#celebrating the passion projects of writers who do this for free

[emberfaye]

You know what?

I love you, fics that take months to update. I click on the newest chapter and have no memory of this place and get to go back some chapters and rediscover how much i love everything about this story.

I love you, fics that take years to update. I think of you fondly, and know your names, go search for you and see an update from this year and scream, diving in uncaring of any missed details (i will finish the update and read you in reverse because this is a treat you have bestowed)

I love you, fics that probably will never update again. Thank you for being a roman empire for my mind, thank you for teaching me about the ephemeral fandom experience, for inspiring a thousand million what if-s, for being a comfort read and a nostalgia read and a reread.

I love you fic writers, who jump into projects and stories with enthusiasm. I love you when you succeed in pumping out those chapters and that love doesn't go away when you stop.

I love you fic writers who post and then get in your own head and never feel confident enough to update, whether it's at all or whether it's just that one story.

I love you fic writers, who have a fandom or media hurt you to the point of abandoning or having a hard time with their WIPs.

I love you fic writers, who lose interest or have life changes or illness or bad memory. Thank you for being part of the fandom, a core part of the fandom. Thank you for the time spent in the fandom.

I love you, fic writers who try out something new and then stop. You're so valid.

I love you, WIP fics that may or may not ever get finished. Thank you for brightening my day in the way only you could have.

[genericpuff]

Public service reminder: I love y'all for your support in what I do here, but (a very gentle but) I want to make it clear that this isn't the way-

Names are censored for obv privacy reasons and I don't want to put any of my own readers on blast because I trust comments like these are made with good intention. I appreciate y'all for loving what I do here and putting it out there for others to read along, but I don't do it for this. As much as Rekindled is indeed a parody redraw of LO that's trying to "fix" a lot of the original comic's issues, at the end of the day it's still just a Tumblr project that I'm doing here for fun and I don't want to see it used as ammunition in the comments sections dedicated specifically to LO (for clarification, this was in the @webtoonofficial announcement post for LO winning its third Eisner).

Whether or not it's "better" than LO is subjective and irrelevant. I obviously can't pretend like I didn't have my own motivations to "fix" what I felt was broken, but the act of "fixing" was for those of us who saw it as broken, not for those who love LO as is.

I also can't reasonably ask anyone to keep their opinions about Rekindled to themselves, it's a piece of work that is publicly available and therefore that will put it under the lens of public opinion, but from me to you, this ain't the way. I host it on Tumblr and DH precisely to keep it out of the main view of the fans/stans, because this work isn't for them, it's for all of you who share my disappointment in the original series. I want to be able to run this space free of any extreme fandom discourse - this is also why you won't see me using general LO tags on Tumblr/IG - but the only way that can happen is if we all play nice and don't let the heat of the discourse get to us. Rest assured, I will always stand by my work and what I do here because I love it and have found my lost joy in what LO used to mean to me through it as well as a community of amazing writers and creators... but prevention is better than the cure and I don't want any of that heat getting thrown back my way through weaponizing of my work with or without my knowing in the first place.

Am I pissed about the comic's third win? Absolutely. And as much as I feel it isn't worth anyone's time or energy to get into bickering matches with the stans in these comment sections, those opinions regarding the comic pre-exist my participation in this fandom and would have, one way or another, hit that boiling point regardless (and it's been wild to watch that comment section go down, I can't lie lmao) But this is not the way. Rekindled is - to me, and hopefully to you, too - a reclaiming of the love and passion people like myself used to have for LO, and a celebration of Greek myth and transformative fiction as a genre, above everything else it stands for or could be interpreted as. It's not a weapon meant to be used in discourse. Let's please do our best to be mindful of that so we can keep having fun in this special little space we've carved for ourselves and not make ourselves into the monsters we're often made out to be just for critically discussing and transforming a piece of media that, in spite of all its flaws, brought us together in the way that it did. Let's keep being the best for each other instead of turning ourselves into the worst over others within this massive fandom who we were never going to agree with in the first place.

Thank you all, much love 💖 Do no harm, take no shit ✊️

[ohbother2]

Hi everyone,

I know it's been ages and some of you have probably seen this notification and have hoped that this means the fics on this page will be updating, however, I've got some bad news.

This blog was a joint account between two friends who loved creating silly stories of some of our favourite characters in our free time and gushing over character details with one another. Beyond tragically, my friend, the co-runner of this account, passed away a few months ago. Obviously, I'm keeping the details private, but it was sudden and unexpected.

I know this is a shock to all of you, and not what you were expecting to hear after such a long hiatus. Understandably, I've not been active on tumblr, particularly this account, since. It's felt incredibly wrong to login to this blog and even attempt to re-read some of the stuff posted or your comments/tags, especially without her to talk to about all your lovely messages. She really did love reading them, and we'd call for hours to laugh and talk about your kind messages.

Although I acted as what you'd call the 'face' of this account, actually posting, reblogging, commenting and following others, she was integral to the heart of this account, to the ideas and writing and editing that made this account what it is, and I don't want to continue posting heacannons/one-shots/any kind of creative writing on this blog without her. This was our passion-project, and a massive chunk of it is now missing.

I just wanted to let you guys know what the situation with this blog is and why, and I wanted to give a massive thank you from both of us for being the most supportive, kind-hearted, and tight-knit community we'd ever had or seen on Tumblr before. The fact we even had fan-art made of our writing goes to show how dedicated and incredibly talented this fandom is, how supportive and just genuinely excited everyone is to hype each other up and lift each other and appreciate all our passions. It's genuinely insane, and so rare in modern internet spaces.

Regarding the future of this account, because I don't want to leave unfinished fics floating around the website, and for personal reasons, I will be transferring all fics/one-shots over to AO3, marking them as incomplete, and 'orphaning' them. I've really debated this decision, and I believe it's the one she'd be most happy with. I'm just giving you guys fair warning, I'll wait a few weeks before I actually do anything. I don't know if I'll delete this blog, I'm rather attached, but I won't be active for a while.

Probably most importantly, if anyone wants to take our ideas or our unfinished fics/one-shots and complete them/edit the story/adapt our head-cannons/incorporate them into your own fics, please do. I think it'd be nice to inspire and help other fic writers, and see the ideas carried on in whatever way you guys choose. Everything on this account is effectively 'orphaned' already, so feel free to do whatever you want with it :).

This is getting long, but I also wanted to say thank you to everyone who sent in requests, funny comments, little anecdotes, and witty one-liners into our messages/asks, both that we did and didn't respond to, especially lately. We planned to do a great return to this blog after our exams responding to them all/clogging up your feeds. Someone even called us their 'favourite niche internet micro celebrity', and we both found it hilarious.

There's no gofundme or anything like that set up. Sometimes, things just don't go as we plan and there's nothing we can do. If I've learnt anything from this godawful situation, it's that you should do whatever you want as soon as possible. Don't wait to join that club. don't wait to take that trip, don't wait to watch that show, don't wait to visit friends or family, don't wait to begin doing a hobby that you think you'll love. Anything can happen, and the only time we know that we have for certain is now. (Master Uguay was right in Kung Fu Panda after all).

I won't be active for a while, but I'll check in to see how this post is doing now and again, and I'll probably post again just before I begin taking things down.

Thank you guys, and I hope you don't dwell on this post too long.

[steviebbboi]

STEVIEBBBOI MAIN MASTERLIST

Last Updated: 12/19/24

Hi, lads~ welcome! I typically write for Chris Evans characters, Henry Cavill characters, and Charlie Hunnam characters :) but I also write for a few other misc. characters! I also create dividers for writers to use.

❌ Requests are closed for any writing asks!

🩵 Requests are open for any divider asks!

Please Read before interacting with my fics:

I do block untitled blogs/empty blogs/blogs that have no content in them/empty feeds/no recent feeds (i.e. last post in 2018, no posts etc.) especially if you’re a serial liker.

I'm an advocate for supporting other writers and celebrating writers for the content that they publish! If you do not agree with this and this reflects in your reading, kindly keep scrolling away from my work.

If you're worried I would block you, reblog at least 2 works, or comment on a fic, just so that I know that you're not a bot (and yes, I really do check).

Don't like to get spammed with my reblogs? Tags for my blog to filter (should it strike your fancy).

Important to Note: Be mindful that most of my fics that I write and recommend are typically 18+. Minors DNI, you are responsible for the kind of content that you consume. Please read all individual warnings within each individual fic and be mindful.

I don't give any permission to post this anywhere else. This is only posted on here, FFNet, and Ao3-- please do not steal work, my friends! I also don't own ANY of the characters from the fandoms that I write.

