#This is also why I struggle making conflict because most conflicts can be resolved through conversation and I personally love to have long

[icewindandboringhorror]

I think the hardest thing in writing for me sometimes is the like “show don’t tell/let people communicate through subtext/Normal People don’t just walk around openly explaining their motivations for everything That’s Unnatural” thing because like.. I literally DO walk around openly explaining my motivations for everything, that is how I talk, I am an analytical detail oriented over-communicator who explains everything as thoroughly as possible and and will give a fully detailed 2 minute long answer to something simple like “how are you doing today?” .. like it’s hard to make things sound Natural and Normal when you yourself are inherently unnatural and abnormal in your methods of communication to an extent lol

[3hks]

3hks' Guide to Plot (2024)

Alright guys... Here's a big one! These are MY personal thoughts on how to create and write plot. As time continues, I'm positive that some of these things will change, which is why I included "(2024)" in the title! Let's start with some of the basics and definitions, shall we? Hint: you probably want to see the last tip!

~PLOT STRUCTURE~

For 99.9% of novels, they follow a similar--if not the same plot structure--so let's take a look at them chronologically!

>>> Exposition: The beginning of the story, the starting characters, settings, relationships, and ideas are established. This is meant to give the reader a basic sense of the story.

>>> Inciting Incident (initial conflict): This is what sparks the conflict. The characters themselves may not realize it, but this event ultimately changes the whole course of the plot! (This may not always be before the rising action.)

>>> Rising Action: The GOOD stuff starts here! More introductions, more development, more action! Tension builds as the story continues.

>>> Climax: The climax is NOT equivalent to the conflict. The climax is the most exciting or tensest part of the story. The protagonist often is forced into making a difficult decision, whether it be self-inflicted or by another character's hand.

>>> Falling Action: The climax has ended, and things are coming to an end! The falling action is always shorter than the rising action, because there isn't much to introduce, and the characters are simply rolling through the consequences (good or bad) of their previous actions.

>>> Resolution: This is the end of the story. Many people will tell you to tie all the knots together during this part, but it's ultimately up to you! However, there should be some sort of ending to provide closure, at the very least. The conflict should also be resolved (hence the name).

Let's look at the diagram itself! (I'm using Freytag's pyramid because it's well-known. Thank you Writer's Hive for the image!)

~CONFLICT~

Alright, let's talk about the types of conflict real quick!

Character v.s Character: This is your typical conflict, where there are two opposing characters struggling against each other.

Character v.s Self: This is a less common conflict that takes place within the character's mind. (Examples: Self-doubt, decision making, moral dilemma, etc.)

Character v.s Society: This is a conflict between a character (or even a small group of characters) struggling against a larger, typically oppressive society as a whole.

Character v.s. Nature: Just like in the name, this is a character against a force of nature: a tornado, storm, flood, etc.

Character v.s Supernatural: Simply put, this is just a character struggling against a supernatural force.

While knowing and being able to identify the different conflicts doesn't necessarily help you write, it's important to understand what your character is battling against in order to build the conflict.

~BUILDING THE ARCS~

If you watch a lot of shows or movies, you're probably familiar with the term "arc," which is just another way to say plot or subplot, depending on your story.

When writing plot, you want to have a MAIN or LEADING ARC. This is your character's goal that's usually established at the exposition. However, there is usually more to add so your storyline isn't too one-dimensional. These are more arcs or subplots that simply branch out. In a way, it's meant to slow the plot down and add more content while still advancing the story.

So yeah, subplots are able to assist in slowing down the story but they need to help advance the main arc.

This can be done by simply connecting the two--making sure that both of them are at least relevant to one another.

Here's an example! Let's look at HunterxHunter (Yoshihiro Togashi)

The main character, Gon, has a goal to locate his father. This is what HunterxHunter is mainly about. The leading arc, main plot, etc.

It's incredibly simple and straightforward, but it's not that easy.

Along the way, you see different problems arise, creating more subtle and smaller arcs. For instance, there's the Yorknew arc, the Greed Island arc, and the Chimera Ant arc.

The focus of those arcs aren't necessarily for Gon to find his dad. As a matter of fact, his objective is kind of an afterthought in the presence of these subplots. Still, they are connected to Gon's objective and push the story!

See how modest the main plot is? It does not have to be the world's most complex storyline.

Your protagonist's goal is the leading arc, and things just get in the way of it.

Keep this in mind and it may actually help you design your plot events!

~KEY POINTS~

Character introductions: By the end of the rising action, you want most of your characters to have been introduced. This may vary for some certain scenarios, but logically, most characters are going to be involved in the climax, so they must be introduced beforehand.

Environment: Your character will typically start out with a set view of their society, world, and people. Through your developing plot, there should be some changes in their view. What they believe is true could prove to be false.

Triumphs and losses: Sometimes, your character needs to win, and sometimes, they need to lose. This adds a sense of naturalness (not everyone gets what they want) and aids your character development. There are times when a loss is actually the foundation of the exposition! (Wink-wink, nudge-nudge)

~WHERE TO PLACE "THAT SCENE"~

Here's a pretty big one! As writers, we often have just "that scene" pictured out in our minds--it's absolute perfection and a REAL piece of art.

But where are we going to insert it?

If it's not too important, there are three places I suggest! 1. The exposition, 2. the rising action, 3. the falling action.

If your moment is able to introduce a relationship, character, or setting, the exposition is the way to go. If it can build on the three things I listed AND may have a part in the conflict and/or climax, then rising action it is! If it's somewhere in between and somewhere else, then try falling action!

And it can even be the inciting incident if begins the conflict!

Resolution is also a possibility, but because it's near the end, your scene may have less impact than you want. However, if you're still into that idea, then I suggest placing it at the very end! (You'll just need a lot of patience to get through your whole story just for that part, though lol.)

The most important part is to understand what the moment can contribute to the plot, because then you'll have a much better idea of whether you should place it closer to the climax or further away!

Did this help? Let me know!

Happy writing~

3hks <3

[m4ndysk4nkovich]

shameless fans who didn't watch s6/7/8 because mickey wasnt in them are weak as fuck honestly. like its so annoying that "gallavich" fans only actually like half of the dynamic

i 100% agree. i think there can absolutely be a difference between shameless fans and gallavich fans, honestly. i’m a gallavich fan and i have a lot of mutuals who are gallavich fans, but i think that type of gallavich fan is still a shameless fan. if you only watch for gallavich i don’t think you’re much of a shameless fan, and i don’t think you could confidently explain almost any other characters storyline.

