#cynical sunday

[risingshards]

Writeblr challenge: Cynical Sunday!

I've seen this a lot and I bet you have too; when a publisher puts out a blurb for a scifi/fantasy/what have you book that basically just describes one bit of representation, a vague description of a pairing trope, and then maybe something that barely has to do with the genre. I've seen it in book reviews and recommendations as well, where you take a book into a quick phrase that overall is a really cynical way to describe rep and doesn't explain anything about the story. Something like:

PANSEXUAL ALCHEMISTS. ENEMIES TO MURDERERS TO RESURRECTED LOVERS. THREE UNIVERSES EACH WITH A SPACE STATION. NEED I SAY MORE? 😏

Another example is the cynical "just use the comps as the pitch line even on the official book descriptions and metadata" type, like so:

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE-OFF MEETS JURASSIC PARK 3 BUT WITH REP.

So I dare ya to make one of your own because the cynical-ness of this feels like it could be goofed on, especially the big publisher blurb style where they tell you so little about your book's actual plot or characters or anything. It can be your WIP or just something absurd you make up for this, whatever you wanna do! The less plot and character in your blurb the better!

See also this post for the vibe.

I'mma try it with Rising Shards.

LESBIAN MEET CUTE IN MONSTER GIRL SCHOOL. ENOUGH SAID. 😏

So yeah something like that!

Thank you to @blind-the-winds for the motivation to finally post this and @indy-gray for the name!

Also tagging (No pressure if you're not feeling it! Just including people who liked/reblogged/replied to the first post): @rileythefool, @alesseia, @ladyarjuna, @yors-truly, @whole-buncha-snakess, @werehamburglar, @acertainmoshke, @kreetn, @cosmiccoincidence, @whileyoureinschoolidothisallday, @emberoops

[cynical-sunday]

Welcome to Cynical Sunday!

Hi all, welcome to a new weekly Writeblr event that we have affectionately called Cynical Sunday!

What is Cynical Sunday?

Cynical Sunday is our chance to poke fun at the publishing industry trends and attitudes! The goal is to be good-natured and goofy while creatively marketing your wips to Writeblr and discussing the publishing industry's processes and methods.

Why Cynical?

Cynical Sunday started just two weeks ago, created by @risingshards while talking about the publishing industry's tendency to pitch books so generically that readers have difficulty finding books they would enjoy. It can get depressing thinking about the industry and all its flaws, but that's why this event can be so much fun! By sarcastically poking fun at the things that make us salty, we can find joy in the art we create from a different perspective.

Encouraged by @indy-gray to create a regular event, we're leaning into the adage: if you don't laugh about it, you'll cry. While the event is called Cynical Sunday, the goal is not to be negative or mean or criticize traditionally published authors or their marketing. The goal is to bring a little levity to a stressful and often not-fun portion of the publishing process for writers at all stages of writing their books.

How does the event work?

Every Sunday, there will be a new theme or aspect of the industry we intend to tease ourselves about. From generic pitches to Canva covers, no cliche is off-limits! The goal is to laugh, so bring your creativity!

We'll announce the week's theme on Sunday, and anyone who wishes to participate can create anything that fits the theme featuring their wip. Be sure to tag the post as #Cynical Sunday or mention us in the post! We love to see what you're doing, and we'd be happy to post what you create to the blog.

Who can participate?

ANYONE. That means YOU. Fanfic? Yes. Original work? Yes. Webnovels? Sure. Tradpub? Yup. Selfpub? Indeed. Indie? You betcha.

Questions/Asks are open, so come by and chat!

[sadkachow]

And Then It Is Monday - Why Sunday's plan did not (and could not) work

So normally I don't really make longer analysis posts, but I kept seeing people on social media outright supporting Sunday's actions in 2.2, and I wrote something out about why I personally think that Sunday's plan is wrong. I don't know if this is an issue with tumblr as well, given that the people I saw supporting him were on different forms of social media, but regardless.

Before I begin, I'd like to pose a reminder that the opinions in this are mine and mine alone. If you agree, awesome! If not, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, so long as you're respectful! I have no idea if this is well written or will make any logical sense, but here we go!

