#but the accompanying plot is roughly 3 books currently

[captainshyguy]

thinkin abt my ocs in this chilis tonight

[dirkjakeweekly]

Having difficulty coming up with your fanfic pitch? Writer's block? Worrying too much about the plot? Don't despair yet! 

Here's some tips that may help you get started with your story:

(1) Try using a setting you're already familiar with. Maybe you've got a favorite movie, book, game, or a TV show you really liked -- maybe you only like a specific part of one of these things, one aspect that stands out, like game mechanics, or mythology, or lore… -- what if you took that world and applied it to a different set of characters? What kind of new situations and dynamics could arise from the mix? How would the overall plot be affected, if they take part in the original plot at all? What would their lives be like, as a part of that world?

Personally speaking, sometimes it can be fun to take a cool setting by itself and develop an entirely new storyline that utilizes roughly the same elements. Make a romance movie into a mystery, a demon-slaying adventure into a character study, or vice versa! The world is your oyster. The possibilities are endless. Mix & match, twist the rules a little.

Focus on the things that you like: what seems fun to write, what you enjoy reading, what you wish to see more of! Indulgence can be a powerful (& surprisingly transformative) energy source. Don't be afraid to tap into it.

(2) You don't need to follow an epic plot from beginning to end. Scenes placed strategically at points of interest can do a LOT to uplift your pacing, and even help you organize your story on the whole. Shelve the full size novel expectations for a bit; just think of how much can be conveyed with the limited structure of fairy tales, and other short stories. 

Try thinking of it like this: What would a cool snapshot of this world, setup, or gimmick look like? A particular, interesting incident that exists among a larger whole? (A whole that can be just implied.) Or maybe a collection of scenes that builds up the rapport between characters in a set timeframe, leading up to one big event? Could be a rise to power, a fall from grace, a strange occurrence, a sudden change in lifestyle, any period of high activity -- or perhaps a special break from it.

You could also try writing something along the lines "A Day In The Life Of..." - and accompany the routine of the characters to see if they take you somewhere interesting. A lot of writers identify with the discovery writing process -- give yourself time to play around with scenarios, question where they might go, and see where they take you. Which leads us into the next topic…

(3) Try putting together a no-pressure, no-stakes, full-bullshit-enabled graveyard document. A “graveyard document” is a blank file (or page) that you fill with whatever comes to mind. The polish doesn’t matter! What matters is getting these abstract concepts out, putting them where you can see them, and then attempting to see how they might connect. Use any color you like, highlight stuff if you want, write it in comic sans if you feel like it. Leave thinking about how it all fits for later.

Take 5 - 10 minutes of your day to just sit down and type out a few messy bullet point lists of:

Any ideas you currently have. (Doesn’t matter if they’re half-baked, write it down!)

Any themes you think might interest you, aesthetics, visuals, “the moodboard”.

Who the characters might be.

What the characters’ lives might look like.

Where it might take place - how does the world function? What does it look like?

What brings the characters together?

What they want, what they lack, what they need - and how they’re going to achieve it, or how they’re failing to achieve it.

Does it have a genre?

Answering a few of these might be just what you need to give a solid shape to concepts you have rolling about in your mind. There’s no need for exclusive answers - if you have multiple ideas that speak to you, write them down still. Once you’re done, you can begin assembling the frankenstein bits into something more coherent. Get up, find a snack, let it simmer for a while. Come back to the doc a bit later when you feel like taking a crack at that nut.

Further elements you might want to consider at the brainstorming stage:

*How is this story told?

Is it third person? Is it in the HS-styled ‘You’? Is it through letters, chatlogs, blog monologues, journal entries, dreams? Is the narrative game-fied? Is it the character themselves narrating, or do we have an impersonal narrator taking care of all the details? 

No need to stress these out if you’re unsure - but don’t feel the need to chain yourself to a narrative style you dislike or struggle with, either. Don’t like the past tense? Write in the present tense, or vice versa. Can’t get used to writing in second person? Try a different POV! Who knows, you might like it.

*What does a vague outline of the story look like?

Again, no need to make things too complex at this stage. You don’t have to hammer it out all at once, either! An outline can be a simple series of flat action statements. This is where you can explore potential what-ifs without the burden of making the prose sound engaging, or pretty, or even good. 

It’s a list of things that happen (or could happen) that can be very helpful to future-you way down the line, when you’ve written 16+ paragraphs but don’t quite know where to go next. Think of it like a cheat sheet.

EXAMPLE: 

“Jake orders a deluxe DVD package from Crockmazon ==> goes to sleep ==> forgets to check the delivery tracking ==> Jake wakes up the next monday morning to discover he’s gotten the wrong delivery. The box is too big. ==>   kind of miffed about it tbh ==> investigates, finds weird brand ==> and then...”

You get the idea. Color-coding might help divide up the sections, and putting each action on a separate line might make it more easily readable, when you have to reference it -- but this is your choice.

And finally:

(4) Don't worry about getting the story written perfectly on the first pass.

Focus on finishing that chapter, or reaching the end of your oneshot. A lot of the magic happens after you’re done, have taken a break, and have your mind clear enough to do some fixes and a few effective rewrites throughout. Nobody is going to call you out for editing entire paragraphs if you need to! They won’t even know the originals sounded a little silly. It’s your story. As the adage goes: “Write like nobody is watching - because nobody is.”

If you don’t know what a place should be called, or what a character might say in a scene, put a [placeholder] in it and try to move on. It’ll be much easier to figure out when you’ve got the other 70% done. Give yourself time to think things over, explore other venues, and come back when you’re more confident on what is to be done. Let your brain refresh.

