#and also! if anyone has good faith questions i am happy to answer them. there is nothing wrong with not knowing these things at first

[neuralnetsprettypatterns]

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Hi there! I'm Neural Nets. I make kink content. I specialize in audio content about mind control. I also produce video, make games, and create experimental content for personal massagers.

If I have a kinky vision, I aim to make it real. I learn the tools I need for them.

I made the first content for "bimboization" over a decade ago. It was supposed to be private. It got leaked and cycled into thousands of spicy video dishes. I left the scene and returned to find it EVERYWHERE. That was fucking surreal.

My content is much better now. I learned the tools to make the horny impulses real.

Some of my content is free. You can find free things here, on Discord, on Reddit, on Soundgasm, and on Spotify. My media presence is a bit scattered because of bans and illness, but it's there.

The real archive is on Patreon. That costs money. It doesn't cost very MUCH money, and I think it's well worth it. That's your call, though.

I am definitely over 30. I don't disclose my exact age because hacking. "Over 30" should be enough. If you're hoping I run for US Senate, I appreciate your optimism and mourn its imminent passing.

FAQ:

Do you answer asks?

Yes! I turned off anonymous asks here. Trolls should commit to the bit. That said, I appreciate asks and I answer all of them if they're in good faith.

2. Do you answer DMs?

I leave my DMs on here. I wrestled with that decision.

They're on for: a. people I've known for a while or b. people contacting me about projects, like VAs and spicemakers

Any other questions go to asks.

3. How do I voice act in a Neural Nets production?

You contact me. You'll need to provide a voice sample.

If I cast you, I'll direct you to the casting spreadsheet. It has deadlines. If people miss deadlines, their parts get recast. I can direct, but I can't micromanage your time.

Sometimes, people are very underconfident in their voices, and it makes them feel bad. If that's you, I empathize. I'd be happy to answer questions and give advice! I shouldn't direct you, though. I don't want to unwittingly hurt people by directing.

4. Do you believe your content?

I believe in equality and radical honesty. I unequivocally believe in consent. I wish political and economic systems did too.

I have dark impulses. I like some schtick and some kayfabe. I like trickery and manipulation - in consensual kink.

All my content addresses things that turn me on, but my ethics trump my desire for a host of braintrained pleasers.

5. Do you do AI stuff?

Not really. I've tried machine learning tools. Porn is the cutting edge of new tech, after all.

I like automated tools to generate effects. Purely generated stuff, like image generation? Overall, meh. People make me horny. Mechanized people can make me horny. Machines, by themselves, don't make me horny.

6. Aren't you evil?

No. Some people are bad at reality testing. Some people chase clout. I naively engaged them initially. That was a mistake.

If anyone has beef, they failed to contact me privately. That's the damning mark of clout chasing.

I'm flawed and human, but I'm neither your hero nor your villain.

7. Aren't you dead?

No. In late 2022, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It's partially genetic, so I sorta saw this coming. That was my worst lifelong fear, and it happened.

Fortunately, though, we caught it early and they have banger drugs for it now. Monoclonal antibodies destroyed the misbehaving parts of my immune system. I'm in NEDA, which is like remission.I recovered compromised motor skills through a year of totally brutal and partially self administered physiotherapy. I ate a lot of pavement, so it's a good thing I used to skate.

If you saw me now, you probably wouldn't clock anything. Lucky.

I am annoyed at people who mass reported my last blog shortly after I came out as sick. It takes a special kind of miserable to delight in that. Regardless, I'm back and that's not my problem.

I missed this platform, as completely broken and dysfunctional as it is.

I am glad to be back, and I'm here for any asks.

#neuralnetsandprettypatterns #neuroplex #hypnosis files

[lucky-bishop]

Alright, to be honest, I've been kind of dreading making this post. I've posted it before and then deleted it, and deleted a whole bunch of drafts. Just. I'm going to talk about taking things in good faith. Please do the same for me.

I am not on hiatus, or taking a break, from writing or fandom. It has been less than a month since I last posted on AO3. And I have received several comments and anonymous messages all along the lines of: do I have anything coming out soon? When will I post again? What am I working on? What's next, what's next, what's next?

I am just a human person who engages in fandom as a hobby. I work full-time (and then some, these days) and I go to the gym and I have friendships to maintain and I have a family that I care about and spend time with and I have other hobbies that I try to dedicate time to as well. And to be honest it's overwhelming and I am flying by the seat of my pants and sometimes I want to do nothing at all but lay on the floor and cry.

I don't think these messages and comments are meant to make me feel bad. I am choosing to take them in good faith, because it's fun to see that people are engaged with my writing! I am so fucking grateful that there is anyone out there in the world who cares that I post anything at all! But a lot of the time it comes of as pressuring.

I don't make promises about deadlines or regular updates or anything for a reason, because I'm just a person. And to be honest, 2023 has been one of the worst goddamn years of my life so far, or at the very least, one of the most stressful. But, I post on here! I talk about my works in progress! You can also find me on Discord (if you're curious about where, I am part of both the Always the Alpha and Stiles Shipping Central servers) talking about this stuff! I do my best to communicate and promote and all that jazz.

So. All this to say, I'm not going anywhere. And I'm happy to get questions about the projects that I'm working on and share about them. I guess I'm just asking that people be mindful that some of these messages may come across as pressure/demanding/entitlement. The reason I didn't answer any of the asks directly (or deleted those responses) is because I'm not saying this to try to make anyone feel bad, but just to explain how some of it has been making me feel. PLEASE, if you have sent me something like this and I didn't respond, do NOT feel bad about it! Like I said, I am SO grateful for having any interaction about my stuff at all, seriously, I mean that from the bottom of my fucking heart.

I love you all so much and I love having fun and being a part of fandom. But I'm also just a person. A little grace would be appreciated 💖

#personal #fandom problems #my writing

[distort-opia]

I have always asked myself why do you ship batjokes? What is the appeal for you with this ship? You like bruce a lot, so why ship him with joker? I am just very, very curious.

Hi! From your question it seems like you associate having a favorite character solely with wanting them to be happy or wanting them to have nice things, which... yes, but also you have to keep in mind that half of Tumblr means this when they say they like a character:

Which I very much relate to, personally. Bruce Wayne is my favorite character of all time, but I specifically like to read/write about him going through the Horrors.

Shipping Bruce with Joker... well. Perhaps you're familiar with Hannibal NBC, and Hannigram? Death Note, and Lawlight? Or more recently, Interview with the Vampire and Loustat? I could list some more enemies-to-lovers, but it's the same principle. Two bastards who deserve each other and should not inflict themselves on anyone else, hand in unlovable hand.

Still, I appreciate that you're asking me this in good faith, so I'll try to explain in more detail. I got long, so I'll put my answer under the cut. Just a heads-up: there's mention of abuse, depression and some discussion of suicidality (stuff that tends to come up with more in-depth talk of Batjokes in comics), so take care.

While the ships I mentioned also have a portion of fandom going "But A is the good guy! Why would he care about B, who kills people and only seems to make them suffer?", that portion is larger when it comes to Batjokes. Bruce Wayne is Batman-- he's supposed to be a hero, the father figure of a large family, a symbol of hope. And there's a lot to be said about a more idealized or fanon version of Bruce, and the gap between it and the one depicted in comics. But I'm mentioning this gap because it tends to be connected with an unwilligness to deal with, or even acknowledge, Bruce's dark side.

Bruce struggles with violent tendencies, with an unbelievable amount of anger, with control issues, with paranoia and self-hatred and issues with intimacy. He's terrifyingly intelligent and also incredibly manipulative when he wants to be. He's canonically been abusive to his adopted children and he's canonically been shown to have quite the sadistic streak. And while I understand why some fans see this as bad writing (to be fair, sometimes it just is), reinterpret parts of it or pretend it doesn't exist... it is there, and it is a pattern. Many of these darker aspects of Bruce's personality are a result of how he's processed his trauma-- refusing to heal is literally the fuel for being Batman. But refusing to face his grief has consequences, and some of them inevitably end up ricocheting off his loved ones; though I am saying this as an explanation, not an excuse.

The way he's been written seems to have spawned two larger attitudes in Tumblr fandom, varying in degree and nuance: either refusing to deal with Bruce's dark side, or only seeing his dark side and hating his character entirely. And obviously, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and preference, as long as they respect others'. But to me personally, it's never been black-and-white. One of the best parts about Bruce's character is the very conflict at the heart of him... because despite everything I mentioned, Bruce always tries to do better. He's also empathetic and compassionate; he hungers for love and for connection, and he constantly tries to help people and do good. In my eyes, that's what Batman is about: never giving up. You fail, but you get back up and you try again. You might be struggling with so many things threatening to drag you under, but you make the effort to do good. To me that's deeply inspirational, specifically because it's not second nature to Bruce.

If you prefer a version of Bruce that doesn't have much of a dark side, Batjokes is likely not something you'll enjoy. Bruce caring about Joker is very much connected to it. He deeply relates to Joker because their identities are both born out of their traumas. They could have become the other, and that's a level of closeness and intertwining that cannot be understated. In the face of their loved ones being taken away, Bruce and whoever Joker used to be made choices in the opposite direction. Bruce chose to force meaning onto the world and be defined by his past. He chose to channel his anger into ensuring no one else goes through what he went through. Joker had the same anger, but he chose to erase his own past and burn the world down instead. He chose to ensure everyone else goes through the same horror he went through, to prove nothing has meaning.

