the song is you

PLACES: The Down Below

on a condition / we on our way to the top / we got the world at our fingers / we make the penny drop 

Responsible for one half of the balance between good and evil, the Down Below recruits its employees from all places—usually the less savory ones. Among its ranks are demonic Mongrels, responsible for the entry-level work that no one else wants to do; Superstitions, who fill a range of positions from bodyguards to hitmen; and, when no one else can do the job, deceased human beings. 

- hijabis get really excited over pretty scarves - they also like to collect pins and brooches - we get asked a lot of questions and it can be annoying or it can be amusing, just depends on our mood and personality and how the question is phrased - common questions include: - “not even water?” (referring to fasting) - hijabis hear a lot of “do you sleep in that?” (we don’t) and “where is your hair?” (in a bun or a braid, usually) - “is it mooze-slim or mozzlem?” (the answer is neither, it’s muslim, with a soft s and accent on the first syllable) - “ee-slam or iz-lamb?” (it’s iss-laam, accent on the first syllable) - “hee-job?” (heh-jahb, accent on the second syllable)

- “kor-an?” (no. quran. say it like koor-annn, accent on the second syllable) - people tend to mess up our names really badly and you just get a sigh and a resigned nod or an awkward smile, maybe a nickname instead - long hair is easy to hide, short hair is harder to wrap up - hijab isn’t just covering hair, it’s also showing as little skin as possible with the exception of face, hands, and feet, and not wearing tight/sheer clothing - that applies to men too, people just don’t like to mention it ( i wonder why) - henna/mehendi isn’t just for special occasions, you’ll see people wearing it for fun - henna/mehendi isn’t just for muslims, either, it’s not a religious thing - henna/mehendi is not just for women, men also wear it, especially on their weddings - there are big mehendi parties in the couple of nights before eid where people (usually just women and kids) gather and do each other’s mehendi, usually just hands and feet - five daily prayers - most muslim kids can stutter through a couple verses of quran in the original arabic text by the age of seven or eight, it does not matter where they live or where they’re from or what language they speak natively - muslim families tend to have multiple copies of the quran - there are no “versions” of the quran, there has only ever been one. all muslims follow the exact same book - muslims have no concept of taking God’s name in vain, we call on God at every little inconvenience - don’t use islamic phrases if you don’t know what they mean or how to use them. we use them often, inside and outside of religious settings. in islam, it is encouraged to mention God often and we say these things very casually, but we take them very seriously - Allahu Akbar means “God is Greatest” (often said when something shocks or surprises us, or if we’re scared or daunted, or when something amazing happens, whether it be good or bad; it’s like saying “oh my god”) - Subhan Allah means “Glory be to God” (i say subhan Allah at the sky, at babies, at trees, whatever strikes me as pleasant, especially if it’s in nature) - Bismillah means “in the name of God” and it’s just something you say before you start something like eating or doing your homework - In Shaa Allah means “if God wills” (example: you’ll be famous, in shaa Allah) (it’s a reminder that the future is in God’s hands, so be humble and be hopeful)

PHOTOGRAPHY: Gregory Crewdson 

Legendary photography Gregory Crewdson works within a photographic tradition that combines the documentary style of William Eggleston and Walker Evans with the dream-like vision of filmmakers such as Stephen Spielberg and David Lynch.

That always makes me nervous because I don’t trust my own taste but… hopefully you’ll be able to pick some out of these-

fantasy (mostly YA):uprooted by naomi novika darker shade of magic by v.e. schwabthe knife of never letting go by patrick nesssix of crows by leigh bardugodeathless by catherynne m. valentean enchantment of ravens by margaret rogersonbitten by kelley armstrongcruel beauty by rosamund hodgethe hazel wood by melissa albertthe bear and the nightingale by katherine ardenwintersong by s. jae-jonesto kill a kingdom by alexandra christothe last werewolf by glen duncana court of thorns and roses by sarah j. maasvampire academy by richelle mead (i go hard for these kids) & bloodlines

non-fantasy:if we were villains by m. l. rionever let me go by kazuo ishiguroa brief history of montmaray by michelle coopertell the wolves i’m home by carol rifka bruntcode name verity by elizabeth weinthe secret history by donna tartt

mythology related:circe by madeline millerthe closed doors by pauline albanese (*short play)gameboard of the gods by richelle meadthe song of achilles by madeline millernefertiti by michelle morandaughter of smoke and bone by laini tayloramerican gods by neil gaimanthe heretic queen by michelle moran

