arcanehours - Tumblr blog

[arcanehours]

BLACK LIVES MATTER. ALWAYS.

#SAYTHEIRNAMES 🤎

if you don’t believe that i sincerely advise that you unfollow me immediately.

all lives do not matter because black lives don’t.

and equality is a right— it doesn’t deserve credit. oh you included black people in your novel? that shouldn’t be applauded.

the terms POC and BAME do not accurately encompass all minority groups. we do not have the same experiences at all. stop using them. we are all different.

[arcanehours]

i know i’ve been in the writeblr community for all of about 6 months (though it is arguable whether i was ever truly in it) BUT i’m planning a revamp, mental health be willing, so watch this space *finger guns*

[arcanehours]

i feel like such an imposter having this blog because, as inspiring as it’s been to see people progress with their wips, i can’t even bring myself to actually to do any writing out of the pressure of having to upload it and the consequent fear of judgement.

[arcanehours]

resources I’ve filed but now need to file elsewhere bc my bookmarks are full:

“Murder By Poison: The Rise and Fall of Arsenic”, Joan Acocella

“Ten Ways To Look At The Color Black”, Ed Simon

“The Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism”, Audre Lorde

“Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection”, Julia Kristeva

“Does Empathy Have A Dark Side?”, Jonathan Lambert

“The Allure of Gothic Horror”, Seanan McGuire

“On Fear”, Mary Ruefle

“1 = 1”, Anne Carson

“One Nightstand: A Philosophy of Reading in Bed”, H.M. Tomlinson

“The Queer Erotics of Handholding in Literature”, Kristen Arnett

“Horror Lives in the Body”, Megan Pillow Davis

“The Man in the Woods”, Shirley Jackson

“Iris Murdoch’s Favorite Painting”, Dan Piepenbring

“Mothers as Makers of Death”, Claudia Dey

“How Surrealism Enriches Storytelling About Women: Carmen Maria Machado on The Haunting of Hill House”, Joe Fassler

“Patients Need Poetry, and So Do Doctors”, Danielle Ofri

“A Sublime Contagion”, Sarah Perry

“Body and Soul: Considering the Eternal Dance of Eros and Thanatos”, Noga Arikha

“Sex, Death and Mushrooms”, Helen Macdonald

[arcanehours]

(my favorite) ways to say i love you

you’re really something, aren’t you

come here

sit next to me?

you’re my favorite

i was just thinking about you

i notice you all the time

here, i made this for you

this song reminds me of you

if you do it, i’ll do it

i miss you so much

i wish i had known you sooner

you’re warm

[arcanehours]

[arcanehours]

“You don’t know anyone at the party, so you don’t want to go. You don’t like cottage cheese, so you haven’t eaten it in years. This is your choice, of course, but don’t kid yourself: it’s also the flinch. Your personality is not set in stone. You may think a morning coffee is the most enjoyable thing in the world, but it’s really just a habit. Thirty days without it, and you would be fine. You think you have a soul mate, but in fact you could have had any number of spouses. You would have evolved differently, but been just as happy. You can change what you want about yourself at any time. You see yourself as someone who can’t write or play an instrument, who gives in to temptation or makes bad decisions, but that’s really not you. It’s not ingrained. It’s not your personality. Your personality is something else, something deeper than just preferences, and these details on the surface, you can change anytime you like. If it is useful to do so, you must abandon your identity and start again. Sometimes, it’s the only way.”

— Julien Smith, The Flinch (via wnq-anonymous)

[arcanehours]

collection of crime of mind misc. excerpts but make it benji being gay nonstop

i. how much of an iq does a whole ant have, i query, olivia?

ii. olivia voice: this is undercover business, we’re undercover, i had to–i couldn’t simply refrain… the job really needed—the job required it!

iii. time eighty-two that vivian has made benji’s brain go “words with more than three letters? i’ve heard of them.”

iv. benji, walking in on the team having a discussion about nothing related to vivian at all: so, what about vivian–

[arcanehours]

By : Kyle Kuiper

[arcanehours]

I have problems finding different "voices" for each of my characters. Could you help me by maybe explain the different aspect that can change one's voice? Thank you!

