what the heck

References for art, writing, and RPGs

[hayatheauthor]

The Writer's Guide to Authentic Wounds and Fatalities

Writing fatal injuries in a story requires a delicate balance between realism and narrative impact. The portrayal of these life-altering events can evoke strong emotions in readers and shape the trajectory of your characters' journeys. In this blog, I will explore the intricacies of depicting fatal injuries in a manner that feels authentic, engaging, and respectful to the gravity of such circumstances. By understanding the nuances of fatal injuries, you will be equipped to craft compelling narratives that resonate with your readers.

Writing Fatal Injuries

When it comes to writing fatal injuries, it is crucial to approach the subject with care and accuracy. Fatal injuries carry immense consequences for your characters and can shape the trajectory of your story. By delving into the intricacies of portraying fatal injuries authentically, you can ensure that the gravity and impact of such events are effectively conveyed to your readers.

Choosing the right injuries for your story

Selecting the appropriate fatal injuries for your narrative involves considering various factors. Ask yourself: What purpose does this injury serve within the story? How does it affect the characters and the overall plot? Conduct thorough research to identify injuries that align with your story's context and resonate with the emotional journey of your characters.

For example, in a historical drama, you may research common fatal injuries during a particular era, such as battlefield injuries, diseases, or accidents prevalent at the time. In a crime thriller, you might explore the portrayal of fatal gunshot wounds or traumatic injuries resulting from violent encounters. By aligning the injuries with the context and themes of your story, you create a more immersive and believable experience for your readers.

Researching the mechanics of fatal injuries

To portray fatal injuries convincingly, it is essential to delve into the mechanics behind them. Understand the specific anatomical structures and systems involved, as well as the forces or mechanisms that can lead to fatal outcomes. Explore medical resources, consult experts if possible, and gather insights into the physiological and psychological implications of such injuries.

For instance, if your character suffers a fatal stab wound, research the anatomy involved, the potential organs affected, and the potential consequences such as internal bleeding or organ failure. By understanding the specific details and implications of the injury, you can describe the physical and emotional toll it takes on the character with greater accuracy and depth.

Depicting the immediate aftermath

When writing about fatal injuries, vividly describe the immediate aftermath to capture the intense emotions and physical realities. Consider the sensory details, the shock and disbelief experienced by characters, and the chaotic environment that often surrounds such events. Balancing realism with the needs of your story, create a scene that immerses readers and evokes empathy.

For example, if a character experiences a fatal car accident, you can depict the chaos at the scene, the character's disorientation, and the reactions of witnesses. Emphasize the sensory details such as the sound of screeching tires or the smell of burning rubber, creating a visceral experience for your readers.

Emotional and dramatic impact on the narrative

The impact of fatal injuries extends beyond the immediate moment. Explore the ripple effects on other characters, relationships, and the overall plot. Delve into the emotional responses, grief, guilt, anger, or determination that arises in the aftermath of loss. Utilize these emotional arcs to deepen character development and drive the narrative forward.

For instance, the loss of a loved one due to a fatal illness might lead to grief and strained relationships among the remaining family members. The emotional journey of a character grappling with guilt and seeking redemption after causing a fatal accident can become a central theme in your story. By delving into these emotional arcs and their consequences, you add depth and resonance to your narrative.

Writing Minor Injuries

While fatal injuries may capture our attention with their dramatic impact, it is equally important to pay attention to the portrayal of minor injuries in your writing. Minor injuries, though less severe, can still significantly affect your characters and contribute to the authenticity of your story. In this section, we will explore the art of depicting minor injuries, ensuring that they are not overlooked or trivialized. By delving into the nuances of minor injuries, you can add depth and realism to your characters' experiences.

Types of minor injuries to consider

When crafting your story, it is essential to consider a range of minor injuries that can occur. These injuries can include cuts, bruises, sprains, minor burns, or even minor fractures. Each type of injury carries its own unique characteristics, associated pain levels, and recovery processes. By understanding these distinctions, you can create accurate and believable depictions that resonate with your readers.

For example, a character who sustains a cut on their hand may experience sharp pain, the sight of blood, and the need for immediate first aid. On the other hand, a character with a sprained ankle may struggle with mobility, experience swelling, and require rest and care for a few days. By paying attention to these specific details, you can enhance the realism of your storytelling.

Conveying pain and discomfort

When writing about minor injuries, it is important to effectively convey the pain and discomfort experienced by your characters. Consider describing the sensation of pain, the throbbing or stinging feeling, and how it affects their daily activities or interactions. Showcasing the emotional impact of pain, such as frustration, irritation, or vulnerability, can deepen the readers' connection to the character's experience.

For instance, if a character suffers from a sprained wrist, you can describe the dull ache that persists, making simple tasks like typing or holding objects challenging. By capturing these small but significant moments, you immerse readers in the character's struggle and create a more realistic portrayal.

Balancing realism with narrative pace

While it is important to depict minor injuries realistically, it is also crucial to strike a balance with the overall pace and momentum of your story. Consider the significance of the injury within the larger context of your narrative. Some injuries may require more detailed attention and impact the plot, while others may serve as background elements. Adjust the level of detail and focus accordingly, ensuring that the portrayal of minor injuries aligns with the narrative's flow.

For example, a small cut on a character's finger may not require an extensive description unless it becomes infected or triggers an unexpected consequence. By aligning the portrayal of minor injuries with their narrative relevance, you maintain a consistent pace while still acknowledging their impact on your characters' lives.

Writing Bloodshed And Realistic Blood Loss

When writing about wounds and injuries, it is essential to consider the amount of blood loss your characters may experience. Realistic portrayal of bloodshed can enhance the authenticity of your scenes and immerse readers in the gravity of the situation. In this section, we will explore the factors influencing blood loss and techniques for accurately depicting it in your writing.

Understanding blood loss and its impact on the body

To authentically portray blood loss, it's crucial to have a basic understanding of how the human body responds to injury. Research the circulatory system and the role of blood in transporting oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Consider the different types of blood vessels and their potential for bleeding when injured. This knowledge will help you create realistic scenarios and determine the appropriate level of blood loss for specific injuries.

Factors influencing blood loss in different injury scenarios

The amount of blood loss can vary depending on the severity and location of the injury. Factors such as the size of blood vessels, the rate of bleeding, and the body's ability to clot play a significant role. For example, a deep laceration in an artery will result in more substantial blood loss compared to a superficial cut on the skin. Consider these factors when describing injuries and their resulting bloodshed.

Techniques for accurately portraying blood loss in writing

There are several techniques you can use to convey the realistic impact of blood loss in your writing. Describing the color, consistency, and flow of blood can provide vivid imagery. You can also include physical symptoms such as dizziness, weakness, or fainting that may accompany significant blood loss. Additionally, consider the emotional response of your characters and how they react to the sight of blood or their own injuries.

By incorporating these techniques, you can create scenes that evoke a visceral response in readers and enhance the authenticity of your writing.

Bruises: Colors, Progression, and Pain

Bruises are a common result of injuries, and understanding how they form, change in color, and cause discomfort can greatly enhance the realism of your writing. By accurately describing bruises, you can bring depth to your characters' injuries and portray their healing process convincingly.

Understanding the stages and colors of bruises

Bruises go through distinct stages of color as they heal. Initially, they may appear red or purple due to the broken blood vessels beneath the skin. Over time, the color changes to blue, green, yellow, and eventually fades to a brown or yellowish hue. Understanding this color progression can help you accurately describe the age of a bruise and the healing process.

For example, a fresh bruise might be vivid purple, indicating recent trauma, while a fading bruise may have a yellowish tinge, suggesting that healing has begun. By incorporating these color details, you can add realism to your characters' injuries and track the passage of time within your narrative.

Depicting the progression of bruises over time

As bruises heal, they often change in appearance and size. Initially, a bruise may be small and localized, but it can gradually spread and become more extensive. Describing this progression can provide a sense of the healing process and the passage of time within your story.

For instance, a character who sustains a significant blow to the face may develop a bruise that starts as a small spot near the eye but expands to cover a larger area over the next few days. By accurately portraying the progression of bruises, you enhance the authenticity of your characters' injuries and their recovery.

Conveying the pain and sensitivity associated with bruises

Bruises can be painful, sensitive to touch, and affect a character's movement and daily activities. Describing the pain and discomfort experienced by your characters can create empathy and immerse readers in their physical ordeals.

Consider conveying the tenderness of a bruise when pressure is applied, the throbbing sensation, or the limitation of movement due to the pain.

Remember The Side Effects

Injuries, whether minor or severe, often come with a range of side effects that can significantly impact your characters' lives. These side effects can extend beyond the physical realm and encompass emotional, psychological, and social aspects.

