#whump genre research

[callaei-researches]

Summary of results - Intercultural and cross-linguistic perspectives on the whump genre

Here is a summary of the results from the research thesis, "Intercultural and cross-linguistic perspectives on the whump genre"! This was part of my studying a Master of Contemporary International Studies. The research aimed to explore how whump-interested people connect with the whump genre cross-culturally and cross-linguistically.

Back in June/July this year (2023), I sent out a questionnaire open to any whump-interested person, and also invited interviews for bilingual whump-interested people. I've finally finished my thesis, and overall was awarded an A- for it!

The full thesis is available now to read on Academia.edu, and will also be available on IPU New Zealand's library website in January 2024.

This research was approved for Human Research Ethics Clearance by the IPU New Zealand Research and Development Commitee on 3rd May 2023 (HREC-2023-05-03-01).

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(NB: Due to there being an extensive amount of results, I've only summarised the key findings of the results section and a brief conclusion here. I've referenced page numbers for the full thesis if you'd like to read the extended version.)

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Summary of results (Questionnaire)

233 respondents | 92 different cultural/faith-based identities

The questionnaire was used to answer Research Question 1, "How do the aspects of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Schwartz’ universal human values reflect in the characteristics of whump genre identity?"

The questionnaire explored four themes associated with whump genre concepts - “agency,” “comfort,” “stoicism,” and “knowledge” - and found (p. 87):

For the theme of “agency,” questionnaire participants tended to perceive a greater importance for agency for the caretaker and whumper roles. This may be related to the caretaker and whumper role characters’ abilities to carry out their roles of caretaking and whumping respectively. While the cultural dimensions did not appear to be factors inherent to the theme of agency for the whumpee role in a whump genre story, this appeared to work towards supporting the cross-cultural enjoyment of whump. For the theme of “comfort,” hurt comfort, physical comfort and long-term recovery may be more accommodating of cultural dimension dynamics and have a greater capacity to fully realise the goals of Schwartz’ values. For the theme of “stoicism,” the way in which these dimensions can so diversely be applied to this theme suggests a cross-culturally applicable ground. For the theme of “knowledge,” the balance between the certainty of a known whumpee and the uncertainty of an unknown whumper indicate variable tolerance of ambiguity within the whump genre. This suggests a cross-culturally applicable ground.

Summary of results (Interview)

The full results section for the questionnaire can be read in the full thesis (pp. 61-87).

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31 interviewees (15 spoken, 16 written) | 24 different languages

The interview was used to answer Research Question 2, "How do bilingual whump-interested people perceive the ability to convey themes of hurt comfort (a subgenre of whump) in different languages?"

The interview questions were categorised into themes:

Theme 1: Preferences for language when interacting with fiction

Theme 2: Comparisons of different languages’ abilities to convey physical and emotional pain

Theme 3: Limitations or difficulties experienced when conveying whump in, and across, different languages

Theme 4: Cultural, social, and/or linguistic reasons influencing pronunciation of “whump”

Following transcription of the interviews, a thematic analysis involving examining code co-occurences found (p. 123):

For “Theme 1: Preferences for language when interacting with fiction,” preferences tended to be associated with the availability of media, the ability to connect with the author’s intended meaning, and the level of ease and comfort with which interviewees could engage with the fictional media. For “Theme 2: Comparisons of different languages’ abilities to convey physical and emotional pain,” interviewees’ comparisons highlighted differing ways of presenting and conveying pain in language, for example, through language features and words. Overall, interviewees felt that the languages which they were fluent in were generally equally capable of conveying physical and emotional pain, although different languages tended to approach the communicating of pain in different ways. For “Theme 3: Limitations or difficulties experienced when conveying whump in, and across, different languages,” the perceived limitations and difficulties experienced across languages tended to be associated with difficulties in conveying semantic, pragmatic and cultural meaning across languages, and tended to stem from the differences between sociolinguistic approaches to communicating ideas in languages. For “Theme 4: Cultural, social, and/or linguistic reasons influencing pronunciation of “whump,” common cultural, social and linguistic reasons for interviewees’ pronunciations of “whump” included how interviewees expected the word to sound based on their expectations of the letters in the phonological environment, the impact of a lack of having heard the word spoken aloud, sociocultural influences, intuition and language education.

Conclusions (brief exerpt from p. 130)

The full results section for the interview can be read in the full thesis (pp. 61-87). Interview transcripts (sensitive details filtered out) can be read in Appendix H (pp. 177-399).

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Research Question 1 explored cross-culturally applicable aspects of the whump genre. The findings suggested that themes of the whump genre accommodate variations in cultural social orientations and values, thereby enabling an interculturally common ground among whump-interested people.

Using qualitative research (interview), Research Question 2 explored how bilingual whump-interested people perceive and connect with hurt comfort themes across different languages. The findings suggest that multiple factors contribute to how bilingual whump-interested people engage with the whump genre, including but not limited to first and second languages as a tool to experience closely or otherwise distance the subject with, the availability of whump media in different languages, and manner of conveying aspects of pain and comfort through lexical, phonetic, grammatical and cultural aspects of language.

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Thank you to everyone who participated in the research - the questionnaire and/or the interview! Your voices are all important in this kind of research, and are all very much appreciated!

[hurtspideyparker]

Hi, sorry but could you recommend any of your favourite Peter Parker fics please?

For sure !!! *cracks open ao3 bookmarks*

Thirty Hours by polaroid15 - Peter doesn't take any breaks during a lengthy fight with the Avengers. The mind-melting fever that follows really should have been expected.

Hurt Peter Parker, my favourite tag <3 I love when Spider-Man is a badass and also lacks self-preservation. He's so cool fighting alongside the Avengers and we get some sweet hurt/comfort irondad!

Fitting In (Tiny Spaces) by aloneintherain - Peter's trapped beneath a collapsed building during a mission, hurt and unable to move. Luckily, his comm still works. Unluckily, the Avengers don’t realise how bad of a state Peter is in, and Peter isn’t inclined to tell them.

