#in published books it doesnt bother me it all

[violetstarr24]

every time

[rukafais]

A thing that also bothers me is that a weird amount of people seem to have this weird narrative where salvatore doesnt want ANYONE ELSE to write good drow and HATES other authors and NEVER WANTS ANYONE ELSE ON HIS TURF and it's like

Elaine straight up states that without the Drizzt books, Liriel doesn't exist (because the necessary fantasy worldbuilding/existing framework wouldn't exist otherwise). Ed Greenwood's original Drow of the Underdark sourcebook explicitly references the Drizzt books and was published a year after Homeland came out. The Liriel books and War of the Spider Queen basically gave Gromph all of the characterisation that has now carried onto the Drizzt book, which, why would he incorporate that if he wasn't fine with it...it would be so easy to retcon. Shakti from Liriel's books is LITERALLY still a character and the Matron Mother of her House?? They are all on good terms???

[horizon-verizon]

Just because some people like this fictional character doesnt mean they have the same view as them *they were rise as royalty in medieval world that they think they were better than everyone else* if someone else still turn out good, well good for them people should not explaining this, George books is for adult, everyone with working braincells know racism is bad and i don't have to excuse Rhaenyra for that but the way this people thinking that Daemon is better than her is CONCERNING, Daemon also the one who calling baby Baelon as "the heir of the day" wtf did you thing a BABY did to Daemon? Existing? so they dont have the same rage with this because the baby didnt have character to talk about they even makes a joke of it just like Daemon was, he also constantly insulting his wife, the main characters in this story said fucked up thing Alicent also calling Rhaenyra's children "Bastards seeds of war"? Aemond constantly calling rhaenyra "whore" for sleeping with a man she likes and have children with harwin instead rap3 her gay husband or chosing some sex worker who have similar looks with her how dare her! And still want an iron throne?, she should keep her legs closed and lonely on her castle like good obidient women was, people killing children and their own sibling, rapng woman but this people draw the line at racism? Wow even Maegor wish he gets the same hate as her and treat as one of the most hated character in the entire franchise, but he's only a man everyone have excuse for a man's crime (he's just silly boy who decapitating kittens) unlike whore rhaenyra who raise taxes and insultingsomeone by their skin color

did you know celebrating a child death or insulting your wife is not real its only fiction when it was Daemon who did it? See Daemon is not racist at all when he calls women in the vale ugly than the sheeps This is not Racist he just saying truth because women in the vale is white (you could never be racist if they are white according to American logic) and according to people who see them they actually ugly so we didnt hate him for it, why people so hard to except the truth? So how dare people accuse him for racist? I could never! he defintly better than His racist niece, i still dont understand why Rhaenyra even chose man who looks "common" as lover she maybe drunk you know she's racist and Valyrian supremacist unlike Daemon (shakes my head)

I watch a movie called The return of the witch when the main character like Rhaenyra was, and there was a knight who being bothered by this witch thank god someone save his ass from her

Anon's probably responding to this post.

The anon of that posts said [excerpt]:

I am not here for any Rhaenyra’s stan trying to excuse or downplay a white woman’s misogynoir and classism because her sons died. Grief doesn’t make you suddenly racist, or compel you to say racist things. You were always that way. The grief just brought out the racism and supremacism that was always simmering beneath the surface.

You didn't need to move away from Rhaenyra's racism into the misogyny levied against her to argue against that past anon's words. That anon was expressing that they don't respect those who do stan her refusal to acknowledge her misogynoir against Nettles, that it came from Rhaenyra's will even under all those stresses, and that it is as serious as it should be seen.

A)

Anonymous, Daemon says the "heir for a day" in the context of wanting the throne but not actually having the biggest claim to it as the nephew or Rhaenyra would, bc he is not Viserys' child. It is a localized infraction, personal, against Viserys AND it was offhand. However, if someone calls me a racial epithet or does as that writer who almost got published did and tried to leave bad reviews of Black and PoC authors to establish dominance, then they are attempting to promote systematic suffering so they can come out on top. There is an intention to destroy a person's life AND to have socio-political privilege over others based on their socialized identity conditioned to be as immutable as possible. Like many said, you don't get to be racist because you had a bad day, are mentally ill, an alcoholic, your parents died, etc. as that writer tried to reason.

Racism is not this personal moral failing or symptomatic result of a racist facing oppression like hating on babies. It comes from systematic privilege given to the racist that allows them to see the oppressed as lesser than & historical, generational violence against said oppressed group. Hating on babies for one moment out of jealousy does not have that scope, level, depth, etc. racism does and never will. People may say often that "oh, they're being racist bc they have envy", and yes people default to their racism or sexism or classism bc they are envious...but their envy is the kind where they feel that the person they are envious of shouldn't have what they have bc what they have is something the racist/sexist/etc has learned they should have by "default" bc of their social class/race, etc. Key word is "systematic".

This reveals, anon, that you either are white or you are a PoC/Black person with a lot of internalized racism and a lack of understanding of racist history.

B)

You: "See Daemon is not racist at all when he calls women in the vale ugly than the sheeps This is not Racist he just saying truth because women in the vale is white (you could never be racist if they are white according to American logic) and according to people who see them they actually ugly so we didnt hate him for it, why people so hard to except the truth?"

Anon, what are you on about? Who said that Daemon was racist here? Who said anything about the Vale or that his comments to Rhea Royce were racist? Who is it that made Daemons' opinion about Rhea Royce's looks a racial thing? It certainly wasn't the past anon or me and I have never seen someone try until you just did.

You're making large leaps of logic here to justify and derail away from examining Rhaenyra's actions, as I already mentioned, to the point your words are incoherent. You are both trying to run away from race talk and flinging it at another character...

You: "So how dare people accuse him for racist? I could never! he defintly better than His racist niece, i still dont understand why Rhaenyra even chose man who looks "common" as lover she maybe drunk you know she's racist and Valyrian supremacist unlike Daemon (shakes my head)"

?! (incoherent)

[bye-bye-firefly]

I’m really glad that ao3 doesn’t have an actual pro-ai policy at the moment! I’m planning on doing some research on what Unseeliekey brought up just to at least understand what he’s talking about. I was honestly really confused and freaked out reading what he was saying. But yeah, I’m sad too. You’ve got the right to remain right here with me and it’s a little more fun when I’m with you are two of the fics that made me not only get pretty into Saiou but also made me more attached to DR and into reading fanfiction in general. And it’s just like really upsetting to see something that had that much of an effect on me be gone and know that not everyone who is in the fandom or will get into the fandom will be able to see that.

I also really hope that there’s some sort of way to glaze works too. Making stuff inaccessible to guests is always sad. When I first started reading fanfiction I was a guest and like a lot of people don’t use accounts for various reasons and it’s just sad to think about account locked stuff. And it would be so nice if the ais would just Not. Like why can’t they???? Why???

Anyway, right now I don’t think there’s any full proof, everyone will be able to be happy way to prevent the ai scraping but I’m sure you’ll figure something out that’ll be alright for at least what can be done at the moment. Your works are very cool. I really, really love them. They bring me lots of joy. Thank you for all the joy. It’s super awesome.

okay this is a REALLY long answer because i went on a whole rant so im going to cut this for people who are just scrolling normally. but also im totally going to put this into my pinned tag

a lot of what was said was like. Half true. my counterpoint to him saying that ao3 supports cp or rape or sexual assault is that no matter where you go on the internet, you will find shit like that. EVERYWHERE. ao3 doesnt support it i really seriously doubt that anyone outside of those spaces supports shit like that but ao3 is an ARCHIVE. and when you put things in the archive, you are allowed to submit whatever the fuck you want. setting rules on what could be put into the archive automatically means that other fics, which explore the topic in a critical, non-fetishistic way, are ALSO up to scrutiny. fics that explore the psyche of trauma victims? they might not be allowed. regular degular fetish content, no minors involved? completely up to scrutiny. im really not a fan of censorship OR some of the shit on the internet, but i can only control ONE THING and thats what i allow myself to see. i really dont like people saying that ao3 deserves to be taken down because of that because then that would mean twitter deserves to go down, social media as a whole deserves to go down, and just generally i dont trust people who push the "think of the CHILDREN" argument. you see republicans push that when theyre trying to ban trans or gay people out of existence so INSTANTLY alarm bells start going off in my head, not to imply that i think every single person who pushes that argument in this context is republican or right-wing. just bothers me and looks like a red flag

and to instantly get it out of the way im not involved in the fucking proship/anti discourse that whole distinction feels like destruction of critical thinking antis are often puritanicals and would kill me if they saw what i write in nameless and gasp at published books that delve into topics they think are off limits and many of the proshippers ive come across are weirdos who think that its totally normal to write romance between minors and adults in a positive light like its NORMAL and that we shouldnt think less of people who do that but fyi i am totally thinking less of people who do that and im totally thinking less of people who hate me for writing my unhealthy/toxic/abusive/codependent relationships that dont even fetishise those kinds of relationships like GET OVER IT!!!! BE NORMAL!!! GO OUTSIDE LICK A DOORKNOB KISS A GIRL DO SOMETHING!!!!!

if there is ever any advice i can give to people its to form your own opinions and dont try to put a strict solid label on your opinion because sometimes you will betray your label and youll think to yourself "am i even really that thing......." people are complex and hold many different opinions that sometimes contradict one another and thats fine. logic your shit out dont fall for charming little labels that pin you strictly on one side of an argument it makes you less likely to actually reach a point where you have a strong opinion that makes sense AND can compromise and thus bring someone more onto your side. forever

ANYWAY YEAH! i settled on making it so my osomatsu san fics go account only on the 20th and then also some of my older danganronpa single chapters go account only with them, but the multichapters im currently working on will go account only when theyre finished, with exceptions for when theres rumours going around of a scrape. makes me so oo oodofooafgofjgj mad GRRAAGGHGHGGHG

but thank you i am glad to bring joy to people's lives. readers and comments bring me a ton of joy and im glad that i can give that back to everyone ^_^ i seriously cannot thank readers and commenters enough like i never feel like i get it across well enough how grateful i am for everyone who reads my stories and gives me kudos and the people who comment like. it brings me so much joy that i cannot properly verbalise EVER

[honeysuckle-venom]

Id love to hear about any representation of Schizophrenia in media! It doesnt necessarily have to be perfect, just anything you’ve seen that really resonates with you maybe?

Thank you so much for asking Bunny! What a great question!

So unfortunately, I haven't come across a lot of actually decent schizophrenia representation in media. I have a few things to recommend, but not many.

The only piece of fiction that I think actually did an excellent job of portraying schizophrenia that I've encountered is the book I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg (published under the pseudonym Hannah Green). It's a semi-autobiographical novel about the author's experience being treated for schizophrenia as a teenager in the 1940s, and it's absolutely incredible. I've actually never been able to finish it. I've started it several times but it hits way too close to home for me. But from what I've read it's very accurate to my experience in some key ways and gets at the underlying mechanisms and feelings of schizophrenia, especially schizophrenia caused by trauma.

