#the plot was real confusing by that point

[barbiegirldream]

At this point the plot is so lost Dream doesn't even need to make a full response video. He can just on his side channel or something make his same clarifications about the r slur discourse. Maybe throw up some tweets with massive likes about how he was called slurs being celebrated and make it known that's where the confusion came from.

Say he's sorry Tommy waited 5 years to tell him all this, and it's clearly too late now, and he'll mutually block Tommy back, suggest they have an online pact of silence to not bring the other up anymore cause there is not going to be ground gained on either side. (Because that is the very real reality of this)

And then go live with squidcraft.

[instantpansies]

ok so @mostlyintact and i were talking about the strengths of each of the sfth boys, and i think i was finally able to get some words out, so i thought i'd make a real post lol. a brief summary of each of their strengths, and examples of plays where those things are visible.

longish post, so i'll put it under the cut.

aj: he really shines in caesar and juliet. the narrative sort of revolves around juliet, and aj gets to really drive the story forward. his portrayal is iconic and natural and just so fun to watch. also, he's excellent in the oopsie daisy bulge, the grape depression, and priscilla's final petal: all plays in which he's got a whole lot of control over the way his characters are going, and gets some shining moments to drive the scenes forward in really compelling ways. he really reveals himself as a director and storyteller. also obviously death for a dollar, where he IS the actual narrator. to be honest, aj might be my favorite from an acting standpoint: his quick turnarounds and seemingly wild word associations and ability to grab a single piece of information and turn it into a whole story is both amazing and very similar to my own style of improv, and seeing him do it so well (even if he gets made fun of for being confused) is just. delightful. idk. his scenes where he's playing two characters at once (in grapression and oopsie daisy) might be the best of all the boys', to be honest.

sam: i think he does well when he's the center of a web of connections. his performance in, say, the evil make-a-wish kid is really fun, where the narrative is focused on him alone, but my favorites are things like the mystery of the midnight circus, the unrelenting aubergine, strange noises, or moist and magical. his characters feel more like an "everyman" in some ways, but always with a really unique personality. theyre relatable without being blank slates. excellent protagonists made better by their worlds. he takes the energy surrounding him onstage and sends it electric at the audience, using his surroundings to bring you in. it's really cool

tom: he is absolutely enamoring as certain archetypes. and he does an excellent job of making an impact with even the smallest amount of screentime. i'm always a sucker for abigail from the neighbour's under the bed--the monologue, the mannerisms--but a lot of that comes from a whole lot of overanalysis of her character, and that's not really relevant here. instead i'll say he's really really good at capturing the audience in death for a dollar, wild wet and worrisome, ballet on the battlefield, wine under the bridge, and priscilla's final petal. but tbh i could point to memorable scenes from almost every single tom character, he's so good at making his time count. his english degree comes out, ofc, which gives us those glorious tomologues, but also he can build up tension so naturally and make a silly story seem so real for a moment. sometimes that "oscar bait" moment can distract from the plot as a whole, but you don't think about it while you're watching him because he's so good at filling the space (to use a theater term).

luke: he's the absolute king of sympathetic characters. no matter how ridiculous the rest of the play is, you can always count on him adding a layer of humanity to his characters. it's easy to see in the milkman, of course, but also in divorces and teddy bears, wine under the bridge, toby's secret pocket, and the grape depression. his people are human, in ways that the others sometimes forget to be, and his storylines are impressively coherent. he seems to be the most concerned with getting the details right--sam nitpicks to get a laugh, but luke keeps track of details really really well, and does a good job of bringing in little things that make a story come together beautifully. more than anything, though, he is so good at building a character throughout a story and leaving you actually satisfied with what you got.

they each have really unique and somewhat specific strengths, but they complement each other so well. i think that's part of the appeal of sfth - they're so so comfortable with each other and find it so easy to read each other that you can tell they're having fun. it feels natural. they click, almost all the time, and even if things go off the rails they can pick up the debris from the crash and run with it. that's what i found really appealing about them--as someone who loved improv when i got to do it, it makes me wish i had friends close enough to do that with. it takes a ton of trust and a really solid relationship to do that, and i just. i just think they're neat :)

thank you so much mostlyintact, i can't come up with this sort of thing without prompting and i can't wait to see if you end up posting smth too 👀 love hyperspecific analysis

[shubertblue]

Squid Games fic I came up with…

Premise: No SquidGames! AU… Inho- Hardened and widowed police officer undercover at a sketchy auto manufacturing facility meets target- Gihun. Gihun, desperate to make money to save his mom’s life and maybe even keep his daughter around takes a job offer he can’t refuse in his position. But tragedy still hits and he’s forced to work. Inho befriends Gihun in attempt to get insider information.

STORY STRUCTURE:

1. Exposition- Introduce Characters/Establish Setting/Foreshadow Conflict

-Inho gets assigned undercover @ sketchy manufacturing facility.

-Gihun target “in” (he’s innocent and Inho doesn’t realize just how gullible he is… well he will eventually.)

-Angsty Inho monologue, meets Gihun, etc

-Gihun desperate to get money to save mom and potentially keep daughter around signed a vaguely legal contract.

Gihun ends up loosing them anyways, but forced to work still… :(

- They don’t talk a lot right off the bat, Inho staring WAY too much, observing Gihun like a predator to prey.

- Gihun rightfully confused- refer to Inho knowing his name without asking and using the name young-il .

1. Inciting Incident 1 - Conflict that puts plot into motion.

-Gihun the only one willing to show Inho the ropes, very patient w/ Inho (he’s a quick learner but had no experience prior.) —> (bonus: Inho thought he could work desk, but turns out that is an exclusive position, only for runners/dealers.)

-Inho impressed, Gihun’s kindness and/Or acting (obviously he’s just nice, but Inho doesn’t know that yet. To add Gihun actually is good at the job, obviously working the trade for real. Not just a strawman.

-Planning to infiltrate, Inho tries to befriend Gihun through events.

-ex) Work convo/ being helpful/ drinks after work/ smoke breaks.

BONUS: Gihun sometimes clever. Inho tells him he’ll have to pay for drinks, Gihun comments that he’s better off and Inho refutes. Gihun points out name brand clothing and well-kept appearance etc- borderline flirting unknowingly.

-Gihun is friendly, but quickly grows weary- Like, he can tell Inho is being a little pushy. He roles with it though, he craves connection.

1. Rising Action - Build tension while characters bond.

-Inho feels like Gihun is catching onto him, so he gets a little bolder.

- He investigates harder, more personally. (Finds a way to get invited/infiltrate gihun’s house

- To avoid getting caught he makes advances on Gihun.

- Not entirely accepted at first, confused and questioning (on both ends really, borderline genuine and half desperate)

- Things get a little awkward/distant, so Inho switches gears to investigate the place itself.

1. Small Victory- Temporary solution/victory before things get worse/resolve

- Inho finds a lead/evidence! But he needs more and that gets riskier…

- Gihun confronts their “incident” and realizes it’s not entirely unwelcome, but still too forward.

- Gihun sees Inho Snooping/ Curious about evidence.

- Inho interrogates Gihun roughly/secretly.

- Figures out Gihun is genuine. A good guy unknowingly working for horrible people.

- Gihun agrees to help Inho get info/bring down the place even at the expense of his livelihood (again) ((probably would joke about it not being his 1st time inciting a rebellion at an his job.))

- This moves Inho deeply.

- Maybe with tension, some romance… (possible spice?)

1. Climax- Height of craziness, catharsis

- They plan more solidly.

- Gihun gets keys under the gullible guise of needing supplies/equiptment.

- Trades off to Inho secretly and distracts people in charge/monitoring.

- Inho is able to get in and get info/takes pictures and sends just in case. Calls for reinforcements.

- Tense moment as he hides in room as someone walks in, stays hidden.

- Inho gets back to work but boss is suspicious of him/confronts him

- Police come and all chaos.

- Badass Inho moments

- Inho about to get shot and Gihun blocks it. Inho still gets hurt but less impact saves him. (what can I say, I love a little dramatic moment even if cliche)

1. Falling Action- affects/aftermath of climax

- Gihun wakes up in hospital besides Inho’s own bed.

- They both survived! Yay! :D

- Still, they went through something traumatic-deals with emotions/pain.

- Inho grateful for Gihun’s sacrifice and care.

- Sappy bonding moment and development in relationship.

- Suddenly interrupted by Junho- Appreciative of Gihun for saving brother’s life.

- Sweet moment then interrupted by Jungbae (salty Inho —> shocked/amused Junho)

- Inho offers Gihun to stay with him as a “thanks” until he finds a new job.

- (Possible quick spice after tension/surviving before time skip.)

1. Resolution- the end! :)

-Two years after the hospital.

-Gihun never ends up moving out, because they end up together!

- Their relationship isn’t perfect, but they’re exactly what each other needs/balance each other out nicely.

- Gihun helps Inho loosen up/restores faith in humanity/ Joy.

- Inho gives Gihun the push to get his life in order.

- Gihun ends up getting an automotive service management position. (Makes good money.) At a good place this time.

- Fluff of their life together/ maybe even appreciating each other’s scars—> symbolic of having similar traumas and loving each other regardless.

- Possible sweet spice/ more romantic.

BONUS:

-They end up visiting Gihun’s daughter in the US

- Gihun first meets his ex respectfully, she’s impressed by his growth and they are civil.

- Gihun notices her husband was spying on them, she feels a little bad for being mistrusting but Gihun is very accepting about it.

- Inho (secretly spying on Gihun) ends up coming over to ease the tension.

- Plays it off with a clever excuse (as to why he was there) and Gihun of course believes him.

- Inho meets Gihun’s ex, cordial and cold. (A little possessive/flaunty in a very subtle way.)

- Gihun is able to meet his daughter with Inho.

- She notices that they have matching rings.

- Turns out, they’re engaged! :D

Bonus/Bonus

-Their vacation in the US!

-Romantic Dates and vacation activities ensure!

-tooth rotting fluff and sweet romantic tenderness.

-Possible “spice” fun, more flavorful…

(Might write it, but would definitely need a beta reader to keep me on track! I’m talking 10k+ slowburn….

[arcsin27]

Shuake brainrot so severe that for a brief moment I thought hellfire - yeah THAT hellfire - would be a good song for them

[silverskye13]

I know you don't remember calling me But I told you, even then you looked so pretty In a hospital bed I remember you said you were scared And so was I

The 30th -- Billie Eilish

[ohsweetflips]

my neutral dragon age trait is that 50% of the time i'm like "the more i critique the games, the more i love them. i can appreciate each game for what they are but my criticism and frustration over what they could be are a sign of love" and the other 50% is like "this is the writing of the dragon age series. sure. why not. this may as well happen."

[wintertundra-art]

I can't believe the amount of lore I have for my ocs compared to the main story which is like lots of events I have no idea how to link to each other

[completeoveranalysis]

[8]

Ok ok there’s a lot to unpack here

Firstly: the look Watanuki gives the phone when it starts to ring?

The most relatable thing of all. Any time the phone rings it’s an instant nightmare. No thank you. No calls ever.

Secondly: The stark contrast of black in white in the bottom panel? Like crossing boundaries and an inbetween place? Like a space between life and death? Gorgeous.

Thirdly: “You’ll meet many other people in many dreams. And it’ll seem like it’s the very last of parting ways.”

EXCUSE ME??? 

AM I READING THE IMPLICATION OF THAT CORRECTLY???

IS WATANUKI DEAD?

IS WATANUKI DYING?

IS HIS SOUL ON THE BRINK OF CROSSING OVER DUE TO THE DREAM SITUATION?

IS HE RUNNING OUT OF TIME?

IS THIS A NEW SITUATION?

HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN HERE?

WHICH CHAPTERS HAPPENED??

[alisaint]

i feel like sometimes (many times) people get realism / "if this were to happen to a real person in the real world context, then this character would experience and grapple with x, y, z" mixed up with text / what that character is actually going through in the story which is always going to be constrained by time, space, and the creator's biases and experiences

[tsubasaclones]

mostly i'm just wondering what last minute bullshit clear card will pull as its last hurrah

[itsalwaysdark]

thank GODDD the doctor is taking time to work on himself maybe now he can stop ruining womens lives .

