#well this is technically a fan fiction with no dialogue

[bluestarjay]

Atsuhina for the soul guys ong

Atsumu stares at Hinata at nationals, after thinking he was nothing but a scrub, but realizing how incredible he is as he flies in a match.

He's mesmerized by the way Shoyo's hair floats around him, how the color is highlighted by the fluorescent lights. He sees how shoyo fights. He falls in love almost instantly. He doesn't realize it, but everybody teases him about it later, saying he's in love with shoyo and that they all saw him staring. He plays it off by saying he's just a good player, that he just has an eye for potential. But Osamu notices it's the same way he's looked at Aran the past few years. Osamu notices that he talks about hinata the same way he talks about Aran, even though he's an underclassman.

They play against Karasuno, and he's even more mesmerized by how hinata moves. On impulse, he says he'll set to him one day, and he sees how Shoyo's face lights up, how his eyes shine even despite how tired he is. Hinata doesn't stop thinking about atsumu through the next few games he plays. He doesn't stop thinking about him for the next 5 years. He thinks about the fact that atsumu sees him for him, not kageyama. He's used to people wanting to play against him, not alongside him. He's used to being nothing more than kageyama's sidekick, in the same way atsumu is used to being nothing more than osamu's sidekick.

Hinata notices that atsumu has been staring at him, and Tanaka and Nishinoya insist that it's because he's interested in him. They insist that atsumu has a crush on hinata, but he tells them, "Guys like atsumu miya don't want guys like me." And walks off. But he never needed to change himself. He never needed to get taller or stronger or buffer for atsumu to love him. He loved him all along. When hinata falls during the Kamomedai match, he's sent to the local hospital. Atsumu worries and asks the karasuno team what kinds of things hinata likes and throws together a little bag of things to make him feel better, the same way Kita does when they get sick. The bag includes a box of his favorite candy. Hinata is insecure and thinking that this is a very elaborate way of bullying and asks if he meant to say that he would set for him one day, to which atsumu tells him that he didn't mean to *say* it, but it was true. They talk for a bit, and they trade numbers. They talk between then and the time they see each other next, and during hinata's many lows in his high school volleyball career, he starts to see atsumu as an angel, a sign from God that he couldn't quit, because *atsumu miya needed to set for him*. Atsumu miya liked him, and went out of his to visit him and give him his favorite candy when he was in the hospital; there was no way he could give up the chance to see him again.

Atsumu waits 5 years for hinata, and he never strayed from his mind. He was hopelessly in love with him. When hinata comes back from Brazil? It's a whole other level. Atsumu thought shoyo was beautiful in high school, but this was entirely different. He doesn't know how to act when shoyo relentlessly flirts with him, when he winks at him when he says goodbye after celebrating a win at the bar, when he leans on atsumu on the bus, pressed against him despite the several inches of room still on the seat. And then they kiss for the first time, and both of them forget that they've ever felt less-than in their lives. They forget that they're viewed as "the other one" in their respective pairings (kageyama and hinata, Osamu and atsumu). Hinata forgets that he thought that nobody would ever love him with the way he looked; with the way he was so energetic and odd. He forgets the girl who called him ugly and said she'd rather die than actually go out with him. He forgets the boys who made fun of him for playing with the girls' team. He forgets ever being told that he was worthless, that he would amount to nothing. Atsumu forgets that Osamu quit volleyball, that after 23 years of being directly by each other's side, they wouldn't continue to dominate the court together. He forgets that as much as he had loved Aran, Aran would never love him back the same way. He forgets that he was the mean twin or the worse twin; that people would never like him as much as they liked Osamu. He forgets that he thought he'd die alone.

Shoyo would propose at the Olympics, and they'd get married in Brazil and die still as in love as they were when they'd first kissed.

[bethanydelleman]

Thanks for the tag @firawren & @glassslippers-n-cowboyboots

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 45

2. What's your total AO3 word count? 208,023. And that's a bit surprising because a bunch of my longer fics are only on AHA or my website.

3. What fandoms do you write for? Mostly Jane Austen, all novels, Elizabeth Gaskell (Wives & Daughters), and Anne Bronte (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall). I have also technically written Oscar Wilde and My Happy Marriage, but those were very transformative.

I also have written some fics based on Kdramas, mostly for Alchemy of Souls.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

A Ride to Netherfield - Jane breaks her leg on the way to Netherfield and must stay for a month. Short one-shot (6k) and the first Pride & Prejudice variation I wrote.

Of Every Elizabeth - short and sweet Pride & Prejudice fluff, Darcy has nicknames for the plethora of Elizabeth's he's met over the course of his life (it was a super common name at the time)

Carry Me! - three vignettes of Jang Uk and Cho Yeong from Alchemy of Souls after they are married

The Fourth Bennet Sister - long fic (30k words), Pride & Prejudice variation where Kitty Bennet becomes aware that she is in a novel. She desperately tries to protect her sisters from harm.

All's Fair in Love and War - short Pride & Prejudice variation. Mrs. Bennet has weaponized compromise, men live in constant fear of being forced to marry.

5. Do you respond to comments? Yep. Every time.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Umm.... I'm not good at writing angst. I don't like characters to suffer for too long.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? All of them?

8. Do you get hate on fics? Yes, because I dared to write Mr. Darcy marrying Anne Elliot. People get more angry about that for some reason than Elizabeth Bennet marrying Captain Wentworth in the same fic. Someone even told me Darcy would rather "throw himself off of Pemberley" rather than marry anyone other than Elizabeth. (Fic is called One Week Late)

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? I have written smut a few times, it's pretty vanilla because I am pretty vanilla. I was reading Victorian erotica when I wrote my longest one, A Little Before Their Marriage (Jane & Bingley fic).

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? I constantly write crossovers, my first published novel is a massive crossover, Prideful & Persuaded. One of my fun shorts is Fall on the Sword, where every canonically single woman in Austen's novels decides if they want to try for the recently divorced Mr. Rushworth.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not as far as I know.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? No, though someone did translate one of my meta posts from Tumblr. That was cool.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes, The Marriage Contest with Branch Cloudsky and two with Amelia Marie Logan, Poor Caroline and Inferior Connections. All Pride & Prejudice fics, all funny. (You need an AO3 account for that one, the other two are on my personal website)

14. What’s your all time favourite ship? Catherine Morland & Henry Tilney. They are the only Austen couple I cannot bear to break up.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I am writing a queer retelling of Emma called "Different Ways of Being in Love", where Jane Fairfax and Emma were lovers as teenagers, Jane is bi, Emma is a lesbian, and Mr. Knightley is ace, but I got stuck on the middle part. Someday hopefully!

16. What are your writing strengths? I'm told I write some pretty hilarious farces. I am told I do characterization well, which is my main goal when writing fan fiction. I try to stick as close to canon as possible.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I don't write enough filler or develop things well enough. I like writing action.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I would possibly try my hand at French, but probably never. I also have a lot of trouble reading accented speech (looking at you Wuthering Heights), so I'd probably never write it.

19. First fandom you wrote for? I am fairly certain I started writing a fix-it fic for Nineteen Eighty-Four after I read it in high school. Not sure I would be able to locate it but it did exist. The first since I started writing again was a sequel to Pride & Prejudice.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written? Probably Unfairly Caught (my other published work) or The Fourth Bennet Sister. I NEEDED to write a Mansfield Park fic because I hate the ending, so it fixed my dissatisfied feelings. My goal is to edit The Fourth Bennet Sister and get it published sometime this year.

@wurzelbertzwerg, @kehlana-wolhamonao3 and @bad-at-names-and-faces

[romisora]

Reflecting on Romeo and Alfredo's Relationship in Romeo's Blue Skies

This is going to be a very long post as I dig through years of interviews with the creators of the series and spend time reflecting on my own feelings since first seeing this show as a kid over ten years ago; I'm curious to see if there are any other queer fans who resonate with my experience. If you're just interested in reading the staff interview snippets, scroll towards the end.

TL;DR Romeo and Alfredo's feelings for each other were confirmed to be romantic in an interview with the director of the series in 2010.

