#I am working on the website and initial instagram content

[stardustings]

My business/creative studio is all set up on the admin side, I have my first contract with my old workplace, everything is coming together 🥹

[genderqueerpositivity]

Separately, the DOJ accused two Russian employees of RT, the Russian state-owned media outlet, of a nearly $10 million scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences while keeping the connection to Russia hidden.

RT worked with an online content creation company in Tennessee, which was directed to contract with U.S. social media influencers to distribute its content on social media platforms including, TikTok, X, Instagram and YouTube. Since November, the company posted more than 2,000 videos that received more than 16 million views on YouTube, according to the indictment.

United States intelligence and security officials have been warning for months about Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2024 election, specifically to undermine the Democratic presidential nominee, exploit social divisions, sow distrust in democratic institutions and to erode support for Ukraine.

The U.S. has provided arms to Ukraine to support its war following Russia's invasion in 2022.

“Russia remains the most active foreign threat to our elections,” Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told senators in May at a briefing about election risks.

This is not the first time the U.S. has taken action against those behind the Doppelganger influence campaign.

In March, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Social Design Agency and Structura, as well as their founders, for a network of fake accounts and phony news websites, saying they carried out the campaign "at the direction of the Russian Presidential Administration."

A report released on Tuesday by social network analysis company Graphika documents a cross-platform influence operation linked to the Chinese government with the aim of influencing online discourse ahead of the November 5 elections.

The operation has relied on "spamouflage" to spread misleading or false information, adopting faux American accounts to sow division through anti-government narratives and posts on divisive topics such as the Israel-Hamas conflict, gun control, and racial inequality.

Using ATLAS, its proprietary platform for real-time intelligence and data analysis, Graphika identified 15 such accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and one on TikTok. Mimicking both U.S. nationals and advocacy groups, these accounts have taken aim at both major political parties and called into question the legitimacy of the U.S. electoral process.

They exhibited certain patterns, including the use of U.S.-related hashtags like #American, and presented themselves as U.S. voters who "love America" but feel alienated by issues ranging from abortion to U.S. support for the war in Ukraine.

One X post from June 2023 stated: "Although I am an American, I am extremely opposed to NATO and the behavior of the U.S. government in war. I think soldiers should protect their own country's people and territory from being violated, and should not initiate wars on their own initiative." The post was accompanied by an image depicting NATO's expansion in Europe.

Not to say "I told you so" but I've been saying this for months. Social engineers are hard at work trying to influence the outcome of the election in November. It is very likely happening on a larger scale than we know of. Take everything you read online with a grain of salt between now and November.

[mariacallous]

Today, OpenAI released its first threat report, detailing how actors from Russia, Iran, China, and Israel have attempted to use its technology for foreign influence operations across the globe. The report named five different networks that OpenAI identified and shut down between 2023 and 2024. In the report, OpenAI reveals that established networks like Russia’s Doppleganger and China’s Spamoflauge are experimenting with how to use generative AI to automate their operations. They're also not very good at it.

And while it’s a modest relief that these actors haven’t mastered generative AI to become unstoppable forces for disinformation, it’s clear that they’re experimenting, and that alone should be worrying.

The OpenAI report reveals that influence campaigns are running up against the limits of generative AI, which doesn’t reliably produce good copy or code. It struggles with idioms—which make language sound more reliably human and personal—and also sometimes with basic grammar (so much so that OpenAI named one network “Bad Grammar.”) The Bad Grammar network was so sloppy that it once revealed its true identity: “As an AI language model, I am here to assist and provide the desired comment,” it posted.

One network used ChatGPT to debug code that would allow it to automate posts on Telegram, a chat app that has long been a favorite of extremists and influence networks. This worked well sometimes, but other times it led to the same account posting as two separate characters, giving away the game.

In other cases, ChatGPT was used to create code and content for websites and social media. Spamoflauge, for instance, used ChatGPT to debug code to create a WordPress website that published stories attacking members of the Chinese diaspora who were critical of the country’s government.

According to the report, the AI-generated content didn’t manage to break out from the influence networks themselves into the mainstream, even when shared on widely used platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram. This was the case for campaigns run by an Israeli company seemingly working on a for-hire basis and posting content that ranged from anti-Qatar to anti-BJP, the Hindu-nationalist party currently in control of the Indian government.

Taken altogether, the report paints a picture of several relatively ineffective campaigns with crude propaganda, seemingly allaying fears that many experts have had about the potential for this new technology to spread mis- and disinformation, particularly during a crucial election year.

But influence campaigns on social media often innovate over time to avoid detection, learning the platforms and their tools, sometimes better than the employees of the platforms themselves. While these initial campaigns may be small or ineffective, they appear to be still in the experimental stage, says Jessica Walton, a researcher with the CyberPeace Institute who has studied Doppleganger’s use of generative AI.

In her research, the network would use real-seeming Facebook profiles to post articles, often around divisive political topics. “The actual articles are written by generative AI,” she says. “And mostly what they’re trying to do is see what will fly, what Meta’s algorithms will and won’t be able to catch.”

In other words, expect them only to get better from here.

[theliterarywolf]

Not gonna lie, as much as Threads seems to be horrible, people on Twitter talking about how much better it is or how they NEED to use it just... annoy me

I've been in there in my own account for less then 2 months, and only follow like, 4 people, but it is the most toxic and annoying big website i even used, and i have been on Tumblr for YEARS. people just love to complain about everything, any sincerity is mocked and anything even a little "weird" turns into a harrasment campain. And since nobody uses hashtags or tags, you NEED to use the algoritm, and see even more people being awful. Really the only good part is the NSFW stuff being allowed.

And them i see people complaining or mocking tumblr... people are very annoying here too, but its like a few toxic bins next to Chernobyl itself

This is why, when one of my earlier posts about Threads was making the rounds and someone accused me of fearmongering, I was sitting here like 'come on, man!'

We all know that the major social media sites are predatory with the types of data they collect. Hell, even as I'm sitting at my laptop typing this response, there's a glowing link on the bottom of the Tumblr window that says 'Privacy Notice for California Users'.

