#I mean I do but I feel better about humor and build up and dialogue idk

[hangmanbradshaw]

AAAAAHHHHH!!!! That was brilliant!!!! ❤️❤️❤️ also I just AO3 to let me leave kudos more than once 😂

NANAJWJWJ THANK YOUUUUUU 🫶🏼🫣 I was weirdly nervous about that one

[mystreet-liveblog]

Earlier today I thought to myself how Season 1 feels the most iconic despite being the least developed season (from a production and continuity standpoint)

Now I’m trying to think about why. I don’t think the reason has anything to do with the plot or characters or humor, but rather the formatting

Season 1 was a Minecraft Roleplay. Sure it had a few cinematic scenes, but at its core it was a bunch of characters existing and interacting in Minecraft. It was mostly first-person perspective with in-game dialogue read out loud by Aphmau, and it had that nostalgic feeling of playing Minecraft with your friends

None of the other seasons capture that same feeling (so far on my binge anyway). The first-person perspective is still in some bits of PDH S1 and Love~Love Paradise, but they don’t have that same Minecraft-specific vibe to them

The best example I have of what I mean is in S1 when Aphmau is unpacking her boxes and putting up her posters. She is building in Minecraft! You don’t see that past Season 1, where characters take out blocks and place them, because the story slowly starts not-being based in Minecraft

Of course, the switch to cinematic storytelling is by no means a bad thing. I’m just pointing out that the reason Season 1 feels so different is because it’s far more Minecrafty than others. The show slowly stops being a Minecraft Roleplay and starts becoming a “roleplay in Minecraft” during its run

And I think this is also why Season 3 feels sort of disconnected from the rest of the show (I know it’s where a lot of OG fans stopped watching back in the day, myself included). Season 3 is entirely cinematic, with most of the Minecraft aspects gone beyond the medium itself. Even the cats are changed from Minecraft cats to Neko Atsume cats

For the first two seasons, MyStreet was still a Minecraft Roleplay, but the third season made a big leap into TV-show territory. It sort of feels like it came out of nowhere, too, despite previous seasons having fully-cinematic episodes of their own. I can’t quite figure out why it felt so different because of this. Cinematics weren’t new, but perhaps since they often came alongside pov scenes they fit in better

And that makes Season 4 a very interesting case. I haven’t started Season 4 on my binge yet, but something I distinctly remember about it is that it brought back the first-person perspective shots (though I believe from Aaron’s pov this time, establishing him as a season protagonist). I think this is a great idea because it returns those initial S1 vibes I was referring to

Then, as the season gets more plot heavy, the pov gets replaced by more and more cinematics, until the paradigm shift fully establishes MyStreet as a TV-show once again. I think this is what Season 3 needed: a reason to become more TV-like

Season 4 is an MCRP until suddenly it isn’t, and its advancing story becomes deserving of cinematics. Season 3 didn’t entirely earn this shift. MyStreet has always been TV-like but it wasn’t a proper show until Season 4. Or, more accurately, it became a show in S3, then reverted back for a proper transition in S4

I still like S3 and its cinematics, but I also admit that it could’ve benefitted from taking itself a little less seriously at certain times. The pov shots are comedic because they remind the audience “oh yeah, this is a video game!” I don’t think S3 did anything wrong, but just by simply being different it created a different vibe to the whole thing

Anyway, I’m looking forward to starting S4 soon, and seeing if this post holds up by the end of it

[fallenhero-rebirth]

Got asked for some writing advice

How did you improve your writing specifically beyond 'just writing more'?

The first thing is to read different things from different genres. Read an old book, and see how that is written. Read a genre you normally don't read. Read some poetry. Go to the library and walk to a random book, open it in the middle and read. Read on paper, and out loud. And then read some more. And when you read, try to think about why you don't like or likes something. Is it boring? Why? Is it hard to understand? Why? What is it in the words you like? Does it feel good to read out loud? If it doesn't, why not?

A tip is to take a book you think is interesting. Take a paragraph from the middle at random, and write it down in a word document. Pay attention to how it feels to write. How are the sentences? Do they feel different from your own? Close the book and continue to write a few paragraphs. Does your style change? What is the difference between your paragraphs and the one above? Sentence length? Comma use? Does it make it better or worse

Another tip is to write down a bit of dialogue from a tv show or movie you like. There might be transcripts online even. Take that dialogue and write a scene with it. Especially if you find dialogue hard to sound natural this might be freeing. Or, you might even find that what sounded good on the screen looks terrible on paper when it's not said by a charismatic actor.

A third is to write fanfiction and try to make it as good as you can. Try to make it real, as if it might have been from the original source. Think about what it was you liked about it, and then try to imitate that and make your own story. Fanfiction gets a bad rep, but it is a great way to experiment with writing without having to come up with characters and a world. That way you can just focus on the language.

Would you have any tips regarding writing interesting characters? Mine are always very flat and bland OR 'mary sues'

First of all, there is nothing wrong with a "mary sue". The way this is used these days, it might as well mean "protagonist". If Batman or James Bond can get away with their shit, your protagonist certainly can too. And your characters will be flat at the start because a story consists of so many parts. You have your language, your plot, your world, your story rhythm. And when you are starting out, there's simply too many things to focus on. You won't get depth in all of them, and the characters are what you spot being flat first, because that's usually what attracts us to a story in the first place.

My characters were terribly flat when I started out, but I wrote short story horror so it didn't matter. Nobody read that for the characters.

A trick I have to try to get my characters to feel alive is to write arguments. Take two characters you have trouble with and let them talk. Argue about something. Be stuck in an awkward situation together. Don't bother writing anything but dialogue, never mind the actual scene. Just write them talking, and after a while you might get a feel for how they feel different from one another. Maybe they start talking about things about them that you didn't even know. Explore. Have fun. Have them say something weird. Something hurtful. Write reactions. Don't bother thinking if it's usable or not. I've written pages of dialogue just to get a feel for how people talk.

