#Primary Keywords:

[rajnishamrmabooks]

I'm thrilled to announce that my new book, **"Future Jobs: Amazing Careers You Haven't Heard of Yet!"**, is now available on Amazon! This book is perfect for young readers aged 8-10 who are curious about the careers of tomorrow. 🚀

��� Discover innovative jobs like AI Training Specialists and Space Habitat Designers

💡 Engage with hands-on activities and interactive learning

💡 Learn from real-life pioneers and experts

💡 Packed with colorful illustrations and fun facts

For the first seven days, enjoy an exclusive **34% discount**!

Get your copy today: [Amazon Link](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSQ9S86Z)

#FutureJobs #NewBook #InnovativeCareers #STEMEducation #InspireYoungMinds #FutureOfWork

[usatrendy]

Eminem I'm the real Slim Shady Shirt

Eminem I'm the Real Slim Shady Apparel

Show Your Love for Eminem with Our Iconic Apparel

Are you a die-hard Eminem fan? Our Eminem I'm the Real Slim Shady Apparel collection is the perfect way to express your love for the legendary rapper. With a variety of stylish and comfortable options, our apparel is designed to make a statement.

Store here: https://www.usatrendyshirt.com/eminem-im-the-real-slim-shady-shirt

Features:

High-quality materials: Our clothing is made from durable, comfortable fabrics that will last.

Iconic designs: Our designs feature Eminem's iconic lyrics, album covers, and imagery.

Perfect for any occasion: Whether you're attending a concert, hanging out with friends, or simply want to show your support for Eminem, our apparel is the perfect choice.

Join the Movement

By wearing Eminem I'm the Real Slim Shady Apparel, you're joining a community of dedicated fans. Show your love for Eminem and make a statement with our iconic designs.

Shop our collection today and let the world know you're a true Eminem fan.

Keywords: Eminem, I'm the Real Slim Shady, Eminem merchandise, hip hop apparel, rap music shirt, Slim Shady shirt, classic rock shirt, vintage t-shirt, music fan apparel, pop culture shirt, celebrity merchandise.

[meelsport]

Beginner's Guide: Mastering AI SEO Tools

Introduction SEO is crucial for driving organic traffic but can be overwhelming for beginners. AI tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs simplify the process, making it easier for newcomers to improve website performance. This guide covers everything from setting up tools to optimizing content, building links, and tracking progress. By the end, you’ll confidently enhance your SEO strategy. Learn more…

[jolenes-book-journey]

Shared Worlds: Expanding Your Author Platform from LJ Green

Shared Worlds: Expanding Your Author Platform from LJ Green

Participating in a shared world series or anthology can be a strategic move for authors looking to expand their readership, build their platform, and explore new creative avenues. This collaborative approach offers unique benefits that can significantly impact your author business. Each group or organization who is sponsoring a shared world publication(s) will have their own rules about…

[amaan314314]

The Power of Positive Thinking

For decades, the concept of positive thinking has captivated readers and researchers alike. Popularized by Norman Vincent Peale's 1952 bestseller, "The Power of Positive Thinking," it has become a cornerstone of self-help philosophy. But what exactly is positive thinking, and how can it truly impact our lives?

Beyond Mere Optimism: Unveiling the Layers of Positive Thinking

Positive thinking isn't just about wearing a smile and chanting affirmations. It's a multifaceted approach that encompasses:

Realistic Optimism: It's acknowledging challenges while believing in your ability to overcome them. It's the "can-do" attitude that fuels resilience.

Positive Focus: Our brains are wired to prioritize negative information. Positive thinking involves consciously shifting focus towards the good in ourselves, the world, and our future.

Positive Self-Talk: The constant internal dialogue we have with ourselves shapes our perception. Positive thinking encourages replacing negative self-criticism with encouraging and empowering thoughts.

Visualization: Positive visualization involves picturing yourself achieving your goals, experiencing success, and feeling the emotions associated with those outcomes. This mental rehearsal strengthens your belief in your ability.

Gratitude: Appreciating the good things in life, both big and small, fosters a sense of contentment and motivates us to strive for more.

