#100 unpublished images included

[fashionbooksmilano]

Slim Aarons The Essential Collection

Text by Shawn Waldron, Lesley M.M.Blume, Nicholas Foulkes, Foreword by Maria Cooper Janis

Cover design by Danielle Youngsmith

Getty Images - Abrams, New York 2023, 432 pages, 18,5x36,5cm, ISBN 978-1-64700-474-3

euro 150,00

email if you want to buy booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

The ultimate and most comprehensive collection of Slim Aarons’s photography ever released, featuring more than 100 previously unpublished images.

This luxe edition provides a deep and comprehensive look at the groundbreaking career of Slim Aarons, spanning five decades. The book begins with Slim’s fieldwork as an army photographer and continues through his fledgling days in Hollywood, opening the LIFE bureau in Rome, doing fashion and travel shoots for Holiday, and finally traveling the world for Town & Country.   With a new and definitive biographical essay, spotlights on key moments in his career, and exclusive insights from former associates, Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection gives readers an unprecedented look into Slim’s private world. The supervisor of Slim’s image archive, author Shawn Waldron’s text digs into the photographer’s biography in unprecedented detail and reveals new information, while award-winning journalist, historian, and New York Times bestselling author Lesley Blume provides historical context to Slim’s career. Additionally, Slim’s former assistant and author Laura Hawk reveals the intricacies of her friendship with Slim, and historian, author, and Vanity Fair contributing editor Nick Foulkes explores Slim’s influence on our current cultural moment.   After five previous books, Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection presents the best of the previous image collections, including hundreds of iconic black-and-white and color photos, along with more than 100 rare and previously unpublished works. This beautifully produced book, a tribute to Slim Aarons’s incredible contribution to modern photography, is the result of intensive scholarship and research, making it a must-have for any Slim fan and photography lover.

24/12/23

[artphotocollector]

© All Images: The George Hoyningen-Huene Estate Archives

"Texture, line, simplicity--these were the things he liked--the classic truth." Katharine Hepburn

As time goes past, and the history of photography becomes deeper, photographers such as George Hoyningen-Huene (b.1900-d.1968) remind us how rich that legacy grows. What is now more than 100 years ago, Huene (hoo-Nay), while standing on the shoulders of previous giants like Edward Steichen (who encouraged a young Huene in Paris in the early 1920's to pursue fashion photography), created timeless work that has helped to shape later generations' understanding of photography, fashion, film and Beauty.

A new book--the first publication in 40 years--on Huene is now out from Thames & Hudson. It is a timely reminder for us to rediscover Huene. In many ways the arc of his life as a Baron and Russian-born aristocrat in St. Petersburg in 1900, as well as being the son of an American mother, mirror the major events of the 20th Century. From WWI, to fleeing the Bolshevik Revolution, to life in bohemian Paris in the 1920's, to Golden Age Hollywood in the 1940's--Huene was a part of it all. His collaborations with the leading artistic and celebrity lights of the day and his relationship with the photographer Horst P. Horst only make his history richer.

This new publication from Thames & Hudson provides a generous overview of his life, including unpublished correspondence, and for me, a whole new appreciation of Huene's travel photography. When we delve back into the history of photography, and see the work of Avedon, Penn, Ritts, DeMarchelier and others, we can appreciate the foundations that Huene laid earlier with elegance, simplicity and a reverence for Beauty: the classic truth. --Lane Nevares

[sith-shenanigans]

Introduction and Masterpost

Hello! I’m Io (with an i, not an L), they/them, enthusiast of evil space wizards and other assorted terrible people everywhere. This is primarily a SWTOR blog, but I post about other fandoms occasionally, and have recently fallen down a terrible hyperfixation hole about Fallen London. I write longfic, on a somewhat inconsistent schedule; chronic illness makes it difficult to put out chapters consistently.

I don’t have a DNI, but I block bigots and anyone whose posts I’d prefer not to see. I don’t do shipping discourse, and I don’t necessarily care what you ship, but see the previous sentence; if it makes me uncomfortable, and there are definitely things that make me profoundly uncomfortable out there, I’ll probably block you. (This has much more to do with tone than content—I have triggers, I’m all for people experiencing unpleasant things in safe ways, but the moment it feels like they’re being written as good and sweet and normal I’m going to nope on out of there as fast as I can. For my own mental health, and because the alternative is me biting someone’s head off.)

For my own part, I often write about dark subjects (especially in regards to my SWTOR OCs), and this blog may contain untagged discussion of fictional slavery, speciesism, systemic child abuse, state violence, toxic and abusive relationships, and similar topics. Mentions of sexual assault are generally tagged as “sexual assault cw.” I try to tag discussion of parental or school-based child abuse as “child abuse cw,” as well as in-depth descriptions of it in general, but I can’t 100% guarantee it. I try to remember to tag what friends ask me to tag, but if we don’t know each other well, I may not be able to manage it.

For neurodivergence reasons, I find it extremely difficult to describe images most of the time, but I’m trying to include alt text on screenshots of tags more consistently, and I’m attempting to tag my own posts with undescribed images as “undescribed.” (This includes most of my Fallen London posting, because there’s just enough formatting to poke me in the “cannot easily transcribe visuals to text” issue.)

Liminality/Discontent (SWTOR):

Liminality Main Cast:

[placeholder]

Discontent Main Cast:

[placeholder]

Sunlight (SWTOR):

[placeholder]

Other/Miscellaneous (SWTOR):

[placeholder]

Fallen London:

Amias Arling, the Calescent Inquisitive. Heart’s Desire. A former freelance detective with a few unfortunate soft spots, who came to the Neath for a case and ended up framed for something their target did. Extremely clever and extremely driven, but embodies the maxim that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. Practically allergic to the direct route, unless it seems like no one would ever expect it. And even then, they’d rather take a convoluted way around.

SWTOR:

Liminality/Discontent, a sometimes-AU SWTOR novelization in multiple parts. Has a heavy focus on the implications that the game didn’t go into, the politics of the galaxy, and the pressure the protagonists go through.

like a moth to you, sunlight, a collaboration with my sibling @azems-familiar. Not very much is written on it, because collaboration is hard even when both people involved aren’t chronically ill (and our hyperfixations are largely elsewhere right now), but we love our terrible children anyway.

Liminality/Discontent:

The Dead Star; The Ruin, a prologue of a sort. As yet unpublished. Also works as a standalone work.

Anamnesis, a KOTOR novelization with a certain amount of playing with the format. A tragedy, if a bittersweet one, and a case study in why villains with good motivations are still villains. On hiatus.

