#because there's this one pivotal scene where the characters find something out about someone they trusted

[thanatoseyes]

Please go read The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon. It's gayer Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's technology melded into human form. It's staring at a painting for the first time and you don't have the words to actually describe it. It's profoundly something new to the scifi genre.

[twomiddlefingersforthehaters]

"My boby moved on its own" is an SNS trope . Sasuke is the type of person who always does something for Naruto and then finds a logical reason to cover that up.

1. His reason for offering his bento to Naruto

2. His reason for looking after Naruto who had been training all night.

3. His reason for to Save Naruto from Haku's attack.

4. His reason for why he wasn't able to kill Naruto in vote1

5. His reason for protecting Naruto from Obito

It gets so intense every time he protects Naruto from Obito. And Naruto notices how Sasuke protecting him from the attacks every time. Even when his Susanoo is already protecting Naruto, his hand is also going there to shield him.

We've never seen Sasuke do anything like this for Sakura, while with Naruto it's pretty consistent throughout the series. And Why do you think Kishi made 5 scenarios like this to point that out? Sasuke wouldn't do this kind of thing for anyone else. Absolutely no one. So what impression does it make?

In this war arc, Sakura herself acknowledged to the fact that Sasuke didn't care about her:

When Sakura ran up to Madara to get stabbed, both Naruto and Kakashi were either terrified or shocked as she plunged on someone she couldn't deal with. And Sasuke's expression was completely different from the others, he was just focused on the opening to attack madara. Where are Sasuke's instincts when it comes to Sakura? And the one who saved her was Naruto. Look at her dejected face! Even she herself accepting the fact that Sasuke doesn't even worry or care about her. Also, Sasuke put Sakura and Kakashi in their place by calling them "useless" directly to their faces while they were being protected under his Susanoo.

You know, Naruto is the one who asks Kakashi and Sakura to stay closer to him...without knowing what's going on up there. And, Sasuke was talking specifically to Naruto to not move around when he comes down to Naruto and he didn't mention the other two. He only wanted to save Naruto with his Sasunoo from the infinite tsukuyomi, but Sakura and kakashi just happened to be near with Naruto.

And Sasuke himself openly said Kakashi and Sakura just happened to be next to Naruto and that's all! Once again Sakura looked so dejected and realizes it even more in this scene. It's very clear that Sasuke didn't care about kakashi & Sakura. When Sasuke summons a hawk , and Naruto points to the right and says, "Sasuke!! Over there!!" to help Kakashi and Sakura, but Sasuke only saves Naruto

We know that Naruto cares about others and Sasuke knows this very well. And Sasuke is the character who will PROTECT those he cares about in dire situations. And who has he been saving repeatedly? NARUTO. But what Sasuke says and his actions are an underscoring for Naruto to prioritize his own safety and life in the war. Sasuke has a valid point that everything would be over if he and Naruto were to die, but it doesn't erase the fact that he doesn't care about Sakura and Kakashi and almost let them die because he was busy saving Naruto, a person who wasn't even in danger to begin with.

Simply put, he would protect Naruto, no matter what. And all Sasuke's actions are completely and purely instinctive and derived from his sub-consciousness.

To which Naruto said,

Raw: お前の言ってることも分かってるつもりだ... けど... こういう時は体が勝手に動いちまうもんだ ろ... 橋での時────

Romaji: omae no itteru koto mo wakatteru tsumori da ... kedo... kōiu toki wa karada ga katte ni ugoichimau mondaro ...kyōde no tokiーーー

Literal: I think I understand what you're saying. But...in this situation, a body moves on its own (unconciously)... Just like that time on the bridgeーーー

What he meant: " just like your body moved on its own to save me on the bridge.... my body also move on its own to save Kakashi & Sakura". Because Naruto does care about Kakashi & Sakura. Therefore, he cannot ignore them falling into the lava and dying.

The Land of the Waves arc, specifically the battle with Haku and Sasuke's sacrifice, was pivotal to Naruto and Sasuke's relationship, as they both realized for the first time how important and deeply they care for each other. It was a very emotional moment for both of them.

When they came back from Land of waves, Naruto couldn't even look at him without blushing, and then Sasuke couldn't even look at him at all. They'd rather die in this moment than admit that how much they care for each other, but their actions speak louder than words.

Whenever something happens between these two, there are always other characters pointing out what's going on. After they return to Konoha, Kishi uses Sakura to point this out, even though it's clearly visualized in the panel:

Raw: あ〜〜〜まだだわ!

Romaji: a〜〜〜madadawa!

Literal: Ahh〜〜〜 Not again!

Raw: この2人...波の国から帰って来てからちょっ と変なのよね...

Romaji: kono 2 nin...ha no kuni kara kaettekite kara chotto hennanoyone...

Literal: These two... have been acting somewhat/ a bit weird ever since we came back from the land of waves...

Raw: づ〜〜〜 何だか気詰まり...

Romaji: zu〜〜〜 nandaka kizumari...

Literal: oh〜〜〜 I feel ill at ease for some reason....

Raw: 早く来い来い! カカシ先生!! じゃーんなろー!!

Romaji: hayaku koikoi! kakashi sensei !! Shānnarō!!

Literal: Hurry up and get here! Kakashi-Sensei!!

Notes:

変な (henna) - strange; odd; peculiar; weird; queer; eccentric; suspicious; fishy; disturbance; funny; abnormal; unusual etc... It is used as a colloquial word that has many meanings.

何だか気詰まり (nandaka kizumari): somehow I feel awkward; Somehow I feel uncomfortable; I don't know why, but I feel ill at ease.

• the author choose the length of prolonged sound mark (ーーー) longer to implying that the sound is prolonged for longer than normal. e. g: Naruto saying "Time on the bridge."

• prolonged sound mark → a wave line (〜〜〜) is used instead of a straight line (ーー)...this often represents a deliberate prolonging of the sound by the character who speaks it or just a trembly, shaky voice of the character.

Only Naruto and Sasuke knew what happened on the bridge, others like Sakura and Kakashi didn't know about it or not very clear about what exactly happened there. Later, Sasuke & Naruto didn't talk about it, but this scene always comes at crucial moments that point to their "precious person". Finally after 5 years, saving Naruto from falling into the lava leads to Naruto talking about what happened on the bridge.

Sasuke saves Naruto even when he knows Naruto could have saved himself because of Kyuubi Mode, but Sasuke has been known to save Naruto even when he doesn't need saving. We also know that Sasuke would rather give Naruto a stupid and lame excuse than tell the truth straight to Naruto's face. So, this isn't the first time Sasuke prioritize Naruto over Sakura, a pattern that has been repeating since Kishi introduced Sasuke to the story in Chapter 3.

Naruto's feelings for Sasuke grew stronger at this point. After everything Naruto had been through and talking to Sasuke every time they met, Naruto knew for sure that Sasuke still cared for him. Naruto could see through Sasuke's actions. Naruto truly understand and knows that Sasuke cares for him and that's why he mentioned what happened in the Land of Waves.

Naruto only says "bridge", but of course Sasuke knows that he was talking about that time at "The Bridge in the Land of Waves."

Sasuke had a reaction to Naruto's words. No matter what Naruto says, he wouldn't say anything... Sasuke is probably trying to show that he's "unfazed," but in reality, he might be "fazed" because Naruto has seen through his heart.