For some background context, I first saw this series as a closeted queer kid. I had seen other media prior to this that were canonically queer on-screen, but had prevented myself from getting too invested in them. Deep down, it scared me that I was drawn to them and I was trying to convince myself that I wasn't like them. Also, I fall somewhere on the asexual and gray-romantic spectrum and as a result I never had much interest in romance-centered stories in the first place. However, something I didn't realize at the time there actually were types of romantic relationships that I desired, but there was an absence of me seeing them portrayed and allowing myself to be drawn to them.

When I first watched Romeo's Blue Skies, I was not prepared for how emotionally invested I became in the story, especially in the relationship between Romeo and Alfredo. I remember feeling confused why I was having feeling so many emotions while watching, and wondering why I was moved to tears over two fictional characters. At the time, I could tell it hit me on a deeper level than some people around me who I re-watched it with, and I was at a loss for what the reasons were. No piece of media had made me feel this deeply before, and few have come close since then. There's definitely a lot of other personal things about the story and characters that have grown with me over the years that contribute to how much I love this series as well, but Romeo and Alfredo were always at the heart of it. Back then, I tried to merely chalk up my feelings to the two characters having a beautiful friendship, one that I desired to have . . .

Years later, after I had figured out a lot more about my queer identity, I decided to revisit this show which had consistently been in my top 5 favorites even though I had not re-watched it in a very long time. Immediately, I started picking up on all the cues and realizing all the things about these two that had moved me and why it had been the case. The way they talked and supported each other, the way they thought each other, and the emotional intimacy between them. Regardless of anything that was stated on-screen, their connection felt incredibly romantic.

Something to keep in mind, I'm analyzing this series through the lens of the split-attraction model and am talking purely about romantic attraction here, not sexual attraction. If you are not familiar with the split-attraction model and different types of attraction, I recommend researching and reading about it. Being a kid on the asexual spectrum, I think it was precisely the innocence and pureness of Romeo and Alfredo's romantic attraction to one another that struck a chord with me. Additionally, being closeted, I believe on a subconscious level I resonated with the fact that these two were clearly in love with each other, but just like me, they did not understand it themselves either.

There were also a couple moments on my re-watch where my interest was piqued by dialogue nuances which were left out in the fansub translations.

From Episode 24, here Alfredo is saying "Romio ga inakucha dameda" (ロミオがいなくちゃだめだ。), which translates a bit closer to "I need you, Romeo," or "I can't do it without you, Romeo." However, depending on the context, this phrase can have a much stronger meaning, translating closer to "I can't live without you."

From Episode 26, although technically Alfredo is agreeing with Bianca here, his exact words are "Aa, subarashiiyo" (ああ、素晴らしいよ) which is "Yeah, he's wonderful."

Later in the same scene, Alfredo says to Bianca, "Omae mo itsuka kitto, Romio ga daisuki ni naru" (おまえもいつかきっと、ロミオが大好きになる。)

"Omae mo" which means "you too," what he's saying here is actually closer to "You too, will surely grow to like Romeo a lot someday." Potentially, there's a stronger undertone here which could be closer to "You too, will surely fall in love with Romeo someday."

"Daisuki ni naru" can mean either "fall in love with" or "grow to like a lot," and can be romantic or platonic depending on context. Bianca's reaction afterwards certainly feels rooted in the fact that his words fall in this gray area.

Ultimately, regardless if Romeo and Alfredo's relationship was not meant to be seen as romantic, it would not change the reasons why the series impacted me so much. However, on my recent re-watch, I couldn't help but wonder how much of it was intentional since so many creative choices in the show felt very deliberate. Alfredo's quickness to grab Romeo's hand, the gentle touches between them, the longing gazes, the promises, the daydreaming about each other when separated, how romantic the accompanying music tracks feel whenever they were together.

A side note here, two things about this situation can be true simultaneously. There can and should be more platonic male friendships with this level of emotional intimacy, and this should be more encouraged, accepted, and represented. At the same time though, there is no need to deny the queer-coding of these two characters. Both interpretations can exist alongside each other. After all, romantic or not, a huge part of their relationship is based on a strong foundation of friendship.

Somewhat related to this, I'd argue that a huge part of why the emotional chemistry between these two characters is so strong is because the story/script writer was a woman and they were both played by women. I joked to myself on my recent re-watch that Romeo and Alfredo have lesbian energy, and later realized that perhaps there were actual reasons why I was getting those vibes 😆

I have the 1996 Megu Extra artbook for the series I had picked up years ago. Since I had been recently been starting to study more Japanese, and Google Lens and DeepL have become pretty good at character recognition and translation, I started to casually read some of the staff interviews in the back of the book. My heart skipped a beat when I read this passage from the interview with the director, Kouzou Kusuba:

(scan of the page is edited to just show the relevant passage here)

Here's a translation I later got from a professional translator:

—It ended up becoming quite popular.

Kusuba: Contrary to my expectations… The fans are maniacs (laughs). Every work has its own fans, but for this one, it really did defy expectations. Well, I do understand the reason. I did depict Romeo and Alfredo in a homosexual-like way. Two men staring into each other’s eyes, or being quick to touch each other. Such depictions were not done previously in the Masterpiece series, and they were quite common here.

The vagueness here was what intrigued me, was he saying they were intentionally gay or just explaining why fans were interpreting them that way? He certainly did not seem to be outright denying the possibility.

I started digging deeper down the rabbit hole of interviews with the staff in various books over the years, burning with curiosity.

I found a couple more interesting vague allusions to the nature of Romeo and Alfredo's relationship in interviews with the script writer and voice actors in the 1996 Megu Extra art book and the 10th anniversary book.

From the 1996 Megu Extra interview with the script writer, Michiru Shimada. Translated with DeepL, edited for readability:

Interviewer: Please tell us about the process of adapting the original story into an anime.

Shimada: At first I thought the story would be a bit hard to follow. But as I worked on it, I think I was able to write something that I never thought I would be able to do. At first, I didn't think it would become this much of a friendship story between Romeo and Alfredo. Of course, I thought that would be the main theme and the climax of the story, but I feel that their friendship, or rather their relationship of trust, went further and further than I had expected.

From the 10th anniversary book interview with Michiru Shimada. Translated with DeepL, edited for readability:

Since I started using the Internet, I found out that "Romeo" had fans, and now that it has reached its 10th anniversary, it still has as many fans as ever. It's very surprising. I am deeply moved that 10 years have already passed, and at the same time, I am filled with gratitude that so many of you remember it. At the time of the broadcast, the ratings were low and I wondered if anyone was even watching the show. So I had no idea that there was a lot of talk among some fans about the relationship between Romeo and Alfredo being "suspicious" (laughs).

From the 10th anniversary book interview with Ai Orikasa and Toshiko Fujita, the voice actors of Romeo and Alfredo, respectively. Translated with DeepL, edited for readability:

Interviewer: So what "Romeo" depicts is the most important part, and in that sense, it is an eternal theme. Even when you grow up, you still think, "I want this kind of friendship," at the heart of it, don't you?

Orikasa: In some ways, it's ideal. I wish I had a friend like Alfredo…. Also, you are drawn to both the innocence of a boy like Romeo, whose hard work is beautiful, and the coolness and fragility of a brilliant but unfortunate boy like Alfredo.

Fujita: Even though they're just boys, there's a deep bond between them, like a romance, right? That's a big theme of Romeo and Alfredo's story.

Interviewer: What do you think is the secret behind Romeo and Alfredo's popularity?

Orikasa: Alfredo is unquestionably cool. Even being unfortunate has a kind of charisma…Romeo, on the other hand, is definitely a blank canvas. He's absorbing everything, but he's desperately trying to survive. He loves people desperately, he desperately wants to do something about it, and he can be clumsy or childish at times, but that's what makes him so charming. As for the relationship between the two, Romeo will never be able to live like Alfredo, and Alfredo will never have anything like Romeo, so they admire each other.

Fujita: I don't know which one of them is happier, but each of them has different qualities that they were born with or things that they acquired without realizing it. On the one hand, I feel like I have to protect them, but on the other hand, I also want to throw them away…That's why Romeo's blank canvas looks wonderful to Alfredo. Perhaps his canvas had been already painted over ever since he was born. They both have something wonderful from the start, but they're both attracted to what they don't have.

