#Software and tools

[sunshinel3mon]

Unveiling Holiday Magic: Shutterfly's Extravaganza of Festive Delights

Navigating the Enchanted Realm Step into a Wonderland of Festive Elegance! The holiday season is casting its enchanting spell, and what better way to immerse yourself in the spirit of joy and celebration than by exploring the dazzling array of possibilities that Shutterfly has to offer? This journey guarantees a magical exploration of personalized cards, heartwarming gifts, and exquisite home…

[intorque]

The Best Exploring UI Design Tools

a. Reviewing and Comparing Popular UI Design Software and tools

Examining and contrasting well-known UI design tools and software involves checking each one’s features, functionalities, usability, adaptability, and fit for different design processes. Here’s a quick rundown:

Adobe XD

Features

Design tools, wire-framing, and robust prototyping. Easily combines with additional Adobe Creative Cloud applications.

Benefits

Rich plugin and asset library, real-time collaboration, easy-to-use interface.

Ideal For

Designers with experience in the Adobe ecosystem, particularly in the creation of interactive wireframes and prototypes.

Sketch

Features

Symbol libraries, multiple design art boards, vector-based design, and plugins for additional functionality are some of the features.

Benefits

Simple to use, great for designing websites and apps, robust community support, effective for cloud-based tool collaboration.

Ideal For

Mac OS UI/UX designers, especially those working on mobile app designs and web projects.

Figma

Features

Advanced vector design tools, real-time collaboration, prototyping, and cloud-based design.

Benefits

Real-time collaborative design, platform independence (compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS), and simple commenting and sharing.

Ideal For

Designers looking for a flexible tool across multiple platforms; remote teams; collaborative design environments.

Adobe Photoshop

Features

Extensive graphic design capabilities, image editing, and layer-based design and manipulation.

Benefits

Easily applied, adaptable, all-inclusive tools for graphic design and photo editing.

Ideal For

Designers with experience in photo editing, complex visual compositions design.

Azure RP

Features

Capabilities for detailed documentation, interaction design, and advanced prototyping.

Benefits

robust wireframe and prototype creation, robust high-fidelity prototyping, and support for intricate interactions.

Ideal For

Designers with an emphasis on intricate interactions, enterprise-level prototyping, and strict documentation requirements.


Lunacy

Features

Includes vector tools, Symbols and styles, Sketch File Import, Export options and Art board.

Benefits

Free to Use, Windows Capability, Vector Editing, Offline Mode, User-Friendly Interface.

Ideal For

Designers for Work on Branding, Icon Design, Collaboration and UI/UX Design.

The intended use, team collaboration requirements, learning curve, compatibility with other software, pricing, and continued support and updates are all factors to take into account when evaluating and contrasting UI design tools. The best tool to use will depend on the individual requirements and preferences of designers and design teams as each one has advantages of its own.

"Tools are just tools. It's the person behind them that makes all the difference."

- Seth Godin

b. Prototyping Tools

In order to simulate user interactions, test usability, and produce interactive mockups prior to the actual development phase, designers in UI/UX design rely heavily on prototyping tools. With the help of these tools, the user experience can be better visualized and refined, enabling iterative improvements based on user feedback. Here are brief overviews of a few widely used prototyping tools:

Figma

A collaborative design tool called Figma is well-known for its real-time collaboration capabilities, which let several team members work on a project at once. It provides strong prototyping features, such as smooth screen transitions and interactive components.
Pricing:
1.Figma offers a free plan for individuals. 2.Figma Professional: Paid plans start at $12 per editor per month. 3.Figma Organization: Custom pricing for larger teams with advanced features.

Adobe XD

Another popular tool that works well with other Adobe products is Adobe XD. It helps designers to work together effectively, share design specifications, and produce interactive prototypes. It provides UI elements with a variety of animation and interaction options.
Pricing: 1.Adobe XD offers a free version with limited features. 2.Adobe XD for Teams: Paid plans start at $9.99 per month per user. 3.Adobe XD for Enterprise: Custom pricing based on organisational needs.

Sketch

Sketch is primarily a vector-based design tool, but it also has a robust plugin ecosystem that expands its prototyping capabilities. Designers can add interactivity and make clickable prototypes straight within Sketch by using plugins such as Craft or Anima.
Pricing:
1.Sketch has a one-time purchase fee of $99 per user. 2.Updates are free for one year, and afterward, you can choose to renew the license for $79/year to continue receiving updates.

InVision

With the help of the cloud-based prototyping tool InVision, designers can work with stakeholders to produce interactive mockups. Because it can support gestures, transitions, and animations, it can be used to create high-fidelity prototypes that can be tested by users.
Pricing:
1.InVision offers a free plan with limited features. 2.InVision Cloud: Paid plans start at $9.95 per month per user. 3.InVision Enterprise: Custom pricing for larger teams and organisations.

