#the world of my stories is the current modern world so i base my antagonists on people i just think

[gotchaocha]

Me, making horrifyingly evil antagonists that no one will sympatize with:

[fixyourwritinghabits]

Hi! I’m interested in writing a realistic teen fiction novel set in high school, focusing on multiple students and their everyday lives both within and outside of school. I want the story to feel like you're reading someone's diary, similar to shows like Freaks and Geeks, Skam, and My Mad Fat Diary. Sooo, any prompts or ideas to help me get started? Or advice? Anything will do! Thank you so much!

The challenge or writing realistic teen fiction when you're not a teenager is quite high. You always run the risk of outdated references, incorrect slang, and overall awkward writing.

DO go for universal experiences. Teenagers throughout the ages deal with the challenges of dating, parental conflict, pressures to get the highest scores or hang out with the right crowd. Kids are going to go through the same experiences no matter how much the world changes. Tap into those emotions and think about what you went through as a teen. How do you project those experiences and emotions onto your character? Could you give them similar challenges? Put them through situations you managed to avoid? Lean on what you know.

DO treat your characters with respect. Yes, even the guy who smokes too much weed has a much richer inner life than you may put to paper. You don't have to give every character a ten-page backstory and a showcasing scene, but do be sure to give depth to both your main characters and antagonists. Don't brush off their concerns or values - even if you think fighting over a prom date is silly in hindsight - as unimportant.

DO focus on setting and specifics. Where your story is based and what's going on in the environment is going to vastly impact what issues your teen characters will face. Some teens may face issues with drugs and environmental violence. Others will have more experience with dealing with online bullying. A lot of teens are far more used to LGBTQ peers and more accepting environments, but that doesn't mean issues of racism, transphobia, and homophobia have gone away. Where you set your story and what's going on in the environment around it are going to be really important when it comes to coming off as genuine.

And a few don'ts...

DON'T chase the latest trends. There are a lot of things that will date your work within the year, if not months. Twitter is nearly as dead as MySpace, no one says 'on fleek' anymore, and the latest iPhone is not going to sound impressive if someone reads your story two years from now. That isn't to say you should social media or cell phones entirely - that would be silly - or that you should try to disguise them by using some made-up name. Neither would really work. If TikTok is going to be in your characters' lives, talking about it even with a casual line is a better option than pretending it doesn't exist. But if you hinge your plot entirely on TikTok drama, and by the time your book or story comes out no one uses TikTok anymore, you'll be shooting yourself in the foot. Play it safe and lean into generics if your story heavily involves online behavior ('some stranger is sending me DMs' versus 'I'm being bullied via my Discord server's soundboard').

DON'T appropriate experiences that aren't yours. It's really tempting to project what you feel about current events into teen characters, and it's not wrong to write really passionately about something that affects both you and your teenage characters, but think it through. Does your white character single-handedly resolve racism in their school? That's just not going to happen. Is your character's heroic moment tackling the school shooter before he kills someone? Take a long step back and think about what these moments mean for the teens that go through them. You run the real risk of making their lives seem trite and meaningless by presenting an easy solution to a complex problem. A teenage hero with a sword may save a kingdom in a fantasy novel, but in the modern world, dealing with bigotry and violence are complicated issues that require solidarity, collective action, and allyship, not savorism.

DON'T cut corners by making your characters 'really into 80s music' or similar anachronistic interests. Listen, I know this is painful, but as popular as Stranger Things is, your teens characters are probably not listening the Best of the 80s on a regular basis when not in the car with their parents (or, uh, grandparents). They're likely not really into TLC, I doubt they can name all the Spice Girls. You may think you're giving them a funny quirk by having them be really into something you know a lot about, but you risk alienating your audience. I've put down more than one YA book because the author couldn't explain why her teen character loved U2, but couldn't name Taylor Swift if she tried. This... doesn't work. You may not listen to Doja Cat or Charli XCX, but you're doing yourself and your characters a disfavor in not considering who the artist or actor they care about is, and why. Figuring out what your characters are into can be really worth the insight it brings. You can, of course, skip pop culture for the most part if your plot doesn't touch it - but don't believe for a second your characters don't know who Ariana Grande is, c'mon.

Angie Thomas's THE HATE THAT U GIVE is a classic for a lot of reasons, but a big part of it is that she's able to juggle all of the above without coming off as insincere or contrite. Her main character knows that dealing with police violence is complicated. Tupac Shakur's music plays an important part of the book because it's relevant to the character and her experiences, not just because it's something the author knew well. And Starr Carter didn't save the world from the problems plaguing her, but she did take a stand against them. Angie Thomas's work is a masterclass in understanding how teenagers think even if you aren't one, and I'd recommend reading them to get a feel for how to handle a teenage voice.

[amaiguri]

The WIP Questionaire

Thanks so so much from @verba-writing for the tag! I had such a fun time reading your answers too and I'm very excited for paranormal romance 😍

I feel like I wanna flag that a lot of my answers are very anime/gaming-sphere oriented and I hope I'm not totally alienating my mutuals by revealing just HOW MUCH I'm not a book person lololol But this is with what we're working:

The Questions are:

1. What was the first part of your wip that you created?

The very first thing I made was the high premise: It was synthesized from the Overly Sarcastic Productions question "What if all the Kings Under the Mountain came back...?" and then I added the context "...in a Nuclear Crisis to discuss piece?" And in my head, it was this HBO-style modern fantasy Game of Thrones meets West Wing type deal. But then... I didn't want to write the modern piece. (The modern piece should be written by people in countries from all over Europe about what it means to be a hero in various cultures.)

So I set it in 1800s fantasy world instead!

2. If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be?

The first arc would be Dance in the Game by Zaq

The second arc would be Lacrimosa by Kalafina

The Gods' Arc would be Paper Boquet by Mili

3. Who are your favourite characters you've made? Why?

Is it to cliché to be like "my current self-insert protagonist is my favorite character I've ever made"? Her and my antagonist are just THE BEST and I love them.

4. What other pieces of media do you think would share a fan base for your story?

Mmm, I think Untitled Yssaia Game's story would appeal to queer Game of Thrones fans who could FEEL the straightness in GoT, especially if they also like anime. I would hope I could get general anime fans as well as Arcane and Genshin Impact fans, but I feel like those are too mainstream and Yssaia is not. Realistically, I think I'm gonna get the Wadanohara people and the Ib people and, if I get really lucky, the To the Moon people.

5. What has been your biggest struggle with your wip?

Marketing lol -- explaining what it is to people in a way that they realize they want it.

6. Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them!

Fuafua 🥺🥺🥺

Look at her! She is a six-legged, six-eyed slug cat called a Maret. Marets fill the same role as ocelots in Yssaia, except they're more semi-aquatic like otters and their skin has a stressball-like texture.

7. How do your characters get around? (ex: trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.)

They walk or ride Rumateurs (which are alpaca-like beings with ossicones) or take ships or airships or trains. I don't like writing about travel that much though so it is a background element.

8. What part of your wip are you working on rn?

I am pre-editing the first arc for my alpha readers and the third arc has another 50k to 100k words to draft. We're at like 250k words total right now and it is so unwieldy 😭😭😭

9. What aspects (tropes, maybe?) of your wip do you think will draw people in?

Oh, I have a convenient graphic for this. Hang on...

10. What are your hopes for your wip?

I was just diatribing about this earlier but the DREAM is to turn it into an RPGmaker adventure game and have it go viral and make a million bucks off it. I'd love to be the next Undertale but it'll never happen because I am not positioned to be the next Undertale, you know?

So yeah, that's what's what! Thanks again for the ask! This was so fun! I'm gonna pass this to @maiemorrae, @moonfeatherblue, @zebee-nyx, @winterandwords, @modernwritercraft, @words-after-midnight, @spideronthesun, @theprissythumbelina, @thepanplate, @thetruearchmagos, @maskedemerald, @moondust-bard, @pluttskutt and @emelkae 😍😍😍 I actually internalized Verba's WIP so well from this tag and I wanna make sure I'm updated on what all you cool people are working on! Open tag to any of my other moots too! 🥳

IMPORTANTTTTT⚠️

I will edit this to have a blank easily copy-and-pasteable question section when I get back to my computer. If I forget, @ me!

[rockybloo]

I'm curious, do you have like AUs of your own stories and OCs?

I love to make AUs....but mainly only for Red Beans because I love their dynamic the most.

They have like...over 20 of them no lie. I just love making Jack and Nana fall in love in different scenarios.

And instead of awaiting for someone to ask what all of the AUs are-I'MMA JUST LIST THEM HERE AS A SHORT RECESS FROM CURRENTLY WORKING ON COMIC PAGES

Switcheroo: Jack is a lupine, Nana is a farm girl

Genderswap: Jack is a farm gal, Nana is a lupine lad

Parent AU: Everything is the same but Jack and Nana wind up have kids in the future (6 pups specifically)

Reverse moralities AU: Jack and Nana are antagonists instead of protagonists

Amnesia AU: Jack is wacked with a memory loss curse and Nana has to help him regain them as well as their close relationship.

Jukebox Musical: My favorite one-it's just a super simplified version of Beanstalked in a library setting where everyone lives in books in an enchanted library

Modern AU: In Beanstalked's case, this is just what Jack and Nana's earthly lives are since everyone has a Lore self and and Earth self due to Lore being a parallel world.

1920s AU: Jack works at a small bookstore while trying to make it as a novelists and Nana is a club singer he has a crush on

Pacific Rim AU: Jack and Nana pilot a Jaeger and punch Kaiju and kiss a lot.

Fairy Jam AU: ....This is literally just Space Jam but everyone is a Beanstalked character instead.

Fables Don't Dance AU: This is literally just Cats Don't Dance but Jack is Danny and Nana is Sawyer.

Pirate AU: Jack is a cabin boy and Nana is the mermaid who has a crush on him.

Mermaid AU: Jack and Nana are both mermaids.

Little Shop of Horrors AU: Nana is a man eating plant and Jack is the lovestruck shopkeeper who keeps offing people to feed to her.

Demon Slayer AU: Not to be mistaken for the anime of the same title. This is a more Bloodborne-ish AU where Jack is a demon hunter and Nana is the demon who made a contract with him to keep him alive and allow him to use her abilities in battle.

Alien AU: Not to be mistaken for the movie of the same name. Nana is an alien being kept on the ship that Jack works on that Jack has a very obvious crush on.

Slasher AU: Jack is a masked slasher and Nana is the final girl he has had a crush on since they were kids together.

Dragon AU: Jack and Nana are dragons...pretty simple tbh.

Pokemon AU: Jack and Nana are pokemon trainers in a new fairy tale based region.

Beauty and the Beast AU: Just the Disney movie but Nana is Beast and Jack is Belle.

Toy AU: A mash-up of Raggedy Anne's Musical Adventure and Toy Story. Jack is a homemade rag doll and Nana is brand new plushie.

Jackdaw AU: Jack is a bird person and Nana is the one who keeps him safe as he heals from a broken wing.

Halloween Town AU: Jack is the Pumpkin King and Nana is a werewolf. But tbh this is just Nightmare Before Christmas.

Lego: EVERYONE IS A LEGO MINIFIG

Ghost Bride AU: Set in a victorian timeish setting where Jack died prematurely and Nana keeps his heart in a locket on her so he can still linger around her and can fully interact with her. They are happily in love but everyone is scared as hell.

Enchanted AU: Jack winds up popping out of the fairy tale world and into our world where Nana finds him and has to help him get back home

Magic Mike...AU?: I have a list where I wrote all of these down and I found this on it and I am pretty sure this is from after I watched Magic Mike and thought it'd be funny if Jack worked at a club and met Nana after a surprise bachorlette party Ashe threw for her and they just hit it off.

Cat AU: Jack and Nana are cats-Jack is a barn cat and Nana is just a stray.

Dog AU: Jack and Nana are dogs witch Jack working on a farm and Nana being a wolfdog hybrid.

Nymph and Satyr AU: Jack is a forest nymph and Nana is a satyr.

Marvel Cinematic Universe AU: Jack is basically Captain America and Nana is Lieutenant Lupine (a role I made from scratch that is just the fusion of Peggy and Bucky)

I probably missed a few but yeah...I like to spoil Jack and Nana a lot.

[ailelie]

why i'm writing this story

So Nora's Return because many villainess stories involve transmigration rather than the original person traveling back in time. Of the few I know that involve the original person traveling back that I can recall off the top of my head, most focus on the villainess character simply avoiding 'death flags' and accidentally getting snared in plot or her original relationships or they give the villainess character some additional power to face the past (e.g., another life in the modern world becoming a doctor, an hourglass that reverses the past minute or so). The ones that don't do that usually have at least one other person returning to the past with their memory in tact. One doesn't fit into any of these categories and, in it, the villainess character focuses on improving herself and her key friendships and then uses her knowledge of the past to outwit the main antagonist. This one is probably the closest to Nora's Return. The others closest are the ones where others also regain their memory (though that won't happen in Nora's Return until the epilogue).

