Long Post For Ts - Tumblr Posts

THE FILMS OF 2020 2021

*That released footage in 2020 **Release dates as of December 2, 2020

Resources For Describing Characters

Physical Appearance

Arms

Athletic Build

Back

Butts

Cheeks

Chest

Chins

Curvy Build

Ears

Eyebrows

Eyes

Faces

Facial Hair

Feet

Fingernails

Fingers

Hair

Hands

Head

Hips

Jaws

Knees

Legs

Lips

Muscular Build

Neck

Noses

Shoulders

Slender Build

Sickly Build

Skin

Stocky Build

Stomach

Teeth

Toenails

Toes

Underweight Build

Character Traits

Affectionate

Ambitious

Bossy

Brave

Calm

Cautious

Charismatic

Clever

Conceited

Courageous

Creative

Critical

Curious

Determined

Diplomatic

Dishonest

Disorganized

Eccentric

Excitable

Friendly

Funny

Generous

Glamorous

Guarded

Honest

Impulsive

Independent

Intelligent

Just

Kind

Loyal

Manipulative

Mature

Modest

Mysterious

Naïve

Optimistic

Prejudiced

Persistent

Proper

Responsible

Sensitive

Sentimental

Serious

Shy

Reckless

Stingy

Stubborn

Talented

Thoughtful

Thrifty

Visionary

Wise

Witty

Worry Wart

Wounded

Talents & Skills

A Knack for Languages

A Knack for Making Money

A Way with Animals

Archery

Astral Projection

Astrological Divination

Baking

Basic First Aid

Blending In

Carpentry

Charm

ESP (Clairvoyance)

Empathy

Enhanced Hearing

Enhanced Sense of Smell

Enhanced Taste Buds

Farming

Fishing

Foraging

Gaining the Trust of Others

Gaming

Gardening

Good Listening Skills

Haggling

Herbalism

Hospitality

Hot-Wiring a Car

High Pain Tolerance

Knife Throwing

Knowledge of Explosives

Lip-Reading

Lying

Making People Laugh

Mechanically Inclined

Mentalism

Mimicking

Multitasking

Musicality

Organization

Parkour

Photographic Memory

Predicting the Weather

Promotion

Psychokinesis

Reading People

Regeneration

Repurposing

Sculpting

Self-Defense

Sewing

Sharpshooting

Sleight-of-Hand

Strategic Thinking

Strong Breath Control

Super Strength

Survival Skills

Swift-footedness

Talking With The Dead

Throwing One’s Voice

Whittling

Wilderness Navigation

Wrestling

Elemental Abilities

Miscellaneous

Voices

Voice Types

Speech Patterns

Speech Impediment

List of Character Flaws

List of Archetypes

Hairstyles

Describing Body Types & How They Move Around

Secrets To Give Your Character

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How to Bring Someone Back from the Dead

Make sure that it wasn’t their time to die. If it was, do not try to bring them back.

If you’re sure they weren’t meant to die, start preparing for your journey. It will be a long one.

You will need two coats, a quarter, a white rose, a blanket, a flashlight, extra batteries, lots of food and water, and an object of importance to the deceased (a necklace, a beloved book, etc).

Wait until late spring. You’ll want it to be warm out when you return.

Put on some good hiking boots. You’ll be walking for a while.

Enter any forest. The denser the better. Walk until the sun goes down.

Look to your left when it becomes too dark to see.

You will see a white glow in the distance. Walk towards it.

Be careful where you step. Some woods like to trip you.

Remember your loved one’s name.

Say aloud how much you missed them and why you want them back.

The glow will disappear once you reach it. When it does, turn on your flashlight and sit down.

Place the flashlight next to you and go to sleep. Do not be afraid. If you’ve made it this far, then the forest is on your side. It will not let you be harmed.

When you awake, the sun will be up.

Turn off your flashlight and put it back in your bag.

You will be standing just outside of a fairy ring. Do not enter it.

Take out your food and water. Eat some, but leave the rest at your feet.

Step into the ring and place the quarter on the ground, tails up.

Tell your loved one you are coming for them. They will not hear you.

The quarter will sink into the ground. You may now enter the Underworld.

Put on one of the coats. It will be very cold.

Close your eyes and imagine that you are sinking into the ground. Do not open them until you smell smoke.

When you open your eyes, you will be underground. A tunnel will stretch out before you.

Replace the batteries in your flashlight. It will get dark very soon

Follow the tunnel. You will feel cold. This is normal.

You will soon come across a small house. Knock on the door.

A dark-haired woman will open it. There is something wrong with her eyes. Do not stare.

She will ask you for something pretty. Give her the rose

She will smile at you and invite you in for something to eat. Enter the house, but politely refuse any food.

Talk to her for a while. She likes the company.

She’ll tell you a secret. Pretend that it doesn’t bother you.

Eventually, she will give you an item. I do not know what it will be. It’s different for everyone.

Thank her for being so kind. She wasn’t always like this.

Say goodbye and exit the house. Continue down the tunnel

You will be walking for a long time. If you need to sleep, do so. When you wake up, continue walking.

You will find food in your bag. Do not eat any of it.

You will get to a river guarded by the woman you met before. Do not ask her how she got here so fast.

Say hello and show her the item she gave to you. She will take it and give you your flower back.

You are now allowed to cross the river. Get in the boat. Don’t think about how it wasn’t there before.

