#especially since this might be their biggest novel

[unicornpopcorn14]

Something that lowkey bothered me when I reread Stormbringer was Lippman's introduction.

Asagiri was clearly setting up something with this, and I don't know if I've overlooked something or missed it, but as far as we can tell, nothing catastrophic regarding Lippman was ever mentioned after his death.

And it might be that, a few days after that, the whole Guivre fiasco happened that made the media outlets focus on bigger things, but idk.

It would've been interesting to see the uproar Lippman's death actively caused, how the media would have tied him to the mafia, and the public's opinion about it. Or Verlaine being held accountable after being defeated bcs of it. Or how the European division, the one that Verlaine used to work at, would handle being exposed or outed amongst the other messes that occurred.

Or, more interestingly, having Verlaine spare killing Lippman in opposition to the others because he's aware of this very threat. :)

[vidavalor]

Remembrance of Things Past

Aziraphale's scent-oriented, mindful moments in Good Omens also might be something else as well-- an attempt to circumvent the potential taking of his memories by Heaven. He might be trying to create for the future what are known as madeleine memories or involuntary memories-- the sudden rush of a memory prompted by a certain taste or, especially, by a particular scent.

On Aziraphale trying to get around Heaven by setting up triggers for The Proust Effect under the cut.

I wrote a post awhile back about how I think one of the reasons why Aziraphale keeps a journal is as a way of having something that Crowley can show to him in the event that Heaven takes his memories. While reading something doesn't necessarily trigger a memory itself-- it can but it's not guaranteed-- I think there might be other things they are doing as well that they think might be effective in different ways when it comes to helping Aziraphale retain his memory. The biggest might be actively trying to create for the future what are known as madeleine memories or involuntary memories.

Understanding of involuntary memory? It comes from the extremely Aziraphale intersection of food, the French, literature and psychology...

For anyone who does not already know about involuntary memory:

In 1913, French writer Marcel Proust published the first volume in his 'In Search of Lost Time' series and it contained a passage about the power of memory so descriptive and that resonated with so many that it got scientists to actually study and prove the validity of the connection between scent and memory about which he wrote. Proust had his narrator in the novel describe how, after dipping a lime madeleine into a pot of tea, the scent and taste of eating the madeleine brought him instantly back to a specific time in his youth when his aunt would serve them to him while he was recovering from illness as a boy. He remembered details about her house and their time together, sounds and scenes that had dimmed or been forgotten entirely... all triggered by his mind upon smelling and tasting the specific combination of flavors of the tea-dipped lime madeleine.

Most of us have probably experienced something like this and scientists have since confirmed that it's a very real phenomenon, probably rooted in our need to be able to recognize danger by scent. They have also found that, in some cases and to a slightly lesser degree, hearing specific pieces of music can also bring about a similar sense of memory. Scent, though, remains the best possible trigger for memory.

I can't imagine that after seeing Crowley struggle with his own memory for so long and knowing that it could happen to him, too, that Aziraphale wouldn't be trying everything he could think of to be prepared for the possibility that it might.

In a story that has so much focus on memory-- and in a way that seems to potentially foreshadow that Aziraphale might (temporarily) lose his before the story is over-- there also are scenes that might suggest that Aziraphale's mindful moments might also be an attempt at trying to associate moments with scent in an effort to get around Heaven and retain as much of his memory as he can in the future.

But that's only one part of it... The other part is how he and Crowley are shown to consistently tie times in the present to times in their past.

There are many reasons for doing so and we looked at some of them in other metas but another one might be as a way of trying to connect memories together in a way that, should Aziraphale lose his memories in the future, if one could be triggered with a madeleine memory, then other memories connected to it might follow.

In the first episode, Aziraphale's mindful, sensual eating experience involves breathing in the scent of the sushi with his eyes closed, as if committing it to memory. The evening, as we looked at in the Fish meta, was supposed to be a dinner with Crowley tied to their time in ancient Rome. Breathing in brine and alcohol and salt like Aziraphale is here might also be a way of trying to literally tie these scents to his memories of the scents of oysters and wine in Rome so as to not forget either.

In the parallel to the sushi scene in 1.01, Aziraphale is shown in S2 to breathe in Goldstone's when he and Crowley go there in the present. It's part of the mindful experience for him in the moment but it could also serve as a way of trying to remember the events of both the present and 1941 in the future.

Crowley also breathes in Goldstone's in the present in S2. It's something they both do without even looking at one another in the scene and just kind of know the other is, indicating that this is just a thing they do. Both of them do it instinctively, like the rampant sensualists using elements of mindfulness to work through trauma that they are lol. Aziraphale's eyes are again closed and I would bet that he's as much willing himself to never fully forget his human magic love and 1941 in the future as he is reliving memories of the past.

This scene is a really interesting inclusion because while it's set in our present of S2, it's really about the past and the future. No one has any trouble believing that they're both thinking of 1941 here, even as they're here in the present, and both of them are utilizing techniques both related to the present (mindfulness) to connect with memories of the past (Proust Effect/involuntary memory.) What else might be true as well is that they don't just do this for the past and the present moments but for potential future ones as well.

Then there's this...

There are two scenes-- one in each season-- that focus on Crowley's unsurprisingly amazing scent. While memory wouldn't be the only reason why Crowley would smell great lol, both scenes suggest that Crowley's scent is unique and distinguishable. Sandalphon can smell it as being different from Aziraphale's cologne in S1 and Shax... a paralleling character to Aziraphale, played by the actress who played the character with whom Aziraphale shared a brain in S1... well, Shax is into it. Girl's in a dead faint to a point of straight up huffing him.

While there are others, one reason for this scene, though, could be that it parallels the fact that Aziraphale actually does this sometimes, if in a decidedly less ick way than Shax did lol. Part of why Crowley's been wearing the same, apparently quite appealing, scent for awhile now could be out of an effort to help Aziraphale's mind create enough associations between Crowley's scent and Aziraphale's memories that Crowley himself might be able to trigger some of Aziraphale's memories just by his presence alone.

It's also then interesting-- and potentially a little eerie-- that the only time Aziraphale eats or drinks anything in the present in S2 is when he drinks a few sips of a cup of tea to introduce Muriel to the drink and the custom. This is just after Muriel showed up at the door and failed to recognize Aziraphale, even though he recognized them, in one of several scenes that suggest that Muriel had their memories taken from them at some point. The two characters parallel one another pretty strongly. The difference could well wind up becoming that Aziraphale is able to retain more of his memories because he and Crowley have been working for years to find ways to get around Heaven... and they're using knowledge uncovered by humans to save what they can of Aziraphale's memories.

Or, as Nina would put it:

[nanowrimo]

Tips for Writing When Struggling With Executive Dysfunction

Executive dysfunction can make writing challenging. NaNo participant, August, has some tips on dealing with task initiation and how to keep writing so you can reach your writing goals. Embarking on a writing project is quite the undertaking. After years of sticking to short pieces, I decided to start working on my first novel last NaNoWriMo. However, it felt like I was fighting with my own mind to get things done.

Executive dysfunction is a term used to describe weaknesses in the cognitive process that organizes thoughts and activities, prioritizes tasks, manages time efficiently, and makes decisions. It’s common in certain disorders, such as Depression, ADHD, and autism. Executive function skills are used to establish structures and strategies and to determine the actions required to move a project forward. So for those of us who struggle with executive dysfunction, dedicating ourselves to a project could get quite overwhelming. Here are some little tips and tricks I’ve compiled throughout my experience.

How to start:

Task initiation is one of the biggest struggles when dealing with executive dysfunction. This is especially hard with writing, since you need time to muster the energy needed to jump into your story. Here are some tips:

1. Start a 1-3 minute timer and force yourself to write something, anything, before it ends. The words that come out don’t matter. You can just write, “I don’t know.” The point is to force yourself into the writing zone.

2. Leave bread crumbs for yourself at the end of each writing session to make picking up where you left off easier. For example, stop in the middle of a sentence or thought, so the next time you write you won’t have to tackle something completely new.  You just have to finish that incomplete thought and continue from there. You could also leave some notes about what happens next, cutting down thinking time in your next session.

3. Try free writing. This is a great way to get those creative juices flowing with minimal effort. Free writing alleviates the pressure of writing something good. Spend a few minutes writing about anything, like your day or a frustrated ramble about your story. It’s like a warm up before your writing session.

How to keep going:

So you’ve started your writing session. How do you keep writing? Most importantly, how do you keep working on your project?  When struggling with executive dysfunction, the regular “set a schedule” approach doesn’t tend to work.

1. Scale down your goal if your big, overarching goal for your project is overwhelming. Try changing your goal to something more manageable and short term. For example, try writing 500 words a day. This might make it less likely for you to lose steam half way through.

2. Try writing sprints if daily goals aren’t working. Instead of hitting a certain word count, you’re setting a timer and writing for its entire duration

3. Don’t feel bad for needing external motivation. Will promising yourself a pizza after you hit your goal motivate you to write? By all means, do so. Maybe you just need a friend to ask you if you’ve written at the end of the day. Find out what motivates you.

