sapphicshav

[sapphicshav]

long ass announcement below 👇

helloooooo it’s been a minute.

if you’ve been keeping up with my posts in the past year, you would’ve notice how many mental health breaks i’ve taken. the past year of life has been really hard and tbh it still really is. as much as i enjoyed writing on tumblr as a hobby, i don’t see myself continuing it.

this is going to sound stupid but i’ve been feeling a bit insecure about my writing skills. in fact, i’ve been feeling insecure about a lot things that i do. not only have these feelings of inadequacy been taking over but i also don’t have the motivation to keep up with this anymore.

i genuinely need to put all my focus on myself and my future. but this isn’t goodbye (hopefully) think of this as my extended mental health break. i’ll be archiving this blog very soon.

a big thank you to my followers, thank you so much for reading and reblogging my posts all the time. i never really took this blog seriously but it made me happy that i could make others happy with my writing so, thank you.

aaaaaaaaaand (this one’s for my mutuals) you’re all the most wonderful people i have met on this godforsaken website. you’ve made me feel so safe on the internet, and i love communicating with you all.

and thus concludes my time on tumblr, my reign of terror is over 💔

— yours truly, shav ミ★

(btw my discord is cybersapphic, add me to ur servers pls n thx 🫶🏾)

#❗— ꒰ announcements ꒱ #📍— ꒰ important ꒱

[sapphicshav]

and this i return to this app when the world is in shambles 💔

#💅🏾 — ꒰ can i talk my shit again? ꒱ #also i am in love with neuvillette #that is all.

[sapphicshav]

STAY AHEAD IN THIS BITCHAAA DRINK SYRUP LIKE ITS LIQUORRRR

STREET LIFE HAVE YOU CATCHIN UP TO GOD QUICKA

#💌 — ꒰ we just got a letter! ꒱ #BRO I LOVE YOU FOR THAT FR 🫶🏾

[sapphicshav]

SHAV! THE THEME LOOKS SPECTACULAR!!

THANK YOU NESSA!!

#💌 — ꒰ we just got a letter! ꒱

[sapphicshav]

all done with my theme (creds to @kazushawty a real one fr 🫶🏾)

#💅🏾 — ꒰ can i talk my shit again? ꒱

[sapphicshav]

a lil break may be necessary again...

#💅🏾 — ꒰ can i talk my shit again? ꒱ #i apologise 💔

[sapphicshav]

fanfiction writers rb and say in the tags how many hours the average oneshot/chapter takes you to write! include time spent brainstorming and researching too if you'd like :-)

just trying to spread some awareness about the level of effort and dedication that our craft takes!

#🔄 — ꒰ run it back ꒱ #omg prev tags 💔💔 #bro i get distracted way too easily #i'll come up with something cool #imagine it and everything #will i write it? no💔 #i just dk how to... #like i struggle to put my imagination into words if that makes any sense #doesn't help that i lose motivation every four seconds and then disappear for about three months because of it

[sapphicshav]

Hello please reblog this if you’re okay with people sending you random asks to get to know you better

[sapphicshav]

i promise its not a smut, i'm a child of god 🙏🏾 here it is :D

his chest decorated with tattoos and scars that you haven't seen until now. he grabs you by the waist, his hand on your lower back, ready to grab your ass. "you wanna take a shower with me baby?"

this has been in my drafts for AGES, i should probably post this soon... (btw whoever guesses the character of this draft gets a kiss)

open tag btw lemme see ur wips >:D

Last Line Tag

Original thread ~

RULES: share the last line you wrote for your WIP, and then tag as many people as there are words. ...

Apart from a few bandages wrapped around his forearms, his body lay unusually bare; an apparition of ghostly pale skin.