I usually build characters by combining archetypes. I start with one people will know immediately, then add another, and a third. They will be uncovered one at a time, adding depth. Let's take Ricardo Ortega for example. The first archetype is "the sexy leading man/hero". Then, we get to know what I fondly call "the himbo". And finally, we discover "the clever, sneaky asshole". I didn't need to bring in all those things at once, as long as I got writing the first archetype, people would be interested and intrigued when they learned about the new facets.

Would you have any tips on writing humor/banter? You're pretty dang good at it but I could never figure out how to be funny lmao all the jokes I write are Extremely Cringe.

Oh I wish. I honestly have no idea. I was terrible writing characters and dialogue. I think something clicked when I wrote massive amounts of DA2 fanfic, because that was a game which consisted of nothing but banter, so I tried to mimic it the best I could. I have never liked comedies or really understood humor, so I never try to be funny. It's the one part of my writing I truly does not understand, some of my characters are just like that.

What's your plot planning process like, if you have a consistent one? I can only figure out the very generic broad strokes but it falls apart as soon as I try to come up with details.

All plots are generic broad strokes. Rebirth is basically just emo protagonist monologues a lot, meets up with some old friends and proceeds to beat them up. That's it. All plots will look flat and boring in your head, because what makes a plot cool and interesting is that you don't know what's going to happen. You do. You're the author. So of course it will look flat and uninteresting in your head. The hardest thing is trying to ignore this.

My workaround to this is only knowing the barest of broad strokes. I know where I want to go, who the opposition is, some basic scenes that needs to be there (not in detail) and then I write and discover things as I go along. That is the only way for me to remain interested in the plot, if I had planned it in detail I'd get bored. And oh, sure, there's a lot of foreshadowing and hidden things in my writing, but that's only because I know some big things that's going to happen. It's not like I have sat down and detail planned every chapter, what things I need to plant there, and so on. A lot of the times I forget things, and have to go back and add them, and so on. I would say focus on the characters before the plot. If you manage to figure out how to write fun characters first, nobody will care if the plot is bland.

[chryblossomjjk]

bts fic recommendations | 03.14.23

→ hi friends! this is a little segment i do every tuesday (reviewsday get it, aren’t i funny, pls tell me how funny i am) where i read and review two-three fics. as a content creator, i know how big of a role other creators play in your growth, therefore, i want to do my part in making sure everyone gets the recognition they deserve! so with that being said, please check out the amazing fics listed below. make sure to like, reblog, and leave feedback! ♡ #reviewsday #kikirecs

banana clip - @vvh0adie (jhs x jjk x reader | angst, fluff, smut)

summary: nature is great at putting you to sleep. but man-made objects are just as good at waking you up with annoyance. and they’re even better at messing with your senses overall. but nature also made the two most wonderful men who you get to call your boyfriends, and they know just how to comfort you.

for one, let me just say this graphic goes crazy eep!!!

also let me just say, you would write a mean fantasy fic bc the scene setting in the first segment is so good. YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT WORLD BUILDING?? YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT WORLD BUILDING???? YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT MAKING THE SETTING REFLECT THE CHARACTER??? THIS IS IT!!

also i think the representation in the fic is so fucking important like- to have the reader be queer, chubby, and neurodivergent and then depicting in detail the things that come along with it is really great!! especially bc so many young adults read fanfic and thats such a complex time where you're juggling different parts of your identity and how they coexist!! just seriously thank you for writing this!!

"His large hands make haste of grabbing as much of your ass as he possibly can and giving it a good squeeze, oil slick painted nails leaving crescent indentation on your melanated skin. The succulent pain causes a moan to escape your lips. You always knew how to break them down, but he could play too."

oof when i tell u i read this paragraph multiple fucking times bc YOU PICKED OIL SLICK NAIL HOBI I COULD DESTROY MY FUCKING ROOM RN LMAO

“Ah, fuck, it’s times like these when I remember how much of a slut you are.”

dom hobi rattles the fucking peanut in my skull bc i know for a fact that man is the kinkest dom sex freak out here PLS!!! and the mentions of kook throughout made everything incredibly hotter like uGh!! and then i really love when sweet aftercare n cleaning up is added into fanfic after a dommy moment :') <3 overall, this was the hottest shit ever pls fucking read this yall NOW I SAY NOW LMAO!!

paired & pierced - @yoon-kooks (jjk x reader | college au, smut, fluff)

summary: when your professor assigns a collaborative midterm project, you’re paired up with jeon jungkook, the quiet grumpy smartass who keeps to himself and doesn’t fuck with popular kids like you. if you can win him over, he might give you a taste of the tatted and pierced body he’s carefully tucked away beneath those oversized hoodies.

so as soon as i saw that pairing i knew i was a goner!! but babe, this fic made me discover kinks i didn't even know i had like erm?? CAWK TATTOO??? OF A SNAKE???

I HAVE A NEW FETISH LMAO!!! thats like one of the hottest visuals i've ever read in fanfic and it will plague my daydreams from here on out!

where does one find a friend like oc who hooks you up with men like JUNG HOSEOK ?? she is so real for that (one is incredibly lonely despite having friends and never gets checked on by those around her unless they need something which i feel like is so relatable to so many people like i can totally tell why so many readers were drawn to this fic)!! and tim can catch this knuckle sandwich bc FUCK HIM >:(

also the newborn joke made me audibly crack up like the bleak dry humor is fucking hilarious to me-

and i just love their dynamic? like the way you wrote their dialogue is just so natural, which seems simple on the outside but as fic writer i understand that writing believable dialogue is so INSANELY difficult like you literally have to be an a1 writer to nail it as good as you did in this fic!! the talent is screaming!! same goes for the smut!! it was so fucking hot and everything kook said had my coochie wet pls!! i just love the switch for apathetic to complete sex god uGh! i love u n this saur fucking much!!

nature cafe - @virgodolls (jjk x reader | s2l)

oh my goodness i love this so much! like when you told me you were a new writer on here i was already extremely excited, but after reading this, my excitement for your future works has doubled, TRIPLED! you are bringing something new and refreshing to the table! like don't get me wrong i looooveee smut (legit all i write is smut-) but slice of life content is kind of hard to find on this platform! so reading this was such a welcomed change and i loved it wholeheartedly!

you really have a knack for writing in the perspective of the character, which is not an easy thing to do AT ALL! ITS SO DIFFICULT! AND YOU EXECUTED IT SO FLAWLESSY HERE AND ITS ONLY YOUR FIRST FIC? PLS THE TALENT IS UNREAL!!

i also really loved this oc! as someone who is also v sensitive and easily overwhelmed, i didn't find her annoying at all, just incredibly endearing and relatable! THIS JUNGKOOK IS ALSO SUCH BOYFRIEND MATERIAL AND SO SWEET LIKE IM TRYING TO PICK HIM UP TOO UM??? anyways, thank you for sharing your writing! its definitely so scary at first but you did it and you should be v proud of yourself!! i am proud of you!!

