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bored-trans-lesbian · 5 months

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A Starstruck Odyssey, and Masculinity

I have thoughts and am just gonna unload them on Tumblr. That's what we do here, right? I recently have been re-listening to Starstruck and have had some thoughts on it's depictions of masculinity. This isn't a serious post per se, just some thoughts and observations. Starstruck has a wide spectrum of masculine characters on display, though a lot of it is hostile/toxic. Most men or male-coded characters are either outright villains, or more neutral parties with some toxic and selfish tendencies. Don't get me wrong it's a wild violent galaxy and that's the point, the entire party participates in scamming, kidnapping, exploitations, and unnecessary murder and we love to see it, it's not like it explicitly makes all men out to be inherently more monstrous and evil than others. But I do think the depictions of masculinity can be interesting to observe. Amercadia is a pretty cut and dry critism of the patriarchy and American nationalist culture, which is fantastic worldbuilding to include. Many of the masculine-coded androids are actually pretty nice, friendly and helpful or serious about their jobs, aside from a bitchy one in the beginning who injects our main 'droid with an anxiety spike about being one of a kind. Pretty much all of the Slugs we meet occupy masculine bodies, and they seem to have an abstract gender that picks up pronouns from the body they occupy, though the monarch is objectively a king and uses masculine pronouns even before getting a body, and he's pretty selfish and stupid.

But the main pair I'm thinking of, is Barry and Gunnie. Looking at the two of them, there's a lot you can assume. Big Barry Syx is this massive, bulky dude in power armor and shades with a mullet, while Gunnie is a 4' 11" techie cyborg with a big ol' smile. Listen to them in action and many of your assumptions are reinforced; Barry is a total dude-bro associated with nuts, steroids, working out, and acting much like gym bros in our modern life, while Gunnie is a hyperactive technician just doing his best, despite being mired in sympathetic tragedy. Barry's trauma is fairly fantastical or common to stories, having his family gunned down by one of his own, while Gunnie is mostly weighted down by medical debt after he got in an accident after trusting the wrong person. Based on these apperent details one would assume Barry is this toxicly masculine jackass who's insecure about his flaws, while Gunnie is the smartest man on board and is trying to keep everyone in line, doing the right thing, ect. And of course, you'd be dead wrong. Gunnie, while a sympathetic and likable character, is *mired* in toxic masculine traits. While it was an accident that put him in his situation, it was brash foolishness and ignoring obvious red flags that got him in that position in the first place, not to mention a rebellion against his family driving him to it. Furthermore, as Lou himself admits in Adventuring party, Gunnie's *pride* is the reason his problems are so vast; He comes from a lot of money, his initial debt might have never happened or mostly gone away to begin with if he went back to his dads for help. His toxicity doesn't make him an unlikable character but he does have these traits. He's brash, prideful, and ignores common sense a lot. He is also very nice and friendly with others, listens to people, ect. He doesn't have *every* toxic trait in the book, but has them which I tend to not even notice because he's just a funny little guy. Barry, meanwhile, is just about the most wholesome and giving person in the entire 'verse. Syx *And* Nyne, when not under a slug's control, are these total sweetheart bros. Sure, they shit talk each other with friendly ribbing, and yes they are very good at violence, but this violence is always motivated by helping those in need or fighting for those who can't fight for themselves, the Barry Battalion way. Barrys hate it when people are rude, or hurt the innocent. Barrys fight for their friends, provide endless support and praise, and will throw their very bodies into danger to protect or help, as seen on Rec 97 and in the big finale of the battle of the brands. And while the thing the love most is other Barrys, that does not mean that what they respect is also being heavily macho dudes. Barry one (or was is spelled differently? Barry Won? who knows) was the professor who created the other Barrys, a nerdy and fragile professor type, that the Barrys loved and treated as a fellow Barry *literally* the moment they were created. Even Syd is a Barry now, and that's accepted both by Barry Syx who's known her a long time and bonded with her, as well as Barry Nyne who literally, to his perception, *Just* met her, despite her appearance as like a waitress with an arm canon. Being a Barry, in other words, isn't about being just like them, having the name Barry, or anything like that. It's a vibe, it's a way to be, and the 'verse is better off with these super wholesome boys who, despite embodying many stereotypes of the gym bro, posses *none* of the commonly toxic traits also associated with that. They aren't insecure around smarter people or those with different skillsets, they hold no gendered assumptions, and they never wanna use their might to opress others for their own satisfaction.

Just, some thoughts.

#dimension 20 #a starstruck odyssey #barry syx #barry nyne #gunthrie miggles rashbax

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hopeyarts · 2 months

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—WISHING STARS & FAIRY GODMOTHERS—

I’m going off from what I learned and was given about how wishing stars and fairy godmothers work in this whole Disney thing. I’m not that experienced with the older movies nor have I really been in the Disney fandom until after Wish (unfortunately), so if there is anything I missed let me know. I’m not going to repeat it this entire post that this is what *I* learned from Disney creators on these two things, because that’d just be repetitive. I’m being as literate and accurate as I can with what they gave. This post is not out of opinion; it is based on factual information from the Disney media and I’m only doing this to clarify that.

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• What is a wishing star? 🌟

A wishing star is that one big bright star in the night sky. Usually it is looked upon by people for hope, inspiration, and wishing (ex: Geppetto), or for guided journeys (ex: Moana). There are other things that may represent this type of star such as the lanterns in Rapunzel that give her the same inspiration she is looking for in hopes of seeing them out there in the real world. Or there is the wishing well in Snow White where she wishes to meet her prince.

• What can a wishing star do? 💫

A wishing star can instill hope and inspiration into your heart. It is what many characters in Disney look up to in times of failure or loss. Do you need someone/something to hear your dreams any time of the night? Look up to the brightest star in the sky. It can give you the courage and determination to feel that you can achieve your dreams, but it won’t simply give or grant it to you.

• What is a fairy godmother? 🧚

A fairy godmother is a woman who acts as the guardian and mentor of someone else. They can also be a protector! Just to prove this point, the three good fairies from Sleeping Beauty: Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather act as Aurora’s guardians. They are the people who guide you towards your dreams and goals so long as you have goodwill, kindness, and unselfish motives in your heart. They typically help mostly the unfortunate (ex: Cinderella) but only if you are fair. And if you don’t have true kindness in your heart (ex: Pinnochio) then you are taught a valuable lesson of learning to be kind during your journey to achieve your dream. Additionally in the Pinnochio video below (keep scrolling), the Blue Fairy says this about Geppetto: “Good Geppetto, you have given so much happiness to others. You deserve to have your wish come true.” This proves my point on fairy godmothers only helping out those in need but those who are also good. I like how the title of fairy godmother has the word “fair” in it. Coincidence? Maybe, I don’t know.

• What can a fairy godmother do? 🪄

A fairy godmother provides you the tools to make your dreams come true. An example would be that Cinderella’s wish was to attend the ball… so her fairy godmother gave her a new dress, slippers, and even a carriage. A second example are the three good fairies from Sleeping Beauty where they each give Aurora blessings. A third example is the Blue Fairy helping Geppetto and Pinnochio, but that will be for the next point below.

• Can a wishing star or fairy godmother grant wishes? 🌌

No, they cannot. Granting wishes is a genie’s job! In many of Disney’s movies, we have not seen a single wishing star grant someone’s wish. Instead, a person looks up to said wishing star and gathers hope and inspiration to pursue that wish. In Wish, Star is a (if not THE) wishing star. This is proven in this Wish scene here where that is clarified about it ‘granting wishes’.

More proof and implications that a wishing star cannot grant wishes is a scene in Princess and the Frog where young Tiana talks to her parents about the star. Her father tells her that yes, she can wish and dream as much as she wants to that star, but it can only take you a part of the way there.

youtube

As for a fairy godmother, they cannot grant wishes either. The Blue Fairy never granted Geppetto’s wish- she only helped him achieve it. Now this one will be a little tricky, but hear me out. Geppetto wanted his son to be a real boy, not just alive in his puppet form but a REAL boy. Pinnochio could never be a real boy if he wasn’t animated and alive, so the Blue Fairy simply tapped the puppet on the head with her wand and said “wake”, gifting him life. Pinnochio asks the Blue Fairy “Am I a real boy?” where she responds with “No, Pinnochio. To make Geppetto’s wish come true, will be entirely up to you.” It could be speculated that the Blue Fairy is a/the main wishing star because of how she descended from the sky but that would additionally prove my point that wishing stars cannot grant wishes, haha.

https://youtu.be/kH2YYBtKw_4?si=ykPVhYwBAsr5zPM

(WHERE IS THAT THUMBNAIL 😭)

The same thing goes for the fairy godmother in Cinderella. She provided Cinderella with everything required in order to attend the ball AND it came with a catch. At midnight, everything the fairy godmother gave her would turn back to its original form (aside from her glass slippers because she made them out of pure magic). On Disney’s official website, there is a description for Cinderella that mentions the fairy godmother with the keyword “help”. This also proves that fairy godmothers only help those who are kind and good in heart.

All in all, no. Wishing stars and fairy godmothers cannot grant wishes. They can inspire you (wishing stars) or help you out (fairy godmothers). They simply use their magic or words to guide good-hearted people to achieve their dreams.

Also, a small slightly unrelated note here that I’ve been seeing other people comment on… With Asha being a fairy godmother, she cannot grant wishes- she can only help people pursue their dreams. So no, she is not like King Magnifico in terms of magic. Deadass we know he’d win in a battle of magic if he weren’t influenced by the forbidden book of evil spells.

• So how do Disney characters make their wishes come true? ✨

Well, there are many factors that are required in order to make your wish come true according to Disney media. No- I won’t be entirely following the ‘wish equation’ that the Wish producers gave us. I see what they mean, but I feel like they didn’t explain it well enough. A wish, according to Disney, can be achieved through support, faith, effort, selflessness, and love.

I will start with support, as in of course the fairy godmothers, stars, or family/friends. Without support, we are sure to have trouble achieving these dreams like with the Disney characters. This can be said in real life that I don’t really need to explain because we all know how that is. Support from people who willingly provide help when we need it most is what I mean so that we can feel heard. We can rely on them when we are at our lowest or our motivation had plummeted to the ground. They’re almost like a kick-start in our journeys to achieve our dreams, and the shoulder we can cry on.

