#especially if you're creating for an english-speaking audience

[genspiel]

...so, we know that decim got his job after the 15th floor was vacated by quin. but. was there a previous arbiter of viginti??? who were they and where tf are they now??? i'm-

[royalarchivist]

CDawgVA: Did you envision back in the day when you were raiding Club Penguin icebergs that you would be here making advancements in language translation for streamers?

Quackity: Umm... You know what? It's really interesting because I was born and raised in Mexico, so growing up, I always thought of a world where someone who speaks Spanish but doesn't speak English could collaborate with a creator regardless of the language. So, it always was in my mind, and to see it come to fruition and see it happening and being able to meet all these talented, talented and incredible people that I now call close friends from around the world? That's- that' a blessing, and I'm so happy, I'm so thrilled.

[ Full Transcript ↓ ]

-

CDawgVA: Hello and welcome back! I'm joined by Quackity. How you doing, man?

Quackity: I'm doing great, man! This is amazing, I'm so excited for today.

CDawgVA: The energy is palpable. It's not often the streamers get to go outside.

Quackity: That's true.

CDawgVA: However, you have been responsible for joining many streamers together with your QSMP, and not just streamers of the same language– streamers of all different kinds of language, and very recently, you added Korean!

Quackity: Yeah, that's right! We added a Korean creator, we're planning to add more, but this is an absolute– this is crazy, and to see all the nominations being like, all these creators, it's amazing! It's truly a wonderful thing to see.

CDawgVA: And you're nominated for three awards, if I'm not mistaken. Best Minecraft, is right, and best International Streamer, and Streamer of the Year. Are you excited? How do you feel like your odds are?

Quackity: To me, it doesn't matter. I'm nominated with like, all my friends, so I think we're all winning! We all get to celebrate together, whoever wins, so that's like, wonderful. I'm here for the show, I'm here for my friends, and that's the most important part to me.

CDawgVA: Yeah. As a content creator myself who's been living in different countries, and trying to integrate multiple languages, what are some of the challenges you've had trying to work with multiple languages and specifically, mainly Spanish and English for your audience, but trying to bring all these languages together? What's the biggest challenge you've been facing?

Quackity: Oh, well, I think the thing we look at the most is to make sure that all creators are very comfortable with it, right? It can be overwhelming, especially if they might not understand each other, you know, if we're using the real time translator that we have, we got to make sure that they're in a setting that the creators are comfortable with. That's the biggest thing, that's our biggest concern with all the time, and that's what we look forward to, like– making sure all the creators are feeling good!

CDawgVA: Did you envision back in the day when you were raiding Club Penguin icebergs that you would be here making advancements in language translation for streamers?

Quackity: Umm... You know what? It's really interesting because I was born and raised in Mexico, so growing up, I always thought of a world where, you know, someone who speaks Spanish but doesn't speak English could collaborate with a creator regardless of the language. So, it always was in my mind, and to see it come to fruition and see it happening and being able to meet all these talented, talented and incredible people that I now call close friends from around the world? That's- that' a blessing, and I'm so happy, I'm so thrilled.

CDawgVA: It is fantastic seeing all the advancements you guys are making, and just seeing that you bring streamers together! And I know the QSMP specifically has many events going on concurrently. Is there an event that you held last year that you were just really stoked about?

Quackity: Oh my gosh. Well, we host server-wide events for all the creators and everything just to give, you know, the creators a base where they can create content and all. The most recent one does sound funny, but it was called "QSMP Prison".

CDawgVA: Kai (?) did something like that actually.

Quackity: Right, but he did that in real life– no, we did it in Minecraft. But it was fun, it was cool to see all the creators, you know, all different languages kind of like in an enclosed space speaking to each other. It was a really cool thing.

CDawgVA: It's absolutely fantastic seeing what you're doing and I hope you have a great Stream Awards. It's an absolute pleasure getting to meet you, man. Enjoy the Stream Awards, I really appreciate it, man!

Quackity: Thank you so much!

CDawgVA: Keep doing what you're doing.

Quackity: Thank you!

CDawgVA: Thank you, thank you. Alright, I'm going to be throwing it back to another interview. So, see you guys then. Bye!

[hollowbutcanlove]

Words feel like… Part IV

iso x fem!reader

warnings: shootings, murders

18+ only

words: 2152

a/n: I don't feel well, but I wrote a chapter. i apologize for the mistakes, english is not my first language.

pt I pt II pt III pt V

After that, you and Iso hardly crossed paths until the appointed time to assemble for the mission. Sage and Omen were already waiting at the front entrance to headquarters. The woman was checking something in her bags while the ghostly man stood off to the side, idly watching. You shuddered involuntarily as memories of the day you tried to take on the form of an Omen surfaced in your mind. He seemed to feel the vibration of the air and raised his head in your direction. You couldn't understand how he noticed that, despite what was going on inside him.

"Hello,” - he nodded at you and Sage was immediately distracted.

"Oh, Y/N, you're already here. Let's wait for the others and I'll briefly bring you up to speed. This is your first mission, so,” she folded her arms across her chest, ” - this is your opportunity to show your abilities to the fullest. "

Excitement played in every part of your body. It was comparable to speaking to a huge audience. You wrung your hands, waiting for the rest of the expedition to arrive. One of them you already knew, but the second one - not particularly well, but the reviews about him were not flattering. The young men didn't take long to arrive, and they were at the gathering place within a couple minutes of the time you'd thought of them.

"All assembled,” - Sage nodded to the group. - "So, we're going to a place that some of you are familiar with. There's a reason I told you to dress warmly for the trip. But, Killjoy was able to create some sort of thermal suits for us so that we could move around more easily without wearing too many clothes. Sources have informed us of a possible re-invasion by the Omega's on two locations. We will be going to one of them today, with another squad going to the other later. Our main objective is to preserve what's in the area, eliminate enemies if possible, and find out any information. Y/N, your abilities will be of great use to us in this endeavor. "

"What are her abilities? "- Yoru asked, his tone quite cocky. - "Spy abilities, like Cypher's?"

"You'll see,” - Sage replied succinctly, making it clear that there was no room for conversation now. - "Take the crates and come aboard the helicopter."

The Japanese man clucked and grabbed a couple of crates and followed Sage and Omen. You grabbed one of the crates and followed suit. Iso closed the chain behind you. You felt a little embarrassed that he was behind you, because of everything that had happened between you. But you were careful to pretend that everything was fine. Though there was a flood of different thoughts in your head: excited, nostalgic, and anxious. Oh, how you wanted to eat something tasty now, so you wouldn't worry.

"Worried? "- Iso remarked as soon as you were seated in your seats aboard the airplane.

You held your hands together, looking down at the floor. Were you worried? Unequivocally yes. This is your first mission and you've never had to point a gun at real people before. Yes, you've been trained, but that's just training. No one knows how you'll behave in a stressful situation like this. You were afraid to make a mistake, because any mistake could be fatal. Especially if you play a key role in the mission.

"There is a little bit,” - you downplayed and began to run your fingers over it.

Iso placed his hand gently on your palms and squeezed them lightly. He didn't say anything, but you felt supported in that touch. A soft wave of thelp spilled over your body and you noticed that the anxious thoughts were a little less. A faint smile formed on your face, and then you shifted your gaze to Omen and Yora sitting across from you. The other sat with his eyes closed, thinking about his own thoughts, while Omen watched you, at least it seemed that way to you. You can't read much in his “face”. You had to rely on your inner senses, which were unsettling and frightening after the recent event.

Snow was coming down in small snowflakes from the overcast sky. It was chilly, but the thermal clothing kept the heat out. Everyone stood in their positions waiting. You were paired with a sarcastic Japanese man near a huge number of boxes, while Omen and the others controlled the other part of the grounds of the mysterious laboratory in the snowy wasteland. It was quiet. The only noise was your breathing. You didn't particularly like this silence. It was kind of unsettling. Probably because of the excitement and depressing thoughts.

