A Deity Has Had Enough And Is Ready To Die, However One Tiny Human Still Calls Their Name In Prayer,

everything from danielle’s solo to alana being scared when taylor tapped her is perfect (no body no crime - eras tour seattle n1) (x)

this is your daily reminder not to correct other people’s grammar if they’re not asking you to, especially if it’s something they can’t help :)

Having done more research and not found this in the tags... What can be done to respectfully write a fantasy novel with indigenous cultures in it, as a non-indigenous author? Specifically ones that have suffered in the ways that those in the continental USA have? I've heard it's better to choose one tribe as a basis, I've heard it's better to use no tribe as a basis, I've heard you can use some aspects but not the whole, I've heard use nothing unless it's the whole. What's the best approach?

Coding Fantasy Indigenous Peoples

You’re getting conflicting answers because there is truly no right answer to this question, as with most things when it comes to representation. Some people will prefer one thing, others something else. If you’re trying to find the Perfect Path Without Backlash, it doesn’t exist. Sorry.

Also, just as a note, a lot of nations cross the border between Canada and the United States, because that border is artificial and colonial. So you might very well be looking at Canada even if you’ve picked an “American” tribe.

In my personal, singular Indigenous opinion, my process would look something like this:

1- Pick A Region First

Region will give you the environment that the tribe(s) live in (I’ll get to that plural in a second), which will then inform basically everything about how they built their customs. A lot of Indigenous beliefs are tied to natural resources and constrains of the land, so it’s very hard to code an Indigenous society without figuring out what sort of land you’re working with.

This applies even if you’re working outside of the Continental US, because even just within the States they’re subjugating wide swaths of Polynesia (including Hawai’i), Alaska, the Philippines, etc. Not to mention how many Indigenous groups there are around the globe being erased by their local states.

Indigenous peoples are everywhere. You don’t have to include them all the time, but they exist beyond Turtle Island.

2- See Who Lived There

And now, the plural. Because unlike a lot of Western places, there’s a lot more nomadic groups when it comes to Indigenous peoples. 

So the region you picked could have multiple groups that cycle through the same landscape, and this will also inform the representation. Did they like each other? Or were they traditionally enemies? 

How about in lands that changed hands a lot? Because the borders of what Native population owned what lands are flexible, and you can find areas where the region changed hands a dozen times over even just a couple hundred years. How will you handle that?

Now here’s your first fork in the road: You can combine the groups that were friendly (key word: friendly) with each other into one large group, or you can have multiple Indigenous groups in the worldbuilding that are mentioned in passing, like how x cycles through in certain seasons, and y in another.

I would not follow this fork if they were traditionally enemies. Because it’s just… not respectful to have two cultures that were incompatible enough they were enemies for large swaths of their history together. It does happen where traditional enemies sometimes live together for awhile, but if you’re an outsider, I’d keep them separate.

This does mean that if you’ve picked a region with traditional enemies, you’re going to need both groups. Because the “enemies” part will have also shaped the culture, like how many men were alive in ages where men were expected to be warriors. Cultures adapt for certain percentages of the population to die in war, after all.

This also provides an interesting avenue for your non-Indigenous population, because are they allied with one group? Both? How do they maintain relationships? If these non-Indigenous people are not colonial, then be very careful not to have them try to play both sides too hard, because helping both sides kill the other is a tool of colonialism. If they are colonial, they’re going to be doing this and it’ll be a villain move.

Personally, I’d toss more diversity instead of less because it helps avoid tokenism. Instead of having this One Token Nomadic Group, the One Token Indigenous Group, you have two, or three, and you’re showing a diversity of cultures instead of just throwing in Natives because you feel like you have to in order to be diverse.

But if you do want to blend (which might be useful, even if you just want to make a new culture that mixes “European” with Indigenous as people intermarry), I’d read this post: Pulling From Multiple Indigenous Legends

3- See what exists and what’s open

A lot of Indigenous practices are closed, meaning we don’t tell them to outsiders. At all. This doesn’t mean that those practices aren’t out there as appropriated pieces of “folklore”, but you need to be aware that some folklore is Indigenous and therefore should be closed.