Personal Note from Mel: Writing is a huge part of my wellness and I've always been giddy with joy in also interacting with some folx on here. I really appreciate everyone's support~ it would mean so much if you would kindly reblog my work if you do enjoy it. It allows for our work to reach more folx who also may enjoy these passion projects and also motivates writers to continue writing. With that said, I'm hoping that this is being received respectfully and sincerely by you all (if you have read this far, thank you). Hoping to continue interacting with some of you~

If you have any capacity to kindly support a struggling girlie, feel free to check out my Kofi <3

Dividers Masterlist

BB's Masterlist

Logan Howlett/The Wolverine

Chris Evans Characters

Henry Cavill Characters

Stevie BB 200 Follower Celebration Writing Challenge Masterlist 🥹

Open Tag List: Submit a form to join :)

Check out My WIP's

List of Resources for Writers

Other Fandoms/Characters that I am feeeening to write for:

Raymond Smith from The Gentlemen Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders Eric Coulter from Divergent series/films Bellamy Blake from the 100

[moranice-solvej]

Answer the Questions and Tag 5 Fanfic Authors

Thank you for the tag, @rifle-yes <3

1. How did you get into writing fanfiction?

Got introduced to fanfic through an old forum dedicated to a TV-show I was low-key obsessed with as a teen all the way back in 2008. Around the same time I started to get an urge to express myself in writing as I was an avid reader and always had a vivid imagination, so the sheer fact that people just wrote stories to celebrate their favorite stories captivated me.

Since then, there were many attemps to write fanfic and original works alike, very few completed, and only my obsession with Rogue One that started after watching the movie and reading the novelization had put me on the path of publishing my writing and finally being able to complete writing projects.

2. How many fandoms have you written in?

Started in a TV-fandom a long time ago, but never had anything I wanted to publish, so mentally I don't even count it. None of those scraps of written down ideas remain; I deleted them and never once looked back. That leaves Rogue One and technically Star Wars as my sole writing fandom. I dearly love many other shows and movies and games, but none of them make me want to write in their universes.

3. How many years have you been writing fanfiction?

Technically 16 years. Yes, comprehending this number makes me terrified.

4. Do you read or write more fanfiction?

I used to read tons of fic before I came back to writing in earnest. Now most of my free time goes into writing.

In addition to that I have ran into a loathesome problem of not being able to find stories that I'd love to read. The ceiling has gotten too high. Now that I can finally shape the kinds of stories I want to read to life, I crave more stories with such premises, themes, writing styles, and character archetypes, and these days I struggle to find them in fanfic and in original books for that matter. My gremlin brain simply cannot connect to the vast majority of tropes that dominate modern-day fandom and culture. :(

Thus, I'm firmly in the mode of be-the-change-you-want-to-be-in-the-world and producing stories for myself to satisfy that need. Even if it routinely takes me over a year, usually two to finish a single story with a monster wordcount and create something I can one day re-read with glee.

5. What is one way you’ve improved as a writer?

I am now able to move an idea from a general concept and a set of pivotal scenes to a fully-fleshed out story and actually finish it. This used to be my achilles heel for ages and it feels mightily gratifying to finally get rid of it.

6. What’s the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

Origins of blood transfusions in human history. Plus a large variety of niche questions of when thing a or thing b was first invented. Most of the times the setting of my current writing project allows me to disregard our reality and wing it for the sake of the vibes or plot, but I still like to research what we as a species develop and when to try and create a somewhat believable ancient fictional world without modern technology.

7. What’s your favorite type of comment to receive on your work?

I have a soft spot for readers who pick on teeny-tiny details of my writing and show their appreciation for it. I end up with monstrous word counts because I'm an extremely context- and detail-oriented writer, and knowing that my passion for it is noticed and enjoyed brings me joy in return.

8. What’s the most fringe trope/topic you write about?

My current project centers around a warrior woman in her mid- to late forties who makes peace with her trauma of motherhood and loss, finds new friends and love and new home, defies her nation's traditions and becomes the force of change for her people that will bring them out of stubborn isolation and little by little shatter their callousness and mold it into empathy.

I am well aware that the sole audience of this story is myself and my best friend whom I'm lucky to have along for the ride, but it has took over my heart and it will not let go until I finally bring this epic saga to a close.

9. What is the hardest type of story for you to write?

I am simply incapable of writing a traditional short story. Every one-shot I ever made was a stepping stone in a larger verse, and even so the smallest one is over 8k words. Anytime I try to write something small, I either need to put it down because it gets out of hand, or I need to finish it and by that time it grows into a monster.

My last attempt to write a short story within a story has spawned an epic saga that currently sits at roughly 380.000k words and will likely end up over 500.000k words when I'm finally done with it.

10. What is the easiest type?

Monster-sized epics. I think my creative brain cannot function in any other way but go-big-or-go-home.

11. Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?

I've used MS Word for writing ever since I got my first laptop and keep at it. Started using Scrivener lately for establishing character sheets and writing down my notes.

For years now I write almost exclusively over the weekends, with occassional editing in the evenings after work. Between working, needing to keep my apartment clean and myself fed, and dedicating time to mastering my fourth language, I have no brain for creativity after I'm done with all these chores and I use whatever remains of my evening to read, or watch shows with my best friend, or do some gaming.

12. What is something you’ve been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

In the story I am currently writing, one of the secondary main characters is an ex-slave and a rape survivor. There is no shortage of hurt/comfort stories about a female character's experience with such kind of abuse, and in all my years of reading fic and books I often find that trauma stemming from it is either glossed over or healed through the power of true love. Even when a story follows a road to healing, it often ends in sunshine and rainbows after the all the travails. Well, for a long, long time now my gremlin brain wanted to explore what such trauma can do to a stoic male warrior, as well as to study how sometimes there is no easy healing from such ordeals, how deep these souls scars lie, and how they will keep poisoning the relationship he will pursue down the line and present major obstacles to both non-sexual and sexual intimacy with the woman he falls in love with. I'm a sucker for happy endings and I will not turn away from it, but this is going to be a scarred happy ending because those ghosts are never going to stay completely quiet in his soul.

I am daunted by the prospect of writing this spin-off like I've never been before, scared of not doing it justice, but something in me has latched onto this idea and really, really wants to at least try it.

13. What made you choose your username?

I needed something unique as a username and I have a habit of making up new names out of thin air for my writing. I liked this one and it had stuck. :)

If any writers who follow me would like to join in, you are welcome.

[dogoodweirdly]

WRITER UPSIDE!

“An OG Returns!”

One of our original writers with DGW, @up-sideand-down is back once more! Joining us this Saturday the 1st at 8pm CT, they say: “I'm feeling refreshed and ready to write. This is probably one of the most fun and rewarding events I take part in and I can't wait to give and celebrate with my fellow creators!” Writing in the FFVII fandom, Upside isn’t sure yet what she’ll be creating. “I have a lot of WIPS to work on...but I may also work on a new fic. I'll know for sure when I start.” Those who have watched them work in the past can tell you that whatever Upside chooses is going to be a TREAT! Every year Upside makes it further in the night—this year they’re hoping to hit 3am but would love to make it all 12 hours if they can! This year she’ll be working to benefit The Innocent Project--a group that is committed to freeing those who are wrongfully imprisoned.

Learn more about Upside and see more of their work by visiting [Tumblr] or [Ao3]

Do Good Weirdly is a twice-yearly fandom event, celebrating passionate creators and raising funds for good causes! Learn more or sign up yourself here: https://dogoodweirdly.carrd.co/, or meet more of our participants in the DGW Directory! https://dogoodweirdly.carrd.co/#directory

[phdrescue]

How to Stay Motivated During Thesis or Dissertation Writing

How to Stay Motivated During Thesis or Dissertation Writing Writing a thesis or dissertation is one of the most challenging yet rewarding phases of academic life. It demands time, effort, and sustained focus, often stretching over months or even years. It is hard to stay motivated during this journey, especially when faced with writer's block, overwhelming deadlines, or research setbacks. Here are detailed strategies to help you stay on track and inspired until the finish line.

Set Small, Achievable Goals. Breaking down your thesis or dissertation into smaller, manageable pieces can make the whole thing feel less overwhelming. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the project, work towards: Writing a specific number of words daily or weekly (500 words a day). Completing individual sections, such as the introduction, literature review, or methodology, one at a time. Set small milestones for specific tasks, such as submitting a draft of a chapter by a certain date. You'll see that these smaller goals not only make progress tangible but also give you confidence as you check items off your to-do list.

Set a Routine It's very hard to do something that is going to take you a long time. The consistency in working on a long-term project like a dissertation or thesis will build momentum and kill procrastination. Try this:

Designate specific hours each day for writing and research. Identify your peak productivity times—morning, afternoon, or evening—and capitalize on those hours. Choose a distraction-free environment, whether it’s a quiet library, your home office, or a favorite café. Use tools like the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break) to stay productive without burning out. Building a habit around writing ensures steady progress and reduces the stress of last-minute crunches.

