#and if you're one of those people you bring me so much joy btw

[skateisawesome]

for reasons unknown to me, when people on the internet are nice to me it makes me so much happier than when it happens irl

[avelera]

Some slightly more coherent thoughts about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (ATSV) now that I've had a little time to process and long to return to the theater to see it again and again and again:

1 ) Go see it. Holy shit, go see it. Re-watch Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (ITSV) before you go if you have the chance but you don't have to, they recap it well enough and I promise anyway, the first thing you're gonna do when you get home after is turn ITSV on and then scream a bunch because it is all so tightly connected from the very beginning.

2 ) ITSV is a masterpiece. ATSV is more of a masterpiece in the same way that 11 is bigger than 10. They took everything in ITSV, which is a perfect 10/10 and made it 11/10 for this film. I shit you not. It cannot be otherwise expressed with words. Everything is just bigger, faster, bolder, more.

Ok, now getting into some of the more spoiler-y thoughts:

3 ) Loved me those themes of connection and loneliness. When you go back to ITSV, you see it's right there from the start. All of the version of Spider-Man are lonely. They are tired. They're isolated and unsupported and they are all suffering. Miles makes their lives better. They make Miles' life better. This becomes such a huge, huge theme in ATSV as Miles literally breaks the canon, he is the ultimate fix-it fanfic character, every Spider-Man he interacts with gets some element of their tragic backstory fixed. Peter B. reunites with MJ and has a child that brings joy back into his life. Gwen gets a friend again. Pavitr doesn't have to watch his girlfriend's father die. They are no longer doomed by the narrative.

4) Another post commented on how tired Peni looks when we finally see her, but she's not the only one. All of the Spider-People in the Spider-Verse look tired and it is, in fact I'd argue, Miguel's fault. He appealed to their sense of martyrdom to put together an organization that helps people and saves the world(s). BUT he made "maintaining the canon" an aspect of this (a wonderful meta commentary on Miles himself, btw, and all the comic book nerds who want to rehash the same story over and over instead of transforming it into something new and hopeful). Because they had all suffered so much, it followed logically for all the Spider-People that all of their parallel universe selves must also suffer.

This is the crab bucket mentality. Miguel dragged all the Spider-People into the crab bucket with him. He taught them learned helplessness. They're all tired and worn down because they have to keep reliving their own trauma by standing by and making sure these awful things that happened to them continue to happen, over and over. It's the mirror too for any marginalized community where the past generation believes the next one must suffer as they did. But it's exhausting for them to see the misery and do nothing. That's why they're all so tired. It makes sense to them that to be Spider-People, the next generation must suffer as they did but they are also, all of them, heroes and so it wears them down to watch this happen over and over. Miles brings back their energy and joy and their hope by refusing to be doomed by the narrative.

It's wonderful fanfic but it's also fantastic storytelling and it works on so many layers of the story, Doylist and Watsonian, all the way down.

5 ) THIS is a tightly knit story. Every. Single. Element. Ties back to the central story, the central themes. Every line either reveals plot, character, setting, or themes. It is so, so tight as a writer I was gaping. In necessary, if brief, moments of exposition they make sure to keep the screen busy and moving. There's no time for boredom. It is literally so fast that even as someone with ADHD I was sometimes overwhelmed as much as riveted. The few scenes that slowed down to simply fast movie pace felt achingly slow as a result and I bet you they were maybe 30 seconds long.

6 ) I AM. SO HYPED. FOR THE ENDING AND THE SEQUEL IT SETS UP? The perfect dark mirror story, not rushed but simply introduced so we can see that the final boss for Miles is himself. Unless they subvert that expectation, which they might! But it is so ominous to see Prowler Miles, it makes so much sense, it is perfect and deep and rich. Literally every time you think, "Maybe they'll rehash old material?" they don't they just keep introducing cool new characters and concepts and themes it's mindblowing.

7 ) They never leave you with one thread. Miles is going to face himself and fight to save his dad from the Spot and fight Miguel, presumably, in the next one. No single line only does one thing. No frame does one thing. And yet everything ties back to the core story of Miles and the Spider-People both on the Watsonian and Doylist level. I want to study every frame under a microscope. It's insane.

8 ) THE ART IT'S JUST. I'm not an artist so I'll leave it at this but THE ART.

9 ) I love Pavitr and Hobie. So much. I gasped when we saw Pavitr's world.

10 ) The Spot's animation was insane just insane and I think he's foreshadowed in the ITSV and it blew my mind on the re-watch.

I need to see it again. I could talk about any single element for hours. But I just can't stop thinking about the mastery embodied in this film. I know a sequel to a superhero movie that's animated will never win Best Picture but I do not exaggerate when I say that in itself might be an indictment of Best Picture. This film deserves Best Picture. It is the best movie I've seen in an unfathomably long time including ITSV.

[shoyoist]

rekha :(((( just to torture ourselves what kind of angsty scenario do you imagine would bring hanma to tears if he’s in a relationship with you? sobs or is it only the death of those few he cares about that can break a man like him :(((( bye i’m so sad over him now pls

content: fem!reader (feat. my selfship content), established marriage, papa! shuji, angst. accidental pregnancy. mention of not wanting kids, family-related insecurities. thank you for indulging me rivvy<3

note: ok listen! i've been thinking about this all day. shuji isn't much of a crier, but when he does cry, it's over the people he loves.

shuji always says to you that he doesn't wanna have kids. and hey, you're cool with that. you don't need kids to make a family and a home with him.

just the two of you is plenty enough<33

but you get one accidental pregnancy after the other, and you find yourselves with two or three kids that shuji ends up loving more than life itself.

he jokes to you every now and then about how he doesn't know why he was so apprehensive about the idea before.

he's so happy! he loves his little kids, they share his and your features so evenly, their bubbly giggling at his silly faces are so adorable, taking care of them is so fun and god, he's just so full of love and joy.

until he's painfully reminded of why he didn't want to have kids— when they grow older and their personalities start clashing with his.

as a father, shuji jumps from too easygoing to too overprotective real quick. he finds something like their secret cigarette stash, that they've been drinking at parties, or they miss a curfew or two and it gets him irrationally mad at them — and when shuji's angry, he yells </3

he's just concerned for his kids because he knows full well what a reckless, dangerous childhood is like. and while he wants to be the chill parent so bad, he gets scared sometimes.

and his fear for his kids' safety comes out as anger and yelling. and his kids take after him, so his anger only makes their tempers flare up — which often results in a shouting match between father and children.

and while shuji tries to stay kind, sometimes, his kids say the meanest things at him.

(credits to my gf for these lines btw! this is actually from my selfship 🤭) one time, shuji is trying to confiscate his son's phone and ground him for a bit for staying out of the house a whole day and night after a prior argument, and it goes like this ↓

“give me your phone”

“what the fuck, you're not serious- i'm a grown ass adult!”

