#I can understand how it can be limiting to folks who want to be creative but

[closedspeciesteahouse]

lol succubuns added 17 new design pages with 5-10+ images per page saying what you can and cannot draw. "no light lineart" "no backwards horns" "no skin colored tails" "no hooves gradient" "no paws" talk about beating your creative community with a metal rod

☕️

[yukipri]

Some thoughts on Cara

So some of you may have heard about Cara, the new platform that a lot of artists are trying out. It's been around for a while, but there's been a recent huge surge of new users, myself among them. Thought I'd type up a lil thing on my initial thoughts.

First, what is Cara?

From their About Cara page:

Cara is a social media and portfolio platform for artists. With the widespread use of generative AI, we decided to build a place that filters out generative AI images so that people who want to find authentic creatives and artwork can do so easily. Many platforms currently accept AI art when it’s not ethical, while others have promised “no AI forever” policies without consideration for the scenario where adoption of such technologies may happen at the workplace in the coming years. The future of creative industries requires nuanced understanding and support to help artists and companies connect and work together. We want to bridge the gap and build a platform that we would enjoy using as creatives ourselves. Our stance on AI: ・We do not agree with generative AI tools in their current unethical form, and we won’t host AI-generated portfolios unless the rampant ethical and data privacy issues around datasets are resolved via regulation. ・In the event that legislation is passed to clearly protect artists, we believe that AI-generated content should always be clearly labeled, because the public should always be able to search for human-made art and media easily.

Should note that Cara is independently funded, and is made by a core group of artists and engineers and is even collaborating with the Glaze project. It's very much a platform by artists, for artists!

Should also mention that in being a platform for artists, it's more a gallery first, with social media functionalities on the side. The info below will hopefully explain how that works.

Next, my actual initial thoughts using it, and things that set it apart from other platforms I've used:

1) When you post, you can choose to check the portfolio option, or to NOT check it. This is fantastic because it means I can have just my art organized in my gallery, but I can still post random stuff like photos of my cats and it won't clutter things. You can also just ramble/text post and it won't affect the gallery view!

2) You can adjust your crop preview for your images. Such a simple thing, yet so darn nice.

3) When you check that "Add to portfolio," you get a bunch of additional optional fields: Title, Field/Medium, Project Type, Category Tags, and Software Used. It's nice that you can put all this info into organized fields that don't take up text space.

4) Speaking of text, 5000 character limit is niiiiice. If you want to talk, you can.

5) Two separate feeds, a "For You" algorithmic one, and "Following." The "Following" actually appears to be full chronological timeline of just folks you follow (like Tumblr). Amazing.

6) Now usually, "For You" being set to home/default kinda pisses me off because generally I like curating my own experience, but not here, for this handy reason: if you tap the gear symbol, you can ADJUST your algorithm feed!

So you can choose what you see still!!! AMAZING. And, again, you still have your Following timeline too.

7) To repeat the stuff at the top of this post, its creation and intent as a place by artists, for artists. Hopefully you can also see from the points above that it's been designed with artists in mind.

8) No GenAI images!!!! There's a pop up that says it's not allowed, and apparently there's some sort of detector thing too. Not sure how reliable the latter is, but so far, it's just been a breath of fresh air, being able to scroll and see human art art and art!

To be clear, Cara's not perfect and is currently pretty laggy, and you can get errors while posting (so far, I've had more success on desktop than the mobile app), but that's understandable, given the small team. They'll need time to scale. For me though, it's a fair tradeoff for a platform that actually cares about artists.

Currently it also doesn't allow NSFW, not sure if that'll change given app store rules.

As mentioned above, they're independently funded, which means the team is currently paying for Cara itself. They have a kofi set up for folks who want to chip in, but it's optional. Here's the link to the tweet from one of the founders:

And a reminder that no matter that the platform itself isn't selling our data to GenAI, it can still be scraped by third parties. Protect your work with Glaze and Nightshade!

Anyway, I'm still figuring stuff out and have only been on Cara a few days, but I feel hopeful, and I think they're off to a good start.

I hope this post has been informative!

Lastly, here's my own Cara if you want to come say hi! Not sure at all if I'll be active on there, but if you're an artist like me who is keeping an eye out for hopefully nice communities, check it out!

[freyatarotreadings8]

How Can You Improve Your Life Till The End Of This Year | PAC

Pick a picture 1 - 2 - 3

PILE 1

Hi, sunshine! I hope you are doing amazing. 3 of Cups signifies the importance of social connection and celebration. To improve your life, stop isolating yourself! Focus on strengthening your bonds with friends, family, folks around you. Engage in social activities. Let go of toxic people and surround yourself with supportive people. Positive social interactions can significantly contribute to your overall well-being. Don't forget to celebrate achievements. Share your successes with others and bask in the positive energy of accomplishment. The Magician is a card of manifestation and empowerment. Set clear intentions for what you want to manifest in your life by the end of the year. Tap into your creative power and try different practices to manifest your desires, but don't forget to take practical steps to bring your wishes into reality. Identify your goals, use your skills and resources effectively. Remember that you have an ability to shape your own destiny. 9 of Cups is wish card, represents emotional fulfillment and contentment. To improve your life, focus on what brings you joy and satisfaction. Surround yourself with positivity. Use affirmations, meditate, spend time in nature, drink more water. You also can create a harmonious space for yourself. Your emotional well-being is key to a fulfilling life. Identify your deepest wishes. If you have a goal, it means that you have inner source to reach it.

Personal tarot readings are available! Hurry up to book a reading about your 2024.

PILE 2

Hi there, sweetheart! I hope you are okay! The Hanged Man reversed indicates a release from a period of suspension or feeling stuck. To improve your life, consider what emotional blockages you may be holding onto. You need to release and let go of any limiting beliefs, outdated perspectives. You need to adopt a more open and optimistic mindset and start moving forward. Embrace a fresh outlook on challenges and opportunities. Consider alternative approaches and be open to change.

2 of Cups represents a harmonious connection, soulmates. Focus on building and nurturing meaningful connections (romantic relationships, friendships, collaborations). Seek harmony and mutual support. Spend time with people who uplift and support you. Communicate openly with loved ones and seek to strengthen your connections. Share your thoughts and feelings openly. Honest communication fosters understanding.

9 of Swords indicates mental distress, anxiety and overthinking. Address any worries or fears that may be keeping you awake at night. Practice mindfulness, seek support and consider practical solutions to alleviate mental stress. You can also practice meditations, deep breathing exercises, self compassion and self love. If you really need help, seek a professional.

Personal tarot readings are available! Hurry up to book a reading about your 2024.

PILE 3

Hello, darling! I hope you are doing pretty good. 7 of Pentacles indicates a need patience. Take a step back and evaluate your current situation. Consider what is working well and what may need adjustments. Celebrate the small wins along the way. King of Wands represents leadership, passion and decisive action. After a small pause, set clear goals and have a vision for your future. What do you want to achieve? Develop a plan of action and start taking bold and confident steps toward your goals. Don't be afraid to make decisions. Lead with passion, enthusiasm. Take responsibility for your own life and the future. While taking bold actions, remember the importance of patience. Page of Swords represents curiosity, studies, being online and a willingness to learn. Adopt a curious mindset. Seek new information, explore innovative ideas and be open to learning. Start developing or improving skills that can contribute to your personal and professional growth. Work on your communication. Clear and effective communication is crucial. Be articulate, honest and open. The Page of Swords also encourages effective communication.

Personal tarot readings are available! Hurry up to book a reading about your 2024.

[f1hallmarkfest]

Formula 1 Hallmark Fest

Hello one and all! We are delighted to announce the Formula 1 Hallmark Fest, aiming to bring winter cheer and cheesy festive feel-good holiday fic to the masses.

What is Hallmark?

Every year, The Hallmark Channel has their annual Countdown to Christmas celebration. As you can imagine from the title, the movies center around Christmas/winter holiday themes. Hallmark Christmas movies are some of the cheesiest, most nostalgia-evoking films you can imagine. Many of them center around small towns and discovering (or rediscovering) the spirit of Christmas, spending time with family and friends, and finding love in the holiday season!

Hallmark Christmas movies are absurd in the best way, making them perfect for fanfic plots.

