#one day I'll write something and actually stick to the layout

[genericpuff]

How long do you usually take to plan for a really long story/comic? Do you do a rough plan or a fully detailed one? Any apps you use for planning?

Thank you in advance!

It depends on the project. For my long-term series, it definitely takes me a good while to finalize everything from start to finish, but as a general rule, I try to keep my writing one step ahead of where I'm drawing, for two purposes: so I can have a goal in mind to propel the comic forward (I don't want to be writing or drawing on the fly more than I have to), and so I can have enough planned ahead for editing, because by the time I get to the thing I've planned, my writing has likely grown more and my perspective on it has shifted, so I'm not releasing "first takes", so to speak.

Usually I use LibreOffice and just sort of keep a few separate files for different purposes. I always have a "[story] shit" file of some kind where I just dump thoughts and notes that I don't wanna lose lmao but then I usually also have a file that's meant for outlining. I think Rekindled is the first comic where I haven't employed my spreadsheet method, which is when I'd use Excel/Spreadsheets to lay out panel descriptions and dialogue. So like this:

(Episode 14 of Time Gate: [AFTERBIRTH])

Rekindled is more just note-taking, what I want to happen in each episode, and if there's any dialogue I come up with that I definitely want to include, I write it down in there. I've done all of Rekindled's process through Scrivener, which I learned how to use shortly before starting it. IDK yet if I like Scrivener enough to use it for my bigger projects, but it's been helpful for organization and keeping my files all in one central "hub" area.

So right now I have up to about Episode 70 drafted out like that ^^^ but things do change during the actual production of the episodes. Sometimes I'll write something in my notes that doesn't flow well in actual comic form. Sometimes I'll write dialogue during the sketching stage that I don't like anymore by the time I get to the final rendering. It's all a stage-by-stage process from drafting to final release.

The question of "how long" really just comes down to the note-taking process. I tend to work in bursts, the last time I did any written episode layouts was a few weeks ago and that was because I got like, 40+ episodes done in a day LOL So I'm all set for the next little bit, but I'll have to get back to planning by Episode 50 if I haven't done any before then. I'd like to have the entirety of Rekindled plotted out by the end of the year so I can get a more exact answer of how long Rekindled will be :' )

When it comes to software/apps, keep it simple, use what you know. I've been using standard word editors and spreadsheets for years now because it works for me. Scrivener's been fun to learn but as I mentioned, IDK if I'm gonna be able to stick with it for bigger projects like Time Gate because it feels like I'm wearing different shoes that I'm not used to lol But that's just me, feeling "at home" with my software is just an important thing to me, for others it might not matter so much. Scrivener definitely has the most features for drafting/writing/editing, but it's also not very beginner-friendly and there's a huge learning curve to really understanding how the software is designed and what it fully offers.

There's also Plottr which I've been using for [AFTERBIRTH], it's really helpful for people who need visual aids because it allows you to lay out story timelines through imagery. But I really only use it for laying out story beats from end to end, I don't use it much beyond that, any extensive note taking or scripting happens in actual word documents.

(idk if this is how you're actually supposed to use Plottr but it's how I use it so w/e lolol)

Ultimately it's all up to you, what works for me might not work for others so don't be afraid to try things even if it ends up not working out for you. Obv that might be a bit more of a "nah" when it comes to paid software like Scrivener and Plottr, but there are loads of tutorials on Youtube that teach you how to use the software that you can hopefully use as a glimpse into how they work to see if they'd be up your alley before paying money for 'em.

Hope that helps! ˋ( ° ▽、° )

[glittercake]

could you go into your writing process a bit? i’ve been a fan of your fics for years now, and i still find myself in awe of how you’re able to create these cohesive worlds and voices and dynamics and just how tight your writing is. like i never feel like anything should be cut and even if all the loose ends aren’t tied up, i feel like it ends right where it should. like i’m so curious to see how your brain turns out so much magic!!

Oh my gosh, this is so nice of you to say 😭 Thank you first of all!  Secondly, I'll try to map out my process for big wips below the cut! Hope it makes sense 🤭 But this ask literally put a smile on my face all day, so thanks again. 

So to start off, I usually have a good idea of exactly how the story should end. That helps big time with everything else. If I don't know kind of what happens in the middle and exactly how it should end, I really struggle. 

Then I have a separate doc where I write down all my notes or thoughts about the stories, and also do the outlines. The story ideas come either extremely randomly, like me falling down a rabbit hole of presidential assassinations on YouTube (y'all know what this resulted in) or they're a result of my friend and i spiraling about something in the DMs (lighthouse, boxing fic, soulmate fics, most of the horny ones too 😂)

I also like to gather some pics just to get an idea of what the characters look like in whatever universe I'm writing about, as well as the scenery and buildings/layout. So for example, i used these inspo pics for The First Gentleman:

So every time I open the doc to write I'd have these, the outline, and the notes open. Other visuals like the banner or graphics I make also help put me in the right mindset for the story.