Let the boat take you to the other shore. The fog will make it hard to see. Trust me that it’s better that way

When you get off the boat, the fog will be too dense to see clearly.

You will start to come across wandering souls. They will not care that you are here. They are too miserable.

The silence will be unbearable. Hum a song to yourself.

You’ll be wandering around for a while. Don’t give up hope. You’ll find them soon.

When you do, softly say hello.

They will not remember you. Don’t take this personally. They don’t remember themselves either.

Don’t touch them, not yet.

Their eyes will seem far away. It’s alright. They are listening.

Talk to them for a while. Don’t give your name and do not tell them theirs. They don’t trust you yet.

They’ll soon realize you are alive. When they do, answer their questions about the world above.

Ask them if they are cold. The answer will be yes.

Offer them the coat you are wearing. It will already be warm. You have body heat, they do not.

When they take it. Put on your other coat.

At this point, they will ask if you know them. Say yes and tell them their name.

They will like having an identity again. Try not to cry when they smile.

Hand them their item of importance. It will help them trust you.

Tell them your name and ask them if they want to leave.

If they say yes, take their hand. They will feel like a corpse. Try not to let this faze you.

Do not let go of their hand.

Walk back to the river. You will find it. The Keepers don’t like the Living in the Underworld.

The woman you met earlier will be there. Give her the rose again. She will give you back the item from her house.

Get in the boat.

When you reach the shore, exit the boat.

Your loved one will have some trouble keeping up. They are exhausted. The dead cannot eat or sleep, no matter how much they want to.

Keep walking. Try not to notice how hungry you are.

Do not eat the food in your bag.

While you walk, talk to your loved one. They don’t know it, but they’ve missed you.

They will trip and fall at some point. They are very tired.

They will start to cry. Don’t let this break your heart. Instead, tell them they will be able to rest soon.

For now, pick them up and carry them in your arms. Don’t worry, they will be very light.

Try not to notice that they aren’t breathing. It will only make you feel sick.

Keep talking. They will be too tired to respond, but they are listening.

When you see the woman’s house, tell your loved one that you’re almost there.

Keep walking and don’t turn around.

You’ll feel something watching you.

Don’t turn around. Please.

You’ll notice you’ve stopped talking. Start humming that song again. It will help stave off the fear.

Stop walking and place your loved one on the ground. Pull out the blanket and wrap them in it. Pick them up again and keep going. You’re almost there.

You’ll see a light up ahead. Feel the relief flooding through you and run towards it.

When you step out of the fairy ring, immediately place your loved one on the ground.

Encourage them to breathe. They will have forgotten how to.

When they start to breathe again, retrieve the food that you left on the ground earlier.

They’ll want to fall asleep. Make sure they eat and drink before they do so.

They will be very cold. Do whatever you can to keep them warm.

Thank whatever gods you believe in for letting you bring them back.

Go to sleep. Nothing will harm you here.

When you wake, do not disturb your loved one. They haven’t slept in so long. Wait until they wake up on their own.

Take them home. They will not remember you at first, but they will regain their memories soon.

Don’t tell them how they died. It’s best if they don’t know.

Spend time with them. Most people don’t get a second chance.

More guides

How to be a stranger

If your reflection is missing

If you are a researcher or adventurer and want to share a guide, join our subreddit! 

If you want a good cliffhanger example, the Magicians (tv show) has a great one at the end of their second season. Instead of “life or death” stakes, they relied on individual arcs and side-stories throughout the season that didn’t connect until that final twist.

Spoilers Below

The cool thing about the ending is that they didn’t put their characters in danger (well, some of their characters were in ambiguous danger, but as viewers we weren’t sure how much); they took away something the characters value and count as their source of strength: magic itself.

Basically, the characters killed a minor god (who was threatening to destroy the fantasy world he’d helped create because he was bored, meaning the deaths of millions of sentient fantasy people/creatures) and the elder gods took magic as a consequence. This worked because they’d already established that gods have parents through a previous, individual character arc earlier in the season, and they’d established that, even if the gods don’t obviously show it, they do care about their children. The killing of the god was also necessary. It was either that or allow the god to eradicate a world he only saw as a plaything--the equivalent of a child smashing an ant farm because the ants aren’t as entertaining as they used to be. They could’ve easily ended on the cliffhanger of whether or not the god would destroy the fantasy world (as we might expect based on previous shitty use of the cliffhanger ending) but instead they finished the story they’d been building up to and made the cliffhanger the consequences of their choices.

So, the twist wasn’t “oh my god, will they make it out alive?” The twist was, “oh my god, what does a show called ‘The Magicians’ do in a world without magic? How will our characters solve problems without their main tool and source of power?” It also connected well to development of the main characters, which I won’t get into here, but basically--good twist and cliffhanger because it was deeply integrated in all parts of the story and presented consequences that went beyond the overdone “wIlL oUr ChArAcTeRs SuRvIvE???”

5 Better Ways to End Your Story

1. The Dialogue Gut-Punch

I usually imagine this ending happening after some great, destructive plot twist or long-kept secret has been revealed to the narrator and/or reader. There is shock and awe and maybe some betrayal. This is where you fully feel the effects of what has changed, the beginning versus the end. And in this case, the end is not ideal.

