#I'm sorry my writing style is just repetition → repetition ↓ repetition ← repetition ↑

[kyouka-supremacy]

Please make a meta on when Atsushi started falling in love with Akutagawa, I love your shin soukoku wisdom

That would mean implying Atsushi loves Akutagawa WHY, SURE! I feel like Atsushi falling in love was way more gradual and unconscious than it was for Akutagawa, who fell pretty early on and relatively suddenly, heavy and hard. With Atsushi it's... Very underlying, very slow. It really is the “slowburn and its opposite at the same time” situation. Atsushi thinks he hates Akutagawa, and he's so used to it, he wouldn't realize he's stopped hating him a long time ago. In a doa-arc-never-happened scenario, I feel like there's a real chance they might take the enemies to friends to lovers route: where they eventually find common ground because no one understand them like they do, and they need each other. They need the thrill and adrenaline of fighting to death as much as they need late night conversions over lukewarm cups of tea. They always know, magically, what the other needs, and they're perfect for each other; it's not even Atsushi falling, it's more of the natural evolution of events, because they're meant to be together– beyond labels and definitions, because what they have is unique and it's only theirs. If Atsushi had to point the moment he fell for Akutagawa that'd probably be when he realized that even when surrounded by other people, he still felt lonely without Akutagawa– like he was missing a part of himself.

But that's not how things went, right? Akutagawa is dead. Atsushi never had the chance to see anything but a monster in Akutagawa until it was too late. And what now? Atsushi would have never thought Akutagawa's death would have effected him as much as it does; and yet he's left feelling a pain he'd never thought he'd feel, spending sleepless night over sleepless night. And I don't know if that's when Atsushi fell, but for sure it must be the moment he realized that against all odds he cared for Akutagawa; it shows in his reluctance to fight him, in his desperation to bring him back. And maybe the precise moment Atsushi fell was when Akutagawa smiled at him; maybe the precise moment Atsushi fell was when he first saw the human in Akutagawa. But it was too late.

[rolandkaros]

i hate how self-conscious i've become of my writing like i used to publish completely unedited plotless extremely out of character bullshit two times a week and now i work on one (1) piece for three months and hate it the whole way through. idk why i can't convince myself that it's good bc i've been told literally my whole life that i'm a good writer but for some reason now when i read my own writing it feels like listening to nails on a chalkboard.

[monstersholygrail]

hhands on learner hehe... i sure hope so ,,>_<,, but on that note, really quickly wanted to say happy birthday to ballet anon!!! i'm sorry your day didn't go well, i hope the rest of the year is kinder to you :(

with that being said... i hope it isn't pervy of me to think about dragon bf mating press. mmating press... heehehe... one of my favorite positions, but its sooooo underrated aaaaa >:T

'm a lil' curious tho... what're your favorite positions to write? :0

( 🍰 )

Saw this a little late, but this is so sweet!!! Love the intermingling emoji anon loveee

Anything to do with thinking of dragons in any sexual capacity is more than perfectly wonderful to me. You���re totally good, love. It is a very good position. I don’t think personally I could get my knees into that position. But that actually poses a very interesting thought.

Dragon bf and his big and towering frame hovering of you as he wildly fucks into you. The idea of making you feel just how big he is inside you making him nearly feral. So he pushes your knees up to your chest, relishing in the long moan that slips from your lips. When suddenly he starts to meet the resistance, your limbs not allowing for the satisfaction he needs. With his giant clawed hands he continues to push down on your legs, forcing you to feel the painful stretch of your legs mixed with the pleasurable stretch of his cock molding your pussy to his length and girth. And when you cum, milking his cock for all it’s worth, you don’t think you’ve ever cum harder before.

Pfff, hope you enjoyed that. That was inspired by the memory of my karate teachers pushing my knees down in the butterfly pose to make us more flexible lmao.

And thank you for asking!! I think my favorite positions to write are probably variations of doggy style and cowgirl. I tend to write them in my fics the most lol. But I’d like to add some variety to it just so my stuff doesn’t get repetitive. Maybe I’ll have to do some research. Oh woe is me 😏

[journey-to-the-attic]

rating all of the om songs (so far) to pass time on the train LET'S GO

i was going to split these into separate posts but Ah who CARES they're all here now. for the intents and purposes of this post i am leaning more positive to the romance aspects (usually i'm more ambivalent). looong post ahead!

(i'm considering the lyrics based on the direct unofficial translations credited to Maon_ObeyMe on twitter, rather than the official english versions)

CHARACTER SONGS

Arcadia (Lucifer) -> Sonically: 7/10 I'm oddly into that one synth that comes in after the chorus. The violin stings are cool. Fun to vibe to! Points knocked off because he kind of doesn't sound like Lucifer, though. -> Lyrically: 5/10 Points removed (derogatory) for "lady", other points removed (affectionate) for the hilarity of "I'm fall in love u baby". You can tell it was written when they were still clinging somewhat to the dominant diet Christian Grey thing, but a lot of the lines are still genuinely romantic (while also being very Lucifer.) -> Overall: 7/10 I scrunch my face when I get to That One Line but otherwise I do pick this to listen to semi-regularly.

Are You Ready? (Mammon) -> Sonically: 6/10 Banger, but repetitive. Good rhythm to walk to. Hirotaka Kobayashi's delivery makes it. -> Lyrically: 6/10 Points docked for repetitiveness, but it's cute to see this side of him verbalised. Gender neutral high heels are a serve. -> Overall: 6/10 I don't relisten to this one quite as much as Arcadia, but I think that's just a genre preference.

My Chance! (Levi) -> Sonically: 8/10 The mixing on his voice is a bit weird, but it fits in with the chiptune sound, which I adore. Really catchy chorus. I also really like that soft bell insturment that's playing along with the main melody. -> Lyrically: 8/10 Really cute! Levi's characterised really well here. I love his little spoken interjections - Satoshi Kada is one of my favourite VAs in terms of delivery. (Levi's lines are some of the best in either of the voiced pop quizzes.) -> Overall: 8/10 Cute and fun to listen to. It's really easy to imagine a music video for this one.

Read My Heart (Satan) -> Sonically: 8/10 Really pretty piano instrumental, but I feel like there could've been a bit of variation. On the one hand, layering in some strings could've sounded really nice, but on the other, it does feel more personal as a solo piano ballad. Shinya Sumi has a really nice voice. -> Lyrically: 9/10 Very sweet, almost poetic, very Satan. The reference to cats doesn't feel heavy-handed. It feels like he wrote it. -> Overall: 9/10 I really like the bridge. It has a sort of lullaby quality as well, so it's nice to fall asleep to, or listen to when you need to calm down.

Pomade (Asmo) -> Sonically: 7/10 It's better-produced than some of the songs I've given a higher sonic rating, but this is more a matter of preference - this song isn't super my style. -> Lyrically: 10/10 EXCELLENT. The journey Asmo goes on? Starting out singing about himself and tempting you, then shifting to singing about you (You are my captive -> I am your captive) - the way it basically reflects his arc in OM S1? Chef's kiss. Beautiful. -> Overall: 7/10 I don't listen to it that often but I do think about those lyrics. They're so good. This is how you write a character song.

Hungry Six-Pack (Beel) Sonically: 8/10 I'm a sucker for that 'wah' effect on the guitar. I really like the rock sound, but I think it was done better in Barbatos's song. (Sorry, Beel.) Kyohei Yaguchi also does a really good job on the performance - you really get the feeling that this is how Beel himself would perform in a band. The interval in "darou" in the chorus is to die for, as is the "forever, forever-ah-ah-ah" in the last chorus. Lyrically: 6/10 Even in songs Beel cannot escape the "they only know how to write him with one character trait" allegations (/hj). To be fair, it'd be hard to get into his deeper character without dipping into lyrics about survivor's guilt, which I feel wasn't what they were going for. Overall: 7/10 I like to imagine him performing this at a bar. Also, total aside, but I really don't like that title.

Dreamscape (Belphie) -> Sonically: 9/10 I'm not usually a lo-fi person, but the vibes are perfect for Belphie and I really like this composition. -> Lyrically: 7/10 Really cute, but pretty basic - then again any of the songs' lyrics seem so when you compare them to the Queen Pomade. I do like how much Belphie's needy little-brother nature comes through here. "Hey, come see me, please?" Makes me want to pinch his cheek. -> Overall: 9/10 The sound alone carries it. I listen to it pretty regularly.

No.1 (Diavolo) -> Sonically: 9/10 Takuhei Yamamoto is giving it so much oomph and it's fantastic and also very in-character for Diavolo himself. He would be that enthusiastic. He would throw his head back and belt like that mic was made for him. (I find the "Sā, hora!" before the chorus really cute.) -> Lyrically: 6/10 It feels a little weird that he's doing the dominant thing in the lyrics here, but his sin attribute is apparently pride, and it's interesting that they chose this characterisation for him given he's usually so affable. (It's not like it came out of nowhere, to be fair - Diavolo basically admits to it on occasion, he seems to just hold it back, usually.) -> Overall: 7/10 Solid song that I don't listen to all that often for some reason.

Crazy About You (Barbatos) -> Sonically: 10/10 Absolute banger. The guitar solo makes me want to run through walls. Masayuki Harada's performance as Barbatos is also both spot-on and pitch perfect. That "Ahh-" leading into the chorus is gorgeous. I'm not the biggest fan of the spoken lines, but I appreciate that they're there for those truly starved stans who don't get nearly enough of him in the main story. -> Lyrically: 8/10 Perhaps oddly I really like his mix of servitude and sternness here. Feels playful in a way that I think really works for his dynamic with MC. (If only they'd utilise it in the game.) -> Overall: 10/10 It's just that much of a banger. Barbatos I'm so sorry for what the NB remix did to you. You were too powerful.

My Wish (Luke) -> Sonically: 6/10 Gonna be honest I completely forgot how this song sounded after I finished listening to it for the first time. I'm not the biggest fan of Luke's voice direction and there are parts in this where I just fully see a full grown man doing the voice. I do really like the chorus (the part that mentions sweets and cream) though. -> Lyrically: 8/10 Just very cute. Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from Luke - another one of those where you can easily imagine that the character wrote it themselves. -> Overall: 6/10 I don't think I've listened to it more than five times, to be honest. I actually quite like the NB remix for this one.

