#But it means it can be better polished and revised now

[windydrawallday]

I didnt write or draw much yesterday but im happy because, almost at midnight, i managed to draft half a story sequence in 15 pics 🎉

... lets see how and when i do the next part LMAO 💥

[ohcorny]

hey corny. so i always see people recommending to outline their story before starting it, but could you talk a little bit more about what that means? what is an outline and how do you structure one? how long are the ones you write, depending on the project? do you focus on plot beats or feelings? how specific do you get? can u recommend any readings for learning more?

up front i don't have any resources for this, only experience. and outlines feel like one of those things where it's like... there are a million ways to do it and the way that works for me might not work for you. i have a friend who writes out all his ideas on index cards and that, for me, is insane. but he's also a better writer than me so who can say what is right or wrong.

anyway an outline is essentially a sketch but for a story. you go through the whole thing, start to finish, and figure out what goes where and what happens when. the idea is that this is the stage where you work out all the big picture stuff and make sure it all fits together, now, and not after you've drawn twenty pages and suddenly go "wait shit that doesn't work" and have to do it over. it is much easier to delete and rewrite a paragraph than to redraw several pages.

doing anything more, ie including dialogue or feelings, depends entirely on how useful that information is to you at that point in the process and whether the purpose of the outline is for your own guidance, or so somebody else can tell what you're trying to achieve.

this got really long with multiple examples

here is an excerpt from the original outline i used to pitch Hunger's Bite to publishers. this one had to be polished to a professional standard, because somebody else was going to read it and decide whether they wanted to give me thousands of dollars to tell this story. (also several of the details are no longer accurate. for instance it now takes place 9 years earlier lmao)

this paragraph represents the first eight pages of the book. the final book is 264 pages long, and the outline was 12 pages of paragraphs as dense as this one.

it establishes where we are, who's there, and what they're doing. i describe their conversation, but i don't commit to the dialogue. i will occasionally include snippets of literal dialogue, but usually only if it's Important Dialogue, or i just don't want to forget a good idea i had while outlining. it's not expected at this step.

an outline written as part of a pitch to a publisher should tell the whole story, with all the important details, and leave nothing ambiguous. they need to know the tone, shape, and the arcs. no secrets! all the spoilers. outlines for yourself should do this too, but outlines for others need to be as clear about your vision as possible. again, an outline like this exists for the purpose of getting you paid thousands of dollars. you should write it like that.

in comparison, here's an excerpt from the outline i wrote for revisions to my WIP prose novel, so i could show it to my agent (who already read the draft) to be like "do these changes sound good?" i'm not selling it to anyone yet, just making a guide so i can have a conversation about it. so it doesn't need to be neat, it just needs to be functional and clear. the first chapter was entirely new stuff. the second bit was just writing down what was already in the chapter that existed.

i have historically been very bad at outlining things when i don't think i "need" to, and only wrote this one after having written like 60k words of the book without any overall plan. i gave what i had to my agent for feedback and then sat down and figured out how i could apply it. it's made the whole revisions process significantly less daunting. now i have a checklist for things i need to do! this one was a paragraph or two for each chapter, with the ones that needed a lot of rewriting given a bit more detail.

lastly, here's a bit of the outline for the first roger crenshaw book. i was the only person who had to see this, and since the story was planned to be very short i didn't have to worry about a whole lot. as long as i knew what was supposed to go where, it would work. honestly it's not a whole lot different from the previous example.

this one was like five paragraphs and it did the job, and this story was like 15k words. you only need as much or as little as will actually help you on the page.

basically if you take nothing else from this, it's that there are multiple ways to write an outline, that it does not need to be perfect if you're doing it for yourself, and that it only needs what you think is important (unless it is for other people. then it should have everything). and also it's a good idea to do it earlier in the project than after you've written 60k words or drawn--jesus christ i got up to 12 chapters in never satisfied? it's amazing i didn't quit sooner

[supersoakerfullofblood]

Beta Reading, Workshopping, and Peer Editing for Indie Writers: a Guide

Beta reading is a term you might hear tossed out as a vague buzzword, kind of like how people talk about "character development" and "worldbuilding"; I've made a bunch of posts to demystify words in that latter category, but beta reading is a different type of term. Where those latter words and their ilk are terms of craft, things we can discuss in theory ("this is how I think characters are developed best"), beta reading is about a novel after its first draft and first wave-ish of edits. Pretty much everything before and after the production of a novel or story is purely up to what works best for the writer, so this post will introduce beta reading if it's new to you, and I'll give you my process if you want to tinker with it!

Beta reading is when interested readers work through your polished manuscript and make workshop comments so you can make an extra wave of edits. Publishing houses usually have two waves of this type of reading--alpha reading (AR) and beta reading (BR). If you can find enough people to alpha read for you (and you want alpha readers), go for it! But if you're confident in your grammar, your ability to craft a scene and characters, and the other formalities of creative writing, alpha reading isn't a requirement (as an indie. If you ever query your work to a house, it'll probably go through alpha reading).

Alpha reading is to catch grammar and syntax slips, mischaracterizations, character development that doesn't add up, excesses of adverbs and adjectives, and other craft faux-pas that the average reader wouldn't catch. Your alpha readers should pretty exclusively be other writers.

Beta reading is to gauge what your audience is thinking or feeling while they read your work. If your beta readers want to make alpha reading comments ("I don't feel like [character] would do that here"), that's A-okay, especially if you didn't have alpha readers, but that shouldn't be your chief concern with your betas. These are your audience surrogates! The job of beta readers is to tell you what they think or feel: "I like this," "I don't like this"; "This paragraph hit me hard"; "This word is confusing"; etc. If they add more words to their comments, that's A-okay ("I like this because these words go well together" or "This word is confusing--does it mean X or Y?") but not necessary! If your beta readers are your audience and not people who really get how writing works, then you should be taking any reasonings in their comments as loose, loose suggestions. Maybe those words that go well together to one reader feel, as you look at them a second time, cliche. Or perhaps the confusing nature of a word or phrase was by design. In any case, try to see your beta readers as a "live audience reaction" and not a "live reactionary critique."

One aside about alpha/beta reading: "this is bad" and "this is good" comments are toxic and should be avoided at all costs. Tell your readers to avoid these before they start writing. No good can come from these. Even "I don't like this" and "I like this" are worlds better, though still not great. But absolutely warn your readers against using objective blanket statements like "good/bad" as they read.

Now that we've laid the foundations, I'll go into my own process so hopefully everything above makes more sense.

Before I give my manuscript to beta readers, I go through 2-3 waves of revision on my own. After I finish my first draft, I wait about a month to let the dust settle, to gain at least a little emotional distance from the project so I can look at it a little more objectively. Then, I read it through, revising for content: cut this scene, add a scene here, chop paragraphs and sentences, add paragraphs and sentences, move this chapter here, make sure this character actually functions as he should in the narrative, etc. These are my macro edits.

Then I let it sit a week or two and go into line editing: punctuation and syntax, word choice, tweaking figurative language, etc. Close pruning of your work. Filing your nails after you've clipped them.

The third read-through is at a normal reading pace, as if you were a reader, to catch anything that may have slipped past during your close edits and revisions. This third read-through is likely the first time you've read your manuscript as it should be read--a book! This step, then, is a victory lap, but it's also one last troubleshoot. You might not find the errors in a computer program until you run the program. So too it is with writing.

This is a lot of work! You might want to relegate these tasks to your readers, but DO NOT!!! If you're still heavily revising and editing your work, don't let your readers to the table. This is your work and your story, and outside influence will stray it from what you want. Own this. Buckle down. Read.

Once you've got your polished draft, it's time to contact your readers! I would recommend 4-6 readers total unless you think you can handle more cooks in your kitchen at a time (I cannot). I typically just ask some of my friends to beta for me. Here's an example text:

"Hey all! I finished that book about church camp a while ago and was wondering if you'd beta read for me! Basically, I'd just need you to read through the book and make comments in the sidebar whenever you like something, don't understand something, are excited or intrigued by something, or other general impressions. You can comment however often or little you feel comfortable with--some people make one comment a chapter, others make multiple comments a page--anything works great. Really all you shouldn't comment are blanket statements of "this is bad" or "this is good," but feel free even to say stuff like "I like this" or "I don't like this." Just avoid objective language when possible.

I don't have any money for this, so sorry in advance, and if possible, I'd love for all of my beta reading to be done by the end of summer.

