For The WIP Game, Cell Block Tango!!

for the WIP game, Cell Block Tango!! 👀

Thanks for the ask! And I suppose that one's got the most intriguing title, doesn't it? Lol.

Cell Block Tango is a dark comedy about four roommates, all of whom are criminals of some kind (a drug dealer, an embezzler, a hacker/blackmailer, and a serial killer). The focus is on Madeleine, the baby-faced, wholesome-looking, cheerful serial killer. She kills so many people that the Grim Reaper himself comes and confronts her. When that doesn't work, he teams up with the detective on her case to try and prove that she's the killer (no one but Madeleine, her roommates, and the detective can see the grim reaper, which is why he doesn't count as evidence).

What ensues is a game of cat-and-mouse (and Madeleine rubbing the fact that they can't prove her connection to the crimes in their faces), as well as her and her roommates getting into one illegal shenanigan after another.

I haven't really written much for it yet, but here's the gist of it! I'm thinking of turning this one into a comic with one of my friends, actually, since this kind of story line leans more towards that kind of medium, I think.

Thanks again for the ask!

OST Tag Game 2

Thanks to @da-na-hae for the tag! Sorry this is late lol. Since I used Crown of Blood (unofficial title) for the last OST tag game, I'll be using Asteria Heights this time.

Opening: Purely based off of vibes/melody, Puppet Loosely Strung by The Correspondents or Death Valley by Fall Out Boy are my best offers at the moment lol.

Honestly maybe a song that's more alt-rock or pop-rock might work? Asteria Heights is a murder mystery, but like. It's funny. So something at least rhythmically upbeat with probably lots of guitar, even if the lyrics might be a little dark.

Ending: The Tithing Man by The Blasting Company fits the story lyric-wise, but I feel like vibe/melody-wise the song is a little meh. I can't think of another song off the top of my head (or in my playlists) that really FIT, so.

(Gently) Tagging: @anoelleart, @mysticstarlightduck, @hyba, @aalinaaaaaa, and literally anyone else lol

Just barely made it in time lol! Meg has magic, both the Common kind (aka the average witch magic), and magic specifically tied to her family, which is the ability to communicate with animals. I chose this one for her because I love magic and all of my characters need SOME kind of ability, and I felt like elemental magic is kinda... boring? And frankly, not very versatile, at least not outside of combat/in a more modern day setting. As for why animal communication specifically... well, that's a long story that's also kind of a spoiler, lol. So I'll leave it at "she gets to have a raccoon best friend named Michael."

Blorbo Blursday #7

If you character had superpowers, what would they be and why? If your character ALREADY has powers, why did you choose those powers?

TAGLIST (DM to be +/-) @interroblog @muumysworld @afusiek @the-ravens-requiem @sender-paulson @everthewip @bluberimufim @amaiguri @akiwitch @thetruearchmagos @autumnalwalker @gracehosborn @cljordan-imperium @aether-wasteland-s @saintedseraph @deanwax @berristrawberri @owlbearwrites @the-down-upside-finch @stridingwriter @dandelion-jester @johnmurphysgirl @ghostsofchernobyl @alexsidereus @innocenthedgehog @unmellowyellowfellow @oh-no-another-idea @druidx @ibuprofen-exe @shay-creates @aquadestinyswriting

@loopyhoopywrites @n1ghtcrwler @writingonmymind @wardenred @void-botanist @dyrewrites @sm-writes-chaos @iishmael @romances-not-tragedies @inscrutable-shadow @athenswrites @uraniumwriting @pigeonwhumps @stesierra @bittersqxtch @imslowlydisintegrating @harleyacoincidence @keysandopenmind @pga-books @halleyuhm @wordswrittenbynight @worldsfromhoney @imaslothandsowhat @i-am-the-doctor @callahanscorner

@iamwritehere @hannahholowach46 @frenchbullpigs @informedimagining @anyablackwood @lili-loves-whump @laffy-taffy-creations @downtoithaca @rayesworld @susurrus-mxfluffy @kyuponstories @themswritinwords @valentinerose529 @365runesoftheamalgamations @guessillcallitart

HOW TO: WRITEBLR;

so youve migrated from writing twt to writeblr -> what now?

