#the author delivers

[wintershades]

If Jester claims Beau as her maid of honor, I want to see Veth bully her way into the best man role to compete with her. Let’s watch our favorite halfling rogue:

Willfully misinterpret what “stag party” means (minotaurs, minotaurs everywhere).

Get too zealous about guarding the rings and threaten innocent guests with an Aeorian Security Cannon.

Roast the shit out of Fjord in her wedding toast, but at the very end, say something unexpectedly heartwarming and sincere.

Anyway: Veth Brenatto for Best Man 2025!

[finalgirlsamwinchester]

1.01, "Pilot" | Stephen Adly Guirgis, "The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot" " | 5.22, "Swan Song"

[vorbarrsultana]

on today's episode of making the grishaverse make sense: trying to come up with somewhat historically plausible title for nikolai

[gremlin-pattie]

Psych fics that altered my brain chemistry (most of these focus on Shawn and Gus’s friendship):

One Undead to Another

(vampire!Shawn, angst, the gang (Gus + Lassie + Jules) being there for Shawn)

same eyes as your father

(Henry learning how to accept and support trans!Shawn; he’s a little confused at first, but it’s very sweet)

Second Shooter

(trans!Gus and trans!Shawn surviving middle school together)

every superhero has an origin story

(a look into how knowing Shawn has changed Gus’s life)

these first few fragile months

(Shawn and Gus reconnect after Shawn returns to Santa Barbara, once Shawn finally decides to stop running)

[giantpacific-octopress]

Fic: Something Reckless by @millenni-em-tauk

Fandom: Witch Hat Atelier | For: em, the author herself <3

Book #12 is for a brand-new fandom, and reading it got me so hype I went back and caught up on the entire manga in an wild insomniac blitz over four days - PLEASE READ IT. Em is a superb writer and it's truly an honor to count her among my friends, as she is unflappably considerate and smart. She is also so talented: not only did she write this fic, she drew all the illustrations!

This book was my first all-Duo book (in Mudbath) - Duo really is a pleasure to work with, which made it all the more frustrating when I fucked up the margins on the case and foiled that giant golden eye off-center. Boo! But since I refuse to turn in B+ work, especially for Em, I tossed out the case and made another - much better this time (I free-handed the little frills hanging off the tassels BOTH TIMES. Please clap.) This was also my first time chisel-trimming the block; I like how it turned out, but the power sander sings quite the siren song...

Another design note: Witch Hat Atelier is about magic that is hand-drawn, with a focus on runes/glyphs; every rune or glyph has its own unique effect/element. For every chapter, I used a different rune /glyph as the section break (nine total) for funsies.

Font is Perpetua, with accents in Song of coronos and Kristi. I am starting to see the value in chapter pages having no header or footer (notes for next time.) Endpapers are Italian letterpress marble in azure/gold from Hollander's.

[chadlesbianjasontodd]

Closely connected to the act of name signing was the act of writing poems on walls. As scholars have already pointed out, with beginnings traceable to the Six Dynasties, wall poems (tibishi) were already very widespread during the Tang. By Christopher Nugent's count, well over one thousand entries in the Complete Tang Poems had titles indicating that they began as inscriptions on some surface other than paper or scrolls. These surfaces included walls at places of gathering and transit, such as post stations, scenic sites, inns, and increasingly in the latter part of the Tang, Buddhist temples, which also served public roles for lay gatherings and performances. (100)

In one anecdote, a latecomer casts aspersions on a first writer's literary skills, comparing him to the general Xiang Yu (232-202 BCE), who was infamous for having learned just enough writing to manage his name: "Li Tang signed his name on a pavilion in Zhaoying County. When Wei Zhan [jinshi degree 865] saw it, he took a brush and dashed off a taunt: 'The rivers of Wei and Qin brighten the eyes, / but why is Xiren short on poetic spirit? / Perhaps he mastered only what Beauty Yu's husband could / learning to write just enough to put down his name.' " ... It would not be a stretch to imagine the sniggering of those who read this inscription in a frequented pavilion. (102)

For a degree seeker in Chang'an, these circuits of information and judgment received more discussion than the actual examination itself. Tang literati wrote copiously about activities such as name signing, public exposure, and triumph. It would not be an exaggeration to say that in ninth-century temples and popular recreation areas, the vertical spaces were teeming with verses that clamored for attention. (104)

selections on poetic graffiti from linda rui feng's city of marvel and transformation: chang'an and narratives of experience in tang dynasty china (university of hawaii press, 2015)

[purlturtle]

I'd like people to remember, as they write their scalding hot take-downs of the latest media, this simple question:

Are you talking about the story that was made, or the story you wanted to get?

[f-imaginings]

in terms of inspiration and such does it feel easier or more difficult to write as you inch closer and closer to weirdmageddon? or has it made no notable difference? you’ve been working on this story for so long so i imagine it must feel kinda strange to be getting so close to what might be the end of it!

-----------------

Another wonderful question!! You are so good at these!