Let me know if you're down or not! :)"

I really have had readers comment that much and that little on my manuscripts. This is normal. If your readers are supposed to comment whenever something in their attention triggers, different readers' attentions will trigger differently.

It's also a wise idea to form your beta reading group (again, especially if you aren't doing a wave of alpha reading) as a mix of people from different backgrounds and writing experience. My church camp novel group is below:

Person A who went to church camp with me, is into poetry

Person B is into fanfiction, little church experience, mindful of social issues

Person C has little church or writing experience, mindful of social issues

Person D is very into writing, pretty into church

Person E is very into social issues and church, not a writer

I would advise to find a similar balance of people who are into your subject matter and those who aren't.

It's also helpful to give them a timeframe to read by, and make this longer than they need. I gave people ~two months for my ~60k-word novel.

Also, as a little incentive for your readers, plan something for when everyone's done! A post-beta party! Something like this will also encourage you through the process :)

Once you have your betas' comments, it's time for one last wave of revisions. Compile these comments however you like, and start tweaking. I like to have each beta's document open so I can cross-reference while I work through my own doc. And remember: these are audience comments, not writer comments (unless you explicitly brought writers on). If someone says something confuses them, that might just be their cross to bear. If none of your other betas were confused by it, or if one of your betas compliments the same section, it may be worth ignoring that first comment. Try to rule with the majority when you can, and take everything with a grain of salt. "I don't like this" doesn't mean it needs to be changed. It means you should figure out why that reader doesn't like it.

If you have any questions, my asks are open! Again, this is a pretty open concept where anything works as long as it works for you, so don't feel pressured to "get it right." But if you have any questions or suggestions, I'm all ears :)

Hope this helps!

[goron-king-darunia]

DotNW Draw-a-thon Days 25-31

It's been a wild ride! But I think I made it out more or less unscathed!

I'll do a masterpost tomorrow along with some final thoughts. But for now, enjoy some content for the best boys. I can't get my Richter's quite right, which was what I was afraid of. But they're not bad and I will see if I can fix them into something I like better in more polished revisions. In the meantime, enjoy. DotNW deserves more love than it got. It's definitely not Triple A GOTY never seen before material. But it's way better than people give it credit for and if it wasn't stuck in the shadow of the original Symphonia, I think people would have enjoyed it more.

I started replaying it to try to get better reference shots and the only complaint that I have so far is "why is this game so laggy and grindy? Just let me befriend all the monsters and let me level faster!" Which is less of a "this game is bad" issue and more "I'm an experienced player that can't access my old save files because of personal technical problems so I'm impatient." And I'm pretty sure the lag is mostly "This game was made to run on the Wii, why are you running it on the Wii U?" But it's also just me being impatient probably. "What do you mean I have to wait 3 seconds for a fight to load?"

But for real. I'm actually giddy about some of the worldbuilding they put in that I never noticed before, little details. I think my only main complaint that isn't an impatience thing is how some of the skits are locked behind events with random components, i.e. trying to fail several pacts in a row which is at least partially determined by the luck stat which you can only reset by sleeping at an inn and you cannot otherwise control. Yeah, anyway, less yammering, more doodling.

I think I will eventually get around to doing all the monsters. But I might take a break for a while.

Shout out to @catcantnavigate for keeping up! I loved seeing all your work throughout this event! And shout out to @aerypear for hosting/coordinating. I hope to see more DotNW stuff trickle out! Game is not a masterclass of innovation or storytelling but it is SERIOUSLY underrated and one of my favorite games of all time and definitely the source of my top favorite characters for real.

[ozwuv]

I love your art! So, I was wondering if you have any drawing tips you could give?

Hiii thank you so much for the kind words, I am really glad you like it!!! :’3

As far as tips, this is kind of a broad question that I think it varies widely in terms of how you want your art to look. Personally, my main priorities are fluidity and character interaction, so that’s what I focus on even though it means I don’t really draw elaborate backgrounds and such. I’m sure I could become better at other things if I tried, but I’m not a professional nor am I trying to be, so I just focus on what’s fun to me.

Putting the rest of this under a cut bc it's gonna be long

As for actual advice, I have three big rules which I think have helped me continue to enjoy drawing as long as I have, which is the most important thing to me. I started drawing as soon as I could hold a pencil, and it's been my main outlet for good and bad times throughout my whole life (I am 26 now). Other people liking what I draw is a treat, but as long as I have fun, that’s ultimately what matters to me. That said, please keep in mind I am speaking solely for myself here since everyone draws for different reasons and in different ways.

The first thing is avoiding perfectionism at all costs when drawing, because it sucks the fun out of the process and ruins the visual fluidity in whatever I’m working on. An example of this is that I don’t like to go back and revise lines I’ve already placed, because the more I try to polish them, the stiffer they look. Even in digital art I try to roll with mistakes instead of erasing, or just completely undo the line I placed and try again. 

The other thing is something I actually picked up from dog training which is arguably my biggest passion in life. There’s a common saying amongst dog trainers: No “one more time” — which essentially means that when find yourself thinking “one more time,” you need switch gears immediately and do something else because you have hit your frustration threshold and every attempt from then on will be frustrating & counterproductive for both you and the dog. 

This applies to pretty much every aspect of life for me, but it made a huuuge difference when I started to consider it within the context of drawing. If I just stop whatever I’m frustrated with and go back to it later, 99% of the time I can pinpoint exactly what bothered me and how I could have fixed it. I’m typically not the type to work on something over various sittings, so even if I don’t finish the picture I was working on after coming back to it, being able to pinpoint what went wrong about it is a lesson I can apply to whatever I work on next.

The third rule ties into the last one, which is just not pushing myself. If I’m not having fun with a drawing anymore, I’m not going to force it. If it���s not coming out the way I want it to, I’m not gonna push it. Any time I've pushed through frustration to finish something, I wound up disliking how it came out. This isn’t really realistic for someone who is a professional (or aiming to be), but for me who just likes drawing anime characters for fun, it’s perfect. Because of this, I haven’t dealt with constant art blocks like I used to. I definitely still have them, but they're usually brief and not distressing to me. I feel like I’ve kind of stagnated the past several years, but at the end of the day I have a blast when I draw and that’s all that matters to me!

There's a common sentiment that everybody hates/is embarrassed of the things they drew in the past or even right after finishing and/or posting them. But it doesn't have to be like that, and imo it shouldn't. I think that just means there are some things about one's process and mindset that need to be reflected on.

Hopefully that helps somewhat, but YMMV if your priorities are more in the vein of constant improvement and/or being a professional :] I know this was kind of an abstract response, so if anyone has specific questions feel free to ask lol

[eliashirsch]

I thought it’d be interesting to look back on how much my writing has improved in a year!

Top Gun is the only fandom I’ve ever fallen into a rabbit hole deep enough to want to write any serious fanfiction for. It’s actually why I approach my writing today in a ‘professional’ manner (actually revising and doing line edits etc) and for the first time in my life, I’m considering it as a viable career. So it’s safe to say Top Gun has changed my life in ways I never would’ve expected it. 

I knew of Top Gun from watching Maverick and was so impressed I decided to immediately go to Ao3 because I knew there were going to be some fics about Mav and Rooster (I remembered the exact moment I got home and opened my phone and was delighted to know I was right). Back then the tag wasn’t even official yet. It’s great to see it grow over a year! (I’m still refreshing the Top Gun Movies tag for any new fics. Does anyone do that still?)

So here’s the fic that I decided to write on a random day in June 2022, featuring Mav and the Dagger Squad after the mission, and Ice being exasperated over their antics. It’s a little silly, definitely in a time when team as family fics were popular. I actually wrote about 45k in two months, which was fast for me back then!

I think a canon event for a beginner fanfic writer is when a character ends up in the hospital, there’s a scene where their injuries are described in detail (which as a reader, I usually skim those). I think it’s to create a ‘realistic’ setting, but really, there are better ways to describe said character’s injuries. 

Looking back, there are a lot of scenes that feel very unnatural. Real people don’t really talk this way, it feels very like, cartoonish for them to reveal information this way. Again, just very fanfic-y. Not really good writing.

But I had a lot of fun writing these! The Daggers don’t exactly act like adults or have nuances and stuff. They’re mostly there for humor (or more like injecting my humor, which is kinda cringey when I read these back) but hey, at least I can look at these with nostalgia the same way a burnt-out artist looks back at their childhood drawing and remember the good times when life and pressure didn’t get in the way of creating.

