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[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

That trope of the, like, All-Purpose Scientist™ can be annoying but also sometimes it's very fun if it's in character that they would just. Study everything. Like sometimes it's suspendably believable. Sometimes a character is like "I'm A Scientist™" and ur like "ok cool what's your field" and they're like "Yes" and I can just accept this because they're Like That

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

 Hey btw, another worldbuilding thing: You can, and actually should have weird and impractical cultural things. They’re not inherently unrealistic, for as long as you address the realistic consequences as well.

 Let’s say you’ve got a city where there’s tame white doves everywhere. They’re not pests, they’re regarded as sacred, holy protectors of the city, and the whole city cares for them and feeds them like they’re pets. They’re so tame because it’s a social taboo to hurt or scare one. Nice pretty doves :)

 Then someone points out that even if they’re not seen as pests, doesn’t having a completely unchecked feral pigeon population - that not only isn’t being culled, but actively fed and cared for - mean that there would be bird shit absolutely all over the place?

 A part of you wants to say no, because these are your nice, pretty doves. To explain that there’s a reason why they’re not shitting all over the place, maybe they’re super-intelligent and specifically bred and trained to not shit all over the place. The logistics of how, exactly, could anyone breed and train a flock of feral birds go unaddressed.

 An even worse solution would be to not have those birds, editing them out of the world. No, they spark joy, you can’t just toss them out!

 Now, consider: Yes, yes they would, but the city also has an extensive public sanitation service that’s occupied 90% of the time by cleaning bird shit off of everything. One of the most common last names in the area actually translates to “one who scrapes off dove shit”, and it’s a highly respected occupation. And thanks to the sheer necessity of constantly regularly cleaning everything, the city enjoys a much higher standard of cleanliness, and less public health issues caused by poor public sanitation.

 The doves do protect the city. By shitting fucking everywhere.

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

it is pretty hard to find solid statistics on wolf attacks, but as far as i can tell, wolves in north america kill way way way less than one person a year, which means that forces more deadly to us than wolves include: dogs, ice fishing, and getting crushed by a falling flat screen tv.

…further complications to trying to write non-ridiculous angst into a werewolf story

“you don’t understand…i’ve done things under the full moon that i can never take back…one time i ate a squirrel”

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

by the way y’all i figured out all the main characters’ heights through measuring a door in motorville and comparing it to oliver because doors are all generally 6′8. here they are have fun

oliver - 5′1 (tiny boy)

drippy - 1′9

esther - 5′4 (without hair)

swaine - 6′4

marcassin - 6′3 (yes i double checked this)

cassiopeia - 6′4 (without hair/crown, with heels)

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

Gun Terms for Writers

As someone who writes fics with action sequences and the use of guns, I thought maybe it would be helpful to pass some things on. Even though I’ve done lots of research and talked with family members (I live in WI which is a big hunting state and we have lots of guns), I still catch myself making mistakes with specific terms and their usage. Reading more James Bond fics lately, I catch others making mistakes also. So here is a little guide to help writers. 

A ‘clip’ is something that stores multiple rounds of ammunition. It is not what you would insert into a handgun to load it. Clips make loading into a magazine easier because they simply store the rounds. It helps with organization. 

A magazine is what feeds the ammunition into the barrel. Magazines vary in capacity. They, unlike clips, are spring-loaded, which helps the ammunition move in the gun. So, when you want a character to reload, they would use a pre-loaded magazine, NOT a clip. 

A silencer is really a suppressor. ‘Silencer’ is a word that’s used in media to refer to a suppressor that doesn’t exist in real life. Guns that are suppressed will still be loud and have a sound. This is because compressed air will still leak out of the end of the barrel, you can’t silence a bullet moving extremely fast through the air, and you can’t silence the mechanical parts on a gun. There will be a noise, but it just won’t be as loud or more importantly, alert people in a nearby area that a gun was just fired. SO suppressor is a much more accurate term technically speaking. 

There are different kinds of suppressors. One important kind suppresses the muzzle flash. It’s likely a sniper would use this more than they would want to use a sound suppressor, as the muzzle flash more easily enables you to be spotted when you don’t want to be. These are simply referred to as flash suppressors. 

After a handgun runs out of ammunition, the slide will lock back into place and you will know that it is out. There is no ‘click’ signifying an empty weapon that is so dramatized in movies and tv. A more likely scenario that would prevent a gun from firing would be a jam. Or programming the gun to recognize certain palm prints. 

A great place for writers, in particular fanfic writers, who want information on guns is imfdb. You can find out what guns are used in movies and shows, and what guns characters use. You can also just search for guns. 

If you want to get really specific, check out YouTube. There are users who will post reviews of guns on there, which can be really helpful if you want to see how a particular gun looks or how to shoot it. 

So yeah! Here are just a few basic tips if you want to write a fic where a character uses guns. 

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

Some werewolf headcanons cause why the hell not

When on all fours they go up to an average human’s middle.

Some werewolves are smaller than others, really depends on the size of them as a human.

