#but i preferred the tragic ending for this format

[dickgraysonsptsd]

transcription under the readmore:

Thomas and Martha Wayne and Jason Todd are not coming back. Bruce Wayne has never accepted their death, not in all his years of specialized training, and not in all his years as Batman. What is this leading to?

Bruce Wayne, the unbending tree, is setting himself up for a huge fall, whether he's conscious of it or not. I hope that Alfred, Dick, and the Commissioner are there to catch him before he falls too far. Denny and Dan, I have faith in the creative teams you've assembled. The Batman is in capable hands, and I look forward to the tales to be told in the coming months.

Denny, congratulations to you for being named writer on LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT. I am very excited about the prospect of a Deluxe Format Batman book, and I understand Ed Hannigan's providing the art for the first five-part story. This is wonderful news. Will it be carrying a "Suggested for Mature Readers" label? Time will tell.

Sincerely, Jubal L. Myer 10139 Trevett Road Springville, NY 14141

The rumors are true! There will be a third Batman title and it begins in October! LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT will be different from the other Batman titles due to its structure--every five issues will be a complete story by a different creative team. Denny will be writing a lot of stories for this new title, but not all of them! The first story-cycle is titled "The Shaman of Gotham" and is indeed written by Denny and illustrated by Ed Hannigan and John Beatty. LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT won't carry a "Suggested for Mature Readers" advisory, but you can expect the stories to be slightly more sophisticated than the stories in the regular books.

Thanks for a very thoughtful letter, Jubal.

*****

Dear Batmen,

I'm a counselor at Sky Ranch for Boys in South Dakota, a home for troubled boys. Batman is very popular among the dormitories, even though the life and death of Jason Todd struck home hard with a lot of the kids.

Many could identify with Jason's juvenile problems. There's a popular consensus that they would like to see Dick Grayson return as Robin someday. For now the boys prefer Batman alone as they are, always haunted by memories and past mistakes, yet continually striving to find peace in their lives and someone to share their future with.

Batman is a tragic figure, as are many people, and because of this he is their cult hero.

In SUPERMAN, WONDER WOMAN and the other super-hero comics, the villains are always trying to "take over the world," where in BATMAN, the villains are very real compared to the criminals that infest our society today. Keep it that way. We need a hero that we can identify with--Batman.

Thanks for listening.

Joe Brindley Sky Ranch for Boys Sky Ranch, SD 57724

*****

My Dearest Friends at DC,

Why does the Joker get all the fame and glory? If I don't appear in one of Batman's comics soon, things may get nasty.

(signed) The Riddler

Oh, this is just great. My first Batman letter column and I'm already receiving threats from costumed villains. Well, Edward (can I call you Ed?), information about the Riddler can be found at the end of this very letter column! But don't skip ahead!

*****

Dear DC,

I do not like where the BATMAN comic is headed. Of late, Batman has become "soft" on criminals. And now, on the letters page of #436, you say Batman does not want to kill the Joker anymore. How can Batman be a "Dark Avenger of the Night" if he doesn't even want to kill his worst enemy, who has murdered countless innocents?! Batman imprisons the Joker, knowing full well the Arkham Asylum can't hold him. The Joker escapes (again), goes ona crime spree, and the cycle begins again. I know you can't kill the Joker (he is the main villain, and I like him!), but at least have Batman THINKING about killing him, like in the DARK KNIGHT novel, instead of all that wimpy "crossing the line" and "sinking to their level" crud! The Joker knows what he is doing, and insanity should not stop the Joker from getting the justice he deserves. The Joker should escape Batman's wrath through cunning, not Batman's unlogical leniency. This would make both characters more interesting. Batman should also kill the really BAD criminals (murderers, rapists, pedophiliacs, etc.). If Batman is so restrained, then he is nothing more than an aid to the police, and all the menace is taken out of him.

Please change your comic, and have the Dark Knight earn his name.

Sincerely, Chris Small Houston, TX

I have to tell you up front, Christ, that your perception of who and what the Batman represents is a little frightening to me. But it provides an interesting focal point for discussion. Is the Batman a killer? Or, more to the point, do you perceive him as being one? Letters, please!

*****

Batdudes,

I really like the way "Batman: Year Three" is going. I can't know this for sure, of course, but from where I sit, it looks like by the end of this 4-part tale we'll be seeing young Timmy in the yellow cape at the big guy's side. I hope I'm right. Batman has been through a lot and taking on a new partner might be good for him. Tim must be about 15 now, which is a good age. He'll be more mature than Jason, less reckless and easier to control. Of course, I could be completely wrong about this, which could be pretty embarrassing.

'Til Jim Gordon shaves his moustache--

Christopher Scott The Bronx, USA

This letter has been censored due to Christopher's almost spilling the beans about the conclusion of our next storyline. You know, some people are just too clever for their own good…

*****

Dear Bat-Guys,

Who cares about the great storylines? Give me Denny's column any day!

'Til next time, MAKE MINE "From The Den!"

Bat-fanningly David Child York, Yorkshire ENGLAND

*****

NEXT ISSUE: Jim Aparo and Mike DeCarlo return, Marv Wolfman sticks around for a few more issues and George Perez provides another nifty cover. Dick Grayson is also still here, beginning a 5-part crossover with NEW TITANS entitled "A Lonely Place of Dying." The action starts here and some of the clues planted throughout "Year Three" begin to make sense. Oh, yeah--this story leads to a MAJOR turning point in the Batman mythos (as they say down the hall). Watch for BATMAN #440 in the shops around September 1st!

In the meantime, don't forget about the conclusion of "Mudpack," the Clayface Saga currently appearing in the twice-monthly DETECTIVE COMICS, and keep your eyes peeled (ouch!) for a SECRET ORIGINS SPECIAL featuring the origins of three great Batman villains: Two-Face, the Penguin, and the Riddler. It's lurking behind a stunning Brian Bolland cover!

And be on the lookout for the DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #2, on sale NOW! It's a story of the early years of our hero, as he learned the detective's art. PLUS the Rogue's Gallery Who's Who!

--KC Carlson

This letter column in the back of Batman #440 (the first part of A Lonely Place of Dying) really has it all:

Guy giving a serious reflection on how the troubled kids he works with reacted to Jason’s death

Person writing in pretending to be the riddler

Guy named Chris who thinks Batman has become “too soft on crime”

Other guy named Chris who clocked Tim as the new Robin from his introduction in Batman: Year Three

[miriammctroi]

The Black Cat

James and Regulus broke up. It's the middle of war. James is isolated at home after his parents death and with his friends constantly being on missions.

One day, a black cat appears at his door step. He shoos it away.

The cat returns the next day and the day after. James gives him food and buys treats and lets him inside. It's not curing his loneliness but he feels better as long as the cat is there.

The cat likes him. He sprawls himself out on his legs and sleeps on him. He climbs on his shoulder and kicks his glasses off his face.

James doesn't tell anyone about the cat.

One night, he dreams of Regulus. He hasn't done this in a while. It seems almost real. Almost. But it can't be. Regulus wouldn't ever come back to him. He is evil. He took the mark. He is a Death Eater.

