#also this isn't a critique of bcs this is a critic of myself. for looking at chuck like okay now daddy wants you to open up and meow | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kingusukaras · 8 months

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some (mildly disjointed) thoughts i had about the translation of most recent leona overblot scene from the second twst novel. unsaid disclaimer is obvi these are just my thoughts and youre free to disagree. i cant stop you

read more because i might ramble a bit 💆🏾‍♀️

i'll start by saying that i'm very grateful for the novel & yuureis translations, bc its given me so much to chew on wrt leonas psyche and mental state, much more than book 2 in the game did. i havent bothered to go looking for reactions tho, bc i can already kind of predict the takes i'll find (knowing how parts of the fandom talks abt leona generally) - and i do "get" it, in the sense that i do also feel the way he tortures ruggie before he overblots is upsetting - but theres so much to dig into here, i feel like its such a waste to get hung up on obsessively moralizing

(i'll mention here that to formulate these thoughts i'm also pulling from the translation of leona's post-overblot scene, plus some moments from the game that i'll mention specifically as i go)

for example, the things leona says pre-overblot, his meltdown about dreams being stupid and useless, how the savanaclaw students (ruggie included) aren't meant to question him; they're meant to obey quietly, sound less like actual things he's trying to tell them and more like him lashing out at himself. as in, he's more talking at them, not to them. skipping forward to book 6: there we see leona give jamil advice, but the implication underneath is that everything he's telling jamil are things leona wishes he had internalized himself - again here, he's talking to someone, but really it's also directed inwards. almost like it's easier for him to look at (and speak about) himself critically when he can externalize it as critique of other people

the other thing im curious about is the distant, detached persona he adopts when he's truly angry. this'll be quick because i don't feel i have enough information to unpack it properly, but if i allow myself to spin thoughts out from limited information: it could almost be a habit he picked up as a child - something he might've forced himself to learn as part of an effort to be seen as more of a 'model' prince. if people were afraid of his moodiness because they feared what his UM (he) could do, then if he swallows those emotions maybe he can mitigate that. this, ofc, being shot through with the expectation that, as royalty, any order he gives people will obey

the final thing, for this post at least, is unpacking the way leona lashes out at ruggie when ruggie defies him. i'm willing to make the very safe bet that most of the reading of this moment is focused on leona being angry over being defied at all, or general disgust at how small and weak ruggie is (appears) to be. and while i think both of those points have some element of truth to them, i think the larger aspect of leonas reaction is jealousy. ruggie somehow, despite everything, despite all of the disadvantages life has thrown at him, still has the courage to have determination. and i want to be very clear here: this is not me saying being poor or struggling is admirable because it makes you strong - i'm not naive and i'm not here to romanticize poverty. what i am trying to say here ruggie's tenacity - a tenacity his life circumstances developed in him - is something that leona lacks, and that's what he's jealous of. he's jealous of his inability to keep having that hope, to maintain that courage in the face of his own repeated failures

(an aside: isn't it ironic that part of the reason ruggie has that tenacity is leona? leonas tutoring, leonas effective leadership of the spelldrive club, and as housewarden?)

(an aside 2x: in many ways, 'giving up' can be seen as a luxury. ruggie does not have the luxury to give up, because it could very well mean that he doesn't eat that day. for leona, regardless of what he does he's going to have a roof over his head and three square meals a day anyway, so what does it matter if he gives up? sure, he won't be happy, but he'll be comfortable in a material sense, and isn't that enough? except, of course, it isn't - not for him. as much as he tries to deny it, he's as fiercely ambitious as the rest of his dorm)

#king's meta #twisted wonderland #twst leona #leona kingscholar #disney twisted wonderland #every new translation post gives me so much more to mull over i love it #thank you yuurei

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jughead-is-canonically-aroace · 4 months

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omg thank u for introducing me to the term kuleshov effect, that is my favorite aspect of fan edits it makes me go insane

it's so fucking cool, i was actually gonna make a video essay for a final project (before i realized that i don't know how to use a video editor + other problems befouled me) comparing two movies illustrating the connections and the contrasts i was making using the kuleshov effect, which would have pretty much just straightup been an amv using songs from one of the movies.

it's part of why a good gifset is one of my favorite kinds of fandom meta - clips from x episode paired with clips from y later episode, etc - like !!!!! you're making a connection and holding it up for me to look at directly so i can then make that connection myself purely through the juxtaposition!!!!!!!! that's so cool!!!!!!!!

like, look at this

you see what i'm saying??? the meaning comes from the interraction of the paired gifs/lines

or this one

which does like, angle or lighting comparison in addition to the contrast in emotion - shot comparison! match shots! et cetera!