Question Love (Simeon) -> Sonically: 4/10 Simeon what the hell did they do to you. The production is fine, it's just... the autotune? It isn't like Yu Hirata can't sing. Why did they do that? Presumably it's a stylistic thing, which I'm not against, it's just not executed well. (Though it's cute to imagine Simeon himself being responsible, as tech-illiterate as he is.) It's a weird genre for a character like him, too. I was expecting another ballad, maybe with a harp... -> Lyrically: 6/10 Feels quite generic - I feel like Simeon of all characters would have had a more poetically written song, and his relationship with MC could have been particularly interesting to write about. (Though I'm not sure how long ago this was released.) -> Overall: 5/10 He deserved better. I do like the instrumental on his NB remix, though. That deep bass synth in the back is great

Our Destiny (Solomon) -> Sonically: 7/10 Really like those violins on the chorus. The blend of the strings with the more lo-fi adjacent sound is actually really fitting for a character like Solomon. Kazuki Kawata has this really nice smooth voice, and his ad-libbing at the end is pretty charming. The "hey!" on the chorus sometimes veers into youtube_kids_going_yay.mp3 territory for me, though. -> Lyrically: 7/10 I really like that he calls back to one of his in-game phone calls. It's kind of funny that he sounds so sure of himself when there's an almost insecure nature to his affections in NB especially. -> Overall: 7/10 All around good song. Another one who got done dirty by his remix.

------

UNIT SONGS

Choose Me (Mammon, Levi, Asmo) -> Sonically: 6/10 I like the big brass sound, but... eh. Feels like something's missing. I like Hirotaka Kobayashi's delivery on Mammon's rap lines, but the chorus in particular feels kind of lacking. -> Lyrically: 7/10 I don't know what this 'love game' is but I don't think I want to participate. I also fully hear "gay" every single time. That aside, the verses are pretty good. -> Overall: 5/10 Not really for me, but I'll listen to it on shuffle sometimes. This one's remix was criminally bad.

Telepathy (Beel, Belphie) -> Sonically: 10/10 Such a pretty instrumental. Is that "ooooooo" in the background Belphie? It does sound like Satoshi Onishi's voice. The twins both sound perfectly in character and in sync with each other (though I would've liked for them to have a verse together.) Their spoken bridge is adorable. -> Lyrically: 7/10 It's hard to gauge the vibes from the lyrics. They're definitely singing to/about each other (they say so in the bridge), and that's clear in the chorus, but there are a few parts where it's like. Is that something you say to a brother?? Did a songwriter miss a memo? Also what does "your muscles are mood" mean. -> Overall: 9/10 It's such a comforting song to listen to. I just get a bit distracted by "your muscles are mood" every time. Belphie. What does that mean. Please

Passion (Lucifer, Satan) -> Sonically: 8/10 Really big fan of the piano. The breathing sounds caught me off-guard at first, but I know to expect them now. I really like both VA's performances. Lucifer sounds like Lucifer again! -> Lyrically: 7/10 I find Lucifer's line "I said that I’d listen with patience and silence, but you've got some nerve to actually continue" kind of out-of-place - it's more consistent with his characterisation in early NB than anywhere in OM when this was released, which is interesting - but the rest is pretty good. I really couldn't imagine singing this alongside your own sibling though. -> Overall: 8/10 I don't tend to choose this one a lot, but I don't skip it if it comes on in shuffle.

Take It Easy (Satan, Belphie) -> Sonically: 8/10 Really fun bouncy instrumental. I really like the rapport between these two here. (Would you say Belphie's in falsetto? Either way, I love how he and Satan take the higher and lower registers respectively.) -> Lyrically: 10/10 God I love these lyrics. They're so funny. The brief moment of sincerity before they go right back to singing about how much they love pranking Lucifer. "Makes me happy" makes me so happy. It's so sweet. These little rascals. These absolute rapscallions. -> Overall: 9/10 I like the sound of Rock On better, but the LYRICS. They're so great.

Rock On!! (Lucifer, Mammon) -> Sonically: 9/10 This one's another banger. The VAs do a great job with the back-and-forth delivery in the spoken bridge (I especially love how Lucifer and Mammon both sound like they're pretending really hard that they don't give a shit on "Yoroshiku douzo negawakuba" together". Lucifer also sounds like he ran out of air on "...omae wa" a little earlier. Lol -> Lyrically: 8/10 It's really funny to listen to them both strut their stuff singing about themselves in the verses and then suddenly get sincere to each other on the bridge. Though I think this song could've really benefited from the "feels like it was written by the characters" approach. -> Overall: 9/10 I just really like it!

Trigger (Levi, Asmo, Beel) -> Sonically: 8/10 This used to be my favourite of these three unit songs sonically, but solely the delivery of "Trigger!" bothers me a little bit. It could use more force, is all. That aside, everyone did a fantastic job and Satoshi Kada in particular served on Levi's verse. -> Lyrically: 7/10 I'm not even entirely sure what's going on in this song, but I like it. I didn't like Asmo addressing you as "kitten", but I did really like Miura Ayme adding a sort of cutesy whining tone to "I'm the cutest demon in the world, right?" - Ayme in general does a great job with Asmo's character in songs. -> Overall: 8/10 Still good! I think my tastes have just shifted since I first listened to it.

------

OPENING SONGS

Sinful Indulgence (OM!:SWD) -> Sonically: 9/10 It really is a bop. Miura Ayme's performance is great. -> Lyrically: 8/10 Pretty strong! "Oh baby, obey me!" is clever and very catchy. I only ever use the word sexy as a joke so it catches me off guard when Asmo says it, but that's not really a complaint. The dark-and-sinful nature of the lyrics is really funny when you compare it to the stuff these guys actually get up to in-story. -> Overall: 8/10 It's a good listen and a good opening to the game, even if the lyrics don't really reflect the content all that well.

Devil's Way (OM!:NB) -> Sonically: 9/10 Ohhh whatever that metallic bell sound in the intro+outro instrumental is, it is a tasty sound. Shinya Sumi is performing his heart out and he's doing fantastic. I still can't fully tell if that's Belphie or Levi on the start of the second verse, but whoever it is did a really good job of making it sound subtly unsettling. The bridge starts shifting into edgy territory, but the whole song is teetering, to be honest. Also, I've mentioned this before, but the "sekai de-eeee" just before the bridge is still so good. -> Lyrically: 8/10 I adore the use of "sweetiepie" in the chorus but it does detract a little from the dark vibe they've got going on. Lucifer using 'boku' in this song of all places is bewildering and hilarious. The darker tone definitely fits in with S1 and S2. -> Overall: 8/10 Something about that bridge bothers me. Other than that, banger.

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BROTHER ENSEMBLE SONGS

It's My Party -> Sonically: 9/10 It's a bop. -> Lyrically: 6/10 Relatively basic. From a cynical perspective, the brothers basically each tell you their One Assigned Trait that the writers fall back on when they can't be bothered to do deep characterisation, but that's not the fault of the songwriter. I take psychic damage every time I hear "haters gonna hate." -> Overall: 9/10 I've listened to this quite regularly since I had my friend edit me the version with "haters gonna hate" cut out. (It's a 7/10 with the hater line left in.)

Eternal -> Sonically: 9/10 So nice. I can't unhear the first few notes as See You Again, but the rest of the track is definitely a credit to itself. I feel like there could've been more orchestral build-up, but that might also make it feel too dramatic... as is, it feels more candid and personal. Like you could imagine this being performed to you in a small local theater. -> Lyrically: 10/10 There is definitely bias at play, but hearing this as OM's first sincere ensemble love song made a pretty big impression. The lyrics are so sweet. "My love" is one of those terms of affection that I love so much I don't even mind when it's used on me. -> Overall: 10/10 Again, biased, but this song just has a special place in my heart.

On Your Way -> Sonically: 6/10 It's.... fine? I like the instrumental, but the chorus feels a little empty. Shinya Sumi hitting that high note on "Let's get you on your way" each time is kind of inspiring, though. Belt it, girl! -> Lyrically: 7/10 The "eeny-meeny-miny-mo" is so silly but I love it. -> Overall: 6/10 Pretty standard stuff.

With You -> Sonically: 9/10 Gosh, another really pretty instrumental! I think the seven VAs are definitely more comfortable singing as an ensemble here, though it would've been nice to get some more harmonies... -> Lyrically: 10/10 They're so sappy but that's what makes it work, especially delivered in all sincerity like this. Something about that last line (and its delivery) feels so earnest. -> Overall: 9/10 I'm just a sucker for whatever genre you call this and Eternal. Also, I really like title callback to S2's play (I don't think it was necessarily intentional, but still).

Spooky Night Parade -> Sonically: 7/10 It's a really fun instrumental. I love the little "hehehee....... trick or treat?" in between choruses and verses. They're just little guys. -> Lyrically: 6/10 Just sort of standard Halloween-y lyrics that don't mean too much. -> Overall: 7/10 it feels more like a novelty song than something I'd listen to regularly.

Magic Moment -> Sonically: 9/10 Oooooh that's a nice instrumental. The swelling dynamics are so satisfying, the vocal performances are all lovely. I love that glockenspiel in the back. (At least I think that's what it is.) (I've imagined IK playing it while the brothers perform this before.) -> Lyrically: 9/10 Another "it's so sappy I love it" moment. "I'm so happy I could cry" Like GUYS!! Aw man I love you. They drop three I love yous and they're all great. -> Overall: 10/10 I know the maths doesn't add up but I just really like this song.

Anniversary -> Sonically: 8/10 Strong instrumental, but I feel like the delivery on the raps in the first verse are a little lacking? Asmo and Belphie's verses feel incredibly satisfying for whatever reason. Though Belphie(?)'s little "come on baby" at the end just makes me laugh. I feel like the chorus could've benefited from splitting the brothers up a little (at least for the first two) rather than having them all sing at once. I love hearing them all talk to each other at the beginning, like a behind-the-curtain moment. -> Lyrically: 9/10 "We can't live without you" AWWWWWWWW -> Overall: 9/10 Feels nostalgic even though it came out this year. Another one where the overall rating is based on pure vibes and feeling

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TRIWORLDS

All the Feels -> Sonically: 10/10 Certified banger. Is it something about Barbatos? (His "one more time" in the final chorus is kinda hype.) Feel like there could've been more variety in the instrumental, though. -> Lyrically: 8/10 The verses feel more personal to the characters than in e.g. It's My Party, but the chorus is still pretty basic. It's a little upsetting that one of Barbatos's lines here has more depth to it than most of his characterisation thus far. I find it really funny that they call the listener "buddy." Probably would've been too weird for Luke to say "honey". Also, the "We are dancing, we are dancing (uh, uh)" bridge is so dumb (in a cute and funny way) -> Overall: 10/10 Just a great song to listen to (and imagine choreography to.)

[notiddygothgf]

12. three months

★ pairings: plug!wakasa imaushi x f!reader

★ synopsis: the one where you have the hots for your dealer, and Wakasa is always eager to please a customer. (don't let your bf stop you from finding ur hubby)

★ content warning: smut, angst, lotta porn w a lotta plot, car sex, dealer wakasa, cheating, oral sex, sneaky link, vaginal sex, vaginal fingering, sex while high, consensual drug use, mentions of abuse, unprotected sex, so much more...

