deadlyessencewhispers

[deadlyessencewhispers]

I am sorry to everyone who tagged me in some tag game and I never responded. I saw it and thought “aww they thought of me” and proceeded to forget about it right after

[deadlyessencewhispers]

You deserve a partner who checks whether you’re comfortable. You deserve a partner who will respect your boundaries. You deserve a partner who will be cautious if you do not know what your boundaries are.

[deadlyessencewhispers]

How to Write Deaf Characters - From a real Deaf person’s perspective

Hello readers and writers alike, I would like to point out something that has been so glaringly annoying to me and other Deaf/HoH people so that we can end all these misconceptions. People who write for Deaf!Readers should know a few things before starting their imagines, fanfictions, blurbs - anything. It is not anyone’s fault for not knowing these things, most hearing people are not aware of the Deaf community or Deaf culture so here I am, a Deaf person who is majoring in Deaf Studies and Culture, coming here to tell you a few things to know when writing for a Deaf!Reader

(Remember this is my experience as a Deaf/HoH person and it may differ from person to person but this is what I learned/have slight annoyances within writing)

Deaf and Hard of Hearing is a culture. Yes, most people consider it a disability but IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE ARE ASHAMED OF! Please stop writing fics/imagines about Deaf!Reader being ashamed of not being able to hear or getting hearing aids to impress their SO. It’s completely wrong and just annoying. We are proud of our Deafness and we don’t want to be fixed.

DO NOT USE THE TERM ‘HEARING IMPAIRED’! This is basically a slur word. It was widely used in the ’90s but now it’s considered a derogatory term. Just use Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Or ‘deaf’ if the person is medically deaf and not culturally Deaf. (see next point)

Deaf and ‘deaf’ are different. Deaf is a cultural term for people who are born Deaf and raised in the community. The term ‘deaf’ is used in the medical field or used to describe someone who has hearing loss that does not associate with the Deaf Community. Usually, a hearing person who has become deaf later on.

Sign language is not a worldwide language. There are different types of language within sign language. ASL is for American and Canada. BSL is for Britain. So if you’re writing a story that takes place in a country that is not America or Canada, do not say ASL.

ASL does not = English. Same for every other language. ASL is its own language with grammar rules and semantics. It does not directly translate to English. So if you’re writing ASL most likely write in GLOSS or write it as you would write a hearing character. (Sentance: I want to go to the mall and buy a dress. GLOSS: I WANT WANT GO TO MALL I. ME BUY DRESS ME )

Deafness is on a spectrum. There is a legal threshold that someone must pass to be considered legally Deaf. Some Deaf people can hear more than others. I can hear high pitched noises sometimes. I know someone who can hear voices but can not hear what they are saying. Both of us are Deaf and we both cross that threshold. So when writing your Deaf!Character make sure to set a bar of what they can and can not hear.

Hearing Aids do not cure anyone’s deafness. It only helps hear some sounds and maybe hear if people are talking. Not what they are saying although it can help with that depending on how far they are on the Deaf scale.

Cochlear Implants are very controversial in the Deaf Community so if you’re going to write about them do your research!!! They are also not a cure for Deafness, just an aid.

Deaf people are not masters at lipreading! Even the best lip readers can only make sense of 30% of what is being said. I’ve been lip reading for years and I still only understand a little bit of what is being said. So no, your character is not going to miraculously know what’s going on from lip reading.

DO NOT have your characters yell at your Deaf characters. DOES NOT MATTER HOW LOUD YOU ARE! We can not hear you. Neither can your character. Have your other hearing characters speak normally. That’s the best way to lip read if they must.

Most Deaf people are born from hearing parents. It’s really rare for a whole entire family to be Deaf (Although I’ve met some and it’s super cool). But your character is probably born to hearing parents.

ALSO, the majority of hearing families with Deaf children do NOT learn ASL. It sucks but it’s true. Only about 30-40% of families learn sign for their Deaf family members. So keep it in mind,

So this is my list for now! I may add to it the more I think about things but this is basics I think everyone should know. If I forgot some then feel free to add! (as long as you are knowledgeable about the topic please). If you have questions please message me! Or if you need someone to proofread your Deaf!Imagines then I almost here for that. So happy writings everyone!

ILY

[deadlyessencewhispers]

Every writer seems to have their own words to go seek out and destroy during line edits. A lot of them are pretty common: "just", "was", present progressive tense, "now", "suddenly", etc.

One of mine is "there was/there were/there is/there are"

You almost never need it. Virtually the only times I keep it are in dialogue, because that's when it sounds most reasonable. But mostly? It's dead weight of words that aren't doing anything and could be doing....well, anything.

Example from today:

Same amount of words, in this case, but instead of the records simply...existing...someone was keeping them. Pretty small, simple change. And yet slightly more info. Slightly better read.

