*eyebrow waggle*

i will be deleting this blog on the 17th of december. if you’re a porn producer or consumer, i highly encourage you to do the same. a good 20% of us consume porn and 20% of a million users is a lot. show @staff that this is the wrong decision. they’re not going to change it back because $$$ but deleting your account will hit them where it hurts–the more accounts they loose over this, the fewer they’ll be able to show advertisers.

 i’ll still be here until the 17th scrolling thru to make sure im able to find as many of my peeps on other platforms as i can but i wont be posting much.

u can find me at these places:

pillowfort: sumomomochi

twitter: bubblegumspook

ao3: sumomomochi

instagram: sumomomochi

i will be deleting this blog on the 17th of december. if you’re a porn producer or consumer, i highly encourage you to do the same. a good 20% of us consume porn and 20% of a million users is a lot. show @staff that this is the wrong decision. they’re not going to change it back because $$$ but deleting your account will hit them where it hurts–the more accounts they loose over this, the fewer they’ll be able to show advertisers.

 i’ll still be here until the 17th scrolling thru to make sure im able to find as many of my peeps on other platforms as i can but i wont be posting much.

u can find me at these places:

pillowfort: sumomomochi

twitter: bubblegumspook

ao3: sumomomochi

instagram: sumomomochi

i will be deleting this blog on the 17th of december. if you’re a porn producer or consumer, i highly encourage you to do the same. a good 20% of us consume porn and 20% of a million users is a lot. show @staff that this is the wrong decision. they’re not going to change it back because $$$ but deleting your account will hit them where it hurts–the more accounts they loose over this, the fewer they’ll be able to show advertisers.

 i’ll still be here until the 17th scrolling thru to make sure im able to find as many of my peeps on other platforms as i can but i wont be posting much.

u can find me at these places:

pillowfort: sumomomochi

twitter: bubblegumspook

ao3: sumomomochi

instagram: sumomomochi

i will be deleting this blog on the 17th of december. if you’re a porn producer or consumer, i highly encourage you to do the same. a good 20% of us consume porn and 20% of a million users is a lot. show @staff that this is the wrong decision. they’re not going to change it back because $$$ but deleting your account will hit them where it hurts–the more accounts they loose over this, the fewer they’ll be able to show advertisers.

 i’ll still be here until the 17th scrolling thru to make sure im able to find as many of my peeps on other platforms as i can but i wont be posting much.

u can find me at these places:

pillowfort: sumomomochi

twitter: bubblegumspook

ao3: sumomomochi

instagram: sumomomochi

i will be deleting this blog on the 17th of december. if you’re a porn producer or consumer, i highly encourage you to do the same. a good 20% of us consume porn and 20% of a million users is a lot. show @staff that this is the wrong decision. they’re not going to change it back because $$$ but deleting your account will hit them where it hurts–the more accounts they loose over this, the fewer they’ll be able to show advertisers.

 i’ll still be here until the 17th scrolling thru to make sure im able to find as many of my peeps on other platforms as i can but i wont be posting much.

u can find me at these places:

pillowfort: sumomomochi

twitter: bubblegumspook

ao3: sumomomochi

instagram: sumomomochi

i will be deleting this blog on the 17th of december. if you’re a porn producer or consumer, i highly encourage you to do the same. a good 20% of us consume porn and 20% of a million users is a lot. show @staff that this is the wrong decision. they’re not going to change it back because $$$ but deleting your account will hit them where it hurts–the more accounts they loose over this, the fewer they’ll be able to show advertisers.

 i’ll still be here until the 17th scrolling thru to make sure im able to find as many of my peeps on other platforms as i can but i wont be posting much.

u can find me at these places:

pillowfort: sumomomochi

twitter: bubblegumspook

ao3: sumomomochi

instagram: sumomomochi

i will be deleting this blog on the 17th of december. if you’re a porn producer or consumer, i highly encourage you to do the same. a good 20% of us consume porn and 20% of a million users is a lot. show @staff that this is the wrong decision. they’re not going to change it back because $$$ but deleting your account will hit them where it hurts–the more accounts they loose over this, the fewer they’ll be able to show advertisers.

 i’ll still be here until the 17th scrolling thru to make sure im able to find as many of my peeps on other platforms as i can but i wont be posting much.

u can find me at these places:

pillowfort: sumomomochi

twitter: bubblegumspook

ao3: sumomomochi

instagram: sumomomochi

…I should note that it is not the celebration of Christmas, per se, with which I take issue. Spending time with loved ones and exchanging gifts are lovely traditions, and while many of the particular traditions of Christmas are not quite to my taste, I’m thrilled to know they give others a great deal of joy…

