But A Dream Hub

Link to article: But A Dream Hub.

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⚠️ **Content warning:** Certain sections of this hub mention **suicidal ideation**, **trauma**, **derealization** and **sexual assault**.

For a thematic content warning encompassing the canon setting, check the Content Warning page of Information.

This hub is not suitable for young readers.
[[include info:end]]

[[include :scp-wiki:component:info-cw]]

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> [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-16869011/but-a-dream#post-7555767 Click for an important announcement regarding But a Dream. Thank you.]

[[tabview]]

[[tab Introduction]]

[[image bad1.png]]

[[div class="blockquote"]]
[[=]]
 {{**Memo of Johnathan Mildew, Site Director of Site-433**}}
[[/=]]
------
I said a long time ago that things are getting worse, and they really, really, are.

[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-8060 This toon shit] has been a logistical nightmare. There are the little things: comics that make you think their topics are the funniest thing in the world; a cardboard cutout of a dog that resembles [DATA EXPUNGED] when you look too closely at it; living creepypasta characters; guys who make you not care about them.

But then there are the big things. Milkshakes you can order at every single restaurant in America that'll spirit you away; entire inaccessible areas of thought that press into your head and turn you inside out; whole unstable worlds conjured by a cardboard box.

We here at Site-433 have a reputation for being "snobs." We're pretentious, and emotional, irrational and unscientific. That's what people think of us. And if you're being transferred here, that's what your friends and coworkers think of you, too.

But I'll tell you this: The work we do is the most important work you will //ever// do. Even those small anomalies turned into something huge. We had a VR game about a farmer, and it sank an entire Site, incapacitated dozens of people, and if it weren't for us, it might've decided to swallow the world whole. It was our biggest achievement, no one even knows about it, and we're dealing with worse things on the regular now.

You've probably noticed by now, the trend between these anomalies -- cardboard boxes, milkshakes, video games, cutouts, whatever -- they're all //art.// Childish, vulgar, and often simplistic, but art nonetheless.

There's something wrong with the concept of art.

Art is a subjective, human concept, or so we thought. We're quickly learning that there are other beings in this world, and in //other// worlds, that have their own understanding of art, or they //are// art, or they redefine on an objective level what art is around themselves, and they aren't all the same beings, none of them run on the same rules, and most of them are simply incomprehensible to the human mind.

There are many, many cases. A whole army of Yellow Kings springing forth from every nook and cranny, every single object on Earth a potential doomsday clock. Because art is //everything//, art can be //anything.//

Sculptures, video games, children's games, vandalism, clip art, shopping mall flyers, scripts, candy bars, all arts. Maybe your previous Site contains art, and you didn't even realize it. [[[scp-1633 |Maybe]]] [[[scp-1918 |your]]] [[[scp-4505 |Site]]] [[[scp-8991 |doesn't]]] [[[scp-093 |know]]] [[[scp-4228 | how much]]] [[[scp-700 |art there is]]].

An exhibit is art, whether it's one of the above or a zoo for animals or a living exhibit or an exhibitionist, and who knows what kind of shit will crawl out of there.

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That doesn't mean we just sit and take it, though. It's awful and it consumes so much of your life, but we're doing something good here. Something that helps people. Every time I have to see hyperrealistic bleeding eyes pop out of a TV and roll across the now-stained office carpet, I know I just prevented dozens of children from seeing the same thing.

And we have leads. Sputnik Studios is just one of many anomalous entertainment companies -- but they're //gone.// All we have to chase is their ghosts. And the more we find, the more that this gaping gap in our reality can narrow.

We're working on theories, too. Research. Philosophical and scientific inquiries. We give them names -- toons, Alucanari-class entities, [[[scp-5054 |phylum]]] //[[[scp-5054 |Eldritch]]]//, so on -- and just because we haven't cracked them yet doesn't mean we //won't.// These things are so far beyond us, but there's still something //human// about them. Maybe they're just humans from other places. I've heard of humans becoming toons, and toons becoming humans, and I've heard there are things in-between too.

Some of them are on our staff. Like say, Rowan, he's got something wrong with him like that now. It isn't a bad thing. He's still quite a valuable member of the Foundation.

But it's so frustrating.

We try to get close to it and we run right into a wall. A wall we didn't know was there until we got close to it. But you can only hit a wall so much before the wall starts to chip away.

We might not get anywhere in my lifetime, but we're making strides. Maybe you'll be the one who cracks this mystery right open. Crack the world right open even. I've been trying. Pouring over these notes on my desk. My theory so far? I think this is all
[[>]]
**##blue|but a dream.##**
[[/>]]
and there's only so far you can slide into the pit. We can reclaim our art. We can live alongside other versions of art. And it'll stop hurting, I hope.

Get back to work.
[[/div]]

[[/tab]]

[[tab Information]]

[[image 433.jpg]]

------

> **WARNING!** The following information is conveyed __out of universe__, and therefore will contain massive __spoilers__ for this canon. **##blue|We##** recommend you read the articles in the tabs "Episodes" and "Lost Episodes" before continuing. **THANK YOU!**

//But A Dream// is a canon thematically centered around imagination: anomalies come from daydreams, nightmares, thoughts, prayers, and every other dark little corner of your mind. Sometimes anomalies come from expressions of creativity too, like art.

Anomalies, then, are as natural to the universe as you or **##blue|I##**. Anomalies are a part of the ecosystem of consciousness; they are desire, they are fear, they are love, and sex, and they are //you.//

This canon, then, focuses on certain aspects of imagination and the ways they interact with the world. //But A Dream//'s tone is fairly loose, comprising of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_fiction literary fiction] not beholden to one genre; however, generally speaking, you'll see stories that sit in the intersections between [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_fiction weird fiction], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealist_cinema surrealism], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_horror psychological horror], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_fantasy urban fantasy].