Physical side effects

Injuries can have profound physical side effects that go beyond the immediate pain and discomfort. Consider the potential consequences such as limited mobility, impaired coordination, chronic pain, or the need for assistive devices like crutches or braces. Describing these physical side effects can add depth to your characters' struggles and provide a realistic portrayal of their healing journey.

For example, a character who sustains a leg injury may experience difficulty walking, require physical therapy, or have long-term complications that affect their day-to-day activities. By addressing these physical side effects, you create a more nuanced depiction of the aftermath of injuries.

Emotional and psychological side effects

Injuries can have a profound emotional and psychological impact on characters. They may experience fear, anxiety, trauma, or a loss of confidence. Consider how the injury affects their self-image, relationships, or mental well-being. Explore the emotional journey your characters undergo as they navigate the aftermath of their injuries.

For instance, a character who survives a near-fatal accident may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and struggle with recurring nightmares or panic attacks. By incorporating these emotional and psychological side effects, you can deepen the complexity of your characters and their responses to traumatic experiences.

Social implications and changes

Injuries can also lead to significant social changes for your characters. They may face challenges in their personal relationships, encounter stigma or discrimination, or experience changes in their roles or identities. Explore how the injury affects their interactions with others and their sense of belonging in the world.

For example, a character who sustains a facial injury may encounter judgment or stares from others, leading to self-consciousness or isolation. By addressing the social implications and changes resulting from injuries, you can create multi-dimensional characters and explore the impact of their injuries on their social dynamics.

By incorporating these various side effects into your writing, you bring depth and authenticity to your characters' experiences and showcase the wide-ranging impact of injuries.

Conclusion

Writing authentic wounds and fatalities requires attention to detail and a deep understanding of the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects involved. By following the guidelines and exploring the subheadings discussed in this guide, you can create compelling and realistic portrayals of injuries in your writing.

Remember to conduct thorough research on the specific injuries you want to depict, understanding their mechanics, symptoms, and potential outcomes. Consider the immediate and long-term effects on your characters, both physically and emotionally. Incorporate sensory details to immerse readers in the experience, describing the pain, bloodshed, colors of bruises, and the progression of healing.

Additionally, don't forget to address the side effects that injuries can have on your characters' lives. Explore the physical limitations, emotional struggles, and social implications that arise from their injuries. By delving into these aspects, you can create well-rounded characters and compelling narratives that resonate with readers.

I hope this blog on forging epic battles will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and publishing tips for authors every Monday and Thursday! And don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey! 

[wafflewarrior111]

So... I found this and now it keeps coming to mind. You hear about "life-changing writing advice" all the time and usually its really not—but honestly this is it man.

I'm going to try it.

[missroserose]

I love the lawyer metaphor, because whenever I see “John knew that...” in prose writing I immediately think “how?  How does he know it?”  Interrogate your witnesses.  Cross-examine them.  Make them explain their reasoning.  It pays dividends.

[heck-in-a-handbasket]

All of this, but also feels/felt. My editor has forbidden me from using those and it’s forced me to stretch my skills.

[ineedthesons]

This is your "show not tell" advice explained!

[tarysande]

Editor here.

First, let me preface this with something very important: you can treat all of this advice as SECOND-DRAFT ADVICE. It is so much easier to rewrite this kind of stuff once you have words on the page. Telling yourself the first draft is totally appropriate and acceptable.

What we’re talking about here are FILTER WORDS (and to some degree verbs of being). Yes, “thought” words are included. But so are “heard, saw, looked, tasted, smelled” etc.—most words having to do with the senses.

This isn’t black and white advice; sometimes you’ll use these words and that’s okay. They’re not WRONG. They’re just weaker. And they’re weaker because they create distance between the reader and the experience of the character.*

If you want your reader to feel like they’re experiencing the story right alongside the character, you want to cut down on filter words.

*This is particularly important with first person and close third POVs. The reader always knows whose eyes they’re seeing through and thoughts they’re privy to. So you don’t need to tell them “I saw X.” Or “I heard X.” Or “I thought Y.” You can just jump into the action/observation as it’s happening.

This is also where you want to pay attention to verbs of being.

“It was rainy.” Versus: “The rain pounded against the roof.” Or “The rain howled like an injured animal.” Or “The rain tapped against the window like an anxious lover.” All of these are inviting the reader deeper into the experience of the story by using stronger verbs and similes. And, at the same time, they stir feelings (instead of TELLING feelings). And feelings keep your reader engaged. Engaged readers keep turning pages; engaged readers become FANS.

[the-haiku-bot]

This is also where

you want to pay attention

to verbs of being.

Beep boop! I look for accidental haiku posts. Sometimes I mess up.

[defilerwyrm]

The most valuable advice that Author Ex gave me through the years that we wrote together was this: the problem with all these filter words is that they create distance in the POV.

That means that when you read a line like

John saw that the curtains were open.

It immediately takes you OUT of the character's perspective and instead tells you what they experience as a secondhand observation.

You don't have to get fancy or purple with how you rephrase things like this. Not everything needs a ton of breathing room.

You wanna know what's perfectly impactful while keeping a tight POV?

The curtains were open.

Simple as that.

[songlin]

This was one of my all time most powerful writing lessons! This mindset shift makes you a stronger writer immediately in a way that just keeps getting easier and better for you.

[elumish]

The take I always have on advice like this is that "John saw that the curtains were open." and "The curtains were open." are sentences that are telling you two different pieces of information.

Some of this, yes, is about POV distance--but some of it is also about the information being conveyed by the sentence. If you are using a sentence like "John saw that the windows were open" it should be because the information you are seeking to convey is that John saw it.

Maybe this matters because the next time John looks back they are closed, and so he's doubting what he saw. Maybe it matters because he later has to recount information about the room he was in, and it's notable that he specifically saw that the windows were open. The fact and method of his observation is part of the point of the sentence, rather than simply the observation itself.

When we are using sense verbs, it should be because part of the point is the sense. Same with "thought", "felt", etc.: "Mary thought that Susan looked a little thin" is telling us a different piece of information than "Susan looked a little thin."

Contrarily, at least in my opinion, simple telling phrasing like "It was rainy" can sometimes bring us more into a character's head than something showing like "The rain howled like an injured animal." I have read books when a relatively plain-spoken/plain-thinking character suddenly starts having elaborate descriptions of things like scenery or weather, and it is abundantly clear that the author wanted to spruce up their writing and avoid "telling." The problem is that it drags me as the reader out of the character's head and shows me where all of the strings are. I'm suddenly thinking about how the author is worried about being yelled at for "telling" instead of just reading the story.

Your writing, down to the sentence structure and word choice level, should be about what you are trying to accomplish. Is the point to tell us that the window was open, or is it to tell us that John saw that the window was open?

[ijustwannawritepls]

How to Write When You Don't Feel Like Yourself

There are going to be days (or weeks, or months) where you sit down to write and feel... disconnected. From your voice, from your characters, from your ideas. Like the person who used to write your stories just packed up and left.

They didn't. They're just tired. Here's how to keep writing anyway:

Lower the bar (Until it's on the floor) You are not here to write something brilliant. You are here to write something. A paragraph. A sentence. A single line of dialogue. Movement matters way more than quality.

Write around the story Don't force it. If you can't write the scene, try: ⋆ A character ramble / journal entry ⋆ A conversation that won't be included in the final draft ⋆ A list of things the character would never admit out loud ⋆ A messy summary of what should happen Engage with the story from a different angle.

Borrow a voice until yours comes back No, not with AI. Read something that feels close to what you want to write, or watch a scene that captures the tone, then write immediately after. Not to copy, to reignite your instincts.

Write the emotion, not the plot. What is your character feeling in this moment? What are they afraid of? What do they want but won't say? What's being kept from them? The emotion leads, the plot catches up later.

Stop trying to "feel like a writer" first. You don't write when you feel like a writer. You feel like a writer because you write.

You are still a writer, even on the days it feels distant. Especially then.

[curiouspupsicle]

Reblogging for the writers who need to hear it, but also for the readers who have no idea how much work and courage it takes to write and post the stories they love to read.

[bellisima-writes]

All of this. One more that I may humbly add that works for me is retype the chapter.

For me, opening a new doc and placing it side-by-side against what I've written, and then transcribing what's already been done (and editing in the process) helps ground me in the scene/chapter/voice/characters and helps me discover ways to get unstuck (maybe I didn't explore an emotion earlier that needed to be dug into. Maybe they should not have left that room when they did and lingered longer. Maybe the conversation needed to get cut off before the character made the statement that derails everything). Starting from the beginning is like re-tracing your steps and editing at the same time, and most times it really helps get the brain closer to where it needs to be.

And yeah, I've done it multiple times on the same chapter. How many? You'll have to buy me a drink before I tell you that.

