#GenZ Publishing

[author-mandi-bean]

How to Get a Literary Agent

Photo by Rodolfo Quirós on Pexels.com On this day six years ago, two literary agents requested full manuscripts of my novel Moody Blue, which ended up being published by GenZ Publishing. That publication journey took at least five years and that should be a lesson in patience and perseverance for me, but I’m still impatient and rejection still stings. I’ve sent 95 query letters to literary…

[amostboringblog]

The Prequel to Bridget Jones’ Diary

It’s been a while since I last entered the right password on Tumblr wrote something worthwhile. Since then, I have:

Become a full-fledged vegetarian (for the most part, don't judge me)

Quit my job (use ‘em and leave ‘em!)

Unfriended my last remaining friend in the real world

Unsuccessfully joined a make-believe manga-inspired dating app

Not gone on a single date

I’m basically the walking, breathing, socially-challenged inspiration for the inevitable prequel to Bridget Jones’ Diary.

It’s hard to be a vegetarian in this house. Last time I asked mom whether the burger patty on my plate was vegan, she replied with, “Why yes – it’s 100% grass-fed.” Then, in response to my gagging horror, she followed with, “Your grandfather used to eat meat every day and he’s a 94-year-old marathon runner. You can’t even get up before noon.” Fair enough.

Failed vegan adventures aside, it’s interesting how often I keep coming back to this blog whenever I quit a job. Maybe I should rename it to Life Through the Eyes of a Quitter. It has a slight Lifetime Channel ring to it, doesn’t it?

Meanwhile, my dad’s business burnt down, my mom got a job, my sister’s pettiness levels have remained remarkably consistent, and my brother started college. My dad’s workplace catches fire and he keeps hustling while Janet from accounting can't give me the side-eye without making me break into sobs and quit. I would be disappointed in myself, but sleeping in feels too good, #sorrynotsorry.

I have also developed an Instagram crush on several guys who, after relentless stalking, I've found out are at least five years younger than I am. Is this what it feels like to be a cougar in the making? Is there a support group for this? This is not a rhetorical question.

Another way in which I have continued to regress in life—and made my college degree shrink in shame—is this: I signed up for singing classes. That’s right. My dream to successfully lip-sync to Britney’s Oops…I Did It Again will soon be replaced with successfully squeaking to Britney’s Oops…I Did It Again. It all starts with a tiny dream, a small glimmer of hope, and before you know it, you’re getting banned from your favorite karaoke bar. Baby steps, I tell you.

I can tell the next few weeks will not only be life-changing but will dramatically decrease my number of Instagram followers, and I can’t wait to share this unforgettable, very special journey with you all.

Sincerely,

A Quitter.

[sebastianravkin]

Another Book Recommendation for 2024

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Seems obvious and possibly pointless for the Tumblr audience, but hear me out.

CONTENT WARNING: mention of dark moments in LGBTQ+ history.  If you would like to avoid, skip Point #1.

The below notes reflect a discussion concerning the book Good Omens I had with a group of my undergraduate interns over a couple of lunches last semester.  Given that they all loved the show, I had assumed they had all read the book.  Not all of them had, and for those that did, their knowledge of when the book was originally published and an understanding of its historical context was surprisingly limited.  I thought that others may be interested in these points, and so am sharing them here.  

1) *SKIP TO AVOID CONTENT WARNING* To understand the impact of Good Omens when it was published in 1990 on the LGBTQIA+ community, it helps to understand the cultural environment at the time of its publishing, at least in the United States. 

The book came out towards the end of the height of the AIDS epidemic (1981 - early 90s).  I can not stress enough how terrifying this was for the LGBTQIA+ community to live through.  People were afraid - of dying, of watching loved ones die, of being separated from their loved ones as they died, of being ostracized, of being denied medical help, of being attacked and beaten.  While there was a short fluorescence of nominal acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community during the 1970s, the societal response to the AIDS epidemic was a huge step backwards.  People became cruel(er), whether out of fear or ignorance or opportunity.

Good Omens came quietly onto the scene during this time, providing an alternate universe in which a gay-presenting angel (and his gender-fluid demon friend) could live in a world without the AIDS crisis.  At the same time, this angel did live in fear of his world literally ending, and really would like to have just gotten back to his comfy chair and his Regency silver snuffboxes.  Escapism reading at its best, really.

In addition, the book was published in 1990, so before many of the cultural moments that helped lead to social change but are now taken for granted.  Such as . . . .

-Freddie Mercury died of AIDS in November 1991 (which, by the way, means there was a very short window of time where people were reading Good Omens while he was still alive).

-Sir Elton John came out in 1992

-“Don’t ask, don’t tell” became official policy of the U.S. Military in 1993 (finally repealed in 2011)

-the establishment of LGBTQIA+ centers on college campuses surged in the mid-1990s

-Ellen came out on her show in 1997

-Will and Grace first aired in 1998

-Matthew Shepard was murdered in 1998 (the Federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act bearing his name was not passed until 2007). 

2) The book is queer coded for 1990.  As queer coded as the show is for current times. 

I have heard multiple comments from GenZ students along the lines of ‘there is nothing queer about the book’, and I have read commentary that Neil Gaiman caved to fan pressure in modernizing the script for the show. But I have also heard comments from GenX peers, including one of whom said “it was the gayest book I read in the 90s”. I have highlighted 15 passages in my teaching copy of the book that would have been queer-coded in 1990, 12 of which would go unnoticed today as far as I can tell based on discussions with many of my Millennial and GenZ students. 

