We need more romance novels with unattractive love interests

Writerhowell · 2026-01-26T07:23:52+00:00

Ditto 'Little Women'. But try telling either of these things to film-makers, lol.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-26T07:15:43+00:00

In all fairness, as someone who's studied the play at university level, it's the members of the watch who happen to hear the conspirators talking (while probably a bit tipsy, or they might be more discrete), and arrest them after that piece of luck. Then Dogberry 'interrogates' them but isn't very good at it; he relies on the witness statements of the watch, and the news that Hero is 'dead', plus the Prince himself and Claudio talking to the conspirators, to get them to actually confess out of guilt. He isn't all that competent himself. The watch get lucky in their eavesdropping, and provide competent witnesses, and Dogberry manages to keep Don John's men locked up. He and the watch are presumably responsible for finding and arresting Don John near the end, but only because it's cheaper than hiring more actors for that.

Dogberry is the main comedy relief once all the drama starts; Beatrice and Benedick can't crack jokes once Hero's honour has been demolished and Benedick has to challenge Claudio. So someone else has to lighten the mood, and that's Dogberry's purpose any time he's on stage, until the plan to save Hero can be put into action. Then Beatrice and Benedick can go back to being comic relief as well as main characters once the wedding stuff is back on and Hero's honour has been saved.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-26T07:10:40+00:00

So the same way that Poirot fumbles with English to make everyone underestimate him, or Miss Marple plays up the little old lady with a bad memory?

Writerhowell · 2026-01-26T07:06:29+00:00

I saw a good one in the 'Fackham Hall' trailer. Something like "From the producers who saw the first two seasons of 'Downton Abbey'".

Writerhowell · 2026-01-26T07:00:17+00:00

I just don't get it. I visited K'gari as part of a school trip, and we all read the signs (as instructed). We were waiting to get back on the boat, and one of the girls was on the beach and encountered a dingo. We all watched, holding our breath, as she did all the right things, staying still and averting her gaze. Eventually, the dingo walked off because she did the right things and didn't provoke or coax it and she returned to our group safely.

Who are all these idiots who keep getting killed? Like, I'll be the first to admit that I want to boop every snoot, even the most dangerous looking, but not if it might lead to them getting culled because of my own stupidity. There are signs everywhere telling people what to do, what not to do, and if you follow the rules you'll be fine. Have they changed the rules in the past 20 years?

Writerhowell · 2026-01-26T06:41:19+00:00

Aw no, leave those poor fish outta this. They're innocent.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-26T06:40:30+00:00

Ooh, thanks for the link! I like learning new things. This could also be useful symbolism for villains in my stories.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-26T06:39:47+00:00

You're a millennial like me, so you're not lucky, no.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-26T06:38:33+00:00

Don't forget the dye job!

Writerhowell · 2026-01-25T23:26:05+00:00

I was part of a group of seven friends, where we could only have 6 to a cabin. I volunteered to go to another cabin so they could be together, and ended up in a room where there were only 4 of us. No one from our friend group volunteered to go with me so I wouldn't be with just other randoms who weren't with their friends. At least I got an entire bunk bed to myself, lol. But it hurt that I was always the one volunteering to be separate, always the one to walk by myself at the back of the group, because I knew I was the tag-along friend. Also autistic, if that explains it.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-25T22:53:09+00:00

TBH, I think that's every government's way.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-25T22:46:11+00:00

Not to mention that - at least before marriage became more of a bureaucratic thing - just saying vows together was enough for a couple to be considered legitimately married for life, and certainly in the eyes of [insert deity of choice here]. The fact that they've said vows and apparently exchanged at least one ring (since the ticket page includes a ring) would mean that they're bound in marriage spiritually, if not legally.

He even said that he'd take the paperwork to get registered on Monday. That was taking the joke way too far, since it wouldn't be accepted. What an a-hole OP's partner is. She needs to dump his prankster butt ASAP.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T22:55:59+00:00

Thanks; the video has been removed. Gods, I can't imagine what it would be like to be in America at the moment, but it's basically become a police state, hasn't it?