It's the fact that Threads released with bare-bones to little UI elements compared to other social media sites in combination with the fucky-wucky elements of it being a Meta product (you're telling me that the Zuck couldn't have invested some money into QA before launch) as well as the forced Instagram/Facebook connection in conjunction with all of the privacy-botchery that makes people skeptical.

Because, yeah, let's call a spade a spade: Twitter itself is a cesspool that, in the months since Elon bought it, has been falling apart like one of the firefighters at Chernobyl.

And part of that is due to the botched way that things like 'For You' and Blue Checkmarks were handled.

Because, initially, For You legitimately was a benefit and introduced you to similar content to what your Twitter account was comprised of. However, now it just funnels unhinged discourse and Blue Checkmark accounts who KNOW that they would not have an audience if it weren't for the site forcing their batshit brainworms onto others.

Same thing with Blue Checkmarks getting priority placement (along with ads) under people's tweets.

It's one thing for these elements to be present on a site, it's another for that site to make it nigh-impossible for you to curate your experiences to avoid those elements. Because, let me tell you, I've been hearing from people on Twitter that 'oh, those Tumblr people are whinging about XYZ' and I'm just here like 'I! Am actually in those communities/fandoms and I have not seen the wank, so my curating and filtering must be working great!'

[mr-divabetic]

We're so grateful to our Divabetic community. Thank you for following our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages, listening to our podcasts, and watching our YouTube videos.

Unfortunately, there's a problem with our server, so our website and blog are down. We hope to fix the situation soon. We apologize for any inconvenience.

This year has been transformational for me. During the first quarter of this year, I had to push aside Divabetic obligations to focus solely on work. It was the first time in twenty years that Divabetic wasn't the driving force of my day. Strangely, the same intense work travel making it impossible for me to focus on Divabetic, made me long for it even more. It gave me the opportunity to revisit our content and rediscover past podcasts and videos. I am guilty of never looking up from my desk, just pushing forward and concentrating on the next thing. This is because I like what I do and don't want to be distracted by the 'noise' of other people's judgments, comments, and criticisms. When a random thought jumps into my head, like producing a podcast on 'Love and Intimacy' after seeing the funny scene between Barbie and Ken having a sleepover in the movie trailer on TV, I drive it, research, research, and research, search and contact possible guests, schedule the show and follow it to completion. I stay in my lane and keep on pushing.

Initially, I thought driving into the treasure trove of Divabetic content, I'd cringe. But it was the exact opposite. I found myself smiling proudly at our team's body of work. I was so inspired by what I heard and saw that I dug around in my closet in search of my box of old Divabetic stuff, including Divabetic, Dude-A-Betic, Pump Kids, Spot A Diva, Glam More, Fear Less and Clued Inn merchandise, Be A DIVA Coaching Session flyers, Sugar Substitute calendars, and Divabetic - Makeover Your Diabetes postcards from programs I had long forgotten.

Wow! I have so many fantastic memories of collaborating with friendly healthcare workers, joyful fitness trainers, gifted chefs and authors, amazing artists, talented designers, and marvelous, open, and honest women and men living with, at risk, and living with diabetes. These memories and memorabilia are a vitamin to my soul. I am so grateful and ready to get back to work doing what we do best - comforting, connecting, and cheering on (that's a slogan from an old flyer) people with diabetes to live their best lives.

Our website may be down, but we're not out!

We'll be releasing our first e-book, Sweet Romance: A Woman's Guide to Love and Intimacy with Diabetes, in the coming month, hosting more podcasts, and even presenting live Divabetic programming in the near future.

[sven-neawolf]

Title: Behold I Am Coming Download: https://neawolf.com/track/behold-i-am-coming.php Dark Music | Abstract short audio with sounds by Sven Neawolf | Goth #shorts (40s) 2024-10-08_08-23 Follow Me/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@neawolf/videos?sub_confirmation=1 [WEBSITE] https://neawolf.com ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Spotify Playlist: https://neawolf.com/on/playlist ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ YouTube Musict: https://neawolf.com/on/youtubemusic ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 👉 Playlist , Songs By Sven Neawolf , techno sadsong melancholy darkcore doomcore https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUGbe61FL_nxwW_q0OlC6PJDvuV-c1tSY ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Audio Music is currently on your favorite platforms: 👉Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2DWHr0fUQBK7IXJqBHKrTC 👉AppleMusic: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sven-neawolf/1656944802 👉SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/svenneawolf/ 👉AmazonMusic: https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B0BNKP79B7/sven-neawolf ✅ Stay Connected With Me. 👉Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SvenNeawolf.MentalDarkcore/ 👉Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sven.neawolf 👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sven.neawolf/ ============================= 🎶 Welcome to our latest YouTube video, diving deep into the world of electronic music with the talented Sven Neawolf! 🎶 In this video, we explore the captivating soundscapes created by Sven Neawolf, a groundbreaking artist redefining the boundaries of electronic music. If you're a fan of innovative, atmospheric, and emotionally charged music, you’re in for a treat! 🌟 Who is Sven Neawolf? 🌟 Sven Neawolf is an emerging name in the electronic music scene, known for his unique ability to blend various electronic genres into a distinctive sound. His music combines elements of Deep House, Techno, and Ambient, often enriched with melancholic melodies and driving beats. Neawolf has gained recognition for his experimental approach and meticulous attention to detail, captivating listeners with every new release. 🎧 What to Expect in This Video 🎧 In this video, we provide an in-depth look at Sven Neawolf’s distinctive musical style. Here’s what we’ll cover: Musical Influences and Genres: Discover the diverse genres that Sven Neawolf integrates into his music and learn about the influences that have shaped his unique sound. Creative Process: Find out how Sven Neawolf creates his tracks, from initial ideas to the final mix. We’ll give you a behind-the-scenes look at the process behind his music. Popular Tracks and Albums: Analyze some of his most well-known tracks and albums to understand what makes them stand out. Get immersed in the sounds and atmosphere of his most notable works. Live Performances and Shows: Experience how Sven Neawolf brings his music to life on stage and what makes his live performances a unique experience. We’ll showcase highlights from his shows and discuss his performance techniques. Future Prospects: What can we expect from Sven Neawolf in the future? We’ll speculate on upcoming projects, potential collaborations, and developments in his career. ✨ Why Should You Watch This Video? ✨ If you’re passionate about electronic music or simply curious about new and exciting artists, this video is perfect for you. We offer not only a thorough analysis of Sven Neawolf’s music but also intriguing insights and exclusive information that you won’t find anywhere else. 🔔 Subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content! Don’t miss out on our in-depth explorations of innovative artists and their groundbreaking music. 💬 We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts on Sven Neawolf’s music in the comments below and let us know which tracks or aspects of his work you find most fascinating. Thank you for watching, and enjoy the deep dive into the world of Sven Neawolf’s electronic music! 🎵 - #Industrial #noise #brutal #Darkwave #Broken #Weirdcore #SNw&x% #grunge #goth #melancholy #sadsong #industrial #loss #beats #neawolf #mental-darkcore #sadness #dark #doom #noize #harsh #emotional #darkcore #doomcore #MentalDarkcore #IndustrialTechno #gothic #gothic-techno #distorted #GothicScene #DarkTechno #aggressive #Sadness #painful #Traumacore #experimental #gothicgirl #gothgirl #aesthetic #aestheticpost #alt #alternative #angelcore #anime #animecore #art #chaoscore #clowncore #creepycore #cute #cybercore #dark #darkaesthetic #darkcore #dirtcore #dreamcore #egirl #emo #emocore #emptycore #explorepage #f #fairycore #forgottencore #glitchcore #goth #gothaesthetic #gothcore #gothic #grunge #grungeaesthetic #grungeaesthetics #grungecore #hellokitty #hurtcore #kidcore #kuromi #liminalspace #lostcore #maidcore #manga #mymelody #nostalgia #nostalgiacore #oddcore #pinterest #ratcore #sadcore #sanriocore #scenecore #softcore #stra#