4. Find a writing buddy. This can be someone who can sit down and write at the same time to hold you accountable. Or it can be a critique partner that expects you to turn in something by a certain deadline.

5. Try something new. This is one of the best ways to combat how constraining and overwhelming your writing might feel. It’s okay to lose interest in your project for awhile and try something new. Unless you’re racing to meet a deadline, you have no obligation to keep working on a project that isn’t working for you. Setting a project aside doesn’t mean giving up on it. You might only need some time away from it before you are able to finish it.

Trying something new could also mean changing where or how you write. Usually write at home? Try a coffee shop. Do you usually type? Try hand writing. It might or might not work for you. But change could be quite refreshing for your mind.

6. Write whenever you can.

Sometimes the urge to write comes while you’re waiting for lunch to heat up, or right before you go to bed. Motivation can be hard to find with executive dysfunction, and designated writing times don’t always work. Have something on hand you can easily pull out to write with to take advantage of these moments. Jotting down a hundred words as you’re waiting for dinner to cool might not seem like much, but it’s still words contributed to your word count.

Some of these tips might work for you. Some might not. Writing successfully is mostly about finding what works and running with it. These are things I found helpful when I embarked on my first novel and I hope it would at least give you some ideas.

Happy writing!

August is a 19 year old self proclaimed nerd and aspiring writer. They are currently taking a gap year after high school and are planning to start their undergraduate psychology degree soon. They have been writing short poetry for two years and recently started work on their first fantasy novel. When not writing, they are busy reading or being a musical theatre enthusiast. Check out some of their writing on Instagram. Photo by Miriam Alonso from Pexels

[angstydisaster02]

An analysis about why Bakudeku is one of the most inspirational relationships. (Manga spoilers)

First part : my thoughts

Tbh, I really have this impression the manga is coming to an end very soon, which breaks my heart because I don’t know what I’ll do without my daily leaks. However, I trust Horikoshi about the rest of the story and I do think he’ll make an open ending about which “ship” is canon, even if we all know that the biggest and most developed relationship in the manga is bkdk.

It would be interesting to see the “after” of this war, the hospital beds, the tears because they lost people, the relief because it’s over and the final conversation beg the ending. Knowing Horikoshi until now, never made things randomly because everyone is thinking in advance, including the conversation between Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo.

You can’t tell me the author of this manga who always did things with a smart brain will put aside such an important detail about the dynamic between his characters.

A part of me hopes we’ll have the bkdk talk at the hospital or somewhere else because there’s no way these two idiots keep living their lives as if nothing happened. I have high expectations due to the fanfics, but I’m pretty sure I’ll never be the same once the chapter with the bkdk talk comes.

Second part : the analysis feat manga panels

looking forward, it’s incredible how Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki’s relationship started in the worst way (I’m not including the childhood memories) and…Ended up being something like that.

I’m emotional when I think about everything they’ve been through, the many realizations about losing each other, the development of their relationship after an emotional scene such as Deku Vs Kacchan 2, the way they need to push each other’s up to be the best version of themselves in any situation.

It’s not a surprise if these two are mean to be canon (in a platonic or romantic to way, depends about your opinion !) and each little moment highlights this statement.

Think about it : they all learned one of few important things with the other’s presence by their side, on purpose or not. Their dynamic is something unique you can’t find in others shonen or mangas, because they have this specific bond, the one getting stronger though the years because their mistakes became a reason to improve and be a better person for this childhood friend they knew since the early days.

Izuku Midoriya needs Katsuki Bakugo like Katsuki Bakugo needs Izuku Midoriya.

You can’t take away this part of their soul, and even when people like AFO tried, they ended up paying the price by revealing how much they care about each other.

Don’t startd with the Heroees rising thing because I can write an entire novel about them, but this is another proof of how they’re made for each other. Their relationship improve though the years and it’s only the beginning, I can’t help but imagine how future bkdk will have an amazing relationship once they figured out everything and untold truths.

They’re each other’s pillars, holding the other up to do the best and watch from afar their other’s improvement.

That’s why the hospital conversation might be the peak of their relationship: the moment when they’ll both break their shield, welcoming the tears and listening how life is a fragile line on a thread.

None of them refuse to break this meaningful thread, because this is something they’ve built for years, and it’s their biggest strength (and biggest weakness like Shigaraki pulled out)

In conclusion: they’re driving me crazy and I have no regrets following their journey because it’s probably one of the best relationships I’ve seen (and I watched a lot of anime/manga, read a lot of books and they’re still superior !)

Thanks for reading my analysis because it’s one of my guilty pleasures when I’m passionate about something, especially my comfort ship ! Take care of yourself <3

[nelladivinita]

A Brahms Heelshire NSFW alphabet!

Mostly gender neutral.

TW - somnophilia, cuckolding mention, and voyeurism.

Enjoy! 💞

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex):

“After… care?” Brahms is a Spoiled Brat and is used to being taken care of. He has never lifted a finger in his life, especially for others, so he’ll need to be taught what exactly aftercare is and why it’s necessary. Once he understands, he’ll usually do what you do for him when he’s overwhelmed: he’ll hold you in his lap and let you nuzzle your face into his neck, maybe even softly rocking you as you come down. He figures it works so well for him, it will for you too. But if you want something else, just ask, and he’ll be happy to deliver.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s):

Loves your chest, your belly, and thighs. When he’s not lying with his face buried into one, it’s always buried into another. It makes him feel safe, and the sounds you make when he starts mouthing you are euphoric to him, so he can never stay there for long without taking things further. As for his own body, Brahms loves his cock. An easy answer, but it’s true. Ever since your jaw dropped and your cheeks flushed red the first time you saw his impressive size he’s begun admiring it in private, and working hard to learn how best to pleasure you with it.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

When you first started fucking, Brahms wanted to cum somewhere new every session. On your face, your chest, in your hair (???), in your mouth, down your throat; but the first time you let him finish inside you, his life was genuinely changed and he became eternally obsessed. The poor thing had been begging to for some time, so when you finally let him, he whimpered and cried and in his big boy voice, practically roared as he emptied into you.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Wants to be cuckolded by the grocery boy. He’d NEVER tell you this, but while he was still hiding in the walls, too afraid to come out and face you, the raging jealousy he had towards Malcolm had nowhere to go but into his pants. Admittedly, he was more so masturbating to the idea of catching you and Malcolm in flagrante delicto and emerging from the walls to murder him in cold blood right in front of you, but that’s neither here nor there.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Take a wild guess <3 Brahms is the biggest virgin to ever live, never even seeing other people unless they were coming to apply as his nanny, and as we all know, that never worked out, and even when it did, it didn’t really, you know? But he has read enough anatomy books and snuck enough of his mothers erotica novels into his room to have a pretty good idea of what goes where and what he might like. Still, once he’s there with you he will be a warbling, awkward mess for the first several months.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Loves to fuck you with your back against a wall and your legs wrapped around his waist. It lets him have control and show off his strength, and because of your height difference, he can also cry hard into your neck if he becomes especially emotional at the affection he’s receiving, or at the idea of you leaving him. He also loves you in missionary too, where he can pound into you with reckless abandon, at times not bothering to thrust, just dropping his hips into you again and again, bottoming out until the sun comes up.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

VERY serious. When Brahms is fucking you he’s a Big Boy, with no time for games or jokes. Giggles and teasing is for Chutes and Ladders later; right now, he’s the scariest and most intimidating thing you’ve ever seen.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

HAIRY HAIRY HAIRY THE HAIRIEST THING TO EVER LIVE. His hair isn’t just on his chest but all across his stomach too, and it all culminates at his pubic hair, which is thick and fluffy and dark, and pokes out the top of his slacks at all times. If you want him to trim it, you’ll have to explain why to him at length, and probably do it yourself.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Honestly, in the beginning Brahms doesn’t understand intimacy. For the first several months he baby talks unless he’s moaning, and he will beg for most of what you have to give him. It isn’t until you begin to actually develop feelings for one another and his emotions extend past lust, into areas previously untouched in his psyche, that he’ll begin to have moments of equality with you. Then he’ll fuck you gently, and plant kisses into your hair, whispering in his grown up voice how thankful he is to have you, how beautiful you are, and how he wants to take care of you too. This likely comes after he finally takes his mask off.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Call Guinness World Records, Brahms might get a fancy plaque for this one. When you first show up, he practically never stops masturbating. Even as you sleep, he’s pressed panting against his side of the wall, desperate to stay quiet as he cums into his hand, and at times on the wall and floor, as many times as he can bear it. Will steal your underwear constantly to masturbate with and at one point even your shower poof. Once you know of his existence and start fucking, it will drop off some. If you punish him for misbehaving by refusing him though, he will jerk off right at the dinner table, and he loves cumming in his timeout corner.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Somnophilia. It started when he’d masturbate to you sleeping, and partially stems from his initial belief that, because of his disfigurement, sex with him isn’t something that you’ll want if you know it’s him. But in sleep? He could make you feel as good as possible and not have to be himself. Until he felt your love, that was all that felt safe.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Loves to take you into his dirty creepy room so he can fuck you on his bed rather than the makeshift you that he made. He also delights in the fact that he’s fucking you in a place that was hidden to you for so long; his pervy secret headquarters! But on top of that, this space is His. There are no traces of his parents, he even has his own fridge! So it sort of makes him feel like he’s invited you back to His Place, and he feels very confident and grown up and happy to have you there.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Absolutely everything. You swear you must be a supermodel the way everything you are and do sends him into a frenzy or leaves him straining against a wet spot on the front of his slacks. But it’s not a problem, because he makes you feel the same way, and nothing turns him on more than knowing that.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Brahms will never EVER invite someone else into your bed. Remember that cuckolding fantasy? Well if Malcolm even thinks of thinking of you in realistic terms, Brahms will, as mentioned, put him into an early grave. You are Brahms’ and he is yours, exclusively and eternally.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

