#refining the storyline

[dmclemblems]

AG implies something unfortunate in CF. In CF, the end of the war against TWSID sounded like a pyrrhic victory at best. In AG, we saw that Thales is willing to mind control Edelgard to keep her under his control. What if that was the great sacrifice made at the end of CF for the BE to win?

Edelgard's endings were vague enough to interpret it as her post-mind control. Her ending with Lysithea seems to support it too. Edelgard got back her "stolen years" of being young and free. She could have grown up mentally again into an Emperor but under the BE's influence.

The war-mongering Edelgard died in the war against TWSID. The mentally-a-child Edelgard was left to replace her and clean up with the BE.

Yeah, that would be awful if she killed Thales and was freed of the mind control, only to find out she killed her brother and a whole lot of other people. That's something she'd never be able to rectify just because her memories came back and people would hate her even if she didn't remember why or if she remembered why but couldn't do anything to bring back the people who died.

I did consider this might be the case for Houses, but I figured that probably wasn't the case because in AM, Thales is killed when stilled using Arundel as a disguise, but when Dimitri asks Edelgard to meet up with him, she's the same person before and after Thales dies (in chapter 19 when they defeat him in Deirdru).

It could be either inconsistency in Houses' routes' writing, they chose not to make those things canon in each route (so it could be the case in CF but not AM), or it's just a Hopes specific thing.

Actually while writing those posts I did think about adding it to the post, but I was like I'm not sure it's valid since in AM Thales dies the earliest per route (he dies later in the timeline in SS and in VW, so any mind control wouldn't be broken and Edelgard would've died before that could happen since she dies in both routes before Thales. In CF he doesn't die during the story at all so we couldn't see any aftermath directly).

Maybe since they wrote those endings the way they did, they decided to add some nods to them in Hopes. I feel like AM removed the possibility that Edelgard would regress to being twelve in Houses, but I think her memories were able to come back. In CF they don't come back even when she fights Dimitri, and Thales is still alive by then. Dimitri dies in SS and VW before either Edelgard or Thales, but in AM Edelgard remembers that she knew Dimitri as a child and Thales is dead by then.

It seems like there's definitely some level of memory altering that Thales used in both Houses and Hopes that was removed when he died in AM/AG, though Hopes might have taken it a step further and instead of just giving back her lost memories, she might have lost all her memories from her post-Faerghus childhood to the present.

We don't know for sure which it is of course, since she could still be the same Edelgard but just remembered the person she was warring against was her childhood friend, but with AG's ending it definitely supports the idea that Thales manipulated her memories and that her trauma wasn't the cause of forgetting Dimitri.

I think it's also worth noting that she remembers she was in Faerghus for a while but can't recall the name of "her first love" in her Goddess Tower conversation. It makes me think Thales specifically made her forget Dimitri so that she wouldn't have an attachment to him when the time came for her to start a war.

The thing is, Thales is smart and I'm sure he calculated things like how close the Kingdom and the Church were, if Edelgard wouldn't kill him if she knew they were friends, and that he specifically wanted her to forget her interactions with a Crest bearer since he wants the bloodlines wiped out. According to Houses, Dimitri was supposed to be killed at Duscur too, but I wouldn't think Thales just 100 percent expected him to die, like, I'm sure he had contingency plans if a Crest bearer survived that attack. I don't think he'd have all that planned out and have no backup. Since Rufus didn't have a Crest, it made it acceptable to use him to get him to kill Lambert and Dimitri, because Thales probably would want to kill anyone with the bloodline period (not just the ones who had Crests bc any of Rufus' children could've had Crests according to the bloodline lore), but Rufus wouldn't be an immediate concern and could be dealt with later.

Tbh I don't like CF/hate the way it ended between Edelgard and Dimitri because it left a bitter taste in my mouth how coldly she killed him even though he called her El. I guess it's possible she might not have heard it, but he wasn't whispering or anything so it was always weird to me how she killed him despite telling Byleth "nobody" since her "siblings" had called her that. If anyone else called her that I feel like she would have wanted answers and it'd be like a reverse AG where she wanted answers from Dimitri to understand what was going on.

Feels like missed potential imo for CF that could have made AG a parallel with him seeking her out for information.

[fairymint]

.....i'm sitting here squinting @ how full of shit my Volo is. how he can put up the front of having some sort of fancy-sounding or 'profound' conversation while knowing he's actually just a basic bitch on the inside (that's easily pleased but won't admit it-)

[rosescries]

I came up with a new original story idea and have no clue if I'm actually going to do something with it or not. I want to, but I'm not sure.

Going to have to work on it a bit more.

[elsheart]

im rewatching season 1 of st and wow its like a totally different show...the duffers really nailed it

[splatfest3ever]

I wanna remind people who are new to Splatoon that this same exact thing happened in every single Splatoon game so far.

When Splatoon 1 came out, Marie was seen as the cool one, and Callie was the stupid goofy one. As such Marie was the fan favorite and more often than not she won a lot of Splatfests in a row. No matter the theme.

It took a while, but gradually people came to appreciate Callie quite a bit. And because she was so popular, she became the catalyst for the upcoming Splatoon 2 single player storyline.

Then when Splatoon 2 came out, Pearl was seen as a creepy little gremlin and Marina was the hot sexy one. So naturally, Marina was the fan favorite and more often than not she won a lot of Splatfests in a row. No matter the theme.

It took a while, but gradually people came to appreciate Pearl, and by the end of the game’s life they were seen as equals. To the extent that in the final Splatfest… Pearl won!

Now we are seeing the same thing happen between Frye and Shiver. Shiver is the cool one, and Frye is the creepy little gremlin. Big Man is… there.

I get being frustrated, but please stick with the game. It will even out, I swear. And I know because I’ve been through this. Multiple times. Through almost a decade of my life.

It’s been 1 year. This game is going to be going strong for many more to come. Shiver won’t stay dominant forever. The Splatfests will get more refined and tweaked to make them fairer. The DLC might shake things up too (a lot of people really came to appreciate Pearl after the Octo-expansion).

Just relax and remember.. we’ve been here before. We’ll be there again. It’s okay. It’s just a video game. Enjoy it for what it is. Please.

[hollysoda]

I think the most frustrating thing about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is that if the Pokémon Company actually allowed the devs plenty of time to refine graphics, test the game and patch glitches before release it could easily be one of the best Pokémon games out there. So far from what I’ve played, the story and writing is miles better than Sword and Shield, and the characters are so much more interesting and each given equal time in the spotlight. They already released Legends Arceus earlier this year and even though the graphics weren’t perfect the glitches were minimal and overall the game was fantastic, one of my all time favourites in fact. That game had more time to be perfected since BDSP was released in time for Black Friday/Christmas instead. If TPC actually gave a shit about their devs and the appearance of their games rather than the millions of dollars they rake in with every launch day then they would take one look at their game, think “wtf no that’s not done” and then delay it. Would fans cry? Yes, because Pokémon fans will never be happy. Would the game look better if it was delayed a couple of months? Probably. Breath of the Wild was delayed two years and went on to win game of the year, and it’s sequel is following suit because the company actually cares about their games. I’m not saying a Pokémon game will ever win game of the year but if even just a little bit of care was applied from the heads of TPC then maybe we’d finally get a mainline Pokémon game with nice graphics and a brilliant storyline.