But dream-Regulus is none of those things. Dream Regulus is gentle. He whispers his love confessions and his apologies. He almost kisses him but they remember that he is just a dream and they can't touch.

During the day there is the cat. During the night there is the dream. James doesn't feel so lonely anymore.

He doesn't tell anyone about it.

One night, dream Regulus appears. He cries. He cries and cries and whispers how much he loves James. How he has always been honest about it. He confesses everything James has wanted to hear: He didn't want to take the mark. He was forced. He didn't want to follow Voldemort. He didn't believe in his doctrine. He changed while he was with James and doesn't believe in blood purity anymore. He says it all just like James hoped, but he cries, still.

"I love you. I love you. I love you." He whispers over and over. "Please believe me."

And James does.

Then dream Regulus kisses him. It doesn't matter whether or not they could or couldn't touch because he is just a dream. They kiss regardless of the rules, just like they did at school.

The kiss tastes salty.

James doesn't care.

He kisses him like his lips could make him real.

He falls asleep with Regulus pressed against him as if that could trap him.

The next day, the cat doesn't come. The next night, James doesn't dream. The following day, there is no sign of the cat either and James knows.

He takes the floo to Sirius and Remus. He is babbling nonsense about cats and dreams - but none of it matters because he knows.

Regulus was in danger.

His sweet, sweet Regulus, whom he loved and who wasn't evil and didn't want to follow Voldemort, was out there. He was somewhere needing help, needing James.

He knows.

His friends can't believe it.

It doesn't matter.

Regulus is dying. And James knows. But he doesn't know where even to start looking for him.

And he knows, there is nothing he can do to stop it.

[thatdepressedtwink]

Bugbo Headcanons (sorry for the poor formatting I did this in notes)

- Bugbo is left handed

- Any of gerbos legs work as hands

- Gradient Joe is TRANS AND HAS TOP SCARS!!!

- Bugbo is arospec

- Thomas Flyswatter goes by He/they pronouns (honestly this might even be canon)

- Thomas Flyswatter, even if he did have feelings of Bugbo, probably would not realise after A LONG TIME, and when he does realise it’s because of a completely unrelated topic much like how he blames Bugbo for his tragic backstory despite no connection

- Gradient Joe knows BSL

- Hoppo knows guerilla warfare

- Hoppo is taller than anyone of them, she just prefers standing low to the ground

- There are no wars present and they ended a bit ago, Hoppo is just committing war crimes

- Bugbo is only slightly unsettled by Hoppo, the same way a regular person might react to Bugbo

- Bugbo’s motto for “togetherness makes anything effortless” as well as his need for actions to have reason is because as ants, you must work together as to help the colony grow and be orderly. Hence his philosophy. That or autism.

- Bugbo listens to white noise as a form of entertainment.

- Bugbos love languages are words of affirmation, and if close, touch

- Gerbo types with kaomoji’s

- Bugbo’s handwriting looks like New Times Roman

- Gradient Joe uses cursive

- Hoppo puts ink on her hands and types on paper like a typewriter, and she’s good at it too.

- Bugbo never swears, and he HATES it. Emphasis on hate. But he does think in swears when in rage.

- Gerbo can roll around like a wheel when all his legs are straight

- Gradient Joe gets back at people he’s mad at very subtly. For example, next time they mention they’re gonna go to the loop-the-loop roller coaster, he will not mention that he saw screws flying out that thing when in use.

- Bugbo is similar in the way he gets back at people he’s mad at, except hes more direct at inconveniencing them while trying to make it seem like hes helping them.

- Bugbo doesn’t know how to give affection/show how he cares for his friends in a socially acceptable way and is slightly self conscious about it. He also gets very uncomfortable and speaks fast when receiving lots of direct affection. Like “ohthankyou”, “thatsreallygoodimgladforyou”

- Bugbo can do the back up vocals to Laplaces Angel, the “oh how I know, how I go, how I go” vocals, and black box warrior OKULTRA

- Bugbo watches documentaries and Vsuace and occasionally goes “how riveting” while watching

- Bugbo unironically goes “oooooh” and “aaaaaaah” when he sees something cool

[weaselandfriends]

I just binge'd your Hymnstoke series. Now that HS^2 (HS^BC) is back up and running with James Roach at the helm, I was wondering if you could share your thoughts on the direction that HS^2 and Homestuck Beyond Canon are taking with the new updates?

Before I begin, I'll point you to a previous post I made on the topic of HS^2, back when it was under the previous management.

Truthfully, I still haven't read HS^2, either the old version or the new. I remain uninterested in it conceptually. For me, the Epilogues were the perfect finale to Homestuck and I no longer have any desire to see its story continued or its characters expanded upon.

I think I'm somewhat mismatched with the typical fans of Homestuck. From talking to fans, it seems many of them started reading as teenagers, who found in its something relatable and became invested in the journey of its characters. I wasn't like that. I began reading Homestuck in college. I was not introduced to it via fandom osmosis or seeing art of it or cosplays or so on. I didn't even learn of it from word-of-mouth from one of my friends. I was reading a post someone had made about so-called ergodic literature, which cited House of Leaves and Homestuck as examples. Having read House of Leaves only a few weeks prior, I was intrigued and looked up Homestuck, going into it almost as blind as possible.

As Hymnstoke probably indicates, my interest in Homestuck was literary from the start, and what impressed me most about it was always its boundary-pushing approach to medium and narrative. Even late into Act 6, past the point where most fans might say the story "gets bad" or whatever, Hussie was always, always concerned with that, and that is why I actually prefer Act 6 to Act 5 despite this being a fairly controversial take. I think in Act 6 Hussie is far more experimental, far more willing to take artistic risks and pursue innovative formal exercises. So, even as more traditional markers of narrative quality like character and plot stagnant, meander, or suffer altogether, Homestuck to me always felt like it was still growing in new and exciting directions.

At least until the series of super long pauses that ended with the whimpering and frankly pathetic Collide + Act 7 combo, two tragically substanceless flashes that really add nothing new or unexpected whatsoever.

The Epilogues, however, were a return to form on the formal front. The competing Meat and Candy narratives, though told in arguably Homestuck's most traditional format yet (prose narrative), are intertwined in ways that push even this ancient medium to new, unseen limits. In that sense, even ignoring all the plot/character stuff I mentioned in my previous HS^2 post, the Epilogues were a culmination of all Homestuck meant for me. A thematic capstone: A return to a traditional format that is then enlivened through daring experimentation. My Hymnstoke series often mentioned the theme of the meteors wiping out Earth so that a new society could be created out of recycled detritus from the old and stagnant world. The Epilogues are that simply in how they are made, and to me that is peak Homestuck, the chief thing that matters most about it.

HS^2 has not seemed interested in formal experimentation at all. The pre-Roach group was mindbogglingly retrograde in eschewing flashes altogether and even, really, art, preferring instead long script-style dialogues. Long pesterlogs were part of Homestuck before, but far from the only part. But there simply seemed to be zero interest in innovation, in doing anything new, in even trying anything new. To me, that's not Homestuck.

