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topazadine · 7 months ago

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"How Do I Make Myself Start Writing?" (Tips to Get the Damn Thing Done)

Estimated Reading Time: 9 Minutes

I have complained previously about people telling newbie writers to "just write!!!" as if this helps at all. In that post, I was more assessing the reason why people ask how to start writing rather than the mechanics of beginning to write.

Now I am going to come back and give you some basic, nuts-and-bolts tips on how to actually start writing something.

In this post, we will discuss how to develop a good framework for writing. Because I am a plotter, not a pantser, I will be focusing on plotting rather than just going at it willy-nilly. This is just my opinion and my process, so some things may not apply to you; take what you like and leave the rest.

Here's the outline of what we will discuss. I will be including links to previous posts that cover each aspect in more detail if you need more advice on each step:

Plotting

Outlining

Titling Sections

Writing Out of Order

Getting Started by Section

Using Google/Word Comments While Writing

Tools for Motivation

Tools for Concentration

Tools for Revision

Plotting

When plotting, you are not coming up with a play-by-play; that is the outline. People often confuse the two when writing, which leads to them getting overwhelmed.

With a plot, you only care about these components:

The inciting event

The MC's goal

The summit or climax

The end

You can think of your plot as the elevator pitch you'd give to someone when explaining your story; it is a general overview of the piece.

So, if I was looking at my 100k+ fanfic, "A Tale of Two Citadels," I would describe it as this:

"Two Yamanbagiris get mixed up and sent to opposite citadels: one good, one bad. They then have to find their way back to their own home. Omokage steps in and cuts a hole in space-time to rescue his citadel's Yamanbagiri, bringing back Manba from the other citadel."

Now we can move on to the outline, where we figuring how to go from inciting event -> summit -> end.

Outlining

Outlines are tricky because if you add too much detail, then you get demotivated, as I have discussed in my Double Outlining method.

As I explain there, I like to come up with a very long outline, which contains everything I want to have in there, and then drastically cut it down to my actual planning document I use while guiding my work.

When I am outlining, I do not always use chapters, unless I am 100% certain that I will have exactly that many chapters. Instead, I organize things by different scenes.

Sometimes it's possible to use chapters; for example, if I have dual POVs and am switching back and forth every chapter, then the amount of chapters I have is mostly locked in. But if you're doing a single POV, you may find you need more or less than you expected.

Anyway, you'll start with these main components:

Beginning

Inciting event

Climax

End

And then go and fill in the rest. If you are using my Plot Mountain method for adventure stories, then it will look something like this:

Base Camp: Beginning.

Base Camp -> ABC: Lead-up to inciting event.

ABC: Inciting event.

ABC -> North Col: First challenge.

North Col: First break/plateau.

And so on ... you can read the Plot Mountain post for a better understanding of what I am talking about.

Once you have a basic understanding of each scene that will be included, it's time to develop your draft.

Titling Sections

I like to start out with headers for each section or scene, as this helps me know what I will need to work on.

It's easy to forget that your first draft is not your final draft and you do not have to use "Chapter 1," etc when doing it. In fact, I discourage this, because you may very well find you need more chapters, and then you get yourself confused.

Instead, consider using descriptive headers and organizing things by scene when you are writing.

This is an example of what I am talking about, from the first draft of the sixth part of the Eirenic Verses series, Poesy.

Those are the "titles" of each chapter. Once I was actually done with the book, I went in and fixed these headers into actual chapters.

This method is helpful because of what I will discuss next (writing out of order) and because it helps ensure that you're staying on track with your plot points.

If I have already done most of the writing and then realized that I need a new chapter, I make a new header, highlight the "Chapter" part, and then add a comment to it reminding me of what this scene needs to include.

I do not highlight the number of the chapter, because I may very well find that I need another chapter before this one. Then I'd have to renumber it, nuking my comment in the process.

In general, I try to keep all sections within about 200-500 words of each other (depending on how long the chapters are), unless there's an extremely good reason for a given chapter to be much shorter than the others.

This helps the reader know what to expect and how to pace themselves when they are reading. If they're just about to go to bed and say "one more chapter," and then that chapter ends up being twice as long as the others, they might be a bit annoyed.

Writing Out of Order

Sometimes you are stuck on a section for whatever reason; maybe you're not feeling it, maybe you need more research, maybe you're not quite sure where you're heading with it. And that's fine! Just don't let it demotivate you.

Write what part you're most excited about when you are most excited about it.

I usually write the beginning, the climax, and the end first. Then, I add the "sub-climaxes:" those smaller sections of tension, like a fight scene or whatever.

After that, I stitch them all together with the downtime scenes, which will have a bit of momentum but a slower pace.

In many cases, a downtime scene is combined with a moment of tension to make a full chapter.

Getting Started by Section

If I am very stuck on a particular section and just can't get myself to do it, I tell myself to write 200 words in the section, and if I'm still not feeling it, then I can stop and do another part, or give up for the day. In many cases, I end up continuing for a few more hundred words.

Even if I still give up on the section for the day, I have given myself to something to work on when I pick it back up again: I am not confronted with a blank page with no understanding of what I am supposed to do next.

Sometimes, if I am really, really stuck, I'll stop writing right in the middle of a sentence, which gives me an even stronger anchor when I'm ready to continue.

Using Google/Word Comments While Working

Google or Word comments are an immensely helpful tool while you are working, as they help remind you of things that you know you need to add but don't feel like doing right in the moment.

They don't have to be very long either, just enough to tell you that you still have some more work to do on this part.

Then, as you finish, you can either delete them or resolve them, depending on whether you want to remember what you had to fix. I tend to delete them, as resolved comments can still be visible on a completed Word doc when I send it to a beta reader.

Tools for Motivation

Word Count Spreadsheet. Keeping track of your work every day helps build intrinsic motivation and encourages you to keep going, even on days where you don't feel like working.

StimuWrite. I explained this in great detail on my other blog, but essentially it gamifies writing for you.

Pomodoro Method. You've probably heard of this already so I won't belabor the point, but it makes you work in 25-minute-ish chunks where you do nothing but what you're meant to be doing. Because I use Cold Turkey, I don't tend to need it, but sometimes I'm really, really distracted, and then I will put a timer on to keep myself honest.

Tools for Concentration

Cold Turkey. I don't see this get mentioned a lot by writers and I'm not sure why, as I literally use it every single day of my life. It blocks whatever websites you shouldn't be looking at so that you can focus on your work.

Binaural Beats. While binaural beats aren't some Hail Mary thing that makes you into a super genius, they can be helpful sometimes. You can find lots of versions of binaural beats on YouTube or your favorite music playing app.

Tools for Revision

Microsoft Read Aloud. I really like this tool for Word, though it does tend to butcher fantasy names (especially Uileac, I'm sorry honey). This makes it easier to catch typos or notice where you used the same word twice in a sentence. You can find this under the "review" section. Be sure to put it on normal speed or even below normal speed so that you can really capture missing words.

ProWritingAid. I will say that since I have started using ProWritingAid more frequently, I don't find as much value in it anymore, especially with the critique feature. They changed it recently so that it's not quite as thorough. Still, if you're a newer writer, you can definitely find benefit in its suggestions, particularly the "Inspiration" element. It is also good for letting you see an immediate overview of problems so you can just click on them and fix them all at once. I also like its sensory feature so I remember to actually add all five senses to my work.

Beta Readers. Yes, of course, beta readers are very helpful. But you need to find good ones! Ask if a writer on Tumblr that you like and admire will be willing to take a look at your work; they may say no, but there's no harm in asking. Fiverr can also be a good resource. I have found r/betareaders to be hit or miss. A lot of the beta readers on there are unexperienced and don't know what they're talking about.

And that's about it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

I've created a masterlist of writing resources that you can peruse at your leisure, all for free.

The posts I write can sometimes take me hours - they're always intricate, always thoughtful. This one took me about 1 hour to write.

I do this as a labor of love for the writing community, sharing what I have learned from almost 15 years of creative writing.

However, if you'd like to support me, maybe you'll consider buying my book?

At $0.99, that's about 0.11 for each minute you spent reading this post.

9 Years Yearning is a gay coming-of-age romance set in a fantasy world. It follows Uileac Korviridi, a young soldier training at the War Academy. His primary motivations are honoring the memory of his late parents, protecting his little sister Cerie, and becoming a top-notch soldier.

However, there's a problem: Orrinir Relickim, a rough and tough fellow pupil who just can't seem to leave Uileac alone.

The book features poetry, descriptions of a beautiful country inspired by Mongolia, and a whole lot of tsundere vibes.

You can also check it out on Goodreads for a list of expanded distribution.

If you do purchase my book, don't forget to leave a review!

Reviews are vital for visibility on Amazon and help to support indie authors like me. Whenever you love a book, be sure to let the author know! It's much appreciated.

