#etc I think I’m clear on my stances but put madness the thing that could or could not have made Jason murder hobo supreme

[whalehouse1]

Jason went mad and killed those people due to pit madness.

Jason made a conscientious choice to kill those people and the pit doesn’t cause madness.

Me: I go with whatever I’m vibing with that day or what seems funnier to me at a particular moment. He didn’t shove that guy off the roof though, not that I would have blamed him.

[a-dragons-journal]

Hi! I was scrolling through the otherkin tag (as one does) and saw on an ask you answered that you hated DNIs and didn’t want to go into it on that ask. So I’m curious now- why do you hate DNIs? I don’t have a DNI, and I’m not out to try and change your mind. I’ve just never seen anyone say outright that they didn’t like DNIs, so I’d really like to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

I ended up indeed going into it later, because people kept sending in asks about it, so this tag exists now, but in summary:

- I don't necessarily hate the existence of DNIs, because they can be a useful tool in certain circumstances, but I hate that they're starting to become an expectation/requirement and that it's now considered "creepy/suspicious" in a growing number of communities to not have one. It should not be an obligation to basically list your political stances, discourse opinions, and triggers - you know, things you can be attacked for/people can use to hurt you - in any circumstance, least of all on the Internet where anyone can see it.

- For that matter, putting a list of things that can hurt you in public where anyone can see it and know exactly how to target you if they want to hurt/harass you is a bad idea, whether it's a social requirement or not. Full stop. Unless you are in a relatively small group where you know the intentions of the people there (and often not even then!), it is not a good idea to tell people how to effectively hurt you on the Internet.

- I hate it when people put "[x bigoted group] DNI" at the bottom of actual discussion-type content posts (as opposed to, like, aesthetics and stuff), such as people putting "TERFs DNI" at the bottom of posts about feminism, because a) if you're worried about your post appealing to that group, maybe you should reexamine your post's content, b) I've seen firsthand more than once that those groups, TERFs especially, will purposely put "[x] DNI" at the bottom of their crypto-rhetoric posts in order to turn people's critical thinking skills off and make them more likely to accept the crypto rhetoric (foot-in-the-door tactic), and c) even if it's not intentionally malicious like the last point, it still makes it so the OP's post is suddenly immune to criticism, because "hey this comes off a little transphobic" can be met with "how dare you call me a transphobe?? I said 'TERFs DNI' right there!!1!", which, again, has to do with the whole "turning people's critical thinking skills off" problem.

- On a similar note, I hate this recent trend toward performative activism and "racists/transphobes/homophobes/etc. DNI!1!" feels like another permutation of that; I don’t like people demanding/expecting me to announce all my political opinions right out the gate. It should be my decision whether or not I want to share sensitive information about myself (and if you’re scoffing at the idea of a political opinion being “sensitive information” - if it can get you, again, harassed and attacked by a complete stranger, it’s sensitive information).

- People seem to forget that people can, will, and do lie on their DNIs and bios. Predators will lie about being "under 18” in order to make minors they’re interacting with feel safe and let their guard down. TERFs will lie about “transphobes DNI!” to ensure their crypto rhetoric spreads and gets a foot in the door of trans-supporting people’s thought processes. All “it’s to let the people affected by [bigotry] know I’m safe,” which is something I hear sometimes, really means is that the bigot in question only has to put up a DNI to make the people they’re planning to target lower their guard. There is nothing guaranteeing that someone actually believes what their DNI implies they believe. It’s an illusion of safety that just doesn’t - and, really, can’t - exist on the internet, by the internet’s nature. And people thinking they’re safer than they really are is what gets people hurt because they stopped being careful. I’m not saying people need to (or should) live in fear, but relying on DNIs is not a sustainable solution, imho.

- I hate people using DNIs/BYFs as an alternative to blocklists because it often becomes essentially them forcing other people to curate their internet experience for them, and then getting mad (or hurt) when that doesn't work out for reasons that should be obvious. Especially when you take it to the extreme of trying to regulate anyone who reblogs your posts, which I have seen sometimes - you can't seriously expect people to check the OP of every single person whose post they reblog to make sure they agree with your opinions on fandom discourse; that's untenable and it can only lead to people getting hurt. You are the only person who is - and the only person who can be - responsible for your internet experience. Curate your own space.

- as a minor point, "standard DNI criteria" is becoming a popular phrase and it's frankly a useless phrase because there's no such thing. Beyond "racists/homophobes/transphobes" there's literally no telling what a given person includes in what's "standard" - pro- or anti-ship? SFW agereg/petreg blogs? DDLG? Steven Universe fans? inclusionists or exclusionists? There is no "standard." (But then, I feel like how common that phrase is becoming says something about exactly how performative and empty the trend of DNIs is as a whole at this point in time.)

- also as a minor point, I am frankly just not a fan of how often DNIs put things like "Steven Universe fan" and "neonazi" right next to each other like they're the same level of bad. I recognize consciously that this is not the intention, but it sure does come off that way sometimes. It reminds me a bit too much of those callout posts that have six pages about the person's bad opinions on anime or whatever and only then go "oh yeah and also they sexually abused, threatened, and sent their friends to harass a minor and we have screenshot evidence of all of that. anyway here's three more pages about why their art is bad because they drew a 16-year-old in a crop top one time".

And, let me be very clear here: I do not hate people who have DNIs, nor do I want to act like they're never useful. They are, sometimes! But I do feel they're being misused and they're starting to become an expectation and that's a huge problem, for the same reason that people trying to force everyone to put their age/basic personal information in their bios is a problem - it's a safety concern. I am honestly convinced that at this point, in most circumstances, DNIs are doing more harm than good.

If you want to use a DNI, that's up to you, and it's not like I'm gonna harass people about it ('s why I started that "dni critical" tag, so people could who don't want to read this stuff could avoid it) - but I want people to at least understand the risks they're taking depending on how they go about it. If it's useful to you, then good, I'm genuinely glad! It just concerns me how it's being treated by the larger Internet right now.

(And, of course, that's all just my personal subjective opinion - take what you like, leave what you don't. You're more than welcome to disagree with me; this is not a make-or-break argument for me, just one I have strong feelings about xD)

[nlights37]

three stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

::In very convincing Matthew McConaughey Texan:: Alright alright alright, 3 stars, 3 fics to disclose little nuggets of info on...

1.  From Fixer Upper, Chapter 4 - Jon and Dany’s text exhange:

She was laughing even as she sent the text, knowing how touchy he was about this topic. Honestly, it was the whole reason she sent it.

Dany: I can’t believe we’ve been fake dating this long and you haven’t sent me a single dick pic 😖

The text bubble appeared for so long she was a little worried, but then his novel-length answer appeared. She was two lines in before she was laughing so hard she was crying and her vision blurred beyond her ability to continue reading at all.

Jon: How ABSOLUTELY DARE YOU?! Apparently I need to explain this AGAIN? If the Westerosi Security Agency is going to see my dick they can come here and do it in person like men. I’m not just gonna offer it up on a silver platter for them. Also need I remind you I am a small business owner, madam? This store is my kingdom and you ask me to besmirch it’s good name so you can see my cock at 2 pm on a Thursday? I’m disappointed in you Daenerys, I really am.

It should probably come as no surprise, given the ‘Buttslut’ text I shared awhile back, that a lot of the dialogue I write (including text messages) comes from the way my husband and I talk to each other, and in this case I based Jon’s reluctance to free the Peen digitally off my own husband’s unbreakable stance that sending dick pics means your dick is then somewhere in the cloud and idk I guess he thinks the Governtment is just chilling and collecting nudes all day.  Anyway, I really did ask him once when we were dating why he had never sent me a dick pic and he said something along the lines of Jon’s response here, and even now, years later, it still makes me laugh, so I used it :)

2.  A Thin Line (Just some thoughts on this fic in general, that I’m not sure I’ve shared):

I was SURE, ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that a lot of people would hate this fic.  Like, I was over the top about ‘Hey this is crack’, etc, because as much fun as I had making them just awful people to each other, I was like ‘ugh there’s gonna be some stans in both camps that maybe get pissed about this’, but I figured fuck it, let’s do it.  The thing about them in this fic that I really, really enjoyed writing was that they are completely and totally unapologetic about themselves, and letting myself just really let them be the worst versions of themselves, I don’t know, guys.  It felt good.  So good that I was like ‘hmmmm, maybe keep it in the drafts.’

Because that’s the thing I like best about them and this fic - it’s not a redemption story about two tortured souls who find each other and then learn the error of their ways.  It’s more like two villains meet at villain convention and will they birth the antichrist?  Who knows, really, but probably, yes.  Definitely.

Anyway, I really dug that so many people enjoyed their unspeakably assholish tendencies and please know I haven’t abandoned my part 3, in which Dany gets to snob it up in the North and you know, so more light bondage, maybe some matching prenups, I don’t want to give it all away.

3.  From Fang and Claw, Chapter 1:

“When you say fucking,” Drogon drawled, “what exactly do you mean, snack?”  The three were all gathered near the stone walls of the Keep, guards watching anxiously as the three creatures of legend circled and paced.

“Stop calling him that.”  Rhaegal leaned in, nipping at Drogon’s swishing black tail.  “He has a name.”

Drogon rolled his eyes, looking at his brother incredulously.  “I’ll call him whatever I like.  What’s he going to do?  Howl me to death?”

Rhaegal glared, inching closer to Ghost.  “He’s magic, like us, and he’s Jon’s, so you’d better behave.”  The green dragon growled.  “You know what mother said.”

The black dragon gave a dismissive snort, his eyes searching the windows of the Keep instead of Rhaegal or Ghost.  “Be nice.  Yes, I heard her.  This is me.  Being nice.  Not eating this talking little snack.”  His eyes shot to the wolf’s.  “Rather nice of me, isn’t it,” teeth gnashed together, grinding as Drogon uttered grudgingly, “Ghost.”

The white wolf ignored the black dragon, his eyes also falling to the windows.  “You want to know what fucking is or don’t you?”

“I want to know what it is you mean when you say Jon is fucking my mother, yes.”  Drogon sounded angry, offended even, and Ghost was surprised two mighty creatures could be so absolutely innocent to the ways of the world.  Why, he’d been fucking for years now.  Surely there were girl dragons flying about somewhere, though the lack of fucking certainly explained the black dragon’s horrible attitude.

“I feel itchy.”  Rhaegal was shifting restlessly beside him.

Ghost gave a wolfish grin.  “You’re bonded to Jon now.”  Rhaegal nodded though it was not a question.  “That’s what it feels like when Jon’s fucking your mother.”  The wolf’s mouth fell open, and he panted in Drogon’s direction.  “Like an itch you need to scratch.”

His red eyes fell to the windows till he found the one he wanted, and he whispered for the duo to follow as closely as they could as they slid along side the ancient stone, ‘til they were just under the window to Jon’s chambers.

“Hear that?”  He certainly could, and by the look of confusion on the dragons’ faces they could as well.  The Silver Dany let out a throaty yell then, followed by Jon’s name, the sounds and smells of mating flowing from the open window and out into the night.

“Is he hurting her?”  Drogon was rumbling and thrashing his tail about, rage building in those mad eyes.

But Rhaegal responded before Ghost could answer.  “No.”  He drew the word out, his head rising until he could look into the room for himself, then shooting back down to stare at Ghost.  “Why are they doing that?”

Drogon mirrored his brother’s actions, even angrier but endlessly puzzled when he lowered his head as well, clearly befuddled by what he’d seen.  “Explain this!”

Ghost gave a shrug, padding off a few paces, ready to give his brother a spot of privacy with his mate, heading for the clearing along the tree line where he could scent some rabbits running.  “It’s what they do.”  The pair was scrambling after him, landbound, awkwardly lumbering after the sleek wolf.  “Humans.”  Both dragons remained clueless, and Ghost snagged a hare and crunched down heavily, warm blood streaking his fur, downing the small prey in a few bites before continuing.  “When they want to make a pup.”

Drogon shuddered as he watched Ghost eat.  “You’re a fucking savage.”  He grumbled and groused, claws swiping out to catch an elk, idly shooting out gouts of flame to cook the meat before he began to tear it apart.  “You don’t even cook your food, little snack.”

Rhaegal ignored it all, focused only on this new knowledge.  “But our mother is a dragon.”  His eyes lit up, suddenly, turning to his brother in excitement.  “It’s how they make eggs!”

Ghost gave a snicker.  “Humans don’t lay eggs.”  He looked at the pair with amused eyes.  “You lot come from eggs?”

Rhaegal gave a nod, but Drogon preened, proud as he broke his meal’s rib cage between his jaws.  “You should be so lucky.  We certainly do.  Beautiful eggs people pay large sums of gold for.”

Ghost crouched, his attention on the deer he could now sense beyond the tree line.  “Like a chicken then.”  He leapt as the black dragon roared in outrage, his jaws sinking into the deer’s neck, and he pulled the twitching body out of the treeline to drop it in a heap before Rhaegal.

“NOT LIKE A CHICKEN!”

Rhaegal looked at Ghost pleadingly before he cooked the deer his host had provided, his eyes begging the wolf to stop baiting his brother, and Ghost grumpily complied.

“Alright, not like a chicken.  Point is, humans have pups that look like them, and they don’t come from eggs.”  He sat on his haunches, watching the pair as they ate.

“So,” Rhaegal snapped into a femur, “you meant to say that’s what Jon’s doing.  Trying to put a small human in our mother.”

The wolf couldn’t stop the snicker of amusement.  “Oh, no he’s already done that.”  He looked at the pair wonderingly.  What sort of beast were they, that they couldn’t smell the pup in their mother?  “Now he’s just fucking her because it feels good.”

There is nothing funnier to me than the idea that (1) Ghost would ever try ot explain to anyone what sex is and (2) that the dragons wouldn’t know and would be VERY offended and it took a little bit for me to write this scene way way back ago when we all thought that Season 8 would not be a massive shitstain in history because I kept laughing so hard picturing this shit.

This story is probaby one of my favorites, just because it’s silly and every magical creature is TIRED TIRED I SAY of everyone dicking around and just the notion that they’re all like ‘THESE HUMANS ARE SO DUMB UGH DO WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING?!”  It just really tickled me, and I might never have written it had the amazing @aweseeds not requested it after her winning bid for the Jonerys Unites charity event.  So, everyone say thank you to aweseeds lol, this might’ve just stayed in my head and silly tumblr posts without that fine investment in fandom content.

Thank you lovely @frostbitepandaaaaa for the ask!  I LOVE YOU BITCH, I AIN’T NEVER GONNA STOP LOVIN’ YOU BITCH!

[arotaro]

Hey, I wanted to post sort of my Official Stance™ on this ridiculous new allo aro discourse. After talking it out with a few lovely aroace friends of mine, I’ve come to realize that a lot of the problems are a result of miscommunication. I am directing this post at aroaces with the hopes of helping to clear up confusion and hurt feelings. This may include topics that are sensitive to you. Rest assured that I mean no ill will, and if you want to help stop community infighting, I really recommend you try to read this. Please try to set aside your emotions and listen. I will do my part to try not to speak in anger.

As an allo aro who has kinda been at the forefront of this whole shebang, I’m going to try to break it down as simply as I can, from what I understand. In a nutshell:

Allo aros often feel excluded and pushed to the edges of the community, because of the fact that the aro community sort of grew from the ace community and has yet to pass that “baby’s first steps outside��� phase. Aro is often taken to mean aroace by default, aro representation as a whole is often conflated with aroace representation, and many aro events- although it is important to recognize our shared history with the ace community- cling to this too much, making them aroace events first, aro events second, despite disclaimers that allo aros are welcome too.

This obviously is not terribly inclusive towards us, especially those of us who may have been personally hurt by the ace community.

Many allo aros are particularly upset that the Carnival of Aros, a big event meant to be for the whole aro community, started off with a theme about relations between the aro community and the ace community. Once again this puts aroaces in the spotlight, and made many of us allo aros who have been hurt by the ace community feel very shut out, as we don’t feel comfortable being honest about our opinions on the matter. When this caused obvious backlash, TAAAP, the organizers of the carnival, primarily responded not with “You’re right, we messed up, and we’re sorry. We’ll try to do better in the future,” but with justifications as to why they felt it was ok to hurt us. And, often, when we say this isn’t good enough, supporters of the carnival take this as an excuse to tell us we have no right to complain. (I’ve also been told that apparently, this issue was predicted and brought up to the organizers before the event even started, and they basically elected to ignore that critique, so... 🤔 But that’s a story for another day.)

Essentially, what most allo aros want right now is just more representation and acknowledgement. Many of us have begun calling for a separation of the aro community from the ace community- Meaning, we want the aro community to truly be the aro community first, aro-(insert sexual orientation here) community second, with no specific group getting more focus or prioritization over others. We just want to stop being considered second class aros.

However, many aroaces seem to be taking this to mean that:

We hate all aces. (That’d be like saying every time we complain about allos, that we hate all alloromantics. Not true!)

We hate you, specifically, as an individual.

We want to completely excommunicate asexuals, and make it so that nobody can ever talk about being ace in the aro community.

We want to separate from the aro community because we hate aroaces, or we want to kick aroaces out of the community (see previous points).

None of these things are true! All we want is equal prioritization. Saying that we want to exclude aroaces by calling for a separation from the ace community is like saying that separation of church and state means no government officials can ever have religions, or talk about those religions. Believe me when I say: the last thing we want to do is divide the aro community. It’s small enough as it is. We’re the ones upset about being excluded, it’d hardly make sense to react to this with a decision to exclude others instead.

However, because this is the way many aroaces are interpreting our discussions, it’s led to some painful backlash against us. We are often told that we’re being unfair to aroaces, that we’re dividing the community, hurting others, etc., or worse- that we owe the ace community, that we would be nowhere without them, that we should be thanking all aroaces for our very existence. That we owe the ace community, the community that has hurt many of us, a tangible debt. It’s basically become impossible to talk about allo aro issues without someone coming along to say, “Not all aces, you bigots!” 

Because of the way aroaces often respond to our discussions, many of us feel silenced. We feel that it’s not ok for us to talk about our feelings or our needs as a community with other aros, be it because of a simple “aroaces will get mad about it”, or either due to genuine guilt because, yes, believe it or not we do care about our aroace friends and we genuinely don’t want to hurt anyone. This feeling of not being able to talk freely has led to discussion of creating separate allo aro spaces where we can do so, but this is a problem because a. talking among ourselves about problems we face in the greater community will do no good, we need aroaces to listen, and b. this often results in us being told we’re dividing the community, which loops right back around to start the whole process over again.

Whether intentional or not, aroaces have always been at the forefront of the aro community. You have the loudest voices. This is not at all to say that aroaces are privileged! We both face different issues, but they’re all very real and very unfortunate, and we should be working together to help each other solve them. However, many of the most influential aro blogs are run by aroace bloggers, and that’s... Not good when those bloggers decide to paint us as the villains. Even if you say you support allo aros as well, think about what kind of message it puts out when you talk about this issue as if we’re the root of all evil, the ones (gasp) dividing the community, the ones who are demanding too much, the ones who are somehow forcing people to choose between one community or the other. Allo aros are a very lost group as it is, being unable to turn to alloromantic communities or the asexual community for support; Seeing prominent aro bloggers talk about us in a way that gives the impression that we’re bad for talking about our feelings does not make us feel welcome. I personally feel like I can’t trust many aroace bloggers anymore, including a few of my friends. (If you’ve spoken to me directly about this issue and talked about it in depth, it’s not you. If you haven’t... Yes, it may be you. I’m sorry.)

Please, please slow down and listen to us. Please be mindful of the things you say publicly, and the power some of you hold as influential aro bloggers. I promise you none of us have anything against you, and none of us want to divide this community. We just want our voices to be heard. It’s time for influential aroaces to start making amends for the hurt they’ve caused us, even if that hurt has not been intentional.

As one last note, I will say this: It’s absolutely understandable to be upset by this discourse. It’s ok to be hurt. Nobody can control their feelings. But I think it’s important for aroaces to reflect on why they feel hurt. Why is it that, when we say “Your community has hurt us, we wish it would stop,” this upsets you? Why is your reaction not “I’m sorry; What can I do to help?”, but rather, “Oh yeah, well YOU’RE hurting ME by saying that, so you shouldn’t talk anymore!”? Your hurt is real and important, but I think it could help to identify where that hurt is actually coming from. Reflect on what, specifically, you are feeling, and try to separate that feeling from what’s actually going on.

[elftwink]

tbh i think most of us are operating on incongruent ideas of what representation even is in the first place because to me personally, in colloquial discussion, [good] representation (of any marginalized group, although in this post i’m mostly referring to lgb+ rep) consists of three things:

it’s textual (not word of god, not bonus content, not left in the subtext, but in the actual text of the work)

it’s explicit (it is just a fact of the work, it is not up to interpretation, it is addressed in a way that is clear what is meant, it’s not metaphorical or allegorical)

it is positive (no stereotypes, no tokenization, no killing them off, they are a full fledged character, and if they are a villain they are not the only person marginalized in that specific way in the story, etc)

and so in that way, something can even be [debatably] canon without actually being representation. like. it’s my personal interpretation that hamlet is a bisexual man. i can and have pulled support from the text for this interpretation and i think it’s pretty solid. but if someone came to me and said ‘i think hamlet is straight’ neither of us could be objectively wrong because, well, there’s nothing contradicting either of us. 

compare that to if i said ‘hamlet is the prince of denmark’ and someone replied ‘i don’t think he is’. they are... just wrong. and they can adapt the text in some way to make hamlet not the prince of denmark (and you could probably do it without changing the actual script if you were putting on a play and you really wanted to), but in the actual, original text, hamlet Just Is the prince of denmark. it is not up for debate in the same way. 

and yeah to some extent we have to allow leeway, especially for older works, for things like changes in language and social customs since publication, for things like past and current censorship. many works are only not textual, explicit, and positive because they were not allowed to be, or because at the time they were published, what made that rep textual, explicit, and positive is different from the present day. 

and yes, many works featuring two people of the same gender would clearly be a romance if they were between a man and woman but we are not dealing in hypotheticals we are dealing with media that exists in a heteronormative society which means you will have to be a bit clearer w/same gender relationships in order for your audience to see the romance, and it’s sort of cruel to be mad at lgb+ people for wanting something textual, explicit, and positive. implications are enough for straight people because they are not lacking in representation and because we are primed to read implications as romantic, which is just not true for same gender relationships. 

here and now in 2019 i’m really over calling things representation when they do not have all those qualifiers. and i personally am not going to act like all media has to be divided into ‘representation’ and ‘could not possibly have marginalized characters’. i don’t consider hamlet representation of bisexual men but i sure do interpret him as bisexual and defend that stance constantly and those two things aren’t mutually exclusive. and something can be explicit and textual (and therefore canon) and STILL be not representation: for example, unnamed gay man with dead husband who has one line in endgame is not representation

tl;dr if it’s not textual, explicit, and positive then it’s not representation. thanks for coming to my ted talk

[sakumodoesstuff]

It's that time again, folks. Time for another edition of SakuMo's Controversial Opinion Corner.

