#macro elements

[srlgemstone]

Thunder egg Geode

Banded Agate

[hiredpencil]

Voretober 20: Bond

I wanted to go with a sweet picture of a water elemental and their little mermaid friend for this one!

[daz4i]

ratiorine is truly the ship that's got it all. bickering. tsundere. betrayals. wholesomeness. micro/macro. standing on equal grounds and having mutual respect for one another. mystery solving. t4t (tits4tits). battle compatibility. what's not to love

[literaryvein-reblogs]

A 3-Part Book Editing Checklist

PART 1: The "Big Picture"

Identify and fix macro problems relating to plot, character development, narrative arc, and theme.

THEME & IDEA

Is a compelling dramatic question present throughout the book?

Is there a clear theme? Is it well-developed and engaging?

Can you recap your story or argument in this single sentence? “[Character] must [do something] to achieve [goal] or [reason why the audience should care]”

Is there a clear central conflict? Is it resolved by the end of the book?

STRUCTURE Fiction & Memoir; Nonfiction

Fiction & Memoir

Is there a strong beginning, middle, end?

Does your exposition effectively set the story? Introduce the cast of characters? Impart backstory?

Is your rising action triggered by a compelling inciting incident? Does it escalate the conflict and raise the tension?

Is the pace of each act in the narrative arc appropriate?

Does the plot maintain forward movement in each chapter? Do subplots support that momentum?

Are all major plot threads and subplots resolved by the denouement?

Do the plot points sync with the narrative arc and theme that you want to convey?

Do the plot twists make sense? Are there plot holes in the story?

Nonfiction

Does the first chapter of your book introduce your central question and explain why it’s important to answer?

Does your exposition adequately introduce readers to your topic? Does it provide enough context for them to understand your main argument?

Does each chapter or section build on the information that comes beforehand?

Is the length and pace of each chapter appropriate?

Does each chapter contain an appropriate mixture of fact and anecdote?

Is your structure engaging and easy to follow?

Does your book contain any extra information that distracts or detracts from the main argument?

Are there any holes or gaps in your argument?

CHARACTERS Protagonist; Antagonist; Supporting Cast; Setting

Protagonist

Does the protagonist have strengths and weaknesses? Do these interact with the story appropriately?

Does the protagonist grow and change?

Does the protagonist have defining mannerisms? Clear character traits?

Does the protagonist have external and internal goals? Are they visible throughout the story?

Does the protagonist act believably in each scene? Is the protagonist’s behavior consistent? Chart the protagonist’s character arc over the course of the story. Is it clearly and compellingly conveyed in the story?

Antagonist

Does the antagonist have story motivation?

Does the antagonist have a believable backstory?

Is the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist clearly defined?

Supporting Cast

Is the supporting cast fleshed out?

Do the secondary characters have a reason to be there? Do they:

Reveal key details?

Advance the plot?

Motivate the protagonist?

Help define the setting?

Are interactions between the secondary character and the protagonist believable and well-placed?

Do the secondary characters have distinguishing characteristics or mannerisms?

Setting

Does the setting make sense for the purposes of the story? Does it matter to the plot?

Are descriptions of the setting rendered effectively and appropriately?

Does each scene convey a clear sense of place and time?

Is the worldbuilding fully realized? Logically consistent?

Fact-check each scene in relation to the setting. Are objects, props, mannerisms, and behaviors native to the time and place of the story?

PART 2: The "Scene" Level

Strengthen specific elements within individual scenes

SCENES & CHAPTERS

Is the opening scene effective?

Does it start in the right place?

Does it have a hook? Is the hook immediately gripping?

Are the scenes appropriately paced to grab the readers’ attention? Are the chapter lengths effective?

Does each scene serve a purpose in the story?

Is each scene oriented in terms of time and place?

Are scene transitions smooth?

DIALOGUE

Does the dialogue serve a purpose in each scene? Does it:

Provide information?

Advance the plot?

Help the pace?

Does each character have a distinct voice?

Is the dialogue believable for the time and place of the story? Is the word choice reflective of the time period?

Does the dialogue use action beats to control the pace of the scene?

COMPOSITION Voice & Point of View; Prose

Voice & Point of View

Is the narrator’s voice consistent?

Is the voice appropriate given the context of the book and its story or argument?

Is foreshadowing used effectively, if applicable? Metaphors? Similes?

Is the viewpoint character always clear? Is it consistent between scenes?

Is the point of view suitable for each scene? Is there a better alternative for a viewpoint character in any given scene?

Prose

Is the backstory of the world or characters efficiently woven into the story?

Does each sentence contribute something to the story?

Do you “show, don’t tell” with your dialogue, characters, and setting?

QUOTES & REFERENCES

Are quotes and references used to support the argument?

Are all of your sources reliable?

Do quotes help aid the narrative progression, or do they interrupt it?

Have you paraphrased where possible?

Are there appropriate transitions before and after references?

Are all quotations accurate?

Have you chosen a citation style?

Have you cited all references according to that style?

PART 3: The "Line" Edit

Ensure the text is objectively correct. This covers everything from typos and grammar to continuity and syntax.

PUNCTUATION & DIALOGUE

Limit the use of adverbs in your dialogue tags. (Show, don’t tell!)

✗ “Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?” said Harry angrily. ✓ Harry upended the table. “Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?”

Check for the use of other dialogue tags and replace them with “said” and “asked,” unless other emphasis is absolutely necessary.

✗ “Did you just stab me with this thimble?” queried Amber. ✓ “Did you just stab me with this thimble?” asked Amber.

Check that all of the dialogue is formatted correctly.

✗ “I love you.” Said Pam. ✓ “I love you,” said Pam.

