#i have discovered that if i want a creative project to actually get completed it has to be a true labor of fun and love

[andthebeanstalk]

This is how I organize my story notes. I thought the scene titles looked pretty good today

#original #I'm sorry I took an edible and I can't do an image description right now but hopefully I will remember to come back to this #the blacksmith #the title of the arc is 'the amazing armadillo woman' #I have been stuck on this arc for a thousand years but I'm finally making progress! #the chapter snippet I posted earlier today is like the first part of that I've fully finished #but the good news is that a lot of other parts of the story are more written than I thought they were #that's a weird way to word that. whatever. this is a graphic novel not a novel! my logic is flawless! #if anyone's curious I label them like that so they show up in exact order when sorted alphabetically. #S1.P3.C4.a = season 1 Part 3 chapter 4 - first scene or scene segment #I manage my ADHD partially by breaking things down into manageable pieces. #and I MISmanage my ADHD partially by overcommitting to basically everything bc i have NO CHILL #but like. if this project stops bringing me joy/fulfillment i will quit. but right now it feeds my soul and it has for a couple years now! #i have discovered that if i want a creative project to actually get completed it has to be a true labor of fun and love #FUCK YOU CAPITALISM #i have MUNCHIES TO ATTEND TOO #be careful when you take edibles y'all! because if I didn't know what was a big or small dose of THC I easily #could have missed that I am in possession of some of the highest dosing gummies I've ever had #and I might have just eaten a whole one instead of painstakingly cutting one in half with a knife! #there is no consistency to what is a standard gummy dose and nowadays a lot of the time things are labeled which is awesome #but if you don't understand the significance of the labels then you might assume that a single gummy is a small amount. #I got to tell you being too high is a horrible horrible experience for most people #anyway if you're not sure just start with 5 mg and then work up in 5 mg increments if you spend an evening without that dose affecting you #anyway I think it's important to note that the villainous lair is in fact their childhood treehouse. they are rooming there as adults. #one of the reasons they stop doing crimes at the end is because they are given access to proper housing #it's kind of grouped in with a number of other reasons but it likely not going to surprise anyone when future chapters are like #🔥no longer even attempting to be subtle. this chapter is about homelessness and how cops are pigs.🔥 #ahem. but this chapter is just a fun romp! like for real. it is an example of the warmth and happiness possible in this story's world.

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

A great interview with Michael with Collider :), mostly no spoilers (or what already been said elsewhere :)❤)

COLLIDER: Obviously, when you were making the first season of this show, you had the book to work off of, you had a characterization to work off of, but because this season is an all-new thing that Neil Gaiman has written, did you get to work with him at all to develop what Aziraphale was doing this season, or was it all dependent on what he wrote?

MICHAEL SHEEN: Yes, I think when we were doing the first season, Neil always talked about the idea that he and Terry [Pratchett] had talked quite a bit about future storylines and that they had worked out quite a lot of it, actually. They just never got around to writing it down in a book. So there was quite a lot of material already in his head. One of the wonderful things about this, as well, working on this project, has been how much myself and David have been able to collaborate with Neil on the characters and inhabit them and bring them to life, and developing the relationship between them and the storylines. So it’s felt very collaborative, but then, of course, Neil is very good at making it feel collaborative even when he knows exactly what he wants.

QUESTION: Speaking of that relationship between Crowley and Aziraphale, you are obviously quite close with David Tennant. You work with him not only on this but also on Staged. What's it like getting to put that friendship dynamic to use on those shows, especially since Staged is something that's so completely different from Good Omens?

SHEEN: It's just wonderful, really. You know, often you work with actors that perhaps you have very good chemistry with on-screen or on stage, but maybe off-stage, off-screen there's not a particular spark. It's fine, but there's nothing particularly special about your relationship on stage or on-screen. Then other times, there are people you get along with really, really well, but maybe there isn't necessarily that amazing chemistry on-screen or on stage. So it's very rare that you have both. I think with us, we've just sort of discovered that that is the case, or it seems to be that people feel like we have good chemistry together when we're working. And we just have a lovely time together in between working as well, so it's such a pleasure to be able to do that, and to be able to work on projects like Good Omens and Staged with the characters that we play in those. It's just a real joy, so, you know, long may it continue.

QUESTION: Personally, I love the relationship between Aziraphale and Crowley, and the show has had such a massive fan response. How much are you aware of that, and what do you hope fans take away from this season as opposed to the first one?

SHEEN: Oh, I'm very much aware of it. Yeah, it's one of the most enjoyable aspects of working on this, to see how much the audience and in particular Good Omen fans just give to the project. It does feel like a fulfilled kind of creative collaboration with the fans as well. There's so much talent when people come to writing fanfiction or artwork, or just discussing ideas or things that have sort of been born out of it. I mean, there are all kinds of amazing groups who fundraise now for charities and do all kinds of incredible things. There are conventions and all sorts. I love that, and I love seeing how people have made friends, really close friends, through their connection to this and these characters in this story, and how communities have been created, and how much people are helping each other. I see all that online and I hear about it. It feels very in the spirit of the story, you know, it feels very in keeping with what it's all about. I think that's a big part of why Neil and I and the rest of us have all really opened ourselves to that fan community, because I think it feels like a very living part of the story.

QUESTION: How do you think Aziraphale has changed between where we leave him at the end of Season 1 and the beginning of Season 2? Is there anything unusual that we can expect from him this season?

SHEEN: Well, I think he's in a quite odd position for him because, on the one hand, he's got a lot of the things that he's always wanted. He's always wanted to just be left alone and live in his bookshop, and drink tea and listen to music, and read books and go to the theater, and eat nice meals and drink nice wine, and be with the being that he loves being with the most. But on the other hand, he's also someone who feels very anxious about not being part of the company, you know, being out on his own and sort of independent. It’s quite a challenge for him. It’s that thing about “be careful what you wish for.” He got what he wished for, but he still feels a bit off-kilter, I think, and then this unexpected guest arrives and turns the world upside down for him again.

But one of the things that we wanted to explore with Aziraphale in this series is perhaps finding something a little steelier underneath the apparent soft surface, that maybe there's something else going on under there. So we see that kind of come out as the story goes on, as well.

QUESTION: In addition to playing Aziraphale, you also did the voice for Lucifer in The Sandman audio series, which is obviously also a Neil Gaiman joint. So what's the difference between playing an angel and playing a demon?