[piratefalls]

20 questions for fic writers

tagged by @ninzied! thank you friend!

How many works do you have on ao3?

40!

What's your total ao3 word count?

169,903, which is a shock to me because it really doesn't feel like that much.

What fandoms do you write for?

previously teen wolf/sterek and hawaii five-0/mcdanno, currently taking my first stab at rwrb/firstprince

Top five fics by kudos:

(Waiting) Until the Sky Falls Down on Me (sterek)

Today and Every Day (sterek)

I'm Gonna Give All My Secrets Away (stanny)

Man, Interrupted (sterek)

it's my (pants) party and i'll cry if i want to (sterek)

Do you respond to comments?

i do my best! sometimes i'm terrible at it, but i try!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't really do angsty endings! I'm a HEA kinda girl.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

probably either Today and Every Day or it's like taking a guess when the only answer is yes because they both end in proposals lol

Do you get hate on fics?

never hate, but i've had a comment here and there that wasn't necessarily appreciated

Do you write smut?

not really anymore. i got myself to do it because it felt like the only thing that got traction and maybe if that was good enough it'd be a gateway to the stuff i enjoyed writing (and, frankly, stuff i spent far more time on). and i don't think i'm particularly good at smut anyway lol. but if given the choice between smut or funny/introspective i'm gonna go with the latter every time.

Craziest crossover:

I haven't done a crossover!

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

so idk who remembers this but a while ago there were people who would post people's fics to Goodreads and one of mine wound up there and those reviews hurt my feelings enough that i quit writing for a while after.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

not to my knowledge!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

haven't, but i think it could be fun with the right partner!

All time favorite ship?

this is an impossible question and i can't choose. i love them all equally, just for different reasons.

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

good lord my person of interest post-canon fic. will anyone read it? very unlikely. is it the principle of the thing? yes.

What are your writing strengths?

i genuinely have no idea. i've never given it any real thought. i mean, the build of what i write is some form of introspection mixed with humor, so probably those things.

What are your writing weaknesses?

plot and world building. i'm useless at it, for the most part. and like i said above, i don't think i'm great at smut. it's passable at best.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

i love it. though i do miss the days when people regularly utilized that hover function that would show the translation if you left your mouse over the phrase for a few seconds. way better than having to scroll down to the notes for the translation.

First fandom you wrote in?

teen wolf. much simpler times.

Favorite fic you've written?

I don't have a single favorite so I'm gonna go with a few for different reasons

humor: Got Your Body On My Mind (I Want it Bad) - mcdanno & co get sent to a sexual harassment training seminar. chaos ensues.

character analysis: Written in the Scars on Our Hearts - steve mcgarrett and all the ways a person can be touched and the

most cathartic: & lift him back up again - working through my own grief by making a character sad

crack, my beloved: it's my (pants) party and i'll cry if i want to - every time stiles orgasms his dick sounds like a party horn. there's glitter come. i might have been hammered.

tagging @wellhalesbells @priincebutt + i feel like doing an open tag for anyone who wants to share what they love about their work!

[corviids]

hi birdie! just saw your post about impostor syndrome hitting you and i just wanted to remind you what an excellent artist and writer you are. i know it's difficult to think so when impostor syndrome is at its highest, but i do hope this brings some comfort anyways! <3

as a writer, i cannot being to explain why your writings are out of this world, insane, crazy, wonderful. whatever emotion you try to go for, you achieve it in a way that it just clings to the reader's mind and carves a place in our bones. your dialogues, your world-building, the details, the characterisation, the sadness, the joy, the despair, the love, the yearning, the rage, the passion…. i've cried reading your writings, because they hit so hard in my heart that i just cannot stay quiet about it. and i have devoured your smut, and i have laughed with the lucemond kids' shenanigans. you have a way with words, you are so unique. i consume every single piece you publish, and i would consume any book of your own if you published, too. you were one of the first writers i read and followed when i came to this fandom and i just hope i can keep supporting you in anything you do.

as an artist, your talent knows no limits. that magic you have putting emotions into words, well, you also have it when you draw the faces of your characters. it's like looking at them in the eye, their smiles and the twitches and tilts you capture so well, and it feels like i'm looking at a real person with real emotions. i'm in love with your style, from the sketch to the colouring to the way i can see any of your art out of context and know it's yours. you have magic in your fingers, and daily dust in your soul and in your mind, and that's why every single piece you draw and you write is a treasure to be kept and protected, love and cherished.

personally, i know we haven't talked much, but you have been so kind to me. and i just love your sense of humor, your commitment, the way you treat with such respect and love your readers. how you give your heart to answer to our asks and questions just as you give it to create content.

we're very lucky to have you in this fandom, a nd i will always be grateful for every single thing that you have given us that has made me fell even more in love with lucerys, with aemond, with lucemond. with this site and with the culture of fan creating and providing.

you're a star, and i just hope i can continue to see how much you achieve as time goes by! we have your back! you don't know how much your writings and your art mean to people, and i know because i'm one of those and i have friends with whom i talked about your creations! you made hundreds of people from different places in the world to fall in love with what you do! i would say that's such a pretty neat job! <3 <3 <3

hope you feel better soon! i'm here if you ever need to talk! sending you the biggest hug and the best of vibes!!!!!! <3 <3 <3

i’ve waited a couple days to answer this because i’m genuinely speechless. i don’t cry very easily for reasons but reading this, especially after such a hard day, made me tear up. there really aren’t words to convey how grateful i am for everyone here that has supported my works. lucemond and this little community we have built have really became a safe space for me to ramble and share my stuff without fear.

i’m eternally grateful for every single person that send me asks, comments, or just comes round to check my stuff out. this is one of, if not the kindest things i’ve ever received and i hope that i can continue to make y’all as happy as you all make me <333

[grayintogreen]

I'm actually really excited after reading this interview! It hit a lot of good points !