A bigger change! This change focuses more attention on "the he" and his experience. It actually describes the situation, instead of the situation simply. Happening.

This cut more than just "there were" this time, but the overall effect is more concise, more to the point, more urgency. Less meandering. Good.

Hey, look at that. I took out the tunnel simply existing and added why the tunnel existing was even relevant.

More specific, more relevant.

Shorter, more concise.

You can see in these last couple examples that a lot of what "there were" is doing in sentences is not quite passive--technically, the "there" is doing the acting of. Um. Existing. And yet it's just as meaningless and just as weaselly and just as worthless to keep most of the time.

I look at the original piece of the dialogue compared to what I changed it to and want to punch the first version in the face for taking forever to say something.

"No other place" is just much more evocative to me than "there wasn't another." Because. Fuck the phrase "there were."

"There was a time" oh shut the fuck up, Character, why are you speaking like a pretentious asshole from an old movie.

Fuck off, Marr, why did you even write that first sentence like that.

Anyway, perhaps you, like I, got fed up with the way these sentences read the more of them you were forced to see.

Perhaps you, like I, will consider consigning this phrase to hell.

[deadlyessencewhispers]

just some characters that i like that i dont talk about much or ever :^)

Lady Porsel Mane-Quinn, Patron Saint of Sweet Songs & Glass: the "wife" of St. Roseday Mane-Quinn. the lower half of her body is a carousel, which suggests total immobility. idk maybe she teleports. her head is also a carousel of masks with different emotions atop a long neck. her entire body seems to be made of porcelain

Arius Morrigan, the Bard of Charon: some fuckass bard who lost a game with a grim reaper and now hes cursed to have his music only enjoyed by spirits of the damned. AND he lost an eye. i love him hes so dumb

Dame Teasel Fester: the kingdom he used to live in was totally destroyed by a plague and during it, he tried to find a cure, and used the souls of every patient he failed to become a lich, feeding them to a doll belonging to his first patient. the crossdressing isnt really relevant to his story

Óneira Amanita, The Dream Wizard: so im not actually sure if this guy is real or just like. a manifestation of teasel's guilt, but either way imagine the tiniest wizard pranking people in their dreams. yeah

Yvenna: idk what this girls deal is but shes just an instigator for the fantasy story idk. for some reason seems to really dislike claire. shes such an unimportant character yet im fascinated by her,, like whats wrong with her

Bonnibelle: just a tall ass ragdoll with an unchanging button expression. idk what her deal is, she just kinda... lurks. im sure shes friendly, lord knows i wouldnt be if i had the same receding hairline she does lmao

Adelaide Perfect: I TALK ABOUT HER A LOT. NOT NEARLY ENOUGH THOUGH. WHATS WRONG WITH HER I JUST WANNA KNOW?? shes literally only alive for like the first chapter of tales from under the bay and then Dies and only barely haunts the narrative. i mean like gladys, david, and celia are constantly mentally dealing with the fact they Killed her but theres so much other fucked up shit going on they can barely process it.

Vincent Victoria: celia's father from tales from under the bay. murdered by her mother, andie somerset. deserved (he was a fake blond). hes also somehow another character named October? after he died?? but not. but theyre the same,, but theyre not. also October barely is in the story but originally he was the main character when the working title was October Is Gonna Kill God. hes also the Hat Man? or something? which is like this universe-ending entity trying to merge all multiverses together by destroying the ones in the outer layers and melting the rest together

[deadlyessencewhispers]

NO ONE knows how to use thou/thee/thy/thine and i need to see that change if ur going to keep making “talking like a medieval peasant” jokes. /lh

They play the same roles as I/me/my/mine. In modern english, we use “you” for both the subject and the direct object/object of preposition/etc, so it’s difficult to compare “thou” to “you”.

So the trick is this: if you are trying to turn something Olde, first turn every “you” into first-person and then replace it like so:

“I” →  “thou”

“Me” →  “thee”

“My” →  “thy”

“Mine” →  “thine”

Let’s suppose we had the sentences “You have a cow. He gave it to you. It is your cow. The cow is yours”.

We could first imagine it in the first person-

“I have a cow. He gave it to me. It is my cow. The cow is mine”.

And then replace it-

“Thou hast a cow. He gave it to thee. It is thy cow. The cow is thine.”

[deadlyessencewhispers]

i need to post more about writing. i haven’t been a very good writing account lately

[deadlyessencewhispers]

I watched as the world slipped away. Replaced with grey. Replaced with another time. Anxiety consumed my mind. But I've lived it a thousand times. Whoever said you only live in a moment once, lied.

[deadlyessencewhispers]

I'm very tempted to edit AoA's prologue to have an every word has deeper meaning style. Someone please stop me.

