So you want to collect Sandman
Hi there! This post is a very loose and simple explanation of the multiple different versions of Sandman you can buy. The upside to how popular the series is is that there’s so many different printings!
This is not a reading guide. This is a buying guide. I buy most of my books from actual comic shops, because I’m an avid believer in supporting them locally, but a lot of Barnes and Nobles carry the series in different capacities! You can also use Amazon, although I personally will do that as my last resort for ethical reasons.
Trade paperbacks
There are ten trade paperbacks in the main series and ones for Overture and Endless Nights and other add on stories. These trades are the simplest and cheapest single editions, and only encompass one arc each-the series having been broken up into 10 distinct volumes originally. Notice they have titles. Consider them like chapters if that’s more approachable. They’re great if you want to buy one at a time, and are more portable for on the go reading.
Prices- 17.99$ - 29.99$ depending
Also in the trade category are volumes that condense 2-3 arcs each, which I’ve seen at Barnes and Noble. They’re broken up into “books”. There are five of these. There’s a Barnes and Noble exclusive cover, if you’re into that.
Here’s mine, for size reference. (It’s also signed hehe) they’re a little thick but not huge.
Prices- 29.99$ -35.99$
Fancy Editions
What’s so fun for me when I’m collecting Sandman is the really cool editions you can get. As a comic collector, I mostly stick to trades. But I LOVE splurging when I can on bound and special versions.
These are the Absolute Editions and Deluxe Editions. The Absolute ones are gorgeous. There are 5 for the series, and one extra for Death’s stories. They’re tall, have wonderful binding, great paper quality, and have their own bookmarking ribbons. The deluxe editions are smaller, but can still be bought in hardback. They have their own exclusive covers.
Prices-
Absolute Edition: these fluctuate A LOT. A good starting range is 90$-100$ but used copies can be bought way cheaper. I saw one as low as 75$. Keep this in mind if you set your sights on these. Deluxe Edition: 34.99$ -49.99$
The Omnibus
These are HUGE! There are four, and volumes 1 and 2 collect the entire 75 issues, the other two volumes collecting other stories in canon, like Death and Lucifer’s minis, or Endless Nights. These are the heaviest of the books you can get, but I like having the whole run in two large books, because I own volumes 1 and 2 personally.
Prices- These also vary, probably more so than the absolute editions. You can expect to pay anywhere from 90$-200$, depending. I got my first one for Christmas, and at the time, they were a little hard to find, especially volume 2. They were sold out online till the spring. Bear this in mind if you plan on getting these, because if you see one in person I’d jump and get it. My comic shop really couldn’t keep them in stock long.
The Annotated Sandman
These aren’t as widely talked about, but they’re wonderful for any collector. I have the first one. Leslie Kinger collaborated with Neil to provide extra commentary and even script tidbits alongside the black and white inks. The info provided is super interesting and really adds depth to canon! They’re nice and wide, perfect for viewing.
Prices- These are pretty standard at 49.99$ but I’ve seen them as low as 27$ on eBay.
Final Notes
If you want some of the more rare and expensive copies, I highly recommend eBay! You can get box sets and even original single issues there. AbeBooks is great too for used copies.
Here’s my collection, for anyone who is curious. My personal favorite is my Absolute Death, but I adore my signed copy of course.
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Mask recommendations for ordering online (NA)
Note: for consistency, practicality, and simplicity all prices are listed in USD.
masknerd has a comprehensive data set on hundreds of masks he's tested according to his own criteria and methodology (pinned tweet). find his recommendations on his youtube channel. many of the following are on his list as well!
DISPOSABLE MASKS
3M Aura and Vflex: one of the most commonly recommended brands of N95. Where to buy?
- US: see here
- Canada: see here
- Multiple sizes per model. These suppliers are good for bulk ordering. If you aren't sure if something will fit you, check out the sample kits in the next recommendation
- Price point: varies from $1-1.3 USD per mask depending on supplier
Breatheteq (US):
- KN95s that come in small, medium, large, or XS (kids)
- Offers sample kits so you can test out what your size is
- Comes in a few different colours. shoutout to the lavender
- Earloop only
- Price point: $69.75 USD for a 50-pack (~1.4 USD per mask)
Canadastrong (Canada):
- The Canadian equivalent to Breatheteq, but also carries N95s of other brands such as 3M Aura and Vflex, Vitacore, and Drager X-plore
Vitacore (Canada and US):
- N95 certified, but actually has 99% filtration
- Both earloop and head strap versions (warning that the head strap seems to fit considerably smaller)
- Regular and small adult sizes offered, also a kid's size
- Price point: $33.99 for a 30-pack (~1.1 USD per mask)
Wellbefore (US, ships to Canada):
- N95s, KN95s, and KF94s
- Head straps, normal earloops, or adjustable earloops depending on model
- Kids/petite size available for certain KN95 models
- Wide range of colours (excluding N95s)
- Price point: varies per model, from $0.79 USD to $2.09 USD per mask
- Also sells Covid tests, over the counter medication, and medical supplies
Masklab (US):
- This is an indulgent option for if you want to go out and look good, while still staying safe. These are masks that are part of your outfit
- FFP2 certified, equivalent to KF94s
- Standard size and slim fit series
- Many beautiful patterns
- Price point: $24.44 USD for a 5-pack ($4.88 per mask) for the patterned KF ones, ~$3.4 USD for the plain KF ones, ~$3.3 USD for the slim fit series, including patterns.
ELASTOMERIC MASKS
Flomask (US, ships to Canada):
- Reusable elastomeric mask (with replaceable filters) that meets KN95 standards
- Two adult sizes (low/medium nose ridge and medium/high nose ridge) and a kid's size
- Adjustable straps
- Price point: $122 USD. 50-pack replacement filters: $81.46 (filters to be changed after 20-40 hours of use, depending on filter type)
A humble P100 elastomeric respirator from your local Home Depot or similar store! Magnitudes cheaper than the Flo mask (both the respirator itself and the filters)--however, I can't offer estimates for how often filters should be replaced. May not look pretty, but the most economical option for the highest degree of filtration if you aren't self-conscious.
General advice:
N95 or higher are the most reliable. They normally come with head straps, which offer better protection by making a tighter seal around your face.
But fit and comfort are the most important! Find a mask that fits your face and leaves the least amount of gap possible. KN95s are often more comfortable and breathable--find what's right for you.
You can wear different masks for different situations depending on risk level!
If you're hesitant to buy online, here's advice on how to tell if your respirator is legitimate.
A SIP drinking valve can be installed on any disposable mask to allow you to drink in public with less risk.
If anyone has other recommendations, please feel free to add!
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This is my online accessibility (especially image descriptions) masterpost, which I update periodically whenever I find a new resource or guide. I worry this has the side effect of looking overwhelming in scope, so if you're learning about IDs and/or Tumblr-specific accessibility for the first time, I recommend you start with the first five starred posts. All post titles are clickable links!
*Why and how to write image descriptions (with examples linked)
*Accessibility on Tumblr for new users (has templates, also talks about how to tag for flashing lights to accommodate photosensitive folks)
*I see an image and want to describe it: a step by step guide
*Fanart-specific and Tumblr-specific advice for image descriptions
*How to describe screenshots of tags
Why a short ID is always better than no ID
I want to make my posts more accessible, but can’t write IDs myself: a guide
Google Doc full of template descriptions for memes
Online image to text converter
Describing skin tone and describing hair (heads up that the posts themselves are undescribed and were written with fiction writers in mind; potentially still very useful)
How to remember to write descriptions (spoiler: by putting yourself in situations where you see descriptions more often)
Related, a Google doc of described blogs (almost all the blogs linked earlier in this post have tons of described posts and resources too)
(In my opinion, writing IDs is easiest to learn by doing — but especially if combined with watching other people do so. So follow some described blogs!)
Why not to put image descriptions in small fonts/italics (also, some non-definitive thoughts on IDs vs alt text, and why "both" actually makes sense as an answer in many cases)
More on IDs vs alt text from a visually impaired Tumblr user
Alt text vs IDs vs Captions with examples
Brief Intro to Transcripts/Video Descriptions
The People's Accessibility Discord sever (a very friendly community for crowdsourcing image descriptions)
How to make your blog's colors visually accessible - one of the easiest thing on this list!
Other easy things: show love to artists who describe their work, edit descriptions into your original post when someone provides one in the notes, and copy-paste inaccessible (eg, small text or italicized) descriptions as plain text when you reblog!
Lastly, and maybe most importantly, how to continue writing image descriptions while avoiding burnout.
Let me know if any of these links break! I personally don't describe nearly as much audio/video (got those audio processing issues), so this list is sparse on those resources, but if anyone has good guides/blog recommendations for that too, feel free to add on!
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Hella Big Skirts panel
Ever wanted to make a hella skirt? Wondering how to keep your hella big skirt puffy? Join cosplayer fabrickind to learn the ins and outs of patterning, sewing, and supporting the large, fluffy skirts of your dreams!
This is just the bare bones of the panel, as many of the examples were elaborated on in-person, and it is just the slides, not any of my notes. It is not meant to be exhaustive or definitive, and is just meant for general advice and suggestion purposes only. If anyone has feedback they would like to give, feel free to do so. That said, I hope that people find this information useful.
Here is a link to a pdf of the presentation. You may download for personal use, but please do not alter the presentation, repost without permission, or do any sort of other unauthorized use. (If you have a question about how you can use this presentation, please send me a message with your question and we can work it out. I promise I’m not scary. ;]) Feel free to reblog this post as much as you want, though. I do these panels and post them because I want the information to be shared.
