Writeblr & Bookblr

Leo (name, not sign ;)) | pronoun indifferent | writer | wip: DAM | currently reading: Scythe by Neil Schusterman | profil photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash

[writingastray]

Thank you for 5k!!

Over 5000 followers? Thank you all so much! (Although half of you are likely pornbots, idk how tumblr works)

Anyways, I have decided to make a new writeblr, because I wanted to have it as my main blog and this is just a side blog. So here it is: @leo-november​! I will try to follow everyone from there that I follow on here, if I forgot you just message me! Content will hopefully increase, mostly reblogs of helpful references, wips I follow and some original content about books and writing and my undying love for my ebook reader, can you believe it? I also made sideblogs for my wips @witchesburnbright and @crocodileandmoth. Still can’t figure out themes, though. See you!

[yvesdot]

One of the darker aspects of writeblr is how much it encourages showy writing– quotes that look great out of context, that look nice on edits with little sparkly stars. And it’s always wonderful to find quotes like that in your own work, because they do exist naturally everywhere… but your work shouldn’t be written for tumblr, and it definitely shouldn’t be written to be quotable. Remember that it’s always okay to write simple, clean prose, and there’s nothing wrong with your work looking best in its natural state.

[writer-ace]

I don’t know if some people just experience panic attacks way different from the way I do, but a lot of writers seem to write panic attacks as thought they read a list of symptoms and just picked some to go with. Here are things for writing panic attacks:

I always, always notice when a panic attack is starting. The panic is usually a pretty good indicator of it. Why do all of your charaters end up mid-panic attack before they notice the panic attack is happening?

Panic attacks should include at least 80% more thinking than they’re usually written as including. The thoughts can/should be disjointed, incoherent, and repetitive. The reader should feel like the character is panicking instead of having to be told that they’re panicking.

Panic attack symptoms don’t abruptly disappear when the main panic attack stops. A person isn’t automatically fine 30 seconds after finishing having a panic attack.

There are varying degrees of panic attacks.

Go with symptoms beyond “can’t breathe and feeling like I’m going to die”.

Please.

Look up some other symptoms. Include the shittier ones like irritability, screaming at people, etc.

It’s hard to be coherent during a severe panic attack. A bizarre number of characters will stand there going “I can’t breathe” as though they’re vaguely having an allergic reaction. Give me characters apologizing four hundred times in a row. Give me characters who can’t complete a sentence. Give me characters who can’t say anything.

If you have to tell the reader the character is panicking, it’s not a well-written panic attack.

Bystanders almost never react as well in real life as they do in stories.

A lot of people (me included) don’t like to be touched during panic attacks. Every character in stories seems to react well to a hug. Give me characters frantically shoving someone away. Give me characters who can’t manage to tell the other person to get off of them because they can’t get the words out.

The experience of having a panic attack can be exceedingly embarrassing. People will do a lot to hide them.

Stop pretending friendship is the cure for panic attacks. It can certainly help, and having people who are there for you is exceedingly important, but a friend/lover existing doesn’t make a panic attack magically go away.

[thatsmybluefondue]

There are a lot of different symptoms to panic attacks—and I always know when one is coming on unless I wake up in one.

Some signs before the big drop:

Sweating. I sweat excessively. My palms especially turn into slick pools of icky liquid.

I shake like a leaf skittering in the wind. Just. Tremble.

My heart goes double-time.

I get irritable. I snap at people sometimes.

My throat tightens like someone is choking me.

My throughts focus in on the fact that I’m about to panic and I get fidgety. I try to leave and go to someplace where I can be alone. A really common place? A bathroom.

But I still try to lessen the attack. I take preventive measures.

During the anxiety attack:

I breathe. In fact, I breathe too much. I hyperventilate. Sometimes I black out.

Sometimes, I cry. When I do, it’s gross. It’s not pretty in the slightest. I’m panicked, I’m freaking out. It’s not just a few sad tears.

When I don’t cry, I clench up. Just. Ball of fear. I press my hands to my fluttering heart and panic some more.

I think dumb stuff. Heart attack? Kidney stones? Have to escape through a window?

I also try to calm my breathing. I count and list things. It’s not all panic, although that’s a lot of it.

Afterwards:

I’m still a mess. My eyes are red-rimmed. I’m flushed, shaking, sweaty.

Sometimes (often times), I end up having another panic/anxiety attack afterwards. It may take a while, but the stress is still there and it builds up.

I need alone time too.

So here’s so stuff for those writing panic/anxiety attacks! It’s different for everyone, but here are some of my personal experiences.

