#<- new tag for these posts where i share ideas/concepts/etc.

[gingermaple]

hi im trying to keep it professional here but may i request you to talk about your thought process/design inspirations behind your Tango? I don't think I've ever loved a Tango more than i love yours

i'm so glad you like him so much!!! he's definitely one of my favourites to draw :D

most of my mcyt designs follow a similar pipeline, where i create a first design that is simple; based on the skin, my impression, and common fanon ideas. then later down the line i throw all of that out the window and shoot them with my patented Creature Gun.

so originally, tango was just A Guy. (see this post for an idea of how he looked) until i woke up one day and decided that he needed to become an absolute fucking critter.

i went into my very first draft of a new design with a few basic ideas that i wanted to follow:

Generally small, but have his clothing/accessories be big

Have the red glasses be a major design element

Be some form of lil critter with a tail, paws, and big ears

Be as shape as possible (this was the most important aspect to me)

Here was my very first pass with those concepts in mind:

More under the cut:

the first thing i realised was that i accidentally inverted the red and black on his outfit, the second thing was that he had come out looking somewhat rodent-like, so i decided to build upon that idea in my second draft, as well as further exaggerating his glasses and proportions:

i liked this much better, but decided he still wasn't shape enough, so after even more stylization, i eventually got to a point where i was happy, and we ended up with the critter of all time!

along the way, i also ended up with a rough idea for what he even was, that being a hybrid of my own made up rodent-adjacent mob that would live in the nether. which i ended up sharing an idea for in this post, thought i'll probably expand further upon the idea in the future.

overall i am insanely happy with how his design turned out, and i'm overjoyed that other people feel the same!

please never hesitate to ask me about my designs/my design process! i have so many thoughts that i'd love to share and a lot of the more fully fleshed out designs have a good amount of concept art that likely won't be seen outside of these sorts of asks.

[sofia-is-a-sturniolo-triplet-fan]

New York City

Ex!BSF/BF!Matt x Reader

To read more about this AU, click here !

Note: This is an original idea of mine. Please inbox or personal message me if you would like to use any of the characters, concepts, or whatever else as 'inspiration' of some sort !

Contents & Warnings: Use of y/n, pet names (babe, baby, honey, sweetheart, love, my love, etc.), fluff, angst, mentions of reader being stressed tf out, kissing, mentions of female and male arousal, smut, oral sex (both receiving) (69), p in v unprotected (no) (js soft fluffy sexy times 😼), mentions of male ejaculate, aftercare, & most likely more !

Author's Note: If you got tagged or had any type of notification that this has already been posted, please disregard that. My Tumblr is being an idiot right now. If anything mentioned above seems like something you would not be interested in reading, makes you uncomfortable, or seems off-putting in any way at all, please do not proceed !

Want more like this? Visit my masterlist !

Taglist: @sturns-mermaid @ariastur9z @watercolorskyy @daniel-is-bae @starryiris27

Comment, personal message, or ask via my inbox to be added to my taglist!

I do NOT give permission for my work(s) to be copied, translated, or re-uploaded to ANY site!

Reblogs are always appreciated, but never needed !

Divider by: a lovely creator via Pinterest !

You had been in LA for a while now. Posting about your life as an uprising social media influencer. Collaborating with other famous people. Hosting small get-togethers at your new apartment.

Your boyfriend, Matthew Sturniolo, had his own social media life. A joint YouTube channel with his triplet brothers Nick and Chris had gotten quite the popularity over the years.

The four of you were all from Boston. Having become new sensations at the same time as well as growing up together made all of you four come to the decision to move to California – a place where you had more opportunities, more freedom, and more light to shine your creativity and share it with the world – to live out your dreams of being in the spotlight.

Life was going fairly well. Until it wasn't. There were fans of yours as well as the triplets that were extremely supportive of it all. Your lifestyles, your personalities, and even your relationships and friendships. Yet there were those certain people, ones who claimed to be 'the biggest supporters and fans' who got to you.

Their mean comments and words affecting you more than you'd like to admit. You were stressed to say the least. Your friendships with people and your relationship with Matt being evidence of that. You needed a break.

You were at the Sturniolo Triplet's house, the five-minute drive to their place from your apartment coming in handy. You were lounged on their couch between Matt's legs. His hands on your shoulders massaging your tense muscles. You tried to relax; really, you did. But the weight of it all, everything, was too much. Your sighs of frustration and annoyance filled the air of their living room every so often.

Nick and Chris, who were on the other end of the couch, glanced in your direction with concern every time you let out a noise. Matt's hands had stilled, and instead, fell down to your waist, wrapping his arms around you and resting his chin on your shoulder. He kissed your cheek softly, his sky-blue eyes seemingly dull as he stared at you.

"You okay, babe?" He'd asked, his voice tinged with hesitation. You had let out yet another sigh, shaking your head slightly. You leaned into his touch, the back of your head resting against his chest as you frowned. "Maybe you just need a break. Like a getaway. You and I, baby. Somewhere nice."

Chris immediately butted into the conversation, agreeing with his brother. "I agree. You two need to go someplace. Just the two of you. Maybe for a few days or something." He let out a yelp when he received a smack to the back of his head from Nick, the oldest triplet. "This isn't your conversation, dumbass!"

You let out a small laugh at the two of them, leaning more and more into Matt's soothing touch. "Maybe it could be a romantic getaway. A location known for love. Like New York City," you had suggested. Even though he had just been scolded, Chris nodded his head in agreement. Nick even seemed pleased with your answer despite his claim of it not being his business.

Matt's hold on your body tightened, his head nuzzling into your neck while leaving soft kisses along your skin. He muttered against you, "Sounds good to me, honey.”

So there you were, hand in hand with the love of your life, strolling through Central Park as you laughed about something random. The two of you were about to go back to your hotel, but Matt had stopped you. He removed his hand from your grasp, instead pulling you closer by your waist. His arms wrapping around you to hold you tightly. Your arms wrapped around his shoulders, running your fingers through the back of his brown hair.

He kissed your forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment before pulling away. He brought one of his hands from your hips to your face, tilting your chin up to meet his gaze. He leaned down slightly, connecting your lips in a soft, sensual kiss. You quickly reciprocated it, feeling all of your emotions pouring from you. Matt pulled away, resting his forehead against yours while smiling brightly.

"Already feelin' better, sweetheart?" He whispered, his hand on your chin, moving to cup your cheek lightly with his thumb brushing against your skin. You simply nodded, closing your eyes and allowing yourself to relax and let go of all your pent-up emotions.

Back at the hotel, you slipped off your shoes, changing into a silk pajama set. Matt was right behind you, slipping out of all of his clothes save for his boxers. The two of you climbed into the hotel room's bed, snuggling underneath the covers with content smiles. Your legs tangled with his, resting your head on his chest while his hands comfortingly ran over your back.

The two of you were happy, relaxed, and ready to fall asleep in each other's arms. You felt something poking your thigh, the unmistakable and familiar hardness pressing against your skin. Your head lifted up to look at Matt, who was already staring at you. The want and need in his eyes caused your body to heat up. Specifically your lower half that was warm and slick with arousal.

Matt's gaze darkened with desire as he reached out, his fingers brushing gently along your thigh, igniting a spark of electricity that surged through your body. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against your skin as he whispered, "Are you sure you want this? We can just cuddle if you're not feeling up to it."

You bit your lip, feeling a rush of anticipation. "I want this, Matt. I really do," you replied softly, your voice barely above a whisper. His eyes sparkled with affection and hunger as he nodded, leaning in to capture your lips in a heated kiss, his hands roaming over your sides and pulling you closer. As the kiss deepened, the air around you thickened with longing.

Matt's hands slid beneath your silk top, exploring the soft curves of your body, leaving trails of warmth in their wake. You sighed into his mouth, feeling completely swept away by the moment. His fingers deftly worked to take off your pajamas, underwear, and bra, revealing your bare skin to his touch.

He quickly undressed himself, laying down beside you naked and hard. He grabbed onto your hips, pulling you onto his thighs as your hands braced themselves against his shoulders. “I wanna taste you pretty, girl.” Matt whispered, his hold on your hips tightening when he felt you drop onto his skin.

“I want you to feel good too, Matt.” You countered, your eyes pleading with him silently. “We can both make each other feel good, at the same time,” he offered with a grin. You process his words, a smile slowly forming in your lips.

You shifted yourself, and with a firm grip on your hips, he pulled you around until you were straddling his shoulders. Your hands clutched his thighs, lowering your head to his cock. Right as you were about to take him in, you let out a gasp, feeling his tongue part your folds.

“Matt,” you whispered, your breath fanning against his hard-on. He simply hummed into you, his tongue moving along your slit with a practiced motion. You shakily moved your head down to take him in, bobbing your head in attempt to match the rhythm of Matt's assault to your core.

As you both find your rhythm, Matt's hands roam up your thighs to your stomach, his fingers splaying out possessively. He can feel you tensing as you try to coordinate the movements of your head and your hips.

"Fuck, you're doing so good baby," he breathes against your wetness, his cock twitching in your mouth at the vibrations of your moan. His tongue finds your clit, circling it with expert precision while one hand moves up to gently squeeze your breast.

You shudder pleasurably as Matt's tongue lavishes attention on your most sensitive spots. His fingers teasingly pinch and roll your nipple, sending jolts of electricity straight to your core. Meanwhile, you take him deeper into your mouth, your lips stretching around his impressive girth.

As you continue to bob your head and suck him off, Matt's free hand reaches up to grab your other breast, kneading it roughly as he plays with your nipples. He buries his face between your legs, his tongue thrusting inside you as he eats out your pussy like a starved man.

Matt suddenly pulls his mouth from your pussy, leaving you whimpering at the loss. "Fuck, baby– I need inside you. Properly. Not just your sweet mouth," he says, his voice husky with desire. "Get up here and let me fuck ya right.”

You lift yourself off Matt shakily, your legs weak from the pleasure he's given you with his tongue. You sit beside him at the top of the bed, mind and body still reeling from the activities that you both just took part in and what's to come.

After shakily lifting yourself up, limbs trembling from Matt's skilled oral attentions, you both settle beside each other atop the bed. The air crackles with remaining adrenaline and anticipatory desire. Matt's erect cock juts proudly between them, slick and ready.

"Come 'ere, gorgeous," Matt murmurs, gently pulling you down until you're lying beneath him. He positions himself between your soft, inviting thighs, his large hands caressing your hips. His eyes, filled with warmth and affection, meet yours as he guides the blunt head of his cock to your entrance.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he whispers, slowly pushing forward until he sinks into your warmth. You gasp softly, your nails lightly dragging down his back as he fills you completely. He begins to move, setting a gentle pace, his hips rolling against yours with a sweet, intimate rhythm.

