#project that incorporates creative writing so.......

[jesawyer]

A big thanks to you and your team for making Pentiment, it's an amazing game and it'll be with me for a long time I think, especially the personal and emotional character writing.

I'm curious about what was the inspiration behind, and creative motivation for including, the motif of the labyrinth. The church's painting of the Virgin Mary with the labyrinth seems striking in particular, especially because I don't remember ever coming across a strong association with labyrinths in Christian imagery.

Thank you. I'm glad it was so impactful.

Labyrinths have a long association with Christianity going back to the 4th century, when one was placed in a cathedral in Chlef (now in Algeria). This is known as the St. Reparata or St. Reparatus Labyrinth.

The Chartres Labyrinth was built around 1200.

Christian labyrinths are meant to be walked while contemplating. The path twists and turns, but there is only one way to go. They also all clearly take inspiration from labyrinths of the classical world even if their purpose and origins are effectively lost to those who see them.

As Beatrice says to Andreas (paraphrased), the foundations of our memories become buried and invisible. And she is paraphrasing and abbreviating Plato speaking to Solon in Timaeus,

whatever happened either in your country or in ours, or in any other region of which we are informed-if there were any actions noble or great or in any other way remarkable, they have all been written down by us of old, and are preserved in our temples. Whereas just when you and other nations are beginning to be provided with letters and the other requisites of civilized life, after the usual interval, the stream from heaven, like a pestilence, comes pouring down, and leaves only those of you who are destitute of letters and education; and so you have to begin all over again like children, and know nothing of what happened in ancient times, either among us or among yourselves. As for those genealogies of yours which you just now recounted to us, Solon, they are no better than the tales of children. In the first place you remember a single deluge only, but there were many previous ones;

I also wanted the association with the labyrinth from The Name of the Rose, which in turn was inspired by the Reims Labyrinth.

The Reims Labyrinth was constructed in the late 13th century but was destroyed in the 18th century by superstitious priests. It was through the discovery of drawings that modern scholars were able to recreate and project the path of the labyrinth onto the cathedral floor.

The cover of the 1st Italian edition (and therefore, first edition overall) of Il Nome della Rosa prominently incorporated the drawing of the Reims Labyrinth.

Note the map of the Aedificium:

The final lines of The Name of the Rose are:

Stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus.

The original rose remains only in name, we hold those names stripped.

This refers to a specific object in the story, but more broadly symbolizes historical records, art objects, and other artifacts lost to time. The Reims Labyrinth remains only in drawings, stories, and light projected on the ground where it once stood; the labyrinth itself was destroyed.

Nomen est; res non est. - The name exists; the thing does not.

As a side note, France uses the Reims Labyrinth as its symbol for historical monuments - an important reminder of how fragile their existence can be.

#game design #pentiment #labyrinth #the name of the rose #umberto eco

[mysisters-bike]

Eric Harris: Online

We explore Eric's affinity for escapism and his behavior online. Super long post, tl;dr at end.

As a teenager, Eric grew more withdrawn. His interests began to take shape around computers and he was particularly fond of Doom II, a 90’s first-person shooter in which the main character (Doomguy) fights hoards of demons on Earth. Doom II included multiplayer, as did its predecessor, Doom. However, one large development that Eric especially enjoyed was the ability to create custom levels for Doom II. 

To this day, Eric’s Doom files (.wad) still roam the internet, somehow miraculously not lost to the sands of time. He seemed to particularly enjoy creating deathmatch levels and would encourage users reading the .readme files for his levels to email him and play with him. 

Creating these levels for Doom was a passion project for Eric. He would work carefully on his wads, even going as far to create his own monster death animations. While it’s very easy to create and distribute modifications for most games today, this was an impressive feat in the mid-late 1990s. Computers and access to the internet was still hitting the homefront, albeit in a massive boom. As technology flourished in the home, Eric found a means to channel his creativity. 

In the infamous “U.A.C. Labs” level, Eric created two fast-paced levels that incorporate jump-scares, plot-twists, and lots of action. He nearly overloaded one of the areas with a spawn of 150+ some monsters that is triggered by the player coming too close to a key that’s required to access the next area. Eric was very proud of this particular level, writing in the .readme: …This one took a damn long time to do, so send me some bloody credit man!...Authors may NOT use this level as a base to build additional levels. You may NOT change a damn thing with this WAD, if you do, I will blow you up. And it will be cool. 

See below: blueprints drawn by Eric in his journal detailing one of his wads. These can be found throughout his writings.

Clearly, Eric was interested in protecting the level’s artistic integrity. This was work he took a great deal of pride in. Eric was described as being interested in pursuing a career in digital development by Brooks, who thought it was feasible he may end up as a videogame designer. 

What was it about Doom that Eric enjoyed so much? 

For starters, the game was paramount in its offering of gore, metal music, and gameplay. Doom was nonstop action with intriguing stories that could be followed along in both game and book. It is my theory that Eric enjoyed high-paced, high-action activities to stimulate a mind he was not entirely comfortable being alone with. This was also a world in which Eric could control – he could smite down the monsters in his path and he knew what lay around every corner. This may be considered a form of escapism, which is not necessarily new behavior in teenagers. Interestingly, however, there are multiple studies that have been conducted specifically observing the video game escapism phenomenon.

During periods of heightened psychological distress and escapism, the individual increases the amount of online activity, video game play-time, and gambling frequency (Jouhki, Savolainen, Sirola, & Oksanen, 2022). These three behaviors are specifically intriguing as they all provide forms of distraction.

Have you ever been to a casino? There are no windows, therefore, there is no sense of the passage of time. You are inundated by flashing lights, loud sounds, bright colors, and excitement. I once found myself with a drink in hand, sitting at a digital slot machine with interesting animations and upbeat music. It was a penny slot, but I won $20 on my first try. Next thing I knew, my friend and I had spent 5 fast hours playing slots, digital blackjack, and having the time of our lives. I ended up only losing $10 in the end. 

Casinos are intended to be a distracting environment that draws in the consumer and traps them for hours of endless stimulation. This is the same idea applied to video games, which are intended to provide hours of entertainment, something humans are constantly in search of. For example, small rodents do not require a television. While providing pet rodents with enrichment is undoubtedly very healthy for them, their enrichment simulates foraging, which is their biological purpose. Humans, now more than ever, rely on entertainment from every angle. It is especially difficult for those going through a psychological hardship to not stimulate their minds. Rather, it can be easier to avoid and escape the difficult and, often, intrusive thoughts. Psychological distress and a method to avoid dealing with such troubles creates the perfect storm within an emotionally unintelligent and unequipped teenage boy.

Eric spending hours building a new level in Doom was simply a way to ease the passage of time. Controlling and manipulating the environment may have provided a sense of control that was not otherwise found in everyday life. In addition to this, Eric understood Doom better than he was capable of understanding his emotions. 

To Eric, Doom symbolized something he was not: powerful, strong, and capable. In the basement tapes, Eric and Dylan explain their murderous motivations. Eric references his favorite game: “It’s gonna be like fucking Doom man; after the bombs explode.”

I often argue against the claim that video games were to blame for Eric’s violent behavior and plans despite this evidence. Longitudinal studies have proven that video games do not influence violent crime or behavior. After a 2-year study on Singapore youth, it was concluded that 27 hours of gameplay per day would be required to see any clinical effects or behavioral changes due to violent video games (Ferguson and Wang, 2019). In Eric’s own words, he was fighting himself to separate from his moral compass in order to follow through with the plan he and Dylan had been concocting. In order to do this, he began to think of their plan like it was another Doom level he was crafting. Video games may not be the direct cause of Eric’s violence, but I do believe he used them to justify his violence (to himself).

It was also during this time that the social internet was booming. WebChat Broadcasting System (WBS) and American Online (AOL) began the excitement of site hosting and chatrooms. Personal profiles encouraged a space for teenagers like Eric to freely share their thoughts and interests and connect with others on a scale that had not yet been seen before. Eric took an extremely strong liking to the new social sphere he’d discovered and created multiple AOL profiles and webpages.

Eric even created a webpage to host a series of “Jo Mamma” anti-jokes, crediting himself, Dylan, and Zack Heckler under their respective screen names Reb, VoDkA, and KiBBZ. One of the jokes on their site read: Jo mamma so fat she doesnt even look at the nutrition value tables on the food boxes she eats.....she just buys them and eats them.....cause shes fat...JJJEEYAAAAAA!!!!

