#i just think its important to remember that genres exist in a bit of a loop of information

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

Need more positivity on my dash, so I wanna talk a bit more about how fucking amazing OFMD's writing for its characters of color is!

Now, I'm a professional historian (phd student 😔🤘🏾) and I read and watch a lot of historical fiction because I love it, right? And I have literally never seen a piece of historical fiction that is so respectful to its characters of color.

Usually, in works of historical fiction that actually bother to include characters of color, they fall into two big camps. The most common one is trauma porn, where poc only exist so White characters can save them, feel sorry about them, or so White audiences can pat themselves on the back for feeling sorry about them. Also popular are works that include characters of color but don't bother thinking about how race impacts their experiences in historical settings (shows like Bridgerton come to mind; they want to include poc but handwave racism). And in general I prefer the latter but it still takes me out of the story.

But OFMD hits just this amazing balance. There are many characters of color, and the racism of the world they live in impacts their experiences and perspectives in realistic ways. Ed remembering how his mom told him that fine things weren't meant for people like him has me by the fucking throat, it's so tied up in race and class and it's the root of so many of Ed's self-image issues into adulthood. But the real kicker for me - poc always get the last laugh in OFMD. Yes, the racism in this show is often very realistic, but this isn't a realistic show at its core and it is so, so comforting to know a character who starts acting like a racist dickhead is a dead man walking.

It's so carefully written, and for me it's such a huge comfort: race in OFMD is never hand-waved away, and it's thought-provoking and realistic and relatable. But the show always feels so safe because we know racism in the show is never excused. They tell us in the pilot that if you start being a racist asshole, someone's gonna stab you. Even Stede, our main character - when he makes a racist assumption in the second episode of the show, the narrative encourages us to call him out for it and has a character directly call him a fuckin' racist! He's held accountable and he fucking grows, because unlearning racist biases is important and he doesn't get a pass because he's the main character!

It's not just that OFMD has a lot of characters of color. It's not just that one of our main romantic leads is an indigenous Jewish man. It's not just that characters of color are consistently depicted as smart, clean, competent, and respected. It's that the show respects them enough to think about how racism realistically shapes the world of OFMD, while at the same time providing viewers with a wonderful fantasy of racists getting what they deserve. In the genre of historical fiction, it stands out because it completely avoids the trauma porn and hand-wavey angles, and I can't articulate strongly enough how much I appreciate that.

[katapotato55]

how to make your writing be remembered forever and possibly be well loved.

(incredibly stupid and silly fanfiction line at the end of this post) I know that title is incredibly daunting but listen, its very simple. you ready?

MAKE STRONG CHARACTERS

"but kat! surely its not that simple! " nononono listen. bear with me. I want you to think of your favorite thing. Now ask: what do you remember the most about the thing you love? I will go first:

I love team fortress 2. and guess what: this game has been around since 2007, and was in development hell since before I was even born. The game has been around for 16 fucking years. And guess what? in the strong year of 2023 team fortress 2 Is STILL getting memed about. and do you want to know the crazy part? the character designs to the naked eye are not special at all. ok sure from a designer standpoint, these are very well designed characters made so that you can easily tell who they are based on their silhouette. but from the average joe.... tf2 is iconic but overall it looks ok. it doesn't seem special to a stranger to tf2. look at this completely random and arbitrary example of a game in the same genre:

I don't know shit about the characters in overwatch. Yeah i have a BASIC idea on what their personality is like based on voice lines and some videos i guess... but in-game they just exist. these characters are brightly colored, they have beautiful unique designs, hell they have even more diversity such as robots and people from other cultures! but i don't remember shit about these characters. Maybe I remember the ice lady and tracer, but nothing else. and yeah part of overwatch struggling right now is incompetant development, BUT: The characters in team fortress 2 are SO remember-able because the characters have such a vibrant personality. I am an orange box owner, its been a decade and a half and I am still remembering this game and enjoying art about it.

"but kat! that is a comedy game! Overwatch is a very serious game! are you saying comedy is needed to make a character more noticeable?" no. though I think allowing your characters to lighten up every now and then would humanize them. Not full on goofy, just give them something that makes them likeable. and if you cant do that, you can STILL make a compelling character even though they are mostly seriousness. I have an even more awfully thought out example:

kung fu panda is a masterclass in making a serious comedic movie somehow work. Master Oogway.... he isn't a comedic character at all. Yeah we made memes about him, but ignoring that, he is a wise and resourceful person. He is at calm and has faith in this intuition. there are a lot of characters like this. What makes Oogway stand out is that he is also a little bit kooky and sassy.

this youtube clip sums up what I mean. It is a funny line, it fits the character, and It doesn't ruin the seriousness of the moment. Some of the most successful series in history have something about them that has appealed to people. In my opinion: characters with strong personality and interesting traits is always a good way to ensure your writing is successful. The second most important is the characters bouncing off of each other in terms of their chemistry with each other. There is a reason why I spent years playing the first Destiny game and all of the DLC, but I remember fuck all about the characters. I think I maybe remember the bootleg star lord robot guy.

A writing exercise

here is an exercise to get you in the spirit of character making. step 1- get a random character from a random bit of media. In this case let me bring you master Oogway. Step 2- Get a completely different character from a completely unrelated series. I am going to give you Scout from team fortress 2. step 3- write a random ass thing about them interacting. Think about how the characters would react to each other and why. Think about each characters values in life and think about how they would bond and conflict with each other. Think about characters similar to the character they met in the past and how they reacted then, and if they have never interacted, make something interesting with it. Step 4- keep experimenting. Once you get into the spirit you can apply this to any new character you could want to make anyways thats it byeee- "arent you going to do that ?" do what? "make a writing thing about oogway and scout. " ........

Scout: let's go turtle you got nothing on my speed- Oogway: The one who first resorts to violence shows that he has no more arguments. Scout: that sounds like chicken talk! come on tough guy let me have it- Oogway then proceeds to make scout eat shit before vanishing in a cloud of cherry blossoms and dust from the desert. If this post isn't popular I want you to know my dignity was lost for nothing.

[suffersinfandom]

Alright, I’m gonna talk about Ed and abuse.

“Why? Why are you spending your precious time on Earth typing about some dumb fandom stuff when you could be doing literally anything else?”

In short, seeing the “Ed is an abuser who’s inevitably going to hurt Stede” takes has been driving me absolutely bonkers since I first noticed them. They’re not going away, so I have to essay about it. 

In less-short: it’s because abuse is a serious thing and, as someone who’s experienced it, I get riled when it becomes a topic of discourse in my silly pirate fandom. It’s because it’s upsetting to read meta after meta accusing an indigenous man of being an abuser when the text doesn't support that reading. It’s because a lot of the abuse discourse in the fandom fails to separate real-life abuse from violence in a show. It’s because the vast majority of the abuse talk only acknowledges physical abuse which, while terrible, is not the only kind that hurts people and utterly destroys their lives. 

It’s because calling Ed abusive or insisting that he’s a future abuser can harm people who are like him -- people who have suffered abuse or get angry sometimes or have hurt people when they were hurt. Victims of abuse, especially those who dealt with it in childhood, often fear becoming abusers themselves. They bottle up their anger for fear of hurting someone. They hurt themselves in a misguided attempt to protect others. They don’t need to see meta that enforces their fears.

Before I get into it…

I may as well come clean and say that I’m on team Ed absolutely isn’t abusive.

Plenty has been typed in Ed’s defense by POC in the fandom, so I’m not going to go into how deeply unfortunate it would be to make an indigenous main character an abuser. I’m just going to say that, when you consider OFMD’s genre and attitude towards violence, it seems clear to me that you can’t call Ed abusive without calling out other characters unless you have some kind of bias against Ed. His actions are deplorable in the real world, a bit much in OFMD’s world, deeply unhealthy, not okay by any means, and shitty and traumatizing for his crew, but they aren’t abusive.

Remember: Our Flag Means Death is a comedy with tons of over-the-top violence. If your theory is unrelentingly grim or looks at violence and its consequences in a real-world light, consider stepping back and remembering what genre the events of the show are happening in.

And if you think that only the violence committed by the indigenous lead is abuse, look at the actions of the other characters and ask yourself why Ed doesn’t get the same grace you’ve granted the others.

What is abuse in the real world?

Abuse “includes [a pattern of] behaviors that physically harm, intimidate, manipulate, or control a partner or otherwise force them to behave in ways they don’t want to. This can happen through physical violence, threats, emotional abuse, or financial control.” (1)

“Emotional abuse includes non-physical behaviors that are meant to control, isolate, or frighten someone. These behaviors are often more subtle and hard to identify but are just as serious as other types of abuse.” (2)

It’s important to emphasize that not all purposeful harm to another person, physical or otherwise, is abuse. “What abuse really means is control. When a truly abusive situation exists, it’s because one party is seeking to control the other through abuse.” (2)

Abuse is a pattern of behavior that involves one person intentionally harming another. That harm is meant to control, and it can take on more forms than just physical. 

In our world, all abuse is terrible. Vitally, our world is not a pirate rom-com.

Adding context: what is abuse in Our Flag Means Death?

Our Flag Means Death is a romantic comedy with one core romantic couple, Ed and Stede, whose story takes priority over everything else. It can be dark, it can be serious, but it is, at its core, a comedy, and not a subtle one at that. (3) Sometimes things are just funny and that’s it.

The show’s meanings aren’t hidden under layers of red herrings and subtext; if you’re compelled to bring out the conspiracy corkboard, you’re probably in too deep.

But this isn’t just a rom-com: it’s a pirate rom-com, and that comes with gratuitous violence. Here’s a short, fun list of examples of things that we can consider canon-typical pirate violence:

Tying hostages to the mast and letting them cook a bit

Wanton murder during a raid (“Note the gusto!”)

Threatening a crush at gunpoint until they stab you

Whippies and yardies

Cutting off toes and feeding them to people “for a laugh”

Literally any violence directed at a racist (this violence is, in fact, good and encouraged)

There’s also the pirate-typical killing of other pirates. Duels don’t seem entirely unusual, and Izzy outright tries to get Stede killed at several points in season one. When Chauncey Badminton and the English navy show up after being summoned by Izzy, Stede’s life isn’t the only one on the line: the rest of the crew is also put in potentially life-threatening danger.

In short, Our Flag Means Death has a lot of violence and peril, and very few instances of violence (looking at you, Hornigold) are treated as anything other than socially acceptable. But do you know what’s really important in the show?

Feelings.

The way characters feel as a result of something is given an immense amount of weight. The show’s subtleties are in the realms of the mental and the emotional, and that’s where the real pain is too. 

Nigel Badminton’s death was bad because it was emotionally and mentally devastating for Stede. Ed’s father’s murder was bad because it hurt him and forced him to create a monstrous alter ego to cope. Both of those men -- Nigel and Father Teach -- are totally acceptable casualties. Their deaths would be net positives (in this universe where abusers are punished for their behavior) if they hadn’t had such strong impacts on our leads.

Feelings are everything in Our Flag Means Death, and the feelings of our leads are the heart of the show. That’s where the story is. That’s where the complexity and ambiguity is. 

So what is abuse in this context? The casual treatment of physical violence and the seriousness of emotional distress tell us to adjust our own moral judgments accordingly. Physical violence is everyday, straightforward, and often comedic; emotional violence is devastating and complicated. Physical violence is cartoonish and, often, part of a punchline. Emotional violence is real and raw and not a joking matter. Planning to murder a guy and steal his identity can be shrugged off; ditching your boyfriend after experiencing a traumatic event is more complicated.

When we ask ourselves if something in OFMD is abuse, we have to consider the act in the context of a rom-com that’s all about the feelings of two guys, set against the violent backdrop of piracy, and absolutely packed with people getting maimed and murdered in casual, comedic ways.

So...

Is Ed abusive in the context of the show?

No.

Aaaand we’re done!

Joking, joking. Obviously I’m going to pick out the examples of “abuse” that people cite and discuss each one, but first: we need to talk about Ed, violence, and anger. 

Ed is not a violent person. He’s not full of rage that’s threatening to erupt at all times, and he’s not some kind of sadist who revels in hurting people. The violence of Blackbeard is a fuckery: it's the theater of fear, an illusion of cruelty calculated to terrify others into surrendering and obeying without (much) bloodshed.

Ed has his whole thing with murder that's rooted in childhood trauma. Killing his abusive father to protect his mother scars him so badly that he distances himself from the situation -- he blames Father Teach’s death on the Kraken, an invented monster. As a pirate, he creates loopholes and rules that technically put one step between him and killing (in his mind). He orders murders and causes deaths and maims and maintains his image as the bloodthirsty Blackbeard, but Ed doesn’t do “the big job” himself until the end of season two. When Stede’s life is in the balance, Ed can kill to protect him. 

Edward Teach kills only to protect.

But that’s killing, and we’re talking about general violence. It's true that Ed is casual about the day-to-day violence of piracy. He participates in it, incites it, and doesn’t feel bad about it. No one does; violence is part of the job.

That leaves us with the "anger problem." Ed is sometimes characterized as an angry person who lashes out when enraged, and canon doesn't at all support this interpretation. Ed gets mad, yes, but his anger is always at least understandable (and, in my opinion, he's one of our more restrained characters). It isn’t a constant, simmering thing that turns him into an abusive monster when he’s triggered. He doesn't always deal with his anger -- or any of his other feelings -- in a good and constructive way because both of our leads lack emotional maturity, but I think it's a grave mistake to characterize him as an angry person.

Hopefully I can elaborate on this idea -- the idea that Ed is only violent and angry in a normal and canon-appropriate way, and anger is by no means one of his defining characteristics -- by doing a run-down of all of the times Ed is accused of being abusive or showing signs of being an abuser-in-the-making.

---

Ed loses his shit on a falling snake during his nature adventure with Stede (S1E7). In this scene, he’s embarrassed about the treasure hunt, oblivious to Stede's intentions, and annoyed by the very existence of nature. He is not relaxed. When nature takes him by surprise, he stabs the crap out of it in a scene that is played for comedy. There’s the important part: this is comedy. Ed is grumpy and his childish tantrum is harmless and silly. It isn’t a red flag. Overreacting while irritated isn’t an indicator that someone will be abusive.

Ed punches Izzy after the English have taken the Revenge, captured Stede, and turned Ed over to Izzy (S1E9). Honestly, I think the fact that Ed lets Izzy talk before punching him demonstrates a great deal of restraint on his part. This is justified anger and fear for Stede’s life. This is not an indicator that Ed makes a habit of hitting Izzy.

In his post-pillow fort era, Ed is cleaning up his cabin when Izzy confronts him (S1E10). Izzy insults Ed, tells him that he’d be better off dead than as he currently is, and says that he serves only Blackbeard (Ed better watch his fucking step). Ed reacts by grabbing Izzy by the throat and telling him to choose his next words carefully. This is, in my opinion, a reasonable reaction and exactly the response Izzy was fishing for. The only pattern this scene indicates is one where Izzy goads Ed until he starts performing the violence expected of Blackbeard.

Which takes us to The Toe Scene.

In real life, it would be extremely fucked up for a boss to remove an employee’s toe and make him eat it. OFMD is not real life. One episode earlier, Ed was talking about the life he was glad to leave behind -- the life where The Toe Thing was done “for a laugh.” Not as punishment, but for fun. It’s set up as something that’s gross (“yuck”), not a grave punishment. When Ed feeds Izzy his toe, he gives Izzy what be asked for: he gives him a violent captain. He gives him Blackbeard. He gives him the guy who fed people toes for fun.

But what’s important here is that Ed is not having fun. He’s having a lot less fun than Izzy is, going by their expressions in the scene. This isn’t who he wants to be, but after having the possibility of a better life snatched away, Ed throws himself back into the sure thing. He becomes the Kraken -- the captain Izzy wants, the violent monster that Ed thinks he is and tries to distance himself from, and the only thing Ed thinks he can be. It’s sad. It’s desperation, not anger and abuse.

In the second season, Ed headbutts Stede after he’s revived from his coma-death (S2E4). In the next scene, Stede is holding a cold steak to his face and calling it an accident. Roach says “that’s what they all say” -- a line that alludes to domestic violence. The thing is? It’s not, and the crew has expectations of Ed that Stede doesn’t (as indicated by Stede's earlier assertion that Ed's a nice guy in response to Olu's concern that Ed will kill him).

Ed is freshly out of a coma (or newly alive). He’s nonverbal. His brain is, medically speaking, couscous. He still has one foot in the gravy basket. When he sees the man who left him hovering over him -- the man he loves, the man who just appeared to him as a mermaid -- he tries to say something. When that fails, he resorts to a headbutt. This is a single violent action perpetrated by a confused and hurt man who doesn’t know what to do with all of his feelings. He can't talk. He can't push Stede away.

Stede understands all of this, even if the other characters don’t. He sees the headbutt for what it is: a bit of a bitchy move. He isn’t afraid of Ed. He never is. 

Stede also isn’t afraid of Ed when he acts out later that episode. When Ed learns that Stede went back to Mary, he excuses himself from the dinner table, smashes a chair against the wall, and knocks a vase to the ground. In this entire episode (this entire season), Ed is having intense feelings that he doesn’t know how to express or work through. The reveal that Stede returned to his wife is the final straw. He takes his tangled feelings out on an acceptable target (a chair, a vase) instead of Stede because he doesn’t want to hurt Stede.

This looks like displacement -- when “an unacceptable feeling or thought about a person, place or thing is redirected towards a safer target.” Displacement is an “intermediate level coping mechanism.” That is, it’s more sophisticated than the ways children deal with intense issues, but it’s still not entirely mature. In an adult, it indicates a level of emotional immaturity. (4) Ed is emotionally immature, not inherently violent. He gets overwhelmed by his feelings and lashes out -- not at a person, but at something that can’t get hurt. 

Displacement is not an indicator that someone is an abuser. It’s a coping mechanism. It’s an attempt at emotional regulation. It’s not the best coping mechanism, but it’s not a sign that someone is going to go into a rage and assault people.

Stede cringes when Ed smashes the chair and sends the vase crashing to the ground, but he’s not afraid of Ed. He is never afraid of Ed because he knows that Ed isn’t a real threat to him. He cringes because sometimes that's what a person does when a loud thing happens. That's what people do when chair shrapnel starts flying. Also? It's kind of embarrassing behavior on Ed's part. They're guests enjoying a mediocre dinner! That's no way to act!

And this leaves us with the first two episodes of season two.

Ed is fully in his Kraken era. He has no hope that Stede will return, he no longer trusts the crew, and he feels trapped in a life he absolutely doesn’t want. He thinks that he has to perform Blackbeard until death sets him free. He sobs in his cabin when no one’s looking. Publicly, Ed fades into the role of remorseless and bloodthirsty pirate captain.

Needless to say, this makes for a shit work environment. Ed works the crew (and himself) too hard. He drinks and does drugs (note that his drug of choice is rhino horn -- visually coded as cocaine -- instead of alcohol, the drug associated with his father) and runs everyone ragged. He’s an absolutely terrible boss, but he isn’t abusive.

That isn’t to say that the crew left on the Revenge isn’t traumatized. They are! They’ve been thrown off balance by the sudden change for the worse in someone who was previously a pretty cool guy, and they’re traumatized by the neverending violence that the constant raids -- raids that are bloody and deadly, not the fuckeries of the past -- demand of them. They’re traumatized by that final night in the storm when Ed does everything in his power to goad them into killing him, almost murdering everyone in the process. They’re traumatized by their own attempt at murder and their own capacities for violence.

In S2E4, Blackbeard’s crew has flashbacks to the violence they perpetrated under the Kraken: Jim fighting Archie, Fang breaking a man over his knee. They’re haunted by guilt about what they did to Ed, as evidenced by their Lady Macbeth-style scrubbing. Their own violence is a significant part of their trauma.

No, that doesn’t absolve Ed. He drove the violence -- demanded it of both the crew and himself. He hurt other people because he was hurting, and that’s terrible. 

Ed’s behavior in the first two episodes of season two is horrible, especially when his desperation reaches a fever pitch, but there's no attempt to control and no habitual mistreatment. Nothing he's doing is normal for him. He's spiraling and unraveling and pulling the world apart around him. Not all bad or violent behavior is abuse.

(We also have to ask ourselves just how bad Ed’s behavior really is. Archie, someone from the pirate world who has no idea what the Revenge was like pre-Kraken, tells Jim “that’s how these things usually go” at the height of Ed’s violence. She doesn’t act like she experienced anything out of the ordinary.) 

But what about Izzy?

What about Izzy indeed. Let’s walk through the first two episodes.

One of the first things we see Ed do in season two is shoot a man. At first this seems like the show telling us that Ed is embracing the kind of violence he couldn’t manage before, but if we pay attention, we can see that he’s still following his “not a murderer on a technicality” logic. The man he shoots has a sword through his chest; he's as good as dead. He also falls offscreen before Ed shoots, making the action less impactful.

OFMD is not subtle and this is a quick way to communicate what’s going on with Ed. He’s not doing well and he’s more violent than he was last season, but he’s still himself under the Kraken’s makeup. He hasn’t done a moral one-eighty. If the show wanted us to think that Ed's a monster, they would have made him a hell of a lot more violent.

So. Izzy.

Immediately after Ed tells Izzy that he’s replaceable in S2E1, we reach the scene that some point to as proof of domestic violence. This is where Izzy breaks down because he has just been told in no uncertain terms that he’s not Blackbeard’s special little guy. That’s devastating to him, and he cries when the crew approaches him with kindness and sympathy. 

Jim tells Izzy he’s in an unhealthy relationship with Blackbeard. Frenchie describes their relationship as “toxic.” 

A toxic relationship is “any relationship [between people who] don’t support each other, where there’s conflict and one seeks to undermine the other, where there’s competition, where there’s disrespect and a lack of cohesiveness." (5) And you know what? Yes, Ed and Izzy definitely have a toxic relationship. And is their relationship unhealthy? It sure is -- for both of them. But the crew is, understandably, more sympathetic towards Izzy because they’ve never been present when Izzy was hurting Ed. 