Below you'll see a general overview of this canon's major players, locations, etc., as well as other miscellaneous information you'll need if you want to start writing.

------

[[collapsible show="Terms & Definitions" hide="Terms & Definitions"]]

[[div class="blockquote"]]
[[=]]
**__Toon__**
[[/=]]
Being an embodiment of imagination itself, Toons are an incredibly complicated and ancient collection of beings. They are not typically bound by rules and limitations, although they often occupy a space that fits them comfortably for their intended purpose.

Standardly resembles a type of artistic medium capable of sapience. It is unknown just how many anomalies that exist are in relation to Toons in some shape or form, or if simply all anomalies are the byproduct of Toons.

Various groups have their own ways of referring to these entities, usually out of some sense of shame, the idea of treating something called a Toon as a genuine threat being a very humiliating concept. A good example of this is the Foundation's own "Alucinari-class".

Toon is the correct terminology.
[[/div]]

[[div class="blockquote"]]
[[=]]
**__Mnemosyne Expanse__**
[[/=]]
The vast and incomprehensible sea of ideas, constructed out of everyone's imagination, dead or alive or something else entirely. It's a genuine wonder there are even areas of this place stable enough to explore. It is unknown how many dimensional anomalies are tied or connected to this enigma of a space.

Various segments of this area branch off into representations of specific concepts and ideas. Certain locations will become hotspots for whatever genre it caters to. The infinity of the space assures that there will always be something new to see, no matter how far you traverse.

You will not be the same person once you come back from here, for the same reason nobody is the same person after watching a film or playing a video game. That is, if you even find a way to escape without becoming a piece of the puzzle.
[[/div]]

[[div class="blockquote"]]
[[=]]
**__Sputnik Studios__**
[[/=]]

An animation studio founded in 1985 and centered in California. Utilizes paratechnology for the benefit of production time, reputation and the imagination of its employees. Most of said employees are unaware of the anomalous properties of said tech and the consequences of fiddling with it in the first place. Since defunct in recent times, but the magic is well alive.

And even still, many are digging around where they perhaps shouldn't. The unofficial "Sputnik Studios Community Wiki" is one of the largest fan communities in relation to Sputnik Studios on the web ever since sputniktoons.com went kaput. Their purpose is to archive, discuss and share Sputnik Studios related media wherever they can find it. 

In spite of the rules forbidding such actions, some may go looking a bit deeper than most would be comfortable with, forcibly contacting producers, breaking into abandoned studios, paying thousands of dollars for discontinued merchandise.[[footnote]]Well, I guess that last part wouldn't be forbidden exactly.[[/footnote]]

The Foundation can't exactly tell if this is some sort of frenzy from the leftover magic or the standard immature fandom squabbling. 
[[/div]]

[[div class="blockquote"]]
[[=]]
**__ANIMAL HOSPITAL__**
[[/=]]

We have hospitals. Doctors. Medicine. All animals have is ANIMAL HOSPITAL.

[[/div]]

[[/collapsible]]

------

[[collapsible show="Character Roster" hide="Character Roster"]]

__**Rowan Raster:**__ Former Sputnik Studios animator with a strange penchant for vivid soothsaying dreams, Rowan Raster found himself in Site-433 after one of his animated series displayed a bizarre amount of similarities to anomalies in the Foundation's custody.

Rowan is a very important asset to Site-433 especially, both as an artist and as someone able to communicate with anomalies better than most on his team. This is in due part to his personal attachment to the inhuman.[[footnote]]He has a genuine attraction to Toons more than he does human beings. This is not meant to be played (purely, you're allowed to make some jokes about it) for comedy, this is more often something he struggles with more than anything.[[/footnote]] That is not something he would be willing to admit outright, considering his place of work. He has also worked on posters and various other visual signifiers for Site-433, giving it a distinct look from most other Foundation sites.

Rowan struggles to connect with people outside of his interests in art and animation. Although he is very successful in his work, he is otherwise very ostracized. Ever since the events of 8060, something has been wrong with him.

He is scared that some day he’ll reach his breaking point, something inside him will snap, and he’ll be contained along with all the other anomalies.
------

__**Jonathan Mildew:**__ Site Director and Founder of Site-433. Somewhere around 30-35 years old, but he looks 50 on account of the insane amount of mental stress the position puts him in. Incredibly jaded and is absolutely terrible at taking care of himself, focused almost entirely on his job. It's almost comical.

Frequently experiences viscerally detailed suicidal fantasies. The only thing keeping him from ending his life is that he doesn't think Site-433 would be able to sustain himself without him. This isn't true.

I think the worst part is, I don't know what would make him feel better.
------

__**D-1711:**__ Yes, that's the actual name he was born with. A Toon masquerading as a human in order to help The Foundation if they are ever in short supply of human testing. The Foundation is not aware of his non-human origins.

Although D-1711's body interacts with everything the exact same way a human being would, The Foundation would have no way of knowing this, which makes D-1711 adamant on keeping this part of himself a secret. Sooner or later, someone is going to notice the repeating number.

He hates himself and he isn't sure why. There's probably a reason he puts himself through so many dehumanizing experiences. A Toon doesn't always have the healthiest way of coping with their own nature.
[[/collapsible]]

------

[[collapsible show="Locations" hide="Locations"]]

__**Site-433:**__ A Foundation site centered in California, dedicated to the containment and research of anomalous artwork and anomalous media. Created during vested interest in the activities of Sputnik Studios, but has since branched out to anart and media in general. Ridiculously labyrinthian and scatterbrained in design, sometimes to a fault. Has structures above and underground.