[tearlessrain]

please help me- i used to be pretty smart but i’m having so much trouble grasping the concept of diegetic vs non-diegetic bdsm!

gfkjldghfd okay first of all I'm sorry for the confusion, if you're not finding anything on the phrase it's because I made it up and absolutely nobody but me ever uses it, but I haven't found a better way to express what I'm trying to say so I keep using it. but now you've given me an excuse to ramble on about some shit that is only relevant to me and my deeply inefficient way of talking and by god I'm going to take it.

SO. the way diegetic and non-diegetic are normally used is to talk about music and sound design in movies/tv shows. in case you aren't familiar with that concept, here's a rundown:

diegetic sound is sound that happens within the world of the movie/show and can be acknowledged by the characters, like a song playing on the stereo during a driving scene, or sung on stage in Phantom of the Opera. it's also most other sounds that happen in a movie, like the sounds of traffic in a city scene, or a thunderclap, or a marching band passing by. or one of the three stock horse sounds they use in every movie with a horse in it even though horses don't really vocalize much in real life, but that's beside the point, the horse is supposed to be actually making that noise within the movie's world and the characters can hear it whinnying.

non-diegetic sound is any sound that doesn't exist in the world of the movie/show and can't be perceived by the characters. this includes things like laugh tracks and most soundtrack music. when Duel of Fates plays in Star Wars during the lightsaber fight for dramatic effect, that's non-diegetic. it exists to the audience, but the characters don't know their fight is being backed by sick ass music and, sadly, can't hear it.

the lines can get blurry between the two, you've probably seen the film trope where the clearly non-diegetic music in the title sequence fades out to the same music, now diegetic and playing from the character's car stereo. and then there are things like Phantom of the Opera as mentioned above, where the soundtrack is also part of the plot, but Phantom of the Opera does also have segments of non-diegetic music: the Phantom probably does not have an entire orchestra and some guy with an electric guitar hiding down in his sewer just waiting for someone to break into song, but both of those show up in the songs they sing down there.

now, on to how I apply this to bdsm in fiction.

if I'm referring to diegetic bdsm what I mean is that the bdsm is acknowledged for what it is in-world. the characters themselves are roleplaying whatever scenarios their scenes involve and are operating with knowledge of real life rules/safety practices. if there's cnc depicted, it will be apparent at some point, usually right away, that both characters actually are fully consenting and it's all just a planned scene, and you'll often see on-screen negotiation and aftercare, and elements of the story may involve the kink community wherever the characters are. Love and Leashes is a great example of this, 50 Shades and Bonding are terrible examples of this, but they all feature characters that know they're doing bdsm and are intentional about it.

if I'm talking about non-diegetic bdsm, I'm referring to a story that portrays certain kinks without the direct acknowledgement that the characters are doing bdsm. this would be something like Captive Prince, or Phantom of the Opera again, or the vast majority of bodice ripper type stories where an innocent woman is kidnapped by a pirate king or something and totally doesn't want to be ravished but then it turns out he's so cool and sexy and good at ravishing that she decides she's into it and becomes his pirate consort or whatever it is that happens at the end of those books. the characters don't know they're playing out a cnc or D/s fantasy, and in-universe it's often straight up noncon or dubcon rather than cnc at all. the thing about entirely non-diegetic bdsm is that it's almost always Problematic™ in some way if you're not willing to meet the story where it's at, but as long as you're not judging it by the standards of diegetic bdsm, it's just providing the reader the same thing that a partner in a scene would: the illusion of whatever risk or taboo floats your boat, sometimes to extremes that can't be replicated in real life due to safety, practicality, physics, the law, vampires not being real, etc. it's consensual by default because it's already pretend; the characters are vehicles for the story and not actually people who can be hurt, and the reader chose to pick up the book and is aware that nothing in it is real, so it's all good.

this difference is where people tend to get hung up in the discourse, from what I've observed. which is why I started using this phrasing, because I think it's very crucial to be able to differentiate which one you're talking about if you try to have a conversation with someone about the portrayal of bdsm in media. it would also, frankly, be useful for tagging, because sometimes when you're in the mood for non-diegetic bodice ripper shit you'd call the police over in real life, it can get really annoying to read paragraphs of negotiation and check-ins that break the illusion of the scene and so on, and the opposite can be jarring too.

it's very possible to blur these together the same way Phantom of the Opera blurs its diegetic and non-diegetic music as well. this leaves you even more open to being misunderstood by people reading in bad faith, but it can also be really fun to play with. @not-poignant writes fantastic fanfic, novels, and original serials on ao3 that pull this off really well, if you're okay with some dark shit in your fiction I would highly recommend their work. some of it does get really fucking dark in places though, just like. be advised. read the tags and all that.

but yeah, spontaneous writer plug aside, that's what I mean.