Sasuke's reaction... His facial expression is hidden by his hair and "not visible," but this "invisibility" stirs up the reader's imagination

And he's confidently teasing Sasuke: "Even though I asked you to save them, you saved me...because your body moved on its own... because you cared about me. so I'm sure you understand my feelings to save them....Sasuke"

However, the "meaning" of this conversation...is something only Naruto and Sasuke can understand and it's their extremely personal thing (because the events on that "bridge" are memories shared only by the two of them). Kakashi & Sakura certainly not aware of this peculiar phenomenon that is unconsciously moving bodies.

Sakura's "inner words"... they really express her current feelings. Sakura is convince herself that what Sasuke says is "reasonable." Look at what Sakura says, she herself agrees with Sasuke: "It's as Sasuke-kun says (we're useless)... but (thank you, Naruto for caring about us)...." Sasuke didn't care about her desperate attempts to get his attention. And Even she herself acknowledged it, you know!

Years ago Naruto & Sasuke couldn't even look at each other pretending nothing happened, but now Naruto was talking about it with confidence. And he's clearly flirting with Sasuke.

[haru-dipthong]

Ep 4 of my Utena fansub is out!

This has absolutely been the toughest episode yet. It has several difficult phrases, the most dialogue of any episode up to this point, and a few phases that are really important to future episodes and core themes.

This episode's translation discussion

ねえ、じゅり先輩

Can I ask you something, Juri?

The bane of every translator’s existence — 先輩 (senpai). As I’m doing with 様 (sama), I definitely don’t want to include it untranslated as an honorific, but unlike 様 (sama) there’s no English word that could possibly be used in the same context to convey similar information. Instead, I’m trying to slip in some of the hierarchy in the characters’ general speech patterns. Here, the translation invents a whole sentence for Miki to show a bit of deference to Juri, instead of using the honorific.

-----

テクニックでねじ伏せるようないつもの迫力じゃなくて、なんだか音に潤いを感じるよ。

Your technique is usually so forceful and commanding, but today the notes have a kind of richness to them.

According to jisho.org, ねじ伏せる means “to twist someone's arm and throw them to the ground”. 迫力 means “force, impact, strength”. Touga’s verbiage here is intentionally violent. It indicates that underneath Miki’s polite, almost feminine demeanour and appearance, lies a boy who is already being moulded by patriarchal forces into a force of oppression. It was important to keep that hint of Miki’s potential for violence and oppression in the translation.

-----

前に言ってた、輝くものでも見つけ��のかな？

Did you ever find that "glow" you were talking about earlier? (from ohtori.nu)

It seems you may have found that guiding light you were telling me about. (my translation)

This was a really tough translation, and one that has implications for the future, because I believe 輝くもの is used when listing the council’s reasons for duelling in later episodes, so the translation I chose needed to fit in that context as well.

Depending on the kanji used, もの can mean either “thing” (物) or “person” (者). A Japanese transcript I found actually uses the “person” kanji excusively. So it could be translated as either “something that shines” or “someone that shines”. I think I managed to preserve this ambiguity in the translation: “guiding light” could be a literal light, or it could be a metaphor for a person who’s very important to you.

-----

自分の中に永遠の美しさを持ってないと引けない曲なんだ

It's an ode to a beautiful life, where things never change. You need to believe in that to play it.

The Japanese literally translates to "This is a song [you/I] can't play unless [you/I] carry [eternal beauty/the beauty of eternity] within yourself". The subject of the sentence is omitted - is he talking in general or specifically about himself? Is 永遠 here acting as a noun (eternity) and の marks 美しさ as belonging to it (beauty of eternity) or is it acting in the genitive case and modifying the noun 美しさ instead (eternal beauty)?

These are all questions that matter in terms of making sense of the line, but not in the immediate sense of the translation, because the translation pivots on a different axis: 自分の中に…持ってないと. In english, translating this literally (carry … inside yourself) sounds unnatural. I think the Japanese gives more of an impression of carrying a worldview of eternal beauty; of seeing the world as a world that has eternal beauty. Textually, what Miki is talking about is carrying a dream of reliving the happiness of the past again, and then keeping it forever. He’s desperately trying to preserve that perfect time in his life, with him and his sister side by side playing that song in the sunlit garden. That's actually what this is about. And his duelling loss, and the scene where the image of the garden shatters, represents him finally being forced to move on from that need for permanence.

Permanence (or as most translations have it, “eternity” — 永遠) is a core theme of the work. All of the characters, in some way, are trying to preserve a form of status quo, or regain and retain a status quo that has been lost to them. Though Miki uses the word 永遠 here, I decided not to directly translate it. Rather than relying on the recurrence of a single noun to carry this theme, I wanted to allow the theme to stand on its own merit. I think translating it variously as “permanence”, “eternity” and other edge cases as I’ve done in this line ("where things never change"), will allow me to better convey this theme of wanting to keep things as they are, and the necessity of change and of letting those things go.

-----

Thank you to my editor @dontbe-lasanya (I still can't believe I get to say "my editor" lol), I'm sure it was as tough to edit as it was to translate!

For all episodes released so far, see the below drive folder. Be sure to follow the blog for updates if you want to watch along!

[grandlinedreams]

Hi there! I'm slowly working on a One Piece OC and she has a logia devil fruit that allows her to turn into water/ control water (like Ace's devil fruit). I was wondering if you could do something with Law x femme reader with this type of power? Maybe something to do with him finding out about her devil fruit because she doesn't like people knowing about it.

(My character's story is that she was forced to eat the devil fruit because her parents hated that she loved spending time in the water and swimming with her mermaid friend, so they wanted to take away the one thing she loved. Her parents are aholes if you couldn't tell lol)

AAAH that sounds really cool!! I've got an oc that got forced/coaxed into eating a DF too and ough the angst that comes w that 😔👌🏼 but I hope I can do this justice for you!!

[Heads up!: canon typical violence]

"Come on, just a sip! A tiny one, you won't even notice!"

"For the last time, no." You inch away from where Penguin'd been leaning over you, making grabby hands at the canteen looped over your shoulders. "If you're that thirsty, find somewhere to get your own."

"Rude," he huffs. "Not like Captain'll let us stay long enough to actually relax."

"Should've thought of that when picking a career choice," Law answers. "Not exactly smart to stick around anywhere when your face is on a Wanted poster."

Penguin wilts before he starts his pleading anew by slinging his arm around Law's shoulders. "Come on, Captain. It's been forever since we've been allowed fool around."

"Get off me," Law snaps, "and stop playing around. We're not on a vacation, damn it."

"Just give in," you intone, "you know he'll just get the others to pester until you do."

Penguin grins, and Law scowls. "Don't encourage that behavior," he tells you before he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Fine. But I better not regret this."

ㅡ

"This is your fault, you know." Shoulders slumped, Law watches the scene unfolding just a few feet away with a look somewhere between embarrassment and annoyance.

"Don't be such a grouch. They deserve to remember don't have to be so serious all the time." You take a sip of your drink and peek at Law, who's sitting beside you. "You could learn to do that too."

Law looks away, even as his knee bumps against yours. "I'd rather not."

You shrug. "Suit yourself." Glancing at him, you can tell that he's far from thrilled to be here, from the set of his jaw to the tension in his shoulders, gaze sharp beneath the brim of his hat. "We can leave if you want to."

