Some Arts I Guess

⟡ Hello everyone! This is your formal welcome to Officially Anonymous, and I'm so glad you're here! My name is Cyrus, and as a member of The Council, my role is to help you find your footing and get you started on your journey to figuring out your identity as an anon.

⟡ To get started, here are a few basic steps:

1. Being an anon is to express yourself and highlight something you're interested in! Whether it's telling jokes, a specific type of snail you know everything about, or being really good at skateboarding, find your niche and explore what it means to you! This will become your Specialization, and is something that will stay with you for the entirety of your life as an anon. 2. Once you have decided on your Specialization and identity, please create a unique signature or sign-off to add to your asks so we know it's you! Alternatively, feel free to create a blog for the sake of your anonymous identity, and ask through that account. 3. You are free to interact with this blog casually/just for fun, or to collect points to unlock certain interactions within the world. To register, refer to THIS GUIDE (link coming soon...), and your points will be counted on the REGISTERED USERS LIST (link coming soon...). All points will be counted from the point you register onwards. If you would like to be registered prior to these links being set up, please mention it in your first ask! 4. If an ask is completely anonymous with no signature, we are unfortunately unable to keep track of it for points purposes. However, we ALWAYS encourage these types of asks if you're interacting casually/just for fun! 5. If you draw or create something about your anonymous identity, about Officially Anonymous, or me or someone else on the team, we would love to see it! Please use the tag #officiallyanonymous to be reblogged, or submit it directly into our ask box.

⟡ A full comprehensive guide is posted HERE (link coming soon...) on how to create your identity, which you can always come back to reference when making your decisions!

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⟡ Now that we've got that out of the way, here's a little bit about myself! I originally served as a DPA (Daily Positivity Anon) in my youth, but I've since retired. Now, I work on the council to keep things flowing, and encourage new anons to take on roles that maintain creativity and positivity throughout The Hub*. I would have loved to work as a DPA for much longer, but after...well...

...

⟡ Anyways, I'm happy to be here and excited to welcome new faces! I know this world is unfamiliar to many of you, and I will do my best to provide context when I can. Larger, lore-based posts will typically try to be released on a weekly to bi-weekly schedule, though some may take longer depending on length and depth. You might also see some new faces from time to time...

*See some unfamiliar vocabulary? New terms will always be marked with an asterisk! Check out the DICTIONARY (link coming soon...)

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⟡ I know many of you might be wondering about my cool badge - this is something given to an anon who has made a significant contribution to a community. There are many ways to get involved, and weekly prompts will be released on each Friday. This is a chance to get to know yourself and your Specialization better, and to help you develop your own ideas! These prompts will aim to be accessible to both anons who are creative in artistic ways, anons who are creative with their words, and more - there is NO right way to do this, do whatever helps you most! The one rule we have is that no generative artificial intelligence of any kind may be used.

⟡ The full collection of all present and past prompts can be found HERE (link coming soon...). While only present prompts will count for points up until the release of the next prompt on Friday, you are welcome and encouraged to do any of them at any time!

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⟡ There are many exciting things planned ahead, and I can't wait to share them all with you! The Creator Team will be trying their hardest to maintain a steady schedule, but sometimes difficulties may arise. In these situations, please refer to the UPDATES (link coming soon...) tab (also linked in the masterpost) to check if something notable is going on! And, as always, I will always be here to answer questions on behalf of the team.

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⟡ In the meantime, feel free get involved by asking me anything! Whether it's about me, my job, the world around us, or what color the sky is, I'm here to talk! As long as it isn't against ███████, anything is fair game :)

my favorite season is here :3 (it began two weeks ago in my mind)

real outfit i wore to be in the autumn spirit two days ago

struggle to catch their breath

grab onto whatever’s close enough to ground themselves in reality

become nauseous / vomit

shake uncontrollably

sweat buckets

get a headache

things people do to combat having nightmares if they occur commonly

sleep near other people so they can hear the idle sounds of them completing tasks

move to a different sleeping spot than where they had the nightmare

leave tvs / radios / phones on with noise

just not sleep (if you want to go the insomnia route)

sleep during the day in bright rooms

things people with insomnia do

first, obviously, their ability to remember things and their coordination will go out the window

its likely they’ll become irritable or overly emotional

their body will start to ache, shake, and weaken

hallucinate if it’s been long enough

it becomes incredibly easy for them to get sick (and they probably will)

While it's important to approach writing with creativity and imagination, it's crucial to prioritize responsible and ethical storytelling. That being said, if you're looking for information on poisons for the purpose of writing fiction, it's essential to handle the subject matter with care and accuracy. Here is a list of some common poisons that you can use in your stories:

Hemlock: Hemlock is a highly poisonous plant that has been used as a poison in various works of literature. It can cause paralysis and respiratory failure.

