Can You Do Something For Me, Please?

Character Spotlight

Agent Vivien. Twenty-eight. For her, home is a place you cannot escape like the smoke in your lungs from a housefire your father started. You still cough up dollhouse plastic and holy basil from time to time and it smells like your mother's grave. She picks up after her baby brother's messes who is twenty-five. Her mother dies, but it's the aftermath that sets the implosion. A shark at her job, she keeps moving, she's got to, or she'll drown. She craves the distance and the compartmentalization her job gives, the quick escape from knowing the aftermath of her jobs. Never stick around for the aftermath.

concrete circles ⚪️

I am Mohammed Ayyad, a resident of Gaza. I live in very difficult circumstances because of the war that the Gaza Strip is experiencing. Since the outbreak of the war on October 7, we have been displaced. Then the journey of suffering and separation began, as my children were separated and evacuated from our home without cover or clothes, and from here they became ill. What increased our fatigue was the continuous upbringing due to the different areas to which we were displaced. We were displaced 9 times, and this was very costly. The last time was on August 9 from Hamad City. In addition to that, we live in the winter season in a tent that does not exceed three meters, closed with nylon. It is similar to the atmosphere of strong winds that we have never experienced before. The weather is very cold. Overall, we are living difficult days that no human being can bear. We have no work because of the war and we do not have any kind of money. This is accompanied by a crazy and terrible increase in prices. Although the water is not suitable for drinking, this is the cause of many diseases. The last suffering is that we are outside Hamad without taking our belongings or tents. Now we are searching the ground in the streets and our children and the elderly are suffering. Therefore, we use direct donations, including what they can, or sharing the links completely so that people know our tragedy and pain. Remember that a small contribution can make a difference in the lives of many children who are dealing with their health condition. Leave their details and make them happy with your generous contribution.

Everyone please donate if you can! Vetted by Bilal: https://www.tumblr.com/bilal-salah0/760815071705415680

Writing Snippet #2

Ivory kept silent, a hair’s breadth away, but for Esther it must have been miles. Miles of restraints and secrets and those insufferable loyalties, the roles Ivory upheld, honor bound. She had seen her unleashed, the wild, selfish recklessness, trembling hands, and quiet, sweet whispers in the late hours all wound up tight now.

Body Language Cheat Sheet For Writers 

╰ Facial expressions

These are your micro-signals, like the blinking neon signs of the soul. But they’re small, quick, and often lie harder than words.

Raised eyebrows — This can mean surprise or disbelief, sure. But it can also be a full-on, silent “Are you serious right now?” when someone’s being ridiculous. Or even curiosity when someone’s too emotionally repressed to askthe damn question.

Furrowed brow — That face people make when they’re doing long division in their head or trying to emotionally process a compliment. It’s thinking, yes—but also confusion, deep frustration, or quiet simmering rage.

Smiling — Can be happiness… or total fake-it-till-you-make-it energy. Some smiles are stiff. Some don’t reach the eyes. Show that.

Frowning — Sure, sadness. But also: disappointment, judgment, or the universal “I’m about to say something blunt, brace yourself.”

Lip biting — It’s not just nervousness, it’s pressure. Self-control. Anticipation. It’s the thing people do when they want to say something and decide, at the last second, not to.

╰ Eye movement

The window to the soul? Yeah. But also the window to when someone’s lying, flirting, or deeply trying not to cry in public.

Eye contact — Confidence or challenge. Eye contact can be gentle, curious, sharp like a blade. Sometimes it’s desperate: “Please understand me.”

Avoiding eye contact — Not always guilt. Sometimes it’s protectiveness. Sometimes it’s “I’m afraid if I look at you, you’ll see everything I’m trying to hide.”

Narrowed eyes — Calculating. Suspicious. The look someone gives when their brain’s saying “hmmm...” and it’s not a good hmm.

Wide eyes — Surprise, yes. But also sudden fear. The oh-God-it’s-happening look. Or when someone just found out they’re not as in control as they thought.

Eye roll — Classic. But try using it with tension, like when someone’s annoyed and trying very hard not to lose it in public.

╰ Gestures

This is where characters’ emotions go when their mouths are lying.

Crossing arms — Not just defensive. Sometimes it’s comfort. A self-hug. A barrier when the conversation is getting too personal.

Fidgeting — This is nervous energy with nowhere to go. Watch fingers tapping, rings spinning, sleeves tugged. It says: I’m not okay, but I’m trying not to show it.

Pointing — It’s a stab in the air. Aggressive, usually. But sometimes a desperate plea: Look. Understand this.

Open palms — Vulnerability. Honesty. Or a gesture that says, “I have nothing left to hide.”

Hand on chin — Not just thinking. It’s stalling. It’s delaying. It’s “I’m about to say something that might get me in trouble.”

╰ Posture and movement

These are your vibes. How someone occupies space says everything.

Slumped shoulders — Exhaustion. Defeat. Or someone trying to take up less space because they feel small.

Upright posture — Not always confidence. Sometimes it’s forced. Sometimes it’s a character trying really, really hard to look like they’re fine.

Pacing — Inner chaos externalized. Thinking so loudly it needs movement. Waiting for something. Running from your own thoughts.

Tapping foot — Tension. Irritation. Sometimes a buildup to an explosion.

Leaning in — Intimacy. Interest. Or subtle manipulation. (You matter to me. I’m listening. Let’s get closer.)

╰ Touch

This is intimacy in all its forms, comforting, protective, romantic, or invasive.

Hugging — Doesn’t always mean closeness. Could be a goodbye. Could be an apology they can’t say out loud. Could be awkward as hell.

Handshake — Stiff or crushing or slippery. How someone shakes hands says more than their words do.

Back patting — Casual warmth. Bro culture. Awkward emotional support when someone doesn’t know how to comfort but wants to try.

Clenched fists — Holding something in. Rage, tears, restraint. Fists mean tension that needs somewhere to go.

Hair tuck — Sure, flirtation or nerves. But also a subtle shield. A way to hide. A habit from childhood when someone didn’t want to be seen.

╰ Mirroring:

If two characters start syncing their body language, something is happening. Empathy. Chemistry. Shared grief. If someone shifts their body when the other does? Take notice. Other human bits that say everything without words...

Nodding — Not just yes. Could be an “I hear you,” even if they don’t agree. Could be the “keep going” nod. Could be patronizing if done too slow.

Crossed legs — Chill. Casual. Or closed-off, depending on context. Especially if their arms are crossed too.

Finger tapping — Time is ticking. Brain is pacing. Something’s coming.

Hand to chest — Sincerity, yes. But also shock. Or grounding—a subconscious attempt to stay present when everything feels like too much.

Tilting the head — Curiosity. Playfulness. Or someone listening so hard they forget to hide it.

Temple rub — “I can’t deal.” Could be physical pain. Could be stress. Could be emotional overload in disguise.

Chin stroking — Your classic “I’m judging you politely.” Often used in arguments between characters pretending to be calm.

Hands behind the back — Authority. Control. Or rigid fear masked as control.

Leaning body — This is the body betraying the brain. A tilt toward someone means they care—even if their words are cold.

Nail biting — Classic anxiety. But also habit. Something learned. Sometimes people bite because that’s how they self-soothe.

Squinting — Focusing. Doubting. Suspicion without confrontation.

Shifting weight — Uncomfortable. Unsure. Someone who wants to leave but doesn’t.

Covering the mouth — Guilt. Hesitation. The “should I say this?” moment before something big drops.

Body language is more honest than dialogue. If you really want to show your character’s internal world, don’t just give them lines. Give them a hand that won’t stop shaking. Give them a foot that won’t stop bouncing. Give them a mouth that smiles when their eyes don’t. And if you’re not sure what your character would do in a moment of fear, or love, or heartbreak, try acting it out yourself. Seriously. Get weird. Feel what your body does. Then write that down.

read and reblog please

I want to make sure this information gets through to everyone: the racist genocidal German state could deport Bilal @bilal-salah0 within the next week, after he lost his job and home, heaping cruelty after cruelty onto this young man who has been working nonstop to provide for his family facing genocide in Gaza.

he's supporting 18 people there, including 8 kids under age 16. now Bilal needs to finish fundraising for his family before August 15th when he could be deported. that's one week from today.

Bilal needs to raise €25000 in the next 7 days to make sure his family has enough to survive if he can no longer fundraise. Bilal shared this dire news with us on Tuesday, but in spite of thousands of notes on @malcriada, @appsa, and others' posts about the situation, the campaign received only €3650 in the last two days.

it seems like people are somehow not seeing the urgency and severity of the situation. donations also slowed over the past week because Bilal couldn't be online to promote the campaign, and because of the recent racist attacks against fundraising efforts here. there's a lot of ground to make up and very little time, but we can do it. please donate any amount you can, those €5s add up if enough people help. reblog this as well as the posts linked above, and tell your friends and social media outside tumblr. and most importantly, seriously, please donate whatever you can. we need to come through for Bilal's family now, not later. please take this seriously, please help them.

