#i need to learn how to convey it with just pictures and i don’t know if i can create the idea i have in my head

[fizzytoo]

i wanted to stay away from having my sims settle down right away with the first person they fall in love with in this gen and instead i have these ambiguous relationships i don’t know what to do with 😭

[sxcret-garden]

Jongho ღ NSFW Alphabet [M]

ღ Ateez - NSFW Alphabets ღ Ateez Jongho x gn!reader ღ words: ~3.1k ღ genre: smut ღ warnings: somewhat heavy dom-sub dynamics & mentions of degradation in some parts

Author’s note: Like half of these are totally not spoilers for my series that will be posted eventually…. hopefully…… 

A = Aftercare (what he’s like after sex)

He takes aftercare very seriously, especially when he’s taking on a more dominant role. Makes sure you have everything you need afterwards and in between, he’ll literally get you anything you could ask for. Has water ready at all times, will get you snacks, run you a bath, whatever you want. He’s very sweet and soft with you, quite in contrast to how he can get during sex if you want him to, and he’s very good at figuring out what you need even before you can ask for it once he’s properly gotten to know you. 

B = Body part (his favorite body part of his partner)

It’s different for every partner of his, really. He’ll just one day find a tiny detail on your body, like a mole, a birthmark, a scar,... and he won’t be able to keep himself from brushing his fingertips against it everytime he gets the chance. He’s actually pretty big on body worship, so when the situation feels right he’ll make sure to tend to every single one of these spots that he keeps noticing while taking in the sight of you, making sure to convey to you how beautiful he thinks you are through his touches.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum)

Not the type to get messy usually but why does he like the thought of cumming all over you so much?? It just makes him go crazy to watch his own cum dripping down your body, like even he himself can’t fully grasp why it’s so hot to him but it just is. Now he doesn’t wanna get his own hands dirty, so he really likes to just marvel at you in that state, maybe gets some on his fingers just so he can watch you lick it off, and you bet he’ll be hard again in no time just from this. But the one thing that gets him going even more than cumming somewhere on your body is the thought of cumming all over your face…

D = Dirty secret (a dirty secret or secret desire of his)

His dirty secret are all the pictures he has of you on his phone - some of them sent by you, some of them he took himself. A video of you getting yourself off to things he’s texted you about, an audio of all the sounds you make when he’s fucking you,... over time he has quite the collection, and you both know if he ever loses his phone you’re fucked ksjflksa And of course he looks at the pictures etc. sometimes, but even just the knowledge only the two of you have of what kind of things he has stored on his phone is pretty hot to him.

E = Experience (how experienced is he?)

I don’t think he has a huge amount of experience, but he probably has some. Either way he’s good at picking up subtle cues, and he’s also more than willing to talk to you about what you want or don’t want, and so even if he hasn’t had many partners before, he’ll learn how to handle you pretty quickly.

F = Favorite position 

I’d say he likes any position that gives him power over you, but I think his favourite might just be simple missionary? He is a softie deep down after all, so he just really likes how close he can feel to you in that position, but of course he also knows how to make it intense. Will have you wrap your legs around his waist as he fucks you slow, and makes sure not to make it boring for you. Likes having you pinned down when he’s on top of you, though sometimes even he merely feels the need to chase for his own high without giving it too much thought, and then he’ll be both grateful and very turned on if you offer him to use you to get off in whatever way he wants…

G = Goofy (is he more serious in the moment? is he humorous?)

He tends to be more on the serious side during sex, but embarrassing things happen, and it’s still better to laugh through the pain than to die on the spot, right? jsdklfjas Especially if he’s with a partner who’s not as experienced as him or who’s insecure, he’ll loosen up and be very soft and gentle as he guides you through the whole thing. Might crack a stupid joke during foreplay every now and then because we know he sometimes speaks without thinking first, resulting in a 50/50 chance of ruining the mood aksdjflksa even if he does ruin the mood a bit though, he’s quick to fix his own messes, so the dumb joke will soon be long forgotten :’)

H = Headspace (how much does he think about it/you during the day? how elaborate are his fantasies?)

Maybe he doesn’t think about it 24/7, but I do think he has dirty thoughts fairly often. They’re usually just a way to entertain himself quietly, and he’s good at keeping the filth at the back of his mind if he’s in a situation where he has to focus on something else instead. Will let his mind wander a bit if he’s bored during the day and there’s nothing better to do, but he’ll only really indulge when he knows he won’t be interrupted. Then he’ll definitely get off on his fantasies at the end of it, but will move on from it rather quickly afterwards.

I = Intimacy (how passionate or romantic is he?)

He’s fairly passionate I’d say, and that’s definitely part of the reason why he likes taking things slow. He’s just so very interested in seeing all the different reactions he can draw out of you, how you react to his touch and his words, and how he can control those reactions. And especially at times where he can let go and just enjoy the moment you’re going to feel the raw passion radiating off of him as you’re having sex. However, he can also get very romantic sometimes, to the point it’s almost cheesy, and that side of him will absolutely show if you two are simply making sweet love. He’s gonna take such good care of you and make sure you feel loved, that you can’t help but feel like you’re about to burst from warmth :((

J = Jack off (how does he masturbate and how often?)

He does it fairly often, but on most days it’s just a means to an end to get some relief after a long day. Quickly getting off in the shower is enough for him usually, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have days where he leans back at night, lets his mind wander or watches some porn and takes a bit more time to get himself off.

K = Kink (one of his kinks)

There’s a lot to talk about here, but what comes to mind first is degradation, mostly because this is linked to a lot of things he likes to do to you. Now, he’s only gonna really tap into this after discussing with you what’s okay and what’s not, but boi does he get off on this. Whether it’s teasing that barely even grazes the degradation aspect, or if he’s straight up telling you what a little whore you are - if he sees that you’re enjoying that kind of treatment he’ll go feral from it too. He especially enjoys showing you who’s in charge through gestures, pushing you around, spanking you, etcetc and then laughing at you for enjoying it this much. He will make you feel that you’re below him, and depending on where your boundaries are on this, he’s definitely willing to take this very far over time.

L = Location (favorite places to do it)

He prefers having sex in the comfort of your or his own home, and within that space he’s not too picky about where to do it. Any place goes if y’all are horny enough, but if it’s looking like it’s gonna be a long night he will definitely take you to the bedroom eventually, simply because it’s the most comfortable, and he’d hate for either of you to be sore from fucking on the table or the floor all night kasdjflks

M = Motivation (what turns him on, gets him going)

Knowing he has power over you, in whatever way, is his best motivation really. Even if it’s just the way he can tell immediately that you need him from a single look of yours, he will get cocky about it and more often than not it’ll put him in the mood too. Loves teasing you about it, and loves seeking out further proof even more. Whether that’s him using his strength against you, or if it’s the way he knows exactly what buttons to push to get you going. And you can bet he’s gonna keep his composure until he has you right where he wants you, begging for him to give you what you need. However, once you start praising him you can watch that whole facade come crashing down, revealing just how much he needs you too.

N = No (something he wouldn’t do, turn offs)

He’d never do anything that could seriously hurt his partner. He is willing to try a lot of things, especially if it puts him in a dominant role where he’s the one taking care of you - he definitely enjoys inflicting some degree of pain onto his partner, but he’ll immediately opt out if you ask him to try something that might get dangerous. He’s just not willing to take that kind of risk. Might give in eventually if you keep begging for it and do the thing once for your sake, but he won’t really enjoy it.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Likes receiving a lot more than giving. That said, if you’re his first partner he’s ever giving oral to he will be a bit clumsy about it at first, but gets the hang of it quickly and isn’t half bad at it in the end. And though he’s not the biggest fan of giving head he’ll sometimes have days where he just NEEDS to taste you and then he usually ends up getting pretty drunk on it?? But overall he likes receiving more, even just watching you with his dick in your mouth makes him sooo horny, and yet he has enough self control to make sure he lasts for quite some time. At times he’ll simply watch and let you do whatever you want, while making sure to praise you in between. Other times he’ll guide you exactly into the pace he wants, controlling every single one of your movements, or even taking matters into his own hands and having you hold still while he fucks your mouth.

P = Pace (is he fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

I think he’s more on the slow side most of the time, both to savour the moment and as a way to tease you and to make you want more. Though there are times where he’s going to fuck you fast and hard, usually his every move is deliberate and anything but rushed. Slow but rough is the combination he’s going to make you lose your mind with, he’s not going to overwhelm you with sensory input but instead let you take in every single touch he gives you and every single word he speaks properly, and once this guy has you figured out he sure knows how to make you cum from the bare minimum.

Q = Quickie (his opinions on quickies?)

Hell yeah. Not every day of course, he’s the type who likes to take his time to make sure both he and his partner are fully satisfied after sex and have a good time after all, but sometimes a quickie in between is more than tempting. Then he’ll take you by the hand and pull you off to somewhere you can be alone, and though you already know what’s coming, it’ll still take you by surprise how quick his lips are on yours after locking up the door behind himself. Loves bending you over any somewhat suitable surface and making sure to get off the both of you in record time.

R = Risk (does he like to experiment or take risks?)

He does like experimenting, but will refuse to take a risk he can’t calculate, unless it’s something where his partner takes full responsibility and he knows he can trust them with it. For this reason he’s usually not the type to enjoy public or semi-public sex, though there’s exceptions, like if he knows people won’t hear you from the other room so long as you stay quiet, etc…. now if he’s drunk this changes a little bit, he still won’t do anything that could seriously hurt you, but suddenly the idea of his or your friends “accidentally” hearing how good he can fuck you doesn’t seem so bad anymore…

S = Stamina (how long does he last?)

He lasts pretty long when he’s managing his energies, otherwise just average I’d say? Can definitely go several rounds on a day where he’s prepared for it!

T = Toys (does he own toys? does he use them? on a partner or himself?)

Toys can be very practical, of course he has some ksadjflksa will use them on himself to masturbate if he’s too lazy to work for it himself, and he definitely enjoys using them on a partner. Whether they’re things like handcuffs to tie you up, or any sort of toy to stimulate you, he’s all for whatever you enjoy. If it’s about what kind of toys he’d want a partner to use on him, I think he’d be a lot pickier, like even when you switch roles and you’re the one in control there is just no way in hell this guy will let you tie him up ksadjfkls he won’t be opposed to you using toys on him to get him off though!

U = Unfair (how much he likes to tease)

He loves teasing you, loves riling you up and always being a step ahead of you as he does. You can’t trick him, but he will trick you, and depending on how much you’re willing to take he’ll find great amusement in leaving you absolutely desperate. Whispering dirty things in your ear as you’re out together with several hours to go until you can go home just seems like a lot of fun to him, so does texting you random dirty messages during the day. He will always stay respectful to the point that he won’t interrupt you during any important events though, and if you tell him he overstepped a line he’ll always immediately take things a step back. But so long as you’re okay with it too he just lives off of teasing the shit out of you - and of course he’s more than ready to deal with the aftermath and to make sure he’ll give you what you need at the end of the day.

V = Volume (how loud or vocal is he? what does he sound like?)