like, the meaning here isn't coming from the caption, i don't see that until later, it's coming from seeing these visuals & dialogue juxtaposed and interpreting something from the decision to pair them. that's video essay

but like to get back to videos and amvs and the kuleshov effect and soviet montage in general - look at this supernatural amv. i've never seen supernatural but this is one of my favorite songs by the mountain goats, and there are lines in it that were put in a completely new perspective for me by watching this amv and seeing what shots the editor put under which lines

soviet montage is a style that developed pretty much in direct response to western/hollywood continuity editing, and specifically in response to the film birth of a nation, which was interesting to the soviet filmmakers in the way that they saw the style of filmmaking aided the film in selling the story of the KKK to the american audience

continuity editing stylistically wants to be noticed as little as possible, and guide you along the viewing of the movie, blurring the lines between your reality and the reality of the film (the idea of the suspension of disbelief) through things that mimic the real life experience of moving throug the world - shot-to-shot things like showing the exterior of the building and then the interior, keeping the camera within the same 180 degrees in a single scene so the people you're filming aren't suddenly on different sides of the camera (the viewer); and scene-to-scene things like having events occur chronologically (and if not, having a clear indication of flashback or flash forward as per filmmaking convention)

the soviet filmmakers saw this as like, some capitalist propaganda bullshit because it encouraged you to take in these ideas without necessarily thinking or critically examining them, and so it was very easy to make the KKK the heroes by just building a triumphant narrative around them, and how that narrative is shown to the viewer depends on how it's edited

and so montage editing, which is rising out of the same school of filmmaking as the kuleshov effect, is in direct response to that, to try and find a style of editing that makes the viewer pay attention to the techniques and to the fact that they're watching a film, keeps their brain engaged, and has them draw their own conclusions from what they're shown rather than being gently handed the conclusions by the film. so it's a style that is built on inviting thought and critique, and therefore a pretty natural style for expressing audiovisual critique and analysis

(amvs also have their roots in this style bc soviet filmmakers were often working with recutting american films rather than filming their own due to lack of funds for purchasing film. which is pretty cool)

if you wanna check out a cool classic example of soviet montage editing, vertov's man with a movie camera (1hr) is really fun, kind of a "day in the life" but also a display of different effects you can get by using a film camera in different ways, bit of stop motion, etc

(vertov is also a really interesting, he coined the idea of kino-eye, which is about the way that the camera looks at the world and how that's different from how a human eye looks at the world, and also, the way the world reacts or changes in response to being looked at by the camera. which is Pretty Relevant Right Now I'd Say! glares at tiktok. glares at surveilence state. anyway you might wanna check that out too it's a bit tangental to the topic but still relevant in terms of the idea of film as unique medium which can be used to express ideas differently than the written word)

#asks #film #soviet montage editing #kuleshov effect #vertov #amvs #amv #half of this is what i remember from a lecture in my film class so don't like quote me but also do know that i have a pretty good memory

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monstersinthecosmos · 2 years

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Anne Rice's books are filled with morally dubious concepts and toxic relationships, I thought everyone that is fan would be so because of that. But scrolling through the tag I find people claiming to be fans but only of the wholesome parts, which are almost nothing?? Anne Rice is not wholesome in the slightest. I don't know, it feels lonely. And also I see the TV show isn't willing to engage with the horror and complexity of these books neither, which, makes me see the vampire chronicles isn't really meant to be brought to this medium. I don't know why I am dumping this on you but I feel like you would understand somehow. Please ignore if not, I don't want to offend you.

Lmao I’m not offended, hello! I am, however, about to talk way too much bc I haven't changed in the years since I've haunted tunglr dot com so I apologize for that

TLDR: Be a freak, don't let anyone make you feel bad, I hope the show isn't too wholesome.

I’ve been in and out of this fandom for like, literally twenty years 👵🏻 so being completely honest I have always seen a wide range of fans on the spectrum of HAPPILY ENJOYING IN BLISS to ONLY INTERESTED IN CRITICISM and like that’s such a personal, subjective choice of whatever everyone finds fun in their free time. I’ve also, in twenty years, been on both ends of the spectrum, and I even fully swore AR off for a few years at one point bc I was so mad at her lol, but IM BACK BAYBEE and to me idk it’s not fun to take things so seriously all the time. That’s just me though!

I do think there’s been a huge shift in fandom culture (particularly on Tumblr) in the last 10 years or so that prioritizes moral critiques of canon; it’s not just VC, I see this in a lot of fandoms, and I think it’s been more amplified since the Adult Content Ban bc, surprise!, a lot of adults left the site lol. I think we’re living in a culture right now that’s very focused on respectability politics and there’s obviously a huge push in the mainstream to censor and control transgressive media (especially queer fiction), and it doesn’t surprise me that this has influenced younger fans because it’s a culture we are steeped in at all times, even when they try to identify as progressive. But don’t think that the broader wave of censorship right now isn’t connected to the way conservatives are beginning to skew the conversations in fandom spaces, too. Fandom is a microcosm of what’s happening outside! And there are all types of ideas and stigmas that we get inundated with in the world, without our consent, because it’s the space we all occupy.