VOICE

Limit the use of weak verbs and adverbs in general.

✗ Leonard ran quickly to school. ✓ Leonard sprinted to school.

Replace all “hidden” verbs.

✗ Offer an explanation ✓ Explain

Check for the use of passive voice and replace with active voice, whenever appropriate.

✗ The ball was kicked. ✓ She kicked the ball.

Use “telling” words such as “felt,” “saw,” “knew,” and “seemed” sparingly.

✗ His head felt awful. ✓ His head throbbed.

LANGUAGE

Delete vague and subjective words.

✗ Could, might, maybe, more, poor, good, excellent, bad, some, multiple, really, literally, suddenly, simply, just, a little, almost, etc

Delete all instances of cliches in the text.

✗ It was a dark and stormy night.

Check for excessive repetition in the text.

✗ Go to [do something]

Check for instances of overly complicated language.

✗ In close proximity ✓ Near

Source ⚜ More: Writing Worksheets & Templates Writing References: Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding

More Notes: On Editing

[toniejestblog]

Don’t mind me, I’m just thinking how culturally and socially we are conditioned to choose Verso’s ending.

Disclaimer: This is not anti-/pro- any Ending (even if I skew a little). This is just me trying to make sense of it, outside the discourse and interpretations concerning character perspective and intrinsic motivations (Verso and Maelle), agency and its theft, micro vs macro scale of the worldbuilding, the sentience of Lumière citizens and value of art, and, letting go of the grief. In this ramble, I focus solely on the storytelling element across majorly Western cultures, our mortality system, and how this would unconsciously bias our choice.

Another disclaimer: I’m all for healthily processing grief. Sadly, I don’t see it in what was shown in either ending. I see it, however, in events that could potentially happen later in both endings.

Obvious spoilers under the cut.

Point I: the Monomyth, i.e. the Hero comes back to their world changed, once the journey is over

In countless media we see characters embark on beautiful journeys across other worlds, be in different dimensions, alternatives timelines, or fictional universes. These stories also often feature antagonists who struggle with grief and the desire to reverse loss at great cost. Such narratives almost always resolve with a “return”: the hero had their adventure, they’ve grown ("You will know love and you will know pain" Maelle's canvas mother said), and now it’s time to go back to the “real” world, the one that matters (cue the Monomyth).

However, I wonder if the above character archetype/story structure can be so easily applied to Clair Obscur due its own unique worldbuilding.

To say that Alicia (now Maelle) has "grown enough" in the Canvas, and must return to her "original world" is based on the classic reading of the Monomyth, and this view posits her as the typical heroine who is an intruder, or visitor, to a different realm and who ultimately needs to leave (she falls into Canvas as Alice falls into Rabbit Hole). But Alicia, although literally, doesn’t just fall into the Canvas—she lives two full lives within it, and thus, enters a liminal stage. She spent two different lives in two different dimensions, and her existence had two very different natures (one reborned as Maelle, a Canvas mortal, and one as Alicia, an outsider god). The classical western storytelling would argue against that liminality. The comeback to the "real" world is inevitable.

Farah Mendlesohn, in Rhetorics of Fantasy (2008), discusses "portal-quest" fantasies, that is narratives where protagonists enter magical worlds through portals but must eventually return. These stories preserve the “real” world’s dominance and often serve as allegories for growth and reintegration. If we apply that frame here, choosing Verso’s ending mimics this familiar pattern. But Clair Obscur at the same time resists that closure. The story could be not about returning, but remaining and transforming (Alicia becoming not a Paintress in the end, but a Curator; but that's for a different post).

It’s okay if anyone sees it in this way, you can feel any way you like about the game. But personally, I think of Barthes' concept of the “Death of the Author” (1977) which argues that player interpretation is shaped by cultural templates. This would explain why, most people, could be naturally drawn to Verso’s ending (for this particular reason amongst other reasons), because that’s what we are used to; firstly by the character archetype and secondly by the story structure.

Point II: Death gives meaning to life

It’s interesting how we only attach meaning to life if there is death. How life is only worth it if it ends, just like everything else. If it's not ephemeral, it's not beautiful. The finality of death is what serves for us as a warning and guiding point. We grow and change because we can die one day. This belief runs deep in Western existentialism. Heidegger argues that only through the awareness of death (Being-toward-death) can individuals live authentically (1927). Moreover, we are constantly reminded of the threat of immortality and how it strips away morality, humanity, and any meaning to our actions in a very nihilistic way.

The destruction of the canvas brings closure and finality, and, because it ends in ultimate death (in and outside the Canvas), it gives meaning to Verso’s life. And we want his life to have meaning, we want all our deaths to matter. But Verso’s life and death are also more than the ones he had outside, or inside, the Canvas.

For me, In Clair Obscur, it feels like projecting our, players’ reality, and assigning value from our mortality system, onto the game’s reality. And understandably so. But the game ‘s world offers its own systems.

Painted!Clea says "Don’t worry, death in there isn’t final. Every Canvas has its own rules. And I find death a boring outcome. Don’t you, Alicia?"

Young, original Verso gave Gestrals the reincarnation river, what they call "the gift of new beginnings" which is, ultimately (very importantly) a voluntary decision on their side. The argument I often see, is that in Maelle’s ending she robs people of mortality, as she can revive them with her godlike Painter powers, and thus, makes their life meaningless. There is no direct evidence supporting that (and as most things in both endings it relies on speculation), and moreover their new found immortality (or renewed mortality) does not have to be as binding for them as it was for Painted!Verso. Multiple lifetimes can be as beautiful and valuable as only one. For P!Verso, his painted life was not really his own and thus he found no silver lining in it (not to mention it being stained by other people's grief). Maelle-Alicia, in her second life which was her own and not bereft of agency, found purpose and inspiration (similarly to characters in Pratchett's Thief of Time (2001)).