 People turning, “if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all,” into a battle cry for, “you can't say anything negative about my thing,” is bullshit, and it’s crippling you as a person and as a content creator.

Preface: I'm not saying people are free to go at a creator/person and attack them with their negative opinion, nor that you should accept it. That's flaming, and it's never cool. However, the prevalence of flaming has created this culture (especially in fanwork) where people cannot accept even polite criticism, and it’s hot garbage.

Some backstory: I was raised to debate. I have 6 siblings.  When we were growing up, we had to defend our side of a dispute in a non-attacking way if we wanted whichever parent to see our point. Persuasive essays were my jam in school. I love deep discussions, particularly with people I disagree, because it helps me see more viewpoints, see an issue from all sides, and possibly change my opinion with more perspective. I'm open to having my viewpoint changed. I'm open to apologizing. I'm open to agreeing to disagree. I'm open to criticism, provided it is polite and clear that we share mutual respect for one another. That's what critique is. Truly good critique, in my opinion, blends the strengths with the weaknesses.

I see this statement passed around on social media, quoted in headers, in the starting notes of fics, etc. all the time. “Do not critique my work.” “Not interested in critique.” “Not accepting critique at this time.” It's intended, I think, to say, “Do not hate on my work,” but what it actually says is, “Don't disagree with me,” and it's not a productive stance to have, particularly with creative work. In my early days of writing fanfiction, I made a lot of mistakes. Know how I know? People told me, and they weren't kind about it. Know what I did? I was young, so I got mad, but at the same time, I thought back to that criticism every time I wrote. It haunted me like a narrative ghost. Want to guess what happened? It improved my writing, far more than the praise did. It put my flaws in boldface typing, size 48, a shadow over my work until eventually, I conquered it. It helped me see a problem I had and make appropriate changes.

When you refuse criticism, it's much more difficult for that to happen. I'm not saying you can't spot and fix a flaw on your own, but when all you accept is a yes-man echo chamber, it's harder to drown out the noise and hear that discordant note in the background of your symphony. Also, it makes you incredibly thin-skinned to any kind of critique, even the respectful ones. It makes you see any negative opinions about your work as a personal attack. It leaves you vulnerable in situations where you have to accept criticism (like a job). It makes you less introspective, which means you’re even more likely to never spot and fix your flaws.

Stop doing this. Stop deleting your negative comments. Stop blocking people who have a difference of opinion. Stop symbolically plugging your ears to all voices of dissent. Look at them. Look at your criticism and discern if this person means to criticize you or your work.

For, “you,” feel free to ignore it if you aren't confrontational; someone attacking you personally for a work is most likely flaming. That said, don’t disregard a flame outright. Analyze their words for any pertinent insight to flaws in the piece. Sometimes people are too blunt, or sometimes they really are just mean, but if there’s a kernel of truth in their flame, don’t ignore it. Some of my best improvements as a writer came from flames. However, defend yourself in a respectful way if you think they misunderstood. Block them only if it becomes a habit, because some people truly are cruel. But also, don't attribute to malice what can be explained as ignorance. Some people truly do mean well but perhaps worded themselves poorly and came off very harsh. Seek clarification. Do not enter a debate angry. That is not the point of a debate. If anyone is angry to the point of personal attack, be it you or the other person, you are no longer having a discussion; you are having an argument, and you need to disengage.

For, “your work,” look at what they said. Did they offer an opinion on a choice you made? Did they state they still love the overall work? Is their critique based on a misunderstanding of your intent, or is it them stating their opinion on the subject matter? Are they respectful? Do they have any valid points? Then, open a dialogue. Indicate (in a polite way, please) where they misunderstood your piece (if at all), and use examples. “I understand your point, but I actually did address that here...”  “I apologize if it’s not clear, but in this section...”  Be courteous. Do not use sarcasm (“Well if you actually paid attention, I didn’t do that because...” “Clearly you don’t understand my piece because...”). Do not personally attack their opinion ( “Well you’re wrong because...” “How could you possibly think that about my piece...”).  Do not condescend with your defense ( “You misunderstood me entirely, here’s why...” “In this essay, I will point out all the reasons you are wrong...”).  Agree to disagree. Be willing to acknowledge they might have a point in the mix. Take to heart any valid criticism, because it’s going to help you grow.

Sorry to rant so long; this has been on my mind for quite some time and is not aimed at any one specific situation. I've seen and encountered this attitude a lot with fan creators, and it is hurting you more than it helps. Not every critique is an attack, and the sooner you learn this, the better off you'll be as a person and as a content creator. I don’t mean this rudely; this is just me speaking from personal experience and trying to convey how changing my views on critique made me a better person and a better writer. In a way, this whole post has been me attempting to give constructive criticism.

Thanks for reading my essay on this, lol. As always, I'm open to discussion and counterpoints.

[kingbuckley]

What are your thoughts about Jonsa in that episode? Because I don’t know what to think, I guess I’m seeing things that aren’t there and in the end, they’ll not be together

ahhh listen i have faith i think jon is getting his footing back a bit but i’m really not concerned cause i think the clues are there.

if we’re wrong we’re wrong but i.... dont know i’m gonna put my thoughts under the cut in case people don’t wanna see them they are LENGTHY

first off everyone was mad at jon for saying sansa thinks she’s smarter than everyone but i have two theories about this: one, which has also been floated by others, is that he wasn’t saying “sansa is dumb” he was saying “sansa thinks IM dumb, and she’s WRONG” which works really well with the undercover lover theory which i’m sort of on the fence about but i do think makes sense with a lot of the clues we’ve been given

the second is that he was trying to connect with arya again--one of the things that bonded them as children was that it was them against sansa, because as children the two of them were a bit outcasted, arya not being the lady sansa was, jon being a bastard, both things that caused strife in the relationships they had with sansa. bearing in mind that jon hasn’t seen arya in literal YEARS it makes sense that he isn’t sure what the vibe is

branching off of this it really feels like he was kinda desperate to talk to someone about sansa...in whatever way he could. he’s busting at the seems with some secret (undercover lover??? just dumb and in love??? time will tell) but he clearly thought arya was gonna go w him on that when he said that and his surprise was immediately tapered and he switched tactics to mention i’m her family etc which says to ME that he doesn’t disvalue sansa or think she’s stuck up he’s just worried about how SHE sees HIM. i genuinely believe that had he known arya’s stance he would have started off differently

that scene in (i guess?) sansa’s chambers?????? GOLD 

first of all sansa was very clearly jealous of dany (interpret that how you want but i’ve watched enough of sophie’s stuff to see what she’s doing and how she’s playing it) the swallow? the comment about dany being prettier than her father? underneath that was the same insecurity we saw with her convo w littlefinger in ... season seven? i think,, when he said “the dragon queen is quite beautiful”...... she goes....what??? when she asks jon if he loves dany, when she makes that comment about dany’s beauty, shes asking, BEGGING, jon to say no, disagree, make some comment or say or do something to prove littlefinger wrong

FUTHERMORE, im sorry this is such an essay, the fact that we DIDN’T get an answer to her question is a BIG CLEAR NEON sign that something is afoot. that transition was abrupt, it was meant to be noticed, and it was not the end of the conversation. just because we didn’t hear what he said doesn’t mean he didn’t say something.

jon asking sansa to have faith in him (and her immediate, soft, you know i do, god she’s so) further proves the undercover lover theory (sorry i’m harping on that but i just can’t see this going another way it doesn’t make sense). he has a plan, he wants her to trust him.

i have a lot of thoughts... a LOT that i’m not even going to write here because this is already so long but if you want to know more just message me again i’m always happy to talk meta

[plunder-heaven-and-devour-god]

I harped on what made Notre Dame De Paris a great novel and definitely worthy of its longevity. But now I need to rip it to shreds because sometimes cultural and historical relativism can fuck itself. I need to have this discussion with the void. 

I have 206 bones to pick with Hugo and his bullshit.

Don't come at me with your bullshit 1800s enlightened poet’s soul with pretenses of progressivism. Your 15th century sexism is just 19th century misogyny is period attire. The racism is ABHORRENT. Like, I'm not an idiot. Medieval cities like London and Paris were FRAUGHT with people of color, not just the Romani who are so gruesomely marginalized in real life but also in the book. There were "Moors" and many people of the Arab world who passed through Paris. They held rights, they held positions of power and they held positions of servitude equally.

Hugo's era reeks of the eugenics employed to wipe out cultures, skin colors, and ethnic physical features. From the Belgian Congo to the north American destruction of its first Nations cultures there is so much of that coloring Hugo's work. Not to go into it too much but the racism is a different flavour in the 19th century and that’s what you taste reading this book. It’s not the racism that we know today.

Here is what shocked me to my core. I had to stop the book and put my head in my hands.

Quasimodo is black.

And I don't mean the strange colloquialism of a "black countenance or a black attitude" that Romantic writers like to use to mean a dark figure. Neither do I mean the terms old literature uses to call a white person ugly with ethnic features.

I mean fully black. Hugo's 19th century racism in 15th century clothing rears its head. They call him an ape, a contorted construction of the Orient, he describes his black back while being whipped like an animal. When Esmeralda gives Quasimodo water to drink Hugo describes the water falling slack from his surprised and big black lips. His visage and body are ugly because they are black.

Yes there are layers to this, there is the perceived xenophobia, paranoia, and racism of the 15th century but there is also Hugo's which comes after slavery, after the rise of capitalism, after the racism that started with Europe's quest to dehumanize whole ethnicities to justify a global market. You can't sympathize with what isn't human, and that is the motive behind any dismissal of race, gender, etc.

I say this because the racism of the 15th Century is different than how Hugo imagines it. And that is what adds that layer of incredulity to my reading of the text.

Quasimodo is black. Idris Elba taking the role is FINALLY ONE THAT WILL BE ACCURATE. And what's more is that we have recontextualised the story in order to make Quasimodo a sympathetic hero so I'm glad that we call all collectively destroy this image of ugly=black. We can have a narrative that puts black at the forefront of marginalization and mistreatment.

But the Romani, oh my god. They are so persecuted by the fictional parisians and the parisian who writes about them, and the audience that did not want to sympathize as human.

There is, I swear to God, one of the longest chapters about these three women who talk about how this "village whore" had a beautiful daughter and she was supposedly "stolen" by "gypsies". The mother went mad and is later found in what is essentially a public oubliette. She's a pitiable recluse, a feral disgusting husk of limbs. There is SO MUCH TO UNPACK. Apparently her baby was replaced with a disgusting "black/brown gypsy" child who almost killed the mother upon seeing it. We find out later its Quasimodo.

This recluse screams abuse at Esmeralda who passes by just as we are about to witness the famous scene of her feeding Quasimodo water upon the pillory. But yet when one of the women's children shows up this recluse and childless mother has a breakdown. We are supposed to feel bad for her. Hugo does nothing to devillify the Romani people, we are supposed to feel sympathy for this childless mother who has become feral in this public oubliette; she was driven mad by gypsies, the gypsies are evil look at what they did to this not so innocent woman.

