Reading

the teen queer gc is a nightmare, if any young queer people are reading this pleaseeeee do not get into a huge established queer friend group, stick to 2-3 friends you're close to the drama is not worth your mental stability

Given that this year approximately marks the 10-year anniversary of me joining my 8-person queer-as-hell friend group, I'd like to give some hope to anyone who's genuinely scared of this without having yet experienced it.

( Read more... )

Title: Earthbound Dragon
Fandom: Final Fantasy IV
Characters: Kain Highwind (and a few folks coming and going)
Warnings: CNTW
Summary: 50 one-sentence picofics, each to a single prompt. Written for 1character.
Comments: Because, basically. Occasional references to old sourcebook information and/or cut material.

( 50 picofictions about a dragon knight under here )

In my quest for a grammar checker that doesn't flirt with generative AI, either in doing genAI analysis you don't want or feeding your words to their training data, I thought I'd try Ellipsus Plus and their "Writing Insights".

This morning, I fed it about 10k words worth of fic I'll be posting soon. Hoping to throw into it a couple of chapters of both my original novels later during the week before the trial ends, too. I guess first, my bad: it doesn't look like this is actually a grammar checker. More like a style checker? But word echoes, sentence lengths, etc are still very useful things I try to fix during my final "proofreading" phase ahead of posting fic or sending a doc to beta-readers, and I liked a lot of their tools.

Also, please allow me to emphasise again how customer-friendly and user-friendly Ellipsus is: you don't need a credit card to start the 7-day trial. Not only that, but they offer a "lifetime" one-time payment plan if you don't want a subscription. And not only-not only that!! If you pick the subscription option, it builds up toward a lifetime licence, so after a couple of years the subscription ends and you own it. I can't think of any other subscription-based service that offers that (or if they do, it sure isn't as obvious and clear as Ellipsus makes it!)

Now, what worked well for me, and what I'm still unfortunately missing. Note that this is obviously based on my personal grammar and prose weaknesses.

The good!

• I really like how it highlights all sentences e.g. if you click Preview on the passive voice section, you'll see all of the passive sentences -- and only them -- highlighted. So you can scroll and focus on those only.
• Even though my computer is old, the reports and highlights load pretty fast! (I wouldn't modify stuff while the highlights are on, though)
• Repetition in sentence starts: "'She' starts 3+ sentences in a row" -- I do need that check!
• The word echoes are good. Again, it highlights all the sentences, with a darker highlight on the word repeated (like "around", which I apparently use way too much in smut). Note: I copy-pasted one chapter or scene at a time. I suspect the report might get overwhelming and not be as useful if you run it on a full novel or a very long doc.
• The sentence lengths report is also great! This one highlights your entire text in 4 shades of blue (for short/medium/long/very long sentences), and it makes it easy to see where there's variety, and more importantly for me, where there are too many big ass long sentences. I do my best to break those up during editing (before that final proofreading pass!), but I always miss a few. It's super cool how obvious it is when you suddenly have an entire paragraph entirely dark in the middle. (Long-ass sentences probably don't help with my pacing issues btw XD)
• Note that the passive voice check isn't very good (a lot of active sentences with the verb "to be" picked up, e.g. "We're fighting, then?") but that's fine and pretty common with these checks in my experience. It's still an easy report to scan through.
• The adverbs and repeated phrases reports are nice for a quick scan too. I didn't go in-depth with the adverbs, mostly checking there weren't too many repetitions, but for the repeated phrases I nearly always modified something when I had 4-word (or more!) repeated phrase, so it's quite neat.

The bad? Well. Many of the actual grammar bits, unfortunately, but that's on me!

Turns out Insights is not actually advertised as a grammar checker, that was my misunderstanding. Whoops.

Stuff I can mitigate

( Read more... )

Real problems I do need a grammar checker to help with :(

( Read more... )

I was building this list for myself as I tried it all out, then figured I might as well make a post out of it so I can refer back to it later? It's also a handy list of stuff to check as I continue on my quest for grammar checkers. What tools do you use for grammar? Any rec under the "no thanks AI actually" column? Or tips to remember the rules better in the first place? ;) Then again, some of my problems are rule issues, but just as often it's just distracted typos that happen regardless of knowledge...

communal_creators is now open for sign-ups! The round runs from September 15th to October 14th (with make-up days allowed for anyone observing religious holidays/whatever during the round) and the community welcomes ALL creativity! We love to cheer each other on, and the Discord has been active recently with new and returning folks, eager to get started.

smallweb is hosting Small Web September again! Here's your chance to chat and commiserate with others working on their small web sites.

I will be participating in both, and yes, counting my smallweb activity for Communal Creators. Come join me!

Basically from the start, I've been playing FFXIV using primarily my keyboard (has keypad) with no mouse. The inspiration was having tried out Honkai Impact 3 just beforehand, which shows in my camera binds. FFXIV is actually very friendly to this style of gameplay, and having native access to binds necessary for controllers is a big part of it! I will say that I don't recommend totally tossing out your mouse — there are some actions that are just so much more convenient with mouse, and the rare thing that isn't able to be keybinded afaik.

( Read more... )

General status:

Line editing: I had a few GYWO articles around improving prose in my dreamwidth memories, so I kinda tried to create a checklist from that and adjusting it to my needs as I edit the LeopardTree fic. Even without GYWO access, this Tumblr essay covers a lot and one could do worse than compressing it into a list! Making my own list of weak annoying words I abuse, too (grab, move, make...). So far so good, though it's nowhere as joyful as the structural edits were for the Soul Thief!! (Still chasing that editing high XD) I guess by forcing myself to actually rework my sentences or find synonyms rather than just go "Urgh! Grabbing again!" I'm hoping the stronger words will come to me more naturally over time, rather than remain stuck in my passive vocabulary. One can hope (and experiment ;)).

Cursed Witch feedback: I reread all the feedback and wrote a big thoughtdump post, which as I hoped took the thoughts of my mind to make space for other things. The conversations in the comments also turned out really helpful, I'm still turning a few replies in my head. Whatever happens next, though, I need to let it rest for longer.

BBTP smut: I finished the maid smut one-shot, but editing it is taking more time than expected, especially considering the upcoming September 1st deadline...! I haven't written or edited smut in a long time. I still hope to make it in time for bbtp_challenge though!

Projects:

• Line edits for the LeopardTree fic (K-9). Still needs to be proofread, but also it stands at 7971 words now so I clearly must try and find where to add 29 words... Perhaps the kissing could use a bit more flourish? XD
• Cursed Witch (OW) contemplations XD
• Finishing and now editing the maid!Ren smut fic (K-9)

I'm starstarstar on AO3! Thank you for taking the time to create something for me! Treats are always welcome and appreciated.

Please don't get too caught up in this; I really will, most likely, like what you write for me <3

A few notes

- A lot of this might be the same for every fandom except for the fandom-specific DNWs
- Some things on here might change over time due to personal preference.
- Some stuff may be altered depending on what fic event it's for. With that said, if something I wrote on an AO3 form differs slightly from this post, refer back to that AO3 form. Most likely I changed something due to the nature of the event.
- There are some pairings I like to write (or don't mind writing) about, but I don't actually care to read about them. If you've noticed I've written for a certain pairing, but I don't have them listed below as a pairing I like, please don't write them.

This post was created on 29 August 2026 and updated on 29 August 2026. I'm currently still working on it.

Resident Evil

💕 Pairing(s) I love: Ashley/Leon, Rebecca/Billy

💘 Pairing(s) I like OR am open to: Jill/Carlos, Piers/Chris, Piers/Jake, Chris/Sheva, Ethan/Chris, Ashley/Leon/Luis, Grace/Sherry, Grace/any woman character except the Dimitrescues, Claire/Moira, Alex/Claire

I also like gen/platonic relationships between requested characters or solo focus on one character!

💌 Likes: AUs/Canon (including canon compliant and divergence), fluff, romance, angst, hurt/comfort (or no comfort), first kisses/first times, make-up/break-up, unrequited/requited love, pining/crushes, friendship, role reversal, bad/happy ending, changing the outcome of a major event, horror (paranormal, psychological, serial killer, sci-fi [i.e., The Thing, Alien], eco/folk/southern/tech/urban-horror, haunted houses, zombies, unseen entity. Open to most horror tropes), smut (including dub/noncon), tension (sexual or romantic), family/kid fics, trauma, healing, toxic/problematic relationships, fear mixed with smut, mcd

💦 Smut Likes: rough/soft sex, smut with/without feelings, porn with/without plot, body worship, oral, vaginal/anal fingering, vaginal/anal intercourse, orgasm delay/denial, overstimulation, lactation kink, forced orgasm, biting, spanking, dub/non-con, multiple orgasms, protected/unprotected, foreplay, break-up/make-up sex

❌ ‼️ DNWs: Hybrid | omegaverse | A/B/O, bestiality/monster fucking, hanahaki, BDSM (light dom/sub is okay), sexual/genital torture, watersports, ddlb/ddlg, prolonged & detailed graphic torture (brief or alluding to it is fine), anything to do with religion (unless it's relevant to canon), harry potter au/universe, watersports & scat, fucked to death, eye trauma, cheating/infidelity*, unrequested daddy/mommy kink, underage/pedophilia, graphic depiction of animal torture, depiction of child murder/torture, mafia/mob au

*Cheating/infidelity: if the main pairing is cheating on other people with each other, that's fine.

If they're cheating on EACH OTHER with other people, no.

😔 Fandom-specific DNWs:

- Leon being physically abusive during what's supposed to be a consensual sexual encounter**
- Leon treating Grace like a kid (mentor role is fine)
- Grace being infantilized by anyone
- Ashley being treated as annoying and/or incompetent, or just another assignment for Leon
- Leon as Grace's dad (literal or not)

**If writing dub/non-con, I just ask you to refrain from depicting Leon causing great bodily harm by punching/kicking/injuring someone, especially a woman character.

Devil May Cry

Note: I've played all the games and watched the 2007 anime. I haven't read any of the mangas/novels. I kindly ask for nothing set in the Netflix universe or the DMC reboot.

💘 Pairing(s) I like OR am open to: Lady/Trish, Nico/Nero, Trish/Dante, Lucia/Dante, Dante/Vergil, Nico/Kyrie, Lady/Trish/Dante, Nero/Credo

I also like gen/platonic relationships between requested characters or solo focus on one character!

💌 Likes: AUs/Canon (including canon compliant and divergence), fluff, romance, angst, hurt/comfort (or no comfort), first kisses/first times, make-up/break-up, unrequited/requited love, pining/crushes, friendship, role reversal, bad/happy ending, changing the outcome of a major event, horror (paranormal, psychological, serial killer, sci-fi [i.e., The Thing, Alien], eco/folk/southern/tech/urban-horror, haunted houses, zombies, unseen entity. Open to most horror tropes), smut (including dub/noncon), tension (sexual or romantic), family/kid fics, trauma, healing, toxic/problematic relationships, fear mixed with smut, mcd

💦 Smut Likes: rough/soft sex, smut with/without feelings, porn with/without plot, body worship, oral, vaginal/anal fingering, vaginal/anal intercourse, orgasm delay/denial, overstimulation, lactation kink, forced orgasm, biting, spanking, dub/non-con, multiple orgasms, protected/unprotected, foreplay, break-up/make-up sex

❌ ‼️ DNWs: Hybrid | omegaverse | A/B/O, bestiality/monster fucking, hanahaki, BDSM (light dom/sub is okay), sexual/genital torture, watersports, ddlb/ddlg, prolonged & detailed graphic torture (brief or alluding to it is fine), anything to do with religion (unless it's relevant to canon), harry potter au/universe, watersports & scat, fucked to death, eye trauma, cheating/infidelity*8, unrequested daddy/mommy kink, underage/pedophilia, graphic depiction of animal torture, depiction of child murder/torture, mafia/mob au

*Monster fucking: Person A being in devil trigger form doing stuff to Human B is fine!

*Cheating/infidelity: if the main pairing is cheating on other people with each other, that's fine.

If they're cheating on EACH OTHER with other people, no.

😔 Fandom-specific DNWs:

- Anything set in the Netflix or DMC reboot universe

Final Fantasy 7

Any era (OG or Remake) of FF7 is fine!