(Spoilers for the 2.2 Trailblazer quest under the cut, if that wasn't already obvious)

So the first thing to get off the table: I feel Sunday is a very sympathetic villain, but a villain nonetheless. I understand the people that sympathize with him. I do too, to an extent. He was raised on unhealthy ideals and the belief that he was a "religious figure," one that people looked up to. Other people were allowed to just be, but Sunday always had to be better. He loved his sister, and the people around him, and he wanted to make a better world for them.

But that does not excuse what he did. Making a 'better world' can never come at the cost of taking away people's free will, because that world will never be "better". That's where Sunday's plan falls apart.

Because, yes, there are shitty people in the world, and yes bad things happen. Would it be amazing if we could stop all the bad things from happening ever again, and make the world a much better place? Yes! It would! I would love to live in a world where I don't have to fear for my life and my freedom for an assortment of reasons! But that world doesn't exist--in real life or on Penacony--, and getting it to exist shouldn't be the result of subjugating and controlling other people, because that in and of itself is violence. Albeit a different kind of violence, but violence nonetheless.

Not to mention that things like Sunday's plan and the concept of forcing everyone to act a certain way just to fit this "better world" to me almost serves as a condemnation of human nature and of the very act of choice itself. Your better world starts by saying that some choices are bad, so those choices get taken away, but where does it end? What if someone in charge views a harmless choice as a bad one, and takes away that one in return? Does it stop there, or does it continue, until no one at all is allowed to make any decisions, except those in charge? Who, really, does that benefit?

Consequences for certain choices exist. Generally, society says murder is bad (except for specific circumstances such as self-defense, which technically at that point is no longer even considered murder (at least where I live, it may be different in other areas, but I'm basing this off of my own experience)), so there is a concrete consequence to people murdering people--assuming that they don't get away with it. It doesn't stop people from murdering people, because the liberty of choice is still there, but it shows that just because you can do something doesn't mean you should or that you will escape without consequence.

People are going to do bad things. That is, unfortunately, how humans are. But our responsibility lies in holding ourselves accountable and in promoting growth and healing. That is how you build a better world. Not trapping everyone inside a dream world without any care for their feelings or beliefs, but in getting people the help they need, in fostering a society of positive change and human connection.

And that is why, as "golden" as Sunday's dream may have seemed, it was never going to work. In the end, as the story quest shows, human will and the desire for freedom wins out in the end. When there's a will, there's a way.

[northwest-by-a-train]

.

[istadris]

A primal, possessive thrill runs through him. Giovanni is here, at his mercy, yet he behaves as if he is perfectly safe, running his business without any worries. Relaxed. Blissful. Nanu wants to change that.

Disable : Normal-type move. Temporarily prevents the target from using a specific move.

In which Nanu can't sleep and is determined to make it Giovanni's problem.

Inspired by a Sims edit of @isamajor , my trustful partner in catloversshipping crimes <3

[jilyandbambi]

yall are gonna annoy me to death with your weird Catholic Laura Lee fixation.

Listen. As a New Jersey Catholic(TM) raised around other NJ Catholics, quite a few of them WAAAAY more pious than myself, Laura Lee is not our tribe. She never so much as makes the sign of the cross for fuck's sake. BUT

You know who is Catholic?

Mari.

[wodkapudding]

lowkey dreading to see so many of my relatives at the funeral tomorrow, highkey dreading to sleep in a haunted house filled with crosses and catholic theology books.

[whitherwanderer]

17 // diagnostic (extra credit)

Welcome to SelfMed, your online personal medical evaluation assistant! If this is a medical emergency, please contact local authorities or Trauma Team for immediate help.

How can SelfMed assist you today?

>> diagnosis

Please list up to five major symptoms for a diagnosis using our QuickMatch™ technology.

[1] fever [2] headache [3] mania [4] hallucinations [5] not recognizing faces

———

QuickMatch™ Potential Diagnoses*

The symptoms listed are a complete or partial match to the diseases and disorders below:

Click for more information and recommended treatment options.

