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jewishconvertthings · 7 months

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I can't remember if I've posted about this before, but tonight I was reminded by a class of a thing that I think may be helpful for some folks.

Because converting is *so* permanent and irreversible, and one should take it at least as seriously as entering a marriage (with the understanding that there is no divorce, only alienation), I think it's honestly a good idea to wait until you've had a major fight with your Judaism before you complete your conversion.

It's the same principle as wanting to wait until you've been sick with the flu together or had a major life setback or are lost at 2 a.m. on a road trip with your fiance before you actually get married. In that case, you want to know (1) what does this scenario bring out in them? (2) what does this scenario bring out in you? (3) how do those things interact with each other? and, most importantly: (4) how do you resolve it together?

With Judaism, it's easy to fall in love with Torah. It's easy to fall in love with an idealized version of your community. With the rituals and the liturgy and the music and the ruach.

It's harder to learn a point of halacha that hurts deeply and to be forced to reconcile what you know in your bones is right with the reality of the words of Torah and its interpretation by the rabbis. It's harder to meet your congregation in love and tochecha when they have fallen short of their vision and failed you in important ways. It's harder to force yourself to engage in mitzvot that you don't see the point in or that are boring or repetitious or do not spark joy.

And until you know how you will react when (not if) that happens, until you know how you will resolve it - or if you will even want to - you aren't ready to commit to something you can't just take off.

Sometimes it sucks to be a Jew. Sometimes Torah is more yoke than honey. Sometimes you're just not feeling it. And that's okay! That doesn't make you an imposter or a bad Jew; it makes you human. But you still need to address it, because that day will come.

I love being Jewish with all my heart, but there are parts of Torah that are like a knife in my soul. For me, the way I resolve it, is that those things in particular are the shards my neshama was sent to liberate the sparks from. We live in a broken, unredeemed world, and sometimes you should feel that, acutely. That is part of being a Jew, that you are sensitized to the world and its suffering. But it should still, in the end, lift you up. It should not break you, and you should not have to cut off major pieces of yourself to fit the role. Hitting that wall and feeling that pain before you immerse in the mikvah can really open your eyes to what kind of Jew you want to be - or if you actually want to carry this burden as well as taste its sweetness.

#jewish convert things #jumblr #converting to judaism #convert feels #convert advice

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littlecrittereli · 3 months

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It's been a long time since I watched Wild Kratts but I didn't even know he had a fandom, I'm so happy, and your story made my dream come true, I would love to create a story like you, but I'm not very good at writing stories What tips would you give to a beginner <3

I don't consider myself a super great author to be honest, I'm much more confident in my illustrations! But as someone who is completely self taught: here are some tips I use when I write my stories! (these may not apply to everyone, but they do help me) Outlines

If I'm writing a plot-based story I make an outline of all the major plot points I want to make and separate them into chapters. I reference this outline when I'm writing a chapter and it helps me meet all my "goals" for that particular chapter! Of course you can be flexible with this. Say one of your plot points dragged out a little too long and you want to save something for the next chapter, you can adjust your outline as you go! Sometimes your idea will change as you write it, and that's okay! revise your outline accordingly. For me, it's handy so I don't end up spiralling completely off the path I intended and lose the conclusion I wanted to have. Here's an example of the outline for my Reprogrammed AU. (Only chapters 1-5 to prevent spoilers for unreleased chapters)

as you can see, it doesn't have to be super formal. This is literally just in my notes app. As long as you can understand and follow your ideas, that's all that matters.

Get a Beta Reader!

I do not actually have a beta reader currently, but sending your writings to someone to proofread is one of the best ways to get genuine feedback. Try to find someone who is also pretty educated on proper grammar. I learned more about proper formatting from a fanfiction beta reader than I did in school im so fr. At the very least, make sure this person is comfortable with giving you constructive criticism. If something reads a little awkward or if a plot point doesn't make much sense/could be solved with an easier method, it's a lot easier for someone to point out when they didn't write the piece.

Study fanfictions/books you enjoy

Honestly... just reading a lot has made me a better writer. You will begin to notice the way authors describe certain feelings or environments, and that can give you insight on how to go about writing your own ideas. If I find an author I really like, I will try to dissect WHY I like them so much. Is it their accurate characterization? Do they describe emotions well? Are their plots engaging? Is their dialogue interesting? Find out what makes their writing so interesting so you can incorporate those traits into your own story. This goes for the way they format their writing as well. For example, I've found I prefer when chapters are around 1k-5k words. Really short chapters can make the story seem choppy when the reader has to constantly click to the next page, it kinda breaks the immersion of the story. Instead I try to use chapter breaks as interesting pausing points for suspense. I love it when authors leave their chapter on a slightly unfinished note. So I'm curious for the next chapter, but also I feel fulfilled with what I've read so far. And I've discovered this by analyzing the stories I enjoy!

And the most important advice I can give.... PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!!

Writing is similar to drawing in the sense that in order to learn, you must DO it. You have to make the shitty stuff before you find out how to make it better! It's honestly just part of the creative process. I still have some short stories I wrote back when I was a preteen and ITS BAD LOL but I needed to go through that in order to learn and grow and be more confident in my storytelling capabilities. And just like illustrations, everyone starts at a different place and everyone's process is different. SO BE PATIENT AND DON'T GIVE UP! Write that story! Even if it's bad, who cares?! You wrote something! And next time, you will write something even better!

#asks #littlecrittereli

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illmamnim · 1 year

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5 reasons you should read All That's Left In The World By Erik J. Brown

1. Good queer representation

Without giving much away, the development of relationship and character in the book is well built and darling. As someone who doesn't invest in romance as much, I very much still enjoyed seeing the two characters come to terms with their emotions and grow together. It's a found family as much as it is a romance.

2. Character/World balance at it's finest

I don't want to drag other books, and I certainly won't point them out, but I've seen quite a few YA stories that avoid heavy personal events for the sakes of keeping things in the realm of a "light hearted read", and it always takes away from the gravity of the story. All That's Left In The World is a post apocalyptic romantic story that doesn't favour one or the other. There's harmony in both the truma the characters been through and the prose that keeps it relatable, engaging, and touching. Giving us adorable banter all the while never taking away from the fact that the world truly did end, and actions have serious consequences.

I could go on because I truly love their characterization but we have more points to make.

3. Excellent world building (yes, it is different from reason 2)

This is an American story, full of American references, places, beliefs and more. However, as a non American, no nod or reference disturbed my immersion or felt out of place. The references and jokes aren't put just to fill up space, they genuinely deliver a small level of exposition and a look into who the characters were before the start of the story. As a non American, I can still get a sense of how the world each of them lived in shaped them to who they were when they met.

4. Morality in a changing world

Like I said, the world building is well thought out, and the question of right and wrong is a fundamental part of our heros' journey. The world has ended, people are left to fend for themselves, how do you know what's morally wrong when you're counting down each can of mushrooms? How do you change years of learning to be a good person because suddenly it's you against the world?