Finishing your messy first draft also comes with the boon of knowing exactly where things end. It's a load off your mind! It’s much easier to tighten parts of your text (and make scenes steer more effectively towards one particular, desirable direction) when you’ve already got the main beats done, and know what’s going to happen next. (Letting your text sit for a few days after you’ve finished it and coming back to it later is also very, very helpful to the editing process. Sometimes you disagree with past-you, and it improves the text on the whole to go back and tweak it.)

And as parting reminders: No need to rush it! 

Dirkjake week will be set February 2022, days 11-17. The minimum word count for DJBB entries is 2.000 words. (That’s three months, roughly 90~ days, and 22 words per day, if you want to get really technical about it )

Take your time, have fun, and happy writing!

🐎 Check out all our info in the main post

🐎 Apply as a writer now! 

(Writers begin to be added on the discord Nov 15, apps close Nov 25.)

[nikunjjain132-blog]

Nikunj Jain Introduced Top 10 New Action Movies List of 2020

Activity motion pictures are flexible, and Nikunj Jain has presented the best 10 new activity motion pictures released for the current year. In this centre of this worldwide emergency, it will consistently be a superior decision to watch activity motion pictures. It will help the film sweethearts to take a break.

 Activity film fans are as yet longing to see their dearest commando groups battling trouble makers. The new activity motion pictures haven't changed that much. In this way, how about we see the best 5 activity films of this current year.

 https://www.americadailypost.com/nikunj-jain-introduced-top-10-new-action-movies-list-of-2020/

Top 10 New Action Movies Listed by Nikunj Jain 

 1. Mulan

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the first position.

 Date of release: 24th July

 Featuring: Liu Yifei, Jason Scott Lee, Donnie Yen, Gong Li, Yoson A, Jet Li.

 As per Nikunj Jain, the film Mulan is one of the most successful in the field of activity motion pictures. The rundown of no-frills enlivened works of art by Disney won't end too early. The film was really booked to show up in the venues on 27th March.

In this form, you may not see a talking mythical beast or different move or melodies. In any case, you will be getting a charge out of the appearance of Mulan in considerably more boss structure than before in 1998.

 2. Miracle Woman 1984

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the second position.

 Date of release: 14th August

 Featuring: Gal Gadot, Kristen Wiig, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen.

 Nikunj Jain puts this movie on 2nd position. After getting a massive accomplishment in the Wonder Woman film released in 2017, Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot have jumped back. It will be in the market later this late spring. You will see Wonder Woman will be on the straight on with the contemptible Cheetah of Kristen Wiig. At the end of the main film, the job of Chris Pine reached a conclusion. Presently, he will make an appearance.

 3- The Eternals

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the third position.

 Date of release: 6th November

 Featuring: Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek, Kit Harington, Brian Tyree Henry.

 In Nikunj Jain’s hit list this movie comes 3rd. On the off chance that you imagine that Marvel can no longer discover any stars, at that point you are incorrect. Stars like Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek are contiguous the Avengers now. They will be the individuals from the main outsider kind. They will be filling in as a group to shield the planet from Deviants. These Deviants are the sworn foe of the Eternals. You can utilize the rundown of Nikunj Jain to know all the new activity films and appreciate these astounding motion pictures.

 4 - Black Widow

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the fourth position.

 Date of release: 6th November

 Featuring: Florence Pugh, Scarlett Johansson, David Harbor, O-T Fagbenle, Ray Winstone, William Hurt, Rachel Weisz.

 Nikunj Jain has placed the most awaited Marvel movie (for fans of the Black widow) in the 4th position.

Natasha Romanoff was the Black Widow of Scarlett Johansson. Black Widow previously entered in Iron Man 2, which is from the Marvel Universe. Presently, the fans are holding their breath for another enchanting film. Their fantasies are going to materialize on the sixth of November, 2020. Presently Black Widow will be on an uncommon crucial settle a couple of incomplete assignments covered somewhere down in her initial life.

 5 No Time to Die

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the fifth position.

 Date of release: 25th November

 Featuring: Rami Malek, Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Jeffrey Wright, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Christoph Waltz.

Nikunj Jain says by the end of the year all the action lovers will love to watch this movie.

On the off chance that you are searching for new activity motion pictures, at that point, Nikunj Jain has accompanied this another perfect work of art of 2020. It is said that James Bond has a sexism issue. Yet, the 25th portion in that British government operative arrangement is by all account’s miles in front of the forerunners. It is on the grounds that Phoebe Waller-Bridge was the co-author, who additionally made the Killing Eve. The fans can hardly wait for a really long time to see their 007 go overflowing Fleabag. The inquiry is – who is going to play the Hot Priest?

   6 - Birds of Prey

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the sixth position.

 Date of release: 7th February

 Featuring: Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollet-Bell, Ella Jay Basco, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

 Nikunj Jain has placed this masterpiece on the 6th position stating that Birds of Prey can be very intriguing. We know Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad. Thus, we are very much aware of her badassery. In this film, the super-antagonist of Margot Robbie will shake from her ongoing separation, yet she will be constrained rapidly to wake up from the reality since she will have gone head to head against an unhinged foe, who will be sponsored by the female crew.

This choice of new activity films made by Nikunj Jain will without a doubt settle on you value his decision. Be that as it may, Birds of Prey isn't accessible on Netflix and Amazon Prime yet no compelling reason to stress, this film is accessible on a free web-based gushing stage – Putlockers and right now one of the most drifting motion pictures.

 7 - The Gentlemen

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the seventh position.

 Date of release: 24th January

 Featuring: Matthew McConaughey, Henry Golding, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell.

 Nikunj Jain indicates that the job of Matthew was discovered enchanting enough. Matthew McConaughey will assume his job as a Maryjane boss at the center of various burglary, death, and typical normal restitution plans of adjusting levels of progress. This piece can be entertaining. This one is coordinated by Guy Ritchie.

