#nontraditional prose

[makapatag]

ruminations while daydreaming of scenarios for THE KNIGHT VAGRANT: i've been enamored with the phrase "tyranny of the plot" recently. a lot of writing advice i get is squarely from western tradition. and there, plot and character are paramount. god forbid your plot has holes!

but looking at writing traditions from my side of the world: the repetitiveness of epics, the "simpleness" of the plot, the long winded, sometimes abrupt asides in the adventure solely for the sake of the adventure, like in the ramakien or florante at laura...

in modern writing perspectives these things serve to weaken the plot, to weaken the narrative being told. cut out chaff, make it tighter! "don't include things that don't advance the plot." this is my least favorite of the advices

but it makes sense, right? sometimes a fiction meanders too much, it doesn't do anything, it doesn't "push anything forward." but my favorite tales are those where the characters just fuck about. learn about something. find something new.

the sequence in which a story moves is plot. points along a thread that is the story. but plot has become a conformist tool. if it is not engaging (in the way we want it to be) then it is bad plot. if the plot is not understandable (in the way we want it to be) then its bad plot

"we" in this sense is, usually, modern readers of the anglosphere! because a lot of plot formation and dialectic is informed by capitalist structures. plot has to be strong and interesting for it to sell well.

intro -> rising action & climax -> conclusion. act 1, act 2, act 3. monomyth, etc. etc.

i think, recently, this is why i've been gravitating a lot to more nontraditional plot styles, such as the kishotenketsu, chinese xianxia styles (an endless stream of one person getting stronger), poetry, and non-fiction. i think i have to break out of this market plot to really burgeon in my prose

again ruminations brought about after watching this vid a few months ago

[iambic-stan]

last book read + last stethoscope used, part 13

I just lost someone close to me only two days ago, and I'm trying to distract myself even though I don't love this series, this blog, or much of anything as much as I would ordinarily. I'm only beginning to learn what this kind of grief looks like. That said, I had a strong reaction to this book so that helps me write a little about it, I guess.

The stethoscope: Littmann Master Cardiology in Plum. It's got that name recognition, but Littmann still isn't my favorite brand. I guess this one is supposed to be the Muhammad Ali of Littmanns, though I think a couple of people on here have told me they prefer the Cardiology IV, which I've never tried.

The book: Michelle Hart's sort of nontraditional lesbian romance, We Do What We Do in the Dark. Not a fan of the title, as it's chosen from some really horrible/immoral dialogue spoken by a character I came to truly dislike. This is the story of college freshman Mallory, who has always felt alienated from her peers and relishes the attention she receives from a much-older, married woman she meets at the gym...who turns out to be a professor at her university. The prose here is simple at times, overwrought at others, and yet sometimes quite beautiful. I guess I could just say it's inconsistent, but the story held my attention the entire time. This is partially because I went through something similar. But I think it's universal that if the defining relationship in your youth had a vastly imbalanced power dynamic, you can't see how much it hindered you until it's years, maybe even decades, in your rear view mirror. It's a short read but it's still palpable how slowly Mallory comes to that realization that her first love was so unhealthy, and with no help whatsoever from her callous ex-lover.

[mirrortouchedsea]

ask game thingieee!!! :3

💻🏅💖

ALMOST MISSED THIS

ask game

💻 Do you do research for your fics? What’s the deepest dive you’ve done?

sometimes but i also will go out of my way to write fics using my weird niche knowledge of things i had to learn for work. my one rarepair week fic i wrote with the lighthouse keeper double face happenings was probably the most egregious example of this LOL but it wasn't out of the way research for it just stuff i already knew

🏅 What is something you recently felt proud of in regard to your writing (finished a fic, actually planned for once, etc).

I'm so happy I was able to finish Lis' birthday fic mostly on time (it would have been on time if I hadn't lost internet for 2 weeks t-t) and it was checked by multiple people for quality before posting and augh... it was really nice to do a character study for a character I don't write for all that often. I want to do more of them in the future !

💖 What do you like most about your own writing?

I like its uniqueness I guess? It stands out from other fanfic writers in a lot of ways since I have been moving towards a more nontraditional dialogue style that I just much prefer to write in tbh. Being able to write the dialogue in line with regular prose is so much fun and makes way more sense to my brain love and light

[noelcollection]

April showers bring May flowers… and the end of April brings a close to poetry month. A story can be told in various forms, through verse, prose, epistolary, and solely through images. Illustrations can give visuals for difficult literary imagery or they can be the sole narrative form of a work. 

The James Smith Noel Collection is currently displaying various works of poetry featured from Homer to E.E. Cummings. Some of these publications have marvelous illustrations and etchings that provide readers with deeper understanding of literature. In the case of one particular work, we are showing an edition of Beowulf which is an epic poem. Beowulf holds a special place in literature and in English history, since it was one of the earliest recorded poetical works of the English language. While this edition has been translated from its original old English for easier reading, it is also an illustrated edition. The epic poem has been translated and adapted numerous times over. This particular edition is from the late 1930s and is illustrated with woodblock prints in a blended style of Art Deco and Expressionist. 

