#and a quick fix for my serotonin

[karinonsan]

A growing boy and a decreasing wallet +one concerned uncle bc he at least would like luke to eat less junk food and have some greens (yes him too, but mostly his veggies :/).

[drunkardsprayer]

Im so sad. Agh

[physalian]

What No One Tells you about Writing #3

Opening this up to writing as a whole, because it turns out I have a lot more to say!

Part 1

Part 2

1. You don’t fall in love with your characters immediately

But when you do, it’s a hit of serotonin like no other. I’d been writing a tight cast of characters for my sci-fi series since 2016 and switched over in a bout of writer’s block this year to my new fantasy book. I made it about ⅓ through writing the book going through the motions, unable to visualize what these new characters look like, sound like, or would behave like without a ‘camera’ on them.

Then, all of a sudden, I opened my document to keep on chugging with the first draft, and it clicked. They were no longer faceless elements of my plot, they were my characters and I was excited to see what they could accomplish, rooting for them to succeed. Sometimes, it takes a while, but it does come.

2. Sometimes a smaller edit is better than a massive rewrite

Unless you’re changing the trajectory of your entire plot, or a character’s arc really is unrecoverable, sometimes even a single line of dialogue, a single paragraph of introspection, or a quick exchange between two characters can change everything. If something isn’t working, or your beta readers consistently aren’t jiving with a character you yourself love, try taking a step back, looking at who they are as a person, and boil down what your feedback is telling you and it might demand a simpler fix than you expect.

Tiny details inserted at the right moment can move mountains. Fan theories stand on the backs of these minutiae. One sentence can turn a platonic relationship romantic. One sentence can unravel a fair and just argument. One sentence can fill or open a massive plot hole.

3. Outline? What outline?

Not every book demands weeks upon weeks of prep and worldbuilding. I would argue that jumping right in with only a vague direction in mind gives you a massive advantage: You can’t infodump research you haven’t done. Exposition is forced to come as the plot demands it, because you haven’t designed it yet.

Not every story is simple and straightforward, but even penning the first draft with your vague plan, *then* going back and adding in deeper worldbuilding elements, more thematic details, richer character development, can get you over the writer’s block hurdle and make it far less intimidating to just shut up and write the book.

4. It’s okay to let your characters take the wheel

I’ve seen writing advice that chastises authors who let their characters run wild, off the plan the story has for them. Yeah, doing this can harm your pacing and muddy a strong and consistent arc, but refusing to leave the box of your outline greatly limits your creativity. I do this particularly when writing romantic relationships (and end up like Captain Crunch going Oops! All Gays!).

Did I plan for these two to get together? No, it just happened organically as I wrote them talking, getting closer, getting to know each other better in the circumstances they find themselves in. Was this character meant to be gay? Well, he wasn’t meant to be straight, but you know what, he’d work really well with this other boy over here. None of that would have happened if I was bound and determined to follow my original plan, because my original plan didn’t account for how the story that I want to tell evolves. You aren’t clairvoyant—it’s okay if it didn’t end up where you thought it would.

5. Fight. Scenes. Suck.

Which is crazy because I love fantasy and sci-fi, the actiony-est genres. Some authors love battle scenes and fistfights. It comes naturally to them and I will forever be jealous. I hate fight scenes. I hate blocking and choreographing them. I hate how it doesn’t read like I’m watching a movie. I hate how it could take me hours to write a scene I can read in 5 minutes. I hate that there’s no way around it except to just not write them, or put in the elbow grease and practice.

Whatever your writing kryptonite is, don’t be too hard on yourself. It won’t ever replicate the movie in your head, but our audience isn’t privy to that movie and will be none the wiser of how this didn’t fit your expectations, because it’s probably awesome on its own. It could be a fight scene, sex scene, epic battle, cavalry charge, courtroom argument, car chase—whatever. Be patient, and kind to yourself and it will all come together.

6. Write the scenes you want to write first

And then be prepared to never use them. It can be mighty difficult working backwards from a climax and figuring out how to write the story around it, but if you’re sitting at your laptop staring at your cursor and watching it blink, stuck on a tedious moment that’s necessary but frustrating, go write something exciting. Even if that amazing scene ends up no longer working in the book your story becomes, you still get practice by writing it. Particularly if you hate beginnings or the pressure of a perfect first page is too high, you’re allowed to write any other moment in the book first.

And with that, be prepared to kill your darlings. Not your characters, I mean that one badass line of dialogue living rent free in your head. That epic monologue. That whump scenario for your favorite character. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out anymore, but even if it ends up in the trash, you can always salvage something from it, even if that’s only the knowledge of what not to do in the future.