I also recommend the documentary film Take These Broken Wings, which contains interviews with Joanne Greenberg and another woman, Catherine Penney, that do a very good job of describing what schizophrenia is like, as well as interesting interviews with a number of doctors and other people. That's not fiction, though, so I wouldn't exactly call it "representation." And that movie has a VERY strong anti-medication slant, so if that would trigger you or bother you or might make you want to stop taking your meds without appropriate supervision I would NOT recommend watching it.

Besides that, I don't have any Actual Good Representation to recommend. But I do have some things that are objectively bad representation and/or not meant to be representing schizophrenia that still very much resonate with my experience. The rest of this is going to be long and much more personal, so I'm putting it below the cut

There are three movies that for me very much sum up what my psychosis feels like. Watching these movies for me feels like watching something directly pulled from my brain, and when I'm particularly delusional sometimes I think they were actually made for/about me lol. The movies are Coraline, Black Swan, and Pan's Labyrinth.

Coraline does the best job of portraying the specific kind of unreality/reality-but-to-the-left I experience, and the plot basically shows a metaphorical representation of the Capgras Delusion, a delusion in which your loved ones are replaced by evil imposters, which is a delusion I've dealt with frequently my whole life. Plus as a special bonus just for me it has sickly sweet/evil mom and doll themes so...yeah. It's basically the inside of my brain.

Black Swan shows the terror and confusion of psychosis better than anything else I've seen. For me, the underlying emotion of my psychosis is extreme terror, and the underlying mechanism is confusion and a lack of boundaries between fantasy and reality and the self and other, and Black Swan portrays all of that really, really well. And, once again, it has Bonus Personal Trauma Content that really makes it connect on a personal level. It's pretty bad representation, because it's a horror movie, not a sensitive look at mental illness, but honestly it does a much better job than most horror movies at showing how terrifying the symptoms can be for the person experiencing them instead of the people around them.

The last movie, Pan's Labyrinth, I have a harder time talking about. Some of what it does such a good time representing are elements of my psychosis that I don't have language for. But what I can say is that as a child, I always knew I was different. I knew I saw the world very differently from everyone around me, that I was aware of things no one else seemed to be aware of. Dangerous things, powerful things, secret things that couldn't be spoken about. And Pan's Labyrinth shows that experience better than anything else I've encountered. And it too has very intense personal trauma connections for me.

All three of those movies do an excellent job at getting at the emotional core of psychosis, in my opinion, and they all mean a lot to me. But they aren't exactly ideal schizophrenia representation, and if I was trying to educate someone about schizophrenia they aren't what I would recommend. Instead they're what I would recommend if I was trying to show someone what it felt like for me personally.

[asexualbookbird]

first of all i want to say im not looking for recommendations, im just Complaining and getting thoughts out there lol

that said, reading New Moon (rebecca york, not twilight) reminded me why I stopped reading paranormal romance and urban fantasy. It’s not that the romance bothers me, or that i dont like sex scenes. I’m ace, but I do enjoy the easy read of romance every now and then! I’m just incredibly picky! And the problem I kept running into with PNR and UF, and my problem with New Moon, is the tropes they use are Not My Jam.

like. okay. Abused girl needs to be taught How To Have Sex? BAD! You won’t magically heal from trauma with one good partner! definitely the biggest offender here! I hate that shes clearly traumatized and the love interest is like “but my dick is special” and the only thing that makes him special is that he takes things “slow”. Read: he doesnt force himself on her. Except he still kind of does. Sure he asks if shes okay and lets her take the lead but like. dude. it’s been uh five? days?? no one gets over trauma in five days lol

and I dont like how they have to stop and make out and Nearly Have Sex WHILE ON THE RUN. NOT JUST ON THE RUN BUT WHEN THEYRE IN THE WOODS ACTIVELY BEING CHASED. And complaining about this, people always said but thats the Genre, you cant go into a romance and be mad at the romance, which! Is fair! But again! I’m not mad its there, I’m mad at how its been executed.

I’m not a huge fan of Love At First Sight and Soul Mate, or at least not together. Which sucks because I DO love werewolves, as a concept, but werewolf novels are the WORST at this. I think slow burn is what I like best, a soul mate slow burn. Like. Yeah they’re Meant For Each Other, But They Don’t Know It. I think I’d enjoy that a LOT more than this nonsense, but I’ve never come across that. Again, not looking for recs, because I am incredibly picky here. Maybe I should write it myself. I don’t know.

Admittedly, this book in particular was published in...2007? According to goodreads anyway. I know PNR and UF have changed a LOT since then. I’m not getting into inclusivity and diversity because I KNEW I’d be let down in that area lol no way was a diverse book going to be as popular as this series was in the mid 2000s

I’m sitting here now wondering why I kept at it, and I think the only reason was at first it was the fun kind of silly. I could poke fun at it but still get some enjoyment out of it. Towards the middle and end though, it was just our main character teaching his love interest about our world and sex. With EVERYTHING. She literally stuck a fork in an electric socket and he had to explain to her what electricity was. It got old fast. And then SHE taught the bad guy/her abuser about everything. Boring and repetitive.

It went by fast, though. Easy to read. I’d consider it a Vacation Book. One of those books you can stick in your pocket and read on the beach and not care about being interrupted, yknow? I think I’m done with rebecca york though. Considering I remember NOTHING from the first two books I read (which?? I rated four stars???? fear) and how this went, I’ll find something else even if i have to make it myself.

[heyjude19-writing]

Im the list anon again and boy do I have more for you but this time I also have some questions as well if your time allows and you are willing to answer of course. First with the other things I loved:

1) the fact that Ron warmed up to Draco so quickly! I genuinely think thats so much in character. Ron is not a distrustful person and as a middle child as they come is very easygoing and would for sure make stupid jokes at Draco

2) The patronus. My god the Patronus. I seriously put the phone down and made a small slow clap during that chapter. At first I was like hmmmm *insert unsure kombucha girl face* because almost all fanfics have him with a dragon patronus and leave it at that (and lets be honest at this point my expectations of you were quite high dont blame me blame your bloody brilliant writing) but then, and I dont know if you did this on purpose or not (I have a feeling you did) but the fact that the dragon was the same (pale white) wounded but still feral dragon that Hermione FREEED (!) from a bank (£££) dungeon, malnourished and used for its nature, surrounded by darkness, wealth and misery!! And it was Hermione who broke its chains!!!!! Is just *chefs fucking kiss* slow clap*

3) the way you describe sex scenes are so natural! Ive never read a fanfic or book that doesnt make me gag a little bit (I am not a fan of smut at all but ill go with it because of a good story) until I read yours. Its so simple but yet intricate and you make the entire act so intriguing and normal and intimate. Bravo.

4) I LOVE SASHA. I love that Theo fell for her head over heels and the way you portrayd her reminded me of a friend of mine who works as a sous-chef in London so I always pictured her when reading it!

5) Dracos inner voice is ON POINT. Like I genuinely think you shoud own the rights to that character now.

6) Ill say it again. I love Ginny. You should also own the rights to her character too.

7) my interest for Quiddich (even when reading the books/wathcing the movies) was on par, if not lower than Hermiones. You managed to get me interested in that too so yes another slow clap to you

7.1) Also such a clever career for Draco!! Made si much sense!

Now to some questions

A) What was the deal with Malfoy referring to Ginny as Weasly and refusing to aknowledge her Potter surname. And why did everyone kept correcting him? It was hilarious granted but I wanted to know whether the reason you included this time and time again had to do wih something deeper? Or was this included as just a funny recurring joke?

B) Why did you choose for Draco to have a “fantasy” to produce a patronus and not for example for him to have had to do that after theyd exchanged “i love yous”. Very interesting angle and i liked that it was sort of a loophole to all the ‘death eaters cant have patronuses’ but quite curious on the thought process

C) Why did you opt for Draco to remove his mark? Do you think that stands as reward for him more or for Hermione? Very smart solution by the way

D) if you have the time- Could you please elaborate a tad more on what the soul-bonding means? Why was it so taboo? At furst hand it seems like a very romantic/amazing thing to do with your partner right?

Lastly- Do you ever itch to make a second part to this? And in the most acceptable case that you dont, I always wondered what you had in mind for them in the future- because of the soul bonding thing, you mentioned that the generational curses will be erased, which means I guess that the Malfoys can have more than one child now, and girls as well. (I cannot believe im asking for this as I am the one to avoid any pregnancy fanfics but) do you imagine them with children and if yes, how many? How do they integrate muggle devices(I know youd agree wit me that Hermione would definitively bring some muggle stuff over!) and which devices would Draco really secretly like?

Pleasewriteasecondpartwhereyouelaborateyourthoughtsonthisthankyou.

Ok rant done. :D

List anon! You’re back with another amazing ask. I’ll do my best!

1.) I like to think Ron matured a lot post-war (not enough to stop making terrible jokes, though.)

2.) Regarding your beautiful analysis of my specific dragon breed for Draco’s patronus: How many points would you like for your Hogwarts house of choice? I will add that according to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the Ironbelly’s scales are normally a metallic grey. I will also add that I subscribe more to book canon than movie canon. In the book version of events of the Gringotts escape, Harry breaks the chains and Hermione (with eventual help once the boys catch on) destroys the ceiling so it can have a way out. The partially blind dragon does the rest of the work on its own.

3.) Thank you, that’s very flattering.

4.) Does your friend also get you into fancy restaurants and can they make salted caramel bread pudding???

5.) Thank you, it was one of my favorite aspects of writing this story.

6.) Thank you, she’s so fun to write and flesh out from her book portrayal.

7.) Haha, I felt so validated by that line of dialogue in Cursed Child when Draco tells Harry he wanted to play quidditch professionally, but wasn’t good enough.

Now to some answers:

A.) It’s definitely a recurring joke. It’s up to the reader to interpret Draco’s actions here: is he doing it to be a massive troll? Or is he genuinely not retaining the information of her married name because he considers this fact so unimportant that he does not bother to keep it in his brain? Troll, snob, or both, you can decide!

B.) I’ll address the second part of this first, because it was not intended as a loophole. I 1000% do not understand the “death eaters can’t have patronuses” thing. It makes absolutely no sense. Snape has a Patronus. But beyond that… Umbridge has a Patronus (a cat). If we’re letting that woman have a Patronus, then yeah, I think Draco can cast one. As for the vision that Draco used to conjure it… up to you whether that’s a fantasy or a glimpse of a certain ritual actually working. Draco’s thoughts on the matter: “An image of such striking tangibility that he might have already lived it, or perhaps experienced time in such a way that he lived it now.”

C.) I wanted Draco to have a choice, obviously a recurring theme for him in RN. For my characterization of him, that symbol on his arm causes him nothing but shame and self-loathing (see the end of chapter 36 during his heart-to-heart with Hermione). He’d already exercised almost every known avenue to rid himself of it before Hermione entered his life (he lists these in chapter 44). Hermione already loved him (and has told him so) by the time she’s figured out how to remove it: “I love the man you are today and I will love that man tomorrow, bare forearm or not. I simply wanted you, for once, to have the choice. It’s your body.”

