#Creative Expression

[luvelydelilah]

Struggling with descriptors? Here are some synonyms to make your scene more interesting!

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Afraid

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Apprehensive

Dread

Foreboding

Frightened

Mistrustful

Panicked

Petrified

Scared

Suspicious

Terrified

Wary

Worried

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Annoyed

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Aggravated

Dismayed

Disgruntled

Displeased

Exasperated

Frustrated

Impatient

Irritated

Irked

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Angry

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Enraged

Furious

Incensed

Indignant

Irate

Livid

Outraged

Resentful

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Aversion

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Animosity

Appalled

Contempt

Disgusted

Dislike

Hate

Horrified

Hostile

Repulsed

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Confused

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Ambivalent

Baffled

Bewildered

Dazed

Hesitant

Lost

Mystified

Perplexed

Puzzled

Torn

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Disconnected

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Alienated

Aloof

Apathetic

Bored

Cold

Detached

Distant

Distracted

Indifferent

Numb

Removed

Uninterested

Withdrawn

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Disquiet

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Agitated

Alarmed

Discombobulated

Disconcerted

Disturbed

Perturbed

Rattled

Restless

Shocked

Startled

Surprised

Troubled

Turbulent

Turmoil

Uncomfortable

Uneasy

Unnerved

Unsettled

Upset

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Embarrassed

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Ashamed

Chagrined

Flustered

Guilty

Mortified

Self-conscious

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Fatigue

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Beat

Burnt out

Depleted

Exhausted

Lethargic

Listless

Sleepy

Tired

Weary

Worn out

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Pain

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Agony

Anguished

Bereaved

Devastated

Grief

Heartbroken

Hurt

Lonely

Miserable

Regretful

Remorseful

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Sad

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Depressed

Dejected

Despair

Despondent

Disappointed

Discouraged

Disheartened

Forlorn

Gloomy

Heavy hearted

Hopeless

Melancholy

Unhappy

Wretched

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Tense

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Anxious

Cranky

Distressed

Distraught

Edgy

Fidgety

Frazzled

Irritable

Jittery

Nervous

Overwhelmed

Restless

Stressed out

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Vulnerable

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Fragile

Helpless

Insecure

Leery

Reserved

Sensitive

Shaky

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Yearning

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Envious

Jealous

Longing

Nostalgic

Pining

Wistful

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[msbutterfly5294]

Remember My Fellow Creatives ,

The opposite of depression is expression .

So create , create , create . It’s your spirit’s truest path 🦋

[nvdesertfox]

Feel free to peek at my additional goodies💕... click links below⬇️

INSTA

https://www.instagram.com/nvdesertfox?igsh=MXJsaTFiNmUzZjg0Yw==

[urloveangel]

[petiolata]

"Death and fear, violence and sex

will always be part of our culture,

so as writers it's important to

embrace that and reflect it in our writing.

When the things we fear are on the page,

they have less power over us."

—Joanna Penn, The Successful Author Mindset

[infpisme]

[bg3-faces-of-the-forgotten]

Last week, Larian released the final patch of BG3, and with it, they closed the chapter on something that meant a lot to so many of us.

This comic started as a way to explore those emotions, but also to express myself. And in this chapter, I needed to say something.

I believe stories, like BG3, remind us that art isn’t just entertainment. It’s communication. It’s reflection. And it works best when there’s something real to say.

The scene in this chapter isn’t mine; I didn’t create the setting or the situation. Larian did. But I wanted to honour what they built by adding my voice to it. The monologue you’ll read isn’t claiming ownership; it’s my personal response to the dynamics their story opened up.

Power, fear, and control, these patterns don’t belong to one moment in history. They echo everywhere. And this part of the game made me think about the present and what is happening in the world now.

Thank you, @johnlarian, for creating a world where that reflection was possible.

And thank you to anyone reading, for sharing this space with me.

