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[onlytwitterpics]

[just-shower-thoughts]

Is hipster peer pressure “come on man, no one else is doing it”?

[tastefullyoffensive]

[miniar]

It bothers me to see Freyja declawed.

Seriously bothers me. 

A lot!

Okay so… there are a lot of different neopagan and heavily christianized influences in modern international heathenry. These influences actually litter the greater heathen community to such a degree that there are a lot of little things that annoy me, but there are some things that just plain anger me to no end. 

One of these things is the declawing of Freyja. 

What I mean by that is that Freyja is often described primarily as a goddess of love and beauty and many of the images and icons created by and for heathens depict her as this gorgeous woman in a supple, soft, even gentle pose. 

I’ve even seen a statue of Freyja that looks a lot like a virgin mary statue with a fresh coat of paint. 

Freyja is associated with cats and cats are elegant and beautiful and soft little murder machines and this association is spot on. 

Freyja is described as incredibly beautiful, yes, but also as incredibly powerful (magic wise, and incredibly violent.  She is the leader of the valkyries, which aren’t just “sheild maidens” or women i fantasy-rpg-style armor cheering on the sidelines.  They choose who lives and who dies. They choose where you go when you die.  And they ride point into battle and Revel in the sheer bloodlust and carnage. 

If it was raining blood from the heavens, Freyja would dance and sing in the rain. 

This aspect of her is important. 

It’s an equal measure of everything she is. 

Beauty, power, wisdom, and fucking bloodlust. 

When we speak of her as a goddess of love it feels disingenuine.  She’s more to do with the raw, the carnal, lust.  She’s not found in a cute and harmless flirt with that cute person. She’s found in fingers reaching, grabbing, hot breath, wordless sounds of pleasure, two hearts beating hot, hard, and in tune with one another.  She has less to do with a kiss on a cheek, and more to do with an orgasm. 

But this too, this hunger is lost as her active role is downplayed, her sword and spear taken from her hand, her sensible armor and cloak of hawk’s feathers with which she can literally fly into battle, her battle chariot, her wild boar, everything stripped away from the fierce and proud goddess, and she’s declawed, and turned into something soft and sweet and gentle. 

It frustrates me to see her declawed and turned into a synonym for the virgin mother.  It angers me to see the female fury of my ancestors turned into a polite, christian, crush. 

And most of all, it angers me to see heathens use this watered down, declawed, christianized version, to explain how women should be. 

[yggdrasill--]

this! ^

[babyanimalgifs]

Hello darkness, my old friend… (via heIdbyhes)

more baby animals here

[marinaprose]

Writing Advice Masterlist

For a full and updated list of writing advice, click here. All advice is by Marina Montenegro and originally posted on Writing the Words blog. (This list is updated to include October’s novel prep articles)

Getting Started

Prewriting 101 Returning to Old Works Setting Up Your Space Starting Again (if you’ve stopped) Where to Start Writing the Beginning Writing What You Don’t Know 5 Truths About Being A Writer

Characters:

Character Building Non-Binary Characters Religious Characters Writing A Hero Writing Non-Humans Writing Women 5 Ways to Name Your Character 5 More Ways to Name Your Character 7 Steps to Character Creation *new*

Dialogue:

Dialogue Improving Dialogue: Eliminate Exposition

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo Tips & Tricks for NaNoWriMo 3 Tips for NaNo *new*

Planning & Outlines

How to Start Outlining Is My Idea Good Enough? Should you Outline? 7 Things to Do Before You Start

Plot:

Details Fight Scenes Sex Scenes Sexual Assault in Literature Story Arcs

Publishing:

Choosing a Title *new* Rejection Letters When and Where to Publish

Romance:

LGB Relationships Romantic Subplots Writing a Romance Novel

Setting:

Description When Setting Really Matters World Building:  Creating Another Species Creating World Maps World Building 101 World Building 201 *new*

Other

Editing Making Time to Write Point Of View Prologues Why I Write Writers Block Writing with Sound 5 Signs You Treat Your Reader Like an Idiot

[ruthlesscalculus]

Are you still stuck for ideas for National Novel Writing Month? Or are you working on a novel at a more leisurely pace? Here are 102 resources on Character, Point of View, Dialogue, Plot, Conflict, Structure, Outlining, Setting, and World Building, plus some links to generate Ideas and Inspiration.

