#strategies and tips

[itsrockinronnie]

How to Determine the Age of an Antique Clock: Strategies and Tips

Determining the age of a clock can be challenging, especially since listings often don’t specify the exact year the clock was made. However, you might come across phrases like “mid-century”, antique, collectible, or vintage which can give you a general sense of its age. If the description is accurate, it provides a good starting point for determining the age of the clock. As a rule of thumb, an…

[tahbhie]

How many drafts should you go through before deciding your novel is ready?

There's no specific (official) number, but to create a foundation that ensures you don't burn out quickly, overwork yourself, and get tired of your work, I'll say four. It's the same number I use for my students since most of them have other engagements outside writing that take up a copious amount of their time.

1. Initial or Zero Draft:

This draft is also called the 'just write' draft. Focus on putting that idea down. As the creative juices flow, let it all out. Don't worry about perfection or coherence; the goal is to capture your raw ideas and get the story out of your head and onto the page.

2. Second Draft:

This is the plot draft. Read through what you have written to see if every detail you added was meant to be. Here, you focus on the structure of your story. Ensure that the plot makes sense, the pacing is right, and there are no major plot holes. This is where you might add, remove, or rearrange scenes to improve the overall flow of the narrative.

3. Third Draft:

Character development draft. In this stage, you look deeper into your characters. Make sure their motivations, backgrounds, and arcs are well-defined and consistent. Flesh out their personalities and relationships, ensuring they are compelling and believable. This is also a good time to refine dialogue and make sure it sounds natural and true to each character. That's for this drafting stage.

4. Fourth Draft:

Grammar and punctuation draft. This is the polishing stage. Focus on correcting grammatical errors, punctuation, and spelling mistakes. Pay attention to sentence structure, word choice, and overall readability. This draft is about making your manuscript as clean and professional as possible.

Keep in mind that the goal is to define what completion means for each draft. Once you reach the goal, take a break and return to it for the next drafting stage.

Some writers pay people to carry out some of the drafting stages for them, so if you fall into that category, you might have fewer drafting stages to handle yourself!

Reblog to save for later 😉

Thank you all for the support 💜!

[glowettee]

✧・゜: summer study tips for when motivation is low :・゜✧:・゜✧

hey lovelies! ✨

can we just acknowledge how hard it is to focus on studying when the sun is shining, everyone's posting beach pics, and your brain is basically melting from the heat? summer studying feels almost criminal sometimes (like, isn't this when we're supposed to be recharging?), but even if you're taking summer classes, prepping for fall semester, or studying for standardized tests, i've got some helpful tips to help you stay on track without missing out on summer magic.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ why summer motivation hits different ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

let's be honest about why summer studying feels so much harder:

your body literally craves sunlight and outdoor time

everyone else seems to be living their best vacation life

the heat makes focusing genuinely more difficult

your brain is trained to associate summer with freedom

seasonal rhythms are real, and summer is naturally more active and social

knowing this isn't just you being "lazy" is the first step! your brain isn't broken, it's just responding to both biological and social cues that say "put down the textbook and go outside!"

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ create a summer-friendly study schedule ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the key is working with summer energy, not against it:

𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴: use the hottest part of the day (usually 12-3pm) when you'd be inside anyway for your deepest focus work

𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤: if possible, wake up earlier and study when it's cooler and quieter, bonus points for studying outside with birds chirping!

𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: aim for 45-minute focused blocks instead of marathon 3-hour sessions (your summer brain will thank you)

𝘵𝘩𝘦 2:1 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰: for every hour of studying, give yourself 30 minutes of true summer enjoyment as a reward

𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺: designate one day each week as completely study-free to recharge

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ summer-proof your study environment ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

your environment makes all the difference:

𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘰𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘴: study near a fan or air conditioning with a cold drink nearby

𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘴: find a shaded patio, park bench, or beach setup where you can enjoy nature while studying

𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤: bring summer into your study space with fresh flowers, lemon water, and natural light

𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱 𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: try different iced coffee spots to keep your environment fresh and interesting

𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨: face away from windows showing beautiful weather when you need deep focus