What I do object to, however, is the culture that’s been built around Christmas, that has elevated one religious faith’s year-end festivity into an inescapable, weeks-long period of compulsory celebration for nearly everyone. If you’re Muslim, Jewish, Hindu or otherwise uninterested in participating in a Christian holiday, you can personally opt out of Christmas Day by declining to get a tree and spending December 25 at the movies — but all bets are off should you choose to leave your house (or even turn on the TV) at any moment between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

December in America is a constant onslaught of Christmas culture: Every store gets decked out in Christmas finery and puts carols on full blast, seemingly believing that it encourages shopping. Television shows that normally avoid any discussion of anything approaching religious observance suddenly get into the spirit, devoting extra-long episodes to stories about the generous spirit inspired by this time of year (a generous spirit that, apparently, people who don’t celebrate Christmas know absolutely nothing about). Ostensibly secular offices and schools are suddenly awash in Santas and sleighs and reindeer, all in the name of bringing everyone a little extra joy, the fact that it’s their own definition of joy be damned.

It would be bad enough if this aggressive Christmas assault were purely the domain of the rabid right wing; if the only people I needed to worry about fending off were the types who see cries of “Happy Holidays” as an affront to their religious freedom, or the switch from red to green holiday cups as some sign of an Islamic agenda. But the truth is that liberals — even ones who ostensibly embrace religious diversity — can be just as bad as their conservative counterparts when it comes to enforcing the oppressive Christmas climate.

And at a time when religious minorities are increasingly under attack within this country, we to take a long hard look at the way Christmas is used to send the message that America is a nation primarily for Christians.

When I tell a liberal Christmas fan that I just don’t want to get into the spirit, it usually doesn’t end well. If they’re not insistent that I’m missing out (and just no fun), they tend to see my lack of enthusiasm for Christmas as an indictment of their own enjoyment of the holiday.

I’ve heard so many arguments for why my stance that compulsory Christmas is forcing me to participate in Christianity is unfounded — It’s not religious, it’s a secular celebration of consumerism! It’s not Christian, it’s actually Saturnalia dressed up in Jesus drag! They love it in Japan! — none of which seem to take into consideration that, as a Jewish woman, I’m probably pretty well versed in what sorts of celebrations are and aren’t within the scope of my religious practice. (And, let’s be serious, a holiday whose name commemorates the birth of Jesus has, at the very least, some intense Christian heritage that might feel uncomfortable for me).

It’s a reaction that’s disappointing any Christmas season, but this year, as the celebration ramps up in the shadow of the most fatal anti-Semitic attack in American history, it’s particularly disheartening. With white nationalism on the rise, and a president who takes great pleasure in using cries of “Merry Christmas” to bludgeon religious minorities, being non-Christian in America feels more isolating, and unsafe, than ever.

…And above all, please remember that Christmas doesn’t have a monopoly on generosity and joy, anymore than Passover has a monopoly on being anti-slavery. Not everybody needs, or wants, to get into the Christmas spirit, and that’s totally okay. Christmas is not for everyone, but the freedom of religion, and celebration of diversity, that allows for that recognition is — and that is what truly makes America great.

But one thing I think could be added is that, for a lot of people, celebrating Christmas is the norm. It’s assumed. There’s no need to question or interrogate the religious or alienating aspects of the holiday because “everybody” celebrates it. And when you identify yourself as someone who doesn’t, when you reply to their jolly “Merry Christmas!” with a weary “Happy holidays!” you can see the change in their eyes. 

Oh. You’re not one of Us. You’re one of Them. You’re Other.

And as if Othering people isn’t dangerous enough, not only have they Othered you, you’ve damaged their worldview. The “most wonderful time of the year” has been dimmed by the presence of this Other. Sometimes there’s awkwardness, a bit of shame at having forgotten that Other people exist, sometimes there’s anger that they do exist at all. Often they will blame the Other for inflicting these feelings on them. After all, if the Other were not here, the response would be an equally jolly “Merry Christmas!” and everyone would be on their way. How dare the Other attack their good holiday cheer with these feelings? How dare the Other make them feel bad for not remembering that everyone is not just like them. 

Takes anger out on expensive and possibly important console that could in some way control the GIANT STARSHIP FLYING THROUGH SPACE.

(Last time lightsabers and consoles mixed, the entire base on Mustafar was enveloped in lava, and your beloved grandfather lost 3 limbs, but ya know, whatever.)

Carries a full-size human being in his arms through the forest over rough terrain and then through a war zone instead of using the force he just knocked her out with. 

(Bro, this is as bad as Gandalf not using the eagles more to make life easier for everyone in Middle Earth. Learn!)