Having said all that LOL. All these types of fans exist and sometimes you have to just read the room and find your people. Some people’s enjoyment of the books is conditional, ie: cherrypicking what we liked about them and celebrating just those parts. Especially because I think so many of us read the books young and didn’t think too hard about it; we can agree that Anne’s writing was seductive and we were all probably baby queer weirdos who felt seen or w/e. And I think it’s normal that a lot of us have grown up and looked back at some of the stuff in the books like “oh yikes lol”

But everyone has different ways to navigate those feelings. I personally don’t have a problem compartmentalizing and just enjoying myself. I don’t take fiction morals very seriously and I enjoy the thought exercise of putting myself in imaginary dark places. Not everyone can flip that on and off and separate fiction from reality so easily, so ur milage may vary. I’m also someone who supports the idea of using fiction as a staging area for sexuality, and using fiction imo is a great way to play. Not everybody feels that way and for some people, the fun of playing in fandom is to play with the canon in a transformative way to see how to “fix” it or to rearrange it in a way that is less nauseating. I think there’s a culture in spaces like Tumblr to feel you need to repent for your fiction sins, and not everyone can sit with the guilt of accidentally enjoying amorality in fiction. And like I’m sure there are fans who read IWTV at 13 and Loustat is just so deeply embedded in them that they simply cannot exit the train at this point, and they're doing what they can with the scraps to ease that discomfort.

And I mean, good for them, if it helps them enjoy their time on this fucking germy ass planet!!!!!! That’s very fun, happy 4 u guys lol.

There is also 1000000% Nothing Wrong with blissfully enjoying all the evil and trash. It is perfectly safe and extremely normal. You just need to find your people, and sometimes it is hard and it does feel lonely. I'm with you, though. I'm here to enjoy the evil bullshit and revel in it LOL. There's literally nothing in the series that is wholesome except for Mojo.

To be honest, I’m not into Loustat at all. And not in a morally superior way—they don’t really do it for me but also Lestat reminds me waaaaaaaay too much of my abuser and Louis reminds me way too much of myself when I was stuck in that relationship. It isn’t fun for me to engage with Loustat content because I tend to only see the manipulation and gaslighting when I look at it, and for me personally it’s juuuuuuust a bit too close to the reality I lived through. I would argue that my OTP Armand/Daniel is the most toxic ship in VC but I was never kidnapped by a vampire or stalked across the globe while being literally addicted to his body fluid so yknow, that don’t bother me. =P But it’s 100% normal to look at canon toxic ships and play in the sandbox to either “fix” them or to like, take control of the narrative and allow yourself some catharsis by digging into it in a safe imaginary space. When I have the chance I like to mAkE thEM WORSE

So it’s been occurring to me when I see the enthusiasm of these fans for the show that perhaps they don’t particularly like canon to begin with? So changing it this drastically isn’t an issue to them? I’m sure everyone has their own reasons and I don’t want to generalize. On the issue of Claudia, for example: I think she is an intrinsic part of the plot and drives very profound feminist messages in the book, and I think her being a small child is absolutely essential to that story. I recognize that there are morally reprehensible moments in text regarding her and to me I’m like GOOD, IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE GROSS. It’s supposed to be gross!!!! It’s a horror novel!!!!!! And Anne Rice was a writer who wanted to always talk about the full spectrum of human emotion, including sexual emotion, so having sexual themes intertwined with the horror was completely on purpose!

Then you see some people who ONLY see that it’s gross and can’t connect with the full scope of her story because it’s too uncomfortable. And like, you do you bestie! Curate that experience for yourself! Have boundaries and love yourself enough to stay safe!!! But I do think it’s wild the amount of complaints I’ve seen about Claudia, for example, which strike me as particularly ironic because it’s almost meta in the way they’ve embodied the entire reason her character is tragic. People infantilizing Claudia as a character, unable to engage with the topic of her at all, is exactly the reason she’s a tragedy in canon, because she can be as old as she wants and people will always see her as a child. D:

As far as the TV show goes lol.

