#anfie NOvember challenge

[zu-is-here]

34. Anger

It's November! :D "Not yet"? >:0 Oh it's never too early or late to say "no", so YES to NOvember! ˚✧₊⁎

#zu art #anfie NOvember challenge #zu sona #✧ #indulged in memories and accidentally got inspired #back to work! ٩( ᐛ )و♪

[anfie-in-the-box]

Hello. You can call me anfie, though ultimately this post isn’t about me. It is about you.

Let me explain.

Almost every day I see so very talented, absolutely amazing creators getting burnt out, apologizing for not creating, or for creating for too long, or for creating a different thing when they “promised” to do another one first, or for sharing something self-indulgent, or something initially created to make themselves feel better, and so on and so forth. So many unnecessary apologies, so much stress and pain. My soul aches so much every time I see something like this.

I think I might find a way to help a little. You see, I’d like to offer you a challenge. It is called NOvember, which is actually a quite straight-forward meaning. Let’s move on to the rules so you can understand.

1. The challenge begins as soon as the prompt list and the rules are posted. You can join whenever you like!

2. The challenge ends with the next November (so on November, 30th, 2021). Though that’s only technically, you can join much later and still use the tag (or not, that’s up to you).

3. The challenge is not for one type of creators specifically. Fanfiction? Cool! Originals? Awesome! Fanart? Wonderful! Original art? Go for it! Comic? Splendid! Melodies, or even songs? Fascinating! Aesthetics? Delightful! Any other form of art? Absolutely lovely. Thank you for bringing something new to this world.

4. You don’t have to post your works every day, week, month, etc. You don’t have to post all of them in November. You don’t owe this challenge anything. This challenge is for you to feel comfortable and safe, so do as you please.

5. This challenge is meant to remind the creators and their audience that it is OK to say NO to things. Some are generally bad and need to be removed permanently. Some are generally good, but there are situations when they are not needed, when they might hurt you or/and people around.

6. Hence the key theme of the challenge — a situation (or situations) when you have to say NO to whatever is in the prompt. For example, on the first day you need to create something about telling depreciation NO. Will it be about self-depreciating thoughts, or about the way grown-ups tend to invalidate children and teens’ problems, or maybe about something else entirely? That’s for you to know and for us, your audience, to find out.

7. It is fine to create and/or post out of order.

8. It is fine to skip some prompts and/or create a few things for just one prompt. If you don’t have any ideas, it’s OK. If a prompt resonates with you so much you can’t stop thinking about it and coming up with more and more concepts, it’s OK, too.

9. No discrimination and hate. This challenge is about taking care of yourself and of other people. This challenge is about support and getting better together.

10. If you’d like to participate, please use the tags #anfie NOvember challenge and #it’ OK to say NO; you can also add your own (for your works only or for a specific form of art, like #anfie writes NOvember or #anfie NOvember aesthetics respectfully). Every option is fine as long as you don’t forget to add my nickname to avoid confusion. After all, there might be other November challenges out there.

11. If something, anything at all goes wrong, please, please, please, do not apologize. It’s OK if you can’t continue the challenge anymore, whatever the reason is. It’s OK if you promised to post something and then didn’t. It’s OK. Just… explain, if you feel like it. But don’t apologize. It isn’t your fault, even if you think otherwise.

Link to the Russian version is HERE

Link to the French version is HERE

Special thanks to:

Zmeal (on ficbook), who made the prompt list look the way it does;

@zu-is-here, who supported the idea and basically made versions in different languages possible.

P. S. If you'd like to say YES to NOvember, but don't want to or cannot participate, consider reblogging, sharing with people who might be interested, and more! If you have any questions then please don't hesitate to contact me.

Last but not least. Take care. Stay safe.

#anfie NOvember challenge #It's OK to say NO #writing challenge #writing prompts #fanfic challenge #art challenge

[zu-is-here]

It's not November yet but I was heavily inspired by @anfie-in-the-box's contribution to her challenge (and pleasantly surprised to find a reflection of myself ♡) so I decided to put my two cents in as well (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)

It took me a while to choose the right word while drawing, for it's about many things at once— or maybe it was just harder to admit it than to say NO to? ☆

28. Anxiety

#zu art #anfie NOvember challenge #it's okay to say no #zu sona #I had a comic idea buuut the less the better right? ;) #guess everyone faces this #every living being #for very different reasons #and it's almost impossible to ignore #but you shouldn't #don't turn your back on it #cause you can always recall the things you've done so far #you can always recall the things that made and still makes you happy #you can always recall the things you're grateful for #you are you and that's more than enough #that's what helped me once and still does #hope it helps you too╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ #zu is happy

[anfie-in-the-box]

1. Depreciation

Notes

Hey there. I'm doing... not so good, to be frank. So, here is a little thing completely different from what I usually write and post here. It's for my NOvember challenge; as stated in the rules, one doesn't have to wait for November to start. If you haven't seen it yet, go check it out — here's the link! Perhaps you or someone you know might be interested and benefit from it.

