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altraviolet · 1 year

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Writing Advice & Resources

[This post was originally posted to my pillowfort April 29, 2022. It is being cross-posted here for ease of access for tumblr users. It is very long.]

I've had folks approach me privately asking for advice on writing. I asked twitter if people would like to see a post about it and they said yes. So! I present to you my advice and some resources =)

A couple of caveats:

1) I'm not a professional writer. I've written for a long time, but I write for fun. My advice is neither exhaustive nor perfect for every situation.

2) You can break the rules if you understand what the rules are and how to break them in a way that serves your story rather than detracts from it.

3) I'm honestly not sure whether to write this out as advice for people who want to write fiction, or fanfiction, because I think advice for one does not necessarily apply to both. For that reason, I'll make a separate fanfiction advice section.

3b) Implied in the fanfiction-specific advice section is “I know you're writing for fun.” No, you don't need to do any of these things. Yes, I do still advise them. If you don't like the advice or don't think it applies to you, that's okay. Learn what you can from it, add it to your toolbox, and keep writing.

MY ADVICE:

General advice for beginners:

-read a lot, with your eyes or your ears. Absorbing properly edited written work will familiarize you with grammar and punctuation, flow, dialog, pacing, characterization, etc.

-as you're reading, jot down phrases or words you like. Why do you like them? Is there something about their construction you can identify and use in your own writing?

-if you read something and you don't like it, why? Once you identify why, you can be sure not to do it in your own writing.

-write. A lot. The first bunch of stuff you write will probably not be good. That's okay. Keep going.

Common writing issues for beginners:

-tense switching. “I sit down to write my story. I thought about what to do. I ran to the store to get a drink. I'm drinking it.” Besides the fact that that is an atrocious story, lol, the verb tenses keep changing. If you're writing in present tense, make sure all the verbs are in present tense. If you're writing in past tense, make sure all the verbs are in past tense.

-mixing up homophones. Their/there/they're, pouring/poring, reign/rein, etc. English is a silly language.

-“definitely” and “defiantly” are different words. The second one is definitely not the first one. Once you see this, you will never unsee it.

-“a lot” is two words

-use strong verbs instead of weak verbs + adverbs. If someone argues with you that it's a stylistic choice, ask them if they'd rather “walk quickly” or “run” from a tsunami. English is a silly language, but it has a lot of verbs. Use the strong ones. Your prose deserves them.

-look up filter words. Eliminate as many of them as possible.

-avoid run on sentences. If a sentence is really long or awkward or just doesn't feel right, rework it. Having a hard time telling if a sentence is awkward? Read it out loud.

-point of view switches/“head swapping”/”head hopping.” Generally, you should stick to one character's point of view per writing chunk (chapter, book, whatever). Jumping around from character to character is disorienting for the reader. If the scene is being written from Rodimus's point of view, he should not know what another character is thinking. He can intuit it from their stance, their expression, their words. But unless he has a direct line into their brain, he does not know their thoughts.

General advice for intermediate:

-I like to visualize the scene in my mind to help keep track of everything that's going on. I let it play out like a movie, then try to transcribe it. However, movies are restricted to images and sound. We are not! Make your scenes come alive by including sensory information. We often get visual details, and sometimes audial details, in a scene. But touch? Smell? Taste? If any of these are applicable, they will help ground your reader into the scene.

-if you put a tiny but very specific detail amongst general statements, it will stick out.

-know where your characters are in relation to other characters/objects in the scene. If your character is in front of a window in one paragraph, then teleports to the door on the other side of the room in the next (and doesn't have teleportation powers), that will be disorienting. Note- you don't have to write every mundane detail of movement, but make sure that as characters move and interact, their movements and interactions make sense. This is especially important for action scenes/fight scenes.

-body language and reactions can be powerful ways to have a character state something without saying it.

-I don't know what the word for this is, but I try to make sure that actions flow across paragraphs and sentences. I write out a paragraph which contains all the action/information I want it to contain. Then I reread all the sentences to make sure they're in the order that makes the most sense. Don't be afraid to switch sentences around

-Also regarding flow: if you think of a movie or comic page, there is often an establishing shot of the setting. Then you zoom in on characters and the specific part of the setting the scene takes place in. I do the same thing in writing. Either start zoomed in and pull out, or start zoomed out and go in.

