#also I have no idea how I’d write a video description of this so I’m leaving it for now but I’ll come back to it

[crimson--freak]

Withnail and I | “Old Red Eyes is Back” - The Beautiful South

[sneakers-and-shakes]

2025 Journal Setup Guide Pt.1

It’s that time of year again, 2025 journal setup season! So along with everyone else, this month, I thought I’d share some ideas, tips, things to consider, and, of course, my own selection of spreads for 2025. 

This is part 1 of my journal setup guide and will focus on pre-planning. This part is the grunt of the effort when setting up a new journal but once it’s done it makes everything else much easier. 

Part 2 will be posted next month and include the more decorative and aesthetic elements along with actually putting pen to paper and showing the final result.

But before all that, let’s jump into the planning!

Step 1: Brainstorm

The first step is deciding what spreads you’re going to include in your journal and writing them all out.

Some questions to consider:

What worked for me this year?

What didn’t work for me this year?

Is there anything I can replace it with?

What is something I’d like to add to this setup?

If this is your first time setting up a journal then the question to consider would be:

What kinds of things do I want to capture in this journal?

any habits you want to track

goals you want to accomplish in 2025

any memories you want to document

Some staple spreads I always have and would recommend for anyone just getting started are:

Goal Spreads:

-Focus Group Goals: Choose 3-4 categories of your life you want to focus on and then list out 2-3 things under each category that you can do to improve your life in those areas

Example:

Writing:

Do monthly writing prompt exercise

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month challenge)

Self-Care:

Skincare sundays

At least 1 hour of rest before bed

-25 in 25’ (a list of 25 goals and activities you want to complete before the end of 2025) this can be a mix of fun activities you want to do anyway, new things you want to try, and goal-oriented action items

Example:

volunteer

take a class

try out a sushi place

-Monthly Notes (more info on this blog post: https://sneakersnshakes.blogspot.com/2022/05/monthly-checklist-deep-dive-into-may.html)

Tracker Spreads:

Workout tracker (including what kind of workout)

Cycle tracking

Expenditure tracking (including what category the money I spent falls under)

General Spreads:

Monthly calendar spreads to track events

Year In Review spread to track birthdays, events across the entire year

Future Me Problems List to hold projects/tasks

These are just a few ideas to get you thinking about the things you can include. If you’re looking for more ideas on spreads you can include, this video, this channel in general, is a perfect place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjCKYq7DGuo&list=PLFmDbK4-NLnmB7ro6oV38l8gy210K6RQ6 

Below are all the spreads I brainstormed (just wrote on a scratch piece of paper) that I will be including in my 2025 journal setup.

Step 2. Layouts

Once you have a good idea of what you want to include, then you can start thinking about how it’s going to look and what the best way to capture those topics is. 

The best way to do that is to research. And by that mean, I went on to youtube and watched videos of other people’s spreads and decided which ones I want to include.

Here is a link to a great video about different layout ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8WuWT6O7a0&list=PLFmDbK4-NLnmB7ro6oV38l8gy210K6RQ6&index=5

Then I listed out all the spreads I’m going to include and put the layout for each one next to it in parentheses. Sometimes I wrote a description of the layout, sometimes I sketched out a small design, and other times I just wrote the video that I would like to reference for the layout.

I also took this time to list out the order these would appear in my journal and added if some of them would be on the same page together.

Below is my layout planning list:

Step 3: Preliminary Design

The first thing you need to decide before you start designing is the actual notebook you will be journaling in. Specifically, what size is it?

A5 is the most common journal size (5.83in x 8.27in). I specifically wanted a bigger size that that, so I got a B5 journal (6.9in x 9.8in).

(A side note: you do not need to have a fancy journal, you can use a simple lined notebook as well. I’ve been journaling since 2018 and this time I’ve gotten a fancy dot-grid journal.)

(I got this beautiful journal from Notebook Therapy, in case anyone is curious I have linked it here: https://notebooktherapy.com/collections/back-in-stock-1/products/tsuki-sakura-moon-bullet-journal?variant=41351632191603

This is not sponsored, this is my first time getting something from them. They were the only place that actually had the B5 size I was looking for with a cute design.  I found a youtuber who had a 10% off code with MOCHIBUJO10 and used that to buy it. 

Usually youtubers will have codes to get you at least 10% off, I know JashiiCorrin who I keep linking in this blog post has ones for Archer and Olive and the Washi Tape Shop)

Once you have the journal size decided, you can begin to plan out the design of the layouts. How dot-grid boxes will each box or section take up? Basically designing how each of the spreads you have will fit on the page and how much room do you have for each topic.

Since my journal is dot-grid, I used this handy tool (again from JashiiCorrin) that allowed me to download a Google Sheet template designer: https://jashii.com/products/bullet-journal-spread-planner

From that I was able to size out my layouts and plan how each page is going to look. It’s easier to do this digitally before starting to pencil in and erase, but you can skip the digital element and start penciling in as well.

Below are some screenshots of some of my designs:

-.-

And that’s the end of the planning process. Next month we’ll get into the fun stuff, like decorations, color palettes and final results.

To prep for that I have also gotten stickers and washi tape from Notebook Therapy. I’ll link what I got here:

https://notebooktherapy.com/collections/washi-tape/products/tsuki-sunlit-mystery-washi-tape-set

https://notebooktherapy.com/collections/stickers/products/tsuki-sunlit-mystery-sticker-set

But again you do NOT need to buy a bunch of fancy stuff some colored pens and markers is enough to still make your setup look nice.

I hope this helped in your 2025 journal setup process and I’ll see you next month with part 2!

[munasnook]

Upcoming Projects:

There’s so many stories I’ve been wanting to write and projects I want to work on but I have a huge creative block that’s been stopping me for almost 5 years now. I need to stop thinking about only the end result and stop being such a perfectionist, but it’s so hard. I’m making a list to motivate me, and give any tips, advice, or suggestions for creative block if you feel inclined! Thanks so much!

These aren’t ranked in any particular order, but I’m only adding projects that I’m less intimated by onto this list so I can actually start working on them, have a finished product, and not be miserable if it doesn’t turn out the exact way I imagined it.

Fun, Dark Magic D&D Campaign:

Building a stronger D&D 5E campaign for my players. This is my first time playing as well as being a DM, and this is all of their first times playing too. The campaign started in a city full of dark magic, and the characters are currently being pursued by dark wizards for a special item and following one of the characters. I’m working on my improvisation and I’m pretty awkward when it comes to RP/voicing characters, and I want to keep this in mind as I build but also improve on it. (Just don’t want to stall the players or take us out of the game because I can’t think fast/clearly enough!)

What I want to accomplish:

- Making a name for the campaign, first of all. It’s just been going by the group chat name…

- Having a driving goal for the party, as well as a stronger sense of the world they’re in and why.

- Writing sessions more loosely with more options for players, and also finding ways to create concrete events without forcing players into too much exposition/lack of choice

- Tailoring the campaign to the rest of the party’s skills

- Creating more areas and events for the party to explore without being overbearing/overwhelming

- Finding a balance of everything above to make a loose outline of a campaign so I don’t get so lost as a first time DM

Cthulu Session:

I just started reading some Lovecraft for the first time (overdue!) and it was pretty inspiring to me, as I’ve been trying to come up with some ideas for a fun Halloween type campaign for my players.

What I want to accomplish:

- A session that’s memorable and feels very Halloween like.

- A chance to improve on my descriptions of the environment to my players, as well as the effect they have on the environment.

- Give the players a chance to jump more into character and feel like they can RP more comfortably.

- Fun, creepy vibes session that still ties into the story.

Fantasy Novel:

There’s been this idea (only a mood, so far) of a fantasy story I’d like to write. I still don’t know anything about the characters, but I’m starting to notice things about the environment. I’m hoping that by building the environment first (which I’ve never done before) will give me a new challenge, perspective, and process to writing a story. I’m hoping eventually characters will come along the way, and if it doesn’t work out, I’m happy to turn it into a video game or somehow tie it into my D&D campaign.

What I want to accomplish:

- Have a full script of something I’m proud of.

- Learn how to create a strong environment, work on showing/not telling, and successfully immerse the reader in a new land though writing.

- Start and finish a writing project all the way through, even if I don’t feel my soul in it like I do with my bigger projects. (Something to get me going!)

Romance Webcomic

It’s been a small dream of mine lately to make a cute WLW webcomic to get myself used to scripting, drawing, and sharing my content. It’s very different from anything else I’d be writing, but it would really challenge me to rely on dialogue (which I’m horrible at writing) and learn how to do pacing before I start on my longer, more complicated comics.

What I want to accomplish:

- Create something (start to finish) that warms me up on how to write dialogue.

- Learn how to pace comics and chapters.

- Post my work online.

- Draw/translate written script into image, and get faster at drawing comics instead of obsessing over smaller details.

- Learn how to write, draw, and publish with a schedule.

- Build up something to get me going, something I can be proud of, even if it isn’t my ultimate ambition.

- Find the fun in writing and drawing again!

Well, hopefully I have more pressure to start working on this stuff now. I’ll be posting some of it just so I remember I’m staying true to my word, it’s so easy for me to look over and choose to do something else, but if I make tumblr a space to write and learn/encourage other writers, I’ll feel much more excited to write than when I’m sitting at home alone with BG3 and Elden Ring calling my name…

Hoping to make this page a journal and documentation of some kind as I reignite my creating journey. It’s been almost 5 years of avoiding creating work, and it’s starting to really ache. Better to start now than later!