…It sounds like we're talking about a man and a woman (laughs).

Orikasa: That's really true. So, I'm sure the fans saw the two of them that way as well. But we were also laughing in the recording studio. There were long scenes where they stared at each other (laughs).

Fujita: That was hilarious. "Isn't it a little too long?" (laughs) We would say things like, "That look in his eyes is not normal."

By this point, I was still wondering if the romantic subtext was actually intentional, or if the creators were just joking around and acknowledging fan interpretations. However, at the very least, I felt I could be satisfied knowing that no one was arguing against the interpretation of them being more than friends. I began to assume that even if the romantic subtext was intentional, the creators would never officially confirm it and would continue to skirt around the topic forever.

Then, to my absolute shock, I found it. Fifteen years after the show aired, in the 2010 World Masterpiece Theater Europe Memorial Book, the director unabashedly confirming the feelings between Romeo and Alfredo were always intended to be romantic.

From the special interview with director Kouzou Kusuba. Professionally translated:

Romeo and Alfredo, the two had fallen in love . . .

With Romeo and Alfredo, that was love at first sight. Without even going into male friendships, the two are lovers. Before they start walking down the road of hardships, when they meet during the apple incident, it was love at first sight. They fell in love. That is the only explanation for having a bond that is that strong.

After Angeletta, Romeo’s heart moves towards Bianca. That is because he saw traces of her older brother, Alfredo, in her. So in the end, it was Alfredo for Romeo.

For comparison's sake, the DeepL translation with my own edits for better readability:

Romeo and Alfredo, they fell in love . . .

Romeo and Alfredo, it was love at first sight. Before you say anything about male friendships, these two are lovers. They fell in love at first sight when they met at the apple incident before they started down the road of hardship. They fell in love. If we didn’t think of it that way, they would not have had such a strong bond.

Romeo's heart moves on to Bianca after Angeletta. It is because he saw in Bianca the image of her brother Alfredo. After all, it really is still Alfredo for Romeo.

There's a crucial bit of info to note about the interview in the original Japanese that confirms it was romance without a shadow of a doubt. The director uses the word 恋 (koi) to describe their love, which is a term that is only used for romantic love in Japanese, as well as 恋人 (koibito - lovers/sweethearts/boyfriends). This leaves no ambiguity unlike the words すき (suki - like), and 愛 (ai - love), which, like their closest English counterparts, can be platonic or romantic depending on context.

Although I didn't need the romantic connection between them to be canon, actually having it confirmed simultaneously fills my heart with so much joy and ache even more. The story hits much harder when viewed through the lens of being an intentional, fleeting childhood romance between two boys who are oblivious to the fact that they are in love with each other. There's a sense of disconnect between them knowing that they feel strongly towards each other, but not realizing what their feelings mean and the people around them not understanding how deep it is either. I certainly had feelings as a kid that I wasn't able to identify as romantic until years later because of compulsory heterosexuality, and I'm sure many other queer people would relate to this as well.

It's beautiful, yet heartbreaking. If you consider it, the way their romance is presented contextually makes sense from both the standpoint of being realistic to the 1870s, time period it is set in, and the constraints of when it was created and aired on TV, in 1995. Especially with Romeo's Blue Skies being a children's show and a World Masterpiece Theater series, there probably would have been no scenario where the creators could have explicitly stated it on-screen. Instead, they poured it all into subtext, which shines brightly.

Romeo and Alfredo never needed to say, "I love you." A few words, a tender gaze and a gentle hand touch between them to me almost feels more romantic than a kiss ever could. It is so painfully evident in the way they look at each other and treat each other that they have a much deeper emotional and romantic bond between them than any other characters in the series.

I think that's what spoke to me all those years ago. The feeling of finding someone you're on the same wavelength with; those unspoken understandings between each other. I saw these two and was struck somewhere deep in my heart with the desire for a relationship like that. Even now, there's a part of me that feels: If I were to find my equivalent counterpart of Romeo and Alfredo, I would be set for life . . .

[whentommymetalfie]

Tagged by @bouncydragon. Thank you for giving me a chance to ramble!

20 questions for fan fiction writers

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

53

2. What’s your total ao3 word count?

642 307 (!)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently only Peaky Blinders

4. Top five fics by kudos

Breathe again, Kiss with a fist, Family is family, Little talks, Shattered and hollow

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to always do that for my WIPs but sometimes I forget to when I get a comment on an older fic. But that doesn't mean I don't read and appreciate them!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I was about to say that I never write angsty endings, because I can't handle them, but then I remembered about whumptober where I dabbled in that, sort of. I think it's a tie between Aversion and Confinement, and even those have a glimpse of hope at the end because I'm just like that.

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Oh that's a tough one, since happy endings are my jam, so I've got plenty. But I think that To live a life, an installment in my first AU has a very happy ending, considering the angst that comes before.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I recall getting like... one really nasty comment once, years ago, but I've completely forgotten what it said, because I just deleted it and was sad about it for a few days and now it's gone from my mind, I just remember it happening because it's so rare.

And I've gotten a comment or two where a reader has disapproved of something in a fic, or where it's clear that they've interpreted something an entirely different way than I intended, and where they've chosen to express that in a not entirely nice way. I think when that's happened, I've left the comment, but haven't responded to it, because I just don't feel like going into discussions or spending my energy of that. But mostly all my readers are incredibly kind, which is a huge reason why I keep posting my work.

9. Do you write smut?

I have on occasion written a fic or two mostly focused on smut, upon request, and I incorporate sex-scenes into fics when I feel they serve a purpose.

10. Craziest crossover?

I've never written one, but I'm not opposed to them

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, a few!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope

14. All time favorite ship?

Well got to be Tommy/Alfie right? Just look at all my... stuff.

15. What’s a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have plenty of shorter unpublished wips where I've just wanted to 'try' an idea, or get something out of my head. Or be especially self indulgent. Those never get past the draft stage. But anything I truly want to finish and post, I usually do finish. Eventually.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I honestly think that one of my writing strengths is keeping at it, even when everything feels impossible, because without that stubbornness, many of my fics would've gotten finished. Cheesy as it may sound.

On a more technical note, I think -hope- that I'm good finding a good pace in my stories, at least my latest ones. And... describing emotions maybe.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

The first thing that comes to mind, and that often feel the most limited by, is that English is my second language. That always adds a layer of insecurity. And I'm not great at writing action, or scenes with many characters (I always feel like I'm trying to juggle with way too many balls)

18. Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I think it can work great when it serves a purpose, but with my lacking language skills I just incorporate into the text that a character isn't speaking English, rather than typing the dialogue out in the actual language.

19. First fandom you wrote in?

My first ever fanfic I posted was for True Blood. Ten years ago now, which feels crazy.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Tough one... If I'm only allowed finished fics, I'd have to say Breathe Again, because it's my first truly long, multi-chaptered project and I grew a lot as a writer -I think- while writing that. But I do want to give Home to you it's own shoutout (even if I have yet to finish that last chapter that's haunting me because I'm so afraid to mess it up) because it's so intrinsically connected to Breathe again.

tagging (with no pressure of course, and apologies if you've already been tagged) @abusivelittlebunny @100dabbo @andtherewerefireworks @elskiee

[ohbo-ohno]

How do you write fanfiction without going ooc?