I'm not super keyed into the fandom drama, but my understanding is that the old HS^2 group was nasty and combative with the fans, while Roach has attempted to establish goodwill in the fans and repair some of the burned bridges from yesteryear. To that end, his approach seems to be succeeding. But there's a part of me that sees it as being similar to the Star Wars prequels and sequels. The prequels were an unmitigated trainwreck that the fans despised; the sequels, by contrast, began with a soft remake of New Hope that seemed tailored to tell fans "Look! Star Wars is Star Wars again! We're back! It's real! We have practical effects, and on-location filming instead of green screens, and the plot is straightforward instead of trade dispute politics!" It was like JJ Abrams watched the infamous Plinkett review of the prequels and decided to address everything directly, all to reestablish goodwill with fans.

For Episode VII, it worked. Perhaps if the rest of the trilogy were 1-to-1 soft remakes of the original trilogy, it would have continued to work. But the instant the new creators attempted any kind of innovation in the criminally underrated and over-hated Episode VIII, they were raked over the coals, and in the process of backtracking furiously wound up creating something on the same level as the prequels with Episode IX. And nobody was happy in the end.

In the position Roach is in, he can at best muster the kind of nostalgia-baiting soft remake that is so popular and common in Hollywood today, a Homestuck 2.0 rather than a Homestuck^2, something that is not in fact Beyond Canon but enslaved by it. By appealing to the goodwill of fans that's what you have to do, because what the fans love is the ghost of the story they remember, and the reason they come to Homestuck^2 over any of the endless amount of content online is because it has the name Homestuck in it, and they remember Homestuck. Waiter, I'm the critic from Ratatouille, bring me the thing I remember.

But that is conceptually antithetical to the thing I remember. And so, it'll be difficult for it to engender much interest in me. I think there are a lot of exciting, talented creators making amazing original content online today, new boundary-pushing content, a new avant garde, and that's where my interest will lie. I think the members of the Homestuck fandom who had the talent to create content like that, like Toby Fox and perhaps Tamsyn Muir (who I have not read but Gideon the Ninth is certainly popular so it must have some spark to it), have gone ahead and done it for their own original works outside the Homestuck label.

Anyway, those are my rambling thoughts on the matter, again without having actually read either the old or new HS^2, so take them with a grain of salt.

[mocha-writes]

Tagged by @rlainarin to do this tag game

Three Ships:

Strahd von Zarovich/Patrina Velikovna (Ravenloft/Curse of Strahd): I admit they’re both close to—if not already at—the point of being original characters with the departures I’ve taken from canon when constructing my own lore for a potential CoS campaign, but I have been thinking about them for years (the guy who tagged me in this can confirm it). Every day I grow closer to the rewrite where the love story at the center of Ravenloft’s formation was theirs instead and they’re co-Darklords of Barovia.

Lestat de Lioncourt/Nicolas de Lenfent (The Vampire Chronicles): I just love how deep, meaningful, and ultimately terrible their relationship seemed in The Vampire Lestat. It’s such an inversion of the tropes I usually see associated with romance between childhood friends. The contrasts between them and their equally fierce emotions compel me, even though I know their story ends suddenly and tragically. (It also adds interesting layers to Lestat’s eventual relationship with Louis)

Orpheus/Eurydice (Hadestown): It feels a bit weird highlighting the musical rather than the myth it’s based on but anyway, I really love Hadestown Orpheus and Eurydice because of their contrasts and how they share each other’s worldviews (though in different ways) by the end, and how despite everything—despite reconciling Hades and Persephone and giving the world back its seasons—everything still ends bittersweetly.

First Ship: I’m pretty sure it was Erik/Christine from The Phantom of the Opera musical. I hadn’t even seen the 2004 movie or the stage version as a kid, but I squeezed everything I could out of (I think) Wikipedia and DeviantArt lists (the kind where one drew responses to prompts) about the film version and made things up in my own head. The memory that’s coming to mind is of gender-flipping them and trying to write my own play with that premise. Now, I personally prefer Raoul/Christine, but they still have a place in my heart, particularly the 1989 movie’s versions of them.

Last Movie: Hairspray (2007)

Last Song: “The New Girl in Town” (stuck in my head thanks to the aforementioned movie)

Currently Reading: The Vampire Lestat. It’s been slow-going with this one because Life but I have around 200 pages left. It’s made me appreciate Lestat even more, though I don’t necessarily believe everything he says.

Currently Watching: Not engaged with any TV series at the moment

Currently Eating: I had popcorn for a snack a while ago

Currently Craving: Stability, that setting up my new PC will go well, that I can play video games again and introduce my fictional people to my friends and their fictional people… I miss having the drive for OC asks and writing prompts. I’d like to get back into those somehow

This was originally titled something like “tag 9 people you want to get to know better,” but I struggle with thinking of people for these things… Tagging @perkeleen-lavellan , @hurl-a-can , @whenyoulosesmallmind and @darkspawntaxcollectors . There’s no obligation, as always, this was just fun and I thought I’d share. If you want to do this but weren’t tagged, do it anyway; let me enable you.

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

#5— 07/24/2022 12:53 AM

Ok so Idk what y’all said about that video, but I’ve deduced that this interesting piece of cut content was leaning towards:

1) Lola probably having broken up with Bugs

2) Bugs being in oblivous/in denial of her spite towards him and looniness

3) Bugs actually being very conscious of not being “in the spotlight”

4) and a more development between Bugs and Lebron’s icy tension (like a bump between two control freaks)

I honestly would’ve been into some elements of this version of the story being used instead of what we ended up with.

Lola being fed up with Bugs makes sense since in SJ, she really didn’t have looniness in her. She was very bland to say the least. This version of their dynamic would be a lot more tragic when you know TLTS exists (where their relationship there was thriving). But otherwise, it would’ve opened up a lot of opportunity for a more fleshed out version of SJ Lola.

Her being annoyed with Bugs’ looniness is understandable if you were in her shoes. Like, realistically, not just anyone could tolerate Bugs’ chaos day to day. Plus, she did seem like she was gonna get written with more emotional depth than what the looney tunes cast are usually on brand for.

So her having an added arc of wanting to permanently separate herself from the toons would’ve been so much more interesting for her character. And also the fact that Bugs seemed more overtly fixated on the basketball game being what will bring them back to the spotlight in a semi-metatextual sense.

Bugs in this video is a tad more unlikable and fallible than he usually is for better or worse. And he seems more at odds with Lebron. Even if it’s not really staying true to Bugs’ character — it would’ve been fun to see more angst and implied rocky relations between the toons. I would’ve preferred that over the whole basketball game format tbh.

Present day thoughts:

Lola was plenty looney in the original Space Jam. At the time of this original ramble, my standard for looniness was based on characters like Daffy and Wile E. Coyote. But nowadays, I've kinda concluded that she was just as looney as any other looney tunes love interest more or less. The movie went ahead and straight up retconned what little distinct personality she had.