He’s absolutely over the moon at both. The first time you go down on him his eyes will be as wide as saucers and he’ll be frozen to the spot lying on his back, only kicking his legs out softly to accentuate the pleasure of your mouth. But as time goes on, he will get more daring and will lose control, fucking the back of your throat with his hands on your head. Giving, giving giving giving. He loves it. He loves the ecstasy of your soft thighs on his scarred skin; so often untouched, even by him. It makes him feel amazing to know you’re aroused by him despite his burns, and they way you grip his curls, the way you grind and fuck his tongue, he’s in heaven at your pleasure, sometimes cumming from the taste, sound, and sight alone.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Initially he is rough and fast the entire way through. He just can’t help himself, and he doesn’t understand that you need more time than he does to be ready to fuck him like that. He’s blinded by how tight and warm you are, and unless you’re in serious pain, you probably won’t have the heart to stop him anyway, seeing just how desperate and ecstatic he is to be there. However, he will listen to you if you really need him to slow down. In time he will learn your body and he will begin to value your slow sessions, where he is able to look into your eyes and share a quiet, pleasure filled space with you.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Brahms LOVES quickies. No matter where you are or what you’re doing 90% of the time, you can expect him to come up behind you and start rutting against your ass, or dropping to his knees to taste you. By the way, the first time he sees you’re not underwear for him will practically kill him on the spot.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Will ask you every once in a while to leave a note telling Malcolm that you took doll Brahms to the park, asking him to put the groceries away himself. But little does Malcy-boy know, Brahms will be fucking you mercilessly inside the closest wall as he moves around the kitchen. Brahms will keep a hand over your mouth, as he knows how important it is that Malcolm doesn’t know he exists, but he still loves the thrill and the revenge (against what, you’re not sure) of this explicit act.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Maybe call Guinness again for this one. Brahms gets hard again almost instantly, and no matter how high your sex drive, nothing will satiate him until he’s good and satisfied himself. Initially he doesn’t last long, but as he gains endurance and self control, get used to going for hours at a time, with only half hour breaks in between at most.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Brahms doesn’t like calling the make-shift you a toy, but at the end of the day, it is in fact a toy. As for yourself, he used to get poisonously jealous of your toys before he got to fuck you like he wanted to. You found so many smashed, water logged vibrators that nothing made you more suspicious of strange happenings in the house as they did. But now that you are fucking, he likes to use the toys to over-stimulate or for you to over-stimulate him. He sees them as fun additions, but prefers when it’s just him and you.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Brahms loves to lift your skirt and reach up to graze your thigh as you do your chores. But usually this is just so you’ll get frustrated with him and punish him, because he LOVES to be teased himself. Surprise him by waking him up topless, ask him to help you wash your body in the shower, and threaten him with no dessert if he touches his red, soap covered cock. He is never so obedient as when you’re dangling everything he’s ever wanted right in front of him.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

SO LOUD it makes you blush as his moans and whimpers and cries and roars echo around the enormous mansion no matter where in it you happen to be. The only time he’s quiet is when he’s fulfilling his “fuck you, Malcolm” fantasy, and when you’re sharing one of your quiet intimate moments, where the focus is as much on pleasure as it is on connecting, showering each other soft and conservative love.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Remember those dirty books Brahms would steal from his mother’s library? Well his favorite had a scene with raspberries and whipped cream that he’s been dying to try since it came into his limited zone of awareness. So expect once every couple of weeks for those ingredients to be added to the grocery list.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes

‘I just know his dick is big!’ We’re talking well above average ladies and gentlemen, about eight inches long and THICK. No matter how many sessions you have in a day, he never really stops feeling like he’s on the edge of being too big.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

We’ve already touched on this but Brahms will “never ever ever” get tired of fucking you. He’s waited his whole life to find someone like you. Someone so kind and beautiful and soft and sexy to fulfill his Every Waking Need, and let’s face it, most of his waking needs are sexual; so he’s going to make the most of every moment, and indulge himself as often as his little heart desires.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Conks out immediately. Brahms will usually cry or whimper before he falls asleep after he’s finally done cumming, so hold him like he holds you, and you’ll fall asleep together safe and warm (but don’t forget the somnophilia).

[teafuelledwriting]

Hello there!

Do you have any neurospicy friendly tips for staying motivated? I'd love to write more, especially long-form, multi-chapter works but after a chapter or two I either get bitten by other plot bunnies or real life eats me whole.

Thanks!

Hello friend!

Oh this is right up my alley, grab a cuppa, I get wordy.

As a chronic “too many ideas, too little dopamine” ADHD brain that’s always seeking that lil extra dopamine, I suffer from the exact same problem. My motivation is a fickle thing, as is my ability to focus and my goblin brain is always after the new shiny idea.

But, I’m also at the end of drafting the biggest project I’ve ever completed(it's over 100k words right now), while also planning a novel, developing a few more ideas and writing short stories and doing this blog (intermittently at least for now).

How the hell did I manage that?

I learned to work with my brain, lean into novelty, made things really easy for myself and when needed, got some help and made things fun. 

The truth is, motivation comes and goes, as does inspiration. So we have to figure out how to keep writing without it, and how to wrangle those plot bunnies. That’s the work we do. 

My short answer is this: The solution to focusing on a big project is to make working on this project easier than working on anything else, make it the most enjoyable, and make it the most rewarding.

Here’s some advice on how:

Advice Tidbit the First: Work with your brain

Since us neurospicy types come in so many flavours, it’s impossible to give advice that works for everyone. So find what works for you. You know what helps you focus, you know what your weaknesses are and you know how your brain works. If you don’t, now is the time to find out how to work with your brain chemistry rather than against it. 

If this means having music, using a pomodoro timer, something like a special focus based word processor or a notebook, use it. If this means working with a trusted friend, a community, or alone, do that. 

For me it really means that the big project is always front and centre. It is always open, it is always flagged in my notebook, it is always present and easy to come back to and I always know where I’m going with it.

I’m gonna share some things that work for me and I encourage you to try them, keep what works, and cast off the rest.

Advice Tidbit the Second: Lean into Novelty

My brain relishes novelty, and will happily chase a new idea down a rabbit hole like a Jack Russell on speed and after years of fighting it, I’ve learned sometimes, it’s best to chase the white rabbit and see where it ends up. Just make sure you have a way of putting that idea on a back burner and coming home to the project you want to focus on.

And I do this through a few different means. 

First I write that new idea down, which in turn helps me get it out of my head instead of it repeating ad nauseum like the chewiest earworm. The brain repeats things to remember them, but if you write it down, and then immediately get what you wanna focus on in front of your eyeballs, you might be able to switch gears and get back on track.

Second, I create my own novelty by balancing a few projects at once, that are all at different stages of development, and focus on different ideas. I have the big one that's almost done, I have a novel that’s in planning, a few short story ideas that’s percolating  and this blog which is focused less on creation and more explaining things I’ve learned. And I bounce from these, as needed, to keep things fresh. 

Third, if all else fails, I stop fighting and go wild. I’ve stumbled onto some amazing gems of projects by embracing the mad rush of inspiration until I hit a wall. And the trick for me is, once I hit that wall, I go back to my big project and it always feels a little fresher after that time away.

Writers are creative creatures, and inspiration is a wonderful, amazing, maddening thing that we cannot rely on, but shouldn’t ignore when it strikes. 

Advice Tidbit the Third: Make that shit easy.

A fun, and by fun I mean hellish aspect of my brain chemistry is that the more barriers between me and doing a thing there are, the less likely I am to do the thing. Executive dysfunction is an asshole and should pay but until I can figure out a way to do that, I instead focus on making this as easy for me as possible. 

When it comes to focusing on a specific project, I make sure I have it ready to go when I wanna work on it. I open up the word doc before I go to bed, I leave some notes for myself before leaving it, I never close it unless I absolutely have to, and I always, always have a notebook or my phone on hand to write with, and I have a playlist on hand to get me in the mindset while writing or walking, or working out.

Now if you’re looking at that and going “But Cas, that’s a lot of prep-work”, yeah, it is, and that’s what I do to make things easier to start and stay focused with. Call it the neurospicy-tax. Sometimes shit comes with extra prepwork, but it will help you in the long run.