7. “This is clearly an author insert.” … Yes. It is. Point?

No one likes Mary Sues, because a character who doesn’t struggle or learn to get everything they want in life is uncompelling. The most flagrant author inserts I see aren’t Mary Sues, they’re nerdy, awkward, boring white guys whose world changes to fit their perspective, instead of the other way around—they don’t have anything to say. I’m not the intended audience to relate to these characters and I accept that, but I don’t empathize with the so-called “strong female character” who also doesn’t have flaws or an arc either.

A good author insert? When the author gives their characters pieces of themselves. When the “author insert” struggles and learns and grows and it’s a therapeutic experience just writing these characters thrown into such horrible situations. They feel human when they’re given pieces of a human’s soul. They have real human flaws and idiosyncrasies. I don’t care if the author wrote themselves as the protagonist. I care that this protagonist is entertaining. So if you want to make yourself the hero of your book, go for it! But make sure you look in the mirror and write in your flaws, as much as your strengths.

[morningstarwrites]

hey star! absolutely loved the last chapter! i’m already planning some nice things to do to replace the serotonin ill be missing next friday lol but you definitely deserve a break! (plus it’ll give me extra time to draw more scenes hehehe)

i do have a quick question, did alastor fix his bow tie and collar since the previous chapter? (for accurate drawing purposes)

thankyou!! you’re the best and i can’t wait for the next update!

My beloved dirt!!

Thank you so much and omfggg your art is always such a highlight for me, I live for your notifications <3

Yes, he fixed it! He is back to looking prim and proper, like always. THANK YOU! So excited to see what you have up your sleeve 💓

[arttrampbelle]

I feel nrs shits on raiden because ed has a problem with the character personally.

Why? I honestly have no fucking clue.

Raiden isn't that hard to understand so im not understanding the big deal.

We can have him go dark but not liu? Oh yes because he's the special one. I forgot. 🙄😒😑

Everyone else can get at least something that makes them feel believable,even likable and flawed.

Oh but heaven forbid liu kang fucks up.

See this is why hc liu is better. Non god liu kang is better.

But back to raiden.

Why is it. Why is it. Whenever raiden makes a reasonable mistake,that anyone can make.You guys take it so hard?

And villainize him.

But if liu makes a mistake its the end of the world but never do the same. Like all is forgiven and forgotten. Emphasis on the forgotten part. 🙄

If any other characters do reasonably fucked up shit. And have decent character flaws. You guys dont bat an eye.

But raidne does it. Suddenly you shit on him.

He cant win no matter what he does,how you write him. Im starting to think you guys hate raiden because you have unresolved daddy issues,authority issues,or you hate to admit that a godly powerful being cant wipe you ass all the time and you *sarcastic shock!* might actually have to solve the problems yourselves?! Wow what a concept.

Like srsly tho. Raiden isn't infallible. But he isn't a fucking chump loser can't get shit done.

He could get shit done but he has a code of honor,rules he has to follow by(that he hates),he has so much on his plate. And honestly you guys never appreciated his character.

Like out of pure spite. Im gonna do raiden self indulgent stuff today. Just to spite people.

Legit half the crap we got in 12. We could have gotten with raiden if you guys at nrs bothered to fucking write him properly. Instead of being lazy selfish pricks with a bias and favoritism towards other characters. *couch liu kang cough* (like i love liu but not written like that,never like that. God liu? Gross. Humble monk warrior liu? Yes)

Because liu kang playing "savior and creator of everything" is disturbing,disgusting,and disrespectful.

Like srsly they are legit telling THE SAME FUCKING STORY AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN. SAME AS 11. SAME SHIT. oh but because its uwu brand liu kang. And not the real liu kang. Suddenly its ok?! No!

Legit mk12....os the same fucking thing. Just liu kang brand.

It's no exciting. Its not new. You guys are lying to yourselves.

We could have had any fucking god charactera in mk do the same shit. And get the same result.

You guys could have had this with raiden. But noooooooo. You wanna shit on a character for shock value and no reason. Gtfoh.

You could have actually done something worth a damn but nope. You only care about gimmicks and whatever carries your attention spans for five secs for a quick fix of serotonin because you can't fucking get thru your heads you are being manipulated by a fucking company that lost passion years ago.

But that's besides the point.

So yeah. Raiden.

I'm so sorry they never gave you the love they should have.

Tobias should sue for your trauma. (Half joking here people. Tobias was the one who created and came up with the idea for raiden in the first place. And layed many foundations for this game but is half heartedly given credit while boon steals (no pun intended) his thunder)

Raiden i am so sorry for your mistreatment.

