#whump interviews

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump No.5

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 I’m talking whump with the wonderful @painsandconfusion! 

So good to have you here today, @painsandconfusion! Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I'm a lawyer but don't seem like a lawyer at all - everyon'es always confused when I say so. I'm a fan of jumping between fluffy pink dresses, standard hipster vibes, emo styles, and who knows what else. It's different every day. I just like variety!

What does whump mean to you?

Oh dear, tricky to answer...

Whump is when a character is at their highest stress point (or...at least higher than average). I suffer from severe and vivid nightmares, but I found out that when I write whump, I can process my fears and anxieties through those characters and their experiences. I can only go about two weeks without writing before the nightmares start again. It's kinda amazing to see just how effective and healthy it is for me. I live vicariously through my whumpees for a moment, and they help my brain keep its shit together. Then I get to meet all these lovely people online and it just makes my heart so happy!

Wow, that’s really great to hear! Whump can be really cathartic at times. How did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

I think this is a standard story, but I discovered the hero x villain community first, and it wasn't /quite/ my cup of tea, but it was close. After I saw a few people reblogging things with #whump, I checked it out. 

I have a vivid memory of skipping class for the first time in my life, just sitting in my apartment, all but crying as I scrolled through everything. I was so relieved to find that I wasn't alone. I spent so much of my life hating myself and hating whumperflies and hating that I was drawn to violence and not understanding why. After I found this community I felt so much more at home. 

I made a blog and started reblogging.

Then of course, I relapsed into hating myself and deleted it.

Then I made another. Started posting gifs I made from my favorite whumpy movies.

The kink community kinda took it over - which is fine and lovely and I'm happy to share content, but....they were the only ones who saw my blog. So everything I made was taken in a way I didn't mean and I felt very isolated and unheard.

So I deleted it again.

A couple years ago, I tried again. I started just reblogging, then I impulsively added to a prompt list in one of my reblogs and people really liked it? So I made more. And more and more and more- eventually I started posting scenes, and I've been having a lovely time here ever since! 

Do you think your view on whump has changed since you joined? Are there tropes you now love/hate that you didn't at first? 

Absolutely. Like. Wow so much. I used to dislike pain a lot and only enjoy the fear leading up to it. While I still prefer the suspense, nothing really squicks me out anymore. I used to hate pet whump but now I'm a fan. 

I have started making whump art as of late, which has been a fun new adventure! I picked it up almost solely because there's so many fantastic writers in this community who deserve some good fanart. I'm having fun working through a list of my favorite creators!

Tell us about your favourite whump trope!

Dear goodness, do I love a chin tilt.

No no...hmmm.....I get to run wild with this question and there's nothing you can do to stop me! Muahhahahhaaaaaaaa~

Okay so. Picture this.

Whumpee stumbling slowly backward, breath catching in their throat and burning at their lungs. Their feet drag against the ground as they stare up at Whumper, eyes shaking and sparkling with tears that cling to their lashes, refusing to fall. Not /quite/ yet. 

Whumper strokes a knuckle down their cheek, drawing a twitch - not quite a flinch, no no, Whumpee wouldn't dare to pull away. Whumper's hand flips softly as it reaches their jaw, pressing to their throat instead.

Whumpee finally lets a sound pass their lips, a soft whimper as their back hits the wall. The momentum topples the wetness from their lashes, and Whumper's eyes roam down to follow them as they soak hot into the fabric of Whumpee's shirt. 

Whumper's hand turns up just /once/ more, curling a finger under Whumpee's chin to tip their head up, drawing hiding eyes back into place.

Then they say something whumpy, I guess - you get the picture.

LOVE that shit. 

Intimate whumpers? Slow pacing? Vivid sensation? Yes!

Absolutely loving the detail in that! It’s all about the sensations! And speaking of favourites, do you want to share a piece you've written?

Hard Question!

First one that comes to mind is The Party. It's one of my favorites because my hands were shaking so hard while writing it. It was a great way to kick off that event (@thewhumperssoiree) which I'm inadvertently yet shamelessly plugging by answering with that piece I guess! It's very very fun, I loved what that piece created. Everyone who wrote for it did such a great job! (Event is still open, I don’t know why I'm talking about it in past tense)

Do you have a standard writing style/routine or does it vary?

I absolutely change up my paragraph style depending on the intensity of the scene or the place in the scene. I'm a big fan of elaborating and writing moment to moment so the oc's sensations and emotions bleed into the reader. I don't write much on visuals at all - almost entirely on sensation, which I think works well in this medium.

When I'm writing, I kinda forget everything else exists, so I don't have food or drink or if I do, it's neglected. If anyone tries to talk to me, tough luck to them, I'm in the Write Zone and I cannot hear them!

