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But ALSO! The best thing about writing injuries is that there is so much variation.

I spent a few years as an EMT, and I saw people walk away from vehicle rollovers with nary a scratch... and also, I saw people break their knees because they sat down. I've seen a guy get lifelong impairments out of falling off something twelve feet high, but I know someone who survived being stabbed over a dozen times with no lasting (physical) injuries. There's range.

In nearly any given situation*, a realistic level of injury is anywhere from "Dies within five minutes" to "Dies 73 years later surrounded by grandchildren and great-grandchildren, having zero long-lasting repercussions from that incident."

*Not every situation, mind you; papercuts are generally exempt

If you don't mind a ramble (because I haven't done a fun character injury ramble in a while so I shall use this as an excuse)...

The key to writing realistic injuries is to start with what you want to happen. It's your character and your scenario, so start with what you want to happen for Plot Reasons.

Example:

You know your character gets in a car crash with a wall, and you want them laid up for a week, but able to move around with minimal pain soon after. Cool. Now that you have your desired outcome, you can run through the scenario. You won't want your character ejected or to have a major head impact with the windshield, so they were wearing their seatbelt. You want them to still be able to walk, so the dashboard probably didn't crumple in on them. That means they were either in a car with good safety ratings, or they weren't going super fast, or a combination thereof. But you do want them a little bit injured, enough so they don't want to go on that hiking trip for another week, so make sure they were going fast enough to get some good ol' whiplash.

Another example:

You want your character to make a dramatic exit out the window, and you want them to be limping a little for dramatic effect as they head off into the forest surrounding the castle. Nice, we love a good dramatic window exit. But you want to make sure the character won't be out of commission for the battle in a fortnight's time. This could totally be a first-floor window, or even a second-floor one. But what if it really needs to be the fourth floor, for pre-existing scenario reasons? Well, maybe there's a balcony halfway down. Or maybe there's a nice slanted roof underneath that broke their fall. Or maybe the castle is built into a cliff so the windows on that side of the castle are only ten feet up. Or maybe they clung onto ivy outside, which ripped out of the wall a bit but was enough to slow them down. There's all sorts of ways you can play this off!

Rather than trying to make a scenario and then fitting the injury into it, come up with the injury (or at least, level of injury) and plan out the details of your scenario around it.

The only caution is to make sure to build scenarios realistically—like, I could totally see a character being able to keep going after being stabbed because it was a shallow wound. But if they get a shallow stab wound... and they only get ✨grazed✨ by a bullet... and they happen to survive a terrible car accident because they were in the best possible seat... AND they were pushed out of an airplane but their BFF managed to skydive right out after them and caught them... that's getting to be a little much. XD Any of those is realistic except maybe the last; IDK, I know injuries, not skydiving, but too many near-misses in a single story starts to feel like plot armor.

It’s Erica with your new dose of Feel Good News — stories to remind us the world’s not so bad after all.

1. A nonprofit has erased more than $40 billion in medical debt across the U.S. People don’t apply, they simply receive a letter saying their debt is gone, including one woman whose $3,200 medical bill was wiped away

In 2018, Jessica McIntyre faced a challenging situation after developing postpartum eclampsia, leading to significant medical debt from her hospital stay. Despite having health insurance, she owed thousands due to her plan’s coverage limits. Eventually, McIntyre fell behind on payments, and her debt was sold to a collections agency, negatively impacting her credit score. In 2022, she received surprising news from a nonprofit called Undue Medical Debt, which had erased her remaining $3,200 debt, significantly improving her financial situation. Undue operates by purchasing unpaid medical debts for a fraction of their value and eliminating them without requiring an application from recipients. The issue of medical debt in the U.S. is widespread, with a 2024 report estimating that Americans carry over $220 billion in such debt. North Carolina has a high rate of medical debt, affecting 13.4% of adults, and many suffer despite having insurance due to high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. In 2024, a collaboration between Undue and North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services aimed to address medical debt more holistically, requiring hospitals to relieve debts for low-income patients and preventing them from selling such debts to collections. This initiative helped erase $6.5 billion in medical debt statewide. Additionally, local fundraising efforts, like a campaign by Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church, further contributed to debt relief, raising over $22,000 to eliminate significant amounts of medical debt in the community. These initiatives highlight a growing recognition of the burden of medical debt and efforts to provide assistance to those affected.

2. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces “Click to Cancel” rule to rid NYC of subscription traps and junk fees

Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City has introduced a groundbreaking “Click to Cancel” rule aimed at protecting consumers from subscription traps and hidden fees. This regulation mandates that businesses must allow customers to cancel subscriptions as easily as they signed up for them. The initiative was announced in collaboration with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) and is expected to save New Yorkers approximately $162.5 million annually. The rule is designed to help consumers avoid financial burdens from persistent subscriptions, such as gym or hotel memberships. Mayor Mamdani criticized the business practices that complicate the cancellation process, stating that if sign-ups can be done with one click, cancellations should be just as straightforward. Failure to comply with the rule could result in civil penalties for businesses. However, concerns remain about the enforcement of the rule and its associated costs. A similar federal rule had been proposed but faced legal challenges.

3. A restaurant owner found $12,000 hidden in an old cabinet. Instead of keeping it, he tracked down the previous owner, who needed it during a serious health battle

A South Carolina restaurateur, Sak Yiengjuntuek, owner of Lemongrass Vietnamese Pho & Thai Cuisine in Myrtle Beach, has been celebrated for returning $12,000 found in an old cabinet to its previous owner. After a neighboring store’s fire caused power outages, Yiengjuntuek was clearing out leftover furniture when he discovered a sunglasses case filled with cash. Shocked, he recognized it belonged to the former proprietor. Although initially struggling to contact him due to a disconnected number, Yiengjuntuek eventually reached out live on air with WLBT3, receiving an emotional response from the owner, who was facing health challenges. His act of honesty has garnered him local recognition, and he hopes to inspire others to do the right thing and uphold honesty in their own lives.

4. Scientists built a solar reactor that eats plastic bottles and burps out clean hydrogen at scale 7-2-2026

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a device that addresses both plastic pollution and hydrogen production using sunlight. As hydrogen demand increases, the majority of current hydrogen production relies on natural gas, which contributes to environmental concerns. The new device breaks down plastic waste, converting it into hydrogen in a sustainable manner. This innovative solution builds on the team’s previous work on a solar-powered reactor that utilized expensive semiconductor catalysts, which limited scalability. The new device is larger, easier to produce, and employs a cost-effective paint sprayer method to apply light-absorbing materials and catalysts. Tested outdoors, the reactor efficiently extracts hydrogen from plastic bottles and plant biomass. While the production method is now more affordable, the hydrogen generated remains too costly, necessitating improvements in reactor efficiency and durability. The findings are outlined in the journal *Nature Chemical Engineering*.

5. 18 donkeys have kept Doñana National Park in Spain free of wildfires for 9 straight years by grazing dry scrub daily where vehicles cannot reach. Doñana sits at the heart of one of Europe’s most vital wetland ecosystems. It shelters Iberian lynxes, endangered birds, and hundreds of migratory species

In Spain, donkey firefighters have successfully protected Doñana National Park from wildfires for nine years by grazing on dry scrub that could potentially fuel fires. This initiative, started in 2014 with 18 donkeys from the El Burrito Feliz association, utilizes the animals’ eating habits to maintain the landscape, especially in areas inaccessible to vehicles. Doñana, a vital ecosystem home to endangered species, has notably avoided wildfires during a period of increasing fire activity across Spain. Donkeys are particularly effective for this task due to their unique digestive system, allowing them to consume and transform tough vegetation into energy, which in turn diminishes fire risks over time. Grazing supports fire prevention while also restoring agricultural practices lost to mechanization and rural depopulation. Efforts to replicate this model are emerging in other regions, such as Catalonia, where additional donkey programs are reporting similar successes in fire prevention. Moreover, the program benefits from collaborations with volunteers and military support, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive wildfire management strategy that includes land management and early detection measures. Overall, the reintroduction of donkeys for fire prevention demonstrates a sustainable and efficient approach to ecological restoration and wildfire management in Spain.

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That’s it for last week :)

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Using their likeness will spark their ire.

Encroachment upon their domain will earn punishment beyond earthly tithe.

The consequences of their regard may be intangible and long-lasting.

Rarely, you may earn their approval, but it is not worth the risk.

You must ask their permission, which is rarely granted.

Once they have you, they will not let you go for a hundred years.

You must be clever and use trickery and wordplay to evade them.

The master of each domain has their own unique and fickle nature, and some are more forgiving than others.

Blue glass beads from the Late Bronze Age, found in 1885 when a Danish farmer ploughed up a cremation urn at Kongehøj. Made in Mesopotamia approximately 3,100 years ago, they offer evidence of long-distance trade connections in the prehistoric world.

welcome back wild tiger 🐯🎉

I remember talking to a psychologist: guy was like "are you absolutely sure you weren't abused as a child? I am literally a therapist, so you can tell me". when I demurred, he was like "truly? because you really really come across like you were, and I meet a lot of people with that history".