*hugs him*

Srsly if you call yourself a mortal kombat fan. And you genuinely hate raiden Do us all a favor and throw yourself in the dumpster fire. Plz. Also block tf outta me.

Look as a shang tsung tsimp. I love many many other characters too. But raiden is a comfort character,tho i self ship with him too he is comfort character. So i won't tolerate slander and disrespect.

Anyways. Raiden....my thunderdilf.....you deserve sm better.

I hope real raiden fans understand this. And make more PROPER kontent for you. Unlike nrs. We will treat you right.

[connors-blog-account]

I just broke up with my boyfriend how do i get over it

Sorry to hear that :(

Everyone deals with upsetting situations differently. Do what you need to do to get the bad emotions out, like crying. Try engaging with your hobbies for a little while. After you're stable, socialize with friends and family who support you.

Seek serotonin through healthy and productive means rather than "quick fixes" like food, alcohol, or short-form videos. It is preferrable to engage in activities like art, exercise, writing, combat sports, reading, and hanging out with friends. Keep your mind and hands busy.

Sometimes it takes people a while to come out of a dark place. That's okay. It's okay to be sad. "Getting over it" can take a lot of work, but don't be afraid to reach out to people who don't mind helping you through it.

[bonesandthebees]

I know ive already talked about a dusty tomb but like BRO i need to talk about it again but this time more emotional bc like snfnfmdmsbmfsoehfkfkb [combusts]

It is my comfort fic

Like out of allll the fics i have saved as my comfort fic, it's honestly the most? Efficient? If that makes sense

I click my speeddial button, scroll to the end of the fic (or when sbi first meet, depends on my mood) and then BAM, instant serotonin

Often the fics i love for comfort are hurt comfort, which makes reading them when Im sad a risky move, and i end up making myself more sad than not 😭

And ofc, i have pure fluff fics too, but they never hit as hard as your writing does, i dunno

Also literally it's so quick too, i just read like 2 sentences and im like "damn okay, got my sandduo fix for the day. I am happ now"

A dusty tomb is so simple, yet so effective, and it's just honestly really cute without being super cheesy and aaaa i love it sm and tysm for writing it cause it's honestly like one of the things that helps me the most rn whenever im sad, besides yknow, healthy coping mechanisms LMAOO, dont worry i gen do those too, but sometimes u just need a quick read before bed. Which yeahhh the amount of times ive read it to help me sleep... it's not even that old of a fic 😭

Wait.

IT'S FROM FEBRUARY?@,#?$(@;$($(*#

.

I thought it came out in may WTF

What...

Okayyy, existential crisis about time aside, it's a good fic. A really good fic. Genuinely one of my fav fics ever (tho i feel like i wanna reread the clinic prequel ngl... that was my go to comfort fic before a dusty tomb came around. I havent read that one in awhile). I just love fantasy aus so much, more than any other au, and goshhh it has all the best tropes in it and and and and *dies*

I dont think I'll ever get bored of this fic, considering it's been out for 4 months, and it still feels fresh to me

Goddd, dust!sandduo u guys live rent free in my mind, twinsduo and emduo too. I love them all so much :( honestly that techno is sooo <33 can he give me a hug pls, i feel like he'd be a good hugger

Anyways im off to sleep now or well maybe reread the clinic prequel fic ehehehehe god i love that fic so much (u have no idea how many times ive reread that... too many times... it actually makes me Insane)

aaa this is so sweet!! tbh I loved writing dusty tomb so much. it was so out of the blue and unplanned, but it was so sweet and i had a ton of fun with the world itself too

I'm so glad it's your comfort fic. I have those fics too where I just open them up and go to a specific part to reread just to get all those fuzzy feelings whenever I need a pick me up. It makes me so happy to know my fic is that for you.

one of these days I'll write another one shot in that universe.... maybe... probably not tbh but the idea is there

(also i love dust!techno too he's so fun)

(and the clinic prequel aaaa underrated personal fav of mine)

[burningthetree]

I LOVE ASK GAMES! please talk to me about your year in writing! okay for ao3 wrapped! Would you pretty please answer numbers 3, 6, 10, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and/or 29 😇

I realize I am being unreasonable but I cannot help it :) please feel free to skip any or all

YES CAT OMG THANK YOU <3 i love talking about my writing let’s go!

(if you know me irl don’t you dare read under the cut)

3. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

Either of my longer fics. I always had trouble writing longer stories (which is fine! Shorter stories are just as great, but I always wanted to write something longer and never seemed to be able to) so I’m just proud that I somehow managed to tell a story that is unreasonably and unnecessarily long. I specifically have forget me not in mind, but also safe and warm because I feel like my initial plan for that one is just as big a lie as my plan was for fmn and it’s going to be over 100k again I fear. But that’s something I’m proud of! Starting out with a small idea and then realising it’s going to evolve into something bigger than I’d anticipated, and then still sticking with it to see it through to the end, even if it gets overwhelming sometimes.