Being fair, I don’t think we know enough yet to know how evil & problematic they’re going to be. LMAO. I hope it’s like unhinged gaslighting abusive romance bc like, WHAT ARE YOU WASTING OUR TIME FOR IF NOT? But I always have found it funny when you see people who seem to otherwise hate everything problematic in VC somehow cape for Loustat as if it’s any different from the other ships. 😂

My concerns at this moment are that the way they changed Claudia is a huge red flag to me about whether or not they will engage in the problematic elements, and I’m not thrilled that RJ says the rest of the books give you a better picture of Lestat than just IWTV, because I disagree. Like, hearing from his own voice definitely allows us to know his sense of humor and we can see he’s a bi disaster, but he’s already CHARMING in IWTV. Louis falls for his shit because he’s charming. So I don’t think we need to know that he considers himself faultless for him to have a fuller portrayal on the show.

Like, I hope the show portrays them as being an abusive ship and shows all the nuance that it deserves, but RJ’s comments reminded me of the binary we see over and over in VC fandom about trying to get to the bottom about WHICH ONE OF THEM WAS LYING. (And it was Lestat, imo LOL he’s told on himself many many times.) So claiming IWTV is an incomplete portrayal of him makes me wonder if RJ comprehended that Lestat is a charming manipulator who abuses everyone in his life LOL. And ESPECIALLY with the time shift + age difference I think this puts them in a very different context. A Lestat who is turned in his 30s with a fully baked prefrontal cortex is going to have a very different temperament from canon Lestat, and even moreso when we understand he’s not a traumatized, freshly-bereaved fledgling anymore but like OVER A CENTURY OLD LMAO so like, he’s had time to calm down and gain some wisdom and that would have to make such a huge difference on the level of coercion. (That’s another red flag for me too is that RJ goes “no no we just changed a couple little things !” and the things he changed are like HUGE??????? So him saying that makes me skeptical again about the nuance of the abuse here.)

I also have some concerns bc some of the show’s team has worked on other titles that were about toxic male antiheros and there are definitely moments in those shows where you can’t tell if the writers are aware of themselves. IE: Tony Soprano is a racist bad guy who kills people and cheats on his wife, and yet there are still occasional narratives on The Sopranos that show the creators also had some of those same biases, and you must wonder if some of Tony’s actions or behavior weren’t intended to be catalogued in the ways he’s very evil.

So looking at the way they’re speaking about Lestat’s characterization, that they’re referring to it as a romance, and some of the patterns in their other work I do have concerns about how the abuse will be portrayed. I also worry about how the abuse will play on screen now that there is an added racial element, and if it will be too cruel or edge into messages that feel too real and hurtful to the audience. And, to circle back lmao, I’m not uncomfortable with objectionable morals in my fiction, but, some nuance would be good.

Don’t get me wrong like I hope the ship on the TV show is like ABUSIVE and SEXY and I hope Louis is like HORNY and TRAPPED because he knows he should leave but he CANNOT! And I want there to be some steamy frustrated hatesex! And huge fights and makeup sex! LOL. But yeah I mean, pretending that Loustat is wholesome is a complete joke, and I really really hope that the show doesn’t misunderstand Loustat to a point where they aren’t aware of what they’re really portraying. LET THE STORY BE ABUSIVE BUT PLEASE BE AWARE OF YOURSELF!

(Anne could have used this advice too in the second half of the series LMAO whoops but I think having that nuance would ultimately make these stories even richer. HERE I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT CANON NONCOMPLIANCE EXCEPT MAKING AN EXTREMELY UNAWARE PORTRAYAL OF ABUSE IS COMPLETELY CANON, my bad.)

And basically like. If it’s not going to be those things I’m just back to wondering why they wanted to adapt this book? So far the only thing in common with canon is like… New Orleans???? An interview of some type will take place? They have the same names?

So it’s hard to hear the team talk about how respectful they are of the book when…. They’re not keeping anything from the book? LOL. What exactly did you see in this story that you wanted to express? I don’t get it. 😂 And I would hate for a book about morally dubious characters and abusive romances to be like, a campy vampire romance without any of those questions and themes.

I’m not saying any of this to nitpick or be needlessly negative; I’m saying it to say it’s some of the things I’ve been wondering and some of the clues I’ve been looking for during the past year to see what exactly is going on with this show LOL. Again, I don’t think the trailer told us enough to know. I’ve been critical and looking for these things and genuinely don’t have a solid opinion yet because I haven’t gotten enough information. Lestat is certainly being extremely predatory and he looks unhinged as fuck so that’s a good sign LMAO. Louis even refers to it in the voiceover as being “hunted”, so it’s nice to know that he feels that way with 100 years of perspective. But we’ll have to wait and see!

