#and you have to do it to chart the character and plot development

[boleynqueenes]

⭐star⭐ behind the scenes take on the scene where Mary sees Anne & George talking with the French Ambassador

That one was pretty easy to write, I already had the dialogue and observations, mainly, already written. I did some research of the banquet from the archives to add the scene detail.

It's a turning point most present didn't know was one, and I always find those to be really interesting scenes from a historical perspective. I almost titled that chapter 'harbinger', actually.

And there's a counterpoint to the scene, Anne's POV, and how she first sees her future stepdaughter, before that changes by dint of how circumstances will develop:

She has determined to be kind to her, once Queen. She knows she will never be her mother, but her children, after all, will be her half-brothers and half-sisters, and it will be for the best if Anne makes an effort not to alienate her. So long as her mother accepts the papal verdict of the annulment, there is no reason they may not write one another (with correspondence checked, of course) and spend time together before the King's only daughter takes up the helm of the Daupin's wife. Once this marriage alliance is strengthened, if the Emperor interferes, they will have their French support to counter any intrigues. All will be well. That is what she believed, in those days. They were not to last.

But I'm not quite sure where to place it. I do have some scenes of that dynamic written set in 1533 and 1534, so probably whenever and wherever I choose to place that chapter, will include that or some expansion of it.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Plot Method

The Save the Cat! Beat Sheet was originally developed by Blake Snyder to help screenwriters plot movies, but it works just as well with novels.

It breaks down the 3-act structure into small, specific sections (sometimes just one scene long).

Each section pushes your story forward in its own way.

The exact word count/page count of each section depends on how long your novel is and what type of story you’re telling, but you can use the colored chart below and the percentages in the instructions as a guide. 

Context Note: This method is based on the concept of the Three Act Structure, which is an inherently Western approach to plot. It can be a useful way to tell a story, but it is by no means the only one.

ACT 1

Opening Image (0-1%)

Show a “before” snapshot of your protagonist and their world.

What is life like before the adventure begins?

It represents the struggle & tone of the story.

Set-up (1-10%)

Expand on the “before” snapshot.

Explore your protagonist’s life, including the internal flaws and external challenges they’ll have to overcome in order to change for the better by the end of the story.

Present the main character’s world as it is, and what is missing in their life.

Also introduce important supporting characters.

Theme Stated (happens during the Set-up)

What your story is about; the message, the truth.

Usually, it is spoken to the main character or in their presence, but they don’t understand the truth/lesson…not until later, when they have some personal experience and context to support it.

Thus, include a scene where a character says something that hints at what the protagonist’s big life lesson will be - how they’ll have to change and grow by the end of the story.

Catalyst (10%)

The moment where life as it is changes.

Examples: It is the telegram, the act of catching your loved-one cheating, allowing a monster onboard the ship, meeting the true love of your life, etc.

There’s no going back to the “before” world from here… What is the inciting incident that pushes the protagonist into the next phase of the story?

Debate (11-20%)

But change is scary and for a moment, or a brief number of moments, the main character doubts the journey they must take.

Show the protagonist questioning themselves and resisting the path ahead - wondering whether they have what it takes, or whether or they should just run home and hide under the bed.

“Should I just…?” “I really shouldn’t because…” “But what about…” Can I face this challenge? Do I have what it takes? Should I go at all?

It is the last chance for the hero to chicken out.

ACT 2

Break Into 2 (20%; Choosing Act Two)

The main character makes a choice and the journey begins.

We leave the “Thesis” world and enter the upside-down, opposite world of Act 2.

They make the choice to begin their adventure/transformation/journey/new thing.

Show your protagonist deciding to plunge into Act 2.

The Promise of the Premise (21-50%)

This is when the reader thinks “Ah, now we’re getting to the good stuff they hinted at on the back cover of this book!”

It’s also one of the longest sections in your book.

Show your protagonist getting used to their new world - loving it, hating it, making mistakes or doing well, meeting new people (see more below) and keeping the reader entertained.

This is when the main character explores the new world and the audience is entertained by the premise they have been promised.

B Story (happens during The Promise of the Premise)

This is when there’s a discussion about the Theme – the nugget of truth.

Usually, this discussion is between the main character and the love interest.

So, the B Story is usually called the “love story”.

Introduce a new character or characters who will eventually help the protagonist learn their life lesson.

Friends? Mentors? Love interests? Nemeses (nemesi?)? Who are they? How will they help?

Midpoint (50%)

This moment is when everything seems “great” or everything seems “awful,” depending on your story.

The main character either gets everything they think they want (“great”) or doesn’t get what they think they want at all (“awful”).

Either the Fun and Games section has lead to a false victory for your protagonist (they think they’ve been doing great so far) or a false defeat (they’ve been having a hard time so far).

What happens in this moment, halfway between beginning and end?

But not everything we think we want is what we actually need in the end.

Bad Guys Close In (51-75%)

Get ready for a bumpy ride. If your Midpoint was a false victory, now things start to go wrong for your protagonist.

If the Midpoint was a false defeat, well, things seem to be looking up, but the bad guys are getting closer and will have something to say.

Note: Bad guys can be actual physical enemies, but they can also be emotional enemies, like doubt or jealousy or fear.

Doubt, jealousy, fear, foes both physical and emotional regroup to defeat the main character’s goal, and the main character’s “great”/“awful” situation disintegrates.

Show the protagonist’s newly-built world beginning to unravel.

This will also be one of the longer sections in your novel.

All is Lost (75%)

This is when something happens to make your character hit rock bottom.

It’s the absolute lowest part of your novel.

Maybe someone or something dies (either literally or figuratively).

The initial goal now looks even more impossible than before. And here, something or someone dies.

It can be physical or emotional, but the death of something old makes way for something new to be born.

What does this moment look like for your protagonist?

Dark Night of the Soul (76-80%)

Your protagonist now has time to react to their “All is lost” moment, to mourn what they lost and wallow in hopelessness.

They’re worse off than they were at the beginning of the novel.

Show how low things have gotten.

Mourning the loss of what has “died” – the dream, the goal, the mentor character, the love of your life, etc.

But, you must fall completely before you can pick yourself back up and try again.

ACT 3

Break Into 3 (80%; Choosing Act Three)

The “aha!” moment; the “lift yourself up and try again” moment.

Show the protagonist realizing what they need to do in order to tackle their problems, both external and internal.

Thanks to a fresh idea, new inspiration, or last-minute Thematic advice from the B Story (usually the love interest), the main character chooses to try again.

Finale (81-99%)

The protagonist does what they decided to do in the Break Intro 3 beat, and (because of all the learning/growing they’ve done and the support or insight from the B Story), their plan works.

This time around, the main character incorporates the Theme – the nugget of truth that now makes sense to them – into their fight for the goal because they have experience from the A Story and context from the B Story.

The Bad Guys are defeated, the world is changed for the better.

What are the battles? How will the protagonist triumph (or not)?

This is another longer section, so you’ve got the space to make things dramatic and intense.

Act Three is about Synthesis.

Final Image (99-100%)

This is the opposite of the Opening Image, the “after” snapshot instead of the “before.”

Show the reader how the protagonist and their world have changed.

THE END

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ Writing Notes & References

[astrolook]

Do We "Grow Into" Our Birth Chart? 🌱✨

Ever looked at your birth chart and thought, “This doesn’t feel like me”—only to wake up years later realizing, oh no, it does now? 😵‍💫

Here’s the thing: your birth chart isn’t a fixed personality quiz result. It’s more like a storyline—a character arc you evolve into over time. Some placements hit immediately (hello, Aries rising babies who came out screaming), while others unfold like a slow-burn plot twist.

