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Future for Let's Talk Whump

Heya guys!

I'm painful-pooch (Izzy) and I know it has been a hot minute since I have posted anything. I just wanted to let you all know what's going on at the moment so you guys don't think I've been ignoring this or plan on stopping.

So I am in the military (USAF- CHAIR FORCE FOR THE WIN!) and due to my leg injuries in the past, I found out I wouldn't be able to do my current job, so I put in a package to get a new one. I got my answer two days later, and I had under a week to fly out to another state for two months of training. I'm still here actually, and I'm eating questionable things in my hotel room right now.

That being said, new job means new base, so I have been working on selling my current home so I can purchase a new house in the area of my projected base. It's been a lot on me, and I haven't had time to focus on anyone else besides me, my husband, and my doggo. I really want to keep going on and having fun with all the whump blogs on this fantastic hellsite, but it may have to wait until my training is over and I can fully move my life. If you guys actually have suggestions for ways I can make small posts and not stress, I am all ears and ready for the chance to be a part of the community, one baby step at a time!

Thanks for tuning in and I hope you guys have a whumptabulous day!!! From your grateful host, Izzy the painful-pooch.

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! This is Izzy and Malice and we’ll be your hosts today. 

Here with us today is the one and only @whumpsday!

Let’s start with a fact or two about yourself!

My name is Mill and I’m 26! Aside from the whump hobbies of writing and roleplaying, I also play TTRPGs. (My favorites are everything in the Awaken Realms catalogue: Etherfields and Tainted Grail, and I’ll start ISS Vanguard after I finish the Etherfields expansions. Gonna start Vampire the Masquerade soon too.) I haven’t played any roleplay-based TTRPGs like D&D yet, but I’d love to someday. My favorite color is red and my favorite animal is the cat.

That’s sweet as! What does whump mean to you? 

Creative content involving characters’ pain would probably be the broadest definition that still includes everything. I consider it a subgenre of horror, with the added bonus of often showing the gritty recovery from the trauma.

And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

I originally found whump fiction on AO3 while browsing G/t content (Giant/tiny, content for characters with size differences, such as one being 4 inches tall. It’s the other niche art/writing community I’m in.) That led me to tumblr, and here I am! I’d always enjoyed whump-type content as far as I can remember. I lurked for a couple of years before finally making an account and joining because I was eager to share the stories of my daydream characters.

Do you think the way you view whump has changed since joining the community here? 

It hasn’t changed much! Always been an OC writer and still am. But I’ve only been here for a year and a half.

Now the important questions: what is your favourite whump trope?

My favorite whump trope is probably an immortal whumpee. With a human, you’re bound by the constraints of a human body. People die if you torture them too much. But if your whumpee is immortal, that goes away and the possibilities are limitless. Bonus if they’re a generally-despised species like a vampire or demon.

Immortal whumpee are so good! Endless possibilities equals endless whump! Would you like to share some of your writing with us?

My main series, Kane & Jim, is undoubtedly my favorite. I never thought I could be a writer, and I’m proud of myself for writing 50 chapters of that and counting. Within that, my favorite piece is either Hunger (#15) or Papercut (#17). Link: https://whumpsday.tumblr.com/post/709301997070909440/kane-jim-masterlist-writing-order-click 

Love the authors notes on Papercut #17! What's your writing style like?

I generally write in the late night (anytime from 11pm to 4am) in big blocks. I do not eat or listen to music, and have a water bottle nearby. I used to write very regularly but have since fallen off, and have just recently gotten back on track.

Is there an easy thing for you to write, something the words usually flow for? Is there something you struggle with writing? 

I always find it easier to write single-scene chapters with no cuts. I find it more difficult to write things spanning long lengths of time with time skips abound.

And are you working on anything at the moment? 

I am currently working on my pieces for the Whumpmas in July event (@whumpmasinjuly), which will be half Kane & Jim works and half one-shot short stories.

I’m so excited for Whumpmas in July, it’s such a cool event! Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

I’m not too good at jokes, so instead have my favorite cat video of all time for a smile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rELs4jl64k 

Aww kittens! That’s definitely a smile from me! Is there any writing advice you’d like to share?

You don’t have to write everything in order. If something in a piece is giving you trouble, slap a “COME BACK HERE” label on it and move on to something the inspiration is flowing for.

Finally is there anyone you’d like to mention?

Sorry this is a lot… I have too much love in my heart <3

@anomalys-taxonomy, @blackberry-bloody, @dismemberment-on-a-tuesday-night, @emmettnet, @lost-in-labradorite-halls, @lumpofwhump, @not-a-space-alien, @obsessedwithegos, @oddsconvert, @pardonmekreature, @quietly-by-myself, @t0rture-me, @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump, @whump-queen, @whumperstorm, @whumpshaped, @whumpwillow, @wolfeyedwitch, @whumpy-writings, @whumpzone

Any last words?

i forced myself to use proper capitalization for this interview but i’m a lowercase guy at heart

Thank you so much for joining us today! It was great to have you on the show!

And to all you folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Today’s I’m talking whump with the amazing @lonesome–hunter!

(this blog and the recommended pieces contain NSFW and are 18+)

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump! Would you mind sharing a little about yourself?

Howdy! My name is Sarah but everyone usually calls me Lonesome. I'm an elder here in the community lol. I love thrifting, smoking pot, birdwatching and Disney World (I live so close to it). My favorite colors alternate between black, various greens and burnt orange. I truly love all animals. There's no way I could pick just one. I am particularly fond of moths, owls, elephants and exotic birds. 

I'm a big stoner goth aunt and I love connecting with people. So feel free to come talk to me anytime!

What does whump mean to you? 

It's absolutely an outlet for me. When I was a kid I couldn't figure out why I liked seeing people tied up in people's basements in movies and on TV so much but it never left my mind. Those feelings are there, the excitement. When I started writing in fifth grade I realized I could produce those feelings by writing the stories myself.

And trauma dumping through fictional people is almost therapy lol.

And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

During the first season of Supernatural I got on live journal and found other SPN communities. Then I fell down a rabbit hole that led me to whump. I finally had a word and a whole bunch of people who felt the same way which felt validating after being told I'm weird from teachers and family members.

During the pandemic I reconnected with it when I was in a dark place and really got into what everyone was doing. I thought "maybe I can do this". The rest is history.

Do you think your view on whump changed since you joined in terms of trope enjoyment or consumption style?

My view on whump has always been the same really. No one is hurting anyone and with proper warnings we can write the darker stuff some of us really enjoy.

I can't really say there are any I changed my mind over. Any trope can be good if it sucks you in with the writing. 

And your favourite whump tropes because it’s guaranteed there’ll be more than one!

 Ooh wee here we goooo lol. I dig dehumanization, whipping, sadistic whumpers, noncon, water torture, stress positions, begging. So many.

Time to share your awesome writing. Do you have a favourite piece you've written? 

So my first main series “The Devil’s Highway” has been my baby for three plus years and I’m excited to rework it now that I have more tools at my disposal. That being said, I really am proud of what I did with “Bury Me Beneath The Weeping Willow Tree”. It features some heavy TWs so be mindful of that but that almost stopped me from wanting to do it. Would showing Big Boy and Darlin’s graphic murder be too far? Probably lol. But I really dug deep in and got emotional writing it honestly. And it shows Ezra that this weird love Josiah has for me won’t protect him like he thinks it will. It didn’t work for Big Boy. Those two guys are secretly my favorite and I’m most excited about reworking that particular story.

Your imagery is deliciously brutal and creepy. I’m obsessed with it, it’s that good! Do you have a writing routine or is it more when inspiration strikes?

Definitely a night owl. I can’t focus until it’s dark out. Gotta have water and a little sweet drink to keep me focused. I tend to write when something strikes, lately it’s been extremely dry for me creatively but I’m trying to stretch my legs again and get back into it.

And do you find that it’s easier to write some things over others?

I can write the hell out of dreams, surrealism and atmosphere. That’s always been my favorite thing to do writing wise. Also death fics are fun lol.

Dialogue is my least favorite and it probably shows but can’t get better without practice.

Is there anything you're working on at the moment?

Been working on the rework of The Devil’s Highway, started a fun little prompt series about a bunch of masked men and I have another forced to fight series with slow burn romance than I’ve ever done before.

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

I wish I could remember the dad joke my customer told me last night that sent me into a coughing fit but I have another one for you.

"What do you call a factory that makes okay products?" "A satisfactory."

That got a laugh out of me! Is there any writing advice you’d like to share?

Just have fun. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself and just write for yourself.

And tag your stuff!

Shout out to your favourite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you. We're hyping everyone one up here!!!

Oh man there's so many I could be here all day but these folks have truly helped me so much over the years and I would die for them lol

@knivestothroats, @galaxywhump, @girlsjustwannadrawwhump, @evermetnotforgotten, @redstainedsocks, @coldresolve, @whumpshaped, @whumpfigure, @ephemeral-phosphorescence, @whump-me-all-night-long, 

Anything you'd like to add?

Save Florida from Facists!

So good to have you here today, @lonesome--hunter! 

And to all you folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here today to talk all things whumpy is the fabulous @not-a-space-alien!

Thank you for joining us today! Do you mind sharing a fact or two about yourself to start us off?

