (list)

Denial of Romantic Feelings (list)

Fake Dating Tropes (list)

Someone Who's Perfect (#152)

Character that Pushes Away the People they Love (list)

Forbidden Romance Dialogue (list)

Requited Love Prompts:

You Would Like That, Wouldn't You? (#31)

Three Good Things (#44)

Trying to Forget You (#45)

The Drawing (#48)

Love Me Today, Love Me Tomorrow (#78)

Anything You Want Me to Be (#78)

Comforting their Lover with Abandonment Issues (list)

Couple Didn't Realize They Were in Love Until Separation (list)

Height Difference Prompts (list)

Subtle Romantic Gestures (list)

Love Confession Prompts:

I Think I'm in Love with You (#51)

Responses to "I Want You" (list)

Responses to "Do You Love Me?" (list)

Responses to "Do You Like Me Too?" (list)

Responses to a Sudden Compliment (list)

Love Confession after an Argument (list)

Being Shocked After a Kiss (list)

Say it to My Face (#131)

Enemies/Rivals to Lovers Prompts:

The Art Thief (#81)

Rivals to Lovers at a Martial Arts Academy (list)

Anxious Character x Careless Character (list)

First Kiss Prompts (list)

One Bed Trope: Morning After Dialogue (list)

Bonding Over Horror Movies and Mystery Books (list)

Blushing Like a Sinner in Chapel (#96)

Rivals Being Shipped Together (list)

Academic Rivals to Lovers (list)

Fantasy Tropes Prompts:

Princess x Their Guard (list)

Princess x Knight (list)

Royal Painter x Knight (list)

Prince x Prince (list)

Immortal x Reincarnated Lover (list)

Immortal x Mortal Lover Reborn (list)

Hero x Civilian (list)

Sci-Fi OTP (list)

Witch x Fairy (list)

Other Specific Tropes Prompts:

Shy/Easily Embarrassed Character Getting Flustered (list)

Country x City Prompts (list)

Amnesia/Childhood Friends (list)

Sunshine Character x Serious Character (list)

Opposite Couples (ex: Always and Never, War and Peace) (list)

Opposite Couples: Sea and Sky (list)

Sarcastic Aloof x Annoying Hothead (list)

Medic x Soldier (list)

Prisoner x Guard (list)

Book-Loving Couple (list)

Friends to Lovers Road Trip (list)

Cheerleader x Jock (list)

[pinkcottonlatte]

ＳＯＯＢＩＮᵳᵢ𝓬 ᵣₑ𝓬ₛ

⦾ Ｓｅｒｉｅｓ

⁃ in between by @crystalsoobin (on going, smau, fake dating trope, university au, romance, crack, swearing)

⁃ here I come by @ijhyo (complete, college au, mystery, thriller, escape room, angst, horror, humour, swearing , injuries, character death, mentions of blood , stabbing, knives)

⁃ Lover = Lo$er by @wildernessuntothemselves (complete, sub!soobin, dom!reader, foodplay, mommy kink, breeding kink)

⁃ such a brat by @bb-eilish (complete, student!soobin, Blowjob, face fucking, kissing, swearing, dirty talk, pet names, Dom!Soobin, Sub!Reader, slight nipple play, creampie, cum eating)

⁃ a taste of something new by @jjunis (complete, smau with written chapters, fluff, angst, fake dating, strangers to friends to lovers, swearing, suggestive parts, mentions of sex)

⁃ best friends by @yeppeudau (on going, high school au, enemies to lovers, fake dating, smau+written, fluff, crack, angst, slow-burn)

⁃ lonely hearts by @beom1e (complete, ot5, mostly Choi line, humour, fluff, angst band! txt, cursing, talk of death/killing, details of kissing, use of magic)

⁃ the naked neighbour by @ah-ga-seven (complete, Smut, Comedy, Fluff, lighthearted Angst)

⦾ Ｏｎｅ ｓｈｏｔｓ

⁃ oblivious by @rosewould (friends to lovers, smut, fluff)

⁃ slut by @rosewould (angst & smut, non-idol au)

⁃ bunny!soobin x fox!reader by @hyewka (sub!soobin on top, softdom!reader, overstim, pet names, titty sucking, size kink, breeding kink, insecure soob + praise kink, established relationship, dry humping, possessive soobin)

⁃ all one shots of @cheolhub

⁃ why’d you only call me when you’re high? by @yvesjun (fluff, angst, college!au, friends to lovers, stoner!au)

⁃ perv!soobin by @wildernessuntothemselves (nipple sucking, humping)

⁃ bunny!hybrid soobin by @wildernessuntothemselves (bunny hybrid!soobin, puma hybrid!reader, dom!reader, sub!soobin)

⁃ glasses by @bb-eilish (dry humping, kissing, curse words, unprotected sex, established relationship, dirty talk, pet names, slight cum eating, dom/sub themes, slight edging)

⁃ jealous!soobin by @bb-eilish (dom!soobin/sub!reader, slapping, face fucking, bj, dirty talk, pet names, degradation, jealousy, fluffy ending)

