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greaseonmymouth · 2 years ago

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As you've asked for asks!:

Do you have any quick-and-dirty book/fic binding methods a terrified-of-failure novice could use to bang something out to get over the first collywobbling step of Actually Doing The Thing? (this may be something I've been meaning to ask for ages)

yes! I absolutely do! in my opinion the best quick-and-dirty bookbinding method is a no-glue pamphlet: you don't have to mess with glue or measuring or cutting anything, all you need is your text, some paper, a needle and thread. you can use the same needle to punch holes if you don't have an awl.

this is going to be a little long but that's because I'm going to write out some fairly detailed instructions for an A5 sized pamphlet. If you don't want detailed instructions and think you can glean the necessary info from photos, just skip to the photos! I've also linked tutorials.

for preparing the text to printing, in whatever software you use (word, libreoffice, gdocs, whatever) make sure your document is set to page size A5. make it look readable. then save as/export that document as a straight-paged PDF. now go to the bookbinder JS tool (https://momijizukamori.github.io/bookbinder-js/), and upload the PDF. source manipulation: none printer paper size: A4 display unit (you can ignore, or choose cm if it gives you anxiety that it automatically displays points) printer type: select single-sided or duplex accordingly* rotate paper: ignore flip on long side: check if you are printing duplex and if your duplex printer flips the paper on the long side page layout: tick folio page scaling: original page positioning: centered ignore the rest flyfleaf: ignore signature format tick: standard signatures. in the length drop down, this depends on the type of pamphlet you are doing. for folio i generally find 4-5 pages per signature a comfortable thickness. if you have 6 whole A4 pages you can still do that as a single signature or you can split it into two signatures 3 pages each. wacky small layouts: ignore this signature info click the generate preview button to see what your PDF looks like imposed! I love this step especially when I'm doing quarto (A6) or octavo (A7) sized books generate output - click this to generate an imposed PDF

for A6 and A7 sized books the instructions are much the same, except for these you make sure the page size is A6 or A7 in your software, and then you choose quarto or octavo instead of folio. for signature length drop down I keep signature length to 1 for octavos typically and 2 for quartos, as this still refers to sheets of paper, and for octavo 1 sheet of A4 paper will turn into 4 smaller sheets in one signature once folded and cut.

*if you don't have a duplex printer you will have to manually turn the paper to print on the other side. I cannot be arsed with this so I bought a printer capable of duplex printing (I didn't have a printer anyway). if you already have a printer check what it can do as you might be surprised and go from there.

now to the pamphlets! you don't need a cover - I have one for the long stitch pamphlet but for the saddle stitch one I didn't bother and just made sure the first page had a title on it. you can always take a different piece of paper and print a cover on or or just use coloured cardstock and create a simple cover, but a cover is not necessary unless you're doing a long stitch pamphlet. all you need to do is to punch holes and start sewing. there are a few different stitch types below, I wouldn't say any of them are more difficult or easier than others, but they do look different so...pick one you like the look of and go from there?

pamphlet stitch (uneven number of holes) I haven't ever done a pamphlet stitch but here's a tutorial for how to do it: https://www.starpointestudio.com/simple-pamphlet-stitch-book-step-by-step/

saddle stitch (uneven number of holes) I realised that what I was thinking of as a pamphlet stitch is actually saddle stitch, as in this A7 pamphlet:

here's a tutorial for how to sew saddle stitch: https://www.bookbindingworkshopsg.com/saddle-stitch-bookbinding-tutorial/ here's a video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWHkY5jOoqM (sealemon has a lot of bookbinding tutorials and I know many people who like her videos, I used her tutorial for coptic binding way back when I first made a book but I can't otherwise vouch for the quality as I haven't used her videos)

french link stitch (even number of holes) in this one I used french link stitch which I typically use for thicker textblocks that i'm not planning to use tapes with as the french link gives it some robustness, I used it here because I had never done it before and wanted to try it out. I am planning to take these stitches out and re-sew this pamphlet with a cover now that I've found a suitable piece of transformer fanart to use as a cover:

french link tutorial. it's quite long but it has a colour coded bit towards the end that shows how the thread is supposed to link which i find very helpful to visualise: https://www.handmadebooksandjournals.com/bindings/french-link-stitch-binding/

here's a video tutoral from DAS bookbinding (he is my go to for techniques and he has the most soothing Australian accent as well, though fair warning not all of his videos are for beginners): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4ZPdbaM-Ws

long stitch (even number of holes) for this one I used long stitch and I had a cover. this one is my favourite variation because I can make these pretty and simple covers and the stitch looks nice on the outside as well, so this one scratches the 'i want to make a book' itch for me.

here's a tutorial that also includes a how to on a cover that is different from my cover: https://lccprintmaking.myblog.arts.ac.uk/files/2020/06/Long-Stitch-Tutorial-A4.pdf DAS also has a video tutorial for long stitch but it's like three videos long, maybe watch it later :'D here's one I haven't watched but seems decent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnignTL_wDQ

you can use saddle stitch for this kind of pamphlet as well, that's what I did for dozens of ships and hundreds of souls (https://ashmouthbooks.tumblr.com/post/681587080267202560).

I hope this helped!!

#bookbinding #fanbinding

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booksinmythorax · 11 months ago

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So, in the midst of... you know, everything, life at the library goes on and I wanted to talk about the difference between Libby and Hoopla.

For those not in the know, Libby and Hoopla are both apps/software that libraries can use to offer digital items to our patrons. Libby does ebooks (including graphic novels) and audiobooks.

Hoopla does ebooks, audiobooks, digital comics (weekly issues, not just trades or graphic novels), movies, TV shows, and music.

A little while back, my library system had to cut down on the number of Hoopla items patrons can check out per month. This caused a little bit of a stir - people like Hoopla! And they should! It's really cool! But the reason we had to cut back there and not with Libby was because the ways we pay for Libby and Hoopla are different.

Libby uses a pay-per-license model. This means that when we buy an ebook or audiobook on Libby, it's like we're buying one copy of a physical item. Except, because publishers are vultures, it's often much more expensive than buying one copy of the physical book - unless it's an audiobook, in which case buying the CDs might very well be more expensive than buying the digital license on Libby. That's why you might have to wait on a list for a Libby title that's really popular: we only have licenses for so many "copies". These licenses can be in perpetuity (i.e. you pay once and you can use that copy forever) or, more commonly, for a limited length of time like a year. Once that time is up, we decide whether to pay for the license for each copy again.

Hoopla uses a pay-per-circulation model. There's no waiting: once you, the patron, decide you'd like to check something out, you can do so immediately and we pay Hoopla a smaller amount of money to essentially "rent" the license from them. Cool, right?

Except that the pay-per-circ model adds up. If we have access to a brand new or popular title on Libby and Hoopla, and the Libby copy has a long waiting list, patrons might hop over to Hoopla to check it out immediately. If enough people do this, we might end up paying more overall for the Hoopla item on a per-circulation basis than we did for the license on the Libby item. That's why libraries typically limit the number of Hoopla checkouts patrons can use per month: because otherwise, we can't predict the amount we'll be paying Hoopla in the same way we can predict the amount we'll pay Libby.

