Karama9's Blog

aromantics can do whatever they want forever

aromantics have as much choice in whether to date or not date someone as alloromantic people do

aromantics can have whatever relationship with romance confuses you the most personally

and likewise, instead of "asexuals can still have sex," take a moment to consider phrases like:

asexuals can do whatever they want forever

asexuals have as much choice in whether to have sex or not have sex with someone as allosexual people do

Chapter 30: Money Money Money is up!

Summary: Before braving the aptly named Death Mountain, Link needs some potion and at least one fairy, and another bottle would certainly be helpful as well. But to buy any of that, he's going to need to get some rupees...

Read it here: A Link Against the Dark, Chapter 30

New reader? Start HERE.

No obligation ofc but feel free to share!

Sketches are for 10 and colored pieces 15

(this came out of a conversation in the comments on a previous post about an author threatening to stop updating a fic because of lack of engagement)

So there’s this idea that fic writers should write for themselves and not care too much about stats or engagement,

and i totally get the sentiment behind that. if writing becomes entirely about stats and external validation, something important does get lost - creative freedom and joy, conviction in your own writing

but i also think:

“i write for myself, but i post for others.”

because posting fic is not only self-expression. it’s social. ao3 is called an archive, but emotionally it often functions as a community space.

people post for connection, for participation, for others to bear witness to their pain and trauma and grief,

and i don’t think most people are asking to be admired so much as acknowledged. there’s something deeply human about wanting another person to encounter something that mattered to you and go:

“ok, yeah, I see what you were trying to say. I see you.”

especially because fanfic is often people processing very real feelings through fictional characters at a safe distance, one step removed,

and then uploading that deeply personal thing into a shared archive and hoping somebody else might connect with it.

And i think that’s why it hurts so much when you summon up the courage and post a fic into the void and you get nothing back,

and then it’s like,

It’s particularly frustrating when you find something nice someone wrote about your fic on a completely different place and that same user name just put a kudo and didn’t write that same nice thing in the comment box on the fic. You found that nice thing entirely by accident.

Or when a popular author you used to admire tells you oh yes, they know your work. In fact they discussed it on a private discord with other authors in your fandom that you used to admire. Yeah, they all thought it was great! Except none of them could be bothered to tell you that, you had no idea they knew you wrote, never mind read your stuff!

Oh and the person telling you this only left a guest kudo, they could not possibly leave one with their actual name on it. That person told you this while also talking about all the cool art, podfic and even a bookbind they got from readers, so they know how awesome that feels but they can’t even tell you they liked your fic. They can’t even just click a button with their own name attached to it.

Those are things that happened to me.

I really wish that person had kept their “oh I’m one of your guest kudos” to themselves, because that absolutely destroyed my desire to write for months.

Don’t get me wrong, talking about stories with friends is awesome, but in the name of all that is good and holy, ALSO TELL THE AUTHOR!!!!

Chapter 30: Money Money Money is up!

Summary: Before braving the aptly named Death Mountain, Link needs some potion and at least one fairy, and another bottle would certainly be helpful as well. But to buy any of that, he's going to need to get some rupees...

Read it here: A Link Against the Dark, Chapter 30

New reader? Start HERE.

The Green Knight by @/Noah_of_Ark

Adventure Fantasy | General | AO3 | Ongoing

Synopsis: Link doesn't know why his hands know how to kill. Zelda doesn't know why the history books feel like a funeral procession. In a Hyrule rotting from the inside out, the Princess and her Knight are fleeing a destiny that has already claimed them a thousand times. They are the only ones who don't remember the ending. He is the only one who does.

Content Warnings: Major character death

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An interesting take on the cycle and the players in it. This opens with a fantastic contrast between Link and Zelda as the wheel turns once more, with a great use of medium in its formatting to highlight its themes. Looking forward to more! - amelias-hart

This author grips you by the senses in a fast-paced, game-like original story of a princess who's anticipated an evil all her life and beloved of the Deku Tree forced to abandon the kindness of his life to take up the hard road of courage. The scenes splice together in shared words and parallel feelings and the two haven't even met yet! Uniquely written. I'm thrilled for more chapters. - sparklyhyperbole

An intriguing take on the concept of the cycle of reincarnation! Portrays very well the anxieties, hopes, and dread that would come with such a thing. Looking forward to seeing where it goes! - onlybythestars

An interesting take on the cycle and the dread an anticipation that comes with it. The narrative's formatting does a lot of heavy and fun work with how it picks up the pace, swapping perspectives but keeping them connected. Looking forward to more with this one. - Schneeflakes

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The archive is not in touch with this creator, but you can connect with them at the AO3 linked above.

A poolside korok. It's getting warm here.

Got a new notebook for doodling at work, so no dot grid but the paper texture is more obvious with the pencil crayons today. Not sure I like it.

Another pose from Draw Everything June.

Here's my gift for @demiboydemon, I had a blast working on it! And thanks to @t-5seconds for hosting the Queer Zelink exchange, of course :)

Alt without flowers under the cut

Thanks for the tag @karama9!

Currently reading: Concrete Botany by Joey Santore (It's partly autobiography, partly rant about capitalism and modern society. I think it's mostly written to appeal to people who want a book version of his podcast or YouTube. It's pretty good, but I'm not sure I'll reread it.)

Planta Sapiens by Paco Calvo (this book is fascinating. It explores the ways plants are smart, calculating how to best survive in an environment where they can't really move. People tend to not see plants as smart because they can't move, don't have eyes we recognize, etc).

Coyote America by Dan Flores (this is an audiobook that's going back to the library today, so I haven't gotten very far. I love deep dives about one specific animal, and this is really good so far)

Last film: kpop demon hunters, at the request of my kid. I've seen this movie a zillion times now and it's so good

Last show: probably Bluey for my kid, tbh I don't remember the last show that I sat down to watch. The last thing I watched for my own entertainment was a Twilight Princess playthrough

Coffee or tea: if the choice is only those two, tea. If it's any caffeine option, sugar free mountain dew

Video games: replaying Echoes of Wisdom because it's fun and doesn't require much focus. I have a to play list, but it'll probably wait until my kid is older 😔

Working on:

TP Zelink soulmate au! I'm almost 19k words in, and I think I've figured out a title. Writing these two dorks is so much fun!

I've also been coming up with some ideas for inspiration fics. I didn't think the soulmate au was going to take over this much, or I would have started them already.

Also ripping out some poison ivy at home, but that's not fun to talk about 😫