Putting these closed practices in fantasy is generally considered a bad move (see: almost every non-Indigenous use of the w3ndigo ever), unless you can work closely with the tribe to figure out how to do it respectfully (see: Teen Wolf doing a Skinwalkers episode with the Navajo; ironically enough they did not work with the Cree when they had a w3ndigo episode, as far as I can tell)

I’d suggest reading this post: All Myths Are True, Native Spirits Invisible to Outsiders for how to include closed practices.

4- Magic gets its own point

The thing about fantasy is that you’re dealing with the supernatural, and in my experience on WWC, some of the biggest “uh” moments are whenever people don’t realize how culturally Christian their magic systems are, and how incompatible they are with Indigenous beliefs.

So you’re going to need a degree of research into Native mindset, and then extrapolate what sorts of things that make sense for them. This can fill in some blanks for not touching Native spirituality with a ten foot pole, but you are going to need extensive research to have it actually make sense.

Read through the tag and note every time I poke at the concept that Natives are more magically attuned, that there’s something like “the gods told me to”, or other little tiny “basic” things in a lot of fantasy that just don’t feel like they fit.

Or, come back after you’ve gone through steps 1 to 3 and can be more specific!

Still, I would suggest you do this sort of research anyway just to be respectful. Figuring out how magic works and dovetails with Native populations is just a nice side benefit.

Overall:

To very directly answer your questions:

Best way to respectfully include Indigenous cultures in fantasy: I’d prefer very little colonialism if any; no such thing as noble savage (aka: we are not “better” because we live closer to nature and don’t have the humdrum of Western society); complex, rich societies with social rules and the same level of care you’d give Western cultures; just generally considered valuable, complex, and sustainable.

Better to use one tribe and hard code or no tribes and blend: Whatever makes sense for the story, but I’d err on the side of trying to capture the feel of the area with the peoples who already populated it. Like, if you’re trying to work with an area that has a confederacy of tribes, you’d be better off coding multiple tribes within that confederacy because being part of a confederacy is usually pretty important to tribe leadership and general functioning of the group; if you’re writing an area with a lot of roaming nomads, you’d be better to have multiple nomadic groups; etc.

Some aspects but not whole vs the whole: Keep closed practices closed, and figure out where magic and your unique worldbuilding breaks how an Indigenous group would function in the world.

What’s the best approach: If you’re attempting to make Indigenous people feel seen in fantasy, then whatever means to that end is the best approach—while understanding there’s not going to be a solidly unified opinion that everyone will agree on, but at best broad generalities. In my opinion that is nailing down coding enough that the peoples from the region you picked can spot their own practices and mindset and know somebody cares enough to have found those details.

I personally err on the side of closer coding to irl than looser at least to start, just because the way my brain works I need a lot of details from the culture in the early stages of research, just so I can gain the confidence in what to put on the page and have it feel real. 

Especially if you’re trying to unlearn a colonizer mindset through writing, and really trying to broaden your worldview, going towards an initial goal of closer coding will really help break apart the base assumptions about How Things Work, and you’ll develop the mental flexibility to write about differences more easily.

You can loosen up coding later, if you want to, once you’ve learned enough to know what you’re consciously adapting to your fantasy world instead of just throwing your ideas of how you think the culture works into the plot and expecting it to be accurate.

Hope this helps!

~Mod Lesya

i love motifs i love recurring themes i love symbolism i love foreshadowing i love impactful narratives

How to Develop a Writing Routine

Credit: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-consistent-writing-schedule#5-benefits-of-a-writing-schedule

Find a time of day that works best for you

Set the same writing time every day—or every other day if that’s more realistic. Early morning works well for creative writing because the brain is fresh. But if you’re a night owl, or if you’re a student or jobholder, writing later in the day might work better. Before you know it, your daily writing sessions will become just another part of your routine that you just do without thinking twice.