[verystressedcollegestudent]

god why am i so fucking stupid

[starlit-mansion]

well so did the rest of us til 'a tale of 2 stans'

[rheas-chaos-motivation]

Questions to ask beta readers

General:

Were you confused at any point of the story?

What genre would you say this book is?

When did you put the story down?

Is the ending satisfying?

If you had to cut 3 scenes what would they be?

When did you feel like the story really began?

What was the last book you read before this story?

Characters:

Do you get any of the characters names confused?

Which character is your favorite?

If you had to remove a character who would you and why? (you don't have to remove the character, just make sure their role is meaningful)

Which character do you relate to the most?

Which character do you relate to the least?

Do the characters feel real?

Are character relationships believable?

Are the goals clear and influence the plot?

Are the characters distinct (voice, motivations, etc)

Setting:

Which setting was clearest to you?

Which setting was the most memorable?

Am including enough/too much detail?

Plot and conflict:

Are the internal and external conflicts well defined for the main characters?

Are the internal conflicts and the external conflicts organic and believable?

Are there enough stakes?

Are the plot twists believable but still unexpected?

[allllium]

Just an Accident

~ Jason todd x reader who was accidentally hurt

~ Fluff, Jason being dramatic, WC:

~ Inspired by @mostly-imagines

[Thank you guys for being so patient while I finished this and thank you for all likes 💓💓 I really wasn't expecting anything till this was finished. Hope this meets your expectations <3]

Jason tried really hard to keep his secret secret from you but let's be honest, he's very obvious about it. Especially once you meet his family.

After he finally came clean to you about everything, he became even more protective. More protective than you ever thought possible.

He would freak out anytime he didn't know where you were or if you got hurt in any way.

"I'm so so sorry." Bruce says, following you through the mansion repeating his apology.

"It's okay, Bruce, it was an accident." You reply, "I should've known."

Honestly there was no way you could've known that Bruce was creating some elaborate booby trap on the kitchen counter that would fail and smack you in the face when you walked into the kitchen.

It didn't hurt too bad, luckily Bruce was testing things with plastic and not the real materials.

From the look of it though, you'll definitely have a mark on your nose and possibly a bruise under your eye.

"I had no idea it was gonna do that." He continues defending, knowing how Jason will react.

"It's fine, I swear. I know you wouldn't do that on purpose." You walk into the living room and sit down on the couch. Bruce sits next to you.

"Can I get you anything?" He asks. Obviously freaking out.

"No, it's alright. It really doesn't hurt."

"Oh shit." You hear Dick gasp. Coming in through the front door with Tim.

"Oh, what did you do!?" Tim asks, "Jason is gonna kill you."

"It was an accident, everything is fine." You try to calm everyone down.

Seeing that you're okay, Dick can't hold back his laugh.

"Wow, Jason is never gonna trust you again Bruce." Tim hits Dick on the arm and rolls his eyes. To the side of you, Bruce leans forward to hold his head in his hands.

"I think you guys are being a little dramatic. Jason isn't gonna kill him."

"No you seriously underestimate how Jason will react to this." Tim tells you.

"Yeah, remember he almost killed me for making jokes about you when you first got together."

"What?" You turn to Dick in confusion, "I don't remember that."

"Not important," he waves it off, "The point is, we need a plan."

"A plan for what?"

"A plan to hide this from Jason" He tells you, in a tone that screams obvious.

"How would I do that, Dick? I live with him."

"I don't know yet, that's why we need a plan!" He exclaims, pacing in front of the couch.

You roll your eyes, "You're being dramatic."

"No he's not." Bruce says. You fall back into the couch and cross your arms over chest.

"Bruce please. I need at least one of other person here to be an adult."

You can hear Tim laughing as he sits in the chair next to the couch.

