choi-randomblog

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Unironically, vegans need to be advocating for more and better sheep, llama, and alpaca farms. Wool is one of the best fabrics we have in terms of versatility, longevity and most importantly, insulation. Even wet, it retains 80% of it's insulation potential.

AND IT DOESN'T SHED MICROPLASTICS

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Opening Task Manager to scare the programs into behaving again

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Reblog with what you would tell your 13-year-old self in the tags.

#things will get better I promise #we'll make new wonderful friendships #keep drawing! #don't overcomplicate Middle school will be shitty but it will get better afterwards

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new mother-daughter bonding activities just dropped: psychoanalyzing your father

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I’m a background character in everyone’s life. I’m not important to anyone. I don’t even matter.

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thank you, mark

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[scan] Baekho for Men’s Health Korea

© melfy

#like how can a man be this soft but this buff too ??? #nu'est #baekho

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Much Ado About Writing | Magic Systems Pt. 1

When it comes to Fantasy, nothing is off limits, but most fantasy stories often share the common trend of magic systems, which is essentially the way magic works in terms of their world. You all know what I’m talking about, so let’s just jump right into it.

There’s two types of magic systems, with the terms popularized by Brandon Sanderson: Hard Magic  and Soft Magic

Hard Magic

Hard magic refers to a system with a specifically designed set of rules as to how magic works. It’s a science, to put it simply enough. These types of magic systems have clear costs and limitations to how they’re used, as well as consistency, and are usually really good at developing unique worldbuilding in relation to how it affects politics, society, economics, and fighting. Examples of Hard Magic: The Mistborn series, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and most superhero fiction.

Hard Magic systems will be a lot more useful to any stories that put specific focus/importance onto the magic system. The limitations of a hard magic system will allow you to explore how characters will work through their limitations to solve problems in logical and believable ways.

Advantages: Allows for more physical tension, enhances worldbuilding, allows for logical/believable problem solving using magic, more realistic, can result in very unique magic systems

Disadvantages: Requires consistency (so no magical McGuffins), may require extensive worldbuilding, requires predictability in its use

Soft Magic 

 Soft magic systems are vaguer in their rules and limitations, and often times the magic is never fully explained. These can result in a more fantastical setting and is more of a spice to color the world rather than the main ingredient to the story itself. Think of systems like Lord of the Rings, Narnia, or any fairy tale. Soft magic systems are more useful in stories that don’t focus on magic to solve conflicts but instead uses magic as a way to put the focus on some of the more abstract concepts in the story such as relationships, politics, internal struggles, etc. Hello Future Me did a wonderful job explaining it in his video here

Advantages: Allows for more psychological tension, less worldbuilding in regards to the magic system, more fantastical setting, able to have the magical aspect of fantasy while not having to put focus on it

Disadvantages: Less realistic, magic is not the focus, if magic is used to solve conflict, it often gives rise to a greater problem later on (this is can also be an advantage if you’re looking for conflict)

*Note: Main characters of soft magic systems usually aren’t magic users so that they’re able to learn/experience the fantastical side of magic without worrying too much on how it works

The Spectrum

Like with many things, magic systems exist on a spectrum. Some are more hard, some more soft, and others exist comfortably in the middle, so don’t be afraid to mix-and-match according to what you find interesting and suits your story.

Examples of hybrid systems: Harry Potter (middle of spectrum), Avatar: The Last Airbender (leans hard), Merlin (leans soft)

Brandon Sanderson’s Laws of Magic

Trust me, if you’ve been writing fantasy or are interested in writing fantasy, you’ve probably seen this a few times. Though often called Laws, these are just  general guidelines of what you (according to Sanderson) might want to consider when creating a magic system.  (I’ll be paraphrasing a lot of this, but you can read about his stuff in more detail on his website or by just searching it up)

1. An author’s ability to solving problems with magic is directly proportional to how much the reader can understand the magic system.

Readers should be able to understand how characters used magic to solve their problems to create a satisfying conclusion. Otherwise, the magic will come off as a deus ex machina. In Hard Magic, the ways magic works should ideally be explained before it can be used to resolve a problem to help readers know how characters think and avoids plot holes in the narrative. In Soft Magic, the way magic works isn’t fully known to the characters and the reader, and so if used, will most often make more problems rather than solve them.

2. Limitations > Power

What your powers can’t do is a lot more interesting than what they can do. In my opinion, restrictions breed creativity in ways to get around your limitations. The same is true with magic. If a magic system has no costs or limitations, then it eliminates any conflict (especially in a hard magic system) since everyone can just whip out their flashiest and most powerful attack and just blow each other up. Costs and limitations allow for more creative ways to utilize magic and increase tension in conflict. This is also why, in soft magic systems, the main characters usually aren’t magically inclined and are often working against magic.

3. Expand on what you have first, before adding anything new

Nothing kills tension more than a character suddenly developing a new power to help them get through a fight. Often times, focusing on the powers that you have already and developing/expanding them even further is a lot more interesting than introducing an entirely new powerset. This law doesn’t just apply to conflict, but also to worldbuilding in general. Consider how your system affects and shapes the world. How is society formed because of it? What are its effects on politics, culture, religion, military, etc.?

This leads us to our next topic: Creating Magic Systems. But that’s a post for next time.

Happy Writing!

#writing

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#tumblr quotes #inspiring quotes #quotes

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Things only bullied kids will understand

-Beliving that none of your friends actually want to be your friend and they hate being near you -Hating normal things because they were used to mock you -Having to seek constant validation for your existance -Remembering particular insults you’ve been called for years and will probably never forget them -Beliving you’re too ugly for anyone to ever love -Not wanting to go to a new school/further education because you know the same thing will happen there -Having your parents tell you that you’re only being ‘teased’ -Having people wash their hands in disgust if they accidentally touch you.

#can relate

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REBLOG THIS IF YOU THINK THAT YOUR INTERNET FRIENDS DESERVE THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING BEYOND THAT.

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Controversial Truths About Ancient Egypt Masterpost

The pyramids were built by contemporary workers who received wages and were fed and taken care of during construction

The Dendera “lightbulb” is a representation of the creation myth and has nothing to do with electricity

We didn’t find “““copper wiring””” in the great pyramid either

Hatshepsut wasn’t transgender

The gods didn’t actually have animal heads

Hieroglyphs aren’t mysteriously magical; they’re just a language (seriously we have shopping lists and work rosters and even ancient erotica)

The ancient Egyptian ethnicity wasn’t homogeneous

Noses (and ears, and arms) broke off statues and reliefs for a variety of reasons, none of which are “there is a widespread archaeological conspiracy to hide the Egyptian ethnicity”

#interesting

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to all the boys on tumblr:

you are not born a sexist/misogynist

you are not born a rapist

you are not born an abuser

you can change, learn, grow

you deserve as much body positivity as girls do. your body image issues and the eating disorders you may have are real and are valid

if you’re trans, you are in no way a misogynist for being who you are

if you’re trans, you are not worse than trans women, you are equal

you can be abused, by women too

it’s okay to cry, you aren’t weak for that

do not let this stupid site tell you that you’re worthless scum

you’re cute

you deserve support

i’m here for ya

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Shinto, he's a goth type character. most of my friends and people I know like his appearance.

Which of your ocs are the most Marketable™ 

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love is stored in the ocs