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ motivation hacks that actually work ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

when your motivation is hiding under a beach umbrella:

𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴: everything's more fun with friends! find a study buddy and make it social

𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴: "tropical tuesday" or "fruity friday" with matching snacks and music

𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴: ice cream after finishing a chapter, swimming after completing practice problems

𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴: create a summer-themed progress tracker (fill in a popsicle for each completed study session)

𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰𝘴: find summer study ambience videos that make you feel less alone

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ summer-specific study methods ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

adapt your approach to match the season:

𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴: listen to recorded lectures or educational podcasts while walking outside

𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘴: 25 minutes of study, 5 minutes of dangling feet in water (or any summer treat)

𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯: apply a layer of understanding before exposing yourself to exam questions

𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘴: spread out colorful mind maps on a blanket instead of linear notes

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ be gentle with yourself ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

most importantly, release the guilt:

summer studying doesn't have to be all-or-nothing

progress > perfection (especially during summer)

your brain literally works differently in hot weather

memories matter too, make sure you're creating some

rest is productive, it's preparing you for future focus

remember that balance looks different in each season. summer might be when you study a little less but live a little more, and that's completely okay. your worth isn't tied to your productivity, especially when the sun is shining and calling your name.

xoxo, mindy 🤍

[mindfulstudyquest]

❥﹒♡﹒☕﹒ 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲-𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄

𝟭. set SMART goals ( 📒 )

make sure your goals are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and time-bound. this will help you maintain focus and track your progress over time. how many times has it been you and your unrealistic to-do list against the world? well, it seems that a mile-long to-do list is not a good ally at all. remember that you are a person and not a machine, and that just dedicating four hours to deep work and concentration is A LOT. be kind to yourself and don't overload yourself with more work than you can humanly do.

𝟮. daily planning ( 🧸 )

mea culpa because i'm the first one who doesn't plan their day. to-do lists generally stress me out and make me feel overwhelmed as if i don't manage to complete all the tasks an asteroid will end up hitting the earth. but i recognize that it is a good starting point. sometimes i have too many things to do and i end up doing nothing in total confusion, but having at least a general list to follow gives me more motivation. moreover do we want to talk about the dopamine released when you tick an empty box? marvelous. maybe don't write down tasks that are too onerous and demanding, break them into several smaller tasks, also try to write simple activities such as "drink a glass of water" every now and then. having these low-commitment activities will help you stay motivated while completing more important tasks.

𝟯. reverse-engineering method ( 🪴 )

start with the end goal and work backwards to plan the actions needed to achieve it. this helps you maintain clarity on the steps to take and focus on the most relevant actions. the best thing to do is plan based on the time available and do your best to stick to your daily goal.

𝟰. timer roulette ( ⏳ )

choose a task from your to-do list and set a random timer between 15 and 45 minutes. work on that task with all your concentration until the timer goes off. this helps you fight procastination and keep your mind fresh.

𝟱. mind mapping time ( 📍 )

before starting a study session, take a few minutes to create a mental map of the subject you need to cover. this helps you see connections between concepts and organize information more effectively.

𝟲. task batching ( 🫒 )

group similar tasks together and tackle them in batches. for example, reply to all emails in one session rather than doing so at scattered times throughout the day. this helps you reduce transition time between tasks and maintain focus. contrary to popular belief, human beings are not truly multitasking (only a few possess this great ability) and when we do multiple things together we do nothing but shift our attention from one task to another, greatly reducing the quality of our performance. if possible, try to avoid these switches that are harmful to your focus and concentration.

𝟳. the pomodoro method ( 🍅 )

okay, y'all probably already know this one because it became so popular in the last year but if you don't, the pomodoro method is a time management technique developed by francesco cirillo in the late 80s. it is based on the idea of working for short periods of time, usually 25 minutes, followed by a short 5 minute break. after four rounds of work, a longer break is taken, usually 15-30 minutes. this technique helps improve concentration and productivity, as it breaks down work into manageable tasks and offers regular breaks to rest and regenerate energy. i personally prefer the 50/10 ratio while i'm studying but you decide which time ratio is better for you, i find it really useful and it helps me a lot while i'm studying for my exams.