Morality, politics and identity are all reoccurring thoughts that our heros' deal with, on their own and together, and try to make the right choices when so much of the world is wrong.

5. Not a coming of age story (and why it works)

Coming of age are some of my favourite stories, both because I relate to them as well as it being a fun light read. But this story, in a sense, tricked me into thinking it is a coming of age, when it deals a little differently. The characters don't grow up because they're learning things about life, but rather are forced to grow because... Well, the world ended. Suddenly having to take care of themselves, their mistakes aren't stepping stones, they are a literal matter of life and death (but no pressure).

If they break out of their shell it's because they need to survive. If they have a hard choise to make- it can but their lives on the line. They still grow and learn about themselves, still question who they are, but the story doesn't conclud with their identity, because the goal isn't who they are- it's others.

Again, I could go on, because this is the tip of the iceberg for me spreading the ATLITW propaganda, but I'll leave you with this for now.

And, hey, maybe in the future I'll do a small analysis with actual spoilers, who knows.

(bonus reason: the Audiobook is REALLY good!)

#tinstuff #all that's left in the world #atlitw #erik j brown #analysis #book rec #book reccomendation #long post #bookblr #idk what else to tag this but PLEASE I love this book so much I've listened/read it 4 times no joke #listened 3 times and then my friend bought me the physical copy :3

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vvivacious101 · 9 months

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Oh God! We need to talk!

I have been insane ever since the RWRB movie came out but I guess you can only stay immersed in a fandom for so long before you start to see its more insidious aspects.

This thought has entered my mind before but I chose not to engage because fandom should ideally be fun and a break from reality. Unfortunately, all of humanity's creations contain humanity's flaws and I can't keep turning a blind eye anymore.

I don't think this post is going to do much but if it makes even one person realise they aren't alone in their experience it would have served its purpose.

So, let's talk about fandom racism.

The only other couple that I ship that is an interracial one is Joe and Nicky from The Old Guard. They are also an interfaith couple so they really had the odds stacked against them from the very beginning. But by the time I came into that fandom, there was a real movement to call out racial bias and ignorance in Joe's portrayal. So I thankfully avoided the racism in that fandom because when I got involved in that fandom there was an active will to counter said racism which also made me very careful regarding how I interacted with that fandom. I was just more informed so I protected myself.

The thing I totally forgot while getting into this fandom is that FirstPrince is also an interracial couple. This fandom is very passive in its racism because you can tell fandom racism exists by how people choose to not interact at all with certain elements that are a part of this ship and never has the insidiousness of racism been more obvious than since the movie came out.

It's obvious that a lot of people just didn't engage with the fact that Alex is biracial. The book actually plays a huge part in it because, for the most part, it doesn't do a good job of portraying Alex as someone who comes from two cultures and speaks two languages (even though I have to say that the only time Alex speaks Spanish where it is presented as such in the book is also one of the most beautiful moments in the book and that fact that it isn't talked about nearly as much kind of proves my point). But with the release of the movie, it's harder to ignore Alex's race.

I mean frankly, it is so obvious in the way this fandom treats the actors portraying these characters that they are being confronted by the interraciality of this couple for the very first time.

It's a lot harder to ignore colour on screen.

I love the fact that the director chose to lean into Alex's roots.

But the true impetus for writing this post comes from a fic I recently read which reminded me of this post that I had seen on Tumblr (you can read it here) and combining that with the above issue meant that I felt like I should speak up if only for my own mental peace.

Now, I am very much of the opinion that if you don't like a fanfic you shouldn't engage with it because fanfic writers don't owe you anything. The mere fact that they choose to share their works of art with the public is kind of a very selfless deed. But, I need to talk about this fic because it really started highlighting the issues that insidiously exist in this fandom (we should probably make a drinking game of how many times I use the word insidious in this post).

Henry running away from Alex at the lakehouse is something that only works if you account for the fact that he is an honest-to-god Prince. His actions in any other scenario are just douchey. Fanfic can get very creative and I'm pretty sure that fanfic writers can come up with alternative ways of making this scenario work even in an AU without him being royalty but it needs to be creative to work.

In the book, this works because Henry is a prince and the one thing that I know about the British Monarchy is that it has a will for self-preservation like no other. So you can sympathise with Henry's position without needing the details. It's also important to realise that the monarchy is not just an institution for Henry it's his family. At some point, he is going to be the son of the reigning monarch abdication or not.

But if you try to spin off an AU in which Henry pulls this stunt except with way more viciousness then you better come prepared to make him GROVEL. It really hurt because apparently people reading this fic were angry with Alex for his understandable vindictiveness something I gleaned from the author's notes on the various chapters and not because I read every comment on the fic so I could be wrong about how people were reacting to the events in the fic but clearly the author believed that the events in the fic would garner hate towards Alex which was literally unbelievable to me. Because predictably it's Alex who takes the first step towards reconciliation and Henry literally does the bare minimum. Reading this fic was so disturbing and disconcerting because I don't think the author even realises that they have set such different standards for Henry and Alex in this fic which made it infinitely worse.

Henry's abandonment of Alex just doesn't work if he isn't burdened by something as powerful as the monarchy and I don't get how that isn't obvious.

The Tumblr post I came across also on a similar note is pretty succinct and I like the point it is making.

But it got me thinking and I realised that Henry's initial rejection of Alex can't be read as Henry rejecting Alex, it has to be read while keeping Alex's lived experience in mind. So no matter what Henry said be it the "get rid of him" version from the book or the "get me out of here" version from the movie, it still can't only be about Alex and Henry it also has to be viewed through the lens of race and class differences that exist between these two. It means that Alex not only has to deal with a person being rude to him he has to deal with the fact that this person is rude to him because of things about him that are a fundamental part of who he is. Of course, that isn't the case here but I don't blame him one bit for jumping to conclusions. Also, in this case, context matters and I like the fact that the movie changed the line because with context Henry's position is much more sympathetic than in the book version of his line (which is incidentally never brought up in the book).

I also like the fact that Henry is the first to contact Alex unlike in the book where Alex gives Henry his number and Henry just decides to use it because it showcases a will to know Alex. Henry makes an effort to give this relationship a chance on his own terms which is something I didn't know I needed. It also means that Alex isn't the only one seen fighting for and wanting this relationship. We have express proof that Henry wants it too with not one but two instances in the movie.

I should probably also tell you that so far I haven't encountered a whole lot of racial bias in fics in this fandom so you are actually pretty safe because I'm pretty sure I have read more than fifty fics in this fandom and not one was insidiously racist. The racism is more observable and notable with how this fandom treats the two actors differently but when I read this one fic and yes so far it is only the one fic that I was tempted to quit in the middle but didn't because by that time it had already become the straw that broke the camel's back and I didn't want to critique something I hadn't read in its entirety.