"Don't count crows,” - a snowball suddenly flew at you, making you jerk and start shaking the snow off your face.

Yoru looked at you with a faint smile and then turned away. Some strange noise was heard.

"Sage, come in," - the Japanese man began to speak into his walkie-talkie. -" I can hear the noise."

"Over. Stay in position. Follow protocol, "- came from the other side.

You nervously clutched the weapon you had been given. The incomprehensible noise stopped and some voices were heard not far from you. You froze, waiting for further developments. Yoru was also biding his time, picking up a suitable target.

A small group of otherworlders were walking somewhere in the middle of the location, talking about something in half voices. Yoru picks up some kind of bottle and tosses it towards the boxes. People stop, one of them says something indistinctly and his footsteps approach the place where the bottle fell. At the same time you hear footsteps moving away. You glimpse out of your hiding place and almost fall. The Japanese had already managed to get close to the man with his powers, knock him out, and teleport with him to you.

"Do what you have to do. I'll take care of it."

You nod, then take off your glove and gingerly touch the bare skin on the blonde girl's face. You seem to have seen her a couple times in the hallways, but you've never interacted closely. She was quiet and hung out with a loud red-haired man and Skye. Immediately light goosebumps ran through your body and you looked down at your hands. The look is completely identical to the victim's. You pull out her weapon, then you take quick steps in the direction from where footsteps had already been heard.

"Deadlock, what is it? - Jett's doppelganger was looking suspiciously behind you.

"The wind had blown the empty bottle away. No intruders,” - because you didn't know Deadlock's character well, so you tried to base your lines on your first impression of the girl.

"Let's go. The others are waiting. We need to finish this quickly."

You widow walked towards the center, then headed towards the building where the others were supposed to be hiding. You were wearing a wire.

A group of omegas stood near the strange climb to the top next to the building and waited silently for you. You followed Jett with uncertain steps, scrutinizing the faces of those present. You recognized Viper, Skye, and… Iso's doppelganger. It took your breath away. The Omega version looked more sullen than the guy you knew.

"Secure the wire,” - Viper turned to you. - "We need to be ready for the Alpha spawn to show up."

You nodded silently, then fumbled in your pockets for small devices. Viper began to give commands to the others, and you moved toward the entrance. You pressed a button and activated the device, then held it against the wall, and it stuck to it. It began to make a faint noise, indicating that it was working. There was another device in your pocket, as well as a grenade. There was a strange round thing hanging from my leg. You didn't know how to use it, so you decided to leave it alone for now. You decided to put the second device inside, closer to the radionic block. Behind the shards of glass you saw someone's head, which immediately disappeared into a dark corner.

"I didn't want to come back here,” - Viper's voice echoed. - "But we need the radianite. Otherwise I can't help Y/N. A lot of missions had been derailed by her condition."

"I'm surprised even Sage can't help her,” - Skye shook her head. You're alert. Has something happened to your doppelganger? Is it possible that it could happen to you? Interest flared, and with it, fear for her life. What had happened there that your doppelganger was in such a terrible state.

"The radianite plague does not spare those it catches."

What's the Radianite plague? There's no mention of it here. Or maybe it's some kind of local disease on Omega.

"How much do you need? "- You decided to ask.

"A lot,” - Viper replied succinctly. - "Thankfully, it's not contagious."

That's all the information you're going to get. You exhaled, waiting for what was to come next.

"You and Iso patrol the area. We'll proceed with the spike installation."

You nodded, then headed for the exit. You caught a few phrases on the way out, indicating that the dark-haired American was giving out instructions to the others.

Being with this Iso was somehow unpleasant. He smelled cold, damp, and gloomy. It must have something to do with the state of that Y/N. You didn't question, just silently watched as the Chinese man surveyed the surroundings with his weapon in hand. He was very confident since he thought he could fell others with a regular sheriff. His marksmanship skills were amazing, though.

Behind one of the walls, you spotted Yoru. His bright blue jacket stood out against the white. Iso noticed him too, so he immediately pointed his gun in his direction and fired a few shots, but the Japanese immediately used the portal.

"They're here,” - the other Iso briefly concluded into the walkie-talkie, then ran towards the building.

You ran after him. It's starting.

Shots were heard and the beeping of the spike. They acted carefully, waiting until they had everything set up. And then they'd attack unexpectedly. That was the plan. The duelists were already actively exchanging fire with the omega Jett and Skye. The other Iso had joined them, causing Yoru and Iso to have to take cover behind the walls.

Viper puts on his mask. You can feel the noxious stench begin to hang in the air, and a green substance begins to ooze out of the devices on the woman's suit.

"Y/N, bracelet,” - Sage shouts, throwing his crystals at the enemies.

You don't immediately realize it, but you immediately catch yourself and press the button. The enemy Iso freezes and turns in your direction. There was a lot of emotion frozen on his face. The always focused Chinese man was at a loss for words and almost dropped his gun, but immediately pointed it at you. The shot immediately flies through him right into Viper and she is captured in some kind of blue thread that starts moving towards you with a kind of cocoon. The poison has stopped releasing.

"Damn, Y/N,” - Iso's Omega finds himself slumped on the floor, after which your Iso takes a few shots at him. Sage, along with Omenos, shaft the enemy Skye and Jett.

They then disarm the spike.

Yoru was wounded, but not badly enough to worry about it. Iso was shot in the leg. Omen… didn't feel a thing. And you were only mildly frightened. Your hands shook, and you jumped when the cocoon was next to you, and Viper's breathless body fell out of it. Your appearance began to return to normal.

"You need more training, though,” -Sage concluded, leaning over to Iso and beginning to heal his wound. - "You're not good at navigating stressful situations. Your reactions are lame. But you've been holding up pretty well. We've eliminated them."

"What happens to them now? - you asked, looking at the bodies.

"Hopefully they'll be found too late and their Sage won't be able to resurrect them. But we don't know the limits of the omega's abilities."

"But we did learn something interesting,” - you concluded. - "They have some kind of radianite plague. Do you know what it is?"

Sage shook her head negatively.

"Is Dedlock still alive?" - you asked suddenly.

"I shot her."

"We could have questioned her,” - Iso said.

"There'll be an opportunity. I think they'll be coming to our planet more often. "- Sage is up. - "It's time to call our people."

You breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the floor next to Iso, who was sitting relaxed on the floor, his broad back against the wall. He looked shabby, but at least he was resilient. Unlike that Iso. You wanted to tell him about it, but you changed your mind. Now's not the time. Everyone's very tired.

[datasoong47]

Idea: A sci-fi time-travel story with people from, say, 2423 travelling back to today. But, language evolves and 25th century English is not going to be the same as 21st century English, so having future characters and modern characters speaking the same is unrealistic

Several possibilities:

Create a future-English conlang for all your characters from the future. This would be a bit inconvenient and depending on how much change you apply might make the characters difficult for the audience to understand, especially problematic if the 25th century characters are your main POV characters. Might not be as much a problem if the main POV characters are the 21st century characters. At the very least, they're going to sound strange to listeners

Leave the characters from the future speaking normal 21st century English, but to simulate the language difference, have your 21st century characters speaking in Shakespearean English. Advantages: easier to understand the 25th century characters, especially important if their the main POV characters, and most English-speakers have at least some understanding of Shakespearean English. Disadvantage: would sound very anachronistic to have 21st century characters talking like someone out of Shakespeare

The time-travellers studied 21st Century English before their trip (maybe you could even show a brief scene in a classroom where they're studying older forms of English), so they're speaking more or less normal 21st century English, but sometimes they slip up (if they're seasoned time travellers, they might even mess up by occasionally slipping in an archaism "Yes, I would fain join you on that expedition"), and maybe have a peculiar accent (especially useful if the POV characters are the 21st century characters - might be a bit less believable if you're focusing on the 25th century characters and so you have scenes with only the future people talking to each other but still using 21st century English)

For comedic effect, you could have them mixing up eras and accidentally using all-out Shakespearean English - they accidentally signed up for the wrong class, or their mission was changed at the last moment - "Hey, bud, I know you've been studying up for that trip to 1607, but looks like we need you to go to 2023 instead" "Wait, what? But I haven't studied early 21st century English!" "Eh, close enough"

[g-on-ef]

Helluva Boss season 2 ep 3 review THERE WILL BE SPOILERS

It's been a while a long while since I've done one of these but this is the first episode since episode 5 that hasn't pissed me off in the first five minutes and was able to somewhat enjoy it but omg I said it once and I'll say it again viv does not have one single clue what she's doing wit her characters but we are getting ahead of ourselves so let's start wit the good before we get to the bad.