(Wished to attend the ball. Cinderella received support due to her kindness)

Faith would be to look up someone/something for a chance to be heard and understood. An example is the wishing star, because many of these characters look up to it. It could be in prayer, like how Geppetto did or it could simply be looking longingly up at it from where you stand below. It is the fact that the dreams and goals of these characters are out of their reach and out of their power, so they search for someone/something higher in the chance that they’ll be heard. Yes, this part was inspired by @/artist-issues (I don’t know if this person wants to be notified-mentioned so I put a slash there. Apologies if I got your post wrong, this is just what I got. ❤️ /gen).

(Wished for a real boy. Geppetto prayed to a higher power)

Effort is a major key factor because without it then why do we have that wanting to achieve our dreams? It takes hard-work and dedication to actually make your own wish come true. But even with all the hard-work you put in, you won’t get everything you want. That’s why I think that this is not the MAIN element to granting your own wish. Yes, it can get you a long way- but it won’t get you all the way there. I suppose that can be proven by the Princess and the Frog movie alone.

(Wished for her own restaurant. Tiana worked her whole life to achieve success)

Selflessness may be questionable to some, but it is required nonetheless. It can be both an acknowledgment to the needs of others as well as the willingness to sacrifice something of our own for a noble good. It is a generosity that is so rare in the real world, which is why it makes it so valuable and a key to both dreams and committing to good.

(Wished for adventure. Belle sacrificed her freedom for her father’s place)

The final element in order to make your wish come true is love. This is the factor that connects every other element. It manifests our support system that inspires others to help you out, it gives us the heart to look up to a higher power through faith, additionally making us willingly admit that we are human and have limited power in what we can do even with all the effort we put in, and with love we find empathy to willingly sacrifice something of ourselves in an act of selflessness. This doesn’t mean that you have to love everyone and everything- it means that you must appreciate the values and variables you are given and to never lose sight of personal ties, your truth, and most importantly your empathy. If you have love, your heart will find what it is looking for.

(Sorry I just love Princess and the Frog)

• Can you really achieve your dreams through this? 🤷🏽‍♀️

Ah, well I did say in the previous point that it is “Disney characters” but sure, it may work. Don’t let me tell you what can and can’t make your own dreams come true, but you can definitely apply these points to Disney. I believe it could, but it is not as simple as I put it out to be. I do think it does take goodwill and everything to make your dreams come true though it is not always a guarantee. Sometimes your wish may not be achieved in the way you were planning, or your wish may not ever be achieved. But if you look back on what you’ve succeeded in, accept your heart, and appreciate the people who support you then you will feel accomplished and satisfied in ways you never expected- even without that wish fulfilled.

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Thank you for reading this far! I love writing out my thoughts and opinions, so this was fun. Again this is only my interpretation from what I was given by Disney. I just gathered information from their movies and explained some things for them. Any thoughts or opinions, whether you agree or disagree (respectfully), are welcome! Or if you have anything additional to add into the mix, I’d love to read it. ❤️

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wings-of-ink · 2 months

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First Devlog?

Hello everyone...boy, there are a lot of you already, still trying to digest that...

So, I gather that I should do these logs on occasion. I do not know how often, perhaps just when I have a few things to say. I will try not to ramble too much, but my fingies like to talk.

Anyway, I am working on chapter 3 right now. There’s some fun moments so far in it that I hope you’ll like, and we’ll get to meet Zahn, Duri'naan, and then Rundis. I’m trying not to rush because there are some exciting scenes that I’m eager to get to. I’ve outlined them to tide myself over until I get that far. There’s some quiet moments you’ll get to have as well, and right now I feel like that’s what I’m struggling with. Those areas of my story are like bridges to the next, more exciting, parts and sometimes I feel like they fall a little flat. But, I’m trying to keep in mind this is my first draft. I’ll go through it another time or two to perk things up. Those moments are still important for letting the MC get to know each RO.

My mind has been in a million directions lately too, and I’ve had a lot of ‘duh’ moments. I’ve done so much world building since I started this last year (around August/September I think), that I have pockets of important details that I kinda just forgot! So, I plan to re-read all the notes I’ve made and try to also put them into one place. I have some in my phone, in a notebook, and in no less than three folders on my laptop. It’s a wonder I have survived this many years…

What you can expect for coming updates…

-A couple fixes, of course – thank you to those who found some of those pesky buggy bois for me.

-A nicer front page, instead of being slapped with my ramblings, I’d like to actually have a nice start page. I’ll figure it out eventually, lol.

-I’ll be adding a name bank to the MC’s Nameday scene that will also show you what each name means, so if that is important to you, it’ll save you the internet search. If it tickles your fancy, the name selection will correspond in some way to the marks (names meaning "night" or "storm," etc.) so you can theme your MC a bit.

-Extra coding in case you decide to shorten MC’s given name to just “Ravi.” I did not once consider that anyone would do this, and my first play-tester – my own spouse – did….He told me about it since it made some dialog with Oswin make zero sense, and then I published the story without fixing it because I completely forgot about it.

-Different contrast color for dark mode links. I feel like I have drastically improved this with a new gold color. In retrospect, I don’t know why I didn’t use the gold before. I love it as an accent, I use it all over! The blue never felt 100% right, but my brain shut down after thinking about it too long. Here’s a sample and a (M) Zahn tease:

When can you expect an update?

I’d like to make my next update during the Amare Games Festival, ideally containing both chapters 3 and 4 since they go pretty tightly together. This will also insure that you meet the rest of the posse. It’s a tall order for both chapters to be submitted on time, and I don’t want to rush them either, but I’m going to try really really hard, lol. I will focus first on polishing chapter 3, so that no matter what, I can at least get it out in time.

Here’s a link to the post about it:

And this is the submission time frame: open from March 31st 2024 at 11:00 PM to May 1st 2024 at 12:00 AM

As a side message, should you want to read on…

I also wanted to give you all a big, like really big, heartfelt thank you. I have received so many kind messages and comments that I just can’t believe it. I am so happy (and honestly, genuinely shocked) that you’re enjoying my IF, and I’m motivated to work hard so you also enjoy each new chapter of your journey. There’s so many secrets I want to share with you about the world, and I am struggling to be patient myself, lol.

I am not usually a very open or social person, and I was scared for a long time to share anything I wrote. I reached a point in my personal life in the last few years where I just needed to embrace what I loved to do and share it with a community that shares in that love. I encourage you to do the same whether there is a story in your heart, music on your lips, or a paintbrush in your hands. Life is NOT about your 8-5. We may not be able to survive without it, but whatever moment you can, do what you actually love. Put away the those things that don’t matter, the things that stress you - including people, and make time for who you are.

Thank you all and take care!

~Lunan

#if wip #twine if #twine wip #interactive novel #god cursed if #if game #interactive fiction #gc if devlog #amare game #amare

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dribs-and-drabbles · 4 months

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Dead Friend Forever ep 1

I finally got sucked into watching. And since there's so much speculation around the characters and their actions/motives I thought I'd document my observations as I go. (small comments in brackets are things I've gone back to after the ep ended)

Who did the axe man hit for the guy on his own (Non, right?) to get splashed with blood, because the guy with him (Jin, right?) had already run off, unless it was his own blood from a wound lower down on this body... (So I'm guessing this is the original film that they made with Non years ago...no, wait, if Non was the 'killer' in the mask in the film then why is he running away from another masked person with Jin here? Is this also the film or is this their real experience. Oh ho hooo the mystery thickens...what's real and what's played out for the 'camera' [including for us]?...).

Also, I can't believed I'm watching this 🙈

I think the only way I'll get through the scary gore bits is to analyse their believability.

Ok, let's go! I like the opening credits music.

It's a good job it's difficult for me to figure out all their names because the things I've seen/read about the show so far mean nothing or very little.

The first believable thing! - no phone signal and no wifi in the middle of nowhere. I used to experience the same thing in the Swedish countryside.

Ok, I see those looks between Fluke and green-shirt-big-money guy...what secret do they have about what's on that external drive... And embroidered shirt guy doesn't know...or does he and he's a good liar?

EVERYONE IS JUST SO SUS.

So green shirt guy, Fluke, Jin, and embroidered shirt guy (Top!) were in this movie? And Non was the 'killer'. And Phee pretends he doesn't know who Non is even though I've seen that he and Non knew-knew each other... The two who don't know Non (for realsies?) is brown jacket guy (White?) and the guy sat opposite Jin.

Wow green shirt guy was quick to jump in to say he had a camera in the house to remake the film - that Phee suggested. SO SUS. Jin and tall guy (Tee!) did NOT like that.

"I don't want him [White] to get involved in what we have done" - What HAVE you done Tee? 👀

Also I love that all this is happening with White in a "Sexy Summer Time" t-shirt on 😂

An asthmatic who smokes 🤦🏽‍♀️ Yeah, he's definitely not going to find his inhaler when he needs it. (Is that Tan?).

Oh what if White isn't the innocent cherub he's made out to be? What if he's manipulating this to get revenge for Non? I've seen people say they want him to be the last girl standing (or whatever the phrase is) but what if he's orchestrating all this?

Whyyyyyy did green shirt guy (Por!) leave the house and go into the woods???

So, interestingly, Tee and Fluke instigated the search for Por, then Phee doled out instructions once they found him... Hmmmm...SUS

Por seems alive and conscious, why is no one asking how it happened? Also, even in his second year, Fluke should know to stay calm so as not to panic the patient more...

Who keeps jump cables in the house and not either in the car or in a garage/outbuilding, especially somewhere like that??!?

Again, they're in a house in the woods. Surely there would be a saw in some kind of garage/workshop? Why are they looking in a kitchen for a knife to cut a tree branch?? WHY IS THE SAW IN THE KITCHEN UNDER THE SINK?! 😂

It's incheresting that White concludes it's an attempted murder 👀 Thus sowing the seed in everyone else's mind...