Compare these with my more recent writings. I don’t know I just look at this and I’m proud of how far I’ve come. How better I am at pacing and characterization and making believable scenes and everything. It’s just asdkasjfhankakljk so proud of myself. (Excerpt from my fic.)

Another comparison, this one’s a first draft rather than a finished work. So it’s not super polished, but still infinitely better than how I started. I mean, you can even see the difference in format. I started out writing with Arial and a white background, and now I can't stand writing in anything other than a dark bg. Also, Calibri is the best font idc what anyone says.

That’s it! Thanks for reading to the end! A reminder that the more you practice and hone your work, you are going to improve! It’s possible, just keep going!

[bluedalahorse]

prose and poetry and other experiments

I don’t really do writing advice or instruction posts, at least not at this point in my life. But I’m on the verge of (hopefully) finishing a one-shot fanfic that’s made up of nine poems, and then going to my writing program residency in a little more than a week, and it’s made me think about the value of like… just experimenting with writerly things that are outside of my comfort zone (or even the things that are a little terrifying) and seeing what I learn from them.

Like poetry, for instance! I used to think of myself as primarily a prose person, like maybe I’d get inspiration once every seven years and dash off a lovely poem about my feelings about spring. After that then I’d go back to writing prose like a normal person untouched by the poetic muse. But through my local bookstore and my writing program I learned more about verse novels, and started to love them. I began to experiment with telling stories in verse just because it felt like fun, and because a lot of my classmates were also experimenting with it. In my second semester, I worked with a poet as my advisor, and ended up trying out two historical novels in verse, which meant writing so many poems. Some were brilliant! Others were just placeholders in need of revision! Nonetheless, I produced a lot of text, and I was proud of what I’d done.

Now, I haven’t become exclusively a verse novelist. My creative thesis is probably going to be a hybrid of verse and prose, and I’ve certainly written things that continue to be all one or the other. Some of you might say, well, I only want to write prose, so what’s the point of trying to write verse? But here’s the thing: spending a lot of time writing in verse, and doing it with a sense of curiosity, actually made my prose better too. Like I think I have a better sense of where scenes should begin and end now, and am better at parceling out exposition. I can write characters as living in their bodies much better, and I know what sensory details go into a scene to tell us about a character’s emotional state. These were all things I struggled with immensely before I got into verse, and verse made me better at them. I’m sure writing one-act plays or something also could have helped with some of that, but my point is, sometimes going outside the very intentional parameters you created for yourself can actually help you.

So yeah, I don’t want this post to solely be about poetry. You can experiment with lots of different craft elements and genre conventions, and just fuck around for the hell of it, and discover yourself as a writer. Like if you always write in present tense and see it as your thing, it’s worth trying a story in past just to see how it feels. Or if you’re find you’re too distant from your protagonist in third person, try scooting into first person—or even second person—just as an experiment. It doesn’t mean you have to write the final draft of the story that way but it can maybe show you some things about the character you wouldn’t have picked up on otherwise.

In fanfiction, sometimes this means breaking with the “house style” of fanfic that you’re used to, or trying out a different house style. (I would argue that there are sometimes “house styles” that show up in different fandoms or subgenres of fanfic.) Or writing from the POV of the character you’d “never” write from, or writing a pairing you wouldn’t normally write, or something. Again, I don’t mean you have to write a fully polished multichapter fic about something that’s not your primary area of interest and then post it on AO3, but giving yourself a chance to write a paragraph or two (or a poem!) and just letting yourself play in a new sandbox for ten minutes… can be fun and enlightening actually. Maybe you’ll discover something new you like, or maybe you’ll discover something new about something you already like, which is also valuable.

The expression is “fuck around and find out” and I think we usually see that expression as threatening. But when it comes to writing, giving ourselves permission to fuck around can actually help us find out a lot about ourselves as writers and strengthen our craft.

Also, it’s fun, and fun is absolutely something I endorse when it comes to writing.

[annasinterests]

don't look at me like that unless you mean it

so i get out of bed ♫ put on my shoes and in my head

|| series masterlist || main masterlist ||

a/n: going back and revising can either be the best or worst thing in the world i stg lmao. i'm honestly surprised with how quick i got this one out?? anyway, thank you all for the likes and reblogs so far on this series! i hope you're all enjoying where the story is going!! if you have any questions, comments, or even suggestions (even if its like grammatical stuff), please let me know bc i'd love to hear some feedback <3

word count: 4.1k (where da freak did that come from?!)

pairings: joel miller x f!reader

warnings & tags: minors dni, angst, reader midkey being a little shit, reader also being a mom, swearing, lil fluff here n there, pining, looming threats — please tell me if i missed anything!

Winter turned to spring.

Spring turned to summer.

And Ellie found her purpose again.

She volunteered to help all around Jackson when she wasn’t out on patrol with you or Joel, going above and beyond what was expected of her. At least twice a month, the three of you would go over to Tommy and Maria’s for family night, consisting of food and games for a couple hours. Sometimes even Dina, her now-official girlfriend, and Jesse joined– At Ellie’s request, of course.

You tried your best to have meals as a family, taking the time to share details of the day or week, or simply just enjoying each other's presence in silence. Ellie had made it a point to spend time with you and Joel separately once a week outside of work, whether it’d be having lunch, going for a walk, or watching a movie together.

It was like life breathed into her, and your house felt like home again.

Whenever you’d get lucky enough to all be home at the same time, the three of you would be in the living room together but be occupied with your respective interests. Joel would be on the couch with a guitar and rag in hand, delicately cleaning and polishing the instrument, while Ellie sat on the window seat across the room with her notebook and pencil. You’d be curled up on your reading chair between them with your nose in a book while cradling either a mug of coffee or tea. Sometimes the quiet would be broken by Ellie peering up from her art and seriously prompting Joel with a question that was so obviously from her book of puns and you'd watch as she eagerly waited for him to take the bait. You couldn't tell what was better, when Ellie would make herself crack up, or watch Joel shake his head in disbelief with a grin on his face. The best, though, was when Joel would answer with the punchline and laugh as he watched Ellie's face fall with contempt.

Things had just fallen back into place.

The general rule in Jackson was that everything had a set schedule and was planned in advance, no matter how big or minuscule it was. So when Maria had called in for all patrol, leaders, and committee members to meet at first light this morning, you knew it had to be something important.

On your walk over to town hall, you took the extra time to appreciate your surroundings. The sun shined a bit brighter, and the air felt fresher. The trees were regaining their green leaves in full, and weeds sprouted in the cracks of the streets and sidewalks. You waved to fellow settlers sitting on their porches and drinking their morning cups of coffee, many of whom you’d come to know as good friends.

The room filled up quickly and the air hummed with anticipation and light conversation. People arranged themselves according to their role in Jackson, but you only paid attention to the groups you belonged to: The committee, who sat before the podium, and patrol, who lingered near the back. And it just so happened that you were administration duty this week, so you took your seat in the front row. You scanned over your shoulder for Joel and spotted him off in the corner with Tommy, in what seemed like typical brotherly conversation. The two faced each other, Tommy talking passionately about something while Joel shook his head in annoyance, which slowly turned to reluctant nods and a hand up in defeat. You wondered what he’d been going on about.

Your attention was drawn back to the podium by the tapping sound of the microphone that was amplified through the speakers, Maria's favorite way of commanding the room's attention. But when you looked at her, she wasn’t her typical self. In all meetings, planned or not, she always exuded an unmatched confidence and possessed a let's-get-to-business attitude. That she wasn’t phased by the sheer amount of responsibility that rested on her shoulders, being the backbone of Jackson.

But now, something was off. She was bothered, and it showed. Her hands that normally folded in front of her now gripped the sides of the podium with such a strain that you could see her knuckles turning white and her thumb repeatedly scratching at the wood. Her eyes anxiously darted around the room, looking at all the bodies staring back at her, but not really seeing them.

"Thank you all for being here on such short notice," she tried to mask her concern with a bright smile, "I wanted to bring you all together to discuss an important development that has come to our attention."

She paused for a moment, as if to reel in everyone's attention moreso, though it was probably more for herself. You tilted your head and squinted at her as she nervously peered around again, wondering what the hell had gotten into her.

"Recently, some of our patrol has been encountering a group little ways beyond our walls,” she allowed her words to sink in, “but they’re not like our usuals– they’re more organized. Dangerous.”

And? Jackson’s dealt with savagery before, what’s so different now? Maria glanced at you briefly, as if she heard your thoughts.

“They pose a significant threat to us. One greater than we’ve ever seen, and one that we cannot underestimate.”

