#htstw

[iced-souls]

So it was planned to be an XD animation meme, song di young, based on the fan-fic “How to SAVE the World” (absolutely great, 100% recommend)(check out on @talkingsoup) but ya, sadly will probably never finish, like the usual frustration of wips—

Pt 1–

[cookiecutterwrites]

Some Top Tier Character Tropes:

Parroting someone’s catchphrase, motto, or mantra ironically back to them at a crucial moment for maximum angst.

Using incredible powers for mundane things or refusing to use them at all because they make things “boring”.

Bonus: using said powers for everything BUT what they were meant for.

Dramatically collapsing onto things, for drama because you’re spent, OR for comedy, because it’s always a good time to collapse dramatically.

Being too ignorant or jaded to react appropriately to danger.

Bonus: overreacts to ridiculously small threat OR everyone knows it’s going down if and only when this character finally acknowledges the threat.

Soft, mostly harmless bean pushed to the breaking point and unleashing everything they’ve been holding back.

[kaissauce]

WAKE UP HOMIE NEW HTSTW CHAPTER DROPPED WOOWOWOWOWOWOW

[atiyanaa]

How to Save the World

pls boost if you can!

I’m launching an online publication(how to save the world). We take any kind of writing/art and I’m the editor so I’ll work on the piece (if there’s any writing), send it back, and the publish it on the site.

It feels like a lot to ask with what's going on, but now more than ever we need a space to share what we’re dealing with and how we want to move forward. It’s been daunting trying to launch HTSTW because I haven’t gotten enough submissions but this is something I believe in and something I think we desperately need—an organized site dedicated to real emotion and honestly— when so much that surrounds us is hard to trust. It’s ambitious but I am so dedicated to it. 

SO, if you or anyone you know would like to submit, I’d be honored to work with you. We take articles, academic papers, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, photography, interviews, videos, and anything else I can embed in a website. 

if you want more info on what the site means or is about, comment? or dm me? i can just add it on to this post too. 

I love you all, thank you for even taking the time to read! 

[tryslora]

Chapter drafted, slowly gaining speed with this. Moving on. Don’t think I will make my 4k in 4 hours goal for the afternoon, but I do feel way better about it than I did three and a half hours ago.

[gottsthoughts]

I've had ideas floating around my head for a series of posts, but I never had the time to sit down and collect enough to post regularly. I have decided to make them a once-in-a-whenever-I-feel-like-it series. 

On gottsthoughts I will have a Comedy out of Context series

On life-abundant I will continue my How to Save the World series that originated on Facebook (www.facebook.com/htstw)

And on my personal tumblr littmus-lozenge I will run a series called How I Came to Be

[cookiecutterwrites]

Bold of you to assume I can write sci-fi. I’ve really only been putting ‘space’ in front of things and hoping for the best.

[cookiecutterwrites]

i love talking swords. sword that talks is a good character trope

[cookiecutterwrites]

There are 8x1067 possible ways to arrange a deck of cards. That’s 8 followed by 67 zeroes.

Don’t worry about being unoriginal because every trope, archetype, and plot has been done to death. Embrace the tropes! Stack them up the way 3D resin art doesn’t make sense until all the layers are in place.

Any story you might tell is a set of familiar plot elements in a novel arrangement, one that’s likely never existed before.

It’s not about the tropes themselves. It’s about the permutations.

[cookiecutterwrites]

90% of my characters have the emotional intelligence of a potato and I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do about it,

[cookiecutterwrites]

Second wind is an A+ trope:

The villain swats the hero some distance away and they eat dirt, tumble, collapse. Maybe leave a dent in whatever they were launched into.

The villain’s job here is done. They bask in their victory -

But it’s not over yet. Painfully, the hero stands, back facing the villain. They look small and broken, they’re running on fumes. Maybe they glance at the sky, just grateful they’re still breathing.

Then they glare back, a downright murderous look in their eye that screams, “Let’s go another round.”