Hi, love!  Thanks for your question and your patience :)  I love writing unique character voices, both in dialogue and narration, just because it can make a story completely different just through the way it’s told.  There are a lot of different aspects to a character voice, though, so I’ll just go through the basics I run in my mind when I develop voices.

Aspects of Character Voice

Education – To be as realistic for your character as possible, you need to consider the level of education they received growing up.  There are too many characters in modern fiction who speak eloquently, confidently, and grammatically correct, yet don’t have the educational backstory to support this.  This is especially important if the character has to speak publicly, which many overlook as a skill that must be developed.

Influences – People learn how to speak, how to joke, and how to appeal to others from their family, friends, and idols.  For example: my aunt is much more reserved than my father and uncle.  She’s a quiet, thoughtful psychologist – but every once in a while, she shows her roots over her education by engaging in some of the awful puns that run in my dad’s side of the family.  Puns seem uncharacteristic of her at first glance, but it adds depth to who she is by reaching back into her childhood.

Communication Style – I touched on this in my post on character traits, and it probably applies even more here.  Your characters aren’t all going to speak up at the same times, about the same things, in the same ways.  Some people avoid confrontation; some people can’t ignore irritants.  Some people are open about their personal affairs; some don’t feel comfortable sharing their middle name with friends.  Some people think out loud, and occupy the room subconsciously.  Some people use humor to mask their feelings, and rarely speak without a hint of irony in their voice.  Some people are horribly self-aware, and some people talk without really hearing or filtering themselves.  It’s all important.

Demeanor – Mood, countenance, disposition – basically, what is the character’s general attitude?  If someone were to describe them in a couple of words, what would they be?  Some people are generally positive, and some are generally negative, or irritable, or uncomfortable, or emotional, or just really strong in whatever direction.  I had a friend in theatre describe me as “anxious at rest”, and I think that pretty much covers my demeanor.  Now, no one behaves one way all the time – this is just more of a “default emotion” that colors how they approach certain situations.

Example: Because I’m “anxious at rest”, I feel happiness like butterflies in my limbs, and sadness like it’s raining bullets in my stomach.  Because my brother is naturally chill as hell (my words), he feels happiness like a warm, gooey piece of pie, and sadness like a thin, wet sheet clinging to his skin.

Social Skills – This can tie into education and influences, but also has a lot to do with personality.  A character can be raised to know and value social convention, or they can pick it up themselves; or they can disregard social “rules” despite any kind of education.  How does your character handle awkward situations?  Are they blunt with strangers?  Are they respectful to authority?  Do they keep their opinions to themselves, or speak up no matter what?  Do they at all change themselves or their behavior to adapt to new situations?  There’s a spectrum there, between 100%-Integrity and Chameleon status, and your character’s somewhere on it.

Sense of Humor – I’ve talked about this before, too, but for posterity, I’ll add it here.  When writing a character’s voice, you have to think about what amuses them – and it’s not necessarily what amuses you.  I think of the show The Office, which is basically a playground of different senses of humor.  There’s Michael Scott, who works with things like “that’s what she said” and celebrity impressions; there’s Jim Halpert, who’s both sarcastic and a diehard prankster; there’s Pam Beesly, who can only offer puns along the line of, “I’ll put out an A.P.B. – an Ask Pam Beesly.”  These small details make characters sound distinct from each other.

Introversion/Extroversion – Lastly, a lot of how a character communicates depends on how they experience social interactions.  Are they energized by conversations and social events, or do these things drain them?  Do they seek out others, or do they wait to be addressed?  Are their thoughts focused outwardly – on what’s going on around them, what others are saying or thinking, on how they appear to others – or inwardly – on their internal thoughts and interests, on what they’re thinking and feeling?  This will affect how they speak and how they narrate the story, even if you’re not writing in first-person.

