#template based document generation | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

freezerbnuuy · 2 months ago

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I wrote a guide on my main blog on writing SimLit a while back, but I figured I'd amend it to make it more suitable to Tumblr and post it here as well.

Please note, that there is no one way to write SimLit; creative work is always subjective. You do not have to do everything in this guide, obviously- just focus on the bits that apply to you and what you want to write. This is a gathering of my own ideas, the way I do things, and other options as well. Depending on your writing style, some of this will be more relevant to you than other bits will. This is both for the challenge players and the people who write stories with little basis off anything going on in the game.

I have made a story / challenge-planning document that you can read about here that will give you a place to put all your ideas!

The fun part...sort of...is coming up with all your rough ideas. Things to think about are:

. Where you'll put your story: The most popular place for SimLit these days seems to be Wordpress, but there is always Blogger and LiveJournal as another option for a place to put your story. Tumblr is a great place for stories that are more picture-based and less textual, or if you plan to only have dialogue for your story text. Have a look at what different platforms have to offer to see what suits you.

Whilst I would say Blogger is a bit harder to properly customise than Wordpress and you have to rely on custom templates made by other people and some HTML editing if you want a nice blog template, it is very generous in terms of picture limit. To my knowledge, any image under 2048 on the longer width won't count toward your Photo space (as of 2025).

. Narrative or Gameplay-Driven: Some writers will write commentaries to go alongside images of challenges they're doing. Some write commentary for their general gameplay. Others use Sims solely as a way to 'direct' a story they've come up with themselves instead. Others make comics. Some do a mix of various things... Have a think about what kind of story you want to do. It might even change halfway through writing, you never know!

. Genre: You won't always have an easily-defined genre for your story, but you might have some ideas. Romance, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror, Family...the options are more or less endless.

. Custom Content: If you use CC, it can help to look for CC you might need for your story- whether that's poses, CAS items or Build/Buy items.

. How you will plan your story: Some SimLit authors write entirely around the game and don't pre-plan anything (brave people you are going by the seat of your pants, I used to do this but now I could never), but others like to plan story points and character notes beforehand. There are plenty of ways to plan your story, whether that's jotting ideas in a notebook or on a word processing document. There is one I already made linked at the beginning of this section.

There are also programs like Scrivener designed for writers to plan stories (it's not free, though). It depends how in-depth you need to plan things out before you write. With me, it really depends. Some story ideas, I have most of the plot planned in my head from the get-go. Other times, I only have a rough idea and have to go from there.

. What challenge you will do: If you want to write a commentary/story around a challenge, look for one you'll find fun first. Long or short? What rules will you change or omit? How much will you let the challenge and game drive the story? Will you be writing commentary, or will you be writing in a narrrative-type style inspired by what happens in the challenge?

. Rough plot / character ideas: Write down any plot or character notes that immediately come to mind, even if you don't know if you will use them. Anything that comes to you straight away is a good place to build on later and should be jotted down whilst it's still fresh in your mind.

. How you will write your story: - Commentary VS. Narrative: Will you write a commentary around your screenshots/gameplay, or will you write it in the style of a prose-like story? You can also mix both of these approaches in various ways.

Or do you want to go about it in a different way? Maybe you could use your screenshots to make a comic-style story. Another option is to possibly have something like an epistolary novel (written almost entirely in letters) or even a 'scrapbook story' (a story told in multiple ways with multiple artifacts- letters, newspaper clippings, phone calls, almost anything).

- Tense and Viewpoint: Will you write in past tense or present tense? Will you write in third person, or first person? How many different characters' viewpoints will you have if you write in first person? (...Or are you like me, and will accidentally switch between tenses throughout the whole story?)

. Themes: It's good to think more in-depth of what themes will appear in your story. Family bonds, friendships, relationships in general, dealing with various aspects of life, prejudices, overcoming fear...the list goes on forever. Whilst I personally don't like reducing stories to tropes, tropes are always a place to start if it works for you.

. General length: Do you want to ideally write a short story, or something longer? This won't always be something you'll have in mind straight away, but that's fine.

. How much to plan and when to start: It's up to you how much you need to pre-plan and when to start writing, but I don't start writing until I'm at a point where I know that the story can be resolved. I don't start writing straight away, in case I end up with a story I somehow can't finish.

. Upload frequency: You won't always stick to this, since most of us are busy, sad and tired adults- but it's good to try and think about how often you want to upload chapters. Are you aiming for weekly, monthly, or just whenever you manage to get a chapter out? What I will say is please TRY NOT TO STRESS about schedules. If your readers are impatient that's their problem and they can wait until you're ready!

. Gather inspiration: Whether it's authors, shows, films, art, music...anything that gets you in the right mood and frame of mind for what you want to do. Moodboards are sometimes a good idea as well for collecting inspiring pictures. Make inspiring playlists of songs that get you in the mood for the story or characters.

. The sliding scale of 'Utopia' and 'Dystopia': On a scale of 'Paradise' to 'Hell-hole world', what's the rough state of the world in your story like? Maybe it isn't that simple, but it helps to have an idea if it's thematically relevant somehow.

. Any messages or lessons: Are there any messages you hope to get across in your story, or anything that a reader may be able to learn from it at all? Not always the case with every story, and this is not the sort of thing that you'll do intentionally. For my own story, it's very much just a snapshot of history so there isn't really much of a defined moral to the story.

This is geared more towards people who are writing mostly story-driven SimLit, since commentary and gameplay-driven stories often don't require any sort of major world-building. That, and the challenge you are doing might already have the worldbuilding situation laid out for you, like the Apocalypse Challenge or the Alien Adoption challenge, but I'll build on this a bit too.

As someone who has been Game Master for DnD and Pathfinder, I'm used to fleshing out worlds, building on lore and the like- and being a Game Master often requires you to do it on the spot sometimes. For me, it's good to have some level of lore and world-building written out. I like having a certain set of 'rules' to stick with, mainly to help keep consistency of the universe's 'rules'. This is especially important with my Magic Universe since the magic system needs a level of consistency I have to try and stick to. (That said, I have occasionally changed tiny less-significant bits of lore as I go...shh...don't tell anyone!)

But where do you start with such a thing? First off, this isn't something you have to do in massive levels of detail (unless you want to!).

Here's the general way of how I do things. Feel free to pick and choose which bits will apply to your story; you don't have to pre-plan every little last detail about your world if you don't need/want to.

--Starting with the already-established relevant worlds and lore--

I almost always start out with the 'official' stuff first. You can find this in-game, in item and world descriptions, in trailers, and on Sims Wikis. Sims isn't the most lore-heavy game for obvious reasons, but now and again you've got something to work with. It all depends on exactly what you're writing about, and how much your story will revolve around the actual Sims universe.

--Seeing what I want to keep from the already-established worlds and lore, and what to get rid of--

I don't keep everything all of the time, and it's unlikely you will either. Sometimes your idea is better, or fits better with what you've already got in mind. Or perhaps the Sims 'lore' behind the thing is too comical and wouldn't fit a slightly more serious story.

--Start stealing ideas! (Go careful though)--

Writers worry way too much about originality, but everyone takes little bits of ideas off each other all of the time- everything is inspired by something. That, and in my opinion there’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing a story that’s a ‘love letter’ to a genre with all the tropes and cliches you can think of.

So gather up some inspiration and see what ideas others have; have a quick read of SimLits that are similar to your idea. Look at the lore behind shows or video games that are the same genre as you are writing. Think about your favourite shows, films and video games as well. Or even look at the official Sims forum or Tumblr to see what people have done with worlds, premade characters and the like. On the official forum, there are a lot of ‘What have you done with…’ threads where people discuss what they have done with premades and in-game places.

One thing I tend to focus on the most when worldbuilding, is the sort of socio-political aspect of the world. 'But why does everything have to be political?', you say, but everyone's life is governed by social and political ideas - some more than others, so for me it's what makes up a big chunk of the worldbuilding because of how much it influences the characters living in that world. That, and a few big historical events I tend to think of as well to flesh the world out. If this sounds like something you feel like delving into, then here's some ideas:

NOTE: Some of this won't apply to your world or focus, so just ignore the stuff that isn't relevant to your story.

--Events in history leading up to your story--

This will depend entirely on what you story is about, but events to think about are:

. Inspiring figures from the past: For example, if you're writing about vampires, are there any in history who are still iconic to this day? What made them iconic?

. Any miscellaneous important events? My more specific ones are geared more towards conflict, but there's always going to be important events that happened that stay with people that happen in the world and they aren't always going to be bad. (Yes, the author of Divided really did just say that.)

.Changes in laws and/or major attitudes towards groups: Were there any rules or legislations that came into play that completely shook the world of your story?

.Conflicts: Wars and other major conflicts in history will linger around for years and years in various ways

Modern society

This is looking at your present day in the story in more depth. This can help you with characterisation as well- how has modern society affected your character and their development and current attitudes?

. Attitudes towards certain groups: Who or what is celebrated in society? Who has to deal with negative attitudes and why? How are people choosing to fight back, positively or negatively, against positive or negative change? Is there any prejudice at all, or is your world almost entirely accepting of different types of people?

. General morale: How happy are the different groups of people in your world? Is there still need for change, or are people more or less okay with the way things are? Is there an imbalance in the welfare of different groups and why?

. What's/who's popular: From people to events relevant to the story you're trying to tell, what's popular and well-known? Are there any events or people that are causing change or debate that might be addressed later?

. Fashions: It helps to think about what's fashionable in your universe sometimes, but maybe that will all depend on what kind of CC you can get a hold of.

. What the future holds: What ideas do people have for the way things may change as time passes?

Magic, superpowers, or other power systems

If your story has some kind of system of 'special' power- magic, or superhero powers, certain chemicals, powers granted from deities or the like- it's good to have some rough idea for how they work:

. Is this power innate? Can it be learned? Is it within the person, or is it an outside source of some kind?

. Is this power a finite or infinite source? Is it a physical object, is it ethereal/energy, a chemical, etc?

. What limits are there to the use of this power? When can it/can't it be used? What downsides are there to using this power (illnesses, magical overcharge, death, etc)? What consequences are there for overuse of the power?

Beliefs and belief systems

Your story might have some sort of 'collective' belief systems- common superstitions, or religions like Sims Medieval’s Jacoban or Peteran faiths, or maybe even cults. If so, it's good to outline those, though the amount of detail you'll need for it will depend on the kinds of beliefs and the story you're telling.

. What are the core / defining rules / lessons /ways of living of this belief?

. What actions/attitudes etc are rewarded, and what attitudes are frowned upon? What rewards and punishments are there for such things, if any?

. How has this belief system affected other people outside of that belief system? What do 'outsiders' think of the belief and the people that practice it?

. Are there any key figures in this belief system? Are they real objects/people, metaphysical beings, or are they not real at all?

. Are there any specific meetings or practices etc. associated with this belief?