^ and another thing about this is that if you aren’t a gallavich fan you’re simply just a mickey fan. mickey’s absense sucked, for sure, but in most shows, there’s a good chance a character you love may not be in the whole thing. boo hoo. i just don’t think you’re an ian fan if you’ll purposefully skip seasons 6-8 especially because they’re INCREDIBLY important to ian’s storyline.

i could talk about this more later, but s6 ian is one of his best and most important eras, and it gets overlooked because people were upset he shitted on mickey and didn’t wait. i know that was an asshole move, but he still had a great storyline. it’s the aftermath of the worst point of his life; recovery. he’s trying to find himself again and he’s slipping through the cracks simultaneously. the reason he’s so distant to mickey is because he struggles with avoidant attachment and he’s trying to move on from that point in his life. that’s literally how he words it. this season introduces him as an emt and it makes him have a purpose in his life again, THIS IS IMPORTANT.

s7 and s8 he begins to learn more about his identity and manages his disorder. s7 is kind of a plateau point because he really is more stable, but when monica comes back he kind of is able to resolve his own conflict with her, yet also leave it unresolved, as she dies. and s8 is the aftermath of that and also losing mickey. (boom! there’s a reason why it’s still important to watch s8 because he’s still kind of there) in s8 he’s extremely unstable, and it deals with the prior conflicts such as him prostituting himself, mickey being converted by his father, and simply just being a queer teenage boy in an environment where it isn’t welcome. mickey’s ghost is almost still in this season because there are many callbacks to him, and even if the writing is a bit weak, it’s still important. i can’t imagine just skipping whole ass seasons because mickey isn’t there as if ALL OF THAT isn’t important to the s10/11 gallavich we all know. they met again in prison, how can you ignore what led to that?

[girlreblogger]

also to add to my previous post, when i say blk yn go through crazy situations im exaggerating but i mean (“cause me personally!!!!!!!!!!!”) allowing the character to be treated in certain manner and be put in “awkward” positions. i also want to say that the “situations” seem unfulfilling like i wanted to say in the first place.

because of the unsavory situations she is put in she legit has to have characteristics that are straight up unnecessary if the wellbeing of her character was prevalent. and i have to say that because of blk yn stories that it applies to. (and no ian talking abt how ppl be complaining abt yn being “ghetto” 😒)

drama, comfort, or for fun, is cool and dandy but it’s the same type of thing and i’m not tryna come for the plug stories like don’t nbgaf like omg i’m so tired of hearing bout them freaking stories.

to the ppl who still decide to ignore how damaging fr CERTAIN! blk yn fics y’all remind me of the ppl who support tyler perry movies simply because it’s for entertainment and “he’s telling a story” (that not everyone has)

yep. those things are true but an impact worse than good is being produced. like bffr.

and i feel conflicted by even saying that because some ppl obviously genuinely relate or find comfort in those stories but at what cost. like is comfort worth change and progression?

me rn:

some ppl just really don’t gaf and don’t care to want better. please don’t let the ppl who don’t gaf sway you. for the ppl who do, reblog nice fics or write. blow them up so other blk girls can find them. we deserve it.

there are so many blk fics where yn is not going through those things and if there is “drama” is solved or there’s a healthy resolve. (there’s so many blk writers who need to be publishing books fuck tumblr or ao3 and tryna get reblogs. with all that talent girl MAKE SOME MONEYYYY! YALL STUFF BE GOOD.)

i’m dead serious. why haven’t you thought abt it.

but yeah. it is what it is we have to put more work in to change as people in general. but i really just want my ppl to grow. ppl find comfort in fics for a reason. i really think a good balance of what everyone is looking for and needs should be found. i know ppl gonna feel like ppl telling them what to do but they prolly the ones who don’t want the change for wtv.. reason… ahem..

ppl feeling hit by what i said:

there’s obviously a problem and as a ppl! why can’t we just fix it. like at least try.

side note:

there’s so many ways to get drama. also the smut after arguing piss me off this is off topic cause it applies to a lot of ppl who make fics but like damn. y’all ain’t gon talk it out. and it be the most weird arguments and stuff and you wanna squeeze lemons after that???

idk that annoys me like everyyyy time? and i think smut after arguments can be well written but ….

anyways the blk ff community to damn big for us to be sitting here starving acting like we don’t have food in the refrigerator to make something.

get it together yall. youn want what’s in the refrigerator go get your keys and buy something.

i’m tired of this shit that’s why so many blk writers stop writing or ppl stop reading because it’s too much going on all for some damn fake characters we wanna imagine ourselves with.

and i know for some ppl it’s abt the followers and all that which i mean to each is own i mean

sigh i was tryna be proper and cordial but i really want better for us but it’s so many ppl who go too far or do too little. and some are so sheep that they go with someone else’s opinion too. you know you tired of all the toxic fics say sumn. you know you tired of ppl constantly bringing up yn being ghetto for no reason (that shit piss me off so bad i can’t. they be so close but so farr) say sumn.

me after thinking someone finna bring up how unnecessary struggle love/toxic/extra smutty blk fics are but they end up just complaining abt yn using aave:

anyways i’m ranting. i wanted to say what i felt.

muah

[novlr]

I've been stumped trying to figure out how to write my MC realizing and overcoming his identity issues.

My MC comes from a place where he had to constantly hide his true self and intentions to survive. He was forced to play a pawn for many people and learned how to read in between lines just to live another day. He then travels to another universe by accident, and meets himself. But it's a version of him who's completely unbothered by the tragedies and situations that he went through. He grows as a person with his innocent help.

My goal is to portray a feeling of hopelessness for himself as he questions who he is. I want him to start rediscovering his hobbies, learning how to set goals and what he actually wants, but i struggle with showing the symptoms of his identity crisis and ways to overcome it.

Thank you in advance for answering !

There’s quite a bit to unpack from this question, but I ultimately read it as asking for help to portray a character’s crisis and development through his journey of growth.

I have bad news, good news, and better news for this.

The bad news is, if you don’t know how to write this for your character, you don’t know your character well enough. Yet.

But based on the details you do have, the good news is you already have a solid start to resolving the issue with character development. You have a backstory portraying who he is at the start of the story, as well as the means of a positive character arc for your character to experience.

The better news: While writing, your main character is the heart of your story; and learning more about him not only helps develop more details, but it also involves looking into other areas of your writing that can improve your story, too. Thus accomplishing multiple things at once!

Ultimately, resolving your situation boils down to three things:

Confirming your story’s theme and its “why”

Confirming your character’s arc

Confirming your character’s GMC (goals, motivation, and conflict)

Because, in order to know how to portray hopelessness for your character during his character arc, we need full details of who he is before the arc, after the arc, and–most importantly–what his hopes and fears are in that journey.

My goal is to make this process streamlined, but still give you space to explore. Character development can get real deep real fast, so watch for drowning in the details. We just need to find and solidify the purpose of the character and his journey for the sake of knowing how to find his version of hopelessness.

Starting with the first step!

Confirming your story’s theme and its “why”

In a previous post I wrote, about getting started with writing, I mentioned how to determine your “why” behind writing and how to tie it with a theme.

One example was writing a story about a sports tournament where a character pushes to win and refuses to give up, stemming from a personal experience about winning a tournament, even though they were ready to quit. This creates the theme of “with effort comes reward.”

Now, based on the details provided in the question, your character is one who must hide his true identity to survive because of tragic situations, and now, he undergoes a journey of learning himself again. This suggests a theme of rediscovery.

So, while we actually have the theme already, we need to ask “why” to secure the foundational details behind the theme and character. Below are some questions to help:

Why are you writing about a character rediscovering themself?

What message do you want to share about rediscovering one’s self?

Is this an experience from your own life? If so, what was it like? What did you learn from it? Is that part of why you’re writing about rediscovery?

For writing rediscovery, maybe you had a life event where you had to start things over (i.e. new career, relationship, etc.). And now, you’re using those moments to write a similar story. But why? To convey that discovering one’s self is possible? That people can change? That second chances exist?

Essentially, what about rediscovery are you trying to tell in your story?

