Follow The Light

Writer who likes to draw art here & there.

[abd-illustrates]

👻 Horror Musicals 2: Electric BOOgaloo 👻

Happy Halloween~! The spooky season has arrived once more, and for this week’s video I once again celebrated by illustrating another selection of my favourite festive musicals! 👻🎶

If you wanna see the process that went into these artworks – (and see my inky little Halloween avatar’s new look! 👀) – check out the full speedpaint over on YouTube!

▶ 🎃 PRINTS 🎃

(DO NOT EDIT OR REPOST TO OTHER SITES / ACCOUNTS!)

[podcast-queen]

Podcasts I listen to (2018 updated list)

It’s been quite a while since I made one of these and my tastes have changed since I first started this blog. I’ve dropped a lot of podcasts since then and have started some new ones here and there. So enjoy this and hopefully maybe you’ll find something new to listen to!

Fiction/Story podcasts (still running)

Darkest Night- A horror podcast about a scientific research facility with a lot of dark disturbing secrets. this one isn’t super popular amongst the podcast community. But it’s incredibly well written and the voice acting is great. It’s not for the light hearted honestly it’s very dark and can be pretty chilling at times. Love the story line and how it all comes together. Highly recommend!

Rabbits- A PRA/PNWS podcast focusing on another journalist figuring out how a strange real world game is connected to her friend’s disappearance. I really loved the first season and I’m only including it in the still airing list because there’s been talk of a season 2. But this podcast was so interesting honestly. A lot of the PRA/PNWS pods are hit and miss (I love TBTP but don’t like TANIS) but this one was a total hit for me. I enjoyed the weirdness and the game itself.

The Bright Sessions- A podcast about atypical people go to therapy where everyone’s stories come together and they’re figuring out themselves, love, friendships, their lives. It’s so so so good and so well written! I love the characters so much honestly you have to give this a listen if you have no yet. It’s a really amazing podcast that features so many parts of life and all types of different people. Highly recommend!!

Welcome to Night Vale- A friendly desert community and all the weird happenings that occur all told by the wonderful Cecil Palmer. Okay this one everyone has listened to! You can’t get away from this one even if you tried it’s very beautiful and weird and just really good. I don’t listen to this one as much anymore but when I do I binge all the ones I’ve missed and still love it so much. Characters are great, most of the story lines are super well done and exciting, and the voice acting is A++!

The Black Tapes Podcast- Another PRA/PNWS podcast. A journalist and a skeptic deal with tapes focusing on ghosts, demons, and other spooks. Everything slowly begins to line up and things get darker as the plot goes on. Sooo since this one isn’t technically ending and I’m such a sucker for this podcast I’m still going to be listening for whatever comes next. I really loved the first season and second was pretty good the third fell short. Really short but that may change with whatever they have planned next. It’s good and exciting and I love the characters here as well. It’s a pretty good listen.

Spines- A podcast about Wren, and her quest to piece together her fragmented past and to find her lover but as the plot goes on there’s way more twists to the story that really impact Wren’s life. This is a pretty creepy podcast especially in the first few episodes. I really enjoy the plot it’s really interesting and you want to know more the more Wren tries to figure stuff out.

Eos10- A really funny podcast focusing on doctors on a spaceship and a criminal and much much more. I loooove Eos10 and I’m so excited because there’s been talk about the next season coming out soon. I’m so ready ahh! I really love this podcast it’s so funny and interesting and the plot has been great! I’m going to be relistening to it soon so I can get a refresh before this new season. Highly recommend!

Limetown- A journalist trying to figure out the mystery of a town that completely disappeared ten years earlier. This podcast is incredible. It’s so well written, well acted, and well done. It’s just great again if you haven’t listened to yet. (which I know plenty have) you have to listen it’s so good and exciting! Highly recommend!

Non-Fiction (I guess) Podcasts

Astonishing Legends- A podcast about legends of ghosts, cryptids, and much more. The hosts are really interesting and funny and have a lot of great stories to tell with each legend. It’s entertaining for a subject I find so fun and interesting!