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump! No. 18

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Today I’m talking whump with the amazing @crash-bump-bring-the-whump! 

Great to have you here, @crash-bump-bring-the-whump! Before we begin, do you mind sharing a little bit about yourself?

Hi! I’m Ruin, I’m a graphic designer and I love horror, drawing, and playing video games!

Alrighty, let’s get started! What does whump mean to you? 

Whump is the juicy bits of a story! It’s the conflict, the agony, the struggle! The good stuff that we’re all here for.

How did you find the whump community?

I found it because I was poking around for more hurt/comfort things to read! @friendlylocalwhumper and @sweetwhumpandhellacomf were actually the first blogs I followed! Lux and the Hunter, and Valerie and Eos were what inspired me to make my own blog. 

Do you feel like your view on whump has  changed since you joined?

Ohhh man all that’s super changed is that I’ve found more tropes that I like! I knew fevers and environmental and self-sacrifice whump were favs, like who doesn’t love a good sickfic or someone taking a bullet for their loved one, but I also really really discovered my love of gore and lab whump, which are just amazing. 

Everyone’s favourite topic: whump tropes! Which are your favourites?

Oh man, so many right now! I love a good drowning, and bouts of hypothermia are fantastic. Those tend to go hand-in-hand though so I usually feel blessed when I find stuff with those. I also love a good fever, “Stay with me”, kidnapping, and self-sacrifice though I’m not as big a fan of death, so this usually also includes intensive caretaking and probably a lot of worry from the other characters which is also amazing.

And your favourite piece you've written?

Oh this is hard, I have a few favorites! 

If I can cheat a little bit and name two, the first is MO-1620, which is my current fav OC Mariano’s prison psych transcript! It was super experimental for me, and I had a blast getting to explore his feelings about his imprisonment and how he sees himself versus the reality of his actions and behavior and circumstances. And the second is my first BTHB 2023 fill, for Possession ! I’d gotten House of Leaves for Christmas one year and the formatting just really grabbed me, so I wanted to try playing with that! Plus I love a good human AU, and my OC Will was too perfect for this prompt.

I love the style and formatting of MO-1620! That’s such a unique idea! Do you have a writing routine?

I usually write during the night! I usually have some flavored water, probably a little snack, and I definitely write best if I can just get a big chunk out at once. I try to write regularly while not putting pressure on myself, so it winds up being every few days at least, unless I’m just super grabbed by something and it won’t let go of my brain.

Is there an easy thing for you to write or anything you struggle with?

Oh I love writing horror. If I can incorporate horror into something, or explore what I think is scary about a situation, then it flows SUPER well. Or if I’m getting to do something with a lot of dialogue. Or lately, smut, because consensual NSFW writing has really been going well too.

I also tend to struggle with delving more into environmental, in-depth descriptions. Or diving hardcore into tactics with my military whump stuff because I…am not a clever man sometimes.  Also patiently staying on a linear timeline is the worst. I can never do it. Which sucks, because it puts me in a situation like now, where I KNOW how a bunch of characters WILL be and I want to write about it publicly NOW but first I have to REINTRODUCE them AND get them through the initial “I want to kill you here and now” conflict. 

Is there anything you're working on at the moment?

I’m working on so much right now! I do written roleplays, my drafts are 15 posts deep, and that’s not even counting my random google docs. Uh I’m working on introducing Mariano’s war buddies again, a bunch of smut, I have a grim reaper fighting a losing battle against a demon, a prompt game request for a friend, a response piece for my co writer, more therapy vignettes for said war buddies, and– you get the picture!

Sounds like you’re pretty swamped! Do you have any advice you’d like to share?

Write what makes you excited! If you don’t want to read what you’re writing, change it! Make it self indulgent! Make more OCs that are specifically catered to you and what you love and want to see! That’s more fun to read anyway, honestly, I love seeing passion!

Shout out to your favourite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you. We're hyping everyone up here!!!

YEAH HERE WE GO! I’ll shout out my co writer @brinkofdiscovery, my bestie @friendlylocalwhumper, my accomplices @comfy-whumpee , @that-one-thespian, and @painful-pooch, uh god there are so many more people. So many people are so sweet! @actress4him, and @inscrutable-shadow, and like everyone in the various servers I’m in, I can’t name everyone or this post would get so obscenely long so quickly… 

Anything you'd like to add?

Thank you for this!! It’s super fun to see this happening, and I like getting to see everyone talking about stuff.

Thanks so much for joining us today!

And to all you folks at home, have a whumpder-ful day!

[anabsolutemyth]

Pulled the Wrong Strings

Characters/Pairings: Taemin, Reader, Taemin x Reader

Content: Smut. Sub/Dom dynamic, anal play, public play, implied consent. No physical description of reader (open season for everyone!)

Word Count: 1119

Foreword for context: Taemin/Reader "situationship". Monogamous sexual relationship, living together because it suits both parties, but not a romantic relationship. I have not proofread this (apologies), I just wanted to throw it out into the wild. There would also be more smut to come at the end of this but I currently cannot be bothered writing it. Maybe I’ll come back and update/proof it properly.

Scrolling through Twitter was usually fairly dull, just cat videos, news, memes, but tonight you were taken by surprise when you noticed someone's name trending and decided to have a look. Taemin.

He was away performing in front of his fans for the first time in years, leaving you to look after Kkoong and Daeng. Suited you perfectly until you saw videos of him on stage doing a challenge, a challenge to make the audience scream as loud as possible while dancing to 'Strings'. Dancing would have been fine, but throwing his ass back was not. That triggered the possessive streak in you.

- - - - - - - - - -

When Taemin got home he greeted you as sweetly as always, fussing around the cats when they snaked around his feet, he clearly had no idea that he had fucked up earlier.

Without looking at him you started the game.

"Taemin?" You waited for him to acknowledge you, "I saw what you did tonight."

"Huh? Oh the fans uploaded videos of the show, was it good?"

"Strings, Taemin." Turning to face him, you could see the worry start to creep into his expression. "Did you really think I would let you get away with that?"

He started blushing and made his way over to the sofa and sat next to you, leaning in.

"I... got a bit carried away," he said, trying to hide his face behind his hands. The game was on, Taemin had dropped right into his submissive role without a moment's hesitation.

"You know I'm the only one that gets to see you like that Taemin, I'm gonna have to punish you."

At those words Taemin hopped off the sofa and got on his knees in front of you, ready to pay for his indiscretion, but you interrupted him.

"Tomorrow, when you're on stage."

Taemin stuttered slightly, "Tomorrow? It's being streamed live tomorrow, I can't —"

"You could be performing in front of the President tomorrow, I'd still be punishing you Taeminnie."

As you got up and walked past Taemin, still kneeling, you ran your hand through his hair gently. A moment of kindness before the cruelty.

- - - - - - - - - -

The next morning you packed your bag to go with Taemin to his afternoon fanmeet, making sure you only took the essentials: phone, purse, lube, facemask, wireless vibrating butt plug, entry ticket, and a sharpie.

When you got to the venue Taemin was grabbed by the stylists, so you dumped your bag in the dressing room and headed to the foyer to get your ticket checked for the show later. Perks of sleeping with the star of the show included front row seats whenever you wanted them and not having to queue to get in.

After getting that done you headed back to Taemin's dressing room where, thankfully, he was alone, the stylists had finished their work and the managers had gone out to grab some lunch. You closed the door over and made sure to do the latch to lock it. You walked over to where Taemin was, perched on the dressing room table, tapping away on his phone.

"You ready for your punishment Taem?"

He looked up, mouth open, hesitating, "...Yes Miss, how do you want me?" He put his phone down, paying full attention to you now.

"Over the table, face the mirror, trousers and briefs down," you commanded.

As Taemin followed your instructions you grabbed your bag and took out what you needed, placing them neatly on the table next to him so he could see. It made you smirk when you noticed him glancing nervously at what you were pulling out of your bag.

With your poor little sub in position you picked up the bottle of lube and gave him your next order, "Be a good boy and spread your ass for me Taeminnie."

An audible gulp before he reached back and opened himself to you, followed by the click of a lid being opened. Cold, velvety lube coated your fingers and dripped onto Taemin's skin, slowly sliding between his cheeks and over his hole. A soft, quiet moan spilled from him when your finger pushed into him. Slowly working in and out, teasing him open, adding a second finger and crooking them just enough to hit the right spot. His breathing had become heavy, letting you know he was ready.

You took away your fingers to slick up the plug, checking that it was charged and connected before popping it into Taemin's eager hole, fitting so perfectly with the contours of his body.

"Almost done," you said, wiping the excess lube across Taemin's cheeks to clean your fingers, "you can relax now."

You picked up the sharpie from the table, snapped the lid off and ghosted your free hand across the small of Taemin's back.

You questioned, "Now... what should I put here baby, hmm?"

Taemin knew better than to try and answer you, instead remaining quiet, until you started pushing on the plug inside him as you pondered what to mark him with. He tried to hold back but he couldn't help moaning, muffling himself on his hand.