[insanityclause]

Over the past 13 years, Tom Hiddleston has died more times than he can recall. “Let me think about this,” the actor tells us, pausing to count in his head. “I think, officially, there were two big ones.” 

He’s referring to his many exits from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the blockbuster franchise in which he’s played shape-shifting Norse god Loki Laufeyson since Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film “Thor”—the son of Asgardians Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Frigga (Rene Russo), and the half-sibling of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the god of thunder. 

The character has since bounced between villain and reluctant antihero across five films, a handful of post-credits scenes, and Michael Waldron’s Disney+ spinoff series “Loki,” which Hiddleston also executive produces. The show wrapped its second—and supposedly final—season last November. The finale presents an end for the character, but not one of the aforementioned “big ones.” 

Hiddleston’s first “official” farewell came in Alan Taylor’s 2013 sequel “Thor: The Dark World,” which saw the god of mischief take a sword to the chest to save his beefy brother. “As written in the first script, it was a true sacrifice,” Hiddleston says. Unfortunately for Marvel’s long-term plans, the actor had done too good a job playing the trickster.

“When Marvel [executives] were testing the movie, they’d given [viewers] questionnaires that said, ‘Is there anything you didn’t understand?’ ” he remembers. “Literally every single audience member said, ‘Well, obviously, Loki’s not really dead.’ ” 

In classic comic-book fashion, the character did return, gallivanting alongside his brother in Taika Waititi’s 2017 follow-up “Thor: Ragnarok.” He died again one year later (“big one” number two) in the Russo brothers’  “Avengers: Infinity War.” There were no smokescreens or questionnaires this time; audiences watched as Loki’s neck was crushed by the purple fist of intergalactic warlord Thanos (Josh Brolin). 

Hiddleston remembers arriving in Atlanta to shoot his final scene and immediately bumping into Brolin. “He came up to me, gave me this huge hug, and said, ‘I’m so sorry, man.’ ” 

He meant it, too; everyone meant it. The sun, it seemed, had actually set on Hiddleston’s MCU journey. “At the end of that scene, I got a big round of applause, and everybody was so sweet and kind and gracious,” he says. “I got notes and emails saying, ‘Tom, you’ve done so much for us—what a journey. Come and see us anytime.’ I really thought that was the end.” 

And it was, for real, right up until it wasn’t—when the time-traveling shenanigans of 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame” blasted a younger version of Loki out of the established canon and into his own series. Over two seasons, the multiversal storyline envisions the title character as a figure who exists outside time and space. Across all there is, was, and may come to pass, there will always be a Loki, in some form, wreaking havoc. 

Hiddleston has long since accepted what this means for him as an actor. Maybe “Loki” Season 2 really was his last time in the role; or maybe he’ll play him until the sun burns out. “I’ve realized that, in human consciousness, that’s who Loki is,” he says. “Loki is this ancient, mythic character, who, in our collective mythology, represents the trickster, the transgressor, the boundary-crosser, the shape-shifter—somebody who’s mercurial and spontaneous and unpredictable who will always confound your expectations and wriggle out from underneath your certainties and convictions. Someone who we need and [who] is necessary.”

Hiddleston pauses, getting emotional. “Maybe Loki escaping death a couple of times is sort of an emblem of who he is in our culture,” he says, grinning at his own gusto. The actor has a habit of being self-deprecating about the depth of the character’s lore. “I spend a lot of time thinking about Loki. You can probably tell.”

You can tell, and it’s incredibly endearing. Talking to Hiddleston about Loki feels like discussing Shakespeare’s Richard III with Laurence Olivier or Tennessee Williams’ Blanche DuBois with Jessica Lange. They were actors who put their definitive stamps on those roles by returning to the well and constantly digging deeper. 

In conversation, Hiddleston is equally as likely to reference comic-book arcs as he is the ancient, anonymous Old Norse scribes of the “Poetic Edda” or Richard Wagner’s epic four-cycle opera “Der Ring des Nibelungen.” He speaks reverently of actors who embodied the trickster god before him, like Jim Carrey in Chuck Russell’s 1994 comedy “The Mask” and Alan Cumming in Lawrence Guterman’s 2005 sequel, “Son of the Mask.” He also heaps praise on those who played the part after him, such as his “Loki” costars Sophia Di Martino, Richard E. Grant, Deobia Oparei, and—in one very surreal Season 1 moment—“some alligator they found somewhere.” He cites legendary Marvel creators Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Walter Simonson alongside the likes of English essayist Walter Pater and Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who once wrote of life as a “splendid torch” to keep burning for those who follow.

“Loki is ‘a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment,’ ” Hiddleston quotes, “and I want to make it burn as brightly as I can before passing it on to future generations.” 

This level of study started before he even landed the role. He recalls the 24 hours leading up to his “Thor” audition, when he was 28 years old. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2005, he quickly earned small-screen and stage acclaim—but he hadn’t yet achieved a major breakthrough. When he received the script for “Thor,” it felt familiar. “I remember thinking, This is almost Shakespearean, this language,” Hiddleston says. “What’s the best example I can [look to] of an actor who managed to humanize and make real this elevated world of myth?” 

He found the answer in Christopher Reeve, who played the title role in Richard Donner’s 1978 blockbuster “Superman.” “He’s masterful in that film,” Hiddleston says. “In a way, it’s a similar premise: He’s a god or he’s a being from a different realm, and it’s not naturalistic in the way that we might expect. He does it so truthfully, and it’s so clear and clean and open and honest. I thought, If I can even approximate or get close to the kind of clarity that Christopher Reeve had in those films, I’ll be lucky.” 

And then, the morning of his “Thor” audition, Hiddleston went for a run, “which is my habit before doing anything unusual,” he explains. 

Running has remained a constant throughout the actor’s MCU tenure. At any given moment over the last decade, the god of mischief was likely doing laps around Marvel’s go-to shooting location, Pinewood Studios (now Trilith Studios) in Atlanta. “Life is movement; I really believe that,” Hiddleston says. 

“I find when I’m running or walking, the repetitive nature of it relaxes the mind and allows ideas and inspiration to come from a deeper place. I see my work as an actor—especially in preparation for a project or a scene—as almost preparing myself to be open and ready to receive ideas, to receive energy from other actors, to receive energy from my imagination.”

Hiddleston found the technique particularly helpful when he was filming a scene for the “Loki” series premiere that he calls “one of the most thrilling challenges I’ve ever had as an actor.” In it, Loki has been poached from the flow of time itself by the temporality-policing Time Variance Authority and forced to watch what is, essentially, a highlight reel of his entire MCU arc. It’s one of the most deeply existential moments you’ll ever find streaming alongside the likes of “Bluey” and the “Cars” movies. Here is a man watching the sum total of his life—his hopes, his dreams, his failures, his own death—play out in a 30-second clip that ends with the cold, clinical words: “End of file.”

“I just kept imagining: If you were afforded the opportunity or forced to watch your own death as a bystander, it would bring about an existential shock and crisis unlike any other,” Hiddleston explains. “It was a scene where I thought, I don’t have a reference for how to play this. I just have to allow shock, disgust, disgrace, shame, disbelief, acceptance, incredulity, and sorrow to exist in the center of me.” 