。。。

My writings are worthless.

So very much I love the worlds I discover and people whose souls I get to gaze into and whose lives I'm so lucky to observe. With all my heart I want to help them be heard. These stories deserve the chance to ring out, reach someone's heart and perhaps even be imprinted in someone's mind, deeper than I could ever imagine.

My perception of visual information isn't particularly good (and my myopia isn't the only reason, not really), so it's no wonder I can't draw.

Handiwork isn't my cup of tea. I feel insecure with the scissors in my hands, or a needle with a thread, or the knitting needles, or wires, or some clay — you name it. Experience would surely make me more confident, but I don't see any way to embody my ideas like this. Not the right form, not at all.

Music stays out of my grasp, beautiful yet unreachable.

I certainly missed something or even forgot. That's all right.

After all, I love languages with all my heart. Russian, which is my native one, and the foreign languages of all kinds, although I must admit I prefer those I know, more or less, — English, Chinese, and Japanese.

I also love reading. In different languages, of course, even if my current knowledge only allows me to read in Russian and English. I admire art in most of its forms, but it just so happens it's words that affect me the most.

I, therefore, use words as well, writing down the stories I'm so lucky to know.

People like my writing. Always have; I started with fics in a fandom with a friendly atmosphere, and I found my readers, and they pointed out my mistakes, but also considered the strong points and my progress. I was supported. I am supported.

For some reason, that doesn't stop me from deeming my writing… no, not bad, this word's just not right. Of no significance and importance, I'd say. Hollow.

Whatever I write, I can't hear my own works as I hear the others' ones. I feel the story itself since it's mine, but not the words I describe it with.

It seems after all these years, I made no progress at all.

It seems I should just quit already, and that's it. Why do I make myself suffer like that?

There's no point, it seems.

A certain good person once compared it to being a blind artist or a deaf musician. Someone who's only led by their own mastership.

Can one tell I have it? I don't know. Not sure if anybody could answer that question — not readers, and not other writers, and not the jury of competitions, prestigious or not.

Even if somebody could, I doubt that would change my own opinion — or, more precisely, perception. No matter what, my writings are hollow for me. Hollow and worthless.

That is why every time I write something, it's a "NO" to my inner depreciation, loud and clear. I can't get rid of it, I've no idea how to fight it. Nonetheless, I evidently can create despite this inner invalidation.

And so, I have written this little thing in Russian and now am translating it into English.

It's not at all how I'd like it to be, and this time, it's not even what I expected to write. I rarely write about myself.

No big deal.

Maybe these words will ring out for someone else. Get a response.

Besides, is it even possible to stop entire lives and worlds when they want to be heard so much?..

Despite everything, I still write.

Despite everything, it's still me; and I'm still here.

。。。

Notes

If you ever feel something similar, I wish you strength. It takes a lot to keep going when nothing's ever satisfying.

And for what it's worth, I am proud of you, whether you have these struggles or some other, whether you're good at dealing with them or not so much. I believe in you.

#anfie writes #anfie NOvember challenge #original writing #personal

[anfie-in-the-box]

Bonjour. Vous pouvez m'appeler anfie, bien qu'en fin de compte ce post ne me concerne pas. Il s'agit de vous.

Laissez-moi vous expliquer.

Presque tous les jours, je vois des créateurs très talentueux et absolument étonnants s'épuiser, s'excuser de ne pas avoir créé, ou de créer depuis trop longtemps, ou de créer une chose différente alors qu'ils avaient "promis" d'en faire une autre d'abord, ou de partager quelque chose de complaisant, ou quelque chose créé initialement pour se sentir mieux, et ainsi de suite. Tant d'excuses inutiles, tant de stress et de douleur. Mon âme me fait tellement mal chaque fois que je vois quelque chose comme ça. Je pense que je pourrais trouver un moyen d'aider un peu. Vous voyez, j'aimerais vous proposer un défi. Il s'appelle NOvembre, ce qui est en fait une signification assez simple. Passons aux règles pour que vous puissiez comprendre.