Much like people today sharing private thoughts on Facebook or Twitter, Eric was sharing his private thoughts on his own websites. Ranging from “jo mamma” jokes to death threats, Eric didn’t hesitate over-sharing every thought he had on his personal blog. 

Online oversharing is an extremely new and modern communicative phenomenon. The scale at which humans are now able to communicate is unprecedented and, frankly, not something humans were ever equipped to be able to do. Eric’s internet presence feels like a primitive version of how a teenager today would dump their opinions and ideas onto Twitter.

On these blogs, Eric would share self-described “missions” in which he and Dylan would test homemade pipe bombs. He described lists of things he hated, desires to kill others, and people he hated. As we have already discussed, Eric would also make mention of Brooks Brown. 

Eric would also describe fantasizing breaking into Brooks’s home and urinating on him and his family members and would also, unprompted, share Brooks’s phone number in a “mission” post. Eric would share Brooks’s number online on multiple occasions:

…This mission was also liquor free as a result of this person named Brooks Brown (phone number) who tried to narc on us.

A reason he might have shared such tenacious things online was to seek the thrill of seeing what he could publicly get away with or attention from outsiders. Eric might have enjoyed attention from any angle, be it support for his ideals or shock. This attention, no matter where it came from, would still feed his ego. Eric wanted people to see and he didn’t care what they thought.

Studies have shown that individuals who post their own photos or private messages to personal blogs are attempting to construct their desired public identity (Jung, Song, & Vorderer, 2012). As Eric shared more and more deeply personal thoughts, he was further crafting the public Doom-esque image of himself he wanted others to see.

Eric also displayed a troubling tendency to overshare online. Have you ever scrolled on your social media timelines and found a post that was just unsettlingly personal and wondered, Why on Earth would anyone want to share that publicly? 

The tendency to overshare just stems from an overall need for attention. Social media provides a very easy way to continuously farm serotonin. Consistently sharing ideas and thoughts into a space where others can very easily validate them can almost serve as catharsis for a large amount of people. However, oversharing on social media has actually been discovered to have a direct association with anxiety issues, problematic social media use, and attention-seeking behaviors (Shabahang, Shim, Aruguete, & Zsila, 2022). 

I theorize that Eric was mainly searching for attention with each new entry he put forth onto the internet. This was a teenager who had been deprived of the right kinds of attention and would seek to push boundaries in order to get it. His posts were also indicative of his declining mental state. As his posts became darker and darker, it became clear that this was not only Eric’s outlet for gaining attention, but in some areas had evolved into his personal massacre planner. 

Read one of Eric's most troubling online posts here (pages 39 and 40)

What would prompt someone to write such horrible things? Why did Eric feel this way? Why did he claim to hate the world? What about his life left him and Dylan feeling like they “had no other choice?” I theorize that Eric projected his loneliness and lack of meaningful relationships onto the rest of the world. After all, how could any of this be his fault? In his mind, something must have been terribly wrong with him to be rejected by everyone.

Why was he so angry? Truly, we can see that Eric’s anger was displaced. I theorize that Eric blamed the world that felt like it had betrayed him so many times for his shortcomings. His self-esteem was incredibly low and he was poor at maintaining friendships. From time to time, he was targeted by bullies and felt like an outsider. Rejected children often react aggressively and underestimate how disliked they are by their peers. 

Numerous witness statements describe a distaste or distrust of Eric. One incident after another, people found Eric unapproachable. He kept mutual friends with Dylan, but it’s most likely he was more Dylan’s friend in the circle than he was anyone else’s.

TL;DR:

Playing Doom and creating .wads for the game was a form of escapism for Eric; he could create a world he was in control of

Escapism damages an individual's ability to solve emotional problems; it's not a relief, it's merely "putting off" the problem the individual must solve without teaching any healthy coping mechanisms

Eric was crafting an image of himself that he wanted others to perceive; someone who was strong, badass, in control, and took no names...all of which he did not truly think he was. Eric knew he was just an average teenage boy and he hated it

Eric needed attention from anyone he could find, whether or not those accolades be positive or negative. He was pushing his boundaries to see what he could get away with; to see what he could feel

I've been taking all of what I'm posting from a case study I wrote a while back. I keep forgetting to cite my sources since it's...you know...tumblr.

References:

Ferguson, C. J. & Wang, C. K. J. (2019). Aggressive video games are not a risk factor for future aggression in youth: A longitudinal stud. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10964-019-01069-0

Jouhki, H., Savolainen, I., Sirola, A., & Oksanen, A. (2022). Escapism and Excessive Online Behaviors: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study in Finland during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 19(19). doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912491.

Jung, Y., Song, H., & Vorderer, P. (2012). Why do people post and read personal messages in public? The motivation of using persona blogs and its effects on user's loneliness, belonging, and well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(5). pp 1626-1633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.04.001

Shabahang, R., Shim, H., Aruguete, M. A., & Zsila, A. (2022). Oversharing on Social Media: Anxiety, Attention-Seeking, and Social Media Addiction Predict the Breadth and Depth of Sharing. Psychological Reports. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941221122861

#eric harris #dylan klebold #columbine #true crime #tcc #true crime community #psychology #i have a degree :-|

[fixyourwritinghabits]

Any tips on writing for people with ADHD and a short attention span?

Hello! As someone who was recently diagnosed/had to go through the process of jumping through hoops to get meds, I've been trying to put together some new writing routines to get back on track. It has... been a process. Here are some things I've learned (from my personal experience, your mileage may vary):

Writing everyday doesn't work. I think this really common advice has been debunked overall, but let me tell you, there are days when the energy bar starts on empty and stays there. I can function, but the creative juices aren't there. Trying to stay creative by other means, either by reading or working on another hobby, can be a way for you to keep your day productive instead.

Hard schedules don't work. To reflect the above, I can get up at 5am every damn day, but only some of these days will get work done before work. That isn't to say you shouldn't try to make a schedule and stick to it - you'll definitely get more done that way. But it isn't always going to work, and you shouldn't beat yourself up if you can't keep to it every day.

Being 'plugged-in' definitely doesn't work. The 'oh I need to look up how to spell this oh no I'm twelve pages into a Google hole' is definitely still a trap. To keep focused, keep that instant internet away from you. Need to look up something, slap a note on it and come back when you know you don't need to write another 1000 words.

Medication/caffeine/whatever you use to function can only do so much. I can drink a cup of coffee and immediately slam myself into bed. My meds exist to get me through the work day, which is what I need them to do, but won't always be able to keep me through the extra work day. Trying to stay awake and focused when my brain is fucking done for the day just doesn't work. Instead, I have to focus on what does - writing in the morning or at noon, making time when I know I can still function rather than trying to take it on at the end of the day when I know I'll be spent.

What has been working and I've been trying to incorporate more has been:

Drafting on paper. This has always worked for me, and it continues to work for me. Physically writing the words down and editing as I type them does slow down the work, but it makes much more sense to my brain.

Using color codes/other visual tools. Color-coding characters, using different colored pens for types of notes, and flashcards help me flesh out plots. It makes plotting more like an art project, but that in itself can help me be more creative. If you like working on a computer and not by hand, you can spice up Excel sheets and Google docs with different fonts, templates, and adding notes.

Lists, lists, and more lists. I have a planner for work, I have a planner for my personal life, and I have a notepad where I write down all my daily goals, however small. Using a combination of the three has been working great for keeping me on track. For me, physically crossing things out and checking things off is a great motivator.

Alarms and writing sprints. Slap a timer to a screen and write to it. Use an online writing sprint, hop into a work-focused Twitch stream, or use a timed YouTube video to put yourself in a focused environment with a goal in mind.

Relocate. There are certain areas of my apartment that I've dubbed 'The Ooze Zone' where all I can do when I'm there is get nothing done. Unfortunately, because my apartment is quite small, the Ooze Zone takes up most of it. So if you can't set up an office space or a designated area where your brain knows to get work done, consider checking out your local library, a relatively peaceful park, a friend's house, or a cheap coffee shop. I know somewhere who would just drive somewhere and do 80% of his writing in his car. If you can't do your work from home because your brain won't let you, look into alternatives.

If you have meds, take them. Getting medicated and on the right dose is hard, believe me. I've been trying to get back the swing of things after a. being checked out from not being medicated and b. being checked out from not having the right dosage/type of meds. It is a process, but if you have the ability to seek a diagnoses and treatment, it is worth pursuing. If you have meds, take them on a regular schedule and how your doctor recommends. Add an alarm on your phone to remind yourself. Make it part of your routine. Doing it haphazardly is only doing yourself a disfavor.