[cookiecutterwrites]

How to Save the World in 12 Easy Steps was a title borrowed from an abandoned superhero trilogy, the other 2 parts being titled A Take-Over-the-World Type of Attitude and We’re All Doomed.

Now that I’m thinking of un-abondoning this wip, im stuck since I can’t just have two wips named How to Save the World. Whoopsies.

[cookiecutterwrites]

Marley: Surgery is just stabbing someone to life

Tetra: ...No?

Khep: Please never become a surgeon

Jaidyn: Somebody... stab me please...

[cookiecutterwrites]

WIP Blind Date Info

Title of your WIP: How to Save the World in 12 Easy Steps

Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi Kitchen Sink, Slice of life parody; Serialized screenplay.

Trigger Warnings: Violence and death, animal cruelty, suicide ideation, abduction, torture. HTSTW is a comedy first but still has plenty of darker themes.

Stage of writing process: Completed season 1.

Synopsis: Half-alien hybrid searches for her human mother and evades the wrath of her alien uncle in a city literally split over multiple dimensions and genres, where anything, and everything, can happen. Everywhere. All at the same time. Call it a kitchen sink.

Character information [OPTIONAL]:

Tetra Silane (15, Chaotic Good) - Transfer student, human-alien hybrid. She thrives on chaos and she drinks too much tea. Marley Benson (16, Lawful Evil) - A supervillain-in-the-making with dreams of one day ruling the world. Jaidyn Shepherd (17, True Neutral) - The reluctant Chosen One. Master of the deadpan delivery. John Smith (17, Neutral Good) - Just your perfectly average, normal kid trucking along in the midst of all this.

They go to high school together.

Links: WIP Intro, Pilot, E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, E10, E11, E12

WIP tag: #wip and #htstw as well as individual character tags #marley, #tetra, #jaidyn, #khep, #john smith, #pavlova, #yasmine, #whittaker, #arbuckle, #jeb,

Other WIP Information [OPTIONAL]: I know this isn’t the usual format or genre for writeblr, but please keep an open mind! I think you’ll like How to Save the World if you’re a fan of slice of life parody anime or dark comedy.

Constructive criticism: Sure!

[7/7 Update: added latest episodes, bolded key links for my date]

[cookiecutterwrites]

Game Day! - How to Save the World in 12 Easy Steps, S1E8

Tetra tries out for catgirl cheer squad while Marley, Jaidyn, and Khep gear up for an epic game day watch party.

Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Kitchen Sink, Slice of Life

Wordcount: ~2800

TW: Death and gore. Implied animal abuse and death.

INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

TETRA stands gazing up at a saccharine-pink poster pinned to the center of the bulletin board: CHEER SQUAD TRYOUTS!!!

MARLEY rolls up to a stop behind her, speaks without quite turning to look at Tetra proper.

               MARLEY    Is that what you really want?

Tetra whips around to face her.

               TETRA    What? I can’t hear you, there’s lots of people and you're not facing me.

Marley looks away, maintaining the caricature of surreptitiousness.

               MARLEY    Ugh! I’m not supposed to have opinions on the cheer squad, I should be above this.

She relents, turns, claps both hands down on Tetra’s shoulders.

               MARLEY    Don’t do this. Those girls are the embodiment of evil on this campus.

               TETRA    That’s not true. You’re the embodiment of evil on this campus.

               MARLEY    I’m flattered but also you’re wrong.

KHEP sidles up behind them. Stops. Doesn't quite turn to face them either, same as Marley before.

               KHEP    You know, the Aesta Bowl is tonight.

               TETRA    What?

               MARLEY    Tetra's trying out for cheer squad.

               KHEP        (turning)    Tetra's -- what?!

               TETRA    What? What's going on?

               KHEP    Don't do it, those girls aren't alright. There's like 8 of them but they all act like one person.

               TETRA    So... exactly like you?

               KHEP    No! Not like that! ... If you go, they'll make you one of them.

Marley nods vigorously.

PAVLOVA sidles up behind the trio, stops abruptly, speaks without quite turning to face them. For those keeping track, that three now.