⁃ rough night with soobin by @gyuubear (dacryphilia, unprotected sex, rough sex, handcuffs, sadism, explicit language, spit kink, dirty talk, choking kink, dom!soobin)

⁃ 11:38 pm by @loveliestfelix (angst)

⁃ somewhere only we know by @loveliestfelix (fluff,angst)

⁃ what the body wants by @koqabear (sci-fi au, Smuggling and many more illegal activities, mentions of food, discrimination against humans, human trafficking, freeze branding, mentions of sex work/ free use workers, brief scene of assault, mentions of needles, drugging, forced/ accidental bond, tentacles, aphrodisiacs, possessiveness)

⁃ my life in your hands by @koqabear (enemies au, smut, mentions of alcohol, guns, death, violence, blood, injuries, pet names)

⁃ all fics of @bugsbinnie

⁃ no peace by @yeonjunsbxtch (exes to lovers, angst, smut, slight fluff, Breakups, heartache, passionate sex, dry humping, kissing, overstimulation, swear words, pet names, alcohol consumption, unprotective sex, mental health, slight restraint, cockwarming)

⁃ alone time by @chyjunnie (smut, masturbation)

⁃ missed your touch by @02chois (exes to lovers, porn with plot, profanity, light size kink, soft dom! soobin, sub! reader, usage of pet names)

⁃ Untitled by @vvaebae (smut)

⁃ Jealous! Soobin by @lovesick-mind (smut)

⁃ Good boy~ by @slumberdreams (porn w/o plot, reader has tits, use of sex toys, kissing, edging, blowjob, grinding, clit stimulation, teasing, cum, breast/milk kink, pet names, mommy kink, praising)

⁃ a normal October night by @beomeli (non idol!soobin, Angst, unrequited love, heartbreak)

⁃ Untitled (baby fever) by @hyukasmiles (NSFW // breeding kink // mating press)

[violets-and-books]

The Crows watching Horror Films

Kaz:

Loves horror movies

Is basically the perfect horror film watcher

Watches intently

Never jumps at the jump-scares, the most you'll get out of him is a startled 'oh'

Always guesses who the mystery killer is

Always guesses it correctly

Loves slasher films

Inej:

Not a big fan of most horror films

Likes the final girl trope

Prefers sci-fi horror to anything else

Will rant about the pseudo-sadist, purity-obsessed horror films and why they can be better to anyone who'll listen

Won't go out of her way to watch a horror but will make an effort if A) Kaz wants to or B) It's made by a diverse minority of some kind

Jesper:

Hates horror films

Watches them because Kaz and Wylan like them

Loves watching them with Wylan because it gives him an excuse to cuddle up to his boyfriend

"are you scared?" "no" (literally shaking in his seat)

Is that one guy who screams at the screen like a goat

"I wish Milo was here, I wish Milo was here, I WISH MILO WAS HERE, I WISH MILOOOOOOOO-"

"ThAt'S nOt WhErE bLoOd Is MeAnT tO bEeEeEEEEEEE-"

"Wy, hold me, I'm scared" "The film hasn't even started yet-"

Jumps at every jump scare. Every. Single. One.

Wylan:

Likes horror films, especially ghost ones

Finds them cathartic

Has long conversations about themes and analysing horror with Inej and Matthias

Has seen all the classics

Likes gothic horror films

Is the only one who'll put up with Jesper's antics

Can't watch slashers - too violent

If he gets scared, he'll cover his ears and scream in short bursts until he isn't scared anymore

Matthias:

Is that one guy who'll analyse the film while watching it

Points out how scientifically incorrect all the kills are

Has very specific catagories for what counts as a horror film

Loves cult films, especially the Wicker Man

Can't watch haunting films, hates them so, so much

Nina:

Doesn't like horror films

Makes fun of Jesper for being so scared but then screams just as loud as him

Yells and swears at the characters for being so stupid

Ended up practically glued to Matthias' lap, if she didn't start out that way

"NO ONE would be that stupid to actually do [X]"

Quotes Scream at every given opportunity

(whenever someone on screen has sex) "Ooooooooh, you gonna diiiiie"

Kuwei:

Laughs at the jumpscares

Not even like a nervous laugh, plain out, hilarious laughter

Knows everything about how the films were made

Loves horror, possibly even more than Kaz

"Jes, are you scared? You can hold my hand if you want"

Has to sit a safe distance away from Wylan at all times to avoid being murdered

Explains how they did that stunt on screen as the stunt is happening (but will shut up if asked nicely)

Really likes body horror

[anthurak]

One thing that always feels so funny for me when it comes to the Rosebird Parents Theory isn’t when people simply disagree with the theory, but rather people apparently seeing the prospect of a ‘Raven is Ruby’s real father’ reveal to be this totally unthinkable thing and how could anyone ever think this could happen?!

Because once you get past the whole ‘two ladies making a baby’ hurtle, Raven being Ruby’s dad really fits into so many well-known fantasy/sci-fi tropes. Many of which RWBY notably has not done yet, or have already been tied to Raven herself.