the following is my masterpost on the ins and outs of navigating the writeblr landscape! while it can be scary to deep-dive into the world of writing on tumblr for the first time, there are a few actions you can take to make it a lot easier to interact and share your writing.

psa: this is neither an extensive nor complete list of writeblr tips! but i hope it can help :)

INTERACTION;

interacting with others is one of the most important aspects of writeblr. im going to be splitting this section into a number of sub-sections because there are several topics relevant to creating a system of communication with other writers on here.

likes and reblogs; unlike twitter or other social media sites, likes do not hold the same weight on tumblr. as well as liking a post, the most important step you can take is to REBLOG. reblogging will share a post to your blog and thus your feed. in doing this, your followers and anyone who checks out your blog are going to see the post, rather than if you just like or comment. reblogging allows more people to interact with a post. content creators (including writers) can be motivated to continue posting when their posts are reblogged because it shows there are enough people interested in their works. the same goes for you! the more you reblog other people's works, the more likely your own posts will be reblogged, thus gaining more traction for all your hard-earned efforts.

taglists; you might be asking: what is a taglist? a taglist is usually featured at the bottom of your post when you share your writing. it includes people who have shown interest in your works - all you do is simply @ them. it means that people who are keen won't miss out on seeing the things you post about your wips! it is essentially an opt-in type deal, where people can choose to be added or removed from being notified about updates, excerpts, and the like.

don't abuse your taglist. don't tag them for every little thing you post about your wips - try to keep it to major posts like excerpts or new art, etc.

**** A HANDY HINT: writeblr etiquette states that you should never just add people to your taglist. only add them if they specifically ask.

tumblr tagging system; the tumblr tagging system is going to be your best friend as a writer. tags allow you to manage your posts + can act as a navigation system for your blog.

when tagging, make sure to not replace characters if it's for a trigger warning. 'assault', for example, should never be replaced with '@ssault'.

if posting an excerpt from your wip, i would suggest the following tags as the bare minimum: 'WIP NAME', 'WIP NAME EXCERPT'. if you're posting it as part of an event, you may also wish to include 'EVENT NAME'. you can also have a specific tag for things your friends write, for resources you may find helpful, etc. the possibilities are endless. a hint: the first five tags are the only tracked tags. the most important tags you want to add should be your FIRST FIVE TAGS on a post. furthermore, only the first twenty will show up in the search function.

tags are a good way for you to interact with other writers! when you reblog a post, OP will be able to read your tags where you can add how much you loved their work, etc.

POST FORMATTING;

do; - add trigger warnings to your posts if they contain sensitive topics. - add a plot, characters, etc. other writeblrs want context for your wip beyond just a number of dot points about tropes. - put your post under a 'read more' if it is a long post. - tag any nsfw content. - add a transcript of any photos/images under a 'read more'.

don't; - use any sort of fonts beyond the regular when writing a general post. using the 'chat' font, for example, reduces accessibility to your posts and makes it difficult for people to read. - just post dot points of your wip. - plagiarise. - use other people's posts as a place to self promote.

PINTEREST IS NOT AN ART SOURCE;

this is one of the biggest differences between tumblr and other social media sites: pinterest is. not. an. art. source. the truth is that people aren't going to care if you post a moodboard with nothing beyond a few random photos of a castle and a knife, etc. sure, they may look pretty, but don't do it for a number of reasons.

first, you should always post art directly from a credited source (e.g. unsplash or picrew).

second, it doesn't show enough about your wip! people want context! not just random photos!

thirdly, most photos or art on pinterest do not CREDIT their sources. this is theft and this is bad. which leads me onto the next topic.

CREDIT YOUR ARTISTS;

CREDIT ALL ARTISTS. if you use any sort of artwork, i swear to all things holy, give credit to the ORIGINAL sources. pinterest, as mentioned, is not an art source. most artwork on that site is stolen or posted without credit, which, funnily enough, is a form of theft. if you're going to post any form of photo or art, please give credit. it doesn't matter what form it takes; link to the original artist or photographer in a way that is not hidden.