Matt's slow, deliberate thrusts stir pleasure deep inside you, his eyes locked with yours. One hand tangles in your hair while the other supports his weight, preventing himself from crushing you. Each stroke is tender, meaningful — he's making love to you, not just fucking.

The stress and worries of the day melt away instantly as Matt's loving body envelops you. Each tender thrust inside your warmth pushes away any lingering negative thoughts. You sink deeper into the mattress, utterly relaxed, as he loves you thoroughly with gentle, affectionate movements.

You wrap your legs around his waist, pulling him even closer, savoring the intimate connection. Matt leans down, pressing soft kisses to your neck and collarbone, his love and affection pouring into each one. His pace quickens slightly, the head of his cock hitting that sweet spot deep inside you with every thrust.

“Wanna fill you up with my come baby. Gonna let me?” Matt husks against the skin of your neck, his movements never faltering. “Yes, fuck– yes please,” you whine, as your head tilts back further into the pillows.

His hands move to grip the backs of your thighs, pulling you closer to him while he buries himself to the hilt. His warm, thick ropes of come shooting inside you, painting your walls white. Matt nuzzles his face into your shoulder, groaning as you both ride out your highs.

Matt's motions slow as he empties himself completely inside you. With a tender murmur, he gently pulls out, the both of you wincing slightly at the sensitivity. Immediately, he rolls to your side, gathering you into his strong embrace. "You okay, my love?" he asks softly, searching your face with caring eyes.

You nod, a small, satisfied smile on your lips as you snuggle into his chest. Matt softly moves some hair from your forehead, his thumb gently caressing your cheek. He knows the importance of aftercare, you both do.

“Thank you, Matt. I need that. Needed this. To just get away,” you whisper sleepily into him. “You're welcome. I know how much you did, sweet girl. I've got you,” Matt replies, the hand not on your face moving to rub your back soothingly.

“I love you,” your arms hold onto him tightly, not wanting to ever leave this moment. “I love you so much more, angel. More than you'll ever know. You're it f'me. Only person I'll ever need.”

[fashion4standusers]

FFSU’s Fan Fashion Week!

*ETA: Works posted to AO3 can be tagged as "FFSU Fashion Week"!*

I’ve had the concept for this in my head for AGES but never got around to posting it. I originally planned to run it as an event during a certain time period, but I found that making it an event intimidated me out of actually making the idea happen. I just think that I’m a lot more confident in my ideas when I don’t overthink it! Therefore, instead of running an event, I’m just putting this challenge out into the atmosphere for people to take it and run with it. 

REBLOGS GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Everything you need to know is in the graphics, and here’s a plain text version as well:

Fashion For Stand Users’ Fan Fashion Week Challenge: a 7-day art and/or fic-writing challenge!

Art Prompts:

- Day 1: Runway

Draw your chosen character(s) in an outfit from a designer runway! Check the blog archive or Vogue Runway for references and modify the look however you want.

-Day 2: Subculture

Draw your chosen character(s) in the fashion of a certain subculture: goth, raver, scene kid, etc.

-Day 3: Style Swap

Draw two or more characters swapping their canon outfits, or simply wearing outfits more suited for the other person's vibe and aesthetic.

-Day 4: Historical

Draw your chosen character(s) in the fashion of another era.

-Day 5: Redesign

Redesign, reinvent, or modify the canon outfit(s) of your chosen character(s). 

-Day 6: Formal

Draw your chosen character(s) in gowns, tuxedos, and other fancy clothes. 

-Day 7: Free Space

Draw any kind of outfit(s) you'd like for your chosen character(s)!

Writing Prompts:

- Day 1: Character Study

Write about why a character dresses or looks the way they do. Why do they like the clothes they wear? Do they wear something with personal significance? How do they want the world to see them?

-Day 2: Makeover

Write about a character getting a makeover from another. Are they getting new clothes, a new hairstyle, new makeup? Is it just for fun or a sign of a bigger change?

-Day 3: AU

Write about an alternate universe where the characters are models, fashion designers, hairstylists, makeup artists, etc.

-Day 4: Disaster

Write about something going horribly, horribly wrong: wardrobe malfunctions, makeup mishaps, over/underdressing, etc.

-Day 5: Shopping Trip

Write about characters going shopping together and all the shenanigans that ensue.

-Day 6: The Event

Write about a character getting ready for  or attending an upscale event. Who are they going with? What are they wearing? How are they feeling?

-Day 7: Free Space

Write about any scenario you'd like, as long as it's about clothing or fashion!

Rules:

Have Fun!

This is obviously a JJBA blog, but feel free to use this challenge for OCs and other fandoms! If you plan to modify the prompts, make different graphics, or make your own version of the challenge for a different fandom, be sure to credit this blog or link back to this post!

Mention @fashion4standusers in all your posts to give credit! You can also tag your posts with #ffsufashionweek, and if your work is about JoJo, I would love to share it on the blog. If you post outside of Tumblr, include a link to this post!

Don't think you can do it in a week? Want more time to write longer fics, make more detailed art, or just develop your idea more? No worries, just work at your own pace! The concept of the challenge is a reference to the various Fashion Weeks that happen around the world, but by no means is it restricted to any real time frame!

Only want to write or draw for a few of the prompts? Maybe only one? Wanna work out of order? Go ahead! This is a challenge of course, but if you just aren't connecting with some of the prompts, don't force it!

Feel free to use the ideas you come up with for this into more in-depth works!

It's never too early or too late to give it a shot, and I'll always keep an eye on tags and mentions for new additions!

[becauseplot]

90 Seconds to Midnight: An Ordem Paranormal AU Masterpost

Figured I should make one of these so I can keep track of my own posts lmao. Will be edited with new entries as they come but don't expect toooooo much content. Spoilers through OSNF finale and OPD 6. Asks are always open for the AU!

90 Seconds to Midnight is an AU where Thiago survives Santo Berço, but he doesn't quite escape the Symbol. After all, anything that is touched by Death cannot ever go back to the way it was. (Liz+Thiago-centric.)

FANFICS

Full fanfics that I (or others!) have written and posted in regards to this AU. All main links eventually lead to Ao3, if an Ao3 version of them exists.

Still Feel (Original fic where I made up the basic premise of how Thiago survives Santo Berço. This was written BEFORE I decided to make the AU angsty lol. You can definitely read this as standalone and pretend the rest of the AU's storyline doesn't exist.)

Unusual (A fic about the uncanniness of Liz and Thiago's growing comfort with each other. Codependency? Shared trauma? Paranormal influence? It's impossible to say. Featuring a fun new concept: Platonic Cuddling (But Evil))

almost midnight by rabbit-harpist (A fic written by a friend of mine who is also crazy about Liz and Thiago. Very good writing with amazing atmosphere! Explores Liz's side of their downward spiral as things start to slip.)

The Event Horizon (A fic written exploring a scene touched on Post 5 (see Tumblr Posts below). Many months after the burning of Santo Berço, as the Symbol is pulling apart what remains of his mind, Thiago follows Liz to the New Dawn Apartments in the hopes of saving her from herself.)

MORTE (One-off I wrote for Inktordem. Towards the end of the AU's storyline. One of my reblogs on the original tumblr post has extra meta info about it, but the explanation contains spoilers for OPD 19, so be warned!)

MY TUMBLR POSTS

Posts where I've written/rambled/drawn things that happen in the AU: setting, what the characters are going through, major plot points, etc. They're listed in the order I posted them and not necessarily in chronological order story-wise.

Post 1 (Self-indulgent rambles and Liz and Thiago's living situation. Secret-third-thing Liz+Thiago my beloved.)

Post 2 (First explanation of how Thiago's situation starts to take a turn for the worse.)

Post 3 (How Thiago initially tries to cope with the nightmares.)

Post 4 (Toying with ideas concerning Thiago and Liz's entwined decent.)

Post 5 (Ending of the AU's storyline.)

Post 6 (Epilogue!)

Post 7 (The entanglement of their love, their trauma, and paranormal influence.)

Post 8 (Liz's nightmares. Can't believe I haven't talked about Liz's nightmares yet.)

Post 9 (Some art about Thiago's sinking feeling of running out of time, inspired by the song All the Time in the World by Kiltro)

MY TAGGED POSTS

These are posts I've reblogged that I think fit with the "vibe" of the AU. Consider this list something like a deconstructed web weave.

Post A (Textpost)

Post B (Textpost)

Post C (Gifset) (God it's so pretty)

Post D (Song lyrics)

Post E (Textpost ft. my buddy calling me out)

Post F (Screenshot) (Contains OPC 8 spoilers)

Post G (Screenshot)

OTHER STUFF

Some wonderful art made by the lovely @rabbit-harpist! Please go look at this it's amazing it's incredible I love it so so much.

HEY LOOK AT THAT I MADE A SPOTIFY PLAYLIST :D

[monsterfuckerconfessions]

Welcome to Monster Fucker Confessions!

~ This is a place where you may submit anonymous monster related confessions to our ask box.

~ This blog is for adults only, please! No minors!

~ "Confessions" can mean many things here. It can be just thoughts you have on the subject of monsters. It can be sharing your experiences as a monster enthusiast. It can be story ideas and concepts. Really anything goes.

~ "Monster" also can mean many things. I do not gatekeep what counts as a monster. In fact, even confessions that are regarding human fictional characters with "monster vibes" are acceptable. There is no judgement here in regards to the type of monster you enjoy.

~ In addition, confessions submitted here do NOT have to be sexual. They can be sexual, but that isn't a requirement. This is a place for monster enthusiasts of all kinds to freely shout anonymously into the void. Whether you're into monsterfucking, monster-cuddling, or you just think they're neat, you're welcome here.

~ Confessions are added to the queue as they are received. The frequency of the queue is constantly adjusted to insure that posts never wait to long to be posted but also that the queue does not run out too quickly. ~ Posts are not tagged with any sort of warnings. Please browse with caution.