So, here it is whatever this is. I hope this helps in some way either in validating some people's feelings or alternatively making someone else recognise their own bias.

That's it from me!

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #firstprince #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #myposts

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azurillturtle · 2 months

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someone had the bad taste to praise the martian where i could see it, and no one actually pays attention to me here and i'm free to be as unhinged as i want, so HERE WE GO: the no-holds-barred explanation of why i hate andy weir with a burning passion and why he's representative of greater problems in the scifi industry.

full disclosure, my only experience with him was reading 1/3 of artemis, which was more than enough for me to declare i'm never touching his works again. it was more than a year ago now, though, so i can't remember everything that upset me.

disliking andy weir is not an unpopular opinion! as far as writing craft goes, you'll generally hear people say that he's not a very good writer. this is partially about that and partially about other stuff specific to me that i didn't like.

as far as i can know, the martian was about a guy stranded on mars having to survive on his own. first person, snarky narrator. very popular. the narrator, whose name escapes me, was very well liked. because it was his first real story, and because there was really only one character on his own, i think a lot of the problems in his writing weren't immediately obvious.

unfortunately for me, the one we tried to read was artemis, widely regarded as the weakest of his books, probably because it shows off exactly how bad he is. and from artemis, this is what i concluded:

andy weir is a scifi writer for people who don't read much and want to feel like they're smart.

there, i said it.

unfortunately i am very much not that target audience. i read enough scifi/fantasy to have a good idea of what goes into a book that i like or dislike; i read enough to drop books that i think are terrible because i've developed standards. i'm also a science major who doesn't usually read hard scifi because i know enough to spot inaccuracies that drive me out of my mind, or at the very least, break immersion. ("that does not work that way.")

weir, for all his "experience," has enough inaccuracies in his writing to earn sideways looks from me. so that's part of it: his "problem solving" isn't realistic enough to be engaging. if it's enjoyable, that may be because you don't immediately spot the flaws in his reasoning.

weir is also a terrible writer. the first thing i said to my coworkers about artemis after i gave it up was that i don't think he's ever spoken to a woman in his life. this is a common criticism. i hear there are only two women in project hail mary, and only for like two seconds, presumably because someone pointed this out to him. they have the same problem.

quite unfortunately, artemis is told from the perspective of a woman. a... twenty-seven year old woman. who i legitimately thought was sixteen based on her maturity and behavior. this is part of a larger problem, which is (from what i've heard), that weir can only write one character voice, which is the protagonist of the martian, which is weir himself. so all the characters cracking snarky sex jokes in artemis were the same person. like, no wonder i was creeped out by the dude making sex jokes to artemis's protagonist in front of his legitimately teenage daughter.

yeah, so, okay--the protagonist of artemis is Mark Anthony or whatever his name was cosplaying as a twenty-something woman. along with not knowing what a woman is, weir's attempts at characterization are atrocious. jazz is always going on about how smart she is, and everyone's always calling her smart, as if we're supposed to believe their words over her own actions. i'm sorry, no. you can have everyone praise your character for being "smart," but if the entire book is a series of her poor life choices, then she's not reading as "smart" to me.

the third point i'd like to make about his writing is that his plot, at least for artemis, is paper-thin. i'm going to spoil the plot, since i sincerely hope no one is going to read it after this post. as part of a get rich quick scheme, said Skeevy Rich Dude hires jazz to sabotage some idk machines mining the moon's surface??, because then the owners will have no choice but to turn to him and he can become rich.

because, you know, if all of your equipment explodes, surely no suspicion will fall on the person who stands to benefit the most from this.

surely.

but no one ever questions the wisdom of this. it's never brought up. i feel like an actual sixteen-year-old could have pointed out the problem here. alas, in this book, major plot points and the reality of how people will act aren't even thought out.

another part of why artemis is generally regarded as weak--and this is extremely hilarious to me--is that weir doesn't know how to write dialogue. at all. every conversation was stilted and full of sex jokes, like that was the fallback when nothing else could be said. this is something that was not immediately evident in the martian, probably because mark anthony (...watney?) was alone and had no one to show off weir's absolutely horrid dialogue writing.

as an example of why there's also like... quite a bit that just read as weird or gross? partly again that weir has never seen a woman in his life, partly that he doesn't know what a real person is. anyway, jazz is a Strong Independent Woman, which in weir's world means she has a lot of sex. this leads to as scene where she asks a Weird Guy Acquaintance for a favor and he says, sure, but in return, can you test something for me? i'm working on a reusable condom, so i want you to try it the next time you sleep with someone.

because you know. this is a conversation that is Totally Normal to have with someone.

what the hell, weir.

unfortunately i did not stop reading there.

i quit when andy weir made it clear he does not know how and why laws should exist, and (by wider extension) the underpinnings of a functional society and how to worldbuild.

this will lead into my last point, but to briefly summarize what infuriated me so much: jazz says offhandedly that there are no statutory rape laws in their moon society. the age of majority is different for every culture, you see, so rather than come to a consensus, they decided it was easiest to go without. if anyone does anything creepy to a girl, weir says, that girl's brothers and father will come beat up the guy, and the problem solves itself.

that was the time i threw the (digital) book in the (metaphorical) trash can, because this is one of those passages that speaks volumes about the author himself.

i shouldn't have to say this, not when there's so much recent discussion about age of consent and child marriage laws, but oh my god no that's not how it works. set aside the vigilantism for a second here, that's not what i'm focused on. laws like that exist to protect the vulnerable. not everyone will have family they trust to come to their defense. not everyone can tell such things to their family. by having no laws, you are saying that it doesn't matter what happens to them, because "it's too hard to come to an agreement between different cultures."

laws are not about convenience. laws are about guarding the safety of the population.

on the one hand, it's another example of weir not thinking through the repercussions of his plot and worldbuilding. on the other, it read so much like something written by a privileged white man, not the Muslim woman protagonist, that to me it says something about andy weir himself.

and that leads into my last point, which is disliking andy weir not because of whom he is, but because of an underlying problem in the writing and publishing industry. it's a known fact that white men have a distinct advantage in publishing, especially in SFF. heinlein held strong for a long time. GRRM waxed poetic about the good ol days at a fairly recent disastrous WorldCon. it was still fairly recent that the Hugos started to see a more diverse group of nominated authors.

and then there's andy weir, who had publishing deals based on the strength of his first novel. andy weir, whose second and third books were optioned for movies iirc before they even came out. andy weir, who is not good at plotting, and not good at worldbuilding, and not good at inventing more than one character, and not good at writing women, and not even always accurate about the science.

why does andy weir of all people get those movie deals?

and would he, if his name was something other than andy weir?