Lucien hype Lucien Hype Lucien Hype!

“He’s not a good guy,” Roux said. “That was actually one of the best challenges of the book. How do you flesh this person out and how do you explain their life without excusing their behavior? How do you build in these steps where he has all these opportunities to do the right thing, change for the better, self-reflect in a way that might move him down a better path?

Showing that there were ways out and showing that it wasn’t just a foregone conclusion that he was going to be a villain, but always making it a choice that he’s making, to do the selfish thing or to do the easier thing,” Roux continued. “That was sort of my approach — we have to keep his sense of humor. We have to keep his sort of smugness. We have to keep these indelible things that make him a fun villain. You know, the monologuing and the sort of wickedness that he has. Those things have to remain. But always keep in mind, at the end of the day: I don’t want this to be an apology.”

OKAYOKAYOKAY SHE GETS IT. SHE GETS THE ANAKIN SKYWALKER OF IT ALL!! SHE EVEN MENTIONS THE MONOLOGUING.

“I don’t think you can do it correctly if you don’t take into account that this person is an amalgamation of these different souls that end up inhabiting this one body,” Roux said. “And what would that do to you, and does that mean that there’s crossover? You try slipping in juicy little hints here and there. Maybe they’re all meshed together in some sense — or maybe when the spell was cast they were broken apart.” She relied on Jaffe’s performance and Mercer’s improvisation and dialogue to nail down Lucien’s persona. One of the biggest throughlines she identified was Lucien’s reliance on theatricality.

OKAY OKAY OKAY. SHE IS REALLY GETTING IT.

“It’s just performance all the time,” she said, “and how exhausting that is and how draining that is, and how ultimately it’s kind of what leads to his isolation.”

BITING MY FIST. EXCELLENT. PERFECT. Oh my god if I get NOTHING ELSE AT LEAST MY CHARACTERIZATION IS VALIDATED. YOU GET ME MADELEINE. YOU UNDERSTAND THE ASSIGNMENT.

Getting to explore his story in a novel meant that Roux got to flesh out Lucien’s connection to the Somnovem and how he became the Nonagon, as well as the sinister impact that those changes have on his psyche and his body.

“What would it feel like, to stumble across something like this that has its own magical sway over you?” Roux said. It also meant reshaping the established understanding of other villainous NPCs, including the Tombtakers and Cree, the catfolk who Lucien seemed to be closest with in the actual play.

OHHH SHIT. YES PLS. GIMME THE CREECIEN.

“He didn’t come out of the womb monologuing,” she said. “I think what you’re trying to do is find little nuggets of surprise and revelation that you have along the way, so it doesn’t feel like a retread of what’s on screen. You can’t get away from it, but I wanted to stay away from [that] as much as possible because it’s not a book about the Mighty Nein. They are the antagonists of this book in a sense. Although I would argue that it’s mostly [Lucien] himself, it’s man versus man, man versus internal dialogue.

THIS IS ALL I WANTED OH MY GOD IM GOING TO SCREECH.

“But, you know the ending, right? You have to build in surprises,” Roux said. “And not just outside of this new biographical information, which is fun and good. I think what people want to see is: What makes this guy tick? And how did we get here? How did we get to this place? Let’s never lose sight of what people want out of this, and what’s interesting. But I think just [biographical] information is not necessarily compelling. I think we need the heart of him and the heart of his relationship with Cree — she’s the most steady presence in his life. And eventually the other Tombtakers as well.”

CREECIEN CREECIEN CREECIEN.

In conclusion: shaking, crying, throwing up.

[bellisima-writes]

10 Questions for Fic Writers

Thanks so much for the tag @katiefrog217!!

Absolutely NO pressure tagging, but these folks have written some lovely pieces on AO3 and if they want to participate and talk about their art, they deserve to: @di-42, @addledmongoose, @notalostcausejustyet, @hikarry

1. How many works do you have on AO3? |

Two (one completed and one WIP about 40-50% done)

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

*shifts uncomfortably in chair*

According to the stats page I just discovered (seriously how long has THAT thing been there?), I've published 185,536 words on AO3 (WHATTTTTTT in the what?!?).

3. What Fandoms do You Write For?

I've only ever written for Good Omens.

If we want to discuss what other Fandoms I have hyperfixated on and created elaborate stories only to not ever write them down? Then we can also include BBC Sherlock, The X Files, Stranger Things, and my OG from when I was a kid, Star Trek TNG. But I've only ever put pen to paper for Good Omens.

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Every. Single. One. If someone cares enough about what I write to make a comment, I am absolutely responding. The only time I don't respond to each is if there are multiple on a single chapter or I respond to one from a later chapter before the earlier one. Otherwise, I really do try to respond and thank every reader who's ever left me a note. It means the world to me.

5. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope.

6. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I've discussed it briefly with some people and would honestly love to.

7. What's your all-time favorite ship?

Aziraphale/Crowley. Though when I was a kid I was also obsessed with Niles and Daphne from Fraiser and every time I rewatch that show I am right back there (yes...old I know but it was good soup back in the Must See TV Thursday era).

8. What are your Writing Strengths?

Ummm...I think I build good plot, tension and (somewhat) unexpected twists into stories well. I have an inability to not try to figure out puzzles, which makes me annoying to watch movies with but turns out is a good skill for actually building twisty stories.

I also personally think my characterization and dialogue are strong, but that could be up for debate.

9. What are your Writing Weaknesses?

One completed fic and one WIP at 185k words is pretty self explanatory, I think. I spend a lot of time in set up and making sure the plot points I write are earned and while I do lean on the source material, I also feel a compulsive need to build out the motivations of my versions of these characters.