[cm491hollyf]

Progress reflection #1 (09/09/2024)

Since the start of the semester, I’ve been really trying to organize my thoughts and prepare myself for the weeks ahead. Coming off of summer was a bit hard to get me back in the grove of school along with trying to refresh my memory on all the research that I did last semester in the pre-capstone class. So far we’ve had two classes and I’m glad that I got to meet the people in my class and also get to work on the icebreaker. I think the icebreaker was a nice way to get my mind going again and prepare me for the semester. However, working on my workback plan was kind of a struggle but it really helped me track my timeline along with getting myself organized on what needs to be done.

What’s coming for the next 2 weeks is that I will be getting my initial account set up along with establishing branding for my Instagram account. I think it is important for any type of account to have some sort of branding that can be easily recognized to followers and establish a consistent look. I think it’ll also help me visualize what the content will look like when I actually start to create it. 

In terms of any hiccups, hurdles, or AHA moments, I am kind of having one currently with deciding whether an Instagram account versus a website or downloadable PDF would be the best platform for a toolkit. What worries me about the Instagram account is that it can’t house a ton of content per post and I’m thinking maybe it might get too overwhelming for the viewer. Also, the viewer has to wait until each post comes out to get the information versus a  website or a downloadable PDF that would have all the information available at once and also can house a lot of information. However I chose the Instagram account so that it could be easily found by other people and also can be engaging. Sometimes a webpage could be hard to refer back to, but the Instagram account will be a constant reminder that this information exists. I think I'll continue to think about it over the next week to see what is the best thing to do.

I don’t really have any deliverables or drafts to share at the moment, but I have general branding in my head and a general idea of what the content would look like. However, I do have a screenshot of the branding and mock deliverable from last semester that I will include here:

However, I might change it depending on what type of content I want to produce. I think I may want to change the brand colors and establish a tone within the content. I want it to look all cohesive and pleasing to look at.

In terms of my timeline, I am very much in the beginning of the pre-production phase, but I think that the pre-production phase will be the chunk of my semester just trying to produce all the content needed. I think I have a clearer vision on what I need to do next and also what is upcoming in the next couple of weeks.

[andrewrobertson-promotion]

Andrew Robertson

Promotion module

Evaluation 2

I found this module to be beneficial on a variety of levels and feel it has helped me move forward towards the Degree show with a better understanding of both my artistic output for the creative enquiry module and how to present it.  Working in a group was also advantageous, understanding and being aware of other people’s ideas and processes is a big part of my reason for studying in this format. 

I felt we all worked together well during the group tasks, and during the meetings we communicated well. We were able to come to clear decisions and allocation of tasks that were all successfully completed.

I also believe that our round table was a success, and there was engagement from everyone that attended, this was mostly due to the free-flowing nature of the event but also group members stepped in to lead the conversation at times as when required. The prompts I created were used but not wholly necessary, due to the flow of the event.     

The work I displayed in the test site exhibition was incomplete, however taking the time to think about how to present this work in a setting intended specifically for viewing allowed me to test out some of my ideas. I’m aware I am not yet fully sure how my final work will be presented and have progressed to further experiment with my possible final set up in my studio space.  Yet as with how I approached the test site I plan to be adaptable, working with both my work and the space provided in a fluid way, taking time to experiment with the construction of what will become an installation.

I consider my strategy for promotion detailed within my tumblr blog , to be of value. However, I do feel I could have taken more time to develop and hone it. I often have an abundance of ideas and end up only seeing a few of them come to fruition. I would have liked to have spent more time updating and tailoring my website to this module and would have liked to create more promotional content for my Instagram feed, yet this is actually something I’m often doing on the story and story highlights section of my Instagram feed on an almost daily basis. I’ve found the story part of the platform to be the area of Instagram I get most engagement. 

I’m also aware I have not taken a classic route regarding my business cards, however in many walks of life I’ve been forced to approach things differently and I’m now realising this is more often than not a strength and not a weakness. If  I had thought more about my little ANYROBOT 3D printed sculptures (business cards) could I have looked into incorporating NFC contactless microchips as to bring up my website or details when tapped on the back of a phone?  Something which is perhaps more feasible than I had initially thought.