I mean, the mysterious villainous and/or anti-heroic loner with ties to the family pulling an ‘I am your Father’ reveal on the protagonist? That’s a fucking CLASSIC. Hell, let’s consider a few things about Raven:

Big, intimidating helmet.

Clear Samurai inspiration.

Wields a katana-like sword that technically has an energy blade (dust=energy) which is generally RED-colored.

Possesses mysterious and terrible over-worldly powers.

Has a mysterious past tied to our protagonist’(s) family.

Was probably in love with our protagonist’s (apparently) dead mother.

Yeah I’d say Raven makes for a pretty good Darth Vader-expy.*

Beyond that specific case, we’ve already seen the story connect Raven to a BUNCH of ‘mysterious and angsty deadbeat dad who left their kid for unclear reasons’ tropes when it comes to Yang. Why not have those apply to Ruby as well? People have been clamoring for years about wanting to see Summer’s narrative dynamic with Yang explored as much as the one she has with Ruby, so why not have the reverse be true with Raven and Ruby as well?

After all, it seems that the story has now given Ruby a reason to seek Raven for answers just as Yang once did.

And as I’ve noted in previous Rosebird Parents posts, No I don’t believe Raven also being Ruby’s deadbeat dad would be somehow ‘redundant’. Particularly because the context is completely different: Yang has known that Raven is her birth-mother for most of her life, whereas Ruby would only just now be finding out that Raven is her birth-father. Far from being redundant, this would allow the story to explore two very different responses of kids to an absent parent: One who has had to live with the knowledge of that absent parent for years, and one who hasn’t and has to deal with this NEW information suddenly getting dropped on her.

Plus, as I alluded to earlier, it’s rather notable that RWBY hasn’t done some big ‘dramatic parent reveal’, given how much of a staple it is to the genre. And given how reimagining, twisting and flipping classic and well-worn fairytale/folklore/fantasy tropes (often via playing with gender-roles) is basically RWBY’s bread and butter at this point, I’d say giving the series heroine an ‘I am your father’ reveal from a woman would fit PERFECTLY in this series.

And if you’re going to ask ‘but how do two ladies make baby?!?’,

Raven can be intersex. Boom. Done.

Alternatively, magic.

As an aside, yes Summer being trans is a perfectly viable alternative. I just think logistically speaking, Raven being intersex and being Ruby’s ‘father’ makes a dramatic reveal a bit more streamlined. Also, the idea of Raven managing to be BOTH a deadbeat mom AND a deadbeat dad is just too funny XD

*Of course, this comparison gets even more fun when we consider Summer having her own Vader-parallels, ie; Summer almost certainly being taken by Salem and given what we can probably assume to be a Vader-esque makeover via grimm-hybridization in setup for a big reveal. So when we combine this with Raven, I think we can view what happened on their last mission as ‘What if Padme/Obi-wan got turned into Vader INSTEAD of Anakin?’ Like Raven in the present is basically Anakin doing Obi-wan’s traumatized hermit shtick, except all angry and edgy because it’s still Anakin.

[imagine--if]

"What am I to you" Bruce Wayne/Battinson x reader?!?

A/N: I kinda just went with the flow on this haha, there's a smidge of riddler x reader too but hi battinson peoples!! It's been a while 😁🖤 enjoyyy, sorry if I didn't follow the trope as much as you wanted bahaha

Wordcount: 798

"I'm sending you to Wayne Manor. You'll be safe there."

You blink up at the mystery man clad in all black in shock, rubbing at the mild red tape marks around your wrists. Wayne Manor? Was he joking?

"Wayne Manor?" you repeat incredulously. "You can't just go to Wayne Manor. Bruce Wayne lives in Wayne Manor."

The Batman doesn't look up at you as he gently pulls a hand away from your wrist, cleaning the agitated skin area with a softness that should be alien to the vigilante, who stalks troublemakers and maniacs each night, warding them off the streets by any extreme means that doesn't involve guns.

"He'll understand."

You gape at him in a daze, the night's events a blur, making your head hurt just thinking about it. Of course, whatever drug that dampened the towel The Riddler shoved in your face before you were whisked off to a cold, crumby hotel room can't be helping either, and you swear you can still feel the effects making you feel weak and shaky even after The Batman stormed into the scene, cutting it short with an untamed rage you'd never seen in those dark eyes before.

Before all this, you'd never properly met The Batman, least of all been saved by him. It was only now that The Riddler was targeting the corrupt, trying to prove himself to Batman, and save you, his so-called angel, a beacon in this dark, cesspool city, from the corruption and the dangers lurking around every corner. But, if anything, The Riddler seemed like a danger to you, constantly sending you love poems and riddles on old-fashioned, cheesy valentines cards and promising his followers and viewers of his streams and trials that another reason to carry out his acts of terror was for you.

"So- so pure, and innocent, and angelic... and they're being corrupted! The influence of this rich, disgusting vermin of the city is attacking the biggest influence and symbol of hope in this forsaken place! I'm going to do something... something spectacular. All you have to do is watch and wait for a little while longer..."