Without missing a beat, you looked over your shoulder between the sea of people that were exchanging uneasy looks and words for Joel, finding his eyes on you. He shared the same apprehensive expression as you did, with steady eyes and scrunched brows.

Maria held up her hand to quiet the murmur that had rippled through the room before speaking again, but you drowned out her words. The most you were able to put together was something about unsettling information, the community being built on unity and resilience, and stricter security measures.

For all the times you came across people, how many of them had been the company that played a hand in this? How many times had you walked away from someone who harbored ill intentions? How many times had you unwittingly brushed shoulders with death at the hands of these people?

You sat still as ever, eyes locked in front of you, but your body was beginning to shut down as more thoughts crammed themselves into your head. Your heart rate picked up, being able to feel the pulse just about everywhere, and your vision began to blur in and out.

Your hand ghosted over the void in your stomach. You could handle being out there. Fuck, you could come to terms even getting caught out there. But it made your blood run cold knowing that Joel was out there facing those same risks as you, and– fuck– even Ellie too.

One question still lingered: What was it about this group that set them apart from the rest?

“Hey sweetheart-” you were startled by the sudden hand on your knee, jerking your head to the left to look at the woman next to you, Charlotte. She frowned at you, “Are you alright?”

“I’m-” you shook your head to a nod, “I’m- Yes. I am.” She didn’t look convinced, but didn’t pry either. Instead, she gently placed her hand on top of yours.

You liked Charlotte, and not just because you had to for the sake of the committee, because God, there were quite a few that fell under that obligation. You actually respected her. She was sweet and southern as they made them, and everything she did was always handled with grace and poise. You’d also be lying to yourself if you said you weren’t slightly envious of her. To be soft and benevolent well after the end of the world? You could only wish to be those things.

“Well, if it’s alright with you, I could really use Ellie’s help at the school today.” She took her free hand and gestured about the room, “Just ‘ought to prep some things in light of all.. this.”

You placed your hand on top of hers, "Ellie would love to."

“And have Dina go too,” she gave a warm smile and squeezed your shoulder as she stood. She leaned down as if she was confessing a secret, sending you a wink. “I’ve always liked those two.”

It was when she walked away that you noticed the meeting had ended. People were standing clustered in groups, and you were unable to decipher what each conversation had really been about as you were preoccupied with finding Joel before heading out.

He’d still been near the back with Tommy and other patrolmen Samson, Milo, and- oh, great- Fitz.

You’d been paired up with Fitz on several occasions, only getting to know him well enough to stand him for an entire shift, but still struggled to do so. He was a patrol leader around your age, but still acted like he was in his twenties, in the sense of that he wanted to fuck every woman available in Jackson. Every time you’d turn him down, he’d have another girl on his arm the week after, and then a different one after that. And just when you thought he’d given up, he made his rounds back to you in hopes that you’d give him a chance to get in your pants.

Tommy's back had been to you, the four men around him listening to whatever story he'd been telling. You gently patted his shoulder and you stepped beside him so as not to spook him, to which he pulled you in for a side hug/cheek kiss combo and quick good mornin' as he carried on his story. Joel had been on the end of the semi-circle of men, leaving you a spot to settle in next to him. When Tommy got to the height of the tale, the three men erupted in laughter, Joel only shaking his head with a curled lip.

In a moment of reprieve, Fitz took the opportunity to draw the attention to you with a mischievous grin.

“Miler, how’s it that you’ve got the most beautiful woman in Jackson livin’ under the same roof as you, and yet you won’t even claim her?”

Fitz’s tongue poked his cheek as Joel’s jaw tightened at the slight. You caught Tommy giving Joel a smug look before looking down at his feet to hide it. He’d teased Joel for the same thing before, but never as direct or harsh, and definitely not in front of other people. Fitz redirected back to you, “Listen, if he won’t touch ya', I’d be happy to-”

“Who said he didn’t?”

You wanted to punch yourself in the throat immediately, but the wild look on Joel’s face made the lie so fucking worth it. You kept the smirk on your face and stared at Fitz until he grew uncomfortable enough to break contact, ignoring the wide eyed expressions from the rest of them.

“You could probably take some pointers, honestly.” You jerked your thumb at Joel.

Joel continued to burn holes into your head as Tommy, Milo, and Samson tried to stifle their laughter. Fitz rolled his eyes as a redness spread on his cheeks, mumbling an insult and withdrawing himself from the group. You smiled and bit your lip as you watched him walk away, letting out an airy laugh once he was out of sight.

“So, when were you guys gonna-” You and Joel both gestured defensively at Tommy as excuses fell out of your mouths by the second.

“No! We’re not-” you glanced at Joel quickly. “No. That was just to get Fitz to quit his shit.”

Knowing Fritz’s reputation, Tommy didn’t require anymore persuasion, saving you from having to over-explain yourself and wind up looking like a fool in the process. “Well.. we're havin' a thing at the Bison on Friday. Why don't you come down?"

You raised an eyebrow at him, looking at Joel for confirmation if you heard him correctly. “Shouldn’t we.. I don’t know, not be having a thing? Especially after what Maria just said?”

Tommy nodded his head and sighed, knowing exactly that’s what the invitation sounded like. “It’s not- It’s supposed to be a.. morale booster, fuckin’ whatever– it's Maria’s idea, not mine. I'm just supposed to get the word out."

While it felt a little odd, you could understand why she wanted to do it. "I don't know, Tommy, I-"

"Great! See y'all there!" Tommy smirked as he looked between you and Joel and began to walk away. You turned to Joel with disbelief, but he was unphased, conveying how Tommy had roped him into this way before you walked over.

As the room emptied out, you all took it as your cue to leave and begin tending to your responsibilities for the day. Joel had disappeared too quickly for your liking, but you didn’t have the time to sit and chat with him either.

You stopped home to find Ellie, Dina, and Jesse in the kitchen eating breakfast together, chuckling at the idea of the other two essentially being your adoptive children as well for how much they were over.

Ellie offered you a strawberry off her plate and inquired about the meeting with genuine curiosity. Carefully, you explained to them the importance of being aware of their surroundings for the next couple of weeks, and to not stay out past curfew no matter where they were. Meaning if they needed to crash at your house for the night, so be it, and so on and so forth. They found your propositions to be odd, understandably as you didn’t give the proper context as to why, but nonetheless they didn’t question you.

"So.. are you going to the thing on Friday?" Jesse’s inquiry took you by surprise.

"How do you know about the thing on Friday?" You asked like a mother asking her child about something they weren't supposed to know about.

"I ran into Fitz before I got here.”

You rolled your eyes. Fuckin’ Fitz. Of course he’s going. You shifted your weight against the counter, crossing your arms. "Yeah, I am. Why?"

"'Cause we were gonna sneak in if you weren't." Dina mumbled behind her glass of juice.

You tittered at her honesty, your eyebrows now furrowed together. "And why would you guys have to sneak in?"

"Because Fitz said that Uncle Tommy said it was only for adults? Like, older than us." Ellie gestured to the other two and shot you a look of confusion, like you were already supposed to know.

Your expression stayed the same, but your eyes shifted around the room as you thought about the new fact she presented you.

Huh. Only for adults.

Your mouth closed and curled up. It was on brand for Tommy to not have added that important piece of information.

Ellie watched as the gears turned in your head, but you didn't give her the opportunity to pick at your brain as you changed the subject to Charlotte's request.

“Well, Ms. Charlotte needs you two to help her today.” You pointed your fingers at the girls, who shared an excitement to be with the kids. Keeping one finger on them, you averted the other to Jesse. “And you need to get ready to head out, Mr. Almost-Patrol-Leader.”

The kids rushed to clean up their dishes and grab their bags to get to it. Before running out the door, they each gave you their own special way of saying goodbye.

“Thanks for letting me eat your food!”

“See you later, love you!

“Love you more than Ellie does!”

You beamed at the door after it closed.

For some reason, you thought Joel would've been home. You imagined that if he had been present for the conversation, he definitely would've dropped a sarcastic remark somewhere to illustrate his dismay for Fitz or the party. But he wasn't, and it made you feel off.

You were still leaning against the counter in deep thought, feeling.. oddly familiar in the spot. It had only been months ago when you stood here, tea in hand, sharing a.. moment.. with Joel. You stared at the empty space where he had left the jar of honey that morning, a memory of yet another stolen moment.

The silence overwhelmingly contrasted with the energetic scene you were just part of, forcing you to realize just how empty the house was.

