#creating an interactive ebook

[olivergisttv]

Using AI to Create Interactive eBooks

Introduction Gone are the days when eBooks were just flat PDF files gathering dust in download folders. Today, AI is giving eBooks a major glow-up — making them dynamic, personalized, and insanely engaging! Whether you’re an author, educator, marketer, or entrepreneur, using AI to create interactive eBooks is a game-changer. Let’s dive into how you can tap into this trend and create eBooks that…

[ebook22343]

Create Interactive eBooks in 2023 | KITABOO

Your search for the best blog to create interactive eBooks in 2023 ends here, at KITABOO.

With KITABOO one can create interactive eBooks that will enhance reader engagement and provide a more immersive and dynamic reading experience. This platform allows you to incorporate multimedia, interactive elements, and thoughtful design that will make your eBook even more engaging then before.

To know more about creating interactive eBooks in 2023, visit KITABOO, now!

[microinamin]

[ppurinpu]

"World Leader Pretend"

Shortly after the war in Ishval, the soldiers at Eastern Command participate in their annual training against Briggs. A wayward Roy wanders over to Riza's station, and conversations about their shared past ensue—although much is left unsaid, as always.

I made the illustration for this beautiful fic by Richard @koussevitzky ✨ Read it here!

Alao, lease go check all other great fics and arts from this BIG BANG project too! ⬇️

AO3 compilation here

PDF ebook here

Thank you for the amazing works @royaibigbang teams! 🥹⭐

------------

My thought about the fic: (just in case might contains spoiler)

When I read this fic, I can imagine the beautiful scene Roy and Riza had when they were talking. The scenery, the warm ambience, the intense yet peaceful interaction, it's written very beautifully 😭💛💙 I can feel the conflict in their heads, how they feel towards each other, what they really WANT to do...❤️‍🩹

I could create this art because I can feel it—them. The breeze, the atmosphere, as if I can see them right in front of my eyes and watching them having interactions 🥹

Once again, thank you Richard for writing it beautifully ✨

[transread]

Trans Butterfly Makeup: Trans Makeup and Colour as Self-Expression

This is not just a book—it’s a celebration of identity, beauty, and the power of transformation! 🌸🦋

With stunning portraits, interactive pages, and makeup techniques tailored for trans individuals, this book empowers you to create, express, and embrace your true self.

Color, explore, and bring every page to life with your own unique touch. Every brushstroke tells a story—your story.

✨ You are seen. You are celebrated. You are beautiful. ✨

Book Title: Trans Butterfly Makeup: Trans Makeup and Colour as Self-Expression

Amazon.com: Trans Butterfly Makeup: Trans Makeup and Colour as Self-Expression eBook

#TransButterflyMakeup #BeYou #MakeupMatters

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The REAL AI automation threat to workers

I'm Kickstarting the audiobook for The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, narrated by @wilwheaton! You can pre-order the audiobook and ebook, DRM free, as well as the hardcover, signed or unsigned. There's also bundles with Red Team Blues in ebook, audio or paperback.

Long before the current wave of AI hype, we were being groomed for automation panics with misleading stories. Remember this one? "'Truck driver' is the most common job in America. Self-driving trucks are just around the corner. How can we prevent America's army of truckers from turning into a howling mob when the robots steal their jobs?"

https://futurism.com/millions-of-jobs-are-at-risk-but-their-loss-could-be-for-the-greater-good

It was absolute nonsense. First of all, "truck driver" isn't a particularly common job in America! The BLS lumps together all cargo vehicle drivers under a single classification. The category error here was thinking that every delivery van driver, furniture mover, and courier is behind the wheel of a big rig, cracking wise on a CB radio as they tear up the interstate.

But what about automation threats? It's possible that if we redesigned the interstates to give 16 wheelers their own separated lanes, and then set them to following one another, that they could traverse long distances in that way. Congratulations, you've just invented a shitty, failure-prone train.

"Shitty train AI" does not threaten the job of the vast number of people the BLS classifies as "truck drivers." For one thing, "shitty train AI" isn't going to pilot a UPS van around the streets of a busy city with other road users. Sure, a few robotaxi companies have bamboozled city governments into conscripting the city's residents into an uncontrolled murderbot experiment. These are not going well:

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/9-key-leaders-depart-gms-cruise-amid-ongoing-investigation-into-san-francisco-incident/

More than $100b has been set on fire chasing the robotaxi dream, and the result is most charitably described as a technological curiosity, requiring 1.5 high-waged remote technicians to replace each low-waged driver:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/09/herbies-revenge/#100-billion-here-100-billion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money

But even if we could perfect this technology, robots still wouldn't replace all those "truckers" who drive delivery vans (to say nothing of moving vans!). The hard part of driving a UPS van isn't just getting it from place to place – it's getting the parcel into the place. The robo-van would still need at least one person to get the parcel from the back of the van and into the reception desk, porch, or other delivery zone. It's not going to fire those parcels at your door with a catapult. It's also not going to deliver them by drones. Drone delivery is another one of those historical curiosities, capable of delivering a very narrow range of parcels, under even narrower circumstances:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/05/comprehensive-sex-ed/#droned

If all UPS delivered was lightweight, non-fragile rectangular parcels ordered by people with large, unobstructed back yards, then sure. Congrats, you've just created the world's least-useful parcel delivery service!