He’s not loud but very vocal. Tends to talk to you a lot during, especially if he’s the one in charge. Will tease you, tell you what to do or what not to do, praises you, and also tends to check in on you a lot. Definitely the type to get vocal when you’re pleasing him and especially as he’s nearing his own high, and this can range from stifled groans to the prettiest moans you’ve ever heard. He will whine if the focus is on his pleasure, but it definitely takes some work from your side to make him let go enough for him to do it without being embarrassed about it. 

W = Wild card (a random headcanon)

His hand teasing you where you need it the most makes you let out a shaky whine, and you don’t miss the short laugh he lets out as you lean against his body, your back pressed up against his chest. He’s holding you in place, the other hand loosely wrapped around your throat, fingertips feeling your pulse.

“You’re that excited from just this?” Jongho asks, the tone of his voice making you shiver. “Cute.” He spits out the last word, as if he’d have rather called you pathetic instead. When he takes away his hands you whimper in protest, but he doesn’t give you much time to be upset as he places one of his palms on the small of your back instead, the other hand wrapping around his cock. “Bend over.” He gives you a little push towards the table in front of you, and as you lie your upper body down flat, you mewl,

“Yes sir.” A hand flies to your ass, the impact drawing a broken moan from your lips.

“That’s my good little fucktoy,” he praises, before he aligns himself with you and pushes inside, starting to fuck you from behind at a pace so painfully slow, he has you begging for more in no time.

X = (X) as a mark (does he like marking you/being marked? where?)

Marking isn’t something he does very often, though he enjoys it sometimes. Likes to mark you in places he knows only he will see, and then brush his fingers against the fabric of your clothes later on where the mark is located, kind of as a reminder that you’re his. He also sometimes likes having you mark him, but won’t allow it where he can’t hide it. Ends up really enjoying the feeling of it though, and might even have you mark him more often from then on.

Y = Yearning (how high is his sex drive?)

A mess is what his sex drive is kasdjfklas like, he’ll have phases where he could go every day, multiple times, and then followed by a week or two where he won’t even think about having sex with you?? It really depends heavily on his mood, though I think it’s fairly easy to get him in the mood if you’re craving sex but he isn’t.

Z = Zzz (how quickly he falls asleep afterwards)

The type who could just black out immediately after y’all are done, I’m so sorry fkldasöfajs Most of the time he won’t though, and especially if there’s a need for aftercare he’ll make sure to do that properly!! But yeah, if the situation allows for it he’ll be knocked out asap :’)

[ziyuanyuan1113]

I am in love with your art style. I love all your jjk art, it’s like stitching back the pieces of my shattered heart. Your art is so soothing and has such a warm feel, I love it. Also if you don’t mind me asking what program do you use for your art, and do you have any tips? I strive to someday create art that gives the same feeling of comfort as yours. Thank you <3

Thank you so much for the kind message! I'm actually in the middle of making another jjk piece but it's been a while so I've been trying to remember and consolidate my process. This ask came at a great time hehe

I use photoshop for most of my art pieces but I think there are a lot of cheaper alternatives (procreate on Ipad, clipstudio paint, medibang etc) that would work just as well. As for tips, I have a technical and an emotional one:

My technical tip would be to use references!! Especially if you're just starting out, it's SO IMPORTANT imo for catching mistakes especially with anatomy, lighting and perspective. And by reference I mean real life photos. I think you can be inspired by other artists' work, but there is the danger of picking up their bad habits if you only use their work for reference. I would recommend sticking mainly to real life and looking to other artists only for resolving specific stylistic details once you have a solid grasp of your fundamentals.

I would start with a rough sketch first of whatever you want to draw and then look for refs that match the mood and tone you want to go for. Get the idea down first and draw from the heart. Then the refs come in to help with the specifics (ex. what a window looks like, how someone would hold a cigarette) The jump from the rough to the clean line version is an amalgamation of all the little things you learn along the way. For example, on one day, I learned that clothing folds usually start at one point and spread out. Then another day, I learned how to do 1 point perspective and so on and so forth. Then all those tidbits slowly add up to help you get better and better.

2. My second tip would be to understand what you want to convey with your artwork. If it's fanart, what about the media that you're interacting with draws you in? It doesn't always need to be a complex answer, sometimes you just want to draw a character because you think they're hot and that's totally valid imo.

I occasionally tutor very young artists and oftentimes, they will tell me that they want to draw like X artist or X painting/piece of media. I always try to encourage them to go deeper. What about that drawing resonates with them and what specifics are occurring in the picture to make them feel that way? For example, I recently realized I love environment heavy drawings not for the background itself but because they ground the characters and seeing them do mundane things makes them feel more real to me.

For the example below, the whole set was to explore friendship and mental health. Sometimes just having someone there who listens and is willing to talk with you can make a huge difference.

Once you know the purpose of your art, then I think it makes the decision making for the rest of the process much easier. What type of lighting scenario conveys support and comfort? I went with dusk. Then I started searching up references for dusk lighting. Couldn't find the ref I actually used for colour but a quick google will show you lots of similar options.

What kind of poses feel in character for Shoko vs Geto? What is the focus of the picture? As much as I love details, I think sometimes they can actually take away from the main message. For example, if I had rendered the lamp on the right a lot more, it would've distracted from the main point of the picture so I tried to keep that and the background in general simple (still something I need to improve on haha).

Then those extra technical things (value structure, cool vs warm light, reflective lighting, connotations behind colours) you pick up along the way are all there to help you better communicate what you want to convey with your art.

Okay I lied one more tip, be patient and learn to appreciate the process. Like with any skill, there are a lot of technical aspects that you have to study and practice. I think because the end result is so visual and easily accessible in comparison to other hobbies/jobs, it really cripples beginners. Even with writing, you won't realize a book is good until you learn how to read. With art, you can resonate with a painting without having drawn a single line yourself.

I think beginners and even professionals see a lot of beautiful finished artwork and get enticed by that only to be discouraged when they find their process/finished work didn't end up the way they wanted it to look. Treat it like you would learning how to write. The fundamentals can be tedious and do take time to drill into your head, but learning them will help you SO MUCH with the creative fun parts. You can't write a poem without first taking the time to learn the alphabet, spelling and grammar. You're also probably going to write a bunch of shitty poems before you write that one good one, but that's okay because each piece lets you experiment and exercise your voice. Art is the same thing, don't rush it! Enjoy the process and celebrate your improvements.

[good-beans]

What do you think Kazui’s dad was like? During Kazui’s T2 QNA he said his dad was a cop and wanted him to be one and in his T1 QNA Kazui Said his family must find him embarrassing.

(Sorry this took forever to answer!!!! but) I always pictured Kazui’s relationship with his father to be that cold type of distant. 

Kazui never speaks ill about him – never painting him outright abusive or hurtful – plus it sounds like he kept his identity a secret to everyone, giving his father no reason to harass him about it. But then to mention he’s disappointed by Kazui even after getting a respectable job and wife… I think this comes together to show a relationship that was all dry professionalism. His answer about "children being distant" in his family seems to confirm there was always a divide.

Kazui’s generation was one of heightened pressure on masculinity, conformity, and repressed feelings. His father was probably not in a great state himself, but “that’s the way things are,” so he tried his best to teach that to his son. But we all know how people can pick up on what makes someone different, especially in their childhood as they’re learning to hide things better. So I think that even if Kazui never breathed a word about his secret to anyone, his parents would have guessed it. Their detachment and avoidance of anything too emotional/vulnerable would mean the family would never confront anything outright. 

Instead, his father would find roundabout ways to convey to his son that he needs to change (and be normal – acting in certain ways, making comments about others not fitting the status quo, and passing judgment on related behaviors. This, of course, destroys any chance at a close relationship, even if no insults are actually exchanged. Even when Kazui perfectly follows in his footsteps and attempts a “normal” life, there will always be those little comments and looks and expressions. His father never says he’s disappointed in the way his son was born, but both of them definitely know it. 

A little twist of the knife is that if they really are traditional, society-abiding people, I think they’d see each other fairly often. Kazui may have moved out, but it isn’t like he was disowned or cut them out of his life. On birthdays, holidays, achievements, police force events etc, he and Hinako would spend days and dinners visiting politely with them, talking about their jobs, lives, and all the little mundane things going on. They were content never discussing the glaring, life-altering issues going on under the surface, because “we’re men, you just don’t talk about things like that.”

[rememberwren]

Okay, broke out the laptop to scream in your ear about some things I thought were really special about Skin Deep.

First of all, Simon's characterization. GODDAMN. Like you really know how to write him, how he goes more quiet and brisk the more nervous he is. So, so sexy, the way that Reader doesn't pick up on his vague cues that he likes her, but we alllll know what's happening. Nervous Ghost and don't-care Ghost are so similar, but you managed to convey the tiny details that made it thrilling to read.

The way you wrote him raising and lowering his mask was hot af. I could picture it every time, his little hidey place to help him feel less exposed to the hot girl looking at him with those eyes.

The descriptions of him being efficient and good at what he does -- SWOON. Big man with confident fingers make brain go BRRRRR

The subtle green flags throughout were just lovely. Watching her safely to her car. The way he abandons his usual silence to give her a bunch of info when she's nervous over text. The breaks, the modesty towels. Funny how it's so much more tempting to uncover yourself for someone who helps you stay covered. You just get it, Wren. You just get the nuance of attraction, and it shows.

When he insisted on that break, I KNEW. I LOVE guys jerking off in fics, you know why? Cause that shows they're not coercive. They fully understand that their sexual desire is their own job to manage, and it's just a thing they take care of because we're all adults here. HOT HOT HOT.

The attention to hygiene/contraception was super hot going hand-in-hand with grungy, cigarette loving Simon.

LOVED the part where Reader was trying to entice him to touch, and he wasn't understanding what she meant. That was so cute and funny.

Nipple play, ofc. Surprisingly rare in fics without lactation kink. Extra special to me.

He takes one of your thighs and wedges it between his own, until you’re no longer grinding against his cock but instead his denim-clad thigh. “You the kind of girl who can cum like this? Just from this?” 

This made me stop and paste it in a note for my review, because WOW. I've never read anything like that before. *I'm* not someone who can enjoy that particular position, so every time it comes up in a fic it takes me out of immersion and my thumb is braced to scroll to something farther down that I can relate to. But for some reason, him just being aware of different styles of anatomy and knowing to ask that, allowed me to stay in it.

Three fingers!!! Again, so RARE but (imo) so considerate when writing massive dudes. *I* don't write three fingers very often, because I feel like there's this stigma about it, that no one else shares my feelings that it's actually a helpful option ahead of sex with like a 6'4" dude. So seeing you write it was like... wow. I'm being a lil bitch about this, I should just write what I fucking want, look at Wren, she's doing it.

“Alright,” he laughs, pulling his fingers free and wiping the wetness on his cock. “No need to beg.” 

No need to beg?!? TEARS OF JOY -- this is just so much hotter than the ick I get when they do make Reader (me) beg. Just the zero-pressure interactions here were gorgeous.

The realism of him pushing past the limitations Reader thought she had of her own body was extra special.

