#tricks and tips

[frangipani-wanderlust]

Rules For Modern Survival

If the headline is a question, the answer is no.

If the service is free, the product being sold is you.

If removing a non-profit's taxpayer funding means it can't operate, then it is not a non-profit, it is a government organization.

[foodffs]

How to Build a Sourdough Starter from Scratch

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Is this how you roll?

[friday411]

Tips & Tricks for Limericks

Nobody asked for it, but I'm posting it anyway...

KNOW THE RULES

5 lines that rhyme (or at least sort of rhyme).

There are flame wars dedicated to these:

Number of syllables on a line (long 8-10 - short 5-6) Meter (rhythm); 2 unstressed syllables then a stressed one.

A (8-10) - First you want to set the RHYME A (8-10) - The second line should keep the TIME B (5-6) - Make the next one SHORT B (5-6) - With a witty RETORT A (8-10) - Then end with a good PUNCHLINE

BREAK THEM IF IT MAKES SENSE & SOUNDS RIGHT (see example)

USE A RHYMING DICTIONARY TO BRAINSTORM!!

OTHER TIPS BELOW ⬇️

Pick out a favorite classic as an example / inspiration. Feel free to use the one above, but here's my fave classic:

There once were two cats from Kilkenny. Each thought there was one cat too many. They fought and they fit, They scratched and they bit Till instead of two cats there weren't any.

Repeat it until you can't stand it anymore.

Use paper (it's easier to stay flexible than typing)

Get inspired and/or pick a topic (sorry can't help much there)

You can start with the classic ("There once was an X from Y" )

Start brainstorming a longer line (maybe that's just me)

Sometimes the 1st line you write wants to be line 2 or 5 - let it.

Sometimes brainstorming all 3 of the long lines together helps (then the shorter ones)

Sometimes it helps to use 2 columns (each type on its own side)

Tag each line with the number of beats

Fuss with the meter and order to make your favorites work together.

Stop if you get frustrated (your subconscious will still work on it)

-=<+>=-

Please add your own tips and tricks!!

What say you, my partners in rhyme? @ghostofnuggetspast @helloliriels @peanitbear

[letmelickyoureyeballs]

Phrases my sister and I have picked up whenever someone tries to interrupt us:

“I don’t think I was done speaking”

“I still have the floor”

“Was I finished?”

“Wasn’t done”

“Oh look at that I’m still going”

*screams till they’re silenced* “Anyways as I was saying”

“It’s rude to interrupt”

“Woah woah shut the fuck up and let me finish”

*loudly snapped* “Hey!”

*repeating nope till they stop talking*

And lastly just straight up turning around and walking away

[thoughtfulfangirling]

Speaking of reading books! In the day and age of We Are Not Giving Amaz0n Our Money and Audi1e is Amaz0n, I hope most of us are aware of Libby / Overdrive. These are library apps that allows for you to electronically rent from your library for free. To use your own local library—which you should because it helps them get more funds and is good for the community and the workers there WANT to help you get this—you do have to go in to the library and get a library card.

PLEASE DON'T GO YET. There are alternatives. I will get to that shortly. Keep reading.

One of the most inconvenient things about this are the wait queues and time limits with the book. I can't help mood readers too much here, but maybe I can help some of you others.

I can't give a play by play on how to do it, but knowing it exists might help some of you to find it. I think the amount of time you check these items out for is set by default to 7 days. Most libraries allow you to change this to 14 days, and some even have 21 days available as an option. When you go to check out a book, check and see if you can change how long you'll have it checked out for!

"Okay, but my library still only allows me X amount of holds, and it's never enough." Fair! Valid! I've run into this problem many many times!

Look up Harris County Library, Queer Liberation, and Poudre Public Library. These places sometimes accept electronic applications for an electronic library card. I have managed to get one from all three of these libraries, and at least one of them allows you more than ten holds (though sometimes that's the same library that will have a strict 14 day checkout limit).

>> Please feel free to reblog and/or comment with additional libraries that allow electronic library cards <<

When you do reach your limit in time with a book, sometimes it allows you to renew it even though you've met your limit! I think I've personally only had to do this with ebooks, because that's my weakness, but always make sure to check!

