#Writing wise

[snowstories]

My biggest tip for fanfic writers is this: if you get a character's mannerisms and speech pattern down, you can make them do pretty much whatever you want and it'll feel in character.

Logic: Characters, just like real people, are mallable. There is typically very little that's so truly, heinously out of character that you absolutely cannot make it work under any circumstance. In addition, most fans are also willing to accept characterization stretches if it makes the fic work. Yeah, we all know the villain and the hero wouldn't cuddle for warmth in canon. But if they did do that, how would they do it?

What counts is often not so much 'would the character do this?' and more 'if the character did do this, how would they do it?' If you get 'how' part right, your readers will probably be willing to buy the rest, because it will still feel like their favourite character. But if it doesn't feel like the character anymore, why are they even reading the fic?

Worry less about whether a character would do something, and more about how they'd sound while doing it.

[raspberry-pastries]

Just read Batman the black mirror and oh?? My god??

James Gordon Jr is SUCH a good villain his monologue and thought process is fascinating and he’s quickly risen to my top 3 Gotham villains. Like as a babs and dick villain he works so well as a contrast and something to challenge them emotionally and mentally. The whole reveal that everything that had happened before this point had been orchestrated by him?? I was on the edge of my seat did not see it coming in the slightest. I love how he is so unapologetically but realistically evil; he was so disconcerting the entire comic they captured that atmosphere perfectly!

Also glad to see Dick is following in Bruce’s footsteps and has an enemy with a homoerotic one-sided obsession with him. Alongside being a childhood friend too like Harvey so it’s two-in-one lmao. Imagine monologuing as your sister is bleeding out behind you that you came back to Gotham for the first time in like a decade because a guy you’ve been thinking about since childhood became Batman and you wanted to break him down because you see yourself as his reflection, his opposite.

This whole scene was basically a love confession like?? This bitch is gay and evil good for him!

AND THE ART!! It’s so expressive, genuinely my favourite use of colour I’ve seen in a comic so far, the way every scene captures the emotion and tone perfectly it’s amazing!! It’s so soft but intense! Babs looks amazing as always and dick is there I guess…

One of the biggest gripes I have with nightwing stories is that they don’t establish recurring rogues or enemies very well,,, like bring James to Blud he’d love it there with the crime, brutality and corruption. It’s Gotham without the supervillains and flair.

Let Dick be a detective again and track him down, possibly as James is leaving a blockbuster-esque line of bodies of people Dick cares about. Maybe even frame him for murder like in the current TT run and make Dick try to outsmart him.

Basically please read this run!!

[lilisouless]

Do you know what I hate about the Shadow & Bones show? I LOVE Nina, but why did they have to make her skinny? :(( isn't she plus sized it the books??

She is plus sized on the books,the show didn’t even own their mistake,they just put the actress in ugly and padded outfits

I think it’s because they didn’t understood Nina was supposed to be plus sized because for tv writers women can’t be beautiful AND proud of her looks if she is fat, Nina’s character insecurities have pretty much nothing to do with her figure and Netflix probably assumed that means she can’t be fat

[savemeafruitjuice]

I have rejoined society!!! ✨✨✨

Hello, Everyone!!!

I haven't been online in what, a week or so? Either way, I am back, and hope you are all doing well!!! 💞💞💞

Tags: @sunsetsandsunshine, @hypermoonlover, @rice-cake-teen10

[spotsandsocks]

I know ao3 has been acting up but 403 hits is really not great is it

It can make a gal feel blue

[snowstories]

[Image: meme of a person saying "We have the range, darling." End description.]

"Let's Have a Talk, First"- Stereotypes, pt 1

Come sit down. You and I, before we get into any of the things I'm sure you're impatient to know: we need to have a come to Jesus talk, first.

There are some things that I've been asked and seen that strengthens my belief that we need to have a reframing of the conversation on stereotypes in media away from something as simple as "how do I find the checklist of stereotypes to avoid". Because race- and therefore racial stereotypes- is a complex construct! Stands to reason then, that seeing, understanding, and avoiding it won't be that simple! I'm going to give you a couple pointers to (hopefully) help you rethink your approach to this topic, and therefore how to apply it when you're writing Black characters- and even when thinking about Black people!

Point #1: DEVELOP THE CHARACTER!! WRITE!!

Excuse my crude language, but let me be blunt: Black people- and therefore Black characters- will get angry at things, and occasionally make bad choices in the heat of the moment. Some of us like to fuck real nasty, some might be dominant in the bedroom, they may even be incredibly experienced! Others of us succumb to circumstance and make poor decisions that lead to crime.