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mobiletextgamesaremakingmebroke · 1 year

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Game Recommendations likes Duskwood

I'm sure there are others like myself looking games similar to Duskwood to play. So I thought I'd play some and give you my thoughts. If you have suggestions let me know. I'll update this from time to time. This was last updated on January 28th of 2023.

Completed:

The Healing

Pros:

Players really got to know the core characters, and I felt it was pretty immersive.

I personally am tired of the 'swap and make 3' (aka candy crush) like games, so I liked the minigames used for 'hacking.

Pretty clever puzzles

If you like dark this does get a bit dark

What's scarier than one masked killer? Three.

For premium, I loved breaking the fourth wall and talking to the authors. Great fun.

Multiple endings. I believe there is a good, a neutral, and a bad end.

Your choices matter, even when they may not seem to.

Cons:

So. Many. Characters! It was hard for me to remember who was who and with each character came a lot of info.

Considering so many characters, I felt like only Andreas/Zoe were romanceable.

I was unable to save everyone, which makes me sad. However, that does make the fight more personal.

Would I recommend/Recommend buying premium?

Absolutely recommend playing. If you want 4th wall breaking dialogue yes premium's worth it, if not then I wouldn't recommend buying. I don't recall premium coming up any other time really.

Blue Orchid

Pros:

I like the puzzles and the 'minigames' in this one. They show you a photo and you solve the puzzle based on it, or you find the important things.

If there's a puzzle your struggling to figure out, no worries. The groups on your side and after a bit they'll figure it out. They provide hints too.

Small cast, and I quite liked the characters. There is no romance, but there's very little time for such thing.

There's more I really liked, but I'd spoil too much so I'll say this. I was not expecting the plot twist at the end of chapter 1 and into chapter 2. The game did a great job keeping me on my toes.

As you can imagine I found the plot really engaging, and interesting.

Depending on your preference, the game isn't actually all that long. I got most of it finished in a single evening.

Cons:

Ticket system. Most of your dialogue options require a ticket. So you have the option to pay for more, or watch free ads. Takes about 20 minutes for tickets to refresh.

This one is not a murder mystery situation. So if you're expecting to uncover the identity of a killer, this isn't for you. It's a bit more complicated of a plot to explain without some massive spoilers. Let me just say, it's more science fiction than crime.

First chapter alone would probably make people want to stop, I do recommend continuing. I don't want to spoil too much though.

Personally, I don't like when characters are my allies, then not, then they are, then they're not again. Let me just say, got a few emotions I need to work through on who I should have trusted/liked at the end.

You don't really develop much of a bond with the characters like in the Healing or Duskwood. In fact you really only learn the back story of two characters, and those are the two I'm most confused about.

Would I recommend/Recommend buying premium?

Absolutely recommend playing. I found it very fun, and a decent short game. As for buying premium? I don't think it's worth it. No special dialogue or anything. It's just 10usd for unlimited tickets. I can just "watch" a bunch of ads.

Currently Playing:

Somewhere- The Vault Papers

Thoughts thus far: (I'm not very far in this game)

Unlike the other games, this one doesn't look like a phone interface. It's more monotone in color and blocky.

The game will be put on hold from anywhere from minutes to hours so the characters in it can do something. Can be a bit annoying.

I haven't encountered any minigames yet. Just been directing 'Cat' on how to escape danger.

The term Crop Corp made me laugh.

Then it went downhill again.

I hate Cat. She acts in a way that makes it VERY hard for me to like her.

Honest opinion, I'm annoyed by the waiting only to not have dialogue options. Personally not a huge fan thus far and from what I've read from the developer's replies to bad reviews, not going great.

Scriptic: Interactive Dramas

Thoughts thus far: (Completed one of the first episodes)

Multiple chapters, multiple episodes

Oh my gosh I'm getting Layton Brothers Mystery Room vibes. I'm hyped

I have to pay for the next chapter of a case :,D

You play as a detective who is the 'behind the phone' guy. You contact the on the ground men, the lab, and intelligence.

You can interrogate suspects and decide on if you arrest them or not.

Honestly, very good chapter 1, holy cow I am very tempted to buy the next chapter of the 'redman' case

I have discovered there are free seasons.

Recommended

The Seven, aka The Healing's prequels.

#Recommendations #Duskwood Recommendations #Mobile Video Games

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xocontinentaldrift · 1 year

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imaginary dinner party

I'm still mulling over the idea of people you admire enough to want to emulate them, and still curious why it's so hard for me to come up with a list! I'm still falling on the side of being at the point in life where I'm more interested in being my fullest authentic self, as opposed to someone else. But I can't help but think that an inventory of people I admire is still something worthwhile to contemplate. So I shifted the thought exercise to the proverbial imaginary dinner party: who would I want to break bread and chat it up with, so I could be immersed in their collective awesomeness and be inspired to be my best self? So here goes...

CATE BLANCHETT

Yes, I think I'd still put her on my list. Part of it is that I had the pleasure of meeting her during my grad school tenure. It was part of a talk she and her husband gave when they were doing Hedda Gabler at BAM. She just struck me as the "real deal" -- a genuine creative genius at her craft, impeccable in her commitment, thoughtful, intelligent, curious and low-key in that Australian way but not falsely humble. And just a genuinely nice, engaging person who was also down-to-earth, unpretentious and clearly connected to her husband and children in a way that was real and warm. (She is also as stunningly luminous in real life as she is onscreen.) Seeing her trajectory since then, still giving amazing performances and still challenging herself as a performer and actress in her middle age, is inspiring. She's lauded for her style and glamour, but honestly, it comes very secondary to her craft and art and loved ones, and that's admirable.

JANE GOODALL

This is another veteran from my previous lists, I guess. But I've long admired how Goodall's initial curiosity about the animal kingdom has widened into a genuine legacy of nature, education and conservation. I like how her vision of conservation includes the role of people at its core, and how part of conservation means lifting people out of poverty so that they don't have to strip nature of its resources to live. Sometimes environmentalism can feel devoid of compassion for humanity, weirdly, but Goodall is so matter-of-fact, practical and yet visionary in her approach. As I get older, I really admire practicality as a virtue, because it gets things done. I'd almost say it was Yankee-like, except that Jane is British, of course. And she really leads her life from principle, which I also admire. It gives her simplicity as a person and in her bearing a real visionary quality -- she's here to serve her message.

CHRISTINA TOSI

This one came after watching her episode on Chef's Table and then reading more about her. She has a goofiness in her approach to food, rooted as it is in nostalgia, happiness and innocence. And yet, when you delve into it, you realize that she's a genius technically, and really understands the art of baking and cooking -- she just doesn't make a huge show of it. It makes you appreciate how innovative she truly is, and how creative her "crack pie" is. She is also a masterful entrepreneur, ambitious and committed to social values. Underneath that sunny, happy demeanor is a steely core of solid values and innovative creativity, and I love that she practices her art with such unpretentious joy and unabashed commitment to entertainment. I also admire, more and more, people who have a spirit of the democratic in them -- people who aren't elitist snobs, who want art to reach everyone, who think quality shouldn't be reduced to those who can afford it. Christina's craft as a baker and chef seems to reflect this, and I admire that.