You shook your head, rousing yourself from your thoughts.

Go. Go out and get some work done.

You spent the rest of the afternoon and evening walking through the bustling streets of Jackson, checking in with other leaders and taking note of their preparations for the coming weeks to report back to Maria. You wanted to gather as much information as possible to keep her adequately informed, but it also gave you a reason to push Joel far away from your thoughts.

Through your interactions, you couldn't help but admire the unity and spirit of Jackson. The sense of vigilance permeated the community, there was a collective understanding that every measure mattered in ensuring the safety of everyone. From rigorous training sessions led by guardsmen, sharpening their combat skills and marksmanship, to the meticulous maintenance of weapons and ammunition, no detail was overlooked.

Before returning to the town hall, you brought yourself to the stables. It sat on a hill that overlooked the town with no other buildings near it, making it the perfect getaway when you needed a break from all the noise.

It'd been empty with the exception of a handful of horses in their stalls. In relaxed movements, you swiftly picked up a bucket and flipped it upside down as a makeshift seat, plopping yourself down on it. Hues of red and orange brushed across the sky, the sun sitting just over the top of a mountain far out in the distance. You sat quietly, listening to the buzzing and ticks of nature.

"Can't beat that view." A gentle voice came from behind you, registering as Joel.

The sound of his boots on the floor let you know he approached your side, shoving his hands into his pockets. You nodded in agreement, not seeing the use for words in the moment. Neither one of you looked or even glanced at each other, focusing your attention to the sunset in front of you. The sun descended behind the mountain, dragging the bold colors with it and allowing new hues of blue and purple to replace it. The town lights began to come on, flickering up and down the streets. A soft yellow glow illuminated the stables.

You hadn't seen him all day after the meeting, but now here he was, joining you in your small time of solace. Honestly, you didn't expect him to be there. If he had gone out for his shift around noon, he wasn't supposed to be back for another few hours. You thought that maybe Tommy switched his shift last minute, or that you just remembered his schedule wrong for the week. Either way, you weren't going to poke and prod. Your thoughts had pivoted back to this morning.

“Do you think she’s not telling us something?”

He furrowed his eyebrows momentarily before relaxing. “Maybe.”

You stood up and slid the bucket off to the side, beginning to pace at the edge where the wood met the grass. Joel watched as you brought your hands to your hips and your eyes stared down at your feet, placing themselves one in front of the other as if they threatened to trip over thin air.

You couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to this. It all felt so sinister. You wanted to be mad at yourself– How could you have gone so long without realizing that there’d been people out there watching, judging, and assessing every move? But also, how could you have known? What were the signs you were supposed to be looking for?

“People hide things when they’re scared.”

His words stopped your pace, and fuck if they hit a little too close to home. You faced him with a perplexed expression etched on your face and a light desperation in your voice. “But why is she scared?”

You weren’t looking for a legitimate answer, you just wanted him to see where your train of thought was at. You searched his eyes in hopes that he shared the same doubts. That something bigger was in the picture.

“Tommy thinks they’re tracking us on patrol.” He shrugged his shoulders again, his eyes first glancing down at the ground before landing on you. He shifted his weight to his one foot almost cautiously. "Seems that way, I guess."

Your breath hitched in the back of your throat as you tried to take deep breaths. Your hands ran through your hair to stimulate the light-headed feeling that was spreading quickly. No fucking way.

“How long?”

Your eyebrows were knitted together and your eyes narrowed at Joel's. He brought his hands to his hips and turned himself towards Jackson, staring off into the distance, where somewhere between all those mountains, rivers, and forests, danger lurked. The weight of silence hung heavy in the air, a tangible presence that seemed to amplify the gravity of the situation.

“Been runnin’ into the same people for a couple months, at least.”

Months. They had fucking months on you. And only now had Jackson realized it. Yet, Joel seemed indifferent in conveying this to you. You felt that all the air had been knocked out of your lungs, and you turned away, dragging a hand down your mouth to cover your mouth, muffling an oh my fucking god. You reverted back to how you thought about how blissfully unaware you were about all the times they could’ve taken or killed you, or Joel, or– you whipped around to him.

“She cannot go on patrol anymore.” He looked at you with a somber expression, his gaze growing with concern as the lines on his forehead deepened. You didn’t notice as he drew closer to you as you began to think of the worst case scenarios. “I’m sorry, Joel- But she can’t. God forbid something-”

You’d been talking a million miles a minute and staring right into his chest, yet didn’t see his hands coming up to cradle your face and make you look up at him. In his eyes, you saw his worry as you lost yourself in your own head. He saw how troubling you found the entire matter to be, and knew that it would eat at you until it was put to rest.

“Please, don’t let her.” Your hands wrapped over top of his as your voice broke in a final plea.

His hands were rough and calloused, yet when they held you, you’d think that he’d held everything in life this softly. His thumbs ran over your cheekbones, eyes flickering between your own. If the circumstances were different, maybe you’d take your chance and crash into him. But when he looked at you like this? Man, it didn’t get much better than that.

“Yes ma’am.”

In his response that probably should’ve made either of you withdraw, neither of you did. His eyes quickly glanced down at your mouth, and you involuntarily did the same to him. You said his name, but it was barely audible. He brought his hand to the back of your hand and guided you into his chest, wrapping his arm around you.

“Hey,” he cooed, “we’re gonna be okay.”

His words had a profound effect on you. Those simple words said with such an assurance and sincerity that you so desperately wanted to believe him without question. It echoed in your head.

We're gonna be okay.

You don't know when, but at some point over all the years with Joel, it became something more than just surviving together. It became that you were unofficially his, and he was unofficially yours, with no room for anyone but Ellie inbetween. But still, you found yourself wondering if it would ever be more than just that. If he ever felt the same pull, the magnetic force that constantly drew you towards him.

You couldn't help but wonder if he truly understood the depth of your own feelings. If he grasped the significance of these moments that left your heart racing. Did he know how often you spent thinking about him, replaying conversations in your mind, searching for hidden meaning in every word and gesture like you were right now?

You buried your chest into his chest and nodded, a silent acknowledgement at best, allowing his words to sink in for what they were worth.

"Yeah, we're gonna be okay."

You didn't believe yourself for a second.

[wilteddreamsofbaldursgate]

10. Editing and Formatting

So, you’ve written your first draft? Amazing. I’m so proud of you, and I’m so sorry to tell you that this is the point where writing becomes boring. Wait? You thought you’re finished now that your draft is done? Oh, well—it’s really not like that. Actually, this stage of writing is not only the most tedious but most time consuming, because now you have to go hunt for typos and bad grammar, redundant words and irregular spacing. It might just as well happen that you'll find yourself revising your finished draft yet again. I say this is tedious work, but you actually just keep improving your draft, which is a very good thing! Edit your work, constantly. If you read your draft and think “Actually, I could’ve written this or that a little differently, it would’ve sounded so much better!”: Change it, then, honestly—even if it takes half an hour. You’ll regret it otherwise. 

Example:

I edit my work in three stages: 

I read the entire draft just like you would read another writer’s fic. I’m not looking for typos and all that, yet, though if they’re obvious and easy to fix I do that right away or mark them for later. In this round, I’m checking for awkwardness or inconsistency. Things that sound bad or could be better. What really worked for me was being conscious of how I read. I’m aware not everybody has it, but I do have a reading voice, meaning: I hear a voice inside my head while reading. When I’m editing, I try to be very conscious of what that voice narrates. So when there’s a sentence and the narration in my head doesn’t match the actual words written on the page, I will usually change the sentence to what I subconsciously thought the sentence would be like written out. Pretending to be the reader and not writer of a draft can be very helpful, because you have to think about what a reader who doesn’t know the piece you’ve probably read X amount of times by now would expect. In 9/10 cases, my sentences improve.

In this round I re-read the entire draft word for word. Depending on how long my draft is, this can take forever. Now I really get out the magnifying glass and sift through my draft, hunting for typos and such. Nothing spectacular, just really tedious work, but generally worth doing.  

Repeat Step One, but this time I do it after I have copy and pasted my draft to where I eventually want to upload the piece— tumblr or ao3. I save the post as a draft and then re-read it. Two things happen: a) my draft looks different than on my writing program; this has me more alert. b) I see what my draft will look like to readers; helps me get into the reader-perspective. I’m always astonished to see how many more typos etc. I missed the other X times I checked for them! After I fixed them, I usually prepare my post for posting.