It is important to keep in mind that the vocabulary of the 1980s and 90s relating to the LGBTQIA+ community was exceedingly limited; Mr. Gaiman and Sir Pratchett worked within this limited vocabulary, and were working within the stereotypes of the times, to portray Crowley and Aziraphale. And readers are meant to love them. Possibly more importantly, the derogatory comments concerning Aziraphale come from unlikable characters, and so the reader not only ends up feeling defensive of the angel but also does not want to be associated with those who hold negative opinions of him. I can think of few better ways to create social change. 

In terms of the show adaptation, whenever I watch a movie or show based on a book, my first concern is whether or not the adaptation makes me feel the way the book did. I am not an artist, so I do not know how one translates the written to the visual and I do not envy those attempting to do so.  But I do know that successful adaptations are almost never a one-to-one translation. What I can say in this context is that, to me, the show does feel like the book in terms of its themes, its humor, its timely social commentary. So whyever and however Mr. Gaiman updated it, I would argue it was successful. 

3) It is my understanding that Good Omens is the first book written by cisgendered heterosexual males for a general audience that portrays a gay-presenting character and a gender-fluid character as main characters in a positive light that does not end in a tragic way.  This is huge.  This is Captain Kirk and Uhuru’s kiss huge. 

Historically, LGBTQIA+ people rarely get positive representation in mainstream media. Rather, LGBTQIA+ characters in literature were often portrayed as villains in early writing, and are often used as comedic relief in more recent work. When there is a sympathetic main character, their story usually ends in tragedy. While tragic stories are very much a reality for many LGBTQIA+ people, it is incredibly important to also have stories that do not end in heartbreak or death.  And it is also incredibly important for LGBTQIA+ characters to be part of the norm in main stream story telling as this leads to broader social acceptance. Good Omens provided LGBTQIA+ readers with a sense of belonging in the greater world, while ‘normalizing’ the happy existence of LGBTQIA+ people to a broader readership.  This type of representation, presented by heterosexual white cisgendered male authors (at the top of the power structure in 1990) is a key moment in the slow but steady grind leading to social change.

In summary, read the book. Whether you are a fan of the show or not, and regardless of your generation, this book has a lot going for it. Above and beyond its importance to the LGBTQIA+ community, the book includes broader commentary on religion, good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, and identity in general. The menacing humor of Gaiman and the loving satire of Pratchett is a combination that is unequaled. The book is funny, thought-provoking, well-written, and has a lot of great characters above and beyond a particular angel and demon (who are only in about 1/3 of the book).  And as you read it, understand its historical context, and love it for the role it played in getting us to this cultural point in time.

[geekwiththeglasses]

Would love to hear you rant about Fourth Wing. That book makes me so mad lmao

I literally dashed to my desktop when I saw this because this deserves a desktop response (out of character for a millenial/genz cusper I actually type much faster with a keyboard).

Now to note, I am only 50% done with the book so far so this is limited to that (though I have watched spoiler reviews so I feel justified in my thoughts because I know it's not getting better).

By the way, I learned that this entire series was a publisher request, not like a passion project of Yarros and while I ain't judging (I would do it in a heartbeat if it meant I could pay rent for the next year), to me, you can kinda feel it, like there's a distinct lack of creative verve. You can especially feel it in how shallow everything (and everyone) feels.

A read more because this became obnoxiously long (it's almost 2000 words) and I respect people's dashboards.

Except for this article about toxic perseverance which I think everyone should have to read if they've read Fourth Wing.

There are, first of all, some major issues with this book. The biggest one is, of course, the toxic perseverance, which is covered quite well in the article, but if you're not going to read it, to pull a quote from it:

Creating a narrative in which a character with a disability overcomes all of their pain and other symptoms through force of will alone sets unrealistic expectations—unrealistic expectations which are, as I mentioned previously, a very real issue for very real disabled people in our very real world.  I believe we should have seen some impact of that lifestyle if the author was trying to engage with this intentionally. Because fiction is not created in a vacuum and this narrative goes unproblematised in-text, it’s unclear whether Yarros actively endorses this mindset, or is accidentally endorsing it, neither of which is good.

Just to elaborate a little on something I didn't see in the article, but this book hates the idea of accommodations. Like it's a horrible, horrible thing and how dare you ever suggest Violet might need something as disgusting as a saddle to stay on the equivalent of an airplane. It's not like accommodations are something that actually can end up helping non-disabled people as well. There wasn't potential for a scene where she actually acknowledged she needed help and suddenly everyone's like "hey, that's actually really smart, we should totally do this too, this makes life much easier/safer and will improve everyone's quality of life". Or even just a scene where it only helps her but damn it helps her a lot because it takes in to account her needs and specific body. Because that would require acknowledging that Violet has limitations and not allow her to power through the pain. And also get thrown from her dragon repeatedly, which definitely doesn't fuck up her joints.

