#those are the ones with the most 'backstory' anyway

[fixyourwritinghabits]

Editing Part 4: Worldbuilding Pass

Next up, worldbuilding! We're tackling this before structure, because you don't want to get too far into the weeds, realize a critical component of your story is wrong, and then throw your computer out the window in frustration.

Anyway, when it comes to worldbuilding, there's a lot of moving parts. There is no right or wrong way to worldbuild, but my preferred approach is to worldbuild as the story goes along. Any method works, and you can check out the worldbuilding tag for more. In editing your worldbuilding, you want to think about:

Trimming Front-loading/Info Dumps

When writing fantasy/sci-fi, getting down how the world works can take over the story. In first drafting, this is fine! But when you're trying to clean that draft up, it's better to weave this information in as you go.

Need to explain how the giant mechas guarding the city operate? Maybe your main character is trying to steal some precious alloy from one, giving you opportunity to explain how they work and how society feels about them. Have a magic system that relies on singing tunes? Show that off by having students practicing, or dueling rivals taking it too far.

You probably know by now that the thing you should avoid the most is "as you know" dialogue dumps - characters explaining concepts to each other that they both clearly understand. Another, weaker version of this is the "magic class" trap, where things are explained to the main character and the reader. A classroom environment is fine, but pair worldbuilding with action - demonstrations get out of hand, spells go wrong, etc. Make it fun!

Your World Needs Clear Rules (Sorry)

Listen, this is the part I hate. I have a WIP with the word "Rules" in the title and I'm still figuring out what those rules are. Argh. But the sooner you know the rules, the easier editing will be. The more clear those rules are to the reader, the more impactful breaking them will be.

If the rules of the world (you can't use warp speed too close to a planet's gravitational pull, the same type of magic cancels each other out) and the consequences of breaking them are clear, the pay-off will be satisfying for both you and the reader.

Use Your Environment to Your Full Advantage

You've no doubt heard 'make setting a character' and that's evergreen advice. Some of the best books out there are those where it feels like you could step through the page and into a real place, be it your childhood middle school or Narnia. Getting that feeling, however, is more than just describing a place really well.

Mood - How does the location make you feel? Does a dark, cramped room leave the characters with a feeling of dread? How would that feeling change if it was an overstuffed library with comfortable chairs?

Weather - Beyond the 'dark and stormy night' descriptions, weather impacts our daily lives and is often overlooked. A rain-drenched funeral scenes seems like it's the way to go, but how differently would that scene feel if it was a sunny day with birds singing?

City Versus Countryside - These books are a great reference for description, but also take a step back to compare how different situations would feel both in the setting and to your character. Quiet can mean very different things depending on where you are. A morning fog in the countryside might feel comforting to someone used to it, but to someone new to that environment, it might feel creepy. Think about both your environment and how your character reacts to it based on their backstory.

The Empty Room Problem

This is always a big challenge when moving from the first draft bare bones basics to fleshing things out. How much description is too much? (As a note, it's always okay to overcorrect - you'll have a chance to fix it later!) This post from @novlr has a lot of great questions - but you're still going to narrow it down to the most important details.

Escape the Movie Setting - You cannot describe the room like it's a movie set. Trying to do so is going to be overwhelming, and important details will be lost in the attempt. If you were to describe your room or your favorite coffee shop and could only highlight four or five details, what would you focus on? What gives the reader the essence of the place rather than a list of things that exist there?

Establish the Essentials - Is this your first character's first time in this room? Is it going to be key to several plot-important scenes? Some big, sweeping details when entering - how big it is, what's in it, where the windows are, how it feels, etc - are good to start with. Your character can briefly admire a full bookshelf in the first scene, and then study it in more detail in the second. If you have one scene in this place and spend too much time describing it, you're going to make your reader think it's more important than it is.

Engage the Senses - Does an old room smell musty? Does the coldness of the woods have a sharp taste? Does touching a shelf bring up a lot of dust? How does the lighting in the room make the main character feel?

Getting down the description of a room or setting is not something you'll nail in one shot, but if you approach each scene asking yourself "does this feel like a real place or a white room?" you can narrow down what's missing.