None of those things inherently makes any of us angry Black women and threatening Black men, Jezebels and BBC Mandingos, and gangsters and thugs!

Black people are PEOPLE! Write us as such!

If all Black characters ever did was go outside, say "hi neighbor!" and walk back in the house, we'd be as boring as racist fans often accuse.

I say this because I feel I've seen advice that I feel makes people think writing a Black character that… Emotes negatively, or gets hurt by life and circumstance, or really enjoys hard sex, or really any scenario where they might "look bad" is the issue. I can tell many people think "well if I write that, then it's a stereotype" and to avoid the difficulty, they'll probably end up writing a flat Black character or not writing them at all. Or- and I've seen this too- they'll overcompensate in the other direction, which reveals that they 'wrote a different sort of Black person!' and it comes off just as awkwardly because it means you think that the Black people that do these things are 'bad'. And I hate that, because we're capable of depth, nuance, good, evil, adventure, world domination, all of it!

My point is, if you write your character like the human being they are, while taking care to recognize that you as the writer are not buying into stereotypes with your OWN messaging, you're fine. We have emotions, we have motivations and goals, we make decisions, and we make mistakes, just like anybody else. Write that! Develop your character!

POINT #2: YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE READERS!!

Okay. You can write the GREATEST Black character ever, full of depth, love, nuance, emotional range, all those things…. And people are still going to be racist about them. Sorry. There is absolutely nothing you can do to control a reader coming from that place of bias you sought to avoid. If it's not there, TRUST AND BELIEVE, it'll be projected onto them.

That passionate young Black woman who told the MC to get her head out of her ass? Yeah she's an angry Black bitch now, and bully to the sweet white MC. Maybe a lesbian mommy figure if they like her enough to "redeem" her. That Black gay male lead that treats his partner like he worships the ground he walks on? Yeah he's an abusive thug that needs to die now because he disagreed One Time with his white partner. That Black trans woman who happened to be competing against the white MC, in a story where the white MC makes comparable choices? Ohhhh they're gonna be VILE about that poor woman.

It really hurts- most especially as a Black fan and writer- knowing that you have something amazing to offer (as a person and creative) and people are gonna spit on that and call it "preference". That they can project themselves onto white characters no matter what, but if you project your experiences onto black characters, it's "pandering", "self insert", "woke", "annoying", "boring", and other foul things we've all gotten comments of.

But expect that it's gonna happen when you write a Black character, again, especially if you're a Black writer. If you're not Black, it won't hurt as personally, but it will probably come as a shock when you put so much effort in to create a lovely character and people are just ass about them. Unfortunately, that is the climate of fandom we currently exist in.

My favorite example is of Louis De Pointe Du Lac from AMC's Interview With The Vampire. Louis is actually one of the best depictions of the existential horror that is being Black in a racist White world I have ever seen written by mostly nonblack people. It was timeless; I related to every single source of racist pain he experienced.

People were HORRIFIC about Louis.

It didn't matter that he was well written and what he symbolized; many white viewers did NOT LIKE this man. There's a level of empathy and understanding that Black characters in particular don't receive in comparison to white counterparts, and that's due to many of those stereotypes and systemic biases I'm going to talk about.

My point is, recognize that while yes, you as the author have a duty to write a character thoughtfully as you can, it's not going to stop the response of the ignorant. Writing seeking to get everyone to understand what you were trying to do… Sisyphean effort. It's better to focus on knowing that YOU wrote something good, that YOU did not write the stereotype that those people are determined to see.

POINT #3: WHY is something a stereotype?

While there are lists of stereotypes against Black people in media and life that can be found, I would appreciate if people stopped approaching it as just a list of things you can check off to avoid. You can know what the stereotypes are, sure, but if you don't understand WHY they're a problem and how they play into perception of us, you'll either end up writing a flat character trying to avoid that list, or you're going to write other things related to that stereotype because "oh its not item #1"... and it'll still be racist.

For example: if you wrote a "sassy Black woman" that does a z formation neck rotation just because a store manager asked her something… that's probably stereotype. If you thought of a character that needed to be "loudmouthed", "sassy", and "strong" and a dark-skinned black woman was automatically what fit the profile in your mind, ding ding ding! THAT'S where you need to catch your racist biases.

But a dark-skinned Black woman character cursing out a store manager because she's had a really bad, stressful day and their attitude towards her pushed her over the edge may be in the wrong, but she's not an "angry Black woman". She's a Black woman that's angry! And if you wrote the day she had to be as bad as would drive anyone to overstimulation and anxiety, the blow up will make sense! The development and writing behind her led to this logical point (which connects to point #1!)