As an executive producer on the series, Hiddleston had a say as to which of Loki’s many misdeeds would play in the sequence. He chose clips like Frigga’s death in “Thor: The Dark World” and his father’s final words in “Thor: Ragnarok”—moments Hiddleston knew would most fill the character with regret. As production was preparing to shoot the scene, he asked first assistant director Richard Graves for a 20-minute warning.

 “I decided to jog around the stage and internalize as many of those memories of those people, those characters, those actors [as possible]—to try and find the center of my own vulnerability,” Hiddleston says. “Part of the joy of it was just going back to basics, trying to simplify this very complex thing…. Go for a jog, get into your body, allow yourself to be open, and just be there; just feel it.”

One “Loki”-like time jump later, Hiddleston found himself in a similar situation as he was preparing to shoot his final moment of Season 2—a scene that effectively caps Loki’s 13-year arc. Across 12 episodes, the show guided its title character toward a truly heroic end: With all of existence on the verge of collapse, he steps out of time to tie the strands of every reality together. As the credits roll, Loki sits at the center of time, holding in place all that is—alone. 

It’s a lot for any actor to internalize, especially one who’s performing solo in front of a blue screen. With 45 minutes to cameras rolling, episode co-director Aaron Moorhead made a suggestion. “He said to me, ‘Why don’t you go back, if you can bear it, and watch some of your work [over] the last 15 years?’ ” Hiddleston remembers. “ ‘Take it in, see what it means to you, and then carry it when you step out onto the stage.’ ” 

The actor took Moorhead’s advice to heart. And suddenly, without meaning to, he was mirroring the moment that started the series: absorbing the sum total of Loki’s MCU run. But this time, his regret had been replaced with gratitude. Hiddleston watched clips from “Thor,” remembering a time when he and Hemsworth had yet to ascend to the A-list. He recalled working with powerhouses like Hopkins and Russo, and the bonds he forged with the “original six Avengers” in 2011. He thought about how fun it was to film “Thor: Ragnarok” with Tessa Thompson and Jeff Goldblum, and of the more recent friendships he found with his “Loki” castmates Di Martino and Owen Wilson. 

“I thought, What Loki is doing, he is doing for his friends. And so, Tom, why don’t you do it for your friends?” Hiddleston says. “That’s where the two of us met in that moment. And then I was so grateful I had this most amazing crew, and we did it together.”

The actor is, of course, noncommittal as to whether this is actually the end of his MCU run. The franchise is scheduled out until at least 2027, and Hemsworth has mentioned his desire to make another “Thor” film. And if Loki’s past has proven anything, even the most official endings can be undone. 

Either way, it seems to Hiddleston that something significant has ended, even if it’s just Loki’s full-circle arc. “I hope it feels redemptive because his broken soul is partially healed; and you see that this character, who is capable of love, has made a decision from and for love,” he says. The actor cites the “beautiful prologue” of the first “Thor” film, in which Hopkins’ Odin tells his two sons: “Only one of you can ascend to the throne, but both of you were born to be kings.”

“At the end of Season 2, Loki is sitting on a kind of throne; but it’s not arrived in the shape he expected, and there’s no glory in it,” Hiddleston explains. “There’s a kind of burden, and he’s alone. He’s doing it for his friends, but he has to stay there without them. There’s a poetic melancholy there which I found very moving.”

For now, Hiddleston “can’t even conceive” of his life without Loki. He only hopes that he’s lived up to his guiding ethos as an actor, which he sums up with a plea from E.M. Forster’s 1910 novel “Howards End”: “Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height.”

“The feedback loop for actors is that we get to inhabit a fiction,” Hiddleston says. “But hopefully, that fiction bears the shape of a truth that we recognize about life—that what we do reflects the ups and downs, the peaks and troughs, and the breadth and profundity of all of our lives.”

Hiddleston exists in that space between fiction and reality, the work and the resulting art, the prose and the passion. Long after we’ve moved on from our interview and started casually discussing the cherry blossoms blooming in New York, his eyes light up. He’s made another connection, remembered one more thing—just one last thing he’d like to impart about Loki. 

He spends a lot of time thinking about Loki. You can probably tell.

“I’m so aware that the reason I’ve been able to play him for so long is because of the audience’s curiosity and passion,” Hiddleston says. “I’ve been delighted to find that for a character of such stature, he’s remarkably human. Many of the characteristics that people connect to in Loki are deeply human feelings. That’s been the pleasure, is infusing this elevated character with humanity.”

Even then, honestly, it feels as if Hiddleston, like Loki, could go on forever. Unfortunately, outside of the MCU, time moves in only one direction. Once again, he has to run.

This story originally appeared in the June 6 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe to In the Envelope: The Actor's Podcast to hear our full conversation with Hiddleston (out 6/6). 

[d-targaryenshoe]

Carpets And Premieres - Luke Thompson

Word count: 827

Summary: Arriving at the premiere of the third season of a show you've been working on for two years, is rather exciting, no?

As the paparazzi flashbulbs went off like a thousand tiny suns, you and Luke, made your way down the red carpet as his hand was placed on your lower back.

You were wearing a pastel blue dress with a fitted top, a plunging neckline, and a flowing skirt that added a touch of refinement.

The intricate beading and embroidery details on the dress not only improve its visual appeal but also make it a statement piece for all who see it. 

 The fitted top ensured a flattering fit, while the flowing skirt added a touch of drama and elegance. 

The air was electric with anticipation and the sweet, intoxicating scent of popcorn wafted past, carried on the warm, humid breeze. 

Fans lined up along the barricades, some holding signs that read

 "We love you!" and "Season 3, we are ready for the feels!" while others eagerly snapped photos with their smartphones.

You couldn't help but feel a flutter in your stomach as you spotted the familiar faces of the cast members, who felt more like family than co-stars. 

They were all dressed to the nines, looking like they'd just stepped out of the pages of a romantic novel.

 As you and Luke approached the interviewer, you noticed the microphone in his hand and the earnest expression on his face.

 He was excited to speak with you about the upcoming season.

"So, Luke, how does it feel to be here at the premiere of Bridgerton season three?" he asked, his voice steady and professional. 

You could see the flash of Luke's dimple as he smiled and replied

"It's absurd. We've all been working so hard on this season, and to finally share it with our fans like this is just incredible." He paused for a moment, looking into the interviewer's eyes before turning to you. 

"And, of course, having her by my side makes it even more special." You felt your cheeks redden at his words.

"And what about you, y/n?" the interviewer asked, turning his attention to you. 

You cleared your throat, trying to find the right words to express how much being a part of the Bridgerton world meant to you.

 "It's been such an extraordinary journey," you began,

 "I never could have imagined being here, standing next to this amazing man, watching our characters come to life on a screen. It's a dream come true." You glanced over at Luke, feeling his hand squeeze yours gently in support.

The interviewer seemed to sense the sincerity in your words, and nodded before asking, 

"So, what can we expect from the new season? Any special details you can share with us?" 

You and Luke exchanged knowing looks.

 "Well," you began, "I can tell you that the love story between y/c/n and Benedict, this season is going to be breathtaking. There's a lot of passion, a lot of drama, and course, a few jaw-droppers along the way." 