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starleska · 5 months ago

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HELLO may I ask your opinion on Cole Sprouse? because there is a fella who has lived in my head rent free for months now and I must show him to you

He starts off looking really ugly (/pos) and dead and gradually becomes more human as the movie goes on. I won’t go into lots of spoilers juuuuust in case you ever watch it, but!!!

He has no tongue, ear, right hand, or…ahem 👀.

But when he eventually gets a hand, the FIRST THING he does is give his girl a smile and ask her to dance.

ALSO HE’S MUTE BECAUSE OF THE MISSING TONGUE!

Col Sprouse apparently went to a mime program for a while to be able to articulate thoughts and ideas better without words!!!!

He’s the sweetest most pathetic lovey-dovey doll face baby sweetie love muffin and I’m obsessed.

OH he also murders people!!!

Thoughts? 👀

Rottie oh my god i'm so sorry i started answering this ask and then got bodied by two different hyperfixations so it was buried in my drafts 🙈💖 it would've made much more sense to answer this during October, wouldn't it!! 😂 haha we're continuing on with the Max Jägerman trend of dead guys, i love it!! 🥰 i didn't grow up with Cole Sprouse's work but i'm very intrigued by his portrayal of The Creature here - we looove a sweet monster who falls for an innocent human in these parts 🥺🥺 ahhh did he really!!! if there's anything to be said for all of our recent Art the Clown thirsting, 'Don't underestimate the importance of body language!' 😳 he seems really kind and attentive...and of course the added spice of a little murder never hurt anyone 🙈💖💖 a very solid suggestion!! gotta put this movie on my watchlist 🥰 thank you my lovely friend 🫂

#the creature #lisa frankenstein #cole sprouse #kathryn newton #f/o suggestions #starleskasks #long post

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affectionteaming · 22 days ago

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Juraj’s blog Renewed confidence and a visit from my grandmothers by Juraj Slafkovsky / special collaborator with NHL.com, March 27

Juraj Slafkovsky, who was drafted first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2022, has agreed to share the behind-the-scenes of his life as a professional hockey player with the NHL. For the third year, he will discuss his season on the ice, as well as his life outside the rink.

Hello everyone,

I just got to my hotel room in Philadelphia after a short flight from St. Louis. After a tough loss against the Blues (6 to 1), we had a good practice in St. Louis before heading to Philadelphia in the late afternoon on Wednesday.

Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, I feel like I’ve been playing better hockey. Before the break, I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I’ve chosen to play in a more physical way and use my size better. You could say that my game has finally started clicking. I scored two goals in my first two games back (against the Senators and the Hurricanes) and quickly gained more confidence. For the past few weeks, I’ve felt better on the ice.

When I play stronger, I find that I have more space on the ice. There are more openings for me. With more space, I also have a little more time. So then I have more opportunities to shoot (43 shots in his last 14 games, compared to 71 shots in his first 53 games). Finally, I’m not thinking to pass first in situations where I can shoot. I have more confidence in myself and my shot.

I can give you an example. During the game against the Colorado Avalanche (5-4 loss in the shootout on March 22), Nick Suzuki tapped on the ice with his stick and told me to pass him the puck, but I felt like I had a good line to the net. I could have given him the puck, he was open enough. But the best possible play was to take a good shot. It was the right choice because I managed to get it past Mackenzie Blackwood. Like Martin often tells us, it’s not enough to make a good play, we have to find a way to make the best play possible.

[Video: COL@MTL: Slafkovsky scores 27 seconds after the third goal by the Avalanche]

Now near the end of the season, we only have one possible objective. We want to be in the playoffs. On a personal note, right now I have 16 goals and am approaching the 20-goal mark. I want to score 20 goals like I did last year. I need to be a consistent player. I’d like to get many more than 20 goals, but it would be a good step in my young career if I can finish with 20 goals for the second year in a row.

And if I’m scoring goals, I’m obviously helping my team.

Since the beginning of the year, we’ve said that we want to be in the playoffs. We’re knocking on that door now. For the moment, we’re in a playoff spot, but we can’t slow down. We need to keep battling until our 82nd game. It’s really good to be playing games that matter at this point in the season. We’re enjoying it and we want to continue this journey.

There’s a lot of weight on our shoulders. But we’re not thinking about it too much. We’re just focused on the next game and our goal is to win it. It’s a pretty simple mindset. We need all the points we can get from here to the end of the season, since it’s such a tight race in the Eastern Conference.

I’ve said it before, but the Bell Centre is the best arena in the NHL. In my opinion, it’s the best in the world. I don’t think there’s a better place (to play). The fans are showing up for us more than ever the last few games. I love hearing people chant Olé, Olé, Olé and seeing them do the wave. It’s really cool.

My grandmothers’ visit

In the middle of March, I experienced a magical moment. Both my grandmothers made the journey from Slovakia to Montreal to watch me play. They were with my parents. They had never crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Hopefully I’m remembering this correctly, but my dad’s mother is 78 and my mom’s mother is 71.

They loved their experience at the Bell Centre. They wake up during the night to watch my games when they’re at home in Slovakia. But that’s not the same thing as seeing a game in person. The atmosphere was absolutely insane during the game against the Florida Panthers. The atmosphere at the Bell Centre is unique. You can’t find it anywhere else in the world.

Both my grandmothers wore a Canadiens jersey with the number 20 and the name Slafkovsky on the back. I didn’t have a choice, I had to buy them their grandson’s jersey to watch games. It’s another souvenir for them.

They spent five days in Montreal. I didn’t really play tour guide for them, I let my mom and dad do that. But I had nice meals with them. I have a pretty busy schedule, but I was really happy to spend time with them. I know they went on the Ferris wheel and walked around the beautiful streets in the old town. They also took the metro to get around the city.

Gallagher’s courage

A few weeks ago, my teammate Brendan Gallagher lost his mother (Della). She’d been battling cancer for a few years. I wanted to acknowledge his strength and courage. I get the feeling that everyone on the team wants to push a little harder for Gally. Like Brendan often says, she’s watching us from heaven now. We want to use that as a little extra motivation.

Despite everything he’s going through in his personal life, Gally still has the same smile on his face and he’s still an incredible teammate. I don’t think I could be as strong as him if I was going through something like that. Gally has scored massive goals in the past few games. When he plays a good game, I get a bit emotional. I’m very proud of him.

*Interview by Jean-François Chaumont, senior reporter for LNH.com

#juraj slafkovský #montreal canadiens #juraj slafkovsky #canadiens de montréal #my translations #yeah i definitely believe he wrote this (lying)#dgaf who wrote it im having fun + playing

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darkpoisonouslove · 2 years ago

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for the writing ask game!

💫 what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

🦋 what are you most insecure about when you post a fic?

🕯️how do you think engaging with each other through tumblr, twitter, comments, kudos, creates healthy fandom experiences? How do you deal with that if you're not a social person/experience social anxiety?

💌 share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!

💫 what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

I love it when the commenter lists specific things that they like/caught their attention (and possibly tells me why they liked them). It really helps to know which parts of my writing work and if I'm conveying my ideas comprehensively enough. It's also nice when a comment sparks a discussion about some headcanons or worldbuilding. Other people's ideas/understanding of canon elements can be fascinating to hear about!

🦋 what are you most insecure about when you post a fic?

Answered here.

Engaging with other fans is awesome because it can spawn theories, headcanons, discussion and the like. It can motivate people to create or help them overcome their fear of sharing what they've already created. It can also make you feel seen and understood by other people who relate to/love the same characters as you. And all of that usually leads to wonderful, strong friendships. It's the foundation of fandom because that's what we're here for. You can be a fan just fine on your own, closed off in your bedroom. But it's the engagement with other people's ideas and interpretations that makes the experience so much more fun and more fulfilling. Interactions with other fans can multiply the joy and satisfaction that you get out of creating for your favorite piece of media and that just makes fan life a 1000 times better.

I myself am very anxious in social situations but when I read a fic or see some other fan creation, I remind myself that feedback makes such a big difference for creators. It makes it almost impossible for me to not leave some comment. (I don't know super much about art so it's harder for me to comment on it but I try to at least compliment the piece when I reblog it.)

💌 share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!

I already talked about the Griffin draws Faragonda to her side (instead of vice versa) during the CoL times AU and I haven't made much progress since then but it's always on my mind.

Because chapter 1 is such a fucking mess, I have turned the first part of it into a mix of five different lectures on magic courtesy of Valtor. It takes place on Oppositus where I've created a legend that parallels Griffin and Faragonda so closely that Griffin is instantly feeling dread when she first hears about it.

I think I finally managed to use the chaos with their emotions to my advantage and tie it into the theme of the first chapter. I am planning on including an older idea of mine in which when things are too hard to say, Griffin and Faragonda say the opposite of what they mean and the other one knows what the truth is. (I wrote out a ficlet with the idea here - under number 31.)

