BREAKING NEWS:

Dialogue Thing #13

"Come on, get up! You're gonna be late for..."

"...What?"

"Why...why is your bed...why is your bed full of weapons...!?"

"..."

"What... what is that stuff on them...?"

"... Do you really want an answer to that?"

Oh boy emotional torment

On a side note, anyone know...where I can find giant dissection tools? Asking for a friend....

(This is a joke btw)

Yeah, Nexus's model can be better but actually, I think it suits Nexus.

Because no matter how Nexus refuses to acknowledge, he is still Moon. He has the same attitude, the same way of thinking, the same ego, the same way to react to things when he is desperate.

(Doing things without thinking, being so impulsive and self destructive, throws everyone care about him out of the window )

And when he went down the deep ends, he hurt everyone around him without caring.

It's just that he is more childish, and more self-deprecation. Like the nerd kid that tries hard, in his teenage rebel phase, he tries to do things he thinks will make him the opposite with Moon, but actually it is not.

That is why Nexus is so tall now, because he wants to be more superior than Moon. He also makes himself monstrous, because he thinks badly about himself and thinks this is what him deserve, this is him being a monster. He wants to cut ties with everyone so badly, yet, he still thinks about them, and wears the sign that obviously people would know it is a Moon model because no matter what he did, he can't get rid of himself.

And well, like people said, you only hate someone if you loved them first.

Nexus joked about Earth's burn because it still leaves a mark inside Nexus's heart. He wants to kidnap and torture Lunar, because Lunar distrust him and never try to get close with him anymore after the "Eclipse event".

He mocked Sun because he knows he let Sun down, and that still haunts him until now.

If he truly doesn't care like he said, he wouldn't let them inside his head like that. And that is sad, because just like Moon, Nexus only knows about hurting people who love him the most.

Like the boy in the kindergarten who only knows how to express his love for the girl he likes is pulling her pigtails.

Okay. Today's News. *Taps stack of papers on desk so hard I crumple them*

I loved the little glimpse into the past on The Sun and Moon Show today, and they were both very innocent in their own respects.

"Time to open up a hole in space!"

Moon... I wanted to say, "Don't do impulsive things because you can," but that would make me a hypocrite.

Anyhow, in other news, someone better come and check on Sun right now because the weak stitching holding his sanity together is about to pop. (I can see Puppet's on their way...)

Okay, bye. *Runs out of the news station before I get arrested for trespassing*

Dialogue Thing #14

"Alright, we have your name...uh...are you a boy or a girl?"

"I'm a servant of the Most High."

"... Okay. And you?"

"I'm...the personification of death?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Okay, go on in."

Well, it's official. My hunch was correct:

The Daycare Attendant is the absolute FAVORITE!!

With DJ Music Man in 2nd and Glamrock Freddy in 3rd. Sorry I didn't include the caution bots or Ruin characters, there weren't enough slots.

However, I could do a poll for Ruin in the future.

Anyway, thank you guys for participating!!

I know this has probably already been done, but I have a hunch, so...

Which One Is Your Favorite?

IT GOT BETTER

❤️❤️❤️

I had this thing in my head for a while, so I made a comic as soon I had time! Everyone is having a sleepover in Sun's room.

They need a bigger bed.

Solar and Dazzle's character designs are made by @ayyy-imma-ninja

You can watch the show right here: https://www.youtube.com/@SunMoonShow

How to Make Your Writing Less Stiff Part 3

Crazy how one impulsive post has quickly outshined every other post I have made on this blog. Anyway here’s more to consider. Once again, I am recirculating tried-and-true writing advice that shouldn’t have to compromise your author voice and isn’t always applicable when the narrative demands otherwise.

Part 1

Part 2

1. Eliminating to-be verbs (passive voice)

Am/is/are/was/were are another type of filler that doesn’t add anything to your sentences.

There were fireworks in the sky tonight. /// Fireworks glittered in the sky tonight.

My cat was chirping at the lights on the ceiling. /// My cat chirped at the lights on the ceiling.

She was standing /// She stood

He was running /// He ran

Also applicable in present tense, of which I’ve been stuck writing lately.

There are two fish-net goals on either end of the improvised field. /// Two fish-net goals mark either end of the improvised field.

For once, it’s a cloudless night. /// For once, the stars shine clear.

Sometimes the sentence needs a little finagling to remove the bad verb and sometimes you can let a couple remain if it sounds better with the cadence or syntax. Generally, they’re not necessary and you won’t realize how strange it looks until you go back and delete them (it also helps shave off your word count).

Sometimes the to-be verb is necessary. You're writing in past-tense and must convey that.

He was running out of time does not have the same meaning as He ran out of time, and are not interchangeable. You'd have to change the entire sentence to something probably a lot wordier to escape the 'was'. To-be verbs are not the end of the world.

2. Putting character descriptors in the wrong place

I made a post already about motivated exposition, specifically about character descriptions and the mirror trope, saying character details in the wrong place can look odd and screw with the flow of the paragraph, especially if you throw in too many.

She ties her long, curly, brown tresses up in a messy bun. /// She ties her curls up in a messy brown bun. (bonus alliteration too)

Generally, I see this most often with hair, a terrible rule of threes. Eyes less so, but eyes have their own issue. Eye color gets repeated at an exhausting frequency. Whatever you have in your manuscript, you could probably delete 30-40% of the reminders that the love interest has baby blues and readers would be happy, especially if you use the same metaphor over and over again, like gemstones.

