thestarlightexpress

[thestarlightexpress]

"If you use em dash in your works, it makes them look AI generated. No real human uses em dash."

Imaging thinking actual human writers are Not Real because they use... professional writing in their works.

Imagine thinking millions of people who have been using em dash way before AI becomes a thing are all robots.

REBLOG IF YOU'RE A HUMAN AND YOU USE EM DASH

[thestarlightexpress]

wishing I could freeze time so fanfic writers could write all of their slow-burn enemies to lovers and gay porn and fix-it fics and all of their WIPs and prompts without having to worry about life and other responsibilities

[thestarlightexpress]

I'm going to go on a little soapbox with this upload of my version of Cresseida of the Summer Court from ACOTAR. These feelings are what inspired me to make my ACOTAR series of fanart.

These books purposely have some great diversity in them, but too often the art I was looking up to be able to see the characters made every single one of them white people with just different skin colors. No varied features, textured hair.... They all looked white. It's sad, you know? Because representation in fantasy is SO NEEDED!! It's been dominated by a particular look for so long, so I understand that people just automatically erase those things to go with what has been the norm for so long. But it's just not right, in my opinion. It's not fair to take that away. We need it!!

I love love seeing more POC written fantasy, and fantasy featuring main characters that do not fit the "racial norm" in the fantasy genre. The feedback I've gotten from my images that show that diversity has been food for my soul, with one person in particular being incredibly moved by me making Illyrians Indian-coded. It made me cry to see them so happy! We need that! Pls don't erase the diversity that authors put into books!

Does my art of non-white characters always get less traction? Yeah, and it bums me out. It's a bigger issue.

I get not everyone will agree with me making Illyrians Indian-coded, and that's okay. Some see them as Mediterranean, some as Arab, and I don't have a problem with their interpretation of something more nebulous like Illyrians. I took context clues and interpreted them my way, and that's okay too.

Some will say "they are fae, not human, so ethnicities don't matter here" and that's... not an argument I agree with. These stories are written by humans who base their writings on the real world so we have context and are influenced by the fact that they live with other humans in a human dominated world. I don't feel that is a good faith argument to make. But that's my opinion.

But the Summer Court? Helion? Clearly Black-coded! Celebrate diversity in fantasy! We need more of it!! I'm not here to attack other artists who I feel have done this, not at all. It is a symptom of a bigger issue here-and that bigger issue is what I have issue with. Okay, off my soapbox, lol.

[thestarlightexpress]

absolutely all of this. ACOTAR is not a modern book and societal standards will not seem normal in a historical context

The amount of times I’ve seen weird hatred of Eris’s behavior after dancing with Nesta and deciding then and there he wanted to marry her tells me a lot of ACOTAR fans would not survive like, 100% of historical romance books.

I’m sorry but that scene was 100% hot and swoon worthy. What do you meeeeeeeaaaaaaannnn he wants her more than anything, that he doesn’t give two fucks about the literal MADE, cauldron powered weapon, even less fucks about Rhysand and what the IC might do to help him? (Literally none but that’s besides the point)

Like I’m sorry but fae lore is based in a completely different time. Fantasy fiction is often very heavily inspired by HISTORICAL fiction, unless you’re specifically writing urban fantasy. This is not evidence of Eris being a horrible person, it’s evidence of the sparks and passion he felt for Nesta, he’s ALWAYS felt for her.

Idk how anyone could hate that scene/hate Eris’s actions in that scene and like anything even remotely close to Bridgerton, Outlander, ect.

[thestarlightexpress]

i want to know how an 8 year old Dorian became friends with a 13 YEAR OLD CHAOL. how did that happen.

8 is the year you play with barbies and dinosaurs and stuff. 13 is the depressed, rebellious, teenager phase. WHAT DID THEY HAVE IN COMMON?

[thestarlightexpress]

but are YOU a reliable narrator?

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Eris: I'm so hungry I could eat Helion.

LoA: 😒

[thestarlightexpress]

hey remember when Eris was the first person to volunteer for the faebane antidote???????

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[thestarlightexpress]

Comfy little au because words are hard right now.

