#residual asks

[autumnhortsnort]

Hello coauthor! A Residuum reader here. One thing I really like about your comic is how the consequences of the characters' actions feel so plausible, but what stands out to me the most is the pacing in how they're presented throughout the story. Do you have any tips for structuring a plot? Every time I try to outline mine, it feels a bit incoherent, and the scenes don’t seem to flow well together. I’d appreciate any advice 🐢

best advice? Write the whole outline down as much and as far as you can, doesn't matter if it makes sense, that's for editing you to figure out. Then edit the ever-loving daylights out of it, add in connecting actions, and take out things that don't work. Residuum has had Five different drafts, with major tweaking as we go. The outline is not set in stone.

Also don’t share it outside of friends, that can make you feel pressured to stick to (the previous plot) even when it doesn’t work for how your story has progressed. There’s a reason we didn’t share any of the potential endings when we were still trying to figure out where the story was going. When the first arc was being posted we had an idea of the plot til about halfway through arc 4, but we didn’t actually have a concrete ending.

how we structure a plot (and do pacing)

Write out your main plot points and then write what the characters need to do to make that event happen. We basically do the plot mountain structure, but for each arc (there are 4 of them) we tend to make the climax of each arc into turning points or decisions that the main characters have to make that they cannot undo. here's a good article to read about structuring plots. (Note! This is for the broad spanning major plot beats, each update actually gets written as needed, they aren't written into the outline.)

When it comes to character decisions it’s more about, “what would make the character do this?” rather than, “would the character do this?” You can make characters do things they normally wouldn’t if you give them the right incentive.

For the pacing with residuum, because it’s serialized, we try to have something progress with each update. Either you learn something new, the plot has progressed (aka the status quo has changed), or there's set up/foreshadowing for later, most updates actually have all three. When writing in a serialized format (each chapter getting its own release) it’s a good idea to treat each update as a complete chunk. Try asking yourself: what is the goal for this part? are you using this update for anything actually important? are you conveying anything new and/or important to the plot? Is this something you want to focus on? Are you writing this to meet audience expectations or because you want to? There are parts where residuum gets almost no interaction but, importantly, those parts still meet our individual update rules. If you're writing for audience engagement you are going to get discouraged from writing long spanning plots very quickly. The audience doesn’t know whats coming, so they won’t interact with anything that doesn’t have their current blorbo™, even if it’s plot important.

for how we make the consequences make sense

Make things make logical sense? honestly i don't what to tell you.

We read. a. lot. I used to read 400 books over a school year, beaze has read about 13.6K fanfics on Ao3 over the course of 4 years. plus a ton of manhwa and manga, and that doesn’t include nonfiction, stuff from sites outside of Ao3, course assigned books, reddit fiction, royal road. Most of how we understand and structure plots is instinctual because we fire hosed our brains with them for years.

I'd recommend watching watching Overly Sarcastic Production’s Trope Talks, and reading stuff that's not rise related, as well as researching nonfiction stuff that's relevant to what you want to write we are at a place where we aren’t writing the outline anymore, just editing it if needed. We use the outline structure to make each update because it gives us a objective for the update, and gives us a road map for when to place the set up for future updates. But if you struggle to use outlines you can just… not use them. Garden writing is a valid writing strategy, I use it for one shot AU’s of residuum.

For long spanning stories written garden style the first draft can be your outline. Just edit and flesh it out once you’ve written it.

[dulcevenganzaa]

rescue me, mother.

[kelocitta]

does rat king know it is loved

Asking that is a good way to get to terminated by the company for sympathizing with the "makes people break things" monster 🤨

Of course company protocol must remind you that abnormalities are unfeeling beasts who are simply responding to situations with blind instinct- even the ones that look and sound and act human. This is of course propaganda to keep you from being besties with the awesome anticapitalist rat monster

[wr-n]

Can we get some more Fell x Dust content..? 👉👈

Behold

[ghost-t-cryptids]

Flashbacks

[shih-coulda-had-it]

Since you drew En playing the electric guitar do you have any headcannons for an OFA band AU? Like what user plays/does what?

I love the OFA logo that's on electric guitarist En's shirt btw! 💓

Not only am I going to give you a list of who's doing what, I'm going to give you 1.4k of a ficlet from Bruce's POV because I've been doing everything but my final papers!