I write solely when inspiration strikes which.......is a lot!

Is there a noticeable difference in how easily you write things? Do the words always flow or do you have to beat them out sometimes?

There's characters who don't get in my head nearly as easily, and ones that are effortless. Getting fucking Alec in my head? Impossible. He's a bitch, then does bitch things once there. Ethan? Dream. Miracle boy. So easy to write that emo little shit. For clarification, the seven chapters of Alec's series vs the thirty of Ethan's. Alec is a bitch. End of story.

But, I also do much better describing little moments rather than full scenes. I'm good at scenes, but it takes so many spoons. Hence why I have three hundred or so random drabble posts or lists, but only like fifty total from my series. It just takes more effort to have to think about plot and pacing and all that good stuff. 

Fun? Yes. 

But hard.

Is there anything you're working on at the moment? Finalising the final chapter of your series? Starting a new au? Trying a different style of writing/pov? Revisiting fanfiction? Maybe you've really gotten into poetry....

Oh dear goodness, I'm working on everything all at once and I need to stop!

I also need to roleplay less and write more for you lovelies! I’m so sorry I’m just really distractible…

Give us some writing advice. Bless us with your wisdom!

I have posts for this but:

1. Keep your descriptions to the textured senses. Less visuals, more sensation. Caretaker has brown hair? So what? Tell me about how Caretaker's hair curled at the ends, just barely tickling at the corner of their eyes until they flicked it away with a twitchy shake of the head.

2. Personify the shit out of your nouns. Whumpee bled? No. The blood soaked through Whumpee's shirt. Make it an external factor that's affecting them. Much more engaging.

3. Pacing. Whumpee got dragged into the car, then into a house and chained in the basement? That's not one scene, that's at least three. OR. It's a two sentence summary that Whumpee is musing about while already in the basement. 

4. Speaking of, don't start with the boring, just get right into the action. You can weave the 'how we got here' bits in after a few sentences, but get your reader hooked right away. Don't start with "Whumpee got out of bed, glancing at their blaring alarm". Try instead "Their hands were shaking so hard they had to try three times to dial the number, fingers as clumsy as they were that morning, trying to slap their alarm off through the fog of blissful sleep." Or just don't mention it at all! Skip to the good stuff!

Lastly, let’s hype up some of your favourite blogs! Any friends, writers or just really cool people you want to shout out?

@whumblr was like my idol before I started! It's so cool just casually knowing her now? Still not over that, to be honest.

I always tag her but @distinctlywhumpthingmpthing is so good? Seriously, you want to see some god-tier writing, go over there. (minors read tws well please, its not all for you.)

@brutal-nemesisemesis is always a delight. Castys gives me life.

And of course,  I'm gonna give a shoutout to @wormwritinging, my beloved. We met here and as much as I adore this community, they're hands down the best part of it. 

Anything you'd like to add? 

I can't think of anything but thank you for doing this. This blog is so cool!

It’s been a honor to have you here, @painsandconfusion!

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

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

❝ I wish I could say fanfic writing as a part of my special skills while applying for a job ❞ and what if I say you actually can? because writing fanfic can actually be used as a part of your special skills while applying for a job and it is valid. writing is writing. literally the only thing differentiate fanfic writers from writers who publish and sell original works is that fanfic writers can’t publish and sell their works. that’s all. that’s the only difference. don’t let anyone tell you “fanfic writers aren’t real writers because their works aren’t as good as those of writers who write and sell original works” because that’s utter bullshit. I’ve read so many well written fanfics that are so much better than some published original novels. (here’s the proof.)

wanna know the trick? if you don’t think you’re gonna be taken seriously if you say you write fanfics while in a job interview, then say creative writing. because writing fanfics is considered creative writing. it is creative writing.

fanfic writers can write novel-length fiction, fanfic writers can write as good as any other writers who write original works if not better. fanfic writers are writers and they are just as valid.

you, a fanfic writer, may even be more dedicated and passionate than writers who sell original works because, while they write because it’s their job, you literally write 👏🏻 for 👏🏻 free 👏🏻 out 👏🏻 of 👏🏻 pure 👏🏻 love 👏🏻 and 👏🏻 passion.

that’s a whole novel and you wrote that with pure love and passion. that’s pretty mind blowing.

so yes, you absolutely can and should say creative writing while applying for a job, and say it proudly. you are a writer.

[holidayinhell]

Interview

CWs: references to noncon, violence

1. Would you rather - Rope or Chains?

R: Rope.

W: Chains, dear god, chains any day. Ropes fucking burn.