In conclusion I feel I performed best during the group elements of this module, from the planning though to the test site exhibition as well as the round table. However as with much of my work, I could have performed more research into other’s methods and strategies.     

[justepilepsy]

You know crab-week being initiated, even if it is on personal blog posts by staff members, on the plattform that they work for,... I don't think there is a clear distinction between individual person and site interest possible here. (i assume people want to keep their jobs... which i can not blame them for)

Can you link the apology of photomatt? I can't find it /genuine

I thought i had read something somewhere, but I can't find it and im pretty sure it was somewhere in replies.

I know somebody on staff, maybe @zingring- said the wording was poor choice or something in replies to a post and the fact i can't find it right now just doesn't help the case. The only thing I can find right now is this reply by @photomatt to this post: https://www.tumblr.com/haikyuupaladin/722603072590856192/plaintext-he-suggested-the-user-pay-for-basic?source=share

Image Transcript: A Screenshot of a reply by tumblr user and ceo @photomatt "We already have blocks for ads that are too flashy, but a reality of third party ad networks is, that sometimes they break the rules. If you report it we can and do block that advertiser. This is also why we're trying with BLaze to have more first party than third-party ads. I would imagine this is an issue for someone who is sensitive on every website that runs ads, not just Tumblr, so if it were me I would install and ad-blocker or the no-ads upgrade to be extra safe."

/ End transcript

The issue with flashing ads is not the only issue surrounding photosensitivities, and just because scrolling through instagram gives me migraines, does not mean, tumblr has to be the same. The great thing about tumblr is the amount of content moderation i can do for my dashboard.

Ad-Block won't fix all the other issues. e.g. the fact i cant search the tag of my own condition ("epilepsy") without being bombarded with posts tagged "epilepsy warning". Reporting an ad btw means we have to screenshot the ad, figure out where the link leads to and write a ticket to support. Reporting the ad directly via the report feature does not offer a button that says "because flashing lights". We can choose between malicious and offensive and this alone does not help the person reviewing to figure out why we report the ad (flashing lights).

Again if you want to support tumblr financially, okay fine. But the fact that the questions about ANY improvements around accessibility features go unanswered or are openly dismissed with "Buy ad-free" is not helping.

There are ways to respond to requests in a professional manner. But as it stands we have no indication or hint that there even are plans and efforts planned for future accessibility improvements of the site, even if money is made, even if the financial goals are met and the site becomes profitable. Will the next thing then be that accessibility will be finally adressed? That the search function will be fixed? At the moment there is no reason to assume so.

The fact that Text formatting has to be transcribed in order to be accessible is kinda absurd, if you ask me.

If you wanna buy crabs for people, okay. But how about you buy ad free for users instead of some cosmetic crabs.

Lastly, I know I have been harsh in my tone in this post, but I am glad that even when our anger is not supported, our ideas for a better UI/UX are. So thank you for that

Again, it would be nice if there was ANY indication of staff that they are working/scheduling looking into accessibility features for the plattform.

TLDR; don’t give tumblr money until they start making visible improvements towards accessibility

I’ve seen a few posts around about something people are calling crab day where you’re supposed to gift the crab button to your mutuals to support Tumblr financially. Please don’t participate in this unless Tumblr starts making noticeable improvements towards accessibility between now and then. It’s been 5 months of me trying to get the bare minimum of accessibility for photosensitive users or even just find out who I can talk to to get anywhere, and Tumblr is refusing to make any changes.

@photomatt has doubled down on the suggestion that you should just pay for ad-free or install an ad-blocker instead of listening to any of the suggestions photosensitive users have repeatedly made. Please do not give money to Tumblr until they show a commitment to accessibility because they will continue to ignore our requests if it doesn’t impact them financially.

Some of the requests we’ve made are:

1. Allow us to disable autoplay on browser as well as the app. This is an accessibility feature, not a data-saving feature, and should be treated as such.

2. Include ads in disabling of autoplay, along with other formats that currently get around the autoplay feature. Currently even if you have autoplay disabled you can still end up with flashing lights in your face every few posts from ads.

3. Improve the reporting process for strobing ads. The quick reporting process doesn’t provide good options to ensure the person reviewing the report realizes that it’s being reported for flashing lights so you have to hope they agree it’s either malicious or offensive and don’t just brush you off as abusing the report function. The more complicated reporting process involves getting a screenshot and the link that the ad brings you to, which requires lingering on the ad, which if you’re trying to report the ad for your safety, is dangerous. You can also still get the same ad 10 times a row after reporting it until it’s been reviewed. Which again, presents a danger to users.

4. Add a community label for flashing lights. Flashing lights are commonly untagged or mistagged, even sometimes maliciously. It would be extremely helpful to the photosensitive community to be able to add a warning to a post that doesn’t have one.

I’ve talked a lot about the photosensitive community in this post because that’s what I have personal experience with and what @photomatt has explicitly come out and just said to buy ad-free about, but there are definitely other accessibility issues that need to be addressed as well (like the alt text function needing improvements to make it accessible to users who need it and don’t use screenreaders, or the fact that a lot of tumblr official stuff still doesn’t seem to use the alt text feature themselves). Please feel free to add on accessibility issues I’ve missed in the reblogs.

[awesomezorbabooksus-blog]

Best Book Influencers in India

https://www.zorbabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/book-influencers1548-%C3%97-811-px-1024x536.png

Bound by their love for books but divergent in the nuances of their work, both book bloggers and book influencers exert a significant impact on the readers. Bloggers share their inputs on books and authors through the medium of blogs, usually on a website. Whereas book influencers in India post on social media platforms like Instagram about books and related stuff, thus inadvertently  ‘influencing’ the purchase decisions of the readers.

We extend to you, the writer and author, this helpful insight on book bloggers and influencers so you can make an informed decision regarding book promotion. With the help of the information provided below on book influencers in India, decide the one that best suits your book promotion needs and the book genre.