After a moment you decided to decorate your man by writing "Destroy me" across his tailbone, just low enough to be hidden beneath his briefs. You took a step back and snapped a few pictures on your phone, making sure that Taemin was looking at you in the mirror.

"Better get dressed, managers will be back soon and you'll be on stage in no time."

- - - - - - - - - -

You took your seat in the front row, waiting for the show to start. When Taemin appeared on stage you noticed the look in his eyes when he saw you: a mixture of fear, lust, and excitement. Knowing that you had put that man on stage filled and marked was one of the biggest turn-ons you had ever experienced. Thousands of people in the hall and thousands more watching him online, all while he was being constantly reminded of who he belonged to.

To anyone else the subtle signs wouldn’t have been noticed: near-silent gasps during choreo, the twist of his smile, the crossing of his legs when sitting down, but you knew about what was happening, the pleasure building in him. You waited until Taemin was challenged to perform Criminal blindfolded to put the plug to full use. As the music started you opened the app on your phone and hovered your thumb over the controls, waiting for the volume to pick up before ramping up the vibrations as high as possible.

If Taemin hadn’t sat his handheld microphone down behind him, the whole crowd would have heard him moan. Thankfully for him, the bass made sure nobody in the front rows heard him either.

[str8aura-no-not-that-one]

Str8aura,

I come to you in the hour of need!

Having recently reread your amazing ‘Death and Taxes’, I was again reminded of my inadequacy in this biz. I have no idea how you managed to craft such an immersive story and great characters in 50k words AND in less than a year, but you did. It would absolutely be a hit if published. I cannot believe I identified with a monster-town. My silly ass is in a constant state of schism between admiration and jealousy over every aspect of your writing, and I don’t appreciate this feeling at all! I know they say that we shouldn’t focus on comparing ourselves to others, but I disagree – I believe comparing your own stuff to better stuff is the only way to improve. And I’d love to improve. Could do without the crippling jealousy, though :P

While I still think my take on this world is worth seeing through to the end, I struggle with many elements. I’ve watched videos and read manuals about writing. Valuable material, but not quite enough. So here’s my question – would YOU mind giving me some tips? For starters maybe something about keeping yourself in line when scheduling, because that’s just an abysmal bloody disaster in my case. Also – structuring. You created a fantastic balance between dialogue, description, plot and character development, I feel my text often reads like an article (which makes sense ‘cause I worked with those). I’ve trimmed some fat already, but maybe I could keep going – especially with the bullshit magic-science stuff and overwriting the feels/thoughts. I liked writing it, but now I realize it can be exhausting to follow. Looong stretches when nothing really happens and people just feel sorry for themselves. But idk, that’s not always a big problem.

This brings me to the characters in general. I feel I did alright, but I have doubts. Relationships have never been my strong suit, which is… less than ideal for this hobby. In real life, I’m decidedly more of an observer than a participant, and this shows here and there. Perhaps it’s better that I didn’t use many perspectives because I’d struggle even more. In your story everyone knew about the curse, in mine only a few people do, and that happens over time. The ‘normal’ problems of the leads eventually converge with the paranormal one, so I thought it was best to not dedicate too much attention to the stuff that has little to do with either. But what do you think?

No matter what, I’m absolutely NOT giving up on the pretentious lingo, however :P We museum people are pretentious by trade! If you ever find some free time, could you perhaps check out a fragment of my fic and see what doesn’t work? It’s ‘Hateful�� on AO3. Don’t feel obligated to by any means, I know that just reading this sentence raised your blood pressure lol

And, last but not least, please tell me how to kill the envy demon. I HOPE it’s had its teeth in you at least once in the past, goddamnit XD Otherwise I’m a lost cause

Sorry for accosting you like this, but it’s been on my mind for too long. Release me from this prison!!!

Congrats again I hope you do end up publishing something one day

Hello, Plague. Waking up and finding this in my inbox told me that today might be alright. Thank you again for your excellent fanart.

Jealousy

The man who I can claim most truthfully is my most beloved friend is a writer like me. In fact, without their influence, I would not be a writer at all; They have encouraged me, proofread for me, criticized me, and guided me every step of the journey that has led me to who I am today. I would take a bullet for this man, as many times over as my body would allow.

He also holds popularity I have never achieved. He is the darling of the featured box, earns hundreds of likes and comments where I scrounge up tens, and has attracted the eyes and praise of people whom I am only a number to. When I look upon him, this man whom I love as if he were my own blood, I understand Salieri. I understand Brutus. I understand what it is like to love someone and yet feel a deep, shameful, green-eyed rage towards them. I firmly believe we do the same amount of work, try just as hard as each other, and yet he is beloved and I am not.

So it goes. Jealousy is the worst beast we as mortals can face, and we will be the flesh it feeds on if we allow it to. I am dreadfully sorry you feel this way about me, and honored at the same time, but I must remind you what on the internet it is easy to forget; I, as well as my beloved friend, am just a human. Nothing more, nothing less. It is fruitless to feel jealous, when that same energy could be devoted towards outmatching me. You think I'm good? Be better.

You cannot kill the envy demon. Don't try. You must learn to live with it, to accept it as you accept every other piece of yourself. And when you do that, you domesticate it.

Scheduling:

The tip I have learned, dedicated to heart, and use whenever I can is simple; Write up to a key stopping point, the point at which you feel will be make or break for the reader to decide whether or not they wish to stick with it. Publish that much, serialized, in small scheduled chunks.

You now have a fire lit under your ass. The only thing that outmatches my desire to procrastinate is my desire to please others, and thus I have no choice but to continue my schedule, with only a little leeway and wiggle room allotted by the aforementioned stored up slots so I do not blow my head off. I did not plan out Death and Taxes beforehand, save a vague idea of the premise; it was not even intended to have an overarching story, it was only meant to be an anthology. But by working steadily, making lots of mistakes, and deciding what felt right, I ended up after a year of work with the product you love.

Chapters, pages in a comic, it is all the same; If you want to work, find what is stronger than your procrastination drive, and turn it against yourself.

Structuring:

Every one of my stories begins life as a string of dialogue. No action tags, no [X] said, just dialogue like a script. Talking is, oftentimes, the core of any story. It is also what I, personally, am good at. I stimulate conversations with myself or my dog, try to respond as realistically as I can given what I know about the character, and then fill in the blanks with text afterwards. Dog optional.

This is not ideal for everyone, I understand. My greatest suggestion I can offer is to figure out what you are good at, and do that first. Even if your story looks unformatted, or unfinished, you must keep yourself working. Skip scenes if you wish. Write the parts you want to write, and then get the rest later. But at the end, and this is the most important part, it must not look like you did that. It must look like you are a genius who effortlessly spat out an entire sequence in one afternoon, flowing like a dream, never contradicting itself. A writer is a liar, first and foremost. This is why they are so often thought of as geniuses, when in reality they spent seven hours trying to figure out how to describe a plant.

Pretentious Lingo:

Verily, I agree.

Hateful has been in my Ao3 library for some time. I apologize for my slowness.

As a final note, I must remind you as an author that you must keep reading. Length, medium, and popularity of the work matter not. Read, read, read, and the more you examine the style of other authors, the more you will decide what you want your own to look like. I set out writing every story of mine with an idea of what story I want it to resemble; 'I want this to feel like Kraven's Last Hunt', 'I want this to feel like The Blue Fox', 'I want this to feel like The Odyssey'; whatever. As a storyteller, you must always honor other storytellers. Never forget that.

Also, get a proofreader. Hope this helped. Tell your friends to give me money.

[grayeyedandroid]

hi. ok, so: as tmnt 2012 abridged is slowly starting to look like a real thing that could happen, rather than just the rapid fire idea bouncing between me and @hellfire371 or the occasional silly ms paint comic, I’m going to be on the lookout for script writers and voice actors.

There’s nothing official right now. This is mostly an interest check to see if there’s anyone out there who would like to join the project.

This got pretty long so I’m putting all the information under a readmore. If you read everything and are interested feel free to interact with the post in some way, dm me, or join the tmnt discord I have to speak with me and some others currently interested in the project (linked in my pinned post) :).

I’m not looking for anything professional, just people who are willing to try their best :). This would unfortunately be on unpaid project of passion (I am a poor college student. If I did come across a solid income I’d love to compensate people for their hard work. Right now, credit + an unending supply of thankfulness is what I can give).

For script writers, I’m looking for someone who’s willing to, well, write scripts! I personally don’t have much script writing experience and having someone, even someone who also doesn’t have a lot of experience, would honestly be very helpful. Some familiarity with how abridged series typically function + familiarity with tmnt 2012 is the only thing that’s required :).

For voice actors, I’m really just looking for people who are willing to have fun with it! It would be nice if mic quality is something higher than a smart refrigerator, but I’ll try to work my editing magic if needed. The only requirements here are a willingness to listen to feedback/take direction and capability to act a range of emotions. I would like some people with a lower vocal range on deck, but please feel free to show interest even if that isn’t you!

Something I don’t desperately need but would be nice to have is someone to help with video/audio editing. At the moment, I’m planning on taking on the brunt of that work. However, it’s always nice to have some help :).

Some more important information:

- this series isn’t a 100% go right now. I’d like to see who is interested, if anybody, and then go from there.