I hope someone finds this helpful! :]
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Venus signs
My view on Venus ruling different signs. Venus is the planet of love and beauty, attraction, expression, and creativity. May change/add to this later.
Aspects to Venus, house placements, and degrees can affect how your Venus expresses itself.
If you like kpop and astrology, I do chart readings for idols and astro notes. List is here
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Aries
Venus Aries is in detriment. Venus has a soft and calm energy, whereas Aries are often the opposite. They're not very romantic and/or affectionate people at all. If anything, they seem quite awkward with it. They want to show their love to others but don't seem to know how. Despite this though, they will still show their deep care and passion regardless.
E.g BTS Suga - he clearly loves the members, but he seems a bit awkward in how to initiate his affection. He likes holding hands (however seems very shy about it), dislikes arguing and will show affection to avoid it, and even wanted to get a red string tattoo with them.
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Taurus
Venus in Taurus is domicile. Very sensual and relaxed kind of energy about them. Very nice and calm. Can make anyone feel comfortable with them. May attract all sorts of people. They like to take things slow, don't like to rush. Need to truly feel you physically and emotionally. They really want to make sure they can trust you. May be into luxurious things, have an eye for elegant fancy things.
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Gemini
Seem to crush very easily and on many different people. They like intellectually stimulating people. Their way of bonding with others seem to be having any type of conversation - no awkward moments, just endless and random discussions. They may be into preppy kind of fashion or just something nice, they want to look stylish and smart.
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Cancer
A bit shy and closed off at first, but once they like someone, they can be really attached. Clingy clingy venus sign. They'll give you a lot of love and want you to reciprocate it, even if they don't say so. They really will do almost anything for people they love. I also notice they look quite nice in pale and light colors like a pastel blue, just a soft palette in general.
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Leo
Leo venuses are very expressive about their love and loyalty to others. Grand gestures are both given and received. Even if they aren't the most visibly affectionate, they still have other little ways of showing it. They can have a bold sense of style or just naturally stand out without even trying.
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Virgo
Venus is fall in Virgo. Virgo doesn't mix well with the carefree, loving free nature of Venus. Virgo Venuses are the probably the hardest to tell if they like you or not. The least openly affectionate. However, their love language seems to be acts of service. After all, Virgos like to help people. They're also highly observant - they notice every little thing about you and will keep note. I also notice they just like to watch people, just enjoy their close ones' company. Prefer clean and simple fashion, Virgos want to look presentable since they're very image conscious.
As a Virgo Venus myself, I've been called cold and heartless since I am not very affectionate...Hugs, kisses, saying I love you, and all that is just not for me. However I show my care in other ways - I'll always listen if you need me to, give advice, and try to help with whatever you're struggling with.
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Libra
Venus is domicile in Libra. Libra Venuses seem to love giving their love to others. They really like giving and receiving affection. Playful and charming. All Libra Venuses I've met and observed are not shy about their love at all. May really be into light toned colored clothing, loose and flowy clothes, pretty, elegant aesthetics.
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Scorpio
Venus is detrimental in Scorpio. Known for their obsessive and possessive nature, Scorpio Venuses can get very attached and obsessed to people they like. Scorpio is too intense for Venus. They're definitely the type to pursue with no hesitation if someone catches their eye. All or nothing. They're very observant like a Virgo Venus and really won't forget anything about you. A lot of them seem to like wearing dark clothes, maybe a little on the cool/edgy side.
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Sagittarius
Sagittarius venuses seem to like being mean as affection...Playful teasing and light bullying. But to be fair, I've rarely seen Sagittarius placements that are...soft and gentle. It takes a lot of effort to actually catch them since they don't fall for people easily and would rather be on their own most of the time. They might date just for a fun experience, since Sags want to experience every part of life. If they do truly like you, they will want to take you on their adventures too
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Capricorn
Capricorn Venuses have very high standards, very picky. They are slow to letting people in, but they can be very sweet and almost cheesy once they like you. Cap venuses let down their serious exterior down if they trust you enough. They will always try to help you if you need it. They may like to buy or make gifts for people they like. They really seem to like vintage items and clothing, very refined sense of style.
One of my best friends has this and she's quite affectionate towards me. She likes buying/making me gifts, tells me she loves me, and has joked about kissing me - she knows it makes me cringe and gets a laugh from it. She's also an Aquarius dominant and Scorpio rising...Those 2 + a Cap venus is kind of surprising isn't it lol? She also thinks about having a partner, but her type of men seem to only exist in fiction lol
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Aquarius
Aquarius Venus people may prefer to be friends first before becoming romantic. They definitely love platonic bonds though and may love to spend a lot of time with their friends and/or families. They want to be with unique, like minded people. They may like strange people, just like themselves. I honestly think they care the least about physical looks - we all care to a degree but for an Aquarius Venus, you really can not simply win them over with just looks alone. Definitely need to be an interesting individual, need to stick out to them. A lot of them may like to dress comfortably, may wear solid colors. Have their own sense of style that usually doesn't adhere to social standards. But still well put together
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Pisces
Venus is exalted in Pisces. The romantic and idealism of Venus is boosted even more in Pisces. Pisces are very dreamy and romantic for sure, very artsy and creative. I've noticed Pisces Venus are very warm and welcoming to everyone. They're empathetic and understanding people, sensitive. The downside is probably they can be a little too open and hopeful, need to be brought back to reality sometimes. Other than that, they're usually really sweet people.
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Can Only Hope
pairings: sully family x gender neutral!reader, slight spider socorro x gender neutral!sully!reader
genre: angst
word count: 3k+
warning(s): character death, mentions of death & gunshot wound
word bank: toruk makto — rider of last shadow, sa’nok — mother, sempul — father, tsmukan(s) — brother(s), tsmuke — sister, tsmuktu — sibling, ilu — aquatic animal residing in awa’atlu that it used for riding, ikran — winged animal used for flying & hunting, skxawng — idiot, & great mother / eywa — goddess deity that the na’vi believe in
note: this is my first post on here eeekkk! super excited to post this. i might start taking requests for avatar & atwow, but we’ll see! i’ve only been a reader on this app & haven’t had any motivation to write until now. i don’t know all of my way around this app regarding requests or writing formats, so if anyone has any advice to share, feel free to! it is greatly appreciated! <3 this fic is supposed to be gender neutral, so please let me know if any part of this fic does not reflect that. tuk is not mentioned in this fic & kiri is briefly mentioned. when i say you have four fingers, i mean you have a thumb & three fingers following that, just like neytiri. this is heavily inspired by @peacelovepandora ‘s account/blog. please go check them out! their work is amazing!
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Your birth was viewed as a new beginning, of sorts. The Omatikaya had gone through so much loss, so much pain in the years that the Sky People had inhabited their planet and planned to make it their own, in hopes of replacing their dying Earth with the beautiful and brutal Pandora. Many Omatikaya had lost their lives as a result of the humans greediness, leaving many orphaned and physically scarred from the destruction they caused. It was hard to see a bright future with the humans constantly taking and taking from the People and the planet they resided on. But, it seemed to get a little bit brighter once Jake Sully, the great and mighty Toruk Makto, had lead the clans to victory against the Sky People in the Great Battle. The humans had no choice but to leave the planet, finally allowing a peaceful and bright future to form itself for the Omatikaya and the rest of the Na’vi living on Pandora. Many celebrations were held in thanks to Toruk Makto’s as well as in triumph for the humans finally leaving their home after thirty years. But another one was celebrated after it was announced that Neytiri te Tsahka Mo’at’ite was with child, marking a new era for those who were succeeded after the Great Battle. You were the new stepping stone for the bright future of the Omatikaya. An omen of good fortune to come to all of Pandora.
Being the eldest child of Toruk Makto had been difficult, especially growing up. Much was expected of you, duties upon duties being put onto your shoulders from such an early age. You had to live up to such high expectations, something that came with being the first child of Jake Sully, a once Dreamwalker, and the clans most fiercest warrior, Neytiri. Constantly training to one day stand in front of your people and be recognized not just as Toruk Makto’s kid but as their leader as well. Although you had the typical features a regular Na’vi should have, four fingers on each hand and no traces of hair on your brow bones, children are still cruel. They constantly called you names that most definitely shouldn’t be repeated, pulled on your tail and hair, spit at you, told you that you’d never be good enough to be clan leader one day, and bothered you during your trainings. You’d cry to your Sa’nok about it once you came home from training, sniffling into her neck as you repeated the awful things kids your age said to you. And even with your parents butting in and demanding the children to stop, you couldn’t help but believe the words they uttered, plagued by the possibility of them being right. So, you pushed and pushed yourself to be the best you could be. Spending whatever free time you had from archery training in your Grandmother’s tent, eager to learn what every herb did and what technique she used when applying paste onto an injured Na’vi, watching her every move. And spending whatever free time you had from that practicing your tracking skills. You did a lot to prove yourself and tried your best to look unfazed by the little amount of sleep you received daily. But as the words that you and your family had to potentially leave your home and clan, everything that you knew, spilled from your Sempul’s mouth, the only thought that came to your mind was Was it all not enough?
Adjusting to your new life at Awa’atlu was extremely difficult. You were a foreigner in a foreign place and your title meant nothing to these people. Sure you earned a little respect and street cred from being the eldest child of the Toruk Makto, but it still wasn’t enough to earn you place amongst the Metkayina. So, once again, you trained and trained until your muscles felt utterly useless from the amount you swam and your lungs felt numb from continuous breath holding. But, as every day passed and the sun rose in signal for a new start, you slowly got the grasp of the way of the water. And you actually found yourself relaxing in the oceans water as you silently floated there once you were excused from your training, a small smile on your face. It was nice to finally relax for once, the feeling a bit foreign to you. Back home, you never got a chance to relax, always busy with pleasing your parents and everyone else in the clan, leaving you without any room to simply breathe. The whole thing kind of felt like a vacation almost. No longer having this weight on your shoulders to become the next clan leader and live up to your clans expectations of you. That is, until the humans find your family in the one place you were supposed to be safe.