“give me your phone. you're not fucking grown. you're grounded, and i'm keeping tabs on you from here on out. now hand it over or i swear to god, i will take it from you”

his tone is threatening enough, and your son has no choice but to hand over his phone and shuji shuts it down and pockets it.

your son hisses under his breath like “this is bullshit”

and shuji retorts with a “this is how being a parent is”

and then his son says, in the meanest tone he could muster— “yeah, because you and mom were sooo smart for having so many fucking kids while being world's most wanted.”

and for a tense moment, there's a silence before shuji just heads to the front door and his shoes on, takes helmet and jacket and storms out, slamming the door shut behind him. he drives somewhere like yokohama wharf and just. breaks down and cries. all by himself. imagine ;( </3

he lights himself a smoke for the first time in years, tears rolling down his cheek and hanging for a moment at his jaw before they fall and stain his jeans with tears, and he's just wondering if he's a good father at all in the end.

he cries and cries and cries— and when he finally comes home to you late at night after everyone else has gone to bed, his eyes are puffy and red, and his hair is dishevelled. he looks so sad.

and when you hold out your arms for a hug, this big, 6'6 (because he was 6'4 at age 16. he's grown at least a couple of inches since then!) tall man, smelling of cigarettes and tears in his leather jacket and ripped jeans just slumps into you, his wife that he loves so much and just wants to be good to.

he's silent as you lead him to bed and help him undress, and while you're in bed, wrapped up in eachother's arms under the blankets, he asks you in a raspy, hoarse whisper, “am i... am i a good father to the kids, baby?”

and god, you kiss him, kiss his forehead and his face and his hair and you tell him yes, yes shuji you're such a good father to our children, and you're so good to me! so good to me and so good to the kids, shuji. you're okay.

he can't help but cry again after he hears that. he cries quietly but he sobs out loud, body racking and shaking your shoulders along with his own each time he takes a ragged breath in.

shuji knows he's not a family man. but god, god he wants to be one so bad. he wants to be good, for you and for his children that he loves so fucking much. and it makes him cry, whenever his fear overtakes him and convinces him that he may not be enough.

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

I love your nuanced takes. They are always a joy to read.

I'd be curious which songs, beatles or solo, do you think they wrote for/about each other and their situation (beatles&solo).

You don't have to go into great detail on them if you don't wanna.

Hope you have a great day. <3

Hi anon :) Glad you enjoy my takes! Hope you have a great day too <3

Preface that while I think this is fun, I really don't generally think songs are a good vehicle to extrapolate about the real life of these people. So, I try not to base my analyses of them as people on these songs, even the ones I feel more strongly about.

I'll categorize these by how certain I am about them (and I'll leave out confirmed stuff like Too Many People, Early 1970, How Do You Sleep?, Run of the Mill, Here Today etc.)

If you have a question re: why some specific song is in this category and not the other I can try to explain, though some of it is admittedly just vibes (and since I try to separate this from the Main Analysis™, I feel okay utilizing the vibes as a justification at times lol) If I left a song off you'd like my take on feel free to ask as well.

Close to positive:

Day Tripper is imho at least partially about Paul. This one feels so obvious to me, given what John said about it and the timeline (written squarely before Paul took LSD, conveniently after the whole LA fiasco), yet I rarely see people talking about it. Sad! It could also be partially about Cynthia.

Tug of War: Paul said it was about John in 1982 but then retconned that. IDK why he did that but. Come on!

I Know (I Know): I nearly put this one a tier lower but the I've Got A Feeling intro and the way it fits in the timeline. The Getting Better reference. It matching up with Paul's description of them tripping together + "share in each other's mind". It's too much.

A compelling case can be made:

In My Life: it makes a lot of sense. But Paul isn't the only likely muse IMO. he might be the most likely one, I'm not sure. I Know (I Know) makes me tend more to it though, admittedly.

3 Legs: yeah. Probably! It's not entirely clear to me what he's expressing outside a feeling of betrayal though.

Oh! Darling: Likely about John, but perhaps actually about the band as a whole.

The Answer's at the End: the way George quoted that same saying when asked about Paul in that live chat… THE IMPLICATIONS! (at least that maybe George came to associate the song with Paul later on?)

Remember: I tend to think this song is specifically about running away from the Beatles. There's more sadness in it, given John references Bring It On Home in the lyrics.

Who Can See It: this one also appears to be about George's general relationship with the Beatles. I don't think this is a hot take but no one talks about this song lol. I love it!

Cafe On The Left Bank: the song referencing Charles de Gaulle making a speech does place this quite firmly in the 60s. It's not really a love song though so I don't get why people consider this one such a win lol. It seems to mostly be about the city of Paris itself.

I like to think it's true but am admittedly not sure:

Call Me Back Again: it's a vague song, really. But damn… those mellotron flutes.

#9 Dream: IDK. this versus "The dream is over". the production-style. I like reading this song as a reconciliation with The Beatles as a concept.

Little Lamb Dragonfly: the whole being haunted by the dragonfly even though you're trying to move on thing :/

No Words: COME ON??????? but the Denny writing credit does puzzle me lol.

Crippled Inside: it would be soooooo devastating @ Paul!!! (probably only partially, possibly also self-directed)

Could have been inspired by the other but not necessarily in the way people think:

Some People Never Know: I do think Paul felt John was cynical in the way he's describing in this song. (I don't really think I Know (I Know) is a response to this song btw)

Silly Love Songs: ditto. He is Not fucking saying "I love you" (romantically) to John in the song he's duetting with his wife lol. but it could be a cheeky lil nod.

We Can Work It Out: I believe Paul when he says this was written about a fight he'd had with Jane. But Paul was also in conflict with John at the time (again, the LSD thing), thus I think that might have in some way informed his outlook when writing this. And John may have been thinking about their conflict while writing his part.

Let Me Roll It: it sounds a lot like John, yeah! but idk about the lyrics.

Look At Me: it could be about Paul, but it could be about the whole world, really. It's more a wish to be seen and understood really.

Dear Boy: I'm annoyed by people insisting Paul is lying when he says the inspiration is Linda's ex-husband. She's co-credited (and she actually isn't credited on every Ram song. I don't think the credit was "handed" to her, at least not at this point in time)! That being said, Paul may have bonded with Linda over feeling unappreciated in their previous life situations.

Yvonne's The One: Look. I think John's death really shifted how Paul felt about telling people he loved them. That may well have influenced the lyrics song. I don't think it's necessarily that literal.

However Absurd: ditto. This song is even more abstract so it feels even less literal.

?????? Who Knows

If I Fell: usually I think no it couldn't possibly. But– (And I don't find that Valentines card very compelling, no. but it's just like: well then who else would this song John called very personal about? I guess, for all I know, it could even be Brian. wow!)

Girl: I mean. Maybe! Sort of. They also said at the time it was about religion, and that makes a lot of sense, but it could still be that the character of the girl was inspired by how John felt about Paul at the time.

