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lurking-latinist · 3 months

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How to Suck Less at Summaries

Probably almost anyone who's ever posted a fic to ao3 or a platform with a similar interface has been hit by that moment of panic, breaking in on the euphoria of having finished and polished a fic--"what do I put for the summary?!"

So much so, that "I suck at summaries" in the summary box has become something of a cliche. It's very understandable! You've already put all that work into writing the fic itself, and now you have to write ANOTHER thing with its own set of conventions and expectations? No way!

And I want to start by saying that that's absolutely fine. Fic writing is your hobby, your creative endeavor; you're not obligated to do anything in it that you don't want to. You can leave the summary box completely blank--ao3 will let you--and there's no reason you shouldn't, if that's what you want to do! If you're happy with your summaries, please don't change them. There's no wrong way to do summaries. This is your invitation to ignore the entire rest of this post!

However. My impression is that an awful lot of people aren't happy with their summaries. They would like to have summaries that catch a reader's attention, that fit common patterns, or that give a good representation of the fic; they're just not sure how to accomplish that, or what readers might be expecting. And the good news is that writing various styles of summaries, like other kinds of writing, is a skill you can improve--and that there are some tips and tricks that can help you write the kinds of summaries you may want to write more quickly.

How do I know? Well, on top of having read I don't know how many fics, I've published 200 of my own, with all different kinds of summaries. (In fact, writing this post is my treat to myself to celebrate publishing 200 fics!) So I have a lot of trial and error experience to draw on. I'll be using my own summaries as examples (plus some hypothetical examples), because I don't want to be nitpicking anyone else's!

I'm going to throw in a cut now because this is gonna get long.

What do you want to accomplish with your summary?

That's the first question you might want to ask yourself. And the answer really is up to you! The name "summary" suggests it's supposed to be a sort of short version of your story. That's one option. But summaries are often used to accomplish various other things, too: some of my favorite summaries don't really tell you anything about the plot of the fic, but instead give you a glimpse of the writer's style or lure you in with a question. It can also fill organizational purposes like commemorating the reason the fic was written (although author notes can also be effective for things like this).

Most fundamentally, I tend to think of the summary box as a place to manage your readers' expectations. I want them to have some sense of what the fic they're about to read might be like, and I want to present that in a way that highlights why it might be appealing to them. Of course, what I write won't be appealing to every reader--and an effective summary, plus accurate tags and ratings of course, allows a reader who won't enjoy what I have to offer to quickly keep scrolling and find something that fits their tastes better. But the way I think of them, summaries are really mainly for readers who will enjoy my fic if they decide to open it. A summary for a fic is like a pretty package for a gift: the gift is great in itself, and the nice gift-wrap makes it more eye-catching and more fun to open!

Sidebar: This "managing expectations" thing is, I think, the reason why authors sometimes add notes in the summary like "I'm sorry if this sucks" or "this is my first fic, it's probably terrible." I completely understand where this comes from--you don't want to make your readers expect some kind of genius literature and then only have something to give them that you yourself are still insecure about! But I really do think they're generally counterproductive. On the one hand, that kind of negative self-talk will tend to undermine your own confidence and make you more insecure about your writing, not less; on the other hand, they can subconsciously prime your readers to notice weaknesses and issues that they might otherwise not even have paid attention to! That doesn't mean you have to pretend you think your writing is perfect; very few of us do think what we post on fic archives is perfect. There's nothing wrong, even, with a note like "this is my first fic" or "this one is a bit experimental, I'm not sure how I feel about it" or "this wasn't written in my first language" or even "this is an old fic and I don't think it represents my best work anymore", although I tend to put that kind of commentary on craft in the author's notes rather than the summary, but that's just me; there's no rule. As an example, when I recently published my first fic in the Hornblower fandom, which has a historical setting I wasn't previously very familiar with, I thanked my beta for helping me avoid "historical howlers" and added "any remaining are my own responsibility." That made me feel better about potential mistakes in research by showing that I was aware I might have made some. I put this in an author's note at the end of the story. But, for the sake of you as a writer as well as me as a reader, I'm asking you--please don't start out our reader/writer relationship by telling me it's terrible! Give yourself a chance to shine. Even if there's a lot you're insecure about in your fic, there's something you love--maybe it's the premise, the ship, even one particular line--that makes you want to share it with the world. Use the summary to highlight that. As your reader, that's what I want to know about!

Anyway, now that you've decided what you want your summary to accomplish, there are a couple of very easy ways to fill the summary box that you might want to consider--if they make sense for your fic.

Just quote the prompt

When I write prompt-fic, often very short, I frequently just quote the prompt itself as the summary. An example would be my 3 Sentence Ficathon fic archived on ao3. Since the challenge in this event is to write a complete fic in only three sentences, a summary wouldn't be much shorter than the fic itself! So I just do summaries like

For reeby10's prompt: "Doctor Who, Clara/Twelve, unforgettable."

(Gaps)

This can work outside of prompt memes, too. If you're doing a monthly challenge, for instance, something like

Flufftember day 21, 'breakfast in bed'

might tell your readers all they need to know to be interested in your story and know what to expect.

Set the context

For some fic, the most important thing you want your readers to know going in is something about the fic's context. For instance, with drabbles I sometimes use the summary as a place to sneak in information about setting/what's supposed to be happening that I didn't have room for in the drabble itself. For Susan's Twist, a 100-word drabble, I set the scene in the summary:

Susan is grooving to the latest chart-topper of 1963. But for some reason, the song makes her grandfather uncomfortable.

which meant I didn't have to use any of my 100 words explaining "Susan was listening to the radio, when..." Since Susan's Twist was inspired by someone else's Tumblr post, I could also just have referenced that post in the summary. But in this case, I chose to phrase the premise in my own words in the summary, and cite the Tumblr post in the author's notes (I also tagged the OP when I shared the fic on Tumblr).

Flower Children is an example of a drabble with a not particularly effective summary where I could have used this strategy quite effectively. The summary is just

Neither of them wants to fight.

which is all right, but which doesn't do much to set up the (admittedly cracky) Eighth Doctor/Dalek Oswin pairing that motivates the fic. But then, I've always felt like I didn't have quite as much of an idea as I'd like about what the context for this fic is supposed to be. Maybe I'll write more about them sometime.

Setting the context can also be useful for summaries of AUs. Very often, what draws people into AUs is the AU concept itself.

For instance, the premise of my story te quaerens, Ariadna is that the events of the audio Zagreus go differently and the Doctor remains possessed by/transformed into Zagreus. So that's what I said in the summary:

The Doctor is still Zagreus, but he and Charley find ways to keep going.

