#FORME LIBRE

[celderi]

Gaetano Pesce, séries individuelles, 1960

[nexus-nebulae]

libre office my fucking beloved

[necromanticalscience]

You're like really good at dissecting professional wrestling ?? Like that was kind of beautiful I think

I try to say things that are beautiful and true sometimes, good to know it actually works on occasion

[txttletale]

this sculpture of salvador allende's broken glasses -- no tiene nombre (unnamed) by chilean artist carlos altamirano, is in the lobby of the venezuelan foreign ministry. today is a tragic day not only for chileans but for all latin americans who dream of a free and better life for their countrymen and for their homelands to be free of us imperialism, whether it comes in the form of sanctions or multinational corporations or bought-and-paid-for right-wing governments.

if you ever wonder why i'm a marxist-leninist and not a democratic socialist, why i think a vanguard party and an armed and militant proletariat are necessary, why i think you can't just go through the established systems and peacefully improve the conditions of the working class by winning a bourgeois election, this is why. this is why. maybe the people of some countries have that luxury -- but not our continent. salvador allende tried to do everything 'right', and from him we can learn that it's never going to work. the only question left for us to figure out is, what will?

"Mucho más temprano que tarde, se abrirán las grandes alamedas por donde pase el hombre libre para construir una sociedad mejor." — Salvador Allende

[coolemmasulivan2]

Easy Mornings

Pairing: Pedri Gonzalez x Reader

Summary: A playful morning with Pedri.

Word count: 1151

Author's note: Yes, I'm in a Pedri kind of vibe. Can you blame me?

Si no e' contigo, amor Yo no quiero a nadie má' Tú, na' má' tiene' lo que a mí me encanta Gata, aprovechémono' Mamita, casémono'

The bed was cold when you reached for him. Your fingers curled around the empty white sheets, the warm and familiar scent of him already dissipating into the air.

For a moment, you wondered if you had only dreamed the night before. Had he really stayed over? Had he left? The thoughts ran through your head.

Soft morning light seeped through the curtains, casting long shadows on the walls. You sat up, still groggy. Pedri's jacket and hoodie were still draped over the yellow armchair in your room, confirming that he hadn't left.

So where had he gone?

With a sleepy frown, you slipped out of bed, padding barefoot through the quiet house. The bathroom was empty, and as you passed through the hallway, you caught the faint sound of something rhythmic, thump, thump, thump. A ball bouncing?

You followed the sound, and as you reached the back door leading to your small garden, you found him.

Shirtless, in nothing but sweatpants, his toned back glistening slightly under the morning sun. A football bounced effortlessly between his feet, his movements fluid, almost instinctual. He was lost in his own rhythm, completely unaware of how long he had been out there and completely unaware of your presence.

You leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "¿Incluso en tu día libre, eh?" (Even on your day off, huh?)

His head snapped toward the sound of your voice, eyes widening slightly as he realized he was no longer alone. He trapped the ball under his foot and a wide grin spread across his face.

"I got up to go to the bathroom, then I saw the ball, and, well… the sun was out, the weather's nice, and--"

You raised an eyebrow. "And you lost track of time!" You finished for him, amused.

Pedri smirked, eyes twinkling. "Can you blame me?" He kicked the ball up, balancing it on his thigh. "Además, eres la única que puede verme jugar así." (Besides, you're the only one who gets to see me play like this.)

You rolled your eyes, biting back a smile. "Qué suerte la mía." (Lucky me.)

"Muchísima suerte." He teased, finally tossing the ball aside and walking over to pull you into his arms. "Now, are you going to join me, or just stand there looking pretty?" (Very lucky.)

You laughed, wrapping your arms around his neck. "I think I'll just stand here and admire the view."

He chuckled, dipping his head to kiss your neck. "Smart choice." He pulled back with a playful glint in his eyes. "But you're not just going to stand there forever, are you?" Before you could respond, he reached down and grabbed the football, and tossed it toward you. "Vamos, muéstrame lo que tienes." (Come on, show me what you've got.)

You caught it with both hands, a smirk forming on your lips. "I played football in school, you know." You lied, teasing him.

"Oh?" His grin widened. "¿Debería preocuparme?" (Should I be worried?)

"Tal vez." You let the ball drop to your feet, nudging it from one foot to another, but before you could pass it, he stole it effortlessly. You groaned. "I didn't realize we were playing as rivals." You said, eyeing him. "I don't like playing with you. Maybe you should practice with your team." (Maybe.)

He raised an eyebrow. "Already giving up? You didn't even try."

"I just woke up!" You defended.

He smirked, nudging the ball back toward you with his foot. "Then you better start practicing, because I don't take it easy on anyone, not even you."

You huffed, determined now. You let your foot brush over the ball before swiftly moving forward. But before you could even take a proper step, he flicked it away again, laughing at your effort.

"Nice try." He teased, dribbling the ball in a tight circle around you. "Pero tendrás que ser más rápida que eso." (But you're gonna have to be quicker than that.)

You sighed dramatically. "Okay, fine. You win. I officially retire from football."

He grinned, stepping closer. "Smart decision."

You were about to respond when he suddenly reached down, grabbing you by the waist and effortlessly lifting you off the ground. A surprised yelp left your lips as he spun you around, holding you tight against his chest.

"Hey!" You laughed, gripping his shoulders. "Put me down!"

"Not until you admit I'm the greatest footballer you've ever seen." He said smugly, his grip firm but gentle.

You narrowed your eyes playfully. “That's not happening."

He hummed, pretending to consider his next move. "Then I guess I'll just have to hold you here forever."

"Fine!" You caved, breathless from laughter. "¡Eres el mejor futbolista que he visto!" (You're the greatest footballer I've ever seen!)