Luke chimed in, "And the chemistry between y/c/n and Benedict? It's off the charts. I think the fans are going to love what they see."

You smiled at him, feeling your heart flutter. Even after all this time, being around Luke still made you feel giddy. 

"And what about the other characters?" the interviewer prodded. "Any favorite moments or storylines you can share?"

 Luke thought for a moment before answering, 

"There's so much to choose from, but I think my favorite part is seeing how the Bridgerton siblings find love one by one. They're an amazing family, both on and off screen." 

You nodded in agreement.

 "And," you added with a grin, "I think we can all look forward to seeing how even a wallflower can bloom."

As the interviewer thanked you and Luke, you both excused yourselves from the media frenzy and made your way over to where your co-stars, Jonathan Bailey, Nicola Coughlan, Claudia Jessie, and Simone Ashley were standing. 

They were deep in conversation when you approached, but quickly broke away with hugs and well-wishes for the premiere. 

"How are you both holding up?" Jonathan asked with a warm smile. "This whole thing is such a whirlwind, isn't it?"

"It certainly is," you agreed, returning his grin. "But it's so exciting to be here with all of you. You've all been such a huge support system over the years." 

You glanced over at Luke, who nodded in agreement. "It does feel like a family," he said, squeezing your hand.

"Well," Nicola cut in with a laugh, "let's not forget that we also have some amazing material to work with. Lady Whistledown would be proud." 

They all shared a laugh before falling silent, gazing out at the sea of adoring fans.

 "This is going to be one heck of a ride," Claudia said with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. 

"But I think we're all up for it." You couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie and pride as you stood there with your fellow Bridgerton colleagues.

[callsign-rogueone]

at last - l.m.

Liam Mairi x reader (spark!!) words: 1.9k 🏷: after nearly three months... here begins the story of Liam and Spark! no book spoilers in this chapter, but this storyline will eventually cover all of fourth wing and extend into iron flame too. she/her reader. sparring and canon-typical threats (reader does not like Violet lmao), but nothing bad happens. this chapter is tame, but the following ones will get dark, so please look at the warnings before you read!

Violet’s never seen a marked one in person before. She can’t help but stare, unable to pull her eyes away from you.

You possess a sharp sort of beauty, battle-hardened features made even more intense by the rider’s black you wear and the three thick scars that start at your collarbone and disappear into the neckline of your shirt. You’ve rolled the left sleeve up to showcase your rebellion relic, displaying it the way a poisonous animal would — as a warning.

But above all, you’re just… unruffled. It’s still raining, but you don’t seem to mind, appearing perfectly warm and dry. The drops deflect off of you, not absorbing into your hair or clothes. 

A boy halfway across the bridge stumbles, unable to regain his traction, and Violet could swear she sees the river rise to meet him, breaking his fall.

“Name, Candidate,” you repeat, growing irritated.

“Violet Sorrengail,” she answers.

So this is the General’s girl. You size her up unabashedly, taking note of her mismatched boots and her frail stature. “Watch your step, Violet,” you say coldly, and she knows you aren’t just talking about the slippery bridge. “Next!”

Four candidates later, you find the one you’ve been looking for, the one you’d taken this job just to see.

“Liam Mairi,” he answers before you can ask, his eyes locking with yours. 

You’re alive, standing before him in one piece, and he wants nothing more than to embrace you, but he keeps his boots planted to the stone beneath them.

You cast a glance behind you, waiting until the previous candidate is out of sight, and brush your hand over the sleeve of his jacket. The rainwater disappears from his clothes, deflecting off of him as it does you.

Your classmate starts to protest, but you cut her off. “Another word, Chriselle, and you’ll be swimming in that river,” you snap, and she quiets, knowing you’re serious. “Now move, Candidate.”

Liam’s eyes widen at your brashness, but he gives you a silent nod of thanks before stepping onto the bridge. 

You force your eyes to remain on your clipboard, flipping through the list of names again. Twelve more to go, but no marked ones; you’ve done what you need to do.

“The boy has made it across,” Tuile reports after a minute, sounding bored. “I don’t know what you were so worried about.”

You push down the sigh of relief, hardening your gaze again. “Next!”

—————————————————————————

It’s a gorgeous summer day, the storm that had raged the day before gone without a trace. Perfect weather to spar outside. 

Liam finds you and Bodhi in the courtyard, clearly in the middle of a fight — you’re both out of breath, watching the other closely as you stalk in circles around each other.

There’s a river moving through the air above you, a twisted loop of clear water that rushes in circles as you move your fingers. 

“How’s day three going?” you ask over your. shoulder. 

Bodhi pushes forward before the other boy can respond, taking advantage of your distraction, and you yelp at the ice-cold water splashing over you, but it dries from your clothes in an instant.

“You’re gonna pay for that,” you hiss, pulling it back from the air, and packing it into your hands like a giant snowball, poised to throw it at him.

Bodhi just grins. “Bring it on, girl.”

As soon as it touches him, it bursts, soaking your clothes and the grass beneath you, and you’re left to fight hand-to-hand.

You’ve always been bold, never afraid to spar with the boys, but a full year at Basgiath has made you into a refined fighter, your every move made with intention and executed crisply. You match Bodhi blow for blow, block for block, moving back and forth across the lawn in perfect time, and Liam can’t pull his eyes away. 

Xaden bumps his brother’s shoulder with his in greeting. “She’s in good hands.”

What’s that supposed to mean?

“C’mon,” the older boy beckons. “Let’s see if you’ve kept your touch since I left.”

The brothers move through a series of basic blocks as a warm-up. This much is muscle memory for Liam, who remains focused on your banter with Bodhi as you continue to fight across the courtyard. 

The blond startles as Xaden picks up the pace, but quickly falls back into the rhythm they’re used to.

“Good,” Xaden says, about the highest praise he’ll give. “Now if I do this,” he prompts, aiming a kick toward the boy’s ribs that Liam quickly blocks with his forearm, pushing forward and making Xaden step back. “Good. What about this?”

He continues quizzing his brother, Liam getting everything right — Xaden hasn’t managed to land a single hit on him.

You and Bodhi have tired yourselves out by now.

“Same time tomorrow?” you ask, pulling him up from the ground and drying his clothes with a gentle touch of your hand.

“Always,” he says warmly, still catching his breath.

Liam’s heart drops. He hadn’t made his feelings for you clear before you left for Basgiath, deeming it unfair to drop that on you before you’d have to spend a year apart, when you might never see each other again. Had Bodhi taken his place in his absence?

The older boy is probably a better match for you, anyway, he thinks, bending back to avoid taking Xaden’s fist to his face. You’re in the same year, so you’ll graduate together, and you clearly have a connection— the smile you gave him when you called it a day, that soft tone of voice… you aren’t like that with anyone else.

You used to only be like that with him.

You haven’t touched him since conscription day, when you’d only brushed your hand over his sleeve to dry his clothes, haven’t talked to him since, either.

What changed?

Xaden lands a punch that Liam should have dodged, the dull pain distracting him from his thoughts.

“Come on, Li, kick his ass,” you call, watching the fight unfold, and the jealous feeling disappears, replaced with something warm.

He surges forward, catching Xaden by surprise, if that’s even possible, knocking the wingleader to the ground — he barely has enough time to cushion his fall with his shadows.