D.) Ooh anon, you are tempting me here. I really hate to be coy, but you might see some future writing on this very topic.

I can at least answer the taboo part: I think soul magic in general (horcruxes, the use of unicorn blood) is quite taboo in the HP universe. As no one knows what happens after death (not even ghosts, Nearly Headless Nick says as much when Harry asks him point-blank in OoTP) I think most magical folk would think the intense ritual (blending magical cores) an unnecessary thing anyway. As Draco explains in chapter 48, since no one actually knows the effects or if it works, it’s considered a bit over-the-top since it’s probably futile anyway. It is also not a Vow with a death component; Narcissa is obviously alive in this story even though Lucius is already dead. I wrote the generational curse protection theory in as a dig at Cursed Child for the way they handled Astoria’s character.

The idea of it I think is romantic, but I will stress it is very dependent upon the intent of the two participants. To quote Draco in chapter 48 again: “To twine one’s soul to another showed a willingness to not only physically tether one’s self during your time here on earth, but to commit to a blending of your magical cores, putting faith in your magic to recognize its bonded counterpart in another life. Should other lives even exist.”

If you re-read Draco’s experience during the bonding ceremony in chapter 51 (starting from this bit: “The cognizance of his own powers never felt sharper, more familiar, but suddenly another power pulsed within to join with his.”) you might find it bears a resemblance to the trajectory of their relationship.

Lastly- I’ve left Draco and Hermione to their wedded bliss. I’ve got nothing planned for them beyond where they are in the final lines of chapter 51. I don’t have that itch to write more into their future because it would feel forced. Draco laid out his two envisioned futures with Hermione in chapter 48 when they discuss having or not having children. They are happy and content in the life they chose together. That’s all I ever wanted for them.

You will see more from this story though. I have an entire series of one-shots and outtakes from the published Remain Nameless timeline that I’ll start posting soon.

Thank you so much list anon! These were fun to answer!

[thesnottedbrat]

The Difference

K-wave became more trending globally these years (thanks BTS), another culture also raise to the surface in reading section (manhwa and novel). Korean manhwa and novel popularity are quite significant these recent years, to the point the author and published take a legal action to protect their babies from ilegal translation. Hence, right know, we’re in the middle of their purgatory.

Back then, i dont really read manhwa diligently, but i know some people already fangirling about it. I was a devoted believer of manga, heck, my reading list was full of it. Fast forward, my hot list mangas been hiatus or the scans team being MIA (due lacking translator/staffs) or simply we waiting for the next chapter coming up which takes weeks/months (you know, some mangas published weekly, monthly or bimonthly, but some of them are publish every 4months! yeah right, talk about forever).

Out of boredom, i give several manhwas a try (its been on roll for months and many people in forum talked about it, so lets give it a try), and im hooked. 

I remember the first manhwa i read was a BL manhwa with silver hair guy with a super power as the ML (forgot its name), and the MC is his childhood friend with black hair. The artysyle totaly catching my eyes fast. Its colorful but i have a slight difficulties with how to read.

You know, manga are black and white page (ofc there’s one with colors as well), and 1 page are contained (normally) with 3-6 panels, and you read it from right to the left. But with manhwa you have to do the opposite. Its a long strip comics with lots of white area, and you read it from left to the right.

Im also check several manhua out there. My first manhuwa is 10 years where i loved you the most. DAMN MAN! i love this manhua so freaking much!! i even read the novel!!! totally a tear jerker!!!

And ever since, i imersing myself to read more manhwa and manhua (but not much) LOL. 

And i give the novels a reading too. But after some time, i found a patterns. 

This writing is based on my personal opinions, so no hard feelings, ok?

My preferences are:

something with heavy-twisted theme (but not too dark nor gorey)

easy fluffy romance is okay too

picky with omegaverse things (cus yk...)

family theme is okay (i loved it actually, as long as its not too childish)

comedy is fine, but too much are down for me

regular shounen/shoujo theme is acceptable

something full with angst/sad kind of thing is my fave!

war and strategy things are okay too

mysteries, detective/police theme is fine

supernatural stuffs is good once a while

Well i guess, my preference is okay, I mean, i dont like things that too complicated or too cheesy. It just blow the entire plot.

Im also fine where the MC is died, i mean, several stories are meant to do so (imo). We cant be perfect all the time, even fictional stories need some real life situation hard. I think this kind of ending is beautiful and more humane.

Korean Novel

Blame me for my limited reading list. But from what i read so far, the only novel i liked was Trash of the Count Family. Most of k-novel i read, were, how do i say this.. they’re just okay? 

Plot wise, i see no difference one from another, and i want more conflict happened. Maybe the author and published targeted the young audience, so i cant really blame them. 

But, from what i know, Shadow Queen had good characters conflict and the characters also develop by their own pace (quite slow, but i guess its the way supposed to be).

But come to think of it, i never found BL novel? Letme check on it again.

Korean Manhwa

Most of the artystle are cute and nice, but thats it. Most of published (popular) manwha in girls sections were novel based (adaptation), its a common things and sometimes they differentiate from the original plot. Meanwhile the BL sections apparently were original (not adaptation). 

I dont know why but instead cultivated more artists to make novel adaptation, why dont asked them to create their own story? I think its more interesting that way and to make more vast genre available out there.

Plus thing : they published it weekly, with hiatus schedule for several months and continue the next chapter (repeat). Needless to say, they can finished a book/projects fast.

Japan Novel

Well, i have a love-hate relationship with this. Most of them able to portray the deep of characters emotions well, and the plot development was. But what i hated is sometimes (or mostly?) they spinning in the wheels and using the same words for god knows many times. 

Japan Manga

Allright, old artifacts, who doesnt read this stuffs? Do i have to write it down?

My first book story, ever. And i still read it till now. The most vast collection out there, and the most easy to obtain book. Not every manga are colorful (they printed the colorfull ver as a limited edition/collection edition), they printed it in bw to reduce the production cost.

Manga is the opposite of manhwa in terms of creating stories. The mangka works as a story teller as well as the artist. Not everyone tho, but most of them. 

What i hate: their published date! URGH. As i stated previously, their published date is sucks! several publisher have different release schedule. Some of them published weekly, monthly or bimonthly. I can wait for it. For some of them publiisedh every 4months! 4 months for 1 chapter!! So it means, you only have 4 chapters A YEAR!! Emerald sucks!

I dont even bother to keep tabs with Super Lovers or Sekaiichi Hatsukoi.

Chinese Novel

imo, the only worth reading is their BL novel. If i were you, dont even bother to read other novels, it was just a long series of  cheap soap drama with evil cycle. Sooooo fed up i cant even say anything. Ok, maybe not everything,  To Be A Virtuous Wife is a good read, or my all time fave 10 Years When I Loved You The Most (BL), or every MXTX works is superb! I recommend this very much!

But i have to admit, i loved how Ch author using a flowery language, thats what hooks me the most.

The common things are mentioned below:

daddy CEO with super smart genius kid and superb beauty wife

imortal heavenly being, mostly reincarnated

harem life turns one devoted lovers

rape and violence

like normal occurrences

genius hacker

unmatched beauty

The thing is, the MC is way too OP (either physically or mentally) which i dont like. So i dropped several stuffs.

Chinese Manhua

Plot wise, i dont really like it. I mean, they’re just okay, but its not drove me to the point where i have to catch up with it. But, i must say, their artstyle is quite charming. The authors have a tendecy to make their artystyle into painting like, idk but i got that vibe.

[earthbison]

You ever love someone so much that it hurts? I mean as in, there’s this friend I had, and we kinda of lost touch a few years back for no reason really, never argued, never fought, she was pretty amazing, probably the first time I realized I liked women in the same way I would for a man or any person really. Anyway with this whole COVID thing going on, I tried reconnecting, I’ll skip to where it’s at now, but I’ll say it started off rough, but is a lot better now. With that said, even with them sounding like they’d be down to reignite our friendship, I still feel like it’s me who’s putting most of the effort in. I’m not asking them to match me, I get that they may be busy, but considering they ghosted me the first time for all those years, I always feel I have to go the extra mile in my long messages to them which they say I’m not bothering and they don’t mind, and that they’re sorry for this and that, but I’m not looking for an apology, I never was, I just want them to hug me with their words again like they use to, I know that’s selfish and honestly not sure why I’m sending this to an artist who’s stuff I adore, I guess it’s because I’m scared I’ll wear them down if I keep talking like this to them about it, I haven’t overtly said “I feel sad because all this” I’ve just been sending gifts and words of encouragement their way, which is probably too much, I guess I just have this fear that eventually they’ll ghost me again if I don’t hear back from them soon, maybe it’s a lack of trust in them, or myself? I don’t know, I’ve been such an open book about how I had a crush on them back then, how much I love them, an all that, I don’t want to be overwhelming but I don’t want to feel hurt either? It’s funny because whenever they do reply, my heart feels so much better, gosh I know, I sound so desperate and needy, I’ve been a bit better at lower it down, an internally I’m not as depressed as I was about it, though I still am. I just want them to be real with me, I was about to breakdown over it on Monday, I was gonna tell them how sad I’ve been feeling and they finally replied before I hit send, they apologized again, an I feel like such an asshole because that’s not what I’m asking for or want them to feel, I just love them, idk why I’m rambling anymore, I know I’m super shitty in all this, I totally get it, I just don’t want send this anywhere near them.

Uh, wow Anon. I almost feel bad replying to this because I have to publish it. You may be better off sending me direct messages so we could keep this private for your sake.

Anyway, I’m not really sure where to start with this. Your story has notes that resonate with me in multiple ways. I lost my childhood best friend that I also realized I had feelings for when we were children (two women as well.) We never reconnected however, and I doubt we ever will. I’ll try to give you my best advice, based on what I’ve learned from those experiences.

I suppose, number one would be don’t assume everything is about you. I don’t say this in a way that I believe you’re being intentionally selfish, but rather I believe we can get so caught up in our feelings that we forget that the people we love and cherish so much have other relationships and a whole life outside of their bond and relationship with us. If you become too focused on how she’s not reciprocating things in a way that would make you feel more comfortable or loved, you can... distort your heart, of sorts. Feeding that insecurity will drive you to treat this person like an object unintentionally- as a thing to have and keep- rather than a person, who should be respected and given space when needed. This is absolutely vital, and one of the many reasons I lost my old best friend.

