Khaleesi of the Fangirls

Queen Samaerys, First of Her Name, Protector of the Fandom, and Mother of Sarcasm. ⚠ Warning ⚠: You are approaching a high functioning fangirl. Please proceed with caution. You have been warned.

[agreysexualromantic]

I present in no particular order: Clark and Lois beaming sunshine at each other (part 2/?)

(part 1)

They simply cannot help themselves, your honor.

[agreysexualromantic]

One of the things I love about Clark and Lois' relationship is how very *mutual* it is.

So often in relationships in media we get couples that are PASSIONATE but on a day to day level it feels like they barely knew each other or barely like each other (Ross & Rachel, I'm looking at you). Or, we'd see one partner who was UTTERLY DEVOTED to the other partner who was portrayed as perfection, ideal, above all others. ONE partner is "lucky" to be with the other.

Clark and Lois mutually, unequivocally LIKE each other. Clark is just as smitten with Lois as she is with him. They see each other very, very clearly. Even though Lois is occasionally stricken with a bout of insecurity at the idea of being with a superhero, she also sees Clark's flaws and treats him as a full human (alien) being. Clark, in turn, sees the tornado that is Lois for everything that she is and he *loves it*.

They not only accept each other just as they are, they *delight* in each other. They want the best for each other. They celebrate each other. They encourage and cheer each other on to do the things they love. They are safe to be themselves with each other. They are *happy* together.

So often writers make relationships about conflict or struggle, the *fight* to be together, people who love each other but just can't seem to find the right timing, people who feel so much for each other but can't seem to find any place of rest or peace with each other. The conflict or roller coaster IS the relationship, and if you take that away there's nothing left for them to share anymore.

I love writing that allows the relationship to be a loving, safe and settled thing. I love seeing people who can just breathe and relax with their partner, romantic or platonic.

I see it also in Kaz & Inej, in Jesper & Wylan, and platonically in The Doctor & Donna, in Leslie Knope & Ann Perkins, Charlie & Tao...

I want more of that, please and thank you.

[kent-farm]

Uh, Lois, if you're watching this 20 years from now, just know that you are the love of my life… and you always will be. Um… I'm really feeling this.

—Clark Drunk-on-Zatanna's-Magic-Champagne Kent, Smallville, "Fortune"

[kent-farm]

Good job, Mr. Kent.

—Lois Lane, Smallville, "Masquerade"

[mrhowells]

Smallville + textposts (pt.4)

season 5 edition is hereee

[ilyberrymuch]

What device did you use to read your first fanfiction?

The family computer

Your personal laptop

Phone

Printed out fanfiction at the library then brought it home to read on paper

Nintendo 3DS Internet Browser

Some other option (please say in the tags, I'm nosy!)

I have never read fanfiction (show me the results)

Voting ended onNov 10, 2023

you can also put in the tags how old you were, again im nosy lol

[khaleesiofthefangirls]

the family computer 💀

[bone-and-butterflies]

How to make characters that start a story off dead feel real.

Name them- this is the bare minimum

Happy memories- what did this person mean to those they had relationships with? These little details contextualize your living characters and who they are as people.

Identity- who was this person outside of these relationships?

Agency- give them a last action related, but more personal simply dying. For example, taking a bullet, giving one last piece of advise, leaving a scar on their killer's face, telling a joke, or even just figuring out a plot to kill them and doing something about.

In conclusion, characters who start a story off dead should mean something besides making a reader's feel sympathy for another character. Death is a big deal, and neglecting this reality can mess with a reader's suspension of disbelief, even for characters the reader will never truly meet. Having bits and pieces of a dead character feels more real because it mimics that experience of getting to know a person through their family and friends or reading a diary of a person long dead.

