#im not a writer or interested in writing in the future id just like to communicate my thoughts better yanno

[vhstown]

hey. 😁 i might as well ask since i haven't but what do you think of my writing style ‼️‼️

do you like it do you have any critiques n could you be specific about it i would appreciate any feedback really 👍

[waterparksdrama]

hi there!! i'm newer to the realm of waterparks stuff (only really got into them during greatest hits) and based on the response to ip2 i guess i didn't realize a lot of people did NOT like ip?

when i listened to ip it def felt a bit incomplete/not as strong as their other stuff thematically or lyrically, so with ip2 i was hoping for a completion to the current 'story'. i'm anticipating that ip2 is just a wrap-up, and afterwards they'll continue with their alphabetical titles.

as someone who is more removed from waterparks fan spaces, i'm wondering what do you/other fans generally dislike (or like) about ip & how it compares to other albums? what kind of things are you hoping for future productions? i'm just interested to know! :)

i think a lot of the qualms older fans have with ip is that it’s so consumed by its insane lore that it barely makes sense just even with the first half of the album. it’s all tell but no show with shoehorned references to religion and “hypersexual” lyrics you could probably find on pop radio. not to mention the whole lamenting over fame thing again when he’s not even that famous he just has insane fans who track him online as much as he tracks them.

it’s like. the album isn’t as groundbreaking as awsten thinks lyrically and musically. the way he writes is so blunt sometimes they sound more like tweets than lyrics and sometimes blunt lyrics can work but he is definitely not someone that pulls off the sort of sardonic flat delivery that straightforward lyricists usually have when awsten is over-enunciating each word at max volume. and besides each song instrumentally just sounds like a parx song produced by zakk cervini; like you hear all these big elements that they love putting behind awsten’s overprocessed voice and it’s not really that interesting a lot of the time because of how expected it is from years of listening. and even when they do have more interesting songs like ritual, real super dark, or a night out on earth, they just kinda come off as toned down songs from greatest hits.

okay so maybe to understand where i’m coming from, i should probably make my comparisons of ip to double dare and entertainment. both dd and ent, while maybe a little less instrumentally experimental than their later albums, feel a lot more precise with their lyricism. dd establishes a lot of the themes parx repeat over the years with lyrics about falling in and out of love and obsession and learning the faults of the music industry firsthand. entertainment describes the on and off again feeling of a doomed relationship. both albums use unique imagery supported by a delivery that lets the listener pick up on those ideas (like how i can’t say jacket pocket without sounding like awsten in it follows). everything sounds more intentional than awsten just wailing about how he can’t fuck someone on ip.

my hope for other albums? awsten gets something different to write about. or at least doesn’t repeat the same 5 topics like a broken record or at least find something new to say about these things other than another song about “ugh my fans hate me ugh i hate the music industry im in love with this person actually no im not i lied”. also i think he needs to work with new producers instead of with new writers. i don’t need waterparks to sound like a one direction knockoff i want them to sound like a xiu xiu knockoff (if you can even imagine that). i think vincente void would be a cool producer for parx and id hope he’d lead them in less of the pop tryhard route they’ve been going and more towards something more unique - iz

[haesunflower]

hi tee,

hope it's not too late to send asks now.

where do u get writing inspo from?

2. do u have tips on how to improve ur writing (not necessarily grammar-wise, but in a way that makes the reader feel immersed and engaged)?

3. will u consider writing for blt blit? 🙈

4. what kind of concept do u want or think blit will have? im hoping fun & fresh because i really enjoyed wakeonez performances of "Say My Name" and "Left & Right") and it's age-appropriate for the kids (namely mun junghyun and park jihoo). i believe yunseo (other k-group yuehua member) and seungeon (svt guy) have perform svt songs on boys planet so i think it's suitable. im thinking they might have more ateez-isque vibes too? idk. share me ur thoughts and anything else related to their upcoming debut.

5. what's the last thing you listened to?

6. outside of writing, do u have any other hobbies or interests that you'd like to share?

7. what places are you interested in travelling to the future?

8. if u could live anywhere in the world, where would u live? (and why if u don't mind sharing)

HI MONI I MISSED YOU! Hope you’re doing okay!!

1. Writing inspo- I’m honestly delusional and most of my ideas come from my walking/gym sessions where I just allow my mind to float ?? Haha but I’ve been an AVID fanfic reader for years! I think I’m heavily influenced by a lot of seventeen/nct angst writers

2. For me, I always like setting the scene and adding a hook without giving too much away - makes the reader interested in continuing! I find it immersive to dedicate a few staring sentences to see the scene - give an idea of where the characters are. And Instead of going straight to the point with character dialogue, i begin with internal monologue, or a narrator insert - followed by some sort of emotion?? If that makes sense (ex: in “written in the stars” we start off with an scene setting of a busy and bustling palace, followed by y/n’s internal thoughts of wedding that is to take place soon, but it’s not her wedding? And she’s relieved about that??) this makes the reader want to continue to find out moreee

3. Hells yeah I will 😎

4. Literally give me jelly pop type concept I will be happy forever! But considering their very STRONG rap line, I’m inclined to believe that they’ll be leaning towards ateez esque vibes!

5. Always by Zhang Hao is playing at least once a day for me 😭

6. I’m a licensed scuba diver! And I genuinely love everything water related

7. Canada 🤔 and going around Europe! I’ve been to Poland but non of the neighboring countries

8. I’d love to live in Sweden for peaceful vibes?? The PH tends to get noisy and gossipy since the social circles are so small - so I’d like to go somewhere where literally nobody knows me! Maybe even Korea or Japan? Mainly because I love cityscapes and living independently in a city is actually my dream. Id say New York too but I know too many people who have moved there already

I’ll send you fun questions too!!!!

[whoviandoodler]

ok ok ok. i finished tgcf (extras excluded, my soul needs a break so i'll read those tomorrow jkddjksj) after days and days of reading (i didnt know going in that it would be like. twice the size of mdzs, but thats on me for assuming that it would be roughly as long as mdzs)

i absolutely did start reading it bcs of mdzs, bcs i loved mdzs and knew that the author's other works would absolutely be worth the while, but while i read mxtx's end notes where she talks abt how some ppl went into it expecting another mdzs, and how a second mdzs will never happy, i mostly just thought, ofc not, each book is it's own, and im actually rly happy that it wasnt like mdzs- when i went in, i was afraid that the chars would be too similar to those in mdzs (not bcs i think mxtx isnt a good writer, but bcs some authors dont know how to write dif chars for dif stories, and u never knew how an author is until u read their second work) and that i wouldnt be able to enjoy it bcs i would be stuck thinking abt mdzs the whole time, but thankfully my hope payed off and they were their own chars, and their stories v quickly hooked me and i only paid attention to them while reading

nothing will be able to top how mdzs shattered me completely, but i didnt go into tgcf expecting another emotional breakdown (i even picked it up bcs i heard it was a bit lighter than mdzs), and it actually delivered exactly what i wanted- a rly interesting, captivating story, a pleasant and enjoyable read, and something different from mdzs but still written with the same skill of mdzs

also, i rlyyy loved the way the story in tgcf is constructed- i gen believed going into it that it would be like 'ok lets find out abt the pasts of the mcs and then do adventures and be merry', like pretty straightforward (like mdzs was in a way skjskd shoot me i couldnt help coming in w expectations of similarities at the beginning), and it (in the best way) hit me from left field with its complexity and how much further it reached in the setting's depth than id expected (idk if anyone's read jordan l hawk's widdershins, but the bastard series did the same thing to me, so im wagging my finger affectionately at them both)

anyhow, excellent story, rly glad i read it, and cant wait to give svsss a try sometime in the future. thank u for ur hard work mxtx, ur works are a gift

[rewritingrosie]

Hey! I just saw your post about your discord server. Do you have to write dark academia works to join? I write fantasy and scifi and Im always looking to share but dont want to join the wrong spaces/spaces not for me! Thanks for your time

hello hello ‹𝟹 no worries, totally understandable question! I’m actually about go in and redo roles & some of the layout tonight hopefully if I get the chance, BUT I’m gonna take this opportunity to do a brief Q&A on the writing server I own!

info under cut!