In this case, the summary is accomplishing more than one thing; it explains the concept, but it also indicates a bit of the story's tone--it's fairly optimistic given its premise, and it's more about how their relationship evolves than any particular plotty event.

With setting change AUs--especially in familiar AU settings, like a coffeeshop, high school, or fantasy monarchy--often what readers will most want to know is what roles the characters are filling; in other words, how the translation from canon to AU has been made. For instance, my story Warmth is already tagged as a coffeeshop AU with the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, and Adric, so the summary indicates that it's told from the perspective of Tegan as a new employee:

Unexpectedly stranded in London and looking for work, Tegan finds a place where she just might fit in.

If she had been a longtime employee or a customer, that would have changed the story's dynamics, and I would have wanted the summary to reflect that instead. I could have also added that the Doctor is the shop's manager and Nyssa and Adric are the existing employees, but I decided to let the story itself reveal that in this case.

With someone's planted a bath bomb in the matrix, which is a retail AU inspired by an incorrect quotes tumblr post, I just stuck the whole tumblr post in the summary box:

Romana: When you work at lush and a customer comes in and bites the soap because they think it’s cheese… this happens way more frequently than you think. Leela: If you stopped literally presenting soap as deli food this wouldn't happen. Narvin: Who goes into a bath store and thinks something covered in glitter is cheese? Brax: Who goes to the store and just takes a bite from the cheese? ~incorrectgallifreyquotes.tumblr.com

I might do that a bit differently now--maybe more the way I handled Susan's Twist--maybe something like this in the summary:

An uptight employee and a too-suave customer are making Romana's job managing a bath store way too stressful. Thank goodness--probably--that her best friend works for mall security.

And then I'd have put the tumblr post that inspired it in author's notes.

Thing is, though, that reflects my taste and what I think is effective now, but it doesn't mean I did it wrong the first time. People read and enjoyed the story, and it was fine!

Also I just showed this post to Moki and she said she thinks the first one's more intriguing. So that just goes to show, it's really a matter of taste.

This strategy is also useful for missing scenes and things like that. Something as simple as

While waiting for Z to return from the rendezvous, X and Y have a conversation.

can draw in readers very effectively, especially if X and Y's conversation was kind of obviously a gap in the story that they might already be curious about.

Use a quote

A surprisingly effective and straightforward way to create a summary is just to use a quote from the fic. I've seen tons of great summaries like this that hook me in immediately. I struggle with using it myself, because I want the line I quote to be powerful/impactful/intriguing and give some sense of what the plot is like and make sense out of context, and I don't often seem to be able to find lines like that in my own work. But I did for The Moon by Night:

It could not have been more than a day that we clung to the hull of that station full of troopers.

Since this is a space AU for a historical fiction novel, this line gives some sense of how the events of the story have been translated into space, and also shows the voice I'm writing in (I tried to follow the style of the original, which is first-person, which is unusual for me). If you can find a line like that in your work, it can be a great summary. You can even just put the first couple of lines of the fic, especially if you've already worked to make them an effective hook!

You can also use a quote from another source. Was there a line or moment from canon that inspired the fic? A poem or song that fits its mood? You can use the summary as a sort of epigraph. (I often use author's notes for this as well.) If your readers vibe with the quote that inspired the story, they're likely to vibe with the story as well.

I did something like this with Absent thee from felicity awhile. The title is a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet, and all I put in the summary box was another quote from a couple of lines later:

…to tell my story.

This is so short and contextless, though, that I'm not sure how effective it was. It maybe only works if you recognize the specific Hamlet scene that it's taken from and have thought about that scene in the context of a specific episode of Hornblower. (I promise that, if you do, it's heartbreakingly ironic!) This could have been a good opportunity for me to do a double summary (see below), especially since the story is epistolary and I could've established its context. Although I did kind of like revealing who was reading the letter and when slowly over the course of the story.

Okay, but I do want to explain the plot

Right, so we've established that effective summaries don't have to be in that "back of the book blurb" format. But sometimes you want them to be. Sometimes the thing you're most excited about is the story's plot or events, and you want to communicate that to the reader. But you already wrote the story in order to communicate the plot to the reader; how do you condense it into a sentence or two? Here are some tips that may help.

Are you using familiar tropes? If so, just mentioning them will likely tell your reader not only what the plot is, but that (if they like that trope) they're likely to enjoy it. For instance:

A and B are trapped in a snow cave/ice planet/walk-in freezer and must huddle for warmth.

That particular one will also explain a bit about the setting, if you want.

Relationship status/development is also something that many readers want to know, whether it's a romantic or a gen relationship (e.g. characters becoming friends or realizing they see each other as family). For instance, if A and B admit their romantic feelings for the first time in that huddling for warmth story, you might add:

They get a lot closer than either of them expects...

I rather like ellipses at the end of a summary; I think they imply, sort of, "read the fic to find out the rest." I sometimes use them to soften a summary that feels a bit abrupt. I feel like this might be just me, though? So if you don't like ellipses, nothing wrong with ending that same summary with a period.

If you have a fic where the entire content is some emotional development between characters, the entire summary can easily be that too!

I don't really write smut so I don't have good advice for summarizing it, but I get the feeling this might be a relevant strategy for it?

What changes in the story? This could be a change in characters' attitudes towards each other, in the information they have, in their physical situation, or anything else. A story doesn't have to be about one single major change, but there's almost always at least one. (Or a change fails to happen, but in an interesting way: "five times Lois Lane didn't realize Clark was Superman" would be a perfectly intriguing summary!)

What demands are made of the characters? Many stories involve a character overcoming some kind of challenge or meeting some kind of test. A summary can indicate what that challenge is--and you don't have to indicate whether or how the characters meet it! This can contribute to a feeling of suspense, so that the reader feels they need to read the story to find out how the characters react. For instance, I summarized my story Journey as:

The Doctor and Ace need to stop a dimensional leakage to put a life-sucking entity back where it belongs. But to do so, they'll each need to protect the other in their own way.

What are their own ways? Do they succeed? The reader can probably guess that they do--but how? Their attention is caught, and they'll have to read to find out!

Some notes on format and style

Summary style is as personal as the rest of your writing style, so this is only intended as a mention of a couple of trends I've noticed.