[yael-art-den]

Galahad (Right) and Rey (Left). More info about their whole deal after the cut

These guys are some of my oldest OC couples at around 8 years old (that I still use), and Galahad has changed quite a bit but Rey was already perfect. Backstory:

They both come from a setting in which I never bothered really giving names as I was more focused on the characters. so we'll call the place Galahad is from "The Empire" and Rey's "The Kingdom". Names are not relevant rn.

We have Galahad, an orphan Ifrit that REALLY gets into magic because he sucks at anything physical and it was the only way for him to pursue higher education. Ends up in a magical-military career as a way to keep climbing the social ladder and because they are the only people who will fund his research into stable, 24/7 open portal magic.

He REALLY gets into politics because those two things are joined at the hip and he was always a nosy bitch that never stays still when there is an opportunity to improve his current position. He doesn't do it out of malice but because he fears that at ANY time the rug will be pulled under him and he'll be back at square one poor as a rat and he needs to feel in control of his life. He starts having secret hookups with people WAY above his station.

Context notes: The Empire™ it's very very conservative. They can still charge you with indecency if you're a sodomite, ESPECIALLY if you're a public figure. That of course doesn't stop gay sex from happening anyway but someone has to be the escapegoat when a scandal happens

Exactly the thing above happens. One of the dudes in the council gets called out for exactly that and he throws Galahad under the bus. One accusation gets piled one after the other and his lovers jump ship before the finger can be pointed at them too. His public image is in shambles but he actually gets charged with Treason (because airing publicly who he hooked up with would be BAD and he probably got those corrupting ideas from the barbaric Kingdom anyway)

Galahad bites the bullet and goes into exile before anyone can try to murder him before the trial, thus "confirming" the fact that he is, in fact, a traitor. He was always ready for this though, so he takes all of the portal research with him.

Now he's bitter, heartbroken, and completely alone in enemy territory. He's not the kind of person that just lets life happens to him, so he goes right back at work again. Unfortunately he discovers that working on Seals and Sigils at -20°C in the middle of the artic tundra is Not Easy and needs to get a real job there.

Now, for Rey and The Kingdom©. Whereas Galahad is a normal dude with a congenital condition (albinism), Rey is the result of literal dragon eugenics. He doesn't have a name (Rey is short for Rey de la Ventisca, his title) and, in their culture, there is no word or space for princes. For the royal lineage, you either are the King or you aren't; and if you Aren't, you better challenge the current one to a fight to the death. Cold spares no one, you have to be THE strongest, flawless, perfect execution of the divine vessel you were born to incarnate.

Rey is just his title, as meaning "rulling above all else" but it's actually a theocracy. His religion believes the holy power of dragons and Frost Dragons are the only kind that will live most of their life in "humanoid", lesser shapes, as their true form is reserved to very particular events (I.E: coronations) or religious military conquests.

Rey, despite his power and attitude, is not really a person, and never tried to be. He is THE King, that's all he needs to be. Until Galahad comes around, there was no difference in his mind between himself, the last or the next King.

The Kingdom is not more "open" politically, it's just different in how it handles them altogether. It's a GIVEN that the King Will eventually have an heir who will murder him and take the throne, so who cares if he's sucking dick in the meantime. Rey makes or breaks every single societal rule he wants by virtue of Being, and that becomes what now Is. It's almost open knowledge that the King favors men, so now it's just What Kings Do.

He has the biggest hoard in the whole setting, and despite that, he doesn't really... owns anything. It's the King's. He protects the Kingdom, its treasure, and his title, and does so HAPPILY but it's not until he starts viewing himself as an individual that he starts WANTING things. When Galahad eventually tells him that he wants to belong to him, he puts emphasis on that last part. He wouldn't want to be with the last king, or the next one, he wants Him. Galahad doesn't think he's an empty vessel because everything that he loves lives there.