BJORK

After mulling over this, I think I truly do admire Bjork, even if my reactions to her music go up and down, depending on the album. She was actually the first famous person I ever saw when I first moved to NYC in 1997. I was in Soho, it was summer and she was scurrying down the street carrying a portfolio of what looked to be sheet music. She was wearing a long purple skirt and a purple top that was almost peasant-y, and she had her hair up in space buns. She also looked very preoccupied and stressed out. I remember at the time that she was very critical of feminism, and that was a bit of a damper on my enthusiasm for her. But as I mentioned, listening to her podcast series was very inspiring and illuminating, as well as a lovely document on how people change and evolve while keeping the core of who they are. To see an artist like her maintain her curiosity about music and its creative possibilities was wonderful. And also to hear her espouse her values of community, self-reliance, connection, matriarchy and talk about everything from parenting to romantic love to nature -- she truly lives her values as well as she can. I would be too intimidated by her to be friends, but I still would love to have a conversation with her in a cafe over some delicious Icelandic soup!

SHARON HORGAN (& MINDY KALING AND NORA EPHRON)

I was trying to think of a writer -- since I'm a writer! -- to include on this list. But I couldn't think of a contemporary novelist, maybe because I'm not so impressed with a lot of contemporary fiction. (It's not that it's bad, but I don't find it sticks in my memory and guts. But that's another post.) But when I expanded my thinking to writing beyond fiction, the landscape suddenly exploded with possibilities, because there are so many great female TV showrunners and show creators. (Mindy Kaling! Phoebe Waller Bridge! Liz Meriwether! Shonda Rhimes! Tina Fey! Issa Rae!) TV series are the new novels, no? I was trying to think of someone who had a recognizable voice through all her projects, someone funny, smart and masterful at the craft -- but also a real human being dealing with family, midlife, the whole nine yards of it. And also a mother, because I really just love to talk to other mothers, even at an imaginary dinner party. Then I watched Bad Sisters and voila: Sharon Horgan! I've loved nearly all her shows for their unvarnished womanhood, and she's done the range from the lost 20s to early motherhood and marriage and I loved her take on matriarchy in Bad Sisters. And she's such a great writer and performer, and obviously a hard worker. I'd love to meet her and talk with her about it all.

Upon reflection, I'd probably also include Mindy Kaling, too, just as a woman of color and a creative, as well as a leader. That's the thing about showrunners that particularly interests me -- they're in leadership positions, in addition to being writers, and they work both as solo producers but in intense collaboration in a business that is intense and competitive and not for the faint of heart. I would love to hear about that balance as well.

Of course, the spiritual foremother of TV creators and writers like Sharon Horgan and Mindy Kaling is someone like Nora Ephron, and I too would love for her to come to my imaginary dinner party. So yes, let's include her as well!

MICHELLE OBAMA

This is SUCH a cliche, I know. But honestly when I read her books, hear her on interviews or listen to her podcast, I just want to know her. Her perspective is so compassionate, sensible, smart and wise, and she's such an accomplished person on her own. When I hear her voice, both on the page and in my speakers, I just want her to be my mentor. Who wouldn't want to be mentored by her? She's like the ultimate older sister. When I think upon a problem in my life, an issue, a question or even just a tangle in my brain that I want to straighten out, I imagine the advice I'd give myself in her warm, empathetic voice, and it makes it so much more doable.

The ironic thing about this list is: these aren't women I'd necessarily emulate in that young person dewy-eyed way. But I want to learn from them and be inspired by them. And I could see myself at this dinner party, too, talking about the process of writing, raising a young son both as a partner and then a single mother and then not, juggling a partnership, making art, making a life, trying to have hope during a time of planetary crises. And we'd laugh and drink wine and talk, and all go home to our fabulous, full, creatively challenging lives and homes, feeling that lovely buzz that happens when women get together.

#inner life

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wordsnstuff · 2 years

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This can sound dumb, but I have this issue of getting sleepy whenever I start writing. Like I can't keep myself awake whether it's night or day. Do you have any advices for that?

Sustaining energy to write...

I am quite familiar with this feeling. I find that I tend to slip into the headspace when writing that I do when I've watched a movie in the theater, like I'm so immersed that I begin to kind of slip away. It can be very exhausting to maintain physical energy when you're so focused or creatively engaged, and writing is quite a stationary act.

I've gotten into the habit of forcing myself to take enforced breaks. They don't have to be long, but I need to remove myself from wherever I'm writing and wake myself up, so to speak. Snap out of it to a slight extent.

I know a lot of writers swear by taking breaks to go on walks or exercise or walk their dogs, and these things do work. For me, all it usually takes to recalibrate is making a cup of tea or tidying up my space for 5 minutes. If this doesn't work, maybe move to a different spot to write?

I prefer to write in a very comfortable spot, but I recognize that it's very difficult to maintain stamina when you're so physically relaxed. When I need to get a good amount of work done, I'll usually turn down the heat in my space, wear an actual outfit, prepare a cold drink, and make sure my room is brightly lit. It's still comfortable, but in a less sedative way.

I hope this helps, and if you need more suggestions, always feel free to ask.

x Kate

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#writing #writeblr #writespo #writing tips #writing advice #inspiration #writer #authorblr #motivation #writing resources #authorspo #writing reference #qna

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cosmicfurby · 2 years

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--AA5 SPOILERS AHEAD--

okay so that's it for dual destinies! let me tell you, this one was a BLAST. my favorite in the series this far

first off, i want to say i understand why many people hate on everything that's not the trilogy. aa4 and aa5 feel very disconnected with each other style and gameplay-wise, whilst the trilogy was very consistent and homogeneous. i can understand that, however, once you start thinking of the rest of the games as standalones rather than part of another trilogy, it's easier to get through

this one... this one was emotionally harsher than any other games, except perhaps that final case in trials and tribulations. maybe it was the fact you already know and love the characters, maybe the nostalgia, but those last two cases were... omg. i cried a lot, they are full with raw emotion and tragedy and angst. they're incredible, there's not much I can say about them.

i was a little skeptical of the 3d models at first, however, i got used pretty quickly to the change. (not to what they did to klavier gavin, that is a hate crime your honor). the voices changing are also something you eventually forget and they didn't break my immersion.

as for the new game mechanic –mood matrix–, i am literally obsessed with it. it feels like by this point in the series they already knew what they were up to when introducing the lawyers' special abilities, and knew what they were doing. the mood matrix is engaging, it's fun and challenging without becoming impossible. i absolutely loved the matrix and was looking forward to in in every trial.

