#poets are easier

[jules-ln]

I love the theory that Patroclus was a homeric invention regardless of whether is true or not.

Mostly because I imagine Homer saying:

"This is my OC Patroclus. He's an exiled prince and everyone loves him. He's so strong he killed a son of Zeus and also has 9 dogs. He's Achilles' boyfriend and best friend too btw uwu"

[desire-mona]

rsl letter to a fan

his handwriting is so gorgeous? yours sincerely? lord

[greenerteacups]

Hi! I am an ardent fan of your writing, and I hope to be as sorted and planned as you some day in my own writing journey.

My question is: you have a keen eye when it comes to planning character personality, dynamics, and such. I've also been wading through your ask replies, and your insights into how you write people and how you make them play off of each other is so wonderful to read. If it's not too personal a q, how did you learn how to write like this? Did you go to school for writing, does it come from years of observing people, do you have reading list recs for "how to write real people and real interactions"?

Thanks! This is a really flattering question. I'll try to answer it honestly, because I wish someone had been brutally honest about this with me when I was a young writer.

I didn't go to school for writing. I started doing it when I was about nine years old. It sucked very badly. I kept writing throughout high school, and it still mostly sucked, but some of it was occasionally interesting. ("Interesting" here does not mean "good," by the way.) I took a break in college, and then came back. I've been writing ever since. Sometimes, I feel good about it. A lot of the time, I don't!

I hate giving this advice, because I remember how it feels to get it, and it's the most uninspiring, boring-ass, dog shit advice you can get, but it's also the only advice that is 100% unequivocally true: you have to write, and specifically, you have to write things that suck.

I do not mean that you should make things that suck on purpose. I mean that you have to sit down and try your absolute hardest to make something good. You have to put in the hours, the elbow grease, the blood, sweat, and tears, and then you have to read it over and accept that it just totally sucks. There is no way around this, and you should be wary of people who tell you there is. There is no trick, no rule, no book you can buy or article you can read, that will make your writing not suck. The best someone else can do is tell you what good writing looks like, and chances are, you knew that anyway — after all, you love to read. You wouldn't be trying to do this if you didn't. And anyone who says they can teach you to write so good it doesn't suck at first is either lying to you, or they have forgotten how they learned to write in the first place.

So the trick is to sit there in the miserable doldrums of Suck, write a ton, and learn to like it. Because this is the phase of your path as an artist when you find what it is you love about writing, and it cannot be the chance to make "good writing." This will be the thing that bears you through and compels you to keep going when your writing is shit, i.e., the very thing that makes you a writer in the first place. So find that, and you've got a good start.

Some people know this, but assume that perseverance as a writer is about trying to get to the point where you don't suck anymore. This is not true, and it is an actively dangerous lie to tell young writers. You are not aiming to feel like your writing doesn't suck. You are aiming to write. You are aiming to have written. Everything else is dust and rust. And of course, you'll find things you like about your pieces, you'll find things you're proud of, you'll learn to love the things you've made. But that little itch of self-criticism, in the back of your brain — the one that cringes when you read a clunky line, or thinks of a better character beat right after it's far too late to change — that's never going away. That's the Writer part of you. Read Kafka, read Dickens, read Tolstoy, you will find diary entries where they lament how absolutely fucking atrocious their writing was, and how angry they are that they can't do better. A good writer hates their sentences because they can always imagine better ones. And the ability to imagine a better sentence is what's going to make you pick up the pen again tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that.

Which is what I mean, and probably what all those other annoying, preachy advice-givers mean, when we say: a good writer is just someone who writes every day. It's that easy, and that hard.

[neilperryismine]

I have no idea what my sexuality is but I just realised that if I was a character in a film I would definitely be headcanoned as bisexual/lesbian/demisexual so maybe that’s cleared that up…just thinking about dps and how the poets would try to understand their feelings compared to how we see their sexuality/ship them (time period issues/internalised homophobia etc)

[hemlock-ghost]

Consistent art style? Who's she?

Anyway enjoy some crappy reth drawings-with a bonus Jel because why not?

(these took me like five minutes and they looked WAY better at two in the morning but idgaf)

[good--merits-accumulated]

sometimes the brain worms get you and you start writing a secret life of walter mitty anderperry au

[lucky-bishop]

trust me I KNOW that it's abt Peter Pan from Wendy's perspective but Peter has me so fucked up in my teenager/young Petopher feels I'm ill over this.

together in secret. Chris, older than Peter, having to leave, but Peter promising he'd come find him when he could. never reconnecting. never reconnecting.

finally reconnecting when there's no hope of recognizing each other anymore.

