#and if you get criticism for your art

[monochromayhem]

Gonna add to this.

This is a fear that I have, and it’s funny how you mentioned Stephen King, because I talked about this fear with my partner on a recent excursion.

The “crazy” fan in Misery is a fear that I imagine many writers have had. The entitlement over how an author writes, the sense of betrayal when a twist they don’t like happens or a character dies or becomes evil (or good or anything that they aren’t before) is something that is, in my opinion, what can kill the authors will to keep going. It has the usually unintentional quality of being anti-art because it attempts to railroad a creator into a narrative they never wanted.

On one hand, I’m definitely the person who feels there are ways to say “fuck off” while encouraging creativity. If someone complained about how a character died, I’d tell them that I understand why they’re upset. That I was that kid reading Michael Crichton’s Micro and I screamed when a character I didn’t think would bite the dust died in a detailed and frankly gruesome manner. And I’d tell them that my writing just sorta unfolds, and that’s how it unfolds. And that they should write fanfiction to work through those complicated feelings— I encourage it.

On the other hand, there are bitter truths to writing that all authors should be more clear about, and the chief one in this instance is that all criticism that an artist faces is ultimately arbitrated by the author and the author alone. All criticism is sorted through by the creator and is sorted into whether it’s in good or bad faith, and then from there what is legitimate criticism that should be considered, or invalid claims that can be dismissed.

It’s something I took from my Writer’s Workshop program that I hold dear, that not all criticism is born equal. Sure, offensive stereotypes and such are something that should be remedied, but things like unhealthy relationships and miscommunications and crimes happening are a normal part of plot.

Imagine if someone hated Robin Hood for being a thief and demanded the author rewrite him to be a priest or a merchant or anything that could be twisted into absolute morality. The author would look at them, go “haha, no!” and keep doing exactly what they were doing. The artist has the right with their IP to reject things that don’t make narrative or thematic sense.

The final judge of criticism is the artist, full stop. If you wanna write the story for the author, you don’t respect their art. A good artist knows that balanced discernment of comments is an important part of shaping their creation, and if you just want them to bend to the whims of the fans, you don’t want their art—you want your fanfiction version of it.

In other words, go write a fanfiction if you don’t like something an author does.

Oh, and fuck off.

I think more creators should openly tell their fans to fuck off and stop being weird

[starhoodies]

kingdom shopping carts i dunno man

[tunapesto]

figuring out what she looks like

[ragingtrees]

my friend dimple

[stairs-feooff]

If any of yall use this promo to get really weird about Nazi/soviet imagery im going to kill you

[trickstersaint]

fr though you have to write bad poetry. poems are not handed down to you fully formed by god they are things that you have to work on and practice your skill at creating. nobody would expect you to sit down at a pottery wheel and end up with a perfect vase with no practice. it's a skill! art is a learned thing!! you have to make the shitty little pots with dents and marks and your fingerprints all over them in order to get better. and you're allowed to be proud of those first little pots you made too

[i-really-like-phrogs]

When someone else’s art is so good you physically can’t look at it because of artistic jealousy

[arttsuka]

Someone on reddit made a nice comparison regarding Toothlesses face, here's the link: https://www.reddit.com/r/httyd/comments/13xcriy/how_toothlesss_design_has_changed_throughout_the/#lightbox

I thought you would want to see it, it shows the differences quite nicely

This just reminds me why I love his design in the first movie even more.

I'm seeing everyone say his model for the second and third movie were the same but I don't think so? They must have worked with his head, at least a bit, because there are differences. His mouth for once...

In the comments I found this other post too

https://www.reddit.com/r/httyd/comments/qasmwo/toothless_head_comparison_by_durkishdragon/

I still think he looks way more on track with the designs of the other dragons in the universe in the first one. He looks like a dragon.

[theladyhibiscus]

Not me as somebody who crochets on the reg getting criticisms/unwanted comments about everything I make:

"You always use the same colors" :/

Me: can't help it I'm a thalassophile and therefore I must always use beige, khaki, turquoise, teal, aqua blues, whites of all shades. Let the coastal creations commence!

"Nice bag. You know, that looks perfect to use only for holidays like Easter"

Me: ...my coastal bag is to be used every time I feel like it. What are you talking about.

"Those oceanic colors don't match with your current outfit so don't use it."

Me: it's not about what looks nice TO YOU but what feels right and fun to use FOR ME.

"Why don't you add (whatever) to your creation. It'd look great if you add (whatever). And, how about next time, you actually use a leather bag bottom instead?"

Me: I don't want to.

"You sure can't take a comment or a slight criticism. Why are you like this?" :/

Me: you sure can't mind your business.

"Why are you doing 2 projects at once. Finish one and start the other I don't get it."

Me: oh you sweet summer child ohohoho...you just don't understand the mind of a crocheter do ya?

"You know, if you make something for somebody it sure won't be coastal themed or whatever. You have to try something different."