Genuinely love that this was a Moxxie center episode cause it's about damn time my boy got the attention he deserves and it's not him getting punched every three seconds -_-

I personally love Chazz design I thought he was fun and enjoyable {at first} and I loved that he and Moxxie had a relationship together not gonna lie I was screaming I ship them especially the flashback ^^

Ummmm ...

IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE MY BABY STRIKER ??? !!! YALL IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE MY. BABY. STRIKER ??? !!!

Regardless I'll take whatever crumbs I can get ^^

Baby Moxxie was adorable !!!!

The relationship between him and his mother was adorable I feel like she was the reason for his love for musical I loved her ^^

I also love we got Moxxie saying he's bi it's always refreshing to see characters refer themselves as part of the lgbtq community

No Loona speaking omg I'm so happy we didn't have Loona talking at all because honestly she would've made the episode worse

Now onto the bad parts -_-

Maybe is because English isn't my first language but didn't Moxxie said he was born in Wrath ??? So did he move to Greed ??? If so was it when he was a baby or ??? I'm just confused on that part.

No one not Viv not her crew hell at this point not even SOME people of the Fandom know what to do/think of Millie.

The whole episode she was either a rabid animal or resorted to Moxxies wife/the blood thirsty woman of the show like how is she a main character always getting side line for everyone fuck man even Loona gets better treatment than her and that sucks cause Loona is down right awful

The fat jokes weren't funny the first time and guessed what they aren't funny the 18th time !!!

I get homophobic implications cause its hell 🤪 {every time I say that imma add that face} but umm the dildo jokes ??? Like I genuinely didn't get why that needed to be added but it is what is I guess.

So you mean to tell me both Moxxie and Millie slept wit Chazz but this episode didn't bother focusing on Millie on how they met Like da freak ??? Also while I loved Chazz the first few minutes I got annoyed wit him like really Viv you're gonna make the bisexual character a horny person that fucks everything wit two legs and have his whole personality around sex ??? Also was I the only one disgusted wit Blitz sleeping wit Chazz ??? Like how the freak we got there ??? !!!

Gotta be honest did not like that Moxxies VA also voiced Crimson I was expecting something more intimidating like something like Striker I guess but that's just me

Also back to the dildo joke ummm someone tell me why we were having a moment that should have build an intimidating moment only to ruin it wit the dildos ... ... ... like I said before Vive has no idea how to handle serious topics without turning it into a joke and have the entire scene lose its importance and value.

Like the build up the dinner scene it was leading up to a serious conflict that was creating tension and hell even the slap had me shocked and Crimson bringing fear into the audience only for it to come tumbling down with the dildos hell even after the threat Crimson gave as Moxxie was leaving I couldn't take seriously because the scene kept showing them.

Hell even wit Moxxie being upset and hurt I couldn't take serious cause of the whiplash that came right after

Can someone please explain why is there a priest in hell ??? Or better yet why is there a jail in hell ??? Like why are we even having Charlie's hotel idea if there's jail and rehab in hell like ??? Does Viv even understand the world she's created ??? Like does she even remember the world she's created ??? Cause why create a hotel that's supposed to help sinners when Hell has REHAB AND A JAILING SYSTEM ??? !!!

ALSO SOMEONE ANYONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME THE HIERARCHY OF HELL !!!

Are imps at the bottom ??? The shark demons ??? Like does anyone at Spindle even remember their own rules for the show ??? !!!

Anyways that's it for my complaint of the day but anywhore those are my thoughts and I'm sticking to them !!!

[qqueenofhades]

Also, continuing on from this post, which I wanted to add to that one but didn't have time since I was running out the door:

It might help if you think in terms of translation. Obviously, in almost all historical fiction/fantasy-inspired historical fiction/anything that's not set in the modern day, your characters aren't actually speaking modern English. They're speaking Middle English, Latin, Chinese, French, Sindarin, etc. If you're not going to be JRR Tolkien and create an entire conlang and translate everything on a molecular level, then of course there is some automatic level of translation and contextualization going on. Your characters are speaking modern English (at least in terms of grammar, spelling, style conventions) because that's the audience that you're writing for. Only a total lunatic would demand that you first learn the language They Are Supposed To Be Speaking and then translate it on a granular level. Your readers know that some concepts probably don't translate over perfectly, but they don't care, since they are engaging with you to create and experience a story in a medium/language they are already familiar with. Which, obviously, is the basic art of writing and making different concepts exciting and relatable, without getting hung up on tiny pedantic nuances that only interest, again, the absolutely insane. You should not be writing to please these kind of people. Trust me.

So if you're struggling with "exact" historical accuracy or worried about whether this tiny little detail is right: you don't need to! And I say that as a Super Actual Real Life Historian Person. I am not going to come after you with a baseball bat if your one-sentence description of something is not sufficiently Correct. If you want to do that research and include it, by all means do so. It's always delightful to see people going down rabbit holes of real-life research and voluntarily learning a lot about wildly obscure details, just for the sake of accuracy in their horny AO3 fanfiction. But also, this isn't and should not be some kind of holier-than-thou litmus test about the dubious concept of Accuracy (though yes, yes, I know, fandom spends all their time on holier-than-thou litmus tests). If you just want to throw in something that SOUNDS right and is reasonably plausible for the setting: go for it. Nobody except you will notice, you won't get your Fanfic Card taken away, and it works just as well. As I said, any remotely generous and/or basically sensible person will understand that you're employing concept translation, you're pointing at what it's meant to be, and trusting them to go "yeah okay, I get that."

For example: I myself will use the word "fuck" in just about any setting. I do not care when it technically started being used in that shape or form; it's an old word and as you might imagine, there are countless claimed etymologies for it. I am not going to invent some PG-rated nonsense word (looking at you, Star Wars and "kriffing") to substitute "fuck" when I want to use "fuck." The audience knows what I mean by it. It has a particular semantical, sexual, comic, vulgar, emphatic, etc collection of meanings that has been created from common usage. Technically, yes, the characters are saying some other strict phonic order of syllables that could be represented differently. But what they're saying is "fuck," that's what I want the reader to understand, and that's what I am going to write down.

Anyway, what I am saying here is: It's helpful to apply the concept of translation to history as well as language to fic, especially since as noted, this is fun writing you do for free and it can be as much or as little related to the brass-tacks details as you want. Nobody is coming in expecting to read a PhD thesis, and if you WANT to do that level of research, great! But you don't have to, a lot of what people think is "accurate" is really not, and should not actually impact on your or anyone's enjoyment of your work anyway.

[enibas22]

The star of Game of Thrones and Stranger Things gave us an exclusive interview, Tom Wlaschiha answered all the questions

The kindness and directness of the actor is irresistible.

Tom Wlaschiha is a well-known and popular actor, who became really known as Jaqen H'ghar in Game of Thrones. The 49-year-old German actor is not at all unfamiliar with Hungary, as he visited Lake Balaton with his parents a lot as a child, and he still likes to be nostalgic here, as long as he is not tied down by a role in a world-class series. After the epoch-making series based on the books of George RR Martin, Wlaschiha appeared in another masterpiece with a huge fan base, in Stranger Things he played Dimitri Antonov, who quickly stole into the hearts of the viewers.