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/06/amazon-drone-delivery-service-seeks-faa-approval-to-launch-in-2022/

All that said, the big rig drivers probably don't need to worry about robots stealing their jobs. It's not even clear that "shitty train" is within our technological grasp, but even if it is, there's yet another problem with the AI automation trucker jobpocalypse: "trucker" is already one of the worst jobs in America:

https://www.usatoday.com/pages/interactives/news/rigged-forced-into-debt-worked-past-exhaustion-left-with-nothing/

It's hard to overstate just how fucking terrible it is to be a trucker. Truckers are trapped in abusive debt holes by their employers – who misclassify their workforce as "contractors" in a bid to sidestep labor law. Shriven of any labor rights, truckers are forced into the most ghastly, body-destroying, family-wrcking, financially precarious existence imaginable.

You can drive a truck for years, give almost all of the money you earn back to your employer (who denies that you're their employee) to pay back the usurious loan for your truck. Then, your employer can underschedule for shifts so that you miss a loan payment, and they can repo your truck and keep the six-figure repayment you've already made to them, leaving you destitute.

They can force you to work for hours – days! – without pay while you wait for loading and dispatch. They can make you drive long past the point of safety, then, if (when) you get into a wreck, they can fine you for not taking the mandated rest breaks.

Now, these drivers aren't about to be replaced by AI – but that doesn't mean that AI won't affect their jobs. Commercial drivers are among the most heavily surveilled workers in the country. Amazon's drivers (whom Amazon misclassifies as subcontractors) have their eyeballs monitored by AI;

https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/17/revenge-of-the-chickenized-reverse-centaurs/

AIs monitor the voices of the (primarily Black, primarily female) workforce at Arise – homeworkers who field customer service calls for blue-chip companies like Carnival Cruises and Disney. They're listening for unruly children or pets in the background, and workers who fail to muffle these dependents lose the contracts they have to pay to train for:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/22/paperback-writer/#toothless

And AI monitors the conduct of workers on temp-work apps. If a worker is dispatched to a struck workplace and refuses to cross the picket-line, the AI boss fires you and blacklists you from future jobs for refusing to robo-scab:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/30/computer-says-scab/#instawork

Writing in The Guardian, Steven Greenhouse describes the AI-enabled workplace, where precarious, often misclassified workers are monitored, judged, and fined by algorithms:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/jan/07/artificial-intelligence-surveillance-workers

Whether it's the robot that gets you disciplined for sending an email with the word "union" in it or the robot that takes money out of your paycheck if you take a bathroom break, AI has come for the workplace with a vengeance.

Here's a supreme irony: nearly all of the beneficial applications for AI require that AI be used to help workers, not replace them, which is absolutely not how AI is used in the workplace. An AI that helps radiologists by giving them a second opinion might help them find tumors on x-rays, but that's a tool that reduces the number of scans a radiologist processes in a shift, by making them go back and reconsider the scans they've already processed:

https://locusmag.com/2023/12/commentary-cory-doctorow-what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai/

But AI's sales pitch is not "Buy an AI tool and increase your costs while increasing your accuracy." The pitch for AI is "buy and AI and save money by firing workers." Given how bad AIs are at replacing humans, this is a bad deal all around, both for the worker who loses their job and the customer who gets the substandard product the AI makes.

There is a very limited slice of applications where an AI could make a lot of money for a company that deploys it, without costing that company anything when the AI screws up. For example, AI is a really good tool for fraud! Rather than paying people to churn out millions of variations on a phishing email, you can get an AI to do it. If the AI writes a bad phishing email, it's OK, since nearly all recipients of even good phishing emails delete them. What's more, no one will fine you or publish an op-ed demanding that your board of directors fire you if you buy an incompetent AI to commit fraud. Fraud is a high-value, low-consequence environment for using AI.

Another one of those applications is managing precarious workers who don't have labor rights. If the AI unfairly docks your worker's wages, or forces them to work until they injure themselves or others, or decides that their eyeball movements justify firing them, those workers have no recourse. That's the whole point of pretending that your employees are contractors: so you can violate labor law with impunity!

But that's not the ironic part. The ironic part is that "being a shitty boss" is the one AI application that companies are willing to increase their net spending on. No one buys an eyeball-monitoring AI so they can fire a manager. This is the one place where AI is there to augment, rather than replace, an employee.

This makes AI-based bossware subtly different from other forms of Taylorism, the "scientific management" fad of the early 20th century that saw management consultants choreographing the postures and movements of workers to satisfy the aesthetic fetishes of their employers:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/24/gwb-rumsfeld-monsters/#bossware

The pseudoscientific cod-ergonomics of the 1900s was demeaning and even dangerous, but it wasn't automated, and if it increased worker output, this was incidental to the real purpose of making workers move like the machine-cogs their bosses reassured themselves they were:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/21/great-taylors-ghost/#solidarity-or-bust

Every AI panic is a way of deflecting attention from the real, grimy, here-and-now ways that AI is destroying our lives by demanding that we entertain nonsensical science fiction claims about large, shiny existential risks that AI might present in the future.

The "X-risk" of the spicy autocomplete chatbot waking up and using its newfound sentience to turn us all into paperclips is nonsense. Adding words to the plausible sentence generator doesn't turn it into a superintelligence for the same reason that selectively breeding faster horses doesn't lead to locomotives:

https://locusmag.com/2020/07/cory-doctorow-full-employment/

But there is a way that AI could destroy the human race! The carbon footprint and water consumption associated with training and operating large-scale models are significant contributors to the climate emergency, which threatens the habitability of the only planet in the known universe capable of sustaining human life:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/federicoguerrini/2023/04/14/ais-unsustainable-water-use-how-tech-giants-contribute-to-global-water-shortages/

Likewise, AI isn't going to replace you at work. But it's already augmenting your shitty boss's ability to rip you off, torment you, maim you and even kill you in order to eke out a few more basis points for the next shareholder report.