I think I'll just have to start writing it, though, because the outline has become too much of an unsalvageable clusterfuck at this point. I was hoping I could figure some things out before diving into the first draft but it looks like chapter 1 at least won't agree with me. To be honest, I am kind of anxious about starting this because it will require a lot of careful maneuvering with the characters' feelings and motivations and it will be quite long. I don't think I will be able to motivate myself to finish it all before posting but posting every chapter as I write it will probably mean long hiatuses in-between. I am unsure of how to proceed but I'll mull over it once I've done the first chapter.

Send me ((REAL)) fic writer asks

#ask #folkloristico #griffin x faragonda #my wips #my fanfic #fandom #storming sun

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rosie-love98 · 6 months ago

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How "The Joker" Sequel COULD HAVE Crossed-Over With The 90's "Crow":

I know folks are very weary of the new "Joker 2". I, myself, haven't seen it (kinda planning to) but I've seen the reviews. And when seeing one review, it sparked an idea I've had for years. sequel that crossed over with the 90's film, "The Crow".

It could start in Detroit with a young Eric Draven. He's raised by his mother who never liked bringing up Eric's father. Either that or Eric would be rised by the Dravens as his adopted family like in the original "Crow" comics. Aanyway, This was so until news broke out about Arthur Fleck's infamous TV appearance. This would lead to the revelation that Eric was a Fleck.

The flashback would either have Eric's Mom be the illigitimate daughter of The Penguin who had a romantic relationship with Arthur until things had happened that tore them apart before Eric was even a thought. And when Eric was born, his mother either died or gave him to the Dravens who were close friends.

Or-as a call back to "The Crow" comics where Eric was a Vietnamese native-have Eric's Mom be from Vietnam during the war. Judging by "Full Metal Jacket", the army didn't quite care much for the mentally ill. The more soldiers drafted the better. So, Arthur was dragged into the fray, with Col. Draven be a trusted friend/big-brother figure. This would lead Arthur to meet Eric's Mom. A romance went on until Arthur had to return home for some reason (either Arthur had a nervous break down, there was an emergency involving Arthur's mom, etc.). After leaving, Eric would come into the world with him and/or Eric's Mom going to America to live with Col. Draven's family.

Back in the present/1980's, Eric decided to go to Arkham to talk with Arthur in an authorized visit.

Not sure what else would happen yet. However, I can see Arthur escaping from Arkham and influencing Eric to go on some terrorists acts until Eric meets Shelley who has him redeem himself.

#the joker #the joker 2019 #the crow #the crow 1994 #eric draven #arthur fleck #just a theory

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the-inkwell-variable · 8 months ago

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Talk about a WIP? (For the ask game)

Absolutely! Thank you so much for the ask!

I'm gonna chat a bit about Dauntless, since the Big Month of Writing A Novel (unaffiliated) is coming up and that is, once again, my project. I've been working on Dauntless since about 2012, finished it three times just to delete or lose my draft and start again. This time I actually have a draft to edit and rewrite, yay!

Dauntless takes place almost entirely in Bluegrass, Kansas, a fictional city based on where I live. It's not a small town (I think we're sitting at 30k people right now?) but we are a suburb so we do get that small town vibe.

Since this is a zombie book, let's talk infection! I'm not sure how I'm going to implement this yet, if at all, so this may be the only place it's mentioned, but this is a parasitic infection. A type of worms mutated to survive the water purification process and is now in everyone's drinking water. Humans are still pretty tough, so it's not going to start as fast or hard as The Last of Us did, but people are going to be affected quickly. The worms grow inside a person to eventually wrap around your brain stem and wiggle its little appendages into the various books and crannies of the brain. Fun! Love this for us! Definitely not gagging at all over here! 🫠

The first stage of the infection (which I originally intended to be a related but separate thing... Might still go back to that.) is definitely a fun little horror show to write. It's somewhat inspired by Crossed, a comic in which infected people carry out their sickest, most twisted desires with a smile on their face. (Definitely a messed up series, read at your own risk. It caught ME off guard a few times, so please take care of yourself if you read it!) However, infected people in my story dont do it with a smile or out of pleasure (some do, but they're further along in the infection and were kind of messed up to begin with). They think their messed-up actions are logical, common sense. In most cases, they don't even realize that they're doing a messed-up thing. Some of their stories are quite sad when you realize that they genuinely think they're helping or doing the right thing. (Side note! I'm writing a separate book of stories that takes place alongside Dauntless, that focuses on these characters. It's going to be a ailabke for free when it's done, I promise I'll link it here!)

The second stage of the infection is death and reanimation, typical zombie stuff. This is a zombie book, after all. The zombies start off fast, quick, agile. Think Black Summer. They understand how to open doors, that a window can be an entrance, that dodging an attack can keep them alive a bit longer. They're not smart, per se, but they're not completely stupid yet. The longer they shamble around, the more they deteriorate and the dumber they get until they're your typical shamblers. In the far distant future, when the next trilogy in the series takes place (I might have dreams too big for my britches here lolll), they do mutate, but for now, they're just zombies.

Introducing Ashlee, our protagonist! She's not interested in any of this. She wants a normal, quiet life. She's helping her sister take care of her kids after the divorce (which she hates - she's not really the parental type, though she really is trying). She works at a clinic and is dating her boss, which even she knows is not a great idea, but he's handsome and friendly and wants the same future she does, so how bad can it be?

Now I'm more into the survival aspect than the interpersonal drama, but don't you worry, there is drama to be had! Niece Selina is a teenager doing teenager things, which Ashlee has to stay on top of so she doesn't make the same mistakes. Is boyfriend Dr Jordan Parker truly as altruistic and kind as he seems? What's going on with the cop that keeps sniffing around? Is Ashlee bisexual and/or poly, or is she simply desperate for a loving touch in these cold times? And will the author have the strength to keep fucking Chuck's grubby little hands off this document or will she have to burn the world to the ground to get rid of him once and for all? Find out next time, on Dragonball Z!

Thank you so much for asking about Dauntless! I'm sorry I rambled so much. I have a lot of thoughts about this book. I hope you're having a fantastic day ❤️❤️❤️

#talia writes #dauntless #tag game #wip rambles #loved writing this out #it really helped get some thoughts together #thank you do much 😊

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project1939 · 10 months ago

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200 Films of 1952

Film number 177: Retreat, Hell!

Release date: February 19th, 1952

Studio: Warner Bros.

Genre: war

Director: Joseph H. Lewis

Producer: Milton Sperling

Actors: Frank Lovejoy, Richard Carlson, Anita Louise

Plot Summary: During the first part of the Korean war a battalion of Marines lead by Capt. Paul Hansen make headway into North Korea. When China starts sending soldiers to fight them, they are hopelessly surrounded and must fight their way back to safety.

My Rating (out of five stars): ***¼

War movies are usually one of my least favorite genres, but this film has some unique elements for the time period that make it worth a watch. First of all, it really fleshes out the main characters before they even get to any battles, making it almost as psychological as it is action filled. The men all seem real- not big tough guys who are always brave. Second, the entire thing is essentially about a retreat, something most people, especially the macho kind, would label as failure.

The Good:

Richard Carlson as Capt. Hansen. He was a very likeable “everyman” kind of character, but also a good leader in a quieter sort of way.

Frank Lovejoy as Lt. Col. Corbett. He was the most traditionally manly of the Marines shown, but he was also very likeable.

Russ Tamblyn as McDermid, the young kid hoping to prove he is as brave as his distinguished Military family. He made you root for him and fear for him at the same time.

I liked that the initial training sequence took up a good portion of the film before the warfare started. We got to know the characters well, which made it more moving when they were in such dangerous situations. The sequence where they reached Korea by ship gave me goosebumps.

Real film footage of the war was used, which was chilling to see.

The Marines seemed like normal people instead of G.I. Joe types. That was such a good reminder of the reality of the draft- how people from all walks of life were there. It made it even more powerful when they showed amazing bravery as the film went on.

Not all Asians in this were nameless enemies. The south Koreans were briefly shown in a positive light.

This was good at giving Americans an important glimpse into what was happening in the Korean war. Even 72 years later, it helped me understand a little more.

The way the film redefined what “retreat” in this instance really meant. The men were truly fighting to save themselves the entire way back. It was a battle by another name. The incredible ordeal they were put through should not be labeled as “running away.”

The Bad:

Even though the real battle footage shown was incredible, it was also obvious when it would switch back to the movie footage. The transparency of the back and forth pulled me out of the movie at times.

Being a film made in 1952, it could in no way portray the war as anything but totally just. There wasn't the slightest bit of criticism or complexity regarding the cause or the morality of any of the men. (I expected that, though, and I honestly don't think it would have worked in this kind of film, anyway.)

The speech Lt. Col. Corbett made at the very end became a little too “Hollywood” for me.

I'll admit I got a sick of hearing The Marines’ Hymn! It played in the background a lot.

The roles of the wives were miniscule and almost pointless. They were “blink and they’re gone” kind of characters.

Are we gonna talk about that movie poster?? I know language and slang change over time, but in 2024 how can you not cringe at the phrase “husky guys with star spangled spunk?” Or laugh, really. Of course it made me laugh!