On the occasion of the Comic Con held in the BOK Sports Hall on the second weekend of June, the actor was happy to answer the fans' questions, he also took time for Tények.hu in an exclusive interview . 

Upon entering the room, he immediately had a huge smile on his face, it seemed that he was happy with the opportunity and came up with a very detailed answer to every question that was put to him, the type of figure who sneaks into the heart of the other person almost immediately.

You've played many exciting roles over the years. What character have you always wanted to play but haven't had the chance yet?

Well, I'm pretty happy with the variety and selection of characters I've played over the past few years. And I don't believe that... It's a question that gets asked sometimes, what kind of character do you want to play? Evil or kind? Well, there is no true evil or good, just like there is in real life. I mean, even if you're playing someone in a fantasy world, you have to try to give a human dimension to the role so that it's relatable to the audience. Otherwise, if you just played a hero guy, the audience would quickly get bored, the same way a bad guy would quickly become boring. Actually, I prefer bad guys, I mean "bad guys." I always try to play them as the good guys. You know that creates a kind of controversy and then the viewers say, wait, very dear, but he does terrible things. What's going on? And that's when it all gets interesting.

In the series Stranger Things, you played the character of Dmitri, who was loved by fans. How was this role different from your other roles and what was the reaction you got to the character?

Well, the role was challenging because I had to play a real Russian. And I'm not a real Russian. But you know, I talk a little. Long ago, 40 years ago, I studied Russian at school. So the language was somewhat familiar to me, but I was far from a perfect speaker. Of course I wanted to do it as well as possible. I had a dialect teacher, but the main challenge was to speak English as a German with a Russian accent and at the same time as a real Russian, preferably without an accent. So it wasn't easy at all, and besides all that, I also had to focus on my acting. So that was the main challenge for me.

Many people are interested in what will happen in the final season of the series. Could you tell me a small behind-the-scenes secret about this?

If I tell you any secrets about the final season, I will be killed. I will have a horrible death on screen. No, I'm just kidding, I actually don't know. I know as much as you do, especially with Stranger Things, because the show is entirely the Duffer brothers' baby, and they do everything. They write the scripts, they direct, they are responsible for practically everything, which means they don't have to share any information. So only the two of them know. But there will be a 5th season. That's the only secret I can tell you.

Since you studied at a music school and your uncle was a famous baritone singer, you must pay special attention to the musical part of movies or TV series. Which was your favorite that you think everyone should listen to at least once?

Do you mean to talk about my favorite soundtracks? Or should I mention a TV show worth watching because of the music used in it? About the music, yes. Now, I can't say Game of Thrones, for example, although I think the soundtrack is brilliant. But everyone knows that. What else could it be? Should it be something I was in? Or just interested in general? I listen to a lot of classical music every day, I would say this is my favorite genre, because it is very soothing and I think many people distance themselves from this genre, even though they shouldn't.

As I know you have very good language skills, you speak German, English, French, Italian and Russian. Do you think Hungarian could be the sixth language you learn? Do you know some Hungarian words?

Of course. I can count. I can count. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Eleven twelve thirteen. I know that Vizsla, I only know a few such basic words , but this may change in the future.

Fans are always curious about what awaits their favorite actors in the coming period. Could you give us some insight into an upcoming project or role you're excited about? What can be expected from you in the future?

I just came out with a new series called Mrs. Davis. It debuted in the US on the Peacock platform a few weeks ago. And I'm sure it will be shown on some European TV channel in the near future, but unfortunately I don't know who bought the rights and in which country. Anyway, this was a really cool series. The showrunner is Damon Lindelof, who also created Lost. It's a really crazy series. It is completely unlike anything I have ever read or seen. It's basically hard to describe what it's about. In a nutshell, maybe it's an artificial intelligence fighting a nun. It is a battle of technology versus faith. It's basically about the search for the Holy Grail and a bunch of stuff that spans from the 14th century to the present, and they've tried to do it in a bit of a Monty Python style. I think this works really well. So it's funny, it's crazy at the same time, and I'm playing a Catholic priest who's not actually a real Catholic priest, he's just pretending.

------------------------

The original interview was written in the Hungarian language. The English translation is by google translate.

[novoaa1writes]

hiya!! just wanted to say i am absolutely losing my mind over your writing, genuinely its a masterclass in writing. i aspire to your level of creating a scene and wonder if you have any tips on writing for the things you enjoy / in general? any and all tips are so so appreciated. thank you again for sharing your talents with us. - <3

omg omggg i love it when people ask me things, and yes absolutely, i have some tips that (i hope) are helpful to you

i got a bit long-winded with it, so i'll put it under the cut.

without further ado:

the thesaurus is your friend. any time i'm writing—whether it's an essay for school, or fanfiction, or occasionally even an e-mail to someone i don't know terribly well—you best believe i'm switching from one tab (google docs, e-mail, etc.) to the other (thesaurus.com) like it's a professional sport. it's a quick, easy, and effective way to switch up your writing by avoiding redundancies in word choice.

read, read, read, and then go read some more. ever since i was quite young, i've done quite well at written assignments of all kinds—fiction writing, research papers, etc. i don't say that to brag; i say that to set up the following point: i truly believe that so much of what makes writing come somewhat naturally to me now is a credit to the many hours, days, years i spent with my nose so far into the spine of a book, it's a wonder i ever got it back out again. i look at my writing now, and i'm able to pinpoint a number of patterns that can be traced directly back to the writing styles of authors i admire. reading the work of others—whether it be fanfiction or a published novel—will give you a better sense for what flows and what doesn't, what evokes emotion in readers and what merely provides filler, what you wish to emulate and what you wish to do differently.

be experimental! don't be afraid to switch around word order, or utilize dialogue in lieu of descriptive text, or alter the flow of the narrative from the typical linear plot convention. especially when we speak of fanfiction, there are a lot of exceedingly common "-ism"s (phrases, word choice, etc.) that appear again and again across the board in a large majority of works—which isn't necessarily a bad thing, to be clear. that said, it does sometimes complicate matters if a goal of yours is to make your writing stick out. and honestly, if you try something and it doesn't work, who cares? writing is a continual exercise in learning. but if you try something, and it does work? hoooly shit. it's a great feeling.

proper grammar, spelling, and formatting are not the be-all and end-all. sure, when i'm reading a fic, it doesn't escape my notice if the grammar is wrong, or a word is used incorrectly, or the formatting choices do not match up with what i might've opted for. but guess what? i'm not the author, i'm not their beta reader, and unless they specifically asked for that feedback, it's not my place to give it. what's more: good writing is not synonymous with quote-unquote "proper" writing. (see: prescriptivism.) for me, barring the case in which the prevalence of writing errors renders the work completely unreadable (which has literally never happened), i don't actually give a shit if the author wrote "your" when it should've been "you're." phonetically, it's the same. plus, english is hard, even for native speakers! (this goes for any language, mind you.) if the concept of the story is good, and it's compelling enough to keep me clicking that "next chapter" button, you best believe i'll continue doing exactly that—and enjoy the hell out of it.

proper grammar, spelling, and formatting are not the be-all and end-all—to a point. i know, i know, i just said they weren't- look, i'll explain. and, as a brief caveat: this is highly dependent on how much the breadth of the audience you're trying to reach matters to you. that said, let's get into it. on numerous occasions, i've seen fanfiction readers (particularly on tumblr) post about instances where the formatting of certain fics has actively discouraged them from reading. especially paragraph breaks. and, in the case of the tumblr site itself, including a "read more" for fic posting. although i have and continue to read fics that make minimal use of paragraph breaks, and/or don't include a "read more," there have been occasions where i've seen these formatting choices and have elected to simply not read the fic. if it's on ao3, i'll often mark it for later, but at this point, my "marked for later" list has surpassed a mile wide, and there's no telling when i'll return to it—if i ever do. proper grammar and spelling are less of an issue, it seems, but formatting can prove to be a deciding factor in whether or not people take the time to read what you've written.