[mikkeneko]

PSA to fan creators who don't have a lot of regular contact with children: They are almost always bigger than you think. A 1-year-old baby may already be walking. A toddler is likely already hip-high. A 10-year-old may already be taller than at least one of their parents. A 14/15 year old may already have reached their adult height.

[amarguerite]

Via @watertightvines

[wildjuniperjones]

Here's the link. It was actually not immediately easy to find, so I thought this might help.

[pangur-and-grim]

@creekfiend was very kind in sharing some writing resources with me, and I thought I'd pass along the kindness by listing them down below.

N.K. Jemisin's article 'Describing characters of color in writing'

Mary Anne Mohanraj's article on approaching characters of colour

Renee Harleston's article How to 'Write Characters of Color Without Using Stereotypes'

Working with Colour, a resource site for writers

the book Writing the Other by by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward, which had a description that cut deep, because I've definitely fallen into this trap out of fear:

and then a video recommended by @sheprd (thank you!) about pitfalls in descriptive language

if anyone else has more resources to add, feel free to reblog with them! this is something I want to learn more about.

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to the Servant Dynamic

I often get asks about the relationship between servants and those they serve and how the relationship develops over time or what's appropriate between servant and employer at any given time. Many period dramas do get this right but a lot don't and send mixed signals to the audience about the true nature of the relationship between servant and employer.

There's a Strict Hierarchy

This is one inescapable concept that often gets forgotten in a lot of modern media. The relationship between servant and employer is a hierarchal one, the employer and servant are not on the same level socially.

Servants will always address their employer by their title or by sir/ma'am - at least in public and if there is any deviation of the rule, it's in private and only at the invitation of the employer themselves. Employers in turn would use the appropriate title for the servant in question (I outline these here). This done very well in Downton Abbey, especially when Tom marries into the family and they struggle with calling him 'Tom' rather than Branson.

A servant would never greet their employer informally or answer back. This is inaccurately portrayed in the exchange between Mrs Russell and Turner in The Gilded Age.

Servants would also not address their employer directly without being addressed first. This is very single meeting.

Servants would not walk in step with their employer or sit in their presence. They would walk two or three steps behind at all times and only sit when invited. They would not touch their employer without leave either. This is done well in Queen Charlotte, with Brimsley.

A servant would have to obey orders from another member of their employer's family or their guest but only within reason. This is shown in The Gilded Age the lady's maid Adelheid is borrowed by Mrs Russell from her daughter for a time when she fires her own maid.

Above and Beyond

Some employers might expect more from their servants that aren't exactly in the job description. It was understood in service that sometimes you would be asked to tackle things not in one's paygrade. In Queen Charlotte, Lady Danbury's maid Coral helps her lady lie about the death of Lord Danbury to allow her time to gather herself and appear more upset. For example:

A lady's maid might act as messenger between a pair of lovers.

A footman might lie to the mistress about the whereabouts of his master (with the master's approval of course)

A butler might procure some less than legal party favours for a bash his lord and lady are throwing.

A guardsman might aid their charge in escaping the house/palace for a night of fun.

No matter what, a servant is expected to go above and beyond without complaint. The response to "jump" should nearly always be "how high". However, if there is a strange or harmful request, a servant had recourse to ask a higher ranking servant or employer whether or not they should agree to the request.

That being said, servants are people at the end of the day and might have scruples. Often, servants were far more conservative than their employers but more often that not, they would swallow their morals to do the job that is needed. This is accurately portrayed in Downton Abbey when Mrs Bird complains about Mrs Crawley asking her to wait on Ethel, a former prostitute, leading to Mrs Crawley to dismiss her.

Bonding

Because some servants work closely with an employer, relationships often evolve between employer and servant. There must be a certain level of trust between servant and employer or else the house would fall apart. Bonds do form but these bonds don't interrupt the hierarchy or the professional relationship - at least in public. For example:

A lady's maid or a valet might act as confidant to their mistress/master, keeping their secrets. This is seen in Downton Abbey where Anna and Bates act as confidants with Lady Mary and Lord Grantham respectively.

A kitchen maid may slip the children of the house an odd treat in defiance of their parents or governess.

The staff might chip in for a gift for a beloved employer on an anniversary or special occasion.

The same is said for employers, who would also show favour by gift giving or promotion.

A loyal servant might be left some money on the death of their master/mistress.

A retiring lady's maid might be granted a gift from her mistress.

Employers might listen to the advice of their servants or servants may approach employers in times of difficulty. An employer might see a servant's child educated well or might pay a doctors bill, but these are kindnesses. Because there is a certain level of proximity, certain familiarities can grow but it is unlikely that either will consider it 'friendship' exactly.

Boundaries

However, there are boundaries between servant and employer. Even in cases of familiarity and good will, a servant and employer would not meddle in each other's affairs. For example:

A servant might dislike an employer's guest but would not refuse to serve or wait on them. This is depicted inaccurately in Downton Abbey's Christmas special, where the butler Stowel refuses to serve former chauffeur Tom Branson.

An employer in some eras could not deny a servant the right to get married.

A servant may be expected to be available at any given time and come running at the sound of the bell. But if a servant is on a day off or ill, an employer can't punish them for not being available when knowing beforehand they wouldn't be.

A good servant knows when they are needed and when to disappear. They should not linger if it is clear they shouldn't be here.

A servant might see their employer engaging in harmful or immoral behaviours but would not have the right to criticise or inform anybody.

A servant might be tasked with dealing with their employer in a state of undress (but this never crossed gender, a valet or a butler would handle a naked male employer and only a female servant would deal with a lady's intimates) and while seeing them in this state, would not look or make a big deal over it.

The professional boundary should not be breached on either side of the divide. A servant wouldn't approach an employer with personal issues nor would an employer welcome the servant's unauthorised counsel.

The Downsides

This is an uneven system most times and the employer does wield a lot of power. Servants are in this dynamic because they need to survive and provide a life for themselves so often they stick out bad situations rather than risk not being able to find a job again. Servants in some eras could be physically or verbally abused without recourse. Some servants often faced harassment and sexual assault from other staff, guests and/or employers. Servants desperate to keep their positions would often keep quiet about their circumstances in order to retain their place. This is accurately portrayed in Outlander: Blood of my Blood, with Mrs Porter and Julia, along with many other possible unnamed women and girls.

[luna-azzurra]

Ways I Show a Character is Emotionally Burned Out (Before They Even Realize It Themselves)

I love writing characters who think they’re fine but are actually walking emotional house fires with bad coping mechanisms.

They stop doing the things they used to love and don’t even notice. Their guitar gathers dust. Their favorite podcast becomes background noise. Their hobbies feel like homework now.

They pick the path of least resistance every time, even when it hurts them. No, they don’t want to go to that thing. No, they don’t want to talk to that person. But whatever’s easier. That’s the motto now.

They’re tired but can’t sleep. Or they sleep but wake up more tired. Classic burnout move: lying in bed with their brain racing like a toddler on espresso.

They give other people emotional advice they refuse to take themselves. “You have to set boundaries!” they say—while ignoring 8 texts from someone they should’ve cut off three emotional breakdowns ago.

They cry at something stupidly small. Like spilling soup. Or a dog in a commercial. Or losing their pen. The soup is never just soup.

They say “I’m just tired” like it’s a personality trait now. And not like… emotionally drained to the bone but afraid to admit it out loud.

They ghost people they love, not out of malice, but because even replying feels like too much. Social battery? Absolutely obliterated. Texting back feels like filing taxes.

They stop reacting to big things. Catastrophes get a blank stare. Disasters feel like “just another Tuesday.” The well of feeling is running dry.

They avoid being alone with their own thoughts. Constant noise. TV always on. Music blasting. Because silence = reckoning, and reckoning is terrifying.

They start hoping something will force them to stop. An accident. A missed deadline. Someone else finally telling them, “You need a break.” Because asking for help? Unthinkable.

[factual-fantasy]

[danidarkarts]

@factual-fantasy

[fynori]

i'd like to add that the shadow color isnt necessarily dictated entirely by the primary light source, but the bounce light! so for the example of a sunny environment, the reason the shadows are blue are because of the light from the blue sky reflects across the environment; but, if the character were to be under tree cover, the bounce light would be coming from the leaves and thus the shadow would look greener.

[danidarkarts]

Yee yee!!! You got it right on the nose!

Bounce light is something I didn't cover but I adore it!

Gotta work on my bounce light 💪

[labrador-entity]

My good friends this is called using a

Gamut Mask

(image via )

James Gurney is an absolute master and gives really good clarity on colour techniques. Yes, it is traditional paint focused, but the principles are the same. Yes it is informed by the environmental colour but as a painting technique it is achieved this way!

I would also suggest that in digital processing, rather than apply a regular colour layer at a mid opacity, try out the different types of layers, Eg. Screen or Multiply. This can give you at least a starting point to help direct your colour palette.