This fic is an icon in the fandom and for GOOD REASON. I just can not get enough of Peter Parker hiding his injuries. More heavy whump and angst!

All good things come in threes by Bergen - Peter has three secret identities: Spider-Man, the superhero who swings around the city to save people. Parker Benjamin, who gives Tony Stark unsolicited advice on his research. And NightMonkey, the Instagrammer who keeps uploading increasingly popular but embarrassing drawings of Iron Man.

And he can juggle them all just fine, thankyouverymuch.

Okay here is the fluff!!! Peter is a genius, a menace, and a sweetheart. Tony Stark runs into him (again and again) and can't help but have a soft spot for him every time. Funny and cute and an all 'round good time!

Held Together by Spiderwebs by TunaFishChris - Steve is not coping well in the twenty-first century. At all. Three months after the Chitauri invasion, he decides he's had enough.

But just as he's about to end it all, he runs into the new hero in town.

This one focuses a lot on Steve but I really like him and Peter's relationship in it, and I think this is great Peter Parker characterization. TW for discussions of depression and suicide, it gets a bit dark!

5 Times Spider-Man Saved an Avenger's Ass (and 1 Time They Saved Him) by TunaFishChris - this fic showcases how strong and capable Peter is, he's definitely a BAMF. I really like this genre where the Avengers know Spider-Man but not Peter Parker, makes Peter feel more independent and mature like in the comics.

Five Time Faculty Members Had to Call Peter's Emergency Contact + One Time He Shows Up Anyway, Five Times Tony Stark's Fabled Intern Just Showed Up + One Time He Was Invited, and Five Times Strangers Talked About Peter and Tony + One time Someone They Know Did by kingdomfaraway - I am just gonna recommend this entire series. Super fluffy, extreme irondad and spiderson. They're just adorable from an outside perspective and I love when Peter gets to just be Tony's intern and a teenager for a while :)

research and disaster by blueh - “So, uh, Mr. Stark definitely knows Roomba-Kid,” Becket says and discreetly tilts his head in the direction of the pair.

“Oh my god,” Jess says. She almost sounds gleeful. “Oh my god, he’s not just some random kid. He’s Mr. Stark’s kid.”

or: the interns at Stark Industries have some questions about Peter Parker. The answers aren’t quite what they expect.

I just love intern Peter mk? Let him be a kid genius and have fun!!! Fluffy and humorous, again with the irondad.

Captain, Oh My- Not My Captain! by uncouth_peasant - Peter swallowed hard before firing a web to swing into the fray. “Cap’s going after civilians. I’m out of time.”

Bruised and bloody men <3. Just Peter being a badass and getting beat to a pulp. Cool fighting, lots of Peter whump, and of course the Avengers being protective.

Good publicity by Bergen - Between Peter Parker barely speaking, and Spider-Man being the ultimate chatterbox, how was Tony ever supposed to figure out that they were one and the same person?

Tony Stark is secretly a softie for cute kids, especially when they're a genius and have a sense of humour to rival his own. Peter is a foster kid who ends up finding a home with Pepper and Tony, very sweet.

The Third Option by Uncertainty_Principle - When Ben is murdered Peter goes into foster care. It takes just a tiny taste of superpowers for Peter to decide he doesn’t want to put up with his horrible foster father anymore—the streets are infinitely more appealing. All he wants is to be Spider-Man anyway.

So he leaves, simple.

Simple, that is, until Iron Man needs Spider-Man’s help.

Heavy TW for this one, mind the tags. This is a popular fic and for good reason. A very mature and realistic portrayal of the foster care system and homelessness. The Peter angst is really great and I could barely put it down, that boy needs a hug so bad.

Now here's some hydra!Peter fics cuz they're my jam:

Peter is a precious chickpea by Bergen - They attack the HYDRA safe house shortly before sunrise.

The only people defending said safe house are Peter and Leo, and Leo slams his cell door open and starts spitting out orders, but then promptly gets clobbered over the head and keels sideways.

So that just leaves Peter. And he’s not even going to try to fight a whole team of Avengers. He looks up at Iron Man filling the doorway. “I surrender.”

He’s never been captured before and he’s not sure what to do. Escape, probably.

This entire series is PERFECT. I just love how adorable Peter is, and all the relationships Peter forms with the Avengers absolutely melt my heart. Peter's characterization in this is really unique and I wish there was more. The Bucky and Peter friendship is everythingggg. I love hydra!peter and bucky fics.

Indoctrination by phoenixon - The Avengers thought they were on a typical assignment: Infiltrate the Hydra base and find the weapon. What they didn't expect was the small boy raised by Hydra that they found instead. And they definitely didn't expect him to stay at Avengers Tower or how he somehow wormed his way into their lives. As for Peter, he just wants to be good and obey what the Hydra men told him so he doesn't get in trouble.

I just really love hydra Peter changing into a sweet and intelligent boy once he's rescued and safe, and how all the Avengers take up such heart-warming parental roles around him.

out there, living in the sun by Hailfire_73 - The Avengers rescue Peter from a Hydra base ran by his father, Richard Parker, except Peter doesn't really see it as a rescue, and has trouble settling into a new life away from Hydra and his father at the Avengers compound. OR - Peter learns how to be an actual teenager, live life, and put his abusive past behind him, and Tony learns how to be a father.

Hydra Peter but he's most definitely a traumatized and moody teenager. I really enjoyed Peter's character arc and the exploration of his trauma. It felt more realistic the way his journey isn't just a straight or clear path. He's more mature in this one and it was a really compelling read, balancing the angst with some humour and fluff. Loved the ending.

Tinker, Tailor, Spider by Bergen - Tony is roped into a mission to transport a teenager to safety. But when things go south, it soon becomes more and more puzzling who the teenager is and what ‘safety’ means for him.