He finally set you down, but not before pressing a quick kiss to your forehead. "Sabía que lo admitirías." (Knew you'd came around.)

You swatted his arm, still grinning. "Eres un presumido." (You're so full of yourself.)

He shrugged. "Solo cuando estoy contigo." (Just when I'm with you.)

You let out a dramatic sigh, shaking your head. "I don't know why I put up with you."

"Porque soy guapo." He said smoothly, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "And because I make the best breakfast." (Because I'm handsome.)

You perked up at that. "¿Ah, sí?" (Is that so?)

He nodded, taking your hand in his. “Come on. I'll make us both something to eat. But after that, I think I'll need some more time to teach you a few tricks."

Hand in hand, you both made your way back inside, but just as you reached the doorway, you tugged on his hand, stopping him.

You tilted your head playfully. "Don't I get a reward for at least trying?"

His lips twitched into a smirk. "¿Intentaste?" You pouted and nodded. "And what kind of reward are you thinking?" (You tried?)

You shrugged, faking innocence. "Algo… lo suficientemente convincente como para que quiera jugar otra vez." (Something… convincing enough to make me want to play with you again.)

He chuckled, stepping closer, his hands finding your waist. "I think I can manage that."

He leaned in, capturing your lips in a slow, lingering kiss. His touch was warm and he pulled you closer like he never wanted to let go. The rest of the world faded and you got lost in the way he kissed you.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against yours, a teasing grin on his lips. "¿Convencida?" (Convinced yet?)

You let out a breathless laugh. "Tal vez uno más solo para estar segura." (Maybe one more just to be sure.)

He chuckled, indulging you in another quick kiss before finally pulling away. Smiling, you followed him inside, your hand still in his, already looking forward to whatever the rest of the day would bring.

[manonamora-if]

The 100% Good Twine SugarCube Guide!

The 100% Good Twine SugarCube Guide is a coding guide for the SugarCube format of Twine. It is meant as an alternative to the SugarCube documentation, with further explanations, interactive examples, and organised by difficulty. The goal of this guide is to make the learning curve for new SugarCube user less steep, and provide a comprehensive and wide look over the format.

VIEW / DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE!!!!

The Guide is compartmentalised in (currently) four categories:

THE BASICS or the absolute basics to start with SugarCube. No need for extra knowledge. Just the base needed to make something.

THE BASICS + adding interactivity, and creating a fully rounded IF game May require a bit of CSS knowledge (formatting rules)

INTERMEDIATE MODE adding more customisation and complex code Will probably require some CSS knowledge, and maybe some JavaScript

ADVANCE USE the most complex macros and APIs Will surely require some JavaScript/jQuery knowledge

Note: The Advanced Use includes all the APIs, macros, and methods not covered by the previous categories. This includes code requiring very advance knowledge of JavaScript/jQuery to be used properly.

Each category explains many aspects of the format, tailored to a specific level of the user. More simpler explanations and examples are available in earlier chapters, compared to the later ones.

If something is unclear, you found a mistake, you would like more examples in the guide, or would like a feature covered, let me know!

The Guide currently covers all macros (as of SugarCube v.2.37.3), all functions and methods, and APIs. It touches upon the use of HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery, when relevant. It also discusses aspects of accessibility.

The Guides also provides a list of further resources, for the different coding languages.

The Guide is available in a downloadable form for offline view:

HTML file that can be opened in Twine

.tw file that can be opened in Twine

source code, separating the chapters, .js and .css files

GITHUB REPO | RAISE AN ISSUE | TWINE RESOURCES TWEEGO | TEMPLATES | CSCRIPT 2 SG GUIDE

Twine® is an “an open-source tool for telling interactive, non-linear stories” originally created by Chris Klimas maintained in several different repositories (Twinery.org). Twine is also a registered trademark of the Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation.

SugarCube is a free (gratis and libre) coding format for Twine/Twee created and maintained by TME.

VIEW / DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE!!!!

As of this release (v2.0.0), it is up to date with the version 2.37.3. If you are looking for the guide covering SugarCube 2.36.1, you can find it on my GitHub.

Note: the Guide is now complete. There won't be further substantial updates.

[spanishskulduggery]

Baldur's Gate 3 - Non-binary Translation in Spanish

A while back I had mentioned that when I learned how to change language settings for Baldur's Gate 3, I was curious to learn how they would adapt the non-binary [no binario] option into Spanish since Spanish (like many Romance Languages) is very gendered

What I saw actually surprised me a bit

Usually in game translations with different genders, English tends to treat you as a "they" even though it's usually male or female; and in Spanish most of the lines are gendered, or phrased in a very ambiguous way in translation like speaking of your character as una persona "a person" rather than "he" or "she", or "they"

This is one of the first times I've seen the gender neutral -e endings used in an official setting

-

For the purposes of this, and any future posts on this, I decided I would try to play as a non-binary gnome cleric. I should also mention that when you start up the game in Spanish and you do the character customization, everything starts you with the base word (i.e. masculine by default, or possibly agender but looks masculine)... as in you can choose to be elfo "elf", semielfo "half-elf", humano "human", semiorco "half-orc"... choose between bárbaro "barbarian", mago "wizard", brujo "warlock" and so on

My default character creation screen read gnomo, clérigo for "gnome cleric"

But the way your character is addressed by others is what changes

The first NPC you interact with is "Us" a little brain thing you can choose to help. If you do it calls you "friend":

Nosotros: Somos libres. Tenemos nuestra libertad. amigue Us: We are free. We have our freedom. Friend [nb].