[deadlyessencewhispers]

alright, you can have the opening to my current novel. as a treat for all of us

[deadlyessencewhispers]

📌 @theharpywrites introduction

'Ello Writeblr!

I'm not new to tumblr or writeblr BUT sometimes a neurodivergent idiot needs a fresh start, a new url, & a little more anonymity (it's okay if you recognise me from before but please keep in mind this is a blank slate blog! ♥)

My Stuff:

+ You can call me Emery (or Harpy), pronouns she/her. I'm a sapphic gal in my mid-twenties from the UK. I'm also a vegan, pantheist, and witch

+ I tend towards romance/slice of life/cottagecore/fantasy/magical realism/soft apocalypse vibes, both YA and NA.

+ I prefer themes that aren't super dark and I've recently rediscovered the power of writing self-indulgently

+ I'm also getting back into writing fanfiction! Current fandoms are Life is Strange, Road 96, Red Dead, Baldur's Gate 3, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, ASOIAF, The Last of Us, Far Cry, Fallout, The Witcher 3, and a whole bunch of interactive novels. But this blog is going to focus on original stuff.

+ I'm tag game & ask friendly! DMs also welcome

Looking For...

+ Other writers to interact with, especially those who write similar genres/themes as me: fluff, light angst, found family, road trips, cosy fantasy, m/f & wlw, mythical creatures, royalty, magic/witchcraft, idiots/enemies/childhood friends to lovers and open door romance

+ I try to actively interact with as much of the content from my mutuals as possible. I believe in reblogging the stuff I like!

I'm starting from scratch with my wips so I can't talk about any current projects but I'm looking forward to journaling my progress and getting to know your wips and ocs!

icon art by hellosunnycore

divider by saradika-graphics

[deadlyessencewhispers]

Snippet: Hurt

As per the usual, a single vignette turned into a long story sprawling a few different PoVs...

... but this time, I got to visit one of my fave characters in the world without him merely glaring at me and refusing to let me near him because he's just that kind of asocial partypooper.

More seriously, writing Death incarnate is a rare treat for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring him and his encyclopedic mind just a little more :3

---

There had always been something about the swamplands of Korinda that made Zool's makeshift skin crawl. A sensation. A vibration. Something, nameless and insubstantial, yet perceived all the same.

Long before the rise of the Necrolore, he had already known. Yet he had done nothing. Seen nothing. Not until one day he'd come to sever souls and found them steeped so deep in this perversion of death that he had struggled to sever them free.

Times had not changed, albeit the Necrolore had. Where once it had been but a whistling silence, now, in this area of the world, it possessed a will of its own.

[deadlyessencewhispers]

Find the Word!

Been a while since I played a game, and I do like this one especially 😁

I was tagged by @drawnecromancy (their post here!) and shall tag without pressure a few people: @cicidarkarts @noxxha @tangledcharms @hippiewrites @deadlyessencewhispers @duckingwriting and anyone else who feels like joining in :D (link back to me, I wanna see your writes)

Words I was given : Spiral, Sheer, Cold, Fur.

Words I'm giving you : Ominous, Sun, Livid, Tentacle

My snips beneath the Keep Reading :3

Spiral - From Ayden's Life Story

"You." Despite better judgment, nearly all present turned their attention towards the one man in Atrophy uniform whom Ayden was pointing his finger at. "You," he repeated, cocking his head, "I have seen the truth of you. Different from your peers – whom you fear. Why?" A few of the people present straightened. Ayden felt their tension, but was interrupted by the red-haired woman who had shot Richard outside. "What is she talking about?", she ordered, causing the man's soul to spiral into utter horror. At a debilitating loss for words, he did not answer. Mortals still held the power to surprise him, Ayden mused about when this woman marched over to this terrified man and held the metallic shaft from before against his forehead. She seemed to have forgotten, or to not care like all of his peers, that Ayden had awoken from death and that by all natural laws he should neither be speaking nor moving. "You saw what we did to him," she stated, nodding towards unconscious Richard's body, "You don't have the luxury to heal like he will. Start talking."

Sheer & Cold - From Heart to Heart

He blinked, and the cold seeped through his clothes, his hair, his fingernails. Frostburn lingered at his extremities, which he barely could move at all. Such a heavy weight bore down on his shoulders now. Shoulders that cracked as he tried to shift – off bloodied knees, he realized now. His hands buried in snow; so cold, so very cold, he couldn't tell whether he sat upright through strength alone, or sheer willpower.

Fur - From Belonging

Mir arched up onto her paws, fur bristling, fangs bared as she growled her warning towards the beast in human skin. Heels clicked against pavement, slow and steady, undeterred even when Mir began barking out the threat of death. Every echoing step brought closer the stink of gore and arrogance. Mir realized that she would have no choice but to fight for her life and that of her dying pup. She growled and coiled, ready to strike.