Waits for an undetermined amount of time for an unconscious person to wake up in this super comfortable position, and then continues interrogation from squat position when they rouse. 

(Maybe the gym on Starkiller was closed for renovations, and there was no way Kylo was missing leg day.)

Does not walk 10 feet to pick up lightsaber he’s unsuccessfully tried to call to himself twice already.

(For that stubbornness, he deserved to get at least a little whack on the nose from his oh-so-precious lightsaber as it flew past his face. Karma dude.)

Tries to sit up and put pressure on MASSIVE GAPING SHOULDER WOUND, just to get a better look at the person who practically sliced your face in half.

(You know, this is definitely one of those “sort out your priorities moments”. Clearly the planet is imploding and you’re sporting fatal wounds, but naw, let’s get a better look-see.)

He clearly has a lot of passion. Logic…maybe no so much 

Use the Force Luke

or - Writing Good Character Descriptions

By now most of you have probably heard it’s a bad idea to list out all your character’s traits at the beginning of your story. That’s true. Writing character descriptions like that takes the reader out of the story and - quite frankly - makes your story read like really bad, old school fanfiction. 

Ex. (What NOT to do)

Janine had ebony black hair and cerulean eyes that sparkled like moonbeams. Her most defining trait, however, was the curiously shaped scar on her left cheek.

The above is a fairly small chunk of text and perhaps a bit innocuous at first glance. But if you take the time to stop and describe every character as they enter the scene, your story gets bogged down really fast. This leads me to my first point - 

Decide Whether You Need to Describe That Character

Not every character needs to be described in detail. It’s enough to leave it up to the reader’s imagination when it comes to many of the secondary and tertiary characters that appear in your story. 

Additionally, in many stories - especially short fiction - the character’s appearance just isn’t all that important. In this case you can get away with not saying anything about their appearance at all, unless there’s something really striking about them that you want to point out for the sake of characterization. 

Sprinkling Details into Your Text

In my example above, the really interesting detail is the scar I mentioned. Now - how do we actually get that into the text? Well, it’s up to you as the reader to find a reason to mention it. 

Ex: What TO Do

“It’s a shame.”

“What’s a shame?” asked Janine, but I could tell she was already bracing herself for the inevitable.

“That scar on your cheek. You’re such a pretty girl.” The woman tutted. “What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Janine gave the woman a tight smile. “Werewolf attack,” she said - her usual reply. It was the was the same answer she’d given me when I’d dared to ask. That, and “fighting off a zombie horde” and “sword fight” and a dozen other iterations of “I don’t want to talk about it,” until I’d finally gotten the hint and dropped the subject. 

Comparisons and Contrasts Between Characters

Casually drawing comparisons between characters, especially in the beginning of a story, is a good way to relay a lot of information regarding description quickly and efficiently. It works especially well if you’re in the middle of discussing relationships because it can serve to highlight just how similar - or different - your characters are. Comparing/Contrasting characters does work best when there’s a close established relationship between characters though - brothers, best friends, etc.

A couple of Examples:

- It was hard to tell Julie and Casey apart at first. Only a couple of years apart, they’d both inherited their mother’s blonde hair and their father’s infectious smile. But when you spent a little time around them, you started to see the differences.

- Andrew was used to being ignored when Titus was around. His friend’s dark skin tended to draw more than a little attention. It wasn’t just that, though. Titus towered over him - over almost everyone he met, in fact. 

Using Appearance to Mark a Character

This can be a do or a don’t, for some of the same points I’ve already mentioned. First and foremost, it can be kind of obvious that you’re hammering in character description unless the detail you’re pointing out is really striking. Hair color is the go-to for this sort of thing, but honestly - it’s overdone. Unless your character has bubblegum pink hair or something else that really stands out you might want to hang on to your descriptors and find a better place to insert them into the text.

Additionally - remember that it’s easy to be insensitive or just plain racist/ableist/etc. when you use appearance to mark a character. Always think twice before making your character’s defining trait re: appearance “he’s fat” or “she’s Asian.”

In First Person POV

I’ll say this once: no mirrors. Do not have your character look into a mirror and describe themselves. 

Now. If you really find it necessary to describe a POV character’s appearance, how DO you do it? Well, there are the points above, which still work - dropping in descriptors as they become relevant, or a character comparing herself to someone else. But you get the added benefit of the character being able to quickly relay their thoughts and feelings about themselves to the reader in first person POV. 

Example: It would be easy for me to say ‘I hate my body,’ but I don’t. I love it. I love every inch and every curve that God gave me. Some people can’t deal with that - a fat girl who’s proud of the way she looks. That’s fine. I just don’t deal with those people.