Unfortunately, having wants and needs comes with the fact that you WILL have to confront the fact that you really don't want to have heirs and want to marry your consort and your whole world vision will come crumbling down on you because if you're not able to truly be King then you must be Something Else and that just Does Not Compute

Whoops someone murdered the twink. Holy war

[pruneunfair]

Also if you don't mind asking, what is the villainess) female antagonists like rashta, Marianne, Cosette, Yvonne, Freya, Diana, Soleia, etc animal pets will fit in them?

sorry this took so long to answer. Your question was actually put on a list for questions to turn into full on posts and it unfortunately got delayed, I'm sorry for the hassle.

A lamb for the innocence she once had before the palace ruined her. After she was corrupted I imagine the lamb would become more rabid in order to protect itself.

I don't think Rhyse knows bread is actually bad for ducks and would keep feeding them it anyway.

There's a lot of bird symbolism already in COBYB but this image I found low key fits Claudine the best given how she is stuck as only a wife and it could also symbolize her more self centered behaviors.

One of those really prissy cats that don't listen to what you ask of them. The type you spoil and they won't even sit on your lap unless it's on their own time.

All I knew was is that it had to be a snake. No other explanation, girl just loves her snakes.

This dog except it's covered in extra accessories and put in a purse to be taken everywhere regardless of any no dogs allowed rules because Sumin is honestly a menace who would claim her purse dog is a service dog. (Not sure if Sumin should have access to pets 😅)

Have you ever heard of chronic wasting disease? The deer is an unfortunate victim of the disease which is slowly killing it and I think it symbolizes Yvonne well knowing she's basically a walking corpse.

This is a skin walker. According to the Navajo, they are malevolent witches who have the ability to dawn the appearance of whatever animal they choose. Thought it suited Ragibach pretending to be Cosette in the creepiest way possible.

Shes petting one in the picture so why not, plus she's described as attracting animals to her so I just imagine Charlotte with Disney princess aura to attract all sorts of woodland creatures.

Any kind of creepy looking bird would fit Marianne tbh. Ravens though just naturally give off the most energy for eerieness.

I haven't been giving Mia any attention cause I kept forgetting about her. Frankly, she looks like the type to like bunnies.

probably can be used for most white lotus characters but dolphins are the best match for Isabella considering how evil dolphins actually are and Isabella is a villianess who legit has no excuse to be the way she is, no sad backstory, no possession, she simply came out the womb a hater

Chihuahuas are often thought to be aggressive always which there can be but with enough love, help and understanding they become the sweetest babies known to man.

Chaotic ass dog for one of most chaotic looking but also kinda stupid villainesses.

Again, no real reason, all I know is that I would give Aisha a deer.

EDIT: accidently reblogged this post twice. Whoops

[nenoname]

stan twins the canon cptsd brothers i will always think about all your unaddressed issues that would make perfect plot fuel for your spinoff

and also the whole 'stan getting that poem by bill via a website which contrasts with bill getting one from the axolotl via a website' foreshadowing thing

like idk i would love something like su future but like more optimistic, aka not an accumulated breakdown that has to be mostly resolved off screen at the end :/// but something thats being kinda addressed throughout? (although would love to see one of them turn into a monster thats always fun lol)

stan having severe issues from his dad and those years of being homeless that we keep on getting more info on but never really getting confronted on (the drifter catalogue and tijuana incident...), him being completely alone for like twenty years when running the shack before soos comes along to the point that 1998 is noted as his low point, and him not really learning about bill+what he did to ford until ages after he killed him if he ever did get the full context

while i think amnesia and everyone seeing him as a hero actually helped with stan's 'i'm a worse version of my brother' thing its still a lingering issue too and we now got him being insecure over his own hands

ford being immediately thrown from 'being tortured by bill' to 'being stuck in the multiverse and being chased by bounty hunters constantly', him fully expecting himself to die when destroying bill, and him only now being safe for the first time in 30 years ....relatively safe, he's still in constant danger because of course he is

idk in the end the series wants them to be happy and they deserve it, its why i wasn't too worried about the book being like 'ooh bill is back!! and the book is haunting ford' thing cos i knew they'll be ok

[gladiatorcunt]

thinking about rafe & coryo & anakin & astarion and how imo their inherrent appeal (if you pick up on any) is supposed to be in the fact that something is extremely wrong with them (or they aren’t meant to have any appeal at all). bc i don’t understand the stans who are so selective with reading and hearing they try to argue otherwise like were you so blinded you ignored the glaringly & obviously bad things about them??????? rafe & coryo & anakin later especially?????????

