mattie

music taste

Chinese names are finicky because up until very recently when everybody started casually addressing people by their given names (so modern and hip!) this was very much not a thing. And even then it's limited to very specific social contexts. Some conventions:

Single syllable given name only (e.g. Yuan) - never under any circumstance address someone by their single syllable given name, unless you're trying to be funny but in a cringy way. Gives Ebony Darkness Raven Way vibes. This is partly due to the fact that so many characters are homophones and people can't tell what you're saying when you yell out a single syllable.

There’s also been a rise in compound surnames (using both parents’ surnames) but legally, this is not possible. So on their ID they’d write it as if the given name has 3 syllables, which is against Chinese naming conventions. In conversation, people still treat this as a double-syllable surname + double syllable given name situation.

Actual double-syllable surnames like Gongyi, Nangong etc have all but been lost over time, and are now extremely rare. Ouyang is the only one I still see around—like twice over my entire life.

Shen yuan who's horns are so long and gnarled that they are an exosystem. Plants grow in the dips and cracks. Centipedes hunt the mites that feast on dead chitin. The birds that evolved native to *him* hunt those, and he eats the beasts that are attracted to him like a whalefall attracts scavengers.

Shen yuan who is many legged like a century dragon, because his body has evolved to best suit the abyss and its many challenges.

Transmigrating into the stallion novel he hates most is bad enough, but why did it have to be into the body of one of the protagonist's wives? Shen Yuan spends exactly two months dealing with harem intrigues, sullen maids and his husband utterly ignoring him before he decides to go on an extended holiday. Very extended. Surely no one will care if he just forgets about being married and becomes a cultivator, right?

I made this book for @waterloggedowl for the @renegadeguild annual exchange! It was very fun getting to return to Scum Villain fandom for this! When I started fanbinding I was deep in danmei fandoms, but I've been off in Star Wars for the last few years.

I was blessed to be able to use the chapter art by @sunshine-dies . Their work is on the dust jacket, and I got to do a couple of fun spreads like these.

Beneath the dust jacket the book is bound in colibri bookcloth, with crepaldi marble paper inset for the fan and foiled with silver.

The same marbled paper is also the endpapers! I diverged from the standard SY color scheme here for two reasons: 1) sunshine-dies' art is in a lovely blue hue, and 2) Shen Yuan is never Shen Qingqiu in this fic, so a color change in the theme feels appropriate. The endbands are done in my asymmetrical style to match, and I painted the edge a polarized blue on black.

Back to the inside - since LBH is the emperor in this fic and inner court drama plays a large role, I created a vector pattern based on one of the wood lattice screen designs in the Forbidden City. More traditionally speaking this would be within a rectangular frame, but I kinda like the rough edges.

Tagged by @funkeepeach !!

Reading: Le tigri della Malesia by Emilio Salgari - i already read it years ago, but i think I'm liking it better this time

Last series: Sandokan (2025) - it's based on the book series that starts with Le tigri della Malesia, and watching it made me want to reread the books (at least, the two I own)

Last film: The sword in the Stone - it's my uncle's favourite animated movie, and watching it during the holidays has became basically a tradition; this year my 2yo cousin joined us :)

Last song: if we exclude the ones from the movie, then Run and tell that from Hairspray

Coffee or tea: tea, 100% - I don't really like the taste of coffee, I only drink it to stay awake when I'm tired

Working on: my Ginger snaps fics, even though I haven't been able to write for the past couple weeks (and probably won't until the end of january, because of uni)

Thanks for tagging me!

Reading: Like four books at once… I got a ton for Christmas and have been too enthusiastic about starting them all lmao, the one I’ve read most recently though is Cold Comfort Farm, by Stella Gibbons- I love the penguin modern classics!

Last Series: Run Away, the new British miniseries- it’s not the most high-brow thriller ever but there’s one every new year that my parents and I like to watch, and it’s a great way to switch off my brain for an hour or so

Last Film: Wake Up Dead Man - The new Knives Out film, my family and I watched it the other day and all loved it! I’m a huge fan of murder mysteries anyway and this one was brilliantly acted and well-directed, plus it has Cailee Spaeny in it

Last Song: Undercover Martyn by Two Door Cinema Club, my friend and I just managed to get tickets to their concert yesterday after wanting to go for a while, so I’ve been on a bit of a kick!

Coffee or Tea: Coffee ABSOLUTELY. I don’t mind tea, especially the fancy flavoured ones, but I genuinely love the taste of coffee, and appreciate what it does for my ability to do work!

Working On: Ideally one of my Newsies fics, but unfortunately my January assessments for uni ;-; I’d love to get back into writing though, especially because my girlfriend and I have been brainstorming lately and I’ve been really enjoying myself

reading: King & Court on AO3 by BeautifulFiction — it's a BBC Merlin fanfic, and it's so good. i haven't had much time to read recently, but i'm planning to catch up on the new updates soon!

last series: BBC Merlin.... surprise. i started rewatching it and then i had to stop. again. i dream of finishing it one day.

last film: Ice Age 1.... listen, i know it's not the prettiest movie out there but it's the best of the franchise and my nostalgia has needs. fight the wall.

last song: Maravilhosa by Maria Sena! there's something about portugal music that speaks to me. the fact that i have no idea what they're saying is unrelated.

coffee or tea: optimally neither. not a fan of the taste of coffee and don't usually like hot drinks. iced tea is alright though.

working on: some sewing projects, a lino cut, several fic wips... and not making real progress with any of them. yet. but i will, mark my word. as soon as the minecraft server base is ready.

These are some lowkey underrated tips I’ve seen floating around writing communities — the kind that don’t get flashy attention but seriously changed how I write.

1. Put “he/she/they” at the start of the sentence less often.

Try switching up your sentence rhythm. Instead of

“She walked to the window,”

try

“The window creaked open under her touch.”

Keeps it fresh and stops the paragraph from sounding like a checklist.

2. Don’t describe everything — describe what matters.

Instead of listing every detail in a room, pick 2–3 objects that say something.

“A half-drunk mug of tea and a knife on the table”

sets a way stronger tone than

“There was a wooden table, two chairs, and a shelf.”

3. Use beats instead of dialogue tags sometimes.

Instead of:

"I'm fine," she said.

Try:

"I'm fine." She wiped her hands on her skirt.

It helps shows emotion, and movement.

4. Write your first draft like no one will ever read it.

No pressure. No perfection. Just vibes. The point of draft one is to exist. Let it be messy and weird — future you will thank you for at least something to edit.

5. When stuck, ask: “What’s the most fun thing that could happen next?”

Not logical. Not realistic. FUN. It doesn’t have to stay — but chasing excitement can blast through writer’s block and give you ideas you actually want to write.