So, before I start writing, I draft an outline. I try to keep it brief tbh, the longer and more involved the outline the more intimidating the story feels which means less chance of me actually writing it 😅 (there are about 3 outlines that will probably never see the light of day!) but brief doesn't always work so what i do, especially for long wips, is make a short bullet list for what needs to happen in each chapter.

This way i can accommodate plot bunnies, shift stuff around and kill the darlings before i get too attached, i usually also have a few key scenes in my head and i then fit them in here. Outlines also include stuff like a quick character write up like age, quirks, bad habits, cute habits or sayings they have (in Ain't No Grave they had this cute back and forth "keep up now" or in Ruins Bucky called everyone meatballs.)

This is roughly what a chapter outline looks like for me:

lmaooo. as you can see it's very informal. basically a scribble.

Usually when I'm super inspired, i can get going straight away, otherwise I let it turn over in my head a little bit until i come up with a good starting point. What also helps me cement the character voices and specific characteristics is re-watching whatever source media it relates to. So for me it's always Cap 2 & 3 and TFATWS, Endgame where Sam gets the shield, and Sam’s scene in AoU and Antman.

I prefer to write in order from start to finish. I find I lose interest too quickly if I don't. Having a point to work toward is easier for me. BUT at the bottom of the notes/outline doc I also have a section for scenes that I absolutely can't get out of my head and need to write down right the fuck now. For example Monica’s induction in TFG was written waaay before anything else, so was the sambucky reunion in that fic. But, because I placed it at the bottom of a separate doc, the fic was still technically written in order 😌 makes perfect sense, I know lol.

Then whenever I finish a bullet point in the outline, I color it off the list. This process helps me keep track of what has been done and what still needs to happen. Seeing how much I've completed also really helps to keep me motivated, plus the colors are fun! Helps with sticking to what i had planned too, i find if i don't follow outlines, the scenes and characterization kind of jump all over the place. Mostly i only have some time on weekends to write so knowing exactly what i need to write and how i need to write it beforehand is key to me. Having the outline done before I start means I have a week to play those scenes out in my head or play with the dialogue until it sounds right. 

If I get stuck, I read either a book or my favorite fics, do some art, or just leave it be until inspo strikes again.

And I think that’s about it. Don’t know if this is what you were looking for but there you have it 😂 

💕 

I’m always happy to get asks about my fics and writing, so don’t be shy!

[akocomyk]

A foreword

My life as a writer started with me being a campus journalist. Half of my college life was devoted to my editorship in the official student publication.

I became the Editor-in-Chief during my senior year. This had been my dream ever since I joined the organization, backed by my frustration for not becoming one when I was in high school.

I was very dedicated in my work as the EIC. Actually, I was already very dedicated even before I held the highest position. I was strict and harsh, and I was always honest in making criticisms even if it would hurt people’s feelings. I acted that way because I wanted to achieve the best output we could while also being a good leader and example to my fellow journalists.

Because of that, some of our members feared me, some adored me, some literally had a crush on me, and some just saw me as the big brother they could always rely onto.

Being a Multimedia Arts student, I kinda had this dual life where I was a designer/artist by day and a writer by night—I'm not even mentioning the other extra curricular stuff I did.

Theoretically speaking, I could make the entire newspaper on my own. That never happened though, but I still did a lot more than what any editor was mandated to do. I wrote articles, made layouts, created various designs, drew comics and illustrations, etc.

This prompted some members to joke that when I graduate, the work that I did all on my own would have to be done by five people.

I had been so attached to that organization and all its people—I think they had also grown attached to me—that the thought of me leaving when I graduate was just so bittersweet—with more inclination on the bitter and sad side.

Like it or not, whoever my successor would be would have very large shoes to fill—and I didn't even believe in that saying. I just said, "Go make shoes of your own. You don't have to fill mine 'coz I'll take my shoes with me."

So... when the thought loomed, this question arose: Who will be the next editor-in-chief?

Sir Geon, our school paper adviser who was also the student council adviser, wanted to stick to tradition—that was to pick the EIC from the pool of members who would be in their senior year by the following academic year.

There were only two members on that pool: Myra and Bambi. Seeing their performance in the last three years, I didn't think they deserved the position. They only came to the office when needed or when they needed something. Not to mention, they weren't particularly exceptional writers either. How are you gonna edit the articles when you're not fully equipped with the right skills?

So we go the batch of members following these two. There were a lot of them, and I personally thought any of them were more deserving to be the next EIC. Four were quite promising:

Julie was the magnificent sports writer who could easily rise above everyone if she wanted.