Because, guess what? That message you’re telling is the lesson your character must learn through their character arc. That’s the magic of using theme and storytelling together.

Confirming your character’s arc

Fun fact: determining your theme is the bulk behind developing your character.

Once you have your theme in mind, you can next determine the type of character arc that will fit that theme best. For example, if you have a message that acts as a warning (i.e. lacking morality leads to downfall), you might look toward a negative arc with a tragic ending.

For the sake of this question’s parameters, we’ll keep focus on a positive character arc for the main character–though you can find more information about character arcs here.

A positive character arc involves growth in learning something of value, like a universal lesson. This can be anything from the power of love and friendship, to letting go of the past. Also, since the character undergoes a positive change from having one belief to another, who he is at the end of the story will almost completely contrast with who he is at the start. These are like “before and after” snapshots of your character that act as puzzle pieces for plotting in arc details.

For example, if your theme is “love wins,” your character must be someone who learns that by the end of the story. That means the story starts with them as someone who doesn’t believe in that message at all. And just like that, you have a start and end point of your story and character’s journey!

Using the details from the posted question, and the theme of rediscovery, we already have these “snapshots” of the character at the beginning and end. The character starts the story as someone who learned to hide who he is to survive, while looking for hidden meanings/ulterior motives in everything someone says or does. And the story ends with him learning how to overcome those habits, discover who he is through new hobbies, and heal from past trauma.

Ultimately, the type of character arc you have to showcase your theme determines the start and end point of your story and character’s journey. Your theme is the idea for the story, and the character arc is the starting blueprint. This is why we brainstormed the “why” behind your writing and story first.

Confirming your character’s GMC

Goal, motivation, and conflict are crucial for character development and storytelling. I’ll discuss them strictly from an internal plot/character arc perspective for the sake of the question asked, so if you want a full dive into learning GMC, I recommend this post here.

From an internal plot point of view, GMC gives you a roadmap to plot your character’s arc with a simple summary: (Character) wants (goal) because (motivation). However (conflict), so (resolution).

Let’s use Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as an example. The story involves themes of friendship and love–belonging and self-worth, to be specific. Thus, Harry’s positive character arc starts the story opposite of the theme learned (living with his relatives where he doesn’t feel love or belonging), and ending with facing Voldemort (learning self-worth) and finding valuable friendship with Ron and Hermoine (love and belonging).

This is identifying the theme and character arc just like we discussed in the first two steps. Now, let’s put those details through the GMC method: Harry wants to feel he belongs somewhere (goal) because he lost his parents while young and feels different living in the muggle world (motivation). However, a dark wizard seeking the Philosopher’s Stone threatens his growth by affecting the safety of his new world and friends (conflict), so Harry must stop him to keep his friends safe while rising to his potential as the Boy Who Lived (resolution).

See how everything comes together to solidify the details of a character’s journey?

Going over the character arc also touches on the concept of a character’s want vs. need in the story. Harry wanted to go to Hogwarts and become a wizard (external plot), but he actually needed to find his new sense of belonging and worth (character arc). Think of it as learning the theme the wrong way vs. the right way.

Let’s try the GMC method with your main character in question, and his theme of rediscovery, by asking:

Your character starts the story stuck living in past trauma and hiding himself from others. What does he want to change about his current way of life?

What does he want as change, vs. what he needs for change to happen? What’s the wrong and right way to learn the theme?

Why does he want to change? What motivates him enough to change his life from his current status quo?

What internal belief gets in the way, in conflict with what he wants, and how must he overcome it?

Sticking with the concept of second chances from the previous step: Maybe the character feels empty and doesn’t want to “simply survive” anymore (goal). He sees other people happily living as themselves and wants the same (motivation). Perhaps he wants to handle an external threat he believes keeps him stuck in “survival mode.” However, what keeps him stuck is actually his misled belief that he’s unworthy of second chances in life (conflict). So, he must reframe that mindset (through new hobbies, etc.) to find what he really needs for himself: safety and discovering his true identity (resolution).

Putting it all together

So, why did I go from big-picture to small about storytelling and character arcs to explain writing hopelessness?

Because planning out a character’s journey like this gives deep insight into their hopes and dreams. And once we know those, we can flip them upside down to learn their biggest fears.

Hopelessness looks different for everyone, depending on their situation and beliefs. And it takes knowing a character’s core journey to determine what their version of hopelessness looks like, why it looks that way, and how it comes up during external events.

All of this work was to have groundwork for a character’s aspiration. Here, we used the theme of rediscovery to create an example character’s goal and motive behind wanting a second chance in life–to achieve safety in knowing themselves.

Now flip it. The opposite of the dream to achieve safety and discovering self is the fear of staying stuck in survival mode and feeling empty.

That right there is what hopelessness looks like for the character: forever stuck in survival mode, unsafe, threatened, and a shell of themself to never discover who they really are.

Knowing that core fear is vital. Because once you identify it, you can describe it and the emotion portrayed in certain situations. Then you can use it to add personality and/or backstory details to your character if you don’t have them already (what does a person who yearns for safety and security act like?).

After all, personality and backstory for a character are just the flavor behind one’s core actions. It’s like baking a cake. You need the foundational ingredients before you can add personality and flavor.

When depicting this core fear, imagine a scene where your character tries everything to achieve their dream and utterly fails. How does that affect them? What does that outcome feel and look like to them? How do they react to that loss? Is it anger? Grief? What does this force them to believe about themselves and/or the world? Does this lead to bad habits?

This last part here is a little more based on intuition and personal brainstorming to develop your character, since every story, plot, and character are different. But this step-by-step process should provide the groundwork for solid character arcs that give insight into who your character is at their core, and what their core emotions–like hopelessness–would look like based on specific scenarios.

Character development is my favorite to experience as a reader, my favorite exercise as a writer, and one of the best ways for an audience to connect with your writing. So have fun with it! And always stay open-minded. Your story and character(s) will give you the insight you need when you let yourself think outside the box.

Happy writing!

[pagannatural]

2.02 Everybody Loves a Clown

-Dad died so we’re going to a carnival

-MY GOD Dean looks amazing in this episode. He looks most himself in a t shirt covered in car grease. No wonder Sam keeps coming up to bother him.

-Sam is like Do you need anything Dean? Can I help with the car? Will you talk to me? I broke into our dead dad’s voicemail so that we could hang out again

- Dean: “I feel like a friggin soccer mom” well didn’t Sam play soccer and aren’t you his mom

-Dean asks why Sam was so quick to jump on this job and Sam says it’s what dad would’ve wanted. Sam wishes he could’ve truly made amends with John. They mostly fought about Dean last episode, and Sam has probably put it together that actually John traded his soul to the demon to save Dean so Sam probably feels a complicated gratitude toward John for that. He doesn’t know about John asking Dean to save/kill him, so he doesn’t know John has another reason for saving Dean other than just caring about him enough to sacrifice his soul and life’s mission to save him.

The other layer to Sam deciding now that he wants to be a hunter like John always wanted is that it’s so much easier for Sam to do that now that John’s dead. He’s struggling with the grief-that part isn’t easy- but he’s been fighting John his whole life. He doesn’t need to assert his independence from a father who isn’t there. Now his only real conflict hunting with Dean is being in love with him, but he trusts Dean and he’s seen now that he’s Dean’s top priority.