You grew up with the stories of the Sky People and their selfishness, how quick they were to claim something that wasn’t theirs and how quick they were to fight over it, not caring for the blood that they spilled in the process. Growing up, you’d have nightmares about the humans coming back to Pandora and slaughtering the ones you loved right in front of you, not being able to move quick enough to stop them. Your Sempul often pulled you into his arms and rocked you in comfort, trying to whisper sweet nothings into your ear as you fell asleep in his hold. He’d then lay you back down in between himself and Neytiri, placing a soft kiss onto the crown of your head before quickly falling asleep as well. As you aged, they became few and far in between, dreaming of flying your beloved ikran or messing around with your youngest siblings. But once the humans returned to Pandora a year before leaving for Awa’atlu, the came back in full force. Your family were awaken many nights by your crying or screaming, rousing you from your sleep to comfort you, sobbing into their gentle hold as the dream kept repeating in your minds eye. You were terrified of having your family be taken away from you and, perhaps, that’s where your fear of disappointment came from and not the cruel children you had encountered early on in your life. You wanted to be a protector and protect the ones you loved, and protect you did.
The sting of the salt water is what drew your attention to the middle of your aching chest, looking down to witness the crimson red leak from your body and mix itself into the clear water you were submerged in. You hadn’t even realized you were shot in the process of jumping into safety, barely even processing the whizzing bullets flying passed you as you dived feet first into the water. All you were focused on was getting your little tsmukans, Neteyam and Lo’ak, to safety during their mission to rescue their human friend, Spider. Your personal safety was the last thing on your mind, demanding that your brothers and Spider go first jumping into the moon pool, shooting back at the fake Avatars. There weren’t many times where you saved your brothers asses from the things they managed to get themselves into, that job being put onto Neteyam by your parents. So, this being one of the only times that you saved both of their asses and were going to die as a result, put a gentle smile on your face. At least I would go out protecting those you cared about, you thought to yourself.
Your struggle was noticed by Neteyam, halting him in his celebrations with Lo’ak and Spider. “Are you alright, tsmuktu?” He asked, making his way towards you as he glided through the water. His eyes didn’t clock in on your hand over your chest yet, too busy watching you nearly drown as you struggled to keep your head above water. It was as if once you registered that you were shot, your body began to shut down at the realization. Your once strong legs forged by the oceans unpredictable current were now struggling to keep yourself up and lazily kicking, your left arm desperately trying to make up for your legs inability to work at the moment, making crazed movements underneath the water to stay upright. You lungs and chest also burned, not accepting any of the air you tried to suck in from above the waters surface. “I’ve been shot, skxawng,” you uttered, spitting out the water that managed to make its way into your agape mouth. Everything burned, even within the oceans cool water.
“Fuck,” Neteyam whispered, grabbing the arm that wasn’t covering the open wound in your chest and wrapping it around his shoulder, trying not to openly sob at your cries of protest in pain. It was now Lo’ak’s turn to notice your current state. He tensed at your cry and found himself praying to the Great Mother that it wasn’t what he thought it was. Neteyam’s following statement only solidified his fear, “(Y/N)’s been shot! Help me get them up!”. Both the brothers and Spider helped you up onto the back of Lo’ak’s ilu, Neteyam settling himself behind you as Spider gripped onto the side of the ilu’s saddle. The four of you raced to the nearest piece of rock that was in direct eyesight, Lo’ak calling out to your Father once he notices him atop the rock they were aiming for. Fear had instilled itself into the younger Sully brothers, hoping that whatever was happening was not the last time you would take a breath.
“Watch their head, bro!” Lo’ak called out against the crashing waves, rocking his, and everyone’s else’s, body up against the jagged rock they were trying to hoist you up on to. You coughed up a mouthful of water in response, gasping for air once the wave that splashed you pulled back and granted you air. “What happened?” Jake hurriedly asks, pulling your body into his arms before gently setting you down onto the rough surface of the rock. He swiftly moves you to your side to assess if whether or not the bullet that pierced you also came out the other side. His heart dropped once he saw the exit wound, even more of your blood gushing out from it. Jake could only close his eyes as he gently shifted you back onto your back, dread making its way up his stomach and into his heart. Jake had witnessed a many of deaths during his time in the marines on Earth. And although he had gotten used to the feeling those deaths gave him, nothing would’ve ever prepared him for the feeling of losing one of his children before his time. Jake found himself thinking of his twin brother, Tommy, at this time, wondering if his death had been like yours, painful, or had been quick and peaceful. Jake quickly shook his head at the thoughts. This is no time to think of your late brother, Jake, he thought. Your child needs you.
“Is-Are they going to be okay?” Spider asked, keeping his distance from Jake and the rest, guilt crawling up his chest and settling into his throat. He tried to gulp down the feeling, but that seemed to only make it worse. No one answers the human boy, too occupied with their dying loved one in front of them. You never made an effort in befriending the boy, your Mother influencing your thoughts on the boy as well as being too terrified to. If all Sky People are said to be what your Mother told you as a child, then you didn’t want to interact with one. But, as you lay dying on the small piece of rock, you couldn’t help but feel bad for not giving the kid a try. One conversation wouldn’t have hurted, right?
Neteyam had put both of his hands over the wound in your chest, as demanded by your Father, in order to slow the blood from further oozing out. “You’re gonna be okay, okay?” Neteyam comforted, although it seemed to be more directed to himself than you, “You have to be. You’re my big tsmuktu. You’re invincible.”. Neteyam’s words only caused more tears to leak out from your eyes. You hadn’t even known you were crying. Whether from the pain or the realization that you were, in fact, dying, you did not know. Neteyam always looked up to you growing up. Although you were only a year older, he still viewed you as his role model. You carried yourself with such grace and confidence, he often found himself trying to memorize your strides and how you pulled back a bow effortlessly, practicing what he could remember whenever he was alone, desperate to be just like his older sibling. As the both of you grew older and drifted apart, he still viewed you as someone to look up to and strive to be like. A much younger Neteyam also viewed you as invincible, untouchable by the bad things that lurked within the depths of the dark corners of Pandora. And now, as a teen, he still viewed you as invincible. Even as you lay bleeding out in front of him, he still thinks you are because you protected him and Lo’ak and Spider from the soldiers on the ship. You gave up your life for him, and for that, he doesn’t know what to do with it.
“You still have to finish that bracelet for me, (Y/N),” Lo’ak sobbed out, grasping your free hand into his as he knelt in front of you, next to Neteyam. You only shakingly smiled at your brother, trying your best at squeezing his hand in response, but your fingers only gently fluttered at the attempt. You had begun to weave a bracelet for your youngest brother the night after he was abandoned at the Three Brothers, hoping to cheer him up from the hurtful words your Father spewed at him. You were never a good weaver so it took longer than expected, even with the help of your tsmuke, Kiri. Upon hearing of your struggle from the complaints of Kiri, Lo’ak felt warmed at the nice gesture you were doing. Growing up, Lo’ak always loved the things you made, even if they were a total disaster and halfway down. He still cherished them in his heart. He often found himself ‘accidentally’ breaking a bracelet he or someone else made and asking you to fix it for him or make him another one, excitedly waiting behind you as you did so, tail furiously wagging behind him in joy at his successful attempt at getting you to make him another bracelet of your creation. You pretended to not notice Lo’ak’s continuous purposeful breaking of handmade bracelets he received, happy to make him another one. It made you feel wanted and useful, especially if you had another encounter with one of the child bullies within your clan that day.
“D-Dad…” You weakly called out, turning your head and gaze towards your Father. Tears were running down his eyes as his gaze shifted back onto you, smiling down at you the best he could, putting on a front so you wouldn’t worry. “Yes, angel?” He asked, taking your right hand into his large ones, resting it against his cheek in hopes of comforting you. “I-I did it. Y-yeah? I pro-protected them, D-Daddy. I tried. R-re-really hard. I did. Got th-then t-to safety,” you responded, struggle evident in your voice as you stuttered over your words. That’s all you wanted to do back on that ship. Protect your brothers and get them to safety. You were glad to have achieved your goal, but at what cost? You were only sixteen years old and had so much ahead of you. Even before being forced to leave your home clan, you dreamt of becoming a fierce warrior and leader for your people and possibly having a family of your one day. But that all was ripped from you by a single bullet. Jake found himself cursing Eywa and all the other higher beings for taking his child’s life away far too soon to actually experience it. It wasn’t fair at all. But, nothing ever if fair is it? The Great Mother only gives and borrows energy, having the power to take it away all in one breath. And Jake is learning the hard way of what the Great Mother is truly capable of.
“Yeah, yeah you did, angel. You protected your brothers and brought them back to me,” Jake answered, brushing some matted flyaways from your forehead, the dried up seawater making the hair cling to your skin, “I’m so proud of you.”. Upon hearing that statement, you felt contentment settle itself between your bones. You longed for those five words for years, especially if they came from your Father. It wasn’t very often that either of your parents expressed their feelings about your accomplishments to you. Sure they might’ve bragged to other clan members about how you claimed and bonded with your ikran in little than two minutes, setting a new record for young Omatikaya, and they might’ve put you on a golden pedestal to others, highlighting how nearly perfect you were at everything you did. But they never said those kinds of things to you up front. A few “Good job”’s here and there, but nothing too impactful as those five words that your Father just uttered.