If you want some inspiration as for how it would look, imagine the imagery of [https://www.deviantart.com/rhinoblindado/art/The-Hallways-of-Site-19-358114502 early SCP Wiki aesthetics] mixed with an art museum. Also, for color palette, imagine a lot of whites and light blues.

Often those who work there will start off pretty excited but will end up either jaded or absolutely batshit. Or both. These aren't the only two things you must have your character who works there be, but they're a commonality in members of Site-433.

------

__**The Mnemosyne Expanse:**__

|| Societown || A hole formed from the absence of the final episode of Societown. Not //the// Societown, but the Societown left behind. A great hangout spot for Toons and artists who've felt entirely consumed by their own work. Many find themselves here looking for information about the final episode. It is imperative that we don't find out what happens if all the information was discovered.||
|| Hard-to-Reach Place || Classified as [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-0682 SCP-682], the Hard-to-Reach Place is a "place" as much as it's a Toon. It was created in a freak accident when Site-433 management thought they knew more than they really did, and now it sits under the Site like an anchor in a lake. It's home to a number of creatures, most notably Aethiopea, a kindly lizard-woman. The Hard-to-Reach Place seems to be shaped by imagination, but there's imagery present that management can't trace the origins of. Maybe there's something bigger perceiving it, from somewhere even harder to reach. ||
|| Toon Hell || A disturbed place created out of self-defense, molded by a [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-6080 young child's trauma]. Although its creator has since left it behind, it is still a place where [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-7664 those punished may fester]. Vomit and the color orange are great signifiers. Sometimes we do things we regret.||


[[/collapsible]]

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[[collapsible show="Cross-Canon Compatibility" hide="Cross-Canon Compatibility"]]

As a canon, it is generally limitless what BaD can cross over with. I would describe the way BaD interacts with other canons as "haunting" them, as I think the canon is very aesthetically based and not often heavy on the lore aspect. It's less a question of if BaD can interact with a canon and more of a question of if it should or if you'd want it to. So don't be afraid to experiment.

FLOORBOARDS would say some good examples of canons/series that interact really well with BaD are [[[the trashfire|The Trashfire]]][[footnote]] FLOOR: I actually headcanon the Scarlet King as a Toon. Read through both canons and you'll see why! [[/footnote]] and [[[unreality hub|Department of Unreality]]]. Anomalies in The Trashfire world work pretty similarly to those in But A Dream, and the Department of Unreality has a similar emphasis on imagination.

[[/collapsible]]

------

[[collapsible show="The Future" hide="The Future"]]

The distinction between the anomalous and the normal is //tenuous// at best, and //elected// at worst. Not even 100 years ago, being a homosexual was considered an anomaly. What is an anomaly is decided by mass popular consensus, and a lot of the time that comes down to which lynch mob has the bigger guns.

There's nothing unnatural about toons or the Expanse or the things older than the Expanse lurking out on the edge of the dark. It's all part of the same ecosystem.

The Foundation, then, is choking out the world. The Veil of Normalcy is the only truly anomalous thing in the universe -- the idea that the normal and "abnormal" cannot co-exist together is, relatively speaking, a brand new idea. The Foundation cannot contain every single anomaly forever. It's impossible. It would destroy the world. So, the Foundation will have to make a choice: Will it destroy the world, or will it allow the Veil to fall?

They will, begrudgingly, allow the Veil to fall.

In the future, man and Toon and god and dead star and other beasts of burden will live together. It will not be harmonious. There will be no utopia. But there will be infinite possibility, freedom unseen since the primal times, and there will be much more love.

> ##blue|**2 Corinthians 5:17:** Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!##
[[/collapsible]]

------

[[collapsible show="Content Warnings" hide="Content Warnings"]]

This canon often focuses on themes of body horror, derealization, various forms of trauma, various forms of abuse and potentially eye-straining/seizure inducing imagery. It also contains many topics unsuitable for children. Thank you for understanding.
[[/collapsible]]

[[/tab]]

[[tab Episodes]]
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[[=]]
[[image michael.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[michael the kiler]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //he also loved creepypasta so so much his favorites were ben drowned and laughing jack and slenderman and sonic .exe//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image farmer.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-5045]]] - You Get Used To It**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Am I gonna have to make you stop doing that? Do you have any idea how ridiculous you look? Second time this week! How hard is it to give people a good time, friend?//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]], [[*user Westrin]], and [[*user ValidClay]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image cutout.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[ERICS MEGA ZINE VOL 50 - THE CUTOUT ROOM]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN!!!!! THE FUCK ARE YOU WAITING FOR//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user faminepulse]] and [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image box.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-6080]]] - Cartoon Network**
> [[/=]]
>
> //So basically, I'm looking at this kid, and he tells me that he wants to watch SpongeBob. Then I open up my back and there's a SpongeBob DVD.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]], [[*user ValidClay]], and [[*user JackalRelated]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image sadman.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-6869]]] The sad man**
> [[/=]]
>
> //The Recordkeeping And Information Security Administration is required to alert you that 143 authors have previously edited this document. Please be aware that their footnotes are available below.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image bumbles.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-7663]]] - Bumbles the Clown**
> [[/=]]
>
> **SCP-7663-A:** I was even gonna do the voices myself!
>
> **Oran:** Please don't talk like that.
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Monkeysky]] and [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image rumpus.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-7664]]] - No One Has to Know** (NSFW)
> [[/=]]
>
> Starring the titular Rumpus Ram, a camo-patterned green ram with a pronounced buttock that he employs as a weapon, the series explores several anthropomorphic animal characters with various unhygienic neuroses and quirks living underground in New York.
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image francis.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/critter-profile-francis Critter Profile: Francis!]**
> [[/=]]
>
> Toons like Francis are quite the enigma, as they are quite simply impossible to be studied in an incontestable manner!
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image toon.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-8060 SCP-8060]** - Toontown
> [[/=]]
>
> Join Grady, Susie, and Richelle as they discover that learning to do the right thing doesn't have to be scary. Just remember to say please!
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]] and [[*user Monkeysky]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image denpa.jpg]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-8632 SCP-8632]** - ##001B33|d####00284C|E####003666|N####00437F|p####005199|@####005FB2| B####0070CC|r####007EE5|A####008CFF|!####0072FF|N##
> [[/=]]
> [[=]]
> //Let's all become fictional!// [[image me.gif]]
> [[/=]]
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user dracosludge]] w/ assistance from [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image pendingpendingpending.gif]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **Note:**
> [[/=]]
>
> {{**Further entries are cancelled until further notice. We're sorry!**}}
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by##
> [[/>]]
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[[/tab]]