WRITING SERVER Q&A ᖭི༏ᖫྀ

last updated : 06/15/23 | x | 500+ members!

1. Does your WIP have to pertain to dark academia to be permitted in the server?

Oh, this is a common question we get!! Essentially, the server itself primarily has a dark academia aesthetic to set the tone, (also just because it’s easy on the eyes!) and overall the atmosphere, but we’re inclusive of any and all genres! So whether you’re captivated by fantasy and scifi, or engrossed in a historical at the moment, you’ll find a supportive and relaxed community here.

2. What is the age barrier?

At the moment, we have it set to 16+, which means we harbor a lot of young writers. With that in mind, we do have certain precautions, but for the more mature writers that ARE 18+ and are wanting to post 18+ content, we have a separate, private channel that requires ID verification. Aka, my fellow gremlins. Other than that, we’re SFW & really just a spot to rest, and chat.

3. What if I really don’t.. write? / I’m shy?

There’s no pressure! An aspect that I really adore about my server is that for an initially mostly writing-based discord is that we quickly became multi-interest in the short time we’ve been open. We have artists, gamers, and people who are just hungry for a social. All in all, if you’d like to partake in the prompts, share your wips, that’s up to you! If you don’t want to, and just want to hang out, that’s fine! :)

4. What about a writers resources channel?

Currently it’s not entirely set up since I’ve been managing the results of the writing partner matchmaking event we just threw, but don’t worry! I’m currently compiling a neat list to eventually upload into the channel via a webhook for aesthetic purposes. Within a week, I should hopefully have that all set up!

5. Is there open staff positions?

Since the server itself is so young and rapidly growing, we are always accepting applications for staff. Currently, we’re mainly in need for more writing event specialists ( to lead and encourage interactions with our fellow writers & to work closely with me to manage / plan / come up with ideas for future events we host for you guys!) and of course, partnership seekers (to establish bonds with other discord servers), but mods are always appreciated.

I hope that answered all questions!!

Always accepting asks! All reblogs are appreciated! ‹𝟹

rosie :)

[loving-and-dreaming]

I posted 6,358 times in 2022

That's 6,349 more posts than 2021!

3 posts created (0%)

6,355 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@collecting-stories

@blueicequeen19

@luveline

@supernatural-jackles

I tagged 33 of my posts in 2022

#eddie munson x reader - 20 posts

#steve harrington x reader - 16 posts

#eddie munson smut - 12 posts

#eddie munson - 12 posts

#steve harrington - 11 posts

#steve harrington imagine - 9 posts

#stranger things - 7 posts

#steve harrington x y/n - 7 posts

#eddie x reader - 7 posts

#eddie munson fluff - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 95 characters

#anyway i might be willing to explore football!rafe a bit more in the future if there's interest

My Top Posts in 2022:

#3

If you receive this, you make somebody happy! Go on anon and send this to ten of your followers who make you happy or somebody you think needs cheering up. If you get one back, even better! 💜💜

Omg I love people y’all make me happy!

0 notes - Posted November 30, 2022

#2

If you receive this, you make somebody happy! Go on anon and send this to ten of your followers who make you happy or somebody you think needs cheering up. If you get one back, even better! 💜💜

Theheh I love you

0 notes - Posted November 30, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Imma share a secret not that anyone really cares but I wanna anyways.

Im a Stevie girl through and through. But you’ll see me read lots and lots of Eddie stuff. Wanna know why? Because y’all writers. The way you write him is just so captivating. It’s like I hate Eds cuz I don’t he’s just not my type. But shit what y’all writers do for him makes me an Eddie girl. I just wanted to share because that’s such an amazing thing you do through your writing.

I only tagged a few and by that I mean two because I didn’t want to bother anyone else and they seem okay with me being annoying. But if I’ve liked or reblogged any of your Eddie work this kinda applies to you too 🥰 I just felt like y’all should know 💕

@skyfall8600 and @sweetsweetjellybean (I swear there are more but I have a chronic fear of annoying people so I’m just gonna leave it there)

98 notes - Posted November 18, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

Y'ALL THIS IS SO COOL!! I'm lame and just now starting to be super active! Anyways id love to see what y'all have! No pressure tho!

@skyfall8600 @whoahoney @sweetsweetjellybean @persage @maddipoof @fieldofsecretss @boomhauer

I don't know many other people buttttt I love y'all and so many more so feel free because this thingy is so cool!

[cal-writes]

⭐️star⭐️ for the writers ask game if you're still doing it? 🥺

sure!

Fanfic Writers: Director’s Cut

Reblog this if you want readers to come into your ask box and ask for the “director’s commentary” on a particular story, section of a story, or set of lines. 

did you have a particular story in mind though? you can specifiy if you'd like. other wise mhh sth ive been dying to talk about

well a lot of my wips im dying to talk about but they arent done so i'll stick to something ive already published!

Fun Fact for my RvB Fans

A Fragmentary Picture was written partially in 2014 while i was working in a hotel doing breakfast service. some days were so slow id just write fanfic on the notepad i had for taking orders with. i used to do that a lot actually. most of the fics written like that never got typed down. i always really liked the dynamic of wash and maine and the whole idea of how wash got from prison to going on a manhunt with the meta was intriguing. i usually have a problem of thinking in one shots - many of my story ballon into big arching adventures and end up abandoned in my wip folder. im happy i got this one polished and done though! there was some more stuff in that story that i didnt publish or really finish - yet. who knows maybe one day

-

Most people here are probably more interested in Detco stuff I imagine so

I was really worried posting Glue Trap I even considered posting it anonymous or making a second account that wasn't tied to my main. its fucked up content matter and fandom really hasnt been kind to that sort of thing in the past. but people surprised me and were really nice! it was a good feeling to know i can explore fucked up shit without getting cancelled haha (pls nobody get any ideas) but yeah

-

for the Future Detco AU actually another fun fact. originally the stories happened in a different order. the order of the series is the chronological order but when i initially drafted the timeline (yes i have a whole spreadsheet with the order of events post canon and its massive) i had Make a Home and One Trick Pony switched. dunno why i think mostly just because i always intended for shinichi and heiji to get their shit together muuuch later. they still arent even together adjhgdjk slow burn my guys. i have parts of them actually getting together written already but Lucky Charm needs to be done first. im usually working on several installments at once so i also have parts of their engagement storyline written but thats muuuuuch muuuuch later in the pipeline for me. i also got another one shot for future au basically done, i should polish that up. my beta reader has been very busy currently sadly so i dont want to swarm her with work

-

i have also plotted out the Black Org AU with some significant changes to what i already posted here. got a few scenes written. i do hope to have that out eventually but its not a priority right now. sadly the reaction to that one and some people's entitled comments made me less enthusiastic about it so i pushed it back but depending how i feel the whim of writing that is a future possibility.