Thankfully the execution is less painful than it sounds. I just don’t close the word doc for my main project unless I absolutely have to. Opening it first thing is a habit I’ve developed over time as is carrying my notebook around everywhere. Right now I’m trying to build the habit of writing first thing in the morning after breakfast, which means I have the project, or project notes up to read while I eat.

The less I have to think about it, the less steps it takes to start, the easier it is to just do. And do it enough, consistently enough, it becomes habitual. Ish.

Advice Tidbit the Fourth and Most Important: Make the writing easier too.

Yeap. I’m gonna say it. Learn to plan in a way that works for you.

It is so much easier to write freely, consistently and confidently when I have a damn good idea of where I’m going and what targets I’m trying to hit. If you’ve read my waffling about approaching chapters, I go on at length about how that pre-planning makes the work easier. This doesn’t mean you need to have the whole thing planned down to the finest detail, you don’t need every chapter and scene on cards ready to go, unless that’s what works best for you.

However, I have found that I can stick with big projects the best if I have a rough plan consisting of story beats, knowing my character arcs, and solid idea of the ending. With that roadmap, it doesn't matter how lost or distracted I get or how long I spend in the warren of Ploticus Bunnicus, because I have that guide at hand to bring me back to my story. But when I don’t have it… I get lost. And I stay lost. I lose motivation, it’s harder to pick it up again, I lose hope and I abandon that story and feel awful about it.

So if there’s any advice I want you to try it’s this: Figure out where your story is going, where you want it to end up, a few ideas on how you’ll get there, and make a map to keep you heading in the right direction.

It can be as easy as dot points giving you a few ideas about what’s ahead, a few notes from the last writing session to remind you of where you were going, or a paragraph blocking out events in a really condensed summary. Whatever works for you, but have a plan for where you’re going for those moments when something shiny crosses your path. Make working on this main project easier than working on anything else, make it the most enjoyable, make it the most rewarding. Let me know if you want me to talk about my roadmapping/planning process.

Advice Tidbit the Fifth: Get some help.

I would not be as far along in my big project as I am if I didn’t have two really amazing people that helped me along my way as alpha readers. Ie: the two people who got frantic messages at 3am asking if they could look at the raw draft I had just churned out to see if it was okay, and who also, graciously, acted as rubber duckies and brainstorming partners and problem solvers as I figured my own process out.

I owe these two so much.

Writing can be a terribly solitary craft but it doesn’t have to be. So get a buddy, someone that can hold you to task, who can give their opinion, act as a sounding board, who is as excited about the project as you are. I am so glad to be that person for my bestest buddies and they are that person for me.

So find that person, someone you can trust, a friend, another writer, or just someone that has your back. And if you don’t have that person, there are communities aplenty floating around. And I am always, always, ready to cheerlead a fellow writer. Hell, I created a whole damn server just to help other writers that I haven’t been brave enough to advertise yet.  You can find it here. [If the link isn't active, feel free to ask me for one!]

Advice Tidbit the Sixth: Make that shit fun.

Writing is work, there’s no way to get around that and writing a big multi-chapter project is a LOT of work even if you don’t plan, edit, revise, or rewrite (though you should). All my advice so far has been focused on making that work easier, on working with your brain, embracing novelty for your own ends, making the work easier, and working with a friend.

Now we get to have fun.

What makes writing enjoyable for you? Is it having a tasty treat while working or after as a reward? Is it good music? An excuse to go to a cafe? To use a pretty pen? Whatever it is, DO IT. 

I like to have a nice cup of tea in a nice mug while I write. I always have music or something ignorable for background noise on the tv. And I use my very pretty pens in my very nice notebooks.

If you’re anything like me, you possess strong opinions regarding notebooks and pens, and likely have a neglected collection of some pretty stuff. So I’m gonna say something shocking: You should use those nice pens and notebooks.

 No seriously. 

Use them. Use the pretty inks and lovely pens and use them to make writing fun. Switch colours at the drop of a hat or to show scene and pov transitions, practise your handwriting. Use different notebooks for different projects or one big bullet journal style thing for all your writing. 

Create yourself an everyday writers kit and take it everywhere with you. Use it. If you’re doom scrolling, switch your phone for your writing kit and start jotting down some ideas or write a single sentence for your story. Use these pretty shiny things. I dare you.

Keep in mind, you DO NOT need expensive pens or papers ever at all. You can do this with a cheap notebook and a ballpoint. I’m just a stationery nerd and I like using the nice things I’ve bought instead of them sitting there doing nothing.

Here’s my kit, a black traveller’s notebook with three inserts and a kraft folder, two pen loops stuck onto the folder and two TWSBI eco fountain pens. Each insert is for a different kind of project (drafting the long project, brainstorming and planning or short stories, and planning and drafting articles for this blog.) and I have sticky tabs in the folder to make pages and specific projects. Sometimes I add a pouch of yet more fountain pens because I don’t have a problem, I have a collection.

Flex aside, my point is use tools that you enjoy using. If that means a nice clacky keyboard, use it, if that means fancy ass pens, use them, if that means something you’re not scared of breaking, use it. 

Now for gamification: A common bit of advice I hear for ADHD brains specifically is to gamify the tricky things and thank the gods, there’s a bunch of people who have figured out ways to do this.

For writers specifically we have a few tasty choices.

A quick search for ‘gamifying writing’ will turn up a bunch of results but here’s a few favourites of mine.

4thewords is web browser based RPG game where you write to battle monsters and make your way through the story. It is a subscription however but it’s fairly affordable ($4 USD a month) if you end up using it everyday. It comes with progress trackers, avatars you can get cool things for, a big community and it has a 15 day trial that does not need a credit card for. Wahoo. I’ve used it, it's a lot of  fun, but it doesn’t gel with my other needs quite as well but I do turn to it none and then when I really wanna buckle down and focus. Give it a go~

Write Or Die is a classic sprint writing tool that I’ve been a fan of for years. Basically you write or you are ‘punished’ via flashing screen, loud noises or if you’re brave, there’s the mode that eats your words if you stop typing for too long. It is a one man developer that said and a bit old and neglected but Write or Die 2 is worth it if this helps you stay focused.

Too high stress? Think about trying…

Written Kitten is a web browser based writing motivator that gives you a cute kitten picture every time you write a certain number of words. It’s adorable.

Or you can grab that writing buddy of yours, or just yourself, a timer and do a writing sprint. Pick a number of words, set your timer and write until the timer goes off. See how well you did, see how any words you can get and how far above the set number you can go.

In the end all this leads to the same key point, which is to make working on your long multi-chaptered project as easy, fun and rewarding as you possibly can. If you have a mind that chases fun, make the work fun, if it chases novelty, make the work novel, if it lacks focus, figure out how it likes to focus and apply that to your project. 

You can wrangle your brain, but you have to work to its strengths. But before I wrap this up

Advice Tidbit the Seventh: Go easy on yourself.

Neurospicy brains are particular and challenging and common advice doesn’t always work for us and that’s okay. It can be tricky figuring out what works and what doesn’t, and spoons aren’t always plentiful, our moods aren’t always cooperative and sometimes the work really is hard no matter what we do. And that’s okay. What matters, I think, is that we keep trying. A few words a day are still a few words a day.  It adds up.

You got this and I am always happy to have a chat or listen.

Good writing!

[lurafita]

Raphael is a little shit (and wow, that's an underrepresented trope in this fandom if you ask me). He especially likes to mess with shadowhunters.

Raphael to Alec: "So, what did you get Magnus for tomorrow?" Alec: "Why, what's special about tomorrow?" Raphael: "It's the anniversary of the day he became High Warlock of Brooklyn. He might not say as much, but it's really important to him." Alec, panicked: "I need to go shopping. Underhill, you are in charge!" runs out of the institute Raphael whispers to Izzy: "There is no such anniversary." -

Raphael to Jace: "You know, since Luke is basically Clary's father, and the alpha of the biggest wolf pack around, it wouldn't hurt if you paid tribute to him." Jace: "Tribute? What are you talking about?" Raphael: "You are dating someone he claimed as his child. For werewolves, that makes you pack-adjacent. It's tradition that you offer a gift to both the alpha and the next of kin to your lover. Since Luke is both, you only have to appeal to him in that case." Jace: "Isn't that a little old fashioned? Sounds like a practice from one of those regency novels Izzy denies reading." Raphael: "Oh, because shadowhunter traditions are all up to date according to the times we live in?" Jace: "Point. What kind of gift do I even have to get?" Raphael: "I'm sure you will think of something. It doesn't need to be expensive. Just remember that it has to appeal to his wolf side more than his human side. A pack of bacon, or a raw chewing bone would do." Luke is very confused when Jace invites him to a steak dinner the following evening

[viperwhispered]

New fic idea: Jamil VS the ex

Context: Jamil and s/o have been dating for while. Things are going great and everyone is just happy. There are no real jealousy issues on either side cause they trust each other and Jamil is confident he's the best catch around. If there is any jealousy, they talk it out like mature human beings since being petty doesn't solve anything. Though there is defintley possessiveness, it never leaves the bedroom and they both enjoy it.