Schizophrenia [+]

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) [+]

Cyberpsychosis [–]

Cyberpsychosis is a collective term for all psychotic and anxiety-related personality disorders caused by hardware implanted in the body and any and all behavioral mods, including software. Often this begins as changes to the personality, followed by increasingly erratic and even violent behavior. Some medications and substance abuse can worsen these behaviors. Recommended treatment options: - Therapy - Implant deactivation and/or removal - Bethaloperidol While antipsychotics are widely used to slow the onset of cyberpsychosis, therapy has also proven effective for some patients after years of treatment. Those experiencing aggressive cyberpsychotic symptoms such as violent outbursts should be kept away from public spaces and denied access to weapons until they can be incapacitated, restrained, and removed for treatment. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of cyberpsychosis that result in erratic or violent behavior, remove yourself from any potentially dangerous situations and call MaxTac. Do NOT interrupt MaxTac officers during an ongoing violent situation. DO put as many walls between the situation and yourself as is possible to avoid stray projectiles and bodily harm.

*QuickMatch™ diagnoses are a quick-screening technology and should not be used to replace the services of a trained medical professional.

———

Your free trial SelfMed membership is valid for the next [7 DAYS]. 

By upgrading to a premium membership, you can access an additional seven diagnoses. Would you like to upgrade to a SelfMed premium membership today? (€$199 per mo.)

Enter promo code HEALTH10NOW for a limited time offer of 10% your first month of premium service!

———

Is there something else SelfMed can assist with?

>> nethaloperidol

We’re sorry, but we didn’t recognize that prompt.

Is there something else SelfMed can assist with?

>> bethaloperidol

Searching “bethaloperidol” yielded the following articles:

Bethaloperidol [–]

Bethaloperidol is an antipsychotic used to treat a broad range of disorders, ranging from Schizophrenia to hyperactivity. When prescribed by a doctor in combination with therapy, bethaloperidol has been proven effective in helping patients recover. Bethaloperidol can be taken in pill form or through injection. The most widely used brands are Bethal and Novadol. Though black market bethaloperidol is frequently sold, it is not created in a lab environment where product quality is overseen, it is likely a cheaper alternative that will not address symptoms adequately, and/or it has been cut with other drugs that could be a potentially dangerous cocktail. Brand names are always recommended and more effective than their black market counterparts.

———

Searching for the nearest retailer that carries BETHALOPERIDOL? We’ve found 10 locations near you, less than 5 minutes away!

Upgrade to a premium membership to find trusted pharmaceutical outlets near you. (€$199 per mo.)

Enter promo code HEALTH10NOW for a limited time offer of 10% your first month of premium service!

———

Is there something else SelfMed can assist with?

>> ripperdoc

Searching “ripperdoc” yielded the following articles:

Ripperdocs: the new GP or back alley surgeon? [+]

Top 10 most horrifying ripperdoc patient stories [+]

Confessions of a street doctor: ripper reveals all [+]

Is there something else SelfMed can assist with?

>> nearest ripperdoc

We’re sorry, but we didn’t recognize that prompt.

Is there something else SelfMed can assist with?

>> fuck off

———

Thank you for using SelfMed!

Your feedback matters! Please rate your experience.

☆☆☆☆☆

[t4tstarvingdog]

society when uhm. this suckes!

[jojomills]

There are good characters and there are bad characters. I don’t think being “main” is the core issue.

[risingshards]

I have the next Cynical Sunday post ready, plz like/reblog/reply to this if you want to be tagged in it for a reminder!

[cynical-sunday]

Cynical Sunday 7/16/23

Thank you for all the great submissions last week!

The challenge for this week is....

Try to write a sentence or two about your WIP in the style of a back of the cover review!

Since I work at a library, I looked over a bunch of books and their back covers to gather examples from a variety of genres and books both old and new:

“Beautifully written, absorbing, and brimming with emotion and insight. This is unequivocally a best book of [year].”

“Readers will find themselves rooting for characters with questionable moral codes…”

“A remarkable book.”

“Perfectly paced, with electrifying moments chasing each other like heartbeats.”

“[book title] is utterly absorbing. I adored it.”

“Like all great fiction, [title] informs and entertains.”

“Only [author] can pack that much brilliance into one novel.”

“A madly colorful and exuberantly fantastic tale.”

“Fast-paced and action packed….it is sure to be a hit.”

“Among thoughtful readers, [author] holds a very special place in the pantheon.”