(Bonus) Point III: narrative structures, we love parallelism

Eagleton (2003) argues that Western narratives fetishize tragedy as morally redemptive and aesthetically satisfying (Verso's continuous sacrifice which starts the story and ends the story).The Clair Obscur begins with creation of the Canvas and ends with its destruction. This mimics Genesis-to-Apocalypse narrative arcs prominent in Judeo-Christian storytelling traditions. Verso's ending offers rhythm and symmetry. (At least on the surface) it's a cleaner cut with much less space for speculation than in Maelle's ending. Her ending feels more emotionally and ethically complicated ergo narratively unfinished. Its ambiguity is more post-modern than Verso's more traditional,classical ending.

TLDR; We repeat familiar narrative patterns from (Western) storytelling culture which is built around dualism (life/death, good/evil)("You think in false dichotomies" Lune tells us and Verso), and we gravitate towards familiarity and closure they offer. We’re drawn to the hero who returns, to death as the validator of life, and to the ending that "makes sense" in our cultural logic. But what if Clair Obscur asks: what if sense-making lies elsewhere?

You choose where.

[novlr]

Could you please give some tips to maintain flow and pacing in fiction writing?

Before diving into the tips, let’s briefly define what we mean by flow and pacing:

Flow

Flow is the smooth progression of ideas, scenes, and events in your story. It includes:

Logical development of ideas and themes.

Seamless transitions between scenes.

Natural event sequencing.

Organic character development.

Well-timed information reveals.

Appropriate emotional progression.

Getting the flow right immerses readers in the story so they can easily follow the narrative. It’s the invisible thread that unifies all aspects of your writing, ensuring each element contributes to the whole.

Pacing

Pacing refers to the speed at which your story unfolds and how quickly (or slowly) you reveal information to the reader. It’s a vital element of any narrative that affects the rhythm and tension. Effective pacing keeps readers engaged, controls the emotional impact of your story, and helps maintain momentum.

The most important considerations in pacing include:

Story rhythm: The overall tempo of your narrative can vary from fast-paced and thrilling to slow and contemplative.

Information reveals: How and when you disclose plot points, character backstories, and world-building details to your readers.

Tension and release: The balance between building suspense and providing resolution or relief.

Scene and chapter length: The structure of your story at both micro and macro levels can affect how quickly readers progress through your narrative.

Narrative focus: What you choose to emphasise in your story and how much time you spend on different elements (e.g., action, dialogue, description, introspection).

Both these elements play together to create an immersive and entertaining experience for readers, so it’s important to get them right. But how, exactly, do you do that? Here are some tips!

Vary sentence structure and length

One of the most effective ways to maintain flow and control pacing is by varying your sentence structure and length. This technique helps create rhythm in your prose and prevents monotony. Here’s how:

Mix short, punchy sentences with longer, more complex ones.

Use sentence fragments for emphasis or to quicken the pace.

Use compound and complex sentences to slow things down and add depth.

Start sentences with different parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives) to keep things interesting (academic writing will tell you not to start a sentence with “and” or “but”, but I’m here to tell you it’s fine to break those rules!)

Use paragraph breaks strategically

Paragraph breaks are often overlooked but are a powerful tool for controlling the flow and pacing of your story. They provide visual cues to the reader and can be used to emphasise certain story points or create suspense.

Use shorter paragraphs to increase tension and quicken the pace.

Use longer paragraphs for descriptive passages or to slow things down.

Create single-sentence paragraphs for dramatic effect or to highlight important information.

Master the art of transitions

Smooth transitions between scenes, ideas, and events are essential for maintaining flow in your writing. They help guide the reader through your story without jarring interruptions.

Use transitional phrases or words (e.g., “meanwhile,” “later that day,” “across town”) sparingly. Clarity is best, but it’s easy to overuse them and turn them into crutch words.

Use sensory details to bridge scenes (e.g., describing a sound that carries over from one scene to the next).

Let your characters’ actions or thoughts link different parts of your story.

Create thematic connections between scenes or chapters.

Balance action and downtime

A well-paced story strikes a balance between action-packed scenes and moments of introspection or character development. This balance helps maintain reader interest while giving your narrative necessary depth.

Follow intense action scenes with quieter moments of reflection.

Use introspective passages to build tension before action sequences.

Weave character thoughts and feelings into action scenes for added depth and character development.

Avoid long stretches of either pure action or pure introspection, as it can be either overwhelming, exhausting, or boring for readers to have too much of the same tone.

Control the flow of information

How and when you reveal information to the reader is a critical aspect of pacing. Carefully controlling the release of information can create suspense, maintain mystery, and keep readers engaged.

Use foreshadowing to hint at future events without giving everything away.

Employ flashbacks judiciously to provide backstory without disrupting the main narrative.

Reveal character motivations gradually throughout the story.

Create mini-mysteries or subplots to maintain reader interest between major plot points.

Use dialogue effectively

Dialogue always seems easy, but it’s difficult to do well. But when it is done well, it’s a powerful tool for controlling pacing and maintaining flow in your story. It can quicken the pace, provide character development, and convey important information.

Use short, snappy exchanges to increase tension and pace.

Write longer conversations for character development or to slow things down.

Intersperse dialogue with action beats to maintain flow and provide context.

Vary dialogue tags and consider using action instead of tags to avoid repetition.

Create a rhythm with scene structure

The structure of your scenes can greatly impact the flow and pacing of your story. By varying scene length and intensity, you can create a rhythm that keeps your story moving smoothly.

Alternate between long and short scenes to create variety.

