#any plotline with pre marital sex

[violentdevotion]

alhamdulillah i would survive sooo many sitcom plotlines purely because the inciting incident wasn't halal and i wasn't involved

[strahdapologist]

so I read through your blog and you really don't like the fact that 5e Strahd is a biphobic stereotype. But you run campaigns and play him. Can I ask what changes you've made to his characterisation to make him less of a biphobic stereotype? I know you didn't do the dumb elf genocide thing with him of course

uhm so the first change i made was to his consorts because 5e is shitty towards women and to its other minimal queer rep in the adventure, so in my campaign they were remade to be actual members of his court. their exact responsibilities shifted depending on the ideas i had at the time, but in their latest incarnations ludmilla was in charge of external affairs such as communication with other realms and trade, volenta was in charge of internal affairs, anastrasya was in charge of gathering intelligence and all matters arcane, and escher was charged officially with arts and culture but he was also an active diplomat and spy for strahd. they all have royal titles (that correspond with old romanian nobility) and i made sure they all had their own little story trees of responsibilities to enact across barovia while the campaign was occurring.

i still wanted bisexual representation for strahd that was explicit, however, so a plotline was him and escher breaking up. however their romantic tryst was undertaken with an explicit understanding that strahd was still seeking tatyana, but that in spite of this search he still yearned for intimacy and closeness. escher agreed to these terms and was not taken by surprise when strahd ended things in light of tatyana being reincarnated, though he was still sad about it ending. as strahd's spy, though, he played up this heartbreak to appeal to any who may be against strahd (two members of the party) and tricked them into divulging their true intentions rather quickly. instead of having escher as a hopless gay longing for senpai strahd's love again he became a quietly dangerous character that no one noticed was spying on them lol

i also removed all instances of strahd seeking new consorts in the players. his romantic attention is focused solely on tatyana but in a respectful way that does not cross any lines and instead plays into old ideas of victorian-era courtship. tho he and our tatyana had pre-marital sex so his commitment to prudish courtship is well...... yeah lol

finally sasha was entirely removed. the idea of becoming "bored" of wives and throwing them to the crypts was misogynistic before he was bisexual, and 5th edition made this plot line worse by making strahd bisexual because it implies he is voraciously lustful and can never be sexually satisfied and that the fate of sasha may well be the fate of tatyana if they ever got married. now it's not just sexist, it's biphobic! thank u 5e <3

so yeah tl;dr i just play him as more of a forlorn romantic and gave all the consorts actual titles of duchess/viscount/marquess etc. ditched most of his romantic relationships as well. 5e's biphobia also remove the agency of other women and queer characters in their module so it was important to me not just to adjust strahd's characterization, but the characterization of those around him. through the campaign, it was hinted that ludmilla and volenta had romantic relationships of their own (volenta with gertruda, for example) and escher's crush on ismark turned into the party trying to set the two of them up on dates which is quite sweet. this gave also a lot more room to the tragedy of strahd's love for tatyana when it was inevitably, once again, taken away by forces of darkness

i also spoke to people who are bisexual and i myself read about biphobic tropes in media bc as a lesbian i would find myself icked out by contents of the module but not entirely aware of why or the history of it until context was added, so seeking outside input on what exactly was offensive and why was very helpful

anyway follow me i'm delicious

[todaydreambelieversfic]

Author Spotlight : InsightfulInsomniac Day 2

Author Spotlight : InsightfulInsomniac (@zigxzag-klaine​​)

Share one of your strengths.

Dialogue!! Banter somehow just flows easily into my writing.

Share one of your weaknesses.

Writing longer fics. I’m a one-shot or one-shot series kind of gal. The longest glee fic I’ve written is just over 7000 words, and my usual length is between 1500-3000 words per fic. I can churn out fics quickly, but I struggle to develop ideas or storylines enough for a singular, multi-chaptered fic. Major respect to those who can!

Which fic has been the hardest to write?