Celebrate Your Achievements Recognizing your progress, no matter how small, is essential for staying motivated. Celebrate reaching milestones with rewards that make you happy. For example:

After completing a chapter, treat yourself to your favorite dessert, a relaxing day off, or a movie night. Share your successes with friends or family-they can offer encouragement and celebrate with you. Keep a progress log or journal to visually track your accomplishments, which can be a motivational pick-me-up on tough days. Recognizing your efforts helps reinforce positive behavior and makes the process enjoyable.

Support Groups or Accountability Partners Writing can be a solitary activity, but you need not do it in isolation. Interacting with others also working on their dissertations or theses can give you much-needed support. Consider:

Joining an academic writing group or an online forum to share your experiences, exchange tips and discuss challenges. Attending a writing workshop or retreat, that provides structured time and a supportive community for progress. Partnering with an accountability buddy—a peer, friend, or mentor who can check in on your progress regularly and encourages you. Having a sense of community can make the whole thing feel less solitary, not to mention more cooperative.

Visualize Success When motivation ebbs, take a second to visualize the bigger picture: remind yourself why you undertook this journey:

Visualize yourself holding the completed dissertation or thesis, submitting it to your advisor, or successfully defending it. Think about how your research will contribute to your field and the academic community. Think about long-term benefits—whether it's earning your degree, opening up career opportunities, or achieving personal fulfillment. A clear vision of your goals can re-ignite passion and drive.

Breaks and Self-Care While one is engaged in intensive writing projects, there is burnout risk; therefore it means that self-care is mandatory: Keep mentally and physically healthy by embracing such breaks and care routines while still typing; Take time away from the desktop to go for a walk, do yoga, meditate, or anything; maintain a well-balanced lifestyle with sleep, nutrient- and exercise-enriched life; establish boundaries at work and create time far from work for rest or recharging. Productivity increases when rested and rehydrated.

Professional Help When Necessary If you get stuck or feel overwhelmed, do not hesitate to seek help from external sources. There is no shame in seeking professional help as it can greatly improve the quality of work. The following are examples:

Engaging a professional editor to proofread drafts on grammar, style, and formatting issues. Engagement with a dissertation coach for personal coaching and strategies. Attending workshops or webinars on academic writing skills. These resources will help you overcome roadblocks and make the process more manageable.

Be Flexible Plan and routines are essential; however, don't expect everything to go according to plan. Research setbacks, surprising feedback, or personal issues are all part of the journey. How to remain flexible includes:

Review your timeline and move deadlines up or down when necessary. Switch your focus to another section if you are really stuck on one area. Self-compassion—remember that progress, not perfection, is the goal. Flexibility will help you to remain strong and motivated when challenges arise.

Make Your Workspace Motivational Your environment has a lot to do with staying focused and motivated. Work on making your workspace more productive:

Organize and keep it clean to reduce distractions. Incorporate inspiring items such as motivational quotes, plants, or a vision board. Ensure your workspace is comfortable, with an ergonomic chair, good lighting, and minimal noise. A positive environment can improve your mindset and make writing sessions more enjoyable.

Reflect on Your Progress At regular intervals, take time to reflect on how far you’ve come. Consider:

Reviewing your earlier drafts to see the progress you’ve made. Revisiting your initial research question and assessing how your work has evolved. Keeping a journal to record your challenges and triumphs along the way. Reflecting on your journey helps you appreciate your growth and reaffirms your ability to complete the project.

Final Thoughts Writing a thesis or dissertation is a marathon, not a sprint. The key to staying motivated is strategy, self-care, and support. It requires you to set realistic goals, celebrate your progress, and maintain a healthy balance to help you navigate this academic milestone. Remember that every small step brings you closer to your goal, and the reward of completing your thesis or dissertation is well worth the effort.

For further research assistance reach out to us on our whatsapp https://wa.me/919424229851/

[pretentiousliterata]

A Letter From Me to You

~A long overdue beginning in the year of the unexpected~

I'm often a skeptical one —negative, people say. Nonetheless, 2024 has proven to be the year of the unexpected and to surrender and go with the flow it's not as bad as I thought. It's easier said than done, though.

Optimism can be quite a force on itself. When there's many issues knocking at your door and you don't know where to start fixing what's wrong, positivism goes out the door easily. But to stay positive despite everything is the hardest thing, to tell ourselves it's gonna be okay.

And hey, if you're in this situation and you keep your head high (or you can do it with a broken heart like Miss Swift sings), I sincerely applaud you. We get celebrated only when we succeed, but when we're fighting, we often get told «things will get better» —and they can, I guess—, but celebrating the hard battles it's good too. That's what, in retrospective, makes the hardships valuable later, right?

Now, I know you're like, “what's the point of this?”

Well, with this year throwing curveballs at me, good, bad and heavy ones, the time to come out of the shell has come. Every year I put in my resolutions to finish a book, for 2024 I just wrote «write more». Guess who finally finished a draft for a full novel and it's rewriting it for the third time and is filled with regrets?

To keep the illusion and delusions alive —they feed the soul, not gonna lie—, I asked for a commission to have a little “do it for them” shrine. Yours truly has a bad habit of starting things she can't finish later and naturally, she's a crying regret in the flesh when things don't go her way.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 🖤 DAN | ilustradorx (@d_a_n_de.lion)

My babies...

Given how important this is, at least for me considering what I just told you, I wanted a visual to keep feeding the need to make this book a memorable journey. And when it was posted online, it was the unkind reminder that I never share my stuff and I'm expecting to publish a book I don't advertise. I know it's not even close to being published, but still, the work has to be done before and not until the moment comes.

With many close people also knowing what I'm working on, they've been suggesting I should open a blog, it feels the time has finally come and now, here we are. I don't mean to rant about how awful life is, at all. It can be rough and we're all entitled to go feral at least once in the year, but the idea is to share the honest journey of a writer who's also a Healthcare worker and the mother of a sick cat who's recovering slowly from surgery. Even when things can get tangled, I still want to honor the dreams of the little Ali.

So, welcome to the little space where I'll share my passions and how I deal with them, some bits of words I write and other things I enjoy too. If you're a fellow writer or a creator of some kind, feel free to read my shenanigans to know you're not alone in this rollercoaster we call life, especially in times when social media tends to show us perfect timed routines and not having one makes us feel we don't have control of our lives. Not everything we see is real and slowly, we're forgetting about the human side of us which is not perfect at all, and that's great, that's what makes us human after all.

I hope my words don't overwhelm you, instead, that you can resonate with them and know you're not alone out there. Feel free to share your burdens and your joys too, this is a space for everyone. And of course, I hope you stay for the beginning of this new journey.

Oh, and before I forget: nice to meet you. This is your friendly neighborhood Ali. Besides writing, I love music, films, books, languages (the reason why this blog is also in Spanish), and anything I find interesting. I'm currently working on this little project I have temporarily named “On the Night Transcending the Raging Light”, a dark fantasy novel with several storylines that come together to reveal the past and present. You can read a summary in the works section of the blog!

Until next time! x

P.S: Quite unrelated, but speaking of unexpected, the Oasis reunion was definitely not in my 2024 bingo card, so by now, I'm sure anything is possible this year. Naturally, the need to listen to them —as I cry for not being able to go on the tour— is there. If you fought for tickets and didn't manage to get some, let's cry together, a'right? (and before you say “don't you know other tracks other than Wonderwall?”, I do, oh you bet I do lol).

P.S 2: Hands down to the anthem of August. I know many people didn't like the song, but I adored it! Probably because it came out in a moment when I ached change desperately (and I still do, but before I swim into the new me era, there's a few things to do...)