- piggybacking off of that, if I am able to get a crew together the plan of action would likely be to create a single episode (3-7 minutes) that could work as a standalone to test things out. And, if that works, begin production on a single season (6-10 episodes of about 4-10 minutes each).

- The series would be posted on YouTube. Everyone involved would be credited in video as well as in the description.

Even more important information:

- There will be no acceptance of racism, ableism, antisemitism, or lgbtqphobia in the series. Let’s actually be funny, please.

- No character bashing. There might a joke at a characters expense here and there, but nothing that crosses the line into bashing. If you’re a huge April or Raph hater this probably isn’t the project for you.

- If you engage in/create t///ces/t content this also isn’t the place for you. It makes me extremely uncomfortable and I’d rather have no interactions with those who participate.

And now, some very very basic character descriptions!! just so you can get a vague sense of what we’re going for here :)

Introducing:

Leo - Warrior Cat’s Enthusiast

Mikey - Minecraft Youtuber

Donnie - Dimension Hopping Imposter

Raph - Animal Handler & Keeper

April - Kraang Princess (first time on Earth!)

Casey - The Only Normal One There

Splinter - Warrior Cat’s Elder

(feel free to dm me/send an ask for a more in-depth explanation on the current plans for character and story ideas if you need to know more before declaring interest :))

[wc-confessions]

Hi, I don’t usually come to confessions blogs for like mental health reasons but I’m the author of Follow Your Heart and i was told it was being discussed on here so I wanted to come talk about it myself.

I started writing the comic when I was in highschool, so I was a child myself. (I don’t remember my exact age, just that I remember drawing concept art while hanging out in my school’s library) That’s why the original “drama” thing was there between Mouseclaw and Sootpaw. Spottedleafs Heart came out and it was so bad that it made me re-examine that part of the story. Warriors romantizes relationships with age gaps like Soot and Mouse all the time, hence why I probably didn’t think anything of it back then. (See: Dustfern, Bramblesquirrel)

Yes, there are scenes where it’s implied the characters have had sex. There is absolutely nothing explicit however, and I have some bad news for the original anon about how babies were made if they’re that upset about it, because literally every child born in the series implies the characters had sex lol. Its even implied Daisy and Spiderleg had a one night stand! (He specifically says their kits were an accident!)

I also don’t appreciate the implications of what they were saying as someone who was traumatized by actual zooporn w real animals as a young child. That kind of thing is exactly the reason I don’t post or advertise my comic on twitter or tumblr, I knew I’d get accused of that shit. Idk if the original anon is reading this but please think about what you say before you say it :/

I’m a human being and I’m not perfect. But I like to think I’m doing okay, since multiple CSA survivors have shared their stories in my comments and thanked me for making the comic (im not trying to toot my own horn, im simply stating facts- i dont want to pat my own ass or anything) and I also had a CSA survivor as a beta reader of the comic.

I don’t think Spottedleaf experienced actual sexual abuse if that’s what the other anon was implying, I just think that the story was a VERY bad example of grooming and it was what inspired me to do better.

 I’m doing this specifically because if there is the BAREST fucking chance I can educate a kid and keep them out if this situation, I want to take it. I feel incredibly strongly about this topic and that’s why I wanted to do something about it. I said this in a page description, but I was provided very little education on this in school, in fact I can only concretely remember one video and I have a vague idea that there was one other thing I was shown to educate about CSA- compared to the abstinence-only sex education that was drilled in my head from like, 6th to 9th grade. I’m just a blip in the sea of warcats comics on dA, but I can at least try my best to help where I can.

I have a warning page up that talks about the subject matter which is what I’m sure you saw, but I go a little more in depth in the description of chapter 5’s cover.

I don’t know you and you don’t know me, but I genuinely deeply appreciate you not immediately trying to crucify me when that anon came to your inbox. Like I said, there’s a reason I don’t advertise on tumblr. I really really appreciate you taking a neutral stance until you knew more. Thank you, it means a lot. :) sorry for the very long ask, haha.

thank you for your response and its no problem. in these sorts of situations its always best to pretty much get your own info so i took it very seriously. im very sorry about all that and dont hesitate to lmk if youd rather not be spoken about on here i'd completely understand.

[tiptapricot]

Happy 1000 followers! That's definitely a number worth celebrating :D. Here are some asks for your Ask Game; don't worry about answering them all, these are just some questions I thought of, free free to answer whichever ones you want to. :3

What got you into writing?

Is there any books or piece of media that inspired your style of writing, or did it develop in some other way?

What character(s) do you enjoy writing the most and why?

Are there any character(s) or fandom(s) you love that you'd love to write for but never have?

Are there any hobbies or interests you have that you find leak into and/or influence your stories?

When did you embrace the ways of the apricot? (That is to say, when and why did you commit to the bit and start creating your marvellous collection of apricot icons?).

Hope you're doing well :). Enjoy your fame, my friend! 🧡🧡🧡

I will answer 🔥 ☠️ ALL OF THEM 🎸🔥 *sick riff*

What got you into writing?

I don’t really remember a specific point of Getting Into It, because (and this def plays a part) my dad is a writer! He’s written for some video games and has some short stories published, so I grew up with him reading me books and writing his own manuscripts/engaging us in that way. He never like Guided me into writing but it was always a natural presence and I was exposed to a lot of stories early on.

We did nanowrimo in elementary school, and I also made comics when I was younger that were my own narratives and things, and I did a few small stories for other classes along the way, but when I started Really doing it more intentionally was when I got into fic writing. Which… what got me into that was I think like… danganronpa self insert things? That’s my ultimate lost fic. I wrote it in the notes app in middle school and it was super long and then I hated it and deleted it all and I’m SO MAD ABOUT IT because IT WOULD BE SO FUNNY TO LOOK BACK ON NOW! It was kind of just a natural progression though I guess? When I started reading fic more and being online more and getting into more media, I wanted to create for it since I’d already been doing that sort of thing (most comics I did were inspired by superhero shows I watched or DND games I played) so I stated posting. And then I did more original stories for school and started making ocs and it just sorta settled into being part of what I do.

Is there any books or piece of media that inspired your style of writing, or did it develop in some other way?

None consciously? And I can’t really trace my style to anything in specific, but there’s def got to be some input from the books I grew up on. Stuff like series of unfortunate events, larklight, the leviathan trilogy, the keys to the kingdom series, the Roman mysteries series, the Lockwood and co series, Harry Potter to an extent, etc. all were things that I was exposed to growing up. I don’t think I’ve really picked up the quippy narration a lot of those have, but I know they shaped some ideas of description and imagery I do now, at least in inspo. But I guess on a whole it just sort of developed naturally? I really don’t have a very conscious writing process half the time 😭

What character(s) do you enjoy writing the most and why?

At the moment and also in general I like characters that have strong voices. They make the prose pop for me, make it easy to find fun descriptions and forms of speech. Bill and Ted and Steven Grant definitely come to mind immediately as like. When I get to write them stuff just goes fast because I know how they’d talk and narrate and react and it feels like something very solid to shape and work with. So accents? I guess? But on a larger sense of just characters I Like Writing… MK system are all very fun and I really enjoy getting to explore their dynamics and reactions. If I ever get my hands on Din Djarin for a fic (finally) I think I’ll have a good time with him, but idk. I think it’s very dependent on the interests I’m into at the time, as those will be the characters I’m the most excited to engage with and create for, so it varies!

Are there any character(s) or fandom(s) you love that you'd love to write for but never have?

THE ZETA PROJECTTTT!!! AND ALSO MORE OF LEGION 2006 ANDDD THE DCAU ANDDDD MORE LUKE N DIN N ORIGINAL TRILOGY CAST AND THE DAREDEVIL NETFLIX CAST AND MISS FISHERS MURDER MYSTERIES AND TIGER AND BUNNY AND— Ahem. Yes there are and they torment me every day wanting to get to create for them but having finite brain space and time space makes writing everything all the time… a bit hard. I kind of want to do a like niche interest power hour week or somth where I take fandoms I haven’t written for and make a small piece for them—WOLF 359 ALSO GOOD GOD!!!!!!!! But I don’t know when that will be.

Are there any hobbies or interests you have that you find leak into and/or influence your stories?

Not generally, but whenever I’m writing a character as having an interest in something or really liking something in depth it often has to be something I’m also into for me to be able to do research on it. This can mean I sometimes have to find middle grounds between what a character might find fascinating and what I find fascinating, so sometimes my interests are directly or indirectly in stories. Lost media I know has made it in a few times, and so has sci fi and superheroes and action figures. I don’t really have a whole ton of hobbies that are easy to slot in or draw from on a large scale otherwise, as niche toy collecting, a love for stickers and earrings and clown paraphernalia, and performing arts are only applicable under certain circumstances.

INTERESTS is a whole diff thing. My monster/inhuman character love, my love for certain genres or aesthetics, etc. influences ALLLLL of my OCs and a lot of my fics. Stuff that focuses on loving the strange, or the inanimate, or the weird crossover between the two is in a lot of my work (and will be in more haha) but definitely colors the types of stories I want to do, and the original content I end up making outside of fic.

When did you embrace the ways of the apricot? (That is to say, when and why did you commit to the bit and start creating your marvellous collection of apricot icons?).

THIS ACTUALLY HAS DOCUMENTABLE HISTORY!! Ok so.