Personally I think you're the best cod writer, I'm considering writing some fan fiction but I'm scared the characters arent in character

"best cod writer"??? when i haven't posted in like a month?? oh babe we are getting MARRIED ilysm thank you <3

im actually like fucking terrible at giving advice (i am not a well spoken person lmao) but i can talk At you for a bit about this!!!

grasping a character's voice is actually like. deeply difficult, and it's maaaaybe the thing i struggle with most when writing (or at least one of the things lmao). especially bc literally every single writer has a different voice for every character, so you have to find what works best for your story and your style. your ghost shouldn't look/sound exactly like someone else's ghost, because he's yours, yk?

that also being said - things that are ooc to me aren't necessarily ooc to someone else. the ghost in my mind would never let you call him a cheesy pet name like "sisi", but that doesn't mean that someone else's ghost wouldn't, yk? and to them, they're in character! so you've kinda got to decide what you think being in character is, if that makes any sense

i read a looooot of fanfiction before i started writing my own cod stuff. i've only watched the full campaign once, but i've read what's probably dozens of fics lmao - my ghost and soap are an amalgamation of the things i enjoyed most in other people's fics. think about the things that you love the most in your favorite fics, and see if you can replicate that tone/vibe

i also think that getting a character's Voice is a lot more than just dialogue. i write in either second person or third person limited, but for the sake of this i'll talk a bit about third person limited

if i'm writing smth like i'll eat you whole, im technically writing from johnny's perspective, right? so i don't write his internal monologue in his accent, but i do use certain adjective he would - like instead of describing ghost as "broad" or "hulking", i said he's "a big motherfucker" bc that's how i think johnny would talk. this doesn't matter nearly as much with second person, but letting johnny's voice float into the internal monologue helps keep me in the right headspace for the fic. it's easier for me to maintain his voice if i never really let it go, yknow what i mean?

also i know this sounds sooo stupid but i think a big part of writing in character is literally just thinking "can i see them saying this? would a person like this do this?"

like. okay. ghost is a 6'4 special forces lieutenant who is willing to do literally anything if it means completing his mission. he's a big man with an even bigger reputation. can you see him begging for your forgiveness at the slightest argument? can you see him stuttering on a first date?

and soap is an incredibly accomplished sergeant who's set records in the military, he's a demolitions expert and a skilled sniper with a hell of a temper. can you see him giggling? can you see him crying when his girlfriend is mad at him?

sometimes making sure you're not writing ooc is as simple as "They Would Not Fucking Say That", and as unhelpful as it is, that's literally just based on vibes

is any of that coherent at all?? i genuinely don't know. hope i didn't make things worse! ily!

(also just as general writing advice - practice!!! don't post everything you write!! i cannot tell you how many things i've written will never see the light of day, but all my little failures in writing have given me a better grasp on the characters, yk? you have to do badly and recognize what's bad before you can be super happy with your writing. write something and then focus on exactly what feels off to you, and change only that. idk. maybe im spouting bullshit)

[stormblessed95]

What is Queerbaiting?

I had a good conversation about this with @ejassy the other day and figured I'd just make a post about it in case anyone else wanted to either share their own thoughts too or were just confused over what people mean when they say queerbaiting. Which CAN get confusing, especially when it gets used incorrectly ALOT.

So in short simple terms, for queerbaiting and its similar phrases?

Queer subtext: I normally think of this in 2 ways. The first being unintentionally gay. This was clearly not the intention of the writer ever, but the gay ships were just accidentally too full of chemistry and the ship shipped itself by accident even though the characters aren't "canon" gay (think batman and joker. Or Lord of the rings or Elsa from Frozen. Or like a good portion of misogynistic anime writers who can't write a female character that isn't flat AF lol)

The second being where it can also be defined as INTENTIONALLY gay. Where instead of it being something that just happened, it was written like this pn purpose and with full intention of being queer and is in its own way, good queer representation, even if the queer relationship isn't ever technically confirmed, or only confirmed "off screen" by the writers. This is subtext and its sometimes left only as subtext because the romance is only a subplot or because of censorship. (Think Legend of Korra or Think Merthur from Merlin bbc.)

Queercoding: acting queer or leaning into queer themes/subtext but not explicity queer for any number of reasons, including censorship for fictional universes or just being closeted. Basically there is enough subtext available for the audience to read them as queer regardless of if their sexuality is never confirmed either way. (Again, think Elsa. Or Jo March from Little Women, or think Nick Carraway from the Great Gatsby. Think of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji from The Untamed, the show not the web novel verison lol. Think Xena: Warrior Princess)

Queerbaiting: obviously leaning into and promoting queer subtext and queer themes to keep gay fans on the hook and invested in your media with zero intentions of follow through. Almost at times even turning it into like a joke or just making it very obvious that the character was never actually queer. This was a term coined by queer theorist academics in the 1990s and didn't actually exist before then. This is not a term that can apply to real people. Real people can't queerbait. With very few exceptions to that "rule." Which I will discuss some of those possible exceptions in a bit. (Think Destial from supernatural, or Johnlock from Sherlock, or think Supercorp, Lena and Kara, from Supergirl. Or think Sam and Bucky from MCU, Bechloe from Pitch Perfect or Sterek from Teen Wolf. If anyone doesnt know why these would fall under a more queerbaiting label and dont already know, please feel free to ask for sure)

There are some good sources out there that go into much more detail about what queerbaiting is, how it's been misused and more too as well if you have the time to watch them. This video was recommended from @guacamoli-avocadorado here. It is a great intro to the term and how it is used/should be used broken down in an easy to understand way. And it gives a bunch more examples like I shared above, etc.

And this one is longer but a really good and interesting dialogue about the topic. They take the definition of queerbaiting and expands upon it greatly as well as gives a very through dive down the history of queerness and queer subtext through film and media. This one was recommended by @chikooritajjk

Now, real people cannot queer bait. It's impossible UNLESS they have CONFIRMED their sexuality as "straight" and will sometimes "play gay," for an audience. And not just a straight actor playing a gay one, but doing something that is intentionally queer but backtracking and being like "well I mean, I'm straight so I didn't mean it." And doing so repeatedly and/or even making light of it or joking about it. Or even just being plain homophobic about it. Unless you are talking about the actions they take to promote their "brand" in an effort to profit off queer fans on purpose, while continuing to make it clear its not "that serious," then you could make an argument that that person is queerbaiting. Which, for clarification, two people of the same sex simply interacting together, even with lots of general affection, cannot be classified as queerbaiting ever. Especially because a person doesn't have to be "out" to act on their queerness. Our queerness is our own. No one gets to demand someone to give answers about their sexuality to confirm queerness or not before the public "decides" to keep trying to bully an answer out of them or not. You don't get to take self expression and someone else's comfort away from them for your own comfort in labels that don't belong to you anyway. The thing is, no one owes anyone any explanations about how they present themselves or what their sexuality is. You can't forcibly out people. "I think you are gay, therefore I'm owed an explanation and if you don't give me one, it means you are just queerbaiting" is WRONG. It's an umbrella media term, not a bullying tactic. This applys to everyone, random people off the street, actors, musicians, authors who write/engage in queer literature, public speakers, influencers, etc...

There are some of kpop idol groups (or other celebrities in general) that could be classified as queerbaiting. Because they use queerness to build and promote their "brand" while otherwise never doing anything about it (even as an ally) and/or even being lowkey homophobic about it all or just continuing to make sure the audience knows they "arent actually gay." Or they use queerness in a way that fetishizies it, again without actually meaning it in any way. That's a whole seperate issue, and it could in ways be considered queerbaiting. Or it could more likely dig further into the issue of inauthenic queer fetishization used as a shock value for an audience to be used as sexual fantasies for their STRAIGHT audience, rather than to draw in a queer audience who are more looking for the possible authenticity of queerness or allyship in the celebrities/idols they are building these parasocial relationships with. Because again, unless you know what this person's sexuality is, how are you sure they aren't just exploring/or expressing their own queerness and aren't labeling it or are closeted for whatever their reasons may be, including just not being ready to come out yet.

It is a fine line to walk, and there will probably be times in the "real life" instances above where you will have to use your own critical thinking skills to decide how you feel about things, etc. But for the most part, real people can't really queerbait. But hopefully this helps anyone who was/is confused. There are also a lot more resources out there if you wanted to continue looking into it. This is just what I know about it all myself too, if anyone has anything to add, they are free to do so. 💜

[ranchthoughts]

Thai QL Favorites Tag Game

Tagged by @telomeke, @chickenstrangers, and @wen-kexing-apologist (thanks!! <3)

Credit also: this game was created by @thatgirl4815 as Thai BL Favorites Tag Game.

Once again, I am forced to make decisions (!!) about media... this is so hard.

Favourite Thai QL:

Bad Buddy was made for me in a lab I think, the way it checks all my boxes. I also have a deep enduring love for MSP.

