Sorry For My Absence From Answering Asks Lately And Just Reblogging Fanworks 💕

If the call to read diverse books gets you hot under the collar, I need you to lean into that discomfort a little and ask yourself the question: What would happen if I did?

First and foremost, let’s make sure we are on the same page about the diverse books effort. When someone says “Read more diversely,” what they are asking is for you to take the author into consideration when you are choosing your next read. It’s unfortunate that we live in a world where current prejudice and a long history of prejudice impact the day to day lives of minority groups, but the publishing industry is largely white, heteronormative, able bodied, and cis. We can uplift authors of color, disabled authors, and queer authors by purposefully looking for their books, especially when the publishing industry fails them time and time again.

This does not mean that you can’t read books by white, cis, straight authors. A focus is not an exclusion. All that is being asked is that alongside your normal reads, you intentionally branch out into more diverse writers.

Creating space for more diverse authors is important because people deserve to tell their own stories. Have you ever read something in your area of expertise and the author just got it so incredibly wrong? This happens with identity, too. Not only is it cringe worthy when someone outside the community gets the essence wrong, it can also be incredibly harmful by spreading destructive stereotypes. Allowing community members to tell stories about their community empowers them and helps to establish good representation in mainstream media.

Representation matters because every person deserves to see themselves well represented in a book they love. It’s so easy to feel alone, especially if you are part of a minority community. Books open up a window for us to feel more connected and to understand our identities. It’s no wonder that having positive representation has been shown to increase self-esteem.

Even if the representation isn’t your identity, it’s still incredibly important. Diversity is a teacher. We live in an age of echo chambers. It’s so easy to get sequestered into our own personalized bubble on the internet. Putting yourself in a place to listen to the stories of people different from yourself is vital for connecting with others, for understanding their struggles, and for building solidarity in our communities. It will stretch you in the best of ways.

And finally, if that wasn’t enough, we should read diverse because we deserve to read excellent stories. Diverse books are brilliant. They challenge the industry, inject new life blood into publishing, keep thing fresh and exciting. Diverse books are stunning. They are well written, and fun, and capture the imagination. Diverse books keep the humanity in publishing, because humanity is millions of unique facets joined together into a whole. Why would you limit yourself to just one?

THE DEMO/[Google Forum.]

|The world around you has gone quiet as snow covers it with a white blanket, singing it to sleep. Your palm tingle, and your dazed eyes twinkle with the reflected light of grains of flickering purple. It seeps through your fingertips and enlighten the darkness engulfing you.

Fate has chosen. A Witch. That's who you are.|

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Trigger warning: This game is written with a mature audience in mind, for containing mention/depiction of death, blood, violence, abuse, childhood trauma and sexual themes.

STIGMA: A DRAGONFLY is an Interactive Fiction game set in a high fantasy world. A setting that's inspired by African and Asian cultures. heavily north african.

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SYPONISIS:

You were made to feel like a monster your entire life. How could it ever be fair?

You were aware of it since your childhood. How could you not when you were sent to an Academy just to explore your identity as a Witch, a mutated human or a Mystic. Maybe both or neither.

How was it? knowing you. That you were one of many, but none at the same time.

You ran away that day. Never looking back for once. You ran as fast as your feet could take you, and it haunts you to this day. It is a race with time, with nightmares and sufferings. It was a race you could never win.

But then... You were back. Because who dares defy them.

That very cursed fate of yours acquired you an audience with The Crown. You returned to them with your own two feets.

The Crown has spoken.

A single sentence, knowledge. A fact that was so simply stated you were pinned to your spot. A gold coated letter and a luxurious pretty title changed everything in your life. Forever.

A request? No. An order. Is it a curse? Or an opportunity?

Choose, Witch.

FEATURES:

ꕥ ​Customise your MC: You're given the chance to customis​​e your Character from [Name, Appearance, personality, skills to purpose]. Includes:

Customizable personality system: Your Witch can be sarcastic with a sharp tongue, stoic with a soft heart, playful but secretive or as cold as a winter storm.

What type of witch are you: This feature allows you to wear the world as a ring on your small finger. To be their darkest nightmare? Or maybe, the sacrificial sheep, or are you the wolf in sheep's clothing? Play it your way.

Witch's Skill System: From Intelligence, Agility, Vigour to Perception. These skills open up many different doors, outcomes, and options for your witch. And whether it succeeds or fails, it may tell you about secrets you did not take into account.

Customizable appearance: Customise your Witchfrom head to toe, includes but is not limited to; height, unique features, tattoos.

The Witch's purpose: You're playing a dangerous game, but you're not who started it. What purpose do you have to survive it all?

ꕥ​ Face the consequences of your choices: Be careful, or don't. In both cases, the decision is in your hands, and the consequences are yours to bear. So what path will you draw for yourself?

ꕥ​ Romance one of four different ROs: Two mysterious strangers, a florist or maybe someone you never wished to see again.

​ꕥ​Influence others' fates as much as they do yours: Develop your relationship with others. Or use them to achieve your motive. Your decisions and every step you take affects those around you as much as it affects you. Would you care?​

ꕥThe wise Elders are ambiguous: Explore this world and find the secrets it holds and behold.

ꕥ​Take in a little apprentice to succeed you.

ꕥVengeance. Deceit. Betrayal. Treason: It is blood for blood? How will you face the world that burned you alive?

ꕥYou don't fit anywhere, or maybe it's that you belong everywhere: Choose on your own, Humans or Mystics. Which side will you support?

[ROMANCES][MORE DETAILS IN GAME PROFILE]

RAEL GOVIATT: [M]

 [Isn't it curious? Do you want to flip and see the other face of the coin?]