Sometimes summaries are 'in-universe'--i.e. they describe the characters and what they do, without reference to the existence of the fic itself as a textual entity--and sometimes, like the "five times" example I gave above, they refer to the fic's format, characteristics, relationship to canon, etc. in direct terms. (For instance, the example I gave for a missing scene was 'in-universe,' but I could just as well have said "While waiting for Z to return during Episode 3..."). Either of these approaches are fine, although I personally tend to incline more towards the in-universe style unless I have a particular reason to use the other, such as in Differences of Opinion, which took a lot of metatextual explaining:

When I read enough easily-crossed-over stories, such as for instance the Age of Sail books that I have been reading lately and also spaceship stories inspired thereby, what inevitably happens is I end up with a nebulous meta crossover setting where they can all hang out outside of their respective canons. Here's one conversation from that setting.

I keep wondering if something more terse might have been more effective, and I could have put all that in the author's notes. But I really think that for anyone who would enjoy this fic, the metatextual complication is a big part of the appeal. So I put it in the summary.

It's pretty standard to write in-universe-style summaries in the present tense, even if the fic is in the past tense. "The characters do this and that," not "the characters did this and that." You don't have to, but it's what your reader is most likely to be expecting.

It seems to be quite common to have a double summary: one that maybe reflects the style and tone of the fic, and another, more matter-of-fact one that explains the plot. They're frequently joined by "or." I don't typically use it--maybe because I rarely have the problem of having too much summary--but if you do, this could be a great solution.

Spellcheck and proofread your summary extra. Whatever strategies you normally use to make sure the words in your story are the words you actually meant to write, it's a good idea to turn those strategies on the summary with special intensity. After all, this is your first impression on your reader, so you probably want to look as polished as possible!

These are just a few things I've noticed that I tend to think about when staring at that blinking cursor in the summary box. I hope they may help you, too, to feel like you have something to say in that moment!

#writing #fic writing #writing advice #writing tips #ao3 tips

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merbear25 · 7 months

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The joys of music

Music is a wonderful means of self-expression. Being able to connect with its melodies, lyrics, and bands is something that should never be taken for granted. It's just an added bonus to be able to share this with someone.

CW: SFW, gn!reader, headcanons, fluff (excluding Caesar)

Mihawk, Caesar, Corazon

Mihawk: dark wave, post-punk, and cold wave. Examples: Twin Tribes and HAPAX

He'd find this type of music soothing. It'd probably help him relax after a long day of being surrounded by many chaotic characters and situations―letting himself get lost in the sound.

You'd find him sitting in front of the fireplace, eyes closed to fully immerse himself in the music.

After a few moments of listening with him, you'd comment on how charming it is.

Opening one of his eyes to look at you, he shifted his sight on the dancing embers.

Slowly getting up, he stood next to you, extending his hand.

Taking it with an inquisitive look, he lifted you up and held you close.

Swaying to the beats, his hand placed lightly on the small of your back and the other careesing your hand: you'd look dreamily into each other's eyes.

Placing your head on his chest, he'd hold you closely. Your souls intertwining with the melodies being played.

Caesar: cabaret metal and avant-grade metal. Examples: Tardigarde Inferno and Stolen Babies please ignore how on the nose this one is 😂

This type of music is often referred to as circus metal, and a lot of the music videos (especially from Tardigarde Inferno) are trippy, which remind me of Caesar. To me he's a walking acid trip.

Conducting experiments and research can take hours upon hours, so it was nice to have something on to boost his spirits.

The circus-like background with the added dark themes was the perfect inspiration for him to think of ways of testing out his newest brain-child on one of his many lackies.

Being enticed by the tunes dancing down the hall, you followed them to find Caesar happily leading someone into a chamber and pulling an ominous lever.

Regretting having found him in the middle of the trial and error portion, you slowly backed away from the entrance.

Unfortunately, your awkward hesitation caught his eye.

Greeting you warmly, he tried to coax you into coming over to him.

When seeing your eyes dart nervously to the chamber, he was quick to add, "Don't worry about this silly contraption! I'd never do such things to you." The softness never left his voice.

Corazon: Indie pop, progressive pop, alternative rock. Examples: The Real Tuesday Weld (linked to a specific song I think he'd love) and tallyhall

I think he'd appreciate the storytelling with these bands/genres. They hold a lot of emotion and are paired with light melodies. He'd probably also like when these are mixed with more upbeat moments.

Laying down on the grass, Rosinante cloud watched while he eased his worried thoughts.

The entrancing stories flowing through his earbuds teleported him to another reality―one where everyone would be safe from his brother's rising threat.

Enjoying the gentle breeze passing over him, his peaceful moment was abruptly put to a hault.

You startled him―seemingly popping up beside him out of thin air.

Releasing his 'silence' he asked if you needed something.

Kneeling down beside him, you told him you wanted to know what he was listening to.

Lending you one of his earbuds, his anxiety sudsided when he saw your face soften to the music.

Throwing his 'silence' up again, he enjoyed having you lay down next to him. The wind was picking up, causing the leaves above you to rustle and letting more sunlight peak through their gaps.

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hapfish · 3 months

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Hey! I'm making a F!Leo cosplay and I was wondering if you have any advice for how to do the shell? The plastron, specifically. Yours was amazing! Ty xx

Yeah of course!!! Luckily the rise plastrons are very geometric so its pretty easy to make a pattern from it! I dont have pictures of early steps so pls bear with me <3 info n pictures below the cut

First thing i did was make a pattern of my torso with plastic wrap and tape so i could see the curve of my stomach and chest. Cant say this helped a TON, but i cant imagine things in my head, so it helped me conceptualize the size and dimensions i would need the front panels to be to cover my torso.

Next i started sketching small patterns for what the cut outs may look like. DEFINITELY make a paper pattern, this took a lot of trial and error and you dont want to waste too much foam. I cannot for the life of me find my paper patterns unfortunately, but hopefully you can see part of where im coming from with the detailed pictures of the plastron!! I made patters for 1/2 of the plastron, and flipped the patters over to make the other half mirrored and symetrical.

Now the cutting. I used .7mm foam (i think?? I got it from micheals. Joann fabrics has some but only small sheets. If you want less seams you should get the bigger ones, or buy massive sheets online. EVA foam isnt too hard to find, but make sure your density and width is appropriate for what youre making. When actually cutting the pieces out, some cuts will be flat while others may work best at an angle. I used mostly 90* and 45* angles to make clean edges and corners.

Bear with me bc the pictures in this next part are kinda uglie </3 ill explain why later.

For matching the curve of the body, i used a fresh blade and made shallow triangle cuts on the backside of the foam as can be seen here:

It would have worked better if the chest pieces were also vurved by i was on a time crunch and didnt have the time to make a 3rd or fourth plastron (yes this was a second fully completed attempt orz). Im also a bigger dude so it may be easier if your torso is smaller. I also had the benefit of making my pants from scratch (using a demon slayer uniform pattern that i altered) so i made the waistband big enough to tuck the shell into, which helped with keeping it curved around my body.