Favourite Pairing:

(Like many others, interpreting this as favourite pair of fictional characters) Pat and Pran's dynamic is everything to me. The teasing, the understanding, the care, the commitment to the bit...

Most Underrated Actor:

I do not feel qualified to discuss the quality of acting, nor whether or not people are underrated... but I will throw my hat in the ring for Fluke Pusit (he does what he needs to do! Would be interesting to see him anchor a series like Gawin has gotten to with Be My Favourite)... and pretty much every woman ever in a BL.

Favourite Character:

Oof oof oof. So many are near and dear to my heart. The ones who occupy the most brain space are Pat (Bad Buddy), Gun (MSP), and Li Ming (Moonlight Chicken).

Favourite Side Character:

Sending love to Li Ming (technically a side character?). Ink from Bad Buddy; love her, love her relationshisp with the other characters. I also was unreasonably delighted by Sky (as someone who didn't vibe with most of the rest of SCOY).

Favourite Scene:

Completing this tag game is teaching me I need to keep detailed lists of everything, because I forget.

Bad Buddy ep 5 fight scene and rooftop confession scene, of course. Thanks to @chickenstrangers for reminding me about my beloved, the ep 11 Chinzhilla fight scene in MSP (the emotions were perfect, everyone was acting their hearts out, I've rewatched this sequence in isolation multiple times).

Ooh also @kattahj reminded me of how much I love the scenes with Li Ming and Jim in Moonlight Chicken - the rage, the love, the passing of the torch...

And @lurkingshan reminded me of the sniffing scene in ITSAY... god the atmosphere and ambience and TENSION was out of this world. The scene of Teh and Ohaew airing out their feelings in the hammock is another amazing scene.

Shout out also to any and all scenes involving Vee and Dome in You're My Sky, especially the hands scene and the looking across the river scene. Love that they just kept starring in short queer films.

Favourite Line:

I'm not the type of person who notes specific lines of dialogue (and if I do, I rarely remember them for things like this).

The ones that stick with me thus are those that get repeated a lot by others - Pat and Pran's "Do you want to be friends?" "No" and "You've got to stop doing this to me" are powerful and so revealing about the characters and their dynamic. Shout out also to @wen-kexing-apologist 's list of lines about being weak around each other, those are always sweet.

Most Anticipated:

Only Friends. Mixing pairs? 👀 Sluts? 👀 First and Khaotung AND Neo AND Mark AND Force and Book? 👀

Healthiest Relationship:

Pat and Pran - their balance between bits and genuine care is wonderful

Tinn and Gun - sweethearts fumbling their way into their first relationship, with a maturity beyond their years

Most Toxic Relationship:

I mean, there's a lot of relationships in QLs that I don't think would work all that well in real life, but I do tend to suspend my disbelief while watching the shows and thus can't think of many examples now.

I mean, VegasPete is not what one would consider "healthy" and neither are TharnType... not a huge fan of the convoluted lies or inequalities the relationships of AkkTheo (Enchanté) or PuenTalay (Vice Versa) are born from... ?

Guilty Pleasure:

I like taking pieces I like out of every show I watch, regardless of quality or how "problematic" it is, so I don't really feel guilty about any of them? Shows that are controversial or oft-disliked by others that I latched on to in some way: Enchanté, Vice Versa, The Shipper (wait, is that QL?)

Most Underrated:

I mean, everyone has said it but: He's Coming to Me

I'm also going to throw my hat in the ring for You're My Sky - people are talking about this on the dash now and I'm very happy

I think pretty much everyone has done this game at this point, but if you haven't, here is your open invitation to do so! Love to see what people think

[sumechiayuu]

so i'm not sure what level of "uncouth" you're personally looking for, but some of my favorite weird books have been

"bunny" by mona awad | think the movie heathers but it's a dark academia college cult made up of rich girls who recruit the shy quiet kid to their clique. terror ensues. being made into a movie i hear.

"all's well" by mona awad | KIND OF tamer than "bunny" but imagine the best and weirdest chronic pain revenge story you could imagine tinged with a lot of shakespeare imagery

"haunted" by chuck palahniuk | from the same guy who wrote "fight club" and it is....absolutely bonkers. the first short story alone is nauseating, and many other stories are definitely not for the faint of heart-just warning you ahead of time. but the whole novel itself is a wild ride and darkly humorous from start to finish

"the hike" by drew magary | kind of like if chuck palahniuk wrote alice in wonderland

"a touch of jen" by ben morgan | a very unhealthy couple bonds over their shared obsession over a social media influencer which causes some very weird things to happen. VERY dark comedy, dialogue is hilarious

"nightbitch" by rachel yoder | magical realism dark comedy about a housewife who thinks she's turning into a dog. they're also making it into a movie starring amy adams as the protagonist

"patricia wants to cuddle" by samantha leigh allen | sapphic bigfoot story on what is a blatant parody of the bachelor. cute. weird. it's technically monster girl yuri

and i haven't been able to read them yet but "kittentits" by molly wilison and "mood swings" by frankie barnet both look like a lot of fun

i'll just keep it at this length for now. i am an avid fan of weird fiction so ring me up if you want any more recommendations.

TYSM I will keep this as a ref

[antiquitea]

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬!

thank you @john-cleven for the tag! ✨

tagging in @swifty-fox, @trashbag-baby666, @wildbornsiren, @hederasgarden, @blue-aconite, and anyone else who wants to play!

questions and responses under the read more to save your dashboards 😉

how many works do you have on ao3?

thirty-three

what's your total ao3 word count?

167,068

what fandoms do you write for?

i currently write for masters of the air and top gun (86 and maverick).

top five fics by kudos

christmas in brooklyn - bucky barnes / steve rogers (marvel) 430 kudos

these ties that bind - t.j. hammond & douglas hammond (political animals) 317 kudos

you'll find me - bucky barnes / steve rogers (marvel) 246 kudos

let's get tipsy and start a rumour - sidney crosby / evengi malkin (hockey rpf) 217 kudos

under the pretense of yearning - sebastian stan / chris evans (actor rpf) 209 kudos

do you respond to comments?

yes! or at least i do my best to. i always want to respond with something cute and witty, but often can't manage something beyond OMG THANK YOU!!!

what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

gosh, it's definitely a band of brothers fic, either somewhere, a clock is ticking or you should see me in the rain (both dick winters / lewis nixon).

what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

a lot of my smut fics have happy endings ifyouknowwhatimean. actual happiest ending may have been leave a light on (simon le bon / john taylor, musician rpf).

do you get hate on fics?

i can't recall ever getting any outright hate (although maybe i did in my younger writing days back on livejournal). the only thing that i can recall was someone arguing with me about the fact that karl urban would say petrol and not gasoline, and i told them something like "yes, he would. but he didn't. it wasn't dialogue. it was a description, and i wouldn't say petrol, i would say gasoline." i still think about that because wtf.

do you write smut?

pretty much exclusively 😂 i try to wriggle some plot in there from time to time.

craziest crossover?

don't do crossovers! at least i haven't in the past. certainly not opposed to it! i did start to write a winter soldier / the man from uncle fic once ... but then armie hammer stuff happened and i didn't feel so compelled to write that anymore!

have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i'm aware of.

have you ever had a fic translated?

also not that i'm aware of!

have you ever co-written a fic before?

not "officially," but @wildbornsiren write together every goddamn day and have some ideas.

all time favorite ship?

god, i'll always be a sucker for bucky barnes / steve rogers. right now john egan / gale cleven own my ass and probably will for a very long time.

what's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

i am delusional enough to believe that i will finish every single wip i have in the works (i absolutely will not).

what are your writing strengths?

i've been told that i write with a certain cadence that progresses stories forward, so i'm choosing to go with that. i also think i write smut pretty damn well.

what are your writing weaknesses?

sometimes i feel that my writing can be very ... technical and clunky. not enough feeling in the words that i put to page.

thoughts on dialogue in another language?

if it's not a language that you personally speak, keep it minimal. google translate only works so well.

first fandom you wrote in?

pretty soldier sailor moon back in like 1995. i didn't know it was fan fiction, i was just ten years old and wanted to make usagi and mamoru kiss.

favorite fic you've written?

i'm not sure if i have a favourite, but i'm always exceedingly proud of leave a light on - a duran duran rpf fic i wrote that has multiple chapters that i actually finished. anything with multiple parts i often struggle to complete.