-if you need to set a scene or describe a building or something quickly, take a listen to how Matt Mercer of Critical Role sets his scenes. You don't need to go on and on about the glistening columns of blah blah blah. “A short, squat building with columns,” is enough if what the building looks like is not very important but you still need to establish that it exists.

-if you find you're writing characters meeting up in the same places over and over, try putting the scene in a new location.

-bedrooms/personal spaces are really easy and fun ways to show what a character values and who they are. Imagine a bedroom crammed full of musical instruments and succulents with poster-covered walls. Imagine a bedroom with alphabetized bookshelves and curios kept under polished glass. Which bedroom's occupant do you think makes their bed every morning? Why? What gave you that clue? Whatever that thought process you just used was, use it all the time.

-use present tense to give your writing a more immediate, fast, or dire feel. I like to use present tense for horror or action.

Fanfiction-specific advice:

-the easier your story is to read, the more likely you are to attract an audience and get those sweet, validating comments. Check for grammar/spelling mistakes. Every time a new character speaks, make a new paragraph. Do not put dialog from more than one character in the same paragraph. Make sure everything is spaced correctly. Walls of text will turn away readers really fast. Use the Preview function before posting so you can check your formatting.

-if there's something about canon or fanon you don't understand, ask about it! I've asked people to explain why they like a certain pairing, or what they think Character X's character arc is. If there's a character I'm not familiar with, but that a friend of mine loves, I'll ask them, “Tell me about your fav!” and take notes. Always be respectful when asking! Especially about ships.

-write what you love and/or what you want to see. Fanfiction is limitless. You don't need to appeal to the market, or find an agent or a publisher. You don't need to get anyone's permission to write what you want to write. The only onus on you is tagging the fic correctly.

-tag your fic correctly. Save yourself and the community from having to deal with the issues that arise when things are not tagged correctly.

-if you're not sure how a character will react, or even how to quantify their characterization, go back and reread/rewatch the source material. Don't be afraid to reference! (advice for artists and writers)

Personal rules I write by:

These rules are absolutely style-related. These are NOT hard and fast rules.

-if the characters are not speaking English in-universe, but the story is written in English, it is understood that that's because English is the language the author knows. Therefore, culturally English-specific puns, idioms, etc are avoided because the characters would not know them. Rodimus will never say he's “mad as a wet hen” in my fics because he does not know what a hen is, let alone a wet one.

-I personally dislike overly flowery/purple prose. I try to find a balance between functional description and abstract wordage. Clarity is the most important thing.

-for TF fic, I prefer using hand, eye, hour instead of servo, optic, breem (or whatever the hell the temporal unit is xD). Again, this is a stylistic choice. Some people find the “human” terms pull them out of the fic. I find the breem terms pull me out of the fic. Do what keeps you in the fic!

RESOURCES

YOUTUBE CHANNELS

A list of youtube channels I like to listen to for writing-related topics. I usually listen at work, when I'm doing things that keep hands and eyes busy, but ears free. At home I'll take notes, either on paper or in a word processor, and then put them in a binder I'm slowly filling. Taking notes helps me to both focus on what's happening and to remember it. I can pause the video as needed, take screenshots of stuff. I always enjoyed lectures in school (if I enjoyed the topic xD) so this is the funnest way for me to learn. This list is absolutely not exhaustive. There are MANY channels out there.

Give the following youtubers' channels a glance and see if their videos interest you. Listen casually or take notes. Either way you'll probably absorb something. I'll put a video or two under each one. In alphabetical order:

Abbie Emmons

Gives advice on writing. Uses very structured techniques to build stories. If you like having character worksheets and in depth explanations of story construction, you'll like these videos. Kind of a relaxed but informative vibe.