[technecat-scratchings]

Layer Blend Modes are so so so important to working in digital art. There's a ton of math that goes into figuring out how the layers should blend together, which is why some of the modes you can pick are literally called Multiply, Add, Divide, and Difference (that's subtraction). The graphics software takes the color values of your base and blend layers and runs a calculation to get your resulting layer appearance. The ones that don't have specifically mathematical sounding names are still doing calculations, but they're more complicated (think linear Algebra and higher). Some of them, like dodge and burn, are named for actual photo editing techniques.

While it's not super important to know about the mathematical side of blend modes, I think it's worth knowing at least enough about how each of the categories of blend modes works and why they do what they do; if for no other reason than having a starting point when you start experimenting with them in your work.

An overview of the basic blend modes and how they work from Genevieve's Design Studio: Accessible with minimal color knowledge; practical and illustration focused. https://youtu.be/kMc87hQrJd0?si=TWCB365pKSfWS8p0. (16 minutes) This creator also has a ton of free resources you can download, including a Blend Modes cheatsheet, but fair warning: you have to create an account to get them!

Want to learn even more about the math-y stuff? It has great film visuals! A video from FilmmakerIQ: You need some basic knowledge of RGB color models, understanding of values/luma, and at least a tenuous understanding of Algebraic formulas. (26 minutes) https://youtu.be/F7_kaTP7_W4?si=x0urqXZ8f51nQVKl

[tailoroffates]

Writing tips # 6 - The Body

Hey, hi everyone! I'm back again with yet another segment of Writing tips. Today I'm going to chat about something many struggle to describe. The body. Below will be several categories containing words synonymous with descriptors used when explaining someone's body. Hopefully, now y'all won't end up struggling for an hour like I have trying to figure out a socially correct way to explain that this particular character is obese :D

Thin

Angular, bony, emaciated, dainty, ethereal, frail, gangly, lanky, lean, malnourished, narrow, petite, puny, rawboned, scrawny, skeletal, skin-and-bone, skinny, slender, slight, slim, stick, twiggy, underweight.

Heavy

Beefy, big-boned, bloated, brawny, broad, bulging, bulky, burly, chubby, chunky, dense, elephantine, full-bodied, gargantuan, heavy-set, husky, lumpy, massive, obese, oversized, paunchy, plump, plumpish, portly, potbellied, pudgy, robust, rotund, round, shapeless, solid, stocky, stout, thick, wide.

Short

Compact, dwarfed, dwarfish, little, low, miniature, pint-sized, runty, squat, stunted, stubby, stumpy, tiny, undersized, wee.

Tall

Alpine, beanstalk, gangly, giant, lanky, lofty, skyscraping, stick, stretched, towering.

Weak

Decrepit, delicate, effeminate, emaciated, feeble, flaccid, fragile, frail, puny, sickly.

Strong

Beefy, brawny, burly, firm, herculean, huge, hulky, husky, muscular, powerful, ripped, robust, rugged, shredded, solid, stalwart, stout, strapping, tough, well-built.

Fit

Athletic, hardy, healthy, hearty, shapely, robust, toned, trim.

As always I hope this helps. Have a wonderful day and let your days be blessed as the best! <3

[skribblegurl]

some people think writers are so eloquent and good with words, but the reality is that we can sit there with our fingers on the keyboard going, “what’s the word for non-sunlight lighting? Like, fake lighting?” and for ten minutes, all our brain will supply is “unofficial”, and we know that’s not the right word, but it’s the only word we can come up with…until finally it’s like our face got smashed into a brick wall and we remember the word we want is “artificial”.

[heywriters]

I couldn't remember the word "doorknob" ten minutes ago.

[bumblewyn]

ok but the onelook thesaurus will save your life, i literally could not live without this website

[breelandwalker]

REBLOG TO SAVE A WRITER'S LIFE

[myfairkatiecat]

LIFE SAVED

REBLOGGING TO SAVE ANOTHER WRITERS LIFE

[thechekhov]

This is such a specific pet peeve that I know is petty but

As a linguistics major who is also trilingual and has real life experience code-switching (changing from one language to another) mid-sentence on the daily, one of the BIGGEST bothers to me in fanfics is when it happens unnaturally. 

I get that we all think ‘wow, a character suddenly speaking in another language is sexy ;)’ but the truth is, there are natural AND also really awkward and unnatural ways to codeswitch, and unless you have first-hand experience, there is a high risk that your sexy insertion of a foreign word in the middle of a sentence is actually making someone who speaks that language natively cringe just a little bit.

And - I want to make this clear - that’s not your fault! It’s a difficult thing to write well. 

But I beg you, if you are using a REAL language in your fanfics (not a made-up conlang), please find a native speaker to check your work, don’t just pick random words and don’t just insert them into the slot where the English word would go. 

[thechekhov]

Some people are wondering about how to go about doing it ‘the right way’ in the comments, so I will preface it first with:

There is no singular ‘right’ way to do this! Even people who speak the same language will speak differently. Dialects, personal verbal habits, etc, all exist! So naturally this can be stretched. 

However, there are typically more ‘natural’ patterns of when people codeswitch - flip from one language to another. 

✪ Mutual bilingualism ✪

Situation: Two or more people both share a second language, aside from the ‘lingua franca’ 

Most of the time, if you are both speaking, you will pick a language and stick to it. Not because it’s impossible - just because it’s easier. In most cases, it takes more braincells to switch between languages than it does to continue in the same language. (*Remember this later, this is important.)

However, a common thing that happens is that one person will speak one language, and another will use the second one. 

If they both mutually understand one another, this is not an issue, and a comfortable way to converse. This happens often with bilingual kids who talk to their parents. They may speak in English to their parent, who will respond in another language. 

For example, conversations between my mother and I frequently take this format:

Text: A conversation between two people. The one on the left side of the screen is speaking in Russian. The right side is answering in English.

However:

When code-switching does happen, it happens most often:

at a paragraph level (starting a new topic in a different language)

at the sentence level (starting a new sentence in a different language)

at the clause level (switching mid-sentence, but after a comma)

at a word level (BUT only in specific cases! More on this below.)

in that order of frequency. 

For example, THIS type of codeswitching:

Text: (In English:) “There’s no snow, so we’re all good! I’m ready whenever you are” (New line, in Japanese:) “When you’re finished, I’ll be on the left side right outside that same exit.”

is proportionately more common than THIS:

Text: (In Japanese, except the bolded parts) “Does that sort of meme exist?” “Huh? Oh… no, wait. Why ‘Amazing Grace’?”

“But wait! What about words? Don’t people constantly insert words from foreign languages into their speech?”

Sure, they do. This happens all the time. 

Under the right circumstances. 

For example:

When you are trying to name a specific place or location which would not have an immediate translation

When you are a using a cultural word specific to a certain language (such as an artifact that only exists for one culture, or a specific holiday which doesn’t have an immediate translation into Common). 

When you are swearing, and you have a strong preference for a swearword in one language

When you are specifically teaching someone a word, or explaining a word from one language

Example: If I want to tell my mom I’m playing DnD with friends, so I can’t call her right now, I will say ‘DnD’ in English, because there isn’t any other way to say it.

Text: “(In Russian) Can I call in 5 minutes?” “Can we do it tomorrow? I’m playing (in English) DnD (in Russian) right now.” “Gotcha.”

HOWEVER, of course weirder examples exist. 

The prime ones are when you can’t remember a specific word in one language, and HAVE to dip into the reserves of the other. This happens to me constantly. 

Text: In russian, this says “I dunno, it just seemed very….. sudden. lol” - the word ‘sudden’ is not the Russian word for ‘sudden’. It’s just the English word ‘sudden’ transliterated into cyrillic, because I blanked for a moment and forgot how to speak.

OR when a you just pepper in a specific word because the ones in English will not convey the message properly:

Text: “How’s [NAME REDACTED]?” Reply: “(In Japanese) Otsukaresama!” which translates loosely to ‘hey, you worked hard, you deserve a break, etc’ but doesn’t have a direct translation into English. “He’s good. Seems (in Japanese) genki.” Again, the ‘genki’ here is a specific mood that I associate with that word, and felt couldn’t be replaced with the English equivalent.

Of course, this is somewhat terrible in showing you SPEECH patterns, because texting and speech are quite different. 

But the points you need to take away is: 

Very few people will codeswitch in the middle of the sentence without a good reason to do so. If you have a character who is trying to confess their love, unfortunately it IS unrealistic to have them go

“And I…. must confess that… Я люблю тебя.”

It looks cool, but it’s not actually intuitive. Of course, anyone CAN do it. But it has to be a very conscious choice. No one would do that on accident. It’s not actually easier than simply staying in one language and continuing to finish “I love you.” 

Similarly, most people DON’T drop in and out of languages several times in one sentence. 