-What I wouldn’t give for Dean to lie to the carnival manager and say their act is him throwing knives at Sam. Can you even imagine the homoerotic tension. He just barely papercuts Sam’s neck, Sam gulps and tilts his head to show Dean the thin line of blood. Where am I

-Sam calls Dean’s behavior his “strong, silent thing.” The way he describes Dean in the rare moments he does is pretty revealing. Dean lies and hides himself frequently and Sam is the one person who sees through his bullshit. One of my favorite things about Sam is that he feels what he feels and he acts on it and the only feelings he can’t act on are those ones. You know the ones.

-Dean is angry that Sam suddenly wants to do what John would have wanted. Dean is pissed off that Sam wants to follow John’s wishes, now of all times. Because meanwhile, Dean is collapsing in on himself like a dying star with the need to not have to follow John’s last order, which was to potentially kill Sam. Dean would rather die. Of course Sam doesn’t understand this and just wants Dean to let him in, and he needs comfort from Dean. I bet usually Dean would give him that.

-Dean makes up with Sam by flirting with him, teasing that he’s a stickler for details about the case, and Sam smiles blushingly. He’s so pleased. Dean glances over at him with this pained longing. Just kiss.

-Sam with his whole body facing Dean, gazing at him:

-Sam looks displeased when he realizes Jo and Dean want him to leave so they can flirt

-Sam tells Dean that he misses John, feels guilty, and isn’t okay, and knows Dean isn’t either. He has tears in his eyes.

Dean looks at Sam like it’s physically painful not to comfort him. He must feel so guilty and horrible knowing John said he might have to kill Sam, like he can’t touch Sam while he’s holding this secret. He also thinks it’s his fault that John is dead instead of him, and therefore that it’s his fault Sam is struggling.

-Sam leaves. Dean just fucking loses it. He’s been working on repairing the Impala, the thing John left him. He grabs a crowbar and smashes the windows, tears a hole in the trunk. He’s so angry with John for putting this on him. Imagine, the same Dean who made John promise he’d keep Sammy safe before he would agree to leave for kindergarten. He stares after Sam, his lips trembling.

I love when Dean is violent. I don’t think his violence has surfaced in contexts other than overwhelming emotions for or related to Sam.

-They need to resolve the issue of why Sam is sticking around now that he’s finally, finally decided to. Sam’s actions show a trust and devotion to Dean as well as a desire for closeness, but Dean’s guilt and fear make him want to push Sam away.

[echo-bleu]

Curious about the Queen Nerdanel AU, if you’d like to share anything about it!

Yay, thank you!

That's also an AU that I'm really excited about, though I have written very little of it. It's (at least for now) a bullet-point fic where instead of leaving Fëanor, Nerdanel finds out early that he put too much of himself in the Silmarils and that he's ill because of it, and she stays. When Morgoth steals the Silmarils, Nerdanel is the one who goes to Beleriand to get them back, taking the role of General and Regent Queen, while Fëanor stays behind and becomes King.

It changes... a lot of things. For now I've mostly written the early parts before they leave, but some characters that would otherwise have gone will stay, and the narrative will follow both sides.

I'm not saying that it's a fix-it, but—yeah, it's a fix-it, actually. I haven't figured out everything yet, but Nerdanel is scarily efficient at putting everyone to work and resolving conflict.

For now, an early snippet:

He falls ill.

Varda’s hallowing will only burn evil, she says. Fëanáro is not evil.

The Ainur perhaps don’t quite understand how Eldar fëar work. Their own eälar can withstand any amount of abuse, and even, as the world will (or would, in a different timeline—that remains to be seen) eventually learn, the most egregious splintering.

It doesn’t burn Fëanáro’s fëa, it just exhausts it.

It makes his temper shorter, he’s prone to bouts of depression, times when he lashes out at seemingly nothing, sensory overload—all things he had before, but much stronger.

And because unlike the Ainur, he’s an incarnate, it affects his hroä as well, and he’s often lethargic, struggling to keep his energy levels constant, and he’s taken by fits of widespread nerve pain.

He isn’t successful at hiding it. The public just wonders why the Crown Prince is making so few appearances, but Nerdanel and the children are worried to see him barely able to get out of bed some days. And Finwë…

All Finwë can think about is Míriel.

As you can see, my fondness for writing disabled characters is coming through once more.

Ask me about my WIPs

[shysquiggles]

Hi there! Why do you think Aziraphale said "I forgive you" right after their kiss ended? Do you think he was referring to the very act of kissing, i.e. forgiving Crowley for kissing him without his consent? Or did it include a more general conotation, forgiving him for what he said, his general thoughts and behaviour?

Okay, there's a lot to ramble about here, and I think its a ramble because I'm not 100% sold on my own thinking. There's a lot of ways to interpret it (one laying into Aziraphale trying to tap into thje fact that Crowley believes he is 'unforgivable' and so using this to try and resolve things) but I do think it could go another way:

Considering this isn't the first time Aziraphale has used "I forgive you" to respond to Crowley, I'm sure it's basically these gays don't know how to communicate (again).

One of Aziraphale's issues is that, while he is very good at forgiving. he really isn't good at resolving personal emotional conflict. I don't mean all conflict -when there's an issue that the two of them are working to solve together (The apocalypse, Gabriel turning up at the bookshop), they work brilliantly. But the conflict I mean is talking about personal disagreements.

When you are faced with a disagreement from a person you care about, its good to talk things out and try to get both of your feelings on the table. You talk, and then you search for a compromise and a resolution. And at times, for a lot of relationships, things can be said that hurt. It takes time to figure things out, and it can take moments of needing to think. But, you do have to face the bumps in order to move forward and to avoid your relationship from falling apart

Here are the two situations that lead to "I forgive you".

The first season, Crowley was exasperated trying to convince Aziraphale to go with him to Alpha Centauri, but still holding his connections to heaven Aziraphale rejects it. Crowley says, "you're so clever, how can someone so clever be so stupid."

The second season, the two of them couldn't reach a compromised solution and, in a clearly agonised overly emotional kiss (truly trying to express everything going on in his head and heart) Crowley is, once again, making an attempt to convince Aziraphale to stay with him. Before that kiss, Crowley said, "you idiot. We could have been 'us'". He also, fully outright rejected the idea of them going to heaven together.

The two of them, despite regular teasing, hold a high opinion of the other. They are a little unit, and they do have each others backs. They protect one another. Receiving an insult (a genuine comment that hurts or something that may feel like an emotionally-driven act) from a person you hold that dear can really hurt.

Crowley used the words "idiot" and "stupid". Plus, clearly, that kiss left Aziraphale in a state of shock and overwhelm. There were a LOT of emotions coarsing through him at that moment, and you can see him trying desperately to work his way through them as quickly as possible. Ideally, they would give each other time to figure things out. This is the most confrontation they've possibly ever had with one another and it's a lot to process. It's also terrifying that the person you care for most in this world can cause such high amounts of emotion.