The word used is amigue

For the sake of understanding Spanish grammar, you probably know amigo/a "friend". The G here is a hard G. The gender neutral ending is E... but the combination of GE is pronounced like an H sound in Spanish [la gelatina "gelatin" for example is like "hel-a-ti-na"]. To preserve that hard G sound, you have to add a UE to it... so amigo/a becomes amigue for non-binary

[if you study Spanish this is the exact same grammar you'll see in turning -gar verbs into subjunctive forms; why pagar would turn to pague]

The next person you come across is Lae'zel:

Lae'zel: Tsk'va. No eres une sierve. ¡Vlaakith me bendijo en el día de hoy! Juntes, tal vez podamos sobrevivir. Lae'zel: Tsk'va. You are no thrall [nb]. Vlaakith blessed me today ["on this day of today"; emphatic]. Together [nb plural], we may (yet) survive.

Interestingly, there's first siervo/a meaning "servant" or "serf" or "thrall"

What I found very interesting was that you have une... un and una being "a" are used for indefinite articles; the non-binary form seems to be une

What threw me off though was seeing juntes... now junto/a is "together" [lit. "joined"] but juntes implies a non-binary plural.

I don't know if this is because in Spanish grammar it would imply that non-binary trumps feminine [the way amigos "friends" could be male+female or multiple male, as opposed to amigas "friends" being all female]... or if it's maybe an error or something else; the game treats Lae'zel as a woman in every other regard so I think it's the first one which is a situation I somehow hadn't considered. I had just assumed it would be juntos ...or juntas if you played female

Next I decided to rescue Gale first because he uses a lot of adjectives/professions and I wanted to see what they looked like:

Gale: No serás clérigue por casualidad, ¿verdad? ¿Médique? ¿Cirujane? ¿Increíblemente hábil con una aguja de tejer? Gale: You wouldn't happen to be a cleric, right? A doctor/medic? Surgeon? Unbelievably skilled with a knitting needle?

First is clérigo/a "cleric" being used in non-binary as clérigue. Similarly we have médique which is the non-binary médico/a for "medical doctor"

[just like above C turned to QUE to preserve a hard C/K sound; you'll see this with subjunctive and even preterites of -car verbs... why atacar "to attack" will turn to ataqué "I attacked" and ataque in subjunctive... because CE has a soft S sound in Latin America, and can be lisped in Spain]

And next is cirujane... the word cirujano/a is "surgeon"

Finally important note - hábil being "able" or "skilled" is a unisex adjective, so there is no change in any gender - masculine, feminine, or non-binary

*Note: I did miss it but at some point someone used the article le to describe my character. The el and la "the" are the masculine and feminine definite articles; le is non-binary "the" which still catches me by surprise because it looks French to me

-

I've been told since I made the original post that people have seen the non-binary E ending used in other things, but this was special for me to see. I'm curious how the other gendered languages available treated non-binary options

It was a fun surprise for me, especially for some modern day Spanish linguistics in a VERY big modern game, with non-binary word choices being heavily prominent. It's a bit of a learning experience for me

If I find any more fun examples of NB language being used I'll let y'all know as I go

[coovieilledentelle]

“ Être libre demande un certain courage. Le courage de se libérer d'un semblant de sécurité… Le courage d'oser être soi…. Le courage d'assumer ses choix…. Le courage de se détourner de ce que les autres attendent…. Le courage de se faire passer en priorité… Le courage de se responsabiliser… Le courage de ne plus rien attendre de personne… Le courage d'apprendre toujours plus… Le courage de donner le meilleur de soi… Le courage de choisir, se choisir et le courage d'aimer qui on veut…. Oui, dans cette société basée en grande partie sur la conformité, qui nous conforte par habitude, dans une forme de victimisation, il faut un certain courage pour oser briser ses chaînes, prendre soin de soi, et Être. Sortir du cocon devenu inconfortable, et Vivre. Tout simplement…”

[isthepame]

Japan U-20 National Team

Starting Players

10 糸師 冴 ITOSHI SAE

A player who has garnered worldwide attention, even being selected as one of the “New Generation World 11.” It’s rumoured that he hasn’t participated in Japan’s national team activities because he had already dismissed Japanese football, given his exceptional and overwhelming skill. However, he has recently shown an interest in “Blue Lock” and participated in an exhibition match.

ESP: Un jugador que ha atraído la atención mundial, llegando incluso a ser seleccionado como uno de los “11 del Mundo de la Nueva Generación.” Se rumorea que no ha participado en las actividades de la selección nacional japonesa porque ya había desestimado el fútbol japonés, debido a sus habilidades excepcionales e imponentes. No obstante, recientemente ha mostrado interés en el “Blue Lock” y participará en un partido de exhibición.

2 オリヴァ・愛空 OLIVER AIKU

The Japanese U-20 national team is referred to as the “Diamond Generation” largely thanks to his impenetrable defensive skills. As a centre-back, he not only applies pressure across the entire pitch but also, in moments of critical danger, shuts down strikers with a free-form approach that defies conventional logic.

ESP: La selección japonesa sub-20 es conocida como la “Generación Diamante” en gran parte gracias a sus habilidades defensivas impenetrables. Como defensa central, no solo ejerce presión en todo el campo, sino que, en momentos de peligro crítico, detiene a los delanteros con un estilo de movimiento libre que desafía la lógica convencional.

11 閃堂秋人 SENDOU SHUTO

The ace of Japan’s U-20 national team, playing as centre-forward.

Despite his youth, he is already a regular forward in Japan’s top domestic league, enjoying both high recognition and exceptional skill. In a team focused on defence, he stands out as the top scorer, earning strong trust from his teammates.