“How to Find Your Character's Misbelief (or Fatal Flaw)” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij39HSbLCXo

Alexa Donne

Gives advice on writing and traditional publishing (note though that since Covid, the landscape has changed quite a bit). Very accessible and friendly and strives to be upbeat and encouraging. Came from fanfic and doesn't disparage it. Encourages people who want to write professionally to learn and grow from fanfic.

“Worst Amateur Writing Mistakes” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOQqxHKO-0w

“Bad Fanfic Writing Habits You Need To Break” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmbUAKi-ovY

Diane Callahan

Gives advice on writing. More focused than conversational, pulling from experience in pro writer world. Really interesting and thoughtful examples and topic choices.

“Writing Subtext in Dialogue” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMMpmlraoDo

“Writing Fiction with Emotional Honesty” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psL8BEqEm-M

Hello Future Me

Gives advice on writing and critiques/dissects pop media, mostly fantasy-based. Approaches difficult topics with empathy and respect. Check out “On Writing” and “On Worldbuilding” videos for topics specific to writing.

On Writing: Redemption Arcs! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB_3LF7uoNc

On Writing: Killing Characters! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=treB4kuyMHk

SINGLE VIDEOS/OTHER TIDBITS

Margaret Atwood's Top 5 Writing Tips

youtube

Here's the list, but watch the video for elaboration:

1 get a notebook

2 read a lot and read critically

3 pay attention to your posture

4 if writer's blocked: go for a walk or go to sleep

5 don't be afraid to throw things out

Ia-Con Online: Exploring Writing, Race & More in Transformers with Brandon Easton

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Ia-Con's interview with writer Brandon Easton.

Brandon's advice:

1 read Stephen King's “On Writing”

2 finish what you start

Watch interviews of authors you like... or don't like but don't mind? Or maybe are not familiar with at all, you just know their name?

I once spent a month listening to every Stephen King interview I could find on youtube. Why? I don't know. I'm not a particular fan of his. I've only read a few of his books and overall they weren't my thing. But! He's well-known, well-loved, and an entertaining speaker. I didn't know much about him, so it was very interesting to listen to interviews from different decades. Overall, I guess I'd advise you listen to interviews of authors you like, lol. There's usually a “What advice would you give your fans/aspiring writers?” question at the end of the interview. See what your favs say. Jot down some notes and quotes to look at later.

I wrote out this quote from George RR Martin, whose books I've never read and whose show I never watched, because I liked it. I never would've heard it if I hadn't been listening to Stephen King interviews.

From: “George RR Martin with Stephen King at the Kiva Auditorium, Albuquerque, NM June 2016”

“Good and evil is a great subject for fiction but in my view the battle between good and evil is waged in the individual human heart. And it's our decisions. We're all partly good and partly evil. And we make decisions every day and we may do a good thing on Wednesday and an evil thing on Thursday or a selfish thing. It's all very complicated.”

This quote does not seem to be about writing- it's not explaining functions like character arcs or foreshadowing. It's about the fundamental nature of humanity, however, which is a handy thing to understand and apply to your characters.

Follow writers you like on social media.

Avoid developing weird parasocial relationships. Absorb the advice/anecdotes they give out for free. If they have a patreon and you like them a lot, consider joining. There's probably helpful writing advice/bonus material there.

The library is your friend.

Free books! Free knowledge! You can get books on writing and language, or books in your target genre.

Beta readers/critique/asking for advice.

If you want someone to look critically at your work (especially if it's fanfiction), ask yourself, what is it you really want? Do you want someone to check for grammar? Characterization? Or are you feeling uncertain and only want positive feedback? Explaining exactly what you'd like feedback on will help the reader focus their efforts.

I don't know how to advise finding beta readers. Just make sure the people you approach have the time and energy to read your work. If they decline to assist, respect that and move on.

ETA: Guide to Beta Reading for Authors and Betas (reddit post)

Fanfiction subreddit

Recently found this. I side eye a couple of the rules but overall it's a fun place. Vent, find resources, celebrate your milestones.

There's a ton of other places, too.

Podcasts, textbooks, fellow fans. The interweb gives us access to unlimited resources. Take advantage of our modern marvel.