Liminality, my pride and joy and occasional mortal enemy. The first and primary of two SWTOR base game novelizations, covering the Sith Inquisitor, Smuggler, Sith Warrior, and Jedi Consular storylines. It deals heavily with loss and family—the latter both by blood and by choice, and sometimes unexpectedly uncovered. It’s also about history, about the boundaries between past and future and life and death—and the things that survive when someone is gone. The galaxy is full of dangerous secrets, and cycles that seem inexorable; in the end, though, what matters most are the choices you make and why.

Discontent, the fic I will someday definitely write. Covers the Jedi Knight, Imperial Agent, Bounty Hunter, and Republic Trooper. It’s about war, mostly, and cleaning up other people’s messes. Nobody gets to step off a battlefield as the same person who walked onto it, if they make it off at all, but there are reasons to keep trying—even if only some of them are good ones. And somebody has to be the one to chase down the conspiracies in the dark.

Sacrifice, as yet not even started, which will cover the portion of the game running from the end of the class stories to Ziost. There’s a fourth fic for the Alliance era, tentatively titled Conviction, but there’s less in my head about how that one’s going to go.

Sunlight:

still my heart is heavy (with the hate of some other man’s beliefs), about spies and loyalty and people making slightly better decisions than they could have. Written primarily by @azems-familiar, who Illami belongs to. (I helped write Ardun.)

Other/Miscellaneous (SWTOR):

your last serving daughter, a collaboration with @reconstructionlegacy. Our silly little AU about Empire and the people who wish they didn’t live in it. Also infrequently updated due to the trials of life and coauthorship.

Fallen London:

None, yet, but it will happen. I can feel it.

The organizational banners used can be found here.

[imagine-organization-xiii]

What "coffee table books" would they have/ what would they read at a doctor's office?

Xemnas - Bob Willoughby: A Cinematic Life - This comprehensive large-format monograph on renowned photographer Bob Willoughby's extraordinary, cinematic life is a tribute to his remarkable career. From the 1950s through the 1970s, Willoughby photographed many of the most significant stars of the era in film and jazz. 

Xigbar - Terry O'Neill: The A-Z of Rock 'N' Roll - A chronicle of rock 'n' roll history as seen through the lens of master photographer Terry O'Neill.

Xaldin - VHS: Absurd, Odd, and Ridiculous Relics from the Videotape Era - Comedy writers Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher have spent the last 20 years collecting the best odd and unintentionally hilarious videotapes ever produced. Since 2004, they've resurrected them for sold-out audiences across the country as part of their touring show, the Found Footage Festival. Now, for the very first time, they've collected the greatest VHS covers into one handsome compendium -- along with their priceless snarky commentary throughout.

Vexen - Evolution: A Visual Record - Stunning images to reawaken us to the scientific process that drives the amazing diversity of life on earth.

Lexaeus - The Art of the Cheese Plate: Pairings, Recipes, Style, Attitude - A perfect gift for any host or cheese lover, The Art of the Cheese Plate offers clear directions and expert tips for perfect cheese plates and creative condiments.

Zexion - The Word Made Flesh: Literary Tattoos From Bookworms World Wide - A beautifully packaged full-color collection of literary tattoos and short personal essays, The Word Made Flesh is an intimate but anonymous confessional book, in the vein of thought-provoking anthologies like PostSecret and Not Quite What I Was Planning.

Saix - United States Coinage: A Study By Type - A definitive work on American history as illustrated by United States coinage.

Axel - Stuck Up!: 100 Objects Inserted and Ingested in Places They Shouldn’t Be - A very funny collection of 100 X-ray images showing foreign objects ingested or inserted into human bodies, accidentally or on purpose.

Demyx - Underwater Dogs - The exuberant, exhilarating photographs of dogs underwater that have become a sensation.

Luxord - Milk Eggs Vodka: Grocery Lists Lost and Found - Milk, Eggs, Vodka is a celebration of the humble grocery list. Almost anyone will find themselves engrossed in this voyeuristic look into everyday life—less than healthy lists, lists for parties, lists with personal and often odd annotations on them...and the list of lists goes on. Besides over 150 found lists, the book also includes short essays on collecting, shopping, eating, and list making. 

Marluxia - Queer Maximalism - Machine Dazzle is the much-in-demand designer and artist behind popular cabaret, drag, and performance stars such as Taylor Mac and transgender icon Mx. Justin Vivian Bond. For the first time, his over-the-top stage creations, made for himself and others, are collected here alongside stage environments, ephemera, and photos from his career.

Larxene - Women Before 10 AM - Following up on her highly praised bestseller Men Before 10 a.m., celebrity photographer Veronique Vial completes her wonderfully intimate and revealing portrait of the sexes with Women Before 10 a.m., a captivating collection of your favorite fashion, cinematic, and pop culture beauties, starlets, and models before ten o'clock in the morning.

Roxas - The Great American Cereal Book: How Breakfast Got Its Crunch - The Great American Cereal Book is the definitive compendium of breakfast cereal history and lore, celebrating the most recognizable brands and packaging, such as Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, Frosted Flakes, Grape-Nuts, and Trix.

Xion - Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak - The most comprehensive survey of the work of Maurice Sendak, the most celebrated picture book artist of all time―with previously unpublished archival materials.

[australianwomensnews]

Police who face DV charges investigated by colleagues, keep weapons

"Police officers accused of domestic violence are investigated by their own colleagues, they can sometimes keep their weapons, and there are no policies detailing their supervision if they remain employed after being charged or convicted, a damning report has found.

About 100 NSW police of almost every rank have been charged with domestic violence-related offences since 2015, including nine so far this year to May 31, unpublished data obtained by this masthead under freedom of information laws found.

Allegations include aggravated sexual assault, rape, stalking, breaching Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders, destroying property and recording intimate images without consent. Most of the police were senior constables (54), but 22 were sergeants, one was an inspector, and one a superintendent. The remainder were probationary constables or constables. The data did not include how many charges resulted in convictions.

Domestic violence advocates say women can be scared to report allegations against police because they fear conflicts of interest and access to firearms, and worry that the officer facing allegations will use their knowledge of police procedures to their advantage.

There are more than 15,000 police in NSW, who attend 180,000 domestic violence incidents a year. Research into domestic violence by police is limited, but the report said officers were at least as likely, and possibly more likely, to offend as the general population."

[snarp]

Published Tumblr rate limits:

* 300 API calls per minute, per IP address

* 18,000 API calls per hour, per IP address.