And this is, at the end of the day, the reason why Batman never lets Joker die, even when it doesn't make sense. Joker's existence makes Bruce feel less alone-- and yes, it is very selfish of him to choose this over the lives of others and despite what Joker has done, but it is what it is. I've seen people discredit this notion of Joker being Batman's friend as stupid, because Bruce already has so many allies and such an extensive Family; how could he feel alone? He already has so many relationships, people he cares about and who care about him. But... that's never how it works, is it? You don't choose to feel the way you feel. Bruce loves the people around him, and those relationships ground him in very meaningful ways, but that doesn't make the darkness disappear. He wishes it did. But his choice to be Batman is a choice to keep hurting, like I just described. It sets him apart. And the line it puts him on, the things he's balancing, are things Joker intimately understands. Joker is his shadow and his creation, his negative. Bruce's anger and his sadistic violence get channeled in his relationship with Joker, and the worse Joker gets the better Batman has to become, and viceversa. I see it a bit like magic (and Bruce does too, when he talks about how he's afraid that if Joker disappeared, Gotham would send him someone worse). You cannot perform magic without it exacting a price, and the price for Bruce's good is Joker's evil. Lives are saved, but then lives are taken away.

What I am describing here is the appeal of the ship to me. In many ways, romantic is not nearly enough to describe it; I'm just fascinated by their dynamic, any form it takes. Batman and Joker have been opposites and narrative foils for almost a century, and I'll probably never run out of stuff to analyze (yay!). There's so many stories with them, so many different incarnations of them, so many layers and complications that their dynamic has accumulated, simply by virtue of how old and mythical they have become.

The more accurate description for them is probably soulmates, but the most painful kind-- destined to always meet but to always be at war, never able to kill the other or let the other go, because they are two sides of the same coin. And there's an attraction to not being able to let go, no matter how high the bodies pile up. Bruce can't kill Joker without losing himself, and he can't let Joker die. Joker can't kill Batman or let him die without losing his life's meaning. No matter what, the other is always there. They hate and resent this connection plenty, but at the end of the day, the other's existence is an essential comfort they can't run away from.

And thing is, Bruce sacrifices so much for his crusade as Batman. He sacrifices his very childhood and self, his potential happiness; he distances himself from his loved ones and he pushes them away. He represses as much as he is able to so he can go on, so he can save as many people as possible, so he can rewrite the trauma that broke him. But he chases Joker. He obsesses over Joker like over no one else. He chooses to keep Joker alive, even when it hurts his Family and even when it leads to more and more death.

Joker is a connection he selfishly chooses, and doesn't run away from, especially because it hurts. Both Bruce and Joker are self-hating and suicidal, so they allow themselves this one thing precisely because it's destroying them both. Yet, no matter what, part of Bruce sees in Joker someone who suffers, someone who understands, and he keeps trying to reach out to him because of it. It's not just the worst parts of Bruce that resonate with Joker. It's also his hope. Somewhere deep down he can't let go of the idea that maybe, Joker could be better, and if Joker could be better, maybe he could be better too.

...I guess I ship them because I want Bruce to get what he wants. Whether it's dying alongside Joker in a cave, or them helping each other heal, in spite of everything (both of these are plots for stories Scott Snyder has written, hah). Because the thing about Batjokes is that they're perhaps the only people on Earth who could get the other to stop. The easiest way is the way they've already chosen-- by being the one to kill the other. They both see death as the ultimate form of peace, a laying down of arms. But there's also the reverse; the possibility of a world in which neither of them has to die. A world in which they're not each other's preferred method of suicide, but in which they actually learn to live again, helped by the other.

I tend to oscillate between the two. I like Batjokes as an unmitigated tragedy with a course that cannot be diverted, and I like Batjokes as the most unlikely path to a form of peace. Both can provide catharsis in different ways. On a symbolic level, Joker is fighting for meaninglessness and Batman is fighting for meaning; Joker asks, "What is the point?" and Batman answers, "The fight is the point." On an individual level, they're both depressed and suffering from PTSD and always a hairbreadth away from self-destruction, but they keep each other alive, no matter how much it hurts. You can probably imagine how this ship can be a comfort, for people with similar struggles.

I do hope this satisfied your curiosity, Anon. Batjokes might still not be your cup of tea and that's okay, but as someone who likes to read about other ships and the psychology behind them, I hope this was at least a fun read. You seem like you're familiar with my blog already, but just in case you want to seek out canonical instances of what I am describing, I can point you to this compilation of Bruce's side of things that mentions part of what I say here, but also delves into comics. And my Batjokes meta tag is full of similar stuff, some detailing Joker's side too.

#I could've probably just said 'well you see. Bruce Wayne is a freak [affectionate]' #but here's the extended version! #asks #personal #batman #bruce wayne #joker #batjokes #batjokes meta #my meta

[andypantsx3]

I’ve written to you before a very long time ago about things not going very well for me, and things are better now. Thank you for your compassion to a stranger then. It’s given me ideas as someone who also enjoys writing. I’m sure you’ve got variations of this question before so I’m sorry if I’ve missed those somehow but any advice on how to start writing and sharing your writing publicly? Like I created an account to send you this but I have no clue about anything really. Will I seem like a random interloper in the fandom who has arrived out of the blue 😭 I guess my concern is I’ll realize I’m actually not good at writing at all or worse nobody will read any of it. I feel awkward about actively promoting my work too. I don’t want to be famous or anything but it would suck if nobody wanted to read my stuff. You’re something of a stalwart at least for the fandom/genre/pairings you regularly write for and while I won’t aspire to that, how did you deal with self-doubt as an early writer? I know it’s not like I hope to earn money out of this or anything so opinions are just opinions but all my writing feels so personal to me that I’m worried about being convinced nobody cares about what I have to say. How does one really get their start at all. I’m sorry to bother you with all this but I’m super lost. It’s just that if someone’s terrible day or week could be made a little better because of my work, as your work regularly does for people, that would be nice. I hope you’re doing really well and randomly find something you’ve been looking for!

Hello my love!! I'm so happy I could help you out a little when you were in a tough spot!! I am very very happy that things are looking up for you now and I hope things only continue to get better and better!!! 💕

And oh my gosh, I don't think anyone will think of you as an interloper!!! Fandom is a community and the more the merrier imho! The x Reader community in particular is super welcoming and very nonjudgmental and the perfect place to get your start; almost everyone here is super nice and really chill. People will surprise you with how much nicer they are than you expect; I think you should just take a leap of faith and jump in!!

But just in case, let me give you the most realistic and straightforward advice I can. It's easy to dip your toes in and test the waters but I think you will need the below pieces of advice if you plan to battle self-doubt and continue writing & publishing fic without burning out or going nuts in the long term lol.

1. Find balance in the source of your self-worth

With publishing anything online, you always hope that people will like it and will want to engage with it. On tumblr the best measurement we have of that is notes, and on ao3 kudos + comments. Notes/comments/kudos are incredible and will make you feel more cherished than anything in the world. I will always appreciate them more than I can say, but one thing it is essential to know is that they are external sources of validation, and it is extremely dangerous to attach your sense of worth solely to the actions of other people.

If you want to publish fic, you will need to also find some internal sense of worth in your writing. You will need to finely balance that with how much you treasure the feedback of other people in order to stay afloat long term.

I recommend really sitting down and thinking about what you are writing/what you want to write, and why it is worth it to you. What makes your fic interesting to you? What are you doing differently than other people that makes you unique? What does your authorial voice sound like? Answering these questions will help you identify what you are bringing to the table as an author, so you know what it is that you do well, even if people aren't engaging the way you want, or even if you're receiving criticism.

For me, I really find value in the places I diverge from other fic authors. People really love writing powerful hero readers, but I usually write quirkless side characters who have somehow found themselves the main character. Chaptered/long fics are also less common in our fandom than oneshots, but I typically write chaptered fics! And I have a stylistically simple and light voice which is easily accessible.

All of these help me know that I'm bringing some fun distinct stuff to the table, even if what I'm bringing isn't perfect or necessarily as popular. And even if I enjoy other peoples' fics and authorial voices more than my own; I'm still bringing something unique and valuable!! So even when people aren't picking up every single thing I'm putting down, I still know the value of putting them down anyway.

2. Manage expectations

I think it can be easy to compare ourselves with one another, especially if you follow some well-established authors or people writing for super popular characters. Even I succumb to jealousy on occasion; it's just human nature. But it's important to know people will engage with different types of fics in different ways and that other people's success has nothing to do with your own.

I think you should set realistic expectations for how people will engage with your fics depending on what it is that you want to write. Some fandoms are much larger than others and therefore have a wider built-in audience. Some characters are also wildly more popular than others so it is likelier fics for those characters will go a bit further. In my experience, people really gravitate towards smutty scenarios or headcanons, sometimes oneshots, and less so chaptered fic. And some authors have been around for forever, or post constantly so that they are regularly drawing people in, and therefore have a larger reader pool than other authors.

So think about what you are writing, for which characters, and in which fandoms, and level your expectations accordingly. For me, even though Shouto is fairly popular, he also only has roughly 1/3 of Bakugou's level of popularity. So I never try to gauge the success of a Shouto fic in comparison to a Bakugou fic I've written, or even the Bakugou fics of other more established Bakugou writers.

This, combined with my own internal sense of worth as a writer, helps me feel like I'm doing pretty good for myself, even if I get like, 30 notes on a fic compared to someone else's 300 or something.

3. Understand that writing is a growing process!

One other essential tip is to understand that writing is a skill set than can be refined and honed. What you write one day is not indicative of where your skill level will sit the next day. And so critique you receive, or mistakes you have made, are really less indicative of failure and more tools to help you get to the next level.

This is one I've personally struggled with, but it can be worth it to be open to feedback that is not necessarily complimentary, with the caveat that you should know what is objective constructive criticism, and what is more subjective/personal preference. The latter you can disregard, because tailoring a fic to some random person's arbitrary tastes is not going to help you tell a good story lol.

