I have a mute character in the story I’m writing and one of my beta readers suggested I use italics when they sign so that I don’t have to keep peppering “they signed” or “their hands flashed” throughout the piece.
But like…I always read italics in a different tone like they’re thoughts. It seems quieter than using normal quotations which makes what they say look less significant on the page than other character’s dialogue.
I really don’t think my audience needs me to use completely different punctuation around a mute character. There’s no need to act like they’re speaking a different language since their muteness isn’t a focal point in the story.
So really this reader’s comment has done the complete opposite of what they intended. Now I’m actively taking out as many of my “hands flashed” notations as possible and just writing in normal body language because, clearly, the other characters understand them and my audience doesn’t need to be coddled.
As an HOH reader and writer I can affirm that once the signing has been established it can just be treated like “said”.
You can add little things for emphasis though, like how fast or flippant a sign is given, also a lot of our “punctuation” is in facial expressions, so wild looks is kind of normal. Also messing up signs and just.. pushing them aside. Like, you mess up a fingerspell and just take both hands and shove the air in front of you to your side, people who sign eventually end up doing this for other things, like a “forget it” motion. It’s like a “wave it off” gesture.
Body language for someone who signs is a lot more animated than someone who speaks, as we use our upper body a lot in our conversations, so the act of “signing” is more than just hand signals.
Yes….yes GOOD this is the good stuff right here. I’m going to incorporate some of these ASAP ESPECIALLY the pushing the air but to clear it of your mistakes
The Sastiel Secret Santa Gift Exchange Is Here!! 😀
What is it?
It’s an Secret Santa gifts exchange between Sastiel fans. Everyone who enters will be assigned someone to send a sastiel gift.
What kind of gift?
Everything you want: writing, drawing, fanvid, graphics, gifset, playlists, poetry, etc, etc. All your gifts have to be Sastiel-related, the rest is up to you!
TIP: If you’re unsure what to make, check out
the person’s Tumblr to see if they – for example – particularly
like AU!Sastiel, Dark!Sastiel, Fluffy!Sastiel etc. You can also send
them an Anon message, asking what they’d specifically like! Just don’t
reveal yourself to them 🙂
How to participate?
Send me an ask to tell me you want to participate. No new participant after November 16th. WARNING! During the previous rounds, Tumblr ate some of the asks. Don’t
hesitate to send your participation twice if you don’t receive any
answer from me. ^^
How does it work?
I will randomly match everyone
Everyone will get a URL in their askbox November 17th.
You have until December 15th to send your gift atsastielcc@hotmail.com
I’ll post all the gifts on December 24th (the Big Reveal™)
After that day, you can post your creations online and reveal yourself!!!
What are the rules?
Do not post your creation online nor reveal yourself to the person whom you made gifts for before the Big Reveal™.
Do a decent gift, you wouldn’t recieve a sloppy gift from your Secret Santa right? ^^
My askbox is always open if you have any question! ^^
The Sastiel Secret Santa Gift Exchange Is Here!! 😀
What is it?
It’s an Secret Santa gifts exchange between Sastiel fans. Everyone who enters will be assigned someone to send a sastiel gift.
What kind of gift?
Everything you want: writing, drawing, fanvid, graphics, gifset, playlists, poetry, etc, etc. All your gifts have to be Sastiel-related, the rest is up to you!
TIP: If you’re unsure what to make, check out
the person’s Tumblr to see if they – for example – particularly
like AU!Sastiel, Dark!Sastiel, Fluffy!Sastiel etc. You can also send
them an Anon message, asking what they’d specifically like! Just don’t
reveal yourself to them 🙂
How to participate?
Send me an ask to tell me you want to participate. No new participant after November 16th. WARNING! During the previous rounds, Tumblr ate some of the asks. Don’t
hesitate to send your participation twice if you don’t receive any
answer from me. ^^
How does it work?
I will randomly match everyone
Everyone will get a URL in their askbox November 17th.
You have until December 15th to send your gift atsastielcc@hotmail.com
I’ll post all the gifts on December 24th (the Big Reveal™)
After that day, you can post your creations online and reveal yourself!!!
What are the rules?
Do not post your creation online nor reveal yourself to the person whom you made gifts for before the Big Reveal™.
Do a decent gift, you wouldn’t recieve a sloppy gift from your Secret Santa right? ^^
My askbox is always open if you have any question! ^^
Thankful — a Kinda Like Family, Kinda Like Love timestamp
For those of you who follow my Destiel fic Kinda Like Family, Kinda Like Love, here is a preview of the first timestamp. 😊 Posting soon on AO3!
Dean Milton is a thankful man. He’s thankful for his beautiful twin boys, Jamie and Robbie. He’s thankful for his awesome job as a Kindergarten teacher and his even more awesome coworkers, many of whom he counts as friends. He’s thankful for his huge, incredibly supportive and tight-knit family. And of course, he’s thankful for his husband Cas, the love of his life, who stuck by him while he figured out his sexuality and his Daddy issues.
What he’s not thankful for is that his beloved husband has discovered cooking magazines. And television shows. And websites. Because now his husband is fretting over having the “perfect” Thanksgiving, which they’re hosting for the first time.
Karate, SPN Demonic Octopus Guardian 