How to Join

Sign up via our form

Join our fest Discord

Join the AO3 collection

The Rules

For writers- Minimum word count: 4000 words (and the sky's the limit)

For artists- Minimum art requirements: Lined and colored

Theme: Your work must align with the theme of the fest, that being cheesy heartwarming festive goodness!

Other than that, there are no limits on what you can create! A short, fluffy feel-good fic oozing with tender holiday love? A novel-length fic with an intricate plot and epic highs and lows? A painting of your favorite guys kissing under the mistletoe? A comic centered on holiday misadventures? Your call!

Key Dates:

Important Dates

TBD: Sign-ups close July 15th: Check-in 1 October 15th: Check-in 2 November 25th DECEMBER 14th: Collection submission December 1st 17th!!!: Fic reveals start

Important Links:

Admin: Dees @leclercenjoyer Mods: River @river-ocean, Tracy @apeacebone, Samuel @gearshxft Discord Server: https://discord.gg/GmXyBx3AVC AO3 Collection: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/F1_Hallmark_Fest Sign-up form: here Email: f1hallmarkfest@gmail.com

FAQ under the cut! 👇

1. Does it have to be AU? Not at all! F1 drivers' lives are already so god damn weird that it lends itself perfectly to the sort of over-the-top nonsense that makes a Hallmark movie truly special.

2. Does it have to be romantic? Absolutely not! Follow your heart <3

3. Does it have to be Christmas specifically? Nope! At their core, Hallmark movies are Christmas movies, but it's not essential. Any winter holiday, or even just winter in general, can fit the bill. (Or I guess summer, for the southern hemisphere?)

4. Can I do art for someone else's fic? Yes! Absolutely! We won't be pairing writers and artists (a la Big Bang) but you are more than welcome to find a writer to work with through our fest discord!

5. What happens if I have to drop out? Nothing! We understand that circumstances can change, and the deadline is long so unexpected situations may arise. If you sign up and find you can't participate, that's fine! Just drop the mods a line, no hard feelings.

6. Does my work have to be completed for me to submit it to the fest? Given the length of the deadline, we would ask that yes, your work should be finished before posting!

7. Do you accept late sign-ups? Sure!

8. Do I have to have an idea when I sign up? No! If the theme of the fest intrigues you but you can't think of what you want to write/draw right off the bat, you're still welcome to sign up! The discord server is the perfect place to workshop ideas with your fellow creatives, and we even have a random plot generator if you need a shot of inspiration.

9. Can I join the Discord server if I'm not participating in the fest? Yes, absolutely! If you just wanna come hang out, share in the vibes and the love and chat with folks, you are more than welcome to! And who knows, perhaps inspiration will strike you!

10. Why is the deadline so long? We decided to get started early to give people lots of time to work on their fics! This way, if people want to write proper longfic, there's plenty of time to get it done!

[voxofthevoid]

Hello! We haven't really interacted before but I reviewed a Bleach fanfiction of yours a while ago, and I've loved your stories for the fandom! I'm sad that you no longer write for Bleach, but you've shared some amazing work, so thank you for that.

Just wanted to ask if you have any tips on how to connect more with other readers and writers, as it seems your conversations with other people in your fandoms bring a lot of joy and inspiration! While I wrote fanfiction in my teenage years, I felt very much like a fandom hermit back then but I'm coming back to it now many years later and want to actively engage with more people. I've joined some discord servers and am posting much more to twitter and tumblr, but I'm still pretty shy about messaging people privately as I feel like I don't really know what to say. I know it will take time, but any advice on how to get the ball rolling would be much appreciated.

Good luck with the writing!

Hi! I'm very glad you like my Bleach fics, and hey, being missed isn't a bad thing either ❤

(I do have one 80%–finished grimmichi fic that I'll put up on Ao3 soon-ish. The last chapter won't ever be written, but there's still some 28k of fluff and porn that ends on a fairly conclusive note on the emotional end.)

You're right that interacting with my fellow fans is a large part of what makes fandom fun for me. The community aspect of fandom is something that comes up a lot in conversations about why people flock to fandom, why they stay, and why they leave, and although I'm an introvert bordering on a hermit, the social aspects of fandom are its greatest draw. I write because I need to or I'll burst, but I share for the people here with me. That's not an uncommon attitude or experience. YMMV, but many of us want to connect with people who share our interests, and the level of creativity and commitment fandom inspires often thrives in collaboration and community.

How to get that sense of community is a trickier matter though. You're already in Discord servers, which seems to be the main fandom social space(s) these days. You're also on social media platforms where people can reach out to you or vice versa. So that's the basics covered. After that, it's largely a matter of organically developing relationships. But I do understand the hesitance to just roll up into someone's DMs; even though I have no issues with people popping up in my DMs, I also find it harder to initiate.

Plus, I've found that some sort of existing rapport gives you a better foundation when you do take the step into private exchanges. This can be Ao3 comment sections, Tumblr notes, or Discord group chat spaces. I tend to avoid Discord servers these days, but back when I had more tolerance for group chats, the people I met there often became closer friends. Mostly though, my pocket friends are people I met via Ao3 and, less frequently, Tumblr—fellow authors and readers in a specific fandom.

I know my regulars, here and on Ao3, and I've been a regular many times. Discussions in comments usually start out limited to the specific fic, but they can also include general fandom/canon stuff or even personal talk. Many times, you build a degree of familiarity with a person that way, and if the conversation moves to more private channels, you already have a shared base to build further conversation on.

So my best advice to find friends and like-minded fandom folks is to be active in Ao3 comments and Tumblr notes (...and whatever the corresponding thing is over on Xitter):

Reply to the comments on your stories and try to really engage with what your readers are saying. This is very much a personal preference, but the reason I try to reply with more than a generic "thanks" for longer, more in-depth comments is that, like I said above, nerding out with fellow fans is a huge part of why I love fandom. If people are already expressing interest in your story and you have a shared interest in canon, there's a lot of room there for fun conversations, even if they never go beyond one-off exchanges.

Comment on stories you like, and if you find specific authors you really love, let them know without reservations what you like about their takes and why you like them. One of my favorite commenting methods when I'm well and truly in love with something is to read everything once, then reread and leave longass comments on every chapter/fic. It's time-intensive, but I've never seen the effort go unappreciated. I've also been on the receiving end of this many times, and that's how several of my fandom friendships were born; one of my closest friends is someone I virtually kidnapped because I loved their tags on my JJK fic posts so much.

The above habits can be applied to Tumblr/Twitter too. Plus, there are plenty of people on such sites who engage deeply with fandom outside of fic writing. Be loud and proud about what you love. Sending a DM is an intimidating step, and not everyone will be receptive anyway, but most people welcome encouragement and appreciation. There are a lot of people I'm friendly with and fond of whom I've never interacted with directly, only via Tumble notes or asks.

I think all of this narrows down to being pretty generous when it comes to expressing your love for fandom and fellow fans. Won't always work out for various reasons, but as long as you're having fun, it's not wasted effort or time.

[shannonsketches]

Can I just say I love how you can be somewhat critical about certain things about totk without completely and unnecessarily trashing it and even adding humor. I wish more people were like that.

Aw, thank you! I'm just trying to make sure folks feel safe to enjoy things here (as long as, yknow, the respect goes both ways).

I definitely used to be someone who would trash stuff unnecessarily, and I'll always credit a mutual (although I did forget their handle,,,I'm so sorry) I had at the time for just letting me go on a long rant about why something bothered me and went, "That sounds really personal, but that got nothing to do with this." And all at once I realized I'd been projecting my needs/wants/expectations onto other peoples work (commercial or otherwise), and holding strangers responsible for serving me, specifically! Which is an absurd thing to expect from anyone!!

And sometimes I still forget the world doesn't revolve around me, glorious me, and I have to go back and apologize and do my mental health homework to figure out why I reacted a certain way, and why I took something so personally. But it's been really helpful to try and do the homework first, or type that whole salty take up and delete it or draft and review it again in the morning, before you make a stranger (or a friend!) feel bad or unsafe with you for the crime of enjoying something you didn't (which I have done, many times, and feel very bad about).