I really enjoy that the author doesn't water Peter being hydra down. Yes he is a highly skilled assassin and a badass who's trauma pervades his every thought and decision. Made me fall in love with the Tony, Pepper, Morgan and Peter as a family dynamic. Super domestic while still highlighting Peter's troubled past.

[cravesunconditionallove]

We all love lab whump and military whump, but

What is your opinion on military lab whump? Science man in work uniform with lab coat on top? Wrestling your subject into lab chair with military CQC? Taking advice and comment from fellow science man but barking order at the subject? Watching new subject through shatter proof glass wall? Refuse to give any info but name and ID number when captured?

Glad you asked! Those are two of my favorite whump genres. Those are all some great ideas too, I am stealing those for later use 👀

I love some good military grade lab-made Whumpee content, and people talk a lot about the scientist doing the whumping but what about the scientists *being* the Whumpees?

Like, not just sick scientists but they are forced to do research? Forced to work till exhaustion is similar but same point.

Traded like pawns between the highest bidder? Kidnapped, even, to do something the bad guys want them to do, even if they don’t want to?

Forced to do unethical experiments on their friends or random civilians, because it will “further humanity”?

I know this is kind of a ramble but there’s so much potential here.

There’s a reason why that captured scientist image is one of my favorite whump refs of all time, lol…

[frottinggg]

Hello! I know I've posted about art commissions here before. However, my true skill set is writing. I'm a professional writer with years of experience writing articles and branded content, but I've spent my entire life in collaborative communities for roleplay and group writing. I'm extraordinarily well-acquainted with a wide variety of genres, especially as a proud otaku and essayist. I am currently a freelance writer and am at risk of losing my one source of income (it's with Game Rant, so I'm already barely making enough to pay for gas as is), it would be great to sustain myself with my skillset and continue to explore my passion for writing outside of work.

My minimum rate is $0.05 per word with a minimum of 200 words, and a flat rate of $45 every 1,000 words. If a piece exceeds 10,000 words, I would be more than happy to negotiate prices. I am comfortable with most topics from any genre, but I will not write scat, incest, anything involving minors, vore, vomit, fart, or urine. I also reserve the right to turn down anything I've forgotten to list. I specialize in OC x Canon, monsters, whump, fluff, and horror, but I can do almost anything! My greatest strength is my penchant for visceral language and imagery. NSFW with or without plot are fine, as well as canon characters and spinoff stories of existing franchises (i.e. Genshin, JJBA, JJK, Osomatsu-san, etc). Don't be shy about asking for any fandom-oriented works! I'll let you know if I'm able to give you a strong piece, but if anything, I will research on my own to provide an unparalleled fic tailored to your preferences.

My writing rate will also apply for roleplay and can be done through Discord, Telegram, Tumblr, or other venues. Please leave a comment or DM me for more information! We can communicate via DMs and move to email or other private platforms to discuss payment and any ideas you may have. Thank you for reading!

[gon-and-killuas-mother]

hiya!! what kinda batfam recs are tou looking for??

hello!! i will admit i am weak for whump and anything similar. i usually include "good parent Bruce Wayne" bc i need a soft Bruce ok he's so important to me, even if there are many things deeply wrong with him HE LOVES HIS KIDS!!!

i love fics that put the Bats through physical and emotional wringers, near death experiences etc etc only for them to wake up with Bruce and fam passed out at their bedside. if i was a psych major i'd want to research why the fuck whump is such a prominent genre of fic, something about experiencing tender care through fiction correlating with emotional neglect?? something???

i ALSO love fics about Bruce adopting them early for whatever reason. the time travel ones are a hoot and a half. my favorite one so far is Wants and Needs (Well, Mostly Wants) by Rhiw. a two-year-old Tim experiencing a young, gentle and doting Bruce has come very close to curing my depression, and it's still in progress so hell yeah. gimme more Bruce with babies, the man might be a CEO/vigilante but he's MEANT to be a dad goddammit

i'm also very into Clark/Bruce, and Clark/Diana/Bruce. both World's Finest and Trinity are excellent relationships (⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠)

the only problem is that i'm running out of fics!! i knew this day would come, and although i'm still coming across new ones it's less and less frequent and i'm SAD about it. though maybe that also means i should spend less time reading fanfic... yeah

[tildeathiwillwrite]

genuine qustion, bc i dont understand whump, why do you like it? whats the appeal? am i missing something?

I'm going to assume from the wording of this question that you already have an idea of what whump is, and you're asking why someone would want to read/write it, but if not here is a good post summarizing the genre.

This post is divided into two parts below the cut: the appeal of whump for me, and an explanation of why I like whump.

For me, personally, the appeal of whump comes from putting a character (whether that be an someone else's character, my original character, or a nameless whumpee) in Situations (with or without a whumper), and then having the difficult recovery or healing process (usually with a caretaker). Sometimes I deviate from this pattern, such as omitting the recovery, but that is usually my main focus.

A bit more emphasis on the comfort in hurt/comfort, but there's also hurt in the comfort.

My main love of whump stems from the tropes I enjoy:

Used as bait (where a whumpee is captured with the intent on using them to lure the caretaker into trying to rescue them in order to capture the caretaker too). I like this one because of the suspense of knowing it's a trap, and wondering if the caretaker will manage to rescue the whumpee, or get captured themselves.

Magic whump (whump but in the fantasy genre). This one gives more possibilities or twists on usual whump tropes by adding magic into the mix. Combined with my love for fantasy writing.

Captivity whump (a whumpee captured by a whumper, usually including various forms of torture). This trope is very versatile. Why were they captured? What does the whumper gain by torturing them? So many possibilities. Not to mention the rescue afterwards!