 8- Top Gun: Maverick

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the eight position.

 Date of release: 24th June

 Featuring: Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm, Val Kilmer, Ed Harris.

 In Nikunj Jain’s list, this movie has been placed in the 8th position. Most likely, there is not at all like "excessively long" to hold up between the correct portions. It has been roughly a long time since the first form of Top Gun. Tom Cruise will rehash his brilliant job as the Navy pilot Maverick. In light of the official plot synopsis, Tom Cruise will confront phantoms and fantasies from his initial life while directing his group of tenderfoot pilots on a risky crucial. Due to its exciting rundown, Nikunj Jain has set it on his rundown.

 9-Free Guy

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the ninth position.

 Date of release: 3rd July

 Featuring: Ryan Reynolds, Joe Keery, Jodie Comer, Utkarsh Ambudhkar, Lil Rel Howery, Taika Waititi

 Nikunj Jain placed this movie on 9th place, he this movie shows up to increase an attractive appearance to an indistinguishable plot: Ryan Reynolds will play a computer game character and become aware. From that point forward, he will endeavor to be a game saint before the entire game goes in disconnected mode.

 10- Genius

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the tenth position.

 Date of release: TBD

 Featuring: Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Cannavale, Brian Tyree Henry, James Corden, Jean Smart

 This movie manages to find a pace in Nikunj Jain’s list. McCarthy will play Carol Peters, who is chosen by the state government to be analyzed by hyper-genius man-made reasoning. In the rundown of the new activity motion pictures, and as indicated by Nikunj Jain, the job of Carlos Peters was justified, despite all the trouble to have a watch. With the voice of James Corden, the A.I. will be watching McCarthy

 Nikunj Jain says this list is on the basis of their research and Nikunj Jain is liable for all this.

[project-nightshade]

11/11/11 - Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @ofinkblotsandscript !! :)

Rules: answer 11 questions, ask 11 questions of 11 people

——

1. What is your favourite genre to write?

Fantasy probably, especially high fantasy! It’s just so fun to build a fantasy world from scratch!

2. Who is your favourite OC and why?

I change favourites all the time but currently it’s Corinth because I’m so satisfied with his (planned) character arc!

3. Who is your least favourite OC and why?

I don’t really have a least favourite OC, but I do have several neglected ones haha

4. Do you ever find yourself self-inserting in your writing?

No, not really. But I do have something to say about self-inserts that is not actually related to the question.

This is going to sound controversial but I think the writing community is overly-critical of self-insert characters.

The main issue many may have with self-insert characters, is not so much the fact that it’s a self-insert, but that the writer can be too biased towards their self-insert character to a point where the writing becomes illogical. But if self-insert characters are given the same treatment and same amount of complexities as any other character, they can actually work really well!

For example, in Dazai Osamu’s iconic literary work ‘No Longer Human’, Dazai wrote himself into the protangonist of the story, and the character worked so well that I find myself crying at climatic parts of the story!

There are many other of such classic literary work, where the story is essentially a fictional autobiography of the authors themselves, like W. Somerset Maugham’s ‘Of Human Bondage’. And sometimes the author may write themselves into side characters of their story, like when Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote himself as the father in ‘The Brothers Karamazov’.

Heck, ‘Diary of a Young Girl’ was literally Anne Frank’s personal diary, and it resonated with so many readers worwide!

My point is made, it’s time to debunk the myth that self-insert characters are inherently bad, when they can in fact be written well when given the same amount of complexity as any other character.

5. Are you hoping to publish your work? If so will you submit your work or self-publish?

I actually don’t know. For Project Nightshade, I have the world, the character and the plot planned out, but I haven’t given much thought to publishing yet. Right now I’m inclining towards making it a visual novel, so I’m thinking maybe tapas? Idk I really don’t know yet, I might write instead if my art skills are not good enough :”

6. What is your favourite book and why?

Oh no it’s so hard to pick a favourite because I have so many! But if I have to, it’s got to be one is Jimmy Liao’s (幾米） book ‘Wo De Shi Jie Dou Shi Ni’ （我的世界都是你), which roughly translates to ‘My World is You’.

Jimmy writes short illustrated books, but he has such a unique storytelling style that it had struck a chord with me since I was very young (maybe 7 or so). His sentence structure and choice of words are very simple, such that even a child can understand it, yet the simplicity and authenticity of his words made them beautifully poetic. His accompanying illustrations are whimsical and beautifully composed, and lends his book such an iconic look, that it becomes immediately recognisable to his readers! I have so much admiration for him as both an author and an artist!

I adore all of his works, but his book ‘My World is You’ takes the cake for me. The book is about a little girl dealing with the loss of her mother (as represented by her puppy ragdoll), where each night she visits a different entity in a room and learns a different lesson about loss. The story is told from the little girl’s perspective and dealt with such a heavy topic in such a profound and astoundingly poetic way, that I find myself clinging tightly to every single word. The story is such a simple story, yet is so emotional that I still find myself crying my eyes out every time even though I’ve probably read it over twenty times already. The book is cleverly written, because while it appeals to children through its beautiful illustrations, it also grapples with mature themes like loss in a sophisticated manner, such that it can help children learn about loss in a healthy way. At the same time, his book also appeals to adults, who can relate with the little girl’s struggle with loss, and is also more capable of interpreting complex meanings hidden in the narrative.

Jimmy Liao is seriously underrated and I hope that someday his works can be translated so that they can reach a wider international audience. I had fallen in love with his writing (and drawing) at age 7 and even now I still absolutely adore his work, and if anything I learnt to appreciate them more! In other words, his writing is really one that ages well along with his readers, and his books will always have a special place in my heart.

7. Do you set yourself goals in your writing? If so what is your current goal?

Not really, I just work on my wip whenever I have free time. Right now I’m just focusing on polishing the worldbuilding as well as the outline :”

8. Do you like to handwrite your drafts or type them up?

Definitely type. It’s just so much easier to edit :”

9. What do you think is the hardest thing about being a writer?

Personally it’s writing in general, like finding the right turn of phrases, or appropriate metaphors. I only picked up English when I was like 10, and I wasn’t fluent in it until like 12 or something. Even now I’m still quite insecure about my English (especially pronounciation but I guess that falls outside of writing), but I am slowly gaining more confidence in my linguistic skills, and I hope one day I can reach a level that I can be proud of!

10. Do you plan out your projects or just start writing?

Plan, plan, and plan! I personally can’t dive into something without excessive planning, but I really respect those who can! I tried writing something spontaneously before but it was a trainwreck so I told myself never again haha :”

11. Do you like to stick to one project or have multiple ones at once?

One project. I can’t imagine juggling multiple projects at once, I’d be too overwhelmed! Heck, this entire blog is dedicated to just one wip! Mad respect to all of you out there with two or more wips. Wow!

——

Here are my 11 questions:

1. Tell us about yourself!

2. Tell us about your current wip(s)!

3. Tell us about the protangonist in your wip(s)! (Who are they? What are they like? What are their goals/motivations?)

4. What got you into writing? What was the first time you ever wrote?

5. What are some of your inspirations? (It can be a book, movie, tv show, anything!)

6. Is there a particular author you look up to? Who is it and why?

7. Have you ever experienced a writing block? How did you deal with it?

8. Do you outline your wip(s) or just go with the flow?

9. Is there a particular character archetype or trope that you are fond of writing? What is it and why?

10. Tell us how you name your OCs!

11. Tell us a random fact about either your OCs or your wip(s)!

——

Tagging: @hyba @sheabutterskyes @ofimber @amiable-cherry @royalbounties @nerdvanauniverse @the-real-rg @winonapeaks @coffeeandpurplepens @awritinglen @thelostandforgottenageha

Anyone else is welcome to answer the 11 questions too! Thanks for reading :)

[chibisquirt]

WIP meme

I was tagged by...  @lisa-in-the-sky​, @esaael​, @incognegro2017​, @tetrodotoxinb​, @743ish​ and possibly others  ...for two different WIP memes:  last sentence, and list everything you got.

The last sentence I’ve written is:

It never failed to surprise Steve the way his toes would still curl when Tony kissed him, the way his stomach clenched excitedly every time, no matter how hot the minutes that came before the kiss had been.  

...and that’s from the STH PWP I’m working on.  I’m open-tagging:  if you want to be tagged, then you have been!

As for list everything I’ve got, let’s do it chronologically, by when it’s to be finished!

January:

STH PWP:  This was going to be a different fic (Winter Soldier Steve!), but I was halfway to my wordcount and the boys had just met, so we called that one off and now I’m doing a PWP instead.  This is fairly straightforward and I would like to have it done by the end of the month, although technically I guess I have until mid-March.  (It’s coming along nicely, though, so this month is doable.)

Shrunkyclunks art 1:  To accompany the fic by @thelittleblackfox​!  Features an Apron.  Technically not due this month, but I feel like a slacker for not having it done already, so I’ma try to finish this month.

Remix fic:  I admit, I haven’t even looked over the Cap-IM Remix prompts yet. I’ma get there, though, and I’d like to do at least one.  (Maybe two if they’re short.)  Due 2/11.

February:

Circus AU (commission for @asparrowsfall):  Sparrow is very cool, and I didn’t give an exact deadline, but the goal was to have it done by Valentines Day.  Stony.  I probably shouldn’t make Natasha a clown, but I really, really want to.

Cap-IM RBB art:  The FREAKING HARDEST of all the arts I want to do.  I may wind up not doing this one, because the thing I want to do is.  Um.  Challenging?  Due 2/14. 

Cap RBB art:  The easier of my two RBB arts!  Due 2/25.

Kink Bingo art 1:  Scott Lang x Steve Rogers.  Due by 2/28.

Kink Bingo art 2:  Wanda x Natasha.  Due by 2/28.

Final kink bingo square:  Sensation play.  I know what I want to do, and I think it can be done pretty quickly, too.  May finish this one in January.  Due by 2/28

March:  

Shrunkyclunks art 2:  Takes place in a bar.  Why did I want to do something with so much background?  Why???  Due 3/9.

Shrunkyclunks fic:  Currently 10k, roughly halfway done, giving me fits.  Due pi day.  My summary:  A soulmate AU where your soulmark is the first thing your soulmate thinks when they meet you.  Bucky is a normal, Level Six SHIELD agent who stumbles into a time machine— literally— while on a mission.  When he travels back sixty-four years and lands ass-up on the wartime desk of one Agent Carter, his soulmark— “Who’s that with Peggy?” — goes from fairly distinctive to maddeningly common.

Further out:

Any other commissions:  Commissions give me money, therefore they come before the bangs; sorry, but that’s just how it works.  Right now, the only commission on the books is the Circus AU, but if something else comes in, it goes on top of the stack.

Winter Soldier Steve:  Started as an STH fic, but I realized I wasn’t going to be able to make it work that way.  I will probably finish it as a gen piece, because it’s halfway there already and I really liked the ideas.  Unsure how long it’ll be or when it’ll get done, though...

Cap Bang:  15k minimum.  Sign-ups open for this event in March, and drafts are due in August, so I’m not quite sure where to put this chronologically?  I’m calling this fic “The Train Job” for now, and it’s an idea I came up with in response to something @maniibear​ said.  That’s all I’ma tell you until reveals.  :3

Stucky Big Bang:  20k minimum.  I’m assuming this is happening again this year, although the tumblr hasn’t updated yet. Sign-ups were in March-May last year, drafts due in August.  Soft and I had talked about doing a fic together, with me writing the 1940′s Steggy portions and her writing the modern-day Stucky portions.  As you are probably picking up by now, I’m crazy busy, and I think the Steggy portions are bonus; it’d be a fine fic without them, too.  So if I have to drop something, this is probably the one.

Sam Wilson Birthday Bang:  5k minimum for writing, works due in September.  I really hope this happens again this year, it was a ton of fun!  Not sure what I would write for it, so I may wind up just arting like I did last year, if it does go again, which it might not.

Cap-Iron Man Big Bang:  I know exactly what I want to do for this one, and it’s all @asparrowsfall​ and @ishipallthings​‘s faults.  The interesting challenge will be adapting the source for Stony while keeping it to a reasonable length.  Works due in... the end of the year.  *waves hand*  Sometime.  20k, I think.  The one I want to do is not going to have a problem hitting 20k, though.  It kinda wants to be 120k, and my goal is to rein it in.

Original Fic:

Dragons & Lesbians:  YA fantasy, currently 30k.  On hold.  Will renew edits in August.  

Trashy McSupertrash:  also currently on hold, until I get my good laptop back.  A barrel of fun, though!  Porn.  

Regency romances:  ...Okay, I have an entire series of one-paragraph summaries in my head, but the only plot outline I’ve actually written up is, like... not great.  But I have recently been encouraged to dig it out, dust it off, and start in on it again, so... we’ll see.

[stalwartignoramus]

Return of the Obra Dinn (Review)

Gameplay (8/10) Memento Mortem

(+2) Unique gameplay mechanic. The process of invading the dying memories of a corpse to investigate the circumstances surrounding their demise was a very innovative and clever way to explore the Obra Dinn.

(+1) Great pacing. The game progresses in two ways; either you discover new corpses to investigate or you correctly guess the fates of 3 crewmembers. Investigating new corpses gives you more evidence to pinpoint the identity of each crewmember, and correctly guessing their identity and fate narrows down the selection, making it easier to deduce the remaining crewmembers’ identities.

(+1) Intricate character detail. The crew and their relationship with each other really shines through the gameplay since you’ll be using any sort of clue in their interactions to correctly determine their fate and identity.

(=) Trial and Error works wonders. There are certain points in the game where you can make educated guesses based on the information you currently have. For example, if you narrowed down the identity of a crewmember to 2 possibilities, you can force the game to progress by guessing between the 2 possibilities and pairing it with 2 fates that you’re absolutely sure of. It surely isn’t the intended way to play the game, but it works if you don’t quite have the patience (like me) to look for the more subtle clues hidden in the game.

(-1) Traversal and exploration in the midgame can get tedious. In the middle of the game when you already have all the pieces but don’t know where they fit yet, you’re gonna do a lot of walking around, flipping through pages, and jumping from one corpse to another. The game’s lack of a sprint mechanic, or an easier way to navigate the pages of the book, or a way to go back and forth between corpses in a certain chapter really drags out the game and makes it extremely tedious.

Story (6/10) Standard Lovecraftian horror

(+1) Tried and tested narrative. While it doesn’t tell anything new (classic ancient relic stumbles upon a ship, misfortune descends upon the crew, sea monsters emerge to take back said relics, everyone dies), it fits the mold really well because of the gameplay mechanic. The story is the gameplay. The gameplay is the story. You can build up the narrative by discovering the subtle details in each memory and witness the downfall, the daily life, and the different activities that take place in the Obra Dinn through the player’s eyes.

(+1) The non-chronological structure of the game keeps the player guessing about what really happened aboard the Obra Dinn until the very last minutes. It also helps you in deducing the identities of the crew by observing their behavior before, during, and after a certain crewmember’s demise.   

(-1) Anti-climactic final chapter. The Bargain chapter was completely set up to be a major plot twist, and the first part it shows (Part 5) certainly supports this when the game makes us think a certain character did something mischievous behind the scenes. Instead, it fell flat on its face and ended in a very predictable manner which most players probably already knew.

Visuals (10/10) Less is more

(+2) Masterful use of illustration, shading, and negative space. The entirety of the game looks like an illustration from an old book come to life, which is what the game is. A Blues Clues-esque adventure that allows you to jump into a “picture” of the surroundings of a dying person. Every detail, carefully illustrated. The shading, well contrasted to give life to the environment. Negative space in places where the game doesn’t want you to focus on to give more emphasis to the relevant details. It all comes together to create a simple yet intricate portrayal of the Obra Dinn and its members.

(+2) Intricate character design. Every crewmember has a defining characteristic that separates them from their fellow crewmember and it is usually reflected in their character design. One crewmember has tattoos all over his body, some crewmembers share a similar hairstyle that stems from their cultural background, while the officers wearing hats are obvious tells to give the players a headstart in determining their identities. The illustration makes sure that there will always be something that separates one crewmember from another so that each one is a unique individual that can be discerned even from a seemingly similar crewmember.

(+1) Well-orchestrated death scenes that create a dramatic spectacle of the crewmember’s moment of death. Aside from being pleasing to the eye, it also offers the players all the information they need; victim, suspect, method of death, murder weapon, motive, etc. From a Kraken wrapping around the entirety of the ship, to an accidental death by cannon fire, to a cabin scuffle, the game never runs out of spectacles that are worthy of being portrayed in a masterpiece renaissance painting.