SHEEN: Well, of course, Lucifer is an angel, was once a fallen angel. My first experience of Neil’s work was The Sandman. That was what I first read when I was still a teenager in the late ‘80s, and it just absolutely blew my mind and opened me up to all kinds of things and started a journey [with] Neil’s work, but also all the people that Neil kind of points you towards through his work as well. It opened so many doors for me. So to be able to then be a part of The Sandman world, as well, to play such an iconic character, it was and is, because we're still doing it, just a bit of a dream come true.

QUESTION: I have one last question for you, and it's a little bit of a silly one. One of the most iconic parts of Good Omens is Crowley's Bentley, which is cursed to play nothing but Queen songs forever and ever. I would love to know what you think Aziraphale’s favorite Queen song is.

SHEEN: Well, I think he likes the more operatic ones. So he probably…I think he likes “Bohemian Rhapsody.” All those nifty chorus bits. He’d love that. So yes, probably “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

#good omens #gos2 #season 2 #michael sheen #interview #michael interview #fun fact #aziraphale's favourite queen song #queen #bohemian rhapsody #collider #collider 2024 #s2 interview

[kayas-kosmos]

Autism Symbol Dragon.

This is the autism symbol as a dragon. I did this to represent the influence my autism has on my art. This is a public domain drawing and anyone can use it for any reason.

I really like the infinity autism symbol over all others, especially the Godawful puzzle piece. It really encapsulates the diversity of our community and how unique every autistic individual is. But I wanted to do a little spin on it by turning it into a dragon to add some extra meaning. A dragon to me is the symbol of the imagination itself, since dragons are so diverse in of themselves and can look like or represent anything. But as well as imagination, I think the dragon also represent resilience and a ferocious passion.

My webcomic is absolutely full of different types of dragon. Here are just a few examples:

(Can you tell dragons are one of my special interests?)

I was diagnosed at about 3 and I've had a very mixed relationship with being autistic until recently. There was a time when I really hated having to bear the label of “autistic” and tried for years to erase that part of me because of the stigma. Being an artist allowed me to get away with being a bit weird because I could chalk it up to just being "an eccentric artist," but there was also the side of me that needed extra accommodations and help, the less glamorous side. I would often push myself to be as neurotypical as I could in these areas and I developed a debilitating fear of becoming a burden on others, to the point where it started damaging my mental health. Eventually, I developed panic attacks due to overworking myself (and struggles with accepting myself as queer), autistic shutdowns became more frequent and this lead to further humiliation and a further disgust towards my autism.

It wasn't until I became a freelancer a few years ago that I realised how much damage trying to hold myself to neurotypical standards was having on me. While being able to work remotely was a dream since it meant not having to deal with the sensory nightmare that is using the local bus service, it also meant I experienced autistic burnout more frequently. Then I came across the autistic community on Twitter, where I started to discover so much about myself and how my brain works.

I also made a lot of incredible friends through this and even had the courage to publicly come out as queer. Now I fully embrace being autistic, even the parts that society deems “unacceptable” like stimming and not making eye contact. I am happy in who I am and no longer see myself as a burden.

Sadly, there is often a discussion about whether autism should be cured or not, a discussion that should absolutely not be happening because autism is not a disease. If you "cured" my autism, you would also remove my art. My art and my autism are inseparable and one does not exist without the other. Autism has given me the ability to think outside the box and traits like my monotropism allow me to hyperfocus on a project until its completion. Having spoken to many autistic creatives throughout my life, a good chunk of our struggles do not come from being autistic itself, rather society’s refusal to accept or accommodate us. Many of us could achieve great things and truly innovate society, but there are too many systemic barriers in the way preventing us from doing so, and no amount of “hard work” or “conquering our disability” (fuck inspiration porn, seriously) can change that because individualistic solutions do not fix systemic problems. Simple solutions such as disability benefits that actually properly cover our living costs, a higher wage for carers of disabled people and proper work accommodations (including the option for remote work) would mean the world of difference for us.

Now personally, I am a bit more radical in my thinking and I believe the current system of Neoliberal Capitalism needs to be done away with entirely because ableism is built into Capitalism itself. This is what has drawn me to ideas such as anarchism and the Solarpunk movement. In particular, I try to live by the "12 principles of Permaculture" to the best of my ability. I think "Embrace Diversity" and "Produce No Waste" can be applied to living as a disabled person, since disabled people are often seen as a waste product under this system and embracing our differences means we are not wasted.

For those of you who have followed me for a while, you may have noticed that my art, like me, is weird. I love to embrace the weird and the quirky. My creatures are whimsical and bizarre. My characters all tend to be quirky outsiders. I have always been drawn to surrealism and absurdism, the work of Salvador Dali in particular really caught my attention.

Art has always been a safe way for me to explore the unusual and alien, and it has been a voice for me when speaking words fail. I use it to explore the things that frighten me and to help process a chaotic world. As weird as my art is, I think the weirdness and absurdity is a reflection of how weird and absurd our modern world is and how little sense it makes to me anymore.

There are often themes of environmentalism and the profound beauty of nature, influenced heavily by growing up in an area of natural beauty. Furthermore, the theme of "empathy for monsters" is a personal favourite. Maybe the reason why there are so many weird, twisted and grotesque monsters and creatures with tragic backstories in my webcomic universe is because I see myself in them - just weird little off-putting things that want compassion and to be understood.

As I have grown as a person, so has my art. The more I learn about my autism, the more I can open up and the better I can express myself.

On a final note, if you would like to support me and the work I do, please consider donating a Ko-Fi. It would really help me push towards my goal of finally launching my webcomic, plus it would also allow me to talk more about important topics surrounding disability, sustainable living and art/creature stuff.

Happy new year, everyone! And especially to all of my autistic and neurodivergent comrades out there.

#autism #actually autistic #neurodivergent #queer autistic #autistic artist #fantasy artist #digital artist #fantasy illustration #autism symbol #infinity symbol #creature design #dragon art #dragon artist #autistic art #autism art #permaculture #solarpunk

[comicaurora]

With the ubiquity of Webtoons, it is apparently becoming less and less feasible for an author to start up a webcomic that they host themself and then actually garner and audience. How do you feel about the possibility that, supposing you are able to sustain Aurora to completion, 10 years from now Aurora might be one of the last of the traditional style?