Let me be clear: If a library offers a digital service and it would be helpful to you, please use it. Don't deny yourself a service you need or would enjoy in some misguided attempt to save your library some cash. We want to offer digital services, not least because ebooks and audiobooks have accessibility features that print books often don't. If your library has Libby and Hoopla and you get utility out of both, use both!

That said, if you're upset with the lower number of checkouts on Hoopla or the limited number of titles or copies available to you on Libby, you know who you should talk to? Your elected officials. Local, state, and federal. Because those folks are the ones who decide how much money we get, and what we can spend it on.

Don't go to them angry, either, because then we'll get scolded for not using the funds they "gave" us appropriately. (If you're a frequent library user, you might be shocked at how anti-library many local government officials already are.) Write your officials an email, call them, or show up at a board meeting and say you like the services the library offers, but you'd love it if we had enough money to buy more books on Libby or offer more checkouts on Hoopla. Tell them directly that this is how you would like your tax dollars to be spent.

If anybody has questions about how Hoopla or Libby work, I'm happy to answer them! Just wanted to make sure we had a baseline understanding.

#books & libraries #librarians of tumblr #bookblr #booklr #reading #public libraries #librarians #hoopla #libby

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linkablewritingadvice · 9 months ago

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How much should it cost to be a writer?

It depends what route you’re taking. If you are planning to go for traditional publishing, which looks like you finishing a manuscript and then querying agents who will then take your book to publishers, you should be paying for basically nothing. One exception would be if you decide to hire an editor to get a pass over your manuscript and/or query package before sending it off, but this is not required.

If you are in the process of trying to get your manuscript traditionally published, you may be approached by a “publisher” offering to publish your manuscript for a fee. THIS IS A SCAM! An author should never be paying for “publishing services.�� Anyone asking you to pay for your own printing, marketing, etc. costs is taking advantage of you. These are called vanity publishers and they will not turn you a profit, help you attract readers, or provide you the prestige of being published.

Always check on Writer Beware - search for the name of the person or company. You can also just google that name along with the word “scam” or “reviews.” In general, don’t let yourself be blinded by dreams, or let yourself be convinced that something is a good idea because you really want it to be true. Never, ever, ever pay a publisher.

If you are going the self-publishing route, you will be paying for certain things, but none of those should be payment to be published. You are the publisher. Uploading your manuscript to Amazon or other marketplaces is free. However, you will be paying for things that a publisher typically pays for. This could include:

-Cover art - you could do this yourself, though this isn't recommended. A good cover is key to a book's success, so budget to purchase a pre-made book cover, or hire a professional cover artist.

To find pre-made book covers, you can just Google "premade book covers," or check one of these sites: BookCoverZone RockingBookCovers Beetiful

And here's a list of places to buy both custom and pre-made cover designs that's a good start. You can also check Reedsy and Etsy for people listing cover design services. If there is a self-pubbed author whose covers you love, try asking them what artist they use.

-Formatting - you could do this yourself using a formatting program like Atticus, or you could hire someone who does professional e-book formatting.

Here's an article on the turbo-DIY route. Here's a list of formatting programs you can use. To hire someone, you can simply search for book formatting services or look at places where people list such services for hire, like Reedsy, Fiverr, or certain Reddit boards.

-Ad campaigns - you may want to pay for ad campaigns on platforms like Meta or Amazon. More niche, author-specific platforms like BookBub, Book Funnel, or Book Sirens also come with certain costs.

-Author services - you may wish to hire an expert in things like marketing, blurb copy, social media metrics, newsletter management, etc. You can find information on that here.

Be aware that scam publishers might try to pitch themselves as "author services" - you should be paying someone to help you with specific aspects of your self publishing work, NOT paying to be published.

-Software and platforms - whether it's a subscription to Duotrope, a paid Scribophile account, access to pro Canva features, etc. you may decide to pay for tools that you will use to do your work well.

-Expert advice - some people offer courses, books, or other resources on how to do specific things like write a compelling blurb or run an effective ad campaign. You may notice that a lot of the links I shared here will include upsells from people doing exactly this!

Be very cautious about this, as most of these people claim that they make tons of money on their self published books, but really, they make their money selling this stuff to people like you. Always check out a person’s free resources first, and wait to invest in this sort of thing until you have a specific question you need answered or are trying to do a very particular thing that you need granular guidance on.

One thing you should NOT pay for is a review, feature, or interview. Self-published authors will be approached by a lot of scammers who claim that, for a nominal fee, they will share information about your book to their huge audiences. These are completely useless and a waste of money. Never spend money on this.

Always keep track of what you are spending on all of this. You may be able to deduct it from taxes you pay on your income from writing, and you will want to really understand what your profit margins look like.

#self publishing #writing #writer beware #writing advice

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ottopilot-wrote-this · 5 days ago

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Generational Trauma

Once more unto the breach of @subliminalbo's Romero Literary Universe. This story references characters from the Obedience by Fleur series. This is also a prequel to Backend Support, though both stories (hopefully) stand on their own.

Thanks again to my friend @subliminalbo (also at @subliminalboarchive) for the art trade and collaboration.

Bailey Castillo set the clippers on the sink counter and rubbed the base of her skull. She was a queer woman, it certainly wasn't her first time getting an undercut. But it was the first time she'd done it to herself.

It made her smirk to herself. Given the grim nature of what she had talked herself into, Bailey could use all the levity she could muster.

She had an undercut when she met Ed. It was a good metaphor, she thought. Under that big head of dark curls, there was an edge. Her fresh face and polite smile were a mask, disguising survival instincts and a pragmatism you could only get by growing up Black, asexual, and female in Romero, Washington.

Bailey rubbed the shaving gel in her wet fingers until it foamed up. Smelling of peaches, she rubbed it on her shaved hair. After rinsing her hands, she rinsed the razor's blade, new and sharp, in the cold water of the faucet.

It seemed a strange offer. What did a lingerie company need with an embedded systems designer? Software devs for e-commerce, sure. But she specialized in hardware, in writing firmware, in the arcane art of assembly code.

Beggars couldn't be choosers, though. Not beggars who had a degree from the local party school, because Mamá got a discount on tuition, and it was what they could afford. Certainly not beggars who would take the first offer they could get that would get them away from this cesspool. Bailey shaved her neck and the undercut area with smooth, careful strokes.

Her first mistake was trusting. Trusting that if she did a good job - and her control array for Obedience by Fleur was, objectively, goddamn genius - she'd be recognized for it.

Bailey rinsed the razor of shaving cream and tiny black hairs. Won't make that mistake again.

She had overestimated Ed King. She bought his Silicon Valley rep, and failed to see he wasn't any different from Romero's traditional power brokers. He was a carnival barker, not a visionary like he thought he was. She was a commodity to him, not a person. If Obedience failed, she would've taken the blame; but since it succeeded, he was more than happy to take all the credit.