The Adventure Zone- A new podcast I started a little while ago. It’s a podcast from the McElroys and it’s a hilarious D&D podcast that I highly recommend you listen to for some good fun!

Jenna + Julien Podcast- I love Jenna Marbles and Julien so I had to give this podcast a listen. its so so funny and great and random but so good! It’s a nice podcast to listen to when you want something fun and chill. Jenna and Julien are so funny with each episode and talk about some interesting topics and fun games its great!

[wakingstarstuff]

Made a post on insta to get more people to listen to fiction podcasts 🙏

[goose-thunder-network]

If anyone has any advice to tack on feel free!

[archivistofnerddom]

If you liked Netflix’s Stranger Things, here are some podcasts you might enjoy:

Welcome to Night Vale (the community news of a small city in the American Southwest where all conspiracy theories are true and a part of every day life; BONUS - canon interracial gay couple as the main couple)

The Message (70-year-old message from outer space, cryptology, things are not as they seem)

Limetown (everyone in small town disappears and no one knows what happened to them; follow an intrepid journalist as she investigates)

The Black Tapes (sister show to TANIS; demons, investigation into the unexplainable, asshole Alpha Skeptic, and the journalist who tries to sort this all out)

TANIS (sister show to The Black Tapes; conspiracy, truth, and the investigation of what Tanis really is, plus an “information specialist” named Meerkatnip)

Archive 81 (found footage audio series where nothing is quite as it seems and there’s a building that isn’t exactly right)

Alice Isn’t Dead (from the people behind WtNV, a truck driver tries to find her missing wife and she runs into a lot of conspiracies along the way)

Within the Wires (again, from the people who brought you WtNV, instructional audio guides that slowly reveal a personal story and the revelation that the world the podcast is set in is that great)

The Bright Session (imagine what it would be like if the X-Men went to therapy)

The Behemoth (a girl and her monster walk across America)

Wolf 359 (the absurd misadventures of a small band of eccentric characters on board the Hephaestus Station in orbit around the dwarf star, Wolf 359, where it’s all fun and games until it’s not and the Blessed Eternal just wants a night light)

[we-fangirl-united]

What podcasts I listen to

This is a post that most likely no one cares about since I shitpost whatever I’m into but I wanna get my thoughts about the podcasts I listen to regularly and what I feel about them. 

Welcome to Night Vale - This is the one that got me into podcasts although it scared me at first. I managed to listen to 60 episodes in almost a week so I was pretty hooked. This is about a friendly desert community where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful and mysterious lights pass while we all pretend to sleep. It’s set in a H P Lovecraft style of world where the scariest of things are seen as the most normal of things. Things change when a beautiful stranger comes to town but you’ll fall in love instantly. Episodes come out the 1st and 15th of each month

Alice Isn’t Dead - This is done by the same company that does Night Vale and it’s a lot darker and creepier. It is about a truck driver who drives around the country trying to find her wife Alice while discovering things about the towns she goes past. A warning if you don’t deal with gore or violence very well (also spoilers) someone does get murdered in the first episode and the main character does get attacked in a later episode. This show is only done by Joseph Fink and his style is a little scary at times but it’s still good. I recommend binge listening to the first season before the second one comes out because it’s a little easier to keep up with the story that way. I prefer Night Vale over Alice but that’s just a personal opinion. Episodes will continue when the next season starts. 

Wolf 359 - This is one of my favourite podcasts I have ever listened to. Written by Gabriel Urbina, it’s about Doug Eiffel’s life on the Hephaestus Research Station as they orbit the red dwarf star Wolf 359. This a podcast you’ll want more of and you’ll want to know every single plot twist and theory. The characters are loveable and it just makes me really happy. Renee Minkowski is the station’s commander and she makes sure that her boys stay in check (mostly Eiffel). Dr. Hilbert is honestly a little creepy but you can’t hate him and HERA is my computer wife. Every storyline is great and will only keep you guessing. The website also has other cool stuff such as playlists for the characters which are on spotify and there are small little things that are fantastic. The early seasons are very lighthearted and Zach Valenti (@iamzachvalenti) voices both Doug and Hilbert and it’s just fantastic to listen to. Episodes come out every two weeks.