Apurva

Khyati Gautam

Vidhya A. Thakkar

Arpita Bhattacharya

Aayushi

Anvita Patwari

Hari

Mridula

Debdatta Dasgupta

1. Apurva

53.2K followers on Instagram

Apurva & Mansi 🇮🇳 (@frenchflaps_and_deckleedges) • Instagram photos and videos

1. With short form becoming the preferred medium to consume content, how do you attract an audience?

Well, I’ve always wanted our page to stay as close to how we initially started it, just books and conversations about books, be it reviews or recommendations or just sharing my latest book buys. With the popularity of reels and a preference for shorter and quicker captions, we’ve tried our hands at them too, sharing a book recommendation reel, a visit to a bookstore or a book event etc.

2. How many books do you read per year?

It varies every year! On average, it sits around 55-60 books per year.

2. Khyati Gautam

26.8K followers on Instagram

Khyati • Book Blogger (@bookish.fame) • Instagram photos and videos

1. With short form becoming the preferred medium to consume content, how do you attract an audience?

When there’s a shift in trend, you tend to find ways to adapt to it. Now I try to make decent short-form content – reels, infographics – to attract the audience.

2. What difficulties do you face as a book influencer in India and how do you overcome them?

Coping with rapidly new trends is challenging. At times, it might get difficult to keep up with negative comments on your reviews.

3. Vidhya A. Thakkar

23.9K followers on Instagram

Vidhya A. Thakkar|Book Blogger (@reader_viddh) • Instagram photos and videos

1. With short form becoming the preferred medium to consume content, how do you attract an audience?

By being direct, honest and creative at the same time. While people love short, quick content, they love to see behind-the-scenes, raw content more. For me, that has always been the key. To be honest, direct and present.

2. How many books do you read per year?

More than 150-170

4. Arpita Bhattacharya

17.9K followers on Instagram

Arpita (@bagfullofbooks) • Instagram photos and videos

1. With short form becoming the preferred medium to consume content, how do you attract an audience?

I try to remain really true to the kind of books and stories that I am naturally drawn to. I would rather have a very tight-knit and an understanding audience than a large one.

2. How many books do you read per year?

It really depends on the amount of time I am able to devote to reading, which is a hobby for me. I would say upwards of 40-50 books in a year. I prefer to read books slowly and savour each line, emotion and character.

5. Aayushi

17.7K followers on Instagram

Aayushi (@_penandpapers) • Instagram photos and videos

1. With short form becoming the preferred medium to consume content, how do you attract an audience?

While I do believe one must change with time, short-form content like reels, is not the preferred medium. I still prefer posting a picture with a cup of coffee and a long-form review.

2. How many books do you read per year?

I used to read 50 books a year but due to work, I now read 15-20 books yearly.

3. What do you do when you’re not reading or making content?

I work as a Digital Marketing Executive at Simon & Schuster India.

 6. Anvita Patwari

14.9K followers on Instagram

anvita patwari (@anvitascorner) • Instagram photos and videos

1. With short form becoming the preferred medium to consume content, how do you attract an audience?

I don’t really think about it in that way. More than trying to attract an audience, I try to post what I enjoy and hope that people who follow me will enjoy similar content!

2. How many books do you read per year?

I’ve been reading over 100 books every year.

7. Hari

10.6K followers on Instagram

Hari ¦ Bookstagram (@theobviousmystery) • Instagram photos and videos

With short-form becoming the preferred medium to consume content, how do you attract an audience? I have never thought of it like that. I post what I want; fortunately, that seems to work out for me. 2. When did you start reading and how has the journey been so far? Before Instagram, I used to make annotations and write my thoughts on Goodreads. But Goodreads did not give me what I wanted. When I discovered bookstagram, I decided to take a plunge.

8. Mridula

9,243 followers on Instagram

Mridula 🤓|Books + Journal| (@shelfadmirer) • Instagram photos and videos

1. With short form becoming the preferred medium to consume content, how do you attract an audience? With books, it’s a task! Because the more elaborate a review, the better the chances of a reader picking it up as their next read. However, we need to remember that most people have a short attention span when it comes to social media. My content is now inclined to provide them with soft, crisp and precise reviews of books. I try my best to create an engaging picture that highlights the story’s mood while maintaining the aesthetics.

9. Debdatta Dasgupta

3,242 followers on Instagram

Debdatta 🇮🇳 (@b00kr3vi3ws) • Instagram photos and videos

1. With short form becoming the preferred medium to consume content, how do you attract an audience?

I really prefer Instagram both as a user and a consumer. When there’s so much negativity & trolling all over the internet, I find Instagram a much better platform to be on. I think it is best to be genuine and consistent for your audience. I am trying to be more consistent in posting on social media.

2. How many books do you read per year?

I read 220 books a year on average.

Picking the right book influencer/s for your book is a good marketing move to get your book in front of readers. An important point to note when choosing a  book influencer is your book’s genre and the genre influencers are promoting.

[lucyhannahart]

Major Project - Compilation of ALL Blog Entries PART 1

12/1/23 The final major project is an amalgamation of everything learnt during my time at university. To reflect the skills I have learnt, both practical and theoretical, my response to the brief needs to be a fully realised output utilising several different forms of media. My initial idea was formed as a continuation of my previous project, in which I created a prototype for a website in response to the lingerie industry and its shortcomings - particularly when it comes to misrepresentation of minority groups and the predatory approach of photographers and other creative executives. In order to take ‘burn down the mansion’ further, I am going to fully realise the website and publish it publicly, create an accompanying Instagram to make sure my content can reach as large of an audience as possible, and document the process and context of this movement in a documentary film.

My first aim for this project is to set the goals I’d like to achieve by developing the above ideas. The goals are as follows:

- Reach 5k followers on the BDTM Instagram page by the deadline for this project (March 28th 11:59 p.m.) - Publish the pre-existing BDTM website with 5 posts - Create video content, ideally around 10 minutes worth in total - Guerilla marketing strategy to gain an audience’s attention, spanning wider than just those with an interest in fashion

The first step in beginning this project is to create the Instagram page. In order to engage as many people as possible, this page needs to have strong visual outputs, engaging content and a message that people either relate to or are intrigued by. To start I began to create a logo. This will be used as the profile picture on Instagram and as a visual cue - something eye-catching which intrigues those who may see it in passing on a sticker or in an Instagram advertisement.