The artist for this edition is Lynd Ward who lived from 1905 to 1985 and he was an American artist and novelist. He was known for his series of wordless novels for juveniles and adults that would influence the creation of the graphic novel. His print works included more than just woodblock prints but also used watercolors, oil, ink, lithography, and mezzotint. He suffered from tuberculosis in his early life and throughout much of his childhood. He took to drawing and art from an early age; and it is said that he told a teacher that “Ward was draw spelled backwards.” When he was in high school he was the art editor for the school paper and yearbook where he was exposed to linoleum-block printing. He remained dedicated to art and studied at Columbia Teachers College in New York. After graduating he went to Europe and attended the National Academy of Graphic Art and Bookmaking in Germany as a special-one-year student. He learned etching, lithography and wood engraving. Ward learned wood engraving from Han Alexander “Theodore” Muller, and was deeply influenced by Muller. It was during that time in Leipzig, Germany that he encountered two wordless novels, one by the Flemish artist, Frans Masreel and the other by Otto Nuckel. Masereel’s wordless novel The Sun (1919) featured a story told through 63 woodcut illustrations. Otto Nuckel’s Destiny (1926) which was illustrated with lead-cut engravings with a darker and naturalist narrative. 

Ward returned to the states in the autumn of 1927 and showed his portfolio to a number of editors, was commissioned by Dorothy Rowe in 1928 to illustrate The Begging Deer: and other stories of Japanese Children. Ward illustrated several other works until 1929 when he created his first woodcut illustrated novel and the first American wordless novel, Gods’ Man in October of 1929. The James Smith Noel Collection also holds a copy of Ward’s novel Gods’ Man (https://bit.ly/42lQhrB).

The illustrator for our 1939 edition of Beowulf is not the only interesting contributor to the literary canon, the translator for this edition is William Ellery Leonard. William Ellery Channing Leonard was born in 1876 to parents that admired the transcendental literary movement. He was named after the mentor of Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Ellery Channing. Leonard had an nontraditional education, attending as a student in his mother’s class for 5 years and then home-schooled by his father until the age of nine. He took up a job as a door-to-door salesman out of high school due to frustrations at not being able to afford college to further his passion for literature. By happenstance, he accidentally ended up at the College of Liberal Arts at Boston University when seeking to visit the Massachusetts Genealogical Society because his guidebook had the wrong address. The venture resulted with Leonard being offered a tuition scholarship from the dean of the college. He would go on to write over 200 poems while in school and publish in Century Magazine in 1899. He graduated with a B.A. from Boston University and then moved on to Harvard University for a masters. He completed his masters in a year and a temporary professorship. He maintained a successful education and literary career, he also produced numerous volumes of poetry.

Leonard spent his life struggling with agoraphobia, which resulted in decreasing radius until he would host academic lectures in his home. He was briefly married to the daughter of his landlord and then later to a student. His personal struggles are reflected in his poetry. His death was commented on by a newspaper as being what freed him from his “phobic prison.” 

Leonard also wrote scholarly commentaries on Aespo, Empedocles, Luretius, and Beowulf. The edition on display in the James Smith Noel Collection is fully titled as Beowulf: translated into verse by William Ellery Leonard and illustrated by Lynd Ward (https://bit.ly/41KZvNU) published by Heritage Press in 1939. The edition is illustrated with black, blue and light-brown woodcut prints, the illustration on display for the J.S. Noel Collection’s current exhibit is of when Beowulf is battling the sea-hag or water-witch that was Grendel’s mother in an underwater cavern. The Danish-hero struggles against foe and then finds a sword at the bottom of the cavern, the sword is the key weapon for defeating Grendel’s mother. 

[mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea]

Scott Cunningham, Queer Wiccan, Beloved Witchcraft writer

"Written by his younger sister, Christine, this biography of Wiccan trailblazer Scott Cunningham (1956-1993) is a fitting and loving tribute to a queer man who helped usher witchcraft into the mainstream.

His 1988 guidebook, "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner," is one of the most popular and bestselling books on the subject ever sold. That book joins an influential oeuvre of well-received volumes and collective series on metaphysical and organically magical art forms of witchcraft, the elements, astrology, Tarot practices, crystals, herbology, and nature, among others. His books were heralded for their smooth yet instructional prose, nonconfrontational openness, and kind approaches to often tabooed or harshly criticized practices, particularly within queer communities.

Cunningham's unparalleled knowledge of these subjects as a seasoned practitioner reflects a lifelong passion for nontraditional spirituality. As his sister notes about her beloved brother in her book, "Scott Cunningham — The Path Taken: Honoring the Life and Legacy of a Wiccan Trailblazer," he "gave not only permission, but the tools, to anyone who wished to follow a Wiccan path without having access to a coven."

Continue in the article.

[africanmorning]

If it's alright, I'd like to add a couple things that helped me when I was having the same problem:

Read "safe" things. One of the biggest reasons I stopped reading in high school was because I was still processing trauma and it felt like everything I picked up turned out to have content that triggered that trauma. Eventually, I became too afraid to read new things because I didn't know if an unexpected scene might send me into a week-long anxiety/depressive spiral. Eventually, I gave myself permission to do everything I needed to feel secure about a book's content, including only reading children's books and comedy and researching books before I read them. If there is something that keeps coming up in the books you read that makes you feel upset or unsafe, see if you can figure out what it is and actively avoid books with that element. If you'd like, you may be able to start exposing yourself to those things more and more over time in situations where you can be in control and have the tools to process. But you have to find your comfort zone before you can start expanding it.

(Caveat: while middle-grade books can be a good place to start for "safe" books, still exercise caution and do your research before jumping into an unknown book. Many children's books do have content that is commonly triggering, even if it is sometimes only hinted at or touched upon in broad strokes)

Read comics/graphic novels/manga. This goes hand-in-hand with OP's advice about "easier" books and essays and short stories, since many people find these easier and quicker to read than more "traditional" literature. These are an especially good option for people who don't want to read books targeted at a children's audience for any reason, because they are a great way to engage with adult content without being overwhelmed by lengthy prose. Do keep in mind that there are a variety of nonfiction graphic novels out there if fiction isn't really your thing. Don't let anyone tell you that comics, graphic novels, or manga don't count as "real" reading.