And lastly, Get More Sleep. The number one thing that may be fucking you over is not sleeping enough. Having ADHD is directly tied with having more sleeping problems in both children and adults. If you have this problem, it is affecting you way more than you know.

Here's the thing - I thought I had a great sleeping schedule for the longest time, and could not figure out why I was so exhausted half the time. But I recently got a fitness tracker, which informed me that actually, my sleeping patterns were complete dogshit. I may have been in bed for eight hours, but I spent three of them tossing and turning.

Make a sleep schedule and stick to it. Go to bed at the same time of night. Consider getting a sleep tracker to see where your sleep patterns are messed up and what you can change to fix it. This sucks, believe me, but going to bed at 9pm to account for that time you'll spent tossing about before you get up at 6am may be the only way to recover those missing sleep hours. Even if it feels like it's taking away from your free time, you will function better overall.

#writing with ADHD #writing tips

[novlr]

How exactly do you do a character study whether it be a film character or a book character?

Character development is the soul of story-telling. Compelling characters are what make or break a good narrative, which makes it one of the most important elements of any creative writing project. A fantastic way to get to the bottom of what makes a great character is by conducting a character study on characters you already know and love. So how, exactly, can you do that?

What is a character study?

A character study is a critical examination of a character in a work of literature, television, film, or other media, to understand their role and significance in the narrative. It involves delving into the character’s behaviours, motivations, relationships, and growth throughout the story.

Why should you do a character study?

Understanding Complexity: Characters are rarely black and white. Exploring what makes them tick can help you understand the nuances of character development and how to incorporate those complexities in your own characters.

Character Growth: Observing character growth can provide you with insights on how to develop and transform your characters over time.

Motivation and Conflict: A character study can help you understand the inner motivations and conflicts that drive characters’ actions and decisions.

How to conduct a character study?

Choose a character from that you admire or find interesting from you favourite book, tv show, film, or play.

Analyse the character’s traits by noting down their physical appearance, personality, emotions, and behaviours.

Examine the character’s relationships by looking at how they interact with others in the story. What do these relationships reveal about the character?

Look at the character’s growth and development by analysing their journey throughout the story. How have they changed or evolved?

Interpret the character’s motivations and conflicts. What drives them? What internal and external conflicts do they face?

Applying what you’ve learned to your writing

Write a character study for a variety of different characters, from protagonists, to love interests, and villains. What traits do you find most compelling, and do they have anything in common? Look at what relationships stood out to you, and how deep their motivations and conflicts are. Consider their growth and change, and use those learnings to develop your own characters. You can even start with a character development template to help organise your thoughts.

#writeblr #writers of tumblr #writers #creative writing #writing #writing community #creative writers #writing inspiration #writerblr #writing tips #writblr #writers corner #writing advice #writing resources #writers on tumblr #writers and poets #character study #character development #resources for writers #writing reference #let's write #writing tips and tricks #writing quick tips #quick writing tips #advice for authors #learn to write #how to write #novel writing #writer things #writing asks

[danikamariewrites]

imagine being Rhys and Feyres sweet little housewife 🤭🤭🤭 baking and cooking for them, making the home clean and peaceful for them, going shopping, sitting on Rhys’ lap whilst he works, sucking on Feyres tits whilst she paints being spoiled and babied ALL the TIME, extreme princess treatment, it’s not a want it’s a need 🤍🤍🤍

Housewife headcanon

Feysand x reader

A/n: I don’t want to be a housewife BUT I would be for them

Warnings: fluff and slightly nsfw at the end

After a year of dating Rhys and Feyre they convinced you to move in

When you did they were adamant about you making yourself at home because the River House is your house too

Since acts of service is your love language you easily became incorporated in their daily routines which they love

You get up early before Rhys goes to training and make him a small breakfast and coffee. The first time you did this he was surprised. “Darling you didn’t have to do this.” He said, kissing your temple before eating. “I know, but I wanted to. I know you don’t eat before working out and that’s not good for you Rhysie.”

Before he leaves you give him a kiss and tell him “have a great day baby, I love you.”

Then you go back to bed to cuddle with Feyre for another hour until she gets up

You bring up coffee or tea - whatever she’s in the mood for - and the two of you get ready together. Sometimes Feyre does your makeup if you feel like it. You love having her hands all over you, she’s soft with you when she plays with your hair and holds you

When Rhys comes home the three of you sit down for a proper breakfast and talk about what your plans are for the day

Your first few weeks you took it upon yourself to add more furniture into some of the rooms and make the living room a little less old gothic looking

You got a new rug, new arm chairs, and a big comfy couch with new blankets and you hung a few of Feyre’s paintings

Over the months you worked on de-gothifying the place and making it more homey

When that project was done you could tell Rhys and Feyre felt more relaxed at home. All those dark colors must’ve reminded them of literally everything bad and work of course

You also love to cook! Going to the farmers market is your favorite. Fresh bread and foods from all over Prythian at your fingertips

Once a week you make a big meal for the 3 of you with stuff you bought from the market. You also make dessert which is usually ice cream, brownies, or cookies

Feyre and Rhys have always showed you so much love and affection, even before you moved in

To show you that they appreciate everything you do they dial up your Princess treatment to what feels like a million

They buy you any and everything you could ever want

They love taking you out for shopping trips in the city together but sometimes they get so busy you go on your own

You like going on your own sometimes, that way you can get them little surprise gifts

Other days you feel like doing nothing but sitting around the house or being with one of them while they worked

With Feyre you helped her with correspondence or planning lessons and gallery’s for the art studio

Sometimes the two of you would snuggle and read together on the couch in her office

Other times creativity would hit and Feyre would ask you to pose for a sketch for a painting. As she paints you sit with her just in awe of her talent

“You’re amazing Fey. I don’t know how you do it,” you say to her. Feyre turns her head to quickly press her lips to yours as thanks. “Thank you my love, I couldn’t do it without my muse,” she teases

When you compliment her she’d boop your nose with whatever paint she was using and you’d giggle while blushing like crazy

That usually ended with the two of you covered in paint naked on the floor

With Rhys you love taking naps in his office either on the plush leather couch by the fire or sitting on his lap

You read or help him sort paperwork and write letters to the other high lords

Usually working with Rhys is pretty boring unless your in his lap staring up at him with heart eyes, admiring that beautiful jaw line and sparkling eyes

“I can feel you staring darling,” Rhys lightly chuckles out. Your cheeks turn pink a little and you hide your face in his neck. “I can’t help it you’re just so damn pretty.” You mumble. “Another laugh shakes Rhys’s chest. “Hey, look at me.” You slowly pull away from his neck and meet his violet eyes

Rhys shifts you so you’re straddling him with your back to his desk. His hand comes up to softly hold your chin, forcing you to keep eye contact with him. “I love it when you stare at me pretty girl. Reminds me of how much you love me. Do you stare at Feyre too?”

You nod, a soft smile pulling at your lips as he inches his face closer to yours. “Mmhh, and what does Feyre darling do when you stare at her like that?” Rhys gently kisses you as he taps on your mental shields, asking to see what you did with Feyre yesterday

You happily show him, hoping you can end up in the same position with him

You also show him images of the 3 of you together in bed hoping that you can have both of them sooner rather than later

#acotar #acotar fanfiction #acotar reader fic #acotar reader imagine #acotar imagine #rhysand fluff #rhysand headcanon #rhysand x reader #rhysand imagine #acotar rhysand #rhysand acotar #rhysand #feyre headcanons #feyreandrhysand #feyre archeron #feyre acotar #feyre x rhysand #feyre x you #feyre x reader #Feyre x rhysand x you #poly!feysand #poly!feysand x reader #poly!feysand x you

[femmefatalevibe]

how to balance work and personal life???

Plan your days & week around your energy peaks: Figure out the times of the day when you're most focused, productive, creative, fidgety, sleepy, etc., and structure your days/weeks/month around your internal clock to the best of your ability. While this may be slightly difficult if you have a 9-5 or go to school during the day, think about what blocks of time are best dedicated to meetings, creative work, planning, routine tasks, emails, studying, etc. For those with uteruses, consider your energy throughout your cycle to help you plan the month.

Create "bookend" routines: While these will often be your morning and nighttime routines, consider how you prime and unwind your mind from your biggest tasks of the day (for most of us, this will be work, school, and chores on the weekends). Some reading, light movement, and upbeat music can create momentum before starting your daily tasks. A long walk and some journaling are a simple yet productive combination to decompress from the day.