Okay to be honest there was more I wanted to do but I'm tired and I saw this quote on r/fanfiction: (post has been deleted possibly? but I had screencapped it)

“Read it with a gentle eye.”

And you know what? That's true. Or can be true. My advice is aimed towards people looking to write their love but also improve on it, I guess, xD And don't worry, I very much count myself in that group.

If you have any specific questions or would like to see anything in particular explained further, please let me know. Hope this helped =)

#writing advice #resources #writing related #violet's posts #Youtube

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bonzai-bunny · 1 year

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i found this recently. this is very obviously unfinished but i don't know if i'm gonna finish it so just have what i got. maybe if i get enough people telling me to finish it, i will. enjoy some Bruce sex tape (rated Explicit)

Clark didn’t like to pry into his friends’ lives, especially their civilian ones. Even being a public figure, Bruce Wayne deserved to have some sort of privacy, which is why Clark barely paid attention to whatever scandal Brucie happened to cook up. It was well known among their circle, of the ones who knew of Batman’s identity, that Bruce would use Brucie on occasion to detract public attention from the Batman.

It wasn’t especially hard to do: a well-timed spilled drink down a socialite’s dress, falling off the side of a yacht, or being seen with a woman who was otherwise engaged. The biggest distractions were sex-related, with the occasional sex tape “leaked” and Clark absolutely did not pry, nor did he feel the need to. It was common knowledge that Brucie Wayne was a slut who was sometimes sloppy about where or who he fucked. Clark knew that if he ever gave those tapes a glance, it would be mostly audio with the obscured figure of Bruce and his partner, vague enough to give Bruce plausible deniability.

Clark also knew that, despite what the press thought, Bruce Wayne was anything but sloppy. This was why when Clark glanced at his morning paper, he was only annoyed that his own story had been bumped to page two when he saw the headline, “Bruce Wayne Spotted Having Sex in Public on Tape.” The photo they used of Bruce was one that was often used when he was involved with something lewd: an image taken of him from a gala where he stepped out of a room with his date, bearing the obvious signs of someone who had just had sex.

Clark had huffed and put the paper away. All that work on uncovering a drug-smuggling ring and his friend had inadvertently pushed it aside. Well, that was the news cycle for you. Clark didn’t think about the scandal until he was at work.

Clark had sat down at his desk, nursing a hot cup of coffee when he realized that nothing had caused Batman to go awol in the last few weeks, at least to his knowledge. In fact, Batman was due for monitor duty later that evening and he had yet to cancel. Clark frowned, considering calling his friend to see what was up, when Cat Grant popped up over his cubicle.

“Kent! Have you seen that Bruce Wayne sex tape? It’s all I’ve been thinking about all morning.” Cat fanned herself as if the memory made her hot and Clark frowned even more.

“I don’t watch other people’s sex tapes, Cat,” Clark said and ignored the sour look on her face.

“Lighten up, Kent,” She huffed, rolling her eyes. “Honestly, if anyone needs to see it, it’s you. Might loosen you up a little.”

She giggled at the blush that appeared on Clark’s face and continued, undaunted, “You know, I always thought Wayne was a little gay, that he was always over compensating, not that it makes him any less hot. Seriously, if he ever loses his fortune, he could make good money selling tapes like this, oh my god!”

Cat continued to fan herself, but was distracted by another co-worker entering her sphere of vision. Which was fine, Clark was stuck on the implication that the tape involved Bruce with another man, which was unusual as far as distractions went. Brucie had never given any implication of being into men, not that there was a problem with it. It just wasn’t Brucie’s MO.

Clark’s curiosity was piqued and he figured just taking a glance at it wouldn’t hurt. Bruce didn’t have to know and, even if he did, Clark knew he wouldn’t be the only league member to watch it. Clark swallowed nervously and glanced around the office before plugging in his headphones and finding the video in question.

The first difference was that it was a security camera and not a camera phone. The security camera was in black in white and pointed at a blank stairwell corner. Clark felt something like his heart stopping when Bruce and his mystery lover stepped into frame. They were already kissing, but Bruce’s face was clearly visible. Clark swallowed again, more than a little embarrassed. He told himself to turn it off and get back to work. But with his super-vision he could see Bruce and the other guy’s tongues brush and knowing your friend had sex and seeing it about to happen were two totally different things.