* 432,000 API calls per day, per IP address.

* 1,000 API calls per hour, per consumer key.

* 5,000 API calls per day, per consumer key.

* 250 new published posts (including reblogs) per day, per user.

* 250 images uploaded per day, per user.

* 200 follows per day, per user.

* 1,000 likes per day, per user.

* 10 new blogs per day, per user.

* 20 videos uploaded per day, per user.

* 60 minutes of total video uploaded per day, per user.

Note that these rate limits are based on the Tumblr servers' internal clocks and that the daily limits are per calendar day.

There are also overall limits to a few specific actions, including:

* A blog can only follow 5,000 other blogs at a time.

* A blog can only have 1,000 queued posts at a time.

* You can only filter up to 1,000 tags at a time.

Top-secret unpublished Tumblr rate limits:

* You cannot block more than 100 blogs per 12 hour period, and when you hit the limit we will silently unblock every antisemite and astrologer and anti-anti-anti-anti³ that you blocked this week, plus the pornbots.

[thehorrortree]

Payment: $50 Theme: bold work that explores the expansive human experience Vast strives to be an engaged literary press that explores the expansive human experience and celebrates complex, diverse voices. Our mission is to publish bold work, champion distinct artists, and cultivate literary community. The Basics Vast Chasm Magazine publishes bold work that explores the expansive human experience, including flash and short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and other nonconforming work. We read year-round, on a rolling basis, for our quarterly online issues. Submissions are reviewed only through Submittable, where specific guidelines for each genre are provided. Submit one piece to a single submission category. Please wait to hear back before trying us again. We do not charge a submission fee. We happily consider simultaneous submissions. Life is short. Just let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere, so we can update our queue and celebrate your success. Send us your previously unpublished work as a .doc, .docx or .rtf in an easily readable format. For a nontraditional piece, you may opt to submit a .pdf. When photography submissions are open, previously published work will be considered. Send your image as a .jpeg or .png file. Please include a 3rd-person bio of no more than 100 words. We will thoughtfully consider your work and typically respond within 3 months. If we’ve already read and declined a piece, please do not submit revisions unless specifically requested. Vast Chasm is a paying market. Currently, we are able to offer $50 per published piece, payable via Paypal or Venmo. Additional Details Genre-specific submission guidelines are as follows: Flash Fiction: one piece, up to 1,200 words Fiction: one piece, up to 5,000 words Flash Creative Nonfiction: one piece, up to 1,200 words Creative Nonfiction: one piece, up to 5,000 words Poetry: one poem Other Nonconforming Work: one piece, mindful of the limits detailed above; use this submission category if you feel your work does not conform to the other genres listed. For example, you might submit a hybrid piece, a hermit crab essay, or anything we haven’t seen before. Photography: We accept photography submissions on a rolling basis. Images must be original work. In general, we are not looking for portrait photography. Any photograph selected will be paired with an artist who will reimagine a swath of the image, resulting in a collaborative piece. Please see our website header for an example. We care about content, not formatting, but if you’re wondering what we consider readable, 12-point Times New Roman works well. If there is anything you want us to know about your submission, please include a note at the top of the document (e.g. content warning, excerpt, greater context). We strive to cultivate a safe and inclusive literary community. You can read our inclusivity statement here. Please email us if you run into any issues while submitting or accessing our content. We believe art should be accessible. Know your rights: For Vast Chasm Magazine, Vast Literary Press acquires First North American Serial Rights and Archival Rights. Following publication, copyright reverts to the author. Learn more about your publication rights here. If you haven’t heard from us within our usual response time of 3 months, feel free to check with us by emailing Editors@VastLiteraryPress.org. Via: Vast Literary Press.

[tirupathitiru]

Write for Us + Furniture 

Are you a passionate writer with expertise in furniture design, home decor, or interior design? We’re constantly on the lookout for fresh voices and expert opinions in the furniture space. If you have valuable insights and want to contribute to our growing platform, Write for Us + Furniture could be the perfect opportunity. This article will guide you through our submission process,, and specific guidelines to follow.

Why Write for Us?

At [Your Company Name], we aim to provide readers with the best information about furniture, interior design, and home decor. By contributing, you can:

Showcase Your Expertise: Publish articles that highlight your knowledge of furniture trends, styles, and materials.

Reach a Wider Audience: Our platform receives thousands of visitors every month, offering a perfect opportunity to expand your reach.

Build Credibility: By writing for us, you get an author bio and backlinks to your website or social media channels, improving your personal brand’s credibility and SEO.

Keywords: Write for Us, Furniture,

 Guest Post Furniture, Furniture Blogging,

 Interior Design, Home Decor, Submit Furniture Article, 

Furniture Guest Post Guidelines.

Submission Guidelines: Write for Us + Furniture

To maintain the quality and relevance of our content, we require contributors to follow certain guidelines. Here’s what we expect from you:

Originality: All submitted content must be 100% original and not published elsewhere. We value fresh perspectives and innovative ideas.

Word Count: Articles should range from 1,000 to 1,500 words, providing in-depth coverage of the topic.

Formatting: Use subheadings, bullet points, and short paragraphs to make the content easier to read. Content should be well-structured and scannable.

Language and Tone: Write in a clear, concise, and engaging tone. Articles should be free from jargon and easily understood by a general audience.

Images: We encourage you to include relevant, high-quality images that enhance the article. Be sure to credit the image source if necessary.

Keywords: Use the provided keyword “write for us + furniture” naturally throughout the article (around 4-5 times) to ensure SEO optimization.

Topics to Cover: Some suggested topics include but are not limited to:

Latest trends in furniture design

Sustainable and eco-friendly furniture

Tips for choosing the right furniture for different rooms

Reviews of popular furniture brands and products

DIY furniture projects

Furniture care and maintenance tips

How to Submit

Once your article is ready, email it to [contact@yourcompanyname.com] with the subject line “Write for Us + Furniture Submission.” Our editorial team will review your submission and respond within 7-10 business days. Please also include a brief bio (2-3 sentences) about yourself and links to your website or social media profiles.

FAQs

1. What type of articles are you looking for?We are looking for articles related to furniture design, home decor, DIY projects, furniture maintenance, and other relevant topics. Articles should be well-researched, insightful, and offer value to our readers.

2. Can I include backlinks in my article?Yes, we allow one do-follow backlink to your website or blog. However, we reserve the right to remove any links that appear overly promotional or irrelevant.