6. Favorite title you used

safe and warm! I struggled with what to pick for the title at first, but then felt relatively content with it. And I don’t want to base my satisfaction on outside validation but the people that did comment on the title pointed out the exact things I had in mind for it and that gave me a boost in serotonin

10. What work was the quickest to write?

I’ve been struggling with literally everything this year LOL I don’t think anything was quick to write. Especially after writing forget me not last year within four months everything just feels painfully slow. Albeit not quick per se, safe and warm is the quickest in comparison to the rest I’ve had lying around for months lol

12. How many WIP's do you have in your docs for next year?

So many 😭 let me go count them. I think it's seven. Yikes. But I'm currently only actively writing two. And one of those two will be finished in December, so currently it's eight but 2023 it'll be seven 'only'.

16. What's your most common "Additional Tags" tag?

My gut feeling says Hurt/Comfort and Angst. Let me go check. Yeah, it's definitely Hurt/Comfort. All my fics except one have that tag. I just…vibe with it a lot. As does everyone I know.

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

Kuroo! I genuinely think he’s my absolute favourite in all of Haikyuu!! and I’m having such a good time writing him, though I was very surprised because I always thought it'd be Akaashi or Oikawa. But writing him gives me so much joy and I find it relatively easy (though whether or not my version of him is accurate in relation to the canon-version is debatable). I'm also having a lot of fun with Kiyoomi and Atsumu, they're both such little shits it's a delight to write them.

I'd be a fake if I didn't mention Hawks, though. I find him very easy to write as well, and I had a lot of fun! Some of the whumptober prompts (I haven't forgotten about the collection, I promise, I will finish it one day!) went by really fast because they were Hawks-centric, even though it was my first time writing him. But I don't know, I enjoyed it a lot.

18. The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

Iwaizumi. I swear to god. I keep including him in my fic for the sake of IwaOi but sweet jesus he is driving me INSANE. I’ve never had this many issues with any character and I’m losing my goddamn mind because I don't know how to fix it. Also Edgeshot. I hate that man (I don't, but I do. I really do. I don't).

19. What's one pairing you want to explore next year?

YakuLev! I’m not the biggest fan of Lev because I find him really annoying but I’ve had an idea for them for the longest time now and I’ve started writing it a bit but it’s nowhere near done, so I’m hoping I get to finish it next year at some point! Also I've had an idea for SunaOsa for a while now that I've been meaning to write but haven't been able to get around to yet. So hopefully 2023 will be when I'll get to it!

I've also started to get a little invested in Aizawa/Mic so I've been thinking about them a little as well, also Levi/Erwin for some godforsaken reason lol (kudos to that one person on TikTok making constant videos about them and dragging me down that hole). So maybe I'll explore them next year, who knows, but I don't know if I'm well-versed enough in these fandoms to write something I'd be happy with regarding quality, but we'll see.

20. Which work of yours have you reread the most?

Probably forget me not, purely because it’s the one long fic I’ve ever written. And I didn’t have any trouble writing it at all, with barely any writer’s block or creative block, which has been an ongoing issue with my current bokuaka that I just cannot seem to continue atm. So I'm looking at it for the character dynamics and set-ups of the scenes to get some inspiration and to revisit how I did it in the past in a way that works for me, and to see if I've changed anything without noticing that makes it work a lot less. Also just structure-wise it’s nice to revisit an older work that is relatively long to see what can be adopted into the new fic and what wouldn’t work.

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

On my way to reread my writing to find something! Okay, as much as I always complain about writing Iwaizumi, some of the IwaOi bits I've written are my favourites. This is from Chapter 5 of safe and warm so spoilers if you haven't read it yet, but I had a lot of fun writing this star-crossed lovers bit, and it's a little long so my apologies, I just didn't know how much to include in this post and where to cut off. So it might seem a little odd out of context, but oh well.

