u/FamiliarMeal5193

I'm sure some people had smart guesses, but nonetheless they didn't know for sure. Do I remember correctly?

I have seen this in writing, where it will refer to things like "her sensitive mouth" or "her sensitive brow." Usually it is used to convey some kind of facial expression, I think. But what exactly does it mean?

It seems like if nobody dies and nobody is leaving, the place would fill up eventually....

I'm listening to The Hobbit audiobook, and it's just said Gandalf rode a white horse. Would that have been Shadowfax all the way back then?

This question is for my fantasy story that's set in a medieval inspired world. If there have been recent attacks or disasters, leaving people injured and their homes damaged or destroyed, would there be some kind of common location where they'd congregate? I'm thinking mostly for shelter, medical treatment, etc.

I'm just kind of apprehensive because these kinds of thing have never been a comfortable experience. Not because of bad experiences with the gyno team, but just because it's uncomfortable having medical implements put in certain places.

I'm in my upper 20's, not sexually active if that's relevant. But I've had a gyno exam before, so part of me feels like I should be less apprehensive. Are these feelings normal?

Here is the scenario. It takes place in a low-tech setting. The midwife can't be reached for some time when she needs to be. By the time she does get there, she's informed things are progressing faster than expected. The midwife arrives to find the mother laboring on her knees on the floor, actually just a few minutes away from delivering.

No one else in this situation has much helpful expertise or knowledge. What would a good midwife do upon arriving to this scenario? Meaning, what would be the first assessment, course of action, etc.? Would you be able to know right off how close the baby was? Would you need to arrange for the mother to be in a different position, or just let things happen? How would you know, and what would be safe for the mom and baby?

(If it helps, this is the mother's first baby, and thus far there have been no complications in the pregnancy.)

This is a comment from ROTK, the chapter titled The Passing of the Grey Company. The remark is made by Legolas, regarding Elladan and Elrohir, singling them out from the other Dunedain. What does the remark mean?

Especially in places like The Lay of Leithian, where Luthien does all her rituals to achieve the enchanted hair, etc.

Tolkien was Catholic, but he was also widely read in different types of literature that he might've drawn from. So from a Catholic/Christian perspective, does this fit? One would almost think a devout Catholic would avoid incorporating elements that imitate occupy practices.

Any insight here?

​

This is a cliche thing that gets thrown around, and I'm so tired of it. It really bothers me, but I can't fully explain why.

I do have a few ideas, however. But first, let me clarify that this is not a man-hating post. It's just a reflection of my experiences.

First, it's usually said in a way or in a context that makes it sound derogatory towards women/a specific woman. It's like an "acceptable" way of complaining about one's wife, etc. And it's not very nice. A lot of times you can just feel the jab in it, or the not-so-benevolent spirit it's said with.

Adding to that, you'll notice that this is one of the only contexts you'll hear where it's implied that being "simple" = better. Nobody is saying it outright, but when I hear people say stuff like "men are simple, women are complicated," it always feels like there's an unspoken implication that this means men are better.

Another one of my ideas for why this bugs me so much is because I think it can aid men in avoiding responsibility. I know, I know *not all men* and whatever . . . it does seem like a very easy cop-out. If men are simple, they don't have to take responsibility for how they make the women in their life feel, because "emotions are so complicated!" And "Men's minds are just too simple for that." If they're "not emotionally aware," then they can potentially not take responsibility for hurting your feelings.

The impression it gives me is that they use this reasoning to put emotions/feelings and being emotional/having feelings in a bad light. It can be an excuse to not understand or try to understand. It can become a means to express annoyance and negative sentiments toward the women in question. And it's a slippery slope, because it may *sound* like a psychological fact or accepted knowledge - and then it turns into a way to compartmentalize what a "man thing" and a "woman thing" is, depending on how much the men like or dislike it. And after that, whatever they decide a "woman thing" is becomes criticized.

I do think men and woman may have some distinctive differences in the way we think, in general. But again, the attitude and the hidden jabs I sense when people start off on this nonsense really bothers me. And it really bothers me how common and accepted it is!

Is it just me? If this makes you uncomfortable too, can you share why? I am really trying to figure out just what it is that gets to me. And once again, no man-hating, just trying to unravel the reasoning here.

I started this story mostly for my own enjoyment, and as a first attempt at fantasy, so I'm working with a fairly basic, medieval inspired fantasy world.

I have a healer character who, in the past, was requested to use her profession as a cover for an intelligence role as well. She then spent a good deal of time away from government ties, just doing regular work. But events have stirred up, and they want to recruit her to do her previous role again.

In this type of setting, what kind of official would be tasked with bringing that request or message? Ideally, I'd like to find a title that fits my world, but would be at least reasonably parallel with what this type of person would be called irl. Also, would it make more sense for them to bring the request directly to the healer, or to summon her to a more official location to discuss it?

I'm sure there's an answer to this, and it's probably fairly simple, but I find myself wondering. If they don't have bodies, do they really need to wear the cloaks? And how would any river be a problem to cross for disembodied beings?

Whether it's writers I interact with on Reddit or someone from a writing server on Discord, I find that the feedback I get is often unhelpful. More than once, I've had someone say, "It might sound better if you changed it to say xyz or worded it like xyz," but the thing is, their suggestion is *literally* just a paraphrase of what I *did* say! Like, how do they not see that?

Idk, it's also hard to know when you really need a correction because your writing sounds clunky, or if the person giving feedback is just tweaking it to how they'd write it in *their* voice. I have been told I am a good writer, but I know I could be way better. But sometimes I get the impression that the people I get feedback from are not quite even on my level, so it's like, How seriously do I take this?

I know you might be inclined to suggest writing YouTubers or podcasts, but again, I'm not sure whose advice to take. Some of them seem to just throw out generic advice that all the others also say, and which may even be quite subjective. Not much of it truly helps me. But I really do want to improve and make the most I can from the feedback or advice I get - it's just I don't know what I actually need to take or leave.

The story is technically fantasy, but it's set in a classic medieval inspired world. I have a scene where the characters are talking about bruises to someone's chest/ribs. Well, first of all, could you get this kind of injury while wearing chest armor? And secondly, what kind of armor piece should I refer to in this situation? Like, "oh yeah, my [insert piece of armor] really dug into my ribcage when I took that hit," or whatever. Any info for me?

Sorry the title doesn't explain much (it only allows for so many characters).

What are some other creative descriptions for an angry or hostile expression than the imagery of "a dark cloud" over the face? I'm a little afraid I'm going to end up using that one too much if I don't watch myself.