[[tab Lost Episodes]]
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[[=]]
[[image charlie.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-5119]]] - Uncle Charlie's Toys and Games**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Get it all out for me. You're going to be fine.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user J Dune]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image baku.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-6777]]] - Ichifuji Bakuu the Virtual Streamer**
> [[/=]]
>
> //SCP-6777 is a Level-4-or-higher Pistiphage Entity, and its interference with reality expands in proportion to the number of fans who show a strong liking for it.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Karathh]] and [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image luckyrabbit.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-7755]]] - A Hole Dug With a Rabbit's Foot**
> [[/=]]
>
> //**Dailey:** The only true company he had, in the end, were his rabbits. So he spoke to the rabbits, and the rabbits listened.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Crow-Cat]]##
> [[/>]]
-----
[[=]]
[[image yummywummycupcakebydrake.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-7324]]] -  you're worth it, i promise**
> [[/=]]
>
> //**Billy Bob Brockali:** Things can’t keep going the way they are, kiddo. From here on out, there will be consequences.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user FLOORBOARDS]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image girlishglee.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[she's worth it, i promise]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //**Whipped cream.** Decorative — spoon off before drinking.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user LOVEMARGINAL]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image killer.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-7413]]] -  Rhizomatic Serial Killer**
> [[/=]]
>
> //The officers discovered the suspect in a nearby river, lying face down. It had covered itself in the white sheet and several leaves, and there was no discernible blood.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user FLOORBOARDS]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image ghostlight.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-7846]]] -  A Stage Illuminated Only By Ghost Light**
> [[/=]]
>
> //While the exact specifics vary among subjects and the effects of SCP-7846 on human cognition preclude a fully accurate summary of SCP-7846, they will tend to follow a specific pattern.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Cathy Autumn]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image catdog.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-3682-jp SCP-3682-JP] -  "'Ki' is for 'Sign'"**
> [[/=]]
>
> //An unexpected error has been identified in the ScipNET server connection. Please check again **here**.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Karathh]], translated by [[*user AlienSpaceBat]] and [[*user MaxyFran73]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image spellsteal.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8994]]] -  Spellsteal**
> [[/=]]
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> //Her soul will be destroyed following punishment. She will not be offered a reprieve by God.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user redredred]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image fistula.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8145]]] -  fistula.html**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Exercise caution when opening or closing the entry.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Monkeysky]]##
> [[/>]]
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[[=]]
[[image badberries.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[Bad Berries]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //This whole sequence went on for a full minute, with the only sound being the squeaky screaming noises.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Monkeysky]]##
> [[/>]]
------
[[=]]
[[image spiderpussygotmeactingstrange.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8169]]] - Arachnophilia** (NSFW)
> [[/=]]
>
> //None of the affected individuals — male or female — have actually mentioned or noticed the presence of the arachnids, despite numerous complaints of a strong itching sensation in the groin region.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Cathy Autumn]]##
> [[/>]]
------
[[=]]
[[image drain.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[Alex Thorley unclogs the drain]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //My drain is clogged.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user FLOORBOARDS]]##
> [[/>]]
------
[[=]]
[[image gd.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[the father the son and the holy spirit hub |The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit]]]**
> **SERIES HUB**
>  [[/=]]
>
> //At the beginning of time there was One, and He was G-d, and He existed as the Word, the Creator, and the Pneuma — He was Three, and His name was Kindness. He was the lover of Man, but His first Son, the Demiurge, would betray Him to steal Man away. His second Son, the Word, would thus be sent into the maw of the Demiurge to take the sins of Man away in hopes of freeing Man, but in doing so, the Word became trapped for all eternity.//
> 
> //But the flesh is not eternal — the Divine is. He will not be here for much longer.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user FLOORBOARDS]]##
> [[/>]]
------
[[=]]
[[image bow.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[Plastic Graveyard]]]** 
> [[/=]]
>
> //She felt like a marshmallow, warm in my arms, like she could melt at any moment. But she didn’t– she only grew softer.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Ellie3]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image bye.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[in-her-arms |in her arms,]]]** 
> [[/=]]
>
> //"A single bullet wound to the chest. You and one other. In two hours, your mother will see you on the news. It was simply your time."//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user troutmaskreplica]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image rowrow.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[scp-0682 |SCP-682]]]** — Hard-To-Reach Place
> [[/=]]
>
> //Aye, lads n' lasses n' crew, ye best be keeping your hands n' feet inside tha' ship at all times… lest ye lose them! Yargh!//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user TealQuacks]], [[*user FLOORBOARDS]], [[*user Dino--Draws]] and [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image submarinedream.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[the-sub-of-your-beep |The Sub of Your Dreams]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //at night i dream of sub sandwiches//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Ellie3]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image vent.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[backtobed |Heading Off to Bed ]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //I lock the front door.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Troutmaskreplica]]##
> [[/>]]
------
[[=]]
[[image lol.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8869]]] - Rhizomatic Murder Victims**
> [[/=]]
>
> //The body was found at 0732 the next day by locals during their morning commute, covered in dried blood and autumn leaves.//
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Cathy Autumn]], [[*user FLOORBOARDS]], and [[*user MisterFrown]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image eyes.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8934]]] - Ommetaphobia: き/Ki is for 刻/Kizami**
> [[/=]]
>