2. If Whumpee had multiple Whumpers, who is their favourite? For Whumpers, which Whumpee was your favourite?

R: Yeah, I’ve got a favorite. A couple years back I had a Whumpee who fought me at every turn. He'd throw his food at me, cuss me out, and try to attack me. One time he scratched absolute shit outta my arms. Anyways, I got tired of his shitty attitude and decided to kill him. I didn't keep it a secret, I told him he was gonna die. But when I went in to do it, he changed completely. No more screaming, no spark in his eye. He got quiet. Heh, he got all lovey dovey with me even. You know, lots of people say they’ll do anything if only you’ll spare their life. I never did cash in on that promise, but on this Whumpee, I put it to the fucking test. Heh. He let me do whatever I wanted to him. Depraved, horrible things, that would make the most degenerate man blush. Heh, and even though he was crying through most of it, he still pretended to like everything I did to him. And god. You should’ve seen his eyes when I told him I was still gonna kill him. That look. I think about it still.

W: I can’t. glances over at Whumper. Next question please.

3: In your opinion, what is the best way to train a pet?

R: Humans are fickle fucking beasts. You have to break down someone’s pride in order to train them. I start off with food deprivation, that usually helps me gauge what kind of fight I’m in for.

W: Positive reinforcement has always worked for me… I’ve only ever had a pet bearded dragon though.

4: Broken ribs or bullet wound? 

R: Both.

W: These questions are uncomfortable to answer. But, uh, bullet wound I guess. Assuming it didn’t graze any organs.

5: Preferred type of gag? 

R: I like a fabric gag. Or a simple piece of duct tape. Sometimes they come off and I get to squeeze a little scream out of Whumpee, and then I put a fresh one right back on. I kinda like the cycle of it.

W: I don’t have a preference… none? I guess the metal bit one isn't the worst of them. It hurts my teeth but at least I can still kinda breathe.

6: Burned or stabbed?

R: Stabbed.

W: Stabbed, I guess?

7: Favourite stress position? 

R: An old-fashioned hogtie. I guess I’m unimaginative but I don’t get too crazy into the BDSM shit. Who has the patience for that?

W: Uhh.. just, handcuffs behind my back. Something relatively comfortable.

8: Have you given or received any Brands? What do they signify?

R: Heh. No. Never been branded. I certainly have had my fun branding Whumpee though.

W: I… have two… Uhm. One on my chest that, thank Christ, is almost all the way healed. It said, uh, swine. The other one is on my back, it’s a lot worse. I don’t know what it says but I can feel it so it’s um, it’s here to stay, I guess.

R: It says Nice Try. Remember?

W: Not really.

R: From your second half-hearted escape attempt. Didn't realize you forgot. But I did hit you pretty fucking hard that night.

9: Broken arm or broken leg? 

R: Leg.

W: Arm. A million times, arm.

10: How did you get here? Why are you the way that you are?

R: I live here. Far as I know, I’ve always been 'like this'-- whatever the hell that means. And I don’t see a problem with it. We’re all free to do as we like, so that’s what I fucking do.

W: I dunno. I, I was outside, it was dark and I think it was raining…yeah… heading home from the bar. I didn’t drink that much. I didn’t live that far, either, so the rain wasn’t a problem. I remember falling down and then… I woke up here. And I’ve been here ever since.

11: What is your biggest regret?

R: I wish this Whumpee could’ve learned a thing or two from my defiant Whumpee in the second question you asked. I wanna get my dick sucked like that every fucking night.

W: Regrets... yeah, I've got a few. One stands out. It was late at night, Whumper didn't tie me up. I snuck out of my cell and I made it to the steps. Almost to the top, nearly all the way out. The door was unlocked and cracked open a little, I thought I could make a run for it and—

R: —I was waiting for you at the top. Heh. I wanted to see if you'd run, and you sure tried to. Not so much after that, though.

12: Is there a line you won’t cross? For Whumpee, what do you most fear Whumper might do?

R: A line I wouldn’t cross? Uhhh…. No. No, I don’t think so. I’ll cross any fucking line. turns to Whumpee, grinning. So what are you afraid of, Whumpee?

W: I, um. Does he really have to be here when I answer these questions?

R: Tell them, Whumpee.

W: Can I whisper it to you? (he’s already done so much to me, so fucking much… it’s dumb but I don’t want him to shave my head.)

R: smirks. You know I heard that.

13: What lessons have you taken away from your experience?

R: Everything has been the same old, same old for me. Guess this Whumpee’s lasted longer than the rest of ‘em. He’s coming up on a year soon. Kind of impressive he’s stuck around this long and hasn’t given me a reason to kill him yet.

W: I don’t know. I do what I’m told so I can eat. I take it day by day. I guess the lesson I’ve learned is that abandoning pride is the only way to survive…

14: Whip or cane?

