#Bones gives advice

[bonefall]

Bones I don't have anyone else to turn to, and you're INCREDIBLY informed on the subject. How do you write characters who the audience WANTS to be redeemed? Especially without being able to reliably pull a 'What you are in the dark' trope like how Breezepaw eases up when away from his dad.

Any tips for how to write a good redemption/'recovery', especially one where the character has to unlearn ideas they grew up on?

Advice from me is almost always going to be double, triple, QUADRUPLE underlining; CHARACTERS ARE NOT PEOPLE THEY ARE TOOLS.

Think about WHAT YOU'RE SAYING with this story. What are you trying to accomplish, besides simply having a fun villain join the main cast?

For Breezepelt, I want to dive into him finally recognizing his own flaws. I want him to realize he does have problems he needs to work on, but that he's LOVED, and his life has value! That it's never too late to do the right thing, and that happiness is within reach. A very character-driven arc.

For another character, a redemption arc could be a really good opportunity to unpack how the "bad guys" are recruited and indoctrinated. Zuko from Avatar is the best example of that, but you can also look at Peridot from Steven Universe. It's our introduction to how Homeworld Gems talk about planet colonization. Her story up to mouthing off at Yellow Diamond is essentially unpacking and rejecting the Homeworld mindset.

There's a billion ways and reasons to do a redemption arc! Show how an environment can change a person! Talk about how power acted on them! Explore what happens to an empire's underling when they start having doubts about their cause!

Think about what it can do FOR your story, and what juicy ideas you can show during it.

And... a BAD redemption arc, imo, is one that grinds your story to a halt by removing a main driver of conflict (the POINT of an antagonist), and is done for a character who has absolutely no reason to want to change.

What are your antagonist's motivations? WHY do they act the way they do? What would it take for them to willingly give up what they currently have, for something else? If they were forced out of their position and suddenly offered it all back, what would it take for them to accept the deal?

And, most importantly, do you still have a goddamn plot if this character has a turnaround? Or maybe is the story ending with this redemption! What does the redemption say for your characters and themes?

[trek-tracks]

Bone on Bone? I think I read that Star Trek TOS/AOS crossover fic

[ecoamerica]

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[abelllia]

Transcript:

[From MAG 92]

Elias (Statement): -if I leave a letter here, in your institute, you might find it, you might be able to save me. I have no other hope. I have no other hope. Please, Jonah, if you have any compassion within your heart, you will not leave me in this place. Your loyal servant, Barnabas.

Elias: Jonah Magnus did leave him in that place, Jon. He got the letter, oh yes, and was on good terms with Mordechai Lukas. He could have interceded, perhaps even saved him, but he did not. And it was not out of malice, or because he lacked affection for Barnabas Bennett: he retrieved those bones sadly enough when the time came. Bones that you can still find in my office, if you know where to look.

No, it was because he was curious. Because he had to know, to watch and see it all.That’s what this place is, Jon, never forget it. You may believe yourself to have friends, to have confidantes, but in the end, all they are is something for you to watch, to know, and ultimately to discard.

[From MAG 159]

Jon: Martin. He’s gone, Martin. He – he’s gone. 

Martin: His only wish was to die alone.

Jon: Tough. Now – listen to me, Martin. Listen.

Martin: Hello, Jon.

Jon: Listen, I know you think you want to be here, I know you think it’s safer, and well – well, maybe it is. But we need you. I need you.

Martin: No, you don’t. Not really. Everyone’s alone, but we all survive.

Jon: I don’t just want to survive!

Martin: I’m sorry.

Jon: Martin. Martin, look at me. Look at me and tell me what you see.

Martin: I see…

I see you, Jon.

I see you.

Jon: Martin.

Martin: I… I was on my own. I was all on my own.

Jon: Not anymore. Come on. Let’s go home.

Martin: How?

Jon: Don’t worry. I know the way.

[CLICK]

End Transcript

Going insane about this for a multitude of reasons

[barrel-crow-n]

Nikolai: Don’t preach to me about romance, Tolya. I had a three-way in a hot-air balloon.

[grishaverse-chaos]

shit I remembered this too late to add to the post I was replying to, but: people (and by "people" I mean darkl!ng stans and nikolai antis) will call nikolai an example of the White Saviour trope, and they're kind of half right in that he is a SUBVERSION of the trope

so yes, he's initially presented as that archetype - a member of the majority group, who sympathises with the minority group and uses his institutional power to improve the lives of that group

(of course, this is subverted right off the bat because he is CONSTANTLY offering to share his institutional power with Grisha: proposing to Alina, creating the Triumvirate, even the Nolniki to an extent)

but the trope is FULLY subverted at the end of RoW, when he literally addresses the question of whether he is the right person to "save" Ravka, and decides to literally GIVE all his institutional power to a Suli Grisha woman (Zoya)