Oh, I doubt that. If by "traditional style" you mean "one complete print-ready page at a time", infinite-scroller one-panel-at-a-time comics are a completely different animal, stylistically speaking. It's more like a reel of film or an animatic you scroll through than a comic. There are things you can do with it that you can't do with traditional paneling, and things you can do with traditional paneling you can't do with that. It's a "two cakes" situation - a functionally distinct art form with different strengths and weaknesses. Just look at what a webtoon looks like when it's printed in book form - all those straight-line panels have to be cut up and floated onto a single page.

It's not a style you favor if printing is a consideration from the get-go, like with some of the oldest webcomics that originally made the jump from traditional publishing to the much-less-annoying world of online distribution. They panels fit together because that's what they were meant to do, it leaves less empty space on the page and it's overall a smoother transition from online to print because the pages are basically already done.

And if "traditional style" means "independently run," well, comics and webcomics have, to my knowledge, always been a largely unprofitable venture for the individual creator, at least until physical book sales and merch enter the equation, and the question "how do I get people to read my webcomic" was never an easy one to answer - it hasn't gotten more difficult with time. Conglomerates like Webtoons and Hiveworks give creators an easier answer to that question by providing centralized hosting and advertising, but the mechanisms that made early webcomics work haven't appreciably changed. Anyone can buy a domain name, plug in some Wordpress tools and go to town, same as they could back in 2005. I'd say it hasn't gotten less feasible to be independent, it's just that sticking with a conglomerate is a (theoretically) simpler route to views and success that didn't exist in the early days of the 'net.

And the thing is, that doesn't mean they're better for everyone. If a conglomerate tool existed that would've let me make my comic site exactly how I wanted it to - with spaces for lore, maps, additional content, etc - I probably would've done that instead of starting from scratch, since lots of the backend structuring work would've already been done for me. But Webtoons comics are, as mentioned, completely stylistically different from mine, and Hiveworks submissions are closed, plus they design their own site for you and also lock themselves in as your publisher. I personally don't like it when other people take creative control out of my hands, and there are plenty of artists that feel the same way.

If anything, the rise of social media and the centralization of the net into things like twitter and reddit (and even tumblr) makes it theoretically simpler to get your independent comic noticed than back in the wild west early days, because now you know where a potential audience for your work is hanging out. Back in the old days I don't even remember how I found some of the comics I read religiously - maybe TVTropes links, thinking about it? But that was basically all they had for discoverability! From my perspective it's only gotten easier to get the word out about a project you're working on, and while part of that is because there are now large hosting platforms that comic artists can sign onto, part of it is a level of interconnectedness that has only grown with time that allows the work of independent creators to be discovered, shared and spread faster than ever.

#asks #art stuff #writing stuff #behind the curtain

[focusontheheart]

Meet the Team - Bookmancer

You can also find her on: Twitter @ bookmancer_myth IG @ bookmancer_legendarium AO3 @ Bookmancer_Legendarium

Hello, Bookmancer here! I had no idea that when I played the robot dinosaur game, my life would be divided into two phases: before Horizon and after. I discovered Horizon right around its release. I was fascinated by the trailer and captivated by the Tallneck, which is still my favorite machine.   I'm continually awed by the storytelling, visual beauty of Horizon's world, and depth of its characters. HZD actually got me into virtual photography because it’s the first game that really encouraged me to pause, look around, admire the world, and fiddle around with how to capture its beauty. Because I do so much VP, I always like to look at paintings and photos to try and replicate them.  I started in the fandom through VP before indulging in my love of writing to share fanfic - and now this dating game! I’m always awed by other content creators in the Horizon fandom and out. They think of such creative things, and everyone is very encouraging. I'm excited to further explore Seyka's story in FOTH and Horizon 3 and am fascinated by her as a mirror to Aloy's stubborn compassion, but flavored by tribal connections Aloy only just made through her found family. But for the near future, I want to write more deep-dives into the psyche of the characters, their hopes and insecurities, and how they play off of each other. I’d also like to draw more and take more shippy VP!

See the Q&A with Bookmancer below the cut!

Q: What is a favorite piece of work you've done (i.e. completed, working on, in concept)?

I've written some fanfic for Horizon - some published that I really like and actually came out how I wanted to, and some that's still living in my brain and I have to pay its rent in the form of chanting "I should write this already…" But I'm pleased with my fic "who can take my hand in the flood?" and want to write more of the ever-growing GAIA Gang being happy and healing. I’m working on a Seyloy fic of her getting welcomed into the gang.

Q: What are some of your favorite tropes to write, draw, or read?

I love friends to lovers! Also, star-crossed lovers, opposites attract, fish out of water, rivals learning more about each other and coming to a powerful understanding, and bodyguard AUs.

Q: What is an unexpected thing or fun fact about you?

I've got a language learning club going with some friends so we can pool resources and offer encouragement. I love learning about absolutely anything, and I'm getting into crocheting. Outside of FOTH writing, I write fanfic for various fandoms. I do a ton of VP and it's probably doubled my playtime in HFW. I love swimming, and I can only whistle by inhaling, not exhaling.

Q: What has been your favorite thing about working on this project so far?

I've loved seeing the outpouring of creativity, the fandom uniting for something that's so beloved to so many, and learning a metric Horus-ton about… well, a ton of things! Every day, I'm amazed over and over again, and I'm so thrilled I to get to see this come together up close. Everyone is incredibly talented and inspirational, and every bit of it has been collaborative and uplifting.

#focus on the heart #foth #foth dating sim fangame #foth visual novel fangame #horizon forbidden west #meet the team: artists and writers #writer: bookmancer #aloy x seyka

[violivs]

NMTDaily: VOX POPS

- Hi all! I’m going to be rewatching along with TCWs NMTDaily and making posts about each episode, or as many as I can (I might miss some, but I hope not!)

- I want to start by saying thank you again to The Candle Wasters for making my favorite thing. Just, the amount of joy and creative fulfillment and friendship and delight I’ve gotten from this show and this fandom is still unmatched. Thank you so much for making it and sharing it. The love and care and skill with which NMTD was made still shines through and I’m still so awed by it. I think I was probably somewhat overdramatic about my reactions to Lolilo in places where you, TCW, could see, on my main blog, and you didn’t deserve that. I really hope I didn’t send you any aggressive asks about it, or make you uncomfortable in any way. I’m a little afraid I did, but I don’t know for sure. If I did, I apologize. I’m older and more mature now, I promise. I hope you’re all doing so very well now!