So, let’s talk about the placements that activate with time and why astrology is just another way of saying, "You’re not ready for this yet, but wait a few years." 👀

🌟 What Parts of Your Birth Chart You ‘Grow Into’ Over Time

🔄 Saturn Placements (Aging Like Fine Wine... Or Expired Milk) – If you’ve got heavy Saturn energy, congrats! You probably felt like an underpaid intern in your own life until your late 20s. Saturn doesn’t let you win early—he makes you work for it. Expect full activation by your Saturn Return (ages 28-30).

🌗 Your Moon Sign (Feelings You Don’t Understand Until You Do) – You’re born with your Moon sign, but fully feeling it? That takes time. If you’ve ever thought, "I don’t relate to my Moon," wait until life throws enough emotional chaos at you. Then suddenly, you are that Moon sign.

🛤 North Node (Your Life’s GPS That You Keep Ignoring) – Your North Node is where you’re headed in life, but it’s usually not where you start. In your younger years, you’re vibing in your South Node comfort zone—until life forces you into the real plot. Your 30s-40s? That’s when you become your North Node.

🎭 Your Rising Sign (The Mask That Becomes Your Face) – Your rising sign is how people see you, but it’s also who you’re becoming. As you age, you start owning your rising sign instead of just awkwardly performing it. The older you get, the more your rising sign becomes the vibe.

🏆 Midheaven (Your Legacy, But You Gotta Earn It) – Your Midheaven (MC) is your career and public image, but guess what? It doesn’t make sense when you’re 18. You step into your MC energy as you grow into your career and reputation. It’s why your 10-year-old self wanted to be an astronaut, but your 30-year-old self is thriving as a financial analyst.

👥 Your 7th House (Relationships That Start Making Sense) – The sign on your 7th house and planets there? They don’t click until you start having real relationships. You might even resist that energy at first. Then one day, you wake up and realize, "Oh. This is what I actually need."

💥 Pluto Transits (Personal Transformations You Never Saw Coming) – Pluto moves slowly, but when he does hit your planets, expect life-altering moments. The person you were before a Pluto transit? Gone. Deleted. Who is she? Pluto doesn’t ask you to grow up—he forces it.

TL;DR: Your Birth Chart is a Slow-Burn Character Arc

If you don’t relate to parts of your chart yet, you will. Some placements take time, some take life experience, and some show up when you least expect them to. You don’t just grow up—you grow into yourself. 🌿✨

Curious about which parts of your chart haven’t fully activated yet? 👀 Message me for a complete astrology reading, and let’s figure out what’s next in your cosmic character development.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Just curious on your opinion on this: Do you think twst's writing in terms of storyline/plot and overall characterisation of the characters has gotten better or changed in any way over the years? Or would you say it's stayed relatively the same? Or maybe varied?

***Disclaimer: Everything I say in this post is just my opinion and is NOT me imposing my views onto you or insisting that my views are superior. Nor in no way, shape, or form am I demeaning those who enjoy the things I did not or did not enjoy the things that I did. Me not personally liking certain books or events is also NOT me dismissing any characters’ experiences or trauma.

Let’s remember to remain respectful.***

<_<

>_>

*leans into the mic*

Look, I love Twst and all, but I also think that Twst's writing quality has proven to be pretty inconsistent and is actually painfully mediocre most of the time.

When I sit down and really think about it, the main story has 3 books I actively dislike. That's basically half of the main story, seeing as book 7 is so darn long just by itself. Even if I minimize my own bias, there are just objectively bad narrative decisions made in many places, such as setting things up and not letting them get proper payoff later, obvious plot holes, or going for 100+ parts without allowing two major characters in the book to appear.

(I go into more detail about how I personally rank the books here. Here is also a graphical depiction of that ranking yes, I am breaking out the charts:)

Book 7 was especially egregious… It has its monstrous length as well as the tonal whiplash, inconsistent pacing, lack of urgency, and overexplanation of the dreams that take up a good 2/3 of the book. So much was happening and yet so little also happened.

(Here’s how I feel about the major story points in 7:)

In terms of events, I'd say they improved how they're organized over time. In the very early events, Twst failed to separate stories into Episodes like they do now, meaning you'd just get one long stream of story (ex: Beans Day II is 39 parts) instead of it being broken up into more easy-to-digest chunks (ex: GloMasq has 5 Episodes, each ranging from 15-19 parts). Hometown events also took on a predictable formula, with Episode 1 being the set-up to venture elsewhere, Episodes in the middle dedicated to exploring the area, and then Episode 5 having the crew resolve some minor issue. However, this doesn't always mean the pacing of events is good. For example, Stage in Playful Land Episode 3 has a paltry 11 parts whereas Episode 2 has 21, which is almost DOUBLE the length of Episode 3.

Many events have nothing of real importance or excitement happening (Tsumsted Wonderland, Lost in the Books, Master Chefs/Culinary Crucibles, Sam's New Year Sales, etc.) or mainly involve eating food and souvenir shopping (looking at you, hometowns). The events that are good do something unique and does it well (or at least is funny) OR actually advances a character's development/growth. Because so many Twst events are middle-of-the-road, it makes the few solidly written events (like Glorious Masquerade) stand out. We remember these solid instances more strongly as a result, which then projects over the other events (which were mid) and boosts them in our minds.

(Here’s where the events stand relative to one another:)

Vignettes have more liberty with character writing because most of them are not canon to the main story. Sometimes characters regress into their old ways (Epel going back to his pre-book 5 personality is pretty guilty of this), but that's usually fine since I treat vignettes as essentially "what ifs" or transitive periods of growth between major story beats. I like that vignettes are oftentimes very mundane and can take their time to explore the unique relationships and dynamics between the boys. It often feels like so much other stuff is happening that we don't get to slow down and just... enjoy the boys as they are.

Looking at the overall trend lines, it unfortunately looks like Twst is, as I suspected, hovering around the “could be better” to “okay” range in most cases. When Twst does well, it’s great. (To this day, I still believe GloMasq was peak for Twst and no event since had topped it.) When Twst fumbles, it fumbles HARD. (Playful Land and book 2 infamously have many plot holes.) But when Twst is mid, it’s… well, absolutely unremarkable 😭

I think the issue for me is that Twst tries to be ambitious with its stories but has limited success in executing those stories. Maybe it’s the fault of limited budget or assets (as a mobile title and not a console title), maybe the writers just aren’t that skilled, maybe it’s a time constraint or not a lot of research done, whatever.

[xiaq]

Hello! x I’m really inspired by the way you start and complete projects and move onto the next and speak of your work and plans with such positivity and innate capability. If it’s okay to ask, I’m curious if the way of which you move in action comes naturally to you, or if you have any recommendations for how to interact with momentum and action? Thanks so much!

Hi! Thank you so very much. I actually deeply struggle with executive function/task paralysis. But when I was in grad school, my therapist gave me fantastic advice: keep the end goal in mind, but break big tasks into smaller pieces and then only focus on the next piece, and celebrate completing that piece.

Current example: I want to make a cool, intricately carved, dresser. That feels like a big task. But it can be broken into 10 steps. 1. find old dresser 2. sand 3. paint 4. glaze 5. make carving molds 6. paint carvings 7. glaze carvings 8. apply carvings 9. seal 10. new hardware

Right now, I'm only focusing on step 8. And that feels manageable and fun rather than overwhelming.

I do the same thing with my writing. I outline my books so I know the general plot and character development that needs to occur in each chapter. But I only focus on writing one chapter at a time. If I was thinking about everything I have left to write every time I sit down, I'd be paralyzed with the magnitude of work ahead. But just one chapter--where I already have solid working parameters––well, that feels like something I can accomplish in a few hours.