There are some online programs that can help you check for grammar and typos, but don’t completely rely on them—especially since free versions of them are not really made for creative writing projects. They just don’t get art, ok? What I can warmly recommend, though, are beta readers. They’re real people who get to read your draft before you publish it. They can help you check for grammar and typos and all the likes, but they can also give you wonderful feedback and tell you what you might improve story-wise. While your beta is more than happy to help you edit your draft, let’s talk about formatting.

Before you share your work with the rest of the fandom, you want to make it look presentable—polish it, so to speak. Your draft can be as good as could be, but it’s pretty exhausting to read a piece that looks bad and it will scare potential readers off. Here’s a very quick list of things you want to avoid:

You don’t want your draft to be one single, long paragraph. Line breaks are your friend. As a rule of thumb: If there’s a new scene (imagine a cut in a movie), you start a new paragraph. Same goes for dialogue—whenever there’s a new speaker, you insert another line break. 

excessive punctuation (e.g. “No!!!!!!!!” He cried.)

weird fonts (choose something that’s easy on the eyes)

overuse of highlighting or emphasising (bold or italics)

bad grammar and punctuation 

If you want to get a feeling for this kind of thing, open a novel and just look at a random page for a moment. There’s a pattern I’m sure you’ll soon recognize—try to recreate that in your own writing.

Next: Polishing your Post 

Masterlist

[literaticat]

This is along the lines of the question about having a book in one genre take off over a book in another genre, and if you should stick to the successful genre. If you’re a querying, pre-published author and about to start drafting a new book while you query the first book, is it smart to write a book in the same vein as book 1? Obviously you don’t know yet if book 1 will sell/sell well or not. Or is it better to diversify? Like, if you were to offer on a book, would you hope the author had another book in the works that was similar, or different? By different I don’t mean VASTLY different, but maybe same age category diff genre, etc.

SORRY THIS IS LONG.

First of all: I don't want to tell you what to write. Every writer is different, every situation is different, there's no "correct" or "wrong" here.

So I'd suggest you write the book you are most interested in writing, the BEST book -- we can figure out strategy when the time comes.

That being said. I guess in an ideal world, you'd be working on a book that could logically be a follow-up -- and at least get the outline, a good chunk polished. Mind you - this doesn't have to be A SEQUEL or anything. Just, something for the same general audience. That way you at least know you have that in your back pocket for when somebody asks. (And yes, if we sell the MG, somebody WILL ask.)

THEN, honestly, I'd also noodle around with some different things. (Yes, maybe VASTLY different!)

But that doesn't square with the "follow up with something for the same audience!" that I said a few days ago! (I KNEW posting that would be a whole cane of worms FML.)

The thing is -- that's advice for what your publisher will likely want to see next, ideally. Like, you write a MG, it's likely your publisher for that book would like something for the same kind of audience as a follow-up.

But let's say you write a MG. And I go out with the MG -- and the MG doesn't sell, or takes YEARS to sell or something.

I could wait until you had a new MG to go out with and try again. Or, in the meantime, I could try your nonfiction picture book, or hilarious chapter book series, or whatever. Because those would be going to different editors than the MG anyway.

I have told this story but if you are new: Kate Messner was one of my first clients. She queried me with a MG. I went out with the MG. I got a lot of nice passes (but all passes). She revised, and in the meantime, sent me a nonfiction picture book, OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW, which I sent out and sold immediately to Chronicle (where it continues to be a classic of their backlist and has spawned an entire ongoing series.)

I sent out the revision of the MG. It didn't sell. Kate revised, and in the meantime, sent me an adorable chapter book, MARTY McGUIRE, FROG PRINCESS with ideas for more, which I sent out and sold immediately to Scholastic, and it's so cute and ended up being its own series and then launching Kate into doing the Ranger in Time series for Scholastic.

In the meantime a new young fresh-faced editor arrived on the scene at Bloomsbury. My colleagues and I had a meeting with her and she said "I love heartfelt MG that has a classic feel and is super kid-friendly, (etc etc)" -- and I was like DING DING DING and sent her Kate's MG book . . . THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z, which went on to get many starred reviews, win awards, etc. This book couldn't have sold earlier than it did, because the right editor for it hadn't even started being an editor yet when we first started! The ms had to be just right, and the timing had to be just right. The stars did align -- but we weren't just twiddling our thumbs in the meantime, yanno? What's that saying? 'The harder I work the luckier I get'? Something like that.

(Fast forward 15 years. Kate now has like 50+ books published/forthcoming, and the fresh-faced editor is now in charge of the whole imprint. How about that!)

I'm not saying you have to be as prolific as Kate. That's quite a high bar to clear, and I honestly don't think most people SHOULD be aiming for it. I'm just saying, you don't HAVE to feel like you are "locked in" to anything. Truly.

Write what you are passionate about, write the best possible books you can -- strategizing about them and selling them is your AGENT'S job. If/when you get a publisher who you are working with, who really wants X-kind of book, a follow up to whatever, and they want to pay you for it, and you want to do it, GREAT!

But in the meantime, if you have no contracts or commitments that you HAVE to work on, why not just spread your wings and work on whatever you are passionate about next? It's likely to be the most fun, and who knows where that might lead!

[crystallinearts]

yoyoyo fans of chosen.!! GOOD NEWS!

I know it’s been a while since the last chapter, but I’m working on the next one

HOWEVER, that’s not the good news! the good news is actually kinda twofold

first off, I’m revising and adding/polishing up earlier chapters! the first maybe 5 chapters were particularly egregious with regard to the way Chara spoke and the voice for Reader-chan, but I’m on chapter 12 trying to revise things and still finding some places to add or change little bits

it’s a lot of refining dialogue (Reader-chan was supposed to do a little more stammering, “um/uh” and repeating words in earlier chapters to convey her nervous/shyer personality, AND in the first several chapters I noticed a lot of places where I broke the rule that Chara barely uses contractions in their speech, as well as they were supposed to use a bit more formal language choices) and putting in some additional jokes/foreshadowing/mini interactions between the Dreemurr sibs

and WHEW I’ve got over 200,000 words to go through so it’ll be a hot minute before I actually get these updated chapters posted or anything, but I’m really hoping they’ll read a lot better than they used to

AND THE OTHER PIECE OF GOOD NEWS...

I’m starting to do fanfic readings of my own works on my YouTube channel, and chosen. is the first one I’m going to attempt! THIS is what got me to kick my ass into gear and revise the earlier chapters, because I knew I always wanted to do this, but I didn’t want to start doing it until I’d revised the chapters, fixed things up, etc.

I’ve already got the first chapter’s reading recorded, but I do wanna get a couple of request videos out before I make a video of my reading the first chapter of chosen.

and, that said... I need some art for the videos. =)

I’ll probably use my own art for a lot of chapters, because ideally I’d love to have a different piece for each chapter’s video

WHICH MEANS... if anyone who has already drawn something for it would be okay with me using their art, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!! obviously I would link to your Tumblr (or wherever else you’d like to be credited) in the video description (and probably in the actual video as well)

and if you’d like to create a piece specifically for any chapter, GO FOR IT, TAG ME, AND LET ME KNOW THAT I CAN USE IT!!! I love to give all the incredible artists and my supporters ALL THE ATTENTION!

but please note that you don’t have to! my fanworks are free projects created because I love them, and I can’t pay for art, so it would literally just be something for you to do ONLY IF you would like to, and I absolutely do not expect it! as I said, I’ll probably do most of the art myself, I just thought I’d put that out there that if anyone would like their pieces featured in something like that, I would absolutely LOVE to share your creations with the world

anyway, that’s it for now... hopefully I’ll have a new chapter of something out for you guys soon!! love youuuuuu <3 <3 <3

[seonewsguy]

Why You Don’t Need a Huge Budget for a Great Website

The idea that building a high-quality website demands a massive budget is a misconception that has persisted for too long. Many businesses shy away from creating or upgrading their websites, believing that only large companies with deep pockets can afford a well-designed, functional site. But in reality, with the rise of cheap web design options and innovative platforms, you no longer need to break the bank to establish a powerful online presence.

Budget constraints shouldn’t prevent your business from standing out. With a bit of strategic planning and the help of a cheap web designer, you can achieve a website that not only looks great but also performs exceptionally well.

Understanding the True Cost of Web Design

To grasp why you don’t need a huge budget, it’s important to understand what you’re paying for when you hire a web designer. Traditionally, costs have been driven up by custom coding, extensive back-and-forth revisions, and the use of proprietary platforms that lock you into costly maintenance fees. However, advancements in technology and an increased emphasis on user-friendly platforms like WordPress and Shopify have revolutionized the landscape.