Sickfic (whumpee is sick, usually with a caretaker). Someone else mentioned this before, I don't remember who otherwise I would've linked them, but illness is something rarely seen in existing media. When a piece of media has whump, it's usually torture or a fight scene, but I've only ever seen sickness a handful of times. I like the idea of a character having all these cool abilities but still getting the common cold, especially when they have someone else to take care of them. Also it's easier to write from experience for this then, say, getting stabbed.

PTSD whump (when a character has trauma). This is more of a recovery trope. I hate it when a piece of media has a character go through an incredibly traumatizing event and then as soon as they're out, they're perfectly fine mentally. Let the character have ptsd, dammit! I don't really write this often, but when I do I love writing the nightmares in particular.

Immortal whump (with a character who, for whatever reason, cannot die). I love this one because it opens up even more possibilities for whumping. It usually depends on how the character's immortality works, but they can take a lot more damage than any other whumpee.

Realism in whump (realistic injuries, illness, and recovery). Really just a preference, as I'm studying in the medical field and already know a lot about how the human body works, so I use that knowledge and apply it to my writing. For example, fainting as portrayed in hollywood movies is a lot different from how fainting actually is. Involves a fair amount of research, but I personally think it's worth it.

(side note: I haven't really found any tropes which I strongly dislike, but out of personal preference I avoid smut and nsfw whump such as rape)

As to why I like whump? This was a tough question to answer, to properly articulate. It's fiction. And writing give me freedom to do pretty much anything to the characters and through the characters. I suppose whump is another way to exercise that creativity. "I know how the character reacts to this Situation, but what about this other Situation?"

I know some other writers use whump writing to work through their trauma, as catharsis. Props to them, but I don't write whump for that reason. I always liked putting my characters in Situations, and then a couple years ago discovered what whump was, went "that's a thing?!" and basically dove in head first.

The Tumblr whump community itself has also been very sweet and welcoming, I draw a lot of inspiration from the other writers, especially when I'm trying to figure out what to write next. I doubt I would still be writing whump if the community wasn't as welcoming, and I'm very glad it's not the case. If you go back in my archive, the first writing I started posting was whump. Nameless whump turned into oc whump, which turned into posting about my WIPs. So if the whump community gatekept me out, I probably wouldn't be posting any writing at all (and that's very sad to think about).

I hope this post was helpful to you! I can't speak for other members of the whump community, these opinions and motives are my own. If you have any more questions feel free to ask.

[writing-whump]

Wip info: Shadow wolves

Story tag: #werewolf wip

Genres: urban fantasy, hurt/comfort, bromance, romance

Whump: mainly sickfics, emeto, injuries, concussions, heart condition, stress sick, daily and magical whump

Setting: collage in Vienna, contemporary

Tropes: found family, pack life, 20+ characters navigating uni and work, first serious relationship, stoic older brother, estranged younger brothers, siblings, sfw

Tw: family trauma, family abuse in the past, graphic descriptions of illness (vomit + sometimes scat), self-destructive tendencies

Story: Follows the formation of the Sonder pack, consisting of stoic and perfectionalistic psychology wolf* student Isaiah, the exiled heir of the biggest pack in Western Europe, an independent, feisty witch* working in research and obsessed with writing named Seline and a grumpy, boxing-loving wolf with temper problems called Matthew. Important characters include Isaiah's jealous and competitive younger wolf brother Hector and their youngest mouthy human brother Arnie.

*they don't actually turn into wolves, they are just born with demonic like shadows in their souls that have wolf characteristics and temper and give them their supernatural strength and abilities

*witches are only born in werewolf families, and need contact to wolves to use their magic. Very elemental, songs, writing and dancing oriented

[crustose]

Izzy Hands little-known fic rec list

I've never made a fic rec list but as a connoisseur of the genre, I'd like to offer some fics that deserve far more recognition.

I've added tumblr urls when I can find them--if you know any i've missed, let me know!

bet you say that to all the boys - Blank_Letter_Distribution - 6.2k

Izzy's a werewolf who believes he's a ferocious creature who needs to be locked away every full moon. Roach discovers that this is not the case.

Rizzy. This fic was my introduction to werewolf izzy, and is the most tender rendition of it that i've read.

The EMP goes off with an understated pop followed by a brief and nearly-imperceptible whine, but the effect is instantaneous. The two security drones hit the ground, and so does Izzy.

Titanium Ribs and a Carbon Heart - Light_In_Shadows - 16.8k

Ed's boots ring out against the floor panels as he throws himself down the corridor at a dead sprint. Get up, he silently demands, as the poorly-recycled air burns in his lungs. Fucking get up! But Izzy remains an unmoving black shape crumpled on the grating.

Steddyhands. Amazingly well-researched fic about space pirates, featuring AI Izzy. I think about the last paragraph SO often.

Roach wakes up in Izzy's body, with all his chronic pain and the past injuries he usually hides. Izzy wakes up in Roach's body, and discovers memories written into his bones that even having his consciousness swapped out will not erase.

The Body Remembers - Bongbingbong - 3.5k

Rizzy. Bongbingbong has written a lot of my favorite Izzy fics, but this one is especially great. It's a short read, and I've come back to it many times.

Israel Hands Must Die - @doctors-star - 26.1k

Izzy Hands is not having a very good day. This is an understatement, and also a shame, as it will be the last one he ever has.

No ship. This has to be my favorite timeloop fic-- watching Izzy become progressively more hopeless, and yet, against all odds, trying again. Healthy dose of Izzy whump and sweet and genuine stizzy friendship.

After Ed, grieving and angry, banishes Izzy from the Revenge, there's only one thing Izzy can think of doing to earn his forgiveness. Unfortunately, it's going to involve spending a lot of time with Stede fuckin' Bonnet.

the humble as the proudest sail - @glitterarygetsit - 52.5k (in progress)

Steddyhands. A Hanahaki rendition that's so fun (hanahaki: fun? I know, just trust me). It's how I imagine the s2 stizzy training era will go (steddyhands & hanahaki are real To ME)

It’s Enough to Make a Grown Man Cry - CananPoilot - 2.8k

Stede and the crew learn more about Izzy’s late husband, Sam Bellamy.