mind-f*ckery:i’m thinking of ending things by iain reiddark matter by blake crouch

murder mysteries/thrillers:the broken girls by simone st. jamesinto the woods by tana frenchthe girl with the dragon tattoo by stieg larssonsharp objects by gillian flynnthe likeness by tana frenchgone girl by gillian flynn

books that are on my immediate tbr shelf based on good reviews:the poppy war by r. f. kuangspinning silver by naomi novikthe hating game by sally thornechildren of blood and bone by tomi adeyemithe wicked deep by shea ernshawthe shadow of the wind by carlos ruiz zafoni’ll be gone in the dark by michelle mcnamarathe woman in the window by a.j. finna little life by hanya yanagihara

x: a variable used to represent something unknown.

We’ve seen an influx of questions about how to write stories based around characters of color, disability, non-binary, etc. when the author does not fall into these categories. Rather than have these posts take over the site, we’ve decided to compile a list of resources to help our fellow writers become more educated about writing what they do not immediately know. However, this list is not the end-all-be-all of knowledge; one should always try to learn from someone with first hand experience in any topic. The world is constantly growing and changing, and because of that, there will always be more to learn. The admins at Plotline Hotline want to help writers form respectful, informed, and realistic characters that broaden the narrow range we see in literature today. 

*Be wary that some of the topics listed below contain sensitive material. Reader discretion is advised.* 

As always, the links I found to be especially apt will be in bold. Topics are listed alphabetically, excepting the “other” section.

Culture

Appropriate Cultural Appropriation

What is Cultural Appropriation? [1,2,3]

Cultural Appropriation Is, In Fact, Indefensible

Voice Appropriation & Writing About Other Cultures

Diversity, Appropriation, and Writing the Other [List]

Disability

Writing Disibilities [1,2,3,4,5]

Guides to Writing Deaf or Hard of Hearding People

National Association of the Deaf - Resources [List]

World Federation of the Deaf

Using a Prosthetic Device

Prostehtic Limbs (Character Guide)

How NOT to Write Disabled Characters

A Guide to Disibility Rights Law (United States)

Timeline of Disibility Rights in the United States

Social Security Disability: List of Impairments, Medical Conditions, and Problems [List] (United States)

How to Write Disabled Characters: An Opinion Piece

Artificial Eye Resources [List][Various]

Adapting to the Loss of an Eye

Misconceptions and Myths About Blindness

Blind Characters: A Process of Awareness

Writing Blind Characters [List]

Types of Learning Disabilities [List]

Diversity

A Guide to Spotting and Growing Past Stereotypes

How to Prepare to Write a Diverse Book

The Diversity of Writing

Why Diversity Matters for Everyone

Writing a Driverse Book [1,2,3,4,5]

Diversity, Political Correctness and The Power of Language

Diversity Book List [List][Books]

Basic Tips To Write Subcultures & Minority Religions Better 

Basic Tips to Avoid Tokenism

Gender

GLAAD Media Reference Guide - Transgender

Creating Well-Written Trans Characters

A Few Things Writers Need To Know About Sexuality & Gender Expression

Trans (Character Guide & Bio Building)

A Non-Binary Person’s Guide to Invented Pronouns

Gender Neutral Writing [List]

Keeping a Trans* Person a Person  

Suggestions for Reducing Gendered Terms in Language [Photo]

How to Review a Trans Book as a Cis Person

Writing Characters of Different Genders [List]

Understanding Gender

Gender Spectrum Resources [List]

Gender History

Illness 

Writing Chronic Illness [1,2]

The Spoon Theory - Also pertains to disibility

About HIV/AIDS

Sexually Transmitted Diseases [List]

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sex and Gender Differences in Health [Study]

All Chronic Illness Topics [List]

Coping with Chronic Illness

All Cancer Types

A Day in the Life of a Home Health Aide/Health Coach

Fiction Books With Chronically Ill Main Characters- Not Cancer [List][Books]

Neurotype (Including Mental Health)

Writing an Autistic Character When You Don’t Have Autism

Depression Resources [List]

What to Consider When Writing Mental Illness

Stanford Psychiatric Patient Care

Inpatient Psychiatric Questions and Tips

Don’t Call Me Crazy [Documentary]

(Avoid) Romanticizing Mental Illness [1,2]

A Day in the Life of a Mental Hospital Patient

State-run vs. Private Mental Hospitals

Mental Disorders

Mental Hospital Non-Fiction [List][Books]

National Institute of Mental Health - Mental Health Information [List]

Writing Autistic

What Causes PTSD?