Plus, I've learned that if you're someone who is always analyzing and critiquing things, those moments can be really good practice for (respectfully! privately! in your own space! not on that stranger's post! not in that poor dev's DMs!) considering what you might have done differently, assuming you had the same parameters and resources available. I find this is especially good practice if you plan on entering a creative field! I promise you get a lot more sympathetic with how things turn out when you force yourself to dream within a budget and a deadline.

(also being nice to professionals is good practice! Some of them are jerks, true, but 99% of devs artists designers directors etc are just doing their best under a ton of stress and pressure to make everyone happy, and they're usually really proud of what they're able to accomplish, and they are absolutely not getting paid enough to deal with the comment section)

Once you let go of that need to be Correct and have control over stuff that isn't about you, you end up having a lot more fun and a lot less limitations for playing in the sandbox, and with other creatives! Plus you learn about yourself, and what your priorities and tastes are. You become a better story teller and collaborator when you can not only find but actively look for the good in things you may have completely dismissed as a kneejerk reaction to not liking something about it.

And again, I'm definitely still an ass, a lot more often than I'd like to be. I still struggle with that need to be Correct and to have complete control over my sandbox. I still get defensive and have to navigate rejection sensitivity when someone's idea contradicts mine. I definitely understand the reactivity when something means a lot to us, and it takes practice to share when you're used to being protective! But it's so, so worth it.

You meet such amazing people and find such wonderful, supportive communities when you embrace two cake theory. I highly recommend making an effort to expand your perspective and be a part of that support.

Supportive Community Pro-Tips from a Fandom Old Guy:

You don't have to adopt a theory to enjoy or appreciate it!

If someone's takes upset you, just block them. It's okay.

Don't critique someone's work unless they ask for critique

Don't RB someone's work with negative/contradictory comments, just make your own post

DO freak out in the tags/comments/inbox if you like something

Obviously don't wish harm over ships/headcanons/etc, just block!

Remember someone else's work is not about you

Remember someone else's work is Not About You

Are they experiencing a thing? Are they sharing their experience with you? That's a gift! Treat it like one!

Elitism is a mind killer. Newer ≠ Lesser, Older ≠ Greater. We all have stuff to offer and we all have stuff to learn.

and if I may impart the most important thing I've ever learned in fandom:

BE NICE TO EACH OTHER, WE'RE ALL JUST MAKING STUFF UP!

Thank you for the lovely message and for letting me ramble I'm!! Sorry this got so long and preachy, haha

[xtrablak674]

Not Withdrawing, but Reclaiming and Reprioritizing

In the last few months I have shelved my Facebook Messenger account after having over a year ago turned off my FB proper, this was followed with my Instagram account also being put away. Just this week I have decided to step away from my Deviant Art account after getting dinged for violations by a snitch on the platform. If my creative insight doesn't fit into the terms of service or community standards, than I need to leave you alone.

A few years ago my Flickr account was deleted with no notice whatsoever. I remember how disrupted my life felt because I was on that platform before it was bought by Yahoo ('05) and was subsequently passed around like a low-priced sex worker. I developed relationships, friends and even met some folks IRL. I had participated in moderating groups, creating them and utilizing all of the tools the platform offered. As I have said in my artist talks, it was the jump-off for my artistic career giving me the confidence to believe that my work could exist in the real world and be purchased, consumed and enjoyed.

Albeit I have never downloaded TikTok myself, the young people in my life send me many links and in some cases videos from the platform. I can relate to the anxiety some of these same young people are feeling about the platform being shutdown or restricted. These digital spaces become places for connection and a way to interact with people offline, and this can be addictive and affirming. But in a lot of ways I still have to wonder the same thing behavioral scientist, economist and sociologist are wondering, at what cost?

Initially the only reason I ever got on anyone's social media was to promote my artwork, but after my foray into the art world, the drying up of employment and the depletion of my funds I let that go, but kept up the pretense for a while, maybe too long. As I approach another turn around the sun I am reevaluating if these spaces are the place for me.

I can recall in the pre-internet 2.0 world, when DSL was king and AOL wasn't such a distant memory, that there wasn't a lot of love for me online. Who I am and how I embody those aspects wasn't ever something that sold easily. This was reflected to me from my brief stint as an escort during my summer off from college, reinforced by the first ad agency that I worked at, where the only time I was ever utilized in an ad was when my face wasn't showing.

I say this to say, I understand I am not everyone's cup of tea. Not that I think my physical appearance or personality are lacking, I think our societies idea of what is beautiful, palatable or interesting are lacking. We are supposed to imbibe of a limited set of flavors never truly contemplating a more complex palette. And I was a persons whose very identities used all the colours in the Crayon box.

I've mentioned before I haven't had intimate relations since '12 and dated since '07 the last platforms I was on were antiquated things like Adam4Adam and match.com, which curiously enough is still around. No one has ever swiped right on me, because I have never been on those apps. Not to date myself, but I can recall when hookups happened on the phone, where you would call a number talk to someone and maybe possibly be chosen, or in a lot of instances be swiped left on.

In some ways I guess it can feel like I am withdrawing from the world especially since I am still not a fan of leaving the house, something that pre-dated the pandemic by nearly a decade. I have just grown weary of unfulfilling friendships, empty acquaintances, and neglectful niblings (using this as a catch-all for the children of my siblings). I have always been a person who wanted more, deeper connections, complex conversation, real intimate relationships but the time for those things have waned completely becoming shadows of things I had in the past and I simply refuse to accept less than the best, even if that means that I am keeping my own company.

Settling, it has never been something I was good at, I'd rather be bad by myself than in a situationship that makes me compromise who I am, or partition my identities to be more acceptable, or accept less than what I deserve. "Maybe I'm just like my mama, she's never satisfied." Why should I accept mediocre when I aspire to greatness?

As I enter the third day of a fast that I didn't even plan, deeper into my quinquagenarian years and I pass around the sun for another rotation or colloquially as I say to the kids, the celebration of my first appearance (a la comic book) I want to move away from the things that aren't serving me, celebrating me, acknowledging me and keeping me close to their heart. If I am not getting this from those around me I will be content to be happy with myself, by myself.

[Photos by Brown Estate]

It's All Temporary

Fuck Your Community Standards

[protagonistheavy]

Does Smash Bros Ultimate have too many characters? This is a sentiment I've had for a while, but I've noticed lately that it's resonated with different folks too as the years have gone on, especially among people who were really active in the Smash scene for previous games -- yet didn't get as hooked into Ultimate.

A big reason I think so many people didn't connect with Ultimate as they did with previous entries is mainly because there's just so, so many characters. It's overwhelming to consider all of these different match-ups -- or even just the match-ups for the handful of characters you happen to play. There is so much homework you have to do if you want to improve at Smash lol; so many characters you have to learn about and figure out for your MUs, but also, a lot of these newer characters also come with wild gimmicks -- gimmicks that would require, like, a paragraph or more to explain fully. It's hard to predict and follow along with your opponent when you don't have this info to understand their decision making.

Whenever I happen to hop onto Smash nowadays and go for an online battle, it's always this frustrating feeling when I get matched against a character that I just know nothing about. I feel like I'm so disadvantaged because I don't have a wiki up to remind me that, oh, this new character has some RNG insta-kill mechanic, or that this character has an ability with only these specific limitations you have to consider.

And because there are so many characters, you're not totally likely to get to even play against them randomly again. You might fight a Sora today and think you learned how to play against him, but then it doesn't matter because the next 50 matches are against completely different characters. There's 89 characters, and even the echo fighters have their own unique attributes, which just confuses things more!

I'm sure for someone who does commit to playing regularly, this isn't too much to learn -- I mean, I play DBD and can remember what every perk and most add-ons do, I get how gamerbrain works. But for anyone that isn't playing the game, like, daily, 89 characters is just too much to juggle in one's memory, and it makes reapproaching the game later more awkward.

Sakurai made a big deal to note that Ultimate is very well and likely to be the only game where we're gonna see everyone, which leads me to believe that the next game will have a notably smaller lineup of fighters. Which is totally fine by me lol. I'm more than happy to see a lot of the third-parties shed off and only be replaced with a couple new entires.