(This but only applies to future leo and i did post gluing the pieces together, but for his Top Surgery Scars™️ i cut into the chest at a 45*angle, then glued those pieces back onto the back side to seal the cut)

For gluing, i tried a whole lot of types but jothing worked as well as cement glue. It is toxic tho so make sure you do it outside or with good ventilation, and wear gloves/a mask. I did two layers on each edge then stuck the edges together, 3 if i noticed the foam absorbing it to much. Make sure you take the gluing slow and really put pressure on the pieces to lock them together. Follow the instructions and youll do fine.

For painting, i did 2 layers of modge podge, 1-2 priming layers (depends on if foam is white or black to start), and then whatever layers you need for a smooth coat of color. I topped it off with modgepodge again to seal it, but that may not have been the best idea for the following reasons....

EW YUCK. WHY IT LOOK LIKE THAT.

Well. It didnt always. Turns out when youre wearing approx 3 laters in the summer then cover your body with insulating foam, the heat and moisture makes the modgepodge MELT. and like i said before, this bottom portion was tucked into my pants so it did not breathe. I have yet to even try to find a solution but just keep it in mind when making your cosplay (and if you find a solution PLEASE LET ME KNOW! My one idea was tryna find a sealant that wont melt (obv) but idk what that would be)

And FINALLY. how to secure it to the body suit!! I used snaps!! So easy and nice (besides the melting issue but thats a different thing entirely.) They never came off or gave me problems (minus the melting) and made the shells easy to transfer/travel with and put on.

(Heres a pic of them on the suit sewn in by hand, and above you can see them on the shell itself.)

All in all, The plastron was so so hard and im honestly still not happy with it, planning to remake it before i wear him again. Please show me your cosplay when you finish it, id love to see!! Please lemme know if you have any other questions!! 🐢💙

#ask #askfish #did-i-mention-the-shirt #cosplay #rise future leo #future leo #leonardo hamato #rottmnt #tmnt #rise leo #art #fanart

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kiruliom · 1 year

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coin fight 2023!

what is coin fight?

have you ever heard of art fight? it's like that, but for liom/mogai!

there is 2 teams (sun and moon for this year), and you 'attack' a member of the opposite team by coining things you think they'd like :D

this is made completely for fun, and has no rewards besides some "I was in the winning team" graphics (userboxes, blinkies, etc.)

the event will start on 9/20 and will last a week, with an exception being if it's still active after 1 week.

instructions:

make an entry here!

make a section on your pinned post (or an easily accessible rentry page) with your team and what you associate with your identity (make it as vague or specific as you need, doesnt need to be gender exclusive)

reblog the associated team post (sun) (moon) so people who check the reblogs of that post looking for people to attack can find you!

find a person to attack and coin things you think they will like! tag the person you're attacking and me (kiruliom), and tag #2023coinfight. also it would be really nice if you could tell us the approximation of your points (eg. it's a 5th link on a friendly fire revenge chain? please tell us its 7 points. ( 5 base, 2 points deducted for friendly fire, 5th link means 4th revenge, so +4)) this makes my job a lot easier.

rules:

if you fail to follow the instructions above you will be reached out to, or if you need help just tell me!

please check if you fit the DNI of the person you'd like to attack, or if THEY fit YOUR DNI. to avoid awkward situations.

all flags and terms made will have a 5 point base value. for every new 'link' on a revenge chain it will have 1 more point added to it. non-gender terms get 2 more points added to them, to encourage non-gender coinings

the terms coined dont need to be unique, just need to have unique flags. you can make an alternative bigender flag for example and it'd count as valid for points. however you cant submit flags made outside of the event time, this is more of a trust thing though as I cant tell for sure whether the flag was made before the event or not lol

there is a 3 attack per day rule, to avoid spamming. any more attacks submitted for the day will be rendered null, meaning no more points will be added for that day, this includes revenges. attacks are counted by amount of terms and not the amount of posts.

coining non-disordered paraphilia, MUD, oculoid or transid terms will render those attacks null, which means you wont earn points for them. transpecies is the exception to this as it's an alterhuman term and not a transid term.

friendly fire (attacking someone of the same team), is allowed. however 2 points will be deducted. this is to encourage a "team rivalry" more.

you can only attack 1 user at a time.

please dont take advantage of my awful memory and math skills and cheat, this is supposed to be for fun and you need to do your part for that, yeah?

re-elaborating the point system so it's in one place:

base term (say, a gender made for someone of the opposite team) = 5 pts

friendly fire (attacking someone of the same team) = -2 pts off total

revenge (attacking someone back)= +1 point per link on chain, starting from 2nd link/'first revenge'

non-gender terms = +2 points

sorry it's so messy, this is the first time Ive hosted an event that needs heavy moderation like this. I hope to figure this out via suggestions and trial-and-error.

#2023coinfight prep #event #coining event #mogai event #mogai pride #mogai positivity #mogai friendly #mogai #mogai blog #mogai community #mogai heaven #mogai post #mogai real #mogai safe #mogaireal #mogaisafe #actually mogai #pro mogai

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the-owl-tree · 3 months

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okay. super edition ranking.

crookedstar's promise - solid book. good set up, fun characters, and i enjoy the presence. im also incredibly biased for the atmosphere of riverclan, i like water.

bluestar's prophecy - great bluestar piece. faithful to the character, feels like a story that genuinely improves on what the prophecy begins delivers. barely below crookedstar's promise, it's just a smidge of not having enough oomf to put it in first.

tallstar's revenge - for all my gripes on the second half, i still really like the first half. i like that it broke the super edition template as well. however, its leagues away from crookedstar's promise and bluestar's prophecy.

firestar's quest - i read this one years ago and i cant tell you anything about it other than kid me liked firestar and was happy to read about him. i should reread this one.

tigerheart's shadow - where we head into the "eh! nice but could have been better territory", the border between actively enjoyed and i am Physically Angered by this book. i enjoy it for what it tries to do, i like dovewing and the church cats. there was a train and it had some of the most fun concepts and deaths done in a while.

squirrelflight's hope - hurt me physically....and yet i couldn't put it down. it's a trainwreck but it also employs some really interesting (if concerning) revelations about how the authors write these characters. this book helped create bean.

yellowfang's secret - groans in continuity error. yellowfang gets beat down on every page the book.

moth flight's vision - probably on the same level as yellowfang's secret, the difference is i just remember more freshly how miserable moth flight's vision made me.