Anyway, that’s basically what came to mind when I saw your question.  If this doesn’t help you, be sure to send us another ask with more information :)  Good luck!

– Mod Joanna ♥️

If you need advice on general writing or fanfiction, you should maybe ask us!

[arcanehours]

The Types as Character Tropes

Based on stereotypes, duh.

INTP: Absent-Minded Professor, Erudite Stoner, Gadgeteer Genius, Reluctant Mad Scientist, This Is Your Brain On Evil

INFP: The Anti-Nihilist, Byronic Hero, Because You Were Nice to Me, The Dark Side Will Make You Forget, Not-So-Harmless Villain

ISTJ: The Reliable One, Unfazed Everyman, Cloudcuckoolander’s Minder, Loyal to the Position, Obstructive Bureaucrat

ISFJ: Yamato Nadeshiko, Humble Hero, Tranquil Fury, Churchgoing Villain, Love Makes You Evil

ENFJ: The Paragon, The Chooser of the One, Warrior Therapist, Soap Box Sadie, Psycho Psychologist

ENTJ: The Leader, Cultured Badass, Seme, The Corrupter, Visionary Villain

ESTP: Determinator, Ace Pilot, Da Editor, Blood Knight, Corrupt Bureaucrat

ESFP: Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot, Plucky Office Girl, Obfuscating Stupidity, Hidden Depths, The Ophelia

INTJ: The Spock, Tin Man, Aloof Big Brother, The Chessmaster, Evilutionary Biologist

INFJ: Hurting Hero, Hermit Guru, Zen Survivor, Living Emotional Crutch, Knight Templar

ISTP: Warrior Poet, Street Samurai, The Hunter, Because I’m Good At It, Then Let Me Be Evil

ISFP: All-Loving Hero, Hero’s Muse, Determined Defeatist, Granola Girl, Mad Artist

ESTJ: The Captain, The Ace, Nerves of Steel, Corrupt Corporate Executive, Egomaniac Hunter

ESFJ: Crusading Lawyer, The Social Expert, A Father to his Men, Nerd Nanny, Evil Matriarch

ENTP: Bunny-Ears Lawyer, Trickster Mentor, Knowledge Broker, Cool Loser, It Amused Me

ENFP: The Pollyanna, Manic Pixie Dream Girl, Allergic to Routine, The Wonka, Revenge Before Reason

[arcanehours]

update 24/01: nearly all out of food again, have to pay a friend back and cover the cost of dental work.

I’m honestly ashamed to post about this again – especially considering I’ve been asking for assistance in buying food for the past few days – and I hope and pray this is the last time I have to ask for help for a long while.

I graduated from college last year and have been job hunting like crazy ever since, but to no luck. I do some freelance work doing graphic design, translation, proofreading, transcription – basically whatever I can get my hands on – which is basically our main source of income right now. However, for the past two months, it has been extremely hard finding good paying gigs, which is why we’re in such a slump right now. My mother gets some social aid from our government, which is barely enough to cover the bills, and it’s up to me to scrounge up enough to get us by, including food and basic hygiene necessities.

Beginning of last year, my freelance work was going very well and I had earned enough money to start my orthodontic therapy – I desperately wanted braces for years but I could never afford them. I got Invisalign – my orthodontist initially estimated I would need 13 trays, which cost me a total of $1500. I paid it forward and continued my treatment. However, as I was nearing the end of my treatment, my orthodontist realized there was more work to be done as my wisdom teeth started coming out in the meantime and messed with my treatment a bit, so I would need 6 more trays (an extra $700). At that point, I had already maxed out all of my options and had no way of paying the extra amount, so we agreed I would pay it off when my treatment ended.

Long story short, I’m almost done with the last trays and have my appointment scheduled for the 5th of February. To make matters even worse, in November, a family friend lent us some money (approximately $300), and we are expected to pay it back by February. It’s almost February, and we have absolutely no way of paying it back right now other than going into more debt — and we honestly cannot afford to go into more debt than we already got ourselves into.