It’s just not useful, and it actually takes more brainpower to do so. 

(To those of you yelling: But I do that! - I ask - but how OFTEN? Sure, I’ve also weirded up my language. Sometimes, my mom and I make Frankenstein sentences which are REALLY weird. But it’s not a constant thing. It’s usually a one-off.)

Sorry, these are a a real bitch to transcribe, but suffice it to say that this is an English-Russian soup.)

….

These are prime examples. They absolutely DO happen— (

….

wait for it…

…

….

WHEN BOTH SPEAKERS NATIVELY SPEAK THE SAME TWO LANGUAGES.

This brings me to a very important point:

If your character, who is bilingual, is speaking to another character, who would NOT understand them…………….. there’s a good chance they’re being a bit of an asshole.

Look, here’s the thing.

I live with my partner, who speaks Japanese and English fluently. I also speak Japanese at a conversational level, and English fluently. 

I also speak Russian at a native level. He barely knows much of it at all.

The amount of times I insert random Russian phrases into my conversations with my partner?

Once a month. Tops. 

(Once, I tried to teach him how to say ‘I love you’ - [ Я тебя люблю ] in Russian, and he mispronounced it as [ Я тебя убью ] ‘I’ll kill you’ and it has been a meme in our household ever since. Shadowgast fans who write Essek speaking Russian, I give you this anecdote freely. Do with it what you will. It’s yours.)

It’s not actually conducive to conversations, and it’s not as natural as some fanfics might have you believe. And even in the throws of passion, it’s not really that easy. If you and your partner both know a common language, you won’t actually deviate from it unless you have a good reason. Such as, if you want to teach someone to say something in that language! 

…..and their pronunciation will likely be silly! (Nothing wrong with that.)

I have a complicated answer to this:

The truth is, this greatly depends on the person. 

So I know that as soon as I say my own opinion, I will have 50 people descend on me in rage, protesting the opposite. 

BUT - personally, I think petnames in a foreign language have to do the following things:

they have to be short enough to be usable. Long-ass nicknames in a foreign language will be clunky in the middle of the sentence, even more so than native-language nicknames

they have to make sense for the age/relationship/culture of the characters. 

Russian, for example, has thousands of petnames. But there are some that scream ‘I’m your grandmother!’ and some which have very romantic connotations. You have to actually ask native Russians if it works or not. 

Also - keep in mind that OVERUSING a petname is a thing! If you’re constantly using that word, every other sentence, it might become tedious to go back and forth between the pronunciation of one language and then back into another. If I call my Japanese partner a petname which has a specific set of sounds unique to Russian, my brain has to do the legwork of switching gears back into Japanese or English pronunciation. That takes braincells! Which I do not have!

However, that’s a problem that’s more unique to languages which are completely dissimilar in grammar and phonology. I’ve heard that it’s easier between languages which are more closely related, such as German and English, or Spanish and English. 

BUT for that I turn it over to you, fellow bye-linguals and try-linguals. 

What do we think? Petnames in our native languages for our partners - yay or nay?

[meichenxi]

Absolutely excellent post. I hope it’s ok to add a few things!

It was mentioned above that switching at the level of the word or phrase is relatively rare: if you are going to write this at all, please be aware that when code-switching will happen is also fairly clearly linguistically defined. It’s not random.

At a lower than sentence level - so phrase, or word - code-switching happens most often between certain syntactic groups. You can think of these as like…mini parts of the sentence that can’t be separated without making the sentence meaningless. For example the sentence ‘I asked if he had already left’ can be separated broadly into [I asked] and [if he had already left]. Similarly, a sentence like ‘I fed the big white cat’ can be separated into [I fed] and [the big white cat]. ‘The’ is such a close part of the language that no bilingual would ever say ‘the große weiße Katze’ (big white cat). That’s just…no. 

It’s more complex than that, but for our purposes that’s enough.

Codeswitching at such a low level, as OP pointed out, is still fairly rare. BUT if characters do it at all, they will OVERWHELMINGLY choose to keep syntactic groups in one language and switch to the other language for the next. What does this mean? I’ll use English and German to demonstrate because they’re the languages I’m most familiar with (and have lived in multilingual environments with), and because the sentence structures are different enough that it proves my point. 

It still sounds a bit weird (like OP said. this kind of switching isn’t hugely common), but a sentence like

1) ich weiß aber nicht, if he already left (I don’t know if he already left)

would be MUCH more likely than a sentence like

2) ich do know nicht, ob he schon left hat (I don’t know if he already left)

That second sentence is a NIGHTMARE. It’s IMPOSSIBLE. No bilingual person would ever say that. Why? Because they’re breaking up the syntactic groups we talked about. ‘I’ belongs very closely to the verb; the negative belongs to the verb. People might separate them by mistake in what we call ‘online errors’ in the same way that native speakers sometimes make mistakes, but there have been extensive linguistics studies undertaken that all prove that generally speaking, code-switchers have pretty tight control over their languages. Even a sentence like the first one is unlikely. 

This brings me on to my second point. Codeswitching only occurs when it is grammatically permissible to do so. This means that, in practice, some types of code switching are more possible between certain language pairs (Hindi to Marathi would be a language pair; German-English, Russian-Turkish, Mandarin-Cantonese etc - all language pairs) than others, depending on what the grammar of both languages allows. Let’s look at this again with the example of German. 

German’s word order is different from English’s in quite a lot of ways. In main clauses the conjugated verb must be in second position in the sentence, and the non-conjugated verb (so the infinitive or the past participle) must be at the end. Like this:

3a) Gestern bin ich in die Stadt gegangen (yesterday am I in the city gone)

or this:

3b) Heute muss ich meine Hausaufgaben machen (today must I my homework do)

And in subordinate clauses - with words like ‘because’, ‘if’, ‘who’ etc - the word order is different again: the conjugated verb moves from second position to the very end of the sentence. So like this:

4a) …. weil ich gestern in die Stadt gegangen bin (because I yesterday in the city go am)

or this:

4b) ….weil ich heute meine Hausaufgaben machen muss (because I today my homework do must)

So what does this mean for code switching? In practice, it means that if I want to say a sentence like ‘I have to read this book’, the rules for English and German grammar come into conflict. English requires ‘to read’ to come after ‘have’ - but German requires ‘to read’ to go at the end of the sentence. Any attempt to code switch in the middle of that sentence is going to produce something ungrammatical for both languages - and so, generally speaking, German-English bilinguals just won’t do it. If they code-switch at all between clauses in a sentence, it will be in situations like 1) above - here there is a full main clause in German, and then a full subordinate clause in English. Both clauses are separate enough that they can follow their own grammatical rules without infringing upon the other language. 

A language like Spanish, however, is much more similar to English in terms of word order. So - and again, please let me stress that this is still not common - a Spanish-English bilingual could conceivably produce a sentence like:

5) I have to leer el libro (I have to read the book)

It’s still weird. Most people still won’t do it. But it is technically possible in a way the German-English equivalent wouldn’t be. This is worth bearing in mind: the more similar two languages are in terms of word order and grammar, and the less strict their word order is, the more possible code-switching at lower levels may be. 

But to be honest? If you’re going to write code-switching between languages at the level of the phrase rather than the sentence, my advice is: unless you already speak these languages to a decent level, or unless you’re someone with a pretty decent understanding of clause structure and the grammar of various languages….just…don’t. It’s hard. There’s a lot you can fuck up. It will annoy actually bilingual readers of your fic. And like we’ve said multiple times, it’s really not as common as you might think - it takes a lot of brain power. 

Ok. I’ve mentioned before living in an environment where I code-switched frequently, but I’m not a native German speaker. So let’s talk about which kinds of environments facilitate code-switching in non-natives as well!

First, though, I want to stress the following: that it’s remarkably difficult to change the language or languages you interact with people over a long period of time. Most bilinguals will probably agree: if you are used to speaking to someone in language B, even if two people speak the same language A, unless they are discussing specific cultural things or phenomena that don’t translate well into language B, they will pretty much always stick to language B. You end up associating languages with people, and it’s surprisingly hard to change once you’ve started. 

This crucially does not actually depend on your ability in the language. Even if you’re an intermediate speaker, if you have only ever spoken to your friend in their native language, it will feel very, VERY strange to switch to your native language - even if technically it should be easier for you. This is important when writing bilingual families: often parents will speak to their children in one language and the children may respond in another, but sometimes one or both parents may choose the language of the community to speak to their children in. This is particularly common when the heritage language is seen as ‘not valuable’ in some way, or the parents fear that it will slow their children’s development. Which is bollocks, by the way, for anybody curious. 