"Well, he's right. Jason's gonna be pissed." Bruce shakes his head at you. He stands from the couch and starts pacing with Dick.

"They're gonna make me lose my mind." You mumble under your breath. You run your hands over your face, this childish behavior you're watching isn't what you were expecting from Batman and Nightwing.

Okay to be honest you were definitely expecting this from Dick.

Tim leans over to whisper to you, "You should make a break for it, they're too busy plotting to notice you leave."

"Let me guess," you whisper back, "you've had to make a break for it a couple times?"

"More than you know." He shakes him head and has a serious look on his face.

"Well, have fun with that." You laugh and walk out the front door. Tim was right, both the guys were so busy trying to figure out how to hide you from Jason, they totally forgot to hide you.

You rush home to meet Jason. You were supposed to meet for dinner but obviously you got a little distracted.

"Hey baby." You sigh when you walk through the door. Jason is in the kitchen cooking dinner. Whatever he chose to make, made the whole room smell amazing.

"Hey. What took you so long?"

"I stopped by the mansion to borrow that thing from Alfred but he wasn't there." You tell him, referencing some cooking tool you wanted to make desert for after dinner.

"Where did he go?" You want into the kitchen to see him while you talk.

"I have no idea. I got distracted by something Bruce was doing." You walk over and take a piece of food that he's cutting.

Without looking, he softly smacks your hand away.

"Rude." You laugh.

"This is my sacred space." He puts the knife down and gestures over the whole counter.

"You're ridiculous." You laugh again and kiss him on the cheek.

"How dare you." He puts his hand on his chest in fake offense. Only then does he turn to actually look at you. "What happened?" He immediately asks.

"Oh it's fine, just got smacked with some plastic " Which is apparently not the answer he wanted.

"What the fuck does that mean?" He grabs your face gently and examines the marks on your face.

"It means I got hit with some plastic. But it doesn't hurt." You quickly explain, but he doesn't let go of your face or stop freaking out.

"What plastic?"

"Bruce was experimenting with something and it didn't work."

"He did this?" He lets go off your face to run his hands over his own.

"It was accident. He wouldn't hurt me on purpose and you know that."

"I don't care if it was an accident, you're hurt."

"Jason." You say firmly. He's obviously surprised considering you never use his name to address him. "An accident is an accident and you're not gonna hold this against Bruce. He already apologized and clearly felt bad."

"But you're hurt" He pouts.

You step forward and wrap your arms over his shoulders. "It doesn't hurt. It was just some plastic."

"It left a mark."

"I promise I'm okay. And I want you to promise you won't hurt Bruce for this." You look right into his eyes and do your best to give him a puppy dog look. Which isn't necessary because he can't say no to you anyway.

"Fine I promise I won't hurt him." He presses his forehead to yours, "I'd rather leave him to stew in fear anyway."

You chuckle at his words. "As long as no real harm comes to him I won't stop you from having fun."

"Good." He kisses you once and heads back to make dinner. You have no doubt Jason would ever actually hurt Bruce over something so small but you'd rather be safe than sorry.

Hopefully this'll stop Dick and Bruce acting like absolutely children in the future.

Yeah that'll never happen.

Not even 10 minutes after finishing dinner you get a call from Dick.

"How dare you?" He asks the moment you answer the phone. "You're a traitor."

"Again with the dramatics Dick. You can't stop me from going home."

"Let me guess Jason's on his way here to get some revenge right now." He says in a very childish and fearful tone.

"No! I was right, you guys are way more dramatic than you should be and he has no intention of killing anyone." Jason looks at you as you talk to his brother. Clearly wondering what he has to do with this situation.

"I don't believe you. You've shown where your loyalty lies."

"Why are you talking like I'm an enemy or something?"

"Maybe you are! How should I know?"

"Okay you're right." You decide to play along, "I couldn't stop him from wanting to kill Bruce, he's on his way there right now."

Jason furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

"I knew it! Mark my words one day-"

His voice cuts off when you hang up.

"There is something severely wrong with your entire family." You tell Jason with a blank face.

"Yeah I know." He puts his arm over your shoulder and pulls you into him.

Hmm you wonder how long it takes till Dick realizes you lied.