I love pet rats.  I don’t know if I can have them anymore, though, because it’s really hard when they start getting sick and they get old so fast.

Rats make the most adorable pets! And how would you describe what whump means to you? 

To me whump is about lingering on the effects of trauma and pain that mainstream media usually minimizes or ignores because it’s “too messy” or apparently not interesting I guess?  Humans are messy and I want to revel in that sometimes.  It feels wrong to ignore it.  Sometimes I feel messy and in pain and overwhelmed and I want to read about people who also feel that way.  I also like the hurt/comfort aspect because…..well, my fantasy is that someone will comfort me when I’m hurting and that someone will rescue me when I’m in pain (or on the flip side that I can save someone who’s in pain)

How did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

I’ve written these sorts of things for a while even before engaging with anything on tumblr that was primarily made as whump.  I started posting my writing on tumblr and engaging in online circles originally in the Good Omens fandom, years before the TV show came out, and gradually my writing on that front started getting darker and darker as I realized there are other people who like reading that sort of thing and it wasn’t just me.  I think it did make people a little uncomfortable sometimes and they weren’t really sure how to handle it, so that’s why these days I try extra hard to make sure it’s clear what’s in the writing and how it should be viewed and handled.

If I remember correctly I found myself in this corner after a period of years where I didn’t write anything at all, then while watching some random movies I re-watched Night at the Museum and of course looked at tumblr posts about it, which led to me starting to browse g/t more often (thanks Jedtavius), and after being into g/t stuff for a while I stumbled across some people who wrote g/t whump, and from there I found some “regular” whump.  The first person I remember actually talking to was @oddsconvert, who told me to read Kane and Jim, and I have been mildly obsessed with Milly’s writing since then, which gave me a framework to pull together pieces of ideas I’d always had to write MMSS, which is really my only current contribution to “whump tumblr.” (I’d always had an idea about a scientist vampire getting caught while trying to make artificial blood, I combined this with Valen, a DnD character I’d previously played as a drow, because I knew the setting in Milly’s story would be the perfect thing to tie it all together.)

Do you think your view on whump changed since you discovered the whump community?

I’m not sure if I would really consider myself part of the “whump community” because so much of what’s out there doesn’t appeal to me.  At first I gave everything a try but as time went on I started getting more and more picky.  I’ve grown to really dislike “pet whump”/BBU as well as nameless snippets/prompts that use cardboard cutout characters or flatten characters into two-dimensional archetypes like “Caretaker” or “Whumper.”  This sounds really negative but it’s entirely a matter of personal taste and I wish people who write that stuff the best. I wish I could enjoy it because there’s so many talented people out there writing it but it just does nothing for me.

No, that’s entirely valid. There’s a lot of tropes out there and certain ones like BBU can feel inescapable sometimes!  It really can be hard to find ones that tick all of your boxes. Do you have any particular favourites?

I love when a character is scared for their life, not knowing that in reality they’re completely safe/being helped.  

Shocked when receiving mercy and gentleness when none is expected or deserved.

Character unused to receiving love being loved.

Monster characters hiding their monster nature, being exposed, but being loved anyway despite being treated badly for it in the past.

The power of FriendshipTM

Love being a powerful force that can pull people through the worst ordeals

Complicated relationships between vulnerable characters 

Fearplay 

Excellent trope choices! Unexpected mercy or kindness is so good! Would you like to share a favourite piece that you’ve written? 

Honestly this isn’t even whump but I think my favorite thing I’ve ever written is still Falling Hazard.  I put SO much work into that story.  It had so many moving pieces and I wanted to make sure it was all polished and got the attention it deserved so it went through 3 or 4 drafts, I had the whole thing written before I even started posting it.  It was the culmination of an OC-heavy, plot-intense Good Omens second-apocalypse fic that turned into more of a thriller than anything.  

https://not-a-space-alien.tumblr.com/post/657822746613514240/your-own-side-masterpost  

Haven’t really been interested in Good Omens fandom stuff for a hot minute but I’m honestly still really proud of it.  I don’t think it’s really possible to try the “sand the barcode off and sell as an original fiction” thing because it’s so interwoven with the themes of the novel but I think even people with only a passing knowledge of good omens could enjoy it.  (the first few entries in this series are kind of whumpy but the later ones are less like that)

Good Omens?! I’m going to binge this so much, I swear! What does your writing routine look like?

I only write when inspiration strikes, I generally don’t do my best work if I’m forcing myself to write.  I do my best work when I’m seized by some mad ideas and feel like I’ll explode if I don’t write RIGHT NOW.  I think the worst case I ever had it was this one time I wrote an entire ficlet on my phone at work.  RIP my thumbs. 

Ah yes. And the urge to write always comes at the most inconvenient time, doesn’t it? Do you find that somethings are easier to write than others?

I struggle to write in any universe where I can’t keep a firm hold on the worldbuilding in my head.  My brain will take implications of things we see and run off with it and it’s like I run up against a wall if I can’t take everything to its logical conclusion.  So I tend to write easiest in settings where the worldbuilding is simple, or based on a few things that are flexible.  I tend to get really picky and a bit ridiculous about taking things too seriously when it comes to worldbuilding.

Is there anything you're working on at the moment? 

My two big current writing projects are Watch Your Step and MMSS and I can’t really see that changing anytime soon.  I do have a google doc with some ideas for shorter pieces and snippets that I might write when inspiration strikes. 

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

I'm bad at this.  Please can people comment with a joke or pun.  I’m the one who needs smiles.  I'm so tired.

A joke for you then: What's a fanfic writer's weapon of choice? His headcanon! 

Do you have any writing advice you’d like to share?

Pay attention to people in real life. Listen to the way they talk and act, the lies they tell themselves, the way they juggle things, the way they behave when they care vs when they don't care. Listen to what they say with their words and without. Dissect why strangers, acquaintances, friends, lovers interact the way they do. Notice patterns. Appreciate the complexity of human existence. Pay attention to context and background and how circumstances affect behavior. Understand that there is no true "you" at the core of every human, just a million fragments of personality seen by a million different people. Once you understand all this, you can mix and match to build a person in your head. Every character feels real when they get pieces of you, or pieces of people you know.  That’s my philosophy anyway!

I’m writing that advice down, that’s really good. Are there any blogs you’d like to mention?

@whumpsday and @oddsconvert  <3  I also love @demondamage’s stuff even though I havent been following for too long :)

Anything you'd like to add? 

Stay frosty coolios 

It was a pleasure to have you here today, @not-a-space-alien! 

And to all you fab folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here today to talk all things whumpy is the brilliant @whumpcereal!

It’s great to have you here! Let’s start with a fact or two about yourself  like your favorite color or favorite animal? 

My name is Kay, and I’m a high school teacher in my 30’s. Besides whumping unsuspecting gentlemen, my hobbies include reading a lot, belting out showtunes, cooking for people I love, hitting up new bars and restaurants with friends, and traveling. And since you asked–and as a teacher, I hate unanswered questions–I’ve recently realized that orange might be my favorite color, and I love gorillas. 

What does whump mean to you?

 It’s the sort of pressing-on-a-bruise feeling that is wrapped up in watching someone suffer and then be comforted. It’s the need for vulnerability and human connection. It’s watching Prince Philip get chained to a wall and not understanding why you find it so magnetic, but you do, haha! 

How did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

I was writing for the Newsies fandom (I know) during the pandemic, and one of my favorite authors tagged her epic work with “whump.” I clicked the tag on tumblr, and I found @lonesome--hunter’s Ezra almost immediately; I fell down the rabbit hole and never came out. After Ezra, I spent a good long time with @ashintheairlikesnow’s Danny and then @galaxywhump’s Wren. I realized that a lot of what I was putting in my own writing could be classified as “whump,” but I wasn’t sure how to join in the fun. I lurked for a while and then beta-ed for @darkthingshappen before I got brave enough to post my own stuff. But part of what motivated me to start posting was just how supportive and welcoming the whole community is. On AO3, you can get tons of hits but almost no real engagement; with whump, that’s totally different. It makes my little dopamine receptors ping. 

The whump community is amazingly supportive! Do you think your view on or the way you consume whump changed since you joined? 

 I am definitely a hurt/comfort gal. I can’t do the hurt without the comfort, and I need my whump to be strongly oriented in the characters’ feelings, whether we’re talking whumpers or whumpees. I struggle when a character is just getting the shit kicked out of them endlessly; I want them to have some relief, even if the relief is bittersweet or painful in its own way. I also find it easier to whump an OC than I do a fandom character, just because if they’re mine, I can build the kind of backstory that makes the whump reasonable. 

And your favourite whump trope?

 I do like noncon. Whump is a genre where I’ve really been able to explore scary things that have happened to me, and when a whumpee has an honest (and not needlessly gratuitous) nonconsensual experience, I gravitate toward it, especially if they’re allowed to explore the aftermath and how it makes them feel. I also love a mute whumpee–probably because I watched The Little Mermaid too many times growing up. Something about the helplessness of being trapped in your own body and at the mercy of others–hey, whumperflies! Captivity whump too, especially anything in the BBU. The BBU was one of my favorite discoveries when I found the community. It provides such rich opportunities! 

