#the fan fiction writers have food to play with

[dreadcubic]

I've been a fan of these games since about 2014 when I got my first Xbox 360. I still remember how horrible my first ever run of Dragon Age: Origins was because I (like a fucking idiot lol) decided not to switch out my gear for better gear. lets just say the final battle was MISERABLE... but I fell in love with the story, and have been replaying the Dragon Age games ever since.

I remember angrily grumbling over the fact that my favorite Turian wasn't romanceable, and settling for Kadan. Don't get me wrong, I ADORE Kadan... but the unholy screech of joy that erupted from me when I played Mass Effect 2 and realized that I could smooch the worlds best Turian?

The memories that the Bioware games have given me over the years are something I will cherish for years to come. The moments in which these works of art have brought me to tears will forever be seared into my memory, never to escape.

At this point, you will have to pry the Bioware fandom from my dead cold hands :'] These are games that I will come back to for years to come because of the characters, the stories, and the nostalgia. I will continue to draw lil pictures of my favorite characters and my OCs, and write little drabbles / long winded fics because I love these universes to bits.

Reblog if you have no intention of leaving the Bioware fandom anytime soon

With the release of the final Dragon Age Inquisition DLC and Andromeda a long way off, interest will decline of course. But if you’re in this for the long haul, stick this on your blog.

[heywriters]

Details That Convey Intimacy

Developing fictional relationships that feel authentic takes more than dialogue and grand gestures. Every detail below can be used to show platonic, familial, agape, or romantic love depending on context.

cooking a meal for someone, bringing them food, or spontaneously sharing a snack

sharing body heat/warming someone with outerwear like jackets and scarves

fanning them with something if overheated

getting a cold/hot drink for them

offering to carry something, whether it's heavy or just a jacket, to lighten someone's load or free up their hands

more below the click!

changing the subject of a group conversation that will be personally discomforting to someone in the group

making sure to include someone in a group conversation, especially if it's a topic they have special knowledge of

waiting for someone to catch up when the rest of the group has walked ahead

remembering preferences/allergies ahead of time when preparing/ordering food

planning trips, whether in a pair or as a group, that provide something positive for every individual to enjoy

procuring personal healthcare items like sunscreen, moisturizer, lip balm, pain relievers, or a snack and keeping them on hand for that friend who frequently needs them

making room for someone in a crowded vehicle or on public transit

making room for someone under an awning or in another limited space to help them avoid bad weather

warning or wordlessly covering for someone with a wardrobe/cosmetic malfunction

remembering a small luxury someone mentioned they enjoy, and getting it for them the next time it's convenient

running an errand for someone to make their day easier ('importance of errand : depth of relationship' ratio should be explored)

escorting someone to safety in a sudden unsettling event

escorting someone who is drunk, sick, infirm, injured, or emotionally compromised

asking if light, noise, or other sensory factors are bothering someone and taking steps to make them more comfortable

getting gag gifts for someone to show you reciprocate their sense of humor or quirky self-expression (not everyone does this, not everyone appreciates it, and some people predominantly express love through humor and gag gifts; works well with some characters more than others)

holding someone's hand or arm as reassurance, especially when they are afraid*

using their body to block someone from wind, rain, or heat

picking up a dropped item, or carrying a train or other dragging garment for someone else

returning a recognizable possession to someone who may have lost it

This is an inexhaustible list as humans have many ways of showing love for each other. If you are writing spec fic with non-human characters, you can play with variations on these by remembering three core values the "lover" has to consider:

physical comfort of others

emotional comfort of others

social reputation of others

I'd add "sensory comfort" though I think it's tied to physical and emotional comfort.

Please do not try and force any of these into the mold of the misogyny-based "Love Language" trend. Human emotions and expressions of love are diverse and endless.

*While hand holding can be construed as romantic, in reality it varies. Some cultures do not see this as romantic, and some individuals only mean it as a sign of support or compassion. Same goes for long embraces and kissing, both can be done platonically and of course naturally between close family members or friends.

---

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[caffinated-squid]

The Eltingville club- consumerism, control, and how they relate to Josh Levy

So initially I wasn’t going to talk about Josh because I have seen his archetype multiple times and it felt self explanatory, as well as not really having much to say on him as a character, but I still want to give it a shot. So I am going to talk about 2 things: what Josh represents in fandom, and how that intersects with his relationship with his parents.

Starting with the basics, even though all the characters collect figures and memorabilia, Josh is the most obsessive about it, which can be seen in how he goes to several fast food stores for toys to complete his collection, later tearing through several loaves of wonder bread for a card in Bread and Suck Asses, and refusing to eat anything other than Batman Kraft Mac n cheese in the hopes of getting a new figurine.

On surface level, a lot of Josh’s behaviors reflect the overconsumption aspects in toxic fandoms, the need to spend everything to finish a collection, even if it is something they don’t even like. But I also think that its a way for Josh to have something that he doesn’t have a lot of in his life: control.

As much as Josh owns and collects, as much as he knows about trivia, he is unable to control how other people view him, which becomes more of an emphasis when taken into account that Josh (next to Jerry) is usually bullied the most. He has no control over the club, as Bill constantly reinforces his status through making sure that he gets to decide how the day is planned and what they are going to do. No matter how much he knows about comics and sci fi, he will never get hired at Joes because Joe sees him just as another source to get money out of.

I think the collecting allows Josh to have some say in how things go, same with his writing of superhero fan fiction, it gives him the ability to decide what will happen without being questioned.

*This can also apply to how he treats people in customer service, considering how he talks to them and how he treated the seller from As Seen on TV. These people can't lash out because if they do, they will get fired, and only exist to Josh as someone who he can tear into without consequence.

In this case, it is probably why Josh never got better as a writer, along with his own entitlement, he probably saw any criticism as an attack on him, and he already gets shit on daily by pretty much everybody. The only way he could find a way around this was to force people to have to deal with it out of spite, which can be seen in the epilogue as he goes on a whole speech on how when he finally gets in with the desired group of people, he can finally force people to accept his work as canon.

Josh’s parents also play a role when it comes to his consumerism and how he interacts with people. Although they are never seen, the pieces of information given (Josh having the most money to spend on memorabilia, their willingness to let him keep spending money and continue his terrible diet, giving him punishments for his behavior but still being very forgiving as they still let him interact with the club even though that’s usually how he gets into trouble) give more context for why Josh is so quick to anger and entitled, he is used to getting what he wants with little to no resistance which is something that Bill constantly challenges.

Though there is definitely a shift in this behavior after the events in This Fan, This Monster. Out of all the characters that get yelled at, I would say that Josh’s is one of the worst. You can see that his parents have reached their breaking point, and possibly have a lot of built up resentment towards Josh that is finally being let loose as they tell him they would rather be dead and blame him for his mothers heart attack.(as well as their own regrets of how they raised Josh being blamed on him) It is a personal attack that is directed towards Josh, and this is one of the only times that he doesn’t respond with hostility.

The one thing that Josh lacked which he needed the most to improve was some degree of self-reflection, as well as needing to accept that he can be wrong. The epilogue shows he did neither of these and instead doubled down. He may have gained more power, but has not gained any sense of self or respect to others, and will probably be treated as just another disposable piece in the comic industry.