#100 films of 1952 #1952 movies #200 films of 1952 #200 films of 1952 film 177

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r0b0tb0y · 5 days ago

Text

BIG writeup of process notes, just the first two pages for now:

I can't remember what sparked the original idea: I've done werewolf!Brasso in a fic before, and this is almost a prequel to that fic. I knew the story would work better as a visual narrative than prose, but I really wasn't sure if I could manage the scope or skill required.

Initially it was scripted as a webtoon: I was keen to make use of generous negative space, dynamic panels, colour pops, and the narrow continuous scroll that all work really well with horror pacing. I scripted with numbered panels and no page breaks:

When it came to setting up a canvas on Procreate (I'll start doodling and see how far I get), I decided to begin with the standard screen size and lengthen/shorten the canvas where the natural beats fell. I soon realised there was a natural rhythm to the page-turns (an important skill for print-comic writers, but I always used to struggle with it) so I divided up the script into ten pages. That was really handy if I want to print it, especially when I confirmed I could do it in monochrome.

PAGE ONE

I wasn't sure I could do the whole comic in black and white without even halftones, but I wanted to try and it ended up being great on pages with big backdrops because I was only obliged to scribble a bit of mess and that's as much junkyard as you're gonna get

Made blxcksqvadron find me a crisp cap of Zorbys sign, inked it as one of the final additions to the draft, then decided to replace the sign with the Alibi title

our dropbox has troves of reference images for Ferrix design, which I glanced at before doodling a few lumps and going 'yeah that looks like a ship/house/prop'. The cyclone fencing and keyhole were the least scifi looking features in the end, but both useful visual cues and look, the Andor art team extremely shopped at Ikea

drawing clouds is so fucking difficult. 'they're just blobs' I thought! go fuck yourself

hounds are a delight to draw, and were one of the first things I got stuck into. I thought they'd be difficult, but I based a lot of the poses off my greyhound and the expressions off a friend's pug and they are impeccable pubbies

looking back at early pages, really pleased how intuitive Cassian was to draw and pose

when I first posted this I forgot to put white behind the WOOF panel, so the parallel of WOOFWOOFWOOFWOOF/SHITSHITSHITSHIT disappeared (shitshitshitshit indeed)

thank you Diego Luna housebrick hands for being really easy to draw

the greeble kept looking like it had a cute face, which was fun but became too diverting as a mini-character

I was originally going to have more text, like the popups from the show (eg the Wanted: Kenari Male graphic). This page would explain the greeble was an expensive Imperial gizmo, and later on identify the corpse as a murdered corpo. The labels on the map of Ferrix and the $AFE note on page two were the only captions I kept. Exposition slows the pace down and takes up space, and I always prefer the art to do the bulk of the storytelling work.

The comic is full of rhetorical panels (non-square panels, especially ones where a diegetic detail escapes into the gutter) partly because it adds tons of dynamism to the monochrome, partly because it's a perfect visual metaphor for Cassian sneaking through boundaries, but also because I regularly pencilled too big despite sketching my borders in first.

PAGE TWO

I sketched page one, sketched page two, inked page two. This helped me figure out what would be technically possible/necessary before pencilling the whole thing (if I could finish this page in monochrome, it should be feasible for the whole story). It also meant I could share something comprehensible with the groupchat to keep me motivated. So this was my first finished page, where a lot of the stuff got figured out.

I love the layout on this page, and the squad did too. The manga-style polygon panels happen to look very Star Wars, and lead nicely into the composition underneath with three columns where the hounds recede, Cassian takes a breather, and the big reveal looms.

The borders are made using Procreate's Drawing Guide/Assisted Drawing with 48px grid (my default for lettered graphics). The brush can have a very uneven taper or come out blobby if I use the quickshape tool, so I get better control of border thickness with Assisted. Sometimes I'll do an entire grid then erase the gutters, or draw a set of rectangles that don't perfectly align, depending on how tight I want the layout to be. For the angled panels, I use quickshape on the brush/eraser, which takes some fiddling.

I'm really pleased with how the hites and briffits (💨) came out. Motion lines often end up looking stiff, and dust clouds like chunks of broccoli, but my main brush (True Grit Acrylic Liner from the Rusty Nib collection, without which I wouldn't have even attempted the project) handles them really well.

Generally the onomatopoeia are lettered with the messier acrylic brush, while dialogue and captions are a smoother style (Procreate's Studio Pen with extra motion control, which is my default).

The first running Cassian was freehanded, and I was very nervous about doing full-body action poses! I didn't mind this one looking a bit wacky for the sake of physical comedy, so I didn't go back to fix it.

The next four of him running and jumping use references from parkour photography, which gave me some really amazing angles and shapes to exaggerate. I added the details of boots and cuffs, which were really helpful to keep his shape consistent and to make the references look less derivative. Drawing moving clothing is new for me: I find lapels very tricky but boots are easy (rip liefeld).

I wanted a shot of him swinging around a corner, and the closest references I could find were all from pole dancing, but none of them looked as good as the vault on the left. Just know that Cassian almost used his pole skills, which I know he possesses.

Making the junk pile background where Cassian lands was a challenge: the stuff can't be so detailed it detracts from Cassian in the foreground, but a line in the wrong place ruins the inference of a tall stack of objects. This is where I discovered putting a turbine in an empty space helps: I went back and added one in the trapezium above (also whoops, needed a sense of Cassian's interaction with the space around him).

Had a ball with emanata and onamatopoeia on this page—I firmly believe you can barely overuse both devices. The CRUNCH and Cassian's exhalation were great.

The borderless panel was a really important centrepiece. I didn't want six repetitive blocks in the bottom half, and the bleed signals a moment where the chase slows down inexplicably.

This gives us a bit more space for the first proper close-up of Cassian, which ended up pretty close to my original freehand. Given Diego Luna has such a distinctive face*, I was surprised by the times where I found him easy/difficult to draw. Some panels are traced from screenshot references, but even then I'm obviously exaggerating major features.

The coat was originally flat black or white depending on the contrast in the scene, but as the pages progressed I needed more texture. The grid pattern gives a nice sense of a woven fabric, but I also chuckle at the idea of it being Burberry tartan. Here I went back and added a bit of hatching, but still minimal so it doens't get distracting.

I drew his shirt as seldom as possible. Couldn't be bothered with the crossover V-neck, didn't want to add another texture to shade, and didn't mind the idea that he was barely wearing a shirt.

The vertical pattern as a portent of doom is a technique I love in manga, and it neatly resembles the slope Cassian's just descended here too. I made this with a similar technique to the borders, where I use Assisted Drawing to make a sequence of tapered lines. This looks a bit more organic than a premade texture, and I can control the gradient. Aftewards I erase around the foreground details.

Scaredy hounds were really fun: lots of homages to my beloved late greyhound Grim and his anxieties. A little 'yipe' there because there's a lot of Looney Tunes subtext to this comic. If you look closely in the middle you can see the snout of a cowering hound, my goofy fave. The plewd looks a bit weird, but spiky hackles work well. I can also spot where I started using a grainy brush for the junk, which had mixed results throughout.

We always need reminders the moon! I'm pleased at how the hound paws came out: I worried that drawing their backs and running legs would be confusing, but it seems to work. Backlit house shapes didn't give me too much trouble compared to later: lots of practice with isometric pixel art.

A fun detail: the onomatopoiea of SKITTER SCATTER, and then SKEDADDLE... which could be an onomatopoiea, right?

blxcksqvadron is traditionally not a fan of stories where dogs dislike werewolves (they are family!) but compromised on the hounds being intimidated by a resource-hoarding big dog whom we know is being protective, not possessive.

A little broccoli puff of relief from Cassian, and the cheeky '$AFE' caption of the greeble in his pocket. The shadow coming into focus was something I envisioned as an iconic werewolf trope, but a scribbly edge in a monochrome comic is tricky—especially with the risk of drawing a koala.

Werewolf GROWL cannot be contained by borders: it's too deep, resounding, and a fun game with discourse time when the tapering crescendo creeps up on Cassian.

What is Cassian but a little shadow with big eyelashes?

The final wolf's shadow eclipses the borders slightly—it's larger than life—and the upright ears counter Cassian's drooping terrified hair. Glad I could get the major conflict introduced before the end of page two!

* The robotboy house style for drawing Diego Luna: huge wide-set eyes in a д shape. Heavy lower-outer lashes exaggerated down/out to the cheekbone. Sharp inner eye corners with lots of spikes. Big dark irises with lots of highlights (unless he's terrified: a tragic compromise I made often in this comic). Upper lash line sometimes has a visible lid on the outer side. Left eye corner has a little loop (𐋰) that sometimes appears where it meets the brow. Eyebrows are a curving zigzag that usually meets the outer corner of the eye, spikes down near the pupil, then angles up into a jagged inner edge. Nose has a prominent zigzag at the top, and a triangular tip that can be tilted very askew. A few vertical lines on the brow, a " on the chin. Mouth can be extremely small, generally a ^ shape. Jaw is angled much narrower than reality, with a small squared chin. Stubble only needs thin lines at the chin, sideburns, and halfway along the jawline, plus a moustache with a wide gap for the cupid's bow. High sharp cheekbones, tall brow that tilts back near the hairline, big earlobes often hidden by hair. Hair parts to the right, bigger wave on top with tighter curls underneath—always a few arcing tendrils to cover problems or steer the reader's gaze.