3. Do you accept previously published content?No, all content must be original and unpublished. We do not accept republished or duplicated content.

4. Will I get paid for my contribution?At the moment, we do not offer monetary compensation for guest posts. However, contributors benefit from increased exposure, author credit, and backlinks.

5. Can I submit more than one article?Yes! We encourage you to submit multiple articles, especially if you have expertise in different areas related to furniture and interior design.

6. How long will it take for my article to be published?Once your submission is accepted, it will typically take 1-2 weeks for your article to be published, depending on the current editorial calendar.

7. Can I share my published article on social media?Absolutely! Once your article is live, feel free to share it across your social media platforms. We encourage contributors to promote their work to reach a wider audience.

What is Furniture?

Furniture refers to the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (chairs, sofas), eating (tables), and sleeping (beds). Furniture also serves as a form of decorative art and is considered a significant part of home decor. Furniture can be made from a variety of materials, including wood, metal, plastic, and textiles, and can range from mass-produced items to high-end, custom designs.

Types of Furniture:

Seating: Chairs, sofas, stools, benches

Tables: Coffee tables, dining tables, desks

Storage: Wardrobes, cabinets, shelves

Beds: Bed frames, headboards, mattresses

Furniture not only provides comfort but also helps define the style and functionality of living spaces.

Conclusion

Writing for us on topics related to furniture can be a fantastic way to grow your audience, boost your SEO, and share your knowledge with an engaged community. If you’re ready to submit, follow our Write for Us + Furniture guidelines carefully, and we look forward to featuring your work on our platform

https://www.instagram.com/tirupatihelps/

[adviserbabycom]

Write for Us | Become a Guest Author

Write for us at the AdviserBaby blog and get your guest posts exposed to a highly targeted audience interested in HVAC systems, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency. To contribute a guest post, put a backlink to AdviserBaby from one of your previously posted relevant articles and send us a new post. Submit to support@adviserbaby.com We appreciate your interest in writing a guest post for AdviserBaby. We’re thrilled to have you here. Writing for us is an excellent opportunity to showcase your expertise and establish yourself as an expert in the field. Additionally, you get exposure via our social media channels and our goodwill 🙂 What We Look for Successful guest post contributions should be comprehensive, data-driven, interesting, and educational. To increase your chances of getting published on our blog, ensure that your contribution: - Is a relevant, well-researched post (preferably 1000+ words) with actionable tips. - Is 100% original and unpublished. We will not republish anything that’s been published elsewhere. - Only includes claims that are backed by links to credible research or case studies. Avoid citing our competitors, and using any irrelevant promotional links to websites. - Includes examples and relevant images to illustrate your point. - Includes subheadings, bullet points, and shorter paragraphs which make the article more readable. Topics We Cover Most of our audience consists of homeowners, HVAC professionals, and individuals who are looking for tips, best practices, and guides on heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and indoor air quality. We only accept clear, compelling content falling into the following categories: - HVAC systems (installation, maintenance, troubleshooting) - Indoor air quality - Energy efficiency - Sustainable HVAC solutions - Smart home technology in HVAC - HVAC product reviews The Benefits - Exposure to a dedicated audience. Our blog gets a substantial amount of visitors per month and is growing steadily. - Social Media Exposure: We maintain an active presence on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. All your articles will be shared via these networks for additional exposure. Submission Guidelines Submissions must meet the HomeAirSupply content team’s quality standards in order to get published. Editors reserve the right to reject contributions at their discretion and make minor edits to your article. - Your article must be 1000+ words and offer something valuable to our readers. - Include at least one backlink to a previous relevant article of yours. - Images and videos are encouraged, as they make the article more enticing to the reader. Make sure not to violate copyright when using images. Give credit when needed. - To submit your article idea, please fill out the form below. Consider These When You Write for Us We decided to open up for guest posting to give our readers and HVAC enthusiasts a chance to build their brand. We like to work with real people, not SEO agencies. Please get to know us a bit better before sending us your article. We receive numerous submissions per month. Therefore, avoid sending emails asking whether your article is getting published or not. If we’ve selected your article, you’ll hear from us. While the page is lengthy and the requirements may seem strict, they are necessary to maintain the high quality of our content. We look forward to receiving some exceptional articles. If we think it’s the right fit, we’ll be in touch to discuss the next steps and any additional information we need to publish your post. Read the full article

[bstu]

mod drabbles

I have a number of mods which had been unpublished either because I consider them too low-effort to justify a full release, are works in progress, or otherwise aren't available elsewhere for some other reason. I figured it may be a good idea to put them all under one SFS folder (lovingly called 'Drabbles'). This folder will likely be updated over time. For any mod help for files from 'Drabbles', it's best to DM me on here. Conflicts and any (very unlikely) updates to the mods themselves will remain on this post. Mod list and link under the cut!

River Effect Texture Default

Replaces the texture of the hidden river effect with a prettier one. Also modifies the CRES slightly so the effect slot is lowered in an effort to produce a nicer effect. This effect is pretty temperamental overall so your mileage may vary, but you can make some neat things with it.

Random Alien Abduction Pregnancy Chance

Tiny mod I made for some peeps since I couldn't find anyone else that had done it. Comes in three flavours (adult men only, adult women only, all adult sims -  use only one in your game) instructions on modifying the odds included in the .txt file (the default is 100%, i.e. same as Maxis). It edits Function 'Get Out - Make Pregnant' 0x100B in group 0x7FB1E9C7 and will conflict with any mods that do the same. Requires FT or higher.

No Aspiration Chemistry Penalty

Pretty much what it says on the tin, because I didn't like having to prod Romance Sims into relationships they clearly had little chemistry in. Edits a global BCON so that no Aspiration pair has a penalty to chemistry. Chemistry buffs from Aspiration pairs are retained (such as Family x Family). Completely tunable to your liking - the title simply refers to the default setting. You can make it so all Aspirations hate each other if you so wish. More details in the ReadMe. Requires NL or higher.

Tweaked Gussy Up

A version of christianlov’s Gussy Up that edits the ‘Buy Clothing’ interaction. It will now always prompt you to Plan Outfit, even if you don’t buy any clothes, allowing you to Gussy Up two Sims on the same lot with the same outfit for example. It will also prompt you with the above checkbox if you X out of ‘Plan Outfit’, allowing you to prematurely exit the chain (if you just wanted to nix a townie’s ugly Everyday). It is based off of midgethetree’s version, so it is updated for BV and Seasons.