Also, I still believe this premise would've been more interesting than the final story we got. I'm not particularly invested in the preservation of the looney tunes' characters in something as corporate as the Space Jam movies so might as well lean into the ooc-melodrama of it since the final film was just Lebron-lip service atp.

[inaconstantstateofchange]

I have to ask: how did you let Astarion make the choice with regards to the ritual himself? I know you can let characters like shadowheart choose during their pivotal moments, but in my playthrough I only had the options to help, to persuade (after dialog regarding the other spawn) or refuse. So I’m really curious to see a few people say that they were given the option to let him choose for himself, and wondering what triggers that.

Tragically, I’m pretty sure it is something akin to a bug. It was on my first full play-through and I just thought it was an option I hadn’t heard about and was stoked.

After some research (once I didn’t have to worry about spoilers), I figured out it was definitely not the typical Cazador-confrontation cutscene, and went back through a few iterations of the scene to see what caused the difference.

I thought at first it was because I interrupted the entire ritual so it never even went through one round, but as cool as that would have been, it ended up coming down to me playing a druid, and being in Wild Shape at the time the confrontation cutscene started.

Usually the game will force you out of Wild Shape for those scenes, but for some reason in this one it didn’t, and just treated it like my character was not there.

The scene that I got has some weird lighting and occasional consistency issues, but otherwise still very much maintains coherence and internal logic, so it was definitely coded for at least to some extent.

For that reason, and it being my preference of all the options, I do consider it a canon outcome, even if by technicality.

I have a video capture I took of it embedded in one of my recent response posts, but I can also link it here. (I’m on mobile right now, so sorry if the formatting is weird.)

I hope that answers your question, and I’m more than happy to talk more about it!

[soliloquent-stark]

💕 and 🚦for the fanfic ask game!

thank you for asking this, angel <3 you made me contemplate a lot of things about my own writing and that's always beneficial. ❤️

💕 What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

now, this is a hard one. how am i supposed to choose between my children?!

i do only have three completed fics out in the world, and they're all my favourite for different reasons. at the risk of sounding like a self-promoting asshole, here's why:

the laundry fic is very dear to me because it's my first attempt at fiction in almost a decade, and i adore the way i managed to capture steve's struggles. it felt really important to me to give him some of the insight that mcu fumbled with, and to acknowledge his trauma, even ever-so-slightly (i could write a bible's worth of why steve deserves the world). it's probably my actual favourite of the bunch because i don't even remember coming up with the idea or any of the creative process; i only know that one day i sat down and wrote the first draft as if the spirit of tony completely took over me. there were no deliberate thoughts — the fic was a continuous loop of steve brainrot and tony soliloquies (ha) between my brain and heart, which slowly trickled down my fingers onto the screen. 🥹

the emails fic is something i am proud of because i put a lot of work into the world-building and formatting of the fic, and i feel that the risk paid off. i am very fond of that stevie too and can't wait to write more for that series and give him some well-deserved happiness. also, supergenius scientist steve!! 💌

the hedgehog fic is objectively not as deep as the other two and it doesn't delve as much into character introspection, but it's so close to my heart because it's so disgustingly domestic, intimate, vulnerable, realistic, dare i say funny, and very much inspired by my own relationship. in addition, i took the opportunity to write some more emotionally-aware and healthy-communicators tony and steve, and i absolutely fell in love with their dynamic and with my lil hedgehog tony even more. 🦔

🚦What sort of endings do you prefer to write: ambiguous, bad, happily ever after, etc.?

i categorically avoid open or ambiguous endings because even though they are an amazing way to promote analysis and pondering on the reader's side, i often feel unsatisfied with it (blame my neurodivergence). slightly ambiguous is liv approved, however. 🤭

alas, my strong preference is either a happy ending (the ever after is not my cup of tea anyways, i am sadly too much of a realist to claim that as a possibility) or an unquestionably tragic one, because i do love angst with my whole heart (something that will become a bit more prevalent in my upcoming works) and i think it's important to tell those stories as well. and sometimes i just want to torture my silly lil characters, as a cathartic experience. 🫣

[kateubanks]

#1 Sylvia Plath and the Adolescent Girl

The year is 2019, and I'm in my senior AP Lit class because I was obviously that brand of over-achiever. We were assigned to write in-depth analyses of poems of our choice, preferably from one of "the greats."

I landed upon Sylvia Plath because Google told me she was "edgy and different," and I chose "Morning Song" because the title sounded pretty. Top-tier decision-making.

Here's the poem. In short, it focuses on her feelings towards motherhood, specifically in a child's earliest days. I won't go into too much detail on this poem. If you want a better discussion of it, check out this great post I found.

So. There I am, all of seventeen years old, writing about how motherhood might change a person's life -- how the reflection in the mirror will look unfamiliar, how you begin to value another's existence over your own. Meanwhile, my largest issue in life is paying my rent. Which, to be fair, isn't a great issue for a teenager to have. The point is that I know nothing about motherhood, and I'm very good at bullshitting because I got a 96 on the paper (damn formatting; it'll get ya' every time).

Despite my inability to relate to its intended meaning, I loved the writing. It was flowery and sweet on the tongue. I could read it over and over again without getting bored. Each word had a new meaning after every read. When the project ended, I used my grungy tip money from a certain nameless drive-in to purchase a Sylvia Plath poetry collection at my local Barnes and Nobel.

And thus, the love affair began. I was hooked. It was the first time I felt that literature -- as lifeless as it may appear -- understood me. A woman who lived a much different life than mine decades prior had been able to translate my feelings into words, and the stars had aligned perfectly for me to discover her one fateful Tuesday morning in English class.

The human condition never changes, no matter the circumstances. Romance is always romance, and a suicidal teenaged girl is always a suicidal teenaged girl. She'll always think of red poppy fields when she sees her own blood. She'll listen for her father in seashells. She'll believe that she can come back to life, whether it's 1963 or 2015.

So, all of that being said might seem antithetical to my argument moving forward. . .

This is from an article on Sylvia Plath as America's "cinematic sad girl":

Because Plath's work has become synonymous with pain and suffering, her name is watered down to nothing more than a tragic figure instead of one that, despite her suicidal tendencies, possessed profound hope.

As a whole, we tend to look down upon things that teenaged girls enjoy. Look at Twilight, and Uggs, and Starbucks, and basically every young-adult romcom. We see them as trivial, basic, or *gasp* girly. Because there's absolutely nothing worse than being associated with women (the horror!).

Let's be clear. This sentiment is rooted in sexism. I believe something to this degree occurs a bit with our dear Plath, with a dash of good, old-fashioned, mental health stigmas. Another except from our previous article:

There are countless examples of other characters in film and television using The Bell Jar or Plath's name as a synonym for 'depressed,' 'complicated,' or 'overdramatic', emphasizing her misinterpretation in the cultural lexicon.

Why do I care? I love Plath. I'm not claiming that the bulk of her work isn't about her struggle with mental health, or that you should love her, too. Just to post the question: is the issue Plath's focus on her mental health, or that too many teenaged girls relate to her, so we must shit on her because something that women enjoy must be awful?