So let’s say we have Cantonese speaking parents in an English speaking country; they may speak Cantonese between themselves, and choose to speak English to the children even though it’s not their first language. (Equally, they may speak to the children in Cantonese and the children reply in English - it will depend on the family in question.) For the parents, changing to speaking to children in Cantonese, even if it’s their native language, could feel extremely strange. The children might find it likewise odd.

Code-switching happens most frequently when both or all languages are relatively active. This means that you use both languages often in your daily life - and once again, this is not restricted to native speakers. Code-switching would be expected and very common somewhere like the UN, where all workers must be fluent in French and English to business level - no matter whether you are a native speaker of one, or both, or none. If both languages are extremely active, it’s possible that even speakers who are native speakers of the same language will still switch into the other language on occasion, especially if it’s within a certain domain. 

A domain is a certain semantic area of language: so work, or school, or home for example. Domain-based code switching is very common - that means that certain things are spoken about in one language, and other things in the other. For example: a Turkish speaking family living in Germany with bilingual children might speak exclusively Turkish at home, but switch to German to discuss schoolwork or other things that are done exclusively in German. This is part of the reason that assessing fluency in heritage languages is difficult, because - just because somebody can chat casually with their family in Arabic doesn’t mean they can discuss what they’re studying at university, when their university studies are in French.

Let me give a few different situations from my own life where I have experienced code-switching to illustrate some of the points a bit more clearly: 

1) I am friends with a German scientist named Stefan. Me and Stefan met in China, and spoke English even though his English was worse than my German, because there were other people around who didn’t speak German. At first we would speak in German when we were alone. We then ended up going to the same university; as his English got better and everything we discussed (the domain of language) was mostly about university stuff, which is conducted in English, we switched to speaking English essentially 100% of the time. We have since travelled to Germany and Austria together, and still speak English together. The only exception is when we meet his friends and family. It would feel extremely weird to speak German to him now even casually - we never code-switch. 

2) When I worked in Germany, I lived in a flat with two German women and a Kenyan man called Wallis. Wallis spoke English natively and German to an advanced level. Because our work was 100% in German and our flatmates spoke to us in German, we also spoke to each other in German maybe 70% of the time even when we were alone - despite the fact that we were both native English speakers. For us code-switching was extremely common though there was a preference for German, and it felt strange to speak entirely in either language. 

3) My father had a French partner for many years; he speaks French to an advanced level, and at the time his partner spoke English to an intermediate level. All of her family were French speakers and didn’t speak English well; my brother speaks not a single word of French. At the time my French was intermediate. When we were all together, we all spoke French (rip to my brother). When me and my dad’s partner were together, I would speak to her in English (easier for me) and she would speak to me in French (easier for her). When it was me, my dad and his partner we would also all speak French, because when me and my dad spoke English it was too quick for her to understand. We never really code-switched; I would speak entirely in English to her (if we were on our own) or entirely in French (if we were in company). 

4) My partner speaks English natively and has spoken Irish non-natively to a high level all her life; my Irish is extremely limited. We both speak to each other in English, obviously, pretty much 100% of the time. But we often use particular endearments in Irish - I often tell her I love her in Irish, or that she is beautiful, and vice versa. Sometimes when she is particularly overwhelmed she speaks a bit in Irish, even though she knows I don’t understand, before switching to English. I sometimes do the same with German. It helps us collect our thoughts. For some reason this works for us: the endearments for me feel more distant, and is therefore easier to say (I am VERY shy about things like that), and for her it feels even more meaningful. 

You can see that pretty much every social situation is very different. It also depends hugely on the language situation of the country in question, the social status of your characters, the background of what code-switching means; if your characters are middle class from northern India, they will likely mix Hindi and English to an extremely high degree, to a way that characters who are not middle class, even if they speak English to an extent, likely will not. It’s a sign of being in the in-group; it’s a sign of prestige. Not all bilinguals are alike: a character who has Hindi as a heritage language will not mix it with English in exactly the same way as a middle class bilingual speaker in India who uses both languages at work, which will not be the same as two non-Hindi speakers who use Hindi in their workplace, which will not be the same as a non-Hindi speaker who learners Hindi for their partner….and so on. You get the picture. 

Language is an act of identity; code-switching, likewise, is an act of identity. Done poorly, and it risks insulting and alienating the groups of people you are trying to write about potentially as an outsider. Do your research, and use it well - when done properly, code-switching can tell us a lot about two characters and their relationship, and used as an excellent tool for characterisation. 

Let me know if you have any questions or if anything I said isn’t clear!

[scribbly-blue-hearts]

Blue’s Feathers and Wings Compendium: Standard Wing Shapes

Wings Part 1 [Standard ]| Wings Part 2 [Atypical] | Feather Markings | Tail Feathers [Part 1] | Tail Feathers [Part2]

I have expanded the traditional 4 types; Highspeed, Elliptical, Low Aspect and High Aspect ratio, because they were very narrow and vague categories for the most part, adding High Energy, Thermal Soaring, Night Glider, and Passerine wings. I feel that these extra types make it easier to understand and visualize the differences and similarities between wing shapes.

I’ve renamed Low Aspect to Powered Soaring, and High Aspect to Dynamic Soaring for the purposes of the fact that names made it hard to understand purpose and were easily confusable. 

A lot of these wing types are also affected by tailfeather shape and size, and that will change their agility and energy expenditure as the tail also generates lift.

Disclaimer: This is in no way intended to be an academic dissertation or proposal, do not treat it as such. It is purely for art and writing references for others, to aid description and inspiration.

[randomitemdrop]

Table of Minor Curses

All effects are permanent until the curse is lifted. (Note: please don’t curse your players with real-world disabilities or medical problems that people get made fun of for having, that’s not cool.) A few of these might have gone all the way to Moderately Inconvenient, fight me

Gravity affects you at a slight angle

Nobody can remember your name

Everyone knows your name, identity, and backstory

There is a widespread belief that rubbing your belly is good luck

There is a widespread belief that you are high-level royalty slumming it in disguise

There is a widespread belief that you are an actor playing a role hired by the party

You believe you are an actor playing a role hired by the party

Resting Berserker face

Athlete’s foot

Acid reflux

Inability to tell the difference between Orcs and horses

Inability to tell the difference between rocks and bread

Inability to tell the difference between leaves and money

Inability to tell the difference between Undead and non-Undead

You sprout an extra finger on each hand and an extra toe on each foot

Every time you sneeze, a random object in your square or an adjacent square catches fire

(Non-Halflings only) under the light of a full moon you become a Halfling. If a Halfling character rolls this curse they become a Were-Human

Hiccups

Animals are scared of you

Aberrations are convinced you’re an old pal

Immune to potions

Orbs give you sinus discharge

Armor gives you hives

You compulsively narrate your every action

Voice is twice as loud

Voice is half as loud

Voice and mannerisms of (roll d12)

Christopher Walken

Betty Boop

Elmo

Homestar Runner

DM’s choice of Disney Classic characters or whatever you call the shared Mickey/Donald/Goofy/&c. series

DM’s choice of Looney Tunes

Grindcore vocalist

Bad 4Kidz anime dub protagonist

One of those steampunk rappers from the early 2010s

Hulk

Surly mid-century gangster

Macho Man Randy Savage

All music causes Irresistible Dance

DM chooses a word or phrase that now has the effect of Vicious Mockery on you every time you hear or read it

DM chooses a word or phrase that now has the effect of Hideous Laughter on you every time you hear or read it

DM chooses a smell or taste that now ignites Berserker Rage on you every time you smell or taste it

DM chooses a type of creature or object that Turns you every time you are near one

Perpetually under the effects of the spell Grease

You drop every item you attempt to hold

The curse conjures a single immortal (roll d10) whose only goal in life is to irritate and frustrate you (physical pain is incidental)

Horsefly

Rat

Crab

Disembodied voice

Gelatinous Cube, three inches across, Hastened

Fire Elemental, size class Tiny (all stats one-fourth of standard Fire Elemental)

Lurker

Mimic

Halfling Bard

Exact duplicate of you

You physically resemble a famous outlaw

You physically resemble a famous enemy general

You physically resemble a famous actor or musician

Unable to speak verbs

Face is upside down

Uncontrollable bioluminescence

Uncontrollable jazz hands

Feelings of antagonism cause you to compulsively snap your fingers like in West Side Story

The next non-living organic substance you touch will stick to you as if coated in Sovereign Glue

If viewed by magical means, you appear to contain vast magical power as if some powerful magical item is hidden inside you

Hair and fingernails grow at a hundred times the usual speed

Your body odor becomes significantly more powerful and smells like delicious meat

You leave clearly visible tracks wherever you go, regardless of terrain

You sweat ink

When making a list you are perpetually unable to think of the last item

[avi-why]

okay, so here’s a thing i do that i never see talked about in writing circles: prewriting.

prewriting, for me, serves two functions: one, to stave off writer’s block and get me hyped up to write, and two, to make sure the tone of my writing stays consistent. i know we’ve all encountered that problem where we’re writing glorious purple prose, take a five minute break, and come back unable to write sentences more complex than those in a picture book. prewriting is, in essence, any refresher of your wip that you look at before you start writing. my prewriting agenda takes about 15 minutes, and it goes like this:

For ~10 min i read a published book that has the prose i want to emulate (in this case, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo) For ~5 min I look at the WIP: moodboards or graphics i’ve made, my outlines, and most importantly, the chapter (or several chapters) that precede what i’m about to write. this is the most important step for me, as it reminds me of what’s going on and the flow of the story. cons of prewriting: it’s very, very easy to get distracted by all the cool inspiration you have and not actually write. to prevent this, i set a timer. a loud one. even though this might seem like obvious advice, consciously establishing a writing routine, including a proper setup, boosted my word count like mad, and i hope it benefits some of you as well. peace.