When standing on their two legs the human is the one who usually comes up to the werewolves stomach. They are insanley huge.

Alphas are naturally bigger with beta’s and omegas being smaller.

Betas and omegas obviously bring back whatever the hell they killed to wherever the Alpha is hiding

This is because since an alphas size is so big (make this statement dirty and i will fight you) its harder to hide and hunt in the small villages.

They make up for this by being much stronger.

When on all fours they hunch down, back usually juts out (think of it like when you hunch as much as possible).

When stalking/hunting they get as low to the ground as possible (much like an actual wolf). They do this to hide themselves and since they are so giant they have to splay their limps out.

Think of how spiderman crawls but a little more upright-ish. Like a plank but crawling.

Front arms are as far under them as possible, and when moving forward they reach as far as possible

Back legs are just splayed out, trying to stableise themselves. They move more out to the sides rather than forward completely, more humanlike i guess

Tails are significantly smaller, almost a nub.

Transformations are SO painful

Most, if not all, werewolves will NOT transform willingly because of how painful it is. Lemme tell you, growing and breaking your bones and stretching and pulling your muscles is not fun.

They can end up just curled in on their sides for an hour or two after transformation just to wait out the ache in their bone.

They can taste what they ate as a werewolf after dinner.

If born a werewolf they will act too wolf like as a person and too human like as a werewolf. Basically, they’re freaks in both sides.

Turned wolves go absolutely feral on a full moon whereas born werewolves are just “god damnit, not this shit again”

Aaaand thats it!

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

ok but like when did self-sacrifice become synonymous with death? writers seem to have forgotten that people can make personal sacrifices for the greater good without giving their lives. plots about self-sacrifice and selflessness don’t always have to end in death. suffering doesn’t have to be mourning. you can create drama and emotional depth on your show without killing everyone. learn to explore the meaning of living rather than dying

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

I have a mute character in the story I’m writing and one of my beta readers suggested I use italics when they sign so that I don’t have to keep peppering “they signed” or “their hands flashed” throughout the piece.

But like…I always read italics in a different tone like they’re thoughts. It seems quieter than using normal quotations which makes what they say look less significant on the page than other character’s dialogue.

I really don’t think my audience needs me to use completely different punctuation around a mute character. There’s no need to act like they’re speaking a different language since their muteness isn’t a focal point in the story.

So really this reader’s comment has done the complete opposite of what they intended. Now I’m actively taking out as many of my “hands flashed” notations as possible and just writing in normal body language because, clearly, the other characters understand them and my audience doesn’t need to be coddled.

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

“I want to speak to a manager,” the middle-aged woman said in her stern I-used-to-be-a-soccer-mom-ten-years-ago voice, looking down at me over the top of her Gucci reading glasses.

A wicked grin split across my face and the gates of Hell opened up behind me, releasing a gust of hot wind that whipped my apron around my body and forced the woman to shield her face. Demons came forth, dancing around in flames with songs of, “She wants to speak to a manager. Did you hear that? She wants to speak to a manager!” before erupting into earsplitting shrieks of laughter, none louder than my own cackling.

I took in the woman’s look of utter horror before my eyes rolled back into my head and I growled,

“I am the manager.”

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

Hello! I'm writing a scene where my character uses a sign language, however he just knows the basics. I'm not sure if the best way to convert that is to write what he means to say in italics and specify that he's not signing it correctly (e.g. "I'm sorry" he signed incorrectly) or to write what he's literally signing (e.g. "I regret" instead of "I'm sorry") Since it's a conversation and not just a few lines, I'm worried it'll be annoying to have his dialogue in the second manner.

Generally, when translating sign language (in this case, ASL, though I’m sure it’s true for many others) you don’t want to use literal translations for regular conversation because the structure is more basic than English. Literal translations tend to look like caveman speech and gives a weird (also potentially offensive) impression. That doesn’t mean you have to avoid them at all times, but for general conversation it’s best to keep it close to the English that it represents.

However, since your character is doing it wrong, the way you can write that depends on your narration setup.

1st person or 3rd limited

In limited narration, a character can only comment on what they know. If this character doesn’t know that he’s getting the sign language wrong then he can’t comment on it. However, he can have a general feeling based on reactions from the other person or his knowledge of past mistakes. 

It could look more like:

‘I’m sorry,’ he signed, or at least that’s what he thought he signed when she gave him a perplexed smile in return.

The other character may get an idea of what he’s saying and just roll with it or correct him, depending on personality. “I regret” makes sense to mean “I’m sorry”, so I think minor blunders may be forgiven.

But like I said, what’s written in that conversation is going to convey what that narrator thinks is happening (or what he thinks he’s saying). He can’t sign something and immediately side-comment on something being wrong if he doesn’t know it’s wrong, but he can infer it after the other person responds.

3rd omniscient

This is easier because the narrator knows all and can make a direct comment on the incorrect signs.

‘I’m sorry,’ he thought he signed, though in reality he made the motion for ‘regret’. 

Or even:

‘I regret,’ he signed, meaning to say ‘I’m sorry’ instead.

In this case, the literal translation is used to show the mix up as opposed to a full conversation of literal translations. This narrator type is the only one that lets you show more than the character knows and understands. 

So, the answer depends on what narration style your story is already using. A limited narrator will show the conversation they way they think it’s going(and must be corrected by another source to notice any issues) whereas an omniscient narrator has more freedom to comment.

Good luck with your scene!

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[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

help what were those little graspy hands that held stuff people used to wear on their skirts called

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

Ways to turn into a werewolf

Because diversity! Biting and blood curses are all well and good, but if we’re diversifying our vampires left and right, why not our werewolves?

A deal with the devil. Primarily from medieval France and Germany. I’m not the biggest fan of this one, but if you want to write something Dark, it has potential.

A magical garment or belt made from wolfskin, often a family secret passed down from parent to child. Primarily from German folklore, spreading to Belgium, the Netherlands, France and the Balkans. I love this one. It turns werewolves into something closer to other shape shifters like selkies and in an urban fantasy setting it offers a lot of opportunities to mess with their powers by taking the garment away. I really need selkies and werewolves exchanging tips about pelt care.

A magical ointment. Primarily from French, German and Scandinavian folklore. This is closer to the “werewolvism as witchcraft” interpretation, but the idea that there is one specific formula to turn someone into a wolf is interesting. (Traditional recipes include the expected gruesome ingredients like animal fat and fresh blood, but also, weirdly, aniseed.)

Drinking the water collected in a wolf’s paw print. Originating in Slavic folklore, I believe. This is very fairy tale-ish and if you’re going for a magical, mystical approach would do very well I think. It’s also something someone could easily do consciously. Follow your werewolf lover out into the rain, all the way onto the clay paths where their steps will leave imprints big enough to drink from…

Drinking from a cursed well. From German folklore. Again, fairy tale feels. Think the Grimm’s “Brother and Sister” but even unluckier. This is probably more suited to tragic stories, but once you know what the water does…well, then you’ve got a business opportunity, haven’t you.

The seventh child of a seventh child. In legends from Portugal (mostly seventh sons) and the Netherlands (specifically Frisia, mostly seventh daughters) the seventh child of a seventh child is automatically destined to become a werewolf. I prefer this one to the other “fated by birth” legends such as being born with teeth or hair, because this one is like a prophecy, one you can see coming. And interestingly, these stories say nothing about the werewolf being inherently evil. What I‘m saying is, I want the seventh-born, coddled baby of the family dramatically protecting everyone they love with their prophesied wolf powers.

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

also werewolves that dont fit into the ‘stereotypical werewolf’ criteria are nice as well. i want a story where it turns out the dainty and sweet lady is the monster that slaughters people every full moon.

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

23 Emotions people feel, but can’t explain

Sonder: The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own.

Opia: The ambiguous intensity of Looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable.

Monachopsis: The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.

Énouement: The bittersweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turn out, but not being able to tell your past self.

Vellichor: The strange wistfulness of used bookshops.

Rubatosis: The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat.

Kenopsia: The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet.

Mauerbauertraurigkeit: The inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends who you really like.

Jouska: A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.

Chrysalism: The amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm.

Vemödalen: The frustration of photographic something amazing when thousands of identical photos already exist.

Anecdoche: A conversation in which everyone is talking, but nobody is listening

Ellipsism: A sadness that you’ll never be able to know how history will turn out.

Kuebiko: A state of exhaustion inspired by acts of senseless violence.

Lachesism: The desire to be struck by disaster – to survive a plane crash, or to lose everything in a fire.

Exulansis: The tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it.

Adronitis: Frustration with how long it takes to get to know someone.

Rückkehrunruhe: The feeling of returning home after an immersive trip only to find it fading rapidly from your awareness.

Nodus Tollens: The realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense to you anymore.

Onism: The frustration of being stuck in just one body, that inhabits only one place at a time.

Liberosis: The desire to care less about things.

Altschmerz: Weariness with the same old issues that you’ve always had – the same boring flaws and anxieties that you’ve been gnawing on for years.

Occhiolism: The awareness of the smallness of your perspective.

Source article. Where words came from.

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

hey babe did it hurt when you fell from heaven? it did huh, emotionally, right I get that, because of the– yeah the irreconcilable separation from goodness as a result of a single decision that can never be undone or atoned for, uh huh, sounds rough

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

Lol heads up if you try to make a candle with food coloring, the food coloring will just sink to the bottom of the glass, and when the flame eventually reaches the bottom all the food coloring will catch fire and become one giant tall flame that you cannot possibly blow out and the glass will start to crack and then you'll throw your tea on it in a panic and then the extremely hot food coloring will boil and sizzle horribly and then the glass will shatter. Please take my word on this lmfao

[tokninokuni1fanfictionblog]

Wolves React To Gamekeeper Who Had Been Away On Maternity Leave