★ a/n: so.... I have definitely been on hiatus. So so so sorry about that my little pookie bookies. life has been so cray cray lately. ur fave premed student has been struggling ngl. but I'm back up on my grind and I'm cranking out these chapters again! This one took a while to write because its definitely not a writing style I'm used to, but I needed to get this out to get to the good good. waka girlies, u will enjoy this chapter... I'm not spoiling but, stay tuned!!! love u allllll

★ w.c.; who even knows bru

previous part | next part

BLACK STILETTO HEELS CLICKED AGAINST linoleum, one after the other – the sounds rhythmic and soothing. You could faintly hear the fabric of your pencil skirt rustling as your thighs rubbed together, strutting down the aisle of the office with confident ease. You ran these streets. Least, that’s what it felt like when you came down that aisle every morning after you clocked in.

Right. Let’s run it back.

Three months had passed since your last meeting with Wakasa. You had taken some time to mull the whole thing over, and while a part of you wanted to hate him, you just couldn’t bring yourself to do it.

Three months of thinking, eight months of loneliness, three months spent repeating the same day over and over again. Three months at a job you didn’t really like, trying to make ends meet after Takeomi had cut you off.

Three months without him .

The unopened message sat in your phone the way it had been since you’d sent it. It seemed like years, now, that you had been running your tired gaze over the small field of text below the drunken mash of letters you had sent.

Read 12:01 AM

Swishing the burgundy booze around the bottom of your glass, you rested your head against the cold, unforgiving surface of the bar table. 

You swiped your ID through the reader, punching out for the day. Pocketing the little card and lanyard, you continued onward. You came up to an elevator, same one you used every day. You pressed the same buttons to get down to the same door you left through every day.

Every day.

With a quick nod of your head, you greeted your coworker – who was on her way in just as you were making your way out. You weren’t too big of a fan of her, in all honesty. You felt she was too superficial. Then again, who wasn’t in a place like this?

You were making good money, though. That’s all that mattered.

The rush of cool air that greeted you as you pushed past the gold-rimmed office doors provided a brief respite from the stuffy office. The city streets stretched before you, bustling with activity as people hurried by.

You took a deep breath.

Heels clicking against the pavement with every step, you walked with a purpose. The air of confidence you strived to exude seemed to mask your internal turmoil – feelings you felt were much better left unsaid, feelings that had been bottled away in the cellar of your mind for the past three months.

Three months of repetition.

Three months of regret.

Three months spent trying to remember the intricate valleys and curves of his body, the small features you had come to adore.

Three months spent trying to forget him.

Though you had struggled initially with your feelings toward Wakasa, you couldn’t really bring yourself to hate him. You had spent a good quarter of a year mulling it over in your head, breaking your last interaction with him into microscopic bits and pieces.

You had concluded that he had done it to protect you.

You knew he had been right to an extent but, shit… a man of his standing should have been able to find a way to make it happen…

…right?

You hadn’t heard much about Takeomi since the fight with him and Waka. Not even a peep. You didn’t know whether to feel alarmed about that or not.

You felt like you were being watched from a distance. Always. It felt like you were trapped in a never-ending cycle.

With your phone in hand, you dialed the number for a cab. The familiar anticipation began to build again while you waited for the vehicle to arrive. 

On the streets below, the city lights flickered to life, casting an amber glow on the sidewalk. You looked around for a moment, and then something piqued your attention.

Vrrrr.

There was a deep, rumbling sound in the distance, one that seized your heart in its grasp. For a moment, you were right back where you had been eight months ago. Your eyes searched the street until they fell upon a motorcyclist who had slowed to a stop in front of your building. Well, not in front of it, across the street. 

The sight of the rider stirred a pang of nostalgia deep within you.

In that split second, memories flickered through your mind. Memories of stolen laughter, hidden kisses… Memories of hushed promises against soft lips, some broken and some kept. His silhouette triggered an unexpected surge of hope.

You strained to see the rider’s face, heart racing. You yearned for that familiar, lazy gaze – the warmth it once held. 

But as he popped the helmet off of his head, it wasn’t blond hair that fell over his shoulders. No, just regular old brown hair and a stubbly face. 

It’s not him.

The realization hit you like a punch to the gut.

Your gaze fell. 

The cab’s arrival disrupted the moment, its tires screeching against the pavement until it came to a stop by the curb. With a weighted sigh, you climbed into the cab.

Your heart throbbed with a bittersweet ache. As the cab pulled away, you couldn’t help but wonder about the chances you wished you had taken with Wakasa, the what-ifs that lingered in the recesses of your mind. 

The cab carried you away from the scene, leaving behind the phantom of a love that had become a haunting memory.

-

The cold, yellow liquid felt refreshing as it burned its way down the back of his throat, that familiar acidic texture eating away at his stress. He sighed, setting the glass down on the counter.

As the bittersweet elixir numbed his senses, the pulsing beats of the club melted away, merging with the cacophony of laughter and chatter all around him.

Lost in a haze of intoxication, Wakasa let out a heavy sigh, setting the glass down on the counter with a thud. His friends eyed him up warily, faces etched with that familiar look of concern. He heard voices, people telling him to slow down, to regain control.

Of course, he paid them no heed. Glazed eyes reflecting a distant detachment, senses dulled from the liquor… worries numbed, just the way he liked it. In that numbing embrace, he found solace. Time and time again.

“I think you need a therapist, man,” Benkei whistled, nursing his own strawberry margarita. “If you’re still hung up over a hook-up this long after the fact, there’s something wrong with you.”

He pushed his friend’s concerns aside with an air of indifference and a quiet hum, too caught up in the muffled chaos of his own mind to truly acknowledge his worries.

“I think you need ‘ta hop off my dick,” He retorted, pursing his lips. “I know what I’m doin’, Kei. ‘M 27 years old.”

Benkei knitted his brows, muttering something into his margarita along the lines of, “Sure don’t act like it.”

“‘M fine, guys. Promise,” He smiled, although it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He knew he hadn’t been himself in a while, of course, but he would be damned if he admitted that. “What, a man can’t drink in peace?”

“No, Waka, the problem isn’t you drinking in peace,” Shin added matter-of-factly. “‘S the fact that that’syour eighth beer of the night.”

Waka glanced down at the half-empty drink in his hand – or half full, depending on how you looked at it – as if he, too were surprised at the number. “‘S Friday night, anyway. Go hard or go home.”

Waka thought he had put on a good show. He thought that, if Shin squinted hard enough, he could mistake him for a sober man. 

He thought wrong.

Shin shook his head, “It’s fuckin’ Thursday, man.”

Although he refused to acknowledge it verbally, he knew Shinichiro had brought up a good point.

Who was he kidding, anyway? It didn’t help. None of it did. The booze, the clubs every weekend, the faceless hookups and lap dances – none of it distracted him from the mess you had made in his heart.

Three months.

“It’s okay to admit you need help, Waka, y’know we love ‘ya,” Shin tilted his head. “Seriously.”

“Honest to God,” Benkei hummed.

The whole world knew he was a mess. Why couldn’t he just admit that something was wrong?

Waka ran his tongue over his teeth like the sharpened edge of a blade. He almost hoped it would draw blood. Anything to make him feel something.

“I…” He hummed, trailing off for a moment. “I think I need one more shot, then I’ll go home.”

Benkei shook his head.

Shin looked disappointed. Still, Waka couldn’t quite bring himself to care. 

Not even when his two friends had to carry him home.

-

[ 2:00 AM ]

Outgoing Message - 2:00 AM

You get home safe? 

.

Incoming Message - 2:00 AM

Yeah man. Thx 4 askin.

He holdin’ up ok?

.

Outgoing Message - 2:00 AM

He’s alr now, im staying w him tn

Gotta make sure he don’t puke in his sleep

Lol

.

Incoming Message - 2:00 AM

This ain’t healthy for him…

.

Outgoing Message - 2:00 AM

Ik… we gotta do smth man

.

Incoming Message - 2:00 AM

Ik, h8 2 see him like this

.

Outgoing Message - 2:01 AM

Idk i mean my lil sis is friends w her i think?

It may be time for ummm

.

Incoming Message - 2:02 AM

An intervention lol?

You know how Waka feels ab us gettin involved w his antics

.

Outgoing Message - 2:02 AM.

Not us.

I know a way

.

Incoming Message - 2:02 AM

It don’t involve Take’s ex girl, do it?

.

Outgoing Message - 2:03 AM

Jus follow my lead, alr?

.

Incoming Message - 2:03 AM

… I don’t like where this is headin, shin.

But I trust u.

Delivered.

-

[ USER CALL LOG ]

Best Bud (Waka)....... (Incoming) 5:00 PM (30 sec)

Lil sis (Emma) ………. (Outgoing ; declined)  2:10 AM 

Lil sis (Emma) ………. (Outgoing ; received) 2:11 AM (26 mins)

Benkei …………………. (Outgoing ; received) 2:12 AM (1 min)

Shibuya Pizzeria ……. (Outgoing ; received) 2:30 AM (1 min).

[ END OF USER “Papi Sano”S CALL LOG]

.

-

.

[2:05 AM]

[Automated]: you have 3 new messages. Play back?

[USER] Selected:

[NO] …

… [View Inbox]

…

[ Last 3 Months ].

[REPLAY>>] Message from ‘Pretty Thing’.

Transcription:

“ Hi Waka, It’s me… I know ‘s… [hiccup] been a while. I’m- Just. Wanted to let you know that I’m in the area. And, first of all… fuck you, for what you did to, to me, you– ugh. You bastar- [hiccup] -d. I’m calling to let you know that I’m much better off without you. Me and my girls are havin’ a ball… a… a ball here tonight. Without you…….. Ugh, who am I kidding. I don’t even know why I called you. You probably haven’t even thought about me in months. I know I’m g’nna [hiccup] wake up tomorrow and forget I even sent this message so– [hiccup] just do me a favor, okay? You owe me that, after breaking my heart the way you did. Just forget you never saw this message, okay? Delete it. It’ll be better for both ‘f us if we just pretended this never happened. Fuck. How do I delete a voice message? I–

[???]: Girl, who are you talking to?

I gotta go, Waka, but… [sigh] I miss you. Okay? Fuck, I really miss you. I would never admit that sober. Thankfully I’m gonna delete this message before you ever see it, so it’ll be like it never happened. Not like I would have remembered anyway. Okay. Which button is it again? Ah, wait, shi –”

[ End of Message. ]

[Automated]: Would you like to play the next message?

[ No. ]

[ Play ]

[Automated]: Replaying message from ‘Pretty thing’.

-

The harsh neon lights buzzed against the night sky tonight at the Eclipse. Even from where you were standing on the curb, you could hear the bass throbbing through the pavement, the vibrations in the air, the smell of sweaty bodies grinding a few yards away. 