Reg was that correspondent who always blessed the office with her presence. She did tasks whenever asked and she was eager to learn and improve—and she did.

Sha's strengths were in poetry. She had a lot to improve on when it came to other forms of writing, and her reputation was marred by the bad relationship that she had with her then boyfriend who was also in the school paper.

Mary was hungry to become an EIC, to the point that it felt like she idolized me and wanted to replicate the things I did. Though she was a good writer—save for some grammatical errors here and there—and was also eager to learn many things, she was eaten up by her own obsession.

Sir Geon wasn't completely blind—he knew Myra and Bambi had shortcomings. However, if he had to pick from one from the next four, it's obvious he only had his eyes on Sha.

To air my frustrations, I decided to make the Game of 13 Characters right after I finished with my multimedia research portfolio—hence the similar art style. I made it a guessing game so that the members would be more enticed to read and participate.

Other than the few mentioned above, I also included other notable people.

Dudi was an active member who was interested in photography and writing strong opinions. He's actually way older than I am and had been in college for many years, but still called me "Kuya" like everyone else. He's a good person, and he usually knew the right thing to do—but couldn't seem to do them.

Maia was our Associate Editor, second to me in leadership. She's also a great artist and writer, however she's not always present. Nevertheless, she still contributed when she could.

Graggy was a cartoonist and illustrator. He was a decent artist but he didn't have the guts to explore out of his comfort zone and do more than what he could already do.

Filbert was another talented writer and avid learner, but he was consumed by his relationship issues and the complexities of his life.

DJ was an enthusiastic photojournalist. Sometimes he's always there, sometimes you couldn't count on him. Lance, also a photographer, was the opposite of DJ. Another aspiring one was Blue but I couldn't figure out what his real purpose was for joining.

Then we had the juniors. Abby, Laudi, Eman were first year multimedia arts students that had very promising futures in their course and in the school paper. Add Jeracel to the mix who was an excellent writer.

Then we had the other juniors who were also very promising writers, but were sadly missing when called: Gelli, RR, Gianne, and Jewelle.

And... there they are.

I wrote this for the benefit of the people who are not familiar with us. I wanted you guys to somehow still experience the "guessing game" that I intended it to be.

So… as I post each story, one character a day, I hope you’ll try to guess who was who, same as how my friends did almost exactly nine years ago. Remember, one character can represent up to five people—I will indicate the number in some way.

The stories and issues here no longer matter now. Everyone, including me, already have different lives. I don't even have the slightest idea how some of them are doing because we've never had a conversation in years or I haven't seen any update from them on their social media.

Anyway, enjoy reading!

[petrifact]

Write Your First Adventure Lesson 2: Setting a Project Scope

So the main activity for this day was to write a "scope reflection": a document summarizing the scope of my adventure, my challenges, and my plans for it. Here are the questions and my responses:

What is this project and what is the final deliverable? (Eg. "I'm writing a one-shot adventure set in Ravenloft. It will be a PDF document available on DMs Guild.") I'm writing a one-shot RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha adventure set in Sartar. It will be a PDF document available on the Jonstown Compendium.

When does this project need to be completed?

November 30. Well, wait, no; that's when the workshop ends but maybe I'll do a little tweaking and formatting afterward. I guess the absolute deadline is December 8 if I want my adventure to be included in the RPG Writer Workshop Bundle, which I do.

Do you need to learn a new skill or tool to complete this project?

Well, two of them, actually:

I'm actually not all that familiar with Glorantha and RuneQuest; over the past few weeks I've read the core books and I think I've got a handle on the rules and setting, but I don't have the experience with them that I do with, for instance, D&D. (So why didn't I join the D&D 5E adventure writing workshop instead? Because honestly, I kind of want to do more with other games besides D&D, and although I don't have prior experience with RuneQuest it was something I was interested in.)

I haven't really used layout software before (well, not within the last few decades, anyway), so that'll be new for me, too.

Have you started learning that skill or tool prior to starting this project? (Explain yes or no.)

Yes to the first, no to the second (I did actually pay for a Udemy lesson on Adobe InDesign months ago, but haven't had a chance to complete it).

Have you completed a project of this size and scope before?

No, which is the main reason I joined this workshop. I've started loads of adventures and game supplements, but haven't quite gotten around to finishing any of them; I'm hoping I can change that this month.

How much time can you devote to this project every day, week, or month until it's finished?

Eh… that's the problem. I have a really, really unpredictable and irregular work schedule, so it's hard to know in advance what days I might have time to work on the project, or what times during those days. And that means I can't set aside in advance a specific time of day I plan to work on the project, because I don't know in advance whether or what time I'll be working. But for the rest of the month even on days I'm working I should be able to devote at least an hour before or after work (or possibly even during work; I'm actually typing this at work right now).