Me: who said I'm making anyone ANYTHING? They don't want to pay the correct price for a hand-made creation so that won't be happening. Anyway, ONTO THE COASTAL THEMED SCARF!

[bonefall]

So, your Clear Sky post is absolutely horrifying, but it was very needed, so thank you. What are your general thoughts on tackling his abuse for the AU? Like you've said, pretending he's a good guy is not the way to go, but are you planning on toning down *some* of the situations, just to give some of the cats a break? Clear Sky is a very realistic depiction of abusers, but that seems to come across even without victim number 25, yknow? I'm very curious about how you'd like to go about this.

My most recent big change was bringing Slash back into the fold, because I realized that it was actually a disservice to not address where DOTC's themes dip into Colonialism. It's a hard topic, and I'm still trying to work out the details, but I realized it was important.

With how BB!DOTC is such a MASSIVE overhaul, to properly address abuse and the ways it impacts you, ableism and its violence, and xenophobia broadly, a huge reworking of Slash belonged here too. He's one of the greatest examples of how badly WC demonizes non-Clanborn cats. I shouldn't dance around it.

That's what I need to do with Skystar.

MANY of his victims have happier endings than canon, though. Bumble is one of the most famous, bumped up into a major character and directly responsible for the formation of ThunderClan. Bright Storm is taking most of Gray Wing's roles. Birch and Alder are getting examined, with either a father who wants his kids back or Milkweed as the mate of Misty.

A lot of people will die because of him, even more will be hurt, but I see BB!DOTC as a story about victims and survivors.

Others might grab POVs here and there, but as a response to canon which I feel is Clear Sky's story told in many parts, I center this rewrite around Thunder Storm. The path of kindness he marches down, with love and with anger, and the people he helps.

So BB!Star Flower...

Previously I was playing her as ENTIRELY just manipulating Clear Sky. She was loyal to One Eye and trying to get at Skystar to bleed him dry for 8 lives to sacrifice; but connected to Thunderstar over recognizing him as a victim who deserves her idea of justice. So, she offers Thunderstar the final kill, so her father will be grateful to him and he'll get power AND the death of his abuser.

(When Thunderstar looks upon Skystar, pathetic and neutralized down to one life, he thinks about the collateral damage that will descend upon the forest if he accepts the deal. He decides that he has found the line between Justice and Justification. Of course he wants the power to make his enemies cower, protect his people, and eliminate Clear Sky so he never threatens them again; that's not the problem.

He can still do these things. He wouldn't NEED the power of a war god to do so.

But if One Eye returns, he will be endlessly hungry, ruthlessly dedicated to revenge, and set out to devour the whole forest. Everything would get worse, and even more people he loves would die. It's where his desire to destroy a monster would lead to him BECOMING one.)

Even on its face, it was previously missing an element. There's a step between "Starf decides to bring One Eye back" and "Starf offers Thunderstar the final kill" that was bare. This is the piece that was missing-- That she, herself, is trying to reach out to the only person who's ever really understood her.

But more importantly... I do feel this topic belongs here, in BB!DOTC. Abuse is a MAJOR theme. SKYSTAR is a monster already. He's harmed two wives in BB (Bright Storm and Falling Cry) and played toxic games with all three kits (Thunder Storm, Pale Sky, Tiger Sky).

And I'd avoid Star Flower being abused... why? Because it's uncomfortable to confront the pattern that Clear Sky displays? That in-canon, he tries to cut all his victims into the same ideal shape, from Storm to Thunder to Star Flower? ...it should be uncomfortable. Everything that I described in Clear Sky Is A Monster is rooted in the same desire for control, power, and punishment most abusive people share, he just happens to be a severe example.

Yes. That includes how he treats his child and romantic partners. The parallels that are drawn between Starf and Thunder are there because he wants power in the form of obedience. Starf replaces the son as a narrative award for his "growth" of not killing random people anymore for a while.

A cookie cutter is an effective tool because IT ONLY MAKES ONE SHAPE.

You know what's more uncomfortable? Reading canon!DOTC and seeing someone who hurt you reflected almost perfectly in the character the writers think did nothing wrong. Because of "good intentions" that were not there.

I will say though, just to be clear; I don't see a purpose in being more than PG-13 about serious topics for this project. I promise none of my intentions have changed. Nothing will be more graphic or gorey than canon WC-- just more intentional.

I'm keeping the sacrifice because it's dope. No one is taking this from me. Girl Moment: Killed her awful husband 8 times to count as 8 sacrifices and offered the last life to her buddy as a show of good will. How else do you make friends outside of high school

But I know now that Star Flower NEEDS to keep the canon fact she has very little agency, UNTIL that moment she snaps.

She's sacrificing one abuser to try and bring back a bigger, badder one, because in spite of everything, her father One Eye always made her feel safe. Even though he promised her off to Skystar, and expected her to be willing to die for him. She's followed every command, every order, past the death of his mortal vessel.

The first, and only, selfish choice she's ever made was in reaching out to Thunderstar to offer him the power of her father.

