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Xiaoge : I’ve never been in a snowball fight before. I don’t know the rules.

Wu Xie : What?

Xiaoge : Is there a point system, or is it to the death?

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Hello, everyone! The Collection is now open!

Please enjoy the gifts and let their creators know that you did.

You are welcome to post about your gifts and make recommendations based on what you enjoyed, but please do not post your OWN creations until creator reveals on the 24th. Until then, the collection remains anonymous, so please don't spoil the surprise!

You also have another week to create treats if you are so minded.

Finally, if you come across a DNW in your gift that was stated in your sign-up, please let me know. I didn't have time to go over everything as extensively as I did last year, so I might have missed something.

All my best and Happy 8/17, everyone!!

[rose-of-tori]

“No writing is wasted. Did you know that sourdough from San Francisco is leavened partly by a bacteria called lactobacillus sanfrancisensis? It is native to the soil there, and does not do well elsewhere. But any kitchen can become an ecosystem. If you bake a lot, your kitchen will become a happy home to wild yeasts, and all your bread will taste better. Even a failed loaf is not wasted. Likewise, cheese makers wash the dairy floor with whey. Tomato gardeners compost with rotten tomatoes. No writing is wasted: the words you can’t put in your book can wash the floor, live in the soil, lurk around in the air. They will make the next words better.”

— ERIN BOW

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Just had to talk a friend down from a two cakes crisis. Her cakes - meaning her fic - are absolutely fine, but she felt a little down and checked out the rest of the dessert table. She got caught up in the whole comparison thing. "Oh man, this fic is way better than mine 😞."

And hoo boy, have I ever been there. When I was writing prolifically, I just wouldn't read. I couldn't because I knew I'd go into that fic measuring mindset and declare myself the loser, have to step away from the keyboard and stare out the window a while. And if I had an exchange deadline? Absolute worst timing.

Not everyone goes through that of course, but it's more common than you think, even with so-called established writers. I've seen people delete wips or even their whole account over that burden of doubt. So here are some possible tips to crawl out from under that burden:

Table it. You're done for the day. You've been staring at that cursor for too long. You have no perspective on your work anymore. Go do something else: play with your dog/cat/fish, go for a walk, eat something, go to bed if it's late.

Re-engage with the source material. Watch an episode, read a chapter, listen to that podcast, whatever it is. Find that voice in your head that sings in harmony with the source.

Read positive comments left on your previous work. Trust what they've told you. Because the liar here is your doubt, not your readers.

Hit up that friend you trust and ask them to tell you your strengths. Even if you don't believe it right now, you have strengths as a writer. Maybe it's worldbuilding, maybe it's dialogue; your friend will give you concrete examples. You don't need a beta right now, that will come later.

You're not alone. This is a community. Even if it's a rarepair or gen fic in a niche fandom - and especially then! - someone will be so happy that you brought that cake to the table.

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talays-portkey ➝ morkofday

officially welcoming the last twilight era that begun today with their first day of filming ♥ 

tagging some ppl to spread the awareness:

@dimpledpran @i-am-just-a-kiddo @leonpob @stormyoceans @milkpansa @gabrielokun @feralmuskyscentedhoepran @wanderlust-in-my-soul @ardentlytess @ayan-sukkhapisit @seanwhites @taytawan @nongnaos @jemmo @i-got-the-feels @snimeat @icouldhyperfixatehim @spicyvampire @patspran @thanawins @machikeita @laowen @oswlld @liyazaki @nanons @gusu-emilu @rose-of-tori @nope4ever @xiaosean @laireshi @hils79 @baoshan-sanren @yilinglaozu @hcrrow @jockvillagersonly @ashenlights @psychic-waffles @xcziel @kholran @foxofninetales @xia-xueyi @humanlighthouse @hyperbolicgrinch @s1utspeare @inessencedevided @rinielle @cross-d-a @yibo-wang @manhasetardis @highwarlockkareena @luna-lina @aheartfullofjolllly @fangrui 

i would appreciate it if you reblogged this post so others would know of this change too ^^ i will leave my old url to my blog description for a while tho. 