Science fiction is a fun and useful way to tell parables about our current technologies. But it's not a roadmap for the future. The fact that sf writers like me found AIs as useful measures to describe Earth's dominant artificial life form – the limited liability corporation – doesn't mean that superhuman AIs should – or can – be created.

Back the Kickstarter for the DRM-free audiobook of The Bezzle, read by Tumblr's own @wilwheaton!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/11/robots-stole-my-jerb/#computer-says-no

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[ixhika-jsx]

Resources and study tips to get you in cyber forensics

Master post • Part1 • part2

let's get you prepped to be a cyber sleuth without spending any cash. Here’s the ultimate tips and resources.

Ps: you can't become one while doing these pointers but you can experience the vibe so you can finally find your career interest

### 1. **Digital Scavenger Hunts**

- **CTF Challenges (Capture The Flag)**: Dive into platforms like [CTFtime](https://ctftime.org/) where you can participate in cyber security challenges. It's like playing *Among Us* but with hackers—find the imposter in the code!

- **Hunt A Killer (Digitally)**: Create your own digital crime scenes. Ask friends to send you files (like images, PDFs) with hidden clues. Your job? Find the Easter eggs and solve the case.

### 2. **YouTube University**

- **Cyber Sleuth Tutorials**: Channels like *HackerSploit* and *The Cyber Mentor* have playlists covering digital forensics, cybersecurity, and more. Binge-watch them like your fave Netflix series, but here you're learning skills to catch bad guys.

- **Live Streams & Q&A**: Jump into live streams on platforms like Twitch where cybersecurity experts solve cases in real-time. Ask questions, get answers, and interact with the pros.

### 3. **Public Libraries & eBook Treasure Hunts**

- **Library eBooks**: Most libraries have eBooks or online resources on digital forensics. Check out titles like *"Hacking Exposed"* or *"Digital Forensics for Dummies"*. You might have to dig through the catalog, but think of it as your first case.

- **LinkedIn Learning via Library**: Some libraries offer free access to LinkedIn Learning. If you can snag that, you've got a goldmine of courses on cybersecurity and forensics.

### 4. **Virtual Study Groups**

- **Discord Servers**: Join cybersecurity and hacking communities on Discord. They often have study groups, challenges, and mentors ready to help out. It's like joining a digital Hogwarts for hackers.

- **Reddit Threads**: Subreddits like r/cybersecurity and r/hacking are packed with resources, advice, and study buddies. Post your questions, and you’ll get a whole thread of answers.

### 5. **DIY Labs at Home**

- **Build Your Own Lab**: Got an old PC or laptop? Turn it into a practice lab. Install virtual machines (VMware, VirtualBox) and play around with different operating systems and security tools. It’s like Minecraft but for hacking.

- **Log Your Own Activity**: Turn on logging on your own devices and then try to trace your own steps later. You’re basically spying on yourself—no NSA required.

### 6. **Community College & University Open Courses**

- **Free Audit Courses**: Many universities offer free auditing of cybersecurity courses through platforms like Coursera, edX, and even YouTube. No grades, no stress, just pure learning.

- **MOOCs**: Massive Open Online Courses often have free tiers. Try courses like "Introduction to Cyber Security" on platforms like FutureLearn or edX.

### 7. **Scour GitHub**

- **Open-Source Tools**: GitHub is full of open-source forensic tools and scripts. Clone some repositories and start tinkering with them. You’re basically getting your hands on the tools real investigators use.

- **Follow the Code**: Find projects related to digital forensics, follow the code, and see how they work. Contribute if you can—bonus points for boosting your resume.

### 8. **Local Meetups & Online Conferences**

- **Free Virtual Conferences**: Many cybersecurity conferences are virtual and some offer free access. DEF CON has a lot of free content, and you can find tons of talks on YouTube.

- **Hackathons**: Look for free entry hackathons—often universities or tech companies sponsor them. Compete, learn, and maybe even win some gear.

### 9. **DIY Challenges**

- **Create Your Own Scenarios**: Get a friend to simulate a hack or data breach. You try to solve it using whatever tools and resources you have. It's like escape rooms, but digital.

- **Pen & Paper Simulation**: Before diving into digital, try solving forensic puzzles on paper. Map out scenarios and solutions to get your brain wired like a detective.

### 10. **Stay Updated**

- **Podcasts & Blogs**: Tune into cybersecurity podcasts like *Darknet Diaries* or follow blogs like *Krebs on Security*. It’s like getting the tea on what’s happening in the cyber world.

### 11. **Free Software & Tools**

- **Autopsy**: Free digital forensics software that helps you analyze hard drives and mobile devices. Think of it as your magnifying glass for digital clues.

- **Wireshark**: A free tool to see what's happening on your network. Catch all the data packets like you're a digital fisherman.

### 12. **Online Forensics Communities**

- **Free Webinars & Workshops**: Join communities like the *SANS Institute* for free webinars. It's like attending a masterclass but from the comfort of your gaming chair.

- **LinkedIn Groups**: Join groups like *Digital Forensics & Incident Response (DFIR)*. Network with pros, get job tips, and stay in the loop with the latest trends.

### 13. **Practice Cases & Mock Trials**

- **Set Up Mock Trials**: Role-play with friends where one is the hacker, another the victim, and you’re the investigator. Recreate cases from famous cybercrimes to see how you'd solve them.

- **Case Studies**: Research and recreate famous digital forensic cases. What steps did the investigators take? How would you handle it differently?