- I didn’t realize until today that Project I: VOX POPS was posted first, before any other video in the series. I didn’t start watching NMTD until right around the time Benedick’s first Q&A video was posted, so I binged the first chunk of episodes around that time. It will be interesting to watch them at a slower pace this time!

- I am immediately overwhelmed with warm fuzzies at seeing these characters again. They’re such babies! I love them!

- I never made a post about this, but Ben’s first line being about how he shares a (differently spelled) name with a Pope is both a great first line for him on a character level since he starts as kind of a cocky overconfident asshole (a cover for his soft sensitive insides) AND it’s evidence for my theory that he’s probably Catholic, but lapsed/non-practicing/maybe agnostic or atheist solely because I WILL keep projecting parts of me onto this character, it’s just what I do at this point. Other evidence: he has a confirmation name. We don’t get his full name til Lolilo, but still. And he’s partly Scottish, which can account for the fact that English people usually are not Catholic.

- “you need to imitate an eagle, that’ll scare them away!” That’s Ben’s second line and first bird reference! Already! Wow.

- The favorite band question! Mumford and Sons! Fife and the Drums! Sheep Dog and Wolf! The LORE! The REFERENCES! We’re already off to the races.

- “I don’t need chat-up lines” Beatrice I love you , and you have no idea what’s coming.

- I forgot about Beatrice’s Favorite T-Shirts Ranking System lol

- Extremely funny that Ben says bananas are his favorite food and then he goes on to become synonymous with mangoes instead. Sorry, buddy, you will always be Mango Skin Boy to us. xD

- I forgot how delightful Dogberry and Verges are in this episode

- “that you would leave me” oh Meg. Oh honey. Oh no.

- I’ve seen nine seasons of Doctor Who and only five episodes of Game of Thrones since 2014. Sorry Bea, I side with Ben on this one. And I’ve seen one season of Community. I’m slowly hacking away at the list of media referenced in nmtd that I need to watch!

- love it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free! ❤️

- Balthazar plays every instrument, of course.

- Bea must not have an ear for music if she hated that question enough to force Ursula on-camera so she doesn’t have to answer it… Unless Ursula asked her something else she didn’t want to answer! Lol

- Ben makes me cringe so hard a couple times this episode. And yet I still love him. To be fair, that’s just every Benedick at the start of Much Ado, though. The cringy lines are completely in character.

- I decided to save the full story of how I discovered NMTD for whenever the NMTDaily email for Ben’s first Q&A episode goes out, because then it will actually be ten years almost to the day since I started watching. But I’m so impatient and excited to tell the story!

- It’s amazing how back then, these kids were my contemporaries and the Lizzie Bennet Diaries cast felt impossibly old compared to me. Now the NMTD kids are babies and I’m older than Lizzie Bennet! Trippy. It sure has been a nice ten years.

Until the next one! Happy NMTD Day, fellow flamangoes!

💖🥭🦩

#nmtd #nothing much to do #NMTDaily #webseries #violivs NMTDaily liveblog

[aerodaltonimperial]

✨Fic Writing Review 2023✨

Tagged by @rosabellebelieve and oh girl. Ain't nobody ready for these stats LOL. Uh oh. Also, I've removed all collab fics for purposes of this, as it doesn't really seem fair since I only wrote, like, half of them lmao.

Words and Fics

268,626 words in 2023 (mother of god)

52 fics on AO3 (dear christ)

I'm not even counting Tumblr ficlets, oh god, don't make me

Top 5 Pairings

💚🖤Jack/Darby (24) (NUMBER ONE???? how tho)

🧡🖤Hook/Danhausen (23)

💚🧡Jack/Hook (5)

🔮🍑Julia/Anna (4)

🧡🎤Max Caster/Hook (3) & 🧡🍊Orange/Hook (3) (HAHAHAHAHA)

Top 5 by kudos

i found love where it wasn't supposed to be (right in front of me) [Hookhausen]

man of lesser words [Hookhausen]

don't need a cure for love [Orange/Hook]

baby please (would you read my eulogy) [JungleCorpse]

you're the realest thing i've never had to fake [Hookhausen]

Top 5 by hits

baby please (would you read my eulogy) [JungleCorpse]

i found love where it wasn't supposed to be (right in front of me) [Hookhausen]

now you know how i feel [Hookhausen]

Weekend in Fresno: or, a Hook choose your own dating adventure [Hook/everyone]

threat level: euclid [HH, JC, SP]

Fandom Events in 2023

I made it to a wrestling show! Since they never go near me and my life is what it is, I really can't manage more than one a year, and I've got to be lucky to get that to work, but this was a big deal and I'm so happy that I could make it happen!

ALSO I MADE UP A FUCKING PAIRING AND GOT IT TO THE #1 FOR BOTH PARTIES INVOLVED you know what this counts as an event LMAOOOOO i'm thinking no one should actually have this power

Upcoming Projects

If I ever stop bemoaning my perceived lack of skill, I've got 2/3 of a fic that Vamp prompted dialogue for, largely me writing something fluffy and saccharine because she was trying to write smut and we were both trying to write out of our wheelhouses lol

Writing reflection

Well! 2023 was quite a year, honestly. I was going to be like OH HOLY SHIT about my word count but when I took our collabs, it dropped so fast, so that's good, I guess (???). I'm still so happy I discovered wrestling, because it's been easily 12 years since I had this amount of creativity for a single fandom. And this year I really stretched out and started writing new stuff within the wrestling fandom! That's exciting (depending what you followed me for, I suppose LOL).

But more than anything else, this year I looked at what I wanted to write and said, FUCK IT, I'M WRITING IT. And I started dropping horror shit I fully expected that no one would read, because I didn't think people came to fandom for spooky stuff??? And lo and behold, y'all really showed up for those fics! I'm forever grateful you saw me writing absolutely batshit horror and were like yes, Katy, we will also read this creepfest. So much love.

I also tried to write more smut, which I am not particularly adept at, and also some darker themes. I do try to write lighthearted things, haha, but my own mental state has been not stellar, and I think that tends to come out in my fics. And I started writing femslash, which this fandom needs so much more of! So. All in all, a real banger year for me in fandom. I'm pretty proud of a LOT of the fics I wrote this year.