Remember, Remember: The Basics of Writing Amnesia

ADHD Basic Information

What is a Learning Disability?

What is Neurotypical?

Race

Writing Race: A Checklist for Authors

Transracial Writing for the Sincere

Is my character “black enough”

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

Challenge, Counter, Controvert: Subverting Expectations

Writing With Color: Blogs - Recs - Resources [List]

Writing People of Color (If you happen to be a person of another color)

7 Offensive Mistakes Well-Intentioned Writers Make

Description Guide - Words for Skin Tone

Religion

Religion in Novels: Terrific or Taboo?

How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The Religion

Writing About Faith And Religion

From Aladdin to Homeland: How Hollywood Can Reinforce Racial and Religious Stereotypes 

Sexuality

Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity [List]

Writing Gay Characters [1,2,3]

American Civil Liberties Union - LGBT+ Rights

LGBT+ Rights by Country or Territory

History of Gay Rights

Gay Rights Movement

LGBT+ Culture

Gay Myths and Stereotypes

LGBT+ Studies Web Sites [List]

LGBTQ Youth Issues

LGBTData.com

Overview of Gay and Lesbian Parenting, Adoption and Foster Care (United States)

Other

How Doctors’ Offices—and Queer Culture—Are Failing Autistic LGBTQ People

Five Traps and Tips for Character Development

Developing Realistic Characters

I hope that this list will provide topics a writer may not initially think to research when writing. If there are any resources that you think would be fitting for this list, please let us know! We want to have as many helpful sources as possible to maximize learning opportunities. 

Stay educated,

Thank you for your question, love!  I am a huge angst writer, so excuse me if this gets a bit rambly…

How (and How Not) to Write Grief

Grief is one of the most powerful emotions and narratives I’ve ever seen in fiction, so I understand your concern about it.  There are a lot of ways to go about writing grief, especially since your character’s personality shouldn’t fit just any grieving arc.  Everyone mourns differently, so you’ll have to look at who you’re writing and decide what suits them best.

That aside, I do have some general tips that should help.

Things to Consider:

Shock is a valuable tool.  Many people do not experience grief as soon as a loved one passes.  Some people go through a brief or extended period of shock, which basically preserves them emotionally.  Shock helps to push us through bad times until we find a better, safer time to grieve – while funeral preparations are being made, or work is being done.  A person in shock may seem normal or cold in nature, and they may be more irritable or obsessive.  Some people stave off grieving longer than is healthy, especially by throwing themselves into work or indulging in drugs or alcohol.  But everyone faces grief at one point or another – and when this moment comes, it can serve as a climactic point in your character’s development.

Grief comes in waves, not rivers.  You don’t think about it once, and you don’t think about it all the time.  You don’t think, “I miss them,” a few times a day until it passes.  You see something they bought you for your birthday and you feel a rush of heaviness, and you try to remember if you thanked them enough.  You listen to a song with headphones and you think you hear them calling you from another room, and you take off the headphones and shoot up in your seat, until you remember.  Maybe you forget for a few days, as time passes, but someone sharing the weather on the radio will sound like their voice, or you’ll pass the place you used to get coffee together, or someone will tell a joke they used to tell, and it’ll ram you like a truck.  Your character may find comfort or pain in these reminders.  You lean into their memory or you throw out their things, or you stumble somewhere in between.

With grief comes guilt.  Whether or not your character was related to the death at all, guilt is usually a side effect of outliving a loved one.  If your character was related to the death, they’ll replay it in their head a thousand times; they’ll wonder how they could have prevented it, or if they should have seen it coming.  (There’s a great example of this in a short PC game called “The Last Day of June.)  Your character may feel a twinge of guilt sometimes, when they laugh or have a good time with someone else; when they do something to remind them that they’re alive, and their loved one isn’t, for some reason.  Maybe they feel bad for expressing sadness.  Maybe they’re scared to take other people for granted.  Maybe they feel selfish for taking any focus off the person who died.  Think about this as you’re moving your character forward with their own life and their own goals.

Grief affects the day-to-day.  Losing someone takes it out of you; right away, even during shock, a grieving person’s general mood will take a hit.  Nothing feels too good when you’ve just lost someone – not eating, drinking, sleeping, talking to loved ones, or indulging in hobbies.  Slacking on these things can cause you to develop depression, anxiety, sleeping or eating disorders, and generally bad physical and mental health.  This is especially worse if the passed loved one was a comforting or joyful figure for your character, or someone they typically lean on/confide in.  Decreased health can lead to irritability, instability, and regression into bad habits or coping mechanisms.