write for you, not for anyone else. if you're a fic writer, requests are a great way to engage with your readers. however, you shouldn't write them for the sole purpose of appeasing said readers—especially not at your own expense. i've seen a number of writers who, after starting an intensive schedule to fulfill requests from their followers/readers on a consistent basis (weekly, daily, etc.), eventually burn out, deactivate their account, and go on hiatus—sometimes indefinitely. so, take care of yourself. never forget why you started writing and, if applicable, publishing your works. to this day, i have yet to meet a single writer whose motivations for writing have simply been recognition and renown. sure, that can certainly constitute some part of it, but above all else, we do this shit because we love it. so, take your breaks. pace yourself. write what you want to write. you, and the writing you produce, will be better for it.

alright, those are all the points i could think up for now. again, i did get slightly long-winded with it, as i'm wont to do, but i did my best to not ramble. also, most of the examples i used had to do more with fanfiction than any other type of writing, so i hope that was okay. you're welcome to message me if you wanna chat any more about this (or anything else, really)!

anyway, thank you for this absolutely lovely ask. it made my week <3

[generalpierrotdameron]

The Acolyte cast speaks out on being the most diverse Star Wars project ever

"When it comes to the world of fantasy and sci-fi in general, it hasn't felt like a safe space always for people of color," Stenberg says. "And it's been a world that I've always deeply loved and been invested in. So to be in any way, shape, or form a part of the wave that is ushering in inclusion and safety for Black nerds, it's my dream come true."

That diversity and inclusion was something that the rest of the cast couldn't help but observe. Turner-Smith tells EW it was "definitely something I noticed and was really excited about, and was one of the reasons that I chose to step into the world," while Keen notes that the actors were well aware of the variety of perspectives at play. "That was definitely a conversation we've had on set," Keen says. "It's really refreshing to walk onto a set as diverse as this one in every sense. We've all come from different corners of the world and it's really great to get so many different people from different backgrounds to create this thing together."

Barnett is excited for audiences to see what he and so many others have not seen before on screen. "I don't think I could have ever imagined myself as a Jedi," Barnett says. "Because I was not reflected for so many times throughout these films in the past. So to see such a diverse group now, I think it's going be a really impactful. It's gonna be [a] cool moment for me for sure, I can tell you that."

Many in the cast point to Lee Jung-jae — whom they call JJ — and how impressive he has been not only learning his Jedi master character, but also learning the English language at the same time. And for Manny Jacinto, Jung-jae's role represents a true breakthrough for the franchise. "If I'm being candid, this is the first time you're getting to see an Asian Jedi," Jacinto says. "It's a pretty big responsibility. Getting to see him inspire a new generation of Asian kids to like take up the lightsaber — it's pretty incredible."

Turner-Smith has noticed something else incredible about The Acolyte that makes it stand out from the pack of Star Wars offerings. "I also really loved that that our show was much more woman-centered than what I have previously seen in the Star Wars world," she told the Dagobah Dispatch. "Just from the fact that our incredible showrunner Leslye is a genius woman, and the female producers and having Amandla be the person who's leading our cast — it was a very cool way into this universe, and a way that I feel that people have never necessarily seen before, other than they're going see Rosario in an amazing woman-centered show as well."

For Turner-Smith, shows like Ashoka— which also has a female-heavy cast — and The Acolyte represent a new breed of Star Wars offerings. "I feel like we are part of a wave of more inclusive and beautifully represented Star Wars shows. So that felt really cool. And I felt the importance of that, especially in some of the stuff that I got to where everyone really was excited about what they were seeing and what that would maybe mean for different fans — fans that don't necessarily look like what you normally think the traditional Star Wars fan looks like. Because if there's anything that I learned from this show, it's that the Star Wars fan is varied."

[bitchatcloudtower]

Do you think Musa is Chinese and Flora Hispanic if they’re in the magical world and there’s no china or latin america in magix?

I don't think calling Musa strictly Chinese is accurate. I understand she's based on a Chinese woman but the aspects of Asian culture we see being drawn from aren't strictly Chinese and I don't think it's right or fair to ignore the other influences present, even if it was done because of orientalist views.

I think coding is more for the audience's sake than world building. By coding them the way they are, we're being told something. And sometimes what we're being told is simply just "this is what they'd look like to us" From a marketing perspective, we are being told as viewers: oh she's just like you, you should support us for having a character that is like you. I know I related to Musa simply because she looked like me, and I know that was the case for a lot of other young girls. Especially for young POC for whom having characters that look like them is a rarity. It gives people something to latch onto and raises the chances of them sticking around but making us connecting to a character in that way. On the flip side: sometimes, coding can be done to conveying a stereotype the audience may already have. A less subtle example: I don't think it's a coincidence that the Wrong-Righters are coded as Japanese, it feels quite intentional given the tropes being employed when it comes to their behaviour and the little we see of their characters. Or even 4Kids' Tecna being English where none of the others are. Yeah, England doesn't exist in 4Kids Winx Club anymore than China or Latin America do, but it's pulling from the assumption that the largely American audience (for whom the dub was made) views English people (or at least people with that accent) as inherently more intelligent, so we, as a presumably American audience that holds this stereotype, see Tecna (English) as being smarter than the other (non-English) girls. (Don't ask me why the Wizards are coded as whatever the fuck they are, I don't speak Wizard lore.) I'm not sure about the intentions behind coding Musa or Flora that way, but diversity is often used as something to capitalise on, and that's what I think is the case with Winx. Especially given the way it keeps changing/being changed so as to appeal to whatever market they choose to target.

Story-wise, you're right. Asia and Latin America don't exist in the Magical Dimension. But it does on Earth. (We see the Winx go to China at some point in the later seasons (don't ask me which one, I just remember seeing badly written Chinese and the Great Wall.)) And you know who's from Earth? Bloom. The character whose eyes we see through for the entirety of the show. To Bloom, and us, Musa and Flora and Layla are coded as Asian, Latina, and Black respectively, but to the other magical characters, those distinctions don't exist. To Bloom, there isn't as clear of a distinction between the fairies, witches, and specialists beyond what they do but it's entirely likely that to someone raised in magical society that those distinctions are much more obvious.

Finally, I don't like this argument. I'm assuming you are asking in good faith, but this is very reminiscent of "well if Asia/Latin America don't exist in Winx Club then why can't we cast white people in these roles?" We don't exist in the world of Winx Club, we exist on Earth where these regions do actually exist and are wildly mistreated by western societies. And since Winx was created on Earth and we'd be casting this on Earth for an Earth audience, those distinctions do matter.

[dkniade]

i love the way you write 😭😭 i’ve checked out a bunch of your stuff over the last few days and i am eyeballing your works respectively

from one midnight poet to another — what inspires you to take up poetry as a medium? who are your favorite authors/poets/inspirations?

Ahh, thank you! That’s very flattering to hear!

As for what inspires me to write poetry… Mostly my own feelings and thoughts, I’d say. The same goes for writing and journaling, but when I’m upset I find poetry to be one of the fastest mediums (if I’m in the mood to do so) to relieve my stress, anger— something like that. Personally it works much better for stress and anger towards particular things than sadness because if I’m just sad with no reason, finding words and essentially finding a concrete thing to be sad about makes it worse for me. Though with that being said, I’m trying to learn how to write wholesome poems about healing, as well. (I think.)

Poetry, to me, is an amplifier and a type of freedom, I guess. There are some things I can’t really say to others in real life, but in poetry I’ve no audience (in the sense that I’m not actually speaking to anyone) so I don’t have to worry about my diction and tone.

But also, I think poetry is a great way to tell a character's story concisely, maybe even in-character too, especially if the character is a poet themselves. Writing in-character poems, for example my Venti poems “Flute Song” and “Song of Feathers Fit For Flight”, forces me to think like the character and then kind of create something as the character, which I find interesting. I'm writing as the character who’s writing something themselves.

As for other poets/inspirations… Initially it was anime opening themes, particularly Hello Sleepwalkers’ “Goya no Machiawase” (Overnight Appointment/Midnight Rendezvous) because of the idea of going towards and talking to oneself.