CHARACTER, POINT OF VIEW, DIALOGUE

10 Days of Character Building

Name Generators

Name Playground

The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test

Priming the idea pump (A character checklist shamlessly lifted from acting)

How to Create a Character

Seven Common Character Types

Handling a Cast of Thousands – Part I: Getting to Know Your Characters

It’s Not What They Say …

Establishing the Right Point of View: How to Avoid “Stepping Out of Character”

How to Start Writing in the Third Person

Web Resources for Developing Characters

What are the Sixteen Master Archetypes?

Character: A compilation of guidance from classical and contemporary experts on creating great dramatic characters

Building Fictional Characters

Fiction Writer’s Character Chart

Character Building Workshop

Tips for Characterization

Fiction Writer’s Character Chart

Villains are People, Too, But …

Top 10 Tips for Writing Dialogue

Speaking of Dialogue

Dialogue Tips

Advantages, Disadvantages and Skills (character traits)

How to Write a Character Bible

Character Development Exercises

All Your Characters Sounds the Same — And They’re Not a Hivemind!

Medieval Names Archive

Sympathy Without Saintliness

Writing the Other: Bridging Cultural Difference for Successful Fiction

Family Echo (family tree website)

Interviewing Characters: Follow the Energy

100 Character Development Questions for Writers

Behind the Name

Lineage Chart Layout Generator

PLOT, CONFLICT, STRUCTURE, OUTLINE

How to Write a Novel: The Snowflake Method

Effectively Outlining Your Plot

Conflict and Character within Story Structure

Outlining Your Plot

Ideas, Plots & Using the Premise Sheets

How to Write a Novel

Creating Conflict and Sustaining Suspense

Plunge Right In … Into Your Story, That Is!

Fiction Writing Tips: Story Grid

Tips for Creating a Compelling Plot

Writer’s “Cheat Sheets”

The Thirty-six (plus one) Dramatic Situations

The Evil Overlord Devises a Plot: Excerpt from Stupid Plotting Tricks

Conflict Test

What is Conflict?

Monomyth

The Hero’s Journey: Summary of the Steps

Outline Your Novel in Thirty Minutes

Plotting Without Fears

Novel Outlining 101

Writing the Perfect Scene

Fight Scenes 101

Basic Plots in Literature

One-Page Plotting

The Great Swampy Middle

SETTING, WORLD BUILDING

Magical World Builder’s Guide

I Love the End of the World

World Building 101

The Art of Description: Eight Tips to Help You Bring Your Settings to Life

Creating the Perfect Setting – Part I

Creating a Believable World

An Impatient Writer’s Approach to Worldbuilding

Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions

Setting

Character and Setting Interactions

Creating Fantasy and Science Fiction Worlds

Creating Fantasy Worlds

Questions About Worldbuilding

Maps Workshop — Developing the Fictional World Through Mapping

World Builder Projects

IDEAS, INSPIRATION

Quick Story Idea Generator

Solve Your Problems Simply by Saying Them Out Loud

Busting Your Writing Rut

Writing Inspiration, or Sex on a Bicycle

Creative Acceleration: 11 Tips to Engineer a Productive Flow

The Seven Major Beginner Mistakes

Complete Your First Book with these 9 Simple Writing Habits

Free Association, Active Imagination, Twilight Imaging

Random Book Title Generator

Finishing Your Novel

Story Starters and Idea Generators

REVISION

How to Rewrite

One-Pass Manuscript Revision: From First Draft to Last in One Cycle

Editing Recipe

Cliche Finder

Revising Your Novel: Read What You’ve Written

Writing 101: So You Want to Write a Novel Part 3: Revising a Novel

TOOLS and SOFTWARE

My Writing Nook (online text editor; free)