It seemed as if the constant battle your body was engaging with had came to an end, numbness spreading to your entire being as the only thing you could do was continue to breathe shallow breaths and look up at your Father. Your heart was tired of pumping blood throughout your body only to be pushed out of it. Your lungs could only take small breaths at a time, not having the energy to fully expand at your inhales. Your head began to feel fogging, all your senses dimming as you barely registered your Mothers ikran harshly landing in front of you. “What-” the question that Neytiri was going to asked for stuck in her throat as her eyes fell into the scene in front of her. Her eldest child, the light of her life, was limp and covered in blood, who she hoped wasn’t yours. “My baby,” she whispered, quickly falling onto her knees in front of you, Neteyam moving out of the way so your Mother could see you in your final moments. Flashes of her giving birth to you, feeding you from her breast for the first time, playing with you as a babe, teaching you how to walk and talk, and all your other firsts you experienced throughout your sixteen years of life on Pandora raced through her mind once she saw the bullet wound settled into the middle of your chest, draining all life from you. You had been her first child, her pride and joy, and to see you like this, pale and sticky with your own blood, made her want to trade places with you. In an alternative universe, she would’ve.
“Oh, Great Mother, please. No!” She shrieked, grabbing onto both of your biceps, trying to hug you closer as more of your soul and life slipped away at each passing second. You wanted to comfort her, to tell her that it’ll all be alright, but you physically weren’t able to speak, too fatigued to open your mouth. So, you just laid there as your Mother brought you close to her chest, seemingly trying to share her life force with you, to spare you from the cold grasp of death. Jake could only watch as Neytiri pleaded for the Great Mother to spare you, heart strings tugging at her desperate wails. He knows that Eywa always has a plan, but does that really include taking his eldest child’s life away? He began to doubt the entity that breathed life into everything on Pandora, just like he did back on Earth with all the other ones. Would she really be that cruel?
Lo’ak was the first to notice you completely go slack and relaxed, your eyes focused on the eclipsing sun in front of you. He didn’t want it to be true, calling out your name in hopes for your eyes to shift from the sun to him. But, it never came. Neytiri pulled you back from her chest, gently shaking you in hopes that you’d awake. But, you didn’t. Upon the realization that the eldest Sully child had finally passed and was reunited with Eywa, everyone broke. Neytiri let out multiple screams and wails, begging for you to come back. Jake had only closed his eyes once again, tears escaping from his waterline. Neteyam looked down at his blood stained hands, feeling like his palms were on fire. Even then, years after your death, Neteyam can still feel the weight of your blood on his hands and the sticky feeling it left behind, no matter how many times he scrubbed at them. Spider continued to stand in his spot, motionless. He couldn’t help but feel as if your death was his doing. Maybe if he didn’t get kidnapped by Quaritch, you’d still be alive. Maybe if he didn’t need Lo’ak’s help in rescuing him from the ship, you’d still be alive. Maybe if he was able to go into cryo and be shipped back to Earth, you’d still be alive. And Lo’ak felt his body go cold. He slumped back in the spot he was sitting in, bringing his hands up to his face as he sobbed into them. He felt as if he was at fault too. Maybe if he didn’t insist on going to get Spider, you’d be alive. Maybe if he didn’t get caught in that net, you’d still be alive. Maybe if he didn’t go to that stupid broken down lab and get held hostage by Quaritch, you’d still be here. But that’s all the Sully family can do. Think of what if’s and only pray that your soul makes a safe return into the afterlife and that you only stay blissfully ignorant to the fact that you died and are no longer living. They can only hope.
And, along with your death, the new peaceful beginning that was prophesied and hoped for at your birth, died as well.
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With so many of the greatest writers leaving the writing in our fandom, I was wondering if you could recommend some newer or even older fic authors that are of the same level? I don't want to stop reading Johnlock, it's basically all I read anymore! I know I'm spoiled with having read fics by @chryse @breath4soul @arwamachine @7-percent @therealsaintscully @ohlooktheresabee @runnfromtheak @meetinginsamarra and @jbaillier
I understand that not everyone wants to dedicate their lives to writing fanfic, or have outgrown the fandom, or real life has become overwhelming. By no way am I demanding more fic from these amazing writers. I'd really just like to know of any other wonderful writers that are just as good. I need to feed my addiction hahaha! Thank you for your advice and suggestions, I love you!
Hey Nonny!
Ah, I get what you mean :) Our authors are people too, who have lives that keep them busy, AND they still provide us with amazing fics for free!! <3
That said, because I ALWAYS feel like I'm going to miss some great authors, I'm gonna once again default to: you can always be guaranteed "newer" fics in the fandom by checking out my weekly #FiveFicsFriday posts!! It's a weekly collection of new fics suggested to me, often brand new stories in the fandom! Here are over 1000 fics for you to check out on these lists:
YEAR ONE MASTERPOST (Sept 29/19 to Sept 25/20)
YEAR TWO MASTERPOST (Sept 25/20 to Sept 24/21)
YEAR THREE MASTERPOST (Oct 1/21 to Sept 23/22)
YEAR FOUR MASTERPOST (Sept 30/22 to Sept 22/23)
But honestly, I think every author is amazing here!!! Without them we wouldn't have the amazing content we have! Always support our authors and artists <3
If anyone wants Nonny to check them or their faves out, please don't hesitate to add themselves to the notes!!
(and if you don't think you "deserve" to be listed among these authors, STOP BEING SILLY!! We love you!! <3)
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Considering your moss poaching post, do you have any advice on how to source ethical moss? Especially large quantities like for a moss garden? I've always wanted one instead of a lawn but I don't want to wreck an ecosystem for it.
I do!! Also, sorry for the delay on this, I'm moving abroad and the preparations have made the past couple of weeks kind of crazy and I wanted to make sure to give a proper (and hopefully helpful!) answer.
It is absolutely possible to get yourself some ethically-sourced live moss (even in larger quantities)! Places that cultivate moss are usually smaller-scale since the process can be a bit tricky, so it might take a bit of coordination for a larger amount.
In terms of live moss, there are dedicated moss nurseries that grow, harvest, and then sell different varieties. Their method is similar to that of mushroom farms, involving logs placed in a damp area in or near wooded land. Moss Acres cultivates their moss this way in a nursery that spans many acres. They also work with a sister company that makes living, ethically-cultivated and harvested moss walls.
Another really great option is Mountain Moss. They mainly rescue moss from land that is slated for development, saving it from being thrown out to make way for buildings. They are also certified to collect native mosses that would otherwise be destroyed and have all the proper permits to distribute them (both things to check on when picking a moss supplier). A lot of their moss ends up going to native restoration projects, which is amazing as well. They do a lot of public outreach too through lectures and workshops on moss gardening, moss terrariums, etc.
Also check with local plant nurseries near you, as lots of them cultivate moss (there's one near me that has a dedicated moss patch).
Main things to keep in mind when choosing a moss supplier:
· Do they cultivate the moss themselves in a nursery?
· If not, is it sourced from private land where it would otherwise be destroyed? Do they have a harvesting permit and an agreement with the landowner?
· Is the moss native to where you want to plant it?
· How do they harvest the moss? (even nursery moss needs to be gathered in smaller quantities from various parts of the nursery to fulfill a larger order)
· Is the type of moss endangered?
· Are they certified to distribute live moss?
Just as a side-note, for anyone who gardens with peat/sphagnum moss, a good sustainable alternative is coco coir! Also, if that doesn't suit your needs and you definitely need a moss-based growing mix, Sun Gro harvests ethically and sustainably, as does Better-Gro.
Hope this helps a bit, happy mossing! If anyone sees this and has other suggestions on where to look for ethical moss, please feel free to add on :)
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Not plural culture but any advice for a Partial-DID host to leave front or see the IW
Gotten similar asks a few time but we're finally getting around to answer it, sorry!
Here are some switching/accessing innerworld guides:
your guide to the headspace (CDD specific)
Controlled Switching
Ghost Switching
There are also many other guides out there, if anyone has any others, feel free to link them in the notes
If none of these methods work for you, that's okay. Sometimes systems just can't switch, and as a P-DID system there must be a reason that's the case. You also might be able to access the innerworld while still fronting by basically daydreaming (at least it might feel like daydreaming, as you're still to some extent grounded in your body)
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Fanfiction Writing / Reading
Hi everyone, I wanted to make a little post on general fanfiction writing and reading etiquette etc for everyone. For reference I've been writing fanfiction since I was 12, I'm now nearing 23 and I've been on tumblr since 2013. There's links to resources for those that would like them.
-> GENERAL ADVICE
Color Coding Dialogue On Tumblr: While using color can create visual contrast in things like titles or description, using it to color code dialogue can cause problems for those who are neurodivergent or vision impaired. For instance, I have trouble reading things where the dialogue for one character is bright in color. This means I miss out and can't read and support many new writers.
Showing support for your writers: I don't think demanding reblogs is an appropriate response. However, as someone who has been here for a long time, it's important. You can show your support by commenting, liking, reblogging (and reblogging with tags gives brownie points).
Generally : liking will be lost in a sea of likes over time making it harder for you to find that fic again but shows you thought it was good, reblogging shows you enjoyed the fic enough to share it with those on your blog (you can even have a side blog dedicated to fics) and would like to find it again, reblogging with tags or comments says that you enjoyed it enough to share it, push it higher in the tags and that you had thoughts.