But what I really would like to see is an effort to take the pre-existing characters, especially the old-old veterans of the series, and radically change-up their qualities and move sets. Some of these early-debuted characters have the unfortunate quality of having these outdated, unimaginative move sets -- qualities that were fine for the time back in Smash 64, but barely represent what the character is known for today. I think DK is one of the most clear examples, a character with so much history to draw a fighting-game move set from....... and yet he plays like Man With Two-Arms. Or look at Ganondorf as another example, whose been burdened all these years with a move set varied from Captain Falcon. Some of these characters can do so much more than what they're given, especially when you consider their latest entries -- tell me how you would design Princess Peach if you've only played Mario games from the past 10 years; would you really limit yourself to picking turnips or a hip throw as her SPECIAL moves??

This would also of course be an opportunity to take echo fighters and give them whole unique kits, with much more creative liberties being taken as necessary. Characters like Fox and Falco and Wolf would be so much more interesting if they had more unique move sets between them -- sure, I guess you can only make a gun be a different kind of gun so many times, but why do they ALL need to have the same special moves otherwise? They can come up with anything! Grenades, guns, Arwings, power-ups, tech -- they made-up Fire Fox and Fox Dash and basically made-up the Reflector Shield, so I'm sure they can come up with more stuff for these characters to do. At worst, I would even be completely satisfied if they took echo fighters and just combined them as skins for the base fighter; if they really can't come up with unique move sets between Marth and Roy besides making Roy have fire... then yeah, just fucking make them the same exact character but different colors lol. Give them the Bowser Jr./Koopaling treatment, it's fine!

Smash 4 had 58 playable fighters. To me, even that is a pretty big number! And I doubt we're going to lose that many fighters going into Smash 6. Even still, I really hope they aim to keep the roster of unique characters down to ~60 or something -- I'd be more than happy with a smaller cast, if that cast was more meaningfully designed and have more inspired implementation. It would certainly make the game more approachable and even easier to balance, as well as breathe some new life into characters that have otherwise gotten stale.

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Littlewood

I came across this game when looking for something cozy and casual to get into. I'm also not too into farming sims which a lot of cozy games are saturated with, so I thought to see what this game has to offer.

The premise is a little interesting as you play as a hero who saved the world but has amnesia. Your town is wrecked so you're tasked to rebuild it as you meet new folks who eventually come to live in the town.

The gameplay scratches a combination of things I wanted from other cozy games. You get to place buildings (as well as some interiors for houses) and pretty much any object whereever you like, as well as do a little terraforming. The freedom of creating a perfect town is a nice idea for those that want creative freedom, but not for those that prefer randomly generated lands which would come across as more ''natural''. Aside from building, you can also collect bugs, chop wood, break minerals, fish and collect weeds, farm, etc.. It's very much akin to Animal Crossing: New Horizons in particular. Aside from towns, you can also go looking for resources around other areas in the region to get rarer items, with slight combat mechanics from what I've seen. It adds a nice variety from just staying in town.

However, I'm seeing a couple flaws it carries from what New Horizons also seems to have as far as I know. The townspeople you meet are pretty much mostly friendly with you and are quirky at best, but not much depth going on (understandably for a solo dev made game). They do have backgrounds however and mention how the hero (player) interacted with them in the past which is nice. Sometimes you will see tidbits of conversation with other NPCs but this is rare from what I've played so far. The customization for the town is also limited, such as all structures being front facing (think Pokémon games, such as from gen 1-3) and cannot be rotated. The overall game also seems to act like a lite-version of what other games focus on with more depth (e.g. Stardew Valley or older Animal Crossing games). But maybe that is the intention, which is okay.

Overall, Littlewood is nice to play in times where you just want to turn your brain off and chill. It's not something I can see playing for longer periods compared to other games, but it is nice to see a game that touches upon its mechanics on a surface level. It could be fun for players that want to play something without putting too much thinking or effort, zero stress. And despite it feeling like a -lite, I actually prefer playing this over anything else in the genre.

[sharonisthebettercarter]

i've heard preacher is super good (tho i haven't read it) but i know this guy has also been credited with doing some incredible superman and justice league work, upholding the characters with major respect. props to that for sure, and reading the boys was honestly just a major eye opener on its own. it was *incredible* critique on the military industrial complex and capitalism, front and center with no holds barred.

as far as i know, this guy's (def a fan of gore lmao butt~) also a huge fan of graphic novel style works like miller's dark knight returns.

there's some intensely amazing stories out there. and when they do this kinda outside the norm/status quo rejecting stuff or don't have a 'disney style' lens or happy end, it just hardcore flies over peoples heads because the concept of 'not that simple' or 'artistic freedom' doesn't seem to stick with some folk. worse is that people have a habit of judging a book by its cover/what they hear through the grapevine (much like people) rather than checking it out themselves/making an effort to understand it first hand.

a lot of people don't want to make the effort to properly analyze and hold their own thoughts on stuff, they'd rather just someone else do it for them, parrot the same ideas they first heard, and declare any disagreement or additional debate wrong (even when you flat out prove them wrong)

it's really telling when we get a confession that says, 'i don't understand why x happened' for this kinda stuff (not limited to ennis but stuff clearly made to make the reader think/absent of an author's personal opinion) because it's a perfect example of someone who never learned how to read context or think for themselves.

which is tragic, honestly. and i get it, part of the problem is the education system.

i realized too that i write almost exclusively with unreliable narrators and aim for the same sorta neutral (mostly heheheheh i got some leans) set up the best writers out there tend to give. not just cause i find it hilarious, but cause i try to get inside the characters heads and define them as their own people, rather than just an extension of my hand fit up their ass for my fantasies or being my sock puppet.

i *WISH* we could have more neutral/morally grey *writing* out there with imperfect characters doing imperfect things or even being shitty people *without* people trying to act like it's a reflection/personal declaration of opinions on the writer. because understanding that helps us reflect on our own imperfections and biases, maybe even be a little less judgy on the world around us<3

but not understanding that *kills* good creativity in the absolute worst way.

i can't even count the amount of times i've seen fans go off, dehumanize and insult (sometimes even harass) a writer in the industry literally producing the content they enjoy for the crime of... not producing it *exactly* the way they wanted like a perfectly mind read script (jesus christ people, wtf do we even have fan fiction for if y'all go off and pull that shit). and that's not to say there isn't bad writing from supposed pros out there (there absolutely is *cough*cough*lookin' at you *endgame*mcu*), that's to remind people that these ain't frickin' robots.

they're not even the ones making all the money (if the recent strikes were any indication, always remember that artists/writers getting mistreated by the industry is STILL rampant, ESPECIALLY with big companies like *disney*, but most of hollywood ain't so good either)

they're also *people*, who ain't you, and ain't fuckin' perfect, and they don't gotta be neither. stories can be flawed or not made specifically revolving around our own ideas, and we can still enjoy them, just like we would from another fan fic author.

granted, we may still show favoritism towards our own work (LMAO), but seriously, how damn stuck up you gotta be to denounce everything that ain't made by you or for you or people like you?? (at least have the decency to recognize your own trashhood~<3 WOOOOOOOOOO--)

lmao prolly why i love neutral writing so much. just tells the story/ lesson in depth, leaves us to think for ourselves.

but c'mon y'all, we can do better<3

[steveskafte]

CREATOR'S LITTLE SECRET I'm not well-educated in the traditional sense. I failed so often at Math and Science that I can't separate the right answers from the wrong ones in my mind. The correct solution was just the last one I learned to finally pass. The only subject I came close to acing was English. Something about the history of words, their construction and spelling, the way they could be formed into virtually any expression – it was some kind of heartfelt magic. When I'm writing, it's like the words float through space around me, and I pluck them one by one for the page. My overall mastery of language is fairly limited. I use few words over four syllables, and don't have much taste for making my audience read with a dictionary on tap. I think of myself like a folk artist, doing working-class writing that doesn't sound any different from the way I talk face-to-face. Just because they're immersed in the technical process, a lot of artists fall for the trap of thinking that their audience should know it all too. I don't mind telling you how the sausage is made, so to speak, but I suspect it won't improve your enjoyment of the final product. When I hear a song I love, that doesn't mean I need a lesson on how to play it. Who cares what lens the photographer used, and why are writers always droning on about writing? Maybe this is just me, coming from a long line of blue-collar non-artists, but some things are better not knowing. Behind-the-scenes lessons are fine for teachers, but I think artists are better suited for spending their time making more art. I think of it like this – maybe you love your life and love your parents, but that doesn't mean you want a play-by-play of your conception. The real backstory worth telling is hidden in the reasons. The important aspect of understanding art is not in the chords, notes, techniques, or craft – but in asking why a bridge was built from the emotion and experience to anywhere at all. The knots and tangles between the two can be infinitely picked at, when all that matters is inspiration and the final product. The rest is best kept as the creator's little secret. So many people feel this weird thrill from digging through a vast and mythologized creative process – as if we have no confidence that the artist's passion and our love of their art is enough. Discussing the process can't make us love deeper, or build it up from scratch. If I reach you, it's like falling in love. If I don't, let's both move on and keep looking. May 22, 2023 Annapolis County, Nova Scotia Year 16, Day 5671 of my daily journal.