If you'd have known that donating to charities for orphans and helping out true detectives like James Gordon with crimes instead of being bought off by Falcone would gain this kind of attention, you might have thought twice. But here you are. Being obsessed over by a murderous genius, and protected by a vigilante mystery man.

"Do you know him?" you ask Batman in wonder, as he frees your wrist, treated carefully and delicately. "Mr Wayne? I don't know if he'd be happy with me staying there. I mean, he doesn't talk to many people and... well, no one really knows much about him."

"He can make an exception," Batman answers you. "This is serious. I don't want you going back home or anywhere by yourself until Riddler's behind bars. You're a part of his plan, too."

You sigh, putting your hoodie back on and pulling the sleeves over your hands, fingertips poking out of the material. "I know. But I'm not your responsibility. You have enough to do already."

"It's my responsibility to keep you safe," The Batman argues. "I'm sure you're a very capable person, but this is dangerous. People have died. You know that."

"I don't think he'll kill me," you say after a beat of thought passes.

"He won't," The Batman says. "He won't go near you again. I'll make sure of it."

"Well..." you struggle to find the words, confused, as Batman goes over to his car, like something out of a sci-fi movie. "Thank you. But why do you care so much?"

The Batman freezes, glancing over his shoulder at you with an unreadable expression.

"No, I mean," you continue quickly, "apart from the fact that you're a vigilante and a protector and all. Like, what am I to you?"

You cringe inwardly at yourself after hearing the words come out of your mouth, and at the masked man's bemused expression. What the hell was he supposed to say to that? He was only protecting you because there's a terrorist on the loose, right? What exactly are you expecting?

What you don't expect is for The Batman to take a heavy step towards you, offering you a gloved hand to help you into the vehicle. His hand lingers in yours when you're sat down and he hesitates, an odd look of - what, insecurity? Flustered, just a little? - written in his features as he looks you dead in the eye, the intensity making your breath catch in your throat.

"Probably more than you think," he replies after a few moments of silence, and then his hand slips out of yours as the engine roars to life.

⭒❃.✮:▹𝓉𝒶𝑔𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉 ◃:✮.❃⭒ (message me know if you want to be removed/added. ghost blogs/dead accs have been removed.)

@misadventures0fdes @junebugp @simestandswithtaylorswift-blog @carley-carley-carley @lostbunn @dragovegogrimborn @i-wished-upon-a-star-one-night @edwardspumpkinpie @murderbimbo00 @sweetums0kitty @beel-mcburger @cml-san @jervis-tetch-my-beloved @bimboanime @phoenixgurl030 @dangerouslittlefairy @yoyoanaria @yaeyuuki @vinxlsketches @beenz-beenz @ghoulsgraveyard @birds-have-teeth @repostingmyfavs @r3ptiliaaa @for3v3rda1sy @glitterycheesecakegladiator @moonwritesblog @lilyevans1 @httpsunflowersleep @hxney-lemcn @callsigncrash @bokksieu @skateb0red @philiasoul@felicityofbakerstreet @deadlights-darling @ireadandream @tinyryder @kpopgirlbtssvt @truecobblepot @jessicainhell

[writingquestionsanswered]

Switching Genre/Sub-Genre in a Series

Anonymous asked: I know the answer may vary, but do you think it would be annoying if a story's sequel was a different genre/subgenre? My book one is a fantasy murder mystery where people are disappearing, and eventually the MCs discover a cursed artifact is the cause. In the sequel, they take the artifact to have the curse removed and return it to its rightful owner. So the events of the first book lead into book two, but I'm still worried readers will be annoyed. I don't have the plot entirely planned out for the sequel, so I could technically also make it a mystery, or at least have some mystery elements. Do you think that would be a better idea?

[Ask edited for length]

Switching genre? Probably not...

Switching Sub-Genre? Depends...

People tend to gravitate toward books due to their genre and sometimes sub-genre. If I pick up a book promoted as a cozy mystery set in a quaint New England town, and then book two is a gritty Sci-Fi thriller with only the MC in common, that's going to be jarring and upsetting. However, if the sub-genre naturally evolves into a different sub-genre, that usually wouldn't be an issue as long as the emphasis stays on the original genre.

Having said that, your story's sub-genre is about much more than just the nature of the conflict. Having a fantasy story where the conflict involves a cursed artifact causing strange deaths and disappearances, which your MC investigates as part of the bigger story, doesn't really make it a fantasy murder mystery. Having a fantasy story where the MC is a Sherlock Holmes-inspired eccentric lord who investigates the day-to-day mysteries in his village and on his estate, that would be a fantasy murder mystery.

The one bit of advice I would say is that I don't think you should lean too far into the "murder mystery" element in book one. This book should not involve a lot of murder mystery tropes, themes, and stock characters. You want to keep the emphasis on the fantasy world and the fantasy characters... the mystery is just something they're trying to figure out.