Use scene breaks or chapter endings to create cliffhangers and maintain suspense.

Vary the intensity of scenes, following high-tension moments with calmer ones.

Consider the overall arc of your story when structuring scenes, building towards climactic moments.

Show, don’t tell

It’s the most common writing advice for a reason. And it all boils down to using sensory language to enhance a reader’s experience. It turns a list of plot points into a story. Sensory details can enhance flow and pacing by immersing readers in the world you’ve created. However, it’s also important to use them wisely. It’s not about showing everything but showing what you need to at the right time for the best effect.

Use vivid sensory details during important moments to slow down time and increase impact.

Use brief sensory descriptions to quickly set the scene without disrupting pacing.

Choose specific, evocative details rather than providing exhaustive descriptions.

Vary the senses you appeal to, not just relying on visual descriptions.

Mini info-dumps work

Knowing when to summarise events or passages of time is often overlooked, but it’s an important part of pacing your story. While in general info-dumping is frowned on, sometimes it’s a necessary part of plotting. Not every moment needs to be shown in real time; sometimes, a brief summary can help move the story along.

Use short info-dumps for less important events or time passages.

Info-dumps can bridge gaps between key scenes.

Combine an info-dump with scene-specific details to make it feel more natural.

[asiawalecka]

Traces.

[yudkowsky]

I understand why alchemists invented, and modern fiction writers use, systems with a few understandable Elements like Earth / Fire / Air / Water / Light / Dark.

I understand why even most nerds don't bother to study the Elements in real life. There's too many of them, and they don't neatly correspond to meaningful aspects of macro-level existence.

But just once I'd like to read a worked magical system where the author has looked up the properties of the real Elements, has put in all the work to build up a system of plausible-sounding correspondences, and the protagonist is a rare dual-element Tellurium-Iodine wizard.

[physalian]

How to Make your Writing Less Stiff 4

Let’s keep this train rollin’! This time less down to line edits and more overall scope of your narrative

Part 3

1. Foreshadowing

Nothing quite like the catharsis of accurately predicting where something’s going to go. It doesn’t have to be a huge plot twist or a character death, it can (and should) be little things that reward your audience for paying attention. Double points if it adds to rewatch/re-readability.

Example: In The Dark Knight, this exchange happens:

Harvey: “You’ve known Rachel all her life.”

Alfred: “Oh, not yet, Sir.”

You won’t think anything of it on your first watch. Alfred is just making a witty joke that throws Harvey off. Watch the movie again, when Rachel dies, and it becomes some incredibly dark foreshadowing. Turns out Alfred has, actually, known Rachel all her life.

2. Chekhov’s Gun

Chekhov’s Gun is a narrative concept where a seemingly inconsequential element introduced at some point in the narrative (a gun) must “fire” by the end of the narrative. Sometimes this element leaves audiences uneasy or anxious, because they know something bad must come of it. Sometimes they think nothing of it until it’s about to fire and you get a one-two punch of the realization that it’s about to hit, and then the impact of the hit. It helps create tension, and tension is incredibly important (if you want a whole post of my take on it, lmk).

It also helps your narrative look more cohesive, where nothing is left on the table. Your set-ups and payoffs leave no threads dangling.

3. Repetition

The Rule of threes can apply on a micro and macro scale. I like doing lists of adjectives in threes, (e.g. My cat is soft, fluffy, and adorable) because the cadence and the flow of three is something we’re familiar with in spoken language. We like three supporting examples for an argument. Any less doesn’t feel strong enough, any more feels like you’re trying too hard. This is not a rule it’s a suggestion.

On a grander scale, you can look at the script of Curse of the Black Pearl for a masterclass in macro rules of three, like three parlays. Doing this helps your narrative look more cohesive and like every detail is thoroughly interwoven and nothing is coincidence. Your audience will get to the third instance and mimic that DiCaprio pointing meme—they will absolutely notice.

4. Motifs

Motifs as well, beyond threes, help. Colors are a huge one. For example every time you mention the color purple, you could attach it to an emotion, or a character, or an important plot beat, like how leitmotifs work for character themes in movies and TV shows.

Obvious examples in film are like lightsaber colors or dressing up the good guys in white and the bad guys in black. I did this whole post about color in fiction.

It’s a lot of other things too. Weather elements and times of day, or specific inconsequential objects popping up over and over again, like birds, or litter, fallen leaves, clothing items. Whenever the narrative mentions them, the author is trying to clue you in on some subtext within that scene.

—

My new novel is here!!! Do you like supernatural fantasy? How about queer vampires? How about acespec characters? Then Eternal Night of the Northern Sky is for you!

[unsoundedcomic]

Recently I've been really longing for something like a Sly Cooper / Styx / Hitman style game focused on Sette and Sharteshane. Duane would be in his print shop and you could nick pymarcs from him for The Best Schemes. 100 Pie collectables and maybe some traumatic smoke eel memories to collect as well. That or a 4x game on the whole map. Something either really focused on one city and core cast of characters, or a birds eye macro tour of this wonderful setting.

That sounds baller. I think Sette would make a fantastic FPSneaker protag, she's full of snarky one-liners. And while she can take someone down if she has the complete element of surprise, otherwise she's gonna game over faster than Garrett if you get seen, so you'd have to do a pure sneaker. Much more Thief than Dishonored.

I'd leave Duane out of it and make it an Unsounded prequel. Sette is a disrespected young Frummagem trying to earn respect and a place in the gang. She forges alliances with rival groups, robs ships and shrines, goes deep into the undercity to retrieve artifacts for scholars, rescues a kidnapped twin, saves her saddlehound from the pie factory, and ultimately has to defeat her nemeses, Bodkin and his son BJ. At the end of the game, da tells you the gang is yours if you just do this one last mission for him... and Duane is shown grumbling and narrow-eyed in the doorway. The End?!