The other guy was blonde and big, nearly the same size as Bruce, and he slowly backed Bruce into the corner. They only pulled away for half a second at a time and Clark, with a touch of shame and more than a touch of arousal, noticed that they were grinding their hips together. From the angle Clark couldn’t see either of their dicks but he wondered--no, Clark put that train of thought to a stop.

Bruce shrugged off his suit jacket and began to unbuckle his belt and Clark knew that he had gone too far. He shut off the video with his heartbeat heavy in his ears and his entire face blazing red. Clark was mostly glad that he was seated and shifted slightly to take the pressure off of his erection. This was 100% inappropriate and Clark took a calming breath before thinking about farm chores and everything unsexy he could imagine.

This was--that tape was a lot, but even if he got over his guilt, which he wouldn’t, this was not the place to look at that type of thing. Once Clark got his head straight, he vowed to forget about it and never bring it up again unless upon threat of death.

--o0o--

Clark was a damn liar. He had gotten through the rest of the day without issue, but now that he was in the comfort of his own home and he had done his usual patrolling, the idea of the tape was still burned in his mind. Was it wrong for him to wish for a catastrophe so he would have an excuse to not watch the whole video? What was it his Ma had said, “Idle hands are the devil’s playthings”?

Clark ran a hand through his hair and let out a low breath. What he was doing was wrong. It didn’t matter how curious he was, it was wrong. No matter how many times Clark repeated this to himself in his head, he still had his laptop on the couch in front of him. He found the video again and played, feeling just a little bit paranoid that he was being watched, that Bruce would jump out of the shadows and shame him for what he was doing.

Clark bit his lip when he got to the part that he had stopped at: Bruce was unbuckling his belt in between kisses from his lover and in a very short--and shocking--amount of time, Bruce’s pants and underwear were on the floor. Bruce’s dress shirt didn’t hide the sight of his cock jutting out and Clark bit his lip harder as he felt his own cock throb. Clark had seen Bruce naked before, he had known in some small part of his mind that Bruce never compensated for anything, but it was startling in a sexual context. A jolt of heat went through Clark and he could understand why Cat was so flustered this morning.

Then the man spun Bruce around, got down on his knees and--holy shit--he was eating Bruce out for the whole world to see. Clark got hard so quickly he had to reach down and hold himself just for a measure of restraint. Bruce’s eyes were closed but his mouth hung open and he looked like he was enjoying what was happening to him. This was dirtier than Clark had imagined but it didn’t stop the aroused throb he felt watching that stranger bury his face into Bruce’s ass.

If there was a line, then Clark had vaulted over it.

Mostly, Clark wished there was sound. He couldn't help but wonder what exactly Bruce sounded like in the throes of passion. Was he loud, moaning and screaming when pleasure overtook him? Or was he quiet, all grunts and bitten off gasps?

#bonzai's bullshit #my fic #wip #superbat #clark kent #bruce wayne #dc

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roguestorm · 3 years

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thoughts on xmen red Jean

X-Men Red does a few things I like, including making Jean a spokesperson for mutantkind, nodding to her history as a mother, and playing with an audience expectation of Jean to be self-sacrificial.

However, Taylor doesn't really do anything with Jean over the course of 11 issues. Both the politics and the characters of the series are facile. Taylor has a chronic inability to set his characters up against hard choices or difficult situations in a way that will let them really grow. (He also has a need to pull in extras from every corner of the Marvel Universe, in a way that actively detracts from the characters whose stories he's supposed to be telling.)

The biggest thing wrong with Jean in X-Men Red is that she's one-dimensional. We don't get to see her anger or pain or flaws. The one time we see her expressing negative emotions, it's actually a false image created by Cassandra Nova to turn people against her. And I do think that the lack of character depth contributes to the weak politics - choosing love/hope/empathy isn't a powerful moment if we've never seen Jean falling victim to anger or despair, if we don't know that she truly has the capacity to choose rather than just being a one-dimensional creation who can only ever feel positive emotions.