August 8th: €75,467 / €100,000

gofundme.com

Donate to Help Evacuate My Family from Gaza to Safety, organized by Bilal salah

Hi everyone, I am Bilal, 22 years old, from Gaza, Palestine. I am reaching… Bilal salah needs your support for Help Evacuate My Family f

plain text and tags under the cut

PT: read and reblog please

I want to make sure this information gets through to everyone: the racist genocidal German state could deport Bilal @/bilal-salah0 within the next week, after he lost his job and home, heaping cruelty after cruelty onto this young man who has been working nonstop to provide for his family facing genocide in Gaza. now Bilal needs to finish fundraising for his family before August 15th when he could be deported. that's one week from today.

Bilal needs to raise €25000 in the next 7 days to make sure his family has enough to survive if he can no longer fundraise. Bilal shared this dire news with us on Tuesday, but in spite of thousands of notes on @/malcriada, @/appsa, and others' posts about the situation, the campaign received only €3650 in the last two days.

it seems like people are somehow not seeing the urgency and severity of the situation. donations also slowed over the past week because Bilal couldn't be online to promote the campaign, and because of the recent racist attacks against fundraising efforts here. there's a lot of ground to make up and very little time, but we can do it. please donate any amount you can, those €5s add up if enough people help. reblog this as well as the posts linked above, and tell your friends and social media outside tumblr. and most importantly, seriously, please donate whatever you can. we need to come through for Bilal's family now, not later. please take this seriously, please help them.

August 8th: €75,467 / €100,000

/end PT

lmk if you don't want to be tagged next time. ty!

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“I’ve been on the other side of dying for a very long time.”

“You mean the wrong side?” Derina’s voice teases and then leans in closer to murmurs, “This one’s much more fun.”

Her voice drawls on the last word, and Laila retorts, “Is that your plan? Die, resurrect, seduce an innocent man to depths of the ocean?”

“Hardly. You’re not a man, Ms. Kivris, or innocent for that matter.”

By the spirits, she’s an incorrigible flirt and probably responsible for a dozen stereotypes about sirens. Laila leans back to look at Derina better, the blood in her face running hot and keeps her mouth shut. She doesn’t trust her tongue enough right now.

The corner of Derina's lip curls up knowingly, her eyes wild and tipsy as they focus on her. Laila wets her lips and whispers, “What are you playing at?”

“Just a dance. We’ve got plenty of time until Marty kicks us out.” Derina tugs her hand but makes no motion to get up, brushing her thumb across Laila's knuckles.

i hate it when i cant even write a poem about something because its too obvious. like in the airbnb i was at i guess it used to be a kids room cause you could see the imprint of one little glow in the dark star that had been missed and painted over in landlord white. like that's a poem already what's the point

idk what to do for april fools on here cuz i don’t wanna change my icon and i don’t wanna hit post limit via spam

4 Years of Hope

Hi there! We're 4 Years of Hope, aiming to bring you a mission of creativity, community and a little light in the darkness throughout whatever the next 4 years brings you. We know things are looking to be hard for a lot of folks right now, and we want to help a little in our own small, creative ways.

What will we be doing?

Each year, we'll be publishing an eZine featuring writing and art from around the globe in this wonderful writing community we've forged, aiming to help folks out there appreciate the joy of creativity. Each project will have a different theme specifically relating to hope. There will also be voluntary donations towards a charity supporting causes close to our heart in these difficult times.

Who are we?

We're run by a small team of community artists, just hoping to make a little bit of a difference.

Via is an author, theatre maker and workshop leader who supports folks to be the most creative version of themselves. They aim to inspire, empower and enfranchise through their work, and love to explore challenging and educational themes. They love cats, and if they could be any kitchen implement they would be a spatula.

Alex is a Canadian artist, musician, and YA author. When they’re not at the keyboard, you can find them hosting tabletop game night, working on illustrations, or at their other keyboard composing music. Their life’s work is to connect with queer youth who feel as lost and hopeless as they once did and provide a little bit of hope for the future, be that through writing, music, or comedy.

Em is a poet, parent, and artist specializing in sculptures. She loves to see what beauty comes from creativity and community and has a non-trivial obsession with turtles.

What's next?

We're still getting things set up on our end, but please keep an eye out over the next few weeks for announcements about our first Zine theme, and our first charity!