The position keeps the penetration blissfully shallow (otherwise he might give your cervix a painful beating)

*pounding my fists on the table* YES YES YES when you're with big dudes, you learn real quick which positions are the best (shallow!!)

His zero-pressure approach to her pleasure, specifically when she says she can't finish a second time and he's just like, “If you can’t, then don’t,” GGHGHDSIODFDOS HOTTTTTT "if it happens it happens, but I'm just going to keep touching you like this for as long as I feel like, okay?" PINNACLE SMUT for me. Elite of the elite.

“Not sure I want you to cum now,” he says. “Hold it. I’m thinking it over.” 

I had to go back and read this like four times because I didn't grasp at first that he was joking. I was just like, "Oh, okay, already doing orgasm control, hmm okay." And then was so confused right after hahahahaha

Aww the asking her out right after fucking is so good and sweet, and a wonderful way to cement his character in everyone's minds.

Just WOW. I'll be coming back for rereads of this.

This ask was such a treasure, YOU are such a treasure. You need to be put inside a safe, a lockbox, behind a tripwire or SOMETHING. I could not find you more endearing right now. Thank you for seeing nuance in this when I felt like there wasn't any. You're an incredible writer and it shows even in the way you read.

[dogreed-blog]

Legacy of kain Fourge of Nosgoth.

Canceled fun fiction part four.

I decided to split this part into two halves. For due to the huge number of events before and after the great war of the ancients.

The history of ancient Nosgoth.

I will divide the events into six eras, thus maintaining chronology in the narrative.

Kain in the past.

Let me start with the fact that Kain was thrown into the very distant past. At the same time, the Hylden device fell into his hands, with the help of which Raziel created a gap that scattered them both in time. I don’t have a clear plot about how exactly Kain will return to his time stream. The only thing I know is that Kain will need to collect parts of this device and move forward in time. During this journey, he will observe and participate in the events that Vorador told him about. It’s more accurate to see how it really was. Kain will also use the armor of fate. Kain received this armor from Mortanius, but after refusing to sacrifice himself in order to restore balance, it was destroyed. In the future, Kain was able to partially restore it, as it turned out that this armor not only gave him additional strength as guardians of the pillars, but also had access to structures ancient vampires.

In his travels, Kain will meet young Janos, a seer, and will also begin to respect the Hylden and hate the ancient vampires, having seen what they really do. Late in his journey, Kain will even try to contact Vorador. Despite his claims to his former mentor and his false teachings. Ultimately, Kain will come to the conclusion that the vampire prophecies are false and that they serve a completely different purpose than saving Nosgoth. At the end of the journey, Kain learns that Raziel is looking for Janos and will try to warn Raziel that Janos cannot be trusted, just like prophecies. At this stage, he enters into an alliance with the seer and wants to enter into an alliance with Raziel, convincing him that the Hylden are their true allies.

Civilizations inhabiting ancient Nosgoth.

A small digression, but these are my quick sketches, which are much inferior in quality to other drawings. But for me the main thing is to convey the idea.

Contrary to legends, there were a lot of large and small nations in ancient Nosgoth. Traces of which could be found in the evolution of Kain's lieutenants as well as the demons that terrified humanity.

First era.

In addition to the ancient vampires, Nosgoth was inhabited by a bunch of civilizations, which, with the growth of their power, entered into various alliances. At the end of the war, two major alliances remained, in which representatives of a single people could participate, but on opposite sides of the barricades.

Now about the creatures in the pictures. There were three types of biome in ancient Nosgoth. Mountainous, where there is eternal winter on the northern side. Filled with forests with the changes of the year, central. And also the wastelands in the east, where there is eternal heat. In ancient times, the serpent people ruled the wastelands. Part of their kingdoms spread to central Nosgoth. They also included small tribes of dwarfs who had distant relatives in the central part, and also had an alliance with centaurs and sea people. For their time, the snake people were very advanced in eugenics, thanks to which they developed flying warriors. Their culture was reminiscent of ancient Egypt where sacrifices were practiced, but mostly they were different creatures. Central Nosgoth was the wildest and most uninhabited place, where bandits from the sea people and also centaurs, who knew how to overcome forest barriers, had the most power. There were also forest giants who were good at magic. This allowed them not to worry about self-defense. They also had high intelligence and under their protection were dwarf tribes that served them. In the northern part lived two tribes, the first were technically advanced minotaurs, the others were giants with a natural gift for magic. Their ancient kingdoms were located on opposite sides of the mountains, and only part of the Minotaur's possessions was located in the central part of Nosgoth. The giants were helped by some of the dwarf tribes, which adapted to the cold conditions. They were also in alliance with the sea people, who occupied part of the mountain caves under water.

Centaurs, like the sea people, had average adaptability to magic. Centaurs were divided into urban and forest. The city dwellers mostly lived in a civilized manner and relied on close combat. The forest ones were more like a mixture of a circus and a gypsy camp. They had a good connection with magic, but used it mainly for deception. These tribes were divided into castes, but thanks to them there was good trade in central Nosgoth. The sea inhabitants were also divided into those with tails, because of this they had to be more civilized. It was these creatures that were introduced through trade and diplomacy. But there were also those who had legs; these often became hired killers or bandits. They practiced the magic of stealth and shadows.

Despite all odds, the most terrible threat in ancient Nosgoth of the early era was lycanthropy. Many feared that the flattering dwarf tribes would again use this disease to their advantage in order to capture the rest of Nosgoth. And there was reason for this fear. There were always a lot of dwarfs.

Their small tribes often used this disease to their advantage and also tried to control it magically. Lycontropy increased their size, giving them enormous physical strength and speed. In ancient times, there was a kingdom of werewolves that fell under its own weight, spreading disease throughout Nosgoth. The main fear was that the disease would spread among scattered tribes of dwarfs and they, in the form of werewolves, would fill the rest of Nosgoth.

At that time, Hylden themselves were called architects. It was a dying old civilization that existed for a long time but multiplied slowly. Even then they had access to eugenics as well as other dimensions and rarely appeared in Nosgoth. Preferring not to conflict over territories, in search of a more effective way of reproduction. The later version of these architects had fewer humanoid features and resembled a skeleton covered in spiked leather. Architects even then observed a weakening of magic, which they replaced with technology. They had several residences in Nosgoth, mainly in the east. Their early history is shrouded in mystery. But their appearance suggests that at first the architects lived under water, and when they came to land they explored the eastern wastelands. Architects had a weak connection with magic. Therefore, over time, they began to use eugenics to better adapt to natural conditions, but this had a bad effect on their reproduction. There are also stories that they had a hand in the formation of the serpentine and sea civilizations.

History of ancient vampires.

Description.

At the beginning of their history in the first era , the tribes of ancient vampires were divided into three types. Vampires of the underworld lived on the lake of the dead, they resembled African tribes and openly practiced necromancy. The vampires of the wasteland also had a connection with the world of the dead, but they lived in the Eastern Canyons and their culture was reminiscent of the Indian tribes that spoke with spirits. There were also vampires who lived in caves, they founded the first underground cities, but died out for unknown reasons.

The tribes had different skin colors. Vampires of the underworld had gray, purple and brown skin. Cave vampires had black skin. Wasteland vampires had orange, pink and light green skin colors.

Chronology.

First era.

At the beginning of the first era, the ancient vampires were one tribe that lived between the wastelands and central Nosgoth. Unlike their descendants, they were savages who lived in the rocks and had little contact with their neighbors. Their secluded lifestyle guaranteed safety and at the same time made them an easy target for a planned attack. At that time, Central Nosgoth was overrun by werewolves, which diverted the attention of neighboring kingdoms from them. This allowed the tribe to grow, but also left them open to attack. At that time, the ancient vampires were barbarians, they organized raids on caravans and small settlements. Their advantage in flight made them excellent raiders.

Throughout history, the main weapon of ancient vampires was the spear. Swords were more often used for decorative purposes and were rarely used for self-defense. This allowed the tribes not to resort to magic. However, over time, the nearby kingdoms began to gather large armies, and the search for the shelters of ancient vampires began. To avoid huge losses, the ancients needed to explore new territories, as well as know what was happening in the nearby lands. Which forced the ancients to study magic. It was then that a split occurred between them. Realizing that the tribes would not come to a common decision on how to use magic, the tribes split up to avoid war. The part that became interested in necromancy went to the lake of the dead. The tribes that studied natural magic and were against sacrifices went into the wasteland. Those ancients who wanted to live the old way, not use magic and rob their neighbors, went into the caves.

Over time, vampires of the underworld were able to settle into the dense forests of central Nosgoth and come into contact with giants and small tribes of dwarfs. This was facilitated by the general level of development, which was far from civilized. Although the ancients were not trusted, their magic was useful for the local inhabitants. Some cave vampires also moved to central Nosgoth, they went deep underground and founded their settlements. Nobody saw them again. With the passage of time, the ancients' mastery of necromancy reached a new level; they were able not only to enter the world of spirits, but also to preserve their souls after death. In order not to attract too much attention, ancient vampires founded the first city of the dead in the depths of the underworld. They also found abandoned settlements of cave vampires, which they used to create the first sanctuaries. Over time, this tribe adapted to the conditions of the world of the dead. The first council of guardians was created both in the world of the living and in the world of the dead. The first pillars were also created to maintain balance between the two worlds. The council consisted of nine balance guardians. These guardians maintained a barrier in the city of the dead, preventing wild creatures from entering inside. There was also a tenth guardian. This was the champion who held the blade in his hands that protected the balance between worlds. The blade was the progenitor of the soul reaver, it was called the guardian of souls. He looked exactly the same, this sword was charged with the energy of the city of the dead and knew how to move souls from one place to another.

At that time, the vampires of the wastelands established their settlement at the top of the red canyons. They studied the spirit world, but perceived it as the magic of nature, mainly practicing the magic of predicting the future and controlling the weather. They also learned how to summon the spirits of different creatures and established a connection with the vampires of the underworld. But unlike the inhabitants of the forests, the peoples of the wastelands were more aggressive towards their new neighbors. The magic of the wasteland vampires was at odds with the religious doctrines of the snake kingdoms and small nations. Soon vampires were hunted. By organized forces, the peoples of the wastelands captured many vampires. Some of the vampires managed to escape and fled to the lake of the dead. The new union of the two tribes expanded their knowledge not only in magic, but also in the external environment.

At the end of the first era, the vampires of the underworld represented a kingdom around which the small wild tribes of central Nosgoth began to unite. They possessed both advanced necromancy and the rudiments of natural magic, the power of which they were helped to comprehend by wild tribes. Over time, this alliance will attract the attention of the outer kingdoms.

The second era.

At the beginning of the second era, a long peace reigned between the kingdoms. Thanks to the efforts of the vampires of the underworld, the threat of werewolves was eliminated. This allowed the outer kingdoms to relax and lead a prosperous lifestyle. The vampire kingdom in central Nosgoth practically did not trade with anyone, while it was of little interest to civilized peoples.