. Do people of this belief own specific special clothes or objects? What significance do they have?

IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: When it comes to world-building, ALWAYS go careful when using any real-life cultures, beliefs or events outside of your own culture etc- especially those of marginalised groups. Try to do your research as thoroughly as possible.

To avoid potential upset or misrepresentation, I either rely on fictional creations or keep things vague. For example, I'm using the lore behind the Sims Medieval's Jacoban and Peteran religions in an upcoming story to avoid making a fictional religion that people might mistake as a parody of an existing one.

Do any research you need to do

Once again, how in-depth you go depends on how far you want to go- how realistic you want it to be, how historically-accurate you want it to be...Sometimes it's good to just have enough to get a rough idea of something to add on to. For example, if you're doing a historical story, it might be worth just seeing what big events happened, social taboos, etiquette etc. just to get a feel for the rough world of your story. For anything that isn't an important topic, I'm not bothered if it's inaccurate. For example: if it turns out the soft background science of something in my work is a bit wonky, I don't entirely care. However, for serious subjects like mental health etc, I always make sure to get a good idea of what I'm doing before I write it. If I get it wrong, I could end up spreading massive misconceptions and that's the last thing I want to do. -

World-building towns and cities

Not everyone's story is going to have a huge deal of focus on this sort of thing, and additionally to the top you might want to go even further with building onto what's already given to us. So here's some other things that might be worth thinking about if you want to do a bit of extra fleshing-out for the game worlds. When I say 'individual world' I mean the actual playable worlds on their own as opposed to the ts4 worlds altogether at once. If you're doing a challenge and the challenge has worldbuilding aspects, like Alien Adoption Challenge or the Apocalypse Challenge then that is a brilliant thing to give you some level of a framework for some aspects of your story's world.

. Rough population of the individual world etc.

.Landmarks and their significance

.Tourism, what do other people like to do whilst they're there

.What sorts of people tend to live there

. What the individual world is known for the most, what puts them 'on the map', so to speak

Characters are my main focus as both a writer and a reader. I can have a good story with great characters and a thin plot, but a story with a great plot and boring characters is never going to interest me. They can also be difficult to come up with ideas for. Here is a rough idea of how I come up with characters, and how I build on pre-made characters.

Some people have written 'character interviews' - these can sometimes be helpful. You fill them out from the characters' point of view, or from a third-person perspective but about the character. The 'Marcel Proust' character interview is a great one to use, since it asks questions that will no doubt be relevant to both the character and the plot later on. Some of them have questions about favourite food, colours etc. but for me, this is more often extraneous than not. Then again, knowing too much about your character for some people is better than not knowing enough.

My own character 'interview' is here. It's technically not an interview and is just a list of things to consider about your character. You may get some use out of it.

First off, before anything: think of what to base your character on, roughly. Think of the traits of people you know or have known, think of aspects about yourself. Of course, we can't forget basing characters off of your favourite fictional characters!

If you are writing a premade character, and you're unsure on what to expand on, first off look at their in-game traits, any information provided in trailers/promotional material, and then look at fan theories and ideas about the character. Those are good places to start if you're using a premade Sim.

As well as specific characters, think of your favourite traits, archetypes, and development types as well. One of my favourites is the downfall of a character, a tragic character whose constant screw-ups land them in a deeper and deeper mess. Even better when they start going off the rails a bit as well. I also love characters who struggle with others' kindness, who learn to let themselves be loved over time.

Then you can get to outlining them.

The basics about your character

. Name: Is there any meaning behind this name in-story? Did the character choose it themselves or is it their birth name? What nicknames do they have, if any? Which do they like, and which do they hate? (Names don't have to have meaning. I only use meaningful names in certain contexts- most names are just names I like, names that just fit for some reason, or that a character's parents thought sounded nice).

NOTE ON NAMES: If you want an authentic name for a character from a specific time period, look at census records for the country if they're available or see if you can find articles on people from that country and time period. You can also Google naming conventions, as they can change within a country over time as well. I also recommend avoiding baby name websites or baby-related websites when you want authentic names for characters that aren't English or American. It's best to find blogs written by people from that country. Sometimes travel blogs for the country will sometimes talk about names, authenticity and such. Sometimes Wikipedia has lists of names as well, but it's worth double-checking any info found there.

. Rough description: Height, rough weight, colours of skin/hair/eyes, the general 'vibe' of their attire or a more in-depth description. Anything notable about them, like specific jewellery, clothes, tattoos or scars/other injuries?

. Identity: This could be anything from where they grew up, gender, race, sexual orientation, or if they are an occult sim or some other made-up species or race. How has their identity affected their life? Do they face any prejudice or mistreatment for any of it at all, or does it give them more of an advantage over others?

. Family: People in a character's family, whether blood family or found family.

.Beliefs: What they do (and maybe don't) believe in.

. Protagonist or antagonist: Not always this black and white for every character, but good to think about your character's rough place in the story. Of course, one can become the other as the story progresses.

Character-defining aspects

. General personality traits: You can use in-game traits and Randomise to give you ideas, or you can think of your own personality traits for the character.

. Upbringing: What it was like growing up for them. Who was good to them? Who wasn't? How have these people and experiences shaped who they are today? How was the world different growing up to what it's like now? Does the character mourn the old ways of the world or do they like the change?

. Social class: How has this affected their life?

. Education: Might also connect with upbringing here- how was school/university etc. for them?4

. Goals/dreams: Almost everyone has a goal, even if they never achieve it. Even if it's just getting out of bed to make breakfast and then getting back in again.

. Social life: Extrovert, introvert or somewhere in the middlle? What do they do when they hang out with friends etc?

. Fears: What are they afraid of? What do they do to avoid that fear, if anything?

. Any conditions, illnesses, or neurodivergence: (ONCE AGAIN, go careful when writing things like this and do research where it's needed.) How have they affected the character's life and their outlook in general? How does it affect how others percieve them, if it does at all? If applicable, what caused them?

. If not that, then general physical/mental health: How well (or not) does the character look after themselves in these ways? What do they do for self-care and distraction?

. Likes and dislikes: People, things, events, hobbies...What makes them happy and what makes them want to punch a wall?

. Character 'flaws': Flaws don't necessarily have to be absolutely-horrible things, it can be just things that can hold the character back in some way. Some things that characters may overcome in a story might not necessarily be flaws as well- for example, introversion isn't a flaw (I wish writers would stop treating it as one), but possibly some characters may seek to try and 'come out of their shell' socially a little. Most characters have some kind of flaw or personality 'aspect' to overcome or learn to deal with, but the best kind of character flaws are the ones that actually get in the character's way in the story. The joy is in seeing how the character overcomes these flaws...or even how the character gives into them more and more as the story goes on. Wretched excess is fun sometimes!

. What they're good/bad at: Where do they excel, where do they need a little practice, and what are they absolutely terrible at?

. Any special ablities or powers: What can this character do? What are the limits of this power? How do they feel about this power?

. Things they are known for: Whether by friends, family, colleagues or the world. What are they known for? What do people like and dislike about them?

. Ideas for development: How do you (at the moment) see the character changing? If you have any ideas for it, who or what will help to influence that change?

. Relationships with other characters: How they do (and don't) get along with other established characters, and maybe why. -

Things to think about character-wise when writing your story

Once you get to writing your character, here's a couple of things that it helps to think about- though some of it is more relevant if writing in the first person.

. What your character does and doesn't notice: How do they approach the world around them? What sort of things do they notice first in their surroundings?

. Manner of speech: Formal, or informal? Do they have any mottos, catchphrases or words they use often? Do they speak about feelings a lot? Do they lie, and how often? Sometimes what isn't spoken can say as much as what is spoken.

. How they socialise and deal with others: Do they overthink things in discussion? Do they pick up on social cues? Do they often over-analyse the actions of others, or do they let everything go over their head? Are they confident in socialising, or not? Maybe their out-of-dialogue musings are complex, but they keep to not revealing much in their speech.

. How they cope with negative emotions: Do they break down, or blame others? Or do they power through it?

. In connection to some of the above points, think about your character both from the outside and inside: How do others see them? How do they think they come across to others? How do they come across to themselves? And finally, who are they really on the inside?

An important aspect to think about especially is character motivation. I've written this one separately from the bullet points since I think it's especially important given character motivation will play a major part in driving the plot along, as well as relationships with the other characters. This might not be something you'll have a solid answer to until you start writing, but it's good to have some starting ideas.

. In the broadest and simplest sense, what does your character want? Money, fame, honour, redemption, happiness, revenge...Have a think about what it is that they strive for deep down. (If you're struggling for ideas, maybe it might help to look at the in-game Aspirations, or maybe even the Traits will give you some ideas).

. How far are they willing to go to get it? Are there limits they won't go to in order to get what they want? Or are they willing to step on whoever's toes? This might be a change that occurs over the story, that's always an interesting concept. Seeing the well-behaved character slowly and gradually challenge what is acceptable...

. Who, or what 'kickstarted' this motivation? Some people just naturally come to want something, maybe as they grow up and/or their general interests, hobbies etc. change. Some motivations are brought on by events, though. Maybe harm done to a loved one motivates them to seek revenge, or something they did in their past motivates them to seek forgiveness or redemption for their actions.

For challenge players, you can always define your characters through funny commentary, I always like seeing that. One story had one generation founder constantly break the fourth wall and be the only one who realised they were in a game and it made them stand out in a comical way.

Let me start off by saying: Plot is my weak point. I struggle to organise ideas when both reading and writing, I always have done. As usual, for plots it's best to think of your favourite plots from stories or a 'stock plot' like The Hero's Journey, Wretched Excess etc. It's also good to think about any potential plot points that come to mind straight away, so then you have starting points and can fill in the gaps- this is generally what I do. And honestly, I don't think it's that bad to re-use themes and plot pieces sometimes. Sometimes it works better to stick with what you're familiar with, than it is to try a thousand things at once that are new or different to you.

Do you see yourself as a 'plotter' or a 'pantser'? I'm a bit of both, though I'm leaning towards more of a plotter now. I wish I could write everything by the seat of my pants, but sadly I can't.

The way I initially began planning for a longer, more in-depth story is by making a table in a word processing document that is one column wide, with loads of rows. Just one giant row of loads of columns. Each box in this table will be for specific notes, and the order of these notes in the planning table goes like this:

. Title ideas/preliminary ideas: What it says on the tin, and the very, very first ideas for the story.

. Rough story ideas: Any ideas that come to me in the pre-planning stage go here. Ideas for anything at all- screenshots, scenes, lines of dialogue, anything!

.Background information to be aware of: Any relevant lore or research goes here. Sometimes I keep story research in a separate document.

. Previous story points to be aware of: Any previous characters or events to be aware of to aid in consistency.

. Current plot threads: Keeping track of plot threads that need to be resolved in some way, to help prevent plot holes.