> //The doll's head has many features resembling eyes.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Karathh]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image alice.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[everything-you-can-think-of-is-true |Everything You Can Think Of Is True ]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance?//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user GravelEnthusiast]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image pavement.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/pavement | Pavement]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Aw, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. We're here for you!//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user DoctorLilithSophia]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image animalhospital1.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-7256]]] - Horse Manoeuvres**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Artifacting was present in the original photographs.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Animal Hospital]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image supression.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8545]]] - Universally Erotic Drawing** (NSFW)
> [[/=]]
>
> //ITs Out of me now.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image animalhospital2.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8391]]] - Teaching Animals To Count And Spell**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Let's see if you can get that one right!//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Animal Hospital]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image dogpark.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-480]]] - dog park**
> [[/=]]
>
> //SCP-480 is a male Labrador Retriever that spontaneously manifests throughout highways, roads, and other automobile-accessible pathways worldwide. It only appears in areas experiencing significant traffic congestion.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Fishish]] and [[*user PlaguePJP]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image openseason.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/open-season | Open Season]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //“We should go.”//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user TroutMaskReplica]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image peacefulnight.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8368]]] - Peaceful Night**
> [[/=]]
>
> //**Спокойной ночи**//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Letova]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image didntcomeback.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-3188]]] - Didn't Come Back At All**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Following the death of Senior Researcher Annika St. Keyne Griffiths, the Department of Tactical Theology was unable to detect the presence of a soul evacuating Griffiths' body.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Animal Hospital]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image lycanhaus.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-9010]]] - Lycanhaus**
> [[/=]]
>
> //3. Meaning "danger on other side".//
> //4. Meaning "do not follow the little girl" or "do not follow the bait".//
> //5. Meaning "unsafe space".//
> //6. Meaning "stay in darkness".//
> //7. Meaning "space/distance distortion".//
> //8. Meaning "stick together".//
> //9. Meaning "it is not human".//
> //10. Meaning "you are being watched".//
> //11. Meaning "does not stay dead".//
> //12. Meaning "hostile being".//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Animal Hospital]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image onthechin.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-9030]]] - Take It On the Chin**
> [[/=]]
>
> //How many dogs starve in New York, do you think?//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user GravelEnthusiast]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image sincerestform.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-9777]]] - Nitaka Miino - Imitation Is the Sincerest Form**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse. Corpse.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Karathh]] and [[*user AnAnomalousWriter]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image ah.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[ANIMAL HOSPITAL HUB |ANIMAL HOSPITAL]]]**
> **SERIES HUB**[[footnote]]All future ANIMAL HOSPITAL entries will be posted here.[[/footnote]]
> [[/=]]
>
> //It documents interactions people have with a mysterious being called the ANIMAL HOSPITAL. A mysterious group called the SCP Foundation sometimes appears.//
> 
> //Future entries will be added as they are posted.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Animal Hospital]]##
> [[/>]]
----
> [[=]]
> **[[[Alex Thorley Draws A Self Portrait|Alex Thorley Draws A Self Portrait]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Drawn by Alex Thorley##
> [[/>]]
------
[[=]]
[[image chickarchive.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-9071]]] - Chick Archive**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Viewers will react to SCP-9071 as though the associated stimuli are present, describing smells, sounds, movement, and the behaviors of the specific chicks in vivid detail.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Cathy Autumn]] and [[*user FLOORBOARDS]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image househaspeople.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-9044]]] - A ##blue|House## With ##red|People## In It**
> [[/=]]
>
> //**Description:** SCP-9044 is a hallway.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user troutmaskreplica]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image mosquitosong.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8336]]] - A Mosquito's Song**
> [[/=]]
>
> //…a million hills, I must've died alone…//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user incrediblywackycat]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image initsrightplace.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[Everything in Its Right Place]]]**
> [[/=]]
>
> //I'm Broken. I've always been Broken.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Doctor Cimmerian]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image abovebelow.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8251]]] - See Above**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Personnel are advised against seeing below.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Communism will win]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image s.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8674]]] - The S Factor**
> [[/=]]
>
> //At DINNER:03 PM, D-18550 reported to the infirmary to complain of abdominal pain, vocalizing in a way that could not be written down or properly comprehended.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Communism will win]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image creepydoll.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8746]]] - The Dollhouse (or: "AAAAAAAAA!!!!")**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Twinkle, twinkle, little star... Do you know just what you are?//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Communism will win]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image plapkino.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8841]]] - Vampire Fuck**
> [[/=]]
>
> //At the time of recovery, its samples consisted of various sexual sounds, recordings of bat colonies, and "evil" laughter.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Communism will win]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image EvilGrandma.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8645]]] - Evil Grandma.**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Nothing of the item visibly suggests the potential for anomalous activity.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image drownin.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8617]]] - Awake in the Infinite Cold**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Please help//
> 
> //We are drowning//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Letova]] and [[*user djkaktus]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image jef.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8641]]] - Take a Nap**
> [[/=]]
>
> //**SCP-8641:** Die, bitch...//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Communism will win]]##
> [[/>]]
----
[[=]]
[[image HUMINAHUMINA.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-8695]]] - hole...**
> [[/=]]
>
> //All personnel are welcome to enter SCP-8695-1.//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user ratking666]]##
> [[/>]]