At the end of the first era, most of the captured vampires, wastelands were given to architects. After conducting a bunch of experiments on the prisoners for the purpose of their own reproduction, they brought out a new kind of ancient vampires. They had blue skin, high intelligence, high connection with magic. But they were devoid of empathy. However, this made them more calculating and categorical. At the beginning of the second era, these new vampires became part of the eastern kingdoms of Nosgoth. Over time, their population increased, and thanks to their intelligence, they quickly absorbed the basics of other cultures. Over time, these ancients began to occupy high posts of diplomats or wizards at court. However, in the early stages, these new vampires did not consider themselves a single people.

The origins of the elder god.

At the same time , the elders of the vampires of the underworld had a split . Some conservative elders refused to accept new magical practices, emphasizing the power of sacrifice. This part of the elders had already been dead for a long time and lived in the spirit world. Because of this, their magical powers came from the souls of the dead. The new magic deprived them of full power. Therefore, they tried to take control of the champion, in order to seize power. But they failed. This formation was the elders of the old generation. As punishment, their souls were sealed in the depths of the underworld for millennia.

One of these captive elders will become an elder god in the future.

The first hero of the vampire nation. Although the champion's tasks included only protecting the circle of nine and the balance of the city of the dead. The new champion took advantage of external help and also went beyond his authority. Thereby thwarting the plan of the rebellious elders to enslave him. He used the magic of his soul Guardian sword to protect the allied vampire mages from the wastelands. Thanks to which they were able to protect him from the influence of the elders. With their help, he also captured traitors, after which he allowed small tribes to join the new kingdom.

The end of the second era.

Thanks to the actions of the champion of the underworld and his allies, it was possible to prevent a civil war in his kingdom. Over time, the legend of him and his guardian of souls sword began to spread to the outer lands. Thanks to this, the nomadic Centaur tribes became interested in an alliance with the new kingdom. Also, thanks to the efforts of a new kind of vampire, the snake kingdom and the sea people have entered into a new alliance. In the northern lands, the Minotaur developed military might. They began to accept the wild dwarves into their ranks.

The third era.

Starting from the third era, the situation in Nosgoth began to get complicated. Many unions accepted not only common rules but also a single faith. Instead, each side practiced only a certain magic, which was related to their religious beliefs.

This led to several major clashes that brought the first split into the world of Nosgoth. There were three sides to the conflict. The old Alliances of kingdoms that practiced only the magic that was related to their religion. They openly distrusted not only neighbors with a different culture. But they also despised the vampires of the underworld for using necromancy. There were also neutral tribes and nomads who were not afraid to use any magic. As well as the vampires of the underworld, whose magic was considered barbaric among the civilized peoples of Nosgoth. Due to such open rejection by the outer kingdoms, many of the vampires despised the other schools of magic.

Meanwhile, the blue-skinned vampires were not yet a single nation, despite their high position in the civilized kingdoms. Moreover, the events that happened to their distant relatives pushed them to distance themselves from the rest of the people. In the end, these vampires had to become a single people and create a council, thereby supporting civilized kingdoms. In the middle of the third era, it was a small faction of sorcerers and scientists who were able to master and combine different sides of magic. They were also greatly supported by architects who acted from another dimension.

At the end of the third era, the vampires of the underworld elevated the tribes of wild giants, dwarfs and centaurs. Thus establishing a single kingdom in central Nosgoth. At the same time, one of the captive elders in the second era was able to contact the civilized and vampires. With their help, he was able to destroy the prison and became their secret oracle. In return for help, he promised them the secrets of this people and also help in seizing power over them. In return, he offered to revive the old rituals, which strengthened both his and the new nation of vampires.

Now I will move away from the narrative a little and say that there are too many gray areas. So I'm going to focus on the story of characters like Elder and Janos.

The fourth era.

The fates of Elder and Janos are very closely intertwined. When the rebellious elders were captured at the end of the second era, their disciples and those who helped them were also imprisoned with them. A hundred souls were imprisoned. Over the course of a thousand years, many events have taken place in the prison, ranging from a general escape plan to a war for the right of the strongest vampire. Groups of disciples and elders switched sides, until one day two of them came to the conclusion that only one of them would be able to get out of this place. But to do this, he would need the power of other souls, the only way to get it was only by absorbing former allies. These two were the strongest ancients of the entire group. The High Priest Elder and his disciple Janos, through lies and manipulations, pitted former allies against each other. A struggle for the right to get out of prison began, which eventually weakened the rebels. Thanks to this, Elder was able to absorb enough souls to create a way out of the prison. However, he couldn't leave this place now. New forces bound Elder , preventing him from leaving this prison . However, his disciple could still use this passage. Using his power, Elder freed Janos to start preparing everything for his escape from the other side. However, Janos was thrown into the architects' dimension, where he was captured and turned into another kind of ancient.

Despite all this, Janos was able to hide his true identity from his new owners. He used the circumstances to his advantage by getting the position of a middle class soldier, and also gradually learned new magic. Over time, Janos realized that he did not need an old teacher, with new magic and new opportunities in combination with necromancy, over time he himself would lead a new council of vampires. However, at the beginning of the fourth era, everything changed. Janos immediately realized who this new oracle was, thanks to which the new vampires began to win so many victories. His new task was not only to lead the council, but also to hide his identity from the old teacher. In order to successfully arrange it in the future.

And yes, I will clarify Janos is the same ghost as Raziel. But unlike Raziel, Janos had his body and also more experience and practice with the magic of the underworld. Thanks to this, he not only repaired his body, but was also able to hide his essence from other creatures.

In the middle of the fourth era, Elder and Janos waged a secret war for the throne of the new council. It was a teacher-student war. Elder did not know that his former student was part of the new council, but he was very suspicious and tried in every way to hinder his progress. However, external circumstances prevented more than one of them from winning a complete victory. Janos was striving for power through hierarchy and Elder through manipulation and sacrifices to him . In light of which they had to work for a common goal in secret from each other. In the fourth era, they were able to introduce a new religion about the wheel of fate as a safe rebirth, which lured some of the kingdoms to their side. They also created a semblance of the council of nine and new pillars that had nine guardians. By that time, Janos was not yet the guardian of the pillars. In the end, it was Janos who found a new champion for the role of defender and helped him win his first victories.

Besides, it was Janos who insisted on providing the champion with new magic for the sword. In the late period of the fourth era, the first soul forges were created on the basis of necromancy and elemental magic. As a ghost, Janos realized the strength of the champion of the underworld. Even all the magic of the council will not be enough to break his blade, because it is powered by the spirit of an entire people. Then Janos turned to the architects for help and they changed the properties of the new sword with the help of the nexus stone. Now the sword did not protect but absorbed souls into itself, becoming stronger. The oracle predicted the meeting of the two champions at the dawn of a new era. The vampire from the underworld will have a green glowing sword, the champion of the new vampires will be armed with a soul reaver . One of the champions will fall. Janos realized Elder's plans, the outcome was not important, it was important that it would strengthen the faith of both peoples in the oracle and his wheel of fate. Then he decided on a desperate plan. In order for the power of the oracle not to become absolute, they needed a new common enemy, the role of which was perfectly suited by architects.

The creation of the cult of ancient vampires.

During his long years of service in the Council of Nine, Janos rose from the rank of a common soldier to one of the supreme military advisers. But it wasn't enough. He needed to directly influence the guardians of the pillars. However, the choice has always fallen on newborns by the pillars themselves. Over the years, the keepers have changed their posts, giving way to younger ones in the twilight of their years. They committed ritual suicides so that their souls would be accepted by the wheel of fate. Many keepers secretly disagreed with this state of affairs. Which is what Janos took advantage of. He used the prophecy of the coming war of champions as an excuse to seize power. Slowly, he convinced the keepers that the pillars belonged to them and not the other way around. And in light of the upcoming events, the ancient vampires will need more experienced guardians of the pillars. Over time, this initiative has yielded results. The Guardians accepted their roles as the new permanent leaders, and Janos was appointed their mediator between them and the other vampires. So Janos got a new position as the tenth guardian.

At this point, I am currently finishing the first half of the fourth part.

[charmedreincarnation]

The painter and their dream

Life is a canvas, and we are the artist. With each passing day, we choose what colors to use, what shapes to create - ultimately, each one of us has the power to paint our own reality.

Meet Georgina. Georgina is a dreamer. She never stops visualizing her future; the colors she wants to use are not just a figment of her imagination, but an intentional design she puts into practice every single day.

Georgina knows what she needs to manifest her ideal future: perseverance, creativity, and sheer willpower. She uses each one of those elements to build the life she desires, turning the abstracts into concrete results.

Whether she’s pursuing her dreams of being a fashion designer or planning an exciting holiday, Georgina applies all of her skills and resources to make it happen. She sees her actions as brush strokes in a painting that she hopes to be proud of in due course.

Being a dreamer isn’t easy. People don’t often understand why Georgina is putting in the effort when the outcome isn't always guaranteed; however, she refuses to give up on what matters to her. She holds onto the moments when her vision becomes tangible; these moments give her the strength to keep going.

Rather than giving into the fear of failure and disappointment, Georgina boldly focuses on the beauty of the present, and continues creating her masterpiece. Her journey is something to be admired, and we are all witnesses of her creative endeavors.

At the end of the day, we are all dreamers who paint our reality as we go. Life is our canvas, and we have the power to bring our dreams to life if we believe in them enough.

As the iconic American painter Edward Hopper once said, “If you could say it in words, there would be no need for the painting.” This quote gives us an insight into why painting is so powerful—it is a way of conveying what cannot be said in words.

This analogy can be applied to reality itself—the canvas of our lives is blank and ready to be painted each day, with our beliefs and choices about how we live making up our reality. The issue with that is that many of us remain unaware that we have power to create our own reality.

Instead of painting our reality by creating positive beliefs, and taking conscious ownership of what we create, we often succumb to negative thought patterns that paint a reality full of stress and anxiety. On the contrary, when we take ownership of our reality, we become aware of the paintbrush that we have always had in our hands. We can choose to paint a beautiful life—one full of love, wealth,beauty, and joy—if we develop an understanding of how our thoughts and choices manifest in our outer world.

Ultimately, it is our responsibility to take ownership of our reality and to realize that we can paint whatever picture we choose with our thoughts and actions. And although our painting may have blips and blotches along the way, we must always remember that we have the power to choose how our lives look. By letting go of limiting beliefs, and learning how to utilize the power of positive thought, we can ultimately choose to paint a reality filled with optimism, openness and opportunity.

What we think, we become'? Well, I believe it to be true. It's like what Edward Art said, “You are the painter of your own reality. You choose the colors and you decide where each one will go.”

Our reality is like an empty canvas. It's up to you to put down the paint and decide what you want it to look like. Just like a painter takes time creating a beautiful piece of art, we too can take the time to create what we want our lives to look like. It's about becoming aware of what you're creating and acknowledging that you have the power to do so.

So, take a step back. Find some peace and quiet and ask yourself what your reality looks like. Really take a look around and observe your environment. Is it how you want it to manifest in your life? If it's not, take the necessary steps to make changes. Focus on the future that you can create.

Think of it as a puzzle that you have all the pieces to. You have full control over your energy and the thoughts and beliefs that you carry with you. Visualize how the pieces will fit together to create the life that you want. Who knows, you might even surprise yourself with what you can create.