And, obviously, 2023 would not be complete with me mentioning that Vamp and I produced an epic shit ton of words together, and MORE IMPORTANTLY had an absolute blast in doing so. What a whirlwind writing together has been!!! I think we've really gotten to this point of just great flow, and I'm super proud of how we work so well like we do. We DO HAVE SOMETHING ELSE COMING but we've been "planning" it since August and haven't written it yet, so HAHAHA. Anyway. Expect that in 2025, or something. ;)

Rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please do eat glass, I’ve heard it’s good for your gums.

Tagging: @whysamwhy123 @meeplanguage @fille-lioncelle and anyone else who wants to take a stab at this!

[dragoncookies]

ENTP misconceptions

For awhile I honestly thought I was an ENTJ (at first even INTJ but I was goin through a ruff time when I discovered MBTI we'll just put it at that). I can get REALLY ambitious, and then ruthless/strategic with how I go about things in order to see it through. I even bullet journal, and make planners for months in advance just so I can keep track of all my ambitions. Some people would consider me Type A because of how eccentric I can be and how detailed I can get with how I spend my time.

What they don't know is that my poor use of Si causes me to do things like work on projects for four hours straight and watch the hours tick by until its 1 am and, oh no! I have somewhere to be the next morning. This happens multiple times.

I also am a professional at winging it. People would be shocked at how many of the things I do are last minute choices, or put together the night before/the moment of. I mean, I cannot count the number of times I've said (tw death) "guess I'll die" every day.

Cannot forget the fact that during quarantine I would RUTHLESSLY argue about my favorite book characters to strangers online. I wrote pages and absolute essays that would probably get high marks if I fixed them up a little. I was a menace out there.

It was only after actually researching about the cognitive functions did I realize that there was absolutely no way I could have Te. Like, at all. I learned that my constant fantasizing and well of ideas for everything in the world around me was, in fact, a high Ne user trait.

I don't get fomo from missing out at a social event, I get fomo from missing an opportunity to put my creative resources to work to entertain people.

I like to think that I stray more towards the "Jack Skellington' entp type. One might think he's an entj because of how he has this goal in mind and then goes through every little detail to see it through, but what about him getting tired of all the routines in the beginning of the movie and wanting something new (Ne)? And when he finds Christmas town, what does he do? He analyzes the heck out of it, trying to figure out how it works (clear Ti use). So, even though the stereotypes might lead one to believe Jack is an entj, in actuality, he types as an entp.

Heres some IRL examples of how I might not seem ENTP.

For preface, I am an identical twin. I type as an ENTP, meanwhile my twin types as an INFJ (it is a very interesting relationship). Our highschool offered speech and debate. Guess who started taking it first? Not me, the entp. I didn't really know much about it and thought it was just a nerd thing. Then my twin took it and had a ball (I was lowkey was super jealous). Even though my twin is the "humanitarian" feeling type, they made for a terrifying opponent and had no mercy. My twin is also often thought of as way crueler than I am most of the time, where I am described more like a sunflower and they more as a thorny rose. My twin can get so passionate they turn argumentative, and if something doesn't fit the little storyland they build their world around, they argue a lot. So, my parents always said that they should be a lawyer. My twin can get so inside their heard (high Ni) that they act narcissistic and uncaring.

It irks me how one can pay so little attention to the world around them, but you'd think I'd be the cruel narcissistic one, who people say should be a lawyer. Because I am an entp.

Personally? I like writing poetry and going to cafes. I like reading and if I see that either side of argument can be argued for within reason, I won't feel like arguing. So I don't argue as much. The whole reason I didnt take speech and debate at first was just because I thought I wouldn't enjoy arguing for things where both sides could be right (I now know I overlooked the beauty in the argument itself). The Ne/Ti/Fe/Si function stack applies to me completely, just not in the stereotypical way. Its pretty helpful. When I analyze things too much (Ti), I can recognize I am probably a little stressed. I also know that there are places in my life I should have SOME routine/structure just to be a more functional person.

So, when people say "MBTI isn't real/is pointless because people get different results all the time and how can 16 personality types fit everyone its so limiting"

Its not, really. You just have to let the idea cook inside your head and explore yourself and how you think for a little.

#entp #entj #entp personality #entj personality #infj #infj personality #entp thoughts #mbti #mbti personality types #16 personalities

[missdisnerd01]

So, I usually wouldn't give sad, strange little anons like this the time of day, but I really need to say my peace.

What the fuck does Lackadaisy have to to with Hazbin Hotel (and, yes, it's painfully obvious that's what this sad strange little person is alluding to), aside from the fact that they're indie-driven animated projects? I get that HH is divisive, and tends to delve into unnecessary 'edgy humor' at times, but by GUM, what I like to call 'anti-stan culture' has really gotten ridiculous; A bandwagon of either you HAVE to like this or you HAVE to hate this or you're A BAD PERSON!!!

Not how it works. If you cloister yourself like this, you will never be able to discover all the wonder and creativity that indie animation has to offer. Now, are there creators out there that have screwed over their fans and employees/collaborators? Absolutely! It's the nature of the game, and you can and SHOULD fight back if need be (strikes exist for a reason). But that does not give you carte blanche to be a complete and total asshat! There is a difference!

TL;DR: Next time, anon, instead of bitching at these content creators for clout, use your platform to SUPPORT THE ARTISTS you're so gung-ho for (Oh, and go the fuck outside. The vitamin D is good for you)!

PS: Here's @lackadaisycats reply, which actually goes to the effort of SUPPORTING INDIE ARTISTS! Check it out if you want more awesome animated content.

#becs vents #i apologise profusely #i try not to be this petty #but i am sick to death of the constant discourse #It just has to come out sometimes #hazbin hotel #lackadaisy #indie animation #cloutchase #go outside

[erindromeda]

An Essay on Writing Diversity into your Characters

When you're making OCs, or writing something, you might want to feature some diversity. Be it sexuality, gender identity, disability, neurodiversity, any such things! Some people might have a sort of internal checklist for this stuff, and that can be ok, but I much prefer being completely at the mercy of my own creations.

Example: today I remastered a drawing of an old OC and realised that although he was originally a cis guy, he is now clearly a he/they enby. I didn't consciously change my mind. I just drew them again and oh look at that. It's like my own OC came out to me.