Introducing the ex: just a complete toxic dump. As in, shitty romance novels stereotypical male lead toxic dump. Just controlling, verbally/emotionally abusive, physically intimidates people, tries to use sex to fix things, doesn't know when to leave their exes alone, gets physical with love rivals, etc. For reference feel free to look at Christian Grey from 50 Shades, Hardin Scott from After, and Edward Cullen from Twilight. Honestly it didn't last more than a week yet the ex continued to stalk our poor reader and ruin any attempt at a finding a new lover.

Cue them getting to NRC and finally having a chance at a relationship with our boy Jamil. But unfortunately all good things must come to an end when reader invites Jamil home to meet their family. Let's say that if the reader is not from TWST then they have a way to dimension travel and the family is in on it.

Jamil is quickly welcomed into the family and they make it clear that he's the best boyfriend the reader has had so far. The reader and their family are quick to warn Jamil about the ex and the sabotages. He learns the details from his albi's angry rants about all the bullshit this guy did.

At one point the reader turns to him and goes: "you have my permission to be as much of a possessive scheming bastard as you want. Ruin his reputation, frame him, humiliate him, I don't care! He's messed with my life far too much for me to care about him anymore. If we run into him, feel free to shove it in his face that I am yours. Hold me, kiss me, leave hickies, whatever! I trust you to know my boundaries and when to do it. Hell, if you manage to get rid of him, then we might as well skip the formalities and go straight to the alter."

Cue Jamil plotting:

1. Get the ego boost from going PDA in front of your lover’s ex. Note: make sure beloved is wearing his hoodie/jersey for maximum boost.

2. Get rid of the abusive ex who's been harming his beloved for YEARS.

3. Plan the wedding.

Meanwhile, the reader is just enjoying the extra affection while munching popcorn as their dear boyfriend gets rid of the biggest nuisance in their life. Yes they get turned on by it, especially the smirk. They're planning to thoroughly spoil him when this is over, both in and out of the bedroom.

Bonus: in your professional opinion, what route would Jamil take to get rid of the ex and how sadistic does he get?

Hasdkföjask yes just let Jamil loose on the problem and enjoy the fireworks.

Also hasdfads in my professional opinion, huh? I feel honored. 🥺👉👈

Oop this got long so below the cut it goes.

(Also boy am I glad the ex did not get to do too much lasting damage to reader’s ability to have a healthy relationship. Jamil already has enough baggage for both of them to go through. Still, someone get a restraining order on that ex, stat.)

“Yes they get turned on by it, especially the smirk.” Just… too true. Man’s just way too hot when he’s all confident and cocky I swear.

Also ngl this brand of possessive I can definitely get behind.

Also I love that tasklist, just not sure which one I love more, the note to task 1 or just the entirety of task 3. Tho of course, Jamil being Jamil (and I may or may not be projecting here) I’m sure there’d be plenty of subtasks / -steps to each of these.

(Also sidenote yes Jamil definitely would know how to turn up the charm for the in-laws for extra approval points. What a charming well-behaved young man, just delightful 😇)

Now, the options coming to my mind are:

Something “private”: only the ex (and reader) needs to know what happened exactly, but it’s enough to spook the ex and keep him in line. (I mean, getting snake whispered? Should be pretty scary, especially depending on what Jamil does with it. Oh boy, the potential.)

Something public: ruin this guy’s image, future prospects, credit score, everything, make everyone see him for the cretin he is. Might cause backlash depending on just how concerning this guy is, but also long-lasting consequences.

Ignore the gnat, just rub things in his face by just being super sweet and loveydovey wherever he happens to be without ever directly confronting him because he’s not worth the effort (not too likely, Jamil’s definitely way too petty (or incensed) to just leave it at that).

Now, getting information on people may be Azul’s specialty, but I’m sure Jamil won’t have too much trouble finding out enough (like where the ex works, lives, stuff like that. If this is a different world (or even just different country), I’m sure reader can help him with the details of what is possible and all).

And by the sounds of things, this particular jerkwad is bound to turn up anyway. So maybe it’s just a case of waiting and being ready, setting up the favorable circumstances.

So Jamil and s/o would be going out and about. Maybe to the shops, maybe just a walk outside, whatever they know is likely to land them on the ex’s path.

The thing about the hoodie is that it’s not necessarily obvious (to the ex) that it belongs to Jamil, rather than you. So he’d probably go for the jersey (since that name obviously isn’t yours (at least yet)), or weather permitting he’d only loan out his hoodie to you at an opportune time.

Like, as soon as you two realize the ex is around, you’re all oh, it sure is a little chilly isn’t it, have my hoodie my dear, it’ll keep you warm. Cue makeout session (and definitely no smug glances from Jamil to the ex, no siree. Nothing of the sort when he holds you tighter, pulls you closer, lets his hands trail along your back, into your back pockets or perhaps even under your shirt. Definitely.).

When ex comes over, you’re conveniently in a public place (probably conveniently within sight of cameras, too, so there’d be something on record to go to authorities with, if needed, and for extra consequences).

I’m thinking Jamil might be all “innocent”, at least overtly (and as much as he can hold himself back - he’s used to mingling with the high and mighty and keeping face, but this is more personal) - tho there might be some underhanded barbs with plausible deniability, or just all the casual things about how you’re Jamils and how you’ve been together for however long and how Jamil just met your parents etc. Basically just reminding the ex of what he can’t have.

Tho once Jamil distances himself (and you), from the guy, I could see Jamil going to somewhere more secluded (with or without you, depending on how you agreed in advance). And if and when the ex follows, he gets a very different side of Jamil. Sharp tongue, no holds barred, told in no uncertain terms how pathetic and despicable he is, and to keep away from you, your family, and anyone else who has any connection to you. But especially you.

The only problem I have is thinking of just what he’d do to seal the deal. I mean, probably Jamil would make the guy do something bad / unpleasant with snake whisper. Like, make the dude do something humiliating, film it and leave it on his phone for him to find later? Make him go out into the crowds to make a fool out of himself? (Perhaps in a location with his friends / family / whatever around?) Get him to send some very terrible messages to some folks?

I think I’m a bit too nice to think of just how far Jamil could go, and snake whisper does have its limitations, too. Like to really ruin someone, you need to do something more impactful than just one unfortunate action.

(I mean I suppose maybe he could make the dude kill someone and go to prison for that but yeah let’s not.) Robbery, tho? I’m sure there’s some sort of a crime we can squeeze out of the guy that would not be too bad for bystanders (not that Jamil would be that bothered, tbh) but would still be enough of a consequence, and which could still be achieved with snake whisper.

That, or just make the guy walk into a cesspit or something, especially if it’s right before something important.

I’m kinda just spitting this out (and brain’s a bit fried) but also this was such a juicy concept I had to jump on it.

Honestly I feel like there’d be so much more to be said just for the PDA part and the possessiveness and protectiveness Jamil would feel and everything else, and maybe I’ll get back to that another time.

Did you have any particular thoughts of how you think it might go?

[strqyr]

Ngl, to me, Ozpin is so, so interesting, but not just regarding his reincarnation and past lives (though those Are very interesting). Like,, it's said that Ozpin became Headmaster at a young age and was a 'prodigy'. And based on the information we have on his age, that being younger than Theodore who's in his mid-late 40s, it's so interesting to consider exactly HOW young he mightve been. I'm willing to bet, based on appearance and facts, that he was probably 37-39 when he died, maybe very early 40s at the oldest. N like. That says that at the absolute youngest, he was probably 20 when he became Headmaster, and like, 24 at the oldest.

Which is like. That's WILD to me? I'm sure it's more likely he was 22-24 when he became Headmaster, but that's RIGHT AFTER he would get his Huntsman license, if he got it all naturally. If his last incarnations circle had kids and They knew (I wouldn't be surprised, it'd be juicy), and they were in high places, it's entirely possible that he got into that position earlier than he should have, possibly Unwillingly. I'm sure it's not canon, but I feel like that's WAY juicier than just "He got into the Headmaster position on his own by his own choice". Besides, I doubt the KoV would've wanted Ozpin to get shoved into such a position, if we can base how he mightve been on how Ozpin acts (merge n all).

