so uh. hey. anyone autistic wondering why their trauma is affecting them so harshly despite thinking it wasn’t as severe as it could’ve been?? here’s your reassurance that you’re not overreacting, your Trauma Bank ™ just runs on overdrive.
Read the article; it does a decent job of explaining both the neuroscience and breaking the neuroscience down into an easier to, well, English.
Chapters: 7/9 Fandom: Black Sails Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Captain Flint/Thomas Hamilton, Vane/Madi Characters: Captain Flint, Thomas Hamilton, Madi (Black Sails), Charles Vane, Admiral Hennessey (Black Sails), John Silver (briefly), Abigail Ashe, “Calico” Jack Rackham Additional Tags: So one day after the finale I sat down, and decided to find out what happens if Charles Vane is still alive post s4, you know – presuming he was out of action but not dead, and then the thought hit me that Madi and Vane would make a cute couple, and well here you have the results, not Silver friendly, post finale fix-it, Grieving, found family of a sort, All the people that love James and Thomas come together to rescue them from the shame farm, Alternate Universe – Canon Divergence Summary:
When he’s transported from Nassau to Jamaica, Charles Vane does not expect to leave the jail in Port Royal alive. When he’s released as part of a prisoner exchange agreement at the end of the war –
There might, he thinks, just possibly be something wrong with him, because he is about to go rescue James Flint from slavery with the help of a princess and an admiral of the English fleet, and he’s not quite certain but he thinks he may even have been sober when he agreed to do it.
Edit: Chapter 6 was missing a bit and I have now posted it. If everyone could just… reread that chapter with the first section, I’d really love you all forever.
Chapters: 7/9 Fandom: Black Sails Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Captain Flint/Thomas Hamilton, Vane/Madi Characters: Captain Flint, Thomas Hamilton, Madi (Black Sails), Charles Vane, Admiral Hennessey (Black Sails), John Silver (briefly), Abigail Ashe, “Calico” Jack Rackham Additional Tags: So one day after the finale I sat down, and decided to find out what happens if Charles Vane is still alive post s4, you know – presuming he was out of action but not dead, and then the thought hit me that Madi and Vane would make a cute couple, and well here you have the results, not Silver friendly, post finale fix-it, Grieving, found family of a sort, All the people that love James and Thomas come together to rescue them from the shame farm, Alternate Universe – Canon Divergence Summary:
When he’s transported from Nassau to Jamaica, Charles Vane does not expect to leave the jail in Port Royal alive. When he’s released as part of a prisoner exchange agreement at the end of the war –
There might, he thinks, just possibly be something wrong with him, because he is about to go rescue James Flint from slavery with the help of a princess and an admiral of the English fleet, and he’s not quite certain but he thinks he may even have been sober when he agreed to do it.
Edit: Chapter 6 was missing a bit and I have now posted it. If everyone could just… reread that chapter with the first section, I’d really love you all forever.
I can’t help wonder how many other people have got fed up of reading black sails fics because of the sheer amount of Silver appearing. He’s not the most interesting character and I’ve seen more angst about him than anyone else. It makes the stories dull.
Fic writers wonder why people don’t review. They honestly can’t understand the silence. Writers assume that readers:
usually have something to add/criticize/say
know how to articulate their own thoughts/feelings
withhold feedback because they’re lazy or apathetic
don’t appreciate how much time/effort/energy goes into writing
On the flip-side, readers assume that:
the writer already knows how ‘good’ their work is
someone else will review because this fic is ‘obviously’ awesome
if a fic is already ‘popular,’ their feedback won’t matter
if they comment, they ‘must’ leave an awesome, insightful, detailed comment that 100% reflects their love for a fic
since words aren’t adequate, it’s better to stfu and just click the kudos button/favotite/bookmark
None of these assumptions are accurate.
The reality is that:
there is no reason for a writer to post their work except to get feedback that validates their vision, helps them improve and/or gives them an outsider perspective/interpretation of their work (which can be absolutely mind-blowing)
like, you can and should write for yourself, but if that’s 100% the case, every good fic would be wasting away in a private word document
‘readers’ are not always ‘writers’
‘writers’ can naturally put their ideas and emotions into words
‘readers’ usually don’t know what to say, which words to use to express themselves, and belittle the importance of their perspective
many ‘readers’ don’t write, so they can’t empathize with the struggle of writing a fic for a silent but attentive audience
Basically, readers don’t understand writers and vice-versa. Both parties are wired differently. Readers who also write are more likely to review because they empathize with both sides of the equation.
The Solution
Writers
Be patient, understanding, and persistent
Appreciate those who do review
Don’t get bitter, discontinue a beloved story, or assume the worst of your readers
Realize that everyone is really trying their best
Readers
Be patient, supportive, honest, and empathetic
Realize that there’s no minimum! Even two words (like ‘good work!’) can have a huge impact
Review Templates
Things to say when you’re tongue-tied:
Verbs
I liked the part where/when…
I wonder why…
I smiled/laughed when…
I was confused when…
I think that…
I predict…
I was sad/happy/angry/[other emotion] when…
Nouns
[character] did/said/felt/will do [this thing]
because… (if applicable)
[insert plot point/event]
Example: I think that [this guy] ran away from [his friend] because he was trying to protect him.
And that’s it. You don’t have to say anything else. One sentence is more than enough, but you’ll notice that once you get started, you’ll have a lot to say- so say it!
Author’s style
Your writing is:
Detailed/descriptive
Vivid
Concise (to the point)
Funny
Serious
Surreal
Unique
Compelling
Provocative
Leaves me wondering about a lot of things, and I’m curious about what happens next
Confused me a little at times (talk about what confused you! The author will be more than happy to clear things up!)
Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t
Worry about grammar/typos in your review
Suggest a direction for the story (most writers know what they’re doing and you just gotta trust them)
Think that clicking the kudos button is all you can do! Your opinion is important!
Tell the author to do more of [this] and less of [that]
Ask them to update without leaving any other feedback
Do
Leave short comments if you can’t think of anything else to say (“I like this” is more than acceptable, seriously)
Inform the author of typos (be specific)- many fics are un-beta’d. The writer will appreciate your attention to detail.
Express your own perspective even if it isn’t ‘correct-’ I think [character] did this because she was jealous, which explains why…
Understand that your unique interpretation of motives/symbolism/foreshadowing/anything is extremely valuable
Be honest, but diplomatic
Bookmark/rec works if you enjoy them, esp to help lesser-known writers
You can copy/paste from this post into your reviews. It’s hard to find the right words sometimes, but for writers, anything is better than silence.
It’s a more modern take on the ‘60s version. If you look at it now, it’s charming, but it seems so innocent. Whereas this is a version that is for our time. I’m hoping it will still have humor and humanity in it, but it has obviously gotta be for a modern audience.
–Toby Stephens on Lost in Space reboot, collider.com
for me, internet friends come in phases. for each fandom you enter, each forum you explore, each social media platform you join – there’s always new people you meet. sometimes i lose those friends with the end of those phases, each era coming and going and taking everything and everyone i love with it, and it breaks my heart. but that doesn’t mean they matter any less. for some time, they were important to you, and you guys were friends. and that’s such a beautiful thing.
but those who stick around, who follow you or keep in touch, are the ones worth holding onto. it’s like the childhood show you love, and you can always come back to and feel the same heart-warming nostalgia for. those are the type of people i love to meet, and i’m so glad i have them in my life.
but then there’s also the sense of wonder that haunts you when you enter a new place, and you look around at all these people, and you can’t help but think: who’s going to matter to me in a month? a year? half a decade?
and then suddenly it’s a year later, and you’re sitting there with new people and you’re telling them about your day, and you genuinely care about them, and they mean the world to you.
and every time it’s… how did I get to meet you? how did I get to be so lucky? how did I go so long without you in my life?
Meg's Mumbles 