(Guess who ^^)

Tagging: (I've got to annoy 20 people now? Fuuuck. Note to self: edit out these stupidly long, run on sentences). @this-is-krikkit @wanderlustqueen-writes @sixpennydame @littlerequiem @leviismybby @romantichomicide95 @nuri148 @wyvernslovecake @fanmoose12 @moogleterra @mstwnttd @yokohamapound @dreamingon-forever @hangeslefteye @nube55 @giuliadrawsstuff

Help, I have no friends so I'm having to bother the people who have already done this! Thanks for the tag @youre-ackermine @humanitys-strongest-bamf - you're it now! And I'm sure you guys don't mind sharing another line? @roseofdarknessblog @the-milk-anon

#🏓 — ꒰ playin' games ꒱ #me interacting with people on tumblr 🤝 me scared to tag that many people #i don't wanna bother anyone idk 😭

[sapphicshav]

Needy gojo is my favorite

#💯 — ꒰ tens across the board ꒱ #💋— ꒰ you saw nothing... ꒱ #HELP #I #CANNOT #BREATHE #JSIDHDJDNS #FEEDING MY GOJO BRAINROT OLS

[sapphicshav]

didn't think a fanfic could make me realise how fatherless i am 💔

✧.* THE WORRY LIST — satoru gojo

⇆ notes :: PLEASE LISTEN TO THE WORRY LIST BY BLUE OCTOBER WHEN YOU'RE READING THIS I PROMISE IT'LL MAKE IT SO MUCH BETTER !!! if this is actually received well i might just sob, i love this type of writing so much.

— "i know that god exists, i held her in my arms, i never knew i was able to ever feel this strong"

content warnings !! angst, ex-husband gojo, mentions of god, mentions of court (specifically family court)

gojo had begun to hate the sound of your car pulling into his driveway. it made his heart sink down to his stomach each and every time he heard you cut your engine. it always meant that his little time with his daughter was coming to an end.

he ignored the buzz of his phone against his leg, he already knew it was you telling him that you were here and to bring the baby to your car. you never actually came inside.

he pulled the sleeping baby closer to his chest. gojo knew he was vain, but even being just a few months she bore such a resemblance to him, and gojo believed with all of his heart that she was the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

"you're mom's here" he whispered to her, he could hear how painfully strained his voice was. he'd thought after going through this every saturday since pretty much the day the baby was born that he'd get used to it, but he never did. "you think she knows how much this hurts ? i think i'm pretty good at hiding it" he chuckled to himself. he knew that was a lie, he knew he was an obvious mess every time you came to pick up.

he used his foot to rock the wooden chair he was sitting in, and looked around the room. he had put so much work into converting the extra room of his house into a nursery for his baby, it broke his heart that it went to waste six days of the week. he looked down at the baby girl, she was still sleeping soundly, not a clue what was going on through her dad's head. "you know, i've done some pretty bad things in my life, and i won't ever deny that. i never really regretted them before, i've always been the strongest. the honored one, and none of my actions ever seemed to have real consequences. but now they do" he was mindlessly rubbing his thumb oh so gently over the side of his sleeping child's tiny head. "i think this is the first time in my life i've ever felt real regret. and i don't regret you, i hope you never believe for even a second that i regret you. i regret everything i did before you, everything i've done up until now, it's coming back to bite me in the a-. it's coming back to bite me in the butt. and it's keeping me from you. but i don't want to regret anything else. i won't ever regret missing a birthday, or a baseball game, or a dance recital, or anything you ever decide to do. i don't want to regret missing anything ever again. i do hope you like baseball though. i could be your team's coach ! wouldn't that be fun, huh baby girl ?"

no response, satoru chuckled to himself.

"but i think that all that regret is making me stronger. and, i'll be honest, i've never believed in any sort of god before. that always seemed so silly to me, but now i know god is real. and now what's silly to me is that i denied god's existence for so long. cause now i'm holding her in my arms right now, i'm holding you. and i think if god is supposed to be the person you love the most, that makes you want to change yourself for the better. then why wouldn't you be god to me ?" he asked. no answer, of course. he was talking to himself more than he was to his daughter. "you're what makes me stronger. i've always been the strongest. but i've never felt like i was really the strongest. i've never felt as strong as i do when i'm holding onto you."

he felt his phone buzz against his leg again. he ignored it.