[mylordshesacactus]

Hot take: Actual literary analysis requires at least as much skill as writing itself, with less obvious measures of whether or not you’re shit at it, and nobody is allowed to do any more god damn litcrit until they learn what the terms “show, don’t tell” and “pacing” mean.

[mylordshesacactus]

Pacing

The “pacing” of a piece of media comes down to one thing, and one thing only, and it has nothing to do with your personal level of interest. It comes down to this question alone: Is the piece of media making effective use of the time it has?

That’s it.

So, for example, things which are NOT a example of bad pacing include a piece of media that is:

A slow burn

Episodic

Fast-paced

Prioritizing character interaction over intricate plot

Opening in medias res without immediate context

Incorporating a large number of subplots

Incorporating very few subplots

Bad pacing IS when a piece of media has

“Wasted” time, ie, screentime or page space dedicated to plotlines or characters that are ultimately irrelevant to the plot or thematic resolution at the cost of properly developing that resolution. Pour one out for the SW:TCW fans.

The presence of a sidestory or giving secondary characters a separate resolution of their personal arc is not “bad writing,” and only becomes a pacing issue if it falls into one of the other two categories.

Not enough time, ie, a story attempts to involve more plotlines than it has time or space to give satisfying resolutions to, resulting in all of them being “rushed” even though the writer(s) made scrupulous use of every second of page/screentime and made sure every single section advanced those storylines.

Padding for time, ie, Open-World Game Syndrome. Essentially, you have ten hours of genuinely satisfying story….but “short games don’t sell,” so you insert vast swathes of empty landscape to traverse, a bunch of nonsense fetch quests to complete, or take one really satisfying questline and repeat it ten times with different names/macguffins, to create 40 hours of “gameplay” that have stopped being fun because the same thing happens over and over. If you think this doesn’t happen in novels, you have never read Oliver Twist.

Another note on pacing: There are, except arguably in standalone movies, at least two levels of pacing going on at any given time. There’s the pacing within the installment, and the pacing within the series. Generally, there’s three levels of pacing–within the installment (a chapter, an episode, a level), within the volume (a season, a novel, a game), and within the series as a whole. Sometimes, in fact FREQUENTLY, a piece of media will work on one of these levels but not on all of them. (Usually the ideal is that it works on all three, but that’s not always important! Not every individual chapter of a novel needs to be actively relevant to the entire overarching series.)

Honestly, the best possible masterclass in how to recognize good, bad, and “they tried their best but needed more space” pacing? If you want to learn this skill, and get better at recognizing it?

Doctor Who.

ESPECIALLY Classic Who, which has clearly-delineated “serials” within their seasons. You can pretty much pick any serial at random, and once you’ve seen a few of them, you get a REALLY good feel for things like, for example…

Wow, that serial did not need to be twelve episodes long; they got captured and escaped at least three different times and made like four different plans that they ended up not being able to execute, and maybe once or twice they would have ramped up the tension, but it really didn’t contribute anything–this could have been a normal four-episode serial and been much stronger.

Holy shit there were WAY too many balls being juggled in this, this would have been better with the concepts split into two separate serials, as it stands they only had four episodes and they just couldn’t develop anything fully

Oh my god that was AMAZING I want to watch it again and take notes on how they divided up the individual episodes and what plot beats they chose to break on each week

Eh, structurally that was good, but even as a 90-minute special that nuwho episode feels like it would have worked a lot better as a Classic serial with a little more room to breathe.

How in the actual name of god did they stretch like twenty minutes of actual story into a four-episode serial (derogatory)

How in the actual name of god did they stretch like twenty minutes of actual story into a four-episode serial (awestruck)

If you’re not actively trying to learn pacing, either for literary analysis or your own writing…honestly? Just learn to differentiate between whether the pacing is bad or if it just doesn’t appeal to you. There’s a WORLD of difference between “The pacing is too slow” and “the pacing is too slow for me.” 

“I really prefer a slower build into a universe; the fact that it opens in medias res and you piece together where you are and how the magic system works over the next several chapters from context is way too fast-paced for me and makes me feel lost, so I bounced off it” is, usually, a much more constructive commentary than “the pacing is bad”. 

And when the pacing really is bad, you’ll be doing everyone a favor by being able to actually articulate why.

[mylordshesacactus]

Show, Don’t Tell

This is a very specific rule that has been taken dramatically out of context and is almost always used incorrectly.

“Show, don’t tell” applies to character traits and worldbuilding, not information in the plot.

It may be easier to “get” this rule if you forget the specific phrasing for a minute. This is a mnemonic device to avoid Informed Attributes, nothing more and nothing less. 

Character traits like a character being funny, smart, kind, annoying, badass, etc, should be established by their behavior in-universe and the reactions of others to them–if you just SAY they’re X thing but never show it, then you’re just telling the audience these things. Similarly you can’t just tell the audience that a setting has brutal winters and expect to be believed, when the clothing, architecture, preparations, etc shown as common in that setting do not match those that brutal winters would necessitate. 

To recap:

Violations of Show Don’t Tell:

A viewpoint character describing themselves as having a trait (being a loner, easily distractable, clumsy, etc) but not actually shown to possess it (lacking friends, getting distracted from anything important, or dropping/tripping over things at inopportune moments.)

The narration declaring an emotional state (”Character A was furious”) rather than demonstrating the emotion through dialogue or depicting it onscreen.

A fourth-wall-breaking narrator; ie, Kuzco in The Emperor’s New Groove directly addressing the audience to explain that he’s a llama and also the protagonist, is NOT the same! This actually serves as a flawless example of showing rather than telling–we are SHOWN that Kuzco is immature and egotistical, even though that’s not what he’s saying.

A fictional society or setting being declared by the narrative to be free of a negative trait–bigotry, for example–but that negative trait being clearly present, where this discrepancy is not narratively engaged with. 

(For example: There is officially no sexism in Thedas and yet female characters are subject to gendered slurs and expectations; the world of Honor Harrington is supposedly societally opposed to eugenics, yet “cures” for disability and constant mentions of a nebulous genetic “advantage” from certain characters’ ancestry are regular plot points that are viewed positively by the characters and are not narratively questioned.)

A character declaring that their society has no bigotry, when that character is clearly wrong, is not the same thing.

The narrative voice declaring objective correctness; everyone who agrees with the protagonist is portrayed as correct and anyone who questions them is portrayed as evil, or else there is no questioning whatsoever. For example: in Star Trek: Enterprise, Jonathan Archer tortures an unarmed prisoner. What follows is a multi-episode arc in which every person he respects along with Starfleet Command goes out of their way to dismiss the idea that he should bear any guilt, or that his actions were anything but completely necessary and objectively morally correct. No narrative space is allowed for disagreement, or for the audience to come to its own conclusion.

NOT Violations of Show Don’t Tell:

A character explaining a concept to another character who would logically, within that universe/situation, be the recipient of such an explanation.

An in-universe explanation BECOMES a SdT violation if the explanation fails to play out in reality, such as a spaceship being described as slow or flawed in some way but never actually having those weaknesses. Imagine if the Millennium Falcon was constantly described as a broken-down piece of junk…and never had any mechanical failures, AND Han and Chewie weren’t constantly shown repairing it!

Information being revealed through dialogue, period. Having your hacker in a heist movie describe the enemy security system isn’t “telling” and thus bad writing. Having information revealed organically through dialogue is what “show” means.

The “as you know” trope is technically a Show Don’t Tell violation, despite being dialogue, because it’s unnatural within the universe and serves solely to let the writer deliver information directly, ie, telling.

Characters discussing their own actions and expressing their motivations and/or decision-making process at the time.

The existence of an omnipotent narrator, or the narration itself confirming something. Narration saying “there was no way anyone could make it in time” is delivering contextual information, not breaking Show Don’t Tell. 

Keep in mind that “Show, don’t tell” is meant to be advice for beginning authors. Because “telling” is easier and requires less skill than “showing,” inexperienced authors need to focus on getting as much “show” in as possible. 