R: Whip.

W: Yeah. Whip.

R: Didn’t expect you to say that. Noted.

15: Drugged or coherent?

R: Depends on the situation. Drugging them is useful for transport but I don’t much like it when they’re too dazed to understand what’s happening. Sometimes they fall asleep, too.

W: Drug me any fucking day. I don’t care. I’ll take whatever you have.

16: What are your true, honest feelings about each other? Is there some part of you that cares for the other at all?

R: Sometimes I like to touch him. He’s warm and it’s funny when he tries to squirm away. Plus I like it when he begs me to stop. But do I care about him? …eh. Sure, sorta. He’s my plaything.

W: Erm. Thanks, I guess. For me… Whumper is the reason I’m here. I guess I’m appreciative for the food… but he does hurt me. A lot. Constantly.

R: You're very welcome.

17: What is your favourite thing about the other? A personality trait, a physical feature, anything

R: He’s got pretty hair. A kind of pretty face, too. Yeah, almost like a girl. Heh. And he makes good sounds when he’s screaming.

W: Ah. Fuck. I really don’t know how to answer this…

R: Come on. What’s your favorite part?

W: Um. Well, I'll say this: Whumper is smart. Scary smart. I don’t think anyone would ever imagine how smart. I don’t know. I don’t. It’s… terrifying.

18: Do you have relationships outside of each other? Friends, family - if yes, do they know about Whumpee? Do they care?

R: Yes, yes, and no.

W: I have a half sister in, uh, Arkansas. We’re not close, obviously… used to have friends I guess, but it’s been a long time since I saw them…

19: What other hobbies do/did you have?

R: Video games. 

W: I used to play saxophone. A lifetime ago.

20: For Whumper, is there any chance you’ll let Whumpee go? For Whumpee, have you ever thought about life after you’re free?

R: No. Sorry. Realistically, it doesn’t make sense to ‘let him go.’

W: I, uh, I used to think about it. I don't anymore… like he said.. realistically it doesn’t make any sense.

R: Mm. Good answer, Whumpee.

------------------------

this interview uses the questions from Character Ask Game post by @inhurtandincomfort !! thanks homie!

((more Whump))

[hold-him-down]

"it hurts... to talk...."

just a lil prompt from lil old me :)

from this ask game

✥ ✥ ✥

“It… hurts,” Felix rasps, a plea more than anything else. He swallows, the action resulting in visible discomfort, before he whispers, “It hurts to t-… to t-talk.” His body shrinks instinctively, steeling himself against whatever possible repercussions the non-answer will result in.

Felix’s fingers grip tightly around the edge of the table. “Be. More. Descriptive,” the doctor supervising these trials, Dr. Grant or Brant or something, says.

Felix’s eyes dart around the room, seeking unlikely support anywhere he can find it. When his eyes land on Jake’s, he whispers, “Please don’t hurt me.” Almost immediately, he starts shaking again. The assistant glances at the clock and begins writing feverishly. The tears that have pooled in his eyes start to spill. Jesus.

Dr. Grant snaps, and Felix’s eyes return to him. “I don’t want to hurt you,,” he says. “I just need you to describe how the pain differs from normal.” 

Felix’s eyes close and he sways where he sits. Jesus.

“Maybe you fried too many of his brain cells?” Jake offers helpfully with a half-shrug. He studies Felix’s face, the mix of long-dried tears with the new ones falling, the hopeless desperation that overshadows any willful defiance. 

“No,” Dr. Grant says, guiding Felix back down to his side. “We just haven’t found the right motivation.” Felix curls up tightly, his hands move to cover his ears. With a sigh, Dr. Grant issues a flat, “Bring the other one back in.”

[puppypeter]

"Part of the tragedy of Roy is ageing, like, there comes a point where you have to accept your body can't do the things that you would like to carry on doing. Jason and I sort of talked about it early on that I think with Roy his plan was always play football until you can't and then kill yourself."

Brett Goldstein (x)

[zineofgid]

Do you enjoy having a little bit of fun between your art and stories? Well, great news: we'll have 5 extra informational and activity pages scattered through this edition! (details above)

Quick Reminder: Our preorders will be closing on October 15th, so make sure you get your orders in before then!

Zine of GID

[whumpshaped]

the pet name generator inspired me. here's mocha

tw implied noncon, kidnapping, hybrid whumpee, death, rude interviewer, self-harm mention (didn't go through with it, just thoughts)

"So, Mocha... As I understand you haven't talked about this before? On tape, I mean. In a setting like this."

"Never."

"Well, I'm honoured that you've chosen to accept my invitation anyway. May I ask what made you change your mind?"