The Science Behind the Smile: How Positive Thinking Benefits You

The concept of positive thinking isn't just feel-good philosophy. Research suggests a positive mindset can have tangible benefits:

Improved Physical Health: Studies have shown positive thinking can strengthen the immune system, reduce the risk of heart disease, and even aid in pain management.

Enhanced Mental Wellbeing: Positive thinking can decrease anxiety, depression, and stress levels, leading to a more fulfilling life.

Increased Resilience: Optimists tend to bounce back from setbacks faster and with a greater sense of determination.

Boosted Performance: A positive mindset can improve focus, concentration, and motivation, leading to better performance in academics, careers, and personal endeavors.

Stronger Relationships: Positive people often attract positive connections. Their optimism inspires and uplifts those around them, leading to healthier and more supportive relationships.

Cultivating the Positivity Habit: Practical Strategies for Daily Life

While positive thinking is a skill, anyone can develop it with dedication and practice. Here are some strategies you can incorporate into your daily routine:

Start Your Day with Gratitude: As soon as you wake up, take a few moments to reflect on three things you're grateful for. This sets the tone for a positive day.

Challenge Negative Thoughts: When negativity creeps in, challenge those thoughts. Ask yourself if they're realistic and helpful. Replace them with more empowering and positive affirmations.

Practice Positive Visualization: Spend a few minutes each day visualizing yourself achieving your goals. See yourself succeeding, feeling confident, and celebrating your achievements.

Focus on the Good: Make a conscious effort to notice the positive in your daily life. Appreciate the good weather, a kind gesture, or a personal accomplishment.

Surround Yourself with Positive People: The people you spend time with significantly influence your mindset. Choose to surround yourself with optimistic and supportive individuals.

Practice Self-Compassion: Everyone makes mistakes. When you stumble, replace self-criticism with kindness and understanding. Learn from the experience and move forward.

Celebrate Your Wins, Big and Small: Taking the time to acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small, reinforces positive feelings and motivates further progress.

Express Gratitude Regularly: Thank the people who support you, express appreciation for good experiences, and write in a gratitude journal.

Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness exercises like meditation help you stay grounded in the present moment and appreciate the good things around you.

Focus on Solutions, not Problems: When faced with challenges, shift your focus from dwelling on the problem to seeking solutions. This empowers you and fosters a sense of agency.

Remember, cultivating positive thinking is an ongoing process. There will be setbacks and times when negativity tries to creep back in. However, by consistently implementing these strategies, you can strengthen your positive mindset and reap the benefits it offers.

Beyond Positivity: Embracing a Balanced Perspective

Positive thinking is a powerful tool, but it's not a magic bullet. It's important to maintain a balanced perspective:

Acknowledge Your Emotions: While positive thinking encourages focusing on the good, it doesn't mean ignoring negative emotions. Allow yourself to feel them, process them, and learn from them.

Accept Reality: Being overly optimistic can blind you to potential dangers or challenges. It's crucial to

Beyond Positivity: Embracing a Balanced Perspective (Continued)

Accept Reality (Continued): It's crucial to acknowledge reality, even when it's challenging. This allows you to develop realistic strategies and maintain a healthy perspective.

Learn from Mistakes: Setbacks and failures are inevitable. Positive thinking doesn't mean viewing them as personal defeats. Instead, view them as learning opportunities to grow and improve.

Seek Help When Needed: If you're struggling with persistent negativity or mental health issues, don't hesitate to seek professional help. A therapist can equip you with tools to manage negative thinking patterns and improve your overall well-being.

Positive Thinking and the Power of Belief: Cultivating a Growth Mindset

Our beliefs about ourselves and our capabilities significantly influence our lives. Positive thinking goes hand-in-hand with cultivating a growth mindset:

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset: A fixed mindset views intelligence, talent, and abilities as fixed traits. A growth mindset believes these qualities can be developed and improved through effort and learning.

Embrace Challenges: Those with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities for growth. They are more likely to persevere in the face of difficulty and learn from their mistakes.

Embrace Experimentation: Growth-minded individuals are open to trying new things and learning from their experiences. This fosters creativity and innovation.