I think my inspiration to write is more closely correlated to the comments and feedback I get for the story, so the more people who tell me they enjoy it, the more it inspires me to write, and I've had a wonderful abundance of attention since BOB so I am being spoiled every day by nice words. I think my drive to finish the fic is pretty sustainable at this point, and I'm already getting ideas for a sequel haha. Finishing the fic was my new years resolution (even though judging by past chapters, it's been taking roughly a month to churn each one out since they're so long and intricate) so it looks like sometime in the new year I'll likely finish the story, maybe around April or June depending on how I balance writing with my workload and social obligations. I'm determined to finish it though (so I can start a cathartic sequel hahah)

I think in terms of us being towards the end of the story though, I have noticed it's made a difference on how I plan out the chapters. In the past I had all the time in the world to build the story and relationships and take things in new imaginative directions, but with the end of the story on the horizon we're left with a limited amount of time to tie up all the loose plot threads. I am being a lot more deliberate with how I plan the chapters. I write notes about plot direction and what details to include for every chapter, and I find that with every chapter approaching the end I've been writing three lots of plot notes corresponding to each 'episode'. So there's the general overview of events from the show and what I want to include from Ford and Bill's perspective, and then there's the refined version where I drill down into what factors I want to explore for each POV (for example the notes for the next chapter include Kryptos' storyline, Ford's storyline and Bill's storyline) which really breaks down what plot beats happen in each POV, and then there's the order of the different plot points, so I can weave between the different POVs in a way that flows thematically and brings out the best contrast between the characters journey.

I try to pull together similar themes in each chapter too, so for example the last chapter had overarching themes (lmao I made myself laugh by saying the themes of chapter 61 were 'dogs' and 'what if my family secretly hates me' hahah) and then I try to place story beats from different POVs together in a way that the themes compliment or contrast each other - so for example in the next chapter the themes of finding purpose after being stripped of it will apply to characters we encounter during Kryptos' POV and during Ford's POV. I've got this planned out meticulously all the way to the end, but before I start each new chapter thats when my second and third plot plans come into place. There's just something about reading the work through again once it's been posted on ao3 that makes me realise what threads I want to pull into the next chapter and that means my second and third plots happen once the last chapter is posted. I also rewatch the show's episodes about a million times lmao and add to my notes about what little details I want to highlight and bring back from the old chapters, since this fic is technically canon divergent, not fully canon adjacent.

I get inspired all the time for this story though, from all kinds of places too. Lots of times from my work (since I work in a mental health org) or from therapy or my own reading. I attended a DSFV training session through work a few weeks ago and what I learned there gave me inspiration for how I want to tackle a possible redemption arc in a sequel, especially around cycles of violence and how it can relate to perpetrators. I'll talk about healthy relationships in my own therapy sessions, and I'll get inspired to work in stuff about relearning independence after codependency. I'll read a baller fanfic (usually from other fandoms since I've been saving myself to read all the billford fics after my fic is finished, because of that one time someone accused the fic of plagarism - but since most ppl have wised up to the fact that those claims were just one person being a big meany I've read one or two fics and there is some gold out there in the fandom!!! Like Theseus' Guide To Ruining a Perfectly Good Boat by @stump-not-found theres a few chapters out but I am loving the characterisation and how punchy the prose and stakes are!) and reading fic is a great inspiration, same with published works too, I'm currently reading Youthjuice by E K Sathue which does very interesting things with description.

Anywho sorry for the essay in response haha! You always ask such great questions jada! I just finished doing my second plot through for chapter 62 today too, what timing!

[iamanartichoke]

Posted this on twitter but it applies here, too. Also a plug to I guess follow me on twitter if you want - I'm not super active there insofar as posting goes, but I'm on there a lot (more than I ought to be, tbh).

Anyway I'm posting this partly to share but mostly bc I have things to say about it and I want to come back to it without it getting lost in my brainpan.

[that1notetaker]

Genuine question for the fanfic authors, from the perspective of someone who, for the most part, doesn't understand kissing. Sometimes I'll be reading this really intricate story. There's plot, subtle but amazing character development seen throughout the story--and right at the end of it, especially and usually at the end of it, the bomb is dropped, and either the characters kiss or confess their love or..something. And it feels...incredibly rushed? I don't get it. I mean, I get it, but what's with that pacing? Why at the end and sometimes out of nowhere? Why is a kiss the magnus opus?

Seriously please if someone wants to give me an actual explanation I want to know

[tangledinink]

i've actually decided that anyone who's made any disaster twin fanwork that includes dialogue along the lines of, "i can't survive without my other half," or "i'm not a whole person without you," or "life isn't worth living without my twin," owes me $50.

[largishcat]

yeah im in touch with my masculine side *confidently says the most incorrect shit you have ever heard in your life*

[snow-body]

I've been drawing since a long time, and I am still so glad I could experience fandom without any drama during my younger years, where I'm sure it would have done more harm during that age. School life was already hard enough, don't need that online as well.