The recording goes quiet. There are no sounds apart from the gentle scratches and pops, then a louder creak as one of them likely shifts in their chair.

"No."

"Okay. So we should just jump right in. Can you talk a bit about... the unique features you possess? How have they affected your life? Are you the only one of your kind that you know of?"

"I am. That's why I was so interesting to that farmer. You don't see a guy with sheep ears every day, I guess. Nor hooves. All this stuff... it fucked up my life. Ruined it."

"How so?"

Pause. There's a sharp inhale, then a slow, measured exhale.

"I was isolated. Hidden by my family. Until one day I escaped, and immediately got kidnapped. I'd say that's a pretty fucked up life."

"If we could keep the cursing to a minimum, please."

"Don't fucking tell me how to–" Mocha cuts themself off, and there's another audible sigh. "I will keep the cursing to a minimum."

"Thank you. So tell me about this farmer."

"He had a lot of livestock. He didn't treat any of those animals well. I... accidentally trespassed on his land. I didn't mean to. It was dark, I didn't see the sign, there was no fence... I heard sheep, and I wanted to meet them. Humans were always weird about the whole thing... but sheep are friendly. Too friendly. I was too friendly back then as well."

"I imagine he wasn't very happy to see a stranger on his property."

"Oh, he was." One of the chairs creaks audibly, and now it's almost certain that it's Mocha who's squirming. "He was very happy. Not at first... but then he saw how I am, and..."

"You mean your sheep characteristics."

"Yes, I mean my fucking sheep characteristics– sorry. I cursed again."

"Keep going."

"He didn't act indifferent to it, which I think is what I would've wanted. I wanted someone, anyone to just ignore them. Those stupid ears, I wanted to take a pair of scissors and cut them off–"

"Stay on topic, please."

"He was delighted. He asked where I was from, why I was out there alone at night, wandering around. I told him the truth, because sheep are friendly. Sheep are dumb."

"And he took you in."

"He did. He took me in and didn't let me go until the day he died. Thankfully that day came sooner than expected."

"How has he treated you?"

Mocha doesn't answer right away. Whether it's because they're thinking, or because it's too painful, it's difficult to tell.

"He was kind, at first. I think. It was hard to tell, as someone who has never... really experienced that. I didn't know why he was so enthusiastic about my freakish hybrid body. He made it pretty obvious soon enough, though."

"He was some sort of fetishist, correct?"

"He was a sick and twisted man who got off on violating others. I couldn't care less what you call it. He told me sheep are dumb, sheep need someone to tell them what to do, where to go, how to behave. I believed him. He had lots of sheep, and I was half a sheep, I thought he knew best. He was a fucking–"

"Language."

"But he was! He was a gross fucking man!"

"Let's move on. How did his treatment of you escalate? How quickly? How severe did it get?"

"He... I don't even know. One day it was a slap, because sheep are dumb and sheep need guidance. The other it was just... normal. And then the cane. The rod. The cattle prod. I don't know the timeline, it... it blurs together. It got very bad."

"Did you try to stop him?"

"No. Sheep are dumb. Sheep follow."

"You internalised that message very well."

"Yes. Yes, I have."

"I've heard he branded you."

"Yes. And he had one of those tags in my ear as well. Just to really drive it home that I was a dumb animal."

"And you believed it."

"I did! I did, he was convincing, I didn't– didn't know any better!" There's a pause, and Mocha takes a deep breath. "Now I know I'm smart. I know I'm capable. I'm not a sheep, not fully, and even if I was, I'd be deserving of humane treatment."

"You have a mask on today. Why is that?"

"I don't like the scars."

"It doesn't hide the burn mark on–"

"No. It doesn't. I can't really cover that."

"Okay. Let's get back to the farmer, then. You said he held you there against your will until the day he died."

"I got lucky. He had a heart attack, and all I had to do was... stand there. I watched him collapse and eventually die. I didn't know what it was back then, but now I know it was his heart."

"How did it make you feel?"

"Surreal. It was surreal. It was... it wasn't happiness, it was relief. Peace. I don't think I've felt truly happy for a long time, but I know I felt tranquil."

"And how has life been treating you since the escape?"

"Same as always, I guess. I'm still isolated. I... I don't talk to many people."

"Is that why you finally changed your mind on telling your story?"

Mocha doesn't answer for a long time. When they do, their voice sounds just a little less strained.

"I guess so. And I think... I think it was a good idea."

