#compared to for example only friends and dangerous romance

[puppy-phum]

I'm torn between needing more bts content of jimmy and sea filming LT but at the same time i wanna be surprised 😭 but like i wanna see some shots or anything 😭

i feel you so badly anon ;; i keep wishing we will see more pics from them so we can make up some theories about where this is going (what type of scenes we get, what will happen, how their relationship develops, how the other characters are placed in the story), but at the same time, i don't want to know anything at all. i want to ignore it all. i don't want to be even more insane. (if i see a shot that gets my theory juices flowing it's all ending for me am afraid)

i do adore that we are getting a ton of updates from jimmysea themselves + p'aof tho (mostly their ig stories but also some twt updates). it's nice to see them having fun and being silly and just bonding ^^ this whole connection between jimmysea and p'aof as their director feels personal to me so all this content means a lot on some level i cannot really explain. it's just fun to see how they adjust to each other, you know? also i feel like p'aof is currently on a mission to give us all the jimmysea content we've been lacking which is honestly a lot to take in

(sorry for the ramble! went a bit off topic lol)

[afirewiel]

What gets me about antis insisting that Sherlock's "I love you" to Molly is platonic is that everyone in this situation is thinking of romance. The whole thing starts with the coffin and more importantly the lid, the lid that says "I love you" on it. "So you loves you? I'm assuming it's not a long list," says Mycroft. Which would be a strange thing to say about any other type of love. Mycroft himself clearly loves his brother, even if he never says so, but he also obviously is discounting familial love. The same goes for platonic as he knows Sherlock has friends who love him. Heck, Sherlock's best friend John is the room with them and Mycroft dismisses him.

And who does John immediately think of? Irene Adler. Someone who had romantic interest in Sherlock. But Sherlock knows the coffin isn't meant for Irene. As soon as he sees the lid, he knows exactly who it is meant for. You can see it in his face as he turns away from the lid and back at the coffin.

Molly Hooper. And we, the audience know full well that Molly's feelings for Sherlock are not platonic. Sherlock knows it too. I'm sure Mycroft and John know it too. I doubt there is anyone who doesn't know both Sherlock and Molly who doesn't know. It's so obvious.

If Molly thought that Sherlock wanted her to say a platonic "I love you", why would she resist saying it? It may not be true, but it would be so much easier than admitting the truth. And admitting the truth is why Molly is having such a hard time saying it.

And if Sherlock was only saying it platonically why is he having such a hard time saying it? How hard would it be to admit you love a friend in order to save their life? Most people wouldn't hesitate. Yes, I know Sherlock isn't most people, but for someone who usually doesn't hesitate to manipulate people to get what he wants (like fake proposing for example), you'd think he wouldn't hesitate to say it if it meant saving Molly. Heck, he didn't hesitate to fake his death to save John, Lestrade, and Mrs. Hudson. Saying three little words would be so much easier, right?

Unless those three little words mean so much more than he knows how to admit, if those mean more than just platonic feelings. And why if he meant platonically, did he repeat himself? Once would have been enough right?

And if it had been platonic, why does he react so violently, breaking the coffin when Eurus tells him Molly had never been in any real danger? He should have been relieved to hear that his friend was safe. But no. Instead he's hurting and compares vivisection. Why is he so emotional over admitting he loves a friend? Because that's not what happened. Eurus didn't force him to admit he cares about a friend. That's something Sherlock has already admitted. No, this is about something more. He forced Sherlock to admit he loves and can love romantically. Forced him to confront those feelings. And forced Molly to admit it too. Forced them both to admit to something neither was ready to admit too.

[acourtofthought]

I don't know if I'm being petty, but I like to think that some of Elain's actions toward Azriel are just foreshadowing for Elucien's dynamic. For example, Lucien is very thoughtful about his choices for Elain's gifts, and Elain is invested in the presents she gives to others, including Azriel, even if it's in the form of a prank. This makes me think that receiving gifts will be one of their main love languages.

The scene where Elain called Azriel's scars beautiful could mean that if Lucien still holds any insecurities regarding his scars, it'd be no problem at all for his mate to help him realize how gorgeous he is, inside and out.

And, most of all, the theme of choice would fit so much better in an Elucien romance. I mean, Azriel isn't the one banned from two courts, prohibited to see his mother, exiled in a strange land, the one who has only two humans (who will die in a few decades compared to a fae immortal life) as his only friends, and he's definitely not the one being ignored by his mate and fearful of her rejection. If there's a character who deserves (plot-wise) to be chosen, it's definitely Lucien.

Besides, it would make so much sense with Elain's and Lucien's characters and with the development of their relationship. The fact that Lucien respects her time and space (or his passivity, as some like to call it) allows Elain to make the choice of pursuing the bond when she feels comfortable and secure enough. She'd also have more agency than her sisters in the beginning of their relationships.

But these are just thoughts.

Thank you for your blog and your theories and thoughts. You make me feel hopeful not only for an Elucien's endgame, but also that they really have the chance to get the next book. You have been a light in the end of this three-years-length tunnel.

P.S. I also have a guess that the announcement will be on May 1st. Hope we are right!

Also, the scene where Elain called Az's scars pretty could actually have been Elain calling his siphons pretty because Feyre wasn't sure what she was looking at.

However, I do agree that Elain is going to find Lucien's face devastatingly handsome and the reason for that kind of ties into her mother. Which sounds weird but I'll try to explain.

Her mother made assumptions about her, that she did not dream beyond her pretty dresses and gardens and that she would marry for love and "beauty". So of course, Elain tried to follow those expectations, getting engaged to exactly who her mother would have imagined for her.

I know Elain loved Graysen and probably found him handsome but he seems cookie cutter. Even Feyre said, he was sort of the human ideal of a lord come to sweep a maiden off her feet.

Lucien's face isn't perfect. He's handsome no doubt but he has long hair (no proper mother would approve of that), a scar running down his face and his eye. He is not the image of a baby faced Lord set to inherit his fathers estate someday. He's cruelly beautiful and looks dangerous and, we're all human here, that's going to thrill the "good girls" which everyone assumes Elain to be. Graysen is the kind of guy you have missionary sex with while the lights are out. Lucien is the kind of guy you are willing to do anything, anywhere with and that's probably a bit overwhelming for Elain given her upbringing. Right now, she's still stuck in the past, how she was raised, the kind of guy her mother proclaimed she would marry rather than embracing what lights her up like a pinball machine but I have no doubt once she does break free she's going to make sure he knows exactly how appealing she finds him because of the scars, the hair, the eye. Because of how it all comes together.

And I agree regarding the gifts! I think we see bits of Elain's personality around members of the IC but she never fully blooms, it's like a quick flash then it's gone. I could see Elain and Lucien teasing one another on regular days, silly gifts, sweet little gifts, but the important days I think will be when they reserve the really thoughtful, heartfelt gifts for.

With choice, I wonder if it's so much about that as fight.

(that sounds weird too but I wasn't sure how to word it).

What I mean by that is Lucien was chosen by Jesminda. He was chosen by Tamlin. He was chosen by many friends of which we're told he has many. He was chosen by the LoA as her favorite son. The problem is nobody fought to keep him.

The same with Elain. She was chosen by Graysen, she was "chosen" by Azriel, she was chosen by the chef and servants who wanted to do nice things for her, she was chosen by her many friends. But, none of them fought for her either. When things got hard they walked away.

Lucien and Elain are parallel in that they're just accepting life as it happens to them, trying to accept that when one door closes (to their dismay) and another opens, they roll with it even if they're not happy. They haven't learned to fight for themselves, possibly because they are used to not being fought for and as a result they try not to ask for much because they realize how expendable they are to others.

But in their book, I think they'll push past that to fight for what they do want and they will fight for one another. Lucien has been doing that so far when it comes to Elain. He is the one person who despite the odds did not walk away from her. Graysen gave up after Elain was turned. Az gave up easily, moved right onto feeling calm because of another female, admiring another female, thinking of another females eyes light up, even though Elain was probably upset after his rejection for the simple fact that any rejection hurts. But Lucien though he hasn't pushed her, has quietly fought for her for two years, by showing that he is still loyal to her and only her. And I imagine we'll also see Elain begin to fight for Lucien. Fighting against those who have wronged him, fighting for him to understand that he's not guilty for Jesminda's death or what happened to Feyre, etc.

Your last paragraph before the P.S. (May 1, May 1!!!) was so incredibly sweet and I wish I had better words to thank you for it.

I hope you have a fantastic day and I appreciate your message!

[yanderes-galore]

Stone Ocean needs some more love, so I have an idea: Yandere!F.F./Foo Fighters concept

Sure. The pairing is general as I don't think they have a concept of, well, romance or desire... since they're just sentient plankton.... I have yet to rewatch/reread Part 6 fully, so this might be wrong? (I hope not) This is short as I couldn't imagine much for them.

Yandere! F.F Concept

Pairing: Platonic/Romantic (Dubious)

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Overprotective behavior, Clingy behavior, Lack of boundaries, Stalking, Mentions kissing in a section, Dubious companionship/relationship.

F.F is strange as a yandere.

They have no real desire or comprehension of romance.