Guidelines:

~ Please only follow this blog and submit confessions if you are a legal adult. There is a lot of sexual content on this blog. ~ Please avoid giving any identifiable information in the submission. ~ Do not sign your confession with a username. You may sign it with emojis if you wish. Any confessions that contain a username will be deleted. [New Rule] ~ All confessions will be anonymous. If you submit something without making it anonymous, it will be made anonymous by me when I add it to the queue. [New Rule] ~ Please be kind about the types of monsters others enjoy. Let's stay positive about each other's monster preferences! ~ Website URLs or images are NOT allowed in submissions. They will be deleted instantly and the sender is at risk of being blocked. ~ If you want to submit something that is too long to go in one ask, you may send it in multiple parts. Please be clear that you are doing so by marking them as 1/2, 2/2, etc. ~ ~ Please ONLY do this if the submission is too long to fit in a single message. Doing this for short submissions will result in your submission getting deleted. ~ If you are sending something that is not a confession, such as a question directed towards the person running this blog, please say "not a confession" somewhere in the body of the message. Otherwise, it will be queued with the rest of the confessions and not responded to by the owner of this blog. ~ "Not a confession" type messages should exclusively be about this blog and the running of it. Any "not a confession" messages asking questions that are not directed at the person running this blog will not be posted. ~ "Not a confession" messages will be posted publicly and will not be made anonymous if they are not submitted anonymously. [New Rule] ~ Do not include language that is harmful towards marginalized groups. ~ Do not insult other people's bodies or preferences. It's okay to voice your own dislike for things, but please word it in a way so it is clear that it's your preference and not a statement of fact. Statements such as "__ are gross and disgusting" are not allowed. ~ Do not send threats of violence towards real people. It is understood that some of these fantasies may include violence, but please do not direct it towards a real life person. ~ The owner of this blog is one single human and may miss certain aspects of submissions. If you see a confession that contains harmful or offensive text, please kindly send a message so that the situation may be resolved. Please be clear about what the issue is. Vague messages will not help.

New guidelines will be added as needed.

[olenvasynyt]

Writing tag by @bonecarversbestie !

Describe your writing process from idea to posting/publishing?

I usually have a very simple concept to start with but I can pick it up pretty quickly and go from there. I start writing a chapter by doing a very quick blurb that summarizes what will happen: “Lucien is walking back to the forest house after a Winter trip.” Where is he walking? What are his emotions? I can write a pretty long summary and then write the actual chapter when I get inspired. I’ll end up separating the summary into sections and eventually I’ll have a draft! My issue is editing haha I despise editing because I overthink. But I have gotten better. This is fanfic, so usually I will finish up my draft and glue parts together, go over some words I think I repeated too much, and then I say fuck it and go!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

DEFINITELY a plotter. I got a huge huge spreadsheet of my plot for A Court of Embers and Sunlight which includes keeping track of my words, having a little summary, who’s POV, what I need to add etc to each chapter.

What do you listen to when you are writing?

I got a playlist for my Court of Embers and Sunlight fic, but I mainly listen to this classical playlist.

What’s your drink of choice(while writing)?

I often write at my local coffee shop and I either get a honey comb latte (honey, cinnamon, vanilla with oat milk) or a cafe mocha. When I’m at home, I usually just have water.

Promote yourself! What’s your favorite thing you’ve written?

A Court of Embers and Sunlight will always have my heart! It’s a 2 year project with over 140,000 words! About Lucien’s life in the Autumn court with Jesminda and how they tragically ended. I also have LoA plots, and Eris plots! I’m proud of my worldbuilding and the emotional stories that I tell. It’s taking me forever to get out though 😭 I have SO MANY chapters and plots I want everyone to read!!

Share a fic of yours that you think is underrated/deserves more love.

The Tree Have Eyes! 3 chapter fic of Eris and little 8 year old Lucien going on a hunting trip!! It’s sweet and emo and fun and full of cool nature.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

I would say don’t think too much about other’s work. This is coming from someone who thinks A LOT, but a lot of people worry that their writer isn’t as good as someone else’s, or they aren’t getting a lot of kudos so it must be bad, etc. Don’t beat yourself up! It’s hard to stop comparing but this writing is for you, and there will ALWAYS be someone who loves to read your stuff. Also make friends with other writers! You get like minded people who can support you and help you out. I’m often a loner but I get so excited when I get friends sharing their work or talking about their work, talking about my work etc! It is very motivating.

What is a writing style/technique that others do really well that you'd like to get better at?

Oh god, dialogue…this is me thinking too much but I never feel very confident in when writing dialogue. So many people write it so naturally and it’s always the first thing they start when drafting! I can start with dialogue but I always enjoy prose and descriptions more.

Is there a character you were surprised you enjoyed writing as much as you did?

Rhysand! He jumped on me when I was first drafting ACOEAS and he was very very fun. Difficult sometimes (because I am not as hot or clever as Rhys lmao) but still very fun.

Thank you for tagging me @yaralulu @sad-scarred-sassy and thank you for starting this @bonecarversbestie ! I feel like most of my writing friends already did this haha.

But no pressure tags: @sadiegirl2021 @ennawrite @jules-writes-stories @clockwork-ashes @highlordofkrypton

[weenwrites]

REQUEST: TFP! Optimus and TFP! Ultra Magnus with a human S/O who doesn't believe in (and also condemns) the "family by bond, not by blood" principle; S/O despises said concept, saying that said concept is used to manipulate people, and also make people feel weak.

In addition, both Autobots find the reason why S/O condemns this human concept: This is because S/O's family made them act this way due to S/O's toxic relationships with their family, preventing S/O from making friendships (In severe cases, it leads to unlawful acts commited by S/O's family, not by S/O). Following their discovery, S/O justifies that they live with fear 24/7 before saying this phrase: "Not everyone in this ever-declining world are good people; also not everyone deserves to live. And not everyone deserves a second chance, nor a redemption. I hope you keep this in mind."

For context: Remember that episode from TFP, where Ultra Magnus learns and understands the "family" concept from Optimus following his fight with Predaking? This request was inspired from that episode.

Notes: Abusive relationships; angst, etc.

Feel free if this makes you feel uncomfortable.

✎ A/N: I'm not actually sure whether I should tag with any TWs this since I vaguely mention abusive relationships in what I wrote. But if you think I should tag this post, please let me know!

[ Please do not repost, plagiarize, or use my writing for AI! Translating my work with proper credit is acceptable, but please ask first! ]

Optimus Prime

During his time on Earth, he's noticed that everyone seems to have a different definition of the term "family". Some definitions—like yours, for example—directly contradict the dictionary definition of the word "family". He's wondered if the difference in the definitions is because of the ideal vs. the definition of the actual word itself, and so far that seems to be the case to him.

He doesn't think any differently of you for the way you view family because of your life experiences. He respects the way you see it, and he's much fonder of your idea of "family" more than the dictionary definition of it. And though he hasn't experienced what you have, he can see how the term "family by blood" can be harmful to those who have horrible families.

However, some of his beliefs contradict a couple of yours. For example, he's willing to give almost—emphasis on almost—anyone a second chance if he sees that they're willing to take the initiative to change. He's willing to give second chances to even people who you think might not deserve them. And whether this causes friction in your relationship depends on how the both of you deal with your differences.

And when you tell him that some people don't deserve second chances, that doesn't come as anything new to him. He's heard it before from soldiers and even Ratchet's tried to get it through to him. He knows, yet regardless of how many times he hears this, he will still abide by his moral compass, and do things as he deems necessary.

Ultra Magnus

The human concept of "family" was once all too confusing to him. One second, the kids told him that "family" are people who are genetically related to them. The next, they said that they consider the other autobots their family (a statement which directly contradicts their previous definition of the word...). So what is he supposed to believe here? That one chooses their own family? Or that family is something you can't change?

But when he meets you, he finds that your definition of "family" is much easier and straight-forward to understand. And after learning about all the horrible things that your "family" put you through... He can understand why you would hate that principle, and why you would hate to have those people be associated as your "family" because you share the same blood.

He would actually agree with the way you view the world. It's full of complicated people. He's seen some of the most disgusting and despicable people in the war from both the autobot and decepticon factions, and at times he can't quite understand why some people such as Optimus strive to give horrible people a second chance. Perhaps he's being too distrustful, but he's just being cautious. After all, he's in a war where he doesn't know if today will be his last or if he'll still have a base to return to the next day.

[canadachildvol2]

Wish rewrite ✨ Extra details

As I mentioned in the final part of my "Wish" rewrite, I was toying with the idea of creating a separate post that covers additional details and character descriptions that I couldn't organically include in the summaries. After spending some time away (my brain was pretty fried after all the planning and plotting of that rewrite lol), I eventually decided to go forward with that idea. So here it is :)

Below the cut are details concerning the key characters and the plot itself, including a few worldbuilding tidbits. I have also added some of my concept art (one of which I already showed in the rewrite, but I wanted to share again). <3

And because they asked me to, I'm tagging @signed-sapphire

CHARACTER DETAILS

Asha: The main protagonist of the story. Levelheaded, composed, a touch cynical; a realist. She is prone to being very blunt and not considering how this harsh honesty can hurt others before speaking. Despite this, at her core, she's a trustworthy and compassionate individual who cares a lot about her family, friends, and Rosas as a whole.

After being let down again and again throughout her life (her father's death when she was 12, no one in her family having their wishes granted, seeing the kingdom figuratively crumble bit by bit because of how exhausted and troublingly passive many citizens are, etc.), she eventually stopped being hopeful and always focuses on realistic outcomes and worst-case scenarios.

"[Papa] always said that hope gives you strength, but for me it brought so much pain. So by expecting and accepting the worst, it hurts less when the inevitable happens."

When it comes to Star, she is at first exasperated by his energetic and overly curious personality. However, during their time helping people with their wishes, she softens up to him and sees his good heart. Moreover, his ambitiousness and optimism rubs off on her and she gradually starts to feel bright and - more importantly - hopeful for the first time in years.

She works as a tour guide for visitors and potential new residents. While not a fan of the job, it "pays well" as she says to Dahlia at one point. In her spare time, she likes to read and draw. She is also a talented dancer, but she often keeps this skill under wraps (courtesy of her reserved nature).

~ I took some inspiration from Jane's character and arc in "Return to Neverland," but there are shades of Tiana and Raya present as well. Regardless, I really wanted this version of Asha to stand out from past Disney heroines. ~

Star: The deuteragonist of the story. Energetic, inquisitive, peppy, and (at first) doesn’t have much sense of personal space. He can be very easily distracted, but when things get serious, he knows to focus on what's important. He is an overall affable person who is eager to experience new things and make friends.

He is a young star who has reached the point where he is ready to advance into a proper wishing star. By helping Asha make her wish come true, he will accomplish that, so he is very much determined to make it happen. However, he finds himself conflicted when he grows fond of humans and their way of life, as well as falling in love with Asha. He wants more than anything to help her save Rosas and become a wishing star, but that will mean he'll have to leave her when the job is done.

He is mute and only communicates through body language and images created with his star dust. The sole exception to this is in the "At All Costs" scene when he used his magic to allow Asha to essentially hear his thoughts via human speech. This is temporary and only lasts a few minutes. Afterwards, he goes back to being mute.

"His fingers touch her lips, then his, then he runs them along her ears leaving a trail of star dust. Before she can question what he did, she hears a deep, soft voice: “Asha.” It’s him! It’s Star! “You can…?” “Not for long."