(Sometimes, depending on my mental health, I need to do this with simple day-to-day tasks. Like, "walk the dog" isn't a singular item. It becomes 1. Get dressed 2. put on shoes 3. put on Deacon's collar/leash 3. Walk to the park 4. walk home. But then as I mentally check each of those things off, I get a little surge of validation/pride in my accomplishment, as silly as that sounds.) (For certain projects, I'll even make myself a genuine physical chart and put stickers on it as I complete items.)

Anyway. I have no idea if that helps with other folks' approaches to momentum/action, but that's what makes my brain happy, anyway!

[yandere-daydreams]

Thinking about sex doll Scaramouche the scrapped concept and Wanderer the repurposed Sumeru line, and I bring you Kabukimono the unfinished doll. A ScaraWan model that didn't get all the code written up in him properly or completely. He has the IQ of a roomba. He has no idea what his functions or roles should be, them not being programmed in. He has no concept of how strong he is, oftentimes accidentally grabbing objects and shattering them by accident. His owner/maintenance technician is unsure if the robot even understands that it's a robot, or if it's trying to become a human. Kabukimono showing up with a freshly bleeding heart in his hand beaming like "Am I human now? :D"

tw - implied violence, unhealthy relationships, obsessive behavior, disturbing themes.

ahhhhhfdlsjdkjslsjfdlsk the current wanderer lore is that he was formerly a failed cross-over model between the harbingers and the shogunate line who was then mellowed out and released with sumeru's more academic characters, so i can absolutely believe that in the mess of his development and production, there were a few models made that just,,, weren't finished, for lack of a kinder way to put it. he's got an incomplete backstory with plot holes you could drive a plane through, clothes that don't quite fit with the harbinger's cold-war-chic aesthetic or the shogunate's refined elegance, and most of his functions were made, well, functional. you're told all that up-front when you find a badly mangled model at a warehouse sale, but you don't care. he's got that beat-up alley-cat charm, and as a veteran companion-droid technician, you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you didn't bring him home.

he works better than you expect him to, despite everything you've heard. his base programming (things like 'humans need air to breathe and breathing is good' and 'don't burn down the kitchen when asked to pour a glass of water') is in-tact, and he still has his verbal faculties, even if he does still get tripped-up on names every now and then. he spends the first few weeks following you around like a lost puppy, watching you fix up other androids and go about your daily routines with parted lips and wide eyes, but once he settles in, he's more of a housepet than a companion droid, constantly either lingering at your side or sitting at your feet, never farther than across the room. sometimes, he tries to help around your workshop, but he doesn't exactly have the gentle touch you need to deal with something as delicate as androids. you've found him elbow-deep in the wiringof other teyvat droids before, and well he has yet to do any damage you can't repair, you'd rather not catch him staring blankly at a nearly disassembled ayato with oil soaking into the clothes him again.

the only things you're genuinely worried about are his self-awareness protocols. he doesn't seem to understand the difference between androids and humans (despite having watched you take apart and put together more than a few of the former), and some of the phrases he uses just don't align with the lines his more official counterpart would spout when given the same prompt, occasionally referring to a 'mother' or a blacksmith he can't remember the name of. you've tried to correct him, to pull out your decade-old anatomy charts and drill a few haphazard biology lessons into his metal skill, but there's only so much you can do to change the ones and zeroes that make up his consciousness. there's not much you can do, but still, you'll wish you'd done more when he comes back from a routine errand with something red and pulpy cupped in his hands, his eyes bright and a wide smile plastered across his lips - when he asks, in the sweet, oblivious tone you've never been able to hold anything against, if this is all he needs to be human, to be with you permanently.

when it becomes clear that his programming was just a little more faulty than anyone thought to tell you.

[oneslimybastard]

Another underutilized aspect of N, Natural Harmonia Gropius himself, is that he's conceptualized as not just a Math Guy, but a Math Genius if we go by some interview trivia notated on Bulbapedia.

It clearly shows in the way he speaks since his (translated) dialogue (idk about the original japanese one) is full of hamfisted references to formulas and frustration expressed when the chaos of the world does not align with them — which to me is like, the core of his character, something that makes him both An Asshole to deal with but also a very intellectually curios and creative individual. It's just a brand of creativity not a lot of people can keep up with nor understand.

N likes math because a lot of math is about clearly defined variables and their relationship to one another. If you come across an inconsistency that doesn't fit any prior definitions, you iron out a new definition and suddenly the field has expanded upon itself tenfold. It aligns with how his Very Autistic Brain functions, x + y = z, if I do x to y then z will happen. If z doesn't happen, then that just means I have to identify the hidden variables within the exchange and rewrite the formula to be more accurate.

Black and White's quality of writing is. Like pokémon often is. Questionable at best. The foundations are there but the execution is dumbed down and corny because it's still aimed at kids, BW in specific really cutting the theme of pokémon trainer ethics short in favor of just "dang u beat me in the pogiebattle guess ur right!". How-ev-er. In my head, and the reason why I still find the plot of those games compelling (aside for my unhinged thirst for goth man-milf Ghetsis) is that to me they're about local cult-raised autist Normal Henry Gropus bashing his head against the world over and over to desperately try and make the formulas make sense, to distill it into variables he can understand and predict on a consistent basis, and failing miserably at it. Because even if the world is Technically made up of a bunch of chemistry that you could, in theory, predict, there's just a lot of random noise in there from microscopic complexities that fuck everything up.

Pokémon are simpler creatures (discounting the eerily intelligent ones) who will be nice enough to behave like math problems most of the time. Humans rarely extend that grace, the more N studies them like a science project the more contradictory variables pop up. They have a million thoughts in their head he doesn't have access to, that brew into feelings he doesn't understand, which leads to actions he can't do a proper traceback through. Which is frustrating, devastatingly frustrating. At least at first.

Due to how BW2 pans out and my own yearning for thematic mirroring, whereas Ghetsis gives in to the Autistic Bitterness over all these NTs he doesn't fuckign understand, I like to think N develops a sort of joy in studying people like the impossibly complex math problems we are. Because he likes math, he likes figuring shit out, he likes buying a nightmare rubik's cube and charting the squares out on a nightmare variable graph (listen i am not a math guy. i respect the hustle but my skill level is too low to accurately attempt to simulate the process in writing. im sorry math guys) so he has a home-made flexible cheat code on how to solve any possible mix-up of it. It's fun for him, it stimulates his brain and he is so stupid good at it that he can only share that joy with like a stray alakazam or metagross because he's a bit of a tarzan just hanging out in the wilderness, he doesn't know any high end mathematicians he can casually geek out about combinatorial game theory with, and the normies just do not get it .

I think this math enjoying is kind of a big part of his ~Innocence~ as well, since there's a lot of childlike glee to being a Math Guy. It's the love of problem solving as a process rather than a means to an end, it's playful, but severely misunderstood to the point where people kinda might assume things about you if you are a math guy.

N's love of math helps him love the world but it also isolates him. He's a genius, but since he can't communicate it in a palatable way it'll get overlooked in favor of him just being a loomy weirdo on the street chatting up the local patrats.

If introduced to DnD though he'd spend so much time on forging ridiculously optimized multiclass builds, then migrate to digging through old obscure sci-fi ttrpgs from the 80s with hellishly complex systems just for the funsies of learning how the presented variables behave within a variety of frameworks, but then if you actually invited him to play with your group he'd look at you like you'd just called his mom a llama.

He's a neat guy to me, STEM guy who's also one of those animal rights activists who's a little too PETA-coded, I like him :)

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - it was a pretty darn good time, frankly

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Feb 2024 Wk 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 12fin - Everyone looked like they were having a lot of fun in the fight sequences. I’m very happy for them. I’m not surprised they shot Khem and Chart. A little shocked it wasn’t also Yai, TBH.