Axure RP

Rich interaction and dynamic content are the areas of expertise of Axure RP, a robust prototyping tool. With conditional logic, variables, and interactions, it helps designers to build detailed prototypes that are better suited for complex UX designs.
Pricing: 1.Axure RP Pro: $29 per user per month billed annually. 2.Axure RP Team: $49 per user per month billed annually. 3.Axure RP Enterprise: Custom pricing with additional features and services.

Proto.io

Known for its natural user interface, this tool enables designers to quickly and easily create highly interactive prototypes for mobile app designs and web applications. A variety of UI components and animations are available on Proto.io to help you create realistic prototypes.
Pricing:
1.Proto.io offers plans starting at $24 per month for individuals. 2.Team plans start at $40 per user per month. 3.Enterprise plans are available with custom pricing.

Marvel

For beginners as well as professionals, Marvel is an easy-to-use yet powerful prototyping tool. It provides a simplified interface for making interactive prototypes and allows for integrations with design programs such as Figma and Sketch.
Pricing: 1.Marvel is Free for individuals (with limitations)
2.Team Plans Start at $12 per user per month.

Principle

With a focus on animation and interaction design, Principle is a prototyping tool designed for macOS. It is perfect for creating complex UI flows and micro interactions because it allows designers to create complex animations and transitions.
Pricing:
1.Principle Starts $129 for a perpetual license

Every one of these tools for prototyping has advantages and fits various design processes. Designers frequently make decisions based on the demands of their individual projects, the necessity of teamwork, the ease of use, and the degree of fidelity that the prototype must have.

Read More:- Exploring UI Design Tools

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

Weekly Grammar Tip: Power of the Period (Literally)

Ever wondered how a tiny dot can make or break your writing? That's the power of the period! This punctuation mark does more than just end sentences. It adds rhythm, clarity, and even drama to your prose. Here are some tips:

 Keep It Short and Simple

Long sentences can confuse readers and water down your message. Break up complex ideas with periods for bite-sized, easy-to-digest chunks.

Example:

Before: The alchemist worked tirelessly in his dimly lit laboratory, mixing potions, consulting ancient texts, and conducting experiments late into the night.

After: The alchemist worked tirelessly in his dimly lit laboratory. He mixed potions, consulted ancient texts, and conducted experiments late into the night.

Dodge the Run-Ons

Run-on sentences happen when independent clauses are strung together without proper punctuation or conjunctions. Periods help you avoid these and keep your grammar game strong.

Example:

Before: Lady Isabella entered the room she surveyed the scene with a keen eye.

After: Lady Isabella entered the room. She surveyed the scene with a keen eye.

 Spotlight Key Points

Short sentences can emphasize important details and add a dramatic flair. Periods create natural pauses to let your key information shine.

Example:

Before: In the heart of London, amidst the chaos and noise, a secret meeting took place that would change everything.

After: In the heart of London, amidst the chaos and noise, a secret meeting took place. It would change everything.

Mix It Up for Rhythm

A blend of short and long sentences creates an engaging rhythm in your writing. Periods allow you to control this flow and keep readers hooked.

Example:

Before: Elizabeth Thorn, a skilled herbalist, used her knowledge to heal the sick during the Great Plague, her potions and remedies providing much-needed relief to those who were suffering.

After: Elizabeth Thorn, a skilled herbalist, used her knowledge to heal the sick during the Great Plague. Her potions and remedies provided much-needed relief to those who were suffering.

[papiliomame]

Saw this amazing animation reel by animator Curie Lu and was inspired to do some animation with glowing freckles Danny.

I also made a second version with a special effect on the eyes like in the reference but I'm not sure whether it looks better or worse:

[numbuh424]

Bang 🔫

Link to the art that inspired this (from twitter)!

https://x.com/meyumeyuk/status/1818363910191452230?t=M8tXmjc0HopRERT0ZsSQlw&s=19

[the960writers]

Alternatives to google docs

For various reasons, this is now a hot topic. I'm putting my favorites here, please add more in your reblogs. I'm not pointing to Microsoft Word because I hate it.

Local on your computer:

1.

LibreOffice (https://www.libreoffice.org/), Win, Linux, Mac.

Looks like early 2000 Word, works great, imports and exports all formats. Saves in OpenDocumentFormat. Combine with something like Dropbox for Cloud Backup.

2.

FocusWriter (https://gottcode.org/focuswriter/) Win, Linux.

Super customizable to make it look pretty, all toolbars hide to be as non-distracting as possible. Can make typewriter sounds as you type, and you can set daily wordcount goals. Saves in OpenDocumentFormat. Combine with something like Dropbox for Cloud Backup.

3.

Scrivener (https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview) Win, Mac, iOS

The lovechild of so many writers. Too many things to fiddle with for me, but I'm sure someone else can sing its praises. You can put the database folder into a Dropbox folder for cloud saving (but make sure to always close the program before shutting down).