[twin-wolves-123]

a rant about writing. or my professor. maybe both.

I don't know who the hell will see this, the only thing my blog did in the past two months was collect 20 bot followers it looks like but

today (well yesterday, i'm writing this past midnight)

i had a class. It is my intro to fiction writing class.

I've responded to like, what one writing prompt on here? idk i think writing is fun, creative writing is cool, id like to be a better writer, i might like to do something with it someday, i grew up on ff.net if that means anything to people nowadays

My professor, im sure, is a very talented man. he's had published shit and is a "good writer"TM

we submitted short stories, like 10 pages ish for today's class. And one thing my professor did for the first student's story discussed today was ask, "Why did you write this?"

This kid wrote a story about the country hypothetically having a government replaced by AI. Work doesn't exist anymore, everyone is like partying, living it up or whatever and the story is about a character in college who basically felt like he worked hard his whole life for nothing and is, understandably, upset about the changes. College class gets suspended and nobody is like, doing anything with their life. It was pretty interesting. Most of the class agreed.

And when the kid responded that he was interested in how this one character would respond to a scenario like this, and he was interested in the development of a society like this given how popular ChatGPT is becoming and whatnot, the professor basically said that those answers weren't good enough.

What the fuck?

I still don't really understand the answer he was looking for, he did say something like it has to be, like, what the author is "trying to say", i guess what emotion or thought they're linking to the story

And so he eventually said, he was thinking that maybe a scenario like this could happen to him in the future.

ANd the professor goes, "Well if it's anxiety about not having a job in the future, why didn't you just write about that instead?" ANd then he proceeded to make several comparisons to other anxious scenarios that i felt were way off base, like getting a divorce...

What the hell? Like, he wrote about what he wrote about, what is the justification FOR writing about those other scenarios?

anyways, the kid whose story got discussed before mine he liked, I guess. It was about his immigrant father and one of his father's story which becomes an extended metaphor and like, growing up in the states as his son kind of- i won't go into too much detail. The point is, he liked it.

Because right after discussing his, he explicitly made a point. And I am not making this up. That he doesn't ask people who wrote "good" stories (and he said a qualified good, as in he also said he knows that they can't be good, but they're good for what they are, or whatever) why they wrote this, because those stories already have a right to exist on their own. And then he turns to me, and says very pointedly, "Why did you write this?"

What the fuck is your problem?

Like, if they wrote a good story good on them, if I wrote a shitty one oh well, but what is the point of you explicitly reiterating that point to the entire class to emphasize how bad my story was? How does that help me? Before you've even actually given me any valuable feedback?

I wrote a story about a wannabe filmmaker who recruited two talented actors to help him make a short film to submit for a film competition. So i told him why i wrote this. I had a scene in my head that I wanted to continue about a shitty filmmaker getting yelled at by the actor (after the director is trying to critique how the actor played one scene), who is much more talented than him, and I wanted to flesh out this character. "Why? Why did you want to flesh this out?" he asks. And I talk about wanting to write about someone with very little talent working hard, sucking, but potentially being able to make something out of it. "Why?" Because it's relatable? "Everything is relatable. Why did you write this? Why are you writing this about movies?" Because making movies requires technical skill that's difficult to learn on your own, and I thought it was fitting. "Everything can be difficult to learn. Why is the story not about music, or someone getting their grades up?" No matter what answer I gave, he wasn't satisfied. (this is going back to the first kid he critiqued, too. It's not the story because that's not what I wrote? I didn't find that as interesting, and those aren't the stories I wanted to tell?) I didn't say that, i eventually just answered, "I don't know how to answer your question. I don't know what form my answer should take if I shouldn't have written the story for those reasons."

So he eventually changes it to, what am I trying to accomplish with the story, or make the reader feel? So i answer: sympathy and hope.

This is another part that really fucking grinds my gears.

So he asks, "Why is this not a comedy?"

What?

And basically he talks about how, he thought it was comical. This nincompoop (he used this word) director who hasn't put in the work trying to make a film with these actors who do know what they're doing, like, yeah. That's fair. He deserves to get yelled at. Why should the reader feel sympathy for him? I think it's funny. Why wouldn't anyone be annoyed by this character? Haven't you been annoyed by people like that?

First of all, maybe I don't think like that? Why is that your first instinct?

And i respond to him that i can be annoyed, but I can still be sympathetic toward them? Why do those have to be mutually exclusive?

And the question that I still have in my head is, what? Yes, he hasn't put in the work YET, but the point is that he's new and trash at this. And how the fuck is someone supposed to get BETTER at anything if they're not given a chance to try?

Is this really what you think of other people?

I do ask him how I was supposed to make the reader sympathetic toward him, to which he does give a couple of answers, like be more in the filmmaker's head, or have the actors be worse rather than talented (but that's not the point of my story... they're supposed to be more experienced than he is...)

But this whole time, he's still pretty much just been asking me the question, "Why?" Or "Why not x other thing?"

He critiqued some of my awkward dialogue and descriptions, sure, which was some actual advice. But not one thing he's said during that constant asking of "Why?" has been valuable feedback for what I put down on the page, nor has it made me a better writer.

And like, I eventually pose to him my own question of, "I don't have an answer to why NOT it's about those things (like the music or the grades thing), but I don't understand why it HAS to be, and why it can't be what I wrote about."

And he then goes, "have you been on a movie set?" And talks about how, if I write a story in a world of movies, I have to be convincing enough that I know what I'm talking about. Like how to make a movie, the lighting, the process, the set, etc. And if I can't be, it's not smart to write the story about that to begin with (which you could've just said in the first place and moved on to critiquing my actual writing, I feel like?).

This part, he has a point that I understand. But now I'm left with, am I only supposed to write about things I'm already very familiar with? I can't write about imagined scenarios or anything outside my field of expertise? Because I feel like that's just so limiting. And I, frankly don't have mastery in many fields. So I just, can't write about anything? What?

He also didn't give feedback for me on anything past the first scene.

tldr.

Yes, I'm an amateur, I don't see how you making a point of how garbage my story was compared to the last one helps with that.

Why should people not be given a chance to better their skills? Isn't that the point of this whole class, actually?

And I have no real refutation for the last thing: yes a story is better and more believable if the writer has specific knowledge about certain aspects of the story but... Something about that just doesn't sit right with me. Wouldn't the world be deprived of a lot of really amazing work if people could ONLY write about things they're extremely familiar with? I'm sure you're a great writer and all, and I'm sure that, as an amateur, there's a lot that I maybe can't understand, but why can't people write about what they want to write about? Why can't people explore certain characters or scenarios because they find them interesting? Why can't people tell the stories they WANT to tell?

Why is that insufficient?

plus you spending half an hour asking why i wrote something when i already wrote it, asking "why" again to each answer i give that you deem insufficient, instead of actually going over better writing technique, how to do plot/characters, and critiquing what's on the damn page...

Maybe I'm talking out of my ass. Maybe this is just me being too amateur or immature to understand, but there has to be a better use of time than that.

[perhaps-relax]

id like to complain about Barry for a bit.