1. Le défi commence dès que la liste des invités et les règles sont affichées. Vous pouvez vous inscrire quand vous le souhaitez!

2. Le défi se termine en novembre prochain (donc le 30 novembre 2021). Bien que ce ne soit que techniquement possible, vous pouvez vous inscrire beaucoup plus tard et continuer à utiliser le tag (ou non, c'est à vous de décider).

3. Le défi n'est pas destiné à un type de créateurs en particulier. Fanfiction? Cool! Des dessins originaux? Génial! Fanart? Merveilleux! De l'art original? Allez-y! Bande dessinée? Splendide! Des mélodies, ou même des chansons? Fascinant! Aesthetic? Délicieux! Une autre forme d'art? Absolument charmant. Merci d'apporter quelque chose de nouveau à ce monde.

4. Vous n'êtes pas obligé de poster vos œuvres tous les jours, toutes les semaines, tous les mois, etc. Vous n'êtes pas obligé de les afficher toutes en novembre. Vous ne devez rien à ce défi. Ce défi est pour que vous vous sentiez à l'aise et en sécurité, alors faites comme bon vous semble.

5. Ce défi a pour but de rappeler aux créateurs et à leur public qu'il est correct de dire NON à certaines choses. Certaines sont généralement mauvaises et doivent être supprimées définitivement. Certaines sont généralement bonnes, mais il y a des situations où elles ne sont pas nécessaires, où elles pourraient vous blesser et/ou blesser les gens autour de vous.

6. D'où le thème clé du défi — une situation (ou des situations) où vous devez dire NON à ce qui se trouve dans le thème. Par exemple, le premier jour, vous devez créer une situation où vous devez dire NON à la déprédation. S'agira-t-il de pensées autodévalorisantes, ou de la façon dont les adultes ont tendance à déprécier les problèmes des enfants et des adolescents, ou peut-être de quelque chose d'entièrement différent? C'est à vous de le savoir et à nous, votre public, de le découvrir.

7. Il n'y a pas de mal à créer et/ou à afficher hors d'usage.

8. Il est bon de sauter certaines invites et/ou de créer quelques éléments pour une seule invite. Si vous n'avez pas d'idées, ce n'est pas grave. Si une question vous interpelle tellement que vous ne pouvez pas vous empêcher d'y penser et de proposer de plus en plus de concepts, c'est bon aussi.

9. Pas de discrimination ni de haine. Ce défi consiste à prendre soin de soi-même et des autres. Ce défi consiste à se soutenir et à s'améliorer ensemble.

10. Si vous souhaitez participer, veuillez utiliser les tags #anfie NOvember challenge et #it's OK to say NO; vous pouvez également ajouter votre propre surnom (pour vos œuvres uniquement ou pour une forme d'art spécifique, comme #anfie writes NOvember ou #anfie NOvember aesthetics) Toutes les options sont bonnes tant que vous n'oubliez pas d'ajouter mon surnom pour éviter toute confusion. Après tout, il se peut qu'il y ait d'autres défis en novembre.

11. Si quelque chose, quelque chose du tout va mal, s'il vous plaît, s'il vous plaît, s'il vous plaît, ne vous excusez pas. Ce n'est pas grave si vous ne pouvez plus continuer le défi, quelle qu'en soit la raison. Ce n'est pas grave si vous avez promis de poster quelque chose et que vous ne l'avez pas fait. Ce n'est pas grave. Expliquez-vous, si vous en avez envie. Mais ne vous excusez pas. Ce n'est pas votre faute, même si vous pensez le contraire.

Link to the English version is HERE

Link to the Russian version is HERE

Special thanks to @ha-zel-art who translated the prompt list and the rules into French! I have no words to express just how much appreciate your help and support. Thank you so much. Merci!

#anfie NOvember challenge #it's OK to say NO

[zu-is-here]

The way you actively choose to be kind never ceases to amaze me. Thank you so much. Especially for the reminder that I've been doing just fine so far; I keep deprecating myself, so hearing that my work is okay (and even better) helps a lot.

As for NOvember, I really hope you and the others will like it! People who helped me and I myself put a lot of effort into this challenge, after all. Without you only Russian version would have been a thing, but thanks to you so much more people will get to see it! It means the world for me.