[meanya]

Now seems like a good time to introduce a strategy to all my ADHD peers that I've invented so I wouldn't be Late to everything!

It's called...

✨️ Disaster Time ✨️

You know that feeling when you wait til the last second to do something and THEN it seems like THAT'S when everything goes wrong??? Right when you need everything to go smoothly?

You're thinking "the office is only 10 minutes away, so I'll leave 10 minutes before my appointment time!" And THAT'S when it happens; You forget to brush your hair, you can't find your keys, your wallet is missing, your GPS is glitchy, there's traffic, there's a detour, you hit every red light, there's no parking, you enter the wrong door, you can't find the room, etc. There's always SOMETHING.

I used to get SO MAD when everything would go wrong while I was on a time crunch. It seemed like when I least expected it, suddenly every object that could possibly get in my way would get in my way. I used to think, "The universe is out to get me 😔 No matter what I do, everything is gonna go wrong."

And that's when a switch went off in my mind...

Everything is gonna go wrong when I least expect it to!!!

Therefore -> I should stop being surprised and just. Expect it to!!

Every time!

Hence, the invention of ✨️Disaster Time✨️

Disaster Time (noun) the extra time you alot for disasters.

If you just KNOW something's gonna go wrong and then just PLAN for something to go wrong! Then you'll always be ready for it!

Because something is always is gonna happen, right? Something is always gonna go wrong. You don't know what's gonna go wrong, so instead of hoping nothing goes wrong and then being disappointed when something does go wrong, just alot some Disaster Time!

So you think to yourself "the office is only 10 minutes away, so if I give myself 10 extra minutes of Disaster Time for when The Disaster happens, then I'll leave 20 minutes before my appointment time."

Your assignment's due at midnight? Disaster Time! Make it due at 11:40 to account for when the [internet goes out / file gets corrupt / website doesn't load / grammar errors pop up ]

Your hangout is at 8pm? Disaster Time! Give yourself 10 extra minutes to [find your missing phone / stop and grab some gas / brush your hair / quickly eat a snack]

Work at 9? Disaster time! Leave 15 minutes earlier for when [you spill coffee on your shirt / your car light goes off / you forgot something and have to go back]

People used to tell me to do things "early" but I have adhd and time blindness! "Early" doesn't exist!!! "Early" is an abstract concept! And "early" isn't as motivating as "The Last Second"

So instead, alot a set amount of Disaster Time and adjust your "last second" to account for that pesky inevitable Disaster, and you'll always be on time!

If you EXPECT that everything will go wrong EVERY time and just *account* for that when you plan, then you'll always be on time!

[thepersonalwords]

If you are on social media, and you are not learning, not laughing, not being inspired or not networking, then you are using it wrong.

Germany Kent

[overwhelmedfernfrond]

Problem: laundry is boring

Solution: bury phone in pile of to-be-folded clothes so that you cannot pick it up and must instead fold your clothes to access it

Subsequent Problem: Spotify Ad comes on and makes this unbearable

How This Is Actually A Good Thing: makes you more motivated to hurry up folding so you get to your phone and mute the ad

[writing-with-olive]

ADHD task completing tip

okay so growing up i was usually told "do the hard thing first and then you get to do the fun thing." and generally that's reasonable.... if you've got decent executive function. but for those of us who don't, this is a thing i've been using to get through school/work/general human functioning. It's still using hard thing/fun thing, but it interweaves them WAY more

first step: find something that sparks some dopamine quickly. i usually use short-timer online chess or mobile games. if you pick scrolling social media or something that doesn't have a clear endpoint, make sure you have an easy way to set a timer. On apple phones, there's a timer setting that says "stop playing" instead of playing a sound. I love this because it'll take you to your lock screen so you can't accidentally dismiss the timer and keep going. Do NOT make this movement or taking care of bodily functions; eating/hydrating/going to the bathroom/moving around are things you can and should do when your body tells you. take care of ya self

second step: look at your task and break it up TINY. If you have to write a paper, don't break it up by paragraph. break it up into something like fifty words. Cleaning a room: ten items put away. Close reading: 1 page. Really you want something that if your executive functioning was playing nice you could do in 1-4 minutes. I recommend NOT saying "work for x minutes" however, since that's a really quick way to sit there watching the clock. You wanna tie progress to completion not time spent.