Embrace the power of 3s: Create a daily primer routine, workday, and relaxation routine around 3 core tasks/projects/rituals. For example: Mornings can include using your 5-Minute Journal, doing a quick 10-minute meditation/yoga/dancing session to get in some movement, and spending 10 minutes reading; Your workday should be focused on completing your "Big Three" tasks, projects, or meetings of the day; Evenings can include a quick 5-10 minute planning session for the next day, a 15-60 minute walk or workout (depending on how you're feeling), and some journaling/reading time after dinner. You don't need to do it all. Consistency is key.

Make A Life Admin Schedule (and Stick To It): Choose days (and times if possible) of the week to update certain spreadsheets, batch reply to less urgent messages, clean your house, do laundry, grocery shop, etc. Scheduling these tasks ahead of time eliminates half of the battle for following through on what you need to do. Eventually, you will make these tasks into habitual routines that your brain will allow you to execute effortlessly as though you're in autopilot mode.

Focus on systems, not habits: Consider the domino effect of each practice and activity. Determine whether your current strategies and routines align with your energy, goals, and desired outcomes. Reflect on the parts of your routine that increase/decrease your energy and motivation. See how you can create a system – a pattern of consistently-practiced habits – that supports your goals and desired lifestyle that does not compromise your overall life satisfaction and well-being.

Set Boundaries: Understand your expectations, non-negotiables, and limits in every area of your life. Communicate these principles to others clearly, so they know when they are overstepping. Don't tolerate disrespect, but also don't expect others to be mind-readers. If someone knows that they're crossing your boundaries, it is easy to draw the line in the sand and walk away without the guilt or shame that can arise when conflicts originate from a lack of healthy communication.

Incorporate One Creative Practice Into Your Week: Reinvigorate your mind by engaging in at least one hour of creative activity per week. Try drawing, creative writing, poetry, singing, dancing, painting, pottery, jewelry making, graphic design, photography, etc. Even taking a foreign language course or creating a Pinterest inspiration/mood board or organizing your home/closets in an aesthetically-pleasing way counts. Figure out what creative outlet(s) you find satisfying. Prioritize scheduling this practice into your schedule weekly.

Give Yourself A Weekly "Treat": Find a healthy indulgence that you can strategically incorporate into your week. This "treat" can be a massage or nail appointment, permission to watch a movie or a couple episodes of a TV show, a serving of your favorite dessert or a glass of wine, etc. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Consider regular indulgence as an act of self-care not as a sign of weakness or self-destruction. Embracing pleasure does not require guilt or external permission.

Experiment until you find an achievable balance: Focus on progress, not perfection. While there may be days or even seasons where hard work and fewer pleasures take priority, life is meant to bring you joy, peace, and satisfaction at the end of the day. Remaining in your comfort zone does you no good. However, learning ways to find pleasure in the process remains the key to long-lasting discipline and the energy necessary to maintain the determination required for success.

#that girl #femme fatale #dark femininity #dark feminine energy #it girl #healthyhabits #healthy habits #healthylifestyle #queen energy #dream girl #self healing #self improvement #the feminine urge #successhabits #success mindset #higher self #high value woman #high value mindset #morning routine #nighttime routine #self love #self care #goalsetting #girl blogging #femmefatalevibe #female excellence #female power #productivity #work life #life design

[sincerely-sofie]

Seeing as you have finished writing the script for your AU thingy, I wanna know, how?

Like, were you motivated the whole time? Or was it a on and off writing type thing?

i'm trying to write but I don't know if I have the motivation...

How did you keep the motivation if so?

Oh man. I have so much to say about writing and creativity that I could make an entire series of posts talking about the subject, but I'll try to keep things orderly and brief.

Disclaimer: I should let you know that I have never finished a writing project before recently finishing my TPiaG AU. Keep that in mind when reading the advice I offer— the tips I give have only been put into work in my own life over the course of the last couple of months, but they’ve proven very effective in my experience!

Sofie Creativity Tips Episode 1, go!!!

Was I motivated the whole time I was writing TPiaG / How did I stay motivated?

Absolutely not. If I hadn’t provided myself a detailed chapter-by-chapter outline for TPiaG before starting the writing process, I would have given up thanks to a mix of writer’s block and absent motivation. Motivation is a fickle muse and prone to ditching me for months on end, so I’ve adapted by trying not to rely on it, but also by creating new motivation rather than clinging to past motivation. I create motivation for myself in two ways: removing friction when writing and being my own fandom.

Removing friction is pretty simple— I create very detailed chapter outlines that remove any fear of writer’s block, set up my devices in a way to make it easy to access my manuscripts and notes, download premade writing playlists that have Pomodoro session break timers built into them, and more. Anything that makes the writing process easier to get into and enjoy doing, I make sure to incorporate into my life.

Being my own fandom is less intuitive, but a thousand times more rewarding in terms of motivation. I make memes of my characters. I write self-indulgent snippets on the side. I make AUs of my own work. I make playlists and save audio clips that suit the characters. I draw comics exploring concepts that might not get into the manuscript itself but that I want to make content for regardless. Basically, I dive in deep into the story, characters, and world, and try to do so with the enthusiasm that I give other people’s projects.

(That part is extra fun, because if I have a headcanon, it automatically becomes canon to whatever AU or original project I’m working on. I have all the power in the world when working like this, and it’s very fun.)

What changed and made it so I finished my first ever written project?

This isn’t exactly what was asked, but because I have eschewed motivation as the main driving force in my writing process, I figured I’d give another insight into how TPiaG went against the pattern of half-started and swiftly abandoned projects that came before it and actually got finished. Late into October, I adopted a new method of producing first drafts. Previously, I would spend weeks polishing the same chapter and would only move on to the next chapter once the current one was perfect. My new method is the complete opposite. I’ve started calling it Writing BFF:

Write bad

Write fast

Write fun

First up, write bad. The point of this is not to waste your time writing prettily during your first draft. Don’t bother agonizing over how to reword that one sentence to be more elegant when it does the job well enough to get its point across. Don’t go off on a 30-minute research tangent in the middle of a writing session because you want to fact-check that one detail and make sure it’s perfectly accurate when you could just put a placeholder detail in brackets and CTRL+F search and plug in something accurate later on. Don’t write pretty, write bad. And be okay with it. You can’t edit an empty page, so fill the page with as much garbage as possible so that you can turn it into gold later on.

Next, write fast. This is only effective when paired with writing bad. Don’t pause, don’t hesitate, don’t deliberate. Write as much as you can and do it as fast as you can. This idea is best illustrated by Chris Fox’s book 5,000 Words Per Hour, where he talks about increasing your WPM (words per minute) and how it makes everything about your writing better. The person who creates a beautiful first draft once every three years is doing okay, but the person who cranks out a complete manuscript every three months learns leagues more about writing than the first person does by the end of three years. The second person has practiced outlining, drafting, editing, publishing, and more with every manuscript completed. The faster you write, the better you get, because practice makes perfect and quantity begets quality.

Finally, write fun. I write what I enjoy, and if I’m not enjoying it, I pivot the project so that I enjoy it again. I like writing deeply personal stories, so pretty much everything I write is heavily based on my life and experiences— TPiaG included. Grovyle’s portrayal is deeply influenced by my experience being an elder sibling who has been a bad example of self-talk, and cleaned up my act because my younger sister started echoing how I spoke to myself. Dusknoir’s portrayal is informed by my experiences with being the therapist / mom friend in different social circles as well as attending actual formal therapy. Twig is the character that my experiences have the greatest influence on in her portrayal, and I joke about her being a self-insert, but ultimately all of the characters are self-inserts to some extent. I also enjoy low-stakes and slow slice-of-life stories that are driven by character growth. If I ever stop having fun with a project, I inject more of myself and my preferences into my work to get it back into my favor.

TL;DR / Writing advice lightning round

Write as badly as possible as quickly as possible, and have fun as you do it. Momentum yields motivation and stagnancy yields doubt. Editing comes only after the first draft is complete. Be your own fandom and your project’s biggest fan. Give yourself direction and ward against writer’s block by making detailed chapter-by-chapter outlines. Make the writing process as easy and enjoyable as possible. Motivation is a lie and if you chase after it instead of making your own, you’ll be writing on hard mode for the rest of your life. Reject perfectionism, embrace flawesomeness.

If I didn’t answer your question right, let me know! I’ll do my best to correct it.