And with that, I will leave you all with a short list of some of my favorite Plath poems.

Lady Lazarus

On the Decline of Oracles

Fever 103°

Wreath for a Bridal

Ella Mason and Her Eleven Cats

[thegoodceai]

afddighadfi <3333 sending all the hearts <33, sry for the late reply I had a Long Time at work but I had read your message and was also liek *twirling hair, kicking feet* trying to think of a fitting response !

Letsgo!! IF is soo good, I need to get more into IF if anything. Fallen Hero is Top Tier. Got a top three IF? And Nice! U a player or dming for them?

Aww! I'd love to know any info about her! Plz feel free to yell at me about her. Wuts her (current) name, design?, sign, The Demons (the story ur putting her through lol).

Bro! I've relatively done the same, I had waited so long to play Retri, wut ending did u get 👀👀👀. Ortega is just 😩😩😩

I hadn't heard of her nor the song, but checking it out I can definitely see why it's been on repeat <333.

We love little sharp bbies <3. Do u have a preference for color? Got a name picked out already lol?

Fair Enough, least they chase u with a stake. The Aesthetic and Seduction are unmatched I will give em that ;p. Oh! I know Of the series, but next to nothing what its about, wuts it about/what drew you into it? ((I know I could Google it, butt any excuse to get you to chat/yell more <3))

Thank you for replying to all my random questions lol. Been following for a long time, and in my mind ur already a Friend :))))

<3333 sending all the good vibes, i know we've been mutuals for a while and truly the one reaction i have every time we interact is Friend!!!!!

i am DMing for my friends, it was the only way to get them to play. i started out with only 2 players, just for some light fun, but i ended up with 5 now and a whole homebrew campaign that they can play around in and so far they do seem to be enjoying being chaotic gremlins with the side of Mystery Plot i threw at them

IF is amazing, i love the versatility of the format. idk if i could pick a true top 3, but for ones in progress ones i keep going back and replaying there's A Tale of Crowns (a favorite and one of the first ones i played, like 2 years ago when it was first released), Project Hadea, and Attolo. i love all of them dearly and cannot wait to see how they end up. for finished ones, i loveeeee Way Walkers University (i feel like it's so underrated, but i really like the style it is written in and how well developed the world of it is, there just so much and the variations you can play are huge), The Passenger (Roach my beloved), and i really liked I, The Forgotten One (been following this one before it was published, and it's truly not everyones' cup, but i found it compelling)

the story i'm working on is kind of fantasy adventure, heavily based on mythology and folklore (specifically romanian one), and i am planning to like, make it public at some point this year (still ironing and detailing some stuff, but the bones are solid, it's been rooting around in my brain for A While). the main cast are all variations of very very old ocs i have (originally for another story sort of in the same vein, but i'd like to think i grew a bit as a writer and they're more put together now, as well as the story itself). so imma hold on to the details about this whole thing for now but aaah thank u for being interested in it <3333

aah first ending i got was accident as sidestep, stayed as sidestep, and got the whole old gang involved in breaking them out of the hospital. i've been playing sidestep as a reluctant villain that's gunning for justice/exposing what the Powers That Be are actually up to (anarchist villain baby), all while being friendly with the Rangers and ended up keeping the cover so none of them know about the villain sidegig lmao. been trying to psych myself to play a fully evil sidestep but. it's hard. and i loooove playing reluctant and tired mcs that are done with everything but ultimately will do the right thing at any cost (tragic heroes my beloved)

16 year old me would have given anything to have a black cat named either Loki or Thanatos and you know what? they were right. but in reality i will probably just end up adopting a bunch of stray animals and naming them like. normal human names. or food names (i am very fond of the name Clementine, but it is kind of a mouthful)

lmao i remember next to nothing of the series, i've read it forever ago (i was like, maybe 13?? when i got the first book). all i remember was that i liked Sookie very much at the time. it was i think the first like, adult book series i read and it was fascinating to my young brain, seeing a fully developed female main character being badass and resourceful and kinda doing her own thing (the series is from her perspective, so that was also kind of novel at the time, after reading a lot of like, classical literature and school stuff). idk if i'd recommend it now, but it was definitely formative for me. it's also the series that got me into like, modern fantasy (both reading and writing it)

[thatoneskullgrunt]

Loud, betrayal, and humanity (or just one of those you can pick ^-^) (YES I WENT IMMEDIATELY FOR THE ANGST)

[went with a written memory format. tw for implied sui attempt. huge lore drop just for you ;) ]

The last time you played Uno with a group of people around your age, you were at a church camp, drowned out by the conversation and the movie playing in the background. This time, you sat among people who understood your mindset, and wouldn’t force you to try and change yourself to their own standards. You were understood here, and for the first time in years, this tragically-induced weekend was one where you felt completely at peace.

“Who wants to deal?” someone asked.

“I deal with enough already,” you responded immediately with a light snicker, which everyone seconded (much to your surprise).

The nurse entered the room as the movie ended. “You guys want me to put something else on?” she asked, gesturing to the TV. There was a brief discussion, and in the end you all settled on the infamous never-ending lofi stream.

Cards hit the table, and quickly enough the game ensued. You’d played this particular game over and over again in settings almost exactly like this one, but the context here was different. The feeling was different.

You… didn’t feel like you were different.

The reason you ended up here wasn’t the same, but it was still unwilling just as before. There were a ridiculous amount of firsts involved, and it stirred up a downplayed version of the same confused hilarity as your first jury summons.

Day one, you were brought in crying, then experienced the strangest calm of your life. The environment was comfortingly sterile, familiar to you thanks to your mom and aunt’s line of work. You were too tired to care about your physical discomfort, and felt awful for the repercussions it had on the parts of your family who knew.

Day two was your first full day here. You had a long conversation with the doctor in charge, and it was the first time you openly stated what you preferred to be called. As the day passed on it felt like church camp, but more serene, more understanding, and more centered around your actual best interests. In the way you always did, you got to know about the other inpatients by listening when they conversed with each other and the staff. You called your aunt to bring you a change of clothes, but she never came.

Day three, you got an alarming amount of drawing done, and a music therapist stopped by with whom you had a chat about well-known guitarists and how to get started with making music.

Today was day four, just an hour before ten o’clock, and you weren’t quite ready to go back to the “real” world. You thought back to the panic in those few minutes, the way your mouth burned and your thoughts blurred as you sat on the bathroom floor wondering why. You couldn’t handle that another time; it was a decision you would never make again. The very people who caused it were the same people freaking out when it happened, and every conflicting emotion had torn you apart.

Yet you felt so whole among a group of people you’d known for three days.

“Uno,” the person across from you called, and you looked down at the singular card in your hand.

“Arc damn it,” you sighed, smiling and drawing four cards.

[daandova]

[ ... ] ─── i do it so it FEELS LIKE HELL - i do it so i feel real.

i am only thirty and like the cat i have nine times to die. ─── [ ... ]

O MY ENEMY DO I TERRIFY ??