Captivity whump is so good! Would you mind sharing a favourite piece you've written? (the following pieces may contain non-explicit nsfw references)

Ooooh. Well, I guess I’ll choose one from each of my series. For Jack, my first and forever whumpee in Behavior Modification, and his caretaker, my wish-fulfillment fake husband, Joe, it’s this piece with their little girl. It’s something that I wrote in basically a single stretch one afternoon last summer, and I’m proud of it because it shows both how far Jack has come in his recovery and how much everything he’s gone through is still affecting him. It also shows how fierce of a protector Joe is, even though Jack’s got strength of his own. Plus, Hallie, their little girl, was super fun to create. She’s a feisty little thing, and I liked the idea of looking at such a dark, violent system through a child’s eyes. 

For The Kennel, it’s this piece which immediately follows my boy Will after his best friend Tommy is forced to assault him. It’s got the aftermath of noncon, plus it includes a lot of world building for my scary whumper, Doc, and his particular set-up. It really sets up the horror of the situation in which Will and Tommy have found themselves and also emphasizes the stories of other whumpees whose stories I’d love to explore (Justin and Tony, I’m looking at you). Plus, it gives Annie–who’s technically the caretaker in this story, even though she’s been abused herself–a chance to think about how she’s been raised and the way her father treats people. My favorite moment is when Will just breaks down completely, because we haven’t seen him do that yet. It’s a human moment, and he’s feeling so much less than human that it’s almost cathartic. 

And then, honorable mention to this piece where I crossover my two stories and let Jack help Will as his post-rescue counselor. I had so much fun with that reveal! 

Oh wow, I love the Kennel piece! You’ve broken my heart with Justin and Will! Would you like to share your writing routine  with us?

 I’ve actually been riding a bit of a block lately, but typically, I am an evening writer. No drinks or snacks, but usually movie scores that match the mood of what I’m writing. On good nights, it’s big blocks; on others, it’s just a sentence here and there (that’s been where I’m at lately). I try to write a little every day, but again, it’s been rough lately. Being a teacher at the end of the year is just as hard as being a student, haha. 

I can only imagine! Are some things easier for you to write? Anything you struggle with writing?

 I have an easier time writing recovery than I do straight whump, which is sometimes a bummer, because the whump community doesn’t seem to like recovery quite as much. So, I’ll pour myself into a recovery piece I have big feelings about, and then it won’t get quite as much traffic and engagement as when I’m roughing up the boys. I am very careful about how I write noncon. I think I do a decent job, but I try to approach it from a place of sensitivity to the person who is suffering versus engaging through violence alone. That can take a lot of time and thought and big feelings. 

And is there anything you're working on at the moment? 

I do have a fantasy crossover miniseries with Jack, Joe, and Ivan and @oddsconverts’ Josh and Felix that I’ve had a really fun time working on. I need to write a little intro before I post it. I need to go back to Jack and his intimacy consultations at WRU, and AU AU Joe and his reaction to the Drip. Poor Will and Tommy are in desperate need of attention; I need to get Will sold away so all the drama can increase. Maybe during summer vacation? 

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today? I am only funny on accident. Just ask my students. ;-) 

Do you have any writing advice you’d like to share?

I’m great at giving advice to others, but absolute shit at following that advice myself. For instance, write for you. Don’t write for hits, likes, reblogs, etc. Just write what you want to read. Write as often as you can. During the pandemic, what got me back into writing after years of thinking about it was trying to write a little every day. Find you some writing friends who will get excited with you when there’s something you can’t wait to write about. 

Finally, would you like to give a mention to some of the amazing people in the whump community?

I already mentioned some of my favorites, but shout outs to @hold-him-down (whom I was lucky enough to eat very expensive risotto with this spring and whose Leo is one of my very favorite whumpees), @peachy-panic (58 Days is one of my VERY favorites), @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump (whose Wyatt has my whole heart), and @squishablesunbeam (I mean, Jesse? Come on!). My first friends in the whump community were @darkthingshappen (creator of my Benny baby), @oddsconvert (whose series are all so beautifully written that I can’t choose a favorite–she even made me like vampire whump–and who is my wonder twin forever), and @sparrowsage (go check out his new stuff!). 

Thank you so much for joining us, @whumpcereal ! It was a pleasure to have you here! 

And to all you lovely folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Today I’m talking whump with the amazing @studyofwhump!

Welcome to the show! Do you mind starting with a fact or two about yourself?

I’m Kay and I just turned 26 a few days ago! When not torturing my ocs, I am studying planetary geochemistry and having fun playing with spicy chemicals. I also really enjoy cooking, jewelry making and pen pal letters!

And what does whump mean to you? 

I’ve often thought of whump as a facet of the hurt/comfort genre, with a greater focus on the physical, psychological, and emotional hurt and trauma inflicted on characters. Whump looks into not only characters experiencing intensely painful and overwhelming circumstances, but the hard road to recovery that comes afterward. There can be a lot of overlap with ‘angst’ in that regard, but it becomes whump when direct harm to the character’s well-being comes into play (for me that includes more of the physical harm).

How did you find the whump community? What made you want to join?

I followed the bad things happen bingo tumblr blog for a few years, writing down their prompts for my own story ideas as a little checklist. Then through that, I came across @whump-tr0pes Honor Bound series in its early stages and found the term ‘whump.’ Turns out, it was a concept I had enjoyed nearly all my life and had a flourishing online community! I decided to create a dedicated whump blog since a few irl friends followed my main and weren’t fans of fictional violence, and it’s been one of my favorite pastimes ever since!

That’s awesome as! Do you think your view on whump changed since you joined? 

I started out mostly making generic prompts and reblogging whump art, not really sure about sharing my own fics since I barely shared my writing with anyone irl. I enjoyed fandom whump more, but as I started reading more original work from other whump writers, I grew a greater appreciation for it. Sharing more of my writings for my alien sci-fi series Titan Guard brought some positive feedback, and I’ve felt encouraged to open up my stories to a growing community as well.

And now everyone’s favourite question: Favourite whump tropes? 

WHIPPING (favourite since I was a kid and whipped my Polly Pocket and Lego figures for the plot!), interrogation, used as bait, bound and gagged (again, tying up all my toys for the plot haha), manhandling, stress positions, slavery, POW situations, isolation, nightmares, forced to watch or choose, caretaker turned whumpee, whumpers who are cold and calculating and don’t hold back, and so many more!

Torturing your childhood dolls is such a universal whump experience! Would you mind sharing a favourite piece you've written? 

Ooh that’s a hard one…

Alek’s First Whipping was one of the earliest scenes I had for Alek’s backstory in Titan Guard that I was really excited to share. It’s one of the first instances of Alek experiencing intense and body-altering pain that is public and degrading. It was a fic I had written several years prior to sharing it, and while some minor changes were made as I developed the story more, it’s still largely the same as the original which I really enjoy. And of course, it uses one of my all-time favorite tropes!

The explosion arc I’ve been writing has also been a favorite because I wanted to use the circumstances of that arc to show how dire the situation for the Pax Rebel group stranded on Earth is, essentially showing one of their lowest points. This arc also is the most effort I’ve dedicated to laying out more of the actual plot for Titan Guard and what it’s about. With this, I’ve also tried including some morally gray situations where there’s no clear answer to dealing with a friend’s impeding death, and opening it to readers to think on what they think is ‘right’ in just a scenario.

Public whipping is so good! And I loved Alek’s reaction, the poor guy. Do you mind sharing what your writing routine looks like?

I try to write 200 words a day in one form or another (although the past couple of weeks I’ve definitely fallen behind), and usually like to work on one WIP to fill that quota. I’m not a morning person at all, so I’m writing mainly in the afternoon or evening. I’ve found that if I’m able to sit outside while it’s nice and dark, that’s actually the most productive time for me!

Do you find that your ability to write varies between topics?

I have the most fun writing dialogue, both spoken between characters and internally, and especially if the two contradict each other. The dialogue for a scene is usually the first thing that comes to me, revealing an oc’s inner feeling and fears that guide their actions through the rest of the scene. I’ve been writing more arguments between characters recently, which has been really interesting sorting out group dynamics and complicating relationships.

I’ve also been told I’m good at delivering soul-crushing angst suddenly during an already whumpy moment!

And is there anything you're working on at the moment? 

I’ve got a list of fics I’m trying to work on at the moment! Now that I’m over the hill on graduation and family stuff, I’ll hopefully have more time to get working on them. Alek and Lulan are in the line of fire right now, and the next few fics with them will be pretty pivotal! Some of their defining moments are coming up…

I’ve also tried to start focusing more on worldbuilding for my verse and the history of the main conflict leading up to the main story. Part of that is trying to get back into conlang, which is one of my favorite things!

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

Of quartz I have good puns! As a geologist, I must never take puns for granite. And it’s always gneiss to spread smiles and laughter when schist happens and things get wacke. Not to get too sediment-al, but the whump community is like geology puns…

They rock.

I’m dying at that last line. That was awful but also very good! Is there any writing advice you’d like to share?