[kazdhd]

Passion

My thoughts on "Passion" - A writing prompt

Passion is powerful — it can be categorised as a strong or compelling emotion, feeling or desire — such as love, hate, affection, lust. It’s also categorised as an experience of love, a strong sexual desire or an over-the-top fondness, enthusiasm or desire for anything (e.g. a passion for writing!)

It’s so powerful that it can ignite both a creative flame and a destructive fire. Passion can push you to your limits in both good and bad ways and I believe it’s down to the individual, and the circumstances surrounding them at any given moment, as to which way it will end up going.

Our passions fuel a fire in us all. Some are long-lasting, lifetime passions that people use to their advantage on a daily basis. Passions for hobbies like writing, singing, art and such like. It drives a person to want to create, share, interact, engage, be part of something bigger. Passions like this are positive — they help you, and others around you, grow. Explore. Experience. Live!

However, I feel like passion can also cause you to lose sight of the bigger picture, if the feeling is too strong, it ends up overshadowing everything else.

For example; a passion to help people can often become so intense that it can lead to being walked all over and not having the confidence to stand up for yourself when you’ve been taken advantage of. It can make you feel like you have to ‘do the thing’ for someone regardless of its impact on your own physical and mental health. It can consume you if you don’t take the time to (or struggle to) look at things objectively along the way.

Another example; a passion to make money — this can be both good AND bad. To make more money is, on the surface, a very good thing (especially with the cost of living crisis and everything else we normal folk have to deal with every day) — who wouldn’t want to do it? To have a passion for it means you’ll do anything for it and that can, unfortunately, lead to poor (no pun intended) decisions unless you’re aware of where to draw the line. Make more money — yes, but to compromise your own integrity or moral standings in order to do so? No. Not a good result in the end.

The same applies to any and all passions, now that I’ve thought about it a little more. A passion for hobbies, such as those mentioned above, is all well and good until you stop sleeping, eating, looking after yourself just to make sure your art/song/poem/story is completed. That’s when it becomes a problem. I realise that’s a drastic, worst-case-scenario take on things, but it’s true all the same.

I feel like it should come with a warning sign — experience with caution, or something along those lines — but that’s not really how it works, is it. Emotions are a very strong force to be reckoned with and you have to be able to manage these well in order to truly understand and utilise said passions to a healthy advantage.

Me? I simply cannot regulate said emotions which is where passions start to become a problem for me. A passion to eat more healthily can quickly become something that consumes my every thought and ends up making me doubt every decision I make in the supermarket — leaving me frustrated, tired and unable to continue with it. Now that could be the undiagnosed ADHD, the depression or the anxiety that I experience every day clouding my judgement. It could also be my low self-esteem simply telling me “hah, you can’t be passionate about this. You don’t know what you’re doing!” — who knows, I could be getting this completely wrong. But it’s what came to mind as I pondered this topic.

I can, however, regulate my passion for writing, for the most part. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I’ll find myself sitting up until 3am, having already been at the PC for 4 hours researching things to include in my blogs about my wonderfully complicated little life, thinking ‘hey, I might as well stay up ’til morning!’ That thought in itself is a little bit dangerous if I were to do it all the time. I’d end up with little to no sleep, compromising my already strained ability to function like a normal human being, and would be of no use to myself, or anyone else until I’d had a chance to recharge.

I feel like I’ve gone on a bit of a tangent here (don’t I always, haha!) so I’ll end with this thought, and my actual answer to the original question:

Passion is a creative flame capable of turning in to a destructive fire if not managed appropriately.

[a-slut-for-smut]

One Big Slutty Fuckoff List of Gloriously Smutty Alutegra fanfics :D

Greetings, fellow Alutegra sluts out there! I am but a humble whore for Alutegra for well over a decade, but finally decided it was high time to curate some of the finest, most exquisite smut of our OG girl boss/malewife ship. What spurred this on, you ask? Welp, I am guilty of sluttily luring in some of my moots aboard this ship and been promising to deliver this for AGES, so here we are years later (sorry i operate on grandma speeds!!!)

A couple things to know regarding this rec list (which may be particularly helpful for curious newcomers, horny vets feel free to scroll on down):

1.) As the title suggests, this is a smutravaganza so mostly is rated E, some M. Sorry folks, im sure there is a ton of amazing non-explicit fics but this is all i read! Also, given the very nature of the series (iirc it originally has hentai roots) it doesnt shy away from sexually kinky themes. Honestly name a kink and its probably not only been explored but likely grounded as far as canon goes. What do i mean by this? I'm only going to name a few but if any of the following get your juices flowin then Alutegra is the ship for you:

Dom/Sub BDSM (emphasis on consent)/Power play vibes- Integra is master, Alucard is her servant. As my boy Oscar Wilde said “Everything in the world is about sex — except sex. Sex is about power.” Honest to God, I don't know any ship that embodies this quote any better.

Bondage- Alucard is first discovered by Integra in a strait jacket/chains etc, and if memory serves me correctly makes several appearances throughout the series

Genderbending/fluidity- well im not sure this is the right term, but in canon Alucard can shapeshift/says he doesn't identify with a specific form/body (whether this applies to gender is up to interpretation i guess?). His "Girlycard" form is generally seen as his female form in the fandom.

Monster porn- Well, Alucard is a vampire and can shapeshift. Including a wolf/dog beast. Sky's the limit folks

Tentacle/cosmic horror porn- Alucard can conjure these shadowy tentacle thingys and a million extra eyes which serves as some sort of relevant symbolism that ive completely forgotten. Shit's hot tho (i got a cosmic horror kink shutup)

Non-penetrative sex & forbidden/taboo vibes- in canon, its established that only virgins can be turned into true vampires, everyone else turns into inhuman mindless ghouls. That said, the authors who write within the bounds of canon find very, VERY creative loopholes. Also the sheer level of pining (for penetration especially) might drive you insane no joke (proof: me). Mad respect to these authors- trust me this is sayin a lot coming from someone who actively prefers full-on penetration smut XD

2.) I am by no means a resource for canon- I watched both series YEARS ago, so my memory of the plot is shaky at best. What truly gripped me about this series is the Alutegra relationship, the true struggle in how to define their bond (or if it even can be, kudos to the fic authors that try). They are both utterly compelling characters in their own right within canon (truthfully I crush harder on Integra than Alucard) and i think the fandom absolutely recognizes that. Much of the gravitas of their bond is tied to canon, so most fics seem to understand/reflect this. No warm fuzzy coffee shop/high school AUs here folks, prepare yourselves for a truly smutty angst fest.

OK enough of that, to the smut! I'm really just commenting on the porn vs the plot so no summaries here. Oh and if any of you know the tumblr URLs of any of these authors lmk so i can tag them. Also im sure ive missed some gems, feel free to share and i'll look to add later

Welp, im going to hell and im taking you all with me- get sinning and enjoy the feast you horny hoes

One-shot porn

What It Wants and Where It Goes - by @crystallinee-waters

Femdom but goddamn its written in a way that made me ache. Alucard's sheer level of contrition, desperation for forgiveness goes beyond your standard simp energy. Top tier, i fucking LOVE how their relationship is depicted. and fun fact, i may have helped the author brainstorm some of the smuttier details <3<3

Mine - by @crystallinee-waters

Goddess at femdom and pining, but holy hell the way how explicit sexual content is approached is just *chefs kiss* I needn't remind you folks- consent is sexy as fuck and this authors fics are proof of that *sidenote - im keeping this list to smut but do yourself a favor and read ALL these authors fics, im a whore for her interpretation of their relationship

In This Darkness, I Have You by @goblins-riddles-or-frocks

What is the point of a vampire/human porn-rec list if you don't include menstrual cunnilingus smut? Also feels. Lots of feels.