BOYS, proving that there's a ninth person is NOT the priority here. Getting Por to a hospital is. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Also incheresting are the deleted scenes 👀 HOW COULD POR GO INTO THE WOODS ALONE ESPECIALLY AFTER HE COUNTED NINE PEOPLE?! Also, Tan was not part of the failed re-staging of the film...SUS.

Alright. I'm hooked on the mystery. I should make clear that I in NO WAY want any answers that will spoil the mystery for later in the series. Please and thank you! 🙏🏽 I'm just laying down some thoughts to come back to once more info gets revealed. Comments that don't spoil anything are absolutely welcome though! 😁

#dead friend forever #NO SPOILERS PLEASE #I am watching despite the horror and gore #although it's ok so far

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itsclydebitches · 8 months

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Since the Ever After was mentioned tell me how annoyed are you by the fact that the story never explains how the hell those two kids end up in the EA when it took RWBYJN falling into a void created by a relic to reach there? Also the blacksmith claims the door is open for the brothers and their creation and yet there seems to be no easy way for the brothers creation to even find the damn thing. So many frustrating questions left unanswered because RT are hacks.

RWBY continually strives to be a story that's had three times the work put into it. To my mind, there are two ways to explain (structurally) how Alyx and Lewis fell.

1. You make the differences between the fairy tale and the truth of Team RWBY's journey a focal point of the Volume. So we learn not only how the fiction differs significantly from reality (Alyx's simplified heroism vs. mistakes with the Cat, for example) but also details like how she really fell, preferably in a way that ties back into the larger world building. So, for example, instead of the fairy tale's metaphorically generic, 'There once was a girl who fell through the sky' they learn that this literally means, 'The Relics weren't always secure in the vaults and the misuse of one landed the siblings in magical trouble.' Put in the work to explain the original fairy tale to the audience, how it differs from what really happened, and reveal more of Ozpin's motivations for building the vaults all in one go. 2. You keep things vague but still satisfying from a world building perspective. Personally, I'd be much more willing to accept a hand wave-y, 'They got to the Ever After somehow' if Remnant was full of 'somehow's that, later in the series, were all collectively attributed to the residual magic/magical objects hanging around. Basically, make it a part of the, 'Most of these fairy tales are real' reveal but... better. Drop multiple references to people who have mysteriously disappeared throughout the series. Sometimes they return and they're deemed insane, speaking of impossible worlds with impossible things. Build religions around it that Oobleck discusses during class. Ruby speaks to older characters (like Maria) thanking them for the cool story they told and they very seriously inform her that it was a warning. That was all true, you foolish girl. Haha sure, grandma. You build up for the audience that something is clearly going on, you eventually reveal to the skeptical characters that all these 'impossible' things are real (a better version of the birbs/magic vs. semblances conversation), and then when Alyx's story comes along we have a framework for how that might have happened. Not the specifics, but an understanding that Weird Magic Shit is a staple of living in Remnant, reality hopping included.

But we got none of that work. As mentioned previously, I'm kind of in awe of how Volume 9 reached for the stars without even bothering to build a ladder to the roof yet. Alyx's story, magic, the Gods, Jaune's status as the knight, how Ascension works... there are just so many Big Ideas relying on previous ideas that were either shoddily introduced, or are arriving for the first time years too late. The foundation of our house is cracked through and straight up missing sections.

#rwde #rwby #mymetas

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eqt-95 · 5 months

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20 Questions More

A deeper and more detailed version of the 20 questions for AO3 fanfic writers. Thanks @fabulousglitch for the tag!!

1) How do you keep getting ideas for your ship/fandom?

The blorbos won't leave me alone.

2) Which authors inspire you in your fandom, and why are they so freakishly good?

There are too many to count. I was introduced to Supergirl through fanfic and the canon I know to be true has been built on the backs of hundreds of contributors. It wouldn't do anyone justice if I started a list because 1. it would become a monolith of names and 2. I would definitely miss one(s). If you're in this fandom, you've likely inspired me, and that counts both for written, gif-ed, and drawn works.

3) Aside from the characters of your main ship, who are the characters you love to write?

Alex, but I don't always get it right.

4) Are there pairings or tropes you know for sure you'd never write about? Which ones?

There is a lot I probably wouldn't do, but I also for sure never expected to write an F1 au, so...

5) What is your writing process and why is it cursed?

I can either sit down and crush 1-3k words or sit down and tweak the same seven sentences for two hours. There is rarely an in between.

6) What is your favorite part of your writing process?

Editing. Oh boy do I LOVE editing. Those opportunities for finessing and fine-tuning and tweaking are *mwah*

7) What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had to research for a fic?

This isn't weird but is more recent: I did a deep dive into star constellations for a throwaway line in 'new kind of romance'

8) Is there a particular writing rule you struggle with (grammar, spelling, tense, reality in general)?

This is a nonanswer, but I would love to expand my vocabulary. The thesaurus is my writing buddy, but there are very real moments where I pout and scowl and glare at the ceiling because I can't think of the word that I'm feeling.

9) What was your hardest scene to write so far and why?

Any sort of conflict/confession/confrontation is always really hard for me, but they're also maybe my favorite things to write. I want the characters to hash things out and be honest and vulnerable, and I think tackling big emotions is a delicate balance. I never want to sound too forceful, but I don't want to leave things unsaid, but I don't want anyone to do anything out of character, but i don't want to yadda yadda...

10) Have your characters ever done something you didn’t expect, changing your plot completely?

see: 'crisis of indulgence'

11) If you could converse with any of the characters, who would it be and why?

Lena; I think she'd be a lot of fun to debate/argue with (respectfully).

12) What are some of the tropes or themes that you find yourself returning to in your writing?

(so far) always a happy ending. the readers and these characters deserve it.

13) What's your most important resource as a writer?

Living experiences (which takes time!). I don't think I could write heartbreak without having experienced that guttural feeling of loss in the same way I don't think I could write about failure or anger or insecurity or love or laughter. I think reading and the act of writing every day are incredibly resourceful, but the act of my lived experiences and those feelings is something I draw from in everything I write.

14) Can you share some of your strategies for editing and revising your work?

I edit as I go which doesn't work for everyone; however, a super fun thing I've picked up in recent works is this: when going to do a final edit of a <insert: chapter, one-shot, etc>, I read the last few paragraphs first. That sets me up to know exactly what the chapter is aiming for: feelings, motivations, plot, etc. I then use that as the anchor for how I tweak/edit/add small details to the rest of the chapter during my final read-through. I find it helps flesh out the larger story with smaller details.

15) Which is worse: making the summary, picking the tags, or the anxiety when you post your fic?

none of the above really since nothing about posting is carved in stone. tags and summaries can always be tweaked.

16) How do you define success for your fanfic - hits? Kudos? Comments? Bookmarks? Or just if you like it?

If it's finished. Bonus points if people get something out of it, but the act of having written something feels like the biggest success.

17) Do you have a playlist for your favorite character/ship?

Not really. I have go-to soundtracks for 'writing vibes' but nothing project/ship dedicated. (though 'like we're made of glass' was definitely inspired by very specific songs)

18) If fan art was going to be made from your work, which fic would you pick and which fan artist would you like to create it?

Again there are too many jaw-droppingly talented artists in this fandom to choose just one. It would of course be a wild crazy honor to see a work inspired by one of my fics, but there's already so much in this fandom to be inspired by that it doesn't feel like a loss.

19) How many WIPs do you currently have?

*sighs* for supercorp? there are a few (five). but the one that has most of my creative down time is a supercorp wicked au i have wanted to write for years but only have the faintest wisps of an outline for.

20) What's your advice to new fanfic writers?

Do it, do it, do it!

But also, one of my favorite pieces of advice for ANY creative venture is from Marc Dalessio who made this super cool 'creative process' graph in 2010 and included this line to summarize it: The ability to see improves before technical skill, and we often have difficulty assessing honestly exactly how our work looks.

It helps during those ruts when I look at everything I've recently written/drawn/created and scrunch up my nose in snobbish disgust because it just means I'm growing in some new way and not that anything I'm doing is inherently bad.

- - - - -

tagging (respectfully and without pressure) @sideguitars @fazedlight @inkedroplets if you want some rapid-fire q's thrown your way. but also anyone who wants to take a swing, i'd be jazzed to read the different answers

#figured i'd fill this buddy out since i've got post-new romances time on my hands #fabulousglitch #ask game?#qs with quinn #ask me things!

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zephyra-in-the-house · 1 month

Note

Heya zephyra

How're u doing 💓

Um u got any tips on how to start or make a fanfic ?

I wanna write my own fanfic I just don't know how to start

I already got my OC done and the back story of my OC

The only problem is how to start 🫤

Thought maybe ask someone with experience like u ❤️‍🔥

So u got any tips or advice ?

Thanks 😁🫱🏻‍🫲🏼

That's a good question!

Honestly, I'm not sure how I've managed to get this far in my writing. It amazes me just how many people follow Second Chances and continuously read each new chapter. I never once thought that I'd get to this point but I'm very grateful for all the love and support I've been shown because it just motivates me to keep writing~

With that aside, I started out on a pretty big scale when I first started writing fanfics. I've written two so far and basically it started as one little scene that I had in mind and then I built around it.

I'm not sure how other writers do it but I think my way may be a little unorthodox LOL

I say that because I never start at the beginning. In fact, most of the time, I will get inspired and think of a scene to write but it's almost never a beginning scene.

Instead, I always end up coming up with little scenes that are sprinkled throughout the entire length of the story. It could be a certain kind of hug or a fight between certain people or one particular conversation or something simple like that. I will then take those little puzzle pieces and splatter them all over my canvas called Google Docs. Then I go through and I reorganize each scene based on where I think they would fit during the story's progression.

Therefore, I ended up with a canvas that had various colors splashed on it.

Since the beginning, I always knew that I wanted to start with that first chapter where Macaque gets food from "Pigsy’s". That was my absolute starting point no matter what.

So, I wrote that and then I went through my colorful canvas of ideas and I split it into sections. Each section was for a specific chapter. Now, after I wrote that first chapter, I developed a process where I have the current chapter I'm working and then a more or less concrete sketch of the next 2-3 chapters to come.