There you have it—your roadmap to becoming a cyber sleuth without dropping a dime. You don't have time find your interest after paying pennies to different ppl and colleges. You can explore multiple things from comfort of your home only if you want to.

[the-moon-will-mourn]

now i haven't finished the dream thieves yet (i'm like,,, 7 chapters away from finishing) and i think this may contain spoilers???? but i'm not too sure yet. i'm basically gonna word vomit. i'm sorry for not using any quotes, i wish i could but i only have the ebook version and a very limited storage space on my phone where i can only have ~two books downloaded

like a normal person, i enjoy listening to video essays, see what creators want to explain to their audience and leave with a certain view, try to come to my own arguments about certain points in the videos, see if i can apply some points to other aspects of my life etc etc. (this was the type of shi that helped me with my eng lit essays rip i miss alevels) and like a normal british citizen i looked up stuff about classism in the uk. in the end, i found a video essay about classism in general and how the ultra rich try to mimic being poor to get away from their hard issues that comes with being rich (which, frankly, is probably a lot less compared to someone who is working class).

recently, i was talking to my friend about specifics in the book about certain characters and i remember we went onto the convo of making music playlists for the characters. they said "it's gonna be hard for adam [...] cuz his whole thing is about being unknowable" and it always struck me with how unknowable he truly is when reading his character because his character is intrinsically linked to his working class background. (context: i'm a middle class child of immigrants who built themselves in the uk)

it's very clear the kind of social commentary stiefvater wanted to make using adam's character with how isolating and alienating it can be coming from a working class background trying to assimilate yourself into a society of those protected and privileged enough to not have any problems with accessing opportunities. how class is a huge obstacle between interpersonal relationships and feeling safe enough to be vulnerable with your issues with being working class. how difference in class can cause one-sided shame because of the meritocratic society we're living in. how, no matter how much money you earn or how many connections you can make, your attachment to your working class identity can be enough reason to aim for something supernaturally larger than yourself.

it's evident that other characters overlook adam's social class because he's a "self-made man" (or smth) and mainly because he's their friend: adam. however, when we get a chapter in his pov, class is a driving factor in how he interacts and views everyone. we can see the privilege gansey and ronan have for being able to not even consider class as an intimidating aspect about themselves to a normal person, but it's everything to adam in the sense that he feels like his earned money doesn't give him access to a similar respect.

now that i truly think about it, it was a good idea for adam not to join them in monmouth manufacturing because it just feels like they're... mocking him in an indirect way? they have the ability to choose to live in a nice place and instead chose to live in a random, run-down building because it seemed aesthetic. adam was forced to live in a rundown trailer because that's all they could have afforded. i know gansey had good intentions for wanting adam to join them, but everything that he likes as an aesthetic (monmouth manufacturing, the run-down camaro, eating mint leaves instead of gum) can seem like he's flaunting the fact he can choose that lifestyle without any consequences.

back to the point of the meritocratic society (which we usually assume in books that take place in a similar world as our own) creating shame because of their class: the assumption that because someone has worked hard to earn what they have gives them a right to be proud. but this is the opposite for adam as he fights with the fact that he could have maybe be seen as even more equal to gansey if he had just been born with wealth.

we can frame it as, maybe, despite gansey's desire to appear working class, it only broadens the distance between him and adam. it only worsens adam's difficult relationship with his class shame despite probably wanting to be more relatable or even laid-back.

when reading the second book after his sacrifice, i was confused as to why adam was so un-adam-like. i mean, in the first book i didn't really understand him because of his huge insistance that his class makes him inherently inferior to everyone he surrounds himself with and i don't see class as an issue myself.

however, his sacrifice basically was watering the seed of ambition that was planted when he decided to aim for aglionby. it becamse clearer to me how much this opportunity to be superior, even if it's supernatural and terrifying, is important for him understanding in what he thinks he lacks. by those thoughts of what he lacks, he thought that this chance to be cabeswater's channel could be a way to compensate for his inferior social class. or something.

anyways, thank you for coming to my ted talk. this is not proofread, and my sister keeps nagging at me to shower. also i simp for gansey do not think this is me trying mischaracterising him i'm just trying to understand the theme of class in this series and having gansey as a figure to compare to is literally integral.

[myun-saidthoughts]

Karmas Love Web 💖

I recently created a eBook about 8th and 12th house synastry.

My eBook gives an immense amount of information about 8th house synastry, 12th house synastry, vertex, saturn & nodal synastry.

Book Description: "Karma's Love Web" reveals how each person we encounter is purposefully intertwined with our existence, triggering the most profound aspects of our being.

This book will describe how transformative each connection can be while shedding light on personal trauma and how that can begin unwanted patterns when it comes to love. This book will illuminate the essence of karmic relationships and the evolution of the human spirit as we progress through these karmic lessons that keep repeating.

It explores the psychology and importance of 8th and 12th house synastry, Angles/Vertex synastry, South Node/ North Node/Saturn synastry, and karmic/soulmate relationships. It is also an interactive guide for you to use for your natal chart, and you can apply it to yourself and others.

And finally, this book offers guidance when dealing with intense karmic synastry and provides an immense amount of information on how to find if the person you're involved with shares a karmic connection.

Price: $34.44

DM IF INTERESTED.

💖

💌: celestiaalamor@gmail.com

[femmefatalevibe]

Hello! I love your blog and would like to ask for your advice. I want to look like an elegant, expensive woman. However, I am having a hard time applying makeup and setting up a skin care routine. Do you have an tips or resources on how to wear makeup elegantly and care for one's skin (for those new to makeup and skin care)?

What are the basic products needed for a dewy, classy make up look? Do you have any tutorials?