               PAVLOVA    What's this about the cheer squad? Tread carefully, take it from me. They're the only kids in our grade I can't control.

               TETRA                       MARLEY    What?! Speak up!                Not you too.

Pavlova narrows her eyes at Marley.

               PAVLOVA    I've already said too much. I should be above this.

She marches out. Marley, Khep, and Tetra watch her depart. And then,

               TETRA    But isn't it good to give people a chance?

               MARLEY    Not like this.

               TETRA    That just makes me want to prove you wrong.

She spins sharply on her heel and bounds away.

Marley pinches the bridge of her nose. Khep shakes their head.

               KHEP    Aesta bowl. Our place, tonight. Bring snacks.

               MARLEY    Why your place?

               KHEP    We have the most normal house.

               MARLEY    Won't your parents -

               KHEP    They're clueless -

               TETRA (O.S.)    Sorry fellas. It sounds fun but I'm all tied up! Trying out for the cheer squad and all that!

               MARLEY        (quietly to Khep)    Should we stop her?

Khep shrugs.

               KHEP    She's gonna find out sooner or later. It's just one day, she'll be fine.

Marley hums in agreement and makes for her locker.  SBAF! She vanishes in a flash of teleporter light.

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY

Tetra plods by bleachers of milling football players, baseball players, and track athletes.

Enter, the CHEER SQUAD. 8 catgirls, all 16, slo-mo power walk onto the field. They're led by KATRINA, CALLIE, and CADY, who each execute a pristine shampoo-ad hair flip in turn. The rest flank out to either side. Their ears twitch, their dainty little fangs sparkle.

Katrina pauses to pull RILEY -- 17, quarterback -- into a deep, passionate kiss. He's the very picture of a dumb jock.

Tetra speedwalks to catch up to them, which is not difficult, since, you know, slow motion.

               TETRA    Hey! Hi!

This brings them up to speed. They break formation, shoot Tetra a dirty look, reform in seemingly the blink of an eye.

               KATRINA    You here for tryouts?

Tetra nods.

               CALLIE        (whispering)    Told you someone would be gullible -

               KATRINA    Quiet, Callie!

Callie rolls her eyes. Tetra frowns.

               KATRINA    Skylark High's game day is coming up in less than a week. We'll have to whip you in shape in record time since our best flyer, Cassie, dropped out -

She narrows her eyes, slit pupils gleaming.

               CALLIE    She couldn't take the pressure of laying down her life for the Princess Kittarella -

               KATRINA        (hissing)    I swear to Bast if you don't learn to hold your pretty little tongue, I'll tear it out for you.

She brandishes DAGGER-POINT CLAWS with a SCHINK!

Callie throws her hands up in surrender, rolls her eyes, huffs.

Katrina turns back to Tetra, cocks her head. Tetra welds herself to the spot, eyes wide.

               KATRINA    Cady, check if she's flyer material.

Cady SEIZES Tetra, and before she knows it, she's scooped up bridal-style. She just goes along with it, like any good citizen of Muttonchop.

               CADY    Huh. Lighter than you look. Kat, what if she turns out, you know, good?

               KATRINA    Have a little faith, Cady. If she's got it, we let her in.

EXT. KHEP'S HOUSE - DAY

Marley knocks on the front door.

               KHEP (O.S.)    Let her in!

JAIDYN answers the door. Unimpressed, he turns, shouts back into the house.

               JAIDYN    It's Marvin!

               KHEP (O.S.)    Yeah, let her in! The game's about to start!

Marley glares daggers into the vanilla faux-rustic HOME SWEET HOME doormat.

               JAIDYN    You gonna come in or what?

She sighs deeply.

               JAIDYN    Yeah, thought you might not be over not having the skybeams for the occasion. About the overpass incident, I'm-

               MARLEY        (shrugging)    Figured I'd just try enjoy the game like all the brainless peasant scum.

She holds up a tupperware.

               MARLEY    I brought kimchi.

She pushes past him, barging into the house.