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I just saw a post with over a thousand notes claiming that asexuality is caused by medication.

Hi. I figured out I was ace twenty years ago. I only started taking any kind of medication a few years ago. I’m pretty sure those meds did not retroactively affect the me who learned she was ace twenty years prior.

Our orientation is not a side effect of medication.

There’s no way for it to be, regardless. Orientations are based on attraction, not libido.

Asexuality is an orientation.

#asexuality #ace

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consider this: wheelchairs should be free

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Sun

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I care normal amounts about Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan spending like 3 months together searching for Wei Ying without Jiang Cheng having any idea why Lan Zhan gives a fuck. I choose to presume that he considered asking but decided that no, actually, he was not going to get involved. King.

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I just realized that the first post I made wouldn't have ended up in the tags, so here we go again:

Sign-ups for the Pingxie Exchange are now open (June 5-15)!

(For more information, please see the pinned post at the top of this blog.)

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Hello, everyone! Apologies for the short notice on this post going up, but it's been a doozy of a week for me. OTZ

Pingxie Exchange 2023: Schedule and Guidelines Post

Hi and welcome to the Pingxie Exchange: a fic, art, and fanvid exchange about the Wu Xie/Zhang Qiling pairing.

In this exchange, participants will be anonymously matched to create gifts for one another during a five week creation period. The gifts will be revealed on August 17th: the day Wu Xie welcomed Xiaoge back after his 10-year-long absence behind the Bronze Gate.

This exchange is open to all the DMBJ canons (adaptations featuring Wu Xie or Xiaoge and the original novels). It will take place on AO3, so you need an AO3 account to participate--if you don’t have one, you can request it here; if there isn’t enough time, no worries - contact the mods at [email protected], on DreamWidth, or on tumblr, and we can send you an invitation! There have been some changes this year, so please read this post carefully before signing up!

Schedule

Sign-ups open: June 5th Sign-ups end: June 15th 11:59 PM Anywhere On Earth (what time is it for me?) Matching: June 16th - June 21st Assignments out: no later than June 21st Assignments due: August 10th 11:59 PM Anywhere On Earth (what time is it for me?) Gift reveals: August 17th Creator reveals and treats deadline: August 24th

Further information behind the cut...

Guidelines

This is a ship exchange: as such, all the works created for this event must be focused on Wu Xie/Zhang Qiling. Works with threesomes/moresomes or other pairings involving Wu Xie and/or Zhang Qiling are not appropriate for this exchange, but background ships of other characters are fine.

You will be expected to create a gift matching your recipient’s request. Filling any specific prompt is not obligatory, but try to create something you honestly think your recipient will enjoy!

You must not include anything stated as “do not want” in your recipient’s sign-up.

The minimum requirements for the gifts are 300 words for fic, one sketch on unlined paper for art (traditional or digital; no manips), or 30 seconds of video for fanvids.

After the matching is done, all the requests will be made visible to everyone to allow for treating! There are no minimum requirements for treats (but remember to mind your recipient’s do not wants!). You can also create manips for treats.

Please note: Now that AO3 has changed the way that gifting works on the archive, if you wish to be eligible for treats, you need to select the option "Allow anyone to gift me works" under the "Collections, Challenges and Gifts" section of your AO3 preferences.  You must also indicate that you are open to treats in your exchange sign-up.

This is an anonymous exchange: refrain from discussing your assignment in public. After the works are revealed, there will be a one week anon period when the creators remain anonymous before the creator reveals.

If at any point you need to drop out, just click on the “default” button on your AO3 assignment page (https://archiveofourown.org/users/YOURNAME/assignments); we’ll find a pinch hitter to create a gift for your recipient instead. If you need an extension to finish your gift, contact the mods before the deadline.

