#essay styling

[dlstmxkakwldrlarchive]

250523 SHINee World VII E.S.S.A.Y. Day I

Poet |Artist (short version)

[demonicsuffrage]

By some supernatural accident, Batman and Superman swap bodies. But the accident was just so embarassing that they collectively decided to NOT tell anyone about, and figure out how to reverse it all on their own. But, unfortunately, this means they now have to keep up this farce in front of their families

Clark, in Bruce's body, wiping some blood off his mouth and wincing at the 15 cracked ribs he now has: Guess I can bleed, huh

Dick, staring in disbelief after the patrol: YES OFCOURSE YOU CAN!? WHY THE HELL DID YOU THROW YOURSELF DIRECTLY ON TOP OF A GRENADE-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce, in Clark's body, squinting at the bright smallville sun at the Kent farm: This is way too much for 11 am

Jon, staring at his newly grumpy dad: I think batman is a bad influence on you, dad

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clark in Bruce's body, staring at his reflection in the mirror: The shoulder to waist ratio is insane, such a grabbable waist

Poor Tim, who accidentally overheard this, getting ready to call Arkham: Uhuh it's definitely, insane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kon: And so I said, ofcourse, i would love the soup-er salad!

Bruce in Clark's body, deadpan expression on his face:

Kon: Get it? Soup-er salad?

Bruce: Yes

Kon, sad puppy expression: You always laugh at soup puns :(

Bruce, now with an Extremely Forced little smile: Yes it was very....funny

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clark, in Bruce's body, rushing to hug a visibly bleeding Jason who walked into the cave after patrol: What happened?! Are you okay?

Jason, freezing up because the last time Bruce ran to hug him was, never:

Clark, immediately backing up, and speaking with a deliberately gruff voice: I mean. Is the blood yours? Son.

Jason:...no

[justarandombrit]

I've just been absolutely rambling in my notes app about Monstrous Regiment. Like.

It's such a silly premise at face value, a regiment where every single person is actually a woman pulling a Mulan (or, rather more fittingly, a Sweet Polly Oliver), but then you read it and it's about blind faith, the pitfalls of war and organised religion, how we use those things to hide hatred and fear. It's about gender roles, and how flawed the idea that “If women were in charge, there'd be no wars” is. It's about people, and human nature, as almost every Discworld book is, when you get down to it.

It's got a coffee-addict vampire. What's not to like?

[writer-logbook]

How to improve your writing style : a 5-steps guide.

Intro : I love the 5-steps format, don’t mind me. Again, this essay is based on my personal experience.

Read in different genres. Ok, I know you’ve probably heard this advice more than you can count but did you ask yourself why it is so important ? You probably wonder ‘‘How reading some historical fiction will help me writing my sci-fi novel ?’’ For that simple reason my friend : they meet different purposes. You don’t know how to describe a castle ? It’s okay, historical fiction got your back. Because it aims at something more realistic and accurate, it would tend to be more specific and detailed when it comes to describing clothes, furniture, places and so on. Why ? Because, most of the time, THEY ACTUALLY EXISTED. Take a closer look at how it is done and draw your inspiration from it (but please avoid plagiarism it’s bad - and illegal)

Take notes and CLASSIFY them. To make reading somehow useful, you have to actually make it concious, which means you have to write things down to remember them. When I come across a description I like, I tend to takes notes of the figures of speech that are used and class them, so when I have to write a similar scene, I have an idea of what have been already used, and weither or not it achieved its goal. I am NOT talking about COPY another author’s style !!!! It’s about finding inspiration and new approaches. I also tend to take notes of the new words I wish to incoporate into my writing. The thesaurus is my new bestie.

Rewrite the same scene from different POVs. First of all, it’s fun. And it’s a really good way to spot quirky formulations. For instance, if you describe a ship, the captain’s POV should be different from that of a simple observer. The first one would be naming each part princisely whereas the other would only be admiring the surface without knowing anything. If the caption is the same for both POVs, maybe you should consider write your passage again (or have a good reason, like a strong amateurism for the mere observer). It’s go hand in hand with coherence - but it would be an essay for another time (maybe).