I'm not going to provide a truly exhaustive list of Black stereotypes in media because that would ACTUALLY be worth a college credited class and I do this for free lmao. But I am going to provide some classic examples that can get y'all started on your own research.

POINT #4: WATCH BLACK NARRATIVES!

As always, I'm gonna push supporting Black creators, because that's the best way to see the range of what you'd like. You want to see Black villains? We got those! Black heroes? Black antiheroes? Assholes, lovers, comedians, depressed, criminals, kings, and more? They exist! You can get inspired by watching those movies and reading those books, see how WE depict us!

I've seen mixed reviews on it, BUT- I personally really enjoyed Swarm, because it was one of the first times I'd ever seen that "unhinged obsessed murderous Black fan girl" concept. Tumblr usually loves that shit lmao. Even the "bites you bites you bites you [thing I love]" thing was there. And she liked girls, too. Just saying. I thought it was a fun idea that I'd love to see more of. Y'all gotta give us a chance to be in these roles, to tell these tales. We can do it too, and you'd enjoy it if you tried to understand it!

POINT#5: You are NOT Black!

This is obvious lmao, but if you're not Black, there's no need to pretend. There's no need to think "oh well I have to get a 100% perfect depiction of the Black person's mind". That's… That's gonna look cringe, at its best. You don't have to do that in order to avoid stereotypes. You're not going to be able to catch every nuance because it's not your lived experience, nor is it the societally enforced culture. Just… Do what you can, and if you feel like it's coming off hokey… Maybe consider if you want to continue this way lol. If you know of any Black beta readers or sensitivity reviewers, that'd be a good time to check in!

For example, if your Black character is talking about "what's good my homie" and there's absolutely no reason for him to be speaking that way other than to indicate that he's Black… 😬 I can't stop you but… Are you sure?

An egregious example of a TERRIBLE way to write a Black character is the "What If: Miles Morales/Thor" comic. I want to emphasize the lack of good Black character design involved in some of these PROFESSIONAL art spaces, because that MARVEL comic PASSED QA!! That comic went past NUMEROUS sets of eyes and was APPROVED!! IT GOT RELEASED!! NO ONE STOPPED IT!!

I'm sorry, it was just so racist-ly bad that it was hilarious. Like you couldn't make that shit up.

Anyway, unfortunately that's how some of y'all sound trying to write AAVE. I promise that we speak the Queen's English too lmao. If you're worried you won't get it right, just use the standard form of English. It's fine! Personally, I'd much rather you do that than try to 'decode AAVE' if you don't know how to use it.

My point is, if you're actively "forcing" yourself to "think Black"… maybe you need to stand down and reconsider your approach lmao. This is why understanding the stereotypes and social environment behind them will help you write better, because you can incorporate that Blackness- without having to verbally "emphasize how Black this is"- into their character, motivations, and actions.

Conclusion

We need to reconsider how we approach the concepts of stereotypes when writing our Black characters. The goal is not to cross off a checklist of things to avoid per se, but to understand WHY we have to develop our Black characters well enough to avoid incorporating them into our writing. Give your Black characters substance- we're human beings! We have motivations and fears and desires! We're not perfect, but we're not inherently flawed because of our race. That's what makes the difference!

And as always, and really in particular for this topic, it's the thought that counts, but the action that delivers!

[airs-headspace]

I really made Abiteth's dad way too powerful HAHASDOUFADSFAHOU

[thetruearchmagos]

I feel, thoroughly washed up

[minimalist-quotes]

Don't make the mistake of being so understanding and forgiving that you overlook the fact that you're being disrespected.

[snowstories]

Sometimes you look at a story and you think to yourself 'I understand what you are saying, I think it is a valuable thing to say, but it kind of sucks as a narrative'. I actually think it's a good thing, learning to articulate this, because I think it saves you a lot of time trying to figure out why this obviously good piece of art was also so bad.

What I mean is that narratives have rules. They are made-up rules embedded in subjective cultural expectations of what makes a 'good narrative', but we do live in a society and they are still rules. Example: when reading a story, most people expect a basic set-up pay-off structure, where the opening 'Tom tried to bike without using his arms or legs' is followed up by 'Tom fell and got hurt'. If it's instead followed up by 'Ernie had a good breakfast', that's a nonsensical narrative that most people will find confusing or frustrating to read. We expect a narrative to describe a series of events that connect and lead to each other.

And like in all other forms of art, authors love to see how far they can stretch the rules, or if they can break them altogether.