(Only tangentially related, but the crew must have really liked Ed pre-Kraken. As far as they know, the man went dark with no warning or cause. They deal with him for approximately three months (assuming one raid a day), and he has to go so far before they put an end to him. Remember when they were ready to toss Izzy overboard after, like, twelve hours under his command?)

Even though they only have one side of the Izzy and Ed story, the crew isn’t accusing Ed of domestic abuse. The term doesn’t apply to the mutually fucked-up thing that Izzy and Ed have and, beyond that, the scene is played for laughs. Jim and Frenchie use comically modern language. The whole thing feels like an intervention for a stressed-out middle manager with a shitty boss. It's funny. It's a comical thing in a comedy show.

Izzy returns to Ed and tells him that the crew won’t throw treasure overboard to make room for more treasure. Ed says, “And that’s another toe.” Losing a toe is the penalty for failing the kind of captain that Izzy said he will serve. It’s obviously not okay to punish an underling by taking toes, but we’ve already established that toe-removal isn’t a cruel and unusual pirate punishment.

(Specifically, toe-chopping is the cost of Izzy’s failure. Frenchie disobeys and lies to Ed in his short time as first mate and he doesn’t lose a single toe. Izzy bears the brunt of Ed’s cruelty because he’s the one who demanded it.) 

This is not who Ed wants to be, but it’s who he thinks he has to be. It’s who Izzy told him to be.

Next, Izzy makes the mistake of invoking Stede and Ed storms above deck. He holds the crew at gunpoint, one by one, and asks them if they think that the vibes on the ship are poisonous. No one gives him a positive answer and Ed turns the gun on himself. He works himself up until Izzy interrupts and the following exchange happens:

IZZY: “The atmosphere on this ship is fucked. Everyone knows why.” ED: “Well, I don’t. Enlighten me.” IZZY: “Your feelings for Stede fucking Bo--”

 [Ed shoots Izzy in the leg. Ed steps over him on his way back to his cabin.]

ED: “Throw this shit overboard and get suited up.”

The fucked up vibe is not because of Ed's feelings for Stede. Ed's feelings for Stede resulted in Ed having a nineties-rom-com-style breakdown and proposing a talent show. The Kraken and the ensuing fucked atmosphere were ushered in by Izzy.

Izzy is only shot after he proposes talking it through (something he attacked Ed for in S1E10) and publicly places all of the blame on Ed's feelings (feelings that he previously threatened Ed about -- Izzy owes his loyalty to Blackbeard, not a "namby pamby in a silk gown pining for his boyfriend" who would be better off dead). Whatever Izzy's intentions are, it's not irrational for Ed to interpret this as a further threat or an attempt to stir up a mutiny.

What’s important for this post is this: Ed's actions are not unusually cruel for a pirate captain who considers his first mate out of line. Shooting someone in the leg is the kind of thing that the idea of Blackbeard that Izzy worships does to maintain his reputation.

Fang cries when Ed shoots Izzy because he knows Blackbeard. He has been with Blackbeard longer than anyone else, and this isn’t Blackbeard. Blackbeard doesn’t work his crew this hard. Blackbeard doesn’t disregard the deaths of long-time crewmates like Ivan. Blackbeard doesn’t shoot his own crew. Fang is off-balance and distraught because his captain of twenty years is acting far, far more cruel than the one he knew.

This is not Ed as he usually is. Ed at his worst is breaking all of his past patterns. He’s behaving like a different person. His actions at this point in time are not typical of his past actions or predicative of his future actions.

When we reach S2E2, Ed is chipper. He’s cleaning up, he’s tying up loose ends, and he has decided that, no matter what, this is the day that he dies. He’s determined. First, he’ll give Izzy a go at killing him; next is the storm, the destruction of the steering wheel, and taking increasingly desperate actions to get the crew to stop him. He tells Jim and Archie to fight to the death. He goes to blow the mast away with a cannon and doesn’t react as nameless crew members are being washed overboard. 

Ed is stopped only by Izzy’s reappearance and the violent mutiny that follows.

None of what Ed does here is abuse. This is desperate violence. This is an unwell man begging everyone around him to send him to doggy heaven.

And finally, we have the big murder party in the season finale. A surprising number of fans interpret Ed’s willingness to cut down naval officers as a sure sign that he’s gotten worse and he’s more violent than ever. This is, in my opinion, a take that completely ignores everything we know about Ed and his relationship to violence.

It bears repeating: Edward Teach kills only to protect. He murders his father to protect his mother. He kills as Blackbeard to protect himself (and no matter how he tries to distance himself from that violence, he still causes deaths). He mows down colonists for Stede. He kills for safety and for love, and by the end of season two, he has made some kind of peace with the Kraken and his own capacity for violence.

It’s sweet. It wouldn’t be sweet in the real world, but in this world? In a world where physical violence is funny more often than it’s serious? In a world full of pirate characters who all have hefty body counts? It’s growth. It’s Ed healing.

Ed is doing better. He’s not a threat to the man he loves, and now he’s not a threat to himself either.

Anyway.

No, Ed is not abusive. No, there’s no indication that Ed will become abusive in the future.

Dislike characters. Take issue with things. Feel whatever you want to feel, but remember that abuse survivors are not a monolith. Consider, just for a moment, that the abuse you think you see in the show is not textual. Ask yourself if Ed is truly worse than all of the other characters or if you have some bias warping your view of him. 

Finally: please keep in mind that I’m not trying to present The One True Interpretation. I’m just rolling all of my arguments and thoughts into a ball and throwing it out into the wild. You don’t have to agree with me but, if you don’t, I hope you’ll at least consider what I'm saying.

Peace and love and goodbye.

[lacerta123]

The Twelve Kingdoms is one of those animes that deserves more love. Sure, it’s ugly by todays standards, but it has some of the best world and character building I’ve ever seen. The isekai genre usually uses its premise to seamlessly introduce the audience to its fantasy world. The protagonist doesn’t know anything, so the audience can learn the ropes alongside them, seeing through their eyes. The Twelve Kingdoms, on the other hand, wants a rocky, painful introduction to its world. Yoko is hurled into the world with no explanations, where she is a part of a hated underclass and being actively hunted by the highest power in the land. The show goes to great lengths to stick you in her shoes. Not short of making a whole conlang, so that you feel just as confused as she does. No kidding, when I was first watching Twelve Kingdoms I thought that the sub I was using was just not translating some Japanese words, expecting me to be weeb enough to get it. But no. Those are words for concepts that can’t be translated into Japanese by Yoko’s innate knowledge of the new language (and were never meant to be understood by the audience, or Yoko.) In addition to the conlang confusion, the show goes out of its way to explain nothing. Why is Yoko the chosen one, and for what is she chosen? Why are they being attacked, and by who? Who was that white haired guy who swore fealty to her and what does he want? Why does he turn into a unicorn, get blood dumped on him, and then get kidnapped? Actually, that whole scene where Keiki gets kidnapped would make a lot more sense if it was a flashback later on in the show. Yoko doesn’t even see that event- it’s presented in its chronological place solely to be a confusing wtf moment. All of this confusion works together to make you, the audience, empathize with how scared and out of place Yoko feels. The girl can’t even feel safe in her own body- she gets genetically rewritten, can speak a new language, and has a goo monster living in her now. She doesn’t get an explanation as to why any of this is happening and it’s painful.

It’s important for the show to make you empathize with Yoko, because she’s not going to be doing any “likeable character” work for a little bit. She starts out as a very weak person, who’s thrust into a leadership role by virtue of being the only one who can speak the language, and she does a terrible job. Her friend group dissolves into infighting. She’s too limp wristed to make good decisions. And she ends up alone. The series explores how her upbringing surrounded by sexism has damaged her. Her self image is that of being a good woman, a good girl who doesn’t hurt others. But when she learns her friend genuinely hates her, that she has hurt them, that self image is shattered. Betrayal after betrayal by the world, and Yoko accepts that hurting people is the only way to get by. And if she can’t be that acceptable good woman, then the world has no place for her, and she doesn’t owe it anything either. She has no confidence that she is strong enough in her own identity to exist outside of acceptable womanhood. So she stops being acceptable all together. She gives up on learning anything new, gives up on learning with the world, and resorts to violence to force her way. The series throws you and Yoko down into this hellish world so that it can break Yoko down to her lowest point.

So Twelve kingdoms is a confusing show with an unlikable protagonist, you may be thinking? Why do you want me to watch this? Because the payoff is wonderful. Do you remember Rising of the Shield Hero? Yoko’s like the Shield Hero, but the betrayal that makes her give up on society is xenophobia from that society. And the solution to resolve her disillusionment is receiving kindness and grace from a denizen of the new world who is equally disenfranchised. So Twelve Kingdoms is Shield Hero, if it was actually good. Yoko gets reminded of her common humanity, and slowly comes out of her funk. She starts learning about the world again and realizes that there is a way out of her current predicament- she can escape to a country that’s less racist. She begins to feel genuinely thankful for the people who have gotten her this far. She draws a line of acceptability for herself, that she won’t cross for her own sake. This show lets you watch Yoko become a person. She decides that even though she doesn’t know why she’s here, she values herself and the people around her, and that’s enough to live with purpose. It’s a really good character arc, and it reminds me of one of my all time favorites, Yona of the Dawn.

Once Yoko gets to this level of confidence, she becomes ready to learn. And finally, the show teaches you the conlang. It’s so satisfying to be able to understand what has happened up till now in retrospect. You even learn what happened with that weird guy who turned into a unicorn and got kidnapped. The chaos of the first episode gets reframed into an unfortunate event in history, brought about by subterfuge and political intrigue. And that’s how the rest of the story is framed too. The Twelve Kingdoms is a historical record of what happens within the twelve kingdoms, and Yoko, though she didn’t know it at first, is now a player on the historical stage. The series won’t focus on her so closely from here on out. It instead examines other historical events and characters that surround her. She is no longer the protagonist, instead the Twelve Kingdoms themselves are. Is this a plot twist? Whatever it is, there is only one word that I can describe it with, and that is “grand.” Every heart wrenching struggle Yoko delt with up till now could be summed up with no more than a single sentence in the tombs of history. And The Twelve Kingdoms is history, with all the vastness it entails. If worldbuilding is the art of making a world feel big, then there can be no finer examples than the Twelve Kingdoms.

[taytjiefourie]

How to Outline a Novel

Hi there, Darlings! I'm excited to dive into the fascinating world of outlining a novel with you today. Don't worry, we won't be here as long as you might think. So, let's get started and have some fun!

Note: this is a longish post and relies on my preferences and experience.

When it comes to outlining your story, you may hear some people insist that the more detail, the better. However, let's be real, we don't want to get bogged down with trivial details like how the trash is being disposed of in our fantasy world, right?

No way, we're all too busy to devote that much time and energy to it! Personally, I have two versions of an outline that I like to use. The first is a basic outline, which works well for stories set in a world similar to our own, or stories that draw from existing myths or legends like Supernatural, Paranormal or Greek Mythology.

The second outline is a bit more detailed, but don't worry, it's not as complicated as some people make it out to be. Since creating a unique Fantasy or Sci-Fi world requires a bit more thought, this outline helps you add in those extra details without overwhelming you. To use it, you'll start with the basic outline, and then add some additional information to create the more detailed version.

In this blog post, I'll be sharing some insights into why certain elements are essential in your outline (for those who love to write but don't know all the 'why's' when it comes to certain things), and how they can make a huge impact on both your writing process and the readers who pick up your book. And don't worry, I've got you covered at the end with a summarized version of each outline - minus all the extra details - so you can simply copy and paste it for your own use.

Without further ado, let's dive in and start with the basics of outlining your novel!

I hope you've got a tiny inkling of what your story might be about - whether it's a character with a vague purpose, an antagonist with an unclear hero, or even just a cool world with no plot in mind yet. Whatever it may be, it's totally okay to start with just a little dot of information. The important thing is that you've got something to work with!

Book Information.

Starting a novel can be a daunting task, but having the right information can make a world of difference. Let's go over the three key aspects you should consider before diving in: Genre, Trope, and Target Audience.

First up is Genre, which is the category or type of book your story fits into. Once you've picked your genre, you can explore the different tropes that are commonly used within it. A trope is a recurring literary device or theme that helps readers understand the story and its themes.

By combining your chosen genre and tropes, you can begin to define your Target Audience. This is the group of readers who are most likely to enjoy your story based on its genre and themes. It's important to remember that you don't have to stick to just one genre or trope, and that exploring multiple options can help you find the perfect combination for your story.

Genre:

Choosing the right genre for a book is super important because it gives readers a sense of what to expect in terms of plot, themes, tone, and style. Think of genres as categories that books fall into based on their subject matter, writing style, and intended audience. For instance, a mystery novel is all about solving a crime or puzzle, while a romance novel is all about lovey-dovey relationships.

Knowing a book's genre can be helpful for readers who are searching for stories that interest them. Plus, it can help publishers and booksellers market and sell books to the right audience. For writers, it's helpful to stick within the conventions of a genre while still adding their own unique perspective.

All in all, genres make life easier for everyone involved in the book world, from writers to readers to publishers. They help us understand the style and content of a book and make communication and engagement between authors and audiences so much smoother!

With so many genres to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is right for your story. But don't worry, I'm here to help! Let me give you a quick rundown of some of the most popular genres out there and how they can shape your story:

Romance Plot: Focuses on the development of a romantic relationship between two characters. Theme: Love, passion, and relationships. Tone: Emotionally charged, often with elements of humor or drama. Style: Emphasizes character development and emotional depth.

Mystery Plot: Involves a crime or puzzle that needs to be solved. Theme: Crime, justice, and the human psyche. Tone: Suspenseful and atmospheric, often with a dark or gritty tone. Style: Tightly plotted, with clues and red herrings that keep readers guessing.

Science Fiction Plot: Often involves futuristic or speculative elements, such as space travel, aliens, or advanced technology. Theme: Exploration, innovation, and the impact of technology on society. Tone: Can be serious or lighthearted, depending on the focus of the story. Style: Imaginative and creative, with an emphasis on world-building and scientific accuracy.

Fantasy Plot: Often involves a magical or supernatural world, with mythical creatures and/or magical powers. Theme: Good versus evil, heroism, and the power of imagination. Tone: Can be dark or lighthearted, depending on the focus of the story. Style: Richly detailed and descriptive, with an emphasis on world-building and creating a sense of wonder.

Historical Fiction Plot: Set in a specific time period in history, often with real historical figures and events. Theme: The human experience and the impact of history on individuals and society. Tone: Often serious and thought-provoking, with an emphasis on authenticity. Style: Meticulously researched and detailed, with an emphasis on historical accuracy and atmosphere.

Thriller Plot: Typically involves high stakes, danger, and tension, with a focus on action and suspense. Theme: Danger, survival, and morality. Tone: Tense and exciting, with a sense of urgency and danger. Style: Fast-paced and plot-driven, with a focus on action and suspense.

Horror Plot: Focuses on creating a sense of fear, dread, or terror in the reader. Theme: Fear, darkness, and the unknown. Tone: Dark and ominous, with elements of terror and suspense. Style: Often graphic and unsettling, with a focus on atmospheric setting and vivid descriptions of gore or violence.

Young Adult (YA) Plot: Typically features teenage protagonists dealing with coming-of-age issues, such as identity, relationships, and personal growth. Theme: Identity, belonging, and the transition to adulthood. Tone: Often earnest and emotional, with a focus on relatable characters and experiences. Style: Accessible and engaging, with a focus on character development and relatable themes.

Literary Fiction Plot: Emphasizes character development and exploration of ideas, often without a clear plot-driven structure. Theme: Human experience, social issues, and the complexities of life. Tone: Serious and contemplative, with an emphasis on emotional depth and complexity. Style: Often stylistically experimental or unconventional, with a focus on character psychology and introspection.

Comedy Plot: Emphasizes humor and satire, often with a focus on exaggerated characters and situations. Theme: Laughter, joy, and the absurdity of life. Tone: Light and comedic, with an emphasis on humor and wit. Style: Often fast-paced and filled with witty banter and humorous observations.

Western Plot: Set in the American West during the 19th century, often with a focus on cowboys, outlaws, and frontier life. Theme: Courage, survival, and rugged individualism. Tone: Rustic and tough, with an emphasis on adventure and action. Style: Often descriptive and atmospheric, with a focus on the unique landscape and culture of the American West.

Dystopian Plot: Set in a society or world that has become dark, oppressive, or dysfunctional, often as a result of a catastrophic event. Theme: Freedom, rebellion, and the dangers of totalitarianism. Tone: Bleak and pessimistic, with an emphasis on the dangers of conformity and control. Style: Often atmospheric and descriptive, with a focus on world-building and the exploration of dystopian themes.

Sub-Genre:

As a writer, you've probably heard of sub-genres before. They're like categories or subcategories within a broader genre, based on specific themes, settings, plot elements, or writing style. These sub-genres help to further define and categorize works of literature within a broader genre, making it easier for readers to find books that align with their interests.

For example, in the broad genre of science fiction, there are many different sub-genres like cyberpunk, space opera, hard science fiction, and more. Each sub-genre has its own unique characteristics and themes that differentiate it from other types of science fiction. Likewise, in the genre of mystery, there are sub-genres like cozy mysteries, police procedurals, and psychological thrillers, each with its distinct elements and themes.

Romance

Historical romance: These stories are set in the past and often explore themes of social norms and historical events. They can be sweeping epics or more intimate love stories, and the writing style can be more formal or descriptive.

Contemporary romance: Set in the present day, these stories often explore modern relationships, dating, and career aspirations. They can be light and funny or emotional and dramatic, with a more conversational and informal writing style.

Paranormal romance: These stories feature supernatural elements like vampires, werewolves, and witches. They can explore forbidden love, good versus evil, and the challenges of having supernatural abilities. The tone can be dark and moody or romantic and sexy, and the writing style often includes descriptive world-building.

Romantic suspense: Combining romance and suspense, these stories often involve a heroine in danger who is protected by a hero. They can be fast-paced and action-packed, with a tense and dramatic tone and a plot-driven writing style.

Inspirational romance: These stories often explore themes of faith, redemption, and personal growth. They can involve characters overcoming obstacles and finding hope in their beliefs, with an uplifting and hopeful tone and a focus on character development and inner dialogue.

Erotic romance: These stories feature explicit sexual content and explore themes of passion and desire. They can involve characters exploring their sexuality and forming intense emotional connections, with a sensual and steamy tone and a descriptive and graphic writing style.

LGBTQ+ romance: These stories feature same-sex or non-binary relationships and explore themes of identity, acceptance, and overcoming societal norms. They can be heartfelt and emotional, with a writing style that varies depending on the sub-genre (like historical, contemporary, or paranormal).

Western romance: These stories are set in the American West and often involve cowboys, ranchers, and outlaws. They can explore themes of rugged individualism, adventure, and romance, with a rugged and outdoorsy tone and a writing style that includes descriptive landscapes and dialect.

Fantasy romance: These stories combine elements of fantasy and romance and often involve mythical creatures, magic, and epic journeys. They can explore forbidden love, quests, and battles between good and evil, with a sweeping and grand tone and a writing style that includes descriptive world-building.

Multicultural romance: These stories feature characters from diverse cultural backgrounds and explore themes of identity, family, and tradition. They can involve characters navigating cultural differences and forming deep connections, with a sensitive and heartfelt tone and a writing style that varies depending on the sub-genre (like historical or contemporary).

Mystery

Cozy Mystery: Cozy mysteries are often set in small, quaint towns or villages, and feature an amateur sleuth who solves a murder or series of murders. The tone is light and often humorous, with a focus on character and relationships rather than graphic violence or sex.

Police Procedural: Police procedurals focus on the investigation process of a crime, and often feature a professional law enforcement detective as the main character. The plot is driven by the methods used to solve the crime, and the tone is often gritty and realistic.

Hard-Boiled Mystery: Hard-boiled mysteries feature tough, cynical detectives who operate outside of the law to solve crimes. The tone is dark and gritty, with a focus on violence and corruption.

Historical Mystery: Historical mysteries are set in the past and often feature famous historical figures or events as part of the plot. The tone is often atmospheric, with a focus on the historical setting and culture.

Amateur Sleuth: Amateur sleuth mysteries feature a non-professional detective as the main character, such as a journalist, librarian, or chef. The tone is often lighthearted and cozy, with a focus on the amateur detective's unique skills and abilities.

Legal Thriller: Legal thrillers often involve legal proceedings or courtroom drama as part of the plot. The main character is often a lawyer or judge, and the tone is often intense and suspenseful.

Noir: Noir mysteries are characterized by their dark and pessimistic tone, with flawed characters and morally ambiguous situations. The focus is on the psychological aspects of crime, rather than the procedural.

Romantic Suspense: Romantic suspense combines elements of both romance and mystery, with a focus on the relationship between the main characters as well as the suspenseful plot.

Whodunit: Whodunit mysteries are characterized by their focus on the puzzle-like aspect of solving a crime, with a twist ending revealing the identity of the culprit. The tone is often light and playful, with a focus on the clues and red herrings that lead up to the solution.

Science Fiction.

Cyberpunk: This sub-genre typically features a near-future, dystopian setting in which advanced technology has both empowered and oppressed society. The tone is often gritty and dark, with a focus on the impact of technology on human identity.

Space Opera: This sub-genre is characterized by grand-scale adventures and space battles set in a future where humanity has colonized the galaxy. The tone is often adventurous and heroic, with an emphasis on world-building and exploration.

Post-Apocalyptic: This sub-genre is set in a world after a major catastrophe or disaster, and focuses on the struggle for survival and rebuilding of society. The tone is often bleak and pessimistic, with themes of isolation, desperation, and survival.

Alternate History: This sub-genre explores what would happen if key historical events had played out differently, resulting in a different present-day world. The tone and themes can vary widely depending on the point of divergence in history.

Hard Science Fiction: This sub-genre emphasizes scientific accuracy and plausibility in its exploration of speculative concepts and technologies. The tone can vary, but often has a focus on problem-solving and logical deduction.

Time Travel: This sub-genre involves characters traveling through time to alter the course of history or prevent a catastrophic event. The tone can vary widely depending on the consequences of altering history.

Alien Invasion: This sub-genre typically features humans struggling to defend Earth from an alien invasion. The tone is often action-packed and suspenseful, with a focus on survival and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.