Read your text aloud. I put major emphasis on that one because it’s as underated as reading books for various genres. You have no idea how much we DON’T speak the way we write. Even dialogues are crafted in our stories - so make sure to give them proper attention. (i even read my email aloud but-). I KNOW how cringey it might be as I am doing it MYSELF but the benefits are worth the 35-minutes shame I endure from my own mess. Before you can shine, you have to polish (shout out to the one who said that first if it’s not me).

Take a step back. I strongly advice you to let some time pass before reading your text again and profreading it. It will cast a new light upon your work and with fresh eyes you’d be more likely able to spot what needs to be erased or rephrased.

That’s all for me today. Since I would be entering my proofreading phase for my writing contest, the next essay would probably about proofreading (with examples from my own novel ?). Unless someone wants me to write on a specific subject first.

Gentle reminder that I’m still French and not a native so please forgive my dubious grammar and outrageous mispellings.

[cerealforkart]

My sister was visiting over the weekend and we rewatched a bunch of fmab so I had to draw something for my favourite prince and avarice incarnate

[royaldollybox]

The heart killers text post part 7 ft. Ep 7

Devine bouts of madness took over me making these

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

[kiwikiwiandkiwi]

HARRY BEING HARRY ON TOUR — Love on Tour: UK + Europe Leg, 2023

[chungledown-bimothy]

i absolutely adore that brennan did neverafter, a specifically horror season, and then aabria has rocked into the dome twice since and horrified brennan. real "with all due respect, anything you can do, i can do better. on your turf, even" energy

dgmw neverafter was, in fact, quite scary, but personally, i did find the visceral horror of burrow's end and the psychological terror of peloton segway island more impactful.

[thefastestclockintheuniverse]

God this scene - like many instances in Homestuck - elicits such pathos and at the same time is played for laughs. Which especially works here, because Dirk plays into Dave's "so fucked up" almost to give him an out for something which is both so deeply instinctive and sincere.

And it's heartbreaking that Dave feels the need to apologise as though Dirk is going to push him away or tell him off despite the fact they've just had a huge conversation about why Dirk is not Bro and vice versa. Because as much as he's protested that he doesn't miss his Bro of course he does and this hug also symbolises that hugely confusing attachment he still has to the guy who presided over his childhood and all its trauma.

[cherriesforheaven]

got this insane urge to become a keyboard warrior when i saw someone say samson and cullen could've easily swapped places in DAI and that we never see cullen's character growth ect. - which is...imo the dumbest take i've ever heard. Samson...the lyrium addict in dark town that was selling mages into slavery for his addiction...Samson who thinks meredith is a mad dog hawk should put down....samson the guy who if u get him back into the templar order regresses back into his addiction... you think Cassandra would pick HIM to be the commander of the Inquistion back when it only existed to mediate the conflict between mages/templars when Cullen was de-facto Knight Commander of Kirkwall for two whole years???? How would corypheaus - a TEVINTER MAGE magister (who mind u, is portrayed as being akin to the serpent in the garden of eden according to the chant of light) be able to manipulate someone who is off lyrium, a devout andrastian, so ferelden he probably named his kids after his favorite mabari, and hated mages with a burning passion for a large chunk of his life. Be serious....his character arc isn't even about addiction its about what it means to seek redemption for for all the self hatred he allowed to grow inside of him after Kinloch Hold, how atonement is found through REDEMPTIVE ACTS instead of karmic punishment. Even his scenes where he struggles with the philtrum of lyrium aren't actually about his addiction they are about his self loathing- and why he needs to get away from the chantry because he did not like the man he became when he served under it- I DIGRESS but typing this out made me realize none of the companions in DATV have this kind of pull, they're not interesting to talk about or hyper fixate on 😗 its been like 6 months since I first played DAI and im still in love w cullen, but I can't remember the plot of datv anymore

[dlstmxkakwldrlarchive]

250525 SHINee World VII E.S.S.A.Y Day III

[random-lil-illing]

ily riotflower pls dont explode in btsv

[mangapeach]

some snippets of a mini comic i've been working on for the past two weeks - it's alex (my new kid oc) and wendy focused + bg style :'D

you can read here!