[savefilescomng12]

Jennifer Lopez 'Can't Wait' to Adapt Emily Henry's 'Happy Place' to Series

Jennifer Lopez is excited to get to work! On Tuesday, June 25, the actress, 54, confirmed that her production company Nuyorican was working with Netflix on a series adaptation of Emily Henry's hit young adult novel, Happy Place. In a post shared to her Instagram Stories, Lopez screenshotted an article announcing the news. After tagging her project collaborators, the multi-hyphenate decorated the photo with a sticker that read, "Can't wait!" Jennifer Lopez confirms her production company is adapting 'Happy Place'. Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas/Instagram The 2023 novel chronicles Harriet and Wyn, who have "been a perfect couple since they met in college — they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except now, for reasons they’re still not discussing, they don’t," according to an official synopsis. "They broke up five months ago, and they still haven’t told their best friends," the synopsis continues. "They find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the past decade, and continue to lie through their teeth to their friends about their relationship status." Adaptations of Henry's books People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read  are already in the works for the big screen. The #1 New York Times bestselling author has also written Book Lovers, When the Sky Fell on Splendor and A Million Junes. Her latest novel, Funny Story, was released in April. Lopez's Nuyorican Productions — which she runs with her producing partner Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas — inked a multi-year, first-look deal with Netflix in June 2021 to develop feature films and television series as well as scripted and unscripted content. Benny Medina also serves as a partner in the deal, which will put an "emphasis on projects that support diverse female actors, writers and filmmakers," per a press release shared by Netflix at the time. Jennifer Lopez in 'Atlas'. Ana Carballosa/Netflix The "Let's Get Loud" singer's latest movie, Atlas, is her third project under her deal with Netflix. The sci-fi thriller which was released on May 24, follows the story of Atlas (Lopez), “a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence.” After joining a “mission to capture a renegade robot with whom she shares a mysterious past,” her “only hope of saving the future of humanity from AI is to trust it," per the film's synopsis. In a behind-the-scenes video shared exclusively with PEOPLE prior to the movie's release, Lopez opened up about why its story resonated on such a deep level.  “The first time I read the script for Atlas, I felt very passionately about the story and particularly the friendship story at the core of it,” she explained. “At the end of it I was literally sobbing.It's kind of a big action movie, but it has at the emotional core a story about love and friendship.” “I always feel like the movies I do somehow mirror where I'm at in my life,” reflected the Hustlers star in the featurette. Atlas “helped push me forward into the next chapter.” Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Her character, she continued, “is used to shutting out the world and going it alone. She learns that it's only by letting someone in — and that someone happens to be AI — that she can feel the pain from her past.” According to Lopez, learning how “to take those walls down" is “the bravest and most beautiful thing you can do for yourself and for others.” Source link Read the full article

[celebrityoops1]

Stay in the Know: Celebrityoops.net Delivers the Latest Celebrity News and Gossip

Celebrity news and gossip have always been a hot topic among fans and followers of famous personalities. Whether it’s about their relationships, personal life, or professional career, people love to stay up-to-date with what’s going on in the lives of their favorite celebrities. Celebrityoops.net is a go-to source for all the latest news and gossip about celebrities from around the world.

At Celebrity oops, you can find breaking news about your favorite celebrities. From the latest red carpet appearances to the newest Hollywood couple, you can be sure that you won’t miss anything important. The site covers everything from A-list actors and musicians to reality TV stars and social media influencers.

One of the reasons why Celebrityoops is so popular is because it offers a unique and engaging approach to celebrity news and gossip. The site doesn’t just focus on the traditional news and gossip that you might find on other sites. Instead, it offers a more in-depth look at the lives of celebrities. You can find out what your favorite stars are up to behind the scenes, what they like to do in their free time, and what their personal lives are really like.

In addition to providing up-to-date news and gossip about celebrities, Celebrityoops also offers insightful analysis and commentary on the latest trends and happenings in the entertainment industry. Whether it’s a controversial statement made by a celebrity or a new fashion trend that’s taking the world by storm, the site has everything you need to stay informed and entertained.

Another great thing about Celebrityoops is that it’s easy to navigate and user-friendly. You can easily find the information you’re looking for without having to spend hours searching through pages of content. The site is also updated regularly, so you can be sure that you’re always getting the latest news and gossip about your favorite celebrities.

In conclusion, Celebrityoops is the perfect destination for anyone who loves to stay up-to-date with the latest news and gossip about celebrities. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of a particular celebrity or just enjoy keeping up with the latest trends and happenings in the entertainment industry, this site has everything you need to stay informed and entertained. So, what are you waiting for? Head over to Celebrityoops today and start exploring all the latest news and gossip about your favorite celebrities!

Celebrity oops has a team of experienced and talented writers who are passionate about entertainment and celebrity news. They work hard to bring you the latest and most accurate news and gossip about your favorite stars. The site also features a wide variety of content, including articles, videos, and photos, so you can choose the format that best suits your interests.

In addition to providing news and gossip, Celebrityoops also offers a community for fans to engage with one another. You can join the site’s forum to discuss the latest celebrity news, share your thoughts and opinions, and connect with other fans from around the world. The community is a great way to stay connected with like-minded people and share your love for your favourite celebrities.

The site also offers exclusive interviews with celebrities, giving you a rare glimpse into their lives and careers. You can learn about their upcoming projects, their inspirations, and their personal lives. The interviews are a great way to get to know your favourite stars on a deeper level and gain insight into their personalities and perspectives.

Overall, Celebrity oops is a must-visit site for anyone who loves celebrity news and gossip. The site offers a wide range of content, including breaking news, analysis, and commentary, as well as a community for fans to engage with one another. Whether you’re a casual fan or a die-hard devotee, this site has everything you need to stay up-to-date and entertained.

[rockingrobin69]

Drarry projects on tumblr appreciation

It’s summer, it’s hot, too many words makes head hurt, but. This is important. Did you know? That this fandom is blessed with so many cool individuals, who create the COOLEST projects? (Yes: really, really, really cool). Like: 

1. @drarrymicrofic​. I, for one, wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the sweat and tears and SWEETness of the people of @drarrymicrofic. Running such a large operation must be one hell of an endeavour, but they do it all with so much love, with so much passion for the craft and the people behind it. Sparking inspiration, cheering people on, giving a boost to new writers (and old!), changing lives. Yeah. To the people behind drarry microfic: thank you.

2. Tuesday TLC Zone – sometimes being kind is hard. Especially to yourself. @the-starryknight​ takes time and effort to remind us it’s possible, that it’s important, gives us a gentle push to explore the things we like, to spread love and joy and yes, kindness, into the world. To share positivity, and also share bits of ourselves. Because we’re allowed, because it’s fun, because it matters. Thank you, Starry.

3. @magicaltrans​ is doing such brilliant, remarkable work, creating a much needed safe space for trans individuals in this fandom, giving a hand and a boost and so so much support. We all know where the source material for our fandom comes from. And in this place, magical trans is here celebrating trans people, trans love, trans joy, trans being! Making a space! They also mod a discord server (if the link in this post doesn’t work, ask them for a new one). To the people behind magical trans: thank you. 

4. Wizards Hearts is the @gameofdrarry​​ community fest that celebrates existing works rather than creating new ones. It’s so easy to forget older fics when so much is being made all the time - which makes this initiative so incredible! Showering existing works with love, shining a light on new (to-you) fic, creating recs and generating joy: just, absolutely brilliant. Thank you!

5. @crazybutgood​‘s Author Appreciation Project – CBG puts so much work and thought and heart into her origami art, using her incredible talent to bring people together, to give us the chance to flail about each other, to let us shower each other with love. Then she takes all that and condenses it into the world’s most enchanting, special rec posts. Thank you, CBG!

6. @drarryspecificrecs​ does incredible work organising SO MUCH information of drarry fic, whether it’s in the daily lists (at @drarryspecificrecsdaily​, for example here for July 31st), the monthly longest-fic lists (see here for July this year), fest information (see here for 2022). Where would we be without them? I shudder at the thought. Thank you for the magic!

7. I know what you’re thinking: fests, Robin, what about fests? Well. The thing is, there are so many fests, ran by so many wonderful people who give us their time? Actually for free? There’s @hd-wireless​ and @hp-fearfest​ and @hp-bodiceripper​ and @hd-fan-fair​ and @lcdrarry​ and @hpdrizzle​ and @hdsudsfest​ and and and honestly I can’t even begin to—I can’t. So I’ll just say: wow, wow, wow, and also a sort of teary-eyed, misty, big thank you.

(Previous lists: writers pt. 1,  pt. 2 || artists pt. 1,  pt. 2 || reccers pt. 1)

[immortalwanderers]

Today, Immortal Wanderers would like to join the community in celebrating an appreciation day towards all the talented fanfiction writers. 

Writers of fanfiction are one of the many backbones of any fandom, sharing multiple ideas and worlds starring some of our favourite characters from all forms of media, and doing so for free. It is often a project of passion and love towards the original work itself, and much joy is shared with readers who read these stories.

To celebrate, Immortal Wanderers has invited some of those in our discord server to share either recent works they have enjoyed or which have become fond favourites over time, as well as allowing some of the talented writers in this community to share one of their works and talk a little bit about it. We hope you will join us in these celebrations, and share some love towards these works and their authors 💖 ⛰️

These recommendations come from across all three stories; both the original novels Qi Ye and Tian Ya Ke, as well as the drama Word of Honor.

AUTHORS SHOWCASE

@MINNARR

Calling us home across the open yards → Word of Honor fic

Summary:

Deciding to get married doesn’t involve anything dramatic, but Zishu stares at the earliest draft of the guest list with a sinking stomach. There’s a name that isn’t there, and he suddenly wants it to be with a desperate, yearning hunger. They haven’t spoken in years, but…

Well, Zishu’s been learning how to want things. How to make the things he wants reality.

“I want Jiuxiao there,” he says.

Authors Comments:

This piece was born from excited brainstorming in DMs with a friend and is part of a whole little headcanon universe, but even without that context I am just so fond of this fic. A slightly softer universe for our faves, plus sooo many Zhou Zishu & Qin Jiuxiao feelings, and I like the way it let me organically lay out all these pieces of a life Zhou Zishu has built with his chosen family, where he's working to be happy.

