patronising little fuck
This is why it is the ultimate Enemies-to-Lovers slow-burn.
No because pride and prejudice isn't "I changed myself for you so you would love me back." It's "your blatant rejection and disdain for me made me realize things about myself no one had ever been bold enough to tell me so I sat down and evaluated all my behavior patterns and why they came about and came to the realization myself that I had to work on myself. Also I don't expect you to love me now that I'm a work in progress, so I'm just going to do nice things for you because I don't like seeing you hurt." No wonder P&P fans refuse to settle.
This set is perfection. I'm obsessed.
Pride and Prejudice (2005) + tumblr posts (part 1)
They're friendship was EVERYTHING. The way he loved Xaden but let it be very clear that his loyalty was to Violet, just...Ah. Love it. They're a great example of a pure, platonic relationship.
🤍 Violet and Liam 🤍
It’s fitting that they should be the first pair I draw from this book series. For as much as I love Violet and Xaden’s love, Violet and Liam’s friendship was the one that unexpectedly DESTROYED me.
But I’m 100% doing Xaden and Violet next 🤪
the elusive 7 act Structure
All the time. It's a growing problem. It's almost like I think if my eyes skip over quickly, it won't matter, my brain will somehow still absorb it (Plot twist - it doesn't, and I need to start the paragraph, or, indeed, the page, over).
Me, right now.
I've been letting a story idea marinate in my head for a week and there are so many avenues I could take, but I'm also nervous to even start. Mainly because the last few things I've tried to write, I've literally deleted upon reading.
I miss the old me. She used to write daily, thousands of words, and did not give a shit if the first draft sucked. She went back and wrote it again.
I freeze. Like, Deer-In-Headlights-Freeze. Why? Who the fuck knows. But if anyone has any advice other than, "Just write through it, it will be fine!," I'd be eternally grateful.
The Cruel Prince Sketches
Artist: @honeyypears
But interacting with fandoms and getting to see amazing content from so many talented people is such a treat. I can't believe I managed to stay away for so long.
Oh no - I totally agree with you! Canon-wise, Ron is the ONLY choice. It would have been tragic for her to be paired off with someone else - it wouldn't have matched the tone of the story at all.
Literally just on a realisitc, psychological level and returning to these characters as an adult, the brain does kind of go, "Wowwww this could have gone down so differently."
But you're welcome. And thank you for also not being rude and for engaging in this back and forth! :)
You're so welcome - it was a great meme.
I agree, if we follow the canon ending and even Cursed Child, the relationship is solid. 10/10 for friendship and love.
But I can't help but also look at it now in a different lens. Perhaps in a more idealistic, they've survived the war, they're in love, etc., this all works. Yes, I totally agree they would have planned and spoken about it - Brightest Witch of Her Age isn't just having children without thought.
And when looking at the original canon, I can completely understand why no one would ship Hermione/Draco. Talk about toxic issues! Like, I'm 100% certain none of bullies most of us faced went to the same level that Draco Malfoy did, and I think we'd all rather be caught streaking in a city center in the middle of winter than in a romantic situation with our childhood bullies.
However, the allure of the pairing makes sense. He was a reluctant pawn in a war, doing the absolute most for his family's sake. As the original series states, he was also "just a boy." It would be reasonable to expect that there was a course of reformation for the child soldiers caught up in the middle of the war; on both sides. Which does open us up to the redemption arc that's so popular in the fanfiction timelines.
The reason I think people can see why Ron/Hermione don't work comes down to their core personalities. Would he try and idealise her? Would their be resentment down the line for her career aspirations and the time it takes to succeed? As I said, I do 100% think that they loved each other and that, at the time of writing/publication, their pairing made perfect sense. I'd have been distraught if she'd ended up with Harry or some other random side character. But if the book were published today, do I think Ron would have been the appropriate match? Probably not. Maybe for her first serious relationship as they navigate post-war WW and early adulthood, but not for their late 20s/early 30s. Also, can I just add - this is why I came back to Tumblr - healthy and respectful debate/chat about characters we all know/love. So thank you! <3
I don’t know about you guys, but I can only answer “what’s your character’s favorite flavor of ice cream” so many times before I realize those lists are not going to help me actually write the character.
So, instead, I like to drabble practice. Answer these ten key questions about your character (answer in character). Then, after you know them a little better, write ten scenes (NOT part of your planned story) with the ten prompts below. Set it in your world, but it can be whenever you want—pre-story, or post-story, or mid-story. You could even write two scenes for one prompt, contrasting where your character starts the story and where they end up, or write one in first person and then write it again in third.
Just has to cover events that are NOT plot points. The point of the exercise is to come up with scenes you can toss out as soon as you finish them. You might end up using some of the lines or scenes you come up with, but for now you’re just playing around.
QUESTIONS
What does your character tell everyone is their greatest fear? What is it actually? Is it the same? Why or why not?
What is their greatest strength and greatest weakness?
Name the most important people to this character. All of them. Family and close friends and lovers.