Steampunk: This sub-genre is set in a world where steam power is the dominant technology, often featuring Victorian-era settings and aesthetics. The tone is often adventurous and fantastical, with an emphasis on creativity and innovation.

Military Science Fiction: This sub-genre typically involves soldiers and military units in futuristic settings, often featuring advanced technology and alien races. The tone is often action-packed and focused on combat and strategy.

Biopunk: This sub-genre explores the implications of biotechnology and genetic engineering, often featuring genetic modification of organisms or humans. The tone can be dark and cautionary, with themes of ethics and control.

Cyberprep: This sub-genre is a hybrid of cyberpunk and preppy fashion, featuring high-tech and high-fashion elements in a futuristic setting. The tone can be lighthearted and satirical, with a focus on fashion and style.

Space Western: This sub-genre combines science fiction and Western themes, often featuring space cowboys and frontier settlements on distant planets. The tone is often adventurous and action-packed, with a focus on individualism and freedom.

Slipstream: This sub-genre blends elements of science fiction with surrealism, often featuring strange or unexplained phenomena. The tone can be dreamlike and ambiguous, with a focus on atmosphere and mood.

New Wave: This sub-genre emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, featuring experimental and avant-garde styles and themes. The tone can be unconventional and challenging, with a focus on literary techniques and subversion of traditional science fiction tropes.

Mundane Science Fiction: This sub-genre emphasizes realism and plausibility in its exploration of near-future technology and societal developments. The tone is often introspective and critical, with a focus on the impact of technology on everyday life.

Fantasy

High Fantasy/Epic Fantasy: This sub-genre is characterized by a richly developed fictional world, often with its own history, geography, and mythology. The plot often centers on a hero's journey or quest to save the world or defeat evil. The tone is often grand and epic, with a focus on magic, destiny, and larger-than-life conflicts.

Urban Fantasy: This sub-genre is set in a contemporary, urban setting, often featuring supernatural elements like vampires, werewolves, and witches. The tone can be dark and gritty, with a focus on action, suspense, and the clash between the supernatural and the mundane.

Historical Fantasy: This sub-genre is set in a historical period, often featuring elements of magic and the supernatural. The tone can be romantic and atmospheric, with a focus on historical accuracy as well as fantastical elements.

Fairy Tale Retellings: This sub-genre reimagines classic fairy tales with new twists and perspectives. The tone can range from whimsical to dark and brooding, with a focus on themes of transformation and the power of storytelling.

Mythic Fantasy: This sub-genre draws on elements of myth and folklore, often featuring gods, goddesses, and other supernatural beings. The tone can be mystical and spiritual, with a focus on themes of destiny, fate, and the search for meaning.

Dark Fantasy: This sub-genre often features supernatural or horror elements, and may have a bleak or nihilistic tone. The plot can involve antiheroes or morally ambiguous characters, and may explore themes of power, corruption, and redemption.

Portal Fantasy: This sub-genre involves characters who travel between different worlds or dimensions, often featuring a contrast between the magical and the mundane. The tone can be adventurous and whimsical, with a focus on exploration and discovery.

Sword and Sorcery: This sub-genre features heroes who are skilled with weapons and magic, often set in a medieval-inspired world. The tone can be action-packed and swashbuckling, with a focus on adventure, combat, and daring exploits.

Comic Fantasy: This sub-genre combines elements of fantasy and humor, often featuring absurd or satirical elements. The tone is often lighthearted and comedic, with a focus on wordplay, satire, and parody.

Paranormal Romance: This sub-genre combines elements of romance and fantasy, often featuring supernatural love interests like vampires or werewolves. The tone can be romantic and steamy, with a focus on passion, desire, and forbidden love.

Steampunk Fantasy: This sub-genre is set in a world where steam power and clockwork technology are the norm. The plot often involves a mix of adventure, science fiction, and fantasy elements. The tone is often gritty and industrial, and the style is characterized by a Victorian aesthetic and the use of intricate machinery.

Contemporary Fantasy: This sub-genre takes place in the present day and features magic and fantastical elements that coexist with the mundane world. The plot often involves characters discovering or coming to terms with their magical abilities. The tone is often lighthearted, and the style is characterized by blending magic and realism.

Magical Realism: This sub-genre blends elements of the fantastical with the ordinary, creating a world where magic is a natural part of everyday life. The plot often explores the intersection between the magical and the real, with characters struggling to make sense of their extraordinary experiences. The tone is often dreamlike, and the style is characterized by richly descriptive prose.

Historical Fiction.

Historical romance: Set in a specific historical period, the plot centers on a romantic relationship between characters. The theme may focus on societal expectations, class differences, or political intrigue. The tone is usually romantic, with elements of drama and tension. The style emphasizes historical accuracy and details, such as costumes, settings, and dialogue.

Alternate history: The plot imagines an alternate version of history, where events unfold differently from what actually happened. The theme may explore the consequences of different choices or highlight how different societies might have evolved. The tone can range from serious to playful, depending on the author's intent. The style often emphasizes world-building, creating a detailed and believable alternate reality.

Historical fantasy: Combining elements of historical fiction and fantasy, this subgenre often involves magical or supernatural elements. The plot may center on a quest or adventure set in a specific historical period, with magical or mythical creatures and events. The theme often explores the intersection of history and fantasy, highlighting how beliefs and legends shape society. The tone can be fantastical or historical, depending on the balance of elements. The style often emphasizes world-building, creating a fully realized alternate reality.

Historical mystery: Set in a specific historical period, the plot centers on a mystery that must be solved by the protagonist. The theme may explore social or political issues of the time, and the tone is often suspenseful and dramatic. The style often emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of daily life and societal norms of the period.

Historical adventure: The plot centers on a thrilling adventure set in a specific historical period, often involving exploration, battles, or other daring escapades. The theme may explore themes of heroism, duty, or sacrifice, and the tone is often action-packed and exciting. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of weapons, clothing, and other cultural aspects of the period.

Historical drama: The plot centers on the emotional and personal struggles of characters living in a specific historical period. The theme may explore issues of social justice, morality, or individualism, and the tone is often serious and introspective. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of the characters' lives and the period's cultural norms.

Biographical historical fiction: The plot is based on the life of a historical figure, often imagining details that are not known or not recorded. The theme may explore the motivations and struggles of the individual or highlight the cultural and political context of the time. The tone can be serious or light-hearted, depending on the focus of the story. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, often using primary sources to create a realistic portrayal of the individual's life and times.

Historical horror: Combining elements of horror and historical fiction, this subgenre often involves supernatural or mystical elements set in a specific historical period. The plot may center on a curse or a haunted location, with the theme often exploring how historical beliefs and legends shape modern fears. The tone is often eerie and unsettling, and the style emphasizes historical accuracy and the use of atmospheric details to create a sense of dread.

Historical romance mystery: This subgenre combines elements of historical romance and historical mystery, often involving a romantic relationship that is threatened or complicated by a mystery or crime. The theme may explore social or political issues of the time, and the tone is often suspenseful and romantic. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of daily life and societal norms of the period.

War fiction: Set during a specific historical conflict, the plot centers on the experiences of soldiers, civilians, or others affected by the war. The theme may explore issues of sacrifice, duty, and morality, and the tone is often gritty and realistic. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of weaponry, battles,

Thriller

Psychological thriller - The plot revolves around the mental and emotional states of the characters, often featuring unreliable narrators, unexpected plot twists, and intense psychological tension. Themes may include mental illness, trauma, and the dark side of human nature. The tone is usually suspenseful and ominous.

Crime thriller - These stories focus on a crime, often a murder, and the investigation that follows. The plot typically involves a detective or law enforcement officer trying to solve the crime and bring the perpetrator to justice. Themes may include corruption, justice, and morality. The tone can range from gritty and dark to fast-paced and action-packed.

Spy thriller - The plot involves espionage, secret agents, and international intrigue. The themes may include politics, espionage, and espionage. The tone is usually suspenseful and fast-paced, with high stakes and intense action scenes.

Legal thriller - These stories focus on lawyers and legal proceedings, often involving a courtroom drama. The plot typically involves a lawyer working to uncover the truth and bring justice to a case. Themes may include justice, ethics, and the law. The tone is usually suspenseful and dramatic.

Techno-thriller - This sub-genre combines elements of science fiction and thriller, often featuring technology as a major plot point. The plot typically involves a threat to society or the world that can only be resolved through the use of advanced technology. Themes may include artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, and technological advancement. The tone is usually fast-paced and action-packed.

Action thriller - These stories are heavy on action and may include elements of crime, espionage, or terrorism. The plot typically involves a protagonist fighting against a powerful antagonist or organization. Themes may include heroism, justice, and revenge. The tone is usually fast-paced and full of action scenes.

Historical thriller - The plot is set in a historical period and involves mystery, intrigue, and danger. Themes may include historical events, social issues, and politics. The tone is usually atmospheric and suspenseful.

Disaster thriller - The plot typically involves a natural disaster or catastrophic event, and the characters must fight to survive. Themes may include survival, human nature, and the fragility of society. The tone is usually tense and suspenseful.

Medical thriller - These stories involve medical professionals, diseases, and medical research. The plot typically involves a medical crisis that threatens the lives of many people. Themes may include medical ethics, science, and the nature of life and death. The tone can range from intense and suspenseful to thoughtful and introspective.

Horror thriller - This sub-genre combines elements of horror and thriller, often featuring supernatural or paranormal elements. The plot typically involves a protagonist facing off against a powerful and evil force. Themes may include fear, death, and the supernatural. The tone is usually dark and terrifying.

Horror

Supernatural horror - This sub-genre involves supernatural elements such as ghosts, demons, and witches. The plot typically revolves around an evil presence that haunts or possesses individuals or places. Themes often involve the struggle between good and evil, the afterlife, and the supernatural world. The tone can be eerie, unsettling, or frightening. The style can include vivid descriptions of supernatural events or paranormal activity.

Psychological horror - This sub-genre focuses on the psychological aspects of fear, anxiety, and mental breakdowns. The plot may involve a character's descent into madness, paranoia, or obsession. Themes can explore the limits of the human mind, the duality of human nature, and the fragility of sanity. The tone can be disturbing, disorienting, or unsettling. The style can include introspective narration, unreliable narrators, or surreal imagery.

Slasher horror - This sub-genre involves a serial killer or a group of killers who hunt down and murder their victims. The plot often revolves around a group of people who are trapped or isolated with the killer, such as a group of teenagers in a cabin in the woods. Themes can explore the fear of death, survival instincts, and the consequences of violence. The tone can be intense, gory, or suspenseful. The style can include graphic violence, jump scares, and tense chase scenes.

Gothic horror - This sub-genre is characterized by dark, atmospheric settings, such as abandoned castles, haunted mansions, and ancient ruins. The plot typically involves supernatural or mysterious occurrences, such as curses, ghosts, or ancient evils. Themes can explore the corruption of power, the dangers of obsession, and the struggle between rationality and superstition. The tone can be melancholic, oppressive, or ominous. The style can include ornate language, archaic settings, and romanticized descriptions.

Body horror - This sub-genre focuses on the physical horror of bodily transformation or mutilation. The plot may involve diseases, mutations, or body horror caused by technology. Themes can explore the limits of the human body, the dangers of scientific progress, and the horror of physical transformation. The tone can be grotesque, revolting, or terrifying. The style can include vivid descriptions of bodily horror, visceral imagery, and medical terminology.

Literary Fiction

Historical Literary Fiction: This sub-genre is characterized by a focus on historical events and figures, with an emphasis on the emotions and inner lives of the characters. The plot is often driven by the characters' personal struggles and relationships, rather than by external events. Themes in historical literary fiction often explore the impact of history on the individual and the human condition. The tone can be reflective, nostalgic, and introspective, and the style is often lyrical and descriptive.

Contemporary Literary Fiction: This sub-genre focuses on the present-day world, with a focus on realistic and complex characters and their relationships. The plot often centers around the characters' struggles with personal issues and societal problems, with an emphasis on character development and introspection. Themes can vary widely but often explore the human experience in contemporary society. The tone can be serious, contemplative, or satirical, and the style is often characterized by literary devices such as metaphor, symbolism, and stream of consciousness.

Experimental Literary Fiction: This sub-genre is characterized by an unconventional approach to narrative structure, language, and form. The plot can be non-linear or fragmented, and the themes may be abstract or philosophical. The tone and style can vary widely but often aim to challenge the reader's expectations and push the boundaries of traditional storytelling.

Multi-Cultural Literary Fiction: This sub-genre explores the experiences and perspectives of characters from diverse cultural backgrounds. The plot may focus on the challenges of living between cultures or on the intersection of different cultural identities. Themes often explore issues of identity, belonging, and cultural heritage. The tone can be serious, humorous, or satirical, and the style is often characterized by rich descriptions of cultural traditions and practices.

Metafiction: This sub-genre is characterized by a self-referential approach to storytelling, with the author drawing attention to the construction of the narrative itself. The plot may involve characters who are aware of their existence within a fictional world or who interact with the author. Themes often explore the nature of fiction, reality, and the relationship between author and reader. The tone and style can be playful, ironic, or philosophical.

Psychological Literary Fiction: This sub-genre focuses on the psychological development and inner lives of the characters. The plot may center around the characters' struggles with mental illness, trauma, or personal crises. Themes often explore the nature of the human mind and emotions, and the impact of past experiences on the present. The tone can be introspective, haunting, or disturbing, and the style is often characterized by vivid descriptions of the characters' psychological states.

Postmodern Literary Fiction: This sub-genre is characterized by a skeptical attitude toward grand narratives and an interest in the fragmentation and deconstruction of meaning. The plot may be non-linear or fragmented, and the themes may explore the breakdown of societal norms and values. The tone and style can be playful, ironic, or satirical, and the style often incorporates elements of popular culture and intertextuality.

Comedy

Romantic Comedy: A humorous story focused on a romantic relationship between the main characters. The plot often includes obstacles that the couple must overcome in order to be together. The tone is light-hearted and the style is witty and charming.

Satire: A story that uses humor to criticize social or political issues. The plot often involves exaggerated or absurd situations and characters. The theme is often social commentary or critique of certain practices. The tone can be biting or ironic, and the style is often sharp and clever.

Farce: A comedic story that relies heavily on physical humor, improbable situations, and mistaken identities. The plot is often fast-paced and chaotic, and the tone is over-the-top and exaggerated. The style is often slapstick and absurd.

Parody: A story that imitates the style or conventions of another work in order to make fun of it. The plot is often a tongue-in-cheek version of the original story, with exaggerated or nonsensical elements. The tone can be mocking or affectionate, and the style often mimics the original work.

Dark Comedy: A story that uses humor to address serious or taboo subjects, such as death, disease, or crime. The plot often involves characters in bleak or macabre situations, and the humor is often edgy and uncomfortable. The tone is often ironic or sardonic, and the style can be morbid or irreverent.

Comedy of Manners: A story that satirizes the social behavior and customs of a particular group or class of people. The plot often involves witty banter and subtle social cues, and the humor is often sophisticated and intellectual. The tone is often dry or understated, and the style is elegant and refined.

Comic Fantasy: A story that combines humor with elements of fantasy or science fiction. The plot often involves fantastical or absurd elements, and the humor can be whimsical or silly. The tone is often light-hearted and playful, and the style can be fanciful or imaginative.

Black Comedy: A story that uses humor to explore dark or taboo subjects, such as death, crime, or mental illness. The plot often involves characters in extreme or disturbing situations, and the humor is often irreverent or gallows. The tone can be bleak or nihilistic, and the style is often daring or provocative.

Absurdist Comedy: A story that uses humor to explore the meaninglessness or irrationality of human existence. The plot often involves surreal or absurd situations, and the humor can be nonsensical or absurd. The tone is often detached or alienated, and the style can be experimental or avant-garde.

Western

Classic Western: The plot usually revolves around a conflict between good and evil, often involving cowboys, Native Americans, and lawmen. The themes are typically centered around justice, honor, and self-reliance. The tone is often serious and gritty, and the style is straightforward and unadorned.

Western Romance: The plot revolves around a romantic relationship between two main characters set against the backdrop of the American West. The themes typically involve love, commitment, and the challenges of living in a rugged and unpredictable environment. The tone is often romantic and sentimental, and the style is descriptive and emotionally expressive.

Western Adventure: The plot involves an exciting and dangerous journey or quest undertaken by the main characters, often set in the wilderness or on the frontier. The themes are usually centered around courage, perseverance, and survival. The tone is often action-packed and suspenseful, and the style is fast-paced and visually descriptive.

Weird West: This sub-genre blends elements of Western fiction with supernatural or science-fiction elements, often set in an alternative or fantastical version of the American West. The themes typically involve the clash between the natural and the supernatural, as well as the exploration of the human psyche. The tone is often dark and unsettling, and the style is imaginative and evocative.

Western Noir: This sub-genre features the classic noir elements such as crime, corruption, and moral ambiguity, set in a Western setting. The themes often explore the dark side of human nature, including greed, violence, and betrayal. The tone is typically bleak and cynical, and the style is atmospheric and evocative.

Spaghetti Western: This sub-genre originated in Italy and is characterized by its stylized and exaggerated depictions of violence and action, often set in the American West. The themes typically involve revenge, justice, and survival, and the tone is often highly dramatic and operatic. The style is visually stunning, with striking landscapes, vivid colors, and innovative camera work.

Dystopian

Post-Apocalyptic Dystopia: In this sub-genre, the world as we know it has ended, and society has collapsed. The plot often centers around the characters' struggle for survival in a world where resources are scarce and danger lurks around every corner. Themes include the consequences of environmental disaster, the dangers of unchecked technology, and the importance of community in times of crisis. Tone is often bleak, but there can also be moments of hope and resilience. Style can be gritty and realistic or more imaginative and surreal.

Utopian/Dystopian Hybrid: This sub-genre features a world that appears to be a utopia on the surface but hides a darker side. The plot often revolves around a protagonist who uncovers the dark underbelly of the supposedly perfect society. Themes include the dangers of conformity, the corrupting influence of power, and the importance of individuality. Tone can be both optimistic and pessimistic, with a sense of tension and unease permeating the story. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Political Dystopia: In this sub-genre, the world is ruled by an oppressive government or dictator. The plot often revolves around a protagonist or group of protagonists who rebel against the ruling powers. Themes include the dangers of totalitarianism, the importance of personal freedom and democracy, and the corrupting influence of power. Tone can be dark and somber, with a sense of urgency and danger. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Technological Dystopia: This sub-genre features a world where technology has become a threat to humanity. The plot often centers around the unintended consequences of technological advancement and the struggle to regain control. Themes include the dangers of artificial intelligence, the loss of privacy, and the importance of human connection. Tone can be both pessimistic and optimistic, with a sense of wonder and awe mixed with fear and uncertainty. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Environmental Dystopia: In this sub-genre, the world is suffering from ecological collapse. The plot often centers around the struggle to survive in a world where natural resources are scarce and the environment is toxic. Themes include the consequences of climate change, the importance of sustainable living, and the dangers of greed and short-sightedness. Tone can be both somber and hopeful, with a sense of urgency and the need for action. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Medical Dystopia: In this sub-genre, society is threatened by a deadly disease or virus. The plot often revolves around the search for a cure or vaccine and the struggle to contain the outbreak. Themes include the dangers of biological warfare, the importance of medical research and innovation, and the importance of global cooperation in times of crisis. Tone can be both tense and suspenseful, with a sense of urgency and the need for quick action. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Cyberpunk: This sub-genre features a dystopian future where technology has become the dominant force in society. The plot often centers around characters who are marginalized or oppressed by the ruling powers and who use technology to fight back. Themes include the dangers of unchecked capitalism, the loss of privacy, and the importance of personal freedom. Tone is often dark and gritty, with a sense of danger and rebellion. Style can be both futuristic and retro.

Steampunk: This sub-genre features a dystopian world where technology has taken a different form, with steam-powered machines and Victorian-era aesthetics. The plot often revolves around characters who are struggling against a corrupt ruling class or using technology to achieve their goals. Themes include the dangers of industrialization, the importance of individuality and creativity, and the need for social reform. Tone can be both

Tropes

Let me break down the importance of tropes in storytelling for you. Tropes are literary or storytelling devices that are commonly used in a specific genre or type of story. They can help readers identify and understand the story's themes, providing them with a sense of familiarity and expectations about the plot and characters.

For instance, in fantasy and adventure stories, the "hero's journey" is a popular trope where the protagonist embarks on a quest, faces challenges, and eventually triumphs over adversity. When used effectively, tropes can create a sense of comfort and connection between the reader and the story, while also allowing authors to explore new ideas and variations on established themes.

Tropes can also be used to subvert or challenge reader expectations, which can create a sense of surprise or intrigue. For example, a romance story that plays with the "enemies to lovers" trope by having the two characters come from opposing sides of a political conflict can create a fresh and unexpected twist on a familiar theme.

Overall, despite sometimes being viewed as cliché or overused, tropes serve an important purpose in storytelling by helping readers engage with and understand the story. Plus, they offer authors a useful framework for exploring new ideas and themes.

Romance

Enemies to Lovers - two characters who start out as adversaries or even enemies, but eventually fall in love.

Friends to Lovers - two characters who have been friends for a long time, but eventually realize their feelings for each other go beyond friendship.

Second Chance Romance - two characters who have a history together, but for various reasons, didn't work out. They get a second chance at love.

Forbidden Love - two characters who are attracted to each other but are prevented from being together due to societal or cultural constraints, such as a workplace romance or a relationship between a boss and an employee.

Fake Relationship - two characters who enter into a fake relationship for various reasons, but eventually develop real feelings for each other.

Love Triangle - two characters who compete for the affection of a third character.

Billionaire Romance - a wealthy character falls in love with someone from a different social class, creating a conflict between money and love.

Small Town Romance - two characters fall in love in a close-knit community or small town setting.

Alpha Hero - a strong, dominant male character who falls in love with a strong, independent female character.

Marriage of Convenience - two characters agree to marry for practical reasons, such as financial stability or immigration purposes, but end up falling in love.

Single Parent Romance - a character falls in love with someone who already has a child, creating a family dynamic.

Time Travel Romance - a character travels through time and falls in love with someone from a different era.