I don't make the rules.

I don't have an internal diversity checklist when I make characters. I do not sit down and say "hmm i think i will draw a character who is autistic today"

I simply draw or write the character and sometimes as I'm putting them together, or even just thinking about them down the line, they hit me with

T H E V I B E S

and much like with actual people discovering themselves, sometimes it takes several years for my OCs to realise they are subject to

T H E V I B E S

Here's another example: I have an OC in a sci-fi universe and I've worked with him for upwards of 10 years now. And I remember, about 7 years into continuously thinking about him I was like "ohhhhh I see why you're like that, it's because you have T H E V I B E S and you're actually pansexual!

I felt like I'd really gotten to know my OC that day. Which is odd, considering, like, I created him, and am in full control of everything. But actually, I'm not in full control. I did not choose for that OC to be pansexual, I simply found this out one day.

This is why I use phrases like "I've worked with this OC for 10 years", as though I'm in some collaborative project with whatever fictional creation I'm brainrotting over. It really helps with making these characters breathe and feel genuine, and also I get moments like this.

and I think that's the best way to have some very super genuine feeling diversity in your OCs or other such creative works. If you checklist that stuff, you run the risk of it feeling like you've checklisted it, and trust me, all us super cool and tubular gay, trans and/or disabled people can tell if you're phonin' it in for brownie points.

I am not the way I am to fulfil a quota, so if you want to have genuine feeling diversity, your OCs can't be that way either.

Make them asexual because oh, you guess physical intimacy just isn't their scene.

Make them have ADHD because, yeah, they WOULD probably post an essay on writing diversity after getting back on their medication.

Make them feel real. Make a character, and see if they have

T H E V I B E S

You'll know it when you see it.

#oc artwork #OC #writing #creative writing #writing tip #diversity #writing diversity #diversity tip #THE VIBES

[dog-dayzzz]

Question and Answer thread

Q: What's your plan for this game.

A: Right now, the game is planned to be created in RPG Maker MV. I am writing it with the idea of multiple endings in mind. It is planned to be largely character driven, a parody and love-letter to the harvest moon and rune factory type games. Whether or not this is actually going to be a farming simulator is to be seen, however. What's being taken from this genre is instead the day-by day story telling with background repetitive but relaxing gameplay, with heavy emphasis on relationship building with other characters.

If I had to place it in a genre, it would be Fantasy and Slice of life with horror elements. All of your Bachelor//ettes have #heavy emotional baggage. Most of them are not human, but most of them look human. I am not looking to create a "good" game. I'm looking to create something Campy, Fun, and Unique. We are creating the dollar store bargain bin of video games. The plot won't make sense, but the characters will be memorable. And If I succeed in doing that, then I don't think I will have failed my quest.

Q: What would the rating of the game be?

A: MATURE. 18+. But surprisingly, not for NSFW, as I don't currently plan on having NSFW in the game.

I like exploring characters with heavy themes. There will inevitably be themes like abuse, grief, and trauma as they are are integral to how I enjoy writing stories. There will be a proper trigger list put out as the game gets developed.

Having said that, I mostly write stories about healing. So make of that what you will.

Q: Do you have any game development experience

A: Nope. We're being absolutely forthright here. Absolutely none whatsoever.

I am a storyteller first and foremost. I suspect whatever I end up creating will be pretty barebones on the gameplay front, and carried heavily on it's story. I considered writing a novel, but I truly do think the story I have in mind for these characters would be told best through game and coding.

This game is, at it's core, a dream and a passion project. The realistic ending for this game is it becomes just another that gets dropped in the middle of development, among a sea of so many other projects that get tossed to the waves. I'm here to have fun and challenge myself while doing it, as well as give these characters that have been near and dear to me for many years a story that they deserve.

But, I'm willing to chance on the fact that I get something done for it. I can be pretty stubborn, afterall.

At the very least, if I end up writing the story and crack open rpg maker and discover it is truly outside my skill level, I will publish the finished story and all its endings without coding the game. So one way or the other, you'll get a story out of this blog.

Q: Do you plan on monetizing this?

A: In it's current state? Absolutely not. As previously stated, Right now it's an idea and a dream. If I get to the point where I am actually cracking open RPG Maker MV, creating assets, and have a visible prototype I can present to people as proof of concept, then I will actively consider opening up a patreon and monetizing the game. There are going to be resources and assets I can't create on my own that I would absolutely love to get. Stuff like music is completely outside of my creative capabilities, and I would love to actually commission and compensate people for their time.

Having said that, I don't plan on even looking at RPG Maker MV until I have the first draft of the story written down and finished. I have an idea of how I want this game to look and feel in mind, however the heart of it really will be in the story.

If you're still here and you're still interested, thank you so much! Hopefully you enjoy what's to come.

#pinned post

[ourcreativefiber]

Hi! I'm Lorena.

I was born and raised in Spain, but I moved to the United States for love. Just a few years ago I picked up a crochet hook for the first time because I wanted to make my own dolls and stuffed animals.

After bringing to life countless yarn creatures that found their forever homes thanks to friends and family, Our Creative Fiber was born. Now I get to share what I love with even more people. 😊

Keep reading if you want to learn more about my crochet adventures.

You can check out our patterns and crochet tutorials on our Etsy store as well Our Creative Fiber's Youtube channel, where we will be slowly adding new videos and tutorials on crochet tips and some of our Amigurumi patterns.

My crochet skills evolution

I did not know how I was going to do it, but creating those dolls became an obsession of mine and I was determined to make it happen. I looked into sewing, beading. paper crafts and many other options out there. But nothing quite clicked, until I discovered Amigurumi. For the past few years, they have been all the rage among new and seasoned fellow yarn crafters. But what is it exactly? Well, it is a Japanese word that describes the art of creating adorable little creatures by means of crocheting and knitting.

Despite the fact that I had never picked up a crochet hook before in my life, thanks to many generous online creators, I got my feet wet by trying out easy video tutorials to learn how to crochet and do the most basic stitches.

This was the first "ugly" attempt I ever made at starting a crochet project.

My first project left a lot to be desired. I was happy when I figured out how to make a chain and then some single crochet stitches across it, eventually resulting in something resembling a rectangle shape. And extremely delighted the day I was able to create a 3d spherical shape. And yet, nothing will ever match the joy I felt when I completed my first ever real Amigurumi. It was a miniature bunny. Not the cutest, perhaps, but certainly the most special thing to me at the time.