"i want to be there, i don't ever want to be on a list of the things you worry about. i never want to make you doubt whether or not i'll be there for you. i'm your dad, i'm supposed to be the first man in your life. the first one that's supposed to love you, and protect you, and i'm going to be that for you. what type of man would i be if i broke that trust, huh ? one day a week won't be nearly enough to have that relationship with you. i want to be your dad, not just the guy you're forced to go see every weekend. and i'm going to do my best to fix everything. everything i screwed up, with your mom, with the court. i'll do anything for you, my sweet angel. when people think about my story, i want them to think about you. the little girl i raised. i want you to be part of my story, right up until the end"

he could feel his throat getting tighter. "and you're going to have an amazing story, you're going to be an amazing person, i can already tell. and i know everything. you'll figure it all out one day, it'll take a long time, but you'll get there baby. i have no doubt in my mind that your story is going to be wonderful. you're going to go through parts that are hard, you're going to love people, and you're going to lose people you love. but listen to me when i tell you that i will fight the world itself to keep you safe, and if i lose, i'll get back up and do it again and again, until the end of time. i promise you that"

"satoru gojo !" your voice shouting at him from the doorway of the room made him jump. "what the hell do you think you're doing ?! i texted and called you a million times telling you to bring her out to my car. your time with her is up at three thirty, it's three forty five now."

"fifteen minutes isn't going to be the end of the world, (y/n). i was talking to her, she's my daughter too"

"what could you have possibly been talking to her about. you're playing with fire, you don't get these visits because i'm nice, you get them because they're court ordered." you said, taking the baby out of his arms "i can get in trouble for not letting you have them, and you can get in trouble for being irresponsible with them."

"i'm not 'playing with fire' ! i'm trying to have a relationship with my daughter !" he was talking through his teeth to avoid shouting.

"you know damn well why this is all you get, satoru. don't play stupid, or try and make me look like the bad guy" you spat back. "are you really so selfish that you'd let a little kid lose her father because of his fucked up line of work and him being too stubborn to accept that this just won't happen"

"then i'll quit my job !" gojo shouted, without really thinking. he'd thought about it a lot, quitting as both a teacher and a jujutsu sorcerer to get on the good side of the court, who thought his life was too dangerous to be in his child's life. "i'll quit teaching at jujutsu high, i'll drop the entire jujutsu thing. i'll get a regular job, some desk job or something like nanami did. or i'll teach at some normal school"

you raised your eyebrows at him. "so you'll abandon your other students ?"

at this point you were just pushing his buttons, he knew you were "they're old enough to be able to understand" his voice was rising now, this entire battle was getting on his last nerve. "jesus christ ! what is so wrong with you that you are so desperate to keep me from my CHILD !"

he finally snapped, and the way you purse your lips together let him know really quickly that he had messed up. his shoulders dropped as he watched as you silently collected the baby's things. "wait, hold on. (y/n), i didn't mean to yell. i'm sorry" he didn't know if his apology was genuine, or if he was just scared he'd lose his visitation. he followed you down his hallway and out his front door, still frantically apologizing as you buckled your daughter into her seat, and got into your car. he grabbed the door before you could close it on him, "hey, i still get to see her next week. saturday, right ? same time ?" he asked.

you yanked the car door out of his grip. "goodbye satoru" you slammed the car door, and began pulling out of your driveway.

gojo watched, jogging down after your car to the corner of his block. where he stood every saturday, and watched until your car disappeared.

#💯 — ꒰ tens across the board ꒱ #i don't usually like angst but this was tew gud

[sapphicshav]

Words for Skin Tone | How to Describe Skin Color

We discussed the issues describing People of Color by means of food in Part I of this guide, which brought rise to even more questions, mostly along the lines of “So, if food’s not an option, what can I use?” Well, I was just getting to that!