You laugh, a sound Liam hasn’t heard in over a year. He’d missed it more than he realized. “Looks like you’re doing my watch this week, section leader.”

Bodhi groans. “We need to find a betting chip that won’t ruin my sleep schedule.”

“You bet on me?” Liam asks, still struggling to keep his brother pinned.

“Of course I did,” you say, like it’s obvious. “You’ve never let me down once.”

Liam shines at the praise, but the smile falls from his face as Xaden pushes back, flipping them. 

“Stay focused,” he chides, standing. “Keep your head on the mat, or you’ll lose it.”

“Sorry,” Liam says quietly, letting the older boy haul him to his feet.

“Don’t you two have a class to be getting to?” Xaden asks pointedly, looking over his shoulder at you and Bodhi.

“Yes, dad,” you say with a roll of your eyes, picking up your bag. You give Liam a soft smile before you head back inside, and his knees just about crumple.

Xaden takes pity on him, waiting until you’re out of sight to throw the next punch. “She’s happier with you around, you know.”

Liam looks at him for a moment, raising an eyebrow.

“Her first year was… difficult for her,” Xaden says delicately. “Bodhi’s been helping her deal with some of it, but she still has a lot of work to do on her own.”

Liam deflates, no doubt feeling guilty over his jealous reaction, and for jumping to conclusions. Bodhi’s probably your closest friend here, your only marked squadmate until now… He doesn’t want to imagine what you’ve been through together in the last twelve months, what you’re still processing alone.

Xaden pulls him out of the thought. “When are you going to tell her how you feel?”

“What happened to keeping your head on the mat?” Liam asks, resetting his stance; effectively ending the conversation.

Xaden looks amused, readying himself as well. “I didn’t think you’d be so eager for a rematch after I put you on your back like that.”

Liam bristles. “I’m going to keep trying, so it never happens again.”

“Oh, of course. You wouldn’t want that, especially not in front of your girl,” Xaden adds smugly, laughing when the younger boy lunges toward him in response. “I missed you, kid.”

—————————————————————————

Liam doesn’t see you again until after dark, when Xaden gathers the marked ones for a meeting by the river.

You look tense, your upper body drawn tight as you cross your arms over your chest. You clearly disagree with Xaden’s insistence that nobody harm the general’s daughter, but you remain quiet, knowing that if you challenge him in front of the younger cadets, there will be hell to pay.

You jump at the feeling of someone touching your shoulders, your hand flying to the blade at your hip.

“It’s just me,” Liam whispers. His thumbs press into your traps, kneading the tension from the muscle, and you melt, the stress draining out of your body. “This okay?” he asks quietly.

You nod, letting your eyes fall shut with a soft sigh and removing your hand from the hilt of the blade. You’ve missed this gentle touch, missed the way he’d always take his time helping you recover from your days of intense training with Bodhi and Imogen before you left for Basgiath.

You feel like you don’t deserve it now, but you aren’t going to ask him to stop, not when his hands are so warm against your skin, not when it feels so good.

He pulls back after a minute, satisfied with his work — you’re certainly more relaxed now — and wraps an arm around you, tucking you into his side.

You look up at him, content to gaze into those gorgeous blue eyes you love so much. It finally settles in for you that he’s here, at last, standing beside you, holding you again, that this means you’ve survived your first year, and that he’s not going away any time soon, that you can finally have your chance to have something with him.

You might cry.

“Thank you,” you whisper, quiet enough for only him to hear.

He just smiles at you in response, holding you a little closer.

You turn your gaze back to Garrick, who is looking directly at you. “As I was saying,” he begins, clearly frustrated that you haven’t been paying attention, “we need to-”

“I heard you the first time,” you interrupt, “but by all means, repeat that highly sensitive information aloud.”

That gets a few laughs from the younger cadets. Liam chuckles, the soft laugh shaking his chest. “You haven’t changed a bit, Spark.”

Your heart flutters with hope at his use of the nickname he’d given you years ago. Maybe you can go back to the way things were then, before you showed up at this hellhole school and had to fight for your life every day, only be chosen by--

“Careful how you finish that thought, girl.”

“Get out of my head,” you hiss back, digging your nails into your palms.

Liam must feel you stiffen beside him -- he turns to look at you, concerned. “You okay?”

You smile up at him, hoping it looks genuine. “Yeah. Just tired.”

[comicaurora]

How do you script out chapters? Im thinking about making a similarly scaled comic series myself but im stumped on the first step

I mean, caveat that my process is Aggressively Not Standard because I never figured out how to make the right way work for me, but I usually start with a pretty loose outline of what I need to hit in a specific storyline - character intros, basic conflict structures, plot tidbits.

Then I refine it a little by starting to fill out specific character-driven elements around those key points, which is often defined by their specific headspace, how they're feeling about what's going on and what they'll do next.

At this stage I sometimes get little ideas for cool character moments I'd like to get to, but it's mostly important to keep the story flowing smoothly, so in the process of laying out te storyboards the moments don't always get to get hit, but I keep them in a little toolbox of Cool Bits so when the opportunity arises I can fire them up.

At this point I basically have a bulleted list of events, small character arcs and points to hit in the chapter, and then I sit down to start storyboarding it out, which is when I lay down the dialogue and the pacing. Putting it on the page sometimes results in surprises. Character motivation can be altered or defined by very small-scale moments - specific word choices in dialogue, a snap decision on someone's part - and those aren't defined in the bullet-point stage because they're too small to pin down that early. Boarding it out sometimes means I need to account for a character suddenly being radically altered by a seemingly small decision, which is always fun.

This is basically the scripting and drafting phase rolled into one, because what I get at the end is a whole chapter of dialogue and general scene blocking that just needs refinement and polish before it's done. Storyboarding is by far the most work-heavy part of the process because it takes the general timeline and turns it into an actual story; some days I storyboard a dozen pages, some days I hammer out two panels and then call it, and most days I don't storyboard at all. It's very loose and freeform but it's worked ok for me so far!

[datingabigshot]

Meet your SpamSim team!

Hiiii I'm Blue! I'm on the aro/ace spectrum and I go by she/they. I'm 24 and a college grad for illustration and creative writing. Here's a cardd for social links :]

It was love at first sight with this little thing. The uniqueness and the creativity of his character made him very appealing to me. Might have... analyzed him too much under a microscope

I'll be do a little of everything! I'm in charge of backgrounds and writing the Romance route. I'll also help out with character sprites and refining story beats

hiiii im liya! im on the aroace spectrum and i use she/they pronouns. im 20 and currently doing college remotely.

here's my carrd with the places you can find me!

i surprisingly didn't like spamton (almost hated him) at our first meeting, but i blame that on a bad day. once i got to know the guy, he became one of my favorite little dudes! he helped me get through some tough times, and i owe him my life (savings).

i may have started the dating sim, but im NOT the boss lol (there is none).

im in charge of the main talking sprites, storyline setup, and the BAD ending route.

Hi hi hi! I'm Ray! I'm 21 and I use they/them and I'm in school for 2D Animation! I'm Ace/Pan, rounding out the ace Spam team, so you know he's in good hands. I have all my links on my carrd!