third step: estimate how many levels/games/etc of your dopamine source it takes to last 1-5 minutes. Ideally you will already have a sense of this. I'd advise not "testing it out right now" and procrastinating that way.

fourth step: get to work. every time you complete a tiny task, you can do one unit of the dopamine thing. If you get some momentum, you can stack rewards, so if your tiny task was 50 words for one mobile game level, 150 words straight would be three levels. If you are having a really hard time getting going, you can start with 1-3 units of your dopamine thing to kinda jumpstart the process, just decide how many you're doing first so you don't lose hours to it.

note that this ONLY WORKS if you don't ignore your timer/level cutoff. The idea is to get dopamine levels up and use that to power through the next tiny task.

[theletterwsartflap]

Mars and Aries.

Made Aries closer to average sized because I like contrast.

[jazeswhbhaven]

Strategy for the battles

So ya'll, while I'm glad the battles were only two in-between each story node, obviously they had to make them harder and I noticed you used way more action points than usual.

My team has been so beefed up there was literally no stage which I was struggling, but I did have a question for everyone....

did any of you ever deal damage higher than 100 per hit for those shield wielding fluffy dog angels?

I call them fluffy doggos because that's what they look like lmao but yeah basically two beefed up Petit El's with shields and while they didn't do anything they were still annoying to take down. Even with ults they only took 100 in damage.

The fastest I could do was bombarding them with everyone once the other enemies were taken down, and use Bath Satan's ult that has the poison feature to help bring their defense down. Other than that I was sitting forever waiting for my team to take them down. I'm sure they will show up in the next chapter so I'm just trying to see if anyone had any other methods of quickly getting rid of them instead of just dealing with sitting there while they take forever to die lol

[quillver]

🔥 Choose your fighter: Historical Fiction Edition

(10 narrative archetypes that survive, shatter, or shape the crown)

1. The Velvet Knife

Elegant. Gracious. Deadly.

Her words wound deeper than blades, and no one ever sees the blood.

→ Manipulator. Antagonist. Political player.

2. The Loyal Son

Raised to serve, not to speak.

He would die for family — but what happens when they demand too much?

→ Tragic loyalist. Internal conflict. Sacrifice arc.

3. The Ghost Queen

She’s not in the story anymore. Except she is.

Her shadow moves through every room.

→ Absent-but-central. Legacy. Myth arc.

4. The Servant Who Knows Too Much

Low-born. Sharp-eyed.

Her job is survival, not politics — but survival makes her dangerous.

→ Narrative lens. Class tension. Moral conscience.

5. The Fallen Favourite

Once adored, now discarded.

Too clever to be pitied, too proud to beg. He remembers everything.

→ Revenge arc. Ruin. Second-act pivot.

6. The Firebrand Priest

Believes. Preaches. Burns.

Not for power, but because he thinks the world should burn.

→ Zealot. Ideologue. Foil to pragmatists.

7. The Innocent Who Isn’t

She plays soft. Plays dumb.

Lets them write the script — until the final act is hers.

→ Hidden mastermind. Slow-burn power. Mask arc.

8. The Prince Who Refuses the Crown

Heir apparent. Hates the game.

Would rather gut it than rule it. But legacy always calls back.

→ Antihero. System-breaker. Reluctant power.

9. The Perfect Witness

Doesn’t lie. Doesn’t interfere. Just watches. Just remembers.

Which makes her the most dangerous of all.

→ Narrative anchor. Moral enigma. Secret-keeper.

10. The Inheritor

Too young. Too quiet. Too unready.

That’s why they survive. That’s why they’ll win.

→ Long game. Generational shift. Final act wildcard.

Which one are you writing?

[tahbhie]

Reasons Why 80% of Romantic Plots Fall Through.