This final portion focuses on describing skin tone, with photo and passage examples provided throughout. I hope to cover everything from the use of straight-forward description to the more creatively-inclined, keeping in mind the questions we’ve received on this topic.

Standard Description

Basic Colors

Pictured above: Black, Brown, Beige, White, Pink.

“She had brown skin.”

This is a perfectly fine description that, while not providing the most detail, works well and will never become cliché.

Describing characters’ skin as simply brown or beige works on its own, though it’s not particularly telling just from the range in brown alone.

Complex Colors

These are more rarely used words that actually “mean” their color. Some of these have multiple meanings, so you’ll want to look into those to determine what other associations a word might have.

Pictured above: Umber, Sepia, Ochre, Russet, Terra-cotta, Gold, Tawny, Taupe, Khaki, Fawn.

Complex colors work well alone, though often pair well with a basic color in regards to narrowing down shade/tone.

For example: Golden brown, russet brown, tawny beige…

As some of these are on the “rare” side, sliding in a definition of the word within the sentence itself may help readers who are unfamiliar with the term visualize the color without seeking a dictionary.

“He was tall and slim, his skin a russet, reddish-brown.”

Comparisons to familiar colors or visuals are also helpful:

“His skin was an ochre color, much like the mellow-brown light that bathed the forest.”

Modifiers

Modifiers, often adjectives, make partial changes to a word.The following words are descriptors in reference to skin tone.

Dark - Deep - Rich - Cool

Warm - Medium - Tan

Fair - Light - Pale

Rich Black, Dark brown, Warm beige, Pale pink…

If you’re looking to get more specific than “brown,” modifiers narrow down shade further.

Keep in mind that these modifiers are not exactly colors.

As an already brown-skinned person, I get tan from a lot of sun and resultingly become a darker, deeper brown. I turn a pale, more yellow-brown in the winter.

While best used in combination with a color, I suppose words like “tan” “fair” and “light” do work alone; just note that tan is less likely to be taken for “naturally tan” and much more likely a tanned White person.

Calling someone “dark” as description on its own is offensive to some and also ambiguous. (See: Describing Skin as Dark)

Undertones

Undertones are the colors beneath the skin, seeing as skin isn’t just one even color but has more subdued tones within the dominating palette.

pictured above: warm / earth undertones: yellow, golden, copper, olive, bronze, orange, orange-red, coral | cool / jewel undertones: pink, red, blue, blue-red, rose, magenta, sapphire, silver. 

Mentioning the undertones within a character’s skin is an even more precise way to denote skin tone.

As shown, there’s a difference between say, brown skin with warm orange-red undertones (Kelly Rowland) and brown skin with cool, jewel undertones (Rutina Wesley).

“A dazzling smile revealed the bronze glow at her cheeks.”

“He always looked as if he’d ran a mile, a constant tinge of pink under his tawny skin.”

Standard Description Passage

“Farah’s skin, always fawn, had burned and freckled under the summer’s sun. Even at the cusp of autumn, an uneven tan clung to her skin like burrs. So unlike the smooth, red-brown ochre of her mother, which the sun had richened to a blessing.”

-From my story “Where Summer Ends” featured in Strange Little Girls

Here the state of skin also gives insight on character.

Note my use of “fawn” in regards to multiple meaning and association. While fawn is a color, it’s also a small, timid deer, which describes this very traumatized character of mine perfectly.

Though I use standard descriptions of skin tone more in my writing, at the same time I’m no stranger to creative descriptions, and do enjoy the occasional artsy detail of a character.

Creative Description

Whether compared to night-cast rivers or day’s first light…I actually enjoy seeing Characters of Colors dressed in artful detail.

I’ve read loads of descriptions in my day of white characters and their “smooth rose-tinged ivory skin”, while the PoC, if there, are reduced to something from a candy bowl or a Starbucks drink, so to actually read of PoC described in lavish detail can be somewhat of a treat.