Fairy Light Killer

This object goes under General/Miscellaneous, it is a white box with a blue :0 face. Made this for my own use about a year back. You can either delete all fairy lights on the lot, delete them all and be reimbursed for their wholesale price or delete them all and be reimbursed for their depreciated price. The object will output a message when done. As an alternative to this mod, you may also be interested in Midge's Seasonal Lights. Requires BV or higher?

Clean UI-inspired In-Game Loading Screens

Putting this here temporarily until I finish my Clean UI add-on project. Replaces a number of in-game loading screens with static images as shown below. They're not 100% perfect, but they're good enough for my game. Some loading screens are still as of yet unmodifiable, notably 'Load Family Lot' (I strongly believe it's possible though, I posted a bit on it if interested). Made for an all-EP game configuration.

Note: Loading Uni Hood screen not as buggy as it appears on the preview! ^^;;

Download

All of the above mods are available for download at this Sim File Share folder.

[zurich-snows]

Jim Shaw | My Mirage (detail object view)

— My Mirage

Conceived as a novel, My Mirage comprises 170 works that are uniform in scale but very different in style. Each of its images has been appropriated from one already in circulation in America during the 1960s and as such exists as a form of archive of the tastes and aesthetics of that decade. Among Christian comics, popular publications and advertisements, references are made to works by other artists including Frank Stella, Salvador Dalí, Ed Ruscha, R. Crumb, Basil Wolverton, Hieronymus Bosch, Victor Moscoso, Richard Hamilton, Gerry Anderson and John Baldessari.

My Mirage tells a fragmented, moralising narrative based on the experiences of Billy, a fictional, ‘average-Joe’, character from Middle America who sometimes doubles as Shaw’s alter-ego. Billy’s life is traced from a naïve and anxious adolescent to a teenager who turns to the excesses and escapisms of psychedelia through his college years and ultimately experiences rebirth through the religion of his youth. Each of the images used as source material has been extensively re-worked to suit its new narrative purpose. Allusions are made not only to Billy’s plight, but also to societal struggles and breakdowns in America during the 1960s.

The series also includes references to the ways in which it was made, reflecting Shaw’s concern with notions of creativity: Oil on Velvet 1988, for example, was made using those materials. In The Soft Margarine 1989, Shaw alludes to how My Mirage should be presented and read; it comprises a text that has been written, cut into sections and reassembled in random order using the ‘cut-up’ technique of American author William S. Burroughs (1914-97). My Mirage is re-ordered each time it is shown and, like the presentation at BALTIC during the exhibition Jim Shaw: The Rinse Cycle at BALTIC, is often shown incomplete.

The works from the My Mirage series included on this website are previously unpublished.

— Jim Shaw: The Rinse Cycle BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead UK 9 November 2012 – 17 February 2013

Jim Shaw: You think you own your stuff but your stuff owns you BALTIC 39, Newcastle upon Tyne UK 9 November 2012 – 17 February 2013

Publications available from BALTIC SHOP Jim Shaw: The Rinse Cycle Jim Shaw: My Mirage

BALTIC Editions Jim Shaw - Hairdo. Limited Edition print of 100.

Jim Shaw Documentary Film vimeo.com/balticmill

[sourstars]

PANDORA HIII i know i just disturbed you like 4 days ago for the previous ask game you did but 4,5,8,13,25 or whichever you feel like answering HAHA :p ~ann :>

ANNNNNN HONEY U NEVER DISTURB ME IT’S OKAY UR ALWAYS WELCOME + I WENT A LIL OVERBOARD W THE LAST QUESTION LOL (it also includes a line from smth i haven’t published yet but i love it so much i couldn’t help it)

get to know your author!

4) favorite character you’ve written

ooo this was kinda hard?? idk i have a lot of favorite pieces that makes characters my favorite for a while but i think sugawara, ukai, dabi, or possibly even bakugou. i have a lot of plans always knocking around in my brain for them but i never actually write them so i think my favorite part ab then is the fact that their personalities are just so flexible, you can never tell where they’ll end up next

5) character you were most surprised to end up writing

kenma! i only have a short drabble for him but i never i totally planned to write for him bc i wasn’t connected with his character as much in the beginning, but i like to imagine him as a grumbly husband to a bubbly/sly reader sometimes!

8) favorite genre to write

genre?? i’m not sure actually, i’ve never thought ab it but if we’re going to divide it into the tumblr fanfic genres, i feel i’m a lil bias to say angst, bc i always lead with some sprinkle of it if i want a longer story to end in fluff, but for some extra info: my favorite trope to write has actually turned out to be strangers to lovers or slow burn bc there’s a certain twinge i can never get with another trope that just is so satisfying

13) your strengths as an author

that whatever i work on, whenever i publish it, i know i’ve put my all into it. cheers to you &i, love? they say it’s everything, 8:47PM, the cusp of you & i and more were purely based off of my own emotions and experiences and became my favorite pieces simply bc i can still see the bits of me i left behind in them. i don’t like posting things i’m not 100% invested or in love with, 95% max lowest, so i think one of my strengths is that i write what i want to enjoy, to read, bc writing them out can sometimes bc the only way to get rid of it!

25) copy/paste a few sentences or a short paragraph that you’re particularly proud of

okay this is cheating but here’s more than one lol

— shinsou, to walk into sunlight:

“He caves in fast, his fingers finding yours, and every inhale of his turns into a wisp of I will love you until the stars die and every exhale is the continuation; and I will love you even after.”

— dabi, love? they say it’s everything:

“you tell him that his name, in another culture, in another language, means dearly loved.”

— daichi, boy born of ichor and blood:

“The shouts of victory seemed quieter compared to them now; the rambunctious group of boys who simply just want to eat to their stomach’s capacity, but they have the ichor of gods flowing through their veins, and you suppose for a moment while they do fit the image, they must first get through the adolescence of simply being boys.”

— akaashi, unpublished:

“He told you it was a memory he has folded like origami, sentimental value folded into its corners with care and it’s kept in the box of his heart, and he told you he doesn’t think he will let it go any time soon.”

[bopinion]

Book of the month / 2021 / 08 August

I love books. Even though I hardly read any. Because my library is more like a collection of tomes, coffee-table books, limited editions... in short: books in which not "only" the content counts, but also the editorial performance, the presentation, the curating of the topic - the book as a total work of art itself.