I think at this point I’m really hoping for like HANNIBAL LEVEL fuckery and like that type of unhinged gaslighting and manipulation LOL and I think Hannibal was about as far from canon as VCTV looks so far. I’m just doing my best to compartmentalize and be fair about the show while also acknowledging my extremely deep disappointment that we waited 5 years for WOLFKILLER STUFF AND NICKI only to be given an AU fanfic lol. And like, I give Hannibal a bit of a pass because by the time that show came out there had already been like 5 movies made of that franchise and they were mostly faithful so like at that point the idea had already been explored and it was time to remix. I don’t feel VC has ever gotten that shot yet so it’s sad that they went straight for a remix :(

anyway sorry, I disappeared off tumblr for years but I apparently still answer anons with exceedingly meandering essays, I have no idea if this answered what you were asking but LOL YOLO ✌️

#having slept on this #i also want to add that in case this wasn't clear:#TLDR there is room for everyone #be kind and find your people #fandom is not a finite space #it's like Clifford #it wlil get bigger and bigger if you keep loving it!!!!! LOL #make stuff!!!!

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cruelsister-moved2 · 2 years

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on GOD i think id rather throw myself into a nuclear reactor than let "getting published" be a sign of success in the era where getting published is a fifty fifty on either having talent or being born rich

ikr like its so odd bc the publishing industry is soooo volatile..i think almost more than any other arts industry because the money is mostly made by people buying your book like...before they've actually read it to judge the quality. sometimes it's not even talent or wealth but just like you're in the right place at the right time culturally with what you happen to be making (e.g jkr, john green, stephanie meyer, you get it) and alternately other people with very good books flop because they're not what the market is looking for at that time.

also in the present moment its like 90% about how 'hooky' your writing is and like publishers are looking for something that will be able to hold the attention span of teens who could just put the book down and go watch netflix. and that's not to scoff at writers who are really good getting and then holding readers' attention like that's a true skill and I'm not very good at it BUT it's also something you can do whilst being a fairly horrendous writer with childish prose and poor characterisation and uninteresting themes etc etc etc so it's always depressing-slash-laughable to see people with like fairly juvenile writing claiming that the professionals who critique them are just like bitter haters, when probably part of the reason those professionals' own writing isn't as successful is because they like weren't willing to constantly sacrifice the integrity of their story for cheap thrills nor the specific elements for broad appeal, leaving them with a smaller audience.

but it's also just a stupid take in general literally even if someone else's writing is GARBAGE that has no bearing on how entitled they are to make a criticism, if the criticism is making a valid point. and in general as a creative criticism is a gift that teaches you how to be better so i just hate the culture we have in this moment that frames all critique as 'haters' and shuts them out like its funny because amateur writers will literally pay people 1000s of pounds for criticism but these people who got published first try are so furious to be getting it for free...

#ask #anon #was just talking w my sis about how many really great books would just never get published today #like purely over the pacing and initial investment required #and im not trying to be a grouch n say thats fundamentally awful or anything like it just is what it is #and thats the thing that the publishing world happens to be fixated on right now #but it favours a certain sort of storytelling at the cost of others

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sukibenders · 3 days

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You and those two little bitter betty Edwina stan accounts “Kate was badly written 😤🤬😡🤢🤮” yet she’s one of the most loved, obsessed over, written about, talked about character on this show (the root of y’all’s problem with her lrt). Y’all just don’t like her, can’t bear that other people do and are incapable of keeping her out of your stinky ugly spiteful mean girl mouths. It be three dumb bitches telling each other exactly.

I don't know if you've heard, because it does happen in many fandoms, but a character can be beloved in many forms and still have the writers fumble their storyline or arc a little (eg. Bonnie from TVD, even though I love her as a character). Again, because this concept seems new to you, you can critique a character's actions and still enjoy them. Think about it, and I really want you to think: do you actually believe that Kate, who raised Edwina and read her fairytales and placed this idea of love in her head, would continue to go through with a wedding between her sister and Anthony, after he told her plain as day that he would not love her [Edwina] and would only think of Kate throughout, do you really think that Kate, putting aside her newly discovered feelings (bc she states that she hadn't realized her own by this point), would continue to push for a doomed wedding? It does not make sense, the show just wanted to keep unnecessary drama. But if you view that as something that Kate would do, then by all means, say that you understand her character more and just leave. It seems to be tricky for you, to critique and like a character at the same time, so if you can't do that and want to continue to be blissful about things, then do so and get off my page. Also, if I found Kate to be the "root of my problems" (nice choice of pulling something out of nowhere anon *hint: sarcasm*) then why would I constantly point out how she was done dirty in her own season, whether from promotional marketing or the way her storyline was changed (this is largely bc of the Featherington plot)? Why would I complain about her not having any storyline about how the loss of her parents impacted her? Like all these things I've talked about, and yet from the looks of it, since you seem to stalk my page, you couldn't find any of these multiple post but yet think you know everything about me from only one that also involves Edwina. Go off, I guess.