Web-based:

4.

Reedsy bookeditor (https://reedsy.com/write-a-book) Browser based, works on Firefox on Android. Be aware that they also have a TOS that forbids pornography on publicly shared documents.

My current writing program. Just enough features to be helpful, not so many that I start fiddling. Writing is chapter based, exports to docx, epub, pdf. You can share chapters (for beta reading) with other people registered at Reedsy.

5.

Novelpad (https://novelpad.co/) Browser based.

Looks very promising, there's a youtuber with really informative videos about it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHN8TnwjG1g). I wanted to love it, but the editor didn't work on Firefox on my phone. It might now, but I'm reluctant to switch again.

------

So, this is my list. Please add more suggestions in reblogs.

[qalrey]

my take on rarity! the gems represent bursts of motivation/inspiration :3

[dammjamboy]

BETTER CALL SAUL!

[tart-miano]

Happy Kagerou Day, i made this in half an hour :D

[lackadaisycats]

Do you have any animation software recommendations? I'm a beginner animator and i want to start learning.

There are a lot of options out there. I chatted with some of the crew to try to narrow down recommendations. There was something of a consensus that Clip Studio Paint is actually quite good as a beginner animation tool. If you work with digital drawing programs, it's overall UX will probably feel pretty familiar from the start. It's not overcomplicated, but it's still sophisticated enough to produce production quality work if you want to push it that far.

You can hone your animation chops in so many different ways, though, from TV Paint to a sticky note flipbook. I'd suggest a little experimenting to find what feels right to you. You can animate in Adobe Photoshop. The tools provided are fairly rudimentary, but there's nothing wrong with starting out plain and simple. You can animate in 2D with Blender's Grease Pencil tool too. And it's free. And maybe you can pick up some 3D skills in the process. If it's within your budget, Toon Boom is a very solid choice. It's what we use for Lackadaisy, and we know many, many other animated productions rely on it too. If you happen to like working with Procreate and you're comfortable with touch screen controls, give the new Procreate Dreams a shot. Prioritize your comfort and enjoyment in selecting a tool first. Once you have developed your drawing skills and understand the principles of animation, you get to take that knowledge with you to any other animation tool you decide to pick up next.

[oldwindowsicons]

Bink Video Player

[sunshinel3mon]

CyberGhost VPN: Unlocking Digital Freedom

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[episodes-without-incident]

8/8/2024:

9 episodes since Drawfee last referenced Cats (2019)

3 episodes since Drawfee last referenced Everytime We Touch (2005)

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

The Mini Guide to Crafting Compelling Royal Characters for Fiction Writers

Creating royal characters can be both exciting and challenging. These regal figures often play pivotal roles in stories, capturing readers' imaginations with their power, privilege, and the weight of responsibility they carry. Whether you're writing historical fiction, fantasy, or contemporary novels featuring monarchs, this comprehensive (mini) guide will help you develop authentic, multi-dimensional royal characters that will resonate with your readers.

Understanding the Basics of Royalty

Before diving into character creation, it's essential to have a solid grasp of what royalty entails. Royalty typically refers to members of a ruling family, including kings, queens, princes, princesses, and other nobles within a monarchical system. These individuals are often born into their roles, though some may ascend to power through marriage or other means.

Key aspects to consider:

Hierarchy and succession

Royal duties and responsibilities

Protocol and etiquette

The concept of divine right (in some cultures)

The relationship between royalty and their subjects

Remember, while these elements are common in many royal systems, you have the creative freedom to adapt or reimagine them for your fictional world.

Developing Your Royal Character's Background

Every character, royal or not, needs a rich backstory. For royal characters, this background is particularly crucial as it shapes their worldview, values, and decision-making processes.

Consider the following:

a) Lineage: What is your character's family history? Are they from a long-standing dynasty or a newly established royal house?

b) Upbringing: How were they raised? Were they groomed for leadership from birth, or did they have a more sheltered upbringing?

c) Education: What kind of education did they receive? Was it formal, focusing on statecraft and diplomacy, or more well-rounded?

d) Relationships: How do they relate to their family members, courtiers, and subjects?

e) Personal experiences: What significant events have shaped their character and outlook on life?

Crafting a Unique Personality

Avoid the trap of creating one-dimensional royal stereotypes. Your character should be as complex and nuanced as any other well-developed protagonist or antagonist.

Consider these aspects:

a) Strengths and weaknesses: What are your character's admirable qualities? What flaws do they struggle with?

b) Motivations: What drives them? Is it a sense of duty, personal ambition, or something else entirely?

c) Internal conflicts: What personal struggles do they face? How do these conflicts affect their rule and relationships?

d) Hobbies and interests: What passions do they pursue outside of their royal duties?

e) Sense of humor: How do they express humor, if at all? Is it dry wit, sarcasm, or something else?