I've also liked to imagine a Donkey Kong Country style co-op platformer with her and Duane in the past. But my ideal is an obnoxiously in-depth strategy RPG with thirty collectible characters and a 100 hour campaign that most people loathe except for a cultishly enraptured small group of devotees who know it's hated because it's misunderstood and all those losers just never read Cope's tumblr post twenty years ago where she explained the mechanics. Pathetic.

[thesovereignsring-if]

Hello! Your IF story inspired me to start my own IF game

Im thinking of using twine

And I would like to ask you if you had any tips or advice

Thank you!

Also side note I’m really excited and very interested in how this story is going to play out I already love the cast and can’t wait to see the rest!

OOoo thank you so much! I'm very flattered the game inspired you!

Twine has many different story formats, each with their own pros and cons. I personally use Sugarcube (I think next to Harlow, it is the most popular) so all my tips will be for Twine Sugarcube:

Basic tips:

Bookmark the Sugarcube V2 Document. This is your bible. It will have everything you need to use Twine. It's a daunting read, but I use it to troubleshoot when I forget how Macros work. I always have tab open for it.

Download a Twine Template. If you are brand new to Twine and making IFs, I heavily suggest downloading a template or two. Most of them come with tutorials and examples on how they work. Sometimes they even provide more helpful resources on Twine. I use Vahnya's Template II that I modified myself afterwards.

Study from pre-exisiting Twine IFs. Might be controversial, but I personally believe that diving in and seeing how other authors code and structure their stories helps a lot. Eventually you'll figure out a system and structure that works for you. It might not work for all games, but most Twine games can be downloaded and opened up in the twine editior. If you're worried about spoilers or upsetting people, feel free to download my game and see whats inside. I make multiple copies of the game, so any build I have out in the public is not the original build and therefore have no spoilers. I know it will look insane when you open it, but there's a method to the madness.

Writing and Planning:

Making an IF is no joke! Plan your story out, know your big variables, your branching routes and at least some part of your ending!! Try to stay as organized as possible. These projects and can will spiral out of control if you're not careful. I suggest having a giant excel sheet with tabs for important variables, chapter/scene breakdowns, wordcount and characters ect. Updating it will be a pain (that I am guilty of not doing) but will make developing easier. Even if you don't make a big project, its still good practise to do it.

#Stylesheet:

All the code in here relates to how the game looks. You can fiddle in there to configure the game to look how you want it to look. If you even want to see what element is tied to what ID code, the best thing to do is playtest the game (build >> play) and then leftclick and select "inspect element" you browser will open up the developer window and you see what elements are tied to what and even play around with the contents to test out CSS elements you like.

This website is a great resource on using CSS and other coding language. I personally used it many time to modify my game.

Helpful resources and Macros:

Chapel has made a LOT of custom macros that you can add to your game. You can find the list here.

But the most important one is the Pronoun Template. It might be confusing at first but one you understand how it work, its a great tool to have. You can even add gendered titles so that they work with the pronoun template.

Idrellegame is a great resource on coding in Twine. You can find the list here. It helped me out when starting out.

Exporting to Itch:

I never see people talk about Butler when it comes to uploading If games onto itch.io, so i'm doing it now.

What is Butler? Its a command-line tool that Itch made to upload your game onto Itch.io quickly and reliably.

The documentation is here. And I suggest coping and pasting the export codes onto a doc so you can use them for every update afterwards.

Here is a youtube tutorial you can follow along as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JCJa5iWREM

I personally have the Butler on the Itchio.app so that's its always up to date.

Thats all I can offer off the top of my head, if you or anyone wants some help on something specifically, feel free to DM me or drop another ask in the inbox. Always happy to help. Working in twine is very overwhelming for newcomers.

[starwovenkiss]

(minor smut / suggestive content)

Frat boys, Soap and Gaz, who take an interest in the pretty TA for their econ 101 class.

The one that shows up with sweaters and jeans and glasses while marking through their tests with red pens and frustrated sighs.

Showing up to you after one class one day with mischevious grins in their matching fraternity t-shirts.

“Bonnie, y’gotta convince the professor to bump me up to an A,” Johnny pauses at this. “Or at least a C.”

You roll your eyes. “Johnny, you spelled your own name wrong on your last test.” He at least has the decency to look ashamed at this.

“What Soap is tryna say,” Kyle cuts in, smooth as ever. He really shouldn’t be here, making A's on every exam this semester, except that he’s been caught cheating and has been placed on academic probation. “is that we really think we could benefit from some tutoring. We do so much better with 1-on-1 attention.”

Both he and Johnny tilt their faces into something pouting and begging, and you want to laugh. Throw the scantrons you're grading at their muscled chests and storm out of here for wasting your time.

“Yeah, 1-on-1 would be great,” Johnny echoes, and you nearly scream.

Dealing with late nights in the library where they're more interested in getting you to go out with them then learning the diffrence between macro and microeconomics.

"So the difference between absolute advantage and -" You tense as Kyle tugs lightly on your ponytail.

"Darling, why don't you ever come to one of our parties?"

“We’re having one this Friday.” Johnny suggests, and you wonder if a part of their stupid initiation is to learn how to complete each other’s sentences like some sort of greek Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. "It’s not really my vibe,” you say, hoping that will be enough to get back to learning what GDP stands for (and not ‘great dick’n’pussy’ like Johnny suggested.)

“Aw, that’s because you’ve never been, bonnie.” Johnny fights back, and Kyle nods eagerly. “Tau Mu is everyone’s vibe.”