. Character info: Character information in varying levels of depth. At this point, this usually only covers main characters.

. Character Development: This almost always changes halfway through, but this is my plan for how characters will change as the story goes on, and the events and characters that will be catalysts for that change.

. Backstory: Character backstory goes here instead, to keep things organised.

. Ideas for future chapters: Any ideas at all for upcoming chapters, no matter how vague. This also includes things that absolutely have to happen later on.

. Story ideas: Various boxes, all of which have more detailed story ideas. At the moment these are defined by specific events, and these are just for the direction of the story.

. Chapter (X): The main story planning, with one box for every chapter. This is where the story starts to be sorted by chapters as opposed to just events. Things always get swapped around during the writing process: Some things get moved until later, moved to happen earlier, or omitted/changed entirely.

The general idea as I'm going, is that each chapter has to move at least something forward. We learn something new about someone, a character's actions have changed something or caused a consequence, a character has learned something, etc. Somehow things have to be different from the beginning of the chapter to the end of the chapter and that is generally how I go about it. Whilst a lot of people frown on whole chapters that 'info-dump', for some stories it might be necessary- especially for futuristic or alternate history stories where the author will need some filling-in on the general state of this unfamiliar world.

Again, how much you want to/need to plan depends on what you're doing. Nowadays I write narratively, and the game has little bearing on the actual story.

If you're going with a gameplay or challenge-driven story you probably won't need much planning, if any at all.If it helps, it's worth doing what you can to create associations of some type within your planning- whether it's symbols, bold/italic, colour-coding, anything. That might aid you in keeping important bits of the notes tied together somehow, whether it's done by scene, character, important plot points etc.

It may help to highlight important bits as well in your word processor, so you can easily find things you know you have to go back to soon. I sometimes do this since I easily get lost in my own notes...

Other Planning Ideas

. Starting from the end: It might be easier to go backwards if you come up with your ending before your intro. You can always start with your end point, and then figure out how you got there.

. Mind-maps: If a massive list of boxes doesn't sound ideal, it might help do a sort of mind-map or flowchart. This is better if you are the sort of person who'd rather take in small bite-sized pieces at a time. You could have one mind-map for the beginning, middle and end, and then do little branches off for different events. And then from those branches, possibly add more for other details surrounding that specific story event, or things to remember for later on down the line.

. 'Snowflake method': Put simply, it's writing down a simple plot point or idea and then continually expanding on it until it's at the level of detail you need for your plan- the way a typical snowflake's points branch out. As a random example: - Dave goes to get some cheese. - Dave has discovered a monster in his kitchen, and it demands a block of cheese or Dave's life. Terrified, Dave goes out to get some cheese to appease the monster. - A monster that can only live off of cheese is used to eating the bits of dropped cheese off Dave's kitchen floor, but Dave has decided to do more cleaning now his girlfriend is moving in. Desperate for survival, the monster has escaped its hiding place, demanding a block of cheese from Dave for its survival. If Dave does not supply cheese, he will be killed by the monster.

. 'Five-part narrative'/Pyramid: Breaking down your story into the five main parts of most stories: - Exposition: This is mainly setting up the world of your story - the setting, the main goings-on in the area, the characters we will be following throughout the story, and also the driving point which sets the main characters ahead doing plot stuff. - Rising action: The rising action is generally the part where the characters' antics, or possibly something caused by the world around them, sets stakes higher and puts more pressure on them. Perhaps the character has made a grave mistake. People could be after them. Or perhaps some kind of natural disaster has caused massive issues for the character. How will they come to navigate all of this? - Climax: The rise up to the 'turning point' or the height of the drama in your story. Maybe your character finally has some kind of breakdown, their actions have led them into the worst situation possible, but good can arise from this...or your character can just keep going down the slippery slope. - Falling Action: This is generally the process of gradually resolving all that has happened during the story. Maybe the main characters have realised their mistakes and aim to solve them, or perhaps your characters have overcome the main antagonist, or possibly made peace with them somehow. - Denouement: The resolution to the story, or at least where the characters end up. Then again, who's to say that everything will be resolved by the end if you want to make a series rather than a one-off? And who's to say the resolution will be a clean pretty one?

. For the challenge/game-driven writers: It helps to make notes of anything that happens in-game that could become a plot idea. Whether it's something from a mod, Lifestyles, Sentiments, or other autonomous actions- anything that gives you idea for a potential relationship change, conflict or story point, jot it down and maybe you can build on it later. If your Sims end up with positive or negative Sentiments for each other, then maybe it could be fun to come up with a reason why they feel that way.

My biggest piece of advice is: If you are stuck with what to do next in a story, let the game do some of the storytelling for you if you need to. Look at what happens autonomously, Likes/Dislikes, traits, anything caused by mods that add story depth to the game, Sentiments that people have for others etc. You probably even have mods that actually add some real depth to the game that you can go off of. It's a great way to help you get new ideas. It's gotten me through a lot of brick walls in the plot.

. Do not use ChatGPT or any generative AI! The whole point of creative writing is the CREATIVE part and neither of these are at all creative. Don't bother writing a story if you can't be bothered to do the writing.

. Be sure to try and use content warnings for aspects of the story that may need it. You can use the trigger tags and can warn in chapter headers. You can't catch everything, of course you can't, but it's a helpful way to help a reader decide whether or not it's worth getting into a story, or whether they may want to skip a page or chapter. My own story has a lot of potential triggers so I warn about them as much as possible.

. Portrayal is not automatically endorsement. Your story does not have to be entirely morally-pure and neither do your characters. Not every story is about the perfect people who do no wrong and somehow manage to tick every box on how to be the perfect Leftist. You also don't have to provide disclaimers on the fact you are not okay with what's being portrayed, but you can do so if you want to save your own skin.

. Do not worry too much about word counts. Some people like to keep an eye on word counts, but make sure you're not letting it dictate your entire workflow. It's great to have goals to keep you going, but to let them define your work entirely can get stressful. If you miss your goals, don't beat yourself up about it.

. Use online generators if necessary! Names, plot points, rough plot outlines, there are generators for everything online. They are there both for fun and to help you get a starting point, and you are NOT cheating for using them! No other writer ever does absolutely everything themselves. We all get ideas from somewhere, so there's absolutely zero shame in using generators for ideas and such.

. Do not get hung up on looking for writing advice. I know, I just gave my advice and yet I'm saying this! Over the years I've looked at so many writing advice blogs, and almost all of it has been useless to me in the long run. Most of my learning has been from reading others' writing, and I have also learned from other kinds of art as well- films, pictures, etc. Do not rely too much on one person's style or advice. It's no good wanting to be someone else, and take that from someone who's been super jealous of loads of creators over the years. Whether it's art or writing, I've learned more from looking at others' art than I ever have from people who've told me how to do it. On top of that, don't let others' advice dictate what you do too much. After all, people are so quick to label absolutely anything as 'bad writing' these days. Continuing on from this point...

. Do not let others' writing advice become super-strict rules. Including my own! The problem with some people and their advice, is that they tend to think their way is the only way, for everyone. And as I mentioned earlier, people are quick to slap the latest cool 'smart writer's term on anything. Remember when Mary-Sue/Marty-Stu started off as an overpowered character who never faces consequences, but then seemingly became any character with supernatural powers and/or unnatural hair and eye colours? Remember when we got taught 'said is dead' in primary school, and then authors and Internet writers suddenly became obsessed with it to the point where you were terrible for using 'said' at all?

All of those writing blogs demanding complete originality when every conceivable story is inspired by something, subconsciously or otherwise? Getting thrown overboard for using clichés? The same three authors being used as a style model? It's great to take inspiration from other people, but don't think that others' writing advice is always 100% going to improve your writing because as I have said ad nauseum throughout this whole thing- art is subjective. Even if the advice-giver is an excellent author that's been published 1205 times, that doesn't necessarily mean their way is the only way for everyone. My likes and dislikes are not ultimate. Neither are theirs, and neither are yours. Write the clichéd character, add the cool thing because it's fun, use 'said' all of the time, enjoy yourself.

. Also worth adding that just because someone writes their writing 'advice' in an incredibly harsh or 'my way is the only way' manner, it doesn't mean they're 100% right and that you should change how you do things because a bored stranger on the Internet thinks they're the last word on how to create things. You are not going to please everyone, and that's fine. And let's face it- some people are never pleased. Ever. Don’t write to please these types of people, it’s not worth it. I've come across them plenty of times in the past on creative websites, and I've fallen into the trap of trying to do what they say because they must be right, right? And really, why should I? Why should anyone?

Don't fall into the trap of feeling like you have to do what the angry man on Wordpress told everyone to do. Maybe these types occasionally have something good to share, but you should only use writing advice you find genuinely helpful to you.

. When it comes to doing research on things like stereotypes or tired archetypes / plotlines for certain marginalised groups, be aware that everyone has a different opinion on what is harmful and what isn't. You cannot write a character of any experience that every single person will agree with or consider to be a sympathetic portrayal. One man's good representation is another man's problematic.

You are also occasionally going to find some people writing these portrayal guides who will consider every experience out of their own individual one to be wrong (I've come across plenty of 'how to write autistic characters' guides where the autistic writer is convinced their experiences are the only kind of 'proper' autistic experience... and we are all very different people in reality!). Try to get a rough idea from multiple sources and go from there.

. In addition to the above: Go careful where you get your research/advice from. I will happily admit when I don't know what I'm talking about sometimes. Other people, not so much. Go careful who you choose to do any research from. On top of that, when you are looking for advice specific to a culture or identity, most of the time it's best to find things written by people who are actually a part of the group. It's good to be as thorough as you can.

. Be imperfect. No-one is a perfect writer, though some certainly think they are! Perfectionism is common, but in my opinion it holds people back a lot of the time. Don't stress too much- SimLit is meant to be a fun hobby.

. Always aim to finish your work. Even if you have to pull a plot point out of your backside to do it, try to finish everything where you can. I have only ever discontinued one story, and that was only five chapters into it. If you're having trouble, don't be afraid to leave a project for a while. I find in the meantime, I come up with new ideas. Sometimes a necessary distance to a project is needed to see it in a different light, and then any issues can be (hopefully) figured out.

. Don't get caught up in the 'reboot loop'. It's a dangerous game, to constantly want to re-do your work. I'd know - I have a personal project that's been rebooted over 10 times and still not completed that's been a work-in-progress since almost 2014. Don't get caught up in it otherwise you'll never finish anything. If there's something you don't like, assess first if it's best to just move on with the story despite it. In connection to my above point, I'd rather a story be finished badly, personally, than not finished at all.

. Do not get put off by low reader numbers or lack of comments. It's part of the creative process- either you'll get feedback or you won't. People nowadays tend to go for shorter stories either due to not having time, language barriers are also a thing that can put people off a longer prose-based story, or due to the modern age trying to make everything as succinct as possible - and like I said earlier, a lot of people are tired busy adults and likely won't have time.