I found this final episode rushed. According to rumors, The Sign was originally slated to be 14 eps, and it probably should’ve been. And I don’t say that often about Thai BL. But we all knew it was getting too bloated for its britches, so I'm not surprised they fumbled the ending. For me personally, it just wasn't that bad. It was fine and I was fine with it.

Tho, Billy does not look good with facial fur, messes up those gorgeous angles.

I was ultimately amused that the solution to the mythology thread was simply to talk to the river god and persuaded him to give up... off screen. It felt very old school wuxia. Or like Aeschylus or something. I did adore the stinger, Saint was basically like “I want wings too”. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, PNR, fated mates, police procedural, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and slasher. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it. Was it a crazy unhinged mess +1 roll for damage? Yes. Yes it was. Did it manage to hold all those tangled threads together? No it did not. Was it also a charming, sexy, engaging, non-stop piece of entertainment? Sure thing. I think this show is basically my KinnPorsche, and frankly I’ve been chasing that dragon naga since KP aired. Is it perfect? No. But it was balls to the wall FUN and that gets a 9/10 from me.

I'm thinking of doing a full recap review (partly because I have so many great screen shots.)

Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube grey) ep 10-11 of 12 - Since this series is following the yaoi so closely, I knew these were the separation eps. (Also I knew with would be a soft non-doom ep 11, Japan rarerly does these.) I like that they used it to show improve communication and development in all relationships, but, frankly, TayNew are just best when they are TayNew together on screen. So yeah. Let’s keep them back together, please?

Meanwhile, TayNew gifted us a gorgeous loving sweet sex scene. Thanks OG for doing us a solid. 

I wanna add, it sure is fun to see New play as soft and vulnerable character, I feel like he hasn’t done that since SOTUS. 

(Read all about distribution issues here.)

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 12fin - 1/3 of this is a sweet romance about a student doctor falling in love with a student chef, and the rest of it is utter dross. Look the OffGun bits were GREAT.. In fact, I think they’re better AS A PAIR in this show than in any of their other BLS. And I'm a hard sell on any OffGun being better than PickRome. Saying that, how can I review a show where I could only tolerate 1/3 of it? Because I didn’t like any other aspect of this show, no other pairs and no other plots. That gives me: 9/10 for the OffGun bits, 5/10 for everything else. Frankly it probably should be an 8 but I gotta go with my gut and it's upset about this so 7/10. Sorry boys. It’s GMMTV’s fault. Your heart was in this show, mine wasn’t. 

City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 4 of 12 - These two are so good at making heart eyes at each other. It’s ridiculous. They don’t need any cartoon images or noises. Moot crush but "I wanna flirt and court more" is so flipping awesome. I love this for them… and us. 

1000 Years Old ep 2 of 12 - It’s very silly and we have been gifted with the dorkiest vampire ever. But... the smell thing makes me so happy. And I like that the vamp uses chan/nai or tan = v old fashioned. Nahlak. I love our ghost girl. Did you notice she wasn’t in the room with them but they left an empty chair for her? Also nahlak.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Perfect Propose (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 6 - Kai was pretty much just “you're a workaholic but I basically married you whether you like it or not.” SMOOCH. What can I say? I'm a sucker for this dynamic.

AntiReset (Taiwan Fri Viki/Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - How is this show so cute? How do they both love and hurt each other so much. They are both just scared of loosing each other. Gah.

Unknown (Taiwan Sat Youku YouTube) 1 of 12 eps - Youku dropped the first ep to their YouTube channel but I doubt we can expect that to continue. Still, it was nice to be able to watch it in a convenient way. I enjoyed it. But I am cautious about it. Of course this is possibly two of my favorite tropes of all time (stepbrothers or a variation + hyung romance). So I’m looking forward to the romantic thread, but from the gritty style, it feels a lot more like a Taiwanese short. Which means it could go very dark and may not end happy. 

Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - I just don’t know if the main couple should be a couple. But when they finally get around to talking to each other, they sure are lovely. Also how great is it to see a uke initiate a kiss? Even if it’s not a very good kiss. 

My Strawberry Film (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 2 of 8 - I am still not sure about this one. I am not contesting its quality, just saying it’s not for me. Also I’m not wild about what amounts to basically a redo of everything that already happened in the first episode from a different perspective. I know it’s a tall order with Japan, but I would like (when it’s a short series) for each new installment to actually move the plot (such as it is) along in someway. Am I asking too much?

It's done but I have no time

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - will binge when I have any spare time. 2024 is crazy busy for me so far.

The Servant and the Young Master - from Vietnam, it's on YouTube. I will give it a try when I have a window of time.

Began Beginning (Myanmar YouTube) - A Burmese BL? @heretherebedork vouched for it, so I will give it a watch.

It's airing but...

Dead Friend Forever (Thai iQIYI) - rumors are it's interesting but full of unlikable characters. I'm waiting to know how it ends.

Ossans Love Season 2 (Japan Gaga) - 5 years later, will anything have changed? This is Japan so… probubly not. I won't be watching this. I disliked Season one and actively hated the follow ups. No thank you.

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. I DNFed this at ep 5. Frankly I'm impressed with myself for getting that far. Ends next week TF.

Time the series (Tue Gaga/YT) 10 eps - dropped it at ep 4.

A Secretly Love (Thai WeTV) - I tried but I can't get into my WeTV account anymore and I'm way too lazy to figure it out. Should I bother to go grey for it?

To Be Continued (Thai C3 Thailand YT) - High school sweethearts who had a bad break up reunite when both of them have full time jobs but coming out is still a problem. You can watch this on YT but it has no Eng Subs.

Next Week Looks Like This:

We're light on content right now, but frankly I'm so busy with work I don't really mind.

3/6 Born to be Y (Thai ????) 10 eps - 14 contestants who audition to compete in Born To Be Y, a program that searches for the best couple of the year to work together on a giant project. Described as semi-reality series. So I probably won't bother.

3/7 Deep Night (Thai iQiyi) 10 eps - Multiple romances set in a host clubs. Nice to see First back on my screen but this is not my favorite setting.

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

The eyes have it.

Your random BL moment brought to you by my ult-bias being a hyung smartass to his maknae.

(Last week)

[obsidianpen]

Okay, so a lot of people here have talked about the use of AI and large language models such as ChatGPT, and honestly, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I think that using them to help you proofread is fine. So spelling, grammar, and that sort of thing. And writers can also do this process themselves obviously, but I don't see the harm in using ChatGPT for this, as long as you are aware that you are giving your data and story over to OpenAI.

When it comes to ideas, bouncing ideas off of an AI can be fun, but only to the extent that they are completely your ideas (meaning the AI didn't come up with the idea for you and you aren't giving the AI information about someone else's ideas). So your idea your choice, but don't use the AI to get the idea for your work and don't give the AI other people's ideas or works. And this only really applies if you don't have anybody either in-person or online to do this with instead.

The last thing I'll say is that AI writing isn't the greatest. It can sound realistic and be cohesive to an extent, but it isn't the same as a real author. I actually tested this a few times because I was curious how it would turn out, and I promise that it is not a substitute or replacement for real authors. I think this is because ChatGPT and other AIs work by predicting what is the best/most likely word to come next in its response based off of the dataset it was trained on. It even has a function that allows some degree of randomness/variability in the next word, rather than only using the top/best next word each time. But this means it isn't coming up with new or inventive ideas. It doesn't come up with plot twists, it can't plan slowly developing arcs across multiple chapters, and it doesn't make the characters interesting to read, have a lot of depth, sound real, or so forth. There are more things too, but I'm just giving a non-exhaustive list of why ChatGPT's writing is not the same as a real author's writing.