YOU  |  I’m here babe wya

Hitting send, you pocketed your phone. You took a deep breath, tightened your grip around the strap of your purse, and then stepped forward. The moment you entered the club, a wave of sound and sensation enveloped you. The air was thick with perfumes and colognes, the faint aroma of liquor lingering somewhere – probably the ground. 

Disco lights painted the crowd in fleeting bursts of colors, highlighting dancing bodies, dazzling outfits, and sin. 

In all honesty, you had no idea why Emma had even thought to invite you out here tonight. It had been eons since your last trip to the club. But, still, she said some event was happening and she didn’t want to go alone, and who were you if not the world’s best friend?

You searched the crowd for her familiar face and, sure enough, there she was, standing by the bar on the far end of the room. Blonde hair down to her back and a sweetheart dress that revealed just enough cleavage for you to know she was scouting out free drinks tonight, she was hard to miss.

You couldn’t help but smile as she waved you down wildly, gold bangles glinting beneath the club’s kaleidoscopic lights. There was an old song playing, one you couldn’t quite remember.

Emma’s grin only widened after you approached the bar and took a seat next to her. You scooted a little closer, cupping your hands over your mouth and shouting, “You weren’t kidding about this place!”

She laughed, a sound that you could almost hear in your head despite not being able to catch it over the music. “It’ll be fun! You brought ‘ya dancin’ shoes, right?”

Your eyes darted over to the dancefloor, where bodies writhed beneath the bass of the music. The sensation you felt was somewhere between excitement and hesitation. “I ‘dunno if I’m there yet, Emma– It’s been a while!”

“What?” Emma shouted. She rolled her eyes, glancing down at the other end of the bar. “I didn’t bring you here to mope, babe, we’re getting plastered!”

On cue, the bartender returned with two green drinks in hand, furnished with tiny little umbrellas. He set them down in front of the two of you, reached behind the bar, and then set two more red cocktails down before you.

“Let’s get this party started!” Emma squealed, sliding one of the green drinks your way. She held her drink in your direction, “To girls’ night!”

You clinked your glasses together in a toast.

Taking a cautious sip, you allowed the sweet concoction to flood your parched mouth. It was coconutty, with a hint of lime and –

The liquor hit you like a punch to the face. You scrunched your nose up, coughing a bit. 

“Shit, that’s strong,” You remarked.

“It’s a Coco Loco!” She answered the question you had yet to ask. “With two extra shots of rum! I knew you’d like it!”

You weren’t really a fan honestly, but you didn’t want to tell her that. Not after she had just spent money on drinks for the both of you.

“It’s good,” You said anyway. 

Emma clapped a hand on your shoulder, “That’s the spirit!” She exclaimed happily. Her makeup was creased a bit around the corners of her lips, where you knew she had been smiling all night. “Melt the pain away, girl.”

-

Wakasa stumbled out of the car, pulling his arm out of Shinichiro’s tight grasp. His annoyance was palpable in the way he kicked the car door shut behind him, paying no mind to the driver as he pulled away. He stood now on the edge of a bustling sidewalk in the middle of what might have been the shadiest-looking corner in Shibuya. He took a long drag from his cigarette, tendrils of smoke melting into the midnight blue around them.

“The hell are we doing at a seedy joint like this?” Waka grumbled, voice a low growl of discontent. With a scowl, he readjusted the collar of his deep purple dress shirt. 

Shinichiro bounced on the balls of his feet, stuffing his hands into his pockets with a sigh. His breath materialized into the air in front of him, a cloud of white amidst the darkness. 

“Figured we’d let loose a ‘lil tonight,” He spoke with such casualty that it almost came off as a little dismissive. He nudged Wakasa playfully, a humorous glint playing in his dark eyes. “Find some loose local girls for a quickie, yeah?”

Under any other circumstances, he would have been jumping at the opportunity. Seeing as he had spent the last few months attempting to drink his regrets away, however, he was anything but chipper at the prospect.

Waka’s annoyance only deepened, brows furrowing. He took another puff of his cig, blowing out the smoke with a quiet scoff. “I’m over fuckin’, man,” he groaned. “I’m goin’ celibate… startin’ today, no more bitches f’me.” 

“Like I’d ever believe that from you,” Shinichiro snorted, a subtle grin playing at the corner of his thin lips. He slung an arm over Wakasa’s shoulders. The height difference between the two of them was emphasized as they walked side by side. “Jus’ give it an hour, Waka,” he urged, tone oddly persuasive. “If you hate it, we can leave. If you don’t have a chick’s legs wrapped around your neck by the end of the night, I owe you fifty.”

Waka sucked his teeth, irritation melting away with newfound curiosity. “Might do it ‘jus to spite ‘ya,” He retorted.

“Right. Wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Shinichiro replied, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. There was something in his tone that raised Wakasa’s suspicion, the slightest feeling that Shinichiro might be up to something. “And don’t be bitchy with me ‘jus because I won’t let you pregame a fuckin’ liquor bar.”

Waka shot Shinichiro a fiery glare, cigarette ember glowing bright, before flicking the thing onto the ground in one deliberate motion. “Blow me,” he muttered beneath his breath. 

The two men stood in front of the club’s entrance. Wakasa slowed, locking his gaze onto the club’s exterior. Then, with a reluctant sigh, Waka entered the building.

-

As the night wore on, you found yourself lost in the spell of the music, lost in the endless sea of dancing, grinding bodies. The colored lights were hot against your sweaty skin. You knew the makeup would be melting off of your face by the end of the night if you kept going on at this rate. Hell, your mascara had started migrating already.

Emma’s Just-dance-inspired moves were contagious. The two of you were dancing on one another, performing a routine you seemed to remember all too well for someone who hated playing Just Dance so much.

The club seemed to ebb and flow like a living organism tonight.

You had lost track of time a long time ago. The songs had begun to bleed together seamlessly. Somewhere along the way, you lost your sweater. The dress you had decided to wear was stuck to your waist, plastered down with sweat. 

Yet, in spite of this, you were having more fun than you had anticipated.

Your flow was broken only when Emma grabbed you by the arm and led you to an empty corner. The both of you caught your breath.

Cheeks hot and flushed, you sighed contentedly, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, Emma, but you were right.”

“You havin’ fun, girly?” She giggled, giving you a playful sock in the arm. “Told you you’d feel better if you got out of the house.”

You nodded, feeling slightly liberated. She was right. You were actually kind of glad that you came out of your shell for tonight. 

Emma raised a playful brow. “You want to get a refresher?”

With a nod and a thin-lipped smile, you let Emma lead you over to the bar.

The two of you took a seat for the second time that evening, taking a moment to cool down and catch your breath. 

Emma turned her attention to the bartender – the same one she had just tried to hit on 30 minutes ago, “Two waters, please,” She ordered.

You tuned the bar out after that. Feeling a little melancholic, your eyes scanned the scene. The lights, the bodies, the music, the drinks. It was all so… messy. Yet, still, there was that unmistakable electricity in the air tonight.

Just as you were about to turn back to Emma, your gaze locked onto a figure against the wall. Immediately the recognition set in, and your heart skipped more than a few beats. It seemed to stop altogether.

There, standing in the dim corner, the lights danced over his familiar features – pretty button nose, downturned eyes, arched brows. His hair was back in a messy bun tonight. Even now, he had that passive, unamused look on his face.

He looked exactly the same as he had the day he closed the door on you.

Well, if you want to be technical, you closed the door on him, but you meant that in the metaphorical sense.

His piercing eyes scanned the crowd with a touch of his signature indifference. He exuded an air of mystique, momentarily entrancing you all over again.

And even now, three months later, his effect on you had not wavered.

Emma’s touch on your arm brought you back to the present, breaking the spell he had cast. “Hey,” She asked, concern evident in her voice. “You good?”

Your eyes were drawn back to the entrance, and your heart sank when you spotted your blond, ex-situationship once again. Panic surged through your veins immediately, seizing your lungs. It felt as if the walls of the club had gotten much smaller, all of a sudden.

Waka was standing there by the entrance, only a few yards away, with Shinichiro by his side. He looked every bit as breathtaking as you remembered him to be.

And he was looking right at you.

He can’t see me.

I need to hide.

He can’t see me.

You whipped your head back around towards your friend, flashing her a faux smile. “I’m gonna,” You swallowed, voice unsteady. “I’m gonna go back to the floor.”

Without even waiting for a response, you turned abruptly and slid off of the barstool. Your pulse was racing as you pushed through the wall of bodies behind the bar and made a beeline for the dance floor.

Emma was calling after you. You didn’t care.

The urgency to put distance between you and your past had consumed you whole. The bass pounded in your ears, matching the rapid thrum of your heartbeat. The music drowned out her voice as you merged with the sea of people once again.

Squeezing your eyes shut, you tried your best to lose yourself in the rhythm. Your movements were a frenzied, frantic mess of anxious movements. This time, when the lights flickered over you, the shadows they cast brought back memories of your history, your mistakes. 

I will not let him ruin my night, you told yourself.

Yet, still, you dared one last glance around. 

It was to scout the area for a suitor. That’s what you told yourself. 

Subconsciously, however, you searched for Waka amidst the colorful, blurred throng. Your heart began to race again when you spotted him by the bar, head turning slowly, eyes flitting over the club scene. It looked like he was searching for something.

The realization hit you like a train.

He’s looking for me.  

a/n: aaaand we are back with another cliffhanger! I'm so sorry. i have been, so bad to u all lately. life has been crazy! I think I may be shadowbanned, idk, I still dk how tumbly works. anyway! I did not like writing this chapter but it was a totally necessary segway into the next one, which will be very very very very very... jus trust me yall will love it. you know the drill, leave comments, suggestions, anything in down below and I will like, cry reading ur messages as always. Next chap is gonna be my fave like everrrr omg...

I obviously do not own tokyo revengers or anything related to it. please do not reproduce, copy, or translate my works anywhere. dont fk w me im a bruja.

taglist: @tokyorevengersslut69, @mikeys-bike-slut, @midtwenties-angst, @sleepysnk, @enneadec, @noaabean, @galactict3a, @em1e, @drakensdarling, @wakashawty, @satanlovesusall666, @sin-and-punishment, @mztoman, @sanzuicide, @bontensbabygirl, @strawberrychrome, @scaraphobia, @bertholdts--butt, @xiedoll, @missgab, @keiskyutie

wanna join the taglist for wakasa imaushi? | or click here to read more

[panthera-tigris-venenata]

My fic recs

...yes it is just my ao3 bookmarks but anyway.

Hunger Games

Now we're all the chosen ones

Hunger Games & Six of Crows crossover - well, you get six of crows in HG setting. I think the author did a great job at making up the characters background so fits the world and the characters as well.

Not all of them are in one games, which is great, cos all your faves can stay alive, and the series is longer <3

Each of the arenas was very unique as well, it never felt repetitive.