Bodyguard Romance - a character falls in love with their bodyguard, creating a dynamic of danger and protection.

Sports Romance - two characters fall in love in the context of a sports team or competition.

Beauty and the Beast - a physically unattractive character falls in love with someone who sees beyond their appearance.

Amnesia Romance - a character loses their memory and falls in love with someone who helps them regain it.

Opposites Attract - two characters who are very different fall in love, creating a dynamic of contrast.

Office Romance - two characters fall in love in the context of a workplace or office setting.

Vacation Romance - two characters fall in love while on vacation, creating a dynamic of escape and adventure.

Royalty Romance - a character falls in love with someone from a royal or aristocratic family, creating a conflict between love and social status.

Mystery

Whodunit - the main focus of the story is to discover who committed a crime.

Detective Protagonist - a detective or investigator is the main character, who solves the mystery.

Amateur Sleuth - a non-professional character who is drawn into the mystery and works to solve it.

Closed Circle - a group of people is trapped in a confined space with a murderer, forcing them to solve the mystery before they become the next victim.

Cozy Mystery - a lighthearted and humorous mystery featuring an amateur sleuth in a small town setting.

Police Procedural - a detailed look at the inner workings of a police investigation, from collecting evidence to solving the crime.

Locked Room Mystery - a murder occurs in a room that appears to be locked from the inside, leaving investigators to solve how the killer could have escaped.

Serial Killer - a story centered around a killer who has committed multiple murders and is being pursued by law enforcement.

Noir - a dark and gritty mystery with a bleak outlook, often featuring an anti-hero protagonist.

Hard-boiled - similar to noir, featuring a tough, cynical protagonist who operates outside the law to solve the mystery.

Amateur Detective Team - a group of amateur sleuths work together to solve the mystery.

Red Herring - a misleading clue or character that is intended to distract the reader and throw them off the scent of the real culprit.

Femme Fatale - a mysterious and seductive woman who often plays a central role in the mystery.

Plant - a seemingly innocuous detail or character that is later revealed to be a crucial piece of evidence.

MacGuffin - an object or concept that drives the plot, but ultimately has little importance in the resolution of the mystery.

Culprit POV - the story is told from the perspective of the killer or the criminal, creating a unique twist on the traditional mystery formula.

Protagonist Framed - the main character is framed for a crime they did not commit, forcing them to clear their name and solve the mystery.

Covert Ops - a mystery that involves espionage or intelligence gathering.

Unreliable Narrator - the story is told from the perspective of a character who may not be telling the truth, creating uncertainty and confusion for the reader.

Supernatural Mystery - a mystery that involves supernatural or paranormal elements, such as ghosts, werewolves, or vampires.

Science Fiction

Space Opera - a story that takes place in a vast and complex universe with epic battles and larger-than-life characters.

Time Travel - the ability to travel through time, either to the past or the future.

Alien Invasion - a story that revolves around an extraterrestrial invasion of Earth.

Post-Apocalyptic - a story that takes place after a catastrophic event has destroyed civilization as we know it.

Cyberpunk - a subgenre of science fiction that features a dystopian future where advanced technology has led to a breakdown of society.

Artificial Intelligence - the creation of intelligent machines that can think and reason like humans.

Colonization - a story that explores the colonization of a new planet or the colonization of Earth by extraterrestrial beings.

Galactic Empire - a vast empire that spans across multiple planets and galaxies.

Genetic Engineering - the modification of DNA to create new forms of life or enhance existing ones.

Interstellar Travel - the ability to travel between star systems and explore the vastness of space.

Parallel Universes - the concept of multiple universes or realities existing simultaneously.

Cybernetics - the integration of machines and technology with the human body to enhance abilities or extend lifespan.

Post-Human - the evolution of humanity beyond its current form, either through technology or genetic modification.

Utopia/Dystopia - a society that is either a perfect utopia or a nightmarish dystopia.

Transhumanism - the belief in the ability of humans to evolve beyond their biological limitations.

Hard Science Fiction - a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the scientific accuracy and realism of the story.

Soft Science Fiction - a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the social, cultural, and philosophical aspects of the story.

Space Western - a story that combines elements of science fiction with the themes and tropes of a Western.

First Contact - a story that explores the initial meeting between humans and an extraterrestrial species.

Singularity - the point at which artificial intelligence becomes more advanced than human intelligence, leading to a transformation of society.

Fantasy

Epic Quest - a story that revolves around a hero or group of heroes on a perilous journey to achieve a great goal.

Magic - the use of supernatural forces to achieve extraordinary feats or solve problems.

Swords and Sorcery - a subgenre of fantasy that features action-packed adventures with battles and magic.

High Fantasy - a subgenre of fantasy that takes place in an alternate world with its own history, culture, and mythology.

Dark Fantasy - a subgenre of fantasy that incorporates horror elements and a darker tone.

Prophecy - a prediction or foretelling of future events that drives the plot.

Chosen One - a hero or heroine with a special destiny or purpose.

Magical Creatures - the inclusion of fantastical creatures such as dragons, unicorns, or griffins.

Medieval Setting - a story that takes place in a time period similar to the Middle Ages, with knights, castles, and kings.

Fairy Tales - the retelling or reimagining of classic fairy tales such as Cinderella, Snow White, or Beauty and the Beast.

Parallel Worlds - the concept of multiple worlds or dimensions existing simultaneously.

Coming-of-Age - a story that focuses on a character's growth and development as they transition from childhood to adulthood.

Hero's Journey - a story structure that follows a hero or heroine through a series of trials and challenges.

Mythology - the inclusion of gods and goddesses, myths, and legends from various cultures.

Quest Objects - a magical or mythical object that serves as the goal of the hero's journey.

Underworld - a mysterious and often dangerous realm that exists beneath the surface of the world.

Romance - a romantic subplot or love interest that drives the plot.

Time Travel - the ability to travel through time, either to the past or the future.

Folklore - the inclusion of traditional stories, beliefs, and customs of a particular culture.

Elemental Magic - the use of magic that is connected to the elements such as fire, water, earth, or air.

Historical Fiction

Time Period - a story that takes place in a specific historical time period, such as the Middle Ages, Renaissance, or Victorian era.

Historical Figures - the inclusion of real-life historical figures, such as kings, queens, politicians, or artists, as characters in the story.

Political Intrigue - a plot that involves political maneuvering, conspiracy, and power struggles.

War and Conflict - a story that focuses on a historical war or conflict and its impact on individuals or society.

Romance - a romantic subplot or love interest that is set against the backdrop of a historical event or time period.

Social Commentary - a story that explores social issues and injustices of a specific historical time period, such as class, gender, or race.

Court Intrigue - a plot that takes place in a royal court, with its politics, gossip, and drama.

Historical Mystery - a mystery story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring real-life historical events or figures.

Historical Adventure - an adventure story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring exploration, discovery, and danger.

Family Saga - a multi-generational story that spans a significant period of time and follows a family's history and relationships.

Historical Biographical Fiction - a fictionalized account of a real-life historical figure's life and experiences.

Secret Societies - a plot that involves secret organizations or societies, often with historical significance.

Historical Romance - a romantic story set in a specific historical time period, often with themes of social class, duty, and tradition.

Historical Fantasy - a blend of historical fiction and fantasy elements, such as magic, mythical creatures, or alternative history.

Historical Horror - a blend of historical fiction and horror elements, often exploring the darker aspects of a specific historical time period.

Time Travel - the ability to travel through time to experience different historical time periods.

Historical Crime - a crime story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring real-life historical crimes or criminals.

Historical Epic - a grand, sweeping story that covers a significant period of time and multiple characters.

Historical Drama - a dramatic story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring conflict, struggle, and personal growth.

Historical Fictionalization - a fictional story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring real-life historical events or figures.

Thriller

High Stakes - a story where the protagonist is facing extreme danger or risk to their life or the lives of others.

Psychological Thriller - a story that focuses on the psychological and emotional state of the characters, often involving mind games and manipulation.

Serial Killer - a plot that involves a murderer who kills multiple victims over a period of time, often with a specific motive or pattern.

Conspiracy - a plot that involves a secret organization or group that is working against the protagonist and their goals.

Race Against Time - a story where the protagonist has a limited amount of time to achieve their goal before a catastrophic event occurs.

Action-Packed - a story with plenty of fast-paced action scenes, often featuring chases, fights, and explosions.

Law Enforcement - a plot that involves law enforcement agencies or officers investigating a crime or trying to stop a criminal.

Revenge - a plot that involves a character seeking revenge against those who have wronged them or their loved ones.

International Intrigue - a story that takes place across multiple countries and involves espionage, international conflicts, or political intrigue.

Kidnapping - a plot that involves the abduction of a character or characters, often for ransom or other nefarious purposes.

Spy Thriller - a story that features a spy or secret agent working to stop a dangerous threat to national security.

Cat-and-Mouse - a plot that involves a game of cat-and-mouse between the protagonist and their enemy, often with each trying to outsmart the other.

Betrayal - a plot that involves a character being betrayed by someone they thought they could trust.

Technological Threat - a story that involves a dangerous technological threat, such as a computer virus or rogue AI.

Locked Room Mystery - a mystery where the crime or danger takes place in a confined space, such as a locked room or an isolated location.

Political Thriller - a story that involves political power struggles, corruption, or conspiracies.

Survival - a story where the protagonist is fighting for survival in a dangerous or hostile environment.

Medical Thriller - a story that involves a medical mystery, such as a virus or disease outbreak, or a medical conspiracy.

Heist - a plot that involves a group of characters planning and executing a high-stakes theft or robbery.

Paranormal Thriller - a story that involves paranormal or supernatural elements, such as ghosts or psychic abilities, in a thriller setting.

Horror

Haunted House - a story that takes place in a house or building that is haunted by ghosts or other supernatural entities.

Supernatural Forces - a plot that involves supernatural entities or forces, such as demons, witches, or monsters.

Psychological Horror - a story that focuses on the mental and emotional state of the characters, often involving fears, phobias, or psychological trauma.

Body Horror - a plot that involves grotesque or horrifying physical transformations or deformities, often caused by disease or experimentation.

Gore - a story that involves graphic and bloody violence, often featuring mutilation or dismemberment.

Slasher - a plot that involves a killer who stalks and murders their victims, often with a signature weapon or method.

Survival Horror - a story where the characters are fighting for survival against a threat that is overwhelming and seemingly unstoppable.

Found Footage - a plot that involves footage or recordings of an event or situation, often presented as a documentary or amateur recording.

Creepy Children - a plot that involves creepy or malevolent children, often with supernatural abilities or knowledge.

Possession - a plot that involves a character being possessed by a demon or other supernatural entity.

Monster - a plot that involves a monstrous creature, often with a unique or terrifying design.

Ghost Story - a plot that involves ghosts or spirits, often seeking revenge or trying to communicate with the living.

Curses - a plot that involves a character or location being cursed, often with a deadly or horrific consequence.

Urban Legend - a plot that involves a well-known urban legend or myth, often with a dark or gruesome twist.

Religious Horror - a story that involves religious or cult themes, often with a sinister or demonic presence.

Vampires - a plot that involves vampires, often with unique or interesting twists on the classic vampire lore.

Demonic Possession - a plot that involves a character being possessed by a demon, often with terrifying consequences.

Body Snatchers - a plot that involves aliens or other entities that take over human bodies, often with the goal of domination or destruction.

Cult Horror - a story that involves a cult or secret society, often with dark or violent rituals.

Cosmic Horror - a story that involves vast, unknowable entities or forces that are beyond human comprehension.

Young Adult (YA)

Coming of age - a plot that focuses on a character's journey from adolescence to adulthood, often involving self-discovery and personal growth.

Love Triangle - a plot that involves a character choosing between two potential love interests, often causing conflict and tension.

High School Drama - a story that takes place in a high school setting, often involving cliques, popularity contests, and social hierarchies.

Dystopian - a plot that takes place in a futuristic or alternate world where society has become corrupted or oppressive.

Superpowers - a plot that involves characters with supernatural abilities, often exploring themes of responsibility and identity.

Forbidden Romance - a plot that involves characters who are not allowed to be together due to social, cultural, or familial reasons.

Identity Crisis - a plot that involves a character questioning their identity, often exploring themes of race, gender, or sexuality.

Fish out of Water - a plot that involves a character being placed in a new and unfamiliar environment, often leading to culture shock and personal growth.

Rebellion - a plot that involves characters fighting against authority or oppressive forces, often with themes of social justice and empowerment.

Time Travel - a plot that involves characters traveling through time, often exploring themes of consequences and destiny.

Survival - a plot that involves characters fighting for survival in a hostile environment or situation.

Fantasy - a plot that takes place in a fantastical world, often involving mythical creatures and magical powers.

Mystery - a plot that involves a character solving a puzzle or unraveling a mystery, often with a twist ending.

Apocalyptic - a plot that involves characters trying to survive in a world that has been destroyed by a catastrophic event, often exploring themes of hope and resilience.

Boarding School - a story that takes place in a boarding school setting, often involving themes of independence and friendship.

Road Trip - a plot that involves characters going on a journey, often exploring themes of self-discovery and adventure.

Sports - a story that involves characters participating in a sports team or competition, often exploring themes of teamwork and perseverance.

Rich vs. Poor - a plot that involves characters from different socioeconomic backgrounds, often exploring themes of inequality and privilege.

Friendship - a plot that explores the relationships and bonds between characters, often with themes of loyalty and trust.

Teenage Rebellion - a plot that involves characters rebelling against their parents or society, often exploring themes of independence and self-expression.

Literary Fiction

Character study - a plot that focuses on the inner workings of a character's psyche and emotions.

Family drama - a story that involves familial relationships, often exploring themes of love, loss, and identity.

Coming of age - a plot that focuses on a character's journey from adolescence to adulthood, often involving self-discovery and personal growth.

Memory and nostalgia - a plot that explores the past and memories, often with themes of loss, regret, and longing.

Art and creativity - a plot that explores the creative process and the artist's relationship with their art, often with themes of inspiration and obsession.

Existentialism - a plot that explores the meaning of life and existence, often with themes of identity and purpose.

Love and relationships - a plot that explores the complexities of romantic relationships and the human condition.

Social commentary - a plot that uses characters and their stories to comment on societal issues and concerns.

Loss and grief - a plot that explores the themes of loss and grief, often with themes of redemption and acceptance.

Mental health - a plot that explores the struggles and experiences of characters with mental health issues, often with themes of stigma and acceptance.

Nature and environment - a plot that explores the relationship between humans and nature, often with themes of conservation and preservation.

Historical fiction - a plot that takes place in a historical setting, often with themes of nostalgia and nostalgia.

Travel and adventure - a plot that involves characters traveling to new and unfamiliar places, often with themes of self-discovery and adventure.

Mystery - a plot that involves a character solving a puzzle or unraveling a mystery, often with a twist ending.

Philosophy - a plot that explores philosophical concepts and ideas, often with themes of morality and ethics.

Politics and power - a plot that explores the dynamics of power and politics, often with themes of corruption and morality.

Religion and spirituality - a plot that explores the themes of religion and spirituality, often with themes of faith and doubt.

Aging and mortality - a plot that explores the themes of aging and mortality, often with themes of acceptance and legacy.

Experimental fiction - a plot that plays with narrative structure, language, and form, often with themes of innovation and creativity.

Identity and culture - a plot that explores the themes of identity and culture, often with themes of belonging and alienation.

Comedy

Fish out of water - a plot that involves a character being thrust into an unfamiliar or absurd situation.

Screwball comedy - a plot that involves absurd or zany situations, often with fast-paced dialogue and physical humor.

Satire - a plot that uses humor to mock or criticize societal norms or institutions.

Parody - a plot that mimics or exaggerates the tropes and conventions of a particular genre or story.

Romantic comedy - a plot that involves a romantic relationship, often with humorous misunderstandings and obstacles.

Workplace comedy - a plot that takes place in a workplace setting, often with exaggerated or quirky characters and situations.

Farce - a plot that involves chaotic or ridiculous situations, often with mistaken identities and physical humor.

Slapstick - a plot that involves physical humor and exaggerated movements and actions.

Black comedy - a plot that uses humor to address dark or taboo subjects, often with themes of mortality and existentialism.

Situational comedy - a plot that involves humorous situations or misunderstandings.

Spoof - a plot that parodies a particular movie or TV show, often with exaggerated and absurd humor.

Gross-out comedy - a plot that involves bodily humor and gross or taboo subjects.

Buddy comedy - a plot that involves two characters with contrasting personalities who become friends, often with humorous results.

Surreal humor - a plot that involves absurd or dreamlike situations, often with a philosophical or satirical edge.

Comedic irony - a plot that uses irony to create humor, often with unexpected twists and turns.

Stand-up comedy - a plot that involves a comedian's experiences and observations, often with humorous anecdotes and jokes.

Comedic monologue - a plot that involves a character delivering a humorous speech or monologue, often with satire or parody.

Prankster comedy - a plot that involves practical jokes and humor at the expense of others.

Wit and banter - a plot that involves clever and witty dialogue, often with wordplay and sarcasm.

Running gags - a plot that involves recurring jokes or situations, often with escalating humor.

Western

Gunslinger - a plot that involves a skilled shooter or outlaw seeking redemption or justice.

Lawman - a plot that involves a law enforcement officer pursuing criminals and bringing them to justice.

Cattle drive - a plot that involves a group of cowboys driving a herd of cattle across long distances.

Revenge - a plot that involves a character seeking revenge against those who wronged them or their family.

Outlaw with a heart of gold - a plot that involves an outlaw with a moral code who takes on a noble cause.

Homesteader - a plot that involves a character settling and cultivating land in the frontier.

Duel - a plot that involves a one-on-one confrontation between two characters, often with guns or knives.

Train robbery - a plot that involves a group of bandits robbing a train of its cargo or passengers.

Gold rush - a plot that involves characters seeking wealth and fortune in the frontier, often through mining.

Indian wars - a plot that involves conflict between settlers and Native Americans, often with themes of racism and colonialism.

Saloon - a plot that involves characters gathering in a western-style bar, often with gambling and drinking.

Bounty hunter - a plot that involves a character pursuing and capturing fugitives for a reward.

Stagecoach - a plot that involves a group of characters traveling by stagecoach, often with danger and excitement along the way.

Showdown - a plot that involves a final confrontation between the hero and villain, often with high stakes.

Frontier justice - a plot that involves characters taking the law into their own hands, often with themes of vigilante justice.

Lone wanderer - a plot that involves a character traveling alone through the frontier, often with themes of isolation and survival.

Land conflict - a plot that involves characters fighting for ownership or control of land in the frontier.

Old west town - a plot that involves a character navigating life in a wild and lawless western town.

Rancher - a plot that involves a character managing a large ranch, often with themes of family and legacy.

Horseback chase - a plot that involves a chase scene on horseback, often with themes of pursuit and escape.

Dystopian.

Totalitarian government - a plot that involves a government or ruling power that has complete control over society and its citizens.

Oppressive society - a plot that involves a society that enforces strict rules and regulations on its citizens, often with extreme punishments for disobedience.

Rebel uprising - a plot that involves a group of rebels or revolutionaries who rise up against the ruling power.

Propaganda - a plot that involves the use of media and messaging to manipulate and control the population.

Social hierarchy - a plot that involves a society divided into social classes or castes, often with those at the bottom suffering the most.

Surveillance state - a plot that involves constant surveillance and monitoring of citizens by the ruling power.

Lack of personal freedom - a plot that involves citizens having limited or no personal freedoms, often with restrictions on speech, movement, and expression.

Environmental disaster - a plot that involves a society struggling to survive in the aftermath of an environmental catastrophe.

Post-apocalyptic world - a plot that involves a society trying to survive after a global disaster, such as a nuclear war or pandemic.

Dystopian love story - a plot that involves a romance set in a dystopian world, often with themes of forbidden love and societal restrictions.

Totalitarian leader - a plot that involves a single leader who holds absolute power over society.

Brainwashing - a plot that involves the use of psychological manipulation to control the population.

Genetic engineering - a plot that involves the manipulation of genetics and biology to create a new type of human or animal.

Rebellion leader - a plot that involves a charismatic leader who inspires and leads the rebellion against the ruling power.

Resistance movement - a plot that involves a group of individuals fighting against the ruling power, often through acts of sabotage and rebellion.

Corrupt government - a plot that involves a government that is corrupt and self-serving, often at the expense of the citizens.

Apocalyptic event - a plot that involves a catastrophic event that threatens the survival of humanity.

Oppressive technology - a plot that involves the use of advanced technology to control and manipulate citizens.

Civil war - a plot that involves a society torn apart by a conflict between factions or groups.

Protagonist as symbol of hope - a plot that involves a protagonist who becomes a symbol of hope for the oppressed and downtrodden citizens.

While I've only listed 20 common tropes found in these genres, there are actually many more out there waiting for you to discover! A quick Google search can help you track down all sorts of interesting and unique tropes to use in your writing.

Target Audience

It's important to understand who your book's target audience is, as it allows you to write a book that connects with them on a deeper level. Your target audience is the group of people who are most likely to enjoy your book, find it valuable, and recommend it to others. By writing with your target audience in mind, you can ensure that your book is relevant to their interests, speaks to their needs, and is more likely to be successful. After all, when you connect with your readers, you create a powerful bond that can make them lifelong fans of your work.

If you've already decided on your genres, sub-genres, and tropes, finding your target audience is a breeze. All you have to do is a quick Google search and voila! However, to help you out, I can provide you with some general information on target audiences. Do keep in mind that this information is not set in stone, as everyone's interests differ. For instance, plenty women enjoy thrillers, action stories, or horror. Nonetheless, this outline can serve as a starting point for your research.