Note: I apologize if this isn't clear or if I'm just rambling or if I made any typos. I'm writing this on my phone and have not had ChatGPT or other AI proofread it for me.

hm. I’d say there’s been a lot more discussion about whether or not Tom Riddle has a breeding kink (he does not; just a WAP kink) and about the height difference between Harry and Voldemort in NG (there are charts; they are, somehow, confusing). I don’t want this to be a recurring theme on this blog, so consider this my (very hopefully) last post on this topic.

My opinion on the matter: I don’t agree with your reasoning for using AI. You said you didn’t think it was an issue ‘as long as you are aware that you are giving your data and story over to OpenAI.’ I think you absolutely should care that you’re giving your data and story over to AI!!! You should care. Pretty much just sold yourself there as far as I’m concerned.

I don’t think anyone should be using AI for proofreading. I don’t know how great it is at this, but even if it’s amazing, I think you should be doing this yourself!!! Editing is a skill, and a great one to have. I catch a lot of things when I proofread my own shit; I realize I missed things or screwed things up - not just grammatically speaking but plot wise, which as you said, AI can’t help with anyway. Proofread your own stuff. Proofread your own stuff!!!! And if you want a second set of eyes on your work, ask a real human!!!!!!!!

re: bouncing your ideas off of AI… no!!!! Bounce your ideas off of PEOPLE I promise you will have much better conversations because they will be with someone who can think critically.

and the thing about chatGPT not writing super well… yeah, duh. But what some writers do is use shit like chatGPT as a starting point, then edit. It doesn’t come up with plot twists - unless you feed them to it. No one is arguing that it’s a good as a ‘real author’ but that doesn’t mean people who consider themselves ‘real authors’ aren’t using it. I think this sucks, because, in case we forgot, chatGPT uses theft as its foundation.

(and this isn’t even touching on the environmental shit concerning AI.)

In conclusion: I don’t think anyone should use it for anything creative. At all. Feel free to disagree (and you can post about that on your own blog), but if you lean on AI to edit or create your creative work, you’re only hindering yourself.

Note: I apologize if this isn't clear or if I'm just rambling or if I made any typos. I'm also writing this on my phone and have not had ChatGPT or other AI proofread it for me, nor would I ever.

[scribbledpage]

"Fictional...?"

you're part of a fictional series the tmnt2k12 turtles watch

(THIS IS INSPIRED BY THAT ONE LMK POST WITH THE SAME CONECPT AS THIS!! CREDITS TO THE ORIGINAL CREATOR!!)

><><><><

[Leo]

this boy here is a space heroes fan (a super fan), and he's very open about it, so it would be no surprise that he'd be open to being a fan of your show.

he would binge watch the episodes that have you in it, or a you-centric episode constantly or whenever he's feeling down or demotivated.

no matter if it's an action series or a slice-of life series, you inspire him to become a better leader and example to his brothers.

you know that random feeling of motivation when you watch a study vlog or anything inspiring? he'd get that random burst of motivation to train while watching some episodes (in secret, of course).

his brothers, mainly raph, tease him for liking your show and talk about how childish it is(when in reality, they think its a decent series to watch).

no doubt this boy secretly makes 'x reader' fanfiction.

even if you're a side character or comdic relief, he still enjoys the scenes you're in and hyper analyze your traits and makes headcannons.

he'd sometimes use the episodes where there'd be mental health awareness as a guide to look out for signs in his brothers and friends so he can make sure they're okay ♡

he'll rant about your charcater the moment he hears anything related to you(or his headcannons), for example: your favorite colour, a word/phrase you use often, the style of clothing you wear etc.

[Donnie]

he is obsessed with your character.

considering with how obsessed he got with april (within seasons 1-3, i think), he'd have a chart or a notebook dedicated to you.

like, he'd have one whole notebook or chart listing the things you like, dislike, in between, headcannons, things the fandom agrees with, your style, etc.

he can't go about his day without thinking what you would do with him if you were real.

he loves your sass, jokes, and character development in the series (even if most watchers dont see the development at all).

this guy will drop everything at a second he sees merch of your character or a new season release.

he definitely thinks you're underrated in your own show and relates to some of the episodes a bit.

he definitely stayed up late to binge watch episodes instead of working on projects that can help them defeat the kraang.

if you can speak languages other than english, he'd go out of his way to learn said language because of you.

if you dont speak other languages, then he would try out (and love) your hobbies that he found boring at first.

[Raph]

casey had introduced your show to him and he'd rather die than admit that he liked it.

he'd secretly quote some of your underrated lines, and no one would notice (to his relief).

like leo, he'd get random bursts of motivation watching the episodes you're in.

he actually watches the whole series instead of skipping to the part you're in.

he enjoys the plot and your character, and he'd get giddy whenever he sees your character merch or your show's poster if he's patrolling.

he develops some of your habits yet no one pointed it out, until casey.

casey knew raph liked the show, and he'd never stopped teasing raph about it, occasionally ending up with bruises.

thankfully, casey keeps quiet about it.

he doesn't do things all out like donnie but enjoys your character.

his anger issues actually decrease when watching your show

he reacts very heavily to some of the plots like some arguments you had in the show, a betrayal by your trusted ones, you falling in love

like he'll want to scream at each of them(in a good and bad way)

[Mikey]

this man is obsessed.

any reference from your show, he's ranting to the first person he sees (leo is often a victim of this).

he doodles ur character on whatever space he can find. walls, tables, donnie's papers, receipts from april. that's right, he's doodling u

he daydreams. literally.

he'll create little fantasies (no nsfw stuff tho, that's gross) like what it'll be like when ur here in the real world or when u try his homemade pizza for the first time.

like raph, he is bound to squeal or grin whenever there are funny scenes

i feel like he's the type to go crazy whenever a single thought of u or ur show comes to his mind. he's on another level of hyper fixated

[euphoriabled]

KNOWING YOUR PARTNER WELL CAN POTENTIALLY MAKE WRITING TOGETHER A LOT EASIER.

REPOST DO NOT REBLOG !!

name: Kaliya! Or Kitty, for those who prefer it. ( kuh - lee - yuh ) for any inquiring minds. :)

pronouns: Something I'm actively figuring out! i'm currently using she/they most, but he is also chill! i just don't care for "it" towards myself. :) also uhhh miss is fine, but i hate ma'am unless it's said with an accent.

preference of communication: i'm honestly pretty shy, so if i ever message first, just know i was being V E R Y brave about it. i primarily use tumblr messages, unless i'm comfy enough to give out my discord! you're always allowed to ask for it though!

name of muse(s): ,,,why don't we do my primary blogs instead! there are far too many muses to list all at once! @euphoriabled (you are here!), @thwipsnapped (gwen stacy), and @purityran (my only oc with an active-ish sideblog atm) are the blogs i currently use most! the others are listed in my pinned post, if you're curious!

best experience: it may sound corny, but forming friendships over the years has been the best experience! for example, not only have i had the chance to develop some really important dynamics with @dafriend , but OUR dynamic is very important to me as well. we've watched each other grow over the years, we've exchanged phone numbers, and we're true friends. :') i'm so thankful that playing barbies online could bring such lovely people into my life. i am also constantly meeting cool new people who write interesting portrayals of canon characters and/or have created the most wonderful original muses! i feel so spoiled by the community i am surrounded by.

rp pet peeves / dealbreakers: i'm honestly pretty chill! just don't be a bully, a bigot, or hateful in any way. OH! And don't write n*zis????????? the bar is on the floor fr. OH! and if you send anon hate to people. i find that behavior to be abhorrent.