#creativity tips with sofie #sofie answers asks #sofie says stuff #writing #writing advice #writing tips #writing motivation #writer advice #writer tips #writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #writers of tumblr

[m00nt4r0t]

✮ what makes you a star? ✮

pile one, two, or three?

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ pile one

you take the time for the little things, pile one. other people may see putting on chap stick or making their bed as mundane things to do, but you incorporate these little things into your routine to create a certain environment for yourself. for another example, lighting a candle. others may forget they even bought a candle, but you use the candle in order to make yourself feel more at home, or you could even practice a form of candle magick (with or without knowing.) you may be a bit of a perfectionist, which means you pay very close attention to detail in whatever it is you do and possibly even in what others do. you could be picky about who you work with or who you give your time and energy to. you could also be very precise about the decor in your room, how you style your clothes, the way you do your makeup, how you put your hair up, etc etc. you're also a very intuitive being and you know when to express yourself and when not to. others may be quick to confess their dying love to someone, but you like to take your time and observe the person before you decide whether you truly love them or not. you're not desperate for other people's energy, pile one. you know that your energy is enough for you and any outside energy is just a bonus (when they're good for you, that is.) i feel like you're the type to write out how you feel in a journal or secret online space before you express your feelings to others, which is a good way to process how you feel and determine whether you even want to express that in the first place. people may see you as someone who is unrealistic, but that is because of the limitations they put on themselves. for example, if you want to be a famous movie director, people think that's far-fetched simply because they don't see how you could achieve that because they don't think they themselves could achieve it. but you're not them, you're you. you have a very active and expansive imagination, which is great for people who shoot for the stars. do not allow these people to limit your imagination, i am begging you! imagination is one of the most important things human beings were born with and it was stripped away through social programming, so it's even a miracle that you still have such a wild one. it's truly a gift. you are a star because you're your own person and, despite what other people think, you go outside the norm and it shocks people. please never stop being you, we need people like you in this world!

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ pile two

some of you also chose pile one, didn't you? if not then i think those who chose this pile will also resonate with pile one. moving on, you are also a very intuitive being and you tend to keep your emotions and psychic messages to yourself most of the time. i feel like you guys are on the journey to self-love and you're realizing your worth and what you will & won't accept from others (and even from yourself.) you could be incorporating healthier routines and mindsets into your life because you realize that your mind and body deserve better than they may have been receiving. this could go for matters of the heart, as well. you are very, very creative and you could unconsciously be this way. you don't have to try too hard to come up with ideas, they come to you naturally. others may spend hours, days and even months trying to come up with something new to do for a creative project, but the ideas come to you as if they were already on their way to you, if you get what i mean. it seems like the ideas were just waiting for the right time to enter your brain. i feel as though you are very firm when it comes to your boundaries and if people do not respect them, you cut them off and move along. you may be someone who seeks justice in more cold ways, such as blocking someone without an explanation or showing no emotion whenever you do tell them why you will no longer give them your energy. although you are a very loving person, you do balance love with logic very nicely. so not only are you able to view a situation logically, but you're also able to use your intuition in the situation to better piece the puzzle together. you are very wise and knowledgeable, even if you're young, pile two. others may see you as a mentor or counsellor in some way. they know that they will receive the best advice from you, because like i stated before, you're able to balance logic and emotions. not only do you validate people's emotions, you give them the logical side of the situation as well to help them process more efficiently. i also feel like you're able to achieve your goals quicker and easier than others might. you may take short-cuts or just figure out more effective ways to get something(s) done. people may see you as a magician or just someone who's extraordinary because of this. and even when you do experience delays, you get through it or you finish something else in order to keep the ball rolling. you're a star for many, many reasons, pile two. don't box yourself into just one category, you're not meant to be kept in a box!

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ pile three

okay, honestly all the piles feel like a continuation of each other so if you feel called to read them all, then please be my guest and do so! but i feel like you, pile three, are breaking negative cycles in your life that may have kept you from feeling like the star you are deep down. you could have gone through moment of deep introspection, self-discovery and spiritual awakenings that led you to release what doesn't serve you anymore. you realized patterns in your life and you're doing your best to break these patterns and create newer, better ones that will awaken the star inside of you. you may have felt like you had bad luck in the past, but i'm seeing that you still have a very intuitive, loving and creative nature that never left you, even if you thought it did at one point. it may have remained idle inside of you, but it never left. you're accepting and understanding the responsibilities you have and will have to take care of, which a lot of people find hard to do, including myself. i'm seeing that you learned how to turn a bad day into a better day solely based on your mindset. for example, instead of waking up and saying "i hate that i have to work today" you wake up and say "i'm ready to make some money today." new day, new dollar, am i right? lol. i was actually thinking about this last night so it's interesting this is coming up in this reading today. i feel like you're being more selfish with your energy and time, not giving it to everyone who asks for it. you take more time to feel your feelings instead of feeling guilty, silly or whatever else you may used to feel. just like pile one, you may journal your feelings before you decide if you want to express them to others. you're taking more time to care for yourself, love yourself, understand yourself, and most importantly, accept yourself. you may be getting yourself out of the habit of being co-dependent. instead of looking to others for validation, you look within. after all, this is your life. why care about what other people think instead of yourself? you're going to spend the most time with yourself than anybody else, so make sure you like yourself before you worry about what others think of you. i feel like you created more space and quietness for your intuition. you may have been meditating or training your mind to stay quiet so you can easily receive messages. you're a star because you're giving yourself the love, time and attention that you used to give others. you're building yourself up while loving your past self as well.

thank you for reading and interacting! <3

masterlist ⭑ personal readings ⭑ patreon

#what makes you a star #pac #pac reading #pick a card #pick a pile #tarot #tarot reading

[kaidanworkshop]

Workshop Progress: January Update

Happy New Year Workshop Followers! The staff is excited to be back to business after a restful few weeks. We held a meeting last Friday to discuss the current Fun(ds) poll rankings, what scripts we want to prepare for the next session with Paul Warren, and what community script participation will look like in the coming months.

Additionally, as per our last update, we have also reopened staff applications for our Community Team! If you are interested in applying, please fill out this form. With that out of the way, here are the current standings for the new content options:

The current eleven packs adds up to 545 lines, with The Daedra Pack coming in as our runner up script in the event of any extra budget space. There's still two weeks until the poll closes at 11:59pm, February 1st, 2023, so make sure you vote for your favorite pack to be included in our 1.0 launch, and send it to your friends! You can find details for all of the different Fun(ds) options here, as well as the poll here. There are a few runaway winners that our Writing Team will begin work on in the coming week, which brings us to how we'd like to incorporate community input and feedback into our workflow process for script production.

During the beta livestreams in December, we were able to glean a ton of great ideas from the community that we ultimately turned into content packs for the Fun(ds) initiative. We want to incorporate that collaborative experience in the following manner:

Hosting dedicated investigatory livestreams via our Twitch with the community (that's you!) to not only continue beta testing, but to discuss and crowdsource ideas for the prioritized content (e.g. a stream dedicated to playing through the Thieves' Guild, to discuss possible lines or reactions Kaidan might have)

Taking the ideas and inspiration that we get from those streams, and incorporating them into our scripts, which will undergo our usual process of internal peer review

Hosting a second stage event via our Discord where we feature an excerpt of the script(s) in production and get feedback from the community on the current progress for final editorial review

Refining and finalizing the script for a future commission with our VA

To that end, the first of these investigatory livestreams will be this Thursday, January 18th at 2:30 pm CST/ 8:30 pm GMT for the Paarthurnax - Quest Expansion Mod, created by the talented Jayserpa.

With the completion of Kaidan's framework and the bulk of his beta testing complete, our goal for our 1.0 launch date on Nexus is May 2024.

We are incredibly humbled to have the extra money in the budget to begin creating original scripts for this project, and as always ask for your comments, suggestions and ideas as we continue to refine this creative communal process. We look forward to seeing you this Thursday!

#kaidan 2 #kaidanworkshop #kaidan skyrim #custom voice follower skyrim #elder scrolls skyrim #custom voiced follower #kaidan workshop

[lambertdiary]

i just finished reading your fics and i love your writing!! can i request one where dalton paints reader for an art project or something like that? thank you 🫶🏻

A/N: omg thank you so much!! i’m glad you’re enjoying my writing and thank you so much for your request! also i’m so sorry, this is a lot shorter than i intended but hopefully you’ll still like it, pls let me know what you think <3

Word count: 1k+

Warnings: fluff

MASTERLIST    ✩   SEND ME A REQUEST

Muse

Talent. That's the word professor Armagan used to describe Dalton. 

