#a first draft

[congregation-of-the-spiral]

thinking about writing a jmart fic inspired by my original story. would y'all read it or nah

[pizzat-i]

I've grown a mouth so sharp and cruel it's all that I can give to you, my dear

———————

going back to my roots drawing desduo aura farming for 3rd life’s fourth year anniversary! doubling as a redraw of the series’ first year anniversary as well.

rough turnaround & closeups under the cut

near total overhaul of my previous design, but i hope you enjoy this one better than the last

[sanctus-ingenium]

split tongue / print

[aerequets]

the mortifying ordeal of being known

--

I think with Yor being so perceptive, she picks up on little things often (like we saw in ch 103). i believe this would impact loid more so than the usual person, because he is a spy and fakes every part of himself, so to be seen is simultaneously desirable and horrifying. like, it makes him torn between wanting to accept and reciprocate the love, or distancing himself so that it doesn't happen again.

thats mostly what the last panel is about, that dichotomy between 'omg this person noticed this about me, is this love' and 'oh shit this person noticed this about me, is this Doom'

just some thoughts i had🤪

[the-maw-consumes]

do you think it'll let up soon?

static version:

[lxvvie]

This isn't Simon's first time, but it sure as hell felt like it.

And intimacy is like navigating uncharted territory. Sure, he's had his fair share of bedmates, and they've seen and felt his body, but no one's ever seen and felt his body the way you have.

The way you are. Right now. Holding him. In your arms.

Fuck, he's in his head again, but it's second nature at this point. He knew he wasn't everyone's cup of tea, and while he was good at keeping a healthy opinion of his looks, there were moments where he... yeah. He wonders. Like right now. You fancied a shag, Simon fancied a shag, and everything was falling into place until you undressed him and looked—really looked—at your soldier and... bloody hell.

What? He looks like he feels (fuck this latest mission)? Doesn't look like he's gotten enough sleep? The latest cuts and burn marks too scary for you, sweetheart? Fuck if he knows, but you were staring a little to hard for comfort, and Simon was feeling a little self-conscious.

Scratch that, he was incredibly self-conscious.

So imagine Simon's surprise when you pushed him onto the bed, crawled to him, and then proceeded to lie on top of him like a bloody blanket. What the fuck? But no, you didn't stop there, sweetheart. You caressed his face, kissed his forehead, whispered reassurances and blessings against his skin, ran your eyes over him like he was the most beautiful creature you had ever seen, and encouraged him—commanded him, really—to relax.

So much for that fuckin' shag then.

And it's not like Simon's complaining. Much. Not when those arms, so used to holding weapons, dead, or injured comrades, are wrapped around something so soft, so welcoming, so fuckin' loving, and goddamn, maybe this is what he needed after all.

You kiss Simon's temple this time, tell him it's alright, he's safe, and to just be in the moment, and never had intimacy felt so... good before.

This wasn't Simon's first time, but it bloody well should have been.

[ozymandien]

chef with a silver earring

[toodrunktofindaurl]

"Death's child"

twitter | bluesky | insta | 🔞 patre*n

[makesyouevil]

in dreams

[hipsternumbertwo]

Favorite Angela Moments 72/∞: It's tradition at this point...

[concerningwolves]

favourite things about first drafts:

square brackets with notes to self mid-line like [does this make sense with worldbuilding?]

ah yes, Main Character and their closest friends, Unnamed Character A and Unnamed Character B.

bullshitting your way through something that you probably definitely need to research later

also square brackets to link up scenes. [scene transition idk] my beloved

the total freedom of word vomits

"I'll fix that later"

the moment when the world and characters start to gain a life of their own

pieces falling into place as you write that you were uncertain about before you started

the accomplishment of Made A Thing

[afternoonhorrors]

I'm done crying over someone like you! Hope you're feeling it too, now!

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

🧩 How to Outline Without Feeling Like You’re Dying

(a non-suffering writer’s guide to structure, sanity, and staying mildly hydrated)

Hey besties. Let’s talk outlines. Specifically: how to do them without crawling into the floorboards and screaming like a Victorian ghost.

If just hearing the word “outline” sends your brain into chaos-mode, welcome. You’re not broken, you’re just a writer whose process has been hijacked by Very Serious Advice™ that doesn’t fit you. You don’t need to build a military-grade beat sheet. You don’t need a sixteen-tab spreadsheet. You don’t need to suffer to be legitimate. You just need a structure that feels like it’s helping you, not haunting you.