Maybe the resolution’s scene has been set, but that’s not offering enough closure. How to tie up the loose end? A short (and I mean short) piece of dialogue. It usually involves a sense of resolve and acceptance, even if the resolution at hand is otherwise displeasing or harrowing. The gut-punch comes from that acceptance, that acknowledgment of what has been lost in the quest to fulfill their goals. Doesn’t always mean defeat or a pyrrhic victory, but all protagonists must lose things while trying to gain others. This is where that character and the reader feels the loss in the wake of a resolution. 

2. A Question and an Answer

This is a lot like #1, only there’s a different setup. Instead of a scene being laid out and then one line of dialogue, there are three components. The scene is set, a question is asked, then an answer is provided. The end. The question and answer usually revolve around the reflection of what has changed. A “what now?” for all intents and purposes. Can be used for a mysterious ending to a standalone or a setup for the next installment in a series.

It is worth noting that the answer does not always have to be dialogue. For example, a character could ask: “So this is what we have left?” and then a (brief) description is given of a ragtag crew that’s survived the whole story. Play around with it. 

3. The Full Circle

There are a couple ways to go about this ending. Two, in particular, are my favorite.

A) The story begins with a scene that has a very specific tone and attitude of the main character(s). The end of the story is a very similar scene (through setting, circumstance, characters, etc. as long as it’s obvious the last and first scene parallel each other). However, the last scene has the opposite tone and the opposite attitude. If the first scene is hopeful and the MC is full of naivete and energy, then the last scene is melancholy and the MC has been washed away into tired hopelessness. Or vice versa. Offers sufficient closure to standalone works. For a series, it would be quite satisfying to take the first scene from the first installment and mirror/flip it for the last scene in the last installment. 

Or

B) The story comes full circle through setting (or circumstance) only. In this case, the first (or inciting incident) and last scene share a setting. But the scenes do not mirror each other overtly or consistently. The significance relies upon the setting and the changes that have been made to the setting because of what has happened. It’s a good way to symbolize similar changes in the character(s). Maybe the story begins in the MC’s childhood home, where it is bright and full of life, but when the story ends in the home, it has become desolate and empty. Something has happened to the home over time, just as something has happened to the character over time. 

Note: there is also the divergence from these two examples where the character in the beginning is not the character in the end. Most everything else remains the same. It’s been used to show succession, defeat, loss, and the passage of time. 

The Full Circle allows a nice platform to approach the reflection, the resolution, and the changes all through subverted scene similarities and symbolism. 

4. The Joke

Pretty simple. The last line is a comedic remark. It should still involve a level of reflection and/or resolution for closure and cohesiveness. And please make sure it matches the overall tone of the story (not just the scene). 

And now #5, the long one…

5. The Cliff-Hanger (But it’s actually used to its full potential)

So many times, especially with TV shows, I see a story end with a dull, exploitative cliff-hanger. Sure, it works. But it doesn’t work as well as it could. These endings usually rely upon a plot twist that has no previous setup or mild, unbelievable danger. So let’s fix that and use the crap out of a cliff-hanger’s potential. 

The plot twist with no previous setup is boring and unfair. The reader (or watcher since I brought up TV) should be thinking “oh my God” not “what the hell?”. The difference is “what the hell?” equates to confusion and sometimes the fracture of their suspension of disbelief necessary for all fictional stories. “Oh my God” equates to excitement, shock, and enthrallment. ENTHRALLMENT is the key word here, as a cliff-hanger should reel you in further just as the story ends and you become impatient for the next installment. So how do we get “Oh my God” with a plot twist (there are other ways to get “Oh my God” but since (bad) plot twists are common, we’ll use that as an example)? The answer is: we build it up, we add foreshadowing and clues for the reader to find. Let them feel like detectives as they fill in informational holes and fall down rabbit holes of speculation, even if they don’t know what they’re looking for exactly. Let them get close, but not close enough. Add red herrings. If the plot twist is a shock to the narrator, make sure they miss things the reader doesn’t miss and make sure they aren’t super reliable. It all adds to that cloud of mystery around the reveal. It keeps the reader inside the narrative, not thrust out by a plot twist that comes from thin air. Trust the reader and trust your ability to manipulate the illusion of reality. 

The mild, unbelievable danger that the cliff-hanger so often relies upon is an idea that easily triggers examples. Again, mostly TV episode endings are guilty of this. What this involves is a life-or-death situation involving a main character that the reader knows (or at least believes wholeheartedly) cannot die. Therefore the cliff-hanger’s life-or-death danger becomes the opposite because the reader believes the character will leave the situation alive. How to combat this? Easy. Don’t put them in a life-or-death situation (this also goes for scenes that aren’t cliff-hangers). It’s boring if you think or know the character will live no matter what. However, hopefully by this point, the reader is invested in the character fully and cares about their wellbeing (because their life is safe). So, exploit that. Offer up a situation where the character’s fears, vulnerabilities, and weaknesses are played against them. Because even though they may escape this situation alive, the reader will (probably) begin to wonder what other things are at risk. The character’s happiness, significant other, assets, stability, et al.  Those things become muted points when the danger is heavily reliant upon an unbelievable life-or-death situation. 

However, there is an addendum to this. If your story features a rather large MC cast and you have proven your willingness to kill off some of them in the past, then a life-or-death cliff-hanger could still maintain its intended effect. Just… don’t overuse it. 

tl;dr TORTURE YOUR CHARACTERS AND DON’T PLAY YOUR READERS FOR CHUMPS. 