What potential obstacles may you encounter during this project?

The main obstacle is… see previous answer.

Oh… also, keeping my adventure under 3500 words will definitely be a challenge. I tend to kind of get carried away. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and say right now that my adventure will almost certainly be longer than 3500 words. Maybe way longer. But I'm still going to try to get it done by the end of the month.

Based on your responses, map out a timeline for this project.

Well, since I didn't know about the countdown activities and didn't sign up for the workshop until the first, and then spent a few days trying to catch up with the countdown activities that I should have done in advance, I'm off to a late start… but I'm going to try to get caught up by tomorrow (November 11) and thereafter stick to the suggested schedule.

[And did that happen? Did I get caught up by November 11? Ha ha ha no of course not I'm way behind gah I'm an idiot.]

[dreamykrimi]

Ahhh I’m writing sweater weather and it’s really close to being done but I just feel so discouraged! There are so many little moments that I love and loved writing, but I’m afraid it’s too packed for one chapter! But I can’t separate them at this point because they all take place at this moment in the series! 

Since it took so long, I just kept having more and more ideas about what would happen, and I got too excited. I’ve cut like three fully written scenes, and I just feel so down in the dumps. 

[blorbocedes]

okay, so. you love brocedes, you love lestappen. the arcs seem so polar-opposite so here go essay wild should you wish (mainly bc i would love to read it. and feel free to talk about carlando as well bc that too is a wildly different dynamic to brocedes and lestappen.)

what makes you love each?

do you have a favorite between the two (or three). does one pull on your heartstrings more than the other?

are there similarities?

<3

hi Xiao ☺️ here's my carlando essay so I'll focus mainly on the brothercedes and lest we stappens here. strap yourself, im about to maxplain

first thing about me: my favourite trope in the whole world is friends to lovers (crowd booing) it's having a shared history, the familiarity, how you can only truly hurt someone you love [and the possibility of reconciliation, to come back home insert seb clip about rbr]

brocedes is actually why I got into f1 fandom! i saw ONE (1) Richard Siken edit and it was over for me

literally. i have not used tumblr in 7 YEARS i used it just for lurking and that goddamn edit compelled me to write my first fic (during the writing of which I found out they still lived in the same building??? i lost my mind and have not found it since)

lestappen was a see it to believe it moment, I watched miami gp and saw these two championship rivals being Cute and Max's earnestness to talk to charl got to me. i was like oh yeah okay I see it. i don't choose anything I like, I either see The Vision or I don't -- and while brocedes is like I'm an archeologist excavating a fallen city trying to figure out what happened piece the lore, lestappen is happening In Front Of Our Eyes we're witnessing the stars getting crossed, the history in the making <3

I might have the most confusing layout cause I'm a max girlie whose pfp is charles, and header is brocedes named blorbocedes while I pray on merc's flop era 😭 (ending but never forgotten), while rooting for redbulls [sorry but I've seen my Ferrari girlies SUFFERING, I'll stick to my world champion 🥰]

in many ways, lestappen and brocedes are like a foil to each other (crowd booing, we get it u did literary analysis in highschool once) where brocedes were a childhood friendship gone wrong, lestappen are childhood rivals turned tentative friends. there's just something very compelling about a world champion and his main rival trying to keep a friendship alive while directly competing, and having years of shared history to get there. brocedes DREAMING of becoming teammates, world champions together; both max and charl saying how they have a mutual respect now that they'd both made it to f1. And that's before even touching the cut throat life and politics of getting into f1, the concept of being golden boys.

my favourite lestappen and brocedes parallel is that lewis and nico's first karting race nico led the whole race then on the final lap, lewis crossed him and won the race; and compare with the Inchident™️ but Nico & Lewis became best friends, whereas Charl held an admittedly one sided grudge against Max during their karting days.

brocedes is everything that went wrong, lestappen is how it can go right (we can learn from lovers past who didnt make it)

do I have a favourite? yes. brocedes. i, yeah. they light my brain on fire.

HOWEVER, I enjoy brocedes as a reader and consumer, whereas as lestappen I am compelled to write for them (also I'm the only one who gets them and everyone else is wrong 😤) I suppose it is a bit passé to say anything outside of "ahh I write for myself and inherent love for writing" fuck that lol I write for attention I like it when people read my shit and we can talk about it 🥰🥰🥰 I also disagree with popular fandom interpretation with lestappen (which is fine, it has a huge audience so it clearly works for a lot of people) but that's why I have to write my own food for them. I have so many lestappen wips 😭

(like I don't think charl is a soft fragile thing who needs taken care of, even tho I also mine charl pain for content so like I Get it but also no one else gets it, and don't fucking get me started on the 'jos verstappen's A+ parenting' tag that's another essay in itself)

[virghogh]

Guessing NCT's rising signs: Huang Renjun as a Cancer rising

Welcome to my first post where I write all about why I think this idol is X rising sign! I don't know how many of these I'll do because it heavily depends on how confident I feel in my guess of their rising lol for Renjun's rising sign, it's something I've been sitting on for a loooong time just to see if anything else comes into my head. At the end of the day we really have no way to know for sure, even if the idols gives us their birth time it still has to be taken with a grain of salt! But it’s still fun theorize and to test your skills while learning at the same time. So for now I feel pretty confident sharing my thoughts on Renjun as a cancer rising.