If you’re planning a larger project, let the ideas flow. I’m sometimes pretty rigid when it comes to sticking to the main canon of my own writing, but I still try to create alternate scenes for my own enjoyment and to help get through writer’s block. Even if you have a set plot or idea in mind for how you want the story to go, if a cool idea gets stuck in your head just write it out or take notes or do whatever even if it’s completely random! Write that AU, create alternate endings and any kind of ‘what if’ scenarios. You never know what random little ideas you’ve collected over time will become the answer to a writing block or a new idea you love.

Are there any blogs you’d like to shout out?

@whump-tr0pes @ashintheairlikesnow and @wildfaewhump for being the first few whump blogs whose original work I found captivating and inspiring as an introduction into the whump community!

@for-the-love-of-angst @noirineverysense @justplainwhump @aprilwaters @sableflynn @actress4him @tormentum-ab-intra @clockworknightmares @sweetwhumpandhellacomf @winedark-whump @straight-to-the-pain and @lektricwhump who are all amazing creators and lovely people I’ve gotten to know over the past couple of years. Go check out their work!

A special shout-out to @gritpyre, connoisseur of buff women and lycanthropic turmoil who I’ve commissioned artwork from in the past and is seriously talented! Frankie is truly amazing!

And while not whump specific, my two irl writing fiend friends @chaotic-tired-cat and @buggy-about-town who have enabled my whump obsession and found some connection to the genre as well! I love you both!!

And finally, anything you'd like to add? <

Just to say that the whump community has been there to help me get through some pretty tough times, and I am so, so grateful for it. I’ve met some truly kind and wonderful people here I can call friends, and I look forward to seeing what creations are coming in the future!

Thank you for joining us, @studyofwhump! 

And to all you lovely folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here today to talk all things whumpy is the brilliant @another-whump-sideblog!

We’re thrilled to have you here! Do you mind starting us off with an introduction?

You can call me Cam, my favorite color is green and I have a snowglobe collection!

Let’s get straight to the point! What does whump mean to you? 

To me, whump is any media that focuses on pain (of any kind) and how the characters cope (or don’t cope) with it.

And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

I first got super into whump during a depressive episode. I’m not sure exactly why, but it was comforting. I read pretty much all I could find in the fandoms I was in, and then I just started searching whump in general! I actually don’t remember the first whump fic I read, fanfic or OC, or else I’d shout it out. For quite a while I was reading a lot of whump without interacting at all, out of fear of people realising I was into whump, but eventually I got over that and even started sharing some of my own whump writing!

Do you think your view on whump has changed since you joined? 

I’ve gotten a lot more into OC whump and less into fandom whump as time goes on. I’ve also gotten less afraid of publically liking whump.

Everyone’s favourite question: Favourite whump tropes!

I like pet whump and torture whump a lot. I also like long recovery arcs with imperfect caretakers. And I’m always a big fan of unreliable narrators.

Do you have a favourite piece you've written?

I really like the first chapter of Jane’s Pets. The style is pretty fun and I think it’s a good introduction to the series.

I love the format and second person pov! It’s a really intriguing idea! What does your writing routine usually look like?

I tend to write at complete random, whenever I’ve got a free moment. I write in my phone’s notes app, which is a bad choice but it would take too much work to switch over to something else at this point.

Do you find that some things are easy for you to write? Is there something you struggle with writing? 

I’d like to think I’m pretty good at describing characters’ inner feelings, and I know I’m not great at setting a scene or describing how things look or feel or things like that. I love writing dream sequences because then things can not make sense physically and I can purely focus on the emotion. I also struggle with editing. I tend to edit only very rarely, and usually only after I’ve already posted something. I just known that if I say ‘I can’t post this until I’ve edited it’ I would post things very very rarely lol.

And is there anything you're working on at the moment? 

I’m working on the season finale of season two of Jane’s Pets right now! I’ve also been trying to work on describing the world outside of my characters’ heads and not starting every single scene in medias res.

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

Did you hear about the performer who fell through the floor?

It was just a stage they were going through!

I haven’t heard that one before, it’s good! Is there any writing advice you’d like to share?

Just have fun! I guess I don’t really have advice for professional writers, but for those of us here just writing stuff and putting it on the internet for free, there’s no need to get bogged down in what you ‘should’ be doing in your writing. Just do what makes you happy! 

Shout out to your favourite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you.

The first friends I made in the whump community were @whumpyourdamnpears and @whump-in-the-closet! Both are great people who I’m glad I’ve gotten to know!

Finally, is there anything you'd like to add?

Thanks for interviewing me, this was fun!

Thank you so much for joining us , @another-whump-sideblog ! 

And to all you swell folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Yay another way for writers to feel excluded! Amazing idea

Hey there,

I'm hoping this was a typo and it's meant to say included in which case, thank you!! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

If it's not a typo and you have any suggestions or concerns about this blog, please reach out to either Izzy or I through the askbox or DMs and we can figure out a solution!

I hope you're having a great day!

—Malice

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Let's Talk Whump is a series of interviews with the wonderful members of the whump community. I'm Malice and I'll be your host. Joining us today is the one and only @oddsconvert !

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump! Do you mind sharing a little about yourself?

Hi there, I’m Shannon! I’m a 21 year old psychology and criminology graduate from the UK! My favourite colour is yellow. I basically have a zoo of pets bahaha; I have four cats, a dog, a rabbit, two rats, three fish and two tarantulas (not mine - they terrify the life out of me!)

When I’m not whumping and traumatising my fictional babies, I love to crochet, listening to/playing music (I play piano, guitar, clarinet and ukulele), and I’m currently teaching myself to draw…for whump purposes ;)

What does whump mean to you? 

For me, whump is freedom and release. Not only is it enjoyable, almost like scratching an itch? But it’s cathartic, and what I now see as a healthy coping mechanism for managing difficult feelings and a way to navigate my own trauma. Although, looking back, whump has been something that’s always been an interest of mine since early childhood, and has stuck ever since! Like rewinding disney films when the princes get tied up ahahah.

And also the comfort element of whump, I think it also helps me explore wants and desires in my own life. Writing my caretakers and their fierce protectiveness, and unconditional care over whumpees feels like it heals a part of me that maybe needed that at times. It gives you such a heartwarming feeling when you see these characters go through hell and back, and have someone to fall on at the end who will be there through thick and thin, regardless how choppy the water gets. 

And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

I used to scour pinterest for writing prompts! I only ever wrote in private, I’ve never EVER shared my work publicly before and never dreamed I would. But the more and more whumpy pins I was saving I was like “hmmm. These all come from the same site! Let’s go check that out” and then I scrolled the  #whump tag for endless hours instead of doing my university dissertation. I remember coming across @deluxewhump and @darkthingshappen first!

At first I joined as a faceless, lurking blog. I really wanted to hop in and join all the creators I was loving so far but I was terrified. I think I had a bio as something like “working up the courage to post.” And then some lovely anon sent me my first ask saying they’d love to see what I’d post! And I slowly crept out of my shell and bit by bit started building my profile and adding my name and posting my whump drabbles!

Pinterest whump prompts gang rise up! That’s exactly how I found the community too! Has your view on whump changed since you joined? 

I used to be ashamed of liking whump. Like it was some dirty little secret that made me a terrible person and I should keep it to myself. Hide it at all costs. Since joining, and interacting with this world-wide community of whump enjoyers, I realised it’s not something that should be taboo. If anything, it almost feels normal! Look how many thousands love it! And every single whump creator I’ve had the pleasure of meeting has been so kind, supportive and such genuine people! 

It really feels like coming home when you find the whump community and realise you’re not a weirdo! Would you like to share your favourite whump tropes? 

I’ve definitely discovered more about my whump taste! I used to just purely like captivity whump, usually with creepy/intimate whumpers. That was always my go to. Now? I’ve discovered SO many tropes I never even knew about and love! BBU?! Pet whump, whumper turned whumpee, bad caretaker, vampire whump, sickfics, hero/villain and so much more! 

Non-optional, you have to share a favourite piece you've written? Hype yourself up, we want to hear it!

Without a doubt, my first ever chapter of ‘Shattered’ - my bloodbag whumpee/vampire whump series. I’m usually very self-critical of my writing, but I really love how this one came out and how well it was written. I pretty much never get whumperflies off my own writing, but my poor sweet Declan - just living dead and the way Vince is forced to take care of him. 

But also honorary mention - my latest chapter of ‘Play Pretend’ . Play Pretend is my baby, and it was the first chapter of this series I had beta’d by my wonderful friend @whumpcereal and I felt like she just took it to the next level and kicked it up a notch. Josh’s fear and exhaustion came to life and I really enjoyed writing his inner monologue!

You weren’t kidding about the whumperflies in “Shattered”! Hot damn! What's your writing schedule usually look like? 

Night time for sure! Dead of night - 3am most often ahaha. I’m a night owl, through and through. I’ll try and write in the day and nothing comes and then night comes and I’m like brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, whole chapter done! I usually have some music on in the background, sometimes I make a specific playlist for whatever vibe I’m feeling! And I mostly write when the inspiration strikes, as much as I can get out until the motivation vanishes.

And do you find that the words flow better for somethings than others?

For me, I find it really easy to write my creepy/intimate whumper scenes. For Play Pretend, writing Felix’s deranged and creepy obsession with Josh just comes so naturally (maybe I should be concerned…). The way he’s so unsettling but so adoring with how he speaks to Josh and touches him, I could write it in a heartbeat.