Still, be mindful when you get creative with your character descriptions. Too many frills can become purple-prose-like, so do what feels right for your writing when and where. Not every character or scene warrants a creative description, either. Especially if they’re not even a secondary character.

Using a combination of color descriptions from standard to creative is probably a better method than straight creative. But again, do what’s good for your tale.

Natural Settings - Sky

Pictured above: Harvest Moon -Twilight, Fall/Autumn Leaves, Clay, Desert/Sahara, Sunlight - Sunrise - Sunset - Afterglow - Dawn- Day- Daybreak, Field - Prairie - Wheat, Mountain/Cliff, Beach/Sand/Straw/Hay.

Now before you run off to compare your heroine’s skin to the harvest moon or a cliff side, think about the associations to your words.

When I think cliff, I think of jagged, perilous, rough. I hear sand and picture grainy, yet smooth. Calm. mellow.

So consider your character and what you see fit to compare them to.

Also consider whose perspective you’re describing them from. Someone describing a person they revere or admire may have a more pleasant, loftier description than someone who can’t stand the person.

“Her face was like the fire-gold glow of dawn, lifting my gaze, drawing me in.”

“She had a sandy complexion, smooth and tawny.”

Even creative descriptions tend to draw help from your standard words.

Flowers

Pictured above: Calla lilies, Western Coneflower, Hazel Fay, Hibiscus, Freesia, Rose

It was a bit difficult to find flowers to my liking that didn’t have a 20 character name or wasn’t called something like “chocolate silk” so these are the finalists. 

You’ll definitely want to avoid purple-prose here.

Also be aware of flowers that most might’ve never heard of. Roses are easy, as most know the look and coloring(s) of this plant. But Western coneflowers? Calla lilies? Maybe not so much.

“He entered the cottage in a huff, cheeks a blushing brown like the flowers Nana planted right under my window. Hazel Fay she called them, was it?”

Assorted Plants & Nature

Pictured above: Cattails, Seashell, Driftwood, Pinecone, Acorn, Amber

These ones are kinda odd. Perhaps because I’ve never seen these in comparison to skin tone, With the exception of amber.

At least they’re common enough that most may have an idea what you’re talking about at the mention of “pinecone.“ 

I suggest reading out your sentences aloud to get a better feel of how it’ll sounds.

“Auburn hair swept past pointed ears, set around a face like an acorn both in shape and shade.”

I pictured some tree-dwelling being or person from a fantasy world in this example, which makes the comparison more appropriate.

I don’t suggest using a comparison just “cuz you can” but actually being thoughtful about what you’re comparing your character to and how it applies to your character and/or setting.

Wood

Pictured above: Mahogany, Walnut, Chestnut, Golden Oak, Ash

Wood can be an iffy description for skin tone. Not only due to several of them having “foody” terminology within their names, but again, associations.

Some people would prefer not to compare/be compared to wood at all, so get opinions, try it aloud, and make sure it’s appropriate to the character if you do use it.

“The old warlock’s skin was a deep shade of mahogany, his stare serious and firm as it held mine.”

Metals

Pictured above: Platinum, Copper, Brass, Gold, Bronze

Copper skin, brass-colored skin, golden skin…

I’ve even heard variations of these used before by comparison to an object of the same properties/coloring, such as penny for copper.

These also work well with modifiers.

“The dress of fine white silks popped against the deep bronze of her skin.”

Gemstones - Minerals

Pictured above: Onyx, Obsidian, Sard, Topaz, Carnelian, Smoky Quartz, Rutile, Pyrite, Citrine, Gypsum

These are trickier to use. As with some complex colors, the writer will have to get us to understand what most of these look like.

If you use these, or any more rare description, consider if it actually “fits” the book or scene.

Even if you’re able to get us to picture what “rutile” looks like, why are you using this description as opposed to something else? Have that answer for yourself.