This is a picture of this very first doll that is still very near and dear to my heart and proudly displayed in my office to this day.

Fast forward a few more weeks and lots of reading on Amigurumi, and I had been able to crack the basics of this art to come up with my own design. It was a birthday present for my best friend. A baby fox wearing pastel blue pijamas. Still one of my favorite creations to this day.

After that, I felt like nothing could stop me. I became seriously obsessed with this new hobby, and I made a myriad of other dolls and stuffed creatures that I gave away to friends and family.

My crochet patterns and tutorials

When I created Our Creative Fiber, I decided that I would write the type of patterns I would have loved to find myself when I first started. Cute, yet not too complicated. With clear explanations on what to do at every step of the way, and plenty of photographic evidence to demonstrate how to actually do it. In fact, if you take a look at the pdf files, you will notice that close to 100 pictures are included for each of pattern.

You still need to know the basics of crochet, but once you do, you should be able to follow along with no issues. However, if you end up having questions, you can always send me a message.

I hope you enjoy our crochet materials and that you get as hooked on this hobby as I did.

#intro #youtube channel #crochet tutorials #amigurumi #amigurumi patterns #amigurumi tutorials #crochet story

[red-akara]

Today really was just a series of unfortunate events.

I’ve been working on a film project conceived last year in a 2 month long creative “club” of sorts. Where you sign up to creatively explore a theme with others in that time. I produced a trailer that my group was really excited about and set a release date for 1-11-23.

Well, up until that point, I got really in my head about self doubt, fear of external opinion, and like “yeah they loved the trailer, what if I don’t deliver?”. Plus navigating filming around my landlady’s upstairs noise. Plus not being super sure of my concept and how I wanted to portray it.

1-11-23 approached quickly, I lost time to being sick with a cold and I made the decision to delay my project to 2-22-23. I needed time to think. To plan. And figure out what the heck I was gonna do.

It took awhile to land on something I was happy to film. It took awhile to be brave and actually pick up the camera. I was still afraid of external opinion, but I had filmed something. That was last week.

Yesterday I had the day off and planned to use the whole day to edit. My landlady usually doesn’t come back home until the evening, so I figured I’d have the quiet I need. Well I woke up late, even more so in my head about the scale of the project, and not sure how to get started. AND she came back in the middle of the afternoon.

I thought I’ve got the next day off, I’ll go to my local library to ensure silence and post the complete video in the evening.

That did not happen. Here’s what did:

1. Discovered that my local library is closed for renovation until spring of 2024.

2. Went to another library and remembered that my computer requires an SD card adapter…which I didn’t bring.

3. Went home to pick up the SD card adapter and called / researched a bunch of libraries near me to see if they had designated quiet areas. They did not.

4. Figured I’d go to Barnes & Noble cause I sorta knew what to expect from the noise level and it was early afternoon. Minor inconvenience - tried to order a London fog (my favorite drink) as a motivation boost. Clerk told me they don’t have the capability to make steamed drinks at the moment. Cool.

5. All footage took an hour to download, a little longer than I expected. In that time, a couple at a table behind me was having a very animated conversation. And a guy decided to sit pretty much right next to me at the bar style tables. I packed up and left shortly after.

6. Anxious to go home if my landlady would be there to make noise and kill my focus, I spent about an hour procrastinating in Michael’s.

7. Finally went home and she wasn’t there, but I was still shocked that the one place I could rely on for quiet would be closed…for a year.

8. Vented to a friend about it all which felt good. Made dinner and was about to get started on the project.

9. Landlady comes back and has been talking with a guest of hers in the living room above me for an hour or so.

…sigh.

#vent #the joys of being creative #I still wanna complete what I can tonight #don’t know how though

[erikahammerschmidt]

I have some Thoughts and Opinions about the idea of the Sunk-Cost Fallacy.

Here's an example of the sort of situation where that fallacy comes up for me:

A: "I went through so much work to get a bunch of new materials for a project. And then I realized there's another method to do the same project, and it's better in every way and uses simpler materials I already had! ...I'm still going to use the stuff I just got, though."

B: "Why? It's an inefficient way to do the task and it will have a worse-quality result!"

A: "Yes, but I know from experience that I'm gonna feel even worse if I waste all the work I did getting this stuff."

B: "But the only reason you even feel so bad about waste is because your goal is to do things efficiently!"

A: "Well, on a deeper level, my goal is to be happy. And, in this case, I'll be more unhappy if I don't at least try a version of the project that uses my new materials."

B: "That's a classic sunk-cost fallacy. Just be logical, and choose to be happy about the more efficient method instead."

In that example, I identify much more with viewpoint A.

And I'm not even really like that anymore! Over many years of this kind of situation over and over again with my creative projects, I've actually grown much better at letting go of sunk costs.

These days, if I realize there's a better way, I'll feel mostly just happiness that I've discovered it, and I'll gladly give away all the supplies I just put days of work into finding and preparing, without even a twinge of regret!

But there was a time when I was different, okay? And back in that time, I knew I absolutely was gonna feel agonies of regret if I let go of my sunk costs.

I did not have the ability to just switch off those agonies! Overcoming them was not some sudden choice, it was a very very very long and gradual process of growth. And it NEEDED all those years of experience before it could happen.

So, back in those before-times, when it hadn't happened yet, and when Viewpoint B was haranguing me like in that dialogue-- I knew that person had a completely unrealistic idea of how my mind was capable of working.

The typical accusation of Sunk-Cost Fallacy assumes that:

1. There is an Objectively Best Outcome that is possible for the scenario. (The most efficient use of resources, saving the most money, making the objectively best product, etc.)

2. Your goal is, obviously, always, to achieve that Objectively Best Outcome.

3. You have complete control over your emotions, and if your emotions want something that is not the Objectively Best Outcome, you must force them to change, or else you are Behaving Illogically.

4. And even if you can't change them, you should still aim for the Objectively Best Outcome, because that is more important than how you will feel about the outcome you get.

But, see... logic is for deducing conclusions from premises. Some people who claim to be logical keep forgetting that emotion is how we choose the premises-- especially when the premise is "want to achieve this goal."

Basically, some people confuse "wanting to achieve a goal that I wouldn't want" with "logical fallacy."