Audio (8/10) The terrifying and magnificent sounds of life on the sea

(+1) Ambient noise to Seafarer’s tunes. The background sounds switch depending on where you currently are. If the player is in the present time, they’ll hear nothing but the waves, the rain pelting the deck of the ship, their own footsteps, and the creaking of the doors as they get opened. If the players are inside a memory, a track plays depending on the overall mood of the memory. It varies from solemn to intense. It’s a wonderful juxtaposition of the present time and the past to remind the player that life was once bustling on the Obra Dinn but it is now lifeless and silent.

(+1) Voice acting plays a vital role. In all honesty I’m not at liberty to say that the voice acting was great since I’m not a native speaker of any of the languages spoken in the game, but they were distinct and detailed enough that I can tell roughly from which area their language/accent hails from.

(+1) SFX also plays a vital role. If the frozen scenario doesn’t give enough information regarding the circumstances of a crewmember’s death, the sound effects that play at the moment of their death might be a better tell. Gunshots indicates being shot by someone, blunt sounds indicated clubbing, gruesome squelching and tearing sounds accompanied by screaming means someone is most likely being torn apart. The plethora of sound effects littered throughout the game are just as helpful as the visuals when it comes to determining the fate and identities of the crewmembers.

Final Score (8) Excellent A game that defines the decade in gaming

This decade has seen the rise of indie gaming. More and more indie developers are coming up with excellent and fresh titles that can stand against the AAA games. They make up for the lack of sheer size, scale, and detail that a AAA provides by utilizing simplistic visuals and innovative gameplay mechanics. Return of the Obra Dinn will be remembered this decade alongside indie gems like Celeste, Shovel Knight, and Super Meat Boy as the games that defined indie gaming’s march to greatness. Simple yet intricate, short but sweet, hard and rewarding. Return of the Obra Dinn, a cult classic in the making.

(1-2) Terrible (3-4) Bad (5) Average (6-7) Good (8-9) Excellent (10) Masterpiece

[ber39james]

20 Professional Writers to Follow on Instagram

Maybe you’re in it for writing advice. Or maybe you want to know what your favorite writers do in their actual lives. Maybe you just need a distraction and want to look at cats, food, or cartoons, but also want feel a little intellectual while you’re at it.

Don’t fret. Everyone looks at social media for “inspiration,” whether they realize it or not.

Whatever your motivation may be, we’ve gathered twenty of the best Instagram accounts operated by professional writers (or about or related to professional writing). Whether you’re out to follow interesting feeds or build a bigger audience for your own Instagram, these social media moguls will give you a glimpse into the writing lifestyle and inspire you through their own creativity.

On Writing, Writers, and Creativity

Last Night’s Reading (@lastnightsreading)

It’s a simple formula: Kate Gavino scours New York for book readings by visiting (or local) authors. Then, she cartoons the author, picks one of her or his quotes, and posts it on what the cool kids call “Insta.” The result is a colorful and interesting feed that will help you get to know authors and provide regular doses of inspiration. And if that’s not enough for you, there’s Gavino’s matching book, Last Night’s Readings: Illustrated Encounters with Extraordinary Authors.

Zadie Smith at the New Yorker Festival, 10/7/16 #tnyfest

A post shared by Kate Gavino (@lastnightsreading) on Oct 10, 2016 at 6:00am PDT

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The Write Practice (@thewritepractice)

A website dedicated to the craft of writing—whether blogging, marketing, fiction-writing, or posting on Instagram—the Write Practice’s account includes inspiring quotes, sales on writing aides, and links to their blog with deeper writing advice.

We were born with stories to tell.

A post shared by The Write Practice (@thewritepractice) on Dec 11, 2016 at 7:47am PST

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K.M. Weiland (@authorkmweiland)

K.M. Weiland is an author (duh), and she posts advice for other authors. In addition to writing historical and speculative fiction, she is also the author of Outlining Your Novel and Structuring Your Novel. Weiland’s instagram feed is uniquely crafted for writers of creative fiction. Next time you have writer’s block, give it a visit, and don’t forget to check out her blog Helping Writers Become Authors.

Learn how these four most important characters provide the foundation for, not just your plot, but the presentation of a multi-faceted theme. http://bit.ly/4-important-characters #amwriting #writetip

A post shared by K.M. Weiland (@authorkmweiland) on May 19, 2017 at 7:49am PDT

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Fiction and Creative Writers

Paulo Coelho (@paulocoelho)

Paulo Coelho is best known for his novel The Alchemist (which, a recent post reminded us, is the third best-selling novel of all time, after only Don Quixote and A Tale of Two Cities). His feed is a blend of inspiring quotes, Coelho in nature, and interesting art and scenery the writer wants to share with his 1.4 million followers.

Genial @carloslatuff

A post shared by Writer (@paulocoelho) on May 13, 2017 at 1:16am PDT

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Jon Krakauer (@krakauernotwriting)

An author of books about the great outdoors like Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer is also (not surprisingly) a mountaineer. The nature photography you’ll find on his Instagram might make it look like his feed is, as he claims, all about not writing. But the fact that his incredible nature shots are paired with an anecdote or introduction to the photo that showcases Krakauer’s writing skills makes you wonder whether he really means it when he writes that “not writing is way more fun.”

40 years ago today, on May 3, 1977, I was dropped off on a remote Alaska beach. 3 days later, after skiing 30 miles up the Baird Glacier, alone, I pitched my small tent right here, on the Stikine Icecap, and took this photo of the mountain I’d come to climb–the Devils Thumb.