💕 Pairing(s) I love: Cloud/Tifa, Zack/Aerith

💘 Pairing(s) I like OR am open to: Tifa/Aerith, Zack/Cloud, Zack/Angeal, Cissnei/Zack, Elena/Tseng, Tifa/Elena, Biggs/Zack, Jessie/Biggs, Jessie/Tifa

I also like gen/platonic relationships between requested characters or solo focus on one character!

💌 Likes: AUs/Canon (including canon compliant and divergence), fluff, romance, angst, hurt/comfort (or no comfort), first kisses/first times, make-up/break-up, unrequited/requited love, pining/crushes, friendship, role reversal, bad/happy ending, changing the outcome of a major event, horror (paranormal, psychological, serial killer, sci-fi [i.e., The Thing, Alien], eco/folk/southern/tech/urban-horror, haunted houses, zombies, unseen entity. Open to most horror tropes), smut (including dub/noncon), tension (sexual or romantic), family/kid fics, trauma, healing, toxic/problematic relationships, fear mixed with smut, mcd

💦 Smut Likes: rough/soft sex, smut with/without feelings, porn with/without plot, body worship, oral, vaginal/anal fingering, vaginal/anal intercourse, orgasm delay/denial, overstimulation, lactation kink, forced orgasm, biting, dub/non-con, multiple orgasms, protected/unprotected, foreplay, break-up/make-up

❌ ‼️ DNWs: Hybrid | omegaverse | A/B/O, bestiality/monster fucking, hanahaki, BDSM (light dom/sub is okay), sexual/genital torture, watersports, ddlb/ddlg, prolonged & detailed graphic torture (brief or alluding to it is fine), anything to do with religion (unless it's relevant to canon), harry potter au/universe, watersports & scat, fucked to death, eye trauma, cheating/infidelity*, unrequested daddy/mommy kink, underage/pedophilia, graphic depiction of animal torture, depiction of child murder/torture, mafia/mob au

*Cheating/infidelity: if the main pairing is cheating on other people with each other, that's fine.

If they're cheating on EACH OTHER with other people, no.

😔 Fandom-specific DNWs:

- Tifa and Aerith being catty/mean toward each other

Still need to do: FF6, FF8, FF16, KH, Silent Hill

The second part of my Hawai'i vacation posts. The first post is here.

A chunk of our early vacation was taken up by constantly dealing with the problems of our hotel. I can only imagine how much time we would have wasted if we had decided to stay there through the power outage, but even once we transferred to the new hotel we still had to deal with the distance factor. The old hotel was only a minute or so away from wasterluster_kp's apartment, whereas the new hotel was a ten minute walk down a busy road that we couldn't take side streets to avoid because the Ala Wai Canal was right in the middle of the path. That meant we couldn't just let Laila walk, we had to carry her part of the way, and she's on the taller side for a five-year-old girl so carrying her in the hot sun was...trying. Still, sashagee was much happier with the new hotel, so that was a bonus. And the balcony was really nice.

( Thursday )

( Friday )

( Saturday )

I mean, what more could you want in an energy source? Renewable power, small and simple enough to use that (if you ignore money) everyone could own them and thus not be fully-beholden to the grid, not terribly offensive to the senses... What a dreamboat!

Sometimes power goes down in the neighbourhood for maintenance or whatnot, but tbh I don't notice these days because of how much solar power we store at home. It's not a privilege I think about much, but really it's such an undervalued (from what I've seen) one.

( Read more... )

Anyway, shoutout renewable energy, love ya! Who woulda thunk that things that are better for the environment can also be better for individuals/society? ;P

I think I went to sleep at about 5am, then I woke up at about 1:10pm today, which is potentially building a pattern. Not the pattern of bad sleeping choices — that's always an on-and-off thing for me — but a thing where it seems like maybe my meds actually have been affecting how long I sleep.

( Read more... )

Probably unrelated, but I also woke up feeling super nauseous, which like never happens. It didn't feel like hunger/period nausea, though now I'm definitely getting hunger nausea lmfao. I gotta stop writing entries at bad times XP