After the reveals, comment on your gift.

Most importantly: be excellent to each other!

Sign-Up information

Sign-ups will take place on AO3 here, starting on June 5th. There, you can fill out details about your request and offer. You can edit your sign-up at any time until the sign-ups close.

When signing up, you will be able to choose fandom, "character" (this is actually going to be the fanwork type: fanart, fanfiction, or fanvid), and genre tags, as well as specify any additional details.

You will have to select the DMBJ canon you’re interested in creating for and receiving a gift in:

Novels: The Grave Robbers’ Chronicles

TV: The Lost Tomb 1

TV: The Lost Tomb 2 - Explore with the Note

TV: The Lost Tomb 2.5 - Heavenly Palace on the Clouds

TV: Ultimate Note

TV: Tomb of the Sea/Sha Hai

TV: The Lost Tomb Reboot/Reunion: The Sound of Providence

Movies: Time Raiders -- rare canon

Video Games: Time Raiders (mobile game) -- rare canon

Note: If you choose a rare canon (Movies: Time Raiders or Video Games: Time Raiders (mobile game)), then you must also choose at least one non-rare canon.

You are not limited to requesting or creating a work during the canon timelines for those series/books. It’s just to mark which canons you’re familiar with to allow for easier matching: some participants might have a preference for a particular canon era, some might not be familiar with all the versions. You still have to choose your preferred canon eras even if you want to create or receive an AU.

You will have to specify which "characters" you’re interested in:

Fanart

Fanfiction

Fanvid

(That's right, this isn't really a character selector; it was the only way I could include fanwork type preference in the matching.)

You will also have to specify genres you’re interested in:

Action/Adventure

Angst

AU

Canon Compliant

Canon Divergent

Dark

Domesticity

Fluff

Humour/Crack

Hurt/Comfort

PWP (only select this if you’re 18+)

Request

In this section, you describe the gift you would like to receive.

Fandom - you have to choose at least one. If you’re willing to receive a gift in any canon era, you can just click “Any”!

Character (remember this is really fanwork type) - you have to choose at least one tag.

Genre - you have to choose at least three tags.

Optional Details - here’s where you can go into more detail about your perfect pingxie gift! You can include:

General Likes: your creator may, but doesn’t have to, include them. This isn’t a place for detailed prompts, just general themes you enjoy, like getting together or established relationship.

DNW (Do Not Wants): things that your creator must not include - squicks, triggers, things that you simply don’t like. Remember that you don’t owe anyone an explanation about why something is a DNW, and that DNWs are not meant to be taken personally. Just list the things you don’t like, “DNW: X, Y.”

Prompts/specific ideas: if you have any prompts, you can also put them here! You can be as general or as detailed as you’d like but remember that while your creator will try to make the best gift for you, filling a specific prompt is not obligatory. You can include a crossover prompt (with other DMBJ versions or other canons), but make sure it’s not the only prompt you have.

If you chose novels as one of your fandoms, you can use this field to list the ones you’re familiar with. If you're interested in receiving a Buried Tree Devil - Book 3 Donghua gift, you can also mention it here.

Optional Tags: You may use the optional tags to share more about your preferences, if you like.

The requests will be made publicly visible after matching is done, so that others will be able to create treats (additional gifts) based on them!

Offer

Fandom - you have to choose at least one. If you’re willing to receive a gift in any canon era, you can just click “Any”!

Character (remember this is really fanwork type) - you have to choose at least one tag.

Genre - you have to choose at least three tags.

Optional Details - in this field, you can tell us more about the kind of works you like to create, for example if you really prefer established relationship, feel best with certain kinds of AUs, or like writing darkfic. You can also tell us if you have a preference of which type of gift you will create (fic or art). We’ll take all of these optional details into account when matching!