But even with all those conflicting feelings, there's one thing that Aziraphale is good at: forgiveness. Even when he thought Crowley was about to kill Job's kids, he said 'may God forgive you'. It's how he handles those bigger emotions. How he handles shame, or guilt, or how he handles a strong difference of opinion

Another way to look at Aziraphale's choice to give Crowley forgiveness in this scenario, is like when someone uses the word "sorry" all the time to fix a conflict or an argument. It's used to swiftly resolve the issue and try to get your relationship back on good terms. But, with time, if the issues don't get resolved or addressed, those sorry's soon lose their meaning and you struggle to forgive and forget. You don't fully address the issue, and you're left still feeling irritated and unsatisfied. Eventually, you probably give up.

Have you ever heard the phrase "sometimes sorry isn't good enough"? Well, maybe the same could be said for forgiveness. Sometimes forgive and forget leaves you stagnant in your situation. And I think that Crowley has heard forgiveness from Aziraphale over and over and over. He's given out his fair share of sorry's, and it's been met with forgiveness. But so has everyone else -he even seems to have forgiven Gabriel who was emotionally abusive to the next level. Aziraphale's forgiveness, being offered to everyone, has less meaning now. Even if, in this last occasion, it meant so much more than the others.

It takes a strong heart to forgive in the heat of the moment, and I'm more than certain it was said out of that. To forgive, despite feeling so much pain and strong emotions from Crowley's actions, is a real show of heart courage and strength. And I do think that this 'forgiveness 'does mean so much more than the others (e.g. compared to Maggie's rent). But from Crowley's pov, it may be hard to see that.

For many of us, the default of wanting to patch it up and make it better is "sorry". For Aziraphale, it's the other end of it: forgiveness. But offering forgiveness after a heated moment like that kiss, rather than talking about it, is stubbornly separating yourself from the conflict, not resolving it.

I'm convinced that Aziraphale didn't want that to make Crowley leave. The little 'no' he mouth's as Crowley walks out clearly means he wanted the other to stay, that he didn't want them to separate. But Crowley doesn't want forgiveness. And like saying sorry, all that saying "I forgive you" did is just end the discussion.

Or I don't know, maybe he was just forgiving him for them breaking up idk my brain hurts from this show I swear

[frospino]

Some Veilguard thoughts, spoilers for the entire game! Just had to write some of my thoughts down

When I started playing VG, I was both excited and afraid. Excited because yes new dragon age!! Afraid because I wasn't sure BioWare still has what made me love the older games, especially origins and 2, so much.

Overall, VG was fun, but did not feel like a Dragon Age game to me. It felt like a game that tried to be Dragon Age.

I think that's mainly because they ignored so much of earlier established lore: I love Teia and Viago, but the Antivan crows are supposed to be assassins. The kind of assassins you hire to kill the bastard brother of the king who died on a battlefield you and your troops left and their fellow Warden. Why is it no problem for the characters to have their base in the Fade? The "no-one has entered the Fade in person before, this might kill us" Fade? Why is the distinction between the Veil Jumpers and the Dalish so unclear? Why aren't the other Wardens freaking out when they see Assan, if he has been kept a secret from them as Davrin suggests? Griffons have been extinct but remained the symbol of the Grey Wardens for so long!! Why are people all "??? Blood magic, in our city???" in Dock Town? Etc etc.

It feels a bit like someone making an adaptation of something and getting it not quite right.

The characters feel like a first draft. They all start off with interesting premises, but most of them aren't really fleshed out enough. How is Rook supposed to help Taash choose between the Qun and Rivaini culture, when we don't really see how they feel about either? Sure, we know their mother puts pressure on them. But we don't see them flourish when they get to behave Rivaini. And their "you can leave the Qun" comment really bugged me. I assume it was meant to show they don't actually know all that much about the Qun. But that's something I have to assume. It could also be lore ignorance.

Davrin doesn't really get to be more than "the guy with a griffon". His entire arc is about... Assan. There's a hint of something more after Weisshaupt, when he is angry because he doesn't know what his life's purpose is anymore. But Rook says a couple of sentences and that anger is suddenly resolved? As if his entire world hasn't just been shook because he killed an archdemon but is still alive! And why doesn't he (and Warden!Rook) react more to finding out about Isseya and the Wardens that didn't die during their calling? That... Should be a huge fucking deal for them.

...I had high hopes for Lucanis, but that walk through the Fade-Ossuary quest? What was that? Rook turned into a textbook therapist and the "disaster bisexual" just went "oh actually if you say it like that..." The Lucanis/Spite story could have been so good. Instead, they resolved their differences... Just... Like that? Even though Lucanis has a demon inside of him that takes over his body when he sleeps? And why is Lucanis' romance the same when he romances Neve?? (I tried out different romances because I couldn't decide, but finding out he then made the dessert for Neve without ever talking to Rook about that almost-kiss again was... Weird.)

Again, the story ideas themselves were great. Full of potential. It's just... Some characters were reduced to only one struggle. Some characters worked through their conflict way too quickly.

I loved the way they tied the Titans and Elven lore and the Blight together. I just wish they had shown these story beats in more than exposition.

I also think... That these revelations would have worked a lot better if they had brought some old companions back as companions. There are characters in this story that have been with us from the very beginning. They deserved to be the ones to unravel these mysteries. I get that they couldn't bring back a lot of characters because they potentially died somewhere along the way. But characters like Morrigan, potentially Fenris, Dorian, ... It could've been a nice mix of old and new companions.

Another gripe: Morrigan/Mythal. Morrigan potentially drank from the Well of Sorrows. She would have known Mythal's story. Or the Inquisitor would have known. I think it would have worked better if they hadn't gone with fragments of Mythal, and instead tied the Well into VG's story. (also, I find it very unbelievable that Morrigan just hangs out in Arlathan forest while there are two raging Gods on a rampage.)

Varric's fate... That trope has been overdone, I think. And it wasn't done particularly well this time. I can accept that Solas projected Varric into Rook's mind because it's yet another mistake he regrets. But the companions know Rook has a mental connection to Solas/the Dread Wolf Elven God of Lies and Betrayal. Neve and Harding know Varric is dead. And they thought Rook was "in on it" when they (Rook) talked to Varric? Neve, a mage who grew up in Tevinter and would know all about mind control etc, who is a detective, doesn't connect the dots?

The last quest was very well done I think. The background fight between Solas and the archdemon that leaves destruction in its wake, relying on the allies you made for the final assault, the me2 style "choose wisely"... The fight with the three ogres :'D... But it could have had a much bigger impact.

Overall... I had fun during most of the game. I am overly critical because this is Dragon Age, and because BioWare took a lot of time with this installment. I'm glad that the game runs so smoothly!! I encountered two minor graphic glitches during my 73 hour playthrough. Kind of sad that has to be pointed out as a good thing but with the state of the industry as it is, it is something to point out.

I think BioWare was too afraid to take risks. To let their characters be messier. Angrier. To write a story that isn't purely good vs evil, maybe. (With the exception of Solas's arc.)

And to bring back Dragon Age 2's combat system, of course. www (I am very biased towards that combat style, sorry!!)