Here’s the reality of it. Chances are you will wear her down if you’re constantly looking for reassurance or even bombarding her with gifts. You shouldn’t be putting all of that onto one person because it’s exhausting for one person to have to “keep you afloat” so to speak. Your insecurity about her disconnecting from you again could in of itself drive her away if you’re not careful. Quite honestly I’ve thought about this extensively as it would be a similar scenario if my old friend came back to me. You have to understand though that people have lives outside of you and thusly so you should have a life outside of her. If you guys click again naturally then it will happen, if it doesnt- it doesnt. Keep focused on multiple aspects of your life. Things you enjoy, things you study, your job, different friends, etc etc and the rest will fall into place. It’s already great that you’ve spoken some, but if she’s quiet try to understand why that may be. It’s okay to reach out once in a while but don’t try to pry personal details out of her either, because it may be none of your business. Trust that she may be going through something, and if it’s something to do with you she’ll come forward and talk to you about it, and if it’s not then respect her space and her privacy.

Which brings me to my second point, don’t chase people. I know it took me a long time to understand this. You always hear that “if somethings important to you go after it” while at the same time you hear things like “if you love something set it free” and they contradict each other. When it comes to relationships, it’s 50/50 no matter what. You can’t push 75 and hope somehow it will work out while they’re only giving 25. It’s not fair to you. Really, that’s where self love starts.

I’m not perfect by any means. I still check on my old friend from time to time but I’m being firm with myself from now on to no longer contact them as they have stressed that they don’t want me to. I worry about her still as I know she has health issues but I’m trying to respect a boundary- as should you. Personal boundaries are fundamental.

Just be happy that you’ve established a reconnection and don’t over think anything else right now. Think about her perspective and do other things to ease your anxious thoughts about your relationship rather than bombard her with text.

Hope that helps some (and thanks for being a fan of my art lol)

[bohemian-rhapsody-slash]

Thank you so much for writing this and sharing this, anon! I really love it 😊 it’s sad and sweet and there’s a bit of humour all at the same time! ❤️❤️❤️

WARNING: mentions of forced relationship, abortion

******

Hi darling! It's me again, the person who wrote a ficlet about IBTYF ddverse second generation (dash) a while ago. Guess what? I've written another part of this story! I hope it isn't rude to submit it here but really only you and your readers would be interested in it.

It's a bit long... but we all have more time now, don't we?

I apologise again for any mistakes, English is not my first language

***

David had bought this apartment several years ago. It wasn’t large, because he couldn’t afford a big flat. He was already in his thirties then but after he had quit his father’s company, he couldn’t find a salary as good as he had in Foster Records. His younger brother Marc has already made a great career. He also had a sub and children while David was considered a “defective” offsping. But still not banished, that was a success! Personally, David wouldn’t mind this, but he didn’t want to hurt his mum. Also it would be really horrible for his career as a lawyer, if he was banished by his father.

David entered the flat and smiled when he saw that Josh was already at home. They had been living together for several years. Josh also worked as a lawyer but his area was really specific: he defended subs’rights. The work was hard but the pay was small.

Living together at first wasn’t easy for them. They were used to having a sub mother taking care of the house or living on their own. But a union of two working Doms wasn’t a common thing. Gradually, they grew used to this kind of life and found out it was great to have someone who can share your chores and problems but also is an equal partner.

Josh’s parents knew he had a relationship with David Foster. They were okay with this but not very happy. They didn’t like the fact that their son was dating someone who had to hide his relationship and always be discreet. But still David visited them with Josh about twice a year. His family didn’t know anything about them. Well, his mother knew he was friends with Josh and sometimes seeing him, but no more. This situation was certainly bothering Dave but this was the best he could have.

Their relationship wasn’t always so calm. They had been in and out of it several times. They tried to date someone else. David had even got married to a sub girl who was a daughter of his father’s friend. He knew that she was in love with someone who was considered inappropriate for her, so he just married her to give her freedom. Several months later she escaped to Japan with her beloved, and David had told everyone he had known nothing about her plans. He hated lying like this but it also was all he could do to protect her. Her family still hadn’t found her.

Soon after his marriage came to its end, David ran into Josh again. They decided to try again and settled in this small flat in London.

“Hey honey! Have you already eaten? Because I’ve bought a frozen pizza”

“Pizza would be great, thanks. We also have some soup from yesterday in the fridge”, answered Josh. He was sitting at his laptop, still working.

“What’s new?” asked Dave, putting dinner into the microwave.

“Well, I’ve talked to my parents this afternoon”

“And how are they doing?”

“They’re really happy about this recording equipment you gave them for Christmas. They’ve recorded several songs that were written back in 70s. Also one of my friends helped them to remaster old tapes. They’re uploading this music into the internet now. And you know what? People are excited. Oldschool is fashionable now, as I understand. They’re asking questions about Queen”.

“Wow” David was surprised but mostly happy. “It’s great! Finally they can be famous without my father… or anyone staying on their way”

“Yeah, and Dad wants to write an article… or even, like, a book about Queen. You know, with all his old photos and so on. He wants to tell the true story of what happened to the band. But he needs to ask permission from your Mum. Because this story would be incomplete without his story and also it will show your father in a very… unpleasant way. Also he wants to mention John as an author of some of the songs”.

“I’ll ask him tomorrow. I hope he would agree”, said Dave. He was glad because maybe that’s how his mother finally would have some justice in his life. Nowadays people start to discuss sub rights more. And though the situation still wasn’t very great for subs, such situations as Queen’s record contract were almost impossible now. But it was at least legal at the time, but the whole story about how his father illegally put Freddie and Brian to jail and his mother was practically obliged to marry him… This could really harm his father and the whole Foster family, including himself. Not that he was so worried about Ray or even himself, but his brothers… it was not their fault they were born in this family.

It seemed like Josh was also thinking about this because he asked “And what about you, darling, are you okay with all this?”

“I… I’m not sure now” answered David. “You see, this can affect a lot of people, not only us and our parents. The Internet is a big deal now. But I think we should ask Mum first and then make the decision”.

***

Several days later

David entered his flat, saw Josh lying on the sofa and started telling him the news right away.

“Honey, I’ve talked to my mum” he said, entering the living room. “I’m afraid he’s completely against the idea of publishing the whole story. He explained that he doesn’t want to go back to this unpleasant memories, also he doesnt’ want to harm the family and overall he thinks we should leave it in the past. He says your father may write their story up to the meeting with Foster Records and then just mention that they came to a disagreement with the company. And he doesn’t want his name mentioned! I tried to convince him that it wouldn’t do us any harm because he had changed his last name but he is still worried. Maybe I’ll try to tall to him again later but now that’s all we have”.

“Well, I could expect this” Josh commented sadly. “Based on what I know about John, I mean. Maybe he feels like he’s had enough”.

“Probably” answered David. “I’m thinking… maybe we’ll get them together? Like, tomorrow my father will be out of town and I can just take Mum to your parents’ house...”

“Oh” Josh looked guilty “Sorry, I’m busy tomorrow, I have to go to the doctor”

“Is everything okay, honey?” David asked.

“Yeah, it’s okay, I’m just pregnant,” Josh looked up “But tomorrow I won’t be, so you don’t have to worry”.

David froze for a second, then he carefully approached Josh and sat beside him onto the sofa.

“Josh, I know that this decision is completely yours, but please can we talk about it?”

He was a bit confused by this light-heartedness in Josh’s voice.

“I just don’t want to make a big deal out of this”, answered Josh. “We both know that a baby could ruin our lives”.

“Why do you think so?”

“Isn’t it obvious, darling? We don’t have a claim and we cannot have one. I don’t want to tie you to us for the next twenty years or so. And I couldn’t raise a kid on my own in my current situation. My employer treats pregnant Doms kindly but I doubt he could significantly raise my salary. And my Dad has recently retired, as you know. I don’t want to be a burden for my parents. I know that wealth doesn’t mean happiness, but a child still needs food, shelter and clothes. That’s why my parents only could have two kids and I can’t now afford having even one”.

“But if you could, would you keep a baby?”

David was thinking that they should have such a conversation much earlier.

Josh hesitated for a while and then answered.

“I think I would because I want to continue my parents’ line of upbringing. This kid could be happier than most. And also I want to have a part of you… and me together and, like in books, “look into the face of eternity”. But I really don’t want to obligate you. It would be extremely hard hiding a relationship after we had a baby. Also the child won’t be protected by the law...”

“Well, do you think that we, as the two best lawyers of the country, can’t find a way to protect a baby?” David smiled.

“The best? You wish!” Josh also smiled for the first time that evening but then became serious again. «What can we do considering a child now can’t even have two same-status parents legally?”

“Well, I can’t be legally a father but I can give him or her rights at my property and write a will in your favour in case something happens to me”

“Your family would destroy us because they are your primary heirs. And… your father already does really despise my family. What would he do if he knew all this? Are you sure that you’re ready to take all the risks? We can’t escape the country right now because as lawyers we only can work here with our laws, you know. ”

David hugged him. He wasn’t sure about anything, really.

“When I was about twenty”, he started, “I’ve had a lot of one-night-stands who were Doms I didn’t really know. Of course, I used protection but as we can see, it isn’t 100% safe. And when I found out that I was pregnant, I had an abortion, like, immediately, because I was afraid that it meant the end of my life. Like, literally, I was scared that my father would kill me without even thinking. And I also feel that my mother hated me when he got pregnant because that meant he was stuck with my father forever. So I know this decision is up to you and you should make it based omn your feelings. But as for me, of course, I wasn’t ready for this… Since that dreadful moment, I thought that I won’t have any children because I didn’t see any way to have them without either me having a relationship with some sub I wouldn’t really love or me being banished from my family. But now I think I should do what you had told me – be brave to defend people I love. So if the financial situation and my family are the only things that make you think about not having a baby – I promise you this won’t be a problem for you. Ever”

Josh looked at him, tears in his eyes. “You’ve never told me you had been pregnant”.

“Sorry, I was too embarassed to tell anyone, even you. I thought you would consider me a coward and a bad person”.

Josh took his hand. “You’ve never been a coward. But are you really ready for this life-long adventure?”

“Only with you, honey”.

***

About eight months later

Josh was really confused. He had never seen his father crying before.

“Dad, please-”

“It’s okay, sorry, Josh,” said Brian, wiping his tears with his hand. “It’s just- when I’ve thought about him being called Freddie- It was too much for me”.

Roger hugged his Dom. He was also on the verge of tears. They all were in their old house where they took Josh from the hospital. (“And where’s the happy father?” asked Roger. “He’ll come very soon”, Josh assured him).

“You know, Freddie really liked the name Tiger. He always told me it would be fun to call a child Tiger. But your father-”

Roger’s speech was interrupted by someone ringing at the door. Brian went to open it. Suddenly they heard a strange sound – like he was crying and yelling at the same time.

“Darling, what happened?” Roger was ready to run to his husband but then Brian came back followed by David and…

“JOHN????” Roger now also was on the verge of crying. He hugged his long-lost friend.

“Sorry, Rog, Bri, I didn’t know I’m gonna come here, it’s just… my son brought me. He told me we have to discuss our songs but I’ve already told him-”

“Mom” David interrupted him “I also want you to meet someone. Your grandson, Richard Frederik-”

“Tiger,” added Roger.