While Kate is a beloved character, she does have toxic fans, as any fictional character would and it definitely isn't her fault (largely because she is fictional, and also because, if she were real, probably wouldn't agree with some of you guys either tbh), and you would be the case in point. It's very funny that you come here through anon to attack me for something that, prior to the last statement above, isn't true or was simply contrived because you can't accept that a character can be liked and criticized, but sure, I'm the problem. You referring to me and other blogs, who I assume you've probably also filled their inboxes with hate---unless you have something better to do (I don't believe so) who also enjoy BOTH (bc you miss it a lot) Edwina AND Kate as "ugly, spiteful and mean" as well as "dumb bitches" but yet, sure, I'm the problem. I don't know, it's really seems as if you're the toxic one because at least I have the decency to not be a dick to others anonymously when, if there was a problem, I'd talk it up with them face to face (or where they can see my blog). But this seems like a common theme that you, and others like you, can't grasp, but yet myself and other Edwina fans, whose, again, pages you stalk but still come up short with information, flood our inboxes with hate and hurtful words.

What was it that you said again? Using the same words that you did in these regards, "It's like three dumb bitches telling each other exactly." Now, again, had you come here respectfully to talk and, I don't know, maybe not curse at me, we could of had a civil conversation where respect was shown both ways. However, I don't condone bullying actual people nor referring to myself or others as "bitches" and then being expected to give you anything cordial. I give what you give back. But still, have a nice day.

#anon #anonymous #hey maybe don't come to other's inbox being a jerk just a thought

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risingsoleil · 1 year

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Hello, have no clue if you accept messages but I wanted to ask your advice on how to start writing stories. How do you get over the hurdle and not get embarrassed about your work. I think about writing and cringe at myself. What if i never get better does it matter? If my writing is stagnant would anyone notice or care? How do I jump into writing? What if I accidently make the characters really OOC. i need help or tips please

Hi anon! I think I do accept messages, so if you have more questions about writing, feel free to DM me anytime! This is a great first ask and I have to break this down into several components (so it will be quite long haha)

I've been writing fanfics since I was like 11-ish and I'm about to turn 25 this upcoming weekend. When I started, there wasn't much to be embarrassed about, I just knew I enjoyed writing fanfics and didn't think about how it would be received or critiqued. Looking back, omg it's so freaking embarrassing LMAO I deleted a lot of my fanfics from when I was a kid bc of my writing style, the OOC-ness of characters, the pacing of the story, etc. When i say it was bad, it was bad lol like it's so cringe. I totally understand the embarrassment, but I think if you really want to write, you shouldn't hold yourself back. If it brings you joy, there should be no reason to stop yourself from creating it.

On to a bit more technical stuff, I've been a writing tutor since high school (and I was a writing mentor for most of my undergrad years). You can tell why I'm so passionate about this first ask lol Here are some writing tips that have helped me or I think are extremely useful to writers (academic or fanfics). But take what resonates bc what worked for some may not work for others <3

Freewriting - For all my chapters, I freewrite with a pen and notebook and just write what comes to mind without thinking. It sounds really intimidating bc "omg writing without thinking? how???" It really works wonders because this allows the characters to make decisions and gives really interesting twists to how the story plays out. I always say in my notes "I never expected this!" bc as I'm freewriting, I either had another idea in my head or the idea came about randomly while freewriting. For example, (idk if you're in the Coco or TLOK fandom) one of the character slapped another character and I NEVER thought that would happen. I was freewriting and I couldn't get rid of the image of that character slapping another woman. This is a great method for creativity when you're stuck or just want the ideas to flow easily.

Writing "Machine" - this one sounds odd but it's less technical than you think. It's essentially figuring out what your writing process is. Do you like to sit on your bed and write? Does the temperature need to be hot or cold? Do you drink tea or coffee to encourage writing? Do you write better at home or in a library or cafe? Figuring out what your ideal environment is for writing will help a great deal in inspiring you or if you need motivation.

Beta-readers - Much like how we get peer reviews for academic essays, beta readers are the same thing for fanfics! :) if you're worried about publishing your fics, having a beta reader is a huge help! They give you feedback on what's amazing or could be improved, if the character is OOC, maybe the pacing of the story is too fast or too slow. They are the external perspective that point out areas you miss as the writer. A beta reader might also be helpful in brainstorming! So if you're stuck on an idea and freewriting isn't really helping, then a beta reader can help you with new ideas :)

Practice and progress - I guess we do have a cliche part lol The more you write, the better you'll get. It's like using your muslces, the more you engage, the stronger you become. Writing is a process in itself and as a writer.