Let’s ✨explore✨ why:

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧long post! *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

✦ Before I even decided to look up his chart layout, there were 2 characteristics of Renjun that initially led me to think he’s a Cancer rising. His eyes and his physique. His eyes aren’t necessarily as big as idols we’ve seen with moon in 1st, but they’re still very notable features of his physical appearance that he’s very well known for. They’re bigger, soft and dreamy, and sometimes look like he quite literally holds stars in his eyes. The biggest physical feature though is his, well, petite frame. Next to his eyes, renjun is also really well know for his smaller build. It’s even a well known inside joke amongst NCT, they all him “big shoulders renjun” (lol) because “for a guy” his shoulders a on the smaller side. Both of these physical attributes can also be identifying characteristics of cancer risings.

✦ So, in general I think he is a Cancer rising. But if we want to be more specific; I do think he is a 3rd decan Cancer rising which is the Pisces/Neptune ruled decan. I initially chose this because his house and planet placements just make so much more sense to me when the rising is in the 3rd decan (I'll get into that below), but after reading about the 3rd decan I also think it fits his personality really well! With the Neptune and Pisces influence, he's more on the open side of Cancer rising but more notably, 3rd decans are a lot more inclined to art/creativity and sometimes, music specifically. These people also have a very dreamy attraction about them. He also has his Venus trine ASC which can further add to this kind of creative vibe he gives off, but is also drawn to! It emphasizes the importance of aesthetics, art and creativity in his life. If you've never been on Renjun stan twt then you might not know that a lot of his fans see him as this incredibly dreamy and ethereal boy (as they should) and I can see why!

*:･ﾟ✧house and planet placements *:･ﾟ✧

Scorpio moon, Sagittarius Pluto in 5th:

✦ yea... just yes. Okay but actually, if you read my NCT Dream Hexaco x Birth Chart analyses, I talked a lot about his chart already because I really like it. As someone with a Scorpio moon, I can't help but be really interested in how his plays out. And I have to say, I am quite attached to this theory because I think his scorpio moon in 5th just. makes. sense. I'm not going to go much into the descriptions of the placements, I'm mostly going to stick to the house influence. We know that Scorpio moons have really intense emotions, they internalize everything and are just highly sensitive people to their environments. Renjun has been incredibly open about his mental and emotional struggles ever since being a kid. I've honestly never heard an idol talk about their struggle like he has. He even opened up recently about how a few years ago he had an art therapist that really helped him and lowkey changed his life. I feel like a lot of this can be reflected in his 5th house. The house of creativity, expression, creation. His 5th cusp is also in Scorpio. 5th house in water tend to be really drawn to arts and music. Having a Scorpio moon, a moon sign that can be quite guarded, in a fire house can also explain his readiness/openness to share his emotions and art. Also let's not forget his chart ruler is his Scorpio moon in 5th! What I've wrote above are big themes in his life, which we've seen.

✦ As for the Pluto in 5th. Because his 5th house is in Scorpio this would mean the 5th ruler is in 5th. I know it might not make sense at first because it's pluto and pluto is misunderstood. But it makes perfect sense to me. Pluto in 5th is a deeply passionate and creative placement. It bring so much energy to this house, and can even create a borderline obsession with themes of this house. With creating and expressing. But I could also see having this and his scorpio moon in this house bringing so much energy, it just kind of adds to the confusion and intensity of a scorpio moons emotions and processing abilities, like, emotionally overwhelming. Scorpio moons always need an outlet and they usually figure that out the hard way at some point in life. The outlet can vary based off the chart, his is without a doubt connected to his art; whatever that may be to him.

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Aquarius Uranus in 8th:

✦ This part is brief because it's more of like, additional details to what's already in his chart. Something that is really well known about Renjun too is how much he is into space and aliens and stuff like that. He, once again, has been very open about it lol on variety shows I've seen him light up every time its briefly mentioned and he'll comment on how much he finds that stuff interesting. The 8th house is weird, it can manifest in a lot of different ways. The biggest point here for me is that the house is in Aquarius with Uranus here. I know someone with this placement too and, while they're open minded to astrology and tarot etc. it's a bit more focused on logic. I can't say for sure because I don't know him, but he kind of strikes me as the kind of person that would fight to death over aliens existing, but draws the line at astrology lol. I actually do think he would be open to astrology and tarot, but he'd need the right introduction to it. Anyways, yea this placement to me explains a lot of his interest in space and things we don't understand. He's expressed his curiosity in it. I think a lot of this is coming from his Scorpio moon and Pisces mercury/venus which is why I think it's just additional support.