Rhiannon gets so shafted. She gets the double whammy of two stereotypes: the black best friend and the promiscuous bisexual. She's seen with multiple partners, none of which seem like long-term or serious partners. And while some bisexual people have more sex with more people than others, if you're going to do that, include more than one bisexual person in your story. She has very little to do with the story unless she is there for the white, straight main character. We've gotten her helping Violet, but so far there's zero dedicated scenes of that tutoring help that was offered in the beginning and as far as I know we never get it (I may be wrong). I hear we get her family later, but that they're also glossed over for More Important Things. It doesn't feel like Rhiannon (or honestly any other character) exists except for when they're around Violet. They all kinda blend together, which at the 50% mark is fucking unacceptable. What is special about them, distinguishes them from the others other than Liam (is it Liam? whoever her bodyguard is) who whittles? There is so little to distinguish any background characters except for Dain. Even Xaden feels lackluster and a bit hazy around the edges, like he never finished rendering.

Let's not forget that Yarros is 100% a military wife and a US military bootlicker and from what I've heard she's had some unsavory and unsupportable opinions on Palestine. We do not like.

She also took Gaelic names and just decided the pronunciation doesn't matter??? Insulting.

Onto the less serious issues:

Firstly, as to my previous complaint, the entirety of Dain's storyline is the most impressive speedrun in character assassination I have ever seen. I described it to a friend as Yarros lovingly caressing a 2x4 before repeatedly beating you over the head with it. He gets like... a scene to be besties and then immediately he must be the worst thing to ever exist, specifically to prop up Xaden. Dain is the asshole holding her back, unlike Xaden who pushes her to be her best (entirely ignoring that her body literally has physical limitations and accommodations are not a dirty word)! He's such a rule follower, but Xaden understands when to bend or break them (pay no attention to him breaking all the rules to try to get her into the scribe's quadrant)! He doesn't believe her immediately when she accuses someone of murder, but Xaden absolutely believes her with no proof (let's forget that Amber is a good friend of Dain and that it would honestly be natural to want to believe that your friend isn't capable of cold-blooded murder with zero proof especially since that would lead to her execution which Violet somehow forgot would be a consequence of her accusation). Dain is overprotective and condescending to Violet (I mean he wasn't the one to force her to have a bodyguard, but he just doesn't believe in her). I bet he doesn't even wash his ass. Xaden definitely washes his ass.

Murder college makes zero sense, especially since she definitely based the military off the US (which makes sense since it's the one she has the most exposure to). Most militaries that I am aware of have rather high requirements for physical fitness, especially an academy for officers (which, in Yarros' face, I actually have experience with, as my father went to the Naval Academy so I know for a fact they're strict as hell with requirements). The US military won't even let you be slightly overweight, even if you can fulfill the physical requirements. It was hard to find any info on whether EDS would out and out disqualify you, but the fact that it wasn't even brought up as a barrier for entry that she had to overcome does not make sense to me.

Ah, I hear someone hypothetically argue, but the college is supposed to (theoretically) weed out the weak so they'll let anyone in who wants to join! Ok, then why is Violet the only physically disabled person in the entire college? I have been to rodeos with bull riders who were amputees, but there ain't one person missing an arm or a leg in that college. The only other disabled person we get so far is a scribe, but you're telling me not one deaf person wants to be a rider? Why is Violet the only one that gets to be "exceptional"?

Back to the murder part of murder college, the fact that this is a murder college gets technically lampshaded, but never really justified in why people keep coming. Like it's not some greater commentary on the lengths people will go for power or greatness or the insidious nature of military propaganda. It just felt like we needed to up the stakes that our protagonist was in danger at every turn, but honestly I never feel like the stakes are that high, because, well, she keeps emphasizing how much danger her life is in, how screwed and dead she is. And if her life is always in danger, it's never in danger.

Speaking of murder, the story doesn't challenge the idea that "weed out the weak through murder" doesn't actually work but just kills people and probably gives the survivors like the worst anxiety (because if everything can kill you your mental health will probably deteriorate). It's like that meme:

Basgiath War College: I have made the perfect rider Me: you fucked up a perfectly good person is what you did. Look at him. He's got anxiety.

Why is Violet so enlightened and above having any prejudice? If anything she should have way more animosity towards the rebel kids than she does. It's literally stated in text that she was not immune to the propaganda and misinformation she's read, but you want me to believe that between (what she believes is) losing a brother to the rebellion and a mother who was kinda involved, not to mention growing up in a group that would be full of anti-rebel propaganda she somehow didn't end up believing anything beyond "yeah some of them will definitely want you dead" which is true??? Instead she's fine with them and will definitely sit with rebel kids because unlike people who grew up with probably less or about the same propaganda than her, she knows not to judge people for the sins of their parents. Those other kids are just so much more prejudiced than she is, isn't she wonderful and has zero biases to unlearn. Oh, you may say, but she thought Xaden was going to kill her! He literally does confirm that the only reason initially he doesn't kill her is to keep a hold of his humanity which does actually confirm that he wants her dead! So the narrative even confirms that this bias was, in fact, the correct opinion to have.

I do not understand why Violet and Xaden are drawn to each other beyond Xaden hot. I am asexual and somewhere on the aromantic spectrum so perhaps it is just not in my nature to understand the ways of the heterosexuals, but I don't get it. Why does she like him? The only reason given is he's hot. Maybe a reason is given later down the line but this is a romantasy. You live and die by building up that damn romance and I am not convinced! I haven't even been given like a "oh I see him with his dragon and it's heart meltingly cute how he interacts with her". Is this why Dain had to be assassinated (we are holding his burial next week by the way, there will be funeral potatoes)? So that Xaden had something to be compared to because he has all the substance of one of those inflatable dancing men?

(Dance, Xaden, dance.)