Some things are also typically more niche than others.

Do not publicly whine or guilt-trip people over lack of feedback or attention. There are always going to be times where lack of attention to your work will get you down, and in my eyes, that's a good sign to take a break from it until the passion for creation comes back to you. Otherwise the story will likely suffer for it as will your wellbeing.

. Do not get put off by negative critique. Critique can be helpful, but let's face it, many people often don't know how to write a good or useful critique and a lot of people nowadays want to be a edgy, feisty caustic critic, might as well say it. Even if someone is nice about it, your first reaction might be ‘owch’.

Keep the useful critique in mind, bin the rest. You don't need to change anything about your story, at the end of the day nobody can force you to do that - but it's also not healthy to ignore absolutely all critique completely. Sometimes others' ideas can be helpful. Sometimes.

. Jarte - A free fancier version of Wordpad that I use for note-taking and plot-planning.

. My planning document and character questions linked earlier.

. MyNoise - If you like background noise to focus but music isn't for you, these are various noise machines. It includes chanting, white noise, natural sounds (thunder, rain etc), bar ambience and much more. There's an amazing selection.

. Writing Plot Prompts and Generators - A bunch of generators for plot-related events. Rough plots, possible things that could go wrong, ideas for how characters meet and general writing prompts.

. Character Generator - A bunch of character-related generators that will generate all sorts of ideas- from rough descriptions, to in-detail outlines, to causes of death, and a separate generator for ideas for LGBT+ characters as well.

. Evernote- a free (with paid options) note-taking app for mobile and for PC. It allows you to create to-do lists, clip whole web pages, screenshots, articles PDFs and bookmarks - great for storing research or other important things! You can also sync your PC notes with your mobile ones so you always have a space to dump your ideas wherever you come up with them.

. Random Town Name Generator - with some fun tidbits about town naming in general.

. Fantasy Map Generator - for the super-world-builders!

I hope this has given you something of a starting point, or has otherwise given you something else to think about. Happy writing!

#sims 4 storytelling tutorial #sims 4 storytelling #sims 4 #ts4 #simblr storytelling guide #freezerbnuuy

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yanderedrabbles · 2 months ago

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I just came across your blog and just wanted to say hi, so...hi, hello :) How are you? Hope you're taking care of yourself and hydrating properly!

If you don't mind me asking, is there any advice you can give me as someone who struggles with writer's block and wants to get into the yandere community by writing fics/ocs and stuff?

~ 🐇 (I didn't see that this bunny emoji was taken, but if it is, I'll change it ^^)

Got writer's block? The yanderedrabbles literary agency is here to help - whether you want us to or not.

ooh, writer's block is the worst. Over the years, I've assembled a kit to help me get through it. It includes advice I've picked up from fellow authors, from books on writing, and things I've generally figured out. Specifically catered to my particular brand of procrastination and keyboard related head banging.

Not every step will work for you, but I'd say they're all worth trying!

Step 1: Figure out what's causing the block. Tricky, I know. But there's definitely a reason behind it, and solving the issue means finding the root. Do you feel paralysed by perfection, not wanting to write because you don't want to fail? Is your idea bank running on empty? Do you feel like your work just isn't good enough? Are you tired or burnt out? For most, it's usually a combination of factors. Identify and address issue accordingly.

Step 2: Write badly. No, seriously. Give yourself permission to sit down and write the worst piece of literature to ever grace this good, green earth. Because you know what? You can always fix it later. And at least you'll have something to improve upon, rather than yet another blank document that stares at you like an accusation. This goes for my perfectionists especially. Your first draft is supposed to be awful! That's why it's the first! Just get those words down and fix them later. Will you have to delete huge swathes? Probably. But the stuff you're left with will be worth the effort, I promise you.

Step 3: Randomness as Genesis. This is my go to when the mental treasury cuts funding and my idea bank is on the verge of bankruptcy. There are soooo many ways to go about it.

The first method is to use a random word generator and build off that. It's tricky at first, but as you train yourself to think like a writer, you'll find ideas coming from even the most mundane things. Here are some examples:

"Hairdresser?" Ooh, a small town mystery where the local stylist notices something strange about her latest client. "Scissors?" A goodwill employee comes across a pair of vintage garden sheers that contain a strange power. "Heater?" It's winter and your shoddy old heater has finally given up. There's a blizzard blowing in and no one to turn to for help besides your mysterious and reclusive neighbour.

In the same vein, use a random title generator and base your story off that. [Or as it's more commonly known, the Val Lewton method].

The third option is a template. I usually create about three to five categories - character type, conflict, setting, genre - and list as many things I can think of. And then, I use a number generator to randomly choose one or two ideas from each category.

In practice, I end up with prompts like "captain of the guard, age gap, fantasy, revenge." It's up to me to come up with a story based off that. And in this case, I did! Those prompts were the basis of my upcoming Yandere Captain of the Guard x Princess Reader fic.

I got this idea from the James Scott Bell Start-A-Plot machine. I can drop both the JSB method and mine if you guys are interested.

Step 4: Freeflow. One of my fave methods. Sit down and write the longest sentence you can manage. Ramble. No punctuation. Let your character monologue as much as they want. It's a writing exercise that I'm particularly fond of to get into a flow state and warm up. Also! It's a great way to get into your character's head and really nail down that sense of voice.

Step 5: Multimedia inspiration. Pinterest boards. Playlists. Your favourite books. Your favourite movies. Fairytales. Take something you love and add a modifier onto it. In the case of yandere cyberpunk fairytales, I decided to take classic fairytales and reinterpret them through a cyberpunk and pulp noir style. But that's barely scratching the surface. Change the time period, change the character types, change the genre. There's no shortage of ideas when you know where to look.

Step 6: Sleep on it! Or better yet, walk it out. Y'know those tiktoks where someone is talking about smashing their daily step count because they were day dreaming? Yep, that's about to be you. We all daydream, and we do it all the time. On commutes, during boring meetings, waiting in line. The key is to note down all those day dreams and turn them into stories. No matter how over the top or self indulgent, they're worth keeping.

Writers obsess over their work. I cannot tell you how many times I read over a fic before I even think of publishing it. That's great for editing, but when you've been over the same piece of media half a dozen times, it starts to loose its magic. When your work feels like the ugliest piece of text to ever exist, more often than not it's the fatigue talking. I suggest letting your work sit for a little while before reviewing/editing. Coming in with fresh eyes changes so much. You'll be surprised by how different your work feels once you've let it breathe a little.

Step 7: Do something light to push through it. This right here is the real secret sauce. I think a lot of writer's block comes from the fear of failure. What if I suck? What if I'm the worst author since the guy who wrote about space zebras with lazer guns?

Especially when you're working on something that you've already put a ton of effort into. There's this innate desire to succeed that becomes paralysing.

The solution to that is to step away and work on something fun and easy and low stakes. Something you're not afraid of messing up. In my case, the yandere movie week reviews are a fun, lighthearted shift away from my regular posting styles. In addition, short drabbles like this and this almost always break me out of my slumps.

Fun and low stakes. It's gets those writing muscles flexing again and before you know it, you're ready to dive back into your magnum opus.

There you have it! The methods I use to break through the writer's block. And just remember, if its your calling, then it will keep calling. Don't beat yourself up for taking time off from writing. That time away might be what finally inspires you and sets all the right pieces clicking into place.

Writer's block is a reality for just about everyone who's ever put pen to paper or gorgeous, manicured fingers to keyboard. You aren't alone in wanting to punch the screen until sentences start forming. But we all get through it eventually. Take care of yourself, read what you love and hammer at those keys until they give in. That's all there is to it. Love ya, and happy writing 😘

#Val's writing advice

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bunberiii · 4 months ago

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𝟏𝟓. 𝔚𝔬𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔯𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔚𝔬𝔯𝔩𝔡 𝔒𝔣 𝔐𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔠

introducing "15 wonderful world of magic", a dark academia aesthetic google docs oc template based on the houses of hogwarts, with many custom drawings such as icons, menus, and social media posts. this document includes space for general information, backstory, personality, character relationships, and magic/wizardry information. there are 4 different versions of the template, each based on the respective houses. this template is also free! feel free to edit this as much as you wish as long as you do not remove my credit.

notes/rules

editing and modifications are welcome once you purchase the template.

all drawings and images in this document are custom created (or in the case of the pictures, edited) by me. If you would like to take elements from this document, you will need to credit me as an inspiration or the creator of that element(s).

resizing or moving objects/images can throw off the document, so be careful.

do not remove my watermark/credits!

please like or reblog this post if you use my template! ♡

how to use

click the source link above

download the template via my payhip

follow the instructions on the downloaded note

once you receive access to the template, go to file → make a copy

how to edit

to most easily put in your own images, go to replace image then choose how you wish to replace it (either uploading a file or via the image's URL).

this document includes drawings. Double-click the drawing/image on the bottom left or top right corner, then click the edit tab. this will take you to a page where you can replace, edit or delete features of the image

for the custom-edited photos, I've linked a tutorial to how I created them in the zip file you'll receive after the purchase

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marticoresims · 2 months ago

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How to get rid of pre-made Sims completely

Would you like to create a neighborhood, but without Kaylynn Langerak, Benjamin Long, pre-made social group Sims etc.? Or maybe you'd like to get rid of the generic Family Bin Sims before you start a brand new Pleasantview? This tutorial will show you how to disable generating pre-made Sims of certain categories and let the game generate new ones in their place. Pick and choose!

This will only work in a freshly loaded neighborhood! If the game has already loaded all the Sims in your Documents folder, do NOT delete their character files!!!

If you wipe these folders off character files, these Sims will never reappear in any of your newly loaded neighborhoods. They will come back after you reinstall the game. So back up the folders just in case! BUT if you lose the backup, you can download these Sims/families as subhoods here. The subhood can be deleted right after adding it and the Sims will remain in the Family Bin.

How does the game generate these Sims? They are located in the game installation files, in a particular DLC's folder. When you first launch a neighborhood, you can see loading screens of Pets, Weather, Magic... this is when the game imports these Sims into the neighborhood folder in Documents. Most of them are called "stealth hoods", but you can also clean out visible neighborhoods and have them completely empty, buildings only.

You can download empty stealth hoods on ModTheSims. They are folders with deleted character files, so if you feel safer downloading and replacing folders like that, go ahead! But stealth hoods are not all that you can clean out. Subhoods also have clean versions, so if your only problem is a Sim's broken face template – no need to pre-delete all Sims, just get the clean version!

All folder paths are the defaults. If you have your game in a custom folder, I assume you know where it is. If you don't have the Ultimate Collection, the folders may look different, so I'll give you directions on which DLC we're talking about, as it's actually easier to navigate them if you have the Legacy Collection or disks.