(former) Bellhands. When I was deep in the bellhands trenches I would regularly read this and SOB. I'm a little bit scared to reread it for fear of sobbing, even now.

[ceph-the-ghost-writer]

Writeblr Summoning Circle Intro

Patreon (you can join for free btw)

Ao3

Taglist sign-up

Hello and welcome to my shrine place of power writing blog. I'm Ceph, they/them, and despite the ghostly username I am, in fact, a regular human adult with a job, college homework, skin, blood, etc. Video games, houseplants, and buying books faster than I read them are just a few of my hobbies.

I write different flavors of fantasy mostly, with sprinkles of horror and romance/spice thrown in for pizzazz. If you're interested in...

Vampires, werecreatures, necromancers, merfolk, and/or passive-aggressive poltergeists

Resourceful protagonists in terrible peril who sometimes make choices that change things forever, for better or worse

Lovers becoming enemies becoming forced allies and maybe more in some cases

Themes of solidarity, the myriad facets of love, and people fighting for a better future

Slow burns

Worldbuilding that I definitely don't make up on the fly

Mortals becoming deities and vice versa

Telepathic monsters that could devour your soul -OR- become your best friend

Liminal spaces like roadside diners at 3 a.m

...you might find my WIPs tolerable. Possibly even fun.

Follow my sideblogs @dysthanasia-series and/or @the-primrose-path-story to get notifications for new chapters and other neat story-related stuff. Check out @coven-archives to see what I'm reblogging from fellow writers. Or just ask to be put on a taglist for a WIP you're interested in.

I welcome asks, prompts, writblr events (Worldbuilding Wednesday, etc.), and any interactions that lead to transmutating Internet strangers into friends. Do tell me about your characters and lore. I want to devour know all of it. Yes, even the obscure facts that never really make it into the story despite hours of research poured into them. Especially those.

That's pretty much it. Feel free to reblog or like this post or invite me into an object you own at the stroke of midnight if you want me to give a follow.

Below the cut you'll find a list of WIPs and links to read them which will increase my power every time you click one. Content advisories are at the top of each work and chapter.

Apophenia

Genre(s): Urban/Paranormal fantasy, vampires, post-apocalyptic

Status: Redraft in progress

Mermaids don't exist. Every agent of the Coven, the organization that researches and governs the supernatural community, knows that. Accepting a classified assignment to investigate sightings along the Broken Coast is just an easy paycheck as far as Isaac Soto is concerned (not to mention another way to avoid dealing with his trauma and relationship issues).

A chance meeting with a charming stranger in a roadside diner changes not only the course of Isaac's assignment but the trajectory of his life. A life now in danger of being cut short unless he figures out how to escape the bloodborn who takes him hostage, a necromancer out to kill both of them, and the corruption at the heart of the organization he thought he believed in.

The Primrose Path

Genre(s): High fantasy, romance/erotica

Status: Rough draft in progress

When his village is taken captive by an enemy nation, Illuminator Ân's priority is to make sure his people survive to fight another day. Faced with everything he's stood against as a priest of Cyanos, god of light and life, Ân prays for the strength to overcome and do what he must. It's not long before he receives signs that his petitions have been heard. Just not by the deity he serves.

Beyond & Between

Genre(s): High fantasy, portal fantasy, whump

Status: Occasional, out-of-order updates

Sail beyond where the seas turn red, until the sky is filled with unfamiliar stars, to the lands between realities. Magic and the power to leave one's old life behind awaits for those brave enough to seek it.

Beyond & Between is a collection of stories set in the strange places settled by ancient people, deities, and creatures from Earth who fell through the cracks.

Whumptober 2022

Each prompt followed by the story series it's set in and the MC. Content guidelines at the start of each story.

[practically-an-x-man]

Talk Shop Tuesday for how you approach whump in your writing?

Ooooooh, good question! Thank you!

Talk Shop Tuesday

The first part of my answer is going to be that I've been interested in anatomy and biology since I was a very young child. I mean, for a while my favorite book at my grandma's house was a kid's anatomical encyclopedia! Not to mention, I was a forensic anthropology major before I dropped out of college. It's genuinely fascinating to me.

So a lot of my whump fics play off of that - anatomy, medicine, forensics, et cetera. That's kind of where I anchor my writing when it comes to whump. As soon as I know what I'm going to try and convey (such as the severe hypothermia in Deep Freeze), I do a bit more research to brush up and take note of certain symptoms or effects that I might be able to use in my writing. I may take certain liberties here or there, especially when it comes to superpowered characters who may not have an "ordinary human" reaction to the stressor, but I feel like basing it in that genuine reality and anatomy as much as possible makes for a more compelling piece.

The other thing I need to remember is that I have a much higher tolerance for gore and other dark subjects than most people might. I've got that interest in anatomy and forensics, I read a lot of horror books and watch a lot of horror films, I work in special effects and have to research a lot of gruesome injuries for that, and all of that means that I'm fairly desensitized to those touchy subjects. I just... don't get grossed-out the way other people might. And while I do try to convey any darker subjects in my writing in the most respectful, grounded light I can, I struggle with knowing how much I can really write about them before it becomes a trigger for someone (yes, I tag my fics thoroughly, but it's still a worry of mine).

So the second thing I try to think about, once I've decided what I'm basing the fic around, is how to find that balance between "this is compelling whump and I enjoy it" versus "this is torture porn and it's too much" - which is funny, because I only ever watch "torture porn" movies (like Hostel or the later SAW movies) when I'm curious about the special effects, I'm not really compelled by it as a genre.

I just don't know, in the general fanfiction climate, how my heavily horror-inspired whump might stack up against what others might want to read. I'm sure that logically there's a lot of overlap in those communities, and I know that properly tagging my fics is really the important thank and I can write whatever I want when it comes down to it, but it's tough to determine where those lines fall when I'm just posting these works to a faceless audience on the other side of a computer screen.