Through a different Lens

Stanley Kubrick (& Sean Corcoran, Donald Albrecht, Luc Sante)

Photography / 1997 / Taschen Publishing House

Every now and then, I sentence the kids to watch movies that I think are relevant - whether from a personal or a cinematic point of view. While my little son tends to be served light fare like "Blues Brothers," my big daughter sometimes has to chew a little harder, as happened the other day with "2001: A Space Odyssey." Her enthusiasm was a bit restrained, even if I exclaimed about 23 times, "That movie is from 1968. There were no special effects then, it's all actually built!".

Even regardless of that aspect, this epic can be considered groundbreaking. From the genre reference of the classical music background and the excellent script, to the technological authenticity and the almost psychedelic color scheme, to the revolutionary camera work. Above all, the visual composition of this film is the true mastery of director Stanley Kubrick, who is not considered one of the most important filmmakers of all time for nothing. Of course, I also have the matching book in my library ("The Making of Stanley Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey'", also from Taschen, of course), but this time it's about another work of this visually powerful creator: his early work, photography.

"In the Streets of New York" is the title of the publisher's documentary "Through a different Lens" on the occasion of an exhibition of the same name at the Museum of the City of New York. For it was there that Kubrick, just 17 years old, went on his first stalk of optical impressions. In 1945, he signed on as a photographer for the magazine "Look," for which he photographed stories with a human touch in the streets, clubs and sports arenas of New York City for five years. In the process, he captured with his camera just about everything that made up life in the Big Apple in that era: People in the laundromat, the hustle and bustle at Columbia University, sports stars, showgirls in their dressing rooms, performers in the circus, Broadway actresses rehearsing their lines, cab drivers changing a tire, couples kissing on the train platform, shoe shine boys, boxers reconsidering their career choice in the ring corner, patients in their dentist's waiting room, prominent businessmen, politicians, children in the amusement park, and commuters on the Subway.

Even these photographs from Kubrick's younger years reveal a startling sense of composition, tension, and atmosphere, and seem like film stills to never-shot dramas from the jungles of the big city. "This exhibition reveals how (Kubricks) formative years laid the groundwork for his compelling storytelling and dark visual style. They also show a noir side of New York that's no longer around." (Vanity Fair) "Photography, and particularly his years with Look magazine, laid the technical and aesthetic foundations for a way of seeing the world and honed his ability to get it down on film. There, he mastered the skill of framing, composition and lighting to create compelling images," explains Sean Corcoran, curator of the exhibition "Through a different Lens" and co-author of the book. Apparently, it was clear to the young man from the very beginning where his talent lay and how he was able to hone and master it.

Stanley Kubrick was born in New York City on July 26, 1928, as the first of two children. His parents came from Jewish families, and all of his grandparents had immigrated from Austro-Hungarian Galicia. His early passions were excessive reading, cinema and chess. He was first gifted a camera, a Graflex, from his father when he was 13 years old. And he immediately took off as a photographer for the William Howard Taft High School student newspaper. After graduation, he turned his hobby into a career and at the age of 18 became a full-time photographer for Look, to which he had previously sold amateur photos. As early as 1950, Kubrick directed his first documentary, "Day of the Fight", about life in and around the boxing ring, which he had already explored photographically. Although only 16 minutes long, the film was already considered a sensational study at the time. His future career path was set, the rest is history.

"Through a Different Lens" was an extremely successful exhibition, which subsequently also went on tour. Not only Kubrick fans were impressed by the mastery of optical staging that was already visible at an early stage. Corcoran: "Kubrick learned through the camera's lens to be an acute observer of human interactions and to tell stories through images in dynamic narrative sequences. (His) ability to see and translate an individual's complex psychological life into visual form was apparent in his many personality profiles for the publication. His experiences at the magazine (Look) also offered him opportunities to explore a range of artistic expressions. Overall, Kubrick's still photography demonstrates his versatility as an image maker. Look's editors often promoted the straightforward approach of contemporary photojournalism at which Kubrick excelled. It's clear he always got the photographs that were needed for the assignment, but that he was also unafraid to make pictures that excited his own aesthetic sensibility."

Beyond the 100 photographs in the exhibition, the book presents 300 of Kubrick's images, including unpublished shots and outtakes. Annotated by Corcoran, his colleague Donald Albrecht, and renowned writer and critic Luc Sante, who has published most notably in Interview and Harper's. They place the motifs in their context, refer to stylistic aspects, and thus point to Kubrick's (imminent) artistic career. Above all, in contrast to the exhibition, the book offers all friends of photography - whether fans of Kubrick or not - a rare insight into the proverbial pioneering early work of a brilliant artist. And into one of the most interesting eras of the "city that never sleeps" - yes, even Frank Sinatra was photographed by young Kubrick.

From the extensive, mostly euphoric reviews of the book "Through a different Lens" or the oeuvre documented in it, let's take one example each from a professional and an amateur:

"The man who later led a genre to its lonely high point and at the same time to its final point with each of his films knew already at the age of barely 17, that's how old he was at the time, that expression and form shape every impression." (Die Welt)

"I can't praise this book enough. Wonderful collection and very informative. An absolute must for those wishing to understand more of how Kubrick valued the frame." (Yvi on amazon.com)

P.S.: Just for the sake of completeness, let's mention Kubrick's cinematic output after his breakthrough: 1960: Spartacus / 1962: Lolita / 1964: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb / 1968: 2001: A Space Odyssey / 1971: A Clockwork Orange / 1975: Barry Lyndon / 1980: The Shining / 1987: Full Metal Jacket / 1999: Eyes Wide Shut. No, this is not a selection of greatest hits, this is a complete listing. And thus the proof that he has indeed realized a significant peak in the respective genre. His great influence on the history of cinema is also shown by the fact that he is the only director to appear a total of five times in the list of the 100 films with the best critics' ratings.

In addition, two side notes: Kubrick spent several years preparing a film biopic about Napoleon Bonaparte. The preparations were so far along that he could have started production at any time. However, the release of "Waterloo" (1970) and its poor financial results dissuaded him and the film studio from the project. The project has since been known as "The greatest Movie never made". He also dealt intensively with the subject of the Holocaust. After the release of "Schindler's List" (1993), however, he discarded these plans explaining that Steven Spielberg had already told all the essential.

Stanley Kubrick died of a heart attack on March 7, 1999, in his home at Childwickbury Manor near London, where he had lived in seclusion since the 1960s and had set up studio and editing rooms in the former stables.

Here's a short trailer for the exhibition "Trough a different Lens":

https://youtu.be/EgPlnjeBs7E

[sfsucw]

Omnidawn Poetry Book Contest

Omnidawn Poetry Book Contest

Guidelines:

Omnidawn poetry editors seek a wide range of styles, approaches, forms, diversities, and aesthetics to send to the judge (for example: lyric, prose poems, experimental, etc.).