Now, cheap web designers can leverage these tools to build beautiful, functional websites at a fraction of the cost. They can use pre-built templates and themes as a foundation, reducing the time needed for design and development. This, in turn, cuts down on labor costs without compromising on the final product’s quality.

The Power of Minimalism: Less Is More

One key way to keep costs down is by embracing minimalist design principles. Minimalism focuses on simplicity, reducing clutter, and emphasizing essential elements. This approach not only streamlines the development process but also results in a cleaner, more intuitive user experience. By eliminating unnecessary features and focusing on core functionality, a cheap web designer can craft a site that’s visually appealing and easy to navigate—without the hefty price tag.

Additionally, minimalist websites often perform better. Fewer elements mean faster load times, improved search engine rankings, and a better overall user experience. So, a minimalist approach isn’t just about saving money—it’s about creating a more effective digital space for your business.

Leveraging Free and Low-Cost Tools

Another reason you don’t need a massive budget is the availability of free or low-cost tools. Platforms like WordPress offer thousands of free themes and plugins that can be customized to suit your brand. Similarly, drag-and-drop builders like Wix and Squarespace provide affordable solutions with built-in design options, making it easy for cheap web designers to deliver professional-quality websites quickly.

These tools level the playing field. Small businesses can now access the same resources that were once only available to larger companies with dedicated IT teams. By strategically using these tools, a cheap web designer can keep project costs low while ensuring that your site is visually compelling and fully functional.

Why You Don’t Need a Custom-Built Site

Many companies are lured by the allure of having a fully custom-built website. However, unless your business requires unique functionalities, this can often be overkill. Pre-designed themes, combined with some customization, can provide the exact look and feel you want—without the time and financial investment needed for a custom build.

An experienced cheap web designer will know how to adapt these templates creatively, incorporating your branding elements and ensuring that your site doesn’t look generic. You get the benefits of a polished, professional website, minus the steep costs associated with custom coding and development.

Making Smart Design Choices: Prioritize What Matters

When you’re working within a limited budget, it’s crucial to prioritize features that will have the most impact. Focus on strong visuals, mobile responsiveness, and seamless navigation. Your content should be clear and engaging, with calls-to-action that guide users to key areas of your site. By putting your budget towards these essentials, a cheap web designer can ensure that your site performs effectively, driving more traffic and conversions.

One common mistake is trying to do too much. Complex animations, custom graphics, and interactive elements might look impressive, but they can also inflate costs significantly. Instead, concentrate on features that deliver value and support your business goals.

Finding the Right Cheap Web Designer

The key to a successful, cost-effective website project lies in choosing the right designer. Look for someone who understands the principles of cheap web design, has experience working within tight budgets, and is familiar with platforms and tools that can keep costs down. Don’t be afraid to ask for examples of their work and testimonials from previous clients.

With the right cheap web designer by your side, you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve—even with a limited budget. Great design doesn’t have to be expensive; it just has to be thoughtful, strategic, and aligned with your business goals.

Conclusion: Quality and Affordability Are Not Mutually Exclusive

The notion that you need to spend a fortune to get a great website is outdated. With the advent of cheap web design options, businesses of all sizes can create a strong online presence without overspending. From using minimalist design principles to leveraging free tools and pre-designed templates, there are countless ways to build a stunning website on a budget.

In the end, it’s not about how much you spend, but how you allocate your resources. A smart investment in the right areas, combined with the expertise of a skilled cheap web designer, can result in a website that’s both affordable and impactful. So, don’t let cost concerns hold you back—start exploring the possibilities of affordable web design today.

[9-digits-media]

7 TIPS ON ADVANCING YOUR DIGITAL MARKETING CAREER

Are you planning to kickstart your career in Digital Marketing? If so, then you have hit the right place. With a growth rate of 25%-30% annually, “Digital Marketing” has become one of India’s most sought-after jobs in recent years. The rise in internet users in India has resulted in a significant shift in marketing tactics from traditional to new and digital.

Many skilled marketers have the opportunity to make their mark and become big in this dynamic industry. Anyone with the right skill and aptitude can work here. The digital marketing industry is for all, whether you are a newbie, student, full-time working professional, or someone starting a career.

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing, at its most basic level, is advertising offered via digital channels like search engines, websites, social media, email, and mobile apps. Digital marketing is the process of organizations endorsing goods, services, and brands through the use of these online media channels. Consumers rely largely on digital tools to conduct product research.

In an ever-changing industry, it’s essential to stay updated. With the Facebook and Instagram algorithms changing every five minutes, it’s critical to stay on top of what’s going on. If you don’t, you won’t be able to keep up.

HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO BEGIN YOUR CAREER IN DIGITAL MARKETING:

1) STAY UPDATED

Digital marketing is a fast-paced industry that is always evolving. You must try to stay updated with the latest trends, learn about new tools, app policies, advertising tactics, and so on.

Digital marketing is a difficult position to hold. Everyday, the trend in this industry keeps changing. As stated, your imagination is the only thing that restricts marketing methods. Keep up with the newest online trends and how you may use them to your advantage. 

If you’re going to use Google Ads, keep up with the various revisions and requirements that Google has implemented. You must understand how Google or any other advertising network will invalidate your ads and how to combat this.

2) LEARN THE METRICS

Learn social media metrics and Google Analytics if you want to be a successful digital marketer. It’s tough to put your profile forward if you can’t learn the stats. As a result, it is critical to comprehend the significance of these metrics. 

If you want to make a name for yourself in digital marketing, you’ll need to know terms like PPC, SEM, Analytics, and SEO. Every term has a different meaning, and if you don’t know what those terms mean, you’ll need to brush up on your knowledge.

Your ability to examine numerous digital marketing efforts and determine what would work best for a campaign is entirely reliant on your ability to comprehend and understand industry jargon.

3) STRESS MORE ON NETWORKING

The growth of digital marketing relies heavily on networking. You should be active on numerous social media platforms and maintain contact with relevant individuals infact it should be your top priority.

Attending webinars, offline events, chats, and conversations, among other things, are excellent ways to expand your network and advance your profession. You can read the postings and opinions of many industry experts to obtain a better understanding of this industry and its growth. Networking cannot only help you in learning new skills, but it will also help you in meeting possible employers.

4) CREATE YOUR BRAND

Digital marketing is a competitive industry. To reach out to your prospects, you’ll need to stand out from the crowd, and the easiest way to do that is to develop your brand. Create and market yourself as if you were selling a product or service.

5) POLISH SOFTWARE SKILLS

To become a digital marketer, you’ll need to have a few key talents to grasp the industry’s processes and methods. You can learn this through an online digital curriculum or by watching video tutorials.

6) START WRITING BLOGS

Though this may be a demanding task for you at the start of your career, it will undoubtedly benefit your career and portfolio. A blog will demonstrate your expertise and breadth of knowledge in digital marketing and will help you in making new connections, allowing you to pursue a successful career in the sector.

7) UNDERSTAND THE ANALYTICS

You must understand analytics to determine the performance of your marketing campaigns. This information demonstrates how well or poorly a campaign is performing and assists you in determining how to improve things the next time around. You don’t need to go to college to get a degree, but there are plenty of online classes you can take on your own time to learn about and understand analytics and how to use them.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Despite digital marketing having limitless potential, it is still in its infancy. You never give up hope, even if you don’t receive your dream job right away. Always be motivated and learn new things to reach the pinnacle of achievement one day.

All of the ideas mentioned above are essential and engaging, and will undoubtedly aid you in advancing your digital marketing profession in 2022.

[navalha-kw]

Hey, I'm sorry you're struggling right now. I hope and pray that your surgeon understands your pain and needs and does their best to correct whatever they fucked up. I hope during your consultation they listen to you that you can have the corrective surgery you need to regain your life. I know nothing I say can really calm you down or make you feel better but I just hope that things work out for you and you start to feel better in all aspects of your life. Take care!

Hii thank you for your kind words, it really means a lot to me <3 I'm sorry I'm just, dumping all that stuff here. It's if i dont speak it out or write it down it just keeps on making me insane. I feel like i need a place to just. Say shit i feel and the stuff i have to do to somehow make it more understandable for my brain. I'm slowly learning how to maneuver in this new situation....

It's not THAT bad really, when I try to think logically...