Arsenic: Arsenic is a toxic element that has been historically used as a poison. It can be lethal in high doses and can cause symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and organ failure.

Cyanide: Cyanide is a fast-acting poison that affects the body's ability to use oxygen. It can cause rapid loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest.

Nightshade: Nightshade plants, such as Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade, contain toxic compounds that can cause hallucinations, respiratory distress, and even death.

Ricin: Ricin is a potent poison derived from the castor bean plant. It can cause organ failure and has been used as a plot device in various fictional works.

Strychnine: Strychnine is a highly toxic alkaloid that affects the nervous system, leading to muscle spasms, convulsions, and respiratory failure.

Snake Venom: Various snake venoms can be used in fiction as deadly poisons. Different snake species have different types of venom, each with its own effects on the body.

Belladonna: Also known as Deadly Nightshade, Belladonna contains tropane alkaloids such as atropine and scopolamine. Ingesting or even touching the plant can lead to symptoms like blurred vision, hallucinations, dizziness, and an increased heart rate.

Digitalis: Digitalis, derived from the foxglove plant, contains cardiac glycosides. It has been historically used to treat heart conditions, but in high doses, it can be toxic. Overdosing on digitalis can cause irregular heart rhythms, nausea, vomiting, and visual disturbances.

Lead: Lead poisoning, often resulting from the ingestion or inhalation of lead-based substances, has been a concern throughout history. Lead is a heavy metal that can affect the nervous system, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, cognitive impairment, anemia, and developmental issues, particularly in children.

Mercury: Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that has been used in various forms throughout history. Ingesting or inhaling mercury vapors can lead to mercury poisoning, causing symptoms like neurological impairment, kidney damage, respiratory issues, and gastrointestinal problems.

Aconite: Also known as Wolfsbane or Monkshood, aconite is a highly toxic plant. Its roots and leaves contain aconitine alkaloids, which can affect the heart and nervous system. Ingesting aconite can lead to symptoms like numbness, tingling, paralysis, cardiac arrhythmias, and respiratory failure.

Thallium: Thallium is a toxic heavy metal that can cause severe poisoning. It has been used as a poison due to its tastelessness and ability to mimic other substances. Thallium poisoning can lead to symptoms like hair loss, neurological issues, gastrointestinal disturbances, and damage to the kidneys and liver.

When incorporating poisons into your writing, it is essential to research and accurately portray the effects and symptoms associated with them. Additionally, be mindful of the potential impact your writing may have on readers and the importance of providing appropriate context and warnings if necessary.

If you want to read more posts about writing, please click here and give me a follow!

Loglines are mostly used in film, I believe, and they are basically one-sentence summaries of the whole flick. They are very much audience/marketing focused, so no spoilers or twists revealed; it's what you tell to sell someone on the movie.

And yeah, I do believe you can do a logline for any story no matter how grand or complex you might think:

Paul, the young heir of a noble family, must become the Messiah of the planet Dune and its people if he wishes to survive against rival factions.

(Long sentence, but only one sentence.)

The real value of a logline is that it can help you reveal

what your story is about instead of just what happens in it.

By finding the core of the plot you can deduce (and more importantly, justify) the additional elements that make the story come alive. Does a funny scene fit if your logline is about a dark, revenge story? Could be!, as long as you know why it's there (maybe for breathing room, or to build atmosphere or for fleshing out characters).

Flowers have a long history of symbolism that you can incorporate into your writing to give subtext.

Symbolism varies between cultures and customs, and these particular examples come from Victorian Era Britain. You'll find examples of this symbolism in many well-known novels of the era!

Amaryllis: Pride

Black-eyed Susan: Justice

Bluebell: Humility

Calla Lily: Beauty

Pink Camellia: Longing

Carnations: Female love

Yellow Carnation: Rejection

Clematis: Mental beauty

Columbine: Foolishness

Cyclamen: Resignation

Daffodil: Unrivalled love

Daisy: Innocence, loyalty

Forget-me-not: True love

Gardenia: Secret love

Geranium: Folly, stupidity

Gladiolus: Integrity, strength

Hibiscus: Delicate beauty

Honeysuckle: Bonds of love

Blue Hyacinth: Constancy

Hydrangea: Frigid, heartless

Iris: Faith, trust, wisdom

White Jasmine: Amiability

Lavender: Distrust

Lilac: Joy of youth

White Lily: Purity

Orange Lily: Hatred

Tiger Lily: Wealth, pride

Lily-of-the-valley: Sweetness, humility

Lotus: Enlightenment, rebirth

Magnolia: Nobility

Marigold: Grief, jealousy

Morning Glory: Affection

Nasturtium: Patriotism, conquest

Pansy: Thoughtfulness

Peony: Bashfulness, shame

Poppy: Consolation

Red Rose: Love

Yellow Rose: Jealously, infidelity

Snapdragon: Deception, grace

Sunflower: Adoration

Sweet Willian: Gallantry

Red Tulip: Passion

Violet: Watchfulness, modesty

Yarrow: Everlasting love

** y'all you don't need to be able to answer all of these for every single character. just things to think of :]

have they / would they dye their hair?