"I doubt they're ready to," he says, dipping his head at the tableful of crewmates who are engrossed in whatever party trick Clione is trying to attempt.

You slide off your seat. "I can come collect them later, or they'll find their way back on their own."

Law debates for a moment before he follows you, aware of the eyes that follow your departure. Outside, he quickly falls into step beside you. "We're being followed."

"I'm aware," you answer, listening to the additional set of footsteps. Reaching down, you work the the cap of your canteen open as discreetly as you can.

Law listens as the foosteps quicken, hand moving to use room, but you beat him to it. Pivoting on your heel, your hands come up, and all Law sees is the barest hint of blue before the footsteps stop.

Turning, his eyes widen a fraction at the sphere of water encompassing the man's head, bubbles spilling from the corners of his mouth as he struggles, trying to claw at the water.

"I wouldn't if I were you," you say, tone level despite the fact that you're casually drowning someone, a pale blue glimmer to your hands that Law realizes belatedly is also water.

You wait until the man's eyes roll back and his arms drop before you bring your hands down, guiding the stream of water back into your canteen before you approach the collapsed stranger.

"He's still breathing," you report before you rummage around, producing a crumpled wanted poster with Law's face on it. "Bounty hunter, maybe. Not a very good one, though."

There's the melt of your hand into water, quickly turning the paper soggy and illegible before turning towards Law, who's staring at you.

"You never told me you'd eaten a devil fruit."

"It never came up," you say, and when his eyes narrow, you look away. "It's not something I'm comfortable talking about. Figured the less anyone knew, the better off I was."

"That's understandable," Law says, "but I don't appreciate being left in the dark, especially about my own crew." He takes in the slump of your shoulders, expression easing a fraction. "I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about. But from now on, I want you to be honest with me. Got it?"

You nod. "Got it."

"Good." He gives you a small, barely there smile. "Now lets go get our crewmates before they get us into more trouble."

[tomwambsgans]

if someone who's actually knowledgeable about star wars has already made a better version of this meta post pls link me but in the meantime. i'm up thinking about the rich vein of character implications and foreshadowing done by the star wars references in 1x3 lifeboats (and where it briefly resurfaces in 1x6)

like, firstly, upon rewatch this becomes a clear symbol of waystar being a fascist organization (prior to the audience seeing evidence of that) and tom's likely consciousness of the fact, as he ascends:

i'd assumed that the "grill on the exhaust vent" line was directly from star wars for the longest time, only to search it and find that it comes 100% from succession lol. of course it's tom saying "all the death star needed was a grill on the exhaust vent and then the rebellion wouldn't have had anything to exploit." but even that alone, funnily enough, feels like a solid parallel to what's to come. whether he knows it or not, tom is accurately calling out waystar's very simple weaknesses for what they are. and he's right that he'll be the one fixing it, or at least trying to.

also you get the sense from this that tom has either recently watched the movies and/or that he's just a big nerd about them and has that reference on tap. which isn't part of the analysis as much as it's just fun but anyway,

...kendall as vader/anakin is a pretty fun parallel, but tom as c3p0 is both fucking hilarious and perfect in the scheme of things.

the humor is that if tom was placing himself in a SW role in his head, here, it was likely a general or something. only for kendall to swiftly knock him down to something so much more accurate -- a protocol droid. you're built from scrap, tom. programmed for etiquette and it's made you high-strung and constantly anxious lmao. now, i've covered the robot thing in a more thorough parallels post, but with c3p0 specifically it's just so fun in particular not only bc of c3p0's personality (and how this scene hints what we'll learn about tom's), but bc of the matching roles that he and r2d2 play in star wars:

constantly together, basically immortal due to being droids, defectors from the republic, comic relief... and integral to very important events. these seemingly unimportant hunks of metal just keep lucking (or unlucking) into the most pivotal moments in history.

i also think it's important to note that tom immediately accepts his role as c3p0. because then, when he later says this,

it's completely undeniable that greg is the r2d2 to his c3p0, not anyone else. therefore not mine as in "i'm his owner." therefore a different kind of mine.

and of course, it works. r2 is the droid between them who can act spontaneously. who may get them into more trouble but who can also get them out of it. who may not be able to speak basic, but who 3p0 can understand while most others can't. and who is EXTREMELY useful, with a lot of unexpected skills and tools under his belt. it's uncanny.

finally, these are basically the same image:

[kathaynesart]

I love your storytelling! I was wondering if you’d give tips for outlining and planning a story, I adore your pacing and different arcs. I’m new to writing and I’m having trouble keeping things cohesive even with an outline and I just wanted to know if you had any perspective or tips to share. Don’t feel pressured to answer. I love your replica au and hope you are doing well!

Aw thank you so much!  Sure I can talk about that.  Mind you aside from a screen writing course I took in college I am entirely self taught.  This is just information I’ve absorbed and worked out over the past couple decades of personal writing. More below the cut.

WRITING/OUTLINING STYLE

For starters you need to figure out what style of outlining works for you.  I’ve been told there are two types  of writers.   The Architect and the Gardener.  The Architect is someone who has the entire framework plotted out and builds off of that.  The Gardener starts with a basic setup and lets the story flow naturally and chronologically from there, basing it entirely off of their extensive knowledge of the world, characters, and how they interact within it. 

There are draw backs to both sides. Gardeners can often times write themselves into a corner or lose track of where the story should go (leading to lots of unnecessary fluff and loose ends).  While architects have a habit of ignoring a lot of the important “middle stuff” that leads to their major predetermined plot points and sometimes don’t realize how the story is naturally leaning in other directions, making it jarring when they try to force it back on track. 

I like using both methods but in different situations.  For example before I even put pen to paper I already knew what I wanted the beginning and ending of Replica to be as well as a few pivotal scenes. I had a basic framework.  However that framework has grown and changed over time as I’ve nurtured it.  So I’ve come up with my own term I like to call “the Greenhouse Method,” where you may create the basic framework but understand that things within it can change and warp the structure to something entirely new. Just make sure it doesn’t go too off course. 

That method may not work for everyone  so I recommend looking inward to see what variation of the methods work best for you.  Because if you’re not enjoying the process then there’s no point. 

With this method I tend to list out major scenes of importance and then slowly figure out how they flow or cut into each other.  Doing this involves several other factors I will state below…

THEMING

One important thing is to know what is the theme or message of your story.  This doesn’t have to be obvious but every good story normally has an underlying theme.  There needs to  be a point.  For example, Sherk is about accepting yourself for who you are.  Jurassic Park is a warning about playing God.   

Replica at its core is about cherishing your self worth and holding onto hope and loved ones even in the darkest times.  Even when they’re not there anymore.  

Whatever it may be, find that theme that means something to you, and make sure that feeling stays with you and the plot, even if subtly.  

CHARACTERIZATION

Have a strong knowledge of the characters in your story.  I achieve this by doing little exercises on how they would react to certain incidents or answering questionnaires.  By doing this it allows them talk to each other within any scene I have setup but leave void of my own input. Instead I simply take notes rather than force them to say something they’re supposed to say (very Gardener style).  Often times letting the characters be themselves allows them to say and do things I find far more entertaining than what I initially had planned. 