INT. KHEP'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Khep scuttles up to meet them.

               KHEP    Just so you know, John Smith's parents don't know anything about this eons-old lightning spirit thing. So, you know -

They mime zipping their mouth shut.

               MARLEY    John Smith? So he's a real person?

FLASHBACK:

EXT. KHEP'S HOUSE - NIGHT

A haggardly ELDERY WOMAN dressed in what looks to be at least seven layers slinks around the perimeter of the Smiths' house. She crouches down near the picket fence, and then -

ZAP! A pronged LIGHTNING BOLT SHOOTS out of her and latches on to the phone line outside. Khep picks their way toward the house and in though an open window, STRIKING a YOUNG JOHN SMITH, 10, in the chest.                KHEP (V.O.)    We only switch bodes when we absolutely have to. We pick our hosts carefully but he... he was even more perfect than we thought. Perfectly average in every way. Inconspicuous. Exactly what we needed to keep a low profile.

               MARLEY (V.O.)    Wait, so that means there's an original John Smith -

EXT. THE PERSPICACIOUS MYRIORAMA

An expanse of overcast grey as far as the eye can see. The very air ripples with indistinct whispers. Faces materialize, melt, reform -- flit in and out of the fog. In the center of it all sits JOHN SMITH, 17, scrunched up, hugging his knees, trembling, eyes wide, knuckles gnawed raw.

               KHEP (V.O.)    It only takes about 3 minutes for us to completely overwhelm our host's nervous system. But yes. John Smith is still in here. Just like all our previous hosts. Broken and assimilated, but alive.

INT. YOUNG JOHN SMITH'S BEDROOM - DAY

Young John Smith puts on a baseball cap backwards. His eyes flash with electricity briefly -- Khep's in control.

               KHEP (V.O.)    At first, we'd confer with him to make sure his behavior was no different from usual. These days he doesn't speak much.

FLASHBACK END:

Back to Marley, Jaidyn, and Khep.

               MARLEY    You ripped an innocent child's life from him? That's cold. I respect it.

               KHEP    We're not proud of it.

               MR. SMITH (O.S.)    John! Come help your old man out, I think there's a cat under the hood!

Khep starts.

               KHEP    Yes, pops! Coming!        (to Marley and Jaidyn)    We'll be right back, you guys get ready -

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY

Cady and Callie lock hands, joining forces. Tetra balances in between them. Katrina and the rest of the squad watch from a safe distance.

               CALLIE    Ready?

Cady nods.

               TETRA    Wait, what is this -

The cheerleaders FLING Tetra into the air. Tetra's first instinct is to lock up and SHRIEK.

But by the second throw, she's come to her senses.

And on her third flight, she pulls off a SOMERSAULT WITH A HALF-TWIST.

               KATRINA    Halt!

Cady and Callie catch Tetra handily, each bewildered.

               KATRINA    How'd you do that?

               TETRA        (shrugging)    It was weird at first but it's not so different from the anti-gravity field of an Aidrebdian warship.

The cheer squad huddle up and discuss in hushed whispers.

               CADY    I like her, Kat. Let's keep her.

               KATRINA    She is blonde...

Tetra simpers, peels off her wig.

               TETRA    It's a wig.

               CALLIE    ... How does it stay on?

               TETRA    Magnets.

               CALLIE    I'm not even gonna ask how that works.

Katrina purrs slightly, head tipped to the side, turns to Tetra.

               KATRINA    I like you. You're in.

Tetra gasps, practically bounces with exhilaration.

Katrina ushers her off the field.

               KATRINA    Come on now. Let's get you fitted for your uniform.

In the back, the rest of the squad break from formation, beam at the sound of good news, burst into a triumphant cheer -

           SMASH CUT TO:

INT. SMITH'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

Marley ERUPTS into barely-contained cheers, LEAPING off the couch!

Jaidyn snacks on chips, more or less devoid of emotion. He simply can't bring himself to be invested.

The lights are dimmed, an outdated early-2000s television set bathes the pair in cold, synthetic light.