Mag's War/Mag's Trilogy

Basically, the revolution and the aftermath through the eyes of Finnick Oddair, Mag's protege.

What I really like about this series is the worldbuilding that goes into fighting a war, winning it and reform the country, but more so, I like the relationships in this series.

The relationships are really a driving force for Finnick, his love for Mags, Annie, later Cashmere and Johanna. My favourite is Finnick and Johanna (qpr) in the happy end version - "this might not be the perfect ending for everyone, but it is for us"

Phoenix Fire & Mockingjays

Once again, briliant worldbuilding. Even the encyclopedias are fun to read, and the whole thing is rereading material.

There is one story from the series that is my favourite though:

My Eyes Dazzle

Absolutely horrific story of President Snow, his young wife- his obsession and paranoia that runs so deep you can feel it.

Mind the content warnings, though.

Harry Potter

Bonds of Grey

Very elaborate canon rewrite including soulmates – soulmates of choice, platonic soulmates.

You could argue that the characters are overpowered, but it's so fun to read, on the battle field and on political courts as well.

Prince of Slytherin

It'd just feel weird not including Prince of Slytherin, I've read it multiple times. You can also see the writing style improve through the books.

Also, there's a scene of professor Snape eating popcorn at a wizangamot meeting. I think.

Oh god, not again!

Very funny time-travel fix-it. Well, fix it. (Barely anything gets fixed and several new problems are created.)

Contains this quote: HP: „Come on! Do you think if I was the heir of Slytherin, I wouldn't be merchandising it?!“ „...fair enough.“

Lucius Malfoy and the terrible, horrible, no good time

...okay that's not the official title but that's what's going on. It's incredibly funny, I sent this to my roommate and she was laughing out loud.

Lucius is so funny in this, obsessed with his hair, slughtly (rightfully) afraid of his wife, and pissed that the deatheaters keep breaking his fine china.

Next two are from @thistlecatfics

Nymphadora, Nymphet

First of all, mind the content warnings. Really, do. It's the Blacks.

Second of all, this is very beautifully written, and I find myself thinking back at it, remembering some quotes. It's haunting.

Icarus

I've only read this one once, but it stayed with me, it's just so vivid. Dealing with the war ending when the war is the only thing you knew.

Also, the definition of mutually destructive relationship <3

Once again, read the tags, though.

The Locked Tomb

Crawl home to her

I lack the words to describe this, but this fic was what made me actually use the ao3 bookmarks function for the first time. Let that speak for itself.

Descendants

Okay first of all everything that my mutuals wrote <3

So I'm gonna write just few that I really like:

From @tiredflowercrown

There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin

Ivy/Claudine. Ivy being the self-destructive diva she is and causing chaos at the pirate crew meeting.

...you know, I just really need to throw Ivy de Vil and Harry Hook into a room together and study them. For the greater good.

Dirty

I just think Harriet should get violent more often, that's all <3

Oleander petals

And Anthony deserves to give in to the darker side. You know, as a treat <3

Does it cross your mind to be slightly sorry?

„Oh so that makes it okay? You had faith that your cousins, who you had never put in positions of power, and the boys who love you so much that they would stop breathing if you asked them to, would be able to care for an entire crew! Harry shut down when he realized you had left! You think Harriet is an alcoholic, you should’ve seen Harry!”

That was a quote and I have nothing else to add.

@humaforever 💞

Seven Deadly Sins

Okay funny story about this story: I just started rambling about this ship in dms, completely drunk, and when I woke up the next day, (hungover), there was a story!

A miracle!

(thank you)

Innocent bystander

Sammy Smee is suffering, forever and ever. It's fun to watch.

Secret Santa

This one is great cos it's all my faves! Together! Being happy! Causing only moderate amount of chaos!

Look I'm pretty sure that I could write it down from memorory with like, fifty percent accuracy. It's just good, and I'm rereading stuff a lot.

@shellyseashell

Heart made of glass

Claudine! Pirates! Theatre nights!

What else can you wish for?

No, really, I really love this story. It's amazing with the friendships Claudine is slowly building, with Isle kids that shouldn't care but do.

Our finest gifts we bring

Anthony fretting over what to get his Girlfriends for christmas.

Every character that appears feels so real and true, and I like the gifts that they got.

@theamityelf

The worst is now the victor

Descendants kids in Hunger Games setting cos apparently I like hurting myself-

Really though, it's so well written, and there's a ton of comfort in there as well. And Uma always trying to do the most!

Where the angels used to be

Another crossover, this time Good Omens, with Uma and Audrey taking on the roles of Crowley and Aziraphale respectively. (For those interested, Core 4 are horsemen of the apocalypse.)

I really like watching Uma and Audrey through the ages, but my favourite is them with Harry and Gil. Uma just. Let them follow her everywhere. She forgot that humans are supposed to age and die, okay?

And Harry didn't really feel like telling her.

The scene when Audrey tells her is probably my favourite, Uma's just like: "Harry? Do you wanna die?" "Nah I'm good." "Okay."

@nocturna-iv

A path to an answer

... I'm just gonna leave the link there for this one.

Blue Domain

Complete AU. Some politics, Evie and Uma friendship, Harry/Uma, what more could a girl want.

Okay last ones probably, without tagged author:

Anchored

Ladies and gentlemen, behold, the first smut fic I managed to read. (That's not on the author btw, that's on me, I don't really like most smut scenes. This is very sweet tho)

Til the storm comes

The pirate crew. Not just Sea Three, the whole dead. Bonny, Desiree, Jonas, Gonzo, Claudine, Marya, whole bunch of others.

This fic is great, very raw-like. They're Isle kids to the core and it's so real.

Plus, the party scene is great.

That concludes my fic recs for the day, thank you for your attention <3

[renluchan]

I'm thinking of pausing writing for a bit. After so many words and plots, I feel my style and my writing in general are becoming redundant and repetitive, and I don't like that. I am not sure if many people are still interested too. So for now, I think I will take a break. I don't think it will be a long one, as I always itch to write, but I do need a breather. I am sorry to everyone involved in my on going fics, I am not abandoning them, I am just spending some time reading and gathering new ideas. Thank you for puting up with my little rant 💜

[traincat]

hello!! i reaally wanted to write a fic centered around johnny and mayhaps the rest of the f4, but i haven't read many of their comics yet and i don't wanna accidentally make them too ooc. can you gimme some tips on characterization please???

also hey, here's the anon who asked u about f4 characterization. which comics would you recommend in terms of best characterization??

Hey anon, sorry for the wait! So honestly I've been thinking a lot about characterization and I think this is a general rule but also it goes especially for comic characters who have been written by so many people over the years -- there's never going to be one branch of "in character." Everything is filtered through every writer's experiences at all times. So I think an important thing is to look at your characterization and ask yourself whether it feels right and real to you. Ultimately, you're the one who has to be happy with it.

I also think the way "in character" is treated sometimes in fandom isn't necessarily helpful. As an example: say it's common practice in Made Up Fandom to say Character A never cries. If you have him cry in fic it's out of character, says snide tweet 2024 to eight billion likes. And like, sure, maybe Character A cries a lot in some fic and not so much in canon, but the thing is everyone cries. It's not particularly useful from a characterization standpoint to say "Character A never cries." It's more helpful to go, "In what situation do I think Character A would cry? What would push him to tears? Does he cry when he's happy, sad, angry?" When I wrote Work Song, I needed a scene where Peter broke down and revealed everything, which was a problem because he's not Mr. Let Other People Help. So I took the time to push him into a corner where I felt it was organic that the character would share his problems. It's easy to go "X is out of character" but not constructive. It stretches your muscles more to try and figure out how to get X to a point where what you want to happen is in character. Go with your instincts; they're usually pretty good and they're something that will only get better the more you use them.

Also, and your mileage may vary on this one, but what's useful for me is to kind of look at characterization as excavation -- you're digging up something, uncovering it piece by piece. You can see the ground layer but now you've got to break through underneath it. For characters who have been in hundreds of issues like Johnny, I like to hit up really weird little single issues or lesser known series. There's this one issue that's formatted as one of those Wizard Magazine interviews where Johnny lists his three favorite movies as two installments of a Simon Williams action piece that would be equivalent to the MCU-style movies and also Titanic, and that one has always stuck with me as a really fun detail. Or there's a Marvel Knights 4 issue where every other word out of Johnny's mouth is a reference to a horror movie.

(Marvel Knights 4 #26) Thanks Johnny. Another Johnny thing I really like to keep in mind is that what's going on underneath and what's going on on the surface are not necessarily the same thing. Johnny can come off selfish, entitled, immature, or uncaring, but there's a deep volcano of compassion inside there. He's a very emotional character, which is something that's always fun to write.

I also find repetition really helpful when I'm trying to get the basics of a character down, which, again, might not be helpful for anyone else. Or it might only be useful for certain characters -- it's a lot easier to reread twenty issues than two thousand. I love my reference folder because a lot of times I'll remember some line or little canon thing and want to look it up and read it again. If you don't like saving panels from comics, just writing down what issue something is in is helpful, too. But that's just what works for me.

For Johnny specific comics, I have a bunch of Fantastic Four comics recs here (note that the "current run" I advise against in this post is Slott's run and not North's) and here! I hope you find some comics that you love and that you write the Johnny fic of your dreams!

[purplepeptobismol]

hiya I'm the the anon from the writing thingie c: I will also get an emoji it's gonna be this one 🌺 tysm for the tips!!! If you don't mind me asking more could you go more in depth about sentence structure? I GENUINELY suck with them ,_, my brain can just think in one way and as a result it ends so stiff it makes me cry

Love your fics sm, I will read finish my missing chapters of IWMOY you'll hear about me again trust 🫵

[previous]

Good to see you again anon! And no, I don’t mind at all :3 (sorry this response took a while)

Now, I’m no expert when it comes to sentence structure or literature in general (in fact, I am considered the dumbass in my friend group), so if you want actual solid information, maybe an English teacher or a video from someone who studies/teaches these things would be better at this.. 😭 take my advice as things I use/do myself in my OWN writing. I’ll try to keep it simple and brief tho!!

In order to understand sentence structure, you have to consider everything you’re going to be putting in your writing. That means: the story, dynamic, scenes, character, scenario, emotions, and what you are trying to convey.

Certain scenes require a specific way of structured details to convey emotions/story. Words can be very complicated, so I do recommend expanding on your vocabulary by looking up synonyms of over repetitive words; or, you can do my favorite which is genuinely just reading old poetry to look at their usage of old vocabulary.

When you have a scene in mind, you have an option to keep a Simple Sentence or use one of the many sentence structures.

Let’s go use the sentence example I used earlier! This is a scene of chapter 10 from my fic! The contexts of the scene can help paint a picture to my explanation!

Now, let’s make the original sentence into a simple sentence:

“Cooper smiled.”