It's full moon! AWOOO!

Thank you @distressednoise @notasapleasure @bright-thorn and @blxcksqvadron for cheer-reading me through my most ambitious comics project to date.

#the alibi #my art #holy exegesis batman

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inventors-fair · 3 years ago

Photo

Mechanical Runners-up! ~

Our runners-up this week are @col-seaker-of-the-memiest-legion, @horsecrash and @piccadilly-blue!

@col-seaker-of-the-memiest-legion — Sylvan Botanist and Collaborate

The glue that I like about this card is how it theoretically encourages a bunch of weird interplay. Maybe it’s the Zendikar Rising in me, but I enjoy the idea that you can be splashing for a color like red or blue and then have the wizardly deckbuilding side of things to change how you play. There are weird wizards around! And then, maybe those colors allow you to do weirder things, like a blue card that can double ETB abilities, or a red card that’ll benefit your team of new tokens, or just elves, which are elves. In terms of the greater scope of deckbuilding, this mechanic suggests a type-based multicolor theme in the greater scope of Magic.

Maybe there’s some hybridity that could be at play here, but the double-pips and the pretty standard token-making aren’t the most exciting to me. In terms of a half-decent draft rare, I can see this being picked up, but the fact is that you’re using quite a few resources here and it’s not landing in a specific way. What world is this supposed to be on, what kind of landing? I don’t feel that resonance at the moment. But between Dominaria, Ravnica and Alara, I’m sure you can find a home.

@horsecrash — Firewall Cracking and Encrypt

See, this slaps. That’s why I want to start with my main criticism, which is also a question. “Unencoding” to the best of my knowledge means it’s still in exile but no longer encrypted onto the creature, yes? That groks. It’s also really weird to see on the card, because I can imagine a new player encrypting, smacking, and then putting this card back into their graveyard “because that’s what unencoding means, right?” I think having a little comprehensive rules checking could help you out here.

All the same, criminy this is a powerful card and a powerful ability. What if you had, like, a virus type on this world, and you could encode creatures onto other creatures? And then, when they hit, they could infect the enemy with MIND POWERS or whatever. I think this is spectacular! I don’t think it belongs on Kamigawa necessarily even though it has the sci-fi vibe because, I mean, there’s already so many combat mechanics and whatnot there. All the same, you know what, even without the sci-fi vibe the attention you’re bringing to how resources can work at different parts of a turn is remarkable.

@piccadilly-blue — Scrap Salvager and Hide

So firstly, I’m tickled by your addition:

And it’s greatly appreciated~ I think there’s a lot of room for this mechanic to shine. I think it’s also, as it stands, fairly vague. For this card, it’s a fantastic card, and the flavor text tells me very little. I think that we have to think about what hiding means? In this case, I feel that this character is venturing and/or delving, and I get that much, but hiding also has the implication: from what? That’s what I don’t understand yet. The flavor text is...expository to say the least. I get the urge, because, well, I also see you’ve got a bigger set you’re working on. Admirable! Keep that up! But you gotta intrigue me, and right now, I feel like I’m being told the things I as an audience want to figure out.

From a pure mechanical standpoint this is really fun. I’d love to see cards that hide and then come out of hiding. Fantastic. Gimme a card that goes nuts with some ETB-to-hiding parallels. Not gonna teach anyone cool vocabulary, but it’s still neat. That part is solid and it looks like it can play well with whatever else is in this set, like ETBs, cast triggers, cards that care about how many spells you’ve cast in a turn, cards in exile, etc.

Working on general commentary soon! Lots to talk about, so sit back, relax, and be good to each other.

@abelzumi

#new mechanic contest #runners-up #commentary #mtg #magic the gathering #custom magic card #inventor's fair

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amarguerite · 3 years ago

Note

1, 10 and 14 for the writers ask meme ❤️

10) write in silence or with background noise? with people or alone?

i much prefer silence, tbh. i can do both, but like, i'm not 100% sure how to answer the question now because my husband and i live in a very small one bedroom so there is always someone around.

14) do you make playlists for your current wips?

No, since I write best when it's silent.

1) is there a story you’re holding off on writing for some reason?

i have so many original fiction ideas i'm holding off on because i just need to finish this gothic. ;_; i've been working on it for what feels like forever and i just want it to be doooooonnnnee

i want to finish a second draft of my tam lin retelling set in the golden age of Hollywood, I want to write an epic sword-and-sorcery political fantasy that's basically Marjorie going through the plot of The Count of Monte Cristo, i want to finish my secondary world fantasy about a ravenmaster investigating the murder of the queen in a world where sewing is literally magic, i want to do another gothic where the kids from not!the secret garden get trapped in the creepy gothic manor in adulthood because the house is alive and will kill them before it lets them leave again, and they have to rediscover the magic of the garden to destroy it, etc.

fic-wise, there's a colonel fitzwliliam/ lizzy plot i like to daydream about but won't write because i have too many things i need to finish before starting something new. rambling detail under the cut.

basically, i want to do The Great Escape through Portugal, just after the French invade. Mr. Gardiner's business would be the port business. After his business partner dies, he, Mrs. Gardiner, and Lizzy (there to help her aunt with all the children) end up in a port vineyard, trying to settle accounts etc and befriending local redcoats as you do. On the eve of the First Battle of Porto in 1809, Lizzy, who's a very keen walker, spots something odd and comes to tell Colonel Fitzwilliam, who in this would be one of Wellington's exploring officers a la Colquhoun Grant. She guides him back to where she saw the French soldiers, but by the time Colonel Fitzwilliam makes his observations, they're cut off, and the French are marching on Porto.

They manage to make it to British HQ, and they have to pretend to be engaged so that one of the naval ships will take Lizzy wherever her uncle and aunt have already been evacuated )I need to research where they would have gone) as a sort of aristocratic/ gentlemanly favor. The captain with the only available berth is none other than Captain Wentworth, who has very strong feelings about engaged couples unable to get married, and their making up something about how Lizzy's uncle won't consent to their marriage, only causes him to perform a shipboard ceremony then and there, before Lizzy heads off to wherever, and Colonel Fitzwilliam to the Second Battle of Porto. Lizzy and Col. Fitz agree the marriage is probably not legal because she's underage and though they've both caught feelings for each other at this point, they both decide to nobly not hold each other to it. Timeskip from 1809 to 1812, when I usually set P&P for the selfish reason that I like the Napoleonic Wars and want to write about them. Lizzy either gets proposed to by Mr. Collins, and when he persists even more than in canon, desperately blurts out that she has been secretly engaged to someone since 1809, super sorry, can't break that, and can't enter into a new engagement until she hears if he's alive or dead, and all hell breaks loose, or we just timeskip to the Kent part of the novel, and there's a comedy of errors there about who's engaged and who's married, etc.

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hockey-fics · 4 years ago

Text

When We’re 25 ~ Nathan MacKinnon

Summary: Twenty-five seemed so old for two eleven year olds sitting on the grassy field behind their school. Who would have thought promises made 14 years ago could change everything?

Word Count: ~4,000

Warnings: None

Video Source of Gif

A/N: Unedited and based a lot in the past so I tried to put together an accurate timeline but please forgive me if I didn’t get years quite right.

Nathan MacKinnon. People always asked about your relationship with him. People always had. Because you were inseparable from the day you met. It was when you were eight years old and your third grade teacher put him beside you while completing her seating plan for the year when you first met.

A few days later Nate invited you to come play soccer during recess. You spent all of five minutes playing soccer with the boys before heading off to the edge of the soccer field, picking a handful of wildflowers. You gave them to Nathan while walking back into the school after the bell rang and they stayed in his desk until they were shrivelled up and dead.

You started going to each others houses after school and on weekends. His parents and your parents grew closer through the frequent trips to each other’s houses dropping off or picking one of you up.

In grade four you weren’t in the same class as Nate and you cried the morning of your first day back at school. But still you still saw each other at every recess and lunch break. He would occasionally swap out playing soccer to spend the break with you. Other times you would drag your friends up to the soccer field to hang out on the sidelines, simply to be near him.

It started early, the teasing from your friends. They would giggle and talk about how they were certain you two ‘like liked’ each other. Your parents made occasional comments too. Comments that would make your cheeks burn and turn a dark shade of red. Through everything you had always denied liking Nathan.

When you were eleven years old your older cousin was getting married and your family took a trip across the country for the wedding. When you got back to school you were bombarded with questions from your friends about the trip. You talked about how magical it all was, gushing about the dress, the cake, the dancing, and in true childhood fashion, that the hotel you stayed in had a pool. Jeremy, a boy in your class, was sitting nearby, listening in on the conversation. “Too bad nobody will every want to marry you,” Jeremy muttered when you had finished talking.