So. Here’s how to outline your book without losing your soul (or all your serotonin).

—

🍓 1. Stop thinking of it as “outlining.” That word is cursed. Try “story sketch.” “Narrative roadmap.” “Planning soup.” Whatever gets your brain to chill out. The goal here is to understand your story, not architect it to death.

Outlining isn’t predicting everything. It’s just building a scaffold so your plot doesn't fall over mid-draft.

—

🧠 2. Find your plot skeleton. There are lots of plot structures floating around: 3-Act. Save the Cat. Hero’s Journey. Take what helps, ignore the rest.

If all else fails, try this dirt-simple one I use when my brain is mush:

Act I: What’s the problem?

Act II: Why can’t we fix it?

Act III: What finally makes us change?

Ending: What does that change cost?

You don’t need to fill in every detail. You just need to know what’s driving your character, what’s blocking them, and what choices will change them.

—

🛒 3. Make a “scene bucket list.” Before you start plotting in order, write down a list of scenes you know you want: key vibes, emotional beats, dramatic reveals, whatever.

These are your anchors. Even if you don’t know where they go yet, they’re proof your story already exists, it just needs connecting tissue.

Bonus: when you inevitably get stuck later, one of these might be the scene that pulls you back in.

—

🧩 4. Start with 5 key scenes. That’s it. Here’s a minimalist approach that won’t kill your momentum:

Opening (what sucks about their world?)

Catalyst (what throws them off course?)

Midpoint (what makes them confront themselves?)

Climax (what breaks or remakes them?)

Ending (what’s changed?)

Plot the spaces between those after you’ve nailed these. Think of it like nailing down corners of a poster before smoothing the rest.

You’re not “doing it wrong” if you start messy. A messy start is a start.

—

🔧 5. Use the outline to ask questions, not just answer them. Every section of your outline should provoke a question that the scene must answer.

Instead of: — “Chapter 5: Sarah finds a journal.”

Try: — “Chapter 5: What truth does Sarah find that complicates her next move?”

This makes your story active, not just a list of stuff that happens. Outlines aren’t just there to record, they’re tools for curiosity.

—

🪤 6. Beware of the Perfectionist Trap™. You will not get the entire plot perfect before you write. Don’t stall your momentum waiting for a divine lightning bolt of Clarity. You get clarity by writing.

Think of your outline as a map drawn in pencil, not ink. It’s allowed to evolve. It should evolve.

You’re not building a museum exhibit. You’re making a prototype.

—

🧼 7. Clean up after you start drafting. Here’s the secret: the first draft will teach you what the story’s actually about. You can go back and revise the outline to fit that. It’s not wasted work, it’s evolving scaffolding.

You don’t have to build the house before you live in it. You can live in the mess while you figure out where the kitchen goes.

—

🛟 8. If you’re a discovery writer, hybrid it. A lot of “pantsers” aren’t anti-outline, they’re just anti-stiff-outline. That’s fair.

Try using “signposts,” not full scenes:

Here’s a secret someone’s hiding.

Here’s the emotional breakdown scene.

Here’s a betrayal. Maybe not sure by who yet.

Let the plot breathe. Let the characters argue with your outline. That tension is where the fun happens.

—

🪴 TL;DR but emotionally: You don’t need a flawless outline to write a good book. You just need a loose net of ideas, a couple of emotional anchors, and the willingness to pivot when your story teaches you something new.

Outlines should support you, not suffocate you.

Let yourself try. Let it be imperfect. That’s where the good stuff lives.

Go forth and outline like a gently chaotic legend 🧃

— written with snacks in hand by Rin T. @ thewriteadviceforwriters 🍓🧠✍️

Sometimes the problem isn’t your plot. It’s your first 5 pages. Fix it here → 🖤 Free eBook: 5 Opening Pages Mistakes to Stop Making:

[factual-fantasy]

I don't know where this quote is from, but when I read it as a prompt I instantly pictured Wheeljack and Ratchet XDD

[finifugue]

You only need two to be a world champion these days. Vettel is just an overachiever

[naiad-r]

Cage me like an animal A crown with gems and gold Eat me like a cannibal Chase the neon throne If I could only let go

Death pact, fulfilled.