Note: This is just based on my memory. I have read a lot of these stories and several have blurred together. Also, I did not finish all of them either. Some stretch on a bit too long, imo. This does not include stories where the villainess grew up and belatedly received memories of a first life in which her current life is a novel or otome game. Those are closer than pure transmigration stories given she has built a life in magic world and isn't a new soul starting suddenly, but still different as they suggest the magic world is not real or that other worlds exist.

Also, all of these are in translation. If you're not into reading webnovels, light novels, or manga, you've likely not heard of any of these.

I think time travel fix-it stories have a broader appeal. I think stories focused on a young woman who is trying to both be a better person while also thwarting her enemies are interesting. I also like the emphasis on relationships (familial, platonic, and romantic) these stories usually have.

Also, I just want to read this story. I've assembled an outline and cast of characters I personally find interesting. I think flawed Nora whose perception is so terribly skewed at the start of the story is also a great character to get to know. She begins the story believing she has been totally abandoned by everyone she's ever loved. She won't discover until the epilogue, until the knowledge is no longer relevant, that the best friend who turned his back actually tried to intervene and, when that failed, wrote her brother to tell him what was happening. She learns that her brother who ran away at 18 tried to find a way to help her and, when nothing worked, used a dangerous magic ritual he didn't even think would work. He'd planned to go back in time himself. He instead sent her back.

True, she had no way of knowing any of this, but that's why she doesn't find out until the epilogue when her brother regains his memories on the anniversary of the ritual and her death.

Anyway, I can't wait to see how Nora grows and changes. She's still prickly and possessive at the start of the story and still willing to go a step too far in her goals, but she has decided that making friends is one of her best strategies for surviving if she fails to stop her aunt and uncle. Of course, friendship has a way of changing people. Notably, Nora feels more secure when she has more people she can rely on and her possessiveness shifts instead toward protectiveness.

But that's why I'm writing this. Because we need more time travel fix it stories. Because we need more villainess stories. Because people who don't read stories in translation really ought to start. Because I want to see Nora grow and change. Because I cannot wait to see her look when she finally exposes her aunt and uncle for every bit of harm they've ever caused.

And I'm writing this up partially to remind myself when I reach a more middlepoint of this story and am struggling to remember why I ever thought writing it was a good idea.

Dear Self: Just get the words on paper. The story idea is good. The characters are good. You can fix the rest in editing. Don't stop now. Love, Your Past Self

[semper-legens]

88. The Ballad of Jacquotte Delaheye, by Briony Cameron

Owned?: No, library Page count: 354 My summary: Jacquotte Delaheye is fighting to establish herself. A mixed-race female shipwright, she knew the odds were against her from the start, but she had her brother and father by her side no matter what. But when an old friend turns traitor, and her father's crimes are revealed, Jacquotte realises she has nobody to turn to but herself. If she is going to have a future, she will be the one to make it. My rating: 3/5 My commentary:

I really wanted to like this one. I really did. A historical fiction novel set in the age of pirates, featuring notable legendary (she was almost definitely not a real person) pirate Jacquotte Delaheye, a mixed-race woman who took over the island of Tortuga and rebranded it as a pirate's paradise? That's exactly my kind of thing! Unfortunately, this fell so short of the mark in so many ways. To say that I am disappointed is, on balance, a bit harsh. There were some things I really liked about this book. But on the whole, it was a much shallower experience than I was expecting for a book with this much promise, and I can't help but criticise it for the ways that it fell short.

For one, I think a lot of the book was far simpler than it needed to be. All of the issues it brought up were reasonably clear-cut, and had easy solutions. Bad people are racist, ableist, homophobic, or sexist, and good people aren't. Jacquotte faces bigotry typical of the time period, but there's less focus on the structural aspect of that bigotry. It's more personified in her old friend, current antagonist Florián, or in the stonewalling Jacquotte receives from white pirates. I don't think that this is necessarily a bad thing in the abstract. After all, I'm not exactly gonna criticise the author, a black woman, for not writing about the horrors of slavery in gory detail, for example. Escapism is empowering, as is reading about a hero like Jacquotte. The reason I call it too simple is more in execution than premise.

For example, when Jacquotte is recruiting crew to her cause, she hits a wall until she reaches out to recruit exclusively women, who flock to her. The thing is, though…white women of the period won't be any less racist than white men, and it's not as though women working at 'men's jobs' was a widely accepted thing in this era. But Jacquotte had no apparent problem being a shipwright (she could do so openly, even dressed as a man) and her women apparently have no problem giving up their normal lives to become pirates. I think I'd accept this book a lot more if it was not set in the real world, if it was more historical fantasy based on the Golden Age of Piracy. But it seems to want to be taken seriously as a work of historical fiction, if an escapist one, and as such I have to take note of the lack of historical authenticity when depicting these kinds of issues, especially when that's what the book is about. If you're discussing the bigotry of the era in a book that's about bigotry, you can't just dismiss it off-handedly as though it wasn't that big of a barrier. Similarly, characters seem to see being gay as no big deal, despite the fact that the men could have gotten hanged for it, and the women at least flogged. They had a more modern view of gender and sexuality than is credible for the time period, that's what I'm saying.

And secondly, the other big problem with the book was in its brevity. It didn't feel long enough to properly become immersed in the world and in the characters as I felt I was supposed to. Characters and ideas are not given a proper introduction, but narrated in the text - told, not shown. I think Florián could have done with a flashback showing him and Jacquotte be closer as children, so that his betrayal hits harder. Jacquotte's friends don't get enough of an introduction, I could barely tell them apart, so when some of them died it wasn't really all that affecting, emotionally. The story rocketed from beat to beat to beat - everything happened in the space of only a few months. It just needed more room to breathe, to relax, to establish its status quos before moving onto the next thing. But alas, the pace kept up, and the story suffered.

But to close, I don't want to be overly negative about this book, because like I said, I still enjoyed it - and if you're of a similar disposition to me regarding books about pirates, I might even recommend it! So here's some things it did that I did like. One, it had Jacquotte be disabled. The author is herself disabled according to her bio, so it's not surprising that she nailed this one. It's something of a prolific issue in more action-oriented books, when the hero takes injuries that should be life-threatening but shrugs them off in an impossibly small amount of time. Especially in this kind of time period, where medical care was a lot spottier than it is today, and germ theory wasn't understood. But Jacquotte is disabled, realistically. She loses fingers, then she loses a leg, and it has a realistic impact on her life. Kudos! I also did enjoy the romance between Jacquotte and Teresa - even though the issues I highlighted above still stand, their love story was very sweet, and their interactions were fun to read. Jacquotte herself was also a strong, engaging protagonist. There was a lot to like in this book…it's just that its issues were too noticable to be ignored.

Next, a boy from the moon comes to live on New Earth.

[cepheusgalaxy]

I have a problem with my story and I'd like help

Plot plan

(This is a fantasy setting, taking place in a modern world. They don't have much social problems, and it's relatively safe anywhere, so you can just pop out in a stranger's house and ask for a place to stay) (Some words are made up, others relate to the meaing i want so i picked them) There are trhee kinds of magic here: Seidr [actually the name of norse magic] or Hight Magic, a field of magic which consists in manipulation of complex concepts of the world, like healing, energy manipulaltion, strenght-inducing-magic, speed magic, light, and so on; Kinesis [you know what it means], also called Near Magic, a field which consists in manipulating simple concepts, like the elements, blood, weather, and so on; Heka [name of the ancient egiptian magic], or Obscure Magic, the field of obscure and abstract concepts, like dreams, death, animation magic (like the one you use to animate golems) and etc.

Chapter 1

Quinn (our main character) is a magician student is this (unnamed) fantasy world. He's an aimakinecist (blood magic user). One day, one of his teachers, decides he is a good candidact to go on a certain quest, or like she likes to call, a "study camping". The reason behing the travel is to find a certaing magic tool, hidden in a temple. Quinn goes on this trip, along with those two older students.

In the way there, Quinn and his colleages are attacked by a hostile war android, and some travelers who were near there (our other main characters) heard the confusion and helped them. The travelers were a necromancer called Ezra and an angel called Haiden.

Chapter 2

So, in the fight they were hurt a little, and as the next city is way too far from there, Haiden suggest to them to rest in his uncle's house (he was coming back from there after a visit), which was near there.

They spend a while there, and after everyone is properly healed (some days, because heling magic) they all follow their ways.

Chapter 3

Quinn and her colleages (quinn is genderfluid ok guys, i base her gender on mine) find the temple and manage to collect the magic thing, and while they're starting the way back, the villain finds them.

This series' antagonists are trhee corrupt leaders of a country who want political and military dominance on all the world. This magic tool Quinn was with is also very useful for their purposes, so they sent someone to pick it.

Fortunately, Haiden and Ezra were near there, so they togheter managed to escape the person/monster Villain Trio sent.

They all go home, and continue to live their normal lifes.

Part 2

Unfortunately, something they did managed to catch the Villain Trio's attention, so the Trio uses the many methods they have to destroy Quinn, Ezra and Haiden's lifes. After their homes are fucked up, they lean on each other for support, and then they make a team w other ppl they meet in order to defeat the Villain Trio.

That's the plot of my current project, but it has a lil' problem

I don't like it at all

My first plan was smth like this:

Main characters somehow meet

Main characters have to defeat an obstacle together

Main characters then have to go on a mission togheter

They all go gome after that

Somehow, in the latter mission they managed to atract the unwanted attention of Antagonist

Antagonist messes up w their lifes

The main characters end up together trying to survive

They travel together resolving ppl's problems w magic

They find out that most of those problems are actually Antagonist's fault

Meanwhile, Antagonist decides the main characters are a treat for them

And start trying to take them down

Eventually, the main characters start to seeing Antagonist as a villain who has to be defeated

And they make a team to defeat them

I don't like it at all.

But, yea, I have these trhee characters in a fantasy world that have almost no social or viloence problems

Basically the opposite of a distopy

Any suggestions?

I really like this project but I don't have a good plot 😅

[perpetual-stories]

Story Structures for your Next WIP

hello, hello. this post will be mostly for my notes. this is something I need in to be reminded of for my business, but it can also be very useful and beneficial for you guys as well.

everything in life has structure and storytelling is no different, so let’s dive right in :)

First off let’s just review what a story structure is :

a story is the backbone of the story, the skeleton if you will. It hold the entire story together.

the structure in which you choose your story will effectively determine how you create drama and depending on the structure you choose it should help you align your story and sequence it with the conflict, climax, and resolution.

1. Freytag's Pyramid

this first story structure i will be talking about was named after 19th century German novelist and playwright.

it is a five point structure that is based off classical Greek tragedies such as Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripedes.

Freytag's Pyramid structure consists of:

Introduction: the status quo has been established and an inciting incident occurs.

Rise or rising action: the protagonist will search and try to achieve their goal, heightening the stakes,

Climax: the protagonist can no longer go back, the point of no return if you will.

Return or fall: after the climax of the story, tension builds and the story inevitably heads towards...

Catastrophe: the main character has reached their lowest point and their greatest fears have come into fruition.

this structure is used less and less nowadays in modern storytelling mainly due to readers lack of appetite for tragic narratives.

2. The Hero's Journey

the hero's journey is a very well known and popular form of storytelling.

it is very popular in modern stories such as Star Wars, and movies in the MCU.

although the hero's journey was inspired by Joseph Campbell's concept, a Disney executive Christopher Vogler has created a simplified version:

The Ordinary World: The hero's everyday routine and life is established.

The Call of Adventure: the inciting incident.

Refusal of the Call: the hero / protagonist is hesitant or reluctant to take on the challenges.

Meeting the Mentor: the hero meets someone who will help them and prepare them for the dangers ahead.

Crossing the First Threshold: first steps out of the comfort zone are taken.

Tests, Allie, Enemies: new challenges occur, and maybe new friends or enemies.

Approach to the Inmost Cave: hero approaches goal.

The Ordeal: the hero faces their biggest challenge.

Reward (Seizing the Sword): the hero manages to get ahold of what they were after.

The Road Back: they realize that their goal was not the final hurdle, but may have actually caused a bigger problem than before.

Resurrection: a final challenge, testing them on everything they've learned.

Return with the Elixir: after succeeding they return to their old life.

the hero's journey can be applied to any genre of fiction.

3. Three Act Structure:

this structure splits the story into the 'beginning, middle and end' but with in-depth components for each act.

Act 1: Setup:

exposition: the status quo or the ordinary life is established.

inciting incident: an event sets the whole story into motion.

plot point one: the main character decided to take on the challenge head on and she crosses the threshold and the story is now progressing forward.

Act 2: Confrontation:

rising action: the stakes are clearer and the hero has started to become familiar with the new world and begins to encounter enemies, allies and tests.

midpoint: an event that derails the protagonists mission.

plot point two: the hero is tested and fails, and begins to doubt themselves.

Act 3: Resolution:

pre-climax: the hero must chose between acting or failing.

climax: they fights against the antagonist or danger one last time, but will they succeed?

Denouement: loose ends are tied up and the reader discovers the consequences of the climax, and return to ordinary life.