muse preferences: i am probably not self-aware enough to properly answer this due to the current number of muses actively on my roster. ( we're at three digits! ) however, i think i'm drawn to muses that are very passionate. no matter how they align on an alignment chart, there is a level of passion in the things they desire and/or the actions they take.

plots or memes: both? i'm typically more of a " let's see what happens! " type of writer because i think there's a level of excitement that comes from not knowing what your partner will say next, but i also LOVE talking about our muses and the things we could see happening between them. i've found myself plotting a lot more recently due to my mutuals' preferences, and it's been a total blast!! i just typically go off vibes like a freak! LMAO i just love that feeling of OMG??? when i get a reply. and, of course, receiving random starters is like a drug to me. like damn, you were that eager? count me in!

long or short replies: ah! well, i always feel rude if i think i've written too little. it's hard for me to do one sentence starters unless i'm sending in a meme! i think i tend to stay in the mid-to-long reply range. not quite novella, but not a single sentence.

best time to write: i have no regular time in which i write, i'm afraid. it's kinda like a slasher film: i never know when the writing bug will strike! i find that the world is far more quiet at night / in the wee hours of the day, and considering i sleep like a vampire most of the time, you'll often catch me writing then! however, it really depends on when i'm available on a given day!

are you like your muse(s): i never have the chance to write her, but i've been told i'm just like annie edison since 2009, so that has to mean something. it probably isn't a good thing, but it's been fairly consistent! tohru honda was my biggest inspiration growing up, so i think there may be a glimmer of me somewhere in there, and uhhhhhhh let's see... OH! Of my marvel muses, i'm probably most like mantis bc i've been told so at work!

tagged by: @perpetval (Thank you for thinking of me!) tagging: @fvzzyelf @haedbangers @hemoth @legion-transcendent @piinkviscera @snkts @roidesvoleurs @rcguevariant @tr1cked and/or anybody else who reads this and would like to! please tag me so that we can become more acquainted!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

A 3-Part Book Editing Checklist

PART 1: The "Big Picture"

Identify and fix macro problems relating to plot, character development, narrative arc, and theme.

THEME & IDEA

Is a compelling dramatic question present throughout the book?

Is there a clear theme? Is it well-developed and engaging?

Can you recap your story or argument in this single sentence? “[Character] must [do something] to achieve [goal] or [reason why the audience should care]”

Is there a clear central conflict? Is it resolved by the end of the book?

STRUCTURE Fiction & Memoir; Nonfiction

Fiction & Memoir

Is there a strong beginning, middle, end?

Does your exposition effectively set the story? Introduce the cast of characters? Impart backstory?

Is your rising action triggered by a compelling inciting incident? Does it escalate the conflict and raise the tension?

Is the pace of each act in the narrative arc appropriate?

Does the plot maintain forward movement in each chapter? Do subplots support that momentum?

Are all major plot threads and subplots resolved by the denouement?

Do the plot points sync with the narrative arc and theme that you want to convey?

Do the plot twists make sense? Are there plot holes in the story?

Nonfiction

Does the first chapter of your book introduce your central question and explain why it’s important to answer?

Does your exposition adequately introduce readers to your topic? Does it provide enough context for them to understand your main argument?

Does each chapter or section build on the information that comes beforehand?

Is the length and pace of each chapter appropriate?

Does each chapter contain an appropriate mixture of fact and anecdote?

Is your structure engaging and easy to follow?

Does your book contain any extra information that distracts or detracts from the main argument?

Are there any holes or gaps in your argument?

CHARACTERS Protagonist; Antagonist; Supporting Cast; Setting

Protagonist

Does the protagonist have strengths and weaknesses? Do these interact with the story appropriately?

Does the protagonist grow and change?

Does the protagonist have defining mannerisms? Clear character traits?

Does the protagonist have external and internal goals? Are they visible throughout the story?

Does the protagonist act believably in each scene? Is the protagonist’s behavior consistent? Chart the protagonist’s character arc over the course of the story. Is it clearly and compellingly conveyed in the story?

Antagonist

Does the antagonist have story motivation?

Does the antagonist have a believable backstory?

Is the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist clearly defined?

Supporting Cast

Is the supporting cast fleshed out?

Do the secondary characters have a reason to be there? Do they:

Reveal key details?

Advance the plot?

Motivate the protagonist?

Help define the setting?

Are interactions between the secondary character and the protagonist believable and well-placed?

Do the secondary characters have distinguishing characteristics or mannerisms?

Setting

Does the setting make sense for the purposes of the story? Does it matter to the plot?

Are descriptions of the setting rendered effectively and appropriately?

Does each scene convey a clear sense of place and time?

Is the worldbuilding fully realized? Logically consistent?

Fact-check each scene in relation to the setting. Are objects, props, mannerisms, and behaviors native to the time and place of the story?

PART 2: The "Scene" Level

Strengthen specific elements within individual scenes

SCENES & CHAPTERS

Is the opening scene effective?

Does it start in the right place?

Does it have a hook? Is the hook immediately gripping?

Are the scenes appropriately paced to grab the readers’ attention? Are the chapter lengths effective?

Does each scene serve a purpose in the story?

Is each scene oriented in terms of time and place?

Are scene transitions smooth?

DIALOGUE

Does the dialogue serve a purpose in each scene? Does it:

Provide information?

Advance the plot?

Help the pace?

Does each character have a distinct voice?

Is the dialogue believable for the time and place of the story? Is the word choice reflective of the time period?

Does the dialogue use action beats to control the pace of the scene?

COMPOSITION Voice & Point of View; Prose

Voice & Point of View

Is the narrator’s voice consistent?

Is the voice appropriate given the context of the book and its story or argument?

Is foreshadowing used effectively, if applicable? Metaphors? Similes?

Is the viewpoint character always clear? Is it consistent between scenes?

Is the point of view suitable for each scene? Is there a better alternative for a viewpoint character in any given scene?

Prose

Is the backstory of the world or characters efficiently woven into the story?

Does each sentence contribute something to the story?

Do you “show, don’t tell” with your dialogue, characters, and setting?

QUOTES & REFERENCES

Are quotes and references used to support the argument?

Are all of your sources reliable?

Do quotes help aid the narrative progression, or do they interrupt it?

Have you paraphrased where possible?

Are there appropriate transitions before and after references?

Are all quotations accurate?

Have you chosen a citation style?

Have you cited all references according to that style?

PART 3: The "Line" Edit

Ensure the text is objectively correct. This covers everything from typos and grammar to continuity and syntax.

PUNCTUATION & DIALOGUE

Limit the use of adverbs in your dialogue tags. (Show, don’t tell!)

✗ “Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?” said Harry angrily. ✓ Harry upended the table. “Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?”

Check for the use of other dialogue tags and replace them with “said” and “asked,” unless other emphasis is absolutely necessary.

✗ “Did you just stab me with this thimble?” queried Amber. ✓ “Did you just stab me with this thimble?” asked Amber.

Check that all of the dialogue is formatted correctly.

✗ “I love you.” Said Pam. ✓ “I love you,” said Pam.

VOICE

Limit the use of weak verbs and adverbs in general.

✗ Leonard ran quickly to school. ✓ Leonard sprinted to school.

Replace all “hidden” verbs.

✗ Offer an explanation ✓ Explain

Check for the use of passive voice and replace with active voice, whenever appropriate.

✗ The ball was kicked. ✓ She kicked the ball.

Use “telling” words such as “felt,” “saw,” “knew,” and “seemed” sparingly.

✗ His head felt awful. ✓ His head throbbed.

LANGUAGE

Delete vague and subjective words.