@MYRO

Unvarnished → Qi Ye fic

Summary:

“Zishu? I know you’re in there. Liang Jiuxiao told me what happened. We need to talk. I’ve brought wine and dinner, too.”

Zhou Zishu goes still when he realizes who it is. Jing Beiyuan is, at least, one of the few people who knows some of his secrets. Not all, of course, not even most—but the things he doesn’t know are unlikely to shock or anger the man. He’s also, however, the most ruthless person Zhou Zishu knows, and if Zhou Zishu can barely endure himself in this state, Jing Beiyuan is unlikely to be willing to do so either.

So that means he’s come...well.

Zhou Zishu takes a deep breath. He could flee, or fight—Jing Beiyuan is no match for him, physically—but he won’t. Because the thing is, Jing Beiyuan is just doing what he would, if their positions were reversed. And...it’s probably the right thing to do, if there really is no cure.

(In which Jing Beiyuan learns he can trust this life's version of Zhou Zishu.)

Authors Comments:

This is still one of my favorite Qiye fics that I've written. It started out with a discussion about how truth spells/serums in fics normally lead to characters divulging their secret crushes, but if ZZS in Qiye-era got hit with one it would be...much much worse. And then I had to write it...

@THEYILINGLAOZUS

In Every One Of Us Shines The Light Of Love → Word of Honor fic

Summary:

A few years have passed since that fateful moment in which Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu became immortals together, and Zhou Zishu is thankful for every new day he wakes to the infinite life they now share with one another.

The days are only made more special when their young family is able to visit them.

Authors Comments:

This came from me having finished writing two previous parts to this series and thinking ‘hey. What’s an average day like for Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu after they’ve settled into their immortality more?’ I wanted to create a piece which was an inside look into one day in their lives, while also considering subjects like the passing of time for the mortals they surround themselves with, how some ghosts of their past linger, as well as how a future with endless possibilities is open for them now. I had a lot of fun working on this, even if it did take me roughly three months to do so!

@NEIL

tease your mouth with kisses → Tian Ya Ke fic

Summary:

Before leaving, Wu Xi gave Wen Kexing a long list of ingredients and salves. The first was for him to cook, and the second was to be given to Zhou Zishu in case he experienced any pain during his recovery. He told Wen Kexing to mind Zhou Zishu’s recovery and to be good to him.

He didn’t have to be told. Wen Kexing might not be a good man, but he would be good to Zhou Zishu, just like Zhou Zishu was good to him. There was nothing else Wen Kexing would rather do now.

After everything, Wen Kexing takes care of his husband.

Authors Comments:

I wrote this for TYK Week, and I'm still super happy with this fic! I think a lot about post-canon Wenzhou and how they deal with Zishu's recovery, so I decided to write a fic about it. I'm particularly very happy with how I wrote Wen Kexing's headspace in this! His bland of obsessive and adoring is just so, so fun.

@NAD

I’ll always be there by your side → Qi Ye fic 

Summary:

When Jing Beiyuan decides he has had enough with the Helian family and goes away, he meets a handsome stranger named Wu Xi.

Is Wu Xi really who he says he is? Or is he hiding something?

Now that Jing Beiyuan has established his own company, how will he face Helian Yi?

AU, where the Helians have a firm and Jing Beiyuan helps them. Jing Beiyuan goes away and creates his own company with the help of Wu Xi and Ping An. Apparently, Wu Xi is just an ordinary person, a secretary, but is he?

Authors Comments:

This is my first and only (for the moment) Qi Ye fic. As our fandom is quite small, it doesn't really get noticed :( It's my first work, and certainly not by best, but I'd always appreciate the feedback, and it even includes some pics at the end <3 thank you in advance if you decide to read it :)

@ALISA ​

Field Research → Qi Ye fic

Summary:

Helian Yi has given Zhou Zishu an assignment that will require some highly specialized knowledge.

Jing Beiyuan is a very enthusiastic tutor. (Zhou Zishu is an unexpectedly eager student.)

Authors Comments:

Anyone who has ever spoken to me about this fandom knows how obsessed I am with Jing Beiyuan and Zhou Zishu's relationship. From JBY's first life to post-SHL/TYK, from platonic soulmates, to friends with benefits, to shockingly tender lovers, I love it allllll. I love THEM and I love sharing them with you all. (I especially love sharing them with each other.) And this fic, I think, is some of my best work, showcasing the care and love they hold for each other, the tenderness with which they treat each other, and how that bond is rock-solid, even knowing they both have soulmates waiting for them down the line. (Allllllllssoooooo I'm really, really into the sex in this one.) Let these lonely boys care for each other! They both need it so much!!!!  

READERS RECOMMENDATIONS

@CARMINE-SUNLIGHT

there’s a special providence in the fall of a heron → written by beansprout → Word of Honor fic

Summary:

In the outside world, there was a rumor about the Qingya mountains. It was said to be one of the holy places, auspiciously positioned for healing and favored by the celestials, who often descended amongst the people to perform miracles.

For Zhou Zishu, here was how things had played out: he wanted a way out of his service at court, the Emperor wanted immortality, and Jin-wang alone found a way to connect the dots.

Zhou Zishu had a theory. There must be a secret sect of healers who lived somewhere in the mountains of Qingya, the kind of sect who focused on learning solely for the sake of knowledge, with very strict rules against the ‘distractions’ of the outside world.

To solve the mystery, a certain white-clothed traveling doctor was the key.

Or: mythology AU. zzs is undercover in Qingya village as a woodcutter to investigate rumors of celestials who grant immortality. during his mission, he finds himself hopelessly tangled with a nosy, persistent traveling doctor who has a knack for getting past his guard.

Readers Comments:

Each time this fic updated I'd forget about my real life problems and went to the most magical place. The writing is so evocative and the plot is full of amazing twists, I love it so much!

long life and promise → written by Katharija → Tian Ya Ke fic

Summary:

On a summer evening, two men are watching the falling stars.

Readers Comments:

I read this fic recenly and it made my day instantly better. The atmosphere was spot-on, and there were so many tender moments that made my heart flutter. Such a lovely look into Wenzhou's future.

@MYRO

Like Pieces into Place → written by ghostybreads → Qi Ye fic

Summary:

“Hmm… How about this? I won’t stay mad, if I can have this for a few days,” Jing Beiyuan offered, stopping in his tracks and picking the sable up by its scruff. It gawked in surprise, before its expression soured into a glare, scrunching its nose up at him. Jing Beiyuan was a swindler and a cheat. It didn’t really mind if it could do something to help, but he worried Master so much! Wasn’t this just taking advantage?

Wu Xi hesitated. “Alright.”

The sable blinked.

// OR; Qi Ye and its characters, through the eyes of a sable.

Readers Comments:

This is essentially Qiye told from the sable's pov, but honestly it is so much more than that. It nails and is incredibly perceptive about all the main relationships involved (by which I mean those involving Jing Beiyuan, Wu Xi, Zhou Zishu, Helian Yi, Liang Jiuxiao), but also has gorgeous parts about Ashinlae and Nuahuar and Ping An and others.

experiments → written by sunbathing → Qi Ye / Word of Honor fic

Summary:

Zhou Zishu tries to see if the pleasure aspect of drunk life dream death works well. With Beiyuan. At a brothel.

(sometimes, you just need to get high and fuck your best friend)

Readers Comments:

This is a ZZS/JBY fic where the two of them hook up while testing drunk like a dream formulas. Besides being sexy, it just gets the dynamic of their relationship so well and I love it.

@THEYILINGLAOZUS ​

在天涯犹有未归人; those left at the edge of the sky → written by yiqie → Tian Ya Ke fic    

Summary:

“Why would you inflict a Wen Kexing who has lost you,” asked Jing Beiyuan, “upon this world?”

Reader Comments:

This fic is beautiful, honestly. Set during Zhou Zishu’s three-month recovery period toward the end of the novel and told through Jing Beiyuan’s perspective, he watches as Wen Kexing slowly looses more and more hope for his beloved ever waking. And it is heartwrenching. Everything about this story is perfect in my eyes.

Five Moons → written by yicityslut → Qi Ye / Tian Ya Ke fic   

Summary:

For five whole months, Jing Beiyuan and Wu Xi are staying on the icy mountain to help Zhou Zishu heal.

In those five months, new friendships are formed, old memories are revisited and plans for the future are made.