More recently I’ve been trying to delve into the nsfw portions of whump and writing. But I’m a newbie with it, and I really struggle with writing it or making it sound good. 

Is there anything you're working on at the moment?

My usual schedule swings around, I update my series in an order. It tends to be, A Taste of Your Own Medicine, Shattered, then Play Pretend - and I’ve just updated ATOYOM so Shattered is up next! I’m primarily working on a flashback chapter with August currently! But I dot in and out of future chapters too.

I also have planned future whump series to come whenever my current ones finish up! But that’s a little while off yet. 

Give us some writing advice. Bless us with your wisdom, oh awesome one!!!!!

I WILL SCREAM THIS FROM THE ROOFTOPS - WRITE FOR YOU!

Never ever write based on what you think people like/don’t like.  The absolute joy in writing is the freedom in putting the pen to paper, or cursor to doc , and just letting your imagination run wild. Your audience is out there. People that will love and cheer for your writing, and I think you can really tell when an author has enjoyed and had fun with what they’ve written. There’s no good in getting bogged down with what others think. 

Write for you, post for you, and if others hop along for the ride - all the better!

Is there anyone you’d like to give a shout-out to?

I love absolutely everyone in this community, I’m gonna tag so many people - my besties alongside some of my favourite blogs and creators. Ily all you talented people. 

@whumpcereal @darkthingshappen @sparrowsage @quietly-by-myself @whumpsday @for-the-love-of-angst @emmettnet @turn-the-tables-on-them @yetanotheraltwhumpblog @kira-the-whump-enthusiast @pigeonwhumps @whumpshaped @t0rture-me @ha-ha-one @not-a-space-alien @whump-queen @justsomewhumpee @livelaughwhump @writereleaserepeat and I’M PROBABLY MISSING SOME BUT YOU’RE ALL AWESOME

Finally, anything you'd like to add? 

The whump community has quickly started to feel like home to me, I have a lotta love for whumpblr and every soul I’ve met here! Thank you so much for having me and to whoever nominated me!

It’s been a pleasure! 

Happy whumping, people!

Thank you so much for joining us today, @oddsconvert! And to all you awesome folk at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here today to talk all things whumpy is the fabulous @flowersarefreetherapy!

It’s an honor to have you here! Do you want to start us off with a fact or two about yourself?

Hi! I’m Marz, I’m a baby adult, and newer here to the whump scene! My favorite color is blue and I enjoy a huge variety of music. I have a Golden Retriever named Guinevere who is five years old and loves swimming, chasing tennis balls, and running through corn fields. Yeah, that’s about it! 

Let’s get straight to the point. What does whump mean to you?

As much as I love the hurt part of it, whump to me is about healing. It’s about picking yourself up even after life has beaten you into the ground. It’s finding your people who will help you and stand by your side on good and bad days. It’s taking those little steps towards healing, then looking back one day and realizing just how far you’ve come and how much you’ve accomplished. The pain and whumping of characters is horribly fun, but it’s the recovery and knowledge that there is something to lose that makes whump for me. 

How did you find the whump community and what made you want to join? 

So, I found the whump community purely by accident by jumping through writing blogs on Tumblr about three years ago, I think?? It was around 2019-2020 and I was looking for writing prompts when I stumbled onto @ashintheairlikesnow’s blog and learned there was a whole community dedicated to the hurt/comfort plotlines I had been reading all my life. Really what made me want to join was seeing there was an audience for the whump I was writing and the acceptance of OCs I was struggling to find in other writing circles. So I lurked for a while and then made the decision to join!

Do you think that your view of whump has shifted since you discovered it?

My view on whump has stayed the same, but what I write about has expanded. I’ve been exploring the BBU sandbox with different characters and different perspectives. It’s been a good challenge and one I look forward to continuing! 

Everyone’s favourite question: what are your favourite whump tropes?

Dehumanization and noncon are two of my favorites. What makes them so appealing to me is the loss of autonomy and the way it can fully break a character. Not only that, but it allows for some very fun power dynamics that I really enjoy in whump. Alongside that, those two tropes lead to the characters learning how to rebuild their world, their trust of other people, and what kind of life they want to make as part of their future. The healing that’s involved in both these tropes is messy and hard and something that is fought for, always with the support of those around them.

Would you mind sharing a favourite piece you've written? Hype yourself up, we want to hear it!

This is one of my favorite pieces! I love Thad’s breakdown here and while writing it, having that insight into how his past training impacts how he sees himself and sees the kids they’ve taken in. Another really fun piece I love is this one, mainly for the emotion and heartbreak of it all. 

Aww Thad! So much emotion in “You Are My Sunshine” ! Do you have a standard writing routine?

Chaos!! *evil laughter here* Just kidding (mostly). I tend to write when the inspiration strikes and knock out large chunks of writing at a time. Sometimes I’ll write bit by bit, especially when life is crazy, but I prefer to have the uninterrupted chunks of time. Usually I have caffeine with me as well to help the writing process speed along, in which my poison of choice there is Dr. Pepper!

And do you find some things are easier to write than others?

Dialogue! I love writing every bit of it! Using the words to both reveal and hide characters’ motives, changing what they want to say into what they can’t, playing around with hidden meaning in the phrases chosen: all of it is so good and makes it so fun to write! If I could write scenes that are all dialogue I would 

Is there anything you're working on at the moment?

Something I’ve been working on for a while is the next part of my Hold On series. It’s about to get sticky and complicated, so I'm working on how to get all the characters going the way I want them to. Of course, that’s not going to happen, but I’m trying to at least plot a path for the characters to run down.

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

. . . . . . . wish I could be hilarious on command, but sadly I am cursed to not be.

That’s fine! Do you have any writing advice you’d like to share?

Love your writing, even the bits that seem weird or you think no one will like them. There are people who will love it and read it and scream about parts you didn’t even think were that good. You will find your writing groove and you’ll find your audience. Also, don’t delete anything! That is really important! You can always go back and edit a choppy scene or reuse a bit of dialogue, but deleting something means starting from a blank slate. Scenes can always be reworked, so keep them!

Shout out your favourite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you! 

Oh man, oh man, there are so many people I could highlight! Seriously, this community is fantastic and wonderful and so welcoming! I had heard that about the whump community, but experiencing it for myself has been an honor. Okay, so people to shout out: 

@for-the-love-of-angst (you know why. For everything, thank you <3) @eatyourdamnpears (chaos friend!) @whumpcereal (your writing! ah!), @winedark-whump (your responses to every one of my ramblings on discord always make my day), @ashintheairlikesnow (still in awe of your writing/characters) @pigeonwhumps (*waves*) @quietly-by-myself (your characters!!) @soheavyaburden (characters! Writing! plotline!), @blood-is-compulsory (screaming in the tags is always welcome!) and so many more I have probably forgotten (in which case you can yell at me in the comments)

Seriously, go check out each and every one of these people! They are amazing and so so so cool and you won’t regret it at all!

Finally, is there anything you'd like to add?

Thank you for this opportunity and to everyone for making this community so welcoming!

Thank you for joining us today, @flowersarefreetherapy !

And to all you lovely folk at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Update

Good afternoon Everyone!

Just a quick update on our mod, Izzy!

Izzy is currently resting up while she recovers from surgery but she wants you know that she has not forgotten about your interviews and she'll be back in action as soon as she's well again!

In the meantime, we wish her a speedy recovery and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us at @letstalkwhump !

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here today to talk all things whumpy is the fabulous @wildfaewhump!

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump! Let’s start with a fact or two about yourself!

Hello! I'm Vic, and when I'm not inflicting agony, I am a professional musician! I've been gigging professionally for about 12 years and I absolutely love it. Music is my lifelong love and I am so grateful to be able to make it such a big part of my life. 

And onto the good stuff! What does whump mean to you? 

To me, whump is a mechanism of catharsis, both for creator and reader. The huge, heavy emotions and terrible events our characters endure offer a safe way for us to explore those emotions. 

It's also just a whole lot of fun. Who could say no to seeing a beloved character writhing in pain? 

And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join?

I found the term "whump" through fandom! The fics I liked were increasingly labelled with it, and from there a bit of tag scrolling led me to the OC whump community. I realized that people were *sharing their writing* and it was all over for me, I was hooked. I made a whump sideblog and started (terrified) to tell the story of a captured fae. Shoutout to @clockworknightmares, who was one of the first people to find my early pieces and introduced me to the heady dopamine of getting an ask! I've been here ever since, and I am so grateful to all the wonderful people who make this community such a vibrant oasis of creativity and shared passion. 

Do you think your view on whump has changed since you first discovered it?

I have certainly had my eyes opened to a whole host of new experiences! As far as tropes and whump style go, lately I find that I'm drawn to more interpersonal-style whump, whereas when I started I was doing a lot more societal and outside forces whump. I love both types! 

And your favourite whump trope? 

WING WHUMP. ahem. I mean: I love nonhuman whump a normal amount… 

Other abiding faves include: whipping, impalement, really fucked up power dynamics, stalking, recorded whump, ooh and epistolary style writing!

Winged whump is so underrated! Do you mind sharing a favourite piece you've written? 