Below are the initial designs I drew for a logo. Lexy, a friend of mine, gave some very valuable feedback. For the designs featuring a distressed Playboy bunny logo, she raised the fact that the use of the logo could infringe upon the copyright laws Playboy has. Though this logo was their favourite, I may not be able to use it. She also liked the design which featured the mansion. The final piece of feedback Lexy gave was that the font seemed too 'serious’ and that I may benefit from using a more playful font. However, when I explained that the existing website has a more serious tone, she suggested using a bolder version of a serif font.

15/1/23 I created the Instagram page on the 15th and will be doing regular follower updates so I can track the growth of the page. In order to start posting, I wanted the page to look as good as possible, therefore I continued working on the logo. I asked for further feedback from Lexy and Amelia who are both on the illustration course at Kingston. They both agreed that the strongest logo was the torn version of the Playboy bunny. They also raised the point that the mansion doesn’t immediately come across as being related to Playboy. This is a positive as it reduces the chance of me accidentally infringing upon copyright laws and I don’t think I want the project to centre around Playboy too much. I also received some feedback from my boyfriend Matt who stated that the second logo on the bottom was his favourite. He said that modifying it to include less detail in the mansion drawing would pull more focus to the text, which I agree with.

I’ve chosen the second logo on the bottom row, as I don’t want to spend all my time focusing on logos as this will delay the launch of the Instagram page. I may end up going back to edit this at a later date. I created a few variations to choose between for now and opted for one in which the background was black and the mansion was inverted with a lower opacity. 17/1/23 I have now started to add more to the Instagram. This includes story posts, changing the logo and adding a bio. At this point, I felt really stuck and uninspired, not knowing where to turn for inspiration. I made a mental note to mention this during my group meeting on Thursday to see if either my tutor, Odella, or my peers could give me some direction. When finding a tone of voice for BDTM, I wanted something engaging yet not too serious, which did not come off as pandering or too informal. This is why I struggled to write the caption of the first Instagram post, as I felt that this needed to set the tone for the project and immediately let people know what 'burn down the mansion’ was going to be.

19/1/23

During my meeting with Odella I raised the fact that I felt that creating a docufilm on top of running an Instagram and creating other forms of media may prove to be difficult given the amount of time I have for this project. In response to this, Odella advised that I create TikToks as opposed to long-form content (what I usually make). I have never made TikToks before so this would be a good way to step out of my comfort zone

20/1/23

As for the Instagram progress, I had been able to go from 0 followers to 29 within the first 2 days of the account's existence.

To keep people engaged I have created a linktree, a platform where users can share multiple links to different websites in one profile. BDTM's linktree contains the Instagram profile, TikTok page and a playlist comprised of songs by women that I feel reflect BDTM's aesthetic, attitude and ethos. It will eventually also have the website once it has gone public.

In order to create the best possible content for my intended audience, I needed to further establish who this intended audience was going to be. I began to narrow down my target audience into specific categories.

When thinking of the TikTok content I wanted to create, as per Odella's recommendation, I thought about the types of content that I frequently see on my homepage. One genre that stands out in particular is the impromptu street interviews, in which content creators will ask random people to answer questions. The process is filmed, edited and uploaded to TikTok. This inspired me to use this format, as gathering the opinions of others would contribute to conversations that should be taking place in response to the shortcomings of the fashion industry.

I thought that, instead of filming in Kingston or even in London, that I would travel to Brighton to conduct my interviews. By veering away from the place I have lived for several years, I feel that I could garner opinions that may differ more, as London does tend to be a bit of a 'bubble' at times. I created a list of questions which would act as prompts for myself and any interviewees.

I also created a sign to wear in Brighton in order to encourage people to approach me.

I then ordered a microphone to ensure that the audio quality would be adequate.

This entire process is unlike anything I have done before so I was quite nervous to embark on this journey.

Additionally, to aid my research into what other types of content I should create, I wrote a survey to send out. Examples of the questions are as follows:

How critical do you believe you are in terms of the fashion media and advertising that you consume?

Of the fashion media/advertising you consume, how much of it do you think is harmful?

Do you enjoy content that critically analyses fashion or fashion-adjacent content?

Would a platform/community focusing on critically analysing fashion media interest you?

What would encourage you to follow a platform that focused on reshaping the fashion/lingerie industries and posted fashion/lingerie content that was inclusive, creative and aimed to raise awareness of industry issues?

Which of these issues in the fashion/lingerie industries would you like to see an analysis of?

I began putting together a presentation to show to my peers and tutors on Tuesday 24/1, which outlined the idea, my plans for content creation, the target audience and research to support my idea.

24/1/23

I presented my work to my peers as well as Niki, Odella and Tony. Tony stated that he was impressed with my work from the previous project, which was very encouraging to hear. Both Niki and Odella suggested that a podcast would be an interesting format for the type of content I was going to be creating. I may use this idea after I have properly launched the TikTok content.

30/1/23

I had a varying level of success with my video interviews in Brighton. Many people approached me with enthusiasm, or responded kindly when I approached them to participate. Many onlookers stared at me, which I expected. In one instance, I had someone make a derogatory comment, stating that they 'wanted to talk about sex with me' in a manner that made me feel uneasy. Though this was uncomfortable, it definitely played into the idea that men see openness about sexuality as a means of taking advantage of people and thus proved a lot of the points I am aiming to make in this project.

Having conducted the video interviews, my next step was to edit my clips down into short form video content to upload as TikToks or Reels. I've had some difficulty with this as the most recent Premiere Pro update has moved a lot of tools around therefore reducing my ease of use. I have watched YouTube tutorials to help counteract this.

Recently, whilst researching for this project, I came across a video in which ex-MEP Alex Phillips cited the new Sam Smith video for an increase in reports of sexual misconduct, also referring to David Carrick's presence in the Met police and the sexual crimes he committed during that period. This shocked me, as I believe there to be no correlation between somebody expressing their sexuality creatively through costuming, dance and other visual elements, and crimes that greatly impact and disturb others. This led me into creating another post for the BDTM Instagram which tackled the perception of lingerie, sexuality and how bigotry can misinform people.