ESP: La estrella de la selección japonesa sub-20, desempeñándose como delantero centro. A pesar de su juventud, ya es delantero titular en la liga principal de Japón, destacando tanto por su notoriedad como por su habilidad excepcional. En un equipo enfocado en la defensa, sobresale como el máximo goleador, ganándose la plena confianza de sus compañeros de equipo.

8 超健人 CHOU KENTO

A left winger who excels at using his height to his advantage. His reliable playstyle aligns perfectly with the team’s strategy of solid defence and swift counterattacks. In particular, during counter plays, he demonstrates outstanding coordination with the right winger, Kitsunezato, becoming a key source of goals for Japan’s U-20 national team.

ESP: Un extremo izquierdo que destaca por aprovechar su estatura al máximo. Su estilo de juego confiable encaja perfectamente con la estrategia del equipo, basada en una defensa sólida y contraataques rápidos. En especial, durante las jugadas de contraataque, demuestra una excelente coordinación con el extremo derecho, Kitsunezato, convirtiéndose en una fuente clave de goles para la selección japonesa sub-20.

9 狐里 輝 KITSUNEZATO TERU

A nimble right winger. Unlike Chou on the opposite side, he plays a distinct role, with his runs behind the defence posing a serious threat to opposing teams. Without holding onto the ball for too long, he keeps the play moving forward with a quick passing tempo, making him an indispensable “lubricant” in Japan’s U-20 team.

ESP: Un ágil extremo derecho. A diferencia de Chou en el lado opuesto, cumple un rol distinto, y sus desmarques en profundidad representan una amenaza seria para los equipos rivales. Sin retener demasiado el balón, mantiene el juego en avance con un ritmo rápido de pases, lo que lo convierte en una pieza indispensable, un verdadero “lubricante” en la selección sub-20 de Japón.

6 若月 樹 WAKATSUKI TATSUKI

The defensive midfielder for Japan’s U-20 national team. His intense, watchful playstyle is symbolised by the dark circles under his eyes, as he constantly scrutinises the opposition’s movements. When the opponents alter their attacking approach, he’s the first to notice and sound the alarm for the entire team, serving as their primary “sensor.”

ESP: El mediocampista defensivo de la selección sub-20 de Japón. Su estilo de juego, marcado por una observación constante de los movimientos del rival, se refleja en las notables ojeras bajo sus ojos. Cuando los oponentes cambian su enfoque de ataque, es el primero en darse cuenta y alerta a todo el equipo, actuando como el “sensor” principal del conjunto.

7 颯 波留 HAYATE HARU

A defensive midfielder known for his height, which he uses effectively to intercept the starting points of the opposition’s attacks. Avoiding high-risk moves, he focuses on stalling the play when possession is lost, giving the defence time to reorganise. He plays a crucial role in controlling the pace of the game.

ESP: Un mediocampista defensivo conocido por su altura, que utiliza eficazmente para interceptar los puntos de inicio de los ataques rivales. Evita movimientos arriesgados y se centra en frenar el juego cuando se pierde la posesión, dando tiempo a la defensa para reorganizarse. Cumple un papel crucial en el control del ritmo del partido.

5 蛇来弥勒 DARAI MIROKU

The left-back for Japan’s U-20 national team. He sports body paint on his head and arms that resembles tattoos. Skilled at reading the opponent’s moves in advance and shutting them down, he doesn’t fall for the same attacking pattern twice. When his team is on the offensive, he slips behind the opposition’s defence.

ESP: El lateral izquierdo de la selección sub-20 de Japón. Lleva pintura corporal en la cabeza y los brazos que simulan tatuajes. Es hábil para anticipar los movimientos del oponente y bloquearlos, de modo que el mismo patrón de ataque no funciona en repetidas ocasiones. Cuando su equipo está al ataque, se infiltra por detrás de la defensa rival.

3 仁王和真 NIOU KAZUMA

A centre-back for Japan’s U-20 national team. Known for his rough, physical style of defence, he overwhelms the opposing attack. In particular, he displays an exceptional strength in ball duels, unusual for a Japanese player, and his signature move, the “Doberman Charge,” repels offensive plays with force.

ESP: Un defensa central de la selección sub-20 de Japón. Conocido por su estilo defensivo rudo y físico, es capaz de dominar a la ofensiva rival. En especial, muestra una fuerza inusual para un jugador japonés en las disputas por el balón, y su movimiento característico, la “Carga Doberman,” repele los ataques con potencia.

4 音留徹平 NERU TEPPEI

The right-back for Japan’s U-20 national team. His agility is among the best in the team, with impressive acceleration that allows him to reach top speed almost instantly. He covers the entire pitch, from the backline to the front, playing a crucial role in both attack and defence, serving as the unsung workhorse of the team.

ESP: El lateral derecho de la selección sub-20 de Japón. Su agilidad es de las mejores en el equipo, destacándose por una aceleración impresionante que le permite alcanzar la velocidad máxima casi al instante. Recorre todo el campo, desde la línea de fondo hasta el ataque, desempeñando un papel crucial tanto en defensa como en ofensiva, siendo el caballo de batalla no reconocido del equipo.

1 不角源 FUKAKU GEN

The goalkeeper for Japan’s U-20 national team. As the final barrier in a team built on strong back-line play and swift counterattacks, his greatest strength is his reliable decision-making. He shares a strong foundation of trust with centre-back Aiku When moving to the offensive, he initiates counterattacks with pinpoint long passes.

ESP: El portero de la selección sub-20 de Japón. Como último baluarte en un equipo que se basa en una sólida línea de fondo y rápidos contraataques, su mayor fortaleza es la confiabilidad en sus decisiones. Comparte una base de confianza sólida con el defensa central Aiku. Al pasar a la ofensiva, lanza los contraataques con precisos pases largos.