I'm So Tired: it seems equally likely to be about Yoko to me.

Don't Let Me Down: ditto. Actually. this one's more likely Just about Yoko tbh.

I'm Losing You: maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe. but also. Yoko.

Now And Then: genuinely who knows. this one's admittedly stranger for Yoko but… they did "interrupt" their relationship often, requiring to "start again". Also May is an option.

The Pound Is Sinking: Mostly, I don't know how straightforward it is.

Honestly… Not really

(Just Like) Starting Over: the "My Love", "Another Day", "Wings" thing has never compelled me, based on those being OLD songs by 1980, plus none of the phrasing or word choice is particularly conspicuous to me. But I also don't feel very strongly that it's not about Paul. It could be, though I don't know that I'd assume it was meant as a direct declaration of love then. Also the line before being a reference to Through The Looking Glass is neither here nor there. Since when is John Lennon dropping Lewis Caroll references only reserved for Paul? that feels like putting the cart before the horse, based on one single lyric in Glass Onion.

I've Got A Feeling: I think he's just saying words here, tbh.

Real Love: if it's about Paul that's fucking depressing. But I don't think it is really.

[fainthedcherry]

HAPPY TURTLE TUESDAYYY TMNT FANDOMMM!!!! I have a treat for y'all artists who love to make TMNT OCs!!! If you love the 2012 era, you're gonna love this one too!!!

A FREE TO USE TMNT DARK HORIZONS FLASH GAME CHARACTER SELECT TEMPLATE, MADE FROM THE ACTUAL GAME SPRITES!!! (Scroll below for the Google Drive of the files, credits first to the artist though sorry! :D)

(ft also the fancy animation particles for when you get to this menu, for those who wanna add it too! (( the GIF is the raw version, without the effect settings/scripts added in Flash tho.)))

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND!! I DID NOT CREATE THESE ASSETS, NOR HAVE I DRAWN THEM

(I am an artist posting this, who has replicated the game's art as a fan, so I want to disclose clearly, that these are NOT MY WORKS HERE.)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give all the credit to the SENIOR ART DIRECTOR working on this Flash game, Damian Aliberti and his team of artists from Quadramma (I could not find sources online that confirm who are said artists unfortunately, so I can only credit the art-director for now)!!!

He even made a page about this project, for his portfolio! Check it out, it's AWESOME!! (CLICK MEE / TAP MEEE)

^I didn't know they planned to bring this to mobile, so you can predict that I'm happy, that this game is still seemingly loved by the Italian studio that made it seemingly. x) (I can only assume they're Italian, due to the file-names, don't quote me on this though, barely any info exists on this Flash game as you can predict LOL)

GOOD NOW THAT YOU HOPEFULLY READ WHO MADE THE PRETTY ART: CLICK ME OR TAP ME FOR THE GOOGLE DRIVEE (drive provides the GIF, a PSD, SAI2, PNG and MDP file!! [the joys of owning several art programs, making this much more accessible to people :v])

btw, also like..Maybe not use this for commercial/profit purposes though, that'd be profiting off resources you didn't make, and that are copyrighted. I don't think that's legal. :"v

NO CREDIT REQUIRED. COMPLETELY F2U. I did not after all make the assets, nor will claim so. :V as I mentioned, I extracted these from the actual game, which is why these are all so crisp and nice looking, instead of me using a snipping tool like 2 yrs ago for my fun challenge of recreating the game's artstyle LOL

I do NOT claim these assets or the art I've extracted as my own, this is all purely from the game, and very obviously, these are I guess, owned by Nickelodeon, so I ask you ofc do not...Do some legally questionable things w/ this stuff sdfklsd, pls behave fans, I'd rather not get reported for something I didn't do for providing this to the internet. xD

--

Whilst credit would be nice, and linking back to this would be even nicer for other fans who might just like me,, wanna replicate this cool game's aesthetic sdfskldglk, it's optional, completely LOL. It did only take like 2 hrs to piece this stuff together, to look like a real screenshot thank god. xD

FEEL FREE TO SHOW ME IF YOU ALSO DRAW IN THE GAME'S STYLE OR WANNA BANTER ABOUT TMNT OCS OROROR YKNOW USED THE THING AND WANT ME TO SEE ITTTT I GLADLY STARE AT TMNT POSTS NO MATTER WHAT ERAAAAA~

I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO APPRECIATE THIS GAME'S ARTSTYLE NGL. THAT'S ALL I WANT. And if more ppl also would wanna draw in it it'd make me so happy. I am like...The most acoustic TMNT fan out there man, I have the weirdest wishes in mind xD

Hope anyone wants this orrr like needs it orr dreamt of doing this too orrrr just never thought about doing it, but now that a free template is out there, someone might also wanna do it!! I love whenever like- fandom templates and stuff is made. I plan to maybe make this a Toyhou.se code too, since I do have the raw files of the games and could try to see if I can replicate the animations and stuff and make it non-premium and premium!

(Maybe I should make fandom codes more often in general tho at the topic of that, did it before for Terraria and helped out w/ a Monster High code, to give it a mobile compatible version LMAO)

If anyone or me figures out the artists behind the sprites, I'd gladly show them too, bc GORGEOUS GAME MAN!!!! THEY DESERVE ANY PRAISE THEY GET FOR THE ART AND THE GAME ITSELF ANSAHSHAJS, here I go again I swear, I'm done yapping now. I should participate in internet olympics when it comes to writing essays in every post I ever made. xD

[crustose]

The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, reordered to fit Steddyhands timeline

Pet Sounds is about Stede, Ed, and Izzy. and here's the proof. Listen on Spotify

Wouldn't It Be Nice

Ed/Izzy, Hornigold era. Encapsulates the joy of finding each other, while yearning for better times. Hoping that one day they’ll have it, if they just hold on for a little while longer.  

Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up In the morning when the day is new? After having spent the day together Hold each other close the whole night through But happy times together we've been spending I wish that every kiss was never-ending Oh, wouldn't it be nice?

You know it seems the more we talk about it It only makes it worse to live without it

Discussing mutiny, building Blackbeard, together. Longing for the kind of life that isn’t ruled by Hornigold any longer.

I Just Wasn't Made for These Times

Ed “It’s all so fuckin’ boring’ Teach

Every time I get the inspiration To go change things around No one wants to help me look for places Where new things might be found Where can I turn when my fair weather friends cop out? What's it all about?

I Know There's an Answer

Co-Captains? Co-Captains. 

I know so many people who think they can do it alone They isolate their heads and stay in their safety zones

Now how can I come on And tell them the way that they live could be better? [Traditionally, piracy is a culture of abuse, floggings, keelhaulings. And my thought is, "Why?” And also, what if it wasn't like that?]

Here Today 

Izzy, warning Ed against Stede. 