Young Adult:

Genres: Fantasy, dystopian, contemporary, romance

Tropes: Coming-of-age, love triangles, chosen one, forbidden love, adventure

Themes: Identity, self-discovery, social justice, belonging, family, friendship, first love, mental health

Needs: Relatable characters, emotional resonance, accessible language, diverse representation, empowerment

Adult:

Genres: Mystery, thriller, romance, historical fiction, literary fiction

Tropes: Second chance at love, redemption, suspense, revenge, secrets and lies, unreliable narrators, twists and turns, complex relationships

Themes: Love and relationships, societal issues, personal growth, identity, history, culture, family dynamics, Love and loss

Needs: Engaging plot, well-developed characters, nuanced themes, evocative language, diverse representation

Middle-grade:

Genres: Adventure, fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, humor, contemporary

Tropes: Overcoming obstacles, friendship, finding one's place, underdogs, magic

Themes: Family, friendship, self-discovery, perseverance, identity, problem-solving, Self-acceptance, courage, teamwork

Needs: Engaging plot, relatable characters, age-appropriate language, adventure and humor, positive messaging

Children:

Genres: Picture books, early readers, chapter books

Tropes: Animals as main characters, imaginative worlds, humor, adventure, family relationships, lessons learned

Themes: Family, friendship, growing up, learning new things, self-expression, empathy, problem-solving, diversity, kindness

Needs: Simple language, colorful illustrations, engaging storytelling, relatable characters, age-appropriate messaging

Women:

Genres: Romance, mystery, historical fiction, women's fiction, contemporary fiction, literary fiction

Tropes: Second chance at love, forbidden love, strong female lead, enemies-to-lovers, happily-ever-after, family secrets

Themes: Love and relationships, family, personal growth, empowerment, sisterhood, identity

Needs: Emotional resonance, well-rounded characters, diverse representation, nuanced themes, satisfying endings

Men:

Genres: Thriller, science fiction, fantasy, action/adventure, historical fiction

Tropes: Action-packed, gritty, hero's journey, good vs. evil, moral dilemmas, Tough-guy heroes, high stakes, intricate plots, historical accuracy

Themes: Honor, justice, redemption, brotherhood, duty, perseverance

Needs: Engaging plot, well-researched historical details, realistic action, diverse representation, nuanced themes

LGBTQ+:

Genres: LGBTQ+ romance, coming-of-age, drama, contemporary fiction, young adult, literary fiction, speculative fiction

Tropes: Coming out, forbidden love, self-acceptance, exploring sexuality, found family, overcoming prejudice, love conquers all

Themes: Identity, discrimination, love and relationships, acceptance, self-discovery, community

Needs: Authentic representation, diverse characters and experiences, nuanced portrayal of LGBTQ+ issues, positive messaging, happy endings

Seniors:

Genres: Historical fiction, literary fiction, memoir, mystery, romance

Tropes: Second chance at love, reflection on past mistakes, family drama, secrets and lies

Themes: Aging, family, legacy, life lessons, reflection, personal growth.

Needs: Thoughtful themes, well-rounded characters, evocative language, diverse representation, positive messaging

Note: "Nuanced" means that something is complex and has many different parts or aspects that make it unique. It's not just one simple thing, but has layers and details that make it more interesting and complicated. For example, a nuanced character in a book might have both good and bad qualities, and their personality and behavior might change depending on the situation they're in.

Here are some example's of nuanced themes:

Love and loss: exploring the complex emotions surrounding love and loss, such as grief, regret, and nostalgia.

Identity and belonging: examining the struggle to find one's place in the world and how our sense of self is shaped by our experiences and relationships.

Power and corruption: exploring the abuse of power and how it can corrupt individuals and institutions.

Morality and ethics: examining the gray areas of morality and the difficult choices we face when navigating right and wrong.

Mental health: exploring the complexities of mental health and how it impacts individuals and their relationships.

Social justice: examining issues of inequality, discrimination, and systemic oppression, and the need for change.

Cultural differences: exploring the nuances of different cultures and the challenges and benefits of navigating those differences.

Nature and the environment: examining the relationship between humans and nature, and the impact of human behavior on the environment.

Family and relationships: exploring the complexities of family dynamics and relationships, including love, loyalty, and betrayal.

Aging and mortality: examining the process of aging and the impact of mortality on individuals and their loved ones.

Starting to plot your novel is an exciting step, and choosing your genre, trope, and target audience are vital for laying the groundwork of your story. But it's important not to overlook other essential elements that can elevate your story to the next level. For example, have you thought about how you want your readers to feel when they read your book, or what you want them to learn? These questions can help you create a more impactful and meaningful story that resonates with your readers.

As an author, you likely have a specific purpose in mind when crafting your story. Whether you aim to entertain, convey a message, or educate your readers, it's important to consider the intended impact on your audience. To achieve your creative goals, you'll need to pay attention to key elements like plot, characters, setting, and themes, and ensure they work cohesively to create an engaging and immersive experience.

For readers, understanding the author's intent can enhance their appreciation of the story and lead to a more fulfilling reading experience. By recognizing the impact and meaning behind the words on the page, you can fully immerse yourself in the story and gain a deeper understanding of the author's message. So whether you're a writer or a reader, don't forget to consider the impact of your words and how they can connect with your audience.

Authors can convey various messages, lessons, and ideas through fictional writing. Here are a few examples:

Moral lessons: Fictional stories often have a moral lesson or message that the author wants to convey to the reader. The story may illustrate the consequences of certain actions or behaviors, and the characters may learn a valuable lesson by the end of the story.

Social commentary: Fictional stories can also be used to comment on social issues such as inequality, discrimination, or injustice. By using characters and situations that are relatable to readers, authors can help readers better understand and empathize with these issues.

Emotional connections: Through fictional writing, authors can help readers connect emotionally with the characters and situations in the story. This can help readers develop greater empathy and understanding of others in real life.

Imagination and creativity: Fictional writing can inspire readers to use their imagination and think creatively. Through vivid descriptions and imaginative storytelling, authors can transport readers to new and exciting worlds.

Personal growth: Fictional writing can also help readers learn more about themselves and their own values and beliefs. By exploring different characters and situations, readers can gain new perspectives and insights that can help them grow and develop as individuals.

I understand that all of this might sound a bit overwhelming and challenging, but please don't worry! If you're writing solely for the purpose of entertaining your readers and don't have any specific message to convey, you can simply skip this part when creating your novel outline. Don't feel obligated to include elements that you're not comfortable with, and focus on creating a story that you enjoy telling.

By the way, I'd like to share with you some examples of popular stories and their authors that effectively convey certain messages or teach valuable lessons through their fictional writing:

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee - This story teaches the importance of empathy, justice, and standing up for what is right.

"1984" by George Orwell - This dystopian novel warns about the dangers of totalitarianism and the importance of preserving individual freedom.

"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood - This dystopian novel warns about the dangers of patriarchal oppression and the importance of women's rights.

"The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien - This epic fantasy novel teaches the importance of courage, loyalty, and sacrifice in the face of great evil.

"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald - This story critiques the superficiality and moral decay of the wealthy during the Roaring Twenties.

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell - This allegorical novel satirizes the rise of Soviet communism and warns about the dangers of political corruption and propaganda.

"Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley - This dystopian novel warns about the dangers of technological advancement and the dehumanization of society.

"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger - This story explores the themes of alienation, identity, and the struggle to find meaning in a world that can often seem cold and indifferent.

"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker - This story explores themes of race, gender, and the struggle for personal autonomy and self-determination in a society that seeks to deny these things.

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins - This dystopian novel critiques the excesses of consumer culture and warns about the dangers of totalitarianism and oppression.

Plot

Great job! We've completed the first part of outlining a basic novel. Now, let's move on to plotting. But wait a minute! Before you start plotting, there's some information we need first - your intended word count. This may sound like a small detail, but it's actually quite important. Knowing the total word count of your story can affect many things. For instance, publishers often have guidelines for the length of novels they will accept, so if your manuscript is too long or too short, it may be rejected. Additionally, readers may have certain expectations for the length of a novel in a specific genre, and if your book is significantly shorter or longer than expected, it may not be well-received. Lastly, the word count can influence the pacing and structure of your novel, with longer novels potentially allowing for more complex plot and character development, but requiring more attention to pacing and structure to avoid losing the reader's interest.

You might be thinking, "Hey, Taytjie, what if I want to post a web novel with over 1000 chapters? Do I have to plot everything in advance?" Well, my answer is no! However, I do recommend thinking of a web novel as a series of books, each with its own volume, rather than a single, massive work. So when plotting your web novel, it's best to approach each volume individually. This will make it easier to organize your ideas and create a cohesive story that engages your readers. Each 'Arc' of your web novel can be an individual volume of around 10 to 30 chapters or more, it's up to your preference.

Let me offer you a general guideline for word counts, but keep in mind that variations may exist based on factors such as sub-genre, target audience, and publishing goals. If traditional publishing is what you're aiming for, then different publishers may have different expectations. However, it's worth noting that while you don't have to stick to these word counts, readers typically expect them in the genres I've discussed in this post. Ultimately, what matters most is that your story is engaging and well-crafted, and if you achieve that, your readers will be hooked no matter the word count.

Romance: 50,000 to 90,000 words

Mystery: 70,000 to 100,000 words

Science fiction: 80,000 to 120,000 words

Fantasy: 80,000 to 120,000 words

Historical fiction: 80,000 to 120,000 words

Thriller: 80,000 to 100,000 words

Horror: 70,000 to 100,000 words

Young adult: 50,000 to 80,000 words

Literary fiction: 80,000 to 120,000 words

Comedy: 70,000 to 100,000 words

Western: 50,000 to 80,000 words

Dystopian: 80,000 to 120,000 words

You might be wondering why we're discussing word count under the 'plot' section instead of the 'book information' section. Well, it's because knowing your intended word count will help you figure out how many chapters your story will have. This, in turn, will affect your plot, as it gives you an idea of how much time you have to tell your story and how much you'll need to stretch it out.

Now it's time to decide on the number of chapters and the length of each chapter for your novel. To determine the chapter length, think about how many words you want to include in each chapter and use that to calculate the total number of chapters required to reach your desired word count for the whole story.

After figuring out the number of chapters, it's time to work on the plot. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be a lengthy essay, just a brief two-sentence summary will do. The main thing is to have a clear idea of what your story will be about.

Here's an example:

In a world of magic and intrigue, a young wizard falls in love with a powerful sorceress from a rival clan. Together, they must navigate the dangerous politics of their respective societies while discovering the true depth of their feelings for each other.

Alright, great job so far! Now let's dig a little deeper and focus on the beginning, middle, and end of your story. What's going to happen at the start to draw your readers in? What twists and turns will take place in the middle? And finally, how do you want it all to wrap up in the end?

Start: The story begins in a magical world filled with warring clans and powerful sorcerers. Our protagonist, a young wizard, is training at the academy of his clan when he meets a beautiful sorceress from a rival clan. Despite the tensions between their clans, they are drawn to each other and begin to secretly meet.

Middle: As their relationship deepens, our young couple finds themselves caught up in the dangerous politics of their respective societies. They struggle to keep their love a secret, while also trying to navigate the treacherous waters of their clans' rivalries. Along the way, they uncover a plot by a dark force that threatens both their clans and must work together to stop it.

End: In the climax of the story, our young wizard and sorceress face their greatest challenge yet. They must put aside their differences and unite their clans to defeat the dark force that threatens them all. Through their bravery and dedication, they prove that love can conquer even the most formidable foes. In the end, our young couple is able to come together openly and publicly, ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity for their people.

Congratulations, we've made progress! Now it's time to take our plot and start breaking it down into individual chapters. Think about the key events that need to happen in each chapter to move the story forward and write them down.

Chapter 1: Our young wizard protagonist meets the powerful sorceress from a rival clan and is immediately drawn to her.

Chapter 2: Our couple shares their first magical moment together, but the looming threat of their clans' rivalry casts a shadow over their happiness.

Chapter 3: Our wizard protagonist confides in his best friend about his feelings for the sorceress, but is warned about the dangers of falling in love with someone from a rival clan.

Chapter 4: The sorceress reveals that she feels the same way, and the couple begins to meet in secret.

Chapter 5: The first major conflict arises when our wizard protagonist's clan discovers his relationship with the sorceress and forbids him from seeing her.

Chapter 6: The sorceress' clan also discovers their relationship and the two clans begin to escalate their hostility towards each other.

Chapter 7: The couple's secret meetings become riskier as they try to find a way to be together without causing a war between their clans.

Chapter 8: A powerful sorcerer from our wizard protagonist's clan threatens the couple and warns them to end their relationship.

Chapter 9: Our protagonist turns to an older, wiser wizard for advice on how to navigate the dangerous politics of their clans.

Chapter 10: Our couple is caught in a dangerous ambush by members of the sorceress' clan who disapprove of their relationship.

Chapter 11: The sorceress' clan accuses our wizard protagonist of using dark magic to seduce her and threatens to retaliate.

Chapter 12: The couple decides to seek refuge in a neutral territory and try to find a way to resolve the conflict peacefully.

Chapter 13: Our protagonist discovers a sinister plot by a dark force that threatens both clans and realizes that they must work together to stop it.

Chapter 14: The couple's efforts to bring their clans together are met with resistance and suspicion from both sides.

Chapter 15: Our wizard protagonist and the sorceress embark on a dangerous mission to uncover the dark force's plans.

Chapter 16: The couple faces their greatest challenge yet as they confront the dark force and its powerful minions.

Chapter 17: Our couple must fight for their lives as they face overwhelming odds, but their love gives them the strength to prevail.

Chapter 18: The couple is hailed as heroes for saving their clans from the dark force, but their victory comes at a great cost.

Chapter 19: Our couple is finally able to publicly declare their love for each other, and their clans agree to a truce.

Chapter 20: The novel ends with our couple looking forward to a future together, as they embark on a new journey filled with hope and promise.

Great job! Now, for the final step: take each chapter and create a bullet-pointed outline of what you want to happen in it. This will help make your life easier when you begin writing the actual story because you'll already know what you need to write, and you just need to turn it into beautiful prose. But, Yes there is a but, If you just like to let the creative juices flow and don't want to write so rigidly, like I do, skip it. I personally just write the one or two sentences for my chapter when I build an outline, and then I just go for it.

Chapter One: A Meeting of Hearts

The chapter opens with our young wizard protagonist, whose name is Aaron, attending his morning training session at the wizard academy. During a break, Aaron wanders off into the forest for some quiet reflection and stumbles upon a clearing filled with glowing mushrooms. As he investigates the mushrooms, Aaron is startled by a rustling in the nearby bushes and turns to see a young woman emerge. The young woman introduces herself as Lyra, a powerful sorceress from a rival clan. Despite the tensions between their clans, Aaron and Lyra are immediately drawn to each other and begin to chat. Aaron discovers that Lyra is at the academy to research a powerful spell that could help her clan in their ongoing conflict with Aaron's clan. Aaron offers to help Lyra with her research, and they agree to meet secretly to work on the spell together. As Aaron leaves the clearing, he realizes that he is falling for Lyra and wonders how he will be able to reconcile his feelings with his loyalty to his clan. The chapter ends with Aaron returning to the academy, his thoughts consumed by thoughts of Lyra and the dangerous path they are embarking on.

By the way, in case you were wondering, the story we've been working on is a fantasy romance. Once you've completed outlining each chapter, congratulations, you've successfully outlined your novel! Now, let's move on to the next step: creating characters. You might be wondering why I saved this for after the plot section instead of before, but everyone has their own approach. Personally, I like to create my characters as I'm outlining my novel and really flesh them out while writing my first draft. Then, I use my second draft to make sure that the characters remain consistent throughout the book.

Characters

We've made it to the last section of our basic outline! As a writer, I prefer to develop my characters alongside my plot rather than before it. I start with some basic character details and adjust them as needed to fit the story. Sometimes, characters I initially thought were essential end up being cut, while others I created on a whim end up becoming integral to the plot. For example, in my current work in progress, I created a childhood friend of the main character on a whim, but he ended up becoming an antagonist who will go through a redemption arc and a friends-to-enemies-to-friends trope.

When it comes to creating your characters, there are some essential details you'll want to have nailed down. But don't worry, it's not necessary to have everything figured out until you finish your first draft. Just make sure you have all the important information for your main characters sorted out by the time you start working on your second draft. It's crucial to make sure your characters remain consistent throughout the story and that their actions and thoughts align with their established traits. After all, you don't want to project your own desires onto them - that's not good writing.

When it comes to creating your characters, there are some basic details you'll want to include, like their name and a brief history that matches their personality. For example, it might not make sense for a character with a tragic past to be overly optimistic and carefree all the time, not unless they're pretending.

List a few key traits that define your character's personality, such as being gruff yet secretly caring or sarcastic and cold. You don't need to create a whole resume, just a few words will do. As you write, you might find yourself adding more details to your character's personality, habits, or preferences, so make sure to jot them down.

Another important aspect is their appearance. Decide on this early on and make sure to note it down. You don't want to have to search through all your chapters to remember what your own character looks like! These are the basics, but there are three more things I want to mention that can help flesh out your character even more.

Outer conflict

Outer conflict is basically the challenges and hurdles that a character faces in their environment. It plays a significant role in the story as it generates suspense and propels the plot forward. The external obstacles that a character can encounter are diverse and varied, like dealing with natural disasters, social norms, cultural differences, achieving goals, or fighting against an adversary.

Moreover, the outer conflict can help to shape a character's personality and traits. As the character copes with and conquers obstacles, readers get to know their strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. This allows readers to form a deeper connection with the character and become more invested in their journey.

Furthermore, external conflicts can also symbolize inner turmoil. The external obstacles that a character faces can be a representation of the internal struggles they are going through, like battling fears or doubts. This creates a powerful emotional impact on readers and helps to convey crucial themes and messages.

Here are twenty examples of outer conflict:

A character struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.

A character facing a physical illness or disability that limits their abilities.

A character fighting for justice against a corrupt system or organization.

A character facing discrimination or prejudice based on their race, gender, or other identity.

A character trying to escape a dangerous situation or person.

A character facing environmental or natural disasters.

A character navigating a war or political conflict.

A character struggling with addiction or substance abuse.

A character facing financial ruin or bankruptcy.

A character dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic event.

A character struggling to balance their personal and professional lives.

A character facing a difficult decision that could have major consequences.

A character in a survival situation in the wilderness or at sea.

A character trying to break free from a toxic relationship.

A character dealing with the consequences of a mistake or poor decision.

A character facing a physical or mental challenge or disability.

A character struggling to protect their family or loved ones from harm.

A character trying to survive in a hostile or unfamiliar environment.

A character dealing with the loss of a loved one or grieving.

A character facing betrayal or deception from someone they trust.

Inner Conflict

Inner conflict is a crucial element of a story that delves into the psychological and emotional struggles that a character experiences. It's the battle between their desires and their values, their fears and aspirations, or what they want versus what they know is right. This struggle is what creates tension, complexity, and depth in a character, making them more relatable and interesting to readers. By exploring the character's inner conflict, readers gain insights into their motives, thoughts, and emotions, allowing for character development and growth.

Take J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" for instance, where Holden Caulfield grapples with an inner conflict of wanting to preserve the innocence of childhood and yet desiring to mature and grow up. This conflict leads to his erratic behavior and search for meaning and purpose.

Similarly, in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," Jay Gatsby faces an inner conflict of wanting to win back his lost love, Daisy, while also grappling with the fact that she is married to someone else. This inner conflict ultimately leads to his downfall and tragic end.

As demonstrated in these examples, inner conflict drives the plot, develops characters, and adds depth to their motivations and struggles.

Here are 20 examples of inner conflict:

Fear of failure

Insecurity

Lack of self-confidence

Difficulty making decisions

Guilt over past actions

Jealousy or envy

Grief over loss or trauma

Difficulty with vulnerability or trust

Struggle with addiction or temptation

Confusion over personal identity or purpose

Struggle with one's own morality or ethics

Difficulty with forgiveness or letting go

Shame over past actions or experiences

Struggle with self-acceptance or self-love

Difficulty with emotional intimacy or connection

Conflict with personal beliefs or values

Struggle with one's own mortality or purpose in life

Difficulty with facing the truth or reality of a situation

Struggle with balancing personal desires with the needs of others

Conflict between personal ambition and loyalty to others.

As a writer, it's important to understand how to weave outer and inner conflict together to create a compelling and multidimensional character in your story. Outer conflict provides the external challenges and obstacles that the character must face and overcome, driving the plot forward. On the other hand, inner conflict gives readers a window into the character's thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

The two types of conflict can also inform and influence each other. Inner conflict can affect how a character responds to outer conflict, and vice versa. For instance, if a character is struggling with self-doubt, this may make it harder for them to face a physical challenge presented as an outer conflict. Similarly, if a character is facing an outer conflict like a life-threatening situation, this may trigger an inner conflict related to their deepest fears and desires. The interplay between inner and outer conflict can lead to character growth, as the character learns to face their fears, confront their weaknesses, and achieve their goals.

By using both types of conflict effectively, you can create a character that is not only relatable and interesting, but also one that readers can root for as they navigate the challenges of your story.

Here is a list of 28 ways outer and inner conflict can interplay with each other:

A character with a fear of failure (inner conflict) must overcome obstacles to achieve their goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with addiction (inner conflict) must face consequences of their behavior that endanger their loved ones (outer conflict).

A character dealing with trust issues (inner conflict) must work with a partner they don't trust (outer conflict).

A character struggling with guilt (inner conflict) must clear their name and prove their innocence (outer conflict).

A character struggling with self-doubt (inner conflict) must take on a leadership role to save their community (outer conflict).

A character who is closed-off emotionally (inner conflict) must learn to trust and open up to their love interest (outer conflict).

A character with a tendency to control others (inner conflict) must learn to work in a team and share responsibility (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their identity (inner conflict) must navigate a world that doesn't accept their identity (outer conflict).

A character dealing with trauma (inner conflict) must confront the source of their trauma to overcome it (outer conflict).

A character struggling with commitment issues (inner conflict) must make a difficult decision that affects their relationship (outer conflict).

A character with a lack of self-worth (inner conflict) must prove to themselves and others that they are capable (outer conflict).

A character struggling with loss (inner conflict) must learn to move on and find purpose in life again (outer conflict).

A character with a need for control (inner conflict) must learn to let go and trust others (outer conflict).

A character dealing with past mistakes (inner conflict) must confront those they have wronged and seek redemption (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their beliefs (inner conflict) must stand up for what they believe in despite opposition (outer conflict).