Bailey rubbed the smooth wet skin on her neck, checking for missed spots. Elena wasn't any better. She got what she wanted from Bailey, and that made her disposable. It was a blessing, really. Bailey was a natural beauty, but her curvy hips and thighs meant she wasn't model thin, and it also meant she was back at her mother's house in Romero, and not mindlessly, dutifully, licking Elena's designer boots.

Toweling off her neck, Bailey shifted away from the sink toward the 3D printer. She triple-checked her work.

When she first read about needleless tattoos in Wired, at all just clicked into place. A silicon ink payload in dissolvable microneedles. Putting the Obedience tech inside the subject. Permanently. Forget the sensors, pair the array with a fitness tracker or smartwatch. An AI sidecar to increase subject safety. No more brain damage.

Stealing the base software from Ed King? Bailey had no qualms about stealing from a thief. But she needed stake money. It was surprisingly easy to talk the Chinese triads into financing her. But they wanted proof before they pumped more yuan into her operation.

The 3D printer hummed to life as it printed the dissolvable needles, loaded with silicon ink, onto the dermal patch. This was, of course, a fork, custom firmware modified from the base model. Unfortunately, you can't just print a tiny one of these and slap it on a lab rat.

And experimenting on an unwilling human subject… That was something they would do. Bailey wasn't a monster. Not yet.

The array was done. It was a rectangle about the size of deck of cards. The trick had been spacing, making sure the crudely printed lines wouldn't bleed or touch accidentally when applied. Bailey's array was, of course, unique. She'd created a hyperfocus routine that, when enabled, could drown out stimulation and increase cognitive ability temporarily. More importantly, the mind control protocols were blunted, and she wrote an additional protection against mesmerism: the ability to mentally control her hormone levels.

But at the end of the day, this was modified Obedience by Fleur firmware. Bailey knew there was an unknown period where she would have to take Obedience's best punch, enduring and outlasting it, before the AI sidecar would read her biofeedback and adjust the indoctrination protocols lower. She was prepared for it, with a physical anchor.

She took the black choker, her mother's, in her left hand. When Mamá died, shortly after Bailey came back to Romero with her tail between her legs, it was in her jewelry box.

Bailey didn't know how to reconcile that. Mamá never said anything. She didn't have to. When she left the house wearing this choker, all painted up when she should have been in bed, the vacant look told young Bailey everything. But to keep this in an intimate place, where she likely saw it every day - before the early-onset Alzheimer's rotted her from the inside out - what did that mean?

That she missed it?

Bailey gripped the choker tightly, feeling the satin in her delicate fingers. She couldn't guess what went through her mother's mind. Bailey only knew what it meant to her: anger. Abandonment issues. A keepsake of a life she would never, ever lead.

One last check. One last chance to bitch out.

Bailey sat upright in her work stool. She prepared the tattoo array patch, removing it from the printing tray. She looked again at the choker in her left hand, her anchor to reality. She took the patch, and affixed it to the base of her skull.

At first, there was a cold, wet feeling. Like ultrasound gel. And it itched, probably from the microneedles penetrating her skin. Bailey's research indicated there wouldn't be any pain from the actual absorption of the silicon ink into her dermis, just a slight delay.

Immediately, she realized she'd miscalculated.

Bailey had set the weights on the Obedience protocol to fifty percent. She barely had time to process that was too high before she was inundated with sensation. "Oh… Fuck," she moaned breathlessly. It was so hard to think from the pleasure. Warm and comforting, like a blanket. Like a hug, but not a hug from just anyone. From someone precious. From a lover.

Then she felt something new. A flicker, at first. Then a slow burning heat. Then an intense raging inferno, burning between her legs, deep inside her, in her very soul. Bailey instinctively put her hand there, but it was a huge mistake. Immediately she rubbed her engorged clit through her panties, wetness spreading through the dainty cotton fabric.

Lust? But I'm fucking ace, Bailey thought, before the first orgasm hit.

Wave after wave of euphoric gratification pounded her senses like a tempestuous ocean.

Shit! this is- Then another.

Tides of pleasure washed over her.

The choker. Have to- Another.

The powerful undertow eroded her reason and resistance.

Mamá, I-

The blissful sensations overwhelmed Bailey, preventing the formulation of new thoughts, until she just simply stopped trying.

And then she was under. Submerged. Sounds fading. The world oh, so far away.

She was better this way, she saw that. It was better to stop resisting, stop trying to think, and just accept it. As she enthusiastically fingered her soggy cunt, mouth open, her body rewarding her for her compliance, Bailey thought she heard something. It was her own voice, moaning and panting and… giggling. Being dumb, and sexy, and available - it made her happy?

When was the last time she could say that, that she was legitimately happy?

She understood. She could feel like this for the rest of her life, and she only had to do one thing. Let go. Let go of the past, let go of the trauma, let go of the hurt. Let go of herself. The fingers on Bailey's left hand loosened their grip. The choker threatened to fall to the floor. No, not fall. To sink. To sink and drop, deeper and deeper. Her mind was still. Vacant. Empty, except for one thing creeping into her consciousness.

No. Not today.

Bailey's fingers tightened. She could feel the smooth satin, once cold, now hot with her own emanating warmth. She thought of Mamá, looking more like a movie starlet than her tireless, caring mother. Bailey saw her walk out the door, not even turning back to her crying daughter. And she remembered her pledge, to Mamá, to herself: it ain't gonna be me. Not today. Not ever.

Bailey held the choker with a steel grip, as if her life depended on it. It did. The choker was a life preserver in the choppy ocean of arousal flooding her mind and body. She had no idea how anyone could take twice as much of this. It was no wonder Obedience's control was absolute and immediate.

Slowly, she felt it. The constant bombardment of pleasure losing its steam. Waters receding. Her thoughts forming more easily, coherently. Her breathing stabilizing, and the hot flush of her arousal lowering to a simmer. "Set dopamine levels to zero," she gasped. She didn't need to say the words out loud for it to work, but in her disheveled state she needed to hear it. To remind herself she was in control.

She looked in a nearby mirror. Her eyes were a milky solid white, all sclera, no pupils. Her body was flushed with desire. She looked every bit the fucktoy she despised. Bailey knew she was lucky. If she had looked into this mirror a few minutes ago, she would've been lost.

Her hormone levels stabilizing, Bailey blinked, and her eyes returned to an intense chestnut brown. She was still in shock from the ordeal. She opened her palm and looked at the choker, and she placed it on her workbench. Slowly, she took her cell phone in her right hand and sent a message.

"Live test successful. Production is GO."

-------------------

The dream again. The same one. Fuck, I hate this, Bailey thought. And turning off the dopamine wasn't helping.

Bailey got out of bed and turned on a bedside lamp. She drowsily stood up, stumbled to the kitchen for a drink of cold water. It was a hot July night, so she was only wearing panties. Which, of course, were soaked through. Again.

On her back to bed, she stopped at her nightstand. She looked at herself in the vanity mirror. Running a prostitution empire based on mind control hadn't been kind to her, she thought.