Does your character have enemies? Who and why?
What is your character’s favorite holiday and why?
How does your character like to present himself/herself? How do they dress? How do they act? Are they friendly or standoffish? Do they like to make a scene, or are they a wallflower?
What is their love language? How do they express it, and how do they best receive it?
What is their highest virtue? What is something that peers would praise about your character? What do they value most in other people?
Are they messy or neat? Why or why not?
If your character could change one thing about their life, what would it be and why? And, conversely, if they could only save one thing from their life, what would it be?
PROMPTS
Your character has had a bad day. What happened?
Your character’s loved one is sick. What do they do?
It’s your character’s birthday.
Someone is hiding something from your character. How do they uncover what it is?
Your character has just heard the news. A character they loved is dead. Describe the rest of their day.
Your character is on their own for dinner.
Your character has the day to himself/herself. No responsibilities, nothing. What do they do?
In the middle of the night, your character hears a noise in the house.
Your character knows they will die at midnight. What is their last day like?
Your character suddenly develops amnesia. Their loved ones try to jog your character’s memories by taking them to familiar locations and reminiscing.
me trying to decide which of my fav dramione fics to reread tonight
Manacled by senlinyu {https://archiveofourown.org/works/14454174/chapters/33390198}
Isolation by bexchan {https://archiveofourown.org/works/23461513?view_full_work=true}
Rights and Wrongs series by LovesBitca8 {https://archiveofourown.org/series/1007625}
Remain Nameless by HeyJude19 {https://archiveofourown.org/works/23875939/chapters/57393508}
Breath Mints / Battle Scars by Onyx_and_Elm {https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/35668776?show_comments=true}
Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love by isthisselfcare {https://archiveofourown.org/works/34500952/chapters/85870804}
Wait and Hope by mightbewriting {https://archiveofourown.org/works/22818646/chapters/54531817}
Bring Him to His Knees by Musyc {https://archiveofourown.org/works/24481312/chapters/59089624}
Dragon’s Heartstrings by pinkinku {https://archiveofourown.org/works/46585585/chapters/117313114}
Cherry Mint by dirtymudblood {https://archiveofourown.org/works/21053894/chapters/50081633}
Love In A Time Of The Zombie Apocalypse by rizzlewrites {https://archiveofourown.org/works/28137807/chapters/68944698}
All You Want by senlinyu {https://archiveofourown.org/works/15153092/chapters/35140268}
Apple Pies and Other Amends by ToEatAPeach {https://archiveofourown.org/works/8156101/chapters/18691246}
The Gloriana Set by ThebeMoon {https://archiveofourown.org/works/16821571/chapters/39485710}
Love and Other Misfortunes by senlinyu {https://archiveofourown.org/works/14380728/chapters/33204618}
This World or Any Other series by olivieblake {https://archiveofourown.org/series/502333}
Okay, this is very funny.
Now, apart from the occassional piece of fanfic I'd seen as a teenager, I was very much a Romione girl. As a girl who had been hopelessly in love with her best friend, they were my beacon of, "See?! It all works out in the end! It can happen!!"
But now as an adult, rereading HP and also stumbling headfirst into the world of fanfic, it never would have worked.
Harmione would have been ridiculous, for many reasons, but Romione is the relationship that would have worked for a while, but not lasted. They loved each other, absolutely, but they wanted different things. As much as I adore the ending of the HP series, in a more nuanced setting, it wouldn't have worked.
They'd have been bonded by their trauma, yes, loved each other, yes, and yes, I think they suited each other - as teens/early twenties. But I don't believe Hermione would have given up her ambitions to build The Burrow II. I don't think Ron would have been capable of stepping back and letting her shine.
They would love each other, but after a few years, they'd realize it didn't fit.
I think that's why people gravitate towards Dramione (along with the obvious chemistry between the two actors who brought them to life on the big screen and their friendship off-screen - hell, I'm still holding out hope for them). I think people can more easily imagine an organic, adult relationship growing out of their dynamic. Every fanfic seems to have a similar thread - a rivalry that eventually evolves into respect and into more. There is a power dynamic that ebbs and flows between the two characters, as opposed to guilt tripping and the over-familiarity between her and Ron. I realize this could be me going way too far down the rabbit hole and overthinking it, but I genuinely think this is why.
I've ended up falling down a Dramione rabbit hole. I read some really amazing ones (Wait and Hope and Draco Malfoy and The Mortifying Ordeal of Being In Love are probably my favorites, although Measure of a Man was also PHENOMENAL).
However, I've just finished Manacled. It was so well written and absolutely brilliant, but holy shit on a stick if it didn't break my heart.
The alternate ending to the Battle of Hogwarts was worse than even my panicked teenaged brain could have come up with back when Deathly Hallows actually came out. I wept for characters I've always loved in ways I didn't think I could.
I finished the flashback scenes last night and thought about them all morning, until I forced myself to get back into it and read the rest of the story. Which was still devastating. But honestly.