THE BAND

Yoichi: Lead vocalist, ex-bass guitar

Kudou: Drummer

Bruce: Band manager, does travel and concert arrangements; ex-electric guitar

Shinomori: Equipment manager, helps with logistics; ex-electric guitar

Banjo: Electric guitar 1, ex-keyboardist, percussionist when necessary

En: Electric guitar 2 + Smoke effects

Nana: Bass guitar, female vocalist when necessary

Toshinori: Nana’s ward, roadie, learning bass guitar

+ Sorahiko: Full-time roadie, electric guitar when necessary

Izuku: Not here yet, but he's probably part of a One for All revival era

OFA Band AU in my hands still has Quirks, and the majority of the group practices vigilantism when they're not playing music. AFO is less demon of the underworld evil, and more capitalist/the guy funding industry plants evil. He's a music executive. He and Yoichi used to play music together, but when AFO went to college to be a business major, Yoichi doubled down on music and was recruited by Kudou and Bruce. OFA developed from there.

Pairings are Trio Holders, FourthFifth, and who knows what's going with Sorahiko. (This is a no Husbando Shimura/no Kotarou AU.)

Read the ficlet below!

//

“Banjo,” Shinomori says with a tone more indulgent than scolding, “stop bullying En with Blackwhip. He’s going to trip and fall on his face mid-performance, and then where will you be?”

“Laughing, probably,” Bruce cuts in before Banjo can say something flirtatious. He needs their equipment manager present and sharp-eyed. Shimura’s friend does a passable job at rounding up stray amps and cords, but only when he’s not herding Toshinori away from chatting up the crowds who want to stalk One for All members backstage. “Pack the instruments in the bus, would you? We’re cutting it close.”

Banjo winks at Shinomori and strums a quick, humorous cue anyway. “Yeah, no problem, Sandaime. We going out after?”

“Depends on Kudou.”

“Ah, gotcha. See you in a bit.” Banjo tips his chin up and obligingly, Shinomori bends his neck and plants a chaste kiss to the carefully maintained stubble on the electric guitarist’s cheek. The roguish grin softens. Bruce manfully restrains himself from being a hypocrite about PDA, and goes to find Shimura.

She’s a little further backstage, and her bass guitar is already locked away. Set beside her bedazzled monstrosity of a case is En’s unassuming one. When Bruce chances upon them, Shimura is in the middle of fussing with her cousin’s jacket. She straightens the high collar, notices Bruce, and says a cheerful hello.

En echoes her, but he adds a respectful, “Sandaime.”

God. Bruce is going to strangle Banjo for starting that up, especially as it’s been picked up by not just the band but also the media. The more impressionable members of the band—En and Toshinori—treat the titles with more respect than a bad joke should get, and the journalists have started using them in place of their names.

“Everyone packed? Where’s Torino and Toshinori?”

“Sorahiko had a phone call,” En volunteers. “I think Toshinori headed back to the bus early because he had homework to finish.”

“What? Did he tell you that? It’s a week to the deadline!” Shimura scoops up her case and En’s, inclines her head at Bruce, and starts booking it. Her decision to apprentice Toshinori still strikes Bruce as a shortsighted one, but it remains one of the few times Bruce actually remembers her performing some kind of paperwork magic to ensure the application was filled to perfection. Usually, Shimura procrastinates to the point of Torino needing to swoop in and forge her signature.

En peers up at Bruce like he’s expecting something.

“What,” says Bruce. The junior electric guitar player shrugs in deliberate carelessness.

“Are we heading out after?”

“Have you been talking to Banjo?” Bruce asks, dry, and shakes his head. “It depends on Kudou. Where’s our illustrious leader?”

“Necking with Nidaime in the dressing room.”

Wordlessly, Bruce digs into his pocket and hands over the carton of candy cigarettes. En isn’t actually capable of eating tobacco, much less real cigarettes, but he has a sweet tooth and a sly sense of humor. Moreover, he is amenable to being bribed.

Clever fingers pop open the carton and slide one white chalky stick of sugar out. En sticks it into his mouth with a pleased hum and chirps a half-garbled, “I’ll get Banjo-senpai to the bus. Is Yondaime driving?”

“Torino knows the city streets better. He’ll get us to the inn, and after that, we’ll figure out carpools back.” Bruce rubs the back of his neck and sighs. “Hey. You did good with the bridge for ‘Residual Mayhem’ tonight. Make sure to do the hand exercises later.”

“Okay!” Thusly flattered, spoiled with sweets, and charged with malicious intent to put a (temporary) damper on Banjo’s evening, En darts off to pester his senior into hurrying the hell up. For his part, Bruce double-checks the area for stray litter, then ventures to the dressing rooms.