Limetown - Limetown is very different compared to the other podcasts. It’s a news report that follows a reporter, Lia Haddock, as she tries to find out what happened to an entire town of people that just vanished into thin air. The length of the episodes span under 10 minutes to nearly an hour. It’s interesting but Lia is kinda annoying with her methods of obtaining the information she desires but her intentions are in the right place, despite her actions getting innocent people hurt. The podcast kinda stopped in December last year so it’s real easy to listen to but you will want more which is disappointing since you want to know what happens in the next season. It takes a very realistic turn of events so who knows when the next season comes out. If you like realistic podcasts then this is the one for you 

The Bright Sessions - Another personal favourite of mine and I no joke want more right now. The only way I can describe the podcast without spoiling it is X-men go to therapy. It’s an actual pleasure to listen to and it keeps you hooked. Lauren Shippen  (@thelaurenshippen)  has created something thats actually beautiful and has created characters who are relatable in every way. Sam is a time traveller with anxiety, Caleb is a high school student who can feel others emotions, Chloe thinks she’s going insane with the voices of angels then there is a mysterious character who I shall not name. It’s defiantly worth a listen and it’s an A++ podcast. The website also has things that are unique to each person. Sam has a blog, Caleb has instagram and playlists of his own and Chloe has tumblr. This is no joke something I want to make in the future so it’s amazing to me. New episode dates will be released with the new episodes. 

King Falls AM - This is like Night Vale but less creepy and more paranormal. The main characters are Sammy “Shotgun” Stevens and Ben Arnold who host a  late night call in show. I can only imagine this like Night Vale because of the similar format but they are completely different. King Falls AM is what Night Vale would be if the town normal and unusual things aren’t normal. The characters are really loveable and I just love them so much. There are people you will love to hate and it definitely makes you feel like you are a citizen of the town which is great. It brings a sense of community to the small fandom. I want to say more but it’s very spoilery so I will say no more. It’s worth the listen to and I recommend binge listening to this one, trust me you’ll want to. New episodes come out the 1st and 15th of each month. 

EOS 10 - I’ll admit that I haven’t finished this podcast but I don’t think they’ve made new episodes since last year?????? (it was December so I wasn’t wrong). The story follows Ryan Dalias arriving on EOS 10 to check up on the doctor on the ship who has been going through his share of addiction. From what I’ve listened from this, it’s not bad but not my cup of tea. Scifi podcasts don’t work for me but I still enjoy this quite a bit. Warning if you aren’t interested in hearing people do the frick frack then there is a part of episode 3 that you’ll want to skip because it’s a little uncomfortable. The first two seasons are out and god knows when the next season will be available. 

Within the Wires - This is another one done by Night Vale presents. Within the Wires is written by Jeffrey Cranor and the story is based through a series of standard relaxation tapes where you soon realise that yours aren’t standard. The woman on the to the main character and you slowly figure out what that connection is. The tapes themselves are a little creepy but they are sort of relaxing at the same time. Season two may be different and possibly might not be relaxation tapes but that’s the exciting thing about it. I personally prefer this podcast to Alice because I can listen to this and not feel scared when I’m trying to sleep. This one just creeps me out opposed to scaring me so I stay awake. I wouldn’t listen to this before bed though. I recommend to listen to this on a really long road trip because that’s the most comfortable I felt when I heard it. New episodes will come out when the new season does. 