I can't write something thats out of character, my brain literally won't let me. It will get painfully stuck until I admit, this would not happen this way and abandon the scene and start over. I have an entirely written alternate version of the Last Angel that I completely scrapped at one point because it just wasn't right...

I also struggle with descriptive language. It's why I never, ever thought to write before entering this fandom last fall. Fanfiction is such a gift because everyone already has a picture of the world you're writing, of the people who are speaking, of their tone of voice, and so you don't have to spend time describing the landscape or physical qualities. So that huge gap in my skillset doesn't affect the story as much.

And humor. I want to be funny, so badly. And lighthearted. But my stuff tends to lean into the difficult themes in the universes the stories take place in. People who write humor well are unicorns and I worship them. Part of the reason I scrapped that alternate version of the Last Angel was because I was leaning into the funny a lot more and it just ended up not feeling realistic to the situation.

And grammar. My grammar could always grammar better.

10. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

My initial Good Omens fic was the first story I ever wrote.

[beevean]

(Same IDW Silver anon still) Yeah no actually I'm putting some more thought into the whole "No, genius. Whisper is her name." part, and what the fuck. There would have been SO many ways to make that line come off as less dickish; hell, the simple act of having Sonic playfully SMILING while he said it would have been so much better than the irked, annoyed face he pulls now. Sonic, that is your friend you are talking to, and I would call their circumstances at that moment hardly warranting of such annoyance towards Silver not understanding something that inoffensive. I'm thinking of 06!Sonic and Silver meeting with Silver's resolve having changed and him just bluntly going "Circumstances have changed. I need to rescue the Princess.". What does Sonic do? Nod, thumbs-up, and let Silver go along easy and with no fuss. No quips and jerkish statements that indicates he thinks Silver is being a dumbass, merely checking out the situation with a "You look like you're in a hurry. So what's going on?". If you look closely I believe you can even see Sonic smiling in that moment! With that in mind, I truly cannot envision that Sonic and IDW!Sonic to be the same person, legit. I read your response to my earlier post just now after typing the above, and yep, Sonic's thing about his 'over-eager friend' is just also kind of mean. And the literal panel on the next page after "No genius", wherein Sonic does his smug little bow and calls Silver 'Flatware' while asking him to open the door? Also that is yet another jab towards Silver (I think; I don't even understand what flatware is supposed to mean in this context. It's literal definition is something akin to cutlery, it seems? Regardless, I doubt it is anything kind-spirited). It's a shame because I can see so many ways wherein Sonic could have been more friendly while changing so little dialogue, and both he and Silver would have been much better off for it personality-wise.

I think the Flatware joke is supposed to be at best a pun about his name (because good flatware is made of silver) and at worst a jab at his quills that might resemble a fork. Probably the former. Still mean.

Sonic in that issue just sounds like that "friend" who thinks the height of humor is lowkey making fun of you.

"You had to bring the mood down", "I'm Sonic, and my over-eager friend here is Silver", "No, genius, Whisper is her name" (said with a cringy grimace), "care to get the door for us, Flatware?" (mocking bow). Silver even rightfully says "no need to rub it in". I'm sorry, I feel bad for him! Yes, Sonic is snarky and playful, but he never crosses the line where he sounds meanspirited, and if he does, it's when he's 100% sure that the other can dish back, like in that cutscene in Colors where he playfully states that he did all the work and Tails was like "oh I didn't see you build a translator now, did you?". That moment is nice because Sonic and Tails are very close friends and no one is offended. If Tails had been more insecure, Sonic would have immediately apologized and propped Tails up, because it's what Sonic does: he lifts people up!

And it's just with Silver, because he's actually pretty sensitive with Whisper! He immediately understands, without even knowing her, that she's a reserved person who doesn't like interacting with people. He's very respectful of her preference to stay on her own. So it's just an attempt of making Sonic sound a jokester, but the jokes aren't funny.

anyway sonic and silver should interact more and sonic should be nicer to him. I loved a recent fanart of the two discussing about nature together :)

[justacoyote]

I have been tagged by the awesomest of awesome @trixietricoter

How many works do you have on AO3? 75 between two fandoms 😊

What's your total AO3 word count? 168,984

What fandoms do you write for? Guardian (main) / The Untamed

What are your top 5 fics by kudos? The Embarrassment of Honesty - Acoyotewhowanders - 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) [Archive of Our Own] (Mingcheng), Falling For You - Chapter 1 - Acoyotewhowanders - 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) [Archive of Our Own] (Mingcheng, permanent WIP status at this point), We're Going Down - Acoyotewhowanders - 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) [Archive of Our Own] (Mingcheng, I am sure we’re seeing a theme here LOLOLOLOL), The Great Dixing Bag of Holding - Acoyotewhowanders - 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018) [Archive of Our Own] (ChuGuo), Salted Water - Chapter 1 - Acoyotewhowanders - 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018) [Archive of Our Own] (Weilan)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? I do! It’s how I met most of my Fandom-y Frands! :D  If I don’t respond it means life got real cronchy for me.

What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I think Salted Water, because it ended with Shen Wei saved, but barely conscious and Zhao Yunlan worrying.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Most of my fics are happy happy endings LOL. But my favorite is probably The Great Dixing Bag of Holding.

Do you get hate on fics? No, thankfully 😊

Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Not really LOLOL.

Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? I have written crossovers but haven’t posted them because I feel like they’re mostly crack fic? I think my craziest one is Guardian fused with Star Wars.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not to my knowledge.  

Have you ever had a fic translated? No 😊

Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, but I used to RP a ton in Marvel based and Pern based text-based MUSH/Mux and the newer Ares games 😊

What's your all-time favorite ship? ChuGuo! My all time favorite ship.  ALL TIME FAVE.

What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? Poor poor Falling For You.  If I ever do come back to it I’m going to rehaul it because I’ve learned so much about writing from when I first started to now.   What's even worse is I have the end written it's all the middle parts that need finishing.

What are your writing strengths? This is hard. I think I’m good at fight scenes, as well as the build up to emotional admissions :D If that makes sense.  