The most they'd know is probably by seeing examples.

Even then they find it strange... especially since they're disturbed by Anasui's attraction to Jolyne.

This is due to the fact they are, at their core, sentient plankton that reproduce through asexual reproduction.

So their behavior towards their obsession is either purely platonic, or they're mimicking romantic behavior in an attempt to make you happy.

But, for the most part, I just see them being a good friend to you like they are with Jolyne.

F.F is depicted as a being who wants to experience being alive, always curious about what's around them.

Despite their eccentricities, they value friends and would protect them no matter what.

I can also see F.F having a ruthless side if it meant defending those they care about.

They aren't sadistic... they just go to great lengths to protect.

After all, when they were given sentience, they were given the job of protecting the Stand Discs for White Snake.

When Jolyne showed them mercy, they promised to protect her no matter what.

That would be the type of bond they'd have with their darling.

They are used to protecting which makes them an overprotective yandere.

I can also see F.F as clingy and lacking boundaries at times.

They're plankton, they don't entirely understand social boundaries like humans.

Despite this, they learn fast to be respectable with their curiosity.

After all... They've seen how Anasui acts.

They don't wish to be like that with you.

So, despite their clingy and protective behavior, they respect you and your opinions.

They may playfully try something "romantic", but they don't entirely understand it.

The most they know is through their host's memories, but even then don't have much of a clue.

For example, they could try kissing their obsession, but they don't entirely know the point of it.

Is it meant to feel good...? Is that why people do that...?

Granted they'd probably only like kisses because, well, you have water in your mouth.

Due to their clueless behavior towards romance, they'd probably just stick to hugs.

They're innocent with their affection compared to most yanderes.

They know hugs make people happy, so they give them often.

F.F may not understand why you're irritated about their behavior at times.

If you refuse a hug from them, they're confused but understanding.

F.F may also follow you around.

They like being around you, plus they feel it's dangerous to leave you alone due to all the Stand Users around.

They're a strong stand, it's best if you let them protect you in their eyes.

Speaking of which, they'd be ruthless in protecting you as said before.

F.F would definitely kill someone if you were in danger.

Then they'd turn to you with a smile and a hug, saying the danger is gone and they can heal you if you need it!

F.F can be sweet with you.

They are considerate and caring for you, always wanting to be like a bodyguard to you.

To them, you're something they must protect.

It's not like they have much morals when it comes to this kind of thing.

They're plankton in a skin suit made from a corpse.

They don't care what it takes to protect the ones they care about.

Be it murder or other dirty means...

As long as you're safe, protected, and happy beside them...

They'll do whatever it takes.

[popawritter12]

As you know, this is a Yandere account, but in this case we are going to use a Tier List of Headcanons to guide me better.

With you, I present...

The Yandere tier list of League of Legends

(also explained)

(Yeah, it looks like shit btw)

In this case, I used a total of 8 tropes:

Childish

Classic

Cold

Protector

Sadist

Doesn't understand anything

Can't be Yanderes.

As you can see, here is the explanation and they will allow me to bring out my most "aksHuallY ☝️🤓" side in my life.

Ｏ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

Explication:

Ｏ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

1: "Childish"

In this case, we are in the presence of a type of childish Yandere. What do I mean by this?

Childhood Yanderes are those who do not notice and recognize that they are obsessed; Not because they do not know how to recognize the difference between love and obsession, but because, by not understanding what love is in itself, they do not see you as their partner, but as their best friend who MUST be with them always.

Their murders, kidnappings and crimes in general are not done in the name of love, but rather the "purest" friendship they can have.

An example of this is Lulu: she is a Yordle who does not understand the concept of loving, hating or other things, so if she becomes a Yandere, we will be talking about someone who only knows that she likes being with you and wants you both to be best friends forever (Or until one of you dies)

Ｏ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

2: Classic

Ah, the Yandere we all know.

Obsessive, Sadistic with those who are not their crush and EXTREMELY clingy, these Yanderes are the stereotype (Or their Yanderism is going to be closer to this trope) in the life of a Yandere; justification of "love" in every crime, manipulators, lovers of violence against people "dangerous" to you, pampering you in every possible way, etc.

They can basically be seen as an example of a mix between that champion mixed with Yuno Gasai or Yandere-Chan.

An example of this is Renata, who we can see as a woman who, if she becomes obsessed with someone, will do the simple thing: kidnapping, using her connections to always win and subdue the person she loves until she is the one. her ideal partner.

Ｏ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

3- Cold.

One of my favorite tropes (Yes, quite stereotypical of myself).

Yanderes of this type are people who, although they may be a copy and paste of the previous trope, usually have a characteristic that is noticeable even in the name of the trope: They have a hard time expressing love.

Did you see when they say that there are romance animes that take 6 months or seasons to even hold hands? These Yanderes have those words tattooed on their foreheads.

They have a hard time expressing feelings for something or another.

In reality, more than once the signs that this champion likes you are MANY occasions contradictory, you can come to think that they hates you or that they have you there to kill you, or to torture you, or at least until at one point he explicitly Make your intentions clear (This happens if the extreme case comes that you have an emotional breakdown in the middle of your captivity)

But, even with all that problem of trust or expression, they love with the same intensity (Depending on the case even more) than a classic Yandere.

An example of this is Pyke, a champion who, although I can see a lot of Yandere potential in him, I see more that it is difficult for him to be able to openly say how much he loves you and the amount of things he did to even be able to have a moment alone with you.

Ｏ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

4-Protector

One of the busiest places was this; Why is there something that in itself is only a reaction of our survival instinct? Simple: These Yanderes apply it in other ways.

What do I mean by this?

These Yanderes tend to murder in smaller quantities (This is compared to other stereotypes such as the classic or the sadist), but they are MORE possessive and MORE protective than a common Yandere.

What they don't have in the number of murders they have in the basic way they keep you close: They won't immediately resort to kidnapping, but if you stay close enough (understood as within their reach, not physically speaking) to 'not in danger'

In fact, these are more nonsense than a common one: they claim that since they didn't murder anyone near you (This is if they didn't do it once or twice by "accident") they didn't do anything wrong, obviously ignoring harassment, stalking, invasion of property , illegal investigation, etc.

Anyway, a good example of this is Ekko, who, if you ever try to even think about getting away from him, will find a thousand and one ways (and a million if necessary) to keep you with him, even if that applies any anything, except murdering someone close to you (Unless the obsession is too heavy for him, which ends up consuming him completely)

Ｏ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

5-Sadist.

Be prepared, bithes, because this is the worst stereotype of all.

On all scales, we can say that at least no group of Yanderes harmed you, right?

Until now we have seen that they can commit atrocious crimes (And at the same time enjoy committing them), but they do not seek to harm you, but rather to protect you, love you, and many more things, right?

Well, everything goes to hell here: After all, even the title warns you to run away.

They enjoy the suffering of others, but there is something... special in you, something that makes your existence unique among all other victims.

Yes, they also "fall in love", they love you, they hate seeing you with someone else, etc.

But they have their own peculiar way of expressing it... And I say this because, if you're half-assed, they are capable of hurting you, and taking pleasure (or worse, becoming addicted) to harming you in many ways.

Simply using you and making you suffer, watching you writhe in agony is a unique delight for them, as if it were what they didn't know they wanted, but needed.

An example of this is Jhin, he is sadistic, a son of a bitch, and thousands of other things. But if he becomes obsessed, my sincerest condolences go out to the poor disgraced soul who suffers from being this man's "special guest".

Ｏ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

6-Don't understand anything

We're talking about Yanderes who don't understand a thing about what happens to them, nor do they understand why, when or how this obsession happened, but they don't care either.

They don't see you as an object or as something, you are simply something that exists only for them: You don't even amount to anything. But they love you, they just want to be with you, but they don't understand how to refer to you or how to even talk to you.

They don't understand what the fuck jealousy or possessiveness is, you're just theirs, end of the story.

No matter who they try to get you away from him or her, they are basically less than excrement to his/hers.

An example of this is Aatrox, who is a fucking Darkin who understands nothing but destruction, so tell me what is he supposed to do when he comes into romantic contact with a human?

Ｏ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

7- Can't be Yanderes.

In the latter case, I see it as those champions that, no matter how much effort I make, I am not mentally capable of making them Yanderes. This is more of a preference of mine, to keep some of my little pride intact after making this tier list.

An example of this is Cho'gat

I mean, how the fuck does this thing EVEN get close to anything that breathes without immediately trying to eat it?

Ｏ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)ＯＯ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

[duckprintspress]

How to Write a Great Query Letter

Part 2 of a 2-part series of guest posts by Alec J. Marsh. Part 1, “Why Query Letters are Good, Actually,” came out last week; you can read it here!

Alec is also the author of Duck Prints Press’s forthcoming novella To Drive the Hundred Miles, about a young man coming home for the holidays and finding more than he expected. It’s coming out December 21st, 2022. They know what they’re talking about, as an author and about a writer-writing-about-writing, so read on and learn!

Now that you’ve read the first post in this series, and had a week to reflect on it… are you convinced yet? Are you ready to acquire the most important marketing skill of your career? Great! 