“Mum, NO!!!” shouted Josh. “I’ve already told you: no Tigers, no Jaguars and no Chevrolets in my family!”

Everyone laughed and John sat beside him at the sofa and looked at the baby Josh was holding. He closed his eyes for a moment and tears started flowing down his cheeks.

“Mum, are you okay?” David asked worriedly. “Mum?”

John opened his eyes, caressed little Richard Frederik and turned to look at his own son.

“Well, young man, now I need to hear the whole story. I feel the evening’s gonna be interesting”.

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

March Update Post

figures i should do another one of these.... tho this is mostly an update on the current status of my translations since i don’t intend to post much in terms of translations (3) this month since i’ve gotten around to my video backlog and will be stocking up on translations...

As i’ve stated before, i do multiple things at once cuz my head works that way, though this list will not include any SSL game content since that’s something I’ve already committed into doing plus my progress is a lot faster on those since my focus is kinda divided at 65% for ssl cross and daily stories, with 35% towards everything else. 

My current (mostly estimated) progress for the following is at: 

Hakuoki Kaze no Fumi Shogunate Dogs and Puppies [ 薄桜鬼 真改 風ノ章 ebten特典ドラマCD 「幕府の犬と子犬」 ]- 45% done (going to update this cd as a goal for my non-existent patreon unless someone sends me the audio for it on the off-chance i get donations or anything since the cd is usually costs between 2500 and 3000 yen on suruga-ya/yahoo auctions and im not willing to spend more money on cds (i think im going to start saving for ginsei no shou stuff).... plus that doesnt account for overseas shipping and other payment fees lol though id cover the bill for that. *sigh*)

Hakuoki Tsukikage no Shou - Kazama Chikage Final Chapter - 33% done

SSL Hakuo Gakuen Student General Assembly Track 3 - 25% someone uploaded this with Chinese subtitles so I’ll be able to finally translate that part where Shiranui talks with Kazama and Amagiri in the background.... huzzah lol

Hakuoki Girls fest live drama with saito, souji and kazama 10% (what I was referring to as “unknown drama”

Hakuoki otomate party 2013 drama 12%

Hana no Shou Stallaworth after story (renaming these to “after stories”. these are the ones that came from the book with Chizuru, Souji and Hijikata on it that i’ve already translated the stories for saito, yamazaki, hijikata and kazama for.) for Harada 10% 

Hakuoki ???? 28.57% (actually calculated this... tho im going to refrain from listing the name cuz im feeling mean lol. its an ssl “hakuoki other translation” tho)

Nightshade Stellaworth Kuroyuki Cd 20%

New shortlist of shortlisted stuff I still really want done:

Hana no Shou Stellaworth after stories for Souji, and Heisuke

Web drama 8 with souji and saito

Shinsengumi Oni-tan (still havent started transferring words from images from track 2 onward into text format)

character monologues

kyoka-roku rain scenario stories

kyoka-roku character cg perspectives

zuisouroku character cg perspectives

hijikata biyori track 13 and 14

otomate party 2015 psychedlica of the black butterfly drama

Anything no longer on my shortlist is still something that I intend to get to eventually tho if it’s no longer here, that means it will be done waaaay later... 

Currently, I have more than 100 different ‘tabs’ in nimble writer for Chinese Hakuoki content (it’s actually waaaaaay more than that in NW but i don’t feel like counting what isn’t right now since that’s a hassle to do), with the majority of them containing at least one hakuoki article/drama/short story though i have several tabs that contain multiple tracks [for dramas only] or multiple segments for print media or game content [really only ssl and yuugiroku 3 for that tho].... and i still haven’t counted the video content ive saved with chinese subtitles, the stuff i have saved as images or the stuff i haven’t bothered saving to my comp T_T......). also i didn’t know that the nightshade b’s logs stories were already translated and on their steam’s news page (which i’ve never checked in my life) so i’ll refrain from doing more of them.... *sigh* i apparently am not good at finding things on tumblr though in my defence i couldn’t find it under hyakka hyakurou though i did give up searching the nightshade tag after seeing too many plants.

oh and I’m probably going to start including images of the cds im missing audio for into some my posts more regularly cuz i really don’t think anyone looks at my lookout list... should probably say that i have no ETA on anything listed above since my current focus is on the ssl game content which i wanna finish asap.... i think i got 48 short stories to finish translating for that. or something? not sure if that’s an accurate number since im not sure if i counted everything properly. w/e lol. 

as a super long term goal i want 36 hakuoki things done so i have content to post for a year (min of 3 things per month as a goal lol.... ) to do whatever the hell i want on the side at a super slow pace or to finish all the relatively short stuff so i have a legitimate excuse to cut back and take my damn time since theres no way in hell i can translate a 30-60 min drama quickly lol. xD. 

Also, if anyone happens to want to translate Hakuoki stuff, or pay someone else to get translations commissioned, you can ask me for copies of the audio cds listed on my “stuff i have” page.... though I’m willing to trade for cds i don’t own if you don’t intend to do any of that.

ground rules for cds: 1) you cannot ask me anonymously, 2) do not share audio if you’re only publishing translation as text (meaning if you chose not to make a video), 3) if translations are made but are not posted publicly, send me a copy since I want them for my own entertainment (I will respect anyone’s wishes if they don’t want something shared or published online), 4) acknowledge that I may not share something if I am in the process of already translating it... that I might just be procrastinating since i haven’t ripped 99% of everything on that list, or might decide to send tracks one at a time due to other external reasons... also i don’t actually know which cds have dramas on them.

[inversionimpulse]

there’s a difference between ‘internal consistency’, ‘canon’, and ‘faithfulness.’

Internal consistency is necessary to the suspension of diselief. Your story needs to be consistent with itself to be believable, and a story that isn’t believably is hollow. ‘Believable’ doesnt mean it has to mimic reality exactly, it means it has to portray its own reality effectively.

Internal consistency is incredibly important and not really up for debate. You can bend it or break it when it’s necessary to make the story more effective, but you shouldn’t do that too much lest the audience stop believing.

(everything below this point might be a bit of a hot take, I actually dunno. Also, this is just me trying to work out some recent thoughts by putting them on a page, I might change my mind next week, who knows. Hell, I’m not even sure I agree with all of it now. Also I’m gonna slap it under a readmore because I have anxiety)

Canon is something that’s very silly to get too caught up in. While I don’t encourage some of the more extreme uses of Death of The Author I’ve seen, the fact remains that personal experiences and interpretations are extremely valuable. Every story means something a little different to each person who reads it. The author’s intent is, of course, still very important, and knowing what it was can enhance the experience. But the thing that matters most to the reader is the reader’s own engagement. Canon is not your god - treating stories like mathematical problems with only one proper solution is what high school English teachers do, not what you should be doing.

And then, when ‘canon’ extends past the creator, what does it even mean?

I think I should illustrate with an example. The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, one of the most famous Batman stories ever written. The ending is a common subject of debate. Did Batman kill the Joker? The ending is open-ended. I don’t know what Alan Moore intended, and I don’t care to look it up - and I don’t think he’s ever said, anyway. I don’t think Batman killed Joker, other people (such as Grant Morrison, one of my favourite comic book writers) think he did - both these interpretations are completely valid, even though they create radically different stories - one where the Joker’s nihilistic view isn’t entirely wrong, and one where, as Gordon says, they “show him our way works!”. These two endings are completely different and they change the meaning and themes of the story, but saying that only one is valid is rather wildly missing the point. What’s important is the story that you read (it’s still possible to be wrong, though. You’re still working within the constraints of the written word - if your interpretation goes completely against the text, it’s still wrong).

Now, ‘canon’ agrees with me. The comics continued on, and Joker kept breathing. But why is this ‘canon’? Why is this a more valid an interpretation than that of people who think Joker died? These continuations, they weren’t written by the same person as Killing Joke, they were appended on to it by other people. Why is their writing a more valid continuation of Moore’s work than, say, a fanfic? Because executives at DC said so? What gives their approval so much weight? They didn’t create Batman, Bill Finger did. These corporate suits don’t have anything to do with Batman outside a court of law. What makes Moore’s work more valid than a fanfic, even? Bill Finger created Batman, not Moore, and Finger was too dead to give his approval to Moore’s work, and again, the corporate suits who say what goes and what doesn’t never had anything to do with Batman’s creation.

So what i’m getting at here, is this: why are these things ‘canon’? Even though Batman comics kept rolling and Joker kept breathing, why is that more ‘canon’ than Joker’s death? Why is The Killing Joke more canon than a fanfic? Because Copyright law says so? First of all, that copyright would have expired long ago if not for a certain mouse’s all-consuming greed. Second of all, that’s all just words - the only person to have a moral right to authority over Batman is Bill Finger, and he’s gone.

So if we look at this, what is ‘canon’? By the strictest definition, the only canon Batman work is Finger’s and everything else is invalid. But I think a more appropriate answer would be that ‘canon’ is something entirely up to the reader’s interpretation. The stories you like are part of your canon, and the ones that you don’t, aren’t. Because it’s more important that a reader has a good, meaningful experience than that you can slot everything into some strict timeline. It’s modern mythology, not in the hands of any corporation, but in the hands of anyone who can tell a story. Every Batman story is technically valid, whether DC published it or not.

And my use of the word ‘technically’ just then brings me to my third point, what ‘faithfulness’ is. Even if every Batman story is technically valid, that doesn’t make it good and it doesn’t mean people have to like it. The character of Batman is malleable, having been passed through as many hands as he has, but there’s still a core to it. if your Batman story has him as, I dunno, how about, a Yakuza dude who kills people with a bat-shaped knife, why is that a Batman story? You really think people are going to see Batman in that? A Batman story at the end of the day should still be a Batman story and people who love Batman should still be able to see the character they love in it. And if they don’t see that, they have every right to hate it.

The example I’m going to use here is MCU Spider-Man, who I’ll try to be as neutral as possible because otherwise I’m just going to piss everyone off. For a lot of older Spider-Man fans, Spider-Man is a working class schmuck who claws his way to greatness entirely under his own ability, who is a hero because he knows it’s the right thing to do, even though he’s so often tempted to use his powers for selfish short term gain. And a lot of them don’t see that in MCU Spider-Man - what they see is someone whose suit was made for them by Iron Man, they see someone who rarely faces real consequences, they see someone who cares more about being a hero than doing the right thing. These people have every right to hate MCU Spidey; if they can’t see the character they loved in this new character, they have no obligation to love the new one just because of a shared name. I’m not making any judgments on MCU Spidey himself, I’m just laying out some opinions people have about him. And if you do see the Spidey you fell in love with in MCU Spidey, you have every right to argue the point with those people.