Bailey wasn't sure what possessed her. But she reached into her top drawer, and retrieved Rosa's - Mamá's - choker. She hadn't looked at it since she turned on the Obedience array. She'd been too afraid. But here, in the dark, she fastened the choker around her neck. She activated her hormonal controls and raised them - not too much - to maybe 120% of normal. And she looked in the mirror.

Her eyes clouded over until the pupils were gone again, just solid white spheres. Like two blank canvases. She let her mind dull - again, not too much. Just enough to let her thoughts drift. Her full lips parted, on their own, as she watched with interest and arousal. She had always been beautiful, but now? She was a bombshell. All tits and ass and thighs, with a pretty fuckable face. She didn't have a sexual bone in her 29-year-old body, but she would fuck this braindead slut in the mirror.

Bailey's mind cleared as she regained control. She again dampened her pleasure center, and her eyes returned to normal. She took the choker off, and put it back, reverently, in her dresser drawer.

She now understood why Mamá had kept it.

#mind control #mind corruption #hypno fantasy #hypno story #brainwashing #hypnok1nk #hypnodrone #tech control #reprogramming #dronification #asexual #subliminalbo #oc: bailey castillo #ottopilot-wrote-this #cw mind control #cw corruption #cw hypnosis #cw sexuality

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techav · 3 months ago

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On Bodging Silly Mistakes

After a few weeks of rest and working on non-homebrew-related projects since getting my 68030 stack running 8-user BASIC, I've circled back around to the project. My goal is to have it ready to exhibit for VCF Southwest 2025 in June.

The first thing to do when picking up an old project is to make sure it still works to begin with.

It did not.

The computer would start up, go through its boot process, and start the user programs. The supervisor terminal would accept and execute commands, but none of the user terminals would accept input.

I could tell the serial data was making it to the machine, because my 8-port serial card has indicator LEDs on the Transmit & Receive signals and they were working as expected. If I held down a key as the system booted, it would print that character a few times before stopping and then no longer accept any more data. So it really looked like the hardware was working. Nothing had changed in software so that wasn't likely to be the issue.

It reminded me of the problems I encountered with reading from disk when CPU cache was preventing the updated disk status bit from being read. The serial card supports asserting the CPU's Cache Inhibit signal, but perhaps that circuit wasn't functioning. There was no change with it connected or not. Time to break out the oscilloscope. The Cache Inhibit signal was always low — always asserted. Cache wasn't the problem because cache was effectively always disabled.

Out of ideas, it was time to break out the logic analyzer. The I/O Read & Write signals on the serial card were working as expected, and it was properly addressing the card & its individual ports. So next thing was to check was the actual data being read from the UARTs.

Letting the logic analyzer run and watching the data fly through, the problem finally made itself known — the UARTs were not setting bit 0 of the status byte to indicate that they had received data. The data was getting to the UART, it just wasn't acknowledged.

But why? And why did it work initially on restart and then stop? And why did it work without issue a few weeks ago? What is different?

What is different, indeed. I have made one change to the hardware since I last ran it — I added a proper watchdog/power-on-reset controller. If the power supply drops below 4.7 volts, it will reset the computer. The power supply I had been using was marginal and was getting caught by the watchdog, so I switched to a proper power PC supply.

So what's different since last time I ran the system is my reset circuit is more effective and the system voltage should be much more stable 5V.

And that's when I realized a mistake I made in the design for my 8-port serial card. The 68k reset signal is active-low and the 16C55x UART reset signal is active-high. I was trying to minimize part count, and didn't have an inverter for the reset signal, so I used what I had on hand — a buffer with an active-low enable signal.

Anyone well-versed in electronics may already see the problem.

When the CPU-RESET# signal is asserted (low), the buffer will set its output, IO-RESET to match its input, VCC (high). That's great, we get a high signal on the output whenever the CPU Reset signal is low.

Except ... what happens when the CPU Reset signal is not asserted? The buffer goes open-collector and doesn't pull the IO-RESET signal one way or the other; it's just left floating.

Floating signals are bad news for digital circuits. Their behavior is unpredictable and subject to environmental noise, power fluctuations, etc. For my IO-RESET signal to function properly, something needs to pull it low whenever the 74'125 buffer is not actively driving it high. A good-sized pull-down resistor should do the job just fine, so I dug through my stock and found a 3.65k surface-mount resistor and bodged it onto the back side of the board.

And sure enough, that fixed the problem!

It is possible that when I was running the system on that marginal power supply previously, the IO-RESET signal was able to stay just low enough to not trigger reset on the UARTs. Or it could have just been different environmental factors.

I'm glad I took the time to test the machine today, and I'm glad this bug came up. It's the kind of bug that could easily have come up when running in a new environment for the first time — such as on the show floor at VCFSW. Far better to run into a bug like this at home with access to all of the tools (and time) to figure it out.

Now that things are up and running again I can continue my testing and setup for VCFSW.

#homebrew computing #homebrew computer #vintage computing #motorola 68030 #motorola 68k #mc68030 #wrap030 #vcfsw

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ralfmaximus · 10 months ago

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So I've just returned from a business trip during which I was tasked with explaining how our software's accounting system works. We are training a development team to write a new module.

We got to check printing. Up on the big projector screen was a snapshot of the check printing widget in our existing software. It looks exactly like a paper check; you type stuff in the fields, hit the PRINT button, and the laser printer generates an actual check you can take to the bank and cash, assuming you have the money. All the behind-the-scenes check register stuff is handled by the software.

A developer raises his hand. He appears to be in his early 30s.

"I've never written a check before. What are those fields?"

Whoops. I forgot that nobody writes checks anymore and had assumed everyone in the room knew the basics. So we spend the rest of the session explaining how to write a check and record its existence in a check register. There are nods and appreciative murmurs as the developers learn these concepts.

Another developer, somebody in their early 20s, raises his hand.

"If I have a paper check like that, what do I do with it? How do I get the money back out of it?"

We ran out of time in the session.

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commodorez · 1 year ago

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What kind of work can be done on a commodore 64 or those other old computers? The tech back then was extremely limited but I keep seeing portable IBMs and such for office guys.

I asked a handful of friends for good examples, and while this isn't an exhaustive list, it should give you a taste.

I'll lean into the Commodore 64 as a baseline for what era to hone in one, let's take a look at 1982 +/-5 years.

A C64 can do home finances, spreadsheets, word processing, some math programming, and all sorts of other other basic productivity work. Games were the big thing you bought a C64 for, but we're not talking about games here -- we're talking about work. I bought one that someone used to write and maintain a local user group newsletter on both a C64C and C128D for years, printing labels and letters with their own home equipment, mailing floppies full of software around, that sorta thing.

IBM PCs eventually became capable of handling computer aided design (CAD) work, along with a bunch of other standard productivity software. The famous AutoCAD was mostly used on this platform, but it began life on S-100 based systems from the 1970s.

Spreadsheets were a really big deal for some platforms. Visicalc was the killer app that the Apple II can credit its initial success with. Many other platforms had clones of Visicalc (and eventually ports) because it was groundbreaking to do that sort of list-based mathematical work so quickly, and so error-free. I can't forget to mention Lotus 1-2-3 on the IBM PC compatibles, a staple of offices for a long time before Microsoft Office dominance.