What are your writing weaknesses? Writing humor that doesn’t sound forced, I think. I don’t know how to explain, but that every day humor that friends and loved ones do. I think also add atmosphere to the story. I sometimes think I'm too dry with my words, but I'm trying to get better! I also don't always catch when I hop out past tense because my brain is like: those words sound good LOLOLOL.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? I think it could work, for sure! I couldn’t do it except for tiny little itty bitty bits, but otherwise I think it’s fine! :D  

First fandom you wrote for? Guardian 😊 I’m relatively new to writing fiction.  

Favorite fic you've written? The Lies that Bind, a ChuGuo  story about facing the truth even when we’re lying to ourselves 😊 😊

Tagging gives me hives so I’ll just invite everyone to join the fun!

[daz4i]

if you'd like, list one strength of bsd that you see, and one flaw! and when i say that, i mean that in a literary sense. not "this is something i liked" or "this is something i didn't like" but something that works really well in bsd and something that does not work well in bsd.

(for example, "character designs are unique and recognizable" and "unreliable tone sometimes undermines dramatic moments") ((also SO sorry if i come off like a school-teacher, i'm just very interested in literary appraisals of bsd)

I ACTUALLY HAVE ANSWERS TO THAT LOCKED AND LOADED!

strength: this might be more of my own personal taste tho it IS a literary tool i think; i love how it initially builds up your expectations by making the characters fit very common anime tropes (mostly shonen ones), but as time goes on you start noticing more and more how they subvert these! (I'd also argue the story itself does it. it starts out mostly silly and fun and then boom 3 teenagers get shot up in an alley)

imo it's less about twists and more about adding depth to these characters, bc it's not that the core qualities of the initial trope are gone. you're just adding things that would normally contradict them (for example, atsushi being bitter and sassy and violent despite having shonen protag qualities like determination and the ability to inspire others, or kunikida hating authority and breaking rules despite being the uptight and serious type etc). I'm actually planning to possibly write smth abt that more in depth soon bc i find it fascinating hehe :3

also! I'd say bsd strikes the balance between humor and drama really really well :) at least the manga does hehe. example i can think of is how fyozai in meursault always do some funny thing right before they get down to mind games (or doing the egg and salt thing right before nikolai gets them out of their cells hehe). or how aya and bram's moments cut the tension of this arc for a few minutes, giving you a moment to breathe and laugh for a bit. it makes the pain and tension that come later more impactful imo :)

flaw: oh my god ok this one bothered me from the start. it feels more obvious in the anime than the manga, idk why (maybe bc things genuinely need more explaining in the manga bc the medium makes things less clear?), but. characters explaining things out loud unnecessarily

example that's currently fresh in my mind is mushitaro explaining the jailbreak plan to atsushi and kyouka AFTER they do it, which??!! yeah they were there !!! you don't need to tell kyouka that demon snow lured the soldiers into the wrong safe she's the one who made her do it!!!!!!

the only times i can excuse this is atsushi and akutagawa having dramatic shonen-esque battles like the one on the boat. this just makes them fun. but when it comes to the mystery aspects of the series, i feel like you can definitely find a better way to do it. in the example i gave, they could've waited a bit to explain it, then have ango ask how they did it once they all reach anne's room, bc he was the one bamboozled by it after all, so it makes sense (i assume in the manga it would've caused too long of a wait to reveal the answer which would frustrate readers but. reading the story as a whole, or seeing it in the anime in one episode, it is really glaring)

sometimes there isn't much of a choice but then i would honestly prefer to just hear the character explain it in internal dialogue than say it to a character who already knows it. like this also feels forced but significantly less so imo, and at the end of the day these things DO need to be explained to the audience so. finding a better way to deliver should be smth you put effort into i think

. ok i had that rant ready for literally 10 months now so I'm glad i let it out hehe. this aspect can really take me out of the story 😭 luckily it happens a bit less lately i think? or maybe I'm just more used to it lol. but still thank you for giving me the opportunity to let all this out :P🖤

[monstersummongenre]

Pokemon XY is kind of a mess actually: A longer than I wanted to write analysis of my impression of Pokemon XY so far

Okay, so this week our 20 in Review for Pokemon XY comes out and next week is our favorites list. So I decided I wanted to talk a bit about XY and the reasons I think it's not sparking joy for me. The reasons I've been able to pinpoint are the tone, the pacing, and the group dynamic.

The tone of XY from the first episode onward is fairly melodramatic. Dictionary.com defines Melodrama as "a dramatic form that does not observe the laws of cause and effect and that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action at the expense of characterization." And for me that encapsulates the style of XY as a series, at least so far. So many situations feel exaggerated in their seriousness in such a way that it's off-putting or laughable. I believe it was episode 3 in which Ash, Bonnie, and Clemont chase down Fletchling for stealing a berry meant for Dedenne. We learn more about Froakie and Ash catches a new Pokemon, but for all the fuss they made about the initial problem, they completely forgot about Dedenne. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but is off-putting when the show made it feel like a serious slight instead of the minor annoyance it was.

The tone also makes the jokes fall flat most of the time. This season has a pretty downbeat tone, so Pokemon's usual sense of humor, which is often over the top and exaggerated, feels out of place. The other major humor of the Pokemon series comes from the dialogue. And that often falls flat here too, probably because the humor of it is usually the characters reacting to a ridiculous situation. And because of XY's tone it's hard to be so silly. Honestly, they might have been better off going for a different type of humor altogether for XY.

The second issue in XY is an issue of pacing and, I'm going to be honest, wasting my time. The pacing of XY is just not very effective. For example, Serena and Rhyhorn racing. We're introduced to her being agitated with the sport her mother is trying to push on her. Then until she joins the party, we see her start up her journey. She finds Ash, as was her goal, and joins the party. The very next episode she comes to terms with the idea that she just misunderstood her mother and the Rhyhorn all of this time. Just like that without her having really faced any challenges, the issue is seemingly resolved. The same thing happens with Clemont and his gym.

And to be clear the issue isn't the way these issues were handled, but the complete lack of build up before just resolving them. These are both episodes we could have seen further down the line as a way of showing how our heroes have grown since the beginning of the show. So both fell flat in their execution because neither of the problems existed long enough to impact the characters's behavior. Well, I suppose Clemont's did, but that was more of a failure of exploration than anything.