(Confusing canon and faithfulness is silly, too. Just because, I dunno, Ra’s Al Ghul isn’t actually immortal and doesn’t have supernatural powers in some adaptation doesn’t mean it’s not a faithful adaptation of Ra’s Al Ghul if you can still tell immediately it’s Ra’s Al Ghul, if you still see the parts of Ra’s Al Ghul that really matter. Canon is the little nitty-gritty details that don’t matter as much as some people think if the whole is still faithful - more than the sum of your parts, right? Maybe a character doesn’t quite look the same, maybe they don’t quite have the same backstory - but if it’s still recognizably that character, if it’s still faithful to the spirit, I think it’s usually still good. When arguing about faithfulness, you’ve gotta learn to pick out the details that really matter and not worry about the ones that don’t)

So when making a story using a pre-existing character, you really ought to be as faithful as you can - not to some nebulous idea of ‘canon’ but to what you interpret to be the spirit of the character. Because at the end of the day, if you’re making a Batman story, it’s for Batman fans, isn’t it? If you’re making a Spider-Man story, it’s for Spider-Man fans, isn’t it? And it’s for the people who would be Spider-Man fans if they had been exposed to it - which hopefully your story will do. What’s the point of radically changing Batman to appeal to people who don’t like Batman instead of people who do or who would? If they even bother to bite the bait you’re dangling for them, which doesn’t happen often... what then? Now you have people who expect something that isn’t really Batman and you’ve lost the people who like things that are Batman. You’ve got Johnny-Come-Latelies who are after something very different from what other Batman stories offer who will leave when they realize that and you’ve lost the loyal, established fans. This sort of thing can work out and be mega-profitable, but not often.

And leaving aside all talk of profit and fans... if you’re writing a Batman story, shouldn’t you be trying to write a good Batman story? Not something entirely else you’ve put the name Batman on? Snyder.

Basically what I’m trying to say is this: If the original author has left the figurative building (and only if. While the original author still has a hand in things, their word is pretty much law), then everything appended to it by anyone is equally valid, no matter if the law says so or not. But that doesn’t mean it’s good or that people have to like it equally. Also copyright law is bullshit and Disney should not be allowed to fuck it up any further.

Oh, and I should add that a bad story doesn’t erase the good stories. If a video game you like is remade and the remake is bad... well, the original game is still there, isn’t it? And even if the remake is good, the original might just offer something different that’s still worth experiencing. Nothing can negate the original work’s quality. So if, say, I think the most recent Spider-Man film is bad, then, well, no skin off my neck - as much as I’d like new good Spidey films, the old good ones are still there and so are the comics they’re based on.

[comicteaparty]

January 22nd-January 28th, 2020 Reader Favorites Archive

The archive for the Reader Favorites chat that occurred from January 22nd, 2020 to January 28th, 2020.  The chat focused on the following question:

How do you react to comics going on hiatus, and how does that affect your readership for it?

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

Being a webcomic artist, I'm always very understanding when an author needs a break. Life happens, and most of us are hobbyists. I will wait as long as it takes for the comic to come back, even if that means years. I'll keep checking in every few months unless the artist makes a post saying the comic is dead and they're moving on (and if 'moving on' means starting a new comic, I'll usually start following it). I have quite a few life circumstances that have forced long hiatuses of my own comics, so I feel it would be a tad hypocritical of me to give up on a comic that needs a long break or has to update very infrequently for a while. Also since I have trouble following a lot of comics at once, my reading list is fairly short and it's easier for me to be very dedicated to and patient with the comics I do read.(edited)

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

Even before I started doing webcomics, I knew it wasn't the end of the world when a comic went on hiatus. Like, it's free entertainment, I don't blame the author for not sticking to a specific schedule. As for if it affects my readership... yeah? I usually stop checking in after a year or so if a comic hasn't had any updates, and even in that time I don't check up very often. And I don't often re-read hiatus'd comics until they come back off hiatus (as a sort of refresher) so they don't usually get my readership that way either.

varethane

I don't have any hard feelings when creators go on hiatus, whatever their reasons; life happens, webcomics are a lot of work for (often) little compensation, and people's priorities change over time. It's fine. I am one of those readers who is often prone to having a short attention span, though, so I confess that if a comic goes on hiatus and its creator isn't active on social media, there's a pretty good chance I'll lose track of it. And if the comic returns after a hiatus of more than a year, it may take some months before I will come back as a reader, just because I would need to reread the story in order to catch back up with what's going on.

SAWHAND

I don't tend to keep up with webcomics on a day-to-day basis anyway. I prefer to wait and then be able to binge-read a whole chapter or at least a few pages at a time. I actually really like when comics do a brief hiatus in between chapters to build up a backlog of pages and then post a lot of pages quickly (more than someone usually would do anyway) and then go back on hiatus. Kind of like seasons on tv.

Deo101 [Millennium]

I just had a hiatus that went longer than a year so I can't really fault an artist for needing a break. I understand, and also it doesnt bother me too much because I just read whenever there is an update, it's not like I'm checking at the scheduled time or anything! When it updates, I'll be there.

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

Life happens, circumstances change, people grow. So many of us are making webcomics at very transformative times of our lives - we can outgrow the stories, get tired of them, or begin to associate them with bad memories (poor artistic partnerships, commercial failures, etc). If a really good webcomic I follow goes on hiatus, of course I'll be disappointed. But behind every webcomic is an author with a life. If the webcomic is keeping their life from improving, then screw the webcomic. I'm always far more concerned about the person.(edited)

I get SO much joy watching webcomics come back after a long hiatus. It's worth any sadness felt during the hiatus itself. And I'm not happy just because the story is back - but because it's a sign that the author has taken care of themselves. You can often feel it in the new pages. It's really cool and good to see.

2

January 23, 2020

Kabocha

I think it depends on the comic. I prefer it when a creator can say, "hey, I'm going on hiatus" so I know to stop checking (or to set my expectations accordingly). They don't necessarily have to post an end date, but if they can, that's always good! Sometimes creators just stop updating, and that's fine too. But one's comic's site is going to be the central hub for anything regarding your comic's news, too. There are some comics where... I'm a little less understanding of hiatuses with complete silence -- and these are usually ones that have an actual publisher backing them and paying for the project's completion. Like, I get that life gets in the way, but when making said comic is your job -- or you have a perceived contractual obligation, maybe your publisher ought to step up and say something if the project is on hold or delayed or something. There's something about the line between "I am doing this project for free and the occasional donation" versus "I am getting paid for this project's completion as a product" that kind of... I dunno, makes the whole thing feel a little different? Like, sure, it might be up for free online, but like... when there's an actual publisher or platform paying the creator to make it it and they've got editors and stuff... It's less like someone's brain baby and more like a product. I actually have a folder in my favorites for comics on hiatus, but ArchiveBinge also tells me when they updated last, so... Not a huge deal. My ability or desire to read a project isn't hugely affected by a comic's status on hiatus, but I have found with some comics that come back years after going on a break... Well, I've changed enough that I'm no longer their target audience. And it can suck to realize that.

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

@LadyLazuli (Phantomarine) Oh man, your comment about being able to feel that an author has taken care of themselves after coming back from a long hiatus reminded me of when I once returned a comic from a 3 year long hiatus. I had put it on hiatus after a ‘friend’ completely ripped it apart and essentially called it trash. I was already going through some really bad stuff IRL and I lost all motivation to keep going. But three years later I came back, and the colours in the pages were so much brighter and more vibrant. The change was so obvious a reader actually gave me an impassioned speech about how the previous muted, greyish palette was a a better fit for the story. But only a few pages later they changed their mind and said they were wrong; the more vivid colours worked after all. I think maybe they could see how happy I was to be working on it again.... and maybe just how much happier I was in general. Sorry for the long anecdote; that second paragraph just really hit home for me. (edited)

MJ Massey

I think it depends on a few factors for me. In general I am pretty understanding of hiatus in general - it can be really good for the creator to take a break and set things in order for themselves as well as putting out work they enjoy rather than rushing to get a page out. Especially if this is someone's side gig. I appreciate it all the more if the creator can be honest. Even if they can't give a return date, coming out and saying "I can't work on this comic right now" is enough and perfectly fine

I get annoyed if someone who is PAID to make a comic just disappears and won't take responsibility. If it's your job, then you can't just run away from it. Again, even saying something like "I cannot work on the comic for now" is fine, but don't just run off and make some vague remarks on your social media that's not even where your readers normally engage with you.

I also agree that any partners, like a publisher or editor, that might be employing said artist could also step up and let readers know what's going on. If any of that happens, I am happy to wait as long as it takes

Readers are more understanding than you think, it's okay to just come out and say you're gonna miss updates, need time off, etc. You don't need to say anything more than that.

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

I'm not quite understanding the hostility towards people who get paid for creating webcomics, but hiatuses aren't something i could really call our personal business to make any calls regarding their obligations. Like @LadyLazuli (Phantomarine) said, life happens and circumstances change. I'm pretty sure whomever the creator is with has their own reasons as creative projects evolve differently for everyone and that their parties concerned have dealt with it in a necessary way. That is just the nature of them, we won't know or understand the full picture, and while i get being disappointed, it's not something that can be helped! I encourage hiatuses in fact, because webcomics are A LOT of work!! It can give the creator time for revisions, writing the story, and general self reflection of the project. I've stated this before on twitter, but ppl tend to forget that webcomics are typically made by 1-2 ppl and can produce the quality/quantity easily created by a small studio. Take a break!

Kabocha

It's not a hostility thing necessarily, but I do think that when, like, an actual publisher is involved, there should be some sort of expectation of... I dunno, communication? Traditionally published books and such get delayed (and canceled), but usually there's some form of communication as to the change in release dates or if it's going to come out at all. I think that's more or less the expectation with something that's being paid for by a publisher: That there's some form of communication between the audience regarding the story's state or future. It doesn't have to be a total "HI THIS IS MY LIFE" just more of a "hi the comic's on hold". But hiatuses, I think, are maybe different than a break? As a creator, I traditionally take a break between chapters to do editing and such, but I think a hiatus tends to be more... unplanned for. (and I'm not exempt from going on hiatus - I've had issues this winter that made it necessary for me to tell my readers "hi I'm not updating until april". So I'm sympathetic to health/life -- but I do think a "hi the comic's on hold" on the comic's site is warranted in a lotta cases.)

(or hell, even a "the comic's canceled" is fine too hoo boy, I just saw one that I wasn't aware of that got canceled for life issues... I feel for the creators.)

RebelVampire

I'm kind of on the higher standard for creators who are being paid to do it as a job train. At least a higher standard of communication. Cause I never really consider the hiatus itself the problem, but how the author communicates about the hiatus. Cause again, when being paid to do something, I just kind of expect more professionalism, and communication is a huge part of professionalism.