Also, use the 'manage this hold' feature extensively to put off checking the book out without losing it. You usually stay pretty close to your spot in line if you let the next person have it, because you're still reading something else. I have enough books on hold now that almost every other day or so, something is becoming available to me, and I have to let the next person have it. This month is June, so I'm doing Pride books, so there's plenty right now I'm holding off for 30 days. Some of these books, I know I want to read in the fall, so I have a lot more days than that selected.

You won't have great control of when you'll get which book, but if you put enough on hold when you get more holds, before long, you'll be getting lots of notifications of books being ready!

Finally, of course, don't forget that Libro.fm exists and works very similarly to Audibl3. I believe Brandon Sanderson worked with Chirp as well to release his latest books that he won't let Amaz0n have, and it seems like they often have great sales. It's a buy-only site, but it's an option that often is pretty affordable if you keep eyes on sales.

Happy Avoid Funding the Ultra Rich Pride Month!

[snappingsquids]

I'll highlight that you don't need an analog tape recorder to pull this off! plenty of digital recorders have 1/8" inputs that can be taken off a headphone jack, they'll record to an SD card which cuts down on re-recording it digitally, and doesn't run into the issues that tape introduces. this is one way to get camera audio to a recorder or external audio merged with video on a solo shoot.

I've got a Sony PCM-D50 that works wonders for this, just add a headphone out and press record.

finally! digital audio cables exist! VBaudio makes virtual cables that route audio between applications on your PC, I did zoom meetings for therapy/classwork and routed to Pro Tools to record it in real time. so I'm sure you could think of how you might like to record audio from an application on your computer to keep a digital file later. if you wind up using Pro Tools (don't do it) they now have their "Audio Bridge" which does the same thing.

Time shifting

––

I wanted this but the original poster is transphobic

[hayatheauthor]

10 Non-Lethal Injuries to Add Pain to Your Writing

New Part: 10 Lethal Injury Ideas

If you need a simple way to make your characters feel pain, here are some ideas: 

1. Sprained Ankle

A common injury that can severely limit mobility. This is useful because your characters will have to experience a mild struggle and adapt their plans to their new lack of mobiliy. Perfect to add tension to a chase scene.

2. Rib Contusion

A painful bruise on the ribs can make breathing difficult, helping you sneak in those ragged wheezes during a fight scene. Could also be used for something sport-related! It's impactful enough to leave a lingering pain but not enough to hinder their overall movement.

3. Concussions

This common brain injury can lead to confusion, dizziness, and mood swings, affecting a character’s judgment heavily. It can also cause mild amnesia.

I enjoy using concussions when you need another character to subtly take over the fight/scene, it's an easy way to switch POVs. You could also use it if you need a 'cute' recovery moment with A and B.

4. Fractured Finger

A broken finger can complicate tasks that require fine motor skills. This would be perfect for characters like artists, writers, etc. Or, a fighter who brushes it off as nothing till they try to throw a punch and are hit with pain.

5. Road Rash

Road rash is an abrasion caused by friction. Aka scraping skin. The raw, painful sting resulting from a fall can be a quick but effective way to add pain to your writing. Tip: it's great if you need a mild injury for a child.

6. Shoulder Dislocation

This injury can be excruciating and often leads to an inability to use one arm, forcing characters to confront their limitations while adding urgency to their situation. Good for torture scenes.

7. Deep Laceration

A deep laceration is a cut that requires stitches. As someone who got stitches as a kid, they really aren't that bad! A 2-3 inch wound (in length) provides just enough pain and blood to add that dramatic flair to your writing while not severely deterring your character.

This is also a great wound to look back on since it often scars. Note: the deeper and wider the cut the worse your character's condition. Don't give them a 5 inch deep gash and call that mild.

8. Burns

Whether from fire, chemicals, or hot surfaces, burns can cause intense suffering and lingering trauma. Like the previous injury, the lasting physical and emotional trauma of a burn is a great wound for characters to look back on.

If you want to explore writing burns, read here.

9. Pulled Muscle

This can create ongoing pain and restrict movement, offering a window to force your character to lean on another. Note: I personally use muscle related injuries when I want to focus more on the pain and sprains to focus on a lack of mobility.

10. Tendonitis

Inflammation of a tendon can cause chronic pain and limit a character's ability to perform tasks they usually take for granted. When exploring tendonitis make sure you research well as this can easily turn into a more severe injury.