Reader Comments:

Okay, I admit. I may hold some bias towards this piece as it was a fill written for me for last years Qi Ye Exchange event, but my god. My own love does not take away how incredible this piece is, as this story is such a delight. The author somehow filled every request I had (even the ones I didn’t expect, such as the sable having an apperance!) and they did so beautifully. The voice of all the characters is incredibly on point, and this is another interpretation of how I can easily see Wu Xi, Jing Beiyuan and Wen Kexing being whilst Zhou Zishu recovers. Plus the slowly building friendships that are shown is this are just ((chefs kiss)) I couldn’t recommend this piece more, and often find myself re-reading and grinning into my hands like a small child at how in love with it I am.

@NAD​ 

Begin again → written by seaprincess90 → Qi Ye fic

Summary:

Jing Beiyuan has walked his entire life alongside Helian Yi. He admires him more than anyone, he knows that his future is with him, that all the goals in their lives include the other, that there is no way that destiny can be rewritten. But then his life takes an unexpected turn when someone new appears in the life of the one he considers his eternal and one true love. Beiyuan will have to sort out if it is time to forget or if he must hasten his conquest, while a boy who has just arrived in everyone's lives, Wuxi, little by little tries to be part of his heart.

Reader Comments:

There are no words to describe how much I love this fic!! It deserves so many more kudos, comments and hits! The pacing is immaculate and you can really understand and feel what the characters are going through!

La joya de Da Qing → written by alone_in_the_moondust → Qi Ye fic

Summary:

Jing Beiyuan recibe una visita inesperada de Helian Yi mientras Wu Xi está en su habitación.

Una cosa lleva a la otra y Helian Yi se convierte en el ruido blanco para el intercambio de fluidos entre Jing Beiyuan y Wu Xi.

Reader Comments:

Despite it being in Spanish, i really encourage you to read this even if it's with Google translate. I consider this one to be one of the GOATs of Spanish, or even in general, short Qi Ye fics. There is not one day me and my bestie don't talk about it!

@LU

Possession → written by bluemorningsoup, art by mtkay13 → Tian Ya Ke fic

Summary:

In which it became unsure whether a ghost was possessing a body or a body was possessing a ghost.

—

This was not about relief. This was not about violence. This was different. Wen Kexing was not fucking Zhou Zishu as much as he was filling him up. Zhou Zishu was not being fucked by Wen Kexing as much as he was taking him in, showing Wen Kexing the hollowed, gouged parts of him, empty chambers that Wen Kexing was all too eager to filll.

Reader Comments:

a very intense journey through devotion and hunger, and how both exist within the other. the hunger to be possessed, the devotion to possess, and how it gets lost in the way who is the one possessing who. i wish i had words to explain how beautiful this writing is. plus, it's about fisting.

Written in the Red and the Green → written by Gileonnen → Tian Ya Ke fic

Summary:

Wen Kexing wins a duel and claims the right to top. Zhou Zishu is more than happy to let him.

Reader Comments:

theres mixed nastiness and gentleness between them in this fic thats very satisfying, they really are freaks who love each other so deeply, fitting together with pain and pleasure like pieces of a puzzle. and i adore every piece of fanwork that showcases zzs wrist bite scars haha..

@ALISA ​

Which to Cut and Which to Pull → written by sideB_track2 → Word of Honor fic

Summary:

A golden slice of light cutting through the night. A forbidden flash of pale limb glimpsed in passing. Impossible, surely, not to peek through a crack in the door to learn more of the secret transpiring within…

Dangerous things, secrets, to hold and to happen upon. Ye Baiyi almost wished he’d kept walking.

Reader Comments:

YeXie is always an achy, bittersweet sort of love story. This was, I think, the first YeXie story I ever read, and it *haunts me,* I swear, I think about it all the damn time. It's hard to verbalize why, but like... the alchemy between the characters here is so, so good. There's something about the way these two lonely, traumatized boys find comfort and healing in each other, and this story does a magnificent job of showing that warmth and care without losing the characters' sharp edges and claws that are so essential to their authenticity. Gosh, the romance... It's captivating and immersive and it is absolutely the fic that sold me on this pairing and I swear I could re-read it once a week and never get tired of it!

with inexplicable fondness → written by noelia_g → Word of Honor fic

Summary:

Wen Kexing is aware of the following things.

One, Han Ying would die for Zhou Zishu - and Wen Kexing likes that in a man. Two, upon their first meeting Han Ying dropped to his knees before A-Xu the moment Wen Kexing let go of his throat - and that is simply just interesting. Three, Han Ying is A-Xu's in a way no one else is anymore.

That last part, he could find an issue with. Or, he could use it for the best - he is not called Philanthropist Wen for nothing, after all.

Reader Comments:

Okay, so lots of people say "this fic changed my life," but, like, this one actually did. NOT ONLY because Jo is a staggeringly talented writer, and not only because this is one of the hottest threesome fics I've ever encountered in any fandom, ever, in my entire life, but because this fic and my resulting interest in HanWenZhou as a dynamic led me directly to meet a handful of magnificently unhinged people whom I now cannot imagine my life without. (I talk to them every day! Also... um... also we've written some of the most depraved porn I've ever had the joy of coauthoring.) Even if polyships aren't usually your thing I'd urge you to check this story out. You would not BELIEVE how much yearning and devotion and passion and filth and kink and SHEER UNHINGED ROMANCE Jo has managed to cram into less than 18k. It's truly next level and I cannot possibly recommend a story more highly.

[uomo-accattivante]

Excellent article about bringing a re-make of Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage to fruition, and the twenty-year friendship that Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain share:

There were days on the shoot for “Scenes From a Marriage,” a five-episode limited series that premieres Sept. 12 on HBO, when Oscar Isaac resented the crew.

The problem wasn’t the crew members themselves, he told me on a video call in March. But the work required of him and his co-star, Jessica Chastain, was so unsparingly intimate — “And difficult!” Chastain added from a neighboring Zoom window — that every time a camera operator or a makeup artist appeared, it felt like an intrusion.

On his other projects, Isaac had felt comfortably distant from the characters and their circumstances — interplanetary intrigue, rogue A.I. But “Scenes” surveys monogamy and parenthood, familiar territory. Sometimes Isaac would film a bedtime scene with his onscreen child (Lily Jane) and then go home and tuck his own child into the same model of bed as the one used onset, accessorized with the same bunny lamp, and not know exactly where art ended and life began.

“It was just a lot,” he said.

Chastain agreed, though she put it more strongly. “I mean, I cried every day for four months,” she said.

Isaac, 42, and Chastain, 44, have known each other since their days at the Juilliard School. And they have channeled two decades of friendship, admiration and a shared and obsessional devotion to craft into what Michael Ellenberg, one of the series’s executive producers, called “five hours of naked, raw performance.” (That nudity is metaphorical, mostly.)

“For me it definitely felt incredibly personal,” Chastain said on the call in the spring, about a month after filming had ended. “That’s why I don’t know if I have another one like this in me. Yeah, I can’t decide that. I can’t even talk about it without. …” She turned away from the screen. (It was one of several times during the call that I felt as if I were intruding, too.)

The original “Scenes From a Marriage,” created by Ingmar Bergman, debuted on Swedish television in 1973. Bergman’s first television series, its six episodes trace the dissolution of a middle-class marriage. Starring Liv Ullmann, Bergman’s ex, it drew on his own past relationships, though not always directly.

“When it comes to Bergman, the relationship between autobiography and fiction is extremely complicated,” said Jan Holmberg, the chief executive of the Ingmar Bergman Foundation.

A sensation in Sweden, it was seen by most of the adult population. And yes, sure, correlation does not imply causation, but after its debut, Swedish divorce were rumored to have doubled. Holmberg remembers watching a rerun as a 10-year-old.

“It was a rude awakening to adult life,” he said.

The writer and director Hagai Levi saw it as a teenager, on Israeli public television, during a stint on a kibbutz. “I was shocked,” he said. The series taught him that a television series could be radical, that it could be art. When he created “BeTipul,” the Israeli precursor to “In Treatment,” he used “Scenes” as proof of the concept “that two people can talk for an hour and it can work,” Levi said. (Strangely, “Scenes” also inspired the prime-time soap “Dallas.”)

So when Daniel Bergman, Ingmar Bergman’s youngest son, approached Levi about a remake, he was immediately interested.

But the project languished, in part because loving a show isn’t reason enough to adapt it. Divorce is common now — in Sweden, and elsewhere — and the relationship politics of the original series, in which the male character deserts his wife and young children for an academic post, haven’t aged particularly well.

Then about two years ago, Levi had a revelation. He would swap the gender roles. A woman who leaves her marriage and child in pursuit of freedom (with a very hot Israeli entrepreneur in place of a visiting professorship) might still provoke conversation and interest.

So the Marianne and Johan of the original became Mira and Jonathan, with a Boston suburb (re-created in a warehouse just north of New York City), stepping in for the Stockholm of the original. Jonathan remains an academic though Mira, a lawyer in the original, is now a businesswoman who out-earns him.