This piece holds a special place in my heart. It's the third in a five-piece arc, and they're all linked at the top of each piece. In this arc, Iesin and Talvos are separated by the wreckage of a landslide, and in the midst of this devastation experience kindness instead of hate and rejection. Specifically, in this piece Talvos hears a truth-tale spoken to the stars about him. People in the area he grew up believe that telling stories of each other will carry their loved one's memory to the stars, to be held there forever. Having been ostracized by humans for so long because of his mate Iesin, he has lost that access to his beliefs and his community, but this piece gives it back to him. 

Another favorite of mine is this Lourdes piece. One of my strongest writing devices is to take a metaphor (here, maple trees and their syrup) and see how seamlessly I can weave it through an entire piece. I did a pretty good job of it here, I dare say. 

I love the Lourdes piece. The vibes are delicious! Do you mind sharing your writing routine?

Here's where I wish I was more consistent. I would love to have a writing routine, but my schedule doesn't allow for it at present. 99% of my writing is done on my phone in snatched moments between other responsibilities, but when I do get the chance to sit down and take my time, my favorite way to write is to take a long morning at a coffee shop and just let myself flow. 

And do you find that somethings are easier for you to write than others?

My writing strengths lie in pretty prose, extended metaphors, and conveying emotion. I like to think I'm good at catching a reader up in the flow of a piece. Now, trying to write more than three or so people in a room? Hard! Too many limbs and hands and voices to manage! 

Give us a sneak peak! Is there anything you're working on at the moment? 

I am rotating Lourdes, my Romantic Boxie, in my mind like their own special microwave right now. They are. So fucked up. I'm finishing up concert season irl so I don't quite have time to write yet, but this summer I hope to make some good progress on all of my current series! 

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

How about a picture of my basset puppy! 

He’s so cute! Give him a hug from me! Is there any writing advice you’d like to share?

Read like a writer. Read as much as you can, and look at the mechanisms of what you read. What writing devices does this author re-use? What is it about their prose style that draws you in? What makes this author's characterization stronger than that one's? The more you read, the more you pay attention to what works and doesn't work in writing you encounter, the more you hone your own craft.

Shout out time for your favourite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you. 

Oh goodness there are so many wonderful whump blogs! I know I'll forget some. @for-the-love-of-angst, @ashintheairlikesnow, @clockworknightmares, @justplainwhump, @just-horrible-things, @highwaywhump, @flowersarefreetherapy, @caramelis, @pigeonwhumps, @redwingedwhump, @tormentum-ab-intra, and so many more! 

Finally, is there anything you'd like to add?

Be kind. It's the hardest and most worthwhile thing in the world to do, but simple kindness can change everything.

Thank you for joining us, @wildfaewhump !

And to all you folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here today to talk all things whumpy is the fabulous @experi-sketches!

Thanks for joining us today, @experi-sketches! Do you mind kicking us off today with some facts about youself?

Hi, I'm Katie! I'm a 30-something with a pretty boring day-job in bank operations. I've always loved all things creative - as a kid that meant drawing and playing the viola, but as an adult I've found that what I really love is writing! When I'm not writing, though, I enjoy cooking, reading, spending time with my partner & loving on my pup, a 12-year-old pit bull/german shepherd mutt named Cleo who is an absolute doofus. I am, in fact, a lover of all dogs and will happily smoosh any pup's face or give them belly rubs. I tend to be quite shy, and I'm a bit of a clueless geezer when it comes to social media (I'm really not very good at it lol) but I love getting a chance to meet new folks in creative communities!

What does whump mean to you?

I enjoy the versatility of whump; to me it's any story centered around a character who endures intense struggle or suffering - be that emotional/psychological/physical, or maybe all three - and is changed in some way by that experience. I've always loved stories where the protag has to fight tooth and nail to survive, like *really* fight, and whump tends to have that in spades. The drama of it is just *chef's kiss* so choice!

And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join?

So, to be honest, I kind of fell into whump by accident? When I started posting my current project on AO3, "An Iron Blood Tale: Iron and Gold," I was feeling anxious because it dealt with some very dark/violent themes that I'd never written before, so I wanted to try and make sure that I included enough relevant tags so people knew what they were getting into. One day I was perusing other stories on AO3 in the master/slave tag, trying to see what types of tags similar authors were using, and this word 'whump' kept coming up. I had no idea what it meant so finally I googled it. When I found out what it was I had this lightbulb moment like "Omg, this is exactly what I'm writing!" Whump was the tag I'd been searching for without knowing it, and once I started using it, I not only started to reach folks who enjoy the same kinds of stories I do, but I also realized that there was a whole community of them! I suddenly didn't have to feel self-conscious about the dark content of my story, because I could serve it to people who actually wanted to see it. It made me feel like I'd finally found a home for "An Iron Blood Tale."

Finding the whump community really feels like coming home, doesn't it? Do you think your view on whump changed since you joined?

Well as mentioned this is all pretty much a new world for me! So I'd say no, still kind of figuring things out lol. I will say that my perception of the community has changed, though. Like many newcomers to a community, at first I was afraid to engage because I was constantly worried that I might say something silly or post something that could offend or upset someone, so I tended to just lurk quietly in the background. But I've since come to see that most folks here are actually quite sensitive and accepting! For a genre that deals so many with dark themes, I've found the people here very kind and welcoming.

Do you have a favourite whump trope? Or more than one, it's so hard to choose sometimes!

I enjoy anything that includes power dynamics, particularly unbalanced power dynamics, although I feel that's sort of a given for whump. Since I've started writing "An Iron Blood Tale" I find myself more drawn to slavery tropes & also dub/non-con, mostly because I like seeing how other people handle those topics and again, power dynamics lol. I also tend to lean more towards emotional/psychological whump - give me a character who has to battle internal demons along with external ones!!

Now you have to hype yourself up! What's one of your favorite pieces you've written?

Well literally the only other complete work I have posted on the internet is "Wham, Bam!" (NSFW) which is slice-of-life m/m erotica. It's about a fellow in rural Texas who grew up closeted and bullied, and who gets his world turned upside down by an attractive and selfish stranger.

I wouldn't say it's whump, or at least not very much so, but the protag in that story, Harvey, is definitely fighting through some emotional and psychological hangups that were beaten into him during his childhood. It's on my AO3 if you're interested!

Otherwise my big project at the moment is a fantasy novel called "An Iron Blood Tale" - very whumpy long-format story about a young man named Jerre whose village is raided by elven invaders, and as a result he becomes enslaved to a disgraced nobleman named Arna Sindri. It's also very much NSFW, (deals with slavery & NON-CON, PTSD & physical, emotional and psychological torture so please be warned) but I would say the predominant focus is on Jerre's struggle to cling to his humanity while he fights to find a way to escape a world that is very strange and dangerous to him!

I do like some good emotional and psychological whump! Would you mind sharing what your writing routine looks like?

Oh I'm definitely more productive in the morning. I get the bulk of my writing done on the weekends - maybe I'll do a *little* writing during the week, but usually after a long day at work all I have the mental energy for is some editing/revision. On saturday and sunday I like to get out of bed around 6 AM or so, (partner & dog are still asleep at that point so I have the whole house to myself, which is a rare delight,) make some coffee, and just write as much as I can. I tend to write long-format things and I've found a few tricks that work well for me - admittedly none of them are very unique but hey, they do work!

First, I've got to have the right soundtrack while I'm writing. Music is so helpful, it puts me in the right mood & gets the creative juices flowing, and it literally helps me visualize scenes better. In particular I love 'movie trailer music' - artists who write orchestral music used for trailers and stuff. It's great because it's not associated with an *actual* movie so I can use all those epic vibes I feel while listening to it to manifest my own characters and stories. In particular I like Kevin Graham's music, and there's this youtube channel called Really Slow Motion that's also great. Highly recommend if you're looking for some epic music to write to!

Second, I don't write chronologically. I tend to write stories/chapters completely out of order. I already know all the Big Stuff that happens b/c I like to plan the plot in advance, so I'll just write whatever scene I feel inspired to write that day. Over time the gaps between those scenes shrink and then eventually all I have to do is fill in the blank spaces between scenes and boom! I have a completed draft.

Last: I don't worry about what I write being good. It's a thing I hear a lot of writers say, but it's so, so true. I tell myself that the point of a first draft is simply to *exist*, and then I just slap whatever garbage leaves my brain onto the page. I don't judge myself if it's awful because I can always go back later and revise revise revise to make it better. Letting go of the need to make everything perfect on the first try has made my writing time so much more productive and fulfilling.

Sounds like you've got a strong routine. Is there an easy thing for you to write? What do the words usually flow for? Is there something you struggle with writing?

I always feel like action sequences or Big Dramatic Events flow the best for me. If Jerre is getting attacked or experiencing some kind of trauma or torture, or if there's a battle, or a fist fight, or an argument - you know, big, action-y things. Where I tend to struggle more are those quieter, more intimate scenes between characters. Soft, tender dialog, or a moment where a character is alone with their thoughts, or struggling with their inner demons, stuff like that. It's so hard to make those scenes land correctly and not seem tacky!

And is there anything you're working on at the moment?