Bubbl.us (online mind map application; free)

Freemind (mind map application; free; Windows, Mac, Linux, portable)

XMind (mind map application; free; Windows, Mac, Linux, portable)

Liquid Story Binder (novel organization and writing software; free trial, $45.95; Windows, portable)

Scrivener (novel organization and writing software; free trial, $39.95; Mac)

SuperNotecard (novel organization and writing software; free trial, $29; Windows, Mac, Linux, portable)

yWriter (novel organization and writing software; free; Windows, Linux, portable)

JDarkRoom (minimalist text editor; free; Windows, Mac, Linux, portable)

AutoRealm (map creation software; free; Windows, Linux with Wine)

[goddessofcheese]

screaming

[an-experiment-deactivated201202]

[kickingshoes]

I think I reblogged this before but just in case, super handy writing references, woo!

[sillyjimjam]

102 Resources for Fiction Writers

[xthyla]

@afroenby

[fedswatching]

lmfao

[lokeanwelcomingcommittee]

Symbols for Loki

We frequently receive requests for lists of Lokean symbols. I’m not going to lie: I’ve always been against the idea, and I still kind of am. I do not believe it’s respectful to treat deities as beings you can summon at will with the right combination of symbols and offerings. And I really, really don’t believe in encouraging people to base their practices on lists of symbols on the internet, since a symbol partly loses it meaning when divorced from its original context in the myths. But the truth is that people are going to seek this stuff out regardless.

And so, I kind of consider this list the lesser of two evils. Instead of just listing things, I’m going to include a bit on where each symbol comes from and whether it’s historically attested or a modern association. This list is no substitute for actual research or a relationship with Loki. It is meant only as a starting point for those things.

That said, don’t stress if you find out that some of the symbols you’ve been using aren’t attested in the lore. Remember, a symbol does not need to be attested in order to be valid. A symbol does not need to be shared with anyone else to be valid. Loki can and does make use of whatever associations we happen to have. A personal symbol can often feel more meaningful because it’s unique to your individual relationship.

Animals

Falcons - Loki can shapeshift, but for some reason he borrows Freyja’s falcon cloak on occasion. For example, in Þrymskviða, he uses it to search for Mjolnir.

Goats - Goats are traditionally a symbol for Thor. However, some Lokeans like to make stealth references to the story in Skáldskaparmál where Loki ties his balls to a goat in order to entertain Skadi.

Horses - In Gylfaginning, Loki is commanded to keep a giant from finishing building a wall in time so the Aesir don’t have to pay him. Loki turns into a white mare to distract the giant’s work horse and gives birth to Sleipnir as a result. The Edda is ambiguous as to whether this was consensual or not, so use discretion when considering whether you find it appropriate to use as a symbol.

Salmon - Loki turns into a salmon in order to hide from the Aesir after the events of Lokasenna. Unfortunately, Thor catches Loki with his own net.

Seals - In a tragically mostly lost poem called Húsdrápa, quoted by Snorri in Skáldskaparmál, Loki  steals Freyja’s necklace Brísingamen. Loki and Heimdall transform into seals and fight over it.

Snakes - Loki is the father of Jormungandr, the serpent that encircles the world. Additionally, when Loki is bound, Skadi hangs a venomous serpent above his head to torture him. In modern Western culture, snakes are usually considered very crafty (likely because of the serpent in Genesis.) They also transform and renew themselves regularly by shedding their skin, a very Lokean concept. However, it should be noted that the “Urnes Snakes” symbol popularized by the jeweler Trove of Valhalla is actually a modern design that, despite the company’s claim, does not originate from the Urnes stave church.

Wolves - Loki fathers Fenrisulfr. Another of his sons in turned into a wolf as a punishment. Finally, Loki is the blood brother of Odin, who’s heavily associated with wolves.