“His skin reminded her of the topaz ring her father wore at his finger, a gleaming stone of brown, mellow facades.” 

Physical Description

Physical character description can be more than skin tone.

Show us hair, eyes, noses, mouth, hands…body posture, body shape, skin texture… though not necessarily all of those nor at once.

Describing features also helps indicate race, especially if your character has some traits common within the race they are, such as afro hair to a Black character.

How comprehensive you decide to get is up to you. I wouldn’t overdo it and get specific to every mole and birthmark. Noting defining characteristics is good, though, like slightly spaced front teeth, curls that stay flopping in their face, hands freckled with sunspots…

General Tips

Indicate Race Early: I suggest indicators of race be made at the earliest convenience within the writing, with more hints threaded throughout here and there.

Get Creative On Your Own: Obviously, I couldn’t cover every proper color or comparison in which has been “approved” to use for your characters’ skin color, so it’s up to you to use discretion when seeking other ways and shades to describe skin tone.

Skin Color May Not Be Enough: Describing skin tone isn’t always enough to indicate someone’s ethnicity. As timeless cases with readers equating brown to “dark white” or something, more indicators of race may be needed.

Describe White characters and PoC Alike: You should describe the race and/or skin tone of your white characters just as you do your Characters of Color. If you don’t, you risk implying that White is the default human being and PoC are the “Other”).

PSA: Don’t use “Colored.” Based on some asks we’ve received using this word, I’d like to say that unless you or your character is a racist grandmama from the 1960s, do not call People of Color “colored” please. 

Not Sure Where to Start? You really can’t go wrong using basic colors for your skin descriptions. It’s actually what many people prefer and works best for most writing. Personally, I tend to describe my characters using a combo of basic colors + modifiers, with mentions of undertones at times. I do like to veer into more creative descriptions on occasion.

Want some alternatives to “skin” or “skin color”? Try: Appearance, blend, blush, cast, coloring, complexion, flush, glow, hue, overtone, palette, pigmentation, rinse, shade, sheen, spectrum, tinge, tint, tone, undertone, value, wash.

Skin Tone Resources

List of Color Names

The Color Thesaurus

Skin Undertone & Color Matching

Tips and Words on Describing Skin

Photos: Undertones Described (Modifiers included)

Online Thesaurus (try colors, such as “red” & “brown”)

Don’t Call me Pastries: Creative Skin Tones w/ pics I 

Writing & Description Guides

WWC Featured Description Posts

WWC Guide: Words to Describe Hair

Writing with Color: Description & Skin Color Tags

7 Offensive Mistakes Well-intentioned Writers Make

I tried to be as comprehensive as possible with this guide, but if you have a question regarding describing skin color that hasn’t been answered within part I or II of this guide, or have more questions after reading this post, feel free to ask!

~ Mod Colette

[sapphicshav]

why is his theme lowkey better than the last omg...

NEW THEME!!

#🔄 — ꒰ run it back ꒱ #i think it might be the gifs

[sapphicshav]

NEW THEME!!

#💅🏾 — ꒰ can i talk my shit again? ꒱ #it's about time i do cybercore :3

[sapphicshav]

um i might have to cut my event short, after next week i won't have the time to do anymore drabbles 💔 i'll only be doing the requests that are in my inbox right now. i won't be taking anymore.

#❗— ꒰ announcements ꒱ #time for a theme change 🚶🏾‍♀️

[sapphicshav]

i wanna change my theme... 🚶🏾‍♀️

#💅🏾 — ꒰ can i talk my shit again? ꒱ #I LOVE IT SM THO #but i'm bored of it.

[sapphicshav]

hi lovely !! congrats on your event, it looks so, so pretty ! could I get a lil drabble with my darling Bakugo please ? ⭐ good luck !!

thank you for participating!! your drabble with bakugo has been posted hope you enjoy <3

#💌 — ꒰ we just got a letter! ꒱