InterNutter

Indie writer seeks audience with an audience. Paying customers welcome. [pronouns: ze/hir] Daily free stories happen because it is an excellent counter to Writers' Block.

Burpengary East http://www.cmweller.com 12543 posts

Tropes That Annoy Me: Born Sexy Yesterday

I have to admit that I've only recently realised that this one was a thing, and it's all because of this video. If you haven't watched this already, take a good look.

It's surprising often this turns up, isn't it. Sexy woman emerges, fully formed, but is also a blank slate for the male lead to impress upon. Everything he finds good, she meekly follows along with and finds good.

Keep in mind that he is in control of all of her worldly experiences. He's her educator, her filter through which she sees the world, and, creepily, something of a parent as well.

I know, right? Euw.

More recent editions of the BSY girl have had her be magically spectacular at something that males find respectable. Like awesome sexy combat skills. Or awesome sexy car repair. Or awesome sexy kung fu pole dancing.

Okay, I made the last one up, but give them time. It'll happen.

The key point is, even though she's awesome in a limited and very specific capacity, she's an innocent, childlike, blank slate for the hero to shape to suit himself.

And it's a trope that goes as far back as Pygmalion.

The easiest way to kill it is to write three-dimensional female characters and male characters who can appreciate that. Most of our social education comes through our media and our media is, frankly, a little bit scummy when it comes to relationship portrayal.

So the next time you see someone who was Born Sexy Yesterday, talk about how rapey and pedo-y that entire thing is. Shine the light on how really awful that kind of relationship could be for both parties.

And don't shut up about how to fix it. That would be fabulous.

Challenge #01589-D128: Hazardous Playthings

Yo Yo See what you can do with this prompt. it would have been just yo yo but they wanted a longer sentence. -- Anon Guest

There is a uniquely human term, 'toy'. Though the concept of play is nothing new to many species in the Galactic Alliance, the Terran concept of things designed for play alone is strange to many. The fact that many of these objects used to be used as weapons just goes to show that Deathworlders are creatures

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Tropes That Annoy Me: Loveable Jerk

I know I referred to this earlier as the "Loveable Misogynist", but there's also excusable racism in this particular character type. It's a blend of the Politically Incorrect Hero and the Jerk With a Heart of Gold with some elements of Good Flaws, Bad Flaws mixed in.

And what it winds up making is a surprisingly generic hero for serialised drama television. Sure, he's heroic, but he's also a bit of a jerk and he has some bad habits. Sometimes, he's a

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Challenge #01588-D127: Culture Clash

how to be a good (Insert name here) Citizen. Let's hear it from one of the Lizard cultures. --Knitnan

"And who's your daddy, little one?"

Preek didn't understand the human's question. She had never known the word before this moment. "I have a Pripa and a Seppa[1]."

"I have trouble with all these new words," confessed the human. "It's so confusing. What's wrong with 'he' and 'she' and 'mommy' and 'daddy'?"

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Disruption to (ir)regular seervices

Yes, once again, life interferes with my PLNs. This time, it's getting into the inner circuit at Chaos' school so I can help with her learning at home. To that end, I'm turning up to assist at an excursion for her class.

Which means that most of this morning will be eaten up by Parenting instead of my usual faffing about on the internets.

I also have a NEW new keyboard with a programmable light interface :D Which means double the typos

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Challenge #01587-D126: Care Worn

it's made by hand, piece by piece, often with the recipient in mind, and often prayed over. -- Knitnan

Rael took some cumulative Standard months to realise that Shayde was winding him up. Apparently, in her version of reality, true friendship meant that there was a certain volume of light-hearted teasing between... alleged allies. Humans still did this. Hostile speech in a friendly manner between allies that knew that it was friendly. Slurs used freely between those who used to be slurred.

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Tropes That Annoy Me: Manic Pixie Dream Girl

This one's been a long time coming. As John Lennon once said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans". But enough of that noise. Onwards with this noise.

The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is a trope dating way back beyond the dawn of fiction. You can even find her in The Tempest as Prospero's daughter. But that's sort of blended with Born Sexy Yesterday [which might not have a trope page just yet] which I will cover at a

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Challenge #01583-D122: The Word Escapes

English is also a loose cannon cop-on-the-edge who doesn't play by the rules and will do horrible, horrible things if it solves the short-term problem in front of him. -- RecklessPrudence

There are moments when words escape the speaker. Rational thought, too, takes a temporary holiday and necessity mothers a great deal of illogical invention.

"I need a new..." the next word fled to the furthest reaches of Kathmandu. "...um..." What was the dang word for it? People were staring. She needed

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Challenge #01586-D125: Not the Best Intentions

The "nanny" in "nanny state" isn't for you. They're to keep the oligarchs from trashing every toy in the nursery and peeing on the ceiling. -- RecklessPrudence

"What this new world needs is the elimination of this Nanny State!"

Those who the government selected to start this world in their own image... reacted exactly as they should. They cheered and hooted and eventually overthrew the people who stood for reason and regulation. Those who stood to gain the most did indeed gain.

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Best-laid PLNs

I had planned to get some spare change counted, on our travels yesterday. But the banks don't operate on weekends. On the plus side, I got a new keyboard and mouse out of it so that Beloved and I can play a better quality of game together. The downside is that the spiffy new keyboard won't work with a mac.

Sigh.

The mouse looks pretty awesome, though. I just wish I knew how to change all its colours according to my whims.

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Challenge #01585-D124: What if--?

:Upon being told the superhero they're looking at is at some point going to go on a rampage and destroy the world:

"Well, what's your reasoning then? Because I'm having a hard time reconciling the guy currently pulling a kitten out of a tree with the Death Star." -- RecklessPrudence

He'd just extinguished the fire in a burning high-rise, prevented a multi-car pile-up, and was now making cootchie-coo noises at a small kitten that was stuck up a tree. He could have

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Squeeful news!

The best band in the world, Steam Powered Giraffe, have announced that they're printing one of their albums on Vinyl!

Yes, folks, you too could own a bright yellow LP of Music From Steamworld Heist. Which the band is printing as a test subject, (a) to see whether or not this is a profitable venture, and (b) because that's the only album that will fit. All the others would be double albums or, in the case of The Vice Quadrant: A Space

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Challenge #01584-D123: Ancient Wisdom?

:Said in a tone of imparting great wisdom, to someone who does not speak Norwegian:

Aldri skal gi deg opp. Aldri skal la deg ned, gonna aldri løpe rundt og svikte deg. Aldri skal gjøre deg gråte. ĺ aldri si farvel. Aldri skal fortelle en løgn og skade deg

(https://translate.google.com.au/) -- RecklessPrudence

"Please?" they said. "Give us some words of wisdom from Ancient Earth?" They had a handful of Hours as an offering.

Maybe it was their adoring

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Don't Panic!

The best advice comes from Douglas Adams. The best snark comes from Terry Pratchett.

The nurse did finally turn up. Huzzah. Antibiotics administered, one more such dose before Beloved is on the pill form and life can return to something passing for normal.

The cleaners also came and now I have like $15 (not counting my change) to pay for all assorted noise. I'm going to get my silver coins counted after I'm done with my Instant, today. Maybe that will make

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Challenge #01583-D122: The Word Escapes

English is also a loose cannon cop-on-the-edge who doesn't play by the rules and will do horrible, horrible things if it solves the short-term problem in front of him. -- RecklessPrudence

There are moments when words escape the speaker. Rational thought, too, takes a temporary holiday and necessity mothers a great deal of illogical invention.

"I need a new..." the next word fled to the furthest reaches of Kathmandu. "...um..." What was the dang word for it? People were staring. She needed

Read more »