Happy writing! ♥

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[trekmupf]

"We're all mad here" 🐇👸🔫🐯

Pro

The famous massage intro

Sulu and McCoy taking a lovely little walk together

Sulu is such a botany nerd; I love these small character moments

McCoy thinking he's loosing his last marbles

Spock literally thinking that humans go on shore leave to run up and down meadows like dogs

The way Kirk smiles when he thinks Bones is pranking him is lovely

Kirk's facial journey when he realizes McCoy and Spock played him

The first time Kirk calls McCoy Bones

The way the running is filmed and the way they run – and boy do they run in this episode

Sulu, gun enthusiast

The easy friendship between Kirk and McCoy- the way they joke and laugh with each other is so beautiful

McCoy is so beautiful in this episode, I could screenshot every second. He smiles so much and is so at ease, I mean

Continuing what we know from E3 Kirk wasn't the super cool Bro at the academy but actually the bookworm people bullied

Kirk saying that Ruth hasn't aged a day since they last were together ages ago, and the actress being the same age as Shatner when we see her... canon Kirk being into older woman okay.

McCoy rolled a natural 20 on charisma

me @ yeoman Borrows being super into McCoy's flirting: same girl same

Also I actually like that for once McCoy is the one having a little romance and getting to flirt / be desired, which is rare (because he's older and not the leading man; Tumblr, of course, disagrees)

every time the tiger is on screen I remember that Shatner literally wanted to fight it and it makes me laugh

fake character death trope! (also Bones is a beautiful corpse)

Spock like no offence lady, I'm to gay for this, Spock out

“Did you have fun guys?” “Yes we did Mr Spock” wink emoji implied, like you guys know it sounds like you had group sex right

the setting and scenery is beautiful and a nice change

the score underlines the whimsy and lightness of the episode

the premise is so silly but works well. I miss episodes like this on modern TV, just some downtime with no large scale danger, war or plot, just silly crew shenanigans that gives us more time to spend with our guys

sometimes Sci-fi has great special effects, and sometimes they just hold an antenna really close to the camera and call it a day and I love that

I'm Yeoman Borrows; Look at him being all happy

Con

McCoy's death has no lasting impact on anyone, it's just a short time plot device and then gets shelved for more adventure / silly time; Even though he does come back, I wish it wouldn't have been so trivialized here

weird wind chime sound effects of the planet

Finnegan as a character is super obnoxious and too over the top (which is saying something in the episode with Alice in wonderland)

especially the second confrontation takes ages, especially as we now have more pressing matters in the narrative

treatment of yeoman Borrows (We already know weird things are going on based on what McCoy saw, yet Kirk doesn't believe her and shows zero empathy towards her distress), also her main purpose is damsel in distress

Kirk is a bit slow to unravel the mystery and almost stupid at times? It might be excused by him using the opportunity to let go of his responsibility and being with Angela / letting out his anger with Finnegan

the amount of references and jumping between visions is too jumbled and all over the place, which is why the pacing is off. some bits are so short, they'd better be cut (Rodriguez side adventure) and some just go on (Finnegan)

Counter: Shirt rip Kirk

Quote: "You've got your problems, I've got mine. But he's got ours, plus his, plus 430 other people" - McCoy about Kirk Moment: Opening Scene, where Kirk thinks Spock is massaging him and being super uncomfortable when its a female crew member

Summary: Silly and light episode with no deeper meaning but some great character moments, funny scenes and further development of the interpersonal relationships

In another universe this is a classical painting

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[barren-heart]

What We do in the Shadows is going to break the fourth wall in a major way in S6. Here’s why.

I know I’ve been super annoying about this, but I’m literally convinced a real world episode is going to happen in season 6 of WWDITS.

Commonly referred to as “The French Mistake” Episode in reference to Supernatural’s The French Mistake which was itself a reference to Blazing Saddles which broke the fourth wall and (decades old spoiler alert) was discovered to be filmed on a film set.

The real-world episode is a trope in television where a character or characters discover for some reason that they are on a film set (either being transported by magic or maybe in a dream).

Sitcom Growing Pains (1985-1992) and sci-fi show Eerie, Indiana (1991-1992) are two of these early examples of where characters enter a tv set version of their lives, for different reasons.

Growing Pains, in sitcom fashion, was to teach a moral lesson.

Eerie, for its spooky episodes, was to showcase how supernatural and mysterious the town was.

And of course, Supernatural, known for its specific monster-of-the week style episodes, does so for its meta-commentary on the show.

Now why would WWDITS do one of these style episodes?

Well, it’s a comedy for one. Putting your characters in situations that are “out of the norm” helps make the conflicts more hilarious. It’s a fish-out-of-water situation.

The show is also meta as fuck. Maybe not in the same way as Supernatural did, but there are fourth wall breaking moments. Especially related to the documentary itself.

Unlike those other shows, WWDITS characters are meant to be on camera. This show is aware of its cameras at all times. The characters are constantly filmed and understand they are being filmed.

And my last reason, which I believe is the biggest reason, is for Guillermo’s character development.

Since they are constantly filmed, a lot of Nandor and Guillermo’s relationship has not been able to progress as much as it can. Nandor, like the other vampires, obviously doesn’t care about the cameras. Nudity and sex on camera doesn’t bother them. They arn’t holding much back. (Although you could argue Nandor might be holding back some feelings, as well).

