Ugh- new brainrot just dropped. I am dying for a shrinking story with some sort of established relationship (be it friendship, pining, or lovers) but just a long established relationship. So when one of them shrinks, the other takes zero care to not be scary, cause why would their friend ever be scared of them?? And to an extent, maybe they aren't. They're not scared of them, but they're scared of the magnification of their traits. The way they've always hugged so tightly, the way they always break their phone, the way they like to push and roughhouse and tease. Their friend has always felt big- but this is so much more.

Their friend doesn't handle the sudden shrinking with care. Perhaps they laugh, or immediately crack a joke. They've always been touchy, but this?? This is overwhelming to an incomprehensible degree.

They push at incoming fingers, nervously trying to keep calm. To hang into some shred of normalcy. Yet, as they're scooped of the ground, that shaky facade crumbles in an instant.

They're begging, pleading. Perhaps even inconsolable. Their friend stares down at their hands, stunned.

"H-hey" their voice is nervous "it's me-"

"That's exactly the problem!"

"W-what?"

They go off. They tell them they're loud, or clumsy, or rough and how they're too much.

Their friend is pale, staring down at the shaking figure with sad eyes.

"You know I'd never hurt you..." but even as they say that, there's doubt on their face- thinking back to all the times they've tackled their friend, or dragged them about, or...

"You're scared of me?" They sound like they're about to cry. They've always been a lot- but their friend was someone that got them- that could handle them...

...but they didn't get them, did they? They'd been putting up with them.

They'd been tolerated.

They've never been soft- never quiet or doting... that's not who they were... but they were still good, right? Still kind? They could be gentle...

The tiny stares up, guilt and shame constricting their chest as they see the hurt plastered all over their friends face. This was painfully humiliating. Their own pitiful ego at fault- Why were they such a coward??

UGH?? LIKE DO YOU GUYS GET IT??? The angst if having to tell someone that you don't trust them at their most vulnerable because they don't act with vulnerability normally? They are kind and fun, but they never really give you proof of that nuturing safety??? And to be told that the person you cherish most is afraid of you?? Not because they're small- no, it's because it's YOU who'd big??

ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST

Animation + its reference key frames. A giant merman becomes a mere man! 😲

Decided to add some camera moves, for fun!

just something silly

From an RP with @drinkme-gt ft. her OC Glen! He’s having a hard time of it being sick

okay fine

okay fine

borrowers in college dorms

very much inspired by the fact i've been packing up my dorm room for the summer but just consider the possibilities

consistant access to non-perishable items that would keep for a long time. dorm rooms are like snack havens. stockpiles would be easy to collect for the breaks.

lots of options for borrowing locations, since there are upwards of a few hundred people living in dorms supplies would never really be scarce

the spaces themselves are relatively small and simple to scale, and there would be long stretches of time during the day where they would be unoccupied as people attended class.

Since dorm furnature is usually pretty close together, there would be ample shadowy places to hide out in case there are any surprises.

easily traversable since dorm buildings usually have relatively simple structures (at least mine does lmao), so risk of injury probably wouldn't be too great

easy access to various entertainment and music like all the time everywhere. also, i can totally imagine borrowers making fun of bad dorm room decor as a past-time

also, i feel like if anyone were to be cool with a lil guy kicking around their dorm room, it would be a sleep-deprived 20 something.

i feel like if i were a borrower a college dorm would be my ideal spot

Another weirdly specific brainrot is plagging me-

Imagine finding some item at a pawnshap/garage sale/thift shop, Maybe the item is a little figuring, maybe it's a book- whatever it is, the item is fairly small. Upon bringing it home, you start feeling weird. Your head hurts. Thinking it's a migraine, you grab the item and go to head to bed, only-

It yelps.

In a panic you drop it.

It screams.

At first you're quite freaked out, but upon realizing that the item is far more freaked out, you start to calm down. They, whatever it is they are, have been bound to that item, fully aware and conscious- able to feel and perceive, yet completely helpless and unable to do anything. Just an inanimate object. You're the first person that's been able to hear them. They're desperate for your help, though you can tell they're still terrified of you. You're huge to them, and they are quite literally unable to do anything except beg you be gentle.

It's odd, comforting an item, especially one so very terrified of you, but you do your best.