However, “telling” is also extremely important. Sometimes, especially in written formats, the most appropriate way to deliver information to the audience is to just say it and move on.

Keep in mind that a viewpoint character in anything but…a portal fantasy, essentially…is going to be familiar with the world they’re in. Not every protagonist needs to be a raw newcomer with zero knowledge of their new world! In most cases, a viewpoint character is going to know things that the audience doesn’t. Generally, the ONLY natural way to introduce worldbuilding in this situation is to just have the narration point them out. (It makes sense for Obi-Wan to have to explain the Force; it would make no sense for Han to explain the concept of space travel to Luke, who grew up in this universe and knows what the hell a starship is. So, if you’re writing the novelization of A New Hope, you need to just say “and so they jumped into hyperspace, the strange blue-white plane that allowed faster-than-light travel” and move the hell on.)

For that matter, in some media (ie, children’s cartoons) where teaching a moral lesson is the clear intent, a certain level of “telling” is not only appropriate but necessary!

The actual goal of “showing” and “telling” is to maintain a balance, and make sure everything feels natural. Show things that need to be shown, and…don’t waste everyone’s time showing things that would feel much more natural if they were just told.

But that’s not nearly as pithy a slogan.

[mylordshesacactus]

(Reblog this version y’all I fixed some really serious typos)

[succubusboyfriend]

being a self-taught artist with no formal training is having done art seriously since you were a young teenager and only finding out that you’re supposed to do warm up sketches every time you’re about to work on serious art when you’re fuckin twenty-five

[succubusboyfriend]

someone: oh yeah, do this exercise during your warm ups! it’ll help

me: my what

[suave-eddboy]

[thepioden]

What’s up I have an actual college degree in art and I was never ONCE taught to do warm ups.

[sparksel]

when i was in undergrad, it was kind of mentioned in and offhand way that we should do warmups, but we were never shown what that meant. And, y’know, we were young so it didn’t matter so much. 

Being older now and having an art job it’s…kind of essential. 

So: a quick primer for those of you who are like ‘ok but how do i actually go about doing this warmup thing.’ 

1) you may be tempted to do ‘a warmup drawing’ which is just a drawing that will take longer than it needed to and probably be frustrating and kind of bad because you didn’t warm up first. It’s tempting but always a trick your brain is playing on you! Do not trust! 

2) warmups will vary based on what feels good to you/what task you’re about to do/what motor skills you want to practice. That being said, some good standbys:

a) circles. Just a whole page of circles on whatever drawing surface you’re going to be using, whether that’s your tablet or your sketchbook or a drawing pad on an easel. For these circles you should make sure that you’re drawing from your shoulder and not your wrist. In fact, you want to be drawing from your shoulder rather than your wrist most of the time! forever! your wrist is delicate please preserve it! 

In order to ensure that you’re drawing from your shoulder, when you’re holding your pencil or whatever drawing tool you’re using, the only part of your hand that should be touching the drawing surface is part of the last two fingers–some people prefer the finger tips, but I tend to favor the first knuckles. Either way, the fingers should really be ghosting over the surface, providing guidance rather than support. 

I usually start with big circles and then go to smaller circles and lines of ellipses, and then try to fit circles and ellipses inside other shapes i’ve already drawn as a precision exercise, but i don’t do that unless i’m feeling loose

b) spirals! i don’t always do spirals, but if i’m stiff and the circles just aren’t cutting it, spirals are a good fall back. I start from the center and work outward, going both clockwise and counterclockwise until i feel comfortable with the whole range of motion. Some people really care about getting perfect spirals but for me it’s all about making sure i’m comfortable with how i’m moving so who really even cares about how the spirals look. Not me! 

c) lines! straight lines! in parallel! i do a mix of vertical, horizontal, and diagonal. These are often more from the elbow than the shoulder, especially if I’m working on a smaller surface. For this exercise, I recommend holding the drawing tool perpendicular with the surface

d) connect the dots. This is a precision and accuracy exercise and takes two forms. The first is to draw two dots and then draw a straight line between them. The second is to draw three dots and draw the curve that connects them. This sounds a lot simpler than it is in practice. Take time to ghost over the line you plan to draw before actually committing to your line. (I don’t always remember where I picked up my warm up exercises, but I’m pretty sure I got this one from Scott Robertson. His how to draw and how to render books are very technical but also accessible and worth checking out)

e) cubes, spheres, cones, and cylinders. These help get your brain into a more volumetric space. I draw multiples of each, rotating the forms around, and I’ll often take the time to do some rough shading on at least a few of them

f) spidermans! This one is really good if you’re going to be storyboarding or working on dynamic poses. Just fill a page full of spidermans doing all sorts of acrobatics. 

g) beans. I don’t do beans too much anymore, but I know a lot of people like it so I’m mentioning it here. Fill an area with different size bean shapes without lifting your pencil off the paper. 

h) short medium and long line repetition. draw a short, medium, and long line on your page, and then draw directly on top of them 8 to 12 times, doing your best to exactly trace what you’ve already drawing. Repeat with a wavy line. I’m bad at this one, which means I probably need to do it more. 

And there are lots more options too! Hit up youtube to see what other people recommend, put together your own go-to list, mix it up when you’re getting bored, etc. 

This is a long list, I know, but I usually don’t take more than 10 to 15 minutes to warm up, and I can warm up one handed while I’m drinking coffee, so, multitasking hurrah. 

Sometimes I’ll advance to a precision warmup and find that I haven’t loosened up enough yet; it’s totally ok to go back to an earlier exercise! Also, all of this has the added benefit of kind of ritualistically getting you into the drawing mode so even if I’m not feeling it before I start, by the time I’ve gotten to the end I’m usually Ready For Drawin’. Brain hacks. 

so, yeah! that’s a lot of words, but! Warmups are important! Save your joints, take less advil, do better drawings! 

[concerningwolves]

[t-c-art-inspiration]

How on earth are you supposed to draw from a sholder? might as well tell me to draw from the foot. It makes no sense

[justpickupthatpen]

https://youtu.be/pMC0Cx3Uk84

https://youtu.be/NBE-RTFkXDk

:3

[stupidlittlesideblog]

Reblogging to save a wrist

[justpickupthatpen]

[prokopetz]

Here’s a little trick I’ve used in D&D games where the premise of your campaign calls for the party to have access to lots of Stuff, but you don’t want to do a whole bunch of bookkeeping: the Wagon.

In a nutshell, the party has a horse-drawn wagon that they use to get around between – and often during – adventures. This doesn’t come out of any individual player character’s starting budget; it’s just provided as part of the campaign premise.

Before setting out from a town or other place of rest, the party has to decide how many gold pieces they want to spend on supplies. These funds aren’t spent on anything in particular, and form a running total that represents how much Stuff is in the wagon.

Any time a player character needs something in the way of supplies during a journey or adventure, one of two things can happen:

1. If it’s something that any fool would have packed for the trip and it’s something that could reasonably have been obtained at one of the party’s recent stopovers (e.g., rations, spare clothing, fifty feet of rope, etc.), then the wagon contains as much of it as they reasonably need. Just deduct the Player’s Handbook list price for the item(s) in question from the wagon’s total.

2. If it’s something where having packed it would take some explaining, or if it’s something that’s unlikely to have been available for purchase at any of the party’s recent stopovers (e.g., a telescope, a barrel of fine wine, a book of dwarven erotic poetry, etc.), the player in need makes a retroactive Intelligence or Wisdom check, versus a DC set by the GM, to see if they somehow anticipated the need for the item(s) in question. Proficiency may apply to this check, depending on what’s needed. The results are read as follows:

Success: You find what you’re looking for, more or less. If the group is amenable, you can narrate a brief flashback explaining the circumstances of its acquisition. Deduct its list price (or a price set by the GM, if it’s not on the list) from the wagon’s total.

Failure by 5 points or less: You find something sort of close to what you’re looking for. The GM decides exactly what; it won’t ever be useless for the purpose at hand, but depending on her current level of whimsy, it may simply be a lesser version of what you were looking for, or it may be something creatively off the mark. Deduct and optionally flash back as above.

Failure by more than 5 points: You come up empty-handed, and can’t try again for that item or anything closely resembling it until after your next stopover.

As an incidental benefit, all the junk the wagon is carrying acts as a sort of ablative armour. If the wagon or its horses would ever take damage, instead subtract a number of gold pieces from its total equal to the number of hit points of damage it would have suffered. The GM is encouraged to describe what’s been destroyed in lurid detail.

[basalt-dnd]

This type of method makes it *way* easier to keep track of items, and… it’s pretty darn funny when the players succeed a roll to see if they backed something outrageously stupid. Trust me, the flash backs are hilarious. Never skip out on them.