You know, you are so bright and lovely, yet I'm not surprised at all that you like noir. Какой тихий омут без чертей, верно? (х и коль уж я перешла на русский, можно попросить отправить имя автора мне в личные сообщения? Любопытство сгубило кошку, но я-то человек, мне можно (х

Oh, do I love Russian classical literature! Back at school I had a wonderful Russian language and Literature teacher. She loves her subject and deeply cares about her students. I am very proud to be taught by her, we still chat from time to time. So, yeah, I like most of things I had to read back then. Gogol's Dead Souls are truly wonderful, I still remember how my classmates made character's profiles in teams, and, i worked on Chichikov's profile all alone. I had so much fun! The same was with another one of my favourites, Dostoevsky's "Crime and punishent", where I wrote Raskolnikov's profile. Such an a amazing experience, let me tell you! All in all, it was really easy to fall in love with Literature.

Besides that I absolutely adore urban fantasy and magic realism. That's what I write, too! Max Frei (it's a Russian author's pseudonym) has been my favourite for quite a while, though I do like Lukyanenko, for example. Recently I've finally discovered Neil Gaiman's books, too! At first it was just Good Omens and Coraline, but now I want more. Plus, don't get me started on some modern writers! My most favourite isn't well-known at all, but in my opinion she's astonishingly talented, and her worlds are amazing, as well as the characters and their stories. I am so lucky to have this person in my life, you have no idea ✨ I'm especially proud to be her proofreader, supporter, and muse! We are very close now, but it was her writing I fell in love first.

A-a-and it's long again, nobody is surprised at this point, I guess (x Hope you don't mind me using so many words.

Waiting curiously for your favourite noir author's name,

anfie.

Oh no worries! I'm all for it╰(*´︶`*)╯

Seems like everyone has done characters' profiles back in school XD True, Crime and Punishment is tragic and beautiful in its own way ♡ Oh I've heard a lot about Max Frei! But who is she, this unknown talented writer? *^*

I'll be right there! ♪

#ask

[zu-is-here]

Hello again! Hope you are doing well ✨

While writing the next chapter of A dream that comes crashing down, translating the first one and having some other things in progress, I've come up with something I really want to share with as many people as possible in general, and with you and your wonderful followers specifically.

Where do I start... Oh, I know. Have you ever heard about NOvember? I'm certain at least some of the followers haven't, so I'll explain anyway. I'm not sure if it's a thing among artists and/or English-speaking creators but some of the Russian writers participate in the challenge called NOvember. It is a write-every-day type of challenge, kind of like Writober, and actually follows it. Only in NOvember your writing must have the absence of whatever the prompt of the day is. For example, the prompt of the second day of 2017's NOvember is "limbs", so that means you've got to write about something or someone not having them. I went for Flowey a little after he was created, when he still remembered how it was like to be Asriel. He must've been very self-aware about the absence of his limbs, I figured back then.

So. I've been thinking. Almost every day I see so very talented, absolutely amazing creators burning out, apologizing for not creating, or creating for too long, or creating a different thing when they "promised" to do another one first, or sharing something self-indulgent, or something initially created to make themselves feel better, and so on and so forth. My soul aches so much for every single one I see. A few days ago I sat back and ask myself: is there anything I can do without getting burnt out myself, since interacting with people tends to drain my energy to its lowest?.. And well, I think, yes, I sure can do lots of things!

Here is one of them.

It is a NOvember challenge, too, though for different kinds of creators, be that writers, poets, artists, animators, musicians, whoever, really. It is not a create-every-day one, because I know how stressful they can become for lots of people. The prompt list might be published somewhere in December, I guess?.. So those who want to participate have almost the whole year to get things done. It also wouldn't be necessary to publish them all at once when November comes, every day of the year is a great day to share if you feel like it, but it's also fine to let them go for a bit and then come back with more energy and a brand new point of view to correct things if needed and publish your thing only after that. All is fair!

The most important thing is the prompt list itself. It is supposed to consist of things that we, as creators and humans, have to say no, always or from time to time.

I'd like to hope that it would be a great way to remind yourself and your audience that it is OK to say no, and even more so, it might be absolutely necessary sometimes.

And, well, I kind of wanted to ask if anybody would be interesting in the English version of the prompt list? I'm definitely doing the Russian one, it would be nice to translate it for English-speaking creators. Your blog seems to be the right place to ask, you are always ever so encouraging and supportive, and so are your followers. Therefore here I am.