It’s important with characters though that you make sure you let them be themselves rather than have them act out for pure drama/plot sake.  I see that a lot in fan communities where characters will begin to cry or overreact in ways that seem out of character and it can really break my immersion. So know your characters.  Know everything about them from what their favorite cookie is to how they deal with trauma.  It’s all important to lead to the most natural of interactions. 

SCENES

When plotting out scenes make sure that every one of them has a point. Every single scene.  If there is nothing new to be learned, or changed, or shared, then there is no point beyond a few brief sentences to transition it to the next important scene.  Avoid fluff that is just fluff for the sake of fluff.  You can have fluffy scenes, sure, but make sure there is something else to be gained from it.  I’ve read scenes that are literally just the same character harping over the same issue they’ve been dealing with without coming to any new conclusion or going through any sort of change, be it internal or external from the plot.  I don’t like having my time wasted as a reader and neither should you as a writer!

THE ZONE

I don’t see many people talk about this but I think it’s important for any writer to find a space where they can zone out and let the story bloom in their mind. No judgement, no analyzing, just pure fun. For some this happens in the shower, or sitting in front of the laptop with a cup of tea, or me driving too fast down the freeway blasting music in my ears.  I come up with all my best stuff while driving.  Sometimes I will extend a drive just to finish a scene properly.  Whatever it is, find what helps you get in that zone and see if you can play something out in your head.  It helps keep me inspired for sure. If you've managed to come up with something you like, make sure to write it down and then come back to it later to look at it from a more analytical perspective. Does it work with my theme? Are the characters reacting realistically? Where does this happen in the timeline and how can it impact future store plot points? Etc.

EXTRA: EASY MISTAKE TO AVOID

This isn't so much about outlining, just writing in general, but when you start writing, be sure to choose a tense and stick with it.  Many writers, myself included, prefer past tense.  Though I’ve seen some people do present that can work well.  Just make sure whatever you do stays consistent. 

Example BAD: “Jane WENT to the store, hoping to find some crackers.  She  SPEAKS with the clerk to ask if he had any.” 

Example GOOD: “Jane WENT to the store, hoping to find some crackers.  She  SPOKE with the clerk to ask if he had any.”  

SUMMARY

Know your theme/message

Know your characters

Know your genre

Every scene should have a point and be interesting in some way 

Recommend for beginners having an idea of where you want the story to conclude and see how that links up with your theme

Hope that helps.  Sorry if I went off on a tangent but I feel like a lot of the story telling process is interconnected when done correctly.  Let me know if you have any more specific issues you want addressed!

[exilethegame]

Hey! I've been meaning to ask you this for a while so here goes - how do you develop your characters? They are so fleshed out and complex, it's so great to notice these little but important details about them. As someone who is trying to be a writer, I absolutely adore reading about them. So, yeah, that's pretty much my question! Do you, like, sit down and make a character profile or you just know what the characters will be like while writing them?

Oooh good question. I had a whole thing written out and managed to condense it to a few points.

1.) Stick with clichés and archetypes when first creating a character. The reason they're cliché and stereotypical is because they work-- so they're amazing places to start when first developing a character. They also work as a good filler so when you're first working on the story you can focus on developing other things first (the plot), things that are required to make any meaningful developments to your characters.

2.) There are two things that are pivotal for developing a character-- and they're things everyone knows but sometimes lose sight of. A character's personal purpose and their narrative one. The personal purpose of a character is their personal story. For Vethna, their personal purpose way back when I was writing an outline in January 2021 was "something is wrong with their magic + they're a runaway sorcerer from a noble family." Their narrative purpose was that they were MC's charge and were paying MC for protection. As you can tell, the narrative purpose is why the character is important to the plot of a story as an individual. Both of these purposes might change as the story progresses, but you need something to build off of in the beginning.

3.) Don't feel committed to your initial character notes. If you wrote a character is always timid but reach a scene where you feel like they need to yell at someone... make them yell, and worry about finding an explanation later. The character notes you made in the beginning will always be predictable. Why? You made them in a single sitting before you even got into the meat of a story. Making in the moment, split decisions for your characters will surprise you, the author, and as a result, surprise the readers, too.

4.) Plot holes and character discontinuity are your best friends in the entire world. There. I said it. Why, you may ask? Because people in the real world are hypocrites, do things we don't expect, and do bizarre things when the circumstances call for it. We can't predict these things in people in the real world, and naturally, we can't predict them in characters, either. Like I said in point 3, if you have a character act weird... find an explanation for it. It will usually force you into developing a personality quirk of the character... which you'll then need to give a reasoning for, which then forces you to develop their history, etc, etc. Everything in writing is a chain reaction-- it's all connected.

5.) Little details are just as important as the big, complex, abstract ones, and they're easy to decide on early in the story. Think of character quirks. Syfyn always being sunburnt because she refuses to wear sunscreen and stands on guard for long hours, Sabir always checking his silver pocket watch whenever he's nervous, Nikke wearing a golden chain of coins and teeth around his waist. These are all weird, random fun facts I made for the characters upon their conception because they added "flavor." They also inadvertently led to great contributions to the characters (Syfyn's stubbornness and the fact she's childishly so at times, Sabir always carrying a family heirloom on him and is obsessed with the time for *some reason*, Nikke's chain becoming a tradition stemming from the Taipan in Virthka). I didn't know any of these little quirks would lead to these character developments-- I just added them because they fleshed out a character quick and easy. When creating a character, add 1 - 3 random little quirks to them. You'll find a reason to explain them later.

6.) Never try to predict your character's relationships ahead of time. Maybe that's just a me thing, but a solid 99% of the fun in writing and the origin of complexity in character relationships stems from letting the characters meet naturally. In your head, you can theoretically imagine how two characters will get along. But often when you actually get to their scene and have to build up the chemistry, it will turn out to be something completely different. That spontaneity is what leads to interesting relationships, which then lead to you having to go back and explain why the relationship is panning out the way it is.

7.) Figure out their voice and stick to it. That's the one thing I will say. For as fun as just flying by the seat of the pants is, once you find out how a character speaks, hold onto it-- that will serve as the thing that keeps unity between the different "sides" of the character. It also keeps your characters from seeming too similar to one another. For example, Vethna speaks properly in front of new people and with great precision and cleverness in a manner that's direct... but when Vethna speaks with someone they're comfortable with they speak in a much more messy, all over the place manner. Sabir, on the other hand, speaks formally but, unlike Vygrand politicians, is much more roundabout in his language-- he says what could be said in three words with eight. He also tends to speak like this even when he's with people he's comfortable and friendly with. If you find a character's voice and stick with it, it makes it so even the most bizarre of character choices can still read smoothly and in-character.

So.... bottomline? 99% of character development is making random, spontaneous decisions that seem interesting and then going back to make it look like you knew what you were doing all along.

Actually... I think that's just writing in general.

Thanks for reading-- especially if you read all the way to the end! :)

[bg-brainrot]

Sooooo curious as to your writing process. What is it like ? How do you come up with plot points ? Or how do you decide one idea is better than another ? Where do you find inspiration ? Sorry for so many questions !

Hello Anon! No need to apologize, these are all awesome questions ✨✨ thanks for asking them!

This is going to be a long one, so a quick read more...

I'm actually going to answer them out of order, so I hope you don't mind!

A quick disclaimer: this is just how my brain approaches it, but everyone is different! Also I'm a fanfic writer doing this in my free time, none of this is professional advice or anything so take it with a grain of salt.