The username Tiptapricot was what I came up with when I made my Minecraft account in elementary school. I liked apricots and peaches and plums and stuff (still do) so that was part of it, but I was also into semi-tap dancing (AKA being a young kid with some cheap tap shoes from somewhere and doing performances) so tip-tap and apricot combined and… there we were. It became my standard name on sites when I had to make accounts (bar like animal jam I think because it was maybe made earlier), since it was never taken and it was unique enough to slot in.

I guess as I was maybe making an Instagram account or going into highschool or just… for some reason, my sister @dimidarling wanted to make me a cute icon and, based off my username, drew me a little apricot with a face for one! This created what I now call… Prototip on July 14th, 2019

This icon was very cute and I loved it a lot, but it wasn’t quite the vibe I was wanting for myself, so I ended up getting a PNG of an apricot, slapping it on a blue background from looking up “light blue” on Google, and drawing a little face on it. That became the Default Base Tip as is seen in my icon most places, in December of 2019

FUN FACT you will never unsee after I say it: I think at some point I resized or re-edited the image or something, and I wanted to carry over the original face I had drawn on it, so I ended up cutting it out and pasting it over a face I didn’t like as much, and on the left side of Tip’s face (our right) u can see this tinyyy little black mark showing the edge of the main face cut out because I didn’t get it perfectly covered or aligned. I’m sorry in advance.

ANYWAY! So base Tip was made. I don’t remember the following order of events, but still being in my kpop phase in late 2019 I got Twitter briefly and made a Tiptapricot account there. And having an apricot with a face I thought: wouldn’t it be so funny if I was a gimmick account that pretended to be a real life apricot tweeting? So I did that for like a little bit. And then I went: wouldn’t it make the bit even better if this apricot was appropriately apricot aged? And long story short I changed my age to be a year old, then realized that would probably be bad legally, but when changing it back to my actual birthday, Twitter freaked out and banned me for messing around with my age and not being old enough when I made an account (even though I was at the time) so I got booted off Twitter. (And I’m glad about that can you imagine if I had settled in there instead oh lord) But the seed for apricot jokes was planted!

From there it happened somewhat naturally as a way to either make reaction images for friends online without sending my face, or to change my icon to play along with a funny joke. I made edits for friends in the DC fandom and for jokes we had running about each other going to jail or like “I’m gonna beat you up” or whatever, and joined along with a growing bit of giving me Tip related names, it became something I Did.

Now my Tip folder is 200 images strong and my mascot/sona/little guy is somth I actually care a lot about and have a lot of fondness for as a way to express goofy stuff and emotions in a way that’s simple to draw and feels rly truly me.

And there you have it :-D The Ti(nfodum)p

Ty for the questions Charlie, they were super fun to answer!!

(IDs in ALT)

1000 follower celebration

[maxwellpaws]

Creatures for the PSX OST review

okay so today I'm going to go in a little bit more in depth with this topic because even among fans of this series this seems to be quite obscure.

Creatures is a series of video games of the pet simulator genre were you take care of Norns and makes sure they don't die.

If that description raises your curiosity here's video that goes a bit more depth:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swxtKrVb0m0&t=58s

Now at some point in time someone got the bright idea to make a "port" of it that turned into a entirely different game that's weird like the environments are mashup of landscapes from the first three game that range from something that could pass as a mockup for an environment to cursed images, and from what I've seen the game (and it's sequel) looks tedious and unfun.

(here’s a playlist of the console game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swxtKrVb0m0&t=58s)

and because it's a game it has more traditional background music compared to the the other games (technically the first game doesn't really have a sound track)

and that's why were here today: Is the creatures PS/PSX "port" soundtrack good despite the games quality is it just as bad as the game?

Let's find out!

(note because I’m lazy here’s a playlist of the whole OST instead each title having an individual link. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZyFjGv7qIjmll7noNNuAP7hj-gUJch0R)

Track 01:

Yes that's what it's called, none of them have names.

So I'm going to give them one this one's name is Phil, anyways this is the logo song.

It's okay and does it's job.

5.5/10

Track 02: Julie

Okay this is anything personal, but I don't really like Julie, She's kinda tedious.

and it doesn't help that according to the playthourgh I watched this plays 95% of the time!

It's not a bad song I quite like parts of it, like the chimes and it's feeling of finally on a warm summer's evening and I like the strings and chimes, and while writing this I realized this song isn't that bad when you're doing something else so I guess it's not THAT bad but not something I'd return to any time soon.

7.5/10

Track 03: Joey

Joey is great he's peppy, I like the clapping sound and guitars, and while listening to this all I can think of are cowboy norns in the west, and lucky for me songs like this are present throughout the album!

best part about this is the accordion.

7.5/10

Track 04: Jenny

Jenny is like Joey's more somber sibling.

I like the slow plucking of the guitar and the other strings,

it gives off the vibe of a town practically destroyed by a gang an a lone guitarist is free styling alone and is slowing getting into it, as it slowly cuts to a scene of the hero running through the field.

9./10

Track 05: Goober

Okay so I believe this the track for one of the minigames in the game Pac norns

(BTW having a biome dedicated to arcade game parodies feels like something I'd do to poke fun at how creature fans like to mod the games especially the third one in any way they can)

but if that isn't the case than this is the most unfitting track in the game and the person posting all this is probably right about this being stock music.

back on track I like this song especially the main two synths and the chimes and the final boss energy, also it's nice and short but not something that could get annoying on multiple replays.

10/10

Track 06: Timothy

I like Timothy even tough all I can think of while listening to him is maybe the opening of RPG involving dragons he's probably the closet to a creatures song.

(that's not saying much tough)

7/10

Track 07 Nicki

Nicki is very similar to Julie with their feeling of closure and finality but less tedious.

and I really like the recorder used in this.

7.5/10

Track 8: Jeremy

Jeremy is okay it's kinda plain.

It makes me think of that one Nick jr. browser game that was like those old PC games (the playroom types) but it was with Dora.

Hey did you guys know that at some point later on in the show they gave her two younger siblings?

I don't think I ever saw any episodes with them in it, mostly because I didn't watch Dora much my mom didn't like the show.

3/10

Track 09: I'm running out of names, so I'm going to call you Mc fucker.

Mc fucker is a nice song, love the whoop thing.

7/10

Track 10: Milo

Milo is good.

I like the guitar, sounds like a journey is happening and any minute now we'll hear the main character's mother sing hoping for there kid's return.

also I like the flute.

8/10

Track 11: Cofee cup

Coffee cup is one of the songs that is more aligned with what the series has to offer when it comes to OSTs.

(even more so than Timothy)

I quite like it, and the ascension is neat.

7/10

Track 12: Ned

Ned sounds a lot like Jeremy but more fleshed out like the long guitarist really got into it and made it into a son expressing it's sorrow about the destruction of his town.

10/10

Track 13: Suzanne

Suzanne is very skycore, jk jk.

Sounds very uplifting, The synths that accompanied the guitar is nice, and the ending melody is great.

So far this is my favorite track.

9.5/10

Track 14: James

James is some nice stereotypical eastern sounding stuff with a hip-hop beat.

All I can imagine is some norns rapping, and then they get sued because of the sample they used or something.

this is my second favorite.

7/10

track 15: Teddy

Teddy sounds exactly like a mashup of Julie and a minecraft song. which I quite like, honestly I'm quite floored with how this sounds like minecraft music BEFORE minecraft was a thing.

Also cool reverb.

7/10

Track 16: Nemo

Nemo is another single noise song that just plays in a loop for longer than it should...and it's not even as long.

From what I've seen from playthourghs I'd say this sums up the experience.

but hey at least it was only two minutes.

1/10

Track 17: Jake

Jake is very energetic sounding like marching music and it sounds quite nice despite it being a single beat for only a minute.

7.9/10

Track 18: Lou ann

I love this one.

the long synths the choir that just drones on and and the bass

and from the sounds of it I assume it plays during whatever that games has close to a graveyard (if it has one)

I also enjoy how the droning slowly fades away to reveal a guitar that plays along.

and the lone synth at the very end playing a simple melody is the cherry on top.

THIS IS THE BEST SONG THIS GAME HAS TO OFFER.

10/10

Tack 19: South

It's fine.... sounds like a wiggles song.

Can't really say anything about it beyond that.

6/10

Track 20: Leroy

This song is cool. cool riff.

BUT CAN LEROY BEAT THE ROCK SONG FROM THE FIRST GAME?

Track 21: N

N is the intro cut scene song that explains what were supposed to do in game and why, but not why the game is a bizarre mash up of assets of assets from previous games or unique one or if whether or not the unique ones are from a previous build of the PC games.

Or if this is the untold origin story of the creatures adventures feather thing because it's the same character but it looks different.

uh anyways the song exists.

5/10

Track 22: Jean

The beginning is very muffled compared to the rest of the song and I don't know why.

this also feels like something from a DS game but this time a LPS one.

it sounds okay but I feel like it went on longer than it should.

8.5/10

Track 23: Nya

I like Nya?

I think it sounds like something I'd hear in a breakcore so-

OH NO I'M TURNING INTO THAT MEME!

4/10

Track 24: Taffy.

Back to the topic of songs from this game that sound like songs from games that didn't exist till a decade or so later this sounds like the Core from Undertale.

it's okay.