👉 You can read the full chapter here: https://www.tumblr.com/bg3-faces-of-the-forgotten/781518898651643904/chapter-7?source=share

[aromiekimart]

One of the best and hardest things about creative expression

I like focusing on good art vibes, scary / cute shit, and fan art here, but in the midst of all this AI slop I whipped up something in my midnight caffeine-frenzied (watch out for those pistachio lattes folks) brain.

One of the most beautiful things about creative expression (written, visual, aural, etc.) is that urge/need to tap into a mindset/experience, whether it's familiar to you or not, in order to share it in a way that's as true to you as it could be to another. If you want to skip making this connection just to fart out something quick & easy, then it's basically poop.

It's about stepping into other shoes, well-worn, new, snugly-fit, off-size. The fatigue that makes a minute-long break during a hike all the more precious. The itch of a scar you never had. The finger-curling cold of a tundra. The burn of a hug given by the person you'd least expect it from. The strange buzzing feeling exclusive to that small shard of time when you're wide awake before the crack of dawn.

It doesn’t matter if it’s precise. A part of creativity is knowing when to stick to standards and when to abandon them. You interpreted things in a way unique to you but still painfully human. What feels “real” is what was made with intent and empathy. There’s life and memories behind it.

In a Princess Mononoke documentary, Miyazaki was struggling to draw a scene of one of the wolves. He said he wished he knew what it was like to grow up with a beloved dog. To draw wild, but still loved, wolves.

It’s that yearning, reaching and effort at understanding that makes art so cool and genuine. You're digging into the silent bones of something abstract and creating live flesh from it. How awesome is that?

If you don't put in the effort of engaging in this challenging but lovely process, and all you think matters is some shallow pretty product that you hope will fool an audience in seeming authentic, then I'll offer the same amount of effort in caring about what you "made" - which is pretty much zilch.

[tofubutter27]

Life is just water that trickles away, it will all soon pass, and be forgotten.

So why not live to the fullest, before the last drop falls?

Enjoy the sunshine, hear the birds sing, feel the rustle of the leaves.

Embrace your inner peace, and remove yourself from anything that brings unhappiness.

[drsilasaslan]

Golden Dreams in Purple Hues An abstract textured surface in deep purples and blues highlighted by a striking gold element. The work evokes intrigue and reflection, enhanced by its complex textures and the interplay of colors. silasAslan.com

[luvelydelilah]

Struggling with emotional scenes? Here are some tips for writing emotion!

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1. While you’re writing, try to build an explanation for their feelings. What triggered their emotion? Is their reaction rational or are they overreacting? Do they fight, flight, fawn or freeze when provoked? Do they feel threatened? 

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2. Show, don’t tell. Describe what is happening instead of plainly stating the situation. Try not to use words like sad, happy, devastated, in pain, angry, nervous, scared, or worried. They cut back on the emotional integrity of the scene and make it hard for readers to connect with your characters. Here are some different behaviors for different emotions.