A post shared by Jon Krakauer (@krakauernotwriting) on May 3, 2017 at 8:23pm PDT

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Chimamanda Adichie (chimamanda_adichie)

Adichie is a Nigerian author who has made it onto several lists of authors under forty and has won awards for her books Half a Yellow Sun, The Thing Around Your Neck, and Americanah. Her writing bridges Nigeria and the United States and, in addition to telling powerful stories, touches on issues of race, identity, and feminism. Her Instagram takes another tack with the project “Wear Nigerian,” in which Adichie appears in fun, bright clothes by Nigerian brands and designers. Her Instagram should be a hit for fashion followers and author enthusiasts alike.

Top: Nkwo, Lagos Skirt: Things Nigerians Love, Lagos (School of Advanced International Studies, JHU, Washington DC) @tnldesigns @nkwo_official @zinkata1 #MadeinNigeria

A post shared by Chimamanda Adichie (@chimamanda_adichie) on May 4, 2017 at 8:04am PDT

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Chris Taylor (@futurechris)

“Future Chris” is the deputy editor at Mashable and he wrote How Star Wars Conquered the Universe. His Instagram is chock-full of quirky pictures, quotes about writing, extreme nerdery, and (inevitably) his cats.

#berkeley #quirky #lost #unicorn

A post shared by Chris Taylor (@futurechris) on May 12, 2017 at 11:31am PDT

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Michael Chabon (@michael.chabon)

Pulitzer Prize–winning author of novels including The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, and The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, Chabon takes goofy selfies and shots of funny or interesting things he comes across, from favorite comic book illustrations to a Medusa head in a museum to his toddler in a Darth Vader mask. It’s a fun insight into the mind of a prolific creative writer.

Listening to Trout Mask Replica in the Mylar emoji balloon aisle at Safeway and for an instant the day makes sense. #antmanbee #captainbeefheart

A post shared by Michael Chabon (@michael.chabon) on May 15, 2017 at 6:36pm PDT

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Travel Writing

Adventure Cats @(adventurecatsorg)

A feed to match the book of the same name, Adventure Cats features—you guessed it—pictures of cats on adventures. With the tagline “Living 9 lives to the fullest,” the feed has a great dose of humor and plenty of puns to accompany photos that deserve your follow whether your thing is cats or travel.

DIS WAI 2 TEH FISHEZ, HOOMAN. AdventureCats.org #AdventureCats @boltandkeel

A post shared by Adventure Cats (@adventurecatsorg) on Apr 22, 2017 at 7:31am PDT

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Budget Traveller (@budgettraveller)

Kash Bhattacharya has been recognized both for his travel writing and his great ’gram. His fabulous photos complement his blog, which includes stories about his destinations and tips for traveling on a budget.

Another fun afternoon exploring Bucharest with @monicasuma Carturesti Carusel (“Carousel of Light”) is a stunning bookstore situated in the heart of the city. Bookstore is located inside a beautifully restored 19th century building – definitely a must see when visiting Bucharest. || #ExperienceBucharest

A post shared by Kash Bhattacharya (@budgettraveller) on May 10, 2017 at 8:39am PDT

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Girl Eat World (@girleatworld)

Is it travel or is it food? Girl Eat World gives you a dose of both, with tasty morsels posing in front of hot and cool destinations the world over. Whether you’re in it for the skewer or the skyline, you’re bound to get a taste of inspiration with this follow.

Good day, Shanghai Bingtang hu lu while strolling around The Bund. Bing tang hu lu is a candied fruit snack on skewers that is very popular in China. I love it – the taste is a wonderful mix of sweet and a tinge of sour, and the texture is a contrast of crunchy on the outside from the hard candy coating and soft in the inside from the fruit itself. I can never finish the entire skewer by myself though! It's a bit cloudy in the picture but since then the weather in Shanghai has just been absolutely perfect! It's a bit cold for me because I get cold very easily, but I can't really complain with 15C, clear blue skies and sunshine. I hope you are enjoying the last day of 2016 i sure will be! Happy New Year everybody! #ShotOniPhone #GirlEatWorld #GirlEatShanghai

A post shared by ❤️ Mel's Food & Travel log (@girleatworld) on Dec 31, 2016 at 12:21am PST

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Journalism and Photojournalism

Nicholas Kristof (@nickkristof)

A journalist and long-time op-ed columnist for The New York Times on issues of human rights and social justice, Kristof has a particularly powerful feed, including pictures of his travels around the world to explore social issues and connect with people of all stripes. Along with photos of people and stories from around the world, there are some great nature shots, book-signings, and dogs in meadows thrown in for good measure.

Congrats to these graduates today of the Kibera School for Girls kindergarten, in Kenya's largest slum.

A post shared by Nicholas Kristof (@nickkristof) on Dec 16, 2013 at 7:55am PST

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Lynsey Addario (@lynseyaddario)

Addario’s photographs capture human rights issues, poverty, and the aftermath of violence, with occasional food and family photos. Addario’s memoir, It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War details her life as a photojournalist and the trials of being a female photographer documenting wartime Afghanistan and other conflict zones. Her Instagram is a taste of that, and more.

Syrian refugees walk in front of graffiti at a refugee camp in Thessaloniki, Greece. According to a recent report by Amnesty international, roughly 60,000 refugees remain stranded in Greece, and it would take 18 years to resettle everyone at the current rate of relocation. On assignment for @Time in #Greece

A post shared by Lynsey Addario (@lynseyaddario) on Sep 24, 2016 at 12:53am PDT

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Randy Olson (@randyolson)

Randy Olson and his wife Melissa Farlow have traveled the world to photograph people and places of all kinds for over twenty years. You may have seen their stories in National Geographic, but you can browse their striking photos on their shared website, too. And of course, Randy’s Instagram runs the gamut, from shots of forked lightning to strangely picturesque piles of corn to diverse social events and celebrations from all over the globe.