What are the basic products needed for healthy, minimal skin care routine?

Thank you for reading this ask! Have a great day!

Hi love! Sharing some of my tips below:

Skin:

Always use a disposable cloth when washing your face: Regular towels store bacteria and can cause breakouts too easily. These facial wipes from Amazon are my holy grail.

Wear sunscreen daily: Yes, even when you spend all day indoors. UV rays can interact with your skin through windows, too.

Niacinamide, Vitamin C Hyaluronic Acid, & Tea Tree Oil are among the few skincare ingredients almost everyone should consider incorporating into their skincare routine.

Learn the correct order to apply the products in your skincare routine: Cleanser, Toner, Serum, Eye Cream, Spot Treatment, Moisturizer, Sunscreen (or Retinol/Skin Oil at night).

Remember: From a dermatologist's perspective, your face starts (or ends) at your nipples. So, ensure you're cleansing, exfoliating, and applying sunscreen daily to your neck, chest, and décolletage to keep your skin smooth, youthful, and well-hydrated.

Vaseline is a great (affordable) alternative to traditional eye creams.

Sugar scrub your facial hair for a more gentle alternative to waxing (Combine sugar, lemon, and water). Laser hair removal, especially under your arms and your arms/legs is life-changing.

Follow up a warm shower with a dry brush and coconut oil for smoother, firmer skin.

Always apply a hydrating lip balm, mask, or Vaseline, hand cream, and moisturizer to your feet before going to sleep.

Layer complementary scents. Ensure the scents of body wash, lotion, and perfume work well together and don't clash.

Makeup:

Learn your skin undertones and educate yourself on color theory (I can create a short ebook/PDF if you want some more educational content on these types of topics – I write about them for a living!).

Test any foundation, concealer, or face powder on your wrists, too.

Don't forget to color-match your bronze and blush: They can appear orange or muddy if you don't find a product with the correct shade or undertones for your skin type.

Invest in products that go on your face, brow products, and eyeliners. Great mascaras and lip products are easy to find at a drugstore or relatively cheap (I suggest Covergirl and NYX, respectively).

Apply concealer in a triangle; don't dot it around your eyes for better coverage.

If you have oily skin (or it's humid outside), apply powder before your liquid/cream products. Set them again with a light powder to lock the color in.

Apply mascara from tip to base for the best lashes of your life: One coat on the tip, another from middle to tip, and the last coat from base to tip.

In a pinch, use a fragrance-free moisturizer and a Q-tip to remove excess makeup (no more raccoon eyes).

Use a light nude or white eyeshadow underneath your brow to make them appear more defined.

Apply face powder under your eyes to help the eyeliner on your waterline last longer.

Create a simple daily makeup routine formula: 1 skin coverage (foundation/concealer), 1 skin color (a favorite blush or bronzer), brows, mascara, an eye-definer (eyeliner or shadow), and a signature "your lips but better" lip shade (1-2 shades deeper or lighter than your natural lip color): This formula provides you the basics, so you never have an excuse not to put yourself together for the day (5-10 minute routine here).

Discover your day-to-night hero product: Always keep a slightly deeper lipstick, a smoky eyeshadow, or liquid liner in your bag to transition your day look into the evening with one portable product.

Hope this helps xx

[writers-potion]

Writing Webnovels 101

There is one key difference between printed/ebooks and a webnovel: you need to adapt your writing for a highly distracted audience.

Unlike a traditional reading experience, people reading on the web have a gazillion other tabs, windows and notifications demanding their attention. So, here are some things to keep in mind when you’re writing for a digital platform.

Short, To-The-Point sentences

Keep your sentences short so that the reader doesn’t lose themselves in the middle.

Keep descriptions short and to the point while focusing on the action of the story.

Fast-paced

Each chapter must have significant action that contributes to plot progression.

Use well-placed cliffhangers that wouldn’t lose the reader in between chapters.

Trope-Led Story

The function of tropes is to provide a distracted reader with a ready-built framework to understand the story.

Using the right tropes is also important to attract your target audience since it tell up upfront about what kind of experience they’re going to have.

Emotion-Led Story

Deliver emotional highs and lows right off the bat, because big, intense emotion is what the readers are looking for.

Emotional information is easier to digest and retain than technical description.

Big emotions are easier to hook into and relate to.

Linear Storyline

Keep flashbacks, flashforwards, time skips to a minimum.

For a distracted reader, a straightforward timeline is a lot easier to understand and return to after a hiatus.

Focused Plot

Having multiple subplots weaving in and out of each other is probably not the best idea.

Keep delivering the emotional experience that the reader is looking for and provide only relevant information.

Technicals

Choosing the right platform

There are so many ways you can write online, from building your own website to writing short episodes on social media platforms.

You can use: novelfull.com, readlightnovel.me, Ltnovel.com, Wattpad, Webnovel, Wuxiaworld, etc.

Before you start posting on a platform, research into the kind of readers it has, what are the most popular genres, etc. Make sure you are pitching to the right audience.

Promoting Your Work

Many writers now promote themselves through newsletters, Instagram, YouTube, etc. but for someone just starting out, creating digital content on top of writing can be tough.

Join a webnovel community and get to know some of your fellow writers! The goal here is not to span other established works to links of your site. As time foes on, linking to one another and making recommendations would come naturally.

Set a Realistic Posting Schedule

Your posting schedule determines how often your readers get to interact with the story world and with one another. It’s how often life gets breathed into your story.

However, going for five days a week isn’t going to be sustainable, unless your story is already finished.