If you chose novels as one of your fandoms, you can use this field to list the ones you’re familiar with. If you're interested in creating a Buried Tree Devil - Book 3 Donghua gift, you can also mention it here.

In the optional details of your offer, you can also name one person you don’t want to be matched to, for example your regular beta, and we will do our best to avoid matching you!

Optional Tags: You may use the optional tags to share more about your preferences, if you like. The offers will only ever be visible to the mods; never to anyone else.

Your assignment

You will be matched to create a gift for someone who requested at least one of the fandoms that you offered and one of the fanwork types you offered, with as many similar genres/likes as possible. This exchange will be matched using the AO3 algorithm to generate the initial matches and then tweaked by hand, if necessary, based on the information provided in everyone's optional details.

If you have any issues when you receive your assignment (you have a question about it or think there’s an issue with it), contact the mods as soon as possible. Do not contact your recipient on your own.

You will have to create a gift for your recipient, fulfilling the minimum requirements, and avoiding any stated "do not wants". Filling exact prompts is optional but try to create something matching your recipient's likes that they will enjoy!

You will have to post your gift to the exchange AO3 collection before the due date (August 10th), using the "gift this work to" option to give it to your recipient. Your work will remain in the collection only visible to you and the mods until the reveals happen. Remember to tag your work appropriately, especially if any of the major archive warnings apply, or use the "choose not to warn" warning.

Treating

Treats are additional gifts for the participants! To allow for treating, the requests will be made visible when matching is done. You can create treats at any time until the creator reveals! There are no minimum requirements for treats, and in addition to the fanwork types allowed for gifts, manips are also allowed. As with assignments, you have to respect the recipient’s Do Not Want, and while the optional details are optional, try to create something fitting the listed likes. One treat can only be gifted to one person.

Please note: Now that AO3 has changed the way that gifting works on the archive, if you wish to be eligible for treats, you need to select the option “Allow anyone to gift me works” under the “Collections, Challenges and Gifts” section of your AO3 preferences.  You must also indicate that you are open to treats in your exchange sign-up.

Pinch Hits

In case someone needs to drop out, we will look for a pinch hitter to complete their assignment. Pinch hits will be posted to the DreamWidth community and advertised on tumblr.

Extensions

If you think you can finish your assignment, but you need a day or two more, you can always ask the mods for an extension!

Other important information

Make sure to check the email you use on AO3 frequently during the exchange, as it will be the primary means of communication. We might contact you if there is an issue with your sign-up or if your gift creator has a question for you. If you’d rather we contact you on your twitter or tumblr, please leave your handle in the offer section of your sign-up. Follow us on DreamWidth and/or on tumblr to avoid missing an announcement or a deadline! If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to contact the mods at [email protected], on DreamWidth (anonymous comments are allowed), or on tumblr.

A very large thank you to laireshi for writing the rules and guidelines being used for this exchange.  They are presented here with minor changes.

#pingxie exchange 2023 #pingxie exchange #dmbj

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🐉 Year of the Dragon Lunar New Year DMBJ Treat Exchange - Sign ups open🐉

Sign ups for the Lunar New Year Treat Exchange are now open!

The sign up form is here, and sIgn ups will remain open until October 30th.

You can view everyone’s sign ups here. These will remain vieweable through the entire exchange period, and you can choose any prompt/request to fill at any time.

Please add all fills to the exchange collection on AO3. This collection will remain unrevealed until the Year of the Dragon Lunar New Year.

Rules, guidelines, and exchange information can be found here in the initial announcement post.

If you have any questions, please contact @dmbjexchange​ or @thetombraidersguild​ here or on Discord.

[rose-of-tori]

Year of the Dragon Lunar New Year DMBJ Treat Exchange Creator Letter

Hi, friends! For anyone who doesn't know, there's a really awesome, low pressure DMBJ Exchange going on right now! More details can be found here - check it out and consider signing up!! The more the merrier!

My Creator Letter: Dear Creator, Hi! Thanks for considering giving me a treat :D

I would prefer written gifts to be in English.