All I could think was "you should die in that hole too." PERISH.

We are supposed to sympathize with the White Parisian Power Structure which does indeed think itself superior to the Romani. We are supposed to think this recluse woman has a point, we are supposed to look upon the Romani with revolt in them and think: EW I KNOW RIGHT. But we don’t, not today, we think: what an awful caricature.

To his credit. Hugo does a good job of showing us the fickleness of public sympathy, the parision mob screams for blood and laughs like the Roman mobs in coliseums. I get that. The woman, like many characters are multi faceted, neither good nor bad to a 19th century audience.

Not to mention the Court of Miracles and all the "dark skin personnages" who populate it are done such a crime to them.

Hugo is OBSESSED WITH WHITE BEAUTY. White swan necks, pale hands, rosy feet, white virginal bossoms. He, like every single gly fucking Westerner in yesteryear and today that prizes near a aryan level of beauty. I'll go into this more but Esmerelda is not actually Romani, she's apparently got that "attractive skin that Roman women or andelusians have" and I'm paraphrasing but apparently a slight olive sun tan was a stratification of skin color too fucking dark for Hugo. And as a woman who is often not dark enough to be indian and not white enough to white I find this SO CONDESCENDING AND SO AWFUL TO WOCs.

I can't tell you how many times he trivialises their poverty, their tricks, their mysticism when in reality they are an excommunicated people by the pope. They cannot go anywhere and are not allowed to make a living. There's a reason that Diederle's 1939 version took an anti-fascist position to this opinion and MARGINALLY cracked open some sympathy for the Romanis. He was fleeing the Germans, and according to Lindsay Ellis his film was the only film shown at Cannes that year, a festival created against Naziism. The terms, stereotypes, abuse, and ugly caricatures of the Romani (sometimes called Egyptians, lepers, Jews, blacks, Moors) have literally not changed in centuries, I wouldn't even say after the Holocaust. One can see why this film was used to such a great affect against Faciism, all the terms and abuses which are identical in many places are showcased here.

It's frustrating because some people imply that : "well that's the point, the people in the book are bigoted, unsympathetic, and awful, and that's really how it was in 15th century Paris". To the latter I say no and I've explained why it may be true on a case by case basis. But it’s really REALLY NOT historically accurate and Hugo CLASSIFIES THIS HIMSELF IN THE BOOK AS A HISTORICAL FICITON. And to the former I also say: that's not the point.

Hugo's narration is not just a third person narrator, he refers to himself, asks the reader to permit him things or moments, he clearly sports opinions of art, architecture, the abject deplorability of living in medieval squalor, the ugliness or stupidity of one or another. He is very clearly a character in the book, one that has to differentiate his stance from other characters. His voice, his narration does nothing to exonerate or make a moral statement out of his foes and heros. Which is strange because his self insert character puts on a morality play at the beginning staring the marriage of "commerce and agriculture" and "clerical with noble". Basically Capitalism and Catholicism. He even calls it not very good afterwards. Hugo is a famous playwright. He is occupied with his moral plays and questions. He has Les Miserables to show his support, and exoneration for the people of Paris.

The difference is that he is tackling marginalized people's, people of color, disabled people of color, monstrous people of color, women of color, persecuted and excommunicated people's, pedophilia (yeah I'll get to this.) And he's a white guy. He really isn’t the man who should be writing this.

He venerates the building of Notre Dame which is a beautiful chapter in the book yes. But it is made of stone it cannot feel, it cannot feel the years of mutilation it experience so says Hugo.

The LAST LINE of the 1939 version is Quasimodo looking upon the happy crowd after saving Esmeralda, she goes into the sunset. He is left bereft, alone, still ugly, still forgotten by the narrative. He clutches a gargoyle and says: “Why was I not made of stone like these.” We are at a place in our society that values the individual enough to realise that the Cathedral doesn’t have any FUCKING FEELINGS. Quasimodo does!

Moreover, if the printing press killed architecture as a register human history, it means we get a fundamental shift from

Cathedral important to------>2)Characters are important

Which incidentally, Hugo really did not care about his characters. In visual mass media killing the book, this phenomenon has accelerated and now Notre Dame is not the focus but the setting and circumstances of the story. The characters and their plights are what is more important.

And again, people would say: what were you expecting? To which I say: yeah. I wasn't expecting much more. To be honest, sometimes I even expect worse. He is a man of his time. And for a man of this time the very clear anti clerical, and anti establishment sentiment is already progressive by the standards of his epoch and that of the historical setting of the book.

But.

Yet again, we haven't had a version of the story that has ever shown the plight off the marginalized. Not properly.

We have had a black Quasimodo yet on screen because I think many content creators and audiences did not want to sympathise with a black quasimodo. And Esmerelda of color is supported, I think, because the gendered benefit of her beauty for consumption. And the added benefit of any and all racism taking on a gendered role. We never truly get to see the Romani demystified or devilified. They’re still goofy and charletons in the Disney movies in 1996.

However, the Disney movie made Quasimodo its hero, they gave us the corny yet poignant: internal beauty is what matters. The question who is the monster and who is the man is posed to the audience. We only ever get to see Frollo's abusive relationship with the Hunchback. We get to sympathize with quasimodo. AND AGAIN Lindsay Ellis does a MUCH better and succinct job than me of explaining this. (its a great video, half of the articulations here come from her forming the idea first).

In the 1939 film we see this anti fascist, anti Holocaust sentiment in the treatment of the Romani. They are still cartoonish, and treated badly. But Esmerelda is actually Romani in this one, although white washed to hell and back.

I can't say yet, because Esmerelda and Frollo haven't actually had a scene together yet in Notre Dame De Paris. But the Disney version and the 1939 version are the only two insofar that treat Frollo's obsession with Esmerelda as violence. His lust for her is abuse, it is racial and sexual violence. His absolute anti-romani mania that equals his clerical devotion is manifested in this. And stupidly enough the fucking Disney version does this on film the best in my opinion. There was room for melodrama in the book and even less in the 1939 version. But the Disney one doesn't fuck around. To quote James Janisse from Drunk Disney: "monsters are rapey". They take the subtext of his lust for this “gypsy girl” and spell out physically in a short amount of time and leave you no wiggle room.

And Frollo is one of my favourite fictional characters because it's rare for me to watch a Disney movie between my fingers in disgust and horror. I love him because of Tony Jay's tar gargling voice and the blaspheming Catholic imagery and the disgusting split we witness down his deplorable excuse of a human soul.

But I want to get the issue of Frollo out of the way. The Disney version took its Renaissance formula and made him, although more dimensional than let's say Ursula or Radcliffe, is still a maniacal, evil laugh, and Disney-fied villain. We are never to question who is the monster and who is the man.

That isn't the issue with the book, Hugo writes this as a commonplace occurrence, this repressed lust for the object of his hatred. Which is fair and fine. And for the audience he is a prominent face in a heartless medieval mob of horrid antagonist/villains.

However, I don't know if Hugo cared if you did know who the main antagonist was. He oscillates from condemning the artists who ruined the gothic soul of Notre Dame, to the White Whole Foods mom's of 15th century Paris to the people who stone Quasimodo on the pillory. Jehannes Frollo is a douche, and unlikeable, so is Phoebus, oh god so is Gringoire. Literally every mob or crowd scene we see that all of Paris is an antagonist. Hugo almost says: look at all these awful ugly disgusting people, they're all gross and awful now moving on to my sweeping 20 page description of this corner of the cloisters.

Hugo described awful people doing awful things and then pipes up and says: aren't these people horrible! He just doesn't...do that with Frollo? Mostly because Frollo has been wholly inactive until Book 7 of 21. But when he is he doesn't say: this near forty year old is getting flushed and possessive of a sixteen years olds virginity and throws gringoire on the floor out of jealousy because he hears about his peep sow.....ISNT THAT HORRIBLE. I haven’t heard Hugo do a condemnation of that yet, which wouldn’t be strange if he hadn’t done that for literally everyone else.

There are several chapters explaining how smart Frollo is, how voracious his mind is, the depthless love he has for his spoiled and ungrateful brother Jehannes. We find out he's reviled by the public because he knows alchemy, mathematics, and languages. He's considered to be a sorcerer WHICH IS IRONIC considering that he's tasked the head torturer to track down la Esmeralda for witchcraft. This is purposeful on Hugo's part. The judge who condemns Quasimodo to be whipped at the pillory is also deaf. It's a whole farce. It's meant to be. Deaf men condemn deaf men. A perceived Sorcerer condemns a perceived Sorceress. Blah blah blah I’m Victor Hugo, the building is the only sacred thing.

But to be frank, Hugo hasn't been like: if the audience permits we would like the examine the horrible defection of Frollo's predatory nature. He calls Frollo a bird of prey once but that's it.

The mob and Frollo become unbalanced and sooner rather than later Frollo becomes the major evil. Even Frollo, is a quiet evil in this book, and the 1939 version does a good job of capturing this in the God Help the Outcasts scene. Again, in the written word killing the edifice we have reshuffled the roles and priorities of the story. Frollo is the major evil. And that's fine with me.

And I'm not trying to fish out a message about how Hugo feels about Frollo or who the true evil of the book is. That is clear to the audience. It's a varying and fickle degree of personnages who do awful things. In later adaptations the preoccupations of individuals leads us to draw greater conclusions from them. I'm just hoping we get one good condemnation out of Hugo, regardless of the obvious plot and set up as the antagonist.

EDIT:

Now that I'm further into the book I can safely say Hugo makes Frollo one of the most despicable villains in all of literally fiction. It's disgusting and nauseating. And the reason Hugo never says: look at how wrong this is is because this book is very anti clerical and anti Catholic church. Its not anti-spiritual or against faith I would say. But Hugo was progressive in the sense that he was anti establishment to a degree. Frollo is this exemplification for the hatred and bigoted mania the Catholic Church was exuding at the time. Between excommunicating an entire race, inquisitions, monstrous campaigns of slaughter, there is also lots of sexual misconduct. Rampant sexual misconduct. The clergy abusing their power. The repressed sexuality associated with evil and wrongdoing takes a definitive example in Frollo. He is positively obessed with Esmerelda to the point where Hugo spells out to us in big letters: this is sexual violence.

He is the main villain, literally no one can fucking take that mantle away from him. I was going down the wrong vein of thought above. So ignore it. Because Hugo takes a while to get to the plot of his story it means that we don't have Frollo truly do anything until the seventh book of 21. And when he does...

I wanted to vomit to be honest. I couldn't listen to the audio book. I kept putting down my ebook and walking around and avoiding it. It was one of the hardest reads. Phoebus allows Frollo to be a voyeur as he coerces Esmerelda to have sex with him (she's sixteen literally all the men in this book have to die). He plants a horrid disgusting putrid kiss on her after she faints in a pool of phobus blood. He is one of the hooded figures who puts her to the leather bed and tortures a confession out of her next to Charmoulue he heard torturer. He comes down to her oubliette to just literally beg for sex, he implores her begs her, literally even if she were to hurt him. Then when she is about to be hanged he leans down in front of the whole crowd (so some people think he's hearing her last confession) and tells her again the offer to bang is still there. She only says no because of Phoebus (who is actually alive and feeling up his fiancée within seeing distance). He starts associating the bodily harm of Esmerelda with sex and it's just so disgusting.