[deadlyessencewhispers]

By the way, lurkers are welcome on my blog<33

Yeah, yeah, Writeblr is a community and all that. But I get it.

Some of us have anxiety disorders. Some of us are (or were once) minors on the internet who had it drilled into us to never make our presence known in online spaces lest we get stalked or groomed.

It's okay if interacting is outside of your comfort zone.

Some of us aren't actually on tumblr enough to make making a Writeblr intro worth it.

Some of us prefer to take a few months, maybe years, observing the community to learn the rules. And let's face it, there is a huge learning curve to Tumblr culture. I came here from Pinterest in like 2018 and hooo boy was it intimidating!

Like, I was that 17 year old pinterest lurker with an anxiety disorder who was taught that internet safety meant "never comment on anything" who took a few years before I felt comfortable enough with tumblr culture to reblog things with tags, let alone make public posts.

So I guess what I am saying is, I can't judge. Because I've been there.

Writeblr is a community. And the community (for me) is the best part. And remember that if you don't contribute to the community you don't get to complain about it either. But this is also a public space. Silent observers are to be expected. And on my blog you are welcome.

[deadlyessencewhispers]

On of the less intuitive things about love, I've found, of any kind, is the importance of needing things.

I didn't realize it until recently, but I've always seen love as something requiring sacrifice, selflessness, patience, and generosity- to ask for nothing is to be the best person I can be, small and quiet and never in the way, always happy and helpful, self-sufficient and present when desired.

It's only as an adult, now, that I'm beginning to see the selfishness of wanting nothing.

I cut my friend's hair in my kitchen the other day. They wanted a trim and I had the skills, so I offered, and was genuinely excited when they stopped hesitating over "bothering me" and took me up on it. It was a peaceful afternoon, and we had tea and chatted for an hour or more.

My brother and I shared popcorn at the movies a while ago. When I came time to pay, I pulled my card out like a wild western sheriff and slapped it on the machine before he could fight me for it first. The satisfaction was delightful.

Someone called me crying on the phone the other day. Kept apologizing for disturbing me at work, talking about how they were bothering me on my lunch break. I was telling the truth when I told them that really, I was flattered and honored and relieved, knowing that if they were hurting I would know, that I didn't have to worry in silence. It felt good to hear them slowly come down, and to know that they knew it would be better soon, and to hear them laugh wetly on the other end. We're getting together for a visit next week.

It's hard to need things, if you've trained yourself not to. It's hard to want things, when you don't know how to want anymore. Trusting people is difficult, and so is relying on them, but I don't know where I'd be without the people who rely on me.

I've heard a lot of people say, "Nobody will love you unless you love yourself". I've had a lot of thoughts about it. It's not right, but it's not wrong, either, I think.

"Nobody will love you unless you love yourself"... I've always taken that to mean, "You will not be lovable until you develop a positive view of yourself as a person".

Now, I think it's sort of inside-out.

"Nobody will love you unless you love yourself"... because nobody can show their love to you in a way that you can accept until you treat yourself kindly, and learn what you need, and what you want, and how to ask for it, and then give that vulnerability away.

Love, for me, is someone I ask for a ride to the airport. Whether they end up doing this or not is irrelevant.

It's not needy, or selfish, or taking up energy. It's giving the gift of being wanted, and needed, and thought of. It's giving someone the security of being part of someone's life.

[deadlyessencewhispers]

More than that, you’ve got to actually spend your time doing this stuff on the off chance that the algorithm picks it up and people care about what you have to say. You’ve got to spend your time doing this even though it’s corny and cringe and your friends from high school or college will probably laugh as you “try to become an influencer.” You’ve got to do it even when you feel like you have absolutely nothing to say, because the algorithm demands you post anyway. You have to do it even if you’re from a culture where doing any self-promotion is looked upon as inherently negative, or if you’re a woman for whom bragging carries an even greater social stigma than it already does. You’ve got to do it even though the coolest thing you can do is not have to. You’ve got to offer your content to the hellish, overstuffed, harassment-laden, uber-competitive attention economy because otherwise no one will know who you are. In a recent interview with the Guardian, the author Naomi Klein said the biggest change in the world since No Logo, her 1999 book on consumerism and inescapable branding, came out was that “neoliberalism has created so much precarity that the commodification of the self is now seen as the only route to any kind of economic security. Plus social media has given us the tools to market ourselves nonstop.”

Oh hell yes. An article that supports my half-joke that a corporate app's demand for constant self-promo is technically classist.

[deadlyessencewhispers]

So... I found this and now it keeps coming to mind. You hear about "life-changing writing advice" all the time and usually its really not—but honestly this is it man.

I'm going to try it.