[changelingsandothernonsense]

20 Questions for Writers

Got tagged by both @throughtrialbyfire and by @redyn-nerevarine to do this fun questionnaire. Thanks for tagging me. :D

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I currently have 9, though one of them is a collection of first person character studies that are technically each a separate story.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

274,802... thats a lot considering I only started writing a year ago.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Exclusively Elder Scrolls atm, Mostly focusing on Morrowind.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Serious Mistakes, Sleepers Awake, Adherence, On Apocrypha, The Properties of Ash Hoppers and Slaughterfish.

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to, though sometimes I get too overwhelmed by what to say and subsequently forget to reply. I swear if that has happened it's not because I don't appreciate them, I do, I'm just really sick atm and don't have a lot of energy to formulate a decent reply that isn't <3 <3 <3. I do try to reply.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

...Oh that's hard, all of them are like that. Adherence might take the cake though.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I don't write happy.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I don't want to get to into it, but I did experience it once. It was pathetic on their end and I'd rather forget it.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I have included smut within fics, though I've never written one with that as the focus....that I've published. My kinks stay secret...

10. Do you write crossovers? If so, what's the craziest one you've written?

Never quite been a fan of crossovers to be honest. I'm also not so into isekai as a genre. So it's unlikely I'd ever dabble in it.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

It's in the works ;)

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

Arg, it's 100% Josh and Erra . Give me my dumb cinnamon roll Ashlander OC and my kidnapped Skyrim NPC/ Nerevarine who I OCafied to a ridiculous degree any day and I am happy. Erra is a friend group favourite.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have a pov from Joshi's father that I'm so close to finishing but I need to be in the mood to write 1st person.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I don't know to be honest, I have trouble with these kinds of questions.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm a new writer, only really started up with writing fan fiction last year. I still have a lot to learn.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

If done well it's great. I love seeing Dunmeris being used within fics. I use a lot of Ashland, which I've compiled using the Akkadian and Sumerian languages as a the root with some Dunmeris mixed in. Assyiology has its benefits- namely I can pick up half the shit going on in Morrowind and Chimeris ;)

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Trinity Blood. (I made a comic as a teen that never actually put that online).

20. Favorite fic you've written?

A tie between Sleepers Awake (ongoing, main Morrowind fic) and Arkanis: Teldryn (which covers Teldryn (Josh) going through Kogoruhn as part of the Warrior Trial for Sul-Matuul.)

[topguncortez]

question, how can you dmca/copyright someone for fanfic about characters none of us own? i understand that we can write for these characters because of copyrightability, derivative work right, and fair use act, but technically the creator of tgm could sue any of us if they felt like it for copyright infringement. they just don't because they don't see it as a big deal and kind of shitty to do. but there have been case of creators doing that. like sylvester stalone sued someone for simple writing a proposed script for a rocky movie. or anne rice not supporting fan fiction and threatening fanfic writers with the possibility of being sued. also copyright can't be applied to ideas, concepts, facts or other broad principles (aka tropes). but when it comes down to writing stories that are similar (characters, plot, etc) it's applicable.

(i'm sorry, this feels really messy but i'm just genuinely curious how this works because copyright and fanfiction have always been a weird area for the law)

this is where i got most of my info about it all

doesn’t TC have a thing against fan fiction as well? but you’re totally correct. any one of us can get sued for using TGM characters, dialogue, etc but people in the industry simply don’t. they know that their movies, tv shows, songs, whatever get more traction because of the fan fic writers and gif makers.

so this person saying they’re “reporting” me basically fucking stepped in it and tattled on herself for stealing characters that have a copyright stamp on them.

[jaimehwatson]

1, 2, 10, 11, 15, 19!

Thanks Syb! <3

1.What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year? How did it turn out and would you do it again?

I wrote erotica involving a trans character for the first time in A Proper Apology! (Well, technically he's not actually human and wasn't really assigned any gender at birth, but you know, basically I wrote him like he's trans.) As someone who's still in the process of figuring out a transmasculine identity myself, I often prefer to read and write fics where the characters are all cisgender because it's like, I'm here to have fun, I don't even want to deal with thinking about all that complicated stuff that affects my real life right now. But I'm happy to have given something different a try with this fic, and I hope it's something I'll be able to do more in the future as I get more confident in who I am. Shout-out to @glitterarygetsit for beta-reading that one and helping polish it!

2. How many fics did you work on this year? (They don’t have to be finished or published!)

Apparently I've published 16 (most of which are pretty short), and I also have my Yuletide fic about to be revealed and bring it up to 17! Then in my unfinished drafts I have at least 5 more, all of which are for Our Flag Means Death. The new season gave me so many ideas that I didn't finish all of them, but maybe I'll revisit some in the new year!

10. What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

Probably my magnum opus, Tonight on Ring of Revenge! It's my longest fanfic and probably in my top 5 longest works of fiction I've completed in general, and it was really fun and satisfying to be able to gradually make a wild idea I had while watching wrestling work out. I'm really proud of it and it feels very unique to me - like plenty of other people are also great at writing the kind of horny one-shots I do a lot of, but no one else made the pirate wrestling AU, that's a Jaime Special

15. Rec a fic you wrote or posted in 2023

I'll do the same one I just answered - Tonight on Ring of Revenge! It loosely follows the overall plot of season 1 of OFMD but set in the modern era with the characters as pro wrestlers instead of pirates. Is that an extremely silly idea? Yes! Does it also actually suit the themes and characterization of the show really well? You bet! Are there ridiculous campy wrestling plots and choreographed fake violence and also sex? Hell yeah! I had a lot of fun doing research for it and I think there are plenty of details in there that wrestling fans will appreciate, but I also added plenty of author's notes explaining things for readers who are less familiar with wrestling. It's about 26k words and has a cute happy ending! Enjoy!

19. Share your favorite opening line

I think I have to go with this one from When You Like And Where You Like!

"We have three years of the past to discuss. Let that suffice until half-past nine, when we start upon the notable adventure of the empty house." As Sherlock Holmes leaned casually against the desk in my study, a self-satisfied smile on his pale and aquiline face, I was seized with a momentary urge to leap from my chair and throttle him.

The first line of dialogue is directly out of "The Adventure of the Empty House," and if I remember correctly, it precedes a bit of a timeskip to the story picking up later that night. The second line is me starting a little missing scene! I really enjoy writing stuff like this that follows canon closely and could arguably have happened in between without necessarily contradicting anything, and I think it's a solid opening in terms of how much it establishes in those first two sentences: if you've read this story you'll probably recognize that line and know immediately at what point in canon this is set, and you'll understand why Watson is angry and why this is something that deserves a missing scene to get into his reaction to what's going on more!

2023 in Review Fic Writer Asks

[thegreatzombieartisan]

A Brief Swim Into Adaptations, Fan Fiction, & the Tolkien Fandom

To cut to the chase: adaptations are separate entities from a book. Different mediums demand adjustments to storytelling. If an adaptation is technically well-executed, then I theorize that viewer approval largely hinges on how much they expect the adaptation to match their reader experience.

Personally, I don't want to sit through 12 hours of predictable film nor 5 seasons of TV. And other Tolkien fans demand it. To each their own.

It's a common saying that adaptation is fan fiction. It can have large overlaps for sure. To me, it boils down to intent. Adaptation seeks a faithful translation of source material. Fan fiction creates a story from source material with discretion to faithfulness. Adaptation = Galadriel as a warrior. Fan fiction = Galadriel as a Nazgul (I’d watch it).

Adaptation decision-making is a combo of creative vision, practical production needs and politics. Many fans don't consider this when faced with changes. Example: in the PJ's LotR, Glorfindel got axed. Arwen rescued Frodo instead. A decision related to time, importance, and politics. Plus, in 2001, a major film without female roles would be accused of sexism and limit audience appeal. Both would've impacted box office numbers & award nomination. With Glorfindel axed, Aragorn’s backstory changes and so does his character arc somewhat. So on and so forth. None of these changes stemmed from PJ's own preferences.