God and when Esmerelda gets her sanctuary in one of the appartment of the belltower Quasimodo never went the appartment. He brings her birds and flowers, respects her space. But that fuckwit Frollo can see the appartment from his office, i guess you'd call it where he's been angsting for weeks as he voyeuristlically sees Esmerelda go about her day. Then he remembers that he has a key, assaults her again, and Quasimodo pretty much almost shanks him.

Now Frollo is trying to get Gringoire to lure Esmerelda out.

Anyways this is all to say this Frollo is the worse one, Hugo went there, i was so wrong. This version made me so nauseous and terrified. Hugo doesn't mince words with who he thinks is the villain. The sexual obsession is racial violence, the racism is gendered. Vice versa.

Anyways it so bad I cant wait til every man except quasi dies in this book. Though, to the other men's credit sometimes i hate grigoire and Phoebus more than Frollo. Idk it really depends on who is doing what and when.

But let's get back to Hugo.

Where do I start when it comes to Hugo and La Esmerelda. Again, it's a useless discussion to have, we know this is a misogynistic and bigoted warp of a set of female stereotypes.

But I'll start with this.

Esmerelda is sixteen years old. She's infantilised, ridiculed, condescended to, abused, and so so so much more. Not to mention Hugo seems to revile and hate women despite his prolific attendance of 19th century brothels.

Yeah and I think Frollo is supposed a thirty nine year old who looks twice that age already. Which you know is pedophilia. Which Hugo just presents for you to make your judgment, hopefully congruent. Duh.

That's not my beef with how Hugo writes Esmerelda.

It's how the narration goes out of its way to sexualise that innocence. Nothing new, mind you of 19th Century Romanticism or 15th Century historical setting. But as a modern reader it can jar you out of the experience. Gringoire literally says: “she doesn't even know what the difference between a man and a woman in her dreams". And he revels in peeping behind a curtain and sees her in her shift while UGH explaining this to Frollo who wants to know if she's still virginal. Literally locker room talk about a child and her body to an old priest from a shitty poet.

Esmeralda is not sexually mature, when she dances she does it with a child’s abandon and to put bread on the table. She doesn't understand what her sexual appeal is, and it makes the dances feel voyeuristic and nonconsensual. And it's stupid. Making her older gives her agency when this book literally robs her of agency. Making her younger gives her no agency and makes us observant in her abuses, or at least that is how I felt.

Hugo writes others calling her: girl, little girl, gypsy girl, "the Esmerelda", the sorceress". You're probably asking: why are you surprised. I'm not I'm just aggravated at times when faced with a time capsule from the 1800s. It’s hard listening to Frollo, every judge, mother, petty bourgeoisie, Phoebus, and Gringoire call her “little girl” without thinking she’s eight years old.

There is a scene where Phoebus calls Esmeralda into a home where he's hanging with his fiancée, her family, and bitchy friends. And BECAUSE WOMEN CAN’T BE FRIENDS the minute Esmeralda comes in, Hugo describes that each of the women turn on their bitch switch because she's prettier than they are and they all want the one man in the rooms affection because ALL WOMEN WANT IS A MAN’S ATTENTION. So they start tearing her apart. Phoebus is gross, a pig, a soldier more likely to force a women than not. He infantilizes her just as much as the narrator.

The women start verbally shaming her, they slutshame and everything else they can think of. Until she just? Feels like she's given leave to go? Esmeralda only speaks when spoken to, she only came in when she was bid to. For such a free spirit according to Hugo she’s the perfect docile and desirable woman when need be.

Her beauty and sexuality are made appealing and un-romani for consumption, for the men in the book and the reader. Because Hugo like most men of the time and many of today are obsessed with white beauty. She has no faults, she is literally described as being perfect if not for her "pout" which, again, feels SO SEXUAL for a childlike sixteen year old. The only faults she has is the ones litigated against her for things she cannot change like her gender and supposed race.

It made me want a story told from Esmeraldas point of view, written by and for WOC. I want to see Esmeralda bandaging up her feet after a day of dancing, her toes and knuckles bloodied up from trying to earn a living. After a day of dancing she would glance over at the meagre coins in her hat and sigh at how little food she will have. I want the exoneration of the Romani people and treat them with dignity.  Her poverty is unattractive and not noble but imposed on her by a system that hates her for something she can't control. I'd want an older Esmeralda with more agency, more control over herself. Shes be romani, or not. You commit to one. I'd love to see a scene where she is on the run and she does feel the entire world hate her and she is allowed moments of imperfections and cry. The world is on fire, the flames of Esmeralda as the book calls it, but their the flames of an ignoble archdeacon, the pursuit of an ingoble Archer and a wretch treated as badly as her. I want to see Esmeralda rage against an effigy, a saint and swear on her knees that she would kill all four of them with her bare hands, Frollo, Quasimodo, Gringoire, Phoebus for making her the literal objectified vessels of their want. I’d want her to kick Frollo's dead body. I would want to see her in Notre Dame by herself under the rosary window while we get lighting to denote what alignment our leading men are as they watch her and pour all of their hates and wants and make her into a vessel for themselves. To make that clear to the audience is so important. I would want her to have friends, female friends. I'd want her to stab AT LEAST ONE TO THREE PEOPLE. I would want her to be shown intelligent because she's put down for being illiterate. I want to see Esmeralda so righteously mad that God would have to beg for her forgiveness. I'd want her to leave Paris after the epic affair of Notre Dame and set back on her nomadic path convinced that no man or place is good enough for her. But when all is said and done, even when she has nothing, she has always had herself and that has been enough. She has herself and her people and that is what she needs.

And don't get me wrong I STILL LIKE THIS BOOK A LOT. And even with these parts being wholly unacceptable to me as a modern person I can enjoy the book, and not even have to practice a 2018 woke awareness to it. If I didn't read books by authors who thought that darker skinned people were inferior I'd  pretty much be reading almost nothing. The story is genuinely interesting and so are the characters, stunted and pushed aside by the author as they are. But I just needed to do a comparison. To lay out all the thoughts on the table with the facts and go pretty much say what Hugo does: Not much changes in all this time, and at the same time nothing is the same.

[lets-get-fictional]

Hi! I have a few questions haha so I ll put them separately! 1. When you have characters that more quiet/reserved, but they aren't shy, how would you portray this? How would you portray a confident person who speaks little? How would they instead show their anger/resentments/amusement/love? Alternatively, how would this change if a character was quiet and not very comfortable in themselves?

2. What are good ways to hint at past abuse (physical/sexual/mental) without explicitly saying it? How would you imply that a particular person was responsible? How would show the way it has affected the individual/s? 3. How would you reveal/lead up to your character/s secrets? With the big secrets, how could you effectively foreshadow it without giving it away until you want to, but it still makes sense? Sorry this is super long! But thank you for your help!

Thank you for your questions!! I promise it wasn’t too long, this ask was a lot of fun to answer, and you posed some really great questions. I hope this helps!!

BIG POST OF CHARACTERIZATION

Quiet Characters - Shyness vs. Introversion

Something to note about introversion and its portrayal: it depends on whether or not you’re writing a viewpoint character. A lot of times, other characters will VIEW them as shy, until there’s a defining moment where everyone realizes they’re not shy, they just keep to themselves. Perhaps they provide commentary on things every so often, not afraid to show their opinion when it counts. However, this isn’t always the case. There are other instances where a character is quiet/speaks very little, but is also clearly not shy

A confident person who speaks little strikes me as the kind of person who only speaks when they feel they have something important to say/contribute. Which means that everything they do say holds greater weight than someone who talks constantly. There is a certain bluntness to this - therefore they are not insecure, or nervous about what they’re saying, they’re just a person of few words - they choose their words carefully. 

Ex. Luna Lovegood of Harry Potter

It’s made rather explicit that Luna is not shy. She is not ashamed of who she is, even though we know she’s often made fun of by other students. She speaks rather little - when she is featured with the other characters, I would say that Luna is more often than not a listener. However, Luna does not hesitate to provide her opinion/knowledge when she deems it necessary. Example, in The Deathly Hallows (focusing on the films, so Part 2), she is not at all shy or skittish about telling Harry what information she knows to help him defeat Voldemort, even though Harry is distracted and at first unwilling to listen. 

Ex. Aizawa Shouta (aka him who i love) of My Hero Academia

Aizawa is a classic example of being a “man of few words.” He is not a talkative person in the slightest, and he can seem even gloomy in comparison to more animated people. But one of the best examples of his confidence comes through when he’s shown speaking to other Pro Heroes about the problems they’re beginning to face. He does not hesitate to give his opinion, is not shy about it, and when he does state his stance, he stands firm, caring very little what anybody else might think. So while he clearly keeps to himself, he still makes his opinions known when necessary, making it clear that he’s not keeping to himself out of insecurity. He just prefers it that way.

Zero from Holes

I didn’t need this many examples, but I love Holes, it’s fine. So, Zero…is not shy. Did he or did he not punch somebody in the crotch? Ya’ll. He is teased relentlessly by the other boys in the camp - and he responds with pure silence. We may interpret this to be shyness early on, but as the story progresses it is clear that he’s not shy. He just doesn’t have time to mess around with people who want to call him names anyway. He’s got bigger fish to fry. So he ignores them. He is quiet not because he’s afraid to talk - but because he doesn’t want to. 

What to take from all of this? If you have a character who is quiet, but confident as well, then have them make their opinions known when they feel it is necessary. They won’t be talkative, but they also won’t shy away when they feel that something important needs to be said. 

Shyness in Characters

First off, I want to direct you to a great post that we have here that talks about insecurity in characters and how that can be portrayed, which I feel would be relevant. But, I do want to add on to what that post says here. 

A shy character is totally different from the confident-but-quiet characters discussed above. Shyness is sprung from insecurity, the fear of saying something wrong, or being judged, etc. A shy character is going to actively avoid conversations with new people, and with people who make them uncomfortable. And when forced into said situations, they will not speak as openly as they do with friends, and will often come off as awkward or stilted, speaking very little, and often not about themselves.

Ex. Gus from Recess. Out of the five heroes of this story, Gus was probably the least down with social interaction (even though Spinelli was always ready to throw down with somebody). Whenever things get tough on the playground, he always lets his more bold friends take the reins to steer the situation, preferring to stay in the background. 

Characters as Victims of Abuse

First off, I think it would depend on the type of abuse. Sometimes when people have such a traumatic experience, they don’t deal with/process the subsequent emotions, thus when they experience something later on that reminds them of the abuse, they can be triggered back into the emotions of the time.

Was this physical abuse? Perhaps they have both a physical and emotional reaction if someone attempts to come at them/hit them/etc, even if it’s supposedly a playful situation.  

Emotional abuse? Someone talking down to them, name calling, being controlling etc. would probably provoke some strong emotional backlash. But also, it’s highly likely that victims of emotional abuse may retain a sense of low self-esteem/self-worth. They may talk down to themselves a lot, whether out loud or just in their internal monologue. Also, in some cases, it is possible that those who are victims of abuse can later become abusers, often as a way of trying to regain the power that was lost during the time of abuse. 

HOWEVER, when dealing with all of this, it is very important that you research in depth the true effects of these experiences, even going so far as to try to talk to people who have experienced this personally. It is often a delicate subject, and should be handled with care and respect. 