[hogwartscastle]

Sometimes I miss what the whole Harry Potter universe was to me. The feeling of returning to a kind of "home" once you've opened the books. The odd excitement of starting a movie marathon or finding some great new fanfiction to read. The hours spent on the Harry Potter Fanom Wiki reading through every post existing and learning about every single fact and background story. The conversations about favourite parts, theories and the own Hogwarts house. Complementing the merchandise from strangers on the street and sorting classmates into the four houses. And although the Harry Potter universe will always remain my favourite fandom, it was just a big part of my youth that is just over now.

[maccreadysbaby]

things people do after having a nightmare that isn’t crying

struggle to catch their breath

grab onto whatever’s close enough to ground themselves in reality

become nauseous / vomit

shake uncontrollably

sweat buckets

get a headache

things people do to combat having nightmares if they occur commonly

sleep near other people so they can hear the idle sounds of them completing tasks

move to a different sleeping spot than where they had the nightmare

leave tvs / radios / phones on with noise

just not sleep (if you want to go the insomnia route)

sleep during the day in bright rooms

things people with insomnia do

first, obviously, their ability to remember things and their coordination will go out the window

its likely they’ll become irritable or overly emotional

their body will start to ache, shake, and weaken

hallucinate if it’s been long enough

it becomes incredibly easy for them to get sick (and they probably will)

add your own in reblogs/comments!

[heywriters]

From personal experience

stay completely still until "danger" has passed; i.e. anxiety lessens

listen for something to ground me; e.g. a pet snoring or childhood clock ticking

shouting in fear or rage within the dream wakes me up, and then I lie there wondering if anyone heard me (one time I kept trying to yell while awake until I calmed down)

[what-even-is-thiss]

I’m volunteering for a literary journal right now and there’s two things I think you all should know.

1. Most people that submit to literary journals are cis white men. We know this because our journal has an anonymous survey about demographics for people that submit.

2. Most things that get submitted to the creative non fiction section are on the level of middle school “What I did over the summer” essays.

I cannot see the demographics of the people whose essays I’m reading, but guys, if you are wondering if you should submit your work to a literary journal or not, I promise you that just in terms of statistics there are a lot of mediocre cis white men and people in general confidently submitting weird crap that isn’t literature to literature magazines. Do it. Submit your work. Please. If you want there to be more diversity in literature, be the diversity. Do it. Do it do it do it.

[what-even-is-thiss]

In general literary magazines want to include more diversity, but if poc, queer people, disabled people, etc. don’t submit their work then they aren’t gonna get more diverse because we just won’t have the material necessary to get more diverse. Submit your work. Do it. Do it. Do it do it do it.

[what-even-is-thiss]

Here’s a list of university run literary journals. Do it. Get published.

[what-even-is-thiss]

[wilthered-dreams]

Many indie lit mags also welcome works from BIPOC and LGBTQIA creatives because the editorial staff themselves are in that demographic. Quarantine brought on the start of the SO many indie lit mags - it’s almost a golden age. Don’t be afraid to submit — there will always be so many niches and aesthetics that one will bound to be the one that fits your style. 

There is so much work from marginalized narratives in litmags these days — people lament there is no representation in media, but that disregards the progress and diversity of the works of editors and writers who help make these litmags possible. 

There is representation, and it is flourishing. They are waiting to be read. 

The Lumiere Review compiles a list of submission opportunities every month, and it are always very useful: 

https://lumierereview.com/sub-sep-oct-2021

List of Litmags that Specifically Look for Work from Marginalized Creators or is Run by Marginalized Creators:

Warning Lines: https://warninglines.com/

With Confetti: https://with-confetti.com/

Giving Room Magazine: http://www.givingroommag.com/

The Bitchin’ Kitsch: https://www.talbot-heindl.com/

Tealight Press: https://www.tealightpress.com/

Tipping the Scales: https://www.tippingthescalesjournal.co.uk/

The Winnow Magazine: https://www.thewinnowmagazine.com/

perhappened: https://www.perhappened.com/

AZE Journal: https://azejournal.com/

Honeyfire Lit: https://honeyfirelit.com/

and so much more!!