So my big project right now is "An Iron Blood Tale" over on AO3 It's kind of taken over my life. There's going to be two books, "Iron and Gold" and "Soot and Blood." I kinda mentioned the set-up for the first book "Iron and Gold" above - Jerre's village is raided and he's enslaved to Arna Sindri, and with the help of his fellow prisoner Emrik he tries to find some way to escape. The second book, "Soot and Blood," continues Jerre and Emrik's story as they struggle to navigate the traumas of their pasts while also tying to save the continent from the elven invaders who destroyed their lives. I'm currently drafting the very last chapter of book one, and doing *tons* of revisions on the chapters I've already written. But I…I cannot even wait for book two. I've written some of it already, but I'm actually crying inside to devote 100% of my attention to it - book two is where shit really gets real!

That sounds son awesome and I can't wait to read them! IS there any writing advice that you'd like to share?

Write whatever you want and whatever makes you happy - write for yourself. If you love what you write, chances are other people will sense that and love it too.

And also give yourself the freedom to be a bad writer! Seriously. The hardest part of writing is just making that *very* first draft, so just slam out whatever rubbish comes out of your brain, and who cares if it makes sense or not? Once it exists, you can go back and make things 'good.' And what even is 'good' anyways? It's all subjective! If you just remove the pressure of trying to make things perfect on your first try, it frees you, and you become so much more productive!

Oh, and find some good music to listen to while you write. Feel like most people know that one already, but it's so true haha

Finally a shout out to your favourite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you.

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I'm still so new here that I'm kind of trying to find my sea legs! Like I said, I'm pretty shy, so I've mostly just been lurking and poking around through the whump tags here on Tumblr and also on AO3…there's so much that it's kind of overwhelming! I do want to give a little shout to @burntcoffeewhump, though. They've been super amazing and supportive of my story, and they've even pointed me towards some other whumpy blogs & stories that I've been checking out! You're a true hero haha

Anything you'd like to add?

Please feel free to say hi! Drop something in my asks, leave a comment on AO3, @ me on twitter - I'm trying to get over my nerves and get more involved in the community, but I'm always excited to say hi and meet new folks!

Thank you so much for joining us today! It was great to have you on the show!

And to all you folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here with us today is the one and only @redd956!

Good to have you here! How about we start off with a fact or three about yourself?

I got by two other names online, as my aliases are many, such as Dezert and Usarin. My blog itself isn’t fully a whump blog, but also writing/worldbuilding, it’s just quite well known in the whump community and I do see myself as a avant participant. Worldbuilding is my true passion, but it’s notable I also play tons of video games. My blog, and other online names are all after randomly chosen OCs of mine.

Let’s get straight to the point! What does whump mean to you?

Whump as a kid meant to me something strangely dark or violent to fall asleep to, now a days character arcs are expected in that. I realised I wasn’t alone upon joining finding the community. So now I guess it just means storyline violence/conflict in hopes to show a character arc unique to characters who go through a lot.

And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join?

I found it while searching for writing tips & tricks stuff for a pinterest board. I realised when out of night ideas to sleep to I could use this, and lurked around the tumblr side of the community for half a year. Finally I noticed a lot of my favourite tropes weren’t as prevalent or there at all, and couldn’t take it anymore. Sometimes you just need to do something yourself.

Do you think your view on whump changed since you joined? 

My view hasn’t really changed at all, but I do have some new favourites, primarily the whole Hero contrasting with Villain character dynamics in whump.

What do you consider to be your favourite whump trope?

Oh boy… I guess my favourite whump trope would be taking down a powerful stoic character. The power itself is meant to be vague, as I feel it changes depending on whatever I’m feeling, whether it be physically, magically, role, whatever. I primarily love this because it forces the powerful character to show vulnerability they are not used to, and I absolutely love that.

Do you mind sharing a favourite piece you've written?

My favourite piece I’ve written isn’t on my blog, and probably never will be, as I write a lot. And I mean…a lot. It changes every year, so right now I’d give it to a 7 page piece of mine dedicated to my OCs from my worldbuilding universe, labelled Apocalyptic for obvious reasons. For my blog… I’d say my favourite piece is Prompt 8. I did once attempt to post a sequel because of requests but I absolutely hate it and refuse to acknowledge it’s existence. 

I love a good hero/villain story! Do you have a regular writing routine?

I only write whump via striking sudden inspiration. I do have a major overwriting problem, that I’m still trying to fix. I write a lot! I am a studying creative writing major, and will likely be working as a writing tutor next school semester. I usually play lo-fi, hopefully themed to whatever I’m writing, and write any time of day or night.

And do you find that some things are easier to write than others?

I excel in military and nonhuman whump in my eyes, as well as a lot of cold whump. I’m great at the first two, because a lot of my personal creations include them. I’m bad at writing long form captivity/torture stuff. I just don’t exactly like most of it anyway, for no reason in particular. But I find it very difficult to describe.

Is there anything you're working on at the moment? 

I’m currently working on starting and continuing the beginning of two whump series on Ao3. Other than that I’m always continuing my personal work. 

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

foap

Give us some writing advice. Bless us with your wisdom, oh awesome one!!!!!

Write whatever you want, practice in whatever way works for you, and keep doing that!

Shout out to your favourite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you. We're hyping everyone one up here!!!

Oh dear, there’s so many! Uh @mottinthemainpot, @theres-whump-in-that-nebula, @whumpsday, @leyswhumpdump, @painful-pooch, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams, @wither-wander-whump , @whump-me @thebewingedjewelcat @i-eat-worlds and so many more

Also for good measure, the non-whump blog, @heckcareoxytwit

Anything you'd like to add?

You’ll probably notice me and my partner being occasionally unashamed madly in love on my blog, and especially on theirs. 

Thanks for joining us today, @redd956! Great to have you here!

And to all you wonderful folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community. I’m Malice and I’ll be your host. 

Joining us today is the fabulous @ashintheairlikesnow!

It’s great to have you here, Ash! Let’s kick this interview off with a fact or two about yourself!

Hi! I go by Ash, I am an ageless elder crone, and my life is built around the whims of an old dog and a very young cat. My primary hobby is reading, and I especially get lost in books on cults and new religious movements, World War I, and vampires.

What does whump mean to you? 

To me, whump is physical, mental, and emotional suffering. What causes that suffering can be any one of a number of things, and any of them might be what fascinates about the story. 

But it's whump when someone hurts.

And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join?

I had gone through a tumultuous few months in 2019, including being laid off. I was reading and writing in-between frantically applying and interviewing for new jobs, and somewhere in there I stumbled back onto Tumblr after a long… long… hiatus. 

In August of 2019 I did a fanfiction writing challenge and the prompt for day 11 was 'whump'. A friend of mine had to explain to me what the word even meant, which is when I realized there was a whole subgenre dedicated to my favorite thing to write! After that, I started following some blogs with whump in their name and shortly after, took a chance on posting some writing, too. 

2019 you say, and yet I would affectionately swear you’ve been around the whump community forever! Do you think  your view on whump changed since you joined? 

Definitely! I was more timid when it came to what I would or wouldn't write out in detail early on. Eventually I gained confidence and started including things that delved into full horror, where before I wasn't sure how it would be received. 

I think I have come to appreciate a ton of tropes that didn't really speak to me or that I struggled with at first! Finding certain writers that really did a great job with them helped me get over that.

ANd now for the best bit; Let’s talk whump tropes! Do you have a few particular faves?

Noncon and recovery from it - one of my favorite things about whump isn't even the harm but the way a character recovers from it, and noncon can be a violation of physical self, identity, everything. So I enjoy the noncon but also watching someone rebuild themself afterward. 

Trauma recovery - on a related note. Most of my stories really focus heavily not on the worst of times, but in what comes after. How do you find yourself again when everything about you was erased? Or beaten, or broken? Resilience is essential in my work. 

BBU - I started writing at the beginning of the BBU taking off in early 2020 - I think my first Kauri piece was written in January 2020 actually. I love world building and dystopian fiction, so I never stop finding new awful details about the BBU to bring to the light. 

Creepy/intimate whumpers - Whumpers that get under your skin without necessarily treading into noncon territory. Think like @comfy-whumpee's Alistair, a master of overwhelming, awful affection and the power of control. Or @for-the-love-of-angst's Zever, a father-figure to OC Taron turned captor. 

Shades of gray - whumpees who weren't the good guys, but who have been forced to struggle and suffer. I like writing, and reading, imperfect people who are trying to make themselves better than they've been, or bad people who have their reasons who run into someone they can't get away from. 

Hype time! Do you have a few pieces of your favourite work that you’d like to share?

This is so hard! Oh my gosh. I need to think about this. 

Haunted - a Kauri piece. The way this one delves into the emptiness of Kauri from someone else's perspective… there are some metaphors in here I am really proud of. 

Blood, Freely Given - a vampire walks into a hospital. God, I love when I get the chance to work in a more horror-centered space. This one is lyrical and I love it.

I’m Here - a boy remembers everything he was made to forget. This was maybe the most intense thing I've written. It is disjointed and chaotic and I adore it.

Oh my god! I am obsessed with Blood, Given Freely’s vibes! Creepy but somehow tugging at my emotions- damn! Do you have a particular writing routine?

My best writing happens in a coffeeshop with a pastry and a latte on hand! I almost always sit down and put on a playlist based on whichever story, then write out a whole piece on two or three hours. Then I spend a day or two editing and cleaning up, then post. 