Where do you find inspiration?

I am one of those people who cannot stop reading, writing, watching, listening, etc. because if I'm left alone with my thoughts for too long nothing good will come of it lol. So I am constantly, constantly doing something, usually two things if I can (writing and listening to music, working out and reading webtoons, playing games and listening to audio books, playing D&D and doodling, embroidery and watching TV, the list goes on). So, to answer your question: everywhere!

Every thing I do, even if I ended up hated it, is such great inspiration to draw from. If I were to give a few things extra props, I would say D&D is phenomenal experience in putting yourself in various characters shoes and learning how to react, and webtoons are great for tropes/subverting them as well as pacing (both good and bad hah). Edit to add: Anime. I've mentioned I based my fic's arcs on anime arcs and completely forgot to list it-- very key to my inspiration!

Also lots and lots of hobbies and I will always try anything once. I've rock climbed, I've crocheted, I've done pottery, I've lockpicked (for real), I've danced, I've metal worked, I've done martial arts, etc. ADHD helps with this one 😅

Real life experiences are super helpful, but it's kind of harder to pinpoint how those are inspirational, they just kind of are.

How do you come up with plot points?

I think I once vaguely mentioned that writing BG3 fanfic feels like playing solo D&D. And that's basically how I approach plot points!

So rather than like, this happens then this happens, I look at it as if I have a framework of what I would like to happen, with certain beats that need to be met, but then I just kind of let the characters roleplay that out. Sometimes it leads to things I wasn't expecting, sometimes I need to pivot like a DM with an unruly party lol. But, since I'm working with a framework, it's usually really easy to write around the characters' choices.

For the framework itself, I usually just have a vague idea that I try to poke holes into until it turns into something bigger. So like, "reincarnation story" -> how long are they dead? Is that long enough to be impactful? Why do they care about their previous life? In what ways can they pick up from where they left off and in what ways can't they?

I do the same with one-shots to be honest: "proposing to Astarion" -> who would be involved and how? How would Tav's behavior change? How would Astarion interpret that? How would Tav react to him and pivot?

It's just a lot of questions 😂

How do you decide one idea is better than another?

This is kind of tough to do, and not always a conscious choice I'd say, but roughly two factors:

1. Is this true to the character? Which idea am I more likely to go 'oh yes, he would absolutely do that'? And if they both seem equally likely, which idea would lead to the character experiencing more growth or more actual challenge?

2. Do I like it? Honestly, the most important one for someone like me with ADHD. Because if I don't like it, it won't get written lol. If I like two ideas, but one of them is pulling me toward it with half written dialogue and full on scenes playing in my head, I know which one I'll pick every time.

What is your writing process like?

With all of the above said, my writing process is kind of all over the place. But a very, very rough outline, using one of the one-shots rotting in my drafts as an example...

First comes the idea. Ex: 'Tav and Astarion sparring early game'

Then comes a rough framework. Ex: you're sparring with a party member -> Astarion is watching, amused -> you convince him to spar you somehow -> sparring happens -> Astarion is impressed, intrigued

Then usually comes dialogue (though admittedly sometimes this comes first hah), because I like to build around the decisions they make. Ex: "Oh my dear, surely you can do better than that!" -> first thing I wrote for the fic. Kind of sets the mood, the tone.

Then I kind of write whichever scenes either need to be added to help me understand where the story is going or I add the scenes I want to write (knowing that's a dangerous game, since I might lose interest if all the fun is done upfront).

Once I'm done writing, I reread it once for typos, flow issues, inconsistencies and the like. If I read it too many times I start to overanalyze it, so I try to just release it into the world before that happens lol.

A few added steps that don't always happen:

If I get stuck on a scene: I read the sections leading up to it out loud, hoping my mouth will just fill in the rest (works out a lot of the time 😂)

If I don't like the way the dialogue sounds: I put on my best Astarion and Tav accents and act it out. Usually helps me figure it out or at least catch where it's snagging.

If I think something a character does just isn't making sense: 'ugh, that's ridiculous, why would you do that?' -> usually it means I either didn't set the scene up right, didn't give it enough background or context, or I'm not understanding the motivations enough-- all of which I need to go back and flesh out more.

If I don't like what I'm writing anymore: deadly for a brain like mine, really, but I've found ways around it pretty well. First, reread the fic! I usually want to know what happens next and my brain will kick back into high gear. Then listen to a song that evokes the feel I want from the fic. Sometimes I'll listen to it on repeat as I'm driving, doing dishes, playing a game. Like it's infusing into me lol. And if neither of those work, I try to give myself a challenge. Like, write a sentence and see if I can make it fit into the fic -- it doesn't actually need to go into the final version, but the challenge is what gets me up and going.

Anyway! That was a whole lot. I hope some of it was helpful, and most of it made sense hah. Again, thanks so much for the question anon! I love answering these ❤️

[aristocrating]

Hot Take: Jack and Bitty are good for each other. Y'all are just mean LMAO

YEAH YEAH YES GOOD I LOVE THIS

fandom is just one hermeneutic cycle of being an anti until arguing for the ship that's on the front of the book cover becomes a hot take again!!

ok so (looks straight at camera) im a confessed zimbits-snarker, right? hate those guys. fuck those guys. BUT. i would love to play devils advocate for *checks notes real quick* the most popular pairing in the fandom for a minute. watch me, i'm about to do the mental gymnastics meme where both the top and the bottom just say "zimbits good"

one thing i think that draws people to zimbits is the aspect of wish fulfilment. with bitty serving as the reader-insert, it's easy to see why: bitty begins the comic as a fish out of water to college hockey, he undergoes the journey of being integrated into the group and learns to be part of its larger culture. add to that that Jack is literally set up as a handsome prince with a dark mysterious past who serves to sweep up Bitty and usher him off into the sunset. the author has even said that Jack specifically has to fulfil certain hunk duties as eyecandy. its cute! whats not to love! another thing that intrigues me specifically is that zimbits kind of starts out as enemies to lovers. me at age something-teen reading Check Please for the first time, seeing tall dark and handsome year 1 asshole jack yell at Bitty? i was like "oh i need him carnally", and evidently so did Bits.

Next, coming from the Jack side of things, it's just such a cozy concept for the ending of his character arc, right? After all these years of torturing himself, here is finally someone who is just willing to shower him in affection, who loves nothing more than to dote on him and bake him homemade pie, which is a very fitting image for the domesticity that jack could use after the fuckery that is his Icarus arc.

Another thing that I would love to see explored more is how Bitty's and Jack's stories end up falling in parallel when it comes to their upbringing. Both of them feel like they can't live up to being their fathers, which neither of their fathers necessarily want of them, but it's a sort of self-imposed expectation for both of them. As a woman who is certainly "my father's daughter" i find that very relatable.

Now here's where I'm gonna come in with my own hot take and say that, Jack and Bitty are good for each other– for a while. And that's okay. When I read their relationship, it always gives me the sense that here are two people who found each other at very pivotal points in their lives (i mean whats more epitomic of the college experience than that) and who profit from each other's company while they're going through that growing process. They work because first and foremost they're each other's friends. I think in year 2 this is especially evident when the buildup to their romance happens. Bitty cares about Jack's safety, his happiness. Jack wants to give Bitty what he can to make him happy.