One of my more recent fics, “Fearless Belonging.” I’d been wanting to write Kurt and Blaine’s undoubtedly emotional post-season-six-reunion conversation about their relationship for a really long time, and had worked on it in little bits here and there. I finally buckled down, blasted sad music, and legitimately cried my way through 3400 words of psychoanalysis. I was so, so concerned with making sure that I was true to Kurt and Blaine and their experiences, and I wrote and rewrote bits of it for so long. I finally buckled down and posted it, and it’s actually become one of my favorite fics I’ve posted.

Which fic has been the easiest to write?

“Through Burt’s Eyes: The Story of Klaine” was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences I’ve ever had, and it just poured out of me. It’s my favorite fic I’ve ever written: it’s a look at Klaine’s milestones over time from Burt’s perspective. I adore Burt, and it was so much fun to write his take on my favorite boys.

Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?

Both. Definitely both. I chose a very writing-and-research-intensive career (I’m almost done with undergrad, but I will soon be pursuing a PhD in history), and I genuinely love every ounce of research and writing that I do for my studies. Writing is never a chore for me, and it’s what I love to do most. In my historian life, I’m actually writing a book based on some of my research, so writing as a practice really is my passion. But writing is also a fun hobby — as it is with my fanfiction. That being said, I’m also super passionate about my fanfiction — that’s why I write it. So... both!

Is there an episode or character or arc above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?

KURT. He inspires my work so much. But the arc within canon that inspires me most is filling in what’s missing in season 6 — post-reunion but pre-marriage klaine, and then newlywed klaine before glee wraps up. I think it’s such an interesting and unexplored area of time for klaine — everything about season six was rushed, especially their storyline once they get back together and nearly immediately married. I love to fill in the gaps and try to make more sense of the whirlwind that is their storyline in season six.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?

Write what you want to read. If there isn’t a fanfiction about what you want to read, write it. If there isn’t a book that fits exactly what you want to read, write it. If there’s research or character analysis that you haven’t seen explored anywhere, explore it. Write what you’re passionate about, and it’ll show in your work.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?

The exact opposite of my best advice ever received — as fanfic authors, we can often be pressured to write ideas that people prompt us or want us to write, and while we genuinely want to please our readers and often ask for prompts (I ask OFTEN), trying to force yourself to write something that is personally uninspiring to you is like draining the life force out of your writing. It’s okay if that really lovely reader’s prompt doesn’t click with you. Don’t feel bad, and don’t force yourself to write it if you don’t want to. Write what you’re passionate about!

If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?

My fic “Marital Affairs” is all about Kurt and Blaine being co-stars and romantic leads in an off-Broadway show, but they neglect to inform the cast and crew that they’re married. The cast and crew overhear and stumble in on a few compromising situations, and think that they’re having an affair... with each other. Bets are made, awkward situations occur, and it’s an all-around really amusing time. I would LOVE to watch that as an episode or plotline in a glee-style format.

What’s your process? Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order? Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines? What are the perfect writing conditions for you?

99% of the time, I write start to finish. I rarely plan, unless it’s a longer fic like a 5+1. I get an idea, and I just roll with it. I literally just write down the idea on my phone if I can’t write right away, and then sit down and churn it out until it’s done. That kind of free time really only exists at night, so my prime writing conditions/hours are in the quiet of 12am-3am. I’m a serious night owl, hence my author name — InsightfulInsomniac.

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Check out InsightfulInsomniac’s Fics

Revisiting Ghosts -  When Kurt and Blaine’s oldest daughter, Tracy, comes home in tears after a date and tells them that her boyfriend cheated on her, the situation brings up some old ghosts and emotions surrounding Blaine’s cheating incident.

Sleepovers, Secrets, and Sex Talks  - When Blaine goes to his son’s room to wake him and his best friend up for breakfast, he panics when Dalton’s best friend, Sawyer, isn’t on his air mattress, the place where he slept whenever he came over for the past four years. And then Blaine looks at Dalton’s bed.

Meet Tracy  - As soon as the auditorium dedication performance of “I Lived” ends, Kurt and Blaine decide that it’s time to introduce a special someone to their friends while they’re all together. This is a result of me being obsessed with the fact that Klaine are officially dads in that performance since Rachel is no longer pregnant!