Yarros cannot do exposition, it's so jarring. She tells us so much, shows little, and bores me the entire time. You seriously decide to make exposition a character quirk for when she needs to calm down? Seriously???? The parapet scene was hard to listen to because you were jerked around like a rag doll between quick action and exposition. Who thought that was a good idea? Exposition is always a difficult thing to include and make it work and sound natural, but this is not how you do it.

A minor complaint, but once you learn Yarros is Mormon you cannot unsee the fingerprints of Mormonism throughout this book. People do not cuss like people, they cuss like you put fuck into a fresh AI and asked it to try it out. I cuss like a sailor and I was wondering why it felt so jarring until I realized that it's not how people talk. I mean Holy. Fucking. Hot. I'm well the fuck aware. You tried ma'am, you tried. Here's a gold star. Also, I'm 99% sure there is zero alcohol. You seriously want me to believe that none of these kids are sneaking in alcohol? That no one is using booze to cope with being in a murder college? As if, we all know these kids are making midnight dragon runs to the liquor store.

Also, the fact that I had to hear an audiobook narrator try to make this dialogue and prose sound like something that would actually come out of a human mouth was truly something to behold. The fact that "for the win" was not left in the 2010s where it belonged is an outrage. If I had a better memory I would put in more quotes cause there have been other doozies.

But really, the greatest crime this book commits, is that it has the audacity to be boring. You give me dragons and you have the sheer, unmitigated gall to bore me. I will accept a lot from a book. I will accept plot holes. I will ignore shallow world building. I will tolerate character assassinations. Do all that if you must, but at the very least make it interesting. This book is not interesting. I listen to a few chapters at a time and I am not having a good time. I only continue out of sheer stubbornness and feeling an obligation that for once I should actually read a book that I have seen negative reviews about to see if perhaps it is not so bad.

I just happened to pick a book where it is, in fact, that bad.

[asrisgratitudejournal]

Published

Sudah lama sekali tidak menulis. Ini untuk update-an aja biar besok kalau lagi lihat archive inget pernah ada di fase ini. Aneh banget tapi si tumblr ini jadinya serving role kalau ku lagi sedih dan frustrasi banget sepertinya (contoh paling nyata: pas Hashim kemarin). Kalau lagi senang-senang aja dan everything went well, I tend not to write here (?) which in a way is good, I guess? Karena berarti ku lagi baik-baik aja, but also, jadinya archive journalingnya biased karena jadi akan ada lebih banyak cerita-cerita aku sad dibandingkan pas lagi hepinya.

Anywaysss

Iya sesuai judul post, ALHAMDULILLAH AKHIRNYA PUBLISHED JUGA YOROBUN!!! Si paper yang kayanya menjadi awal mula aku ngebikin akun tumblr ini deh. Waktu itu frustrasi banget ngerasa stuck gamau nulis dan gabisa nulis (sekarang lagi di fase ini lagi sebetulnya, tapi itu cerita lain). Sampe konseling akhirnya, ngerasa “kok saya bodoh banget YaAllah, kenapa sih aku gabisa nulis…”. Tapi sekarang sudah lewat masa-masa itu. Papernya bisa ditemukan di sini: https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GC011555

Itu manuscript kena 2x reject pulak. Kena mental sekali saya kan konseling lagi habis rejection yang ke-2 (mostly isi sesinya marah-marah aja sih sama reviewer2). Sampe akhirnya ku doain depan kabah tu si riviewr 2 supaya cepat tobat…. HHHHH.

Udah.

Apa lagi ya. Palingan cerita aja kali ya udah ngapain aja dari sejak keributan Hashim di tanggal 6 itu (the events told here mostly happened in weekend):

Sabtu dan Minggu kemarin Sabtunya main badminton di Iffley, dilanjut perpisahan melepas Hanif pulang ke Indo (nggak for good), terus ke closing art exhibition tentang Cowongan, tradisi Banyumas gitu untuk manggil hujan, bagus deh. Minggu-nya Idul Adha! Solat di OCIS Marston, dilanjut ada BBQ PPI Oxford untuk leavers. Se-weekend-an juga ngabisin nonton Joko Anwar’s Nightmares and Daydreams (BAGUS BANGET! Walaupun nontonnya merem-merem sih karena ak sendiri anaknya penakut). Terus yaudah banyak-banyak aja tidur dan istirahat karena kaki pegel banget habis main badminton 2 jam nonstop.

Weekend sebelumnya ku sudah memulai weekend dari hari Jumat malam yaitu menonton Les Miserables di London… Sabtunya pagi Oxford pride march, terus jalan-jalan dikit keliling Oxford kayanya. Minggunya nonton The Fall Guy si Ryan Gosling lucu banget. Udah. Kaya sederhana banget tapi sesungguhnya sangat senang dan fulflilling.

Udah gaksih… sebetulnya cuma lewat 2 minggu doang tapi berasa lama banget yah nggak nulis lagi. Apa karena progress writing juga bobrok aja… Entahlah.

Anyways, tapi yaudah itu aja kali ya update-annya…

Lagi baca banyak buku juga, recently direkomendasiin Abang buat baca Edward Said yang The Question of Palestine, bagus banget, betul-betul menjelaskan gimana Zionism itu dipandang oleh Palestinian… Dan unfortunately and sadly masih relevan banget bahkan di 2024 ini yang adalah 45 tahun kemudian… Beruntung sekarang ada sosial media yang nggak dipegang sama barat (seperti tiktok) makanya genZ banyak yang sudah mulai tahu fakta-fakta yang terjadi…

Selain buku itu, ku juga kemarin minjem Kim Stanley Robinson’s Ministry for The Future karena banyak banget yang rekomendasiin itu. Lagi berusaha baca juga pelan-pelan.