When I think about where I see them in the future I always think, like. Happily divorced. There's a scene in Company by Sondheim where Peter and Susan, a sexually repressed guy who lusts after the protagonist and a southern belle ray of sunshine, get a divorce and it's the best thing that's ever happened to them. I rewatched the 2006 revival recently and at that scene I went "oh shit that's them. that's zimbits". At one point the protag asks Peter where he's gonna live now that they're divorced and Peter says like "Right here. I got Susan and the kids to take care of, I would certainly never leave them?" And obviously the scene is highly facetious and satiristic, but I think it's emblematic of how I see their relationship work out. They're probably not longterm compatible romantically but they'll still have each other's backs.

At least until Jack finds out about the vlog.

Idk I don't think there's anything to rate here. Zimbits good is a scorching hot take on this blog. To ME.

[asexualtuckerfoley]

I don’t understand what’s Camila’s fate?

So this is just speculation but also spoilers for Warrior Nun season 2 so if you haven’t seen it, keep scrolling.

Part of Camila’s plotline I think was taken from what was meant to be Mary’s, but because Toya Turner left for personal reasons, the writing team had to pivot and make a new character take on the role she would've had because it was so crucial to the story.

When we learn that Camila has effectively been turned into a walkie talkie to Adriel, she also talks to Beatrice about the struggle and cost of loving a warrior nun. Neither moment really makes sense for Camila, who hasn’t displayed anything other than sisterly love for Shannon and Ava, but it’s been heavily implied that Mary was in love with Shannon, and if she was Adriel’s prisoner for a while, that would be how she got divinium in her spine.

But just because those moments weren't initially meant for Camila doesn't mean she can't carry them in her own way. I don't think Mary could have pulled off "plan: annoy the shit out of Adriel" like Camila had, and instead of being a retrospective on Mary and Shannon's relationship, the writers have the opportunity to turn the line on its head and make it something of Camila's, that being the mantle of the warrior nun.

There are often two sides to any rule or role, regardless of where it's presented: the letter and the intent. In the case of the warrior nun, following the letter would mean actually being a nun and faithful to God, while following the intent would be someone genuine, pure of heart, and determined to do the right thing, even if the church isn't saying that's what God is asking of her.

She's the last person from the core group of nuns to still be with the OCS (aside from Mother Superion, who's already been rejected by the halo once) at the end of season 2, and I think her devotion to God will keep her there for the rest of her life, something that would follow the letter of what it means to be a halo-bearer, and in season 1, she uses one of the OCS's weapons to provide a distraction to do what she thinks is right and what she's heard from God, even when her superiors are telling her to fall in line or lose her place. She consistently manages to find a balance between the church and her morals if and when they conflict, something that's lacking, or at least not well-depicted, in other characters.

She's also described as being "the best of us" by Beatrice, which I think happened only one episode after another character used the exact same words to describe Shannon. The contexts were different (Camila because of her heart, Shannon because of her leadership), but the identical phrasing makes me believe Camila is meant to grow into a strong, capable leader like Shannon was.

Lastly, there's the issue of the happy ending. A lot of shows written by men about women show the happy ending for the heroine being death, so she can finally be at peace, but I think this show has enough women fighting for it that Ava will get her happy ending, a life that she can make her own, whether that means keeping the halo to stay alive or giving it up but keeping her autonomy, or something else entirely, but the OCS is structured around having a warrior nun, a leader, a guiding light, a role that Camila could fill. It's a painful life, and she knows it, but who has ever lived a life free of pain?

Camila would be perfect to be that light. And while it would be a beautiful ending shot to see her walking away from the camera in the final scene, head held high and halo glowing in her back, it would be just as satisfying not to see it, but instead her leading other nuns into battle or training a new group of nuns. That's her happy ending.

Bonus: 'the little sister type who grows into the hero and leader she looked up to at the start of the piece of media' is the best trope ever and I need to see it happen for Camila.

[shysublimecoffee]

I felt icky seeing Ladybug fall for Adrien alter-ego in "Kuro Neko" ngl because it implies to me he has to drastically change himself or at the very least fit into the mask he performs at school to please her and somehow her falling for it just got to me because it felt like a lie. It's like when I saw her falls for the idealized version I'm just like is this even a romance at this point? The theme song being " The power of love, always so strong" yet this is how weak and fimble that love is for her to fall for this side just made me point my eyebrows at her. She never apologized or seemingly felt any remorse for anything. Her instant thought was finding a replacement.

At times, I encounter the trope of falling for someone's true self rather than their facade. However, Marinette's infatuation with Adrien often seems to focus more on his perceived perfection. In "The Origins," it's evident that his kindness touched her heart, not just his looks. It's unfortunate that this crucial moment isn't discussed more, and Marinette's reflections on why she initially fell for him are overlooked. It sucks. It weird the writers forget she also fell deeply for him because that moment of handing the umbrella to her touched her . If the show intended to portray Marinette as deeply infatuated, I wish there were additional scenes developing Adrien and Marinette's interactions in class. This could have provided a more substantial basis for why she is so in love with him.

This pivotal aspect of Marinette's affection for Adrien was revisited only in the finale. The writers finally paralleled that earlier scene, emphasizing that Chat Noir had made the same kind gesture, albeit without a physical object. Chat Noir had consistently been there for her during challenging moments, standing by her side when the world seemed to crumble around her. This dynamic had played out numerous times before, making it perplexing that Marinette would seemingly fall for Catwalker before he even attempted to offer his support. It felt like a significant deviation from Marinette's established character.

LB crushing on Catwalker directly undermines the reason she loved Adrien in "Origins." Despite Adrien's politeness, Marinette initially assumed it was an act until he proved it was genuine. Her falling for Catwalker's act, and the audience knowing it's just a facade, essentially reverts the dynamics of the love square.

I always found myself a bit confused because the show seems to emphasize that Marinette's feelings for him stem more from his perfection but it contrasts how her taking finally taking notice of him began with him handing the umbrella and his apology to her.

In S5 though, man I'm not even gonna go there the boy is officially her prize and she won him from his father. This ain't even a romance no more lol do the writers smoke something or check the genre because wtf what girlfriend would lie about something this huge and hide it from their significant other by controlling the narrative like that and sweeping it under.

Like at this point now... There no 2 way or compromise it's not love it's just fucked how much after 8 years everything accumulated into this shitshow of a relationship where one is subservient and the other is the leader.

[heckyeahponyscans]

Thoughts and Spoilers for MYM #8

Episode summary:  Oh no, Sparky has gone missing!! 

Hitch is frantic and the ponies are searching everywhere . . . but unbeknownst to them Misty is hiding Sparky right under their noses, in a supply closet in the Crystal Brighthouse.  Opaline has promised her a cutie mark if she brings Sparky to the dark castle, but wrangling the baby dragon is harder than it seems!  In the end Misty doesn’t succeed in bringing Sparky to the castle, but she does capture some of his dragonfire in a jar for Opaline.

General Thoughts:  Hitch’s connection with Sparky and his worries about whether he’s being a good “dragon dad” were very heartfelt.  I like that we see a male character in a nurturing, child-care role, which is still pretty uncommon. The B-plot with his friends getting in each other’s way was a little too simple for me (it seems like they should be past that) but it didn’t take up too much time so it’s fine.