[brokeaesthetic]

Please yall Please 🙏🏾 retire the freaky fics for a day and put some serious thought towards a mini series. I can't take the freaky onshots anymoreeee Please feed me some real food. I can't take it anymore. Like I love what yall are doing, but when I go for my daily dose of fan fics i want a lil more yk( Not saying people aren't writing sfw and fluff they are, i just see that there's a lot more smut, Not saying I avoid smut or hate it but sometimes I just want more substance, Ive been feeling like fan fiction has been oversaturated with smut the past couple years but didn't want to say anything). I am so thankful for the 2 sevika series I'm reading rn. Forgot the titles, but one is about a zombie apocalypse, and the other is kind of a slow burn, but one of the readers' legs is kind of messed up. " Why don't you write some yourself?" If you scroll down, you'll see. I've said this before, but heres the updated reason.. I write like shit, I would probably drop it after like 3 chapters, and I learned the hard way that I'm more for reader than a writer. I'm sure if I locked in, I could really do something, but I'm in Uni😔 so im locking in on these classes. I'm just begging you all to hear me out real quick

Here are 2 ideas

• Vi isn't just looking for powder after she gets out of prison but reader/oc ( Either they were dating before she got arrested or They had a complicated relationship maybe with feelings they couldn't explain, but they were close, you know something along those lines.) There's so much you can do with that and make it a series and even continue it into the second season. ( The relationship is rocky at first because they're both super traumatized, but they still love each other to a certain extent, so they kinda make it work. Then because they're traumatized. They keep making mistakes, yk the typical stuff keeps working, then not working. But Caitlyn isn't completely discarded, they also have a complicated relationship it doesn't have to be romantic, but it's a little interesting. But reader isn't a big fan of their relationship at all because Caitlyn is an inforcer ( Let's say reader also lost her parents to enforcers.) So she's having a really hard time with Caitlyn and vi's relationship. But it's not giving she's playing both of them, or she's dating both of them. Basically, everything is so complicated. But you can tell the reader and vi are gonna end up together at the end.

• This one kind of takes from the story of my oc x sevika story ( but I don't really give a shit I'm not writing about it anytime soon) Basically before all that bs happened with sevika losing her arm she had a fwb/fling/situationship going on, and it was kind of getting a little serious between them. But all the stress of the enforcers coming down ( We all watched the same show there's no need to explain) While all that is happening, they begin to slowly distance themselves from each other because of stress or whatever but then sevika loses her arm, and reader is all like "omg bae your arm why didn't you let me know, You could have died and I would have never known." And sevika is all like " Why should I have told you? I don't need your pity or anything. I would have let you know if I felt like you needed to know." And reader is all like "wtf is with this attitude, You know, you should have told me. I would have been there for you. What's going on right now?" ( By the way, reader isn't just some push over, she's a little sassy ( I love sassy reader so much) So she usually doesn't let savika talk to her any type of way) the story's basically building up trust with any other exploring a relationship and going through the events of season one together, and maybe even season 2.

That's all the ideas I have for right now.But you can't tell me that wasn't fire. If you thought it was fire and you wanna see what you could do with it, Tag me or talk about it with me, I would love to expand on everything.

Just feed me something other than smut fics(ngl ive been eating them but im just tired of it and want something new💀), and please, if you could be let it be a series IM BEGGING 😔😢😢

Sorry for any grammar mistakes

[shaunamilfman]

Domestic Shauna Headcanons

pairing: shauna shipman x reader note: no crash au for sure. she's in her 20's.

Shauna's always going to be a writer in my mind. Journalist to pay the bills, but her real passion is in her poetry books that don't sell. eventually tries writing fiction and it really takes off, but she's still kind of bummed about the poetry. 

complains about you being clingy to Jackie, but is genuinely so upset if you aren't home to greet her at the door. (she's the clingy one) 

just know she comes home after a long day and just lies on top of you. every time you try to speak she just bites at whatever skin she can reach till you take the hint. 

loves when you read aloud to her, especially if she's tired or stressed. just wants to drift off to the sound of your voice without the worry of having to respond to it. 

her perfect day ends with her head in your lap as you play with her hair and read from whatever book you've been making your way through. doesn't even ask, just flops in your lap and moves you around. you know just what she wants. 

Shauna won't let you out of bed because she's being clingy and then eventually glances at the clock and blames you for almost making her late for work. acting like she wasn't practically wrestling you to keep you in bed 

space heater shauna keeps the place so cold or else she won't be able to sleep. she will wake up and turn it down a few degrees if you got into a fight. keeps it extra cold so you cuddle into her. 

Shauna can definitely cook, but won't if you're willing to do it instead. it's for the best, because she definitely doesn't season anything. cannot handle spice at all. convinced she'd start coughing at a single flake of red pepper. 

offers to help you cook (feels you up while insisting she's helping you chop) 

so good at making breakfast foods somehow?? god tier.

tries to talk you into the ugliest fucking house decor you’ve ever seen. she absolutely loves it, but it fr should’ve been lit on fire to save anyone from ever having to look at it

Shauna and affectionately biting and being bitten. Just biting down and holding while you're cuddling. she doesn't care who's doing it, but the whole thing is so much better if one of you is. 

doesn’t mind doing the laundry, but hates washing dishes.

convinced she can't resist the urge to bite if you get close enough to her mouth. touch her face and she's nipping at your fingertips. playfully snaps her jaw at you but will fr bite you if you get too close. 

she's always leaving you with some kind of hickey somewhere. she can't fully resist the urge. she's just a girl.

leaves little notes for you around the house. sometimes they’re sweet, but most of the time they’re just reminders not to forget to do whatever thing you promised her you’d get to sometime this week (she wants it done now).

insists she doesn’t need the instructions to put anything together until she’s totally fucking lost and it won’t even stand up straight. complains that it was definitely a manufacturer's error, and that’s why it doesn’t look right. (she forgot three screws. you have to fix it the next time you’re home and she’s not.)

doesn’t want to get a pet, and yet still manages to be the pet’s favorite. she goes from “no way in hell it’s sleeping on our bed” to “but she’s tired” in a week's time.

loves to sit in the same room as you and do different things. Shauna wants to spend all her time with you, but doesn't necessarily feel like talking to you. sitting on the couch next to you doing her thing while you're doing yours is like heaven to her. 

not a morning person at all. she has to wake up and leave the comfort of your bed? not a fan. she's all messy hair and broodiness. just know that Shauna wakes up like with her pant leg riding up ridiculously high, socks came off, shirt twisted around her body

she looks fucking ridiculous as she stomps her way into the bathroom to get ready. drags her feet the whole time but somehow always manages to leave on time

Shauna hates the taste of coffee but forces herself to drink it for the aesthetic. another reason she hates mornings. 

still fiercely protective of her journal, but sometimes you'll catch her rereading old ones with a small smile on her face. occasionally she'll reread you something sweet she wrote about you when you first started dating, heavily editing the parts where she may have been a bit of a hater. 

she's still so jealous and possessive, but she's trying to work past her desire to be immediately confrontational about it. it's not working all that well. 

absolutely adores seeing you in her clothes. it’s a bit of a cheat code, though. how can she be mad at you when you’re wearing her flannel and looking sad? (she’ll give it a valiant effort)

super passive aggressive whenever you're talking to someone new/someone more than usual. 

refuses to call a repairman for anything before she takes a try at fixing it (makes it worse 99% of the time).

Shauna visibly holding herself back from talking shit about whatever you're watching together, but the second you comment something slightly negative about it the flood gates open. she’s so happy being a hater with you.

you get into so many spats about the dumbest shit just because Shauna has trouble with her temper. she’s quick to apologize for small things, usually through actions instead of words, though.

always the one checking to make sure all the doors are locked, nothing is messed up, etc. walks you out to your car if you have to leave really early or really late.

reluctantly kills the bugs, but not without a shit ton of complaints and yelling whenever it moves. Shauna feigned stoicism about it when you first got together, but doesn't bother to pretend that spiders don't freak her the fuck out anymore. 

she’s secretly quite the romantic, but would get so mad at you if you brought it up in front of anyone else. she’ll take you on the most thoughtful dates and write you the sweetest notes, but will pretend it never happened in front of your company. unless she’s jealous of them, then you better bring it up before she does because they need to know how good you have it.

[creepypasta65]

Hi what do u think the creepypastas hobbies would be?

I chose random characters if that's okay. Thanks for the request :)

Toby, Jeff, and Eyeless Jack Hobbies:

Toby 🪓:

Toby loves woodcarving.

