Don't hesitate to remember

When we say “be critical of the media you consume” we don’t mean “be negative” as in, find every flaw and pick it apart CinemaSins style.

We mean “examine it”. Like, look at what you are consuming, and in many cases, enjoying, and ask yourself why you are enjoying it. Ask yourself who made it. Ask yourself if you are the target audience. Ask yourself if you are being represented by the characters you see. Ask yourself if the author has biases or political leanings they are trying to include in the story.

there’s so many reasons for someone not to want to come out atm. whether it be because they know they’ll face discrimination from their family/friends/coworkers/roommate etc, whether theyre still struggling to label themselves/struggling to understand themselves and don’t want to come out until they’re sure, they just don’t see the big deal about coming out rn and don’t want to worry about the stress that will come with it, etc it’s all valid. everyone is allowed all the time to stay closeted that they need.

and tbh im real fucking tired of people feeling like because they also faced the same anxiety/same issue when coming out and they “made it through” everyone else has to do the same thing or as if they know exactly how it will turn out…like every coming out is personal and unique and it’s not your job to decide someone else’s experience

and let’s be real honest! not every relationship is going to last, esp if you’re young and first trying to come out. and forcing/pressuring your partner to come out because you don’t want to “be treated like a secret” only for y’all to break up later on is awful. like they’re whole experience in regards to coming out will be focused on your relationship instead of on themselves and what being out will mean to them.

stories about an out lgbt person giving their closeted partner an ultimatum and making their partner decide between remaining closeted or remaining in the relationship and then “oh their anxieties were completely unfounded and the ppl they thought were gonna be homophobic weren’t so it’s all ok” aren’t romantic or okay and it’s not something we should perpetuate.

idk it really depends on the day

But here is the thing. First of all, D&D is incredibly complex, and even professional D&D players are going to have trouble keeping everything in their heads at all times. There are only so many Matt Mercers or Brennan Lee Mulligans that know all of the rules by heart.

And second, it is actually incredibly valuable for D&D that shows like Critical Role include discussion of rules mechanics. By seeing people ask about the rules and get clarifications and whatnot, those picky rules get communicated to the viewers, often in a way that’s clearly demonstrated in a more visceral way than reading the rules. Every time someone has to ask about the rules on polymorph or whatever, that clarification gets told to every viewer, whether or not they already play D&D.

You observe the way a story is organized and how it achieves its flow

You become familiar with tropes and archetypes

Story structure becomes an easy to recall memory, and every novel you’ve ever read becomes a reference book

You develop how you write stylistically, the things you hate and the things you try to emulate

White

also: pale; blanched; sallow; pallid; waxen; spectral; translucent; albino; 

Grey

also: dust; stone; pepper;  

Black

also:  coal; slate; dusky; ebon; shadow; murky; 

Tan

also: flesh; khaki; cream; tawny; 

Brown

also:  henna; russet; sepia; chestnut; cocoa; drab; bronze; 

Red

also: terracotta ; rouge; carmine;  fire-engine; ruddy

Orange

also:  pumpkin ; rust ; 

Yellow

also: sunny; amber; saffron; hay; straw; platinum; 

Green

also: viridescent; grass; jade; forest; 

Blue

also: turquoise; cyan; ultramarine; royal; aqua; aquamarine;

Purple

also: berry;  amaranthine;

Pink

also: flushed; candy; cherry blossom; petal pink ; 

—– source: http://ingridsundberg.com/

I’ve been writing for around ten years now, both fanfiction and original fiction, and I’ve learned a lot in that time. I’m by no means a proffessional or an expert, but I thought I could share a few tips about what I learned for those of you who write too or want to start doing it, hope these are helpful! 

Find a balance. Don’t force yourself to write but don’t wait for inspiration either.

Routines help. If you get a habit of writing, you’ll find that it flows more easily.

Find your voice. Each writer is different, find your style and more importantly, your pace! Not everyone writes the same amount a day or a week, every writer has their pace. 

Don’t worry about being original. Sure, original plots are interesting and refreshing, but don’t worry too much if your plots are a bit basic at the beginning. I always say that the important thing is not the story in itself, but how it’s told. Harry Potter is about a chosen boy who must defeat an evil wizard, and it’s one of the most famous bestsellers ever! And my favorite book saga as well.

Be open-minded. About everything, really. Try to write a little bit of everything, not just your usual genre. Also, know that stories come to life sometimes and you’ll be surprised when your character suddenly does something you weren’t expecting at first. Even if you’re the writer.

Be exposed to fiction. One piece of advice people always give to writers is ‘read, read, read!’ and I agree. But I found that you can learn from other types of fiction as well: movies, shows, videogames, anime… This helps me a lot, analyzing why I love a particular story or think it’s so good. 

Take notes. I used to carry a notebook everywhere in case I came up with an idea (I used to think I would remember it, but spoiler alert, I didn’t) and now there are also so many good apps for that! Write down any small idea you have, even little details. Everything helps create a realistic story and a complex world and setting.

Inspiration comes from everywhere. The stupidest thing can trigger that spark of inspiration that helps you come up with ideas. I once came up with an entire story plot just because a friend was talking about math and a certain phrase gave me the idea. Even going out and taking a walk on your own can do it for you.

Be patient. Improvement takes time, and practice makes perfect! Keep writing and you’ll improve without even realizing! Nobody starts knowing everything and one never stops learning. Also, don’t get frustrated if you only manage to write a couple of sentences sometimes, progress is still progress no matter how small.

Oh but hey for the heterosexuals out there, if you’re a straight man who’s sexually active with multiple partners, you don’t use protection, and you have an active chlamydia and/or herpes infection, all of which is suggestive of high risk sexual behaviors that might expose you to dangerous and contagious illnesses like HIV, you can still donate blood.