But people telling you what they would like to see more of or things that didn't make sense to them can help you understand where you can make improvements to your writing. And it's not to say your writing is not good enough where it is; only to say there are avenues for you to develop even more experience.

For me, this has largely been in the area of smut lol. I liked my lil vanilla smut scenes, but I used to commonly get a fair amount of feedback wishing they were spicier. And, after initially getting defensive lmao, I could see how that was a common piece of feedback across multiple critiques, and I understood how drawing those scenes out might help contribute to the feeling of intimacy, satisfaction, and closure I want to develop at the end of a fic!!

I think being open to feedback while understanding that critique does not in any way take away from your talent overall, can only help you preserve the satisfaction you have with your writing, and help you refine in the future!! It keeps writing interesting, and keeps your sense of self-worth tied up in the process of writing, not necessarily the product of the writing, if that makes sense.

Anyway that's what I can think of for now. Even with all this advice listed out, I think you should just have hope and trust in people and dive right in. It sounds like you are an earnest person wanting to make heartfelt connections, and in my experience people will reflect that energy right back at you!!

I am sending you all my best vibes and looking forward to reading your stuff, if you end up going for it and posting!!! 💕✨

#ask andie

[basicallyahedgehog]

20 questions for fic writers!

Thanks for the tag @maesterchill, I loved reading your answers!

Here are mine! (under the cut)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I have 30!

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

64,491, which is higher than I expected actually. My one 13k fic is doing the hard work in pulling up the average words 😂

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Harry Potter!! Various ships but mostly Drarry

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Love You Find - The one with the road trip My Heart Was Unprepared - The one with Draco's diary All The Time In The World - The one with gender euphoria The Strings That Weave Us - The one where Draco has pink hair The Evolution of Soup (Or How Harry Learned to be Loved) - The one with too much soup and a lot of feelings

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

No, but not by choice per se. But I have truly terrible object permanence and by the time I remember them I feel bad that I haven't responded yet and then I never do...

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Til The End of The Night - I don't really write fics that don't have happy endings, but this is just 700 words of angst. Sorry Harry. I do have a kind-of sequel planned for this but who knows if it will ever get finished!

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

As I said, I don't really write not happy endings. But maybe The Love You Find.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I've had a couple of odd comments, but none that I would class as hate.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I have written exactly two fics that have smut, one drarry and one poly golden trio. So I'm not sure if I have a kind? Probably soft and sweet, or at least that's what I aim for.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

No I haven't, and I don't think I ever will. I don't really know any other universe in the same way as I know HP - both the canon and then the world I've built for it in my head - to be able to confidently combine them.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of...

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I'd be open to it if anyone ever wanted to.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I haven't! @phoebe-delia and I keep talking about it though...

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

Drarry, always

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

As mentioned above, I have twoish chapters written of a "sequel" (maybe more a companion?) to Til The End Of The Night. It's the first Drarry fic I started writing and it got abandoned in favour of fest fics and I've never gotten back to it. I would like to think I will, but at this point my faith is low!

I also have the first four books written of a Hermione-POV canon, which was my first ever fanfic. It has been long abandoned and will never be returned to. If you manage to track down my old ffn account and find it, godspeed to you

16. What are your writing strengths?

Ummm. People tell me I make them feel things, so maybe that? I also can't turn my SPAG brain off, so as long as I slow down enough to edit my own writing, that's usually pretty strong.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I am not good at writing plotty things, and when I do try I find it really hard to not just info-dump it - to actually describe what is happening instead of just narrating it to the reader. I can do vibes, but not plot 🤷

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I love it in other people's fics, but I do not have more than a couple of random words in any language other than English. I know that translation sites exist, but I feel that I don't have enough knowledge of other languages to do it justice.

The only time I'd break this self-imposed rule would be if I was making new spells - eg using Latin.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter. First and only!

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Oh boy. Either All The Time in the World or (They) Keep Me Warm. Because both of them are full of all my trans feels and are probably the two fics that I have put the most of myself into.

Thanks again for the tag, this was fun! No-pressure tagging @phoebe-delia @otpcutie @geesenoises @citrusses @makeitp1nk and anyone who wants to!!

#tag games #writing things #my writing

[actuallyitsstar]

😈 Has there been a point in a story where you did something just to be playfully mean to your readers?

✍ Do you have a beta reader?

⛔ 🎶 ⏳💥 🎃❌

🧠 Pick a character, and I'll tell you my favorite headcanon for them.

🤩 Who is your favorite character to write?

🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

(this is so many and obviously feel free to answer however many you want!!)

✨ send me an emoji and ask me about my fanfic! ✨

😈 has there been a point in a story where you did something just to be playfully mean to your readers?

honestly, i can't say that there has been! i mean don't get me wrong, i have certainly been writing EVEN MORE ANGST AGAIN and been like. hmm. the people in my phone are gonna hate me for this :) lol. but that angst is also for ME bc like. that's my jam lol. and i never post unfinished multichaptered fics, so i feel its not likely that i'd ever do this, since i don't get feedback on my writing until after it's already completed, lol.

✍ do you have a beta reader?

i don't! i never have, actually. it is an intriguing idea but i've never been a ~serious~ enough writer for it, i don't think, and i also cringe at the idea of anyone seeing anything i've ever written before i have re read and re-edited it about 50 thousand times lol

⛔do you have a fic you started, but scrapped?

recently, no, but i have at least 10 unfinished fics for various old fandoms that are like. not *scrapped*, per se, but just uhhh unlikely to be completed any time soon lol, some being 10+ years old. i never say never but like AM i going finish that OC-au of the mentalist season 6 where somebody is trying to attack all the "psychics" in texas because they have a grudge against what some fake psychic told them like 10 years ago???? honestly, probably not, lol.

🎶do you listen to music while you write? what song have you been playing on loop lately?

yes, i do! can't write in just silence, usually, but it can't have words, either, because i can't hear Words and also Write Different Words, lol. recently i have been listening to 70s-80s Japanese city pop playlists (here is one of my favorites!) since i don't speak the language and it also is such a vibe. in the past i've also done the in love with a ghost vibes, lofi girl, and instrumental synth-wave, as well. i also really like the artist City Girl for that reason, and i think my favorite album of theirs is Neon Impasse. I listened to that on loop a lot writing ttnp!

⏳how long does it take you to write a fic, or a chapter?

this is a very difficult to answer question because it depends on a lot of factors, lol. I have written 20k words in two days before. I have also gone weeks only writing a thousand. it depends on how much free time i have (recently, almost none, lol), how much down time there is at my job (i wrote a large portion of ttnp in down time at my job, and there is not going to be job down time for the foreseeable future unfortunately, which has really put a damper on things). as long as i am at least mildly inspired or motivated, and have ample enough time, i can get a lot done, usually, but it all depends on a lot of factors.

💥how do you feel about criticism?

i am made of tissue paper pls dont hurt me akdshdjfhf i am actually very much okay with and welcoming of it, actually, bc without it, i would never improve. definitely needs to be in good faith, because being made of tissue paper isn't entirely a lie lol, but if there's something i have done poorly or something that i have the opportunity to do better next time, i am always happy to take it into consideration!

🎃do you write fics for holidays? what is your favorite holiday inspired fic?

hmmmm well i actually never have but i love the concept and i am hoping to get to do it this year ;) ;)

❌what's a trope you will never write?

for an actual trope i'd probably have to think a lot longer and harder than i have in answering these questions so far, lol, but one thing i can say, though it's not a trope, is that i'll never write smut. your local sex repulsed asexual is just not about it, lol. which is not to say ive never read and enjoyed fics w/ smut in them!!! i just skip ahead until it's over, lol.

🧠pick a character and i'll tell you my favorite headcanon for them!

omg i don't know which of us is supposed to be doing the headcanoning but i'll go ahead and assume it's you ?????? and my pick is iceman. pls tell me ur fav headcanon !!! i am excited !!!

🤩do you have a favorite character to write?

recently, it had been maverick, to no one's surprise, lol. what can i say. somethin' about the inherent trauma just speaks to me <3

🤲 would you please share a small snippet of a WIP?

HMMM...... I SUPPOSE..... A SMALL ONE......... ;)

THANK U SO MUCH for the ask !!! i loved answering all of them and i am so sorry it has been taking me so long to do everything recently oh my god. i am, as bilbo would say (im paraphrasing), feeling like butter scraped across way the fuck too much bread these days akdhfdjfhf but i rly appreciate ur asks and ur support and time and continued habit of thinking of me !!! <3 <3

#star unasks #brambleberrycottage #i know i have a lot more asks and i will be answering them. asap. hopefully. akdhjfhfjfhhg #tysm again for the ask !!!! <3 #writing

[jojo-lane]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thank you @scary-monsters and @hammerofspace for thinking of me and tagging me! 😊🙏🏽

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? Just one for now!

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 20,758. I know, it's not a lot but someday it will be! 🥲

3. What fandoms do you write for? Jojo only! No other IP has quite managed to move me into writing actual fanfiction for them since I was a teen.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? I have only one fic: Ride or Die and it has 114 kudos as of now which I am quite proud of.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? I do! In fact, I would leave regular comments on my favourite fics so when my favourite authors replied to me, I would absolutely lose my mind. So when I started writing my fic, I decided to reply to every comment too just like the writers I admire! 😊 Sometimes, I might be late in replying but I will reply to all of them!

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Okay so, I have written a very angsty ending for Ride or Die but also a very happy ending and also, a middle of the road, bittersweet kind of ending. Point is that I love angst and I don't mind writing an angsty ending but would it be the best for my characters? Long story, short, I don't know what sort of ending I want right now.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Same answer as question number 6. I don't know what sort of ending I want and it could go any way. 🤧

8. Do you get hate on fics? I don't think so but people do say that I take too long to update which I don't really consider as hate.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? I have written smut only once so far and I think I suck at it but I am not giving up just yet. I think smut is a very spicy way to add tension between your characters and also to thicken the plot. I like it when there are high stakes or serious consequences when two people just give into their primal urges. Praise, angst, forbidden love, will they, won't they. I live for the messy drama and dangerous implications a smut scene can cause.