Develop the Power of "Yet": When faced with limitations, a growth mindset adds the powerful word "yet." "I can't do this yet" acknowledges the current situation but leaves room for improvement through effort and learning.

The Power of Positivity in Action: Inspiring Examples

Stories of individuals harnessing the power of positive thinking can be incredibly motivating:

Helen Keller: Despite being deaf and blind, Helen Keller’s unwavering optimism and belief in herself allowed her to achieve remarkable academic success and become a renowned advocate for the disabled.

Nick Vujicic: Born without limbs, Nick Vujicic overcame his limitations and became a motivational speaker, inspiring millions worldwide with his message of hope and resilience.

Malala Yousafzai: Facing threats and violence for her fight for girls' education, Malala's unwavering belief in the power of education and her positive outlook propelled her to become a global advocate for change.

These are just a few examples of how positive thinking can empower individuals to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and achieve great things.

Conclusion: Embracing the Journey of Positive Thinking

Positive thinking is a lifelong journey with immense potential. By consistently practicing the strategies outlined here, you can cultivate a more optimistic outlook, enhance your well-being, and create a brighter future for yourself and those around you.

Remember:

Positivity is a skill that requires continuous practice.

Embrace a balanced perspective that acknowledges challenges and celebrates victories.

Develop a growth mindset to cultivate a belief in your ability to learn and improve.

Don't be afraid to seek support when needed.

By embracing positive thinking, you can unlock your potential, live a more fulfilling life, and inspire others to do the same. The power to create a brighter future lies within you. Start cultivating your optimism today!

[studio52group]

Unlock the world of time-lapse construction videos with our comprehensive guide. Learn techniques, equipment, and best practices for captivating visual storytelling

[thydungeongal]

Greenflame blade, a spell introduced into D&D in 4e as a Spellsword at-will, is a really interesting microcosm of how D&D 5e's rules have lots of little interactions that really don't want to cooperate with those types of spells.

The spell effectively allows the caster to make an attack with a melee weapon they are holding that deals fire damage and that also deals fire damage to a secondary target next to the primary target.

Now, of course, in D&D 4e expressing this was simple. All powers, whether martial attacks or arcane spells, used the same formula. You would know that the spell required a weapon due to the Weapon keyword and the fact that the spell had 1[W] in its damage entry.

Fast-forward to D&D 5e and we need to communicate that this spell needs a weapon so it can be cast. If a character were to be holding a weapon, that would mean that they would need their other hand free for making the somatic components of the spell, unless they had an arcane focus in their hand. Could the sword somehow be made to count as an arcane focus? Well, sadly, no, because the types of items a character can use as a spellcasting focus is already prescribed by their class.

Now, it would be possible to introduce a new class that had a bit of text that they could use melee weapons as arcane focuses. Some kind of Swords Mage. But we can't have that. That sounds strange. Instead we need to make this spell work for already established classes somehow.

So the weapon was instead made a material component of the spell.

Now the problem, of course, is that a character with a material component pouch or a spellcasting focus didn't actually need a weapon to cast it now.

A character can use a component pouch or a spellcasting focus (found in “Equipment”) in place of the components specified for a spell.

By a strict reading, a character could whack enemies on the head with their greenflame pouch or focus in lieu of using a weapon.

Which is why they later corrected the spell to state that it requires a weapon of at least 1 sp in value to cast. Because if a price is given for a material component, then it can't be replaced with a spellcasting focus or a material component pouch.

Which is one of the most roundabout ways of having to go about creating a spell that requires a weapon to cast and where the caster can make an attack with said weapon as part of casting the spells. But it's basically because 4e and 5e are pretty much written in completely different languages.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

I love weird, unusual, what-was-the-architect-thinking houses, and this 1966 stone house in Sublette, KS not only has 3bds, 3ba, 2,736 sq ft, but it can be yours for $499k.

Two-story entrance hall with stone pillars, stone floor, ledges, wood paneling, plank ceilings, and carpeted stairs. The keyword here is "texture."

In true mid-century modern fashion, there's a conversation pit around a fireplace. However, all of the walls are stone, the windows are round, and the fireplace is unconventional in design.