Balancing Power and Vulnerability

One of the most intriguing aspects of royal characters is the juxtaposition between their immense power and their human vulnerabilities. This balance can create compelling internal and external conflicts for your character.

Consider:

The weight of responsibility and its impact on their personal life

The isolation that often comes with a royal position

The constant scrutiny they face from the public and court

The struggle between personal desires and duty to the crown

Creating a Believable Royal World

Your royal character doesn't exist in a vacuum (I hope not). They're part of a larger royal ecosystem that includes family members, advisors, courtiers, and subjects. Developing this world adds depth and authenticity to your story.

Key elements to consider:

Court dynamics and politics

Relationships with other noble houses or kingdoms

The role of advisors and how they influence decisions

Traditions and customs specific to your royal setting

The economic and social structure of the kingdom

Addressing the Challenges of Royal Life

Royal characters face unique challenges that can drive your plot and character development. Some common themes include:

a) Succession disputes b) Balancing personal happiness with duty c) Navigating political alliances and conflicts d) Managing public opinion and maintaining legitimacy e) Dealing with threats to their rule or life

Use these challenges to create tension and drive your story forward while revealing more about your character's personality and values.

The Impact of Historical Context

If you're writing historical fiction or a fantasy inspired by real-world monarchies, it's crucial to consider the historical context. Research the time period and culture you're drawing from to ensure authenticity in your character's behavior, beliefs, and challenges.

Key areas to research:

Social norms and expectations of the time

Political systems and power structures

Technology and its impact on governance

Religious beliefs and their influence on royalty

Gender roles and how they affect royal duties and succession

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

When creating royal characters, be mindful of these common mistakes:

a) Making them too perfect or too villainous b) Ignoring the realities of royal life (e.g., lack of privacy, constant duties) c) Overlooking the impact of their decisions on their subjects d) Failing to show growth or change over the course of the story e) Relying too heavily on stereotypes or clichés

Incorporating Royal Etiquette and Protocol

Royal characters often adhere to strict codes of conduct and protocol. While you don't need to become an expert in royal etiquette, incorporating some of these elements can add authenticity to your story:

Forms of address (Your Majesty, Your Highness, etc.)

Court ceremonies and rituals

Dress codes and regalia

Rules of precedence in social situations

Diplomatic protocols when interacting with other royals or dignitaries

Exploring Different Types of Royal Characters

Remember that not all royal characters need to be ruling monarchs. Consider exploring other royal roles, such as:

The rebel prince or princess who rejects their royal duties

The reluctant heir thrust into power unexpectedly

The exiled royal fighting to reclaim their throne

The royal spouse adapting to life in the palace

The illegitimate child discovering their royal heritage

Each of these archetypes offers unique storytelling opportunities and challenges for character development.

Balancing Historical Accuracy and Creative License

If you're writing historical fiction featuring real royalty, you'll need to strike a balance between historical accuracy and creative interpretation. While it's important to respect known facts and timelines, you also have the freedom to explore the inner lives and motivations of these historical figures.

Tips for balancing accuracy and creativity:

Thoroughly research the historical figure and their time period

Clearly differentiate between historical fact and fictional interpretation

Use author's notes to explain any significant departures from known history

Focus on filling in the gaps in the historical record rather than contradicting established facts

Developing Royal Character Arcs

Like any well-rounded character, your royal protagonist should undergo growth and change throughout your story. Consider how their experiences might challenge their beliefs, alter their perspective, or force them to confront their flaws.

Possible character arcs for royal characters:

From naive idealist to pragmatic ruler

From reluctant heir to confident leader

From isolated monarch to connected leader who understands their subjects

From power-hungry tyrant to benevolent ruler (or vice versa)

Remember, character growth doesn't always have to be positive. Sometimes, the most compelling stories involve characters who face moral decline or tragic falls from grace.

Remember, while the trappings of royalty may be grand, at their core, your royal characters are still human. They love, fear, hope, and struggle like anyone else. It's this humanity, set against the backdrop of power and responsibility, that makes royal characters so fascinating to read and write about.

Happy writing, - Rin T

Hey fellow writers! I'm super excited to share that I've just launched a Tumblr community. I'm inviting all of you to join my community. All you have to do is fill out this Google form, and I'll personally send you an invitation to join the Write Right Society on Tumblr! Can't wait to see your posts!

[never-obsolete]

Kai's Power Tools 3.0 (1995) Spheroid Designer

[the960writers]

Recently, our online community has been asking for word count tracker recommendations to help them keep up their daily writing goals. We’ve rounded up a few of them for you in no particular order.

Of course, if you prefer to track your writing sessions the analog way, we have a blog post for that. Coming soon is the sequel to that blog post, but we wanted to get these suggestions out to you first!