4. Dan Harmon's Story Circle

it surprised me to know the creator of Rick and Morty had their own variation of Campbell's hero's journey.

the benefit of Harmon's approach is that is focuses on the main character's arc.

it makes sense that he has such a successful structure, after all the show has multiple seasons, five or six seasons? i don't know not a fan of the show.

the character is in their comfort zone: also known as the status quo or ordinary life.

they want something: this is a longing and it can be brought forth by an inciting incident.

the character enters and unfamiliar situation: they must take action and do something new to pursue what they want.

adapt to it: of course there are challenges, there is struggle and begin to succeed.

they get what they want: often a false victory.

a heavy price is paid: a realization of what they wanted isn't what they needed.

back to the good old ways: they return to their familiar situation yet with a new truth.

having changed: was it for the better or worse?

i might actually make a operate post going more in depth about dan harmon's story circle.

5. Fichtean Curve:

the fichtean curve places the main character in a series of obstacles in order to achieve their goal.

this structure encourages writers to write a story packed with tension and mini-crises to keep the reader engaged.

The Rising Action

the story must start with an inciting indecent.

then a series of crisis arise.

there are often four crises.

2. The Climax:

3. Falling Action

this type of story telling structure goes very well with flash-back structured story as well as in theatre.

6. Save the Cat Beat Sheet:

this is another variation of a three act structure created by screenwriter Blake Snyder, and is praised widely by champion storytellers.

Structure for Save the Cat is as follows: (the numbers in the brackets are for the number of pages required, assuming you're writing a 110 page screenplay)

Opening Image [1]: The first shot of the film. If you’re starting a novel, this would be an opening paragraph or scene that sucks readers into the world of your story.

Set-up [1-10]. Establishing the ‘ordinary world’ of your protagonist. What does he want? What is he missing out on?

Theme Stated [5]. During the setup, hint at what your story is really about — the truth that your protagonist will discover by the end.

Catalyst [12]. The inciting incident!

Debate [12-25]. The hero refuses the call to adventure. He tries to avoid the conflict before they are forced into action.

Break into Two [25]. The protagonist makes an active choice and the journey begins in earnest.

B Story [30]. A subplot kicks in. Often romantic in nature, the protagonist’s subplot should serve to highlight the theme.

The Promise of the Premise [30-55]. Often called the ‘fun and games’ stage, this is usually a highly entertaining section where the writer delivers the goods. If you promised an exciting detective story, we’d see the detective in action. If you promised a goofy story of people falling in love, let’s go on some charmingly awkward dates.

Midpoint [55]. A plot twist occurs that ups the stakes and makes the hero’s goal harder to achieve — or makes them focus on a new, more important goal.

Bad Guys Close In [55-75]. The tension ratchets up. The hero’s obstacles become greater, his plan falls apart, and he is on the back foot.

All is Lost [75]. The hero hits rock bottom. He loses everything he’s gained so far, and things are looking bleak. The hero is overpowered by the villain; a mentor dies; our lovebirds have an argument and break up.

Dark Night of the Soul [75-85-ish]. Having just lost everything, the hero shambles around the city in a minor-key musical montage before discovering some “new information” that reveals exactly what he needs to do if he wants to take another crack at success. (This new information is often delivered through the B-Story)

Break into Three [85]. Armed with this new information, our protagonist decides to try once more!

Finale [85-110]. The hero confronts the antagonist or whatever the source of the primary conflict is. The truth that eluded him at the start of the story (established in step three and accentuated by the B Story) is now clear, allowing him to resolve their story.

Final Image [110]. A final moment or scene that crystallizes how the character has changed. It’s a reflection, in some way, of the opening image.

(all information regarding the save the cat beat sheet was copy and pasted directly from reedsy!)

7. Seven Point Story Structure:

this structure encourages writers to start with the at the end, with the resolution, and work their way back to the starting point.

this structure is about dramatic changes from beginning to end

The Hook. Draw readers in by explaining the protagonist’s current situation. Their state of being at the beginning of the novel should be in direct contrast to what it will be at the end of the novel.

Plot Point 1. Whether it’s a person, an idea, an inciting incident, or something else — there should be a "Call to Adventure" of sorts that sets the narrative and character development in motion.

Pinch Point 1. Things can’t be all sunshine and roses for your protagonist. Something should go wrong here that applies pressure to the main character, forcing them to step up and solve the problem.

Midpoint. A “Turning Point” wherein the main character changes from a passive force to an active force in the story. Whatever the narrative’s main conflict is, the protagonist decides to start meeting it head-on.

Pinch Point 2. The second pinch point involves another blow to the protagonist — things go even more awry than they did during the first pinch point. This might involve the passing of a mentor, the failure of a plan, the reveal of a traitor, etc.

Plot Point 2. After the calamity of Pinch Point 2, the protagonist learns that they’ve actually had the key to solving the conflict the whole time.

Resolution. The story’s primary conflict is resolved — and the character goes through the final bit of development necessary to transform them from who they were at the start of the novel.

(all information regarding the seven point story structure was copy and pasted directly from reedsy!)

i decided to fit all of them in one post instead of making it a two part post.

i hope you all enjoy this post and feel free to comment or reblog which structure you use the most, or if you have your own you prefer to use! please share with me!

if you find this useful feel free to reblog on instagram and tag me at perpetualstories

Follow my tumblr and instagram for more writing and grammar tips and more!

[drifters-destiny]

living in fiction | prologue

Summary: You unknowingly get teleported to the world of an otome game as the antagonist who foils the romantic relationships of the main character. To avoid a series of ill-fated endings and a chance to get back to your own world, you decide to take matters into your hands and forge a happy ending for everyone.

Simple enough, right?

Pairings: Thoma x F!Reader, Childe x F!Reader

Chapters: One | Two

A/N: Yay, new series! I'm really excited about this one so I hope you guys enjoy it. This is just an introduction to the series showcasing the characters while the first chapter will hopefully be up soon. While this is inspired by My Next Life as a Villainess, this story takes place in a modern setting. 

“My strength is your shield, and I will always be here to protect you.”

Burning Heart is an interactive otome game where you navigate your life as the new transfer student of the prestigious Favonius High.

It was always your dream to attend the highly acclaimed academy, but when your family’s business suddenly falls through, you regrettably let your dream suffer the same fate…until you were offered a scholarship to study there! With hopes ignited once more, you excitedly attend the school thinking it was like you imagined.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

From wealthy peers ridiculing you to the proclaimed ‘Princess of Favonius High’ hating you for no reason, you almost give up your dream yet again.

However, a chance encounter with a kindhearted and charming boy changes your life for the better.

With a captivating storyline with multiple endings and beautifully illustrated visuals, Burning Heart is the otome game you don’t want to miss out on!

Characters:

Ayaka [Default name]: The main character of Burning Heart. Age: 16. The daughter of the formerly acclaimed Kamisato clan in Inazuma City, she is a bright and beautiful young lady who transfers to Favonius High on a scholarship in her second year of schooling. She currently lives with her aunt and uncle in Mondstadt in order to attend the academy. Despite going through hardships, she remains positive and doesn’t let the cruelty of life influence her generosity toward others.

Thoma: Suitor of Burning Heart. Age: 17. A native of Mondstadt, Thoma’s a caring, friendly, and sociable young man who’s quite popular among his peers. Though he comes from a wealthy upbringing, he treats everyone he meets with kindness and doesn’t judge others based on their social standing. He’s also childhood friends with ___________.

Ajax: Suitor of Burning Heart. Age: 16. Originally hailing from a small fishing town in Snezhnaya, Ajax’s a charismatic and mischievous young man who causes trouble wherever he goes. Despite his troublesome nature, he devotes himself wholeheartedly to those he cares deeply about and never breaks his promises, no matter how ridiculous they may be.

___________: The antagonist of Burning Heart. Age 16. Labeled as the ‘Princess of Favonius High,’ she’s the wealthiest among her peers as the adopted daughter of the Ragnvindr family. She’s initially a quiet and thoughtful young lady who mostly keeps her feelings to herself, though she struggles to hide her romantic feelings for Thoma. However, when Ayaka enters her life and gets along with Thoma, her attitude drastically changes.

[hamphobicbasil]

Could u elaborate about the dsmp story being bad? Not a rabid/brain dead fan, just genuinely curious and I enjoy reading people's rants lolol

oh you dont know the floodgates you just opened

a few things:

1. despite not liking the creators of the dsmp anymore, I don't actually hate most of them. [the ones that are particularly unsavory fall outside of this of course] so all that I'm saying i truly mean in a critical sense towards the story, its also just all purely my opinion as someone who enjoys fictional and fantasy stories and who like criticizing works to see what it does well and what it doesn't do well

2. for clarification I'm going to use the c![name] to indicate when I'm talking about the characters. Don't get me wrong, I think its annoying too but its the only way I'm gonna be able to write this thing without getting something across the wrong way yknow?

3. I stopped watching the streams after November 16th, [save for one Techno one but I closed out after a particularly bad story beat lol] and so all information coming afterward is all second hand from either me seeing people on twt talk abt it or people dming me. All i really know is up to dream's imprisonment and some stuff past that.

4. This is mostly aimed towards the "main" story, so stuff abt the badlands, eggpire, and whatnot are briefly mentioned.

anyways uh, i'll try to be brief but also include enough information to get why i feel the way i do on some stuff across

A. Performances Alright obviously these people are all streamers, so obviously they might not be the best actors, and hell no one is even asking that of them. However, when you're telling a story that's based on the audio with the visuals kinda coming to a second, it's gotta be pretty strong. I will say, some of the best actors in my opinion are Wilbur, Tommy, and Tubbo. I would include Ranboo but I never watched any of his story bits or story streams so I can't say much. Wilbur and Tommy are excellent in selling their character's emotions and feelings, when I watch the stream I don't feel like I'm watching an rp but an actual thought-out story yknow? And one of my favorite Tubbo examples was in the Hog Hunt video whenever Techno attacked him, he sounded genuinely afraid and I believed everything his character was feeling.

However, unfortunately, not everyone is gonna be that good. And I'm gonna say it; Dream and Techno have to be the worst out of the entire cast. I understand Techno's whole character is this monotoned badass, however, when really emotional moments hit I feel like he never lets that fall, and a lot of intense moments just ring hollow. And I'm sorry but Dream's attempts at being intimidating leave me laughing whenever I watch them. It feels like he watched that one scene from The Marriage with Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannson and said "Oh this is what good acting looks like! Just yelling." His whole "I don't give a FUCK about Spirit!" speech isn't as great as people keep making it out to be. And whenever he tries to act coy when being a villain it feels like a guy reading the script for the first time, a bit like he's trying too hard. I have more problems with his character but his portrayal certainly doesn't help.

Everyone else is fine, and I don't feel strongly either way about a lot of them.

B. The "Lore" Okay first off, I can't be the only one who thinks it's silly that people are calling the dsmp's story "lore" when it's not, it's the fucking story. Lore indicates backstory to either the world or the characters, which a lot of the streams don't really pertain to. This is a really petty section but god it's a weird pet peeve of mine.

Other than the misusage of "lore" vs "story", the actual lore and world-building of the world are so lackluster that new elements can be introduced whenever and it often feels cluttered or not well thought out at all. And here's the thing, I feel like if the writers sat down just for a few minutes to establish world rules and general history, a lot of this could be solved! but so much is made up on the spot that it starts to feel like they're grabbing at straws to keep people invested, trying to reach that next high and intense story beat without actually earning it.

C. The Egg / Eggpire This is a pretty minor note since I was only invested in the Egg storyline for a little bit, but god it's so underused that it's almost embarrassing. Bad has provided this super interesting antagonistic force that's infecting the SMP, can control people, and who one of our main character is immune to, and it's just never used or even talked about again? Now I understand if he wanted to keep it to a side storyline only, however, to introduce this borderline eldritch creature and force within the world and then never have it dealt with is so weird.

D. The Writing Oh boy this is. kinda a big one. Now I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty obvious I have a bias for the Wilbur writing over the current team [that consisting of Dream, Quackity, and Tommy mostly]. I don't this his writing is perfect by any means, the characters constantly bringing up traitors got obnoxious after a while, and writing Hamilton but in Minecraft really isn't the modern Shakespeare or anything. However, I think his exploration of characters and plot progression was a lot more thought out and well planned, like he actually had two brain cells behind the story yknow? The current team I think fails to be as emotional or even impactful, things happened too fast and my god was everything drowned in angst for so long.

Don't get me wrong, you gotta have your characters face hardships to make them reach their goal believable, but some of the shit they put the characters through just felt like too much. From c!Tubbo's constant comparison to c!Schlatt [who btw, fucking ordered his death and kept him from his friends in a nation he felt trapped in] and on a side note, i kinda really fucking dislike the "c!Schlatt dad!!" au's or the au's where c!Tubbo inherits some of Schlatt's features, it would be like c!Tommy getting a c!Dream mask after his exile, it's feels so weird yet people eat that shit up for some reason.