This is a quick, brief list of ideas to provide writers inspiration. Since it is a shorter blog, I have not covered the injuries in detail. This is inspiration, not a thorough guide. Happy writing! :)

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

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[frangipani-wanderlust]

How To Call 911

So most of my followers know now that I started working last May as a 911 dispatcher. Super proud of myself. And now that I am starting (very much still starting) to settle in a bit, I want to offer some tips on how to call 911. So, hold on to your hats.

(no-color version if the yellow text isn't rendering on your screen correctly)

When in doubt, call 911. Don't take this as me encouraging you to jump at shadows. Your neighbors' loud party is not an emergency, google the local non-emergency line and call that. Neither is the dry cleaning not giving you your clothes (I actually got this call on our 911 line). Nor is the fact that you saw a fox inside city limits (also something a real human called 911 about). But if you see a situation unfolding and you think "this seems dangerous, maybe this is 911-worthy" then it's 911-worthy. Don't hesitate. Call.

If you call 911 and you are freaking out, that's okay. If you're in a crisis, you may not remember a single tip I'm about to give you. We are trained for that, we can handle it, just do the best you can. It's not the end of the world to have a hysterical or frightened caller, and these are tips, not rules.

Location, location, location. We can't send you help if we have nowhere to send it to. Ideally, know the address. Failing that, know the name of a business or a church or an intersection. It is not cheating if you read this off a sign. There isn't a set of invisible rules that says you have to have your exact GPS coordinates memorized. Be prepared to describe the location somehow. That way, if our connection drops and that's all you can tell me, I can still send some police out to come find out what's going on and they can ask for medics or firefighters or whatever if needed. But we absolutely must know where to send assistance, it is the first thing we're going to ask.

Location again, but with a twist. The first thing our office says for emergencies is, "911, what is the address of the emergency?" If a building is on fire, tell us where the fire is. If your neighbors are being robbed at gunpoint across the street, give us their address. If you witnessed a car accident, tell us where the accident happened. The location of the emergency isn't necessarily the location where you are. Don't send police and fire to your office building if the wreck is on the freeway.

Answer the questions that you are asked. If the calltaker asks "Is the patient breathing?" don't start in about the seizure they just had (if they aren't breathing, the seizure they just had is not the biggest problem). If the calltaker asks, "Which way did the man you saw go when they ran?" don't tell them about how they broke down your door (if they are running away, knowing they broke your door down does not help the police know which direction to start looking). The particular question you are asked is being asked for a reason, and that reason is not frivolous but in an emergency, we aren't going to stop and explain everything.

Do not launch into a speech. If you're asked a yes/no question, yes or no is all the answer you should give. Your impulse will be to explain the yes or the no because more information is better than not enough, but overexplaining is its own problem. Now, we are hired for good typist skills, and are encouraged to get better and faster, but infodumping means things can get missed. The calltaker is going to have some information they're going to ask for by protocol and probably the option to drill down on some of it if clarification is needed. If you spend five paragraphs explaining your last answer, it delays getting other pertinent information.

Do not launch into a speech, part the second. You don't call 911 for things that happened last week, or even yesterday. Tell me the emergency that is happening right now. Ideally in one sentence. If someone is having a medical issue, and you call 911 about it, when the calltaker asks exactly what happened, do not tell them about how the patient had a surgery 5-and-a-half weeks ago. You called 911. What is the emergency that is happening right now. Don't be telling me about their surgery when the problem you called about is a broken leg. Yes, the surgery may have led to generalized loss of balance that has yet to return which caused the patient to fall which caused them to break their leg. Understood. But you didn't call because of all of that. You called because of the broken leg. Apply this principle to all emergencies.

Don't launch into a speech, part the third. When asked a specific and direct question, do not give an explanation instead of an answer. If the calltaker asks you "Is the weird person on the side of the road actually in the lanes of traffic?" do not explain to them how it's a very narrow roadway (see parenthesis for the story here). Aside from the fact that we're not asking these questions to be funny (see part the second), there's also the fact that now you are coming over as suspicious as hell. If I asked "how did that person on Facebook know what this supposedly missing kid is wearing and where he's going to be at 3:00 today?" and you say "well Facebook is a good way to spread information" I am now extremely suspicious of you.