Routine ≠ daily

Just because you have a writing routine doesn’t mean you have to write every day. In fact, writing every day can lead to burnout and loss of motivation. Also, some days you simply won’t be able or willing to write. Yes, it’s important to get words down when you don’t feel like writing, but that shouldn’t take precedence over your mental health and things that are more important. Maybe you write on weekdays and take a break on the weekend. Maybe you write only Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Whatever the case, find a routine that works for you and your schedule!

Create your own writing calendar

When you put writing on your daily to-do lists, take it a step further. Physically write your writing time in a calendar or daily planner, or block it out in a digital one. That makes it more official, like writing down any other appointment that you’re obligated to keep. You can’t ignore it because it’s quite literally a part of your day now!

Prioritize your projects

Some writers have more than one idea in their head, which can make it hard to know where to start. Write a list of your ideas in order of priority. Then, starting with the first one, write an outline or a step-by-step guide to writing. Create milestones and deadlines to help you see each phase through until you have a finished story! If you have a lot of projects and you’re not sure which to work on, try determining which project is more underdeveloped or close to completion, or simply choose the one that’s better for your creativity!

Have a plan for writer’s block

Writer’s block is bound to happen, especially if you’re working on one project for a long time. Be prepared so you don’t end up just staring at your computer screen. That can look like having a list of daily writing prompts or doing stream-of-consciousness freewriting. Find creative ways to use spare time that isn’t spent writing! For example, if you’re writing a non-fiction book, use that writing downtime to do research on your subject matter.

Word count

Another way of keeping yourself responsible is to implement a daily or a total word count goal. Having a minimum word count on any given day can motivate you to get words on the page. However, this can be pressuring or impossible for some. If you’re one of those people, just recording your word count might motivate you in a healthier way. Remember to do what works for you!

Find a writing space

Take the guessing out of where you’re going to write each day by designating a writing space. Set it up so it’s all ready for you to write in every day when you sit down. I wouldn’t recommend writing in bed, because you’re more likely to get distracted or sleepy. Muscle memory is important, so try finding a place and only doing writing in it!

Keep your writing files organized

When you sit down to write, make sure all of your files are organized so they’re easy to access. The simpler you make it to sit down and get started, the easier it will be to start writing at your predetermined time. Save your stories in Google Docs or Microsoft Word and keep them in folders. Label each document with the working title. Keep track of your progress on each project in an Excel spreadsheet.

Join a writing community

Find inspiration by connecting with other writers. Find a local writer’s group, attend writing workshops, or participate in NaNoWriMo—National Novel Writing Month. Join groupchats on social media and post about your writing. You’ll have an incentive to show up with words and you’ll be held accountable by other people!

Hi! Sorry for the spam, but I've seen your blog for like 10 minutes and I already love it. Wishing you a great day, lots of writing inspiration & claim the stars ^^

oh my gosh thank you so much, this ask honestly made my day! wishing the same to you <3

How to Write Accents

Credit: https://www.nownovel.com/blog/how-to-write-accents-dialects/

1. Use accent and dialect for the right reasons

There are many things to consider when you’re writing a person’s accent or dialect. A stereotypical rendering of regional accent or dialect based on racial, cultural or ethnic “difference" can be offensive and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. When you use dialect, make sure you're using it for the right reasons! Ask yourself:

Is it essential to the story (e.g., is it used to reinforce the main character’s insider/outsider status in a close-knit regional community)?

Are there stereotypical expressions associated with the accent or dialect you should take care to contextualize, use sparingly, or avoid?

Make sure when you describe the speech of a character whose mother tongue isn’t your own that your efforts don’t come across as superior or mocking. Giving each character believable speech will make your characters more three-dimensional.

2. Don’t overexaggerate

Obviously you want to show that your character has an accent. But if you emphasize it too much, it begins to sound exaggerated and inauthentic, and can be offensive. The accent should sound natural, not forced. Reread your dialogue--out loud--and watch for awkward moments and lulls in the flow of the conversation.