Once you become comfortable in taking charge of your life and shaping it into what you desire, it can become quite enjoyable. Enjoy every step of the process. Take small strides and be patient. Feel mindful energy and set intentions for how your life should unfold.

When self-awareness kicks in, you'll realize that you're in control of creating your life, just like a painter creates his art with a brush and canvas.You will rightly embody your thoughts, but choose them wisely because you have full power and control over your life." This is your own special work of art called life, so live it vibrantly. You deserve to create the beautiful art of what we call this life so why not paint.

I will leave you with one last quote from Edward Hopper: “Someday everything will be beautiful.” He believed in the beauty of possibility—that with the right mindset, anything is possible. So let’s take ownership of our reality and use our paint brushes to create our beautiful painting.

[thatnerdyqueer]

okok I'm aroace but it's so EASY to 'fall in love' with someone, and I think the ideal picture of romance has destroyed that for so many people.

Let me explain.

I use the term 'in love' or 'love' very loosely. For me it either conveys admiration (for aesthetics or their personality or intelligence) in which case I'm not 'attracted' to them I just admire them very very much, and/or love can mean wanting to get to know someone better. I.E. spend time with them, talk about interests with them, be happy with them and try to make them happy in the process. So by 'love' I don't me omg I want to kiss you. No. No, I don't. But you are cool :)

So what I mean then, is that, as Michael Holden once said, “Everyone’s attractive, to be honest. Even if it’s just something small, like, some people have really beautiful hands. I don’t know. I’m a little bit in love with everyone I meet, but I think that’s normal.”

I agree.

For example, some people just have really really lovely voices. Or they're very kind. Or they're very smart. Just the other day I saw an old lady playing her cello and the way she adjusted the spike was just so gentle and loving it just melted my heart.

Idk but I feel like pressure to find that special someone, ie someone that you want, someone perfect or at least perfect for you has made falling in love very difficult.

People don't have to be perfect. They don't have to fit together perfectly. Otherwise there'd only be like two people on earth cuz we just wouldn't need others. Love shouldn't be about satisfying a need to find someone for you, it should be about appreciating how beautiful people are in their own respect, as a 'well rounded character', if you will.

Allo people are so caught up with all this attractiveness or unattractiveness and are they perfect for me or not, that they've just... forgotten how beautiful everyone is? On their own? Without any needing or wanting or comparison to confuse or mar their beauty with the thing that allo people define as 'love'.

Physically, mentally, emotionally - everyone has something very very beautiful about them, that people should notice, without necessarily wanting anything from them.

And of course, it's fine to want things from others, and to feel attraction. I feel queerplatonic attraction to many people. I'm not saying you should stop looking for partners or being attracted to people. I just think we should learn to love and appreciate beauty in it's own right and I wish people wouldn't look at me weirdly everytime I say something sappy or poetic about someone just because they're cool. No, I don't want to kiss them! I either think they're cool, or want to be close to them (non romantically), or both!

In short, I think the world and it's people can be very beautiful, and we've all forgotten what love should mean - that is, kindness, admiration, and respect.

Sorry for the rant :)

[anotherhumaninthisworld]

I want advice on how to properly study the French Revolution. Despite the presence of official sources from the contemporaries of the revolution period, you may find that the writer may tell lies about Robespierre or Saint-Just and others, and sometimes you may find books that do not convey the truth only because of the writer's bias towards his political ideas, as the writer may stand against Robespierre only because of his political orientation or his ideology in general without forgetting the emotional bias .. How can I study about the revolution without properly facing any kind of these problems .. because I'm new to frev community.

I can really relate to your struggle as I felt the same way when I started studying frev almost three years ago — everywhere I looked I found new claims which more often than not didn’t have a source attached to them, and this was made worse by the fact that it was clear the person writing very often did so less for the facts in themselves and more with the intention of convincing me how to think about a certain person or event. This just ended with me having some sort of minor crisis having no idea what was even real in the first place and what wasn’t. Now, there unfortunately exists no official ”proper” way on how to study history, everyone works differently. Likewise, it’s also impossible to study history without facing any sort of biases. That said, what cleared things for me personally was mainly getting hold of all the primary sources we have for Robespierre. Basically, the texts found within Oeuvres complètes de Robespierre, Papiers inédits trouves chez Robespierre, Saint-Just, Payan etc and Recueil des actes du comité de salut public are (with a few exceptions) the only things we can prove actually came from his brain. They are therefore the places where it’s most unlikely you’ll find any lies/biases/weird interpretations regarding him. I’ve already compiled these, along with several other primary sources, in this post, and @rbzpr has translated several of the texts found within them into English in case you don’t know French.

For contemporary descriptions, which I would argue are the sources that come in second place when it comes to learning about a historical person, you’re right in that balanced and three-dimensional ones are often really hard to find when it comes to Robespierre (and Saint-Just too I’m sure). This is because most descriptions we have of them were written not with the intention of giving a balenced and accurate picture of they were as people, but rather to convince its readers what good/bad guys they were. None of this does however mean that we should just ignore contemporary descriptions, they can still be an incredible historical source. What we do need to do is contextualize and critically analyze them before jumping to conclusions. A good way to do this would for example be to compare several contemporary descriptions in order to find similiarities and differences (that is what I tried to do in this post) and then critically think about and postulate on what the truth could be. If for example more than one person underlines a certain trait, then it is more likely for that to be true.

As for books, like I said before, you’ll never find any that doesn’t contain any sort of biases, no matter how neutral the author claims to have been. My own rule to avoid misinformation when it comes to books has basically become to not not trust anything that doesn’t have a source attached to it (so books that don’t use footnotes are pretty much wasted on me…). If you think that’s a bit too extreme, I would at least advice you to be cautious with sentences that start with ”It has been said that…” or ”An alleged story goes like…” because it’s not uncommon that will be followed by claims that might actually be apocryphal but hold themselves alive anyway just because no one bothers to check their origin properly.

If you were to ask me for just one book to read if you want to hear the Real Story in regards to Robespierre, without any biases in neither direction, I’d probably say Robespierre (2014) by Hervé Leuwers. When reading it, I never really get the feeling that the author particulary likes nor dislikes Robespierre, he’s just treating him like a normal person and telling his story as far as the primary sources allow him and without ever letting his own theories/ideas get the upper hand. However, I don’t know if it’s too advanced for someone who has just started studying frev (I myself got it when I had already studied it for about a year so idk). It’s also in French, which I don’t know if you know or not… The Robespierre biography that I’d say I found the most helpful when I was new to this was probably Robespierre (1935) by British historian J.M Thompson. While Thompson will give his opinion on things going on more than Leuwers does, it’s easy to tell what is fact and what is interpretation. His biography is also very rigorously sourced, and he has chosen to include and analyse almost every single one of Robespierre’s letters and bigger speeches.

If anyone has any other advice on how to best study frev without meeting too many biases, feel free to share!

[tacroyy]

the forest (on ao3) by tacroy, discworld, sybil ramkin & havelock vetinari, rated g, 1,405 words

=

When she was young—actually, well into her late teens, but nobody else had to know that—she had a hard time with a particular idiom that she heard occasionally: can’t see the forest for the trees. “Sybil, I don’t understand you, sometimes,” her mother would say. “You know etiquette like the back of your hand, your penmanship would put an engraver out of work, and your Quirmian m'émeut aux larmes… but sometimes, you can’t see the forest for the trees.”

“What do you mean?” Sybil had asked, hoping for a key to understanding the phrase, but her mother would go on to say something like, “Lord d’Eath does not appreciate being reminded of his family’s Delicate Financial Situation,” or “One does not eat an entire roast duck in one sitting,” or “Her ladyship does not want to hear about microbial scale rot during the soup and salad courses at the Annual Assassin’s Kindness Kills Charity Dinner,” rather than actually explaining. So she internalized everything her mother told her in the hopes that, one day, one of her pieces of advice would fit into the puzzle of the saying and reveal its secrets.

The thing was that forests were made up of trees. That was the point of forests. Sybil puzzled over this for years. What on the disc were people trying to say? To see a forest, you had to look at trees. It made no sense. Was her mother trying to tell her that she needed to look at the big picture, the gestalt? She did. When she told Lord d’Eath that she found spending on family torturers to be a waste of money anyway, she was looking at the finances of The Estate As A Whole, as she’d learned on her father’s knee. When she ate an entire roast duck in one sitting, well—that was practically the definition of frying the biggest fish. When she described microbial scale rot during the early courses of the charity dinner to Lady Haxwell, it was because Lady Haxwell had just told Sybil about her gardener’s eczema, and Sybil had taken the vivid picture Lady Haxwell had painted of the angry sores and scaly dermatitis on the man’s inner arms and elbows as interest in the progression of dermal diseases. That wasn’t missing the forest at all. That was just showing someone how one tree was like another tree, and that way they could look at the forest together.

One day, when Havelock was upside down on the chaise lounge reading about palatal consonants and Sybil was wiring up a dragon skeleton, she said, “Havelock. Tell me about idioms.”

Havelock had just about fallen off of the chair in excitement; that is, he had looked up (or rather, down), snapped his book shut, and practically levitated into what Sybil thought of as his Lecturing Position Type C* (*Without A Desk, Seated). “Idioms,” said Havelock, “are a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words. For example, if you are nervous, you do not truly have butterflies in your stomach, unless you do and you also happen to be nervous, in which case a doctor should be called. You are simply nervous. But the commonly accepted phrase that we use to poetically name the concept of nervousness is to have butterflies in one’s stomach. Now, try to translate that to Quirmian—a literal translation, not conveying the sense. Say to a Quirmian, ‘Pardonnez-moi, j'ai des papillons dans le ventre,’ and they will offer you an emetic rather than an anti-emetic.”

He went on for a while, describing a number of idioms Sybil had never heard before and found delightful, like “a mouse’s tit” for something miniscule in one of the Agetean dialects and “like shitting it all out in one without even needing to wipe” for something that went extremely well in Hublandish and a term in Mithosian that, literally translated, meant “when the cervical mucus is the precise stretchy, stringy consistency best for successful procreation,” and idiomatically translated meant, “exactly ready.”

Sybil simply basked in this. Havelock was perfect for these sorts of masterfully organized mini-courses. Occasionally she would ask about a topic that Havelock did not already contain comprehensive knowledge of, like the history of opera or a review of rodent social behavior, and what followed was merely a delay of six to forty-eight hours (depending not on the complexity of the topic, but the physical location of relevant texts) before an exhaustive summary was presented to her like an offering to a sovereign.

Results had already come in. Sybil had always loved the opera, which Havelock had, previously, accepted as a Known Fact about her and left alone, much as one would gaze gently but disinterestedly upon the infant of one’s distant relative. But after his research date with operatic history, Havelock embraced music wholeheartedly. He still refused to attend the opera but would now discuss arioso and arias and could just as often be found reading scores as treatises on ligaments and lexicography.

Sybil said, “And what do you think the saying ‘can’t see the forest for the trees’ means?”

Havelock eyed her. “Are you asking because you want to know my perspective or because you want to know the linguistic perspective?”

“Both.”