CP/M machines like Kaypro luggables were an inexpensive way of making a "portable" productivity box, handling some of the lighter tasks mentioned above (as they had no graphics functionality).

The TRS-80 Model 100 was able to do alot of computing (mostly word processing) on nothing but a few AA batteries. They were a staple of field correspondence for newspaper journalists because they had an integrated modem. They're little slabs of computer, but they're awesomely portable, and great for writing on the go. Everyone you hear going nuts over cyberdecks gets that because of the Model 100.

Centurion minicomputers were mostly doing finances and general ledger work for oil companies out of Texas, but were used for all sorts of other comparable work. They were multi-user systems, running several terminals and atleast one printer on one central database. These were not high-performance machines, but entire offices were built around them.

Tandy, Panasonic, Sharp, and other brands of pocket computers were used for things like portable math, credit, loan, etc. calculation for car dealerships. Aircraft calculations, replacing slide rules were one other application available on cassette. These went beyond what a standard pocket calculator could do without a whole lot of extra work.

Even something like the IBM 5340 with an incredibly limited amount of RAM but it could handle tracking a general ledger, accounts receivable, inventory management, storing service orders for your company. Small bank branches uses them because they had peripherals that could handle automatic reading of the magnetic ink used on checks. Boring stuff, but important stuff.

I haven't even mentioned Digital Equipment Corporation, Data General, or a dozen other manufacturers.

I'm curious which portable IBM you were referring to initially.

All of these examples are limited by today's standards, but these were considered standard or even top of the line machines at the time. If you write software to take advantage of the hardware you have, however limited, you can do a surprising amount of work on a computer of that era.

#computer history

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collapsedsquid · 10 months ago

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I have sort of made fun of Eisenberg’s philosophy as a quirk of crypto, but I guess that’s not really right. It’s a quirk of music streaming platforms too, and online advertising markets, and financial markets. Basically much of modern economics, and life, has the following characteristics:

1 Everything is intermediated through some depersonalized automated electronic exchange. 2 The automated electronic exchange has a mechanism — how it actually works, what the exchange’s software allows you to do — and also rules, the terms of service regulating how you can use the mechanism, which are fuzzier than the mechanism and written in small print, things like “don’t do fraud” or “you have to be a human” or whatever. 3 The mechanism is much more legible and salient than the rules, and in a depersonalized electronic world people treat the mechanism as the rules: They don’t believe that the rules exist, because the rules seem to contradict how the service works. The basic description of Spotify’s mechanics suggests Smith’s alleged arbitrage; if he didn’t do it surely someone else would.

Everything is like this. We talked last week about the “infinite free money Chase ATM glitch,” in which people on TikTok discovered that if they wrote themselves a fake check and deposited it in an ATM and then withdrew the money, they’d have “free money.” Everyone used to know that (1) one way to get free money was to write a fake check and trick someone into cashing it but (2) that was obviously a crime. But now you don’t have to trick anyone into cashing the check: You just go to a machine and put the check into the machine, and if the machine gives you back money then surely that’s just how the machine is supposed to work?

#matt levine

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ottopilot-wrote-this-txt · 5 days ago

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Generational Trauma

Thanks again to my friend @subliminalbo (also at @subliminalboarchive) for the art trade and collaboration.

It made her smirk to herself. Given the grim nature of what she had talked herself into, Bailey could use all the levity she could muster.

Her first mistake was trusting. Trusting that if she did a good job - and her control array for Obedience by Fleur was, objectively, goddamn genius - she'd be recognized for it.

Bailey rinsed the razor of shaving cream and tiny black hairs. Won't make that mistake again.

Toweling off her neck, Bailey shifted away from the sink toward the 3D printer. She triple-checked her work.

And experimenting on an unwilling human subject… That was something they would do. Bailey wasn't a monster. Not yet.

She took the black choker, her mother's, in her left hand. When Mamá died, shortly after Bailey came back to Romero with her tail between her legs, it was in her jewelry box.

That she missed it?

One last check. One last chance to bitch out.

Immediately, she realized she'd miscalculated.

Lust? But I'm fucking ace, Bailey thought, before the first orgasm hit.

Wave after wave of euphoric gratification pounded her senses like a tempestuous ocean.

Shit! this is- Then another.

Tides of pleasure washed over her.

The choker. Have to- Another.

The powerful undertow eroded her reason and resistance.

Mamá, I-

The blissful sensations overwhelmed Bailey, preventing the formulation of new thoughts, until she just simply stopped trying.

And then she was under. Submerged. Sounds fading. The world oh, so far away.

When was the last time she could say that, that she was legitimately happy?

No. Not today.

Her fingers tightened. She could feel the smooth satin, once cold, now hot with her own emanating warmth. She thought of Mamá, looking more like a movie starlet than her tireless, caring mother. Bailey saw her walk out the door, not even turning back to her crying daughter. And she remembered her pledge, to Mamá, to herself: it ain't gonna be me. Not today. Not ever.

"Live test successful. Production is GO."

The dream again. The same one. Fuck, I hate this, Bailey thought. And turning off the dopamine wasn't helping.

On her back to bed, she stopped at her nightstand. She looked at herself in the vanity mirror. Running a prostitution empire based on mind control hadn't been kind to her, she thought.

Bailey's mind cleared as she regained control. She again dampened her pleasure center, and her eyes returned to normal. She took the choker off, and put it back, reverently, in her dresser drawer.

She now understood why Mamá had kept it.

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wuxiaphoenix · 6 months ago

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On Editing: One *Neat Trick

Sorry, couldn’t resist, we’ve all seen so many of those clickbait links... ahem. But this is actually a useful trick if you’re using any kind of writing software for your first draft.

Got a problem spot in your draft? Mark it with a *, and move on.

Words not coming to you for how the room looks? *More desc here.

Not sure about the dialogue in a scene? *Check phrasing.

Just not happy with a paragraph? *Gloss.

And there’s all sorts of other things you can do, like *battle goes here, *look up exact term, *add to glossary, and so on. Anything that you think is going to need more work but you can’t quite pull off right now, mark it with a * so you can get back to it later.

So you got to the end of the draft, and it’s later. Now what? Mwah-ha-hah. This is where the Find function shows its power!

Find *

Now you can jump through your draft from trouble spot to trouble spot, without having to drag through the pages in between. A lot of the time, just looking at some of the * that need edits will let you think of something on the spot and get in some easy fixes. Fix it, take out the *, move on.

Now you have a reduced - though likely still sizeable! - set of trouble spots.

My strategy here is to reduce the stress level of fixing my story, as my brain tends to scream and run away when faced with the Whole Unfixed Draft. So.

Find again. Open a new document. Copy the problem spot and enough surrounding text to make it clear what’s going on. Put some kind of divider mark in the new doc so you know where that section ends. Repeat.

Now you have a document of just the *problem spots. Much shorter than your draft. I tend to go off and print these, because I like having something I can work on offline. Especially if one of the problem spots needs research of the “need to have three books open at once” variety.

And then. As you solve each problem and edit it in the main draft. You can check off what’s done.