//

If you take away only one thing from these 5 examples, let it be this:

The key to a satisfying ending is reflection.

It doesn’t have to be overt reflection (trust me when I say subtle reflection is usually better), but the ending should show in one way or another the changes that have taken place over the story and the resolution that has befallen the characters. The ending wraps it all up into a bite-size piece of text and is the last thing you leave your readers with. Proceed with thoughtful consideration and caution. 

Also a quick Q&A: 

Q: “I don’t know how to choose the right ending.”

A: Do a couple different things while brainstorming:

Imagine the ending of your story using each of these examples as well as others you think of

If the story is first-person or heavily driven by the MC, ask “how would this character end the telling of their story?”

Consider the overall tone and themes of your story– some endings fit those better than others

Ask “what ending offers the amount of closure I’m trying to give?”

Look at works of fiction similar to yours and their endings. Which work and which aren’t fulfilling?

This was a long post. Whew. You’re a peach if you read it all the way through. Hopefully this helps you on your writing journey. 

Writing Chronic Pain

By a person who kinda sorta has chronic pain (I am getting better) <3

First I want to say that all of this is general advice and nothing I could possibly say would constitute a “rule.” Also, this advice is extremely specific to pain resulting from an old injury. My experience is only one person’s, but I thought it might be helpful so here goes.

Describing pain

It is surprisingly difficult to accurately describe pain, especially when that pain is long-term and evolving. My injury was in my knee, under my kneecap, and almost two years out, I still have trouble even identifying if the pain is coming from the top or back of my knee. It sounds small, but it isn’t. Not being able to describe what you’re feeling or where it is can be frustrating and feel invalidating, especially if you’re trying to explain to someone else what’s going on.

It doesn’t always feel like pain, or any words commonly associated with pain (throbbing, aching, etc.) A lot of the time it’s hot, swollen, or even itchy. 

When you’re used to something hurting all the time, your relationship to that pain changes. I started to think of it less as pain and more as discomfort, or an “awareness” of my knee that I didn’t have for other body parts. This isn’t denial - my pain threshold had changed, and what might have registered as pain before didn’t affect me in the same way.

Complicating factors, AKA Things That Make It Worse

Something I never ever see addressed, even though “my old bones hurt when it’s cold” is the most common thing on earth:

My leg also swells and gets worse when it’s hot. Extremes in temperature, generally speaking, are both not good for me, but it’s easier to protect from cold than from heat.

Especially for joints, moving in new ways puts new strain on the injury, and that hurts a lot. You might do PT to recover your ability to run, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to jump. In fact, if it’s a knee injury, jumping is probably the last thing you’ll get back. Think the same way about hips, or ankles, or elbows and shoulders. Having one thing back =/= getting everything back.

Some things might never come back. I don’t really want to talk about this, and it’s pretty self-explanatory. There’s a lot of grief that comes with that.

Endurance builds back slowly, and isn’t always linear.

I think everyone knows this already, but there are good days and bad days. They don’t follow any schedule or logic. Sometimes I do something knowing that I’ll be in pain that night, but other times I wake up, sit at my desk for a few hours, and realize I’ll have to take 4 Advil to get through the day. 

Things that help!

Rest! Physical therapy! Painkillers!

Elevating the injury (above the heart) is shockingly helpful. I was always surprised by what a difference it made.

Sleeping in positions that don’t put stress the affected area. Positions that actively support it are even better! Pillows help a lot with this. Sharing a bed with someone…not so helpful.

Before doing something strenuous, heating up the muscles/joints so that it’s less of a shock to the system when they’re used. After doing something strenuous, ice.

A note about ice packs: Even small ice packs can make you very, very cold. When I’m icing my knee, I definitely need warm socks. If I’m icing my shoulder, I’d want something for my hands. A blanket definitely doesn’t hurt.

Effects of being in pain all/most of the time

It’s hard to sleep! Sometimes I will walk around all day without really processing that my leg hurts, and then I’ll lie in bed and realize that I can’t sleep because I can’t stop thinking about my knee. It doesn’t necessarily register as pain, but I have come to realize that not being able to stop thinking about it = it is pain.

It is hard to ask for help, and it doesn’t get easier. In fact, sometimes it feels like it gets harder. People are less understanding the farther out you are from the actual injury - or at least I worry that they will be.

And finally

This one is a HUGE for me.

I know people love to write sweet, long-suffering angels but I really really struggle with that portrayal because

When I am in pain all day/for several days, I turn into a massive fucking bitch. It is exhausting and infuriating and drains me emotionally and physically, even if I don’t notice it happening. I get frustrated easily, I snap at people, and while all my emotions run high, mostly I get pissed off. I understand people want to write the characters they want to write, and I would never ask anyone not to, even if that character is a perfect angel whose response to pain makes me envious and self-conscious. I would (gently) request that such authors reflect on a few things:

Why does your character respond to pointless, unstoppable pain with such bravery or sweetness or stoicism? Where does that response come from, and what does it do for your character and the characters around them? What are the consequences of holding back more “unsavory” feelings? 

I would also (again, gently and respectfully) urge people to think hard about the motivations behind having a character who stays kind and sweet and good despite massive amounts of pain and helplessness. What ideas does this reinforce about pain and martyrdom in the disability community? What messages does it send about how disabled people can or even “should” behave?