We are our own worst critic - I understand the worry about your work not being quality enough or not improving, but I think we're also our own worst critics. Sometimes when I upload my chapters, I'm thinking "omg maybe the pacing was too fast or my characters were OOC ahhhhH!!!!" But then the feedback is positive and maybe they don't notice it? Sometimes they do, but they see it in a positive light. I think we're really hard on ourselves, and you'll prob experience it. Even if you aren't quite sure of the work, your audience won't know that.

Do it bc you love it - Any of your writings should be because you love the idea or story. Your motive shouldn't be aimed at getting only comments on your work--you have to enjoy the process of bringing this story or work to life and the idea of it. Otherwise, your writing and the story will suffer at some point bc you'll be focused on the outcome rather than the journey. If you love what you're doing, you'll attract the right audience who enjoy your work and will give feedback.

I feel like I have more to say and I probably do haha but those are the main things I can think of at the top of my head. This was a great first ask, thank you so much for allowing me to talk about something I'm passionate about <3 If you want more tips or advice, you can DM me. If that's not working just lmk in an ask haha

I hope this is somewhat helpful for you! I believe in you and I'll end with this quote that I live by.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

#writing #writers #creative writing #idk if this might be helpful for other writers so im just adding tags lol

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tequiladimples · 3 years

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I hope this doesn't come off as rude, but I saw that you dislike when collision is branded het cause you're not het, but no one's talking about you personally? like for me, I really like collision but I can understand the criticism in a way and that isn't an attack on you (or an attack at all lol). again hope I'm not rude but idk it seems unnecessary to get upset, it's better to take it as constructive criticism

sigh i don't think ur rude but it simply isn't constructive.

look i’ll talk abt this one more time n then i Beg we can put it to rest! (this is gna be a lot of word vomit but if i'm elaborative now i hope i won't have to talk abt this ever again)

i’m deeply insecure abt many aspects of collision. i don’t really keep that a secret. i also know some ppl don't like fantasy, some ppl don't like the kinds of dynamics i like, some ppl don't vibe with my style of writing (hell, i barely vibe with my style of writing). those things are fine. i can't control that and i don't take that personally. the reason why this is the one critique i do take personally is because it genuinely presumes wrongful, harmful things about me and my values, especially when i've made deliberate efforts to avoid writing the exact flavor of fic they're accusing me of having written. just because people don’t mean for what they say to reflect back on me, doesn’t stop it from doing so.

the thing about calling something a “het fic” is that the term brings along certain connotations which i don’t stand by at all and feel deeply uncomfortable and distraught to possibly have created. i’ve gone over this godforsaken story again and again just to be absolutely sure i didn’t actually do so. when people say “het fic” they generally don’t mean “boy meets girl and they fall in love”, they mean “super rude and mean boy meets uptight virtuous girl and makes her fall in dependence with him through manipulation and treating her like shit until she behaves how he wants.” and that is straight up not the fic i wrote. i’m not stupid. i know the dynamic i went with is widely and easily misused and there’s a lot of fiction depicting really bad, uneven, unhealthy relationships through it. i knew this going in, and i’ve tried persistently to avoid making those same mistakes.

skipping over the fact that they’re both boys (bc duh)--harry doesn't exhibit any real manipulative power over louis. collision harry is a grumpy, fruity little nerd who happened upon a really unfortunate lot in life and managed to trick himself into believing he's evil for like half a second of the story and his resolves crumble like a danish pastry the moment he receives his first hug. he's kind of aloof and arrogant, and understandably hardened from his past, but he's not bad. he's just lost. that's the basis of his character arc. now on the other hand, louis has harry wrapped around his finger starting like chapter 4. harry’s the one who opens up emotionally first, harry’s the one desperately seeking louis’ approval and caring about his opinion, harry’s the one who makes himself vulnerable continuously throughout the entire story. the only time louis makes himself vulnerable on a comparable scale is during the smut scenes, and even then, harry is gentle and attentive and puts louis first. louis is less experienced than harry in that area, but he isn't scared or intimidated by harry, and he has full reigns of the progression and nature of their relationship as a whole. that’s kind of how it needs to go with tough x soft dynamics for the power balance to not feel uneven, and i wrote the story accordingly. if you then happen to still be so blindly determined to associate soft/small with weakness (and thereby uh, womanhood ig) that you still felt like louis had an inferior position to harry solely because he is indeed soft/small, that sounds quite frankly like a you problem.

now, the whole point of louis’ character is that he’s underestimated. sure, he’s naive and self-centered and sheltered from the real world--that’s the basis of his character arc. those things all change. but louis isn’t ever weak. like idk who apparently needs to hear this but you can be small and simultaneously not be a pushover. the two aren’t mutually exclusive. there isn’t a single time louis takes shit in this story, especially not from harry; he gives back as good as he gets every time. oh! and then he literally saves the entire universe and the execution of that whole thing was his idea alone. i tried really hard to underline how strong-willed and full of grit he is to contrast what others think of him. if you think he’s portrayed as a meek and frail damsel, you missed the point. once again, i feel like we circle back to this misconception of louis being kind of naive and physically small = louis being inferior = louis being female. just do some soul searching.