If you’re primarily interested in how to pitch to Duck Prints Press specifically, there will be a full post about that coming out in the near future. But I promise, these skills will help you whatever your writing aspirations are. 

1. The Really Boring Part

Most queries open with a paragraph called “metadata.” This is all the marketing stuff that you need to get out of the way so your agent/editor knows what kind of book it is. This includes 

Title: Self-explanatory 

Length: This is vitally important for traditional publishing. If you are a debut author and your story isn’t within the accepted range, you’ll get automatically rejected by most agents. There are very good industry reasons for that, but discussing that’s a different article. If you want to look at the averages, check out this link.

Genre and age range: This is practical for marketing and readership purposes, and it also puts the summary in context. 

Comparative (or Comp) Titles: This is a tricky one, and a full discussion on selecting appropriate comparative titles could easily be its own separate blog post, but the short version is that you should pick titles that your book can be compared to. That can be descriptive—"Supernatural but set in Eastern Europe"—or genre—"For fans of Tamora Pierce"—or even trope based—"Sunshine/Grumpy romance set in a world of danger and magic." There are a ton of options, but the main point is to position your story in the market and make it easy to pick up quickly. 

Logline: This serves a similar purpose as the comp titles do and is meant to sum up one cool part of your story. It doesn’t have to sum up the entire story. For example, Gideon the Ninth sounds wild if you try to summarize the plot, but I’ve been able to convince all my friends to read it by saying simply, “it’s about lesbian necromancers in space.” That’s all you need! In casual conversation, this is often called your “elevator pitch.” Imagine you’re at a convention and you get into the elevator with your dream agent, and you have only the length of the elevator ride to sell them your novel. What do you say? That’s your logline.

***Both comp titles and logline are technically optional, and you don’t need both of them. It’s better to write something unique than to waste the space putting something in just because you think you need it. 

2. The Biography

This usually goes at the end of the query. Don’t overthink it. If you have any credentials, put those in; relevant credentials can include past publications, editing jobs, or a creative writing degree. Then write one to two sentences that make you sound interesting. For example, I say that I like long walks in the fog (because I write moody fantasy) and have a history degree (because it inspires my fantasy world building). 

3. The Body

I left this until the last because it’s the hardest and most important part. A killer summary will make up for dull metadata and a lackluster bio. But if the body of your query letter is weak, no MFA in the world will save you. This section should be 300 words maximum.  

Your simplest formula for including what needs to be in this paragraph is four sentences: LEAD, OBJECTIVE, CONFLICT, TWIST. It’s simpler than you think to write the first draft. I promise. Let it be terrible, get it down, then edit it to a fine shine (much like you’ve already done with that novel!). 

Lead: This is your main character. Name them and describe them by including their profession, skills, or other plot-relevant details. 

Objective: What does your main character want? Try to make this as specific as possible. “Longs for  acceptance” is vague and generic. “Wants to be accepted into the Book Guild” is specific and gives a reader clues about their personality and the setting. You can put in some information about motivation here too. Maybe her father was also a bookbinder and she needs to redeem the family name. 

Conflict: Now we’re getting to the meat of it! Why can’t your main character get what they want? Again, try to be specific and don’t leave it to platitudes. If the bookbinders just don’t like her, that’s generic. If they don’t like her because they think she’s as corrupt as her father was and will bring ruin to them, that’s something a reader can really dig into. We have themes implied now! We understand this is a story about family ties, redemption, and preconceived notions, and you didn’t even need to spell that out. 

Twist: This is the most nebulous part of the query. The twist can be a real plot twist, like her discovering that the bookbinding guild also sells occult books. It can be a cool thing about the setting, like the bookstore being on an airship. It can be the romantic subplot, if she falls in love with her rival apprentice. It can be the historical inspiration, if the book is set in a fantasy world reminiscent of Renaissance Italy. In short, what makes your book special? What’s going to prompt people to shove it in their friend’s faces? It’s similar to the logline in that way. 

You can also put the twist at the beginning of the body paragraph, if it’s really cool. You can weave it throughout. You can put it at the end in a mic drop moment. Just make your book sound cool. That’s literally all this is! 

And those three sections…are basically it! Doesn’t sound so scary now, right? Oh wait, it still does? Okay, then, here’s some more tips to help you!

Write down everything you need in a query in whatever order works for you. I do it like a sad, clunky mad libs just so it’s all on the page. It’s a lot of pressure to include all this important information AND make it pretty in one go. 

Ask your beta readers to help! It’s hard to summarize your own stories when you’ve been living inside them for months. I’ve helped so many friends with their queries because they wrote something perfectly serviceable and technically correct that somehow still made their story sound frightfully boring. (This is not a condemnation of their skill as writers. The skills needed to write queries are completely different.) 

Don’t use rhetorical questions. This is mostly personal taste, but I think they’re a waste of space. “Will she follow her heart?” is sort of useless when 99% of stories are about people following their heart. “She must choose between her ambition and the chance at true love” is so much more clear and includes more conflict. 

The body of your query letter actually only needs to include the first 30-50% of the story in most cases—enough to leave the reader/agent/editor eager to know what happens next, and no more. This isn’t true if the twist is necessary to understanding why the story is exciting. Can you imagine trying to sell Gone Girl without including the twist that it was all a set up? That twist took the story from generic true crime to something truly original. So to some extent, you’ll need to use your judgment, but there’s rarely any need to try to fit the whole plot into that 300-word paragraph.

Above all, be specific. 

Do not shy away from giving spoilers (again: BE SPECIFIC). “She finds information that may change everything,” are seven words that tell you nothing. If you say what the information is (“she finds a note from her father that makes it clear he was framed”), you’ll leave the reader desperate to know what the outcome will be, begging for the rest of the story. 

Get the query competent and coherent, and then leave it for at least a week. This is good editing advice for any story, but it’s absolutely vital for a query. Because they’re so short and so much rides on them, every single word you write in the query has to be useful, and every sentence has to be clear, concise, and intriguing. Don’t rush this; it’s better to go slow and get it right then hurry along and face a pile of rejections. 

Have a query beta reader who hasn’t read your story. Make sure it makes sense with no context. Revise it again. Leave it for another week. (I’m sorry. But I’m not really.)

I know this sounds like a lot. Query letters are hard, and the pressure makes it harder. Writing culture loves to hate on them, for good reason. But you learned to write a novel, something that takes years to master! You can learn to write a query letter too. I won’t pretend it’s easy, but it is a skill you can learn, and it’s worth it! With a single page, you can convince people to buy your book, and that’s magical! 

-

You can learn more about Alec here; you can learn more about To Drive the Hundred Miles here, and read a teaser here. And, you can check out Alec’s two already-published erotica works Heart’s Scaffolding and Study Hall.

Who we are: Duck Prints Press LLC is an independent publisher based in New York State. Our founding vision is to help fanfiction authors navigate the complex process of bringing their original works from first draft to print, culminating in publishing their work under our imprint. We are particularly dedicated to working with queer authors and publishing stories featuring characters from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.

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[lilolilyr]

Valentinesnormativity

I definitely don't have the time to write a full fic at the moment & it's exactly midnight and therefore past my bedtime right now & I'm too late for valentine's day by more than a day now anyway, but I had Thoughts so you get the bare bones of the fic in just dialogue under the cut, who knows if I get some reblogs I might turn it into something longer on Ao3 when I have the time!

~

(team talk ends with among others Markus needing valentine's day off work to try and save his relationship, Deborah just nods and waves her hand for him and everyone to leave, leaving her and Ava sitting next to each other)

A: So. Valentine's day...

D: Don't tell me you also need the day off. I know you're not in a relationship that would warrant that, do you really need to schedule your one night stand on that day?

A: no! Ugh, no. I don't need the day off, I just wanted to ask, because we were already on the topic... Valentine's day. Thoughts?

D: -_-

A: like it, hate it love it, don't care? Cause, well, I mean, it's definitely a capitalistic dystopia invention to just sell more shit on another invented holiday and stress everybody out about making the day perfect and romantic... But it's also kinda cute how schoolkids give their entire class friend valentines and sweets and stuff, right? Though I guess we already have Christmas for cards like that and Halloween for candy... But valentine's day kind of went off with the candy heart aesthetic! Of course all unimportant compared to the dangerous way it proports amatonormativity...

D: what now

A: amatonormativity! You know I already explained heteronormativity to you -

D: too many times than I cared to listen

A: if you listened the first time I wouldn't have had to - anyway. Like heteronormativity is about how the society is all about straight couples being normal and expected, amatonormativity is about how romantic love in general is like that, too! I mean sure falling in love is great and all but that's not the only love there is! Some people never fall in love and that's okay! And even if you do, that doesn't have to make that relationship the most important one for you, people are capable of having important platonic and not-romantic relationships, I mean friendships and stuff... And, back to valentine's day, no shut up I'm getting to the point already, valentine's day makes people think that there's something wrong with them when they don't have a significant other because it looks like everyone has one or at least wants one!

D: I wasn't interrupting-

A: •_-

D: okay I was but I was just going to say I think I get it. Important platonic relationships, they can be more important than romance. A bit like us two.