Haven't you wondered why a romantic story you have so much hope for suddenly flops? Whether it's yours or not, let's see what could be the problem.

• Relying Too Much on the Outcome

Unfortunately, no romance is complete without an arc. In other words, it is more than just the intimacy. When writers don't allow the relationship to develop naturally, it feels forced. Rushing to the final romance without building a solid foundation will make the story feel shallow and unconvincing. Take your time, flesh out the idea, and follow the plot gradually.

• Creating Unnecessary Victimization

I often see writers make the mistake of portraying one character as too weak or pitiful only for the sake of it. This unnecessary victimization can undermine the character's depth and make the story less compelling. Your readers won't cry along with a female character whose decisions are pretty sour compared to a five-year-old. It's just simply annoying.

Instead, both characters should have strengths and weaknesses, make realistic decisions, making them more relatable and balanced.

• Cringy Conflict.

Realistic conflict is essential for a compelling romance. Over-the-top or contrived conflicts can make the story feel forced and cringy. Conflict should come naturally and blend perfectly into the plot. It's not advisable to pop a challenge that's definitely not necessary in the name of 'keeping the stakes high.'

Rather, focus on creating believable challenges that the characters must overcome, adding depth and authenticity to the plot.

• Neglecting Other Emotions Outside Romance.

It's not only about love, or roses, or dinner nights, or lucky dates with the billionaire. Show the other emotions fighting for dominance: the hurts, pains, joy, frustration, desperation, anger, sadness, jealousy, anxiety, or even moments when a character falls out of love with the other and can't understand their feelings.

Focusing solely on love can lead to a one-dimensional story. For a well-rounded narrative, explore these emotions to create a richer and more immersive experience for the readers.

• Underdeveloped Characters.

What's a story without a fully-fledged character, especially if they are the main character in a story?

You might have heard people talk about the importance of backstories and others saying too much of it tires them out, but here's the thing—balance. It's what people fail to incorporate. I'll try to cover this in any of my upcoming blog posts. Follow to keep up.

To better understand why we should cry for, laugh with, pity, admire, adore, scold, yell at, advocate for, and smile with your character, we need to know why they are what they are, who they are, and why they make the choices they make.

It's important to create characters with distinct personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. When readers care about the characters, they become more invested in the story and its outcome.

And that's my Christmas gift from me to you 🎁. Merry Christmas 🎄

[glowettee]

✧・゜: ✧how i use pinterest intentionally (not just endless scrolling) :・゜✧:・゜✧

hey lovelies! ✨

confession time: i used to be a chronic pinterest scroller with absolutely nothing to show for my hours spent in the app. i'd save hundreds of pins to boards with vague names like "aesthetic" and "vibes," never to look at them again. sound familiar? but over the past year, i've completely transformed how i use pinterest from mindless consumption to an intentional tool that actually enhances my life. here's exactly how i made the shift!

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the pinterest mindset shift ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the game-changer for me was realizing that pinterest isn't just for collecting pretty pictures, it's a visual search engine and planning tool. now i approach it with purpose:

i ask myself "why am i opening this app right now?" before i even click the icon or enter it into the search bar

i set specific time limits for browsing (15-30 minutes max)

i focus on quality over quantity with my pins

i treat my boards as action plans, not just digital hoarding spaces

i regularly revisit and implement ideas from my boards

this shift transformed pinterest from a time-waster to one of my most valuable tools for planning, creativity, and personal growth.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ my board organization system ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the foundation of intentional pinterest use is thoughtful organization! here's my current system:

𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴: i group my boards into categories using board covers in the same color palette (lifestyle, home, fashion, etc.)

𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨: instead of vague names, i use specific titles like "meals for busy weeknights" or "bedroom refresh ideas 2025"

𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴: i break down larger boards into sections (my "morning routine" board has sections for drinks, movement, journaling, etc.)

𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘷𝘴. 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤: i keep boards private when they're in planning stages, then make them public once they're curated

𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨: i archive boards that aren't currently relevant (like christmas decor in july) to reduce visual clutter

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ my favorite intentional board types ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

here are the board categories that have added genuine value to my life:

𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵-𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴: whenever i start a new project (room redecoration, event planning, etc.), i create a dedicated board with sections for different aspects

𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴: i create a fresh board each season with sections for recipes, activities, outfits, and decor i want to incorporate

𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨: i pin actual items i own alongside new pieces i'm considering to visualize combinations

𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮: i maintain boards for different meal categories and actually reference them when making grocery lists

𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴: i have a board for each important person in my life where i pin potential gifts year-round

𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: i create boards for specific goals with both inspiration and actionable steps

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ my pinterest workflow ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

this is my personal step-by-step process for intentional pinning:

𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦: i decide what specific question i'm trying to answer or problem i'm trying to solve

𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺: i use specific search terms rather than browsing the home feed (which is designed for endless scrolling)

𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺: i only save pins that: • provide clear value or inspiration • lead to actual content (not dead links) • represent ideas i genuinely might implement

𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴: i write specific notes on pins about why i saved them or how i plan to use the idea

𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨: after a pinning session, i schedule time to actually try one of the ideas

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ from virtual to reality ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the most important part of intentional pinterest use is implementation! here's how i ensure my pins actually translate to real life:

𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸: every sunday, i spend 10 minutes reviewing recent pins and selecting 1-3 to implement that week

𝘱𝘪𝘯-𝘵𝘰-𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳: i keep a simple journal noting which pins i've actually implemented

𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: i take photos of my real-life versions of pinterest inspiration

𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘴: i regularly ask "do i have the time/budget/skills for this?" before saving aspirational pins

𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘵: i remove pins that no longer feel aligned with my taste or goals

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ advanced pinterest strategies ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

once you've mastered the basics, these strategies take intentional pinning to the next level! i hope you all enjoy them!:

𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴: i create collaborative boards with friends for shared projects or trips

𝘱𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨: for complex projects, i create flow charts showing how different pins connect to each other

𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴: i document my own progress by pinning "before" and "after" images of my projects

𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳: i use pinterest to plan content themes for my blog and social media (i of course also use pinterest for images for my blog)

𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴: i create sequential boards that build skills in a particular area

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ final thoughts ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

pinterest is whatever you make of it, it can be a mindless scroll hole or one of the most powerful tools for intentional living and creativity. the difference lies entirely in how you approach it.

i still enjoy the occasional aimless browsing session (we all need that sometimes!), but transforming most of my pinterest time into purposeful searching and planning has genuinely enhanced my life. my spaces are more cohesve, my wardrobe more intentional, and my creative projects more focused, all because i stopped treating pinterest like social media and started using it like the powerful visual tool it truly is.

how do you use pinterest? are you a careful curator or a joyful browser? feel free to drop your thoughts in the notes!

xoxo, mindy 🤍

[adorablegorilla]

Now that I've got all the medals for Stronghold Protocol, I figured I'd share a few tips and tricks I've picked up to help anyone who might be struggling, especially with Core Protocol.

First of all, despite the impression I and others may have given about it, Core Protocol is very manageable. Of course, bullshit rng and the overtuned enemies will claim plenty of attempts, but if you plan properly you can get a few victories quickly enough.

The Pathfinders are easily the most dangerous enemy group, especially in Core Protocol, but they can be consistently countered. Lappland can silence the explosive carts, Manticore and other Ambushers can clear the crowds and destroy carts before they get to the frontline, and Penance can draw and tank the fire from ranged enemies while doing thorns damage back. Penance is also a good counter against the Icefield enemies, so I always have her slotted in as a Tier 5 so I can get her easily if needed.

Getting powerful damage dealers before the bosses arrive is a must. Ulpianus is easily one of the strongest if not the strongest Tier 5, so I highly recommend grabbing him regardless of the enemy. Logos is also always a solid choice. Be sure to be proactive with your placements; killing the bosses is more important than maintaining a defensive line due to how much health they drain.

Ifrit is a very powerful pick due to the layout of most stages, and she performs amazingly with items that trigger on skill use.

This may be obvious to others, but global damage dealers like Decadenza and Goldenglow are excellent even if they have to have an enemy in range to activate their skills; you just need to position them smartly.

Pith's Defense Strategy is easily the best overall, being so versatile it's a go-to pick for tryharding, but the others are still worth using. Don't be afraid to experiment.

The Faction Supplements for Snipers and Karlan Operators aren't worth picking imo unless you've slotted in extra Operators from those factions due to lacking either power or versatility in the base roster. Since you aren't guaranteed to get the Supplement from the Faction you're going for, I'd recommend unlocking their respective Defense Strategies in Foundational Protocol before trying this so you have incentive to use the Operators you've slotted in even if you don't get the right item/Supplement.

You can freely change the skills and modules of all Operators in Stronghold Logistics, even if you don't have the actual Operator upgraded. Be aware though that any Operators you slot in won't have their modules equipped automatically and you'll have to manually do so.

Okay, that's all the advice I can think of. You got this 👍

[ajmonarch]

I just saw a post titled:

How many drafts should you go through before deciding your novel is ready?

And it basically said: 'There's no official number, but to create a foundation that ensures you don't burn out quickly, overwork yourself, and get tired of your work, I'll say four. That's the number I use for my students as they have other engagements outside writing that take up a lot of time.'

😅 Right... firstly, I hold no malice to this post. Secondly, I recognise they said there is no official amount. Thirdly, their comment section said replies were deleted and restricted, so I didn't comment, repost or tag them since I'm assuming they don't want direct discussion.

Finally... I want to hold the writing community's hand when I say this cause some of you need to hear it:

Your book is done when you decide it is done.

You could do 2 drafts or 100 and you'd still find things to change. Burnout is NOT measured by the amount of drafts you do, and you can get tired of YOUR story before you finish draft number one if your heart isn't in it.

Burnout wise... Guys, from an (ex) psychologist and wellbeing consultant here. Literally someone could look at you funny tomorrow and you burn out. It's an accumulation of stress and pressure that causes physical, mental and emotional exhaustion. 1 draft on top of other stressers could burn you out. The number of drafts doesn't directly correlate to burn out.

You are building a world, creating from YOUR mind. Build your process to suit YOU.

One agent may support your book as it is, another won't. One reader may love it as is, another won't—it doesn't matter. What matters is your experience with YOUR story and YOUR process. Literally, your beta readers and/or editor will still find typos after you've scanned it 50 times—your brain will blank them out. It's natural.

You're trying to squeeze your personal process into a one size fits all. Lovely, no one else is YOU or can create exactly like YOU.

Okay, so I'm here ranting, but what about me, right? How do I know this? Why should you even consider what I'm saying?

Me & my process:

I wrote my first book. It's a dark fantasy epic with 170k words for the 1st draft.

~ Finished writing it 2 months—I wasn't rushing, I'm just in love with my story (seriously, I'm smiling just thinking about it).

~ Got my beta reader feedback and polished it.

~ Submitted my 2nd draft to agents.

I didn't limit myself to 'my first draft should be unreadable or bad'—I wrote the way that felt right to me. I didn't focus on the amount of drafts I should have. Believe me, I tried at the very start to plan it all out based on what other people were doing, but it stressed me out.

Being a psychologist, conducting research and consulting 100s has taught me many things. One is: individual differences. We can't plaster our research results on everyone because everyone has differences in processing, feeling, learning, creating.

Anyway, in the end, I loved every single step of the process without following someone else's plan. Let me say that again:

I loved every... single... step of writing & refining my book. I'm in love with writing.

I have the next 4 outlined already as proof, even took a break from this story to outline a new 4 book series. Why? Because I wasn't concerned about if I was doing it right by someone else's standards. I'm having fun! And you can too!!

We need to stop limiting ourselves and our process based on outside guidance and external validation. And we wonder why we get stuck or creative block?!

So basically in one line:

Follow what feels right to you, YOU have the POWER.

And one more shake for good measure:

Stop making yourself suffer like your characters. You're creating a new world, leave the rules of this one behind 😊

End of rant, lovelies. Run free and create 🧡✨️ Have faith in yourselves