#nano asks

[flowercrown-bard]

4, 6, and 8 for the nano ask game🤗

thank you!

4. Any writing buddies?

yes! My incredibly talented and amazing partner is the one who explained to me what exactly NaNo is and how it works and they encouraged me to join by becoming my writing buddy :D i couldn't do it without them

6.What genre are you writing?

Fantasy (fae, magic, blood curses, blood rituals), political intrigue, lesbian romance, and i don't think it's a genre but fucked up family dynamics

8. Any inspirations?

Wellll the original inspiration for the worldbuilding and magic system comes from E. T. A. Hoffmann and secondary literature about the genre Schwarze Romantik (i think it's called 'dark romanticism' in English), specially the trope of stealing someone's shadow and/or reflection to steal their soul. But uhhh i pretty much scrapped most of that original idea yesterday. So now I'd say the biggest inspiration is @dhwty-writes. The way they talk about worldbuilding and their bravery to write the most fucked up characters (and the inclusion of blood rituals) is teaching me a lot about making my own world and characters less boring and going for a darker vibe than the fairy tale vibe i initially wanted

Nano ask game

[urbestestwindgod]

A woman who looks almost exactly like astreaus and is holding Astro appears in front of Aeolus “hi! I’m nebula, you are?”

@the-stars-speak

im aeolus! god of the winds! :3

[stellartistic]

6ug!

Almost a full week of drawing a bug every day

Edit: their name is Steve

[blazing-butterfly]

Hear me out based on your shrinking mech post. What about a mech show where the mecha are antibodies fighting viruses. Like gundam/cells at work. Is that anything

Ooh yes that is definitely something! I see two approaches you could do with it, both seem interesting:

1) It's about real cells, they're just depicted as mecha for stylistic reasons, much like how Cells At Work personifies the cells as people but isn't literally saying "this is a world where everyone has tiny people living inside them."

2) It's a scifi where diseases and other ailments are treated by nanomachines that actually are tiny mecha in-universe, either piloted remotely or sentient on their own.

Or maybe a middle ground where the mecha are nanomachines but the cells are also stylized as humanoids if not full humans? Hmm... what if... the mecha are nanomachines piloted remotely via some kind of VR setup or neural link, but because the inside of a human body is such an unfamiliar place it all gets "translated" into a world the pilots can more easily understand, with cells appearing to them as people, viruses as monsters, organs as landscapes and buildings, etc.?

I mean this is all pretty unrealistic and just an excuse to show epic robot fights, but that's never stopped mecha media before XD Also I am very tired right now so I hope my rambling made any sense at all

[kedreeva]

Hey Ked. What was Nano's forum debacle? I knew about the AI but not about whatever the forums thing is

Uh, well you can (and should) at least read the wikipedia entry and nanowrimo's own response about it, but it basically amounted to: there were accusations of child grooming occurring on the nanowrimo forums (iirc, by luring kids OFF the forums), by a nanowrimo moderator/ML, accusations which were basically ignored for an inexplicable amount of time (months and potentially years, the reports vary, and the board claims they were only informed days before addressing it; when I originally looked into it, the earliest info I could find dated back to may of 2023), before the forums suddenly went read-only in november 2023 and there was some kind of internal investigation that amounted to the ML being removed from power but not banned, and... basically nothing else. The forums remained (and afaik are still) shut down.

If you search "nanowrimo forums grooming" you'll get a TON of results from sites that were reporting or discussing it at the time. I'm sure you can find more info there.

[five-rivers]

Where's the post that explains how you create the names in the fic 'Ancestral'?

Unfortunately, I can't find it either! Either tumblr ate it or it was a reply on AO3 or something.

Which means that I'll have to just explain it here!

For most of the personal names, what I've done is pronounce them as if most of the vowels are half-swallowed and then transcribe that as best I can. What this looks like in writing is most of the vowels being replaced with 'y.'

Hence: Iris -> Irys, Madeline -> Madlyn (close family members will sometimes blur the Avlynyse and English pronunciations, which is why Matthew sometimes calls Maddie Madelin).