Of course everyone in her class was talented, there’s a reason they were in art school and not failing, but Armagan was captivated by Dalton’s creations since the moment he stepped into her class. So she is always looking forward to seeing what he is gonna do next. 

“For next week, I want you to look deep into your heart and find your very own muse” Armagan said turning the projector off “I wanna see how you perceive someone you love, someone who inspires you, someone who ignites your creativity and use it to make something so personal only you could truly understand it”

Dalton’s mind instantly went to Y/N, he already takes a lot of inspiration from her, thinking about the little details that make her so unique and beautiful and incorporating them into his art. He gathered his things as the professor dismissed the class, in his mind already making a plan on how to ask Y/N to be his muse without it sounding weird or creepy about it.

Luckily, she promised to help him put up new paintings on his wall so maybe he could ask her then. He just had to figure out how… and build up the courage to.

Later that day, after collecting what he wanted on his wall, he heard a knock on the door. His hands started sweating and his heart started beating faster. Why was he feeling so nervous? Well, he had a massive crush on his friend, and he was almost 100% sure she already knew it but if she didn’t, this might be the confirm she needed.

“Hi” He nervously said as he opened the door, finding her standing on the other side with a big smile  “Sorry for the mess”

“Please, we’ve seen worse” Y/N replied entering the room “I wasn’t sure what you use to mount things on your wall so I bought a few options”

Dalton watched as Y/N pulled out different mounting tapes from her backpack “This one will work” He said grabbing one “I don’t really have that many things to put up so this should be quick”

Y/N dropped her belongings and took a step closer to him “That’s okay, do you have everything ready?”

“I do” Dalton pointed to the other bed, where a few of his sketches laid flat on the mattress to keep them from wrinkling. Grabbing a big one, he walked towards the other wall, mentally arranging the pieces before committing to mounting tape. He stood there for a while without saying a word, just scanning his wall and the sketches already in it.

“I’m guessing you didn’t think this through” Y/N placed a hand on his shoulder, looking over it at the board he was holding ‘Woah’ She thought to herself.

“I thought I did but I don’t think I have enough space” He chuckled, going back to the bed and grabbing a new one. This time a smaller one.

Y/N followed him and wondered what the rest of the sketches were “May I?” She waited for Dalton’s permission before looking through the drawings.

“Are these new?” Y/N asked, admiring the pieces in front of her. They were awfully beautiful. She has seen his art before, like a million times, but it never failed to amaze her. She was impressed at his ability to portray emotions so clearly and she loved how he found beauty in the little things.

“Yeah” He confirmed before clearing his throat “Listen, professor Armagan asked us to make something… inspired by someone” He shook his head in disapproval at his poor attempt to explain his homework.

“Mhm” Y/N hummed, not really paying attention to the words falling from his mouth, her mind was still focusing on Dalton’s new pieces.

“Like a muse I guess” He continued “That’s the word Armagan used, so I was wondering if I could maybe, uh- draw you or something like that, only if it’s not too weird, hopefully it isn’t. Anyway, I just wanted to ask you first, seems like the right thing to do” He started babbling but Y/N knew exactly what he was asking. She raised her eyebrows in amusement.

“You wanna draw me like one of your french girls?” Y/N asked as a joke, using a fake accent.

“What?” Dalton’s pure expression of shock made Y/N laugh  “No- I just- I didn’t mean it like that”

She burst into laughter “You’re cute” She said, and Dalton felt his face turn red. He lowered his head, his long hair covering his current state “You can, but you better make me pretty”

Dalton looked at her, meeting her eyes as he weighed his potential answers carefully. Nearly all of them seemed suggestive and that’s the last thing he wanted right now “I won’t, I could never”

“Good, so how do you wanna do this?” Y/N sat on the chair next to her, crossing her legs.

“You don’t have to stay here and pose, if that’s what you’re worried about”

“Not what I’m worried about” She whispered.

“I was thinking you could share with me your favorite picture of yourself and I would work something out” Y/N grew a little self conscious as she thought of Dalton staring at her picture for too long “Or is that too creepy?” He asked in a worried tone after not receiving an answer. 

“No, it’s not” Y/N reassured him with a chuckle “I’m sure I can find one you can use” Y/N pulled out her phone as she navigated her gallery.

“Are you sure?” 

“Oh my god, Dalton. You need to calm down” Y/N stood up and rested her hands on Dalton’s shoulders “I’m sure you’ll do an amazing job, as always” Giving him a soft smile, she sat on his bed signaling for him to take the spot next to her “I’m honestly excited to see it, and I’m glad i’m finally getting a spot on that wall”

#dalton lambert #dalton lambert x reader #dalton lambert fluff #dalton lambert fic #dalton lambert imagines #insidious #insidious 5 #insidious the red door #ty simpkins #horror films #dalton lambert imagine #dalton lambert smut

[uselesstaroth]

Over two weeks ago I made this post

And here it is.

Sonic gets attacked by new eggman robots that he cannot damage in any way, and he gets separated from all his friends.

His only leads are:

The robots are similar to the ones from Starfall Islands

A gut feeling that Sage might be involved

A mysterious medallion he found after nearly drowning to death appears to reveal a map to a location he's never been in

Creative process beneath the "read more"

So, Sonic Underground came out in between the JP and US releases of Sonic Adventure, meaning it is completely divorced from moder Sonic media.

I always wanted to make a post-frontiers story that didn't involve some form of Evil Sonic or dead/missing Sonic.

I also noticed how few appearances Sonic makes in my usual stories, so I thought him as a focus would have been fun and a change of pace.

I watched Sonic Underground a lot as a kid, and I have held to this day that the most interesting thing that show did was giving Sonic two siblings to bounce off of that are the same age as him.

Now for the actual fic:

Most of my fics are LARP'd / music daydreamed before I write them down, which is why most of them are based on songs, and this one is... Actually an exception.

The post linked at the top is essentially how I came up with if this one. "What if Sonic Underground comes after Frontiers", and that's it.

That means that Sonic, Manic and Sonia have been apart for many years after their childhoods and that influenced how I wrote them.

I wrote Manic as a sort of community pillar vibe because of his scrappy upbringing evolving into a sense of community and activism. It also complemented with the decision to make a cymbal shield his main weapon of choice which does appear on the show. Him always breaking silences will be a running gag, don't you worry.

Sonia is a little more stick in the mud, mostly because right now she's in "business" mode, and I do plan to have her relax a bit as they make progress in saving the world. Also, the keyboard gun is not my invention, it's in the show, and that influenced her personality in this first chapter for sure.

Sonic is Sonic. Self explanatory in my opinion. The main changes from canon I suppose is that he's a lot more awkward around the other triplets, which just came about naturally, the fact that he's careful now (I imagine because Tails eventually gave him an earful about his attitude in Starfall Islands). Changing the laser guitar into a guitar sword is my firm belief that's how they'd do it if Underground had come out after Sonic and the Black Knight. It also helps him stand out from Sonia who also shoots lasers.

The most important thing I avoided was making the triplets eager to call eachother siblings. There's no way they get there quickly, they've lived their own lives for far too long. Manic being excited about it probably says something about his character.

The ending of this chapter comes from me realizing the seven chaos emeralds aren't a thing in Sonic Underground, and wanting to incorporate that in some way.

Also Infinite! What's he doing here? Not too sure.

And that's the gist of it

#manic the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #sonia the hedgehog #queen aleena #aleena the hedgehog #sonic underground #sonic underground odyssey #really like this one #miles tails prower #my creative process is a mess #sonic underground au

[writingquestionsanswered]

I'm not quite sure if I should be going to you for advice on this, but I figured it was worth a shot! So, me and my friend are co-writing a story. However, me and her have a lot of differing opinions on many things (Particularly when it comes to character relationships), and I was wondering if you had any advice for creative differences in co-writing?

Creative Differences During Collaborative Writing

Collaborating on a story with another writer can be hard, especially if you have a lot of creative differences, but there are some things you can do to make things go a little more smoothly.

1 - Figure Out a Game Plan in Advance - If you've already started the story, it may be too late for this step, but you can keep it in mind for your next collab. Figuring out a game plan before you start writing can help iron out the wrinkles before they become a problem, so it helps to get on the same page as far as: logistics (how the story will be written/who writes what), goal (is this for fun? Future publication? Posting online?), timeline (when should the story be finished? What is the deadline for each individual part?), expectations (what do you both want to get out of this project? What are your expectations of one another? How will you communicate delays and other issues? How will creative differences be addressed and resolved?), and a contingency plan for if one of you doesn't finish their part of the story. (Can the other finish it? Can a new partner be brought in? Can the other person incorporate their own characters and parts of the story into a new story?)