(And even if some litmags’ mission statement isn’t specifically for marginalized creators, they will always welcome these narratives.)

So please, please submit!

[what-even-is-thiss]

Independent magazines are great too! I’m more familiar with the university journal scene so I appreciate this addition.

[slightlykylie]

I have never gotten over and will never get over the story I came across in a literary magazine once that read roughly as follows –

Three three three three three. Three three three, three three three three three; three three, three three three. “Three three three,” three three. Three three three three three, three three? Three three three – three three three three three…

– for like seven pages. That was the entire thing. Three, but punctuated. And it was a paying journal. Someone got paid for that. So look. If that guy can do it, so can you. Go ahead, blaze a trail, write “Four four four” if you want. Just have the confidence to submit. I three three three in you.

[phoenixyfriend]

Notes:

With Confetti is set to private, and so only accessible with a Wordpress account. Their twitter last updated in June 2022.

The link for Giving Room is defunct. This is the current link: http://giving-room-mag.weebly.com/

Tealight Press is on hiatus according to their twitter (Oct. 2021), and their website is nonfunctional.

The link for Tipping the Scales is defunct, and does not redirect to their new site. The Magazine has been renamed to The Gillian Literary & Arts Journal, and this is the new link: https://tippingthescalesjo.wixsite.com/thegillian (However, their twitter does not seem to have updated since September 2022.)

Perhappened is on hiatus, but as of Feb 2023, their twitter does indicate something is in the works.

The link for Honeyfirelit goes to a fire alarm and prevention company. Their last tweet was Nov. 2021

[micmicmicmicmic-deactivated2022]

When u watch a show for funsies but your brain decides to cling onto it for dear life

[esperastra]

legends of tomorrow: current canon lgbt+ characters

[a-redharlequin]

As we all know, CW made the terrible decision to cancel Legends of Tomorrow. Perhaps we can ask HBO Max to pick it up at some point. But until that day, I think we all deserve a better ending than a cliffhanger.

This petition is to ask CW to please give us, the actors, and the crew, who put together Legends of Tomorrow and gave so much to the show, a proper send off.

Legends don't go quietly!

Contact The CW! Call them, email them, email their CEO! Don't let this die down on social media!

When Sense8, a show on Netflix, was canceled suddenly, fans raised hell to get a 2hr finale. We can do no less than try our best for Legends as well! Fight!

Sign the Petition

Legends of Tomorrow Finale

[becarefulcontentspriceless]

One reason I can rest easy is knowing that they- the legends of tomorrow cast and crew- gave us their all. 

They gave us such a diverse cast. They gave us queer and poc characters and storylines unapologetically. 

They told us it was okay to say the word “lesbian”- it isn’t a bad word. They took the bury your gays trope and kicked its ass. 

They told us that when they imagined a perfect woman- it was a lesbian. 

They gave us Muslim characters who never compromised their beliefs. 

They gave us redemption time after time again, they told us it was okay to change for the better and to believe in ourselves. 

They gave us queer kisses that saved the world- twice! They gave us beebo. They gave us the waverider! They gave us a time moms wedding, pregnancy, and a baby- not necessarily in that order. They gave us the bullet blondes!! 

They told us that it was okay to be affectionate with your bros. 

They gave us healing and growth. 

They gave us an asexual character who said the actual words! 

They gave us an AI who taught us what it means to be human. 

They gave us a family. They gave us love is love is love is love is love

They didn’t give us heroes- they gave us legends

[lesbianmarrow]

sometimes i think about how legends of tomorrow is all about healing from the trauma of your past and developing into your best self in the company of people who love and support you and i become overwhelmed with emotion 

[tagaston-blog]

For any of you who are writing ‘across the pond’-here is a little guide I put together of some common differences between British and American English!

[paintmeahero]

I’m not sure a Wardrobe IS a closet. I thought a Wardrobe was a piece of furniture in which you stored clothing, and a closet is a niche built into the wall with a door, in which you stored clothing. Also, I’ve never heard anyone refer to makeup in the US as anything but makeup. Cosmetics is kind of a formal word. 