In his spare time, he carves animals with a pocket knife and gifts them to some mansion residents like Nina or Ben.

He likes hatchet throwing for obvious reasons. Toby has gained nice biceps from throwing hatchets.

Toby draws. Though he's not the best artist, he can draw pretty decently. He mostly draws abstract or cartoonish drawings.

He likes walking and exploring the forest, collecting rocks, pinecones, and sticks.

Toby also likes photography. He takes pictures of animals around the forest like deer, raccoons, ducks, etc.

He enjoys playing video games with Ben and Jeff. He may not be the best at them but enjoys them.

Jeff🔪:

Jeff also does woodcarving. Sometimes, he and Toby carve together or make each other little figures.

He is a workout type of dude. Jeff cares about his appearance, especially his body. He works out a lot. He has many dumbbells in his room. Jeff's weight lifts the most he can lift is probably 50 to 100lbs.

Jeff also likes boxing to take out his anger and stress.

Jeff plays video games with Ben and Toby. He enjoys beating Toby but rages when Ben beats him.

Loves listening to music. He enjoys rock bands like Mcr, PTV, The Cure, etc.

Jeff also enjoys watching horror films and makes fun of the dumb protagonist. He's like, "What are you doing RUN!". Yeah, he yells at the TV.

He plays the electric guitar and practices his favorite songs. He usually plays when he's alone because he doesn't want anyone to know.

Eyeless Jack🫘:

Jack enjoys reading. His favorite books are non-fiction, mystery, and thriller with the occasional romance. Yeah, he likes love stories.

However, he still reads medical books about the human body.

He is a writer. Jack is currently writing a book, which is a mini-series about a detective.

Jack also likes working out. His workout buddy is Jeff. They both encourage each other to do better.

He is a fan of astronomy and loves stargazing. Jack also knows all the constellations. Not many of the creepypastas know that about him. Pls ask him about the stars or constellations, he would be so happy to tell you everything about them.

Jack likes cooking. It reminds him of when he was human. He gets so happy when the creepypastas ask him to cook or compliment his food. However, he can't eat any of it because it makes him sick he can only remember how it tastes.

He likes playing checkers and chess.

Should I make a pt2? Have a nice day/night :)

[sauronpasta]

Rings of Power Sauron/Galadriel Fic Rec Post of Fics that are Exactly my Taste: Part 1/? Canon Compliant/Divergent One-Shots

Since I have torn through too many Rings of Power fics to count since the season 2 finale, I thought it was time to compile the best of them into some lists and send it out into the universe. I think I'm the last person on earth who doesn't know how to make fancy photo edits, but I am over-caffeinated and sleep deprived and will provide semi-detailed reviews for each fic to make up for my post being plain and simple. So don't scroll by! All of these fics deserve to be read and re-read, and please leave these great writers comments if you do partake! Also, if you know of these authors having tumblr handles, please let me know so that I can tag them!

ouroboros by Amuria, 17k, E: Post-S2 Finale Time Loop Fic. Galadriel keeps ending up on the raft with Halbrand and tries to change what happened. The best part of this fic, other than the gorgeous prose, is that it takes a well-loved fanfic trope, the time loop, and really ups the stakes with relentless pacing. It's not just a different versions of the raft scene, but short loops, long loops, loops where she tries to kill Sauron, and loops where they find that they are good partners. It's disorienting in a good way, because you are along for the ride with Galadriel.

salt by thefudge, 2.5k, E: HIGHLY recommend, one of my favorite pieces of fan fiction ever. One word to describe this fic: trippy. It takes place on the raft, after the storm and before Halbrand and Galadriel are rescued by Elendil. Galadriel falls deeper and deeper into various deceptions of Sauron, leading her into an un-reality where time is meaningless. The very definition of Sauron playing with his food. Artsy porn at its finest, mind the tags on this one, but definitely give it a read if it's up your alley.

Dragged by the Crown by fawningbruises, 12k, E: This is more of a Sauron character study, with a bit of Morgoth/Sauron and Sauron/Galadriel. So many great descriptions of first age Silmarillion stories and locations from Sauron's POV. If you enjoy Sauron being slightly snarky and an often exhausted evil bureaucrat, this is the fic for you.

Half Life by audreystark, 7k, E: Porn with Plot at its finest. Galadriel is making trouble for Sauron while he travels around Harad distributing the nine rings. I like that this fic explores the particular Halbrand/Galadriel dynamic, but post-season 2 rather than backtracking to season 1. I also like that Halbrand is hot as hell and Galadriel fights him tooth and nail the entire time, but still wants him. Just a great quick read.

The Waiting Game by ninathena (@athenasnina), 2.5k, G: I love a touch of sadness and tragedy with my Sauron/Galadriel stories, and this little fic explores the potential for a moment that I think about a lot. Would Galadriel feel it when Sauron is finally defeated in the third age? More importantly, would they be able to see each other one last time? The biggest tragedy with them is that no matter what, they are still bonded. I won't give anything more away here, go read! You will feel things.

I will make a separate list for multi-chapter fics and AUs. Happy reading!

[romanarose]

Banner by @winniethewife

Oscar Issac/Pedro Pascal Fan Art and Fiction Pride Event 2024

Hello friends!

Let's try this again and I'll try to be more clear to not invoke discourse. That being said, it is *my* event and if you'd like to run one a certain way, go nuts. However, this is how I'm doing it.

I had a lot of fun doing Dead Dove December and the Triple Frontier Anniversary Event so I decided I wanted to do an event for pride this year! I know it seems far away right now, especially given how many of us in north America are still cold af, but I wanna give everyone time!

Each week of pride will have a theme to write or draw for (you don't have to do all of them! Think of it like kinktober.) at the end, I will put out a masterlist (or multiple depending how many)so we can all share each other's work.

Why?

Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal are both allies to LGBT people, Pedro having played multiple queer rolls and having likened his sexuality to that of Prince Oberyn. Despite none of the characters being canon queer, Triple Frontier specifically lends itself to queer stories. Recently, theres been a rise in stories of Oscar characters in relationships or Pedro characters in relationships which I love.

What I'd really like to do is encourage people to think past x fem!reader or canon presentation of characters. I want to encourage gay, lesbian, bisexual relationships, trans readers, trans interpretations of characters etc. More content guidelines will be in the what section.

Where?

Primarily tumblr.com, our very own shithole hellsight. However, especially given tumblr's censorship vs. twitter, I am encouraging posting on twitter or wherever you'd like. If you post something elsewhere, send me a link or send me a post you made about it on tumblr and I'll promote the link.

Additionally if you only write on ao3, I'd love for you to participate too! Once again, just send the link!

When?

in order to do the week by week themes and hold all of June, there will be 6 weeks from May 26th-July 6th

Each week will have themes. I won't be policing the weeks and these so if you do the 1st week on july 3rd, that's fine. The themes are keeping in mind both artists and writers. I only got one artist for DDD, a great piece and I've love to see more! Ideas are just for spit balling, do your own take!

May 26th-June 1st: Coming out. Ideas: Coming out to family, lover, friend. Finding gender affirming clothes/hair, first pride

June 2nd-8th: Transitioning Ideas: Surgary, surgery scars, starting T or E, binding (safely!!!)

June 9th-15th: Sex/kissing First time together, first time with certain biology or the same sex, sweet kisses, smut showing scars,

June 16th-22nd: Food, fashion, fun

All things queer culture and culture of different religions, racial or country backgrounds, queer fashion, gender affirming clothes, Keshet (קשת), listening to Lady Gaga or Bruce Springsteen, watching a queer movie

June 23rd-29th: Struggles Rejection, reconciling faith and identity, missing family that rejected one, comfort, candlelight vigil, day of remembrance.

June 30th- July 6th:Strength Asserting ones or a partner/friend/family's pronouns, standing up against hate, being loudly and proudly yourself, pride events

Who?

Writers and artists in any form are welcome. I also want to encourage working with each other, writers and artists together!