おやすみ　その絶望を受け取って

明日への僕は歩き始めた

また今夜　待ち合わせよう

Good night, I accept this despair and

Started walking towards tomorrow

Let’s meet again tonight!

And then it changed to the VOCALOID producer Neru’s works in his first two albums Sekai Seifuku and My Name Is Love Song. If I had to pick songs then I’d say “How To World Domination”. (Note: This is Oktavia’s translation which conveys the intentions well I’d say)

どうせ愛なんてって薄幸ぶって強がっても

きっと本心じゃ疚しさに襲われて

どうだい現状の僕は

そうかい、どうしようもないな

うるさいなお前なんて大嫌いだ

Even if I say “To hell with love”, embracing my misery and feigning a “I’ve stopped giving a shit” sort of air

I know I couldn’t do that without feeling ashamed for hiding how I really feel

How goes things, my present day self?

Oh I see, it’s hopeless, huh?

God you piss me off, I hate you so much!

and “Terror”

やられたらやり返せ 君の番だ 捨てた夢の全てを拉致しろ

心の居場所を賭したレジスタンス

笑われたその分だけ 笑い返せ 言わば人生のクーデター

勝ちも負けもない延長戦 僕らの反撃前夜

If they strike at you, strike back! It’s your turn now! Take back every one of your abandoned dreams

It’s a resistance where your heart’s place is at stake

Laugh back only as much as you were laughed at! A coup d’état of life, so to speak

Going into overtime with neither wins nor losses

It’s the eve of our counterattack

But recently it’s been the alt-folk band The Amazing Devil’s lyrics. I like their style and their rhythm and rhymes a lot, but also I LOVE their call-and-response sort of conversational lyrics. I guess I’m finally thinking about that more since, well, they write songs in English where the aforementioned aspects are easier to pick out (than in Japanese).

I remember for my “The Immature Liege and the Heartless Joker”, I was inspired by “The Old Witch Sleep and the Good Man Grace”. (You can see it even in the title too.)

'Cause we'll dance together so close we're sharing breath

But now I'm leading, doesn't that just scare you to death?

'Cause I'm all yours, you're all mine

Let's dance together, you and I

'Cause I'm not trapped, oh with you, you see

You're the one who's trapped with me

And then, “Farewell Wanderlust” has the “flirting with your (metaphorical) enemy” sort of vibe that I also really like.

"Come, devil, come, " she sang, "call out my name"

Let's take this outside, 'cause we're one and the same

Our gods have abandoned us, left us instead

Take up arms, take my hand, let us waltz for the dead

Defiance. It seems in the songs and artists I like, there’s always a sense of defiance against unpleasant feelings. I like the idea of telling yourself to be stronger and stand up for yourself, or if you’re not ready for that yet, then at least face your feelings as they are without trying to soften it to make them sound acceptable. It’s what I strive for in my pieces too.

[oppvenuz4456]

Event Anchors in Mumbai: A Guide to Choosing the Right Host for Your Event

Mumbai, being the entertainment hub of India, is home to some of the best event anchors in Mumbai the industry. Whether you're planning a corporate event, wedding, product launch, or live show, the right anchor can make all the difference in creating an engaging and seamless experience for your audience. Event anchors are essential for setting the tone of the event, keeping the flow smooth, and ensuring that the audience is entertained and involved. Here's a guide to choosing the right event anchor in Mumbai.

For more Info Check https://www.oppvenuz.com/vendors/anchor/?city=mumbai 

Why Hire a Professional Event Anchor?

Hiring a professional anchor brings expertise, confidence, and charisma to your event. These hosts have years of experience handling live audiences, understanding the mood of the crowd, and making impromptu decisions if things don’t go as planned. They have the ability to engage guests, ensure smooth transitions between segments, and manage the time effectively. Whether it's keeping the energy high at a wedding reception or smoothly guiding a corporate seminar, an experienced anchor can elevate the entire event.

Types of Events and Anchors

Different types of events call for different kinds of anchors. For example, a wedding anchor needs to be charismatic, funny, and engaging to entertain a wide range of guests. For corporate events, you may want someone more formal and professional, who can communicate business goals effectively. In product launches or promotional events, anchors with a background in media or television often do well due to their ability to present information with style and clarity. Mumbai has a diverse pool of anchors who specialize in different event types, so it’s essential to choose one whose style matches your event’s requirements.

Top Event Anchors in Mumbai

Mumbai is home to some of the best and most versatile anchors in India. Some of the top names include renowned television hosts, radio jockeys, and entertainers who have transitioned into anchoring live events. Many of these anchors have a strong background in public speaking, and they are fluent in both English and Hindi, allowing them to cater to a diverse audience.

You can find anchors like Shweta Kapoor, known for her bubbly and engaging presence at weddings and social events, or Rohit Jayakaran, a popular choice for corporate events and conferences. Shibani Dandekar, a well-known media personality, is also in demand for fashion events, launches, and high-profile weddings due to her glamorous presence and ability to connect with the audience. Whether you’re looking for a formal or casual tone, Mumbai offers a wide range of professionals to choose from.

Qualities to Look for in an Event Anchor

When selecting an event anchor, there are certain qualities that can ensure the success of your event. Look for someone with excellent communication skills, who can interact comfortably with a live audience and convey messages clearly. A good anchor is also quick on their feet, able to handle unexpected situations or technical difficulties without losing composure. Versatility is key, especially if your event involves different segments like entertainment, speeches, or interactive activities. It’s also important to choose someone who can adapt their style to fit the theme of the event, whether it’s formal, fun, or somewhere in between.

Budget and Availability

The cost of hiring an anchor can vary significantly depending on their experience and the type of event. High-profile anchors or those who have worked on major media platforms may charge a premium, while local or emerging talents can be more affordable. It’s essential to set a budget before approaching an anchor or agency. Keep in mind that rates can also vary based on the duration of the event and any additional responsibilities the anchor may have, such as moderating discussions, interviewing guests, or conducting interactive activities.

Booking Through Agencies or Directly

In Mumbai, you can book an event anchor either through a talent management agency or directly by contacting the anchor. Talent agencies that specialize in event management can help match you with anchors who fit your event’s requirements and budget. They handle all the logistics, including contracts, schedules, and special requests. If you have a particular anchor in mind, you can also try reaching out to them directly through their professional websites or social media profiles. When working directly, it’s important to clearly communicate your event details, timeline, and expectations.

Coordinating with Your Anchor

Once you’ve selected an anchor, it’s important to brief them thoroughly about your event. Share the event schedule, key points you’d like highlighted, and any specific segments they need to introduce or manage. A good anchor will want to understand the flow of the event so they can keep it running smoothly. You can also request a rehearsal if your event has a complex program, such as award ceremonies or entertainment segments, to ensure everything goes as planned.

Importance of Audience Engagement

A skilled event anchor knows how to read the room and keep the audience engaged. Whether it’s through witty banter, interactive games, or audience participation, keeping energy levels high ensures a lively atmosphere throughout the event. For weddings and social gatherings, this could mean keeping guests entertained between rituals. At corporate events, this could involve audience Q&A sessions or ice-breaker activities. The right anchor will ensure that guests are involved, engaged, and enjoying every moment of the event.

Choosing the right event anchor in Mumbai is key to the success of your event. With the city’s wealth of experienced professionals, you’re sure to find someone who fits your event’s needs and makes it a memorable experience for everyone involved.

[dspsposts]

dspsposts' Story Time

Hello, for the people who might be reading this. This is not that important and basically just a trauma dumping trash that I'd like to share because I'm annoying like that, hehe. This is also for my bigger audience on my Youtube channel (hey, you, if you're reading, welcome to my blog) because I'd also like to share my story with those of you who are interested.