[forcedhesitation]

why should it just be steve who has all the torturous purgatory realm fun?

[ohdeargodwhy]

Still trying to work out why they made Trent a gay man if not for TedTrent and/or to be a parallel to divorcee Ted also coming out later in life make it make sense

(Like yes kinda support to the colin storyline but also there were so many other characters who could have provided that - sharon for one, obviously, keeley another, any new character. Also why specifically gay and (we assume) divorced and not happily married bi or gay with kids???)

[plusultraetc]

little snippet of Brave the Dark chapter 8 for fic bday <3

(boy I sure love this funky little bard, I hope he doesn't do anything foolish like tell lies or listen to his brain instead of his gut)

[sweetandglovelyart]

Would anyone be interested in hearing about my various Kirby OCs? I’ve only drawn a few of them at this point, but I have a lot of them and have come up with what I hope are interesting backstories for all of them. If anyone is interested I might make a post giving a summary of every OC I have so far, and then I’ll eventually draw them.

[wispwatched]

HELLO HI I live, I swear! friendly reminder to look at my muses page before interacting, thank you! it will tell you who is or can be a Rook, as well as you know. general character information. also my rules ?? its on this blogs pinned post, that one.

[selfinflictedgunshotwound]

having twin peaks thoughts & theories bc i just started watching the return (i know spoilers ofc) and i have literally nowhere else to put my thoughts so i'm just gonna dump them here.

obviously i don't every single thing about twin peaks was meant to just be like... One Thing and that's it. i think there's room for interpretation for a reason butttt the one thing i just keep going back to about the show is just that. like. it's about the corruption of innocence and the perversion of family. of cycles of violence and abuse. children being sexually taken advantage of by "trusted" adults. teenage prostitution rings. barely a single relationship in the town wherein people aren't cheating on someone/cheated in the past. bob being "the evil that men do" (tbf this is technically just albert's theory but i choose to believe it) and now this weird thing with judy/the experiment (are they the same thing? idk yet) being the thing that CREATED bob? there's this weird thing i get with the black lodge/waiting room like... good people can't survive there without disappearing completely (nonexistence) or being permanently changed (in the case of annie, ig)

and then ofc you have the tormented souls being trapped there (laura, maddy, caroline(tbh idk what was going on w her doppelganger being there?), leland(he was originally a victim too, i'm getting there)) because of the things that were done TO them. i was thinking like. in regards to the frogmoth that crawled into sarah's mouth (when she was a child) and everything that's going on w/ her in the return (watching insanely violent things on tv, "eating" men, etc.) ... compounded with leland's story about bob "I was just a boy. I saw him in my dreams. He said he - he wanted to play. He opened me and I invited him and he came inside me." ... mr. c's introduction song being a twisted version of "american woman" (i've heard this is also related to diane's doppelganger, as well. makes sense) w/ the stand-out lyrics (aka the backwards ones) being "all my headstrong women... don't let em put you in a corner. make em salute you like a flag on the fourth of july." and sarah palmer having a shortened and remixed version of "good man" blaring in her house that just repeats the lyrics "i'm a good man. i'm having fun." like. there's smth to this i'm not insane...

anyways to go even FURTHER... there being specific emphasis on being in the right time and the right place. opposites (giant and dwarf, young and old, black and white, etc.) and the planets jupiter and saturn.