That’s all I have for now! Please feel free to ask questions, my ask box is always open. Please also let me know if this is helpful to you - I’m considering writing a few more things about disabilities/diagnoses that I have direct experience with, and I’m wondering if people are interested in that.

Thanks for reading!

i will attempt to make this short & sweet. thank you all for keeping me going this year, which will stick out as one of the worst & most difficult of my lifetime. each & every one of you is special to me. were it not for this silly hobby i know i wouldn’t be alive, let alone somewhat sane, which is strange to consider. but you are my friends. & you are the people i look to most for support & love. & i receive it without fail. happy new year, guys. & thank you, from my heart. again.                                                                    A TOAST TO YOU. 

▎TO A SPECIAL TWO. 

@fracturedportrait // @ensnaredinamorata || this should come as no surprise, but harmony, i love you. you came into my life as a passing glance & now i can’t stop staring. your muses have helped mine develop so much in a short time, i learn from you each & every day. you weren’t around for the harder parts of this year, but you came during the aftermath - you took my broken heart & gave me a reason to smile, to laugh, & to be creative again. you cleaned up one hell of a mess, you became one of my very best friends. you’re my girlfriend, but you are also still that - my best friend, my muse. my darling punk rock princess. thank you.  @defenestratio // @thelastthinginpandorasbox || kat, KATERPILLAR - my sweet darling dear. i cannot even express how much you mean to me. you’re always there, literally always. when i need a friend or a thread or a place to liveblog, you are there. which is something i’m not used to, but am easily becoming addicted to. your writing is amazeballs & inspires me daily, not to mention i’m sure i’ve gotten smarter just by knowing you. your alana is perfect, & you are perfect to me. my muses are head over heels & i’m just fucking attached. never leave me, i adore you too much. thank you for being here. 

▎TO THE NEW FRIENDS. ( of this year & many more to come. )

@witchyjuju // @heircss // @tenacioushollis // @mxdam // @juststoplovingme // @legacycaptain // @stolencontrol // @nietsnark // @nctafraiid // @hangtherules // @mrsxaddams // @booksmarting // @incxndia // @persuadedparticipant // @mediicaldoctor // @faiirestofall // @eatyouupalive // @yagaymi // @wiickedly // @theuselesscarmilla // @oftarth// @bcdelia // @feiistres

▎& THE ONES WHO HAVE STUCK AROUND ( for this year & the past ones. )

@eludingklaus // @brookesmxrt // @paigeatyourservice // @cautuslupus // @puckisms // @dinodelicacy // @minacixus // @sanguisaeternus // @pxrcelain // @everythingthelxghttouches // @jxgglejuice // @prodigiousliar // @prodituum // @fakedpersona // @amelia-hurricane-shepherd // @magiqxe // @sunshiinedd

▎& TO THE TALENTED ONES I’VE YET TO MEET ( this is me saying hi & ily. )

@endlcss // @yourbcss //  @domestiics // @notamcnster // @consensiio // @evilreine // @knowndeath // @wearscmethingblack // @amademonster // @bandiitry // @whoslaughin // @purrsuasion

♛ PRINCE BINX BLOG LIST

adroitbedfellows // multi-muse // 16 muses so far. 

inexactexpiration // carmilla karnstein // single muse

faultyadonis // danny lawrence // single muse 

spxtted // 101 multi-muse // 20 pups 2 dogs. 

ipreferhandsome // novel based multi // 20 ish muses 

thatsmydiick // beca mitchell // single muse

Guys... we need to talk. First of all, if you’ve read any of my bp writing you all know that I’ve never supported or written the reader as white. I’ve never claimed to be black, because I’m not. The entire reason I’ve had beta readers for previous work was to get the perspectives of several black readers to incorporate their perspectives and opinions into my writing. I understand why this is important, and I also understand why some people may be upset and not want a different kind of POC to write. What I don’t understand is all of the name calling on this persons end. If it weren’t for the threats they made I wouldn’t bother to post them at all, but I do have the right to defend myself and provide proof that I never engaged in abusive language. Please do not send them any hate. It won’t accomplish anything. What I do need to know is this - do any other black readers have a problem with me writing? If you do, please respectfully let me know (ex. ‘I have a problem’ or ‘me’ in the comments) If this is an issue that is synonymous with the fandom, I will happily step down and instead compile a list of black writers in the fandom to direct you towards. This blog is meant to make people happy, myself included.

US Helplines:

Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696

Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433

LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743

Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438

Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673

Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272

Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000

Exhale: After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-4394253

Child Abuse: 1-800-422-4453

UK Helplines:

Samaritans (for any problem): 08457909090 e-mail jo@samaritans.org

Childline (for anyone under 18 with any problem): 08001111

Mind infoline (mental health information): 0300 123 3393 e-mail: info@mind.org.uk

Mind legal advice (for people who need mental-health related legal advice): 0300 466 6463 legal@mind.org.uk

b-eat eating disorder support: 0845 634 14 14 (only open Mon-Fri 10.30am-8.30pm and Saturday 1pm-4.30pm) e-mail: help@b-eat.co.uk

b-eat youthline (for under 25’s with eating disorders): 08456347650 (open Mon-Fri 4.30pm - 8.30pm, Saturday 1pm-4.30pm)

Cruse Bereavement Care: 08444779400 e-mail: helpline@cruse.org.uk

Frank (information and advice on drugs): 0800776600

Drinkline: 0800 9178282

Rape Crisis England & Wales: 0808 802 9999 1(open 2 - 2.30pm 7 - 9.30pm) e-mail info@rapecrisis.org.uk