After some time, through conscious actions or random happenstance, you're able to figure out how exactly they're bound to the item- a small binding insignia scrawled on the surface of the item. All you'd need to do is interrupt the lines of ink and they'd be freed, returned to whatever body they came from.

Maybe you've grown close, and the notion of them leaving is sad, maybe the item is absolutely annoying and you're so very excited to get them out of your hair- whatever the case, you do it.

Though things don't work as expected.

They don't return to their body... in that, the item doesn't just go silent as the bound soul zips off to reunite with its body. No- instead, the item glows, taking on a human shape. It grows, but to your horror- it doesn't stop at 6ft. Not 7 or 8.... the once-object-now-person keeps growing beyond the limits of what's humanly possible. Are they 12ft? 20?? 50?? Up to you- but they're clearly far too big to be human, and suddenly, that feeling of powerlessness they once felt is now very unpleasantly relatable.

Is it a magic mishap? Are they from another world? A different species? Perhaps they're dangerous, bound for a specific reason. Are they grateful? Annoyed? Angry???

Adhdjsfjdjd I just think there's so much odd potential from what is essentially a very odd size swap. Lots of potential for both angst and sillys and very unique fearplay, and that combo is my go to happy meal.

You can make shocking amounts of g/t in Guilty Gear Strive’s digital figure mode …

Day 18; angst day!

I know this technically isn’t a fic from here, but Gulliver’s Children on webtoons has given me so much angst that my blood pressure spiked that’s how mad I was as the characters (in a good way; you’re supposed to be mad at them). This one’s rather dark, so I don’t advise people who like fluff or hurt/comfort to read because most of it’s hurt without the comfort

Canadian/Chinese Series “George Shrinks” (2000-2003)

Random post, but its been on my mind for weeks now. I get lots of asks talking about people being lurkers in the g/t world, or when people finally dive in, lots of us mention just lurking around the community for years. At the end of the day, it's your comfort level, and all the power to you, but let me do my lil car salesman pitch to any lurkers who happen upon this.

The g/t community is small. I see fantastic art on here that will get 200-400 notes, maybe break 1000 if you're lucky. Writing? Typically under 100 notes, with the occasionally popular story getting a little more. On any given one it's usually just a handful of comments, if that. I've seen a lot of amazing creators come and go, just feeling like "What's the point?" Or that they're shouting into a void.

Your participation in a community, regardless of if you create or not, brings with it that little boost of appreciation and support. In such a small community, you're able to engage with creators far easier than in larger spaces. I remember just reading and saving pictures to my phone years ago. Just casually enjoying g/t by myself and thinking that was all I wanted. But there's nothing like actively participating- making friends, having people build on your little ideas, and being able to tell creators how much you enjoy their stuff.

We've all been lurkers, but just know that if and when you're ready to interact, people will be happy just to have you here.

I saw the post about borrower communal hot drinks at just the right time!

I've been putting together a borrower lore page for one of my fics just to keep things consistent, and was already in the midst of figuring out some details about food.

What meals do they typically eat? (ie what foods are easily available/hard to notice if missing)

What cooking practices do they have?

What do standard utensils look like?

I have a bunch of ideas, but I'm really curious if anyone else had some fun suggestions/thoughts of their own?

Do you kids wanna redraw of one of my most popular pieces???

Redraw of below:

You know how you look up to someone and how someone looks up to you? Okay, now make it g/t

Lemme explain via example: Imagine a writer who types all their stories on their computer. Maybe they share them online maybe they are way too nervous to do that, and just keep it a secret hobby. Anyway, one day they leave their desk to do something only to come back and notice that their writing document moved to a different page, and their computer didn’t fall asleep like it usually did. This confuses them but they brush it off, telling themselves that maybe they were faster than normal and maybe accidentally moved the page.

However, it keeps happening. Each day they walk away for a moment or even longer, their computer never falls asleep and is on a completely different page. This starts to freak them out. So, they decide to walk away and then sneak back as quietly as possible. When they peek their head inside, they see a tiny little person at their computer, just staring at the screen. The writer watches as the tiny continues to read their story, and that’s when they realize, they’re reading the writer’s story. They walk in, spooking the tiny. The tiny is in shock, they can’t tell if it’s just fear of being seen or getting the chance to actually talk to the writer whose work they adore, perhaps a mix of both. Maybe the tiny gets overwhelmed and before the writer can ask the classic “What are you” question, the tiny burst into a bunch of questions about the story the writer is writing. The writer taken aback by this, just awkwardly answers them and tries to ask them a question only for the tiny to continue asking questions. Eventually the tiny remembers that “Oh right… I’m not supposed to be seen…” and cautiously asks if the writer is upset with them and whether they will hurt them. The wrier assures them that they are mad and won’t hurt them and are honestly glad that their computer wasn’t hacked or there was a ghost or something. Also, how could the writer ever hurt their biggest…well smallest fan?