crowfeather's trial - tbh this should probably be higher from a more objective point of view, i respect what it tries to do but ultimately i'd put crowfeather in a reverse bear trap and im not interested in being nice about his sad boy super edition where everyone coos over how sad he is

leopardstar's honor - noooo you guys don't get it she was really really sad when she agreed to execute the half-clan cats :( she said sorry!!

onestar's confession - :/

super editions i have not read:

bramblestar's storm - i do not want to read about squilf bramble marital problems anymore please please please stop authors

graystripe's vow - might read! just doesn't really interest me

riverclan's home - i saw the flutter prologue and i was like. deeply depressed about flutter.

ivypool's heart - well it's not out yet so.

super editions i had to stop reading partway through:

hawkwing's journey - stop making me read about men wanting women to die i want to wring this little fucker's neck

#i'll probably switch to novellas tbh before i touch any of the three ive not read

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sleepyghost-x · 1 month

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deer things for deer people!!

some things I do that help me feel myself :)

☆PLAY☆

Exercise is a must for me personally! Of course quadrobic are very popular but as a deerkin I heavily enjoy running [we can follow each other on Strava <3] Long walks and hikes in wooded areas are also very nice! Deer in my area live in riparian zones, and I will often take long slow walks by the water at dawn to try and catch a glimpse of them in the mornings. Make sure when doing any of these activities though to have enough water and food at the right times, and bring a friend if you struggle with exercise or mobility. A buddy can not only provide emotional support, but also safety or help in the case of an emergency. Please look out for yourselves !

Participating in martial arts or contact sports can also be helpful for younger bucks looking for a healthy way to get out that August-February aggression. Boxing gyms will usually offer a mix of weight training and sparring, both a great way to channel energy in a healthy way :)

☆SNACK☆

Adding some of the same foods to your diet that deer eat can be both validating and very good for you! As a generalization, most deer will eat a variety of shrub plants, fruits, and nuts or "true nuts." I am in the process of creating a recipe book, but here's a cheat sheet for now.

please note: Some of the foods deer eat are toxic to humans bodies! The most common are Beggars lice [and some other forbs] , Pokeweed, and Blackgum. Of course many deer also consume Fungi, which should always be verified before consumption. When eating anything always double check that you can confidently identify WHAT it is and WHERE it came from.

Not everyone's going to enjoy the salads that come at restaurants. That's okay!! One of my biggest turning points was finding out which plants/veggies I personally enjoyed and learning to make my own salads. This is dependent on personal taste, so its more a process of trial and error but don't be afraid to enjoy the things people tell you not to! Same goes for fruits and nuts. Making your own dried fruit or trail mix is also super fun and yummy when you cater it to your own tastes. You can also bring those last two on your hikes!

If you don't have access to these foods that's okay!! Even eating what you can outside can make one feel more in tune with themselves :)

If you don't have food stability period, please look into any government programs available to you. feeding your body is so so important. I've linked two from my area below that I know to be very helpful from friends testimony, but there are many others.

for one:

for those caring for fawns:

☆WATCH☆

As crepuscular creatures It's often very healing to be awake and outside for dusk and dawn. For years now I've enjoyed watching the sunrise, but the sunset is also very kind to our hearts. It's up to you. I'm fortunate enough to work the night shift and be up very early for practice so very often I get to see both.

If you have the tools to do so, I'd also recommend very early morning hikes as mentioned earlier. I like to start when it's still dark out, and time it so I reach a resting point as the sun comes up to watch. Night hikes are very enjoyable as well but make sure you bring everything you need, including one or more trusted companions able to help you if needed.

Getting in touch with your local species can make one feel more connected too. Go deer watching if you can! [no, looking in the mirror does not count] Take pictures, draw them, write about what you saw, or just sit back and enjoy the others.

☆DRESS☆

This ones pretty self explanatory. I wear mostly browns, black, and cream, sometimes graphic shirts with the woods or deer on them. I prefer very baggy and sturdy clothing for mobility and coverage when going out in the woods, but that's your choice. For those like me though, I'd recommend work wear. Much of it is in browns and its generally very durable. I get mine second hand, but if you're going somewhere really wooded and thick you might wanna get it newer and less worn in. Also! for those who like to hang out in the riperian zones [I'm looking at you mule deer] some hunting stores will sell water resistant pants and shoes!!

I prefer hard, chunky shoes reminiscent of hooves, usually my Cody James, but again wear what's most comfortable for you, and appropriate for your setting :) [closed toed for hiking, lightweight for swimming, etc...] For my fishhead people, you can also put a line down the front to make them more hoof like as pictured below. I do this to all my converse :P

Something silly but fun to try if you wear makeup and have a lighter skin tone is henna freckles, if you're darker white or cream freckles look really nice too :)

I have no wardrobe solution for the absence of antlers, but I have a shed antler from a white tail with a hole drilled in the base that I sometimes wear tied to a belt loop... sorry bucks.

TL;DR

go outside, eat your veggies, be deer, be safe, have fun <3

*While I personally do these things, they wont apply to everyone. Feel free to add to this or make my suggestions your own*

#therian #deerkin #deer therian #deer theriotype #please don't yell at me if you dont like these

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orbitsuns · 3 months

Text

tada! as requested by anon & since this is one my frequently asked questions i thought i'd finally make it a proper post! ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

first things first, i use photoshop cc 2018 to edit & with just a keyboard n mouse. my editing is HEAVILY inspired by the amazing stellarfalls !! i'm also still experimenting with things so i'll try to keep this up to date ♡

first i use smooth sharp (no topaz) then i will sometimes mess with curves if my photo is too dark to begin with. then i add my lighting which is just drawing on an overlay layer with a round soft brush :3

(sorry for the weird cropping i was recording the wrong window</3) i'm not a pro at lighting LMAO but i'll put it roughly where light would hit from the surroundings so here would be the fireplace, there's also a lamp behind them. i change the opacity so its not as drastic! for this step & the next i usually lean towards very light yellow, orange & pink for my brush colour!

next is the fun yet most tedious part, specific highlights! the most important part here when you're not using a tablet is shape dynamics > fade under brush settings (smoothing is also your friend as well!) this entire part is trial & error, you basically just outline the sim where light would be hitting them! when i'm done i use the blur brush, make it fit the entire image & click twice. i know that's like super specific it's just what i've found looks best so far •ᴗ•

hair strand time hair strand time!! i'm still not really satisfied with them yet (think i'm just being overly picky tbh LMAO) but this is how i do them now. basically following literalite's old hair strands tutorial, fade is once again your friend! i use a clipping mask to change the colours (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) i just use an edited photoshop brush & you can find the settings in literalite's video! but here are some nice hair brushes if you want more variety! x

finishing touches baby! time for some dust & noise ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ ) this gif shows a whole lotta nothing but i like consistency! anyways, what i'm doing is just sizing the image to fit then changing the blending mode to screen, i usually change the opacity to about 60% or 80% ++ i add 1% noise to the image!