Rape Crisis Scotland: 08088 01 03 02 every day, 6pm to midnight

India Self Harm Hotline: 00 08001006614

India Suicide Helpline: 022-27546669

Kids Help Phone (Canada): 1-800-668-6868

FREE 24/7 suicide hotlines:

Argentina: 54-0223-493-0430

Australia: 13-11-14

Austria: 01-713-3374

Barbados: 429-9999

Belgium: 106

Botswana: 391-1270

Brazil: 21-233-9191

China: 852-2382-0000

(Hong Kong: 2389-2222)

Costa Rica: 606-253-5439

Croatia: 01-4833-888

Cyprus: 357-77-77-72-67

Czech Republic: 222-580-697, 476-701-908

Denmark: 70-201-201

Egypt: 762-1602

Estonia: 6-558-088

Finland: 040-5032199

France: 01-45-39-4000

Germany: 0800-181-0721

Greece: 1018

Guatemala: 502-234-1239

Holland: 0900-0767

Honduras: 504-237-3623

Hungary: 06-80-820-111

Iceland: 44-0-8457-90-90-90

Israel: 09-8892333

Italy: 06-705-4444

Japan: 3-5286-9090

Latvia: 6722-2922, 2772-2292

Malaysia: 03-756-8144

(Singapore: 1-800-221-4444)

Mexico: 525-510-2550

Netherlands: 0900-0767

New Zealand: 4-473-9739

New Guinea: 675-326-0011

Nicaragua: 505-268-6171

Norway: 47-815-33-300

Philippines: 02-896-9191

Poland: 52-70-000

Portugal: 239-72-10-10

Russia: 8-20-222-82-10

Spain: 91-459-00-50

South Africa: 0861-322-322

South Korea: 2-715-8600

Sweden: 031-711-2400

Switzerland: 143

Taiwan: 0800-788-995

Thailand: 02-249-9977

Trinidad and Tobago: 868-645-2800

Ukraine: 0487-327715

(Source)

I Need your Help Guys...

Hi everyone,

I know it’s been a really long time since you’ve seen any original content from me, and I truly apologize for that. For the past few years I’ve been focused on a University program to help me pay the bills and save up to afford to move out, but now like so many of you reading this classes are no longer an option. 

I’m so sorry that I even have to ask this of you guys, but I’m completely without options here. The truth is - I’m in debt and have absolutely no money saved. With that being said, for the foreseeable future I’ll be accepting commissions for my writing. By the end of the month I will be completely out of my medications for my ADD and clinical depression/anxiety disorders.

I realize that almost all of you are in a similar situation that I am, and do not wish to guilt or burden anyone with this post. If you cannot afford/don’t want to help my situation, I completely understand. Even reblogging this post could help me immensely. Thank you for even reading this far. 

I’ll have more details under the cut.

Thank you so much for clicking this far. I’m extremely grateful to still have my little fam jam here on Tumblr, and I promise to work hard to deliver on my commissions.

I am open to writing any content you guys wish to see! I do accept smutty requests as well, you can read an example of my writing here. You can read an example of my smutty writing here as well. 

Since this writing piece will be written for you specifically, it is up to you if you wish to have the story written as a reader insert or customized to you. It is also up to you if you want your fic to be published for the public, or only for you to see. Please scroll to the bottom of this post to see which fandoms I’ll write for!

Pricing

For every 1 Ko-Fi ($3.00 USD) I will write 2,500 words for you. If you choose to donate the amount of 2 Ko-Fi’s, I’ll write your request with 5,000 words minimum and so on and so forth. 

Please DM me once you’ve sent a payment via Ko-Fi with the details of your request, and upon confirmation from me that I’ve read your request and understand what it is you wish to see, I will write your request within a week maximum. The link for my Ko-Fi account is in my description, but you can also click here.

Fandoms

I will write for anyone you want from any of the following fandoms: 

Marvel 

Kingsman

Star Wars

Criminal Minds

Shadowhunters

the 100

Teen Wolf

Harry Potter

Supernatural

NCIS / NCIS: LA / NCIS: New Orleans

If you have someone else in mind from another fandom that you don’t see here, let me know! There’s a good chance I’m forgetting several fandoms.

Thanks again for your time guys. I look forward to seeing what you guys have in store!

Words for Skin Tone | How to Describe Skin Color

We discussed the issues describing People of Color by means of food in Part I of this guide, which brought rise to even more questions, mostly along the lines of “So, if food’s not an option, what can I use?” Well, I was just getting to that!

This final portion focuses on describing skin tone, with photo and passage examples provided throughout. I hope to cover everything from the use of straight-forward description to the more creatively-inclined, keeping in mind the questions we’ve received on this topic.

Standard Description

Basic Colors

Pictured above: Black, Brown, Beige, White, Pink.

“She had brown skin.”

This is a perfectly fine description that, while not providing the most detail, works well and will never become cliché.

Describing characters’ skin as simply brown or beige works on its own, though it’s not particularly telling just from the range in brown alone.

Complex Colors

These are more rarely used words that actually “mean” their color. Some of these have multiple meanings, so you’ll want to look into those to determine what other associations a word might have.

Pictured above: Umber, Sepia, Ochre, Russet, Terra-cotta, Gold, Tawny, Taupe, Khaki, Fawn.