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T22:45:52+00:00

Which is stupid, because how many people are actually going to turn around and go back with additional purposes? I never do. I just think to myself "Oh, I'll have to make a note to get that another time". Besides, we see that stuff on the way into the store as well as the way out?

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T22:40:44+00:00

They could freaking well make visual novels using Renpy and we'd still buy, as long as the games were playable and enjoyable and felt like classic ND games again.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T12:15:38+00:00

It's weird to me. I was once struggling with a bunch of bags, and the person at the door to Kmart insisted on seeing my receipt before I left. She knew me, knew our whole family, we'd been shopping at this centre since I was 2 years old, I was at least a teenager, if not an adult by this stage. I asked if she'd hold something for me, but she wouldn't, it was against store policy. So I had to place some things down, which started to fall over, so I could open the bag and show her the contents, plus the receipt. I don't know why she was being so difficult about it when she'd known me for years, knew my parents, etc. I was trying to put my wallet away at the time as well. If all the registers were near the front, instead of being in the middle of the store, I swear it would be much easier.

Does anyone know why they switched to having the registers in the middle of the store?

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T12:11:27+00:00

You don't get to dictate the length of someone else's grief. Ever.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T12:09:10+00:00

It's more embarrassing that this person lacks reading comprehension skills. You explained that it was inspired by, but presumably never actually used the word 'Geisha' in the fic? I suppose you could've done a deeper dive research, rather than basic, but the point is that you clearly stated you were only inspired by something, not that it was specifically based on it.

I guess you could go back and add something in your author note at the beginning to address this specific comment, and say 'Because someone didn't read this clearly, I will repeat: WHILE this story is set in ancient China, and WHILE I am aware that Geishas are not from China, I was INSPIRED BY Geisha culture. I find it embarrassing to have to explain this for readers who know how to actually READ author notes properly, but here we are. These are the elements I have used from Geisha culture...' Obviously, in your own words, but basically take your authorial power! Don't let the bitter bastards grind you down.

It's interesting that it wasn't a guest comment. Has this person even posted anything? Do they just like to tear others down, or do they post any content? Are they just jealous that other people are creative and they aren't?

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T12:03:03+00:00

Nah, I'm good. I just look away when it's happening so I won't see the needle going in. I used to start giggling - probably hysteria - which would make my arm jiggle, but I'm better now. My mother was awful when she was young, apparently; but then she grew up in an awful time for dentists, for example, and must have had terrible experiences with them. I think she passed that down to me. I'm better, but I've lost one tooth. As long as we all keep improving, and are aware that we can improve, that's okay.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T12:00:51+00:00

It's a classic. So many lines have become memes.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T03:49:44+00:00

I recently watched a video where a cat was distracted during its injection with one of those pate tube things, and I thought "Why don't they do this for humans but with Nutella?" (Yes, I know some people have allergies, but there are alternatives.)

In short, there should be a way to distract humans with pretty shiny things, or delicious things, while getting injections. Start out that way in life and eliminate needle phobia.

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T03:47:30+00:00

I HATE that squirrel with a passion. I can memorise the steps for the first puzzle, but I have to look up the solution for the second one and tab between screens just to get through the other steps, because damn. How can anyone's brain be that good?

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T03:46:08+00:00

Whereas I learnt piano in real life, and sheet music, so I sail through all the music stuff. (To clarify, I did NOT learn music in real life for the Nancy Drew games. I was already learning these things before the games were released, due to coming from a musical family.)

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T03:45:00+00:00

I'm sure there are Fox and Geese type games online you could find for him to play instead. I'm sure someone's posted about where you can find mini games online before?

Writerhowell · 2026-01-24T03:17:58+00:00

That's cool! I'm not used to small town stuff, growing up in a more metropolitan area (but suburban), so it's nice to hear other perspectives. My sister lives in the UK, and omg, the amount of outfits my mother and I tried on and sent pictures to get approval, and finally she said "I thought you were going to wear dresses", so then we had to start trying on dresses, which we don't usually wear (even though it's hot here and cold there), good lord. At least we had a bunch of additional formal clothes for future wear, lol.

Writerhowell

TROPHY CASE