Guillermo is definitely holding back. The most private character in front of the cameras. He is the most aware. And because he is aware, he never lets all of himself be revealed.

This is something that would help him if he wasn’t being filmed anymore. Taking the documentary element away and confronting the actors, producers, and potentially even Paul Simms himself, could change Guillermo at his core.

This would make himself more comfortable being his true self in front of the cameras, especially when it comes to his feelings about Nandor which he has consistently denied to the audience and other characters, even when it’s pretty obvious.

Now, could the other characters benefit from meeting the other actors and film crew? Yes. Nandor would certainly be a good character for this. Meeting Harvey could potentially break Nandor’s brain. Something I would love to see.

And Colin would be downright hilarious in this setting.

But, tbh, I think this episode would have Nandor and Guillermo confront their feelings, as we (the audience)would then see the motivations behind the characters. The notes in the script that we don’t get to see. Paul Simms referencing Nandermo ala Supernatural’s Fan Fiction.

It’s the perfect setting for a one-off comedy episode but also great for fan service…and the perfect set up for Nandermo to begin.

[msviolacea]

Okay, I've been sitting on these thoughts for a couple of weeks, and I've been reading one of my favorite genre writing books today in preparation for a potential project, and they flashed to the surface again. And I just can't resist anymore, sorry.

I saw a post a bit ago that seemed to angrily indicate that telling writers that they need a plot summary/logline/advertising text that goes beyond a list of tropes was somehow ... ableist? discriminatory against marginalized writers? some kind of elitist bullshit? I don't know, but I could hear the whizzing air of a point sailing over someone's head as I read it and it irritated me.

So, okay, let's go over why I think that's a load of crap.

You have a book or a fic or a story of some sort. When I ask you what it's about, you tell me "bisexuals in space, enemies to lovers!" If we're talking about a fanfic, okay, that's probably enough information to tell me if I want to read it - because I know the fandom, and therefore I have a pretty good idea of what else the story is going to entail. But if you're trying to sell me on your original story? I'm sure there are some people who would still jump on it, but I am really not one of them, and I venture to guess many, many other people are the same way.

Why? Here's a sampling of what your trope phrases do and do not tell me.

Okay, there are bisexual characters. And the fact that you reference enemies to lovers makes me think that we're talking about a romance. But that's not guaranteed! Is the story about the bisexuals falling in love? Is it a space adventure in which people incidentally fall in love? Does it not involve love or sex at all, just a bisexual character in a totally different story who happens to have sex with an enemy in a side plot?

Seriously, how does bisexuality or enemies or lovers factor into your plot?

If you're basing your advertising of your story on sexuality, what kind of society are you writing about? Is this a fun fantasy space setting where there's no discrimination based on who you want (or don't want) to have sex with? Or is this story going to include discrimination that parallels real-world problems? Those are two vastly different moods I have to be in to read a thing.

Overall, even if this is a romance, what's the sub-genre you're going with? Space opera? If it is, is it a ridiculous Jupiter Ascending world or a more gritty Expanse-style world? Is it hard sci-fi leaning? Is it actually a murder mystery set on a space station? Is it an action thriller set on a giant starship? Is it a cozy character study? Something totally different?

What do your characters want? A story in which your MC wants to become monarch of their homeworld is very different than one in which your MC is a smuggler trying to get out of legal trouble, and both are very different from an MC who is devoted to revenge against the person who killed their family.

What tone is your story? Again, if you're using tropes to advertise, my guess is it's somewhat lighthearted. But that's not guaranteed at all.

These are just the things I could think of in like 5 minutes. And maybe you don't care about any of these things, and you're happy to have an audience just of people who can read any kind of story any time as long as there are bisexuals in space. That's great! You found your audience! Have fun!

... but I'm betting that audience is very small, relatively speaking. And that you wouldn't be complaining about it if you didn't want a wider audience.

And implying that a reader or readers asking for something more than a list of tropes is somehow discriminatory against you, whatever marginalization you happen to have? That's insulting nonsense. Writing a story summary - be it for an Amazon page, the back of a book, the summary box on AO3, your website, whatever - is a skill that can be learned by anyone who can write a story long enough to require one. It's a different skill than writing the story, don't get me wrong, but it's a skill you can learn regardless.

By all means, put the tropes there too! Have them at the top or bottom of your summary! Put them on your website! I know romance authors who have search functions on their websites where you can filter by tropes! Those are great, but those authors also know that an individual story summary is also necessary! I can filter and say "I want to read hurt/comfort" but then I need to know what the fuck the story is about. Fanfic can be just about hurt/comfort and get its audience - BECAUSE people know the base fandom. Original fiction, not so much.

Anyway. That stuck under my skin, and now it's out. Hooray.

[semi-imaginary-place]

Should you play 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim? YES

The game is visual novel adjacent with 50% of gameplay being reading/listening, and maybe 30% point and click adventure, and 20% real time strategy combat but its structured in a way to basically be turn based combat there's maybe 2 second of real time happening total per map.