(Also an actual call I have taken. The man was a totally ordinary guy out for a walk to the store, but this blue collar man walked through a Rich Person Neighborhood™ and according to Lady Catherine De Bourgh on the phone with me, that merited a call to the police. When I asked her if he was actually in the lanes of traffic [traffic hazard call type] versus not [suspicious person call type, on a technicality but technically...], she tried explaining three times that the road was narrow before she finally got the message that I was not going to stop asking until she told me the actual answer and answered "Well, I suppose so, yes." At this point, because she'd been so reluctant to answer me, I no longer believed the man actually was in the lanes of traffic and to this day believe that she lied to try and manipulate the police into a stronger-level response than was actually warranted. Because determining whether she was lying for sure is beyond the scope of my job, I put down what she said, but I didn't believe then and still don't believe now, that she told the truth. The totally ordinary and probably very nice guy was not arrested or hassled at all and was instead given a courtesy ride to the store.)

Be prepared to describe relevant people, maybe including yourself, and that includes race. If you have an asthma attack at a football game, the medics need to know how to find you in a crowd. If you are a black woman, that's gonna rule out everyone who isn't that. If you are a black woman wearing a yellow shirt, blue jeans, and a blue bandana over your hair, that excludes nearly everybody and when the medics arrive, they'll know exactly who to look for. Most of the time, someone's race isn't relevant information. When describing someone to emergency services, it absolutely is and it is not racist to accurately describe the relevant person or people.

There are more tips in the world, and I may come back to this post and add them as they occur to me. In the meantime, please enjoy this short treatise on how to call 911.

[foodffs]

Parchment Paper 101: Everything You Need To Know

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Is this how you roll?

[frangipani-wanderlust]

I think you could swap the armor out for a jean jacket, denim pants, and a balaclava for just as effective protection with less heat.

Can you bite through blue jeans? Neither can a zombie.

why don't people in zombie apocalypse stories ever just wear suits of armor? you think any zombie is gonna get their shitty rotting jaws through this?

I'm gonna rip and tear my way through the zombie apocalypse completely unharmed because none of the undead hoards will be able to get through my plate mail

[glitchedoutpxie]

How to use Em Dash (—) and Semi Colon ( ; )

Since the ai accusations are still being thrown around, here's how i personally like to use these GASP ai telltales. 🦄✨

Em Dashes (—)

To emphasize a shift / action / thought.

They're accusing us—actually accusing us—of using AI.

To add drama.

They dismissed our skills as AI—didn't even think twice, the dimwits—and believed they were onto something.

To insert a sudden thought. Surely they wouldn't do that to us—would they?

To interrupt someone's speech. "Hey, please don't say that. I honed my craft through years of blood and tears—" "Shut up, prompter."

To interrupt someone's thoughts / insert a sudden event.

We're going to get those kudos. We're going to get those reblogs—

A chronically online Steve commented, “it sounds like ai, idk.”

Semi Colons ( ; )

To join two closely related independent sentences / connect ideas.

Not only ChatGPT is capable of correct punctuation; who do you think it learned from in the first place?

Ultimate pro tip: use them whenever the fuck you want. You don't owe anyone your creative process. 🌈

[mkcosplayorcovid-19prevention]

And

[frangipani-wanderlust]

So this demented, but apparently an actual thing?

Place an Ice Cube on a Burger When Grilling

[thewatcher727]

Writing Description Notes:

Updated 9th September 2024 More writing tips, review tips & writing description notes

Facial Expressions

Masking Emotions

Smiles/Smirks/Grins

Eye Contact/Eye Movements

Blushing

Voice/Tone

Body Language/Idle Movement

Thoughts/Thinking/Focusing/Distracted

Silence

Memories

Happy/Content/Comforted

Love/Romance

Sadness/Crying/Hurt

Confidence/Determination/Hopeful

Surprised/Shocked

Guilt/Regret

Disgusted/Jealous

Uncertain/Doubtful/Worried

Anger/Rage

Laughter

Confused

Speechless/Tongue Tied

Fear/Terrified

Mental Pain

Physical Pain

Tired/Drowsy/Exhausted

Eating

Drinking

Warm/Hot

[thatsbelievable]