He finds a nondescript black sock slipped onto the doorknob. Bruce raps his knuckles against the wood, ignores the muffled “OCCUPIED!”, and uses the skeleton key to break in.

The door gets closed immediately behind him.

“We’re going to be late,” he manages to snap, before his brain fully processes the sight of Kudou’s legs hooked ‘round Yoichi’s skinny hips. The dressing room is equipped with a single chaise longue, and Yoichi has Kudou pressed down against the entire length of the single-armed sofa. Thank god, they’re both still in jeans.

“Mrrmph,” Kudou says, and Yoichi chimes in, “Hi, Bruce!”

“The set wasn’t that horny,” Bruce says, nonplussed.

Yoichi grins. “Well, I know tonight’s a fight night, so I thought I’d give Kudou incentive to not make you guys stay out so late.”

“Really effective,” Kudou reports, sounding dazed. He has clearly been kissed stupid. Is it irresponsible of Bruce to want to trade places with Kudou? For a brief moment, Bruce thinks about Kudou taking the role of band manager. In that projection of an alternate universe, One for All loses all access to professional recording studios, and not only are their songs recorded with a shitty boombox, but their concerts are held at last-minute reservations.

Also, in that universe, Kudou is cursed to never find a replacement drummer he approves of for more than three months. Yes. This is the right timeline.

Bruce approaches the sofa as Yoichi sits up and pulls Kudou upright with him. “You don’t think I need any?”

“You’re way more responsible,” Yoichi asserts, but makes a ‘come here’ gesture with his long slender fingers. Obligingly, Bruce bends at the waist. Yoichi cradles Bruce’s jaw with one hand and kisses him squarely on the mouth, nips his bottom lip, and breaks it off first. He smiles as he says, “Thanks for coming to get us.”

Kudou slips two fingers down the collar of Bruce’s shirt and tugs him in for his own kiss. That too is brief, and sharp, and it’s possible Bruce is going a little kiss-stupid as well, especially when he can hear the rumble of Kudou’s groan building at the base of his throat.

“Wait,” he gasps, “wait, time, time. Our inn’s not taking late check-ins, and Shimura’s going to murder one of us if her ward sleeps overnight in the bus again.”

“Toshinori-kun thinks it’s cool to sleep in the bus,” Yoichi protests. “Did Shimura-kun say that?”

“She implied it,” Bruce says.

“Up we go then,” Kudou says, and manhandles Yoichi off his lap. Bruce straightens up and does a cursory once-over at the dressing room. Any hairbrushes? Hair ties? Stray math homework sheets that Toshinori will swear he lost to Torino’s cutthroat corrections? Distracted, Bruce helps Yoichi to his feet, then Kudou.

“Shinomori got your drumset loaded,” he tells Kudou. “Yoichi, did you take your guitar out for an impromptu vibes session with Toshinori?”

“Still in the bus,” Yoichi answers, and before Bruce can fend him off, Yoichi is fussing with the folds of his headband. Kudou is too busy shrugging into his windbreaker and shaking out the wrinkles in Yoichi’s. “Ah, Bruce, you should really think about hemming this…”

“Ragged edges are punk,” Bruce says blankly.

There’s a knock at the door. It creaks open, because even though Bruce kicked it shut the instant he saw his boyfriends making out, he forgot to lock it. Torino pokes his head in warily. “Bus is loaded up,” he reports, eyes cast to the ceiling. “En said I’m driving?”

“Yup,” says Kudou. Finished with his doting, Yoichi gratefully accepts his windbreaker and zips it right up to the top. He combs his bangs back and ties his distinctive white hair into a low ponytail; Kudou fetches a cap and plops it on Yoichi’s head before tugging the hood over. “I’m your co-pilot. Bruce, where’s your jacket?”

“The bus. Torino, we’ll be right out.”

“Gotcha.” The door clicks shut.

“Hey, is the sock on the door yours or Yoichi’s?”

“One of mine,” Yoichi confirms. He hooks his hand at the crook of Bruce’s elbow, leans into him. “Bruce, stop worrying, we haven’t left anything. Kudou, you’d better run ahead before Toshinori-kun gets the idea that he can sit co-pilot again.”

“That kid,” Kudou curses, and bolts out. It’s a reasonable response.

The last time Toshinori had wheedled his way to the front, Shinomori had been at the wheel, and between the both of them—Shinomori, possessed of a sick sense of humor that included entertaining the whims of a preteen, and Toshinori, too proud to admit that he couldn’t understand the traffic navigation app—One for All had wandered off-route and wasted three-quarters of the gas tank just to arrive at a three-star aquarium. Not that Torino would get them lost. 