You start the game at the final battle and spend the rest of the time piecing together how everyone got to that point. The story is told in non-chronological order so you can choose what characters to progress their story in whatever order you want. 13 playable characters whose stories all intertwine and are relevant to the other stories. So in that sense it's a mystery story as the main draw is you and the characters figuring out what is really going on. The story is intricate and complex and rich and very well executed. The game pays homage to the sci-fi genre in general referencing a lot of sci-fi and kaiju media and tropes while doing interesting things with those concepts. It's great for people like me that like connecting dots and theory crafting. I started taking notes while I play the game.

Combat is robust and you can get into it as little or as much as you want. I had little experience with real time strategy before this (mostly a JRPG player) and I loved the combat so much I ended up playing part of it on the highest difficulty. 13 Sentinels really eases you into the combat system, starting out very simple and gradually and consistently raising the difficulty.

Really everything about this game is top notch from the story to the characters, gameplay, and aesthetics. The game has strong art direction and a stunning soundtrack. The themes are eloquently integrated, compelling, both emotionally moving and with soul wrenching depth. Everything just works really well together. This is one of the best made games I have ever seen.

[mindblownie2]

My friend! Can I ask for your thoughts on "hole theory"? I was browsing your old hole theory tag & fuck yeah, very powerful energies here, would love to hear you speak on it.

Ooh well honestly I feel like I'm not really a scholar of hole theory but rather just a consumer of other people's hole thoughts, but I can talk about what appealed to me in all those posts and so on through some media tropes I've always been into. So the main two properties of the hole to me are:

1. The hole is the unknown. The hole is the darkness that might be bottomless, the missing part of a puzzle, the blank spot on a map. And I've always enjoyed stories of discovery, of venturing into the unknown - from classic adventure stories, growing up on a diet of Jules Verne and the like, through more hard sci fi all the way to horror; exploring the unexplored, uncovering the hidden. Being compelled by a mystery - a hole invites to be looked into. And here we get to the second point,

2. The hole devours. The hole is something you can fall into and never climb back out. I've always had a particular thing for characters that were self-destructive, or at least reckless, or willing to sacrifice themselves for some greater purpose and we're NOT going to examine what that says about me, but the point is, I love a character who will go into the hole. Particularly the idea of being consumed by the pursuit of some forbidden or hidden knowledge, very mad scientist or mad wizard style. But also in a way in other genres, like I love detective/mystery stories and you have this gritty noir trope of being ruined by the horrible truth of the worst things people do but you're still driven to pursue that truth for some personal reason or for the sake of justice or whatever; you enter the hole and the hole either swallows you whole, or chews you up and spits you out, but there's no emerging from the hole unscathed.

(And the hole is also a mirror; if you go into the hole willingly, it's usually because you are unfulfilled, because you are seeking something; there is a hole in you, too.)

So I think I love the hole because two of my favourite things in stories are a mystery and a tragedy, and the hole can easily represent or embody either - or both. It's the fantasy of answering the call of the void, and finding out what's on the bottom of the abyss. The hole is also enticing because it's usually one-directional: you go in or down and that's the only way available, like I said, you might not get back out, and so the hole is pure purpose, a single goal and tunnel vision. That might not be necessarily admirable, but it is compelling to me as a narrative. Once you've fallen into the hole, you can only go deeper; the hole is irresistible.

[lilareviewsbooks]

Queer Normal-World in SFF Books

Here are five books where being queer is the norm, aka there is no homophobia or transphobia at all! Not all these books are fluffy though -- most of them have heavy conflicts and a bunch of shit going down, but at least no one has a problem with anyone being gay!

These are my favorite kind of books and I have so, so many recommendations, so let me know if you ever want more of these :) And I can also absolutely do only fluffy queer books, too!

The Genesis of Misery, by Neon Yang

Mx. Yang's books are perfect for this type of prompt. The Genesis of Misery is their most recent, and the premise is absolutely killer. It follows Misery Nomaki (she/they), who is haunted by an apparition of an angel. While she is convinced she is mentally ill like her mother, and that her visions are a symptom, people around her seem more and more certain that she is actually some sort of messiah. 

I have my issues with The Genesis of Misery, but it’s a very creative sci-fi that’s worth the read. It includes mecha, interesting depictions of religion, which permeates the entire story, and, of course, excellent queer rep. We have characters who use neo-pronouns, a polyamory situationship and most characters are queer. Not to mention, it’s written by a queer and non-binary author, which is always a plus. It’s part of an on-going series, though, so be prepared to wait a little while for the sequel! 

Plus, The Locked Tomb fans might be interested to know that there’s a very cavalier-necromancer dynamic in this, and that Rebecca Roanhorse (who wrote Black Sun) described it as Joan of Arc meets Gideon The Ninth. 

Yep. You wanna read it, don’t you?

(Also, if for some reason you’re like: “gee, I really wish there was a black-and-white silent movie with a killer score that touched on these same themes”, then you should probably watch The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1928). It’s not explicitly gay, but it is queer in my heart. And it rocks.)