I treat 'j' a little differently.

Hence: Jasmine -> Yazmyn, James -> Ymaz, Joanna -> Yonna

Sometimes I'll instead roll back to an earlier pronunciation or spelling of a name.

Hence: George -> Georg (both 'g's hard)

Sometimes I will do both.

Hence: Lewis -> Louis -> Lwys

For surnames, I'll usually take some English word I feel describes the person adequately, maybe go back one etymological step, or find the equivalent in old/middle English, then do the same thing as I do with the personal names.

Hence: (of the) Cup -> cuppe -> Kyppe, doors -> dura, doru -> Dyrys

Sometimes, though, I'll give them a sort of place name. Myrynoe, the last name of the Speaker for the Assembly, is an old form of 'from Myrno,' the name of the second largest island.

I think that covers examples of all the name creation I've done so far, but I'm playing with the idea of converting 'foreign' names to Avlynyse pronunciation as well.

Hope this answers your question!

[nymphoutofwater]

up to you whether you’re counting across blogs (or even across platforms, i suppose)

[novlr]

Weird question here: do I need to describe my character's clothes? Obviously I need to if it's important to the story or setting (if they're wearing a beautiful ruby gown at a ball, or maybe dirty and torn to indicate a fight) but just on a normal day? Do readers need to know what characters are wearing?

The issue of whether or not to describe a character’s clothes is a common dilemma faced by many creative writers. The answer to this question, however, is not a simple one. It ultimately depends on the specific context and requirements of your story. Let’s dive into how to strike the right balance in descriptions of clothing, and when it helps or hurts your narrative pacing.

When should you describe a character’s clothes?

Setting the tone and atmosphere

In scenes where the character’s clothes significantly contribute to the setting or atmosphere of the story, a detailed description is good to include. A vivid description can immerse a reader fully in the scene. Examples could include a fancy gown at a ball or an inappropriate costume at a house party.

Defining characters

Clothes have the potential to be a powerful tool in defining your character, as they can reflect their social status, personality traits, and even their current mood or mindset. Whether it’s a sleek suit that exudes sophistication or a colourful ensemble that showcases their vibrant personality, the clothes your character wears can provide valuable insights into who they are when they are first introduced.

Moving the plot forward

The type of clothing a character wears can help to move your plot forward. A character in a magician’s robe, for instance, can spark reader curiosity but also heighten anticipation for the future role they may have in the story. It becomes a visual cue, subtly hinting at the possibility of magic and the potential impact the character might have on the story’s unfolding events.

When should you not describe a character’s clothing?

When it doesn’t add anything to the story

It is important to consider whether a description of a character’s clothing adds crucial information to the story or character development. If it doesn’t serve a purpose in enhancing the plot or providing insights into the character’s traits, it is usually best left out. Instead, focus on elements that truly matter and contribute to the narrative.

When it slows down the story

Detailing every piece of clothing in every scene can result in a slow progression of the story. While it is important to create a vivid and immersive world for your readers, focusing too much on clothing descriptions can detract from the overall pace and flow of your narrative. Instead, prioritize the elements that truly matter to the plot and character development. Choose key moments or scenes where the character’s clothing holds significance, such as pivotal events or instances where what they wear contributes to the atmosphere.

When it distracts from plot development

Detailed descriptions of clothing can sometimes divert readers’ attention away from the main plot and essential details of the story. When the focus on clothing becomes excessive, it can interrupt the flow of the narrative and hinder the development of more crucial elements.

Strike the right balance

It’s all about striking the right balance. Descriptions are necessary when they have a purpose and impact on the story or characters. Consider the following tips to accurately depict your character’s clothing:

Do not overload your description in a single paragraph. Distribute it throughout the story.

Maintain variety. Describe different aspects of clothing in different scenes.

Keep it relevant and contextual.