I am currently drowning my sorrows in Meg Cabot's cheerful writing and then I'll have to reread something funny and familiar. All the people telling me they've reread Manacled, like, HOW?! I need a few years away from it before I could think of rereading.
This is brilliant.
Can we also please stop with trashing on tropes? If you don't like it, don't read it. I've seen so many posts across various social media talking about all of the tropes people don't like, including even in regards to the language used (especially in Romance/Fantasy) and it's frustrating - if you don't like it, don't read it. But stop being an ass about it for the rest of us.
I would be so interested in a prequel that shows Madoc's backstory, what happened with his first wife, and how he and Oriana came to be together. I reckon it would be more political/adventurous, but still. I think it would be so interesting to see how his moral compass actually works and to know more details about what happened to lead to the events of the main series.
Not Madoc giving me the most emotional responses in this book. 🥹
Listen, Madoc is the most complex, the most morally grey, the most treacherous, and yet, I adore him.
Hi,
I have received a few notes about typesets of Mortifying being sold on Etsy, which I report as they crop up, often to little effect. Please don’t pay for typesets of my -- or, indeed, of any -- fanfic.
Some lovely people have made Mortifying Ordeal typesets available for free. Thank you very much to these creators for sharing their beautiful work:
Typeset by Jackie (2 volumes)
Typeset by mrsyoflam (1 volume)
Typeset by ladybobbit (1 volume)
Typeset by TwinSuns (1 volume)
Typeset by DuranBinding (2 volume version also available: 1, 2)
If you know of others, send me a message so I can add them here.
Please keep fandom free!
I will be away until May at which point I hope to catch up with notes xx
So yesterday, I FINALLY read Prisoner's Throne. Finally. It was enjoyable - great fun, had more references to our favorite High King and Queen than Stolen Heir did, and immersive, as usual.
However, I did find a few pacing problems. I don't know if it could have done with being a little longer, or if this duology could have also been a trilogy. I don't know. There were just some plot points that felt a little rushed.
But Holly Black truly is the Queen of Faerie - immersive writing, great world building, and wonderful characters.
frostbite.studios.
reading the jurdan scenes in the prisoner's throne has cured my depression and literally every other problem i have ever had
Franz Kafka, Letters to Milena // Alain de Botton, Essays in Love // Eden Robinson, "Writing Prompts for the Broken-Hearted" // Chloe Liese, Always Only You // Anne Carson and Euripides, An Oresteia // Two—Sleeping At Last // Studio Bones, SK8 the Infinity // Trista Mateer, "is it okay to say this?" // @moodylilac // D. H. Lawrence, "The Rainbow"
I decided to collect all exclusive stories I know of. I have done something similar for SJM books . If you know of any other exclusive story, please let me know! THE CRUEL PRINCE A visit to the Impossible Lands Barnes and Noble edition Deleted Scenes From The Cruel Prince (Some of these are alternate storylines) THE WICKED KING deleted scene from The Wicked King, Barnes and Noble edition THE QUEEN OF NOTHING Cardan’s letters from the Queen of Nothing Barnes and Noble edition, should be read after the book deleted scene from The Queen of Nothing , sent via Holly’s official newsletter THE STOLEN HEIR The Walmart Exclusive Stolen Heir content The Stolen Heir Barnes & Noble Bonus Content, author’s personal journal pages and notes on the manuscript, Some posts I found useful: post about True Names A Guide to Holly Black’s Extended Faerie Universe
A list of all the books in the same world as The Folk of the Air
1. The Cruel Prince
1.5. The Lost Sister (Novella)
2. The Wicked King
1. The Queen of Nothing
3. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories* (Collection of short stories)
1. The Stolen Heir
2. The Prisoner's Throne
• The Modern Faerie Tales
• Darkest Part of the Forest
* The short stories in this book are scattered all through Folk of the Air. I would usually figure out where each short story in the book happens but it actually makes more sense to read all at once after The Wicked king.
I hope this helps you. :)
Thanks for reading.
My dream house, honestly.
One of life’s hardest hurdles is accepting that this house is just a set and doesn’t really exist 😭
In mine and many other east Asian cultures, the dragon traditionally symbolises things like power, wealth and strength (imperial symbol and all)
I think we often forget that in the story of the Great Race, the dragon came in fifth because it'd stopped to give people rain. Then it'd stopped again to push a rabbit adrift on a log across the wide river so it reached the shore safely (that's why the Rabbit year comes before the Dragon).
Dragons aren't meant to just be powerful - they are meant to do good with such power, and to help those in need.
So in this lunar new year, I hope you gain more power, so that you might be able to help others. I pray you have abundant resources so you may give to yourself and those around you. I wish you courage, endurance, kindness and generosity, for yourself and your people.
I hope you, and I, will be rain givers, life preservers, joy bringers.
I hope we will be dragons.
Extremely belated postscript that should have been here far earlier:
Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo 🇵🇸🇸🇩🇨🇩
Oh my goodness. I can't take it.
Blessed Monday witchess