Read ebooks. Sometimes you suddenly find yourself with the time and motivation to read, but you don't have anything to read already on hand and the delay in going to a library/bookstore would use up all your time or kill your momentum. Ebooks are instantly accessible via smartphone and feel like much less commitment, especially if you're using a library app. If you suddenly find yourself with the impulse to read, enable that impulse as much as possible by eliminating the barriers of physical media. Don't let anyone tell you that ebooks don't count as "real" reading. I don't know where that idea even comes from.

Listen to audiobooks. If you're like me and find frequently task-switching between reading and any other task super frustrating, it can be difficult to find the time to sit down somewhere and read uninterrupted. Audiobooks are much easier to integrate because I can listen to them while doing other tasks, and I can switch between those tasks without stopping the audiobook. Nearly any time you might listen to a podcast or music is a good time to listen to an audiobook. If you use e-audiobooks, you also get the benefits of ebooks listed above. Don't let anyone tell you that audiobooks don't count as "real" reading.

Ignore pretty much anything anyone says about what "isn't real reading." Are there specific benefits to physically reading long-form text that you can only get from physically reading long-form text? Sure, I suppose. But I imagine that those specific benefits aren't why most people want to read in the first place. Want to learn new things? Want to foster empathy? Want to be entertained by a cool story? Want to learn new vocabulary? Want to build your attention span? You can do all of these things with "nontraditional" reading methods. There's no need to hold yourself back because of some weird reading purity culture that's out there.

how to start reading again

from someone who was a voracious reader until high school and is now getting back into it in her twenties.

start with an old favourite. even though it felt a little silly, i re-read the harry potter series one christmas and it wiped away my worry that i wasn't capable of reading anymore. they are long books, but i was still able to get completely immersed and to read just as fast as i had years and years ago.

don't be afraid of "easier" books. before high school i was reading the french existentialists, but when getting back into reading, i picked up lucinda riley and sally rooney. not my favourite authors by far, but easier to read while not being totally terrible. i needed to remind myself that only choosing classics would not make me a better or smarter person. if a book requires a slower pace of reading to be understood, it's easier to just drop it, which is exactly what i wanted to avoid at first.

go for essays and short stories. no need to explain this one: the shorter the whole, the less daunting it is. i definitely avoided all books over 350 pages at first and stuck to essay collections until i suddenly devoured donna tartt's goldfinch.

remember it's okay not to finish. i was one of those people who finished every book they started, but not anymore! if i pick up a book at the library and after a few chapters realise i'd rather not read it, i just return it. (another good reason to use your local library! no money spent on books you might end up disliking.)

analyse — or don't. some people enjoy reading more when they take notes or really stop to think about the contents. for me, at first, it was more important to build the habit of reading, and the thought of analysing what i read felt daunting. once i let go of that expectation, i realised i naturally analyse and process what i read anyway.

read when you would usually use your phone. just as i did when i was a child, i try to read when eating, in the bathroom, on public transport, right before sleeping. i even read when i walk, because that's normally a time i stare at my screen anyway. those few pages you read when you brush your teeth and wait for a friend very quickly stack up.

finish the chapter. if you have time, try to finish the part you're reading before closing the book. usually i find i actually don't want to stop reading once i get to the end of a chapter — and if i do, it feels like a good place to pick up again later.

try different languages. i was quickly approaching a reading slump towards the end of my exchange year, until i realised i had only had access to books in english and that, despite my fluency, i was tired of the language. so as soon as i got back home i started picking up books in my native tongue, which made reading feel much easier and more fun again! after some nine months, i'm starting to read in english again without it feeling like a huge task.

forget what's popular. i thought social media would be a fun way to find interesting books to read, but i quickly grew frustrated after hating every single book i picked up on some influencer's recommendation. it's certainly more time-consuming to find new books on your own, but this way i don't despise every novel i pick up.

remember it isn't about quantity. the online book community's endless posts about reading 150 books each year or 6 books in a single day easily make us feel like we're slow, bad readers, but here's the thing: it does not matter at all how many books you read or what your reading pace is. we all lead different lives, just be proud of yourself for reading at all!

stop stressing about it. we all know why reading is important, and since the pandemic reading has become an even more popular hobby than it was before (which is wonderful!). however, there's no need to force yourself to be "a reader". pick up a book every now and then and keep reading if you enjoy it, but not reading regularly doesn't make you any less of a good person. i find the pressure to become "a person who reads" or to rediscover my inner bookworm only distances me from the very act of reading.

[unsoundedcomic]

I happen to have a number of trans friends, so I did some surveying and discussion. There was some disagreement, but a position that seemed to resonate was: there are stories/characters with trans themes, and there is direct Trans Representation. Both are good and validating, but they're qualitatively different. Sette absolutely counts for the former, but the latter is much more questionable.

Makes sense.

I can't speak for trans representation of course but personally when it comes to female representation, I care less about female characters in leading or nontraditional roles than I care about women actually being creators. Otherwise it just feels like virtue signalling and marketing.

My go-to example is the Legacy of Kain series. Amy Hennig didn't direct and write the first game, but she did most of the rest of the series. And even though there are barely any female characters in those games, almost that entire series is told from an unabashedly female perspective. Legacy of Kain might be some of the strongest female rep in all of gaming (maybe Uncharted too which she did afterwards, but I didn't play those, not enough purple prose and blood-drinking).