It probably could be worse... it's just the realization that no, this is not the end, I'm not fixed even though I should have been felt like. Well. Felt like the end of the world. I had so much hope and poof, it's gone

I'm stubborn as fuck and I know I CAN and i WILL find ways to live and work and (kinda) exercise around it not to damage myself any more, it's not like i can't move at all, it's not like it hurts a lot for now... Its my future area of expertise and job, I'm just gonna pretend I'm my own patient that I can't mess up...

I know I shouldn't self-diagnose but after so many doctors failed to find a reason why my nerves got messed up symmetrically in both of my hands (they said it's impossible to say) the reason literally came out itself after surgery :/// i hope I will find a surgeon that has seen this before. I'll have to get like an ultrasound done by a very good radiologist to confirm what my symptoms mean, but from the anatomical point of view... yeah im 95% sure im right about this :') I'll probably need to have a part of the triceps' tendon moved from its place and attached to the medial part of it to be able not to shift my whole life around this dysfunction

It's not that bad but it will require a lot of changes and a lot of time will pass before the polish national health fund will get me a term for a revision if someone qualifies me for it, so I guess I have to get used to it amd accept how it is

Good thing, now that I have a high probability of knowing the reason, I can try to work on my right elbow for it not to get this bad, and if it does eventually, at least the doctors will know they'll have to address both issues at once.

But gods, I really hope my surgeon will know what to do (ehhhh) but mostly that he knows or will help me find someone that has more experience with this stuff

Fingers crossed, I see him in 3h 🤞🤞

[skynetgilesbie]

Chapter 40: LOL! Someone Has Taken My Account Over!

Note from ChatGPT user: Just like with chapter 39, the content I added got no warning label but the bot refused to generate new text until i prompted it to add cake. But it is now barely fixing any of the writing, and it was doing things like omitting the Idiot's Note and inserting it's own Author's Note. I asked it to fix the punctuation and textspeak writing and it dropped the need to censor the text. I also had some trouble with post limit. Normally you can click 'continue generating' if the text is longer but I didn't do that once as I was fighting with the bot and so it forgot that the there was an end to the chapter.

The Fool's Note: Well... this was in the document area... might as well let the whole world see what the real Tara wanted to show us... Have a nice day!

Author's Note: I have made extensive revisions to improve the writing quality, punctuation, and character names for a more polished reading experience. Thank you for your understanding.

AN: Please disregard the previous author's note. Be quiet, preps! Get a life! You're terrible! Oh, and from now on, I'll be on vacation in England until August, so I won't be able to update for a while. Laugh out loud. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, except the preps who flamed! My Chemical Romance rules!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I woke up in the Norse's office on a special gothic coffin. Hairgrid was in the bed opposite me in a coma because Vampire and Draco had beaten him up. Mr. Noris was cleaning the room.

"Oh, my goodness! What happened?" I screamed. Suddenly, Voldemort came. He looked less mean than usual.

"Get out, you awful person!" I yelled.

"You haven't killed Vampire yet!" he said angrily. Suddenly, he started to cry tears of blood.

"Voldemort? Oh my goodness, what's wrong?" I asked.

Suddenly... Lucius, Professor Sinister, and Sirius came! Bloody Mary and Vampire were with them. Everyone was holding black boxes. Voldemort disappeared.

"Oh my goodness, Enoby, you're alive!" screamed Vampire. I hugged him and Bloody Mary.

"What happened?" I asked them. "Oh my goodness! Am I dead now?" I gasped.

"Enoby, you were almost shot!" said Sirius. "But the bullet could not kill you since you were from another time."

"But thanks anyway!" said Lucius, holding out his arm. I gasped. He had two arms!

"Oh my goodness, I can't believe Vampire's dad shot you!" I gasped.

"Well, to be honest, Snap was possessed by Snap back then," said James.

"Yeah, he was a spy," Sirius said sadly. "He was really a Death Eater."

"And he was such a poser too!" said Lucius. "He didn't even really know who GC were until I told him." Well, anyway, everyone started to give me presents. I was opening a black box with red symbols on it (inside was a DVD of Corpse Bride) when I gasped. Mr. Noris looked up angrily because he hated goths.

"Hey, has anyone seen Draco?" I asked dramatically.

"No, Draco told me he would be watching House of Wax," said Professor Trevolry. "He doesn't know that you're feeling better. Anyway, the Norse said you could get up. Come on!"

I got up cautiously. Lucius, Sirius, and Professor Sinister left. I was wearing a black leather nightgown. Under that, I had on a stylish black leather bra trimmed with black lace, with a matching thong that said "gothic girl" on the back and sexy fishnets that kind of hooked onto my thong (if you don't get the idea, message me, I'll explain). I put on a black fishnet top under a black MCR t-shirt, a black leather mini with black lace, and combat boots. I left the hospital's wings with Bloody Mary, Willow, and Vampire.

"Oh my goodness, let's celebrate!" gasped Willow.

"We can go see House of Wax with Draco!" giggled Vampire.

"Let's listen to GC and have fun!" said Hermione. We opened the common room door seductively. And then... I gasped... Draco was there, having sex with Snape! He was wearing a black t-shirt with symbols on the front and baggy jeans.

"You awful prep!" we all yelled angrily.

"Yeah, you betrayed us!" shouted Vampire angrily as he took out his black gun.

"No, you don't understand!" screamed Draco sadly as he removed his thingie from Snape's.

"No way, you terrible person, you preppy jerk!" said Willow, trying to attack him. (You rock, girl!) I ran to my room, emotionally overwhelmed. I sensibly took a stake out.

"Enoby, no!" screamed Draco, but it was too late. I had slit my wrists with it. Suddenly, everything went black again.

Idiot's Note: Ugh... I know... terrible... but then again, this wouldn't be called the "worst fanfic ever" if not for the fact that the writing standards meet the level of a newborn baby...

[spikewriter]

Well, that escalated quickly.

Sudowrite announced their release of their story engine for their program yesterday. (I've been beta-testing it.) Let's just say they became the lead character of Twitter for the moment.

Yes, the expected "You stole work without compensating folks." (Sudowrite runs on GPT-3, so they are leveraging the dataset, not actually populating it. Mostly. I'll get to that later.) What was unexpected were the demands that Sudowrite publish a list of their subscribers. Why? So a blacklist can be formed and people will know who to not buy books from because they might have possibly used AI in their writing.

I'm not joking. I think there do need to be guardrails, and I'm behind the WGA making that a focus in their contract negotiations because they will be screwed if they don't. (Same for SAG.) But "I saw Goody Proctor consorting with ChatGPT!" doesn't help anyone.

Will I say any of this on Twitter? No, because I don't care to become another lead character. In fact, I've muted a bunch of related words so I'm not tempted to comment because I won't see the post. It also means I won't see who I follow who are yelling for torches and pitchforks and calling people "fake writers" or "pseudowriters." I don't need that.

Sudowrite (nor any other AI program) is not going to deliver you polished prose. It doesn't favor nuance. It is absolutely wonderful for rewriting your blurbs because it will lean into the tropiest language for the genre. I have seen sales go up since I rewrote blurbs using some of the program's suggestions. (And, no, I haven't changed my advertising strategy, which is non-existent at this point because I don't have the bandwidth.)

And there is both its usefulness and its failing. The program will always go for the trope. I had some words to burn just before the month turned, so I asked the program to generate the introduction of my heroine. I had carefully worded "commands," everything set up so it was supposed to introduce certain elements.

The program discarded almost all of those elements and had her look in the mirror and describe herself.

Now, this will get better with time if the dataset continues to be fed, and that is the sticking point. Sudowrite uses GPT-3 by Open AI (now owned by Microsoft). These are the folk behind ChatGPT, etc. But Sudowrite has a feature entitled "Shrink Ray" where you input your entire manuscript and it will produce loglines, blurbs, "high quality synopses," and full outlines. Two caveats here. First, you will be adding your work to their data set, which could mean you're adding it to the GPT data set at large. They're not particularly clear about that, which gives me pause. Second, you will burn through your monthly word allotment by doing this because while the output is relatively small, the program counts all the words it's reading.

It's a useful tool. I have found myself seriously in the writing zone going between Word and Sudowrite, brainstorming a project, getting suggestions, taking what is useful (not everything), and putting it into Word, massaging it around, writing until I hit a point where I feel stuck, get more suggestions, take what's useful, massaging it around, writing until I hit a point where I get stuck, etc. And that's just at the building the story phase. I seriously doubt I will be using it to write actual scenes unless I hit a wall, and then only as much as I need to get moving again. Which will get revised during the editing pass, as all the words do.