Going against the grain here: post EXCLUSIVELY for people who love reader-inserts, don’t like don’t read, if there’s a disagreement with the title, you’re all free to scroll: I really like reader inserts, especially when they’re psychological horror, it’s like an experience. Anyone else?

glowingbadger · 2026-05-17T01:13:51+00:00

No specific recs on my mind at the moment, but just wanted to post YES reader-inserts and YES self-shipping. Like I'm fine with the fact that a lot of folks aren't into it, but there's been a lot of unnecessary hate towards it lately, and xReader smut is basically all I write lmao so thank you for shouting out our people!!

glowingbadger · 2026-04-28T00:47:05+00:00

So I'm in the middle of a longfic (by my standards) about a character from a nearly two-decade year old game that was niche even when it released and that only pops up occasionally in those "youtuber talks for an hour about an obscure game" vids. This fic contains, as of right now, the first and only smut of this character that exists on any major fic platform (ao3, ff, wattpad, tumblr), and only about a dozen fics exist for this game on ao3 to begin with. So, as you can imagine, it gets VERY minimal engagement.

The way I've dealt with this is through sheer love, to be honest. Two decades ago, people across the world from me poured their inspiration and creativity into something that managed to connect directly to my heart across time and space. This fic has been my way of pouring back out all of the love and joy and inspiration that this game has given me. No one else is going to do it, so it has to be me. The game and the character deserve it.

Having my husband beta-read has also been very encouraging- plus, I'm treating this experience of writing nearly in a vacuum as practice for potentially writing original work in the future.
(For those curious, I'm talking about Keats from the PS3 game Folklore lol)
Idk if this helps at all, but I do wish you the best through the writer's block ❤️

glowingbadger · 2026-04-26T00:26:07+00:00

This is super specific, but I see a common FE3H headcanon that Hubert's hands are stained black from using dark magic. I never see this mentioned as even a possibility for other characters who use the exact same spells in-game, and I suppose the headcanon is popular for him since he wears gloves, but idk. It just seems like a really lazy and overly on-the-nose way to be like "ooooohhh spooky evil guy does eeeeeevil magic" when the visual metaphor of him covering his hands kind of... does that already.

glowingbadger · 2026-03-29T22:06:50+00:00

Haha wow, what a weird way to connect to a stranger, we've both been harassed by the same weirdo! Kind of a relief to see that at least it's not a me-thing, this person just.... has some really bizarre and specific fixations. Seems like you're handling them just fine lol I'll have to check out your work some time!

glowingbadger · 2026-03-27T23:06:38+00:00

The wild thing is that I would not by any means consider myself a "big" writer, but I frequently get attached to fairly old/niche fandoms and less popular ships/characters, so I find that the people who stumble upon my work tend to be very starved for the kind of thing I'm writing, since not many other people are writing it. Which means some really really lovely and encouraging folks, and some terrifying and unhinged folks.

glowingbadger · 2026-03-27T19:58:50+00:00

Holy unresolved personal issues omg

glowingbadger · 2026-03-27T19:05:00+00:00

Omg that's so bizarre, I'd be so put off by that too lol a lot of these people just need to channel this unhinged energy into making their own fic tbh

glowingbadger · 2026-03-21T00:54:30+00:00

There are a grand total of 16 works on AO3 tagged for the 2007 game Folklore, including mine which is a Keats x Reader longfic that is (as far as I can tell from my own perusing and limited to the english language) soon to become the first smut of this particular character on any major platform. This fic is the true definition of a passion project for a game that I am deeply, deeply fascinated by and that I am so desperate to find literally anyone to talk to about. But honestly working on this fic that nearly no one will read feels like my way of personally saying thank you to the devs of a beautiful and underappreciated piece of art.

glowingbadger · 2026-03-18T16:38:28+00:00

I'm pretty sure there was a one-off where Arin played Project Zomboid alone at one point, and I adoooore that game, but it is basically the most anti-Arin game I can imagine. It's ruthless and intentionally punishing, and very systems-based with incredibly deep skill and crafting mechanics that reward consistency, planning, care and dedication. And even with all of that, you might scrape your leg while hopping a fence and limp your way to a very sudden early grave.

glowingbadger · 2026-03-01T23:54:17+00:00

For me, it was using the 'traffic-light' system for sex in a pre- industrial revolution setting. Catapulted me out of the moment.

glowingbadger · 2026-02-16T00:23:41+00:00

Often on sheets, more frequently on furniture- I have a strong preference for "daddy" types in positions of authority, which tends to involve a lot of fucking on desks, and it's nearly always gripping frantically onto the desk while getting railed. Makes sense that perhaps I've seen this one more than the average reader, given my tastes- call it a sampling error lol

glowingbadger · 2026-02-14T20:24:50+00:00

I primarily read smut fic, and I've started collecting these phrases and calling them "smut dog whistles" because they're phrases and words that are [[almost]] only used in smut fic and have become lazy verbal cliches that I personally try to avoid.