the characters, I'm not going to lie, got to me, and they got to me hard. phoenix working again, with his lawyer's badge on, was particularly emotional, given all he's been through. apollo does not have a particular good time in this game because of his circumstances, however, once he manages to work through that trauma and finally lets go of clay's coat... cathartic, really. good to see him get some fleshed out backstory that doesn't feel that it comes out of nowhere. and athena, oh, athena. my love for athena knows no limits. that poor girl has gone through so. much. shit! and she's still the most adorable, energetic person. her story broke my heart then pulled it back together. and what can I say about simon blackquill? i am obsessed with his character, his story, what he did. thoroughly obsessed. at first i thought what anyone else would've: that he was a jackass who shouldn't be allowed to prosecute. but then, once they delve in all that happened... he spent seven years in prison as an innocent man because he wanted to protect a little girl. that is devastating. seeing him smile in the last case was the most heartwarming thing. I'm so glad he got the justice he was denied for so long. trigger warning, though: very little trucy on this... shameful. just kidding, she does show up time to time and you can tell this was the developers baiting all them trucy fans such as myself. her presence being limited makes the few times she appears ever more important

as for the actual cases and story... wow. just wow. seems to me like they learned from the mistakes made in aa4. backstories and events are foreshadowed in a way i did not expect from Anime Lawyers' Plot Twists: The Game, however the team excelled at this. athena's backstory was handled well so we'd suspect what was going on from the beginning without actually spoiling everything, as well as blackquill's. the final reveal, though it was shocking as any reveal of that nature should be, didn't feel pulled out of their asses: we knew fulbright, or rather whoever was posing as him, was the one to evacuate the space center. it was a matter of connecting the dots, and not just "oh haven't you heard? surprise!!!" as the apollo reveal was. tip of the hat to capcom. this was very well done.

another very important thing to note in this game that sets it apart from the others is that, for the first time ever in the series, trauma is addressed. people show emotional reactions to powerful events in their lives, who would've thought! no more phoenix just going on about his life after his mentor's death, no more apollo just getting over a betrayal like kristoph's. no: apollo gets emotionally scarred after clay's death. so does athena with what happened to her mother and what she thought she did. trauma is there, it's worked through and mentioned, and i think that's a big step forward since the detachment that i often felt in the trilogy. i really really appreciated this aspect of the story and liked how they handled it

final thoughts... the nostalgia, man. pearls comes back! so does edgeworth! they definitely knew what they were doing when they peppered in a casual appearance from our husband <3 getting to see little pearls and edgey again feels wonderful, like a balm for your soul after how much you feel like crumbling down during that last case. they went for the feels for this game, and they did that well.

10/10 would let this game break me again, now let's go to a different land for spirit of justice, rock and roll buckaroo

#ace attorney #phoenix wright #that funny lawyer game #ace attorney 5 #ace attorney dual destinies #dual destinies #aa5 #miles edgeworth #aa athena #athena cykes #apollo justice #aa apollo

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sitp-recs · 3 years

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Drarry for Beginners: Muggle Draco

I started this series with two of my fave tropes (Magical Houses and 8th year) and will now close it with my other two faves. I love this concept so much - either Draco living in the Muggle world or just exploring it for the first time - that I couldn’t narrow it down to 3 recs. These 5 fics are brilliant because they present rich, creative and diverse takes, so it wouldn’t have been fair to exclude any. I hope you all enjoy these masterpieces as much as I do!

Open For Repairs by @drarrytrash (2015, M, 35k)

After the war, Draco works at a tv repair shop and Harry breaks things. feat. sad boys in jumpers and more ABBA than is probably necessary

This is such a poignant read, quiet, insightful and very atmospheric! This take where Draco works at a Muggle shop and stays under the radar is one of my favorites. Like the summary points out these boys are sad™ and connect over their loneliness, which means this is a quite melancholic fic. The pacing is great and they fall in love so naturally and gently it gives me a lump in the throat. I love the metaphor linking Draco’s mending life to the repair shop. His arc is powerful and bittersweet; the author never lets us forget about their struggles and vulnerabilities even as they go from tentative to close friends. This is a lovely story about healing and understanding, about finding solace together and welcoming new beginnings. A balm to the lonely hearts!

(Un)wanted by @aibidil (2020, E, 36k)

See also: Moldova’s Magical Tea, another fic with Muggle references by the same author

Ginny's pregnant, then she's not and Harry's single. Harry, again with no family, doesn't know what to do with this turn of events, or how to find a new life—post-war, post-Ginny, post-abortion—in which he belongs. He doesn't expect that life to include dancing to the Backstreet Boys with Hermione and Draco Malfoy. A story of finding belonging in the unexpected.

This fic blew me away - it’s such a powerful and devastating portrait of Harry’s generation, with layered characters full of hopes and struggling to find their place after the war. Harry’s arc is heartbreaking and I love how @aibidil explores his childhood issues early on. We get to see everyone’s reactions from his perspective, and I’m in awe of Hermione and Ginny’s voices. The Drarry slow burn is gentle and honest but I’m here for the way all characters come together by exploring the Muggle world, which brings not only closure but soft nostalgia - all those bonding moments are very cathartic and as a 90s kid I appreciate so much the references and old school atmosphere! A perfect “coming of age” story, delicate, complex and touching. It will make you laugh, cry, reflect on life and realize we’re not so different from these kids.

Here's The Pencil, Make It Work by @6balls (2013, M, 49k)

See also: my rec for Faint Indirections, another Muggle Draco fic by the same author

Harry thinks "Why is Malfoy working in a coffee shop in muggle London?" is a much simpler question than, "Are you going to accept that auror offer and, if you don't, what will you do?"

The coffee shop AU we deserve, only it’s so much more than that! This is a masterpiece in world building and character development, and my favorite take on Harry’s obsession with Draco. He’s clearly all over the place but still brave, kind and sympathetic, still very much Harry. All side characters have brilliant voices but I fell in love with this Draco with his free and captivating spirit. It’s really moving to see Harry inspired by him, learning all the little things about this new Malfoy and noticing all the ways in which they’re similar and different from each other. This fic has a perfect balance of bittersweet longing, sweet romance and quiet catharsis. Reading it made me realize that I love angsty post-war stories because it comforts me to know that Harry and Draco can rely on each other to help them heal and let that “mopey, brooding and tragic” persona behind. Growing up is definitely painful but there’s hope and beauty in it, and no other fic explores it better than this one!

Modern Love by @tackytigerfic (2020, E, 61k)

See also: the sequel vignette Collapsed in Love

Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is. And it really doesn’t seem fair that Draco Malfoy is back in Harry’s life, all of a sudden, and even though he’s wandless, and living with Muggles, and making his mother cry with his lifestyle choices, he’s happy. So what's he doing right, that Harry isn’t?