and tada! we're done~ ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

but what about my older posts? all i used to do was add the butter action along with smooth sharp still + dust overlays! up until very recently i also added crinkled paper overlays to my photos

for overlays (things like moodlets, pop ups & text) the most common things i use are bunnithechubs' moodlet psd's! & buglaur's tutorial for text, i used this tutorial for pop ups in my older posts as well! other editing things i may use can be found at my resources page ♡

and now we're completely done, i hope that answers everyone's questions but if you still wanna know something or you're confused please feel free to send me an ask! ヾ(˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶)

#resources #editing tutorial #please forgive the cropping</3 #also sorry for any grammar mistakes or anything like that (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

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exo-levi · 1 year

Text

Melody

Title: Melody Reference: AoT, Dionela’s ‘Musika’ and its behind story https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSLTAs3xR/ Pairing: No Name!Levi Ackerman x Fem!Reader Universe: Modern!AU Warning(s): None Theme: Fluff

Note: The lyrics referenced are originally Filipino. To make it universal for everyone to understand and to make it look like Levi wrote it lmao, I wrote them in English with changes so the words would still fit with the tune of the song. I tried my best to recompose it, I am not a songwriter so please, bare with me if it’s a bit off >< some parts of the oneshot are based off the actual story of how the song was written by the singer. Check links in references above if you’re interested. If the link doesn’t work, try searching it on Tiktok because it wasn’t posted in YouTube. Summary: Levi writes a song dedicated to his lover.

Levi Ackerman, the enigmatic lead singer of the No Name band, was renowned for his intense stage presence and unyielding devotion to music. However, hidden beneath his tough exterior was a tender, loving side reserved exclusively for his girlfriend. One evening, she found herself in Levi's cozy living room, casually exploring the piano keyboard connected to his laptop. Levi, sprawled on the nearby couch, was absorbed in scrolling through his social media feed.

As her fingers gracefully glided over the keys, his girlfriend couldn't resist the urge to create a melody—a spontaneous outpouring of creativity. It flowed from her like a long-held secret finally set free. In a moment of surprise, she gasped and emitted a small shriek at the unexpected beauty of the tune, causing Levi to flinch from the sudden sound.

"What?" he inquired.

Turning to Levi, she gestured for him to come closer, and he obliged. "Listen, listen!" She played the six notes again, her boyfriend regarding her with curiosity.

"What was that?"

"I created a cool tune! Listen again!"

She repeated the sequence. "Wasn't that beautiful?" She beamed at him, excitement gleaming in her eyes.

He gazed at her and then at the keyboard before returning his attention to her. A low chuckle escaped his lips as he acknowledged her endearing enthusiasm. "It is a nice tune, brat. Really," he said, patting her head.

"Make a song out of it!"

Levi paused, taken aback by her spontaneous request, his stormy gray eyes locking onto hers with intrigue. "You want me to turn that tune into a song?"

She nodded eagerly. "I believe in you. I know you can do it."

Levi accepted the challenge with a nod, closely observing her as she played the melody once more, committing it to memory. That night, as they lay in bed, he couldn't help but softly hum the tune to himself, already crafting lyrics to match its gentle melody.

The next day, after dropping his girlfriend off at her apartment, Levi returned to his own. He lingered in the car in the parking lot, deep in thought about that tune. He mumbled lyrics under his breath, experimenting with words and phrases to complement the six musical notes' delicate rhythm.

"You are my forever—no."

He thought.

"You were created for me—no."

More contemplation.

"Fuck," he muttered, running his fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes and tried again.

"You are my melody."

Yes, that was perfect.

As the words flowed from his mouth, he knew he had found the ideal line. He realized she was the inspiration behind the song, his muse, his beautiful melody. It wasn't his usual style to write such sentimental lyrics, but for her, he'd craft a thousand love songs.

***

In the days that followed, Levi became consumed by this new project. He would often find himself humming the tune during band rehearsals and jotting down lyrics late into the night. He'd lock himself in his home studio, tirelessly working on the composition. Levi was a perfectionist, determined to make this song a masterpiece.

Weeks passed, filled with trial and error. Levi's resolve remained unshaken as he poured his heart into every note and word. He took charge of producing the song himself, infusing it with an unusual softness and tenderness, unlike any of No Name's previous hits. It was a song that conveyed love, devotion, and the beauty of unexpected emotions.

Finally, the day came when Levi felt satisfied with the composition. It was a labor of love, a tribute to the melody his girlfriend had bestowed upon him that memorable evening. With trembling hands, he put the finishing touches on the recording, ensuring it was flawless in every aspect.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow across Levi's living room, he turned to the woman seated on the couch, her eyes filled with anticipation. He handed her a pair of headphones and played the song, observing her closely.

As the first notes entered her ears, her heart skipped a beat. She closed her eyes, letting the music wash over her. Levi's voice, brimming with emotion, sang words meant only for her. The song was a whisper of love, a pledge of eternity.

When the final note faded away, she opened her eyes, tears glistening. She removed the headphones and gazed at Levi, her voice choked with emotion. "Levi, it's beautiful. It's the most wonderful gift anyone has ever given me."

Levi smiled, a rare and genuine smile reserved solely for her. "I'm glad you like it. This song, it's entirely dedicated to you. You're my muse, my inspiration, and my love,” he said softly. “But I do have one simple request from you."

She raised an eyebrow, asking, "What request?"

"I can't take all the credit; you're the one who created the tune. Would you do the honors of singing the last line?" he requested.

Taken aback, she hesitated momentarily. "Me?"

"Tch, who else am I talking to? Of course, you, stupid."

Still surprised, she replied, "Alright, but I'm warning you. I'm not as good as you," playfully.

"You'll be fine, and you'll sound beautiful."

In that moment, as they embraced in the warm embrace of the music, they both knew that this song would forever hold a special place in their hearts. It was a melody of love, a testament to their bond, and a reminder that even the toughest hearts could create something beautiful and tender when inspired by love.

