The Skellingcorner

[writingwithcolor]

tough-teddy-deactivated20170303 asked:

Hi, I'm creating a comic where troubled, low income teens are given the option to go to a boarding school, in North California, to train to become monster hunters. The school is mostly populated by minorities mostly African American, Native Americans, South East Asians, and Latinx. A friend of mine said it might be seen as problematic to have Native Americans be in a government own boarding school. This worries me since my main character is a Native American boy whom loves the school.

Native Character in Monster-Hunter Boarding School; Poor implications? 

So, yes, it could be a very tricky thing to have Native Americans in the school. But it all boils down to two questions:

1. Is it consensual in the most genuine sense of the term?
   
2. Do they become part of a new culture, or do they keep their old one and add to it?
   

The residential school system was not consensual even when there weren’t laws in place forcing kids to go. Parents could and did send their children there because they thought it was for the best, because they were coerced into it, or because they had developed the type of fondness you develop for your abuser where you try to replicate the pattern because you haven’t healed from it yet.
If the kids are told in very informed ways what happens to their lives— who they have contact with, whether or not their culture has to change (a big red flag would be no room to carry on cultural beliefs or, in the case of Natives, reconnect with their cultural beliefs), how their lives would get better and worse.

If, however, the kids are caught in moments of desperation, where it’s basically “come with us or else”, then there would be major problems with the validity of that consent. If the kids are doing okay but looking for a way out, that’s one thing, but if the school reps dive in at a bad point when all hope seems lost, I would feel very uncomfortable.

Next, you have to give him options to practice and explore his culture. The pain of the residential school system was because it was an active attempt at destroying our culture. So if you have it that your character is still Native, keeps what traditions he can, and is allowed to go back into his community/family without problem, then you’ve mollified the forced assimilation undertones to the school.

you should have minimal problems with the government run boarding school. If you want a general list of what to avoid in the school to make it not be a residential school, Canada published the Truth and Reconciliation Commission describing the country’s use of the system and the abuse that happened within. The possibility exists you’ll trigger people regardless (it is a very fresh trauma in our communities), but by making it consensual and having connections to his culture, you’ll at least minimize the negative impact. Check out [Braving Native American Diversity] and [Researching Native American Cultures] for tips on how to make him have a culture.

~ Mod Lesya

[nimblesnotebook-blog]

On Editing

[redjohn-nydepp]

This was forwarded to me by a former colleague who attended a course on how to publish/edit a book. You probably already know most of these tips, but there might be something you’ll find helpful, who knows…

QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING FIRST PHASE OF EDITING

GENERAL STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK (what the story is and how it is being told):

• What is the book about? What is the driving force behind the narrative?
  
• Who is the audience for this book?
  
• Is it based on real experience?
  
• Does the story work? Are there any parts that feel unconvincing or where the narrative drags? 
• Are there any parts I don’t understand?
  
• What is the trajectory or the shape of the story?
  
• Does the story start in the right place?
  
• How quickly do I become immersed in the book?
  
• Are there any points where my immersion in the story is broken, or I lose interest?
  
• Do I believe in what I’m reading?
  
• How satisfying is the ending? Does it feel inevitable?
  
• Does it feel like anything is missing?
  
• Is there anything extraneous (characters, detail, unnecessary plot points)?
  
• What is the narrative point of view (first person, second person, third person)? Does it change? Is it consistent? Does it work? What might be lost or gained if the story were told another way?
  
• Is the tense consistent? If it changes, is it necessary?
  
• Does coincidence feature as a plot device? If so, is there another way to engineer the same events?
  

Keep reading

[its-a-writer-thing]

[amandaonwriting]

Write Your Novel In A Year – Week 29: 3 Things To Remember About Dialogue

[hollowedskin]

[highacetate]

Good pub advice.

[19soundofsirens86]

We need to bring this back.

[totallynotagentphilcoulson]

It’s really worrisome when the fucking Victorians understood something like this better than half the modern population tbh

[hollowedskin]

the fucking code of victorian gentlemen would never allow ‘but im a gentleman’ whining which always makes it extra funny to me.

[dulceskull]

hi guys today I made a tutorial on how to make my favorite art nouveau-y embellishments! these are a super fun and easy way to add a little emphasis to a drawing and you can make all kinds of designs once you get the basic flow! If you have any questions feel free to ask and let me know if there’s any kind of tutorial you’d like for me to make in the future !!!

[titenoute]

[pr1nceshawn]

Tips That Can Save Your Kid’s Life.

[hiddlesherethereeverywhere]

THIS IS IMPORTANT 

When I was a child, from the time I was about four and could understand things, my mom told me and my brother that we should have a secret word. That way, if we were ever in trouble or felt unsafe and we didn’t want the people around us to know we needed her to come get us, we could let her know. So she let us pick the word and my brother and I chose the phrase “peanut butter cups.” (I’m happy to share the phrase now since both my brother and I are adults now). 

I used the phrase twice in my life. Once, I was at a friends house when I eight years old. Her dad got really drunk and was throwing things against the wall. I was really scared and I didn’t want to draw attention to myself on the phone when I called my mom to come get me because I didn’t know if he would get more violent if I asked her to come get me. So I called her and was calm and after a couple minutes I asked “Hey mommy, did you get me those peanut butter cups from the store?” And she said “I’ll be right there.” And she came and got me within minutes. 

Second, I was a teenager spending the night at a friends house. Her brother and dad were drinking and they started talking about things that made me uncomfortable - ie: what they liked to do to women. My friend didn’t seem perturbed and said that was normal for them and that I shouldn’t worry. But I was worried because they were really drunk and I was 15 and the only ‘woman’ around that wasn’t related to them. I went in my friends room, told her I needed to call my mom and say goodnight. Before I hung up with her I asked “Next time we go to the store, can we get some peanut butters cups? I’ve been craving them.” And she came and got me, just like that. 

Two incidents, one as a young child, one years later as a teen. Don’t discredit this stuff, it fucking works. My brother used it a few times too. Let your child pick the word and no never, ever, ever, ever get mad at them for using it no matter what it is. 

[titenoute]

DO NOT SCROLL PAST THAT.

[fandonetrash]

[awesomequacker]

there are asexuals who are entirely disgusted by sex

there are asexuals who are fine talking about sex but aren’t willing to have it themselves

there are asexuals who like sex in theory but not in practice

there are asexuals who dont really care for it but are happy to do it for someone they love

there are asexuals who enjoy or even love the stimulation of sex but have no actual need or craving for it; its just like any other activity to do with someone and can easily be replaced with literally anything else

there are asexuals who do have a sexdrive but its only triggered by a strong emotional attachment rather than physical factors

there are a whole bunch of asexuals and if i hear “lol so ur like a plant” one more time i swear to fucking god

[boyonetta]

Shit I’ve Heard High Schoolers Say

[writtenrain]

• Why stop at capitalism? Destroy everything.
  
  
• Guys it’s been three weeks since I’ve eaten a vegetable
  
  
• At least we have memes to dull the pain of existence
  
  
• An AP student: Oh my god I thought seven was less than six 
  
  
• (while filling the cap of their water bottle with water) SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS 
  
  
• friend one: If all your friends jumped off a bridge wou-
  friend two: probably
  
  
• I’M GONNA GO HOME AND DRINK A WHOLE GLASS OF WEED
  
  
• If cows ruled the world would they drink human milk?
  
  
• student: my calculator is broken
  teacher: your calculator isn’t broken, you’re broken
  
  
• no actually I think you have to be of age to be considered a cougar
  
  
• (during math class on the second floor) student 1: so like how far do you think the distance is from that window to the ground?  
  student 2: enough
  
  
• teacher: has anyone ever been to New Orleans?
  Student: does Popeyes count?
  
  
• my word count on this paper isn’t very high but I certainly am
  
  
• we’re in adult limbo. I’m not a teen and I’m not an adult. I’M SUFFERING, THAT’S WHAT I AM!
  
  
• Look at my… (swings leg up to show shorts) not pants

[rachel-rockhell]

Are high schoolers okay? I mean same but

[boyonetta]

“enough”

[sleepyclover-blog]

people are allowed to leave you.
people are allowed to break up with you.
people are allowed to love you but not want to be with you.
people are allowed to not want to talk to you.
people are allowed to put their happiness before yours and do what makes them happy even if it does not include you.
people are allowed to move on from you.
people are allowed to fall in love with someone else.
people are allowed to not want you in their life.
people are allowed to do whatever they want to better themselves and become the version of themselves they are trying so hard to love.
don’t be bitter towards someone who is only trying to be happy.