A: looking down) oh, uh. Yeah? I guess...

D: ?

D: Of course, if your little speech didn't mean much and you'd still rather spend the day with some random tinder d-

A: no! No, (reaches for Deborah's hand) definitely not. I mean, you're importantly to me too. And I'd love to spend valentines day with you.

D: (looks at her, sees that despite her best efforts not to, Ava is blushing) ...oh.

D: I suppose I should have used me and Kiki as an example for that important platonic relationship. Does that make us a part of the unimportant amatonormativity now?

A: (splutters) Deborah!

~

Lmk if you want me to @ you if/when I turn this into a proper fic or write sth else for these two!

[invalidtumbls]

I Love “Rumbling Hearts”. Don't watch it.

Copying this over from a thread on Mastodon, for the sake of a first post.

Well, I said I was going to post more original content here on Mastodon than on the other site.

And despite the fact that I see a lot more of my iOS/Mac dev friends here than Anitwitter refugees, I'm going to kick off a thread about #anime, because my favorite show just became available on Crunchyroll, as part of the Funimation merger: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G6ZXM399R/rumbling-hearts

Rumbling Hearts, or Kimi ga Nozomu Eien ("The Eternity You Desire") is a 2003 14-episode series based on a 2001 visual novel, a sort of choose-your-own-adventure style of video game that's heavy on reading and light on interaction. The anime is rated mature for adult situations and nudity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumbling_Hearts

I'm not going to recommend you watch Rumbling Hearts, because I believe it is an uncommonly difficult sell in 2022. But the fact that it's so much of its time might be why I like it, why I go back to it, and why you won't find anything remotely like it today.

For starters, Rumbling Hearts is a romantic drama aimed at adult male viewers. We really don't have anything comparable in the west today.

I think we used to! I mean, Casablanca is one of Hollywood's most beloved romantic dramas, and that's told from Rick's point of view, not Ilsa's. But romance has been denigrated in the west, marginalized as being for women only, and saddled with insulting slurs like "chick flicks".

Anime has a thriving genre of male-skewing romance, often built around the concept of "moé", ("mo-EH"), a feeing of wanting to cherish and protect someone.

Some of the most popular of these come from a company called Key, known for tear-jerkers like Clannad and Angel Beats.

The thing is, in Key's stories, the romantic interests are tragic characters who usually suffer through no fault of their own. In Clannad, for example, Nagisa has a chronic disease, Kotori's parents died in a plane crash, Fuuko is a girl in a coma in the next town over and doesn't actually exist, etc.

What makes Rumbling Hearts different is that the characters aren't innocent. They are all deeply flawed, and largely the cause of their own suffering.

Takayuki, our protagonist, is friendly, cheerful, and just wants to get along. This, unfortunately, is his problem: that's all he wants. He is evasive, quick to tell little white lies, and unwilling or unable to make the right decision when he needs to.

Haruka has had a crush on Takayuki for years, but hasn't been able to act on it. She is innocent to a fault: timid, shy, sometimes even mousy.

Mitsuki is Haruka's best friend, and a gal-pal to Takayuki. She sets the two of them up, and then later decides she might have actually wanted Takayuki for herself. She can be manipulative, and after the three-year time-skip, her adult version develops some truly dangerous habits, like using sex to get what she wants, and going blackout drunk to avoid her problems.

Akane is Haruka's younger sister. In her youth, she aspired to be a swimming champ like Mitsuki. Post-time-skip, she fiercely defends her sister. She's everything that Takayuki and Haruka aren't: bold and pushy, though she has a tendency to take things way too far.

So, there I think is the problem. In 2022, western audiences generally don't want flawed characters. We want protagonists who are likable. More than that, I think there's a mindset that if we're going to imprint on a character, they have to be perfect, because that reflects better on us. We can't relate to fuckups, because that would mean that we're fuckups. There's an empty narcissism to modern media consumption and I really hate it.

When I was young and learning writing, all the guides said that characters have to be flawed to be believable and relatable. Whatever happened to that?

I'll tell you my pet theory: JK Rowling ruined an entire generation of readers and viewers. When the Sorting Hat literally tells you who's good, bad, and indifferent, there is zero room left for nuance or depth. Harry Potter is the good guy, I like Harry Potter, therefore I am a good guy. Thanks, I hate it.

So that leaves Rumbling Hearts to thread this incredibly hazardous needle: to give you these characters who screw up and hurt themselves and hurt those around them, and then asks you to root for them anyways, to want them be able to overcome themselves and their own bad habits.

As you probably guessed, this goes over like a lead balloon with a lot of people. You'll find a lot more YouTube videos trashing Rumbling Hearts than praising it. https://youtu.be/wr0BuAUbDqw?t=1048

So, yeah, I can't recommend Rumbling Hearts, because I doubt most people are going to relate to it. The ideas behind it are fundamentally unpalatable to most modern audiences.

And the fact it was made with early digital animation techniques to save money, with the expectation it would be viewed on a fuzzy CRT and not a 60" 4K LCD, doesn't help either.

But… well… I wouldn't have written such a long and unwelcome thread if I didn't think there was something truly special and valuable here. I come back to it every few years and discover something new, either in the show or in myself.

So, don't watch Rumbling Hearts, but hopefully you'll understand why it lands like it does for me.

[missfay49]

Listening to a lecture by a female engineer who didn't know women could become engineers until a female college professor suggested it, only because she has never seen a female engineer before.

And this is a common story, I've heard this before, that people need to see examples before they can realize something for themselves. I believe this truly happens to people, I just never experienced it myself.*

But today during this lecture it finally clicked for me Why I never felt restricted by my gender as a child; I never Recognized my own gender.

I'm a pansexual polyamourous only-child who grew up in the countryside with no consistent childhood friendships living in my neighborhood. I literally had no peers to compare myself against until I was 12, and was entirely immune to subtext due to what is probably mild autism. Classmates were just people I worked with that often behaved inexplicably. When I tried to emulate classmates I almost always got different results so most behaviors were just a total mystery anyway.

I watched tv and identified with EVERYONE on the screen. I identified with the men trying to get the girl of their dreams because I wanted those girls too. I identified with the women navigating work and romance because I also struggled to navigate school and boys. I identified with Sid the Sloth, the oblivious and literal-brained outcast. My best friend was my cat.

I feel like I can finally see and recognize the non-binary part of me because I finally realize how I interacted with the world as if I Personally Was whatever gender was suppposed to be there, without even realizing it. All behaviors could be learned, switched around, combined and recombined to suit every situation. It never even occurred to me to behave any other way and my parents never discouraged any behavior that wasn't literally a danger to me.

I grew up with no personal sense of being any particular gender, but grew up around more women in general just because teachers often grouped us that way, for reasons I didn't bother to acknowledge.

I did grow up distrusting men, but as far as I can tell this was not taught to me by outside sources. It was taught to me by my own experiences because the inherently random grouping of men and boys in my life consistently lied and cheated, were both unpredictable and more athletic than my artsy self, so every one of them posed a potential danger until they proved themselves trustworthy.

By this point (35y.o.) I've been physically and sexually harassed by older women more than I've ever been harassed by men. Older women just seem to think they have a right to blatantly touch and command younger women.

...I think I'm losing the thread here..

Anyway, hell yes to gender nonconformity enacted through a complete unawareness of a standard :)

_

*I did grow up thinking people had to be born actors and that this was the only way to become an actor. I was completely unaware of the pathways to becoming an actor, it was all a very secretive process I could not fathom until I was in college.

[averyhodgmorr]

normal people

Normal People by Sally Rooney 

                            ꧁ღ╭⊱ꕥ      07.21.23     ꕥ⊱╮ღ꧂   

I’m back! After a long, long procrastination/break, I have finally returned to my blog to catch up on the books I’ve left un-reviewed, starting with Normal People by Sally Rooney.

To keep it short; this book... changed me. My original feelings about the novel compared to my final feelings are a stark contrast. To be honest, I initially thought this book was going to be, how do I say this, Wattpad-esque, and to be fair, that’s how it was set up; An unlikely pair drawn to one another despite conflicting inner-circles and different circumstances. After reading to only halfway through the novel, my connotations were proven completely wrong. Normal People is a raw and familiar example of life, I wouldn’t think a single part of this book to be slow or boring simply because of how real it is.

This book felt like you were Connell, and like you were Marianne because of how easily relatable, tragic, and beautiful it is. I think that this novel is such a romantic portrayal of a very common and "normal" relationship between two people over time.

There was so much growth and changes of personalities and circumstances, Rooney’s choice to completely flip-flop Connell and Marianne’s popularity and statuses going from high school to university made so much perfect sense in the book because of who the characters were, but also because it provided an opportunity for so much development, and put them in situations that allowed the reader to understand who they (the characters) are, what they think, and why they are the way that they are; Like how Marianne’s treatment from her brother and mum later manifested into her placing herself in self-deprecating and dangerous relationships, and how Connell being a wonder child and having so many friends--but without meaningful connection--throughout his adolescence caused him to be socially unequipped to have real adults conversations and relationships.