#DAANDOV. ──────── a writing blog for an ORIGINAL CHARACTER for the LAST DRAGONBORN in 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚'𝐬 𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐕 𝐬𝐤𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐦. [ ... ] focusing on motifs of :: the tragic hero , being nothing but a vessel for prophecy , gods leaving husks behind of their champions , coming out the other side of the hero's journey worse off , dogged loyalty , getting chewed up and spit out , feminine rage , how much more of myself do i have to give? , being doomed by the narrative [ ... ] crossovers are preferred & no knowledge of elder scrolls is needed to interact ── blog established october 2023 , character est in 2018 , loved by ouija , 21+ , she/her , rules below the cut

affiliated with @recitedemise

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⸻⸻

( ₁. )  character timeline .   ( ₂. )   pre-est connections .   ( ₃. )   spotify .   ( ₄. )   aesthetics .   ( ₅. )   pintrest .   ( ₆. )   carrd .

001. general  ⸻ this blog is a writing blog for my oc VALVARI ALANTAR who i've built over the past five years. intrinsically tied to the legacy of the dragonborn mod, she is a canon divergent last dragonborn. i use caps from baldurs gate just because of it's character creation.

SPARK NOTES :: valvari's adoptive fathers own museums across the world. she's grown up first learning deep history, and being more book focused, but as she began showing a bit of a temper and anger streak, she was sent with one of her father's to start adventuring to begin finding artifacts and curios that are gathered to store in the museums. just recently, they've opened a new museum and val is going to start adventuring on her own in order to help fill it.

002. following ⸻  this is a highly selective blog , i am keeping my circle very small right now and will only interact with those who make concerted efforts to plot with me. i practice mains, i'm not interested in exclusives. i do not follow writers under the age of 21. if you're ever softblocked and you still want to interact, please feel free to follow again, it's never that serious i promise.

i softblock liberally if we have not interacted, i'm not interested in being a number to people. i don't expect to be responding to our threads every day, i don't expect constant ooc talk, we all have lives and other muse interests. what i expect is interaction with other posts that show you're interested in my muse. a like or a reply to a post goes a long way. when time goes on and you're radio silent but still active on dash, i'll likely just softblock just so i'm not feeling unwanted. i promise it's not a big deal, it's just about curating my dash to active mutuals.

003. formatting  ⸻ i don’t care about formatting or icon usage on your end , you do what makes you most comfortable. i personally use normal text with some formatting, and icons only show up in writing if i feel like it. i'll use them if i'm feeling it, otherwise there may be threads or posts where they're absent because i couldn't be bothered to add them. if there's something about my formatting that doesn't work for you let me know and i can adjust.

004. shipping ⸻  i love shipping and am always open to discussing it. val requires chemistry to ship with and i require being comfortable together ooc. it's not going to be a focus on this blog and i'll never be the first to ask in order to keep people from feeling uncomfortable. if you are interested, let me know, i won't consider it forceshipping, but be aware i may say no.

please note :: val is sex positive and a bit blunt, so she may flirt if she thinks your muse is attractive but i'm ALWAYS okay with her being shut down. i promise it's never that serious, and i'm not trying to beg for a ship. she will also drop the topic the moment someone isn't interested.

005. plotting ⸻  i rely heavily on plotting and interacting ooc and my attention will be focused around those of my followers who i have a plot for and rapport with. it isn’t necessary to have one off the bat , but if interactions are going to go anywhere , plotting is required. i typically prioritize these threads/muses and if we go a period of time without interacting or you showing interest in my muse/blog at all, i'll softblock so i can keep my dash to the people i'm actively writing/chatting with.

006. interacting ⸻ i will like starter call , but do not wait to see one on my blog because it won’t happen often. instead , please send memes. they can always become threads. and they are great ways to explore our muses while we aren't working on our active threads. send them and send them often, i'm never agitated if you're sending multiple. i'll delete any i don't have muse for but i'll always answer some.

007. triggers ⸻ there will be adult content present on this blog including , but not limited to :: sexual content , potential mention of self harm , violence , adult language. if you are uncomfortable with any of these please tell me and i will avoid them in our threads. i don't have any specific triggers, however i will always tag potentially triggering things as : trigger tw

008. ooc ⸻ hey i’m ouija , 30+ i’m just a nerd. I have a full time job and a home to maintain so my activity will vary. icon border by ariapsds and icon psd by jaynedits

i've grown comfortable existing on the edges of fandoms and just fitting val within them, thus i'm very crossover friendly. rape, incest, pedophilia, hate / bigotry (ie: racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc) is not accepted on this blog. i may keep myself distant from callouts or personal drama that appears (mainly just because i don't like calling attention to myself), however i'm not against them when it comes to keeping the dash safe and letting people know about problematic people.

[experi-sketches]

This or That Tag

I’ve had this sitting around for a little while, meant to get to it much sooner but you know how it goes 😅 I was tagged by @starlit-hopes-and-dreams​, thank you!!

(I may cheat on a few of these and pick both? Whoops!)

Historical or Futuristic

I couldn’t possibly choose. Right now I’m writing fantasy/historical, but this is my first long-format project with that setting. Typically I’ve always written stuff set in modern day or in the future. For reading, though, I tend to prefer historical settings!

Opening or Closing Chapter

So much easier to write the start of something than the end of something, imho lol. Especially if it’s a long project. The pressure to wrap everything up nicely and make it all feel like it went somewhere & meant something? That’s tough

Light and Fluffy or Dark and Gritty

Give me grit. Give me drama! I just can’t help it. I need characters who struggle, I need characters with tragic backstories, I need to make my protags walk through fire so that they come out stronger (and a little damaged??) on the other side! Light and fluffy has its place, but overall? Give me that grit. (I’ve always preferred dramas to comedies lol)

Animal Companion or Found Family

Found family. 100%. Found family is one of my absolute favorite themes in any media/art, so of course I love it in my own writing, too 😂

Horror or Romance

I’m not really a big fan of horror as a genre, I just don’t gravitate towards it. I typically don’t do romance as a genre, either, but I love a good romance happening alongside the main plot. (For writing or reading.) Mmm.

Hard Magic System or Soft Magic System

This one is too hard to pick. It really depends on the story, I think? I love writing & reading both, so long as it’s done well for the story it’s in.

Stand-alone or Series

Series, all the way. I think I’m physically incapable of writing short-format things, it always ends up ballooning into a larger project. The same goes for reading - I really enjoy getting to know characters, and one novel just isn’t enough!

One Project at a Time or Always Juggling 2+

Again, I think I’m physically incapable of dividing my attention between multiple projects. I get so obsessed with whatever I’m working on that I can’t move on to something else until it’s done. To those of you out there who juggle multiple stories, I applaud you. I have no idea how you do it 😭

One Award Winner or One Best Seller

At the end of the day, I think the reason most of us share what we write is so that other people can appreciate it. I’m not out here trying to write a masterpiece. I just write what I like to write because I enjoy it, and I want (hope) other folks enjoy it too.

Fantasy or Sci-Fi

This one is very similar to the historical/futuristic one above - I’m currently writing fantasy and I love it, but overall? I love both and couldn’t possibly choose one over the other.