And to your horror, they break out into song, singing about the fraternity’s history and legacy. Your eye twitches, and you grip onto your pencil tighter to keep from sticking it in their throats.

”How about this,” you say loudly enough to cut over their caterwauling, and they smile. “if you both get an A on this next test, I will go to your party.”

They both have cheshire grins.

“Deal.” Kyle winks.

Them coming up to you on Thursday looking proud as ever when they have Canvas pulled up on their phones to show off their matching 100s.

“You guys must have cheated,” you say, dumbfounded.

“We would never.” Kyle proclaims, affronted and mocking. “’Sides, even if we did, you have no way to prove it.”

“This whole conversation incriminates you.” you say.

“Incriminates? We’re not under trial here.” Kyle laughs.

"No cheating.” Johnny promises. “It must’ve been thanks to your impressive tutelage.”

“Johnny, spell tutelage.” You deadpan.

There’s a pause. “… That doesn’t matter. We’ll see you tomorrow.” He smiles brightly.

“Make sure to wear red.” Kyle adds on before they both walk out of the classroom.

You showing up to their party, looking like you don’t want to be there and definitely not in red, only to find out it’s a stoplight party, and red screams that you’re taken.

Both of them in their element, shirtless and streaked in red black light paint, as they jump around and body surf in neon sunglasses before seeing you disappointed.

“Bonnie, why aren’t you wearing red?” Johnny asks.

"Johnny, I’m not seeing anyone.”

“So, what do you call all of those late nights in the library?” Kyle asks, putting an arm around you as he leads you to get jungle juice.

“Tutoring. To help get both your GPAs above a 2.5,” You reply.

“Sounds like foreplay to me.” Johnny smiles down at you while wrapping an arm around your waist, and suddenly you feel flustered by the two attractive men who seem enamored with you.

You pick up a solo cup as a distraction and notice that it has “You’re Hell” written on it. “Who wrote this? There’s a typo.”

They both groan, “We were trying to be clever.” Johnny replies.

“You need to relax, darling. Can’t be good for you to be so uptight all the time.” Kyle responds moving to rub your shoulders.

“Yeah, Gaz.” Johnny smiles at him, and suddenly you feel like you’ve walked into some trap. “Relaxing would be good for the lass.”

Finding yourself upstairs in a private bedroom, naked, sprawled out in Kyle’s lap as he holds your legs open for Johnny to examine you.

“Think it’s time we teach her a thing or two, right, Soap?” Kyle whispers, voice low like honey in your ear and you shiver.

“See how well we can make the teacher’s pet behave.” Johnny responds as he grins like the devil, breath tickling your fluttering cunt.

“Bet she’s never had this pretty pussy licked before.” Kyle snickers, and you finally feel the need to speak up.

“Yes, I have. I’m not a prude.” You whine, and you feel like the pastel pink underwear with a tiny bow that Johnny has stuffed in his pocket isn’t doing you any favors.

“Aye, well. Not like this.” Johnny replies before licking into you like a man starved.

[ohmightydevviepuu]

ficbinding: a sailor moon tete-beche

so here's the thing:

my first love? my first fandom? sailor moon, 1995. it's horrifically old-fashioned now to admit this (there are so many, many, many interpretations of the various relationships and potential love stories 30 years later) but i was obsessed with the reincarnated love story of it all and i lost my damn mind when i saw that, because of a series of drawings done by the manga artist, it is technically canon that the sailor senshi also had forbidden lovers in another life.

i was 13. it really stuck with me. it still does.

these stories are a matched set--one from the past (the silver millennium) and one set in the future (crystal tokyo). they are from 2011 and i found them in a time when i was Going Through It and needed to return to that first love and it was that impulse that drove me to finally bind them. well, that and the @renegadeguild annual binderary. we had an excellent workshop and session on using macros in word to simplify typesetting and i just went on a slightly unhinged spree, grabbing everything i could and running it through to have on standby.

these fics were slightly more complicated--originally posted on FF.net, not AO3, and had been deleted by the author in the intervening years (so i will not be linking them here). fortunately i was able to track it down and make this bind by adapting the macro workflow and incorporating the .txt files from the internet archive. the cover art is from mimiclothing on deviant art as highlighted by the senshi/shitennou appreciation blog.

the bind

legal quarto faux 3-pc bradel bind, with cutouts

art from mimiclothing and printed on semi-lustre moab paper

dubletta and verona bookcloth

churchpaper bookbinder's special 24# warm white

italian marbled endpapers from mulberry paper

sewn headbands (not pictured)

graphical elements are allusions to the alchemical symbols for mars and for fire, given that sailor mars is a fire senshi

[ai-musclebound]

He makes fun of a lot of things – mostly himself. Maybe that’s why he’s so easy to like – because he doesn’t try to be anyone else. Not the hero, not the strategist, not the silent philosopher. Just the guy who laughs when others tense up. Who rolls his eyes when the conversation turns to macros and definition, yet still shows up at the gym every morning at six as if there were nothing more important. That afternoon, someone challenged him – pull-ups to failure. He didn’t hesitate. Grabbed the bar like it was part of a playground. And even when he was far past his limit, he was still grinning. That crooked, almost cheeky smile that says: “Yeah, I know this is kind of ridiculous. And I love it anyway.” In that moment, his gaze wasn’t fixed on anyone – it turned inward. As if he had just won a bet with himself. Maybe that’s what sets him apart: that honest, almost childlike pride that has nothing to do with vanity. But everything to do with knowing you pushed through – even when no one was watching. He lives for moments like these. Not for likes or trophies, but for that feeling that his body responds, that the effort makes sense. That he’s truly in his element – even when he’s just hanging from a bar mid-workout, wearing a smile that says it all.