~

picrew

general drabbles taglist: @ashh-ed @whumpsday @whump-queen @the-scrapegoat @hidden-dreamland @rosewriteswhump @dismemberment-on-a-tuesday-night

[asterdeer]

when my books are all the rage and popular across the globe, i am not afraid of the freaky weird bad fanfiction that people might write (i am excited for it even) but i am deeply discomfited by the idea of people like. hopepunking my shit. like i really really really want a way to make it clear one day that my original blorbos are not to be turned into Examples of Positive Healing or hopepunked or hopewashed into “but one day they just wake up and they know how to love and be okay and are only ever mildly unhappy after that <3” like. one of my nightmares. i would prefer there to be sooo much dark fic over limp sanitized morally and socially correct linear healing narratives.

[0nelittlebirdtoldme]

Spoon Fed

Written for @whumpril

No 8. Nausea | Comfort Food | Dehydration

IWTV | Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac | 850 words | Angst | M/M | Rated M

Note: Refrenced eating disorder, but in context of vampirism (=refusal to drink blood)

A hand cups his face, lean fingers on his cheek, a ring pressing against his skin, and Louis' eyes snap open again, his breath hitching. His own hands are still grabbing onto the kitchen cabinet, trying to find hold, but Lestat is once again invading his personal space with these striking, burning eyes and the “I know better than you”- attitude.

And he has had enough.

[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 today to talk all things whumpy is the fabulous @not-a-space-alien!

Thank you for joining us today! Do you mind sharing a fact or two about yourself to start us off?

I love pet rats.  I don’t know if I can have them anymore, though, because it’s really hard when they start getting sick and they get old so fast.

Rats make the most adorable pets! And how would you describe what whump means to you? 

To me whump is about lingering on the effects of trauma and pain that mainstream media usually minimizes or ignores because it’s “too messy” or apparently not interesting I guess?  Humans are messy and I want to revel in that sometimes.  It feels wrong to ignore it.  Sometimes I feel messy and in pain and overwhelmed and I want to read about people who also feel that way.  I also like the hurt/comfort aspect because…..well, my fantasy is that someone will comfort me when I’m hurting and that someone will rescue me when I’m in pain (or on the flip side that I can save someone who’s in pain)

How did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

I’ve written these sorts of things for a while even before engaging with anything on tumblr that was primarily made as whump.  I started posting my writing on tumblr and engaging in online circles originally in the Good Omens fandom, years before the TV show came out, and gradually my writing on that front started getting darker and darker as I realized there are other people who like reading that sort of thing and it wasn’t just me.  I think it did make people a little uncomfortable sometimes and they weren’t really sure how to handle it, so that’s why these days I try extra hard to make sure it’s clear what’s in the writing and how it should be viewed and handled.

If I remember correctly I found myself in this corner after a period of years where I didn’t write anything at all, then while watching some random movies I re-watched Night at the Museum and of course looked at tumblr posts about it, which led to me starting to browse g/t more often (thanks Jedtavius), and after being into g/t stuff for a while I stumbled across some people who wrote g/t whump, and from there I found some “regular” whump.  The first person I remember actually talking to was @oddsconvert, who told me to read Kane and Jim, and I have been mildly obsessed with Milly’s writing since then, which gave me a framework to pull together pieces of ideas I’d always had to write MMSS, which is really my only current contribution to “whump tumblr.” (I’d always had an idea about a scientist vampire getting caught while trying to make artificial blood, I combined this with Valen, a DnD character I’d previously played as a drow, because I knew the setting in Milly’s story would be the perfect thing to tie it all together.)

Do you think your view on whump changed since you discovered the whump community?

I’m not sure if I would really consider myself part of the “whump community” because so much of what’s out there doesn’t appeal to me.  At first I gave everything a try but as time went on I started getting more and more picky.  I’ve grown to really dislike “pet whump”/BBU as well as nameless snippets/prompts that use cardboard cutout characters or flatten characters into two-dimensional archetypes like “Caretaker” or “Whumper.”  This sounds really negative but it’s entirely a matter of personal taste and I wish people who write that stuff the best. I wish I could enjoy it because there’s so many talented people out there writing it but it just does nothing for me.

No, that’s entirely valid. There’s a lot of tropes out there and certain ones like BBU can feel inescapable sometimes!  It really can be hard to find ones that tick all of your boxes. Do you have any particular favourites?

I love when a character is scared for their life, not knowing that in reality they’re completely safe/being helped.  

Shocked when receiving mercy and gentleness when none is expected or deserved.

Character unused to receiving love being loved.

Monster characters hiding their monster nature, being exposed, but being loved anyway despite being treated badly for it in the past.

The power of FriendshipTM

Love being a powerful force that can pull people through the worst ordeals

Complicated relationships between vulnerable characters 

Fearplay 

Excellent trope choices! Unexpected mercy or kindness is so good! Would you like to share a favourite piece that you’ve written? 