Ohh is it time to talk about my favorite fic yet again?? 😬 this breathtaking friends to lovers is a love letter to Muggle Draco and explores it beautifully! I’m obsessed with the little magical universe Tacky creates through an immersive and mundane slow burn. The plot incorporates Muggle elements very organically (the thrift shop! The church! Draco’s friends and the politics plot!). Harry’s POV is exquisite and there’s a mix of loneliness and yearning about him that make my heart ache. It’s lovely to watch him disrupt Draco’s safe bubble as they transform each other’s lives and develop feelings along the way. All the sweet pining is paid off with the gentlest get together, literally a religious experience. I couldn’t agree more with @dracoladon’s words: “There is a plot that doesn’t distract from the love story, and a love story that doesn’t distract from the achingly slow build of a soft, pining friendship, and a soft, pining friendship that doesn’t distract from Harry and Draco’s own personal character arcs.” Brace yourself for the joy of reading this journey for the first time!

Harry Potter and the Future He Doesn't Really Want, Thanks. orphaned (2016, E, 70k)

It was addictive, the feeling of Draco Malfoy telling him things in a soft voice early in the morning. Harry felt like he was taming a wild animal, or petting a cat that hated everybody else. This train existed outside of time, that was the only explanation Harry could come up with as to why Malfoy was actually having a civil conversation with him right now.

A creative premise, wonderfully executed! This is a great read; all characters are charming and well established - I’m in love with Luna and Pansy! - and the dialogue is fun and engaging. Basically Harry keeps dreaming about a weird future where he and Draco are together and after that they start crossing paths again and again - but they’re not friends, they’re nothing really, just very confused and aware of each other. I love how their dynamics develop from there; Harry learns about Draco’s sentence away from magic and notices the ways he’s changed. The mundane tone gives me warm fuzzy feels and the diversity of Muggle settings creates a lovely atmosphere! “This is such a fucking bad idea / Let’s do it anyway” describes this love story to a T. I chose it to balance all the hardcore angst that came before, so make sure to have a go at this comfort meal after reading the rest!

#drarry for beginners #Muggle Draco

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galaxythreads · 3 years

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Suggestions on how to improve fanfic writing:

I was talking with @angelfishofthelord recently (not that recent, time is a concept that escapes our collective grasp) and I jokingly suggested that I make this post. I am in the middle of an insomnia night, so. Here be us.

Characters use the same nicknames and phrases inside their head as speaking. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re sharing the humor they’re speaking. I.g.: For SPN, I see a lot of people write Dean as a little careless in his POVs, because that’s just how he portrays himself, but Dean, I think, while having a dark sense of humor, isn’t actually very funny in his head. Same goes for MCU and Tony Stark. Funny characters does not always equal happy head space. :)

Nicknames--this used to bother me to no end, because nicknames were never something in my family, and people shortening down the names felt wrong. But you nickname what you love. If someone has given a nickname (and not in mockery) to a character, chances are, they call them that in their head. Like in MCU Clint calling Natasha "Nat", or SPN Dean and Sam calling Cas "Cas" however, with that said, unless the nickname is self chosen, most people will use their full name when narrating. Castiel, Natasha, etc.

Headcanons! This is going to sound a little backwards, but headcanons have always helped me sort between characters. I know that some fic authors are very against headcanons, but to me, you HAVE to make these characters and their world your own, at least a little. You need to understand how their brain functions, and headcanons are a wonderful, wonderful way to do that. So long as you can conceivably fit them into canon, I think you’re good. One of the ones I have about SPN Cas is that he doesn’t actually give off body heat, so he’s constantly room temperature. It’s a detail for people that’s not Cas’s POV to notice. So getting some headcanons like that will help differentiate between POVs because it’s different things for characters to acknowledge.

Mimic writing that you admire. (And ask yourself WHY you like it) I really, really love the way that TFW/avengers team is portrayed in some stories, in others, I’m like “meh.” Write to please yourself, first and foremost, on how to read these characters thoughts. Those who agree with you will flock to be your audience, and they’re who matter.

Language/word choice is really important for POV change. Again, people talk like how they think.

POV change? Treat the character whose POV it is like they are THE most important person in existence. Their reactions get a front seat. Their five senses are your concern. What they notice about a character may not be true, but it's what they notice. They are human, not omniscient, ergo, they'll get things wrong. Even if the story is written with a completely different character in mind, this character is still the most important. POV's time to think, talk, panic, angst, express, etc. That chapter was about how they felt. That’s why sometimes, even if I really do want them to talk or something, a character might think “please don’t say xyz” because THEY don’t want that, and how I feel as an author isn’t relevant here. Remembering that they’re human, and need time to process/react to things is huge.

Practice, practice, practice. It does get easier with time, and effort. I promise. All of you would laugh at my first few weeks of diving into fandoms. That stuff is garbage.

Conscious stream of thought is generally the best way to engage readers, and the most enjoyable. This is how we immerse ourselves into the story. We become a part of it because we follow their thinking. It is always ideal to start where you are the most comfortable, whether that's 3rd omniscient, 2nd person, etc, but, in my opinion, you don't get that true "click" with the characters until you've conscious stream of thought them.

Research. Lots of research. Don't know how long battieres could last in 2002? Look it up. Don't know how to do stitches? Google it. Try to avoid making things up.

Look guys. Everyone understands that you are most likely NOT a doctor or have any semblance of a medical degree. This is fiction. Research what you can, and move forward carefully or vague it out with the rest. The worst that can happen is someone correcting information you got wrong.

Please, please, please stay within the range of human limitation. (Or whatever creature/being you are writing for) You can't lose more than five pints of blood. You CAN die from pain. Infection spreads quickly. I'm sorry. I just. Have read so many fics from newbie writers who push their characters past extremes that is almost impossible. You want to hurt them that bad, break a bone or something. Just. Please try to be realistic. (Don't misunderstand here, I love me some well-done whump.)

Again with the "you are not a professional thing." Those diagnosed with mental illnesses know that you may not be writing from true experience. This is okay. But please, please do not avoid using any words or phrases common with the illness as you try to "vaguely" write it. The more authentic you are, the less likely you will offend someone. Look. I would be so frustrated if someone tried to write about an ED and just... Avoided words like "starve" "binge" and "hungry" because they didn't want to trigger me. Like. Sweeties, I appreciate the thought, I do, but it's more frustrating that you can't even SAY it than actually putting it into your writing. So. Please just. If you're going to write about a mental illness, do so with the intent to WRITE it, not skirt around the bush.

With that, if you are not diagnosed with the mental illness your writing for (or suspect that you have some form of it) that's okay! Google symptoms to get a basic idea, and search for first hand accounts. People's experience is a lot different than the definition. For example, some of the most hilarious people I know are severally depressed, and Google will just tell you they are sad.

Write write and write. You are building a skill. You have to practice that skill frequently.