───────────────────────────────────

Pisces Mercury/Venus in 9th:

✦ THIS HOUSE right here... so much to say. Firstly, Pisces in 9th is probably one of the main culprits for his creativity, deep thinking and curiosity in the world. And more importantly: his imagination. I've mentioned this a lot when I talk about renjun but, he's very well known for his creativity, but I want to make it clear that there is a distinction between creation and imagination. His imagination is truly... on another level. Well, planet actually since it's pisces! Again, amongst fans it's really well known his imagination is just so unqiue. This is less about the 9th house and more about the fact that he has 2 pisces placements but it still affects it lol. He's very open about his imagination and speaks about it so naturally. He shared his drawing of a bird, hybrid, thing? and how it's an animal that steals your dreams in your sleep. Anyways, Pisces in 9th aren't necessarily the travelers we'd see with an air or fire sign here, but they like to travel mentally. He's also talked about how he's just in general a very curious person and you can tell his thoughts probably travel far and wide in his down time.

✦ What's really interesting to me about this house is his mercury is here and Mercury in 9th is a very specific kind of placement. It almost always guarantees an interest and talent in learning languages. I don't know if languages are necessarily a passion for him but he definitely is interested and cares about learning language and other cultures. He also did pick up on Korean and English with ease. Which also reminds me that, he actually was exposed to Korean at a young age because I'm pretty sure he went to a bilingual school (chinese and korean). This is also a big deal to me because planets in 9th, especially sun/mercury often indicate very early exposure to languages or other cultures... so yea that checks out. This can also be proved by looking at his IC in Virgo, which puts the ruler in 9th. His mercury is also sextile Jupiter. I also wanna comment that he has his Mercury in the 5th degree, I'm not great at degree theory yet but that feels significant to me. Of course we cannot forget his absolutely angelic voice. Renjun is also very well known for his stunning vocals. Not only are Pisces placements musically inclined but Pisces mercury are known for their sweet voices.

✦ As for the venus is 9th, I feel like I have more to say on his venus being in Pisces because that's where so much of his artistic creativity and imagination come from. But venus here adds to a lot of what I've written above, adding to his curiosity of the world. What I find most interesting about venus in 9th though, is it brings another inclination to art! He might really like art from different places in the world, or just exploring all types of art being very open minded to its different forms etc. Venus here also brings ease to language learning, and these people will naturally have other cultures and people from them as a big part of their life. I feel like, in general it's not surprising at all to me that as a foreign member (being from China), that he would have 9th house influence! It can often manifest as like.., travel, other languages, cultures and parts of the world etc. are just very naturally a part of their life. Some people never really contemplate life overseas or in another country. But for 9th housers, it's never not been an option. His 9th house influence can also make him a great teacher, mentor and just overall supportive person. We've seen some of this in the content he's made with NCT. Like trying to teach his members chinese with Chenle, except he was taking it way more seriously lol but was so supportive. He's also tried to get Jeno and Jisung involved in his art making, but keeping the process very open and fun.

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Aries sun, Taurus mars in 10th:

✦ This is the last part I'm going to cover because it is really just the icing on the cake to finish this up. The 10th house is considered pretty important when looking at celebrities/idols because it's very likely a lot of what we see from them is their 10th house influence. In the chart model I'm using for Renjun, it puts his MC in the very last degrees of Pisces, so there's a chance it's in Aries but either way with his sun and mars here they are still playing a big role. So for that reason, I'm opting for Pisces MC. I also think Pisces MC fits though because first it puts the ruler in his 7th house. Meaning he could really benefit and work well in something that involves a group! Because it's Pisces in Neptune, it also adds to his very ethereal vibe and how people just seem to love him wherever he goes. He's very magnetic and can come off as artistic and sensitive. He's known for being dreamy, unreal, artistic, sensitive.

✦ Again, we know he has an aries sun and taurus mars so I'm not going to explain them here, just how they affect the house, but having his these here makes so much sense to me too. Having planets in 10th also influences what kind of "vibe" people get from you, and what you're "known" for. Mars and Sun bring similar energy of being well known for for energy, drive, and even stage presence. Not being afraid to be on stage, being good with attention and spotlight. He's known for his kind of playful and childish behavior at times. He is charismatic, bold, brave, happy and upbeat. With the sun, he is again known for his creativity and creations and also self-expression.