For characters: Any Oscar Isaac or Pedro Pascal character has to at least be in the relationship. Other characters in universes can be done, such as FishBen.

Reader can be anyone, just properly tag! If you want to come out to Marc Spector as bisexual, do it!!! If you want Joel to take care of you after top surgery, do it!

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE QUEER TO PARTICIPATE!

However! Please do your research if writing or drawing an identity not yours. There are trans, nonbinary, gay, lebian etc bloggers all over tumblr who write about their experience, please divert to first person testimonies rather than assumptions.

What?

A few rules

MUST contain more than male character x fem!reader. Male character x fem!reader x male character does not count unless the two male characters are romantically or sexually involved or one or the reader is trans. Any Q's, dm me!

This is not a dark event. I'm not going to be policing the content matter but I really want to primarily focus on the pride. However, as a bisexual, gender non-conforming person I know a lot of pain can still be involved. What we are not doing is suicide, death, self-harm, or non consensual activity. If you have questions or would like to make a case for something, just dm me!

This is not inherently NSFW, but there is absolutely NSFW allowed. Always tag everything properly.

The usual no's like bestiality, incest, underage nsfw etc

As far as minor characters, SFW MINOR CHARACTERS IS ALLOWED. You can write or draw lgbt themes because being LGBT is not inherently sexual. For example, teenage Santi coming out as trans to Frankie or your own version of Ellie and Joel's talk about Ellie and Dina kiss. That being said, I'd prefer to reserve this to teens. Again, any questions or ideas that don' quite fit into parameters, just ask!

As always, I am allowed to use my discretion. If I do not want to include something, I won't. However, I know that there are rifts in the fandom. I won't be excluding you out of personal bias. As long as I don't have you blocked and you haven't plagerized or done something really bad to people, you'll be included. I'm not letting petty beefs get in the way. Harmful actions will, however. I need to protect my peace and keep

NO REAL PERSON FANFICTION. Do not write about Oscar Isaac or Pedro pascal being gay or trans and do not make any assumptions about their sexuality or gender identity. Oscar is happily married to a woman and Pedro has expressed his sexuality is like that of Oberyn Martell but has not elaborated much further, nor should he have to. Just leave ‘em be. You can speculate elsewhere but that’s not what this event is for.

How?

Simply tag me, @romanarose and use the #OscarPedroPrideEvent2024 please please please use BOTH so it's easier for me to find!!!

When the event is over, much like DDD I will compiled them into a masterlist and posted. This is a chance for every blog, big and small, to get a moment in the sun and to share each others works! Remember, reblogging, comments, and interacting is what makes this a community! I want to create an environment that is welcoming and we all help each other.

Please feel free to reach out to me for any questions or clarification!

However, if you go issues with me writing men kissing, chracters being trans, queer readers etc, I'm not really open to debate.

~A nonbinary bisexual <3

[tibbythetiger]

Hello friendsssss! We have an official tag on AO3, we’ve all grown so much in just a few days. Amazing work all around! 

I’m just dishing out some general HCs today! Hopefully, I can actually get the time to turn my main DreamTheory meeting as coworkers at Sparky’s into a real fic soon! 

Both of them enjoy their height difference greatly. Mike usually hates feeling smaller or shorter than people, but he’s never met someone as genuine and nice as Ness so it doesn’t bother him, and makes him feel kinda safe. Ness just loves his pocket-sized boyfriend. 

I know someone else has already said this, but Ness with freckles!!!! Ness with freckles is so very important to me. I think they’re super light during most of the winter, but once it gets warmer and the sun comes out they’re fairly noticeable. Mike likes to kiss each one he can find, it always makes Ness laugh. 

I know we all agree that Ness is Conspiracy Boyfriend, and I agree! I think he particularly loves those paranormal ghost-hunting shows that were super popular back in 00’s, and he’s a HUGE Unsolved Mysteries fan. When he’s looking to get the same thrill but looking for more fictional media, he loves the Twilight Zone. 

Mike makes a mean grilled cheese and tomato soup, this is in part because it’s Abby’s favorite food and he decided if he had to make anything really well it would be this. Ness actually doesn’t like grilled cheese, but Abby talked it up so much he gave it a try and he ended up really liking it. It is one of Mike’s proudest moments. 

I think Ness is really good with kids, he seems to me the type that was the oldest cousin at parties. (This is just projection), so he’s used to having younger kids following him around and having to keep them entertained. While he’s used to it, he’s really genuine and loves doing it. He’s always overjoyed to hang out with Abby, and she adores him because of it. 

Ness and Mike cannot draw to save their lives! They are horrible at it, Abby likes to hold “drawing classes” where she tries to show them how she makes her masterpieces. Ness always tries hard, but it’s just not his strong suit. 

They are the couple that slow dances in the kitchen or living room. Mike is always reluctant about it, he’s fairly paranoid at romantic gestures, and he’s always scared someone will see them, but he always enjoys it when Ness convinces him it’s okay. Abby thinks it’s the most magical thing, so she draws the two of them as princes when they dance during a Disney movie night.  

Ness absolutely tells Mike and Abby stories to help them sleep. They both think he has the most soothing voice, Ness just loves being able to help them, sometimes he’ll even sing to them, but he’s still really shy about it. 

I think Ness really loves listening to musical soundtracks, but he’s also a pop girly through and through, like, he loves Kelly Clarkson, Paris Hilton, and Brittany Spears. Meanwhile, Mike doesn’t listen to music super often, he usually lets Abby or Ness pick. Otherwise, I feel like he’s really into grunge or early rock. He listens to Nirvana sure, but also Radio Head. (I also think he’s a very big Weezer fan) 

I think Mike is a big writer, he started journaling to help him take note of his dreams/memories of Garrett, then really leaned into it once his parents were out of the picture since he didn’t really have anyone else to turn to to vent. Sometimes he can be a little poetic, and he’ll write lil notes to Ness and leave them in his apron or pockets for him to find later. 

Ness thinks this is simply the cutest thing he’s ever seen actually, and attempts to do the same thing. He’s a little cheesier, and are usually filled with lil hearts and things doodled around them, but he sticks them on the mirror or on Mike’s alarm clock. Mike saves everyone he finds and slowly they start to cover the walls in his bedroom. 

The three of them cannot have board game nights. They are all waaaay too competitive, and the last time they played Uno and Ness won, Mike pouted so much and Abby locked herself in her room. They settle for movie nights or puzzles when they’re doing things the three of them. 

When Abby first starts dabbling in painting her nails, she practices on Ness and Mike. Eventually Ness and Abby usually just have matching nails, Ness doesn’t let the looks he gets bother him any. 

Abby absolutely knows they’re dating, Mike tries not to keep secrets from her, especially after the debacle of Freddy’s, and what happened with the Aunt. She’s too young, so she doesn’t get why people are weird about it, but she understands enough that she can’t tell anyone that Mike and Ness are dating. When she does talk about them, most people assume Ness is a girl, just because of his name. Abby just stops correcting people, the only person outside of them who knows is Abby’s therapist(?), but she supports Mike so it’s not really an issue. 

Ness loves stealing Mike’s sweaters and coats, they’re so much bulkier than the ones that Ness buys himself, so they’re so comfortable. In the winter, he’ll steal them and wear them to work or around the house. Mike grumbles and pretends he cares, but he thinks Ness looks cute in them. 

Ness has the worst road rage, Mike is both horribly amused and terrified of this when it occurs. Ness always apologizes afterward usually followed up by an “If people could just learn how to drive, I swear to GOD”  

Mike and Abby will go into Sparky’s when Ness is working just to get desert and to see him. Most of the employees at Sparky’s know there’s something going on between Ness and Mike, but they all let it remain unspoken. It seems like everyone is taking good care of each other, so no one decides to interfere.  

Well, that’s all I have for now! I’m really loving seeing everything everyone is putting out, and getting to read everyone’s work and see their art is amazing!