Girls & Wolves by Calesvol

mmm hate-sex at its finest folks. Gotta fuck em into obedience yallwhatimsayin??

Homeostasis by Calesvol

A semi-sequel to Girls & Wolves. Very kinky smut but laced with hurt/comfort.

Kingdom of Heaven by Iggy_Lovechild

more hate-sex basically, yay. Also has a shit-ton of smutty one-shots, far too many to list- enjoy

A Queen's Throne by Anilucard

a smutty ode to Alucard's wicked, wicked tongue :D

With the Thorns Underneath by wllw

Holy femdom batman!

Loopholes by @and-i-write-sins

eyyy remember when i mentioned creative loopholes? LOL

you'd make a dead man come by valenstyne

LORD HAVE MERCY! i'll let the fic summary speak for itself: There’s more than one way to stake a vampire. Metaphorically speaking.

Pain by hypnonaut

lol this one just gets progressively kinky as it goes, but Alucard's adoration of Integra is both sweet & sexy

Tentacles of the Night by LaviniaLavender

eyyy remember when i mentioned tentacle porn? LOL

Simple Motions by @ironcladvalkyr

eyyy remember when i mentioned genderbending? but to expand on this this is probably one of the hottest things ive ever read and top tier aftercare/pillow talk

To be watched, in such silence by @ironcladvalkyr

short but smutty, the way Alucard goes on about how Integra turns him on is yums

darling, I wish you were red by @lunarcrystal

yay for cunnilingus and pining!

These fics from Cardinal_Daughter - you have to be logged in to see

Clingy - Timeline of their relationship via Integra POV.

Adore - post-canon angsty smut

Remembered - no smut but this was so achingly angsty i had to shout out

Multi chapter porn

And Though You Turn From Me - by @when-rivers-run-red

THE PINING, THE NOTICE ME SENPAI FEELS, THE TENTACLE PORN AUGHHHHHHHHH this one is a recent favorite folks, do not skip!!!

Eternal Sin by @therustycage

This post-canon multi-fic is one of my favs. Love the Alutegra interactions on how to tackle the obstacles presented in the finale, the pining, and the plot is definitely something to chew on. Slow-burn but tis a good burn

Embracing Sin by @therustycage

Sequel to Eternal Sin. Basically fluffy-porn and time travel. Delicious.

Satis by @lesmismignon

A heavy weight champ of Alutegra post-canon fics. Integra's POV on how she wrestles her feelings for Alucard- just INJECT that shit straight into my veins MMMM! Alucard's pining is top notch/the slow burn makes the smutty bits that much more exquisite. Honestly just read all her fics (one-shots) they're great

The Return by ButifulDeath

Post-canon porn with interesting plot, and fuckin hell dat smut is just *chefs kiss*

Samhain by ButifulDeath

fluffy porn one-shot sequel to The Return and it is hothothot

Like Real People Do by @my-mild-ginger

ahhh so i actually havent read this one yet as its a chonky 40 chapters (currently), seems much more fluff vs smut for those that prefer that balance

[amaiguri]

"I love worldbuilding almost more than storytelling and want to show off my work, but I don't know how!"

If this sounds like you, I've been sitting on some unsolicited advice that you are FREE to ignore because you didn't ask -- I just have tons of friends who faced this creative challenge and this is what I suggested to them:

YOU are NOT obligated to create in a way that is marketable to other people. You can do whatever you like. That being said, I understand OP is frustrated their work is going unseen -- This is more philosophical guidance than practical advice.

What this means in-practice is: Don't feel limited to traditional forms of storytelling! Try writing a collection of diegetic pieces that each reveal new aspects of the world -- such as newspapers, snippets from in-universe books, journals, letters, in-universe songs, handbooks, etc. These epistolary works are more digestible than textbooks about the world, after all.

Similarly to that, you know those "magic-school-by-mail" services? Where they mail you your "lessons" and "homework"? Or even the "Murder Mystery Letters" -- where they mail you a new collection of Evidence every month and you have to solve the mystery? You could set-up a school or series of mysteries or LITERALLY ANYTHING episodic and discovery-based in your world like that. Maybe instead of sending packets of letters, you could just email some friends or post the updates online!

That being said, a world guide aimed at either:

People who might be writing stories (including potential themes and symbols, aesthetics, important characters, structures in the world, etc.) OR

People who wanted to play in your world as a Tabletop Roleplaying Game Setting

...might do better than a worldguide with no-target audience. Either of these options are a lot more paletteable to read than a textbook about a fictional place. And yes, these are both media in their own rights and there would be a bunch of additional work to master them BUT if you're already interested in production/game design, then this might be a cool option that works for you better than a straight world-guide.

Download RPGmaker or a similar simple game engine and build the actual world as a place where you can walk around and read things and talk to people. Don't worry about gameplay or game design -- just focus on the worldbuilding parts YOU care about Many engines these days both have boatloads of pre-built assets -- so you don't need to code, do art, animate, record sound effects, or anything else that might not interest you. Yes, they can be a little complicated but I basically taught myself these programs from free YouTube videos -- so I bet you can too.

Consider working with other people, instead of alone, to bring your world to life! Work with another writer/comic artist/game-maker to do something with the world you've created. You can build a world and they can have someone to give them feedback as they go and it could bloom into a whole partnership.

Remember how I mentioned that Tabletop Roleplaying Game Setting? If running a whole TTRPG isn't to your taste, maybe you could just run a Roleplaying Forum or Discord Server instead. Have everyone take control of major world leaders or average folk with no influence or anything in-between. Describe major world events and have all your participants write-in about how they would handle it!

And yes, those last two options require you to give up some creative control... but also, maybe something magical could happen when you just let go a little? Or with the right person?

Lastly, if none of that is working for you, there is nothing wrong with just writing mishmash journal entries from a traveler or even just making a PDF for your website that infodumps about your world. While not the MOST marketable artform, you'll find your audience with the right marketing -- I am certain! So maybe the real thing to focus on is MARKETING your worldbuilding better!

Those are just some of my ideas to tackle this challenge off the top of my head. I hope this was helpful -- if not to OP, then maybe to someone else who is building worlds that they do not know how to show-off! 💜

So I'm one of those writers that falls into the trap of world building super hard. I have so many projects I spent months or even years creating, writing lore, doing art for, all kinds of stuff, but never end up telling any actual stories in so they just end up going ultimately unused. One I'm working on right now is likely to fall into this category.

The thing is, I've recently come to the conclusion I enjoy world building more than actually writing in a lot of cases. Don't get me wrong, I still love to write and tell stories and make comics, I won't stop doing that lol, but I also really love making worlds and settings just because I can.

The problem is though, without a story to attach to these worlds, I don't know how to go about actually sharing them in any way. It's fun making things, but to spending so long working on something that no one will ever see is starting to feel... I guess a bit tiering. A few I tried to use little slice of life stories or comics as a way to share the worlds and settings, but they never actually stay slice of lifey. The big comic I'm working on right now, Voidstar, was supposed to be one of these and at some point it went from "cozy space slice of life" to "gay aliens get imprinted on by a baby dragon god and travel the galaxy to fight the government" Needless to say, Scope creep is a bit of an issue for me lol and nothing ever gets done. I also tried making websites on a few occasions or showing stuff off on my portfolio website related to the worldbuilding projects, but that didn't end up working for a bunch of reasons (mainly that my portfolio is on Wix and they're stingy with space for pages/uploads). I also tried World Anvil, and used to really enjoy that, but they've locked way too many features now behind frankly ridiculous paywalls, so It's not really worth it now. Not to mention it was really hard to make WA sites decently accessible.

All of this to say, I want to start sharing these worlds (if nothing else so I stop vanishing from social media for months at a time when I get hyperfixated lol) but I have no idea how. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

[whumptober]

Whumptober 2020 - Updated

Welcome to Whumptober 2020! We’re doing things a little differently this year so please make sure to read the Event Info carefully. We are also excited to announce the addition of an AO3 Collection, which can be found here.