Substitute Player

13 士道龍聖 SHIDOU RYUSEI

A striker recruited from “Blue Lock” to join Japan’s U-20 national team, specialising in ultra-attacking play. His goal-scoring instincts within the penalty area are sharper than anyone else’s, and he possesses astonishing physical ability, able to shoot from any position. As an outlier among the otherwise pure-hearted team, he has the potential to spark unknown chemical reactions.

ESP: Un delantero reclutado desde “Blue Lock” para unirse a la selección sub-20 de Japón, especializado en un estilo de juego ultrafocalizado en el ataque. Su instinto para el gol dentro del área penal es más agudo que el de cualquiera, y posee una capacidad física asombrosa, capaz de disparar desde cualquier posición. Como un elemento extraño entre un equipo de ideales puros, tiene el potencial de provocar reacciones químicas desconocidas.

[ggprtfolio]

LUCHA LIBRE ZINE

Riso printed zine looked at the masked wrestlers - Luchadors.

My end of year project from my first year at university , I’m fascinated by professional wrestling so being able to explore it and take it into a physical art form was an amazing, but complicated, experience.

Sold physical copies and prints at a local art festival

[jacqulinetan]

On writing fanfiction

Exactly one person hinted that this might be helpful and I thought, well, okay, why not? tonight I have the time. I've been collecting thoughts for awhile and posting fic for more than a decade (writing longer than that!) so why not create a little manifesto of sorts.

A [not at all comprehensive] guide to writing and sharing fic - for beginners - from someone who is serious about writing fanfic as a hobby but casual about everything else:

On logistics:

Where should one write? I use google docs. Recently there's been some discussion about not using gdocs because of AI concerns, and I think if you are sharing nsfw files with other users there is a nebulous risk of losing access to the file... so I've heard. Tbh I cannot speak to the actual risk of either of these things. But I like gdocs because it's free and I can access the same doc from my phone as my desktop which is good for on-the-go thoughts. Other programs that people like are scrivener (costs money - but everybody who uses it says its worth it) and libre office (I tried this and didn't like it, but only because I'm used to gdocs). There are other programs out there, but these are the ones I feel I hear about the most. For me personally, I also have a notebook. If I'm inspired and want to get some scene or dialogue out quickly, writing analog is fastest for me and I find my thoughts flow well like that too.

Where should one post? Archive of our own dot org. There are other fic sites (wattpad) but none of them have the legendary tagging system that ao3 has - more on this later. On ao3 you will need to create an account (if you need an invitation, I'm not sure if you do, but if you do I will personally give one to you, just dm me). But you can post fic under your user handle or anonymously. When you browse the site, you will see that everything is separated by fandom, then by pairing (though non pairing/romance or 'gen fic' is fine too), then by characters involved, then other tags. I imagine it's overwhelming if you are not there a lot, but when you post, the form guides you for what to fill out (e.g. you will fill out the fields before you drop in your fic). You can always edit later if you want to change things around, but ao3 does not have an algorithm, so people will find your fic based on 1) the time it was originally posted or more likely 2) the tags that give an idea of what the story is about. I could write for ten thousand years about the merits of ao3, but like most things, you have to just get in there and try it out.

Other people who are smarter than me and know more than me can write and have written huge, in depth explanations for how to use features, and work skins, and the beautiful bells and whistles of ao3, but here is the down and dirty kind of explaining for sorting and filtering. I'm not going for nuance, I'm going for broad stroke understanding, and the nuance can come later. On ao3 fic 'metrics' we have hits (clicks), kudos (basically a 'like'), and bookmarks -- as a reader you can sort by any of these, which basically means you can move more popular fics to the top based on your preferences. And as a writer, it means you are hungry for people to kudos or bookmark your fic so that it potentially gets more eyes on it. Well, that's kinda putting the cart before the horse so to speak, if you're just getting started, but it is nice for your work to get feedback.

Tagging beyond pairing and character is important because it's how people will differentiate your fic from the others. This is things like 'canon compliant' or 'post canon' or 'coffee shop au' or 'enemies to lovers' or 'anal sex' or 'Bottom Shiro' or literally anything. Literally anything. These can be big tags ("wrangled tags") that everybody uses commonly enough that they are their own kind of category ('dom/sub') or random silly things you want to advertise with (e.g. 'blatant disregard for hoverbike safety'). You can add as many tags as you like. There are no rules to writing fanfic but tagging content warnings appropriately is important to readers, and you will find YOUR people most expediently if you tag honestly and robustly. Again, I could write 150k just about the intricacies of using ao3 as a reader AND writer, but 1) there are other folks who have done it better already/know more than me and 2) you really just gotta get in there and play around to understand it.

I am always happy to talk about fic and so if any questions about logistics arise, I will happily try to help. ao3 also has help pages and support. One random but important note is that the crux of ao3 is that it is an ARCHIVE only (so there is minimal moderation of content, to an extent ) and not for profit, so you must never ever mention money exchanged for fic there. if a work is a commission or something of that nature, that is fine, just mention it on socials or elsewhere, do not put put that in the summary or author's notes, etc as it will cause your work to be removed for legal reasons.

On writing:

The best advice for writing is the easiest to give and the most useless to receive: you really do just have to write. Write, write, write. That is the only way you will find what works for you, the only way you will get better, the only way you will tell your story. Since my goal is not to be patronizing, I will not say that. I will try to give some random and interesting tips that really get to the heart of what I feel you need to know (in my world of healthcare we call this type of information 'clinical pearls' LOL)

Getting started -

It's likely that there is a specific scene you want to write and that's why you're considering starting a piece in the first place. That's grand. All you need is that little bit of inspo!! when you're crafting a story around that point, try to drop the reader in at a time that is interesting/exciting/unexpected. if you're just starting out and all you have is the inspo scene, write that. then you can decide if that gives a full enough picture on it's own (fics don't have to be hugely long, esp in the beginning of your writing journey) or what else you want to add to be satisfied.