Honestly this isn’t even whump but I think my favorite thing I’ve ever written is still Falling Hazard.  I put SO much work into that story.  It had so many moving pieces and I wanted to make sure it was all polished and got the attention it deserved so it went through 3 or 4 drafts, I had the whole thing written before I even started posting it.  It was the culmination of an OC-heavy, plot-intense Good Omens second-apocalypse fic that turned into more of a thriller than anything.  

https://not-a-space-alien.tumblr.com/post/657822746613514240/your-own-side-masterpost  

Haven’t really been interested in Good Omens fandom stuff for a hot minute but I’m honestly still really proud of it.  I don’t think it’s really possible to try the “sand the barcode off and sell as an original fiction” thing because it’s so interwoven with the themes of the novel but I think even people with only a passing knowledge of good omens could enjoy it.  (the first few entries in this series are kind of whumpy but the later ones are less like that)

Good Omens?! I’m going to binge this so much, I swear! What does your writing routine look like?

I only write when inspiration strikes, I generally don’t do my best work if I’m forcing myself to write.  I do my best work when I’m seized by some mad ideas and feel like I’ll explode if I don’t write RIGHT NOW.  I think the worst case I ever had it was this one time I wrote an entire ficlet on my phone at work.  RIP my thumbs. 

Ah yes. And the urge to write always comes at the most inconvenient time, doesn’t it? Do you find that somethings are easier to write than others?

I struggle to write in any universe where I can’t keep a firm hold on the worldbuilding in my head.  My brain will take implications of things we see and run off with it and it’s like I run up against a wall if I can’t take everything to its logical conclusion.  So I tend to write easiest in settings where the worldbuilding is simple, or based on a few things that are flexible.  I tend to get really picky and a bit ridiculous about taking things too seriously when it comes to worldbuilding.

Is there anything you're working on at the moment? 

My two big current writing projects are Watch Your Step and MMSS and I can’t really see that changing anytime soon.  I do have a google doc with some ideas for shorter pieces and snippets that I might write when inspiration strikes. 

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

I'm bad at this.  Please can people comment with a joke or pun.  I’m the one who needs smiles.  I'm so tired.

A joke for you then: What's a fanfic writer's weapon of choice? His headcanon! 

Do you have any writing advice you’d like to share?

Pay attention to people in real life. Listen to the way they talk and act, the lies they tell themselves, the way they juggle things, the way they behave when they care vs when they don't care. Listen to what they say with their words and without. Dissect why strangers, acquaintances, friends, lovers interact the way they do. Notice patterns. Appreciate the complexity of human existence. Pay attention to context and background and how circumstances affect behavior. Understand that there is no true "you" at the core of every human, just a million fragments of personality seen by a million different people. Once you understand all this, you can mix and match to build a person in your head. Every character feels real when they get pieces of you, or pieces of people you know.  That’s my philosophy anyway!

I’m writing that advice down, that’s really good. Are there any blogs you’d like to mention?

@whumpsday and @oddsconvert  <3  I also love @demondamage’s stuff even though I havent been following for too long :)

Anything you'd like to add? 

Stay frosty coolios 

It was a pleasure to have you here today, @not-a-space-alien! 

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

[theres-whump-in-that-nebula]

I think I’ve been horribly burned out for the past year ahaha

[callaei-researches]

Thanks to everyone who registered their interest in participating in the interview so far! (And extra thanks to the people I've interviewed already! Your responses are all very much appreciated!!)

The registration of interest form has now reached 40 responses. I was intending on closing the form when it reached 40 responses, but I'm still waiting to hear back from some people who I contacted a month ago.

Because of that, I've decided I'll keep the form open until late July, or until the maximum number of interview participants (40 people) who I can confirm an interview for has been reached.

If you have filled out the form - please reply to the email/message I've sent you, if you haven't already, so I can confirm if you are still wanting to participate in the interview! :)

(I have contacted everyone at least once, but if you did fill out the form and you haven't received any email/message from me, feel free to send me a DM on this blog!)

[boopboop800-blog]

Lambs of God (the gif on the left) is so freaking good seriously. I need more gifs of this made asap.

If you’ve watched it, you know exactly the ones I mean

I dunno, I guess this is just a position Sam Reid looks good in or something.

[whumpsday]

got employed today and in my second-round interview today the interviewer asked about hobbies and i was like "oh i write!" and the interview asked what and i said "...horror! 🙃" and she was like "oh exciting!". literally vaguely mentioned my whump writing in my interview to work at an elementary school 🤦

[0nelittlebirdtoldme]

Miles Below the Earth

Written for @whumpril

No 11. Nightmares | Bedside Vigil | "I am right here."