Basic townies and service Sims The townies and NPCs from Pleasantview that generate in every custom neighborhood. These include Kaylynn Langerak and Benjamin Long mentioned at the beginning. You can pre-delete them in: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Double Deluxe\Base\TSData\Res\UserData\Neighborhoods\N001\Characters So in Pleasantview's game files directory. Go into the "Characters" folder and delete all files. The folder must remain empty. Note: This deletes ALL Pleasantview Sims, so if you load Pleasantview AFTER doing this, there will be NO SIMS, even playables! Doesn't affect an already launched Pleasantview.

Strays, adoption pool pets and the Roseland family Pets EP. If you want completely fresh strays and pets to adopt, delete all files in the "Characters" folder here: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Fun with Pets\EP4\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\P001\Characters Now, if you call the Pet Adoption Center, your game might freeze for a minute because it will be generating a lot of pets. For puppies/kittens to appear in the pool, it needs to generate strays first, as baby pets are made with strays' DNA.

Ottomas, Ramaswami and Garden Club Sims Seasons EP. Delete all files in the "Characters" folder here: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Seasons\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\G002\Characters

The Traveller family Bon Voyage EP. Delete all files in the "Characters" folder here: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Bon Voyage\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\V001\Characters

Picaso, Cooke and hobby instructors If you don't have the hobby instructors disabled with a mod. Free Time EP. Delete all files in the "Characters" folder here: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Free Time\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\F002\Characters

Newson, Goodie, Gavigan and pre-made witches Apartment Life EP. Delete all files in the "Characters" folder here: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Apartment Life\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\E002\Characters

Cleaning folders of the Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time and Apartment Life expansion packs = NO FAMILIES in the Family Bin! Except of course the ones that belong in a neighborhood, such as the Burbs in Pleasantview. Cleaning all folders mentioned above will result in an empty "Characters" folder in a freshly made custom neighborhood. So now you can make all Sims from scratch. To prevent the game from randomly generating townies and strays, you'll need a few mods: NoTownieRegen (find on the list) NoStrayRespawnNoDormieRegen I also recommend Anti-Redundancy

You can also have:

Pre-made universities with NO pre-made Sims Dorms, houses, university buildings... but with no students. University EP. Delete all files in the "Characters" folders here: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\University Life\EP1\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate U001 – Sim State University. Wiping this folder off character files will prevent the game from importing generic Sims (dormies, mascots, professors) in a custom university neighborhood. It's a college equivalent of Pleasantview. I also recommend getting the One Professor mod. U002 – La Fiesta Tech. U003 – Academie Le Tour.

Pre-made Downtown with NO pre-made Sims Nightlife EP. Delete all files in the "Characters" folder here: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Double Deluxe\EP2\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\D001\Characters

Bluewater Village with NO pre-made Sims When you love the hood, but not the Landgraab. Open for Business EP. Delete all files in the "Characters" folder here: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Best of Business\EP3\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\B001\Characters

Vacation destinations with NO pre-made Sims Bon Voyage EP. Delete all files in the "Characters" folders here: C:\Program Files\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Bon Voyage\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate A001 – Takemizu Village. M001 – Three Lakes. T001 – Twikkii Island.

I hope it's useful! Happy Simming!

#sims2 #sims 2 tutorial #thesims2 #sims 2 gameplay #sims 2 custom hood #sims 2 mods

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amphibianauthor · 7 months ago

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Ao3 HTML/Coding Resources Part II

This is the HTML/Coding for Website mimicking resources in Archive of our Own (Ao3). To find Part I where I go over the Basics, General Text HTML and some Fancy Formatting (images, dividers, columns, photos, tabs etc. CLICK HERE!

Other Websites:

Texting

-How to make iOS Text Messages on Ao3 by CodenameCarrot, La_Temperanza

-A Quick Generator for Embeddable iOS Text Messages by 221b_ee

-imessage Skin by Adzaema

-Retro imessage by Adzaema

-Basic Text Message Work Skin by ProfessorMotz

- Bubble platform [workskin] by Khashana

-Chat Log HTML by deathbymistletoe

-LINE Messenger/Chat by imperiousmarshmellow

-IDOLish Rabbit Chat Workskin by associate

-Replika workskin by FaeriMagic

-Texting Workskin to match light/dark mode by irrationalpie

Tumblr

-Tumblr style CSS Tweaks by Aposiopesis

-Ao3 Workskin Testing and Tutorials by junietuesday25 tumblr DM

-How to make Tumblr Posts on Ao3 by phyyripo

-Plain Text Social Media Platforms by anubisms

-Tumblr Post Work Skin by tsukinosaugi

Twitter

-Repository - Twitter by gadaursan

- How to mimic Social Media in an Ao3 work by aerynevenstar

-Twitter Work Skin Template by etc e tal

-Twitter Workskin: Tweets and Profile by starskin

-Twitter Mock-Up by TheBrookesNook

Ao3/Fandom

-How to mimic Authors notes and Kudos/Comment Buttons by La_Temperanza

-How to mimic AO3 Comments by bittermoons

-How to add mobile Ao3 in your fic by DemigodofAgni

-How to make a fanfic style header Ao3 style by ElectricAlice

-Template for adding post chapter content by SpookyTesting

-CSS based full Ao3 fic integration (Header/Overview, Comments, Title, Summary & Buttons) by deciMae

-How to Mimic LiveJournal Posts and Comments by cursedcuriosities

-Dreamwidth Entries & Comments Work Skin by folk_melody

Facebook/Instagram/Whatsapp

-Whatsapp Group Chat builder by FestiveFerret

-How to make Facebook Messenger Chat on Ao3 by ran_a_dom

-Whatsapp Work Skin Template Revamped by etc e tal

-Whatsapp group chat skin by ovely

-Instagram DMs for Ao3 by monarch_rhapsodies

-How to make Instagram DM mockup by xslytherclawx

-Penstagram chats on ao3 by deciMae

Snapchat

-Snapchat skin by Azdaema

-Snapchat Template for Ao3 by starskin

Reddit/Forum

-UPDATED Reddit Skin by diamine

-2020 Reddit Work Skin by timstokerlovebot

-Reddit Work Skin CSS & HTML by knave_of_swords

-How to mimic Social Media in an Ao3 work by aerynevenstar

-template Reddit Skin by spookedcroon

-template:Subreddit page by ireseen

-Ao3 workskin for Forum Thread by fencesit

-Ao3 workskin for Forum Thread [Expansion Pack] by AMereDream

-How to mimic 4chan posts without just taking screenshots of 4chan

Twitch/Youtube

-Mimicking Twitch Chat for fics by Ultraviollett

-Twitch Chat Work Skin by cherrari

-Workskin testing by tohmas [Youtube comments]

-Youtube Work Skin by 1864s

-Youtube Comment Section Workskin by LupaMoe

Discord/Slack/Zoom

-2023 Discord Theme Workskin by TrojanTeapot

-Discord Work Skin by unpredictableArtist

-Discord (Dark Theme) Workskin by Heterochromia_Mars

-Skin for Recreating Discord’s Server Member List by SpookyTesting

-Ao3 Workskin Testing and Tutorials by junietuesday25

-Slack Workskin by Khashana

-Zoom inspired Ao3 skin by mystyrust

Wikipedia

-Fake Wikipedia article about a TV show: Work Skin by Anonymous

-Wikipedia article work skin by styletests

-SCP Wiki Style Workskin by thesnager

Working Games in Ao3 Tutorials

Logic Grid Puzzle Work Skin & Tutorial by BookKeep

The Case Of The Clickable Murdle by VThinksOn

Review Sites:

Yelp Reviews by kiwiana

Amazon Reviews by kiwiana

Rate My Professor Work Skin by BookKeep

Video Game Dialog Mimics

-Dialog [workskin] by Clover_Zero

-Dialogue Workskin (with parallax BG effect) by mystyrust

-My S Ranks--System Windows by unpredictableArtist [computer dialog workskin]

-Tutorial: Ace Attorney Work Skin by QuailFence

-Among Us Ao3 skin by mystyrust

-How to Mimic Undertale Fonts on Ao3 by La_Temperanza

-Tutorial:Rain Code Work Skin by faish

-Balder's Gate 3 Documents Work Skin by Professor_Rye

-SpookyTesting has SOO many Nintendo based ones

–Mimicking Minecraft for some fics by Ultraviollett

Runescape Right Click Menu Formatting by fennfics

How to put Z skits in your Tales fics by wingedcatgirl

How to make Honkai: Star Rail Messages by html_hell (jihnari)

Hold-hands inspired Texting skin by cursedcuriocities(SetsuntaMew)

Simple Linkshell Ao3 Work Skin by Pent – Final Fantasy XIV mimic

Homestuck Chat Clients by 77angel-skins

Workskin: Slay the Princess by ASpooky

Slay the Princess: Updated Workskin by Lilto

Misc. Sites

--How to mimic Deadpool Thinking boxes by La_Temperanza

--FetLife Skin [Work Skin] by Khashana

--Disco Elysium workskin by SarunoHadaki

--StarTrek PADD workskin by duskyspirit

--MDZS-themed letters by allollipoppins

--A Newbie's Guide to Podficcing by Adzaema [skin for podfics]

--Skin for making Character Intro Cards by SpookyTesting

--Kpop Photocards by legonerd

–OVR System Workskin by unpredictableArtist

-How to make Stylized CSS Card Links for your fics by buttertartz

-vroom vroom kachow: Formula1 Race Results Workskin by mackerel_cheese

Bonus: Ever wanted to see how crazy HTML can be on AO3? Try playing But can it run Doom? or Tropémon by gifbot

Happy Creating!

Last updated: Feb 8 2025 (Have a resource that you want to share? My inbox is open!)

View Part I with HTML Basics HERE!

#archive of our own #html coding #fanfiction #fanfic #fanfic writing #fic writing #fanfic help #ao3 fanfic #ao3 author #ao3 writer #ao3fic #ao3 #ao3 link #ao3feed #fanfics #fanfic coding #fanfiction writer #fanfiction author #fanfiction crossover

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glowettee · 5 months ago

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Hi Mindy!!! I hope you’re doing well, and I just wanted to say that I love your posts. Really well written and thought out!

I just wanted to ask.. can you create a guide for preparing to a completely new school which isn’t, like basic? Not in a mean way, but lots of the advice on the internet is generic.

For any extra info, I’ll be joining in the second semester, so there’s plenty of time to make long term changes. It’s also a private school, but I don’t know if that will make a difference.