No, it’s more likely that Torino would reach the limits of his Toshinori Tolerance and put pedal to the metal, and then get caught speeding (in a bus) by a cop.

Yoichi hums the opening lyrics to ‘Daisy Days’, and it sounds too sad on its own, so Bruce obligingly provides the guitar riff as they follow after Kudou.

[hobipowers]

i have chronic decorating illness

[askgersonboom]

Welcome to my study! I know you probably have places to be, but while you’re passin’ by, why not take a seat and rest up a bit? Trust me, I don’t mind the company in the slightest!

(ooc stuff below the cutoff)

Hey, mod here! Call me Danny. I’ve always been told to start one of these blogs so here I am! Anyways blah blah blah, gerson’s a goat, blah blah, let’s do some lore stuff!

-This takes place a bit after chapter 4, Gerson is in the castle town (beats me how Susie got the hammer, I’m just the guy behind the turtle)

-He still has his study and his shop, courtesy of Ralsei’s handiwork, so you can warm up by the fire and buy some tea, he’s a very generous vendor

-Since he’s an old man, and old men usually have stories in spades, he’s very open to telling people about his past. He’s an author, why wouldn’t he have a story or two to tell?

(Also just gonna put some ground rules here because there are freaks on this site)

1. NSFW asks will be ignored, deleted, and put in the incinerator

2. Flirting is fine, I’m not really gonna do anything about it. It’s not gonna work but go for it, tiger

3. Don’t spam. Please. I’m just a little guy.

4. Anon magic? I find that funny as hell, go wild (just don’t be TOO over the top)

5. We accept all gifts, although it’s still gotta follow the other rules

6. I’m only one mod, so if the queue is big, it’ll take me a little bit to get to you. Nothing personal, probably

7. THIS IS MY FIRST ASK BLOG! I’m not good at this, at all. Don’t judge me. Trust me, I’m judging myself more than you ever could.

Answered asks are tagged with #im old! (Particularly long answers will also be tagged with #gather round the fireplace)

Mod asks will be tagged with #cheeto replies

Reblogs/posts in character are tagged with #gya ha ha!

Ooc posts are tagged with #cheeto residue

Kinda like this!

[rottmnt-residuum]

love how everyone immediately thinks the little metal thing in Mikey's leg is a Donnie tracker

[autumnhortsnort]

I am sorry if this question has been answered before will draxum show/have any significant role in the future?

His past actions will be super important for the events coming up

Him in particular?

Hes super dead

[mortior]

Shoutout to that time someone made and sent me fanart for one of my fics and in the very same post submission called me a shit-stain for participating in the fandom's most popular incest ship. Hope you're doing well and that you've learned to separate your anonymous alt blog from your main blog and public facebook account.

[skyward-floored]

*rolls in, covered in bug bites and sunburn and the weird sun rash I get* anybody want to talk Incredibles au? Or AUs in general? I need a break from outside

[eureka-its-zico]

sooooo i'm obsessed with residuals read everything in one day cause your writing is addictive, the story sooo good. i'm not ok need more

Hello Nonnie!! Yesssssss I’m so happy that you liked Residuals this much! This fic is my second baby (after my one piece fic) and I just really love this show and characters so much I want to do them absolute justice! I’m currently working on Chapter 7, but it’s slowly going.

✨overshare time✨

Unfortunately, I suffer from a chronic lung condition that put me in the ICU last Wednesday and I was released two days ago to be home. My body is still poorly oxygenated and it’s hard for me to form together sentences and stuff well without getting extremely exhausted. Please bare with me 🖤

I hope you are doing well, Nonnie and taking good care of yourself 🖤 sending much love

[wr-n]

If singularity was put into sleep mode would he sleep with a comfort file? (Like a blanket!!)

-Residue

[brennacedria]

Ugh I don't WANT to color my hair! It's too much work~~~~~~ 😭

Prep

Sit while Brian applies color (~30 min)

Sit uncomfortably while color processes, trying desperately to avoid getting color on the furniture (30-45 min for my color)

Wash color out (30+ min)

Dry hair (~30 min)

By the time it's done there's no time to do ANYTHING afterwards. I can't even go out and show off my pretty color bc it's raining and my hair will get wet.

[mewkwota]

Hey not to be a prickle or anything, but if I get asks requesting to draw something when I clearly have "I do NOT do requests" right above where the Ask Button is, I may start taking that personally.