I don't write more than that right away. I have ideas for chapters beyond that but nothing concrete. That's because a fanfic is constantly developing. There is no way to make concrete plans. What you plan for chapter 10 might be completely changed because of something that you thought of for chapter 6. Or you could end up writing more than intended for one chapter and have to split up certain chapters (*cough cough* the shopping trip *cough cough*). Either way, I've learned that it's better to be flexible with what you plan to post when it comes to fanfic.

That's kind of how I started and that's how I've been making Second Chances so far.

In any case, I feel like I'm rambling at this point 😅 I could talk about writing techniques and strategies for days but!

My main advice is: you do you.

When it comes to writing, there is no correct way to do it. It's kind of like art in that way. You can add as many scenes or as many wild colors as you want or you could be a completely black and white artist or someone who only writes poetry.

Either way, the key to anything creative is to just do it. It doesn't have to be good. It doesn't have to be perfect. I can't count how many times I've written something and then came back to it and gone "that's absolute shit what the fuck was I thinking". On the flip side, I've also had times when I write something and toss it to the side and I come back and I'm like "Who the fuck wrote this cause I know it wasn't me man that shits too good" 😆

So just write what you want to write and make it as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. The best thing I ever did was get into the habit of writing just to write. Whether it was a memoir or a poem or a short scene in a story I'm doing, I just write. Freeball it.

Thank you! I wish you well on your adventures!

#lego monkie kid #second chances #shadowpeach #fanfic #Writing #writing advice #creative writing #on writing #writer

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rubberduckyrye · 11 months

Text

Struggling to sleep but I've been seeing rumors that Dottore will be playable and get done kind of redemption arc like Childe and Wanderer.

Problem with that.

One: Childe never got a redemption arc. Hes just a very charming character who is a likeable antagonist. But also, as the 11th harbinger, hes still just a cog in the machine. Always has been.

Two: Wanderer's redemption is less about "redeeming" him and more about how this poor fucking guy couldn't catch a break and eventually he snapped, was manipulated and abused and tortured for centuries and is an allegory for abuse victims in general who acted out in horrible ways but are on the path to recovery after finding someone willing to let them have that safe space to do so. I see this less as a redemption arc because even as "Scaramouche", he HAD kind traits associated to him (like according to some lore he was kind to kids and elderly folk) so this story is about rehabilitation and recovery and less about redemption.

Three: While rehabilitation is overall the ideal for criminals rather than harsh punishment and imprisonment, when you have a character like Dottore--who, if Wanderer/Scaramouche is an allegory for an abuse victim in recovery--then Dottore is an allegory of an abuser. And not just any old abuser--a serial abuser. A selfish man who is arrogant and likes to hear himself talk who all lives in danger for his selfish aspiration for experimentation. A man who does not care for children or elderly people, only for himself... you can kind of see where I'm going with this. These are two very fundamentally different kinds of "bad"--Scaramouche was a bad person, yes, but he wasn't what I personally would consider to be "evil". Then you have Dottore who is evil, borderline a predator in behavior and in practice. I don't think he has any right or reason to be doing what he is doing.

As in. I havent seen a whole lot of redemption arcs for these kinds of characters done right. That's a big point of concern.

Another big point of concern is, I'm sure Dottore has his reasons for doing these things, it has yet to be revealed what those reasons are, aside from "Mad scientist wants to do horrible science" and for his own selfish gain.

His motivations don't line up for a redemption arc is what I'm getting at.

I really hope HYV doesn't. Try to redeem Dottore. Like I really hope they don't try. Just make him playable as he is people love a fucked up mad scientist you dont need to make every playable character the Traveler's friend PLEASE for the love of god.

And it's not that I dont have faith in the writing team to tell a good story (well... I dont exactly have full trust in them after the disaster that was the Sumeru Interlude Quest, but that's beside the point) but I have. Literally never seen a character who is a symbol of evil (i.e. the man has no redeeming qualities in personality, no apparent kindness or even willing to change his ways) redeemed in a good, tasteful, and thoughtful way. Like ironically I think the closest I've seen was... Teppei from Higurashi GOU/SOTSU. And that was incredibly muddied by the fact that Satoko herself became that kind of "evil" that wasn't truly redeemed by the end. Even that left a bad taste in my mouth.

So I just hope Dottore, if hes playable... idk. Don't try to redeem him, I don't think it's possible to redeem characters who symbolize the peak of humanity's "evil" so I don't want HYV to try. Like either keep him to be a terrible awful man or give us a fresh new Segment gone rogue who doesn't have anything like that attached to him.

It would be FAR more interesting of an allegory to me if they went for the latter route, actually. Kind of like, a family member of that "irredeemable evil" who now has that tied to them as a sin of the person they are related to but not themselves guilty of. It could be fun to see how HYV would treat such a character, and if done right, it could be a really fun way to explore how people (especially victims) often associate family members of abusers to the abuse they carried out but actually had no part of.

Anyway that's my 3AM rant of the day. I have Insomnia. Can you tell?

#Dottore #Il Dottore #Scaramouche #Wanderer #the wanderer #Genshin Impact #Higurashi GOU/SOTSU #Yuuto Wrenn #spoilers for Higurashi btw #its more of a mention but still worth noting

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m0thisonfire · 25 days

Note

I would love to hear more about Caramele! What are his likes and dislikes? What's his backstory? [I am giving you permission to infodump. Go wild.]

AH OKIE OKIE- GONNA WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN WHILE I STILL HAVE MOTIVATION

I’m going to put his likes and dislikes at the end of this wall of text, and there is a lot, a lot to get down. Just think of one of those walls of texts that have the pinned up photos, on top of me still learning all the Graveborn lore. So it’s gonna be fanon and my stuff mixed with canon.

Also I started answering this and then went to check something on the lore site, and everything got deleted, so I am still suffering over that-

But to begin:

Caramele was born in a small out of the way country town simply called ‘Stone’ somewhere in the Lightbearer empire, named after the huge stone statue of an unnamed hero that watches over the village. There isn’t anything really remarkable or noteworthy about Stone except for the Blacksmith shop and the widowed Baron who lives there with his son. The only ‘remarkable’ things would be the barrows that are scattered around the town and territory, and the ancient magic that the land seemed to be ‘blessed’ or infused with.

A few of the townfolk can channel a little of the magic to grow crops and flowers, and heal their sick and injured to a very small degree. Nothing that can be used in battle or war, so isn’t really considered powerful magic outside of usefulness.

The Barrows, on the other hand, nobody goes near those unless it’s to pay respect to the dead. Stone would have been built around the time of the First Hypogean War, before Annih went AWOL and created the Hypogeans, so the gravesites belong to powerful mages and soldiers from long, long ago. And in the folklore that was passed down from generations, the barrows would have been protected by ‘Barrow Wraiths’, monsters/protectors of the crypts, created to hunt down grave-robbers and desecraters that would threaten the dead and items within. Not strictly ‘Graveborn’, but certainly not living either.

One such barrow would be nearby the shop in the woods.

Caramele’s family is very keep to themselves for many reasons, but his mom Winnifred, and himself, were always the social butterflies of the family, the ones to often go to the town and pick up orders for his dad. He enjoyed his community, despite the occasional odd look he would get from outsiders due to his albinism, but the locals were more than accepting of the Smiths’ son. Rubin Smith is much more introverted than his wife and children, a big and imposing man of few words and fewer friends, but takes pride in his work and family. Caramele also has two older siblings that spend most of their time hunting and foraging, twins named Addison and Aven. Almost everyone in the family knows how to work the forge, and even then Winnifred helped around the shop keeping it clean and organized. The twins hunted, their mother ran the house and gathered orders, and Caramele helped his father in the forge.

When Caramele would be around ten, disaster would strike.

Remember the Baron’s son I mentioned? Well, turns out, he is a not good person. A very unstable not good person. As in, the kind of unstable not good person you would never trust with Divine magic or sharp objects, which, unfortunately, Leon le Menteur had access to both. In abundance, enough so that when he grew up he went into the Heresy Inquisition in the Lightbearer Temple. Which, in itself, is a bad idea. On top of the fact he is one sadistic guy who would target anyone ‘different’. Different like Caramele.

Leon would be twelve at the time, Caramele ten, and a vicious plot would be unfolding in the Baron’s manor that no one even knew of. Under the cover of being a guest at the noble’s party, a stranger (Vedan) would be paying two grave-robbers to infiltrate the Barrow near the blacksmith’s shop, looking for a powerful spellbook he would use later on (Isabella’s book).

Long story short, the grave-robbers infiltrate the crypt and successfully grab the book, return it to the stranger, end up getting poisoned via wine to erase witnesses, and unintentionally woke up one of the Barrow Wraiths through their desecration and thievery.

The stranger would escape into the night never to return to Stone, yet there would be one life he would indirectly change forever.

While the thieves were stealing the book, Leon would have trapped Caramele in the woods nearby as an ill gotten joke before returning to the Baron’s party. And as the night got late and his family got worried, Winnifred would have gone out by herself to find him.

She found Caramele and helped him. The Barrow Wraith found both of them before they could escape.

When Caramele did eventually reach home after his mother sacrificed herself distracting the Barrow Wraith, his outlook on life would be changed drastically. He would be more reserved, friendly, yes. But he would be wary, even outright hostile to most nobles well into early adulthood, especially Leon. Nevermind the Barrows, he would live the rest of his life terrified of the dark and dead.

His family fell into silent suffering despite the seemingly indifferent yet sad demeanors. Rubin became more reclusive, barely speaking outside of his home unless it was for orders or favors for his neighbors. The twins were still lighthearted and goofy, but they would be adverse to speaking about their mother. Caramele, now spending most of his time in the forge to distract himself and becoming quite antisocial, would immediately change the subject with a pointed tone, growing as quiet as his father.

How did the boy every become a Circus Ringmaster, you may ask?

Thank his siblings for that. Noticing their little brother growing more reclusive as he aged, on his fifteenth birthday they begged their father for tickets to take him to a circus. They had hoped something new and exciting would help their brother out of his depression, and Ruben surprisingly agreed. At first, Caramele was less than enthusiastic when they arrived to the huge circus tent.