3. “Eye dialect”

This ties into the previous point.  “Eye dialect” is the term for representing deviations from "standard" pronunciation in a certain language using alternate spellings (for example, writing "fella" instead of “fellow"). Writing about non-mother-tongue speakers can seem bigoted or prejudiced because a writer can try too hard to mimic a “foreign” character’s speech. To represent eye dialect as respectfully and accurately as you can, try:

Making the minimum changes necessary to show the effect of an accent (e.g., “I’m tellin’ ya” instead of “Ahm tellin’ ya”)

Avoiding over-relying on single, overused words to create the impression of an accent (e.g. using ‘y’all’ for conveying southern accents)--variety is key

Finding more ways to show regionalism

4. Transliteration

Transliteration is the way people often insert the grammatical structure of sentences in one language directly into another, even if the second language has its own, different rules of grammar. This “transplanted” grammatical structure creates a sense of a character’s situation and relationship between languages, places, cultures, etc.

As an example, in Spanish, plural nouns take plural adjectives, but the same thing doesn’t happen in English (e.g. “blues cars” in Spanish and “blue cars”  in English). When describing a character who is not fully fluent in the primary language of your story, find grammatical particulars of their first language. Then, use these to create sentences that use transliteration to show imperfect translation.

5. Language errors

One way you can see this is when characters of later generations interact with first-generation immigrant parents or grandparents. The ways different generations of immigrants speak the same language frequently vary. To capture the speech of characters who are in an unfamiliar place or speaking an unfamiliar language, learn the most common errors that people from your characters’ home country make. Use language errors consistently but sparingly to avoid creating a national, ethnic, or cultural caricature.

6. Regional colloquialisms and slang

In all languages slang differs by location. If you plan to set a story in a real-world place, make a list of local colloquialisms/slang. Look at local news websites and social medias, listening for the inflections of local speech. Learn how regional accents sound but also write down any expressions that show up often.

Also, keep in mind that slang considered outdated in one country or city is often still popular in another! To make your characters’ dialect typical of a place and time, make sure any words you’ve included are current---slang goes in and out of fashion.

7. Idioms and sayings

Idioms breathe life and color into fiction. To create a sense of local particularity, find popular region-specific phrases you can use. If a character from your novel is from a distinctive place, give them exclamations or expressions that demonstrate this background.

This also applies for creating dialect differences between fictional groups in an invented world. If you write fantasy or sci-fi, invent regional idioms and sayings that draw on local myths or practices to give each place in your novel its own character and modes of speech!

the most important question you can ask yourself when designing a magic system in fiction is "wouldn't it be fucked up if this happened"

Fluffy Winter OTP Prompts

1. Character A explains one of their winter holiday traditions to Character B

2. A sees snow for the first time

3. A and B have a snowball fight (bonus if A flirts with B to distract B)

4. A teaches B how to ice skate

5. A and B go sledding

6. The power unexpectedly goes out during a blizzard and A and B make a blanket fort

7. A and B give each other gifts in a gift exchange

8. A didn’t put on enough layers when they went outside, so B lends them their coat

9. A and B go caroling, but only one of them is actually good at singing

10. A wants to hibernate. B won’t let them

11. A and B bake/cook together

12. A and B make snow angels

13. A forgot their mittens/gloves outside, so B warms up their hands

14. A is looking for a last minute gift and enlists the shop owner, B, for help, but quickly ends up getting distracted by them

15. A is torn between making fun of B’s ugly Christmas sweater and admiring how good they look in it

16. A buys/makes B’s favorite warm drink

17. A introduces B to their family

18. A’s car breaks down and B pulls over to help them

19. A knits a sweater for B

20. A and B have a holiday movie marathon

21. A writes a message in the snow that B can see from their bedroom window

22. A and B watch the winter constellations appear in the night sky

23. A loves the cold. B...not so much

24. A and B share a bed to “conserve body heat”

25. A and B write letters to each other

26. A didn’t like the holiday season, until they met B

27. A and B make paper snowflakes together

28. A and B argue over the appropriate times to put up and take down holiday decorations

29. A and B cuddle by the fireplace

30. A thinks their new haul of scented candles is amazing. B thinks it’s a fire hazard

31. A and B get stuck on a ski lift together

can we as a community, no matter what writing software we use, all agree that google docs' spellcheck system is pretty screwy?