It starts with just a little glance now Right away you're thinkin' 'bout romance now You know you ought to take it slower But you just can't wait to get to know her A brand new love affair is such a beautiful thing But if you're not careful think about the pain it can bring

It makes you feel so bad It makes your heart feel sad It makes your days go wrong It makes your nights so long

Izzy, warning Stede against Ed

Right now you think that she's perfection This time is really an exception Well, you know I hate to be a downer But I'm the guy she left before you found her Well, I'm not saying you won't have a good love with her But I keep on remembering things like they were

That's Not Me

Stede leaves, thinking he’s doing the right thing for everyone. Once he reckons with that, he can return with the confidence that he loves Ed, and that the Revenge is home. 

I had to prove that I could make it alone now But that's not me I wanted to show how independent I'd grown now But that's not me I could try to be big in the eyes of the world What matters to me is what I could be to just one girl [Ed Teach btw]

I'm a little bit scared 'cause I haven't been home in a long time [Stede talking to Ed’s wanted poster] You needed my love and I know that I left at the wrong time

I'm Waiting for the Day 

Stede/Ed/Izzy, at various points. They were there for each other, bridging those times when various iterations of the three of them were broken up. 

I kissed your lips and when your face looked sad It made me think about him and that you still loved him so [S2 Stede to Ed and Izzy, separately] You didn't think, no, that I could sit around and watch him take yo You didn't think that I could sit back and let you go

Izzy, S1, hoping that the duel would get Ed back.

Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder) 

Ed/Izzy. Those first moments of reconciliation, when it’s just the two of them. They can’t really talk about it, not yet, but they can sit together, shoulder to shoulder [well, shoulder to upper arm more like], hands gently clasped, and just be. 

I can hear so much in your sighs And I can see so much in your eyes There are words we both could say Come close, close your eyes and be still Don't talk, take my hand and let me hear your heart beat

Sloop John B

Stede/Izzy, that night that Ed left. Stede’s excitement at being respected as a real pirate, giving way to his anxiety over Ed. Izzy helps him through it. 

Around Nassau town we did roam Drinkin' all night Got into a fight Well, I feel so broke up I wanna go home Call for the captain ashore, let me go home

You Still Believe in Me 

Ed/Izzy. Ed’s wonder and gratitude that Izzy, against all odds, stays. 

Every time we break up, you bring back your love to me And after all I've done to you, how can it be You still believe in me

God Only Knows 

Steddyhands. No explanation needed. 

If you should ever leave me Well, life would still go on, believe me The world could show nothing to me So what good would living do me?

[kneelingshadowsalome]

GIRLIE I LOVE YOUR WORK ESPECIALLY THE ONES ON AO3!!! IM TRYNAA BE LIKE YOU BESTIE, PLEASE CAN I HAVE SOME WRITING TIPS/111!!!!???

(btw i really love man-sized, just finished it a couple days ago and AAAAAAAAA ITS SO GOOD I SWEAR!!!! LIKE MARRY ME PLEASE?!!?!)

Oh my goodness. You must be what they call a pookie 😘❤️ (I will marry you or adopt you, there's no middle ground.)

Thank you so much, you're making me blush!

I'm probably not the best person to give advice because I don't really know what's going on with my writing… It's a godawful mess. But I'll try!

So, writing tips under the cut ->

1. This might be boring and said a 100 times before, but... Show, don't tell! Obviously, I break this rule all the time when I go inside my character's head and explain how they feel and not just what they see, smell, hear, and touch. But if you're writing angst or fluff like I am, I'd say you must go inside the skin to dig into the character. (Also, f* the rules 😇)

2. If you don't know where to start, start with the dialogue. Even if it's just 4-10 sentences per scene. Then you can fill the gaps with some action, emotion/sensation and worldbuilding. But dialogue is actually the heart of your story and it creates some of the best tension; treat it with respect! Also: less is more with dialogue. Not always... but usually is.

3. Write from your own experience. We all have something to draw from, even if it's something as simple as how it feels to skinny dip in a cold lake. Or a hot bathtub. How does it feel to wake up from a nightmare or kiss someone you love? Like, truly feel? Don't tone it down!

4. If you want to sound more poetic, use metaphors and symbols and mythology. If you want to sound original, use history and culture and simply anything you have up your sleeve. All the "useless" knowledge: bring it on baby! When used sparingly, these can add to the depth of your storytelling.

5. Sculpt the paragraphs, then focus on the sentences, then hone single words. Whip out a goddamn dictionary. Search synonyms online (Thesaurus etc). Work with the words until they sound right for the story you wish to tell. Choose words that are most "alive" in your story's context, words that inspire feeling and stir emotion.

6. Read your story out loud or at least inside your head. That way you'll notice the errors and can fix the flow and rhythm of the story. Everyone loves a well-paced story! Sometimes just moving a sentence to a different paragraph or deleting it entirely can resolve an issue.

7. If you write a long fic, establish a core problem in the first chapter and remember to solve it before the story ends. For example in Man-sized, I presented an issue of trust. It was heavily inspired by my own lack of trust in men and the fear of getting played. Again, don't be afraid to draw from your own experience!

8. Music can help set the mood and bring out your creative flow. I have numerous playlists for writing or create a new one for the particular story in mind. If I want to write some heavyweight yearning, I'll blast some heavyweight yearning songs while I write. I don't know if this works for everybody; some people might need silence and space for creating.

9. The most important tip: WRITE FOR YOURSELF. Write the difficult, the overwhelming, the taboo. Write the most self-indulgent, shmexy scene ever! Or the fluffiest meet-cute that puts a smile on your face.

And if you're one of those writers who are not happy with their writing... write some more. Play with it, just don't give a shit. Let the inner demons give you courage and inspiration. Write about how shitty it feels to feel inadequate. You might find you just wrote some good poetry on suffering.

It's always better to write from love and joy instead of fear and shame – besides, life is too damn short to feel ashamed! Live a little and enjoy what you do, let writing be your escape. It's supposed to be a shelter where you can flee to when life is dull and hard and unfair. If other people's writing inspires you to write, then read. If other people's writing puts you down, save yourself some heartache and don't engage: just mind your own business and do your own thing.

Hope you found some of these tips helpful 💕 Much love 🩷💋 and happy, reckless writing!