Now, implying that a certain person was responsible would depend on that character’s current role in the story. If they aren’t present in the current storyline, perhaps you can hint to a person from their past that they either refuse to talk about, or only speak of very negatively. Or maybe, they still harbor feelings for this person - it is possible to still care for your abuser, whether this is healthy or not. It is even further possible that the experience was traumatic enough for them to block out those more awful moments, or even attempted to explain this abuse away to themselves as their abusers way of showing love, thus they still hold affection for them, even if they are not a part of their life anymore. 

If the abuser character is still in the picture, you would have a lot on your hands. Do the characters interact at all? This is dependent upon how your character feels about their abuser at this time, and what happened. Are they able to be in the same room with them without breaking down, or lashing out? Are they able to defend themselves from this person now, or are they still vulnerable to their abuse? Or do they refuse to associate with this person at all? Is this a revenge story - are they seeking revenge on their abuser? What do they want from their abuser? To be left alone, or to find some sort of closure? 

So I’m going to handle this in two ways. The abuser being a present character in the narrative, and the abuser existing primarily as a figure in your characters’ past. 

If your character still interacts with the abuser in the narrative, they should act in such a way that would hint at this past relationship. There will most likely be a sense of tension, but a lot of it is very dependent upon the individual personalities of your characters. 

If the abuser exists as a distant figure in your character’s past, and you’re trying to keep it a secret, then your character would most likely avoid talking about this person, would skimp on the details about them in conversation. And the way they talk about them will probably have some tension to it, as well as leftover emotions, whether that be anger, sadness, etc.

Secrets, Scandals, and Hidden Things

Character’s secrets, alright, this is FUN. This is gonna be fun. So, when you’re dealing with characters secrets, there’s a lot of playing around with foreshadowing. The big thing about having secrets and revealing secrets is that you have to balance the information and the clues to the reader, so that when the big secret is revealed, the reader feels like they should have known the answer all along. You have to lay enough clues for it to make sense, but also direct attention away from what the real clues are to keep the tension and the secrecy, so that your big reveal is a Big Reveal. Thus, the power of misdirection. Capisce?

I’m gonna use the example of Wreck it Ralph and hope that nobody gets mad at me. [But I think it’s been enough time since the movie came out that anybody who would get genuinely pissed about Wreck it Ralph spoilers would have already seen the movie]. 

Alright - so the big ordeal in Wreck It Ralph, the big Oh Shit moment is that King Candy is actually Turbo. I’m gonna go through Wreck it Ralph, highlighting the more important scenes that lead up with this, to deconstruct the foreshadowing, and show you why it works. But here’s the big thing I want you to take away from this - secrets are all about the buildup.

“Goin’ Turbo”

So, in the Wreck It Ralph verse, it is made clear to the audience early on that a colloquial term commonly used to describe a game character trying to join another game is “going Turbo,” yes? Because it’s used so naturally, and it fits the atmosphere of the show, the arcade slang sort of feel, the audience is able to accept it without too much question, except maybe to wonder where the phrase originated. The phrase is explicitly used when Ralph himself goes off to find a metal, and the figures of his own game start freaking out because Ralph was “going Turbo.” This is the first big clue that is repeatedly laid for the audience. 

The Introduction of King Candy

It is clear to us very early on that King Candy is, well…very particular about how things run in his game. And well, we kind of expect this - he is the King, after all. But his storyline and motivations are clearly tied to the heroine Vanellope’s as well, which is made clear very soon after we’re introduced to him. He refers to her as “The Glitch,” rather than calling her by name, and is adamant that she should not be allowed to race in the game. Now at this point, it is clear to the viewer that Vanellope is one of the characters we are supposed to be rooting for, and the fact that King Candy is clearly opposed to her achieving her goals as a main protagonist, he is now an antagonist - no surprise.

The Turbo Story

It isn’t until after we meet King Candy that we hear the origin of the phrase “Going Turbo” and what it means. Essentially, the phrase originated when the protagonist of a racing game that was at one time very popular got pushed to the side in favor of a new, high-tech game. Not to be defeated, Turbo abandoned his game and tried to take over the new one, thus coining the phrase. We as the audience are told that in consequence, both Turbo’s original game and the game he tried to take over got put out of commission, including himself. HERE IS THE KICKER: we as the audience are given a considerable amount of information necessary to put together that Turbo just might equal King Candy, BUT we are led to believe that this isn’t a possibility because Turbo “got himself put out of order for good.” 

King Candy and his Dark Side

Now, this is a big scene in terms of King Candy’s storyline/backstory/relationship to Vanellope: the scene in which he ventures “into the code,” and adds the gold medal to his own personal cache of codes, so that he can take ownership of it. It’s a subtle play, because we as the audience are shown that King Candy’s code “box” (if you will) is at the biggest, and is at the center of everything. Because he’s the king, right? And at the end of the scene, we have a wide shot of the scene to reveal Vanellope’s code box, and it’s floating off the side, not connected to any of the boxes. Because she’s not supposed to be in the game, right? Because she’s a glitch, right? Huh. 

The second half of this section deals with the scene in which King Candy goes to Ralph personally, and pleads with him to convince Vanellope not to race. He tells Ralph that if she does race, and if she wins, then she’ll be accessible by the actual human players of the game. In such case, if they see her “glitching”, they’ll thing the game is broken, and get it put out of order. Right? Once again, we have misdirection. I’m sure at this point, the audience doesn’t fully trust what King Candy is saying, but at the same time there is an emotional reaction to his words. Because we care about Vanellope and want her to succeed, it forces the audience to feel that emotional push-and-pull, distracting further from the fact that King Candy (spoiler alert) lied clean to everyone’s faces. 

THE REVEAL

In a moment of high intensity, when we’ve reached the big climactic moment that is The Race, which is what Vanellope has been trying to get to for the entire film, it is revealed that King Candy is Turbo, done so because he gets caught up in Vanellope’s glitching, causing him to revert back to his originally coded form. We then learn of his true motivation - he wants to remain the top racer, as he was in his previous game, and he wants to maintain the power and thrill of that popularity. So he usurped Vanellope and changed the code so that everyone believed that she wasn’t supposed to exist, and that he was the rightful ruler of the game.

Why does it work?

It works because of the build up. All of the hints were laid out; Turbo’s backstory was set up early enough that it felt natural for the audience, and it gave us enough time to get comfortable with the information; when the scene did finally unfold, it felt so obvious that you could look back and see all the pieces click. And in the reveal, all of King Candy’s previously creepy behavior makes sense. There is emotional payoff.

What to take from this? 

One of the most powerful ways to hide your hints and foreshadowing throughout your story is misdirection. Lay those hints, plant the seeds, but also do the work to direct the audience’s attention elsewhere, leading them to believe one thing, whilst building towards another. 

Phew!! That was a doozy of a post, but it was a lot of fun to write, and I hope this was super helpful to you!!

If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to shoot us an ask. In the meantime, happy writing!

- Mod Daenerys

If you need advice on general writing or fanfiction, you should maybe ask us!

[dsmroleplay]

#BeautyAndTheBeast Part 14 #DSM #RP #SPN #BtVS

Writers: @HuntersGirlBaby @DeadlyJager @DeanWinchester_ @JulianRyker & @OutcastBrother @Defenderguard 

Colt: -Things happened fast but as Ethan showed up he calmed a bit, the angel could level this whole place without breaking a sweat so that was comforting. Colt could see he was covered in blood and made note to talk to him later on about it. Graham's help had initially made him mad but Alyson showing up alive and well had made him forget all about it. As she let go to embrace the big dude with blue eyes Colt frowned at how comfortable she was with him. Intimate and of course that put Colt into protective father mode. Colt made eye contact with Qhuinn and winked then touched Ethan's wrist giving it a squeeze.- Calm down big guy I don't think we're going to have anymore trouble, their pack leader is dead. -Gestures to Julian lying on the concrete not far from them.- Alyson's okay... I'm glad you're here. ::::::::::::::::: Graham: -Graham winced as Alyson jumped up and latched onto him. But it also made him happy, he hugged her tightly.- I'm glad you're okay Alyson, I was afraid Julian would lose his temper... We should get out of here. -About that time a Blackwater helicopter landed on the back of the property along with another team. They were here to assist the wounded etc and began sweeping the compound for their operators.- :::::::::::::::::::::: Colt: -Colt looked at Ethan and Qhuinn.- I'll be back, make sure Alyson gets on the chopper out of here in case we get more trouble. He spoke to one of the landing team and helped carry JR back to the helicopter. It looked like there had been one life lost on their side but it didn't make things any easier. The loss left him numb and all he wanted to do is get the fuck away from everyone and just sit in the dark till he felt like coming back out. The team reported there was serious carnage inside and Colt went in to see what they meant. It was /bad/ really bad. Jesus had Ethan done this because he'd be the only one strong enough to do it. He told the team to send another helicopter and remove the corpses they could not leave them like this. And undoubtedly this could trigger a war if other of their kind saw it. Troubled he grew even more concerned for Ethan, this wasn't like him.- :::::::::::::::::::: Alyson: *Ali, smiled at his tight hug. He was ok, he would be safe. No one would hurt him again. So many emotions were going through her as she held onto Graham. Hearing Ethan, she peeked over, seeing him. She was shocked to see the amount of blood that covered him.

So much death for those that took her. That only made her hug tighter Graham. How many people were hurt because of her? Did someone lose their life because of her?

She wouldn’t get her answer just now. Now, slowly she worked down to the ground. Feet touching, she grabbed ahold of of Graham’s hand. She wasn’t about to let him go. Graham was right it was time to go.

Keeping close to him as she walked. She saw JR’s body and her daddy helping with him. It broke her heart. Someone had died to save her. Gripping his hand tighter. He was a friend to her.  He was a sweetheart. She would always hold him dear and never forget him. Reaching up she wiped her eyes.