Udah sih… sepertinya itu dulu aja. Terima kasih sudah membaca. OH IYA! Kemarin twitku ada sempat viral terkait beasiswa karena BANYAK BANGET ku dengar cerita orang nggak lolos LPDP kali ini: https://x.com/nonioktvn/status/1800458855673201090 betul-betul semangat & selamat berjuang untuk teman-temanku semua apapun yang dihadapi!

OX1 1AD

13:20 19/06/2024

[opartnermine]

putting together some interesting thoughts about the next media focus; normal-person victory fantasy. it’s hitting gaming communities like crack—helldivers, hunt showdown, lethal company, forever winter—and collaborative media like SCP—see the amazing Overlord fan film—and I think it’s starting to show up in books too, though I don’t read enough published fiction to have good examples. movies are the longest dev cycle cause they have to go through all the suits, so we’ll see.

gen z are tired of supermen. much as we grew up on them. and im including stuff like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter (I do genuinely think hp had more influence on the rise of superhero fiction than any comics). stories where the hero and the villain are both larger than life; where someone finds or is granted power and uses it for good by fighting people with similar power who use it for evil. it ties in with the generationally-ingrained helplessness among millenials; they grew up with 9/11 and climate change and being told they’d change the world and the moment they hit adulthood they were simultaneously barred from economic or political relevance, of course they want themself or someone else to be granted sudden fantastical power that they use to fight the unassailable enemy. but gen z are tired of that.

we, much like millennials, grew up in a world where fantastical, unassailable threats are a fact of life. the NSA spies on everyone. social media algorithms and corporate board meetings determine elections. global warming might not be beyond fixing, hypothetically, but fossil fuels companies would topple nations with mercenary armies before letting anyone cut into their profits in the name of saving the planet.

but at the same time, we live in a time of unprecedented democratization of information, and thus of power. random people become celebrities overnight, and existing celebrities post about their daily lives and you see that they’re just people—we talk about parasocial relationships and creepy stans now not because they’re new but because for the first time we’re realizing that’s bad: chappel roan screams at paparazzi and people, generally, aren’t calling her a bitch, they’re saying ‘yeah honestly fair.’ unprecedented genz turnout in the US, inarguably driven by social media given that we don’t watch or read the news, was largely responsible for the unusual Democrat victory in biden’s midterms. a 3d-printed, crowdfunded, gen-z-led revolution in Myanmar has occupied almost a third of the nation’s former borders for months now and seems to be winning.

we don’t feel powerless. gen z’s dream is a bunch of normal people, bolstered by revolutionary changes in technology, communication, social arrangements, trying and maybe succeeding to change things that once felt beyond our comprehension and ability to shift.

of course we love helldivers and warhammer and SCP. of course milsims are taking off in popularity like never before seen. of course destiny fans are begging for grounded, challenging dark ages gameplay, and the remaining Battlefield 1 servers are often set to some degree in hyperrealism mode, and despite community complaints Tarkov is going strong. of course it’s just in recent years that damage-rebalancing mods for Fallout games (making you and enemies able to kill each other near instantly) have spiked in downloads, and Elden ring with its absurdly large bosses failing against odds to squish little old you was such a phenomenon.

of course cries of ‘lisan al gaib’ and other forms of quasi-fictional nationalism rapidly became running jokes; we’re waiting for a cause to step together and put our bodies and minds behind.

that cause might end up being fascism, to be clear. im not saying any of this is inherently good, despite pride shining through my writing here.

but just as superhero media was emergent of millennial helplessness, this small uptick in homegrown, indie stories of ordinary people defeating cosmic powers against all odds really does seem to be predictive of an upcoming media trend, rooted as all mass trends are in the material conditions of contemporary life.

like. maybe im seeing ghosts here. maybe this is just because i absolutely love this stuff. but if you look at the video games in the last years that are doing something new and being loved for it—death stranding, deep rock galactic, shadow of Mordor, helldivers (yes i keep saying it, it’s just the perfect game for this zeitgeist), foxhole, signalis—it’s all this arrangement. no more destiny and overwatch, no more marvel and PJO; people want escapism where they’re just a normal person, or at least they’re just a cog in a far greater machine.

…oh my god it’s the strand type game. kojima thought it would be about connections and stuff—no no no it’s about a regular person doing their job, working with other people like them, and making a real difference against unfathomable, powerful forces. death stranding is literally this, with all the extraneous stuff boiled away, before most of these came out. what the fuck he’s a prophet. lisan al gaib Kojima, show us the way.

[metalheadsforblacklivesmatter]

The "I don't want the generation that grew up eating lead paint and breathing asbestos making decisions for me" is absolutely wild coming from the generation born during a time when people thought one or two glasses of wine during the first trimester is okay.

Be careful when talking about the older generations' ability to make decisions. If your abelism starts showing, I'm going to be forced to point out a vast majority of Millennials and older GenZ probably have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) because when we were fetuses, our parents thought that fucking up your kid because you decided to drink while pregnant meant Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

And we're just learning that there's more mild cases than FAS, creating a need for a new term for the diagnosis. With symptoms like slower learning, hypersensitivity, lack of emotional regulation, and reduced empathy.

