MidnightRose Artist
@midnightrose838.bsky.social
1.4K followers 140 following 5.6K posts
Artist & writer of brightdark fantasy that focuses on unconditional platonic love. I like dragon bonds, & gentle yet defiant MCs. midnightroseart.com
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midnightrose838.bsky.social
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS ROMANCE

The world may reject for me this, but it's time I'm open about my pain over the word "love" (& even the concept) being taken in so many places to imply romance.

Here is my thoughtful rant, continued below in a page that mentions 1 of my stories.-🧵
(I can't put the bold in alt text, but these are the words on the page in case it's hard to read.)

Falling in love is not always romance. Love at first sight is not even always romance.
All love starts somewhere. Sight is one of many means through which we perceive another being's presence, its need, its care, perhaps just some connection we cannot name. (This does not mean those who lack sight are incapable of love. The lack of one sense often rather than lessening our perception drives us to be more in tune to other senses, giving us deeper experiences and helping us express ourselves more strongly.)
Physically expressed and committed love does NOT have to be romance.
I ask, what love is more committed than the love of a parent who will stop at nothing to protect and care for their child?
I ask again, what love is expressed more physically than the love between moms and babies?
If you have answers to these questions, I must wonder how much you have really lived, how much you have really seen of true love.

I am not one to speak many details of my personal life, but I can say with certainty that love can begin at first sight, or at first touch, or at the first sound you hear from another creature, without it being romantic. I have never experienced romantic love, but I have both seen and experienced love just as deep, and just as heartbreaking when it meets a tragic end, at least in this world.
So many people, and so many stories, speak of healing/moving on, in a way that I find cheap. Grief fades as the years pass, but the missing hole in the heart is never filled. To truly love is to give a piece of oneself to another creature, and when a beloved leaves this world so does that piece of one's heart.
This is not meant to be a judgment, only my take, my experience, which yes could be seen as tragic, but it is more than tragic. Love is worth it, no matter how deeply it breaks us.
midnightrose838.bsky.social
He gets a lot of true joy, it's just not from success, at least if it is he doesn't notice.
I will admit that for someone who's so insistent that being kind makes him happy, he also receives a lot of joy from seeing the kindness of others.
Reposted by MidnightRose Artist
scarletvmitchell.bsky.social
Lol, everyone here knows I love to share snippets, even when totally rough and unedited 😅

But showing the full work? I’m pretty shy about that. It has to be pretty well edited before I’ll show a beta, and I only show a select handful.

That said, I‘ll read rough snips and improv to my writing group
susansavagelee.bsky.social
Do you show your WIP to anyone before you finish it? I never do until my stories shape shift into their final form #writingq #WritingCommunity
midnightrose838.bsky.social
- but several times in the story he's aware that if he'd never gotten himself imprisoned, if he'd never suffered, he would never have freed the other prisoners.
I guess the only time he notices success is when it's bittersweet.
In those cases he uses it to cope with guilt & failure.
midnightrose838.bsky.social
#AwesomeCharacters

For someone so focused on clinging to the good, Lawcket notices failure much more than success.
Usually if he's aware of success it's because success & failure are mixed. He feels a ton of guilt over the pain brought to his family by the trouble he got himself into, - 1/2
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

We talked before about how your character handles failure, let's do the opposite: how do they handle success?

Are they a good winner? Do they gloat? Feel like they still need to do more? Downplay their role?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
midnightrose838.bsky.social
#AwesomeCharacters

For Rider, success is only his duty. He rarely even notices small successes.
He does make note of success when he was certain he'd die failing. But not to gloat, simply for looking back on when he again faces the impossible.
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

We talked before about how your character handles failure, let's do the opposite: how do they handle success?

Are they a good winner? Do they gloat? Feel like they still need to do more? Downplay their role?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Reposted by MidnightRose Artist
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

We talked before about how your character handles failure, let's do the opposite: how do they handle success?

Are they a good winner? Do they gloat? Feel like they still need to do more? Downplay their role?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
midnightrose838.bsky.social
#WIPSnips
(I gave up finding any spiritual-ish instances, which is embarrassing, but almost everything was practical)

“Maybe you wouldn't understand any better than I did, but what's done is done. I hope you won't hate me for being glad I'm home, not dead.”
wipsnips.bsky.social
The #WIPSnips word for October 12th is "hope"

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
#WIPSnips a bluesky writing community tag
October 12 - hope
Share a line from your WIP with the daily word for inspiration
Use #WIPSnips. Don't forget Alt Text for graphics
Synonyms, variation and vibes are fine.
Support others on the #WIPSnips tag!
Hosted by rosie-j-potter.bsky.social

The image behind the text is a border that is black with stars with a light blue rectangle highlighted by a fuchsia line. An illustrated caticorn holding a pencil and writing in a book with a rose behind one ear is in the lower right corner
midnightrose838.bsky.social
It does take a kind of organization skill that I'm not sure I have.
It also takes learning how to not need much.
midnightrose838.bsky.social
That my take, but I'm not sure he has the experience to organize anything complex.
midnightrose838.bsky.social
- keeping, so good he never gives his name when he's a prisoner, for fear it might get his family hurt.