The Locked Tomb Series, starting with Gideon The Ninth, by Tasmyn Muir

Since I mentioned it, I guess I might as well include The Locked Tomb in here! This is a Tumblr favorite, and with good reason, because The Locked Tomb fucking rocks. It’s hard to pitch it to someone without ruining the whole point of the series, but the first book follows a necromancer, Harrowhark and her sworn swords-woman, her cavalier, the butch-as-hell Gideon, as they’re summoned to the First House to compete to become Lyctors, the companions of God. 

Yeah, I know that’s a lot, and, to be honest, it’s probably not gonna make much sense to you at many points throughout the story, but that’s the point of The Locked Tomb - everything is confusing, and it’s about sapphics in space! 

The thing about this series is they’re the most unique books you’ll ever read. Every volume has a different approach to telling its story. There’s so many mysteries and it’s almost impossible to understand all the intricacies without sitting down and doing some work. The magic system is also the wonkiest, coolest thing - it involves eating people, sometimes, y’know. And, I promise, you’ll love every single second of it. Especially because there’s absolutely no homophobia or transphobia in any of it, and almost every character is queer as fuck - especially after the second book, when gender starts getting a little funky!

Winter’s Orbit, by Everina Maxwell

I love this book so much, and so know that it comes highly, highly recommended! I have a whole five star review on it you can check out here. (Do check trigger warnings, though! You should always, but especially for this one. I didn’t and they really got me!). 

Winter’s Orbit features my absolutely favorite trope - queer arranged marriage. (Nothing better - those three words and you know it’s gonna be a queer normal world, have some politics and probably be really fucking sweet.) This one is probably one of only ones out of this list where the romance is very predominant and serves as an important B plot. It’s also a standalone, but has a companion book in the same universe, called Ocean’s Echo, which rocks, too!

This one follows Jainan, a recent widower who is rushed into an arranged marriage with Prince Kiem in order to keep the alliance between their homelands intact. Together, they must navigate court intrigue I’m trying my best not to spoil and investigate Jainan’s ex-husband’s death, which might not have been an accident, after all...

In this sci-fi fantasy world, being queer is completely normal, and their system when it comes to gender is absolutely fascinating. People will wear little gender signifiers, like a wodden token for female, for instance, so that others know how to refer to them. It’s super cool to see these kind of things incorporated into the world-building, and it’s something you really only get when queer authors are behind the helm.

(Also, this was originally written online, and it was actually picked up and traditionally published! Which is so cool! Queer fics becoming traditionally published books is so rare, it’s so nice to see it actually happen!)

The Teixcalaan Series, starting with A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine

This is another one of my favorites! I read it last year and it blew me away - so much so that I’ve been itching to re-read it ever since I finished the second book.

The Teixcalaan Series is a political sci-fi duology focusing on the themes of language, empire and cultural domination through imperialism. It’s amazing, and I wrote about it in a full-length review, here, if you wanna take a look! 

It follows Mahit Dzamare, from the tiny Lsel Station, who becomes the ambassador to the huge Teixcalaan Empire, whose culture she’s been in love with for ages. The problem? Something happened to the Lsel ambassador, and the Empire’s control over the Station has been growing ever bigger. To make matters worse, Mahit’s imago machine - the cerebral implant full of her predecessors memories and experiences - doesn’t seem to be working properly, leaving her with a ghost of her predecessor inside of her head...

With all the problems the Teixcalaan Empire has, it’s not homophobic or transphobic, which is a plus for us gays who want to read in peace. Mahit has a charged relationship with her cultural liason, Three Seagrass (yes, that’s her name; yes, there’s an in-world explanation; no, I won’t tell you what it is, you’ll have to read it and find out), not to mention all the hijinks she finds out her predecessor was up to. And none of it needs to be justified or explained at all - people are just gay, and that’s fine!

On A Sunbeam, by Tillie Walden

This graphic novel has a stunning art style, and, listen closely sapphics, absolutely no men at all. Yep. Literally there’s only women and non-binary people in this comic! 

And guess what? It’s available to read for free, here. Thank you, Ms. Walden!

Here, romance is also an important plot point. On A Sunbeam follows Mia, who starts working for a crew of repair-people who rebuild broken down structures. In another timeline, we flashback to her experiences at her boarding school, and to her relationship with a new student.

What’s most unique about On A Sunbeam - apart from the fact that there are no men at all - is it’s unique version of outer space. It’s almost historical, with huge sprawling marble structures decaying, surronded by trees. The ships are shaped like huge fish. You can feel the whimsy in your bones from the colors and the art style that Ms. Walden uses, here.

This standalone is definitely worth a read. And if you like it, you should definitely check out the rest of Ms. Walden’s work - it’s all as beautiful as this is, if not more. Her The End of Summer was one of my favorite reads, last year.

That’s all I’ve got, guys, but lemme know if you want more of these - I have so many, I can definitely recommend you more! Drop me an ask if you have specifications, too - I’m always happy to do some digging :)