And brings me to my final point, group dynamic and the characters in the group. To be completely transparent about my media preferences, for me, media is all about the characters. I care about their journeys, their relationships to each other, and how their actions affect the world around them. And this group just doesn't do any of that for me. In fact if I've gotten any details wrong in this post it's likely because I was bored to tears watching this show. The thing is I really want to like XY, I really want to like the characters, but I find it hard to be invested in them at all. And it took me a while to wrap my brain around the reason for that. I didn't quite know how to describe the blandness and lack of grit the characters have in a meaningful way.

First I wondered "are they too nice"? But that didn't make much sense. See I've been watching lots of Pokemon recently (the Original Series, Best Wishes, XY, Sun and Moon, and Journeys) and I can say that playful banter aside the series after the original aren't particularly mean, especially Sun and Moon, which has some of the nicest, good spirited kids to ever exist. If niceness was the problem then I'd feel a similar detachment.

So what was the problem?

The problem of XY lies in the group dynamic. I saw someone say recently that Ash as a character was written relatively the same from DP to XY with just minor adjustments. I found this thought a little jarring because I enjoy Ash in BW, but his vibe in XY is not nearly as entertaining. But if I look at him I do see that he's still the exact same person, he still mostly does Ash things except for the way he interacts with his companions. In the words of my younger sister who only watches Pokemon when we put it on while she's in the room "Ash doesn't seem like he even wants to be there. There's no reason he and I should feel the same way."

That is to say, far from the way he usually bounces off the energy of his companions, Ash barely interacts with the XY gang in meaningful ways at all. There are moments that happen in XY where you expect Ash to say something, anything, in response to his companions or their current situation and it's crickets. One example that really sticks in my brain is the episode where Meowth comes to the group for help. Clemont, Serena, and Bonnie all have things to say about the situation, but Ash… silence. Not even Pikachu expresses any opinion on the matter. Odd. When they have to get their faces scratched to stop themselves from being mind controlled and Serena's like "I don't want my face scratched up!" Silence. He doesn't try to encourage her, he doesn't get annoyed with her. He simply does not respond. 

Ash Ketchum in any other season would have had some sort of reaction here. I could hear him going "Seriously?!" or insisting "It's not that bad" or even just having a facial expression of some sort.

And it isn't just him. The characters don't interact like a group of friends in general. They don't bounce off each other and react in ways that feel natural. There's no clash of personality traits. There's just flat comedy gags and conversations that just sort of move forward.

And I'd say that while the tone, pacing, and group dynamic brew a perfect mess, that the group dynamic is the part that really fails the series. A good set of characters that actually click is so important for a series like Pokemon. Pokemon spends a good chunk of screen time with the characters just wandering around and interacting with one off strangers on the way to their goals. The cast of characters has to be interesting enough to make that work. And maybe XY will pick up at some point and be more interesting, but having to wait more than twenty episodes for that is torture. I really do want to like XY, but for now it is my least favorite rendition of Pokemon.

[darkesttimelinejeffparker]

I totally understand you saying “I could have done better.” I always feel the same way when I post something because I know how often I jump the gun with a lot of my fics. I’m a very “rough draft last draft” kind of person. I don’t usually change anything at all. So I think that it’s fair of you to say that for yourself, too. But I also want to say that I LOVED that fic! I read that post you made before reading and was actually very surprised at the detail. I also really liked the premise. I can totally see the concept that Hangman has anger boiling right beneath his skin and getting in trouble because of it. Very good fic very nice 🥰💙

Thank you so much, Emi! This means so much. Everyone has been really kind about the story and I appreciate that. I am definitely the same way when it comes to rough draft = last draft and it’s easy to feel kind of “meh” sometimes after I’ve hit the post button and doubt if it was as good as I could have made it. It’s why I usually only go back and look at my stories for continuity or to remember if I used one of my many dialogue ideas/plot bunnies somewhere already.

But it means a lot that people enjoyed it. Even though I haven’t written Adam as often as I’ve written other people, I really enjoy it. But it’s also harder. I think it’s because not only do I adore him, but I feel like I relate to him. And so I have distinct voices for like — the Jeffelo Parker’s and Young Bucks and Ricky Starks and MJFs who I observe and maybe just have a few things I can relate to but spend more time building on the character already in place from tv and stuff. But everything from Hangman’s sense of humor to his anxiety to his approach to friendships and stuff — I feel so much of that and so I worry I am like projecting more than building a story and staying true to how I’d like to write him. I don’t know if that makes sense.

This is also very rambly because I have slept 0 minutes since waking up on Sunday due to Sunday scaries. 😂

But thank you! I am excited to read the story you mentioned you were working on, too. I know you had to wake up early today so I hope you have a great day and good coffee.

[wondermentishere]

i am once again completely friendless. this is a cycle ive been thru many times in life, except this time i have no family around either. stepping away from toxic people isnt a regret that i hold. although, i do toy with the idea of going around my family again. i just dont know how im gonna do it without feeling like a complete shell of a human.

i just feel like ive made a series of decisions that has driven me into a hole. and now im trying to clean up the mess of my life and move forward while keeping all of the lessons ive learned close to me.

ive never really had friends as a kid because i never really connected with anyone. im sweet, but i also am kind of a mean person. like i can be messy, shady, judgmental and i find humor in it at times. but i also value integrity and am uncomfortable with not trying to better myself and become a more loving and accepting person. so ive been attracting and accepting friendships with people who reflect the same energy of being nice but also.. just not very kind. and the unkindness inevitably is projected onto me. and my poor boundaries and fear of confrontation has granted permission to people to treat me in a way that i hate. i always end up being super fake to my friends... like ill be cool with them in person, but still have this whole dialogue in my mind about how much i dont like them. dont get me wrong i do speak up for myself, but people never take it well. or they pretend like they do then end up on the same bullshit again.

i accept poor behavior for too long, and allow people to think theyre super close to me. now im stuck with a shitty friend because of my dishonesty and refusal to make room for other people in my life. 2022 i tried to be different. i was in therapy, i went out alot by myself, and honestly befriended alot of people. i had to block a few of them bc they turned out to be toxic, but the rest straight up just moved out of state. its been hard to keep in touch and ive lost interest in partying so here i am... alone again. also learned building friendship off drunkenness/nightlife isnt a good foundation for a genuine connection.

i want to meet new friends from volunteer connections or other artists out doing their thing. im open to meeting sober ppl off apps who genuinely just want a friend too. sometimes i get discouraged thinking whats the point of opening up to anyone, but honestly my trip to austin showed me cool, sober, down to earth ppl are out here with open arms wanting to meet people. starting next week i want to make it a goal to go out to a volunteer meet up to see how the experience is :)

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC Review: Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau

3.5/5. Releases 5/7/24.