✗ Could, might, maybe, more, poor, good, excellent, bad, some, multiple, really, literally, suddenly, simply, just, a little, almost, etc

Delete all instances of cliches in the text.

✗ It was a dark and stormy night.

Check for excessive repetition in the text.

✗ Go to [do something]

Check for instances of overly complicated language.

✗ In close proximity ✓ Near

Source ⚜ More: Writing Worksheets & Templates Writing References: Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding

More Notes: On Editing

[makimacult]

assorted stuff i read — jan-may 2025

been planning to make a recap post like this if just for my own reference for a while. anyways, this has been kind of a weird reading year for me... i've read a lot of danmei, finished very little manga (apart from serialised stuff i'm following) and reread a couple of faves. mostly i've just been reading stuff that appeals to my id (i dont mean that as a diss. i love a book that will match my freak) but i hope i'll be able to get through more non-fiction as the year continues.

the list till now:

americano exodus — park ji-eun

the winter prince — elizabeth wein

lady midnight — cassandra clare

thousand autumns — meng xi shi

devil venerable also wants to know — cyan wings

married thrice to a salted fish — bi ka bi

i can do it — jiang zi bei

immoral sex — anthology

captive prince & prince's gambit — cs pacat (reread)

the game of kings — dorothy dunnett (reread)

1. americano exodus — it's a pretty long webtoon about a magical girl boy who has to pretend to be a girl because of convoluted fantasy politics reasons and also presumably the author's own kink. messy storytelling at parts, but the abusive dynamic between the protagonist and his mother was very well-executed. the art and fight scenes are great, it's got well-developed female characters and lots of whump for our main guy. im ngl towards the end it felt obvious the author wanted to wrap it up quickly; the plot got messy but the emotional threads were satisfactory. it'll be catnip to people who like sexy evil moms and forcefem.

2. the winter prince — i came into this expecting one thing and got something else entirely. so i've been an arthuriana head since i was... 9? and read roger lancelyn's greene's king arthur. and i knew the winter prince was about mordred, but it also melds together elements from welsh myths (specifically the mabinogion iirc). it takes all these influences and does its own, very remarkable thing. it's about mordred and it's about familial abuse (in general, and also specifically incestuous abuse) and trying to be better than the monster everyone thinks you are/is trying to make you into. excellent prose, some of my favourite first person pov, a very well done creeping sense of dread.

3. lady midnight — i would not have read this if it was not for @iridescentscarecrow 🤧 (take responsibility!) and im grateful they told me about the dark artifices, bc i haven't read cass clare since i was in middle school and ended up pleasantly surprised by lady midnight. i think it helps that the emotional core of the book — to me, at least — is about the blackthorn family. it's very indulgently ya, but it's good at what it does, i liked all the tropes and the way they came together. it's like a comforting predictable meal, still delicious and kind of nostalgic.

4. thousand autumns — i literally inhaled all the volumes one after another. i'm kind of surprised by thousand autumns' rep for being... boring? too heavy on politics? because precisely my favourite thing is how connected both yan wushi and shen qiao are to the world around them, how their ideologies form their personalities and therefore result in their clashes against each other. this was just such satisfying wuxia — great fights, heartpounding descriptions, aura farming off the charts, and to cap it all off, a tense enemies to strangers to friends to estranged to ??? to everyone-thinks-we're-lovers relationship. i'm so fond of this book, it really is a treat. with that said, there were some plot points i kind of eyerolled at, even tho i did get what they were aiming to build towards... so while i do love thousand autumns, i guess i have minor quibbles with it. i'm excited to see how meng xi shi's writing develops in peerless.

5. devil venerable also wants to know — this book is a comedy and a clever metanarrative poking holes at narrative conventions and tropes (specifically found in web novels) and it's also freak4freak liege lord/his right-hand man yaoi. and it's got such charming side characters. dvawtk is fun and funny and at 81 chapters, pretty short! i liked it a lot and binge read it in one afternoon.

6. married thrice to a salted fish — i wanted to like mtsf so bad, and i actually do love a lot of elements in it. i like how ruthless the main ship is, i love our petty protagonist, the kind of guy who'll take a life for an eye, i think its a creative take on transmigration tropes, but something i did not like was how... unthreatening the antagonists felt. i think its to showcase the appeal of the main ship being a power couple? but i like to see my power couples struggle. mtsf felt flat to me; i'll try to revisit it when the official tl comes out and see if my opinion changes.

7. i can do it — it's an e-sports danmei, about professional league of legends players. the author is so good at writing interpersonal interactions that are funny, awkward and feel so real. im ngl it feels like... a sports anime with a canon yaoi main storyline built into it? i have never played league of legends in my life and do not plan to it, but the author writes the matches so interestingly... and putting aside the structure, the romance sidesteps all annoying senpai/kouhai, idol/fan cliches by making the protagonist have friends, interests and a life apart from his admiration of the love interest; and their romance ended up just being really sweet with enough umm... brat taming? to keep things interesting.

8. immoral sex — yeah this is a yaoi anthology with three dark short stories; i specifically loved doku to sex by harada (if you've read harada before you know her mixture of psychological horror and unrepentant filth), but the other two stories were pretty fun too. cw for noncon, incest and monsterfucking.

9. captive prince & prince's gambit — i actually have reread the whole capri trilogy before, i think this might actually be my third reread? literally have nothing to say except maybe a nuclear fujoshi event happened inside my mind. i feel like capri gets an outsized rep for debauchery bc a lot of people outside the... 2010s slash idfic sphere read it? anyways. gotta love fiction where the author is just unapologetically constructing scenarios to explore their kinks with their barbie dolls.

10. the game of kings — honestly reread this because i was pushing @ciaran into reading it and wanted to refresh my memory... i feel like this has to be one of my fave books ever. i ended up rereading the whole thing over a day and a half and it felt like i had a comfortable warm bath. i love how unapologetic dorothy dunnett is with her style. i feel like i could be given a paragraph of her writing mixed in with dozens of other snippets and still be able to identify her. love the ensemble cast, the incisive multiple perspectives, the shenanigans, the politics and plotting, the family issues, and of course... the legend himself. i'm probably gonna reread it and gush about it again in a year lbr.

[merrock]

HAPPY JUNE !

Even though the official start to summer isn't until much later in the month, this is the first month of summer! And quite frankly, I love it. This month, we have our pride weekend celebration, plus the summer bash and carnival, and a few little fun mini events thrown in! Hop under the tag to read about some important changes and a refresh (and refresher) for everyone! xx

ON THE CALENDAR !

June 4 -- last day of school -- school's out for summer! and the school district is hosting a carnival for all students, staff, family and friends to enjoy.

June 6-8 -- PRIDE WEEKEND -- more info here!

June 15 -- father's day -- head down to the Creamery to make an ice cream float with dad!

June 20 -- first day of summer!

June 21 -- selfie day -- post a photo of your character taking a selfie, and make sure to tag it to #merrocksocial.

July 4-12 -- SUMMER BASH & CARNIVAL -- begins OOC on June 28th; more info here!

IMPORTANT STUFF !

as usual, just take a few moments to read over the rules!

for this summer only: acceptances will be on a rolling basis.

we have a new task, based on the physical appearance of your character(s)! and for the rest of the summer, you can go back & do any task you might have missed.

the summer gala announcement is up, too! i wanted to give you lots of time to plan your look, since they take thought.

this also means summer, on my end, is planned. if you would like to host some sort of party or event, have at it!

oh! yeah, new graphics or whatever. ;) they're actually older graphics that i happened to really, really like, resized and reapplied to our new theme!

CHARACTER / MUSE COUNT !