[tchaikovskaya]

fr why cant yall just recognize when you are not the intended audience for A Post and keep scrollin lmao

[scriptedencryptid]

Cured

[themyscirah]

Was thinking about how I would write a Suicide Squad book if I got the chance to post (hypothetical) Absolute Power and like... I would totally rock this guys

Won't go totally into it here I don't think because time and also feeling pumped about the idea so may write something for it (which I have an AWFUL track record for finishing, but also if current Waller appearances piss me off enough who knows) but anyways it would have Amanda Waller and Ben Turner (Bronze Tiger) as dueteragonists, (especially for the first few arcs, although moving to a greater Waller focus [at least for a bit] around issue 10? 15? When she really starts to do things). Anyways the main story (at least at the beginning) would follow Ben Turner as he leads the squad both in the field and at home (essentially acting as the "Waller" along with his normal field leader duties) while secretly having Waller herself in residence at Belle Reve pretending to be a prisoner.

Early issues would focus on Ben saving the world (and keeping the squad in check) while also struggling to hide Waller from the government, heroes, and the rest of Belle Reve (save an accomplice or two). This of course works great, until it doesn't

[bonefall]

You knowww, every now and then I come across someone else's AU project and I see a little sentiment somewhere on the blog that they fear... not being creative enough, or borrowing too many ideas from me in particular, or something similar.

And then, in another post, they'll also be worrying that changing one element or another will spoil things, or that leaning into one character or concept being too bad will come across as "bashing" it, or for some reason they'll end up breaking things if they alter something

To both of those things I gotta say... break shit! Fuck it up! Destroy something and then have fun putting it back together! "How do I go forth and make a conlanguage?" Just do it! "What if it looks like I'm bashing Bramblestar?" If you end up bashing him, you can just put him back together in a way you like more later. "I have this cool idea but how do I make it work?" Figure that out later, commit to the cool idea now and write what makes you HAPPY!

The worst art is art you don't make.

This blog. I made it in the first place because I always wanted people to be able to come here, pick up an idea or inspiration, and go forth with it. It's why Clanmew's free to use and I made that clear with Trout when we first started. I had always made Better Bones, and the Bonefall Rewrite before it, with the idea in mind that I was a helmsman but I was writing it with the contributions, wishes, and musings of followers in mind. Collaboration at its core.

It wasn't all perfect to begin with. I've changed things-- I started BB!DOTC with Gray Wing surviving, and now he is the first pioneer death. It was a major change and I'm STILL altering old posts, but I promise! It's not that big a deal! You CAN just go back and fix stuff! Don't be so afraid!

YOU are you only person who can make YOUR art. You are the most unique tool in your own arsenal, with your unique tastes, interests, and thoughts. That is what makes every AU unique, given love and time. Trust your intuition, be critical but kind towards your work, and remember that passion is always worth the initial price of fear.

[imissthembutitwasntadisaster]

"What is most beautiful is least acknowledged. What is worth dying for is barely noticed." - Laura McBride.

[boysdontcryboycry]

The most important relationship in Robin's life is her friendship with Steve and always will be. Die mad

idk buddy it seems like you're the one who's actually really mad that someone doesn't give a shit about a spoiled mediocre cishet white man and thinks that maaaaybeeeee the show should explore the one lesbian's relationships outside of the one spoiled mediocre cishet white man she's been shackled to since her introduction. idk tho.

[thefanciestborrower]

Do you have advice on drawing arms?

Dude listen I am literally faking it so bad every time I draw arms lmao. The best advice I can give is to study anatomy and remember that arms are not just long tubes. Most of their shape comes from the muscle underneath, and doing some basic research on what those muscles look like helps so much. Even if your character has very little muscle definition, you’ll still be able to see those basic muscle shapes in their arms and shoulders.

Literally most of the reason I’m as good at drawing as I am is because I have a little bit of an anatomy obsession and love studying it in my free time lmao. In truth though you really don’t need a detailed understanding of anatomy to draw well. I just recommend familiarizing yourself with the basic shapes of bones, muscles, and fat. 🤷🏻

[mydarlingdearestdead]

Okay time to give me advice

[girlwithfish]

6min meeting w my professor..

[baigujinq]

Okay AU where Lady Bone Demon survives + decided to become a guardian figure-ish to Monkie Kid because the child was able to stop from destiny and how similar he is to her {fighting for what they believe in}.

Who knows.... Maybe he’s the person she was looking for; someone who could help humanity regardless if the world is completely flawed... Then again, she’s just simply tired of everything and the fact that her plan fell into ruins; she has nothing left to lose from watching him on the sideline and helping him when necessary.

[toytulini]

pain nausea the last 3 fucking days and my shoulders and ribs so much im gonna take out all my fucking bones and become a worm