Foxes - Loki is never associated with foxes in the lore. However, foxes have long been trickster characters in our culture (see Aesop’s fables, Reynard, Br’er Fox, etc.) And because people associate tricksters with foxes, they associate Loki with foxes.

Spiders - Pretty much the same deal as with foxes. There isn’t solid evidence that Loki was associated with spiders historically, but spidery tricksters like Anansi and Charlotte have led modern devotees to see them as a Loki thing. A scholar named Anna Birgitta Rooth put forth the theory that the name Loki is related to Swedish locke (spider), but that theory didn’t gain much acceptance among academics.

Plants

Mistletoe - The plant Loki uses to kill Baldr in the Eddas, as it’s the only thing that hasn’t sworn not to harm Baldr. Keep in mind that mistletoe is not the same plant as holly. (You want the one with white berries.)

Birch - Because of the Norwegian rune poem. (see below)

Runes

Bjarkan - The only rune with an attested connection to Loki, in the Norwegian rune poem: “Birch has the greenest leaves of any shrub;   Loki was fortunate in his deceit.” 

Logr - His name starts with it. Also, water is a very liminal thing.

Cen - Based on SPG about Loki and fire. (see below.)

Pretty much all of them can be tied to Loki with some creativity TBH

Stars

Lokabrenna - Yes, really, Loki is a star. (But we knew that.) The Norse named the star we call Sirius Lokabrenna, “Loki’s burning” or “Loki’s torch.”

Holidays

Lokablót, the sacrificial celebration of Loki, has no set date. There is no evidence for the historical worship of Loki, and so modern devotees do their own thing. That said, a couple particular days have become somewhat popular.

April 1 - A lot of people think that April Fool’s Day is an appropriate time to celebrate Loki’s trickster nature.

Lokabrenna Day - Because the star Sirius was named for Loki, some people in recent years have decided to celebrate Lokablót when Sirius rises. (The same day Kemetics celebrate Wep Ronpet, basically.) Unfortunately, because of the laws of physics and stuff, that day is going to vary based on your location. Here’s a guide on how to calculate it. Yes, it’s kind of complex.

Colors

None of these are attested, but I include them for the sake of completeness and because it’s a surprisingly common question.

Green and Gold - These come from the Marvel character.

Red and orange - These, as far as I can tell, are SPG, likely tied to the aforementioned fire association SPG.

Misc

Fire - Wagner combined Loki with Logi, the fire god, in his Ring Cycle. And ever since, Loki has been associated with fire and magic  in pop culture. There are some very iffy pieces of evidence that Loki might have had some historical connection with fire (e.g., the Snaptun stone and medieval folklore about the Ash Lad) but the scholarly consensus is “Nope, blame Wagner.” That said, fire, with its dual roles of creation and destruction, enlightenment and passion, is a pretty potent symbol for Loki even if it doesn’t have a historical basis.

Red hair - Loki’s hair color is never mentioned in the lore, and there are some illuminated Icelandic manuscripts in which he is shown as a blond or brunette. The fire god mistake mentioned above probably popularized the redhead image. (Interestingly, Thor is canonically a redhead.)

Fishing Nets - In Gylfaginning, Loki weaves a fishing net while on the lam and hiding from the Aesir. (The story kind of implies it’s the first fishing net, although Ran is also credited with inventing them elsewhere.) Loki turns into a salmon to escape but ends up being caught with his own creation,

Earthquakes - The prose epilogue to Lokasenna claims that earthquakes are caused by Loki writhing in pain when Sigyn leaves to empty her venom-catching bowl.

Masks - While Odin, not Loki, takes the name of Grímnir (the masked one) in the lore, masks are a fairly logical thing to associate with a shapeshifter.

This list only includes things that are in the lore or that I perceive to be extremely common SPG. I want to reiterate that it is perfectly acceptable to have personal associations that have nothing to do with the lore. My goal here is merely to shed some light on where the most popular symbols come from. I hope it’s useful!

-Mod E

[poulaki]

Some Interesting Odin and Loki Articles

Full disclosure, I’ve only skimmed the abstracts of most of them so far, and some of these may not be free to read, or you may need to find them at other sources to do so.