;tldr: BioWare needs better editors because VG feels like a first or maybe 2nd draft. It could have been so much more than what it is. It's not a bad game. It's also not a very good game, in my opinion. And it certainly isn't a good Dragon Age for me :(

[kitkatopinions]

Do you think Glynda would have been the only one to side with Ozpin, or at least not hold much of a grudge against him, treating him empathy, after his big secret reveal in V6? She's already displayed a great deal of uncond trust towards him when she talked with Ironwood about him having doubts about Ozpin

Honestly, if the only thing that changed was Glynda's inclusion and the same writers were still doing the same things... I don't think Glynda would've sided with Ozpin at all, because the writers love to write "and then RWBYJNOR think blah blah blah," or "and then RWBYJNORQ want XYZ." They struggle to do plotlines where people can disagree without being framed as One Hundred Percent Bad In The Wrong Needs To Change Might Be Evil. I feel like if they had Glynda be a more prominent role and involved in the story up to V6, they would've had her also be so furious and disappointed in and angry at Ozpin just like Qrow, even if it didn't make any sense.

Logically though, what I think would happen if the writers cared about consistency and making their characters have an original thought, I think that Glynda would be the most on board with Ozpin and have the least problems with him out of anyone.

I think Qrow should've sided with Ozpin, but been personally very hurt by Ozpin's lack of trust in him, creating conflict for them to work through later. I think Yang should've been against Ozpin, resolving that he can't be trusted because he lied to them and (however temporarily) icing him out and not looking to him as a leader. I think Weiss should've been mostly on Yang's side, albeit with a bit more sympathy towards Oz, sort of in the camp of "I get where he's coming from but clearly we can't trust him to be honest or to always have our best interests at heart." I think Blake should've actually taken the stance of "you guys don't know what it's like, maybe he should've told the truth, but it's easier to say 'you should trust us' than it is to actually trust people after you've been hurt so many times, I've been there and I get it" and she should've been way more sympathetic towards Ozpin because of her backstory. I think once Jaune heard about it later, he should've had problems too and been willing to work with Ozpin, but hesitant with him and frequently doubting the legitimacy of his claims and tending to rely on himself and Ruby and not really think of Ozpin as any sort of reliable guide to be consulted in plans. Ren should take kind of the same stance as Jaune, albeit with a more logical thought process of "we should only do what he says if we think he's right, everything else doesn't matter as much." And I actually think Nora should've been fully on board with Ozpin, easily assuming that he only lied to them and/or didn't trust them because he'd been hurt in the past, and that she doesn't really care and still likes him. And I think that Ironwood should've - when he eventually heard - been somewhat hurt as well, but understand the logic of it, but also just resolve to work all the harder himself, knowing that Ozpin is not always a safety net and knowing that Ozpin doesn't always share everything important. And Glynda would fully on Ozpin's side except unlike Qrow (who I feel has a very emotional and personal connection to Ozpin and would fall back on believing in Ozpin because he loves him more than because it logically makes sense) and Nora (who I honestly think is just a very loyal follower with strong intuition and a good judge of character but doesn't really have much logic behind 100% trusting Oz,) Glynda would instead completely get where Oz is coming from, completely understand why he did the things he did, completely agree with them, and just keep trusting him completely. As for Ruby (who is the most important person here,) I think that she should've been kind of in-between and not sure what to think, feeling confused on how she's supposed to react, trying to make everyone happy at once, and be understanding but also a good strong leader herself, and tries to rely more on herself instead of others in the wake of what happened.

Basically, if I was the RWBY writer, I think Glynda would side with Ozpin because that's what I think makes the most sense for her character. Everyone should be having different reactions because what Ozpin did is nuanced, not just pure evil, and I think that with what Glynda was like in V1-3, the natural thing and what would make the most sense would be her understanding and supporting Ozpin. However, I think if the writers included her, she wouldn't side with Ozpin at all, because they didn't want it to be a nuanced conversation and a chance to show the range of their characters where some people agreed with Ozpin, some people didn't, and some people were kind of in-between. They just wanted to say 'Ozpin is bad and dumb and we should all be against him,' and so they couldn't have Glynda do anything but agree with Team RWBY... Unless they made her into one of those characters that temporarily disagrees with Team RWBY so they can all be like 😮🫢😞😠 and then they either take it back later of become an antagonist.

[nicollekidman]

not that i'm happy about the ending (fuck that divorcee cope strategy from jsuds) but ted still has a young son who's struggling with his dad moving halfway across the world i can't imagine ted making a better choice...

rebecca literally had a ten point plan as to how it could’ve worked like. i get that people are like “what did you want him to do, abandon his son???” but also like tbh having your dad leave a group of people you also loved, and a sport you loved rooting for him in, to go back to your mom who just was dating someone else to have his whole life revolve around you is like. it’s own burden. like sorry but they were all fine with him leaving them to give michelle space so idk why the only thing that would’ve made ted a Good Dad to his son was following his shitty mom’s guilt trip back to the place he was in before the show started. and also like. henry isn’t a real kid. the hi is a narrative consideration and not a “is this child being taken care of 🥺” problem.

also AGAIN this is a problem with the writing and the showing not telling because???? we are never once given an indication that henry is lacking ANYTHING or struggling at all with ted gone!!!!!! when he visits, he’s engaged, he’s with the team, he’s having a ball. they facetime regularly. ted is going to parent teacher conferences. henry is using ted’s advice to resolve conflicts at school. henry is always answering the phone and happy to talk to ted. i understand that IN REAL LIFE kids can put on a happy face when they’re suffering but in this show??? narratively???? we have only seen henry very active and engaged and happy, and he has never asked ted to come home or insinuated he resented ted. the first inkling of that came from his mother, who spent her entire appearance dodging responsibility for her own actions and trying to get ted back with kansas. if they wanted ted to Go Back To His Son To Raise Him Right then that should’ve been an emotional and plot through line of (at least) this season, instead of ted obsessing over michelle’s boyfriend to the point that he’s leaving henry alone at the pub with beard to wallow. tbh. at most ted says “i miss my kid” and that’s the end of it. so really like. it feels like a lazy way to get ted out of there and end it and keep ted a good guy.

[itsclydebitches]

Oh, when I talked about flop era for Ted I meant for him as a person. I think he should have been a great coach and more involved with the team, I just also think that “my ex wife is dating OUR marriage counselor” is a big, giant bomb that cannot be resolved with positivity. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want a “Ted finally snapped” plot line, but Michelle dating their therapist is such a huge betrayal that dropping it like they did is just… uhhh. It’s rushed and it doesn’t change Ted at all. But it would change most people.

And Michelle dating the counselor is not just a betrayal of Ted, it’s a dangerous situation that can get the counselor not just fired, but he can (and should) loose his license. It’s a big deal. If he wasn’t their counselor but say, Ted’s good friend or Michelle’s childhood best friend or something and they started dating behind Ted’s back? The resolve would be appropriate. Because it hurts but it is also none of Ted’s business. But the counselor…… it’s a very dramatic plot line and Ted did not react to it properly. And that’s just one of the examples of Ted having a hard time. I’d argue that he also needs to accept that he is in fact a good dad, even if he left, and that Henry is not suffering without him.