Do not be afraid to ask for feedback. Betas are wonderful. Asking for advice is wonderful. Being too shy and afraid of criticism for asking for help is perfectly okay. (Hello fellow traveler)

If your search history doesn't have you being watched by government organizations in the next few months, you aren't researching enough. ;)

Take your time. Quality over quantity. Do NOT conform to the update fairy that demands updates frequently. Look. I love my readers. I do. But you HAVE to take your time to finish things in order for them to be worth reading. If this is six hours or six years, that's that.

Do not give everything away. Stop answering questions. We keep reading because we have unanswered questions. Anticipation = good. Knowing everything at once: bad.

Do not put in funny for the sake of funny.

Insults should be insulting, not make people want to cringe and duck their heads.

Dialog should serve as people communicating... Like actual people.

Siblings (unless otherwise said so by canon) DO NOT address each other as "bro" and "sis"

Not a native English speaker? Cool. Natives would love to help you learn their language. :) English grammar sucks.

Analogies should make sense. They should flow smoothly into the writing. If they pop out, you've lost the attention of your writers.

please, please don't glorify rape, racism, homophobia, mental illness shaming/glorification, abuse, sexism, and other crappy things. Thanks. People came for a story, not to get their souls crushed.

#fanfiction #fanfics #fanfic writing

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aewrie · 2 years

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popping in with a rare personal post bc twitter character limit sucks ass & I can't be assed to make a long ass thread

so, a few years ago I was reading this fic heavy on angst. like it just might be the angstiest thing I've read in my life. but, maybe my perception is coloured because as it turned out, a good chunk of the angst was of a particular flavour that hit a bit too close to home.

I don't think I have legitimate trauma triggers but this fic? in places I felt genuine anxiety flare up because it got so bad. it was too familiar, and because it was so well written, it was all the more immersive. I did finish the story, because I genuinely liked it, and was emotionally invested in it, but I had to take breaks in places. and while I liked the ending overall, I had mixed feelings about some details because of reasons above.

that same author also had another story I started reading, also angst, and this time I gave up partway. I was not as interested in this story, and while I enjoyed parts of it, I made the call that reading it was doing me more harm than good. I dropped it and didn't go back.

it was not the author's fault I have had shit life experiences. it was not the author's fault for making me distressed. It was not even the fault of the friend who recced the original fic for me, or any of the people in the fandom who enjoyed it and made art or posts about how much they loved it, much of which I also saw and which in part contributed to my reading the fic.

it was my damn responsibility to choose when to engage. my friend recced an angst fic and I chose to engage. the author promised angst, among other potentially uncomfortable things, and I chose to engage. I ran into the angst that made me uncomfortable and I chose to continue. Someone might argue that because I do enjoy some kinds of angst the warnings should have been more thorough, but frankly the details I would need to know are specific enough that it'd just be unreasonable. I can't expect that level of caution of anyone. it's for me to deal with.

(I had to go check and yep I actually have the fic in my ao3 bookmarks, because it was still a really well written fic! it was good! I heavily doubt I'll ever reread it but my personal discomfort doesn't mean it should not exist for others to enjoy. it absolutely should.)

#yourebabblingjulle

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add-to-inventory · 3 years

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Gav played: Close to the Sun

The game: Close to the Sun by Storm in a Teacup.

Score: I liked it.

Horror doesn't show up a ton on Add to Inventory! No, because I'm a weenie. The immersion of video games means they frighten me easily, and I'm particular about horror tropes. This one has some problems I'll get into, but I enjoyed it and even think it does things that are cool and special!

Love that! In Close to the Sun, you play Rose Archer, a Nellie Bly-like journalist responding to a letter supposedly from her little sister Ada, begging for her to come help her deal with an emergency on the Helios, a huge seaborne scientists' colony organized by Nikola Tesla. It's a lightly Steampunk setting with fantastical machinery and lush Victorian design.

{Like this elaborate theater lobby! Subtitle reads "Aubrey: I'll check in with you later, alright?"}

{Or this greenhouse exterior! Subtitle says "Tesla: But her research holds the keys to everything."}

I lingered to take screenshots of these spaces because I found them really beautiful, but all of the environmental design in this game slaps. It's probably my favorite thing about Close to the Sun, as you control Rose in first-person view through a wonderful mix of public, private, and utility spaces, with varying moods from dark and tense to bright and safe. They're fun to explore and left me feeling like I was exploring a real place that could actually support the population we're told is aboard.

Because the premise is that the Helios contains hundreds of the world's top scientists, and they have made a grave error that killed most of them. To rescue Ada and her research, Rose has to get around scenes of massacre, damage to the ship, monsters, embittered killers, and puzzling devices.

Did you say puzzles? I did! Most of them are on the simple side, a matter of finding the right code to punch in. There's one I like a lot in Ada's apartment, requiring some interpretation. I'd never call this A Puzzle Game, but I like seeing puzzles in a horror adventure to break up the gameplay.

What's the majority of the gameplay? It's a walking simulator! I like those, personally, and this one does a good job of rewarding exploration without making me feel like I would miss out if I didn't find everything. The story is linear, and paths are well laid out, making the single available route forward feel natural and not claustrophobic.

There is no combat in this game at all, which I think is good and fun; I like seeing more games that don't revolve around weapons, and it feels true to the character! Instead, she has to outsmart and outrun threats. Ducking, climbing, throwing switches, and other actions are done by clicking when a cue is centered on the screen, and my first significant criticism is that engaging these is a bit too finicky. I often found that even though the cue was displaying, I actually had Rose standing a little too far or too close to actually trigger the animation, which contributed to a lot of chase-sequence deaths. There are about six chases in the game. Most of these took me a handful of attempts to find the safe route and get through it fast enough, but one at about the 85% has such a small margin for error that I took about thirty tries to make it safely through the door.

Oof! Where else does it miss the mark? With the exception of idle animations of Rose's lower body and hands, characters appear kind of wooden. Sometimes the extent of gore shown became so prevalent that it felt like set-dressing, which disturbs me in a way not intended by the story. Some of the story beats are predictable, one in a way that I think invited a more direct comparison to Bioshock than was to this game's advantage. There's one subplot I never caught a satisfactory explanation of. And oh my god, there are two points where Rose has to crawl through a vent and for some reason in these she truly moves slower than molasses in January.

That doesn't seem too bad! Yeah, it's a solid game! And more than that--I think it looks, sounds, and feels sometimes scary and sometimes delightful, and chose to give its player character believable, appropriate emotional reactions and an approach to heroism unusual in its genre.

Hearing disorder corner: The subtitles are a bit small, but they're accurate and identify the speaker. As in a lot of games, my first sense that I was in danger was often an audio cue, and these are not always accompanied by a visual one.

Try it if you like: No-combat adventures, cool monsters, weird science, the Tesla-Edison rivalry, central sibling relationships, the idea of Tacoma as a horror game, getting distracted by neat posters on the walls.

#Close to the Sun #Storm in a Teacup #i like it #indie #story driven

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