“I think it refers to becoming distracted by or obsessed with the study of individual problems or forms rather than acknowledging the overarching issue. Linguists and laymen think that it refers to someone who gets caught up in details and therefore misses the opportunity to affect change.”

Sybil digested this for a while while Havelock tested out the difference between the voiceless palatal plosive and the voiced palatal plosive.

“So,” she said at last, “you think that there’s a difference between being distracted and obsessed, and getting caught up in something.”

“Of course,” said Havelock, as if this were obvious. “The common man often uses distraction and obsession pejoratively. This is inaccurate, of course. A distraction is merely an automatic reaction to something interesting—an animal impulse which can be controlled with training. And obsession is never applied correctly. You have noticed this, I’m sure. Someone is called ‘obsessed’ when they know the outs and ins and downs and ups of a subject to the extent that the someone calling them ‘obsessed’ becomes uncomfortable—a burden which ought to be on the one with the discomfort, not the one with the so-called obsession.”

Havelock paused to retrieve his notebook and pen. He kept talking while he wrote.

“Getting caught up, though, is the same as being swept along or—hm, this is a stretch, but be patient—or even the boiling toad. One can resist getting caught up or being swept along, but it is difficult to notice, as things have changed slowly, or are exciting—you don’t have time to think, or you haven’t had a chance to pay attention. Even so, it is your moral obligation to avoid getting caught up in details, as getting caught up in details does indeed prevent you from affecting change.”

Havelock pushed the notebook towards Sybil and finished: “Distractions and obsessions should not be negative. Getting caught up in details can be negative. The common man would consider this entire conversation a clear example of inability to see the forest for the trees. He would be wrong, as he is burdened with incorrect definitions of key terms.”

On his notebook, Havelock had drawn a broad sketch of a swamp dragon clearly suffering from spinus mizerablis.

“Oh,” said Sybil immediately. “Because spinus mizerablis is systemic and iatrogenic. Well, caused by human hair splinters after a scale fluff. Which is why reputable breeders don’t practice scale fluffing and haven’t since that Pancrea Lobulatto put out that paper in the Year of the Sprightly Oyster.”

“Precisely,” said Havelock. “It’s all very simple, really.”

“A weight off my mind, that is,” Sybil said. “Now then. Where’s that bin of coccygeal vertebrae got to?”

“Oh, sorry,” said Havelock, producing them out of his pocket. “I wanted to see if I could string them together into something that could reach around corners. Ought to have asked.”

“No worries,” said Sybil cheerfully. “Rodney, Lord Nardenwright keeled over yesterday of lump sprinkle and I’m about to go pull his bones out of the acid bath. Want the tail?”

Havelock’s eyes widened.

“Could I have the rest of the spine, too?”

=

[writtenbykatsworld]

Tip 1: Read Widely

It’s hard to become a great musician without having heard a lot of great music.

The same is true for writing. Reading a lot of books is a great way to get inspired and to learn more about the anatomy of a story.

It’s important to read in whatever genre you want so you can understand the conventions of that genre. If you’re writing a fantasy story, for example, you should familiarize yourself with popular fantasy novels and short stories so you know what readers expect.

On the other hand, it’s just as important to read a diverse variety of books. Exposing yourself to lots of genres and authors can help you learn about different writing styles and techniques.

Tip 2: Experiment With Different Formats and Points of View

Creative writing can involve countless different formats. You can write a story that looks like a diary entry, a song, or a Charles Dickens novel.

Maybe you want to write a story in the form of a series of instructions to the reader, like a cooking recipe or a how-to manual.

Or maybe you want to write a story in the form of a confession from one character to another, in a mix of first-person and second-person POV.

Try out different styles, even ones that don’t feel like your usual writing style. Doing this experimentation early on in your creative writing journey can help you find your own voice and figure out what works best for you.

Tip 3: Take Inspiration From Many Sources

No story is written in a vacuum. Every artist takes inspiration from other works of art, and you shouldn’t feel bad about writing a story that’s inspired by your favorite book or movie.

At the same time, though, it’s important not to write a story that actually plagiarizes an existing one. Directly copying the work of other creative writers is both unethical and illegal. Plus, it’s much less fun than writing your own stories.

A good rule of thumb if you’re looking for ideas is to take inspiration from many sources rather than a single one.

For example, maybe you like the sarcastic humor of one book, the sweet romance arc of another book, and the Gothic setting of your favorite TV show. When you merge those three things together, you’ll most likely create a story that feels unique and original, even though you took inspiration from existing stories.

Tip 4: Show, Don’t Tell

The phrase “Show, don’t tell” is a popular piece of writing advice that almost every writer has heard before.

Essentially, “show, don’t tell” means that you should immerse the reader in your story through sensory details and descriptive language instead of simply summarizing the story to them.

For example, you could tell someone, “My sister’s room is messy.” That sentence conveys the facts, but the person you’re talking to probably wouldn’t be able to picture your sister’s room in their head.

On the other hand, you could say, “My sister basically uses the floor of her room as a giant laundry hamper—it’s covered with so many sweaters and scarves that I don’t even remember what color her carpet is.”

This sentence gives your listener a much more specific idea of what your sister’s room looks like.

Tip 5: Write With Intention

Many newer writers put down words on the page based on what comes to mind first.

For example, let’s say you’re trying to describe a character. A new writer might note down whatever details they visualize right away, like the color of the character’s hair or the type of clothes they’re wearing.

This is a great way to write when you’re just starting out, but if you want to improve your skills, it’s important to learn how to write with intention.

Try to get in the habit of asking yourself: What details does the reader need to know and why? For example, what aspects of this character’s hair color and outfit could tell the reader something deeper about the character’s personality and motivations?

It’s also important to figure out what you want to convey emotionally. What do you want your reader to feel? Excited? Creeped out? Hopeful?

For example, you might describe a sunset as “blood-red” if you want the reader to feel creeped out, or as “glowing and bright” if you want the reader to feel hopeful.

Tip 6: Learn How to Edit

No first draft is perfect, even if you’re a seasoned writer.

Learning how to edit your work is just as important as learning how to write on a blank page. That’s how you can create a creative work you feel proud of.

One helpful tip is to try reading your work out loud. That can often help you spot places where your prose doesn’t flow.

AI-powered grammar checkers like ProWritingAid can also help you identify weaknesses in your prose and learn how to strengthen them. You can catch your grammatical mistakes, avoid unnecessary repetition, choose more evocative words, and more with our powerful tool.

Tip 7: Practice Overcoming Writer’s Block

At some point in their writing journey, every writer has reached a point where writing doesn’t feel fun anymore.

There are lots of different causes for writer’s block. You might be unsure what to write, afraid of failing, or simply burned out from writing too much.

It’s important to find ways to overcome creative blocks, so you don’t end up putting down your pen for good.

One useful technique is to change your environment. If you normally write at home, try writing in a coffee shop or in your local library.

Another technique is to try a different activity for a while. Go for a walk, take a shower, do your dishes, or try another hobby. Before long, you’ll find yourself wanting to write again.

Perhaps the most underrated method is to simply take a break from writing. Give yourself permission to stop for a while—it’s always okay to take a step back.

Tip 8: Study Writing Craft

Many new writers falsely believe that writing can’t be taught; you’re either good at it or you’re not.

But the truth is that creative writing is a craft, just like woodworking, oil painting, or ballet. You wouldn’t expect anyone to be naturally good at ballet without years of training, so why is writing any different?

One way to learn new creative writing techniques is by reading craft books. Some great books to start with include On Writing by Stephen King, Story Genius by Lisa Cron, and The Creative Writer’s Handbook by Philip K. Jason.

These books can help you learn the basics of how to write well. For example, you can learn how to construct high-quality sentences, how to avoid passive voice, and how to use poetic devices.

The more you learn, the more powerful your writing will become.

Tip 9: Invent Your Own Process

When you’re just starting out as a writer, it can be tempting to copy someone else’s writing process.

Maybe you heard an interview with a bestselling author who said you have to outline a story before you draft it. Or maybe you found out your favorite author writes 1,000 words every day, and now you think you have to write 1,000 words every day too.

But it’s important to remember that no two writers have the exact same writing process. What works best for someone else might not work for you.

There’s no right or wrong way to be a creative writer. Your job is to find a writing process that makes you feel fulfilled, productive, and inspired—and if your favorite writers don’t write the same way, that’s perfectly okay.

Tip 10: Don’t Aim for Perfection

There’s a good chance your writing is never going to be perfect. Mine definitely isn’t!

Remember that writing is about the process, not the product. Even if the final product is never perfect, the process has helped you grow as a writer—and hopefully, it’s also been a lot of fun.

You should decide what your main goal for writing is. Maybe it’s writing stories you might be able to publish someday. Maybe it’s telling stories about characters you rarely see in existing stories. Maybe it’s simply a fun new hobby.

Whatever your goal is, remember that you’re already on your way to achieving it. You don’t need to aim for perfection in order to succeed.

Have fun and happy writing!!! 🌊🪩🎧

[hayatheauthor]

Seven Blogs You Need To Read As An Author

Writing a book mandates professional writing void of any errors. But oftentimes authors find themselves in a position where they can’t tell where they’ve gone wrong or how to improve their manuscript. 

One of the best ways to improve your writing is by reading. Or more specifically, reading professional advice from creative writing blogs. 

Don’t know where to start? Here are some of my favourite writing blogs to get advice, that helped me make my manuscript ready for queries. This list of blogs is effective for writers of all sizes, so whether you’re working on a short story or editing your manuscript, be sure to stick around till the end for seven blogs you need to read as a writer. 

How To Write With Colour 

Descriptions can be hard! But they are made harder when authors run the risk of coming off as racist by accidentally using the wrong set of words. 

Even as a POC, I too sometimes feel lost when trying to accurately describe my POC characters. One easy way to overcome this obstacle is by asking yourself ‘would I be describing this particular body part/feature if this character was white? Is this description something that people would realistically notice if they saw this character in real life?’

These questions, or ones similar to them, should help you overcome your concerns about your description, but making sure your writing doesn’t accidentally offend an entire country is only the first step! 

As an author, your biggest goal should be to immerse your readers with compelling prose that paints a clear picture in their heads. One easy way to do this is by following the advice in this how to write with colour blog. 

One thing I love about this blog is the various examples the author provides you with. They give you so much more than the typical rundown of things you shouldn’t do when writing POCs and provide authors with the examples they need to seamlessly create beautiful descriptions for their characters. 

I often leave this blog open while typing my manuscript and turn to it every time I feel stuck while writing my wip, and it really helped bring my characters to life while cutting down on any unnecessary or redundant phrases.    

Cheat Sheets For Writing Body Language 

Bringing your character’s emotions to life is possibly one of the biggest obstacles of writing. As authors, we need to paint a scene that doesn’t just explain our character’s feelings but also shows them. 

The occasional clenched fist or furrowed brows can go a long way when writing and turn a confusing passage into an insightful window to the character’s emotions. But if done wrong, these little descriptions can create distance between the reader and the character. 

Let’s be honest, most of us don’t curl our lips into a sneer every time we feel annoyed. And while eyes might be the window to a person’s soul, they aren’t nearly as descriptive as writers make them out to be. 