His powers include levitation, shape-shifting, making things grow, and changing the colours of flowers and other objects he sees. While he cannot actually grant wishes with his magic, he can inspire others and spread hope with it. In this sense, he is indirectly granting them by providing the tools others need to make them come true on their own. Animals are also drawn to him.

Magnifico: The current king of Rosas and the main villain of the story. A cunning and charismatic sorcerer whose knowledge of wish granting magic was passed down from the royals before him. When 18-year-olds and new residents approach him to give their wishes, he presents himself as a kind man. In reality, he is apathetic to his subjects' well-being and only cares about maintaining absolute control.

While this need to preserve his authority stems from having a bit of a God complex, it is also because he does not want to be the king responsible for a great empire's destruction.

The only person he genuinely cares about is Amaya, with whom he is madly in love. He is the more emotional of the two, in that he is quick to succumb to frustration in moments of stress and/or anger. However, he can just as easily be calmed down by his wife, be it through words of encouragement or simply a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Amaya: The current queen of Rosas and the other villain of the story. Even-tempered, regal, and equally as cunning as Magnifico. While not a magic-user like him, she is just as powerful due to her intelligence and tactful nature. She is just as in love with her husband as he is with her.

She is the calm to his storm. The left brain to his right brain. She can pull him back from his stressful outbursts and stop him from potentially ruining his "benevolent king" facade by keeping him grounded and focused on the present. Truth be told, Magnifico wouldn't be nearly as mighty or as beloved without her there to help him and provide new ideas to carry out his plans.

Dahlia: Asha's best friend and a young baker. Cheerful, idealistic, and tends to stumble over her words when excited or stressed (a nod to Doc from “Snow White” along with her character design). She works in her family's bakery, but dreams of one day becoming the castle baker. As such, she thinks her work needs to be perfect to get that position, so she has a tendency to slip into a perfectionist mindset when it comes to her baking. Despite others' insistence that her work is already amazing, she is determined to be even better.

Like the rest of Rosas, she thinks highly of the king and queen. While this adoration makes her initially distrustful of Asha's innocence when she was accused of destroying the wishes, she ultimately sides with her.

~ Design note: in this version, her ruby dress leans more towards a reddish-violet shade; basically something that contains a bit of purple. This ensures that the warm colour palette of Asha's outfit - mainly the orange part - makes her stand out from the rest of Rosas, as well as foreshadows Dahlia's future internal conflict of not knowing whether to side with Asha (red/warm) or the king and queen she adores (the purple colour that dominates Rosas, along with blue and grey). ~

Sakina: Asha's mother. She is a farmer who mainly grows fruit and also does a bit of weaving on the side. She is a kind and hardworking woman, but can also be stern when necessary. She and her husband used to work together as farmers, but since his death, she's been doing most of it herself (Asha often helps whenever she can). As such, she has become visibly exhausted, but refuses to admit it and doesn't let it get in the way of raising her daughter.

Her wish was to be fearless. She made this come true on her own in a roundabout way by being the first to stand up for Asha to the king when she was accused of destroying the wishes. While more "brave" than "fearless," such an act still took serious guts.

Sabino: Asha's grandfather and the father of Asha's late dad. He is a devoted family man with a creative mind and optimistic attitude. Like the rest of Rosas, he thinks highly of the king and queen and continues to hold out hope that his wish will be granted one day despite being repeatedly let down. In spite of this adoration of the royals, he loves his family first and foremost.

He worked for many years as a blacksmith, but eventually retired once it was clear that he was too old for the job. While skillful in this occupation, his lifelong passion has been painting, which he spent a lot of time doing following his retirement. He also assists Sakina in her farming any way he can, though his old age has taken a toll on how often he does this.

His wish was to be able to bring his paintings to life.

~ Design note: like Dahlia, the colour scheme of his outfit needs to be tweaked a little to match the purple/blue/grey palette of Rosas, showing his loyalty to the royals and to once again ensure that Asha's palette stands out. ~

Simon: An acquaintance of Asha's. Three years older than her. He works multiple jobs in the hope that his hard work will be noticed by the king and queen and they will grant his wish. As such, he is usually very tired; more than most older adults in Rosas even. While a decent man at his core, he is also prone to skepticism and his devotion to the royals often clouds his judgement.

It's not uncommon for his insecurities to take control and drive him to do some questionable things. This is what caused him to rat out Asha to Magnifico and Amaya. However, he feels genuine remorse afterwards and does what he can to make up for his mistakes.

His wish was to be a brave and honourable knight. Also, like in the movie, his tiredness and general design is a nod to Sleepy from "Snow White."

Asha’s father: I just found out his name is Tomás, so... Tomás was Asha's father and Sakina's husband. He died from an illness when Asha was 12 years old. He used to work as a blacksmith with Sabino, but after marrying Sakina, he decided to become a farmer like her.

He was a good man; very funny and an extrovert. He was also a doting father and used to tell Asha to look to the stars whenever she feels lost. His last birthday gift to her before his death was a silver bracelet with star designs engraved on it. Asha cherishes it very much and wears it every day.

Dario: A good friend of Asha's. He is five years older than her. Friendly, a little absentminded, and a bit of a goofball (a nod to Dopey from “Snow White” along with his character design). He and Asha have a sibling-like relationship, with her being a down-to-Earth force that keeps his head out of the clouds. In fact, you can sum-up their rapport with this bit of dialogue from 'The Wizard of Oz': "But someday they're going to erect a statue to me in this town, and-" "Well, don't start posing for it now."

His wish was to be super intelligent. The main reason why he wants this is so that he can become a great inventor. Through Star’s influence shortly after his arrival at Rosas, and with additional encouragement from Asha, Dario realizes that he just needs to apply himself and his preexisting strengths; those being his creativity and perseverance.

Bazeema: Another good friend of Asha's. She is one year older than her and gave her wish to Magnifico very recently. A sweet-natured young lady who doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Very shy and is rarely seen without blushing cheeks (a nod to Bashful from “Snow White” along with her character design). She works as a seamstress and shows a lot of promise as a dressmaker.

Her wish was to have a brilliant and boundless imagination. She already had great talent in sewing and could create beautiful outfits, but only in accordance with what other people want. She finds it hard to come up with her own ideas. However, with Asha and Star's help, she learns that she can find inspiration for new designs from those around her. She gradually comes out of her shell and this leads to her conceiving more original ideas.

~ Design note: the yellow portions of her outfit will need to either be made less warm or be changed altogether so that Asha's outfit (i.e. the orange part of her dress) can stand out. ~

STORY DETAILS

- Hal, Gabo, and Safi are present in this version, but they have smaller roles. That said, they each have a part in the “Montage” song and they are among the townsfolk that side with Asha after she was accused of destroying the wishes. Like their movie counterparts, they are based on Happy, Grumpy, and Sneezy respectively. Additionally, they are all either 18 or over 18, like Simon, Dario, and Bazeema.

- Asha has a total of three outfits throughout the story; technically five if you count two other variations of her main outfit. 1) Her main dress. 2) Main dress with a blanket wrapped around her, which she wears at one point during the “Montage” song sequence where she and Star are bonding while sitting outside at night. 3) Main dress decorated with star dust during “At All Costs.” 4) The dress she wears after the time-skip near the end. 5) The dress she wears when she and Star reunite (the one Bazeema made for her).

- Celestial star beings age similarly to humans, but they live much longer. Furthermore, there are three stages in their life cycle: baby star (akin to Star in the movie), young star (where this version of Star is at most of the story), then full wishing star (where Star ends up).

- There are some references to Disney's past movies sprinkled throughout this version, but they would be much more subtle than how they are in the movie. Some would be blink-and-you'll-miss-it, others are more visual, whether it be a character's design or a shot composition (ex. when an awestruck Asha is wandering through the palace for the first time, I envision a moment where she looks at her reflection in the mirrors adorning the walls in such a way that's akin to Belle looking at her reflection in the cracked mirror in the West Wing).

- Much like how Star's personality and actions have an influence on Asha, her personality and actions have an influence on him. Not only does he learn to slow down and think things through, but as the story goes on, his movements become less erratic. He's still a ball of energy and demonstrates this when he's happy or excited, but he's a lot more composed by the end than he was when he first entered the story.

- Not sure if it would be mentioned at all during the story, but Tomás' wish was for his future child (he made this wish at age 18 before he and Sakina had Asha) to shine bright. He may not have lived to see it, but it did end up coming true.

- The wish granting era has been ongoing for over 200 years. Evidently there is no one left alive who truly remembers what Rosas was like before the wish system was established.

- Star's subsequent once-a-month visits are seven days long.

- Asha experiences two types of guilt: 1) the fact that despite her dad repeatedly reminding her of how important hope is, she wound up becoming someone who doesn't have any hope, and 2) her job as a tour guide means that she was responsible for luring several people into living in Rosas, thus trapping them in this exhaustive and cult-like lifestyle.

- Star's magic comes naturally. The magic Magnifico and the royals before him used basically comes from alchemy (potions, various tools and apparatuses, etc.). And for the record, this does not imply that alchemy-based magic is bad (except for the destroying wishes part). Magnifico and the royals before him simply used it for malicious purposes.

- The rules of Star's magic are more in-line with those of the three fairies from "Sleeping Beauty." Specifically, how his magic is mainly used to bring joy to people rather than cause pain. That said, when he's pissed off (like when Magnifico hurts Asha or even tries to hurt her), he can use his magic to attack, but it's not as strong in that department as Magnifico's magic is.

- After the time-skip, Rosas' colour palette is much more vibrant. It is no longer confined to primarily blues, purples, and greys.