There is no magic number, so figure out a consistent, regular schedule that you can stick to. At least once a week is recommended.

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee! ☕

References:

https://creators.wattpad.com/writing-resources/write-your-story/what-is-a-webnovel-indepth-guide/

https://www.drewhayesnovels.com/blog/2014/1/25/shit-i-wish-id-known-before-starting-a-web-novel

[vsaintsin]

Writeblr Intro +

Ayo! I'm V. If you feel like wearing fancier pants, I'll take Vincent or Saintsin, but V really does just fine. I'm a he/him trans fellow who's a bit queer indeed. I'm disabled, which isn't much of a subject - I bring it up to note that odd spots of inactivity on my part are very possible. If you want to be mutuals, interact with this post and I'll check out your work/drop a follow! I'd love to meet more creatives!

What I write -

Science Fiction, mostly, with other genres influence

LGBT & Disabled characters

Sometimes really heavy crap, ngl, so mind those tws

What I know! What I love! What I want to read!

I have side-projects and future novels planned in high-fantasy settings, but no ETA on when I'll have the mind for them :/

What I'm planning to use my account for -

Snippets of my work that I think are neat, or random short-stories that don't make the cut for the novels for whatever reason (usually tone/pacing/context)

Extra, fun information about my characters / the story

Art I make - mostly of my OCs, possibly of settings?

Whatever music inspires me/playlists

Whatever I'm reading, maybe...

Who knows? If there's something you want to see, send a message or drop an ask. I'm open to suggestions.

Are we into D&D character shitposting here? Is that a thing?

What I like -

A little bit of everything - seriously. If you've written/created it, I'm probably interested.

The above, but restated for emphasis.

Art, writing, music... I'm a vacuum for human creation, I love it, I want to engage with and encourage it.

My goals -

Like so many others, to become a full-time writer (hence the monetary writing, I'm sorry...). Being disabled in The States isn't a great gig, particularly when I'm still working full-time in retail.

To be a part of a writing/artsy/creative/whatever kind of community of people who build each other up, and share experience and knowledge with each other.

I'm apparently a chronic over-writer, so I'm possibly blabbing a bit here. If any of the above tickles your pickle, drop me a follow or interact with this post, and I'll respond in kind!

Self-promo- I have one published work out. If you want to read a debut author's sci-fi novel about identity and autonomy (feat. morally grey Frenchman) and help support me getting my disabled ass out of retail, the eBook is only 4.99 on the kindle store (and you don't need a kindle to read it, just a smartphone and the app).

(Disclaimer: The opinions of the characters do not always reflect the opinions of the author...)

[dayflow]

On Reading

originally posted on my main blog on 29 jan 2025 - reposting here because i forgot posts on my main blog don't show up in tumblr search

a few months ago, my interest in fandoms and fanfic started to wane. i'm just not as interested in my OTPs as i used to be. so i started to look around for something new to obsess on and i found larryreads on YT and booktube in general. and after 10+ years of reading mostly fanfic, i'm back to reading mostly books again.

watching all these youtubers talk about books kinda makes me want to interact and contribute in some way, but NO. i'm an introvert and have been lurking online since online was invented, so i'm not comfortable putting myself out there. also, i really don't have anything to say besides "yeah i liked it" and "nah i didn't like it"

i mean, i have a storygraph account and all i can do is mark the book as finished and give it a star review. i can't even categorize anything or gather my thoughts and leave a review, so making actual videos is just not doable.

i think i'll just post my storygraph stats here on tumblr, and anything else i feel like. i'm currently watching ashlynn calee's video about 25 books for 2025 and instead of creating a whole ass video for YT, i'll just list them here for very few people to see. i've started a list, and i have a goal of 52 books this year (1 a week), but i can't even come up w/ 25 books so we'll see.

at least i'll be posting something different and not just reblogging memes. or political BS. seriously, i need to block politics because it's beginning to mess w/ my mental health, i've regressed back into a nihilistic teenager, it's soulsuckingly depressing.

ANYWAYZ, i hope you enjoy the sporadic reading posts bookblr.

p.s. i listen to audiobooks on my morning commute. and reading fanfic on my phone has RUINED ME. i now have the hardest time reading physical books, so i've been using the cloudlibrary app (it's what my local library uses) and the kindle app on my phone to read ebooks. i don't have kindle unlimited, but i do have prime so i've been using prime reading. i'm OLD and don't want to pay for a license to an ebook, or rent/subscribe to an ebook service. if i have to spend $$$ i better get something physical i can hold in my hands damnit!

originally posted on my main blog on 29 jan 2025 - reposting here because i forgot posts on my main blog don't show up in tumblr search

[socialbloomus]

What is Lead Generation? A Complete Guide for Beginners in 2025

In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing and sales, lead generation remains a foundational strategy for business growth. Whether you’re running a small startup or a large enterprise, understanding what lead generation is—and how to do it effectively—can make or break your customer acquisition efforts.

In this post, we’ll break down what lead generation means, how it works, why it’s important in 2025, and how you can start implementing a successful lead generation strategy today.

What is Lead Generation?

Lead generation is the process of attracting and converting strangers into someone who has indicated interest in your product or service. These individuals are called "leads" and are typically the first step in the sales funnel.

A lead can be anyone who has shared their contact information with your business—whether by filling out a form, subscribing to a newsletter, downloading an eBook, or booking a demo.

The goal of lead generation is simple: build a pipeline of potential customers and nurture them into becoming paying clients.

Why Lead Generation is Crucial in 2025

With buyers becoming more informed and self-directed, the way businesses generate leads has shifted significantly. According to Demand Gen Report (source), 71% of B2B buyers start their journey with a generic search. This makes it more important than ever for businesses to have a strong online presence and provide value from the very first interaction.