Walking up the stairs to where Tooru had been hiding for a long time – they had both lost count of how long it had been – Hajime started to doubt everything about their plan, even though he had been the one to come up with it in the first place. Though he’d had the idea, that didn’t mean he had to like it, because he didn’t. If there was a different way, a way that would ensure Tooru’s safety and keep him close, Hajime would choose that, without hesitation and without a doubt. But there was no other option. There never had been. Not for them. Their love had been doomed from the start. And Hajime had walked into it head-first, fully aware of the pain he’d encounter on the way, and yet he hadn’t been able to stay away from Tooru. The same was true for the other man. “Hey,” Tooru greeted him in a serious tone that he rarely ever used. The grimness of the situation had finally settled in, and Hajime longed for the times when he used to get annoyed with Tooru’s usually playful and obnoxious tone. Hajime didn’t greet him back, didn’t find it in him to say anything, not with how tight his throat was feeling. He was sure that if he opened his mouth now, he would end up crying, and he wanted to avoid that at all cost. Because if he did, he knew that Tooru would object to ever leaving, and he couldn’t risk that, not if he was already risking everything he had by simply coming here. “Hajime,” said Tooru, approaching him carefully as if Hajime was a frightened deer that could be set off at any minute. He wasn’t scared for himself, he really wasn’t. It wasn’t like he was particularly fond of his life anyway, not when he remembered how many people were scared of him for following his father’s footsteps. Not when he remembered how scared Akaashi Keiji and Bokuto Koutarou had appeared earlier as Washijou thought it necessary to injure their friend in such a pointless manner as well. “Hajime, look at me,” said Tooru and walked up to him, cupping his face with gentle hands. The warmth of Tooru’s palms against his skin was filled with love, and it helped him calm down a little bit, to stop his thoughts from spiralling out of control. Hajime did as he was told, and Tooru’s loving brown eyes were set on his, his eyebrows creased in worry even as his lips gave him a smile.

It was a rare sight, having Tooru express such genuine emotion without hiding it beneath a layer of pretentiousness which Hajime hated and that he could see through as if it was a clear window with the curtain withdrawn. Only when they were alone did Tooru allow him to see his real emotions, and even though Hajime could always tell when his boyfriend wasn’t being sincere, he appreciated his honesty and transparency whenever it was just the two of them. “I have to go soon,” said Hajime as he took Tooru’s hands in his. “They are going to the palace soon, to try and find Sakusa and Kuroo. Most of us will go there, so take these.” He handed Tooru the tickets, who took them hesitantly. “It is your best chance. The sun is setting soon, so escape in the dark. Go to the train station, take these, and leave.” “Hajime, I–” Tooru started, but Hajime interrupted him. “There is no time for objections, Shittykawa,” said Hajime, pressing the tickets into Tooru’s palm with such urgency, he almost tore the paper as he did so. “I wasn’t going to object,” said Tooru, faking disappointment and something that Hajime couldn’t quite pinpoint. “I was just going to say that I love you, but I guess you don’t want to hear that, so–” “Shut up,” said Hajime. “I want to hear that.” “What now?” said Tooru, and Hajime could feel the familiar annoyance rise in him at Tooru messing around with his emotions, fully aware that Hajime had a horrendous understanding of his emotions and a hard time dealing with them. “You want me to shut up or tell you that I–” “I am begging you,” said Hajime, “to quit teasing me so. I need you to tell me. Please.” “You’re annoying,” said Tooru. “You’re grumpy and you insult me all the time and you are the sweetest and best person I know. I love you, with all my heart, and after

There you go! This was the first passage that came to mind because this drama has such a chokehold on me, and I cannot wait to dive into it deeper. Thank you so much Cat, I absolutely loved rambling here <3

[blackcatanna]

I've never really done my own personal art work (as in, not for a company) with the intention of showing it to an audience and I'm really shocked by how quickly my mood will shift from, "Oh, this is great and I'm loving where this is going! Can't wait to share it!" to, "OH DEAR GOD HOW CAN I EVER THINK OF SHARING THIS TRASH WITH ANYONE? I MUST FIX IT! HOW CAN I FIX IT? I LACK THE SKILLS! THERE'S SO MUCH WRONG WITH THIS. MAYBE IF I OBSESS OVER IT FOR HOURS, I CAN MAKE THE PROBLEMS DISAPPEAR AND ONLY THEN CAN I BE RID OF THIS DEEP, CRIPPLING SHAME," while working.

I thought I'd share in case any other artist people can relate because I feel like a lot of artists on social media maintain this veneer of effortless perfection. Really pisses me off when people post a beautiful, coloured, shaded, fully rendered illustration with perfect line art and then the caption is something like, "Just a quick doodle :P "

...like... bitch, that is not what a doodle is! Doodles can be really amazing and beautiful but don't call a finished illustration a doodle to minimise the amount of effort you put in. It creates a culture where it becomes shameful to put effort into things and makes other artists feel shit.

I want being proud of your art (or any work) and the effort you put in (even if it's turned out kinda "bad") to be normalised more, I think. It's weird to me that I take way more psychic damage from art social media than regular social media...