Casting began in early 2020. After Isaac met with Levi, he wrote to Chastain to tell her about the project. She wasn’t available. The producers cast Michelle Williams. But the pandemic reshuffled everyone’s schedules. When production was ready to resume, Williams was no longer free. Chastain was. “That was for me the most amazing miracle,” Levi said.

Isaac and Chastain met in the early 2000s at Juilliard. He was in his first year; she, in her third. He first saw her in a scene from a classical tragedy, slapping men in the face as Helen of Troy. He was friendly with her then-boyfriend, and they soon became friends themselves, bonding through the shared trauma of an acting curriculum designed to break its students down and then build them back up again. Isaac remembered her as “a real force of nature and solid, completely solid, with an incredible amount of integrity,” he said.

In the next window, Chastain blushed. “He was super talented,” she said. “But talented in a way that wasn’t expected, that’s challenging and pushing against constructs and ideas.” She introduced him to her manager, and they celebrated each other’s early successes and went to each other’s premieres. (A few of those photos are used in “Scenes From a Marriage” as set dressing.)

In 2013, Chastain was cast in J.C. Chandor’s “A Most Violent Year,”opposite Javier Bardem. When Bardem dropped out, Chastain campaigned for Isaac to have the role. Weeks before shooting, they began to meet, fleshing out the back story of their characters — a husband and wife trying to corner the heating oil market in 1981 New York — the details of the marriage, business, life.

It was their first time working together, and each felt a bond that went deeper than a parallel education and approach. “Something connects us that’s stronger than any ideas of character or story or any of that,” Isaac said. “There’s something else that’s more about like, a shared existence.”

Chandor noticed how they would support each other on set, and challenge each other, too, giving each other the freedom to take the characters’ relationship to dark and dangerous places. “They have this innate trust with each other,” Chandor said.

That trust eliminated the need for actorly tricks or shortcuts, in part because they know each other’s tricks too well. Their motto, Isaac said, was, “Let’s figure this [expletive] out together and see what’s the most honest thing we can do.”

Moni Yakim, Juilliard’s celebrated movement instructor, has followed their careers closely and he noted what he called the “magnetism and spiritual connection” that they suggested onscreen in the film.

“It’s a kind of chemistry,” Yakim said. “They can read each other’s mind and you as an audience, you can sense it.”

Telepathy takes work. When they knew that shooting “Scenes From a Marriage” could begin, Chastain bought a copy of “All About Us,” a guided journal for couples, and filled in her sections in character as Mira. Isaac brought it home and showed it to his wife, the filmmaker Elvira Lind.

“She was like, ‘You finally found your match,’” Isaac recalled. “’Someone that is as big of a nerd as you are.’”

The actors rehearsed, with Levi and on their own, talking their way through each long scene, helping each other through the anguished parts. When production had to halt for two weeks, they rehearsed then, too.

Watching these actors work reminded Amy Herzog, a writer and executive producer on the series, of race horses in full gallop. “These are two people who have so much training and skill,” she said. “Because it’s an athletic feat, what they were being asked to do.”

But training and skill and the “All About Us” book hadn’t really prepared them for the emotional impact of actually shooting “Scenes From a Marriage.” Both actors normally compartmentalize when they work, putting up psychic partitions between their roles and themselves. But this time, the partitions weren’t up to code.

“I knew I was in trouble the very first week,” Chastain said.

She couldn’t hide how the scripts affected her, especially from someone who knows her as well as Isaac does. “I just felt so exposed,” she said. “This to me, more than anything I’ve ever worked on, was definitely the most open I’ve ever been.”

“It felt so dangerous,” she said.

I visited the set in February (after multiple Covid-19 tests and health screenings) during a final day of filming. It was the quietest set I had ever seen: The atmosphere was subdued, reverent almost, a crew and a studio space stripped down to only what two actors would need to do the most passionate and demanding work of their careers.

Isaac didn’t know if he would watch the completed series. “It really is the first time ever, where I’ve done something where I’m totally fine never seeing this thing,” he said. “Because I’ve really lived through it. And in some ways I don’t want whatever they decide to put together to change my experience of it, which was just so intense.”

The cameras captured that intensity. Though Chastain isn’t Mira and Isaac isn’t Jonathan, each drew on personal experience — their parents’ marriages, past relationships — in ways they never had. Sometimes work on the show felt like acting, and sometimes the work wasn’t even conscious. There’s a scene in the harrowing fourth episode in which they both lie crumpled on the floor, an identical stress vein bulging in each forehead.

“It’s my go-to move, the throbbing forehead vein,” Isaac said on a follow-up video call last month. Chastain riffed on the joke: “That was our third year at Juilliard, the throb.”

By then, it had been five months since the shoot wrapped. Life had returned to something like normal. Jokes were possible again. Both of them seemed looser, more relaxed. (Isaac had already poured himself one tequila shot and was ready for another.) No one cried.

Chastain had watched the show with her husband. And Isaac, despite his initial reluctance, had watched it, too. It didn’t seem to have changed his experience.

“I’ve never done anything like it,” he said. “And I can’t imagine doing anything like it again.”

###

[will-o-the-witch]

What do you think of pop culture paganism? Do you think fictional characters can actually form in the astral as a result of belief, and be worshipped and worked with, or is it an unhealthy relationship with capitalism? Not that I see it that way!! I'm actually considering it as a witch but I've seen both sides and you're a really trusted member of the community so I'd like to know your take on it!

I gotta be careful how I word this so a necessary disclaimer: these are MY beliefs for MY practice and other folks are obviously still allowed to do what they want!

I personally advise being very, very, extremely careful mixing any kind of corporate entertainment into your religion. They are designed to make us feel strong emotions and get attached, because that's how they keep you consuming media, buying merchandise, and giving them free promotion. Obviously passion projects still exist but it's important to remember that most popular media is designed to make money and wouldn't exist if a board of suits didn't crunch numbers and decide it was a good product for their target audience. I have an extremely loose definition of idol worship, but for me what does count is worshipping human beings or anything man-made, so objects, cult leaders, celebrities, politicians, and characters from works of fiction. (Again, other peoples' practice is none of my business, but as a Jewitch that's something I avoid.)

Can we still draw inspiration from pop culture? Absolutely! It's perfectly normal and fine for pop culture figures to resonate with us and feel meaningful. Take all the meaning, empowerment, lessons, and comfort you can from stuff, you know? Pop culture is part of our culture, and I think there's actually a lot of really interesting work to be done in the realm of pop culture magic. I can get behind the idea of thoughtforms, but I personally don't see deity figures being born out of it. I struggle to believe they'd have the same sort of cosmic place in the universe as figures like Aphrodite, Odin, Jesus, etc. who were explicitly born out of religious pursuit and with entire cultures built around their explicit worship. (I view HaShem kinda differently than pagan deities so I'm shelving that for now. Jesus also fits into my idol worship definition but that's an entire other industrial barrel of worms lmao)

I've heard some pop culture pagans argue that their deities have always existed and this is just the way their stories manifested in the world, which is my preferred explanation over the thoughtform theory. Between everything else it still doesn't sit right with me for my own practice (plus as a writer I would be very uncomfortable if someone told me my story was like that)

So all in all? Not for me, but don't take my word as gospel. Form your own opinions! I absolutely don't care what other people do. I definitely still warn everybody not to blindly simp for megacorporations in general but if you're going into things mindfully and with a genuine heart, who am I to judge?

[lokiondisneyplus]

Disney+’s Loki debuted in June to critical acclaim and record viewership on the streaming platform. Starring Tom Hiddleston as the legendary God of Mischief, the series dives heavily into the concept of the multiverse and restores Loki as a major Marvel Cinematic Universe figure after dying in Avengers: Infinity War. That’s the same multiverse recently celebrated in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and it will undoubtedly factor into many Marvel projects to come.

But the series didn’t always rely on multiverse / time travel shenanigans for depth. Instead, Loki leverages a MCU framework to explore bureaucracy in a comic manner. It also forced audiences to consider hefty subject matter such as identity, mortality, and self-acceptance. As a result of this more serious (but still incredibly fun) turn, the series was recognized at multiple year-end guilds including the Screen Actors Guild, the Art Directors Guild, the Visual Effects Society, the Motion Picture Sound Editing guild, and the Writers Guild of America.

So, you think you know Loki? Well, here are six facts about the series that you may not have recognized.

1. After watching Avengers: Endgame, people accused Marvel of neglecting to tie up the Loki storyline.

As Marvel fans know, Loki dies at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. He’s seen again, though, in Avengers: Endgame as the team jumps into the multiverse to retrieve copies of the Infinity Stones. In Endgame and as seen in Loki, Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief grabs the Tesseract and disappears, not to be seen again in the film. Marvel Studios knew somewhere between Infinity War and Endgame that Disney+ and Loki were coming, but it hadn’t been announced publicly yet. Audiences began to revolt!