I came to the show late and didnt watch it as it was coming out, but have been moving thru it over the last month. I have a tendency to just stop watching shows when theres a lull or an arc i dont find interesting, and ive been fighting that urge for two seasons now bc my partner has been enjoying it. we have two episodes left and i cant wait to be done with it. so without having seen the finale, heres where im at:

firstly, its not that the bad behavior of all the main characters bothers me. i was aware from episode 1 that this was not a show about good people, or even about bad people trying to be better. and i kept watching, and really enjoyed seasons 1 and 2, bc i dont need perfect protagonists to remain invested. but. like. the premise was about a hitman getting into acting, right? ...Barry has not acted for the last 10 episodes. they just sort of abandoned that aspect of the character, which was really the only interesting thing about him. ive gone from liking him to hating him to appreciating the nuisance of his character, to literally not caring what he does anymore bc of how often the writers kept flipping the switch on him. hes no longer a reflection of how real people cope with the bad things theyve done. hes just a tool for shocking the audience.

Seasons 1 and 2 thrived on the revolving cast of antagonists, which was a fun way to demonstrate the endless cycle and escalation of violence that barry's trapped in. The absurdity of the martial arts master and his feral child was excellent and imo the high point of the show, and they were only in one or two episodes. but by season 3 and 4, the introduction and immediate execution of new characters gets incredibly stale, because we stop expecting them to matter in any way. the kid actor, the tall blond gal, albert, bong, any chechen or bolivian, they keep setting us up w characters and the impression that they will be important to the leads, and expecting us to be impacted by the subversion of this expectation. and im just...not. im bored of it.

also, I don't like timeskips, it strikes me as a bit of a cop-out that just...kills the momentum of any arc leading up to it. Like the writers put themselves in a position and decide they dont want to deal with writing their way out of it. then they can just waste a bunch of airtime on where-are-they-now exposition instead of actually resolving or elaborating on the existing conflicts or themes they were pursuing earlier. better call saul almost did it right, but even that was a boner-killer of a finale. And the way Barry skips into the future to do some kind of half-assed commentary about 'where society is going' reminds me too much of the toothless politics of parks & rec. the whole podcast Christianity homeschooling thing is pretty interesting, tho.

and finally let me jsut go ahead and say that it was incredibly unfair what they did to cristobal. the electroshock therapy scene was horrific, but the very next episode, hes fine. he never even talks about what that did to him. no, instead, we're supposed to focus on how traumatized hank is from the whole tiger incident or whatever. like, gene's son leo lost his job, and we never talk about why, or what that means for him. and then he gets shot, cool cool cool, really cool wow, so interesting. the black and brown characters are not necessarily unique in how disposable or otherwise unimportant they are, compared to secondary white characters like Katie or Annie or Kristen, but its still pretty gross how the writers seem a little more willing to subject them to violence and trauma.

[saetoru]

Tee. Do you have any tips when it comes to writing fics??? i really wanna write one but its either i don't know how to or im just too lazy. (you're one of the most talented writers here in tumblr i swear)

help i definitely am not up to par with half my moots buuuuut i will attempt to give you some advice

sometimes not planning helps you plan best—like sometimes if you just sit with the empty doc in front of you with a vague idea and start writing, a story will just naturally come to you as you write. just write what comes to mind, even if its choppy and messy and fast—the editing is where you can reread and add and take away and adjust, etc. this is usually the norm for me in short pieces like drabbles n stuff

for longer fics, i usually think of the "conflict" and the ending first. and then depending on if the conflict is internal vs external, i break up the scenes that build up to the conflict, then the scenes following it to the end / solution, and i plan who the scene will be centered around—as in if its reader-centric or the character-centric bc that's the person you'll be developing more / giving an inner monologue for in the scene most likely. breaking the fic up into scenes gives you a solid idea of your progress—like if you're 4/7 scenes along, that tells you how much you've developed the story you know ?? and this is especially nice for when you're feeling stumped / uninspired bc if you're on scene 4 but its slow and hard to write it, and you really wanna get to scene 6, you can just skip to scene 6 and get ur creativity flowing again. connecting the scenes if you skip around can be a bit challenging sometimes, but once you slowly weave them together, you can sometimes come up with good ideas that add to the plot.

also, if there is a certain detail you'd like to remember if the future to hold significance, highlight it in the google doc and leave a comment like "connect later"

if you think of any dialogue that you'd like to use for later scenes you're not at yet, write them at the very bottom of the doc for safe keeping—it is very possible you can (and will if you do not do this sobs) forget dialogue that could've been really good

and as far as planning scenes go, it depends on person to person—i find making my outlines too structured makes me lose interest in writing bc it feels like the whole story is tangible and right there for me to see and then i lose motivation to actually develop the words and bring it to life. some ppl need a whole outline of how the scene opens, develops, key dialogue, and how the scene ends, etc. try playing around with how you outline your scenes—but id say the most important part is splitting your fic up into the major scenes and their purpose in developing the story.

theyre like "arcs" if you will sdjhghsdgf. anyway i rambled WAY too much IM SORRY SOBSOB but i hope this helps at least a little !!

[dyke1]

i cannot find the post or if I imagined it but that that one tweet where one of the writers is like id like to think homophobia or the concept of the closet whatever doesn't exist in the future is so so strange when it comes to Bangalore's character cause she is portrayed as this person who (imo) represents a lot of the repressed nature found in a structural environments like the IMC and military in general who uphold homophobia, ableism etc..

the point im getting at is i feel the writers have gone out of their way to emphasize the expression of denial and alienation in Anita's character (not believing her brothers dead[note* this one was true but still its about conveying to the audience], liking loba, not wanting to admit the ICM’s crimes, and to some extent her friendship with wraith) as faults that developed because of personal resentment and fail to consider what that would mean for a lesbian coded character like Anita.

the reason i point this out is because a lot of that denial seems to bubble into internalized hatred for herself and hostility for people who share traits she has come to recognize as "unfavorable"

like in most obvious of ways her outright refusal to renounce the IMC which..

considering she grew up on a military operated planet she still holds like a lot of misogynistic attitudes especially towards women who express themselves in a feminine manner and like you could say it stemmed from her grievances with her brothers's gf but they are still specific to women..like she makes it clear that she is directing that weariness specifically to women . she hates men too because they are stupid and self-interested... but.... anyone can be stupid and act like that and ESPECIALLY in this character just makes her seem even more aligned with lesbianism actually... like even just her excessive use of the term ladies in squads full of men, “dont call me lady” etc..(btw like where do you think that was learned -_-) she has come to align feminine traits with weakness or a weapon to wield against authority in environments where that power is kinda expected to go to men. ASSUMING these structures are even just specific to Gridiron and not the Frontier as a whole its still funny that the writers were like homophobia is over :) but we still hate women who express themselves in this one specific way like ok lol

less obvious but even with wraith... the ableism there.. i just dont know why the writers would go down this path to show anita as like? this hateful person when Anita herself is NOT the most shining example of neurotypical behavior either..unless to continue the narrative of trying to distance herself from these traits.. but again they make her repeat those insults to a point it seems irredeemable which sucks cause i feel like people already find her unlikable and its continuing a narrative i find really gross.

anyways, ultimately it does result in a character that comes off with a ton of internalized lesbophobia in a universe where the concept doesn't...exist? like maybe if the loba/anita relationship where straight i could understand her not wanting to get attached to anyone, i could understand this coming off as her being a “private” person. WHICH. like she still can be... but even NOW with Valks introduction as woman who is unapologetically GAY ...its hard to not make the comparisons..like seriously..

theres a line im not sure theyll ever use for the halloween event or something but its directed towards anita and im not going to say what it is but like thinking abt it. HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO TAKE IT?

ofc this does seem like an issue of dissonance in writing with language/ perceived assumptions that dont translate well in contexts from modern life to the apex universe which i guess is also my fault so like sorry for existing in this day and age and being a lesbian but uhh ok im done whatever also i havent kept up with the lore so maybe im wrong idk