Kabocha

I think webcomics with a publisher -- like, an actual "hi we are paying you to produce this work" that isn't just patreon -- it's more of a commercial work. In one of the cases I have in mind, they're paid to do it per-page, through a well-known webcomics publisher. Sure, the creator loses out, because they're not being paid, but it is also a commercial work in the end. They have an editor, ostensibly someone to communicate with them and the manager, and went through some sort of acquisitions process to sell the work to that publisher. Kinda like the difference between "hi this is my fanfic" versus "hi this is my book that I got put through a small press pub"

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

I agree. Ghosting your paying customers is very unprofessional. Just informing readers that there’s a break or cancellation feels necessary if money’s involved. I‘d feel pretty burned if a comic I was pledging for on patreon just stopped updating for more than a few months without any communication whatsoever. A quick note that says ‘Hey, my comic is on break for an indeterminate amount of time because I need to take care of some things / am creatively exhausted / whatever other vague reason’ and I would understand. But if I’m paying the creator and they just vanish without a word, you can bet I won’t trust them enough to pay them again even if they come back later.

RebelVampire

Yeah. Those are my feels too. That it doesn't even need to be some essay message. It's just the giving a heads up so you're not sitting there staring wondering if someone fell into the abyss.

Nutty (Court of Roses)

You can say Tessa Stone, it's okay.

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

I... I don’t know who that is?

Nutty (Court of Roses)

She was the author of Hanna is Not a Boy's Name. Very popular webcomic, did a kickstarter for a book, then vanished with the money, and reappeared four years later working for another company.

Kabocha

That's... Not who was in mind.

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

Oh wow that’s scummy.

I’d read the comic waaaaay back but dropped it long before there was a KS.

Nutty (Court of Roses)

Yeah. Other than that, I always understand when hiatuses happen, we all have lives outside our comics.

RebelVampire

Professional comics aside, overall, for me, my reaction to a comic going on hiatus depends on a ton of factors. I will preface this first part, is that I'm always understanding of it. Life happens, interests change, etc. etc. etc. I would never tell a creator not to go on hiatus or that they were magically a bad creator or something for needing to stop for a bit (or indefinitely). People should take care of themselves both physically and emotionally first, so I get why hiatuses happen. That being said, I as a reader also have my own life. And the fact of the matter is, there are thousands of comics out there to read - many of which are not on hiatus. So I'd be lying if I said a hiatus had no effect on whether I'd continue to read a comic. That being said, it's not like a hiatus will make me instantly drop a comic either. This is where the many factors come in. Like how much do I love the comic? Has the creator communicated about the length of the hiatus and given a heads up? Does the comic have a very unreliable history of hiatusing and coming back and then immediately hiatusing etc.. Which again, I get and sympathize with creators and hiatuses. But there's a point where you just gotta move on if the comic's updating isn't to your liking.

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

also i just want to chime in and say that as one of those people who get paid to make my comic i don't appreciate it being called commercial work. It's still the creators property and honestly the money earned doesn't change the product, nor should it change the 'merit' of a hiatus. Hiatuses are also planned and not planned. They are both breaks and unseen stops in work, they are necessary and needed- much like vacation time or sick leave at other jobs. Having been paid for making comics shouldn't differ with who is more worthy of one. Again, they all happen with reasons the public doesn't need to fully know bc even if the work is produced 'free to read', it's still not an obligation to the readers for any full disclosure. I get being dissapointed, it's a work you enjoy, but like any type of work, schedules change, lives conflict, and projects get canceled.

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

I don’t think anyone is saying that we mind hiatuses when comic artists are being paid, we all explicitly stated we mind poor communication about it from the creator

Big difference

varethane

the main thing I look sideways at is a creator who ghosts their existing audience and goes incommunicado for years, and then returns with either the same product or something very similar. I'm not so much mad, as.... unlikely to keep reading their work, even once it's back? Or I'll have trouble convincing myself to dive back in, even if it still looks like it should be my thing. I'm thinking of a specific comic I used to read called Astray3, which stopped updating with no news updates sometime in like..... 2011? And then after a year or so the website went down, and I assumed that was just.... it, the creator had left comics. Then just this year I was thinking about it while talking to friends and did a google search, and discovered that it was back On a new webhost, totally rebooted and fresh, with gorgeous new art

I had no idea, lol. I guess it had been back for maybe a year or two? It's really beautiful, and if I'd found it fresh I'd probably be super excited to dive in, but I haven't gotten around to it yet and that's the only real reason I can think of as to why.

This is a personal thing though. I don't know why all that happened or what led the creator to shelve the comic, I bear them no hard feelings. I just..... may or may not start reading again (maybe I will when I get some time!! Who knows lol)

keii4ii

@varethane I gotta say I'm sort of guilty of that. I stopped working on my previous comic after I'd gotten pretty far in the story. Things happened IRL and I just couldn't keep working on that story. My main site host died (the hosting business closed), and I didn't leave a proper goodbye on my SJ mirror. Then a few years later, I came back elsewhere with a new comic. X'D I don't really have a point here (yet?), just waving a hand from the other side of the fence.

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

@Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios) im responding to the commercial work comment

varethane

I don't even really think there IS a fence, lol. There are so many reasons why I may or may not read a comic, up to and including how I happen to feel on a given day; when I read something really often has more to do with my mood than with how much I feel like it 'should' appeal to me, so long breaks in updates are just one more ingredient in the big old soup of 'will I jump into this story today'

keii4ii

Yeah, readers come and go all the time, for all sorts of reasons

Deo101 [Millennium]

I'd also like to wave my hand from the side of the fence of "basically going completely radio silent" I did it because I had an incredibly difficult personal experience, that I didnt really want to share with all of my readers, and I don't think I should HAVE to share what happened in order for it to be valid for me to have dropped off like that for a while.

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

Exactly what Deo said

varethane

while I agree you don't need to say why, a quick news update saying 'hey something came up and this won't update for awhile, maybe forever' would be appreciated in a lot of cases

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

but the thing is, nobody said you have to say what happened It doesn't have to be a total "HI THIS IS MY LIFE" just more of a "hi the comic's on hold". like it's the difference between saying "there won't be updates for a while" and just leaving the comic hanging on the latest page with no comment.

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

Yeah, I don’t think anyone needs to leave a reason. But if people are paying you, just a ‘Hey this is on a break’ to the audience.

Deo101 [Millennium]

I did say "hi I'm gonna be on hiatus!" and people did still get upset with me for being gone so long so :/

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

well they were rude

varethane

I don't read anything as obsessively as I used to, but one of the first webcomics I ever read trailed off forever with 'see you next week!' as the last news update lmao

I went back to that homepage like a million times

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

Theres no winning with it honestly. I haven't had a hiatus with my comic im working on now, but a previous one earned us threats when we had a break

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

People getting upset isn’t your fault. You communicated, and that’s all you needed to do. We all know some readers can be fickle or downright rude.(edited)

Deo101 [Millennium]

IN THEIR DEFENSE i did say "brief hiatus" cause the situation around it was really weird, and then it was a very not brief one

varethane

no excuse for bein rude about it tho >:U sorry to hear about that!

keii4ii

Yeeeah

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

The threats that we got and harassment definitely made me realize that you don't owe ppl any thing. It's your work, and at the end of the day, you're the one in charge. We literally don't know the reasons to the breaks of a fave creator, it could be something as simple as boredom to something dire. I again i understand the want for communication but there are times where it just doesn't come first or at all.

I think in the situation of finding a ks or something u paid for directly? Yes, you deserve that right to know. But a project that isn't going to affect u in that way, well, it's a mystery we're not owed sometimes

Deo101 [Millennium]

yeah I'm just gonna get back to making it, and if people are going to leave and be upset with me I... cant control that... so I shouldnt try or worry about it. just offering the perspective of someone who p much did drop off the face of the earth

oh yeah for something youve paid for its different

Kabocha

Allow me to say that when I say commercial work, I mean it strictly in a "This is a thing that you are making money or aiming to turn a profit from." That's it. There's a difference in expectations, I think, for something where the creator is doing it as their job vs the creator doing it as a hobby. (but also -- like, if you have a publisher or an agent, they should be stepping in to help you field things like communication!!)

But also yes -- my essential point is that communication is key.

And yes, there is an overlap between hobby and earning money off said hobby, but once a thing is available for consumption as something you're earning income off of, I think the expectations ought to be slightly different. I think it's fair to expect someone to say "hi I'm taking a break" on the comic site. Edited to clarify the "income" part of this -- I mean like, a significant portion of your income. Tips are always appreciated, but don't generate an obligation in any sense of the imagination imo. Or like. Yanno, a publishing deal? I dunno. But that gets into contractual stuff.(edited)

spacerocketbunny

As long as someone didn't literally run off with your money, I think a bit more empathy and compassion can be exercised, even if the only communication that's provided is radio silence. It just happens man, sometimes life sucks and you don't get to have a word in edge-wise. There's just so many factors as to why it can happen, it's not a divide between who does and doesn't get a paycheck for their work. Stuff happens and at the end of the day it's still free content that's available to you.

Like @RebelVampire said too, it's totally up to you what you do with your engagement when hiatuses come up

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

Agreed

Basically, i hope that if ever the case a creator drops from their project without notice or any word, readers express concern and compassion

Kabocha

That is a fair expectation -- and readers need to remember not to be jerks about it.

Mei

Reading through all of this was super interesting. I think hiatuses are just something that in a medium like webcomics is something to almost 'expect'? if that makes sense? Whether it's because of personal reasons, or work reasons, or any reason that we as readers are not privy to, I think it's part of the process. Of course it's great when creators mention they're going on a hiatus, but I suppose it's also having that understanding that sometimes creators may lose the drive or motivation for what they're creating, and they need a break from it. But yeah, I think it'd be awesome for readers to show understanding for webcomics going on hiatus for a short while or indefinitely. They're a LOT of work and most of the time life takes precedent over that?

RebelVampire

I just want to add myself that jerk readers are a diff issue all together and they are legit not the readers you should care about. Cause at the end of the day, you will never ever make them happy whether you communicate or not. So ignore them and do what you need. The communication is for everyone else who isn't rude and likes your comic (whether a vocal fan or a silent fan). Cause frankly, I think it also shows a certain amount of respect as well for readers when the author communicates their status. But just to clarify in case it wasn't clear in my own statement, you are not obligated to share your life story. TBH, I don't even read people's life essays for their reasons in a lot of cases cause it's their personal business. The reasons for the hiatus are largely irrelevant. But you can still leave a small message that says "Hey I'm not gonna be updating for a bit." Like that's not an exaggeration. That's all you have to say. XD Last, I do want to add, of course there are exceptions to this with extenuating circumstances. Like I know a few people who have had all means of communication break for them - and that of course is understandable then. Since it's not that they didn't want to communicate, it's that they literally had no choice in the matter.

[edge-lorde]

just finished savage edennnnn.

it wasnt terribly scientific but it reminded me a lot of the ya books i used to read. obviously written for the love of writing a cool story and doesnt really have a moral or agenda, just pure entertainment. also gives the neanderthals a hopeful end rather than dwelling on the fact that they do all die out. 

i do have a few issues/critiques with it, and i will post them here because they are not necessarily neanderealated, but thinking about what makes a book good or bad and how narrative is put together is honestly half the fun for me. 