Anyway, I'd like more trans webcomic artists, is what I'm saying. A trans artist could recreate Star Wars A New Hope beat for beat as a comic and that entire work would automatically become trans representation. But when I write it? It's still going to be a cis woman puppeting trans characters around to the best of her limited ability. I suppose that has some token value in the media landscape, but it's dogpiss compared to actual trans artists expressing their authentic selves and sharing their unique perspectives.

[midnightrooftops]

I think there are really funny phrases that just got accepted (growling /everything/ comes to mind) but I've also seen videoes critiquing genuine langage ("a smile rose in her throat" for example) and while I want to believe they're being cheeky, I do also worry.

It's okay that some prose is purple, it's ok to call out outrageous repetition but unfortunately... critque of media is either widely villianized or deeply embraced without considering the nuisances no matter how long the disclaimer.

Which is WHY kids should read! And be taught reading! And not homeschooled!

When I was in 9th grade, we read Romeo and Juliet and the passage "beasts with 2 backs". The teacher asked if anyone knew what that meant. I didn't know exactly, but the /context/ was sex. And it matched with the very little I knew of sex. But I didnt answer until she asked a second time and all these 9th grade boys snickered that I "thought of it". That was when I realized not everyone has the same connection to text.

People are actually dumber than you think. Online and friend-wise, you are intellectually equal. But there is an entire population stupider than you.

And I dont devalue them! I use that language for shock value and emphasis. People will and are dumber than you. They still are han and desrve rights and yadda, yadda - being intellectually inferior doesn't make you less human - but it DOES mean theyre more prone to propaganda, bias, etc and they don't understand certain "obvious" messages

(The same way I actually have a real issue understanding manga or foreign stories bc of their nontraditional storytelling)

(Also, a lot of "us" have adhd and pattern recognition so while I can predict a film, my husband is still shocked)

All this to say that these things NEED to be taught.

The curtains may be blue arbitrarily but if they help someone understand the book, then it's worth discussion.

I’m so sorry but in the nicest way possible do yall actually read books or just read words??? Cause I’ve been seeing that trend of people not understanding how “snarled” and “eyes darkened” and “eyes softened” etc. was used in a book and like…

Genuinely, do yall just not have imagination?? Or not understand figurative language??? Also eyes do literally darken and soften have you not lived a life??? How do you read with no imagination? Is this how you get through so many books in one month - you simply don’t take the time the understand the words as they are read?

[a-dandelion-dreamer]

Books with Bisexual Characters

I’ve always been a book lover, and lately I’ve been taking note of some of the bi characters I meet along my journey. I thought I’d share some book recommendations.

First, In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan. I love this book so much—it’s honestly one of my favourites. It features a bisexual protagonist, Elliot Schafer, who goes across a wall into a magical, fantasyland and actively rebels against its war-like ways, choosing to draft treaties instead. He’s a snarky, grumpy, pacifist who has relationships with people of multiple genders throughout the course of the book. This book is super funny. Seriously, it made me laugh out loud on more than occasion. It also features truly phenomenal character development and explores the joys and trials of friendship between Elliot and his two best friends Luke Sunborn (the shy golden boy, born to a warrior family) and Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle (a bold elf whose society’s gender roles are completely flipped). Shenanigans ensue.

A quote:

“‘Why is language in the Borderlands so weird? Some of it’s modern, and some of it’s medieval, and I guess that makes sense with the influx of a certain amount of new blood to the training camp every year, but how do some words and phrases transfer, while others don’t? Why do you know the word ‘jerk’ and not the word ‘bisexual’?’

‘I guess people say the first word more,’ said Luke.”

 Next, The Nevernight Chronicle by Jay Kristoff. This epic three book series features badass bisexual Mia Corvere. It’s dark, bloody and heart-breaking, with an endless series of twists. Mia’s parents were killed during their attempt to start a rebellion and her quest for revenge leads her to join a school for assassins. Follow Mia’s journey as she attempts to bring down the leaders of the Republic with her constant companion, Mister Kindly, the wise-cracking shadow-that-is-shaped-like-a-cat. I loved this series as well. It’s a very different tone from the recommendation above (don’t get attached to your faves!) and it’s marked as adult fantasy (be prepared for sex and violence), so be warned, but wow, is it a wild ride!

 Books by Ellen Kushner!!! I recently discovered her and I’m in love. Ellen Kushner herself is bi and has a wife who is also a writer. The two of her books I’ve read so far are Swordspoint (published 1987!) and The Privilege of the Sword. Both are fantasy of manners with bisexual duelists as protagonists. Swordspoint features Richard St Vier, an elite swordsman, as well as his close companion (and lover) Alec, a sarcastic scholar with a mysterious past. The Privilege of the Sword is set in the future of the same world, featuring a young girl named Katherine (who I love with all my heart) as she’s called by her uncle to the city to embark upon a path nontraditional to a lady, that of a swordsman. Both are excellent and super fun!

 The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. Meet Lord Henry “Monty” Montague as he embarks upon a Grand Tour of Europe (the historical fiction version of a road trip) with his best friend Percy (who he’s hopelessly in love with) and his sister Felicity (who’s ace and has her own follow-up book which I also recommend – the Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy). Monty is charming, privileged, hilarious and the definition of a disaster bisexual. Follow along as the three of them stumble into hijinks and character development.

 Radio Silence by Alice Oseman. Our main girl Frances Janvier is a study machine whose only respite from academics is the fan art she draws for a podcast called Universe City. Then one day, the mysterious narrator asks her if she wants to collaborate. In a relatable turn, Frances is bi, but it’s just a part of her identity and the focus of the book is not a romance. Instead, it’s all about friendship and finding platonic soulmates and figuring out what you want to pursue in life. Alice Oseman’s writing is lovely and she tackles issues that feel very modern and relatable. I’ll also mention her webcomic (which you can find online for free) Heartstopper, which follows the romance between two boys Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson (and includes Nick’s bisexual crisis).