[sai-int]

heyooooo i just wanna know how do you literally make a sentence/fic longer? There are a lot of sensory and emotion in your writing and they take forever in a good way. How do you plan a fic in your head down to every detail from working at tesco in return to sender for example and how dreading it is etc. down to the customer, talk about workmates and stuff.

I think you’ve mentioned before how you imagine it like a movie with the angles and all and write it down that way with a couple other stuff but i couldnt find that post soo… Like, if i imagine it like a movie, how do i know which details im gonna write down, it could literally be the color of the wall in the background😟

Also, any advice on improving vocabulary????? Im just going around asking fkr writing tips lmao😭😭

hi love!! thanks so much for your ask :)

this is a really long response because I wanted to be genuine, so the answer is below the cut.

FOREWARNING: this is all my opinion; this is not the experience/thoughts of all writers! you also do NOT have to be as meticulous as me when writing—I am just insane.

first - story building

as for the story aspects (tesco in RTS, coworkers, etc) a lot of that comes from personal experience!

I'm (unfortunately) American, so I have no actual experience working or being in a tesco, but i inferred what someones experience could be based on my own, as well as many others that work in retail/customer service.

personally, I've been working in retail/food service for 6 years now and it has it's pros and cons—I usually don't enjoy it—so a lot of readers emotions in RTS are just me projecting.

these details truly serve as a part of the story, therefore, it's something I have to take time planning out—just as much time as planning out the smut—if not more.

the whole point of writing x reader fics is to let the reader visualize themselves within the writing. however, you aren't doing any justice to the reader's experience by leaving them in limbo. to make your story's plot more effective and impactful, you have to really paint the picture, meaning sometimes you have to just tell people how and what to feel as they read .

if you dont, you risk people projecting how they would actually feel in the situations you're writing about, which runs the risk of ruining the plot you're trying to develop.

—to that point, a plot isn't just lines on a paper, it's a story that involves genuine emotions and should be treated as such. to have a solid story, you have to have a set of emotions that develop alongside the writing so readers can experience a genuine story arc.

second - movie thing

this is true! It's hard to describe the way I decipher what to write down based on what I see in my head, but I'll try!!

also, i'm convinced I have some sort of neurodiversity aside from adhd that makes my brain work this way, so I'm not 100% sure that this is will make sense/be applicable to you. if it is, though, I'm glad!

I'll give an example:

—you're watching a horror movie and the main character is anywhere on the screen. you can see them from their waist and up the character is in focus and the background isn't. the background is darker, it's night time, perhaps there are windows that let some faint moonlight in. instinctively—as the viewer—you might look at the background, anxiously waiting to see if a figure, a face, or a ghost of sorts walks by or appears in some fashion. sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't—that is up to the creator.

with that in mind, most people don't write fan fiction in third person, so you can't necessarily narrate the fact that there may be a ghost behind the reader. however, as animals (mammals), we do have instincts, which is something to play with in your writing.

—(e.g. sinking feelings in your gut, a cool breeze at the back of your neck, goosebumps/gooseflesh).

^^ they're all examples of things that you would feel if something sinister was lurking behind you. do you see where i'm going with this?

—take this scene from return to sender, when reader and simon first meet, for example:

“Your heart pounds in your ears, a brutal thundering that mutes the voice in your head telling you to run, single-handedly hijacking every morsel of reason you possess. Each beat is so violent, that you think you can feel your ribs splintering, cracking to make room...” “Your tongue feels like it’s too big for your mouth, thick and clumsy, but it's not just that—it’s as though it’s been wrung dry like you’ve forgotten how to speak, how to make any sound at all.”-

—the bolded portions are all physical responses that one could have in a frightening experience. describing these acute stress responses give the scene more life, really makes the reader feel it; adrenaline causing your heart to race, your conscience telling you to run, your tongue and mouth going dry from fear.

—ps, your tongue can go dry from fear/stess because stress hormones in your body redirect bodily resources away from digestion (just in case you have to get the hell out of dodge and sprint).

to write about these experiences accurately, I find it best to pull from your own experiences!! it doesn't have to be a life threatening situation either. have you ever been caught red handed and felt your heart beating out of your ass, heard it thumping in your ears? ever been walking outside alone and felt a little uncomfortable, maybe a cool breeze brushes past almost too coincidentally and you get goosebumps? remember not being able to sleep the night before Christmas (or any adjacent holiday) as a kid because you were just so anxious and excited? sit in that feeling and apply it to the reader, then there you go!

third - details/emphasis

if the color of the wall (or anything else) is significant to the story, write about it! but you can also still briefly mentions something if you just want to have readers imagine something specific (a setting, a room, a person, etc).

—my point here is this: you can write about whatever details you want, add them or don't. what matters is how much emphasis you put on them. see below:

“the reflection of the glass caught the hue of the sage wallpaper behind you, turning the water an amphibious shade of green. you hated it. hated your mother for painting it this color without your sanction— hated her for painting it at all.”

—could imply a later exploration as to why the color is disliked, or why the reader so strongly hates their mother. hate is clearly too strong of a verb to use here, unless there's an underlying reason for the hatred —which one can infer there is.

VS

“the sage wallpaper behind you caught the morning light, staining the glass with a queasy green hue as sunlight poured into the room.”

—here, the emphasis is balanced between the sunlight, the wallpaper, and the glass, simply painting the image of the scene without drawing too much attention to one specific thing.

fourth - vocabulary

about my vocabulary! I genuinely just read a lot, always have since I was little. I also spent my entire high school career in advanced in English classes, so reading and deeply analyzing books like The Scarlet Letter and Gatsby contributed to a lot of the fancier words I know, but don't often use.

I try not to use complex vocabulary when I write. I more strive to have good syntax (sentence structure) and clarity.

I also try not to use a bunch of words that are more complicated than what I could say in much simpler way. i want my works to be as reader friendly as possible—not everyone just knows what inure or deist mean off the top of their heads, and I'd much rather have you immersed in the story than googling a word's meaning every 5 seconds.

however, I very recently downloaded this app called vocabulary, and it sends me notifications throughout the day about new words to learn. it feeds the literature nerd in me lol. the app is just called vocabulary on the App Store (Apple).

I truly hope this helped! if you have anymore questions, dont hesitate to ask!

🤍🤍🤍

[jesteriajunovix]

Watching Severance (Spoilers S1 Ep 1-3)

(Ep1)

Thought I'd start, because its what all the cool kids are into right now (& there's some cool fanart I've seen I want the context for).

"Well, we're at the point where traditionally I would say something like "Dig in" (Laughter), but I must say I do think that the lack of food has allowed us to already do so on a much deeper level."

Bro. I've never seen peeves and icks stacked like this beyond maybe "Beau is Afraid".

These snarky as mother fuckers.

(Ep2)

mmm...Surgery Jumpscare. Didn't need that.

When there's an ant on your Desk:

Milchick:

(26:50)

"Wh-What are you Twelve?"

PFFFFFFFFFF. HA!

"MARK OWNS LIB LEFT WOKEY ANTI-SEVERANCE TEENAGER (WHAT HAPPENS WILL SHOCK YOU)"

Also can I just say like the only other thing I've seen with John Turturro is "Do the right thing", so It's kind of funny justing seeing him older performing this really proper and prim role while having just that racist Italian man he played completely downloaded in my mind at the same time.

H: "Oh God! A Four!"

D: "don't fuck around."

I love that.

CHRISTOPHER WALKIN?!?!?!

(44:20)---------------------------------------------------------------------

Wellness: "your outie unlocked all endings for Shadow the Hedgehog on ps2"

Irving: "Hedgehog?"

Wellness: "shut the fuck up, please. enjoy all facts equally. that's 10 points off."

Irving:"..."

Wellness: "your outie is the fastest speed runner for sonic heros on Xbox."

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

.....This cast is good.