(I was writing somewhere here and suddenly couldn't help a wide smile. God, I love this place so much, I am so very grateful it exists...)

Best wishes 💗

anfie.

Hi Anfie! Hope you're doing good too (*´∇｀*)

And wow– that's a brilliant idea ☆ especially for those who faced that problem, I'm sure many would be interested in this! Say YES to NOvember! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)˚✧₊⁎

Thank you sooo much╰(*´︶`*)╯Take care ♡

#ask #NOvember challenge #it's OK to say NO #such a cool concept!! #looking forward to see and share it *^*

[zu-is-here]

Hi Zu! First of all, lots of love for you and everyone reading this (including me, since I'm reading it as I write, and I'll read it again at least once to correct any mistakes!) 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

I'm here to share some news (and thoughts, I guess?..)

Let's begin with the challenge, shall we? Because I'm posting NOvember prompt list and rules this week! Still not sure when exactly, tomorrow is certainly going to be a really busy day... We'll see! But both English and Russian versions are ready. No matter how many people participate, I'm so excited! Nervous as hell, too, but I do my best to fight it.

In-between other things I'm having fun with lots of headcanons for BNHA x UTMV crossover. When somebody asked for this, I suggested merging the two universes and couldn't get it out of my system ever since. I'm not really into BNHA, but I love it nevertheless. Pro heroes, students, villains, regular citizens, and even vigilantes are coming soon! Would you like to see that, too? If so, I'll make sure to tag you!

Also I'm slowly but surely working on both the Fragments series and the Crushing Dream thing. The second one gets kind of terrifying for me, because the more I think about it, the more I realise just how huge it is going to be. Even Dream’s part of the story is so long, and there are also big plans for Error and Blueberror (who has a different name here, but it doesn't matter right now), who will get their own arks, supposedly as big as Dream’s. And it is so... overwhelming. Scary. I'm not sure if I'm able to create something so big and deep and actually put it into words. Partly because, you see, I've got one original project, it's even bigger, and it's been with me for seven years, and I still haven't written a single thing that would be satisfying for me. All I do feels so wrong. It's better with this fic, yeah, but I'm afraid it won't last long. Especially since I write it in English initially.

Sometimes I regret ever starting this whole thing, ever trying to talk to people here and posting here my writing. Sometimes I can't get out of my head the thought that, maybe, it would be better to stay silent, as I wanted when I made this account.

I know that at least part of this whole situation is created by my depression, but... I don't know. I guess a bit of reassurance and support would be nice?.. I have a person who always has my back and stands by me, but sometimes depression and insecurities' voices are so much louder.

Despite everything, I'm going forward, doing my best. And you know what? So can you, whoever is reading this! I believe in you.

By the way, while I was writing the part about me working on my fics, I remembered there is a question I've been meaning to ask (and kept forgetting when I had the opportunity to do so, whoops!) So, Zu, if you don't mind me asking, do you like to read? If so, what genre do you prefer? Also: paper books or ebooks?

This ask is getting long... Keeping things short truly is beyond me, hehe ^^"

Hugs,

anfie.

Hi anfie! Long time no see, thank youuu <3 Take some as well╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

Oh that's a great news! (*'▽'*) Don't worry, I'm sure it's gonna be amazing ☆

I don't know about BNHA, but I'd love to see and share it with others!! *^*

I feel you _(:3 」∠)_ but you know, sometimes you just need to start! Глаза боятся, а руки делают ;D Don't be afraid to take breaks, postpone or just terminate something, there's nothing wrong about it (ówò) Just do what you love and what fills you with energy to create more! ♡

I was like you, even now I can't understand how I created that much about Dark Cream, but I was just enjoying things and didn't even think about the amount of work! ٩( ᐛ )و

Remember that you've already done great and you're still doing amazing (*´꒳`*) I believe in you!! ☆

Oh I do love to read. I'm sick of books, I don't have enough space for new ones, so I have to download e-books. I love both, though books you can touch and paper you can smell... amazing. The genre I like is quite specific and dark, full of thoughts and music in the background, it's sushi noir (I don't name the writer here cause their works are for an adult audience). On the other hand, I would have loved Russian classical literature more if I wasn't forced to read it all in school, but I still love to reread Gogol's Dead Souls. Truly a masterpiece full of metaphors, just right ♡

What about you? Do you have favorite works or writers? *^*

Take care and stay safe! *hugs* ♡

#ask #zu is happy