I'm not necessarily a Spamton smoocher, but I love this silly little guy and his weird and off-putting vibe. Shoutsout to WayneradioTV and Jerma for fueling my weird love for this guy. (I'm also a dating sim lover RAHHHHHH)

I'm anything but the boss and I'm working on the neutral route and maybe some additional character sprites (WHO SAID THAT...)!

[soleminisanction]

re Batman '66 and the idea that Bruce is Dick's father is a super recent phenomenon, isn't it also simultaneously an old idea? since there was plenty of Golden Age before the '66 show when Dick was a child, he only wasn't adopted as Bruce's son because that wasn't something bachelors could really do back then, and Alfred wasn't always around as a parent figure to them both like he is in later eras (especially to Bruce, since back then Alfred only showed up after Bruce became Batman and didn't raise him)

I mean that's kind of a complicated question. I actually can't find any evidence that bachelors couldn't adopt in the 1940's, it just wasn't considered typical. Moreover, the narratives they appeared in were less refined, with less overall detail, and less grounded in reality, so their relationship tended to be based more on... for lack of a better term, vibes. It was often up to interpretation.

Dick was a child, yes, and some readers did project onto him and Bruce as a father-son duo due to lack of a strong paternal figure in their own lives (Superman and Captain America got a lot of that, too). But it wasn't a defined role.

Dick in Golden Age comics isn't treated as Bruce's child, he's treated as Bruce's equal, his partner. That's something that a lot of people who don't really "get" the appeal of child sidekicks don't seem to understand, they weren't conceived of as being lesser than their adult counterparts, they were supposed to be on relatively even footing. The whole point was to make a child reader feel like they could stand alongside their icons; whether that was a "realistic" relationship between an adult man and the young boy in his care didn't matter.

The one role besides partner that it can be definitively said Dick plays in the narrative is that of "the Beloved," the person Bruce cares about whose safety can be imperiled to raise the stakes of a story. But that still leaves the actual nature of their relationship pretty open and undefined -- and it didn't help that most other superheroes at the time filled that role not with their sidekicks but with their girlfriends. (This, plus living alone together and several storylines where Bruce getting a female love interest is positioned as a threat to the Dynamic Duo's partnership, is the source of many of the "Batman and Robin are gay lovers" accusations.)

Also, in the Golden Age, and even into the Silver Age to an extent, adult superheroes weren't always treated as fully, well, adult. Sometimes they came across more like bigger kids that young readers could project onto, or imaginary friends who were there to play with and empower them in ways their parents couldn't or wouldn't. A parent's presence would ruin the fantasy, after all. That's why a lot of stories in those eras lean towards the over-the-top and goofy, they weren't going for anything more or less than mimicking children playing pretend, and the characterization reflected that.

So yeah, it's... complicated.

[hayatheauthor]

A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting a Compelling Storyline

I'll warn you, this is a long one. I kind of took 'comprehensive guide' a little too seriously.

You have a fantastic concept burning at the edges of your imagination, a collection of characters whispering their stories to you, and a world just waiting to be explored. But how do you weave all these elements into a story that grips readers and refuses to let go? The answer lies in effective plot planning.

A well-crafted plot isn't just a sequence of events; it's a carefully orchestrated symphony that takes readers on an unforgettable ride. Whether you're an experienced writer or someone trying to start their first book, here are my personal steps to crafting a compelling storyline with good plot planning. 

Step 1: Idea Generation and Conceptualization

Every great story begins with a spark of inspiration. It's that moment when an idea ignites in your mind and beckons you to explore its potential. The journey from a fleeting thought to a fully-fledged concept is an exhilarating one, and it all starts with idea generation and conceptualization.

Techniques for Idea Generation

Mind Mapping

Grab a piece of paper or use a digital tool to create a mind map. Write your central idea in the middle and branch out with related concepts, characters, themes, and settings. Mind mapping can help you visualize the connections and possibilities within your idea.

Bullet journalling

Bullet journalling is my personal favourite way to generate ideas for your WIP. Get a piece of paper or open a Word/Docs document and create three different sections: world, characters, and plot. Now add facts to each of those sections that you've come up with so far. 

You can even go a step ahead and create more detailed sections, for example, you could do this for your different characters or different places in your world. Usually, one bullet point leads to the next and once you have an idea of everything you've already established you'll naturally start adding more to it. 

Blurting

Talk to someone about your WIP, or pretend that you're talking to someone and write down everything that comes to mind. You can even use AI tools like ChatGPT and ask it to hold a conversation with you about your WIP. Tell it to ask you questions along the way, this will get the wheels turning and even help fill plot holes. 

Prompts and Challenges

Explore writing prompts or challenges to spark your creativity. Websites, books, or even random word generators can provide the nudge you need to generate fresh ideas. 

Refining Your Concept

Once you have a collection of ideas, it's time to refine and shape them into a cohesive concept.

Identify Themes

What themes or messages do you want to convey through your story? Is it a tale of redemption, the power of friendship, or the consequences of ambition? Pinpointing your core themes will guide your storytelling and also give you a clear image of the end goal. 

Find Your Angle

Consider what makes your idea unique. How can you approach a familiar concept from a fresh perspective? For example, if you're doing a classic murder mystery, what makes your book different from others? Take some time to look up titles similar to your WIP and find any repetitive themes/patterns. 

Maybe most murder mysteries end with the partner being the killer, or maybe the fantasy books written in the same mythology as your WIP's all involve a war. Knowing what is currently a popular trend in the market can give you a clear idea of where you can be different from comparable titles. This is especially important for genres like horror and romance. 

Develop a Premise

Your premise is the foundation of your story. It's the "what if?" question that drives your narrative. For instance, "What if an ordinary high school student discovers they have the ability to control time?" You need to have a solid premise before you even think about writing your story. 

Step 2: Character Development and Motivation

Characters are the beating heart of your story, and crafting them with depth and authenticity is key to creating a narrative that truly captivates. Your characters often leave more of a lasting impact on your readers than the plot itself. 

Think of it this way: a good plot will get you readers, but memorable characters will get you fans.  Some of the largest communities in the book space all run on the readers' fondness for certain characters rather than the story itself. Yes, your story and the way you tell it is very important, but nobody wants to listen to the story of a boring person. 

Bringing Characters to Life

Personal Histories

Delve into your characters' pasts. What experiences shaped them into who they are today? A traumatic childhood or a life-changing event can influence their motivations and behaviours. Maybe your antagonist has a soft spot for single parents because their mother was the only person who cared for them. Maybe the love interest seems like a sunshine character because they feel the need to always seem put-together and perfect.  

Physical Traits

This might sound obvious enough, after all a character's appearance is the first thing people think of when visualising, however, many authors fail to have a clear image of their character's physical traits which can lead to inconsistent or boring descriptions. Sure, your protagonist can have bushy hair and brown eyes, but what else? 

Think about their body type, height, fashion sense, the way they carry themselves, walk, and sound. Do they have a random mole at the back of their neck? Do they always smell like a certain perfume because their dead father gifted it to them? It's important for you to have a clear image of who you're writing.

Strengths and Flaws

Just like real people, characters have strengths and weaknesses. These traits affect their decisions and interactions. A courageous hero might also struggle with recklessness, adding complexity to their personality. It's easy to create 2D characters by using tropes or shallow descriptions 'an all-powerful villain' 'the chosen one who trained their whole life and is perfect', but 3D characters are what will actually catch your readers' attention. 