[writingastray]

My dad was just making scrambled eggs and I asked him if he used butter or olive oil and he just went “Both” and I realised... my dead is the line in this

[missmentelle]

Let’s Talk About Crabs and Buckets.

If you put a single crab into a bucket, it will climb out and escape from becoming someone’s dinner.  If you put a whole bunch of crabs in a bucket, however, the crabs in the bottom of the bucket will pull the crabs at the top of the bucket back down if they try to escape. Instead of allowing some or all of the crabs to survive, the group of crabs will ensure that every single one of them ends up on a plate. 

This same phenomenon is seen in human communities, where it has become known - appropriately - as crab bucket mentality. From the outside, these crab bucket communities might look like support groups, or places to get feedback and advice. But in reality, they are black holes - these are communities where people go to tear each other down, and to actively be torn down in return. Instead of lifting each other up, these communities burrow further and further into their buckets, until everyone is too bitter and broken to ever climb out.  And you might be part of a crab bucket community without even knowing it.  Some online communities are obvious crab-buckets. The so-called “incel” community might be the most obvious example; these are angry young men who tell each other over and over again that they are worthless, unattractive, and that they will never be loved. Lonely teenagers enter the incel community to talk about how frustrated and insecure they are after dealing with romantic rejection, and they quickly find themselves pushed toward hopelessness, violent misogyny and suicidal fantasies. Likewise, the “pro-anorexia” and “thinspo” communities are crab buckets, where members encourage each other to adapt more and more extreme disordered eating, and often invite other members to make cruel comments about their bodies and food journals. Insecure young women (and some men) go to these communities because they want to like their bodies more, and end up weighed down with self-hatred. 

But not every crab bucket is obvious. 

Although there are lots of wonderful and supportive spaces online for LGBTQ+ people, the internet is also littered with LGBTQ+ crab buckets - especially for trans people. Some trans communities are almost entirely dedicated to discouraging and criticizing other trans people for not “passing”; these communities will pore over each others’ pictures, pointing out lingering masculine or feminine features, comparing each other to “a man in a dress”, or outright convincing each other that there is no point in transitioning, as they have no hope of ever “passing”. Anxious trans or questioning people join these groups to navigate a very difficult time in their lives, only to have their own insecurities magnified and distorted.  Communities and feedback circles for writers and artists can also be crab buckets. Again, while there are wonderful and supportive spaces available, there are also toxic black holes out there, masquerading as genuine communities. I’ve belonged to writers’ groups where every single piece of writing was viciously torn to shreds, no matter how promising it might have seemed, and there were constant discussions about how ‘pointless’ it was to try to get published. Members were so insecure about not “making it” that they frantically tried to crush the hopes and dreams of anyone who might be competition. Instead of producing better writing, these kinds of groups eventually produce no writing at all. 

Activist communities are often crab buckets. On the surface, people join activism communities to lift each other up and feel less alone in their cause; in reality, however, many activist communities have underlying cultures of suspicion, gossip, and hostility. Members gleefully comb through each other’s posts and content carefully, constantly looking for any small mistake or out-of-context comment that will allow them to declare that someone is “trash” or “cancelled”. People join these causes to fight back against their own feelings of powerlessness, and often report developing anxiety, depression and panic attacks as a result. 

The list of crab bucket communities goes on. Any kind of group can become a crab bucket group under the right conditions; just because a community is created by and for a marginalized identity, it doesn’t mean that that community is actually safe for that identity. As humans, we like to band together in groups to accomplish large goals and feel less alone… but sometimes, we turn those groups into echo chambers for our own toxic ideas, and try to drag as many people as we can down into our buckets of despair with us. 

If you’re in a group that you suspect might be getting a little crabby, it’s probably time to leave. Turning a whole group around by yourself is an enormous and thankless task, and it’s not one that I’d wish on anybody. Once a group of people have formed a collective identity around proving why they’re all worthless or fat or problematic, it’s hard to turn that ship around, and any attempts to do it might be met with hostility. It’s okay to give up on toxic communities, and look for healthy ones that build you up instead of tearing you down. 

It’s okay to climb out of the bucket. 