I think that this truly is a story about two normal people living simple and empathetic lives that Rooney was able to turn into a transporting and captivating novel about romance, drama, relationships and tragedy.

I would rate this book a 4.5/5 stars because I thought it was such a great novel that was very easy to read and that I would read again, but nothing is perfect and there are things I would’ve changed to improve my experience with this book, alas a 4.5! This is definitely a book you should read if you like romance, drama, and (in my opinion) a slow burn that you’re not going to want to put down.

Thanks for reading!

-avery

[bluemillie]

I’m dying to know what these tags mean (from the “if TLT was a YA series” post):

 #Back to YA tropes: ya gray villains are all ‘my morals and actions are objectively correct in this world but i kill people and wear black’#that’s the epitome of bad boy evil

Like, are you agreeing that the YA villains actions *are* correct for their worlds, or are you saying that *they* (the villains) claim that (or that readers do) and you’re making fun it? Could you elaborate on what it means for something to be “the epitome of bad boy evil”? (Also, I kinda want to know which YA villains fit the bill here.)

Also, since I'm not sure how my tone is coming across here: I really am just curious.

I cannot for the life of me find my reblog on that post and hardly remember doing it, but I will do my best to answer from the vague memory of what i was thinking at the time and my present thoughts! I have never been very articulate and have always been quite wordy, though, so I apologize in advance.

First, ‘gray villains’ was a poor choice of words. What i meant was more along the lines of what are supposed to be antiheroes in modern YA. And for if they’re “correct” or not, it depends completely on the media. Sometimes they’re like “i am going to reform these systems that have measurably oppressed the majority for their entire lives, but to do so I must get rid of it’s most adamant supporters who are clearly written pure evil villains who eat babies and kick puppies” and the other characters are like “you’re right, however we can’t kill people to do that :((( you’re just as bad as the villains“ and other times they’re like “my parents were mean to me as a child so now i’m going to start a war” and the readers are like “they’re so right, y’all just only like vanilla characters 🙄”.

The “epitome of bad boy evil” was about REALLY YA characters, who usually don’t have a strong motivation or reasoning behind what they do other than being a kaz brekker wannabe to bait the ppl who like ‘dark’ romance without real substance. Like, from their first introduction you know they’re some edgy or cocky mf who probably wears a too-long coat.

You could compare this to harrow who wears black and kills people, but it also in a space death cult/the reverend daughter of goth and the greatest necromancer of her generation (some would argue). The key here, other than her being a fairly unique character, is that she’s not bait for any particular reader. She’s a failwoman, not someone who comes to mind when you think of dark or edgy romance. Dating harrow would not be living dangerously- it’d be competing with a corpse.

Another good example is Kaz. He is THE bad boy, and I would argue an attractor of those who like dark romance due to his gang status, but he’s got substance. Most people are equally invested in discovering his backstory and following his revenge plot as they are with Inej (tho that’s my aroace ass talking so maybe not lol). And even then, his romance is rocky. It’s a struggle to even touch her and he can’t communicate due to his past rather than just being a tsundere type. And when we see his “softer” side, it’s all about caring for his friends and how the rest of everything soft about him was drowned in the Ketterdamn harbor years ago. It goes beyond sneaking a look at the bad boy with a cat or the bad boy being protective of the female love interest.

I’m not sure I can describe a character that fits either the gray villain/antihero stereotype nor the bad boy one; my ideas of both are kind of an amalgamation of all thing things that tend to turn me away from media. Plus I don’t read a lot of romance, so a fair bit is also drawn from the way people describe the characters online that makes me glad I didn’t read whatever they did. The rest of it is trauma from my middle school wattpad days and the shows my mom watches.

One I do particularly dislike is Eren Yeager. I think he’s a well-written character (ish), but the sheer number of people who are jokingly-and-not justifying him committing worldwide genocide is kind of annoying sometimes.

In the end, this is is all just nitpicking and no big deal. It’s all fictional and about media i don’t ever have to engage with. I was just excited to throw in my least favorite YA tropes and imagine how much more horrible they could be in a tlt YA version. I encourage people to find enjoyment wherever they can, whether it’s something I enjoy or not.

I hope this satisfied your curiosity!

[devouredbyghosts]

“I had started the process of erasing myself from the present world in favour of social media - carving out chunks of myself, stretching them into an online skeleton: two people from one, like some kind of medical miracle. I have been doing this for a long time, of my own volition. In the past few years, I’ve spent almost as much time constructing and maintaining my online self as I have my real, human self. I’ve certainly spent more time on Instagram exercising my image than I have in the gym exercising my body.

These two were presentations are not the same person; in fact, they are often two very different people. The online version is static, and therefore easily paused on perfection, because the conditions in that space allow it. The parameters of the actual world are expansive, and people can view you from any angle (literally and metaphorically), while online you need to only fit yourself into a fixed box whose conditions you control and manipulate. The off-line version of me is obviously deeply flawed, though it’s easy to start believing otherwise, because I spend so much time immersed in my online self. Online, I can create someone who is not impatient, does not misspeak, is not self-centered, that’s always standing in the best lighting, and so on and on. The highlights of my life are posted in that space, and everything reacts in predictable ways - that is, the ways I want them to. And sometimes it feels much easier to live in that reality than in the one where I am always flawed and challenged, and occasionally sad.

So what do these two versions of me have in common?

Honestly, not much at all. For example, imagine that over the course of a year I posted images of sentences from this book online, and after seeing several hundred of them, you started to believe that you knew what the book was about, it’s energy and message. Imagine that you then actually got hold of the book and read it cover to cover. Perhaps I had carefully selected passages that reflected the whole - that’s possible. More likely, though, I have selected passages that made the book seem interesting, that put forth the storyline or narrative I liked best. The book could seem like a romance but actually be horror, or it could seem like suspense but actually be comedy, or it could seem well written but actually be a mess. You’ve no clue.

I imagine this is true for almost everyone’s social persona. One of the trickiest parts of social media is recognizing that everyone is doing the same thing you’re doing: presenting their best self. Everyone is now a brand, and all of digital life is a fashion magazine. While it’s easy to understand intrinsically that your presence on social media is only one small sliver of your full story, it’s more difficult to apply that logic to everyone else. Because you actually lived the full night, not just the two second snapshot of everyone laughing, arms around shoulders. All you see of other people’s night is an endless stream of laughing snapshots, which your brain easily extrapolates to fantastic evenings filled with warmth and love, with good wine and delicious food. Comparing your every day existence to someone else’s highlight reel is dangerous for both of you.

At the same time, existing online often feels less risky, less challenging, than existing in the real world, where things often become messy. Online, you can just plug in and edit everything. Plus, there is no body language that you’re forced to interpret. When you try to build a relationship in person, or meet a group of friends, you face the possibility of awkward pauses, confusing body language, and the disappointment of not saying precisely what you mean. In person, time moves steadily past and you either keep the rhythm of the interaction or you don’t. Online, there is only the artificial rhythm you create, the beat slowed down or sped up depending on what you choose. But that’s not quite dancing. Dancing is giving your body over to a larger energy. Dancing is finding the rhythm and beauty and whatever song is playing.

It’s easier to feel connected online then to truly connect in real life. So plugging in becomes addicting. We’d rather sign on and feel some superficial sense of connection than work and possibly fail a true connection off-line. Being in the real world can be uncomfortable, especially after you spend so much time online.“ Kate Fagen; What Made Maddy Run

[brokenhardies]

objects for Amber

I put the answers under the cut for convenience;

📣 MEGAPHONE - how loud are they? what do they speak like? got a voice claim?

Amber is quite loud. She has a slight Chicago accent when she speaks - only slight, living in Philadelphia for 8 years before moving to London means it's barely noticeable, unless she gets mad of course - and her voice is quite soft, almost Disney princess like on some occasions. Her hypothetical voice claim fo animated situations is Aimee Carerro, best known for voicing Adora in She-Ra

📖 OPEN BOOK - do they like reading? what's their favourite genre?

Amber has always been a bookworm! She loves mystery, history, thrillers and horror literature! Basically everything that isn't romance :')

🪤 MOUSE TRAP - what will always lure them into certain danger? a loved one in danger? a promise of something they are always searching for?

A loved one in danger most definetly. For example, she nearly got herself killed in Electric Feel due to Sivana threatening Darla

📸 CAMERA - do they enjoy having their picture taken? what's their go-to pose? do they like taking photos? what do they take photos of?

Amber loves having her picture taken and she loves taking photos - especially with her camera (a pale pink polaroid style one)! Her go to pose is either a peace sign, finger guns or the k-pop 'heart' symbol. She tends to enjoy taking photos of scenery or her friends! (sidenote; i have a concept in which marc/steven/jade find polaroid pictures around the flat of amber hanging out with my other ocs that i really should write!)

🎭 MASKS - do they act differently around certain people? what's different between the way they act around friends, family, strangers, etc.?

Amber wears her heart on her sleeve. She acts the same around most people, although she does change her behaviour slightly. She's still polite and reasonable to strangers, but not as intimate as she is to those she's more friendly with!

✂️ SCISSORS - what is the "last straw" for them to cut someone out of their life? how easily do they let go of people?