But god, did c!Tommy get the brunt of it all and in retrospect after his final death, it kinda feels really fucking gross. Now obviously, I'm not trusting any of these people to write decent mental health representation, but c!Tommy's PTSD and how it was explored was just degrading. [Specifically the scene in that one Techno stream where he saw the final control room from the first war, and had a flashback / panic attack where he started calling out for c!Dream. I understand this is an actual thing people with PTSD will experience, but it felt so fucking stereotypical it got on my nerves. I actually had to close out of the stream because it made me feel sick, fiction shouldn't leave you feeling that way.] And don't get me started on how they basically reused the formula from the previous arc. [Problem introduced -> Tensions rise as things start to fall apart -> Big confrontation -> Exile -> Return from Exile -> Blowing up L'Manberg, again.]

And speaking of characters-

E. Character Arcs, or the lack of them In my genuine opinion, some of these characters' arcs are so disappointing. Especially c!Tommy's. I'm not one to believe that he was a "selfish" character or anything, however, his goals were simply set on his discs and maybe c!Tubbo, he didn't have much outside that. However, L'Manberg gave him something to care about, he gave up his discs for it and he fought for it tooth and nail, I think it taught him to open up to others and trust more. It was a great character arc for him to have, seeing him still fight even after his first exile alongside c!Wilbur, to return safely to the nation that he and his found family had built.

But then his second exile happened, and I feel like all of that was undone.

c!Tommy's exile genuinely pisses me off for so many reasons. It's not that characters can't have their low points after reaching a major change or feeling like they've "completed" their arcs or anything, but it's more of the fact that it seems like he's never going to heal that feels like a spit in the face, especially to people who might have had setbacks like that before. Progress isn't linear, sometimes things happen and you get knocked back down, it can take a while to get back up, but I don't think c!Tommy's character is ever going to be allowed to get back up. From c!Dream, who pretty much was a constant abuser in his life, killing him then reviving him, and his still fractured relationship with c!Tubbo, which by the way I have a had time believing they would still be friends after all that happened, it feels like he can never get a win and it's generally kinda a shit way to treat your characters who have been abused. Of course, not all abused characters are going to get happy endings, I'm not trying to dictate that they all should, but c!Tommy deserves one and the fact that it's so obscure feels shitty.

Side note: we still don't have a canon reason to give a shit abt the discs. Like I'm sorry but without some sorta connection to the MacGuffin why should we give a shit about him getting them other than "he wants them lol". Like hell, I would even accept the classic "they were the last gifts from his parents" or something, but we still don't have a reason.

c!Tubbo also lacks a fulfilling arc as well, from someone who started out as a yes man, he has progressed a bit into having his own interests first, but besides that sometimes his character makes me so. depressed. He's easily one of the most pushed around and hated characters within the story, all for being a kid who didn't know what to do and he's in the same vein as c!Tommy; these kids can't get a break. Also, his anti-violence beliefs morphing into the "lets kill c!Techno lol!" bit was so out of place and without proper build-up it was like. what. And now he's building nukes?? god c!Tubbo makes me so sad because he's kicked around constantly and never given a chance to grow.

Another small note, I also don't really enjoy c!Techno at all. Besides the previously stated reasons of lack of emotions when they're really needed, I find his character to be weirdly pretentious. He talks as if he's constantly been betrayed and hurt but I personally, don't see it? Like, I think one of the main examples was the Pogtopia vs. Manberg war, yknow he wanted to end the government but they just reinstated it after they won = c!Techno upset. But this doesn't make sense to me because why did he think otherwise? The entire time c!Tommy had talked about taking back their nation and starting again, so the fact that c!Techno suddenly thought there would be a sudden change is, to put it bluntly, kinda fucking stupid. I don't want to say that he "plays the victim" or anything because that feels a bit harsh, but his character feels so far up his own ass that I can't enjoy him.

I have a major grip with c!Dream as well, but that's getting it's own fucking section.

F. L'Manberg This is a quick note before we get into the, forgive me for this, endgame, of this entire rant, since the next two sections are tied together. But god, L'Manberg makes me upset because it feels like they gave up on it.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that it is supposed to be c!Wilbur's "unfinished symphony", the thing that destroyed a once charismatic and widely loved man, his attempt at power that utterly ruined him. But the fact that it just got blown up in the end after everything and left to rot felt like such a waste of time. From the first war, to Pogtopia, to even c!Tommy's exile, it all felt fucking worthless in the end, and the story is actively closer to how it was when it started now more than ever. I wished it was actually allowed to exist and continue to be a peaceful place in what is a chaotic world, but no it was just snuffed out because why dedicate to this concept of finding others you can band together with and feel safe. fuck that noise apparently?

G. The Villains Now villain-wise, I'm only talking about c!Dream [during the first war], c!Schlatt, and c!Wilbur. And believe it or not, this is actually mostly positive.

Now I'm not gonna lie, c!Dream as a staring antagonist wasn't bad actually, he posed a genuine and threatening opposition to L'Manberg, even if we didn't know his real intentions or motivations as to why he was against it. He's lucky in this sense because he didn't have to be good, he had to be passable. If anything, he felt more like an anti-hero than a tyrant or traditional villain, and my god do I wish he kept this theme going forward.

Now quick disclaimer, I don't like JSchlatt as much as the next guy, he's an adult man who should know better than to joke about some sensitive topics and act the way that he does. But the one thing I'll ever give him is that damn, was he a good actor for his character.

Now here's the thing, c!Schlatt wasn't particularly deep at all. He had no real motivations behind his exile of c!Wilbur and c!Tommy other than getting competition out of the way, had no reason to act the way that he did and yknow? that's fine. The reason why he worked was from his performance alone, he was actually intimidating. When he came onto the stream and was doing his typical bad guy stuff, it was actually intense to see what he would do. Whenever he would almost catch c!Tommy back in Manberg, whenever he would begin to pressure c!Tubbo, it put you on the edge of your seat and it felt like everything would change at the drop of a pen. He's a villain to be a villain, and this works out because he's just charismatic and well put together enough to make it interesting, even without the backstory or motives.

c!Wilbur however, is much more tragic, and the best villain of the story. He essentially was the "mentor turned evil" trope and it felt terrible watching him descend into madness, unable to trust barely anyone except for c!Techno and c!Tommy. Hell, in the end I think he still cared about them both, despite losing everything. Sure, he blew up L'Manberg, but there was still a smidge of the old c!Wilbur in there made everything he did feel melancholic. His death at the hands of his father after achieving his final wish was chilling, and something I still think about.

Until yknow, Ghostbur came back way too soon to let people feel his loss as a character within that world. And then he got revived, pretty much-undoing everything that moment meant for his character lol.

And then there's the worst one:

H. Dream. I'm going to be completely honest, c!Dream is one of the main reasons why I dislike the current dsmp stuff so much. Outside of his actions as a person, the way Dream decided to write his character as this overpowered madman of the dsmp really just. destroyed any intrigue that he could've had. Perhaps this is from my growing dislike towards him, manifesting into a bias towards his character, but god I cannot fathom why people try to insist he's interesting when he has as much depth as a fucking puddle.

And here's the thing, I'm not even entirely against c!Dream being a villain, hell I think he would've been great as an anti-hero if anything. Make him sympathetic but not through c!George to get your precious "DNF" points or anything, but show him actually caring about the people within the dsmp, including c!Tommy and c!Tubbo. This would make his rival status with them just a bit more complicated, sure they're enemies, however, he doesn't want to hurt or kill them, and there's still a level of friendship there that keeps them bonded when things get super bad. This could've been super interesting to see, the first villain of the story receiving a sorta redemption arc then descending into madness as he started to fixate on being a god. This is all how I feel personally, but god do I feel like it would've been better than his current character, and hell would've worked with how he was during the Pogtopia arc, before the war that is. I'm not trying to tell Dream how to write his own character, but there are so many other ways he could've done the madman seeking to become god rather then. whatever the hell we got.

Because instead, we got this power-mad asshole who does things... because he can? And that's one of my major issues: he tries to surround his character in mystery to make him "intriguing" but it's kinda like c!Techno, it comes off as pretentious. Not only that, but you cannot keep waving around this mystery of a backstory without ever actually revealing it. I know the story isn't over, but c!Dream is effectively at his lowest point, now would be the time to reveal his backstory. But no just keep it in the dark and keep everyone guessing, that's totally fun and not at all tiring and annoying. (sarcasm, if anyone needs it)

And back to his performance, he doesn't sell this aloof, cynical and strategic warrior that has perfected the blade or some shit, he comes off as some angry guy yelling on reddit. which i don't need to tell you, isn't intimidating. It feels like he's trying to have c!Schlatt's intimidation combined with c!Wilbur's depth, but instead he's like a little brother who's trying to hard to mimic his older brother and is kinda embarrassing himself.

but other then that i dont feel too strongly abt the dsmp lol

but seriously, these are the main complaints I have abt the story tbh, I could probably talk about more but I wont because man. this is probably gonna get me in trouble if any of the hyper-dsmp fans actually read it.

[popculturebuffet]

Ducktales Comics: Spies Like Us and Dime after Dime or Weblena: The Preschool Days (Lena Retrospective) (Comissioned by WeirdKev27)

Hello all you happy people and welcome back to Shadow Into Light, My Lena Retrospective, which fittingly has now come to Women’s History Month! I sadly do not have anything besides this arc prepared for the month. This month is pretty packed for me with two shows a week to cover, as while there’s only two weeks of Ducktales left final space starts up right after to take it’s spot, two arcs to cover, and two time specific movie reviews: animal crossing the movie and the 1990 TMNT film. I will try to get more than the currently planned top 12 superheroines list out there... but this month is very tight as is, so if I do not I deeply apologize.

Now that’s out of the way, it’s appropriate we start Women’s history month on some likely lesser known parts of Lena’s history, with some comics stories focusing on our faviorite emo lesbian duck and her 87 counterpart. Before I get started on that though Kev my patreon pointed out something intresting a few weeks back i’ve been forgetting to get to and since we’re looking into Minima, I felt this was the perfect time to do so: Lena’s Concept art. 

There’s quite a few things to gleam from this. For starters as pointed out in the reddit thread I got the image as a whole from this was made in 2015, meaning Lena was one of the first new characters designed for the series and was part of it from the VERY early stages, as evidenced by the fact that despite clearly having their new personalities established, Beakly and Webby still had the old designs. 

The other notable change is that her first design was way more like both Magica nad Minima, a bit more modern, but clearly far more obvious who she was related to. She also had all black feathers making the shadow twist a bit more obvious and was likely done away with both to avoid giving that twist away, the same reason for the fake lestrange name, and to avoid accidently black coding her, as while Lena being black would’ve been intersting, it also would’ve invited a firestorm of controversy given that their one black character in season 1.. woul’dve started off as a homeless, manipulative antagonist, and none of that would play well nor was it something the progressive crew of this show couldn’t spot from a mile away.  And even this early on they have an almost final design ready, simply changing the shirt to fit her personality more, and her hair to be pink because it honestly looked better She also had green eyes throughout, but for whatever reason they phased them out. That part I don’t quite get as they look nice but probably they were hard to translate to the reboot style once they settled on their own. Her purple eyeshadow and haircut though have stuck since and were good calls. 

One last VERY obvious note.. Webby was gay for Lena from minute one. While Dana helped it is now VERY obvious they gay coded this relationship from the design phase, and the crew was entirely aware the whole time and I gave them less credit than I should have. They clearly had this in mind, and it’s very likely ONLY subtext because Disney, while making more and more progress, is very reluctant to have queer characters as Owl House was a struggle and since they have a tighter leash on properites based on the sensational 6, that means Frank knew they had the same odds of making Webby or Della queer in anything but subtext that a pig has of suviving in a slaughterhouse. I bring this up because I fear the series getting accused of queerbaiting somewhere down the road instead of doing what they could with a bad hand and hoping they could make the show as gay as they could. Penny is as out as they posisbly could get her, and Violet and Lena’s dad’s got a full apperance, if no speaking role that made it obvious beyond a shadow of a doubt their gay and did it in a plot important episode. So they did their best and I want them to get credit for that. 

But while this is all intresting stuff, join me under the cut for the meat of today’s review as I dig into Lena’s only apperance in the tie-in comic that was never punished here, and the only apperance of her protoype Minima.

Spies Like Us:  As I mentioned this comic was never published here which is doubly weird to me because of how I knew this story existed. Since I follow comics weekly and buy trades reguarly, I read the solicits companies put out eveyr month to see what new series are coming, what the ones i’m currently reading are doing, and what trades are coming out. That sort of thing, and it’s something I love. I know their basically adds.. but their well put together adds that really pull you into the books you like. The big two and the indies are all very good at it and sometimes i’ts the only way to know a comic is coming if the company dosen’t make a press release for it ahead of time. 

So naturally given there are several comics I follow at idw, paticuarlly the TMNT comics, I read those solicits and found they were going to do an issue with Webby and Lena becoming spies, and was excited about it. I ended up forgetting about it and never really followed the Ducktales comic as it came out, and upon reading an issue or two recently, one for another comission by kev as one story, happy happy valley, was particularly terrible. For those who haven’t read the story or my review, it involved the family getting stranded on an island where their forced to partake in activites and smile..that somehow turned into an aseop about Louie wanting to be rich. It ended with this

Yes.. really. That actually happened. But even with this, I fully planned to cover the issue when I covered Lena, and brought it up to Kev when he commissioned the retrospective. He gave me the discord equilvent of a blank stare and had never heard of it. I soon found out why: the story was replaced as, and fair play to disney, it spoiled Beakly’s past from the agent 23 episode which wasn’t going to air in time.  What dosen’t work is they never reprinted the story in The US.. didn’t put it in a future issue and just swap it’s place didn’t put it in the nothing. And the story was fully complete as we’ll see, with a cover and everything so they had no excuse whatsoever to NEVER use it, even with what happened to Lena in the season finale, this clearly took place before that and it was weird to just shelve it because of that. But thankfully when a bunch of the stories were reprinted overseas, this and another one, also webby centric got published overseas. But not in english.