Here's another example that feels, to me, like pretty much the same argument:

A: "My partner and I really want to have sex that could get me pregnant if I'm not careful. ...I'm going to use birth control."

B: "Why? It's designed to prevent you from having a baby!"

A: "Yes, and I know from experience that I hate pain and discomfort and being responsible for child care."

B: "But the only reason you like sex, and hate pain and inconvenience, is because evolutionarily those feelings increase your chance for survival and reproduction!"

A: "Well, on a deeper level, my goal is to be happy. And, in this case, I'll be unhappy if I don't get laid, and I'll be even more unhappy if I get knocked up."

B: "That's a classic anti-baby fallacy. Just be logical, and choose to be happy about fulfilling your sex drive's natural purpose instead."

I'm not sure why B's viewpoint in this example seems more clearly unreasonable, to most people I know, than it does in the previous dialogue.

Well, I do sorta understand. It's because:

1. One's preferences about "the ideal process and ideal goal for a craft project" are not considered as much of A Very Personal Matter Of Opinion as one's preferences about "whether to get pregnant right now."

2. One's feeling of "not wanting to waste things I just expended effort on" is considered more of a consciously controllable choice than one's feeling of "wanting to have sex" or "wanting not to get pregnant."

But I don't quite get WHY these things are considered that way.

In my mind they really aren't.

[satohqbanana]

yo that latest ask meme? i challenge you to answer every single question on there (or whichever ones you want to)

...juuust kidding. XD Snow pls why you always want cop outs (affectionate)? Anyway, this is way too many questions for me, so I'm just gonna pick some of them to answer.

4. Do you have any OCs? Do you have a story for them?

Arcanium is my OC story - and now that I think of it, I’m not sure if it really has any central theme to it beyond I guess character relationships. I hope I finish the game (with Gracie, Ireus, Des, and Charles) and write its actual main story (with Lyarshu, Rena, Erudan, Silver, and the Devourer) at the very least.

12. If you write in more than one language, what's the difference?

Besides obvious language rule differences, it's that I exclusively write romance and nonfiction in Tagalog. English is my main creative writing language.

16. Are one-shots really underrated?

Not totally underrated, but often misunderstood. I feel like a lot of writers in the circles I frequent are too eager to talk about certain lore, certain plot twists, and certain developments, that their plans end up being too big to handle. Oneshots then become a no-no to them, because then how would they be able to explain XYZ things that happen later down the line?

I feel like they don't really understand or appreciate how oneshots are a great way to explore the characters and the plots in some actual form of prose. For example, I used to create oneshots for a multitude of AUs to look into crossovers, silly/crack ideas, super overwhelming ideas I'm not confident enough for, and so on and so forth. Oneshots, while usually utilized to zoom into characters and character relationships, are underrated as tools for developing the world.

20. Do you work on a single project or many at the same time? How does that work for you?

Working on many at the same time is the way to go for me. I can't focus on only one project at a time, or else I'll end up getting bored - the same way that if you only eat one thing for a long period of time, you're gonna develop some form of hatred towards that certain meal. Yes, I end up dropping projects left and right, but some progress is better than none, I at least delivered some entertainment to some people for a short period of time, and I discover more things about my own skills in writing and tastes in fiction.

22. What is it about watching the same two idiots falling in love over and over again?

Sometimes you just can't get enough of certain things, even if this specific version is a little bit to the left or to the right. I mean, what is it about replaying games you've completed before? Rewatching movies you've already seen? Visiting places that you've already visited before? Familiarity is safety, and seeing that love affirmed again and again touches your heart, the way that coming back home (to a safe, warm, and loving home) is.

Doesn't matter if it's the same two (or more) idiots falling in love over and over, or the same found parent/s-and-child/ren groups finding each other over and over, or the same band of friends meeting each other and clicking over and over, through a thousand AUs or a thousand lifetimes. That's home, right in your hands.

24. Thoughts on flashbacks/flashforwards.

Writers out there could get more creative than overtly labelling each flashback/flashforward as a flashback/flashforward, such as using italics, using worldbuilding, and using a character's thoughts.

25. Is writing outlining the whole thing beforehand better or worse than writing it as you go?

For nonfiction writing, outline is the way to go for me. For fiction writing, writing it as I go is usually my thing. Unless it's a large story that needs to be tracked from start to finish.

26. What would you describe as OOC?

OOC is being out of touch with the character's branding or essence of being. But you really can't go OOC if the canon doesn't give them much room to be somebody beyond a trope or two.

#ask #answered #k3ysm4sh

[mxpseudonym]

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’ve had a turbulent relationship with reader inserts, writing and reading them. (All completely personal opinions that are not calls to action btw.) I only started writing them in 2019 or 2020 after discovering fanfic on tumblr how common the structure was.

Then I started disliking them, but it was sorta a vague reasoning that ended with me not writing them all together and sort of reading them out of necessity (not much anymore tho).

BUT. THIS WEEKEND. I was talking to a friend about my writing journey as a kid then to now and It dawned on me:

I don’t like them because I’m a selfish bitch!

I have always thought I was a better writer when I was younger because I was pouring all my emotions onto the page as a coping mechanism. But! I actually think it was because I never wrote for an audience. I used to just post anything I wanted on ff.net and I wasn’t part of a community beyond the handful of people who commented every chapter. Or the fics I read and followed. I never even considered the audience. I have filled notebook after notebook with self indulgent fics that I will NEVER post, not because I don’t like them but because the purpose is fulfilled. I think I wrote a Vampire Diaries OC for like four years just for me. Beautiful elaborate past to present, star crossed lover story btw.

But (for me, in my experience, personally speaking, imo) reader inserts are centering an audience, not my selfish desire to play god with the source material. And when I start asking for other peoples input in the creative process, I go into a validation spiral that does not end in satisfaction.

Meanwhile.

20 people could read my OC fic, I’ll get one comment, and it’s like, alright loved that for us- goal complete. Because it’s not about you, it's about me. I write something and once it’s complete I’ve eaten my fill. Posting it on tumblr is like, hey I made dinner you can have some if you want.

And I don’t insert myself into reader insets because I just projected my shit into my own fic. So I want to read someone projecting their own shit into an OC now.

Wow these were some thoughts I didn’t know were trying to connect lol.

#chit chat #Realizing things #yes i'm talking about reader inserts again #It's genuinely not them it's me