I got into reading and writing when I was in 7th grade. English is not my first language, but I grew up with the English language being lowkey shoved down my throat. However, it was enjoyable enough since I grew up watching English Youtubers who, well, speak English and I adopted the way they speak, maybe also their accent and stuff, so yeah, a little bit out of topic but I just wanted to get that out of the way.

I was always interested in writing, because as a kid, I wanted to write my own songs, I liked to sing and write random stuff in my collection of notebooks. Then, in 2016/2017, I was introduced to the world of fanfiction shortly after I stanned BTS. I read a lot of them, I scoured the internet to get the goodness of those heavenly writings by talented writers who are generous enough to bless us all with their writing prowess.

Along the way, I got the ambition and desire to start my own blog, create my own Youtube channel, and have an audience, just like them! And I did! I had an audience and I loved every second of it. I adore the friends I made, the support, the comments, and just the everything. I loved it, and I still love it. Sometimes, I just want to cry just thinking back about it.

My Youtube channel was where my audience was the biggest, so it was the platform I was mainly focusing on. Writing and editing those videos were a lot of fun, I like to make them, watch them myself, and wait for people's reactions when I upload them. Yet, it all had to come to an end when all I felt was not excitement anymore. Just dread, just negative feelings whenever I want to follow through my plans.

I have seen it happen with other authors where they feel the burden of having people's expectations on them as a fanfiction writer. Honestly, maybe I was at that stage too when I stopped having fun writing and creating stories and videos. Not only that I stopped writing, I also stopped reading altogether, and it was a shame because reading was my biggest passion ever. It was the thing I enjoyed the most in my life, and I wish I had continued loving to do it until now.

Whenever I tried to pick up on reading, I always felt a sense of dread, like I just want to do anything else but to read. It felt like the worst thing ever. I know it has to do with my not-so healthy coping mechanism where I just avoid the things that make me feel bad. I avoid reading because I had associated reading with the negative feelings I got from not creating stories and uploading videos. I'm still sad thinking about it because I also drifted apart from being an army and also moa.

However, recently, I vented about all of this to my best friend, I don't know why I didn't do it sooner, because shortly after I let it all out, I found myself having fun reading the old fanfiction I used to read in the past. Some are still available on the internet, but some authors have deactivated and their works are not available anymore for me to read. Then, I have also begun to write again on my other platform, and also felt inspired to continue "Miles", a fanfiction I planned for Beomgyu before I went into long hiatus a few years back.

It's important to note though, that I haven't fully recovered from those bad feelings and I feel very prone to just relapse and potentially lose reading as my hobby again. I'm not making a full comeback, especially not on Youtube. Reading has been really fun as well as writing. I'm trying to just do it in my own pace, and I want to have fun because as one of my favorite authors on Tumblr said too that writing is supposed to be fun! I do believe that too! I really don't want to stop :(

I don't know how much I've changed in the span of the time where I've been away from all this, but I have. I have changed. I'm totally a different person now from I was before, and I don't remember how much or what I've disclosed to you guys, and I would like not to know (I'm embarrassed) :^).

I will try my best to finish it but I will try harder to have fun while doing so!

That's it from me! And hey, if you happened to have experienced similar situation, feel free to share your story! Or share your thoughts about my sob story, hehe.

See you when I see you! <3

[ratralsis]

Hurt your darlings

Today I want to talk about something that I think is often misunderstood in writing. I'm not an expert in it myself, but I still want to talk about it, because I'm just that kind of stupid.

I think it's important to hurt your characters as much as you need to in order to make your story interesting, and then cut it out.

Let me explain.

It's easy to go too far, and it's easy not to go far enough. You have to find the correct amount. You have to know just how badly to hurt them, and that's not always easy.

It's easy to torture the villain. Frankly, it's easy to torture your heroes, too, if you're that kind of person. But you need to know how far is too far, because at some point it just becomes silly. It'll make you lose your audience. People don't like seeing their main character get hurt for no reason. It's just excessive, sometimes.

I'd feel weird giving examples of this, because I"m not a media expert, and I'd have to look at something popular, at least moderately, and point to it and say "This work is bad, it's not as good as what I think it could have been," and nobody wants me to do that, because people out there LIKE the things that I don't like. So I'll avoid it, but I think you can think of examples on your own if you try.

But there are stories where I think the hero doesn't get hurt enough, too. I think these are easier to find. Stories where you think that the hero's character arc feels cheap, or unearned, or like they didn't struggle enough or have enough trouble getting what they wanted. This can be hard to nail down. I once watched a movie with my mom where, at the end, the main character fucking died, and she said that it felt cheap because his death meant that he got away with crimes he'd committed earlier in the film. But he was fucking DEAD! Didn't matter to her. Wasn't good enough for her!

So there's no satisfying everybody, alright?

I like giving weird examples that illustrate what I'm talking about, and today I think I'd like to draw from episode 17 of the now-obscure anime Re:CREATORS, in which the grizzled detective from a Cyberpunk manga (made up for the show) points a gun at his creator (also made up for the show), a thin woman who smokes a lot and struggled to make it as an author for years before finding success with his story, which wasn't even his story, it was his partner's story.

As far as I'm aware, there isn't an official English dub of the anime, so I'm going to just directly quote the English subtitles. It's easier than trying to translate it myself, especially since the detective's creator speaks a dialect that I've never been good at.

He's alone in the room with her, gun raised. He was going to kill her, but she pointed out that if he did that, then he wouldn't be able to ask her anything at all, and, knowing she was right, he has something needs to say.

"I don't care whether or not you're the creator of my world. However, there are some things I can't excuse. This might not be important at all to you, a god, but there is one thing even the tiniest piece of dust would never be able to forgive. You planned it, and you wrote everything. You're responsible for everything. That's why I want to ask you why…"

She cuts him off. They say, simultaneously: "Why did my daughter have to die like that?"

His creator smiles at him.

"I only have one answer. Because it made the story more interesting."

Angry, he shoots her, in the stomach. She falls down, thrown by the impact.

"Devil… I thought you were a god. Can't you at least show some mercy?"

Blood on her lips, she replies. "Why do you think I created your world? To give you peace? That's not why, you fool. It's for the readers. I write whatever makes it more interesting. I'd write unhappy things. I'd even kill people. I'd even turn the world upside-down."

The scene goes on. It's a good scene. It ends kind of silly, but it's a good scene.

Some people will say that about the show as a whole. I can't really argue, I suppose. Personally, I thought the ending was pretty interesting, too. But there's no accounting for taste.

But the point made by the detective's creator is important.

"It made the story more interesting."

That's the only thing that matters when a story is being written. What makes it more interesting? Every sentence needs to be written to answer that question.

It's not a deep thought, wondering what a creation would do if it met its creator. It's not a parallel to humanity and our gods. Fiction is fiction. I've never once been afraid of what my creations would say to me if they met me in reality, because they aren't real.

But I just recently finished posting a story where the main character falls in love with a young woman whose family is unknown to her, whose biological mother died shortly after she was born, and whose one and only sister was killed in a drunk driving accident where the heroine herself was the driver.

Why the fuck did I do that? Was that really necessary? Did that really make the story more interesting? Did I put her through all of that because I thought it was fucking interesting?

Yep. That's why.

I'd take everything from Marigold if I thought that it would raise people's interest in the story by a single hair. I'd torture her for years. I'd put her through hell. There's no upper limit to how much I'd hurt her if I thought for one second that it would get one more person to read and enjoy the tale.

I posted the story of Daisuke and his daughter Mikoto last year. Daisuke literally did die in his story, and he went straight to Hell when he did, and he knew he would, because he'd died earlier, and been resurrected, and it had been made clear to him when he was that there was no escaping that fate. He went to Hell with a smile on his face and the love of his daughter in his heart, because I thought it made the story more interesting.

And you know what? I'd take away that love if I thought that were more interesting.

It wouldn't. That's the only reason why I didn't. The only reason I didn't hurt them more is that it wouldn't have been interesting.