[p-taryn-dactyl]

rant!

ok so basically

my roommate told me that she and her summer bridge roommate are thinking about moving into a dorm together this semester, bc the summer roommate is having problems with her current roommate. now normally, i would be fine bc i think myself a nice person, however... this just brings up all my complaints that i had tried to keep quiet about

one, she is the one who insisted on bringing the fridge and microwave from her home so we wouldnt have to rent it (she'll be taking those with her and btw we're only allowed one fridge and microwave per room)

this really isn't a major complaint but she's a recent turned vegan and makes it seem like such a disability and that she's 'helping the world' by being vegan. i get it if it's a health thing or religious but just because you chose to not have the joy of real cheese doesn't mean you're oppressed bbg

adding on to the previous point, ig since she brought the fridge she thinks that she needs to use every. inch. of space of it. like this girl buys entire shelves of food from the store and gets confused when i say i couldn't fit my lunch for the next day in there. like yes, you did bring the fridge (bc you insisted) but these things are supposed to be 50/50 arrangments

she also takes up like 75% of the room. im glad i chose to loft my bed bc now my desk in under there and my drawers but if i hadn't, we would have a major problem. she brought what feels like her whole room plus a few items. i thought i had overpacked but guys, she has so much shit. her desk is covered in things bc she doesn't have a place to put them after already using most of the "shared" storage she brought (and told me not to worry about bc before move in i had expressed just normally fears of moving in)

she has a giant fucking scooter that takes up even more space, keep in mind our room isn't exactly the biggest. and i already have a vendetta againts people who ride bikes and scooters around campus. i do understand that it's easier and for some, a stressless way of getting to class, but when the sidewalk is packed with students walking and you push through on your bike or scooter i want to scream.

she's also like never in the room bc of being with her bf so im stuck in the room cleaning everything that SHE BROUGHT and when she is in the room, she makes offhanded comments about where i put my stuff (i keep everything i own in my little area, and yes sometimes it gets messy but i literally have no space)

and she never really uses all these things she brought??

this is just me lol but im super sensitive to smell and her food, when she makes microwave food, smells horrible and lingers. you might think im being dramatic but guys ive literally thrown up bc of the smell

this is weird: she firmly believes that catholics aren't christian? that led to me trying to explain the history behind abrahamic reglions and the different secs of christianity but she just brushed me off with a "i know an ex-catholic who said they're not christian"

has severe only child syndrome

now, if (probably when) she moves out, she'll be taking everything she brought with her

since she moved in before me bc of her summer program, idk how much space she truly takes up but ik that she's taking the fridge, the dehumidifier, the microwave, the 'shared' storage drawers, the filtered shower head (i bought the sink one), a lot of the cleaning supplies that she insisted on bringing bc she only uses 'sustainable' products, the big trash can that i said i would buy but when i was at the store she texted me and said she already bought one, and our 'shared' water filter

side note: she was always comparing me to her summer roommate, sometimes to the point that one of my friends had to tell her to stop bc i was visibly uncomfortable

and ik it sounds like i hate her and that im just being bitchy, but we are friendly it's just i don't think she's self-aware of a lot of things.

also, last thing: she makes being from texas her entire personality. i genuinely believe she doesn't know that texas is bigger than most european countries with how much she generalizes it's population

i lied, this is the last thing: she mentions a lot how "she's not like the basic girls" which irks me

ok 'rant' over! ik i sound like a bitch and im sorry but i wanted to get this all off my chest.

idk if anyone will have questions but if you do, i'll answer them lol

<3

[pvccblog]

QUESTIONS AND NUKES

Hello once again everyone! Wow, God is SO GOOD! We have fallen in love with this town and the opportunities here to connect with people have been outstanding. Both of our events today just about doubled in size and they were awesome! Honestly, we've stopped counting attendees because we are confident that God will bring who He wants.

Today's focus in Sports Camp was on knowing your opponent. Malia taught the lesson, continuing on with the life of Moses. One of the points that stuck out to me is that sometimes your biggest opponent can be yourself. That is so true! Thanks Malia for teaching it so we'll. She made it relatable for a wide range of ages and I think everyone got it.

We decided to eliminate volleyball because one girl was in it yesterday and she switched to basketball. There are lots of kids in basketball and four or so in football. It's been pretty fun. There are some real athletes out here!

After camp we went swimming at a pool club in Willows. Pastor Joe booked the whole pool for two hours and it was super fun. His family and another family from the church joined us. It was a great time! And btw - it was only about 97 degrees. That might sound hot, but that's 19 degrees cooler than the day we went to the lake!! Yep, that's right, it was 116 that day! The weather really had us concerned in the beginning, but it's really not bad now!

Speaking of great times - BARF Night was just the best! We certainly love our BARF Nights with tons of people, but there's also something special about having a group of less than 30, including our team. The interaction is much more personal and there's opportunity for friendships to form faster.

We played The Question Game tonight. The first time we played, Eva won! It came down to her and I and she schooled me. By the way, I'm not the type of guy to let the young people win, so it was legit.

We went outside and played Nuke 'Em again at the end of the night. It's definitely the favorite so far! The game was epic and seemed to last forever. We actually ended the night 30 minutes late!

In between the games, Marcus and Eva shared their stories. They were both very different, but each one was spot on!

When Marcus shares you cannot deny that it is from the heart. He is a young man who is serious about his faith. His relationship with God is so real. He shared boldly tonight, even about some hardships. I see him developing into a rock. He is a calm, steady leader that can be consistently relied upon. It's such a joy watching him grow up. Love you, Marcus.

Eva was also a joy. She shared boldly too, and man, she preached it! She challenged those in the crowd to choose Jesus over anything else on earth! This is Eva's first trip with us because in the past she wasn't really interested in coming. God did an amazing work in her heart several months ago and she fully committed her life to Him. Praise the Lord!

I already told you that Eva preached it, and to prove it let me tell you what Pastor Joe's son Sebastian said after she shared. I walked back up, and he looked at me and said "you're about to lose your job!" LOL! How cool is that?!?!

Way to go Eva! Nicole and I are honored to be a part of your life and growth!! We are praying that you remain in Him for life!!

Also, Bailey bought some Beanboozled Jelly Bellys at the factory the other day. If you don't know what those are - DON'T GET THEM!! They convinced me to play the game with them and I had the absolute joy of eating a jelly belly flavor titled something like "Used Band Aid".

AWFUL!!

In our family time tonight we challenged ourselves to take the conversations a little deeper. We are even discussing ways that we can help this happen. We will likely have a little more "hang out" time during BARF Night to allow relationships to develop. Please pray for God to open up doors for this to happen!

Thanks for your support!!

[toastchild]

OK, I'm not sure if I can phrase everything I want to say correctly, but I'll try anyway: YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

Like, really!

Your art is just GORGEOUS, both old and new! And I love love LOVE that you included a bisexual trans male character! (SERIOUSLY, AS A BISEXUAL TRANS GUY MYSELF IT MEANS A LOT TO ME!) I just love Tristan so much, and (what seems to be) his li'l crush on Gabe is just adorable!

Although, to be honest, as much as I love those two (being laid-back and "looking for a dream boy" are two things I can heavily relate to), in terms of personality so far my favorite is perhaps Alizée, and design-wise it would be Noah. Like seriously, when it comes to Noah I can't decide if I just want to look like them or date them??? *fanboy scream* THEY'RE TOO COOL!!! (>////<)

Regardless, I just adore your comic, and everything about it. Everything looks great, everyone is adorable, the diversity is just AWESOME! Bianca and Penny's interactions are just so awkward, funny, cute, and relatable! I just love it! Thank you for bringing a little joy into my life as a non-straight, non-cis person looking for "rainbow" content.