He rolled his bright, emerald eyes. /// He rolled his eyes, a vibrant green in the lamplight.

To me, one reads like you want to get the character description out as fast as possible, so the hand of the author comes in to wave and stop the story to give you the details. Fixing it, my way or another way, stands out less as exposition, which is what character descriptions boil down to—something the audience needs to know to appreciate and/or understand the story.

3. Lacking flow between sentences

Much like sentences that are all about the same length with little variety in syntax, sentences that follow each other like a grocery list or instruction manual instead of a proper narrative are difficult to find gripping.

Jack gets out a stock pot from the cupboard. He fills it with the tap and sets it on the stove. Then, he grabs russet potatoes and butter from the fridge. He leaves the butter out to soften, and sets the pot to boil. He then adds salt to the water.

From the cupboard, Jack drags a hefty stockpot. He fills it with the tap, adds salt to taste, and sets it on the stove.

Russet potatoes or yukon gold? Jack drums his fingers on the fridge door in thought. Russet—that’s what the recipe calls for. He tosses the bag on the counter and the butter beside it to soften.

This is just one version of a possible edit to the first paragraph, not the end-all, be-all perfect reconstruction. It’s not just about having transitions, like ‘then’, it’s about how one sentence flows into the next, and you can accomplish better flow in many different ways.

4. Getting too specific with movement.

I don’t see this super often, but when it happens, it tends to be pretty bad. I think it happens because writers feel the need to overcompensate and over-clarify on what’s happening. Remember: The more specific you get, the more your readers are going to wonder what’s so important about these details. This is fiction, so every detail matters.

A ridiculous example:

Jack walks over to his closet. He kneels down at the shoe rack and tugs his running shoes free. He walks back to his desk chair, sits down, and ties the laces.

Unless tying his shoes is a monumental achievement for this character, all readers would need is:

Jack shoves on his running shoes.

*quick note: Do not add "down" after the following: Kneels, stoops, crouches, squats. The "down" is already implied in the verb.

This also happens with multiple movements in succession.

Beth enters the room and steps on her shoelace, nearly causing her to trip. She kneels and ties her shoes. She stands upright and keeps moving.

Or

Beth walks in and nearly trips over her shoelace. She sighs, reties it, and keeps moving.

Even then, unless Beth is a chronically clumsy character or this near-trip is a side effect of her being late or tired (i.e. meaningful), tripping over a shoelace is kind of boring if it does nothing for her character. Miles Morales’ untied shoelaces are thematically part of his story.

Sometimes, over-describing a character’s movement is meant to show how nervous they are—overthinking everything they’re doing, second-guessing themselves ad nauseam. Or they’re autistic coded and this is how this character normally thinks as deeply methodical. Or, you’re trying to emphasize some mundanity about their life and doing it on purpose.

If you’re not writing something where the extra details service the character or the story at large, consider trimming it.

—

These are *suggestions* and writing is highly subjective. Hope this helps!

I'm autistic and I currently feel like shit checklist

Hi there. Are you autistic? Do you currently feel like shit and don't know why? Try this checklist to see if you can Fix The Problem!

When was the last time you used the bathroom? If you answered "I don't know" or "at least 3 hours ago", go now!

Do you need a drink? Go get one if you don't have one in front of you.

When was the last time you ate? If you haven't eaten yet today, consider eating A Meal, or perhaps A Snack. Something is better than nothing, eat whatever you feel able to!

Is there something in your immediate surroundings that is bothering you? If the light is too bright, turn it off. If there is an annoying sound, make the sound stop or reduce your ability to hear it (earplugs, headphones, etc.). If your clothes are bothering you, change them.

Is your space messy? Pick one area of your room and clean it up as best you can. Clean your whole room if you have the energy!

When was the last time you did An Activity? Scrolling on social media doesn't count. Try actively doing something fun! Play a game you like, read a book, make something, or go for a walk.

When was the last time you Spoke to a Person? Consider talking to a person you like if it has been a while.

How long has it been since you did something Special Interest related? Make some time to do that today. Infodump to a friend, have a nice long research session, look at related images or gifs, make art about it, whatever works best for you!

Try stimming actively! Put on some music and dance, spin in circles, go to the park and use the swings!

If you still feel like shit after trying all of these things, you might be tired or sick. Go to bed early and get some rest. Hopefully you will feel better tomorrow!

Hope that helps :)

information:

John Oliver clip

tumblr post with sources

post with a video breakdown

via nowthisimpact on Instagram

breakdown post

All In With Chris Hayes clip via MSNBC

*Please add any additional sources you may have and find useful*

I encourage everyone to not only be aware of Project 2025, but educate yourself on exactly what is — a nearly one thousand page document by Conservatives that describes the creation of an authoritarian state and dismantling of major necessary agencies (EPA, Department of Education, etc), as well as including a plan to remove those who hold high government seats and replace them with loyalists who have little to no experience in that field.

An estimated 41 million Gen Z teens will turn eighteen before this election. Please make sure you are registered to vote by November, and be sure to get to the polls on November 5th.