If there is any chance that your mom had a drink or two while pregnant? Yeah. It's a fairly new diagnosis too.

1 in 10 pregnant women between 18 and 44 reports drinking alcohol.

FASD was only changed to account for more mild cases of the disorder in 2005.

So yeah. Stop being fucking abelist by shitting on baby boomers for probably having reduced cognition from lead poisoning. It's diving hypocritical when there a greater than zero likelihood that you also have underdeveloped brains because we didn't have the science at the time to say "this is a bad idea".

-fae

[silverturns-art]

D&AD Penguin - What does Penguin represent / research on the brand

Penguin started as a brand in 1935 by Allen Lane together with his brothers Richard and John. Its main aim was to make good quality books while keeping production costs low. Many initial elements of Penguin were inspired by German book brand Albatros such as the paper back design, the simple colour coded covers without illustrations and standard size. Interestingly Allen Lane noticed the poor quality book at Exeter railway station and wanted to change that. Within a few years Penguin had revolutionised the printing industry becoming a trusted publisher.

Today they work alongside many creatives from the TV industry to voice actors for their audiobooks as well as designers for their book covers. Their aim is to connect with more book lovers and readers through and beyond books and as their brand mission states: ‘We make books for everyone, because a book can change anyone’

Penguin has become a staple in the print industry combining classic elements with new ideas that link to the importance of books and literature today. 

With the D&AD brief their aiming to reach out to a new generation of book fanatics through  GenZ penguin branded merchandise while remaining true to their core values.

links: 

https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/about-us/company-history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penguin_Books

[writerrenellis]

Submissions are open now through February 28, 2023 for our forthcoming anthology. Submit any combination of fiction up to 7,500 words. We pay $10 per accepted flash fiction and $20 per short story. We accept simultaneous submissions, multiple submissions, new fiction, previously published fiction, and there's no reading fee. Head over to https://www.portofplanets.com/submissions for full details including our submission guidelines. #speculativefiction #opensubmissions #literarymagazine #sciencefiction #scififantasy #genz #generationz #shortstories #flashfiction #shortstory #bookstagram #writersofinsta #writersofinstagram #booktok #paranormalstories #microfiction #fiction #portofplanets #fantasyfiction #writinglife #submissionsopen #utopian #writingcommunity #Futurology #writing #sciencefictionwriter #fantasywritersofinstagram #amwriting https://www.instagram.com/p/Clb_3FCJh8S/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[khushi156]

The Top 10 Adult Fiction Publishers in the World

Publishers are essential in providing readers with varied and engaging adult fiction novels. Here is a selected list of the top ten adult fiction publishers who have significantly affected the literary scene.

1. Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House provides a global platform for authors.

Penguin Random House is a literary behemoth dedicated to writers and their tales. Their devoted staff uses worldwide reach, new technology, and cooperation at every level of the publication process. They not only give a platform for authors but also strongly support intellectual property and freedom of speech, guaranteeing that views are heard worldwide.

2. HarperCollins Publishers

HarperCollins, headquartered in New York, has a two-century history and activities in 17 countries. With over 120 imprints worldwide, they publish roughly 10,000 new books annually in 16 languages, including print and digital media.

3. Hachette

Hachette, founded in 1846, has a long history of inspiring and enlightening people worldwide. With a devotion to quality literature, they remain a key participant in the publishing sector, appealing to the curious, ambitious, and those looking for great reading.

4. Prakash Books

Prakash Books, India's fastest-growing and largest publisher by volume, has impacted the business. With a revenue of $12 million, they publish 140 titles in Nielsen India's top 750, spanning categories such as fiction, nonfiction, self-help, classics, spirituality, and religion.

5. DC Books

DC Books, founded in 1974 by Dominic Chacko Kizhakemuri, is a prominent literary publishing business in India. It is the first ISO-certified book industry in the country.

6. Viz Media

VIZ Media is a global manga expert that pioneered the Japanese pop-culture phenomenon. With a strong presence in publishing, animation, cinema, and gaming, VIZ is America's top manga destination, reaching many millennial and GenZ manga fans.

7. Pan Macmillan

Pan Macmillan UK is one of the UK's leading general book publishers. They make substantial contributions to the literary environment through their varied imprints, which include Macmillan, Mantle, Pan, and others.

8. Simon & Schuster Inc.

Founded in 1924, Simon & Schuster has a rich history of groundbreaking ideas in publishing. From their first runaway bestseller, "The Crossword Puzzle Book," they have evolved into a modern publishing company.

9. Westland Books

Westland Books, an award-winning Indian publisher, publishes a variety of genres, including popular and literary fiction, business, politics, biography, spirituality, poetry, graphic novels, health, and self-help.

10. Rupa Publications 

Established in 1936, Rupa Publications is a leading Indian trade publisher. With a diverse array of authors, including Chetan Bhagat, Ruskin Bond, Gulzar, and more, they continue to grow and contribute to the literary world.

Conclusion

The top ten adult fiction publishers offer a colourful tapestry of creative expression worldwide. From Arihant's scholarly concentration to DC Books' cultural diversity and HarperCollins' worldwide reach, each publisher makes a distinctive contribution to the literary environment. VIZ Media shines out in the manga craze. At the same time, Pan Macmillan and Simon & Schuster Inc. demonstrate endurance and adaptation in the ever-changing publishing industry. Westland Books and Rupa Publications contribute to India's unique literary history. These publishers work together to promote cultural interchange, information sharing, and the everlasting enchantment of narrative. Their reach extends beyond boundaries in an interconnected world, producing stories that capture and resonate with readers across continents.