(Ep 3)

(15:43)

Jolly ass nigga

(28:04)

Irving: "ALL eight CEOs have been of the Eagan Lineage. A Line dating back to the founder. I have a mnemonic poem to help you remember the names. I authored it myself, and of course, it falls outside corporate canon and it's poetically imperfect to be sure. Theres a slant rhyme in the second verse. of "Ambrose" to "Ban those" (Continued Rambling)"

Irving Gives me Shockwave Vibes. At least in his vocal performance.

I really love how casually fucked up they are to each other.

Helly: Well maybe you should jump off the side of a building.

Dylan: And do a Flip!

Mark: Goose or Hawk style?

Irving: Rather crass activity, but it's nice to see you're all getting along.

Like saying fucked up shit to each other as a bonding activity is kind of powerful in the way that they're doing it. Again, great cast. The Fan Fiction writer inside me (Even though I've literally never wrote fan fiction before) is popping off with like...premises/worlds in which they'd work in. Like I see a cast of Gundam Pilots, or a Cast of Rangers, or a Cast of X Y Z other thing [I ran out of series].

Track 5 - "Note to Self" My gut after I eat a small tub of Ice cream

Hm.........Interesting. This show is indeed building interest.

---------------------------- End of Warch

This show has been very good. The characters and world being built truly do have me. I think I'll stop the live watch post for now so I can really just kind of get into it, but this has been fun and now I have context for some art.

[cecilysass]

get to know your moots

What's the origin of your blog title? Fox Mulder's address. It's not that original; I was trying to come up with something fast and I've never gone back to be more clever. I'm always kind of fascinated that it seems to be a reference to the philosopher G.WF. Hegel, but that it's misspelled.

Favorite game: This is not really my thing, but I do like Carcassonne, the game on my phone and the actual tabletop game.

Song stuck in your head: Burning Pile by Mother Mother. Someone in my house was playing it yesterday.

Weirdest habit/trait? Lol... I have so many I wouldn't know where to start. I harmonize obsessively with songs I hear (or even, like, the hum of the dishwasher). I constantly write essays and angry comments in my drafts and never post. I talk out loud to myself in the car all the time-- telling stories, making speeches, practicing accents badly.

Hobbies: Writing, history, reading (fanfic, fantasy / sci-fi, historical fiction), watching documentaries, film, baking. I like museums a lot. I guess working out, if that's a hobby, but I have this IT band problem right now that is limiting me.

If you work, what's your profession? Education. I'm really struggling with it lately.

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be? Writer. Playwright. Museum curator?

Something you're good at: Writing essays, trivia about pop culture and the humanities, theme parties, sarcasm. I used to be a good actor; I don't know if I am any more. I'm usually good at talking to kids.

Something you're bad at: Keeping my surroundings neat, spatial relations, driving, interacting with people at parties, being "positive," sitting through meetings without letting my face betray my feelings, being assertive.

Something you love: Alone time, recharging time. Time with my family.

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: American cultural history, especially religion. Shakespeare. The X-Files. The history of online fandom. Fanfiction. American politics, although I'd be stressed doing that. Problems with the American educational system, although I'd also be stressed about that.

Something you hate: Being undervalued, unheard. Cucumbers. The current leadership of my country.

Something you collect: I used to collect ticket stubs from movies I went to, starting from the early 90s when I was young. We go to fewer movies and the tickets are usually online now, so this has kind of stopped, but I do still have the collection. I'd write the names of the people I went to see the movie with on the stub. (For some reason I don't have FTF or IWTB, but I do have Playing By Heart and Return to Me lol.)

Something you forget: People's names. The way home from places.

What's your love language? Words of affirmation. Although we did this at work one time, and I was like uhhhh, definitely ACTS OF SERVICE at work.

Favorite movie/show: The X-Files. Also: Pride and Prejudice (1995 and 2005), Dirty Dancing, Rushmore and Wes Anderson in general, Spotlight, The Sixth Sense, basically all the Michael Schur shows.

Favorite food: Bagel with lox.

Favorite animal: We have a dog who acts a lot like a cat now. She's a good animal.

What were you like as a child? Too much, full of ideas, always wanting to put on a play or do an elaborate project. I was a social disaster and what a 2020s kid would call "cringe." I took up space and raised my hand all the time. Looking back, though, I wish some adult had fanned that flame in me and not let me become quite so self-conscious / self-censoring, because I just became a totally different person as an adolescent.

Favorite subject at school? Drama, history, English, chorus.

Least favorite subject? Math, science. I KNOW. It doesn't sound very feminist. I'm so sorry, Scully.

What's your best character trait? My capability to see different sides of a situation?

What's your worst character trait? The older I get, the more I realize that my tendency to avoid confrontation is a major character flaw. It seems like it makes you "nice" when you're younger, but I realize more and more that it can keep you from doing what's right. It's something I work on.

If you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be? It's Sunday and I have to spend five hours grading and planning for school next week. I wish I didn't.

If you could travel in time who would you like to meet? I have so many answers to this, some of them strange. I'll try to keep my answer less strange. I wouldn't want to "meet" a historic figure, probably, as then I have to think about what they make of me, and I have to think about how we would communicate easily, etc. But I would very much like to somehow be able to see one of Shakespeare's plays performed in the Globe. I think the early modern English would sound odd to my ears, but probably not odd enough not to recognize speeches I knew already. Some people say early modern English actually sounded more like American accents. That seems suspect to me. I think that's only because early modern English was rhotic like contemporary American accents (pronounces the Rs), and most contemporary British accents are non-rhotic, so still I think it wouldn't be enough to make it sound normal to me. JESUS ENOUGH CECILY.

Recommend one of your favorite fanfics (spread the love!): I have an entire recommendation list of fics I love to promote. You all don't understand how much I love that list. I add to it and re-read fics off of it all the time lol.

tagging @libbytxf @azure-firecracker @spooky-jordan

[anavatazes]

Learn to be a Texas Southern, From Austin.

Ok. First of all, I love you all. I truly do. I adore my fan fic writers, especially if you write my Joel crack... um, stories. *cough* The man keeps me in a bear hug and refuses to let go. Not that I am complaining ;).

BUT, for the LOVE of all that is holy and good and Joel, STOP using any American TV show or movie for reference to how things are in Texas as far as the food, the way they talk, the way the weather is, how and what a BBQ is, and I swear if I see another one with snow...

Like I said, I love you all. Yes, fan fiction is fantasy. You can write what you want. How you want. That's what is so great and wonderful about it. Get creative, get wild. Go crazy! But don't sit there and act like you do your research and are an accurate little miss that can do no wrong. Nuh-uh. I will find a slew of little old ladies that will Bless Your Hearts from here to Oblivion if you call Ribs with BBQ sauce proper BBQ in Texas. Believe you me. Every State in the Union has their own form of BBQ, and in the Southern States, it's a fucking religion akin to College Football and Jesus.

American TV and movies are pretty generic when it comes to the accuracy of our own culture and will take great liberties when trying to pass off one area for another. This includes accents, ways people speak, and how the areas they are in truly are. I touched on this briefly when I went over the whole Bless Your Heart phrase and how it does not mean what you think it means and it can get pretty offensive quick. American TV likes to go for the shock value, and the drama more than it likes to go for the accuracy and really doesn't care who it offends in the process. And older shows, like Dallas, Southerners don't talk like that anymore. Except maybe a few left in Kentucky... Maybe. Watch play-throughs of the games if you want a feel for how Joel speaks. Especially the first one. Stay away from the second one if you are trying to avoid season 2 spoilers for the show.