So, how can you avoid these cliche and underwhelming descriptions while also realistically conveying your character’s emotions? With this cheat sheet for writing body language! 

This is yet another blog I often leave open while working on my manuscript because it can give me the words I need to elevate my writing seamlessly. Once you skim the author’s list you might notice these gestures are things we often do in our daily life but fail to think of while writing. 

This blog might not incorporate some of the emotions your characters might feel, but its comprehensive list is still worth taking a look at. 

How To Write Dialogue— formatting, examples, and tips 

Writing dialogue is possibly one of the first skills writers pick up when their fingers hit the keyboard. But learning how to format your character’s conversations is only the first step. Authors also have to take their flow and tone into perspective. 

It’s easy for writers to overlook the impact their character’s vocabulary and tone can make on a scene. Maybe they use casual words and gesture widely with their hands when they’re speaking to their friends but have a clipped tone and place their hands behind their back while addressing their seniors. 

These small changes can help define your character’s relationship with the other person and also paint a clear picture of what they’re feeling throughout the conversation. How loud is their voice? How stable is their tone? Did they flinch when the other person asked them a question? Did their ‘eyes dance with amusement’ as they locked eyes with a friend helping them solidify a lie? 

The how to write dialogue blog provides writers with this advice and more and allows authors to easily create a realistic and descriptive conversation. 

How To Describe Setting In Literature

Dialogue helps fill your reader in, but its description that makes them turn the page. But how can you accurately describe your story’s setting without seeming over or underwhelming? 

Painting a scene helps set the foundation of your story. But many authors restrict their description by only focusing on what their character sees rather than what they feel. The ringing in their ears, the sudden clamminess in their palms, the way their mouth dried as their watched the scene before them. 

This short yet informative blog on how to describe setting in literature tells you how to properly describe your character’s situation and the setting in one go without overwhelming your reader with long unnecessary passages. 

You don’t have to revisit this multiple times like some of the other blogs I’ve written about, but there are certain points the author mentions that, if taken into perspective while writing, can drastically improve your story’s setting. 

How To Dump Info Without Info Dumping 

Authors often stumble upon moments in their manuscripts that require a bit of background information to set the scene. But how much information is too much? 

A manuscript full of info dumping and purple prose is any editor’s worst nightmare and can negatively impact a literary industry professional’s attitude towards your manuscript. It also ruins a reader’s immersion. 

So how can you get set the scene for your story without overwhelming your reader with information they don’t need to know? My advice would be to check out Ellen Brock’s guide on how to dump info without info dumping. 

This blog doesn’t just talk about how to rid your manuscript of info dumping but also provides writers with a step-by-step process on how to effectively write a scene without accidentally info dumping. 

Fun fact: the initial example presented in this blog is actually reminiscent of the type of thing I would write during my fanfiction days, but I was lucky enough to stumble upon this blog while writing the first draft of The Traitor’s Throne and haven’t looked back since. 

If you’re an author who isn’t sure how to dump info without info dumping, I highly recommend sparing ten minutes to read through Ellen’s comprehensive guide.

World Building Tip— Writing Without The Info Dumping

Info dumping comes in various shapes and sizes. Sometimes it can look like an unnecessary passage that describes details of the past the reader doesn’t really need to know, like Ellen mentioned. But it can also look like an entire page of your book that describes the background story of the very important staff your antagonist just stole. 

Creating lore for your universe is possibly the most exciting part of world-building. But what most writers (including me) tend to forget is that only a small fraction of what you know about your world should make it into your writing.

Your protagonist’s great aunt’s wild collection of exotic magical creatures illegally stored under their family estate might make for a thrilling tale, but do your readers really need to know about that just because your character snuck into the basement to eavesdrop on their parent’s conversations? Probably not. 

The next time you itch to explore another aspect of your story’s lore or history, do yourself a favour and check out this blog on how to world-build without info dumping.

If you make it a point to remember these two blogs (Ellen’s and the one above) while you set the scene for your manuscript, then you can seamlessly eliminate any info dumping in your manuscript. 

Need help finding the right websites and writing apps for your worldbuilding? Visit my previous blog today! 

Eleven Ways To Draw Your Reader In 

Do you have the foundation for a good story but lack that special spark that can hook your reader and draw them in? Or maybe you just feel like your manuscript lacks that extra oomph to make it a compelling read? 

Whatever the case, if you’re facing difficulties with hooking your literary agent, beta readers, and potential audience, take a look at these eleven ways to draw your reader in, and make them stay. 

It can be easy to lure your reader in with a good hook, but much harder to make sure they stay interested. Whether it be little tweaks to make in your writing style or a drastic change in pacing that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, this blog covers all the tips and tricks you need to draw your reader in and keep them hooked. 

I would suggest making a small list of your own that covers the pointers mentioned in this blog and leaving it somewhere you can easily see when you return to write your manuscript (if you type on your laptop, I would suggest keeping a note open on your desktop so you’re reminded of these pointers every time you open your laptop).

Conclusion

Robert Frost was certainly on to something when he said “no tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” So I will end this blog with a timeless piece of advice every writer must heed— read your own work. And read it well. 

Think of it this way; if you can’t even hook yourself with your book, then how are you going to hook hundreds of strangers who already have an endless list of good books at their disposal? 

Writing your book is just the first step. But reading these seven blogs and keeping up with Haya’s Book Blog will help you climb the rest of the staircase and take your manuscript to the next level. 

Want to learn more about me and my writing journey? Visit my social media pages under the handle @hayatheauthor where I post content about my WIP and life as a teenage author. 

[dancedance-resolution]

job & gender thoughts

i have just realized that a lot of the issues i’ve had at work regarding appearance are all just gender lol. first it was my scrubs fitting like shit, and it was resolved when emi gave me her old scrubs, “girl why were you hiding that figure!”. then my hair looking like shit bc i never do anything with it. then my lack of makeup. and today when emi asked if i wanted to be a “model” for laser leg hair removal and was astonished i turned down what is equivalent to a ~$1.5k series of services…. she asked why and i said some old catholic hang ups which is honestly fucking hilarious looking back but like. yeah. idk why it’s taken me 3 months here to connect the dots that it’s all gender lol

i do enjoy femininity in myself, and i fucking loved it when i was dating a butch. being with her made me feel so much joy and confidence with my gender and allowed me to explore femininity so much more. she’s not really relevant to this since we had broken up a month before i started this job but yeah - wait Oh i remember the point i was trying to make. so the big motivator to my thinking i was transmasc era was a reaction to how restrictive the forced femininity of existing in a catholic space felt to me. but the type of femininity forced on me back then was even very different from now. this is all appearance based, and in my old life i was allowed to not put too much effort into a feminine appearance (TO AN EXTENT) so long as i maintained other signifiers of catholic femininity.

i remember when i first started this job and emi sent out that text about how makeup etc is mandatory, i told my mom i’d quit on the spot if that was actually enforced. and i made it some principled social thing when justifying that to her lol bc even to my own self i think i hadn’t realized how gender related my opposition was.

(“ddr why does your job require makeup etc” estheticians work there and it’s essentially a beauty-making place so i understand it to an extent)

i know i’m not great at my job but i’m very fucking decent at it. i unfortunately do work quite hard. when i started i was basically just a cashier and now i am the sole ava person, sole pictures person, main phone person, and 9 times out of 10 the runner (though i am the cashier far less). i am always busy (i’ve stopped even bringing a book to work) and always working when on the clock. and emi knows this but doesn’t know this i think. today i told maddy i didn’t want to take on extra picture responsibility and i guess i/she conveyed it wrong bc then i overhear emi tell her “since when could ppl pick what to do at their job” and like first of all maddy “picks” not to do pictures or numbing bc it makes her uncomfy and i’m able to do it for her easily, and so i assumed i was allowed to “pick” not to be the picture file person bc taylor already does that as far as i know. i think i did decently explaining my actual thought process to emi but like. i feel like the difference btw how lauren is presumed competent (which she is!!!) and how i’m not presumed competent by maddy (lots of other examples of this) is very obvious to me but not emi. but maddy is emi’s source of info regarding what me and lauren do so. my mom would say i need to talk to emi directly and advocate for myself more but idk. this is just a job to me and i need to learn how to care less about what emi thinks of me as a worker lol.

but what im also getting at here - to what extent was lauren presumed competent over me bc she appears more professional. which is valid to an extent! like she is objectively more “professional” i think, but also i still don’t really understand what creates professionalism so maybe i’m wrong. but anyways - emi has had to fight me regarding my appearance etc and that’s never been the case for lauren. she has been competent appearance wise from day one, so i guess she gets subconscious presumption of competence at her job too. (which she is!! lauren is lovely and a hard worker! but objectively does way less than i do and yet maddy’s out here telling emi i don’t want to take on extra responsibility in a way that doesn’t paint me well i guess meanwhile she says to emi that lauren shouldn’t have to take on that same work bc lauren’s always busy, but she’s on her phone sometimes WHICH IS NOT A SIN TO ME but when i’m breathing wrong it’s a sin to maddy lol so. what’s going on with this lol.

so idk these are my thoughts. what have i gotten out of writing this, i need to care less about work lol. way less haha. i’m not on the clock why have i spent this long thinking about work. & also maybe i need to figure out a way to convey to emi that my lack of feminine appearance isn’t motivated by me blowing off her rule but rather is complicated and hard for me lol. idk if she’ll respect that (she certainly won’t understand it lol) so maybe i don’t but yeah

[inkburnt]

No one asked, but as a writer struggling to get their work exposed, I figured I should give a few (hopefully helpful) pointers to other writers struggling with the same. Yes, these are points you’ve likely seen before, but I believe they bear repeating! This is also coming from my personal experience, and it’s definitely been a learn-as-you-go situation for me. I keep finding things out akdjskjhgf. But anyway, these made-for-Tumblr tips are pretty much the ones I find are worth following. Hopefully they can help your work earn a little more attention!

💜  FIRST, TAGGING YOUR POSTS.  It goes without saying that tags are the primary way to search for content site-wide. It’s important to know how to tag your work based on your audience, so you’ll be able to target who you need to, as many people at a time. On any original post, only the first five (5) tags will appear in tracked tags. Tumblr Help says that “Only the first 20 tags on a post will show up in searches,” and that can be helpful—but don’t feel confident with that! Tumblr Search is predictably unreliable and does not show you everything that’s posted! You will always want to aim for those first five if you want the best chance of having your post seen.

Adding to the above: Do a bit of research on which tags you’re planning on using so you’ll have an idea of which are the most active and largely used, specific to your fandom, character(s), ship, etc. Those are the ones you’ll probably want your post to appear in. Don’t just go for the tags that are maybe too big/broad/common, because your post will be buried among dozens of others before anyone’s had a chance to see it. You’ll just have to put in a little effort to see how other creators tag their posts and which tags they use as their first five!

Oh, an addendum: TAGGING YOUR REBLOGS DOES NOTHING. Reblogged posts do not appear in Tumblr’s searched or tracked tags. Please don’t bother re-tagging the posts you reblog from yourself because that’s really just a waste of time for you. ;w; Your first and original post is the only one that will count in terms of being indexed and searchable! So you have to make its tags count when first publishing it to Tumblr!