There are no citizenship requirements or limitations. Postal and online submissions are accepted from around the world.

Manuscripts must be in English, although it is perfectly acceptable to include some text in other languages.

Manuscript submissions for all contests must be original. (If you include quotes from other works in your manuscript, please be sure they are clearly attributed to the author either on the same page or in a “Notes” section at the back of the manuscript.)

Manuscripts must be previously unpublished, although individual poems in a manuscript are still eligible for this contest if they have been previously published in print or web magazines, journals, anthologies, or on a personal web site.

Simultaneous submissions to other contests and multiple submissions to this or other Omnidawn contests are perfectly acceptable. You DO NOT need to notify us if your manuscript is taken elsewhere. Instead, we will verify with you that the manuscript is still available if you are close to being chosen as a winner.

If you are submitting a poetry manuscript that includes photographs or other graphic images please request additional guidelines by sending an Email to submissions@omnidawn.com.

All Omnidawn contests are Identity-Hidden (formerly referred to as a "blind contest"). For the Identity-Hidden contests if you use your name in your poetry please request additional guidelines for using a pseudonym by sending an Email to submissions@omnidawn.com. You can submit manuscripts that contain identifying information, but please be aware that such information will be removed from manuscripts before they are passed on to our readers and the judge.

Prize: $3,000 and publication of the book by Omnidawn with a full color cover (unless the author prefers black and white), 100 free copies of the winning book, and extensive display advertising and publicity.

Deadline: August 31st and submit via: http://www.omnidawn.com/contest/poetry-contests.htm

[weirdletter]

The Art of Pulp Horror: An Illustrated History, edited by Stephen Jones, Applause Books, 2020. Cover art by Norman Saunders, info: applausebooks.com.

So often associated with cheapness and low quality, pulp fiction and filmmaking have influenced the way we live for more than a century. Many respected authors and artists worked for the pulp and paperback markets, while films made for the low budget or youth markets are now rightly regarded as classics as they continue to inspire the movies and television we watch today. Profusely illustrated with more than 800 rare and unique images from around the world—including book and magazine covers, interior illustrations, movie posters, comic books, promotional items, tie-ins, and previously unpublished artwork commissioned especially for this book—this handsome volume charts the history of escapist horror and the individuals who created it. Compiled by multiple award–winning writer and editor Stephen Jones, and with a foreword by prolific and acclaimed author Robert Silverberg, this visual history brings together insightful and revelatory commentary from some of the genre’s most highly esteemed experts. The Art of Pulp Horror is a stunning and informative guide to how, for over 100 years, we have enthusiastically embraced and exploited the gratuitous and the gory into our popular culture.

Contents: Foreword: Those Gaudy Pupls! – Robert Silverberg Introduction: Pulp Frictions – Stephen Jones 1. Penny Dreadfuls: This Week’s Thrill-Packed Yarn – Sarah Cleary 2. Pre-Code Horrors: The Horror Monster Show! – Richard Harland Smith 3. The Shudder Pulps: Stories That Thrill and Chill! – Mike Ashley 4. Poverty Row: Horror Was Never So Facinating! Gregory William Mank 5. Seduction of the Innocent: Strangest Tales of Fear and Terror! –  Barry Forshaw 6. Drive-In Delinquents: Fiendish! Fantastic! Frightening! – Lisa Morton 7. Pulp Fiction: The Bizarre, the Frightening, the Gruesome! – Justin Marriot 8. Exploitation Explosion: Horror Beyond Belief! – Christopher Fowler 9. Boom and Bust: Something Bad is Coming –  Stefan Dziemianowicz Contributor Bios Index Art Credits / Acknowledgments

[destinationtoast]

TOASTYSTATS: HOW BIG IS WATTPAD?

I’ve been wondering for a long time how much fanfic is on Wattpad, how fast it’s growing, and how it compares to other major platforms.  Especially after @fffinnagain did some analysis showing that posting rate on AO3 has surpassed posting on Fanfiction.net (FFN), and @fansplaining suggested in a recent episode that they thought maybe Wattpad has been turning away from fanfic, I was curious how Wattpad compared.  

Only AO3 reports the exact number of fanworks on its site.  To estimate the number of works on FFN and Wattpad, I wrote a script to sample random works from each site.  (See details below).

You can see all the images in higher resolution on imgur.

So which site has the most fanfic?  

It turns out that it depends how you count. See the first figure above.

As of late October/early November, when I was grabbing these numbers, AO3 has ~4.2M fanworks.  AO3 additionally has ~50K works in the Original Work category.

All works on FFN are supposed to be fanfic, so I took the estimated total number of works to be the total amount of fanfic.  (A fraction of the works in the Misc category appear to actually be original work, but I think generously that number could be estimated as 20K original works, which doesn’t substantially change my estimate that FFN has ~7.7M fanworks.

Unlike AO3 and FFN, Wattpad is a general self-publishing platform, and “Fanfiction” is only one genre that authors can choose.  When you do a search on Wattpad, the site says there are 4.1M fanworks matching the term “Fanfiction.”  Based on sampling, I estimate that there are may be more like 5.1M works in the “Fanfiction” genre.  And then when I hand categorized 100 of them (based on title, summary, tags, and sometimes the first page of the fic), I realized that there are a whole lot of pieces of fanfic that the authors have placed in other genres (e.g., “Romance” or “Random”).  Including works in other categories, I estimate closer to 8.0M fanworks.

Thus, Wattpad has either the lowest amount or highest amount of fanworks of all the platforms. ;P  But it seems reasonable to think it probably has the most fanworks, or close to it.  This also means that when they say they’ve had “over 400 million story uploads,” they are presumably counting individual chapters.

I’ll also get to this more in future posts, but according to both my sample and the site’s (confusing, opaque) search results, Fanfiction is the biggest genre on Wattpad.

If you’re like, Um, okay, so if it’s so big, why don’t I know anyone who uses Wattpad?  well, that’s a reasonable question.  I'm hoping to explore a number of differences between Wattpad and the other platforms in future posts.  But partial spoiler alert -- Wattpad seems to most often be used for RPF, especially K-pop and other bandom fic.  It also looks like the users skew more international than on the other sites (based on the distribution of languages -- e.g., Wattpad has lots of Spanish, Filipino, and other languages from across Asia, Europe, and Latin & South America). It possibly skews younger as well.  And listen to/read @fansplaining‘s recent episode on monetization of fanfic for some great discussion of other platform differences.