And then, once they sat down among the crowd, the show began. And for the first time in five years, Caramele would feel Wonder. Whimsy. Curiosity and genuine excitement. And he smiled, for the first time in years.

And he knew exactly what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

After the show, he searched for the Ringmaster and begged, pleaded to be mentored so he could join the circus too.

The Ringmaster at the time was planning to retire soon anyway, and was more than delighted to mentor the teen to take his place as the new leader. Since the circus traveled often and Caramele was stuck in Stone for the moment, the Ringmaster devised a way to mentor him from afar, writing down spells, tricks, and physical exercises for the boy to practice while the circus was traveling. Every year, around Caramele’s birthday, the troupe would return, and for the two weeks they were near the town, the teen was scored and directed in his abilities.

To Rubin’s relief and pride, his son began branching out, becoming more open and social like he had been before. Caramele spent more time outside the forge practicing his magic and honing his skills. The magic in the land helped him, having grown up on the blessed territory allowed Caramele to wield his magic easily, and eventually it began growing in strength the more he practiced. He trained, and he trained hard, impressing his mentor and the troupe with his dedication and growing passion. He even began performing the tricks and magic for other children and adults in the village, growing more certain in his path with every joyful smile and laugh he received.

The light he could see in others was slowly chasing away the darkness he had seen before, the darkness inside of him.

Alas, I can’t let this man be happy for long, so of course Leon does something drastic again.

At this point, Leon is well beyond obsessed with his childhood (crush) target, and once again corners Caramele in the woods. It would be a week before Caramele’s twentieth birthday, before his debut on the stage and before he took over the circus. Leon, who would be soon sent out to Ranhorn to officially be integrated into the Heresy Inquisition, was less than happy with the idea of Caramele being anywhere the Baron couldn’t keep track of him. So he threatened, pleaded, bargained, offered anything to keep Caramele in Stone until Leon could return for him.

Of course, Caramele refuses. Leon takes offense. A scuffle breaks out, and one right hook later from Caramele, Leon snaps and attacks him. Fortunately, Aven and Addison find them before more damage can be done and chases Leon off. But a shock of Divine magic rendered the nerves in Caramele’s hands shot and painful to move.

The circus arrives early, and the Ringmaster is devastated when he discovers Caramele’s condition. Not as devastated as Caramele though, fearful of being stuck in Stone forever, surrounded by Barrows and the Baron. The Ringmaster is fearful himself, and decides to take Caramele into the troupe early to attempt to help him.

The ceremony to give Caramele leadership goes on as planned, though the Ringmaster revealed there was something he had been keeping from the man until the time was right.

A book of magic in the older man’s possession that was bound to every ringmaster that took an oath to protect it, a book that held magic both damning and approved of. Runes that bent the world to the user’s will, conjuration, alteration, and destructive spells alike. On top of healing spells and illusions that would aid in keeping the circus safe.

The book would be bound to Caramele, and in turn Caramele would be both protected and the protector of his troupe, and the innocent he performed for.

Curious and intrigued, Caramele took the oath binding him to the book's magic. When he was finally given his uniform, already enchanted and imbued with runes from the Ringmaster, he could tell he was given a responsibility larger than he previously assumed. Slipping on his showman’s gloves, enchanted at the last moment due to the newest development, his nerves were soothed and even assisted, little to no pain plaguing him. A relief for his performances.

Ruben, the twins, and the newly retired Ringmaster were present for Caramele’s first performance a week later. Leon was as well, though he left in a fit of rage before the show was over. It was a success, and despite the mysterious book now in his possession, Caramele had never felt more at peace watching the happiness he brought others.

One would assume this is a happy ending. Despite it all, he got to find happiness again. Afterwards, he travels with his troupe all over Esperia, performing for folk and factions of all kind and bringing light and joy where he could.

He kept his circus in top shape, taking in the outcasts and those who had nowhere else to go. As a blacksmith, he could keep the equipment and important fastenings repaired and stable. He was used to wounds and injuries from his time in the forge and his siblings’ hunts, so he could easily stitch and fix minor wounds from accidents. He tested everything himself before shows to ensure top performance and safety for his group, and took genuine joy in training and practice with them. His dedication was admirable, his passion, undeniable. It was everything he ever wanted.

It did not last long. Tragedy number three struck, and struck hard after five years on the road.

It was a day he decided to train by himself in the woods. He wasn’t far from the tent, his troupe stationed near the house of Raine. The estate was a ways off, but Caramele had heard tales of their family. At twenty-five and traveling for years, he mellowed out towards folks and aristocrats, and even hoped that the Raines would attend.

When he heard rustling nearby, he would assume it was an animal of some sort, and be unbothered. When he heard the sound of a young girl groan in pain, he would stop what he was doing and rush to the sound.

It’s here he would first meet Silvina, near death but clinging to life. He would be filled with concern and worry for her, and would approach to help her up, return to the tent, and attempt to heal her. He would not have been able to account for the necromancer that had tracked her…

Caramele’s cause of death was a stab through the back, piercing his heart from behind and being left to bleed out by the necromancer’s surprise attack. Neither he or Silvina would be found by the troupe, and he would be assumed missing for many years to come.

Yet his resurrection causes… intrigue for many Graveborn once they discover his existence.

The necromancer did not resurrect him, no. Only Silvina. And yet, somehow, Caramele was slowly turned into a similar being as her by some unknown force. Not Quaedam, though Caramele would still be under his ‘guidance’.

When he awoke, he was met with the sight of the full moon above him. The next sight was Silvina standing over the body of the necromancer, and a dagger pointed at the newly resurrected Ringmaster. With a little convincing and a gentle hand, he manages to coax Silvina into a calm so he can figure out his situation.

A Graveborn. He was less than thrilled with that, considering his fear of the dead, but oh well. His forced optimism took the second chance as a second chance.

Afraid of returning to his troupe and overwhelmed with his situation and recent resurrection, he offered to travel with Silvina to help her get home safely. Silvina reluctantly allows him to tag along, and eventually, Caramele stands before Vedan’s castle.

On Isabella’s insistence and Silvina’s recounting, Vedan begrudgingly lets him stay with them until he gets his bearings. Of course, they eventually get used to the Ringmaster’s presence, and ‘until he gets his bearings’ turns into ‘You can’t leave, actually. Ever. The girls like you too much, so I won’t let you’.

At first, Caramele and Vedan clash. Hard. Vedan reminds Caramele too much of Leon, and Vedan doesn’t care. Because this guy is a blacksmith turned circus man. Why would someone like Vedan care about what he thinks?

… Until the day came when Vedan realized he somehow began co-parenting with Caramele. Until Caramele realizes that Vedan, in his own way, is completely different from the noble that tormented him growing up.

As time passes and Caramele gets used to being a Graveborn, Vedan integrates him into the ranks and brings him to Bantus.

And that’s usually where Caramele can be found when Vedan and the girls travel there. The man can either be found in the Count’s castle, or somewhere in Thoran’s castle, rarely anywhere else.

While most Graveborn fight and are used to break enemy ranks, Caramele is one of the more ‘essential type’ Graveborn. Not a mindless drone, yet not a fighter either. He usually works in the castle forges repairing everything and anything he can in his free time, or spends most of his time helping other Graveborn. Works in the infirmary with Niru, helps Silas with his experiments, runs papers for different officers, strategizes with Grezhul over battle plans, works in the library keeping records of different things… stays by Vedan’s side as a sort of ‘second opinion’ in the Bloody Priesthood, though he himself isn’t part of it.

His optimism eventually fades into cynical optimistic nihilism, still smiling, yet indulging in much darker humor and becoming more tolerant of the actions of Graveborn around him. Day in, day out, day in, day out… it wears on one's brain, and Caramele goes from initially horrified by those around him, to indifferent and sickeningly amused. He lives to serve, and still uses his passion to perform for his faction and bring a glimmer of joy into the ranks as best he can, though he is often sassy, sarcastic, and very stubborn on his morals and certain matters.

He gets along with the other factions, and is quite peaceful despite his demeanor. There are many things that make him unique as a Graveborn, such as him being able to remember his life as a Lightbearer and being able to walk around in the sun, dubbing him a ‘daywalker’. There are many theories about this from the medical and scientific Graveborn, from his abilities and memory, to the kind of Graveborn he and the girls are, to the fact he seemed to be one of the pactless Graveborn.

The working theory is that the oath Caramele took to bind the book to himself somehow keeps him from Quaedam’s influence and allows him to retain his humanity, though he can interact with the avatar of death just fine. A theory Shemira helped formulate was that he could walk around during the day because of the runes in his uniform. No one wants to test that theory in case Caramele does burst into flames without his unform.

Another working theory is the magic Vedan used in the ritual to turn himself into a Graveborn may have affected Isabella, Silvina, and Caramele’s Graveborn forms. The book, from the barrow in Stone, influenced Isabella’s undead form somehow. Silvina as a Lightbearer being in close contact with her sister at all times seems to have influenced her undead form as well. Caramele is not enthusiastic about this theory, because that would mean even as a child, he would have probably been cursed to this form because of the Barrow Wraith he had been in contact with.

Another reason he does not like that theory is because why the fuck was Vedan in Stone? When, where, why, and what does that mean if Vedan has a book from the gravesite Caramele knows the Barrow Wraith that killed his mother was from? Does Caramele even want to know?

He does not, he finds, because thinking on this actually tempts him to be aggressive and quite murderous. It does not help with his bottled up temper either-

For the current day and age during Afk Arena’s current events, Caramele is more temperamental, yet still subservient, beginning to actually pick fights and itch to fight the Hypogeans. He only takes orders from Vedan, Thoran or Theowyn, Grezhul, or Quaedam himself. Even then it’s begrudgingly and with an unbelievable side of sass.

As a technical Barrow Wraith, Caramele’s prone and main instinct underneath his humanity is to serve and protect his ‘barrow’. Isabella protects her book and sister, Silvina protects her sister and Vedan, Caramele takes it upon himself to protect the Arcanists Union and their home. As a Support Tank, this comes naturally to him, and the growing urge to defend as the Hypogeans grow near leaves him viotile towards intruders and enemies.