No Outbreak!/Pre-Outbreak!Joel will spend Saturday mornings with Sarah hiking. And there are next to no hills (unless man-made) in Austin. It's all flatland. No mountains. A few rivers, and Lake Travis isn't far away. A lot of trails all around Austin from 1999 to 2013, depending on when you wanted to have Outbreak Day if you wanted it at all. They'd probably go to one of a trillion restaurants in Austin for lunch, depending on their taste. It is canon that Joel can't cook. Tommy, Ellie, AND Sarah all bring it up in Pt. 1 and Pt. 2, if you know where to look. I would say one of their favorite places would be Home Slice for some great pizza. Or maybe even Torchies for a wide variety of tasty Tex-Mex food. Maybe even pick up some Brisket (Texas BBQ) to take home to get ready for an afternoon spent watching the University of Texas football game on the TV, if we're in August to January. Honestly, May through the beginning of October, they probably aren't doing too much hiking. The temperature of 100° plus (in Fahrenheit) is all the rage at this time. And you might have high humidity one day, with non-stop thunderstorms that might seem like a hurricane, and can spawn a tornado, but really isn't a hurricane. Then the next day, be the dryest heat that you've ever experienced in your life. Though, from what I've heard, the latter rarely happens now. More humid days are common now.

Texas BBQ.

If you are ever in the Southern United States, do yourself a favor, and just do not call anything related to the grill BBQ, ok. You will be better off and have a nicer visit, and life overall. If you like to live dangerously, go ahead and call the grill a BBQ. Call a cookout a BBQ. Go ahead. I'll wait. I'll have the tissues ready and waiting for the passive-aggressive politeness from the ladies and the open hostility from the not-so-gentlemen. You have a Cookout, or you Grill out. A BBQ is a way of life and means something different in each state (and will start a war in North Carolina because they are so special, they have two kinds of BBQ). Most everyone in (at least the South) can agree that BBQ food is some sort of slow cooked meat. In Texas, almost 99% of the population agrees it's Brisket, and the rest are wrong. (That's another Southern thing, they are right, and everyone else is just wrong. Drives me nuts when they use it in an argument). Now, they will have different ways of preparing it, and they will have fights over it (have witnessed several), but they all agree on Brisket.

Being close to the Mexican border and Texas' history as a part of Mexico once upon a time means that there is a heavy Mexican influence in Austin. As much as Texas likes to claim to be white bread, it really isn't. From the food to the people to the names of streets, cities, etc, there is a heavy Mexican influence. The idea that, somewhere, that Joel and Tommy have Latino blood is not far-fetched. Especially on the show. At the very least they would have a basic understanding of Spanish. That is being from Austin, regardless if they share any Mexican heritage or not.

Politeness and the True Southern Gentlemen.

I hate to break it to you, but there is no such thing as the great Southern Politeness and Hospitality. In fact, if a guy comes up to me and says he's a True Southern Gentleman, I'm running the other way. That "Gentleman" is 9/10 times a walking sexual assault case. This is not to say there are no nic+e and polite people in the South, but it is no different from any other place in the US. But, I will tell you, from the upper middle class on up, they can be some of the most passive-aggressive mother fuckers you will ever meet. From the Mid-Middle Class on down, the more hospitable they will be, and they fit the stereotype the upper class has somehow gotten. It's a mess.

Religion

Not everyone in the South is Christian, or devout, but will say a phrase that will make you think they are. I touched on this in my Bless Your Heart post. As God as my Witness, Good Lord Willin', Christ Almighty, and others are common phrases you will hear in the South. It DOES NOT mean the speaker is religious by any means. Trust me.

That's all I have for now. I could go on, as there is more. And please remember, fan fiction is fantasy, it's creative. Write what you want. This is just to help out those who are looking for more accuracy. And as it has been a while since Austin for me, and you are from Texas, and more specifically Austin, and you wish to add more info, and/or correct anything, feel free, please. There are a lot of differences among the Southern States, and it can be a pain to keep it all straight. So I have no problem in receiving help to keep in all in line :).

[gayhonkaiships]

Love and Deepspace should be for everyone.

Hi. This was originally meant to be a gay Honkai Star Rail blog, but upon learning about the Love and Deepspace community's unapologetically toxic attitude towards the concept of a Male MC, I have to add my two cents to the pot.

Let it be known that I'm a girl. A pansexual girl on top of that. But I prefer to play my video games as male characters. And in a world with so much calamity, chaos and loss, I think anyone and everyone should feel comfortable playing L&D.

If fan artists and writers want to come up with their own Male MCs, let them. They should be able to enjoy the game just as everyone else can.

China has strict rules and regulations against BL. I understand that. But turning any form of mature, consensual love into any kind of crime, especially on the verge of 2025, is not a cute cultural quirk to gush over. Frowning on the country's ban of BL isn't like insulting its ancestral practices, its food, its deities or temples. It's a product of being stuck in the Stone Ages. It's particularly laughable when the game rules prohibit other forms of discrimination-then you're hit with the 'no BL'.

And for those of you that would say BL is a crime that goes against China's religion/traditions, that's an entirely different beast. Let's stay on the game.

Why don't LGBTQ+ people and/or fans of yaoi just play BL games? Easy solution, but very few of them are like Love and Deepspace. If anyone knows of a high-budget, epic F2P game that features a Male MC and male LIs on L&D's level, please let me know.

'But otome games are for women only! Stay out of our space!'. That's fine, but that's kind of like saying Disney Junior shows are only for children, and if you even think of watching one you're an inch away from being a criminal. So no Bluey for you. Bluey is for kids! Adults have their own shows! Stay out of kids' spaces!

I understand how and why women feel as though they need their own spaces, but the policing of a fictional universe has gotten way too out of hand. And it's almost 2025, not the 1950s.

Love and Deepspace is an otome game. Otome games are marketed towards women. Fine. But let's bump off the toxic gatekeeping.

Everyone should be able to enjoy it.

[duckprintspress]

Meet Aether Beyond the Binary Contributor ilgaksu

Wondering what Aether Beyond the Binary is and why you should care? It’s Duck Prints Press’s latest anthology, currently crowdfunding: 17 stories, modern aetherpunk settings, outside-the-binary main characters! Help us reach our funding goals by checking out the campaign now!

About ilgaksu: Full-time fandom cryptid, Furby enthusiast, and the human embodiment of that one gif of Elmo on fire, ilgaksu was born and raised in an  undisclosed location, living in several others, and now currently residing in [REDACTED]. Their interests include collecting haunted toys, using their artistic practice as an excuse to forget to do their laundry, and playing with fictional men like Bratz dolls. They have not unclenched their jaw yet today, but they do remember to drink lots of water. 

Link: personal webpage

This is ilgaksu’s first publication with Duck Prints Press.

An Interview with ilgaksu

What is your “dream project” – the thing you’d see as the culmination of your work as a creator?

I have a list of dream projects – a big queer space opera trilogy, a series of detective serials, I want to pastiche all of the genres I adored growing up – but I think I’m never going to find the culmination of my work. I’m going to have to make do with whatever I do while I’m alive, and other people can argue about that for me or something. The work is the work. It has to speak for itself without me defending it.

When you look at your “career” as a creator, what  achievement would you most like to reach – what, if it happened or has  already happened, would/did make you go “now – now I’m a success!”?

Does any writer actually get to the point where they fully believe they’re a success, and the feeling lasts forever? This is a genuine question. Where are they hiding? I want their advice.

What are your favorite snacks and/or drinks to consume while creating?

I have to have at least three emotional support beverages, and one of those will always be a form of iced coffee, then usually bubble tea, and then usually water. These are because I clearly run on three separate hydration systems. Snack-wise, I don’t tend to eat while I’m actually making things, but I like churros and loaded fries and ramen and salmon on bagels and, listen, I just really love food.

Describe your ideal creation space.

I like writing somewhere near a window, ideally when it’s raining outside, with three emotional support beverages and my favourite headphones and the very specific song that works as white noise in that moment on repeat. Possibly for the next five hours.

Do you like having background noise when you create? What do you listen to? Does it vary depending on the project, and if so, how?