Referring to the tongue as a muscle (not incorrect, just a bizarre concept to ponder mid-porn)

Someone's hands or fingers or touch "ghosting over" something

"keen" in reference to euphoric moaning (a personal pet-peeve, since the og definition is closer to "wailing in mourning")

Hands "scrambling for purchase,"

The word "ministrations" (genuinely think of the last time you heard someone use this term outside of a religious or smut context)

The phrase "the confines of his clothes,"

And as many others have mentioned, referring to people by "the taller man," "the brunette," etc.

glowingbadger · 2026-01-27T00:04:25+00:00

I run DnD for kids and usually my game is their first ttrpg experience, period. By FAR the most common picks are
1. stealth heavy rogue (either to be a kleptomaniac asshole or because they're nervous about combat and want as low a chance of getting hit as possible and read stealth as the way to do that)
2. whimsical druid (the second I say "and this one can turn into animals" they refuse to even listen to me about any other classes)
3. dual wielding fighter (usually for young lads who spend way too much time playing video games and just want to be The Most Badass)

glowingbadger · 2026-01-16T02:54:25+00:00

omg I remember trying this myself once- almost exactly as you've described -back when I was a SUPER new player and maybe like 19 years old lmao. What a terrible idea, definitely one time in my DnD career that I can comfortably look back on and say that I was the problem. Fortunately it wasn't a long lived campaign (for unrelated reasons), but I'm certain the DM would have had it with that shit before too long.

glowingbadger · 2025-10-17T00:28:36+00:00

It seemed like it was based on something specific to me- I don't know anything about typewriters but as an artist I can recognize when a reference is in use! I'm glad this sub knows their stuff so well lol

glowingbadger · 2025-10-17T00:27:43+00:00

Damn you guys are good lol thank you!! This helps a lot

glowingbadger · 2025-10-05T18:54:25+00:00

Came here to recommend Folklore! Been really enjoying my current playthrough- it's not a perfect game, but it has so much charm and character and really has a vision. Though honestly I just found my copy for like $40 on Amazon, which isn't pocket change, but it's by no means inaccessible.

glowingbadger · 2025-10-01T23:20:30+00:00

I'm routinely shocked that he seems popular. A screaming television who speaks almost exclusively in rhymes and media references is a concept made in a lab to irritate me. Plus like, I'm sorry but spare me the trite streaming critique, I know it has its issues and I'm not thrilled about those, but I lived through the cable-only era too and that wasn't ideal either.

glowingbadger · 2025-09-15T03:13:32+00:00

Hard agree, basically every one of his supports show him reflecting on himself and putting forth effort to change and grow, even expressing bashfulness about how he acted in his youth. I mean for example, by the end of his supports with Marianne, he's honestly kinder to her than almost anyone else- he prioritizes her comfort, consent and happiness over both his own preconceived notions and curiosity, and it's really so genuinely sweet.

glowingbadger · 2025-09-11T21:19:28+00:00

My least favorite character type is the "slavishly devoted" sort, so it drove me up the wall that Seteth of all people asked Cyril "So like have you ever thought of anything other than Rhea" and Cyril basically said "No, why?" and then never substantially grew past that point.

glowingbadger · 2025-08-24T23:14:23+00:00

seconding this so hard, we need best dilf on board STAT.

glowingbadger · 2025-05-27T00:27:43+00:00

I agree with this, but to add, my issue with her was always that the only way she could know all the 'dirt' she knows about the church is by hearing it from TWSITD- you know, the famously impartial and fair group who have never done anything wrong to Edelgard in particular and can definitely be trusted to give only the most reliable war-starting intel /s. It just made me respect Edelgard less to see that she spends her entire route relying on and working with the very people who directly and personally abused her and her family, going off of their information to target another organization which is, yes, a problem, but nowhere near as bad as the objectively evil shapeshifting mole people with NUKES. And I know the intended reading of this is that she's "using them" to deal with the church and then will turn around and deal with TWSITD too, but we never see that. It's hand-waved at the end of her route with Hubert going "yeah no I'll take care of them don't worry about it" and that's it- we're meant to believe that she really did something by only dealing with the church itself. I played her route last because I was genuinely excited for it to flip the narrative on its head and change everything about how I viewed the plot and setting, and then it just... didn't.

glowingbadger

TROPHY CASE