Complex colors work well alone, though often pair well with a basic color in regards to narrowing down shade/tone.

For example: Golden brown, russet brown, tawny beige…

As some of these are on the “rare” side, sliding in a definition of the word within the sentence itself may help readers who are unfamiliar with the term visualize the color without seeking a dictionary.

“He was tall and slim, his skin a russet, reddish-brown.”

Comparisons to familiar colors or visuals are also helpful:

“His skin was an ochre color, much like the mellow-brown light that bathed the forest.”

Modifiers

Modifiers, often adjectives, make partial changes to a word.The following words are descriptors in reference to skin tone.

Dark - Deep - Rich - Cool

Warm - Medium - Tan

Fair - Light - Pale

Rich Black, Dark brown, Warm beige, Pale pink…

If you’re looking to get more specific than “brown,” modifiers narrow down shade further.

Keep in mind that these modifiers are not exactly colors.

As an already brown-skinned person, I get tan from a lot of sun and resultingly become a darker, deeper brown. I turn a pale, more yellow-brown in the winter.

While best used in combination with a color, I suppose words like “tan” “fair” and “light” do work alone; just note that tan is less likely to be taken for “naturally tan” and much more likely a tanned White person.

Calling someone “dark” as description on its own is offensive to some and also ambiguous. (See: Describing Skin as Dark)

Undertones

Undertones are the colors beneath the skin, seeing as skin isn’t just one even color but has more subdued tones within the dominating palette.

pictured above: warm / earth undertones: yellow, golden, copper, olive, bronze, orange, orange-red, coral | cool / jewel undertones: pink, red, blue, blue-red, rose, magenta, sapphire, silver. 

Mentioning the undertones within a character’s skin is an even more precise way to denote skin tone.

As shown, there’s a difference between say, brown skin with warm orange-red undertones (Kelly Rowland) and brown skin with cool, jewel undertones (Rutina Wesley).

“A dazzling smile revealed the bronze glow at her cheeks.”

“He always looked as if he’d ran a mile, a constant tinge of pink under his tawny skin.”

Standard Description Passage

“Farah’s skin, always fawn, had burned and freckled under the summer’s sun. Even at the cusp of autumn, an uneven tan clung to her skin like burrs. So unlike the smooth, red-brown ochre of her mother, which the sun had richened to a blessing.”

-From my story “Where Summer Ends” featured in Strange Little Girls

Here the state of skin also gives insight on character.

Note my use of “fawn” in regards to multiple meaning and association. While fawn is a color, it’s also a small, timid deer, which describes this very traumatized character of mine perfectly.

Though I use standard descriptions of skin tone more in my writing, at the same time I’m no stranger to creative descriptions, and do enjoy the occasional artsy detail of a character.

Creative Description

Whether compared to night-cast rivers or day’s first light…I actually enjoy seeing Characters of Colors dressed in artful detail.

I’ve read loads of descriptions in my day of white characters and their “smooth rose-tinged ivory skin”, while the PoC, if there, are reduced to something from a candy bowl or a Starbucks drink, so to actually read of PoC described in lavish detail can be somewhat of a treat.

Still, be mindful when you get creative with your character descriptions. Too many frills can become purple-prose-like, so do what feels right for your writing when and where. Not every character or scene warrants a creative description, either. Especially if they’re not even a secondary character.

Using a combination of color descriptions from standard to creative is probably a better method than straight creative. But again, do what’s good for your tale.

Natural Settings - Sky

Pictured above: Harvest Moon -Twilight, Fall/Autumn Leaves, Clay, Desert/Sahara, Sunlight - Sunrise - Sunset - Afterglow - Dawn- Day- Daybreak, Field - Prairie - Wheat, Mountain/Cliff, Beach/Sand/Straw/Hay.

Now before you run off to compare your heroine’s skin to the harvest moon or a cliff side, think about the associations to your words.

When I think cliff, I think of jagged, perilous, rough. I hear sand and picture grainy, yet smooth. Calm. mellow.

So consider your character and what you see fit to compare them to.

Also consider whose perspective you’re describing them from. Someone describing a person they revere or admire may have a more pleasant, loftier description than someone who can’t stand the person.

“Her face was like the fire-gold glow of dawn, lifting my gaze, drawing me in.”

“She had a sandy complexion, smooth and tawny.”

Even creative descriptions tend to draw help from your standard words.

Flowers

Pictured above: Calla lilies, Western Coneflower, Hazel Fay, Hibiscus, Freesia, Rose

It was a bit difficult to find flowers to my liking that didn’t have a 20 character name or wasn’t called something like “chocolate silk” so these are the finalists. 

You’ll definitely want to avoid purple-prose here.

Also be aware of flowers that most might’ve never heard of. Roses are easy, as most know the look and coloring(s) of this plant. But Western coneflowers? Calla lilies? Maybe not so much.

“He entered the cottage in a huff, cheeks a blushing brown like the flowers Nana planted right under my window. Hazel Fay she called them, was it?”

Assorted Plants & Nature

Pictured above: Cattails, Seashell, Driftwood, Pinecone, Acorn, Amber

These ones are kinda odd. Perhaps because I’ve never seen these in comparison to skin tone, With the exception of amber.

At least they’re common enough that most may have an idea what you’re talking about at the mention of “pinecone.“ 

I suggest reading out your sentences aloud to get a better feel of how it’ll sounds.