IWTV | Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac | 850 words | Angst, Hurt/Comfort | M/M | Rated M

His hand curls around Louis’, gently pulling it away, and Louis just shakes his head wildly, his breath going sharp, more wounded sounds leaving his lightly parted lips, bubbling up his throat. Lestat swallows, a deep, nagging feeling of honest concern forming in the darkness of his undead heart.

“Louis, mon Cheri,” he starts, “you are having a nightmare.”

[letstalkwhump]

Let’s Talk Whump No.4

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 we have  @whump-in-the-closet to tell us all about his experience with whump!

So good to have you here! Do you want to start with a fun fact or two?

The name’s Troy, I will be an adult and attending uni in just a few months. I love the colour green, and I really love making fictional people suffer beyond measure! Besides that, I like to read and procrastinate on my homework. I’m a huge Voltron nerd by the way. Will talk for hours about Lance! 

Ok! Let’s start with the obvious, what does whump mean to you?

People in any sort of pain. Psychological, emotional, physical, doesn’t matter as long as they’re in some sort of misery!

How did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

Scrolling through the whump tag on tumblr, I would use various prompts in my personal writing. Then I found a whump story that got me entirely hooked and I made an account so I could get updated when it posted.

That’s really neat! Has anything changed about the way you view whump since that first story?

Hmm…well whenever I first started scrolling through the whump side of tumblr, I saw a lot of posts saying something along the lines of “no lady whump and no minor whump” so I kind of made my account with the mindset I wasn’t supposed to write about that kind of stuff. Good news is that I came across some blogs which showed me that not liking lady and minor whump is personal taste only. And so I’ve found that I personally enjoy reading and writing lady/ minor whump in the same way any other character would be whumped. 

Yeah, it can feel like we all write the same things but there really are no rules! Do you have some specific favourite whump tropes? 

Nonhuman whumpee! Dehumanization! Voice cracking from disuse! Stoic whumpee finally breaking down! Magic used as a torture method! Violence!! Breaking bones are also *chefs kiss*!

And a favourite piece you've written? 

For Raising Chaos, I really like this piece I wrote it recently and not only is it a crucial plot point, but there’s a lot of despair and emotional knife-work. Fun! 

Outside of that series, I really like this because I really like white room torture! And again there’s a lot of dependence on the characters slipping grasp of reality to get the point across and I’m kind of proud of how it turned out.

These are so awesome! Who doesn’t love some emotional knife work? Do you have a regular or specific writing routine?

I like having a cup of tea or coffee with me when I write, but I don’t really have a writing schedule. Whenever I get hit with an idea (an image, an emotion, a scrap of dialogue) I’m running to the laptop to type it out before I forget. Usually it’s only a paragraph or so, but if I have the aforementioned tea, I can sometimes get out a page or two before my brain dies.

Do you find your writing strengths vary?

Writing what a character is feeling rather than what they’re physically going through is something that I enjoy writing. The words flow better for me, especially if the character is in pain— writing how the thoughts break off, the internal panic, etc. I get to use italics and it’s great. 

On the other side of the aisle, I hate writing descriptions in the physical sense. Descriptions of people? Can’t do it. Descriptions of terrains and settings? Really can’t do it. 

So in summary, I Iike writing emotions and internal dialogue, and I find writing setting and other physical aspects boring.

Nice! Is there anything specific you’re currently working on?

I have a fantasy WIP I’m supposedly working on, but right now I am more interested in finding all of my main characters’ breaking points. I’ve written like three or four scenes in the past few days that probably won’t be posted on my blog or anything, but they have been amazingly whumpy!

From what you’ve told us, it sounds like you really know your stuff! Is there any advice you’d like to share?

Don’t compare your writing to other people! Mates, one of the biggest things I’ve learned in my short years is that writing isn’t a competition. You don’t need to be better than the next guy. And sure, maybe in a few years or even a few weeks, you’ll look back and wonder what possessed you to write what you did, but look at how much you’ve accomplished! You wrote that 50k story no one’s going to read except your closest friends, and you had a blast doing it! Your friends enjoyed it! Someone’s life was momentarily cheered up because of your writing. And yeah, that someone can be you.

Finally, spread a bit of love! Let’s shout out some whump blogs!

There are so many awesome people on here! I’m sure I'm missing a couple names but here goes… 

@kira-the-whump-enthusiast (villain whump, cannibalism, gore, absolutely awesome ocs!) 

@another-whump-sideblog (pet whump, dehumanization, masterful 2nd person pov) 

@verkja (fantasy whump, has a series I binge read in like two days, in awe of his writing skills) 

@whump-queen (number one whump demon, his writing prompts give me so much inspiration, so much emotional whump)

Any parting words?

Don’t be afraid to have fun mates!

Thanks for stopping by, @whump-in-the-closet!

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