Like. Idk I feel like Ozpin, the life and the incarnation, is So interesting especially if all this is true? Plus Oz parallels Pyrrha so I feel like him getting shoved into a position he didn't initially want would only hammer that in more. I am DESPERATE for a rwby spinoff that focuses on STRQ and Ozpin 🙏

i absolutely need to know how old ozpin was exactly when he became the headmaster of beacon and it will forever be one of my biggest frustrations with rwby that they never give their adult characters exact ages like please, i need to know 😭

but just by doing detective work, it's like. okay, in the novels he's said to be the youngest headmaster beacon has had, but in the show it's said he was one of the youngest headmasters, no specific academy mentioned, so i don't think he was like. impossibly young? he's a licensed huntsman, so prodigy or not, he likely would have gone through one of the academies and graduating first.

now, my own little pet theory is that ozma doesn't reincarnate into warriors—take a look at his known reincarnations, and none of them come across as having had any training before he popped into their head—so i'm thinking that ozpin wasn't attending an academy when that happened, which also leaves the door open that he could have been younger than 17 when he did—meaning that in addition to pyrrha, he might also parallel ruby, the two people he chose in one way or another—and during that time not only was he training (and gaining the muscle memory from ozma), but he was also prepared for the role of the headmaster by the inner circle members the king of vale left behind (since he's mentioned as ozpin's predecessor).

he was also already the headmaster of beacon when team strq was on their first year, so i'm thinking he's like... maybe 2-4 years older than them? which would put him at early-to-mid forties at the time of his death (depending on how old team strq are), which would still put him as younger than theodore, who is in his mid-to-late forties, maybe early fifties according to yatsuhashi.

but hard agree on team strq spinoff. for me that has always been about more than just strq—though it goes without saying that's obviously where my bias lies lol—, it's also about ozpin and how he formed his inner circle around him because all of them—especially the headmasters—were like. his friends? these are not people chosen by his predecessor, these people were chosen by him and i need to know and see how that happened and how ozpin handled it all like did he go through the same awkwardness as oscar where people older and more experienced than him looked at him like he should know what to do??

there's just so much there to dig into and i must have it. please.

[kimbapisnotsushi]

it's akaashi's birthday!!! you guys know what that means!!!!!!!!!! have some timeskip special headcanons about akaashi and co. let's go!!!!

i think akaashi deserves a spin-off about his misadventures in the manga department honestly

gekkan shoujo nozaki kun. sekaiichi hatsukoi. bakuman. there is a lesson to be learned here people!!!!!

tenma gifts him a planner for his birthday and the first thing he does after opening it is mark all of tenma's deadlines. which he also has recorded in his phone calendar. AND he has them memorized. AND on sticky notes scattered throughout the office

tenma: you know i got you this planner so that you wouldn't have to put sticky notes everywhere, right? akaashi, sleep-deprived and running on five cups of coffee: time waits for no one, udai-san

the office has a special "akaashi keiji emergency rest kit" for when he falls asleep at his desk

it's got a blanket if it's cold, a pillow they tuck under his head, a bottle of water and snacks they leave next to him if he gets hungry/thirsty when he wakes up, and an eye mask that they put on him after they take off his glasses

idk i think the whole office really loves akaashi

and he really loves them back!!!! they're a team!!! they work together!!!! deadlines might be hell but at least it's a hell they're united in!!!

akaashi finding love and contentment and happiness in a place he initially wasn't sure about is everything to me okay

also i think he wingmans tenma and akiteru. i think it'd be very funny.

akaashi knows it's bad when he catches tenma drafting a whole new romance plot and he's like "udai-san. please. you have something due in five days you canNOT be doing this right now"

honestly akaashi just wants them to get together so that tenma will stop being dreamy and distracted and ACTUALLY focus on getting his manuscript done on time

and then they DO get together and akaashi is subjected to even more dreamy sighs and staring off into the distance and whatnot

tenma is such a disaster you guys i love him

ALSO YOU KNOW HOW MANGAKAS HAVE A LIL MASCOT TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES IN THE AUTHOR'S NOTE. TENMA'S IS DEFINITELY SOME KIND OF CROW

someone asks tenma if he has a favorite pro vball player and tenma says "hinata shouyou" with the BIGGEST smile on his face and hinata almost cries

LMAO HOW FUNNY WOULD IT BE IF KENMA OFFERED TO BANKROLL AND DEVELOP A ZOMBIE KNIGHTS VIDEO GAME

i mean i barely even know what zkz is about but based on the title i feel like it'd make a good video game

yachi can help design . . . lev and komi can voice act . . . yes . . . it's all coming together . . .

NEVER MIND I KNOW WHAT IT IS I READ A TRANSLATION OF THE LIGHT NOVEL IN THE MIDDLE OF WRITING THIS

he wrote zkz in a restaurant are you SHITTING me udai tenma i love you

so apparently it got discontinued?? instead of allowing tenma to finish it the way he wanted?? so when tenma hears that kenma wants to make a video game out of it he ends up in tears

kenma's like "well it might have failed as a manga. but i think it'd make a pretty good video game, if you want to help out with that"

god everything about it makes me want to cry actually. tenma who is still chasing after his dreams. and akaashi right there, learning how to be better. learning how to be passionate. learning how to give tenma his all. because he's TENMA'S editor and he'll be damned if he doesn't do it well.

udai tenma in an interview about meteo attack: "yes, i am sad i didn't get a chance to end zkz in a way that would have made me happy. it was my first series, and that's always going to be precious to me. but meteo attack is one i'm looking forward to. it's a story about learning how to fly, when everybody else has long since been trampling on your wings and telling you that you can't."

sorry i did NOT mean to get this emotional over them. but now i am. and i am going to be thinking about it forever

meteo attack def gets raving reviews from players in the pro volleyball league, especially from hinata shouyou

[agirlandherquill]

alrighty, so being tagged by @katwritesshit means i'm up for a very interesting tag game so here goes

rules: answer as many (or as few) of the questions about your WIP as you can

What was the first part of your WIP that you created? - might be my favourite question of the lot but for me at least, it's pretty simple, i start with an idea - a theme of sorts I suppose, and I wanted to write about a heist, I wanted treachery, danger, and crime (lots and lots of crime), and from there I spun the rest of my story

If your story was a TV show, what would the intro song be? - consulting my many, many Spotify playlists has made answering this one very difficult (shoutout once again to @katwritesshit for The World Ender because I love that song) but I'm going to have to say Dinner and Diatribes by Hozier or As It was, also by Hozier, most likely because I've spent a great majority of this story listening to Hozier along the way, since Wasteland Baby is one of my favourite albums and it fits so so well

Who are your favourite character(s) and why? - I feel as though I'm committing to a betrayal here by not saying the character who is supposed to be the main protagonist but I'm going to go for Fenley, purely because his cynical, overall dark demeanour has been the most entertaining to write (and his POV contains some of my favourite scenes of the novel)

What other pieces of media could share a fan base with your WIP? - now this one is FUN. especially since I draw inspiration from so so many things, Throne of Glass, The Cruel Prince, The Mummy (one of my all time favourite movies), Now You See Me, The Witcher - just to name a few, I'm not even going to mention the inspiration for the combat scenes because action movies are just (insert chef's kiss)

What has been your biggest struggle while writing your WIP? - truth be told, finding the time to write, as this labour of love has taken me a solid four (ish, I think) years to write, a lot has happened, I've grown with my novel which is to me at least, a very heartwarming thing

Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them! - sadly there aren't any major animal characters in my story, my characters use horses for transport most of the time but that's about it

How do your characters get around? - well, when they aren't on horseback they're either walking or sprinting for their lives

What part of your WIP are you working on right now? - edits, dreaded, dreaded edits - just kidding I'm loving getting to dive into the earlier parts of my novel and change bits as I go, I'm falling in love with the story all over again and I'm only editing Chapter 7/40(something, the current number escapes my mind)

What aspects of your WIP do you think will draw people in? - hopefully the sheer and utter chaos of unlikely thieves trying to do an impossible thing, the characters are my favourite sort to read about, and the tropes (not giving too much away I do enjoy a good mystery :) )

and that's about it, this was super fun so thanks for the tag!

and passing the metaphorical torch on, I'm going to tag: @the-ellia-west @somethingclevermahogony @unlikelycreationwasteland @leotheponderer @alwri-tes and of course anyone else that would like to give it a go! (being new at tag games appears to be my fatal flaw since i have very little clue who to tag, but here you go!)

(and as usual in my rambly responses, very, very little read through, but in my defence this is a late night post so I feel as though the grammar-police might cut me some slack :) )

[shiny-jr]

Hi Shiny! I’m not new to your blog but I have been reading up on the works I’ve missed since I haven’t been the most active on tumblr for like, a solid year, (possibly more?) and I forgot just how amazing your writing is; you are definitely one of my favorite writers, and I greatly enjoy every one of your works.

That’s why- as a reader who really wants to get into writing- I would love to hear what stands to be your biggest inspirations, and especially what media (whether it books, songs, films, etc.) has influenced your writing. I’ve been looking to develop my writing style by taking in the works of others, so any recommendations are appreciated!

Welcome back, anon! Let me see what I can think of off the top of my head.

As I sit here, the first thing I thought of is vocabulary. I think having a good VOCABULARY is key to making a good story, especially when it comes to the flow. I grew up reading a lot, and recently, I began reading more again just books and articles. Through that process, it's easy to learn words, see a new one, and look it up. You might remember said words and use them later.

I've actually been told that I speak kinda eloquently at certain times, like in a professional-business like way, which I totally don't mean to. But yeah, I digress, vocabulary is very important. I'll give you an example.

I started writing this chapter for a new series, and it was late at night, and my heart wasn't really in it. When I reviewed it, I immediately hated it. Why? Because of the vocabulary. It was all simple words, repetitive, and without any variety. I'm not saying your vocabulary has to be great or anything, but when I write, I always have a site called wordhippo open. Just for when I can't remember a specific word or I'm looking for a synonym to change things up and prevent that annoying repetitiveness.