ars PARADOXICA - Imagine if you had accidentally created time travel and you find yourself in 1942 in the middle of the second world war. That’s what Sally Grisham does and she soon discovers that her time travel only goes back so she attempts to find a way to go back to her own time which is a little difficult with only technology from the early 40′s. I’ll be honest, I did really like this podcast when I first started it but the last 4 episodes make me question if I actually want to continue it. The latest episode makes me think that I could continue it. They do give warnings about gun violence and terrible things happening to kids which made me super uncomfortable but the warning was nice. New episodes come out the 1st of each month

The Orbiting Human Circus (of the Air) - Yet another Night Vale presents project but it’s not written by Joseph or Jeffrey. The story follows the janitor Juilen as he tries to get into the show without getting caught. The podcast is set on top of the Eiffel tower and the most magical things happen such as a bird who can recreate a whole orchestra perfectly and a machine that can make the thoughts of a cricket come to life. There are only four episodes so far but it’s pretty good so far. The janitor is my favourite and he just shares stories about his life that only make me want to get to know him better which is nice. The french accents also make me really happy. New episodes come out every other Wednesday and I high recommend it. 

Podcasts I haven’t started but are on my list

Homecoming 

Lore

The Penumbra Podcast

Return Home

Our Fair City

LifeAfter 

I wanted to make this in case anyone was interested with what I was listening to and I would like recommendations with podcasts because I’m always looking for new podcasts to listen to

[wakingstarstuff]

Made a post on insta to get more people to listen to fiction podcasts 🙏

[cas-kingdom]

push yourself to do things you fear and tomorrow you’ll be a little less afraid

[sarahseeandersen]

Hi everyone!

My series “FANGS,” a love story between a werewolf and vampire, has reached its halfway point. The story is free to read and will update twice a week until July, but the entire story is available if you opt to unlock it!

Check it out here

[darkmacademia]

alignment chart: bookmark edition. tag yourself i’m scrap paper

[writing-ideas-inc]

Hi! I’m writing a story about a dragon and a girl and I’m struggling to write their relationship could you do some prompts about their first meeting?

1. “You are a long way from home,” the dragon said in a low, rumbling voice. The girl looked up at the dragon from her spot in the grass.

“So are you,” she said in an almost sad tone. “No one’s seen a dragon in a long time.”

2. It took a few moments for her to realize she was no longer falling. The wind was pushing at her forcefully, and there was a sort of heavy weight on her shoulders. She glanced up and suppressed a scream. Flying above her, it’s claws wrapped around her shoulders as it carried her, was an enormous dragon.

3. “Our first meeting was unconventional, wasn’t it,” the girl mused, laying her cheek against the dragon’s head. The dragon fluttered its wings, almost bashful. 

“I’m sorry for that.”

“It’s not your fault. You were young. You didn’t mean to start the fire.”

4. “Come back here, you little brat!” One of the bandits tried chasing the girl, but the town square was crowded, and it didn’t take long for the young girl to slip away. She ran down a tiny alley, carrying a bundle in her arms. She didn’t rest until she found a hidden crevice in a wall that lead into a desolate room of some store. She hid in the corner, carefully unwrapping the bundle to reveal a beautiful, glowing dragon egg.

“It’s ok,” she whispered to the egg. “I have you now. You’re safe.”

5. One second, the woman had been hitting the young girl, beating her until she was on the ground, curled into a ball. She raised her hands, trying to fend off the blows until the hits suddenly stopped. The frightened girl peeled her eyes open.

Standing over her, its scaly chest inches from her face, was a dragon. It was absolutely beautiful, a pale blue that faded into white, with feathered wings. Its teeth were bared out in a snarl. Protecting her, she realized. The dragon was protecting her from the woman, who had beaten her to tears seconds ago. Now the woman had paled and was nervously backing away.

6. “Your parents did not deserve you,” the dragon said sadly, gazing at the small toddler, asleep and curled up next to the dragon. “To give their only child up as some sacrifice…” The dragon had been amazed at the sheer gall the couple had, bringing their daughter as an offering. Humans could be so stupid. 