Source By Nielsen BookScan Data

[author-mandi-bean]

NaNoWriMo!

It's Day 2 ... how's NaNoWriMo starting for you?

It’s here, it’s here, it’s finally here! I’ve been looking forward to NaNoWriMo so I could finally institute a writing schedule, which is something I’ve been meaning to do for quite some time now. I’m still working at it, and that’s fine because it’s only the second day, but my writing schedule is more irregular than it is anything else. Yesterday, I wrote at school but today I’m trying to…

[chandrandeepesh72]

From Words to Magic: Inside the World of a Professional Storyteller in Pune

What does the life of a professional storyteller look like?

This is how the life of a professional storyteller would look like. He would perform oral storytelling at schools, college events, literature events, book cafes, cultural events, etc

The stories that he would narrate could be fictional or even fictional ones. The fictional stories narrated by him could be published authors, famous folktales or even his own written stories

The audience that he would be narrating could range from 4 years to 80 years, corporate employees, young adults, GenZ or middle aged adults. The professional oral storyteller knows his audience and even better knows the pulse of his audience. He is precisely aware of what narratives work well for which demography.

The audience comes first and then comes the story to be narrated. It never comes the other way around for the professional storyteller.

Every professional storyteller is extremely hardworking. He will practise extremely well for any performance. Just like singing, it is all about striking the chord while narrating with emotion any certain dialogue. One chord plus or minus can miss out the bull’s eye while touching the hearts of the audience. 

Pune’s storytelling scene

For a professional storyteller in Pune, he/she may have their own venues to perform. However, all upcoming storytellers are advised to start with participating in various open mics in Pune. These open mics consists of stand-up comedy, poetry, storytelling, etc.

Once the artist gets the art perfected, the storyteller can perform his own solo events.

However, there are a lot of challenges in performance storytelling

The storyteller might face unexpected hindrances during the storytelling act. These include rare but sudden heckling by the crowd, some audience member is continuously talking on phone while the storyteller performs, some random small kid suddenly jumps into the stage or starts crying, etc.

Here it is easy for the artist i.e. the professional storyteller to lose his flow, as he has to control the unexpected scenario from the crowd and also continue back with the same emotions of the storytelling act.

Hence the storyteller has to double up as the crowd manager and the artist and more importantly, keep switching places.

That is the hallmark of the true professional storyteller

What are the important parts of a story structure?

The important parts of the story are the characters, the story arc and the tonality/ style. With the overdose of content, especially post Covid, the story arc is mostly repetitive. However, good storytelling hinges on excellent framing of the characters and tonality. These 2 aspects are the subtle art that is differentiating good storytelling from average ones, especially post Covid.

Hence a good storyteller is always aware of this while narrating. He needs to paint the picture well for the audience. If he fails in that, then everything falls flat.

Magic of connecting with stories

Out of the various advantages of storytelling, one of them is healing. Here even a common man i.e. non-professional storytellers can imbibe it.

Storytelling is about one person speaking and another listening. If the storytelling is pure, then both the teller and listener get healed.

Imagine a person in depression, he speaks about the incidents that made him vulnerable, scared and traumatised. These are just real stories that happened with this person. He just needs to be heard.

Here the role of a good listener is extremely crucial. This listener, if genuinely puts his heart into listening (not hearing) to what the person has to speak, it turns magical.

People just want to be heard; they just want their stories to be heard. Lending the right ear is akin to lending a helping hand.

Conclusion

All in all, a professional storyteller in Pune or any city in India needs to be hardworking, creative and keep evolving his art, like any other profession on this earth.

Reach out to us for any need of professional storytelling services

To know more: https://deepeshchandran.com/from-words-to-magic-inside-the-world-of-a-professional-storyteller-in-pune/

[joomju]

I'm always shocked by someone who lives in the US and publishes a youtube video saying "this is my first time hearing (band) ever"

Where (band) is any one of the top 100 hits that went platinum.

I can understand for some young GenZ not having heard some of the older hits, but still... it's kinda like saying "yes I have a television in my home but no I've never seen Oprah". While living in the US. WTF.

[igortuvic]

Art Exhibition and Book Promotion

Activity title: attending Genz Art exibition and a book promotion

Duration: 3hrs

Type of activity: creativity

Activity description:

This was an event organized on a local level, where a group of students presented their artistic works.Our serbian and homeroom teacher invited our class, and the majority of the class showed up. After everyone toured the exhibition, we had the chance to listen to a few songs by Mile Kekin, which he sang whilst playing a guitar. Afterwards he was interviewed by a journalist who asked him about the children's book he wrote and decided to publish.

Reflection:

It was an interesting exhibition, it certainly made me think about certain problems in our society. I was impressed with the quality of the works and effective ways in which the messages were portrayed. Also, it was nice to listen to some music. I am quite glad I experienced this.

Learning Outcomes:

Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.

Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions.

Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

[sufferfly1]

Electric scooter Market : A Comprehensive Overview of the Industry's Players and Trends

“According to the research report published by Polaris Market Research, the global electric scooter market was valued at USD 20.87 million in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 50.99 billion by 2030, to grow at a CAGR of 11.2% during the forecast period.” Polaris Market Research has unveiled an updated report on Electric Scooter Market: By Size, Latest Trends, Share, Huge Growth, Segments, Analysis and Forecast, 2032, that provides a thorough analysis of the market status with the best facts and figures, definitions, applications, and the latest developments across the globe. The report assesses the industry structure based on Electric Scooter Market size, segments, source, distribution channel, and major regions. It scrutinizes the latest trends in the industry and studies their impact on the overall market environment. The market has evolved swiftly in recent years and has made a remarkable contribution to global finances in terms of growth rate, Electric Scooter Market share, and revenue generation.

Get Sample PDF with Report Insight @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/electric-scooter-market/request-for-sample

Key Market Dynamics This analytical study report provides information on significant aspects of the market, such as dynamics, key demand and price, technology trends, and detailed profiles of key players, industry revenue, and regional segments analyzing the Electric Scooter Market based on SWOT and Porter's Five Forces models. Details of segment markets by type, application, and region have been covered in this report, with historical data presented in metrics of sales volume, revenue, and growth rate.

Key Offerings:

Industry Dynamics

Electric Scooter Market Segmentation

Market Size in terms of Value and Volume: Current, Historical, and Projected Data

Industrial Trends and Developments

Competitive Landscape

Opportunities in the market

Strategies and Products offerings of Major Players

Strategic Recommendations for the new entrants

Production and Consumption Analysis by Regions

Growth Prospects with Revenue Estimations

Main Findings and Insights

The next section gives a detailed description of the key drivers, restraints, growth opportunities, challenges, and risks in the market. Further, the development status and future Electric Scooter Market trends are tracked in the report. The supply chain and cost analysis in the report are both explained in-depth. Through technological innovation and advancement, the product's performance will be further optimized, expanding its use in downstream applications. Additionally, readers will find market dynamics and consumer behavior studies as essential data for understanding the market. Top Key Players:

AllCell Technologies

LLC

BMW Motorrad International

Brammo Inc.

Green Energy Motors Corp.

Honda Motor Co. Ltd

Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co. Ltd.

KTM AG Peugeot Scooters

Mahindra GenZe

Suzuki Motor Corporation

Terra Motors Corporation

Yamaha Motor Company Limited

Electric Scooter Market key players are presented along with their expansion plans, share, strategies, and business overview. In addition to this, their company profiles, sales figures, profit margins, and product and service portfolios are evaluated in the report. The chapter sheds light on the business expansion strategies employed by these players, such as mergers and acquisitions, product launches, collaborations, M&A, contracts, partnerships, and joint ventures. 

Inquire your Questions If any Before Purchasing this Report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/electric-scooter-market/inquire-before-buying

How Will This Report Help you?

The report delivers extensive analysis in the form of figures, tables, charts, and graphs combined with an in-depth study of current and future Electric Scooter Market prospects. It further allows readers to comprehend the competitive regional pattern by comparing the sales volume and revenue of the world's key regions. Import volume and export volume are evaluated on a regional level. Key statistical insights are presented in a straightforward manner that will users grasp the market's development patterns, crucial factors, and other loopholes which are expected to affect the market expansion.

Key Regions Covered By Report:

North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, and the Rest of Europe)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and the rest of South America)

The Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, South Africa, and the Rest of the Middle East and Africa)

The entire market industrial chain is examined in the research, from the important upstream raw materials and their suppliers to the midstream distributors and downstream customers, while taking the effects of global inflation into account. Finally, it predicts the market's future trends from the perspectives of various types, uses, and significant geographical areas. This study is a trustworthy source for market research that will greatly accelerate the growth of your business and increase its presence in the Electric Scooter Market. Browse Additional Details on "Electric Scooter Market" @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/electric-scooter-market

Reasons to Purchase This Report

This research includes a thorough worldwide and regional analysis of the market.

It gives thorough coverage of every sector of the market in order to assess prospective trends, growth plans, and industry size projections.

The firm profiles of each industry player examine the industry portfolio, sales income, SWOT analysis, and current advancements.

Comprehension of the market's drivers, restrictions, and key small markets.

Analysis of collaboration and authorizing transaction trends can be used to identify commercial prospects in the market sales scenario.

The research analyzes how specific industry structures, ideas, or technological advancements may help with player promotion.

About Us

Polaris Market Research is a worldwide market research and consulting organization. We give unmatched nature of offering to our customers present all around the globe across industry verticals. Polaris Market Research has expertise in giving deep-dive market insight along with market intelligence to our customers spread crosswise over various undertakings. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our different client base present over the enterprises of medicinal services, healthcare, innovation, next-gen technologies, semiconductors, chemicals, automotive, and aerospace & defense, among different ventures, present globally.

Contact Us:

Polaris Market Research

Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com

Ph: +1-929 297-9727

[madebyvasilis]

On this episode we are talking with Kavya Kadia, a Research Assistant at Harvard University. The main purpose of this GenZers to rise! episode is to dive deeper into pursuing and publishing a PhD research paper. In addition to that, Kavya talks about why multi linguistic skills of a person are impactful, as well as which are the main responsibilities of an editor and reviewer for several international journals. Check it out in bio link or at https://podcast.changemakerz.org/kavya-kadia #genzerstorise #madebyvasilis #genz #phd #research #harvard #ngos #podcast #podcaster #newepisode #life #youth #applepodcast #spotify This episode is sponsored by the @blendjet portable blender. Use the promo code GENZERSTORISE12 to get 12% off your order and 2 days free shipping. Link in bio: https://linkin.bio/madebyvasilis