The Tolkien fandom is notorious for a strain of pedantic and vocal desire for purity. I could go much deeper into Tolkien fanboys. But for now, I’ll focus on one big component: Tolkien left readers with the literary version of the Winchester Mystery House. Per his prerogative, massive (un/intentional) blank space open for interpretation. Particularly in deep lore, which isn’t novelistic, but rather, synopses. People fill in blank spaces differently. Also, what other fandom requires readers to study the author for interpretation of said blank spaces?

Another factor is a fan’s goal for consuming the adaptation. Is it for entertainment or communion? All in all, the Tolkien fandom is a tough crowd to please.

Studio-produced adaptation relies on fandom money and/or time. People deserve to get what they “paid” for based on communicated expectations. If film producers/show runners claim it’s Tolkien then the work would, at minimum, reflect aligned themes, motifs, and symbolism in storylines, dialogue, and visuals. Moreover, devout Catholicism aligned. I do think RoP does a good faith attempt with Tolkien’s own intentionalist views through Galadriel. Otherwise, call it Tolkienesque.

However, while compelling, the show’s “touching the darkness” theme reflects show runner JD Payne’s Mormon’s beliefs more than Tolkien. So if Galadriel doesn’t eventually feel pity for the orcs she expressed genocidal rage toward in the next 4 seasons, it’s arrogant fan fiction. I sat through 8 hours of time and I get to call it out. Beyond that, creativity in blank spaces is fair. Case in point, Disa singing.

Technical execution is a separate area. Even fan fiction demands narrative logic and flow is valid. If nothing else, make it make sense within the context given.

More another time.

Thank you for reading! Your likes and reblogs are appreciated. Got feedback?

What did you like? Got theories or insights to share?

Disagree? I love good faith debate and sparring!

Need clarity around points? Got feedback on readability?

Spot an inaccuracy? Hey, Tolkien's work is complex. Drop it in comments or DM.

[screen-universe-official-thingie]

An intermediate guide to the Fictionals and their Realm: Subspecies and Subtypes

The Fictional kind come in two main subspecies: Animated and Programmed. Their subspecies determine what they are made for, their artistic medium, what are they made of, and how are they made. Both of them have distinct biological make up and even how they express themselves such as their reactions.

They also come in multiple subtypes: Median, Indies, Internet Originates, and Creepypasta. Their subtypes determines their creators, their resources to keep projects going (such as wealth), how big they are, and where the Fictional is put into once their creation process is done.

Subspecies

Animated: They are those who are made specifically for shows, a movie, or a short animation film. Their skin is smooth and soft (if they don't have a shell or a harden coating), leaving behind a smudge of ink or dust if you were to touch one.

They can contort their faces or manifest things like floating flowers or purple swirls to express themselves. It is drilled within their nature to exaggerate their expressions with magic. They are very expressive creatures after all. Whenever they regenerate, they usually grow sketches around the wound and it'd patch itself in no time most of the time.

Programmed: Unlike their Animated counterparts, Programmed Fictionals have very rough skin and somewhat sharp skin from the pixels. They are coded for video games of all sorts. Their way of expressing themselves with magic is somewhat different from an Animated one.

They don't contort their faces as much, but they still express themselves with speech boxes with a symbol in it above their heads. They can also manifest dialogue boxes if it is required for their acting work; they can hold and bash things with them too. How they regenerate is different as well, instead of sketches, white glowing pixels and code will patch them up.

Sub types

Median: They are those who are created by a huge collective of mancers. They are from well known companies such as Disney and Nick. medians of the same company live in huge groups and form territories such as megapolises, empires, and kingdoms; usually named after their mancers' companies.

Due to their very exposed reputation, they are targeted by toxic Weblings the most out of the others. As a result, technical advancement for certain territories have been held back or in rough shape to some extent. Some look more outdated than the others. Fictionals such as SpongeBob and mickey fall into this category. Indies: Unlike their huge, popular cousins, Indies are made by smaller collective of mancers with limited resources for the project. Instead of forming big cities and taking up large lands, Indies of different smaller companies form towns and smaller cities, usually named after a digital distribution site or app (eg. Steam village). A majority of the time, they have not been targeted by weblings as often, it only happens if one were to achieve peak popularity and become famous. This allows them to develop their technology in a smooth and steady pace. Fictionals like Flowey and monika fall into this category

Internet Originates: They are Fictionals that may (parodies, satires, fan animation, etc) or may not (OCs of a web animated series) take on appearances of the medians. Their projects are exhibited in the media regions instead of broadcasts and stations. Thus, they ended up being born from the Internet realm instead of the Fictional realm. They are more accustomed to how the Internet realm works and their way around it compared to medians. They sometimes migrate to the Fictional realm by choice and live around the Indie and Creepypasta towns with their residents. A median Fictional encountering an IO is not common, but never 0. Thus certain territories start to be very thorough and specific when it comes to documents and identification, as duplicates start to become more and more common.

Heed of warning: implied massacre and genocide, and mention of blood. Be warned.

Creepypastas: This Subtype is a very interesting and sad case all around with a very sticky situation. Their origins are just like the Internet originates and are a rather recent subtype. However, they have been set apart by them for two reasons. A myth started by a con man states that their "special, mystical blood", commonly known as "Hyper Realistic Blood", can help enhance a caster's powers to an immense degree. Because of this, they have be constantly hunted for it and even milked dry from their blood with the harshest methods. Over the recent past years, they decrease in original numbers and certain Creepypasta Fictionals have to be replaced for future projects whether they have been presumed permanently dead or not.

Another is that they are very different from the other sub types. Unlike everyone else, Creepypasta Fictionals always have pale gray skin (like Lost Silver/Creepypasta Gold) or bright, pure white skin (like Slendy and Jeff). There have been variations where their skin tones are paler than their other counterparts. They see the world a tad different from the other subtypes as they can only see shades of black, white, gray, and red and naturally have night vision regardless of what creature they are based on. They also have a condition where they cry, sweat, and cough blood since creation. Another notable feature they have is that they typically have red glowing irises and black sclera. However, there has been exceptions. They are the weakest Fictionals when it comes to using magic as using their powers can drain them easily and make them bleed more than usual.

They have been difficult to find then, they've been difficult to find now. Though, it is not impossible for Medians to run into one without actively searching for them for whatever reason.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Atlas Shrugged: Part II (2012)

While I didn't enjoy this film, that doesn't mean you won't. No matter what I say, the people involved in this project did it: they actually made a movie. That's something to be applauded. With that established...

Die-hard fans of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged might have enjoyed the 2011 film adaptation. Everyone else clearly found it to be a tremendous bore. Critics panned it and the movie failed to earn even a quarter of its $20 million budget in ticket sales. Despite this, Either Or Productions made Atlas Shrugged: Part II: a film that’s just as dull as its predecessor, but with half the money. The best thing I can say about this sequel is that while none of the actors return, at least the screenplay makes it pretty easy to figure out who is who without any of the dialogue sounding clunky.

Despite the success of the John Galt Line, Taggart Transcontinental railroad Vice-President Dagny Taggart (Samantha Mathis) and Henry Rearden (Jason Beghe) face new challenges. Ellis Wyatt set his oil fields ablaze before vanishing. To make things worse, the U.S. Government has enacted a "Fair Trade” law, which forces Rearden to sell to all buyers at the same price. Rearden doesn’t want to do business with the Science Institute after they nearly bankrupted him with their false claims that his metal was unsafe. Meanwhile, the country’s brightest minds continue to disappear, leading to one question “Who is John Galt”?

We’ve all seen movie franchises recast some characters at one point. It was a much more common in the 90s (I’m thinking of all the actors who played Batman as an example). I’ve never even heard of a series that had all of its cast jump ship a mere one year later. It’s the first sign that Part II is in trouble. The second is the dialogue. This film by John Putch is interested in pushing an agenda. To do this, it contorts itself in a pretzel from which no one could ever escape.