Song:

You’re the one that I love

The one in my poems

The sound of guitar and the hymn of my songs

My voice may even fade, but it’ll never go away

A forever mystery,

You are my melody

If the day comes when your eyes will find hard remembering

The face of the man that you loved

My love, don’t you worry, the heart will forever

Remember the love that we have

If only I could turn back the time, I

Would go back to a time we first laid eyes

I’d make you mine again, I’d thank God that He has sent

Me an angel from Heaven above

You’re the one that I love

The one in my poems

The sound of guitar and the hymn of my songs

My voice may even fade, but it’ll never go away

A forever mystery,

You are my melody

If my mind can no longer create any melody

That can make your cheeks turn to red

My memories may fade away,

I trust that fate will find a way, to be in your arms again

If only I could turn back the time, I

Would go back to a time we first laid eyes

A story of you and me, I’d tell it endlessly,

Cause Forever’s ours if you believe

You’re the one that I love

The one in my poems

The sound of guitar and the hymn of my songs

My voice may even fade, but it’ll never go away

A forever mystery,

You are my melody

You’re the one that I love

The one in my poems

The sound of guitar and the hymn of my songs

My voice may even fade, but it’ll never go away

A forever mystery,

I am your melody

About. Masterlist. Taglist.

Yours truly,

Rowan.

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angelshadowsinger · 7 months

Note

Hi, Angel!💗 I was wondering if you could please share where you learned how to create your masterlist, and profile layout, and how did you upload your dividers without it looking weird? I’m newish to Tumblr and I’m getting a little frustrated because I’m having trouble figuring it out.💗

hii sweetest! yes, of course I can give you some pointers. first of all, welcome to tumblr authorhood!! may you receive many comments and find infinite motivation~

for me, I suppose I’m “self-taught”? but isn’t everyone on this app? lol. actually, I’ve been sharing fic on tumblr for… idk, 8 years on and off ?? omg that’s wild. but yeah, I’ve definitely learned some stuff along the way., here are my key takeaways:

(general) promote interaction:

there’s a couple things I do to try to improve the number of notes I receive on my posts, but there’s also a few things I try my best to do in order to improve my readers’ experience. first, I use tags on every post I publish. I have a tag for asks, for my fics, for my fic recs, etc. This makes it easier for a potential follower to go through with following you even if they don’t like 100% of your content, bc they can always blacklist the tag and they won’t have to see any of those posts. second, use links so that your readers can easily look through your stuff. a masterlist is KEY here as it’s the gateway for all your fics, but also, general navigation, or even linking your masterlist at the end of your fics can be beneficial too. I find it’s also really important to have links in your bio. this makes it way more approachable for any followers and it’s honestly nice to have for your own purposes as well. the only thing about that is, you have to make the links for your bio on the computer version of tumblr when you’re editing your blog. it cannot be mobile, something about it just won’t work. i can go into further detail on how to get those bio links but tbh i just looked it up on google 5yrs ago and it’s stayed the same since then lol~

theme:

obviously my blog doesnt have a “theme” theme when you visit it on computer, but i mean theme as in, all your navigation/general/fic posts are cohesive and they look like they belong on the same blog. you can achieve this by using the same fonts, text symbols (or emojis…. i guess. personally, side eye…), or dividers.

fonts:

so beyond the 3 fonts tumblr has in its posting formatting, i personally like to use copy paste fonts. they still work with embedding links and stuff as well. i like to use a font generator, where you type in whatever you’d like and it converts it for you. then you can just copy & paste.

text symbols:

these are a good for borders and dividers, or just generally spicing up your bio/navigation. i usually google “text symbols copy paste”, and browse through the results.

dividers:

when you’d like to use a photo divider on your blog, make sure it is a very skinny PNG file. PNG means it has a transparent background, so it will be more cohesive for your readers on regular white posts and also dark mode posts. I actually designed my own PNG divider (Azriel’s siphon of course hehe) on my iPad on ProCreate, but I know there’s a lot of blogs that make them and share them, which you can use so long as you give proper credits. that’s another thing that’s important— always make sure to credit others if you’re using work that isn’t yours!

most importantly, I recommend always TESTING these methods!! make sure to double check that all your links work, that the symbol you choose doesn’t become an emoji when you paste, that the font is all set. there’s a lot of trial and error involved in making your blog just right :) hope this helps & good luck anon!!

#asks #notfic #notacotar #angel yells into the void #author tings

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anewkindofme · 11 months

Note

Hi!! I was wondering how you think Sam would deal with Dean’s oveprotectiveness. Would it be amplified now due to Sam being a little and in what ways?

Hi there!

Ask me for headcanons on characters from my fandom list!

Dean is already at an 100 when it comes to his protectiveness over Sam. He already treats him like a little kid 99% of the time. And I think Sam has accepted it for the most part…but it definitely amplifies when he starts regressing.

I cannot find it, but please insert image of the exchange “And by the way, I'm a big boy now, I can take care of myself.” “Oh, well, excuse me.” Because they have a similar conversation probably once every few months.

Dean struggles to separate Sam’s younger space from his older. It’s easy for him to just fall into “Sam can’t do this for himself, so I will”. Sometimes it’s nice for Sam because he doesn’t have a ton of responsibilities, but others it’s annoying. Like when Dean insists on tying his shoes or brushing his teeth.

It’s definitely used as an excuse on hunts as to why Sam has to stay behind and do research, while Dean does the dirty work. Dean insists he’s too young and besides, what if he dropped while out in the field? What if someone took advantage of how vulnerable he is?

Not to mention, this job comes with enemies. People know Dean’s weakness is Sam. Dean does everything he can to make sure that Sam doesn’t become a target.

It’s definitely trial and error and multiple talks on the subject. Dean is right in a lot of areas and what he’s doing is for Sam’s protection. The truth is, Sam can’t do all the same things as before and he has to adjust to it. That being said, some of Dean’s rules are 100% for his anxiety and aren’t totally fair. The brothers spend a lot of time communicating and compromising.

The most important part is that they’re honest with each other. For Sam, that means not trying to hide it when he drops and allowing Dean to take care of him in the ways he needs. For Dean, it’s not trying to force Sam to drop if he doesn’t need to and giving him some space to breathe.

That being said, some things will never change. Dean is overprotective and will forever view Sam as a baby. Sam really blames John more than anything as he put this on his shoulders from the start. And he also comes to realize that he also doesn’t know how to be, if not Dean’s little baby.

Codependency at its finest, no different than Damon and Stefan.

#cw: codependency #sfw agere #sfw age regression #sfw caregiver #sfw littlespace #caregiver dean winchester #little sam winchester #SPN #supernatural #anon asks #asked and answered

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ilikedetectives · 9 months

Note

Hi! Would you mind sharing your DOF settings (if you use Otis DOF addon or just reshade dof) please? because i love how the circles/bokeh dof looks in your pictures but I cant really manage to get that result myself :(( thank you so much!