[heywriters]

Yeah, about a third of these are dependent on varying factors like region and age group. 

My American family definitely says “tights” and not “pantyhose.” Older generation still says pantyhose sometimes, but we most commonly say nylons. I believe I’ve heard natives of the UK say “nylons” as well, though my sister insists she’s only ever heard them refer to them as stockings. 

Many Americans do say “tap” when referring to a faucet. My household always says faucet, but some friends’ households always say tap.

I think some of the British words on this chart depend on the region/age as well. I also suspect the British watch more American telly/cinema than most Americans watch British TV/movies, so it’s possible they pick up more American terms than one would expect.

In public, Americans often say restroom instead of “bathroom,” and I recently had one English customer ask me to direct him to the lavatory. 

Vacuum vs. hoover isn’t on here! I love that one. When cleaning, Americans always say vacuum and the English always say hoover. Never heard either group switch one for the other! Possibly because the name “Hoover” has a bad rep in U.S. history, but in England the brand became synonymous with the device. America has done that with Band-Aids (known as plasters in UK), but we also say “bandage.”

My favorite part about queue is the British also use it as a verb “to queue.” Americans must say the whole thing “wait in line.” We don’t have a ready verb for that action, probably because queueing isn’t as big in our cultural history ;)

And sometimes simply the grammar is different. Americans will say “went to the hospital” or “is in the hospital,” whereas British always dispense with “the” and just say “went to hospital” or “is in hospital.” 

meh, I’m easily fascinated by this subject. i made my own shortlist of UK vs US words, but you can also find books and probably even whole websites on the subject that will prove better research material. Likewise, Urban Dictionary has helped me out a lot in understanding UK lingo. 

[satan249]

My Australian ass is both fascinated by this and also Not Liking This

[heywriters]

LMAO, pls, add some Australian terms I would love that. 

[12freddofrogs]

Well, @heywriters, if you insist. :)

So, Australia is kinda a merge between both of them.

We say the American “Apartment” over ”Flat”, but we’d use the UK “Ground floor” to describe a level that doesnt need stairs.

In order of the list, it goes

(Sorry, I’m on mobile, can’t add a readmore)

(US) Apartment

(UK) Ground floor

(US) Elevator (but this one does vary, lift is also acceptable)

(UK) Rubbish / Rubbish Bin

(UK) Torch

(US) Mail

(?) Wardrobe…? I think? Honestly I think they’re both used.

(UK) Mobile

(US) On the grill

(UK) Takeaway

(UK) Write to me

(UK) Bill.

(AUS) Runners. But sneakers is somewhat heard, trainers are not.

(?) Those arent very popular here, but I think probably the US Turtleneck is what we’d call them.

(US) Pants

(UK) Tights

(UK) Jumper

(US) Vest

(AUS) Gumboots

(/) A purse is handheld, handbags have a strap. The terms are more or less interchangeable though.

(AUS) Underwear / Undies

(UK) Wash your hands

(UK) Tap

(/) interchangable bathroom/toilet

(UK) Makeup

(US) Eggplant

(UK) Coriander

(/) Cookies can be used for thick ones, like stereotypical choc chip cookies. Biscuits are for things like Tim Tams, or shortbread, or Jatz or Shapes or nearly anything by Arnotts. ”Bikkie” is the common abbreviation of biscuit, though.

(/) Hahahaha. We call both ”fries” and ”crisps” by the term ”chips”. Should we ever need to differentiate, we call them hot chips and cold chips. Hot chips is a far more common term than cold chips.

(AUS) Fairy floss

(US) Zucchini.

(UK) Fish fingers

(AUS) Soft drink

(AUS) Icey pole

(UK) Minced meat

(UK) Spring onion

(US) Skim milk

(UK) Pavement

(?) Our trains actually dont go underground, or at least not in Brisbane. We just call them trains.