[flowercrown-bard]

NaNoWriMo Ask:

13, 19 and the title one (i think 7?)

thank you <3

7. Do you have a title yet?

Yes! The title is "Simulacrum", because the main character's goal is to steal another person's identity with magic and take over their place

13. Who’s your least favorite character so far?

there are a lot of characters I (love to) hate, but I'd say the one I hate the most is Hemadis. She is a priestess, who is so very kind and caring, when the main character first meets her and she claims to value family above all else, which is something the main character can relate to strongly. But it eventually turns out that the priestess abused/abuses both of her children under the pretense of protecting them and that her way of "caring" for people is incredibly hypocritical and dangerous

19. Which of your characters swears the most?

None of my characters really swear openly a lot, but I feel like Wedernoch (a royal guard, who doesn't show much emotion openly) has a constant inner monologue, mercilessly roasting people and swearing. Other than that, there's the very minor charcter Emmiran. She's an old soldier, who has been working for idiots for so long that she just doesn't give a fuck anymore

[bitternace]

if youre still taking the top 100 song rqs - how about 34 and something kairi related? ❤️ (dont worry about it if you're already swamped with rqs!)

but i regret just one thing: i never got to change your mind

[ID: a digital drawing of kairi from kingdom hearts. the background is a sketchy rendition of the tunnel in Traverse Town's secret waterway. the shadows are a little chunky, and the circular waterway frames her from the shoulder up.

she is in her kingdom hearts outfit, shown from the thigh up. with her back to the audience, kairi holds her right arm behind her back, shoulders tense. her right hand is curled into a fist. /End ID.]

[cute-girls-from-vns-anime-manga]

have you seen this

THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF THIS MOMENT, I MUST HAVE BLACKED OUT FROM BLISS TILL THE SCENE WAS OVER!!!

Now I have gone and take my blueray Rips of the anime and made this peak moment in gif form!

God I wish that were me

[sarcophagid]

i would love to ramble abt nathaniel norwell with you sorry if im late to the party i barely log into this site. pls tell me about how you portray his personality, i like seeing how people portray him differently

its okay <3! im also the slow replier so u are not late at all dw

i had an old nathaniel personality post here but some things have developed a bit for me since then so i will go over what i think of him right now 🤔

INTERNAL

i think it goes well with the general direction of their story if both ithaqua and nathaniel have the potential to be many different kinds of people depending on how they grow up - it highlights ithaqua's discomfort of knowing someone doing horrible things is not inherently different from you and is instead remarkably similar

^ so i think nathaniel isn't from design devoid of common things like compassion, kindness, reason, morality etc. however he does ascribe strongly to a set of intended behaviours and beliefs that overshadow these things, particularly the feelings of guilt that an ordinary person would get from manipulating and hurting a large group of people. ergo i think these things exist in him but they're usually sort of unavailable 🤔. i'll come back to this later ->⭐

^ as for what is usually available, i do think he operates on the ideas of fear/necessity/order. he feels he has to act this way or else the structure will fall apart, and that will hurt the people more than he ever will. worse, maybe he won't have that seat above them anymore. (normal guy)

^ i think it's common to see a superiority complex in him, but i want to argue that he also has the potential to have a very firm belief that he's subordinate to something, be it his family or his faith. i did highlight in the older post how i think he doesn't 100% believe there are witches but i do think he's still pretty culturally christian and probably does believe in god. i just think these types of structures require future 'leaders' to be obedient on some angle

despite giving him a pretty critical/negative characterization sometimes i will say i'm not a huge fan of the idea that he's just innately a sadist/cruel/evil 😭. i think he can theoretically be those things but not because of his 'nature' or anything. i think it's possible for him to enjoy what he does, to derive a sense of security and even pleasure from lording power over others but i think this is a response born out of the absence of the usually positive pleasures people have. he lives in a very restrictive society, and holds a very restrictive position, his circumstance is kind of insane lol so the result is someone who sees no other viable options and attempts to derive a substitute from the (granted, wildly privileged) things he has. i don't think he finds real freedom when he works, he just convinces himself he does because it's more free than what he normally does. sometimes i just start talking myself into hating on him though. never believe what i say etc.