Maybe I care more about likes and stuff than I thought and would admit to myself, too... Like, maybe if my art got more than, like, 2 likes on tumblr then the psychic damage from exposing myself on social media would be healed by that sweet sweet positive engagement serotonin... I really hate to think that, though, because chasing social media approval is a dark path I don't want to go down... X_X

Anyway, yeah, this rant got out of hand! I think it's important for me to acknowledge and explore my own insecurities for the sake of my mental health and if anyone else can relate then know that you are not alone!

And if anyone is reading this and wants advice on how to banish the insecurity demons, I find that the best way is to spend time with other artists. Interact with them as human beans! Share struggles with each other! I always come away feeling better after spending time with my artist friends, ESPECIALLY ones who are amazing and successful because they face so many of the same issues as little old me. They're not some faceless deity shitting out flawless images and then depreciating them with dismissive captions.

[karinonsan]

My new hyperfixation is bookbinding/DIY notes and producing DIY prints with sketchbook paper. Another thing is, lucemond is also my current hyperfixation ship and won't it be cool if I make a Lucerys and Aemond themed notebook since I have several sketches of them? 🥺🥺🥺

This is just prototype number #2, since i cant actually arrange double-sided layout print on my own and I'm still trying out sizes... and because I need a quick fix fr serotonin, so the actual layout designing and stuff will be... revised gradually.

Hopefuly I can also try out a lil bit of stitchbinding next when my waxed thread arrives!

[a-bucket-full-of-feels]

It's honestly insane to realise that the word count I have put out as a fanfic writer in the past 12 months (Oct'23 to present, Jul'24) is almost the same and in fact slightly more than the word count for my fics in 2016. To put it into perspective, 2016 was the year I just began university and I wrote most of my longer works during that few months break before beginning university.

I recently re-read most of my fics while I was sick in bed one day (but not sick enough to crash and fall asleep lol), and came to the conclusion that I was really in my peak form as a fic writer in 2016. I put out my most iconic love live fics (that Nozoeli law student part-time librarian/sex shop retail assistant AU and Nicomaki medical AU), which in retrospect were actually quite well written in terms of prose, storyline and pacing. Despite these fics being the most popular ones, for some reason I didn't really like it as much as for example the Kumirei S1 fix-it which I also wrote that same year, but after re-reading it years later, I actually thought my writing style back then was much better than it is right now.

I honestly have massive respect for fic writers who can put out works that are like 50k+ and 100k+ words long, even though I personally cannot commit to reading those because I'm not a big fic reader myself and I go for shorter works just for that quick kick of serotonin. I don't know about other writers but I'm not a very fast writer myself - it really depends if I have a clear picture of what I want to write in my head or not, but if I'm productive, I probably only put out between 1-2k words a day across maybe 2-3 hours of interspersed writing. And there's also the editing because I realise my tendency to write run-on sentences is awful (you can tell from my stream of consciousness Hibike S3 rambles which are rarely edited btw), and also trying to make dialogue sound natural without awkward expressions. It's extremely rewarding to finally complete a work that has been living rent-free in your head for days and weeks, but it's also a bit draining because all I'm thinking about is getting that story written before my muse goes away.

So perhaps after I'm done with that Kumirei S3 post-canon fic, I will take a step back from writing fics again (but it could be too soon to say, for all you know a sudden bout of inspiration will hit me again and I'll write yet another fic). I'll be publishing a separate commentary post about it once the final chapter goes up, which will be linked in the ao3 notes.

[darcyofmine]

I know I’m very late but I was really flattered by your tagging @devisrina . I haven’t been active on here in a while but here it is :

Star Sign: Cancer apparently. Don’t really believe in astrology though.

Favorite Holidays : Ramadan. Very very spiritual time + if spent with family it’s really just on another level. It’s coming back very soon too 🥺

Last meal : Pastry with coffee. It’s finals season I need my caffeine and only that to survive 😂

Current musician : Taylor always kinda at the top but I listen to all sorts of genres lately. Rumors by Fleetwood Mac on repeat lately though.

Last movie I’ve watched: a rom-com. Like I said : finals season. I need the serotonin.

Last book I finished : Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman. It’s really good and very easy to digest which really isn’t easy for me to do lately with books unfortunately.

Last book I abandoned: unfortunately Daisy Jones after trying to read it before the series dropped. I watched the series though and liked it. But tbh I heard the author is a zionist so. Good riddance.

Currently reading : my notes for Legal Medicine exam 😂

Last Thing Researched for Art/Writing/Hyperfixation: my hyperfixation lately is The Bear so anything to do with the cast I guess ? But otherwise I had to do a quick research on a certain genre of painting that was born closely after the Renaissance. It was related to depicting anything related to death (mostly skulls) and stuff.