Lucky for me, I was able to find an english translation of an english story which you can read RIGHT HERE. It was translated by @neopuff and I thank them for it as without them this review would not be possible and want to give them all the credit. So was it worth all their hard work translating it? Well let’s take a look. 

We begin at the Manor where Lena is skulking around suspiciously.. though it turns out she and Webby are just playing hide and seek. Though Lena accuses cheating. The dialouge here is pretty flat though that’s not Neopuff’s fault at all. As I can attest from reading other stories a lot of the early IDW comics are just this flat in dialoguge no matter the writer as they were likely given character descriptions and basic info about the show they likely had written up for merchandising and Frank and Co were given no involvement and likely weren’t made avaliable to consult on the comics to help them be a bit more fleshed out. It’s very obvious to me Disney just tried to get these pumped out so they’d have a series in stores to tie in without carring about qualities and given Scrooge debuted in comics, their lack of care toward that side of things in general, but especially in the first american published original duck comics in a while, bothers me a lot. It’s inexcusable. 

That being said the story isn’t half bad nor is the setup as the two hear a beeping and find it’s Beakly’s phone going off with a mysterious message from Q, Webby thinks she’s been reactivated, and is encouraged by Lena to go look after her while she stays along. While Webby says in response

It just feels grossly out of character for both. Lena is far more subtle about manipulation as shown five minutes ago and Webby blindly trusts her. Because she has a massive crush on her and is naïve about how the world works. It just seems very odd of her to get suspicious as she never does on screen, and again it comes off as Disney having barely given the writers any materials on them when i’m sure Frank or Matt would’ve been happy to write up a thing for them to help outside of the usual press materials they were given. 

Though hte last line isn’t all that out of character and has an obvious answer as within a jumpcut Launchpad’s taking them to London and is told to blend in.. which he does with an australian flag and accent.. good gag. 

So our heroines do some heroic breaking and entering and look for the package, but soon find while hiding it’s already in transit.. and had obvious bows on int. Whoops. Our heroes trie the old follow tha tcar bit and refreshingly, it dosen’t pan out as the guy stops and tells them to get out. A nice twist. Unable to follow, our heroes instead find launchpad lost, as his map is upside down

So Lena dares him if he can follow that plane, a nice bit of character for both. I will give Joe credit. While the dialouge’s a bit flat and there was that out of character moment.. for the most part he does nail the actual character down and does use it decently enough. He’s just not given enough page room or actual details to work  with is all. 

So while our heroes follow they end up having to crash as they run out of fuel.. lucky their with the expert but end up near home where the package is delivered to. Turns out this wasn’t a spy thing, this was just a thing with her aunt. That’s fine and a nice gag.. it’s just ruined by just sorta.. ending. Lena leaves disapointed and Beakly scolds webby for “playing spy” and she’s sad. That’s it that’s how it ends. Which dosen’t fit the characters, as while Beakly would defintely scold her, it just dosen’t FIT that she’d be that tearse or not appricate the effort or give her an actual lecture and it feels like Joe had no idea how to end this after the gag and just.. ended it. 

Final Thoughts for Spies Likes Us: This was okay.  It is a bit of a disappointment as for the only story not available.. i’ts just okay and not really above an average Ducktales comics story, with some nice character bits but feeling a bit weak overall, as do at least the first half of the idw comics. I haven’t read the later stuff to see if it got better. It’s worth a read if you like Webby and Lena as characters and it’s not BAD, it’s just not anything impressive and is a simple hyjinks filled misunderstanding story. 

Dime After Dime:

So now  we go back a bit to the original. I didn’t do these in chronological order because frankly, Dime after Dime is the better story of the two and the bigger one at that, so I have more to work with here. But the original also had comics and honestly from the few i’ve read much BETTER comics. I chalk this up to two things: The Ducktales 87 comics seem to have come out AFTER the series was already a hit, and since Ducktales is pretty close to the original uncle scrooge comics minus it’s own tweaks here and there, it’s easy enough to just write the stories like you would a regular uncle scrooge story, just with Webby and Launchpad added, whereas the idw writers were staffed with writing for all new versions of the characters with noticable differences without much to go on.  It’s why to me with tie in comics you have two options: Wait long enough so you can put your story inbtween the episodes like the Steven Universe and Regular Show comics did or just make your own continuity entirely like the Adventure Time Comics and the Archie TMNT Adventures series did. The ONLY time i’ve seen a comic work like this is the Bravest Warriors comic, which had a talented writer and fit well enough in the margins until it sadly ended.. and honestly is BETTER in some cases than the series. I might get to it someday. The point is this comic shows why you need to have a deft hand adapting something instead of just falling your arms about and hoping it’ll work. 

So today’s comic was part of some Disney Series called cartoon tales, which clearly repackaged comic stories from wherever, and put them together. I don’t know much about it and the only other issue avaliable collects the disney adventures adaptation of “Just Us Justice Ducks”, which I might cover at some point. This book does have two other stories which i’d be happy to do on comission or on my own at some point, one involving gladstone the other gizmoduck, but for now, i’m just sticking to the title story and the reason you all came here. 

So we open with Magica gazing into her crystal ball from her Mt. Vesuvies base saying that Scrooge will never know what hit him I know exactly what and who wiil hit him thank you very much. 

Scrooge is seeing Webby off to her first day of day camp, getting all teary eyed which is touching. Beakly apparently goes with her as the story never SAYS Sshe does but she’s not also not around when the story moves on, as Launchpad says it looks like rain. Scrooge dismisses him, though Launchpad turns out to be right. Scrooge had good reason for once though, instead of just being a dick good on you comic for making me not want to punch him in the face, trust me that is a high bar to clear with the scrooge comics, as the weather was fine just a minute ago. Naturally it was Magica All Along! Nothing scrooge can do now that eveyrthing has gone wrong! Her entrance though is sadly not a catchy earwormy tune, but .. this confusing line

I think your thinking of Gladstone. And he’s still single so.. have at that but no Scrooge is the one who values hard work over anything else and brags about THAT or being rich. I .. I don’t get this line and frankly I don’t want to. Even in stories where the dime is supernaturally lucky and the source of his wealth he dosen’t boast about it because he’s not stupid and dosen’t want everyone knowing how to bankrupt him instantly. This line will baffle me until I die, presumably, given my life’s tragetctory, after reviewing an episode of mighty ducks and slipping on some a jerky wrapper. 

Scrooge asks what she wants... 

No this isn’t that kind of story sadly. Her plan is to.. zap the bin with lightning and take the dime. Really just went with your first draft didn’t you magica? But as stupid as this plan is Scrooge has prepared for it. He installed a lightning rod on the bin to save on power, and to power his new super soaker traps. So all Magica did was save him money. She flies off and nothing is acomplished. 

So we get back to Webby at the Teenie Weenie Day Camp.. and just so you don’t think that was a terrible joke on my part...

My theory for how this name got approved at all is the editor KNEW how that sounded and just wanted to see if Disney would actually print a comic with the phrase Teenie Weenie without getting what it means in slang or how hilariously inapproriate it is to namme a children’s camp after it. 

Your probably wondering who that grown woman calling Webby a dweeb is. Well story wise, she’s SUPPOSED to be another kid at the camp around Webby’s age. In practice, she looks like THIS in closeup

So it looks and plays like a 30 year old woman snuck into the day camp and no one’s noticed she’s not actually a children. Or their just humoring her because she had a week to live. I don’t know. I do know she doesn’t get to judge on names. 

Snippy Von Glitz, proof rich people really do hate their kids and this this comic is trying personally to give me material. Snippy is your average alpha bitch, taking a chair from Minma and being obnoxious and classist and all that jazz. Minima gets hers back by making the chair bouncy then returning it to normal so Snippy gets in trouble when she makes up things about the chair, with the lady in charge getting ready to call her Dad. You cannot convince me that her “Dad” is just what she calls her husband, this is how they both get off, and that the lady at the preschool only tolerates it because they pay her a lot and so far the kids haven’t noticed Snippy is 30. Webby likes minima finding her name pretty, proving that the ho yay is alive no matter the webby and magica relative, and Minma returns the favor by saving her from a block. 

Minma is reluctant to make an actual friend, finding they aren’t worth anything and given most of the kids here apparently pick on her and her aunt is well.. Magica, it’s understandable why she’d be so cold. But Webby presses on and says something from Scrooge about friends. Which given Ducktales scrooge has none goes weird but it gets Minma to find out she knows and lives with Scrooge, so she cons webby into taking the dime for show and tell, showing that she can manipulate them with her powers, and that he won’t notice it’s missing, getting her with “I thought you wanted to be friends” 

So let’s pause for a second and compare and contrast the two: Both are the niece, or at least sorta in Lena’s case, of Magica, both manipulate webby, and both are her first real friend: The 87 boys are little monsters and I don’t consider them friends or even brothers, while the 2017 ones are just that: brothers. Their her siblings in all but blood, not friends and have hteir own long complicated history. 

But otherwise the two are vastly different. Lena is a far more complex character as she’s been abused her whole life, is a rebel because Magica hardly gave her agency, and while she starts wooing webby out of self interest it’s clear even as far as the first episode she cares. Lena would gladly be part of the world if she could and this whole scheme is to gain that choice. 

Minma is still sympathetic but very different: She walls herself off because the other kids laugh and mock her for being herself and lashes out at them.. not unreasonably mind , but still feeling she needs no one else.. but as we’ll learn later she’s only helping Magica to finally feel accepted, to get all the fancy clothes and stuff that will make her popular instead of that grown woman masquerading as a kid for disturbing reasons. Minma is at her heart just a hurt kid desperate to fit in. And while Lena shares the desire for a place to belong.. it’s at it’s core much sadder. Lena.. wants a family. Someone to love her and to care about her and actually look after her. Minma has that she just wants to be loved. it’s similar but very diffrent and I can see why Lena evolved into what she did, as Frank and Matt ended up going in a far darker but ultimately more interesting direction. Minima is not a bad character at all though and without her I don’t think we would’ve had Lena, but at the end of the day the 87verse is just not that complicated, so the reboot needed something more and that more evolved into who we have now. 

Both kids excitedly talk about their new friends, with their respective guardians being distracted. Scrooge is distracted by the fact his car is a bit bumpy and Launchpad offers to fix it up for free with some parts from a buddy, which given the sentence “This won’t cost you anything” makes him erect, Scrooge agrees. Magica meanwhile, whose watching Minima while her mom is away which raises a LOT of questions we don’t have time for like who she is, is she’s poes wife or does Magica have other siblings... it’s a lot of questions we’re never going to get answers to. 

The next day Webby got the dime easy as Scrooge was distracted. so Minima swaps them while she’s distracted. But while swiping it was easy, which to be fair Webby is likely approved in his security so it woudln’t match her.. or the story just needed to progress. You make the call. 

Magica does the logical thing and goes and get sthe dime and the story ends there.. and i’m shitting you, she of course brags to scrooge, reveals minima as her spy, and offers to RACE him for it shortly after he realizes he has a fake.

The only major flaw in this story is Magica’s overconfdience, which isn’t BAD persay, but here has gotten to dumbass proportions. She just can’t plan for anything and a CHILD has a better plan than her that only dosen’t work for reasons we’ll get to. And that plan is almost ruined by Magica taunting scrooge!

So a race is on but Launchpad has transformed Scrooge’s old Model T into this

Damn that’s cool. Scrooge of course dosen’t like it, but honestly you get what you paid for. Oh that’s right you paid nothing for something you NEED to use every day for transportation. 

At  the rickity thickity bridge, Steve Buschemi’s worst roll and her minion ask Webby to roll with them and Minima mistakes this for betrayal planning to soak them all.. only for Webby to DEFEND HER, pointing out minma’s her friend, how she dresses is fine and she loves her no matter what.. the last part’s implied. The 30-year old asshole and her minon leave Webby and Minma is genuinely touched, as no one’s done that for her before. She put up so many walls... she didn’t realize someone could ACTUALLY care about her, so obessed with thinking she had to be like that soccer mom in preschoolers clothing, she just had to be herself: kinda werid but in that fun adams family way. Webby says she knows Minma would do the same.. so while she prepares to let’s get back to the race. Magica realizes Launchpad’s roadster is actually gaining and spreads some tacks, but Scrooge counters with some money.. because of course he has a lot of money in the trunk. But Magica takes out the bridge and while scrooge awesomely JUMPS IT... he’s still too late. 