Vibes: fake dating, modern P&P, family marital pressures, writer heroine

Heat Index: 6/10

At thirty-three, writer and barista Emily Hung is facing more pressure about marriage than ever before. More than anything, her mother is pushing her towards Mark Chan, who definitely thinks he's above Emily. (Does he, though?) But Emily really wants her mom off her back. And Mark's willing to go along with the charade... So what's the harm in a few fake dates? And if family happens to catch them on one date, I guess they'll have to plan another one! And another, and another...

I think that with romcoms, there's always a careful balance of sweetness (happy moments, some humor) and savory (sexual tension, the sense of ohmygodisitgonnahappenforthem?). Some people prefer romcoms that lean more sweet, sometimes they prefer romcoms that lean more savory. I am a "make sure it's got the sweetness it needs, but lean a little more savory" reader. And I know that's kind of ridiculous, but I'm saying this to lead to: this is a sweeter romcom. (Although it does have solid sex scenes!) A lot of people love a sweeter romcom, so there's no flaw in the system here. It just may have been too sweet for me.

However, it's well-written and engaging, and couches a kind of normal "fake dating to keep Mom off my back" setup in lovely descriptions and dialogue and dynamics. I recently saw a discussion surrounding fake dating that was like "Are you tired of the fake dating trope, or are you tired of the fake dating trope written by and about straight white people?"

And... that's a concept. I think that fake dating honestly lends itself much better to leads who have more traditional cultural pressure pushing them towards marriage. That pressure? Is not nearly as great for the vast majority of white Americans as romance wants us to think it is, let's be real. (Those for whom it is often come from more conservative religious backgrounds, and THEN we have something else to discuss.) When Jackie Lau writes this marriage-minded mama in the twenty-first century, I believe her because of the way she sets up and describes this mom. I believe that Emily is so over it, and I believe that she would resort to fake dating. It works here.

Was it just a little too on the side of nice for me? Maybe. But I really respected what she was going for.

Quick Takes:

--This sounds insane to say, but I loved reading a contemporary romance heroine who's thirty-three and doesn't have her life all figured out. I mean... that should be normal, but it's not in romance.

--One thing that I do think would've made this work a little more for me is faster pacing. Mark isn't in the book for the first chunk all that much; in some ways I get it, because this builds up Emily's idea of him. But you also don't have his perspective until later in the book, and I just wanted a little more, a little faster.

--There is a really great sense of family in the book, and I feel like that gave me P&P vibes the most. You have this overbearing mom, all of these people (including little nieces) dying for Emily to get with someone. It felt very true to life and also VERY classic romcom.

The Sex:

The sex comes a little late in the book, with a few scenes that are... not less than explicit, per se, but definitely edited in an interesting way. Exciting things are being done (there is face-sitting) but it cuts to another action, not another scene, so quickly? I think we could've lingered on the detail a little more.

However, there is a good buildup, and a strong chemistry between Mark and Emily. I liked what we got, I just wanted more... luxuriating.

So, while I can't say this was a slam dunk for me, I do believe it will appeal to romcom readers who prefer a little sugar. Perhaps... cherry pie?

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing me with a copy this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[koppiki]

Regular Sleep Schedules and Other Thoughts

I've been getting regular sleep lately (as in, the last two days). By regular, I mean "waking up before the alarm" regular, which is to say about 7-8 hours of sleep a night.

It really is important, isn't it? I have so much more energy than I had the past few weeks (wherein I had been getting a bit less than 7-8). It's almost impossible to believe, since the difference between what I was getting and what I'm getting now is only like... an hour? Maybe? But I feel so much better now. A lot more productive, certainly.

I've started translating again as a result! Woo! But I think I might be slightly rusty? Or maybe the dialogue is just getting harder (which is possible) or maybe I was always this bad. I think it's probably a combination of those last two things.

Sometimes it's hard to deal with the idea that I can't just Be Good At Things, but I'm reassured by the fact that a) I'm doing what I want to do (which is cool) and b) Other people are struggling with me. Given how badly some other things are going these days, it's nice to be able to fix at least one (1) thing, especially if that thing is as important as a sleep schedule. Of course, I'm still continuing on being trans and stuff so that's also good. I don't want to make it seem like there's only one good thing going on in my life! There's more than that.

Generally speaking, I think I'm pretty happy. All things considered, at least.

I want to drop out of my major, I think. STEM is fine (I'm good at it and all) but... I don't enjoy it. I've worked for companies who do those sorts of things now, and... I'd rather not. I'd really rather not. I enjoy writing! I enjoy research! I enjoy translation!

Why didn't I do those things, you may ask? I just didn't realize how much I liked them until I really got an opportunity to do so. I consider myself lucky, in a way- I found something I want to do! Even if it was a bit late. Some people never figure it out, and wallow in their depression. I don't wanna do that!

One of my friends is being overly flippant about my pronouns. It's his sense of humor, but... I feel like I need to make it clear that it isn't something I'm okay with. I've always struggled with making my feelings known. Perhaps it's an extension of fears of rejection, be it from being too serious or who knows what else. Hmm.

How should I tell him? How do I make it clear that it really matters to me? I think that's the problem when you build a mutual sort of humor based on bits and never acting seriously- when you actually do want to be serious, it's almost impossible to be. Almost, at least. I need to try harder when it comes to things like this.

Anyways, I've been doing fine. That's it, really.