She watched, close to the chopper that would take them home. Her hair whipped around her bloody and dirty face. They had come to save her. Graham had saved her too. Trails from her tears marked her cheeks. This was a hell she wouldn’t face again. Not with Graham and her family by her side and her standing with them. And she made a vow whispering it.* This will never happen again. Never. *her eyes red and swollen from her tears. She  looked up to Graham. A gentle smile on her lips. Always a sweet smile no matter what she went through. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze.* Let’s go home. *she started to climb into the chopper.* :::::::::::::::::::: Ethan: Ethan gives Alybee a smile looking at Ali and Graham, he was relieved that Ali and he were okay. When they started to go over to their helicopter. When he walked over to the helicopter to see Julian body. Another good Soldier is lost. Sorry I wasn't there on time for you.  You will rest in peace Julian. He turned to close the helicopter door glance over to Colt. When he knew something was up with him.  He couldn't help read into Colt thoughts. Always caring about everyone. Knowing this wasn't  the time to talk. He could clean up his mess for |From| inside he left in his wake. He didn't care what he did, his family was in danger. When Ethan walked back into the building. ::::::::::::::::::::: Colt: -In all his years fighting beside Ethan he had never seen the angel respond in true violence if anything he'd held himself back even when he could wipe out this misery rock and not skip a beat. Colt saw him come in and walked over to Ethan.- Big guy.... -shaking his head- are /you/ alright? -Eyes meeting Ethan's.- :::::::::::::::::::::: Qhuinn: I stood back, crossing my arms, watching Colt and the other male. The chemistry between the other two was strong as fuck, and that anyone could see. It also made me wonder why Colt was with me and not him. Shaking those thoughts away, I hardened my stance and swallowed back My words. My only responsibility was Colton, Aly, and Ian. :::::::::::::::::::::: Ethan: Ethan was taking a look at the damaged he created, Maybe he had gone in too deep. This was his family who was in trouble Alybee and Colt. He had made a promise to himself no harm would come to any of the Winchester’s or the teams that worked for Colt. When he arrived he just saw Red. Not his finest hour, Colt coming towards him. When he stops to speak to him-  Yeah I'm okay, I think I've gone a little too far. I'm glad you call me to come and help but seeing the damage and your reaction I've caused are you regretting calling me? I'm glad Aly, Graham you and most of the teams are safe. Are you, Quinn or anyone else injured?  How did this all happen? *Ethan could feel

With a pair of eyes on him,  he could tell the man wasn't just a man but a supernatural being. When he looked over in his direction and looked back to Colt. * Your Man is concerned about You Colt.  Guess this is the wrong time to meet him? -Ethan wiped his bloody face with his teeshirt. - :::::::::::::::::::: Colt: -Colt glanced in Qhuinn's direction an gave him a look to let him know not to worry then looked up at Ethan.- Don't deflect. What's going on with you? And don't insult me by lying. You just ripped a part like twenty guys. Not that I'm ungrateful because it was Alyson here but even then this isn't your style. So talk. :::::::::::::::::: Ethan: I'm not insult you. I wouldn't do that. I'm not lying or hiding anything, trust me, you've known me for twenty years plus, now this is the first time one of the family has been taken and this wreak with my brain, I've admitted I've gone in too hard am I supposed to apologize Forgoing to hard. I wanted answers, Colt.  This was Aly after all she was in danger.  Under my watch. I don't get how she was taken. :::::::::::::::: Colt: I'm not asking you to apologize and I'm thankful just I'm worried. I've never seen you respond like this. Alyson isn't your responsibility so cut yourself some slack. -Pats his arm.- Get cleaned up and take some time off. Thank you for your help. :::::::::::::::: Ethan: Don't be worried, this won't happen again. I can understand this is a huge deal for anyone to see. Let me clean my mess up and I’ll get to that later. Guess this is what you call getting benched. *He knew Colt was right about taking a break. * catch you later Colt. ::::::::::::::::: Colt: I got this Ethan. Undoubtedly some of these guys have families and they are going to ask for the bodies. I can't deny them that, especially since I'd like to build trust so we don't have an all out war. :::::::::::::::: Ethan: He sighs knowing he was just honestly and already taking care of everyone. “ Okay, Colt. If you need anything just call. I just go as I've caused even damaged here. Thanks again, Colt. I'll see you around.” Ethan stepped away to walk around Colt to walk away from Colt. ::::::::::::::: Colt: -Colt reached out and caught him by the arm. He turned and pulled him into a hug.- We’re family. I’m here for you anytime you need me. Don’t be a stranger. -Pats his back before letting go.- :::::::::::::::: Ethan: Thanks. *He embraced him in his arms* I know we are. Nothing will ever change us being Family.  The family is certainly growing. Which is a good thing. I should go and let you get on.  It's been good seeing you. I'll be in touch. Take care of yourself Colt. Letting goto move on. :::::::::::::::: Colt: -Colt nodded and stepped back. Taking a deep breath he had a lot to deal with.- ::::::::::::::::::: Ethan: Ethan wasted no time as he looked back at Colt, and to Q he nodded at Q. he didn't even get clean up as he knew no one would see him as he was leaving before disappearing from  view. Ethan travelling through his way as he went to his favourite place when he needed to clear his head and get in the right place because he knew he had left Colt with a nightmare over his actions. He made sure he landed in the ocean to get cleaned up. - End.

[artsaveslivesinternational]

Denny Reader

  Art By Denny Reader

Art By Denny Reader

Art By Denny Reader

Art By Denny Reader

Art By Denny Reader

Art By Denny Reader

Art By Denny Reader

Art By Denny Reader

Art Saves Lives International are committed to elevating artists who use their work to create change. Denny Reader is an ASLI artist who we feel needs to be heard. With his complex art and insightful poetry, depicting experiences of his own schizophrenia, the inner world of psychosis and the ways in which Denny makes sense of this all – with elements of the mystical and the transcendence of consciousness, Denny takes you into his mind.

Here is our interview:

Please tell us what your current creative project is? 

My most current project is working on promoting this Poetry, Art and Aphorisms book called ‘Wondering Whispers’ in e-book form and getting some paperback versions completed as well. I’m also getting back into making Art again, after a short break from creating, I have lots of ideas to get down to.

This is my second book of Poetry, the first one I had published with Chipmunka Publishing which is still available from their site, but in this e-book I’ve included some of my best artwork and also aphorisms that have inspired me and ones I’ve made up myself. I’m also working towards having a collection of my art exhibited at some point, all upon the theme of schizophrenia, the experience of voices and the mystical element that can feature in many people’s psychosis.

What is your biggest goal this year?

To get this book out there in the relevant places and also to get back towards an active creative practice, creating Art and Poetry regularly, hopefully creating work that I’m proud to share and build a collection towards a third book. Also to keep being active and productive, to maybe try some other art mediums like working with oils, collage and to hone in my poetry. Mostly though to get the exposure for this e-book and to get my mental health back on track, because I’ve been mostly very unwell in recent years and I aspire to finding balance within my mind and life once again.

What do you hope to achieve with your new work?

A theme in all of my work really, is to inspire and enlighten people to see things differently, truthfully, authentically and hopefully to a more open-minded perspective, to portray my experiences of schizophrenia, psychosis, mysticism and life experiences in its raw and honest form. I believe in creativity for everyone, people empowering and sharing themselves through all the various art forms genuinely, realistically and also when needed in a therapeutic manner. This way I feel we can all connect to our deeper more authentic and spiritual nature and lessen the pain and burden that human life can so often bring to so many of us.

With this book in particular, I’ve attempted to capture a sense of change and hope in the world, expressed through Poetry, Art and Aphorisms and really I just wish to share what I’ve gone through. I wish to bring some enjoyment and insight into my work and to share my inspiration in the hope that others can relate to it and gain something in their lives because of what I’ve been through.

Tell us why you do what you do?

I do what I do because I love and have great passion for Poetry, Art, Aphorisms and in all honesty I love all Art forms. I believe that Poetry, Art and other mediums literally grasp upon a greater underlying reality of life, it gives us a greater perspective, often a different and more beautiful one. It can put us in the shoes of others, portray meaning, beauty, intellect and I believe really add to our lives. I mean, what would life be like without Art, Poetry, Music, Drama, Creative Writing? I believe it connects us on a deeper level and opens us to a greater sense of life, perspective and well-being.

I thoroughly believe in it also for its therapeutic value, Poetry and Art especially, has been a God send for me over the years, a way to express myself to the world, a way to vent, a way to translate experiences that I would not be able to in any other way. The process in itself is cathartic, even if I didn’t share any of my work, I feel that it would still have great value to myself for its ability to transmute, transform and express the mind, the emotions and experiences into a solid form. To put into form, that which otherwise would remain stagnant within the soul and mind.

Tell us about your process in creating your recent work?

Well all the content in this book, is a collection of my best work from the last five years. When I’m in a flow of Poetry writing I can sometimes write two or three a day and ideas just flood my mind, often too many to record. I often can’t sleep because of seemingly important creative ideas, themes, concepts, images and visions come into my mind regularly, in the past at times it has stopped me from sleeping and I’ve had to learn to shut this creative force out, so I can get on and do other things, like sleeping and living daily life.

Much of my inspiration comes from my sensitivity to things, from nature, from music, people and I like to think from my within myself and my soul. Sometimes when writing a poem, I take a notepad out to a quiet place in nature and sit with my feelings to see what comes out and through, many other times I note down ideas in my notepad and later return to encapsulate upon it when at home and in the quiet. I would say being still as one can in the mind, is often the best way that ideas come through and meditation can help greatly with this.

My recent Artwork, is largely inspired by my latest episode of psychosis and OCD, which has really been a struggle to get through. Voices, paranoia and intrusive thoughts have really crippled me in recent years, but I’m learning to deal with this most recent collection of symptoms and making Art and Poetry to express this.

Tell us about your past work…

Much of my past work, the Poetry and Art that I’ve done and the Aphorisms, have mainly been inspired by my experiences of Psychosis and Mysticism. Most of the content of my creative work is depicting these various experiences, of themes to do with my spirituality directly relating to psychosis and the shamanic and mystical phenomenon that I’ve gone through, ie – having outer body experiences, communicating with various spirits etc. – Much of this could be considered delusional, but I take the shamanic stance on these experiences, they are so real to me, more than daily life, they give me intense meaning in my world and have formed my outlook and philosophy in which I live my life by . Much of it also is just about my take on the trials of being a human being in a fast paced competitive culture and how I deal with my schizophrenia whilst also dealing with this mad world.

I’ve made a previous poetry book to this one, it was published in 2011 by Chipmunka Publishing, it contains only poetry and is titled ‘Inside the Outside’ and is still available to buy through the Chipmunka website and through Amazon as an e-book. Other than this, I’ve had art exhibitions in the past and have been writing Poetry and Creating Art on and off since I was a child, though I do go through periods where I struggle to get the motivation to carry through my ideas.

Does your art help you in any way, therapeutically?

Definitely it does, I believe it helps me reach higher states of consciousness, to escape at least temporarily from the binding of the human ego and all the pain associated with life. It gives me a vehicle in which to share with the world, to transmute my feelings and experiences into a concrete and solid form. Personal development comes to mind when thinking of creativity, the ability and means to express oneself can help tremendously in one’s personal sense of well-being and interpersonal development. As keeping a diary can help a person realise their true feelings and see more sense in how they think and feel, so too can Art help a person in being more expressed, self-content and in many ways more self-actualised and resolved.

Has your art saved your life in any way?

I wouldn’t say it has actually saved my life, but it has definitely helped to make it. It has made it fuller, realer, more clear, it has paved the way for me to have an outlet in this world and life, without it, I would feel ‘boxed in’, stagnant, blocked and without a voice. Art certainly enhances my life tremendously, my Art and Poetry has given me great meaning and has had an enormous cathartic influence within me.

I still have tons of new stuff every so often to process and work through, with my condition as it is, but Art in all its various forms gives me a vehicle in which to process and like I’ve said, to transmute it, express it and hopefully help resolve myself much more.

Which artists do you feel inspired by right now?

I feel mostly inspired by musicians as of late, I constantly have music playing in my room where I work and often have music for all types of moods and emotions. I love rock and some pop for feeling more energetic, chill out music for a more softer mood, like world music and singer/songwriter tunes and I’m always playing a song in my head as I go by my daily activities.

Coming to Art, I will forever love and be inspired by the artwork of Marc Chagall, with his dreamy and colourful paintings, Dali and similar other psychedelic artists, for their transcendental affect on the psyche. I love fantasy Art too and am actually very inspired right now by computer games such as Skyrim, one of the Elder Scroll games for the xbox . The landscapes, characters, monsters, music and whole experience of some console games can be so enthralling and inspiring, they can really give you a taste of a fantasy world, a world unlike our own, free from the normal constraints of human life.

Do you hope to create change with your art?