(i could also get into the fact that for a bunch of people who don’t know these boys personally (no matter how much we like to think we do), this fandom is weirdly opinionated about characterization. especially regarding sexual stuff. i know creating a version for ourselves of who we think these boys are based on things we recognize in ourselves or things we find endearing is part of the comfort with loving them. but that doesn’t really equate to actually knowing them, and besides, this is fan fiction; no one’s opting to write a biography, anyway. being experimental and explorative and putting different aspects of their personalities in different lightings is what makes fic fun. if someone’s writing harmful or one-dimensional characters, that’s one thing, and preferences is again whatever floats your boat. but the “out of character” argument feels mostly really strange to me. this is a bit of a tangent, though.)

lastly, the thing is that i will and i do take it personally if someone insinuates that a character--a gay character--that i, a lesbian, construed is a secret vessel for expressing heterosexual attraction. if someone calls louis a “self-insert”, that does reflect back on me. and to elaborate on that--i don’t particularly love to bring it up, but it's quite disheartening to pour personal PTSD experiences into a character and rly put effort into doing it right and justice and underline growth and healing, just to find out people disregard all that completely in favor of declaring that my self-projection lies in the attraction to a man--which is to say, the one thing i couldn’t possibly feel more estranged from. it's so incredibly tactless. i feel thoroughly whiny at this point but how is that not supposed to make me a little sad?

anyway. none of this is to say that you can’t dislike or critique collision. you can. sometimes ppl don’t like things. but i hope i’m clear about where i’m coming from with my discomfort now. people’s preferences and dislikes are indeed not mine to be hurt by, but these things are. this definitely got unnecessarily long and i probably look like i take myself unbearably seriously (i promise i don’t), so i’m sorry. but at least i've said everything now, and if i encounter this sort of rhetoric in the future, i have something to redirect people to. also anon, none of this is directly pointed at you, i know you mean well. take care <3

#look away this is so long #also @ my non fic mutuals scroll past it pls #it’s not that deep i’m just tired #ask

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golbrocklovely · 3 years

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to the anon, you are wrong for what you said. she is allowed to use tarot cards and to do whatever type of readings she wants. even IF she is doing them wrong. i am someone who also grew up in a family that considers this our religion. now to you angelica, don't stop. so many of us are welcoming to newcomers. however, the anon is right about you needing to be in contact with them, whether it be in person or over the phone for it to truly work and to remember, a reading isn't always correct.

i appreciate your kind words and constructive criticism, anon.

weirdly in defense for the other person, i understand that tarot reading as of recent has gotten to be more popular and i know some who do it both for a living and as their religion don't like when ppl just up and come in to follow it like a trend, when it is much more than that.

that being said, just to give some back story for myself, i've never been religious but i've always been spiritual. i've always felt like there is something more out there, and then on top of it, that i can feel it. and idk if there's a god, but i do believe in a higher power, like the universe or the cosmos. i just know there is something else. and i believe that everyone has a psychic side to themselves. i'm just trying to tap into it more because it has always fascinated me.

also, my mother growing up was always into this stuff too. basically when she was my age, she used to be apart of, what she described as, a tarot card subscription service lol and with this service she would get information about tarot cards along with new decks, candles, and other stuff too. she still has all of this somewhere, she says. and i've told her that i want these decks bc they are decently old at this point and i would just love to see what they look like (all the decks are from the 80s so... it just sounds fun to me).

so none of this is to say that i come from a family of tarot readers or anything like that, but i've been into this stuff since i was a kid. and it's only been as of the last seven-ish years that i've started to really get into it.

and all of this is to say, i'm still learning ! i know that there is a possibility that i'm doing things wrong or not reaching my full potential because i don't know enough. however, all of the tarot card readings i do on snc are just for fun and not meant to be taken seriously. i go into them with a positive outlook and have no malicious intent when i do them. i even say nothing is set in stone and that things can change so if ppl don't like the reading, they can just ignore it.

at the end of the day, i don't do this for a living and i never will. this is always just for fun and literally, i've done five readings all together on this account. out of the 2000+ posts i've made on here, only 4 are about tarot readings. i'm a fan account that's write fanfiction, and tarot card reading is just a hobby of mine. and i know that when i do the readings, i could be 1000% off with them. i never claimed to be right, and i never will lol

i appreciate the critiques. but i just want everyone to know that i'm not doing this to be mean or malicious. i genuinely like doing tarot readings.

#ask #personal

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