Here’s why lead generation is essential in today’s landscape:

It drives business growth: Without leads, you have no sales. And without sales, you have no business.

It builds relationships: Lead generation introduces people to your brand in a helpful, non-intrusive way.

It improves ROI: Targeted lead gen strategies ensure you’re attracting the right audience, not wasting resources.

It supports long-term success: A consistent lead pipeline means predictable revenue and scalable growth.

Types of Leads

Not all leads are the same. Understanding the different types can help you tailor your messaging and approach.

1. Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)

Someone who has shown interest through content interaction but isn’t ready to buy yet.

2. Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)

A lead who has taken action suggesting they’re ready to talk to your sales team (like booking a call).

3. Product Qualified Lead (PQL)

Typically relevant for SaaS—someone who has used your product (like a free trial) and shows buying intent.

How Lead Generation Works

The lead generation process usually includes these key steps:

1. Attract Visitors

Use SEO, social media, content marketing, and paid ads to bring people to your website or landing pages.

2. Offer Value

Create lead magnets like guides, webinars, checklists, or free tools that your target audience wants.

3. Capture Information

Use forms, chatbots, or popups to collect user details in exchange for your lead magnet.

4. Nurture and Convert

Send follow-up emails, offer more content, or schedule calls to move leads further down the funnel.

Watch: What is Lead Generation?

📹 This beginner-friendly YouTube video explains it well: "7 Keys to Lead Generation & Sales Prospecting for Business Development and B2B Sales"

Popular Lead Generation Strategies in 2025

✍️ Content Marketing

Publishing helpful blog posts, whitepapers, or videos to attract and educate potential customers.

🔍 Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Optimizing your site and content to rank high on Google so your target audience can find you.

📧 Email Marketing

Sending personalized, value-packed messages to nurture leads and keep them engaged.

💼 LinkedIn Outreach

Great for B2B businesses—use it to connect with decision-makers and share valuable resources.

📣 Paid Advertising

Run targeted ads on Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn to bring traffic directly to high-converting landing pages.

Tools to Help with Lead Generation

Here are some must-have tools to streamline your lead generation efforts:

HubSpot – CRM and marketing automation for capturing and nurturing leads.

Mailchimp – For sending and automating email campaigns.

OptinMonster – Great for creating popups and opt-in forms.

SEMrush – For keyword research and SEO optimization.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator – Ideal for identifying and connecting with B2B leads.

How Businesses Use Lead Generation Services

Many companies choose to outsource their efforts to experts who specialize in attracting and converting high-quality leads. These lead generation services offer tailored strategies that align with your industry, audience, and growth goals—saving time while maximizing ROI.

Final Thoughts

Lead generation is the lifeblood of any successful business. Whether you’re a marketer trying to fill your sales funnel or an entrepreneur looking to grow your client base, understanding how to attract and convert leads is essential.

By combining valuable content, smart targeting, and nurturing tools, you can build a lead gen system that works for you 24/7. In 2025, the businesses that thrive will be the ones that focus not just on selling—but on providing value from the very first click.

[monetizeyourcoachingnow]

Pricing Psychology for Coaches

Understanding Pricing Psychology

When it comes to setting prices, coaches need to grasp the principles of pricing psychology. This concept revolves around how customers perceive value and make decisions based on price. Understanding these principles can help coaches set prices that not only attract clients but also convey the right message about their services.

For instance, people often associate higher prices with greater quality. This means if a coach prices their services too low, potential clients might think they aren't as skilled or knowledgeable. Therefore, finding the right balance is essential.

The Impact of Anchoring

One effective technique in pricing psychology is known as anchoring. This occurs when a potential client sees a high initial price, which sets their expectations. For example, if a coach offers a premium package at $500, but then presents a basic package at $300, clients might view the second option as a bargain.

Using this method can help coaches frame their offerings better. It’s crucial to present the more expensive option first, as it makes the subsequent choices look more appealing. This strategy can significantly influence the decision-making process.

Present high-value packages first.

Use discounts strategically to create urgency.

Highlight the long-term benefits of coaching.

Perception of Value

Clients often assess the value of coaching services based on their pricing. A coach’s price communicates a lot about their expertise. If a coach can effectively demonstrate their value through testimonials or case studies, clients might be more willing to pay a premium. Learn more by clicking here https://monetizeyourcoachingnow.com/ 

Another way to enhance perceived value is by offering add-ons or bonuses. For instance, including a free ebook or access to exclusive webinars can make a package more appealing. This not only justifies the price but also enhances the overall experience for clients.

Use testimonials to build trust.

Include bonuses in packages.

Showcase client success stories.

Setting the Right Price

Finding the perfect price point is crucial for coaches. It should reflect the value provided while remaining competitive. Conducting market research can help in understanding what similar coaches are charging.

Additionally, it’s important to consider the target audience. Coaches working with high-achieving professionals might set different prices than those targeting new graduates. Tailoring pricing strategies to match the audience can lead to better results.

Testing Pricing Strategies

Once a price is set, it’s beneficial for coaches to test their pricing strategies. This can involve offering discounts or running promotional campaigns to gauge client responses. By analyzing what works, coaches can adjust their pricing accordingly for maximum impact.

Moreover, seeking feedback from clients about pricing can provide valuable insights. If clients feel a service is worth the price, it can boost a coach’s confidence in their offerings.

Run limited-time offers.

Gather feedback on pricing.

Analyze client conversion rates based on pricing changes.