[writer-logbook]

5 tips for proofreading & their pros and cons

Define your objectives for each chapter. In my case, some of my chapters are better written than others. My objectives for them will differ. Before starting my proofreading, I list my needs and areas of improvements, and I write them down somewhere so I have them in front of me rather than in my head alone.

Pros : allows you to know which points you need to focus on ; provides a guideline adapted to your needs.

Cons : risk of losing homogeneity and fluidity + flaws may be shifted to other chapters that didn't have them before due to a sudden imbalance.

Plan several proofreading sessions, each one of them addressing ONE NEED AT A TIME. (E.g., one for grammar, another for style, and a final one for coherence. ) And I insist on the "one need at a time" part. Even for those who can multitask (unlike me), I really don't recommend settling for a single proofreading session. It could interfere with your concentration and let you skip some flaws. And please, always give your chapter a final read after your edits to ensure that the elements make sense as a whole, and are not repeated every two paragraphs (I plead guilty, your honor)

Pros: allows you to focus precisely on each point, and give it dedicated attention.

Cons: you can quickly get confused and risk multiple re-readings + significant time investment.

I make my corrections on a separate file. Whatever you do, it's always better to have a backup and therefore to save your files (don't blindly trust autosave) to create archives. I think it's a two-ways process : 1) you open two files simultaneously, one with your V1 and one, blank, where you'll rewrite your chapter as you make changes. Eventually, this new doc will become your V2 ; 2) you copy the parts to proofread into a new document and edit directly in there.

Pros: allows you to rewrite as you wish without being discouraged by the following paragraphs - especially in case of the first way.

Cons: requires multiple files (maybe multiple screens to be at ease) and better organization.

Change the typography. I don't know about you, but after a while, I'm struck by semantic satiation (click on the link - it's Wikipedia -, it's very interesting) and nothing makes sense anymore. After the 52,846th proofreading, I might as well read in another language. I've found a relatively effective trick - not as effective as a complete break, but sometimes you need to move forward - which consists of changing the typography. I can't remember who gave me this advice though, but be sure they've been thanked more than enough in my mind. In any case, seeing words change their shape significantly helps my brain to stay focused and attentive. (Maybe it's just my mind playing tricks on me but I only see the results.)

Pros: it's simple to implement.

Cons: I don't know if this trick works for everyone or if I'm the only weirdo (you can tell me in the comment section).

Take notes. This is a very personal tip but I keep a proofreading logbook. Like, I record in a few sentences the first time an element is mentioned, how it's describes, and most importantly… I MENTION THE DATES. The story I'm currently writing is heavily governed by a chronological system, so I have an absolute need to keep the day count up to date.

Pros: helps avoid inconsistencies and oversights.

Cons: very tedious to maintain and creates (a lot) of extra work.

I've started my prooreading journey yesterday and I already want to die. If I find in the edits something that is worth making a post, be sure that I will. Or let me know if you're simply curious.

Gentle reminder : Best is the worst enemy of good so, at some point, you'll have to let it go and let your chapter live its life to its fullest. Don't be hard on yourself and be proud of your work - or know that I am.

[saiyanmazen]

Parenting styles in Dragon Ball Z (and Super)

You know, to me, the interesting thing about this scene (and the one where they could to the aforementioned park) isn't the fact that Vegeta keeps his promise.

It's the fact that he uses positive reinforcement to motivate Trunks.

Do you think Vegeta was ever rewarded for landing a good hit? Definitely not. It was expected of him.

As an expert in children's development, I find it fascinating to look at this example of Vegeta parenting Trunks and what it says about his parenting style. I've seen headcanons that go from calling 'Dadgeta' authoritarian to neglectful, but I disagree.