A quote:

“And I’m platonically in love with you.”

“That was literally the boy-girl version of ‘no homo’, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

 Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. Speaking of bisexual crises, meet Alex Claremont-Diaz, whose mother is the President of the United States. His long-time rival, Henry, is a prince of England, and after an incident involving an expensive cake, the two are forced to fake a bromance for the sake of international relations. Actual romance blossoms instead.

 Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey. In the land of Terre d’Ange, the motto is “Love as thou wilt”. Phèdre is a bisexual courtesan who receives pleasure from pain. Another adult fantasy (published 2001!), our heroine trains as a spy and is increasingly entangled in a web of politics and plots.

 The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. This series is well-known, but I love it! Maggie Stiefvater’s prose is atmospheric, littered with small details that reward a reread, and her character relationships are complex. This series is a gem full of magical realism. Here’s a shout-out to our bisexual boy, Adam Parrish!

 Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. Again, another popular book (part of a duology), but the hype is totally deserved! A diverse crew sets out on an impossible heist. Let’s send some love to two bisexual icons, Jesper Fahey and Nina Zenik!

A quote:

“If only you could talk to girls in equations.”

There was a long silence, and then, eyes trained on the notch they’d created in the link, Wylan said, “Just girls?”

Jesper restrained a grin. “No. Not just girls.”

 Those are some of my favourites that I’ve come across so far. Hopefully I’ll find some more! I’m always open to book recommendations, especially those that feature queer ladies :)

[vowtogether]

Hi everyone, this week we want you to meet AK, Lovestruck's second most senior writer, and the powerhouse behind Diego, Reiner and Leon. AK's speciality is dramatic plotting and stories full of tension, whether that's a war against an evil queen or a series of dangerous heists and high speed car chases. She always breathes a ton of life into her characters, giving them complex internal motivations and issues that they have to deal with before they can earn their happy ending. Her style is as personal and unique as a fingerprint, completely her own and inimitable. She's also a published author in her own right, and how cool is that? (You should go read her book Dangerous Crowns right now, btw.)

Romance trope that gets me every time: I love “nontraditional” endgames. Show me a couple who keeps adventuring or coyly flirting around each other instead of settling down.

When I like to write: All day. First thing in the morning. Late at night. Work-life balance? What's that?

Weird writer quirk: I leave gaps in the middle of scenes, paragraphs, and even sentences until I can think of exactly what I want to say, then go back and fill them in. If you read one of my WIPs, it wouldn't make any sense!

What music I'm listening to: I write in silence, but right now, Spotify's "This Is John Coltrane"

Hobbies: I consider writing a hobby as much as my job, but apart from that, I draw and play the piano.

Zodiac sign: Virgo

Favorite kind of weather: The golden sun of a summer afternoon, the blue cool of twilight, and the cloudy chill of winter by the sea.

Other things I've worked on: I also wrote Dangerous Crowns, a low-fantasy political thriller about lovers becoming conspirators and palace intrigue. It's available on Amazon!

State or country I live in: I’m a California girl

Current random fascinations: Russian organized crime and how to grow gardenias

What the other writers say

"AK is so good at dialogue. Some of her scenes are just so *chef's kiss* I could die. She has a real gift for banter, and her prose can be so poetic without venturing into purple-prose territory. It's a really difficult line to walk, but she does it masterfully. AK puts so much thought into everything, and it really shows--whether that's putting extra effort into worldbuilding, character backstories, or even fashion. She really takes her time to be thorough, and her finished projects always feel so polished and elegant."

"The clear, smooth flow of AK's prose is always a joy to read."

"AK has such a natural knack for storytelling in every medium. She really thinks and cares very deeply about story, and it shows in everything she does. AK brings all of her strength to bear on making the characters deeper, richer and more interesting. I love the dedication and time she puts into research, and I love how she follows her heart."

"AK's prose is unique and takes me by surprise so that it's a delight to read her work!"

[i11a11i-blog]

plague

i drink so deeply of these drugs when i am alone mere hope is one of the substances that clouds my brain in happiness nostalgia dismembers alone i sit with this insidious knowledge my teeth hurt by now why'd you let me eat from that tree , mother, why'd you show me this dark spot in this mirror now i see it in every one why'd you let me see you struggle against that bitter seed and now, anger spews from your once benevolent lips at the sight of me fleeing from that same struggle pounding against these same walls that kept you in you were stronger than i am, maybe, but maybe i am stronger now than you were then stronger who wins /strong/est can't both be can't we just be kind ears

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Constitution Illustrated

Cartoonist R Sikoryak is not like any other: in addition to his own style, he is an uncanny mimic, capable of conjuring up the styles of hundreds of other creators with eerie versimilitude.

This is no mere party trick. Sikoryak has turned this gift into a novel and distinctive form of narrative nonfiction. In TERMS AND CONDITIONS, Sikoryak renders the entire text of the Itunes EULA as a graphic novel, in the style of dozens of artists.

https://boingboing.net/2017/03/03/compliance-is-mandatory-resist.html

Ts&Cs' conceit is that each page is rendered in the style of a different, beloved creator, and populated by a stylized Steve Jobs figure (again, in that creator's distinctive character-design style) who hops from panel to panel, emitting speech bubbles.

Through these bubbles flow the text of the Itunes EULA, a sprawling garbage-novella of cod-legalese that is somehow, alchemically, transformed into a work of legitimate art - some of the worst prose in history made into a superb graphic novel.