MOODBOARDS AND GRAPHICS, OH MY;

one sad truth about being on tumblr, as with a lot of social media sites, is that your posts will gain a lot more interaction if you use some form of graphic or photo along with your writing. graphic making may seem daunting but it doesn't have to be! they don't have to be complicated or anything more than a few photos - as long as they have relevance to your wip. moodboards are not necessarily a bad form to take when making graphics for your posts. however, if it just features a random collection of photos that tell your audience nothing about your work, they're not going to care. writeblr is all about actually imparting information about your wips, rather than just vibes. ****as mentioned, any form of artwork or photography needs to be credited to the original source. however, etiquette is also to not repost art without express permission from the artist. if you don't have permission to use someone's art, DO NOT put it in your moodboard or graphic.

BLOG AND BLOG THEMES;

tumblr is a really great site for expressing yourself through your blog, especially if you use custom themes! if (like me) you're terrible at javascript and any form of http coding, there are a number of blogs you can search for to find custom made themes that are easily adaptable for your needs.

but why use a theme beyond expression?

one of the best aspects of using themes is the navigation aspect. most writeblrs have some form of navigation page (beyond just simply using the tumblr tagging system) to allow their audience to find information about their wips, writing resources, and the like! it makes going through your blog easier for both you and others.

also: make sure to include information about yourself on the blog (but of course, not to the point of doxxing yourself). most tumblr users, especially those on writeblr, will think you're most likely a bot if you dont include at least some things about yourself. the most common things to add are name, age and pronouns! also a dni can be used.

WRITING TIPS AND TRICKS;

titling your wips by @crtalley

plot structure by @nouveauweird

how to blurb by @yvesdot

notion templates for writers by @atelierwriting

the tropes guide by yours truly

so you're missing a plot by @seasteading

novel length by @serpentarii

thank you to everyone who helped me in writing this post! love you all <3

OC 6 Questions Tag

Thanks so much to @paintedbutton for the tag! I've been swamped with work and just generally staying off of socials because my mental health has been in the toilet, so here's to trying to post again!

I'll be using Adrasteia (Kairi) from Crown of Blood (working title):

Give me 5 words to describe your OC, or a picture, even better!

Unhinged, calculating, traumatized, tired (can I add hot? Lol)

Who inspired your OC?

I don't think any single person did. More like I had a cool story idea and made a character that I thought would make sense with that kind of premise, and sprinkled in traits and attributes from myself, people around me, and/or just things I thought were neat.

A song to define your OC

I've used this one before, but probably A Little Wicked by Valerie Broussard? There are a few others in my playlist that I like to listen to when writing her, but none of them fully 100% capture her (or at least the parts of her I want seen at the moment) like this one.

If I met your oc on the street how would they greet me?

She wouldn't. If she was making an official trip, you'd be obligated to bow and greet the princess of the nation, and she'll decide if you're worthy of a response lol. If she's in disguise, it'll be by unceremoniously appearing in front of you and demanding whatever it is that she's after.

Can your oc be your best friend? why?

Absolutely not. She'd probably either pretend I don't exist or outright kill me for getting in the way of her plans, lol.

1 adjective and 1 noun to describe your oc

Machiavellian powerhouse

Questions for copying ease:

Give me 5 words to describe your OC, or a picture, even better!

Who inspired your OC?

A song to define your OC

If I met your oc on the street how would they greet me?

Can your oc be your best friend? why?

1 adjective and 1 noun to describe your oc

Gently tagging @amaiguri, @da-na-hae, @anoelleart, @justnerdy15, @theunboundwriter, and anybody else who wants to do it :)

Find The Vibe Tag Game

Post a snippet that matches the previous vibe

@koala2all tagged me in this snippet and since there's plenty of both fancy parties and annyoing nobles in Worthy of a King, I thought of a younger Aneiric and Bran escaping a particular one in this backstory bit:

Aneiric could never quite tell whether Bran liked or hated feast nights. It was the height of summer, the air warm and heady even inside the castle walls. Flowers had been strewn everywhere. Aneiric had enjoyed it, for a lot of the night, but even he was tiring at this point. That, and he’d almost entirely forgotten what exactly they were celebrating. An engagement? Hopefully not his own, or this would have a dreadfully embarrassing aftermath. He turned towards Bran, who had been a silent presence at his shoulder for most of the night. The captain looked at him, head cocked in askance, eyebrows raised. He’d slicked his hair back, something that didn’t suit him at all. Aneiric wanted to run his hands through it, mess it up, but he knew better than to follow those urges.