Note: not all simple sentences are bad. Simple sentences are good for clarity, but they can also be impactful in heavily complex situations (ex. fear, shock, realization, etc.)

The most common and known sentence structures are Compound, Complex, and Compound-Complex

• Compound is when there are two or more independent clauses. They’re usually joined by coordinated conjunction (words like: and, but, nor, or, yet, so), a semicolon, or a conjunctive adverb. It balances ideas in a single sentence.

Example: “Cooper tilted his head, and he smiled.”

Complex sentences is when independent clause has a dependent. (They usually have words like: because, although, since, if, while)

Example: “Cooper smiled because of Emilio’s reaction.”

Complex-Compound is when there are basically two or more of the ones above. You can use it to express relationships between ideas or actions.

Example: “Cooper tilted his head, a smile curled his lips because of Emilio.”

These are the most common type of sentence structures, and probably the ones you will learn in elementary writing class. But there’s actually different type of sentence structures I like to use: Periodic, Loose, Balanced, and Run-on

Periodic sentences are my favorite style overall. It’s when the main cause/idea is put in the end for dramatic effect. It’s really good for when you want to add suspense or emphasize a conclusion.

Example: “With the tilt of his head and a slight curl of his lips, Cooper smiled.”

Loose sentences (I believe they’re called cumulative lmaooo, I just like calling them loose) is when the center cause is at the beginning and it’s followed by phrases that elaborate on it.

Example: “Cooper smiled, tilting his head slightly, lips curling into a smirk.”

Balanced is exactly what it sounds like. It’s when phrases or clauses are similarly structured to create a rhythm. It makes it more elegant in a way.

Example: Cooper tilted his head, and his lips curled into a smile.

Run-on sentences are usually when more than two independent clauses are joined together improperly. Majority of teachers will tell you run-on sentences are bad. But I like to use them once in a while. Intentional run-on sentence can really help with creating a rushed or even overwhelming flow. If created properly in specific scenes, you can really do a lot with them. I tend to use other techniques to stretch my sentences a lot. Which brings in to my next topic!!

Figures of Speech and Wordplay!!!

There are ALOT of them. So I’m just gonna name the ones I myself commonly use.

Simile- a comparison to something (ex. like, as)

Personification- giving human qualities to non-human things

Metaphors- a direct comparison to enhance depth/symbolism

Hyperbole- exaggerates things for dramatic effect or emphasis

Onomatopoeia- words that mimics sounds to add sensory details. You can even use this as symbolism!! I’ve done it with ticking sounds!

Irony- yeah. I use this a lot… it adds a bit of wit and humor in my opinion

Euphemism- polite/mild phrasing. Makes things less tense.

Idioms- kinda works like a fun metaphor. It’s when a phrase has a figurative or non-literal meaning that is different from the actual meaning. Most famous one is: “it’s raining cats and dogs.”

Epistrophe- repeating words/phrases at the end of the clauses. It can add emphasis and focus, I usually add these in dramatic (mainly lovey-dovey) moments

Remember how we were talking about run-on sentences and such? Well, another thing that can really enhance a sentence is, of course— PUNCTUATION!!!

The most common ones I like to use besides the obvious commas are the Hyphen, En Dash, Colon, Semicolon, Parentheses, Ellipses, and Apostrophes! I know there is a proper way to use them, but I like to be a little gangster and use it in my own way (I’m deadass doing my own thing)

I tend to use Em Dashes (—) and Semicolons (;) almost the same, it’s usually when I’m trying to stretch a sentence for dramatic flair or when I’m genuinely trying to put two thoughts together.

I mainly use Hyphens (-) like en dashes lmaoo. It’s usually when I’m doing an interruption/stutter in dialogue or thought process.

Colons (:) are really good when you want to introduce quotes, indicate ratios, or emphasize key points.

As for Parentheses (()) (<—lol), yeah. I use it to add clarity, internal thoughts, or simple witty comments that usually wouldn’t sit well in the sentence. Depending on the character, this can really help paint their personality!

Ellipses (…) cause an omission in a sentence. It usually helps build in suspense or trial thoughts. Very good for those angsty scenes! Especially in dialogue!

I don’t use Apostrophe the way it should be used most of the time. I actually love using them to create internal thoughts. Maybe it’s just a me thing, but I don’t like using italics for first person internal thoughts… I feel like it confuses me a lot!! Like, imagine you’re reading a third person story, and then they use a first person internal thought in italics?? Eugh. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just a little peeve of mine. AND THAT SAYS SOMETHING FROM SOMEONE WHO USES ITALICS ALL THE TIME. There are certain times you should use italics for internal dialogue and others with apostrophe. A quick guide I use is:

Italics- unconscious thoughts/emotions in the back of your mind.

Apostrophe- thoughts/emotions so clearly heard, even a mind reader could listen to it.

Human emotions are so complex, and not all the time are they clear and precises, so I express that through using these methods.

All of this talk mainly involves with dialogue, and that’s not the conversation of this topic, so maybe we can talk about this some other day if you’re interested :)

Anyways. I’m explaining all of this and all— and I’m pretty sure your main question is now: “Great! This was very informative! So, how do I use them?”

Well… that’s why I said that in order for your sentence structure to work is to consider your scene, characters, scenario, etc. If you do not understand what you’re trying to explain or emphasize, then you won’t know what will work. You can’t have a witty character using metaphors and euphemism when they’re more likely to express themselves with idioms and think in Run-Ons. Simple sentences are good for shock value, but you can’t keep all of them short and simple when you’re not even emphasizing on why the scene is shocking. If you use too much of one structure, it becomes so over repetitive and brain numbing (and at some tragic points: cringe). You have to have a balance between all of them. Maybe you can start a paragraph with a Loose sentence and end it with a periodic; vice versa can work too.

I can’t really tell you what’s the proper way of using them cuz if I’m being honest… I’m also learning too. Overall, all of these differ per person, because just like every artist, it’s a writing style. I have certain quirks and preferences in my own writing that maybe others don’t like, or may be seen as improper. As you grow as a writer, you start to develop your own style! There is sooooo much more I could say of the topic, but that would be yet ANOTHER essay (I said I was gonna keep this brief too!! SHEESH!!). But if you still have any other questions regarding my writing style/advice, do not be afraid to keep on asking!! ٩( 'ω' )و

[shrekgogurt]

Ten Questions for Writers

Thank you for the tags! @artsyunderstudy @roomwithanopenfire @youarenevertooold @emeryhall @monbons @larkral I'm eating up reading your answers because we're all so DIFFERENT.

How many works do you have on AO3? 9 (technically 10 but we orphaned one of them out of shame)

What’s your total AO3 word count? 99,978 (mine) + 7,531 (shared) + 9,991 (someone else's) = 117, 500 (total)

What fandoms do you write for? presently, Carry On but back during my high school ff.net days I did some Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus (Percabeth and some separate OCs), Alex Rider (OCs), The 100 (as an elaborate prank), Harry Potter (literally just a My Immortal parody), and Divergent (OCs) and if they weren't oneshots they were never finished.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? YES! I'm currently behind on my replies, but it's so fun! It's like a book club but for stuff I created!!???? Shit rocks. I fully didn't expect anyone to read IKABIKAM (my first fic on ao3) when I first published it and so every comment still feels like a miracle.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? No.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes! I love collaborating because it gives me something to bounce off of. A scene partner. A ticking timer. It's like lifting a heavy object by yourself versus getting someone else to bear some of the weight with you. It's easier. I also find myself constantly seeking collaboration with other people even with my solo fics. I'm all up in those DMs pestering people both as motivation and as external processing. And by GOD, do you fuckers have some good ideas. Y'all make me exponentially better.

What’s your all-time favorite ship? SnowBaz but also in a very real sense...Percabeth. (You never forget your first.)

What are your writing strengths? I got my start with rping, so dialogue is really comfortable for me. I also think my training in other art forms (dance, music, theatre, film, academia) positively influence my approach. When writing action, I often mentally frame it as 'blocking' the scene or 'choreographing' the movement. When crafting sentences, I'm constantly evaluating the rhythm and rhyme and repetition (not to mention alliteration) as if it's a song, always searching for the perfect word or metaphor. I also listen to actual songs and pull the emotion from them, using them as character studies or a musical soliloquy. I imagine shots and then write what I see from the perspective of a director explaining the actor’s motivating thoughts. I constantly revisit my thesis, grounding the narrative in callbacks and a cohesive structure like it's an academic paper. And all those things combined create this kinetic cause and effect style I'm really proud of and tangibly improves every time I write something new.

What are your writing weaknesses? I do not have a firm grasp on proper grammar. I'm also really slow and inconsistent with my output because my process is so physically disorganized and meticulous which often frustrates me. I'm also impatient. I don't do wholesale messy drafts; I edit as I go and when I'm done I want it published immediately. I also fall victim to the white room syndrome with physical descriptions. Establishing shots? Don't know them. What a guy looks like? What they're wearing? Sorry, I haven't told you because it felt weird to jam in there. Outside of fanfiction, I also struggle with creating something from nothing. I'm a theologian rather than a god. I much prefer playing in a sandbox and exegeting meaning from someone else's grunt work rather than conjuring the wood and the sand myself. My writing is also incredibly referential to pop culture which I'm not sure would translate outside of fanfic, but I guess I'll cross that bridge if I ever get to it.

First fandom you wrote for? Divergent (big cringe)

Now tagging! @onepintobean @cutestkilla @theearlgreymage @thewholelemon @mooncello @brilla-brilla-estrellita @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @bookish-bogwitch @facewithoutheart @fatalfangirl @urban-sith @prettygoododds @valeffelees @ileadacharmedlife TELL ME HOW YOU WRITE YOU GENIUSES

[ohmotherwhereartthou-if]

Not a question, just a small rant. I read your prompt about people complaining about the first of your book being too much for them and basically wanting you to change your art to fit their needs. I'm not sorry when I say then they should leave and cry somewhere else. I get so sick of these people having nothing else better to do than cry and moan because it's not something they want it to be. When the truth is, it's your art, your plan, and your hard work. It's your vision to where you want your story to go. It's just so aggravating to read not only yours but so many other hard working writers comments about, this is to much, this is too little, why can't we do this or that. Well you know what? It's because it's the writers book, their vision, and their hard work that brings these wonderful stories to life, and if they don't like it, then go write your own damn story the way you want it. I'm sorry to you, that you had to put up with that and it was so much that you actually did change some of your writing. Anyways, this was a bit of a longer rant than I planned, sorry 🤐 I'll stop now. I hope you're doing well and don't change your vision because people want to whine and cry about the way they think your vision should go. Hope you're have a wonderful week so far!! Take care 😉

Omg this is very sweet of you to say! 😊💙

Ngl I thought for a moment you meant to send this to another author because 100% I feel like most get bullied by their audience. I had to think when I might have gotten some pestering feedback but I think the only repetitive negative feedback I got was people saying it was too depressing in the beginning.