[strifespecibi]

hii im anon ^_^ ive been thinking about writing an essay about it but that would require rereading homestuck since its been years since i have and i just dont currently have that kind of time. maybe one day. until then heres a brief list of examples that i can recall

the imperial drones are functionally very similar to the sentinels specifically during days of future past which is one of the most popular x-men arcs ever. theyre just post-apocalyptic giant robot cops that patrol and control peoples every movement including their reproduction. notably, chris claremont is jewish and has said that a lot of his inspiration for days of future past and similar stories comes from the testimonies of holocaust survivors, so theres definitely something to analyze there with the caste metaphor

vriska and domino are so, so similar. their power/gimmicks are identical (taking luck from others and giving it to themselves), shes got the same 'covered eye' look going on, they act pretty similar, they were both (arguably, in vriskas case) raised as weapons, etc. like idk man look at her. usually she has longer hair than this but still. proto-vriska. im still trying to solidify my thoughts as to what it Meansss but theres a lot of bearing here between vriska terezi and gamzees relationship and cable domino and deadpools i think

on the topic of gamzee with cable et al, i find everything with the clown religion and the askani pretty interesting. for reference, cable is a time-traveler from the 39th century which has descended into apocalyptic chaos whose religion says that he is the askani'son who will put the sacred timeline back into place and prevent everything bad from happening by traveling across timelines. when his daughter, hope, was born, she was designated the mutant messiah, which is like. just so similar sonically to mirthful messiahs LMFAO. anyway thats all very similar to gamzees shtick so i thought id bring it up

"everybodys phoenix except for jean now like why is aradia driving the bus"

in general time-traveling, psionics, telepathy and telekinesis often being had in tandem, etc are just very common pieces of x-men stories that you can also find in homestuck. on this note, deadpool obvi didnt invent the concept of a metanarrative but hes originally an x-men character so i do wonder if it wasnt just pinging around in there for a while

chess. okay. so one of the x-mens long time side groups which started as antagonistic forces but became sympathetic/reformed and now its a lot more complicated than that (theres a few of these) is the hellfire club, which named each of its members off of certain chess pieces, eg emma frosts alias was the white queen. i might do some analysis with the hellfire clubs relations with one another and the carapacians Who Knows

as this has been pointed out a lot, i wont harp on it for too long, but terezis entire gimmick is just daredevil. blind lawyer with superpowers that they use instead of seeing. her coin thing is also taken from two-face. i saw someone once propose that if terezi is daredevil then vriska is elektra but i dont really agree with this simply because vriska and elektra are very different characters lol

ill be real i have no idea what i was on about with the dc reboots. do i have any dc fans who follow me who can weigh in

ive theorized before that jake english couldve been named after jake lockley since they have similar aesthetics and histories and there was a moon knight run being done by a popular marvel writer around the time of homestuck who had already done both x-men and daredevil, but frankly there is no way hussie wouldve been normal about systems had that been intentional so you know do with that what you will

most of this is just x-men because thats what im mostly into atm but if i had to take one Thing as a general point id just say that the trolls worldbuilding and caste system is largely based off the x-men and the Mutant Metaphor which is something to keep in mind while writing and interpreting

i also think every homestuck fan should be at least tangentially familiar with cape comics since so much of homestuck is entrenched in x-men, the entire existence of terezi, etc. tbh a lot of the narrativevstructure of homestuck mimicks how dc does reboots but im not a dc guy so i wouldnt know

Very interesting suggestion. Perhaps you should write an essay about this some day? I'm sure some will find it a fascinating read. The way Homestuck is influenced by other media is something that deserves to be analyzed more, especially considering just how referential and derivative that body of work is.

A lot of people love to try to deconstruct Homestuck, but they only do that by looking within Homestuck itself. The sheer biblical amount of conspiratorial thinking needed to justify the level of decoding and brainrotting levels of confirmation bias exacted in full confidence that quite a few people get up to in their attempts to analyze the comic is a bit disturbing. We need more people trying to read and analyze the damn thing who have read and watched things that aren't Homestuck. If you do end up writing that essay, maybe send it to me when you're done? Would love to read it.

[princesssarcastia]

2021 Harry Potter Fanfic Primer

im here to point fingers at the incredible authors that have enabled my new interest in HP content.  im still conflicted and upset about it, tbh, but for now we’re leaning into the curve.  we’re getting out our shovel and finding out just how deep we can make the hole we’re in.  hand in unlovable hand my beloved <3.  anyway, these fics are wonderful, their authors are wonderful, and you should go read their stuff. if there’s a star next to it that means im losing my mind over it and always will be.

Creatively Maladjusted, by elumish on AO3, 101k  (they also have a wonderful writing advice blog on tumblr, @elumish, which I recommend following if you are a writer) 

A very excellent re-telling of harry’s first year at hogwarts if he were sorted into Slytherin, plus some more not!fic or piecemeal re-tellings of his second and part of his third year.  Harry, in this, has a slightly different trauma response to growing up with the Dursley’s.  He’s a bit quieter, and the signs are a bit more obvious to the people around him, and I enjoyed that immensely. 

Honestly, if you’re going to get sucked into something you have absolutely no business getting sucked into, elumish is the way to go, their fic is incredible. their teen wolf fic is also immaculate, if you’re so inclined. 

Dissonance, by ImpishTubist on AO3, 2.5k (@impishtubist on tumblr)

Set during fifth year.  Oblivious!Harry has always been a delightful trope when well executed, and this is well executed.  Plus, some angst between Remus and Harry over what Umbridge has been doing to him.

I would certainly recommend a lot of ImpishTubist’s other hp work on AO3, like Lacuna.

blow us all away, by rexcorvidae on AO3, 23k (@rexcorvidae on tumblr)

In progress (like, updated last week in progress).  Currently in the beginning of Harry’s first year.  Fem!Harry, Indian!Harry.  Hagrid puts Harry in touch with Remus when she has questions about her parents, and they become reluctant, traumatized, angst-ridden pen pals who keep missing each other’s true intentions like ships in the night.  hot DAMN do I love this fic.  there’s hints of the way the dursley’s treat Harry peaking through in her letters, and I appreciated the attention to “hmm, her experience as a girl of indian descent in britain under the thumb of a bunch of white people who like being Normal may not have been gucci”

Definitely comb through the rest of their HP fic, too, I may or may not have gone feral over it.

Where the Heart is, by silver_fish on AO3, 15k (@kohakhearts on tumblr)

Woof.  This one said, “hey, harry was probably SUPER depressed in the summer after fifth year.  like, clinically.  maybe someone should do something about that.”  Fuck yeah.  Then this one said, “that someone was Snape.”  You all know my opinions on Snape; generally, Bad.  But damn if this fic didn’t wholly convince me by the end of it.  I thought it was a very realistic way for Snape to start seeing Harry as a person all on his own, and not a proxy for Snape’s angst over James and Lily, respectively.  The angst is wonderful, the ending is even more so.

*bernie sanders voice* I am once again asking you to read through the rest of the author’s HP fic.  a lot of them have similar themes; there’s actually a great one with Molly that i’m not reccing here, Wonder.

