Storytime!

➙ dogs who aid their person with accessibility but also

wear a collar with enchantments protecting them from the magic their person uses on a daily basis

has magic themself

has untypical capabilities for a dog, like speech, advanced intelligence, can read...

assists their person with challenges that come with the particular interaction of their disability and any magical/supernatural ability they might have

regarded as battle companions

or get really whiny when left behind for their own safety when their human has to fight

is not a dog at all but another being (eg. small dragon) that still does the job perfectly

"I don't grasp what you mean, ma'am."

"I've had you for what, ten, fifteen years now?"

"Fourteen this spring, ma'am."

"And yet I've never seen you smile. Not even once."

"It's a matter of respect."

"You don't smile to people you respect?"

"I don't smile to people I don't like, and I don't lie to people I respect. I don't like you, ma'am, but I respect you enough to not lie about it."

"Well that's rather cold."

Reblog this story and share a little bit about one of the locations in your current wip!

This can be somewhere the characters go, where they're trying to get, a forest, a mountain, a town or village, a favorite coffee shop or an altar! Any kind of location will do!

I think my favourite of the bunch is probably Earth? The first god encountered, it situated itself inside a ravine, with shards of floating rock hovering above it, and a swirl of crystals and gemstones and colours lining the walls. Plants grow strangely in this area - too thick, or too tall, or too… sentient? Preventing some people passage, and encouraging others.

It's, it's just that dragons are the primordial embodiment of avarice wrought into fire and flesh. They are truly, supernaturally good at finding large amounts of valuables, that's why the big mines hire those Dragon Scouts to go sniff out their lairs and mark them on the maps as potential mining ventures. You know, in case someone slays the relevant dragon. Which doesn't happen often because, milord, they are simply not that easily slain.

No I know you've hired many knights, blooded warriors and true. Yes, I was there when you gave the ten most impressive ones their special sashes. Very grand, very high honors, of course. Ehm. It's just, none of them have ever actually faced a dragon. Yes no I know Sir Edbert says he did but Sir Edbert is rather notoriously prone to exaggerated and tragically unverifiable tales---

Well no milord of course I would not doubt the word of a sworn knight. Perhaps his sobriety, but not his word, as such.

The point is that the grand treasury, while surely grand and a very special notion, is just... it is mayhaps not the ideal way of handling the realm's finances? Perhaps a series of smaller vaults, capped well below the dangerous wealth threshold at which gold is known to whet the appetite of colossal winged harbingers of death, in different corners of the realms or...?

No, I, yes well I do realize that will impede anyone's interests in coming into the vault to hurl around the gold coins and go "whee, I'm so rich!" I am aware of its deficiencies as a plan in that regard. No, I see I've misjudged a few things.

Actually, thinking on it, milord, I truly believe what you need is a fresh set of skilled wizards on this job. The court magician and I, we cannot keep up with your visionary thinking. We're too old-fashioned. But the wizards revolutionizing the eldritch academies seem to be more on this sort of level. I hear they've made some truly remarkable choices in terms of outsourcing all of their spellwork to the Ever-Whispering Void, such that it takes mere minutes for them to set up an entire defensive array. That's just the sort of innovative thinking you require.

First thing: horses are not bikes or cars. They are large, emotional animals with opinions. If they don’t trust the rider, everything gets harder.

Mounting is awkward. Even experienced riders don’t look graceful every time. Missing the stirrup happens. Especially under stress.

Riding is physical work. Thighs burn, hands cramp, lower back aches. Beginners feel it in minutes, not hours.

Horses spook. Sudden noises, shadows, smells—anything can set them off. A startled horse doesn’t politely wait for instructions.

Speed has limits. You cannot gallop forever. Horses overheat, tire, and need breaks or they risk injury.

Stopping is not instant. Horses need distance to slow down. Pulling hard just makes things worse.

Terrain matters a lot. Mud, rocks, steep hills, ice, forests, crowds—each changes how fast and safely you can ride.

Falling hurts. Even a short fall can knock the wind out, break bones, or leave a rider stunned and slow to get up.

Horses get injured too. Strained legs, thrown shoes, sore backs—an injured horse may refuse to move at all.

Bond beats skill. A calm horse with a trusting rider is safer than a powerful horse with someone it doesn’t know.