5.5/10

Track 25: Flute

I like flute sounds like a companion piece to hip-hop thing I covered earlier and hey it appears were out of the kinda boring short song slump!

8/10

Track 26: Shitty porno

There's a reason why had this be the title card music for Melvil and Minestro enter the Webtoon boyfreinds omegaverse.

4/10

track 27: Cool villain song

Before the drop it sounds like the song for a villain in one of those animated movies like the "were back dinosaur's tale" were you (at least me) keep thinking it's a Don bluth film but it's not.

but after the drops sounds like DVD menu music for some generic cowboy film from the early 70s.

7/10

Track 28: Fred

Fred I'm pretty sure is Shittporno's brother.

But this time he mostly works as transition music as we go to the house to the beach.

this is slightly better.

8/10

Song 29: Bun

Bun is totally related to Shitty porno and Fred in some way.

but she's a lot more eurodance-y and is a more pleasant experience on the ears.

9/10

Track 30: qwertyyterwwqwertyu

Orchestra. I like it I guess? it exists.

5/10

Track 31: Dingo

HOLY SHITE! WERE AT THE END!!!!

Let's see what masterpiece awaits us at....

*this music plays*

Most of the animals are sooooo stupid.

7/10.

Final thoughts! Even if this is just a collection of stock music I'd say for the most part it's a very good collection of stock music and in fact I quite like it, i totally recommend listening to this at some point.

but for the game itself not sure I might play it (and it's sequel) some day....Probably for some sort of milestone.

Tune in next time were maybe I’ll talk about the OST for the other games maybe.

(spoilers Creatures 2 OST is actually pretty good and Creatures 3 dying music should be a meme)

final score is 8.9/10

[icysab]

Hellooooooo. I hope your having a good day. I would like to request an Enhypen matchup please.

I am 17 and live in Canada. I’m an INFP Virgo as well.

I am 5’3 and 115 pbs with pale skin. I am white (all my family came from the UK) with shoulder length wavy brown hair and matching brown eyes. Not the most athletic but definitely will try to beat you at soccer, volleyball, badminton, and ice skating.

I really suck at writing about myself so sorry if this sucks. I am very introverted and have both anxiety and depression. I try not to bother people with my problems by bottling them up along with my emotions (king behaviour). I try to stay happy and positive for my friends and will support them with anything. My love language is words of affirmation and acts of service. I am the eldest sister so I know how to take the lead even if I don’t want to. I love writing creatively and psychology, I actually want to be a therapist when I’m older. My family says I’m “a sloth with a side of T-Rex”. I like to play video games in my down time and use daydreaming as a sort of coping mechanism. I’d like to think I’m pretty but I’ve only ever been complemented on my eyes, dimples, and thick long eyelashes. I take pride in helping people. I HATE loud sounds, yelling, and overly agressive people, im okay with teasing (that’s what I do with friends) but there is a line you should not cross. Apparently im smart? According to my friends at least.

Don’t really have an ideal type since I’ve never really been on a date, ever. I love the idea of back hugs and being the little spoon. Okay kinda specific but when they run up to you from behind, pick you up and spin you around (khytfdsegbjhj I need help). Don’t get me started on when their hand lightly rests on your waist. Would LOVE picnic dates, dancing in the rain, baking a cake, poking each other’s cheek, and late night convenience store runs. I honestly just want to feel loved and wanted. I feel like I’d be clingy and the kind of girlfriend to bite them (gently). I’m not one for big public displays of affection but wouldn’t mind holding hands. If they kiss my hand nose or forehead imma be a blushing mess. I’d say a good personality but they all have great personalities. I like someone who is protective but trusts me, you know. So they trust me not to flirt but if a guy won’t leave me alone he won’t be afraid to step in. You know those chaotic Pinterest photos, yeah I wanna recreate those. I hate taking photos of myself so it’d be sweet if he had a bunch.

Thank you so so much. I recently found you and I love all your stuff so far 💙💙💙.

i match you up with…

jay!!

i knew even before i finished reading your description that i had to match you up with jay. like??? you’d be so perfect for each other?? he’d 10000% do the little back hug picking you up thing you described :) and he would liiiive to make you blush by kissing your knuckles. like i can’t just everything about your description SCREAMS park jongseong to me!!

p.s. the blue hearts also made me think jay haha

[redheadbigshoes]

Hey Stephanie, that other anon speaking about her mom made me want to just sort of vent/ask about my own parent. I’ve been dating my girlfriend for about a year, and I’m so happy with them. They’re my first serious relationship and by far I’ve felt more attracted to them than any other person. Before her, I’ve only ever had “crushes” or “dated” guys (who usually turned out to be queer in some way, and whom I never kissed or was physical with). I should mention that I’m 20 and living at home, also.

I’ve identified solidly as bisexual for a couple years now, but since dating my girlfriend, I’ve been seriously questioning whether or not I’m actually attracted to men at all. I’m not repulsed by the idea of sex with a man, but I wouldn’t say they turn me on and I have never related to cishet women’s descriptions of their attraction to men. Currently I kind of go back and forth, and I’m not solid on either label, but I’m not looking to have any sexual experiences beyond my relationship with my girlfriend so it’s not really relevant except for my own peace of mind.

Anyway, my parents are not religious, but I was terrified of coming out because my dad is more of a traditional type. He has lesbian friends and has no problem with gay or queer people usually, but I ended up coming out before I felt ready because I was talking to him about going to lunch the next day with my current girlfriend (who was then just a friend I had a crush on), and he said it sounded like a date. Things ended up getting and staying heated for quite a while, and though he didn’t stop me from dating her, it was clear he wasn’t exactly supportive.

This situation is complicated because I feel very confused and conflicted. He’s pointed out how much worse I could have it when we watch movies where the parents are not exactly supportive of their queer kids (i.e. Everything Everywhere All At Once) without realizing that he’s acted like them. He has at times been very kind and supportive, but then will say things like he hopes I’ll grow up and find a nice boyfriend someday, and how sad he is, and other hurtful things. He doesn’t understand how I could possibly not know if I’m bisexual or a lesbian, and views my potential bisexuality as a way for him to hope that I’ll find a man. If I am a lesbian, I’m scared to come out again and probably won’t want to.

It’s less of a burden now than it was when I first came out and started dating my girlfriend, and I mostly brush off these comments when they happen, but when I’ve tried to talk to him about how hurtful some of the things he has said are he says that I’m not allowing him to have his feelings and that I’m in the wrong because “if somebody doesn’t react the way you (I) want them to,” then they’re not “right” or something. I’m fine with him having his feelings, and he’s doing his best, but I can’t deny how hurtful this whole process has been to me at times. Is it worth trying to talk to him about this at this point? Should I just leave it alone? And if I do decide that lesbian suits me as an identity, do you think it would be worth it to risk undoing progress we’ve made in the past year?

Thank you and apologies for writing an essay in your inbox ❤️

First I’d like to say you shouldn’t apologize for venting here. My blog is a safe space for that.

About you questioning whether you’re a lesbian or bi: attraction is always positive, having neutral feelings, not feeling anything at all or having negative feelings when it comes to something romantic or sexual is not attraction. Whenever I see someone questioning whether they’re a lesbian or bi I always recommend watching these videos (you can find the others in the tag #source: patronsaintoflesbians). Also, you don’t need to understand your attraction right now, you don’t need to label it specifically if you don’t want to.

Unfortunately sometimes parents being friends with queer people (or seeming to be accepting of LGBTQ+) is not an indication they will accept you, at least right away. I think you should give your dad some time and space for him to get used to the fact that you’re not straight, sometimes all they need is time. I also think if you do end up realizing you’re a lesbian, it wouldn’t be good to come out again to your dad right now, he first needs time to get used to you liking other girls, and if in that time he approaches you and asks you about your identity, then I think you should tell him the truth.

[dearestones]

Hetalia Matchup: Belarus

Warnings: Fluff, mentions of transphobia, mentions of mental illness.

@stinkylittleanon Request: HI THERE!!! I requested a matchup for Marble Hornets months ago from you and I saw that you write for Hetalia?!?!? Can I request a hetalia matchup? I don't have a preference for gender! My name is Toby, I'm a trans dude and I've got wavy blonde hair and gray eyes! I'd say my better traits are kind, understanding, funny, listener, and patient, but my negative traits would have to be timid, oblivious, fearful, and a bit too positive. My hobbies are cosplaying, video games, and sleeping! I have an interest in creepy things but also cute! I do have autism, adhd, and depression so I guess that's important to mention! I have no idea how many words this is so I'm sorry if it's over 300! (Copy and pasted!)

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Welcome back! After reading through your description, I believe that you best pair well with Belarus!

Even though Belarus is a Nation who is not as warm or as pleasant as the rest of her colleagues, she can be soft and kind if you take the time to get to know her better. 

Her crass and blunt nature marks her as a person who generally likes to keep to herself, but even she desires companionship. When she first meets you, she becomes quite attached. As a person who is more than accustomed to being considered as an “outsider”, she feels empathetic and understanding when you tell her that you’re trans. She has no preference for gender when it comes to paramours, which means she’ll treat you just as kindly as she would any of her other lovers. That said, if she finds out that there is someone out there who has called you slurs or has threatened violence against you because of your gender, she will knock them out. 

(It’s up to you if they either end up in the hospital or six feet under the ground). 