“Jeremy, you’re so mean,” your best friend had defended quickly.

“it’s just the truth,” he had replied matter-of-factly.

You tried your best not to let Jeremy’s comment hurt your feelings. But the tears that welled up in your eyes betrayed you and before anyone had the chance to say anything else you were on your feet and fleeing to the closest bathroom so nobody could see your emotions.

You were in the bathroom for awhile before your friend came in, coaxing you out of the bathroom stall. “Nate punched him,” she had said, so simply, as if it didn’t mean anything.

You were shocked when she told you, scared about the trouble he was going to get into. And he did get into trouble, a week of missed recess breaks.

You sat outside on the grassy hill behind the school with Nathan that day after school.

“Sorry you got in trouble,” you told him.

“He upset you.”

“You shouldn’t have hit him.”

“He shouldn’t have been mean to you.”

You had looked over at Nate and knew in that moment that he didn’t even know why he punched Jeremy, didn’t know what Jeremy had even said, just that he had made you cry. “He told me nobody would ever want to marry me.”

“He’s wrong.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I’d marry you,” Nathan had told you so simply that it made you giggle even at that age.

“We’re too young,” you had replied, as if that was the only reason you two couldn’t get married.

“When we’re older then.”

“You’re going to marry me when we’re older?”

Nathan nodded, pulling a tiny wild daisy from the ground and handing it to you. “If we aren’t already married to other people.”

“When?” You asked him, twirling the flower between your fingers.

Nate contemplated the answer for awhile before saying anything. “Twenty-five?”

Twenty-five had seemed so far from that day. You were only eleven and you thought you would have it all figured out by the time you were 25. “Okay,” you had told him.

The two years Nathan had spent playing hockey in Minnesota were incredibly difficult for you. You were 12 and going through so many changes in your life. The only thing you really wanted was to have your best friend around.

When you were both 14 and Nathan had moved back from Minnesota to play in Halifax you went back to being practically inseparable. You went to as many of his games as possible. Even when you both had homework to do you insisted on being together, working quietly on separate assignments till it devolved into talking and laughing. Any opportunity to hang out together you would take it.

When you were 16 you managed to convince Nate to come to a house party with you. One of the kids in your class had been left alone for the weekend which inevitably meant he was going to throw a party. Nate spent most of the night sipping coca-cola while you consumed jungle juice and cheap beer.

Of course a game of truth or dare was suggested that night because you were all high school students who had access to alcohol and an unsupervised home. The lack of seating in the house had left you sitting on Nathan’s lap, his arms wrapped around your waist, your back pressed into him.

“Y/N,” Lexie said. “Truth or dare?”

You had immediately opted for a dare. You were a bad liar sober, you knew there was no way you could have lied convincingly if they asked something you didn’t want to admit.

“I dare you to kiss Adam.”

Adam was a year older than you, intimidatingly cool and attractive to you at the time. You had just turned 16 and you were beginning to feel embarrassed about the fact that you hadn’t had your first kiss. But that was not how you wanted it to happen. You hadn’t realized how long you had sat there in surprise till you felt Nathan run his hand over your arm. He knew. He knew that you hadn’t had your first kiss before and he had detected your anxiety immediately.

“She’s not doing that,” Nate had declared a moment later.

“Why not?” Lexie questioned, eyes narrowed and voice annoyed.

“Because we’re dating.”

You had tried to keep your composure in the face of such a bold lie. You remembered the looks your friends had given you, even they were uncertain whether it was a lie or not because of how believable it would have been.

“You’re lying,” Lexie had challenged.

“Why would I lie about that?” Nathan slid his hands down to your legs, tugging you sideways on his lap and bringing one of his hands to the side of your face, turning your head to look at him. “They’ll believe us if I kiss you,” Nathan whispers.

You swallow heavily, staring into his eyes. You wanted to kiss him, but you didn’t think this was how you wanted it to happen. You could feel the eyes of everyone playing the game in the room and suddenly the attention felt like too much. “I want to go,” you whispered back.

Nathan didn’t need to hear anything else. He placed his hands on your waist, quickly helping you up before standing up himself. “We’re going to go home,” Nate announced as you walked out with him, hearing a chorus of ‘oohs’ in regard to you two leaving together after that announcement.

You walked back in the direction of your house in silence for awhile until you passed by a park and you grabbed Nate’s hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Lets go on the swings,” you suggested.

The two of you sat on the swings and talked for awhile, not about what happened at the party at first. “I just want it over with,” you finally blurted out.

“Want what over with?”

You had looked over at Nathan, fingers grasping the chain of the swing so hard your knuckles had gone white. “My first kiss.”

“If we’re going to get married we may as well try kissing now,” Nathan had said, laughing as he did. You knew the part about getting married was a joke so you assumed the rest was as well, giggling softly.

Nathan stood up and walked in front of you, his hands moving to yours, gently pulling them off the chains of the swing. “I’m serious.”

Slowly you stood up, looking up at him with wide eyes. “What if I’m bad at it?”

“You won’t be,” Nathan had assured you, one hand around your back as he pulled you closer. “Do you want to?”

You had simply nodded, as if you were physically unable to say yes. Nathan had kissed you that night. Your first kiss ever. Afterwards you didn’t say much as he walked you home, waiting till you were inside before going back to his own house.

Neither of you talked about the kiss again. You told everyone afterwards that you didn’t work out in a relationship that you were still friends. But a year and a half later, when you were almost 18 you brought it up again.

“You know how you let me kiss you to get my first kiss out of the way?” You asked, sitting on your bed with your school work spread out in front of you. Nate had been sitting beside you with his math textbook and a messy sheet of equations in his lap.

Nate had looked over at you, eyebrows raised in curiosity. “Well I kissed you, but yeah. Why?”

“Would you do it again?”

“You can’t have your first kiss twice.”

“Not my first kiss….my first…time.”

Nathan had stared at you blankly for a few seconds, seemed skeptical, like you were tricking him into admitting something. “Yes,” he had finally told you.

“Okay,” you had replied, slowly moving all your books off your bed. And Nathan did exactly what he said, taking your virginity that afternoon. And he was gentle and kind and everything you were hoping he would be. You trusted him with everything and you were glad you had trusted him with this too. Even though it happened only a few months before he was drafted into the NHL and then moved to Colorado.

You stayed close when he moved. You texted and called and visited each other as much as you could. And you always remained determined that you were just friends. But you never felt the same connection you felt with him as you felt with anyone you had actually dated. You never felt as comfortable, as safe, as secure.

Nathan had always done his absolute best to make sure he was there for your birthdays. There were a few years where he couldn’t make it work because of games. A couple of those years you decided to go to him, celebrating your birthday with a few friends in a hockey arena watching an Avs game before dragging Nathan out for drinks with everyone.

This year he was particularly insistent about coming to visit for your birthday. It was your 25th and he was making it out to seem like a much bigger deal than you thought it was. It was just another day.

He had come up the day before your birthday and the two of you spent every waking minute together. The day of your birthday you woke up to Nathan making you breakfast, coffee already brewed.

“This is pretty impressive,” you said, shuffling tiredly into the kitchen and wrapping your arms around him, your head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“It’s your birthday, you deserve everything.” He wraps his arms around you, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of your head. “Now sit down.”

Giggling you pull away from him, taking a seat on one of the barstools at the kitchen island. “Ally said you guys made plans later but that I need to dress nice,” you comment, watching as Nathan flips a couple pancakes onto a plate. “Will you tell me what we’re doing?”

“No,” Nathan chuckles, setting the pancakes in front of you.

Glaring at him you pick up your fork. “Fine, but will you at least come with me and help me pick out something suitable to wear tonight?”

“Sure,” Nathan chuckles, getting himself some breakfast and joining you to eat.

Later that day you step out of a fitting room in a knee length red wrap dress, glancing in the mirror before looking at Nathan. “What do you think of this one?”

“You look incredible,” Nathan says, leaning forward in the chair he was sitting in.

You glance over as one of the sales associates comes into the back, looking between you and Nathan for a minute. “Anniversary dinner?”

Laughing softly you shake your head. “My birthday.”

“Oh,” she says, smiling softly. “You two are just really cute.”

“We’re going to get married,” Nathan chuckles.

“We’re not,” you tell the sales associate quickly, glancing at Nathan through the mirror. “He’s joking, we’re just friends.”

“Oh,” she comments again, grabbing a few dresses from a hanger before heading back into the store.

“Nathan, what the hell?” You exclaim, giggling as you turn back around to look at him. “Is this the one?” You ask, gesturing to the dress and changing the topic.

“Yeah, that’s the one.”

After changing back into your clothes you and Nathan take the dress to the front counter. When you notice Nathan pulling out his wallet you quickly push his hand away. “No,” you say quietly.