----
[[=]]
[[image pending.png]]
[[/=]]
> [[=]]
> **[[[SCP-9677]]] - Virtual Bald Virus**
> [[/=]]
>
> //Description Pending//
>
> [[>]]
> ##gray|Written by [[*user Karathh]]##
> [[/>]]
[[/tab]]

[[tab How To Write]]

[[image htw.png]]

I believe a good place to start if you want to write something for BaD is to understand what BaD isn't.

[[=]]
**BaD isn't:**
[[/=]]
* Analogous with online buzzwords like "weirdcore", "liminal", "mascot horror" and "analog horror".[[footnote]]Please read a book. But if you're looking for an actual answer: While plenty of elements of some of these things can be found in the stories present in this series, it should not be limited to any one of these things. It is very limiting. FNaF wasn't the only media ever to use animatronics and mascots in a horror context, for example. Let people explore new ideas with familiar concepts without having to be compared to them every time![[/footnote]]
* An excuse to write crossovers between the SCP universe and your favorite media.[[footnote]]Any media included in the article you're writing needs to have some sort of significance beyond "I like it".[[/footnote]]
* A setting where pataphysics is a viable information source.[[footnote]]We have a ton on the site already, and I really just don't think it'd be interesting to explore it in a series where one of the main themes is the Foundation coming to terms with anomalies that simply cannot be explained by any means. You can tell metanarratives for sure, but please don't overcomplicate things.[[/footnote]]
* Purely about cartoons and animation.[[footnote]]While "Toons" are a recognized force in this universe, you are able to explore a plethora of things beyond that in this. Toons as a species are meant to be reflective of all varieties of art, not just animation. The only reason cartoons are such a focus in this series is because that's one of my interests.[[/footnote]]
* For young readers.[[footnote]]This is true of everything on the site, but I want to go on recording saying that I'm personally uncomfortable with people under 18 reading my work, and I mostly say this because I understand on the surface level that what I write about is generally appealing to younger readers.[[/footnote]]

Basically, if you want to write for BaD, you have to be familiar with the common misconceptions people have about what I want for this series/canon. While yes, as a writer, I am heavily inspired by web horror and creepypasta, I am inspired by it in the sense that I find it an interesting medium and artform.[[footnote]]I like exploring the feelings they evoke, I like the artistic merit of old cruddy images made to startle or unsettle, I like the unconventional storytelling methods some of them employ in order to frighten or immerse. Early SCP Wiki is a very good example of what I mean. I'm super inspired by the early images on the site before CC Compliance was a thing. Taking an image and just recontextualizing it into a complete different beast. For many, those images aren't images to them, they're an SCP. That's fascinating to me.[[/footnote]] I like to evoke it because I like to play with the format of it. That is what you should be doing with BaD. Evoke something and play with its format. Instead of just copying what you see from everyone else, create something new from the things you enjoy.

BaD as a canon is meant to be a realm of infinite possibility for writers. An exploration of how vast and ungodly consuming imagination truly can be. As such, all genres are possible and you should not feel limited to just one. Feel free to write whatever you are comfortable with! Not every BaD entry has to be a surreal horror.

I don't want people to worry about canonicity for this series. There is no real timeline, no series of events you have to follow. I'd pretty much like it if you just went with your gut. A dream isn't always cohesive, but we tend to find meaning in it while we're in one. It's only when we wake up that we struggle to grasp what the hell any of it was about.

The inclusion of media[[footnote]]Images, artwork, music, video, etc[[/footnote]] is not particularly necessary for a BaD article, but being well versed in one of those skills will majorly help you during writing. An interesting image or video to stick in the mind of the reader is something that I was always really into back in the Series 1 to 3 days, and I've always wanted this canon to evoke that. Someday, I would love to create an essay involving tips and tricks for artists on how to better integrate artwork in an article in ways that feels natural and unforced.

Stumped on designing a Toon? Remember that the skies the limit! A Toon can have a mixed media feel, looking entirely different from their surroundings.[[footnote]]For a popular example, think something like The Amazing World of Gumball, how many characters are represented in different art styles and artistic mediums.[[/footnote]] Like say, seeing a soggy watercolor man walking around or a scratchy pencil-sketched crow. From there, think about their potential name, disposition, and most frequently displayed "abilities" if they have any. Think as well about their texture and how you imagine their style would feel like. Of course, not all Toons even look like drawings. Random examples of existing SCP articles that I'd consider Toons in this canon include: SCP-1810, SCP-168, SCP-1155, SCP-1286, SCP-2571, and SCP-2835.

This is a really important thing, and also true of writing for this site in general: Take inspiration from things beyond the SCP Wiki. Since a large part of this canon involves letting your love and inspiration for something come through the writing, you're going to have to need something that makes you have that drive. Read books, watch shows, look at your favorite kind of art and hell, even get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Part of being creative is having all that inspiration to create in the first place!

Another word of advice that's more based in my experiences. Collaborate with people. A lot of my articles are collaborations and they end up being all the more unique for it. Having someone able to put their own perspective and feelings into a work aside from your own can help make it feel more layered. However, be sure that you aren't just collaborating for the sake of it! Collaborate with your friends, people who are interested in working with your stuff. And be careful with megacollabs, those can easily crumble under their own weight.