Depending on where you’re at in your transition, she’ll be there to help you with your shots (if you want), accompany you for top surgery (if you desire), or simply make sure that you’re comfortable and safe in the clothes that you wear. 

If you act too sappy around her as thanks for her help, she’ll brush you aside because she’s a Nation and she’s too old for such weird nonsense like transphobia. And no, she’s definitely not smiling in relief that you’re all right and that she’s doing her best as your lover.

Belarus thanks you for all of your positive characteristics. She will not deny that she’s very rude and impatient at times, which can be at odds with your overall disposition of someone who is far more mild than her. However, she finds your presence soothing, almost like a balm against the unfeeling nature of the universe. She’ll beg you, sometimes, to make her laugh—although, she’ll make it seem like she doesn’t care at all. Other times, she likes it when you listen to her because you get this look in your eyes, almost as if she is the only person in the universe. You make her feel loved. 

In return, because of your timid and oblivious nature, Belarus will play a more proactive role as your protector. If you’re caught up in a situation that doesn’t make you comfortable or you need her strength in times of great need, she will definitely fly to your rescue. Prepare for your enemies to be obliterated into dust: Belarus does not play around and her glare is enough to eat through sheet metal. 

Furthermore, if you’re self-conscious of your timidity, don’t worry about it, Belarus will gladly help you achieve a sense of confidence. She’ll put you through the ringer by exposing you to uncomfortable scenarios that will gradually increase in severity (with your permission, of course), until you become more confident. Coddling you could be an easier alternative and it makes Belarus happy to know that she could protect you since she’s such a small Nation in the grand scheme of things, but it’s far more satisfying to guide you into becoming a better version of yourself. 

As for your positive nature, who told you that too much positivity was a bad thing? As a veteran of too many wars and a witness to too much bloodshed, Belarus believes that the best way to live through centuries is to carry within oneself a sense of hope. If that means being too positive, then Belarus is more than willing to accept it. While at first glance you might think that Belarus might be irritated at your positivity, it’s quite the opposite. It’s the people who prefer to delve into the bleak side of things, she tells you whenever you doubt yourself, and reject all hope that generates hopelessness. And hopelessness in all its forms has never helped anybody. 

Can Belarus cosplay with you? She got these weird cat ear headphones from Poland as a gag gift last year, so… Please? She’s a cute Nation, but it’s rare that she goes out of her way to dress up and be cuter than normal. Please do a couples cosplay with her, you’ll render her speechless and her usual scowl on her face will be replaced with such an adorable expression of awe. 

You also like creepy things? As a fan of the occult, Belarus will definitely take a stab at reading your palm or even digging up her favorite set of tarot cards just for you. She’s had decades of experience with tarot readings, so be careful if her interpretations start coming true!

If you have any medications or appointments to help you with your mental health, Belarus will definitely be the one to remind you. She’ll put your pills into a weekly pill organizer, remind you when to refill your prescriptions, and even accompany you to appointments just to make sure that you make it to and from home safely. Again, you’ll think she might be annoyed that she’s taking so much time out of her schedule to make sure that you’re okay, but she’ll tell you that it’s far more troublesome for you to neglect your mental health. She loves you for you and that includes all the little and major things that make you up. Don’t doubt her loyalty to you. 

All in all, as long as you’re patient and willing to break through Belarus’ tough exterior, you’ll gain a loving partner in Belarus. She is loyal beyond all understanding, but she is willing to call you out if the occasion ever arises. Furthermore, you help soften her edges and provide much happiness and love in her life. All in all, if the both of you work things through, your relationship will deepen and become more and more meaningful in time. 

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If you want to donate a Ko-Fi, feel free https://ko-fi.com/devintrinidad.

HETALIA AXIS POWERS/WORLD SERIES MASTERLIST

[an-act-of-will]

Episode Four- Editing Part Two

Thanks for tuning in to your regularly-scheduled writing journey podcast, An Act of Will. I’m your host, Sydney. Let’s get started.

So I actually made a small blunder last episode. But, in my defense, Scrivener decided to give me the wrong word count. So my beginning draft was actually sixty-four thousand, two hundred sixty words, and not the fifty-seven thousand number I gave you. So technically I only have to write sixteen thousand words, which is a lot less ouch than my previous number. More of an ‘owie’ than a full ouch. But I re-configured the document so that my word count going forward will be accurate.

And I’m still deep in the editing trenches. This episode will cover one day of re-ordering scenes, and writing a few new ones over the past three weeks.

Yes, I looked at my tri-fold and decided to see if I could re-order one more time. I knew last time there was something just slightly off about it, but I had to stop and write down the missing scenes, as well as get ready for work.

I did my usual process- got my post its, page flags, writer’s notebook, and pen out; set my Forest timer, this time for twenty-five minutes; and started from the beginning.

I only did one twenty-five-minute sprint because I re-ordered some scenes, but not a ton. I also added two new scene post its, thankfully with only 3-5 more combined. That brings my total number of scenes I needed to add is fifty-six to seventy-four new scenes. Ouch, with feeling this time. I realized that in order to progress, I need to write at least a few of the scenes I’m missing. So that’s what I started to do.

I also put a moratorium on myself for changing existing scenes in my manuscript to re-order them. I didn’t even let myself read through it because then I knew I’d start to tinker. This had to be purely new work. So I went through my list of scenes to be written and started with the ones I had at least a vague idea of the content of.

After writing one scene for two twenty-five minute sessions, I had to leave for work. When I was there, I had the idea of making goals for myself and then doing something satisfying when I do. I thought of ways I could do it, and decided on making almost a ‘progress bar’ like in video games when you’re leveling up or completing a quest. Gamifying things tends to work for me, even though I don’t really play video games. I still like the aesthetic.

So I allowed myself to go full geek and did a couple of progress bars. One for overall word count that I capped at eighty thousand and one for scenes completed. I have pictures on my blog of them that I’ll link in the description.

To start the first progress bar I wrote the scene I was working on until I got to sixty thousand, just to have a nice round number to start with and to make the math easier because math is just not my strong suit. I decided on an increment of five thousand words, for a total of five major tick marks. I also made tick marks for every thousand along the way.

For the second progress bar, I consulted my list of scenes. I’ll have an ‘overall’ progress bar and then secondary progress bars so I can see my progress a bit more satisfyingly. On the page with the word count progress bar, I made the overall progress bar and shot for the approximate middle of sixty scenes.

Every week, I decided to make myself a little calendar and track how many words, scenes, and working minutes I did that week, plus any other wins, like small epiphanies or something. That served the function of both keeping a record and having a handy place to put the secondary progress bars.

I decided on the goal of writing five scenes per week. I’ll adjust that as needed. I did the same thing as I did with the first progress bar, this time with just the five tick marks that I’ll track by. I won’t give myself credit for half scenes, just because that would be really hard to track.

For the final progress bar, I decided I wanted to work at least an hour each day, so seven hours a week. I’ll adjust that as needed, too. I made fifteen-minute intervals for that one above each week. Since I normally work in twenty-minute bursts, I should theoretically get at least fifteen minutes every day. Is this a bit cheaty? I mean, a little bit, but it’s only for myself so I feel like seeing everyday progress is more important than holding yourself to some imagined ideal.

As I complete the progress bars, I get to use a colored pencil and fill them in with a different color every bar. That should be motivating for a giant completionist nerd like me.

Now for the actual writing. The first day I did one scene and wrote four thousand, two hundred, thirty-four words in two twenty-minute and two fifteen-minute working sessions, which added up to seventy minutes. So I met my hour goal that day.

That first day I also went through my scene list with the scenes numbered and made sub documents in my writing program with the scene description in brackets at the top of the document. I also changed all the icons on the document’s outline to be different and made a key so my goofy self won’t forget it.

If I never mentioned, I use Scrivener as a writing software. It’s about sixty dollars but I found it’s worth it because I chose to stop using google docs because I found out that the program doesn’t let people send not safe for work documents to each other to beta read, and because I heard that AI might be trained off documents written there. Since I want to stop any AI from replacing artists of any kind, I needed a new software. Most of the people I follow on youtube use scrivener, so I thought I’d give it a whirl. I like it a lot, even though I’m probably not using it to its full potential and only have rudimentary skills with it. But that’s enough of me gushing about Scrivener.

The second day of writing, I had to decide on which scene to work on. I didn’t want to go chronologically because I had no idea for the content of most of them. I wanted to start with scenes I had a vague idea of to build my confidence and some momentum. So I picked a scene that fit that criteria. I started with one fifteen minute sprint to warm up. I had a singular bullet point that was an idea about the scene, so I started with that and saw where it took me. It ended up being an idea with legs, so after a five-minute break, I went at it again, this time for twenty minutes. Then another break, and then an attempt at another twenty minutes. I got distracted for half of it, so let’s call that one ten minutes. Then I took a break, then I did a ten minute session and then a fifteen. That pretty much tapped me out for the day, even though I didn’t actually finish the scene.

I was lucky enough that the next day I had free to work on my writing pretty much all day had a writing stream from one of my favorite writing youtubers/streamers Kate Cavanaugh that I’ll link in the description. Because of the twitch stream, I got 57 minutes which almost completed my entire goal for the day. I also added one thousand ninety-nine words to my document and pretty much finished the scene I was working on. I still had a bit to go, but I figured just a paragraph or two.