Thank you in advance 💖 love you!

hi sweetness! @prettieinpink thank you for your adorable ask 🌸 i'm so happy to see this from you!!!!! i'd love to help you from personal experience, and things i documented being in private school. please make sure you look at the 10 secrets because they're super helpful and things i've personally used. i'm going to pour my heart into this comprehensive guide for you. transitioning to a new private school mid-year can feel overwhelming, but i've got you covered with everything you need to know! love youu <333

the ultimate guide to conquering your new private school journey: a glowettee exclusive

by mindy ♡ @glowettee

pre-arrival preparation (1-2 months before)

academic groundwork:

request detailed course syllabi from your future teachers

create a comprehensive academic portfolio of your previous work

research the school's grading system and academic expectations

familiarize yourself with any specialized learning platforms

set up digital organization systems (i use notion + google calendar + xTiles)

purchase textbooks early and start preliminary reading

research the school's academic support resources

understand the homework and assignment submission policies

social preparation:

create a private social media presence specifically for school

research student organizations and clubs that accept mid-year members

join class-specific group chats or discussion boards

study the school's social media presence to understand culture

prepare conversation starters based on school activities

research any school traditions or special events

understand the social hierarchy (yes, private schools have these!)

identify potential mentor opportunities or buddy systems

practical essentials:

develop a morning routine that starts 30 minutes earlier than needed

create a capsule wardrobe that aligns with dress code

invest in high-quality school supplies that last

organize your study space at home

set up a dedicated homework station

create emergency supply kits for your locker and bag

establish a meal prep system for lunch and snacks

plan transportation routes and backup options

digital organization:

set up a comprehensive notion dashboard (i'll share my template soon!)

create specific folders for each subject in google drive

download all necessary academic apps

set up a digital calendar with color coding

create assignment tracking spreadsheets

establish a backup system for important documents

organize email folders for school communication

set up notification systems for important deadlines

mental and emotional preparation:

start journaling about your goals and fears

establish healthy boundaries for social interactions

create a stress management toolkit

develop positive self-talk mantras

plan regular self-care activities

identify potential support systems

create a growth mindset framework

establish regular check-in times with parents/guardians

first week survival guide:

day one essentials:

arrive 30 minutes early

bring extra supplies

wear something comfortable but polished

pack emergency essentials

keep your schedule easily accessible

bring a small notebook for important information

have your introduction speech ready

prepare questions for teachers and peers

social navigation:

observe before participating

sit in different locations to meet various groups

join lunch conversations naturally

show interest in others' experiences

take notes on names and interests

identify potential study partners

respect existing social dynamics

be authentically yourself while observing school culture

long-term success strategies:

academic excellence:

create weekly study schedules

establish relationships with teachers early

join or create study groups

maintain detailed notes from day one

schedule regular review sessions

utilize teacher office hours

keep a detailed assignment tracker

create subject-specific study guides

social integration:

participate in school events

volunteer for school activities

join at least one club or team

attend school sports events

participate in school traditions

create study groups

organize small social gatherings

maintain connections with existing friends

personal growth:

set monthly academic and social goals

maintain a gratitude journal

create a personal development plan

establish healthy stress management techniques

develop time management skills

build positive relationships with staff

create a balance between academics and social life

regularly evaluate and adjust your strategies

pro tips from my experience:

keep a spare set of supplies in your locker

create a school-specific emergency kit

maintain a digital photo of your schedule

establish a homework routine from day one

create a support network outside of school

document your journey through photos or journals

maintain open communication with teachers

celebrate small victories and progress

10 secret tips that transformed my private school journey ♡

the bathroom rule always scout out the least-used bathrooms in your first week, but don't just look for any quiet bathroom - look for one that's strategically located between your most stressful classes. trust me on this - i found my favorite quiet bathroom on the third floor of the science building, and it became my secret sanctuary for quick meditation breaks, makeup touch-ups, or just moments of peace between classes. the lighting there was immaculate for those confidence-boosting mirror talks, and it was far enough from the main hallways that you could actually hear yourself think. i even started keeping a small essential oil roller in my bag to make these mini-breaks feel more spa-like. this space became my personal reset button during hectic days, especially during exam seasons or when social dynamics felt overwhelming.

teacher connection hack bring a small notebook specifically for writing down personal details teachers mention (their favorite books, coffee preferences, hobbies, their children's names, or even their pets). this isn't about being a teacher's pet - it's about building genuine human connections. i started bringing my teacher's favorite starbucks drink on presentation days, remembering to ask about their weekend plans they mentioned, or sharing articles related to their interests. not only did it make their day, but it also showed i paid attention to details. these small gestures created authentic relationships that made a huge difference during finals week, college recommendation season, and even when i needed extensions during tough times. remember, teachers are people first, and when they see you acknowledging their humanity, they're more likely to understand yours.

social currency secret keep a small emergency kit with hair ties, bobby pins, bandaids, mints, tampons/pads, tide-to-go pens, pain relievers (if allowed), small sewing kit, clear nail polish for tights runs, double-sided tape, and even a phone charger in your locker. nothing creates instant friendships like being the person everyone knows they can count on for emergency supplies. i actually met my best friend because i had a spare hair tie when she desperately needed one before her presentation, and that simple moment turned into a three-hour conversation after school. this kit isn't just about having supplies - it's about being the person who thinks ahead and cares enough to help others. i started keeping track of what people borrowed most often and would stock up accordingly. it's like having your own little convenience store of kindness.

the popularity paradox here's something no one tells you - in private schools, being overly eager to be popular actually makes you less popular. the social hierarchy in private schools is often more subtle and complex than in public schools. i learned to focus on being genuinely interested in others instead of trying to fit in, asking thoughtful questions about their interests, and remembering small details about their lives. surprisingly, the moment i stopped trying to be part of the "it" crowd was when people started naturally gravitating towards me. i focused on developing my own interests and passions, which made me more interesting to others. the key is to be confidently authentic rather than strategically social. this approach not only helped me build real friendships but also protected me from the exhausting game of trying to maintain a carefully crafted social image.

the uniform advantage even with strict uniform rules, there are always creative ways to stand out while staying within the guidelines. i invested in high-quality accessories that complied with dress code but made my uniform look more polished - pearl earrings, delicate necklaces, classic watches, and subtle hair accessories. these small details helped me feel more put together and confident. but it's not just about the accessories - it's about how you wear the uniform itself. i learned that having my shirts professionally pressed, skirts properly hemmed, and shoes well-maintained made a huge difference in how put-together i looked. i also kept a small steamer in my locker for emergency touch-ups. this attention to detail showed respect for the school's traditions while allowing my personal style to shine through in acceptable ways.

the lunch table strategy don't commit to one lunch table for at least two weeks, and be strategic about your rotation schedule. i created a subtle system where i would sit with different groups each day, making mental notes about the dynamics, interests, and personalities at each table. i rotated between different groups, which helped me understand the social dynamics better and prevented me from being boxed into one clique too early. pay attention to how each group interacts - some tables are for studying, others for gossip, and some for genuine conversations. i kept a small note in my phone about each group's interests so i could contribute meaningfully to conversations. this strategy gave me the freedom to form genuine connections across different social circles and ultimately helped me choose where i truly felt comfortable. by the third week, i had a clear understanding of where i naturally fit in, rather than where i thought i should be.

the academic alliance create study guides and share them with classmates before they ask, but make it systematic and sustainable. i started a google drive folder with my notes and study guides, organized by subject and topic, with clear summaries and practice questions. it naturally evolved into a collaborative study group where everyone contributed their strengths. i became known as someone who not only shared resources but also helped others understand how to create their own study materials. this approach created a reciprocal learning environment where everyone felt comfortable asking for and offering help. i even created templates for different types of assignments that we could all use, which saved everyone time and helped maintain consistent quality in our work.

the extracurricular edge join at least one unexpected club that's not typically "popular," but don't just join - become actively involved in ways that showcase your unique talents. i joined the astronomy club despite it being small, and instead of just attending meetings, i started organizing stargazing events and creating instagram-worthy posts about our activities. this not only helped grow the club but also showed others that you can make any activity exciting if you're passionate about it. the unexpected benefit was meeting people who shared my genuine interests rather than just social aspirations. these authentic connections often lead to the most meaningful friendships and impressive college application stories.

the social media strategy create a finsta (private instagram) specifically for close school friends, but treat it as a carefully curated space rather than just another social media account. wait at least a month before adding anyone - this gives you time to understand the social dynamics and ensure you're connecting with the right people. i used my finsta to share study tips, funny school moments, and support for others' achievements. it became a safe space for sharing real moments with trusted friends, away from the pressure of maintaining a perfect image on main accounts. i also used it to organize study groups and share helpful resources, making it both social and practical.

the legacy link learn about your school's history and traditions from older students, but go beyond just knowing the basics. i spent time talking to seniors, alumni, and even teachers about the school's evolution over the years. understanding why certain traditions started, knowing the stories behind school legends, and learning about notable alumni helped me feel more connected to the school community. i created a digital notebook of these stories, which became a valuable resource for other new students. this knowledge made me feel like part of something bigger than just my current school year and helped me appreciate the school's culture on a deeper level.

personal advice from my heart to yours:

sweetness, i want you to know that the first few months at a new private school can feel like you're learning a new language - everyone seems to know the words and customs except you. i remember feeling so out of place during my first semester, constantly second-guessing myself and wondering if i was "doing it right." that feeling of being an outsider would hit me hardest during school traditions or inside jokes that everyone else seemed to understand instinctively. i spent countless nights journaling about feeling like i was watching my school life through a window, wondering when i would finally feel like i belonged. but here's what i learned: that feeling of being an outsider is actually your superpower. you have fresh eyes to see things differently, and that perspective is valuable. you notice things that others have become blind to, and you bring new energy to old traditions. your unique viewpoint can actually help breathe new life into established social circles and activities.

the most important thing i wish someone had told me is that it's okay to take your time finding your place. private schools often have students who've been together since kindergarten, and it can feel impossible to break into those established circles. but here's the truth - while everyone else is trying to maintain their image and social position, you have the freedom to be authentically yourself from day one. you don't have to carry the weight of years of expectations or predetermined roles. focus on building genuine connections rather than strategic ones. keep your grades up, but don't let academic pressure steal your joy. document your journey - take photos, keep a journal, save little mementos. these will become precious reminders of your growth. remember that every single person who seems perfectly adjusted now once stood exactly where you are, feeling exactly what you're feeling. and most importantly, remember that the version of you that walks into that school on day one isn't the same version that will emerge at the end of the year - and that's exactly how it should be. you're not just adapting to a new school; you're growing into a newer, stronger version of yourself. embrace this transformation with open arms.

sending you the warmest hugs and all my support! feel free to message me anytime for more specific advice or just to chat about your journey 🤍

mindy x

p.s. would you loves be interested in detailed posts about my notion templates and organization systems? let me know in the reblogs/replies!

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pdqdocs · 3 months ago

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Simplified Document Creation with PDQ Docs: Streamlining Your Workflow

In today’s fast-paced world, efficiency and time-saving tools are essential in every aspect of business and personal work. When it comes to document creation, many professionals face the challenge of managing complex formatting, collaboration, and time-consuming revisions. With PDQ Docs, document creation has been made easier, faster, and more streamlined than ever before. This innovative software is designed to simplify the process of creating professional documents, enabling users to focus on the content rather than the format.