This helps motivate writers ! Feel free to send them an anonymous ask if you're shy, expressing that you really enjoyed their work.
Use of italics and bold in works: Italics and bold should be used to indicate stressing or importance of certain words. EX: "no you did it!" vs "no you did it" ! You don't need to italic entire dialogue unless it's in certain situations (flashbacks, memories, whispers, etc)
Plotting & Timing: Plot and timing can be a really useful tool! Understanding what your characters are doing and having the plot move smoothly is important when writing. It prevents gaps and promotes interest. Even some of my works move a little too fast, and it can sometimes cause confusion.
READ, READ, READ: Reading is probably the fastest way to increase and broaden your horizons as an author. It allows you to gain a larger vocabularic range and new metaphors. And it helps you find what could be plot holes and more.
SMUT ; Cum Timing: I've written this before, it can happen but it's unlikely. I'll make a whole post dedicated to.. smut. But for now. Here's some other scenarios and miscellaneous notes:
-> bottom cums really early on, then the top cums later
-> top cums extremely early on, proceeds with oral on bottom
-> top can't get it up (this happens a bit with drugs involved) for a while and gives pleasure to bottom, then stops and gives up on an orgasm
Those are a few of my main, overall tips but I'm going to link you to a bunch of resources, too. I understand more than anyone what it's like being new to this. But one of the biggest pieces advice I'm going to give you is:
Allow your writing to be objectively "bad" at first. It always comes with practice. My first fanfictions I used "~" like it was a goddamn period. It's okay.
-> RESOURCES
"writing resources : words are hard"
"describing feelings, emotions, and tone"
"au prompt list"
"how to write medieval smut"
"starting a new paragraph"
"writing resources: world building"
"writing fight scenes"
"ways to further develop main characters"
There are tons of writing blogs on tumblr. You can send them an ask anonymously if you have any questions and they may respond with some good resources. Being a little more on the accurate side, even if you accidentally fuck up a bit, gives you brownie points a LOT.
Have a nice day OwO !
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hey so I've been transcribing/typing up my grandma's line-a-day diaries from 1937-1943. it's mostly for my mom and aunts and so on, and of course they're mostly about teen flings and skating rinks and movies and so on. but I've seen posts on here, including yours, about historians being interested in even very mundane journals. so I guess basically the question is, how can I/my mom get the typed up versions into the hands of someone who would find them useful in a historical sense?
Historians are absolutely interested in seemingly mundane records of the past! However, any interest from an institution is probably going to be in the physical documents themselves, rather than a transcription. I don't doubt that you've done a careful job, but the reality is that the pages your grandmother wrote in will contain vastly more information than you could ever hope to record—penmanship, the paper itself, the kind of pen that was used, residue, etc.
If you are willing to part with the primary source documents, I'm sure than an institution willing to take them would also be happy to get copies of your transcriptions, but I think it is unlikely that they would be interested in solely the typed up versions.
Most institutions have some sort of theme/mission for their collection. Maybe that's 1960s counter-culture, women of 19th century America, immigrant experiences, women's suffrage(political movements, time periods, specific events, etc.).
The best way to find an institution willing to take the diary is to identify themes that come up in your grandmother's writing, and then search for collections that are dedicated to that theme. Then you can reach out to the archivists and/or curators and see if they'd be interested in accessioning the diary. You might need to be prepared for them to say no—the curation crisis is real, and storage space is in constant demand.
There's also no guarantee that giving the diary to a collection will mean it becomes part of research. It would need to be cataloged, and then found by the right person doing the right research. Your transcriptions might help with this.
However, if you'd rather hold on to the diary—which is totally understandable—you could publish the typed entries on your own website. If you go that route, try to do your best to tag/denote any of the themes and events your grandmother wrote about to better the chances of it showing up in an internet search. It's also possible that an institution might be interested in helping with/platforming some sort of internet presence, so it doesn't hurt to ask.
Here are some links to previous posts I've made about keeping a diary. Looking through the notes might also be helpful.
How to write a diary for future historians
What should I write about?
If anyone else has advice, please feel free to chime in! This isn't exactly my area of expertise, so I'm always happy to be corrected.
-Reid
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Always pt 2
Azriel x Reader
Warnings: angst like seriously lots of angst, argument without resolution, cursing, first time writing so please be gentle, also again sorry for the spacing, I have no clue how to fix that so lemme know if you have any ideas
Part 3
Authors note: Hi everyone!!! Thank you so much for the support on always part 1! As I have mentioned previously, this is my first time writing, so I would love any and all advice. Please let me know your thoughts on this series, and feel free to reach out. I hope you like this part and I hope it does part 1 justice!! Also let me know if you want to be added to the tag list! 💓🌹
Word count: ~2.9k - sorry this is a super long one
Summary: You and Azriel have been best friends for years after you joined the inner circle as the top healer in Velaris. But with Elain and Nesta’s recent arrival, Azriel has begun to ignore your friendship in favor of being together with Elain. You are heartbroken, and it is Starfall where you will be confined in the house of wind with Azriel and Elain. Everything will be okay though… right?
After Cassian dropped you off at the house, he left quickly winking at you and bounding towards the afternoon sky, citing he had some last minute shopping he needed to do. You still had to get ready for the party, knowing that everyone was going to go all out for Starfall as they do every year. When you arrived to your room, the house had already taken the liberty of filling the bathtub with warm water for you to soak in; silently, you thanked the house, pouring in the essence of rose oil into the bath, and settling in for the next hour as you scrubbed the entire day away from your entire body and deep conditioned your hair knowing that Morr would be styling it for you tonight. As you pulled on undergarments for tonight, excited knocks at the door alerted you to the blonde female's arrival. Morr quickly walked into your room, without so much as hearing your response, carrying all her materials that would let her work her magic, whining loudly, “we most certainly do not have time to dilly dally around Y/N. You took so long in the bath, I have been waiting for 20 minutes, you know?”
“I’m sorry Morr,” you chuckled, “it was a busy day in clinic. Had to wash the day away,” gently embracing each other, resting your head on her shoulder, knowing this would probably be the last bit of peace for the evening before the party was in full swing. Morr had figured out your feelings for Azriel long before anyone else had, in fact, most of the inner circle remained oblivious, though you were almost certain Rhys and Feyre had begun to suspect. She was your biggest supporter, comforting you when the fear of losing Az became overwhelming, became physically painful, became too strong to handle on your own. She was also, much to your chagrin, a strong believer that Azriel returned your feelings, that he was too scared to tell you out of fear of rejection, that he did not intentionally mean to push you away with Elain’s arrival. “Let’s get you ready my dear, you have someone to impress tonight,” Morr murmured in your ear, slowly pulling away.
Morr had this way of making you look beyond stunning, even in your own eyes. She had styled your hair to frame your face, adding kohl to your upper and lower waterline with the final touches of pink rouge on your cheeks and lips. You both had gone dress shopping together earlier in the month, trusting each other's opinions deeply, and you had walked away with the dress you had chosen for tonight. The satin material plunged at the neckline, not leaving much to wonder about, cinched at the waist and continued to flow out around the hips till your ankles in a deep cobalt blue color that were almost a perfect match to Azriel’s siphons, a color that you had chosen unintentionally, a color that Morr was sure to draw the eyes of the very man you had fallen for. Just as you were finished getting ready, Nesta entered your room, turning towards you and Morr, “Dinner is ready; Rhys is calling for you both,” pausing as she made eye contact with you, eyebrows raising up to her hairline,“You look beautiful Y/N, you too Morr.” You stared back at her, stunned at the sudden compliment. Nesta had been interesting to get to know to say the least; she did not talk to you for the first three months she lived here, merely turning her nose up whenever you walked into the room she was in. When she began training with Cass, she found a healthy outlet for her anger and pain, and that had changed her. She was suddenly a lot more tolerable, and even enjoyable to be around. You both were beginning to slowly bond over some smutty romances in the house's library, and it was clear that she was trying to be better, and that is all that mattered to you. “Thank you Nesta, you look stunning as per usual,” you expressed with a warm smile. You walk towards her, linking your elbows with her and Morr next to you, heading towards the dining room with butterflies in your stomach hoping that some part of Az would share Nesta’s sentiments.