10. Do you write crossovers? No. Never.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? No.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? No.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, this is my first time writing anything in a long time so I'm still fairly new and unknown and I don't think I am a good enough writer to co-write anything with anyone. 😅

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship? This is a very difficult question because I consider myself a multi-shipper but I can tell you my favourite ship dynamic of all-time which is basically friends to lovers. Or reluctant partners/rivals to friends to lovers. I love ships where two characters get to know each other slowly over time and come to unconditionally support each other through thick and thin. So I suppose my go to ships are GyJo and BruAbba.

15. What’s a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? I have a lot of wips which are essentially ideas for future fics but a lot of them will go unfinished because I feel like they go nowhere in the end. At least for Ride or Die, I have 3 solid endings to choose from.

16. What are your writing strengths? My writing strengths… I want to say world building? I get a lot of compliments for making my fic feel historically accurate. 😅 I don't think it's as historically accurate as I'd like it to be but I do a lot of research when it comes to the way things worked during the Victorian time period just to get me into that headspace and I think it translates somehow.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I keep rewriting chapters and it holds me back from doing regular updates.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? Accuracy is very important to me so I would probably attempt to write dialogue in another language but if I feel it's not accurate or faithful then I would find another way to get around it.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Naruto when I was 15-16, I was in the trenches defending a very unpopular ship back then. *shudders*

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? Ride or Die, my passion project. I can go around writing my favourite characters in every kind of AU out there but my brain will always come back to this one fic. 🙃

Who should I tag? I feel like all the writers I know have already been tagged so I'll tag @retlasute. I'd like to see their answers! 😊

#20 questions #this was so fun

[dragon-swords-prophecies]

Therizinosaurus, Triceratops, Apatosaurus!

- @akindofmagictoo

hi!! thanks for the ask!

Therizinosaurus - share a scene that you’ve put a lot of work into

VOLIMERE, SUNDAY. Late last night the body of Grayson Atkinson (56) was discovered in a room he rented in Fleet Street. According to a statement made by the Volimere Police Department’s chief, Joseph Aubdurn, they are “working hard to uncover who committed this violence, and hope to have a suspect soon.” Responding to further questions, the Chief of Police said, “We are not at liberty to share further details about an ongoing investigation, but would appreciate the full cooperation of his family and friends in our inquiries. We encourage anyone who has any information about the attack on Mr. Atkinson to visit their local police precinct and make a statement.” The murder of Grayson Atkinson is the first major murder in the city in eleven years, since the death of Marisol Ekker in 1870. Nothing is currently known about a possible motive. The police have no suspects. Witnesses to the murder say they heard a struggle in his room, but were unable to open the door. The door was broken down by the police when they arrived. No attacker was found at the scene, though the window was open, and Mr. Atkinson was found dead on the floor. Efforts to revive him failed, and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

This is the newspaper article about the first murder. It took me forever, and I kept rewriting and swapping around the phrasing in it, but I'm happy with what I've got now.

Triceratops - share a scene where one character is protecting or caring for another

“Any preference for the next topic?” “Something that gets you a little farther down the police captains watch list? Maybe take a break?” Alex scoffed. “I do, James. You just don’t see them. Besides, you’re the one talking. When was your last day off when you weren’t sick?” James’ lack of response was enough of an answer for Alex. She changed the subject. Neither of them would win this argument. “I’ll pick something that doesn’t make him immediately want to arrest me, alright?” “Thank you. Be careful, please. Don’t stand in dark alleyways with strange men at ungodly hours of the night.” “What if I know the man?” James laughed. “What you do in dark alleyways with men you know at ungodly hours of the night is not my problem or my business.” “Good!

This is part of one of the first full scenes I wrote, and I love it. Its James' introduction, and I really like how it establishes that him and alex have known each other for a long time and they care about each other, that they're friends not just colleagues. It isn't exactly protecting/caring for somebody, but it is being concerned for each others well being and not wanting them to get arrested, and I think that counts.

Apatosaurus - share some of your favorite dialogue

Alex walked into Asa’s apartment to find him asleep at the tiny table that served as a combination desk/dining table/anything else you might need a surface for. He was face down on a half finished pencil sketch, pencil fallen out of his hand and onto the floor. Gently, she tapped him on the shoulder. “Asa, wake up.” He bolted upright. “Huh? What, who, I’ll— oh, Alex, its you. Hi.” He rubbed his eyes with his hand. It did nothing for the smears of graphite across his face. Helpfully, Alex supplied, “there’s graphite on your face.” He raised his eyebrows and resignedly asked, “why?” “Its making you look more sleep deprived than you are.” “That is a very bold assumption, Anastrannia.” “Well, it is also making half of your face look as if you are wearing a hat that casts a large shadow, so I am hoping that the eye bags are from the graphite.” Asa looked at her. “You have far to much faith in me.” “Mayhaps! Do you want to come down to the docks and ask pointed questions with me?”

I love this bit so much. I based the tone and the phrasing off of conversations I have with my best friend, and I fucking love the dialogue in it.

#akindofmagictoo #asks #wip: herald at dawn

[valkyrieandstrangeridingaragorn]

Hi I am not too familiar with all the details but have some questions. I hope you don’t mind answering them. I thank you in advance for your time!

I think Tony and Peggy are more of the ends-justify-the-means kind. Is that why you are anti them?

I’m firmly Team Cap, I admire his steadfastness in principles though I wonder about Steve’s unquestioning faith in the flawed American ideals. Could that be also why he didn’t suspect Hydra has infiltrated Shield? But is that also why he is even more against Sokovia Accords?

Could you comment on this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0XWTA1n-6M&t=27s ?

Hey there dear anon, I'm always happy to answer asks so thank you for yours. I wasn't expecting this to get so long so my most sincere apologies! Also, I get political on this one, just a heads up. More after the cut.

First things first: my main issue with Stark and Peggy is the framing. I like heroes and villains and everything in-between, it's the self-righteousness that I don't like and if the framing positions them as good people who have never done anything wrong in their lives it tends to get on my nerves lol If those two had been portrayed as what they are I wouldn't have minded them all that much.

That video was interesting (thank you for sharing) and I agree on certain points but disagree on others, mostly on the assumption that Steve believes the American myths, that "he's incompatible with a rejection" of those myths and he "can't coexist with an acknowledgement of the fact that America was built by slaves, etc".

And I disagree with it because while we don't have Steve openly talking about it, it's quite clear in his actions and words that those myths wouldn't be something he'd believe in. Steve is portrayed in these movies as a socialist, but not the way the Americans understand that word, he's a European socialist. He may not speak of immigration but he protects Wanda and is completely against her internment in the compound, he speaks of her and Pietro in AoU as kids who "are at war" - and that's a direct reply to Maria's "WE are not at war".

And this scene in AoU (yes it was deleted but still counts):

He takes off the helmet and fights without it. To me this shows he doesn't like that anyone would ever think of him as a fascist but he understands why someone would look at his suit and the flag it represents and come to the conclusion that he's "one of them". He's aware of the past, he's no fool.

In CW he may not speak directly of it but it is implied in his words that their job as heroes and protectors is not a matter of borders, he treats everyone exactly the same no matter where they're from - as proved in TFA when Erskine asks him if him being German is a problem and Steve immediately says no. Make no mistake, saying that is no minor feat, many people at the time wouldn't have been so sure.

Also, another thing I disagree with is that the video claims Steve is portrayed as the last bastion for truth and justice, etc and we have him and only him when it comes to defending those ideals, but that's not true at all. And I'm not referring to the other heroes, when he gives his speech in TWS his last line is "the price of freedom is high, always has been, but it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one then so be it, but I'm willing to bet I'm not". One of the best things about Steve is that he believes in people, he trusts that there are others just like him who have faith in the same values he does, and in TWS we see just that in Sharon, in that other guy who refuses to launch the ships, there are many people who can and do stand up to Hydra, and Steve knows that.

Then this "Steve represents the old-fashioned" as if that was a bad thing. People in modern times really need to acknowledge that the fights for human rights didn't start with Twitter. This belief that everything in the past was anti civil rights and if it comes from the 50's then it's necessarily conservative is just plain wrong. Whoever watches a movie from those times is very likely to see women having so much more agency than they do now, plots with feminist points and while yes, some of them might be misogynistic and racist, a lot of them are not.

Old-fashioned doesn't equate republican any more than modern doesn't equate progressive. When Steve is talking to Fury in TWS he admits the SSR did certain things that made it hard for him to sleep at night, that they had to "compromise". This line would seemingly agree with the video but the truth is Steve doesn't know even half of what was done in that time after he crashed the plane. Hell, he was surprised to hear about Zola and he didn't even know about Operation Paperclip until Natasha told him. What else didn't he know?

Also, to pretend that freedom and justice are inherent American ideals is hilariously ridiculous which is what the video does. Every time they mention Steve talking about them they seem to think he's parroting some weird fascistic republican views when that couldn't be further from the truth.

Steve is patriotic? Yes, of course. Why do they think he stands up to some people in the government? It's not because he's America-centric or believes that America was built by angels and there was nothing wrong done in how the country presented itself in the past, it's precisely because he knows it that he fights against it.

Those ideals are not specific to America and Steve knows this. He's the son of Irish immigrants who moved to the US in a time where they wouldn't be exactly welcome (we all have seen movies about this, Steve grew up during that time), he was disabled at a time where eugenics were in vogue, and he lived his early life in a specific part of NY where he'd be surrounded by artists and the leftist movement (as left as it can get in America, that is) and he went to Art School. Steve has never been conservative. [There are great metas on this site about this].