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Thank you to anyone who read all this. I don't really expect many people to because I'm mostly writing this for my own curiosity and to finally just put this theory out there! Anyways, stan Renjun best boy <33

Thoughts and feedback are always welcome <3

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[aasfandoms]

Hiya, I feel like I've asked this before but I'll ask again. I'd like a bit of writing advice if that's alright with you? Just, how do you write thousands of words without making your story feel like it has too much going on or without making it super purple and wordy? Your fics always strike such a lovely balance between long and not overly detailed. I just struggle to write 1000 words without accidently writing the entire plot in one chapter, even if I try padding it out a bit, it's still too short for my taste.

This is tough to answer because honestly most of it comes with practice, which isn't always fun but is necessary. I find that I can strike a decent balance by including descriptions of the scene or items/people in it (but don't OVER describe, or describe every little thing; you want to mainly give the general vibe/description, the reader's brain will fill in details), what the characters thinks about those things, and their physical or emotional reaction to anything that sticks out.

It also helps to just... add things. Add a tiny thing that happens here and there, doesn't have to be plot relevant, just a little thing that the characters notices then moves past, or a small detail that just expands your length a little. Or something a little bigger that better reveals the characters personality or thoughts.

Here are maybe some examples that might help (featuring BkDK A/B/O);

Instead of saying something like;

"He went to the club right after work and hurried inside. After paying the entrance fee he slipped through a crowd to get to the main stage, where he waited eagerly."

Try expanding and adding some little things;

"After work Katsuki rushed home to change into something nicer than his plain civilian clothes. He chose a plain black shirt with a purple button-up over it and black pants. There was an attempt to do something with his hair, but it did not work. Oh well. He brushed his teeth, hastily wrapped his gifts, and hurried out the door. Maybe, just maybe, he sped a little too.

It was 5:45 by the time he got to the club. He left the gifts in the car and hurried inside. “Has Zuzu danced yet?” He asked the lady behind the counter who took his cash and marked his hand.

“No, but he’s up next.”

“Thanks,” he scurried inside.

It was busier than two nights ago, but that made sense. It was Friday. Every pervert in the city was rushing to the strip clubs to spend their evening getting trashed and watching sexy dancers.

Technically, he was now part of that demographic, but he chose to ignore that fact.

The bar was busy but he didn’t give two shits about getting a drink or snack anyway. Instead, he pushed his way through the crowd to get to the main stage. A pretty female Omega was finishing up her dance, so he stood back until she was done. No sense taking up space that a paying customer could occupy. Wouldn't be fair to her at all. Once her song ended and she strutted off, he pushed forward and planted himself firmly against the stage.

His heart was racing. All he could think about was seeing Izuku again."

So we've added a detour to the house to change and get ready. We added a short conversation with the lady behind the counter. We've added his thoughts/observations about the club. We added a dancing lady that created more realism and lengthened our word count.

Additionally, by mentioning the counter lady and dancing lady, we've reminded the reader that there are other people in this world that effect it (instead of hyper-focusing on our two main characters) and we've shown how our character reacted to them and thereby gave him a little more depth.

We can tell he's eager and worried about being late by the convo with the counter lady. He was polite to wait and allow the dancing lady to make more tips instead of being rude and taking a spot from someone else, showing that even though he'd very focused/eager right now he still considers others and reacts to them, rather than ignoring them.

We also didn't over-describe the club. We know it's busy, we know there's a bar, we know there's a stage. Granted, this particular bar was described a little more in a previous chapter, but the general vibe was the same; we don't need details or the layout, just the important bits.

Here is an example of showing emotion through actions, not words;

Rather than saying;

"He finally received a text back. He stopped punching the bag to check his phone. He was eager to see what it said."

Let's do this;

"The text went unanswered for a few hours. Katsuki nearly forgot about it, so lost in showing this free-standing bag who was boss. He punched it hard enough to knock it over, then used his foot to force it back up. Just as he went for another swing he heard his phone chime. He nearly tripped over his own feet hurrying over to it."

It's a little longer, has a bit more character, has a bit of humor, and we've displayed that he's so excited to receive that text that he nearly fell over to see it. I like to include small, almost silly details like that because it feels human and it tells us what kind of emotions that person is feeling without actually just stating the emotion.

Another thing I like to do is bleed the real world or certain actions with characters thoughts. Here's an example;

"Hideki was standing outside, but his attention was on the dancer. Katsuki probably could have slipped right in past him, but he opted to just lean against the wall nearby and wait. His erection had, thankfully, disappeared, and these few moments alone allowed him to ground himself a little more. Stop exuding horny pheromones, exude some neutral or pleasant ones instead, straighten his clothes, check his hair, make sure he didn’t actually have any droll on his face, look presentable goddamnit."