Everyone was already seated in their places, with Rhys smirking at the head of the table and Feyre, flushed and in a stunning midnight black dress, sitting to his right, the both of them staring at each other, clearly speaking to each other using their daemati powers. Nesta broke away from Morr and I to take her seat next to Cassian; sitting across from her was a bored Amren and Varian who just looked happy to be here. Morr squeezed your elbow as she separated to sit at the other end of the table; your heart had dropped into your stomach noticing that Elain had already situated herself next to Azriel, leaving the only open seat next to Lucien who held a grimace on his face. Taking a deep breath through the nose, and then another before plastering a smile on your face, “happy Starfall everyone,” you said as you took your seat and with that, everyone's attention turned towards you, greeting you and returning your smile. Catching eyes with Az’s for the first time in a week, his eyes widened as he studied you, ticking the muscle in his jaw before grinning softly at you. His shadows rush towards you, before they are held back as Azriel reigns them in. With your eyes locked with his stunning hazel ones, you slowly smiled back heart skipping a beat, and crossed your legs as you situated yourself in your seat. “Wine Azriel?” a shy voice sounded, drawing both of your gazes away from one another towards Elain, who sat in a stunning white floral gown that made her look like an angel amongst us. Az beamed at her, “Yes, thank you Elain,” and with that, they began conversing about mother knows what, wisps of his shadows continuing to reach out to you. Your eyes dropped to your plate, taking another deep inhale, before turning your body towards Lucien who looked incredibly uncomfortable. You felt a sting in your heart for the poor male; Elain had yet to acknowledge him tonight. Removing her from your thoughts, you broke your silence, “And how are you Lucien? How are your friends, Jurian and Vassa?” Surprised, he shifted his gaze away from Elain and Azriel towards you, “I am doing well, thank you Y/N, and as for Jurian and Vassa, well they bicker with each other constantly. How are you?” The appearance of food on your plates halted your conversation for a moment, the beef stew slathering the creamy mashed potatoes making your mouth water. “I am doing alright, thank you Lucien.” As you reached for your utensils, you continued nonchalantly, ignoring the attention of both Azriel and Elain falling on the pair of you, “How much do you want to bet they are fucking?” Lucien nearly choked on his wine, spluttering back, “Mother above, Y/N, I can’t believe you just said that.” Out of the corner of your eyes, you could see Elain shifting in discomfort and Azriel staring at you in clear confusion. He nudged his foot at yours, trying to capture your attention. You simply moved your feet away without looking over, your smile at Lucien was uncontrollable, laughing as you replied, “Why? I noticed when I first met them, their chemistry I mean, it's quite obvious isn't it?” Throat bobbing, “Yes, I suppose it is obvious,” he held your gaze for a moment before laughing. You continued to chat with him all throughout dinner, occasionally shifting your conversation towards Morr, and back again towards Lucien. You had come to realize that he was quite the interesting male, with lots of stories about his travels and experiences that he was willing to openly share and laugh about. You couldn’t get yourself to understand Elain, why she ignored Lucien and every attempt he made, why she refused to give him a chance, why she simply refused to acknowledge his existence irked you incredibly so.
Dinner was finished off with tiramisu and freshly brewed green tea that had everyone closing their eyes to enjoy the warmth settling in. Not once did you acknowledge Azriel despite his repeated attempts to get your attention throughout dinner, even reaching out using his shadows which would grab your ankle yanking it towards him. Besides the initial moment you had shared at the beginning of dinner, you had opted to focus your attention on Morr, Lucien, or the food sitting in front of you. “Come outside everyone,” Rhys announced with the feline grin settling on his face, “Starfall is about to begin.” Everyone left the dinner table only to rejoin on the balcony that was big enough to be considered a patio hanging off the house, settling against the railing to watch as the stars fell from the sky.
Every year, you and Az usually chose to stand off to the side and watch the stars fall in silence together, each other's company enough to make the experience memorable. Your hands grasped onto the metal railing in front of you, moving your head from looking at the sky to find out where Azriel was, only to find him whispering in Elains ear, glancing down softly at her and then back up at the sky. Quickly turning away, you tried to calm yourself down as tears began to form, stinging your eyes as you shut them tightly. You could feel your stomach churn the dinner it had just consumed, making you feel nauseous; you could feel the burning knot in your throat begin to form, and no matter how many times you swallowed, it was stuck there. Clearing your throat, you grasped Morr’s hand letting her know you were going to grab more drinks, before letting go and silently walking back inside. You paced towards the kitchen, snatching the first bottle of vodka that was set on the counter, before redirecting yourself towards the empty balcony at the other side of the house. You wanted to drink your sorrows away in silence, in peace, watching the stars fall praying that one of them would answer your prayers and make these feelings dissipate. You slid the glass door open, hoping that no one would notice your absence, and proceeded to take a seat on the couch that was nestled in the corner. Gripping the bottle of vodka, you brought it up to your mouth, letting the liquor burn your throat as you took a giant gulp. Spluttering, you coughed hard finally feeling relief from the knot that had settled before bringing the bottle back up for another swallow. Your eyes turned towards the stars as they continued to litter the sky with their stardust, wondering if there was anyone, any spirits, out there watching over you.
The glass door slid open again, almost silently that you wouldn’t have realized that someone had joined you, but you knew. You knew before looking over exactly who it was. You could tell by the silence alone he seemed to carry everywhere he went, you could tell by his scent alone, spearmint and eucalyptus, you could tell by his fucking energy alone. Wordlessly, he sat down next to you, turning his own head towards the sky, strong, beautiful, scarred hands reaching out towards the bottle of vodka, his shadows wisped gently around you both, one even coming up to caress your wrist leaving a cooling imprint which prompted you to hand over the bottle without any argument. He brought it to his soft, beautiful, chapped lips, taking a small mouthful before gently handing it back and moving his body to fully face yours. Shutting your eyes, you took a deep breath, before moving your body to face his, finding hazel eyes were already studying you. Studying your dress. Studying your body. Studying your face. He had this look in his eyes, a look you had hoped was reserved only for you in the centuries that you had known him. A look that you hoped he would never share with Elain. A look that used to tell you everything you needed to know, but now were unsure of. Pressing your lips together, “What is it Az?” you sound out slowly, the effects of the Vodka slowly kicking in. “What is going on with you? I have been trying to get your attention all evening, and you ignored me entirely,” furrowing his brows as he continued to stare into your eyes. “Nothing is going on Az,” you sigh, “I am just tired. I've been working all day, and now I am here and I am starting to feel nauseous.” Azriel straightened his back at the tone of your voice, concerned that you had pushed yourself too hard tonight, “Do you want me to fly you home?” You inhale sharply, annoyed with him, annoyed that he was like this, annoyed that he cared about you whenever you both were alone, annoyed that he didn’t care this much when Elain was around. “No Azriel,” sounding out his name making it clear you were not pleased to be around him currently, “I don’t want you to take me home. Honestly, I would rather anyone else take me home.” Azriels shadows began swirling around sharply, a look of pain flashed in his eyes before they hardened, “Would you rather Lucien take you home? You were hanging off him at dinner, laughing at every stupid joke he made and whispering together as if no one else existed; you know he is fucking mated to Elain right? Do you realize how uncomfortable you both made everyone feel?” You scoffed, turning your head away from his to stare back up at the sky, “So that's what this is about? You wanted to confront me to make sure I wasn’t going after Elain’s mate, Azriel? For your gods-damned information, Lucien and I are just friends, just friends. And honestly, it's none of your business even if he and I were something more. It’s not like she cares anyway.”
Azriel clenched his jaw tightly, gritting his teeth together before opening his mouth to reply, only to have you cut him off, your inhibitions clearly influenced by your earlier drinking, “And honestly Az, you’re one to fucking talk. Elain ignores Lucien every minute that he is here. The poor male goes out of his way every time he visits to try and connect with her, buys these beautiful and thoughtful gifts for her, and yet she rejects his every advance. And you, clearly, are not making it better by letting her cling to you right in front of him. It is obvious she has feelings for you, and you only encourage them by acting as if she is this precious flower that could do no wrong.” Azriel stared at you in disbelief before his face fell flat, like a true spymaster, he left no emotion on his face. His shadows darkened his body almost entirely leaving him almost impossible to see, “First of all Y/N, I am looking out for her after the serious trauma she experienced. And you know what I think this is fucking about Y/N? I think your fucking jealous of Elain. Jealous that she is getting the attention that you want, and you know what? That is so fucked up of you, you have no idea what she has been through. So stop with this utter bullshit of whatever pity party you are having for yourself.” Azriel’s speech had sobered you unbelievably fast; you could only stare at him in silence as tears once again began to brim your eyes, though this time, they fell, hot on your cheeks. The knot in your throat was back, lodging itself to stay for the rest of the night, maybe even forever. The pain you felt this time was not only emotional, but was physical enough that your hand met your chest, rubbing it along the sternum to find relief as your breathing quickened. Azriel stared back, quickly realizing the severity of his harsh words, his own breath quickening as his once emotionless face fell into devastation. His mouth opened and closed several times, trying to take back those words, those painful, heartbreaking words, that had come flying out. “Y/N-” he begins, whispering your name so quietly, so quietly that you would think you were hearing things if not for you watching his lips form your name. And that was it. That was all you could take. Your name on his lips was enough. “You know what Azriel,” cutting him off before he could utter another word, acid filling your mouth, “Fuck you.” Pulling back from him and this horrid fucking conversation, you pushed yourself up, turning your back towards him and stormed away. Azriel left standing in your wake, staring after you, his shadows violently whispering at him to chase after you and beg for forgiveness. praying to Mother above he hadn’t just said those words, praying to Mother above you didn't just walk away from him, praying to Mother above you would turn around and come right back to him. He flinches sharply as the door slams shut behind you, his sharp breaths filling the utter silence you left as the stars continue to explode in the sky.
🌹🌹🌹
Taglist: @paasrin @positivewitch @fieldofdaisiies
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Y’all ever just
I swear, at this point my default IDE is the Notes app!
I love coding but I am so so lazy and held back by executive dysfunction; often, I want to work on a problem that’s rattling around in my head, but getting off the couch to get my laptop and start feels simply impossible.
So, I bust out my smartphone and jot down my ideas or write a few (untested) functions.
Not only does it allow me to just get started, rather than fighting myself for the willpower to “officially” get up, go to my desk, get focused and start working, (which often feels like a dreaded chore even though I always enjoy my time spent programming) it also takes a lot of the pressure off. Since it’s the Notes app rather than a real coding environment, I don’t worry about formatting or syntax mistakes or any mistakes, really, since there won’t be any error messages popping up until I can test the code later.
For me, I find this a really effective way both to get started without the dread and pressure, and to give myself the time and space I need to think through my own solution; predict what errors will come up from this code, and see if I can’t figure out how to solve it (or at least jot down some things to google later).