⭐<- going back to this, i think there's a bit of a divide between what he knows about what he does and what he feels about what he does. the former dictates most of his behaviour and the latter dictates more of his subconscious unorganized desires. i think the collection of 'good' traits i mentioned earlier fall into the unorganized pile, so they're not fully realized both because it's not appropriate for his logic but also because he doesn't really recognize the desire in a concrete enough manner to act on it 👍

EXTERNAL

was talking to my friend about this before - nathaniel is probably scary on some level but it would also be fun if he was posing as a familiar and kind figure, where people like him and trust him so they want to do things he says. i think he situationally presents himself as a friend to the people of leng, someone who is looking out for them and has their best interests in heart.

^ and on the flip side, he poses it as a correct and apparent thing when someone does get accused, because he's not doing it out of ill will, he's just acting with a necessary sternness.

i think nathaniel isn't necessarily shy but he is very self conscious/self monitoring in that he's fixated on how he is seen by others and will try to perfect this image if needed, although he does ultimately still have to direct them most of the time.

i do think he acts differently beneath his facades, ex. with people he's close to (maybe his parents or smth). where he ironically seems more reserved because he doesn't really have to play a role. he also comes off as a bit cynical and pessimistic but life is kind of shit in leng so its hard to be chipper i guess.... he's also more likely to loosen filters and complain more around close people probably. he's like a young cranky old man. i swear he'd be genuinely hilarious if he didn't have people chained up in the basement

anywayce that's what i have so far! im also curious abt other ppl's interpretations of his character, so what are your thoughts if you'd like 2 share :O?

[skitskatdacat63]

Fernando Alonso × Unconventional Drinking Implements

[showrunnerihardlyknowher]

can we get more Dean and Jamie?

Here is an cookie if you do.

Cookie :) 🍪

zaps u

[nan0-sp1der]

"I know how big words are!!"

"Do you, now?"

A vague streak of... Was that amusement? Crossed the android's face as an old friend of hers, Fable, defensively exclaimed an attestment to their own intelligence. Of course, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to put that intellect to the test.

"Pray tell, what is the biggest word you know?"

[chiimeramanticore]

Please god give me some ipod facts i NEED this

ok admittedly im not THAT insane abt ipods yet (but give me a month or two and i might be) but im kindasorta getting into collecting them so i wanna talk abt the little bit ive learned from that

i started out looking for gen 4 nanos bc i had an orange one as a kid (which i tried to get back from my parents but apparently they threw it away. rip) i wound up getting this listing for two ipods- one silver nano and one pink shuffle, bc they were dirt cheap overall BUT the seller v clearly didnt know anything abt ipods so it was a gamble

the nano worked! but only when plugged in cuz i guess the battery's too old. which is a shame bc it's otherwise in perfect condition, it's not even scratched anywhere. the shuffle worked even better, but it was pink and that's like the one color i didnt want an ipod in lmao. i named it breakfast bc it's pink and then i immediately got attached to it lmao

i wound up sending breakfast to packtion since they wanted to try an ipod too, and also bc i had ordered a second nano already dkfghk. this one works near perfectly (the hold switch is kinda busted but whatever) AND it's purple. which is my favorite color but it's also specifically my favorite ipod nano color bc depending on the lighting it can often look more blue than purple and i think that's a sick optical illusion. this one is named nova, and it's become my go-to for music listening now. i havent named the silver one bc im hoping i can sell it but nobody seems interested in my broken ass son sadly lol

anyway here's all 3 of them. family photo

ok now here's a fun fact for you since you read this far. apparently the ipod nano is like The Worst ipod to collect, especially gen 4 dkfhgk it's mostly because nanos are extremely hard to mod/repair given how small they are, so a lot of issues that can spring up w age aren't considered worth the effort to fix. this means if you have an ipod that's busted, it's an uphill battle to get it fixed, and also if you're searching for one online you have to keep an eye out for signs it might be broken. also since theyre so tiny if the battery inside swells even a tiny bit the screen starts getting fucked up bc it's already pressing against it lmao. sickly ass devices but theyre adorable so im gonna buy 80 more of them