CHARACTERIZATION is also a huge deal. Writing for characters that are not yours is not easy. It's difficult. One thing I do is if I'm not sure about a character's decisions, actions, dialogue, is I look for reference points from what they're from. Voicelines, art, anything helps. If its lacking, I try to think of another character they're similar to and ask myself what would this other character do? Would it be the same as the first character? That usually helps.

Of course, this includes character development and conflicts and relationships and such. I think some of the best characters I've ever seen in media, are from the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender. That series has such solid personalities, variety within the cast, good interesting conflicts, and one of the best character development arcs in modern day animated media.

As for songs, I usually just listen to instrumental songs when writing. I found that lyrics tended to distract me, which is why I try to avoid it when writing. No series or novels come to mind immediately, although I do write personal reviews for those I read. Most of which is either praise or criticizing (mostly criticizing) the writing style of the author, the characters, or the plot. I'm glad to share some of those, but I've written a good number of them and they're lengthy, just me yapping.

Anyways, that's a lot. I'm not sure if I answered your question as you wanted? I hope I did. Let me know if there's anything else.

[pinkrangersarah]

some Fearless 7 hc's since i'm sailing this boat by myself

merlin

youngest of the group and arthur doesn't let him forget it, i speculate somewhere between 18, like snow, and 20.

shortest of the group, too, with jack only being an inch or two taller

is honestly the biggest baby and hates scary stories. will put on a brave face, though, especially in front of snow.

100% made up his own theme song at some point. you can't tell me a guy who says "you just got merlin'd" didn't also make up his own dumb theme song.

ambidextrous

hates stagnation. hates to be bored. always needs to be doing something.

arthur

the oldest of the group, 21 at the very least and maybe 24 or 25 at most.

also the tallest and strongest, but i honestly think that's just canon.

puts on that tough guy, macho act, but tbh is really just the biggest softie. a giant teddy bear. gives the best hugs. probably cries during cheesy soap operas and rom coms.

also kind of a baby when it comes to scary stuff. lowkey competes with merlin by mocking him to see who's the most scared.

jack

second youngest, second shortest, but honestly the most mature out of the group. lowkey the mom friend.

scariest temper. is honestly pretty relaxed and doesn't get angry often (irritated and annoyed with the antics of the others a lot though), but when it does happen it will put the fear of god into anyone there to witness it. the triplets are the only ones to have yet to be subjects of his wrath.

has 100% used the invisibility cloak to mess with roommates, typically when they've been annoying and he's feeling exceptionally petty.

has dirt on everybody. no one can prove he's eavesdropping but it is strongly suspected. how else can he hold merlin's theme song over his head?

reads trashy romance novels.

hans

second oldest, second tallest, and the second most mature despite his bumbling and naivety. highkey the mom friend.

the house would literally fall apart if he wasn't around. jack might be a tad bit more mature, but it's jack's indifference that sets them apart. hans is the "should we stop them, we should stop them" to jack's "not yet i want to see how this plays out".

second scariest temper, though. no one has actually yet to see it, but the vibe is there and nobody wants to find out for sure.

is the sole reason why the triplets ever eat because they'll forget if he doesn't practically drag them out of their workshop.

pino, noki, and kio

younger than arthur and hans, but older than merlin and jack. definitely no younger than 20.

no preservation skills whatsoever. very "will leap before looking if there's a lure of scientific excitement". curiosity killed the cat and it'll probably kill them one of these days--if hans and/or jack weren't around to stop them.

different heights if you look closely, but all three are taller than merlin and jack. only one of them is about the same height as hans.

are fairly content in their dwarf bodies! the height change is an inconvenience at most, though they rarely notice since they're hardly ever apart.

at least one of them has found and read jack's trashy romance novels and he isn't sure which one. they won't tell him and lowkey enjoy watching him squirm.

also hate stagnation, being bored. they're always doing something. at least one of them jiggles their legs when they're sitting down.

[animehouse-moe]

Spy x Family Volume 11 Ultra Collector

Well, I'm going to be a little late with Spy x Family and the start of Apothecary Diaries today because my afternoon is very busy, so let me show off this really cool Spy Fam special edition from French publisher Kurokawa.

Yeah, there's a hell of a lot in here, and a lot to chat about. Let me start with the box first. Truthfully, I'm sort of let down by it. It's less robust than the volume 8 special edition's box that is a bottom and a lid. Volume 11's using a thinner/lighter box overall and opens via flaps on the side instead of lifting up the top.

What I do like about this box though is how it sticks close in style to volume 8's. Where 8 was a suitcase, volume 11 is all about a TV, which has a pretty fun gimmick. That illustration of Anya, Loid, and Yor? You can actually swap it out with 3 others to "change the channel" on the TV. It's a fun way to spice up the exterior, but I have just one complaint: it's rather finnicky. The card that the illustrations are on is just sorta "in" the box, so it slides and moves around and whatnot. I would have really appreciated a little pocket or sleeve on the inside that the card slid into, but also, this is just the package that the good stuff comes in.

So speaking of good stuff, the tote bag. It's very fun, and surprisingly good quality. The bag also features the illustration of the Forger family on both sides of the bag. I wouldn't say it's the biggest ever, but you could comfortably use it for light to medium shopping in terms of manga. Can't fit 10+ volumes in here easily, but I think anything less than that is plenty fine.

Alright, next up is the books. Now, this is the special edition for volume 11, but there's another volume in here? Well that's because they include the Spy x Family light novel 'Family Portrait' with it. Very cool to see, but I do sort of wish we could have had a special cover for it as well. Though I mean, beggars can't be choosers we got one for Volume 11. Also, I really appreciate that French pubs either make the dust jackets reversible, or keep the original dust jacket alongside the special one. For display purposes it's very handy.

Both the coolest but most frustrating piece in this special edition is the bookend. I think it's a super cool thing to add, especially since it's metal, but that's also where the problem comes in. You need to bend the bookend to make it a bookend. With it being metal, there's not really any going back if you wanted to just display it as a metal card. Not something I like, so it'll be living as metal card forever. Though it's not like I have any alternatives for how they could avoid this issue, so it's a bit hard to voice it as a valid complaint.

And now into the illustration cards. I love getting stuff like this because it gives you so much freedom. They're loose and individual, not double sided, and of decent size (the same size as the manga). Some might disagree, but I think it's fun that they're pre-existing artworks (two of the landscape cards are featured as a poster in the LN). Mostly because you get to 'have' the art from various places as their own separate thing. Really liked one of the color pages or illustrations for Spy x Family, but Viz doesn't do color pages for the manga? Well, now you get them here and separate from the manga. Just a nice touch.

Speaking of nice touches, the bookmarks. They're just from the various covers of the manga, but I think as a sentiment they're a very nice addition (especially because I don't have any bookmarks at all). Just something very simple and easy to add to flesh out the goodies you can get from the special edition.

So there it is, the super cool 'ultra collector' edition of Spy x Family. This is a really interesting addition to my collection and I think a lot of the pieces to this are very unique in terms of what you'll see with special editions. Word of warning though, it's not a cheap special edition. Considering how much comes with it, I'd still say it's worth it for those that enjoy it, but it's not something that a lot of people will "just pick up".

[bethanydelleman]

Manners (following from this post) in Jane Austen's novels. Definition:

"external behavior (especially polite behavior) in social intercourse," late 14c., plural of manner in a specific sense of "proper behavior, commendable habits of conduct" (c. 1300)... Earlier it meant "moral character"

Manners, and the lack of them, matter a lot in Jane Austen's low stakes world where a man's biggest flaw can be rudeness. Here are some quotes from Pride & Prejudice, rapid fire:

The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.

“He is just what a young-man ought to be,” said she, “sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!”

"And so, you like this man’s sisters, too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his."

He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious; and his manners, though well bred, were not inviting. In that respect his friend had greatly the advantage. Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared; Darcy was continually giving offence.

The visit was returned in due form. Miss Bennet’s pleasing manners grew on the good-will of Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley; and though the mother was found to be intolerable, and the younger sisters not worth speaking to, a wish of being better acquainted with them was expressed towards the two eldest.

since Jane united with great strength of feeling, a composure of temper and an uniform cheerfulness of manner

and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness

What can we draw from this? Like taste, manners seem to encompass both education and natural inclination/personality. Darcy and Bingley are both educated, but one has "happy" manners while the other's are "not inviting". Elizabeth's manners are not "fashionable", but may still be admired. Manners can be pleasing and draw one in, as we also see in Emma:

Emma was as much pleased with her manners as her person [Harriet], and quite determined to continue the acquaintance.

We also have Emma's very vague description of what makes manners "good":

In one respect, perhaps, Mr. Elton’s manners are superior to Mr. Knightley’s or Mr. Weston’s. They have more gentleness. They might be more safely held up as a pattern. There is an openness, a quickness, almost a bluntness in Mr. Weston, which every body likes in him, because there is so much good-humour with it—but that would not do to be copied. Neither would Mr. Knightley’s downright, decided, commanding sort of manner, though it suits him very well; his figure, and look, and situation in life seem to allow it; but if any young man were to set about copying him, he would not be sufferable. On the contrary, I think a young man might be very safely recommended to take Mr. Elton as a model. Mr. Elton is good-humoured, cheerful, obliging, and gentle. He seems to me to be grown particularly gentle of late.