Rewrite / "At All Costs" sequence / Asha & Star Character Tropes / Concept art

[corvidares]

miles and polly (yes, the parrot)

inspired by this lovely art of the two, and the artist’s tags! please show it some love :)

okay SO while i love the idea of miles adopting polly after he’s acquitted, in reality i think he’s poorly suited to parrot ownership source: my personal, pretty extensive knowledge of parrots from years of research and firsthand experiences

this post will have three parts: one, why he’s not suited. two, what fictional “species” polly is. and three! a fun scenario i propose instead of him adopting her

parrots are very demanding pets because theyre essentially wild animals. people have to have a pretty specific disposition in order to fit the bill, and while these people DO exist, theyre not very common. most people just cant, or shouldnt, have parrots

this is all to say, miles is not the suitable type. of course how one interprets and characterizes him may change this slightly, but not enough to make a difference imo.  in canon, he’s a giant stick in the mud (said with as much affection as possible) and i personally hc him as being autistic.  to elaborate, the first point of parrots: VOLUME.

miles can handle volume in court because hes used to it, and because he gets very in the zone while prosecuting. it’s expected, and if it gets VERY loud it definitely won’t be pleasant for him, but he can keep it together. however at home and in his office, he appreciates quiet. noise can overstimulated him somewhat easily.

parrots are always talking, yelling, screaming, squawking, singing, etc. that’s just a fact. there is no such thing as a quiet bird. in the game, polly only speaks if spoken to, but this is (obviously) not realistic at all. she is LOUD and she has things to SAY.

point 2: MESSINESS

all pets are messy to some degree, but parrots are UP there on the list. between pooping every 15 minutes, (yes, thats a real number) chewing on everything they can get their beak on, and loose feathers + dandruff getting everywhere.. they are chaotic little guys.

i picture miles as someone who likes things having their place and his spaces being neat + consistent. don’t get me wrong, i dont think he’s a complete neat freak: he may leave out his tea cup sometimes, or some books stacked on a table. but generally speaking i think he’d be pretty upset at a parrot wrecking havoc in his space - destroying furniture, knocking shit over, etc. which is fair! and the bigger a bird is, the more they can do (though the little ones would probably surprise you)

point 3: TRAVELING

miles canonically travels a lot, and often internationally. even if he fit every other checkbox for having a bird, this alone would disqualify him. while parrots can travel out of necessity (long distance adoption, moving) its not something they can do casually at all. theyre too highly strung and sensitive to changes in the air and in their environment in general. they also usually dont like strangers. so its not just a matter of getting a pet sitter. besides, miles doesnt just travel but moves between countries frequently. its far from ideal.

so, he’s not fit to be a parrot owner. fine. but where does that leave polly after miles is acquitted?

well.. miles has a big heart. even if animals/pets arent especially his thing (besides the fanon of him getting a borzoi dog, which you can rip from my cold dead hands) he does care for them. he’s not heartless! polly is a victim in that situation just as he was, and so he sees it as his responsibility to help her find a new home.

so instead, i propose that miles fosters polly for some time while the local parrot shelter finds a suitable placement (realistically a shelter would Not let someone with zero experience foster but shh this is for funsies)

they recover and start healing from the trauma they share, together

as i wrote this post i started writing a fic of this concept so hopefully i finish that lol

[sad-sad-detective]

As promised, the ghouls + their hobbies:

Aether: postcrossing. It started when he received some postcards from Dew while the latter was touring with Terzo, and later grew into a full-blown hobby. Aether rents a post office box in a nearby city, so no threats to the anonymity. He likes music-related postcards and anything with cat pictures or food photos.

Dew: guitar repairing. First it was his job, now it is his passion. He loves to restore old acoustic guitars and help them sing again. Same for electric guitars and bass.

Cirrus: photography. She is fascinated with the very idea of catching a moment on film. When the band is touring, Cirrus takes her Instax camera with her and takes LOTS of pictures, and when she runs out of film, she makes it everybody's problem. At home, she also has a semi-pro camera. Cirrus likes to take it with her when she goes for walks in the local forest.

Cumulus: knitting. Cumulus finds it very relaxing. She makes blankets and shawls but her top project is making ugly New Year sweaters for all her packmates and Papa.

Swiss: book blogging. Who would have thought that he reads a shitton of romance novels? Well, he does and he has to scream about it. Swiss keeps a blog where he posts book reviews, he doesn't post often but when he does, it's always longreads about several books at once.

Mountain: bonsai. I know it's a common fanon but it just suits Mountain so good. He takes great care of his plants and even asks Rain to help maintaining room humidity for them. Besides, he likes hiking and sometimes joins Cirrus when she goes hunting with her camera.

Rain: movies. He's a movie nerd! Thank Gods below for streaming services, otherwise his room would be overloaded with DVDs (which he actually has along with the DVD player). He also has a broken VCR and always asks Dew to repair it (Dew doesn't know how).

Sunshine: junk journals. Her journals look chaotic but isn't it the point? She collects anything she can use, and her desk is a mess of papers from magazines, brochures, music sheets etc. She even tried to steal some of Aether's postcards for her journals.

Phantom: he's still trying to understand the concept of hobby. Sometimes he joins Rain for a movie or tags along with Mountain and Cirrus during their walks or watches Cumulus knitting (she offered to teach him, and he agreed) but he does it mostly to spend time with his packmates.

Aurora: nail or rather, claw art. During her first days on the Surface she noticed people with colorful nails and was very curious: were they born like this? Did they do it themselves? Could she have her claws like this too? And this is how her passion was born. Now she does her packmates' claws. Aurora even offered to do Papa's nails but he politely refused.

Also, all ghouls share a passion for board games. Cumulus is an absolute champion in Munchkin, and Mountain is a king of Snakes and Ladders. Copia strictly forbade them to play cards though, he's afraid it may end up in bloodshed.

[renuked]

Welcome to ReNuked!

You may be wondering what this blog is and what it’s all about. You may have stumbled on this through a friend or by doomscrolling through fallout tags. Well, let me tell you exactly what the purpose, reason, and plans of this is.

PURPOSE This blog is the hub for all my projects and efforts regarding Fallout. Whether it be my own personal projects or commentary on other Fallout-related things (fanworks, merchandise, etc.) But the primary focus is on my ‘ReNuked’ projects.

Now, what is ‘ReNuked’? Well. It’s my efforts to refresh Fallout where I believe it’s lacking. This began with Fallout 4. A lot of people – myself included – found Fallout 4 to be lacking in many areas. Largely in regards to the story, lore, and aspects of gameplay. All of which did not live up to the limitless potential that every fan knows Fallout has.

So, I began a project that I soon dubbed ‘Fallout 4: ReNuked’. A complete rewrite of Fallout 4, coupled with alterations/expansions to the gameplay design. And it’s not just a simple document, it’s everything. Missions, characters, lore, everything will get a touch-up. Hopefully, with enough effort and plenty of passion, I can do it justice.

This project soon sprouted more and more ideas that will grow through a lot more. From reworking what exists and stretching out to my own original concepts for the Fallout world. As the ideas grew, it has necessitated the creation of this blog…

REASON Now, why choose a blog for this in the first place? Well, while the projects will remain in places like Google Drive, I do need a place to keep a directory for said places. What began as a thread in a single Discord server shall continue on here. For one, to not rely entirely on a server which is not mine, nor is it entirely dedicated to Fallout. And two, to not spam that server every time I update the project.

So, now this is where changelogs, updates, WIPs, etc. shall be posted.

PLANS Which brings us to the plans for this blog. Primarily, the posts will be works-in-progress for the project(s), ideas/commentary on things that are being looked into or changed, changelogs for what has been updated in the project, and so on. Of these, the changelogs will come every friday (in my timezone). Other aspects will be unscheduled, since they’re reliant on having something substantial to share as a WIP or having the time/energy to detail out an idea while also maintaining other things (both in projects and IRL). Secondarily, the posts will be things like commentary on Fallout news, my opinions on Fallout merchandise/fanworks, and various general Fallout things like that. Those are going to be unscheduled as well. In this case, it’s because I’d have to come across a fanwork that interests me or Bethesda would have to release new merchandise for Fallout that, again, interests me.

CONCLUSION So, that brings us up to snuff with what’s what here. And this post will be pinned for all new viewers of the blog. To give a tl;dr for everyone, here it is: Changelogs Every Friday

Works-In-Progress Unscheduled

Ideas Unscheduled

Fallout News Unscheduled

Fallout Reviews Unscheduled

With that done, that’s all for this post and I feel I’ve explained what this blog is about and what you can expect on it.

If this is something you’re interested in, feel free to follow the blog, reblog, whatever you wanna do! We’re all here to just have some fun. Thanks for reading and catch you in The Commonwealth~

lord that last part was cringe…

[flowersfortheghost]

tag game!

tagged by: @lilunaire and @northernnoir ty guys<3

tagging: @blooming-gwens

number of stories posted in 2024: 9

word counted posted for the last year: 50.001

fandoms i wrote for: i was writing for spiderverse for most of the year, but in November i started writing for arcane. i also worked on a hunger games one shot, but never ended up finishing or posting it.

stories with the most

kudos: am i dreaming (of your love) [157]

bookmarks (including private): sometimes forgetting is for the better [77]

comment threads: am i dreaming (of your love) [18]

work im most proud of and why: im really proud of “sometimes forgetting is for the better”. i really thought no one would be interested in this concept, since it seemed unoriginal to me. but i got nearly 2k hits after uploading the first chapter which surprised me. seeing people find this concept interesting and good makes me so damn happy.

share a favorite review you received: I remember i once got an ask on tumblr that someone said they loved my ghostflower fics and even teared up over them. not to sound mean, but i always feel like i did a good job if i managed to make the reader tear up or cry. it makes me think i managed to capture whatever emotions that scene has well. i also just love all the nice messages and comments i get from my friends.

a time where writing was really, really hard: honestly, recently writing has been difficult. i cant find the motivation to finish my fics and end up working on new projects instead. i have the ideas, i just cant seem to write them down. hopefully i can gather some motivation again soon, because i love writing and wanna finish my fics someday.

a scene or a character you wrote that surprised you: i honestly have no idea, everything ive written for spiderverse surprises me because i had zero interest in the movies before lmao. but i think chapter 4 of “i wouldn’t love you, not in this dimension or another” surprised me when i reread it on call last night. lets just say i forgot how sad i made the first scene 😭

favorite excerpt of you writing: i wish i could put the full scene in here, but it would be too long. i genuinely dont know what i was on while writing this chapter, but its so sad 😭. i was hesitating between this scene or a scene from my arcane fic, but i just love how i wrote this scene.

She eventually heard a mixture of family members and friends talking and crying. It got her curious. She knew she shouldn’t go towards the noise, she was aware of what would happen next. But she wrote this script as an oblivious child, and she was an actress putting on her show, and it must go on like always no matter what. - (“i wouldn’t love you, not in this dimension or another”, chapter 4)

how did you grow as a writer this year: my grammar has gotten better because i actually payed attention in english for once lmao, and i feel like im starting to make my fics longer and more well paced. i used to rush the writing to get to the good parts and wanted to add as many chapters as i could and upload them as frequently as possible, so each chapter was usually 1.5k words and its a single scene. but ive learned to add multiple scenes in one chapter and that its okay to not post too often.

who was your greatest positive influence as a writer this year (could be another writer, beta, cheerleader, etc.): i had a lot of people who kept me going with writing, mainly my online friends and people in discord servers. love you all 💕

any new wisdom you can share with other writers: its your story, so do whatever you want with it! i had times that i wanted to change plot points in my fics because i saw people complain about the trope i would use, but i remind myself that its my story and im writing this because i want to. of course, you need to keep it respectful and not do anything inappropriate with the characters, but be free with your story because despite others not liking it, there are others who will. and most importantly, you are writing because you want to, so dont let others decide what you should and shouldnt do.

any projects you’re looking forward to starting and/or finishing: i cant wait to finish part one of my fake dating au and move onto the sequel, but writers block is being a bitch like usual so its been difficult 😭 im also looking forward to finishing my arcane fic, writing a few one shots and starting a new spiderverse fic inspired by arcane!

thank you guys so much for all the love and support in 2024 with my spiderverse and arcane fic(s). its been quite the year with how much ghostflower ive written and how many ideas ive had, but its been fun and i cant wait to continue on with this. love you all 🫶💕

[wttcsms]

YAY i'm here to ask about 4, 27, and/or 54!

4. Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

everywhere! i actually wanted to do a quick little event one of these days just to sort of showcase my thought process bc it's so easy for me to get inspired haha. i can create entire concepts from one line of a song, and it's not even specifically what the line says, it could be based on how the singer sings it & the emotion or the tone of which it's delivered kind of generates a vibe and that vibe instantly grows into a concept. i don't think i can formulate my thought process properly, but it's very easy for me to find inspiration LOL.

27. What is your most and least favorite part of writing?

most favorite part is basically getting to create the ideas in my head & actually make it real, in a sense. maybe not technically writing writing, but i really enjoy sharing ideas back and forth w my online bestie (who i would tag, but she doesn't like to be perceived, i am NOT gatekeeping her). a few fics, esp one of my favorites, wouldn't have been posted had i not yapped her ear off, so connecting with other writers is my fave part of writing. my LEAST fave part of writing is when i can't write haha. writer's block is the WORST, but hitting that wall and then finding a way to pivot back into the scene and get things flowing again?? unmatched feeling lol

54. What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

you know when you're really excited to work on a specific fic or idea, and suddenly every song you listen to or every quote you see, etc. suddenly somehow applies to that very fic? i really enjoy getting super fixated on a certain fic to the point where everything inspires me to work on it or add something to it. i think it's really interesting to see how something that may be deemed "insignificant" (writing reader inserts on tumblr.com 4 free) can actually make life so much more entertaining and really get my creative side buzzing. not sure if i answered this properly LOL

get to know your fanfic writer!

*EDIT: i realize i didn't formulate my thought properly!!! the event would've been u guys send me anything random, and i create a concept based off of it + maybe explain how i got the concept idea!

[aewrie]

i've gone so far off the rails but we're in too deep now too late to turn back

or, long ass tirade re: writing consent and lack of thereof and weird nuanced situations is go

(who died and made me the boss? no one. but ppl keep telling me i write this stuff good so presumably i'm doing something right)

first off: if you think deriving enjoyment/catharsis of any kind from fictional nonconsent scenarios is gross and wrong: you're not gonna like me, please go away

second off: i am approaching the majority of this from the angle of writing (hopefully) engaging fiction. this is personal thoughts flavoured by my preferences, not a universally applicable how-to guide and not a consent 101 for real life purposes

ty

also, for context

--

'excplicit on-screen consent is awkward'

skill issue

but yes. it can be. very much so. 

i'll start off with that i have put words into characters' mouths at times bc i felt the need to tell others something (even if intended audience for a given message might never stumble across it) and will do it again, But good luck trying to figure out what those instances are,

but anyhow i think that's where a big part of the problem stems from. people (writers) try to tell their audience things (educating them on consent) at the expense of their story and characterizations. and then when they try to make it sound less awkward they attempt shortcuts like a handful of specific Sexy Ways To Ask For Consent lines that i saw people lamenting about in the notes of that post, rather than, again, trying to think of how these characters might have this interaction happen and if it serves the story and its purposes

(what i mean by 'a story's purposes' is what's the goal here. is it to explore these characters. is it to make the audience feel a certain way, or to have them think about something. and bc we're talking about smut here too is the point to get off and that's it)

if i try to think back i can remember exactly one (1) pwp smut fic where a character stopping abruptly in the middle of business to ask for consent in an somewhat questionable situation was entertaining, and that's bc the other one's response was basically that ship sailed ages ago don't you fucking dare leave me hanging here

'fiction influences how people act irl'

"...and therefore all sex scenes should have on-screen consent to help model healthy communication"

to a degree, yes, fiction can influence people when information on a topic is otherwise scarce, but the solution here isn't to turn porn into sex ed, it's to provide better sex ed outside fiction. if you write explicit enthusiastic consent SOLELY because you think your average reader needs help grasping the concept, i worry. to paraphrase a post i can't be assed to dig up bc it was years and years ago: if we rely on people's chance encounters with pornography as a means to educate the masses on safe sex, we've already lost the ball. grievously.

and i need to stress that i LIKE writing explicit consent, when it makes sense, and in ways that make sense. i'm not opposed to showing what attempts at healthy communication can look like in fiction. i think there should be stories like these! i think they can be great in introducing people to new ideas and encourage learning more outside fiction. but also i think in many situations it's just better to share educational resources separately and let the stories be stories, even if the aim is to have the communication etc reflect what you'd generally want/expect irl.

one thing i like to include (when applicable) is the term edgeplay in my descriptions/tags; it's a small thing but maybe someone not familiar will see it and realize that maybe they shouldn't be diving into what my characters are doing headfirst, even if it works out in the story

i do think mainstream porn especially could use more things like brief scenes after the main meat of a film where the actors are just chilling and stuff. a little grounding moment when it's time to 'return to reality', particularly with more hardcore stuff.

but we're primarily talking smutty fanfic, a niche within a niche, and like. honestly a lot of fanfic does better on this front already, bc we tag for these things. the understanding is already there that the fic is following tropes and kinks and specific crafted scenarios regarding consent. #sex pollen is the author telling you here will be that particular kink/trope, but also that someone's decision making is influenced/impaired by some substance belonging under the sex pollen category 

wait i thought a good way to highlight the key point here; 

> author's wanting to include on-screen consent because they prefer that, or want to encourage people, even if on a small scale, to think more about this more, etc: awesome! go for it! i do this too!

> other people pushing an expectation that fanfic smut writers of all people are responsible for educating the masses in order to fix a society-wide problem: please get a grip

i have written a pretty wide range of situations where there was on-screen consent but i'll get more onto that later,

and then i've also written/drawn stuff where there's absolutely no whiff of anything resembling healthy discussion or concern for boundaries, and a good chunk of that has been smut. i do love pwp fic/erotic art where you can read into it what you want to read into it; eg i have a fic that *could* be read as the pov character is really into it, the consent just isn't explicit on screen OR yeah that's just straight up noncon and brainwashing, just subtle about it -- i tagged for power imbalance. readers can read and imagine further details as they like. a one shot pwp with no wider narrative attached to it lends itself particularly well for something like this.

when there is a bigger story attached, i gotta start considering more how characters interact with each other and what their relationships are like, but even then, please refer to the diegetic vs non-diegetic bdsm fic post

and of course the one part of this wank that only noncon enjoyers seem to even notice: i'm more worried about the people who write ""consensual"" sex scenes that are in fact dubcon at best, because they genuinely do not seem to realize this, than the ppl writing wildly not-appropriate-to-replicate-irl scenes with full awareness that this is the case. and often, you can tell. even if it's not spelled out in the text itself.

'consent is sexy'

i am facepalming and groaning (in frustration, just for the sake of clarity) and glaring at my screen

rl? consent isn't sexy. it's necessary. it absolutely CAN be sexy but that's not a prerequisite. in fact sometimes these discussions can be actively unsexy and THAT'S FINE (trust a cnc kinkster to be the one voice of sanity in the notes of that post and be the one to bring up this point; you, random tumblr user, are a real one) bc being sexy is not the point. the mutual agreement and knowing what you're getting into is the point

(i get this phrase is less or more something created with the purpose of basically marketing consent but still)

in fiction, it can be many fucking things. including the worst boner killer you've seen. refer back the where we started, and also the whole, when the reader's here just to get off chances are they aren't in the mood for a lowkey lecture in consent (and/or safe sex)

also!!

i wouldn't say character gasping i want you in the middle of making out is sexy bc it's explicit consent, but rather it's sexy bc they're needy. because they can't contain how much they desire the other person and are emotionally vulnerable in expressing that. and does leaning into something like that not make for a more interesting and engaging (including in the sense of being arousing) storytelling than 'yes, i, a mature adult of legal age to consent and not currently under the influence of any substances that might impede my judgement, enthusiastically consent to performing the sex with this person who is my equal in every way'?

(i am exaggerating for comedic effect but that's how reading some examples i've seen feels like at times. and if someone out there thinks that is sexy i want to study them under a microscope. fully solidified brain risk centers has me fucking weeping.)

people writing things with consent/boundary issues that aren't straight up noncon (moderately spicy opinions time)

you see here' the thing with me being comfortable acknowledging that something can be noncon AND sexy: i am also perfectly content acknowledging more grey area type situations that so many others completely miss on their crusade against the Problematic noncon (and age gaps. let's be real fandom loves to hate on age gaps even when they're a completely non-issue, and then is damn oblivious to often far more glaring potential red flags. (see hannigram. apparently some people think the ship is Bad because of the age gap and no other reason.))

coffeeshop aus being the ~fluffiest most wholesome trope~ that's actually problematic bc that's just sexually harassing a service worker who may not be able to do shit about it is just one oft used example. other such things include: teacher/student or mentor/student relationships, doctor/medic/healer + their patient relationships, gods + their followers/priests, spiritual leaders + regular people of the applicable faith, ceo/evil overlord/whathaveyou and their employees/staff/underlings, the list goes on, wrt consent these are all at the very least sketchy by irl standards even if everyone was an adult and technically consented, and i didn't even list nearly every scenario imaginable,

and oh boy i almost forgot to mention things like love potions, sex pollen, aphrodisiacs, characters in heat, etc etc

BUT in fic, if we're not all fixated on being Pure and Unproblematic, these can be fucking great and romantic and sexy. for a moment we can pretend that getting flirted on by the cute regular and writing your number on the back of a receipt to hand with their drink you have memorized bc that person always orders the same thing is the pinnacle of romance. we can imagine that a follower in their blind devotion isn't a prime target for exploitation but rather their god's favourite pet who gets special treatment. you get the idea.

just, don't whine about problematic fic if you can't face the iffy parts in your own favourite romance/sex fantasies?? we're all freaks here and slapping a BUT my characters EXPLICITLY STATE that they consent on yours doesn't change that my dubcon pwp and your coffee shop au both inherently have a certain disregard of boundaries built in. it's a feature. it makes the story better at what it is supposed to be. that is: a fantasy. trying to shoehorn in standardized explicit on-screen consent can get weird beyond a superficial level of wholesome, unless you're willing to acknowledge the fact that this is actually at least a little Problematic. you don't have to spell it out in the fic, but. at least think about it, if depicting only the most wholesome consensual educational intimate encounters is so very important??

back onto depicting attempts at healthy communication/consent for a bit

the thing is, care and communication and respecting boundaries and trusting each other and all that can just as much be a fantasy explored in a story(!)

and i say 'attempts at healthy communication' rather than 'healthy communication' for a reason. even when i try to go for something grounded in how these things can look like in reality, characterization and narrative comes first. i've cut banger lines bc they felt too much like we're trying to do therapy and i'll damn well do it again. same with consent. i'm here to tell a story. even when it's grounded in realism. i'm not First And Foremost trying to model a healthy relationship even if my story has an element of hey, practising good consent *can* look something like this. characters can and should stumble and make mistakes and have conflicts that don't have perfect solutions, and that applies here too. we apply suspension of disbelief everywhere else in fiction. this is no different.