“[author]’s [book title] is for anyone who ever dreamed their book boyfriend could exist in real life.”

“A book for book lovers…it’s impossible not to root for [main character]!”

“[author] perfectly balances humor and suspense…Will leave readers eager for [their] next installment.”

“A triumph. Memorable characters and bone-chilling secrets that keep you turning the pages.”

“An extraordinary work - pure excitement.”

“A lovely, touching read that examines one of the most important things in our lives: enduring friendship.”

“[author] makes you feel as though you are reading fiction for the first time.”

“[book title] is entertaining, fast-paced, and just plain fun.”

“A thrill to follow.”

“There’s a bold, ambitious imagination at work here- and this is a world you’ll want to linger in.”

If you can't think of one, feel free to pull one from above that matches the vibe of your work the most.

[grinchwrapsupreme]

life is a constant cycle of "if i do my physio will i have time to shower?" "if i shower will i have time to cook food?" "if i cook food will i have time to wash dishes?" "if i wash dishes will i have time to do laundry?" "if i do laundry will i have time to clean my house?" "if i clean my house will i have time to eat?" "if i do the things necessary for living will i have time to do my hobbies?" and between it all is Working A Job and having to replace things as they break without being able to buy anything you actually want

[whileyoureinschoolidothisallday]

Ria when she has to wrangle a bratty 10-year-old: I SHOULD BE AT THE CLUB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[strangebrew]

whenever i think about death of a party girl i have to sit down like its so criminally underrated when its arguably one of tv girl's strongest albums

[sayruq]

The Jerusalem Post said the maritime corridor plan was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s idea, citing an unnamed “senior diplomatic source.” Netanyahu had reportedly first proposed the plan to Biden in October, and pressed the issue again with the US president in January.“ This source, close to the prime minister, insinuated that Biden was simply implementing a plan by Netanyahu, not actually initiating anything new,” the Post reported. While touring Gaza’s coast in a naval vessel on Sunday, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant expressed enthusiasm about the plans of a maritime corridor. “The process is designed to bring aid directly to the residents and thus continue the collapse of Hamas’s rule in Gaza,” he said.

But why would Israel, the engineer of the Gaza famine, endorse the idea of establishing a maritime corridor for aid to address a crisis it initiated and is now worsening? This might appear paradoxical if one were to assume that the primary aim of the maritime corridor is to deliver aid.Palestinians in Gaza received the news about the planned port with fear and suspicion. Analysts have speculated that this could be a ploy to eliminate Egypt as an outlet between the Gaza Strip and the rest of the world, and sever the coastal enclave’s reliance on Egypt economically and politically by way of the Egyptian-controlled Rafah crossing – the sole point of exit and entry for most people in Gaza. This would ostensibly complete Israel’s control of the Gaza Strip without dependence on Egyptian cooperation, reliable as it may have been. Abdel Bari Atwan, a Gaza-born world-renowned Palestinian journalist, invoked the US-facilitated evacuation of thousands of Palestinian guerilla fighters of the Palestine Liberation Organization from Beirut in 1982 as an insight into what these plans could possibly suggest. Palestinian fighters were transferred by US warships off the Beirut coast to Cyprus and eventually to Tunisia. Atwan indicated that the maritime corridor would create a pathway for the forcible evacuation of Palestinians by sea. Other analysts have expressed similar fears.

Michael Fakhri, the UN special rapporteur on the right to food, slammed what he called “absurd” US plans for getting aid into Gaza, whether through airdrops or the temporary port. “From a humanitarian perspective, from an international perspective, from a human rights perspective, it is absurd in a dark, cynical way,” he said. Human rights groups have dismissed announcements of building a temporary pier as a distraction from Israel’s systemic and deliberate policy of starvation of Palestinians in Gaza. “The proposed maritime humanitarian corridor and temporary seaport is another tool to weaponize aid,” the Palestinian refugee advocacy group Badil said. It is meant to “absolve Israel of its responsibilities and obligations, and support Israel in its ‘day after plans’: to eliminate and replace UNRWA [the UN agency for Palestine refugees] and establish a potential mechanism for Palestinian forcible transfer out of the Gaza Strip.”