I get the feeling though that the video gets a couple things mixed up. I'm in Europe and with the recent rise of the far-right here the fascists have been parroting the same idea over and over again: that they're all about patriotism. And so they act like the flag, the anthem, the army... in short, anything that symbolizes their country is inherently their property. This of course is bullshit.

And so I think that seeing Steve wearing those colours makes the author of the video believe that he's in full support of the American way but that's not it. I can grab the EU flag and hang it in my room and that does not mean I'm fine with all the shit we have done in the past, it doesn't mean I don't acknowledge it or the mistakes we're making now. Look, I'm in Spain, I know what we did centuries ago. But the very act of loving one's flag is not justifying your past, it's acknowledging it and knowing you can do better, that you can be held accountable. The flag is not property of a few, it's property of the whole. And Steve wears it because he wants to do better. Also, the video should have made a distinction between Steve and Cap.

Regarding your questions, he did show he suspected Shield back in The Avengers when he discovered the Hydra gadgets and confronted Fury about it in the helicarrier. And yeah, he's completely against the Accords because they're a direct violation of civil rights. Notice how in the chat with Fury he's thinking of society as a whole, not just the US. It's not a matter of idealism either, Steve is not someone who thinks people should love each other and fly on unicorns, he's seen the worst of humanity, he's seen first-hand what people with power do, some of it good and some of it bad. That scene with Fury shows pretty well how both of them were raised in different times.

And last but not least, Civil War! The points the video makes are not exactly to my liking.

First they say Steve kept Stark in the dark about his parents' deaths: Steve didn't know it had been Bucky, he had no way of knowing it had been Bucky, he could assume it might have been him but he didn't know.

Then they claim what Steve does in the film is protect Bucky and frankly that point has been made ad nauseum and it's not true, Steve's stance against the Accords has nothing to do with Buck, he's against them in principle.

They also say Stark wanted to sign the Accords so they'll do "less missions" and "cause less carnage"? He wanted to sign because he felt guilty and didn't want any sort of accountability at all for whatever he did, that's all. The UN wasn't going with "let's sign these Accords so there will be less violence and more accountability" The accountability angle was propaganda, nothing more.

I do agree with one thing though, CW is not ideological and that's the writers' fault and Disney's. They didn't want to tackle that because the only way you can talk about it is by having the characters literally discussing civil rights for everyone. Imo if there's someone who portrays those 'conservative' American ideals it's Stark, not Steve.

But the thing I dislike the most is when they say "Steve's position is in the right and the America state in the wrong, an elected government legitimately elected by the people, and Steve stands against it". Yes, and? I don't need to remind anyone that Hitler was legitimately elected, do I? And we need to be careful when it comes to a character standing up to a particular action the government has taken and trying to paint that as the character standing up to the entire government - those two are not the same thing.

It's not that everyone in the US congress is a villain, it's that some are. It's not that the system is inherently wrong, it's that some people in it are doing it wrong and need to be held accountable. To claim that since people had voted for them they should be allowed to do whatever they want is... concerning.

So I'm sorry but no, I disagree with Steve being a paragon of America's exceptionalism. The movies are America-centred, that's for sure, but to claim Steve falls prey to that and he's some form of defender of those ideals, that he protects the belief that America never did anything wrong in history and that they're better than everyone else is a wrong assumption - believe me, if that was the case people like me wouldn't like him! Let me finish this with words from the man himself:

“I believe in the American dream. But THIS…this is some sort of NIGHTMARE!”

“You people telling me how I just don’t understand? When it’s you people—you clever people—who don’t get it. I don’t let people die because it’s the lesser of two evils, or expedient, or because it serves the greater good… I don’t compare the act against something else—I see someone who needs help… And I help. You think it’s a weakness. You think it’s simple… But you’re wrong. It’s what makes us human… Which is exactly what we’re supposed to be fighting for. I know who I am. I rescue the helpless. I raise up the hopeless. I don’t measure people’s lives… I save them.”

“Patriotism taken too far is fanaticism. No matter who you are or where you’re from. Foreigners aren’t your enemy, son. I’m the son of immigrants. When I was a kid it was my father’s people, the Irish, who were looked down on. Called filthy foreigners. Discriminated against. Is that the xenophobic America you want? All religions, all nationalities, we all want the same thing. To see our children grow strong. To provide safety to our families. To live in quiet times. Peace, son. Isn’t that why we became soldiers in the first place? To fight for a peaceful world?”

“There’s nothing patriotic about corruption or cover-ups…or defending them. But exposing them, well, that takes a hero.”

Sorry this got so long 🙊

#Steve Rogers #Captain America

[fincalinde]

so i saw that ask about jgy and how he killed jin guangshan, and it reminded me of how i’m still not really sure what to make of that whole situation, even when i AM a jgy fan

it feels kind of like that scene in matilda where the kid stole a piece of cake, and the head lady, as punishment, had a gigantic cake made and forced him to eat it all—in mdzs, it’s kind of a fanservicey schadenfreude at jin guangshan getting his just desserts (heh, pun intended). except in the context of jgy and jin guangshan, the “cake” is actually like twenty otherwise uninvolved people who are forced to rape someone and then are killed.

at least with wen chao and wang lingjiao, wwx wanted revenge against both of them, but jgy didn’t know who the prostitutes were specifically, so that isn’t the case here

it just seems so incongruent with everything else we know about jgy. even if he was determined to have jgs raped to death, there are ways to achieve that without dragging in (and subsequently killing) uninvolved outsiders, or at the very least, so many outsiders. so why did he do it the way he did?

(please forgive the poor timing after that other ask: i’ve been dying to know what other jgy fans think about it since i finished the book, but i only recently felt confident enough to really start engaging with the fandom. I consider you a Trusted Jgy Source, so i was just curious what thoughts you had on the matter, if any. i hope you don’t mind me asking, and please don’t feel obligated to answer.)

I don't mind your asking at all! I'm always happy to answer good faith questions.

The way JGY has his father killed is certainly an exception to his normal mode of operation. Where I generally take issue however is fandom conflating that exception with the assertion that it is The Worst Thing Anyone In MDZS Ever Did. In a story where the nominal hero is desecrating thousands of corpses and forcing his enemies to autocannibalise, it's really not feasible to apply a modern real-world moral framework to the characters.

Take WWX for example, since he really is the most obvious comparison in terms of fandom reception. WWX does regret the extremity of his actions later on, but he seems to mostly feel embarrassed and awkward about it. Resolving not to commit similar acts in future (now he's in a situation where he doesn't need to!) is sufficient for him to move on. His most terrible acts are also generally disregarded or viewed in the broader context of his situation, his goals, and his other commendable qualities such as his attempts to save the Wen and his love for JC and JYL. Everyone is going to respond differently to different characters according to their own preferences and that's absolutely fine, but proclaiming that nothing WWX did is as bad as what JGY did to the sex workers is utterly baseless.

Yes WWX wanted revenge against WLJ, but does that mean what he did to WC and WLJ was proportionate or moral? Not if we're applying real world morality, and based on LWJ's reaction and WWX's later feelings of guilt, perhaps not within the confines of the setting either. I would be interested in seeing anyone argue that WLJ or even WC genuinely deserved their fates and how this reflects on WWX's supposed virtue—not because I'm personally interested in applying a modern moral framework to the text, but because I do think it exposes fatal inconsistencies in that approach.

If we assume that WWX was in some way justified in killing WC and WLJ in such a cruelly protracted manner, the rationale is probably that in light of everything they did to him and his clan it is if not perhaps entirely ethical then at least understandable. In that case I don't see much difference between what WWX did to WC and WLJ and what JGY did to JGS. JGY has struggled his entire life, and when he finally wins the entire war and attains legitimacy he is mistreated and misused and forced to commit repeated atrocities while his own ideas for the betterment of society are rejected again and again. His mother died because his father couldn't be bothered to save her. He ends up married to his own sister. It's really small wonder he finally snaps and lashes out.

It's also small wonder he chooses death by irony for JGS. This is JGY's lowest point: he's achieved everything he set out to do and yet his life is nothing but exhaustion and misery and physical and mental abuse. In terms of bringing in unrelated outside parties, JGY has absolutely no reason to feel any sense of solidarity with sex workers as a class, considering that with the exception of Sisi every single one of them ostracised him and his mother and subjected them to abuse and ridicule when he was growing up. It certainly is out of character for him to be flamboyantly vicious rather than simply efficient, but if there were ever a time to go big then this is it.

JGY makes it very clear he feels no allegiance to the social class he was raised in, and we're shown exactly why: that class rejected him and treated him just as badly as any other. To JGY there is no meaningful difference between the abuse he receives from cultivators and the abuse he receives from prostitutes. Why should he feel any sense of solidarity with a class of people who have never offered him the same courtesy?

I understand that people who engage in sex work are often in vulnerable positions and are subject to harassment and violence and other dangers. I understand that in the real world it's important to protect vulnerable groups.

However. It does also seem to me that an eagerness to signal support for sex workers can result in a reading of MDZS where the lives of sex workers are counted as being worth more than the lives of other characters. Why are the deaths of the prostitutes JGY uses to rape his father to death so much worse than the deaths of the inhabitants of the brothel he has XY burn to the ground with everyone inside? What about Baixue or the Yueyang Chang, or the cultivators NMJ hacked to death in the throes of a qi deviation he knew could happen at any time?