Preferred DMBJ canon: Reboot, Ultimate Note, Mystic Nine but really any and all are fine.

Characters: I'm a fan of Wu Xie-centric pieces (I'm basic, I know) but including Xiaoge and/or Pangzi (platonic or romantic) is a must! If you're feeling Mystic Nine, Ba-ye-centric please.

Relationships: (Gen, romantic, sexual is all fine) - Wu Xie/Zhang Qiling, Wu Xie/Pangzi, Wu Xie/Pangzi/Zhang Qiling, Wu Xie & Xie Yuchen (I usually think platonic here, but do whatever strikes you!), Qi Tiezui/Zhang Qishan, Qi Tiezui/Zhang Rishan. Any background pairings are totally fine!

Some general likes: -hurt/comfort (whump or emotional) -anything dealing with asexuality -illness (chronic, terminal, or regular) -enduring a wound but getting increasingly worse -thinking someone has died (but they didn't or it's temporary) -curses -animal shape shifting -disordered eating -non-con of any level (not between the main characters) -overworking oneself -hiding something so as not to burden others -realistic recovery-centric fics (I'm thinking about the 1000 head wounds they've all brushed off with no problem, but also knee injuries etc that takes weeks of frustration and pain to recover from)

DNWs: 1st or 2nd person, explicit sexual content/smut, kid fic, a/b/o (unless it's society-focused, not sexual), pure fluff (make it hurt first lol), crossovers, permanent major character death

A few prompts of the admittedly vague variety and one that's hyper specific: -kidnapping and/or being trapped -being protective in big and small ways, like going feral in a revenge way but also little moments of "don't talk to him like that" kind of things -tomb curses -telepathy -temporary character death (I talked myself into that while writing no MCD and now I'm invested) -time loops -time loops WITH temporary character death -an AU with an outside abusive relationship - for example, Pangzi and/or Xiaoge move in somewhere and befriend Wu Xie only to later realize his current partner mistreats him or canon-divergence where Wu Xie develops a toxic relationship with someone while Xiaoge is behind the gate (maybe to punish himself? idk, that guy's a mess and I love it) Either Pangzi confronts him about this or Xiaoge does after returning or both?

For videos, I don't really have song preferences, but I'd prefer a focus on relationships

#dmbj #dmbj exchange #Lunar New Year Treat Exchange #dear creator letter

[rose-of-tori]

Types of AO3 Summary

Option 1 - The Excerpt:

The quickest, the easiest! Find a section of your fic that contains the main premise of said fic and also showcases your writing. Copy paste that into the summary box. BOOM! Done.

Best used for any fic, unless it's so short the excerpt would be the whole fic.

Option 2 - The No Frills:

Just a description of the fic. No need for drama. No need to complicate matters. Keep it simple, keep it safe.

Example: "A short character exploration of Blorbo's thoughts after Daisy leaves."

Best used for short fics, poems and fics where the style/format is more important than the plot. Or fics that tie directly into a scene/episode from canon or another fanfic.

Option 3 - The Hook:

Draw the reader's interest by giving them a set up with no conclusion. Introduce the main character(s), introduce the status quo, describe an inciting incident, leave a question in the reader's mind.

Example: "Blorbo is a barista at a coffee shop, struggling to pay their bills, but after handsome rockstar Obrolb walks into their coffee shop they find that they have to decide whether a chance at love is worth the cost of fame."

Best used for mid to long fic where there's a strong premise and follow through. Especially good for AUs. Can be expanded for more complex plots or used multiple times in one summary for multiple characters or subplots.

Option 4 - The Sitcom One-Liner:

"The one in which [over simplified description of one of the main plotlines]" This is essentially 'boil your plot down to the very simplest statement you can, oversimplify if possible. The more bizarre or unhelpful the better.

Example: "The one in which Blorbo learns to like cake".