#asks #Anonymous #jean grey #'inability to let characters feel negative emotions' is high on the list of things wrong with anw too #not quite as prominent there though #x men blogging #ch: heart and soul #s: xmr

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alirhi · 3 years

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How I'd have done TFATWS pt 1

Okay, I am such a whore for positive attention that, yes, it literally only takes one person expressing interest to get me to do something lol. So, for the lovely @goblin-tea, here is how The Falcon and the Winter Soldier would have gone for Bucky if I'd been a writer on the show!

Also, shoutout to @gunshou, who popped up showing support when I was in the middle of writing this lol 😘

Episode 1: New World Order

I actually love how most of this episode was handled; it's what drew me into the show in the first place, and gave me such hope for the rest of it. Most of the changes that I'd make here are pretty minor, tbh.

I'd specify the setting in some way for Bucky's nightmare. Obviously, since he was there and knows what happened, when, and where he was, it wouldn't be like the setting changes in movies where they slap a big, bold title card over the scene. Still, I'd probably open with a brief establishing shot showing the city skyline or something; some identifying feature so that viewers can work out where this happened without needing a direct statement from Marvel (note: if you need to directly address your audience to clarify something from within your story, you're a bad storyteller). What year did this take place? I show technology from the time; perhaps a dated cell phone in someone's hand. The point is to establish where and when The Winter Soldier killed RJ Nakajima, without detracting from the emotional impact of the scene. Why does it matter? Because we should know why. Why is Bucky dreaming about this particular incident? Was it his last mission before the events of CA:TWS (a theory I see frequently repeated but with no evidence to back it up)? Was it earlier on? Is RJ only on the forefront of Bucky's mind because of his (unhealthy, but we'll get to that) friendship with Yori? How long has Yori been suffering under the weight of his grief?

I would not have had him crash through the wall, btw. As cool as that shot looked, let's try to remember that The Winter Soldier was a ghost story for 70 years. Ghosts don't leave giant gaping holes in hotel walls. I'm not saying brazen wholesale destruction is out of character for him (obviously not. I've seen CA:TWS lmao. many times. this moment lives rent-free in my brain:

found on google without credit; pls lmk if it's yours so I can credit.

but you don't become a "ghost story" if you always leave that much evidence, ijs)

I'd leave the terrible therapy session alone. That scene was beautiful. Beautifully shot; I loved how claustrophobic it felt, and it really did a wonderful job of showing how Bucky felt on the spot, scrutinized, almost put on display for this bitch woman. This scene establishes Raynor as clearly wrong, and an unprofessional mess, and Bucky calls her out on it. I fucking love that!

lmao gods, I love his painfully awkward forced smile... Guys, this episode is fkn great. (betcha weren't expecting so much praise from me, were you? 😂)

"You're free." "To do what?"

👆👆👆 In my show? That would have more of an impact on Bucky's arc. That question would be one of the underlying issues moving his whole story along. Twice in this show, he's told that he's free, but no one addresses what he's free from, much less what he's free to do next.

It's a minor thing, but when Yori tells Bucky to ask Leah out? I'd have Bucky do more than just shake his head in silent horror. Not much more, just something that matters to me as someone who's worked in the service industry for many, many years and dealt with too many creepos: Bucky would flat-out say "she's at work! that's harassment, Yori!"

Yori can still stomp right past that boundary, and Leah can still smile and agree. I just really want someone to verbally acknowledge that you don't fucking ask someone out when they're at work. Ever. Bucky cringing and apologizing puts the power of the conversation back in Leah's hands; it gives her an out to politely decline if she's not interested, and just laugh off Yori's flirting on Bucky's behalf as a senile old man being silly, so I'm actually fine with how this scene turned out. I just would personally have gone that extra inch there for the idiots in the audience who don't get Bucky's subtle "wtf" reaction and why Yori's suggestion was so bad. If someone's livelihood depends on being nice to you, keep your goddamn distance. Flirting with them or asking them out when they're at that big of a disadvantage and have virtually no power to say "no" is harassment.