We hope you’re as excited as us to watch the Whump Community come together once again for a month of bone-crunching creativity and collaboration!

(All 31 Themes + Prompts, Event Information, and FAQs are posted below the cut!)

No 1. LET'S HANG OUT SOMETIME Waking Up Restrained | Shackled | Hanging

No 2. IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY  "Pick Who Dies" | Collars | Kidnapped

No 3. MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY Manhandled | Forced to their Knees | Held at Gunpoint

No 4. RUNNING OUT OF TIME Caged | Buried Alive | Collapsed Building

No 5. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING? On the Run | Failed Escape | Rescue

No 6. PLEASE.... "Get it Out" | No More | "Stop, please"

No 7. I'VE GOT YOU Support | Carrying | Enemy to Caretaker

No 8. WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO? "Don't Say Goodbye" | Abandoned | Isolation

No 9. FOR THE GREATER GOOD "Take Me Instead" | "Run!” | Ritual Sacrifice

No 10. THEY LOOK SO PRETTY WHEN THEY BLEED Blood Loss | Internal Bleeding | Trail of Blood

No 11. PSYCH 101 Defiance | Struggling | Crying

No 12. I THINK I'VE BROKEN SOMETHING Broken Down | Broken Bones | Broken Trust

No 13. BREATHE IN BREATHE OUT Delayed Drowning | Chemical Pneumonia | Oxygen Mask

No 14. IS SOMETHING BURNING? Branding | Heat Exhaustion | Fire

No 15. INTO THE UNKNOWN Possession | Magical Healing | Science Gone Wrong

No 16. A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY Forced to Beg | Hallucinations | Shoot the Hostage

No 17. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING Blackmail | Dirty Secret | Wrongfully Accused

No 18. PANIC! AT THE DISCO Panic Attacks | Phobias | Paranoia

No 19. BROKEN HEARTS Grief | Mourning Loved One | Survivor's Guilt

No 20. TOTO, I HAVE A FEELING WE'RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE Lost | Field Medicine | Medieval

No 21. I DON'T FEEL SO WELL Chronic Pain | Hypothermia | Infection

No 22. DO THESE TACOS TASTE FUNNY TO YOU? Poisoned | Drugged | Withdrawal

No 23. WHAT’S A WHUMPEE GOTTA DO TO GET SOME SLEEP AROUND HERE? Exhaustion | Narcolepsy | Sleep Deprivation

No 24. YOU’RE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE Forced Mutism | Blindfolded | Sensory Deprivation

No 25. I THINK I’LL JUST COLLAPSE RIGHT HERE, THANKS Disorientation | Blurred Vision | Ringing Ears

No 26. IF YOU THOUGHT THE HEAD TRAUMA WAS BAD... Migraine | Concussion | Blindness

No 27. OK, WHO HAD NATURAL DISASTERS ON THEIR 2020 BINGO CARD? Earthquake | Extreme Weather | Power Outage

No 28. SUCH WOW. MANY NORMAL. VERY OOPS. Accidents | Hunting Season | Mugged

No 29. I THINK I NEED A DOCTOR Intubation | Emergency Room | Reluctant Bedrest

No 30. NOW WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? Wound Reveal | Ignoring an Injury | Internal Organ Injury

No 31. TODAY’S SPECIAL: TORTURE Experiment | Whipped | Left for Dead

Alternate Prompt List

Alt 1. Punctured

Alt 2. Falling

Alt 3. Comfort

Alt 4. Stitches

Alt 5. Stoic Whumpees

Alt 6. Altered States

Alt 7. Found Family

Alt 8. Adverse Reactions

Alt 9. Memory Loss

Alt 10. Nightmares

Alt 11. Presumed Dead

Alt. 12. Water

Alt. 13 Accidents

Alt. 14 Shot

Alt. 15 Carry/Support

Event Info

WHUMPTOBER is a month-long, prompt-based creation challenge (think: Inktober, but whumpier). There are 31 Official themes this year - one for each day of the month - which can be used, skipped, or combined in any way you’d like. They are meant to serve as inspiration without being taken literally (e.g. you don't have to include the exact wording into your work). Additionally, there are 3 prompts for each theme.  These are optional suggestions and can be used in conjunction with the theme, or as options/alternatives.  We want to give everyone as much creative freedom as possible, as well as increase event accessibility for folks with triggers and squicks.

Creators can PRODUCE work in any media they choose, including but not limited to: writing, visual artwork, and photo/video/audio edits. Creators can PARTICIPATE as much or as little as they want (i.e. you don’t have to do ALL the prompts if you don’t want to) and prompts can be used in any order. They are also free to use even after the event ends.

When uploading Whumptober content to your blog, be sure to tag the with:

#whumptober2020 …..(the event tag)

#no.1, #no.2, #no.3, …..(theme number)

#bruised, #stabbed,  …..(the theme or specific prompt you chose)

#fandom or #OC

#medium …..(gifs, fic, podcast, art, etc.)

#teeth, #etc …..(trigger warnings & any additional tags. Keep in mind not to add “tw” in front but only use the word/trigger itself, because tumblr sucks)

#nsfw, #nsfwhump …..(only for nsfw content)

PLEASE BE DILIGENT WITH YOUR TAGGING. Only properly tagged posts are considered for archiving on the official @whumptober2020​ blog. They must be tagged in the order above.

Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of participants in recent years, we cannot guarantee your work will be archived. A random selection of properly tagged posts from all genres will be reblogged each day.

Whumpers who produce content for 31 total theme days are considered event completionists and will be tagged in a masterpost at the end of the month.

Questions not addressed below can be directed to this blog as well.

Thanks for reading, and happy whumping!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What kind of content can I make? Can it be NSFW?

This is a MIXED MEDIA event! You can write fic, post meta, doodle or paint, create a gif set or photo edit, link a song, or get crafty with video - anything goes. As for NSFW, make what you like, we just hope that you’ll tag your work accordingly so that others participating in the event can stay safe :)

Q. Do I have to do all 31 Days? Can I post early/late?

Participate as much or little as you like, and post whenever! Just be sure to tag your posts properly (ex. #no.11, #psych101). Combining prompts into one piece of work is okay, and posting late is as well so as long as it’s in October.

Q. What if I don’t understand a theme?

Send us an ask! We’re happy to help clarify. That said, the themes are entirely up for interpretation :)

Q. Can I combine Whumptober with other creation challenges?

Absolutely! That’s like shooting two whumpees with one bullet :)

Q. Can I upload/repost my whumptober content to other social media platforms?

Of course! We’ve created an AO3 Collection to archive any fics posted there. The archive can be accessed here. The blog is the official archive, so please respect the boundaries of any closeted whumpers in your social circle :)

Q. Can I use prompts to write a new chapter for an existing fic?

Yes

Q. An existing fic I am currently writing contains many of the Whumptober prompts, can I use it?

If you are actively writing this fic at the moment with the whumptober prompts in mind, yes. If it just conveniently checks the boxes, then please don’t. You can, however, add new chapters answering one or more of the prompts.

Q. What kind of characters can I write for?

Fandom characters, OC characters, human, furry, alien, cyborg, whoever you like.

Q. Can I use a prompt multiple times?

Yes,  but it only counts once

Q. If I’m not comfortable with one day's prompts can I use a prompt of a different day as a substitute and still be a completionist?

Yes, but please do not use a specific prompt twice. We have also created an alternate prompts list that you can draw from [here].

Q. Where can I post my work?

Post where and how you want. You don’t even have to (cross)post it to Tumblr. Just keep in mind if it’s not on Tumblr we will not be able to add it to the blog archive.

Q. Can I start posting early?

You can, but this is an October event and wouldn’t it be more fun with everyone doing it at the same time? That being said, you can post early, but we won’t be reblogging any work predating October 1st.

Q. Do I have to finish a fic I started/can I post WIP’s.?

Yes you can post WIPs. And you’re not obligated to finish it in October for it to count towards being a completionist.  

Q. Is co-writing allowed?

Yes, absolutely, and it would count towards being a completionist for both/all of you :)

Q. Do I have to create 31 standalone pieces to be considered a completionist or can I write one continuous story?

One continuous story is fine.  The challenge is to write something for 31 prompts. If that’s spread over 31 fics or just one, you are still considered a completionist. (The same goes for every other media you choose.)