Sikoryak's back with another nonfiction graphic novel pastiche involving a very different text: CONSTITUTION ILLUSTRATED gives the Ts&Cs treatment to the US Constitution, widely hailed for its soaring prose and its cunning institution design.

https://drawnandquarterly.com/constitution-illustrated

And while Sikoryak once again cycles through dozens of creators' styles, a page at a time, for each clause, amendment and annotation, this time he matches the art to the text, using it to illustrate, illuminate, juxtapose and critique the Constitution.

I was thrilled so see some of my absolute favorite artists represented in this volume: Nicole "Sylvia" Hollander; Scott "Understanding Comics" McCloud; Dana "Heavenly Nostrils" Simpson; Garry "Doonesbury" Trudeau; Lynda "Ernie Pook" Barry; and so many others.

This is a golden age of nontraditional constitutional scholarship, because it is a dark age of once-in-a-century constitutional crises. Constitution Illustrated joins a canon that includes Ken White's Make No Law:

https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/make-no-law/

Or Roman Mars's "What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law":

https://trumpconlaw.com/

And Radiolab's incredible More Perfect:

https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect/season-one

[beckzorz]

Hey! For the writing asks -- 10, 15, and 21?

Hi Cait!! Thank you so much :D Love ya!

10. Do you have a specific philosophy that you go by when you write?

Fascinating question!!! I guess I do—I guess we all do haha! I think three of them would be:

Don’t force it. If it’s not right, it’s just not right.

If you must skip a scene, add an outline.

Grammar is a god; do not shun Her, for She shall find you and make you rue the day you dared do so.

15. How do you plan your writing?

Generally I start with an idea, so I’ll first end up thinking it through to flesh it out. I like to leave something as a surprise at first, or add some kind of twist to the prompt, etc, so figuring out how to provide that sometimes takes time!

For longer stories, I do make chapter-by-chapter outlines. Often I’ll throw in specks of dialogue/prose as they come to me while I’m making an outline, which often do end up in the final draft.

21. Do you create aesthetics for your writing, ie. on pinterest or tumblr?  If so, what’s the board or tag?

Not really... While I sometimes use gifs for chapter/one-shot/drabble images, I usually end up using strips from photos to provide a mood to things I post. For multi-chapter fics, I often will make a photoset for the masterpost, as with Out of Nowhere and Nontraditional. And of course, there’s the art I drew for PREMONITIONS and PREMONITIONS 2 :3

send me writing asks!

[creepygamerpasta]

My Defense of Dear Evan Hansen

Okay, disclaimer: I wasn’t really into Dear Evan Hansen, so I don’t know the musical itself all too well (except of course, like everyone, “Sincerely, Me”). I recently read the novel of it (which was written by the creators, so I think the only difference is the fact that the prose doesn’t rhyme). I’m not a “day-one, die-hard fan,” and I do not have an obsession with it. That being said, I enjoyed the novel a lot. It’s not usually a genre I read, but it certainly piqued my interest for YA mental health novels. 

Why, then, do people hate it?

I’ve looked online for this answer, and I’ve been able to find some recurring arguments, which are quite valid even if you don’t agree. (Not everyone has to like the same things, I know.) So, here are my responses and counter-arguments. (Note, contains spoilers, and I won’t necessarily outright disagree with everything.)

1. The fanbase is annoying, toxic, etc.

This is probably the easiest to get out of the way. Yes, there will always be people within a fanbase whose entire lives revolve around their fandom. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; who can fault you for being passionate about something? But it’s when that passion turns into hate or putting someone else’s tastes or general completely down because that person doesn’t like exactly what the fan likes when people get really angry. I’ll use an unrelated scenario to DEH as an example:

Person A: Do you like Taylor Swift?

Me: Eh, I’m not really into her music. I’m more into metal and stuff.

Person A: Oh, okay, cool. :)

Person B: OMG WTF stop being a HATER. Metal SUCKS. You’re just JEALOUS that she has TALENT.

...See? This is the same sort of reactions that people get, not just from DEH fans but from all sorts of fans. (I’ve gotten both of these exact reactions from various fans of different singers, actors, celebrities, movies, TV shows, etc.)

2. The musical is not that great, as in the scores and stuff.

I don’t see why this particularly angers people. I see this more as an evolution of the types of music in musicals. Maybe there’s something I’m missing here, but musicals exist for people to want to see them. And if the target audience is the younger generation, then it does not make sense to use music that most of them A) won’t like and B) won’t understand. I mean, Hamilton is known for its use of rap, (dare I say) “nontraditional” music in the theatre world. And people like it. 

Which brings me to the next point...

3. Young people (who obviously cannot have appreciation for true theatre) will expect musicals like Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen to become the norm and for there to be a “big” musical every year.

...okay? So? Look, if people want to go to a musical, then they’ll go. If they want to go to another musical, then they’ll go to that one. It’s not rocket science. And as for this sometimes-unspoken assumption that young people can’t understand/appreciate theatre... Last time I checked, there were still theatre kids in schools across the country, so at least some people can.

And now, we go to the part of the defense where I rely more on the novel.

4. The main character (Evan) is neither compelling nor a good person, and thus, should not be the main character (and, by extension, the entire musical should not exist).

In the book, it is made very clear that Evan is not a perfect character. He’s a human being and has flaws just like everyone. His whole “pretending to be Connor’s friend thing” is less a manipulative move and more of “wrong place, wrong time, and I don’t know how to explain.” Though he’s supposed to be relatable, you are not expected to like him. Other characters question his motives for The Connor Project and his relationship to Connor, but with the first person, inner-thoughts, deepest-darkest-secrets style that the book has, it is very clear that Evan is (in his complex way) trying to help the Murphys with their loss. He does get a bit carried away, probably without realizing it, but even though he did not mean to hurt them, the guilt of his lies eats away at him the entire book.