This makes the visible size of your edit problems shrink. Which leads to your brain sighing in relief. It’s not a mountain after all; it’s just a hill, okay maybe a couple of hills, and with steady shovel work you will fix it.

Hit the easiest fix. Look through the list again, hit the next easiest. Repeat.

Am I saying to leave the hardest fixes for last? Yes, yes I am. Remember, writing is a marathon, not a sprint. Getting the easy stuff done reduces how much editing you have left to do, and that gives you more willpower to tackle the pile remaining.

Truly, * can be the star of your edits!

What edit tricks have you used to make life easier?

#creative writing #editing

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cozidreamsreimagine · 6 months ago

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How to Create Designs That Work for Your Print-on-Demand Business

Running a print-on-demand business is both exciting and challenging. Whether you're selling on platforms like Redbubble or managing your own store, creating designs that resonate with your audience is the key to success. But how do you craft designs that not only look great but also sell? In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the process of creating designs that work for your print-on-demand business, with tips and tricks tailored to help you stand out in a competitive market. Let’s dive in!

Why Design Matters in Print-on-Demand

In the world of print-on-demand, your designs are your product. Unlike traditional retail, you’re not selling physical inventory—you’re selling ideas. Your customers are drawn to your creativity, so your designs need to:

- Capture attention: Bold, unique designs stand out in search results.

- Resonate with your audience: People buy designs that align with their personality, values, or interests.

- Fit the product: A design that looks great on a t-shirt might not work on a mug or phone case.

Understanding these principles is the first step to creating designs that work for your business.

Step 1: Know Your Niche

The most successful print-on-demand businesses are niche-focused. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, target a specific audience.

- Research your audience: Who are they? What are their interests, hobbies, or values?

- Find trending niches: Use tools like Google Trends or Redbubble’s trending searches to discover what’s popular.

- Create for your passion: If you’re passionate about your niche, it will show in your designs.

For example, if your niche is cozy, minimalist designs, you could create products that appeal to people who love hygge-inspired aesthetics.

Step 2: Brainstorm Unique Design Ideas

Once you’ve identified your niche, it’s time to brainstorm ideas. Here’s how to get started:

- Use keyword research: Tools like Redbubble’s search bar or Pinterest Trends can help you find popular themes.

- Look for inspiration: Check out competitors, social media, or even nature for fresh ideas.

- Think seasonally: Holidays, seasons, and special events are great opportunities for themed designs.

Pro tip: Keep a notebook or digital folder for design ideas. Inspiration can strike at any time!

Step 3: Master the Tools of the Trade

You don’t need to be a professional graphic designer to create stunning designs. With the right tools, anyone can make high-quality artwork.

- Free design tools: Canva, GIMP, and Inkscape are great for beginners.

- Professional software: Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator offer advanced features for experienced designers.

- Mockup generators: Use tools like Placeit to see how your designs will look on products.

If you’re new to design, start simple. Minimalist designs with clean lines and bold typography are often bestsellers.

Step 4: Optimize Your Designs for Products

Not all designs work on every product. To maximize sales, tailor your designs to fit specific items.

- Consider placement: A design that looks great on a t-shirt might need adjustments for a mug or sticker.

- Use high-resolution files: Print-on-demand platforms require high-quality images to ensure sharp prints.

- Test your designs: Upload them to mockup tools to see how they look on different products.

For example, if you’re creating a design for a phone case, make sure the key elements aren’t cut off by the edges or camera hole.

Step 5: Write SEO-Friendly Titles and Tags

Even the best designs won’t sell if no one can find them. That’s where SEO comes in.

- Use relevant keywords: Include terms your audience is searching for, like “minimalist phone case” or “funny coffee mug.”

- Write descriptive titles: Instead of “Cool Design,” try “Retro Sunset Design for T-Shirts and Stickers.”

- Add detailed tags: Use a mix of broad and specific tags to improve your visibility.

For example, if your design is a cozy winter illustration, your tags might include “winter mug,” “cozy vibes,” and “holiday gift ideas.”

Step 6: Promote Your Designs

Creating great designs is only half the battle—you also need to market them.

- Leverage social media: Share your designs on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok.

- Engage with your audience: Respond to comments and messages to build a loyal following.

- Collaborate with influencers: Partner with creators who align with your niche to reach a wider audience.

You can share behind-the-scenes content, like your design process or mockups, to connect with your audience on a personal level.

Step 7: Analyze and Improve

Finally, track your performance to see what’s working and what’s not.

- Check your analytics: Platforms like Redbubble provide insights into your sales and traffic.

- Experiment with new designs: Test different styles, themes, or niches to see what resonates.

- Listen to feedback: Pay attention to customer reviews and comments to improve your designs.

Remember, success in print-on-demand is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep learning and adapting as you go.

Final Thoughts

Creating designs that work for your print-on-demand business takes time, creativity, and strategy. By understanding your niche, mastering design tools, and optimizing your listings for SEO, you can build a successful shop that stands out from the crowd.

You have the power to turn your ideas into products that people love. So, what are you waiting for? Start creating today and watch your business grow!

Looking for unique, cozy designs that inspire and stand out? Visit my Redbubble shop to explore a collection of creative products made just for you!

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weirdstrangeandawful · 2 years ago

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About me!

Hi! I'm Laertes. I've been here a while, but introductions are hard. This blog is mostly a whump prompt blog and a home for my novel A Good Man's Heart, but I will often put other stuff in it like art and fibre arts. I am also disabled and it impacts every part of my life so that will show up here very often. If you are not a bot or fundraiser, please send me asks -- I'd love to chat! Especially about my novel and my OCs.

I have a post about this blog's boundaries here

A little about me I guess. I'm aroace, gay, disabled, and not American. I am an adult although I don't feel comfortable putting my actual age publicly on the internet (if that's a deal-breaker for you I respect that but I won't be changing this). I'm currently pursuing a degree in astronomy and I work in software engineering.

I enjoy exploring darker whump themes such as domestic violence, major trauma (especially painful or unsuccessful recoveries), and addiction although my prompts will contain a huge variety of things. I also love to research and write historical (especially military) whump no later than World War I (although it's mostly Canadian and British because, well, I'm Canadian).

(If you don’t know what whump is check out my post on the subject)

Please do check out what I've finished of my novel! I've never shared my writing before so I'm very proud of it!

A Good Man's Heart Table of Contents

Some notes on accessibility:

This blog is not terribly screen-reader friendly -- I do my best to add descriptions in alt text but what I end up posting usually takes all my effort to do so. A Good Man's Heart contains scene break embellishments in the text (similar to *** in printed books) which are just described as 'embellishment' so as not to break the flow too much. You can see the above-linked table of contents for a description of the embellishment (under the cut and under the cover image)

My tag system is a mess and I have yet to make a coherent one and corresponding post. The ones I stick by the most are: #whump+#whump prompt, #weird strange and awful art, and #disability

I post trigger warnings at the top of my whump posts (as well as some others) and I tag for as much as I can with just the term (no tw, cw, etc before or after). Do not hesitate to send me an ask or a message if you would like me to trigger warn a certain topic. I cannot commit to always tagging my disability related posts properly since I am often posting those when I am barely functional but I do my best.