After all that writing, I needed to get away from the computer for a bit. I decided to spend some time walking around my neighborhood playing Pokemon Go. Is it way past its popularity? Yes. Yes it is. But I still like it and recently remembered its existence. I also remembered that one of the aspects of the game is that you walk a certain distance to hatch eggs. I had finished up my last egg the day before this stream and thrown in an ambitious ten kilometer egg. I did point one kilometers that first day. During my walk, I did one point eight additional kilometers of progress, or just over a mile in American. I also caught a few Pokemon and filled my whole 300 capacity section so I had to get rid of some. I just did the duplicates I had.

After the walk, I did more writing. I did a ten minute sprint, which completed the last bit of my hour goal for the day. In that time, I got three hundred thirty-two words which covered finishing the scene I was working on and starting on the next one I had marked. When the timer was up, I went through the scene list and marked the next one I wanted to work on with the icon I had designated for that purpose so that I don’t lose momentum later.

Then I decided to take a break from writing but still keep to the same task. I made myself a checklist of the scenes I need to do. The gel pen list from my ‘to move’ list wasn’t working out because a) I ended up having to move way more than I expected and b) the colors were just too bright and light to my eyes, so I just used black ink. I figured this would be a better checklist anyhow because I know I need to add at least this many scenes. I decided to do the thirty-three spots to add scenes, not the actual number of scenes. This way my wrist wouldn’t get tired and I wouldn’t scream when I saw how many I need written down. I just put the numbers of the spot according to my sticky notes and my document, not the descriptions of scenes. This way, it didn’t look like a wall of text and I can add the dates of when I completed each scene as documentation, if just for myself. And for you, of course.

Then, because my writing notebook’s cover had literally fallen off and I had to tape it back together, I decided to glue the binding back in. And because my hour goal for the day had been reached, I treated myself to an Internet break. I still wanted to think about writing, though, and not just watch people play video games, so I kept myself to writing vlogs. I’ll link the writing youtubers I watched that day down in the description. I don’t make any videos myself because I hate filming and this podcast is my replacement for vlogging, but I find watching others vlog super interesting. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. [[Link Diane mariee and Brielle writes]]

After the vlogs, I checked on my writing notebook and how the glue decided to hold the binding and cover together. It was, indeed, holding, so I went ahead and filled in my progress bars. And after that, I actually stopped for the day. I had reached my hour goal and I had finished the scene I spent two days working on, so I didn’t want to push it and get burnt out.

Over the next three days, I got little to no work done unfortunately. Then I managed to get my butt in the chair and write. I completed a couple short scenes in a few sprints so I was feeling better about it. I filled in my overall scene progress bar and my weekly progress bar and stopped for the day. Again, it’d been a couple days so I didn’t want to push it.

So, to recap: I wrote six scenes the first week, most of them pretty short so I got to almost seventy-four thousand words. Considering my goal for this draft is eighty thousand, I feel pretty good about that!

I have no idea how long the revising process will take for this draft, but I will continue to take you with me.

That’s all for this episode. Thanks for coming with me on my journey through storytelling. I have a Tumblr at an act of will with hyphens between the words if you’d like to keep up with me there. I will see you in a week. Until then, I wish you well and happy writing.

[idratherbeloislane]

I wasn't really familiar with any of these, so I decided to look them up and here's the information I was able to find.

John Byrne and Jim Shooter - "John Byrne was so pissed off at Jim Shooter (former editor in Chief at Marvel during most of the 80's) to the point where at a party, John Byrne made a giant pinata where he put a photograph of Jim Shooter's face on it and he BURNED IT WITH FIRE, pretending that it was Jim Shooter. . This story has been verified by several people, one of them being writer Peter David." I could not find anything with Peter David verifying this myself. But I did discover that Byrne has apparently been involved in a few swipes at Shooter in the comics. See here and here.

Grant Morrison and Mark Millar - This came up in a Rolling Stones interview. Morrison had previously been a mentor to Millar, but when Millar started to become successful on his own, he cut ties to Morrison. There's a lot of speculation that Millar stole the idea for the ending for Superman: Red Sun from Morrison, but Morrison just says in this article: "...he was in denial that I’d been there, because I saw a lot of his work had been plotted or devised, even dialogue suggestions were done by me right up until the point of The Ultimates." But here's the good part: "He still lives in Glasgow, is there a chance of bumping into him? There’s a very good chance of running into him, and I hope I’m going 100 miles an hour when it happens."

Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane - Mentioned in this Hollywood Reporter article. Apparently there was a lawsuit that went on for almost 10 years, though it was resolved in 2012. Like the original description says, it was basically over who owns certain characters that Gaiman had created for McFarlane's Spawn comic.

Rick Remender and Hobo Piss - There's a r/HobbyDrama write about the situation here. Basically, Remender wrote a controversial X-Men scene where Havok says that he thinks the term "mutant" is offensive, referring to it as the "m-word" and requesting to be called by his name, instead. This scene received a lot of backlash that apparently led to Remender having a meltdown on Twitter. Thus the now deleted hobo piss tweet, with bonus shiny red dick tweet!

Frank Miller & Tom King - I found a video of an interview with Tom King and Frank Miller, but I'm not sure if this is the right reference? Frank definitely does have a very annoyed expression whenever Tom King is talking and he shoots him down a few times as well. I'm hoping this is the video, as I feel like I've lost brain cells by watching it, and I would hate to waste those for nothing. I can't even really enjoy Frank low key roasting Tom, as they're both terrible people. Frank Miller might be worse as he wrote the horribly racist Holy Terror, but I guess it really depends on whether or not Tom King committed any war crimes while working as a counterterrorism CIA Officer.

John Byrne & Gay Female OCs - I assume this is something he said in an interview, but I couldn't find it? If anyone has a link, please let me know. The weird thing is that technically this isn't true! John Byrne created Maggie Sawyer, a recurring side character in the Superman Comics who was a lesbian police officer. Most of the results for John Byrne and "lesbian/lesbianism" are talking about Maggie, though a few also talk about Northstar, who is generally considered the first gay superhero of any prominence. I did find plenty of articles talking about how he's transphobic, though!

In conclusion, ACWAB (All Comics Writers Are Bad). But at least sometimes they're funny about it.

[drorder]

[okay, all of what I have written here was originally written as a Discord message, which I realized had become way too long to be coherent with discord formatting, so part of the way through, ai started writing it like the first draft of an essay. So that’s why the tone is odd at the beginning]

I think… idk. I feel like the NCCTs, as well as CPUK, are part of a kind of modern wave of web-fiction that draws a lot from EXTREMELY quick-witted improv characters, and lots of audience interaction. AND, crucially, use of video games to creat basically live theatre, but in a way that actual live theatre can’t possibly do.

The examples that come to mind are CPUK and NCCTs, as well as Half Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware, and probably SaltyDKDan’s Friendlocke? (If anyone has more examples, I’d love to have em, just so i can kinda do more meta on this.)

I wouldn’t call it a medium, bc, of the examples I can think of, all the mediums have been different, but this variation seems crucial to the ‘genre’, because for all the examples I can think of, the storytelling can only be possible with that specific medium.

I think another thing that characterizes the genre is a dynamic between the showrunners and the audience. This kind of fiction always has a defined leader(s) , usually the person streaming, GMing, and/or improv-acting as a character outside themselves in the story, who pretty much has the final say on direction of the story.

It also has a wider audience of people who obvi don’t really know the showrunner(s), and so they have a bit of distance and respect there. The audience is not an audience in the way a movie/play audience or reader of a novel would be, since this audience, due to the story being hosted online, can interact and chat with each other, and influence how they see the story.

Idk. I’m just kind of musing here. I’m realizing, as I explore this idea, that in most of this vein of web-fiction I’ve seen, the viewer interaction is pretty minimal. Everyone can interact with each other and basically act as a Greek Chorus, which influences the fiction because, for instance, in a Twitch stream, the live chat and donation messages show up onscreen. However, there’s still a bit of a line dividing the audience from driving the plot the same way the showrunners are: I think the Greek Chorus comparison works very well here.

However, bring this back to NCCT, this line gets broken, a bit, when NCCT2 begins. We become participants and driving forces in the story in a way we wouldnt as a Twitch chat watching CPUK. Interestlingly, tho, there is still a line drawn between us and the fiction, in the form of the Nelson plot-device. We can discuss and Greek-Chorus the story outside Nelson because of the mechanic of the quotation marks, and when we do participate and drive the plot, we aren’t interacting as separate entities with different motives— we are all just a combined, somewhat chaotic voice, which usually has more impact on the story when we are all unified in our aimss.

[At this point, I decided to cut and paste what I’d written into this post. I might come back and redraft this into something more coherent, because I def want to:

- explore more how NCCT varies from this genre I’ve characterized, and therefore make the way I’ve defined the genre more decriptive of CPUK and HLVRAI and Friendlocke, where the audience is more of a greek chorus than participants in the story. I feel like I tried to stretch my original description of the genre too much to fit the NCCTs, and i think i could fix that.

- Explore what kind of people make up the audience, which is def different from the average audience for movies or books, bc this type of fiction is hosted online, in pretty?~ niche circles, with a lot of queer young people, and i think, also neurodivergent people, in the audience. So there’s some exploration and connections to be done there. ]