I hope to bring about more awareness with my mental health campaigning and many of the issues in my work are of a mental health nature, but also on a deeper, spiritual level, I adhere to bring understanding, compassion and loving kindness to my work wherever I can, compassion and understanding of the human condition in its myriad and many forms. I also do like at times to put a political edge upon what I create, I feel that on a spiritual path and being an artist, that we shouldn’t shy away from expressing our political views and the injustices we see in this World, in fact I would say that in this position of being an artist, that it is our place to express our experiences and inspire others to see things in another hopefully broader more truthful light, or to see things in a different way if we can.

Do you have any particular causes and campaigns your art is in aid of?

Yes definitely, I feel my Art and Poetry at least portrays what it’s like to have mental health issues, to bring awareness to people upon psychosis and what this can be like, but also hopefully on a more existential level too, I like to think that I bring spirituality and meaning to my work, not in a dogmatic sense, but hopefully on a deep level on what it’s like to be human and deeply feel things in this crazy world.

I am very passionate about expressing my experiences in an authentic manner, whether it’s positive or negative, expressed with a dark twist or in the light of something spiritual. I like to think that through Art and Poetry I can give an accurate and descriptive take on schizophrenia and also it’s shamanic element, but more deeply, just to express what it is like being a sensitive, feeling human being in a harsh and competitive society, to express the injustices and rawness of being alive here in the 21st century.

In the past I’ve done campaigning on Environmental issues and in mental health, these subjects I’m very passionate about, I like to bring an mind opening, cathartic, therapeutic and compassionate stance in my Poetry and in my Art I love to express the raw and also sometimes brutal experiences of mental illness. I love to use lots of colours in my Art and generally just be authentic with my experiences, to hopefully open the minds of the viewers and give people something to relate to and/or be made aware of.

What are your plans for future work?

To just keep creating mostly, I’ve got two other book projects in mind, one to make a self -help and exploratory book upon psychosis, it’s various cultural perspectives and also various anonymous personal accounts from people about what helped them upon their own road to recovery and exploring psychosis with all it’s fascinating phenomena.

(If anyone reading this is interested in contributing with lived experience of psychosis, then please do get in touch.)

The other book project, a long term goal is to write out a personal story of my breakdown and ongoing experiences of schizophrenia, I think this will be a cathartic process and also something people with similar life experiences and those interested will be able to relate to.

Mostly to keep making Art and get back into writing Poetry regularly again, hopefully towards another Poetry book as well. I’d also like to exhibit in an art gallery with the series of Artwork about psychosis that I’ve done, but yeah, just generally to keep creating, keep an active practice of staying motivated and inspired and put that into motion, regularly finding the energy to keep making and creating.

Please read: Denny Reader talks to ASLI about his schizophrenia and using his creativity, saying “Its gives me a purpose and a platform to share my ideas and myself with the world around me”.

Amazon link to Poetry, Art and aphorisms e-book ‘Wondering Whispers’ Chipmunka Paperback book – ‘Inside the Outside.’

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Facebook Artists page

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    Artist of the Month Denny Reader Tells ASLI About his New Book of Poetry, Art and Aphorisms ‘Wondering Whispers’ Art Saves Lives International are committed to elevating artists who use their work to create change. Denny Reader is an ASLI artist who we feel needs to be heard.

[elysiumrp]

Congratulations TRISHA! You have been accepted as Sabrina McCarthy. Please go through the checklist and send in your account within 24 hours. If you need more time, make sure you send a message to the main.

Welcome back, Trisha! It’s been ages, but I’m so glad you decided to join us again as Sabrina. I can’t wait to see where she goes on the dash cause I know that you’ll do wonders playing her. In regards to your question about having one of her parents be from England, go for it! I definitely think it makes sense with her character, and I’m fine with either parent. Welcome to Elysium!!

OOC INFO

Name: Trisha Age: 26 Timezone: GMT Preferred Pronouns: She/Her Previous RP Experience: [RFP] Activity Level:  On a daily basis, I’m working office hours, until six in the afternoon. I’m usually free in the evenings, sometimes I need to go to a meeting or two but it’s rare. Of course, it’s also in the evening when I cook, clean and whatnot, but I tend to have at least one hour on a regular night to log in and be around. Anything Else: Nope! And I do hope I’m not missing any catches here, because I’ve read basically everything around, hahahaha.

IC INFO

Character Name: Sabrina McCarthy Second Choice Character: N/A Why did you choose this character:

I don’t tend to have a favourite type of character; I usually like them closer to who I am, a bit different, which gives me more room to develop them without strings attached. However, once in a while I need a change. Perhaps it’s my writer’s instinct telling me it’s fed up of the same old thing (like it led me to write stories in first person - which I’m not exactly a fan of - and write from a male’s perspective, as well as a variety of others experiments). I believe this time came. Sabrina is out of my comfort zone, which would push me to actually portray a character and not simply, naturally play it with my instincts. I have played characters like her before, of course, and it took me places I didn’t expect, which is always amusing.

Sabrina is apparently flawless, a privileged. Underneath layers of expensive designer clothing, imported makeup and youth, she has her own demos, caused by a relapse in the family, often amongst the wealthy ones. As I’m always drawn to the darkest bits of everything, I guess it’s concealed it all and slowly opening up the troubled cracks that led me to Sabrina. She’s very raw as a person, so I think she has a lot to be explored and refine.

Describe your plan for them: It will all depend on how things play out, but portraying Sabrina adjusting to a severe circumstance would be interesting. A more ordinary and less drastic scenario would be the loss of her clique - for whatever reason, from gossip to a misconduct in friendship from either end. How would she deal with the fact that she has no friends other them and how what would she do to come out of her decade-planned social agenda. She would be forced to interact with people that she isn’t too fond of, or even intimate of, for instance.My aim is, I want development. And with that, in Sabrina’s case, it comes with a lot of personal suffering. Her personality isn’t easy, she’s adamant about her beliefs and the way she was raised, without anything to trouble her and make her want to change; I want to put her in situations out of her comfort zone, to slowly build personal growth. And there’s no way of making someone without breaking them first.

Describe your character’s feelings, reactions, and potential involvement/want to be involved during/after the recent fall of the Council (At least a few sentences): Disbelief. Not a surprised one, but a “are you stupid?” eye-roll one. For Sabrina, everything was nothing but well-planned marketing. The media, nowadays, could do wonders to anything and anyone’s reputation - and she knew that quite well, being in her area of expertise. The videos all over the internet, the allegations - they were all publicity. That thought persisted as the first attack occurred in Times Square. It was an odd and clear cry for attention for whatever company was producing that movie/TV show/series/campaign, but it was all an act. Monster did not exist. After the third attack, her creativity perhaps couldn’t wander that far, yet she was rational and intelligent enough to realise something was wrong. That sixth sense clicked the moment he started starting at her, commanding her. Yet nothing said by Nicholas compelled her into doing anything at all. The man acted off with confidence and naturally. Sabrina fought back with teeth (ironically) and fists, running off. It was when she got home that she decided to peek through the layer of silk she were around her neck. Bite marks, trailing down her shoulder covered by blouses of long, high collars. In the danger of the madness the city was truly living now and her own, unanswered fears, she tried to play along without actually sharing with anyone how vulnerable and afraid she was, not even to her parents and closest friends, with the exception of Samantha, who took the time to explain her what many humans were still blind to, telling her small details and even teaching her a few ways to protect herself.

Para Sample:

(I’m sampling this thread, which is more developed and in depth, usually the way I prefer writing. It isn’t IC as I often struggle to write any IC applications.)

Bubbles jumped from the skillfully balanced coupe glasses seemingly superglued to the silver tray. Tulip ones would have been better to preserve the sparkly taste, but after countless refills of Moet - and some downed whiskey on the side - Ella lost her sense of criticism. Regardless of some errors perceived only by a controlling businesswoman, the celebration was, as usual, outstanding. The magazine’s filial in Canada was particularly acclaimed by their Christmas parties, a tradition in a country where snow cornered every living being. New Year was typically celebrated in New York City, back at Ella’s headquarters and main building of the fashion empire. Hard liquor could be found at an arm’s length, champagne was spurting from fountains and, needless to say, there were private areas where recreational ‘distractions’ had the prerogative of a turned blind eye.

In certain zones, the music was as loud as in a night club, the spaces dark as in the anonymity of a Vanilla Sky movie. It was a party, after all, and nobody could party better than rich, powerful people. Especially when they all held dirt on one another, which kept all the gatherings - no matter how large - always very secure for some occasional colleague lose control over the incentive of an invited outsider plus one - or multiples.

Particularly, Ella felt like indulging into champagne. It wasn’t unusual for her to drink (not lately), but the bubbly liquid seemed to be getting to her head fast enough to unleash her scarce inhibitions. It was past one in the morning, though, and consequently everyone else was cut or their way to alcohol intoxication, so the editor-in-chief didn’t mind her sharp, bold tongue and impulsive behaviour. It had proved to be fun so far, in spite of some honest, foolish mistakes.

With a half empty glass of flat Moet, the brunette detached from her crew of co-workers and headed to one of the many bars. With a bubbly smile matching her drink of the night, she requested a new coupe, taking the brief moment of wait to scan her surroundings. Coming to the party was purely an obligation, at first, but she managed to find the fun in it after some litters of alcoholic beverages. Those who knew her, were aware that the brunette was going through a rough time, regardless whether she would share the details and causes or not. Tonight, she allowed herself to feel lighter; tomorrow, she would deal with the consequences of hangover.

It seemed to have started ahead of schedule. A sting hit her temple vividly, like a pin hammered in her brain, at the blurry sight of a familiar silhouette. It was very much alive in her memory to provoke her the certainty of seeing what she thought to be standing across the room. No more than a month had it been she had last seen him, and from afar she could sense his presence, now that she was aware of it. However, it couldn’t possibly be him.

The bartender politely handed her the glass, while Ella’s azure gems wouldn’t diverge from the target her brain focused on. Her lips moved in a ‘thanks’ that was muffled by the music back in the open chamber nearby, so quietly she spoke. It was like being on a trance. In a black tuxedo, his gold-tone, slick back hair was all she could see. But the stance, the gestures he made whenever speaking to whoever was that unfamiliar person he talked to - the voice she heard had to be his, or else her mind was repeating it just for tease. Playful tricks of the mind, after too many glasses. She believed it, she also doubted it. He was away, somewhere in Europe. She was here. She came back. This isn’t happening.

He turned around. Black shawl lapel tuxedo, ebony shirt underneath - a complete full-black outfit just like that first party. Ella was also in black. Her colours were neutral, always black, beige, dark brown and, on occasion, some white. They looked like coordinating colours when most carried on the Christmas warm up in red and green. And the voice that she heard before, it turned louder as she, much to her surprise, walked toward her in the company of another man, which soon enough turned a corner and left Princeton to arrive at the bar alone. He was quicker than Ella’s despair to flee. She couldn’t hear her own thoughts, her heart was too loud in her ears.

Any questions/concerns/things you’d like to change: (siblings to add, pronouns, sexuality you’d like to specify, personality, face claim, history, etc., etc.)

If it’s possible, perhaps Sabrina’s mother of father could be from the UK? I don’t know, I’m asking because I live in Europe and there’s a few differences from the English here and from the USA. I think it could add a bit more of character to her, by having a double nationality and being raised back and forth two distinct continents. It’s not mandatory, just something I thought interesting. :)