I know all films, particularly those in the science fiction category, require a certain suspension of disbelief. It isn’t fair to question all aspects of the story's world because the movie’s “got to happen”. This time, I can’t help myself. In my defense, the movie isn’t selling its world very well. Atlas Shrugged is set only a few years in the future but the people in it don’t behave like anyone in the 21st century would.

It would be difficult for anyone to care about the story's big conflict unless they were exactly like Henry Rearden: someone who only cares about making money. After refusing to sell his Rearden Metal/Rearden Steel to the government, he's put on trial. Technically, he’s only accused of defying the “Fair Trade” law, but everyone inside and outside the movie knows the truth. His first crime is owning a monopoly on Rearden Metal, which might have you wondering “Does this movie know what a monopoly is?” There’s nothing stopping people from using other construction materials on their projects. He’s the only one making Rearden Metal… just as McDonald’s is the only restaurant selling Big Macs. His second crime is making more Rearden Metal than everyone. I think what the film means to say is that he is making metal in greater quantities than any other factory. Screenplay writers Duke Sandefur, Brian Patrick O’Toole and Duncan Scott must be trolling us. Otherwise, they think we’re idiots. Are we supposed to think the government would tell factories to create materials at the same rate as everyone else, regardless of how much staff they have, how big their factories are and what their capacity might be?

There are other logical holes in this film’s politics, the biggest come when the government announces Directive 10-289. It forces companies to freeze wages, prevents them from firing anyone, forbids employees from leaving their jobs, from making or spending more money than they had the last year (I guess if you were unemployed, on maternity leave or hadn’t entered the workforce yet you’re just expected to starve) and everyone must give all of their patents to the government. Meanwhile, there are protesters outside of Taggart’s offices. What are they picketing? Even when the film is populated almost entirely by straw men, nothing makes any sense. At least the performers are marginally better than before. Samantha Mathis and Jason Beghe have more chemistry than the actors they replaced.

Like Part I, Atlas Shrugged: Part II is a bore until the very end when it loses its mind, spouts all sorts of “Profits first. People? Who cares” sentiments and then ends on an infuriating cliffhanger. The special effects are dreadful. The story hardly progresses, making you wonder if the two films couldn’t have been combined into one or better yet, left as a book. At the end of the first movie, I was curious to see where this was all going. Now, I’m heading into Part III but only because I’m this far in and might as well. I guarantee you it’s going to suck and I’m almost sure it will be an even cheaper production with an entirely new cast and crew. (On DVD, April 7, 2023)

[wfcn-co]

Greatest Films of all Time

                                                          Greatest Films of all Time

The glamour of award shows and the pressure of film rankings aren't the only things that draw people to the movies. The emotional bond that a flashing image on television can arouse in us is where the real magic is found.  These are stories that have earned their position among the stars in our cinematic world by transcending eras and languages; forget red carpets and stiff lists. From the revolutionary storytelling of the silent era to the stunning CGI spectacles of today, filmmakers have continued to push the frontiers of the art form over the years.  Hollywood blockbusters have redefined the term "entertainment," while independent auteurs have questioned the current quo.  Let's explore a variety of genres and historical periods through these films, each of which is a monument to the enduring power of cinema.

Metropolis (1927): Fritz Lang's Metropolis, a silent symphony from a bygone era, is more than just a stunning piece of film. This dystopian science fiction movie foretells an oppressively unequal future; it is a terrifyingly timely cautionary tale.

Nosferatu (1922): Put aside the glistening vampires of contemporary film. Nosferatu by F.W. Murnau is a terrifying investigation of darkness and instinctive phobias. This expressionistic interpretation of Dracula depends on mood and suggestion, which is evidence of how scary silent movies can be.

Citizen Kane (1941): In 1941, Orson Welles' groundbreaking film Citizen Kane defied expectations with its remarkable technical feats and revolutionary storytelling.  This movie is more than just a story about a wealthy recluse; it's a riddle about power, memory, and how elusive truth can be. A must-see for fans of the movies.

Casablanca (1942):  There is no need to introduce this enduring love tale.  Casablanca is a wartime story set against the backdrop of a city torn between hope and despair, where passion simmers under the surface of sacrifice.  Casablanca's enduring themes, memorable characters, and famous lines make it a movie you can watch again and again.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994): Hope has the ability to flicker like a persistent flame, even in the darkest corners.  A contemporary classic film that serves as a reminder of the human spirit's tenacity is The Shawshank Redemption.  You will be thinking about this tale of friendship and hope found within a prison long after the credits have rolled.

Seven Samurai (1954):  Akira Kurosawa's epic Japanese film is a masterwork of samurai cinema, influencing many filmmakers, including George Lucas. An exciting examination of dignity, responsibility, and the strength of society is provided by the painstaking depiction of a hamlet uniting to battle bandits.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): A visual and intellectual expedition, Stanley Kubrick's enigmatic sci-fi masterpiece takes us on a voyage across space, examining themes of evolution, humanity's role in the universe, and the unknown.

The Godfather (1972):  The epic Corleone family drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola is a cinematic masterpiece. Rich in character development and intricate detail, The Godfather presents an uncompromising and multifaceted portrait of the American mafia.

Schindler's List (1993):  Schindler's List, directed by Steven Spielberg, is a terrifying and enduring story of the Holocaust.  The true story of Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who rescued the lives of over 1,100 Jews, is told in this stirring movie.

Pulp Fiction (1994): With Pulp Fiction, a neo-noir crime odyssey featuring cutting-edge dialogue, enduring characters, and a non-linear plot that revolutionized independent filmmaking, Quentin Tarantino rewrote the rules for indie filmmaking.

La Dolce Vita (1960): La Dolce Vita, directed by Federico Fellini, is a Felliniesque voyage through a decadent and disillusioned Rome. This masterwork from Italy is a satirical investigation of celebrity culture and existential melancholy that is at once lovely and unnerving.

12 Angry Men (1957):  This Sidney Lumet courtroom drama is a social criticism and suspenseful masterclass.  The entire movie takes place in a jury room and addresses topics of bias, justice, and the strength of reason.

Singin' in the Rain (1952): This beloved Hollywood musical celebrates the happy change from silent to "talkies" movies.  A wonderful fusion of romance, humor, and catchy musical moments can be found in Singin' in the Rain.

The Sound of Music (1965): In this well-loved musical, Robert Wise portrays Maria, a postulant who, in Austria just before World War II, takes on the role of governess for a widowed captain's seven children. The Sound of Music is an eternal masterpiece that never fails to enthrall film audiences of all ages with its immortal tunes and themes of love, family, and perseverance.

Pinocchio (1940): A timeless masterpiece, Disney's Pinocchio tells a charming and fascinating story while serving as a warning about truth and the repercussions of lying. This masterwork of animation serves as a powerful reminder of the value of integrity and the strength of conscience.

The Bicycle Thieves (1948): The Bicycle Thieves, a neorealist Italian film by Vittorio De Sica, depicts the despair of post-war Europe. This straightforward account of a man looking for his pilfered bicycle is a devastating examination of destitution and resiliency.

Spirited Away (2001): Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki is a charming and fascinating trip through a magical spirit world. This coming-of-age tale from a Japanese animated film speaks to film audiences of all ages and serves as a powerful reminder of the value of bravery and self-discovery.

In the Mood for Love (2000): In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar-wai is a hauntingly beautiful examination of unfulfilled ambitions and lost ties. This romance drama from Hong Kong is a masterwork of emotional depth and visual narrative.

Parasite (2019): The dark comic thriller Parasite by Bong Joon-ho is a biting critique of socioeconomic injustice that will have you wriggling in your seat. This South Korean film is a genre-bending masterpiece that is really a social criticism.

The Dark Knight (2008):  There's more to the superhero film genre than tights and capes. A sophisticated and thought-provoking examination of good vs evil, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is centred around Heath Ledger's legendary portrayal of the Joker.

This is but a small sample of the enormous cinematic universe. Cinema is beautiful because it is always changing. New movies appear annually, just waiting to be found.  So grab a popcorn, turn down the lights, and allow the flickering flames to take you elsewhere.  Look into indie films, uncover the films that will excite you, and explore the classics. The best movies aren't just for fun; they're memorable, thought-provoking, and emotionally charged experiences.