——

Likes:

Candies. As a Graveborn, Caramele insists on hard candies to keep himself focused or to zone out while fixating on something. It doesn’t matter to him he can’t really taste it, it’s sweet enough and that’s okay with him.

Coffee. Quaedam save this man, Caramele cannot get through the night without three to five cups of coffee, at least.

Sleep. He sleeps during the day, sleeps during the night. He is dead set on this schedule because it’s what he’s used to. Hence why he needs ungodly amounts of coffee if he’s forced to function at night. But sleep is, to him, temporary death, an escape.

Performing. He still loves making people smile, be it Graveborn, living factions, or Isabella, Silvina, or Daimon. His passion is still what makes him… him.

Smithing. It eases him, reminds him of home and his family. He’s damn good at it too, and takes pride in his work.

——

Dislikes:

A majority of the Graveborn. This man may be all smiles and pleasantries, but he despises the fact most of the Graveborn willingly turned themselves, and/or turned others against their will. He has exceptions, and hears out everyone’s stories. But for the most part, he’s suspicious of everybody.

His height being pointed out. Look, Caramele is only 5’3. He hates being called short. The one time Torne pointed it out, he never did again because Caramele stole his kneecaps and hid them in one of the kitchen cabinets. No one risked calling him short after that.

The dark. Caramele hates the dark. Hates the shadows, hates the things in the shadows, is terrified of the Barrow Wraith from Stone finding him again. At night, he sleeps with a candle.

Mirrors. Caramele. Cannot Stand. Mirrors. He misses how he was before, despite his albinism setting him apart from most people. He can’t stand seeing himself as a Graveborn, an undead, with ashen skin and glowing green eyes, and horns and a tail, so similar from the monster that killed his mom yet so different… he avoids mirrors whenever he can.

Eating humaniods. Caramele will not touch or eat anything considered humaniod or part of a faction. In his opinion, dead is dead, and goes out of his way to avoid eating people, choosing to eat animals instead. He does not trust a plate of meat given to him by anyone in his faction, and will not eat it.

#Caramele #the ringmaster #afk arena oc #oc lore #I wrote down a LOT.#Can you tell I thought about this oc and his lore thoroughly?#five years #FIVE YEARS I HAVE SUFFERED WITH THIS OC

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ladymdc · 1 year

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I had a question for you! I recently got into fic writing and I admit that I am far from good, but I found it to be fun and two of my friends help edit it and help me out. Some people liked it and I really got into it. A week ago, I got a really long, nasty comment that basically told me I was a horrible writer and that I should never publish again, plus said I should get new editors. It was awful. I don't even really want to write anymore after the hateful things they said. I know I'm not great and have a lot to learn but it was really discouraging. Has that ever happened to you on your fics? Do you have any advice on how to bounce back?

This is going to be long, but I have Feelings™️ about this…

First, I want to say I’m sorry this happened to you. No matter how much skill or experience you have or don’t have, you didn’t deserve it. It makes me mad when readers feel the need to be cruel when this is a hobby for most of us & something we do for joy. It was this individual’s responsibility to simply click the back button & go find something else, not tear you down.

That said, I’ve had quite a few unpleasant fandom experiences from unwelcome critique to stealing/copying my work, & it’s hard to come back from, especially early on when you’re just starting to figure it out— but there are a few things that have helped me over the years:

Time is a given & so is being kind to yourself, so give yourself those things ♥️ Revisiting the work & pulling out things I like is a big help. It’s too easy to see the flaws after a nasty comment, so find what sparked joy in the first place. If the negative is too loud, turn it into what you would’ve done differently, but don’t beat yourself up either. I see things I would do different all the time. It’s just a part of growing. Stuff I know for next time! But the biggest help has been my friends.

I am lucky enough to have two friends who have been with me through most of my writing journey & I have picked up a few more along the way. But having them listen & support me & give a big “fuck that person” after stuff like this helps tremendously.

So, next, I’d like to say: fuck that person.

The ‘want to quit’ feelings they left you with are valid, but their actions were not. We can’t find our voice & style & all the things that piece us together as a writer without stumbling through the process. Here, my friends & I like to say that spite is a pretty solid motivator, & it is.

Don’t quit. Don’t let this person win. Tell your story. Grow. Write another chapter and dedicate it to them. And it’s okay to not be ready to do that yet, but I encourage you to do it. This shit gets easier to field as your skin gets thicker & it is *so freeing* when you get there, but it takes time, just like developing your craft. Things I wrote 7 years ago would be so different if I wrote it today. It’s just how it is.

I wish you all the best anon & I don’t know if any of this was helpful to you, but I hope it made you feel better— even a little— & that you keep writing. We all start somewhere ♥️✨

#on writing #I’m so sorry anon #I would hug you if I could — or not if you’re not big on hugs #& in that case I’d give you a cup of tea or coffee & blanket to burrito in

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dialovers-translations · 1 year

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Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Ruki [VAMPIRE ENDING]

CHAPTER MASTERLIST

ー The scene starts in the Big Hall at Eden

Shuu: ーー What’s the situation on the battlefield?

Ruki: The enemy troops have been expelled in the North, West and South. Things are going well in the East as well with Yuma and Sakamaki Ayato handling the front lines.

Shuu: ...I just hope those two don’t overdo it.

Ruki: Do not worry about that. I made sure to send Kou and Sakamaki Reiji with them to keep them in check.

Azusa and Sakamaki Subaru are in charge of taking care of our injured soldiers. Yui is with them as well, so that should be fine.

I asked Sakamaki Kanato and Laito to track down the Vibora who ran away, just in case. Of course, I told them not to take action unless necessary.

Shuu: ...Why am I still here, I wonder? You’re much better suited to be the King than me.

Ruki: Hah, talk about irony. You should know better than anyone else that I am not fit for that title.

Shuu: I just spoke my mind, that’s all.

Ruki: ...A King is the symbol of its clan. In which case, I do believe you are the best candidate, Sakamaki Shuu.

Shuu: ...An eye for an eye?

Ruki: I just spoke my mind, that’s all?

Shuu: ...Haah. You’re not as nosy as Reiji is, but you’re kind of a pain in the ass. I feel for that woman.

Ruki: Unfortunately for you, it appears she happens to enjoy that side of me.

Shuu: ...Save that sappy bullshit for another day.

???: Exactly.

ー Somebody approaches them

Shuu: ...Who’s there?

Ruki: You...! Why are you here!?

Kino: What’s so strange about that? I’m a Vampire too, remember?

I came here because I want to have a little chat with Mr. King over here. Do you have time right now?

Shuu: I don’t see why I would talk with some guy I don’t even know?

Kino: Oh come on, don’t say that! I’ve come with a tempting offer.

You might not expect it, but I’m actually the leader of a certain organization. So here’s my suggestion...

I’ll offer you my underlings as soldiers for your troops, so why don’t we join forces?

Shuu: Excuse me...?

Kino: We actually planned to take out the Vibora and the Wolves by ourselves, but that’s proving to be a little tricky.

We’re both Vampires, so why not? Let’s work together, okay?

Shuu: ...

...Very well.

Ruki: Oi...Are you sure?

Shuu: It’s not like I’ll lose anything from it. Having more soldiers to rely on never hurts, does it?

Ruki: ...

Kino: Fufu, I knew you’d understand. I expected no less from the guy who inherited Karlheinz’ powers.

Right! Why don’t we make a toast on our alliance? I’ll prepare some drinks right away! Yuuri!

ー Yuuri walks up to them

Yuuri: Here you go.

Kino: Ah, this is my aide, Yuuri! While he might not be as impressive as yours, he’s nothing to scoff at either!

Well then, here we go! Cheers!

*Cling cling*

Shuu: ...

Ruki: ...Haah.

*Smack*

*Shatter*

Kino: ...! What are you doing!?

Shuu: ...What are you playing at, Ruki?

Kino: Oh come on! What’s the intention here? Way to waste the drinks I prepared!

Ruki: Drinks, you say? ...Shouldn’t you say ‘poison’, instead?

Kino: !!

Ruki: Then there’s you, Sakamaki Shuu. Stop fooling around.

Shuu: Not really...I just didn’t mind if I died, that’s all.

Ruki: You really lack even the slightest shred of motivation, don’t you?

Kino: ...Hold up. Don’t tell me, both of you saw right through me?

Ruki: Why else do you think we agreed to your conditions? We were just baiting you to see when you’d show your true colors.

While this guy has the energy level of a sloth, he is far from an idiot. You should remember that.

Kino: ...Excuse me...? So you were making a fool out of me!?

Ruki: That’s our line. You must truly underestimate us if you thought you could deceive us with such an obvious scheme.

Shuu: So, what are you two after? My life? My powers?

Kino: ...Look at you acting all calm!

Yes, exactly! I want those powers of yours!

In this case, I’ll just have to take them by force! Yuuri! Back me up!!

Yuuri: Roger.

Shuu: ...Just when I thought I was lucky for not having to directly fight those Vibora, here I am facing a Vampire instead.

Ruki: Need some help?

Shuu: Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to. ーー No thank you.

Ruki: ( ...You truly are the rightful King, Sakamaki Shuu. )

( I cannot survive without having someone lend me a hand. ...However, that is fine. )

( I am powerless and weak. That is why I live together with my family. )

Monologue

ーー Three days later.

The Vibora troops had completely withdrawn,

from both Eden,

as well as the Vampire’s territory.

Ruki-kun told me,

that if Shuu-san as the current King,

were to continue showing his commanding power,

the ongoing chaos should gradually come to an end as well.

As he spoke those words,

all distress he showed in the past had completely faded away,

and I could tell,

that he had acknowledged Shuu-san from the bottom of his heart.

ーー However, even with the war coming to an end,

and the situation at the Demon World stabilizing.

Eden did not return,

to its former magnificent state.

Even so, Ruki-kun told Shuu-san,

that he wanted to continue watching over the castle,

which he always wanted to protect for its many memories it holds,

until the day it crumbles apart.