If there are any accessibility improvements, please let me know! I may not always be able to accommodate because of my own accessibility needs but I do want to hear about what your needs are!

Also! @obfuscated-abstract is my sideblog which I use to summarise and post medical documentation on disabilities which would require someone outside of academia to pay for. Feel free to check it out and send in any papers you need access to.

#whump blog #introduction

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nectoy7 · 9 months ago

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My First Java Program: A Journey into Coding

Starting with Java programming can be an exciting journey, filled with discovery, challenges, and a sense of accomplishment. My experience of writing my first Java program was a significant milestone that opened up a world of possibilities in software development. In this blog, I’ll share my journey through writing my first Java program, along with the concepts I learned and the obstacles I overcame.

The Excitement of Starting

When I first decided to learn Java, I was motivated by its versatility and widespread use in developing applications, from mobile apps to enterprise software. I had heard about the power of Java and how it is a foundational language for many developers. After setting up my Java development environment, which included installing the Java Development Kit (JDK) and choosing an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) like Eclipse, I was ready to dive in.

The anticipation of writing my first program filled me with excitement. I had heard many experienced programmers talk about how exhilarating it felt to see their code come to life, and I was eager to experience that feeling myself.

Setting Up the Development Environment

Before I could write my first program, I needed to ensure my development environment was properly configured. Here’s a brief overview of how I set it up:

1. Installing the JDK: I downloaded the latest version of the Java Development Kit from the Oracle website. This included everything I needed to compile and run Java applications.

2. Choosing an IDE: I chose Eclipse as my IDE because of its robust features and user-friendly interface. After downloading and installing it, I was ready to start coding.

3. Verifying the Installation: I opened the command prompt (or terminal) and typed java -version to confirm that Java was installed correctly. Seeing the version number displayed confirmed that I was on the right track.

Writing My First Java Program

With my development environment set up, I was finally ready to write my first Java program. Following the traditional approach, I decided to create a simple “Hello, World!” program. This classic exercise is often the first step for beginners learning any programming language.

Step 1: Creating a New Java Project

In Eclipse, I created a new Java project:

1. File > New > Java Project.

2. I named the project “HelloWorld” and clicked Finish.

Step 2: Creating a New Java Class

Next, I created a new Java class within the project:

1. Right-click on the src folder in the HelloWorld project.

2. Selected New > Class.

3. I named the class HelloWorld and checked the box to include the public static void main(String[] args) method. This method is the entry point of any Java application.

Step 3: Writing the Code

With the class created, I wrote the code that would print “Hello, World!” to the console:

public class HelloWorld { public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println(“Hello, World!”); } }

Code Explanation

public class HelloWorld: This line defines a public class named HelloWorld. In Java, every application must have at least one class.

public static void main(String[] args): This line declares the main method, which is the starting point of any Java program. The JVM (Java Virtual Machine) looks for this method when executing the program.

System.out.println(“Hello, World!”);: This line prints the string “Hello, World!” to the console. The System.out object is used to output data to the console, and println is a method that prints the text followed by a newline.

Step 4: Running the Program

After writing the code, it was time to run my program and see the result:

1. I right-clicked on the HelloWorld.java file in the Project Explorer.

2. Selected Run As > Java Application.

To my delight, the console displayed the message “Hello, World!” It was a simple program, but seeing the output felt like a monumental achievement. I had successfully written and executed my first Java program!

Learning from the Experience

The process of writing my first Java program taught me several important lessons:

Understanding Java Syntax

Java has a specific syntax that must be followed. This includes rules about naming conventions, the use of semicolons to end statements, and the structure of classes and methods. Understanding these rules is essential for writing valid Java code.

The Importance of the Main Method

The main method is crucial in Java applications. It serves as the entry point, and every program must have it to be executed. Learning this concept helped me appreciate how Java applications are structured.

The Power of Output Statements

Using System.out.println() was my first experience with output statements. It highlighted the importance of feedback in programming. Being able to print messages to the console is invaluable for debugging and understanding program flow.

Overcoming Challenges

While writing my first Java program was largely straightforward, I faced some challenges along the way:

Syntax Errors

Initially, I encountered syntax errors due to missing semicolons or misnamed classes. Each error message provided insight into what I needed to correct. This experience emphasized the importance of careful coding and attention to detail.

Understanding the IDE

Familiarizing myself with Eclipse took some time. I had to learn how to navigate the interface, manage projects, and use features like code suggestions and debugging tools. As I continued coding, I became more comfortable with the IDE.

Next Steps in My Java Journey

Completing my first Java program was just the beginning. With a foundational understanding of Java syntax and structure, I was excited to explore more advanced concepts. Here are the next steps I took in my learning journey:

Exploring Java Basics

I delved deeper into Java basics, including:

Data Types: Understanding primitive and reference data types.

Variables: Learning how to declare and use variables effectively.

Operators: Exploring arithmetic, relational, and logical operators.

Control Flow Statements: Mastering if-else, switch, and loop constructs.

Learning Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

Java is an object-oriented programming language, and I knew I had to understand OOP principles. I focused on concepts such as:

Classes and Objects: Learning how to create and manipulate objects.

Inheritance: Understanding how classes can inherit properties from other classes.

Encapsulation: Learning how to hide data within classes.

Polymorphism: Exploring method overloading and overriding.

Building Projects

I started working on small projects to apply my knowledge. Simple applications, like a calculator or a text-based game, helped solidify my understanding of Java concepts.

Conclusion

Writing my first Java program was a thrilling experience that marked the beginning of my journey as a programmer. The excitement of seeing my code come to life, coupled with the knowledge I gained, fueled my desire to continue learning and growing in the field of software development.

Java has proven to be a powerful language with endless possibilities, and I am eager to explore its depths further. With each program I write, I feel more confident in my coding abilities and more inspired to tackle new challenges.

If you’re starting your Java journey, embrace the process, celebrate your successes, and don’t shy away from challenges. Each step you take brings you closer to becoming a proficient Java developer.

Happy coding!

#first java program #programming #java beginner

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thehorrortree · 2 years ago

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Submission Window: November 1st - December 31st, 2023 Payment: 8 cents per word Theme: Resource Scarcity We are seeking stories for an anthology to be titled We Are All Thieves of Somebody's Future which will collect stories with the theme: Resource Scarcity - using up the last of a critical resource and dealing with the aftermath. While stories could be dystopic (ex. the last tree), authors could also explore hopepunk (losing a resource leads to something unforeseen and positive), solarpunk (a pollution laden resource leads to a better solution), fantasy (the last dragon). We are open to all genres. All stories are requested to be between 1000 and 3000 words in length. Authors may explore any genre with their stories and we encourage a wide variety of ideas and interpretations. Submission Dates Submissions open: November 1st, 2023 Submissions close: December 31st, 2023 Reading/Review begins: January 1, 2024 Reading/Review ends: February 29, 2024 All authors will be contacted by: April 15, 2024 General Submission Information We like to seek out new authors and book ideas ourselves rather than be contacted directly because we are a small, self-funded press, and only publish 4-5 books a year. We usually offer open call submissions on anthologies we decide to do, or we contact authors directly if we have particular needs. We pay $0.08/word for the stories we publish. Most of our books are limited editions of between 100 and 200 copies and we prefer to print physical books over creating ebooks. The Air and Nothingness Press is interested only in publishing works created by the individual, creative efforts of human authors. We are not completely opposed to the use of AI as a tool to develop art or writing, rather we are opposed to the use of it in place of art or writing. If you "wrote" a story by supplying an AI with a prompt, we are not interested. Stories by authors who have employed any AI text-generation software, apps, services, or any other computer-assisted service or program in the writing of their submissions, including plot generators, human-machine "collaboration," titling, outlining, or any other form of computer driven influence on their creative process other than spelling and grammar checking will not be considered. Via: Air and Nothingness Press.