Misty was the standout of this episode.  You can really see how being raised by Opaline has influenced her.  She will do ANYTHING to get her cutie mark, but she’s also naive and blind Opaline’s true nature . . . Misty promises Sparky that she will return him to Maretime Bay later, as though Opaline would ever let him out of her sight again.

Her return to Opaline, empty-handed (except some dragonfire caught in a jar) is heartrending as she crawls across the floor, practically hyperventilating.  The dragonfire super-charges Opaline’s magic, but not to the extent she wants, and she unleashes on Misty like we’ve never seen before, screaming at her and calling her useless.  This feels like a pivotal moment, where the scales start to fall from Misty’s eyes.  Up to this point she has always been solidly in Opaline’s corner--believing that she is the rightful ruler of Equestria, trying to bond with her, trying to make her proud.  But here she ends up crying in her room.  “For somepony made of fire, I’ve never met a heart so cold.”

Other random thoughts:

- I liked Hitch’s Batman impression.  And he even got Zoom and Thunder in on it!

- Misty managing an incredible acrobatic feat (dodging Sparky’s Home Alone traps), only to berate herself for her one mistake (tripping afterwards) was apropos

- awwww!

- I do feel Sparky is cuter in 2D (like the Tell Your Tale shorts) and 3D.  Like, I don’t find him repellent or anything, but I dunno, his face could be better.  I like his horns a lot, though.

- I really like how strong light shines through the ponies’ ears, just like an actual animal with a thin ear

- Zipp’s stressing me out by leaving the nail polish hanging over the edge like that

- Pipp: “Ooo, that is a good point”

Zipp, instantly: “Is it though?”

- Pearl, the dog!  I assume she’ll be a pet in a future playset

- Hitch tells the seagulls to search “the old defense factory”, which implies that CanterLogic did shut down.  I hope we get an update on what Phyllis is doing at some point.

- the dramatic lighting in Hitch’s Batman scenes are *chef’s kiss*

- Her body language . . . Awww Misty :(

- Opaline says it’s been “hundreds of moons” since she last saw dragonfire; I’m going to assume a moon equals a year because it would be odd for someone to say they saw something “hundreds of months ago”

- The texturing on this tar is just really nice.  Like it has that oil-slick patterning on the top and everything.  Also, both tar and feathers are being stored in the basement.  Oh animators, you so sly!

- Not only does Opaline’s horn and wings fare up, but parts of her body become opalescent 

- Opaline’s speech is incredible.  “Alicorns ruling like they were meant to.”  “No more of this equality stuff.”  “The citizens of Equestria should fear and love their immortal rulers!”  

- This is basically a deconstruction of G4, where that was the role of alicorns.  I remember there was a lot of fan speculation about Sunny becoming the new ruler of Equestria after the G5 movie came out, before there was other media.

- Poor Misty, Opaline was terrifying when she lashed out.  What a great villain though!

- I liked Opaline’s simple, impatient toss of her head to activate her magic scrying pool

- Oh noooo, is that a childhood drawing of Opaline?  Oh nooooo.

[veliseraptor]

1/2Hello! I've been desperately searching for tgcf meta around the Black Water arc, and stumbled across a post of yours that I really liked and really thought hit upon a lot of the nuances of the situation. A question I would love your opinion on is, I know it would never have happened for multiple reasons, but do you think SQX would have still chosen to go to SWD instead of staying at the Rain Master's if SQX had known at the time that Ming Yi was and always had been He Xuan? I'm asking because

2/2 when I went to try to find fic that would explore the character dynamics at play here, I was so so surprised by the characterization I've seen of He Xuan, Shi Wudu, and Shi Qingxuan. But especially Shi Qingxuan. Not just in reimaginings of this pivotal moment, but I find it is especially obvious when exploring the other ways this could have gone.

whoa, I wrote a meta post about Black Water that was even remotely coherent? this is kind of news to me. exciting news but also news

but regarding the actual content of your ask! I think the hard thing about this for me (and also possibly why I don't tend to go in for canon divergence AUs where the events of Black Water Arc fall out differently than they do in canon) is that the fact that Shi Qingxuan does choose her brother even though she knows what her brother has done.

not how personal/close to home it is for someone she cares for, no! that is true, and that might well make a difference (I'll try to poke at that in a minute). but Shi Qingxuan is someone we see is pretty principled about fairness, reacts to the understanding of what happened with her ascension by vehemently trying to reject divinity entirely, and very clearly recognizes the injustice of Shi Wudu's actions - but when it comes to Shi Wudu being in peril she still can't walk away or turn her back on him. despite "Ming Yi's" warnings and repeated "are you sure? are you sure?" pushing, Shi Qingxuan ultimately just loves her brother enough that she can't turn her back on him. and that's one of the things that makes the Black Water Arc so miserable and also so good; if Shi Qingxuan isn't legitimately struggling with that crisis of conscience set against her love for her brother, then something really gets lost and the arc becomes less compelling to me. which is to say: "I need her to not stay out of it and remain at the Rain Master's house, because otherwise we don't get that final confrontation that's one of my favorite scenes in the whole book."

if I were to take this seriously as a possible alternate scenario, though, absent what I might want or prefer (or questions of how it would happen/what else it would change about events)...I think the biggest impact on Shi Qingxuan wouldn't be "staying out of it" but rather "trying to focus Ming Yi/He Xuan's attention on herself and directing it away from Shi Wudu to protect her brother." I just...don't see Shi Qingxuan as being okay with letting He Xuan go on his merry vengeance way without at least trying to intervene. Shi Qingxuan just can't stay out of it, and I don't think ever could - ultimately, that's part of the problem.

(though it's also possible, tbh, that Shi Qingxuan's presence in the midst of events actually only makes things worse, and if she did stay put...well, for one thing it changes how He Xuan handles Shi Wudu, because now he doesn't have the two of them to use as bait for each other. but I also don't know what He Xuan would actually do if Shi Qingxuan had taken one of the outs; I don't know if there was a long term plan for what would happen, or if, despite offering those opportunities for Shi Qingxuan to step out of the way, He Xuan knew that she wouldn't.)

[strawberrybyers]

twd series finale spoilers

ok for the first 45 minutes i was getting worried because all the action was happening and i was questioning how will they wrap everything up?? it felt a bit fast paced for those 45 minutes, but i think i only felt that way because i knew this was the end.

once all the action was over and the scenes became more sentimental, that’s when i felt relief that okay i think this is actually going to be a good finale

rosita’s death had me bawling my eyes out 😭😭 i saw a spoiler, so i knew she was going to die, but regardless it made me sob and the way they filmed her last moments was just heart-wrenching

the scene of luke’s death where kelly, connie, magna, and yumiko were all together crying also made me cry a lot. the acting was amazing in that scene

idk i personally think they should’ve killed pamela, but i guess they wanted to put her in jail to show they’re making a pivot in the way they do things and aren’t going to just constantly kill everyone

i love that ezekiel became governor and that mercer became lieutenant governor!!