Shuu-san gave him permission to do so,

and I ーー without a moment of hesitation,

decided to stay behind here together with Ruki-kun.

ー The scene shifts to the World Tree

Ruki: ...

ー Yui walks up to him

Yui: Ruki-kun. You’re here again? You could always read inside as well...

Ruki: It’s most pleasant to read over here. I’m sure you’ll understand what I mean if you join me. Now, come over here.

On certain CGs, little black roses will appear on the screen. If you click on them, you get an extra line of dialogue.

“I didn’t think we’d get to spend time together in peace like this again. ...I am eternally grateful for the fact that I was able to overcome that obstacle and once again live happily with you and my brothers.”

“When I look at this picture, it’s almost like I can hear their voices.”

Yui: Guess what? We got a letter from the other guys. Look, it even came with a picture.

Ruki: ...Seems like they’re doing well. Are they managing by themselves?

Yui: Seems like Kou-kun is busy with his job as an idol again.

That’s why Yuma-kun is trying his best to cook, while Azusa-kun takes care of the laundry.

Apparently they take turns to do the cleaning...

Ruki: They suck at both cooking and cleaning after all. I guess they haven’t changed in that regard.

Yui: We received a letter from Reiji-san as well. Here you go.

*Flip*

Ruki: ...Seems like there’s some developments in the case I told you about.

Yui: The one about the Ghouls?

Ruki: Yes. Seems like everything is finally ready to have them move to a new home.

Monologue

Ruki-kun actually made one more request,

to Shuu-san.

This being for the Ghouls,

to get the chance to move away from Rotigenberg,

and allow them to live,

on the Vampire’s territory.

While things seemed rather chaotic on their part,

now that Kino-kun and Yuuri-san are no longer around,

that only lasted temporarily.

While Ruki-kun claimed,

that he did not do this as some kind of atonement...

I do believe that deep down,

he is kind of worried about his biological dad as well.

To Ruki-kun,

that man is just as much real family.

Yui: Want to go meet him...once things have calmed down?

Ruki: ...No, I don’t intend to. Right now, I’m a Vampire, not a human nor a Ghoul.

As a Vampire, Karlheinz is my one and only Father.

It’s just...I do wish for him to be able to live in peace. In this World, at least.

Yui: ...I see.

Ruki: I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time. While I did consider that man to be my Father, I also viewed him as some sort of deity.

I believe the more I thought that way, the more I made a God out of him.

That’s when I realized. While our situations were completely different, I believe that man had plenty of struggles of his own.

Just like how I always tried to reach the ideal my brothers had set up for me...I believe he also tried to live up to the expectations of me and his other faithful followers.

Right now, I truly believe he suffered.

Yui: ...Perhaps, yeah. That’s just far too heavy of a burden to carry by yourself after all.

Ruki: Yeah, it was for me, at the very least. I suppose that man was the only person actually capable of doing so.

I already had my hands full protecting my family.

However, perhaps it’s the fact that we live while supporting each other which makes us a family.

Yui. Will you continue to be there for me?

Yui: Of course. We’re family after all.

Ruki: ...I think you might be thinking of the wrong interpretation of ‘family’?

Yui: Eh?

Ruki: While you are family, we’re not siblings. ...Do you understand what that implies?

I want you to support me as my wife. That’s what I’m trying to say.

Yui: Wife...Nn...!?

*Rustle*

Ruki: ...Nn....

*Smooch*

Yui: I-I...haven’t given my answer yet...

Ruki: We’re family, aren’t we? Then I don’t need to hear your answer.

I wouldn’t go as far as to call myself indebted but...You’ve always been the one saving me up to this point.

That’s why from here on out, I want to protect and support you instead.

Yui: ...I feel the same way. I want to protect you, and be there for you.

Ruki: We’re as similar as ever, aren’t we? ...However, that’s exactly why I like you.

I love you, Yui. Let’s live together...as a family.

ーー THE END ーー

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #ruki mukami #lost eden #diabolik lovers translation #lerukiending1

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whirld-of-color · 1 year

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Blueberry and Mango: am I reading this right?

Hey I’ve got a question about Mango and Blueberry and it’s too long for an ask so I’m putting it here instead. I’m not the sharpest in matters of romance so I just wanna make sure I get the gist of what’s happening in their affair.

They’re not in love, right? They don’t seem that affectionate towards each other outside of the sex. They’re always just smoking and standing around, not even looking at each other a lot of the time.

From what you’ve posted it seems like more of a passion thing than any sort of devotion. Two suffering people who happened upon each other and discovered that, when they let themselves be immersed in each other’s presence, they can forget their own pain.

But the euphoria is always temporary, and the pain persists, so they keep returning to each other. They keep seeking relief, and comfort, and an outlet, in each other.

They don’t even know this other person. And maybe they don’t care to, because they’ve at least recognized that they have the same motive, whenever they see each other. And their own pain is already enough to shoulder, they won’t shoulder the other’s burden as well. It’s much easier to both just drop their own burdens temporarily.To say that they’re involved in each others lives would be a mistake, because they use each other as an escape from their own lives. And yet, the longer this goes on, and the more habitual this becomes, the more they overlap.

They are each other’s cigarettes. They light each other up and make each other feel good. They know that it’ll poison them eventually, and yet they just can’t stop. But this was never supposed to be a big thing to them, they were never supposed to matter, so of course, they lie and say that they can quit anytime they want.

…………..at least that’s the impression i’m getting, but again I’m notoriously bad at picking up on romantic cues, so if this is wildly inaccurate I apologize.

—-

^submission by inksandpensblog

INSANE TAKE OP.

those last few paragraphs? YEAH NO THAT’S IT BASICALLY. they’re everything to me god bless

well.

ok so they are in love. at this point its definitely written to be the worst most toxic romance in the world where they’re mostly attracted to the things that blow them up. i talk about them so much in discord and they are in fact meant to have romantic attraction in there. at some point they’re even meant to start enjoying each other’s company. but also that take is like objectively correct here. that is such a large part of why they’re Like That. they Forget their own pain yeah they “balance” each other that’s like 50% of this mess, the way they seem to soothe each other.

and also they are in fact each other’s cigarettes. unbelievably correct. but, it’s half about the distraction and half about the pain. you know the kind of person who smokes because it’s bad, because it’ll kill them? that’s the other half- mango in particular does this because he hates himself so very much for so many reasons, god bless. (blueberry’s draw is different, it’s more comparable to alcohol for him- this all makes him sick with emotion and want to throw up but it’s anything, anything to feel alive, a fire that he’ll burn through)

mango’s here because blueberry washes his anger away and forces him to rest and is one of the best distractions. blueberry pulls mango down into the water and mango isn’t thinking about how he has to get revenge but he isn’t drowning thinking about anything else either and it feels nice. but also. also, mango’s here because blueberry digs his nails in during sex and gives him cigarette burns and scars. blueberry says terrible things to him and it hurts like hell and blueberry even means it. that’s the other half of why mango’s here

they’re going to give each other psychological scars and it will be on purpose god bless <3

#submission #animator vs minecraft #avm oc #avm mango tango #alan becker #blueberry tag #michael talks #at some point they get SOME devotion. in at least 3 timelines blueberry went into minecraft for him and all that #i feel like. they get more toxic as time passes. like at first it was 100% about the distraction and at some point they started getting #abnormal about it.#at some point things started getting wild

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anxiety-elemental-kay · 11 months

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TriMax Volume 4 Thoughts

I don’t have any big overarching analysis or thoughts for this one, but lots of pieces parts. Apologies to anyone who might’ve covered these already, I have a tiny brain and tiny attention span. ANYWAY, TIME FOR THINKY THINKS:

FIRST, MIDVALLEY AND HOPPERED! I really like these two as characters and as an unexpected team-up. All the other Gun-Ho-Guns we’ve seen so far (minus Wolfwood) have been pretty gung-ho (hehe) about doing violence, just in general. Then there’s Midvalley who, though he’s not a good person and is generally pretty chill with mass murder including innocent people, is super NOT okay with being a part of the human genocide thing. Twice he’s tried to escape, once by shooting Legato, but didn’t even try to hide it so he got pretzel’d (bad plan bud), and secondly trying to sax Knives while he thought Knives wasn’t paying attention. (He totally was tho, and maybe if he used some fear powers to spook Midvalley into not going through it or not, Midvalley was too scared to try). It’s so interesting because Midvalley in that moment acknowledges that he’d going to die either way, so might as well take out the bad guy, right? But he doesn’t, because he’s clearly scared to die. He saw what Knives could do, saw him slice up his murder buddies/band mates. Motivated by fear, pretty common in Trigun.

Then Hoppered! We’ve had characters confront Vash about July before (BDN in the manga mentioned July) but this is the first one that’s really explicitly out to kill Vash for destroying July. I love the conversation Midvalley and Hoppered have on the train (???) on their way to their mission, Midvalley offering a drink and Hoppered declining. Hoppered knows MIdvalley wants to defect but is too scared to, and acknowledges that they’re all dead soon as their mission is over. Unlike Midvaley, Hoppered says he’s at peace with it, he’s at peace with his death coming soon. Again, unlike the other Gung-Ho-Guns, Hoppered has a mission besides pure violence. It’s personal for him, he wants revenge on Vash for destroying July. (We’ll learn more about him in the next volume! 5 was my favorite when I first read the series, I’m so excited for it!)

I really enjoy when Hoppered starts breaking down and crying when Vash says July wasn’t his fault. He refuses to believe it, can’t believe it (because that would make everything he’s done since then in vain) and is determined to make Vash remember, so that he’ll feel Hoppered’s pain. Crying out of all six holes in his mask is an impactful, if confusing, choice too. So overcome with grief the villain of the week cries.

Two villains with different and opposite motives, finding kind of companionship in their mission and oncoming deaths. Hoppered even asks Midvalley to erase the evidence they were there after the mission, which he says he will. (Again, we’ll see what this means in volume 5). Sweet isn’t the word for it, but it’s a vulnerable moment between two not very good people where we see more of their humanity. Trigun is very good at those moments.

Oh and Zazie is bugs. We learn about that too!