[thestarlightexpress]

If you’re still in the mood to yap what do you think are some of the ways Eris shows love to a partner?

oh yes friend always<3 i’ll preface this by saying that i think eris moves in absolute silence. he’s not ever going to outright say, “i love you, and this is why i’m doing this,” so the person he loves will either see his actions for what they are — a manifestation of his affection — or they won’t, and he will never bother to clear up the misunderstanding. (if they love him like he needs, they will understand.)

i think a major one is just that when he maneuvers strategically or politically, he does it with the person he loves in mind. they will be a factor in every decision he makes. just the act of inclusion would be so huge for him — it’s probably what would make him realize he actually loves that person, the fact that he wouldn’t use them as a means to an end. (there is very, very little he would not do to protect that which he loves so . huge!!!)

also like . asking for his partner’s opinions on things LMAO cuz that shows 1) uncertainty / vulnerability, which he would rather be shot point blank in the head than reveal but also 2) that he values what his partner thinks! again goes back to including them in his schemes, but to an even higher degree bc he isn’t just assuming what’s best for them but actively seeking their counsel

eris is incredibly, incredibly perceptive, which makes him thoughtful without necessarily intending to be. he’ll notice his partner prefers a specific fae wine or tea, and he’ll have it stocked to the gods. he’ll notice his partner doesn’t have the stomach for a certain spice, and it will never be used in a meal again. very like — eris sends partner’s food away, partner goes ???, and eris just “you don’t like that cut of meat.” or like — autumn court royalty/forest house seating is very much not built to accommodate lesser fae attributes (yeah i’m making this about azris sorry) so the moment he notices his partner is shifting uncomfortably, he’s having some custom built. rush order. there the very next day. why are you thanking me, i just did what was logical

kinda going off of that is — if his partner is in the room, his attention is on them. even when it isn’t, it is. “oh, i didn’t realize you saw that.” yeah well skill issue ig cuz he did. reach out to catch their drink before it spills without even breaking off the conversation he’s having type beat

i also think eris is very possessive once he decides to love someone. not really jealous or even insecure? but like a dragon hoarding its gold. his partner is his, and that is a fact, and he will destroy anything that tries to get between him and what is his. (which is NOT to say that he wouldn’t enjoy watching his partner get their lowstakes flirt on or that he would be opposed to inviting someone else into their bed. he would prolly love that shit as long as it didn’t mean anything to his partner. kinda like — yeah look how bad others want what’s mine. they can want and want, they can even taste, but what’s mine will still be mine, foremost and always)

soft touches and easy affections are extremely foreign to him. he doesn’t know how to dole either out — but he craves them so desperately. he’s always most tender in the moments just before sleep or just after waking, when he can forget himself, when he can nestle into an embrace without getting in his own head about it. (don’t get me started on sick feverish eris. no one has ever taken care of him, not really, so if his partner does he’s just . half in their lap, face in their neck, scorching hot and delirious, “i don’t want to be alone. please stay. please don’t leave.” AUAUAGAHGHHG OIGUGUGHGHHHH)

also like … in a very sad way, eris will do anything for his partner. he will make himself into anything. he will conform himself to anything. once they are behind his defenses, they are there for life, no matter how they treat him. he will do anything just please do not leave he won’t survive it

thank you for asking i love talking about Him

[thestarlightexpress]

unmatched Neris vibes

[thestarlightexpress]

idk I just wanted to see Azriel shorter than Eris. Maybe they are still young. Eris grows into his tall, lean frame faster than Azriel grows into his giant, muscular one.

When they are young they are close. Maybe even friends, secretly of course. Then the Mor misunderstanding happens and everything falls apart.... The next time Eris sees Azriel he is a towering hunk of man meat that's crowding him against a wall, snarling in his face with a blade to his neck. It definitely doesn't turn him on....

[thestarlightexpress]

A dating service where matching is based on people’s search history exists. You’re a serial killer. You go on a date with a writer.

[thestarlightexpress]

[thestarlightexpress]

a writing competition i was going to participate in again this year has announced that they now allow AI generated content to be submitted

their reasoning being that "we couldn't ban it even if we wanted to, every writer already uses it anyway"

"Every writer"?

come on

[thestarlightexpress]

these are giving: