New Fic Announcement!

that post that’s like, fandom’s obsession with viewing characters as only relatable or shippable or defendable has ruined media literacy in being able to view characters through the lens of themes or narrative theory. character analysis one of my favourite forms of analysis but not at the detriment of being able to understand when a character represents something larger thematically in a story than what they would be if they were just a guy from your high school

chat reminder to just write whatever the fuck you want. write that overused trope. write that obscure shit that no one will have heard of. just. do it. your writing is yours stop depriving it of that.

Ah, yes, I see you’ve taken notice of the fine knight I keep dangling in a big gilded cage above my evil throne. Quite the pretty little ornament the would be savior makes, wouldn’t you agree~?

What? No, it IS a big cage. That’s- it’s the standard size for a knight’s cage I’m pretty sure. NO I’m not going to invest in 500 square feet of dungeon, it’s ONE knight! I’m pretty sure knights live in hovels in the wild anyways which is basically the same- Look, the cage is quite literally gilded. He loves the cage! He loves obediently preening in the cage! Yeah well, when you capture your own knight you can keep it in whatever size castle you want to, but this one’s mine. Especially since you’re so obviously jealous of me and my cute and awesome knight anyway.

Repeat after me:

The first draft just needs to exist

The second draft needs to be functional

The third draft needs to be effective

The first draft just needs to exist

The second draft needs to be functional

The third draft needs to be effective

The first draft just needs to exist

The second draft needs to be functional

The third draft needs to be effective

Remember, the second and third can't happen if you don't have something to work with. Your first draft will always be shit compared to your third, but at least it exists. The worst first draft is an unfinished one. The best first draft is a just completed one.

You read books/stories not in their first draft form-- only in their finished form (third, fourth, sometimes fifteenth draft). So stop comparing your first draft with a final one.

So, just write--you can make it better later. Perfectionism is the greatest weight a creator can carry.

Aaaaaahhhhh!!!! Ahhhh?? AAAAAAHHH!!!

More coherent thoughts under the cut cause DAMN

I already told you but you will hear it again: your art looks excatly like a high fantasy trilogy feels like. It got those adventure where you find friendship along the way vibes and I'm digging them so so hard.

This is so much amazing art and you even colored some pieces like ??? How did i deserve you. You captured the feel lf the story and the personality of the characters perfectly like look at that variety. Virgil ks big and strong but still looks so huggable, no idea how you managed it. Remus has the perfect amount of mishief and Janus is small and angry and just !!!! I'll cherish them forever. Thank you so so much

Also side note: that is one sexy tree and i'm not growing tired of repeating and you drew the best round chicken and for that alone you can have a kidney if you ever need one

It’s TSS Story Time!

Thanks to @the-princey-pie for sharing this beautiful story that I got to create art for. It’s been amazing fun.

You can read Summer Wine In Verdant Winters right here! Please go check it out!

Tumblr

Big Bang Announcement!

Here's the promised fantasy hurt/comfort with Virgil and his found family. It's my big bang for the year from @tss-storytime with art from t

(More art under here, but be warned some pieces might show spoilers.)

Weiterlesen

Things fanfic is reputed for inserting into the source material:

Sex

Things fanfic actually inserts into the source material:

Sex

Holding hands

Bizarre misunderstandings

Meticulous descriptions of food and clothing

The author’s unaddressed traumas

Found family

Plausible explanations for existing plot holes

Additional plot holes

Exciting new frontiers in speculative physics, economics, chemistry, biology, zoology, psychology, theology, and/or ontology

Tax evasion

Gender

Very bad puns

Top Tips for Clues, Red Herrings, and Breadcrumbs

One of the most important parts of writing MYSTERY is figuring out what to do with clues and red herrings - and how to use them effectively. Here’s some advice that’s never steered me wrong: 

Hide the real clue before the false ones! Most people, so by extent your readers and your sleuth, tend to focus on the last piece of information presented to them. A good strategy is to mention/show your real clue and then quickly shift focus. 

Do a clue cluster! Squeeze your real clue in among a whole pile of red herrings or other clues, effectively hiding it in plain sight. This works especially well with multiple suspect mysteries. 

Struggling to think of what a clue could be? Try this list: 

Physical objects: Letters, notes, tickets, emails, keepsakes, text messages, diaries, etc. 

Dialogue: voicemail recordings, overheard conversations, hearsay, gossip, rumours. All of these can hold grains of truth! 

Red herrings distract and confound your protagonist and your reader, so you should be careful not to overuse them. Well balanced, red herrings should lead your characters down false paths to create confusion, tension, and suspense.

Contradictions! Have characters claim they did so-and-so at such-and-such a time, but other characters have evidence that contradicts this.

Balance! Avoid a clue that’s so obvious it’s like a neon sign saying “Look at me, I’m a clue!” but don’t make it so obscure it’ll be missed entirely. A good clue should leave a reader saying “Damn, I should have noticed that” 

I feel guilty wanting people to comment.I feel like if my work was good enough, they would :(

This is definitely a common feeling amongst authors, and I think part of it stems from our cultural view of artists/creators. 

We often hear writers say things like “I just had to write this” or “the characters were screaming at me” and that gives off the impression that writing is going to happen no matter what. Writers have to write. Artists have to draw. If creative people can’t let their creativity out, they go a bit nuts. 

The dissonant part of this is that, while creative people do have an innate drive for creation, they don’t have an innate drive to share that creativity. Needing to make something and needing to share it are two different things, serving two different purposes. Creating the work satisfies a part of you that has a story to tell or a vision to make real. Sharing that work is done in the hopes of satisfying a need for making a connection with people about that work. 

Wanting people to comment is a natural part of sharing your work with them, and nothing for you to feel guilty about. 

What readers don’t understand is that desire for a connection to them. For them, the connection is made by reading your work. From their perspective, you have made a connection. The problem is, from your perspective nothing has happened. You’ve posted your work and received nothing in response. It’s like walking up to someone with a big smile on your face and saying, “Hi! How’s it going?” and having them just stand there with no change in facial expression or body language, saying absolutely nothing. The connection only went one way. 

There are lots of reasons why people don’t comment on artistic works, and only 1 of them is not liking the work itself. 

You aren’t being needy, you’re being human.

I keep seeing people making fun of using growled, hissed, roared, snarled etc in writing and it’s like.

have you never heard someone speak with the gravel in their voice when they get angry? Because that’s what a growl is.

Have you never heard someone sharply whisper something through the thin space of their teeth? Or when your mother sharply told you to stop it in public as a kid when you were acting up/being too loud? Because that’s what a hiss is.

Have you never heard a man get so blackout angry that their voice BOOMS through the house? Because that’s what a roar is.

Have you never seen someone bare their teeth while talking to accentuate their frustration or anger while speaking with a vicious tone? Because that’s what snarling is.

It’s not meant to be a literal animal noise. For the love of god, not every description is literal. I get some people are genuinely confused, but also some of these people are genuinely unimaginative as fuck.

Big Bang Announcement!

Here's the promised fantasy hurt/comfort with Virgil and his found family. It's my big bang for the year from @tss-storytime with art from the amazing @pizza-box-raccoon here!