Compliments aside, though, there's something I want to say. I just recently noticed you changed how you identify as, and I have to ask - how did you realize you were aro AND ace? If I remember correctly, you used to identify as aromantic and lesbian (sorry if that's not true, btw). Was it a case of you realizing you only liked girls in the aesthetic sense in spite of being open to intimacy and/or a relationship with them?

Sorry for the weird questions by the way, you don't have to answer them if you don't feel like it. I don't mean to be invasive, I'm just genuinely curious about such things, considering I am neither asexual nor aromantic exactly, and I have never felt any true semblance of being a lesbian (since I'm a trans boy who likes more than one gender, I could not feel any connection to the word "lesbian" when I learned about it even though I'm really into ladies).

If it somehow alleviates whatever discomfort I might have brought to you by bringing up a (possibly) unpleasant subject amidst such praise, I'd like for you to know that I have kind of aromantic/asexual -ish values myself. That is, in spite being a huge fan of romance and, er, "bedroom bonding," I think platonic love should always come first, and I always feel aces, aros, demis, and everyone in the ace/aro spectrum deserve better both in real life AND in fiction.

Anyway, I'm glad your art, comics, and characters exist, they're a treat to the eyes and a warm embrace for the soul, especially for LGBT+ people. I hope you continue to bring smiles to peoples' faces by being your lovely self, and I hope you always find people who do the same for you.

You are a rare jewel, and I wish you good luck on your journey as an artist, as a person, and as a human being.

(P.S. I just realized i made this message WAY too long than I had originally planned. I really went overboard with this one. Oh well... *shyly walks away*)

DUDE!!! I can't thank you enough for such an absolute essay I'm seriously so grateful for the time it must have taken to write this!! All your thoughts about my characters make me so so happy aaa I can't believe it <333

You're right, I used to identify as aromantic and lesbian and I still think women are very lovely! You're spot on, I'm definitely more into girls in an aesthetic sense I think they're funky and cool but god I would never want to date anyone.

I actually realized I am definitely asexual recently - basically w/o getting too explicit someone offered me the option to try "it" and it freaked me out so much it kind of set off an "ohhhh okay, I'm definitely not a sexual person" moment. Honestly, I kind of grew up being told I was too young to identify as asexual and to just wait until I'm older, but bro I'm older now and I still feel the same way so 🤠🤸‍♀️ Honestly I think my thoughts are if a label is resounding w you - give it a try, nothing has to be permanent! You're allowed to change your mind, there are no rules.

Anyway!! I just wanted to thank you again for writing to me and making my day, I hope you're absolutely thriving <333333

[fyodior]

Alright bisch , im doing this

*slams my resume on your desk

K so Hi! I'm Noodles as you know by now and I go by she/they . Currently unemployed and finishing school and 18 years old.

Appearance wise I'm pretty lanky and tall(5'11) with short grey hair and blue eyes. I wear shit ton of hoodies and casual clothes that are more practical than for looks. (Side effect is I have always smth in my pockets like pens or money or gum, it's like Blackhole)

This feels weird talking about personality but hey whatever dhdh. I'm clearly an introvert but surprisingly I can thrive in social events too. I can easily talk to strangers and I would say even charm them if I put my mind to it , it just simply has a limit and after a while I fizzle out and feel like not talking. I like to give people things and help in any way, it brings me more joy than anything which translates into not handling affection well. I'm pretty chill and laid back compared to some people , I don't involve myself into dramas or issues since I prefer to watch afar. Even though I secretly might wanna punch some people who can't take the hint.(Violence is the answer sometimes kids) It's surprising how chill and unbothered I am but when shit goes down and I'm fed up I take the reigns and tell people what to do cause they're indecisive morons. It's not often but it fills me with pride when I can take the lead like this and people believe in me to be leader.

(I did the test but it's confusing a bit? If u know the other personality test I'm an INFP but thats a bit old now)

Some of my hobbies include drawing a shit ton of small doodles but never having the patience to stick with one piece too long. Piloting I would also consider a hobby , and reading and playing video games too in spare time. But lately taking walks has taken a big part in my life I have come to enjoy them too. I do bite my nails a lot unfortunately, old habit eeee

Likes and dislikes sheesh okay uh. I like people who don't lie about their feelings. Hate lies with passion. Those small white lies don't bother me but stuff like hiding your feelings and lying to another person's face whenever u like em or not makes my blood boil. I hate blueberries, lavender and coconut , Oblivious people and of course The current capitalistic system .

I like rats , snakes , birds ,cats and dogs of course . Creating anything brings me joy, whenever it be art , writing or even just ideas. My hands need to keep doing smth and creating is one way to do it. I also like winter and cold somehow , better than heat for sure

(U can go nsfw too but Its not a requirement btw heh)

(And for characters not to match with I don't think I'm comfy with mori much or nikolai sorryy)

Thank you for doing this event hon, and thank you for letting me participate , lov uuuuuuu

⚞ noodles x chuuya ⚟

⋆ ok first of all i know you dont like pink but i think its cute so suck it up

⋆ second of all. i rly wanted to be more creative and give you someone not super obvious but chuuya just works so well like that is ur man

⋆ third of all you will always be shipped with me above anyone else ok u know this

⋆ he is so fucking. gender. and sexy we discuss this often

⋆ above all else you are a fucking people pleaser even to ur own detriment dkfjdkjdf and i truly think chuuya is among the few people who wouldn't abuse this. he'd entertain you because he knows its fulfilling for you, but make sure you arent running yourself dry

⋆ he would indulge in your praise kink at every turn. not even just sexually although he def would be telling you (depending on position/situation) how sexy you look or how good you're being or how good ur fucking him

↣ in everyday life too! how much he appreciates you and how thankful he is for u. behind closed doors this man is so fucking soft no matter how steely he acts in front of others.

⋆ chuuya will so let you peg him in fact he will request this

⋆ chuuya is also not a liar (irl, probably lies his ass off to PM ppl) and really wants someone who he can trust to always be honest with him, because he def has trust issues.

⋆ he will not hide his feelings either. again he probably has a good ass poker face just bc . pm exec and all that but he will always be so straightforward because that's just how he is. you'd never have to worry about him stewing silently or secretly being pissed off

⋆ it irks him so bad how much taller you are but he tries to not let it get to him too bad dkfkdjkjfkj

⋆ "violence is sometimes the answer kids" i am 100% positive he has said that before at some point in his life

↣ he'd be a horrible enabler tho like you'd be ranting how much you want to kill a peer/coworker and he'd be like fucking do it. whats stopping you and ur like PRISON IS ??????