For me, I usually have an idea in a google doc and some bits of dialogue or random stuff that goes along with the idea as I got random inspiration. then when I want to start on a new work, I try to conjure up one scene that will get me rolling -- from there I can just keep writing what comes next. As a less experienced fanfic writer I wrote more outlines and was more methodical. when I'm writing now I don't really know how things end (except for in a very vague sense) until I'm actually writing the ending. this makes writing a lot of fun for me. when I write fic, I am my own audience and I am writing for my own entertainment.

Establish a setting -

I feel like a lot of less experienced writers fail to place these characters in a setting. If I open a fic and it's just mostly dialogue (chat fic, I'm looking at you, darling) I'm thinking ?? okay ?? are they floating in space??? what is happening?? I don't like chat fic. Give people an anchor at the very least and try to remember that the reader doesn't have your Mind's Eye and they will likely not know what you are imagining unless you explicitly state it. this might seem obvious, but writers who are good at setting are remarkably good at writing, I think. also, I do not like to open with dialogue but that's personal preference.

Magical paperclip moment -

Along the same lines as grounding the characters in setting, I like to add in what I call in my mind 'magical paperclip moments.' This is something I made up (I'm insane, btw) after being really impressed with a writer's work (I think in the hetalia fandom, I wish I knew the exact fic because it quite literally changed my life). anyways, the characters are having a conversation in the fic, and the author randomly added in a line about one of the guys playing with a paperclip while they talked. It did not move the plot forward, it was not important to the guy's character, it was just a random idiosyncrasy that made the story feel real. magical stuff. I love that.

Decide on vibes-

This is a big one for me!!! at the beginning of my working google doc I usually have some random notes, a running list of tags, etc, but I also have a category for ~vibes~ In other words, I am thinking hard about what kind of overall feeling I want the piece to have, and I am thinking about what kind of feeling I want to invoke in the reader. should this story be dreamy? Gritty? Fast paced? Emotional? And then it really helps direct the scenes because I'm trying to stay within that framework of vibes for the reader. So I try not to write just the story alone, but also the tone of the work. Also having a theme in mind, or a motif that runs throughout, can really make a work powerful

The POV has a voice-

This depends on the style of the writer, but for my work, it's HUGE. If I'm writing from the POV of one character and it is identical to the POV of another character, I am not doing a good job. through the way things are described, the tone, whether the writing is more formal vs casual, all of this can help establish the voice of the fic. the fics that I've written that are the most stand out, or the most entertaining, or the most popular - all of them have a very distinct character voice to them that matches the story and the tone of the fic, and helps characterize the pov. it's not for everyone, but to me this is the single most important thing to elevate a story into something special

Writer's block-

Getting stuck is inevitable. When you're stuck, you have two options: grind it out or let it simmer. Grinding through the block is not for the faint of heart - by this I mean literally chain yourself to the laptop and poke out word after painful word until the words start to flow. This could take hours and hours and barely result in a paragraph.... that you might scrap later. But, sometimes it can be enough to break through the block. If you let it simmer, that's more gentle - take a shower, go to the grocery store, go on a walk, etc. If that's not enough, read, watch tv, consume some other kind of media that fills your cup. Let your brain work out the block in your background processes. return to the fic when you really want to and then you will be ready.

Two things I always think of when I don't know what comes next in a story: What would I as a reader be so insanely stoked to see happen next??? and What would be unexpected or exciting here?

On community:

You can't really talk about the transformative work of writing fanfiction without mentioning the fandom as community. I have a lot of precious thoughts about this, but I will keep things brief here. Fic is shared in a dialogue with other fans - it is not sold, it is not beholden to canon, it is not for the satisfaction of the original work. People are writing purely because they want to and that is an amazing and powerful thing !!!!!

Comments -

Well we all want comments because we love to hear about how people love our take on our precious blorbos. But you have to leave comments on other folks work too. truly, as a writer, you have to. I think this is a good way to start finding your people: read fic that excites you -> leave a comment there -> see who else left comments -> read their fics -> look at their bookmarks -> read more fics -> leave more comments -> you will start to 'know' the people who like the same thing as you. you will start to have readers! you will find writers that inspire you! you will get better at writing! you will be in fandom!

One important thing to note for new to fanfic folks is that construct criticism of any kind is not welcome on fanfiction. it's not needed because the author is SHARING fic with you - I am by no means the first person to say this, but think of it like going to their house and eating their home cooked meal... if it's not to your taste, peace out. just leave. no need to let them know. this is doubly true if you don't like the content of a fic. simply leave...it's not for you, so find something that is. or make your own thing. As a writer, if someone is not following this basic fandom decorum, and they hurt your feelings with a nasty comment, you need to remember that they are the one in the wrong - they are being rude and you are justified to feel irritated or hurt. if you've tagged your own work appropriately, then you haven't done anything wrong by writing your fic.

Social media-

Two things about writing and social media (fandom circles of socials). 1. be insane about one particular thing, that will be your brand and bring you people and be fun. you don't have to do this, you could just be insane about a lot of things, but I think having one niche interest that really gets you going is good. that's my opinion! 2. never publicly discredit your work. don't say "LOL I suck at summaries" in the summary of the fic. don't put yourself down even if you have doubts about your writing....you can improve without doing that!!!