The rest of the living room. I'm not understanding why there are doors and then one pillar away there's a large opening, that they've blocked with a table. The primary bedroom is also open, but has large sliding doors.

The living room and rounded bedroom have carpeted flooring.

The main bath has a long entrance lined with closets.

At the end of the closet hall there's a sunken tub with original tile. Look at the little tile mural in the wall, too.

Then here, there's a family room with a corner fireplace. Note the niches in the walls.

In the middle, there's a large area with a dramatic focal point. There's an opening and a fountain, so I would imagine that you can sit in there. Large light above- not sure if it's a skylight or a light fixture.

This view reminds me of a furniture showroom.

So, the kitchen is nice. It looks like it's open to a patio.

The cabinetry is lovely and there's plenty storage.

Going up the stairs, I like the railing.

The 2nd bedroom is up here and it's also got a wide opening. Both bedrooms seem to have very large sliding doors that close for privacy.

This must be used as a guest room b/c it has a luggage rack. Love that desk.

But check out the little guest house.

It has a large fireplace, bed, and room for a sitting area.

The bath is small, but it has a large closet.

Large private walled patio with a pergola is at the back of the house.

.84 acres lot

https://www.zillow.com/homes/615-S-Inman-St-Sublette,-KS-67877_rb/91171842_zpid/

[rajnishamrmabooks]

Future Jobs: Amazing Careers You Haven't Heard of Yet!"

I'm thrilled to announce that my new book, **"Future Jobs: Amazing Careers You Haven't Heard of Yet!"**, is now available on Amazon! This book is perfect for young readers aged 8-10 who are curious about the careers of tomorrow. 🚀

💡 Discover innovative jobs like AI Training Specialists and Space Habitat Designers

💡 Engage with hands-on activities and interactive learning

💡 Learn from real-life pioneers and experts

💡 Packed with colorful illustrations and fun facts

For the first seven days, enjoy an exclusive **34% discount**!

Get your copy today: [Amazon Link](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSQ9S86Z)

#FutureJobs #NewBook #InnovativeCareers #STEMEducation #InspireYoungMinds #FutureOfWork

[theresattrpgforthat]

How To Find Cool Games: On DriveThruRPG!

So disclaimer upfront: I don’t use the DriveThruRPG website nearly as much as Itch.io. Some of those reasons are practical (there’s no tagging system, the catalogue is rather D&D saturated,), while others are more… well, shallow (the website isn’t as pretty).

However, DriveThruRPG is a very good tool to have in your toolbox when it comes to finding cool ttrpgs, for a number of reasons, the primary one being that it’s for TTRPGS and only TTRPGs! Let’s get started.

The Search Bar / Categories.

You can start by doing a basic search for a game that you already know about, or by searching for a keyword, like “pirates” or “zombies”. You’ll get titles sorted by “relevance”, so things that have the keyword in the name will show up first. One of the biggest downsides of this strategy is that everything kind of gets lumped in here: supplements, maps, expansions, adventures, character sheets… the list goes on. However, you can narrow down what you’re looking for by using the toggles at the top of the website. I personally usually narrow down search results by selecting “Product Type” and then “Core Rulebooks”.

One nice thing DriveThru has compared to Itch.io is that you can combine categories, so if I wanted to brows say, Gothic Horror Core Rulebooks priced under $20, well I can do that! My favourite categories are for genre, but another set of categories that you may find very useful once you’ve familiarized yourself with some games is the Rule System category. There are categories for systems like the Year Zero Engine, Forged in the Dark, BRP (Basic Roleplaying), OSR, and so much more. There’s also “other systems” and “any system” categories if you want to find something that’s unique or that can be used across games.

DriveThru also has a lot of games published in different languages, and you can narrow your results to see what’s been offered in your language. I think there are more options on this website than there are on Itch, although you might benefit by finding one or two publishers in your language on DriveThru, and then check the publisher’s website from there.

The Homepage

Another reason to check out DriveThru regularly is the sales and promotions. The top banner of the homepage will typically advertise a few things: the Deal of the Day, current themed sales, and special offers that DriveThru RPG wants you to know about. Their homepage also has Bestselling Titles, Most Popular Games Under $5, Newest Games, Featured Titles, and, if you scroll down enough, Personalized suggestions. Unlike Itch.io, DriveThru does a lot of work to show you what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s a really good deal right now, which can all be really helpful things!