A character who is closed off from the world (inner conflict) must open up and make new connections to achieve their goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with a lack of direction (inner conflict) must find purpose in their life and pursue it (outer conflict).

A character with a history of abuse (inner conflict) must confront their abuser to achieve closure (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their sexuality (inner conflict) must come out and face the social consequences of their identity (outer conflict).

A character with a need for revenge (inner conflict) must overcome their desire for revenge to achieve a greater goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their family history (inner conflict) must confront the past to move forward (outer conflict).

A character with a fear of the unknown (inner conflict) must step out of their comfort zone to achieve their goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their past (inner conflict) must come to terms with it in order to move forward (outer conflict).

A character with a lack of trust in others (inner conflict) must work with a team to achieve their goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their identity (inner conflict) must confront the expectations of others to find their true self (outer conflict).

A character with a tendency to self-sabotage (inner conflict) must overcome their negative patterns to achieve success (outer conflict).

A character struggling with mental illness (inner conflict) must overcome the stigma associated with their illness (outer conflict).

A character with a need for control (inner conflict) must learn to accept and adapt to unforeseen circumstances (outer conflict).

Character Growth

As a story progresses, the characters within it can undergo a significant transformation that we refer to as character growth. This growth can manifest itself in various ways, including changes in beliefs, values, behaviors, or relationships.

By portraying a character's growth, a writer can create a sense of depth and nuance that makes them more relatable and interesting to the reader. Furthermore, character growth is instrumental in driving the plot forward, as the changes experienced by the character often create new conflicts and challenges that must be addressed.

Witnessing a character's growth can be satisfying to the reader, providing them with a sense of catharsis as they watch the character overcome their obstacles and achieve their goals.

Character growth is crucial to the success of a story, and as a writer, it's important to ensure that your main characters evolve and change over the course of the narrative. People naturally experience growth and change in real life, whether it's positive or negative, as they navigate through life's challenges. The same principle applies to your characters.

When you're editing your second or third draft, take a close look at your characters and ensure that their development is evident. Keeping your characters stagnant and unchanged throughout the story isn't realistic and can hinder your reader's connection with them. By allowing your characters to evolve, you create a more relatable and believable story, one that resonates with readers and keeps them engaged until the end.

Here are some examples of good character growth in stories:

Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins learns to trust others and become a leader.

Elizabeth Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen learns to let go of her prejudices and pride and become more empathetic towards others.

Harry Potter in "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling learns to face his fears and take responsibility for his actions.

Frodo Baggins in "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien learns to sacrifice his own desires for the greater good.

Elinor Dashwood in "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen learns to express her emotions and become more open.

Holden Caulfield in "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger learns to let go of his cynicism and find a sense of hope.

Ponyboy Curtis in "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton learns to appreciate the value of family and friends.

Scout Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee learns to see the world from other people's perspectives and become more tolerant.

Andy Dufresne in "The Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King learns to never give up hope and find redemption.

Hester Prynne in "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne learns to stand up for herself and live on her own terms.

Jean Valjean in "Les Misérables" by Victor Hugo learns to find forgiveness and redemption through selflessness.

Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee learns to fight for justice and become a role model for his children.

Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien learns to step out of his comfort zone and embrace adventure.

Sydney Carton in "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens learns to find a sense of purpose and redemption through self-sacrifice.

John Proctor in "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller learns to stand up for his beliefs and fight for what is right.

Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell learns to become more self-reliant and resourceful.

Charles Ryder in "Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh learns to find a sense of meaning and purpose in life.

Captain Ahab in "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville learns to confront his own obsession and find a sense of closure.

Marianne Dashwood in "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen learns to find a balance between emotional and rational thinking.

Scout in "Go Set a Watchman" by Harper Lee learns to see her father, Atticus Finch, as a human being and understand his flaws.

Great news, you made it to the end of the basic novel outline! This is all you need to get started on writing your novel, and I'm excited for you to begin. Let's quickly recap what you'll need for your outline: a genre and sub-genre, a trope, a target audience, a word count, a chapter count, a two-sentence plot description, a more detailed plot description that covers the beginning, middle, and end of your story, and a chapter-by-chapter outline. For your characters, you'll need to include their names, brief histories, physical descriptions, personalities, outer conflicts, inner conflicts, and character growth. Once you have all of this information, you'll be ready to start writing your novel. Congratulations again, and happy writing!

Next up we'll be going into a bit more detail that focuses on world-building for fantasy or science fiction stories, anything that requires deeper world-building than a romance or regular modern paranormal fiction.

Going on from here, I won't be as detailed with explanations, what I'll be providing is mostly just information you need to get and it doesn't involve much hard research.

Races

Physical Traits:

Physical traits can play a huge role in creating unique and memorable fantasy races. By giving a race its own set of distinctive physical features, an author can make it stand out from other races and help it come to life within the story.

But physical traits aren't just about making a race look cool or interesting - they can also inform other aspects of a race's culture and history, making the story even more immersive and engaging. For example, a race with wings might have a rich history of flight, while a race with a natural resistance to fire might have developed unique technologies or traditions to harness that ability.

Religion:

Have you ever thought about the role of religion in a fantasy world? In many cases, it can provide a sense of depth and purpose to a race's way of life. Religion can shape everything from their beliefs and values to their traditions and customs, and even affect their interactions with other races and their environment.

By incorporating religion into your world-building, you can create a rich tapestry of different beliefs and practices that can help to shape the personalities of your characters. Whether it's through the way they approach challenges or the values they hold dear, religion can be a powerful tool for creating a unique and engaging fantasy race.

Here are something to think on while creating religions:

Deities and Mythology A. Different gods and goddesses B. Creation myths and legends C. Supernatural forces and entities

Religious Institutions A. Temples, shrines, and other holy sites B. Religious leaders and hierarchies C. Religious ceremonies and rituals

Beliefs and Values A. Moral and ethical codes B. Attitudes towards magic and other supernatural elements C. Relationship between religion and politics, culture, and society

Religious Conflict and Cooperation A. Religious differences and conflicts B. Religious tolerance and cooperation C. How religion impacts relationships and diplomacy between different societies

Culture:

Do you love exploring imaginary worlds filled with magic and wonder? If so, you'll know that culture plays a huge role in bringing these fantastic places to life. In a fantasy world, culture encompasses everything from shared beliefs and customs to art and social practices. By creating unique and vibrant cultures for each race and society, we can make these worlds feel alive and believable.

To craft a compelling culture for a fantasy world, we need to take into account many factors, such as the geography and climate of the world, the history and mythology of its inhabitants, and their level of technology. For example, if a society lives in a cold, mountainous region, they might have adapted their clothing and transportation to suit their environment.

In a well-crafted fantasy world, each race and society should have its own distinct culture that enriches the story and makes it more immersive. From the way they view concepts like honor and loyalty to the way they celebrate holidays and mark significant life events

Things to think on while creating cultures:

Beliefs and Values A. Religious and spiritual beliefs B. Moral and ethical values C. Attitudes towards magic and other supernatural elements

Social Structure A. Different classes and social groups B. Power dynamics and hierarchies C. Customs and traditions related to marriage, family, and social interaction

Art and Aesthetics A. Literature, music, and art B. Fashion and clothing styles C. Architectural and design styles

Technology and Industry A. Tools and weapons B. Transportation and communication C. Economic systems and trade

Language:

Language plays a crucial role in creating immersive and believable worlds. Language shapes the way people interact with each other and their environment, and can reflect the history, mythology, and values of a particular race or society.

In a well-crafted fantasy world, each race or society should have its own unique language or languages. This adds depth and complexity to the world, with the creation of new words, phrases, and even alphabets to reflect each race's unique linguistic characteristics.

Language can also be used to explore themes and ideas central to the story. For instance, the language used by those in power may reflect the power dynamic and make it difficult for the commoners to understand. In addition, language can create a sense of mystery and otherness. A completely invented language can make a fantasy race feel alien and distinct.

Furthermore, language can be used as a storytelling device, with characters translating between languages or struggling to communicate with other races. This can create tension, conflict, and opportunities for characters to learn about different cultures and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

Keep in mind that not every fantasy world or story needs detailed languages. If you prefer not to include them, that's okay too! However, if you're interested in exploring languages in your story, here are some factors to consider.

Language Families A. Different language families and their characteristics B. Historical and cultural factors influencing language development C. How languages relate to one another

Written and Spoken Languages A. Different writing systems and their evolution B. Spoken language and dialects C. How language shapes communication and relationships

Language Acquisition and Learning A. How characters learn new languages B. Cultural attitudes towards language learning C. The role of language in education and society

Translation and Interpretation A. How characters translate and interpret languages B. The challenges of language barriers C. The importance of accurate translation in diplomacy and trade

Magic

Having mystical abilities such as magic, mana, or superpowers can add excitement and intrigue to your story, but it's important to be mindful of how you use them. Many writers fall into the trap of creating limitless magical powers for their characters, which can make the story feel unrealistic and unsatisfying. To avoid this, it's helpful to answer a few questions about your magic system.

First, how does it work? It's important to understand the ins and outs of your magic system so that you can write your characters using it realistically. Knowing the mechanics of your magic system will prevent you from simply having your character magically power up in a crucial moment to get out of a tough situation.

Second, who can have it? Is there a criteria for who can use the magic or powers? Understanding why certain characters have magical abilities will prevent you from creating random characters that have the ability, and will also give your readers more information about your characters.

Third, what are the rules and limitations? Are there rules in your world about how the magic system should and should not be used? Are there physical limitations to what your characters can do? Setting rules and limitations will stop you from overpowering your character and will add conflict and tension to your story.

Additionally, it's important to consider how the general population feels about magic. Are there people who are against it, who hunt or experiment on those who possess it? Are magical individuals adored or seen as gods? Understanding how your world views magic will add depth and complexity to your story and create opportunities for conflict and tension. By considering these factors, you can create a well-rounded and engaging magic system that adds to the richness of your fantasy world. Here is a summery and some additional facts to think on when creating a magic system:

Types of Magic A. Elemental magic B. Divine magic C. Necromancy and dark magic D. Witchcraft and sorcery

Magic Mechanics A. How magic works in the world B. Limits and drawbacks to using magic C. How magic can be learned or inherited D. How magic can be controlled or regulated

Magic Users A. Different types of magic users B. Training and education for magic users C. Magic user communities and organizations

Magic in Society A. How magic impacts society and culture B. Magic in law and politics C. Magic in economics and trade

Magic in Conflict and Cooperation A. How magic can cause conflicts and tensions B. How magic can be used for diplomacy and alliances C. How magic can be used to resolve conflicts

History

Incorporating a world history into your story is an excellent way to add depth and richness to your world-building. By establishing a history, you can develop your world's cultures and religions, and intertwine it with your plot for added complexity. However, it's not necessary to have a history for the entire world's creation - just a basic overview of the setting where your story takes place is sufficient.

Another helpful aspect to include in your world-building is myths, lore, and major events that have shaped festivals or important days in your world. Additionally, highlighting significant historical figures can also provide valuable context for your story.

While it's not essential to introduce this information at the beginning of your story, it's a good idea to flesh out these details during revisions to ensure a cohesive and well-rounded world. This can help maintain consistency throughout your story and enhance the overall reading experience for your audience.

If you are creating an entire world history. Here are some things to think on:

Creation Myth and Cosmology A. Explanation of the world's creation myth B. Introduction of the cosmology of the world

Early Civilizations and Kingdoms A. The rise of early civilizations and kingdoms B. Development of early cultures and their impact on the world

Major Historical Events A. Wars and conflicts B. Great discoveries and inventions C. Natural disasters and calamities

Key Figures in History A. Heroes and heroines B. Villains and antagonists C. Leaders and rulers

Religion and Spirituality A. Explanation of the major religions and spiritual beliefs in the world B. Impact of religion and spirituality on world events and culture

Technology and Advancements A. Advancements in science and technology B. Development of new magic and spells

Current State of the World A. The current political and social situation in the world B. Ongoing conflicts and challenges C. Future possibilities for the world

Geography

Understanding the visual aspects of your story's setting is a valuable tool for crafting a rich and immersive world. By knowing the geography, you can better visualize how your characters will interact with their surroundings, what they'll wear, and what they'll eat. It can also play a major role in shaping the culture of the people inhabiting your world.

The geography of your world can even influence the physical characteristics of certain races, like those living near a volcano who may have tough, scaly skin to resist heat. Some key factors to consider when developing the geography of your world include the landscape, climate, weather patterns, natural resources, and the types of food available to your characters. These details can all work together to bring your world to life and make it feel like a fully-realized place with a unique identity.

Things to think on while creating your world geography:

Physical Features A. Landforms such as mountains, forests, and rivers B. Climate and weather patterns C. Natural resources and their distribution

Political Boundaries A. Different regions and territories B. Borders, boundaries, and conflicts C. How politics and culture influence geography

Cultural Landscapes A. Architecture and building styles B. Cultural and religious sites C. Impact of culture and history on the physical landscape

Mystical and Supernatural Features A. Magic and other supernatural elements B. Divine or cursed locations C. How these features shape the world

Politics

In the world of writing, it's easy to think that politics don't matter, especially when you're starting out. However, this is far from the truth. As you craft your story, there will come a point where your character will need to make a decision that affects the people around them. When others either agree or disagree with that decision, you're entering the realm of politics. In its simplest form, politics is all about how groups of people work together to make decisions and get things done. This can involve everything from choosing leaders and making laws to deciding how to use resources. In a fantasy world, politics can take on a different flavor. Different races and groups of creatures might be vying for control of territory or trying to gain power or fight for their rights.

The Players A. Different races and societies B. Leaders and powerful figures C. Factions, alliances, and conflicts

The Systems A. Government and governance B. Laws and regulations C. Use of magic and supernatural powers

The Issues A. Resource allocation B. Territorial disputes C. Power struggles and control

There are a lot of different factors that can affect politics in your fantasy world, and it's important to consider how your characters and societies will respond to them. Whether they're fighting for their rights, negotiating deals, or making compromises, the decisions they make will shape the world you're creating. So take some time to think about these things and how they'll impact your story

Technology

It's important to consider the level of advancement in your fantasy world. For example, if you're writing an old world fantasy kingdom, but there is technology present, your readers will likely be curious about where it came from, how it was developed, and who created it. Make sure to address these questions in your world-building

Here are some things to think on while working on technology for your world:

Types of Technology A. Explanation of various types of technology in the world B. Magic and technology: their relationship and interaction

Evolution of Technology A. The history of technology in the world B. Key figures and events that drove technological progress

The Creation and Distribution of Technology A. Who creates technology in the world B. How technology is distributed throughout the world C. Economic and social factors that impact technology development

The Impacts of Technology A. Positive and negative impacts of technology on society and culture B. Environmental impacts of technology

Limitations of Technology A. Constraints on technology development B. Limitations on the use of technology

Future of Technology A. Speculation on the future of technology in the world B. Potential implications for the world and its inhabitants

That's it! We are done! Cheers everyone! Great job on completing your detailed outline! Here's a recap of all the elements you should include: First, choose your genre, trope, target audience, and set a word and chapter count. Define your plot in 2-3 sentences, then expand it and break it down into beginning, middle, and end. Then create a chapter-by-chapter outline. For your characters, give them names, a brief history, physical descriptions, personality traits, conflicts, and character growth.

When it comes to world building, describe the geography and how it affects culture, politics, and history. Provide an overview of the various cultures, their practices and beliefs, and how they impact character interactions. Explain the political landscape, the systems, structures, and how they affect characters. Develop the world's history, including key events and figures that shaped it and how it affects the current state of the world.

Include an overview of the magical and technological systems in the world, how they interact, and their limitations and implications. Discuss the various religions, their beliefs and practices, and how they impact characters. Provide an overview of the languages spoken in the world and how they affect interactions between characters. Lastly, describe the various creatures and races in the world, their physical characteristics, cultural practices, and how they interact with each other and with humans.

For convenience, here is a scrivener template created with this style in mind and all the research is included in the template's resource folder. It's free, so don't stress and Download. Note that this is a google drive link. Simply Download and import into scrivener as a template.

Looking forward to seeing you again in the future! If you love fantasy, check out my free novel! HERE.

[authoralexharvey]

INTERVIEW WITH A WRITEBLR — @broodparasitism

Who You Are:

Lottie || She/her

I’m Lottie, and I’m currently doing a master’s in creative writing. I mostly write things in between historical, literary and horror about postwar Britain, and other than writing I’m a bit of a music nerd!

What You Write:

What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?

Historical Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Psychological. Adult.

What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?

Literary, if only for its room to be experimental and weird.

What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?

Romance - I’m just not a romantic type of person!

Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?

I don’t think too much about it, but I think other young queer/neurodivergent women would be the biggest readers of my work, particularly if they’re also British. But I hope that anyone from any demographic would be able to get something out of my work! It’s for anyone who wants to read it.

What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?

Motherhood is something that always creeps up in my work. Hedonism and moral masochism as contrasts is also very important to me! Feminism and class tensions tend to have a big presence in my work as well. It’s harder to say with tropes but if the central themes are there the tropes don’t matter too much to me. I couldn’t get into why they’re important to me without getting much too personal for writeblr, however.

What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?

Something entirely fluffy and comforting or something entirely cynical and hopeless, albeit the first is more annoying. I need some degree of light and darkness or the story feels too uncomplicated to me. For something very specific, I’m not keen on premises where every type of fantasy folklore is incorporated: there’s often too much that isn’t fleshed out enough. I also hate stories that use weight loss as shorthand for positive character development, because that’s plain old fatphobia. And stories without women. There’s no excuse for that.

What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?

I’m working on a manuscript for my MA so I prefer to keep vague on it, but it’s a small town horror about four people in the early 80s coming to terms with a recent death of someone they all had a wildly different relationship with and the way the town becomes increasingly haunted. I’m quite attached to it now. I began working on this at the end of August 2022!

Why do you write? What keeps you writing?

It simply brings me joy to do it. I want the stories in my head to exist on paper, because that’s such a rewarding feeling!

How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?

On and off since I was very young. I can’t remember what drew me to it: it was just something I knew I wanted to do for as long as I can remember (cliche, I know). I say that I began seriously writing in November 2013, when I started what would become my first completed draft of a manuscript.

Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?

I get my inspiration from my local area, and from researching history - and very often, music with connection to that. I think that the starting point of inspiration for my current project was the band Xiu Xiu, but what nonfiction I’ve read since then has fleshed it out into an actual narrative.

What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?

A short story called ‘Minutes’ that helped me get into my MA in the first place. I just struck gold with the plot, and it’s naturally one of my most “polished” pieces of writing. I would ideally like to do something else with it!

Have you published anything? Do you want to?

Not yet, but absolutely in the future.

What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?

The publishing process doesn’t appeal to me at all - I’m not yet familiar with it. I am afraid of having to water down my work for “marketability”, however.

What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?

It’s quite hard to say. I like the feeling of when an idea comes to you just as you’re typing. That’s always a godsend. The part least appealing…it can be quite intimidating when things are workshopped, definitely.

Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.

I don’t have much of a process. I have to be able to write almost anywhere and at any time of day in order to get things done.

Your Thoughts on Writeblr:

How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?

My currently blog is under a year old. I was peripherally involved from about 2018 to 2021, after which it became my primary tumblr community.

Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?

Some of my favourite are @queenslayerbee, @aninkwellofnectar , @ryns-ramblings, @dallonwrites! Tumblr either suggested I follow them or I found their blogs via discord.

What is your favorite part about writeblr?

I like a lot of the tag games - especially find the word.

What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?

In the nicest possible way, a lot of the writing advice is really, really bad. I am begging writeblr to realise not everyone needs to post writing advice and that is okay!

How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?

I could be doing more, but I have reservations about sharing my own work and I’m not qualified to be giving advice so all I can do now is help promote others.

What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?

Posts that ask a question to the community as a whole about their creative processes, tag games and excerpts also.

What kind of posts do you most like to make?

I don’t know! There’s not a lot of writeblr posts I can make. I do like making silly little jokey posts about what I’m writing that only make sense of me, I suppose.

Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?

I am on storygraph as @/fortunavhs, Instagram as @/absinthiumwriting and discord as malcontent#7884!

[sigynpenniman]

SIGYN’S TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2024: #5 - Queen I - the 2024 remaster

The 2024 remaster of Queen’s self-titled debut album, here renamed from just “Queen” to “Queen I” to acknowledge the existence of follow up album Queen II, sits at the bottom of my list exclusively by virtue of being a remaster/re-release and not an all new album. The original master of Queen I is plagued horribly by production and audio quality best charitably described as Crunchy, in a way no lossless vinyl transfer FLAC can remedy. While I don’t always find remasters to be especially useful when they’re of recent-ish albums which sounded fine to begin with, if there was ever an album that needed a proper modern remaster to clean it up it’s this one. Unlike some remasters the audio quality difference here is IMMEDIATELY noticeable especially on some of the crunchiest original tracks - “Liar” probably comes out the best here, basically sounding like you’re finally hearing it the way it was actually meant to be heard. In addition to finally uncrunching the original masters Queen I bundles a whole bunch of bonus content, mostly demos, alternate takes and parts of the Live At The Rainbow live album. These are interesting enough if you like Queen enough to be interested in the minute variances and different expressive takes of the songs, but beyond the cleaned up original masters the best thing here are the backing track development & demo tracks, most of which include some - or a lot - of ancillary spoken vocal, spoken timings, commentary on the recording process, or just adorable artistic frustration. The absolute best thing here is My Fairy King (Trident Backing Track In Development) which is a 6-minute audio recording of Freddie & the guys trying to lay down the backing track for My Fairy King and growing increasingly, adorably frustrated trying to master the song’s light speed piano intro. Freddie talks and complains and curses, all with warm laugher in his sweet voice, always so high and gentle. The assorted legendaria of Queen has always been that outside of his larger than life crowd-mastering stage personas Freddie was actually an incredibly quiet, sweet, gently mannered person, it’s so abundantly clear here. Being a metaphorical fly on the wall to the unspeakably intimate, casual moments as the greatest band in history play, talk, and tune their instruments is so overwhelming that playing this for the first time had me sobbing in my car, imagining a world where Freddie is still here with us. Because make no mistake - this is the greatest band in history, and that’s an opinion I will take no rebuttals on. The Beatles can have spot number 2. Without Queen there would be almost none of what I love so much that came after, across so many genres. I can think of few bands or artists I love that don’t have at least a little bit to owe to Queen, from Rhapsody of Fire and Trans Siberian Orchestra to a particular well loved emo rock quartet whose legacy, aesthetic, and general thing is so tightly intertwined with Queen’s that they’ve been being mentioned in the same breath for as long as the latter existed; you can almost map the members’ personalities onto each other 1-for-1. Because it’s important to remember that the early 2000s emo-rock explosion, and most especially the hyper-theatrical trinity at its center, are the inheritors of this legacy. Without Queen, there is no Panic at the Disco (a fact which becomes painfully obvious listening to some of shameless hollow retreads on Viva Las Vengence), there is no Fall Out Boy, and without Freddie, Brian, Roger and John, there is very certainly no Frank, Mikey, Ray and Gerard.