I used to try to write once or twice a week. Lately that's fallen off to every other week or even less. Life gets busy! But I still write when the mood strikes me. 

And do you find somethings are easier for you to write than others?

I am so so so bad at writing fight scenes or action. It's like pulling teeth! On the other hand, I am pretty good at dialogue, I think. The different voices of different characters come to me fairly easily. 

Can we get a peek behind the curtains and see what your currently working on?

I am half-heartedly trying to get started on a novel that I keep going back and forth on, involving a man looking for a vampire in 1926 upstate New York. But not for the reasons you think.

Actually, maybe exactly for those reasons.

I am definitely enjoying writing horror more often. My OC Finn Schneider's story is pure nightmare fuel, and I find myself thinking about him a lot. 

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

When I was in high school, I decided to start telling bad jokes on purpose, as my "thing". To my credit, I kept it up for years. I had jokes I would tell at every party. They were all terrible.

I was surprised that people kept asking me to tell more.

Now I can't remember any of them. 

I mostly run screaming from puns. They are the real monsters here. 

Haha, puns seem to be very popular in the whump community, particularly in our urls! Would you care to share some writing advice with our readers?

My best advice has always been and will always be just to write often. Like any muscle, it gets stronger with exercise, like any skill you get better primarily through practice. Even if you doubt yourself, keep writing. You will look back and be shocked at how you improved even without realizing it over time. 

Try to set aside time to write. It doesn't have to be anything in particular, any one story. Write anything at all. 

Shout-out time for some of the wonderful people on here!

Oooooh it would be such a wildly long list. I will try! Okay, here are just a few:

@albino-whumpee who we recently lost created some incredible whump art from a very personal place. I miss them. 

@wildfaewhump @comfy-whumpee @whump-tr0pes @hackles-up @card-games-and-pain @whumpiary @sableflynn @redwingedwhump @whump-it @for-the-love-of-angst @boxboysandotherwhump @whumptywhumpdump @winedark-whump @justplainwhump @just-horrible-things … gosh there are so many!

Finally, is there anything you'd like to add?

The whump community has been an incredible place to make my writing "home". I've met some pretty amazing people on this hellsite! May we all continue to enjoy the suffering of our silly little guys here together! 

Thank you for joining us, Ash. It was an absolute pleasure to have you on the show! 

And to all you fabulous folk at home, have a whump-derful day!

[letstalkwhump]

Previously Interviewed!

To be updated as we go:

@/actress4him @/angstafterdark @/ashintheairlikesnow @/blackberry-bloody @/brutal-nemesis @/crash-bump-bring-the-whump @/emmetnett @/heavenly-whumper @/kira-the-whump-enthusisast @/livelaughwhump @/obsessedwithegos @/painful-pooch @/painsandconfusion @/suspicious-pools-of-blood @/unicornscotty @/whump-in-the-closet @/whumperofworlds @/whumpkinpie @/whumpy-daydreams @/zillstar13

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump!

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here with us today is the fabulous @angstafterdark !

Hello! Good to have you here! How about we start off with a fact or three about yourself?

Oh man, hello. If we're not talking about whump, I'm really bad at talking about myself. It's not that I'm boring, I'm just shy and awkward. I'll do my best though! 

My name is Vee or V or ✌🏿. My favorite color is red. I love emojis even though I'm still trying to figure out what half of them mean. I'm very passionate about getting more POC and well written women into the media I read and write in. I firmly believe everyone wins when there's more diversity! 

What does whump mean to you? 

Catharsis, a healthy way to get the pain in your brain out so you're not harming yourself or others. For me, whump isn't the only thing I look for, I like a little plot with my pain. Whump and all its tropes and genres are seasoning to great storytelling! 

And how did you find the whump community? 

I stumbled into the community completely by accident and during a pretty rough period in my life. I started out in writeblr and somehow found @sweetwhumphellacomf's Prince and Paladin series with Eos and Valerie and it just hit everything I loved about storytelling! Dex is a fantastic writer and that series will always have a special place in my heart. So after I read it, I started reading more, got hooked into a discord server, started to actually interact with Dex and other whump writers, started writing my own stuff and went from there!   

Do you feel like your view on whump has changed since you joined?

It's definitely changed! I've gone in a different direction with my writing and become a lot more open to certain tropes and people I once thought were weird or taboo. I think, personally, that's helped me grow as an author. I've had to do research to write some topics with sensitivity and care and that, in turn, has led me to other blogs and people I have the pleasure of calling friends! 

And now my favorite question to ask! Do you have a favourite whump trope?

Whipping, Bedside Vigils, Creepy Comfort, Captivity, Whump Emotional/Psychological Whump, Sickfics/Fevers. I've really been into the BBU (box boy universe) lately. As someone who loves engaging with others about OCs and writing stuff, my favorite thing about it is its collaborative nature. It's so fun and contrary to popular belief, people are very aware and sensitive about the triggering tropes and topics that are often explored in that sandbox. There's also the ability to explore the real world struggles of POC communities, minorities, and other vulnerable populations and thats something I’m really passionate about. 

The BBU universe is amazing with its sandbox structure and I think a lot of the whump community has really connected through BBU’s shared universe. Do you have a favourite piece you've written? 

I have two blogs so I'll link two if that's alright! I love this one! Taron and Zizi were my first whumpees. They hold such a special place in my heart. And this one! (slight nsfw)! Wick's fear here was so fun to write and so palpable. 

I love Taron’s distress and internal conflict in the first one. So good! Do you have a regular writing routine or just whenever the inspo strikes?

Oh gosh. I have a kid, a fulltime job, and a pretty busy life so getting writing done is kind of hard. I try to take Mondays off from parenting and working and I usually find myself at Panera Bread for a few hours. I really like sitting in one corner of the place. I’ll usually put on my wireless headphones and put one song on repeat. The song depends on which story or character I’m writing for.

I do like having a snack when I'm writing but sometimes I get into the zone and completely forget about what I'm eating. It's a problem!  

And do you find it easier to write some things than others?

Comfort is really easy for me to write. I don't write it a lot but when I do, it flows really easily. I love a good comfort fic but I usually slip in a bit of angst. I gotta have my angst. 

Take us behind the curtain, is there anything new you’re working on at the moment?

I have several stories in the works but I'm currently working on the escape portion of LIKE A BULLET LOVES A GUN. Someone dies and that's all I'm gonna say about that. 

I've also taken up drawing again. It's not great and I hate not being immediately good at something but I'm trying to stick with it! 

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today?

I usually save my witty lines for my writing. I’m not great at being funny when I’m under pressure. Sorry. 

Advice time! What would you like to share?

Yeah! I have two pieces of advice!

The first: Have a writing buddy! Write with someone you trust who is going to be supportive of you and excited about what you're doing. The second: no matter how discouraged you get, NEVER DELETE YOUR WRITING OR YOUR BLOG! Be your own fan first. Reread your own writing (you write it for a reason. It made you happy). There's absolutely NO shame in reblogging your own work and screaming in the tags. It's not annoying and it's not egotistical.

Finally let’s shout out your favorite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you. We're hyping everyone up here!

Oh God. There are so many! Whether it's screaming in the tags of my writing, giving me space on discord to be my sometimes messy self, collaborating with me, or just being a sweet, positive force in the community, I'm genuinely grateful for each and every one of these blogs. 

@mottinthemainpot (who nominated me) @wildfaewhump @flowersarefreetherapy @siren-of-agony @ashintheairlikesnow @justplainwhump  @noirineverysense @just-horrible-things @gritpyre @winedark-whump  @studyofwhump @clockworknightmares @redwingedwhump @amethystpath-writes @gottawhump @girlsjustwannadrawwhump and @oddsconvert 

I also gotta shout out a few of the discord servers I’m a part of so shout out to the whumpawoman server, especially to @whumpstash and @mirasmirages who are the most amazing and supportive co-mods! 

Shout out to The Whump Oasis and every one in there as well! 

Anything you'd like to add?

Yes, thank you. albino-whumpee would’ve been on that list of whump blogs that I’m grateful for. I'm still so grateful for the conversations we had and their beautiful commissioned artwork. I hope wherever they've ended up, they're happy and pain-free. Please consider visiting the memorial @whumptr0pes put up for Moya and donating to The Trevor Project in their memory. 

Oftentimes when we're writing whump, we’re dealing with our own traumas and insecurities. It's cliche to say but you never know what someone is going through so kindness and understanding always has to be a priority even if - especially if - someone is writing about a topic you don't personally enjoy or can't engage with for whatever reason. 

We all write and enjoy topics that can trigger someone else and it's important for us as a community to support each other. Please, please, please don't hesitate to reach out. There is always someone in your corner. 

(Note: This topic may still be extremely fresh for some folks and it can be extremely triggering, but we here at Let's Talk Whump want to make it known that we are all a big family (the whump community). No matter what differences we may have, no one should ever feel alone. That being said, if any of you are struggling at home, feel lost, hurting, and don't know where to reach out, attached is a website that has international suicide hotline numbers and resources available from countries A-Z.

https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/ )

Thank you so much for sharing, @angstafterdark. It was so good to have you here today! 

And to all you folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

* @angstafterdark is an 18+ blog only. Minors please do not interact with their works or with their blog.