[miswiredrobot-deactivated202602]

#i think there’s a particular spinoff of this dynamic that happens especially in mental health support communities#as a product of the fact that black and white thinking is weirdly contagious and gaslighting can be as well#people who are being gaslight start gaslighting others without realizing either of these things are happening#because the narrative is compelling and the community is to isolated to reality-check functionally#also because the line between “this is the way I am and that’s not a bad thing even though it’s a struggle to exist in society this way”#vs “this is a fundamentally unhealthy behavior pattern that is harmful to myself and/or the people around me”#is… unfortunately thin and wobbly#especially with metal health issues that cause distorted perceptions of reality and ones that cause unintentional manipulative behavior#and there’s no coherent anchor point because like… society should be way more accepting of mental variance than it is.#so we do need communities that are inclusive of mental variance and supportive/non-judgemental about mental illness#but also. there are things people do because of mental illness that are deeply harmful to themselves and others.#they often aren’t conscious choices people are making - or are choices made in a compromised mental state - and blame isn’t helpful#but they are harmful. they should not be accepted unchallenged.#You can accept that someone has a moral obligation to change their behavior without blaming them for behaving in that way.#there is a space between blame and forgiveness. It’s important.#believe me I understand the need to have a community that won’t demonize you for fucking up because of mental illness#but that community absolutely needs to be able to tell you when your behavior is unacceptable.#there needs to be a difference between “you’re an ok person even though you did this” and “this is an ok thing to have done or do again.’#at a certain point - if you consciously decide not to even try to change harmful behaviors because that’s ’‘just the way you are” -#it does become your fault. there is blame attached if you knowingly continue to hurt people and justify it with mental illness.#a community that keeps telling you it’s ok - and telling your victims that they’re being ableist for not just accepting that as who you are#- is poisoning itself from the inside. you and everyone will get hurt by it eventually.#not to like. vagueblog about any particular internet mental health forums. or anything.

[writingastray]

Armored fighting resource

Just found a new youtube channel for armored fighting! Don’t know how accurate it is but definitely worth checking out.

[youropinionswrong]

Whats the name of the channel?

[writingastray]

Whoops forgot the link: https://www.youtube.com/user/SkallagrimNilsson

[writingastray]

Armored fighting resource

Just found a new youtube channel for armored fighting! Don’t know how accurate it is but definitely worth checking out.

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Armoury: Swords

I love swords. Love them. Swords are to fantasy as walls to a castle. You need your swords to battle dragons, usurpers, knights and wizards. So lets go into the armory and learn about swords.

Anatomy of a typical sword

Crossguard: This is the part of the sword between the hilt and blade. This protects the hand.

Blade: The sharp end, duh

Hilt: This is the part you hold. Also called a grip.

Pommel: the end of the sword attached to the hilt. This can be decorated as you like.

Fuller: this is a hollow running up the sword. Debates go on whether it is made to reduce suction or make blood run off quicker or to make the sword more dynamic.

Edge: the sharpened sides of the blade. Can be singular or double.

The point: The pointy bit at the top. Stick them into the person (jon snow logic)

Types of Swords

Claymore: This is the Scottish Gaelic version of the Great Sword. It is a heavy sword with a long reach

Longsword: Medieval and Renaissance weapon commonly used with with two hands.

Bastard sword: refers to a sword of an uncertain origin. It may be a cross between a long sword and a great sword.

Gladius: an ancient Roman blade used by gladiators and then legionaires. There is no crossguard. It is also called a shortsword. Made for stabbing rather than slashing.

Xiphos: double-edged, single-handed sword used by ancient greeks. The blade is commonly leaf shaped made for slashing.

Sabre or Rapier: This is a slender blade used by fencers. This blade might not be able to hack a head but its light weight makes the blade an asset in speed.

Katana: The Japanese samurai sword. This is single-edged and the blade os hammer thin. Made for speed and deadly sharp.

Scimitar: a curved blade with a singled edge.

Sword Moves

Advance - to attack, going forward.

Deflect - engaging sword with your own and pushing it away

Empty Fade - jumping backwards as if to retreat then attacking.

Front Guard - the sword is held in front of your face.

Full Iron Gate Guard - the sword is halfway between your legs, angled right.

Half Iron Gate Guard - the sword is held before your left leg.

Lunge - leaping forwards while feet are in the same stance.

Pass Back - moving your front foot into the rear position.

Pass Forward - moving your rear foot into the front position.

Pivot - Rotating 180 degrees, keeping dominant foot stationary.

Retreat - a movement backwards.

Shed - to allow a sword to slide away off your sword.

Short Guard - the hilt is at your hip and the point is forward.

Step Across - Rotating 180 degrees, crossing feet and spinning.

Tail Guard - the hilt is at your hip and the sword is behind you.

Two Horn Guard - pommel is at your chest with the sword pointing out.