We finally get a good look at Knives and start getting a sense of who he is as a person! “A collector of Knives” love me a hands-on villain. He looks so tired all the time, that’s what living in fear does to you. And now every time Vash looks tired there’s a moment where he looks like Knives and every time they’re made to look like each other, like when Knives applauds Midvalley’s band, I go a little more insane. We’ll get to more stuff with Knives in later volumes, but we’re starting to build on his character properly in this one.

I’m pretty sure this volume is our first explicit look at Vash’s suicidal thoughts. We’ve already gotten a sense that he doesn’t care about his own life, but then he tells Hoppered that he can kill Vash, can chain and torture him, but only after he’s dealt with Knives. It’s his hate for his brother that’s keeping him going, his grief over Rem. What a horrible, corrosive way to live. Again this is something we’ll see expanded on more in future volumes, but god damn this hits hard. (Especially as someone who used to struggle with suicidal ideation, but that’s a bit more personal. I bring it up because it feels authentic to my experience, the way Vash talks does feel like someone who genuinely does not care to keep living.)

THE GIRLS we see more of Milly and Meryl in this volume! Meryl teasing the boys with her water as punishment for not saying goodbye, richly deserved! But also we see the conflict between the two wanting to stay with Vash and be a part of his life, but also being afraid of the kind of violence that life involves. Milly threatens Wolfwood to let her follow, but when danger arrives she’s too scared to move. Part of me wonders if this is misogyny by the narrative or if it’s meant to be another thing that separates people like Vash and Wolfwood from humanity (from Meryl and Milly). Generally I really like how both girls are written and drawn, they’re allowed to be as goofy and mean as the boys, they feel like full characters even though their stories don’t get the same spotlight. In fact the only time I was really uncomfortable with how a woman was written in Trigun was the fight with Domonique the Cyclops, the joke about groping her, Vash saying he’d slap her, yeah that was just plain old sexism. But that’s an outlier as I recall, there’s a couple weird lines about Elendira but that’s about all I can think of? The insurance girls (and some important women we’ll meet later) are written pretty well as I remember. I guess I tend to be overcautious because I’m so used to nuclear grade sexism in anime/manga, so perhaps I’m being unfair. This is something I’m going to chew on going forward.

SPEAKING OF THE QUEEN, WE GET OUR FIRST LOOK AT THE BEST GUNG-HO-GUN Elendira the Crimson Nail Me Please. No I refuse to be any less homosexual about her. She has no back story or explanation for her powers but it’s okay because she’s trans and wants the world to burn and that’s all we need to know. Please hold me gently in your arms that are so buff from hauling around a giant nail gun. That’s all I have for this volume! Again I don’t have any big, sweeping thoughts about this one. There’s a lot of important scenes and setup here

#trigun #i love trigun analysis #kay writes things #trigunbookclub

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jaelijn · 5 months

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Fic Writer 2023 Review

Based on this. I always want to do annual reviews but then don't get around to them and then it feels weird doing them in February, so here we go for once. Under a cut because long (There's 30 things and I ramble. Not sorry.).

1. What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year? How did it turn out and would you do it again?

I suppose that I wrote a fic from Blake's POV counts. I didn't have a big plan for trying something new for Whumptober this year, but I always find myself doing it because everything starts to feel stale if you write 30 fics in so short a timeframe. So the POV was supposed to be what I tried with that fic, but the fic got away from me a bit, so in retrospect the unusual (for me) POV feels comparatively insignificant. There was also more Jenna this year - I think I'm getting there, so yes.

2. How many fics did you work on this year? (They don’t have to be finished or published!)

I have no idea. I have a very long list of WiPs that I am sure I have added a sentence or two across the year, or maybe I just opened them, fixed a few typos and closed them again, and then I have a few handwritten things that I haven't typed up yet. But *at least* it's 35 published things (31 of which are Whumptobers) and the longfic, so 36. Put like that, it sounds terribly prolific.

3. What’s something you learned about yourself as a writer?

I enjoy creating without expectation - immersing myself in the longfic with no idea when it will be done or how long it will get was terribly freeing. The downside is that I also realised that I'm not really intrinsicly motivated to post and share anymore, or at least that thought generates no positive pressure at all because scales. It would be really easy for me to never post another fic right now, but I'm not stopping writing.

4. What piece of media inspired you the most?

Always and ever, Blake's 7. There's nothing else that makes me want to write right now.

5. What fandom(s) did you write for this year?

Accordingly: Blake's 7

6. What ship(s) captured your heart?

Avon/Vila. Though they had me already.

7. What character(s) captured your heart?

See above.

8. Did you write for a new fandom or ship this year?

No. Since a lot of my writing, Whumptober aside, went into the longfic, I didn't do much experimenting - not even during Whumptober, really.

9. What fic meant the most to you to write?

Longfic aside, because as ongoing project that obviously matters, possibly Wet Towels, because it feels like I nailed a tonal direction I want to go in with my Avon/Vila.

10. What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

By far, the longfic. Some of the Whumptobers were just the right kind of painful, but the most joy creating - yes, the longfic.

11. What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing?

Impending Destiny. I know I keep harping on about this fic, and maybe I'm the only one who thinks it's the best oneshot I've written this year and everyone else hates it, but it was so intense to write and so satisfying.

12. What fic was the most difficult to write? Did you finish it?

I did a few "second takes" on Whumptober this year, so I guess those and no, but then again the second take wasn't difficult, I just wasn't happy with the first and haven't touched those since. Fic I stuck with, possibly either Ghastly Aftermath, because ouch (it's difficult to write while you're crying at your own writing, all right?) , or Mistaken Trust because the final scenes were difficult to get right.

13. What fic was the easiest to write?

Nothing strikes me as particularly easier than the rest, really, but then what published writing I've done has been mostly in my comfort zone either way. So I guess all of the ones that weren't difficult?

14. What were your shortest and longest fics this year?

With Every Single Kiss has literal drabbles, so that, though all of the drabbles together are longer than my shortest oneshot. Longest is the ongoing longfic (duh) currently sitting at approx. 91k.

15. Rec a fic you wrote or posted in 2023

I am once again begging you to read Impending Destiny, lol. But if that isn't you're cup of tea, try Mistaken Trust or Spun Gold.

16. What were you go-to writing songs?

I didn't have many, this year. There's usually at least one or two, but I had a weird year with music, I feel, with few new songs that I really fell in love with, so there's been lots of playlists on shuffle and there's no song I could point to.

17. What were your go-to writing snacks?

I don't really snack when I write for fun, and I've had to cut down on my chocolate intake, so unless it's a chocolate praline, none.

18. What was the hardest fic to title?

Is "all of them" an answer that's allowed? I guess I could say Free Fall, not because of the fic, but because it was the first Whumptober and I was trying to figure out the "title format" for the rest of the Whumptobers. (I don't know if anyone has noticed that the Whumptobers have had title formats for three years now, but either way...) Other than that, the no-longer-so-untitled longfic was the one I put most thought into titling, but I'm not telling yet.

19. Share your favorite opening line

So... the thing about Whumptober is that it makes you *incredibly aware* of opening lines, or the format of opening lines. I try not to start all of them the same way, but I also tend to... slip into self-referential facetiousness doing that, in that all of them become funny when considered side by side.

I suppose "Avon was high." and "When the rebel forces of Carin IX finally managed to fish Avon out of the river, he was drenched to the bone." still amuse me (Spun Gold and Wet Towels, respectively).

20. Share your favorite ending line

Now I have to open all of them again, haha! Uh, let's do a not-Whumptober for once:

But lying curled up in the embrace of his most trusted companion, his link with and buffer against the world, Avon sometimes wondered whether it had been a curse at all. (The Price, from R&F #7)

21. Share your favorite piece of dialogue

Uh... spoiler for Impending Destiny, but I keep it vague and not post the whole thing?

“Whoever said that love is the most powerful force in the universe was a bloody liar,” Avon spat, “or a colossal fool. [....]"

22. Share an excerpt from your favorite scene

Oh for... just... just read Impending Destiny, okay?

23. Share the final version of a sentence or paragraph you struggled with. What about it was challenging? Are you happy with how it turned out?

Oof, I guess the final lines of Mistaken Trust. It would have been so easy to just let them hug and kiss but Avon resisted and once that line was there I had to do something with it that didn't feel unkind to Vila in a plot that... wasn't kind to Vila. I think I managed the balance and once Avon had said no I didn't want to go back to the easy ending, but it wasn't easy to get right.

24. What’s something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story?

... Impending Destiny. It was supposed to be a fix-it fic!!! It's... not a fix-it anymore. The shift was so striking that I made a tumblr post about it.

25. What did you use to write? (e.g. writing programs, paper & pen, etc.)

Word and paper & pen, very occasionally a note app on my phone. All of the Whumptobers had a paper version before I typed them, but I've only written snippets of the longfic on paper. I enjoy not writing at a screen every now and then, but it *is* slower.

26. If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year?

I don't know, because my writing has been so unevenly balanced (very slow but steady progress for most of the year and A LOT of writing in September/October). I suppose finishing the Whumptobers again? Or perhaps when I realised that the longfic was going to be longer than BDaS without it feeling forced.

27. Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

No. Once the longfic is done, maybe I will.

28. How did you recharge between fics?

Recharge? What's that? Or rather: between fics? What's that? Hahah.

I know what I would have *liked* to do, which is read a fanfic once in a while, but there's not much new out there to my taste these days. I guess watching other shows counts. I have resorted to rewatching B7 as final measure.

29. If this were an awards show, who would you thank?

The numerous people who kudosed, the few people who commented, @oxideblack for the incredible art and for the appreciation of my fics from their circle of fans, @quordleona03 for the inspiration, and @comarum and @foreignobjecticus who know why.

What’s something that you want to write in 2024?

Ah, it would be nice to finish the longfic this coming year. But I'm not making any plans. With how I feel about the sharing & posting, I'm counting it as a win if I don't lose my motivation entirely.

#jaelijn writes #jaelijn talks #if you came here wondering why you are tagged look at the bottom of the post hahah #untitled pgp longfic #just because i want this post in the record of that #read impending destiny lmao

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