Maybe they build a friendship where the tiny helps the writer with ideas and getting over those writing hurdles. Hell, maybe the tiny even was inspired by the writer and tried writing their own story and shares it with the writer. Maybe the writer gains the confidence to share their stories online or even publish their work all because one little person loved their work. Perhaps the tiny, with the help of the writer, shares their own stories while hiding their identity as a tiny from everyone. So many possibilities! Just tiny little fans, forgetting they should probably focus on not being seen and not “What is Character’s favorite thing to do when they are bored?” Like sweetheart probably not the best time, but go for it.

Not sure how this would work, but the idea amuses me.

When dogs play sometimes the small dogs are separated from the bigger dogs. Sometimes the dogs that are in between don’t really fit in either group.

What if: world of bigs and smalls, but the mini giants have more limited recourses. Like they can have homes and stuff, but public places are only built for bigger giants and the small. So they have choices, but just don’t fit some places.

Be cramped in the tiny areas where they just fit, or feel like a small child in the giant areas where they can’t always reach things.

It is just too expensive to have 3rd place be constructed to accommodate for the mini giants. So in places like schools, parks, and libraries they just have to make do with what is available. At least they have a choice most of the time, but neither really feel comfortable.

Been playing with that idea in my head today.

Man, it's taken me a while to get to this.

Just a disclaimer to anyone reading this, I'll mainly be talking about this in terms of general writing, as a lot of my advice applies to stories in general as well as G/T-centric stories. (Also, take these bits of advice with a grain of salt. I'm still somewhat of an amateur in my opinion, so it's best to get advice from multiple sources.)

Anywho, hope you're ready for a long post, because I've got a lot to say!

Building a Complex Plot

I'm going to be frank. Building a complex plot is not easy. It takes a lot of work and dedication to get it down, and even then, you'll most likely have to go through a few drafts and revisions to get it down pat. However, that's not to say that it's impossible. My best advice here is to look at other works in the genre you're writing in and take notes about what they do well and what can be improved on. And to be honest, just research in general will help you establish many details in your story, whether it's your setting, your characters, or your plot. Not to mention, the strangest places can give you inspiration, so go hog wild with looking around.

Character Development

If my time working on DLN has taught me anything about character development, it's that you need to make sure that each of your characters has adequate development and time for the reader to get to know them. (That especially applies to character-driven stories.) I find that having a short list of questions to expand on really helps to both cement them as a character and how they relate to the plot. Now, your specific list of questions can vary (and I encourage you to play around with it and find what fits for you), but I generally stick with a certain few questions: "Who is this character, and how would you describe them in a short sentence?" "How do they relate to the other characters in the story?" "What are some of their signature traits? What traits of theirs can be improved on?" "What would their character arc focus on? What would it be like? Who could help them achieve their goals?" Personally, I like to have a pair character to help develop each of their arcs. Not to mention, it's great to have parallels between characters.

A quick example for Character Development

I wanted to touch on this before I went any further, since I'm both not ready to move on from the topic and thought that a reference might help. As a bit of a shameless self-plug, let's take a look at an OC of mine, Detective Adeline Idler. "Who is this character, and how would you describe them in a short sentence?" Adeline is a proud and determined detective, as well as a caring mother figure to her apprentices. She seeks to prove to the world that a "lady detective" can be just as intelligent and just as skilled as her male counterparts, and she's not afraid to fight back in order to bring the truth to light. "How do they relate to the other characters in the story?" Adeline, as mentioned earlier, is a caring mother figure to her apprentices, Remington & Cordelia Sterling. However, she and her rival, Detective Percival Rohel, do not get along whatsoever, with Adeline thinking of him as a pompous policeman that always gets in the way of her work. "What are some of their signature traits? What traits of theirs can be improved on?" Most often, Adeline is seen as determined, hardworking, and courageous, not letting anything shake her or lead her astray. However, she's also very stubborn, contradictory, and hardheaded. "What would their character arc focus on? What would it be like? Who could help them achieve their goals?" Her arc would be about her putting aside her pride and reconciling with her rival, Rohel. She doesn't see - or rather, refuses to see - his positive side due to their mutual bitterness towards each other, but they both have to learn to put their pride aside and cooperate in order to solve the case at hand. Remington, Cordelia, Gray, and Arthur all help her do this.