☆Bindings, Bindings, by Quietlemonhush on AO3, 60k (@quietlemonhush on tumblr)

WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS TO YOU HOW MUCH I ENJOYED/AM ENJOYING THIS.  If I had to pick a single fic and say “you, it’s your fault I’m stuck here,” it would be this one.  Anyway Lily in the afterlife is So Very Angry about how Petunia is treating Harry, and how Sirius is rotting in Azkaban, and how Remus is alone, that she literally brings herself back to life and drags James and Regulus with her.  All three of them are there to chew bubblegum and fix everything that went wrong after they died—and would you look at that, they’re all out of bubblegum!  There’s only Fury left.  That inciting premise is very crack, but every moment after that is very much not crack.  Lily and James love harry more than anything, the way a child should be loved; James and Sirius have the epic friendship of a lifetime; Sirius and Remus have staggering amounts of resolved sexual tension and take turns keeping each other in check; Regulus, though he realized that Voldemort and his family were shit before he died, is still unlearning all his racist bullshit and, also, years of trauma.  Actually, they’re all traumatized, but hey: now they have one another again and not a damn one of them seems inclined to let go anytime soon.  Quietlemonhush went, “hey, HP has a lot of Awful people in it, and a lot of Righteous people in it, and many of them are Very, Very Powerful; also, love is the most powerful force in the universe” and i said “hell yes tell me more right now.”  And then they did!

Quietlemonhush writes Sirius/Remus in a way that makes it sooo much fun to devour, so the rest of their HP fic is most certainly worth a look, if that’s your thing.

Rebuilding, by Colubrina on AO3, 113k (@colubrina on tumblr)

Hermione/Draco (*shrug emojis into the abyss* yeah, yeah, like none of us have ever been there before).  Takes place during Hogwarts 8th year, and while the beginning is, IMO, a little unfair to Ron, it gets much better.  Tells the story of Hermione and Draco clearing the air, learning to like each other, having some hormones over each other, and then falling in love.  Also tells the story of Hermione and Theo Nott becoming friends; the story of how every single 7th and 8th year student is fucked to hell by the war and the Carrows; the story of how they start an emotional support group about it and all become friends; and the story of, what the hell do you do with yourself after that kind of trauma?

I’ve been dipping in and out of Colubrina’s HP since before I was even on tumblr; I actually found them in those dark yesteryears when the only fandom interactions I had were on fanfiction.net.  Of such fame as Green Girl, which is an HP fic staple, and has also written a lot of wackier, crackier, and darker things than that.  If you don’t take yourself too seriously, I highly recommend many of their big HP works, though I imagine it’ll press some people’s buttons.  Colubrina’s work really does take up a corner of my mind whenever I’m in an HP mood, and will take up yours if you let it.

☆ all waiting is long, by shuofthewind on AO3, 149k ( @shu-of-the-wind on tumblr)

This is so well written that I can’t stop thinking about it.  It is occupying my mind when I lie awake at night, you know?  It’s one of those.  Hermione messes with something she probably shouldn’t have in Grimmauld Place, so when Sirius is sent through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries, she gets thrust into an alternate universe...in 1975.  Instead of handwaving it away, shuofthewind actually gets into the mechanics of it in a way that makes sense, to emphasize that hermione is never going home.  ever. The world she finds herself is shifted slightly to the left, quite a bit darker, but in a “the author is treating the idea of a society-wide conflict over blood purity much more seriously than JKR ever did” way, not a sensationalist way.  Now, Hermione has to grapple with all her grief at losing everyone she’s ever loved or known, the moral/ethical/magical implications of sharing what she knows about her future in an alternate world, and, you know, a goddamn war with people who want to murder her for being who she is.  This Hermione is smart, and she’s kind, and she’s powerful, and she’s making real friends.  If you hate JKR’s guts I’d go read this right now, because it delivers in all the ways she failed us.  It’s plotty, its got great world-building, and it pulls back the white curtain on the wizarding world to show you that, like real life, it’s multicultural and full of queer people...and the discrimination that comes with both.

shuofthewind write epics, mainly for the MCU, and I’ve read some of them a looooong time ago, so this fic kinda seemed out of left field for me but im SOOOO GLAD it exists.  If you want MCU fic you can sink your teeth into, go for it, but alas, they do not have any more HP fic (.......yet?)

Speak Now [+] Listen Now, by mrsfrizzle on AO3, 33k altogether

Harry reaches out to Remus for support because Umbridge is getting to him with her literal torture.  Remus, being a former professor, former mandatory reporter, person who loves Harry and has since he was born, and all around good man, tells Harry he has to tell someone, or Remus will.  It’s everything any adult looking back on that time in HP canon ever wanted, which is for an actual adult to say “what the fuck, those are literal chidlren” and then do something about it.  Then, a far more dangerous task: Harry trusts Remus enough to go to him about the Dursleys.  Harry and Remus’ relationship develops SO WELL, and there’s a bit of exploration about how Sirius may not exactly be guardian material, because he did in fact spend 12 years of his life getting tortured instead of growing up.  I think I’m actually going to go reread this right now, because it speaks to my id.

they do have some other HP fic which did not appeal to my hyperspecific wants, but may appeal to some of yours.  I think they’re also a published author, there should be a link on their profile page.

chase the stars, by Duskglass on AO3, 101k (@felix-duskglass on tumblr)

When Harry is five years old, a picture of him ends up in the Daily Prophet, and Sirius Black, Terror of Ministry Officials Touring Azkaban everywhere, gets a hold of that issue.  He then, in order: breaks out of Azkaban; crosses the countryside to Surrey; Finds Harry: Kidnaps Harry; Breaks Into Remus’ Apartment; starts processing (or maybe just acknowledging) his trauma from Azkaban, the war, and his childhood; and pines after Remus.  It’s a little plotty, and deals a lot (sometimes through flashbacks) with the specific awful things that happened to Sirius—largely because, after years in the constant presence of Dementors, those are nearly literally the only memories he has left.  It’s a wonder he’s got the strength to love Harry and Remus at all.  But then, maybe it isn’t.

This is a Very Serious Fic, but the rest of Duskglass’s HP work is actually just cracky enough to tickle your funny-bone, while still making you think “okay but why couldn’t we have done that in the first place.”

So!  That’s it for recs, for now.  These are all things I’ve found and read in the last month; if any of y’all are interested in my old HP recs, let me know and I can make a post for that, too.  While I’m still very conflicted about my choice of current fandom, I am not in ANY way conflicted about my taste in fic and authors.  Send these guys some love, read their fic if you’re so inclined, and leave some nice comments at the end of it.

[kimsnnn]

Part 1

Disclaimer: This post is in favor of my ship, Elriel. No hate, just an opinion. This is what makes sense to me. If this isn't your cup of tea, and it came up on your feed, no worries just skip please. 

If you look at it this way:

If the series were to officially end at ACOWAR then that would mean that there would be no need to add any more books due to the majority of the plot being resolved. If there were slight questions or plot holes that were left open, we as readers can basically create our own conclusion based of where these characters and their stories were left off at. That’s the beauty of being a reader, being able to use our imagination to extend the stories based on canon information to infer or even speculate what happened to those beloved characters of ours.

If its easy to answer these questions, fill these plot holes and resolve any issues within that story, then there would be no need for any additional books, and lets say there were questions that were pressing but not complicated to answer, a simple extra book could be added to resolve that like ACOFAS. ACOFAS could’ve concluded everything. She could’ve also showed Feyre or whoever freeing Vassa and then created a whole spin off on Vassa and her adventures including the plot of her defeating her captor Koschei while also dealing with the queens and humans basically introducing us to a whole new world and continent with new fae/fae territories (like chaol introduced in his book from ToG). Her LI would most likely be Jurian because Lucien would have ended up with Elain which we know because she resolved that in ACOFAS.