[zvaigzdelasas]

China’s Ministry of Commerce announced Thursday that export controls on antimony would take effect Sept. 15. Antimony is used in bullets, nuclear weapons production and lead-acid batteries. It can also strengthen other metals.

“Three months ago, there’s no way [any] one would have thought they would have done this. It’s quite confrontational in that regard,” Lewis Black, CEO of Canada-based Almonty Industries, said in a phone interview. The company has said it’s spending at least $125 million to reopen a tungsten mine in South Korea later this year.

Tungsten is nearly as hard as a diamond, and used in weapons, semiconductors and industrial cutting machines. Both tungsten and antimony are on the U.S. critical minerals list, and less than 10 elements away from each other on the periodic table.[...]

China accounted for 48% of global antimony mine production in 2023, while the U.S. did not mine any marketable antimony, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s latest annual report. The U.S. has not commercially mined tungsten since 2015, and China dominates global tungsten supply, the report said.[...]

The U.S. has sought to restrict China’s access to high-end semiconductors, following which Beijing announced export controls on germanium and gallium, two metals used in chipmaking.

While tungsten is also used to make semiconductors, the metal, like antimony, is used in defense production.

“China has a declining tungsten production, but tungsten is absolutely vital, far more than antimony, in military applications,” said Christopher Ecclestone, principal and mining strategist at Hallgarten & Company.

He expects China will put export controls on tungsten by the end of the year, if not in the next month or two.[...]

Starting in 2026, the U.S. REEShore Act prohibits the use of Chinese tungsten in military equipment. That refers to the Restoring Essential Energy and Security Holdings Onshore for Rare Earths Act of 2022.[...]

China is acting more in retaliation “against what it views as an intrusion into its national interests,” Markus Herrmann Chen, co-founder and managing director of China Macro Group, said in an email.

He pointed out that China’s Third Plenum meeting of policymakers in July “put forward a completely new policy goal of better coordinating the entire minerals value chain, likely reflecting the further heightened supply importance of ‘strategic mineral resources’ for both business and geoeconomic interests.”

Stupid games:[X] Prizes [20 Aug 24]

[only-have-size-for-you]

macro/micro, noncon elements

Lex's hookup has a surprise for it

"What is that?" Lex pulled away from its hookup's embrace, eyes fixed on the little jar on his nightstand.

"What's what?" the man muttered, pulling Lex back in and kissing its neck.

"That!" It pushed him off and gestured to the nightstand. He finally relented and turned to look at the jar.

"Oh, that," he chuckled, "that's the surprise I was telling you about." He casually reached over and grabbed the jar, jostling the little form inside of it. When he held it up to Lex, it could make out a tiny person cowering inside. Completely nude apart from what looked like a little black leather collar around their neck.

"What... Who-"

"This thing," the hookup said, unscrewing the lid of the jar and reaching in "is the best fucking toy you'll ever use." Long fingers curled around the little body, despite attempts to dodge, and lifted it out of the jar with ease.

"You wanna give it a test run?" Smirking, he held the tiny creature out to Lex.

"Who is it? Did you do that to them? Why are they-"

"Look, do you want to ask me questions all night or do you want to have some fun?" The man tightened his grip, and the little thing squeaked in his hand. They looked up to Lex with pleading eyes. Lex swallowed hard.

"I want to have fun."

---

Lex was turned away from its hookup, listening for his breathing to become steady. On the opposite side of the bed, on the nightstand closest to the hookup, was the tiny person, carelessly dumped back into their jar. Still covered in cum, no one had bothered to clean them up. Every time Lex closed its eyes, it saw the tiny face. Terrified. Disgusted. It could still hear the screams as they begged and pleaded to be let go. Could feel their shaking form clutching its dick while the man sucked it off. Lex roughly shook its head, as if that would clear the memory.

A snore brought Lex back to the present. Its hookup was finally asleep. Lex slowly got up and crept around the bed, watching for any sign of stirring. It made it to the nightstand without any disturbance and carefully screwed the top off the jar. The tiny creature which had been dozing, suddenly awoke. Panic flashed across their little form and a scream erupted from the tiny mouth.

"SHHH," Lex grabbed them out quickly and covered their face with a thumb. The muffled screams didn't stop.

"I'm helping you. I'm helping you. Please be quiet. I'm helping you, okay?" Its pleading whispers seemed to finally get through. Or maybe the little thing was just too scared to fight. Either way, they grew still in its grasp, their heavy breathing and racing heart the only signs that they were still alive.

Lex glanced to the bed once more. If the screaming had disturbed the man's sleep, he didn't show it. Lex stood there a beat, holding its breath. Then, moving as softly as it could, started for the door. It looked back as it turned the doorknob, and still the man slept soundly. Only when the door shut behind it did it dare to breathe again, and still, it kept quiet until it made it to the street.

"What are you-"

"Shhh, not here," Lex cooed, wiping cum off the little person with its shirt. "I'm gonna get you to my place okay? I don't want to risk that guy figuring out that you're missing and finding you before we can hide. Can I put you in my pocket?"

A nod, almost imperceptible at that size, but enough for Lex. It slid them into its jacket pocket and started for home.

---

"Okay. We should be good now." Lex took the small figure out of its pocket and set them on the coffee table before taking a seat on the couch. It looked down at their cowering form and wordlessly slid down to sit on the floor. It still loomed over them, but if Lex slouched down they were almost at eye level.

There was a mumbling of words and Lex strained its ears, but couldn't make out anything.

"I'm sorry could you speak up a bit?"

"What do you want from me," the little thing yelled in a shaky voice.