⋆ he's the same when it comes to avoiding unnecessary drama. he thinks it's dumb as fuck and has absolutely no interest in getting involved. but he does like shit talking with you at home fjkdfkjdfj or going on rants abt how much he fucking hates dazai and ur sitting on the couch as he paces around the room like. uh huh yes honey for sure

⋆ you'd def always be drawing or doodling sketches of him and the paper ones he'd keep all of them and store them bc he finds it so endearing

⋆ chuuya is the same exact way when it comes to an introvert that's able to be charming as fuck. like you'd be able to attend dinners or parties or whatever and charm everyone there but you leave after like an hour fkdfkdkjfdjk and then sit in silence on the couch watching tv to recharge

⋆ i dont think he'd be great about letting you be the leader/taking the reigns in situatiions honestly but you'd also completely trust him to not be a fucking idiot and trust his decisions so does it rly matter

⋆ why do you hate lavender. i love lavender. chuuya probably loves lavender

⋆ your ability to stay unbothered would be really good for him and his incredibly short (like him) temper. you'd be like the only person who could calm him down and get him to chill the fuck out literally please do this my guy is so high strung sometimes

⋆ he'd absolutely fucking obliterate your ass in any video games

⋆ power couple. can i be the third pls

⋆ IM SORRY I JUST CANT DO NSFW ABT YOU WITH ANYONE ELSE EVEN IF ITS FICTIONAL FJDJFJDF

⋆ love u

[septembersghost]

Can I share something with you? Got my Mom into Better Call Saul and we watched (a rewatch for me) 6x09 Fun and Games episode. And the episode was already devastating, but then I was listening to music and the song "1000 oceans" by Tori Amos came up, and I was immediately like: THEM. It's THEM. (I'm aware what the rules are / But you know that I will run / You know that I will follow you). It's a deep heart-wrenching ache when you love someone SO MUCH and you are separated from them, and you can't, can't have them because of the "rules" (because together, they're "poison", as Kim said it, and innocent people are getting hurt), but you love them so deep it's torturous to be away from them, and no matter how much time has passed, you'll run and follow them anyway (after six years, she followed him to Colorado and he came clean and sacrificed eighty-six years of his life just to see her again, she followed him and he followed her, and now they're together, heartbreak and sorrow etched into them, sharing one cigarette, being the only source of color in each other's life, and the world is bleak, but the flame, their love is glowing).

( These tears I've cried/ I've cried a thousand oceans.../ And I would cry one thousand more / If that's what it takes / To sail you home). She's his home and he is hers.

Anyway now I'm just ugly-crying non-stop and this song is... a weird source of comfort? But also tears. Just wanted to share it.

I'm also slowly going through your list of Mcwexler songs and LOVING them. Thank you so much for sharing ❤️

Btw my Mom asks "Is Kim gonna be okay? Is she gonna be alright in her new life?" and I'm just: PAIN

you are always welcome to share things!!!

i love that you got your mom into the show too, it's such a cool experience to share, even though everything about those last episodes is tough to watch.

i've cried a thousand oceans feels like all of us because of the two of them! you're so right, it really does capture the longing and ache of being separated from someone you love deeply, and the need to bring them back, even if doing so is going to require pain and sacrifice (i'd cry a thousand more to sail you home). the idea that you can't believe you'd ever hurt someone you love that much, but you know you have, and yet the hope you can return to one another and be mended. they ARE each other's home. it's never a set place for them, it's just. them.

Btw my Mom asks "Is Kim gonna be okay? Is she gonna be alright in her new life?" and I'm just: PAIN noooooo. :( honestly, as difficult as it was for me, i think i managed to steel myself because waterworks was even MORE devastating for my mom, and i didn't want to be so upset that it hurt her even further? it was hard seeing it hit her like that, usually i'm the one falling apart over fiction but that affected her on a visceral level. i get this sinking stone feeling in my chest when i think about kim's arc and the way she erased herself. i have to invent brighter ending headcanons for myself to cope 😅🥺

I'm also slowly going through your list of Mcwexler songs and LOVING them. Thank you so much for sharing i'm SO glad, this brings me joy and i love having the chance to share them with you!!! 💗💗💗

[rsmrymnt-tea]

「 🐳 」 good morning to none other than you~ i often think of the (numerous?) occasions in which satan claims to have a fondness for hedgehogs, and it made me wonder what makes his love for felines and his love for creatures such as hedgehogs connect—have you ever heard of the “hedgehog's dilemma”? a situation where hedgehogs seek warmth from the other during cold winters, but must remain apart to avoid harming the other with their spines.

this is a metaphor; it's known as the act of wishing for emotional intimacy, but due to one's own individual issues that cannot be so easily fixed, if at all. it becomes painful, mortally wounding even, to connect on such a scale.

i was reminded of how, generally speaking, felines are difficult to gain the trust of, let alone allow you to pet them in areas that are easily accessible for a dog. it reflects dolasach, methinks.

note: i enjoyed reading through your musings of dola's relationships so far! not that they inherently spark joy in the way where all is well, but rather in the feverish way where i dedicate a part of my brain to ponder on what other meanings that may bring for other scenarios.

speaking of that, i think it's interesting how your cat(3) trio all share the act of acting as such. of acting feverish in their endeavors to the point of ruin, if they aren't careful. and i understand that with the three of them it may be easier to keep each other in-check, but to what degree is that true, really?

all in all, your other digital letters will be on their way shortly ... hopefully!! there's just always new information to consider and to rewrite and edit and my little raccoon brain demands that i grab everything oc-related within my reach to rotate in my mind like a sad little rotisserie chicken wwww

with that, i leave you with this song from welcome to nightvale ꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡ i think it fits the occasion for the hedgehog's dilemma.

Tbh I think he's only mentioned liking hedgehogs once, but considering he wanted to make it his familiar, he must really, really like them a lot since I don't think he's ever mentioned wanting a cat as a familiar >w<

To add the hedgehog musings, I actually saw a post some time back where hedgehogs are actually able to cuddle! ;w; It's just that it takes a bit of maneuvering and all to find a good fit. It looks a little awkward, but the hedgies look like they're quite cozy together with the softest parts of their bodies interlocked like two pieces of a jigsaw. It makes for a fitting solution to the hedgehog dilemma—connection is possible, but it takes some figuring out and a willingness to maybe be at least a little uncomfortable and very vulnerable.

And hdjkgsdfg honestly the more I write Dola the more I think the catlike qualities in her come out (fully unintentional btw, but I guess it's bound to happen considering her early inspirations sdkdfg). Like distancing herself more if you're too forward or too much at once, and preferring that her trust be earned slowly—but with the occasional exception, of course, like how some cats just seem to love someone right away >.< (And also that she can be really cute and affectionate but only with like, two people lmfao)

Glad that you enjoyed reading all those posts about Dola & her relationships with almost each of the OM cast! Tbh looking back I think I didn't do a good enough job sticking to the assignment and just focusing on Dola's feelings about a character, which is something I realized I tend to do a lot. Most of what I've written about her is from someone else's perspective >.> Which is fine, I guess, but the ask game asked for her thoughts and feelings lmao >w<

And tbh your guess is as good as mine when it comes to other scenarios. What she does depends heavily on what point of her life she's at. Like, I think I have a hard time describing her in brief terms because I have this whole Journey of Development™ plotted out for her because I got way into the 'how does a person's life experiences who they are?' aspect of OC making >.< Plus a main mindset I have when I started workshopping her was that I really, really wanted the brothers to also give back to Dola. I never liked how one-sided it often feels in the game when it came to emotional issues being address. Of course, I understand that it comes with the limitations of the game mechanics—the devs want MC to be as wide of a range of people as possible, so of course the canon MC wouldn't have any issues that the brothers could address.