!! and, in insisting on reading this kind of fictional intimacy as Educational, people are going to miss more subtle ways in which the scenario may not be ideal. i shouldn't have to explain why that's Not Good

you can have fun with this actually And make it another tool of characterization etc

and on-screen consent doesn't have to look the same for every scenario and character. in fact it shouldn't. bc if it does, now you've probably stumbled into the pitfall of writing consent 101, possibly with an attempt at making it more sexy, rather than story.

like, just some ideas off of the top of my head that aren't 'yes, i consent':

normally abrasive character who needs to be in control at all times becomes more subdued and allows another to get intimate. just maybe a reserved 'you can', and them not fighting like they usually do with everything just out of habit

characters who cannot keep their hands off of each other because they're just desperately wanting to get as close and intimate as possible. no time for words. no chance for words because between kisses they're too out of breath anyway. (how is there any argument about this sort of scenario leaving consent 'vague'??)

normally reserved & quiet character making a subtle first move that, when coming from them, is Big

character is too excited and aroused and struggles to make the words go but their actions very much scream Want, while the other is going on about how sexy they are

honestly, nala giving simba the bedroom eyes in tlk style situation is a good one if you're just fading to black

'i want you', 'i need you', 'let me have you'

actually i'm providing some examples by yours truly;

my longfic is just. there's two sex scenes. one character is very experienced and the other is aroace and has not had an intimate relationship of any kind prior to this. i put emphasis on the curiosity and uncertainty and the more experienced character wanting to be sure that everything's fine, because he cares about that. for how i wrote these characters and this relationship, this approach made sense. i have lines like:

"You would give me this experience with you, then?" "Is this alright?" "I know my boundaries. That includes knowing which ones I am willing to bend." "Go slow at first and it's all good." "Tell me how it feels?"

I wouldn't necessarily label ^this scene smut in a conventional sense tbh. it's more the characters trying to figure things out and being a bit awkward about it at points.

and then i have this example later on of how a lack of clear 'yes' can be more fun:

If they think they are going to get a coherent answer out of him, they are wrong. The sight between his legs demands his attention, and he knows nothing sensible would come out of his mouth now, if he tried. The best he manages to give is a whine that maybe was supposed to be a 'please', but who knows. He certainly doesn't.

from a different story with same characters, we have 

"You are so responsive to simple touch, my friend." Simple, he says. Distracting. That it is.

closely followed by

"If I should stop, will you tell me?" They look up. Tell him? They don't bother, often, with trying; so many don't pay attention. Most keep a distance anyway. But some, they don't care if they push away or try to leave, unless they want to go away themselves; don't care that they hold a weapon until they use it, they know how to use it, it is not an idle threat. Easier to fight or run away, depending. Not to bother, when others deny their mind, their decisions. But he wants to know? "Three taps. Or something else, but still thrice. Somewhere I can feel it. I will know, then." So simple. They can do that. "Will you?" He wants to know. Nod; yes. They will.

in which we establish a safeword without calling it a safeword! to have a clear way of communicating no/stop when these two aren't that familiar with one another and the pov character is nonverbal. again, bc it made sense for my characterizations. frankly(!) leading up to this there's little things that are less good consent, like pov character feeling they have to decide on the spot if they engage or not when they realistically would have liked more time to think (and did not expect further checking ins along the line bc Unfamiliar Territory) but for the oneshot fic it works, bc it gets things moving along at a decent pace.

also good spot to go on a tangent about how perhaps im just too aroace for all this nonsense bc I KNOW the gag is that oh you're reading this very filthy smut? we all know what you're here for ;) ;) and i'm legitimately like. good character writing?? yes?? with tasty word building on the side as a bonus maybe?? i Do Not look at sexual content as inherently or even primarily as something that exists for the sake of sexual gratification, it's just another thing you can include in a story. if it's sexy for others and all that awesome, if not, that's a you problem lol.

then less plotty more smutty ones;

The King parts his legs, then, just enough to allow access. 

^depending how you kinky you'd like something like that, it could be an invitation or a command. depends on the surrounding context

He listens to the raspy breaths above him; they do not betray much, but he knows the subtle differences in the pattern, knows when he is getting close. / They would expect him to do something. They delight in the spontaneity, -- / -- watching how their hands twitch, listening to their little sounds. How he adores those sounds.

a selection of small things implying these characters are familiar with each other. and, that there's not so much of a point in confirming consent for everything every time. you can have it in there without spelling it out if you want, and especially with established relationships, that just makes sense, unless it's a Thing for them to go over the details each time. in which case: why. explain the logic and convince me (is it a kink for them? you could make it a kink thing if you want to play up the sexiness, but do realize that's going to be a niche thing.)

ooc is ooc. how would your character show or not show that they want to get nasty?

sidenote for kink etc: if your story isn't set in present-day real world or something close enough, you can implement a system that the readers will understand is a safeword, even if you don't call it that. is there something unique to your setting/characters that they might use instead, that might even make more sense in-universe? ALSO, in scifi/fantasy settings particularly you can possibly take stuff MUCH further than would be plausible or possible irl. don't be restricted to real world rules for kink, and with that, consider how this might impact stuff like negotiation. eg, 'anything that doesn't leave a permanent mark goes' carries a whole lot of different meanings when you have access to magic healing that leaves your skin looking perfectly unharmed. (this is for if your characters are aware that they are doing kink; if your characters aren't aware of this, proceed accordingly)

fixating on a verbal 'yes' like it's some kind of magic word just shows a fundamental misunderstanding of what consent even is

[cw for talk about sexual abuse etc from here out]

(if you're not familiar, please look up the fries model of consent. it's not a be all end all, but a solid starting point, particularly for vanilla scenarios.)

you can have a character go through the motions of consenting without it meaning jack shit due to the circumstances that lead them there. this partially ties to the whole people writing noncon without realizing. bc fiction generally involves conflicts of some kind, the things that drive your story forward can at the same time be what makes consent between your ship-to-be iffy, even if we all know that it's actually fine and no one's really being hurt (again, we apply suspension of disbelief etc), or just not good consent by any stretch of imagination.

is my neglected and emotionally abused ~late teens oc meaningfully consenting to sex when she's being pressured to 'earn her keep' by her caretakers and then getting pimped by her boyfriend who manipulates her? she says she's consenting. must be fine, then. right? right? (hint: No.)

another oc initiated what was at first a consensual encounter, voiced discomfort when things started going sideways, and when things Really went to shit, started fawning (among other things). is a yes, go ahead, i like that good consent here, or later in different situations, when this trauma rears its head and they're fawning again? (hint: No.)

and don't get me started on the 'verbal' part of a verbal 'yes' bc apparently some people out there genuinely insist that that's the only thing that matters- like YES, irl, if someone's body is responding to stimulus but they're saying no, that verbal no is what you pay attention to. but communication is so much more than plain spoken words. ffs.

writing lack of consent (spicy opinions incoming)

disclaimer addendum: if you're writing based on personal experiences, do whatever makes you comfortable. and i mean whatever. hell, even if it's not personal experiences or you're not sure, still that applies. i sure as fuck know it isn't so simple knowing if your experiences 'count' sometimes. again, personal thoughts/preferences re: fiction. not an edict to follow.

so, with fictional sexual abuse/nonconsent, i find a common point of struggle with this is a) person is writing noncon smut and they try too hard to make it Sexy, b) person is writing a story focusing on trauma and they try too hard to Be Sensitive

like honestly the best ones i've read, regardless of what the purpose of the story was, are the ones where the author approached it like just another topic to write about. go into detail when it serves the story you're telling. be vague when it serves the story you're telling. let the characters react in a way that makes sense rather than in a way that tells the reader how sexy and/or terrible this situation is. even if you're keeping things off screen, show what's going on in the character(s) heads.

for smut, trying too hard to make it sexy can come off as awkward and at times comical. and i'll wager, not in a way that's intended. not a noncon exclusive phenomenon, but perhaps more obvious here with the tone issues that come from that.

trying too hard to be sensitive is. it can come off as condescending? i don't want to chew up anyone for being uncomfortable, but i do take issue when people act like their way of dealing with their trauma is the Only Correct One (please shut up) and anyone who disagrees is Not A Real Survivor (please shut up), and especially if anyone more removed tries to dictate how to supposebly be respectful as if trauma worked the same for everyone

...have you ever watched a crime drama featuring sexual abuse and the general vibe that the whole situation has is just this oh you poor pitiable thing :( wrapped in a package of copaganda dressed as revenge fantasy. and it isn't even that the victim wants revenge, or anything really, for that matter, they're just kinda there to look vaguely sad. it's all just a side note to the getting the fix of Justified Corporeal Punishment

adjacent to that, is what comes with the territory of writing a sensitive topic with care: people beating around the bush and using vague euphemisms instead of describing ANYTHING. i'm not saying every single instance of depicting sexual abuse has to be graphic, but when it comes across like this is something so terrible and gross that you can't even mention it, are you being sensitive, or are you being avoidant? not every story that features sexual abuse in some capacity focuses on that, but with the ones that DO, worth considering why something is being left offscreen/underscribed.