In the following, I will briefly describe the four styles of parenting with focus on the authoritarian and the authoritative styles. I'll also compare them to how DBZ parents appear to raise their children, but mainly focus on Vegeta.

Authoritarian:

This is the old school parenting method where restrictions and punishments go hand in hand. The parents expect the children to obey rules without a clear explanation as to why and corporal punishment is used when the children overstep.

Unsurprisingly, it seems like a lot of people believe this is how Vegeta raises his children (If he is even involved; I'll address this later on.) It was likely how he was raised.

However, the only parent we actually see using this style is Chichi. She's not entirely unreasonable, but we do see her expect things from Gohan without explanations and she has a lot of restrictions set up. This might have something to do with Goku's parenting style, but more on that later.

Piccolo also uses authoritarianism with Gohan, but he isn't trying to parent him, just train him.

What's really interesting is that children raised in a household practicing authoritarianism tend to hold a lot of anger inside. They also have low self-efficacy and high self blame. Remind you of someone?

Indulgent

Here we see nurturing, accepting parents who don't have behavioral expectations of their children. They are responsive to the children's needs and wishes, but do not expect them to be the same toward other people. The parents want to be the child's friend rather than a demanding parent.

Children of indulgent parents tend to grow up without a sense of others' boundaries and generally have less discipline than their peers. They lack impulse control and are often irresponsible.

In DBZ we do see signs of this parenting style, but only limited. It's not commonly used in Asia and therefore, Toriyama didn't add it. In GT it's obvious that both Trunks and Bulla seem have been parenting this way by Bulma. It's also why many doubt that Vegeta has been much involved.

It's also easy to argue that Goku parents this way, although it's up for discussion.

Neglectful

Although many think that the indulgent parenting style have created a generation of undisciplined young people, the neglectful parenting style has actually had a greater effect.

The parents are either more interested in themselves and their own goals than their children's. (Although sometimes it's because the parents struggle with stress or depression) Children of these parents are usually lonely and melancholic, often have very low self esteem and are needy after affection and approval. This leads them to be easily manipulated and they are at a higher risk to end up in abusive relationships.

I think many of the Vegeta antis and those claiming Goku is a bad parent would place the two Saiyans here.

However, Goku is clearly involved in Gohan's upbringing, albeit choosing a more casual approach than Chichi, and returns after being dead for seven years, ready to be involved with Goten (and Gohan if he wants it). The reason that Goku mainly focuses on training isn't just because it's his own interest. It's what he knows for sure how to do.

Most importantly: it was how Goku was raised himself. First by Grandpa Gohan and later from his other father figure, Master Roshi. It isn't just in his blood; it's in his upbringing.

And then there's Vegeta’s parenting style which was my main focus for this post. It got a little out of control, but we have finally arrived at the last parenting style:

Authoritative

This is the most modern parenting style, even though it isn't really new. It's been used for years in well functioning familes. This type of parent is both demanding and nurturing, being present and engaged in their children's lives. They explain things to their children, teach them how to regulate their feelings and therefore expect a mature behavior from them.

Children of authoritative parents tend to be more successful in their adult lives, capable of discipline and well-liked. Because they aren't constantly being restricted, they naturally develope autonomy within set boundaries and learn to respect others, regardless of authority.

So, what does this have to do with Vegeta and Trunks?

As I mentioned in the beginning, in the scene in the Gravity Chamber, Vegeta uses positive reinforcement to motive Trunks. Positive reinforcement has proven to be a healthy way to motivate children (and animals) and is a part of the authoritative style. By using it, Vegeta provides Trunks with rules that foster motivation and discipline in the child. The fact that Vegeta knows about the amusement and can use it as an incentive also shows that he is involved enough to know what may get Trunks to do his best.

But the most important thing we see is that Vegeta upholds his promise, despite hating every second of it. It shows that he respects Trunks' efforts and achievement. By honoring his word, he also teaches Trunks to do the same.