"Auburn hair swept past pointed ears, set around a face like an acorn both in shape and shade.”

I pictured some tree-dwelling being or person from a fantasy world in this example, which makes the comparison more appropriate.

I don’t suggest using a comparison just “cuz you can” but actually being thoughtful about what you’re comparing your character to and how it applies to your character and/or setting.

Wood

Pictured above: Mahogany, Walnut, Chestnut, Golden Oak, Ash

Wood can be an iffy description for skin tone. Not only due to several of them having “foody” terminology within their names, but again, associations.

Some people would prefer not to compare/be compared to wood at all, so get opinions, try it aloud, and make sure it’s appropriate to the character if you do use it.

“The old warlock’s skin was a deep shade of mahogany, his stare serious and firm as it held mine.”

Metals

Pictured above: Platinum, Copper, Brass, Gold, Bronze

Copper skin, brass-colored skin, golden skin…

I’ve even heard variations of these used before by comparison to an object of the same properties/coloring, such as penny for copper.

These also work well with modifiers.

“The dress of fine white silks popped against the deep bronze of her skin.”

Gemstones - Minerals

Pictured above: Onyx, Obsidian, Sard, Topaz, Carnelian, Smoky Quartz, Rutile, Pyrite, Citrine, Gypsum

These are trickier to use. As with some complex colors, the writer will have to get us to understand what most of these look like.

If you use these, or any more rare description, consider if it actually “fits” the book or scene.

Even if you’re able to get us to picture what “rutile” looks like, why are you using this description as opposed to something else? Have that answer for yourself.

“His skin reminded her of the topaz ring her father wore at his finger, a gleaming stone of brown, mellow facades.” 

Physical Description

Physical character description can be more than skin tone.

Show us hair, eyes, noses, mouth, hands…body posture, body shape, skin texture… though not necessarily all of those nor at once.

Describing features also helps indicate race, especially if your character has some traits common within the race they are, such as afro hair to a Black character.

How comprehensive you decide to get is up to you. I wouldn’t overdo it and get specific to every mole and birthmark. Noting defining characteristics is good, though, like slightly spaced front teeth, curls that stay flopping in their face, hands freckled with sunspots…

General Tips

Indicate Race Early: I suggest indicators of race be made at the earliest convenience within the writing, with more hints threaded throughout here and there.

Get Creative On Your Own: Obviously, I couldn’t cover every proper color or comparison in which has been “approved” to use for your characters’ skin color, so it’s up to you to use discretion when seeking other ways and shades to describe skin tone.

Skin Color May Not Be Enough: Describing skin tone isn’t always enough to indicate someone’s ethnicity. As timeless cases with readers equating brown to “dark white” or something, more indicators of race may be needed.

Describe White characters and PoC Alike: You should describe the race and/or skin tone of your white characters just as you do your Characters of Color. If you don’t, you risk implying that White is the default human being and PoC are the “Other”).

PSA: Don’t use “Colored.” Based on some asks we’ve received using this word, I’d like to say that unless you or your character is a racist grandmama from the 1960s, do not call People of Color “colored” please. 

Not Sure Where to Start? You really can’t go wrong using basic colors for your skin descriptions. It’s actually what many people prefer and works best for most writing. Personally, I tend to describe my characters using a combo of basic colors + modifiers, with mentions of undertones at times. I do like to veer into more creative descriptions on occasion.

Want some alternatives to “skin” or “skin color”? Try: Appearance, blend, blush, cast, coloring, complexion, flush, glow, hue, overtone, palette, pigmentation, rinse, shade, sheen, spectrum, tinge, tint, tone, undertone, value, wash.

Skin Tone Resources

List of Color Names

The Color Thesaurus

Skin Undertone & Color Matching

Tips and Words on Describing Skin

Photos: Undertones Described (Modifiers included)

Online Thesaurus (try colors, such as “red” & “brown”)

Don’t Call me Pastries: Creative Skin Tones w/ pics I 

Writing & Description Guides

WWC Featured Description Posts

WWC Guide: Words to Describe Hair

Writing with Color: Description & Skin Color Tags

7 Offensive Mistakes Well-intentioned Writers Make

I tried to be as comprehensive as possible with this guide, but if you have a question regarding describing skin color that hasn’t been answered within part I or II of this guide, or have more questions after reading this post, feel free to ask!

~ Mod Colette

nonverbal starters prompts featuring nonverbal scenarios.

guide take them by the hand, arm, or shoulder to guide them.

shelter protect them.

shove push them.

loop drape an arm around their shoulders.

touch a gentle touch like rubbing their back, hugging them, holding their hand. 

kiss a kiss on the cheek, knuckles, forehead, in their hair.

palm smack them upside the head.

bed rest gently push them back down when they try getting out of bed.

aid help them with a task.

note pass a note to them.

cry wipe away their tears.

wash wipe something off their forehead, cheek, so on.

bandage patch them up when they get hurt.

heal take care of them when they get sick.

book silently read a story with them. 

carry pick them up. 

scrap punch them.

cherry find blood on them.

sit help them sit down.  

medical wake up in the hospital and find them holding their hand.

steer place a hand under their chin to make them look up. 

beat dance with them.

stare stare them down. 

off track get lost with them.

no shaking their head in disagreement. 

yes nodding their head in agreement.

rush tackle them to the ground.

open hold the door open for them.