In the novel I'm writing, there's not one, or even two, but three main named characters who lost their homes and their entire families in a war that ended ten years before the story takes place. That's excessive, isn't it? Too much death. Too much suffering.

No. I think it's just right. The point is to show how it affected each of them differently, after all. One of them fled from society and became a hermit for ten years. One endured humiliation for ten years for the sake of returning to her old life. One became a killer who hunted down everyone he could who he thought was affiliated with those who'd hurt him.

And that's important. You have to hurt your characters if you want an audience to care about them. Everybody's been hurt. Everybody's had bad things happen to them, even children. But it can't be minor. It can't be only as bad as the things that have actually happened to your audience, or else they might shrug and say that they're doing alright, so why aren't the characters? It's got to hurt your audience, too. Audiences want to be hurt, and they want to find a way to feel better eventually, too. It's a famous quote from Dave Filoni: "People always say they want things dark, but if you don't have a plan to draw people out of that and show how these people overcome it, then you just leave your audience in despair."

That's important, too. They have to overcome the despair. You can't only hurt them. They have to get out of that darkness that you put them into, at least, your heroes do. It might be okay to hurt the bad guys until they die, depending on how bad they were. But the good guys? It's better to give them some kind of happy, or at least bittersweet, ending, if you want your audience to care.

It's okay, for example, for your hero to die in a heroic sacrifice if that saves the world and then you get an epilogue where you see that the world is a better place. It's less okay for your hero to die in a heroic sacrifice that doesn't accomplish anything.

And you might think that makes it bad for, say, a character to die randomly in the middle of a battle. But it can be, if it makes the story more interesting! If it puts pressure on the surviving characters, or if it raises the tension, then it's okay.

It's an obvious thing, right? Tension is the key. You need to have tension in the story. If you think that the story won't ever resolve happily, if you think that the story is only ever going to be downer after downer, then you won't keep reading. But you also won't keep reading if you think that there won't ever be any downers at all.

In Marigold's story, the story itself really doesn't have as much tension as I'd like for it to. It's a weakness in the story itself, and if I were to ever rewrite it again, I'd love to add a chapter or two in there to make you wonder if Kevin and Marigold are going to break up or stay together. That kind of tension is important in a romance story. In this one, the tension is introduced and resolved in each scene, and the stakes are never terribly high. All the bad stuff that happened to her happened in the past, before the story began. It's background trauma!

Her dad arguably has it worse: his wife and one of his four kids died. But, when we meet him, he acts pretty cheerful at first! That's because people are resilient. I once had a job where I worked with a woman whose son was a utility worker. One day, she left work because she got a call and found out that her son had died. He had climbed up a telephone pole and was working on it when he was electrocuted. He left behind a wife and two-year-old daughter. A month later, that woman was back at work, acting the same as ever, talking and laughing with us. Because that's what people do. The pain she felt would never go away, of course. But she can't spend her entire life with that pain in the forefront of her mind at all times. It'd be too much to bear! It's no way to live!

So Henry's a happy guy, five years after his kid died because his other kid drove drunk. Because to dwell on what's gone wrong would be too much.

I could've written him that way. I could've written him as a depressed, miserable little wreck of a man. But nope! He's fine! He acts fine!

Because that's the limit. That's how much I felt like I needed to torture him. He's had enough time to deal with his trauma. Marigold hasn't. It wouldn't be interesting if she'd spent the last five years in therapy processing her emotions and getting over the trauma of her past actions.

That's really all that matters: how much trauma and torture and pain is interesting? If you can figure that out, you've got it made, friendo.

And I ain't gonna sit here and tell you that I did. All I can do is write to my own tastes and hope for the best. And let me tell you, as someone who's been writing online for twenty years, IT AIN'T PAID OFF YET. SO MAYBE DON'T LISTEN TO ME OR ASK FOR MY ADVICE.

Alright, that's all for now! My next writing class starts Sunday, so I'll probably be quiet here for a while! Maybe in about two years or so I'll have a finished book for you to read! Maybe you'll read it!

[rotzaprachim]

.

[shanastoryteller]

(2) This is an example of a line from Rotten Work that only works in English: “He’s my uncle,” Jin Ling points out incredulously. “Of course he’s part of the main family.” If you use more precise familial terms, the line becomes, "He's my [mother's brother], of course he's part of [my father's family]," which doesn't actually make any sense. By disregarding things like that, it feels like you're trying to divorce the story from its CN cultural origins, or to say that they're not important.

*sighs*

part 1 didn't come through, so this is all i have to go on

but here's another example of things that it'd be real neat of you guys to send me off anon

for this example, you're really divorcing this out of the context of the story it takes place in.

the council and high level people know that wwx has been added to the register already because jin ling did it in ch 1, and references it several times later. now, this didn't get explicitly revealed until the last chapter, but it hinted at multiple times. no one else assumes jin ling has done this. including wwx

but wwx is very explicitly part of the jin clan in this story. he lives in jin tower. he wears jin gold. he advises jin ling about everything from how the library should be organized to who his first disciple should be. he attends council meetings with him ffs

jiang cheng doesn't do that. jiang cheng isn't even allowed to go anywhere outside of the main hall unescorted

because he's not a member of the jin clan

if what i was saying here was that obviously a mother's brother belongs to the father's family, wouldn't that then extend to jiang cheng too? except it doesn't. because obviously i'm not saying that

in this story, wwx is a member of the jin clan. established. the "reveal" here is that jl had added him to the family registry, just like he had li mianmian when he made her his heir, and therefore brought him into the main family

so the conversation here, in the context of the story and not just as a sound bite you've taken from it, is actually jin ling saying that since his mother's brother whom he loves and values has joined his father's family/clan of course jin ling would elevate his status to that of his main family

so in chinese, that line would still make sense

he's my mother's brother. he is close to me. now that he's apart of my clan/family, of course i've elevated his status to reflect that closeness

as far as divorcing things from their origins, again, that's still a question of translation. when you translate something, you're not just translating words, but also culture. whether you try to preserve the culture to bring the audience closer to it, or whether you translate it to make it more understandable in terms of your audience's culture, is a preference

here's an example that's obviously very small and low stakes, but i think is an easy way to explain this:

in the original version of the animated movie inside out, a little girl is grossed out about being forced to eat broccoli, a food that children in america stereotypically find gross. it's a narrative shortcut because the movie doesn't have to waste time telling you the girl doesn't like the food she's eating, or why she doesn't like it, and the audience isn't going to assume it's because she's being stubborn for stubbornness's sake or that she's allergic to it or anything like that. they understand immediately that she doesn't want to eat it because it's a food that children find gross

in the japanese version, the broccoli was replaced by bell peppers

this is because broccoli is not widely understood to be a food that many people find gross in japan, and bell peppers are

if they wanted to keep the original broccoli in, and they wanted the viewers to understand the original context it was being used in, they'd have to first establish that broccoli is a food that children in america are widely known not to like and it's common for them to refuse to eat it. the narrative shortcut that the film used disappears

so instead of keeping it in and adding exposition to explain it's significance and function, they switched it out for something else that would convey the same meaning to the audiences it was intended for, even though that thing would not have the same meaning for the audience that it was originally intended for

they "translated" broccoli to bell peppers

when it comes to things like real people and/or religious or culturally significant works, i think there's a lot more value in preserving the original intention and explaining the original culture as much as possible though translation. when this happens, translation has to work twice as hard, to both convey understanding and to educate

with things like modern fiction stories, especially ones featuring things like gay sword wizards, i think there's less of responsibility to do that, and it becomes a lot more acceptable to turn a broccoli into a bell pepper, because the purpose of the media itself is entertainment, not education, although of course that's not an excuse to ignore the stories origins

then, even further down, we've got fanfiction of the translated entertainment media written in the translated language for an audience of people who speak the translated language rather than original, who have all consumed the original work and have some sort of understanding of the country and culture it came from that they got from at least the original work if nothing else

not all things are created equal, and not all things have the same "responsibility" to explain the meaning of broccoli rather than just turning it into a bell pepper