#uplift one another

[yeslordmyking]

July, 18 (Morning) Devotion

“They shall go hindmost with their standards.”

Numbers 2:31

The camp of Dan brought up the rear when the armies of Israel were on the march. The Danites occupied the hindmost place, but what mattered the position, since they were as truly part of the host as were the foremost tribes; they followed the same fiery cloudy pillar, they ate of the same manna, drank of the same spiritual rock, and journeyed to the same inheritance. Come, my heart, cheer up, though last and least; it is thy privilege to be in the army, and to fare as they fare who lead the van. Some one must be hindmost in honour and esteem, some one must do menial work for Jesus, and why should not I? In a poor village, among an ignorant peasantry; or in a back street, among degraded sinners, I will work on, and “go hindmost with my standard.”

The Danites occupied a very useful place. Stragglers have to be picked up upon the march, and lost property has to be gathered from the field. Fiery spirits may dash forward over untrodden paths to learn fresh truth, and win more souls to Jesus; but some of a more conservative spirit may be well engaged in reminding the church of her ancient faith, and restoring her fainting sons. Every position has its duties, and the slowly moving children of God will find their peculiar state one in which they may be eminently a blessing to the whole host.

The rear guard is a place of danger. There are foes behind us as well as before us. Attacks may come from any quarter. We read that Amalek fell upon Israel, and slew some of the hindmost of them. The experienced Christian will find much work for his weapons in aiding those poor doubting, desponding, wavering, souls, who are hindmost in faith, knowledge, and joy. These must not be left unaided, and therefore be it the business of well-taught saints to bear their standards among the hindmost. My soul, do thou tenderly watch to help the hindmost this day.

Daily Bible and Devotional for Women - http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=daily.bible.for.woman

#God #Jesus #christianity #faith #least in God's kingdom #God's soldiers #encourage others #uplift one another #role in God's church #godly purpose #all are equal in God's kingdom #you are important #what you do matters #encouragement #devotional #bible verse

[thychesters]

do you ever think about how zoro says “scars on the back are a swordsman’s shame” but one of the first scars he received after joining luffy was on his back after buggy stabbed him through the stomach, and not only that but it was for luffy, too.

#zolu #something something the sacrifice of self for devotion to another #the shift of core beliefs for the sake of uplifting someone else’s #and zoro’s only known him for like 12 hours #drives me nuts!! #zoro said ‘i will never have a scar on my back’ and the immediately gets one for luffy’s sake #that and the lightening scars from enel?? goddddd #buddy you’re insane i’m insane i’m punting this man into the ocean #i think i’ve referenced it in 75% of my fics and whenever someone else does (+ buggy’s damage to the hat) i chomp at the bit #one piece #kate blabs

[mobius-m-mobius]

I cannot believe that season. truly just. there was not a single episode I didn't sit down to without a genuine conviction that *this* would be the episode where they spit all over everything I loved about the show. I braced constantly throughout the episodes as they kept setting themselves up for Very Stupid story choices only to pull the rug and go "HAHA surprise, idiot!!! We've given you exactly what you wanted <3". until the final episode which was NOT what I wanted and also exponentially better storytelling and character development than any of the ideal scenarios I'd constructed.

something deeply meta about it all. truly a chaos season for the chaos god, where the most chaotic, unexpected, transformative thing they can do is to be good.

Spent the day processing my love for this season only to have your message sum my thoughts and feelings up perfectly, thank you so very much for sending it 💖

Same as you, not for a second did I go in truly expecting anything from s2. Owen and Mobius have my heart, always will, so primarily the show was a vehicle to provide whatever crumbs of his scenes and chemistry with Tom I could get and with the start of every episode I braced for the moment that would get ruined in some way, only to be continually hit with everything I've ever wanted in a show or pairing right up until the finale. Which, while not what I would've chosen, was beautifully crafted and an almost Shakespearean tragic romance that will haunt me for the rest of my days and is still infinitely better than the nightmare scenarios I'd been floating around in my mind so at least there's that and it's impossible not to be thankful for eps 1-5 for giving content anyone could dream of and more 😅

Besides the obvious ending, I'm mostly crushed our Loki and Mobius didn't get a proper goodbye but honestly believe Loki decided to seek out s1 Mobius instead knowing s2 Mobius loved him too much to ever let his sacrifice happen and it would've been too much to bear, so having made his mind up already he at least tried to visit a version most likely to validate his choice. Just wish the Mobius now waiting until the end of time had at least a similar opportunity, but I'm just thankful he didn't lose his memories and could make his own decision that his faith in Loki is what's carried him before and will continue to do so now.

The flip of their characterization from order or chaos is exactly what has me convinced Lokius will reunite because how can they not with such an open ended future?? Even in separation they revolve around each other and they're the only ones left wanting. Mobius and his life are in ruins with nothing but the passage of time and possibility of some spent with Loki ahead while Loki's surely going to find a way to meet halfway when the choice of order has not only made him potentially the most powerful being in existence but one who spends eternity looking at the only person who ever saw him back.

#cutting this short because it's already longer than expected and i'm about to cry again even though i've done so like a dozen times today 😅 #but truly s2 has been the most incredible fun uplifting heartbreaking experience and i'm so thankful to have shared it with you all #have a feeling nothing's going to beat it for me as well which is kind of wild to wrap my mind around?? #never gonna be another character like mobius or one who means more to me plus owen is it for me now #and if i could craft a perfect episode of anything start to finish it would be s02e01 #the banter their chemistry the touching the sacrifice the perfect balance of plot and humor it's pure love and comfort #what a ride #and thank you again for the loveliest ask!! love hearing what everyone thought of the season and where things can go from here #hope you're having an amazing weekend 💖 #ask #loki spoilers

[ccarrot]

I don't know what kind of angst boner these skk ao3 girlies get out of making chuuya abusive to dazai but its genuinely a disease and also they need to fuck off.

#i cant even begin to dissect how fundementally WRONG and bad faith that interpretation is #taking the one of the most uplifting relationships in bsd and making it toxic and gritty and what? saying that's accurate? piss off #and also i think its another product of making dazai the ultimate bearer of suffering and angst that most bsd fics do. #he never gets treated right but he just TAKES IT bc thats true strength... r sme shit. #even his partner uses him as a punching bag but he endures 😔😔😔 #is that what this nonsense is bc if so literally fuck off.

[allyriadayne]

We are puppets dancing on the strings of those who came before us, and one day our own children will take up our strings and dance in our steads.

#house of the dragon #rhaenyra targaryen #daemon targaryen #jacaerys velaryon #lucerys velaryon #jacaerys x rhaenyra #gameofthronesdaily #targaryensource #hotdedit #dailyhotdgifs #mariana does things #photoset #*hotd #a targaryen daughter is not a son and a son is not a targaryen son. how to cope? lose individuality and identity - become a targaryen #only targaryen ride dragons. no more and no less. you are not a person but a targaryen. another head in the incest hydra #no one should feel like they belong. even daemon. even aemond don't #THEN you have alicent saying aegon's the challenge. he's a son who has the targaryen look and no one questions he is viserys' son. LIKE #but he doesn't want it. not at all. and these people are begging for a chance in this fucked up family. while aegon. is. aegon #wanted to add that scene but i don't think it fits with what i'm trying to convey here. even if it's thematically apt #another scene? luke saying only targaryens ride dragons. corny. but kind of uplifting but idk

[paulkariyas]

↪ 04/29/2023 ― post-game ( rangers vs. devils ; scp rd. 1 )  

#mika zibanejad #chris kreider #new york rangers #hockey #hockeyedit #❝ edits #Marrieds™ #i call this the Rehearsal Dinner set #even though they're already wife & husband #also i mean -- mika's Wife-bun -- chris' bigger as usual despite the absence of his suit jacket #them uplifting one another as always!! #also chris' most goals in elimination games in nhl story casually flashing his guns #i have a lot to unpack here it's obvious #**in nhl history i can type

[cancerian-woman]

Tyler Lockwood discourse and “excuse” for how fans view him as worthless or unneeded is that his plotline ended in season 3/4 is so…wrong lmao. Tyler was not only the first introduction to werewolves/Lockwood legacy but he was Klaus’ first successful hybrid. But, no it would’ve been too much to center a plot on Tyler that has nothing to do with Caroline or Klaus. Tyler became an alpha, those hybrids trusted and respected him. Okay, then those hybrids were killed Tyler could’ve formed another pack. They can do more with wolf-related plotlines they just had to write those. Look at Hayley who was praised and worshipped as this werewolf Crescent Queen after she helped plot and kill those hybrids…but TO doesn’t acknowledge that ever. Supernatural world gossip spreads but that somehow never made it to the bayou…anyways…

The problem relies Forwood, Klaroline, Steroline and a bit of Klayley equally. Mainly Caroline and Klaus/Stefan’s popularity. Season 1/2 Caroline was ignorant as hell and disliked by most of her peers. Why? She always had something negative to say about everyone. Plus, her mental feud with Elena. So Caroline dates Matt who treats her terribly and isn’t over Elena. Then she’s placed with Tyler, she “changes” after this vampire transition. Forwood is equally new in being a vampire/werewolf. It’s easy to support them when Caroline is there as he transitions into a wolf. Shes not just this jealous raged teenage girl! She has feelings and emotions! Caroline’s sweet, caring, and protective these are reasons people should like Caroline. Most of time fans argue that Caroline was better as a vampire than she ever was as a human. Now, insert Klaroline and Klaus. Klaus gets to enforce power and control over Tyler. He enslaves him repeatedly, and constantly threatens his life. Tyler knows he can’t win against Klaus but he refuses to live by Klaus rules. Richard Lockwood, his abusive major daddy had already made his life hell by giving him standards to live by and abusing him.

Now this is getting long. But, Caroline gets to “see the good in Klaus” they get to have all these “moments” about nothing at all. Tyler isn’t there and unfortunately YES on Caroline’s end Tyler does look bad for being away but Caroline understood this and for awhile was the only person who got Tyler. Until, she didn’t the plot worked its way so we can uplift and praise Caroline in all her vampire girl-boss goodness! But, paint Tyler in a bad view. Klaroline was pulled out of the writers ass, there was no build-up and it’s often forgotten that Klaus intended to sacrifice both Caroline and Tyler but somehow someway Klaus is obsessed with this baby vampire lmao. But, “Tyler doesn’t love Caroline! He’s never there.” It’s not that Tyler didn’t want to be there, he was being treated like a slave. If the writers really and truly wanted to push Klaroline they could’ve done so without using Tyler. He wasn’t around anyways so what would’ve been the excuse? Klaroline wasn’t the plan but mildly benefits from mistreating Tyler/Michael Trevino and Kat Graham but pen in that.

Tyler’s entire family dies and we see Caroline comfort him through Carol’s death which Tyler fully blames himself for. Caroline gets this until she didn’t. She places an ultimatum over Tyler’s head. He chooses to leave, and it’s even a bigger nail on the head for the fandom. Tyler’s trying to kill Hayley and Hope. Which is ignored that Tyler intended on saving the werewolves as a species because Klaus DID continue to enslave and pick up werewolves turning them into hybrids for his own gain. Caroline sleeps with Klaus Tyler’s pissed and tries to keep contact at a minimum. You have Stefan in her ear all the time making comments about how Tyler’s violent towards her and all around a terrible person. When Tyler never abused her. Klaus was even in Caroline’s ear making her think Tyler cheated when that was never the case.

Tyler was used and needed for Caroline’s development and heavily plays a huge roll in her popularity. But, she doesn’t give half of that for him. In fact Forwood/Klaroline/Klayley and Steroline all functioned as a death to Tyler’s character. More so KC & Steroline ruined what good foundation Tyler did have. If Hayley could be some werewolf queen in TO. Tyler could’ve been hailed as a king in own bloodline. He could’ve found another group of friends to see as family. Jackson is a very similar character to Tyler. Lastly, Michael Trevino said for years that Klaroline was/is the issue with Tyler’s development.

side note: i forgot to add I firmly believe Caroline remains jealous of Elena throughout the entire show and expected Tyler to act the way Damon/Stefan does when Elena did something that was “bad” in their POV.

#Tyler Lockwood #tvd going on longer than it needed too is not why Tyler is so vastly hated lol #the writers used Tyler to uplift Caroline and once she got that fan favorite role they lessened him and made him Klaus slave #he could’ve done more had the plot allowed him to exist out of Caroline #leave my son alone lmao! marking Ty’s tag as another one i stay out of bc chile lmao #anti forwood #anti klaroline #anti klayley #anti hayley Marshall #anti Klaus Mikaelson #anti caroline forbes #anti stefan salvatore #anti steroline #caroline don’t offer shit in terms of storytelling lore or development but they made sure to force her down our damn throats with EVERYTHING #tvd #the vampire diaries #dria responds

[fruit-sy]

Finished watching the Soul Eater anime

AND I LOVE MAKA AND SOUL HOLY SHIT, YOUR HONOR THEY ARE A DUO . NEVER SEPARATE THEM AHSJBXKZHSB

After watching jjk, Nobara was my 2nd favourite character because of how she's both badass and girly, but I was bummed that she didn't appear as much as I wanted her to in the anime, so I looked to other animes where a girl was the main character and saw Soul Eater had a female main protagonist.

The first episode and I was HOOKED. LOVED IT AAA MAKA KNOWS HOW TO KICK ASS AND SHE'S SO COOL AGSJWWJCOQLFJWK

At first I was kinda on the fence about the art style, but after getting into the first episode I positively ADORE IT. So much charm and style and exaggerated poses which kinda reminds me of ROTTMNT in a way. I see people mentioning it was Tim Burton-esque, and I see it too. A lot of halloween vibes which was very fitting at the time.

Anyways, the fight animation was great, I loved Maka (and Soul) and I was very invested,, until the fanservice came out. I felt like bashing my skull against the wall and just dying inside because of how much I couldn't handle the cringe. But I held out because Maka was my light in the darkness.

Super glad I did because Maka is so fun to watch as a character huehehe. Her dynamic with other characters is really fun, she's a capable fighter and knows how to get around in a fight. She even goes off the hinge and if you know me that makes me giggle excitedly ehhehehehehe (poor crona tho ;_;)

My brother told me "It's an oldie but it's a goodie" and (for the most part) I very much agree. I was late to this anime by 14 years but better late than never amirite?

Anyways, Soul and Maka are everything to me and they should NOT be separated. Though Maka looks like the reasonable one, they're both equally dumbasses. They bicker a lot and sometimes have serious arguments which cause them to split apart, but their friendship runs very deep. I love how I feel like they stand equal with eachother, both pull their weight and one's presence completes the other's, whether literally through the weapon-meister relationship, or figuratively through their friendship and uplifiting eachother when they're down in the dumps.

Soul genuinely really cares for her. Like, he shields Maka in the fight with Stein, Crona, and when she fell, he's there to pull her out the deep end when she's gone into Madness or when her knees buckle under the pressure of a battle or when she's furious beyond belief, and he's loyal as hell and will go through hell and back for her

And the feeling is very mutual! Maka is devastated when he took a hit for her and is determined to get stronger. The scene where she picks up Soul although her hands were burnt by him was hype as hell.

Their whole schtick of like "staying cool" is also so adorable i cant my heart-

ANIME SPOILERS

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The first half of the anime was fantastic. Though it pains me to say the second half was rather lackluster and the ending was disappointing imo. I've heard whispers of spoilers that they fumbled with the ending but I wanted to make that judgement by myself.

It baffles me why these studios don't just put the series on hiatus until more chapters from the manga releases.

Anyways, I'm currently picking up from the manga and I'm hoping for a better ending and story there ;u;

#Fruit talks #Some surface level ramblings again for a thing that caught my attention and lives rent free in my head for the month #Love how Maka and Soul were written. they got eachother's backs and uplift one another like hoohh ❤️💖💕💞 #I can totally see them as platonic and romantic. both are really fun dynamics to explore huehehe #Anime with female protags

[aq2003]

I mean… Martha > Rose. At least Martha was more competent and Rose is just a whiny, annoying little shit tbh. And the fact that she is the one to look for the Doctor when he didn’t give a fuck about her anymore 💀

anon please never send doctor who takes to me again what the hell is this

#i do. prefer martha and donna as ten's companions specifically but i love rose and her dynamic w nine and if ur talking abt her #like this something is wrong w you lol. #rose is a deeply important character both in and out of the show. she's like 75% of the reason nuwho even took off #also when does ten stop caring abt/grieving her. sobbing emoji. are we watching the same show #unless this is something that happens in eleven's run but i doubt it #dr who #stop putting down one female character to uplift another when they're both great come on #10 era

[yeslordmyking]

Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. [ Read devo thought and prayer for this Bible verse ]

#God #Jesus #christianity #faith #encouragement #uplift one another #encourage one another #support one another #encourage others #uplift others #support others #good and faithful servant #obedient servant #labor for the Lord #do God's work #bible verse #heartlight

[r-u-s-a-l-k-a]

gay/bi mike wheeler discourse is so hilarious from my pov. I'm here sitting on my bench watching you all going at each other's troaths virtually, eating popcorn and knowing that Mike is straight, that the Duffer Brothers are lazy and they wrote Will to be in love with Mike because they wanted to take the safer route : sad gay kid pining over his straight best friend. They didn't add a new character for Will in season four because it wasn't suitable for Will and Mike storyline. If Argyle wouldn't have existed and in his place there would have been the new Will's love interest, what the fuck would Mike have done for eight episodes ? Will's storyline would have been different, he couldn't be Mike's counselor. Will and Mike's storylines in season four are attached not because there is this big plot twist around the corner and by*ler will be endgame, it's because of cheap, lazy writing. They didn't know what to do with both of them. So it's really funny reading this whole online discourse "Mike is clearly gay" "Mike is perfect bi representation" when i am here with a bitter taste in my mouth thinking that in good hands, in hands that really cared about queer identity and queer representation Will Byers would have been treated differently.

#a large group of GA still thinks that will has a crush on eleven #the duffers did an awful job with will in season four but i am happy for the ones of you that think that the slowburn is slowburning #i envy by*er shippers because they are blind to the awful treatment that will as character received #they focus only on mike queerness but i will have the last laugh when the duffer will make him head o er the heels for eleven #“last laugh” there is nothing to laugh will was used to uplift mi*even #the thing is that you all give the duffers too many credits #the last two episodes are terrible and guess who written those #but please go on and keep fighting about mike canon sexuality #spoiler : straight #will byers #anti byler #stranger things #talking about will because i dont' care about mike he is painfully straight #anti mike wheeler #will is the queer rep i care about and it stinks that they waited the final season to confirm on screen that he is gay #they didn't even bothered to film a 50 seconds scene when will talks about his presentation on alan turing #don't feed me the shit“there was no time” because there was time for fanservice like the scene when max look at steve with the binoculars #totally ooc by the way #i rewatched season four i am pissed #will is attached to mike will'sexuality his explored only in function of a character that is in another relationship #and for the whole season will gives advices to him it was horrible

[marshmellowtea]

ngl as a certified dark fic enjoyer i genuinely can’t get behind posts that are just pretentious drivel about how fluffier works are meaningless or inferior to more angsty works. like, maybe it’s because i’m also a certified fluff enjoyer as well, but it just annoys me to see people write them all off as silly or not as deep in the same way people who are annoying about dark fic write off all dark fic as misery porn or whatever. like. just because it’s not cathartic to you doesn’t mean it’s not cathartic to someone or that it doesn’t have deeper meaning period.

#granted i do find fluff more compelling when there is an angsty core at the center of it #thus my love of hurt/comfort #but like. i just really hate this attitude that you have to put down one genre to uplift another #y’all sound like morons #marshy speaks

[sukibenders]

Marina Thompson Crane is forced back into society following after, not only, her husband's death but discovering that he left everything in his name---from the land to the responsibilities to the money all connected to him---to her. She is now Lady Crane and surrounded by those who await to sink their teeth into her, just as they done before when she was younger, only now with some faux respectability given her new title.

Finding friends is hard, or maybe because she makes it so given the last time, so when Eloise Bridgerton starts making conversation with her Marina can't help but study it with a sharp eye. It's not the first time someone had tried to get in her good graces, throwing in an overly kind compliment that, once upon a time, would have made her heart soar, but now only makes her alert. She was in no mood for a repeat of her first season nor the events that followed. But Eloise keeps pushing, with all her stubbornness and lack of filter, hurriedly rushing to apologize whenever she makes a misstep before standing her ground the next. While most people, when they look to Marina, see an outcast, a woman who got off lucky but has no right to the title of her late husband, Eloise sees a woman subjected to the same harshness of their world that many others had not been so fortunate enough to withstand. Eloise sees someone who could inspire.

Marina appreciates her honesty and becomes more responsive towards the younger Bridgerton girl, indulging her from time to time. And, maybe, because it was nice to have a friend. Whenever Colin comes towards her, Eloise is always there to divert his attention, and whenever Marina attempts to seek out Penelope, the girl who always seems to lurk near the pair, Eloise quickly steers in the other direction with a cold look in response to the youngest Featherington.

It isn't long before a few other young girls flock to the pair, some well off while others are clinging to what they have left. They're all different from one another, but have a shared desire. They don't want a part in the ways of the Ton nor to lose their liberties, but fear the consequences if they do (for how could they remain standing on their own if things don't work out?) Marina is someone they respect. At first, she doesn't see it that way and quickly tries to wave them off, as she wants no part in some girls' rebellious behavior when she has her own children to think of, until she sees how desperate they are. How much she inspires them. How alone they are.

How much they remind her of herself.

Marina doesn't necessarily know how it starts, as it's a tedious process with how some members of society still see her as tarnished and don't want their children near her, but they work it out. Young girls flock to her home, seeking a break from the stresses of the Ton and their expectations, and leave with more knowledge of their self-worth and friendships that they've never had before. It doesn't start out as much, but it grows into something more than Marina could expect (or hope for).

It's also a surprise when the youngest Sharma sister stops by her door, all with a blinding smile and hopes to be accepted given the fact that society views her as a pariah and mocks her when they think she cannot hear. For it was her that ran away from the Viscount during their would be wedding, so she must be the problem. Marina sees that she lacks friends as well or, more so, a friend that can understand her grief. How could she turn her away? Answer: she never would.

#bridgerton #marina thompson #eloise bridgerton #edwina sharma #there's more that could be added to this but its main consensus is women & girls supporting one another #uplifting one another in a society that tries to drag them down #i might make this into a fic on my ao3 but idk #this was mainly to indulge myself but if anyone found it interesting let me know #this is mainly about marina bc i love her & she deserves better #her & eloise & edwina would definitely make great friends #the group helps any women in need whether they want to participate in the ton activities or not as no one is turned away

[javaberrychip1998]

I do have to say that I’m in love with every single one of the main characters in this show.

#Luffy is a character that in another genre would be the goofy sidekick but instead he’s the main character and can never die #and honestly I love that for him #Nami is a girlboss and the smartest person in the room by default #Zoro is an emo sword boy but in a fun way #Ussop is incredibly charming and I love the fact that he’s the only one with any romantic storyline #I even like Koby even though I’m only 4 episodes in and there’s a lot of potential for him to fuck things up #but he’s so conflicted and also genuinely wants to do the right thing #I’m very interested to see his storyline #honestly I even kind of like Helmeppo #just a pathetic loser of a man #also I know Shanks is only in flashbacks but he could fucking Get It #also the villains so far have been legitimately creepy #but then the show ends up being very uplifting and wholesome without any emotional whiplash #also sorry to the fans of the original I am new here and I’m sorry if I am mischaractering your blorbos #I’m just a big fan #opla

[mermaidsirennikita]

The dichotomy between what's popular according to booktok (from what I've see) from the most blandest books imaginable to the most taboo erotica you can think of is kinda wild.

I think that what gets me with taboo books recommended by BookTok is that they're usually very poorly written. And if the writing is poor, you're not really getting the full "shock" value.

Like, when you read Sierra Simone's Thornchapel series, the scenes read as really intense because Sierra is an excellent writer. In contrast, a book like Hooked (that one dark romance~ modern Captain Hook book, a concept I was very open to and wanted to like, for the record) is very badly written. There's taboo content and a horrible hero, but like... It just reads juvenile.

I'm about 65% through A Kiss at Midnight by Anne Stuart, a historical romance that is QUITE dark, but the writing is frankly fabulous. Because Stuart can write, the darkness (which is not like, the corny "oh he's so bad he's in a motorcycle gang" torture sequence stuff--it's TRULY intense and pretty accurate for the era) is balanced out by emotional progression and honestly? A very dry, at times dark humor. If a lesser writer handled this plotline, it would just seem like shock factor after shock factor layered on just to get people talking. Very 2edgy4me.

And I'm gonna be really real here. Some fanfic authors are made to transition to actual published books. I think Ali Hazelwood writes a really solid contemporary romance. I really enjoyed You, Again by Kate Goldbeck, and that's based on a fic I actually read. The Hurricane Wars works as a book. (And mind you, let's not take away from the work the editors and authors did to rework fics into actual books here.)

Some fic authors are meant to stay fic authors and to excel at that. I personally think that one of the reasons why we have so many blaaand romance novels right now is that a) some of them are written by less-equipped fic authors trying to write real books and b) some of the authors have read less actual books than they have fics.

There are some tensely plotted, exciting fics out there. But personally? I think the standout nature of those fics--fics like Manacled, which... I think.... is not.... for me. However, bland it is not lol--makes people think that is the NORM for fic, when it's not. The norm for fic, and what I think a lot of more casual fic consumers and people who read more fic than they do books (compared to a lot of romance readers who turn to fic to supplement their reading habits) is very plotless slice of life stuff.

And that's not meant to be derogatory. It works, especially when you're writing about characters a lot of people know and love and are PROGRAMMED to know and love. Even if it's AU and they're basically other people, if you're writing a modern, sedate romcom about Katniss and Peeta and she mentions going to archery classes and Peeta being a baker, people are like aawwwww and they enjoy the nicely written scenes that are just people being people.

That.... ultimately creates a bland story when you're writing a book about original characters nobody has a preexisting investment in.

#romance novel blogging #lol idk sometimes i feel like fic gets this sweeping pass bc we're not supposed to critique the work #and not critiquing the work is fine i'm not here to tell y'all a thing someone is doing for free is bad when they don't want feedback #BUT... i think it's fair to critique the way fic has been uplifted and held on this pedestal compared to books #and EQUATED to books #which is my biggest complaint always #it's not better or worse it's different and if you think you can transition from fics to books #without reworking your products and your style #and frankly often putting a lot more work in #... idk man that's just so low effort and i personally think that's one reason why we see subpar books where nothing happens #they've always existed some people just do that lol but some of it i read and i'm like #this is like someone wrote a review 200k word fic about absolutely nothing changed the names and bit publish #(and another thing--one way you CAN tell there is a different type of work being done with fic is the wordcount dif #the standard for say a historical romance #which is often given more room traditionally in terms of word count than a contemporary romance #is 100k words #contemporaries often have landed between 80k-100k #then you have these 150k contemporaries and they're bloated as hell #but that wordcount is not unusual for fics #and fics are nORMALLY if edited at all being edited by amateur beta readers who do not professionally edit work #and often only look for typos or scene/character issues versus things like overarching plot and structural weakness #ADDITIONALLY! when you read a fic you're usually reading someone writing in real time #whereas if you are reading a well-done actual book you're reading someone's like... billionth draft that's been worked over by #multiple eyes. and i include indie in this bc the really good indie books have usually been professionally edited #on top of critique partners proofers etc) #ANYWAY. MY RANT.

[cherry-pop-soda]

MISS SCARLET AND THE DUKE 3.04 - Bloodline

#miss scarlet and the duke #msatd #UNHINGED COMMENTARY BELOW -> #okay so first of all i just had to gif this scene because i really almost cried watching it the first time #i feel like the collective Fandom Hivemind was so busy being annoyed that william was gone for two eps and annoyed at william for the #arabella debacle (which is understandable) that a lot of the really amazing details from this episode especially #this scene got overlooked a little #this whole show just makes really good commentary on feminism #it repeatedly makes and demonstrates the point that true feminism is supposed to uplift *everyone* #this scene being one of many cases in point #i could ramble on about that concept forever but i should make another post for that #also this is my first time trying my hand at making gifs with words involved so i hope they turned out alright !!! #i had to brighten and recolor this SO MUCH dude i love this show but it is. a bit shadowy sometimes #but anyways !!! here’s my little contribution to the fandom and i hope to make more in the future :D #i’m planning a fanfic as well but well. who knows how long that will take me to write lol #don’t look at me i always write SO MANY TAGS on my posts lmfao