Which honestly I always expected since this has always been my writing style, I mean, the name of the story does revolve around an inside joke between me and my best friend how we both have mommy issues and how I can always find a way to make a comedy a tragedy lol.

I never really let it bother me or let it affect my writing, I don't want people thinking the story is all doom and gloom so I preface in the stories introduction that things do get better for the MC. But I also know that I enjoy making people cry with my writing, soooo... yeah.

But thank you so much for sending this, it's really sweet of you. I feel like more authors need to know they do not need to bend to what some people want when it's their story to tell. Not all stories are for everyone but better to make your story and be happy when some people like it for the way they wrote it!

I hope you wave a wonderful day or night, and if it's as hot where you are just like it is for me here; I hope both sides of your pillow is cold when you sleep because I am boiling. 💙

[unique-high]

NCT 127 X S/O With locs

REQUESTED: NCT127 x S/O with locs

a/n: God, I'm sorry I'm just now getting to this. It's been on my to do list. But I'm finally here with it. But side note, each members s/o comes with a different shade of blue. I don't know the members well this is my first time writing a NCT 127 ot9 request so my reaction may not be as accurate to them.

side note: wasn't really sure how to write this without it being repetitive and boring but I still hope it's somewhat good.

another side note: I don't have locs so what I'm writing is based on YouTube videos I've watched and drawn inspiration from and also Pinterest.

ANOTHER SIDE NOTE, DAMN: I finished this around 6:35 am. The imagine went different ways, nevertheless, I hope the requester enjoys the brief moments between reader and ot9.

NOT PROOF READ MAY BE SOME GRAMMATICAL MISTAKES BUT STILL READABLE.

JOHNNY: you have been doing your retwist for a couple of hours in between sessions you'd watch Netflix, FaceTime johnny when he was on break from dance practice, ordered something to eat because you were too tired to even try to fix something to eat. And by the time Johnny came home you were just about done with your retwist.

“Oh wow.” Johnny said when he see's the color of your locs. “That color looks good on you.”

“You think so?”

“Oh yeah. It compliments you.”

The color you dyed your locs was a pretty Cerulean blue. After your locs were done, you added some cute hair jewelry some locs.

Johnny was checking out his hair in the mirror. “Do you want to dye mine so we can match?”

“Your stylist won't chew you out, will they?”

“If they I don't care. I want to match with my baby.”

MARK: he's seen you do your retwist before and knows how time consuming it can be. Mark would feed you and make sure you have plenty of water and when your arms get tired, he gives little massages. Your locs were bleached and ready for color.

“I have two different blues,” you tell your boyfriend. “Which one is your favorite, Indigo blue or baby blue?”

“Baby blue.”

“I'm feeling baby blue too.”

“Do you need any help?” Mark just wants to make things a little easier for you.

You happily nodded with a smile. Mark knew a little something about locs since you taught him. Plus, he saw this as quality time and another way of bonding with you.

DOYOUNG: “You don't gotta stay with me baby, it's gonna take some hours for her to get me colored, retwisted, and styled.” You tell Doyoung.

This was his first time going with you to a hair appointment. It was his day off and he didn't have anything better to do than drive you to your loctician and wait for you.

“But I want to stay,” he said, slightly pouting.

The salon was filled with other women getting their hair done too. One woman who was getting a wig installed gushed over you and Doyoung.

Your loctician gets you right and now it was deciding on the color. You decided to do the back of your locs sapphire blue and the front locs ocean blue.

Doyoung was on his phone most of the time, but he would check on you making sure you were good. He ran out to get you your favorite food since you would be sitting under the hair dryer for some hours.

“Do you think the colors look good on me?”

“They do. The colors just add to your beauty.”

“Boy, stop.” you laughed.

Doyoung playfully rolled his eyes saying, “I can't help it that my girlfriend's beauty is something magnificent.”

JAEHYUN: When he hears the 90s R&B music playing from the living room, he knows what today is. Retwist day. You spent a good three days preparing for this day. Giving yourself a prep talk because doing your own retwist wasn't for the weak.

“Tell me I got this, baby,” you whined to Jaehyun.

He kissed your forehead. “You got this. Just think about the end results. You know you're going to feeling yourself.”

You laughed saying, “You right. You right.”

Jaehyun kisses your lips this time and tells you bye since he is going to play basketball with the guys at the gym.

From morning until noon, you were still at your hair. You hadn't planned on styling it. Just a color and retwist. But you saw this cute style on Pinterest and decided why the hell not.

“Y/n I'm home.” Jaehyun yelled when he seen you weren't in the living room.

“Bathroom!”

He goes to the bathroom,leaning on the door door frame.

“What do you think?” You asked eagerly.

You had your locs in two space buns. With two locs in the front out with gold hair jewelry. Your locs were powder blue.

“I love it. You look so freaking cute.” Jaehyun reaches out and gently tugged you to him. “But it's a shame it'll only get messed up.”

You give your boyfriend a look. “And what does that mean, jae?”

He smirks pulling you to the bedroom.

“Oh no.” you protest. “Not when I spent hours on this!”

TAEYONG: he helps you on the days you did your retwist. He took a class on locs so he could be able to help you. That's how dedicated he was to helping you. After you bleached your locs. You sat in the chair while Taeyong prepared you for the color. You were dying your locs luxe blue.

“So, do you have a boyfriend?” Taeyong jokes with you.

“Um, actually I do.”

“Can he fight?”

“You tryna fight my man, sir?”

“If it means taking you out on a date. Then yeah beautiful.”

He always joked with you like this while doing your hair. After the color and the wash. You talked about what kind of style you wanted to do. It was just something simple. A half up/half down. It was giving “New Me”

And your boyfriend had to take pictures to post on his IG. He made sure you looked good in the pictures because he knew you hated it when he took the most outlandish pictures of you and posted them. But to him, he thought you looked good in all the photos.

He takes a picture of you with the caption: GUESS WHO ATE?🤪

TAEIL: Like Mark, Taeil likes the quality time he gets to spend with you while you're doing your hair. He's curious though. He asks a lot of questions like “Why do you have crotch hooks sometimes?” or “How come you don't do a retwist all the time?” and you're always more than glad to answer your boyfriend's questions and explain things to him.

“Have you thought about what color you're going to dye your hair?” Taeil asks you.

“I was thinking Sky blue or Cool blue.”

“Sky blue would look lovely.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah! But anything on you looks lovely.”

Your face grew warm at his words. Dang, this man really knew how to make you feel good about yourself.

“Want to help with the color?”

“Sure. Just show me what I need to do.”

These were the little moments that Taeil enjoyed with you. Just standing in the bathroom applying color to your hair while you asked him about how he was feeling. You always made it a point to ask him about his mental because you know how draining his job can be.

YUTA: he was gone most of the day while you were busy with your hair. You would send him pictures letting him know how the progress was going and taking slight breaks when needed. You decided to surprise your boyfriend when he got home. Yuta once had a style where he had white hair with blue streaks and you wanted to recreate that.

You styled your locs in this cute little style with two ponytails and a side bang.

When you hear Yuta come into the apartment, you call for him to come to the bathroom. You were in the middle of doing your baby hairs.

“Oh wow.” he said. “Blue and white? Reminds of a color I had.”

“You were my inspo boy.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” you turned fully to look at Yuta.

He was busy checking out your new style. “This style is cute,” he said. “My hair is sort of long enough. Let's match styles.”

“You for real?”

“I want to look cute too, girl.” Yuta winks at you.

HAECHAN: “Just say you want to be my twin, y/n.” he teases you, poking you in your side while you're trying to apply dye to your locs.

“I really don't haechan.”

“Then why are you dying your hair blue like mine.”

“first off, my blue is a different shade than yours.”

“Still blue, y/n.”

“Electric blue.”

“Okay?” he poked you again. “Like I said, still blue.”

“Why are you annoying me while I'm trying to do my hair?”

“Cause I'm bored and If I don't annoy you I'll die.”

“Go die in the corner.”

“Y/n if I did die you'll be sobbing your pretty little eyes out.”

“Nah. Now go die.”

“No.” he poked you repeatedly until you burst out laughing getting hair dye on you and him. “Are you going to style the locs?”

“I was thinking of doing a simple, classic back ponytail.”

“Mmm.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing.” he smirks.

“Nah, I hear it in your voice there is something.”

“You're gonna have your locs pulled back. Maybe we can do something.”

“Something like what, Haechan?”

“It has job in it.”

“Oh, boy hell nah.”

JUNGWOO: You were sitting between Jungwoo legs as he helped you style your locs. You wanted a side ponytail and jungwoo was oddly good at doing them, he even could lay your baby hairs too. Your locs were midnight blue. Your boyfriend helped with picking the color since you really couldn't decide between sea foam green or midnight blue. Midnight blue was the winner.

“Okay, all done!” Jungwoo gives you the hand mirror.

“The retwist and style got me feeling fresh.” you turned your side to side in the mirror. “You did your thang. The color is so pretty on me too!”

Jungwoo smiles feeling proud of himself. “Yeah, I did that!” he pulls out his phone. “Here, let me take pictures. I have to show you off to the guys.”

“Don't. They may fall in love with my beauty.” you say all dramatically making your boyfriend laugh.

“How many times can a person fall in love with the same person? Cause honestly I've fallen in love you with you so many times.”

“Oh, really?” you tilt your head back to look at Jungwoo.

He smiles at you, bringing his face down closer to yours. “Really.” jungwoo softly whispered. “I never want to stop falling in love with you, y/n.”

[hotcheetohatredwastaken]

Hola Cheeto! You seem like a good person to ask this:

I’m feeling like my writing is in a bit of a slump, like I’m saying things in the same way every time. Do you have any advice on how to spice up one’s writing?

:)

Hey! First off, I would like to offer an encouragement. A lot of times in the art world, they say getting into a slump means you're about to have a wonderful breakthrough/revelation. I believe that the same thing occurs in writing. So, don't worry. Just keep pushing, and you'll reach that breakthrough your subconscious is cooking up <3

Anyways, I do have a few words of advice, if you want to speed the process up :)

1. Read. A LOT

In general, I believe that input = output, when it comes to reading and writing. Not in an easy 1:1 way, but in the way that your style, your storylines, and your choices are influenced by authors you read. Thus, if you want to improve your writing, my number one piece of advice would be to read, and to target your reading. If you're struggling with vocabulary, read some poetry. If you're struggling with original plotlines and emotional turns, read outside of your regular genre in order to get yourself some more perspective. Bing some fics that capture the feeling you're going for, and figure out not only what they do right, but how. Heck, read a fic that makes the same mistake as you do, see if you can figure out where they went wrong and how you'd fix the mistake in your own work. We're all learning together, and it's a great process <3

2. Identify and analyze the problem in your own work

Reread one of your pieces that doesn't jive with you, and not only identify where it doesn't work, but justify why it doesn't work with evidence. If your words are repetitive, highlight them and perhaps make yourself a list of your crutch words. If your action isn't strong enough, figure out which verbs you can spice up and how you can streamline your cause/effect to get the most punch out of your sentences. If your scenarios are repetitive across your writing, you can note that too, if it bothers you. If you can't figure what's wrong---instead, mark the places that you DO like, and by process of elimination you can probably figure it out. Next, as in the step before, brainstorm how to fix it. Search up some synonyms to your crutch words. Read some professional author's advice on how to reorder your fight scenes. Search up tropes that you may not have used before, etc.