There are times where the foundational and codifying texts of a genre become somewhat comparatively boring over time, easy to appreciate and respect for their importance but feeling sort of primitive and uninteresting compared to the dozens of things which evolved and expanded improved on their work in the years or decades after. This is very much not so with Queen. Queen are, I think, one of those bands who somehow remain under-appreciated despite being one of the most famous and loved bands of all time, I think there are few people alive on earth who don’t know Bohemian Rhapsody by heart but far fewer who’ve dug into the deep cuts on things like Hot Space and Jazz. If you’ve ever liked Queen at all, at any point, go pull the Queen I remaster up and give it a listen - it will remind you, if you ever forgot, why Queen are in fact the band of all time.

[telomeke]

MY SCHOOL PRESIDENT – REPRESENTATION MATTERS

Maybe it's just my own wishful thinking, and maybe it's too early to tell for sure (though I don't think so), but remembering what Producer Aof, Director Au and the rest of the team did with Bad Buddy – it looks like the MSP team is giving a positive shout-out to the spectrum, even while anchoring the series firmly within the BL genre.

We have–

TinnGun – gay

SoundWin – gay, though Win may be bi/pan

TiwPor – likely gay

YoNook – straight

And Ep.7 suggests Pat may be straight/bi/pan but he comes across as more ace or arrow (to me at least).

And FINALLY the lesbians get a mention! 😍

(above) Ep.7 [3I4] 5.04 – musical-loving lesbians exist, even if they do break Pat's heart

I'm just hoping they give us a trans character somewhere too – oh WAIT a goshdang hot Bangkok minute, they already did! 😍

(above) Ep.5 [3I4] 7.13

The role of the producer at GMM Music in Ep.5 was played by actor and host Golf Kittipat Chalaragse, who openly identifies as a transgender woman.

It's important to note that she is treated by the boys with utmost respect in her one scene, and also that she broke disappointing news to Gun (not being shortlisted for signing despite his obvious talent) with kindness and empathy.

This quietly positive portrayal of a trans character in a position of influence is important for all the trans kids out there who might be watching this. (And yes, I'm aware that Golf's character in the show is not specifically identified as trans, but given her fame in Thailand I think most Thai viewers would see her as such.)

Bearing in mind that My School President is a lightly-crafted Thai-style High School Musical taking place in a QL universe, I believe that it is still carrying the sense of mission previous (more strident) Thai QL dramas have been sounding – The Eclipse, Not Me, and even Bad Buddy come to mind.

As with most other QL series, no one is treated as being less than anybody else based on gender or sexuality. So the boys take their Ep.6 music video – about the awkwardness of being in love while in the friendzone – happily into BL territory, free from any fear of societal judgement.

Previous dramas that did this (to the best of my memory) had an older target demographic, but this one is sending out a message of hope and normalization to a younger audience that it's OK if your sexuality or gender isn't society's perceived norm.

And to those who fit within the perceived norm as well, there is also the messaging that the trials and tribulations of your queer friends, family and compatriots have a lot in common with the dramas of your cishet lives too – so maybe it's time to stop othering anybody for being a little bit (or even a lot) different. (This is ultimately the message behind the switch from straight couples to BL ones in the Ep.6 music video, and also the BL switch in Bad Buddy's Kwan-Riam musical.)

It's not the first time a BL has been sending out messages geared to bolster queer self-esteem and normalization, but it's the first high school one in recent memory that seems to be radiating positivity all around, and hopefully its message will land with the younger set.

(above) Bad Buddy Ep.10 [2/4] 12.20 – Pran's t-shirt wasn't ahead of its time, but its message still applies a year later

Heartstopper may already have done this, and its finished product is perhaps a bit more realistically grounded and polished, but that show was restricted to a smaller, paying and arguably older audience on Netflix.

I cannot begin to emphasize how important it is that My School President and its messages of positive self-worth are beamed free-of-charge to LGBTQ+ teens all over the world, including places where it might not even be safe to be openly LGBTQ+.

My School President may be going all out to entertain (and it does), but beneath the froth and fluff it's still doing something. With the team behind it I wouldn't have expected anything less. And I'm so glad they're at it still. 💖 👍

[achorusofnonsense]

Of Stoats and Systems

Things are getting heated on various platforms but rather than @ anyone and contribute to the engagement spiral I thought I'd just lay out the various pieces of information that have caught my attention about Dimension 20's upcoming season, and the inferences and assumptions that I'm bringing to them, and see whether any of it resonates.

Evidence

Exhibit A: In the first Fireside Chat, the talkback show for actual-play podcast Worlds Beyond Number, Erika Ishii references a "cyberpunk Watership Down" concept, and is hushed by Aabria Iyengar, who says that it may be coming up sooner than Erika thinks.

Exhibit B: In the SAG-AFTRA production signatory database, a season of Dimension 20 is listed with the working title of Stoatal Recall.

Exhibit B.5: The 1990 film Total Recall (as well as the 2012 remake), based on a 1966 short story by Philip K. Dick, "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," concerns a man who undergoes a memory-alteration procedure which may or may not turn him into a superspy, depending on whether the events of the movie are all in his head or not. The important part here is the theme of ability enhancement.

Exhibit C: Once the Burrow's End trailer was released, the two pieces of media that were officially referenced by Dropout as inspirations for the season were very obviously Watership Down (1972 book, 1978 animated adaptation) but equally consequentially, The Secret of NIMH (1982 animated adaptation of the 1971 book Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH).

Exhibit C.5: The central premise of the NIMH stories is that experiments done on rats by the National Institute of Mental Health gave them human-like intelligence, organizational capabilities, and (in the movie) access to magic and the use of weapons.

Exhibit D: Aabria, in both a Bluesky post and a Tumblr tag essay which have been widely shared, has explained that she chose 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons as the system for Burrow's End not due to comfort with a familiar system or to commercial pressure to not deviate from what fans are used to, but because particular elements of the system design lent themselves to the specific story she wanted to tell in ways that no other TTRPG she knew could.

Cross Examination

Now, many people have taken this to mean that intense and recurring violence is a central aspect of the season, since one of the most obviously robust elements of D&D is its battle simulation mechanics. (There are, of course, many TTRPGs which incorporate mechanics for drawn-out, granular combat, several of which position small woodland creatures in a big dangerous forest instead of traditional fantasy races in a fantasy realm as the protagonists.)

Others have suggested that D&D's elaborate magic system is the key element, since bits of the trailer suggest that the Stupendous Stoats are granted some kind of magical abilities by the Blue. (Games where woodland creatures specifically use magic are rather thinner on the ground, but there are again many TTRPGs that support a wide variety of magical abilities with a high degree of customization.)

I've even seen people proposing that D&D's fundamental origins as a killing-and-looting game rooted in 20th century imperialist narratives in which powerful people go into uncivilized lands, plunder their treasures and are considered heroes for it, is the point, especially since stoats are predators that take over the burrows of animals they kill, and are an invasive species in some parts of the world. (Other games about imperialist conquest and the ramifications of power achived by violence do exist, although it would be untrue to say that D&D is not the market leader there.)

Closing Argument

But if I'm looking at the themes of the works that appear to have been the most direct inspiration for Burrow's End, there's something else that D&D does more completely, if not actually better, than just about every other system.

A fundamental theme of the cyberpunk genre is the use of technology to exceed current human limitations, whether through biohacking, neuromancy, or even merely robotics so advanced as to be indistinguishable from humanity. Even if the technological element does not seem to be overtly present in Burrow's End, exceeding limitations does.

As a film, Total Recall was deeply influenced by cyberpunk, which was itself deeply influenced by Philip K. Dick's work, but the concept of a procedure which could endow a normal man with the capacity for action-movie violence and a deeper awareness of the reality behind the façade of the everyday is, obviously, older than cyberpunk.

In Watership Down, rabbits whose mental abilities exceed those of other rabbits often attribute them to a kind of mystical communion with deific figures in rabbit mythology; in the NIMH stories, the rats' enhanced abilities are more straightforwardly attributed to human experimentation.

In every case, the concept of abilities that increase over time and exceed the natural physiology of the protagonist species is an essential part of the worldbuilding of the source material. And what D&D does more of than almost every other system, perhaps what it does to excess, even to the exclusion of design elements that would better contribute to a satisfying narrative, is power leveling.

Speculation

As you might expect from the foregoing, I take the position that power leveling is, in itself, not particularly compelling as a central narrative (unless your horizon for compelling narratives is limited to video-game RPGs and shonen anime, I suppose), even though it's endemic as a narrative device. As I sarcastically noted elsewhere: "it's impossible to have adventure without also having power fantasy, I've been told by every media property aimed at boys since the Carter administration."

But the tone of the trailer for Burrow's End is hardly that of a shonen anime or Schwarzenegger film. And as a listener of Worlds Beyond Number I can't really believe that Aabria just wants to level up her stoats to a point where the dangers of the forest are trivial and even the dangers of whatever human institution (there are camo-covered trucks tucked away in the DM screen) may be responsible for their ability score increases are managable. What I can't stop thinking about, what tantalizes me, is the possibility of power leveling as a narrative device that can go both ways. What if deleveling is also on the table?

And the work I haven't seen anyone else reference but has always been paired in my head with Mrs Frisby & the Rats of NIMH since I read them both as a tween, one of the supreme works of sci-fi psychological horror (even though it isn't usually discussed in those terms), is Flowers for Algernon.

[ginger-snap-talkin-nonsense]

I don’t know if you remember this, but I once sent you a really fucking dumb ask that described sitcoms as “painfully white”, among many other stupid things. I would like to apologize for that, fully. I actually love sitcoms, and I’m ashamed that I let your’s/Lily’s extreme, dogmatic OBSESSION with/hilariously impotent rage at people who just DIDN’T fucking like them. Make me feel like I had to reactively hate them as a result. Some of my favorite shows are sitcoms, I’m literally laughing my ASS off to one in the background while typing this, and I’m more than happy to say that I don’t think ANYBODY is a “fascist” for never giving a sitcom a second glance.

See, I thought that your’s/Lily’s extreme insecurity about y’alls OWN enjoyment of a tiny handful of specific sitcoms. Meant that I would also have to reflect that same shit-flinging insecurity in my own love of sitcoms, and I fucking HATED that idea Ginger! Fucking HATED. IT!!!

But I’ve grown quite a bit sense then (as far as my enjoyment of sitcoms goes) and I realized that the myopic devotion to ONLY watching sitcoms/considering (a few of) them to be the ONLY fucking TV shows worth watching. Wasn’t an inherent aspect of enjoying sitcoms. I can enjoy sitcoms and also a WIDE variety of other media, within all different types of genres/tropes/characters, because that’s how normal people generally watch media.

MY problem was that I had spent a little too much time immersed the extremely rigid joylessness/ragebait of your’s and Lily’s accounts that ONLY ever consider a painfully narrow selection of media even REMOTELY worth fucking watching. That made me feel like it was all or nothing with sitcoms! But it’s not is the thing. You and Lily are just media illiterate fucking LOSERS who can’t handle watching anything other than the same five sitcoms on repeat for the rest of your nightmarish little lives.

When in reality, regular people enjoy TONS of more sitcoms than JUST the most ableist/racist ones. While also enjoying a ridiculously larger amount of types of stories/genres that you misery wallowing, terminally online shitweasels couldn’t even BEGIN to wrap your emotionally stunted fucking brains around!

You know genuinely there is nothing funnier than this fella continuing to write full essays to me on tumblr pleading and sniveling and begging for me to validate their hairline crack wide “media diversity” because I said once in a podcast over a year ago that liking more than one thing is important to being a healthy and functioning person-and they feel the need to prove that I’ve got a slim genre diversity streak because I talked about a single sitcom being pretty okay once 9 months ago and its literally all they think about.

Like geez man, the obsession is kind of tragic-its not even about media diversity. I’m not a person you’re fighting-I’m your fandom, aren’t I? I’m the thing that keeps you from expanding your horizons with my mere existence. You need me and desperately want me to know you exist. Im your blorbo.

How sad.

[lilareviewsbooks]

An Entry Level Guide To Fantasy Books: Fantasy Lit. 101

So, you wanna start reading fantasy, but you're kinda overwhelmed with the amount of books there are out there? As a fantasy veteran, I'll give you a couple of options of how to get into the genre and become well-seasoned, yourself :)

First, some important things to remember:

If you've never read fantasy before in your life, let me warn you: fantasy can be confusing. An element of fantasy is something called "world-building", where authors create a new world that is as divorced for ours as they would like it to be. This means there are different countries, languages, people, customs and institutions. If you've ever been to foreign country, the experience of beginning a fantasy book is quite similar - everything is weird and you don't speak the language.

This is why the first couple of chapters may be difficult. You will be unfamiliar with certain terms, for example, as well as lack the context to understand certain actions the characters make. However, remember: the author does not expect you to understand every element of their world at this stage of your reading journey. They understand you have just arrived in this world, and are learning. The situations and words you will see in the first couple of pages are usually there on purpose so that you will slowly learn them and finish the book understanding everything perfectly. Be patient with yourself.

It's also important to remember that many books are part of series, sometimes long ones, and that these series are sometimes part of universes. Think the MCU: everything is connected. This means reading a single book worth of fantasy might not be enough to read a complete story. For the beginning of your journey, I would recommend not trying for anything with more than 4 books, unless you feel pretty confident you will not loose interest. Fantasy series can be tough to read because you have to remember a lot of information from one book to the next - smaller series will be easier because you won't have to do this too much.

Lastly: listen to your heart. This sounds silly but - if you're craving a certain fantasy series, and it's not on this list, or anywhere else, just do it. The worst that can happen is you give yourself a headache. Try. You can always return to it when you feel you have a better grasp of the genre.

Now, let's do some recommendations:

OPTION 1: Start With Middle Grade

Most people start their fantasy journey when they are kids, so why not replicate this experience? There are plenty of quality, well-written and interesting children's books in the genre. They will be easier to understand, their world-building more forth-coming to you and their ideas are usually pretty delightful. You won't be bored!

My personal recommendation would be Nevermoor, by Jessica Townsend. It's one of my favorite books! It's secondary world fantasy (the real world does not exist inside the book), but our main character is new to the town she lives in, and so she learns things bit by bit, alongside the reader. Also, it's just delightful, and so will not be giving you any headaches. The story follows Morrigan as she is whisked away to the magical city of Nevermoor by the charming Jupiter North. There, she will compete in a series of trials to become part of an elite school called the Wundurous Society!

It's a series, with 3 books currently, and more to come. But it's very easy to read, and so I wouldn't discourage you at all from giving it a go!

OPTION 2: Start With Young Adult

I understand though, that for many people middle-grade is too young. So I'd try some fantasy that's aimed for teens. It holds the same benefits as middle-grade: easier to read, and usually in smaller series.

I would recommend Six Of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo. It's part of a larger shared universe, but reading just Six Of Crows and its sequel gives you a complete story (and the other books aren't nearly as good). Almost universally beloved, the series follows a cast of rag-tag characters as they attempt a heist to an impenetrable prison.

Six Of Crows is a lot of fun, which is why I chose it! The pacing is very good, and although there is a bit of world-building to get through in the beginning, things soon clear up. The focus of the story is mostly the characters, and they are excellent!

OPTION 3: Start With Novellas

Novellas are small works that are usually in the 100 to 200 page range. In fantasy, a genre known for its behemoths, a novella is a welcome sight - and good starting point!

A lot of novellas, though, can be places for authors to experiment with crazy ideas, and so can be quite complex: pick wisely. Tor.com, an famous speculative fiction imprint, has plenty of options, but be aware of that. My personal pick would be The Singing Hills Cycle, by Nghi Vo.

It's a series of novellas - you can pick any one as a starting point, and it'll be a self-contained story. It follows the adventures of cleric Chih, whose monastery collects stories and memories. They are accompanied by a talking bird called Almost Brilliant, who slays. Personally, I think the best one is Mammoths At The Gates.

OPTION 4: Start With A Standalone

Starting with a book that has no sequels is also a good idea: and a quick way to know if you're into that style of fantasy. I'd try Babel, by R.F. Kuang.

Although it broaches complex themes of imperialism, language and white feminism, to name a few, Babel's world is our world, with a few magical elements thrown in. The magic system is pretty straightforward to understand, and most of the difficulties the novel presents are what you'd encounter in some good historical or literary fiction.

The story follows Robin, who is orphaned in Canton and brought to England by an Oxford professor, in order to become a magical translator at their prestigious silver-making institute. This one is also a favorite of the bookish community - and for a reason!

OPTION 5: Start With A Series

If you're determined to read an adult fantasy series, I think the best way to go would be another duology: She Who Became The Sun, by Shelley Parker-Chan is an excellent pick. Much like Babel, although the book does deal with complicated themes, the magic is pretty straight-forward. It does require a little bit of brain power as the cast of characters is a bit on the larger side, if I remember correctly.

The story follows Zhu, who is orphaned and impoverished in 1345 China. She takes the identity of their deceased brother, who was promised greatness by a fortune-teller. Soon, she begins to strive for that greatness, as she and the monks who gave her sanctuary are threathened by Mongol rule.

(Another good option might be R.F. Kuang's earlier books, starting with The Poppy War. But I didn't want to repeat an author! hahaha)

OPTION 6: Start With A Challenge

But, I'm sure there's people who would hate to start with an "easy" pick, and would instead like more of a challenge. I'd recommend this path if you're used to other genres where being confused is par for the course, like sci-fi or historical fiction, or are a long time reader.

I'd recommend The Final Empire, also known by most as Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson. The writing style here, is quite direct. The world-building is a bit more complex, especially the magic system. But I think the combination of the two makes for a more pleasant experience.

In Misborn, the world is a barren wasteland and the Skaa toil away in the fields, enslaved. We follow Vin, a street orphan, as she gets involved in a rebellion and learns she has the magical abilities of a Mistborn.

For a more queer option, try A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark. It is part of a shared universe, but the other works are novellas, and this can be read as a standalone. It follows Fatma el-Sha’arawi, the youngest woman to ever work for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, and her new partner as they try to uncover a mystery. The world-building is based in real 1912 Cairo, and the case our characters need to solve is the cornerstone of the book, making it more approachable.

That's all the recommendations I have, but I understand everyone comes from different places to fantasy literature! If you want some help, please don't hesitate to comment and we'll find a book for you :))

[quonka]

The Art of Putting on Horror Ambiance in Order to Emulate Getting Hunted for Sport, in Hopes that the Adrenaline Produced Forces You to Lock In

Not to brag, but my attention span is pretty miserable. Even things I genuinely enjoy doing are shoved to the side and neglected in the favor of doing actually, literally nothing.

Knowing this fact about me then, it may come as no surprise that getting myself to do schoolwork is an actual herculean task that I either have to trick myself into doing somehow; or as it ends up being in most cases, have to be forced into doing by my own debilitating fear of the due date, now only one night's sleep away, and its consequences on my GPA.

Maybe this sense of fear, this sense of myself in direct opposition to an impending aftermath, is why having horror game OST's playing in my ears when I'm writing is so effective. Misery loves company.

"Anyone else hiding in the comments right now?"

I don't actually have an extensive history of playing horror games-- instead, my knowledge comes from watching them at probably too young an age on YouTube.

My main sources of horror game content came from Markiplier-- of course-- and a much smaller youtuber that at the time when I first watched him eleven years ago, went by Harshly Critical, but now goes by John Wolfe. Both men have played an extensive amount of indie horror games-- some good, and some really, really bad, and some just completely mediocre and forgettable-- and I watched them all. Or at least my fair share of them.

Baby's First Horror Game

The first horror game that I ever personally played, and actually beat instead of turning it off at the first sign of terror, was a game called Darkwood, officially released in 2017 by Acid Wizard Studio.

I didn't even play it off one of their recommendations either-- I had no idea this game existed in any capacity until one day in 2020 when I was scrolling through the Play Station Store, specifically looking for interesting horror games to try.

The first thing about the game that grabbed me was the horrific (in the best way) cover art, but what got me to actually buy the game and play it was its insistence on the minimal presence of jump scares--

At the time, and after the commercial success of Five Nights at Freddy's and its multiple sequels, a series whose staple was the jump scare; many horror game consumers became soured to that convention of the genre-- often calling them out as "cheap" and "out of nowhere lazy bullshit". This sentiment among the community was evidently common enough to be able to market one's game off of. I do remember thinking it was a bit pretentious-- giving off a major "I'm different from other horror games" feel-- but I guess it worked. because I did in fact purchase the game.

And they were absolutely in their right to claim their game as "an atmospheric horror experience that creates a feeling of tension without cheap horror tricks."

Dull of One Sense Sharpens Another

Despite the art on the cover, the actual game itself is pixelated-- for the most part. In fact, the only times when you aren't in immediate danger is when you're sat across from characters that look like this:

That is exactly what makes the sound and music design so genius though; it's that importance of it, that necessity. When the gameplay looks like this--

-- that is to say in a Top-Down perspective with generally dark and muddy, muffled colors; You have to listen for the threats, instead of just normally being able to see them in HD.

That's another thing too, as seen in the photo, there is a specific, defined area that is lit up where enemies can be seen. However, in the game, anything outside of that sliver of light-- anything behind you-- will not be visible until you turn around and shine your light on it. This leads to a lot of enemies inevitably sneaking up on you, and in this game's case where you have extremely limited health and stamina reserves (the red and silver bars in the top left corner), you have to learn to listen for them or else they will easily kill you.