Often, these non-conformative works are interesting, good pieces of art. I'd say most are even fun to read, if only for the novelty of it. But often, also, you will read a book like this and be reminded why the rules exist in the first place.

Take, for example, the Endless Eight arc from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The anime's central premise is that the titular Haruhi Suzumiya, an impulsive and emotional high school girl, is quite literally god. She does not realize this, but her wants can and do change reality. The Endless Eight is an infamous arc consisting of eight episodes that are nearly identical. It's eight episides of the same story, again and again, with some new animation to make sure you know they weren't doing this to cut costs. They were doing this to make a point. Because the Endless Eight is a timeloop arc. Its endless repitition of frankly banal, boring slice of life stuff is intended to illustrate the drudgery of a timeloop, make you feel like you're stuck in one as well. And it works! It really does! And it's consequently an extremely miserable experience to actually watch.

There is a reason most timeloop narratives focus on what does change, whether that is events or just the characters' emotional state. We expect a narrative to move. If it does not move, if a good chuck of the story is just repeating the exact same thing over and over again with little change, that is a boring, unpleasant, unengaging narrative.

It's a brilliant piece of art and a stark reminder of why narratives have rules to begin with. Many narrative experiments are the same way. Narrative writing (here including film and game) works differently from purely visual, art-for-art's sake art. Can a piece of narrative writing be a good piece of art even if it sucks to read on a most basic story level? Yes. But is that a good narrative? I'd argue not.

[astrowarr]

after watching several povs, there's something so striking about the way mumbo died.

he dies at home, first of all, which is notable in its own right because so much of his time was spent running about, usually in pursuit of kills. he dies with grian, too— to a thing grian created, no less, but it isn't actually grian's fault for once.

mumbo dies in that tall tower and when lightning strikes, from all across the server, everyone looks. their eyes land on that tower, and everyone is watching. even in grian's perspective, you can see everyone at renwood mound, lined up and staring. those at the bamlands looked on too.

they didn't see mumbo die, but they saw grian's grief. grian, who, throughout this season, has seemed cruel and untouchable to those outside of his circle due to his involvement with and knowledge of the wild cards. they watch grian immediately crumble under the weight of mumbo's death; several of them even explicitly comment, "look at grian, he's grieving, he's in mourning."

i like to think that, until that moment, grian was almost god-like in their minds; now, though, he's the quintessential concept of humanity. grief can be religious if you do it right, after all. even beyond the grian aspect though, isn't this just the most despairing omen of what's to come?

i mean, there's something about this image of a man fallen from grace, crying out as he holds the mangled corpse of his friend in the home they made together, high in the sky, on display for all the world to bear witness to. and the world did bear witness, be it with pity, horror, joy... it doesn't matter, because they saw.

the canary curse has been broken, but this was a fittingly foreboding, tone-setting image that did a stunning job filling its shoes

[aleclightofmylifewoodbane]

SO IM NOT THE ONLY ONE. Op i thank you for your bravery..

Going to be honest I feel the same…Don’t get me wrong I LOVE Will Jem and Tessa (TRUST I be talking about Jem all day everyday) but other than them I don’t find TID as interesting. I like the characters a lot more than I like the series as a whole yk? I was never able to finish rereading TID because the plot didn’t hold my attention.

But with TDA? About to be on my third reread. The characters feel much more relatable and hit close to home, and they all are so interesting and I really enjoy the plot and the antagonists and all of the character dynamics a LOT more. I LOVE the Blackthorns they are hands down my favorite family unit and they’re very personal to me…Maybe it’s because it’s a wider cast and we have TMI interacting with TDA and it sets up TWP, but I find it infinitely more interesting. I just love them so much.

UNPOPULAR OPINION

I actually like TDA much more than TID, I relate to the characters a lot more, i think the plot is more interesting and I re-read it every couple months, but i've only read TID twice and i'm fine with it.

(also i like Will Herondale, i think he's funny and i'm sad he died but he's not my fav Herondale)

+ the Blackthorns are my fav family, i LOVE Emma, and i love Jem, Kit is introduced, Ash is also introduced, i really like all the relationships developing (blackstairs, Kierarktina, KiTty) and the other characters making an appearance, i love it, KIT AND JACE PLEASE, MALEC AND THEIR KIDS.

you get my point, that's it, thankssss

[krillgarden]

besides, if you'd never found out, it wouldn't have bothered you.

[theemporium]

are you gonna write for andrei ?

i love that man

i go feral

I want to but I’m also lowkey terrified to write for him🫠I just don’t wanna mess up his personality

[memen18-m5r3]

How can I help you today?

[y2kaee]