-Eager-

Bouncing up and down

Unable to sit still

Breathing deeply

Fidgeting

Pretending to do something

Trying to stay busy

Constantly looking at the clock

-Nervous-

Red and hot face

Sweaty palms

Voice cracks

Shaky hands

Biting nails

Biting lips/inside of cheek

Wide eyes

Shallow breathing

Heart racing

-Excited-

Wide smile

Squeal/scream

Bouncing up and down

Fidgeting

Playing with hands

Tapping foot

Talking fast

Tapping pencil

Pacing back and forth

-Scared-

Curling up/bringing knees to head

Closing eyes

Covering ears

Stop breathing or breathing quickly

Biting nails

Shaking

Gritting teeth

Hugging/squeezing something tight

-Frustrated-

Stomping

Grunting/mumbling/yelling

Deep breaths

Red and hot face

Hitting/kicking something

Pointing

Straining/veins become more visible

-Sobbing-

Eyes filling up with tears

Eyes burn/turn red

Red cheeks

Face becomes puffy

Pursed lips

Holding head down

Hyperventilating

Fast blinking

Trying not to blink/holding back tears

-Happy-

Smiling wide

Laughing loudly

Cheeks hurting

Talking loudly

Higher pitched voice

Animated/expressive

-Upset-

Walking slowly/shuffling feet

Head down/avoiding eye contact

Biting inside of cheek

Dissociation

Keeping quiet

Fidgeting

-Bored-

Pacing back and forth

Sighing loudly

Complaining

Fidgeting

Blank face

Looking for something to do

Making up stories

Talking about random topics

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3. Try and bring some trauma into your character’s emotions. For example, something might happen that reminds them of a suppressed/traumatic memory. This is an easy way to hook your reader and have them really feel like your character is a real person with real emotions. They might have some internal conflict they need to work through and a certain situation reminds them of that. They might become irritable at the thought of their traumatic experience and they might snap at whoever is nearby. 

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4. Most characters won’t dump their entire backstory or feelings in a conversation. Try and reserve your character’s emotions to make more interesting scenes later on. For example, your character may be triggered and someone may ask them what’s wrong. Will they give in, soften up and share? Or will they cut themself off and say they’re fine? Also take into account that your character might not know the other character very well and won’t be comfortable sharing personal information with them, like details regarding their trauma.

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5. Last but not least, you don’t need to have a major event happen to connect emotionally with your audience. You don’t have to kill off a character every time you need to spice up your story, even simple interactions can just help your readers understand your character better. Show how they react to certain topics or situations. Describe their feelings, their surroundings, their body language. Their defense mechanisms will help the audience to better understand what kind of person they are.

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[archives-of-iacon]

oh my gosh, do you have music albums? if so, is it related to human music or like, what? 😭😭

PHYSICALLY, I just want to ask this blog sm, i have so many questions, but like at the same time, my mind goes blank when i click the ‘ask away’ button, ugh

✨C.O.G.S. RESPONSE TIME!✨

OH MY PRIMUS, we are THRILLED to see your message!! 😭😭

Okay, music albums? WE'RE HERE FOR THIS QUESTION. So, officially, the Archives of Iacon don't currently have any physical music albums (though our ghost-turned-recently-appointed-intern Soun[???] makes some funky beats on our data terminals when we near deadlines, soooo...? ((Don’t ask why we made him an intern, it's a long story and we JUST unzipped the replacement files.)))

BUT!! Here’s the important part!! Us here at the C.O.G.S. team have been actively advocating for a wider variety of materials to be preserved in the Archives.

We’re serious about it!! In addition to all the usual records, we’ve been pushing to include things like creative writing, poetry, visual art, and, OF COURSE, music! We’ve seen firsthand how all of these forms of expression shape culture and history. While pending approval for that kind of project, we're working with local stations and collectors (a special thank you to our mech-on-the-inside, Jazz) to set up an unofficial server to host that kind of preservation. 🎨🎶

So yes, while we may have our moments of, let’s say, “slackery” (don’t tell the senior archivists), our passion for preservation is real. We’re all in when it comes to keeping the full spectrum of Cybertronian—and human!—expression intact for future generations. After all, the preservation of knowledge and culture doesn’t just stop at dusty old data-pads, right?

ALSO! We TOTALLY get the brain freeze that happens when you’re thinking of questions to ask, but we love them all! Don’t worry if they pop in your head later on—just shoot them our way when you feel ready. We're an open (and sometimes weird) channel for all your inquiries, big or small. 🫶✨

Co-signed by at least two interns and one glitch ghost,

— C.O.G.S. Team 💥✨

[hyena-matas]

[wordsforeachday]

This poem is a glimpse into my own experience with grief. How it unraveled me, reshaped me, and, in time, rooted me more deeply into life. Grief is the teacher I never sought, but one that continues to shape my understanding of love, loss, and what it means to be human.

[shatteredmv21]

This is for every single boomer out there ☺️