💜  SECOND, BE CONCISE.  Your summaries, blurbs and whatever additional information you write should not be too long or too convoluted in language (unless it’s your intent to do otherwise). This should actually be direct, clear, and give readers a pretty good idea of what to expect. Provide as much information as is needed, but no more. For summaries or blurbs, name a few of the characters, the setting, and the conflict—but keep the climax and resolution to yourself! Unless, of course, you don’t mind giving out all your work’s selling points. But mystery and surprise can certainly draw attention.

💜  THIRD, GIVE YOUR POSTS GRAPHICS.  It’s unfortunately true that a picture can be worth a thousand words, so it’s a good idea to add either a banner to your posts, or a cover image for a specific fic, series, collection, the like. Images capture attention more easily, more frequently, and to more success in the end. Your writing may not keep the reader’s interest...but at least your image made them curious enough to give it a look! You want those clicks: out of ten failed visits, at least one will result in a like, a reblog, or a follow. So do better your chances by adding relevant graphics to your posts! And always be relevant: you don’t want to use misleading imagery, or you may earn a reputation of dishonesty. 

By relevance, I simply mean to ensure that the image you choose to use matches the theme or content of the work you’re posting, or at least have it represent the characters involved. If it’s something romantic, horrific, or perhaps comes from an anime or video game, just use your better judgment to best convey to potential readers what your post may have to offer them! While it’s no rule, it certainly helps with giving readers a more accurate idea of what to expect from you.

Oh, and: DO NO USE FAN ART OR PHOTOS THAT DON’T BELONG TO YOU. I shouldn’t have to say this. No one likes to see their content being used without consent. Don’t steal from your fellow content creators. If you have your heart set on a particular piece of theirs, please ask for their permission first and state your intentions! And if they happen to say yes, please credit them appropriately in your posts; link back to the work they let you use! Yes, use images in your writing posts, but be careful about how you do it! If you’re not sure or are just uncomfortable, then go to the public domain, or use license-free images, or maybe take your own screenshots from games, TV, anime, even manga. Remember to claim no ownership over the content itself. And always seek permission when the content is coming from someone else.

💜  FOURTH, BE CONSISTENT.  Whether that’s with your tags or graphics or how you engage with an audience, just be consistent; keep a vibe, style, theme, attitude going and keep it familiar so it’s easier for your “brand” to stay in people’s minds. They’ll recognize you easier, they’ll remember what you do, they won’t have to think twice about potentially reblogging from you or telling their friends about you.

💜  FIFTH, NETWORK. Reach out to and support your fellow content creators, writers especially. They will benefit from your engagement as much as you will. Leave a comment, reblog the post, send an ask—interacting with another author and showing them support is not only a great mark of solidarity, but it feels good to do! They need the exposure as much as you do, so don’t be afraid to help them out. If you genuinely like their content, reblog it! If you have the time and the energy, don’t be afraid to mingle with other members of the fandom, or creators who are in the same sort of genre or environment you are. Always be friendly, kind, and humble. Networking gains visitors, readers, a growing audience; and if you happen to make friends as you go, then you will have an audience that will genuinely care about you and the work you do. Networking will benefit others with your presence, as well. If you have an established audience, as small as it may be, those people may gain an interest in your peers’ work, and begin to engage with them. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved! And if a small group becomes a large group, it will undoubtedly pique the interests of people on the outside. Knowing how to network can go a long way in attracting increasing attention, but it takes dedication. Just do your best with this, and go as far as you can within your social capability.

💜  SIXTH, ASK FOR REBLOGS.  This one’s going to cost you a bit of your pride, but there’s really no shame in asking for people to reblog your work. Sometimes the most direct way is the only effective one. You’re going to have to be ruthless and shameless about promoting yourself out the wazoo while making sure other people are actually seeing this. I of course don’t mean that you should be rude, pushy, or obnoxious when you do this, because that’s only going to turn people away from you; but, you do still have to be a bit persistent about it. Reblog yourself once a day, maybe twice at different hours of the day; and if you own multiple blogs, don’t feel bad at all about reblogging your own content there. Just, you know, use your better judgment when it comes to how often you should actually promote yourself. There’s a fine line between persistence and annoying the heck out of folks.

If you want to go into the tags asking for a little more support (i.e. reblogs, reads, etc.), do that. Politely, kindly, humbly. And not excessively. Look into the tags you post to, to see how far down your last post has been pushed, and calculate when you’ll next post your tagged promo based on that. It sounds a bit complicated, but once you get into a rhythm, it will become a habit. 

Another thing you can do, on the same post where you’ve got some work to upload, is leave a small note either on the top or the bottom (before the body of text) encouraging folks to reblog the work if they like it. It’s not exactly subtle, but it’s not in-your-face, either. I can’t speak for its effectiveness, but it can’t hurt to have a fixed reminder there for a reader to look at one day, and figure, Huh, I should reblog this. There’s always the chance that thought can spread.

[alyssa295]

Reading Exploration #3

October 23- Bissex and Manyak

Bissex

Watching Young Writers

Big Idea:

Children’s stage in writing should not be looked at as what they cannot do and their deficits, instead they need encouragement, time, and practice to master that skill.

Nugget:

Something that stood out to me was the conclusion. Specifically, the part that says, “Children come to see themselves as they are seen by others. Do we see our students as learners or mistake-makers?” This stood out because how we interact with students has a big impact on how they view themselves. We have an opportunity to make that perspective on themselves a positive one, so we should encourage them every chance we get.

Manyak

Phonemes in Use: Multiple Activities for a Critical Process

Big Idea:

Phonemic awareness is a crucial skill to develop in students and will help their writing ability if they have guidance from teachers and exposure to different kinds of sounds in a word.

Nugget:

The different kinds of interventions used within the article, like word mapping, word wall boxes, say it and move it, etc. are interesting to be reading about after seeing it in placement. It is cool to see it being used, it gives it more meaning when I am reading an article involving that kind of instruction. It is cool to connect what I see with them and the philosophy behind them.

Readerly Exploration:

Identify a song that communicates the same or similar big ideas of the assigned reading and choose an excerpt that represents those shared ideals.

I chose the song, “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World. How I came across choosing this song was I thought about what the first article (Bissex) made me think of. So, I thought what is a song that conveys the idea that you are still growing and working on things and don’t worry about what you mess up. I thought about this song I heard at a Halloween parade earlier today and I was like “Wait that kinda fits!”

An excerpt from the song is “It’s only in your head, you feel left out or looked down on” I think this relates to the beginning of the article when it talks about adults viewing children making mistakes as a problem that needs to be corrected right away. These lyrics are how our reactions to their mistakes may make a child feel.

Another part of the song says, “It just takes some time. Little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride. Everything, everything’ll be just fine. Everything, everything’ll be alright, alright.” This explains the process they need. Children need time, exposure, and practice with writing. What adults often see as failure is the child learning and getting that experience. If they just continue with that it will all work out. The child will learn to write correctly and does not need to be “fixed” with every little mistake. This relates to the same idea of the song, especially since that is the chorus and the title.

This experience has helped me better understand that children really do just need time to work on a skill. Sometimes I think that once a child is taught something they should just know from there on out. When in reality they will continue to make those mistakes just as I did and just as I do with what I am learning. I think relating it to a song is also helpful because then when I hear it I relate it to what it makes me think of. So each time I hear this song it will make me think of this article and this assignment, and maybe in the future it will connect something else I did notice right now.

Multimedia Documentation:

Here is a lovely picture of me listening to the song after I got back in my room from fall break.

[alt-ctrl]

The Art of Less: How Minimalism is Maxing Out Product Design

In a world where excess is often celebrated, product designers are taking a counterintuitive leap into the void of 'less'. But don't be fooled - this void is far from empty. It's brimming with potential, elegance, and a dash of rebellion against the status quo. Welcome to the paradoxical realm of minimalist product design, where less isn't just more - it's everything.

The Zen of the Empty Canvas

Picture this: You're standing in front of a blank canvas. Most people would rush to fill it with color, shapes, and meaning. But what if the canvas itself is the masterpiece? This is the essence of minimalist product design - the art of creating something by taking away, rather than adding.

Take the iPhone, for instance. It's not just a phone; it's a rectangular rebellion against the button-cluttered devices of yore. With its sleek surface and intuitive interface, it's like the haiku of the tech world - saying so much with so little. But here's the kicker: by stripping away the unnecessary, Apple didn't just create a phone; they sculpted an experience.

The Paradox of Simplicity

Now, you might be thinking, "Isn't simplicity, well, simple?" Oh, you sweet summer child. Creating something truly simple is about as easy as teaching a cat to do your taxes. It requires a deep understanding of human psychology, user needs, and the courage to say "no" to features that others might consider essential.

Consider the Nest Thermostat. At first glance, it's just a circle on your wall. But this circle is smarter than some of our elected officials (no offense, politicians). It learns your habits, adjusts your home's temperature accordingly, and saves energy - all while looking like a futuristic hockey puck. It's a prime example of how simplicity can be the ultimate sophistication.

The Time-Traveling Chair

Let's take a seat and ponder the concept of timelessness in design. The Eames Lounge Chair, created in 1956, looks as modern today as it did when Eisenhower was in office. Why? Because its designers, Charles and Ray Eames, understood that true elegance never goes out of style.

This chair isn't just a place to park your posterior; it's a time machine. It fits seamlessly into a 1960s executive office, a 1990s sitcom set, and your neighbor's ultra-modern living room. It's the design equivalent of a chameleon, if chameleons were incredibly comfortable and cost several thousand dollars.

The Minimalist's Dilemma

But here's where it gets tricky. How do you know when you've reached peak minimalism? When you've stripped away everything non-essential, how do you avoid crossing the line into useless? It's like walking a tightrope between function and form, with the ever-present danger of creating something so minimal it disappears entirely.

This is where the true art of minimalist design shines. It's not about creating the simplest product possible; it's about creating the simplest product that still fully serves its purpose. It's like writing a complex novel using only simple words - the challenge lies in conveying depth through simplicity.

The Future is Less

As we hurtle towards an increasingly complex future, the allure of simplicity grows stronger. In a world of information overload and sensory bombardment, products that offer a respite - a moment of calm in the storm of stimuli - will become increasingly valuable.

But here's a thought to chew on: What if minimalism isn't just a design trend, but a glimpse into our future? As we grapple with issues like resource scarcity and environmental concerns, the ability to do more with less will become not just desirable, but necessary.

The Minimalist's Challenge to You

So, dear reader, I leave you with this challenge: Look around your space. Find one object that could be simplified without losing its essence. Now imagine that simplified version. How would it change your interaction with it? How might it change your space?

Remember, embracing minimalism doesn't mean living in an empty white cube (unless that's your thing, in which case, rock on). It's about being intentional with what you bring into your life and your space. It's about quality over quantity, function over frivolity.

In the end, minimalist product design isn't just about creating sleek, beautiful objects. It's about changing how we interact with the world around us. It's about finding beauty in simplicity and functionality in form. And who knows? Maybe by embracing the art of less in our products, we'll find more of what truly matters in our lives.

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