Character Description or Setting Description

So I feel like this one is calling me out a little bit lol. I tend to go ham on describing a setting (I know, I’m working on it, okay? 😅) but I often keep character descriptions basic. I only tell the reader the most relevant/necessary details of a character’s appearance. I feel that 9 times out of 10 a reader gets a few details & then constructs their own mental image of the character anyways, and then it’s quite jarring to have that image disrupted/altered. Besides, I just enjoy describing places 😂

First Draft or Final Draft

Oh gosh, I would never post a first draft anywhere on the internet. Mine are always a disaster. Although to be fair I’m not sure I’ve ever posted a “final draft” either - I can always go back and do more revision lol

Leaving no-pressure tags for @burntcoffeewhump​ @pierrotwrites-hc​ @dont-touch-my-soup​ @i-can-even-burn-salad​ & also leaving as an open tag!

[letstalkplays]

The Human Horror of What the Gods Gave Me

How would you react if your new wife's home was filled with pictures of her ancestors-and they were only women?

The young and wealthy man Henrik ignores this warning sign when he comes to spend time with his wife's family during their pagan holiday, in Western Washington University’s production of What the Gods Gave Me, written by Eryn McVay and directed by Kayla Adams. 

The women plan to acquire Henrik's semen and kill him on the solstice, but this is thrown off when one of the girls, Victoria, begins speaking privately with Henrik, wanting to learn more about astrology. Victoria begins to question everything she's been taught, and uncovers dark secrets within her already macabre family.

I always find it exciting to see the horror genre explored in a live format, and WtGGM did not disappoint. It doesn’t lean on more tired horror conventions like jumpscares or excessive gore-though audiences should be warned there is onstage violence and blood towards the end of the show. The horror comes from the atmosphere, and the very real nature of living in a cult. 

Arguably, that’s where the emotional core of the story lies. And I felt that the performers did a wonderful job digging into the characters and pulling out very real people, who do terrible things in the process of trying to do what’s right in accordance with what they’ve been taught. I did feel that the portrayal of Margaret and Henrik could’ve been tweaked to better fit the script. Margaret is always a bit too mean to be considered charming, and Henrik’s switch at the end of the show was more abrupt than it could have been.

The production design took on a more realistic tone with the sets and costumes. This was a point of contention between my peers-perhaps a step away from realism would have better suited the script-but I felt that it allowed the characters to stay the main focus. This did mean that any elements of the production that strayed from realism felt out of place. The cliche of the letters being revealed by accident at the most convenient time, or the trope of the rebellious young woman in a period piece who prefers mens clothing certainly pushed me out of my immersion. And all of the characters being portrayed by actors in the same age group messed with my perception of the character’s actual ages. Margaret initially read as being much older than the other girls, and it was too clear that Bedelia was a young adult trying to mimic the physicality of an older woman.

What the Gods Gave Me is a beautifully tragic, darkly comedic piece, and I’m very interested in seeing where it may go in the future, and in seeing McVay’s other work. Western’s production was not the perfect vehicle for being introduced to the play, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying myself quite a lot.

Works Cited:

What the Gods Gave Me. Western Washington University. 15 Feb. 2023. what the Gods gave me | Western Washington University (wwu.edu)

McVay, Eryn. What the Gods Gave Me. 2022.

what the Gods gave me by Eryn Elyse McVay. New Play Exchange. 16 Feb. 2023. what the Gods gave me | New Play Exchange

[faiienlucifer]

In this case specifically (because I know we all know how Marvel is like), I think it's different. It just isn't the same. It's not about being a "happy ending", I missed prefer bittersweet or tragedy and I think most people here wouldn't mind either..

But this, it felt kind of anti-climactic after episode 7 specifically. It went down hill. I was really expecting a more agatha focused finale and I fully understand they ran out of time ane everything but the only time we ever saw Rio (who was a clearly big part in Agatha's life) being at the river and during the present time didn't feel right. But that I could excuse bc time and budget.. but the kiss, I get it fully. It was ultimately a great ending because Agatha will definitely not admit she was wrong after just fully accepting it not so long ago. Would ultimately do something so impulsive just to spite Rio, just to rub it in one last while also showing that affection she still clearly held for her.. While I wished for at least a few more words or scenes I ultimately understand..

But.. her being a ghost is what truly bugs me the most about the ending. It feels.. unsatisfying. All she ever wanted was to see her son. From beginning til end. It's why she blamed her lover because she had no one to blame for her grief. She lost herself in the process of grieving the incomprehensible loss of her son. Her Nicholas Scratch.. "Not able to face him" just felt like such a cheap excuse to keep her connected to Billy and continue his story. And I see it yes but I feel like her need to see him again would win over the guilt for ruining their song in the haze of grief.. it just seems so out of character. Like they're just using her (frankly extremely interesting and wonderful) story and character as little push for Billy's storyline. It just rubs me and other people the wrong way. We only want a satisfying ending (seeing her son again, full circle moment) because it's ultimately her amazing and wonderful character and her show. Even if it was on screen for like 1 minute, it would've been something.

But now I'm just yapping but those are my thoughts on the topic. I think that's the true reason people find the last episode so unsatisfying.. and also because of the beast of an episode that was ep 7. That felt more satisfying than anything in the show, great ending for a great character even if it wasn't "happy".

(sorry for any typos or weird formats, I'm a tumblr newbie still 😭)

Edit: Omg my dumbass forgot to add but just their story in general! What we could've had. A witch and death herself? The witch, cursed with a power she thinks is a curse to kill everyone around her, a poison, disease.. and death.. growing a heart for the only mortal that grieved enough to fill whole eons of time. So many times. Faulted herself for it and only found comfort in death herself because she's everything that surrounded her, the only thing that was permanent. Something grounded and forever there for her.. How amazing is that story? I feel like it (partially) wasn't satisfying because that dynamic seems so poetic and beautiful and like a joy to explore from a writer's standpoint. I wanted more, we all did because they were so interesting. So poetic. Intertwined in the most tragic way because that's the only way their story could ever go..

It's Greek Tragedy level beautiful.

..and we all wanted more.

Honestly, I don't understand the people who are bitter about the way Agatha All Along ended. I thought it was freaking amazing.

Agatha and Rio got to be angry and in love and epically drawn to each other. And petty as all hell.

We got a kiss (and Rio's face those seconds before Agatha kissed her and she felt it coming). We got to see the wounds Agatha left in Death. We got to see a moment where Agatha essentially forgave Death (even if she wouldn't acknowledge it to Rio). We watched Rio cover her grave in the color that meant most to Agatha. We watched how Rio gave Agatha the time to love her son (because even if the older Agatha refused to see it - because it hurt too much - she would clearly have taken that gift a second time if she found herself back in that moment).

And it wasn't even the end of them, because if you don't think Rio is going to keep pursuing Agatha's soul now that she's floating around as a ghost instead of coming home to her, you're wrong (you're just... wrong).

It might not have been a "happy ending" but it was freaking glorious.