He does come up with plans on the spot sometimes, & can follow simple plans of nothing important distracts him. His day to day life has a lot of routine elements.
midnightrose838.bsky.social
- especially given he's mostly just following what his parents do, & adding his own idea here or there when it's helpful.

He's more a wild card when it comes to action. His emotions tend to lead him. The only place he plans is when there's something he has to *not* do. He's good at secret - 2/3
midnightrose838.bsky.social
#AwesomeCharacters

Lawcket is very practical, & is used to making do with little space & few belongings.
He's simple. If he needs something it has a place where he can easily access it for use. He doesn't keep anything that's not necessary. It make organization rather simple, - 1/?
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Is your character organized and methodical, or more chaotic?

Do they prefer to plan things out carefully, or be spontaneous and improvise?

Do they keep their belongings neat and tidy, or are they a bit messy?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
midnightrose838.bsky.social
#AwesomeCharacters

Rider lives as a traveler, so has few belonging and has never had to organize much beyond figuring out how to carry on his person all the things he needs, without being too hindered.

As for action, he plans but stays prepared to make changes however chaotic they may be.
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Is your character organized and methodical, or more chaotic?

Do they prefer to plan things out carefully, or be spontaneous and improvise?

Do they keep their belongings neat and tidy, or are they a bit messy?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
midnightrose838.bsky.social
Aww, Fox!😂 Somehow this matches her so well. I think I might be getting a feel for your characters.🥰
midnightrose838.bsky.social
- young child, but likes being outside, & likes Lawcket's dragon. She & Lawcket are very close.
His third sibling is a baby, born shortly before Lawcket is imprisoned.
midnightrose838.bsky.social
Lawcket's siblings are very much part of the story. 2 of them are even born in the story.
His brother is readily destructive, as a toddler, & prone to envious meanness later. But he's also a cute child, & wants his parents' approval.
His sister, Lelliddy, is much younger. She's very quite for a -1/2
cometkins.bsky.social
Does your MC have any siblings? Are they part of the story? What are they like? #WritingPrompt
midnightrose838.bsky.social
-
The last words of Named By Love:
“You really promise?” Song mumbled into Rider's skin.
“I really promise,” Rider said, kissing his hair. “It might still be for you, but for you I'm happier than I could ever have even wanted to be without you.”
midnightrose838.bsky.social
- & in different ways, at different times to different people, Rider has given his, given his very self.
Everything that's his is Song, for it's used to care for Song. & the greatest gift he will ever give is his own happiness.

3/4
midnightrose838.bsky.social
- He's never possessed much beyond his clothing & tools, & has never used money, so there isn't much he can give.
However, he (like Lawcket) has gifted his service, only in far more bending & often heartbreaking ways.
I consider one's heart & love the greatest gift that can be given.
- 2/4
midnightrose838.bsky.social
#AwesomeCharacters I didn't get to Rider last night.

He's never been part of a gift giving occasion, & will only accept practical gifts from almost anyone, in spite of his being deeply sentimental.
Gifts always make me think of his giving Song his cloak, but I've talked about that before.
🧵 - 1/?
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Let's talk about gifts!🎁

Are there gift giving occasions in your world? If so, is your character easy to buy for?

What do they like to get? (Items, experiences, other?)

Do they give good gifts to others?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Reposted by MidnightRose Artist
decidetoread.bsky.social
From an essay about hooks in stories - this clip seems to fit the mood for "welcome." #WIPSnips
#writingcommunity
When I pick up a book, I'm hoping to find a good introduction. I don't need to be thrown into the deep end of the plot. Use your words to immerse me (the reader) in the world you've created. Invite the reader into your story.
midnightrose838.bsky.social
#WIPSnips I've shared most of the few instances for a different word, but here's a fresh 1

“Hi, Dad.”
His son's weak welcome sent a tingle of the most pleasant joy Aisferk had ever experienced through his chest.
“You sound better,” he said, dropping down by the bed of blankets Lawcket lay in.
wipsnips.bsky.social
The #WIPSnips word for October 11th is "welcome"

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
#WIPSnips a bluesky writing community tag
October 11 - welcome
Share a line from your WIP with the daily word for inspiration
Use #WIPSnips. Don't forget Alt Text for graphics
Synonyms, variation and vibes are fine.
Support others on the #WIPSnips tag!
Hosted by rosie-j-potter.bsky.social

The image behind the text is a border that is black with stars with a light blue rectangle highlighted by a fuchsia line. An illustrated caticorn holding a pencil and writing in a book with a rose behind one ear is in the lower right corner
midnightrose838.bsky.social
They get along very well, & she likes it when Lawcket shows her things & gives her things.🥰
It's a fairly normal positive older to younger sibling relationship.
midnightrose838.bsky.social
- to a mother & her child, but honestly I’m not sure those really count as gifts.