BUT

That’s not at all what happened. Things were not answered/resolved during ACOFAS.

The author which in this case is SJM knew that whatever obvious inferences/speculation we the fandom would have is not the accurate ending she had for these characters. So she decided to introduce far more books into the series as standalones but, still part of the overarching plot to truly get the full scope of what she has in store for these characters. Why make additional books based on the obvious ?  She’s a writer, she knows the importance of creating mystery or writing plot twists that we either didn’t or decided not to realize or even accept. So ACOFAS and even ACOWAR wasn’t there to answer last minute questions, to show us that our favorite ships did end up together, no it was there to be used to set up future stories like SJM said and be as close as can be as opposite of obvious.

At the End of ACOWAR we have :

Nesta

-THAT Nessian moment 🥰  (& Nessian moments in general in ACOWAR)

We can infer based on where those characters were left off that :

-They would end up together eventually.  I mean come on, Cass’s line *chef’s kiss*.

BUT what people forget is that was also her breaking point (trauma) 

-We didn’t know how her trauma would affect her, her life and loved ones, & how she’d heal Or what were even her powers. These questions were built up throughout all of ACOWAR

So what did SJM do?

-She wrote the answers to those questions in ACOSF while also resolving questions about Nessian’s status especially since Nesta first had to start healing to let herself be loved.

The evidence ? The set up to gain support to find these answers ? Its in ACOFAS

-Nesta’s drinking, isolation, rage, fear, loneliness and self hate

-Nesta’s avoidance of her sisters, the IC and Cassian

-Cassian’s persistence, confusion. Feeling helpless.

Same thing can be seen for Elain

At the end of ACOWAR

Elain

-Civilness between E and L.  She seems more at peach and want to plan gardens/rebuild

We can infer

-Elain talked to Lucien so she forgave him or is on track to forgive him. From this we can assume the possibility of Elucien being endgame.

Elain also must be healed because she smiled and wants to help rebuild. So that all equals acceptance of her powers (on occasionally seeing things and that it, that’s her power), her new life and bond

BUT what we forget is the iconic Elriel moments (Hybern camp & truth teller connection), Elain’s world/future going up in flames, the consequences/trauma of having been gifted these powers

-We don’t know the full scope of her powers, why the cauldron adores her, how she feels, why were we given blooming moments between Elriel 

So again what will SJM probably do?

-Set Elriel to be endgame. Cause civility/friendship/forgiveness/CLOSURE between Elain and Lucien. Get In depth about her powers, her trauma and how it has affected the life she thought she would have. Have her come into her role in the NC and have self growth. 

The evidence? Its in ACOFAS & ACOSF

-Elain’s anger and desperation to have a choice, to have her own agency

-Elain’s avoidance, tolerance, discomfort of Lucien ( she wilts and regresses)

-Elain’s push to contribute more and firmly declare she’s a member of the NC

-Elriel’s tension & build up ( glances, smiles, blushing, gifts, humor, awareness, longing, protectiveness, attraction, actively trying to distract themselves, etc I could go on and on)

-Confirmation of Elain’s power still existing. Her whereabouts: where is Elain when the IC are facing obstacles?

-Her visions still to happen. The fourth dead trove needs to be found: it makes sense that it would be found by Elain (& Az) ( the crown: Braiylln, the harp & mask: Nesta, the fourth trove: Elain)

*If there are 3 cauldron made and Braiylln found one (& is now dead), Nesta found 2 but couldn't get a good read of the fourth, that means it'll be up to Elain & Azriel because they are basically the only two in the IC who closely work with shadows and even mist. Maybe Nuala and Cerridwen would also join in searching which id love.

Now let’s ignore the evidence.

From that moment at the end of ACOWAR again: 1) we see Elain who seems better and 2)we have Elain and Lucien who seem to be in a civil place 

So we assume she’s healed or on track, and her relationship with Lucien is looking up. So why would SJM write a whole standalone on the obvious?

If she’s healed and okay, if she and Lucien will be a sailing ship why be so secretive and unclear on Elain’s story, on who she ends up with?

Nessian was so clear, there was no REAL doubt that they would not end up together despite the obstacles between them, two of them being her rage and trauma. But Nessian would be and are endgame period. All the other “prospects” were just for angst, development and humor. Not real threats.

She wrote Nesta’s story because the worry and question wasn’t on Nessian’s validity, she established their validity and their romance when Nesta prepared to die with Cassian, when Cassian promised to find more time with her, when Nesta called for Cassian, when Nesta Wass worried for Cassian, when Nesta would constantly pay attention to him without realizing it (his wings) when Cassian ran after her during solstice, when Cassian bought her a gift etc. The worry and questions were ALWAYS on and about Nesta’s role, powers, and trauma because they were the influencing factor that affected everyone’s future, Nesta’s life/health and Nessian’s ability to finally able to come together.

If Elucien were endgame we as a fandom would know without a doubt that they are. There would be many more moments of ooh’s and hmmm’s and less mystery and confusion on their validity. There would be far more angst and these characters would have be seen more often together (seeking each other out, but Elain never does) or at least have them have more than one scene of mutual civilness where they dont talk awkwardly, and have a real conversation not one that seems forced, especially by Feyre. Even with the obstacles between them and their distance (because of the obvious elephant in the room) we should have scenes that showcases clear interest between them but we don’t. There is only one true scene where we have that and its at the end of ACOWAR, Im not blind i could see where people might interpret it as Elucien confirmation and who knows maybe I'm wrong and it is but, I read that differently. That to me was confirmation that a friendship between them is possible. Something completely platonic but just as sweet in a different way. That scene to me wasn’t charged it was not even a slow burn or even a spark it was healing and the foreshadowing of a possible friendship.

ALSO:

*Possible ToG spoiler below*

I don’t think it’s too far fetched to assume that Vassien is a thing. And in all honestly I also don’t think its too far fetched to have Lucien (& Vassa) have their own book like Chaol (& Yrene) did. Chaol was an important/original main character from the very beginning of the series who ended up doing grave mistakes. He found himself lost in life to later finding himself gaining a new purpose outlook & perspective when he left the continent to only meet his new LI Yrene freaking Towers who SERIOUSLY changed the whole game ( I freaking love her) and was extremely valuable to winning that war. This is so similar to Lucien’s story so far and Vassa (the firebird) who I expect to resemble Yrene in value and vitalness  BUT it is important to state that Lucien is nothing like Chaol and is far more SUPERIOR. So No this is not me saying Lucien is like Chaol. This is just me seeing the resemblance in their journeys so far, which might be due to SJM possibly reusing the same template on purpose.