When you land on a game, you’ll be able to see whether or not DriveThru sells physical copies, some basic information like book size, rule system, publisher & author, and a blurb describing the setting and other general information about the game. DriveThru has a side panel with “Customers also Bought”, which is great for showing you things that you might like, either because they surround the same theme, they work for the same game, or they are in a similar genre. (Another thing that Itch isn’t quite as good at.)

You’ll also be able to see (and leave) reviews for game, including the ratings left by other people who have picked it up. Occasionally I’ll find really useful information in the reviews, as reviewers might talk about mechanics they love or loathe, or recommend styles of play that they feel the game matches.

Finally, like Itch, DriveThru will let you know if you’ve already bought the game, and provide you with a download shortcut.

Publishing House Pages

Larger publishing houses typically have their ttrpg content sorted very nicely for you on their publisher pages, to help you find the things that you want. Modiphius is a great example, sorting Star Trek, Dune, Fallout, and their 2d20 games all in special categories.

Many publishers also have a Community Content section, which is great if you’re looking for assets, new adventures, hacks of a game system and some very reasonably priced (or even cheap) game additions. Similar to Itch, DriveThru has a Pay-What-You-Want feature for many games, although, unlike Itch, most PWYW titles require that you pay a non-zero amount.

Newsletters

When you create an account on DriveThruRPG, you can sign up for various different kinds of newsletters. Some come directly from DriveThru itself: this includes the Follow Your Favourites and Deal of the Day options, as well as weekly/monthly newsletters carrying information about new releases, special promotions, and (often) a free ttrpg product of the month.

However, on top of that, when you purchase a game or follow publishing pages, you can also get emails about new releases specific to those creators, as well as updates if a new version of a game you bought has been added. Often if it’s a game you already bought, this means you own the new version too - something that DriveThru has in common with Itch!

The Follow Your Favourites announcements will line up with whatever you’ve chosen to follow on the website. I’ve asked for updates about new Core Rulebooks, and I also get updates from the Onyx Path and a few other places where I found games I really liked. I also check the Deal of the Day offers fairly regularly; sometimes there are really really good deals offered and if it’s a game you know or like, then you don’t want to miss out on a sale!

Wishlists

DriveThru allows you to add games to wishlists to look at later, and even gives you the ability to sort your wishlists, although the process feels harder to look through than Itch does; I think it might be a UI issue.

However, because it acts like a wishlist, you can move games from the wishlist into your cart and vice versa, as well as move the games to another list. One really nice thing about the wishlist section is that DriveThru will alway show you when something you want is on sale, and how much it is normally - Itch does this too, but in this case, DriveThru is much easier to read!

I mostly sort my wishlists into Core Rulebooks and Supplements, because I don’t have nearly as many games bookmarked on DriveThru. If it exists on Itch, I store it on Itch - but there are plenty of other, “someday’ games, that I want to be able to find again in the future.

Your Library

DriveThruRPG has an app that you can download onto your computer or your phone, and it basically acts as a library that you can look through. In both the webpage and the app, you can sort your purchases alphabetically, from new to old, by publisher, by whether or not they were updated, and using similar categories as the search bar on the store front.

Free things can definitely be found here, even if they’re harder to look for. On DriveThru, most free products are things like character sheets, playtest games, or Quickstarts. However, some publishers do put up their stuff for free. Whenever I can get a Quickstart of something interesting, or if I find something being offered for free, I add it to my library. Free games are how I got started in ttrpgs, and QuickStarts are wonderful introductions to a system that usually give you a good idea of what the game is going to feel like.

Conclusion

Overall, DriveThruRPG is great for folks who like certain big publishing houses, and folks who like a good deal. I personally usually end up on the site because something in my emails caught my eye, which is the opposite of how I navigate Itch. DriveThru was my home base before I discovered Itch.io, so I still have a little fondness for the website, even if looking through it is a little bit of a slog.