Speaking of collaboration! If you're looking for advice from more than just me, I have you covered. Below is a collapsible that contains writing advice from the collaborator of this hub that helped me a lot with the writing process. Thank you so much FLOORBOARDS.

[[collapsible show="FLOORBOARDS's BaD Writing Advice" hide="FLOORBOARDS's BaD Writing Advice"]]

Hi there, [[*user FLOORBOARDS]] here. Though at the time I’m writing this I’ve yet to contribute to the “main series,” I’ve been asked by Ratking to contribute to his writing guide, because //But A Dream// overlaps extremely well with my [[[beneath the floorboards |writing style]]]. Most of what I say here is going to be an outline for my personal creative methods, admittedly, but no matter your personal style, I think you ought to incorporate these practices whenever you’re writing a //But A Dream// story, or something inspired by the canon.

[[=]]
+++++ **1. Keep it simple.**
[[/=]]

> SCP-7413 is a plastic full-body mannequin standing at 2.10 meters. It is hollow, with the exception of its posable joints. Two holes are present on SCP-7413's left shoulder and left bicep, the result of gunshots sustained during recovery. SCP-7413 is capable of locomoting and verbalizing, but it has refused to interact with personnel. Since its containment, SCP-7413 has remained motionless in the center of its cell.

That’s the entire description for SCP-7413. People, when they’re writing stories, they like to make their concepts really huge. This is true both on and off the wiki. What they miss when they start off with these gigantic concepts, though, is the room for growth.

When you keep your story simple — A woman is in trouble with the law, a banker loses his wedding ring, a town has a dark secret — you have a lot more room for growth. When you start your concept small — a mannequin that can talk and walk — you can begin assigning new ideas for it over the course of creation.

You see a lot of concepts nowadays on the wiki that are like, “This is a meso-psychometafictional Daevite eigenweapon which can produce the opposite of abstraction, a simplification process, which can reduce the entropy of an object via telepathic electromagnetic subterfuge,” or something to that effect. And this isn’t a bad thing at all. I’m poking very light fun at a trend I’m a fan of. But really, it’s hard to insert imagery or emotion into a concept like that. It’s hard to build a satisfying story around something that takes up so much //space//. When the concept alone takes up a lot of space, you’re asking a lot out of your readers.

I think the best ideas can be summed up in 3-5 sentences. I’m not the best writer ever, but I think conciseness is a strength of mine, so I’ll use my own articles as examples:

* **SCP-7413:** A talking, walking mannequin kidnaps 15 people. It reveals itself to the Foundation, and enters containment willingly. There are implications that this document does not exist in-universe, and the events described never happened at all.
* **SCP-7324:** A milkshake that can be ordered at any restaurant is suddenly targeted by drug manufacturers, who put demonic narcotics in the ingredients. It turns out that a demon-worshiping church is behind the alterations, but the demon itself is targeting people for unclear reasons.
* **SCP-6109:** All the myths of Jesus Christ’s whereabouts from across the world become true simultaneously, because a woman was mucking around with time travel to spite her Christian ex-boyfriend. A Muslim theologist sacrifices himself to save the timeline.

Those are my 3 //But A Dream// SCPs, and as you can see, they are all pretty small. You may be thinking to yourself, //7234 and 6109 are really long, can you truly say you can sum them up in 4 sentences?// To which I say, the //concept// should be summed up in 4 sentences, but the plot can (and should be) as long as it needs to be.

There are arguments about how exactly you decide how long it should be, but honestly, just go with your intuition on this one. You should pay attention to critique when it comes to pacing, of course, but there’s no pleasing everyone. But let’s talk about how to develop intuition.

[[=]]
+++++ **2. Intuition**.
[[/=]]

Intuition is a skill, not a talent. It’s something you have to develop over the course of many stories. David Lynch says intuition is “emotion and intellect joining together,” achieving confidence in the development of your imagery, but also logically joining your images together.

The intuitive writer writes first and edits later. You aren’t going to come up with a way to connect your ideas if your ideas aren’t on paper first.

For example, SCP-7324 is a little controversial because it is, thematically, centered around childhood sexual abuse. I wrote it like that because it is something I experienced and something I'm still grappling with. But, in complete honesty, it didn’t start off that way. I had no expectations for where the plot was going to go, just a couple of vague visions: children fading away into stardust inside an arcade; a pink milkshake swirling and unfurling into crimson blood; an animatronic head moving and talking on its own.

Those were the images I started off with, and you’ll notice that these are things that happened way later in the story. These bits I wrote out first, because they were the strongest to me, and so they came to me rather naturally. I didn’t bog myself down with trying to justify why these scenes were happening. And when I did finally start writing the scenes connecting them, I realized that the images had commonalities. I realized as I was writing that these images were, frankly, uniquely Freudian. They were sexually charged recollections, and I couldn’t lean away from that. It was too deeply emotive for me to ignore.

The rest of the story fell into place as soon as I made that realization.

The scene with Billy Bob Brockoli was echoed into the interview with the drug dealer, and both of them were, to me, Oedipal situations — Billy Bob, the absent father from whom it is impossible to get approval from; the Interrogator, the overbearing, over-touching, gently violent figure who wants to emotionally dominate the man before him — they were refractions of a much darker central figure, the demon itself, who presented itself in the form of a strawberry milkshake: cum mixed with blood.

And from there I simply worked backwards until I had a complete story. But it all started with just a few small images.