the experiment violently killing that couple that was watching the glass box bc they were having sex? or because they were(n't) watching? or both? the experiment very obviously being the thing inside of sarah but it pulling off it's own face within sarah and revealing a smile that looks eerily similar to laura's (even if not exact... ppl are such pedants about things being exact in this show where literally everything is drenched in like 8 metaphors at any given time) AND the laura in the black lodge/waiting room removing her own face in the exact same way. it's weird that in this instance, laura's dialectical opposite or opposing force is her own mother who she claims she has so much in common with. but this goes even a step further because when the experiment spawned in the glass box, it has a gold orb (or smth like it) like the one laura's like... spirit? was born from? AND APPARENTLY there's a little clip of what sounds like sheryl lee's voice saying "gone" or "the one" or something like that while the experiment is flying towards them (not unlike an owl) to kill them... hm. not to mention the experiment has a proboscis-like knife that comes out of its mouth that it uses to kill the guy sexually harrassing sarah at the bar... and carrie page has a dead guy in her motel room that has a hole in his head... could obviously def just be a bullet-wound LMAO but idk let's have fun w it!

i do think there's a crazy connection between sarah, laura, and the experiment/judy/whatever. "the room seems different... and men are coming. something happened to me. i don't feel good..." obviously, i will be able to make more connections and add to this theory as i watch more but from what i've seen i think there's a huge connection to children and how easily it is for them to be taken advantage of (literally every member of the palmer family was taken advantage of as a child when an evil entity entered them. i mean. how more on the nose can you be!!) or for their innocence to get stolen (prostitution, drugs, murder, becoming child brides to abusive older men... the list goes on). and there's obvious themes of intense sexual violence and dreams and blahhhh. it's like 5:30am and i'm theorizing about a show that will never have an actual answer LMAO... to be fair though it's not ABOUT actually "solving" it for me. i think most media works well when you get what you want or need from it and just kind of make that The Point and, for me, twin peaks will always be about the tragedy of laura palmer before it's about anything else!

i really do like that theory that dale cooper is just like. an entity that laura dreamed up to save her originally but in the end, after she had finally escaped being laura palmer and that life and that house and her trauma, he ended up bringing her right back to it. it's like. how does that not make people insane?

[b4um3pfl4um3]

An Update to how the Baldur's Gate 3 campaign with @thebreadtree is going:

These are our current Discord Usernames. This Game is unlocking new things that I didn't know I would ever experience. It is truly a wild ride.

Also, my dice are cursed. I lose so many times and roll crappy numbers. It's driving me insane. I don't know how often we had to reset simply because I didn't roll well enough, but the fail would completely ruin everything. And it's not like I only miss the high rolls. Those are of course difficult. It's mostly actually the low rolls that I miss, which makes it worse.

Still having a lot of fun, of course. Genuinely, I can only recommend the game.

[cannibaltranssexual]

hi jason! sorry if youve answered this before, but what does aaoc stand for? i love the posts that you tag as such so im curious :]

its my tag for posts that remind me of my wip fic(s) !! i havent 100% settled on what to name the series yet but pretty early on in development i stumbled upon that passage by julian k jarboe (from the book everyone on the moon is essential personnel) that goes

Why does God create grapes and wheat, but not wine and bread? God does this because God wants us to share in the act of creation. To be how you made me, to become how God made me, though you, I can remake myself. You and I: we are already only whole, and shifting towards the divine.

and the author also has a tweet relating this concept to transsexuality and youve probably already seen one or both of these floating around on tumblr already but whatever i just wanted to center my t4t hannigram fic around these quotes cause theyre just. so good.

so yeah it stands for "an act of creation" except it should probably be "#taoc" if i wanted it to match the original quote but i cba to go and change it now which is probably not how placeholder tags are meant to work !! oh well . fic playlist <3

[liquidstar]

I'm working on my next oc set rn (as always) and this one is going to be the first, like, trinary guild to have more than 8 characters on account of twins sharing a spot lol

[a2zillustration-archive]

Not to get sappy but I had so much fun in my first year of art fight, it was a great way to keep me motivated to draw, everyone has such cool and wonderful characters, and I was absolutely delighted with the people who took the time to draw some of my own little guys. I hope I’m able to do it again next year bc I definitely still have a lot of bookmarks I didn’t get to.

[andromeda3116]

fighting the powerful urge to just like. go ahead and post the next chapter. because i am so happy about a scene i've added and like. i know that this fic has a tiny readership but i really love this scene.