sleepyowlwrites:

I knew watching one episode of Sanditon without context wasn’t going to be good for me. but my mom wanted company, and I’m a good buddy.

fromdirt in the doing:

There are many reasons why Jet loves to fight, and the satisfaction of seeing his opponent reel away from him in stunned shock is only one of them.

Copper doesn’t understand this, though he tries. Jet can’t decide whether he appreciates this or not. One the one hand, it’s generous of his brother to put so much effort in reinstating their former bond, and from Jet’s fragmented childhood memories, very accurate to character. On the other hand, the further Copper delves into reasons and motivations, the more Jet is forced to think about them.

“You don’t ever have to tell me more than you’re comfortable with,” Copper reiterates. He’s sitting cross-legged on Jet’s couch, elbows on knees, chin on closed fists.

Jet slumps to the side a little, sliding his hands down his legs. “I’m uncomfortable with telling you anything.”

A hand touches his hair. Jet doesn’t turn around, just sits very still on the ground in front of Copper, letting him thread through the strands far too gently for someone of his roughness.

“Do I scare you?” Copper sounds mostly amused, with a trace of apprehension.

Jet isn’t sure if he subconsciously tries to attune himself to Copper’s nuances or if he just never lost the ability during their time apart. Perhaps twins can’t lose what other siblings might. Copper has insisted that they’ll get back everything they missed out on. Jet knows there’s nothing to recover, and despite his fearlessness in every other area, where his brother is concerned, Jet finds himself easily disturbed.

If Copper asks him any question, seriously, with eyes that will search out the answer in silence if not in spoken words, Jet will feel compelled to answer.

sleepyowlwrites:

dirt in the doing has reached 12K and I’m afraid the moon is going to start to wane. let’s stay full a while longer, please?

Jet has just enough room in his apartment for one other person to stay over, and that’s stretching it, because all he really has is a bed that technically fits two people.

When Hawk stayed over during that first week of their extremely strained acquaintanceship, Jet had made him sleep on the couch. The second night, Hawk rolled off and made such a big deal out of the bruises that Jet gave in and let him sleep on the bed. That is, Jet just about shoved a spoon through Hawk’s eyeball, complained about it to Moss like an idiot, and was soft-glared into allowing the second occupant.

Then there’d been the whole nightmare debacle, the somewhat unwilling confession, and the turmoil that had sat in Jet’s guts for the entire rest of the week while he came to the realization that he was an asshole, was not sorry about it, but was at least willing to not hate Hawk anymore.

Jet has just enough room in his apartment for a second person, and maybe a third if someone else wants to chance the couch, but he doesn’t think he could withstand knowing that three people are sharing his place. If Copper is sleeping over, that leaves no emotional space for anyone else.

Even, or perhaps especially, if for some reason there’s an exhausted Rune standing in front of him at eleven o’clock at night, and Copper is indeed already asleep on Jet’s bed.

“It’s late,” is what comes out of Jet’s mouth. Apparently his filters flee the scene the second Rune is there.

“Yeah,” she says, angrily. Angrily? Jet does not have the energy to spar with an angry Rune.

sleepyowlwrites:

writing prompts! more cursed friendship lines edition

they’re mine, but now they’re yours!

1. are you asking because you just now noticed or because you want to make sure others have noticed too?
2. well, we can’t all run on sunshine.
3. how do you still have a straight face right now?
4. I know what I just said, but just because I said doesn’t mean I mean it and just because I mean it doesn’t mean I said it, except that one is more problematic because then people don’t know what I mean.
5. You just know me pretty well, that’s all. You’re not super smart or anything.
6. what do you mean what do we do? We take pictures as evidence and complain about it later.
7. alright, I’m gonna tell you straight up. I don’t like you. You’re always rolling up your sleeves and scaring me.
8. I can’t take the fall for this. No way. I’ve been falling all week and my shins are all purple.
9. I think you threatened to steal something of mine and in my sleep-deprived state, I felt vaguely fearful and forgot that I could just tackle you and hold you prisoner.
10. I want to be a unicorn when I grow up.
11. why are you able to translate everything into an opportunity to hug me?
12. you two have been staring at each other for a while.
13. you have to ask me! Spoiler alert - the answer’s no.
14. do you think you can just solve all my problems with ice cream?
15. in conclusion, there’s something wrong with me and I’m in good company.
16. why do you have to assume I did something?
17. I stole your shoes and you chased me down and hit me on the head.
18. if you kick me in your sleep I’m kicking back.
19. I said I was going for a jog. I said it just this morning. Don’t you remember?
20. oh, well, don’t let me interrupt your soulmate time.
21. are you okay? Do you need anything? You’ll sleep with me tonight. Or do you want to sleep alone? Whatever you want. I was really worried! Gosh, you’re gonna make me old! Take care of yourself! I’ll take care of you, too. Are you really okay?
22. You could pick me up anytime if someone challenged you to do it.
23. anger takes energy and I have none to spare, so I’m just passively aggressive.
24. well, this has been very enlightening, but I think I’m going to bed.
25. I’m sorry, but you shoot about as well as a stormtrooper with a faulty blaster who’s blundering around in a jungle at midnight in a thunderstorm with a concussion and his shoes tied together.

sleepyowlwrites:

I miss having color in these tags. but I don’t trust beta poster yet. despite this being day for stab, I filled two bags with clothes for donation, filled two bins with winter clothes and put them away in the attic, did my taxes (yes I’m very procrastinate), played Spiritfarer, took care of the dog, had three long conversations with fictional characters about MY fictional characters to work out some backstories, and did laundry. I haven’t written yet. @zmwrites

comfortable(the sleepy stash, 2021)

a black sky that isn’t really a sky, it’s just a ceiling, but it looms far above nevertheless, and from it hang many pinprick points of lights, some dangling farther down than others, some fastened to the velvet of the black by delicate golden chains. a soft humming lullaby is coming from somewhere, perhaps your own chest, but it permeates the room and colors the air warmer, more comfortableby its sound. the black is not a fright, it is a friend.

lean(summon story supplemental - I feel like I’ve used this exact snippet for this exact word before. oh well)

“You have my name,” the shidha had said. “And I will kill for you. But you will kill for me, too.”

“That is for me to decide,” she had insisted while the shidha laughed at her. “I am the summoner.”

“Summoners are humans, and humans can also be commanded. I will kill for you,” it had leanedover the edge of the array, still bound but menacing all the same, “and to make sure I do not kill for myself, you will kill for me.”

It had not been a question. “Yes,” she had answered eventually, because what else could she do? She had chosen this method.

tremble(turquoise, 2022)

A fresh-face to the world, even if the years have been long, and every crack and every crevice holds the sky upon its heart. And it sings without borders, and it perches in the light, and it wavers and it wonders if the stars can stand the night. A child beneath eternity. A piece of sky beneath the storm. But never trembling, or cowed. Daylight, drinking warmth.

hot (blood curse - these fics will always have a special place in my heart)

Jin Feng lifted a hand and a stream of black energy was pulled from Meili to him. She looked at him in surprise, still coughing up bitter blood. He smiled grimly, taking yet more energy from her, but some of the restraints of the curse as well. The poison left her body, but the loss of blood was still effectual at weakening her significantly. She turned her head toward Jingyi, hating to see him looking back at her helplessly.

“Our lives aren’t tied,” she said, blinking back the creeping dark. “Since you’re here, you might as well kill him.” White hotpain lanced through her chest. Meili shuddered and gasped.

experience, fear, uneasy, blank. BONUS: despise, inquire.@ambsthom@writingamongther0ses@toboldlywrite@akindofmagictoo@softestruler OR ANYBODY 

sleepyowlwrites:

and not today, in particular. so basic bonding it is.

from dirt in the doing:

“I can think of at least six reasons why you should come,” Yarrow says with his feet planted wide, hands on his hips.

Jet pulls the damp rag Shadow just flung at him off his face, forcibly suppressing the urge to throw something much heavier back at him. “Yeah? Tell me.”

“You barely leave the garage unless you’re itching for a fight, you need to spend more time with your friends not spent in silence, you also need fresh air, I always end up buying extra snacks so you can help carry them, if I tell Rune that you denied my request for help she will scold you, and if you stick around, Moss will make you help clean the place up.” Yarrow ticked each reason off on his fingers before grinning at Jet.

“How did you possibly have a full six reasons ready to tell me?” Jet tossed away the rag.

Yarrow shrugged. “I know you. You argue about everything. I have to be prepared if I’m gonna win.”

“You’re only winning this time because I prefer carrying groceries to cleaning the garage.”

“A win is a win,” Yarrow tells him seriously, and Jet knows he means it.

Shadow flings an arm around Jet’s shoulders in that careful way of his. “Ready to go?”

Jet flicks Shadow’s arm but doesn’t shove it off, instead letting it sit there while they leave the garage. It’s a comforting weight, not that Jet would tell that to Shadow.

sleepyowlwrites:

from dirt in the doing.

It’s not like he has any extra feelings to spare. He barely has any for himself. The necessary ones mostly: anger, stubbornness, unfortunately sensible fear, even more unfortunate desire. Jet runs on adrenaline and spite and he doesn’t need or want other people around cluttering up his spaces or plans unless they’re going to listen to him and be useful.

-

Because Copper communicates. Jet shuts everything inside.

-

Jet doesn’t have feelings. He can’t afford them. They weigh him down and tangle up his thoughts.

-

It’s too early for this. It’s too early to be itching for a fight, to admit a new person into his personal circle of protection, to be thinking about planning a murder.

-

Jet feels any sympathy he had for her dissolve into anger. An easy switch, one he’s very used to. Emotion for adrenaline, his favorite trade-off.

-

Jet can’t recall lying to her, but he also can’t deny that his behavior has just been terrible, and that the hypocrisy of demanding she allow their help is much too similar to his own philosophy of taking care of things himself.

-

Jet doesn’t do this, doesn’t say these things. But he’s slowly realizing that change is not the most terrible thing to happen. He is capable of caring, and it’s not the end of the world.

-

There had better be benefits to becoming a more considerate person, or he is going to kill something.

-

Usually learning his lesson takes a lot longer than a single fight, and Jet knows that there a plenty of lessons he refuses to learn simply because he likes getting into those fights, but he won’t do that with Rune. 

-

Jet glances at Moss and they share a silent thread of fondness for the children that their friends are, before Jet looks away first. He can’t be too generous. Perhaps moments like these are precious but he doesn’t know how to hold them. Better to let them go as soon as possible and move on, hoping there will be more but unwilling to trust in it.

-

Despite his fearlessness in every other area, where his brother is concerned, Jet finds himself easily disturbed. If Copper asks him any question, seriously, with eyes that will search out the answer in silence if not in spoken words, Jet will feel compelled to answer.

-

Jet kicks a stone in Yarrow’s direction. It doesn’t hit him, and the bright sounds of Yarrow’s laughter make Jet want to join in. Shadow is laughing too, his hand gripping Jet’s shoulder to keep his balance.

It comes as a surprise to know that this makes him happy. It comes as a surprise to know that he’s been craving this.

Shadow releases him to make Yarrow walk normally before he trips and injures himself. In the absence of an audience, Jet smiles.

ddarker-dreams:

fanfic writer asks.

1. What’s your favorite character(s) to write for?
2. What character(s) do you find the most difficult to write for? Why?
3. Do you have a favorite scene you’ve written from [Fanfic Name] story/chapter? 
4. Did you have any ideas that didn’t make the final cut of [Fanfic Name]? 
5. Do you listen to music when writing? 
6. If you listen to music when writing, what were you listening to when writing [Fanfic Name]?
7. What story/headcanons do you feel the proudest of? 
8. Do you prefer writing one-shots or multi chaptered stories?
9. If you had to assign a theme song to [Fanfic Name], which would you assign? 
10. What is the line you’re proudest of from [Fanfic Name]? 
11. How would you describe your style? (Character/emotion/action-driven, etc)
12. Who is your favorite author? 
13. When did you start writing fanfic? 
14. How do you feel about your older work? 
15. What is the fanfic you’ve written that you’re most proud of? 
16. What fanfic tropes do you avoid writing for?
17. What fanfic tropes do you gravitate to writing for? 
18. Do you prefer editing as you write, or waiting until it’s finished? 
19. What words do you think you tend to use the most? 
20. What feedback makes you the happiest to hear?
21. Is there an idea you’ve always wanted to write, but haven’t yet? 
22. Do you enjoy making OCs for your fanfics, or prefer sticking to canon characters? 
23. How much do you stick to canon? 
24. Do you prefer AUs with the characters, or sticking to the original universe? 
25. What scene in [Fanfic Name] took the longest to write? What was difficult about it? 
26. Are titles for your stories easy to come up with? 
27. What time of day do you prefer to write?
28. Is there a part of [Fanfic Name] you’re surprised no one has picked up on yet? 
29. What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most? (Brainstorming, outlining, writing, editing, etc) 
30. Do you write down all your ideas? What makes you decide to write one versus the other?
31. What was the development process of [Fanfic Name] like? 
32. What story do you think showcases your signature style the most? 
33. Have you ever stopped yourself from writing something? Why?
34. Have you felt emotional while writing a scene before? What scene was it?
35. Where’s your favorite place to write? 
36. What fanfic of yours has the symbolism you’re proudest of? 
37. Would you ever collaborate with another writer for a story? 
38. What story of yours are you surprised that people liked as much as they did? 
39. What area of writing do you feel strongest in?
40. What area of writing do you want to improve in?

angelscas:

rb this to give the person you reblogged this from a gold star because they’ve been stellar today and they deserve it ⭐️

a-completely-normal-writer:

temeraire:

i adore when people have diy blorbos. like they made an oc and went “oh this little freak Rules” and they just dont shut up about them. i think its fantastic i love it so much

Blorbo from my brain <3

jedda-martele:

botherkupo:

kindofwriter-reblogs:

A note on “predictable” storytelling

I just watched Detevtive Pikachu and let me tell you, I absolutely loved it. The animation was adorable, the storyline was interesting, the acting was great.

But before the film even started I’d already guessed what the twist ending was going to be.

And it ruined nothing.

Not only did I get an immense sense of satisfaction, but watching the big reveal was actually my favourite part. It’s almost like audiences wait the entire movie to see the plot-climax.

But you know who didn’t guess the plot twist? My five year old brother. My little cousin. The kids I babysit for. You know, the majority of the target audience? And my dad, who wasn’t particularly invested in the plot, but thought the ending tied the story up nicely.

And you know what else? No one on the creative team for DP needed to put out a big announcement saying ‘do not under any circumstances spoil our film’ and yet I hadn’t encountered a single spoiler prior to watching the film today.

I know a million people have said it already, but the types of people who guess the endings of films/books/series usually do so because a) they’re just as invested, if not more so, than the creators b) they’re a writer themselves, therefore very familiar with plot structures c) the creators intentionally laid groundwork for their big reveal.

When DP ended I didn’t think ‘God, that was predictable.’ I thought ‘wow, that’s exactly how I would’ve ended it if I was writing!’ And that’s not a bad thing: that’s 100% customer satisfaction!

Stories should surprise with the little things: unexpected friendships, startlingly beautiful quotes, bursts of character development. But I’m all for the plot being carefully laid out and easy to follow.

This!!! I’m so sick to death of writers trying so hard to surprise their audience that they butcher characters and satisfying storytelling along the way.

Like I’m editing an author’s fantasy series at the moment and have accurately guessed all the major stuff that was going to happen, and that is a good thing. It means that clues were left. It means that if someone is trying hard enough to find the little details and piece it together, they’ll be able to get a good idea of where the plot and characters are heading.

An “out there” plot twist does not = a satisfying story/ending.

Detective Pikachu and the first Percy Jackson series of books are both great examples of this. They are good stories, well told but not particularly surprising if you pay attention to details and/or often used fantasy tropes. And that’s not bad! Both for their main target audience and for anyone who wants to enjoy a story without it being some sort of competition with the writers where they lose if you’re not shocked enough.

ellatholmes:

sometimes when i have writer’s block i like to write a quick scene in which my main character is going Absolutley Ham ™ on a literal block of wood/stone/slime no writing rules no conventions just an angry little mind-gremlin breaking something down so i can then go on to traumatise them through the narrative :-)

aww-canon-no:

I’ve seen a lot of fanfic writers ask for tips to write Deaf characters so I thought I would write some out to help make authentic.  Also feel free to send ask for any questions! 

• Deaf characters exist on a spectrum- it’s rare to have no residual hearing.
• Deaf characters can’t magically hear perfect with assistive devices. Hearing aids are in the name- an aid.  They make it easier to pick up some sounds.  They are also expensive and a lot of insurance won’t cover.  
• ASL- American Sign Language.  Deaf characters raised by hearing family might not have access to ASL until later in life.  Percentage of Deaf kids educated in fluent ASL is low.
• ASL has own grammar and syntax totally different from English,  But! It is okay to write ASL in spoken English grammar, especially if you don’t know ASL.  We know what you mean!
• Avoid Deaf and hearing characters signing and speaking long sentences at the same time. It’s called Sim-Com and ASL users who can do it are rare because sentence structures are totally different.  It would be like trying to write a sentence in English at the exact same time (word for word) as someone speaks it in French.   Sim-com usually used with SEE and still hard for fluent ASL Deaf to follow.
• Deaf characters can be dizzy!  Many many Deaf have tinnitus and vertigo.  Comes with many hearing loss conditions.  Vertigo can also be triggered by flashing lights, heavy bass sounds.  (very annoying in the car when driving and someone has loud, shake your car bass)
• Deaf characters can also can have balance problems from inner ear issues.
• Deaf characters can enjoy music!  Many ways to enjoy music besides hearing all of it.
• Lip reading is hard.  You need to start at the beginning of the conversation, need constant context, and when you lose the thread it’s hard to get back.  Many many words look the same on lips that sound totally different.  Avoid magic lipreading in characters.
• Character doesn’t need to have a Deaf accent.
• Deaf character doesn’t need to talk loud.  Many Deaf talk very soft because they feel vibrations before the vibrations make audible noise.
• Deaf characters can be very fluent in written English and great writers but still have very poor sentence skills when being casual in texting or conversation (like me!)  Hard to go from ASL to English brain, and makes you tired.
• Deaf characters can use ASL Slang!  ASL has colloquial signs that have no direct English translation but we use all the time (peh peh, train go sorry, champ, etc etc)   Here are some examples!

That’s all I have for now.  Hope it helped!