Q. Is there a min/max limit on word count?

There is no limit

Q. Can I combine prompts? Is there a limit on how many?

No limit and combine as many as you’d like.

Q. Is a hc/angst focus ok?

Of course!

Q. What’s considered nsfw?

See this post

Q. What's whump?

See this post

Q. My interpretation of the prompt isn't whumpy at all, does that count?

No, sorry, but keep in mind that whump [see definition] is something very nuanced and different for everyone and emotional whump/angst is just as much part of it, as is physical whump and torture. So before you dismiss your idea, think about this.

Q. Can I start working on the prompts before October?

Absolutely! That’s why we posted the prompts a month in advance. We recognise how difficult it can be creating for 31 days in “real time”.

Q. How do I tag triggers?

tw at the end of the word, ex. emeto tw

Q. Do I have to use your tags?

Yes, if you want your work archived on the blog. If not, feel free to use whatever tags you want.  

Q. Does combining prompts count towards completion?

Yes

Q. Can we @ you?

Yes but we mostly rely on the whumptober2020 tag

Q. Is there anything we are absolutely not allowed to write?

There are no rules, just be sure to properly tag your trigger warnings. And keep in mind Tumblr’s policies if you are posting it here (or the policies of whatever site you use).

Q. Where can I go for brainstorming help?

Here on Discord

Q. My characters are minors, is that ok?

Yes, but as with everything else, tags are your best friend.

Q. Can I cross post on other blogs?

Yes, multiple platforms and blogs are perfectly acceptable. You can also post different works to different accounts under different names, without posting them everywhere at once.

Note: This is a creation challenge, please don’t repost your old work under our tags (unless it’s been changed or edited for the event).

[farshores]

wait wtf happened 💀 I feel like I missed a shitstorm

To keep it short, sweet, & not ranty: Kaidan addon update - they massacred our boy /hj

Dialogue is p low-tier, very Yt Women Romance(tm) & draws away from his original set up, imho at least lol but in the end that isn't what bugs me.

What has me seeing red is the devs throwing a fit & pearl clutching because folks were asking if they're going to keep in/respect the asexual option the base mod has. (Because obviously that means they want to do away with all the romance/sexual options as does anyone with a single, mild criticism - amiright gamers /s)

Which idk bout y'all but that is not a good look lmao

EDIT: lmao one of the new devs is biphobic as well - don’t use the Kaidan add-on folks

EDIT 2: Screenshots of the whole fiasco regarding Kai’s asexual option have been provided (do note this is what’s left after some deletion) and will be added below the cut - Names of the discord members were censored for general precaution + I hope y’all are mature enough to realize not to bug the VA Dan about this. Again, this is not an excuse or reason to harass anyone, this is to inform others so they can form an opinion & hold accountability.

That being said, I will be posting my short personal opinion below, because lol i do have opinions - transcript has been added

[Image transcript:

"My thing is I'm fine with it if it's unlocked via other dialogue tbh because I 100% have characters that'd be down for it. But others would be like...no? So how do I vote for that XD"

"I like what she has done with the mod. It makes him more real and with faults. He is an harlequin romance novel character. I'm sorry, but I had to give in my two points there. He isn't excuse me Just don't where the amulet o mara don't wear it, don't get no reomance Um Okay"

"I mean for me even in the base Kaidan mod it got mized up after a while, I don't know if that was my game being bugged though. (I did think there was an odd flaw in that if you choose to wait the first time dialogue kind of got lost???)

"Okay now hold on, some people are asexual but not aromantic. They don't want sex but do want love and romance."

"Yeah exactly"

"As an asexual, I always choose the romance without the sexual stuff."

"this is where I exit the convo, have a nice night guys."

"Would it be possible to add a option where you can tell Kaidan what you're comfortable with and what you're not comfortable with?"

"Now in all fairness you need to consider [redacted] side too, Adding content may not always be in line with the original author's intent. This is [redacted]'s work, not Liv's. It's not necessarily fair to impose another person's will to limit her creativity and it's difficult when some do want that content. Yes what [redacted] said was insensitive but I think it was from frustration of a feature they wanted being cut not out of malice. It's not okay to dogpile and shout out her opinion. Let's take a deep breath."

"Do you want him to be a monk that is tranquil in dragon age terms?"

"No? I want him to be who he is already."

"They might mean don't ruin his protective nature."

"I think that would be a great shame (I'm tired and not expressing myself very well sorry)"

"Making him more sexual when not in a relationship would feel more bishop like and less like himself or how Live wanted him to be."

"You guys really don't want to hear what i am feeling right now, so i'll be a nice respectful [redacted] and just stay behind."

"exactly"

"OK EVERYONE. THATS ENOUGH. This is what's going to happen: [redacted] will remove ALL sexual related stuff. So everyone can drop it now. From now on will focus only on quests and the like"

"I think there is room for both. Kaidan can be more open to being more saucy if his lover mentioned they wanted it. He dated Ros for Divine's sake Dagon knows she asked for worse. But [redacted] isn't able to make everyon happy. You have to be understanding on both sides."

"we will make him a monk. with protective tendancies"

"TBF he was traumatised by Ros"

"sorry [redacted] I'll shut up"

"From now on, if anyone wants sexual material they will have to donate and get a bespoke from Dan like some other people have done."

"sorry if its a dumb question but when you said all the content did you mean everything in the whole mod itself or just a new patch? again, sorry if thats a stupid question."

"So, I'm getting confused now. Is there too much romance in the mod now as well? Sorry but I just feel frustrated at this point. Yeah sexy might be too much but romance as well?"

"I don't think anyone is saying there's too much romance? (though more friendship stuff would be lovely too!)"

"no [redacted] its perfect on your end its just some people having different opinions"

"how about she removes /all/ the sex shit period from her mod and just leave what is in the original mod for you guys?"

"Oh god no [redacted] the romance stuff is lovely!" (unable to read the rest of the message)

"Yeah there's a cold romance and the hot romance I believe."

"Please keep in mind this is [redacted]'s mod. I payed for all sex lines myself. she was being nice and sharing. But ok, we will take them back. The donations where used for regular comments and a large quest. We will not be able to please everyone. Lots of people have privately asked us for more romance and sex and that's why we took this route. Now because you guys those other people won't get anything. There. Now y'all are up to date. Better to just drop the subject and everyone have a good rest of the night."

"There are three"

"I am just confused at this point also, Is it just like, have two paths the more slow romantic and..."

"There usm byt /u haven;t been able to figure out how to go along the paths so far."

"I love the romance stuff!"

"Sure x"

"I'm going to be really blunt here, and I'm sorry if I sound like a jerk. But....people that have not donated really shouldn't be asking for anything. Plan and Simple. Suggestions are welcome by everyone of course. Telling [redacted] what to do with her mod? NO. I talk to Dan, not only professionally, we are friends. Guess what, what you hear is how he is. He IS Kaidan. We give him a script and he runs with it. He does whatever he wants. Adds cussing at will and even changes things. We just use whatever he gives you. Soooo if someone doesn't like Dan's stuff then by all means don't use the mod. I WILL NOT tell Dan what or what not to do. Anyways, sorry for being so blunt. Some of you needed to know this. Most of you are really nice people. Thanks."

"go on" ]

Now I don’t want to sound like a jerk here, but there’s a difference between being blunt & throwing a fit because people were (rightfully) upset at your response to a simple suggestion.

You’re right! It isn’t our mod, but if you’re going to take the mantle of taking other’s suggestions & criticisms - you gotta do so without this whole attitude lol. I don’t give a damn if you’re best friends with God - this is not acceptable behavior & if your first response to someone going “Hey is this thing from the base mod going to be respected/stay” is “OOOH SO YOU WANT NO SEX OR ROMANCE WHATSOEVER OOOOH YOU’RE PULLING OUR LEGS BOOHOO” then maybe - just maybe - being a mod dev ain’t for you. & I seriously recommend logging off for a bit & finding something else to do.

Spicy take but trust me when I say someone not being 100% interested in the same shit as you isn’t the end of the world. Both opinions can be discussed but it needs to be done so respectively & the devs failed in that.