[starseedfxofficial]

Master Price Action & Delta Neutral Strategies for Consistent Profits Master Price Action Trading & Delta Neutral Strategies: Uncover Hidden Opportunities What if I told you that there’s a secret sauce to trading success that doesn’t involve guessing market moves, consulting a crystal ball, or praying to the Forex gods? Today, we’re taking a deep dive into price action trading and how to pair it with delta neutral strategies—a combination that’s like mixing peanut butter and jelly, but for grown-ups who prefer to snack on steady profits. We’re talking ninja tactics that many traders overlook, mostly because they’re busy chasing shiny indicators and signals that promise unicorn-level returns. Price Action Trading: Read the Market Without the Crystal Ball If there’s one thing every trader has done, it’s that tragic over-reliance on fancy indicators. You know, the kind of chart that looks like it’s plotting spaghetti, right before you end up in a mess yourself. But price action? It’s the bare-bones, no-nonsense way of looking at the market—analyzing pure price movement on a naked chart. When it comes to price action, it’s like learning to read the market’s body language. Think of the market like that one friend who always wears their emotions on their sleeve—they can’t hide their mood. Candlestick formations, support and resistance levels, and breakouts are all signals the market gives away without even trying to hide them. Instead of slapping on twenty indicators and hoping something works, you watch the supply and demand zones as they evolve, focusing on how traders are reacting in real-time. You’re following what the pros do—not the noise that makes you feel like you’re stuck in a traffic jam of price spikes. The idea here? Read between the lines, and start reacting to what the market does, not what you wish it would do. The Hidden Gems of Price Action: Stop Chasing, Start Flowing Price action is all about simplicity. Less clutter, more clarity. When you spot a breakout at a key resistance level with no major barriers in sight—that’s your cue. It’s like finally seeing an empty lane at the grocery checkout—you’re diving right in, my friend. One little-known technique is to wait for a retest after the breakout. Most traders get FOMO and jump in right at the breakout, which, honestly, feels a lot like when you get into a subway car right before the door slams shut—not always a smooth experience. Instead, the retest gives you a safer entry point, like double-checking there are no toddlers in front of your cart before pushing off. Another great move? Looking for fakeouts at support or resistance levels. Fakeouts are the market’s way of playing mind games—and being able to spot them saves you from a lot of unnecessary losses. A simple tip is to wait until a candle actually closes above or below a key level before you commit. This way, you avoid being the trader who panics at every slight breeze in the market. Delta Neutral Strategies: The Art of Balancing Risk Let’s move on to delta neutral strategies, which are like the ultimate safety net in your trading arsenal. Picture this: you’re on a tightrope, and each side of the market is pulling at you. A delta neutral approach allows you to balance that risk without leaning too much to either side—like that magic yoga move that makes you feel invincible because you’re somehow not falling over. Delta neutral trading is typically used to minimize the risk associated with price fluctuations. In the Forex world, that means you’re taking positions in such a way that small market swings don’t affect you as much. This is particularly useful in volatile markets where moves come fast and furious, often leaving traders staring in shock like they just walked into a surprise party they weren’t ready for. The Hidden Formula to Delta Neutral Creating a delta neutral position in Forex involves hedging a long position in one currency pair with a short position in another correlated pair. For instance, if you have a long position in EUR/USD, you might hedge with a short position in GBP/USD. This reduces your overall exposure to unpredictable market shifts—allowing you to sleep at night instead of checking your phone every ten minutes. But here's the key: correlation matters. You don’t just pick any random pair to hedge against—you need to find pairs that historically move together. Websites like OANDA's correlation tool can give you insights into currency pair correlations, and once you’ve spotted a strong correlation, you can set up positions that help you stay delta neutral. Why Most Traders Miss Out On Delta Neutral Opportunities The main reason traders shy away from delta neutral strategies is the perceived complexity. Let’s be real—the word "delta" alone is enough to scare most people away. But what if I told you it’s not much harder than balancing a budget after an impulse-buy spree? It’s all about risk mitigation. Instead of relying purely on direction, you’re hedging your positions to profit from market inefficiencies or collecting positive swaps. Imagine if you could make money while the market did absolutely nothing—that’s what delta neutral strategies let you do. It’s not about getting rich overnight, it’s about steady, calculated gains. The Yin-Yang of Trading: Combining Price Action with Delta Neutral Alright, so how do you bring price action and delta neutral together in one beautiful, profit-generating symphony? The key is to use price action as your guide for entering trades while delta neutral techniques help hedge your risk and maintain a balanced portfolio. Let’s break this down. Say you identify a breakout using price action trading—you spot the pattern, confirm with volume, and enter. Instead of going all in with risk unchecked, you hedge a portion of your exposure by setting up a delta neutral position with a correlated pair. This allows you to be aggressively cautious (yes, that’s a real thing). Think of it like eating dessert while on a diet—you’re enjoying the sweet side of trading but making sure you’re not piling on unwanted risks. Moreover, delta neutral strategies are great for times when the market looks indecisive or is trapped in a range. If your price action analysis suggests consolidation, being delta neutral can help you stay active in the market without betting on direction. It’s like keeping your toes in the pool—just in case you want to dive in when conditions improve. Case Study: How the Pros Leveraged Delta Neutral with Price Action In May 2023, during heightened market volatility between the USD and JPY, seasoned trader Lisa H. identified a major support level using price action. She went long on USD/JPY but also noticed strong correlation data showing USD strength against the GBP. To manage her risk, she opened a delta neutral short position on GBP/USD. The result? When USD moved up, her profits on USD/JPY covered the small losses on GBP/USD, and when the market retraced, she avoided a major loss thanks to her hedge. In the end, she ended up with a net gain from both positions. Lisa’s use of price action and delta neutral tactics allowed her to exploit the opportunity without putting her portfolio at risk. Turning These Insights Into Action: Ninja-Level Tactics Here are the main takeaways that you can use to enhance your own trading strategy: - Wait for Retests: Patience is key. Breakouts often retest old support/resistance before continuing. Make this your entry. - Spot Fakeouts: Always wait for candle closures to confirm breakouts or breakdowns. - Leverage Delta Neutral Strategies: Use correlated pairs to hedge your positions, reducing risk exposure and helping you profit even in sideways markets. - Balance Price Action with Protection: Combine the clarity of price action with the security of delta neutral positioning to trade confidently, even during high volatility. For those wanting to take their Forex game to the next level, check out our StarseedFX Community. You’ll get access to exclusive live analysis, daily alerts, and, of course, the kind of ninja-level tactics that make trading not only profitable but also enjoyable. And don’t forget—if you’re serious about becoming a well-rounded trader, download our free trading plan and trading journal to track and refine your strategy like a pro. Visit StarseedFX Trading Plan for more details. Wrapping It Up: Becoming a Delta Neutral Price Action Master Mastering price action trading is about reading the market for what it is, not what you want it to be. Combining that skill with delta neutral strategies helps you balance risk and stay in the game, even when market conditions are challenging. It’s about playing both offense and defense like a champion—aggressive yet cautious, strategic yet adaptable. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated Read the full article