[[=]]
+++++ **3. Imagery**.
[[/=]]

Imagery is the most important part of emotive writing, but it isn’t just about literally, physically describing the things going on in the plot. Imagery should be sensory.

There’s an anecdote that David Lynch came up with //Twin Peaks’// famous “Red Room” when he was leaning against a hot car. He wiped his hands across the warm surface and the image of the Red Room came to him fully formed. When you look at the Red Room you can see why: summer heat is sultry, it’s sticky, it’s something you hide from, and the Red Room is sort of like that, with its erotic statues, black leather setup, long twisting hallways full of billowing wind. The Red Room is a place you hide from the heat, but the heat creeps in nonetheless. It’s //stuffy//.

I can’t tell you how to come up with imagery, because honestly you shouldn’t be. Imagery should come to you naturally. When you’re looking for imagery, it’s never going to be as effective as you want it to be, because you can’t experience it fully. When an image comes to you, however, it's a complete sensory experience. Taste. Sound. Smell. Touch. Temperature.

SCP-7413 came from seeing the very first tree to go brown at the intersection between Spring and Autumn. The trees were assembled in a sort of zigzag shape around each other, and they were all green and dewy, like it was summer, but right in the middle, where the forest ended, was a withering tree. It was like the other trees had backed away from it, making a circle of dirt around it. Its leaves were yellow, brown, and red, and they were scattered on the ground, and it was the only one like that for months on end. By the time Halloween had come around proper, the trees all looked like that, so the image had faded, but I listened to this song called //Halloween// by Alex G, and the strumming of the guitars in my ears were like the rustle of falling leaves, and fully formed, I saw a mannequin in a ghost sheet before me, smelling like mildew, its joints creaking with each rush of wind, but its footsteps dead silent.

Finding the picture to go with it was extremely lucky for me!

[[=]]
+++++ **4. Closing Thoughts**.
[[/=]]

I could probably write for another 4 pages about this, but Ratking would probably get mad at me for wasting space, so I’ll give you a Sparknotes version of my other ideas:

* Doing an impression of someone you know is the best way to figure out a character. My first 3 pages on the site are, honestly, narrated by an ex of mine, and so is the opening note in 6109. Trying to capture someone’s speech patterns //without// using st-st-st-stuttering or… um, whatever this shit is… is a great exercise for dialogue.
* Playing it straight is more interesting than trying to subvert it. Everyone wants to be the most ironic person in the room nowadays, and that makes me mad. Write sincerely.
* On that note, don’t be afraid to be really weird about it. You heard my speech earlier about how 7234 came together. That shit is weird and dark and evil, and it’s okay to let it out of you, get it out of your system.
* That being said, there are simply some things you are unqualified to write. Keep it personal, don’t generalize, be specific, and be respectful.
* No one is more creative than anyone else. What people mean when they say “creativity” is actually “creative expression,” to paraphrase my friend [[*user Liryn]]. This is where intuition comes in — there’s a difference between an idea that’s easy to write, and an idea that comes easily to you, and while most readers can’t tell the difference, the latter is almost always going to be higher quality and more emotionally fulfilling. Don’t waste time feeling bad because you aren’t “creative enough,” because literally everyone in the world has the exact same level of creativity available to them, you just have to be willing to engage with it at a deeper level.

**In summary: be yourself, themes are important but they should come to you naturally, planning is the enemy of creativity, and using all your senses is the best way to flesh out your imagery.**

Hopefully this mini-essay has inspired you on some level, both for writing //But A Dream// and whatever other projects you’ve got going on. Remember, everyone: go outside, write more than just SCP, read a lot, and live a lot, and you’ll be fine.

Much love!

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[[tab Contribution Guide]]
If you’re making an article within this canon, **please** upload it to the Lost Episode tab (unless it is an ANIMAL HOSPITAL entry, in which case, please upload it to the ANIMAL HOSPITAL Hub instead). If you want to wait for me to make an image for it, leave the image file as “pending.png” if you aren’t capable at the moment or want me to add it, you can message me on Discord or Wikidot and I’ll get to it as soon as I can.

You are in full control of the image and quote displayed on the article link itself. If you find yourself dissatisfied with either, you are allowed to change it. Keep in mind that the image has to meet the size requirements of every other image displayed in the list however. And of course, said image has to be CC Compliant (woe). 

The reason I ask this is because I want to avoid a situation where I’m scrambling to upload everything in order or have a moment where I accidentally leave behind articles that were made for this canon. I will update this with further details when I have the time. Thank you for understanding

**Note:** If you’re an international author who wants your work placed within the canon as well, I would be happy to include it. Just message me along with the date of when your entry was created. Thank you!
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[[include :scp-wiki:component:license-box]]
> **Filename:** 433.jpg
> **Name:** 249
> **Author:** Jonathan Petersson
> **License:** Public Domain
> **Source Link:** [https://www.flickr.com/photos/grizzlybear-se/31168436204/ Flickr]
> **Additional Notes:** Edited by [[*user ratking666]]

> **Filename:** toon.png
> **Author:** [[*user ratking666]] and [[*user Monkeysky]]
> **License:** CC BY-SA 3.0
> **Source Link:** [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/but-a-dream SCP Foundation Wiki]

> **Filename:** baku.png and catdog.png
> **Author:** [[*user karathh]] 
> **License:** CC BY-SA 3.0
> **Source Link:** [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/but-a-dream SCP Foundation Wiki]

> **Filename:** All other images
> **Author:** [[*user ratking666]]
> **License:** CC BY-SA 3.0
> **Source Link:** [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/but-a-dream SCP Foundation Wiki]
[[include :scp-wiki:component:license-box-end]]

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