“I want to go,” he said instead. He thought Bran smiled before he turned and led the way out of the room.

*

He wasn’t sure why they ended up in the throne room. Moonlight was refracting through the stained glass windows, the only light in the room at all. It was quiet, peaceful. Aneiric planted himself on the throne and looked up.

“This feels wrong,” he declared to the room at large.

Bran chuckled in response. “It does fit your mother better.”

Aneiric agreed, but he still took the opportunity to pout. “Traitor.”

Bran walked until he stood in front of the throne. When Aneiric looked up at him, he couldn’t quite stop himself from swallowing. The shadows did a lot of things to Bran he’d rather not examine with the man right there, standing so close to him.

“Let your mother rule, my prince. It’ll fit you eventually.”

“What? The throne?” Bran nodded. “What if I don’t want it?”

Bran cocked his head. Aneiric couldn’t quite see the expression on his face, it was too dark for that, but he knew him well enough that he could guess at it. “You will be king eventually.”

“I am hoping for a change of mind when I’m old.” He said it with a levity the topic didn’t make him feel. Mostly, he didn’t think about it at all. When he did, all it did was make him sick. Even the thought of the responsibility was crushing.

Bran seemed to sense some of those thoughts. “Old?” he asked lightly, “Like me?”

Aneiric chuckled, leaning back. “You’re not old,” he said.

“You certainly used to think so.” Used to, yes. When he was but a child. Before the crush that ended in a kiss he’d rather forget had ever happened and blood staining Bran’s shoulder.

He stood abruptly. Bran moved back to allow him the space with practiced grace. “Don’t hold that against me.” He knew the smile on his face carried in his voice. “Some would say you’re a man in your prime.”

“Some?”

He was treading dangerous ground. He didn’t know why Bran was treading it with him. “Don’t pretend you don’t see the looks. You could dance with one or two of them, at least.”

In the darkness, Bran’s shadow shifted. It wasn’t exactly defensive, but it certainly was more held-back than it had been a moment before. “I’m on duty. And no.”

“Oh come on, you can dance.”

“I can’t.”

The thought was irresistible. Aneiric stepped forward before he could stop himself. “You’ve definitely been taught,” he declared. He was close enough now to feel the air of Bran’s discomfort.

“I have,” he answered, haltingly, “I wasn’t good at it.”

“It’s only footwork. Here, give me your hand.”

“Aneiric.” His name suddenly sounded dangerous. Aneiric wasn’t certain what he was doing. He’d been so good ever since the incident. He’d sworn to himself he would never push Bran away again, and here he was, doing … Well, he didn’t know what.

“Please?” It was too late. He couldn’t quite keep the wheedle out of his voice. Bran sighed, and a moment later a gloved hand was laid into his.

Aneiric led them through a simple few steps. Say what he wanted, Bran knew how to follow. “It is easier with music. But.” He pulled Bran closer before pushing him in the opposite direction. When he proved graceful enough, Aneiric quickened his own steps. By the end of it, Bran was stumbling and Aneiric couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling from his lips. He stopped abruptly, bringing Bran to a graceless halt before him.

“Oh, you are bad,” he said between hiccupping laughs.

“I did tell you.” He didn’t sound sour at the laughter. In fact, he almost sounded distant.

Aneiric calmed himself enough to look up. They’d stopped close to the window, moonlight casting coloured shadow across Bran’s face. He’d never seen the expression that was on it before – wide-eyed and almost devastated. He couldn’t begin to guess at its meaning.

“Are you alright?” he asked tentatively, when Bran didn’t say anymore. Bran blinked and his expression changed, smoothing out into something that was supposed to be calm. It wasn’t. His eyes still looked terrified.

“Fine. Are we done making fun of me?”

“I’d never make fun of you. But yes. Think it’s safe to go back to my chambers without being dragged back out into the hall?”

Bran thought for a moment. “I’d say so.”

“You won’t let them take me?” It was supposed to be a jest, something silly to lighten the mood that had suddenly turned so heavy.

Bran, however, had nothing but conviction in him. “I won’t. My prince.”

Aneiric shivered.

Gently tagging @anyablackwood, @charlesjosephwrites and whoever else wants to do this - I am curious what vibe you all got from this :)