The dragon was quite glad it had burnt them to a crisp.

Mod Carolyn @theories-fans-andwombats

[twenty-four-seven-angst-prompts]

Imagine Dragons Inspired M!A Angst Asks

Gold:Muse becomes awfully selfish and arrogant (if they aren’t already). Each time they touch anything or anyone, it turns to gold.

Believer: Muse feels an overwhelming pain, emotionally and physically

Walking the Wire: Muse is now afraid of heights and above ground level.(location is anon’s choice. Ex. Wireline, Skyscraper)

Dream: Muse begins to hallucinate their worst fears.

Roots: Muse finds themselves tied up. Asks must be answered truthfully or whatever is holding the muse down will grow tighter each time they lie.

Shots: Muse is given the option to shoot or be shot by the one they most care about. Who We Are: Muse becomes dissociative to their personality not knowing their identity/who they are or memories.

Monster: Muse turns into a malevolent-looking creature of Mun’s decision.

Demons: Muse becomes possessed by a demon.

Nothing Left to Say: Muse becomes mute (if they are already, they can now speak).

Radioactive: Muse has been poisoned. 

Bleeding Out: Muse is now bleeding on Anon’s choice of location.

Round and Round: Muse has become horribly dizzy and can’t stand up without stumbling.

Hear Me: Muse is now deaf (if already deaf, they can now hear).

[the-moon-dust-writings]

Writing Prompts - Fantasy

1. “Did that skeleton just wink? Is that even possible? No! Wait! I want to see the winking skeleton.”

2. “This tavern was over taken by the dead, not by force, it’s Wednesday. They always come here on Wednesdays.”

3. “Your archery skills sure do suck, why not try hand to hand combat instead?”

4. “And so the King has spoken, today is forever known as feather boa day.”

5. “The direwolves are in fact, not ‘big fluffy doggos you can pet’, your Grace.”

6. “Did my horse just talk? Did you hear that? I have a talking horse.”

7. “Oh you know, the usual, accidentally befriending an assassin and be thrown into the pit was on my to-do list today!”

8. “Have you ever thought, maybe, magic isn’t the key, but rather the people wielding it are?”

9. “Where are the necromancers? I have an issue afoot.”

10. “The potion was meant for the enemy, not for you to use as face wash!”

11. “You’re wandering into the land of the dead, you never know what you will find beyond that ridge.”

12. “And so the trees spoke for hours on end, they spoke and spoke until there was nothing left to be said.”

13. “Why are there floating objects around us? What’s happening? What’s going on?”

14. “Must we wear the pointy hats, are they essential? I get awful hat hair.”

15. “To channel your energy, you need a wand, and so a wand, you will have.”

[inky-duchess]

Writing a Story: Planning prt 2

If you’re going to plan, make sure you don’t tie yourself down with millions of notes about character appearance or binders full of fabric samples. Most of your knowledge can be stored in your cranial cookie jar.

This part will focus on the technical side of writing. Arcs, Plot, and Pacing are all tools a writer needs to create a story worth reading and also help control the story.

Plot

This is the spine of your story but it can never be a solid thing. Plot is flexible while you are writing. It changes and grows and you must be prepared for it. Plot is the main vein of your tale. Sit down and write down the main plot in three sentences or less

Harry Potter is an orphan wizard who attends wizard school and is pursued by Lord Voldemort as he grows up on account of the prophecy foretold.

Ethan Wate falls in love with Lena Duchannes, finding out she’s a witch and that dark forces threaten to tear their love apart and force his love into choosing evil and good.

A Song of Ice and Fire chronicles the story of a war torn Westeros where rival kings fight for the Iron Throne against a backdrop of magic, murder, fratricide, plotting and incest all the while as a supernatural force marches on the world to bring an eternal winter.

This way you can find about your Plot Points. These are the bullet points of your story. There are the pillars of a story, the support of the overall story. Subplots have already been reviewed on another post, so check that out if you want.