"I- I want to help you." No response. "I'm Lex. You don't have to tell me your name. But I want to help. Is there something I can do? Somewhere I could take you or... I don't know. I don't know! I've never dealt with anything like this, you're just- Did he shrink you? Were you always this small? Are you like a fairy do I need to take you back to the woods? Or-"

"Lex?"

Lex quit its rambling and turned its attention to the little creature, who averted their gaze immediately. They took a shaky breath and without taking their eyes from a spot on the coffee table began to speak.

"You can call me Jamie. There- There's nothing you can do. My ex told me the shrinking was permanent." With that word they seemed overcome with emotion and let out a sob. Just as quickly as it had come, they pushed it down and regained their composure. "Even if he was lying, he's the only one who can fix me and I can't go back. I can't I- I just can't." They seemed to be fighting with themself not to break down.

"Hey hey, it's okay. You don't have to. You never have to see that asshole again okay? He can't hurt you anymore I promise. I swear you're safe from him here, okay?" Lex tentatively put out a hand and Jamie ran into the embrace. They finally let themself go, tears flowing down their cheeks as they wailed and clung to its fingers.

"I don't have an- anyone to go to," they managed to get out through their cries. Lex used its free hand to stroke their back. Jamie began to relax. Their shallow breaths became steady.

"Could I stay with you?" They were looking up at Lex now, eyes red and puffy and face all flushed.

"Course. Of course you can."

---

"I don't have any clothes that small but I could cut off a piece of fabric for you? Just something so you can cover yourself." Lex was turned away from the makeshift tub, a bowl full of soapy water.

"Don't bother. And you don't have to do all that. You can look at me. I've been on your dick, we're past the point of formalities."

"I'm really sorry about that. I feel fucking terrible I just didn't know what to do and-"

"It's okay. Really."

"No it isn't. I keep thinking about it, you all terrified and helpless and-"

"Did you like it?"

Lex finally turned to face Jamie. "What kind of question is that?"

"It just seemed like you enjoyed it." Jamie wasn't looking at it now, focused on swirling their hand through the bubbles. Lex tried to read them. Was this a test? Were they angry? Lex wanted to assure them that it didn't get any pleasure from using their little body as a sex toy, wanted to assure them that the thought thoroughly disgusted it. But it couldn't. As much as it hated the fact, it couldn't help but be turned on by the little thing's struggles.

"Look, I'm really sorry. Nothing like that will happen to you ever again, I swear."

Jamie stayed quiet. They grabbed a handful of suds and tipped their hand, letting it fall back into the tub.

"So you liked it."

Lex's head fell. "Yeah. Yeah I did. I'm a sick fuck. Is that what you want to hear? I can find someone else to keep you alright? So you don't have to worry. I won't touch you again."

"Not even if I ask you to?"

"...what?"

"You saved me. You offered to take care of me. I- I like you. You're sweet. I want to say thank you." Jamie stood up and stepped out of the tub. "You liked using my body right? So that's how I can repay you."

Lex took a step back. "You really really don't have to."

"I want to." Jamie reached the edge of the counter and stared up at it. "Please. Please?"

"I don't-"

"I can see you getting hard. Please. That's all I'm good for anymore. I can't live a normal life at this size. So let me be your toy." Their cries turned desperate. "Please. I need you."

"Hey Jamie, you don't owe me anything. You can just stay here, you don't need to pay me back."

"But I want to. I want to be yours. I want to bring you pleasure. Please. Please. I'm asking."

Lex looked down at the tiny thing. They looked close to tears again.

"Alright. But you call the shots."

---

Lex lay on its bed with Jamie on its chest.

"Get your dick out," they ordered. Lex complied.

Jamie made their way down, each step sending shivers through Lex's body. By the time they reached its dick, it was throbbing. They reached out and lightly traced a vein and Lex had to fight the urge to smash them against it. Jamie adjusted themself into a straddling position and started grinding against the shaft.

"Fuckkk that's good," Lex hissed.

"Tell me I'm a good toy," Jamie begged, thrusting their hips in rhythm.

"Such a good toy."

Jamie whined and buried their face in its cock. Pre started dripping down the shaft.

"Lick it," Lex ordered, and felt a tiny tongue lapping it up. "What a good toy. So well behaved. Kiss it, toy."

Jamie obeyed, running their mouth over the hot skin, lightly sucking on it in a way that drove Lex wild.

"Fuck what a perfect little toy," Lex slurred, bringing its hand over the tiny figure and smashing them between its palm and its cock. "And soooo helpless. I could do anything to you and you couldn't stop me." It started rubbing itself off, dragging a squirming Jamie along.

"This is the rest of your life you know," it grunted, "this is all you'll ever know. Just my little fucktoy. I own you. You'll always be my perfect little toy." It brought Jamie's face right to its slit and came all over them.

Lex basked in the orgasm as Jamie coughed and sputtered, wiping cum from their eyes. It sat up and the tiny form stumbled back and collapsed on their back, breathing heavily.

"Shit, I got carried away. Are you okay, Jamie? Was that too-" Lex cut itself off seeing the tiny finger held up. Jamie took a few more deep breaths.

"Did I do a good job?" They looked up at Lex in anticipation.

Lex laughed. "So good, darling." It scooped them up and kissed their belly. Jamie beamed.

"Shall I run you another bath?" Lex playfully licked up the side of Jamie's body and they shuddered.

"I'd like that. Hey Lex?" Jamie grew serious. "Did you really mean that about keeping me forever?"

"Only if that's alright with you."

"Yes please," they murmured, hugging a finger. "And Lex?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Lex smiled. "Course."

"Call me your good toy again?"

"Jamie, you're the best toy in the world."

The little thing blushed and buried their head in its hand.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything."

Lex kissed their little head. "What a sweet toy."