However, we are our own worst critics when it comes to self-evaluation, and paying attention while you read and taking notes can feel like a high school English class and can be rather unenjoyable. Additionally, insecurity can make us see mistakes where there are none. So, here's my final piece of advice.

3. Beta Read (And if you can, swap beta read)

This is the best of both worlds, in my opinion, and the one that has improved my writing the most. First, you get your eyes on another's work, and you're literally tasked to pick out the things that you don't like and to say why, which gives you more experience to do so in your own work and perhaps even lets you solve a few problems in your own work before they even crop up. Additionally, you now don't have to go through the horrible slog of evaluating your own work (although, you probably shouldn't give it to the other person until it's pretty postable (@needfantasticstories I'm so sorry I'm so sorry about Ch 24 Skip I'm sorry about the convolutedness of Arc 3 please---)). You can ask THEM to figure out what's wrong where, and, if they're open to it, you can brainstorm together how to fix it, which is so much more fun than doing it alone. Heck, if you have a good idea what's wrong, you can set them after it specifically. And obviously, you don't have to take a beta's advice if you don't think it fits (phrases that belong on wattpad) but it's a good way to get your brain chugging on how you should fix it.

Anyways, there's my little rant. If you're already doing all of the above---my advice would be to just keep pushing, friend. As I said before, I've heard that in the art world, a slump means you're about to have a breakthrough. It's not that your work has gotten worse, it's just that your taste has changed and gotten better---now, your skill just has to catch up to that new level. You'll do great things, whatever it is that you're cooking up. I know that you've got this.

[liketwoswansinbalance]

SGE Characters as Literary Things

(Not all of these are actual literary or rhetorical devices; some are just writing techniques, forms, genres, mediums, etc.)

This is a bit abstract, so I’m curious about how subjective these might be. Does anyone agree or disagree? And feel free to make additions if you think I left anything out, or request another character that isn’t here.

Hopefully this makes (intuitive?) sense. As always, I'm willing to explain my thought process behind any of the things I've listed.

Also, anyone can treat this like a “Tag Yourself” meme, if you want. Whose list do you most relate to, use, or encounter?

⸻

LANCELOT (I know—how odd that I’m starting with a minor character and not Rafal, but wait. There’s a method to my madness. Also, watch out for overlap!):

Metonymy, synecdoche (no, literally, to me, these are him.)

Zeugma

Analogy

Figures of speech

Slang, argot

Colloquialisms

Idioms

TEDROS:

Simile

Metaphor

Rhyming couplets

Rhyme schemes

Sonnets

Commercial fiction

Coming-of-age genre

Line enjambment

Overuse of commas

Cadence, prose speech

Waxing poetic, verse (not prose)

Alliteration

Kinesthetic imagery

Phallic imagery/sword sexual innuendos (sorry)

The chivalric romance genre

AGATHA:

Anaphora, repetition

Semicolon, periods

Line breaks

Terse, dry prose

Semantics (not syntax)

Elegy

Resonance

Consonance, alliteration

Pseudonym

Narrative parallels

Realism

Satire

SOPHIE:

Sophistry (yes, there is a word for it!)

Imagery

Italics, emphasis

Em dash

Aphrodisiac imagery

Unreliable narrator, bias

Rashomon effect

Syntax (not semantics)

Diction

Chiasmus (think: “Fair is foul and foul is fair.”)

Rhetorical purpose

Provocation, calls to action

Voice, writing style

Rhetorical modes: pathos, logos, ethos

Metaphor

Hyperbole, exaggeration

Sensationalism, journalism

Surrealism

Verisimilitude

Egocentrism

Callbacks (but not foreshadowing or call-forwards)

Narrative parallels

Paralepsis, occultatio, apophasis, denial

Hypothetical dialogue

Monologue

JAPETH:

Sibilance

Lacuna

Villanelle (an obsessive, repetitive form of poetry)

Soliloquy

ARIC:

Sentence fragments

RHIAN (TCY):

Unreliable narrator

Setup, payoff

Chekhov’s gun

Epistolary novel

RHIAN (prequels):

Multiple povs

Perspective

Dramatic irony

Situational irony

Chiaroscuro (in imagery)

Endpapers

Frontispiece

Deckled edges

Narrative parallels

Foreshadowing

Call-forwards

Foil

Death of the author

RAFAL:

Omniscient narrator

Perspective

Surrealism

Etymology

Word families or 'linguistic ecosystems'

Latin

Verbal irony

Gallows humor

Narrative parallels

Call-forwards

Circular endings

Parallel sentences or balanced sentence structure

Narrative parallels

Foil

Juxtaposition

Authorial intent (“return of the author”)

HESTER:

Protagonist

Allusions

Gothic imagery

ANADIL:

Defamiliarization

Deuteragonist (second most important character in relation to the protagonist)

Psychic distance

Sterile prose

Forewords, prologues

Works cited pages

DOT:

Tone

Gustatory imagery

Tritagonist (third most important character in relation to the protagonist)

KIKO:

Sidekick

Falling action

Dedications, author's notes, epigraph, acknowledgements

Epitaph (Tristan)

BEATRIX:

Pacing

Rising Action

Climax

HORT:

Unrequited love

Falling resolution

Anticlimax

Malapropism

Innuendo

Asides

Brackets, parentheses

Cliché

EVELYN SADER:

Synesthetic imagery

Villanelle

Foreshadowing

AUGUST SADER:

Stream of consciousness style

Imagery

Foreshadowing

Coming-of-age genre

Elegy

Omniscience

Rhetorical questions

Time skips, non-linear narratives

Epilogues

MARIALENA:

Diabolus ex machina

Malapropism

Malaphors, mixed metaphors

Slant rhyme

Caveat

Parentheses

Footnotes

MERLIN:

Deus ex machina

Iambic pentameter

Filler words

BETTINA:

Screenwriting

Shock value

[tinypandacakes]

hi panda, i’ve been wondering how you plan your fanfics? i’ve been struggling with writer’s block for the past few months now, i’ve got so many ideas floating around my head, but no solid direction for my plan. i’ve been reading all kinds of fics to give me some inspiration for the story, but i don’t want it to seem like i’ve copied the ideas of other authors. i absolutely love trapper, keeper, it is so unique and i haven’t read COD fic quite like it before. the way you portray König is fantastic, exactly how i imagine him - do you have any tips for writing characters? (specifically König) i think i’m so hesitant about starting because I don’t want to end up writing OOC.

hii ☺️ sorry you've been struggling. writer's block is the worst!

i get the most stuck and frustrated when I'm writing and it's not immediately "perfect". you have to be okay with letting your first draft be "bad" and "OOC". you just need to write it, even if it's "he went to the kitchen. she woke up and got out of bed. she's limping. something about his eyes over the rim of the coffee cup" just get the main beats out. my first attempts at TK chapters are always terrible lol and i am so glad no one else can read them. konig and Hase are a bit all over the place. the dialogue sounds cheesy or repetitive or porny. the actions are confusing. the scenes are barren. but then i edit it and edit it until it feels better.

i do have a numbered outline which helps me focus my ideas a bit. it's messy and incoherent, but it's how i collect my ideas/descriptions/bits of dialogue

as far as copying - not to sound bleak, but no idea is really truly 100% new and unique. big scary man kidnapping reader and keeping her locked away isn't a novel idea. but what makes it unique is that it's written in my style, with the scenes, descriptions, dialogue, and inner thoughts that i want to portray.

it's okay to do the same idea again. tropes are popular for a reason!

i love tropes and want to read 500 variations of the same thing! as long as you're not actually taking an author's fics and copying portions or doing the same story beat for beat, i don't think it's wrong to write something "inspired" by another fic. on AO3 you can actually mark a fic as your inspiration as a way to credit the author. :3

[divinekangaroo]

I always feel like I'm missing so much in your fics! Tell me something secrete about them!

Oh I nearly missed this! Sorry!

Let me tell you about FIRE:

I was gonna write a giant essay about how I use fire/Tommy lighting a fire repetitively in my fics, quoting the multiple times, meaning of each, how they interlock with his capability, capacity, libido (life drive not just sex drive), etc...but that's probably overkill XD.

Here's the short version: I do use references to fire or the act of lighting fires (not lighting fires) very deliberately. This was motivated by, and ties into, Tommy also doing the same in the show - and I pay special attention to when he can and can't light those fires, and who he might choose to ask to light a fire. For example, in series, there are times when it's John and Arthur, or even Jeremiah (as it comes to Ruby's pyre, which I'll elaborate on because it was such a powerful scene - from what I've been able to find re European Romani funereal tradition, albeit I coudln't *specifically* find period-references to Angloromani or Irish Traveller ritual, that *should* have been Tommy lighting it. Research does have an interesting split between whether it's necessary to stay to watch a funeral pyre burn til the end (as the fam did with Polly) or whether it's actually more respectful/acceptable to walk away early (turn your back on death to face instead to life)).

Then, to add another layer to this symbolic importance of Fire, when I started researching narrowboats and what daily life was like on narrowboats pre-electricity, I also then discovered how important maintaining the stove/fire in the living quarters was. The stoves were Aga or Aga-style, and they take forever to heat up. Basically, you get them going over hours, and *keep* them going, because if they go out you have ages before you can build the heat up again to something useable. And given you could reasonably freeze to death on the water, in an uninsulated boat, in the north, in the night, in winter, the fire/stove seemed very important.

I don't know how much the Shelbys would have been in the worst case northern-style winter conditions in the midlands, but irrespective, England is cold and living on water is freezing: the idea of the kids needing to permanently tend this dangerous and all-consuming, hungry thing dwelling on the boat really appealed to me for multiple reasons - especially because there's no modulation. Either they'd be freezing in those living quarters, or they'd be walking into a hotter-than-hell situation (not possible to temperature-modulate all that well), and they'd have to consciously *keep that fire burning* in a hotter than hell situation, because the heat of hell, at least, was being alive.

So yeah, a secret: if there's a reference to fire or lighting fires in my fics, there's a weight of thinking behind it even if it seems random.