2 - Analyze the Conflict - When you find yourself butting heads with your partner over a creative decision (let's say you want Todd to be with Jack, but they want Todd to be with Brandon), the first thing you should do is analyze why you want the thing you want. Why do you think Todd should be with Jack? Is it because they genuinely work better? (Better chemistry, earned relationship, better outcome?) Or is it simply because you like Jack better?

3 - Choose Your Battles - If the thing you want wouldn't genuinely work better for the story, you may want to just let it go and roll with what the other person wants. Save your battles for the things that really matter to the story.

4 - Be Gentle - If you find yourself choosing to fight for something that is genuinely important to the story, instead of just saying, "I think Todd and Brandon are a bad couple, Todd and Jack work better!" Try putting it like, "I know you really want Todd and Brandon to get together, but I'm concerned they haven't had time to develop a believable relationship. Can you think of ways we can strengthen their bond in that short time? This points out the issue, explains why it's an issue, and offers a solution, which gives your partner control over the decision. Hopefully they'll realize you're right, and either agree that Jack works better, or at the very least, you can meet in the middle and find some ways to address your initial concerns.

5 - Avoid Pushing Too Hard - If they're not willing to budge, don't push it. Just do what you can to address the issue on your end if possible. If this story will be shared online or published, and you're deeply unhappy with their decision--to the point that you don't feel comfortable having your name on the project--just be honest (and gentle) about how you feel. See if there's some way to come to a compromise, and if not, it's probably a sign that this person isn't someone you work with well creatively, and that's okay. :)

Have fun with your collaboration!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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#writing tips #writing help #writing advice #wqaadvice

[deathbxnny]

Could you write hsr men with a Vill V like s/o?

She’s basically so silly but also is really smart and builds some weird machines. Btw don’t worry you can take your time <33

-----♡

A/N: Hello! I love Vill V, so thank you for the request!<33

Featured characters: Welt Yang, Luocha, Jing Yuan

Content: Fluff, established relationship, Vill V-like reader, mentions of fighting/battle, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not fully proofread))

-----♡

》Jing Yuan

Jing Yuan doesn't mind your silly nature at all and even finds it quite relaxing. You cheer him up after a long day at work, which he's quite thankful for, considering how stressful and tiring everything can be.

He loves how intelligent you are and often asks you to give your opinions on his latest strategies. He respects your opinions and values them as much as his own. He also likes watching you work on your latest projects and gives you all the resources you may need.

With that said, you two are often seen talking about strategies together, in which you could best use your latest technology. Jing Yuan usually ends up just listening to you rant about your creations, as he loves seeing the passion you put behind every word.

-----♡

》Welt Yang

He enjoys your silliness alot, even if he sometimes scolds you for not being serious in certain dangerous moments. He doesn't mind it however overall and encourages your passions at all times. He also let's you get away with pranks, if it makes you happy.

He loves how smart and creative you are, when it comes to your projects and makes sure to know all about them. He'll urge you tell him about every single detail and even gives you his own advice or opinion, if you ask for it.

He likes watching you work on your latest projects and often even asks to help you out with them. He just wants to spend time with you and that's the best way how.

-----♡

》Luocha

He doesn't think much of your silliness and doesn't react to it alot either. He's very stern and serious most of the time, so you two are quite the fitting contrast. You cheer him up on his more stressful days and for that he's very thankful.

He loves it, when you try incorporating his line of work into your projects to make gadgets for him. It's a clear display of your intelligence that he appreciates alot. He's therefore very thankful for everything you give or make for him.

He likes listening to you endlessly rant about your projects to him. He finds your passion admirable and is glad, that you feel comfortable enough to share every detail with him. He might even keep some notes on your projects for future reference, as it may come in handy one day.

-----♡

A/N: I hope this was alright! Thank you again for the request!<33

#honkai star rail fanfic #honkai star rail x reader #honkai star rail x you #honkai star rail #hsr x reader #hsr welt #hsr welt x reader #hsr luocha #hsr luocha x reader #hsr jing yuan #hsr jing yuan x reader #hsr

[sir-elyan]

For anyone else trying to Not be chronically online...

i watched a video (by lrnjulie) the other day and i'm thinking of doing some digital minimalism and only having:

tumblr

youtube

a website

from now on. here's why...

[I posted what is essentially a vid format of this on tiktok as a final goodbye if you want to watch that here instead]

i think it'd be beneficial for me as an artist to detox from being /so/ influenced by other people's styles and what other artists are doing (generally). so anyways here's why i'd keep those 3 specifically and nothing else:

tumblr - blogging with text AND images feels healthier than most social media, imo (there's twitter but i'm A. not on it and B. have only heard toxic things). like a public diary and brain dump all at once. also the ability to block tags is really nice, and i can better choose what to/what not to engage with. and bc im primarily on mobile, i can set time limits so im not on here *all* the time. i need somewhere to high post tho & most importantly, a special interest of mine is fandoms, and tumblr is THEE fandom website where I can engage w my interests. also my friend's in there (^:

youtube - i have dissociation and, along with other methods of helping with it, i think it'd be neat to document my life and put it on a platform. also another place to share my special interests in video format! and my art (:

website - my "long term project" as lrnjulie calls it. a place for my portfolio and my art/writing/creative stuff. might even incorporating blogging into here, and definitely a place to put my shop

so that's the triumvirate i'm gonna try out, at least for now. i'm not sure i'll always be off social media, but i think i need to be for at least a while for my mental health. i once took a yearlong break off tiktok and my life was so much better then, i was less in my head and went out more. so, i'm sharing in case anyone else who struggles with mental health/anxiety is wanting to do the same. maybe we can do it together? i'll keep a tag for updates if anyone is interested in my progress or following along: #detoxinitiative2024 but yeah, i figured it was worth sharing (:

thanks for reading! remember to hydrate and eat if you haven't in a while (:

#oh yeah and reddit #sorry i just got on there and its not really social media its more like a search engine #detoxinitiative2024 #social media #media literacy #anxiety #mental health

[thatwitch-opal]

Hey! I’m going to ramble ‘bout the moon in this post.

I do a LOT of researching in my free time, but I can’t always remember everything I’ve looked up/learned!! I do have plenty of notebooks with various amounts of information in them, but I think that making a digital BoS is something that benefits me a lot! So that’s where this information is coming from!

Summary of all that: I’ve got LOADS of info, that I’m compiling into a digital BoS! This is an excerpt from that.

Now.. on to the post!!

As the Moon orbits around the Earth, it appears in different areas of the sky, right? Because of this, the Moon is constantly moving through the different constellations of the Zodiac – changing signs every 2-and-a-half days (I’m pretty sure it’s 2 & 1/2).

So, if you were to incorporate the astrological associations of the signs in with whatever phase the moon is in, it will greatly enhance your work with the Moon – even if you don’t pay that much attention to astrology, or necessarily believe in astrology.

Below is a list and quick profiles of the 12 moon signs with associated keywords/phrases that you can incorporate into your Moon workings.

Just a refresher, the New Moon is generally for manifesting, and working toward dreams, while the Full Moon is typically a time for celebrating, gratitude, and releasing.

So when the moon is in… it’s a good idea to think about:

Aries – ♈︎ : Taking initiative, starting new projects, putting yourself out there.

Taurus – ♉︎ : Security, pleasure, getting things done.

Gemini – ♊︎ : Communication.

Cancer – ♋︎ : Connect with feelings, home and domestic life.

Leo – ♌︎ : Leadership, confidence.

Virgo – ♍︎ : Service, well-being, self-care.

Libra – ♎︎ : Balance, harmony, compromise.

Scorpio – ♏︎ : Healing, rebirth. Fresh start.

Sagittarius – ♐︎ : Adventure, take a risk, try something new, get out of your comfort zone.

Capricorn – ♑︎ : Structure, long-term goals.

Aquarius – ♒︎ : Passion/love, unconventional ideas & approaches.

Pisces – ♓︎ : Creativity, passion, reflection.

So, today (Thursday, August 31st) is one day after the Super Blue Full moon in Pisces!

What does that mean?