Favorite online fandom memory : Oh God. I’ve been part of many fandoms tbh (don’t interact a lot though lately bc of time constraint and well. World stuff happening.) BUT! I would say the recent GGs and the Ayo/Jeremy wins and their chemistry overall was truly mesmerizing to watch and see how well appreciated they are outside of the fandom. We have come so far guys 😂😂😂

Favorite Old Fandom You Wish Would Drag You Back In/Have A Resurgence: Sense8…. I loved Kala and Wolfgang so much :’) they deserved a better ending….

Favorite Thing You Enjoy That Never Had an Active or Big "Fandom" but You Wish It Did: Beth and Rio from Good Girls deserved to be mega famous. Their chemistry is simply too good and is worth the hype. Not to say the fandom was small but it deserved bigger hype imo.

Tempting Project You're Trying to Reign In/Don't Have Time For: No actual project but I want to rewatch old tv shows bc I’m feeling very nostalgic. I managed to binge Scandal over the break but I seem to always find myself struggling to end any series and then I’m left with like so many tv series’ finales or last seasons I still haven’t watched….. idk what this condition is called but I really struggle finishing series and I want to fix that.

Like I said I haven’t been active in a while so I fear Idk who to tag but whoever sees this feel free to do it (if you haven’t done it already!) 🫶🏼

[urfavmercurial444]

My "Quick" Fixes in Wellness

Your health, and your overall wellness journey, isn't something that can be expedited like it's an Amazon Prime package. There are no quick fixes, or shortcuts, to get your health where you want it to be. More efficient plans and life hacks, yes. But no shortcuts.

However, there are a few practices that I do myself to keep me on track with my health goals when I'm busy or maybe just having a low day. They are short and simple, which helps when I'm feeling overwhelmed or tired.

I'd recommend these quick fixes as an introduction to improved healthy habits, getting back on track after falling out of routine, or maybe you're hoping to take care of yourself in a time you know you will be stressed in.

"Quick" Fixes in Wellness:

Drink Water:

I know, I know. It's a cliché but that's only because it works!! So, get up and go fix yourself a glass of water. Try to drink

Ideally, you should be aiming to drink half your body weight in water. This is the end goal, of course, so you should ease into drinking water. Start with a bottle a day, then a bottle in the morning and at night, and add more bottles into your daily routine where they can fit.

Go on a walk:

Not only does going on a walk get you in the sun, but it provides a quiet time for you to just reflect. Think about your life, your goals, how you can better improve yourself, etc. Without any noise from your phone, from friends, from family, and every other disturbance in quiet thinking time you may have.

Going on walks increases your serotonin, which is a mood stabilizer, and can help you return to a default way of functioning. It's great for your body and your mind, so...go do it.

If walk are not accessible to you because of environment or physical capability, I recommend completing another mood-stabilizing activity. Such as meditating, getting sunlight, or praying.

Journaling:

I don't want to hear absolutely any excuses from anyone about not being able to do this quick-fix. "I don't know what to write!" Journaling prompts are on Pinterest, Google, Tiktok, YouTube, and even Teenage Girl Today. That's right babe, I've got you covered. So, start journaling. Now. Walk away from your device, and get to journaling. Chop, chop.

But wait, "I'm scared someone's going to read my journal!" Babe. Get a journal app and hide it on your phone. Use the Apple Notes app and lock the note. Text yourself your journal entries if that's the most protected way.

Stop making excuses for not journaling!! There are ways around it and you know it. Take action against your fears and anxiety!! It's the best way to rid yourself of them.

Clean your environment:

Girl, I already know. Clean your room and you will find yourself feeling SO much better about yourself and your life. But let me guess, you live in a pig sty? Well here's how you're going to clean your room:

Clear your nightstand, put things where they need to go and throw out all those old drinks.

Clean your bathroom counter, put things where they need to go and throw out the trash from that new mascara you got like a week ago.

Pick up drinks you see on the top of surfaces. e.g. the top of your dresser, your desk, maybe an arm chair or something.

Take all your dirty clothes and put them in a pile in the corner of your room. I'm not asking for you to wash them yet, but put them in a pile.

Make your bed. Clear it off, put sheets on or blankets if that's your thing. Fold all the extra blankets because it will look neater afterwards.

Wipe down your doorknobs, sweep/vacuum the floor, and grab any kitchenware in your room. Take it to the kitchen.

Put everything that's left into piles. Shoes goes with shoes, books with books, etc. This will make your tasks clearer to you and can be very effective for deciding what to do next.

Change your clothes + Wash your face:

Sometimes, you're not actually upset with your life. You're just overstimulated. Change into some clothes that are non-stimulating and comfortable for you. And wash your face.