Honestly, Emma seems to almost be using "manners" to justify who she likes, without any real consistency.

However, there do seem to be associated good qualities that make good manners as well, as we see with Lady Russell in Persuasion:

She was a benevolent, charitable, good woman, and capable of strong attachments, most correct in her conduct, strict in her notions of decorum, and with manners that were held a standard of good-breeding.

Another interesting quote:

Mrs Clay had freckles, and a projecting tooth, and a clumsy wrist, which he was continually making severe remarks upon, in her absence; but she was young, and certainly altogether well-looking, and possessed, in an acute mind and assiduous pleasing manners, infinitely more dangerous attractions than any merely personal might have been.

Anyway, I don't have an answer, but it was very fun to run around Jane Austen's novels looking at her references to both taste and manners. I think it's clear that education played a big part in both, that there are proper and improper manners & tastes. Manner and taste seem to both be influenced by fashion. There is a difference between natural and polished. They can be wrong or offensive.

I feel like someone could write an entire thesis about these two words!

[darlingpwease]

Hello! I was wondering what do you think might happen a transmigrator!reader catches the attention of mo ran or chu wanning, when all they want to do is have their favorite ship clear up the miscommunication issues they’ve had over the course of the novel world? I would think they are wondering if the plot is going sideways and if they should really be worried.

hello~! thank you for idea!!! to be honest, this is one of my favorite tropes, so I'm not even going to look objective and will indulge myself and what I see hwhwhw~

with any attempt to interfere in their relationship, there is a very high probability of greatly changing them, no matter what this intervention will be. however, if you are soft and implicit, trying only to help them understand each other, it will be more likely to be ignored — Mo Ran is stubborn and not the most emotionally attentive person, which sometimes makes you want to openly say that he should go and do something (and it's not a fact that he will do, even if he agrees, he is more of a "yes, yes, I heard you (and then does everything in his own way)") type, while Chu Wanning is very fixed on his feelings and they are very sensitive and vulnerable.

especially if you influence CHU WANNING — although he looks cold and distant, like a wild cat, it would be wrong for you to forget that those wild cats who were forced to survive on the street, in hunger and cold, will never allow themselves to be thrown out of a warm and cozy home when they find a corner. and the fact that CHU WANNING is overwhelmingly monogamous and seriously the type who can carry love with him all his life, regardless of reciprocity or what his love will do, makes everything only worse — because his soft, defenselessly vulnerable emotions do not even lie under the "armor", but rather are constantly open to anyone, who decides to poke and see. He does not know how, is not able to cope with his emotions inside, preferring to let them gurgle and remain locked until he simply explodes, breaking down, finally expressing everything he feels, feeling a moment of freedom, only to lock them up again.

at the same time, only by influencing his emotions, you can make him open up, because "romance" is the sphere of feelings, and it is here that you will constantly stumble upon his sore and weak points, as if you took an axe to trim the edges of a flower for its better growth. most baby animals have a habit of "yelling" to make it clear that something is wrong with them, but CHU WANNING cannot do this, even if he wants to, which requires even more careful handling than with a porcelain vase, since one wrong movement, word or look, and he immediately locks himself in his cocoon, as if hoping that this way he will have time to protect himself from the even more serious harm that you, in his opinion, will invariably inflict on him.

therefore, you will still have to open this cocoon, break through the walls, use all your intensity to see what is hidden, scratch your hands on the thorns and let the nettles sting your skin to be able to reach him — but by the time you do, this... wouldn't be the best solution. of course, now you have power over his feelings — "please listen to me" where he really listens because emotionally open to you — but an attempt at separation will be perceived with hostility, resentment and even aggressively.

have you been knocking for so long to talk about something else? have you made your way to him to try to "help" with another? you said his feelings were 'valuable', so why are you trying to get rid of him now?... does he look like a rag doll that you can pull from side to side?

his will and perseverance can only be overcome by his death, his emotions are as fragile as butterfly wings — and the fact that he never takes his body into account, while ready to listen to others' opinions, but it is impossible to force him to change his point of view, makes everything even more difficult.

the biggest mistake would be to think that if you leave him alone, then everything will be fixed — the biggest grief and pleasure of CHU WANNING is emotional dependence on someone who is ready to warm his eternally cold personality, but this also makes him afraid of being abandoned, which makes him even more needy-like and overbearing when trying to "transfer" or try to "help" him in his relationship with Mo Ran. he never does what he doesn't want, but when he wants something, then all his power is directed to getting that something or someone.

when he is emotionally vulnerable, open and warm, allowing you to touch his soft and vulnerable heart, he will make sure that you do not go anywhere and disappear, and that you take responsibility, and given how strong and loyal he is, this is almost a hopeless situation. of course, he doesn't force — at least, most of the time, because to allow yourself to force you means to admit that he is so desperate and even worse than he thought of himself, which he will never allow, — but the kind of way one of your favourite character becomes even more depressed and closed, even if CHU WANNING does not express it openly and behaves pointedly coldly, makes you doubt whether you should have tried from the other side...

MO RAN does not switch easier and easier at the same time — in fact, he is closer to the type of "I like you, let's get married", but despite the fervor and passion that you can feel, he is emotionally "cold".

he is not interested in showing his emotions, he is not interested in "parsing" what he feels (until these emotions become muddy) and is not interested in "parsing" other people's emotions. He is not as emotionally manipulative as Shi Mei and does not need emotional care like Chu Wanning — he does not live in a world of emotions, but all of them, and although you understand that it was worth helping Chu Wanning rather to solve most problems with words through his mouth, MO RAN can also make everything easier.

at the same time, it is easier for him to switch to interesting impulses and strong reactions — and it is much easier to lose interest and find new ones. he is closer to the image of a butterfly who is interested only in nectar and other butterflies, but does not pay attention to the "dirt" of the world and is not interested in emotional fulfillment, following the physical impulse of sexual attractiveness.

most likely, your attempts to make him emotionally smarter will be like teaching an old dog a new trick, but MO RAN himself will definitely be interested in these attempts and get closer, and, unlike Chu Wanning, you never know what stimulation he reacts to so fervently that he almost pursues you, persuading you to go with him or following him, flirting and bringing you food or hugging, constantly penetrating your physical space. of course, he nods when you talk about Chu Wanning, but the more you communicate, the higher the chance that he will react irritably or aggressively, starting to get exhausted from how often you talk about shizun and are clearly trying to weave something. Mo Ran is not as strong-willed and domineering as Chu Wanning — he is closer to "hard democracy", determined not just to go and do, but to force you to go along with him — but even more suffocating and clingy, not hesitating to be intense and hot if it gives him what he wants, and he is looking for something in which MO RAN can completely dissolve and become a part, satisfying all the impulses in search of "that" feeling, which makes it even more irrational and unpredictable, especially when you are trying to do something that is clearly it is not focused only on him, while MO RAN exactly craves mutual fixation, no different from the spotlight of a lamp that shines only on you and longs that you will not hide or try to put someone else, but shine.

you can try to ignore it, but it will be a huge mistake — MO RAN'S attempts to "merge" closer to the mating dance in animals, and the fact that you do not reject and do not accept causes even more fire and pressure. MO RAN is not so... 'aggressive', even with the behavior of the spoiled son of the lord of the city, but he is very charismatic and charming and knows what you need and do not need to say to present himself from the best side or convince you.

and, in fact, when you try to leave after all these twirling and dancing, it will be quite awkward. MO RAN is close enough to the natural, "animal" side of himself, and although he is not the most empathic, he is a huge possessive and easily considers you "his", especially when the fixation becomes stronger, and your attempts to escape cause only a desire to strengthen, hook, break through to where you do not allow him, almost bite you not because he's angry, but because he doesn't understand how else to keep you.

and, to be honest, touching them both with the intention of "helping" can cause huge movements, including changes in the balance in the relationship. although at some point you will begin to realize that the plot is wrong, there is little you can do about it — they are both stubborn and unyielding, and both are among the strongest cultivators. their relationship is quite "fixed" and in some sense stable, as long as they are not touched, but it is enough to move one figure so that the consequences are incredibly destructive. even attracting the attention of one can significantly change the dynamics, and imagine what it would be like if it were both at once — not necessarily romantically, but in the form of a close relationship.

MO RAN is more uncontrollable and does not have the same "obviously" soft spot; rather, his fixation is more related to the appearance of something that makes his life brighter, and your care and kindness can easily affect him. his whole life was, to put it mildly, not very good, and to have someone around who supports him, cares and pays attention is... it's unbelievable.

CHU WANNING, on the other hand, longs for a soul that will understand what he has "inside" and will always be with him, accepting him as he is, and this is what makes him more stable and healthy, but the increase in dependence on you also makes him more restless from the thought of what you want "exchange" or "get rid of" him. and the most important and huge problem begins when his will works not against his fixation, but for it — and this can easily appear if he begins to feel that this is the only way he can keep you.

mhm~