Part 2

[ladynox]

20 Questions - Writer’s Edition

Tagged by @kaydeefalls & @im-the-punk-who

How many works do you have on AO3? 15. I use to be a pretty profilic writer when I was a teenager (before AO3 thank fuck 😂) but I lost interest. Picked it up again somewhere in my 20s, only to lose interest or the drive or something again. Roswell's the first fandom I've written for in almost decade. Hopefully this time I'll be able to stick too it. Id' forgotten how much I enjoy writing. What’s your total AO3 word count? 233292. Most of that is from just the last year alone! Crazy! How many fandoms have you written for and what are they? Currently posted to AO3? Just three. Yu-Gi-Oh!, Captain America and Roswell New Mexico. If we're counting the stuff lost to long dead Yahoo groups or forgotten notebooks, or the stuff still on the internet because I can't remember my password but I will never own up to? Probably 8? With the addition of Gundam Wing, Sailor Moon, Digimon and Final Fantasy 7. There might have been more but I can't remember anymore. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? The 1-3 and 5 were co-written with @beautifulcheat 1. The Great New Mexico Fake-Off (Roswell, malexa, complete) Michael takes up baking after watching The Great British Bake Off and starts gifting his bakes to the people he loves. Mostly fluff and pining. 2. Milestones (Roswell, malexa, WIP) based after the series, in that nebulous well adjusted future we dream of for our favorite idiots. 😂 Maria, who has been living in a v poly relationship with Michael and Alex for years, realizes she's pregnant. Michael is ecstatic. Alex is conflicted, which dampers some of Maria's joy. Still a pretty fluffy and very domestic fic. This one's on hold because we're both busy with work, school and certification exams. So we only really have time for one, which is the following monster of a fic:

3. The Truth is Right Here (Roswell, malexa, WIP) X-Files/White Collar fusion where Michael is both Scully and Neal, and Maria and Alex are both Mulder and Peter. Yes you heard right. The alien is the skeptic. But the agents don't know he's an alien yet. hahah 4. Testing the Bonds (Captain America, Steve & Bucky) Bucky comes out to Steve during the war. 5. Petit Fours (Roswell, malexa, complete). Companion piece to Fake-Off. An assorted collection of text fics or short fics. Mostly about everyone else's reaction to how bad Michael is at keeping the secret that he's the one baking the cake. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? Hmmm looking over these fics, I realize that I don't really write angsty endings. I tend to like my angst with a happy ending, or a hopeful one. Whatever that might look like given the subject matter of the fic. So I guess the closet would be The Message (YGO, puppyshipping, complete). The fic starts after an incident of domestic violence. Jou is basically working through the horror/guilt he feels at what he's done. It's not a happy ending, but there's hope different decisions will be made. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending? A New Year, A New Hope (Roswell, malex, complete) is entirely made up of marshmallows from start to finish, so likely that one. Fake-Off's also tooth rottingly sweet. Surprising no one I'm sure hahaha. I love happy endings so I write a lot of fics with those. Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written? Yes I do! I'm counting fusion fics as crossovers too. I *love* AUs in general. They're super fun. As for craziest.... well I've already mentioned Truth above, which is likely the craziest because of how ambitious it is. I both love and regret ever starting this monster. Have you ever received hate on a fic? Oh yeah definitely. hahaha One day people will figure out the back button. Do you write smut? If so what kind? Yeah but not a lot. I want to write more smut honestly but I have a hard time writing it. I don't have a problem with action scenes so it's all mental. Just start thinking it's gonna suck or it doesn't make sense or it's boring. Dumb brain, cockblocking me. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I know of? Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope. Have you ever co-written a fic before? All the time. It's the best. Everything Kat and I write is just to amuse the other, makes writing so much fun. Also, she and I have opposite writing strengths and weakness so it really works out well. What’s your all time favorite ship? Er? I gotta choose just one? Seems kind of pointless to pit different fandoms against each other. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will? I mean I have every intention of going back and finishing it but probably Six. A malex The Last of Us AU that I had a lot of grand ideas for but have lost all drive to finish. I do think that what's written can largely stand on its own as a 1 shot. One of these I'll go back edit it, give it a good "in conclusion" so to speak. XD What are your writing strengths? Hmm? Character voices/studies, I think. I like doing stream of consciousness a lot. What are your writing weaknesses? Everything. Kidding. Kidding. Probably smut and dialogue. Though I think I'm getting better at dialogue. Lately I've been getting the dialogue on paper before the descriptions. That use to not be the case! Yay! Improvement! What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? Use it sparingly and carefully. Most of your readers are probably not going to be able to read that language. The last thing you want is to confuse or annoy your readers. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Gundam Wing 🤣 All of those fics are lost to time and I'm totally ok with that. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written? I am proud of everything I've posted to AO3. Um... @beautifulcheat, @maeglinthebold @jocarthage, @tasyfa and anyone else who wants to do it.

[estherthedragonprincess]

Miraculous ladybug rant

Alright alright, I dont like getting in to "ship wars" or participating in ship culture or any of that nonsense

but here are my thoughts.

when master fu first gave Adrien and Marinette their respective kwamis he said that "they were meant for each other," and we all took it to mean Adrien and Marinette were meant for one another. However, im going to choose that it meant the kwamis and the kids were meant for each other, since that makes more sense then some random old dude shipping two preteens together. Another reason for this interpretation? because otherwise it is the author telling us something instead of showing us. In season one we were shown that Adrien and Marinette were kind people both with their own set of flaws, but Adrien hardly even talked to Marinette until towards the end of season 1 and there was never even the slightest bit of indication he thought of her as anything but a friend, if even that. So being out right told that "these two characters are my end game, even if they have no chemistry whatsoever, I created these two to be together so thats it, now just wait for them to get together." feels like a twist of fate that just feels forced.

So when the show introduces rivals to create some fabricated tension for the main couple (that still hasn't got much screen time to even be believable) you might think the main couple might start showing more initiative towards each other. Instead we have Kagami who Adrien actually shows interest towards. When she is in the episode they interact far more then Adrien and Marinette ever seem to and he encourages her to befriend his friends so they are closer. Marinette gets jealous sure, but... lets be honest, when it comes to Adrien, Marinette gets jealous of everyone. She is just as bad as Chloe, she's just nicer about it.

Then for Marinette we are introduced to Luka. A soft spoken, very mature guy. From day one Luka showed more interest in Marinette, connected with her quickly and SAW Marinette. He has already confessed to her and Marinette reciprocates but is hung up on the fantasy she has of Adrien Agreste.

So instead of tension to push the main couple towards each other, we are introduced to two very likable alternatives that both Marinette and Adrien show more interest towards then each other. And yet.... the author tweets out that the characters "disagree" with the viewers. As a writer myself, there are times I realize that the characters Ive created and wanted to be together just... arent going to be together. This certainly gets some readers riled up as they decided from chapter 1 who should be together and they get upset if it doesnt happen. but im not about forcing two people together just because its in high demand or if it was the original plan. When the characters themselves show interest in other people, or have minds of their own, then.... who am I as the author to force them to change just because I want them to? My job is to tell their story, not forcefully make them do what I want as if they are puppets. being told that (specifically) Luka and Marinette disagree with the idea of liking/dating each other and yet having the evidence in the writing itself that that isnt true. feels like the author themself is trying to force the characters to do what they want instead of letting the characters do what they want. (any good story allows characters to do what they want, the plot follows the characters, the characters dont follow the plot)

I know Adrien and Marinette's meeting was attempted to be played off as a version of enemies to lovers trope. but it didnt really work. there was no development for them to start liking each other, we got one scene with the umbrella in the rain that changed Marinette's mind about this kid she saw as a bully, but Adrien was just desperately trying to not be hated. He didnt like her, he wasnt trying to win her heart romantically. His actions only showed how bad his home life is when it comes to emotional support. Not any semblance of a kid being attracted to, interested in, or trying to win over the other person.

Im curious how future seasons will play out, but Id be lying if I said I was actually looking forward to them. I have a hard time sitting through episodes of MLB, in fact I tend to skip through most episodes because the majority of the writing makes me cringe. whenever it doesnt, I watch, which Ive found are the episodes Where Marinette is being herself and not freaking out over Adrien and not being jealous of anyone who so much as looks at Adrien. (writing this I suddenly wonder if Marinette is a yandere trope) And the episodes where characters interact with each other in believable, mature ways.