Which just means that all the more I wanted Dola to need just as much 'help' as the brothers do at the start of the program. Considering how she turned out, I had to make sure that the healing was both ways otherwise Dola would've left them all in the dust and run off to Purgatory Hall, and instead of Sol/Dola/Tan we'd have like... Just Dola/Sol with Simeon as Dola's ex sdfjkdfg

re: Cat(3) tho! Tbh I feel like so long as like... All three of them don't get too heavily into whatever they're doing, one of them should be able to come and knock some sense into the other? I think Solomon's most likely already had his lesson in chasing over-ambitious goals lifetimes ago and seems to get carried away doing little personal projects more than going for some epic goal, while Satan seems to get carried away with less serious mundane things the most, like reading books and binging dramas (quite sure there's a chat where he says he's been reading without taking a break for 3 days straight >.<)? He seems to get overworked from time to time but I don't think it's because he wants to, it's because most of his brothers aren't good at fulfilling their duties as princes of hell apparently dfhjsdfg Like isn't he the Devildom's treasurer? No idea what the rest do but he's got his duties + needing to carry his brothers' work too and is sometimes Diavolo's errand boy when the errand isn't big enough to have Lucifer do so... he's got that going for him >.>

I guess as the youngest with the most to chase after, Dola would be the most likely to go too far when it comes to chasing after her goals (prime example being her immortality) and Solomon would very quickly pick up on it? Even more so after he finds out that she went and got herself some eternal life behind his back >.> Though I think Dola calms down the more it sinks in that her days are pretty much unlimited, and she gets more and more knowledge, experience, and magical skill under her belt.

dfhgksdfgjk no rush on the letters!! Tbh I still have one of your asks that's sitting in the inbox still waiting for an answer, but I feel like you've got enough to work with right now as you type out your responses >w< I hope all the new stuff I've put out about didn't overwhelm you tho??? I look back and realize I've written a good few thousand words total just going on and on about Dola + the cast...

Can't wait to hear about godtongue tho??? I'm still so intrigued by how you think they and Dola would get along since my first impression was that she might avoid them after a couple meetings or something dfghkjdgh (but still, no rush >.<)

bsdjhsdg that song sent me BACK omg??? That's such an oldie!! Really makes me want to go and listen to the first 20 WTNV episodes again...

[francesduncan]

Austenism: Novels are good (Austenism: Life Advice From Jane Austen)

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid"

Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, C 14

This might be more of an observation than advice per se, but we can extrapolate some useful advice from it.

To be fair some people don't possess the ability to create images in their mind so reading isn't as enjoyable for them, but that's the important point. Reading. Should. Be. Fun.

Austen would probably laugh how her books are seen as Classic Literature and some consider them High Brow. She wasn't writing for the elite or the academics. Her first audience was her family and famously an elderly hard on her luck neighbour, Miss Benn, who had no idea the author of Pride and Prejudice was reading her the novel.

Austen may be trying to say several things here:

1. Don't Gatekeep

Fandoms are well known for trying to keep all but the purists out. Austen is literally for everyone btw, she's well out of copyright. It might be difficult to hear someone say they love Austen when they've only seen the movies, let them. Austen is not only for people who can quote pieces of her novels or discuss intimate aspects of characters as if they're real people (both of which I can do). If you don't allow anyone in, how else will new people find something that brings you so much joy?

2. Don't Yuck Other People's Yum

Let's be fair this is exactly what John Thorpe is doing. He thinks he's superior to Catherine and must "neg" her as a flirting tactic. Catherine likes gothic novels, good for her! In a couple of chapters she'll admit this with shame to Henry who accepts it. If she'd gone around believing what John Thorpe said (which we never should) she would have been miserable and hiding her delight. Allow people to like what they like, it's not hurting you.

3. Associate With People Who Share Similar Values

If books are important to you, hang out with others who feel the same...just not those judgy ones who think everything has to be "literature" and turn their nose up at some good smut. Unless, of course, you're one of them, in which case - find your people!

If you'd like to discuss Austen with me you can book a Read With Me session

[zannolin]

feel free to ignore this completely and delete it if you want i just know you love comments but leaving them on ao3 makes me really panicky and i wanted to leave something nice to you anyway so

i love your writing so much!!! you're one of the few people who i've subscribed to on ao3 and i never regretted that yet. everything you post screams with so much skill and quality. quotes from your fics are rotating in my brain constantly (the current one is "does something have to make sense to be good?" <...> he thinks, you still being here doesn't make sense, and it's good. you're good." i literally have this quoted. i will die for the way you write cleon btw) i think it's SO hard to find authors that correspond with your mind and you just happened to be that author for me and i very much cherish it. i will follow you to the depths of fandom hell. heaven too.

your "autobiographies" series is what made me want to thank you. those fics mean everything to me because they comfort me immensely. it just so happened that those fics perfectly describe something that i'm going through right now and just. if those fics were physical books they'd be dog eared and highlighted and be passed down my family line like an ancient relic. "planetarium stickers" btw is my go-to comfort fic and it coincidentally was posted a day before my birthday (but i saw it the morning of so it was like a present for me lmao) and i'm not kidding when i say that i basically have the entirety of it memorized. you'd be one of the authors i always mention if someone asked me about the people who affected my writing the most. i'm striving to be on the same level one day.

feel free to ignore this please!!!!! i'm So sorry if this was in any way uncomfortable or like line-crossing i just saw that you have trouble with writing lately??? and maybe this'll cheer you up a little?????? even if not i hope you overcome whatever's troubling you rn i'm sorry that i can't leave you an ao3 comment i hope this isn't too bad of a substitute LMAO thank you for sharing your amazing writing!!!!!!!!!!!

i've had this in my inbox for a few days without answering it bc i have been Having A Time but i just want to say this absolutely brightened my day when you first sent it and every time i have reread it since. it just makes me go :] thank you for saying so many kind things!!

i'm so glad i can bring you joy and comfort with my writing because really that's what i want most out of writing. stories are communal things and knowing something you wrote made someone else happy is the greatest feeling. autobiographies is (pretty obviously, considering the title) also a very special series to me so it's always wonderful to hear people like it. also hey! i posted planetarium stickers on MY birthday so we're almost birthday buddies how cool is that :D

tysm for brightening my day (and several other days) and reminding me just why writing is totally worth it <3