I find it sad to see, today on twitter, that some artists get praised for their work but get bullied the moment they draw anything dark, unmoral of their fictional ship for example. And it's forever bizarre to see, what is okay for those people and what not - where do they draw the line? I wonder when they will start attacking gamers for drowning their Sim in the pool once, considering killing is another heinous, unmoral act, and that it is fictional does not change the fact for them, that those players are probably all potential murderers now irl. It's so hypocritical.

It's so stupid and frustrating to see, that simply blocking isn't possible, no... harassment gotta start, all because of fictional content, which does not define someone's real life. Was it always this bad, or did it get worse, but why? It definitely feels like something coming from the USA, because I have not witnessed such witch hunts under artists in the Eastern Region, tho ofc there is also language barrier, so I may not know.

[fluffypotatey]

That is, huh. A lot more of a thought out response then what I was going for lol. I was like “what little rat does that remind you of” “the dude spying in the castle just now” when I rhetorically said “what shadowpeach does that remind you of” and you debunked it 😭 but since we’re talking about this now

Wiki calls em “an interconnected, self-perpetuating cycle. Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary and at the same time opposing forces that interact to form a dynamic system. Yin and yang transform each other: like an undertow in the ocean, every advance is complemented by a retreat, and every rise transforms into a fall.” Idk about you but with Mac getting chaos powers, I figured the show might take inspo from this, what with the cycles and all too. There might be an opposite “order” power in contrast to Nines. If Pandora’s box is literal, MK is “hope” there’s a lot of other symbolism fandom likes the stereotypically portray into their ShadowPeach lol. But they have day/night too. Nobody has to think too hard to take inspo, and most shows don’t in my experience. Shout out to Ninjago and ATLA just mixing culture and language in a way that annoys people and placing it under one umbrella.

well i mean, lmk is already playing with the themes of order and chaos. except there Order was on the side of the antagonists while MK was Chaos (being the harbinger and all). we saw it with LBD and Azure and now with Nines

also, lmk’s order can be seen when it talks about Fate and Destiny and even the “story”, but in a way where they are shown as being too fixed and bureaucratic compared to the lessons being taught to MK and by MK which are “your fate (order) is your own and can only be determined by you.”

we had it with MK telling LBD “do you really think the universe cares about any of us?”

we had it when Macky told MK “if you tread the paths already carved for you, then you doom yourself into a self-fulfilling prophecy”

we have it even more explicitly in s5 from Wukong: “sometimes you need to carve your own path and fuck all the rest”

lmk is all about finding that balance between the chaos of your mind and the forced order of the world around you. our own daily ying and yang that we must balance, and that is why i don't place those themes with shadowpeach just because it takes away from the crux of the show where it’s original focus is on MK and how he changes and grow throughout the seasons

tbh i think their day/night themes with ying/yang are significantly minor. the major focus with them is the themes of betrayal and reconciliation and past haunts

[hopelesslygaysstuff]

I forgot to put "request" on my soft fragile MILF stepmom wanda :(( it's supposed to be a fic request but whatever u want it to be no pressure. Thank you :))

I tried writing this... I truly did. But, something about the stepmom thing just makes me uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE reading other authors' fics with stepmom Wanda, but me writing it felt weird.

Idk I just be thinking... why is a man even involved?? And also writing about a character cheating makes me sad and uncomfortable, and I can't see one of my Wanda's ever doing that. In my head, Wanda would divorce Vision before ever acting on her feelings for someone else... bc that is the right thing to do.

HOWEVER... let me get off my soapbox now... here are some recommendations for other stepmom Wanda fics!

Matriarchal Disturbance || Secret Santa || Be My Baby by the wonderful @wndaswife

Treat You Better by the amazing @wandasfawn

Sweet Trouble by the fantastic @xxxdreamscapexxx

And those were all the ones I could think of 😔 enjoy!

[giantpacific-octopress]

Fic: A River in Egypt, by @nenya85 Fandom: Yugioh!

[kaiba voice] MIRU KA II! ENDPAPERS FROM JOANN'S!! WAHAHA!!

Nenya is an icon in Yugioh fandom - and an adored friend <3 It was time she got to hold a hard copy of all her hard work in her hands. Working on these books over the past few weeks has brought me insane joy, and I'm so proud of how these turned out - they are #5 and #6 in my current book tally, and I learned a pile while working on them.

The covers are silk moire in black, gold, and a sandy white, while the blue is Japanese book cloth. The body of this text is set in 10.5 point Perpetua font, with accents in Skandal and Aquifer.

Some additional details below the cut:

Every chapter in this fic starts with a little meditation/vignette on the five stages of grief...

So I translated each of the five stages into their hieroglyphic equivalents (using either direct translation or good-enough approximations - I think the word I used for "bargaining" actually means "to exchange or trade.")

I also managed to split the fic exactly in half, into two volumes of 17 chapters each. Volume I is 216 pages; Volume II is 208 pages. In other words, the volumes are both balanced in their chapter count and almost identical in their widths, a testament to Nenya's skill and consistency as a writer.