(UK) City centre

(UK) Holiday, but vacation isnt uncommon

(UK) Carpark

(UK) Motorway

(UK) Economy

(UK) Petrol

(?) Tram…? We dont… really have them. But tram is way more common than streetcar.

(US) Wait in line, in that specific context. We will also say ”ugh, there’s a queue” before saying “ugh, there’s a line”.

(US) Public holiday

(AUS) Backpack

(UK) Movies, but cinema isnt uncommon

So our vocab leans a little British, but it’s a mix. Very little on either side of that list wouldn’t be understood, even if it’d be noticed as odd.

Plus, you know, all those little specific Australianisms. Like, yes, I do hear people say ”g'day”, but it’s nowhere near as common a greeting as “hi” or ”hey”. Mostly my Dad who says it, when calling friends on the phone. (“Hey, mate” is also common).

Or like… ”togs” for the clothes you go swimming in (yes, togs are then categorised as bikini, or board shorts, or whatever you wear). ”Brekkie” is shortened breakfast.

And I mean, Australia has a comparatively homogeneous accent compared to Britain, which is tiny yet broader ranges than us. America also beats us in accent diversity. But we still have a pretty big range ourselves. This is what we say where I live, and even then I wouldnt say this is consistent. It’s what I say, not what everyone says.

Ooh! Also, fun fact. Apparently there was this ad in America with an Aussie going ”chuck some shrimp on the barbie, mate”. That’s become this stereotypical Australian phrase, trotted out to exaggerate the drawl.

We don’t say “shrimp” except to quote that stereotype. What an actual Aussie would say is “chuck some prawns on the barbie, mate”.

So, yeah. That’s a bit of Australianisms for ya, mate.

[heywriters]

AWESOME, thanks for obliging me. 

As for rucksack/knapsack/backpack…I don’t know what the first two count as (they’re both sacks, right?), but US says backpack for, like, a double-strapped (sometimes single, diagonal strap) pack you put on your back. I think certain professions or regions in the US call it a knapsack, but in my life and in mainstream American media, that’s a backpack. And UK media calls it that too?so? Where you live, OP?

Oh, and coriander vs cilantro (honestly, I didn’t read that whole list thoroughly) varies like crazy in US. We say both, but cilantro is likely most popular in areas with high Hispanic populations. Even in my household we say both.

Lastly, we use brand names like Kleenex, Popsicle, Q-Tip, and Jell-O instead of the literal nouns. Literally, I wouldn’t worry about that too much unless you’re writing a character from a specific US region because if one said tissue, ice pop, cotton swab, or gelatin we’d probably still know what was meant.

*sigh* there are…too many words…for everything….in English(ish).

[theimaginatrix27]

Is it possible someone could image describe the list for me? I’m Australian but also blind, and a lot of the stuff the person from Brisbane said was accurate to my experiences, but without the original list I can’t be sure if they missed something.

I do think Mum and I call spring onions shallots though. Dunno where she picked that up from.

[heywriters]

@theimaginatrix27

{image description: four graphs with thirteen examples each of vocabulary differences between British English and United States American English.

image text:

Writing Guide — Homes and Living

UK “flat” translates to US “apartment”

UK “ground floor” translates to US “first floor”

UK “lift” translates to US “elevator”

UK “rubbish” translates to US “trash (or garbage)”

UK “rubbish bin” translates to US “trash (or garbage) can”

UK “torch” translates to US “flashlight”

UK “post” translates to US “mail”

for clothing storage, UK “wardrobe” translates to US “closet”

UK “mobile” translates to US “cell phone”

UK “food goes under the grill” translates to US “food goes on the grill”

UK “food is ordered to takeaway” translates to US “food is ordered as takeout”

UK “write to me” translates to US “write me”

when paying at a restaurant, UK “bill” translates to US “check”

Writing Guide — Clothing and Hygiene

UK “trainers” translates to US “sneakers”

UK “polo neck” translates to US “turtleneck”