“One of my favorite things coming out of Endgame was people saying that we forget to tie up the loose end of Loki. Loki just disappears and we forgot to mention what happens to him at the end of that movie,” laughed producer Kevin Feige.

2. Owen Wilson’s first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe became an eye-opening experience for him.

Wilson (Wedding Crashers) joined the Loki team without knowing about Marvel’s rabid fan base. He was unprepared for the extensive secrecy traditionally surrounding Marvel projects.

“I saw that the fan base is so revved up and passionate, and Marvel’s just so kind of committed to trying to surprise people,” Wilson said. “You definitely are kind of walking on eggshells.”

Director Kate Herron won Wilson over with a detailed phone call explaining the dynamic between Loki and Wilson’s character, Mobius. The backbone of their relationship provided the most entertaining aspects of the series, but it took Hiddleston’s teaching to ensure Wilson fully understood the trajectory of the characters.

“Tom very generously and patiently kind of taking me through the whole sort of MCU mythology and-and Loki. We were calling them the Loki lectures,” Wilson said. “I think that was really important and really helpful to our dynamic once we started filming the scenes. That was really helpful, going to Loki school before we began.”

3. Wunmi Mosaku’s character, B-15, doesn’t exist in the comics, and she didn’t know she was auditioning for a Marvel series.

Mosaku (Lovecraft Country) plays B-15, a high-ranking soldier in the Time Variance Authority (TVA). The character was constructed specifically for the Disney+ television series. She found, though, that it reduced the stress of expectations surrounding taking on a role within the MCU. Particularly since she joined the cast with two friends from drama school: Hiddleston and Gugu Mbatha-Raw who played Ravonna Renslayer.

“Being able to have a clear slate and just do whatever I want to do,” Mosaku said. “It’s great. It’s fun and kind of free.”

But the audition process was a bit of a mystery. Mosaku recorded her audition based on out-of-context excerpts from the script. She assumed the project was top secret, and when she received a call in the middle of the night letting her know she’d won a role in Loki, she asked the all-important question, “When did I audition for Loki?”

4. Film noir, including David Fincher films, inspired the look and feel of the series.

Director Kate Herron and director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw referenced a great deal of film noir when settling on a visual aesthetic for the series. Herron cites David Fincher’s Se7en as a huge influence, including a needle drop that she feels fans would immediately recognize. Zodiac and Silence of the Lambs also both provided visual frames of reference, which was odd for a comedy adventure series.

5. The series set out to fully explore who Loki is as a character. We think it did a great job.

What remains of Loki when fortune strips away all of his familiarities? In exploring that theme, Hiddleston referenced the absence of Thor, Asgard, the Avengers, or any real power in the initial episodes of the series. Those are all hallmarks Loki with which defines himself. In other words, what makes Loki Loki?

“Is he capable of growth? Is he capable of change? Do his experiences within the TVA give him any insight into who he might be? This mercurial shapeshifter who never presents the same exterior twice,” Hiddleston explained. “I hope the audience gets a kick out of where we take it.”

We certainly did. Particularly Alligator Loki.

6. Series creator Michael Waldron took his sense of humor from Rick and Morty into Loki, initially worrying he was “trying to step on the gas with the comedy” too much.

WGA-nominated Waldron served as writer and producer on the Emmy-winning animated program Rick and Morty before joining Loki. While Thor and Loki’s comic book adventures aren’t explicitly funny, Waldron found that the actors rendered the material in a naturally comic way, particularly with Hiddleston’s natural wit.

“That’s the great thing about this character — you don’t have to write jokes. Loki’s gonna make regular exchanges funny and fun and engaging, just with the way he interacts,” Waldron explained. “We just trusted Tom to do all the work.”

Loki streams exclusively on Disney+.

[greenmegsnoham]

✨💕2022 Goals!!💕✨

Thank you @pennygalleon @corvuscrowned and @mystickitten42 for the tag! 😘

✨Reflection✨

Wow. What a year 2021 has been....insane.

I've appreciated being a part of this fandom more than you all could ever know.

I used to live where I could live my HP dreams in Orlando, FL, and although I don't regret moving back up north, I was in desperate need to re-connect with the stories I genuinely thank for the person I became. (but fuck jkr tho)

I started reading fic in September and writing in October of 2020, pushed out nearly 400k, birthed a podcast project with my best friend, and have worked tirelessly to build a community of love and acceptance in fandom that appeared severely lacking.

I've met so many amazing people and the love I feel here is just....ugh. I thank the Drarry community for being my gateway drug to far more content than I could even attempt to consume or create.

We all create and consume for our own reasons, and a huge part for me was to find my bliss in dark times, help myself through my depression and isolation. I've never felt so free and unapologetically me, and that wouldn't have been possible without all the beautiful members of fandom.

Thank you! 💕

✨Okay, yes. Goals.✨

💕No Fests, Except...

Being a part of various fests in this pat year has helped me grow as a writer, exposing myself to content and ships I never would have considered writing/reading and it's been an absolute joy. I'm so proud of everything I made. Especially [redacted] for HD Erised. I poured my entire soul into that work and it brought me just as much joy as exhaustion.

So! As much as I loved everything I made, I also need to acknowledge the stress that deadlines put on me and my personal wellness. Writing is something I am passionate about and my husband has always said "you're one of the few people I know that can make a hobby into a job."

He's right.

Fests = me putting my time and energy into something at the detriment of other wonderful experiences in life I've been missing because I "had to get it done".

IF I do any fests in 2022, it will be SELF-PROMPT and submitted if I have completed something appropriate within the timeframe.

Bottom line: Yes there are a million amazing fests happening all year long. It's so damn wonderful, but I have to know my limits and I need to get back and write for me at my own pace.

BUT! I have every intention of investing in the hp events/fest community regardless with events like @hpshipuary and @hpcestfest because, well. I want to! And, if I don't create anything for them, WHO CARES?! They are there for those who do!!

💕Which leads into...Fandom Advocacy...

Call me Helga Hufflepuff because I want everyone in fandom to feel seen, accepted, and loved and not judged base on what they consume or create.

I've been there for myself and I NEVER want anyone to feel like they don't 'fit' somewhere or that what they enjoy is wrong. You do not exist for someone else's approval. Find YOUR bliss and celebrate it. Don't give anyone the power to take what you love away from you, especially no-names on the internet. Like, bye.

If you want/need a space, @careofmagicalshippers has the space for you, growing into the space we all need and deserve: Join the Magical Shippers discord

💕Writing: for me, including original fiction

I had no idea I could love something as much as I love writing. I've always been a creative, with an Illustration BFA degree, but finding this however late in life has been one of the best things that has happened to me.

I have so many ideas for stories I haven't had the time to pursue (thank you fests 🤣) and WIPs that need love. I'm writing what I love on my terms and when I'm given that opportunity I know I'm at my best.

And as mentioned above, I often make hobbies into a job BUT I could see myself MAKING it a job. I want to keep writing and of course I will continue writing fanfiction. But the idea of becoming a published author for something entirely my own is so magical in itself. So, who knows!!!

💕Continue creating @careofmagicalshippers and @snapechatpodcast - with no end in sight.

What brings me more joy than writing and reading Harry Potter fanfiction and it's characters and ships? TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH I LOVE IT!

Nathan and I have been having a blast with CoMS and we know you are too and that brings us so much joy. This world needs more love and laughs and we love to provide!

I also love that I can join friends like @snapecentric @danni-the-puff and @willwediejustalittle and others to share our Snapey love amongst ourselves and with others.

It's so much work but it is a labour of love that is worth it.

💕On a personal level...

I need to take better care of myself physically and mentally. There are several things over the years that I've let become lesser priority than they need to be. I need to take the time to recalibrate and find better balance in my life including relationships and health.

I need to be present with my husband and family.

I love the HP fandom and it isn't going anywhere. If I step away from my phone and discord or don't open Google Docs the world isn't going to burst into flames. In fact, by not doing so I create more fires than not. I acknowledge I've had a very selfish year - partly due to my manic depression and severe manic episode - and I need to remember my choices affect others.

Writing and interacting in fandom brings me so much joy, but it's okay for other things to bring me joy. I mean THEY SHOULD.

✨Here's to a Happier and Healthier 2022!✨

And remember...sticks and stones may break our bones, but words are just words. Don't give them more power than they deserve. 💕

Give power to the words that matter. Like how much I love you! 🥰

Pretty sure like everyone under the sun has been tagged already but oh well 🤣 @phenomenalasterisk @samunderthelights @avalonmoonshinesstuff @veelawings @oliverwilde105 @danni-the-puff @francis-sinbin @deaserkan @fuckboyregulus @screamingfae @rhiaflamesong @wheezykat @blue--dreaming @bronwenackeley @ronbinary @fw00shy @erlasart @quicksilvermaid @violetweasley19 @the-sinking-ship @mxmaneater @gnarf @swisstae