Best used for fics with at least a little humour in them.

Option 5 - The Rule of Three:

Three is a magic number. Find three key moments in your fic and just list them. That's it. Often ends with 'not necessarily in that order' if used for comic effect. If it's an AU, establish that quickly (i.e. 'Star NHL player Blorbo…').

Example: "Blorbo makes a friend, falls in love, and almost burns to death, not necessarily in that order."

Best used for anything, really. Three is a magic number. The human brain loves things that come in threes.

Option 6 - The Trope Lure:

Why bother describing the plot? We all know AO3 readers are here for the tropes. Similar to The Sitcom One-Liner just using tropes instead of plot. Often followed by the phrase 'that nobody asked for'.

Example: "The Space western/ABO/Mail Order Bride fic that nobody asked for."

Often tacked on to the end of The Hook or The Excerpt as a tl;dr.

Best used for fic that plays its tropes straight with no shame or second guessing.

Option 7 - The Pre-emptive Strike:

(Not recommended) You just wrote this fic, the self doubt is consuming you. You feel the need to apologise profusely for your existence for no apparently reason. You feel cringe, you think the fic is cringe, you want everyone to know that you think the fic is cringe in case they don't like it and judge you for it.

Example: "So I fell in love with this pairing and had to write this. It's weird and terrible. Lol! I suck at summaries! Sorry!"

Best used for no fics ever. I cannot stress this enough.

(Seriously, I am begging you, don't do this. If you're planning to use this option, rethink it and do one of the others. I guarantee you more people will want to read your fic.)

Sometimes added on to any other summary as a strange disclaimer. (srsly. don't.)

Option 8 - The Unapology:

Embrace the mayhem, embrace the deep dark depths of your soul. The opposite of The Pre-emptive Strike. A combination of The No Frills and The Trope Lure that truly gives no fucks.

You have committed crimes and you are proud of them. You know what your USP is and you're going to make sure your target market finds you. Look upon my works, ye readers, and despair!

Example: "There aren't enough tentacle fics in this pairing, so I had to write one myself!"

Best used for fics with controversial/polarising tropes with all relevant details already clearly stated in the tags.

Option 9 - The Interrogation:

What if you wrote a summary entirely in questions? What if your readers had to read the fic to discover the answers? Who knows what will happen if you do this?

Example: "What happens when Blorbo McBlorbo gets his wish and Daisy doesn't make it to the plane on time? What happens when Obrolb finds out? How will this change Daisy and Blorbo's friendship?"

Best used for... I honestly don't know. This style of summary does not vibe with me. Mystery fic maybe? Sorry guys.

Option 10 - The Multipack:

Got a bunch of shorter fics in one work? No way of summarising them all without a wall of text larger than the Great Wall of China? This one is similar to The No Frills in that you're not describing the plots themselves and similar to The Trope Lure in that often broader genres and tropes are mentioned. What links those fics? Are they all in the same fandom? The same pairing? The same challenge? Just slap that right in the summary. A chapter list with 1-2 word trope/pairing summaries can be included or not.

Example: "A collection of Blorbo/Daisy/Obrolb fics based on Tumblr prompts. Chapter 1: Regency AU Chapter 2: Werewolves vs vampires Chapter 3: Ghost!Daisy Chapter 4: Space pirates!"

Best used for (obviously) works that are compilations of fic.

Option ? - The Void:

I said The Excerpt was the quickest and easiest summary to do. I lied, well... I didn't exactly lie. What is quicker and easier than not having a summary at all? After all, that's what the tags are for.

Example:

Best used for... nothing? Write a summary, guys. Please?

[rose-of-tori]

Incredible fanart of Tiny Dragon Wu Xie by blackmajic on AO3 for Well Met in the Evening Evergreen Forest. Please leave lots of love and appreciation here or on the story for them to show support <3

#dmbj #fanart #Wu Xie #dragons #tiny dragon wu xie