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bookpublisher1 · 2 years ago

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Resources and Tools for Writers

Resources and Tools for Writers: A Comprehensive Guide

Writing is a beautiful and often challenging endeavor, where words become art, stories take shape, and ideas find their voice. To support the creative journey, writers have access to a vast array of resources and tools that can enhance their craft, streamline their work, and expand their knowledge. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the diverse resources and tools available to writers, from writing software and reference materials to writing communities and self-publishing platforms.

Writing Software and Tools

1. Word Processing Software: Word processors like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Scrivener are essential tools for drafting and editing your work. They offer features for formatting, spell-checking, and document organization.

2. Grammar and Editing Tools: Online grammar checkers like Grammarly and ProWritingAid help writers identify and correct grammatical errors, punctuation issues, and style inconsistencies.

3. Mind Mapping and Outlining Tools: Software like MindMeister, Scrapple, and Workflowy can help writers brainstorm, outline their work, and visualize the structure of their projects.

4. Note-Taking Apps: Apps like Evernote and OneNote are perfect for jotting down ideas, collecting research, and organizing notes on the go.

5. Writing Prompts: Websites and apps like Writing Prompts, Reedsy, and The Write Practice provide daily writing prompts and creative exercises to stimulate your imagination.

6. Writing and Word Count Tracking Tools: Tools like NaNoWriMo's word count tracker and online timers like TomatoTimer help writers set goals and monitor their progress.

7. Reference and Research Tools: Tools such as Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote are useful for managing references, citations, and research materials.

8. Thesaurus and Dictionaries: Online thesauruses like Thesaurus.com and dictionary resources like Merriam-Webster are invaluable for finding synonyms, antonyms, and definitions.

9. Readability Checkers: Tools like Hemingway Editor and Readable.io assess the readability of your writing, helping you create content that's easy to understand.

10. Screenwriting Software: If you're a screenwriter, software like Final Draft or Celtx can assist you in formatting scripts to industry standards.

Reference Materials

1. Style Guides: Manuals like The Chicago Manual of Style, The Associated Press Stylebook, and The Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook provide guidelines for formatting and citation.

2. Writing Guides: Books like "On Writing" by Stephen King, "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott, and "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White offer invaluable writing advice and wisdom.

3. Dictionaries and Thesauruses: Traditional print dictionaries and thesauruses are still valuable reference materials, especially for writers who prefer the tactile experience of flipping through pages.

4. Writer's Market Guides: The "Writer's Market" series provides information on publishers, literary agents, and markets for various genres.

5. Grammar and Style Books: Resources like "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Lynne Truss and "The Elements of Eloquence" by Mark Forsyth offer in-depth exploration of grammar and style.

6. Online Blogs and Articles: Numerous writing blogs and websites, such as Writer's Digest, The Creative Penn, and The Write Life, provide articles, tips, and inspiration for writers.

Writing Communities and Workshops

1. Writing Groups: Local and online writing groups, such as Meetup, Goodreads, and Facebook writing groups, writer’s circle provide a space to share your work, receive feedback, and connect with fellow writers.

2. Writing Workshops: Many organizations and universities offer writing workshops and courses, both in-person and online. They often provide structured learning and feedback opportunities.

3. Critique Partners: Building relationships with critique partners is a valuable way to get constructive feedback on your work. Websites like Critique Circle and Scribophile can help you find critique partners.

4. Author Forums: Websites like Absolute Write Water Cooler and KBoards (for indie authors) are popular author forums where writers can ask questions, share experiences, and seek advice.

5. Writing Conferences: Attending writing conferences and book fairs can help you network with industry professionals, learn from experts, and gain insights into the publishing world.

Publishing Platforms and Self-Publishing Tools

1. Traditional Publishers: If you're pursuing traditional publishing, resources like the Writer's Market guide and QueryTracker can help you find literary agents and publishers. Confused if to go or not for traditional publishing here are 5 Reasons Why Traditionally Published Books Sell Better Than Self-Published Books

2. Self-Publishing Platforms: If you're considering self-publishing, platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark, and Smashwords provide tools and guidelines for self-publishing your work.

3. Book Cover Design Tools: Software like Canva and Adobe Spark can assist with designing eye-catching book covers.

4. Formatting and Layout Services: For professionally formatted books, services like Vellum and Brave Healers Production can help you create professional interior layouts.

5. Book Marketing Tools: Social media networks are essential for book marketing and promotion.

6. Email Marketing Services: Services like Mailchimp and ConvertKit are valuable for building and maintaining a mailing list for your author newsletter.

Income and Rights Management

1. Royalty Tracking Software: Tools like BookTrakr and AuthorEarnings provide insights into book sales, royalties, and income tracking.

2. Copyright and Contracts Resources: Authors should familiarize themselves with copyright law and have legal resources for contract reviews if working with publishers.

Author Platforms and Websites

1. Author Websites: Creating a professional author website is a must. Platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace offer user-friendly website builders.

2. Blogging Platforms: Blogging can help you connect with readers and showcase your writing. WordPress and Blogger are popular blogging platforms.

3. Social Media: Building a presence on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook can help you engage with your audience and promote your work.

Financial and Business Tools

1. Tax Resources: As an author, you may need to navigate complex tax matters. Tax software or the services of an accountant or tax professional can be invaluable.

2. Business Tools: Software for bookkeeping, invoicing, and project management can help authors manage their finances and business affairs effectively.

Online Writing Tools

1. Online Writing Platforms: Online platforms like Medium, Wattpad, and Vocal.Media provide opportunities to publish and share your writing with a broad online audience.

2. Collaborative Writing Tools: Tools like Google Docs and Scrivener support collaborative writing projects by enabling real-time editing and sharing. Don’t miss the 5 FREE Writing Tools Authors Must Try In 2023

Conclusion

The journey of a writer is a continuous exploration of creativity and self-discovery. The resources and tools available to writers today are as diverse as the voices and stories they bring to life. This comprehensive guide should serve as a valuable reference for writers looking to enhance their craft, navigate the publishing world, and connect with their audience. Whether you're just starting your writing journey or have been on it for years, these resources and tools are here to support your passion and help you turn your ideas into art.

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