Conclusion

In the world of coaching, pricing psychology plays a vital role in attracting clients and retaining them. By understanding how clients perceive value and making strategic decisions about pricing, coaches can effectively position themselves in the market. Remember, it’s not just about setting a price; it’s about conveying value and building trust with every client interaction!

By implementing these techniques, coaches can create a pricing strategy that works for them and their clients. This understanding of pricing psychology can ultimately lead to a thriving coaching business.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is pricing psychology in coaching? Pricing psychology refers to the principles that influence how customers perceive value and make decisions based on price, helping coaches set prices that attract clients while conveying the right message about their services.

How does the anchoring technique work? Anchoring occurs when a potential client sees a high initial price, which sets their expectations. Presenting a more expensive option first makes subsequent options appear more appealing.

Why is perceived value important in coaching pricing? Clients often assess the value of coaching based on pricing. A coach's price can communicate their expertise, and demonstrating value through testimonials can encourage clients to pay a premium.

What strategies can enhance perceived value? Coaches can enhance perceived value by using testimonials, including bonuses in packages, and showcasing client success stories to make their offerings more appealing.

How can coaches determine the right price for their services? Finding the right price involves reflecting on the value provided, conducting market research, and considering the target audience to tailor pricing strategies effectively.

Should coaches test their pricing strategies? Yes, coaches should test their pricing strategies by offering discounts or running promotional campaigns to gauge client responses and adjust their pricing for maximum impact.

How can feedback from clients impact pricing decisions? Gathering feedback from clients about pricing can provide valuable insights. If clients feel a service is worth the price, it can boost a coach’s confidence in their offerings.

Follow Us Blogger | Weebly | Twitter | Gravatar | Disqus | Google Sites | Youtube | About Me

[writingtips-resources]

10 Publishing Trends Authors Can't Afford to Ignore in 2025

Staying ahead of trends is essential to making sure your work reaches the correct audience as the publishing industry changes. Here's a brief straightforward look at the market trends for 2025 and how authors might prosper in this ever-changing environment.

1. The Development of Content Creation with AI

Content creation has been transformed by artificial intelligence techniques. AI is becoming into a useful tool for authors, helping with everything from book idea generation to editing and marketing text. Although some people worry that it might supplant creativity, it's preferable to see it as a tool to increase productivity. Early adoption of this technology allows authors to save time and concentrate on telling stories.

2. The Use of Hybrid Publishing Models

Self-publishing and traditional publishing are becoming increasingly muddled. With hybrid models, authors can benefit from professional services like editing, distribution, and marketing while still maintaining creative control. In 2025, this could be your path if you're searching for adaptable solutions without sacrificing quality.

3. Subscription Websites Broaden Their Audience

The reading market is being dominated by subscription services like Scribd and Kindle Unlimited. This requires authors to adjust to a business paradigm in which page reads, rather than direct sales, determine revenue. You can thrive in this area by writing books that emphasize reader retention. Remember to make your book descriptions and keywords as discoverable as possible.

4. Audio Content Is No Longer Optional

While audiobooks are still on the rise, audio storytelling will become the main focus in 2025. Serialized audio literature, dramatized audiobooks, and podcasts are all growing in popularity. Now is the perfect moment to think about turning your work into an audiobook if you haven't already.

5. The Shift Toward Niche Markets!

Broad appeal is giving way to niche specificity. Whether it's historical romances with a twist, space operas, or cozy mysteries, readers today want stories that speak to their own interests. Instead of attempting to please everyone, find your specialty and concentrate your marketing efforts on developing a devoted fanbase.

For example Fantasy-Romance novels like A Court of Thorns and Roses bring together magic and romance, captivating readers from both genres and contributing to a 15% increase in cross-genre fantasy popularity.

6. Readers Call for Sustainability

Publishing methods are being impacted by environmental consciousness. Digital formats, books with minimum packaging, and books produced on recycled paper are becoming more and more popular among readers. It might be simpler for authors to engage with today's conscientious readership if their publishing methods are in line with sustainable principles.

7. Short-Form Content Takes Over in Marketing

The marketing industry is being dominated by TikTok and Instagram Reels. By connecting with readers through brief films, authors are use these platforms to creatively promote their novels. If social media seems too much to handle, concentrate on just one site and try creating short pieces that highlight your writing style or main ideas. the episodic content is another form of short form content that is in rise. Have a look on attached image to see the details.

8. Improved Interaction With Readers Through Technology

Emerging trends include tailored reader experiences, augmented reality (AR) components, and interactive ebooks. Consider a fantasy book where readers can use an app to access character backstories or maps. These characteristics can enhance reader engagement and give stories a fresh perspective.

9. Stories Are Globalized!

With translations and cross-cultural themes growing more popular, publishing is expanding globally. This trend gives writers the opportunity to connect with readers around the world. Think of collaborating with a publisher who can disseminate your work outside of your native market or translating your book into other languages.

10. A New Attention to Author Branding!

In 2025, developing a brand is more important for authors than simply penning outstanding works. Branding plays a crucial role in an author's success, from interacting with readers online to selling goods or related content. Make the effort to build a polished author website, manage your social media accounts, and establish genuine connections with your readers.

Maintaining Our Lead in 2025

These trends highlight the value of flexibility even as they offer intriguing new opportunities. Always keep your audience at the center of your work, embrace new technologies, and never stop learning. See the complete blog article here for a deeper look at these patterns and practical advice.

Plan your 2025 strategy now; you have all you need to be successful in this dynamic environment.

Blog link: https://proghostwritinghub.com/the-future-of-publishing-trends-and-insights-in-2025/