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To YOU it’s bad writing. To ME it’s a very nuanced piece of work that explores subtle intricacies without outright saying it. And also it’s bad writing

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sometimes the best writing advice is "just let it be bad." revolutionary. terrifying. but it works.

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Does anyone have instructions on how to export to an ebook? I would love to try this!

Editing tip:

Export your writing into an ebook and read through it, the draft on the side to edit alongside. Perhaps by seeing it in a more finished, cleaner format, you can spot inconsistencies, mistakes, and change things you deem suitable

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“write what you know” is boring. i write what haunts me at 3am.

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Where to Find Free, Legal Books

If you have access to a public library and/or have college credentials;

Libby - Ebooks, digital audiobooks, and magazines from your public library. Free, but requires a library card. Materials aren't infinite, so popular titles will often have a several week long waitlist.

Hoopla - Another service often bundled with a library card. The selection is smaller than Libby, but you have a limited number of instant borrows per month to cash in.

EBSCOhost Research - Ebooks and research materials, usually offered through a college. Where I do most of my reading lately, TBH.

Worldcat - Browse the world’s libraries from one search box. Easiest way to find out where to go to check out a book if you can't find it at your usual spot.

US residents will likely have a public library near them, but if you cannot go in person and sign up, there are a number of public libraries that don't require anything but a local address to get an Ecard. The libraries that offer this change frequently, so ask around.

Also keep in mind that US public libraries don't typically purchase self published material. If you're looking for your favorite tumblr author's book, you might want to try the links below instead.

If you can't get a library card (or couldn't find what you're looking for)

Open Library - Large collection of ebooks. Some materials may not be available currently due to ongoing legal issues.

Project Gutenburg - Another huge collection of ebooks, probably the most well-known option on this list.

Standard Ebooks - Professionally formatted public domain ebooks (sourced from places like Project Gutenburg but then turned into dynamic epubs)

LibriVox - Public Domain Audiobooks. Extremely limited library, but provides a rare service.

Audible Free Trial - Amazon offers a free trial of their service, with one free title on signup. You need a viable payment method to get access, but you keep the book even after you cancel. Don't give Amazon your money, folks.

I'd also recommend trawling youtube and soundcloud for user-made audiobooks. The quality varies, but I've been surprised at the results.

Other cool resources

StoryGraph - A non-Amazon GoodReads alternative, for those who like to challenge themselves to read more or enjoy writing book reviews.

Banned books list - Around since 1994 and currently still updated weekly, this site showcases books that are either banned or have been attempted to have been banned somewhere in the US. Some are available to read for free on site.

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when i was a kid, a new family moved into our neighborhood. my parents wanted to welcome them, so my dad made a bowl of salsa and went over with my mom to introduce themselves. the husband of the new family was very excited when he got the salsa—he was a professional chef and as such no one ever made food for him because they always assumed he’d think it was bad, just because he was a good cook.

the moral of the story: give your artist friends art! give your writing friends writing! and give your chef friends food! even if they’re “better” at it than you. i can assure you that they’ll love it regardless because it came from you.

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👯

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Two rules for creating anything.

1) Make it weird.

2) Make it with love.

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Hyperfixating on your own original work is the worst. Why tf can't I find fanart of my unpublished book on tumblr?? Worst fandom ever smh.

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big fan of romance horror. big fan of terrible people still being loved. big fan of bending morality and turning the grotesque into something beautiful.

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WIP Intro

Brothers' Dare

Genre: Soft Dystopian

Status: Beta Reading/Edits (if the story sounds interesting to you, and you'd like to be a beta reader, let me know!! I'm always looking for more)

Length: ~110 000 Words

Features: Codependent brothers, celebrities, a TV show, gross foods, ex's who stayed friends, tender moments, violins, a post-pandemic world (I wrote the first draft in 2015, so it is not covid inspired, but there are similarities)

About

The country of Cascadia was one of four to emerge from the remnants of North America, after the continent was ravaged by a viral illness, causing the death of over half its population.

Twin brothers, Jax and Marcus, are Influencers, a distinctive title given to those with enough notoriety to act as persuaders and cultural figureheads. Jax and Marcus are, first and foremost, entertainers. Their TV show, Thacher Brothers’ Dare, has them competing against each other in challenges that force them to consume repulsive foods and be tormented, on stage and in front of cameras.

When Jax notices that he is having worsening health problems, he is forbidden treatment and told to keep his concerns a secret for the sake of the show and the twin’s reputation as young, adventurous, and fit. For the first time in a long time, Jax finds himself pushing the limits of his body and mind off camera. Health, family, safety, and culture are evaluated as Jax and Marcus are forced to test the strength of brotherhood against the power of a country weighing on their shoulders and thousands of eyes watching their every move.

Project History

Brothers’ Dare was the 5th complete novel I ever drafted, back in 2015. While many other writing projects have been started and shelved since then, Brothers’ Dare was a story I always found myself returning to, working on it whenever time allowed between semesters of my undergraduate and graduate programs. Something about working on this book has always been very calming and comforting for me.

Jax and Marcus’ story explores themes of identity, enmeshment, and authenticity. It continues to evolve as I grow as a writer and expand my knowledge of mental health and the importance of social supports. Future plans for Brothers’ Dare are to continue receiving feedback from beta readers and to have the novel traditionally published. 

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Also song that don’t particularly match the story at all except for ONE very specific detail in a singular lyric.

there are three kinds of songs on my WIP playlists:

- songs with lyrics that fit the story perfectly

- songs i begrudgingly added even though the pronouns are wrong

- songs that have nothing to do with anything but i listened to them a lot when i was writing the first draft and my brain has forged a permanent association

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i love morbidity i love gore i love meat i love decay i love mold i love taxidermy i love bones i love rot i love vultures i love bottom-feeders i love worms i love blood i love roadkill and most of all i love. you <33

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Hey, I'm Adam (he/him), and I made this blog as a space to chat about writing, art, & creativity! I'll absolutely be sharing bits and pieces of my own writing and art journaling, but I'm also very excited to connect with other creatives.

A little about me:

In my mid-20s

Queer, trans, achillean

I live in Canada (prairie provinces)

I've been writing novels since I was 12, but had to put the hobby on hold throughout most of my university career (but that's finally finished! Yay!)

In real life, I am a professional art therapist

Writing and art take up most of my time, but outside of that, I'm also a huge fan of TTRPGs, board games, and going for walks

What I Write:

I write very character-driven speculative fiction. Mental health, queer identity and self discovery tend to be huge themes in anything I write, whether I intend for that or not. And I am always aiming to find a good balance between heart-wrenching angst and whimsical campiness.

My main three WIPs at the moment

Vampire Higwyns (working title) // adult fantasy, queer, royalty, sym(pathetic) vampires, big cast of characters

Daily Nightly // YA, psychological horror, boyband, queer

Brothers' Dare // light dystopia, codependency, sibling relationship, mental and physical health

I'll probably be posting some of my art journaling, paintings, drawings of my OC's, etc on this blog as well, but if you're interested in seeing any more of my art you can check out my Instagram as well.

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if it's good enough for you, then it deserves to be made. don't let anyone else decide if your story is worth it or not.