2/2/3

On this day I had my usual seminar with Odella and was able to update her on my progress. She recommended writing about how BDTM could create waves in the fashion industry.

I believe the relevance that 'burn down the mansion' has within industry is through its message of increasing awareness of how fashion content impacts consumers. BDTM is a representation of change in the way that fashion media is produced, valuing creativity and representation at its' core. This could affect the way in which many existing fashion brands and publications operate. From a business perspective, BDTM could be beneficial as it could help to encourage sales. If people feel represented rather than excluded, they are far more likely to buy from a brand, or at least have a positive view of it.

Another recommendation from Odella was to be more daring in the content I create. As part of this challenge, I want to utilise an older model in a BDTM campaign. Not only will this prove that diversity as at the heart of BDTM but it will also go directly against the standards set by the media - increasingly youthful people dressing in a provocative way. In order to get this process underway, I began brainstorming concepts and created a moodboard.

I specifically wanted to use an older woman in this photoshoot, because as women get older, the media tends to "forget" about them. Young models, actresses or women in other fields are offered opportunities that their older counterparts are not. This phenomenon does not tend to extend to men in the same way. I also believe that women of this age are discouraged from embracing their sexuality, so I want to encourage this to change in a raunchy, fun way.

My reasoning behind using Pamela Anderson as inspiration is because I see her as someone who had her identity stolen from her. Anderson was a victim of a sex tape leak in 1995, which caused her career to collapse and her reputation to be ruined. Though neither Anderson nor then-husband Tommy Lee consented for the tape's distribution, they were forced to sign the rights to it away after a laborious legal battle. I felt as if utilising Pamela's likeness in a way that is powerful would be extremely effective.

Finding models for this is proving to be hard; at this point I have used Facebook groups, contacted my parents friends and have had very little luck.

7/2/3

Recently, I have been editing down the TikTok video. It's been a very lengthy process as I don't tend to create short-form content and am not used to having to edit down 2-3 minute long clips of people talking. I wanted to make the video eye-catching in order to grab the attention of TikTok users, as this demographic are used to short, snappy videos. At this point, I am very close to finishing the video, and will just need another day to record a voiceover for the intro.

8/2/23

As I'm quite prone to anxiety, at this point I felt my stress mounting. The self-directed nature of this project caused me to panic and feel as if I'm not doing enough. Additionally, the lack of following on BDTM's Instagram made me nervous about reaching the goal I had set for myself. I realised that uploading the TikTok/Reel I was making would most likely assist in growing my follower base, so I prioritised finishing it off.

9/2/23

I managed to finish the TikTok then showed it to Odella, Louis and Kitty, who all gave me really positive feedback. This boosted my confidence a lot as I was nervous throughout the editing process and was convincing myself that the video wasn't good enough. I was praised for my editing ability and my diverse array of interviewees. I was encouraged, for the any future pieces of content I created, to try interviewing people in a different area.

I waited for a good moment to upload it, as TikTok's algorithm prioritises videos posted at certain times. I chose popular hashtags by looking at other creators' street interviews. I also uploaded a teaser as a reel on Instagram.

I then ran into huge difficulty as my video got removed on TikTok for violating community guidelines. This meant I had to go back, censor certain words, then attempt to reupload.

Fortunately, the Instagram teaser reel is fine.

My next endeavour for this project is to adjust the video for TikTok, then to create posters to put around London to gain a larger following for BDTM.

13/2/23

Over the weekend, I was able to create a flyer with a QR code link to the Instagram. I wanted to put these up in Kingston and around central London in order to attract more followers.

I decided to use bold text in one of the fonts used in my other communications in order to be both consistent and eye-catching, despite the lack of colour. The design is in black and white thus keeping printing costs down, meaning I could print more leaflets.

In order to build hype for the launch of the website, I wanted to create content that I could tease. This includes the photoshoot with an older model. Fortunately, my tutor Niki has been able to provide 2 potential models for me to work with.

17/2/23

I was able to talk with Veronique, one of Niki's friends, to outline the shoot to her. She was very on board with the idea. I sent her this list of requirements and details.

I had browsed for studios for a while to find one that was a good fit. QUEST is based in Canning Town, is affordable, and has facilities which are ideal for the shoot: Hollywood mirrors, a wind machine and several different coloured backdrops.

Whilst waiting for Veronique to confirm availability for a shoot date, I uploaded the full censored version of my Brighton street interview video to Instagram. Previously, I had only posted the teaser which was 90 seconds long, but since I had difficulty uploading the full video to TikTok, I thought it made sense to post it to Instagram at least.

I got two of my friends who are also on fashion promotion, Tali and Anna, to watch the updated censored edition of the video to see if they could identify what wasn't passing TikTok's community guidelines. Anna brought up the fact that using a banner over the word 'sex' that said 'censored' may be the reason the video was flagged. She suggested putting a plain line through the word instead, or creating several shorter videos to post. I will be taking on this feedback and re-editing the video again.

I then decided to take a look at the results of my primary research again. I noticed that my friend Megan, who hosts a podcast, had offered to talk about BDTM in an episode. Megan's podcast, 'Blonde Moment', is described as 'a discussion of stereotypically 'girly' topics that covers their impact on fashion, media and wider culture'. This sounded like a perfect platform to promote BDTM on and a great way to discuss topics that were relevant to both parties. Blonde Moment is broadcast on Livewire1350, which is University of East Anglia's award winning student radio station. This would allow me to reach an even wider audience than before.

18/2/23

I began adding more information to my BDTM presentation pitch, as all of our year will be presenting to eachother on Tuesday the 21st. This included adding a SWOT analysis, competitor analysis, primary research, secondary research, an overview of aesthetics and an overall mission statement as per Niki's recommendation.