I guess I would say, as a whole, whump comes fairly easily to me as a subject because of my combined interests in anatomy/forensics and the macabre. Once I've got a good prompt or concept, it's pretty easy for me just to let things flow and I generally don't need to do much deep planning. The main struggle is just finding that point of temperance, where it can be a enjoyably-dark fic without just being needlessly graphic.

It's like... taking a literary biopsy - you're slicing up these characters in the hopes that you find something interesting, and sometimes you might not find as much as you hope, but there's a purpose behind whatever pain you might cause. Not every whump fic has to involve character development, but I do think they're much more compelling when you can dig into the introspection and understand the characters rather than just torturing them for the sake of grossing out your readers.

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump!

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here with us today is the fabulous @angstafterdark !

Hello! Good to have you here! How about we start off with a fact or three about yourself?

Oh man, hello. If we're not talking about whump, I'm really bad at talking about myself. It's not that I'm boring, I'm just shy and awkward. I'll do my best though! 

My name is Vee or V or ✌🏿. My favorite color is red. I love emojis even though I'm still trying to figure out what half of them mean. I'm very passionate about getting more POC and well written women into the media I read and write in. I firmly believe everyone wins when there's more diversity! 

What does whump mean to you? 

Catharsis, a healthy way to get the pain in your brain out so you're not harming yourself or others. For me, whump isn't the only thing I look for, I like a little plot with my pain. Whump and all its tropes and genres are seasoning to great storytelling! 

And how did you find the whump community? 

I stumbled into the community completely by accident and during a pretty rough period in my life. I started out in writeblr and somehow found @sweetwhumphellacomf's Prince and Paladin series with Eos and Valerie and it just hit everything I loved about storytelling! Dex is a fantastic writer and that series will always have a special place in my heart. So after I read it, I started reading more, got hooked into a discord server, started to actually interact with Dex and other whump writers, started writing my own stuff and went from there!   

Do you feel like your view on whump has changed since you joined?

It's definitely changed! I've gone in a different direction with my writing and become a lot more open to certain tropes and people I once thought were weird or taboo. I think, personally, that's helped me grow as an author. I've had to do research to write some topics with sensitivity and care and that, in turn, has led me to other blogs and people I have the pleasure of calling friends! 

And now my favorite question to ask! Do you have a favourite whump trope?

Whipping, Bedside Vigils, Creepy Comfort, Captivity, Whump Emotional/Psychological Whump, Sickfics/Fevers. I've really been into the BBU (box boy universe) lately. As someone who loves engaging with others about OCs and writing stuff, my favorite thing about it is its collaborative nature. It's so fun and contrary to popular belief, people are very aware and sensitive about the triggering tropes and topics that are often explored in that sandbox. There's also the ability to explore the real world struggles of POC communities, minorities, and other vulnerable populations and thats something I’m really passionate about. 

The BBU universe is amazing with its sandbox structure and I think a lot of the whump community has really connected through BBU’s shared universe. Do you have a favourite piece you've written? 

I have two blogs so I'll link two if that's alright! I love this one! Taron and Zizi were my first whumpees. They hold such a special place in my heart. And this one! (slight nsfw)! Wick's fear here was so fun to write and so palpable. 

I love Taron’s distress and internal conflict in the first one. So good! Do you have a regular writing routine or just whenever the inspo strikes?

Oh gosh. I have a kid, a fulltime job, and a pretty busy life so getting writing done is kind of hard. I try to take Mondays off from parenting and working and I usually find myself at Panera Bread for a few hours. I really like sitting in one corner of the place. I’ll usually put on my wireless headphones and put one song on repeat. The song depends on which story or character I’m writing for.

I do like having a snack when I'm writing but sometimes I get into the zone and completely forget about what I'm eating. It's a problem!  

And do you find it easier to write some things than others?

Comfort is really easy for me to write. I don't write it a lot but when I do, it flows really easily. I love a good comfort fic but I usually slip in a bit of angst. I gotta have my angst. 

Take us behind the curtain, is there anything new you’re working on at the moment?

I have several stories in the works but I'm currently working on the escape portion of LIKE A BULLET LOVES A GUN. Someone dies and that's all I'm gonna say about that. 

I've also taken up drawing again. It's not great and I hate not being immediately good at something but I'm trying to stick with it! 

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

I usually save my witty lines for my writing. I’m not great at being funny when I’m under pressure. Sorry. 

Advice time! What would you like to share?

Yeah! I have two pieces of advice!

The first: Have a writing buddy! Write with someone you trust who is going to be supportive of you and excited about what you're doing. The second: no matter how discouraged you get, NEVER DELETE YOUR WRITING OR YOUR BLOG! Be your own fan first. Reread your own writing (you write it for a reason. It made you happy). There's absolutely NO shame in reblogging your own work and screaming in the tags. It's not annoying and it's not egotistical.

Finally let’s shout out your favorite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you. We're hyping everyone up here!

Oh God. There are so many! Whether it's screaming in the tags of my writing, giving me space on discord to be my sometimes messy self, collaborating with me, or just being a sweet, positive force in the community, I'm genuinely grateful for each and every one of these blogs. 

@mottinthemainpot (who nominated me) @wildfaewhump @flowersarefreetherapy @siren-of-agony @ashintheairlikesnow @justplainwhump  @noirineverysense @just-horrible-things @gritpyre @winedark-whump  @studyofwhump @clockworknightmares @redwingedwhump @amethystpath-writes @gottawhump @girlsjustwannadrawwhump and @oddsconvert 

I also gotta shout out a few of the discord servers I’m a part of so shout out to the whumpawoman server, especially to @whumpstash and @mirasmirages who are the most amazing and supportive co-mods! 

Shout out to The Whump Oasis and every one in there as well! 

Anything you'd like to add?