Here is where I'd make one more subtle change, too. When Yori sees the mochi and is reminded of his son, and tells Bucky about his death, I'd just slip in a time frame. "x years ago, my son was..." blah. (Guys, it really bothers me not knowing when that scene took place rofl can you tell?)

One complaint I've seen a lot online about this show is how it's a bit murky on just how well known Bucky is in-universe. He can walk around Brooklyn with more or less total anonymity, but he's also recognized as "an Avenger" (when he was never actually technically in the group)... but honestly? I think it's actually pretty realistic. Just because someone's famous doesn't mean every single person on the planet knows who they are and what they look like well enough to instantly recognize them on the street. People look different in photos than in person, and pre-Blip, Bucky had the complete Jesus look - long flowing hair and a full beard. In TFATWS he's a little scruffy, but not this:

Sebastian looks like about 10 different men from one moment to the next just irl with a change in haircut, lighting, expression, whether or not he got enough sleep the night before... 😂 I don't really find it hard to believe that people not expecting to bump into an Avenger would have trouble seeing Bucky post-haircut as anything other than just another attractive white guy.

Anyway! Sorry for the segue lol. On to the date!

Earlier in this very same goddamn episode, it is established that Bucky can remotely operate a car with a tablet. This is not a technologically-inept geezer. This is a 30-something nerd who loves new technology, who, yes, is facing a brave new world and a whole lot of new technology, but has never shown any issue picking it up. The crappy flip phone he handed Raynor earlier? a burner to keep her out of what little personal life he does have (we never see it again in the real show, anyway). The "tiger photos" line? Stays, not to show Bucky's floundering ineptitude with technology, but as a little nod to his bisexuality. (don't like it? don't wanna see Bucky as bi? go watch the show and read Skogland's borderline-offensive interviews. This isn't "how I would pander to a homophobic audience" it's "how I would have written it." the "Bucky is bi" interpretation is super fucking common and has been since TFA so bite me 😁)

Tiny nitpick, but I'd also have the Battleship boards actually set up properly lmao. What even was that? Anyway...

I don't think I'd have Leah get all ranty about Yori and RJ. That's not first date talk, for one thing. For another, let's ease up on the beating Bucky and the audience over the head with that one incident in a single episode, shall we? Instead, I'd have her stick with the date questions - she asked his age, asked about his family; I'd have her follow it with questions about what he does for a living (giving us a chance to not only actually have that question answered for us - how the hell does Bucky keep himself from being homeless? lol - but also set up...)

He shuts down a little when she starts asking about his past; she's innocently curious, just trying to get to know him, but he's flinchy and deflects with questions about her. The date is awkward, but doesn't abruptly end with him running away lol. He walks Leah home, like the old-fashioned gentleman he is, goes home, himself, and end on him grimacing in his sleep, in the clutches of another nightmare: not as much detail as the RJ murder scene, we see disjointed, disorienting images of fluorescent lights glinting off of machinery, the occasional shot of Bucky writhing in the chair, a shot of that damned notebook (to remind the dumber audience members why Raynor's passive-aggressive notebook thing was so triggering for him), and we hear echoes of a couple of the trigger words, and Bucky's screams.

#tfatws #tfatws critical #how it should have gone #if i'd written it #bucky deserved better #bucky was a victim #victim not villain #take your victim blaming bullshit and fucking choke on it #episode 1

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juliandmouton30 · 6 years

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"Don't let architectural ego detract from a building's evolution"

This week's comments update is led by the debate surrounding Snøhetta's plan to overhaul Philip Johnson's postmodern AT&T Building, and the backlash that ensued as a result.

Throwing stones: Snøhetta unveiled plans to add a glass base to the iconic New York tower, now known as 550 Madison, but were met with online petitions and a protest organised by filmmaker Nathan Eddy. The debate split readers down the middle.

"Just what we need, culture arbiters telling us that NYC has too much glass. A filmmaker no less. Hilarious," sneered HeywoodFloyd, who perhaps felt only architects should have an opinion on such issues.