“It’s your birthday,” he retorts, pulling a credit card out of his wallet.

Rolling your eyes you give in, knowing you weren’t going to get out of letting him pay for it. Once you two leave the store you grab a coffee, spending the day doing nothing but hanging out with each other. And to be honest there wasn’t a single other thing you would have rather been doing. Whenever Nate was in town or you were in Denver it felt like a missing piece in your life was filled.

It was many hours later before you were fully dressed and ready for the night, heading out with Nathan who insisted on driving because he refused to tell you where you were actually going. But it wasn’t long before you realized it was your favourite restaurant which you didn’t go to often because of the price and fact that you needed to make reservations weeks in advance if you wanted to be sure you could get in.

Glancing over at Nate you smile softly, watching his eyes focused on the road in front of him. I love you. It wasn’t the first time you wanted to say it. In fact, you had even said it before. But it was always followed up by ‘you’re my best friend’ to take away from what it really meant. Nate looks over at you, catching you watching him.

“What?” Nate asks, looking back out the window as he slows down and pulls into a spot near the front of the restaurant.

“Nothing,” you tell him quietly, reaching over and unbuckling your seatbelt. “I’m just really glad you’re here.”

“Me too,” he replies, quickly climbing out of the car. Your attention is caught by the speed with which Nate hops out of the car, hurrying around the front of it.

You can’t help but giggle, watching as he gets to your side, pulling the door open. “Almost broke into a sprint there,” you tease, eyes widening as Nate grabs your hand to help you out of the car. “It’s my birthday, not my coronation.”

Nate chuckles, closing the door behind you once you were out of the car. “Anything for you.”

You glance down at your hands, Nate’s hand still locked with yours. But you don’t pull away, keeping the embrace as you two walk up to the restaurant and all the way to the table where a group of your friends were already waiting.

“Happy birthday,” your best friend cheers, hopping up to wrap her arms around you. “You and Nate look cozy,” she whispers in her ear while her arms were around you.

Laughing you shake your head, pulling away. “Just friends,” you remind her, for what felt like the millionth time.

“Right,” she draws out, rolling her eyes with a playful smile.

After a few more happy birthday hugs and hellos you sit down beside Nate. Chatter ensues around the table as drinks are ordered. Shortly after you have a glass of pinot noir in front of you and Nate has moved a little closer, his arm around the back of your chair.

The dinner goes by quicker than you would have liked. A few glasses of wine and a delicious dinner later your friends are handing over the gifts they had brought with them. After you had opened the gifts from your friends you notice Nate watching you closely, clutching a little box in his hand.

“Happy birthday,” he whispers as he hands the box to you.

Opening it slowly you look down at the gorgeous necklace in the box. You knew immediately that it cost more than all the other jewelry you owned combined and it was more than you could have ever asked for or anticipated. “Nathan,” you whisper, looking up at him. “Thank you so much…you didn’t have to.”

“Oh my god, put it on,” your friend comments, downing the rest of her martini.

You slowly and carefully pull the necklace out of the box and Nate stands up, helping you put the necklace on without hesitation. “Happy twenty-fifth,” he whispers before sitting back down.

As soon as the words leave his mouth it all comes back to you. 25. You look over at him, staring into his eyes to try and figure out if he knew the weight of 25 as well or if he was simply saying it because it was a fact, you were 25 now. But you know that he remembered too.

You try to keep your focus on the moment, on the dinner and your friends. But you couldn’t stop your thoughts from drifting the rest of the night. To Nate. To the necklace. To how much you loved him. To the fact that you were both 25 now.

After dinner everyone heads outside and you can’t stop yourself from taking Nathan’s hand, pulling him a little closer. Outside you say goodbyes as everyone heads off in their Ubers. There was no question that you would be spending the night with Nathan. Your friends were around all the time and they knew when Nathan was in town you wanted to be around him as much as humanly possible.

Once everyone was gone you turn to look up at Nate. The sky was dark, the evening cool but not too cold. The street was unbelievably quiet, as if the world had been put on pause. Everything felt perfect. “So we’re both twenty-five now,” you whisper.

Nathan takes your other hand in his, pulling you a little closer. “And neither of us are married.”

Laughing softly you shake your head. “Twenty-five seemed so old at the time. I really thought we’d have it all figured out.”

“I do have something figured out.”

“Just one thing?” you tease.

“One pretty big thing,” Nate tells you, voice quiet.

“And what is it?”

“That I love you,” Nate says. “So much more than I’ve ever let you know. And I would marry you right now if that’s what you actually wanted but I don’t think a daisy when we were eleven is a great proposal.”

You inhale sharply, your lungs not seeming to be able to take in or exhale air steadily anymore. “Nathan,” you whisper, taking your hands from his and quickly lifting them up to wrap your arms around him. “I…I love you too. I have for so long.” Pulling back you look into Nathan’s eyes for a couple minutes before leaning closer. Nathan gets the hint quickly, closing the space and kissing you gently. It’s soft and passionate and so full of emotions that you feel a little dizzy, like you weren’t even on the planet in that moment anymore. Like it was all a fuzzy, incredibly dream.

“Let’s go back to my apartment,” you whisper against his lips, still clutching onto him as if the second you let go everything that had just happened would vanish from reality.

But you force yourself to pull away from him, to get into your car and go back to your apartment.

You get to your apartment and you’re barely through the door before your hands are back all over him. He’s held you before, cuddled and hugged but when his hands slide around your waist this time it fills you with an unfamiliar excitement. Kissing Nate felt so natural, like you were made for each other. It’s not long before you’ve made your way into the bedroom, clothes scattered around the floor.

While it’s not the first time you had slept with Nathan it’s the first time that it felt like it meant something real.

The next morning you wake up wrapped in Nathan’s arms, a far cry from the mornings before when you woke up alone with Nate on the couch. The morning is slow as you climb out of bed, spending the morning cuddled on the couch watching tv and drinking coffee in nothing but Nathan’s t-shirt.

“What now?” You ask after being up for a couple hours, back pressed to Nate’s chest, his arm draped over your shoulders.

“What do you mean?” Nathan asks softly.

“This…us. You’re going back to Denver tomorrow morning and we…,” you trail off, trying to hold back the fact that you were on the verge of tears. Blinking quickly you try to keep the tears from spilling from your eyes.

“We what?” Nate’s voice is gentle but you can tell he doesn’t realize you’re about to cry, doesn’t realize how upset you are.

You can’t stop the uneven inhale that makes your shoulders shake and Nate clues into your emotions. He reaches over, taking the mug of coffee out of your hands and setting it on the table beside him. He gently tugs your arm to turn you around and face him, pulling you into him. You rest your head on his shoulder as you let a couple tears slip from your eyes. “I don’t want you to go.”

Nate swallows heavily, running his hand along your back. “Come with me.”

A sarcastic laugh shakes your body as you pull back to look into Nate’s eyes. “I can’t just go with you. I have a job here, an apartment, and you live in a different country. I can’t just…leave.”

“I’d help you figure it out, you know we can deal with all that,” Nate whispers.

“It’s so sudden, I don’t even know what we are. Are we together? Are we still friends?”

“We’ll always be friends,” Nathan tells you, leaning forward to kiss you gently. “But I think we’re beyond being just friends at this point.”

You kiss him back, you can’t stop yourself. Because it’s been years in the making. Years of developing feelings. It’s a few minutes before you manage to pull yourself back from Nate again. “What if I can’t find a job in Denver? Am I getting my own apartment? I can’t just move to a new country without some kind of, I don’t know…visa.”

“Slow down,” Nathan says quietly, chuckling. “You don’t need it all figured out today. Come visit for a couple weeks, stay at my place, we can figure out the rest together.”

“Okay…I’ll go with you.”

“I love you,” Nate says gently.

“I love you too.”

#nathan mackinnon #nate mackinnon #Nathan MacKinnon fic #nate mackinnon fic #Nathan MacKinnon fanfic #nate mackinnon fanfic #Nathan MacKinnon imagine #nate mackinnon imagine #NHL fic #nhl fanfiction #nhl imagines #hockey fic #hockey fanfic #hockey writing #Hockey Fanfiction #Colorado Avalanche

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sanctusinferi · 3 years ago

Note

18, 23, and 26 please also hi buddy 🥰

Hi Col <3 Hope you're having a good night bby!

18. What's your revision or rewriting process like?

On a good day, I'll do an initial edit for typos and grammar and then I copy/paste onto tumblr and save it as a draft before rereading it a million times because for some reason my monkey brain picks up on mistakes better when I read on my phone (specifically on tumblr lol). On a shitty day, I reread what I've written, despise it, and then open a fresh doc and pluck out the few salvageable bits and rewrite the entire goddamn piece until I'm sick of looking at it. Sometimes repeatedly until I have a completely different story than I started with. Then I typically ignore its existence for weeks on end before I even consider posting it.