Evan admits to lying, in person at the Murhpys. He knows that even though his longtime crush and now girlfriend (he even describes her as his soulmate and wants to marry her) will hate him, not to mention her parents, he cannot keep lying to them. 

I think one of the problems with DEH specific to this problem is the hype about Evan himself. As the audience, we want to paint Evan as a hero. Descriptions put him in that light. He does overcome a lot through the novel and goes through quite a bit of change, but he is not the flawless hero (or the one-flaw antihero) people want him to be. He is a human being, and I think fans and haters forget this or overlook this, despite it being such an important part of the novel/musical.

5. DEH makes fun of mental illness and doesn’t take it seriously. It falsely portrays people with depression, anxiety, suicidal tendencies, etc.

This grinds a lot of my gears. Mental illnesses are different for everyone. Is there some assumption people have that I’m not aware of? The assumption that people actually think that everyone who has anxiety or is suicidal will act exactly like Evan and Connor? It might not match up with every individual’s experience/struggle with a mental illness, but that’s kind of one of the themes of DEH: that people have different lives, different struggles, different baggage, and different ways of coping, healthy or unhealthy. Everyone has a different story, and no one should be left to deal while feeling alone. Pay attention to those around you.

The lighter-hearted music seems to also make people perceive DEH to be making fun of/not taking mental health seriously. Which is ridiculous. There are some serious songs in that soundtrack, and the upbeat “Sincerely, Me” is supposed to be from fake personas. Connor’s persona in that song is supposed to be feeling better as days go by with the help of his “friend” Evan. So, yes, it makes sense that would be cheerful because it is not from the perspective of the real Connor. If it were, the song would probably be a lot darker.

6. The musical is homophobic and makes fun of the LGBT+ community.

If you were to walk into an elementary, middle, or high school right now and overhear every conversation, I gaurantee you, gaurantee you, that some students would be using “gay” as some sort of put-down or otherwise make fun of LGBT+ people. That doesn’t mean it’s right or acceptable, but having two high school guys (or really one, seeing as how Evan does not go along with the joke) make remarks about two (supposedly) close guys being gay is not something new. This complaint probably mainly comes from the line in “Sincerely, Me” in which Connor’s and Evan’s personas deny being close for anything other than friendship. And honestly? As a member of the LGBT+ community, this confusion comes up a lot. Whether you are out or not, closeness between friends is often interpreted as a romantic or sexual relationship, which of course is not the case. 

Last time I checked, there wasn’t anything hateful toward the LGBT+ community. Jared’s jokes, while horribly sexual and inappropriate, were just immature. His jokes are essentially the high school equivalent of “That’s what she said.” I mean, who doesn’t know someone like that in their life? If I’m wrong, feel free to correct me.

Oh, and also? It is revealed in the novel that Connor did in fact have a relationship with a guy, Miguel.

7. People talk about the relatability of the musical without actually relating.

Okay, yes, annoying, but I don’t see why people should immediately fault this. You do not know the experiences or thoughts of people online and on social media, but this means that you can’t judge whether or not they do relate to something. The first thing that comes to mind with the word “relatable” when it comes to this musical would, of course, be mental health. Since the most notable characters both struggle with mental illnesses, it makes sense that you would expect the people who relate to this musical to also struggle with mental illness(es). But there is no law that everyone who relates to a character has to be exactly like that character. 

I’ll use another example from a different work, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. (Quick little note: Frankenstein is the scientist, not the creature. The Creature is actually quite complex and a deep character that is not the mindless monster from movies.)

Frankenstein: wealthy, a genius, comes from a high(ish) class, (presumably) handsome

Creature: neglected, hated for his ugliness, abandoned by Frankenstein, feared, smart

I doubt anyone was stitched together from dead bodies and then somehow reanimated. But you might relate to the fact that the Creature was abandoned or that people fear and hate him because of his looks. I also doubt that anyone has figured out the secret to reanimating dead bodies after taking them apart and stitching them together. But you might also (or solely) relate to Frankenstein because he lost his mother or because he feels responsible for a family member’s death. Those are some examples.

And there are plenty of characters that you could relate to or aspects of characters that speak to you. Maybe you’ve built a tangle of lies like Evan without meaning to, or maybe you have gone through a hard divorce and try so hard to get through to your child without success like Heidi, or maybe you really care about making a difference and don’t feel like the people who are supposed to help you take that seriously like Alana.

That about wraps it up. If I’ve missed anything, feel free to tell me, and I’ll make a follow-up post. 

Again, I’m not demanding that you agree with me, but hopefully, whether a fan or critic, you have now seen a different perspective.

[a-wild-things-rambles]

trying to do more whumptober.... god i forgot how shit i am at wrighting non poetry. like theres a scale of  poetry -> freeform poetry/prose -> normal writing. and the second i lean into normal wrighting... the thing is im good at descriptions, train of thought and dialog, just not all three together.

im still gonna post this stuff but if u want to see my actual stuff im proud of, look at the poetry in my thebirdwrites tag, or my internal monologs. i might make an authors favourts series. idk. i like nontraditional writing but that dousent work with the story im trying to tell always. idk man. creating can be tough.

also the stuff i want the most feedback is oc’s, and most people dont realy like interacting with them. im thinking of seperating volcov red and juno from the vertigo setting. i think it would motivate me to be better at storytelling and world building. idk. but it might drop the few interactions i get. idfk

[ricxieoreta-blog]

DEFINITON

LITERARY JOURNALISM

Literary journalism is a form of nonfiction that combines factual reporting with some of thenarrative techniques and stylistic strategies traditionally associated with fiction. Also called narrative journalism.