There's a reason why people often love the grey characters, the anti-heroes or anti-villains. Those who have complex personalities that make them seem human. This makes us empathise with the characters, and as a writer, it also helps you think of your characters as real people with flaws and problems. 

Motivations: The Why Behind the What

Goals and Desires

What do your characters want? Their goals drive the plot forward. A detective's desire to solve a mystery or a scientist's quest for a groundbreaking discovery sets the narrative in motion. Why is your protagonist doing what they are doing? 

You could simply give yourself a generic answer like 'they want to save the people' or 'they're a good person' but this can lead to confusion in the long run. If as the writer you yourself can't understand your character's goals it will get very hard to showcase them to your readers. Try to pick apart each character and genuinely consider why they are the way they are. 

Inner Conflicts

Characters often grapple with inner turmoil – the clash between their desires, values, and fears. This inner conflict adds layers of intrigue and reliability. Maybe your protagonist realises the antagonist's qualms with the government are actually valid and suffers from moral conflicts as they contemplate whether or not they are the 'good guy'. Inner conflict adds dimension to your characters which in turn makes it easier for your readers to empathise with them. 

Step 3: Outlining the Key Plot Points

Now that you have a clear idea of what you want to write and who you want to write it with, it's time to consider the how. You have a story, but how do you want to tell it? Break down the key plot points that shape your narrative, creating a roadmap that guides your characters through their trials and triumphs.

The Building Blocks of Plot

The Inciting Incident

The spark that ignites your story. It's the moment when your protagonist's world is disrupted, setting them on a path of change. For example, in "The Hunger Games," Katniss Everdeen's sister being chosen for the Games is the inciting incident that propels her into the arena. 

This can be a little harder to recognise in genres outside of SFF and horror. For a thriller novel, this moment could be the moment your protagonist uncovers a sketchy detail in their relative's death. In romance, it could be the moment your protagonist is introduced to the love interest.  

Turning Points

These are pivotal moments that shift the course of your narrative. They introduce new challenges, reveal secrets, or force characters to make crucial decisions. Think of them as the gears that keep your story machine turning. It's important to have some sort of turning point in your story to keep things interesting. 

Maybe the character your protagonist was suspecting throughout the first half of the book ends up having a solid alibi, or a seemingly innocent character suddenly seems sketchy. 

The Climax

The peak of tension and conflict. It's the moment your characters face their biggest challenge and must make their ultimate choice. In "The Lord of the Rings," the climactic battle at Mount Doom decides the fate of Middle-earth. In a murder mystery, this can be the moment the real killer is unveiled, or in a rom-com, it could be when the love interest moves to a new city to follow the protagonist. 

Falling Action and Resolution

As your story winds down, the falling action ties up loose ends and provides closure. Readers witness the aftermath of the climax, and the characters' arcs find resolution. This is the bit where you make sure you aren't leaving any plot holes behind. Remember that random character your protagonist suspected at the start of the book? What's their alibi, why did they suddenly get out of the picture? 

Structuring Plot Points

Introduction of Stakes

Introduce what your characters stand to gain or lose early on. This creates a sense of urgency that propels them forward. What if your protagonist fails to complete their missions? What if the detective never unveils the killer's identity? What if your protagonist doesn't win over the love interest? Show your readers the worst possible outcome early on so they know why they should be rooting for your protagonist. 

This doesn't necessarily have to be something big or scary. In Harry Potter, many of us wanted Harry to stay at Hogwarts because his life with the Dursleys was cruel and he deserved happiness. That was a small yet significant stake that made the readers empathetic and silently root for Harry. 

Foreshadowing and Setup

Plant seeds of future events throughout your story. Foreshadowing builds anticipation and adds depth, making later plot developments more satisfying. I have written a lot of blogs that either cover or briefly mention foreshadowing so I'm going to keep this point a little short. 

Foreshadowing helps your readers slowly piece everything together and have that 'I knew it!' or 'how did I not see this coming?' moment. It might also encourage them to turn back and reread your work to focus on the little hints you left throughout the book. Foreshadowing is especially important in murder mysteries. 

Step 4: Subplots and Secondary Storylines

Subplots and secondary storylines are the secret ingredients that transform a good story into an unforgettable masterpiece. They add layers of intrigue, provide character development opportunities, and keep readers eagerly turning pages. If you're confused about what is a subplot and how to create one you can visit my previous blog that focuses on this topic. 

The Role of Subplots

Enriching Character Arcs

Subplots allow secondary characters to shine. They can showcase different facets of your characters' personalities, revealing their strengths, weaknesses, growth, and relationships.

Theme Reinforcement

Subplots can explore and reinforce your story's themes from various angles. For instance, a romantic subplot can underscore the theme of love and sacrifice, in turn making your protagonist’s heroic death at the end of the novel seem more impactful. We all know Pepper’s reaction to Tony’s death in End Game made the moment more emotional. 

While creating subplots and considering which one might be relevant to your book you should think of how this subplot would impact your end goal and whether it would help emotionally connect with your readers. 

Parallel Journeys

Subplots can create parallel journeys that mirror or contrast with the main plot. This dynamic adds depth and resonance to your storytelling. Maybe the antagonist’s assistant has a similar backstory to your protagonist but while the protagonist was rescued by the government they were taken in by the antagonist. As the two geniuses face each other your protagonist can’t help but consider whether they would still be fighting for the ‘good’ side had their roles been switched.  

Balancing The Main Plot and Subplots

Interconnectedness

Subplots shouldn't feel disconnected from the main plot. Instead, they should interact and influence each other, creating a harmonious narrative flow. Your subplot could help bring a satisfactory end to a certain arc of your story, or it could sow the roots for the important climactic moment of your book. 

Pacing and Tension

Strategically introduce subplots to maintain pacing and tension. They can provide moments of relief or heightened drama, enhancing the overall reading experience.

Character Integration

Ensure that characters involved in subplots maintain relevance to the main plot. Their actions and decisions should contribute to the overarching story, even as they pursue their own paths. You should also think about whether or not your character is overshadowing the protagonist. In Harry Potter there were several characters such as Ginny, Luna and Neville with subplots and backstories of their own, however, they never overshadowed Harry’s tale. 

Step 5: Crafting Scenes and Sequences

Welcome to the realm where the magic truly comes to life – crafting scenes that resonate, captivate, and propel your story forward. Scenes are the building blocks of your narrative, each one a window into your characters' world and emotions. They help infuse your story with tension, emotion, and unforgettable moments. 

Again, this is a topic I’ve covered separately in another blog so I won’t go into too much detail here. 

Scene Structure and Elements

Objective and Conflict

Every scene should have a purpose – a clear objective that drives the characters. Introduce conflict that challenges their goals and motivations, creating tension that keeps readers engaged.

Emotion and Stakes

Characters' emotions are the heartbeats of scenes. Amplify emotions by highlighting what's at stake for the characters. Whether it's a heated argument or a tender moment, emotions draw readers in.

Sequences: Crafting a Flow

Cause and Effect

Scenes connect through cause and effect. Each scene's outcome sets the stage for the next, creating a seamless flow that propels the narrative. A character's choice in one scene can reverberate and shape subsequent events.