The Figure of Loki in Germanic Mythology

Cunning Intelligence in Norse Myth: Loki, Óðinn, and the Limits of Sovereignty

The Flying Noaidi of the North: Sámi Tradition Reflected in the Figure Loki Laufeyjarson in Old Norse Mythology

Scar-Lip, Sky-Walker, and Mischief-Monger: The Norse God Loki as Trickster

Changing, Out-of-Work, Dead, and Reborn Gods in the Fiction of Neil Gaiman [PDF]

Scandinavian Mythology as a System of Oppositions

The Function of Loki in Snorri Sturluson’s “Edda”

Loki’s Gender: Or why Skaði Laughed

Why Was Óðinn Killed by Fenrir? A Structural Analysis of Kinship Structures in Old Norse Myths of Creation and Eschatology

Sjiele sacrifices, Odin treasures and Saami graves

Odin, the wanderer: the influence of norse mythology in the tourism creation.

[intaier]

Speak to the Gods. Ancient prayers are good. So are contemporary prayers written by priests and devotees. So are your own words that express the yearnings of your heart. Calling Them by names, titles, and epithets is good, but remember – They know They’re Gods. You’re the one who needs to be reminded. Express your admiration and devotion. Give thanks where appropriate. Ask for what you want… but consider Who you’re speaking to. Is your request something important or something trivial? And remember the principle of reciprocity: if you expect to receive, you should expect to give. Be careful what you offer. If you say “I’ll do whatever you want me to do” They may take you up on it in ways you never considered. My experience has been that the Gods are mostly (but not always) lenient with beginners, but much more strict with those of us who should know better. Pray respectfully and pray mindfully, but pray.

John Beckett “Beginning a Devotional Practice“ (via kitienen)

[gap-var-ginnunga]

The amount of magicians using magic of the gender not specified to a particular form of magic implies that  Norse gender roles were far less strict than modern scholars hold them to have been; in general, the permeability of Norse gender roles does not seem restrained to magic in the Poetic Edda. […] As this text [Poetic Edda] was produced by the Norse themselves, who considered these poems and their tropes worthy of being recorded, this  permeability might be taken as symptomatic of the culture as a whole, particularly with cases where women performed legally as men, Norse graves with ‘men buried in women’s clothes’ and with women’s jewellery and graves with women buried with ‘male’ grave goods and weapons; the scattered evidence, taken as a whole, suggests that gender in Norse society was not as rigid a category as it is seen in the modern western world. As Lauritsen and Hansen note, ‘The danger of archaeological sex determination is that the archaeologist risks confusing the beliefs and practices of his or her own culture with those of the prehistoric culture in question. Most people’s ideas about what is natural for humans to think and do, or not, are  products of enculturation into a specific culture at a particular time. Our ideas and the  practices of our own society are not universal or even inherent in human nature.’ This danger is present in historical analysis, as well, as seen in the misleading binarist theories that paint Norse magic as mostly feminine and Norse gender roles as unbending. By re-examining the primary sources – textual and otherwise – a much more accurate, though less easily categorized, depiction of Norse magic and gender appears, challenging the limited and  binarist assumptions that project modern Western gender norms onto the past in general and Norse magic in particular

Magic beyond the binary: magic and gender in the Poetic Edda (via gap-var-ginnunga)

[keeponshouting]

as a general rule, if you’re seriously asking yourself “but what if I’m faking?” then odds are you’re not faking.

[priestessamy]

I really really really really really needed this

[newlabours]

[who-am-i-hedwig]

Tumblr+The Lord of the Rings

[thesapphirerose-deactivated2024]

@sidereanuncia

[gutterballgt]

I feel like I’ll never NOT be singing “Cause we’re goin to Mordor” now. YOU DID THIS TO ME, TUMBLR.

[atomheart-brother-deactivated20]

Adult Swim making an unholy amount of sense.

[quacklemore]

Sometimes I check my messages to make sure I still have none