I find that programming is so creative, and like all creative endeavours, I am at my best doing it in a stress-free, nonchalant environment. It is easiest for me to brainstorm creative solutions, or even just think clearly, when I don’t feel intimidated. For me, this often results in me doing my best work in places where I don’t have access to a computer, or sometimes even internet: at the dog park, in the bath/shower, or lying on the couch high as a kite while I watch TV. (Yes, I sometimes use my phone in the shower. I am hopeless Gen-Z trash. I know.)
Thank you, iPhone. I hate you and I hate your company and everything it stands for. But, I get a lot of my best work done because of you :]
I wish I had a better solution than this, because like I just said, I hate the iPhone and I want to get rid of it, but I’m still too dependent on it right now. The smart phone just feels like a direct portal to my brain, that nothing else I’ve tried has been able to replicate.
Anyone else here struggle with executive dysfunction? How do you cope with it? If anyone does have any advice, tips, tricks, or ideas for me, I’d really appreciate it :]
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Ominis Gaunt’s Occupations AU HCs
Written By @finalgirllx and @greedyforgarreth simultaneously.
A promised continuation after our Garreth's Gareers.
Headcanons of Ominis Gaunt in different careers.
Warning, we get a little delusional by the end again.
English Teacher
Has a few teacher’s pets
The teacher that lots of students open up to - even if he doesn’t try
A huge banned book advocate! He starts the year off with Fahrenheit 451 every time.
Loves having the students read and argue about Holden’s character in Catcher in the Rye.
On days when there is no lesson, he has them watch Pride and Prejudice or Frankenstein in class.
When he’s with his partner he makes them sound like his dad and says “Good Job, Son.” to him to make him feel good about himself and his life choices.
Will literally eat an apple every day. No exceptions.
He will give students +1 point of extra credit if they bring him an apple.
His students love to hear his personal stories and always try to get him off track.
Therapist
“How does that make you feel?”
He will write their answer on his computer and sometimes his voice-to-text randomly goes off and exposes what he wrote to the client. “Client’s delusions are excessive today.” client gasps “Well…they are…”
Makes you say 5 affirmations as soon as you walk in the door.
He’s obsessed with having you make a pros and cons list for every decision you have to make.
“Oof, red flag” any time your romantic partner wrongs you.
An absurd amount of fidget toys, on his desk and near the client’s seat.
He likes to take on children from foster care/broken homes the most. (He does most of these sessions for free/at a discount.)
Has poured hours into a curated playlist to relax and comfort his clients during their sessions.
Sommelier - a wine professional
The wine MUST have notes of ‘nuts’ otherwise it doesn’t pass.
He will get incredibly upset if he can’t taste the nut notes in it.
The only person who could describe the “body” or “palate” of the wine and not sound like a complete jerk while doing so.
Does the dramatic hand wafting the wine aroma into his nose when he first tries it.
Has an assistant who runs an instagram for him - makes sure to take immaculate photos at all of the vineyards.
"Pair this wine with anything you'd want to take to Flavor Town. It's like a high-five to your taste buds."
Has his own wine line with his face on the label. (He insisted on it) “It will increase sales” it did
Would work with famous personal chef Garreth Weasley for food + wine pairings. Their blog would be extremely popular.
“Nuttin' But the Finest” is his slogan.
Has a famous video where he threw a wine bottle with no nut notes on the floor and it smashed and his PR team desperately tries to scrub it from it from the internet.
The more tipsy he is, the more upset he is when something doesn’t have notes of nuts.
He comments under other people's posts about wine “Does it give ‘nut’🥜?” They block him.
Spa Manager
Would constantly walk around the spa listening in to make sure the service is fabulous.
Snaps his fingers far too much.
Gets clients excited by wearing a robe as his work attire.
Gets his estheticians to give him free facials every day.
Clients can pay extra for a scalp massage from him.
Huge gossip. Knows the tea about everyone even if you’re not his client.
“Margaret, I’m feeling a blemish forming on my cheek. Come take care of it.”
Falls asleep in the massage room between clients.
Goes into the sauna during his breaks and then gets upset when he’s too hot.
Radio DJ/Operator
Loves taking calls from anyone and everyone on air.
Absolutely loves causing relationship conflict on air. The dating advice hour sessions are always done by him. “He said WHAT NOW to you? Oof, red flag.”
“Drama Domain by DJ Ominis"
Literally does not care about his song order. He will repeat the song he likes as long as he wants, no matter who complains.
“You’re all haters. Dynamite by Taio Cruz will always be a hit.” And he grows to hate it himself but he’s so stubborn he keeps playing it.
He loves to interview people on his radio show. Always gets them to divulge some deep dark secret.
Somehow has the most famous of celebrities on his show and they all enjoy talking with him.
Has a trivia show every day that’s just about what he likes. “10 questions about cats this morning.”
Fucking despises giveaways. “I’m not giving you people anything.”
He ruins the giveaways the station forces him to put on purposefully by “deliberating” if it's a scam or not.
Model
Always shirtless even when it’s not called for. They have to photoshop shirts onto him.
“What do you mean I can’t be a shirtless executive?” walks out in just a tie and pants.
Very, very particular over his hair. If one strand is out of line, he will be very upset.
But he also doesn’t tell people when he’s upset. He just sighs and tilts his head dramatically and slouches until someone notices.
Really enjoys cowboy photoshoots. For whatever reason.
He secretly loves the comments from fans “Wear the hat, ride the cowboy.” He has his assistant read them off to him while he goes to sleep. “Wait, say the one where they called me Daddy Cowboy again.”
Has a very strict diet of eating whatever the fuck he wants to.
Loves extremely high fashion accessories. His eye masks cost over $3,000.
Has his own skin care line. "Gaunt's Beauty Nectar"
Has a Daddy Kink.
Musician
In a band with Garreth. They had excessive arguments over the band name. Ominis has a brief solo career stint before returning to the Weasley Wigouts.
Will make-out with fans right on stage in the middle of a set.
He puts gold body glitter on himself so he glows during the concert.
So, so amazing with his fingers.
Loves how his fans scream when his hair that starts perfect at the beginning of the show gets messier and more wild.
Has a very strict 10 PM bedtime that he can NOT miss.
Has that one very sad song in the middle of the concert that everyone gets quiet for as he belts on stage.
Fights to make sure his merch is affordable. Punched his rep before for trying to up his shirt prices.
Biggest supporter of his band members. Will call them sexy and tell him he wants to suck them off during the concert. Supportive, of course.
There’s a video of him online throwing a wine bottle in anger and it shatters. His PR team is trying to scrub it from the internet.
Refuses to let his brother Marvolo join the band even though he lets him keep auditioning.
Lawyer
Loves getting extremely into his arguments like they do in dramas.
Often makes the entire courtroom gasp when he makes his final comment.
“Your honor, the other team is clearly incompetent. His choice of cologne is terrible.” The audience gasps.
He has his own gavel and hits it when the other lawyer is talking. The judge lets him keep it because it's entertaining.
He watches Legally Blonde constantly. “Yas queen!”
"It's quite a feat to make 'reasonable doubt' sound like a plot twist from a B-grade mystery novel." The audience gasps
When the verdict is made he’s already smiling like he's won. (He did)
"I want to thank the opposing team for providing such an entertaining performance. If legal arguments came with awards, they'd surely win for 'Best Theatrical Presentation.' The audience gasps
His briefcase is full of fan mail. He reads them during the opposing team's defense.
Will literally always wear the best suits. He makes sure he feels sexy every day.
Detective
“The clue is in your drawers.”
Really loves the interrogation portion of his job. He conducts all of them.
“WHERE WERE YOU AT 7:13 PM LAST TUESDAY?” He says both in the interrogation room and in bed.
Has forgotten he’s handcuffed a lover to his bed before.
“I can arrest you,” he warns his partner when they tease him too much.
Has a Sherlock Holmes Kink.
Eats cheese and crackers while visiting the scenes of crimes.
“Sir, you're getting crumbs all over the evidence…” Ominis scoffs “I can arrest you,”
Enjoys teaching criminology at the local universities.
Sleeps with the speech and pathology professor.
Asks her to refer to him as “Sherlock” when they make love.
Wants his partner to yell “You solved the case!” when he cums. He can only cum when they say this.
Columnist
Loves writing the horoscopes for his newspaper. Always makes sure the signs that have wronged him will have bad days. And his crush always has great days.
Loves interviewing people from his town and getting to know the townsfolk.
Hates Garfield as a concept. Doesn’t understand when people try to explain why it's funny.
Always does the “Ask Alice” column. Will be honest with people if he thinks their questions are bad but offer advice anyway.
If he’s feeling frisky the advice won’t be good at all and probably cause more harm than good.
Fell asleep on his newspaper and got the ink stained on his face. No one told him for hours.
There’s a video of him online throwing a wine bottle in anger and it shatters. His PR team is trying to scrub it from the internet.
Loves sitting down with black coffee and cheese and crackers, starts his work day by saying, “let’s start writing these bad boys.”
Has a secret column he writes called “That RAT!” where he exposes bad people, restaurants, or businesses in the town. “The manager is a coward!”
“If Duncan Hobhouse has been here, stay away. 0/10 this place must be shut down.”
Insists on putting a dad joke on the front page every day.
Politician
Super into animal welfare.
Has slept with every single candidate for every office he’s run for. (And their spouses) They always mysteriously concede so he can get the win.
There’s a video of him online throwing a wine bottle in anger and it shatters. His PR team is trying to scrub it from the internet.
He’s extremely hot. Like holy fuck he’s hot. Damn…(This isn’t a HC, it’s true.)
Dominis 24/7.
His suits are thousands of dollars and he always wears them everywhere. He sleeps in them sometimes.