How PDQ Docs Simplifies the Document Creation Process

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One of the key benefits of simplified document creation with PDQ Docs is its intuitive interface. The software is designed to be accessible for both beginners and advanced users, making it easy to create polished documents without the steep learning curve associated with other tools. Whether you are creating a document from scratch or modifying an existing template, PDQ Docs ensures that the process is as smooth and straightforward as possible.

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#simplified document creation #automated document creation #document automation tools #easy document generation #template-based document creation #document creation software #business document solutions #efficient document creation #document editing tools #document collaboration #buy document management software #ultimate document management software #document automation software for law firms #document generation software for law firms #centralized document management software

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1800pain · 2 years ago

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PRIVATE SYSTEM SERVER.

Hello. As a show of my ability, I have created a private system server template for you to use. While "private" is in the name, I have included two access roles (Friend and Trusted Friend)—however I have not done any permissions for them. There is a Bot role that has permissions for them, like access to the System Setup category.

And, like the last template, only traumagenic systems can interact with this blog and use my templates. Endogenic systems and their supporters get blocked.

Note that not every single channel is in this gif, just the ones I deemed the most important to show.

Use the template here, however do note that the announcement channel and all of the forums channels will not copy over, and you will have to add them yourself: Private System Server Template

I am okay with you editing my template for your own use. Do not redistribute as your own.

If you need any help, you can leave an ask in my inbox.

Explanations for channels under the cut. LONG, BUT PRETTY DAMN IMPORTANT TO READ.

All forum channels are marked with a speech bubble emoji 💬 in front of them; those are channels that you will miss. The single announcement channel that also will be missing is marked with a mega emoji ��.

#welcome - When someone joins the server, they will not see any channels, and you must give them a role so they can access this the server. You can see their welcome message here so you know someone's joined.

📢 update-status-fronting - If a switch happens, you put up a DNI, or want to otherwise warn people about your current state, you can update it here.

🔇 layout by 1 800 pain on tumblr - Feel free to delete this.

Text channels:

#bot - This is the only channel that has "Use application commands" permissions on it. If you would like to set it on other channels, you'd have to do it manually—or you can add it to the @everyone tag.

💬 dms - In the title, I put "[DM/GC] Channel name" under the post, then write the participants. I have a tag system for this channel (see below).

💬 thoughts - Headmates' thinking time. I also have a tag system for this channel (see below).

💬 mailbox - Essentially, I create a channel with a headmate's name and there are two tags: Read and Unread. Read means they've read the messages people leave for them, and Unread means they have yet to read them. It's a simple way to communicate with headmates who are not fronting.

System Setup:

All servers here are unable to be chatted in; only any member with the Bot role can do that. I enjoy setting up my PluralKit work into a few separate categories:

#resources - Easy access to Simply Plural, Notion, Evernote, or various places I get PNGs to set up PluralKit profiles—things of that nature and related to it.

#pk-setup - For descriptions and things.

#pk-pfps (not in gif) - To add profile pictures and banners. I put it in its own space because it's a different type of spam, image-based spam, than pk-setup, which is mostly text-based spam.

#new-arrivals - For showing people who made their PluralKit account, mainly for documentation.

#pk-spam - Just general things that don't quite relate to the ones above; typically things like pk;r.

💬 image-resources - If you change your icons or banners a lot, this can help. I put icons/banners here with credits to the original artist, the original art, and the edited version we use in our profiles. It's tagged by Icon, Faceclaim, Banners, etc.

#pk-log (hidden, not in gif) - To store PluralKit messages. If you also would like, you can add a more general moderation bot (such as Carl-bot) to also store non-PK messages.

System-centric:

#to-do: Self-explanatory; got any plans? Put them here.

#sys-chat: More general system chatter.

#sys-work: Talk about... system work.

#headmate-observations: If you notice something about your headmate—such as a positive/negative trigger, a various quirk they have, or any idea how their role works—share it here.

💬 headspace: A headspace forum to talk about headspace. More information in the image below.

The collection of the channels that you will miss, check the images above for extended information:

📢 update-status-fronting (uncategorized)

💬 dms (in general category)

💬 thoughts (in general category)

💬 mailbox (in general category)

💬 image-resources (in System Setup category)

💬 headspace (in System-centric category)

#system discord #discord server #actually did #did #did osdd #did system #did/osdd #dissociative system #osddid #traumagenic system #pluralkit #server template #endos do not interact #endos dni #pro endos dni #⚠ FLASH LIGHT

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nico-esoterica · 4 months ago

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..Who are you when no one’s watching?? Astrologically, that’s an element of Pluto ingressing through Aquarius worth pondering.

On one level, there’s that dualistic nature to it: Its association with the collective and being seen (perceived) in antithesis. Aquarius is the wayward journey from Saturn that decides its learned and seen enough and departs. Instead of laying a foundation of a new legacy to be followed (Capricorn), it rejects society’s template and goes its own way. It isn’t concerned with whether or not it’s followed.

Aquarius also dreams. Oh, it dreams. It imagines a world where it wouldn’t be othered for what it can’t perform and is embraced for who it simply is. Without compromises or conditions. Unpolished and raw; our sincerity is anything but smooth. Uneven, imperfect, mottled, and true. If you’ve ever loved an Aquarius---You know they love all of you. They anticipate your flaws and bad days and crack a smile when your mask falls. It’s unsettling and you scramble. Still, they see everything. There’s no one in the dark but you two.. and you’re fucked up and beautiful.

..We’re exposed. But there’s a sensuous thrill in the discomfort. When the layers are peeled back and our innocence is raw and pulsing. Bare and interested in just being rather than having approval. I think we’re at a point on a collective level that we want what’s shoved in our faces to feel unapologetically real and human. Not an Ai generated effect. It only hypothesizes; it can’t romanticize its own condition.

Around the eve of Pluto in Aquarius some centuries ago, artists sought to capture said condition in all of its folly, emotional volatility, and loss of reason and control through the rise of Romanticism. The European aristocracy’s demand for austerity and perfection through classist ideals bled into the disassociation of popular art depicting the rich as both mythical and necessary. The festering resentment among the poor calcified and blackened into violence. Gifted hands channeled the proletariat’s agony from centuries of abuse and its wish to purify itself by burning it all down.

We’re not interested in the elite and want to support people who bleed like the rest of us. It’s not just about sob stories—It’s about who hears you in the pitch black void of endless noise. It becomes something more. It hums, flowers, and reverberates because it touches. Different points connect and links are formed. Resonance.

The artists who rise to fame during this period won’t inherently be categorized by one particular aesthetic. But by how much of ourselves we see mirrored back to us. We also want to see them homegrown. Doechii’s and Victoria Monet’s Grammy wins didn’t come out of nowhere. They were artists who steadily grew their fan bases and perfected their sound over time. They weren’t overnight flyby successes who’s virality brought them into public awareness. Those who were there were. Doechii sat on Nissan-Altima for an entire year before she dropped it and has documented her life journey on Youtube for a decade. Clips from her struggle and growth have gone viral as if to say, “Hey wait—She earned this.”

It’s through line is, “She’s been through what I have.” She isn’t a nepo baby or an industry plant. When Black Queer legend Tracy Chapman won her Grammy in 1989 with Fast Car—a song which encapsulates the ambitious highs and abyssal lows felt within Capitalism, it skyrocketed her career trajectory forever. Her love stricken croon of loss cut into marrow and soul. It’s still covered to this day.

Chapman was born during a Uranus-Pluto conjunction in Virgo. These planets in aspect can represent a serious point in time when systemic tremors are felt. In Fast Car, Chapman was a check-out girl saving change to get out of Ohio. Doechii was self-funding her creative projects in her NYC bedroom on the dwindling benefits she still had from a job she hated and got fired from. Doechii has a Saturn-Uranus square. The cultural climate doesn’t only wail when you’re born with that—it shrieks. It’s carried and means that you won’t sit idly by and wait for things to shift. You move.

These are the stories that we want to see. Unpolished and sincere yet electric and thrumming with talent, motivation, charisma, and just having it without you being forced to feel that way. What’s popular in this day and age will be more intuited. It parallels proletariat art during the French Revolution decentering the bourgeoisie and its depictions of ease and comfort versus its human cost to both produce and be liberated from it. Because those who fund those lifestyles are people we know. They’re all of us. It’s what the axis of Leo and Aquarius is. To center the self.

And the self is a messy and complicated thing. Our brains are permanently rewired from pain and trauma. Resentment quietly disables us. For many, there’s a never ending cycle of fleeting relief followed by crushing disappointment or suffocating emptiness which proliferates everything. The faith and beauty we find within that in spite of everything isn’t just given to us. We have to carve it out.

In an exhausted world potentially on brink of something far sinister, it’s helpful for us to see each other as the water rises. ‘Maybe, I exist too.’ //

| Listen to how you can use this energy to honor what serves instead of what dehumanizes you [Patreon].

#age of aquarius #pluto in aquarius #astrology #doechii #doechii astrology #celebrity astrology #astrology essays #astro essays

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sniffanimal · 2 months ago

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Donnie's Bangin' Breakfast Sandwich Template Recipe

Every morning I make these sandwiches for me and my coworker/roommate/carpool before we go to work and they're so good they're literally the best breakfast sandwiches I've ever had. The best part about my recipe is that I consider it a living document of sorts, and that I can swap elements in and out as I please. I figured I would type up my recipe because it really isn't scary making your own breakfast sandwiches and you don't need one of those annoying special little griddles for it either. Ingredients and my workflow steps below the cut!

Ingredients I currently use (enough for 2 sandwiches!) - 2 english muffins, today I used whole wheat, but I want to make my own sometime - 1 egg - 2 sausage patties (ive made my own in the past, this one is from frozen), plant based ones also go pretty hard - 2 slices canadian bacon (or regular bacon or bac'n, whathave you) - spinach - chipotle mayo (homemade or otherwise, I've also used thousand island or just kewpie mayo) - sour cream - everything bagel seasoning (or really any spices you like in your eggs) - 2 slices of cheese of choice (i like cheddar, my roomie likes pepper jack) - butter General instructions: 1. Split muffins with a fork to maintain the internal texture better than with a knife. Butter and toast to 3/4 desired toastiness. 2. Air fry sausage patties to the specific needs of the patties you're using. Mine currently are great at 400f for 7 minutes. 3 minutes from the end I put the canadian bacon in there too. 3. Whisk an egg with a dollop of sour cream and everything bagel seasoning or other seasonings. Salt and pepper is also just fine! Sometimes I put in a little MSG or green onions and tomato or pepper flakes! 4. Fry the egg on the stove like an omelette, flat without scrambling, and depending on how you really like your eggs you can either flip it and cook both sides or cover with a lid and let steam cook the top. 5. If you have a toaster oven, put the cheese on one half of the english muffins and toast a bit more to melt. Otherwise, you can just put the cheese on the sandwich and let the heat of it melt it. 6. Assemble as desired, this is the contents I have on mine: chipotle mayo on one slice of muffin and cheese on the other, spinach leaves, a slice of the egg folded over, sausage, and canadian bacon. 7. These travel decently well for lunch as well, I recommend wrapping it in foil and putting in a tupperware to keep it safe and warm. To reheat, I put it on a plate or paper towel, split it open between the egg and sausage, and microwave for 30 seconds before reuniting the halves.