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

my first issue is a critique of the writing. ive commended this book for its much better characters than other self published books i have read, but there are still a few things that bother me. 

to begin, the setting of the book is a clan of hunter gatherers just before the last ice age. this clans structure includes all of the men being a group of hunters, which is run in a para-militaristic style. the main character is a man named golau, whose character is the masculine ideal for his people. hes the generic hero type, but also very kind and nurturing, and is set to be the next clan leader. a few of the other hunters are named and come up, but few enough so as to get a good read of their personality. 

one of these such hunters is a man named ceffyl, who did not stick out in the writing at all until the very moment it was relevant. when golau first breaks off from the others to begin his adventure plot, he names ceffyl to take his place as leader and it is revealed that they had actually been best friends this whole time, despite maybe having one scene together where they talk to each other in passing. 

then this happens again when ceffyl reveals to golaus betrothed, a girl named sky, that he wanted to marry her but they couldnt become close because golau might still come back. then it is revealed that ceffyl was actually THE most eligible bachelor in the clan this entire time, but had never married, presumably because he was waiting for sky. none of that had ever come up the second before this happened, and it happened in the last quarter of the book. 

this happened a few more times with other characters too, but i wont list them all. its a shame because the book is only 242 pages long and i see so many places where it could be beefed up. there are a lot of hunter characters and many of them are interchangeable too. it makes me wonder how much backstory there actually was that didnt get put in that could have made the book that much more compelling, and i already thought much of it was compelling! 

another problem i have is with the two main romances. both of them are between teenage girls and adult men. this immediately puts me on guard but both are very respectfully written.

 there are no ‘lust’ scenes that are so common in YA, which i am thankful for, for one thing. the first romance ive described already, between sky and ceffyl. after ceffyl reveals his feelings, there are no more scenes like that between them. i take this to mean that both of them act like adults and continue to work with each other without pursuing a relationship until golau comes back and releases sky from their betrothal. 

its never stated how old ceffyl is, but he is described as ‘young’ while golau is described as 25. sky is described as 17 at the start of the book but is likely 18 by the end. it could be that ceffyl is actually much closer to her in age than golau was, but before she came to like ceffyl, she had accepted her future marriage to golau, logiced out it would be a good match, and kissed him goodbye at the end of the book for ‘what could have been.’ the 8 year age gap was also commented on by another teenage girl in the book, so we know that this is not common even by whatever the standards of the time are. 

the other romance is between a 16 year old girl and a neanderthal hunter whose age is never commented on, though he takes on a full adult role and even leads his people as ‘senior male’ for a time. i dont think this title refers to age, but it would be strange for a teenager to take the lead over more experienced members, doesnt it? this plotline is similarly never grossly written and always thoughtful, but it just irks me that the girls are so young. 

i cant imagine anything about the story changing if they had just been bumped up in age by a few years. you could make the argument that girls mature faster than boys, but..... they shouldnt have to. is it really unrealistic for the average age of marriage for a woman to be early 20′s rather than mid to late teens? if so, sky could also be just a widow. golau’s first wife died from illness, shes mentioned in one sentence and never brought up again. 

idk.... it makes me uneasy..... but then again, so does all romance so what am i even talking about, right?

[flordidian]

Worst Changes Adaptations Made to the Anne Series

Disclaimer: These are just my opinions. Just because I think these things doesn’t mean they are true. In fact, I fully recognize that in the eyes of someone else these changes could be good.

Also, the order is random and not a reflection of how frustrating each thing is.

1. Anne going into a war zone with the intention of forcing Gilbert not to serve his country.

(The Continuing Story)

Anne and Gilbert are married. And yet, Kevin Sullivan decided to have Anne risk her life with the purpose of ignoring Gilbert’s wishes. What was she going to do if she found him before the war was over? He would have been pissed. All Sullivan had to do was wait until the war was over, have Gilbert be missing in action, and then Anne’s whole thing would have made sense.

2. Gilbert lacking loyalty.

(Anne with an E Season 2)

It really bothered me when Gilbert went back on his word to Sebastian. It just seemed out of character, not only for the Gilbert of the books but for the Gilbert of the show. I’m also not sure what point it served other than make me like his character less.

3. Anne being into an old guy

(Anne of Avonlea by Sullivan Productions)

Okay, I know some people found Morgan Harris attractive, but he was 49. 49. Meanwhile, Meagan Follows, who plays Anne, is 19. As a 21 year old girl, I found and still find the whole thing gross. Sure, he’s rich, but you’d think Anne would want more than that.

4. Marilla having a Romeo and Juliet level feud with the Blythe family.

(Anne of Green Gables 1934)

I just watched this and while it is super funny (unintentionally) the whole Blythe-Cuthbert feud is a bit annoying. It is never fully explained and the same consequences (Anne forbidden from dating Gilbert) could have been achieved without it.

5. Matthew being outgoing.

(Anne of Green Gables by PBS)

For whatever reason, books and movies and such act like being outgoing is a superior trait then being shy. Because of that, I think it is really important that Matthew has the social anxiety given to him by L. M. Montgomery. She decided to make a wonderful significant character struggle talking to other people and not be condemned for that. It is an essential part of Matthew that shouldn’t be changed.

6. Gilbert caressing Anne’s face when they aren’t even friends.

(Anne of Green Gables by Sullivan Productions)

This is another thing I know other people like but I find icky. At this point in the story, Gilbert and Anne aren’t friends. Sure, he gave up the Avonlea school for her, but she has yet to express any desire to be his friend. Touching her face, particularly in this time period, seems inappropriate. At the very least, he should have made sure he had her consent before touching her in an intimate way.

7. Gilbert telling Anne her story sucks

(Anne of Avonlea by both BBC and Sullivan Productions)

Why do people think this is a good idea? In the book Gilbert is excited Anne published her story and super supportive. Why give him another character’s lines that tear her down? I think the comments are rude, especially given they are unsolicited. Gilbert is my favorite character, so I’m particularly sad when he appears a jerk to me.

8. Diana made to feel guilty for wanting to be a mother by a rare representation of the LGTBQ community.

(Anne with an E Season 2)

Anne with an E added LGTBQ characters which is great. They have an episode showing these characters having a gathering where they can be themselves. They claim that all they want is for everyone to be free to be who they are. And yet, they (Aunt Josephine and friend) condemn Diana for wanting to be a wife and mom instead of a professional piano player. It is so frustrating to me that the creators finally added LGTBQ characters but then portrayed them as hypocrites. The characters didn’t have to be perfect, for sure, but hypocrisy seems an unfortunate and inaccurate portrayal of that community.

9. Gilbert smacking Anne with his horse whip thing.

(Anne of Avonlea by Sullivan Productions)

As you can probably tell, I’m not a fan of men touching women without their consent. Hitting a girl on the butt with a whip is highly inappropriate. If a guy did that to me now, in modern times no less, he would lose my friendship for sure. Please filmmakers, if you want to portray men positively please have them respect women.

10. Gilbert fainting despite desiring to be a doctor.

(Anne with an E Season 2)

This is more nit picky. It just annoyed me that they made Gilbert faint, and for what? Two seconds of comedy? I have fainted 8 times, 2 times relating to being uncomfortable with blood, and even I don’t faint when I see a needle. How is he going to be a doctor?

Now that you have read my complaints, what are yours? What changes did you dislike?

[padawanlost]

hello there! i have to ask somethings, i hope it doesnt bother you. Star Wars confused me a lot. I mean its not like the Marvel. MCU created from Marvel Comics. But SW isnt made from comics. But it has comics and books. So where should i look for their true story? For example, Kylo Ren made for movies, i guess. Hes Leia and Han's son but when i searched about Leia's children on Wookieepedia, there was only Jacen, Jaina and Anakin Solo. Is he really their son or it's just for movies?whats truth?

Hey!!! How are you?Don’t worry, anon, it’s normal to confused. The SW universe can get veryoverwhelming, I know. I made a timeline that might help you understand how itall work.

The Birth of the ExpandedUniverse

Back in 70/80s, thefandom demanded more content than just the movies. The usual products tied tosuccessful movie/show – toys, clothes, posters – weren’t enough to satisfy thefandom. Lucasfilm saw in this an opportunity to expand the brand and startedpublishing sanctioned content. Everything Lucasfilm released and labels as“official” became part of the Extended Universe (extended as in an extension ofthe movie’s universe).

The Expanded Universe untilDisney

For the fans whofollowed the EU, everything Lucasfilm released in terms of story and games wasconsidered canon. So the Thrawn books and everything published about whathappened to our heroes post-ROTJ was considered part of the official story. However,George made clear that he did not keep track of those stories and would notworry about them when writing the Prequels (that’s why he kept writers fromexploring the fall of the Republic in depths before 1999). Because George didhis own thing, we now had contradictory info like what the clone wars wasabout. I won’t go into details of how star wars canon works because that’s awhole new conversation but, to keep it simply, everything that wasn’tcontradicted by the movies/shows was considered canon. This is how it worked until2012 when the expanded universe was erased by Disney.

Disney’s Star Wars.

When Disney boughtStar Wars they everything that was published before that was made non-canon (asif it had never existed).  They kept theuniverse (movies & shows) but not its extensions (games, books, comics).But because the Star Wars Extended Universe was so famous, they renamed theoriginal Extended Universe “Legends” and called theirs “Extended Universe”.It’s a mess, I know.

The two ExpandedUniverses & the fandom.

Star Wars now has twoversion (George Lucas & Disney). Some fans prefer the original EU(George’s), some prefer the new (Disney’s) and some prefer a mix of both. BothEUs have their merits and their problems. It’s really a personal choice. Understandably,Disney labeled their products as “canon” so I understand how confusing it canget when researching something. I have noticed most of the new fans have a hardtime understanding SW’s canon is not as straightforward as most franchises’canon. But if you really want to know if something is “canon” or “legends”, goto wookieepedia and make that site your best friend :)

If you search for LeiaOrgana you will find one of these. If you click “Canon” you will see Ben Soloas Leia’s son. If you click “Legends” you will find Jaina, Jacen and Anakin.Again, who do *you* want Leia’s children to be, it’s up to you. If followDisney’s EU, it’s Ben. If you follow GL’s EU, it’s Jaina, Jacen and Anakin.

Characters like Leia, Anakin, Obi-wan and Luke exists two BOTH EUs.

Character like Jacen, Jaina, Ferus and Siri exist only in the original EU (Legends).

Characters like Kylo Ren, Rey, Finn and Poe exist only in Disney’s canon.

Because I’m a huge nerd I made this graphic that synthesizes everything I said.

When it comes to SWthe word canon is rather meaningless. Each fan has their own idea of what is andisn’t canon. There are no absolute truths. I mean, these days not even themovies are sacred anymore with many fans refusing to acknowledge certain moviesas part of the canon. Star Wars has TWO Expanded Universes and you can pick theone you like best.

Let me know, if you are still confused about anything :)