The characters do react strongly to the way JGS dies, so we know that it's considered a particularly shocking and awful thing to do. However the characters are more focused on what a horrible method of death it is for JGS rather than the suffering of the women who raped him to death and were executed for it. Therefore if you do consider it a manifestly 'worse' crime than the murder of children or enforced cannibalism, you should be just as appalled by the reactions of LXC, WWX, LWJ etc. and should therefore be rethinking your assessment of their moral standing rather than handwringing over the poor fictional sex workers and how this makes JGY the absolute worst ever of anyone in the cast.

To sum up:

1. Applying a modern moral framework to MDZS is impossible in light of the atrocities committed or tacitly endorsed by the entire cast. Violence and sexual violence is endemic to the setting and condemning JGY is only consistent if WWX and other characters are condemned for similarly appalling acts. I won't propose my own framework as that will vary from reader to reader, but if one intends to write fanfiction or meta then the most important thing to do is apply one's chosen framework consistently.

2. The way JGY kills his father is inconsistent with his typical behaviour but is consistent with what we know about him when taking into account the years of abuse he has endured and the fact that he has no reason to feel solidarity with or sympathy for sex workers as a class.

#ask #labyrynth #roquen meta

[dragonmuse]

You mention that Eddy and Stede met each other when they're both ready to make a leap. What would have happened if THEY'D met at a different point in time? Like, what if it had been Eddy that Stede and Mary had met in the Brat Pack timeline instead of Izzy and Faith? Do you think they'd still have gotten together and been happy together, or would it have been a case of right person wrong time?

(ok, so the honest answer is that I think Eddy wouldn’t even notice Stede if they met earlier and Stede would’ve been too afraid to talk to her. BUT. I have wanted to imagine them meeting earlier so much! in fact Stede talks about it several times and they have both fantasized about what that would be like in the canon of the verse, so fuck honesty, here is what I would hope them meeting as teens would be like. Please have this bulleted AU, you all know the drill by now. Let’s call this one...Hello Young Lovers) 

-Stede is home for the holidays. He’s almost done with boarding school and he has a college acceptance in hand. No one else is home. His father and stepmother are away and for the first time in years, he’s alone in a good way. At first he doesn’t plan to leave the house. He’ll just hang out, eat what he wants, watch what he wants and live without scrutiny. But after a few days, boredom sets in and also curiosity. With a pounding heart, he buys a train ticket and goes into the city all on his own with the idea that he might go see a show. 

-Eddy has no jobs lined up for the week. She’s brand new to Hornigold’s collection (still two years from any potential collision with Izzy) and the beard is only the first promise of stubble. There’s money burning in her pocket, but no one to spend it on. Mom is gone, recently enough that it's a bleeding wound. The guys are all fine, but the crowbar incident was too recent for anyone to relax around him. Maybe Jack, but he’s on a job. 

-Eddy spots a blond guy, probably about their age. He’s looking at a light display in the window, clearly enjoying the motorized holiday fair that they’ve got going on. He looks rich, nice clothes, big warm jacket. Old instincts make Eddy’s fingers itch, but they know better than to try it. Hornigold had been very explicit about what happened to idiots who got picked up for petty crimes. Still, they edge in close. Maybe if they were really subtle.

-Stede notices a trim person with dark facial hair and lovely dark eyes looking over the same display. 

“Isn’t it something?” He asked, delighted that someone else noticed. “Someone put a lot of work into this.” 

“Oh, yeah...it’s nice,” Eddy fumbled. “Like the...sparkly bits.” 

“Me too,” Stede sighs. “The detail is incredible. Look at that little couple dancing by the tree.” 

There was a small animatronic now that he pointed it out and Eddy leaned in to observe it. 

“Sorry to ask a silly question, but am I even within a mile of the theater district?” Stede asks, a little sheepishly. “I got distracted and now I’m really turned around.” 

-Eddy doesn’t give directions to tourists, but maybe if they help out this rich kid, they’ll want to say thanks. Eddy could think of a lot of ways Stede can thank her and all of them are appealing. 

-They walk and walk and Stede just...keeps talking and noticing things and Eddy doesn’t mean to be charmed or interested. Stede acts like they’re getting away with something just going for a simple walk. At one point, he ducks into a cafe and comes out with hot chocolate for the both of them. Eddy hasn’t had hot chocolate in ages and it’s better than she remembers. They exchanged names, ideas and jokes. Stede is impressed that Eddy already has a job, a profession even if he doesn’t seem to quite understand what it is. Eddy likes the way Stede talks. 

-Stede talks Eddy into coming to see the show with him. It’s a play and they get kicked out before intermission because they’re giggling at how stiff it all is. Then Stede offers dinner because he takes the blame for getting them kicked out. They eat huge bowls of pasta with meatballs the size of Eddy’s fist and both get enormous slices of cake.  

-Stede should go home, but Eddy cajoles him into coming back to their little apartment. She only has a bed, no couch yet or chairs, so they sit on the bed and drink the six pack of lukewarm beer Eddy had left on the counter by accident. Stede’s never had more than few sips of wine before and it goes to his head. He leans in closer and he doesn’t pull away when Eddy touches his hand or elbow to underline a point. 

“So that’s why I wound up failing math,” Stede shrugged. “But I think I won in the end.” 

“Yeah, mate, sure,” Eddy smiled at him. “Bet you win more than lose in the end.” 

“Not historically,” Stede sighed. “What about you?” 

“Oh I’m a winner,” Eddy said solemnly. “Stick with me and who knows where you’ll wind up?” 

“It sounds more fun than where I’m going,” Stede’s smile came back. His lips were very pink and his teeth were very white. Eddy wanted to make a mess of his hair. Of his clothes. Of whatever starch someone had tried to put in his soul. 

“You wanna make out?” Eddy blurted. 

“What?” Stede’s eyes went wide. “Oh no, I-” 

“Fuck, okay then,” Eddy laughed, ready to play it off as a joke. “I meant-” 

“Wait,” Stede took a deep breath, gave her a long probing look. He was clearly scared out of his mind, but that didn’t stop him from saying, “I’m probably not very good. I haven’t really done anything with anyone and I don’t think I-” 

Eddy didn’t wait for him to finish. He wasn’t any good really, but he had a lot of enthusiasm. He was appreciative of Eddy’s tattoos once their shirts were off and despite his nerves, he didn’t stop once as they plowed through making out straight into sex. 

-Stede curled up against Eddy’s side after, tentative, but soft as he stroked a hand down Eddy’s arm.  

-Eddy let’s him stay. Wants him to stay. Maybe asks him, so quietly that it seems impossible that Stede could’ve heard, but he does. They share Eddy’s blanket and despite the chill outside, they’re warm there together. 

-The morning should’ve been an end to it. But Stede didn’t know the rules apparently and Eddy wasn’t sure she cared. When he wrote his number down and asked for hers, she gave it to him. What did it matter? He’d never call. 

-He called that night. And the next. They talked for hours about nothing. Then Eddy got called to a job, no warning and they were gone for days, doing boring shit even. When they got home, their voicemail was full, messages from Stede that got shorter and shorter until a last ‘I’m going back to school in a few days. So...goodbye, I guess.” 

-Eddy has ways of finding people. She drives to the stupidly large house in the creepily all the same neighborhood. It takes her a second to work up the nerve to ring the doorbell.  

-Stede answers the door and when he sees her, he lights up like the animatronics he’d admired so much when they first met. He pulls them into the house, not bothering to ask them a thing and Eddy goes with him, giddy with relief. His bedroom isn’t Stede-like at all, just plain and sensible and neat. Only hints of him in the books piled into the bookcase and tiny wooden ship tucked in beside them. 

-”I just have the last semester,” he explained when they’d worn themselves out. Eddy sat naked in the middle of his enormous bed and Stede lay across it at her feet. “And then I’ll be free.” 

“Why not be free now?” She challenged. “Run off with me.” 

“Sounds nice,” he sighed. “But it’s not so simple.” 

“It should be.” 

It isn’t. Stede does have to go. They spend three days in the huge empty house and then a car comes for him. Eddy waits with him on the lawn for it. She has his address at school in her pocket and her hand on the small of his back. Stede doesn’t dare kiss her here, in the open of this suffocating neighborhood. But he does turn to her, and say without any hesitation, “I love you. Write me, okay?” 

“Yeah,” Eddy said roughly. “I will.” 

He doesn’t love her. If she thinks that’s true than she’ll go mad with it. And she won’t write him. This’ll die as it should’ve days ago. 

-She hadn’t reckoned on Stede writing her. Long letters, rambling and disconnected, but also full of things that he wants them to know. He draws stick figure illustrations in the margins and ends each letter with ‘Love, Stede’.  

-Eddy writes back because the letters are the most interesting thing she has. She writes back because if she doesn’t he’ll stop and then what? Her letters are far shorter, terse and lacking entirely in real information. That doesn’t stop Stede for thanking them for each one, for acknowledging what she said. 

-Summer brings him home, but he doesn’t do more than stop at his sterile house. He comes to her as soon as he can wiggle away and he brings with him the sun. All the light in Eddy’s world arrives at one time. Stede moves himself in and there are pretty curtains on her windows, extra blankets and pillows on her bed. Stede feathers their nest so quickly and completely that she can barely remember how it used to look within a few days. 

-”I’m going to school here.” He told her on the first night of his return. “Dad’ll probably cut me off, but I figured out how to funnel out some money into a personal account. Well. One of the other boy’s said how he did it and I copied them.” 

“You did what?” Eddy sat down hard. 

“I’m not under any illusion that I can make real money for some time, but I won’t be a burden on you,” Stede shrugged. “He won’t miss it, it’s from one of his less legal accounts. He doesn’t think I’m clever enough to steal. It will get me through school at least.” 

Eddy had never been so hot for someone in her entire short life. 

-Hornigold gets wind that Eddy’s got someone, but lots of the guys do and no one really asks. Stede doesn’t meet their work friends. Stede eeks out a few friends at college, including a very nice girl named Mary, who thinks Eddy is hysterical and has no issue treating everyone to fancy meals on her parent’s credit cards. 

-It should fall apart. Eddy expects it to. Work takes them away from Stede regularly. She comes back battered and bruised. He just kisses them. Tucks them into bed. Their dark moods sweep in and Stede offers them treats and leaves them alone if they ask for it. Stede doesn’t really understand the world, makes ridiculous mistakes and Eddy tries to be annoyed, furious even, but instead she just teaches him and he learns without complaint. 

-They tell him that they love him over breakfast because he gives them the rest of the bacon and that is the last drop that spills the water over the rim of the glass of their heart.

"I love you," they say with all the sincerity they can which granted, isn't much.

Stede cries. Which is ridiculous and horrible and then he pulls them into his lap and buries his face in their hair. Maybe Eddy cries too. No one can prove anything, with the way their face was turned.

-Stede finishes college in three years, studying like a demon and determined. He’s not really cut out for the life his father set out for him, and loving beautiful things is no way to make a living. Or so Eddy assumed, prepared to be the main breadwinner for the rest of whatever they were doing lasted. 

Instead, Stede worms his way into a fashion startup. He’s got bold ideas and while his business sense is questionable, it’s better than any of his colleagues. The ruthlessness that was always in him, sharpened with years of living with Eddy catapults him forward. He brings home good money. Then fucking great money. 

-They move. They get a good place with a view of the river. Eddy spends a lot of time looking out that window. Going to work fills her with dread. She wants to stay here in the velvet and silk world Stede has made for them. 

“Ok, then don’t,” Stede said unconcerned. “Do something else.” 

“Don’t know how to be anything else.” 

“Don’t say that, you’re wonderfully decorative,” he teased. “And you’re clever and quick. You could be whatever you wanted.” 

“I know I could,” she realized. “I can do whatever.” 

Which is too many choices. Too many things. She’s drinking with Izzy one night, fucking annoying asshole, but he’s less annoying than the rest of them. He’s clearly into her, but she’s never even thought to give him the time of day. But wisdom comes from strange sources. They've just put an end to a fucking awful job using a combination of shooting and some excellent, if slapdash, sleuthing.

“You know, we would make better detectives than the fucking cops.” 

Eddy stared at him. Izzy stared back. 

“Yeah. We really fucking would.” 

After some debate, she takes Izzy with her when she goes. He comes along like packed luggage and proves himself so useful that she never lives to regret it. Being away from Hornigold does them both a lot of good. Izzy stops acting like someone’s going to stab him the neck if he says please and thank you so that’s nice. Stede is so grateful that Eddy’s happier that he starts a one-man friendship assault on the poor weirdo. 

“Make him stop,” Izzy begged, but Eddy just laughed. Eventually, Stede’s persistence won out, as it often did, and Izzy would instead call Stede to ask him to make Eddy stop whatever annoying bullshit she was on that week. It didn't work, but the complaining seemed to help him.

-She came out ten years earlier. It’s easy to figure out who she is when she’s drowning in Stede’s creations and boundless affection. It's easy as breathing and hard as hell, but they come out the other side lighter.

-Stede proposes in front of the store where they first met. It’s even snowing a little, like the weather itself got its shit together for it. 

-Their wedding is small, but lovely. Just a few friends. Eddy won’t wear white, so Stede does, pleased to put her in a black wedding dress. Mary designs their invitations. Izzy organizes the reception like it’s a military operation.  

-They do great things. They have world enough and time.

#leda house and the kraken verse #hello young lovers

[fangirlshrewt97]

💔

💥

🧐

🥰

For the asks!

💔 Is there a fic of yours that broke your heart?

A fic what broke my heart? Not for RRR. There is one I wrote for Yuri!!! on Ice that had one character grieving the death of his partner after a lifetime spent together. That one made me cry writing it. That's the only one I could think of?

💥 How do you feel about criticism?

Criticism is welcome if it is meant in good faith. I am still a beginner in terms of writing, and feedback is essential for authors to know what they are doing properly and what they need to work on. So if I get comments that describe particular lines or sections that were favorites, they help me know what are the styles that I am able to write well. When I get comments where people point out things I missed out in my research or didn't consider from a different point of view, they help me both learn new things and also help me become a stronger writer. Likewise, if a comment points out somehting that is out of character, that points out to me that I still need to get a better grasp on that character to write them more. I am also a believer in if you cannot say anything nice, it's better not to say anything. Unless the writer has written something truly offensive or incorrect (unintentionally), then we should point it out so they can learn. But being cruel or tearing a person who is doing this for love of the media and in their free time for free? That achieves nothing but ensuring that person is far more hesitant to sharing their workwith strangers again, and that is a loss to everyone.

🧐 Do you spend much time researching for your stories?

It depends on what the story is about! Like with TAOAT, I am researching about the terminologies mainly for all the different kinds of jewelry and names for the clothing/food/life in that time period things. Other fics, like my Dhruya ones are set in modern day and more general "settings" where there is not too much to look up. It is always fun to learn new things because of a fanfic tough.

🥰 How do you feel about reader interaction? Are you open to receiving questions about your fics?

I absolutely adore reader interaction!!! The more the better! Like I said, my inbox is always open and I am more than happy to talk with anyone who approaches me! And please send me questions about the fics I have written so far! Whether for RRR or a different fandom. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thank you @voidsteffy for the questions! They were fun, and I hope the answers were satisfactory!

Send me an emoji from this list (or any other question!)

#asks #answered #voidsteffy

[peytomsimbarabiraomsim]

Come to think of it, it seems that I have always wanted to know my true nature. I had questions about who I am, why I act like this, and why I have this personality. I did a lot to find answers. As I go deeper inside, there are many things I can understand more about myself. I realized so many things that I never even thought before. I am myself, a teenager who has million worth of dreams, owner of my own thoughts, creator of my own content, writer of my own book, a traveler who's always ready for adventures. Hello everyone! I'm Faith Hinoctan. I live in Purok 4 Balintawak Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental and I'm a Senior High School student in Misamis University. I like to watch movies, listen to music and travel. It was nice to spend time doing what I love. In sports, volleyball, badminton and basketball also interests me. Purple is my favorite of the vibrant hues. I enjoy having a hot cup of coffee and watching the rain from inside our home through the window. Who doesn't love coffee, after all? Anyways if you're curious about how tall I am, my height is 5'6. I know it's nonsense but, yeah. I always spend my vacant time hanging out with my friends, and since they are my escape whenever I'm sad, I always run to them to ease my feelings and comfort me. I love them even if they are crazy and stupid sometimes yet, I enjoy spending my time with them and I don't mind wasting my money buying foods for them to eat. I will always treasure our core memories and I will always support everything that they do just like how they supported me. As well as if you are happy, it's not a waste. Moreover, I eagerly pick up new talents until I am an ace at them. If someone is interested, I love to give more than I can. I am a really lighthearted person and I am one of those people with great listening skills. I am very good at silence. I don't compare myself against anyone else and I accept my own weaknesses. I am confidently beautiful to myself and I am always trying to find ways to get better. #CreativeNonfiction

[echologname]

How do I know I'm saved?

This is a question that's been bugging me for a while now. And it's not easy to find an answer that satisfied my doubts. If there was evidence of being saved or not as clear as day, like some sort of marking on my body, though that would be convenient, that would be too easy wouldn't it? No one can truly know divine knowledge of whose names are in the Book of Life for all Eternity, so, if you struggle with this question too, it's probably because there's no definitive answer but here's how I rationalized it for myself.

If I don't know definitively whether I have salvation or not, it seems wrong to assume I do, because IF I don't then praising God for saving me would be a lie. Thing is, God ALWAYS gives us a reason to praise and worship Him. I think of the song, "I thank God" by Maverick City: "Hell lost another one, I am free," and we in fact are more than allowed to sing this without lying because in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says that IF Christ had not been raised from the dead then our faith is useless and we are still in our sins, but He WAS and THAT'S what we know with all definity, and because that's true, then everything else must be true as well.

If you declare with your voice and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you are saved (Romans 10:9). Before Jesus, all Abraham did was trust and obey God and that was enough (Romans 4:3). I've had people tell me my heart would tell me, but, I don't think my heart says anything, so, how am I to know it believes and not just my head?

If you are reborn, you're saved (John 3:3), but how do I KNOW I'm reborn or not? Jesus marks who are His by giving them the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:15), but how am I to know the Holy Spirit is with me? I could try and find out if I have any spiritual gifts as evidence but I suppose the Holy Spirit must be, because if He wasn't, that'd make it pretty difficult for me to carry out the Lord's work.

There's someone being defined by The Fruits of the Spirit (Matthew 7:15), but even people who are the sweetest angels with love, joy, peace...etc. wouldn't be spared punishment for their sins if they reject God so, I kept thinking.

And I realized God has saved me COUNTLESS times of things known and unknown like getting hit by a car with only a tiny scratch, not being harmed when I ran into questionable strangers, from tachycardia attacks...etc. So, if God was with me and saved me from all those things, would He not also spare me from the fires of Hell?

My parents are confident I'm saved when I asked them. My Mom said because she was there when I asked Jesus into my heart at 4 years old and Dad says he just knows I have a good heart and the Grace of God inside me. I suppose I have no choice but to trust God gave them these things to say, because I still don't know how they know without a doubt even when there's nothing concrete anywhere for us to read that says, "So-and-so is saved no matter what they think, feel or do."

And Jesus loves you, He doesn't WANT to send anyone to Hell (Ezekiel 33:11), not even evil people because He still loves them too, that's why He suffered so much for salvation and grace to be a free gift you don't have to do anything to earn, just make Him the Lord of your life.

The other day, I asked myself, if I were God, would I save me or condemn me? Of course I'd want to save me and everyone else! Everyone who doesn't deserve it but NEEDS it. It's not a fate I would even want my worst of enemies to endure, I want everyone to be happy. And if me, as small and finite as I am feels that way, then surely God who is infinitely bigger and more abundant in compassion and mercy can too.

I can't believe Jesus endures suffering so great a new word had to be invented to describe it: excruciating meaning "out of the cross." He went through all of that and looks back and says, "Worth it."

I still SHOULD go to Hell, same with everyone else, but somehow, others have found a way to escape that fate we're all destined for and I don't know how they did it. Jesus is the answer, but there are still some Christians who aren't saved even though they believe, their downfall was not turning away from their sin and denying themselves like we're told to, they didn't really love God. So, how then, do I tell my heart to love God more? For He works for the good of all those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Apparently even not doing what I know I SHOULD do is sinful! (James 4:17). So, I still can't seem to crack the code on how to break this curse, to just NOT sin, it's a negative statement, positive statements tend to work better, like "DO something," with no negating words like, "no" or "not." A lot of habits can't just be taken out and need to be replaced with better alternatives. I can't stop altogether, we're not called to perfectly sinless but to sin less. And I'm not sure how to do that. It reminds me that being Christian IS hard work. Salvation is a free gift that doesn't need to be earned but I'm under the impression it can take work to keep (just my opinion).

If you're seeing this then, I sincerely hope Jesus will take you into His loving arms and call you His forever and ever no matter what you do, think, feel or who you'll change into and be with you no matter what.

I think if you call on Jesus to save you, you'll just have to trust that He will and that's it. Ask and you shall receive (Matthew 7:7).

#christian #trust god

[i-cant-be-brief]

A question from a friend

I was, what one might call, loitering today with two of my friends, both of whom are queer in similar ways, although one is trans and one believes he is not (do I have faith in that belief? to each their own I suppose. someone on TikTok described themselves as cis in a trans way and I totally see that for him.) I don’t remember exactly how the subject came up, but I was talking/joking about how it’s been reported that around 1/3rd of Gen Z identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community, and he commented that the most common queer identity he’s encountered is bisexual cis women, and that the least common was trans women. My response was something discombobulated but along the lines of “it’s much more difficult to come out as trans, most of the trans women I know are closeted and don’t publicly present as feminine” and his half-joking (because who in this day and age takes things completely seriously) response was “how do you have a response for everything.” I was immediately uncomfortable because I saw it as a compliment, I am part of the large sect of the population that is terrible at accepting compliments, so I responded with the energy of “I don’t but okay” which I guess just proved his point. In the context of who this friend is, it makes sense that he would not have considered some things before because of his environment or that, despite avid internet use, not every single kind of queer discourse has come across his radar. Apparently for him, I’m the friend who you ask what’s “politically correct” to do or say (a term that has long grated on me because of its constant misuse, but what can you do) and I’m not entirely happy with the position.

For most of my life, being lauded as a deep well of knowledge and “wise beyond my years” has been a title I have worn with pride, but as time goes on, I’m starting to grow weary and distrustful of it. What gave me the right to be the smart one that you should listen to on every topic? I haven’t done my research any more than anyone else has, I’ve just done enough English homework to know how to come up with an answer even when I don’t have one. I was also, quite frustratingly, raised to never respond to a question with “I don’t know” so perhaps that has an impact on it. The more I know the more I feel like I don’t and will never know (Aristotle or something, but the gifted kids probably thought of it first anyway). A lot of things about the world don’t make sense to me, now especially.

Israel-Palestine has been close to the front of my mind for weeks now, surfacing occasionally when I read another article about the bombings, speak to my grandmother, get another call-to-action-sign-this-petition email, or every single time I see someone drinking Starbucks. The problem is, I’ve started to push it away. I try not to cringe when one of my past friends/current acquaintances has an iced coffee with a recognizable green logo in their hand. I really should not shy away from it. The problem is, I don’t have a good argument for why I should. And this breeds conflict in me. I’m used to feeling conflicted about many things, but not things like this that feel as though they have such urgency attached to them, such moral obligation.

Every day that I speak about dreams for future higher level education, college expectations, and how our relationships will develop with my friends, and then turn around and speak about war, how everything should be free and accessible, and how to build a better world with those same friends, I feel like a hypocrite. I don’t think I will ever feel like I am doing enough, even as the useless work that I am unable to avoid piles up and crushes me. It’s the pain of being a state-mandated student. Even when I am not that any longer, even when I will be theoretically capable of dropping out, of ‘quitting’, I will be a guardian-mandated student. I think my parents would put me in a psychiatric hospital if they found out that I am seriously considering not pursuing higher education, much less wondering what it would be like to drop out of school entirely. And this is coming from someone who prides herself on being a star student, maybe not in numbers but certainly in teacher recognition. I was listening to ismatu’s reading of an interview with toni cade bambara in which she states that the teacher-student relationship is colonial, and it really struct me. All those relatable jokes about seeking academic validation and the desire for proof of your value through grades really were just another way to gain Usefulness™ in a system designed to turn you into the ideal laborer and obedient citizen. Just think of how rebellion is treated in education. You don’t even have to think of it’s treatment, just see what comes to mind with the words “rebellious teenager.” I think of impotence; I think of what I was afraid of becoming when I turned 13; I did not want to be a stereotype. Little did I know.

There are a lot of ways I can be better that are blatantly clear here, so please put some effort into your critique, but remember that I am always learning.

[theinternetcafe]

If You Could Go To Heaven, Would You?

Heaven, The Promise Land, Highest place, Kingdom Come. Although it goes by many names, they all refer to the same thing, a place of infinite peace and prosperity. We're all told that this one location is where we should strive to be, but would you actually go?

I would first like to say that I am in no way challenging anyone's beliefs nor am I seeking to change your mind or cause confusion. I simply have questions and thoughts of my own and chose to share them.

Before talking about Heaven itself I feel that's it's only right to talk a bit about a few different religions, their messages, and depiction of "The Promise Land".

Christianity

Being the most well known religion, Christianity stems from the life, teachings, and death of Jesus Christ. Being described as "more that a religious belief" it is a set of ideas and ways of life, practices, and artifacts handed down generations since Christ first became the object of faith.

The major beliefs of Christianity are:

Uniqueness of Jesus (Virgin Birth)

One God (The Trinity) also known as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Necessity of the Cross (Salvation)

Resurrection and Second coming

Inspiration of Scripture

It teaches that God is the almighty ruler of both Heaven and Earth, righteous in judgment over good and evil, and above all God is love.

The Christian Bible describes Heaven as a parallel realm ruled by God's will, a place of everlasting peace, love, and worship where anyone who enters becomes an angel.

Islam (submission to the will of God)

Referred to as "Muslims", Islam believe in one all-knowing God (in Arabic known as Allah), his Prophet (Muhammad) and obligations of prayer, charity, pilgrimage, and fasting. Followers live a life of complete submission to Allah and believe nothing can happen without his permission, but humans have free will.

The seven articles of Faith:

Belief in the oneness of God

Belief in the Angels of God

Belief in the Prophet of God

Belief in the day of Judgment

Belief in Premeasurement (God has knowledge and control over everything that exists)

Belief in Resurrection after death

Belief that God will judge each person by their deeds and Heaven awaits those who have lived righteously, the Quaran (sacred scripture of Islam) describes Heaven as a great kingdom, lofty (garden) that stretches above and over the entire world.

Buddhism

Based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, Buddhists believe that the human life is one of suffering, and that spiritual and physical labor with good behavior and meditation are ways to achieve enlightenment (Nirvana).

Karma, rebirth and impermanence are the principals of belief in Buddhism in order to overcome human suffering and reach enlightenment.

The Buddhist concept of heaven is one that is not eternal. Since this religion teaches about both suffering and happiness the concept of Heaven and Hell are what you make it. If one suffers in this world then it is Hell to them, if they experience pleasure and happiness in this world then it is Heaven.

Apart from Atheism, which is the collective denial of a God and the afterlife, there are many other religions that depict Heaven similar to the ones above.

Which brings me back to my question, if the all-mighty being that you worship offered you a place in their kingdom, would u accept?

Living in eternal peace where there is no suffering is what a lot of people wish for only because they experience suffering and misery in their lifetime, but without it there would be no happiness nor any enlightenment to obtain since there would be no reason to not have it already.

Would you be content in a state of constant peace and relaxation? or would it drive you to insanity?

I'm not a very religious person myself, but whenever the topic is brought up, my answers reflect that of Buddhism. The human existence is one of many sufferings which at most times feel like Hell as described by many other religions but over time I have overcome those sufferings and stepped towards what Buddhists call enlightenment.

Similar to Yin and Yang which is a Chinese philosophy which stems from Taoism/Daoism, which states the duality of two opposite characteristics (good and evil) existing in harmony.

This, along with the Buddhist belief, brings about the idea that we may very well be living in our own Heaven or Hell but seek something much more.

sources below

Major religious groups - Wikipedia

Christianity - Beliefs, Practices, History | Britannica

The 5 Major Christian Beliefs - Frostburg State University

What and where is heaven? The answers are at the heart of the Easter story (theconversation.com)

islam beliefs - Google Search

Islam - Five Pillars, Nation of Islam & Definition | HISTORY

Articles of Faith | Yusuf / Cat Stevens

how is heaven described in the quran - Google Search

What Buddhists Believe - The Buddhist Concept of Heaven and Hell (budsas.org)

Buddhism (nationalgeographic.org)

Three teachings - Wikipedia

Yin and yang Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

Yin and Yang: What Does the Symbol Mean? (prepscholar.com)

#religion #christianity #buddhism #islam #yin and yang #afterlife #god #heaven #faith #life questions #life #church