One thing that might be a bit of an annoyance is that if you own something from a certain company, they might be able to send you a lot of emails for every sale and new product. If this becomes too much, you can choose to opt out from those publishers.

If you don’t want to have to actively engage with the website as much as say, Itch, DriveThru’s email system is also a big help. You can customize your subscriptions to match what you’re interested in, and then just check your emails once in a while to see what’s on offer. After a while you’ll also learn about yearly events, like the Summer Sale, which often provides big discounts on a lot of different games.

DriveThru is also a great place to start if you’re looking for print versions of games: I don’t know what shipping is like to places outside Canada, but I definitely appreciate that it’s an option, and sometimes all you need to do is find a game or publisher - once you know that it exists, you can google that publisher, check out their website, and figure out the best place to order from there.

[meelsport]

Complete Guide to [Primary Keyword]

Introduction Unlock the secrets of [Primary Keyword] in just a few minutes! Did you know that [interesting fact/statistic]? This article will delve into the key aspects of [Primary Keyword], providing insights, tips, and strategies that will leave you informed and inspired. [H2: Understanding the Basics of [Primary Keyword]] Kick things off with an engaging introduction that highlights the…

[probablygoodrpgideas]

The second playable version of Blood Tithe is now public!

Blood Tithe is a TTRPG in which you play a group of Vampires trying to survive and thrive. They will have to defend humans from other monsters but at the same time defend themselves from humans that don’t want to have their blood sucked. Of course, they are powerful beings, and might have ambitions beyond mere survival that they’re trying to achieve. But no matter how powerful a vampire becomes, in the end they are still a slave to their thirst

Check it out if you're interested and come to the playtest discord if you want to discuss the game.

If you struggle to read the white on black text, there's also a version that is black on white

Changelog under the read more

Fixed various spelling and grammar errors

added the concept of associated primary attributes and adjusted starting attributes accordingly

notably you can no longer have more than one 3

added the option to defend engagements with AWR instead of SPD

added roles as a guide to build more balanced groups

added the Mage archetype as well as a bunch of Magicks

the Magick previously called Burn is now Shock and Burn has an entirely different effect

added the Bind sorcery

clarified how Break Free works when you are grabbed with a whip

Added an On Failure effect for Targeted Accelerate/Decelerate and Daze (I think I just forgot them previously?)

Added Perks, the primary way of becoming more powerful as well as another way to diversify your character

now each skill that risks strain mentions this explicitly

Protect and Take Aim no longer risk strain

Reworked Hex’s “can use only body attacks” mode to instead inflict a heavy penalty when using a non-body attack skill

added a penalty to Aim while engaged with a hostile character

Changed Aim and Subdue to be equal to instead of higher than to succeed, which was my intention all along, idk why I screwed that up

Buffed the failure effect on Teleport

Renamed Ranged Defense to Entrenchment

Added Threats, a new category of enemy difficulty

added the Pixie as an example Threat

Added rules for Legends

added the Wyvern of Fire as an example Legend

Added the keyword Fast for skills that affect the current turn 

changed the example for a specific rule beating a general rule in Rule 0 accordingly

Reworked how skills that deal damage based on STR work

this also allowed me to get rid of the maneuver damage cap

reduced the impact of SPD on rolling engagement

reworked how running is resolved to make it much easier to run away

added the option to take a character you’re grabbing with you when breaking an engagement or joining another

added the option to escape

removed the restriction preventing you from using a shield while unarmoured. Don’t remember why that was there in the first place

renamed the engagement roll to the movement roll to better differentiate it from all the other things named engagement

made a general rule for what happens when you roll 0 dice instead of writing the same thing each time

renamed Werewolf Claws and Werewolf bite to more generic names so non-werewolf monstrous enemies can use them too

changed the base attack of Grab or pin to be based on STR so strong character have an easier time grabbing someone while weaker characters have a harder time. 