Arcs

A story arc is the progression of a story. The Pokémon evolution if you will. A story is not a straight line. It is round, the bitch gots curves. Throw something in the air. It begins and rises until it reaches its pinnacle and then rapidly falls. That is how a story lives. A story arc can span a chapter, a book or a series. Here are some examples.

Hamlet: Mopey Prince = Guy pretending to be mad and making stupid plans= Vengeful nutcase who causes the death of everyone.

Hunger Games: Katniss Volunteers for sister and goes to Capitol= The Games= After the games.

Pacing

Pace yo'self. Seriously. Calm the fuck down. But not too much. Timing is of the essence and is the key to good stories. A story’s events are set out according to how fast-paced you want your novel. Fast-paced screams action, thriller, suspense, slut drop. Medium paced are for longer books. Slow-paced may make a reader want to burn a book because the story is buffering.

[writing-ideas-inc]

World Building Prompt

Good questions in a world with magic:

How does the magic work? Do you need ingredients to cast a spell or just a word? Are there more difficult rituals that must take a longer time to perform?

What are the limits for your magic? How many spells can you use before you’re “empty”? (Make sure you take into account the difference of using many simple spells up to more than one difficult spell.)

How does one gain magic power? Do they gain it from a higher power, by reading and learning from books, from genetics, or some other way? (You can always gain help with this area from D&D player’s handbooks.)

Are there forbidden spells or forbidden paths of magic? Some good examples of what is usually seen as a forbidden path or magic are necromancy and blood magic.

For the higher level spells, why are they more difficult? What about them makes them more difficult? The amount of magical power or prowess needed? The necessary ingredients? The time period needed to cast the spell?

Is magic illegal in your world? Would your character(s) need to hide that they have magic? If it’s illegal, what happened to make it illegal?

-Mod Kaylee @levianarapunzel

[the-moon-dust-writings]

Writing Prompts - Fantasy

“Oh, so, I am the monster? You just straight up murdered a person! Sure, I might change into a wolf, but you need to relax!”

“Can we not try and kill the king today? I am tired.”

“What if, and get this, we do nothing against the queen and her army?”

“Just because we are knights now, doesn’t mean we are nocturnal, that isn’t what it means!”

“I am scholar of these sorts. I just want to let you know, you dead bruh.”

“I may not be the smartest in the bunch, but I know how to knock your teeth out.”

“Maybe the dragon is right, maybe you are just a bitter old person.”

“So, are you like a pirate? Or what?”

“Maybe the prophecy wasn’t clear enough, you gonna die bruh.”

“So you need a crow’s feather, a blue rock, goat cheese and piece of bark from an elm tree before you help us? Well that’s just a little absurd.”

“Just because I am the chosen one doesn’t mean I am above killing you.”

“Ever heard a good night story? Yeah, me neither.” *Knocks person unconscious*

“I am not like other nobles, I’m actually funny.”

“So, you’re saying no? To the queen? Now that’s death.”

“Behold! The new inn!”

“Can’t I murder someone? Come on, they are all so stupid anyway!”

“My sword isn’t sharp enough!”

“This dagger right here? Yeah? You see this? You see this right here? Guess what? I murdered your family with it.”

“And so we set off north tomorrow morning at first light!”

“This isn’t a tavern, this is a cemetery.”

“Can you not read a map properly?”

“Perhaps we should have listened to the orc, those clouds look murderous.”

“I am in fact the royal heir, so either give me my cake or I’ll slice you.”

“So, have you always sucked at sword fighting?”

“Did that skeleton just look at me? Look at that skeleton! It turned its head! Look!”

“Can you brew any faster? I am getting impatient!”

“I should have turned you into ash the first moment I laid my eyes on you.”

“Can’t we just, you know, kill them?”

“Maybe we should rebel against the crown? That would make our day less boring.”

“Ever heard of poison? Guess what? Give it an hour.”

[lewjambla]

gared @ finn