If you betray Amber's trust - or keep secrets from her without good reason - don't be surprised when she lets go of you. It will take her a while, and she may be conflicted, but it's likely 9 times out of 10 you deserve it. She's not gonna just drop someone for petty reasons (and considering she's friends with Marc 'I'll keep all my emotions right here and then one day I'll die' Spector...)

💡 LIGHTBULB - is your oc a planner? do they write down every small detail or just wing it?

Amber would like to have a plan for every siutation and would like to know the small details of every encounter and would like to be ahead of the curve... Unfortunately, while she is a planner, 99% of the time the universe decides that's not her place :')

💎 DIAMOND - how rich are they? can they live the lifestyle they want to?

Amber mostly works off a barista's salary, so not much money - minimum wage at most. However, compared to her childhood - where she grew up poor - she's going pretty fine!

🎁 PRESENT - what types of presents would they be most happy to receive? are they good at gift giving?

Amber likes small, practical gifts... But also makeup, and jewelery and clothes. Those are practical, right? If you consider gift cards or money good gifts she's quite good at gift giving!

🍼 BABY BOTTLE - what are their thoughts on children?

She worked as a babysitter basically since she was 13 to when she was 18, and still tutors children on the side if possible. If she didn't care about kids she wouldn't work in that industry. In spite of not being interested in sex/romance, she does want kids/is willing to work in a job with kids!

🔪 KNIFE - how do they react to injury / misfortune befalling their loved ones (significant other, family, friends)? do they put themselves at blame?

Oh God, Amber reacts with anger and wanting to fight the thing that caused their loved ones misfortune/injury. Even if it is the person themselves - anger born of worry. She doesn't put herself at blame, instead blaming the thing that caused the problem... And if it is her that caused the problem, she will yeet herself under the bus :')

👑 CROWN - what does your oc want to be remembered as? why?

If you'd had asked Amber this question two years prior to Decode, she would've said she wanted to be remembered as a hero or savior, because her savior complex is massive. Now? She's not sure if she wants to be remembered as anything. She's probably already going to be remembered as 'the Emissary of the Gods' anyway, so...

✏️ PENCIL - is there a particular quote / lyric that you associate with them?

"And I am the fire, and I am the forest/And I am a witness watching it" from Mitski's A Burning Hill

🎵 MUSIC NOTE - what is their playlist like? their favourite artists? do you associate a particular song with them?

Amber's playlist can be found here. Her taste is very eclectic, a mix of 'retro' and modern music, with a very pop feel to it! Her fave artist is Fleetwood Mac, probably closely followed by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers!

🎤 MICROPHONE - are they good at singing? what is their go-to karaoke song?

Amber is pretty okay at singing. Go-to karaoke song? Edge of Seventeen. Are you surprised? Because I'm not!

🎷 SAXOPHONE - do they play any instruments? are they any good at it?

Amber tried to play guitar... Key word tried. It's the only thing she's not good at (that and dancing, poor girl has two left feet at the best of times)

📚 BOOKS - how were they at school? what is their best subject? what is their worst subject? do they have a favourite subject?

Amber is what you would like to call a child prodigy with a photographic memory so she was brilliant at school. Her best subjects were English and History, and she didn't have a worst subject. Her favourite subject however was English

👖 JEANS - what is their go-to outfit?

White button down under a knitted sweater - either striped or plain - blue jeans and white sneakers

🎨 PALETTE - can they draw? what do they like to draw?

Amber is quite good at life drawing - exploiting her photographic memory to draw things just from memory. She likes drawing nature, especially flowers and birds!

🎡 FERRIS WHEEL - are they someone who wants to kiss at the top of the ferris wheel?

Amber is aromantic, so no!

⏳ HOURGLASS - are they usually late or on-time?

She's typically early, which surprises most people!

🔫 PISTOL - do they trust people easily? how easily will they turn their back to someone? have they been backstabbed before? will they betray someone if given an ultimatum?

Amber doesn't trust people that easily. If she puts her trust in you, she expects to give that trust back. She doesn't turn her back to someone easily. As far as I know, she hasn't been backstabbed before, and she will not betray people if given an ultimatum - unless the betrayal is of benefit to her own moral code

🎀 RIBBON - how would they fit into other worlds / aus? what aus would you like to try out? what fictional world would they fit / not fit into?

Considering that Decode was originally an AU of Electric Feel before it became the Emissary Verse... I think that it would work! Amber would fit into other comic book/superhero stories, which is why I had a concept of her being 'interdimensional pen pals' with Mark from Invincible! She wouldn't fit into the world of the Boys though

📎 PAPERCLIP - a random fact.

Amber is surprisingly knowledgable on pop culture!

📦 PACKAGE - what are some "most likely to..." that can apply to them?

'Most likely to succeed' (of course) and 'Most likely to quote someone while still censoring them'

🖍️ CRAYON - what advice would you give to them?

"Please, for the love of God, stop sacrificing yourself for other people! Give yourself time!"

⚙️ GEAR - what are your ocs thoughts on science & art? which do they give more importance to? how much value do they place on each?

Amber puts equal value on science and art, while she prefers science to art as a subject. She believes both have merits and flaws, especially regarding how science can be poorly combined with faith or not at all (people who say science and religion have no intertwining factor anger Amber unironically). However, both are primarily tools to succeed!

🔧 WRENCH - are they good at fixing relationships? or do they tend to avoid doing so?

Oh Amber likes to think she's good at fixing relationships. However, she often makes them worse. See Layla and Marc :') How not to fix a struggling marriage 101 - don't try to set his ex-wife up on a date with his alter

❇️ SPARKLE - what is their most prized possession? what do they value?

Her most prized possession is a bird-winged necklace given to her by her father when she was 8 years old. Two years later, he would pass away, and Amber wears that necklace everywhere. She values her friends and family more than life itself tbh

📏 RULER - is your oc well educated? where did they get their learning from?

Amber's photographic memory also makes her a fast learner. She would be considered 'well educated', having reached teritary education, but she still thinks she has a lot to learn. The problem with Amber is she wants to know everything but she can't, because while she has a photographic memory and is a fast learner, she still has a normal mental capacity. Oops :')

[loosesodamarble]

Morgen Faust Headcanons

Here’s my various headcanons for Morgen Faust! Lots of it is very self indulgent, mind you.

Morgen was a bit of a crybaby in his early years. He got scared easily and had a gentle heart so anything mean or cruel would upset him.

While not nearly as talented as Nacht, Morgen made up for it in determination. Or stubbornness, depending on who you asked. Morgen had drive to continue at something even if he wasn't good at it or it was boring.

Massive bookworm. He would read anything he could get his hands on. He had a fondness for poetry, romance, and adventure stories though. Poetry fostered his gentle, thoughtful nature. Romance made him a bit of a romantic. And adventure inspired his decision to be a Magic Knight.

Always had a fondness for nature. He liked visiting public gardens as a child and when he grew up, he became more willing to venture into the wild to appreciate nature's untamed beauty.

Morgen was well-liked by animals, on a similar level as Yuno. Strays flocked to him and he fed them if he had anything he could share. He's stumbled upon a herd of grazing deer and they saw him, but sensing he wasn't a danger, they continued to graze.

Morgen could play the piano. I will never let go of this thought, ever. The piano is an elegant but strong instrument, just like Morgen was a kind person and served as a Magic Knight. I can imagine him performing a beautiful melody on a grand piano, his face peaceful as he sways to the music a little.

Also, he sang. I imagine that he had a tenor-baritone voice, high to middle range for men (examples for tenor voice are Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran. Baritone voices are like Frank Sinatra and John Lennon).

Skilled in social dancing, think ballroom with the waltz or foxtrot. Forced Nacht to be his practice partner a lot.

Excelled in his etiquette classes, being called "The Perfect Gentleman" by his tutors.

From a young age, Morgen was willing to help others. His belief was that because he was blessed with a good life, he should bring good into other people's lives.

His helpful nature brought with it a good reputation with the public. However, he didn't care for the attention and preferred shying away from it.

Morgen quickly learned that his parents' "love" for him was conditional. He had to be the image of perfection and always work for their approval. They had high expectations that he never seemed to meet however.

He was compared to Nacht often, especially when Morgen didn't excel as easily as Nacht did.

Morgen noticed that Nacht wasn't held to the standard of perfection that he was. Morgen never got upset but was relieved that Nacht didn't endure the same burdens.

His mother often patronized Morgen, acting sweet but saying things that played down his accomplishments. His father meanwhile gave “constructive criticism” on whatever Morgen did and advised him to “do better.”

Despite his harsh upbringing under his parents, Morgen was genuinely upbeat and optimistic about life. He wasn't going to let his past define his future.

Had some airhead moments. Once, he was buying his favorite pastry at the bakery he regularly visited and the baker said "if you like 'em so much, I'll sell you the whole stock!" And Morgen took him seriously.

He could casually say "Yeah my parents only loved me when I followed every rule they set out for me. And even when I did follow the rules, apparently I never followed them well enough," and not see anything wrong with it.

Joining the Magic Knights was motivated not only by his desire to help people but also the want to get away from his parents. He didn't need to put up with their treatment of him.