Ponchoes had the completely opposite response: "Just what we need yet another pretentious architect whose answer to every design problem is glass."

Michael Ramirez suggested that the views of some architects were, in fact, the real issue: "Makes no sense being conservative for the sake of it if the building cannot attract any tenants who need to satisfy the needs of today. Don't let architectural ego detract from its evolution."

"Makes no sense to intervene just for the sake of intervention," countered Arc*. "The glass curtain wall skirt has nothing to do with the rest of the building. Don’t let architectural ego detract from an already fine structure."

"This is glass-washing to appeal to real-estate clients and not the people who work in or walk by this building," pointed out Lloyd Bergenson.

One reader felt this was the potential start of a domino effect for the city:

Should Snøhetta's overhaul of the former AT&T building go ahead? Have your say in our comments section ›

An eyeful: this week, MVRDV's eye-shaped public library was completed in China, but it was the decision to cover some shelves with a wallpaper printed to look like books that got readers talking.

"So a library full of books that you cannot reach. What does this say about the public purpose of libraries and sharing knowledge?" opened Ben, referencing the varying shelf height in the library.

"I was thinking the same, then you realise half of the books are fake and just flat prints. Very tacky!" replied an incredulous Gabriel Tam.

"It's insulting to use fake books in a place where books were burned and people killed for owning banned literature," mused Crusty the Clown.

Ivana Curcic tried to find positives: "It's a very impressive building and attractive looking space! However, when I look at its usability, which as a librarian I do, I find some non-sensical solutions: books difficult to reach, or even see, because the shelves are too low and too deep."

"It looks like a perfect metaphor of the Chinese dictatorship. All flashy and fashion in its appearance to keep people happy and ignorant," concluded Jack Mclathass.

This reader indicated the library was ideal for 2017:

Read the comments on this story ›

Money man: Pether Zumthor's latest renderings of his LACMA expansion, released following a $150 million donation American business magnate David Geffen, came under scrutiny in the comments section.

"Actually look pretty similar to the original ones, bar sharper textures. Still not very excited by the project from these visualisations, yet given Zumthor's built portfolio the project might turn out better than in the images," wrote a nonplussed Jacob.

"Heading in the right direction I suppose, looks less like an airport than in the last set of renderings," concurred HeywoodFloyd lukewarmly.

"Stop hating LACMA because it is not a white cube gallery space. Zumthor's built portfolio has been consistent in their out of this world detailing," fumed Lim Song Jie.

"The name behind the work isn't so important, aside from the fact that it demands an excellent level of craftsmanship," countered John Delaney.

But Kevin Adkisson was not convinced in the slightest: "I just don't understand how the curatorial or exhibits team has agreed to any of this. Where is the lighting? How do you close one gallery to install a new show? This project needs a marketing team to sell it because Zumthor's team certainly is not doing a bang-up job."

This reader was more fussed about fair pay than the content of the drawings:

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A ton of bricks: images of Herzog & de Meuron design for a new £108 million RCA campus failed to impress many readers, who made their feelings clear about the Swiss firm's decision to use textured brickwork.

David Cloux was finding it hard to get excited about the project: "Wow, I'm getting bored of bricks in London. I propose a motion that anyone designing a flat bricked soffit from here on in gets barred from architecture."

Kay felt cautious about the project: "I like it despite my extreme apprehension of this nostalgic return to red bricks and the fact that this definitely needs lots more refining"

Geofbob thought he had the answer "Is the sawtooth and bricks supposed to match south London's macho image? If so, with knife crime soaring in London at present, we can do without it; how about some exotic, Hadidian, curves instead?"

"No curves, no thanks. This is beautiful. Herzog & de Meuron are great!" replied Thomas, one of the few staunch supporters.

This reader couldn't hide their disappointment:

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The post "Don't let architectural ego detract from a building's evolution" appeared first on Dezeen.

from ifttt-furniture https://www.dezeen.com/2017/11/07/reader-comments-update-protests-petitions-snohetta-overhaul-philip-johnson-att-building/

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