TRAITS:  Mischievous, Ambitious, Brilliant and Patient.

ABOUT: People say Rael have a bit of a dual personality. His friendly but mysterious persona makes them lower their guard around him. Though, he never shows or tells the real attention behind anything he does, even if it looks foolish to others.

Rael appears to be always amused by something. He flashes a disarming winning smile that lightens his whole face but his untelling eyes.

[You are killing me, and you are keeping me from dying.]

ANWAR HAYFAR. [F/M]

[Eternal chaos and internal chaos are distinct from each other. But I seem to attract both.]

TRAIT:  Reserved, Tolerant, Idealistic and Secretive.

ABOUT: Quiet and unassuming. Anwar is a think before you act, type of person. They prefer to live in peace and away from politics or petty matters of the wealthy. But they are not that simple, as this florist may throw their guise and strike if pricked from the wrong side.

[And if a hundred loved you, they will only love you a drop compared to my ocean.]

HELIA [REDACTED] [F/M]

[Quit. Broke. Died. And made it through it all.]

TRAITS:  Observant, Practical, Indifferent and Stubborn.

ABOUT: Helia's cold and indifferent appearance can be deceptive, despite being part of his truth.

A common first impression of Helia is a mixture of intimidation, intrigue and a sense of stability. They have an imposing aura and the kind of demeanour that demands attention in every room, with otherworldly elegance and grace.

[It's the same rain I loved that drowned me.]

YASIR [REDACTED] [M]

[Either find a way or be prepared to bleed and make one.]

TRAIT:  Charming, Ambitious, Assertive and Inquisitive.

ABOUT:  Yasir is a calculating and cool-headed person. And while Yasir can be materialistic, his love for money is not sacred, but it is definitely up there on his values list.

Yasir is authoritative and demanding, especially of his subjects. He also prefers to rule with an iron hand, which may surprise people who have not seen him in action.

[I have passed by many eyes but I only got lost in yours.]

[REDACTED][REDACTED] [POSSIBLE SECRET RO]

Here's some beautiful covers of upcoming books! 📚

Happy book birthday to this week’s new releases! 📚

🥺I love echo, your honour. Pls may I have some crumbs about her? Can't wait for my shy MC to be absolutely smitten by her 🙂

awwww thats so cute !!! i also cant wait for yall to meet her + all the ROs <33

Here's some Echo crumbs 🤲

She should technically wear glasses, but she never does, not even contacts.

Even though she's very shy, she's never had problems with making friends; people seem to always approach her, usually 'cause they think she looks cool or attractive (but mostly both).

She found out about Magici from a random dude who randomly ran up to her and asked for an autograph (and prolly a kiss) 'cause he thought she was Cara, a contestant from Magici's first season with a huge fanbase. Her reaction was just "Who? From what?", totally clueless about it lmfao.

She has an unhealthy obsession with brie.

She really really loves reading romance webtoons, her favourite is Insol's Law.

She is Croatian and English.

She has like 500 hobbies; crocheting, playing bass, knitting, writing, painting, etc etc... The list is never ending and she somehow manages to do all that consistently.

She has the most random dream jobs ever, like she'll have a week-long phase where all she does is research how to become a train conductor.

Her affinity combo means she can become basically invisible when it's dark, though not for long.

She makes an amazing burek, her cheese one is scrumptious.

chinese hanfu by 绛悠堂

Beautiful covers compared to their equally beautiful alternative covers

Hello, wonderful souls! 🤍🌍

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helP!!

writing is 40% writing actual content and 60% 'write later'

Level Up Your Settings

                When I was a younger writer I always considered my settings last in scene writing. It went action -> Characters -> Maaaaaybe setting if I felt like it. This can work—a lot of stories get by without having very memorable or strong settings—after all we’re there for the story within them. But once I got older and started moving and leaving places behind, I began to recognize how much a setting or place can hold—in memory, symbolism, feeling.

                These aspects of a place are just as important to imbue in fiction—they can convey an emotional impact, reinforce the tone, provide details on background. More than anything else, I find setting is where you can imbue your story with magic.

                (Specifically, I’m talking more about individual settings rather than worldbuilding. Check out my worldbuilding posts here!)

Most important to start with is consider what this place means to the character. For example, “home” is a concept as varied as the people who use it. It can mean safety, love, belonging, alienation, escape, confinement, freedom, etc. etc.

                What memories reinforce that meaning of home? How does the character’s background relate to and lead up to their concept of home?

                Then, once you know this, what decoration or ‘look’ would convey this?  A character who views home as a temporary place to be abandoned at the drop of a hat would have very few personal items in their home. Maybe hardly any furniture—maybe they live out of a suitcase and keep only a carton of milk and a box of crackers in their kitchen.

                A character who has lived in the same childhood home for their entire life may have just as much of their parents’ things as their own—their surroundings reflecting generations of loved ones.

                These objects hold memory as much as their surroundings do. This is where we can really explore background and the emotional ties to a place. How loved is it? What does loving a place look like for that character? Maybe love looks like keeping it perfectly clean and tidy—maybe it looks like filling it to the brim with pretty things.

                What makes two characters’ homes different? We want to avoid stating the obvious. You don’t really need to mention that your character has a bed, a nightstand, and a lamp in their bedroom—unless you’re making a point of how little or how much they have. You may want to mention which items are new and which are old—especially if it’s a room that they’ve been in since childhood, or throughout several periods of their life.

                Just like levelling up description—what makes a place unique? What message are you trying to convey?

Good luck!