UK “trousers” translates to US “pants”

UK “tights” translates to US “pantyhose”

UK “jumper” translates to US “sweater”

UK “waistcoat” translates to US “vest”

UK “wellies” translates to US “rain boots”

UK “handbag” translates to US “purse”

UK “knickers/pants” translates to US “underwear”

UK “wash your hands” translates to US “wash up”

UK “tap” translates to US “faucet”

UK “toilet” translates to US “bathroom”

UK “makeup” translates to US “cosmetics”

Writing Guide — Food

UK “aubergine” translates to US “eggplant”

UK “corriander” translates to US “cliantro”

UK “biscuit” translates to US “cookie”

UK “crisps” translates to US “chips”

UK “chips” translates to US “french fries”

UK “candy floss” translates to US “cotton candy”

UK “courgette” translates to US “zucchini”

UK “fish fingers” translates to US “fish sticks”

UK “fizzy drink” translates to US “soda”

UK “ice lolly” translates to US “popsicle”

UK “minced meat” translates to US “ground meat”

UK “spring onion” translates to US “scallion”

UK “skimmed milk” translates to US “skim milk”

Writing Guide — Travel and Transport

UK “pavement” translates to US “sidewalk”

UK “underground” translates to US “subway”

UK “city centre” translates to US “downtown”

UK “holiday” translates to US “vacation”

UK “car park” translates to US “parking lot”

UK “motor way” translates to US “freeway”

UK “economy class” translates to US “coach class”

UK “petrol” translates to US “gas”

UK “tram” translates to US “streetcar”

UK “wait in the queue” translates to US “wait in line”

UK “bank holiday” translates to US “national public holiday”

UK “rucksack” translates to US “knapsack”

UK “go to the cinema” translates to US “go to the movies”

: end description}

In writing this out, I found a few more that aren’t strictly true to U.S. or could use additional information.

We also say “first floor,” and specifically with hotels and other multi-story commercial buildings we say “lobby.”

We used to say “cell” only to indicate which phone we meant (“Hey, can I borrow your cell?”). Now that most Americans own a cell phone and not a landline, we just say “phone.”

We use “tights” more often for children and costumes, and “nylons” or “pantyhose” for adults. Leggings are completely different.

A “jumper” in the US is another term for a full-body “jumpsuit.”

We do say “handbag,” but only when we’re being specific about what type of purse. “Handbag” is also a term I’ve sometimes heard older ladies use instead of “purse.”

I’ve always heard “wash your hands” both at home and on television. There are places in the US where “wash up” is more common.

Adding to the food list, UK apparently says “capsicum” where US says “chiles” or “peppers.”

Some Americans take pride in whether their region calls it “soda,” “pop,” or “coke.” “Coke” seems to be an urban, West Coast term, and “pop” a Southern and Midwestern term (here in California we say Coke, my family in Michigan says pop). In places where it isn’t used, “pop” is considered quaintly outdated, like something a grandparent might say. Some ethnic groups say “Pepsi,” and I assume that’s because Pepsi products are either cheaper or marketed to them more in their areas than Coca-Cola and other brands. Restaurants and bars tend to use the terms “soft drink” and “soft beverage.”

[wnq-writers]

Mental Illness in Fiction: You’re Getting it Wrong! Eight Urgent Facts You Need to Know About Mental Illness Before You Begin Writing About It

Originally posted by theunknowngirlsworld

In the last decade, mental illness has become a growing topic of exploration and study. Most times, most aspiring writers even professionals write mental illness with personal prejudices and a lack of education. They fill viewers with inaccurate portrayals and a romanticization of an extremely misunderstood condition, even by science. Often writers and the audience make the grave mistake in thinking a depressed person can’t possibly laugh or have fun, and if they do, they are truly not depressed. Below, we dispel unhealthy myths like the latter and give you a list of advice and pointers from a published author and psychiatric clinical nurse on how to educationally write the topic of mental illness into fiction. 

Keep reading