[beautiful-writings]

I miss you so much friend

Losing a friend to suicide is an indescribable tragedy that leaves a lasting impact on all those left behind. The profound pain and sorrow that accompanies such a loss is unmatched, as it not only shatters the bond shared with the departed friend but also raises countless questions about life, mental health, and the struggles one may face without our knowledge.

When a friend decides to take their own life, it is often difficult to comprehend the reasoning behind such a desperate act. We are left grappling with our own guilt, questioning whether there was something we could have done to prevent it. We wonder about the signs we may have missed, the conversations left unsaid, and the support we could have offered. It is a heavy burden to carry, blaming ourselves for something that was beyond our control.

The grief that follows the loss of a friend to suicide is complex and multifaceted. We are overwhelmed with a range of emotions, from shock and disbelief to anger and confusion. In addition to the usual process of mourning, we also experience a unique sense of guilt, wondering if we could have done more to help, blaming ourselves for not sensing the depth of their pain. We question if our friendship was enough, if we failed to offer the support and understanding they needed during their darkest moments.

In our attempt to make sense of their actions, we may also find ourselves reflecting on the fragility of human life and the struggles each individual faces, sometimes hidden beneath a façade of normalcy. We become aware of the importance of mental health and the necessity of open conversations surrounding it. Losing a friend to suicide serves as a stark reminder of the invisible battles many people fight, and it compels us to reach out, offer our support, and break the stigma surrounding seeking help for mental health issues.

As time passes, the pain of losing a friend to suicide does not fade entirely, but it transforms. We remember the joyful moments shared, the laughter, and the experiences that brought us together. We continue to cherish their memory and honor their life by advocating for mental health awareness, and by being there for others who may be struggling.

In conclusion, losing a friend to suicide is an unimaginable loss that leaves an everlasting impact on us. The immense pain and guilt that often accompany such a tragic event can be overwhelming. However, through reflection and understanding, we can work towards commemorating our lost friend's life, raising awareness about mental health, and connecting with others who may need our support. Together, we can strive to prevent further loss and build a more compassionate and understanding society.

-SM

[elainewellspoetry]

Playing The Part | 2.26.24 Note: This is the second poem I've written about this topic in 2 days and I'm realizing now that the reason it's been so hard to write in the past year is because I haven't been writing honestly. I was trying so fucking hard to write love poetry about a guy I wasn't into, and now I'm just speaking my feelings and it's so easy to write again.

[darcymercurialisunofficial]

please rank the hotness of all the women in the royal court against a theoretical butch kane

A theoretical butch Kane? Well, why not. Though, dear anon, I will say that I believe that objectively, order of hotness here should probably most closely follow the order of those who are closest to the throne. The natural order, if you will.

So, as requested:

1.Princess Cassandane - As the wife of Prince Cyrus III and future Queen of Nesus, it’s only polite to put her first.

2.Lady Austra Lunares - Second in line to the throne, and I respect MILFs.

3.Selene Lunares - Incredible conversationalist, genuinely pleasant to be around, we have similar tastes in media.

4.Mona Lunares - Frankly she could spit on me and I’d say thank you. Church of Siderum DNI.

5.Drea Martis - Incredible skill with a knife, muscles that suggest she could throw me like a sack of potatoes, and she’s not annoying to be around? Sign me up (theoretically, as she’s married).

6.Jada Martis - I don’t see much of her these days, but again: MILFs >>>>. Her fatal flaw is l*king Castor Martis.

7.Theoretical Butch Kane - I need you to understand. They would be leagues above real, non-butch, cisgender male Kane, but I doubt the xenophobia or inability to control their volume would be gone. How unfortunate :( Though being slammed against the wall by the throat via Theoretical Butch Kane, again, would be much of an improvement compared to being thrown around by regular plain cisboy Kane.

[latibvles]

ALL THAT IN MIND, NOTHING COULD PREPARE HIM FOR JUNE CIELINSKI. HE’S CONVINCED GIRLS LIKE HER NEED TO COME WITH SOME TYPE OF WARNING LABEL.

[journeytodrawiii]

So, I both started and finished this page last night, much to my surprise. I think it's a banger. Partly because I haven't given myself much time to really reflect on my feelings lately, which sucks, but can lead to some really great creative little outbursts like this.