I hope that the example that I've provided may help any of you with your own characters a bit more.

Setting up Drama/Angst

I didn't really have anything for coming up with clever lines (Frankly, they just appear. Even I don't know where they come from.), so I'll go to the next topic. Personally, when I set up drama/angst, I focus it around characters either losing faith in each other or coming to terms with a truth that they didn't want to face. Really, the key to setting up drama/angst is the structure: The Lead-Up, The Climax, and The Aftermath. As long as you keep the tension and keep the stakes, you'll do just fine. Also, when you get to the aftermath, don't just brush it off. Let it linger. Maybe just for a little bit. Maybe for whole chapters. It really depends on the severity of your drama/angst.

Setting up an Antagonist

Everyone's method is different, so I'll just go into my little version of the antagonist structure. My most iconic antagonist structure is the "3-Tier Villains", where you have the Right-Hand Man (the person doing most/all of the work; Either done willingly or by coercion by one of the other 2 villains), the Planner (the person running the show, but can't enact their plans due to some obstacle; Examples I have include being physically unable to enact the plans or otherwise having to lay low in order to avoid being exposed), and the Main Villain/Big Bad Evil Guy (the person ACTUALLY running the show; Manipulates the desires of both the Right-Hand Man and the Planner into doing their bidding, and is actually the most dangerous one out of the 3; Usually has the Planner as the face of the group, as the Main Villain is either currently too weak to enact their own plans, or they're using the Right-Hand Man and Planner as scapegoats. The Main Villain didn't do any of the actual work, so they can blame the other two as the real masterminds.). I personally like doing this because you can have more emotional ties between the antagonists and possibly explore why each of them is doing what they're doing. However, if you use the 3-Tier structure in too many stories, it's going to become predictable. Regardless of the 3-Tier structure, I personally love making my villains sympathetic to a degree. What they're doing is morally wrong, but you can understand why they've gotten to that point. But also, another fun twist is a manipulative villain trying to paint themselves as sympathetic. They try to get people to understand what they're doing, but in reality, their motives are truly selfish.

What Literary Devices do you like? How do you like using them?

This is the last section, I swear. Less advice and more thinking about what I usually like to do, I personally love symbolism. Not only do I incorporate a lot of symbolism into my characters' appearances (Adeline's body is mainly triangles, and is visibly more swift and cunning; Rohel's body is mainly rectangles and a few small circles, as well as a sharp/piercing glare), I also do a lot of name puns. And I mean a LOT of name puns. [Obvious one being "Adeline Idler", derived from "Irene Adler"] Not exactly a literary device, but I also especially love playing with double-meanings and things not being what they appear on the surface. This is especially referring to Detective Rohel, since his whole character (and relationship with Adeline) revolves around his words having different meanings depending on who's listening to him. If you like him, you'll tend to see his words in a positive light (and often see the true meaning behind his words). However, if you're like Adeline and don't like him, you'll take his words as being scathing and think that he's looking down on you. Even Rohel himself admits that his word choice causes many misunderstandings, but he can't get through to Adeline regardless because of how she views him. She'll simply double down and ignore him once again.

~~~~~

Anywho, for those that have read through this whole thing, holy cow! Thanks a bunch for listening to (er, reading) me ramble! I hope that this advice helps, and if you want to know a little bit more either about writing advice or the examples that I've brought up here, feel free to shoot over an ask or slide over to my PMs/DMs.

Hello G/t community!

I'd love to hear your best advice for writing G/t (or writing in general)!

I'm specifically curious about tips on complex plot building and character development, but man I'd be down for any advice!

How do you come up with clever lines?

How do you set up drama/angst?

How do you go about setting up an antagonist?

What literary devices do you like? How do you like using them?

Any and all advice is appreciated! I've been having so much fun writing and I'd love tips and feedback to improve my content 💖