Keep reading for more about site growth and missing works.

Update: 

A clarifying note from @elizabethminkel about @fansplaining‘s comments:

“When we discussed Wattpad turning away from fanfiction, we were specifically talking about the platform, not its users. (I don’t think you made that assumption having listened, but I don’t know if it’s super clear from your description.) Wattpad has said things along the lines of, ‘Fanfiction has only ever been about 20% of our platform”—which it looks like it continues to be! So the interesting question here is how a platform continues to scale with user-generated content when a solid portion of that content has kind of maxed out monetarily. Like, more and more fic will be published on the site, but that doesn’t mean more and more profit for Wattpad or its users—which is a problem within the tech industry’s current models.“  

She also has some excellent observations about a bunch of Wattpad content not being very fic-like, which I’ll hopefully dive into more soon -- thanks, Elizabeth! :)

/Update

Which site is growing fastest?

FFN is the oldest site, but growth on the platform slowed and then started decreasing somewhere around 2012 (based on my samples and Finn’s work).  I.e., there are still works being posted each year, but at a decreasing rate.

Meanwhile, both AO3 (founded 2007) and the “Fanfiction” genre on Wattpad (founded 2006) are growing fast; posting rates surpassed that of FFN in 2015 and 2014, respectively.  Wattpad appears to be growing fastest.  As of November: 

Wattpad’s “Fanfiction” genre received at estimated 1.6M new works so far in 2018, which means I’d estimate (very) roughly that there could be more like 2.5M new fanworks total, including ones in other genres. But that’s based on my hand labeling a sample of 100 works from various years, and it assumes that the ratio of unlabeled:labeled fanfic on the site has stayed roughly the same over the years.  That assumption may not be right.

AO3 has 0.9M new works so far in 2018.  

FFN has 0.3M new works so far in 2018.  

Based on past patterns, I predict there will be big surges in production rate in AO3 December due to annual holiday breaks and gift exchanges -- it looks like this seasonal surge occurs more dramatically on AO3 than on FFN, though it happens on both.  I don’t know about seasonal production patterns on Wattpad.

Which site ends up with the most deleted or unpublished works?

Update: With huge thanks to @zz9pzza for clarifications about AO3 and examples -- I’ve rephrased most of the following from them:  As of a system update around 4 years ago, AO3 only assigns 1/3 of possible story IDs to actual stories (to avoid numbering collisions), which means that most of the “missing” story IDs were never actually assigned. For instance, the following sequence of story IDs would be assigned: [16686808, 16686811, 16686814, 16686817, 16686820, 16686823].  Some quick estimates lead to thinking AO3 may have more like a 14% deletion rate -- far lower than what I show in terms of missing story IDs.

Do the other platforms also have similar explanations for their large missing ID rates?  Not necessarily -- FFN does not appear to be doing a similar thing currently (Nov 2018); there are recent sequences of several ID numbers in a row corresponding to actual stories (e.g.: 3119884, 3119885, 3119886, 3119887).  Wattpad also does not appear to be skipping IDs, as I found some pairs of IDs in a row, and recent sequences of story IDs with very few missing (e.g., 159620101, 159620102, 159620104, 159620108, 159620110).  So while these platforms may not have assigned all possible IDs, but I can’t detect any regular pattern to what’s missing, as is the case for AO3.

I updated the slide up at the top, but in case you clicked through from an older reblog, here it is again:

 /Update

AO3 and Wattpad both assign a new story ID to each new draft of a work, meaning that all unpublished works have URLs that don’t correspond to stories (edit: but as mentioned in the update above, AO3 doesn’t assign all possible IDs to stories).  FFN only assigns a new story ID at the time that a new work is published. All platforms also end up with some published works being deleted, either by the author or the platform (works can be deleted for being spam or violating TOS -- e.g., being explicit on FFN).  Thanks to Finn for this info -- see their post for more details.

As expected from the fact that it doesn’t assign story IDs for unpublished works, FFN has the lowest missing work rate fewer missing story IDs than Wattpad -- but it’s all due to deletions of previously published works (some done by FFN, which has done a number of mass deletions due to TOS changes, and some presumably by the works’ authors)  Wattpad has the highest missing story ID rate, but it’s unclear what that indicates. Many of these Wattpad works could be drafts that haven’t made it out of draft form yet. And some (maybe a lot) of the IDs may never have been assigned to a story in the first place; that is a side effect of some methods of database construction.   It also seems (based on notes in the summaries and titles) that on Wattpad it’s very common for authors to revise works that have already been published, and it’s possible that many authors use Wattpad’s “Unpublish” option to temporarily revert existing works to drafts.  I also found a few cases of spam/advertisements in the sample of 100 fanworks I hand classified, so possibly Wattpad has such a high missing works rate in part due to spam takedowns.

Detailed methods

I used AO3 Work Search to determine the exact numbers for AO3.  

All sites assign higher story IDs (the numbers found in URLs) to more recent works, so on the remaining two sites, I found the highest newly published work ID I could and used it as a maximum.  For Wattpad, the max story ID was about 160M.  For FFN, it was about 13M.  I sampled 9000 URLs on Wattpad, of which 1176 had stories.  I sampled 3500 URLs on Fanfiction.net, of which 2048 had stories.  (Feel free to use the data for your own analyses.)  

(Aside:  more recently, I’ve seen a few MUCH higher story IDs on Wattpad -- closer to 650M.  So I did several samples of 1000-2000 URLs using that higher number, and I couldn’t find any stories with IDs over 167M; it seems like there are very few with the much higher numbers.  I also double checked my belief that story IDs were assigned in order that drafts were created by graphing date published against story ID and found it to be accurate -- there were a few stories published long after their story IDs were assigned, but generally there was an increase in story ID by date published.)

In both cases, I drew the samples in batches of 500-2000 fanworks at a time, and I averaged the estimates I got from each subsample.  For Wattpad, I got a mean estimate of 20.83M fanworks overall (stdev = 1.42M; stderr = 0.50M) and 5.11M works in the “Fanfiction” genre (stdev = 0.60M; stderr = 0.19M).  For FFN, I got a mean estimate of 7.65M fanworks (stdev = 0.19M; stderr = 0.08M).  

I found a kludgey way to search FFN that I *think* returned most/all of the works on the site.  The results contained 7.60M works (close to my estimate of 7.65M), so that also strengthens my confidence in my estimates.  

[more toastystats]