Yes, thank you. albino-whumpee would’ve been on that list of whump blogs that I’m grateful for. I'm still so grateful for the conversations we had and their beautiful commissioned artwork. I hope wherever they've ended up, they're happy and pain-free. Please consider visiting the memorial @whumptr0pes put up for Moya and donating to The Trevor Project in their memory. 

Oftentimes when we're writing whump, we’re dealing with our own traumas and insecurities. It's cliche to say but you never know what someone is going through so kindness and understanding always has to be a priority even if - especially if - someone is writing about a topic you don't personally enjoy or can't engage with for whatever reason. 

We all write and enjoy topics that can trigger someone else and it's important for us as a community to support each other. Please, please, please don't hesitate to reach out. There is always someone in your corner. 

(Note: This topic may still be extremely fresh for some folks and it can be extremely triggering, but we here at Let's Talk Whump want to make it known that we are all a big family (the whump community). No matter what differences we may have, no one should ever feel alone. That being said, if any of you are struggling at home, feel lost, hurting, and don't know where to reach out, attached is a website that has international suicide hotline numbers and resources available from countries A-Z.

https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/ )

Thank you so much for sharing, @angstafterdark. It was so good to have you here today! 

And to all you folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

* @angstafterdark is an 18+ blog only. Minors please do not interact with their works or with their blog. 

[callaei-researches]

Upcoming new whump research!

I have just started my research year of my Masters' degree! I'm currently working on my research proposal and ethics clearance.

This research will have both an online distributed questionnaire and an interview.

I am hoping to have the questionnaire open in June 2023 (pending human ethics approval clearance). The interview* will happen following the questionnaire, and will be limited in spaces - I will update on this later.

I will confirm my focus area of research and the survey period opening dates within the coming weeks!

*The interview will have spoken interview /written interview options, to maximise accessibility for participants. Note: the interview will have a participation criteria.

[shadesofdeviant]

For the fanfic asks … all of them? 😁

HAHAHA Ginger! I mean...you said you'd ask for all of them XD So...I guess I'll answer them all XD.

🍄How do you come up with ideas for your stories?

A variety of ways, sometimes I get inspired to write an AU based on an episode of a show, or a novel etc. Or sometimes my brain just pops ideas into my head.

🍉Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I am very much a plotter. It's also why I don't often get much written because I need SO much to be planned before I can write.

🍒What genres/tropes do you find yourself using most often?

Fluff, 5+1, Domestic Slice of Life, AU's - I am an absolute sucker for AU's.

🥝Who are your literary influences, and have they shaped your own writing?

As much of a problematic person as they were, Anne Rice's first 3 vampire chronicles books were the books that got me thinking...oh I really wanna do this kind of thing. J R R Tolkien's descriptions very much shaped my own (i used to write horrifically long paragraphs). Neil Gaiman inspired my shorter style, quirky dialogue with inside jokes aimed at the reader.

🥕What's your favorite fic you've written, and why?

My favourite fic is a toss up between "Your Arms Are Like Corset Strings" (9-1-1, Buddie) and "Rainbow Coloured Monstrosity" (9-1-1: Lone Star, Tarlos).

The rest I'm gonna put under a cut haha or this post is gonna get SUPER long.

🥨How do you overcome writer's block?

When I work it out I'll tell you haha. I don't think I've ever managed beyond just pushing through and hate-smashing at the keyboard, or just waiting for the inspiration to come back by itself.

🍕What's your favorite comment you've received on a fic?

Honestly as cliche as it might sound, all comments I get are my favourites. I couldn't pick any specific ones, I enjoy comments so much.

🌭Do you have any writing rituals to help 'get in the zone'?

I use a lot of notebooks, I also get really sad and make powerpoint presentations of planning. Then I either listen to music, or put on some series that Ive seen enough times that it can be background noise.

🍔What's a headcanon that hasn't made it into a published fic yet?

I HC a few things for different people but they're not exactly huge things, but have a few examples. I headcanon that Alec Hardy is a huge fantasy novel fan. I headcanon that Eddie Diaz has chronic pain in his shoulders. I headcanon that Aziraphale hates the scent of pine.

🍭What's been your most challenging story to write, and why?

I'm writing a huge multi-part reincarnated soulmates AU, in which the soulmates meet each other throughout history and have different names etc. and it's...taking me soooo long. And honestly it's just because it so long and has so many historical points I need to research hahaha.

🍬What's a genre/trope you've never written, but might in future?

I'm...not sure tbh. Theres a lot of genre's/tropes I don't like or I'm not comfortable with so won't ever touch. But the ones I do like, I've attempted or I am in the process of attempting.

🍩What advice would you give to aspiring fic writers?

Just go for it. Find something you really, really want to see written and write it, because at the end of the day you write for yourself first and foremost. If you try to write to please everyone you'll stress yourself out too much.

🌶How dependent are you on feedback, good or bad?

Bad feedback is never warranted. I do not write for profit so therefore do not need amazon style reviews. Nor do I ask for constructive criticism. I appreciate if someone wants to tell me they like what I wrote though.

🥑What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on a bunch of things: Doctor Who x Good Omens crossover - The events of "The Giggle" with Crowley tagging along. Broadchurch Whump - 2 entries, poor Alec is getting tormented. Broadchurch x Good Omens x Rab C Nesbitt crossover - Alec, Crowley and Davina are identical triplets. Shenanigans ensue. Buddie birthday gift for someone dear to me. Buddie soulmates AU.

🍹How do you decide a story is ready to post?

I finish writing it haha. I let it come to a natural stopping point and then try not to over think it.

🍊What's a story that changed significantly from its initial idea to the final draft?

My reincarnated soulmates AU. I've changed so many historical points and condensed some and completely scrapped a whole half of it haha.

🥠What's your approach to world-building?

Powerpoints. Powerpoints and mind maps haha. If I'm going AU I will plan it like I'm Tolkien creating middle earth haha XD.