After much deliberation and listening to people in and out of the group, we have decided to implement a character cap and stricter rules for picking up characters:

CHARACTER CAP: 12 total.

1-4: two week waiting period, so you have a chance to balance diversity (at this point, half must be diverse).

5-6: 1 month waiting period.

7-9: 3 month waiting period & must fill a wanted connection.

10-12: 6 month waiting period & must fill a wanted connection.

Doing the math, you can still end up with six characters in less than three months, which is a pretty reasonable amount of responsibility as is! Past that, we just really want to make sure that everyone is taking the time to create and develop their characters and once they are here, that you are really working on interactions and connection building. I waited almost two years for my 9th and almost a year for my 10th, I know this is a fair amount of time.

REFRESHING ACTIVITY FOR SUMMER !

Two things in regards to activity! One, I have cleared the activity chart, and smushed all warnings, strikes and hiatuses into a single column that hopefully, I never have to look at again! Fresh, clean slate for everyone this morning. This is being done primarily to help you guys get on track and feel a little pressure removed to maybe just jump into summertime with a fresh, new go at keeping all of your characters active and involved. You are now responsible for your activity, period.

Two, I have updated our check schedule page to include a detailed, transparent talk about how checks are done, what does and does not count, and any information you might need to know about what's expected of everyone. Strikes and warnings, moving forward, will have more consequences. We have heard the concerns. We want to keep things laidback, but we also do want an active crop of characters, so I get the concern! Hopefully, this encourages a little more responsibility with activity.

A WORD FROM THE MOD !

Good groups are made great by the writers who join. As an admin, it is my job to have created a safe, comfortable space, to maintain and moderate it, provide you with fun things to do (tasks, events, plot drops, etc.), and promote the heck out of it. My job pretty much ends there. The activity, making it a welcoming space, keeping dash fun and flowing, developing connections, watching characters grow? That's up to you guys (and me, as a writer). Food for thought! Roleplay is a collaborative effort. Let's always strive to make this place a step above good, straight into great. xx

HAVE A GREAT JUNE !

[hidden-clue]

Mystery of the seven keys is so funny because we really brought this one onto ourselves. We complained about bad graphic – and graphics got way better! We complained about flat and depth-lacking characters, and characters in KEY were way more developed, interesting, unique and memorable, I actually love all of them (except Oscar, hate Oscar). We complained about how simple the puzzles were in MID, and how nothing needed to even be written down. And they had another thing coming; long, complex, complicated, near-impossible puzzles where we'd not just have to write things dwon but actively draw a whole natal chart with correct symbols, do misguided math, do tons of guesswork and improvising to get an answer to anything, combine several reference materials for info, fake clues, fake hints, lots of different ways to approach a puzzle where only one is correct, I am legitimately scared to play this game on master.

We complained how this game is so different from the old ones! And they brought back the unfunny messages you have to wait to be typed out on screen for every Second Chance, making us frustrated in the same way we were frustrated 10 years ago dealing with this shit. They brought back Nancy and Ned's awkward imbalance and cringe that brought with it. I was mortified. They brought back the torque. Not that it was fitting into this game, but they sure had it in there. They brought back the betrayal villain. The pain is back. They really went above and beyond to give us everything we asked for. I've been complaining whole week but I love this freaking game. I got stuck in it for hours – but so I did in the old games! Most of them had some obtuse impossible task that you couldn't guess if you tried! I got stuck in complicated puzzles – same as some of the old games! They weren't sparing us back then either!

I think we just need to ask for more satisfying puzzles, these were hard but too frustrating and exhausting. But the plot, the mystery, the characters, the development, the historical context, the educative materials, the environment, the exploration, the reveal, and the puzzling – it was good, all together it was so good. I had a great time. I'm going to replay this game for sure!

[papikyoo]

(Same with the latest anonymous discussion) There's no need to be sorry! My gf and I approached fandom with our personal experiences and then somehow developed a connection to its story TOO MUCH but It's fun this way tho who cares?

100% agree at first, I didn't understand him but my gf, who loved Falin, tried to unpack Kabru's persona for me. And I just 'Oh...' sounds like this mf doesn't has anyone like his truest friend (with Rin is totally diff, he's a guy GUY towards her so much...poor Rin) and now I love this character so much. Mind you, the only thing I can relate to Kabru is the control freak?????? part of him too??????

One last thing before I shut up lol do you have any other fav  duo/trio dynamic in this series which no romantic feeling between them? I thought Falin-Kabru's interaction would be fun. The way they treat people around them very well but also have something they're gatekeeping for themselves with their priority connection or their ideal relationship or Rin-Shuro they'd be embarrassed to see themselves in each other lmaooo

Also, hope everything is going well for you and your gf!

My exact same thoughts lmaooo after I read all his interactions with his own party... I'm like... "damn this guy is so friendless", my gf also said so. yeah, we can say he doesn't have a "true friend".

It's not like he doesn't have a rich social life, he has meaningful relationships with many people. He's just judgemental and distrustful, you can see in his relationship chart.

People always say something about Mithrun's relationship chart, "he only sees his own party members for their practical use." My guy, so is Kabru. His opinions of them are mostly "neutral" as he put them in a stereotype, sorting them into a box based on interactions and impressions. these answers are also kind of distant, like something he'd answer without actually thinking lol (like, Awwww rin :-) , Dia's cute, Holm is a spirit guy, Mickbell is a bitch, well Kuro is... a kobold)

and it's so funny, because yes he cares about them, he just don't think they'd understand him deeply so he put a distance between them, he's already decided how trustworthy these people are. But don't mistake that for him not being genuine, that's who he is when he's having fun, he just have a specific use of different friend circles. The party also knows him well as there's already a joke that they go "this fake ass bitch" every time they see Kabru approach strangers. At the end of the day, Kabru just don't think these people are really for him in a sense that he'd share his inner world to them.

Back to the question, I have a lot of other fav platonic dynamics in this series. So true... Falin-Kabru / Rin-Shuro would be so interesting to see. it's a shame that we don't get to see much about Falin, because yes she also has a rich intimate personality and values that she only keeps them to herself, so I really like her conclusion. I think Falin and Kabru can have a deep understanding talk with each other but they won't keep each other in their close friends list lol... Like, having that one talk and go back to your friend circles which don't overlap, that's beautiful...

one of my favorite platonic dynamics are Pattadol and Mithrun... and my gf once said that Mithrun has more friends than Kabru and that's so true lmao, I like that Pattadol genuinely cares about him that she cries when Mithrun is moving again and he also seems to like spending time with her in the modern AU. I also like Hien and Benichidori's interaction in the extras although it's a shame that we don't see much of Toshiro's party.

I also think Marcille and Kabru would be a great entertaining workplace friendship.

Actually, I think a lot about Kabru-Rin, I really like their relationship... Kabru is protective of her, she's one of the plot points which Kabru takes a duty to ensure safety to people he cares, it was assigned to him since he's a kid that he must comfort her. she is his first girl friend, so yeah I think he doesn't know better and he's immature towards her lol. imo Rin affected who Kabru is as a person, it's a meaningful relationship to him. but then I don't want to overestimate their romantic feeling because it's like... something that's already established to both of them that this is how it is and Rin knows it. She's also protective, she's very worried about him, the nagging comes from her own self preservation. and with someone like Kabru, that can make him feel trapped. He's stubborn in his own way and only listens when there is a reasoning presented to him. (like how Mithrun reflects to him that telling his story to Laios wouldn't work.) So like, yeah I think if they mature enough in the future, they can be a family to each other or drift apart to have their own life...

I'm yapping so muchh lol, thank you for the ask, I hope things are good to both you and your gf too! :D have a nice day