yumiko and magna getting back together is something that is very important to me!! love a win for the gays <3

daryl and carol telling each other that they love one another was so <3 <3 i love their friendship and watching the journey of their characters over the past 11 seasons has been such a delight. i’m not someone who was rooting for them to start dating (not that i would’ve cared if they did date!) but i just always saw them as really good friends and family than romantic partners, so for me i loved their ending. i do just wish daryl didn’t run off alone because i wish he would finally just settle in one place and be with his family instead of always on the go, but i understand for the spin-off they needed him to leave

the tribute of all the characters who have passed made my heart heavy. so many characters i loved passed away in this show, but that’s the reality of life. the ones we love will die and we will have to try to find a way to move on without them

daryl saying “we ain’t the walking dead” was kind of corny to me lol. sometimes the title of a show or movie being included in the dialogue works, but sometimes it doesn’t and this was one of those moments where i don’t think it was necessary for the title to be said in the show lol

RICK AND MICHONNE!!!!!! my favs are finally coming back to me! seeing them made me smile soooo much. i’m so fucking excited for this spin-off and to see where rick has been all these years

the conversations between negan and maggie in s11 have been really intriguing to me. this final convo between them was touching because all i have ever wanted is for maggie to be okay and knowing that she is in a place where yes, she’ll never forgive negan, but she can begin her journey to coexist with the grief and heal makes me happy for her. i am also very excited to see what their spin-off is going to entail as their dynamic is very interesting and they set up their relationship very nicely to make you want to tune in into their spin-off

overall, it was a good finale. i won’t say it’s exceptional or anything, but i enjoyed it and it did what it needed to do. it had its last battle, people died, people mended relationships, people were saved, the show ended with showing the progress that’s been made in their communities and that life goes on. it felt like a real-life ending about civilization experiencing a zombie apocalypse. it was years and years of experiencing grief, death, loneliness, greed, war, corruption, starvation, fear, hard-work, survival, and love in such a damaged, chaotic world which all eventually led to finding a way to actually being able to create a world filled with civility, stability, and democracy.

[breitzbachbea]

💖🛒🎢

(And I wanna ask more, but this seems like enough for now.)

Ohhh, inch resting ones!

Fanfic Writer Emoji Asks

💖 What made you start writing?

Already answered here!

🛒 What are some common things you incorporate in your fics? Themes, feels, scenes, imagery, etc.

For obvious, be it very personal reasons, grief plays a major role in many of the things I write. Loss of a loved one, but also the mourning of chances not taken, of paths now seemingly blocked. (The latter has a lot of overlap though with me trying to not romanticize Organized Crime, so it's not just 'here is someone grieving for their past self and that is something normal we all go through', but 'Living this life will never make you happy and instead lock you into one of your potential worst selves').

I liked some good eating metaphors, even far before I knew what was going on metatextually, but now it's kicked into hyperdrive. Food, teeth, hunger, all those are things that often find their way into my writing, in minor ways.

I also love a good historical allusion, goddammit. To be fair, I don't know how many I've actually written into my writing, but I very often think about how I could represent characters with elements from myth or history. I adore a historical nickname, even if it is rather for the parent generation. Fernando's nickname being 'El Rey', and thusly Antonio at first being called 'El Principe', before the other senior Spanish mobsters realized he's pursueing a different style of business conduct and so he got stuck with 'El Conquistador'. Salvatore being known as 'Caesar' or 'Dionysius of Palermo'. Haunted houses, HUGE thing. The English office being a former Victorian era factory, Michele's house made to resemble a Roman villa, the O'Connel's house formerly being a house where in Industrial times, dozens of people lived in crammed conditions. Two of the Danish subordinates are directly based on two heroes from the medieval German epic 'Kudrun'. Dolcetto's cat is named Machiavelli and Lovino is the reason.

🎢 Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

I can't judge this one on subject matter (Though I guess, as far as fucked up shit goes, La Sicilia dell'eterna notte gets disturbing very quick for something with less than 500 words). Therefore, I will go for the writing process. No Rest For The Wicked was written within a week, with no prior planning whatsoever and with a deadline for rarepairweek to meet. That was some topsy turvy shit. And the latter half of Italian Affairs, like the last third I guess, is a rollercoaster ride - both in its creation and within the actual text.

But the award has to go to The Amulet. I still have to have a call with Emi and iron out the last comments, before I print the 70 pages out and proofread them. And then I can finally, FINALLY upload them.

I started writing the first draft of the story on paper in January 2017. The idea of wanting to write something with my Greek and Turkish OCs had been ghosting around my head for a while. But I initially started writing because I was stuck on Italian Affairs and none of the characters would talk to me (e.g. everything I wrote in their voice sounded ooc), so I started writing something else to 'make them jealous'. Absolute pro tip btw, pivoting away from one story when you are stuck with another will do wonders for making you inspired for the first story again. Get out of that rut. Anyways, so I started writing that draft and then continued doing so when I had a free minute at school, until the story was done. I then typed up the draft and did a first round of revisions. I tried to find beta-readers for it, which also worked in 2019. But I still didn't publish it, because the beta never made it to the end. And then it sat and sat in my drafts, while I worked on other projects. My writing improved, my standards raised themselves. And I began to see why the story had always bugged me. I saw that I would have to scrap the whole thing and start from scratch, with extensive research and some soul-searching. And this is what I did - Before I was able to write part 3, I spent weeks hovering up information about the Turkish Republic and the 2014 election and so on. Only for it to vaguely matter for half a page in this 70 page epos. (But worth it, I love learning stuff). I eventually got dear Emi as a beta, who immensely helped to improve this text. Let's all hope that after 6 years of work, it'll finally see the light of day.

[allsassnoclass]

yes good hello!!! may i know about 7, 10, 11, 13, and 25! and i love you sm :) xoxo

@clumsyclifford hi bella! thanks for asking love you too <3

7. What’s a topic you would like to explore? truth and trust! and the intersection of those two! and how to trust someone who isn't truthful and how to tell the truth to someone you don't know if you trust and how to trust someone again when you thought you knew the true them and have been proven wrong.

10. Do you always have a clear image before starting a piece? usually kind of! for fics, i have a general vision and it becomes and increasingly and increasingly clear. i usually know the beginning and the end for sure, with a few touchstone moments in the middle. for moodboards i have a pretty clear image, which can be an issue when i can't find the pictures i want and am not sure how to pivot. all of my moodboards end up looking very different from what i intially envision lol

11. What part of the process of creating brings you the most joy? probably brainstorming tbh! letting plots or ideas come to me and figuring out what's happening and getting to the point where i feel confident enough to start. it also kind of stresses me out because i have so many ideas, but i really like creating worlds and coming up with stories or envisioning moodboards.

13. Is there something you’d like to see created but you know you can’t/won’t do yourself? short answer: no <3 if i can envision something enough to want it, i envision it enough to want to make it myself. i always most enjoy other people's creations when it's something i myself would've never thought of or been able to visualize, such as megs's faking the moon landing fic. i never would've come up with that idea myself, so i enjoy reading it so much more! same with all of my moodboard ideas, with the exception of some moodboards for my fics (like the black coffee and sulfur one that maya made <3) because for my own fics i sometimes draw a huge blank on what should go in a mb, which doesn't typically happen when making a mb for someone else's fic or for my pairings as albums series. if i have an idea for something, i typically want to make it myself rather than have someone else make it

25. Tell us a little known fact about something you’ve made uhhhhhhhhhhh omg. what am i going to say. what have i made that i haven't talked extensively about. OH! in pas de deux harry styles was originally supposed to be a character. i had a scene where michael called him on the phone. they were exes. they danced together at abt. however i wrote him out lol he isn't mentioned in the fic anymore. it just didn't fit.