The contents of the Bowl in question: gratuitous violence!

To set the scene: a forest in COMPLETE and UTTER CHAOS. A SPACE MARINE shoots a CENTAUR IN THE HEAD, BLASTING BRAINS ALL OVER THE LENS. A Robin Hood-type perched in a pine tree picks off distant competitors. A MOSASAUR BURSTS from the rapids, snapping a winged woman straight from the air. NO MERCY. NO SIGN OF LETTING UP. NO CENSORSHIP.

An overexcited COMMENTATOR, 35, narrates the action:

               COMMENTATOR    And here comes Kris straight down the field - OH!! A shadow strike, a classic! And another one bites the dust -- KRIS, ladies and gentlemen, biting the heads off her victims! AND THE CROWD GOES WILD! It's only been 10 minutes and we already have over 40 dead. Who will survive?! Who will emerge victorious?! Don't change the channel, it's Muttonchop's very own annual AESTA BOWL!

A robed WIZARD fires crystal blasts at TIMMY TOOTHBRUSH, 27, a scrawny little reed of a man armed with nothing but the humble toothbrush. He LEAPS out of the way, dodging narrowly. With a growl, he surges toward the wizard and STABS the old man THROUGH THE HEART!

Marley SQUEALS!

               MARLEY    I stan you, Timmy Toothbrush!

               JAIDYN    How is he doing that? Is it hexed?

               MARLEY    Nope, it's a regular ol' toothbrush. You saying you could swing a toothbrush better?

               JAIDYN    I was blessed by Iadou, the goddess of pointy objects and sharp edges, as an infant. So yes. But this guy -

               MARLEY    Isn't he amazing?!

She sits, simmers down but still practically quivers with awe. Jaidyn munches on chips. Yells, explosions, and bloody murder ring from the screen.

               JAIDYN    Where is Tetra anyway?

               MARLEY    She's trying out for cheer squad.

Cronch, but like, suspicious.

               MARLEY    Don't look at me! I tried to stop her.

               JAIDYN    Did you really? Call me crazy, but I could see you working with them. You kinda remind me of them.

Marley motions for Jaidyn to keep it down so she can hear the announcer.

               MARLEY    Hushshush-shh- if you don't shut your mouth, I'll blast it off for you.

Khep BURSTS into the room, slack-jawed, wide-eyed. Cat snarls can be heard outside.

               KHEP    Where's Tetra?

               JAIDYN          MARLEY

   Cheer.

               KHEP    She's -- what?! - we might already be too late. All the cats in the neighborhood are acting up. The Princess Kittarella is on the move. We just never thought it'd be so soon. She only needs a sacrifice of nine kindred lives to return.

               JAIDYN        (it's finally dawning on him)    Oh, so that's what cheer squad's been up to.

               KHEP    Yeah, that, or true love's kiss, which would also manifest the Princess. We should already be back at school.

They grab Marley and Jaidyn, make a beeline for the door -

               MARLEY    Aw, can't we wait for a commercial break -

EXT. CHEER CLUB ROOM - DAY

The girls plod down a dark, foreboding hall toward the club room. Katrina holds up a hand, signalling 'halt'.

She pushes against the door. It creaks open maddeningly slowly with much resistance.

Cady bows and slips in first.

CLACK. Something's knocked to the floor. Katrina cringes. And then -

DOMINO EFFECT. A SYMPHONY of crashes and scrapes sound from behind the door. She’s set off a RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE of destruction. CAT SCREECH.

The dust settles. Katrina exhales. She pushes, the door swings open and they enter.

INT. CHEER CLUB ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The very air is riddled with dust. Sheets of burlap cover desks, half-melted candles and warped jars. A low, round coffee table and a dried bunch of catnip serve as the centerpiece. Cat hair covers every conceivable surface.

Katrina snaps her fingers and Cady steps forth from the dark recess between a bookshelf and a filing cabinet. She comes bearing a pair of CAT EARS. They still flicker with the lustre of life, they steam, they breathe. They drip carmine.