I've found that if my face is greasy, I can get overwhelmed with the feeling of my own skin. On these days, I come home and splash my face with water. Sometimes that's not a deep enough cleansing and I'll use facial cleanser. I make sure to wash my face of the oily feeling. My mood can improve after that, even if it's just a little bit.

Conclusion

If you're ever needing a pick me up, these few "quick" fixes could help you out of a funk you've fallen into on your wellness journey. Amend them to your liking! Do one or all, but give it as much effort as you can. Help yourself feel better and make your life easier!

[smileymoth]

why do i feel worse every day like girl what the fuck give me a break. and i cant even get my treats to give me a quick serotonin fix because they're unhealthy and bad and i cant afford to gain more weight than i already have

[chloehaynesaub]

Anti-depressant stigma

After creating a couple of designs for posters surrounding the topic of mental health in the workplace, I decided to adapt the path I had taken when talking about mental health within my project. Although I had decided I wanted to create something surrounding mental health, I felt speaking about mental health within the workplace wasn’t something I felt particularly passionate about as I don’t feel it is something that affects me currently and thus it wasn’t exciting me.

At this point, I decided I wanted to discuss something I was currently struggling with but is also a bigger issue that a vast amount of people also struggle with, which  is when I decided I wanted to design something that tackled the stigma surrounding anti-depressants. 

Through researching the subject of mental health and beginning my research on 

anti-depressant’s, I found that although as a society we are opening up a lot more around the subject of mental health and people are beginning to reach out for treatment a lot more now, there is still a stigma surrounding the use of medication to treat mental health problems. 

For example, a common myth that surrounds the use of medications for mental illness is that they only provide a ‘quick fix’ for the illness. However, finding the correct medication to help treat the mental health illness, can be a long process and can also take a long time before the effects are felt. A lot of the time, GP’s will recommend talking therapies or counselling alongside the medication. 

Another myth that people stigmatise the use of anti-depressants and other medications for mental health with is that it means you are ‘lazy’. People think that because you take anti-depressants means that you haven’t tried exercising, eating healthy or tried meditation. Although lifestyle changes can help to improve your mental health, some people find it difficult to do these things without the help of medication and other treatments such as therapy. 

People also hold stigma against anti-depressants as they believe the common myth that they are ‘happy pills’. However, the medication does not work in that way, and rather than triggering feelings of euphoria, anti-depressants actually treat symptoms of anxiety and depression by increasing levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and noradrenaline, which can help improve an individuals mood. 

[magikbeanshop]

A poem i wrote about shadow work 🗣️

As a shadow worker it's my purpose to bring the darkest parts of myself and others into the light to be healed and purified

Embrace those things which were stamped on, stuffed down, shamed, and hidden away as children

Ruined by words laced with a certain kind of poison

That prevents you from growing

Prevents abundance from stretching up towards the light to be shared

Potential

like late summer fruit, rotting sickly sweet on the vine

Working with shadows is to be able to carve and dig deep into your chest cavity,

tilling up bilious foundations,

In order to get to something more fundamental and joyous, perhaps yellow in hue

Something that your childhood self would shout out with glee upon finding

Like hidden treasure and crystals submerged deep in the earth

It takes a certain kind of grit to be able to splinter my fingers on this dig down,

To be able to shield myself and,

at times,

i fail

absorb that everpresent poison, thick along the walls you've built

And spiral into my own abyss

In these moments i cry with you, for you, and the parts that we've lost along the way to our present selves

Be not afraid of your shadow, for they are merely a hidden reflection,

Transparent sacrifices on pavement,

Which are, after all, mimicking your movements,

And attempting to help you navigate this capitalist hellscape unscathed

Your shadow is here to cloak you in comfort when you can't move anymore

When breath leaves your body in the midst of a panic attack

Or a tantrum

And from the frequency of these episodes it becomes heavier and heavier

Until it is no longer the outside stimuli suffocating you

But you, yourself,

So when you crumble and come to me seeking refuge and peace

A way out from stumbling in this hollow eternity

Know that i chose my own name for this purpose, in my probable ancestoral tongue, to comfort you

Know that if no one has told you today or this year, or this lifetime,

That i am proud of you for even making it here today

This work is not for those of weak will

This path is not a quick fix or hit of serotonin but constant healing

With reminders that to heal like this, there is something deeply broken

And to be able to recognize this and seek help at all, is something to be applauded

For those of us that were swallowed up by the darkness, know I'm proud of you as well

For trying your best despite the cruelty of this life and your surroundings

and i pray for your safety and light along your journey to your next form

Let the scars of this life be tales you can tell with triumphant victory in your tone

May this next path be filled with joy and ease, and let your passage be swift and painless

Ase