I think then that the intense amount of focus I put into listening for sticks around me breaking, or for sounds of shuffling and growling, all on top of the general game's ambiance and soundtrack, conditioned my brain into focusing whenever the game's music plays.

The Buzzword

Darkwood, authored by Artur Kordas who had a large part in the development of the entire game, has a fantastic assortment of songs that all flow smoothly into each other-- and just they are designed to in the game, they fade into the background, providing a consistent atmosphere so that you can focus on the task at hand-- or at least so that I can.

There are also one or two songs that refuse to wash away into mood music. My favorite song on the album, "Underground", is a perfect example of this. It comes in with this slow and consistent, almost pulsating type of ragged noise, one that makes me picture an ugly, broken and dented, rusted, barely working trumpet, with an underneath layer that sounds like dragging stone against stone. Then around halfway through the song, an aggressive and exciting drum beat with hints of a metallic sound crescendos and crescendos, chasing the original set of sounds until it's all that's left-- completely overriding the grinding stone and leaving a thicker horn blare in replacement of the old one. This of course eventually fades into one of the common buzzing motifs found in many placing of the game's soundtrack, that's meant to signify safety, or hope.

This hasty, thrilling song provides a really nice break up and into the rest of the album, that is an even nicer subconscious reminder to my brain that there is danger if I do not promptly "pick up the pace" of my writing-- and further that there is safety on the "other side" of finishing my work.

Recommendations?

I have played many video games; some that have required a lot of my focus that aren't necessarily horror, but whose soundtracks really help me to concentrate; and I've played other horror games where the soundtracks end up more distracting than helpful. I've also played some games that are my favorites of all time, and I've put many, many hours into, where their soundtracks do absolutely nothing because they're just a little boring.

Darkwood is special in that way, where it lies in a neat, cohesive little combination that ends up perfectly suiting my need for background music when I write.

And I thought it was pretentious.

Does anyone else have specific videogame OST's that work like this for them? I'm always looking to discover new music, especially music that's ideal for studying and schoolwork-- and it definitely doesn't have to be horror; like I've said, I use multiple different genres of OST's to help me out.

Also, I feel like this goes without saying, but if you are looking for a horror game to play, I do recommend trying out Darkwood.

Or if you'd rather just listen to the soundtrack, I understand.

[bandtrees]

!!!! BSD5 EP10 SPOILERS !!!!

i take back all my ironypoisoned statements about bsd i loved that most recent episode a LOT a lot. its not like i disliked the current arc by any means, but it also reached a point in its absurdity where i stopped taking it too seriously - and MAN did this episode bring it back SO GOOD!!!

it did really well - between sigma and dazai being trapped in the flooded room, the sskk fight, the fyodor and sigma scenes, the bram and aya scenes - both with bringing all those subplots to very bleak devastating points, AND with something i have always always criticized about bsd: the violence here feels real, it has stakes - yes i expect a bsd-typical fakeout next episode after we saw dazai get (supposedly) shot to death, yes i know atsushi after being dismembered is probably gonna be fine, one way or another, cuzthats how this show rolls... BUT!!! BUT! let me bask in this until the next episode drops: the WEIGHT of it all!! how PAINFUL they made it!!!

bsd gives characters mortal injuries often, and doesnt really give them lasting impact. remember when atsushi lost his leg? kunikida lost his hands? or when dazai got shot in the eye in dark era? those bits essentially existed just for the striking imagery of violence - for the shot of dazai bleeding through his bandages, but he's still standing, pretty motionless, you know? and it's something you get used to with bsd, as much as i gripe about how the fights tend to not really have stakes...

...but this episode, though? i think going so long seeing these characters crumple and tear like paper and largely be fine, makes the absolute painful bleakness of this feel all the worse: dazai's crumpled on the floor from a broken leg, bleeding from the head, and he can't deliver many of his dazai-typical quips before he gets shot in the shoulder and just grabs it and screams. he doesn't get the satisfaction of being grabbed, or strangled, or whatever else by chuuya's hands, he doesn't even have the control of that: no, all he can do is just sit there while he's shot, over and over, and even when he's on a smarmy genre-savvy self-aware ramble, chuuya just stops him and shoots him in the head - and that's so fucking jarring and makes for INCREDIBLY striking imagery, i love it!!! for once, he's not safe! there's no plot armor! he's in so much pain and he is actively feeling it!!! AND THATS SO IMPORTANT TO HUMANIZING A CHARACTER LIKE DAZAI

AND THE SSKK FIGHT GOD DONT GET ME STARTED - the way atsushi's screams were voice acted, my god youd think they were actually tearing off yuto uemura's limbs in that recording studio. sweet jesus. you see people complain a lot about manga-aname adaptation changes but, as someone who hasnt read the manga, any cuts studio bones made were made up for by the absolutely brilliant audio - the music and voice acting - in every way, in this episode. the screams of pain. fyodor's gayass little stunt. so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

also sigma was awesome. aya was awesome. bram was awesome. fyodor made me feel a type of way (HIS ACTING WAS SO GOOD. MY GOD!!! TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SIGMA'S NAIVETE LIKE THAT!!! SPEAKING TO THEM IN TROPES BECAUSE THEY'RE LITERALLY A BOOK CHARACTER AAAUHHHH). 10/10 we are so fucking back. I LOVE ANIME.

[the-scottish-costume-guy]

I would love to read your essays on the Barbie movie

Okay so to do a proper essay I'd need to watch the movie again a few times and it'd take me weeks if not months - in all likelihood I will not be able to convince anyone to publish it. That said my partner really wants me to write something so maybe I'll make the time. Until then: an extended kinda analytical review: WARNING: spoilers ahead:

Whenever looking at a movie like this its important to establish the genre and genre conventions before doing any analysis. The Barbie movie is a comedy, its satirical, and it’s a feelgood movie made by a corporation. Some of my gripes with this movie are personal taste, some are flaws inherent in these genres or production means, please take everything I say as personal opinion. (I say this because I have noticed people taking my opinions as law because of what I study before and please don’t’ they are just opinions.)

The Barbie movie could be analysed with a queer lens, and a feminist one. Queer theory is more my area, but the parts I’m going to be talking about often overlap with feminist theory. I’m not going to talk so much about the opening, but I will talk a bit about character. Following Stereotypical Barbie is a good choice for the film as it lets us analyse some parts of toxic femininity. This is more subtle than the films analysis of toxic masculinity, but it is present. The non-normative Barbie is ‘Weird Barbie’ according to the others, and nobody wants to talk to her. Our Barbie is ‘malfunctioning’ because she has thoughts that are wrong, her day isn’t perfect, her body isn’t perfect, and she doesn’t want to open her mind and do the work to change – she wants to stay the same. Non-conformance is undesirable. ‘Weird Barbie’ is unwanted and alone while the others have girls night every night and are beloved by Ken. The film doesn’t analyse this too far beyond a brief statement at the end that things shouldn’t go back to the way they are, and an apology to ‘weird Barbie’. I do think its interesting that the scene where Barbie is ‘malfunctioning’ is one of the only times her outfit isn’t pink. Instead she’s in blue. Blue is a colour that to my memory wasn’t used much in the film – and it did well serving to make our Barbie stand out in that scene. So obviously Stereotypical Barbie goes on her journey and discovers things about herself and others – learns the world isn’t perfect. I don’t know how I feel about the conclusion of her becoming human at the end. I understand the thought process here – Stereotypical Barbie can’t exist as she is, her perfection is unattainable. She needs to become human because Barbie does need to reflect humans more, its why there have been so many variations over the years. That said it felt cheesy, the montage about understanding what being human means felt hollow and empty – I remember a lot of women and girls laughing and playing, I do not remember grief, failure in amongst the success. If the warning is “understand what it means to be human” I would have expected the good and the bad together. I know there are differing opinions on the concluding scene, but I personally think it was a misstep. Having Barbie becomes real = Barbie gets a vagina, felt like it went counter to the previous message of “Human isn’t something I have to ask for, its just something I realise I am one day.” Barbie already became real because of her thoughts and feelings, making her have a vagina at the end felt weirdly essentialist.

Now, onto the Kens.

The Kens are a great example of what one author (Jack Halberstam if you want to find them) I’ve been reading calls ‘Kinging’. They draw the term from Drag Kings, as a parody of masculinity – a bit earnest at times, but often exaggerating and playing off masculinity for comedic effect. The examples they give in their book include Austin Powers – but honestly this movie feels like the best example. The Kens are childlike, they’re a bit stupid and at least at times well meaning. Our Ken learns about the patriarchy but doesn’t understand what it means and brings it back to Barbie Land anyway. The inversion of reality to Barbieland is an interesting one – the Ken are too reactive and too stupid for politics – something the film barely comments on or analyses beyond a tongue in cheek joke about the kens one day having as much power as women do in the real world. I don’t think this is a bad thing, inversion for the sake of a statement is fine – and if men watching don’t understand that ‘of course men aren’t actually like ken’ is the point that’s on them. Also ‘I’m just Ken’ has been in my head for a solid day now. There could be a discussion about how “Sugar Daddy Ken” and “Magic Earring Ken” were not subscribing to the instated patriarchy Our Ken brings back from the real world. I’m not sure if this was a good choice or not, very ‘Ladies and gays’ moment. That said the ‘Weird’ Barbies and Kens do have to break the normal Barbies out of their brainwashing so I suppose its more of a commentary on counter cultures recognising the flaws of society? Now onto where I really think the movie fell flat. The CEO and board of Mattel. For the Kens, being stupid, bumbling and a bit over the top made sense – they’re dolls. For the board of Mattel it came off much more as ‘if we make this funny its less threatening’ when actually no it should be threatening? In reality the board has one less woman then men, though the company is still predominantly male. This whole running gag just sat badly with me. It really felt like “no no no the corporation is harmless, honest.” At the end of the day nothing changes in the real world – and again I get that’s part of the point, the real world takes more work than one imagination and one movie. But our lead, real women don’t even seem to be that empowered by their experiences? Its implied that one remains at her day job and the other, although having a better relationship with her mother, doesn’t see the real world any differently. Theres a little bit of an element of ‘whats the point’ that feels counter to the films message. I’m probably being just cynical here – again change is slow, change takes communal effort. Finally, although touched on the film could have done much more to look at its own consumerist message. Its kind of a throw away line – and that Barbie is unattainably perfect is ‘solved’ by one request for an ordinary Barbie which Mattel agrees to because ‘it will sell’. The film barely grapples with this which is a shame because given how much of the rest of the film had really interesting dialogue on society, gender and personal identity, I think they could have done some interesting things with consumerism and capitalism. Anyway this is just from one watch through and a bit of time to think, I’d need a lot more time to solidify some of these ideas and work out a full analysis (ideally with more costume elements involved).

[thesinglesjukebox]

IZZY HELTAI - "25"

From Thomas, a country-adjacent trans singer-songwriter reflecting on his quarterlife...

[6.38]

Thomas Inskeep: Heltai's a trans male folk-adjacent singer/songwriter in his mid-20s who's been getting better with each release, but "25" is a genuine knockout. The song starts out with him worrying about worrying too much and "try[ing] so hard"; his mom reminds him that he's got plenty of time to do, and figure out, things. It's a sweet and simple, loping, strummy number -- think Jason Mraz if he were actually good. But then the bridge comes along, and OOF: "And if I peaked in high school/Then maybe I wouldn't care/But I was just another queer kid/And I thought that I'd be dead/By the time that I turned 20/Guess I'm pushing all my luck/Living past my life expectancy/'Cause trans kids normally don't get this far." The first time I heard this, I started sobbing; it still nails me in the gut and the heart. As someone who was a queer kid in high school who thought (and often hoped) I'd be dead, let alone who realized in my early 50s that my gender identity is neither what the world nor I had perceived it to be, I feel these lines acutely. And Heltai's singing style is so laconic that the lyrics creep up on you. He's not overly emoting, just being very "this is my truth" about it, which makes the impact that much harder. He's one of our best right now, and this is without question my single of the year. [10]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: Oh no! I think this song is sweet and meaningful and a beautifully honest rendering of trans and queer young adulthood but I also think it sounds like Mac DeMarco! Diversity win? [6]

Will Adams: There's an earnestness that elevates "25" above the more cynical spate of mental health pop songs we saw in the late '10s, and a warm pop-rock arrangement is always welcome. But I'm 31 now; while I still struggle with how to just live in this world -- we all do -- I've aged out of this particular mode of struggle, which verges on the naive. All I can do is take comfort in its existence; what "Vermillion" was for me at a point in my life, "25" will be for someone out there. [6]

Oliver Maier: I tried for a moment to think of what genre you would call this, but truth be told it just sounds like Spotify to me. It's Vibe-core. Soulful but not effortful indie rock-lite that's always home by curfew. I feels like it's everywhere, but I couldn't name another song that does it because they all feel so disposable (probably something by Rex Orange County; if not patient zero, he's surely a super-spreader). And Izzy is trying to sing about something of enormous importance on the bridge here! Why do this topic such a disservice with such nothing music and self-infantilising lyrics? The way he punctuates the god-forsaken therapist line with a seltzer spray of guitar noise (wake up!!! Mental health is happening!!!) makes me groan. 25 is not too old to have a little more imagination. It's too old to be singing like that, though. [1]

Vikram Joseph: A neat way to recalibrate yourself in time is to remember all the things you worried you might be too old to do 5 years ago, and then to think about how young your 5-years-ago self seems to you now, and then to think about how young your current self will seem to you in 5 years time. Izzy Heltai talks himself round in a similar way on "25", a sweet and wholesome (if slightly unadventurous) bit of country-pop. It's all lolloping guitar and creaky synth, gentle and comforting, at least until Heltai reminds us that "trans kids normally don't get this far." [6]

Ian Mathers: It'd be real easy for me, a cishet white dude who remembers 25 and also remembers not having a lot of 'real' problems at 25, to shrug off this guy worrying that he hasn't done enough at that age. But even if things didn't feel different in general in 2023 (and they do!), Heltai takes time in this sweet and charming song to make explicit why my demographic peers should maybe shut up and think about it a bit: "Guess I'm pushing all my luck/Living past my life expectancy/'Cause trans kids normally don't get this far." It can take a lot to actually feel like you've still got time. "25" is lovely because it feels like, even if just recently, Heltai knows he does. [7]

Hannah Jocelyn: "Why do I try so hard?" I'm working four jobs, and it's not enough; I'm lucky to have a supportive family and supportive friends, I'm lucky in so many ways. I have people telling me I'll get there someday, but it's a ticking clock, isn't it? We know where the country's going; who knows how much time we have left regardless of age. On the bridge of the year, Izzy Heltai says: "Guess I'm pushing all my luck/Living past my life expectancy/'Cause trans kids normally don't get this far/That's why I try so hard." I wasn't sure I'd get this far, either; my egg cracked at 17, and it took the world ending at 22 for me to pursue transition. Sure, I had the privilege of passing as a cis guy, but ask anyone who really knew me and it did not outweigh the suffering I felt. Even now, I have trouble thinking about a five-year plan because I don't know what life will look like for people like me and Izzy in the future. So I find the purposeful naivety of this song affecting; we're going to keep on going anyway and inspiring one another, fuck you. "25" isn't a masterpiece; the production is pristine but uninspired adult alternative (give or take some distorted guitars and a pretty chorused bit at the end), and the pacing of the song is too slow even if the bridge pays it off beautifully. But it doesn't need to be a colossal achievement. We're just trying to live. [8]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: The perfect soundtrack to an award-winning, coming-of-age tearjerker premiering at Sundance. [2]

Katherine St Asaph: His heart is in the right place, and his guitars eventually get there. "25" is self-released, so I'm sure this is exactly the sound he wants to make. But as the Mandy, Indiana single demonstrated, it's possible to have both a message and an instrumental that doesn't sound like James Blunt. [3]

Taylor Alatorre: At first this comes across as a less knotty and warbled take on Pinegrove's emo-Americana fusion, though the unaffectedness of the writing tells me Heltai likely arrived at this synthesis independently. Then that classic alt-rock crunch drops in, with a tone that says "hey, I don't usually use guitars like this in my music, so you'd better listen up." It's a good way to mirror the shifting worries and impulses depicted in the lyrics, without veering too far away from one particular headspace in one particular moment. Unlike the most famous emo-adjacent song about being 25 and aimless, the mood here is more reflective than exhortatory, with an unhurried pace that matches the implied conversational tone between Heltai and his mother. [7]

Brad Shoup: The plain-spoken nature of this--the genial self-deprecation, the way he names his fears with a shrug, the reminder to get some sleep--gets me thinking about those fantastic queer compilations that the Folkways label put together in the '70s and '80s. They're insular and open: a window to warm and messy worlds I will never truly know, but were everything to the musicians and their communities. It makes sense that the trickster coffeeshop-folk would be replaced with drawling adult alternative, and it's touching that Heltai sees the anthemic in such a straightforward text. I hope he's singing this for decades. [7]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: "25" comes from that feeling where you look around at everyone else enjoying a pleasant day and wonder if you're the only one gripped with anxiety inside about things you've put off or forgotten to do. It comes from that feeling where even after you've done the work of rejecting toxic stress and begun defining success your own way, you still feel self-conscious about your life decisions; where you feel genuinely happy for your peers upon learning about their accomplishments, but secretly and ashamedly wonder how they've all managed to reach their full potential, while your own dreams feel like a perpetual work-in-progress. It's a feeling that one day you realized your other queer friends had too, each of you gripped with the pressure of proving your own happiness and worth in a society that denied your very existence. When Izzy Heltai sings, it feels like he's one of those friends, reminding you that you're not alone. Set to an ambling beat, each confessional is accompanied by the crescendo of a lazy guitar. I hear serious healing and self-care in his voice, even as he conversationally shares interventions from his mom and therapist or casually mentions being a trans kid who didn't think he'd make it to adulthood. I turned 27 last month, officially entering into the late 20s. As an adult, I often experience happiness and community my younger self couldn't have even imagined. But on my worst days, I still feel like I'm constantly chasing a future version of myself--and I'm exhausted by that chase, and scared that I'll never stop feeling that way. I'm also a high school teacher who runs a GSA, seeing the cycles of how young queer kids mask their insecurities by pushing themselves to be the best, setting themselves up for standards they'll later need to unlearn. I want them to hear this song and o know that they're enough the way that they are and they don't have to try so hard--and I want to believe those messages for myself. The most powerful message of "25" is about extending ourselves grace. We will never run out of time to become who we truly want. [10]

Nortey Dowuona: We both got a lot of time left. [10]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[writing-for-life]

Tell me about your stories! What kind of stories you like to write? Any particular themes you like to explore? Any trope you're fond of (plot or character wise or both)? What inspire you as a writer?

Thanks so much for the ask!

I’ve been writing for as long as I remember; I think I must have written my first short stories when I was still at primary school and then got a bit more serious about it in high school (I held the school record for most words ever written in an essay for a very long time—brevity is not my forte, in absolutely nothing I write).

I am bilingual, and I usually write in my other language because I perceive it as slightly stronger (I grew up in a different country, my mum didn’t speak English with me, only my father did. I moved to an English-speaking country some 20 years ago though and mostly speak English today). My published books are all in my other language. However, I write fan fiction exclusively in English, for a million reasons, but mostly because it gives me a different voice I guess, and I can stay anonymous 😂? In any case, it’s quite interesting to explore how your voice changes between languages…

I love writing dialogue. It’s my greatest strength and my biggest weakness. I had editors tell me to look into screenwriting, and I always need to watch that I don’t write talking heads. I am not particularly fond of reading pages of descriptive text to set a scene (I don’t care about every tiniest detail of a wallpaper, unless it is truly essential for the plot and your name is Charlotte Perkins Gilman), so I think that has always bled into my own writing. I personally detest purple prose, it makes my eyes glaze over, and I don’t think it’s necessarily good writing to be ornate for ornamentation’s sake. It always reads self-indulgent to me and disrupts the narrative flow.

What inspires me? The human condition, psychology and philosophy, and although I mainly write (often steamy) romance, all my works deal with existential questions. I sometimes think it’s only romance because there’s a love story at its core, and I’ve definitely written stories that my publishers handed back to me because they didn’t fulfil genre expectations for romance enough (romance is probably the genre with the least breathing space, and publishing is a whole ‘nother topic).

Generally speaking, I think I just like people, despite being the worst introvert in existence (I am not shy, neither do I have social anxiety, and I find it important that people get that cognitive introversion is not the same as being anxious or shy. I can convincingly pretend I am an extrovert and have done presentations and performances in front of hundreds of people without problems. I can also start conversations and keep them going without trouble, and my whole life is built around human connection. But I can only do so much of it before I need to lie down in a dark room and feel completely drained, and I mostly live in my head if given the choice).

I like to write about human relationships, about grief and loss, also about trauma, but not in a self-serving way. I think the fact that I am a therapist (amongst other things—complicated life story) always makes me look at a way through instead of lingering on it, while at the same time acknowledging that these things stay with us forever. There is no life without them, but there is living with them.

I like to write female characters, and near all my works have female protagonists. I write both f/m and f/f relationships. I detest the caricature of strong women characters that seems quite popular though—they do everything the way a man does, have the physical strength of a man and generally behave like a bitch. I believe strong characters are not afraid of their vulnerability, and I find that a million times more interesting to explore and write.

Apart from that, I can work with most tropes and wouldn’t have particular problems with any if they slot nicely into the plot, but there are definitely some I haven’t written because there was just no opportunity yet, or I don’t find them particularly interesting. I mean, most of us are walking tropes in one way or another, but we’re also more than that. Am I particularly fond of particular ones? I don’t know. I quite like the idea of soul mates, and although it’s not always realistic, it’s interesting to write because it makes us think about what is important in ourselves and our connection to others. So I rather see it as an exploration of human connection than something that is the be all, end all. Funnily enough, I often write friendships that go into that direction, so it doesn’t always need to apply to sexual/romantic relationships. Even my fanfic has a female friendship in it that somewhat falls into that category, and it was important to me not to sideline it, despite it not being the main plot.