OH my mistake, anon. Yes, full agree on that. 95% of the time I think Ted Lasso does an excellent job of navigating hard-hitting issues, but there are two choices that made me do a shocked double-take: Rebecca dating Sam and Michelle dating their therapist. To be honest I'm not a huge fan of the writing choices themselves - I think it would have worked just as well/better to end the Rebecca and Sam situation at the restaurant reveal, highlighting the pitfalls of these anonymous dating apps, and Ted could have struggled with Michelle moving on with anyone appropriate - but if we HAD to have these conflicts... at least engage with those issues fully? As you say, this is a huge deal and the story really doesn't acknowledge that. It actually makes me a little mad that the takeaway message is, "Ted needs to let his ex-wife go" and not "Ted is rightly pissed that a professional he trusted and his ex-wife betrayed him like that and that anger is hindering his growth but damn, can you blame him?" Yes, Ted does need to let Michelle move on (and move on himself) but the ability to do that is highly influenced by the fact that she's DATING THEIR THERAPIST. The same way I wanted characters like Keeley to go, "Uh... Rebecca, age difference aside, should you really be dating one of your players?" instead of this blanket support that doesn't engage with the problems in that relationship, I wanted characters to support Ted with a, "Holy shit, that's massively fucked up and he's definitely in the wrong. Here's how you can move past this while still acknowledging the difficulties of that situation." Instead we jump straight to, "Jeez, Ted, stop making assumptions about Paris."

So yeah, I wanted more from that in pretty much every respect. More of a reaction from Ted, yes, but considering that we did kinda get an extreme reaction (wanting to hire a private detective) at least more of a reaction from the cast/the narrative and an acknowledgement of what Ted is reacting to: not just Michelle moving on, but moving on with him. Even if it doesn't lead to any punishment-like resolution (such as the removal of his license) I think everyone should acknowledge how fucked up that is. How does Michelle defend that choice? How does Jacob? Why is Beard only getting annoyed at Ted instead of showing that insane defensive streak we've seen from him? Everyone's up in arms over the assumption that Henry was bullied (horrible, but pretty standard for most kids at one point or another), but no one cares that Ted is going through that frankly insane situation? Why are they all acting like this is a totally normal case of an ex moving on??

WHY IS NO ONE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT TED WORKED SO HARD TO OVERCOME HIS BIAS AGAINST THERAPY AND NOW JACOB HAS GONE AND (from Ted's perspective) PROVEN HIM RIGHT? I personally would have liked an arc where Ted backslides in that regard. Shannon is less available now and her assistance is a distant memory in the face of this new conflict, Jacob has "proven" that therapists are useless and untrustworthy, and Ted is failing to move on specifically because he wonders if he and Michelle might have rebuilt their marriage without his involvement. I mean, how hard was he really trying while falling for his client? Did he actively sabotage them? After all, why would he have tried his hardest to help them through their problems when he wanted Michelle for himself? And now this man--both accurately and inaccurately built up as a villain in Ted's head--is encroaching on Henry, trying to "steal" the role of dad while Ted is over in London and can't do anything about it. (Because yeah, full agree about Ted being a great dad, but I think he'd need a reminder of that under these circumstances, especially after his own father's suicide).

Ugh yeah, I obviously have a lot of thoughts about that choice. Ted deserved to work through his divorce and Michelle moving on... but with a hell of a lot more nuance if you're going to introduce her new lover as their marriage counselor. The arc we got works fine for any other new boyfriend, but not that.

[eldragon-x]

Something about Bill's role as a villain in the narrative of Gravity Falls and themes and how him having hidden depth adds to it all.

Like the show doesn't go too deep into him besides the one scene where he talks about how he felt trapped in his old home dimension and describes its destruction as "liberation" before going on about how spreading Weirdmageddon across our world would allow him to "free" our dimension as well by removing all restrictions from it.

And it makes sense for it to only dig so deep because the story is about the Pines family and Bill's purpose is to be something for them to overcome. Bill embodies the struggles and shortcomings of the Pines either by sharing negative traits with them (or traits that aren't inherently negative but can have a fault) or furthering his own goals through them being divided, with both set of twins resolving their conflicts and working together for each others sake being what defeats Bill in the end.

But then you dig a little deeper and not only are there implications that Bill might change for the better post-canon which plays into the theme of second chances and personal improvement (but I already talked about that), but you find pieces that create a picture and it all helps you understand how he got to this point and why he does what he does. And the thing is, Bill is an embodiment of weirdness and unconventionality, and accepting and understanding these things is also a theme in the show. Most notably with Mabel and Ford, but also in how several conflicts involving supernatural beings are solved by getting to understand them.

But of course, most of the characters never truly get to understand Bill, and they don't need to. Again, he's a villain to overcome and defeat for the purpose of their stories and that's the end of it. But the Axolotl, the one who gave him his second chance in the first place, understands him and chooses to give him support. The audience itself can try to come to understand Bill and the why and how of it all if they look for it.

Bill fits into the themes of the show not just as a villain and a foil to the Pines, but also as a full character on his own.

[djeterg19]

Ok, so I was chatting on the bird app about why I generally hate third act breakups and it kinda inspired this post. First, conflict is necessary in any drama. The issue that comes up with many third act breakups is that they are often forced or contrived. Or the response is disproportionate to whatever issue comes up. Often it's caused by a lack of communication or a miscommunication.

I'm supposed to believe these two characters are in love but won't talk with or listen to the other person when they try to explain what happened or how they are feeling? Or they see or overhear something and, without speaking with the other person, jump immediately to wanting to break up and then refuse to give them a second chance. Or, and this might be the one I hate the most, they decide they know what's best for their love interest and break up because they don't want to hold them back. You should not be deciding what is best for someone else. People are capable of deciding for themselves what to prioritize in their life. You might think that specific job or going to school is the most important thing but someone else might think a family, friends, or love is more important to them. Because there are plenty of jobs or schools but family and love are irreplaceable.

And if they are so willing to throw the entire relationship away without communicating, how am I supposed to believe that the reunion or their feelings are genuine? Did they learn or grow from the situation? Or is it just cheap conflict to make the last episode have suspense? Why am I supposed to believe they are in love when they don't try reaching out to try resolving whatever the issue is? If your answer to the first big fight or issue your relationship encounters is to dump the other person and refuse to even talk to them...it just does not work for me character wise or plot wise. I can understand yelling and fighting in the moment but I cannot understand someone taking time to think and reflect and not even trying to patch things up or make things work with someone they truly love in most circumstances. And characters and relationships can be tested without forcing the characters apart through forced drama. They can have adult conversations where they can decide that they need to work on x, y, or x but won't cut all communication because they are important to each other. It can be outside forces that cause issues that actually strengthens their bond by forcing them to work together to overcome the odds. Or maybe one of them suffers a setback or struggles with something that is the big drama but they are there for each other and help each other through whatever comes up. Honestly my absolute favorite conflict in a BL was Kawi getting sick in Be My Favorite. It's realistic. It's traumatic. It produced drama AND utilized the time travel element in a great way.

Also the timing is frustrating. Because, with BLs especially, the third act breakup doesn't even happen in the third act. It happens in episode 11 generally. One episode is not the fourth act of a 12 episode series. For it to be a third act breakup, it would need to happen around episode 9 or 10 at the latest. But it almost never does and the ending is almost never satisfying because they have to cram too much into one episode to resolve things. I personally would prefer if such drama was done earlier so that the last episode could be reserved for seeing the happy ending that most of these shows promise. I don't want to spend 12 episodes with a pairing and only have 5 minutes showing them happy at the end. That is generally not satisfying to me.

[lnkedmyheart]

Okay so this whole fandom parent/fandom elders/queer elders thing is blowing up on twitter and I think we need to address the issue properly.