(like i can straight up say when i've been Avoidant it was bc *i* was not in the spot to be dealing with that particular scenario in depth OR bc i was pre-emptively wanting to appease hypothetical others. for daring to include something a touch more personally vulnerable in art/fiction. neither was exactly the best mental place to be creating something planned to publicly share from.)

uh oh it's complicated

idk if i'll make any sense but i'll try to words

a somewhat tame example: unexpected kiss that gets handsy. we could have rough division of scenarios as such

1) character didn't consent to this, but actually wanted it so it's fine, 2) character didn't consent to this, and aggressively makes it clear, 3) character didn't consent to this, and it's complicated

scenario 1, when done well, is the surprise affection is sexy situation. characters know exactly what the other wants. there's a fantasy in that, of not having to voice your desires to have them realized, and whatnot.

with scenario 2, when do things pause to give it some weight? character in the receiving end shoves the other away and yells at them, or someone else does it for them, and then the whole matter gets brushed off after maybe a quick are you ok, feels like the usual way it goes. from a storytelling perspective, even a brief moment to show discomfort would make that land far better, if the point is to show that this is creepy and unwelcome?

and 3 is. what if it is unwanted, but the response doesn't scream get off of me. what if the character has complicated reactions, for a possibly wide variety of reasons. where things get messy. this compels me. but it's very different from both the prior ways to go about the same scenario and easily the most complicated, because we don't get that immediate simple dramatic 'resolution' either way, if you do this properly.

i love good dubcon/soft noncon/technically consensual/things of that nature. and i will argue that you can't really do those well if you don't have a decent understanding of consent. you can't properly navigate the nuance and grey areas and technicalities and it isn't consensual, but it's complicated or consensual but not safe or sane for a compelling, believable story if you don't have a solid grasp of how these things work

depicting sexual trauma without showing anything or even directly naming it

a while there was a post about how if you can't bring yourself to use words like 'kill', instead opting for euphemisms like 'unalive', then you probably aren't mature enough to write about death with any grace, and shared there was the sentiment that this applies to sexual abuse as well. absolutely valid point but also i had happened to finish a fic relevant to that discussion recently and Now i'm getting out that particular yes but there's also this other angle to consider

which is: does it make sense for the characters to describe things using a given phrasing?

my character who's just been slapped in the face with a significant trauma and is struggling not to dissociate probably isn't going to talk about it the same way as someone who's had time to process and heal and just had an epiphany in therapy. probably.

but i'm getting sidetracked from getting sidetracked so onto the next point (for now?)

if you're not allowed to write it badly, are you actually allowed to write it?

do your research and approach these topics with care and all that, yes, but also, are we demanding that people potentially writing about their own trauma and lived experiences are masters of their craft? does a vent fic or an autobiographical work have to stand up to scrutiny of representing sexual abuse 'respectfully'??

like, a bunch of people have pointed out how demanding people publicly disclose their trauma to be judged by complete strangers in order to determine if they're allowed to write something is all sorts of shitty, but hey, here's a thought adjacent to that i don't think i've seen anyone bring up. because seriously. if someone's screaming that they're hurting why the fuck should the primary concern be but are your creative skills up to par??

(i'll be blunt again and say this is in part why i've been extremely hesitant up until recently to include these sorts of things in my stories in much detail, but far more so, i'm thinking about all the fucking awful treatment i've seen others receive for talking about/depicting fictionalized retellings of their traumas ""incorrectly"".)

i'll admit it: my first attempts at depicting sexual trauma even as a sidenote to another story just plain sucked. there was an attempt but it was no good. in part i was young and less aware of everything, in part i was poorly mimicking existing examples that were generally meh 

i'll also admit that what was genuinely most helpful at getting better was reading graphic noncon smut/angst. the well written stuff. because those fics aren't afraid to go into detail; rather, they enthusiastically dive into all the little and not so little things that make it more worse. they present the whole thing without dressing it to be palatable, and the jump from side note to copaganda to brutally honest survivor story was- i think the first really graphic one was the first time i could sympathize with the character and root for them in their journey to overcome the trauma. as opposed to almost voyeuristically (ironically enough) observe from a distance and then forget about it when the rest of the plot moved forward and forgot about it too.

and then one more thing relating to that that's been rattling around in the back of my mind for probably years now: there's one fic from years ago in particular that i think of when i consider the topic of fanfic depicting rape inappropriately. because that fic is not so different from noncon kink works i at times see from the type people arguably disrespected in said fic, just more novice in execution.  it also makes me think of how i handled various areas of this whole consent/communication/boundaries jumble in my earliest attempts vs now. which is just one of those reasons i'm reluctant to judge intentions in these situations, at least outside mainstream entertainment where standards/expectations should be completely different.

in conclusion 

this has been an i was exhausted and the filter was off ramble that got too damn long

have good day/night/whatever

[rowancampbell-author]

Writer Q&A Tag Game

Thanks to @mthollowell-writes for the tag! Find their original post here.

1)What motivates you to write?

Mostly reading fantastic stories and becoming inspired with ideas about my own work. Also the people in my life like my sister who is also a writer; her vivid words inspire me all the time. I am also heavily motivated by my love of my characters, and a little bit of my guilt that I have not finished one of my novels (the first one) that I have been writing for soooo long.

2) A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud/happy of. If not maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them)

Shared my own work from Bloodlines.

Every day she fought the wolf for control. Every day to stop herself from hurting anyone. The wolf was the worst, most animal parts of her, and most of those dark parts wanted nothing more than vengeance. To cause the chaos and suffering done to her. Before Eron and her suspension from The Order three years ago, that’s what she did. The wolf that now sulked beneath her flesh missed the blood. Every day it tried to take control, to turn her back into a monster.

3) Which OC makes you smile every time you think/talk about them and what are they like?

Jackal Bellare from my WIP Bloodlines. He is always my answer because he is just so fun to write. He is that character that came fully formed. Nothing to change, nothing to define, he just appeared. He is a smartass, deceptive and manipulative. He at first is very selfish because he was forced to grow up fast and was abused by his father for many years. He pushed him to achieve his own goals and basically taught Jackal that no one would love him, not even his own family. So he grew up thinking he couldn't trust anyone and that everyone he met would be angling for something. He is also ridiculously powerful as a demon and can be impatient and even petulant. And he's classist too, thinking he's better than anyone who's not at his power-level. These are all fairly awful traits, but I love him still because I know the depths of his character and that all he truly wants is friends that he can trust, a surrogate family that actually gives a shit about him.

4) What process of writing do you enjoy the most?

I love the discovery/investigation phase best I think. Imagining the world and then researching and defining what I need to. I love to learn new things, and I always do in that stage.

5) What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)

I would say action scenes and dialogue are my greatest strengths. I can plot as well, but I am more of a character focused writer so most of the plots are pretty simple in concept and execution. I am also not too shabby with the NSFW scenes, but I don't write detailed smut. It's not my thing anymore.

6) What is something in the writeblr community is most enjoyable?

Doing tag games! no really. I love answering questions and seeing other's posts about this stuff. I also just appreciate the vibes, everyone is very friendly and inclusive and it's refreshing.

7) A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)

Microsoft Word has always been my go to. I really appreciate the formatting and how easy everything is. It's also great for editing. I have also used fighter's block to help me reach my goals in a fun way.

8) A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law etc)

I would say Pandemonium from my novel Bloodlines. This is the planet where demons live. I really just like the lore I have built around demons in general because they are inspired by lots of things but not tied to any real-world religions or mythology. Also in that story one of the types of demons are dragons (Draconem) and they have the power to shapeshift from their real form (dragon) to a human, and change their mass even. There are also these garbage disposal-like demons that have no heads and a mouth on their chest. These are heavily inspired by Blemmyes. I even have a separate dominion for Hell, which in my series is unusually referred to as Gehenna. The realm is a prison obviously, but instead of one place, or several levels like the circles, each Hell is a separate dimension governed by Warden that has a particular specially for punishment. I also have demons that are kind of like Valkyries, they are basically the law enforcement and are super scary even to other types of demons because they can make you tell the truth just by looking into your eyes. There are Demon Kings (which in my novels is a non-gender term, just go with it) and each one has a different rank and they serve as military leaders as well. They also have cool titles, like King of Slaughter (he's the war general and most powerful warrior). I could go on for ages. I spent a lot of time on the lore around demons because originally the novels were going to take place there exclusively and the main character was a Demon King.

9) What piece of advice would you say to encourage others to write if they are having a rough patch?

I usually step away for a bit, and look at it again later. Sometimes it sparks new ideas and even makes me appreciate what I have already. I would really just advise that you don't be too hard on yourself. It's better to go slower and work smarter, so you don't burn out and end up in an uninspired state of procrastination. Goals are important too, but don't compare yourself to other writers. Make goals you know you can achieve and set times and make space to work.

10) Tag some people whose works you love/have been your biggest supporters:

Obviously @dyrewrites needs to be first. She is my sister and was the one that got me on writeblr in the first place. And what an amazing community! I haven't been here long, but I can say that I get a lot of attention and really cool asks from these amazing people:

@stesierra - @aziz-reads - @digital-chance - @mthollowell-writes - @quantumlandbooks - @anonymousfoz - @another-white-hole @inkytealeafwriting - @schepper-wubs-wips - @hottubraccoon

You all are lovely people and if you want to join in on this tag please do.

[acrosstobear]

Mick doesn't know you. He can't know what to post to please/placate you. Maybe just stop posting about Mick if what little he posts/shares aggravates you so much. He has never posted/shared a lot consistently ever either.

There's 3 post on his feed about that Japan/ Merc evo thing. He probably didn't think posting more about it was necessary. He shared pics of Japanese buildings in his stories. He only posted a story from Australia to thank Australia zoo/ Robert. He did post for Qatar, Singapore, Japan. He probably doesn't make too many post from race weekends anymore because earlier in the year when he did, there were trolls who would made comments like, you are working?, what work are you even doing, mocking him, etc. You have been so horrible to him in all your post and tags recently, like it's sad to see.

I think in reality for some time you have got your new favs and you're moving on, so just go ahead and post about them. Stop spreading negativity about Mick through all your posts.

1000% he has never been super consistent at posting, and that's fine when you've got a marketing team working hard behind the scenes, but its just SO similar to callum's year out, where it just felt like he could never get the momentum going on his side to keep him relevant/part of the f1 conversation.

the posts on his feed are not HIS posts, and that's what bothers me. i didn't realize he was getting hate comments at the beginning of the year though, that sucks very much and does def put into perspective the concept of posting about other things. i honestly think my issue is that i love him TOO much, that i'm too personally invested in him not giving up on the original dream. i know how insistent he was that f1 was IT for him, and it literally breaks my heart to watch this happening and i hate hate hate the idea that its possible that some people will only ever see him as a "surname merchant" or as mid or as a guy who crashes all the time cause he was in the shittiest team on the grid with no support and had a couple of high profile/big crashes. like that actually makes me want to sit down and cry or want to go outside and yell to the heavens and anyone who will listen about how fast he is and prove to people why he deserves another shot.

should i be more normal about him? absolutely. should i just fucking let it go???? absolutely. but i care, a lot, and ultimately that's reflecting in why im so disappointed, because his success matters way too much for me.