They have to move on.  At some point, once the shock, the waves, the highs, the lows, and the day-to-day slump have come and gone, your character has to find a new normal.  Grief never goes away 100% – but you do go from always thinking about it to sometimes thinking about it; crying every night to crying once a month, to crying on their birthday and maybe on holidays; to being able to talk about them without crying at all; to be able to pick apart the good and the bad of their passing.  Once your character has reached acceptance, they’ve reached some sort of peace over the loss.  Some people talk or pray to their loved ones; some people lock their things away and view them once a year.  Some people believe in ghosts or heaven; some people believe in reincarnation or becoming part of the earth; some people don’t really believe in anything or don’t know what they believe.  Decide what your character believes, and how it hurts them, and how it helps them.  What is their final conclusion?

Things to Avoid:

Melodrama.  As much as it sells soap operas, it doesn’t work well for fiction – no one wants to sit through pages of characters screaming, sobbing, and falling to their knees.  Strong emotional moments should be used sparingly, and with the proper buildup beforehand.  Try not to overwhelm the reader.  While a real person’s mind may be very scattered during such a time, try to make your character’s development realistic but linear.  Forward and backward, not left to right – getting better or worse, not going through a tasting platter of emotional outbursts.  If your character does something particularly dramatic (I’m talking committing a crime, not crying into a pillow), make sure it makes sense for their character and adds to the story.

Drowning out the plot.  In real life, grieving can become a full-time job; some people spend days in bed just thinking about it, or thinking about nothing, or crying, or compulsively playing a video game or binge-watching a show to distract themselves.  But there’s no time for this in a novel.  Try to incorporate grieving into your main plot (in your case, solving the brother’s murder).  If you feel the need to dedicate a section to the dead character – e.g. a flashback, a funeral scene, a cemetery visit – tie it into the main plot’s progression.  For example, while your character is experiencing the flashback/funeral/scene, let something in that moment become a clue to the murder case.

Losing track of the arc.  While you’re writing the rest of your plot, don’t forget about your character’s grieving.  They shouldn’t always be actively mourning, as other things will preoccupy them from time to time; but keep track of their arc through the stages of grief, and try to keep their actions appropriate.  If they’ve lost their loved one in the past week, they probably won’t be jumping for joy about anything.  If it’s been years, they probably won’t sob at the mention of their name.  This can all be affected by shock, of course, but you’ll know where your character is relatively.

I hope some of this helps you to write your story as accurately and engagingly as possible, for your character.  If you have any further questions, feel free to send them in.  Until then, I hope you have a wonderful weekend :)

– Mod Joanna ♥️

Marvel, Matthew Josephs and David Uzochukwu imagine the street style of Black Panther’s home, Wakanda

Marvel Studios has worked with London stylist Matthew Josephs and photographer David Uzochukwu to create Wakanda Zine, a limited edition, street-style magazine dedicated to Black Panther’s fictional nation. Working mainly with black British designers and creatives, the zine imagines the culture and aesthetic of Wakanda’s people, incorporating influences such as Afro Futurism, punk and London’s own street style.

(in descending order of rank in the angelic hierarchy)

Seraphim (singular ‘seraph’) are described as having six wings; two used to cover their face, two used to cover their feet, and two to fly. They also have a strong association with fire and may therefore be depicted as being on fire. 

Cherubim (singular ‘cherub’) have four faces: one of a man, one of an ox, one of a lion, and one of an eagle. They have four conjoined wings, each of which are covered in hundreds of eyes. They have the body of a lion and the feet of an ox, and human hands. 

Ophanim (singular ‘ophan’), also known as Thrones, are two adjacent blue-green wheel-within-a-wheels with hundreds of eyes covering their rims. They are also on fire. Ophanim often house the souls of Cherubim, and are therefore usually seen accompanying them. 

Dominions, also known as Hashmallim (singular ‘hashmal’) or Lordships, are the only angels described as appearing as beautiful humans with a single pair of wings. 

Virtues, then Authorities, come after Dominions, but neither are described in any detail.

Principalities, also known as Rulers, are described as wearing a crown and carrying a scepter of light. Not much description of their physical form is given, however.

Archangels have been frequently depicted as winged humans, but Biblical reactions to their appearances suggest that their real appearance is much more terrifying.

Angels, the lowest and largest class of angel, are described as having immensely varied forms, and so may come in all shapes and sizes,