Katsuki is taking a moment to gather himself and make sure he looks okay and we can tell he's nervous about it by the last 3 words, in which his inner dialogue has bled into what was real-world description.

We can combine these two things as well! Example:

"His schedule was next. It was the same as usual. Patrol started at eight. Lunch from noon to one. Patrol done by five. Same shit different day-

His phone chimed and he nearly dropped his coffee in the scramble to get it out of his pocket.

“The heck? You okay?” Eijiro asked.

“Shut up,” came the venomless bite. A text. From Izuku. Exactly what he’d been hoping for. His heart hammered in his chest."

His inner thoughts were cut-off my real world events and he reacted in a mild panic. By using very short sentences we can also show that his thoughts are racing and he's anxious to see what the text says.

When it comes to writing there are a lot of little tricks you can use to both lengthen your work and make it more fun to read. These are the ones I use most. Hopefully, it was helpful, or at least readable. I'm always happy to expand on something too or offer critiques!

Don't beat yourself up about not being as good as you want to be right now either. Like I said, it takes practice. My writing style now is very different from ten years ago and significantly better, but I've written and LOT of fics since then, read a lot of fics since then, and taken in writing advice I've gotten from others. It takes time to improve but that's no reason to stress! Have fun with your writing, you created it from nothing!

[tarralin]

Update on the home front & Fics!

Hey dearies!

I know it's been a hot minute since y'all've heard from me and wanted to let you know what's going on.

Moving. It's been... a process. We started with 3 notebook pages of potentials at the start of the year and I was hopeful and positive we'd be able to get things settled quickly with plenty of time to spare. I was wrong. Of those three pages of numbers and websites, none of them were suitable fits. They either refused pets or young children (4yr old son Jayce, Smalls the Chihuahua), or were 200% over budget and worth. Then Daniel's one good friend from work came and saved the day with info on a nearby neighborhood. And we were approved and accepted!

Then came packing, organizing, and cleaning old place as well as trying not to rip my hair out when something was needed after it's been put away. I hate up-rooting/moving in general but this time even more so as I've been trying to keep Jayce's schedule as intact as possible. Success is questionable.

Old place was spotless when we left it. Even the hard to reach areas that I'm sure never saw any love until we moved in. The keys are now turned in and we are waiting for deposit to come back (fingers crossed!)

Cable man just came and installed internet so I am now no-longer limping by solely on mobile data. phew! It was getting strained there for bit...

I'll still be MIA for a little while though because I can finish unpacking now without worring about blocking anything important! Bathroom is done. Kitchen is 90% done, bedroom about 60% and we probably will have to get a small storage unit. I'm going to try to toss/donate as much as we can let go but I still don't think it will be enough...

Jayce has transitioned well and each time we turn down the road to new place he says “our new house” in a sing song voice (cutest thing I've heard him do lately). Smalls the Chihuahua is having a harder time though with us being close to a train station AND a school with a bell schedule. If you pray for anyone in my home, pray for Smalls the Chihuahua.

Where does that put me on the fics?

I haven't touched Frat really at all since the last update, but it is outlined. The packing/cleaning has helped me think through and clear up several murky areas. Yay!

Fox Hunt is 2800+ words right now and I still have a bit to go on it. Plus edit time to make it… not a hot mess.

I've been drabbling here and there on Diabolicus, it's planned out to the end (just like Frat) and should be finished up in 3/4 installments. I just need to be able to actually sit down and get to writing.

May have an epilogue to Prince/Frog in the works because I didn't get to tie up all the ends before the deadline

But BEFORE the next DB or Frat updates I'll be finishing the MiniQuests from the 210 follower campaign. I haven't forgotten, I promise. Just stressed, busy, and hectic life for the last 8/10 weeks. (Not a good mental environment for me to write).

On a side note, I donate plasma regularly and recently the receptionist asked me what I planned for my bday coming up. LMAO! That was a good laugh! Sleeping, hopefully. Maybe we can actually get to the beach (my bday, husband's bday, and our anniversary are three consecutive days this month).

So that's what's been up around here. Again, I hope to finish unpacking the new place here soon so I can get back to writing. I built up a discipline and accomplished so much during NaNoWriMo just for it to go down the drain when landlord drama started😖😖

Thank you everyone for being patient and sticking with me in this turbulent time. My ask box is open always if yall ever have any questions. Sometimes things get eaten, so if you don't see a response it's ok to send a second (or third!), I'm not bothered by multiples.

Also, I will be going through and removing links soon from original posts and editing some layouts/ adding cut lines where needed. If you see anything funky for a bit, you can ignore it. I will schedule reblogs once I have a scheme I like.

❤❤Thank you again babes! I love you all!❤❤

⭐❤TarraLin❤⭐

P.S.: Enjoy my new wi-fi name!

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