do they maintain eye contact when talking?

what is their tell for lying?

do they have an accent?

what languages do they speak?

what kind of music do they listen to?

describe them in one word. what could happen to make them the opposite?

do they have any ghosts?

what is their worst fear?

what is a secret they do not tell anyone?

what motto do they live by?

if they were a famous figure, who would they be?

what great moment shaped them to be who they are? have they lived through the moment yet?

what is their fatal flaw?

how do they feel about jewelry? painted nails?

what kind of art are they?

do they play a sport?

do they have a speech impairment? how would that translate across paper?

what could you do to betray their trust?

what makes them smile?

if you had to choose something to make them go all john wick, who would it be?

do they swear? in what language?

how comfortable do they feel around strangers?

are they extraverted or introverted?

do they stand straight? what is their posture like?

what is their sleep schedule like

would they consciously invade someone else's body space? even a stranger's?

how do they feel about contact with other people? do they flinch?

are they the first to hug?

what would make them kill / stop them from killing?

how do they smile? do they have dimples?

what about their teeth -- braces? sharp teeth? dentures? yellow teeth? what about spots?

how do they get others' attention? clear their throat? punch them?

do they talk with their hands?

what is their final goal?

how would they describe happiness?

what is their biggest conflict? it doesn't need to be big for everyone else, only for them.

how do they react to death?

do they cry? how do they cry -- silent tears, sobbing, a swallow?

how do they react when someone else is crying? can they comfort a stranger?

how are they around pets? are they allergic to any?

following up, do they have allergies?

do they take off their shoes going into a stranger's house? would they offer to do the dishes?

do they call strangers by their first name or title?

how do they show fear? trying to hide it? shaking? etc.

what is their impact on other characters?

Your blog has been very helpful to me! :) thanks a lot

Quick Tips for Writing Manipulative Characters

To convincingly write a character who is being manipulated, you must first understand how to write a believable manipulator. Often hidden in plain sight, manipulators pull the strings, guiding the actions of those who are often unaware that they're dancing to someone else's tune.

Let’s look at manipulators as puppet masters, exploring how they function and how their actions echo throughout your story. By understanding the manipulator, you'll better equip yourself to create realistic characters who are unwittingly under their sway.

How do they behave?

Play the victim to garner sympathy

Charming and persuasive

Twist and distort the truth to suit their agenda

Play mind games

Are silver-tongued

Passive-aggressive when confronted

Use guilt to control others

Don’t hesitate to lie or deceive

Demonstrate a sense of entitlement.

Project their feelings onto others

How do they interact?

Play different roles with different people

Prefer indirect communication to direct confrontation

Gaslight others, making them doubt their own perceptions

Shift the blame onto others

Exploit others' vulnerabilities

Use people’s secrets against them

Make others feel obligated or in debt to them

Use flattery to get their way

Create conflict between other characters

Deliberately create confusion and chaos

Describe their body language

Maintain intense eye contact

Use touch to seem friendly and intimate

Facial expressions often don't match their words

Use large, expressive gestures to dramatise

Have a confident and exaggerated posture

Soften expression to look more trustworthy

Smile artificially or excessively

Lean in close, invading personal space

Mirror others’ behaviours to seem more likeable

Mimic emotions they may not feel

Describe their attitudes

Believe they are always right

Feel entitled and superior

Lack empathy

Highly competitive

Often impatient and intolerant

Controlling and like to be in charge

Rarely apologize sincerely

Often play the martyr, acting self-sacrificing

Can be sceptical of others’ intentions

Kindness is often an act

Positive narrative effects

Paradoxically, manipulative characters can have a positive narrative effect on those they manipulate. These characters can act as a catalyst for change, pushing others to unlock hidden potential and indirectly teaching them to be more cautious. In the face of manipulation, characters can mature and grow resilience.

Manipulative characters can also reveal people’s true natures by tricking them into revelations or by fostering unity as others band together against them. Furthermore, their actions can create dramatic plot twists, make people question their own perceptions and realities, and add intrigue.

Negative narrative effects

Manipulators can cause emotional and psychological distress, breed distrust and insecurity, and disrupt relationships and friendships. These characters often lead others to make damaging decisions, creating a toxic environment.