Thunderstar's Justice is a story about a Thunder Storm at the pinnacle of his arc, how the survivors of his Clan are settling into the new normal after the carnage of The First Battle, how Skystar's arrogance brings a violent god to the Forest... and the connection Thunderstar makes with the daughter of a monster.

[g0nta-g0kuhara]

I think I've gotten to the point where I'm just gonna not interact with or even block blogs that post v/3 fan art while aggressively and needlessly harping on it in the caption

[heavensmortuary]

honestly I think the best thing I've done to gain confidence to Simply Make Things is to watch really awful movies no one likes because if you watch enough of them you'll find pinpricks of beauty in really shitty b-rated stuff. you will unlock a new appreciation and joy for things I promise

[venacoeurva]

...I know people in this day and age think any collaborative effort can fix things, often despite reality (ex. the MULTIPLE tumblr blackout protests over the last like 10 years across different owners of tumblr that didn’t change shit),

but I think going out of your way to buy things from tumblr en masse as a “well then they’ll be profitable and won’t have to change things to resemble profitable sites!” as if the CEO/higher ups are personally going to see this and not AT MOST just go “oh we made money, sick, Anyway.” is just. the most naive and frankly 5-year-old level of problem solving unrealistic idea if you think about it for more than 5 seconds. People are just so blinded by naive optimism it’s painful.

Staff isn’t going to see your purchases and go on a full redemption arc and restore porn in spite of payment systems’ massive stigma against it or Apple’s restrictions and never ever try to mimic Twitter or TikTok again, or whatever the fuck you’re expecting, they’ll keep focusing on shit tweaks that resemble other sites because those are what keep investors who think they know tech and user wants hooked and they think new people from other sites will come over for that instead of the fact these people are typically escaping those kinds of features.

Staff isn’t your friend, their vying for support like they’re your buddy who is hitting hard times and has been here holding your hand all these years is deliberate corporate marketing, they’re an arm of a corporation that spits in the face of LGBTQ+ people and especially black people for daring to post about themselves while touting themselves as The Queer Site! A diverse site! Look at this AMA we’re doing with someone about Black History Month! and you’re doing nobody a service when you’re unintentionally rewarding a service for getting worse because they will not know nor care about your motives, they just care that they got money and will continue making it worse regardless of you. They’re a corporation, not a small business ran by 10 people who are trying their best. People throwing money at Staff already encourages them, let alone when you buy into the weird parasocial shit they try with us which will continue as they see success with that method.

Like the mere idea of everyone buying the crabs to gift to make the site profitable is just unrealistic (especially in this economy with such terrible inflation and in NA there are issues with the weather and fires, on a site that mostly consists of groups of people who are typically low income or unable to work???), it feels very much like the gofundme pages people set up to raise money for celebrities who have debts who will be fine regardless and definitely don’t need your help. Corporations and CEOs are not your friends, they never will be. They do not care about you and they’re not some poor uwu victim of circumstance.

TL;DR half-assed blackouts aimed at companies that don’t care (that I have seen over and over) and “cr*b day” type efforts are incredibly dumb and will change nothing, and they will not change anything, just encourage them since they see they’re making money during their current marketing schemes, if they notice at all. You pitying them like they’re a poor innocent person is exactly what the corporation wants.

If you want to make a difference give that money to an artist or lgbtq+ people who basically get flagged as mature for Existing, or people who get their posts flagged for criticizing the site, or something, someone who gets screwed over by this site on the regular. It will do far more good than that whackadoo type pipe dream and sit down and think for a second, please.

[irradiatedpiratebooty]

i just wanna put this out there for anybody who needs to hear it. when you work on a piece of art, (writing included), its okay to not want criticism on it. sometimes you can just create for fun. for shits and goddamn giggles. not every piece has to be improved on. not every piece needs to be studied. you, as the creator, do not need to stress yourself out by thinking that every piece needs to be criticized and improved on.

it is not selfish, it is not a "red flag" to not want criticism you did not ask for.

what it is, is taking care of yourself.

your art is an expression of you. youre doing it for you. people giving you criticism online are not your boss. their standards are not rules.

you do not owe anybody perfection.

if you want criticism, you'll ask for it.

and another thing, if someone asks if they can give you criticism on your art (which is great! please ask first. thats the polite thing to do) its okay to say no. especially if you just dont feel like it right now. you dont have to defend yourself. you dont owe an explanation as to why you dont want it. its okay to just say no without further elaboration.

[leonardalphachurch]

there’s a lot of problems with the rvb fandom but i will always so so thankful for how it treats criticism. where in other fandoms you have to section off critique into its own little hate tag, in the rvb fandom not only can you main tag it but you’ll get hundreds of notes from people who have dedicated their lives to loving the show reblogging it and going #SO TRUE OP

[fernacular]

Sometimes I wonder if the people who get extremely up in arms about kid shows and hyper critical of things that are easily explained by them being shows intended for children have, perhaps, themselves outgrown kids shows and are just unwilling to admit it.