I’m supposed to pay the $700 in less than two weeks, and I absolutely have no idea how to come up with the money to both pay off my orthodontist AND pay back the $300 debt to our friend.

So I need approximately $1100 by February 5th – $700 for the Invisalign, $300 friend debt, and at least $100 to get enough food to last us the next two or so weeks since our cupboards are all but empty once again.

If you can’t donate, that is COMPLETELY understandable as I know many people on here are probably even worse off. If you do donate, I am incredibly grateful for every single cent as it truly means the world to me right now.

Even if you can’t donate, I’d be so grateful if you could reblog this. Your compassion means a whole lot and I’m super thankful for it. ❤️

TL;DR

Need $1100 to get out of debt, pay off my orthodontic therapy and buy enough food to last us until the 5th.

https://www.paypal.me/annb996

https://ko-fi.com/A8811J1V

[arcanehours]

your character should be more than a tragic backstory. more than i lost my parents at a young age so now i rebel against the world. more than i have all these wicked skills without proper background or training. 

sass is great, and so is silence — but when aren’t they using their biting wit? when do they speak up? do they use their ass-kicking skills for good? for evil? have they lost people along the way — actually, it’s inevitable, so what happened after the funeral? did your character attend? did they seek revenge, or search for answers at the bottom of a bottle? 

don’t toss around tragedies if you’re not going to apply them to your characterization. alcoholics aren’t just loud and physically abusive; ptsd doesn’t mean you’ve boarded up the windows and refuse to leave your house. you won’t always continue to hate your parents after they’ve died. you will doubt your life decisions. being rich doesn’t make you sexy. being smart doesn’t make you socially awkward [ alternatively, it doesn’t make you the most attractive person in the room. ] even if you’re wicked smart, you’ll still get some things wrong. 

do your research. if you put your character through traumatic events, not everyone walks away unscathed. but being haunted by the ghosts of your past doesn’t make you attractive either. it’s a nitty gritty, dirty fucking business. you get mad, your world loses color, you feel alone, and sometimes you ask yourself why you’re the one who lived. 

treat your character like their own person. just because you wouldn���t say something to someone doesn’t mean they’ll keep their trap shut. it doesn’t mean they’ll want a big wedding or fast cars or apple pie made the way your mother taught you. maybe you’re pro-life and your character is pro-choice. maybe it’s vice versa. just because your character is a dick doesn’t mean it should be a reflection on yourself. but if they’re going to be a dick, and you want it to be believable, give them a reason to be a dick. a reason to hate the world, only slightly less than they hate the people living in it. maybe more. maybe it’s maybelline.

being smart and young and witty and attractive doesn’t mean your character will be respected. it doesn’t mean your character deserves to be respected. older, more experienced characters may trust your character less because they’re so damn young, no matter what you do or say to try to prove them wrong. 

[arcanehours]

Xin Weng — Unknown age — China

[arcanehours]

Martisha Magnet

[arcanehours]

Flowers & Meanings

Orchid: fertility, virility, sexuality, exotic beauty

Iris: eloquence, royalty, faith, wisdom, hope, valor

Jasmine: beauty, sensuality, love, purity

Sunflower: adoration, platonic love, admiration, loyalty

Red Rose: passionate, requited love, desire

Peony: bashfulness, wealth, compassion, beauty, happy marriage

Lavender: purity, silence, devotion, grace, calmness

Lilac: affection, youthful innocence, confidence, humility

Anthurium: hospitality, happiness, abundance

Daisy: innocence, purity, true love, new beginnings

Anemone: fading hope, forgotten love, faires, anticipation

Gardenia: purity, hope, trust, secret love, dreams, clarity

Hyacinth: sincerity, sporty attitude, playfulness, rashness, jealousy

Daffodil: creativity, inspiration, renewal, awareness, unrequited love

[arcanehours]

Exhibition quality German hunting knife with chiseled silver mountings and sheath, stag handle. Late 19th or early 20th century.

from Rock Island Auctions