Sharing your fics in a post on twitter or bluesky is a good way to get more people to click on them, esp if you are a new writer. sometimes you will see people make pretty little title cards - they are making these on canva dot com and it is easy and free to use. I love doing this and it took me awhile to figure out how my favorite writers were making such pretty title cards for their fics. so now you know!

On concluding:

I can't imagine the resiliency of the readers who made it to this point!!!!!!!!! WOW !! Obviously I will post this with the caveat that I am just one little girlie and there are a lot of fic writing folks out there, some of them much more well spoken and more knowledgeable and better writers than me, and maybe if they posted a similar essay, it would have completely different content. that is okay and I am not sad about it. in other words, I do not pretend to be an authority on any of this, I am just a person who loves writing fanfiction and this is what I would tell a complete beginner <3 thank you for reading <3

[postoctobrist]

Do you have a Fragrantica page I can follow OR do you want to give some quick, free form poems based on smells?

I wear État Libre d’Orange’s ‘Fin du Monde’ and Chanel Coromandel

[metalichotchoco]

Ever since I found out that my baby girl Edgar has an actual high end perfume based on him Miguel matos’ “electric dreams” I thought it could be fun to talk about what some other computers would smell like based on their personalities, stories and overall vibes.

Since Edgar has a perfume already I might as well talk about it

Released in 2021, they describe this scent as being “digital hormones” and trying to understand an emotion and failing at it, which works well for Edgar very well. Electric dreams as a whole lives in the pre internet age of the 80s and how hopeful that dream of the future was in the minds of the people. I love that they included the cheap champagne that miles spills on Edgar as a note here. The other scents are contextualized with the youth of the 80s, strawberry gum and tutti frutti soda, plastic flowers and clean laundry. Even the part where Edgar overheats at the end is in the smoke note. It’s categorized as chypre fruity and I think some other scents fit Edgar very well.

In love with everything by imaginary authors is glitzy and bright almost like those arcade cabinets introduced in the era.its based on the young adults of the time specifically the women, the joys of recklessness. Inexhaustible enthusiasm. To me Edgar is a sugar sweet summer.

Edgar is characterized by the era he was born in, something actually a lot of sentient computers share. As technology morphs and evolves with humanity, our ideas and outlooks also change with it. Electric dreams is coated in the neon lit nostalgia of the 80s, and in a weird twist of fate its legacy is of the 80s as well. The commercialism of it as a whole is what’s remembered most prominently, the song that was made for the movie has outlived its original context. Honorable mentions to age of innocence by Toskovat but I don’t think the rubber or gasoline notes fit him well. Fantômas by Nasomatto is pretty good being a fruity clearly fake fragrance though the gunpowder might be a bit much.

Moving forward, let’s talk about HAL

While technically she was an anomaly by Etat Libre d’Orange makes direct reference to him and his most iconic line, this scent is based on the marriage of Nina Simone and Stanley Kubrick. If hal was human in any shape or form this fragrance would be a generally good fit, as it’s clean professional and one of those your skin but better scents that’s prefect for workplaces.

Eu de space from nasa could work pretty well though it’s not exact. This is a photorealistic space scent with metals and plastics and ozone notes but Hal isn’t directly in space, he’s what the ship would smell like. The burnt sweet quality doesn’t mix well with how pristine and rigid the character is. Spacewalk by Demeter also has a bit of similar problem being a bit too sweet but the soapiness does add points in my opinion. Hal is the sharpness of metal and ozone on your nose to me, not the smell of a hospital or sanitizer but the smell of something newly plastic. Skiing on Europa could be that but unfortunately it’s a little more niche.

Last but not least for now, let’s talk about am, there’s so many different ways to go with am, none being particularly good smelling but there’s so much you could do for him. You can go with the fact that he’s the whole planet, add in soil, rock,gasoline as accords, you can do the religious angle that he has that can pair well with other ideas, use wine or incense and wax like in with the candlestick by clue, you can do blood, sweat, tears and skin to represent the survivors who are now a part of him. Warm electronics, tar, gunpowder there’s so many distinct parts of him.

I think that the two I’m going to single out in terms of perfume are ones that take inspiration from what am’s original function was which is war. And that’s inexcusable evil by toskovat and Molotov cocktail by sylhouette perfumes

Inexcusable evil is infamous in the fragrance and perfume world for its incredibly strong violent smell, it’s a hospital ward ravaged by war. That is its story. Memories that are lost to the tide of battle. “The next war will decide not what is right but what is left.”

Molotov cocktail goes more personal but is still a war scent, the top notes are gasoline,vodka and pepper. the middle notes are blood sweat and rubber and the base is metal, iodine, musk and leather. More animalic and close but both work on the scales that am is a threat in, he’s both a world ender but also a personal tormentor, he spans the globe but also cannot leave his confinement

[chic-a-gigot]

Mode-palace : album mensuel des dernières créations parisiennes. No. 7, juillet 1904, Paris. Planche coloriée 831. Costumes de promenade. Bibliothèque nationale de France

Première toilette, en soie souple grise à rayures noires satinées. Jupe froncée aux hanches et coulissée sous de petits gansés. Boléro froncé, très court, à empiècement plissé, rayé de petits gansés de même soie ; épaulettes piquées et boutonnées. Revers et haute ceinture-corselet, en soie cerise à pois blancs. Boutons en soie cerise. Chemisette en guipure sur filet. Manches très bouffantes, volantées d'alençon. Ombrelle rose, incrustée de guipure sur filet. Capeline d’italie, couronnée de roses et de liens de tulle vert.

First ensemble, in soft gray silk with black satin stripes. Skirt gathered at the hips and tucked under small braids. Gathered bolero, very short, with pleated yoke, striped with small braids of the same silk; stitched and buttoned shoulder pads. Lapels and high corselet belt, in cherry silk with white polka dots. Cherry silk buttons. Guipure shirt on mesh. Very puffy sleeves, ruffled with alençon. Pink umbrella, inlaid with guipure on mesh. Italian capeline, crowned with roses and green tulle ties.