Of course, this is a small scene and we don't know how Vegeta behaves otherwise in regards to Trunks. But it's safe to say that Vegeta does take his son's wishes into account and uses it to encourage him to move beyond his limits.

I admit that I'm not a fan of GT and don't consider it canon, especially because of Toriyama's lack of involvement. So, while I dislike many aspects of DBS, I do think it's the best representation of the characters.

In Super, both Goten and Trunks are well adjusted boys who both have discipline and test the boundaries of their autonomy. They act like boys their age, albeit with incredibly strength, and it goes to show that their parents have raised them well.

Of course, it's also important to remember that both DBZ and DBS (and even GT) are a product of their time and the parenting styles reflect that. DBZ is from the 80's where the authoritarian (Chichi) and indulgent (Goku) styles were the most common. GT is from the 90's where the media started to focus on indulgent and neglectful parents - even though it wasn't a new thing - and it's shown that Trunks, Bulla and Goten have grown up as spoiled and undisciplined. DBS shows that the parents in the show have become authoritative and their children's behavior reflects that.

It's clear that the parents are doing their best and that the fathers have become more involved nowadays than before. This is the case in modern parenting as well.

Anyway, this is the end of my long rant. I think, as both an expert in children's development and as a parent myself, it's interesting to look into the relationships between the characters, especially the father-son interactions which are explored the most. There's no doubt that Toriyama knew the importance of being a father and wanted to portray it, mainly in Goku and Gohan's relationship.

I don't think Toriyama saw Goku nor Vegeta as bad fathers, but he knew that everyone has different strengths, even in parenthood.

[thoughtsbysofi]

Who’s Parenting Who? Remember, You’re Their Child, Not Their Savior.

Your parents are not your responsibility. They never were.

There’s a phenomenon I’ve been noticing lately—call it the parent trap, if you will. It’s what happens when kids grow up feeling like they have to parent their own parents. Maybe it’s because they saw too much, too soon: the overdue bills, the endless hours at work, the stress etched into their mother’s face. And because kids are wired to make sense of things—no matter how senseless—this one thought starts to take root: It’s my fault. This is because of me.

And it doesn’t help that some parents—whether they mean to or not—fuel the guilt. “I work this hard so you can have everything,” they’ll say. “I do it all for you.” Sure, it sounds noble, but let’s be real: to a kid, it’s less “noble” and more, Great. I’m the reason they’re miserable.

So what does the kid do? They start carrying a weight they were never meant to bear. They don’t want Mom to feel overworked. They don’t want Dad to seem defeated. They want to help, to fix it, to be the reason their parents are okay. And before you know it, you’ve got a 14-year-old with the emotional load of a 40-year-old.

I picture that kid putting on their dad’s oversized shoes. They’re stumbling around, tripping on the laces, but they’re trying. Oh, they’re trying. They’ve convinced themselves they can handle it. But the truth is, those shoes? They don’t fit. They never will.

Fast-forward a few decades. That kid is now an adult, still carrying that same weight—guilt, obligation, a constant need to prove their worth. They think they owe their parents for everything. For raising them. For providing. For existing. They can’t shake the feeling that they’ve got a tab to settle.

But here’s the thing, and I need you to hear this loud and clear: You don’t owe your parents for being born. Your existence is not a debt.

If I could pour a martini and sit down with that grown-up kid—now drowning in oversized emotional baggage—I’d say this: Your only job was to be a child. That’s it. Not to be their therapist, or their savior, or their financial planner. Yes, show gratitude. Yes, be kind. But no, you don’t need to give your life away just because they gave you yours.

Take off those too-big shoes. Drop the backpack stuffed with guilt, shame, and the belief that you’re responsible for everyone else’s happiness. It was never yours to carry.

Everywhere you go, people are walking around carrying something—shopping bags, tote bags, emotional baggage. But the truth is, you don’t need to carry what’s not yours. You’ve got your own life to walk through, and trust me, that’s enough weight for anyone.

So here’s to giving yourself the freedom to breathe.

-xoxo