#and yet - I still haven't written anything for it

[about-faces]

I'm still loving Gotham Nocturne and I wish it was getting the love/respect/attention is deserves. I've spoken several people who haven't been reading the current Detective Comics run because they're Batmanned Out (good lord, do I get it) and they see it as just another attempt at some kind of "ultimate Batman story with Batman fighting the ultimate evil," which I strongly disagree with.

THAT SAID... as time has gone on, and the story seems to be reaching its finale, there are a few things that stand out of me as problems with this epic storyline.

1.) It's one of the most egregious examples of "writing for the trade paperback." This simply isn't a story that's meant to be read month-to-month. It's too slow, with too little "happening," at least on the superficial level. Paradoxically, it's NOT a story that should be binged! The best comparison that comes to mind is Better Call Saul, since that's the only other example of serialized media that's meticulously slow-paced yet INCREDIBLY RICH for those willing to engage with it on its level rather than expecting it to be Breaking Bad (or in Nocturne's case, a typical Batman story.) Ram V is capable of writing super-engaging monthly issues, as the fantastic Rare Flavours proves, but that brings us to...

2.) The story is sprawling. Maybe even TOO sprawling. When it comes to people who are sick of Batman, I try to sell them on the fact that this story is about GOTHAM AS A WHOLE, right down to the villains who call it home, and how everyone there is as intrinsically a part of Gotham as Batman is. But ensemble stories like that are tricky, and it makes the focus feel all over the place at times, with alternately too much and too little attention being paid to the main players, Batman included. It's a balance that was handled beautifully with Batman: The Audio Adventures, but it seems a bit more awkward here. Again, it's hard to pull off!

Like, we have characters pop up and then vanishing without explanation. We got Azrael back in the AzBats armor for the first time in decades, like, holy shit! That should be a HUGE development! And then, poof, he vanished! There's simply no time to explore Jean-Paul's character because there's so many other things the narrative needs to explore.

This feels like it would have really benefited from a companion series, something to focus on the characters the way the backup stories have done, but just more so. I think about how Peter Tomasi would write companion books to the main big storylines written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, and Scott Snyder, and how he'd focus on character, which always enriched the greater "big important storyline." Which, in turn, also brings me to...

3.) The backup stories have really lost a lot of their punch since they stopped being written by Si Spurrier and were taken over by Dan Watters. Watters is incredibly capable, make no mistake, and his Cheshire/Lian Harper story is one of my favorite parts of this entire saga. But by and large, his tales focus more on the spooky and weird sides of what's happening with Nocturne, whereas Spurrier's stories were more focused on characters navigating the weirdness of the events. As a result, Spurrier gave us what I consider to be some of the very best stories about Jim Gordon, Harvey Dent, and Victor Fries ever written. I really miss those, and how they enriched Ram V's (possibly overly-ambitious) narrative.

Ultimately, Gotham Nocturne feels like the Batman equivalent to an arthouse film, which means it's going to be appreciated by a handful of nerds while leaving most other fans cold, and I can't really blame them. If anything makes me sad about all this, it's how all this incredible character work with Bruce, Harvey, Victor, Talia, and others is going to be ignored. Hell, it already is, given the complete lack of acknowledgement we've seen in other Bat-books for what's going on in Nocturne.

At this point, I just hope it sticks the landing in the finale, because I want to be able to have a complete, satisfying epic to recommend to people who want something a bit richer than the typical "guy in Bat costume punches clown" stories we usually get.

#gotham nocturne #detective comics #batman #dc comics #ram v

[dreemurr-skelememer]

hey, i often see you talk about dreamtale and i've got a question that's been on my mind for literal years. i know you're not the original creator and i've gathered you have your own version of the AU, but i konda just want to hear your thoughts on this because i'm genuinely curious. please let me know if it's an inappropriate question or if you don't want to answer or you have answered it before that's completely okay and i'll totally understand.

so the question i've always had is, why does dreamtale have 2 sanses(?), as in, as far as i was aware (which i admit is not much, i haven't kept up a lot with UT or the AU community the last few years) there's dream sans and nightmare sans. my (possibly outdated) understanding of dreamtale is that it's an undertale AU focusing on the story of two brothers. and since in canon sans pretty notoriously already has a brother, i've always wondered the deal with making his brother another sans rather than papyrus.

i wonder if it was because of character dynamics, the thing the internet had for AU sanses when the original AU was created, or some other reason. i was just wondering, if you're up for it, you could just share your thoughts on it. the question has been on my mind again lately since i see your posts about dreamtale on my dash and i'd ask the original creator, but i've got them blocked and i can't really remember why since it was a long time ago, but i imagine it was probably for a good reason.

as I said before, i completely understand if you don't want to answer. this is just me being curious lol. thank you!

i've already talked abt it somewhat before but it's basically because joku just wanted eyes on dreamtale, really

if you look at dreamtale, it really basically has nothing to do with undertale except for the fact that dream and nightmare are sanses!

which is fine to have sanses be the focus, in my opinion, sans enjoyers get too much shit for that.

but yeah, i do think it could be done more in relation to undertale. but that really was never joku's focus

from the way they've acted for years, it's clear that they only made dream and nm sanses bc it gave them the most attention.

and it did because with how dog shit the writing is there's honestly no way it would've picked up if you asked me, even if chapter 1 has a lot of potential in my eyes :p

sorry to disappoint if i sound very straightforward about it! i just know that joku is...joku, you know. it's all because of very joku reasons lolz

#but also ive come to accept that im okay with the twins being both sanses #because idk. idk actually. i think ive gotten so used to it that ive preferred it and anything else jars me unless its written REALLY well. #(still haven't found an interpretation that resonates or satisfies me yet! idk maybe one day. for now i'll write my own stuff) #Anonymous

[oh-meow-swirls]

how does the raft not capsize.

#puppy rambles #yo-kai watch #yw3 #i mean komasan's not there in canon 3 so it's slightly better but not by a lot #i feel like someone should at least be falling off how is the raft also big enough to hold them all- #whisper floats so he doesn't add weight or any space really but like #it still needs to both hold the weight of three teenagers and two yo-kai #AND have the room for them all to fit #the rafting challenge in bada-bing tower is probably worse cuz it has to fit two additional yo-kai #i think komasan not being that important in the mainline games is very lame. he's pretty important in the anime so it's kinda weird #he is at least somewhat important in 3 since he's there for the yopple tour and everything in bada-bing tower #whereas in 1 he has the auto-befriend yo-kai curse (only being important in their debut chapter) #and in 2 he literally only shows up during the jibakoma quest in psychic specters #(excluding being an npc during the beginning of the jibanyan's secret quest alongside a bunch of other yo-kai) #idk what's weirder the fact they made him so important in the anime despite that or the fact they never made him important in the games #i personally go with the nyanderful days continuity that he also moves in with katie cuz that makes sense to me #i've literally never written anything where nate's the one who gets the watch in 1 so idk what i'd do there- #(funny how i've never written anything that's in the same timeline as canon-) #i want to at least write something at somepoint where nate and katie both get watches cuz i like that idea #i mean i have a dumb au idea where nate and katie independently get watches at the start of 1 at around the same time #and take an extended period of time to realize #mostly just haven't actualized that cuz 1) i already have the rewrite and 2) i don't have enough ideas #basically just have the basic concept- #these tags got derailed quick. and also make me really wanna work on the rewrite more- #i have so many ideas but i'm just not motivated to write any of them #and also most of them are for 3 and i haven't finished rewriting 2 yet 😔 #‚‚‚ anyways-

[galaxies-and-gore]

Twst OC Bio: Victor Callahan

Time for some more RSA ocs! I've been stuck on this one for a while because I couldn't come up with a name I was happy with. I might change it in the future.

Basics:

Name: Victor Callahan

Birthday: June 12th

Age: 18

Dominant Hand: Right

Unique Magic: Hindsight (He can briefly see into the immediate future. The catch is that the more this is used, the more unreliable it becomes due to all the possible futures blending together.)

School:

Grade: 3rd year

Club: Fencing

Best Subject: History

Preferences:

Hobbies: Collecting knives, testing random potions

Pet Peeves: His intrusive thoughts

Favorite Food: Lemon cake

Least Favorite Food: Onions

Talent: Can tell the difference between almost identical shades of a color

Misc:

Species: Human

Based On: The White Queen

Likes: Ducks, plushies

Dislikes: Dogs, overwhelming smells

Pronouns: He/him

Orientation: Aroace

Hair: White

Eyes: Greenish brown

Rambling:

Okay this is going to be a long ramble because I have a lot to say. This was another of my very early twst oc ideas that I never did anything with at first. I think around a year ago, I saw that an artist that I admire draw their version of the white queen in twst and I had to try to make a character from the same inspiration. The reason that I'm still not happy with his name is just that I put a lot of thought and meaning / symbolism into my characters' names. I wanted his initials to be "V" and "C" because of the vorpal sword and because of Lewis Carroll. This was the best combination that I've come up with so far, but I'll almost definitely change it if I think of something better. The vorpal sword is also the inspiration behind Victor enjoying collecting knives, and the scene in the 2010 movie where the white queen makes a potion to return Alice to normal size is the inspiration behind the random potion making and testing. Except Victor has no method behind the madness. He just throws whatever he has into a caldron and so be whatever happens. He lost his right arm in an accident when he was very little and has a prosthetic arm that looks like blue and white porcelain (I'm going to add an image of what I mean at the end). Victor is also albino. I have a hair style that I think suits him, but I have no idea what it's called. I'll put this first in the images, and I'd be grateful if someone could tell me what it's called. I'm trying to learn about black hair and hairstyles so I can properly draw some of my characters, but I'm still far from knowledgeable. As far as clothing ideas go, I really want to lean in to the impractical doll clothes vibe with his dorm leader outfit, there's also a little bit of a carnival vibe but Idk how to properly express what I mean. I found an image of doll shoes on Pinterest while looking for inspiration and I love them so much and I'm definitely making the part of his outfit. The heel of the shoe is an hourglass and I'm so obsessed with that design. Well I though that I'd have more time to talk, but I don't so I'm cutting myself off here.

Here's the hairstyle, porcelain, and doll shoes I was talking about (all of these are from Pinterest):

#I feel very sick and bad but working on my ocs helps a little #so sorry I haven't written anything yet. The thought still makes me too anxious to function. #I'll post the other bio tomorrow #tfw you could probably write an entire book before you'd get yourself to write a short fic #dahlia's ocs #twst oc #twisted wonderland oc #twisted wonderland #twst #oc #rsa oc #royal sword academy

[indigodawns]

.

#these are just some thoughts re: friendship as a result of tonight that i need to jot down somewhere but #realising that i really do have a strict and set idea of Good Friend(ship) and what that entails to me #and id written people off bc i wasn't yk ~receiving love or friendship the way id prefer and i was angry with them for that/hurt about it #did i communicate that to them though? nooo. was i fully right in that? also no. like just bc i felt unheard didn't fully mean #that they were doing something wrong. they were trying in their own way (and sometimes they weren't really or it just wasn't nice) #but that's about how we match and how we communicate right? this is so silly that's so basic but it never fully clicked for me like this #i was blaming them for stuff and building up resentment without ever expressing that (and i still haven't yk dhshsjd) #and i think where i went ~wrong was in thinking that bc i felt that way they weren't ~giving me what i need #when it's like... but did i pick up on the ways in which they DID appreciate me and show me love etc? did i give them ANYTHING to work with? #(ok yes occasionally but also... tangent but i was watching a variety show and they were teasing woozi about how #he gives interviewers/hosts literally nothing to work with. like no extra information for them to ask about or tease him for or anything #and i was like ohhhhhh. yeah i do do that sometimes with friends and it's genuinely smth i don't really know how to do like #giving casual information (but not too much and not too little???) so they can then ask questions etc. so then if im like ughh #they never ask (the right) questions or show interest (or let me talk but that's a different thing dhsjdjd) it's like... #well do i give them the chance to? much to think about thank you woozi) #anyways where was i dhsjsnsnsjns idk but it's soooo annoying that i haven't figured this all out yet #but im slowly letting go off a bunch of resentment that has truly no business being here and im trying to self reflect and all that #and im honestly doing so shit some days but others days it's? finding stuff that matters to me on a deeper level ig? #and all of it really does pale in the face of multiple genocides and it's. but yk. if i want to keep fighting #i need to build a strong foundation and sort my shit out as well and be present so im really really trying #and beating my stupid stupid depression and brain with a stick until i get there

[moltage]

i've tried everything, different ways, different times, different places. i just can't seem to find my passion for writing back.

#writers block my ass this shit has been going on for years #you love going around telling people that you write when in truth you haven't written anything in ages #i don't even consider myself a writer anymore because it feels wrong to call it that #everything i put out is influenced by something. ifeel like i can never truly be original #a few shitty pieces i wrote at the peak of a fixation don't really count because i've abandoned them too #yes i've written them but im so afraid to associate them with my name #how does one hate what they create so much #yet still want to create #when will it be satisfying? #when will i be like yeah. i like this. i made this. this is mine. #i dont think the problem is language either like sure it can be improved but i can't even write in my own language? #i used to love writing in turkish and peopel would praise me for my stories but looking back at it even that wasn't original #it was never mine #it was always about something that affected me #this is sad its just sad. #writing

[kayfabebabe]

MIIIIIIIIIITCH

5. What’s a fic idea you’ve had that you will never write?

14. If you could see one of your fics adapted into a visual medium, such as comic or film, which fan fic would you pick?

And I forgot what number this one was but have you everlearned any fun facts from researching a fic?

Annnnnnna! Thank you so much for the Ask <3 I'm so sorry that it's taking me this long to answer it. These got a little long so I put them beneath the 'Read More' break.

What’s a fic idea you’ve had that you will never write? Oh, this is a really good question. There are TOO many ideas in my head that, probably, won't get written into full-length fics for whatever reason. The one that I've been thinking about lately is a "sister AU" to the Mob AU set during the 1920's/early 1930's at a small theatre with William and an OC of mine, Nellie.

The basic premise of the AU - William is a bare-knuckle fighter on the Blackpool promenade where he's been fighting since he was barely a teenager. It's a violent existence, but he's never known anything else. The only reprieve comes at the end of each day when William sneaks into the nearby theatre to watch the variety performance. Comedians, Singers, Dancers. They all take to the stage and captivate the entire audience, including William. However, the highlight of the entire evening is seeing the high-wire artist, Nellie Jones.

If you could see one of your fics adapted into a visual medium, such as comic or film, which fanfic would you pick? I had to look through the list of my fics, but if I really had to choose one, it would be 'Like Mold' which is a part of the Dirtbag Boyfriend AU with Mox and my OC, Nicky. I love that AU despite the lack of updates to it and I would lose my mind seeing it being turned into something like a comic or a film.

Have you ever learned any fun facts from researching a fic? There are too many things that I've learnt over the years from researching for different fics. For example, the population of Katy, Texas is over 20,000. Will I ever use this information in my real life? No. But it's a random thing that, for some reason, has been stuck in my head since learning it.

~

#Ask Answered #<3 Ana Tag <3 #THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ASK #The AU with William and Nellie lives rent free in my head #and yet - I still haven't written anything for it #like a Goober #The Human Speaks #Ask Game

[hollyand-writes]

I wrote 2,654 words of porn today and I am exhausted. I feel like there's only so many words for genitalia and fluids you can write in a scene and the thesaurus got so massively overused today that I think I've gone cross-eyed

#writing porn: far harder than you think. pun not intended. #haven't written a word of this fic since 2019 or maybe even 2020 when i first got ill & i thought it was yet another abandoned WIP of mine #and now suddenly now that my surgery has happened and i'm starting to recover? it's like all my creativity has been unleashed #the smut braincell has come back to life after it died two years ago #it's so weird (also i still get tired easily) but i'm just running with it for now. not putting pressure on myself to complete this fic #not putting pressure on myself to do anything at all – just gonna see where this takes me. even if that's 'nowhere' that's OK right now #writing smut #writing #hollyand writes #hollyand rambles

[thronealigned]

i have thought somewhat about what impulse would be like in wotr (aside from deeply hilarious, on account of them being a 20-22 year old dipshit put in charge of the fifth crusade. literally it'd just be like if you made woljif the KC). i was leaning towards aeon at first on account of the whole ego death, transformation into something cold & inhuman, the space motifs, emphasis on Logic and Reason, all that. but the focus on Justice - the self-sacrifice in pursuit of it (or at least the aeon's vision of it) - means it just doesn't work, because fundamentally impulse is a very selfish person as much as they (at least at the start) would like not to be, and i'm not sure they even believe in justice as a concept (virtue & idealism is a luxury they've never been afforded). so the real answer i think is trickster->swarm

#it doesnt hit the same specific chaotic->lawful shift as impulse's ceremorphosis does but #to be fair illithid-impulse doesn't stay at lawful evil for very long. they squid-cannibalize their impulse control (hehe) and shift #straight over to chaotic evil. they are both a perfect and really shit illithid #but you know it could be so much worse. at least they're not doing human experimentation as a bit #actually that's a lie illithid-impulse is definitely doing that. swarmpulse still takes it Several steps beyond though. what with the swarm #and all #but then ALSO so much of impulse's downfall comes from being actively manipulated into being their worst possible self #by an external seemingly-benevolent figure #so. actually. azata->devil? #but swarm has so much more emphasis on monstrosity and hunger. and Hunger is such a big thing for them #hmmmmmmmm #irrelevant au thoughts over #i'll start actually wotr ocposting at some point they occupy too many of my thoughts not to #but well i'm shy. #i might revisit some of my impulse wips too since im thinking about them more again.... #but *** ******* is too intimidating a character for me to write that's why i never got anything done for them #why did i censor that. anyway #and i Still haven't really written much for wotr yet as much as i've been wanting to #sighs!

[aceghosts]

GUESS WHO ACTUALLY GOT SOME WRITING DONE!!!!

Pulling over to the side, Rooney nearly falls off their bike, scrambling to the guard rail of the bridge. Sliding down into sitting position, they catch a glimpse of the setting sun, a burning orange against the dark fading sky. They sigh deeply, head in their hands as they sit alone on the sidewalk. They’re just so exhausted. How much longer can they keep doing this? Keep moving along as the end goal is dragged further away? When will they be allowed to simply rest? Not haunted by nightmares? Closing their eyes only for a brief second, the Chimera appears again, dragging them towards the hole, down into hell with it.

They gasp, jumping slightly as their eyes open. Rooney’s breath comes in panicked bursts, a sense of adrenaline coming over them, followed by the realization that it’s all in their head. Rooney lets out a tired laugh, feeling the bone-aching weariness once again. Tears burn in the corner of their eyes, just wishing fate would cut them a break. Their cell rings, and Rooney knows what they need to do. Pick themself up; move through the pain and tiredness. He needs them, and Rooney isn’t about to let him down. Wiping their tears away, Rooney swallows, composing themself before answering. “What’s the situation?” "Shepard, I couldn’t reach-,” He stops, mid-sentence, a brief flicker of concern on his face, “What happened? Tell me.” “Nothing. What do you need me to do?” They push themself to their feet, ignoring the radiating pain and protest from their body. Rooney needs to keep moving forward. There is no rest for them; there never is.

#the kate tag #still on hiatus #but just wanted to post a snippet since I haven't really written everything in a month or two #anyway this is from Rooney's CP2077 verse #but i don't think it'll ever see the light of day lol #kate writes #commander rooney shepard #v: cyberpunk 2077 #also contains slight spoilers for the beginning of phantom liberty #don't spoil anything for me I haven't finished the whole dlc yet #also this is very rough since it's a first draft

[funkypoacher]

Jfc ppl really love those polls eh

#Theyre like... every third post on my dash #Anywho the Zoloft isn't doing shit yet #I'm binging corner gas and growing increasingly agitated over the fact that I haven't written anything in two months #I'm still alive but not feeling like it #Hope everyone is doing well

[therhythmafterthesummer]

i'm officially 10k+ words into what could be the next wereroomies instalment

#there's still so much more to write sigh... #wish i could say it's for anyone other than chris but it for chris sjdkhfskjdf #i am also working on an instalment for minho but i don't think my brain will let me work on it until i finish chris' #i am also thinking a lot about jisung... but i haven't written anything solid yet #🌙

[brieflyinfatuated]

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it!!! 🎄☃️✨ May your stretchiest pants be clean and not buried at the bottom of your washing basket like I just realised mine are 🫠

Housemate gave me some T2 tea 🥹🥰 I didn't get her anything bc she's away but she was sneaky and left me a present anyway!! #the cheek of it

Also, I feel the need to share the awesome job my mum and lil' brother did decorating their place this year, mum even washed the front of the house?! She's so hard core

Tasteful, elegant, timeless 🤌

Also, the traditional Wearing of The Tree, usually done by yours truly but lil' bro did an awesome job in my absence 💯

Wear the tree. Embrace the tree. Become the tree.

Rip lil' bro, see u when the tree releases your spirit in January 😂

#Christmas #christmas tree #family #this can be a very challenging time of year #take care of yourselves lads #I hope we all have a good day we can do this I believe in us #gripping the edges of the bathroom sink I WILL HAVE AN OK DAY I CAN HANDLE ANYTHING THAT COMES MY WAY I AM STRONK #we got this 👌 #i feel the need to clarify my brother has not actually turned into a tree he and he is still very much alive #the source of The Christmas Troubles is something else #oh fluff i haven't written Christmas cards yet #merry christmas!!

[paramounticebound]

---

#x: STILL ASLEEP (ooc.) #sneaky starter call for either sith!verse khan or emperor!verse khan (which can be st or sw depending on ur preference) #i haven't written anything up for either yet on my page but oh well

[caelestcs]

--- I am a strong woman because a strong woman raised me. ||  Yu Ziyuan & Jiang Yanli  ||  

a tiny thingy for @dreams-of-fate

#-chants- I love them so much already and I haven't even written anything yet #but love is still there! #they are the best and you better believe Yanli loves her mom so much #{and I hope Lins will accept this unasked for thingy~ I have very few regrets about it } #✬ build a bridge between a vision and reality ✬ ././. (mine)

[kasper-tag]

"Gothic Circus AU" EXCUSE ME WHILE I LOSE IT FOR BOTH AESTHETIC AND PAST FANDOM REASONS

Oh, I have SO MUCH in store for this one! It all started when I saw this reel on Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmfRsQ3qy5n/?igshid=MDM4ZDc5MmU=

Here's a screenshot in case it doesn't work/you can't see it:

(There are also aerial silks in the reel, but that's harder to capture lol)

But my alt heart fell in love with the idea of making it a SH AU.

The things I know for sure and can share about it so far are:

Alec is a floor acrobat who can juggle and ride a unicycle, and he's closeted

Magnus is an aerial acrobat who does silks, hoops, and poles, and he's out

It's going to be rivals/enemies to lovers

Slow burn/pining (so much pining!)

Angsty AF but with a happy ending

And that's all I can share for now!

Ps- I love Danny Phantom 🖤

#shadowhunters #malec #ao3 author #fanfiction #still vague AF but that's because I haven't written anything yet lol #my wardrobe is like 99% black and gothy/alt so the aesthetic is a personal fave