Early on, Morgen worked himself to the brink and Julius had to take him aside to tell him he could relax. The exhaustion and relief made Morgen cry before passing out.

Considered everyone in the squad his friend even if he didn't know them super well. He likes supporting everyone with that kind of connection.

Morgen made regular visits to the Faust manor. He mostly returned to see Nacht and the wonderful staff that raised him.

With his gentle heart, Morgen was highly inclined to healing and other support type spells. With utilization of Mana Zone, Morgen would've been able to created an area of effect healing spell.

A couple attack spells at least but before he mastered those, he just grabbed a person and threw them into a wall at light speed. Yes this does mean Morgen had an ounce of upper body strength.

Had an anxiety attack when he discovered House Faust's secret practices. Just curled up in a ball and pressed his hands to his temples trying not to scream or cry. He always knew, or least had a feeling, that something wasn't quite right with his family but the full truth was difficult to process.

Increased his efforts to convince Nacht to join the Magic Knight in hopes of getting him away from the devil work but it was to no avail.

Morgen never hated Nacht. He worried about his brother and acknowledged his wrongdoings but Morgen knew Nacht had a kind, but closed off heart.

[isolatedbubble]

Romance in MXTX, Priest, and SHL

MXTX: Flower, Wine and Dreamworld

The romance in MXTX's works is like flower that grows in ice and snow; colorful, bright and hopelessly romantic, blossoms in misery and hardships.

It features a distinct "us against the world" mindset, depicting love as the only constant in the world. It's an eternal "dreamworld" detached from worldly matters, the perfect escapism as well as a source of strengths in the face of cruel reality.

Both MDZS and TGCF are a critique of mob mentality.

The contrast between CQL and MDZS is very interesting. While the former ends with LWJ taking charge, and therefore changing the world for the better, the novel ends with wangxian isolating themselves from grand politics and focusing more on helping individuals as recluse. It has an essentially pessimistic attitude towards the morality & intelligence of the collective. 

TGCF takes a slightly more optimistic approach, featuring the crowd being courageous under the right circumstances. However, both works share a similar undertone: putting one’s absolute faith in the collective is dangerous, whereas unconditional trust and devotion can be only found in one-to-one connection

MXTX herself compares MDZS and TGCF to 花间一壶酒 (A cup of wine among flowers), MDZS being the wine and TGCF being flower. She also compares MDZS to 风雪夜归人, the person returning home from snow and wind, and TGCF to 红泥小火炉, a small red furnace.

Priest: Breezing Wind and Burning Iron

The romance in priest's works is more complicated. It's the most gentle in its normal state, when it is rational and collected, in which case it's like the breezing wind, soothing, sweet and light-hearted. It gives the individuals more incentive to achieve their individual and/or societal vision, as well as more reason to value their own lives & well-being.

In Faraway Wanderers, the most distinct feature of WenZhou relationship is how in naturally sync they are, and how comfortable & smooth their dynamic is. They both have past burden, but it doesn’t matter, because they bring simple joy, understanding and happiness in each other’s lives.

In Sha Po Lang and The Guardian, the ML’s lingering love for the MC motivates them to become better version of themselves, to care about others, and to form a holistic vision about bettering society. 

In The Defective, Lin Jingheng(MC) explicitly said that Lu Bixing(ML) is the only meaning in his life. He had little incentive to care about his own life after his revenge plan fell apart. LBX helped him reconnect with his inner idealism, and gave him a reason value his life.

When the passion and fiery energy manifests itself, however, the romance is like burning iron, blood and fire. It isn’t actually toxic or unhealthy, but it's not pure and innocent either; in this case, it strives for something deeper and more intense, never content with the past or the present. The sheer intensity of relationship is like a double-edged sword, walking the fine line between unconditional devotion and dangerous obsession. 

SHL: Spring Water and Healing Open Wounds

The romance in SHL is like "spring water"; it's warm, gentle, nurturing. It breaks through the boundary between individuals to bring the couple closer to each other, taking them back to a utopia of their childhood dream, away from social pressure and responsibility. The theme central to their relationship is “salvation”: how love is able to bring people back to integrity.

Both drama wkx and drama zzs have lots of regret about their past sins and wrongdoings. Four Seasons Manor is essentially a metaphor for purity, acceptance and the safety of childhood home. How to make drama wkx open up and accept this safe harbor as his home is one of the most significant plot-lines of the show.

SHL couple is way more emotionally vulnerable and expressive. A significant part of SHL arc is healing the wounds in an open and honest way. They cuddle and confide in each other way more often, talk about their shameful past and even cry about their regrets in front of one another, which is very rare among MXTX/Priest works.

The heat of the relationship sometimes gets too hot and even burns; in other words, there are constant miscommunications, conflicts and misunderstandings in the relationship. However, they can never let each other go, because it's the only source of warmth left for them in their hopeless lives filled with regrets and guilt.

Similarities and Differences

*Note that this is not a SHL/TYK comparison. TYK is kind of an “unorthodox” priest novel; you will know what I mean if you have read 3+ of her works. 

Relationship Dynamic & Narrative:  

In MXTX’s works, the concept of “romance” itself is divined; and the characters are illustration of the ideal of “undying love”. People are made for one another, to complete one another. Her works use colorful symbolism (silver butterflies, the emperor’s smile, the 3 thousand lanterns, etc.) to depict this romanticized ideal of love. 

For MXTX, the romanticization of “destined love” is one of the most recurring themes of her novels. Therefore, the readers look at their relationship through rose-color glasses. Obsession is usually framed in a jolly & romantic light, and doesn’t feature much tension or stress, and has less negative or unhealthy undertone. 

In most of priest’s works and SHL, soulmates are not born but made, so they have to figure out how their relationship works step by step. Therefore the narrative is less of a “rosy picture”. 

Priest has a habit of using derogatory terms to describe relationships that are mostly healthy, but somewhat “bloody” and edgy, full of excessive passion and obsession. The most common phrase is “爱生忧怖”, a Buddhist term meaning “love results in worry and fear”. 

SHL obviously has to be more subtle in expressing love. That said, drama WenZhou are way more emotionally vulnerable and expressive than their novel counterparts, as well as most Priest & MXTX characters. They have a dramatic falling out once in a while, even towards the end. They barely fit the Chinese definition of Zhiji (to know me/to understand one another), but are “lovers” who are buried deep in their passion instead. 

Past, Future and Evolvement: 

In SHL, characters are encouraged to treasure past impressions that are thrown in figurative “wrappings”, whose luster is derived from age-old experiences (Psychological Types, Carl Jung). In other words, they are encouraged to root their love in a shared past, a Utopia of innocence. 

The contrast between The Defective and Word of Honor is very interesting to observe. Both involve long separation, and the suffering and personality changes hat comes from it.   SHL narrative frames their innocent childhood as something to cling to and return to. Drama WKX is encouraged to accept his identity as Four Seasons Manor disciple because it was part of his childhood past. This is a significant part of drama WenZhou relationship.

In The Defective, the narrative doesn't encourage the couple to dwell on the past that much. On the contrary, the all-knowing AI explicitly discouraged the MC from “comparing past to present”. They are advised to accept changes, however painful it might be, and build a better, more equal dynamic out of it, evolving from one-sided pandering to fighting side-by-side.  

In Priest’s novels, the characters rarely return to something in the past, but look into the future. Change is usually framed as inherently beneficial, albeit usually painful and rocky, the implication being that you need to constantly strive for something better.  

Sha Po Lang is a good example of this, with Gu Yun’s changing attitude towards Chang Geng after he as he matures, gradually showing his intelligence in politics. CG starts referring to GY as Zixi instead of YiFu is also a sign of this change---to see him as equal rather than a parental figure & protector.

The Defective is even more obvious in this regard, with both parties uncomfortable with the change initially, but gradually adjusting to the changes during their 16-year separation. The ML also stops calling MC by his surname “Lin”, as a sign of viewing him as equal. 

In MXTX’s works, change in personality or relationship dynamic is neither framed as painful or good. It just happens. It’s a natural flow that take place when it does. Their relationships are rarely challenged by change. They are objectively at a better place compared to their past, but it’s merely the result of a series of events rather than a deliberate choice or struggle.  

WangXian’s relationship naturally changes over time after WWX’s rebirth, but neither of them really struggles with the change. 

Xie Lian doesn’t even recognize Hua Cheng as the someone from his past, so they start out as friends getting to know each other. 

Salvation and Changing one another: 

Priest herself stated in an interview that she doesn’t believe in the concept of salvation, since people have the inner capacity to be their own savior. Therefore, priest characters usually don’t actively try to change their partner’s morals or personality. Some might be willingly influenced by their partner, but there’s rarely an element of moral condemnation. Even when there is a conflict between different values, the options are 1) to reconcile them by choosing the middle ground 2) to maintain their independence and tackle it with nuance 3) to break up.

On surface level, Mo Du/Silent Reading is about Luo Wenzhou being Fei Du’s salvation. However, as LWZ pointed out himself, Fei Du would’ve been a good person at heart with or without his influence. 