He loves visiting schools and getting to meet the future generations.
Flirts with all of the news broadcasters and interviewers for his publicity events.
Makes the name “Duncan” illegal for all future births.
Has a bondage kink.
Has done a lot for the community including helping to clean up the messier side of town and starting charities to help the homeless find housing and jobs.
Wants to get carried to the stage when he presents.
He asks his partners in bed to call him “Mr. President”.
“Get down Mr. President!” is how his partner asks for head.
100% approval rating.
Florist
Became a florist because he found the care and handwork to be soothing.
He knows the language of every flower and often uses it to help people find the perfect bouquet.
Has a daddy kink.
"Ominis's Blooming Creations"
Since he can’t see the color, he relies strongly on the scent of flowers, and people have grown to love his bouquets.
“My little flower,” is his favorite pet name he uses.
Moisture checks constantly! “This isn’t moist enough!”
Wears the cutest apron with his shop name on it.
Loves having apprentices so he can cultivate their love for gardening the same way he does.
Doesn’t wipe his face so his partner can clean the specks of dirt off his nose when he comes home.
Sometimes comes home through a window in a Ghostface costume because his partner loves it. (Just for you, Elise)
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Do you have any advice or specific tips to writing a low/no empathy character? Or a resource to recommend?
Hi nonny! Thanks for asking! I'm going to try my best to answer your question, but keep in mind, this is all based on my own personal experience, and that varies vastly from person to person. (if anyone else experiences low/no empathy, please feel free to add on to this post!)
So, some things to keep in mind:
Why does your character experience low/no empathy? For me, it's a symptom of my autism, but there are multiple reasons a character could have low/no empathy. The most common is probably going to be some form of disability (autism), or disorder (psychopathy), etc.
(Be careful while doing research though, especially on disorders like psychopathy! You're going to run into a lot of ableist bullshit. Make sure to look for sources written by people living with these disorders/disabilities.)
(If anyone has any resources on other disabilities or disorders that cause low empathy that they personally recommend, please feel free to add links!!!)
Whatever the reason, it's not going to only affect their empathy. It's going to affect every part of their life. So make sure to do your research, and write respectfully. If you know someone or follow someone who has a certain condition, ask if they'd feel comfortable answering questions for you. If they aren't, that's fine. If they are, they're going to be a great resource.
(I'd also recommend getting a sensitivity reader, particularly when writing about mental disorders that are already frequently stigmatized. You want to make sure you're not promoting harmful stereotypes.)
I should note, however, that neurotypical people can also have low/no empathy!!! It just happens to also be a common symptom of various mental disorders.
Consider what kind of empathy does your character lack. There are two kinds of empathy! Emotional (or affective) empathy, and cognitive empathy. Affective empathy is made up of three parts: Feeling the same emotion as someone else, feeling discomfort or stress in response to someone else's suffering, and feeling compassion for or understanding another's emotions.
Cognitive empathy is the ability to recognize and understand the emotions of someone else. This includes being to "stand in someone else's shoes", or take another person's perspective, and generally understand what they're feeling. This one has been called more of a "skill", in that it's something people can "learn", where as affective empathy can't be taught or learned.
When people talk about having low/no empathy, they are usually referring to lacking affective empathy, but a character might struggle with both!
Not everyone experiences empathy the same. Some people lack empathy in some circumstances, but have it in others. For example, I lack empathy when it comes to human beings, but I am much more empathetic when it comes to animals. A character might only be able to empathize with very specific scenarios or people. (For example, if someone else is going through a very similar scenario to one they have experienced in the past, it may be easier for them to feel empathy. But it might not!) Some people can empathize with certain emotions better than others. (I empathize better with anger, but can't empathize at all with grief.)
Understand that a lack of empathy does not equal a lack of caring. Just because a person doesn't feel the emotions someone else is feeling doesn't mean they don't care. A person with low or no empathy can still be kind and compassionate to others. They might go about trying to cheer people up in a slightly different way (I personally tend to try and go for distractions), but they still care about their friends and loved ones. Even seemingly "uncaring" things said by those who lack empathy do not come from a place of malice. (I can't tell you how many times I've said something well-meaning and had people assume I was being cruel. I wasn't, and I genuinely had good intentions.)
Keep in mind how your character reacts to other's emotions. People with empathy tend to feel similarly to those they empathize with, which generally creates a feeling of connection. (This is part of what leads to that sense of "coming together after tragedy".) A person with low/no empathy might instead feel alienated or uncomfortable when faced with large outpourings of emotions. They might be uncertain how to act or what to do, and they may try and avoid situations with strong negative emotions because of it. (In my case, people crying makes me very uncomfortable, because I don't know how to respond. So I try and keep my distance.)
Think about how your character processes their own emotions. Just because a character doesn't feel empathy for others doesn't mean that they are incapable of feeling those emotions on their own. A character who has no empathy for a grieving friend can still grieve! But chances are they will process that emotion differently than a person with "normal" empathy. They might try to push their emotions away and bottle them up. Or one emotion might transition into one they have an easier time processing. (For me, I don't experience sadness normally. It either transitions to anger, or it is replaced by different thoughts.)
Think about how their lack of empathy influences their life. A person who lacks empathy is not going to experience life the same way as a person with "normal" empathy. They might have a hard time making friends, or they might excel at a job that requires a logical mind. They might give great advice, or their friends might know to never ask them about relationships. They might be great at organizing people, even in times of stress, because their brain compartmentalizes and thinks pragmatically. They might totally shut down when faced with an emotional situation because they don't know how to process it.
Having no empathy can be very alienating. People expect empathy constantly. It's a big part of why people love emotional media, and it's the expected response when someone you know experiences suffering. Not having empathy can mean that you feel disconnected from your loved ones or community as a whole. It might mean biting your tongue and not saying what you think because people would read it as uncaring or cruel.
Remember: Having low or no empathy is not a bad thing. People with low/no empathy are often villainized in media, and the trait is often given to antagonists. But that's a harmful stereotype and harmful belief in general. That's not saying that your character with low empathy has to be "good", but don't use their low empathy as proof that they're a "bad person". Try thinking about situations in which having low/no empathy might be useful! I personally am reminded of the post I saw years ago where someone was saying that if not for their lack of empathy, they probably couldn't do their job. (iirc, they worked handling the bodies of organ donors, some of whom were quite young.)
Okay, that's all I can think of for now, but like I said before, anyone else who experiences low or no empathy is encouraged to reblog this post and add on to it! And if I made any mistakes here, please let me know so I can fix them!!! I tried to base this mostly off of my own experience, so take it all with a grain of salt.
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Comic Paneling Process
to answer a question from @pluviatrix, here’s a post detailing how I approach paneling!
The unhelpful answer is that it really depends on what kind of scene I’m trying to fit onto a page, because the energy and mood will dictate the kinds of shapes and layouts I gravitate towards. I usually start out with a short script, which for the last two bonus links updates looked like this:
Writing the script helps me visualize what needs to happen and gives me a good idea of how many pages it might take. There’s a few rules of thumb that I use to start:
angled panels = intensity. So do irregular panel shapes, but the more irregular the panels are the harder it is to balance other panels on the page, so that’s something to keep in mind
Lots of small, close together panels = fast-paced action, especially if the panels are angled. Larger, spaced out panels = a slower paced, even maybe a slow motion feel.
5 panels per page is the sweet spot. Sometimes it can be less if a moment is really important and I want to emphasize it, but I try not to have any more than 8, because any more and it starts to get overcrowded.
leave room for text bubbles!!!!!!! they need more room than you think!!!!!!!
Your goal is to lead the eye around. Because I make comics in english, that means that everything should be designed around zig-zagging from left to right, down, left to right. The eye will naturally do that, but helping it out leads to pages that feel smoother. If I’m going to break that form, I have to find a way to force the eye to go where I want it to go.
That last one is the most important. There’s a few ways you can create this zig-zag: with the text boxes, with the poses, or with the panels themselves. Ideally it would be all 3. So for a basic 5 panel example:
option 1 is less visually clear than option 2, because the first two rows of panels don’t lead your eye smoothly. Generally speaking, whatever you choose for your first row of panels, the second row needs to contrast, unless you’re creating an even grid intentionally. Here’s an example of a page where I break the rules a little, but I make up for it by guiding the eye around:
Once again generally speaking putting two smaller panels next to one taller panel can be somewhat confusing as to which order you should read the panels in, but I tried to mitigate that with making those two small panels a pulled out shot and then a close-up of the same subject. Then, the use of that big text bubble coming from the horn forces the eye up to the top of the taller panel, which then draws ur eye down because of those two silver lizalfos at the bottom. The lizalfos in those two angled panels are posed facing the ways I want to lead the reader’s eye, and so is Beetle. And here are some notes on how I approached this action-heavy page:
That middle row is all angles with things swinging in and out of frame to suggest quick, sudden movement. That close up of Loft is wedged in the middle like it’s chipping off the next panel, with Loft looking direct into the events of the next panel to communicate that he’s anticipated the Lizalfos’ movements. And to finish off, here’s what this most recent update looked like in sketch:
I start out making the panels themselves first and just treat it like a graphic design problem, trying to make sure it all feels balanced on the page. And then I fill them in and adjust as needed.
And that’s about all I’ve got! I hope this was helpful lol and if anyone has like specific questions abt stuff feel free to shoot them my way! Of course, everything that I say here has an exception, and there are plenty of instances where you can break these ‘rules’ in service of the story you’re telling. That’s actually my biggest piece of advice- your panels are a part of the story! They’re another tool in ur arsenal to set the mood and feeling, so you should utilize them!
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