Added a fly spell and a leap maneuver to deal with the new flying enemies

Added the upkeep phase to combat, which doesn’t really change anything but should hopefully make things more clear

added stealth as one aspect of Awareness so now there’s finally a stat for stealth

[markrosewater]

What two color combination has the most access to keywords? I assume White or Green is one of them

Here are the primary and secondary colors for all the evergreen keywords:

Deathtouch (B/G)

Defender (W/U/B/R/G)

Double strike (W/R)

First strike (W/R)

Flash (U/B/G/W)

Flying (W/U/B)

Haste (B/R/G)

Hexproof (U/G)

Indestructible (W/G/B)

Lifelink (W/B)

Menace (B/R)

Reach (R/G)

Trample (R/G)

Vigilance (W/U/G)

Ward (W/U/G - mana, B/R - life)

[studio52group]

Master construction time-lapse photography: Choose the perfect camera, techniques, and create stunning videos. Capture progress, market your work, and build trust.

[so-many-ocs]

Researching as a Writer

Start Broad

begin with a list of more general topics and get specific as you go.

for example, research for a historical fantasy novel might follow a chain that looks like this:

life in the 1700s -> life in 1700s france -> 1700s french etiquette and lifestyle depending on class -> 1720s french fashion for middle and upper-middle class women.

starting with a general understanding of the topic you want to cover and narrowing down to specifics will make it easier to build on your knowledge as you go.

Think Critically

consider the source. if it doesn’t cite primary sources (for example, letters and photographs from a specific era and location), what sources does it cite? follow those sources if possible.

is the information reliable? is it provided by an educational institution or an expert on the subject?

who is the author? do they present any bias? what do they have to gain by promoting a specific mindset or conclusion? has any of their research been debunked?

Anecdotes

in general, anecdotal evidence is not sufficient for academic writing. luckily for you, this is a fiction writing page, and anecdotal evidence is usually fine!

work with a combination of scholarly sources and personal experience. if you’re trying to depict a specific health condition, you might consult medical sources about the technical details of the condition, as well as seeking firsthand accounts from people who have that condition.

remember that people are not monolithic! there are often forums online where people are more than happy to discuss their experiences; cross-consult these for common elements.

Lists

keep track of your sources!! if you ever need to consult something later on, it will be way easier to open a list of resources than go digging through your search history.

additionally, if you come across lists of sources compiled by other people, save those!! you are probably not the first person to research the specific topic you’re looking into, and there are entire websites dedicated to gathering research!

wordsnstuffblog.com/research has compilations of sources for everything from writing injuries to global period pieces by century.

Resources

if you can, check out your school or public library’s websites! they will often compile scholarly resources to access for free.

look for open access or open source sites like project gutenberg that archive and digitize historical documents and other works. scienceopen and the directory of open access journals are more of these. search using keywords!

keep an eye out for websites made specifically for educational purposes (those with .edu at the end of their addresses).

[librarycards]

what did you mean about being blackpilled about reading as a hobby because i think i have similar feelings, and i haven't quite been able to articulate them?

i think that reading - not specific books or series, but the idea of reading - has been fandomized to the extent that books are presented more as accessories and aesthetics to display and consume rather than...actual vessels for stories. this is how you get these specialty overpriced book boxes and themed candles and bookmarks and other merch that no one needs. it's also how you get a contingent of book social media people whose primary goal is not to communicate their opinions or recommendations, but to arrange their reading-related accoutrements, receive promotional packages (this style of consumption is supported and bankrolled by big 4 publishers), and advertise both their "hauls" and the meeting of arbitrary reading benchmarks (reading 50, 100, 200, etc. books a year).

taken together, this turns the hobby of reading from something based on reading the works one enjoys and talking about them, to a competition based on metrics of material and imagined intellectual consumption. it's no longer an enjoyable hobby, but a task or job to "get through" and "get done", and one on which a reader can "come up short" if not efficient or wealthy enough. it's one people can face judgement for if they consume the "wrong" (less popular/buzzy) books, books that do not contain the requisite keyword "tropes," or in the wrong form/medium. there is such an infatuation with the idea of being a reader & stylizing one's identity around this nebulous status that the actual practice becomes unimportant.

i think that this is tied directly to the lack of critical thinking skills so many self-styled readers come to texts with. the idea of "being a reader" is separate from being someone who reads, and the former does not require someone to stretch their thinking skills at all. instead, it rewards excess buying, skimming, and competing with rather than collaborating and discussing stories.