The girls circle up around the coffee table with uncanny practiced precision. Callie pushes Tetra up onto the table.

               TETRA    What -

Katrina presses a claw-tipped finger to her lips. Tetra gulps but says no more.

               KATRINA    Princess, we are gathered here on this joyous day, for we have selected a ninth spirit for you.

Cady steps up behind Tetra, who's eyes shift subtly. She knows chaos. She can feel it.

               KATRINA    Sisters, join me in welcoming the newest addition to our litter. For you see, Princess, even a runt has a place here.

Tetra frowns, indignant.

Cady lowers the ears. Barely an inch from Tetra's hair now -

THE DOOR IS FLUNG WIDE OPEN. THERE STANDS -

- RILEY!

               KATRINA        (hissing)    Babe! We're sort of in the middle of something here -

Riley seizes Katrina and pulls her close.

               RILEY    Kat! Kat, no more of this. No more. Enough of this.

EXT. CHEER CLUB ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Pavlova leans against the wall outside the door, arms cross, eyes glued to the floor.

               KATRINA (O.S.)        (throwing a hissy fit)    How'd you even find out about this?! This is a private function -

               RILEY    Kat, stop! I know everything, I-I know what you're trying to do, and I can't let you! You can't just leave me like that, babe, promise me you won't -

Pav walks away, fire in her eyes. Her job here is done.

INT. CHEER CLUB ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Tetra garbs ahold of Cady's hands and wrenches the cat ears away from her head.

Katrina's practically in hysterics.

               KATRINA    How would you understand?! I owe Kittarella my life!                RILEY    There- there has to be another way!

               KATRINA    What?! True Love's Kiss?! There's no such thing, we abandoned that on day one!                RILEY    Kat...

He gently cups her face and pulls her into a kiss.

The table under Tetra's feet CRACKS, GLOWS, then EXPLODES! Tetra leaps deftly out of the way. She lands on her feet, as any good cat should.

Katrina and Riley break for air.

And there, shrouded in a blinding light, where the table used to be, stands the angelic, ethereal PRINCESS KITTARELLA.

               RILEY        (under his breath)    Oh my god, it worked.

Katrina scrambles to kneel before her goddess. The Princess tenderly places a hand between Katrina's cat ears.

               KITTARELLA    Katrina. My most devoted daughter. I have a plethora of gifts in store for you. How would you like to join me on my quest to unite the felines of this decaying world?

               KATRINA    ... Would I? Anything for you, my Princess.

She turns, surveying the room.

               KATRINA    ... On one condition. My squad comes too if they so choose. And Riley, of course.

Kittarella smiles.

               KITTARELLA    It is done.

Katrina beams, kisses Riley again.

THE DOOR BURSTS OPEN ONCE MORE. HOW IT HAS NOT COMPLETELY FLOWN OFF IT'S HINGES IS BEYOND ME.

Marley, Khep, and Jaidyn trample in!

Marley brandishes a blaster, Jaidyn raises Hoover like a bat, Khep flips open a butterfly knife.

               MARLEY    Stop right there, you snakes!

Kittarella raises a brow, indifferently nudges the barrel of Marley's blaster aside.

               KITTARELLA    What is this? Convince me of why I shouldn't rip your throats out right here and now.

Tetra leaps to her feet, waving frantically.

               TETRA    Guys! I'm fine! Over here! Guys!

Marley sighs, drops the blaster. Jaidyn lowers Hoover and Khep stuffs their hands in their pockets after folding the knife back up.

               RILEY    So, hey, this is awkward. Guess everyone should introduce themselves, huh? I'll go first, my name is Riley -

           CUT TO BLACK.

[cookiecutterwrites]

7. how many times does the word 'please' appear in your novel?

Since I’m only just starting to draft All Our Diversions, the word ‘please’ has not appeared anywhere yet!

However, ‘please’ appears 5 times in the last 2 episodes of my previous wip How to Save the World, with this exchange being the highlight: