Astoria

writer 🪴 she/her prompts & excerpts

[staff]

tumblr tuesday: the greatest mafia movie

There's so much lore. An original soundtrack (masterlist here, thanks to @thisisnotjuli). It all began with a pair of boots. Then, a movie poster by @beelzeebub:

And here's how it's going:

@ms-musers:

@lspy:

@monsterhospital:

@waldwynde:

@fireleaptfromhousetohouse:

@mjulmjul:

@marella-moon:

@holl-horse:

@bricktoygrapher:

@greenscircus:

@theshitpostcalligrapher:

@sweetdollface:

@onion-souls:

@onemagpie:

@gregspectations:

@mimiadraws:

@flurgburgler:

@shrugsinchinese:

@runfreebirdrun:

@when-sanpape-arts:

@marblellous:

@ynngaa:

@vanwizard:

@inthefallofasparrow:

@1percentcharge:

And lastly, before she was Wonderwoman, @reallyndacarter was "Dancer #2." She has kindly revealed this hitherto unreleased photo from the world premier of the film:

Obsessed with Goncharov? Need more? If you want to join in, please be sure to use the tags #goncharov (for posterity) and #unreality (for those who need it). Take care out there!

[astoricreads]

vignette iii

The way they told it, she emerged from the black earth with berries in her teeth.

[cedar-west-deactivated20230408]

If your plot feels flat, STUDY it! Your story might be lacking...

Stakes - What would happen if the protagonist failed? Would it really be such a bad thing if it happened?

Thematic relevance - Do the events of the story speak to a greater emotional or moral message? Is the conflict resolved in a way that befits the theme?

Urgency - How much time does the protagonist have to complete their goal? Are there multiple factors complicating the situation?

Drive - What motivates the protagonist? Are they an active player in the story, or are they repeatedly getting pushed around by external forces? Could you swap them out for a different character with no impact on the plot? On the flip side, do the other characters have sensible motivations of their own?

Yield - Is there foreshadowing? Do the protagonist's choices have unforeseen consequences down the road? Do they use knowledge or clues from the beginning, to help them in the end? Do they learn things about the other characters that weren't immediately obvious?

[astoricreads]

So excited to dive into the stories in the @sttermsofservice zine!

Star Trek: Terms of Service Zine

"At what cost? Your ship. Your son." "If I hadn't tried, the cost would've been my soul."

[astoricreads]

vignette ii

Her eyelashes and lips are quivering. If she opened her mouth, she could capture sunlight on her tongue.

[astoricreads]

vignette i

There’s a table in the library where no one sits. Dust coats the dark wood like a fine film, filtering through the sunlight in slow arcs. The table leans heavily on one leg, sagging beneath a memory that has passed. The chairs are low, and empty. A ghost sits in one of them and sighs.