In his ground-breaking anthology The Literary Journalists (1984), Norman Sims observed that literary journalism "demands immersion in complex, difficult subjects. The voice of the writer surfaces to show that an author is at work."

The term literary journalism is sometimes used interchangeably with creative nonfiction; more often, however, it is regarded as one type of creative nonfiction.

Highly regarded literary journalists in the U.S. today include John McPhee, Jane Kramer, Mark Singer, and Richard Rhodes. Some notable literary journalists of the past century include Stephen Crane, Jack London, George Orwell, and Tom Wolfe.

See the observations below. Also see:

100 Major Works of Modern Creative Nonfiction: A Reading List

Advanced Composition

Article

Essay

Literary Nonfiction

Prose

Classic Examples of Literary Journalism

"A Hanging" by George Orwell

"The San Francisco Earthquake" by Jack London

"The Watercress Girl" by Henry Mayhew

Observations

"Literary journalism is not fiction--the people are real and the events occurred--nor is it journalism in a traditional sense. There is interpretation, a personal point of view, and (often) experimentation with structure and chronology. Another essential element of literary journalism is its focus. Rather than emphasizing institutions, literary journalism explores the lives of those who are affected by those institutions." (Jan Whitt, Women in American Journalism: A New History. University of Illinois Press, 2008)

Characteristics of Literary Journalism - "Among the shared characteristics of literary journalism are immersion reporting, complicated structures, character development, symbolism, voice, a focus on ordinary people . . ., and accuracy. Literary journalists recognize the need for a consciousness on the page through which the objects in view are filtered. "A list of characteristics can be an easier way to define literary journalism than a formal definition or a set of rules. Well, there are some rules, but Mark Kramer used the term 'breakable rules' in an anthology we edited. Among those rules, Kramer included:". . . Journalism ties itself to the actual, the confirmed, that which is not simply imagined. . . . Literary journalists have adhered to the rules of accuracy--or mostly so--precisely because their work cannot be labeled as journalism if details and characters are imaginary." (Norman Sims, True Stories: A Century of Literary Journalism. Northwestern University Press, 2008) - "As defined by Thomas B. Connery, literary journalism is 'nonfiction printed prose whose verifiable content is shaped and transformed into a story or sketch by use of narrative and rhetorical techniques generally associated with fiction.' Through these stories and sketches, authors 'make a statement, or provide an interpretation, about the people and culture depicted.' Norman Sims adds to this definition by suggesting the genre itself allows readers to 'behold others' lives, often set within far clearer contexts than we can bring to our own.' He goes on to suggest, 'There is something intrinsically political—and strongly democratic—about literary journalism—something pluralistic, pro-individual, anti-cant, and anti-elite.' Further, as John E. Hartsock points out, the bulk of work that has been considered literary journalism is composed 'largely by professional journalists or those writers whose industrial means of production is to be found in the newspaper and magazine press, thus making them at least for the interim de facto journalists.' Common to many definitions of literary journalism is that the work itself should contain some kind of higher truth; the stories themselves may be said to be emblematic of a larger truth." (Amy Mattson Lauters, ed., The Rediscovered Writings of Rose Wilder Lane, Literary Journalist. University of Missouri Press, 2007) - "Through dialogue, words, the presentation of the scene, you can turn over the material to the reader. The reader is ninety-some percent of what's creative in creative writing. A writer simply gets things started." (John McPhee, quoted by Norman Sims in "The Art of Literary Journalism." Literary Journalism, ed. by Norman Sims and Mark Kramer. Ballantine, 1995)

- Literary journalists immerse themselves in subjects' worlds. . . . - Literary journalists work out implicit covenants about accuracy and candor. . . . - Literary journalists write mostly about routine events.- Literary journalists develop meaning by building upon the readers' sequential reactions.

Background of Literary Journalism

"[Benjamin] Franklin's Silence Dogood essays marked his entrance into literary journalism. Silence, the persona Franklin adopted, speaks to the form that literary journalism should take--that it should be situated in the ordinary world--even though her background was not typically found in newspaper writing." (Carla Mulford, "Benjamin Franklin and Transatlantic Literary Journalism." Transatlantic Literary Studies, 1660-1830, ed. by Eve Tavor Bannet and Susan Manning. Cambridge University Press, 2012)

"A hundred and fifty years before the New Journalists of the 1960s rubbed our noses in their egos, [William] Hazlitt put himself into his work with a candor that would have been unthinkable a few generations earlier." (Arthur Krystal, "Slang-Whanger." Except When I Write. Oxford University Press, 2011)

"The phrase 'New Journalism' first appeared in an American context in the 1880s when it was used to describe the blend of sensationalism and crusading journalism--muckraking on behalf of immigrants and the poor--one found in the New York World and other papers.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE

Personal narrative (PN) is a prose narrative relating personal experience usually told in first person; its content is nontraditional. "Personal" refers to a story from one's life or experiences. "Nontraditional" refers to literature that does not fit the typical criteria of a narrative.

Write a Personal Narrative that

Engages the reader by introducing the narrator and situation

Organizes events to unfold naturally; manipulates time and pacing

Develops details of events with description and action

Develops characters with physical description and dialogue

Uses vivid verbs, sensory details, similes, metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and personification to set tone and mood

Uses transitions and varies sentence beginnings

Closes with a reflection

Has all no excuse words and conventions correct

Has exemplary presentation (neat writing that is pleasant to read)

TRAVELOGUE

A film, book, or illustrated lecture about the places visited by or experiences of a travelLER