Fear travels both ways. If the rider panics, the horse feels it and reacts.

Long rides leave evidence. Chafing, stiffness, sore muscles, raw hands—nobody rides all day and looks fine.

Talking while riding is hard. Breath bounces, voices break, and shouting is common at faster speeds.

If the rider is unconscious or dead, the horse doesn’t magically keep going toward the destination.

Common Horse Writing Mistakes

Anyway now I have something to show people who are blessed enough to not deal with this and maybe they’ll get it!!!!

And hoo boy, have I ever been there. When I was writing prolifically, I just wouldn't read. I couldn't because I knew I'd go into that fic measuring mindset and declare myself the loser, have to step away from the keyboard and stare out the window a while. And if I had an exchange deadline? Absolute worst timing.

Not everyone goes through that of course, but it's more common than you think, even with so-called established writers. I've seen people delete wips or even their whole account over that burden of doubt. So here are some possible tips to crawl out from under that burden:

Table it. You're done for the day. You've been staring at that cursor for too long. You have no perspective on your work anymore. Go do something else: play with your dog/cat/fish, go for a walk, eat something, go to bed if it's late.

Re-engage with the source material. Watch an episode, read a chapter, listen to that podcast, whatever it is. Find that voice in your head that sings in harmony with the source.

Read positive comments left on your previous work. Trust what they've told you. Because the liar here is your doubt, not your readers.

Hit up that friend you trust and ask them to tell you your strengths. Even if you don't believe it right now, you have strengths as a writer. Maybe it's worldbuilding, maybe it's dialogue; your friend will give you concrete examples. You don't need a beta right now, that will come later.

Everyone writes: “We’ve known each other for years!"

But we can do better than that—let's make things actually interesting.

Here are some quick tips for writing two characters with history (without saying, "we've known each for years"):

• They reach for the same object at the same time without looking

• One of them uses a nickname no one else is allowed to use

• They start arguing mid-conversation like the first half already happened

• They move closer when the other looks uncomfortable

• One of them says, “Don’t start,” before the other has said anything

• They know exactly which buttons to press (and press them immediately)

• They unconsciously drift toward each other in crowded spaces

• They anticipate each other’s reactions before they happen

• One quietly moves something (a drink, weapon, chair) because they know the other will reach for it

• Someone might say something, and the other immediately responds with: “You’re still doing that?”

• They suppress laughter at the same time over something no one else noticed

• One character still treats the other based on who they used to be

• A certain place, smell, or song causes them to exchange a look

• Their arguments sound rehearsed, like they’ve had them before

• They touch each other casually without asking (fixing clothing, nudging, taking something from their hand)

• They stand closer than strangers normally would

• They borrow items from each other

• They bring up something embarrassing from ten years ago

• They sit in silence together and it’s either very comfortable or extremely tense

• One of them automatically orders the other’s drink

• They interrupt each other and still somehow finish the same sentence

• One starts a story and the other finishes it automatically

• They argue about the details of shared memories

• They mention people or events without explaining them

• A simple phrase or nickname triggers an entire inside joke

• They notice tiny things about each other no one else would catch

Real history sounds like unfinished conversations, old habits, and arguments that never really ended. When you show shared history (instead of telling) your characters seem that much more alive and believable.

On a similar note: Not all shared history is comfortable. Sometimes shared history means unresolved tension or an old rivalry:

• They refer to something only as “that” or “before.”

• Someone says “You know why.” without explaining further

• Standing slightly farther apart than expected

• Fingers drumming or fidgeting when they’re forced to talk

• Avoiding eye contact for just a second too long.

• A small disagreement suddenly becomes heated.

• One character reacts sharply to something that shouldn’t matter anymore.

• A casual comment triggers silence or defensiveness.

• One character starts explaining themselves but trails off

• One character makes small, cutting remarks disguised as jokes

• They still know each other’s preferences or weaknesses

• They speak in fragments when the past comes up

• They fall into familiar conversations and then awkwardly break them

If you enjoy digging into character dynamics like this, my printable novel planner has detailed sections for relationships, character arcs, and story structure. It’s perfect for organizing a fanfic or mapping out an entire novel!

Amber hours I : The ache of things that haven't happened yet