As you probably guess though, Minima had a change of heart, and gave Webby the real dime back, and Scrooge confirms it. Minima TRIES to tell Magica, and Magica is horrified her niece is a goody goody “I”ll never hear the end of it at my astral aerobics class”.. I.. I want to see that. Let’s raise those spirit ladies and kick kick that soul, doge that shadow king punch them in the soul. Yes! Now eat it eat it and absorb it’s power!

We end on a button joke as Webby apologizes for taking the dime., Scrooge accepts it and Webby tells them magica learned to carpet and they gulp for some reason. 

Final Thoughts on Dime after Dime: This story was decent. It has problems, some jokes don’t land and Magica is made horribly incompetent, but minima’s character arc is endearing, and Webby herself is precious as always and her winning Minima over feels genuine. And Scrooge is in prime adoring uncle mode with her and i’ts just so cute. And the roadster race is pretty awesome to watch honestly. It’s an exceptional and enjoyable tie in story.. and not the last ducktales 87 story we’ll be covering here. Wink wonk. 

Next Time: Things get DARK as Lena and Webby head into the depths of Scrooge’s hidden bin and Lena heads into the depths of her own soul. 

Tommorow: Woo-Ooo mofos as we go back to the very beginning of the reboot! A family restored, a lost city to explore, and a glomgold rises! Be here or be square. 

[yusuke96universe]

In need of more Turles content

Why I want more 'Turles' Dragon Ball content.

Background: TURLES' RETURN | ZtoS | Off-The-Cuff and MasakoX's "What If Turles Turned Good" series are both great

Both provide interesting avenues to reboot ideas that a modernized Turles could have.

One links Turles to both retconned Bardock as his estranged brother that unlocked the False SSJ form missed out on a chance at redemption when Planet Vegeta was destroyed. So this can provide Goku a direct connection to his family lineage again.

The other links Turles up with the Heaters organization that competes with the Frieza Empire. This actually provides a method to connect a lot of the contradictory backstories within supplemental materials.

I am a fan of MasakoX's DBZ 'What If' series. I don't always agree with his takes on certain concepts, but through a lot of the community, I can cherry-pick what I like and make my own take on certain subjects like I did with his What If Nappa or Cell turned Good series for example. I often make super long, well-crafted comments that hardly ever get attention, and here is one I made

The comment was about how interesting a character is in the Dragon World

I think Turles should best be used as a means to complicate a plot or storyline. He can fit in many types of stories. He easily can fall under the Magnificient Bastard trope (a.k.a. the Charismaniac), a potential ally, antagonist or something else entirely that makes things difficult for all involved. He can best be used like how Law was introduced in Sabaody Archipelago, a seductive danger that pulls you in. You know he is probably going to stab you in the back or you're being played, but you just can't say "No" to his offers for one reason or another. Either he is charismatic enough to win you over or he's got something you want, bad.

Any character from any alignment good, evil, divine, or even Demonic should have something interesting to say about Turles because he is such an outlier to the rest of the characters. He just offers so much potential fun dynamics and storytelling.

A smart and methodical Saiyan, who still loves to fight and isn't a coward? In fact, he is willing to take on just about anyone, he was introduced while he was preparing to take on Frieza of all people. As smart as he is, he has to know how outmatched he is compared to Frieza's Empire, but he was going to do it. In their interactions within games and such, Turles isn't even nervous, on the contrary. He's pumped!

A fighter who prides himself on his strength, but isn't totally blinded by it to overlook the forest for the trees. He has been shown to have foresight determine his actions. He does get arrogant and that makes him vulnerable, but he can quickly recover by allowing his pragmatism to take over.

A Dragon Ball villain that can respect his enemies? He is open to potential partnerships and underlings joining his side, in fact that is how he recruited his Crusher Corps. (so he could potentially be written to have his own Power of Friendship moments) And he may be willing to ally with the good guys if their goals ever align. He also knows how to be a team player as shown in Xenoverse 2, where he is quick to play mediator with the villains.

A deserter that still has pride in his race, but felt wronged by the caste system that discredited him which acts as a motive for his current actions. So a political plot can be on the table. (he fits a usurper plot to a T)

A drifter whose experiences have led him to blaspheme against the established Divine hierarchy because his Tree of Might that he is known for, is the property of the Gods.

He's pure evil so other pure evil creatures like Devils and Demons who directly oppose the Angels and the Gods could recruit him to be direct counters that contrast the good Saiyans.

While Turles is known for being an 'Evil Goku clone' meant to contrast his characteristics, in doing so, he has contrasted a lot of his own Saiyan race's characteristics as well which puts him in the same boat as Goku who he is meant to contrast. They are both outliers of their race in one way or another.

Anime Goku Black is a sophisticated and elegant Kai on a Multiverse level Crusade compared to Goku's outdoorsman simplicity.

Manga Goku Black contrasted Goku's gentleness and innate goodness by being one of the most vicious villains the series ever had. Zamasu was being taken over by the Saiyan body's base instincts for destruction and violence transforming him in to a ferocious monster.

Turles on the other hand can display traits of both the smart and elegant Zamasu and the Saiyan's natural savageness and societal cruelty while being similar to Goku in that he is an outlier of their race because he reels those traits in opening himself to many more options and avenues to potentially walk down.

I am not even getting into the fact that Turles looks just like the main character so he could be a surviving relative. A cousin, an uncle, half-brother, even a Grandfather with how Saiyans age. Heck a straight up counterpart isn’t even out of the question. 

Personally, I am a bigger fan of him being his own person, and his shared looks are only used to highlight how he contrasts with Goku, but also how they gain similar things like leading a group of strong loyal misfits who admire his power. It’s like the two take their own paths, but arrive at practically the same destination and that is what fascinates me about Turles the most when compared to Goku.

My point is that Turles has a lot of storytelling potential for involvement within What Ifs and even the future of the Dragon Ball Super, but what do you guys think? Do you want to hear my thoughts on how I would reboot Lord Slug as well because I can do that next?My take is a bit different from others but I think it's really interesting. Also, wouldn’t a False Super Saiyan line of forms for Turles be really interesting?

[arabhamlet]

why you should read the heartless divine

hello guys! i haven’t used tumblr in a while, so i hope i tag this correctly, but i really needed to write this post to promote a book i think many, many people will enjoy reading for a number of reasons, and i figured i should give it a shot.

the heartless divine is varsha ravi’s debut novel, self-published last november through amazon. it is a ya fantasy romance inspired by mythology and sangam era india, and you can purchase it as an ebook or as a physical copy on amazon.

i 100% recommend it to anyone who enjoys mythology, reincarnation/soulmates, tragic but tender star-crossed romance (and not in a generic ya way either), or just anything with complex plot, character, and relationships—which, i realize, basically means everyone, but in my defence it is really good and worth a read no matter who you are.

what’s it about?

the heartless divine follows two paralleling narratives. the first is set in the distant past, and follows suri, a princess forced into being an assassin by her warlike family, as she is betrothed to the boy king of a neighbouring land after being assigned the task to kill him once the wedding is complete, only to find her plans going off-kilter when she encounters kiran, a strange prophet who predicts his own incoming death and the catastrophe soon to occur. the second is set in modern-day, and follows a reincarnated suri, with no memories of her past life, who finds her life inexplicably tied to a changed kiran, who she does not remember but who remembers her.

the plot is a bit more complex than this, and this is really just a quick summary, but more than that it’s a story about humans and our relationships to each other, to mortality, and to fate.

i highly recommend it - it can be a little slow to start off with, but once the historical plot starts going i found it pretty much impossible to put down. even though it’s been a few months since i read it, i find myself going back to it pretty much constantly. it’s fantastic both as a ya novel to read for fun, and as something far more complex with so many themes, characters, and dynamics to unpack.

but if you need a bit more encouragement:

why should i read it?

as i mentioned, the plot is incredibly engaging. unlike a lot of ya, as well, the heartless divine is super character-based and has incredibly strong characters in its protagonists. the past storyline also has a running mystery - and the reveal at the end as to who is the real villain definitely caught me off-guard on my first read. the past storyline is also deeply tragic in many ways, hitting you emotionally to great effect, and the climax is absolutely one of the most impactful climaxes of any ya book i’ve ever read—i’m making an effort not to spoil anything while writing this, because the pure emotional punch of the climax should be read completely blind.

ravi’s writing is absolutely gorgeous. she has an incredible command over the written word and wrote some incredibly amazing prose in this book. her writing is at once poetic and also incredibly versatile, fitting into beautiful romantic declarations and sharp dialogue and tense scenes of conflict. i won’t include any massive chunks, but here are some of my favourite lines:

Where does the divinity go, then? he had asked her. She had shrugged. To the sky. That is where all divinity goes after it is dead. But the sky was too far away, and there was not enough left of him, divine or not, to guarantee safe passage on a trip so long.

She had always been afraid of hope, in the same way she figured most people were afraid of black holes. Desire was something that consumed, she knew, and to desire impossibility was to let it consume you entirely. hearts splintered with love and splintered with loss, and to fear one was to fear both—it was safer to resist them both, to draw thick, black demarcations in shining permanent marker, explicit, clear lines that gently reminded her of what could and could not be desired.

“You live as though you are already dead,” she whispered. each word sunk into him, cut through his heart with clean, sharp blades. “You live as though your life is nothing but a prerequisite for death, for true purpose. Have you ever fought to stay alive? Have you ever allowed yourself to think of life as something to love?”

They had the same fine boned face, hollow-cheeked and haunted, the same air of a saint that had burnt away to nothing and held the ashes himself. And yet, they were not the same. It was a twisted, imperfect projection—it was him, but not all of him. This was his savage divinity laid bare.

What were love stories but dreams of worlds where the sun and moon could linger beside one another long enough to learn the language of the other’s heart?

ravi also has an incredible grasp on the themes that she’s writing with. above all, the heartless divine is about humanity and what makes people human—our relationships with each other and with our own place in the world. and in my opinion, she expresses these ideas with great maturity and wisdom.

however, for the most part, the heartless divine’s greatest strength is its characters. kiran is a deeply complex character, a prophet caught between his duty to die as a martyr and his desire to make his own choices and follow what he truly loves. he has a complicated relationship to humanity, but no human more than himself, as he struggles to understand the parameters of his own humanity—the place where his mortality ends and his divinity begins. at first, the kiran of the past and the kiran of the present seem deeply separated from each other, but as the story progresses you begin to understand the tragedy of how kiran became who he is in the modern-day.

at first, suri seems like a typical ya female protagonist, but as the story progresses and she begins to let her guard down a bit more, you really start to see how interesting and complicated she is as a character. she doesn’t believe in gods or fate at the beginning of either storyline, but by the end she slowly starts to accept hope into her heart—ending in two very different ways—and advocates for ignoring fate and following the life you want, desperately searching for the happy ending that you deserve. she also has a deeply captivating character voice, and was, certainly at the beginning, my favourite of the three pov characters.

but my personal favourite character is viro, the primary antagonist of the past plotline (though—no major spoilers—he finally makes an appearance in the modern plotline very close to the end). most people i know who have read the heartless divine feel similarly about viro. ravi makes him a deeply compelling character, fleshing out his motivations and reasoning and in turn writing one of my favourite relationships in the book in his complex brotherly relationship with kiran. i don’t want to spoil much about him, but he is a really interesting character and, though technically the antagonist, is just as compelling as the protagonists.

on the same note, before i talk about the romance in the book, i have to mention viro and kiran’s dynamic, as i feel it drives the past plot in many ways and is deeply interesting. the two are adoptive brothers, and find themselves butting heads almost constantly over their different ideological stances; and though it’s clear they love each other, soon enough you start to worry if love is enough.

onto the romance, and of course i have to talk about suri and kiran, because—how could i not. they’re literal soulmates! two souls who find each other in every lifetime! they’re kindred spirits no matter what, in both past and present, two people who understand each other deeply on a metaphysical level, and no matter what their scenes together were a great joy. they’re a romance where both of them help each other grow, even when surrounded by chaos and catastrophe. here’s one of my favourite lines in the book in case you need some more explanation. this is romance.

“‘Love is dangerous, blinding,’” he quoted, voice soft against her cheeks in an empty semblance of amusement. He pulled back slightly, just enough that she could see the gentleness, the raw warmth in his gaze. The clean lack of regret. “And yet, I see you so clearly.”

it’s perhaps less explicit—but bear in mind this is the first book in a series—but ravi also sets up the dynamic between viro and his guard, companion, and best friend tarak in a way that...is practically impossible not to read as romantic. i won’t spoil it because it is something you have to see in person, but some of the most emotionally charged scenes in the novel deal with their dynamic. here’s another line for good measure. they really said we do it for the girls and the tenderyearning gays that’s it.

Tarak let out a ragged sigh, lost and despairing. Viro reached up and put a hand on his, traced the lines of his fingers. he watched him do it, entranced by the movement and saddened by it as well. Finally, he asked, “If I begged, would you stay?” Viro’s fingers stilled in their movement, suddenly hyper-aware of the way Tarak’s hands shook upon the embroidered fabric of his tunic. as if he couldn’t bear to hold him tighter, as if the mere action would wrench him away.

the world building is also incredibly well done, as is the mythology ravi sets up and the folk stories she tells. also, for good measure, ravi is an indian writer and her story is, as aforementioned, deeply inspired by sangam india. i don’t necessarily have the cultural context to interact with the worldbuilding completely, but from where i stand it’s immensely well done.

the second book in the series is currently being written, and i recommend picking up your copy of the heartless divine soon before the series continues. once again, it’s available on amazon, and here is its page on goodreads and thestorygraph in case you want to add it to your tbr!

also, for good measure, shoot me a message here or on twitter (where i normally am) if you do decide to read it and want to discuss it! for good measure, here’s one of my favourite lines from the book—just as a closing statement.