23. Single or multi POV and why?

Is omniscient an option here? Multiple POV's ruin the flow of a story for me and I haaaaate reading them so I try to avoid it at all costs and prefer to write in an all-knowing POV so you get the full gamut of what all the characters are thinking & feeling.

26. Standalone or series and why?

Series...simply for the reason that I am unfortunately a fucking word goblin and cannot shut the hell up. I struggle to write anything short and sweet because I'm a whore for detail and my stories always just get away from me and turn into long ass monsters.

Thank you!!!!

Send me a writing ask!

#col <3 #ask micky #ask game

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darkpoisonouslove · 3 years ago

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1, 3, 14, 17, 18 (I’m curious 👀😂), 19, 23 for the end of the year fic asks!

Thank you!

1. favorite fic you wrote this year

Shapes of Desire. I had so much fun writing this fic (and rereading it). It's easily the best fanfic experience I've had this year. Nothing else can quite compare even if there are several other fics that I am absolutely in love with.

3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year

Well, my favorite is a fic (it's practically one scene just like most of my one-shots) that I wrote but haven't posted yet. It's an AU in which Griffin and Valtor ran away from the Coven together and are free to live their lives after the war is over but Griffin is having a hard time adjusting back to the normal life she had before she met Valtor (if you think she can have anything resembling normal with him there). It got pretty emotional and I love how it turned out. Guess you'll see once I post it. XD

14. a fic you didn’t expect to write

Light at the End of the Cup. I mean, it's a Coffee Shop AU and I just don't like those. At all. Usually. So this was definitely a surprise when it happened but I am not complaining. Now I have conquered the Coffee Shop AU and don't need to ever think about dealing with one again while keeping my writing record intact. XD

17. fics you’ll continue next year

Gifts Are Given to Be Taken

Have No Name for My Heart

Winx Club Rewrite

Sparks of Life (technically not one fic but it should totally count)

18. current number of wips

Ahh, too many to count. Okay, I'll count some of the outlined ones as wips because they sort of are. I just haven't started writing the actual first drafts yet. That would leave me with 15 wips that are all way too long for my poor sanity to survive.

19. any new fics to start next year

Witch x witch hunter AU

Miss Sylvane's Murder Mysteries

Water Soul

The AU with Griffin drawing Faragonda to her side during the CoL days

A story with a ghostly groom (may have been inspired by the ghostly bride trope that got on my nerves and I decided to flip it on its head)

All the leftover prompts from the 200 follower celebration (I haven't forgotten them and I WILL write them)

23. fics you wanted to write but didn’t

All the ones I listed for the previous question. XD

The two Self/less AUs

Maybe the 31-day fic collection (but I am not sure I want to work on that anymore)

Kinda wanted to do a fix-it for Fate: The Winx Saga but I am not sure I wanna invest my time in that dumpster fire. I have better things to do.

The Fae Creature AU (with Bloom and Stella)

The Truth Can Be a Dare Too

Send me fanfic end of the year asks

#fanfiction #my fanfiction #my wips #my wriitng #winx club #ask #her-majesty-wears-jeans #.

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katygorl · 3 years ago

Text

A little something I first started in my drafts a week ago, of a mini scene that was in my head. This being of two of my @thethreemages characters(as well as a mention of a canon one!), Winnie and Colden~ :3

This takes place when the two are a little older(like 1-2 years in the future), with Winnie getting ready for her first ever date. She’s a little nervous about it at first, and though she gets frustrated with her brother’s protective act upon him hearing about it, she knows he means well deep down and just has her happiness and wellbeing in mind.

I hope you enjoy reading~ ^w^

=============================================================

Settled into the southside of New Grayle City was the Igalls household, quiet as everyone was doing their own things. The father, Lucian, was out though, with his children staying at home. The eldest child, Colden, was laying down on the couch in the living room, absentmindedly scrolling through his phone as the tv played on a low volume. The youngest child, Winnie, was sitting on her bed in her room, trying not to freak out as she was in the middle of getting dressed.

“O-okay, breathe. You’ve got this.”

Her heart was beating fast, as her mind was racing with multiple scenarios of what could wrong. Her first ever date was in little over an hour, and she was trying her best to calm her nerves down. Unlike her friends she never had much experience with romance before, so all her newfound feelings and this date had been overwhelming for her to deal with. She knew she should not worry too much, as they were just going to the Starlit Shores boardwalk, a place she had been to before. Most of her worries came from her thinking of all the ways she could mess up, though she knew her date was a pretty patient person from their previous talks and hangouts.

“Everything will be fine, I’ll be fine! All I have to do is just be myself, and trust that he likes me...”

She raised her head, gazing at her reflection in her mirror before giving herself a soft smile. Getting up from her bed, she felt a rush of newfound confidence as she looked at the outfit ensemble that she had laid out, ready to start getting ready again.

“A-all right, let’s do this!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Colden was in the middle of watching a random movie that he had found playing while channel-surfing, he heard the soft creak of the stairs as his sister stepped her way down them. She came to stand in the small entryway, smoothing down her outfit. She was dressed up more than she normally was, wearing an orange knee-length dress, a short-sleeved cropped, white cardigan with matching flats, and her hair pulled back in a simple, but nice-looking fashion. She glanced around the living room, her brows furrowing slightly in worry as she addressed her brother. “Hey Col, is dad still out? I was hoping for a ride...”

Leaning his head back to look at her, he turned around completely as he saw her all dressed up, much different than she usually did. “Whoa, where are you going?”

Picking up on the slight tone of his words, Winnie let out a small sigh as she walked a little closer to where he was. “Come on, don’t be like that. Am I not allowed to go out anywhere?”

“I didn’t say that. I just meant... you never dress like this normally, you know, so I just wanted to make sure you’re going somewhere safe...”

“Oh,” her cheeks grew pink, averting eye contact as she fiddled with her sleeve. “W-well, to tell the truth... I am supposed to be going to Starlit Shores...”

“I’m sorry, what was that last part? I couldn’t hear you,” his expression and tone had softened, but his eyebrows still furrowed in concern.

Winnie’s blush grew more as she became embarrassed, but she did not feel like hiding the truth anymore. She took a couple seconds to compose herself, swallowing the lump of fear that had been building up in her throat. “F-for a date...”

“A date?? With who?” a protective edge returned to his words, Colden’s natural big brother instincts kicking in.

His sister’s cheeks were still warm, but she had calmed down more by that point to answer him, even if she wished he would lose the protective act and trust her more. “H-his name is Finn... We first met little over a year ago, but have only been talking and hanging out more as friends for the past several months. We were actually just hanging out again a couple of weeks ago, a-and that’s when I realized I had started liking him as something ‘more’...”

Colden had abandoned any leftover attention he was still retaining for the movie at this point, muting it as he sat up straighter on the couch to listen patiently to his sister’s story. “So... I am guessing you told him that?”

“Y-yeah... I was so nervous, but it felt right in the moment when I did... and, to my surprise he said he had started liking me as well! So after awkwardly talking about it for a bit, we decided to plan a little ‘date’ of sorts, at Starlit Shores since the view of the sunset from the boardwalk is so gorgeous there, a-and it was a favorite activity of ours to watch it so we decided to do a simple one there for our first one...”

“Hmm, I see...” Colden stood up from the couch, walking over to her. “Listen, I’m sorry if I sounded a little harsh just now, you know I just want the best for you and to make sure your safe,” he put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I really am happy for you, Winn. I don’t know much about this Finn guy, but he sounds like a good person and I hope you two enjoy your date together.”

Winnie could feel her eyes watering just a bit, sniffling a little as she leaned in to give her brother a hug, a full smile gracing her features. “Thank you, Col. That means so much to me...”

“You’re welcome,” he returned the hug, a small smile of his own forming. The two stood there quiet for a moment, before Colden pulled away slightly to face his sister. “Hey, do you still need a ride? Dad’s still out doing whatever, but I could give you one if you want.”

“O-oh! Yes! I almost forgot about that,” she pulled away too, glancing at the clock on the wall. “Shoot, I’m probably going to be late! Y-yeah, I’ll need a ride, please.”

Colden chuckled slightly, in higher spirits now as he turned off the tv and went to grab his keys and shoes. “Hey, it’s no problem! I know you could probably get there fast with your speed magic, but I’ll save you from getting all sweaty and stuff,” his shoes now on, he walked towards the door, opening it slightly before turning back to her. “I hope you’ve got spandex on or something though, since I only have my motorcycle to get you there. Is that okay?”

“Oh, um, that’s fine. And, I do, yeah,” she followed him outside to the garage, catching the helmet he threw to her as they got there. Putting it on, she made sure it was snug enough before she climbed on the bike behind him. Adjusting the small bag she brought and her outfit slightly so it would not get uncomfortable during the ride, she wrapped her arms around her brother’s waist to hold on. “Thank you again for this, Col, really.”

Adjusting his own position, Colden started up the motorcycle, revving the engine a little before takeoff. He looked back at his sister and smiled. “No problem.”

#the three mages #ttm #ocs #short story #my writing

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