I have to have background noise or I can’t focus to write, and it’s usually music with lyrics. I tend to have a mix of current songs I’m fixated on in a huge Everything playlist, and then I often have a smaller playlist for the project itself. Like I said before, I can also easily listen to the same song on repeat for as long as it takes to finish the necessary section, even if it that takes hours, because after a while I stop hearing the music itself – it functions as white noise.

Share five of your favorite books. (You can include why, if you want!)

Wolf Hall Trilogy (Hilary Mantel, technically 3 but)

The Dream Thieves (Maggie Stiefvater) 

Evensong’s Heir (L. S. Baird)  

Daughter of Fortune (Isabel Allende)  

The Magpie Lord (KJ Charles)

Share five of your favorite (blanks). 

Five favourite current bubble tea flavours: Earl Grey, Snow White, Rose, Lavender, Honeydew

If you could give one piece of advice to a new creator who came to you for help, what would that advice be?

You don’t want to write like me. 

That probably sounds incredibly arrogant, but let me explain: the most common thing I’ve had said to me by a new creator, or a fan of my work, is “I want to write like you.” And I get where people are coming from, and I get it’s from a place of admiration – which is very very flattering, of course – because early on in my writing career that used to be a desire that consumed me to. But my point is this. I realised that it was futile to want something like that, because I would never be that creator, with their experiences in life and reading that had informed how they view the world and filter it into their own work. Even if I tried to mimic it, and maybe if I managed it on a superficial level, it wouldn’t be animated by the same mind moving through it, and so I’d be doing us both a disservice. So, I no longer want to write like other people. I want to write more and more like myself. And because of that, I try and advise people to redirect how they’re verbalising that desire. What is it about my work, or anyone’s work, that speaks to you? What parts of it don’t work for you? What is it you want that’s similar – the assurance of their authorial voice, their breadth of lexis or grammar, the themes they focus, how they make you feel as a reader in that relationship with them through the text? Identify those things. Start from there, and think about who you are and take these little ingredients from everyone you’ve read and loved, and everything you love in the world outside writing. Do that instead. Not only will it help you identify more concretely the goals you’re working towards in your craft, but you deserve a voice as a writer that’s solely your own.

What would you say to a demoralized creator to inspire them?

The same thing I said earlier but reappropriated: nobody can write like you.

ilgaksu’s Contribution to Aether Beyond the Binary

Title: chameleon trick

Tags: be gay do crimes, be gay solve crimes, established relationship, heist, manchester, non-binary, past tense, present tense, suicidal ideation (mentions of), united kingdom, third person limited pov, trans man

Excerpt:

Sasha turns on him; gleeful, sparking with it. It’s less a dropping of a mask and more of a perfect, total illumination as they ask, “How did I do?”

You would think they were an amateur at this, looking at their borderline puppyish excitement. They even tilt their face up, less in expectation of a kiss and more in certainty of one. But they are both working. Martha has read the codes of conduct at this factory: no fraternisation during work hours. And so:

“I don’t have time for your praise kink right now,” Martha says, and sidesteps them.

End-of-post reminder: check out our campaign on Kickstarter! It ends January 25th – we’re about half-way done.

[esther-dot]

If good chunks of people are refusing to see Dark Dany even after reading books and watching show, could it be grrm fault somewhere? I am not saying that he is a bad writer or Dany is a badly written character. But sometime I wonder that writing could be better. Especially related to handling of POCs in her arc and her unnecessary sexualisation. She was the one character whose show character was close to book according to author.

I don’t think he’s playing games with the audience the way D&D did. People often say the show just needed more seasons, but I think the problem was, D&D wanted Dany to be a heroine in the audience’s eyes until the moment she burned KL, so their choice there, to essentially force-perspective things by excluding dark moments from the books re-writing Tyrion, Jon, even Davos once they came onto the screen with her, that makes them “responsible” for the audience not getting Dark Dany in a way Martin is not.

If, say, they had left in Dany’s command to kill everyone wearing a tokar, and we had witnessed teenagers being slaughtered at her bidding, I think the audience would have realized the story we were watching. Or, maybe if Davos who had just lost a little girl he adored to a fire obsessed woman had cautioned Jon, or if D&D had Jon admit his fears to Sansa... There are so many things D&D could have done that would have permitted the audience to draw their own conclusions as characters responded to Dany in a more believable way, but D&D didn’t want to give away the twist. I don’t think Martin is doing that.

What he is doing is expecting readers to engage with the emotional world of characters while simultaneously exerting some judgment about larger ethical ideas. I believe agentrouka-blog has written on this. Martin is dedicated to the reader doing the work and not compromising his artistic standards, we all come to different conclusions about what his moral framework is, hence all the contradictory spec. Because of how he's written ASOIAF, and since it is so much more demanding than one might expect from genre fiction, I can't really blame the casual reader for not coming to firm conclusions about what his view is/how it all will end. It can be difficult when reading something to tell what's merely being presented to us, and what the author is endorsing (two different things!) when we don't have the end of the story.

Do I blame Martin? Well...I certainly can't criticize him for not being didactic, no one wants to read that nowawdays, but when you try to be a hands-off writer, to show not tell, all sorts of different interpretations are gonna happen. As I've tried to improve my own writing and make it more immersive, I've gotten readers upset with me as if *I* am saying something about Sansa or Jon, and I had to clarify, well, that's how they see the situation, that's how they feel, that isn't the reality of the situation, and it isn't what *I* am telling the reader to think. Now, I am not a subtle writer, and Martin is far more sly than most, and yet in my very limited experience, you can be pretty dedicated to undercutting a character's version of reality to communicate something more to a reader, and they can still miss it. If good writing is showing, if respecting your audience is assuming they'll intellectually engage rather than immediately react, I'm not sure if you can fault him for people not picking up on Dark Dany. He's trying to write literature, not spoon food people. (This of course, is with the understanding he won't pull a D&D and destroy other characters to keep the burning of KL /Dany's final descent into darkness a surprise).

Something I have lamented are his blog posts assuring people how different his books will be from the show when he has to know, the vast majority of the fans are upset about Dany's ending, are taking his words to be about Dany. He isn't being dishonest--the journey to his ending will be quite different, he does have characters that weren't in the show etc, but I think we all know how misled people will feel when we get TWOW. Still not technically his fault tho! And I should note, he did make it clear how awful slavery is in his fictional world right at the beginning of AGOT, and then he had Dany witness the slavery and rape and death that happens as a result of a war campaign and then had her use forced labor and profit off of the slave trade. It isn't his fault people have chosen to defend it and convince themselves that we aren't meant to judge her. 🤷🏻‍♀️

It also isn't his fault that some of the smart fans, the dedicated fans, know Dany will burn KL, but still theorize that she is a hero who will die saving the world...ya know, after she commits mass slaughter. It isn't his fault the ASOIAF "experts" assure people Dany murdering countless civilians isn't her downfall, and is instead, a speedbump. This is the peril of mature writing, of trying to elevate the genre. You give your audience space and they may run in a…surprising direction. If he ever finishes, it will a wonderful pay-off, even if it is a headache for us Dark Dany fans. Even so, I know why other fans don't see Dark Dany. Literature is an emotional experience as well as an intellectual one. I read some of the posts about what Dany meant to abuse survivors after s8 and even though it didn’t change my mind about who she was/the fact that she had to be stopped, it did make me realize why people couldn’t fathom that she was always intended for such a fate.

I agree that Martin has issues with his writing, how he's handled POC in his world, how he has sexualized Dany in the text and how he has spoken of her in interviews…that’s on him. I do think you're onto something that if he had done more to flesh out the characters that surround Dany, people would have been clued into where it was all going. Maybe that's his thought process, if you aren't enamored with Dany, if you think of the people who suffer in order for her rise..we might be less lost in her struggle, less caught up in the moment, and perhaps he doesn't intend the reader to fully grasp it all just yet. However, I don’t think hiding Dark Dany is why she is overlysexualized or why he wrote the Dothraki the way he did. I attribute that more to the norms of the era he grew up in/the problems with the works that he was formed by.