In short, it means that the moon is still in the sign of Pisces; granted it might not be as powerful as last nights moon, but it’s still technically in its full phase. It also technically won’t be a waning moon until September 3rd (as per the chart on the Moon Calendar app)!

With this said, you can still use the moon’s “full phase” energy, in your work! Though, it’ll begin moving into Aries on the 1st! So on the first, it’ll have a mixture of energies for part of the day—which is SUPER COOL!!

Though, I don’t know exactly *when* that time will be; I do know that moving from Pisces to Aries is pretty good for “passion projects,” as one may say! You want to start that new art piece? DO IT! Write/draft that book!! The world is your oyster!!

Want your passion project to be more inward? GO FOR IT!

That’s all I really wanted to say, if you’ve got any questions please feel free to send them!! Have a wonderful day!

#baby witch #beginner witch #pagan witch #paganblr #pagans of tumblr #tarot witch #witch community #witchblr #witchcraft #witchcore #moonlight #moon magic #astrology #moon signs #full moon #new moon #witches of tumblr #witch tips #witchy #rambles

[jupipedia]

one. awkwardness.

previous. next.

y/n knew that the first meeting between him and shoto would be a little awkward due to neither of them being familiar with the other, but he found that he greatly underestimated how awkward it would truly be as he sat across from shoto, pretending to be typing on his laptop. shoto had arrived before y/n did and was quick to formally greet him before going back to his laptop. y/n didn’t want to assume that shoto was avoiding conversation similarly to he was so he didn’t interrupt shoto’s typing in case he truly was setting up for their meeting.

“sorry if this is awkward for you. i know we don’t know each other beyond our names, but i hope that we can use this project to become friends. i assume that is the professor’s end goal, at least,” shoto broke the silence, prompting y/n to halt in his feigned typing and look up at the man.

“no! i mean— not no to the friends part but to the awkward part. no as in it’s fine and i’m definitely making this more awkward than it truly is,” y/n sputtered, embarrassed at the crack in his voice as he almost choked on his words.

“i got what you meant. no worries,” shoto gave a toothless smile before glancing back at his screen. “it says that we are expected to meet up at least three times a week including one day of the weekend. for every first meeting, we choose an emotion and that is the emotion we have to incorporate into some form of writing for the week. along with our writing, he wants a visual representation. hmm, sounds easy enough to me,” shoto explained, muttering the last part to himself.

“well, i’m not sure how much help i’ll be with the written proportion, but i am a design major, so i don’t mind doing the brunt of the visual representation. i was reading over the rubric earlier and i have a few ideas already,” y/n said, opening the draft with his ideas in writing.

“i’m so glad that you said that because i am a political literature major and i cannot draw or anything to save my life. i can however do the majority of the written portion, as long as we can come up with a general outline for what it should contain,” y/n nodded along to shoto’s words before turning his laptop to the bi-coloured boy.

“i actually have an idea that i really wanted to do for the project and wanted to run it by you. i was thinking that we could do a calendar layout, but with week numbers rather than months. i think it’ll earn us the bonus points for creativity and it would be way more enjoyable than doing the standard slide show with a company generated theme.”

“i like that. yeah, we should do that,” shoto easily agreed, having been impressed with y/n’s demo of the calendar inspired layout. “it’s really well done for it to be just a demo. it’ll look great as we continue to add to it every week.”

“yeah, thanks,” y/n responded, cringing to himself at his short response before talking again. “what days are you free during the week and which day do you want to meet during the weekend?”

“i’m free after 3 p.m. on mondays, wednesdays, and fridays and on tuesdays and thursdays, i have a free block from 12 p.m. to about 6 p.m. since i do track. i was also hoping that we could make our weekend meet up on a saturday? i usually spend sunday with my friends from highschool.”

“saturday would be best for me, too, but it would have to be a brunch thing as i usually take studio trips in the evenings. but i can do mondays and wednesdays after 4 p.m. so we could meet up before, during, or after dinner if you want.”

“sounds like a plan. i’ll add that to the document,” shoto nodded, going back to his computer without another word.

and the awkward silence was back.

y/n groaned silently as they held their head in their hand behind the computer screen.

it was difficult for y/n to sit in the silence without wanting to bring up anything that the two could possibly talk about, but he didn’t want to annoy shoto with his constant spiels and rambling. y/n could talk for hours if he was asked to, but his throat dries all the way up when he has to talk to shoto.

he asked kamya what she knew about his partner from the assignment and all she knew was that he was friends with her partner, having seen the two on campus together before. she didn’t know any club affiliations nor did she know his past relationships or better yet, his current status. it came as a shock to him as kamya usually knew everyone's business before they had the chance to tell her themselves.

“so, since our first week is probably going to be the most awkward, i was thinking we should make that this week's emotion. i mean, it’s fitting, no?” todoroki’s voice brought y/n out of his thoughts and back to the cafe table.

“yeah, i think that would be the best course of action. it’ll probably help break the tension. awk-awkward tension, that is,” y/n said, stumbling over his word after realizing the accidental implication that he potentially made.

“okay, i’ll email you with drafts for the week and you can do the same if you like, but i doubt that i’ll be able to give any artistic assistance,” shoto joked, earning a slight giggle from the dark skinned male across from him.

“no worries, i’ll still send you updates in case picasso’s ghost whispers anything in your ear,” y/n joked back, packing up his things with the intention of leaving soon.

“i’ll see you monday at 5 for dinner and planning,” shoto said, watching as the boy stood from his seat.

“monday at 5. i’ll be there. wherever there is. see you.”

y/n walked away from the table after receiving a wave from shoto. y/n didn’t make it more than 10 steps away from the cafe before he loudly exhaled and held his hand to his chest.

fuck, he’s even prettier when he smiles.

the first meeting didn’t change anything between the two outside of meeting times. y/n even began to make the extra effort to not see shoto before they met for the second time as he allowed himself to reflect and cringe at his departing joke, deeming himself too nervous to calmly interact with him on a daily basis.

the second meeting definitely went better than the first as there was a lot more material to cover with their ideas. y/n’s forced his eyes to stay on his ipad rather than letting them trail over to the boy across from him. he spent most of the meeting working on a general template that could be edited to fit each week of their project, only looking up from it to show shoto his work or to listening to whatever comment todoroki made on his own work.

“you did a really nice job with the written portion. there are no typos or wordy sentences and i’ve never been so glad to have someone as a partner. i usually feel bad about being so unhelpful with the written parts but i know that i would not have been any help to you,” y/n said as he read the text that todoroki provided for their project during their final weekly meeting.

y/n wasn’t just exaggerating for the sake of fawning over his crush, he truly admired the word choice of the written portion. he wasn’t expecting something so polished and eloquent to be produced for a mere draft that would be updated later.

“it’s still not perfect, but i’m glad you are impressed with my contribution. and it’s only fair that we have a well-written entry to match your artwork. i mean, the draft was good, but this is coming along beautifully,” shoto zoomed in on parts of the design y/n made.

“i’m planning to make it interactive so i’ll at least contribute something other than a few drawings. i hope that’s okay with you,” y/n turned his attention back to his ipad as his face grew warm from the praise.

“perfect. i am all for it.”

the two parted ways after finishing their final draft, todoroki excusing himself to meet up with his friends and y/n planning to go to kamya’s dorm to rant about whatever was on his mind.

so, shoto todoroki.

“...mya, i’m telling you, he’s so fucking attractive without even trying. and he’s naturally charming. he gives the nicest feedback which feeds my ego in the best ways. i’m losing my mind,” y/n ranted, pushing his head into the throw pillow on kamya’s bed.

“you are one of the most delusional people i know. he’s being nice because you are good at art. not because he’s falling for you, stupid. get a grip,” kamya said, not sparing the boy a glance as she continued to type on her laptop.

y/n stared at kamya for a few seconds before speaking. “i hope you fail your econ exam.”

“because i won’t feed into your delusions?!” kamya laughed at her friend as he started to hit her with the pillow in his hands. “my bad, you right. he’s madly in love with you and wants you so bad.”

“now was that so hard to say?”

© jupipedia—do not repost, plagiarized, or falsely claim my work. likes, comments, and reblogs are welcome!

#— (jupipedia.) #anime x black!reader #anime x male reader #mha x black reader #mha x reader #my hero academia fanfic #shoto todoroki x reader #shoto todoroki x black reader #shoto todoroki x male reader #mha x male reader #todoroki x reader #todoroki x male reader #todoroki x black!reader #*ੈ✩‧₊˚❕*∘∘˙˚༄💨 ( a jupiter production. )