The whole process takes about 15 minutes, and whenever I have down time waiting for an element to cook, I can make my coffee or take my meds or whatever else I need to do in the morning.

#badger rants #recipe #cooking #food #breakfast sandwich #can be adapted to be vegetarian or i suppose vegan if you nix the egg and sub vegan substitutes in #i cant remember if ive made this with plant based breakfast sausage before or not

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ashleycodes · 1 year ago

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SUMMER MOORS - $30

currently available for purchase on my payhip.

summer moors is a dark (or light!) skin featuring a shipper app main profile that can be edited for whatever genre of role play you wish to use this skin on. all aesthetic-related edits are simple to swap out and customize to your liking. all the other features of this skin are found below: - full custom html templates - skin color changes for the main and mini profile & templates that will change accent colors based on the account that’s posting them - color variables for quick and easy customization of accent colors, the skin is currently set up and ready for you to add in up to 6 member groups (but you can easily add more) - last poster avatar on the board index and topic rows - black’s last post saver script - 1 general template, 1 general claims template, 1 post template by purchasing this skin you will receive: - full xml files for dark and light skin version - profile field xml file - instructions/installation document thanks, and enjoy!

#jcink skin #jcink skins #jcink skin for sale #custom jcink skin #custom jcink skins #examples #for sale

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bagheerita · 11 months ago

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Writing Interview Tag Game!

Thanks to @aintgonnatakethis for the tag! (I've copied his idea and posted the template in a "read more" if you decide to go ahead and play, so you don't have to pick the questions out from between my answers)

About me

When did you start writing?

I’ve been telling stories since I was old enough to remember words, but probably only writing them down since about high school. Crossover ideas about my favorite characters meeting each other and having adventures have been my bread and butter since I was in the single digits though.

Are there different genres or themes you enjoy reading other than the ones you write?

Oh yeah. There’s plenty of things I think I’m not very good at writing that I love reading, especially really grounded realism and humor. Also I do not have the patience for the really fantastic speculative xenobiology that I absolutely adore reading.

Is there an author you want to emulate, or are compared to often?

Not that I want to emulate. A teacher told me once that my writing reminded her of Danielle Steele, but as I've never read a Danielle Steele novel I'm not sure how accurate that is, or if it even applies anymore because that was 20 years ago. I feel like I tend to emulate whatever author I’ve been reading a lot lately, but I don’t read a lot anymore. I used to really love Patricia Briggs (I mean, I still love the books I've read, Dragon Bones is probably one of my top favorites ever, but I haven't been as impressed with her recent offerings) and I feel like there was a point where a lot of her werewolf psychology bleed over into the way I write Wraith.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

So at the moment I mostly write on my phone at work during breaks. The space is both chaotic and tense, and very boring and low-key. I do final edits on my computer though: that set up involves 2 screens, which is really handy for edit comparisons between an AO3 window and my backup document, and there’s a cat bed under the desk for Bug to hang out.

What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Over the past few years writing has become a way to channel my anxiety about the world, so I tend to write more when I’m anxious or when I’m stuck sitting somewhere that isn’t mentally stimulating but I have enough energy that I’m not completely zonked out.

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and/or places you write about?

Um in a specific sense probably no? I mean, I would say that how you grow up is extremely formative to who you are and what you write and that holds true for me. But specifically the only story influenced by the place I grew up is “Sunlight”; the setting is based on a place near where I grew up on Lake Michigan.

Are there any reoccurring themes in your writing? If so, do they surprise you?

Love will save the day. I don’t mean sex or romance, I mean the affection, compassion, and consideration that humans are capable of having for each other and for creation in all circumstances. And I don't mean “save the day” in a eucatastrophic sense, though I like that too, but that living in love is what saves us as people and reminds us that we are communal creatures who need each other. No, that doesn't surprise me.

Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character?

Lol, well I’m currently obsessed with Tora Ziyal from DS9. I'm planning to abduct her, and Ellia from SGA, and throw a Canon Doesn't Deserve You/Won't Treat You Right party. But that’s a story I’m not actually writing yet, so probably Todd? I’m also kind of currently obsessed with femdom and power dynamics among Wraith, and just generally with Todd’s dynamic with Carter because I feel like there’s a lot that was unexplored there in canon. I have one story for them which I’m posting that's all just sex, and 3 more ideas in various stages of wip that are more adventure bases. Somehow sex is easier to write than plot.

Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life?

lol

Look, I spend my time trying to get into these people's heads to figure out what makes them tick, putting them in Situations, and orchestrating their sex lives. Would you be friends with someone like that???

(For me) the entire point of this is that fictional people are not real, and do not exist in real life.

Which characters would you dislike the most if you met them?

I have 4 different answers for this one....

See above.

2. I feel like the point of these questions is really to ask about Original Characters and... I can't answer that in this case because Spoilers.

3. I feel like the other point is that "dislike" doesn't necessarily mean "hate," but rather "we wouldn't be friends." So, back when I was a 12 year old girlchild with a television, watching Deep Space Nine, I adored Jadzia Dax. Rewatching the show recently I find her far more immature than I remember (though may be it's just because the writers had no idea what they were doing with her), and honestly the more I learn about Curzon Dax the more I think he sounds like an absolute nightmare of a person. I do not think I would be friends with Dax. Not maliciously, just complete incompatibility of personalities.

4. But the fandom answer for characters I hate is: in a general Stargate sense, I utterly loathe both Frank Simmons and Lucius Lavin and would most certainly throw garbage at them if I existed in the stargate EU and happened to meet them. In addition I loathe Naraku from Inuyasha, would plot to murder the Head Founder from DS9, and would certainly cheer for anyone in The Last Kingdom who stabbed Aethelwold repeatedly and left him to be eaten by wild dogs.

Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters?

When I have a role that needs to be filled or a scene that needs to be populated with a character, I create a background character to fill it, who then tends to take over my brain and develop all sorts of traits. The process can vary a lot from character to character, but I'll use Sara as an example.

I start with the problem: I need an OC who will present Ronon with an unconventional take on the Wraith in order to help him shift his worldview. This needs to be someone whom he does not find physically threatening. Also they need to have had an opportunity to develop a relationship with the Wraith, likely with a single specific one. So, most likely I'm looking at a child, and an orphan, and they will need to be cut off from other humans because of Circumstances in order to have the opportunity to bond with the Wraith character. Very early on in developing Sara, I was influence a lot by the character of Rin from Inuaysha, who is an orphan girl who travels with a powerful demon whom most humans fear. I chose the name Sara because it's both a very common name and simple enough to be translated to another galaxy easily. Because I based the character on Rin she is "Japanese"/East Asian when I describe her physical appearance, I imagine her name being pronounced in the Japanese way (both a's with the same vowel sound and a soft "r"), and her people practiced a religion inspired by Shinto. Because I tend to eschew the canon proscription against the existence of queer people, I wrote her as being Asexual and Sapphic, though I had more difficulty than I wanted trying to make that aspect of her character textually obvious, since she doesn't really have the vocabulary to explain it and it's not focal to the plot.

So, this was intended to be a rather side character, but she herself became much more of a central part of the story than I was intending, rather than just the effect she would have on Ronon, which was what was supposed to be the focus of her character's contribution to the story.

Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters?

Not really? I do feel like I have to fight harder than with the canon characters to make sure that they don't all share my values and outlook.

Since I mostly write for SGA, and most of the characters already present are cis het white men, when I create characters I usually try to make them… not that in some way. (Though I do also assume that all characters who exist in stories that I write, including canon characters, are bi unless the fic clearly states otherwise.)

How do you picture your characters?

I don’t usually “picture” characters. I guess because the show is already visual I’m bad at remembering to create visual descriptions for the characters I create? Does that make any sense? Or maybe because the story is visual in my head there are parts of it I forget to “export” to the page. When Eos used to beta for me, she would badger me all the time, like “but what do they look like??” and I’ve been a lot better at describing things since then. Though still, I'm not really visual in that way I guess.

My writing

What’s your reason for writing?

There are stories inside of me and they want to come out. There are stories I want to read and no one else is writing them.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment from readers that you find particularly motivating?

All comments are fantastic, but my absolute favorite is when they quote a line from the chapter because 9 times out of 10 my response is “I know!!! I loved that line too!!”

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

I do not want to be perceived lol

Honestly this is not something I’ve ever really thought about? Like, I hope they enjoy my writing, but I don’t think I care about what they think about me.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Enjoying myself.

What have you been told your greatest strength as a writer is by others?

I used to say my greatest strength was characterization (and I do still believe that any character action or reaction is believable if you justify it correctly in the text) and I used to be a lot more interested in writing stories that aligned with canon or progressed believably from canon. I don’t so much care anymore, though I’ve had several comments praising my characterizations.

How do you feel about your own writing?

I love it. I wrote it for me to read. Even the older stuff that is bad now, it’s great to see how much I’ve grown and changed as a writer, and also how some things stay the same.

If you were the last person on earth, would you still write?

Probably not? The stories exist inside of me. Writing them down only accomplishes two things: 1) allows others to read them and 2) gives the story a static form. Without the need for 1 I don’t think I would bother to write them down, and they would stay in my head and continue to change and evolve and become other stories.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, do you write purely for yourself, or is it a mix of both?

Both. I write what I want to read, but I do like to push myself to write things I wouldn’t normally try; especially last year I wrote a bunch of prompt fics which was a lot of fun (and also left me with a handful of ideas I couldn't finish but still want to try lol). I also do a lot of read-throughs and edits to try to make sure the story is as good as I can make it because I do want others to be able to enjoy it.

NPT: @anonmadsci @chaniis-atlantis @adriankyte-writes @the-itzy-bitzy-spider @annwayne

@tiltingheartand @ladyaldhelm @mx-seraph @only-in-december

About me

When did you start writing?

Are there different genres or themes you enjoy reading other than the ones you write?

Is there an author you want to emulate, or are compared to often?

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and/or places you write about?

Are there any reoccurring themes in your writing? If so, do they surprise you?

Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character?

Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life?

Which characters would you dislike the most of you met them?

Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters?

Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters?

How do you picture your characters?

My writing

What’s your reason for writing?

Is there any specific comment or type of comment from readers that you find particularly motivating?

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Have you been told is your greatest strength as a writer is by others?

How do you feel about your own writing?

If you were the last person on earth, would you still write?

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, do you write purely for yourself, or is it a mix of both?

#tag game #my writing

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