“I want to hear all of your stories,” she said, fierce as fire. “Every single one. I don’t care whether they have happy endings or not.”

[karmotrinedreams91]

Nine Legacies: The Balefire Rekindled Masterpost

Prelude:  Magic’s resurgence has changed almost every aspect of life. The “mundane” world cannot deny magic’s existence, and is both fearful and all too curious about its capabilities. Despite public and private pushback against the forces of Olde and Arcane, society must come to accept the presence of Fae and other magical phenomena as something “normal,” just as it did during the golden age of magic. But with the benefits of magic’s return comes the many horrors fueled by it: Vengeful dead have begun to rise, monsters stalk the lands, and legends of old reveal their long denied truths to the “modern” world. Luna Nova itself faces one these emboldened threats now, as a shadowy coven that has plagued the legacies left behind by The Nine Old Witches for centuries plots their destruction yet again. The New Nine and their companions stand firm against the darkness, but it will be the dare-devil firebrand Amanda O'Neill, and the reserved and calculating Constanze Amalie Von Braunschbank-Albrechtsberger who must first answer the call of Olde Legacies. When fate calls them to action, they waste no time in taking up the torch, and light Luna Nova’s way to a brighter tomorrow.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22429150/chapters/62068246

Author’s Note:  Hello, and thank you, first off, for reading this post! I hope that I’ve piqued interest! To explain further though, Nine Legacies: The Balefire Rekindled, is the first installment in a series of fanfiction I plan to write, titled under the series name Nine Legacies, as one might expect. This fic, and all of the fics that follow it in the series, are/will be a deep expansion and exploration of the Little Witch Academia world. The main focus of the OG series/ovas was never world building. It was focused on Akko and her journey, and that’s amazing. The original series is possibly one of my favorite and most beloved pieces of media. But it leaves much for the viewer to ponder on, doesn’t it? Who were the Nine Olde Witches? As in, who were they as people? What were they like? What was life really like during the golden age of magic? Where do the Fae come from? How did magical societies organize themselves? How will they do so again now that magic is returned, and how will non-magical, or “mundane” society, as I call it, react to such a sudden paradigm shift?  These questions and more are what drove me to write this fic/series. It’s not just an exercise in world building, of course. While that may be one of my great loves when it comes to writing, Nine Legacies is primarily a story about Found Families, love (for the self and others), and how those two things are tested by a world around us that, at times, feels wholly uncaring and apathetic to your very existence. It deals in the above themes as well as in political struggle, fighting for the right to live as you are, with trauma and how to overcome/live with trauma, and especially with the first installment, Balefire, with Vengeance.

It features some horror elements, lots of action, and cosmic horror elements (IE Lovecraftian horror elements; think Cthuluhu, if you’re not aware). 

(Credit for above image goes to Alexis Kennedy, and all of the artists who worked on the Weather Factory game named: Cultist Simulator)

It’s not all gloom and doom though; I’m not here to write an unsatisfying story. It may be gritty and grim at times, but I try to balance that out with humor and fluff, both dark humor, and much more light hearted fair that you’d expect from LWA. And yes, it is VERY gay (I’m a trans lesbian woman, if this wasn’t extremely gay then I would have failed myself). This might sound like quite the departure from what you usually read for LWA, and it probably is, but I hope that this is an enjoying and stimulating experience! While it is very much my own canon, I’ve based just about everything I’ve done with the setting on the original series’ material, as well as materials adjacent to the canon, such as mangas, light novels, and the OVAS. 

This series will be a four-five part installment of novel length fics. Nine Legacies: The Balefire rekindled, is currently, as of August second 8/2/2020, unfinished, as I write chapter 20 of what will like be 27-28 chapters in total, and it is already the third longest LWA fic on AO3 (archive of our own) at 442,068 words. I began properly writing this fic in full in January, for reference, and started planning out the whole story/what I wanted out of it in november of 2019. I try to update every other week, or every week if possible, and do weekly/two weekly updates on my progress, all posted to this tumblr. 

Lastly, and most importantly, there are two things to note about Balefire, and about Nine Legacies as a whole: I give antagonists their own scenes and perspectives quite a bit. I feel it is imperative to my story that the antagonists all get screen time to help better flesh them out. And secondly, each installment in the series will focus on 2-3 of the “New Nine” witches (The New Nine in this case being Red, Green, and Blue teams. Chariot and Croix are NOT New Nine in this, but will play important roles for various characters throughout. Think of them more as mentors for the New Nine). Balefire specifically focuses on Constanze and Amanda, but it also sets up the plots and development for just about every other New Nine witch, and you can expect to see other OC characters in important side roles that will develop and enhance the story, as well as lesser used characters from LWA, such as Wangari making appearances as important side characters. I can’t say much more on the specifics, but I’ll leave this section off with something to entice you: ALL of the Nine Olde Witches (as written by my own canon, essentially) will be fleshed out in full. Their origin, who they were, why they were important, all of that is crucial to the story, hence the series title, Nine Legacies. 

“Perhaps they, the new blood.... Perhaps they hold the strength to rekindle our flame.” 

I hope all of this has you interested and ready to read! ITS FINISHED NOW! All the main chapters are done, but I intend to go back and do a FULL re-edit, with criticisms, suggestions, and corrections in mind from YOU GUYS, the readers. PLEASE: Never hesitate to send me asks, comment, leave kudos, etc. ALL of that stuff shows me whether or not I’ve done good work, and even if I haven't, telling me HOW I may have failed will always be helpful. I want to make this the best fic it possibly can be, but I can’t do that without reader participation. 

Without further adieu: Nine Legacies: The Balefire Rekindled

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22429150/chapters/53589904

[vampirenaomi]

This is a translation of an interview that was included in the booklet that came with vol. 2 of the Japanese Part 5 DVD/BD release. The interview is with Kenjiro Tsuda, Albert’s voice actor, and he talks about his work on Part 5, Albert, and his views on Lupin III in general. It was conducted by Mai Takano.

The interview was translated by @sotetag. You can contact her about translation commissions if you’ve got Japanese material you’d like to see translated.

LUPIN THE THIRD PART 5

INTERVIEW SERIES PROJECT  [PART 2]

KENJIRO TSUDA

Albert d’Andrésy

An interview series project in which the staff and the cast that worked on the show tell us their thoughts about the production of “PART 5”, anecdotes, etc. Part 2 is with Kenjiro Tsuda, who voiced Albert. He passionately tells us how happy he was to be able to participate in “Lupin III”, which he has liked since he was a kid, and how he feels about Lupin!

– Mr. Tsuda, you have claimed to be a “Lupin III” fan. What was it like to voice Albert d’Andrésy, a new character?

Tsuda   I was just happy to be in the world of a show that I’ve loved since I was a kid. Actually, I also participated in PART 4, but playing a regular character really is completely different.

– PART 5 takes place in France, Arsène Lupin’s country. It depicts a modern, “digital” society. What was your first impression of such a setting and the character called Albert?

Tsuda   The setting itself was very new. Regarding the digital aspect, I was surprised by  Okouchi and the rest of the staff’s skills, because it didn’t feel out of place at all in relation to earlier Lupin installments. As for Albert, my first impression was that he was a bit of a cold, bitter character. But that changed as each episode progressed. I realized that his cold, sarcastic attitude was just a façade, and he became more and more fun.

– Albert was created from original author Monkey Punch’s wish for “a character that will keep on living and become involved with Lupin and other characters for a long time”. At first glance, he’s gentlemanly and mysterious. He also likes Leblanc’s “Arsène Lupin” series, so the fact that his surname is “d’Andrésy” made him exciting.

Tsuda   People who like him will get the reference. According to producer Kiyozono, that surname indicates that he might be related by blood to Lupin. They also look alike a little.

– PART 5 is innovative and delves more deeply into the characters, but Albert’s existence is what gets closest to Lupin’s past and roots. How did you prepare to play such an important role?

Tsuda   I have the impression that I got started right from the first episode. At the recording for episode 1, I didn’t know about earlier developments, so I had just prepared for the role of a bad guy. Then, I got instructions from sound director Kiyomizu to be “a little more casual”. He explained, “Albert is not a bad guy. He looks like it, but he just has a bond with Lupin,” and we made adjustments little by little. Albert is part of the elite in the higher ranks of the Judicial Police. He may look like a cold wire-puller, but in reality, there was a time when he was a professional thief along with Lupin. Albert the Elite is a façade. He created his current personality for the sake of the big job of “stealing France” and to run the path to success – that’s how I understood it when I voiced him. On a base level, he’s a thief. He hasn’t changed at all since he teamed up with Lupin.

– He has a strangely antagonistic relationship with those around Lupin, such as Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko, the so-called Lupin Family, and Zenigata. How do you perceive his unique relationship with Lupin?

Tsuda   They’re rivals, I guess. Story-wise, that’s what they became. At first, there’s a strong nuance to them deceiving each other, but once they fight alongside each other, they get closer. Then, they grow apart again. The fact that the sense of distance between them keeps changing is because they’re rivals, I think.

– The scene in which Albert has a nightmare after Lupin told him, “You’re not cut out to be a thief,” and then he wakes up was impressive.

Tsuda   He must have been so frustrated. But there’s also a scene in which Albert throws Lupin’s words back at him. He gives as good as he gets. In that sense, they really are equals.

– What was it like to work with Kanichi Kurita, Lupin’s voice actor?

Tsuda   I think Lupin’s dialogues, to put it simply, have a lot of ad-lib. Albert’s dialogues are similar, but they’re definitely not the same. So, when I was going to perform, I had to remind myself, “Don’t let [Kurita] pull you into it.”

  Even in Lupin’s dialogues, there are scenes in which Kurita has to restrain himself and be more serious, and there are scenes in which he can be more extravagant, so it varies a lot from scene to scene. That feeling is what made it so much fun to interact with him. I pretty much only talked to Lupin (laughs). Every other interaction was political or with a subordinate.

– Lupin was your partner in all scenes that had emotion. By the way, is there a character that you would have liked to talk to, or any scene you particularly liked?

Tsuda   I like Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko, and I definitely like Lupin, so I’m very satisfied in that sense. The story focused on Lupin, after all. There was also the appearance of a very modern girl called Ami. She’s a girl that also carries the elements of a “digital society”, which is one of the themes in PART 5. When she started to smile, to feel awkward, to open up and show emotions, she became very charming. As for my favorite scenes, I would say it’s the ones in which the whole Lupin Family gets together and smart-talk each other. I just love that kind of interaction. Of course, there were also many serious, exciting scenes that made me go, “Ooh!” and, “I see!” but it’s the silly interactions that make me happy. Same thing with the scenes I recorded. Albert barely appears in the scenes where the whole Lupin Family is together, so I got to watch from the sidelines (laughs). The silly parts, including the atmosphere when we were recording, really moved me. That’s why, if you ask me what episodes and what scenes I liked, I’ll say it was the unassuming ones. Especially in the last episode, when things get hectic, and yet the Lupin Family keeps on going lightheartedly as usual. That’s the kind of interaction between them that I really enjoyed.

– I can tell how much you love it.

Tsuda   “Mr. Kurita, I’m so glad you’re Lupin,” I told him earnestly. He replied, “Oh, really?” like he was pleased with himself (laughs).

– So, what fascinates you about “Lupin III” is the Lupin Family.

Tsuda  I think they’re multifaceted. They are connected by several bonds, but they’re not dependent on one another. Each one of them has a role that they carry out professionally. It’s that kind of rich relationship. Of course, the story itself is also fascinating. Most of the current main staff wasn’t involved in the earlier Lupin series, but... Out of the original cast, there was just Kiyoshi Kobayashi, but it’s amazing how the younger generation that replaced them is enthusiastically “creating a new Lupin”. We’re frantically trying to turn the Lupin franchise, which has existed for 50 years, into something new without ruining it in any way. PART 5 is also a return to origin, after all.

– You’re right; even though PART 5 depicts modern era, it feels surprisingly old-fashioned.

Tsuda   Before we started recording, Kiyozono told me, “Mr. Tsuda, it’s in France this time. France is Lupin’s origin,” and he sounded really excited. Well, I guess it also put a lot of pressure on me, though. It’s like he was telling me to do my best (laughs). I felt encouraged to protect the franchise without hesitation. People will actually die. It’s a representation that takes courage. I was also moved by how that place was thoroughly depicted.

– This might be unrelated, but the second act, in which Albert plays a more active role, has an atmosphere reminiscent of French movies from the ‘50s to ‘70s (film noir). Do you think it was a result of themes like “friendship and betrayal between men” and Yuji Ohno’s music?