So what this page covers a w i d e range of topics. One of them being the way I struggle to feel good about myself without a romantic partner. The character without a (defined) face and BIG hands is supposed to represent that hold on me, hence the large hands. I also drew this character as a more masculine looking figure because male approval and attention is a big thing that I've been conditioned to crave, and I'm trying to break away from that part of myself. Which is another topic, in both the top left and right drawings (the back portrait and teddy portrait). Although I don't fully identify as a woman, that's how people see me and it's tough. Many people know what I'm talking about; being put through hell by the phallocentric world because that's just the way it is. The bottom three drawings are more about accepting myself for who I am, even if it's rough. They're about my journey to self and self love, which is only just beginning.

Anyway, I don't think anyone ever reads these loooong descriptions I add to my art, but I hope you do. And I hope that maybe you can see yourself in my art and feel something. Please, take care of yourselves and have a good day (I'll shut up now). <333

[eolewyn1010]

As the pirate / poet shirt is very simple in theory, you'd think I shouldn't be able to mess this up. And yet here we are, and I have to find out and write down a sensible order to tackle what I have yet to do so I can stop jumping from one unfinished seam to another.

Close the second side. This includes trimming it down a bit as I've originally cut the body part of the shirt too wide, and have already taken the other side in a few centimeters when sewing that shut.

Also, hem the side seams on the inside. I've started this on one side but never finished it, and with the second side shut, it's time to find out how far up that closes, aka how big those goddamn armscyes actually need to be. What with the gussets, I suspect it's Not That Big Actually.

With the second side shut, I can forget about the upper half for a while and go about the lower hem instead, finishing that from one side slit to the other. And then reinforce both slit openings with a little patch (and hopefully do a cleaner job with that than with the cleavage patch).

Sleeve no 1: is a work of beauty, gusset set in, all seams hemmed, the lower opening gathered. So: set it into the cuff; send a prayer to the sewing gods while I'm at it.

Sleeve no 2: what is that thing. Set in the gusset, close down the side seam, hem it all. Gathering seam into the lower opening, then set it into the cuff.

Gathering seams into the tops of both sleeves. Then change the subject because sleeves are scary.

Reinforcement patches into the (blissfully completely-hemmed) collar opening.

Seam and turn the collar, set in the buttonholes while I'm at it, maybe a little placket for the buttons if it turns out I did cut the thing too short. I already re-cut the cuffs; I will not do that again with the collar. It will have a little placket for closure and like it.

Sew the collar to the shirt.

Seam three very narrow strips of fabric (because I don't own bias tape because I'm a garbage seamstress), two short ones for either side of the cleavage cut, a longer one to serve for tying said cut shut. Yes, I am aware that I'm making my life more difficult than it needs to be.

Sew in the two shorter strips on the inside of the cleavage cut. This whole enterprise only makes sense if I leave the gaps necessary to thread the tie strip through. I may yet decide to skip this whole endeavor and go for the much more visible eyelets, but I somehow think that'll take the same amount of time, especially since I'd have to back those up with a bit of facing.

Since I'm at the cleavage opening anyway, may as well hem and gather the ruffles and set them in.

With collar, ruffles, and potentially closing tie in place, it's back to the dreaded sleeves. I'll set them in and I may have to cover the seams on the inside of the shirt with additional reinforcement strips since I don't know how well-behaved the fabric is, or how many sensory issues the edge will cause me otherwise.

I have reinforcement strips for the shoulders lying around somewhere. If I find them again, I should put them in.

With the shirt itself finished, it's cravat time babey. Which means, a long, long strip of fabric that needs to be hemmed. But at least I'll get to add some fancy lace at the end of it.

This looks like a lot when I write it down like that, but it'll help me to keep an overview of the separate steps.

[polteergeistt]

Late October 2023.

Wherever you will sail

I hope to be your harbor

I will hold your anchor

For my heart is your rock.

I want to go where you won't be

But you've been everywhere

And every little place keeps your trace

It's like you're everywhere

And there is nowhere I belong.

[hobgodling]

strawberry moon flowers in bloom i've begged you to stay here please don't leave so soon

oh, honey moon peachfruit perfume my golden-crowned dear my favorite tune

oh, my sweet june don't mind the gloom let's meet again next year beneath the full moon

strawberry moon - @nosebleedclub

[kiisuuumii]

@kiisuuumii (i hope i continue to remember you only in pieces)