Window Guard - a guard where the hilt is at your ear and the sword points forwards

Things to remember about swords

1. When drawing your sword, the scabbard is on your opposite hip.

2. If a sword is two-handed, use two hands. Don’t try be cool. You will cut yourself.

3. Swords are sharpened using a whetstone and polished with oil clothes. Water rusts them. Look after your swords.

4. Swords can stick to to scabbard if the air is icy. To prevent it, you can line your scabbard with leather.

5. Practise with a blunted sword first. Blunt swords are used in tourneys.

6. Defense over Attack. Better to defend rather than attack.

7. Shields are your friend in defence but hamper your ability to attack.

8. Sword to size. Smaller and weaker swordsmen(women) can’t any wield heavier swords. Bulkier and stronger swordsmen(women) can wield heavier swords. Match sword type to body type.

[puthy]

Nothing wrong with being a dumbass and owning a small cottage

[puthy]

Don’t let anybody tell you that picking wildflowers and having a small stream run through your property isn’t a career

[leeebo]

This one’s for the writers who get ignored.

This one’s for the writers who get a maximum of two notes, both of them reblogs by you.

This one’s for the writers who feel like giving up. (Don’t.)

This one’s for the writers who didn’t get any messages on the 21st. (or any other time)

This one’s for the writers who don’t get tagged.

This one’s for the writers who don’t get recommended. 

This one’s for the writers who have the courage to keep going even when you get little to no feedback.

This one’s for the writers who don’t get curious anons.

This one’s for the writers who write amazing things and get hate because of it.

This one’s for the writers who are learning English as a second language.

This one’s for you.

[thesesummersonspoet]

sapphicauthor does the youtube thing

Well hey, there folks. As I’m sure some of you have noted - I’m doing the YouTube thing!

The channel is officially up and can be found here!

Here’s what you can expect if you subscribe:

Book and film reviews

Talks about my own books

Writing advice

Talks about mental health and self-care

All kinds of nerdy stuff

Queer rep discussions

Other LGBTQ community stuff

Poetry performances

Vlogs and lifestyle

It would mean the absolute world to me if you’d subscribe so that I’m not just talking into the void!

Please reblog to signal boost <3 You never know who might join my audience

[crazy4dragons]

When I was in college, one of my professors said, “We write because we don’t feel like we belong in this world, and want to create a place for ourselves on paper” and honestly I’ve never heard something so relatable since I took that class

[writingastray]

7 and 33, for the obscure asks, if that's okay?

Sure is okay :)

7. what song is your aesthetic?Currently that would be Monster by Seafret. But I have a lot, don’t even get me started.

33. do you have any strange fears? I’m not even 20 yet, but I’m afraid of slipping in the shower and hitting my head.

[writingastray]

hey can i ask you/your followers for advice ??

Sure! (Don’t know how long this has been sitting in my inbox, sorry!)

[sharkpositive-moved-deactivated]

obscure asks

what’s your favorite way to dress?

if you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

what movie/game/etc. helps you calm down?

what does your room smell like?

do you like to organize?

what kind of music would you listen to if you could only choose one?

what song is your aesthetic?

what color do you think goes best with your personality?

do you believe in auras?

what do you wish you hated, but actually like?

vague about your crush(es)

is there someone you have mixed feelings towards?

talk about an au or story you came up with

do you like makeup?

do you prefer space or the ocean?

if you could pick any planet besides earth, where would you live?

what form of government do you like the most? (capitalism, socialism, etc.)

what animal would you keep as a pet, if you could?

what do you think our purpose is in the universe?

do you believe in god(s)?

is there a song you can’t handle listening to, even though you like it?

what ex do you miss the most, if you have one?

do you like soft, fluffy blankets or rough/smooth blankets?

what is your favorite thing to learn about?

what country’s history do you find the most interesting?

what do you think about genderbent ____ (insert someone here)

what breakup was the hardest, if you had one?

do you have someone where you can’t decide if you like them romantically or just as a friend?

what do you think about tumblr discourse?

what instrument do you wish you could master?

how easy is it for you to be honest?

do you have any strange interests?

do you have any strange fears?

what food do you binge on when you’re lazy?

when you get angry, how do you show it?

do you have any impulsive movements? (twitches, ticks, flapping, etc.)

what do you listen to music on?

are you left brained or right brained?

earbuds or headphones?

do you like light blankets or heavy blankets? 

[writingastray]

I’m just reading one of my friends short stories and... it’s really really gay, I mean REALLY GAY. Knowing her, she probably hasn’t noticed yet. How should I tell her?

[bimaboi]

Croc girl and her fat bois

instagram: @radollsart

[writingastray]

Cuddly bois