🍎How do you prioritize which stories to work on when you have multiple ideas?

I don't. My brain goes brrr and tries to plan all of them at once to the point I can't work on ANY of them haha.

🌮How do you balance the desire to write for yourself versus the desire to write for an audience?

I have been writing on and off since I was 13, and I used to write entirely for the audience and it stressed me out. Whilst I enjoy audience responses and like to receive comments confirming that they enjoyed what I wrote, if I don't like it, I won't post it, but if I enjoyed what I wrote I will love it regardless.

[painsandconfusion]

Have you ever paid attention to the fact that all the whumping writers are lgbtquia+ and so are most of the characters? at least from what I can see - feel free to correct me.

It's just interesting to me how those two ["not"] mental illnesses align so easily.

For example, are you transgender?

Hello! Please feel free to skip the passive-aggression next time and skip to clearer communication to save yourself some time.

I'll start with the basics. Being queer(and co) isn't a mental illness. Any opinion otherwise is opinion which you are entitled to but is not supported by and scientific basis.

Second, writing whump isn't a mental illness. It's just a semi-niche subset that most art already includes. It's storytelling and a celebration of humanity and the human mind. Making brash, overarching assumptions about the genre and the people in it isn't helpful, especially when you don't know the genre well (we are almost always called 'whumpers' or 'whump writers' - not 'whumping writers'). A little research may do you some good.

Respectfully, my pronouns are in my bio and I'm not discussing with you what is or was in my pants. It's irrelevant.

Finally, if you have a point, feel free to go ahead and make it rather than framing this as a casual conversation. I've had a bit of a long day and dislike the if-then fallacies you're meandering around.

[staydandy]

Flowers for Algernon (2015) - アルジャーノンに花束を - Whump List

List by StayDandy Synopsis : Shiratori Sakuto is 28, but has the intelligence of a 6-year-old boy. He works for a flower distribution centre which provides employment for problem youth. One day, he and a colleague, Yanagawa Ryuichi, delivers a bouquet to the apartment of Mochizuki Haruka. Haruka works for a brain physiology research centre where Professor Hachisuka has been studying the improvement of mental performance. He has succeeded in lab experiments on a white mouse called Algernon. Sakuto is transformed into a genius through surgery. (MDL) AKA : Algernon ni Hanataba wo

Whumpee : Shiratori Sakuto played by Yamashita Tomohisa • Yanagawa Ryuichi played by Kubota Masataka

Country : 🇯🇵 Japan Genres : Life, Sci-Fi, Medical

Notes : This is a Full Whump List • Adapted from the novel "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes • This is actually the 3nd adaption of the novel. Japan released it's original adaption in 2002, and South Korea released a version in 2006.

Related List : Hello, God (2006) - Partial List

Episodes on List : 7 Total Episodes : 10

*Spoilers below*

01 : Shiratori Sakuto's fingers shut in a door … bruised & bloody from being beat up (not shown) … trips & rolls down a hill … Yanagawa Ryuichi punched … Sakuto passes out drunk

02 : Pushed to the ground, Ryuichi beat up … holding his side in pain.. falls down steps, passes out … carried.. dropped.. hospitalized … Sakuto upset/emotional

03 : Ryuichi arm in cast & sling (faking) … Sakuto being prepared for surgery, panics and runs away.. feet covered in scrapes from running around town barefoot

04 : Waking in hospital after surgery … panic, scared, head pain, falls to knees

07 : Slapped

08 : Hallucinating … hallucinating, pain

10 : Headache … migraine, blurry vision, hallucinating … migraine, collapses, hallucinating … regressed

More Whump Lists for this show: love-me-a-lotta-whump

[froldgapp]

For the writing ask game: 10, 11, and 31? :D

Ahhhh thanks for the questions and sorry for the massive delay!

10. Top three favourite fic tropes.

1) Whump is more of a genre I suppose, so to go a little deeper, I love whump that is rather on the more subtle side, especially if there is an emotional or subversive aspect to it. Something like a mild illness, internal struggle–of course, you are one writer who manages to walk this line very well.

2) Fainting! (again, whump haha)

3) I love love looooooove unresolved one shots. Something that leaves the situation teetering on the edge of resolved, where the future of the characters is undefined. There's this delicious sadness but also sense of possibility and longing.

11. Three tropes that are fine but overrated.

This is hard because I tend to be rather unforgiving of tropes that don't do it for me. Maybe we need to nix the "fine" part haha. So let's go with:

Characters engaging in therapy talk ostensibly as normal conversation. I loathe it! Let characters be emotionally obtuse, selfish and flawed. My god. This is also an increasing trend in mainstream media. It's so tedious and artificial.

There's so much about Jason Todd's treatment in fandom I could talk about. I know my co-conspirator, @youremarvelous agrees. Jason's hard edges are so often sanded down to make this excessively boring and pure version of what is actually a deeply troubled, angry and complex character. Of course, the same can be said for Tim, but I see it most often with Jason. The trope here being: misunderstood angel.

Coffee Tim needs to get in the bin (and I may even be guilty of this! I'm not sure, so if someone uncovers it in my fics, mea culpa haha)

31. What was the most difficult fic for you to write (but in the end you made it)?

Ooft. In terms of execution, my FMA longform fic, Here Dead We Lie (as Mebh) was the most demanding. I did so much planning and research. It felt like a genuine piece of work. However, I find writing now in general "the most difficult." I lack inspiration, motivation and I dearly miss the fandom engagement of yesteryear. I'm certain that, as I and the environment stands now, I could never repeat something like Quiet Crown or Here Dead We Lie (both FMA). I have many ideas for longform Batfam content. that I still daydream on, but the thought of beginning... ooft. Likewise, I'm sad to say I have more than a couple abandoned fics from more recent fandoms like VLD.

Thanks so much for asking. I so respect your writing, so it means a lot!