Tsuda   Indeed. He was very particular about setting the mood, too. I think he worked hard to set the mood while explaining as little as possible. For example, there were quite a lot of scenes that made me wonder, “Is this scene really necessary to the story?” while I was performing. I realize that’s where the mood comes from. Albert lives with a man. Even though it’s a modern setting, I wondered, is that necessary story-wise?

– That’s true. His story with Lupin could have been told without including that.

Tsuda   Yeah, it’s deliberately depicted. He lets him smoke his cigarette, and that portrayal gently sets the mood... There are scenes like that all the time. I think those sweet moments just pile up to create that atmosphere and draw you in. “Lupin III” has always done that kind of thing. The Lupin Family doesn’t put into words what’s important. I guess showing relationships and moods in the whole scene is an adult representation. Anime nowadays often explain too much. We would still have an adventure even if those parts had been left out, but in the end, Lupin is an adult show. At first glance, it looks like it’s just kicks and giggles. It’s really cool.

– Even when it’s kicks and giggles, there’s some leeway for adults.

Tsuda   That’s what’s fascinating about “Lupin III”.

– Has your way of life been influenced by “Lupin III” in any way?

Tsuda   I always feel like living a rich life. Everyone in the Lupin Family lives a rich life. They do exactly what they have to do. But I think there’s this underlying idea that life is supposed to be fun. I guess it’s what we call freedom. This way of life that values freedom, where you’re not tied down to anything, resonates with me. If you really read into it, they all protect their freedom very stoically. They strive to be free and are willing to take risks. They don’t actually talk about it, though. But I can tell from their behavior that they’re strongly determined to “protect their freedom”. That’s probably why so many people like “Lupin III”. It inspires them.

– “Protect their freedom stoically.” I feel like that is also true for you, Mr. Tsuda. You’ve played a lot of remarkable villains in recent years, but how do you feel about that?

Tsuda   Villains are interesting. I have enjoyed the moments when cool villains stole the spotlight. I’ve rooted for villains from a villain’s point of view. Even on the stage, I’ve had many chances to play the role of the bad guy since I was young... Well, I guess I’m suited for it.

– Maybe it’s a good match with your mysterious voice.

Tsuda   Maybe you’re right. However, it’s been reversed recently. Like, “He seems like a good guy, but he’s voiced by Tsuda, so he must definitely have an ulterior motive” (laughs).

– Evil follows you everywhere (laughs). About Albert, maybe it’s because he’s a wire-puller at the beginning, but as we start seeing who he really is, he becomes more and more endearing.

Tsuda   He went in exactly the opposite direction. I’m glad. Actually, the animation team worked hard on Albert, too. Of course, several people drew Albert’s face, but his face looks strangely cool sometimes. His face makes me do a double take and wonder, “Was he always this handsome?” Kiyozono told me that it’s because the animators worked really hard on it and you can’t miss Albert’s attractiveness from their point of view... He actually said this for the package.

– (Everyone laughs)

Tsuda   I definitely want you to watch Albert’s expressions over and over. It’s good commentary, isn’t it?

– It’s great. I want to check it out now.

Tsuda   Check it out as often as possible (laughs). When he’s looking down and then he raises his head, he looks incredibly handsome. Albert as a government official, and the wild Albert from the past. That’s how some parts drew me into the animation. If he looks this cool, I have to make him cool, too.

– There’s a lot of Lupin merch with those images, right?

Tsuda   Well, I’m really grateful for it. I worked hard to do them justice.

– What I find fascinating about Albert is how he works to make good on his words; he claims he will “steal France” and so he makes his way up to the higher ranks of the Judicial Police.

Tsuda   Albert really is an overachiever. Lupin is the same way. For example, whether he starts working in a normal business or becomes a government official, he will really excel at it. He’s a genius, a strategist, amazingly brave, determined, and a man of action. He’s got it all. Albert is on the same level, so he has the ability to succeed in his career all on his own, even if he led a normal life. Being “the greatest thief in the world” is on the same level.

– I agree. Without spoiling the PART 5 finale, what does Albert hope to gain by taking over France?

Tsuda   Oh, that hasn’t been shown yet. Albert has already gotten high up enough that he can attend meetings in the presence of the President of France. I hope it’ll be revealed in PART 6, 7, 8... for instance (laughs). This is just a supposition on my part, but I think Albert might be a thrill-seeker. If there’s something more thrilling than being a thief, it’s being a thief that “steals France”, or at least that’s how I see it. I mean, it’s just a hunch that it’s more interesting. Maybe he has an even bigger ambition and having France under his control is just one step toward that goal.

– He’s such an interesting character, isn’t he?

Tsuda   I’m also glad to have met him. It was a big responsibility, but it was a fun job. It allowed me to have pleasant interactions with Kurita and everyone else. “Come here! Let’s go grab a bite,” stuff like that. They were considerate of me so I wouldn’t have to be anxious.

– That is also an adult environment. Do you think it has something to do with the way Lupin and Albert get closer when they work together?

Tsuda   In the sense that they work together to reach a goal, yes, maybe. In our line of work, we have to work closely together for a certain period and then we just say bye and go on our merry way. In order to make a good show, we treat one another respectfully at our workplace even if we feel competitive, and when we think, “That person is interesting,” we just go and talk to them to close that distance.

– It’s really a team work. That is also the kind of relationship that “Lupin III” teaches us about.

Tsuda   Lupin’s stories have always been that way; even when things get hectic, it’s always very invigorating at the end. This is my personal opinion, but PART 5 also ended on a invigorating note. Lupin can be different depending on whether it’s a TV series or a movie, but this finale was definitely positive. That’s Lupin for you. Even when Lupin is worn-out and driven into a corner, he’s always in good spirits. Even when we were recording PART 5, you would often hear, “Lupin is really strong!” He was even shot by Albert. He goes through so much, and yet he always recovers (laughs). Since he’s always in good spirits, maybe it’s some sort of dream that such a person would be the protagonist. Goemon, Jigen, and Fujiko have some sort of dark past, too. However, Lupin is the one who shines on everything. He is an overwhelming sun.

– Albert is also compared to Lupin in terms of “sun and moon”, isn’t he?

Tsuda   Yes. Under the overwhelming sun, even a child like Ami will grow fast. That’s why I find the ending invigorating. It’s probably one of the reasons why the Lupin franchise gets so much support.

– Incidentally, what is your favorite movie or series?

Tsuda   In the sense that I remember watching it every year, “Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro” is definitely eternal. I also love the second series, with Red Jacket Lupin, whose reruns I would watch when I came home from school.

– Red Jacket Lupin also got a reference in episode 11 (“Get Pablo's Collection”) of PART 5, right?

Tsuda   That was so touching. I feel like PART 5 was some sort of compilation of everything that is good.

– I look forward to Albert’s return in the finale and the invigorating ending. Finally, what is your message to all the other fans who love “Lupin III”?

Tsuda   “Lupin III” is a show that is supposed to be connected to the future. While it introduces such modern elements in PART 5 and changes with the times, it never loses its aesthetics and remains a broad-minded series that will live on. That’s why I definitely want it to last for a long time. PART 6, 7, and 8... Of course, I want Albert to have an active role, too. I really hope I can help build a relationship that brings out a new side of Lupin that no one ever saw before. And I hope that everyone who bought this package will continue to love “Lupin III” and fully support it. Don’t forget to watch Albert’s expressions over and over! (laughs)

[army-of-mai-lovers]

1, 5, 8, 12, 18, 20, 22 for the ask thing; you dont have to do all of them lol

lmao try me

1. Tell us about your current project(s)  – what’s it about, how’s progress, what do you love most about it?

answered here!

5. What character that you’re writing do you most identify with?

Okay this is my third attempt at answering this but I’m going to say Mako. Like me, Mako is mixed, like me, Mako is an oldest sibling, with all the mess that comes with that, and like me, Mako spends so much time people pleasing that he has no idea who he actually is. I’ve written a lot of characters who have traits similar to me in some way, but Mako is so similar to me that the first time I tried to watch lok I could not stand him because he reminded me of all the parts of myself I couldn’t stand (although I didn’t realize it at the time). He’s weird and awkward and stubborn and shouldering way too much, but I love him nonetheless. 

8. Is what you like to write the same as what you like to read?

literally not at all lmao. I don’t read nearly as much fic as I used to, but the fic that I do read most often is fluffy shippy stuff, which is largely not the kind of stuff I write. fanfic for me is definitely comfort reading, and so I try to maximize the comfort as much as possible. outside of fic....yeah honestly I read way more romance than you would expect looking at my listed works on ao3. other than that, I read a lot of nonfiction and poetry, and sometimes I like to read “literary” books. I’m really trying to expand my horizons reading-wise (and I think in a lot of ways I’m succeeding) but honestly I think people get a little too up in arms about trying to make other people expand their horizons reading-wise. I’m in college, and I have to read a bunch for school, so if in my free time I just want to read fluffy oneshots on ao3 that’s what I’m going to do. When I gather up the time and energy I really enjoy reading more “literary” stuff on my own time, and that stuff tends to have a huge impact on me (and my work), but I believe that, at least to an extent, you should let people turn off their brains every once in a while. it’s a shit world out there and the least you can do is read about your favorite characters getting together in the stupidest most cliche way possible. so yeah, I practice turning my brain off every once in a while as a form of self-care, and I’m not ashamed of that in the slightest. 

12. Do you want your writing to be famous?

that is an excellent question. I’d really like to be a writer someday, and I’d like to be able to live off of income from my writing, so in that sense yes I’d like my writing to be famous. as far as fanfic is concerned? eh. it seems like a lot of pressure and a lot of nonsense to have a fic that Everyone Knows About And Is Waiting For You To Update. but also, there are certain fics of mine where I would like it if they got popular throughout the fandom, if only so that people would start emulating choices that I made in their own writing (e.g. not setting their modern aus in the US/UK/Europe). I don’t know though, I think even if that happened, it wouldn’t happen in the way I wanted it to. every time I’ve seen this fandom shift in what I think will be a more equitable less racist direction, all that’s actually happened is that people come up with new racist tropes to fit whatever “unproblematic” new trope the fandom’s come up with. at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what I want though, because my fics are either going to get popular or they’re not, and from what I’ve seen, my writing and the larger atla/lok fandom aren’t that compatible, so that’s the end of that. 

18. Do any of your stories have alternative versions? (plotlines that you abandoned, AUs of your own work, different characterisations?) Tell us about them.

in an early outline of ktwab, Zuko was going to be a bender, which if you’ve read that fic would have changed the storyline drastically, since so much of his character in the published fic revolves around him not being a bender. I wasn’t super comfortable with the nonbender Zuko hc at the time I was outlining ktwab for the first time, so I was really hesitant to put it in the fic, but after a while I realized that it was the right thing for the story. honestly, I’ve really come to love it. there’s always something interesting about imagining a bending character without bending, but I think it’s most interesting when looking at Zuko because it’s both so close to canon (in that he’s a late bloomer wrt Firebending and he’s not that great at it for most of the show) and so far away from it (in that Firebending is an integral part of the way canon Zuko views the world). and it gets doubly interesting when he’s the primary antagonist to Avatar Sokka. 

20.Tell us the meta about your writing that you really want to ramble to people about (symbolism you’ve included, character or relationship development that you love, hidden references, callbacks or clues for future scenes?

ugh ok I’m going to copy/paste part of a mini essay I wrote about character foils in ktwab but redact all the parts that would indicate who it’s about because it’s all spoilers: 

[REDACTED] has been cheated out of power, and his every action is motivated out of anger that he was cheated out of that power. Even his love for [REDACTED] is colored by the fact that he knows that one day, [REDACTED] might repay him by allowing him to survive and thrive when he’s [REDACTED]. [REDACTED], on the other hand, has never had access to imperial power and thus has never had the opportunity to be cheated out of it. His anger is at the fact that imperial power exists. Thus, while both of them are angry and fight against the Fire Nation with violence, [REDACTED]’s is the anger that’s misguided. It is based in a selfish desire to regain imperial power rather than a solidarity with people who have never had imperial power. Thus, his death in Ba Sing Se foreshadows the death of imperial power itself, a la [REDACTED], rather than power simply changing hands. Not only does [REDACTED] die, he dies for [REDACTED], the one best suited to end the imperial project of the Fire Nation. [REDACTED]’s role to him changes from “person who can help me survive” to “person who benefits from me losing my imperial power” to “person whom I can help end the imperial project” Meanwhile, [REDACTED]’s survival signifies the survival of an organized anti-imperialist resistance, one with an incredible amount of teeth, and its alliance with people who have the power to enact it on a grand scale. 

22. Do you reread your old works? How do you feel about them?

I think the only one I reread somewhat often is the greatest of them all, and even that I haven’t looked at in a long time. my feelings toward that fic in particular are mixed, mostly because that was the first thing I’d written creatively in a long while and it’s pretty apparent from the writing style of it (at least to me). but I think that with every new fic (or every new chapter of fics I’ve been working on for an obscene amount of time) I improve as a writer, and the whole reason I got into writing fanfiction is because I want to be a better writer. so I’m grateful towards any piece of work that helped me get there. 

writer meta ask game!