Rising Action

Craft sequences with escalating tension. The stakes should intensify, drawing characters deeper into challenges and dilemmas. This creates a sense of anticipation that keeps readers eagerly turning pages.

Step 6: Mapping the Journey: Creating a Visual Plot Outline

Visualising your plot, characters, and world can be very hard sometimes. Let's be honest, words can only do so much and if you don't have a clear idea of what you want to show your readers you can end up going down a path of 'telling' them everything. This can take away from the point of your story and end up boring your readers. If you find it hard to visualise where you're going with your book, here are some tips that can help. 

Visual Tools for Plot Planning

Timelines and Flowcharts

Create a timeline that outlines the sequence of major events, from inciting incidents to resolution. Flowcharts visually depict the interconnectedness of plot points, making it easy to track the evolution of your story. You can also cut out or add bits depending on how far along you are. This will also help you keep track of what scene/development should be introduced when and why. 

Index Cards or Post-Its

Write down key scenes, plot developments, and character arcs on individual index cards or sticky notes. Arrange and rearrange them on a board or wall to visualize the narrative's flow. You can also do this if you're confused about the climax of your novel by adding different ideas to the post-its and putting them alongside the rest of the book's plot to see what things would look like from a reader's perspective. 

Infusing Creativity

Playlists

Curate a playlist that captures the mood and emotions of your story. Music has the power to transport you to the heart of your narrative, helping you channel the right atmosphere while plotting. You can listen to this playlist every time you sit down to write WIP. With time, this will also help you overcome writer’s block since you can put on this playlist every time you struggle to get into the right writing mindset. 

Moodboards/Pinterest Boards

Create a visual feast by collecting images, aesthetics, and visuals that embody your story's essence. Platforms like Pinterest allow you to craft moodboards that serve as visual touchstones. I would recommend creating a separate pinboard for every character so you can get a clear idea of their vibe and appearance. You can even refer to these every time you're writing about or from the perspective of a new character. 

Step 7: Flexibility and Adaptability

As you embark on your writing journey, remember that stories have a life of their own. Embracing flexibility and adaptability is your compass through uncharted territories.

Allow characters to surprise you, let plots pivot, and themes emerge. Balancing structure with spontaneity ensures a dynamic narrative that resonates deeply. Listen to your characters, explore ethical complexities, and evolve alongside your story.

By staying open to the unexpected, you infuse your writing with authenticity and richness. Your plot outline is a guide, but your characters and themes have the power to shape the course. Embrace the unpredictable, and watch your story flourish beyond your imagination.

I hope this blog on A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting a Compelling Storyline will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and publishing tips for authors every Monday and Thursday! And don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey! 

[emperor-kumquat]

MERCY PART 1: NEW GUIDE

It's 2024. Mercy has come a long way and its vision has become more clear. As it grows in popularity, I've gone back to improve the old work and organize everything for the future.

Part 1 was originally a brainstorming dump, but now it is time to refine it and decide exactly how everything ties together and how it all ends. Here are some of the major changes:

—Some choices have been cut from Part 1 to funnel you into certain paths —3 storylines will be cut from the original idea of 10, meaning their ideas will merge with other storylines. —Monstrous Heart is now the story of the Vehicon Mafia and Law and Order, all in one. —Predacon Revival encompasses all choices to go back to Shockwave. —The "Let Go" pacifist route at the start will take the Phase Shifter away from Starscream (reserving that plot point for Discovery) and add in a route to Space Adventure.

Part 1 on AO3 is slowly being edited to reflect these changes.

I welcome any questions about the new and likely to be final plan.

[afterimages-again]

wandering island

was inspired by the concept art for Echo Island, Luzhan Liu’s in-the-works graphic novel. It’s awesome if you like dystopian bizarre eldritch-creatures-in-otherwise-normal-human-settlements type of art. My eyes got wonderfully goopy just looking at them, please check them out if you wanna.

no storyline yet - but Cass, and her siblings in all but blood, live on Wandering Island, that’s in the middle of nowhere and populated with creatures that range from docile to predatory.

Plus they have cool helmets. And a lot of fish. And Stephanie:

Steph finds it much easier to kill particularly threatening creatures more than Cass. This is not because of a difference in prowess.

Here’s a sketch + final more refined sketch (can’t lineart I will literally explode into fireworks):

Ideas for Jason and Tim, because I don’t really know what to do with them yet:

Jason gets his half his face burned/bitten off really badly when he gets older. Since there are an overwhelming amount of mannequins scattered in the abandoned buildings around the island, Tim helps to graft half a plastic face onto him.

Cass and different fits:

This was more a spur of the moment kind of thing, but I keep rotating it in my head and it’s getting unproductive. Doing my best to properly express them into words and pictures.

[cupids-chamber]

— VOLUNTEERING FORMS FOR TWISTED LOVERS IS NOW OPEN, if you'd like to help Cupid and the rest of the staff out in the creation process of this Twisted wonderland otome game, this is the post for you. Check available roles below and rules, and form link is at absolute bottom!

☆ ARTISTS ; Provide art for certain storylines, cards, logo's, etc. Providing art for the game in general! There is usually no deadlines given, and if given a deadline the time can be anywhere from 2 weeks to a month unless it's for a time crunched event.

☆ WRITER ; Help out in the process of writing scripts, usually you can hand pick the scenario you'd like to work on and just work your way to meet the deadline, which is usually anywhere from 2 weeks to a month long, depending on size. You can request extensions to your liking!

☆ SCRIPT EDITOR ; In charge of the editing process of the scripts, proofreads and refines all the scripts done, you'll usually be assigned to a small group! With 1 or 2 writers. Though we do plan on settling a more organized system after we welcome new volunteers in!

☆ BETA TESTER ; Not many people will get this role, I'm mentioning this flat out, depending on your answer; you may or may not get this position. You'll rarely need to test anything, but when you do.. it'll be abrupt and random timings and it'll take a long time for that to happen, we recommend people who are planning to take more than one role, to become a beta tester.

☆ EDITOR ; Editors help edit backgrounds, sprites, banners, etc. Generally help with photo editing, changing colour schemes to match with the event/theme of the route. It depends on the activity, your job won't be needed right away, but one the writing process is done, we'll require you to be active.

☆ GRAPHIC DESIGNERS ; Help create logo's, banners, backgrounds, and etc for the game, similar to editors, your job won't be needed right away but once the writing process is over, and the developing process is starting, we'll need all hands on deck.

☆ GAME DEVELOPER ; Helps Cupid create the game, once again, you'll take on a major role, only after the writing process. The rest for this role can only be explained hands on, so if you're willing to test the waters, this one's for you.

RULES / HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE ACCEPTED ?

At least the age of 13, since we'll be working on Discord in a private server.

Have a discord account, and please be in the main server, Twisted Chambers!

If you're accepted, I'll be sending you a friend request! (' Cup!d#7509) and then you'll get a invitation the server for the dev team!

At the bottom here is the link to the forms, happy volunteering. Volunteering form | Twisted Lovers blog | Twisted Lovers server

Reblogs help and are appreciated ! / We'll be reviewing volunteering submissions throughout this week, but we recommend majority to be sent in, in the first two days. (Helps me who's navigating, with the process)