In The Defective, when Lu Bixing mistakenly thought Lin Jingheng stayed in the Eighth Galaxy against his own wishes because of their relationship, and that their priorities are irreconcilable, he even thought about breaking up. Of course he was not serious about it, but this showcased that he would never try to change LJH’s convictions. 

In SHL, however, the concept of salvation is central to the theme. Some find it strange that SHL make drama zzs the more “moral” one of the two, despite his action being more objectively questionable. In fact, the only reason he get framed as more “moral” is that he admitted his fault sooner, and therefore could guide drama wkx’s path back to salvation: to recognize the goodness in people, make peace with external world, to clear his name in Jianghu, and to follow due process with his revenge plan to avoid collateral damages. 

“I tried to change you, but you end up changing me”, said drama ZZS. This relationship dynamic is never present in any of priest’s works I’ve read. Priest characters don’t *try* to change one another. 

Does MXTX believe in salvation? Hard to tell. One could argue that Hua Cheng would have be way more amoral and even immoral if it hadn’t been for XL. This is complicated and is a topic for another time.

However, it is certain that MXTX MCs don’t condemn each other morally. “The orthodox one defending their unorthodox partner in front of the world” is a common wuxia trope, but the way MXTX novels approach it is very different from SHL. 

HuaLian never had a serious falling out about being on different sides. Even when they disagree, they respect each other and love each other exactly the way they are. Hua Cheng didn’t approve of Xie Lian saving Mu Qing, but he didn’t interfere with Xie Lian’s decision. Xie Lian feels responsible for helping Shi Qingxuan in Blackwater arc, but he is perfectly fine with HC helping He Xuan keep secrets. In several cases where they have different values, they are able to make it work with ease.

LWJ never *morally* condemned WWX for his action, and never once objected to WWX practicing demonic cultivation after his rebirth. In fact, LWJ never objected to WWX’s morals; in their previous life he was worried about his safety, and struggled with what to do about certain situations due to his family background, but difference in morality is not an issue for them. 

The “righteous” one does not feel the need to guide their unorthodox partner or to be their salvation with regards to integrity. 

*The similarity & differences part is a bit messy and some points are not fleshed-out. Sorry about that. 

**I don’t claim to have the right interpretation. The lens by which we see different styles of romance is ultimately subjective. 

[slightlyrebelliouswriter23]

Writing smut without cringing the whole time? How do you do it.

Writing Smut 101: Overcoming Smut Shame

CONTENT WARNING: NSFW RELATED CONTENT BELOW.

The short answer, nonnie, is: you don’t. 

That is to say, writing smut is always kind of cringe—especially if you’re new to it, or simply “not in the mood” to write. 

But rest assured, feeling embarrassed is completely natural. The trick is learning how to overcome the cringe when it does happen, instead of letting it deter you.

I’m going to break this up into a few sections: 1) Why you might be feeling this way, 2) How I, personally, combat the issue, and 3) Some more tips that might help you get the ball rolling.

1. Why You “Cringe”

It’s important to find the root cause of any form of writer’s block so you can pull the weed out instead of just trimming it back. Smut writer’s block is its own special brand, and generally, the main issue writers have when it comes to smut is stigma.

Speaking openly and honestly about sex, in Western society, is still very much a taboo.

No matter how “progressive” we like to think we are, the inherent shame surrounding pleasure-seeking experiences, and the detailing/consumption of them, has been ground into us since we learned how to understand the concept of gratification.

And I’m not just talking about sexual gratification. This applies to everyday things, as well. Eating, shopping, relaxing (or doing virtually anything in capitalist society that does not directly contribute to capitalism).

So it makes sense that you would feel any amount of embarrassment, awkwardness, or “cringe” when writing smut. It’s something our society teaches us is wrong to want. Unfortunately, that shame translates to writer’s block when we sit down in front of the computer.

A lot of this blockage might stem from not giving ourselves permission to write the thing.

We’re staring at the blank document, knowing we want to write smut, and suddenly the thoughts start streaming in: This feels wrong, is this wrong? What if someone comes in and looks over my shoulder while I’m writing? Am I describing this right? Is this too unrealistic? I have NO idea what I’m doing, and everyone is going to know it.

These are all perfectly normal thoughts, and definitely ones I still have from time to time. But they’re also probably the direct cause of why you feel so blocked. Luckily, I have some bits of advice to give you on how to unblock yourself.

2. How I Combat Smut Block

✦ First, when the intrusive thoughts occur, instead of ruminating on them, think of each one as an impermanent object. You can use any metaphor, but I like to use the imagery of leaves:

Each negative thought is a leaf floating down the river of your mind. If you focus only on the leaf, you’ll exert a lot of energy running to try and keep up with it, consequently miss everything else around you. But if you acknowledge that leaf as a temporary part of the scenery, and let is pass, you can process and appreciate the beauty of your surroundings a whole lot better.

Remember: you are separate from your thoughts. You are not defined by them. The things you think sound stupid might be incredibly exciting to someone else. 

If you can string a sentence together, you can write smut. This is all part of giving yourself permission to write the thing that makes you feel uncomfortable.

✦ Second, I’d suggest giving good thought to how you personally experience embarrassment, how you experience excitement (of the sexual variety), and how those two might sometimes commingle or feel similar.

For me, they are very comparable, like different shades of the same emotion—but there are differences which are important to note. 

If I’m making myself blush from excitement, this is a very good thing for writing smut. It means that what I’m writing feels real enough to evoke something in the reader, even if the reader, like me, knows what’s going to happen.

If I’m making myself cringe, however, it may be time to take a step back and readjust my perspective.

✦ Third, ease yourself into it! Don’t jump straight in the deep end and expect to know how to keep your head above water if you’ve never swum before.

The way I eased myself into smut was first by writing “Steam”—a category of fic I made up because the current vocabulary lacked an efficient term for fics that straddled emotional romance and explicit content. 

Essentially, steam is smut-adjacent but not explicit, and here’s a step-by-step example of how I transitioned myself smoothly from one genre to the next:

I first wrote my fics Wicked Game and You Are (both of which feature either a heavy make out session or teasing + lots of sexual tension) with this “steam” concept in mind.

I wrote the first chapter of Fine Line, which has brief but explicit descriptions of fantasies, framed by a very sexually charged scene.

I released my fic Crashing, which is probably more of a bridge between Steam and Smut, and features soft-focus fingering. Nothing in it is explicit—it focuses more on the emotions than explicit detail—but it’s very clear what is happening.

After I wrote those, I felt just confident enough to make that final stride over the threshold into smut. I wrote my fics Holy, King, and the second chapter of Fine Line all within weeks of each other.

And trust me when I say, once you get the momentum going and receive that validation from people who’ve read your work, it becomes SO much easier to sit down and start writing. 

You just have to finish that first piece.

✦ Finally (and I know I’m going to sound cliche when I say this), just like any other skill, the more you practice the more confident you will feel and the better you will get. 

So practice, practice, practice! 

If you’re nervous about posting smut for the first time, have a trusted friend/mutual Beta read it for you. It’s the online equivalent to someone holding your hand before jumping off the cliff, and works wonders for the nerves.

3. Keep The Smut Rolling

Now that you have some tools to help get you past the blockage of writing smut, here’s how to keep the inspiration flowing.

✦ Start by incorporating smutty fanfiction/erotic fiction into your regular reading rotation- 

Of course AO3 is a fantastic resource for smutty fanfiction. 

If you’re a fan of TFOTA or ACOTAR and want some of my personal fic recs, visit my fic rec masterlist.

In terms of erotic fiction, my personal favourites are anything Anais Nin (specifically Henry & June and Delta of Venus), The Thornchapel series by Sierra Simone, The Godwicks series by Tiffany Reisz, and The Original Sinners series by Tiffany Reisz.

There are also sites like Literotica and sexstories.com, which play host to explicit short fiction (not fandom based).

✦ Next, I’d recommend having a designated digital space for smutspiration- 

This can be a list of “smutty” words/phrases kept on a separate document on your computer, for those days when you just can’t think of the right way to describe something. 

Or you can create a private side-blog or Pinterest board for your favourite smutty fanart or other kinds of visual smutspiration.

✦ For that matter, try following some smutty/18+ blogs (ONLY IF YOU’RE 18+) here on Tumblr-

Many of them have a plethora of what I like to call “lemony snippets”, a.k.a. short text posts that describe (usually in conversational language) explicit scenarios. 

This is useful because it will normalise the concept of sexual fantasies in your brain, making it less weird for you when you try to come up with ones of your own to write into smut. 

Not to mention, your dash will be rife with inspiration.

✦ I would also suggest checking out 18+ ASMR on YouTube (AGAIN, ONLY IF YOU’RE 18+). 

My favourite account is Professor Cal Official, but Auralescent also has some good content. 

Headphones are highly advisable for this, as their stuff is very dangerous for work.

So, nonnie, I hope this has provided you with at least one helpful tip. Whether you took anything away from this or not, just know that the feelings of embarrassment when it comes to writing smut are entirely normal. And the best way to keep those feelings at bay is to confront them head on. 

-Em 🖤🗡

Writing Advice Masterlist

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