Hi anon,

Sharing my DoF settings wouldn't help your photo specifically, because I have to change them every time I take a photo (even when it's literally the same scene), none of the photos I take has the same DoF settings. DoF varies depending on where you place the camera and what your FoV is; the moment you change one of these two (or both), well DoF will need to be recalibrated (irl cameras work this way too especially in manual mode). This is why if you leave FoV on in the game settings and activate the freecam, the moment you move the cam around and/or zoom, DoF will go out of whack everything goes blurry, but it looks great during cutscenes when the cam is in its original location. IGCSDoF comprehensive guide (x) has what you need.

I put some general guidelines below for IGCSDOF, but it really boils down to a lot of practice (both in-game and irl) and how the in-game lightings are like in that given moment. A lot of what I do is always trial and error until it looks 'right' (this is highly subjective).

Highlight boost factor: I usually put to 1.0, but there are cases I tone it down to 0.3-0.5

Highlight gamma factor: 3.0 - 5.0, but some cases I do tone it down to 0.8 - 2.0 if the game is already bright

Quality: 13-16

Number of points of innermost ring: 4 - 8

Look for the right background: usually uniform background like trees on a bright day or starry sky/christmas lights at night work better than let's say a cabinet inside a dimly light house or a crowd of people in baldur's gate city. This article explains it nicely #3 to #7 (x)

CinematicDoF is similar but again, this varies by the scene and wildly different from game to game. I wish there's a one setting fits all but that's not the case. The other method is postprocessing in PS by adding them in manually. These are taken with Cinematic DoF (I just want an excuse to repost my Kassandra pics lol).

#virtual photography #answered #anon #vp ask #long post #I'm trying to hard not to go back to odyssey to test IGCSDOF out becauseeee #if I hear her voice Imma cry

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huellitaa · 1 month

Note

do you have any tips for starting a blog like yours? i love love love your vibe and what youve done with the place but idk how to go about it myself ! your account is just so nicely curated , i hope this makes sense !!

AJSKFKGJSJS YES I DO AND THANK YOU !!!! 🩷🫶🏻💗 OKAY SO. my blog has actually been super messy up until the past month or two since i only started in january and had NO idea what i was doing, so it took a little trial and error before i properly settled on something. what i'd suggest if you want to start a girly blog!:

🧁💬 bee's guide to girlblogging!

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ go online and search for cute symbols first and foremost!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pick out all ur favs and dump them down somewhere. on ALL the cute girly blogs these are always a staple! some of my favs i use lots, on tumblr and outside of it:

♡ ──★ ˙ ̟🎀

♡ ୨𖹭୧

♡ 🎀 . ݁₊ ⊹

♡ ㅤ۫ ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ 🐰 🧁 �� ㅤ

♡ 🐧💬𓂃 ࣪˖

♡ 🎀🧁 ྀི𓂃 ࣪˖

♡ 𝒟♡⃝ll..𓈒ིུ❤︎

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ make a pinterest board. obviously. for all the cute pretty images you wanna include in ur blog. dividers, gifs, pics, inspo, anything you'd like! ♡ this helps w curation and cohesiveness since you have your own personal aesthetic that runs throughout your blog!

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ i recommend if ur gonna make girly / advice posts to use notion, notes app, a journal, any sort of media where u can plan (digital or otherwise) and track everything there. this is where i personally keep my symbols, tags, post ideas, posts stored for later, and so on ♡ this just helps to keep everything neat and tidy and in check so it doesnt get super messy and u dont get overwhelmed <3

🐧𓂃 ࣪˖ ok get ur notion page or notebook or whatever ur using to plan in and pick out ur fav things about all ur fav girly blogs. use theirs as inspiration and figure out which features of theirs you want in yours and make them ur own. use inspo from already existing girly blogs or blogs you like and use this to create ur own individual style / aes and get a better feel for how u want ur own blog to look! ♡

-> (🗒🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ note: please do not copy from other's blogs or use things they made without credits, or try and pass it off as ur own. inspiration not plagiarism people!!!!!!!! ♡)

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ experiment!!!!!!!!!!!!! like i said earlier i have literally only just managed to create cohesiveness in my blog through countless amounts of trial and error. experiment and go through some trial and error and see what u like best, don't be afraid to change it often and see what ur favs end up being. that way you can get more of a feel for what you like and how you want your blog to look!

🎀 𓂃 ࣪˖ if ur gonna make girly / advice posts then i'd suggest to create a defining structure or layout for said posts. if you look at majority of my posts, they all have pretty similar layouts. this is gonna be kind of like ur signature and it helps people recognise ur specific style. you can note this structure down in whatever ur using to plan and manage ur blog, or just keep a mental note of it ♡

💬𓂃 ࣪˖ one of my fav things regarding post structures is make use of the symbols u picked out earlier and give them specific uses! this sounds kind of weird but i will give a demonstration of what i do w this tip:

♡ ──★ ˙ ̟🎀 : for headings or subheadings

♡ 🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ : main points and notes

♡ 🗒🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ : for any extra tips, edits or thoughts within one point!

♡ ──★ ˙ ̟🎀 !! notice !!: for any content warnings, announcements or things i may have to say that are important to the post!

♡ ୨𖹭୧: used at all the ends of my tags bcuz its pretty and cute! (plus i dont wanna change it)

♡ all my love 💬🎀🫶🏻💗: the little signature i use at all the ends of my posts!

♡ 🧁🎀💬🐧✨️💭🐰🎧🧸👛📌📎🗒: just a bunch of emojis i use often to make things prettier! ♡

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ create a defining theme / aesthetic. please don't feel limited to just pink and girly, but if you want that then thats perfect too! i think i have a v specific genre of girlblog and after changing and tweaking and altering it for some time now i'm vv happy with it ♡ if you follow the rest of these tips you'll probably have attained some sort of individual blog aesthetic already, but this is just to remember ♡

-> (🗒🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ note: one thing i like to do for this is have a specific divider(s)! i'll add the one i use all the time at the end of this post ♡)

💬𓂃 ࣪˖ i think this basically just adds on from my previous point but try ur best to be original in ur posts. make ur own style, make ur own aesthetic, make ur own post ideas no matter how out there they might seem, do things out of the box and whenever you like! i have created a few things like this (i.e. bee's record player, a monthly music magazine basically, and the princess project which i used for the first 50 days of the summer!) and they're such a cute way to just add some flair and originality to ur blog! ♡ be spontaneous and random and silly and change things up. girly blogs should be fun! ♡

i don't think i can think of anything else for now, but thank you for coming to me 😭💗 i hope this helps u and tag me when you start!!!!! i'd love to see ♡ mutuals when??? 🫶🏻

all my love 💬🎀🫶🏻💗

also here's the divider