Photo: @randyolson | Starting an #Ecuador project with @pablocorralvega @melissafarlow and others. We are also inaugurating a new feed for the city of Quito: @artesdequito. From todayinecuador.com: More than a quarter of a million people will descend on the Plaza of San Francisco, some to observe, others to participate. At 12pm noon, the hour in which Pontius Pilot condemned Jesus to death, the procession begins from the San Francisco Church, and returns 3 hours later, the hour in which Jesus was crucified. During the procession the image of Jesus is preceded by 800 persons dressed and veiled in purple garments. The men are known as Cucuruchos (meaning, “cone” for their pointed headdress) and the women are called Veronicas, after the woman who is thought to have offered her veil for Christ to wipe his face. The cones are a sign of humility; the purple, the color of penitence. Those who wear them do so as an act of faith, between them and God, but for all to witness during the procession. Updates from this trip will be on @artesdequito @randyolson @melissafarlow @thephotosociety #quito #Easter #GoodFriday #religion #culture #travel @theimagereview @natgeo

A post shared by Randy Olson (@randyolson) on Apr 9, 2015 at 6:48am PDT

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Food, Food, Food

The Boy Who Bakes (@theboywhobakes)

If you haven’t yet been hooked by the reality cooking show The Great British Bake Off, start out by getting hooked on (spoiler alert) its season one winner Edd Kimber’s Instagram. Kimber is a writer, stylist, and host of the podcast Stir the Pot, and in his spare time, shares photos of crafty confections like these salted chocolate and pistachio babka buns.

Fancy something different this Easter? How about making my salted chocolate and pistachio babka buns from this months @olivemagazine by @antduncan_photo – RECIPE LINK IN PROFILE ⬆️ http://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/baking-and-desserts/chocolate-and-salted-pistachio-babka-buns/

A post shared by Edd Kimber (@theboywhobakes) on Apr 11, 2017 at 11:28am PDT

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The Whole Food Diary (@thewholefooddiary)

Delightful and decadent though salted chocolate and pistachio babka buns may be, if you’re more of the health-food persuasion, check out the power couple Kezia and Jared. They blog about their healthy food habits and have a feed of foods that look healthy yet delicious to match. Yes, that can still mean donuts. (Or is it doughnuts? Grammarly knows the spelling secrets).

Sending out lots of doughnut orders to people today! If you're newer to following us, we run a small bakery out of our kitchen supplying locals with paleo treats! I love getting to put a cleaner option into people's hands and provide fun options for people who can't eat gluten/grains/dairy! If you're in Redding and want to order or you're passing through just shoot me an email kezianeusch@gmail.com. . . The recipe is also in #thewholedoughnut ebook on Amazon and on our blog via the link in our bio!

A post shared by Kezia and Jared (@thewholefooddiary) on Apr 21, 2017 at 1:13pm PDT

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Felicity Spector (@felicityspector)

A writer for Channel 4 News and Great Taste Award judge, U.K.-based Spector is well qualified to wow with her food pics. Next time you’re in London, use her feed to find food for yourself at London’s top spots. Or if you’re not planning a trip to Jolly Ol’ Londontown, admire the creative foodstuffs Spector so spectacularly photographs.

Rainbow croissant by the genius that is @sbpatisserie at @hotelcaferoyal with a spoonful of cherry jam. It has turned into one of those hectic days in the newsroom with Trump tweeting all sorts and a cyber hack on the NHS. So I'm seeking a moment of solace in layers of flaky rainbow pastry joy. 🥐🥐🥐

A post shared by Felicity Spector (@felicityspector) on May 12, 2017 at 9:46am PDT

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Graphic Novelists and Illustrators

Fiona Staples (@fionastaples)

Staples is best known for her work on Saga and Rat Queens, both award-winning comics series, though she has also drawn for Archie. She posts finished illustrations (speech bubbles and all) from comics she’s worked on, as well as sketches she’s done just for fun. It’s a great feed to follow if you want to see great illustrations and the process of creating it.

Sketchbook doodles from yesterday

A post shared by Fiona Staples (@fionastaples) on Aug 4, 2014 at 12:16pm PDT

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Phil Noto (@philnoto)

He was an animator for Disney. Then he started drawing for Marvel, DC, Image, and Dark Horse. If the credentials aren’t enough, let his art speak for itself. He posts images from comic books he’s working on (including The Avengers, The Infinite Horizon, and various Star Wars comics), sketches in progress, and other art that will wow you.

Working on my last Jyn

A post shared by Phil Noto (@philnoto) on May 18, 2017 at 1:36pm PDT

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Becky Cloonan (@beckycloonan)

If you’ve heard of Batman or Conan the Barbarian, you’ve probably seen work by Becky Cloonan. On her Instagram, you’ll see work from her big, mainstream titles as well as smaller publishers and marketing posters, plus the occasional casual pic of a concert, vacation, or burger. Expect plenty of skeletons, fairies, and supernatural scenes.

So stoked to finally be able to show the poster I did for LOGAN! Can't wait to watch this movie. I love drawing brooding men so this was a lot of fun!

A post shared by Becky Cloonan (@beckycloonan) on Feb 17, 2017 at 12:59pm PST

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With that diverse crowd of Instagrammers, you should have plenty of art, food, international hot spots, and inspirational quotes to get you thumbing through your day. And if that’s not enough for you, there’s always Grammarly’s quirky mix of wordplay, writing tips, and the best animals ever.

My Monday mood:

A post shared by Grammarly (@grammarly) on Mar 20, 2017 at 9:08am PDT

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The post 20 Professional Writers to Follow on Instagram appeared first on Grammarly Blog.

from Grammarly Blog https://www.grammarly.com/blog/professional-writers-instagram-accounts/