Fandom elders is a bs term

First of all 25 to 40 year olds are not fandom elders or queer elders. A huge chunk of the older generation didnt even know they were queer way into their 30s with a LOT of people trying to cling to the norm of heterosexuality of the time. I'm serious when I say quite a few queer elders have had less time openly being queer on the internet than a lot of the current gen on twt.

Fandom/queer intergenerational conversations are infact important

Why? Because the youth cant wait for all the older generations to die out to resolve conflict. Literally everyone is at each other's throats slinging insults like a hippo flinging shit to mark its territory. The older generation need to stop hating on the younger for "having it easier" and the younger needs to stop minimising what the older have gone through for the world to progress as much as it has.

But ALSO because older people in the fandom can and will often keep you aware of the risks. They can help you recognize red flags from actual predators in the fandom because they themselves have had to keep an eye out for them.

A predator preying on queer minors is not always gonna advertise their status as an adult

Listen, while a lot or adult predators will try to lure you in with promises of safety and care, most predators disguise their online presence as that of another minor. You need to learn how to pick up on the red flags. Its VERY important to learn that. No minor/adult should be trusted 100% on the internet.

Learn to maintain distances on your own

Talking to fandom adults online is a great idea because you have anonymity, you can share your struggles and they can help guide you through them but do not ever think they are your best friend or parental figure. If you are so naive that you actively allow yourself to be lured into a false sense of security because some rando on the internet was being maternal to you then you should not be on twt or such. As decent fandom adults our responsibility is to maintain our distance from fandom minors. Mark our nsfw content and not engage with minors while also keeping an eye out for shady adults or red flag accounts. However you are on the internet, sharing your personal details with some rando on the internet is not a good idea. Ever.

Here are some red flags to keep an eye out for

If a fandom adult insistently tries to run with the fandom parent/older sibling narrative and has extremist views on shipping culture, promotes hate mobbing, actively drops names, links or content of the "nasty" accounts to directly or indirectly get their minor followers to attack said account, thereby exposing the minors to said content.

People claiming to be MAPs or defending MAPs. Do keep in mind however that MAP is also an abbreviation for a job so just be careful in case you decide to report. 😭

Adults who follow back or interact with minor followers or do not mark nsfw content in spaces where they allow minors.

Fandom adults who try to isolate you from other fandom adults and anyone else. Often predators will isolate people to make them dependent on them. To do this they will often present themselves as being some all knowing authority figure/protector against the big bad nasties, whatever the nasties may be depending on which side they are on.

Inconsistency in the posts of the person in question, be it age, life story, etc.

Any kind ot coercion to participate in discussions of nsfw content relating to characters or real people while being fully aware that they are talking to a minor.

If they have access to your photos any comment on the way you look.

Listen to your gut, if you feel even vaguely uncomfortable block and move on. If some adult gets mad at minors blocking them they are shady as shit.

I know people have a whole hate boner for pro shippers because often predators can hide amongst pro shippers but keep in mind most pro shippers are older people and will often tell people to seperate fiction from reality. Meanwhile a majority of anti shippers are minors and quite a few big anti accounts have been revealed to be predatory as they openly expose their followers made mostly of minors to nsfw content and cut them off from a) making informed decisions on their own by skewing narratives through the use of trigger words and b) making them actively fear any interaction with the rest of the fandom. Trust no one. No matter which side.

Lastly, please, dont be scared of having a light conversation or discussion with fandom adults, but do be wary. Do not share private info, do not share your personal issues that can be exploited. The moment someone online seems to gaslight you or guilt trip you or coerce you into something you dont want to talk about hit the block button. It doesnt matter what age is mentioned in their profile or how old they claim to be. Never exchange your contact number.

[therandomavenger]

What We Talk About When We Talk About Writer's Block

Whenever I see a list of questions people have for working writers, ‘How do you get over writer’s block?’ is near the top. I understand why this is such a common question. A lot of people seem to deal with this issue, and until I figured out my process, it happened to me a lot.

Writer’s block can be a lot of things. For me, it was happening because I was trying to pants my way through a novel, and I would write myself off a cliff and get stuck, not knowing how to resolve a conflict, or even what I wanted to happen next. I failed writing at least three books this way. I still have no idea what to do with them.

When I realized I was a plotter and not a pantser, this got better. I’ve finished 12 books since 2019, and didn’t get stuck in the middle of any of them. Now, before I even start writing, I have a plan for how to get through the story and how the central conflicts will be resolved. This does not have to be the plan, but it is a plan to fall back on. I usually change and modify the scaffolding as I go along, leaving room for inspiration along the way.

Coincidentally, I think this is what’s happened the George RR Martin, and why the Game of Thrones Books don’t seem like they’ll be finished anytime soon. He is, famously, a pantser, and I think he’s stuck. Everyone yelling at him to get to work isn’t helping. This is not the kind of thing you can brute force. Maybe he needs to make a plan? I don’t know, some writers are allergic to that type of thing.

But that’s not the only type of writer’s block people talk about. Sometimes, the problem is that you don’t have any idea to write about at all, or at least not one you find exciting. This is something I have a little bit of trouble relating to. I have novel and story ideas coming out of my ears. When people ask, ‘where do you get your ideas?.’ My response is ‘how do you make them stop?’ (I don’t really want it to stop). But I will say if you are searching for inspiration, it can be good to visit someplace you’ve never been before, and/or read a nonfiction book or listen to a podcast about something you are not already familiar with. Expand your mind into a new area and start making connections with things you already know. Or talk to someone new and listen to their life story. If you can do any of those things and not come away with dozens of story ideas, I’m not sure how to help you. There are story ideas everywhere, just open your mind to them and they will find you.

There’s another thing we talk about when we talk about writer’s block, and it has no easy solution. This is the kind I still struggle with sometimes. When my mental health takes a dive into depression or a mixed episode, I find it impossible to summon the energy to write. Everything seems pointless and even if I want to, I cannot make myself write. This is obviously not a problem with writing specifically, but with mental health, and that needs to be attended to, however its best to do that for yourself. I do know the very worst thing you can do to yourself when you are in that situation is to put pressure on yourself to ‘get back to work.’ Yes, writing can be therapeutic at times but making it a source of stress is only going to make the problem worse. When this happens to me, I take some time off and attend to whatever the root of the problem is. Most of the time it has nothing to do with my writing at all, but some other life circumstance boiling under the surface. Journaling helps as it helps me process what’s going on while keeping my language skills in practice. Therapy has also been a godsend here, though I know that’s not an option for everyone.

So, sometimes Writer’s block happens because you’ve taken a wrong turn in a project and your intuition is screaming at you to fix it, or you just haven’t properly worked out what should happen next. Sometimes you need to refill your well of information by engaging with new information, and sometimes it’s a symptom of a broader metal health issue. It can also be a symptom of exhaustion, in which case the best thing you can do is give yourself some stress-free time off. You might also, if you’re feeling stuck, try free-writing or mixing up your process. If you’re normally a pantser, make a plan. If you’re normally a plotter, pants your way through a couple of scenes and see where it leads you. You might surprise yourself. Maybe you need to find an understanding friend (or pet) and talk out the problem. They probably won’t even need to say anything, the solution will come to you as you explain it.

Writer’s block is something every writer will deal with in one way or another, whatever for it takes for you. It is, however, a bump in the road, not a burning bridge. There are many ways over and through it, you just have to find the one that works for you.