Métrages: soie rayée, 15 mètres; soie cerise, 1 mètre; dentelle, 3 mètres.

—

Seconde toilette. — Robe tailleur, en grosse toile blanche, garnie d'une broderie "de cerises et feuillage" sur toile jaune clair. Jupe à empiècement plat, avec plis pris dans l'empiècement et libres du bas. La jupe est garnie de deux plis "religieuse", s’arrêtant au tablier. Boléro fermé par des boutons de toile blanche. Manches volantées d’alençon. En colure en vieux venise. Chapeau en paille de bois, blé, orné de satin cerise et d’un gros bouquet de cerises, avec feuilles formant tout le fond du chapeau. Ombrelle ornée de dentelle.

Second ensemble. — Tailored dress, in large white canvas, trimmed with “cherry and foliage” embroidery on light yellow canvas. Skirt with flat yoke, with pleats caught in the yoke and free at the bottom. The skirt is trimmed with two "religious" pleats, ending at the apron. Bolero closed with white canvas buttons. Ruffled alençon sleeves. In old Venice color. Hat in wooden straw, wheat, decorated with cherry satin and a large bouquet of cherries, with leaves forming the entire bottom of the hat. Umbrella decorated with lace.

Métrages: toile, 6 mètres; dentelle, 2 mètres.

[sabinerondissime]

Vivre en couple sans amour

Vivre en couple est compliqué, surtout quand les différences sont aussi marquées que dans mon mariage. Mon mari et moi ne partageons plus rien d’un couple traditionnel, mais nous nous entendons bien. Il me laisse libre, ne m’impose rien, ne m'espionne pas. Pourtant, cette liberté s'arrête là : je ne suis pas libre d’aimer ailleurs. Je resterais discrète si je rencontrais quelqu’un, mais devoir le cacher ne me ressemble pas. Je ne pars pas, surtout pour des raisons financières, mais aussi parce que c’est confortable ainsi.

Avec lui, je vis sans pression. Il ne me reproche rien, ne me demande rien. Je peux ne pas faire le ménage, ne pas cuisiner, partir seule si j’en ai envie, il ne dit rien. Il ne regarde pas mon téléphone, ne me surveille pas. C’est une forme de paix, et je crois qu’il préfère ne pas savoir ce qui ne le concerne pas. Cela rend la cohabitation facile, presque confortable. Il y a longtemps qu’il n’y a plus d’amour, mais il y a une entente tranquille, sans conflits, sans attentes… et c’est déjà beaucoup.

Nous dormons dans des chambres séparées et n’avons plus de relations intimes depuis sept ans. Il n’y a ni tendresse, ni mots doux, ni élan amoureux. Pourtant, je reste. Pas seulement par habitude ou sécurité, mais parce que je ne crois pas qu’un autre homme me permettrait la même liberté ou m’aimerait réellement et durablement. J’ai conscience de ce que j’ai, même si ce n’est pas parfait, et je redoute l’illusion de l’amour passionnel qui s’éteint vite.

Je rêve d’un amour vrai, profond, qui comblerait mes manques actuels. Mais dans la réalité, aimer quelqu’un à distance, ressentir le manque, vouloir partager son quotidien sans pouvoir le faire… ce sont des souffrances. Vivre à deux n’est jamais simple. Et je refuse de faire du mal à mon mari ou à notre fils pour un amour qui n’est peut-être qu’un fantasme. Alors je reste là, avec mes rêves, mon besoin d’amour, et cette vie stable mais incomplète.

[la-chacha-gris]

Society demands that women behave conservatively and adhere to harshly imposed roles. But on the other hand, the media and advertising exploit women's bodies, always in the service of male desire. It's an age-old double standard. Sasha also believes it's a huge conflict.

La sociedad exige a las mujeres comportarse de maneras conservadoras y bajo roles impuestos bastante duros. Pero por otra parte, los medios y la publicidad explotan el cuerpo de las mujeres, eso sí, siempre al servicio del deseo masculino. Es un doble estándar antiquísimo. Sasha también cree que es un conflicto muy grande.

“I think it's contradictory, and it's something I've liked to talk about a lot, ever since I was acting in adult films. […] I have no problem with using sex as a form of advertising. The problem is that we don't encourage young women to be comfortable with who they are. We don't encourage them to be strong, to say no when it means no, to say yes when it means yes. That's the fundamental problem. We don't communicate, and without that communication, we're not only creating a society of men who think they can take whatever they want and passive women who don't know how to say no, we're also creating a sexless society, in a way, because I think women, especially now, the younger generations, feel an unhealthy pressure, and no one has told them how to grow up and be a free woman.”

“Creo que es contradictorio y es algo que me gusta hablar mucho, desde que actuaba en películas para adultos. […] no tengo ningún conflicto con utilizar el sexo como publicidad. El problema es que no alentamos a las mujeres jóvenes a estar cómodas con quiénes son. No las alentamos a ser fuertes, a decir que no cuando es no, a decir que sí cuando es sí. Ese es el problema fundamental. No nos comunicamos y sin esa comunicación no estamos sólo creando una sociedad de hombres que piensan que pueden tomar lo que ellos quieran y mujeres pasivas que no saben decir que no, además estamos formando una sociedad asexuada, de cierta forma, porque creo que las mujeres, especialmente ahora, las generaciones más jóvenes sienten una presión insana y nadie les ha dicho cómo crecer y ser una mujer libre”.

Sasha Grey in Chile (link)