When looking at competitors, I found it hard to think of many, yet the most obvious was Polyester Zine, as their aesthetics, ethics and overall message are similar to that of BDTM. One of the key differences is that they have a large team and are therefore able to produce far more content than I am able to currently. I also compared BDTM to Crack magazine, a publication which interviews well known and lesser known artists in equal measures. Their editorials are fantastic which is why I want to embody their essence into my own work. Additionally, giving a platform to smaller artists is an aspect I would like to incorporate into the way BDTM operates - all the way from models to makeup artists to writers.

I had another go at reuploading the Brighton video to TikTok and was once again met with a guideline violation, which I have appealed. If the appeal is successful, my video will be reinstated.

19/2/23

After discussing shoot arrangements with Veronique, the time slot I wanted at QUEST Studios had unfortunately already been booked. I discussed times with her again and have booked a slot for Tuesday 28th February for 2P.M.-4P.M. Though this is not the slot I initially wanted, delaying the shoot allows me more time to acquire the props and clothing items that myself nor Veronique own.

20/2/23

I decided that, since my shoot is not until next week, I should use this time to upload more content to the social media pages and website, especially since I want to start teasing the launch of the website. In order to plan the content I would release, I came up with a provisional timeline.

I thought that this would make it far easier to plan what I was going to post and when, and would also hold me accountable. For today's post, teasing the website launch seemed like a good idea to build hype. I therefore decided to update the look of the website to make sure it was up to standard.

I began adding more of my content to the website and changing the layout from how it was in the mockup from the last project, as I felt it would be better to have a menu where viewers could browse all of the types of projects individually, rather than having links to each project in the 'top bar' of the website. This made the site look a lot less cluttered and made navigation far easier.

I added a dynamic wallpaper to the homepage, as well as a featured articles section and the playlist.

My priority now is preparing for the shoot I have on the 28th.

21/2/23

My presentation to the tutors and rest of my class went well - not much feedback was given and we were limited to just 3 minutes each but I felt that I said almost everything I set out to. My task today was to buy the remaining props and clothing I wanted to use. I thought that going to Boux Avenue was the best option but was unsuccessful there, so went to Ann Summers instead. I purchased a black bodycon dress with a cutout section in the middle which had corset-style criss cross ties. This was perfect for one of the outfits, as it bears similarity to the one Pamela Anderson wore to play Barb Wire.

23/2/23

Yesterday I was able to post another Instagram story teaser for the launch of the BDTM website. This was a screen recording of the website in mobile view, blurred as to not reveal too much too soon, with the countdown over the top of it.

In line with my content timeline, I also created another set of 'slides' to post to my Instagram. One of my pieces of feedback from Odella was to explain or demonstrate to people beyond my 'echo chamber' why BDTM exists. This led me to look back at the survey responses I had received and analyse them.

The above three questions stood out to me the most as being helpful in demonstrating the value of BDTM - easily interpreted statistics as well as answers written by survey participants. I set to creating my own graphics to post to the Instagram.

I posted this to Instagram on 24/2. One of the issues I've found with the social media is that I haven't had much reach, despite myself and my friends reposting the content on our own social media. I'd realised I probably wouldn't achieve the goal of 5,000 followers which I had set at the beginning of the project. The page is currently on 65 followers. I spoke to Odella about this and she assured me that the amount of followers was not a graded metric and that the content I was creating was a lot more prominent than the follower count.

1/3/23

Yesterday I had my photoshoot in Canning Town with Veronique, her friend Michelle and my runner Lexy. We arrived at around 1:50 P.M. Immediately, we began preparing the set with the help of Dean who owns QUEST Studios. This included fixing the lights and sorting out the backdrops, as well as helping me connect to the speaker to create a good atmosphere to shoot and giving me a few tips regarding my camera settings.

I started by letting Veronique change into the outfit which comprised of the pleather dress I had bought and items from her own wardrobe and selecting her favourite songs for Lexy to add to a playlist so she felt energised during the shoot. Afterwards I began doing her makeup. I used a minimal amount of concealer, then creating a smokey eye look. In order to waste no time, we then began shooting almost immediately. Veronique was a fantastic model and was really embodying Pamela Anderson throughout the shoot.

04/03/23

Yesterday I launched the BDTM website for the first time, complete with its first blog posts written by myself and the other content I had created from the first iteration of this project in 2022.

I also began to work on post-production of the photographs I shot on the 28th. In my tutor group session with Odella, I had been advised to opt for a warmer tone rather than cool tone when editing my pictures. I was unsure about this at first but after editing the images I thought that the warmer ones had a more vintage feel. Though the original Barb Wire promotional images are cool-toned, I prefer the warmer editing on the photographs I took.

This style of editing wasn't going to work on all of the photographs I took, as there were 3 different 'scenes' I was shooting: the first with flat lighting and a red backdrop as can be seen above, the second in front of a Hollywood mirror, and the third using a red gel over dark lighting in front of a black backdrop.

The above before/after was shot in the third 'scene'. Though I like this edit and it makes the image clearer to an extent, I think the raw image leaves more to the imagination in a very sultry fashion, making it more suggestive. However, the clarity of the second image is better.

Odella also suggested that I create a contact sheet from the photographs, print them out in A1 or A0, and display it at the exhibition of our final projects that we are having in a few months time. I thought this was a fantastic idea and will definitely enact it. She also said I could draw over the contact sheet in lipstick. This seems like something that Pam would do as it's a little 'tongue-in-cheek'. I thought it may be a better idea to provide cheap lipsticks in different tones for people to draw on the contact sheet with, but realised this may backfire as it would make the photographs less visible the more people drew on the sheet. I believe having an interactive element at the public showing would be brilliant but will continue contemplating what this could be.

5/3/23

I set out to do another photoshoot with another model - my friend Lib. Lib is a plus-size non binary student who embodies a very feminine aesthetic. I felt that, by shooting with them, I could prove to the public that embracing sensuality and wearing lingerie is doable no matter your body type or gender. Below is a moodboard I created for this shoot.

Lib has a love of the colour blue and I felt that embracing this would not only make them more comfortable but would also veer away from the colours traditionally associated with romance and love, such as pinks and reds. Shooting in their own bedroom keeps to this blue theme and is a lot more intimate as it lets us delve into Lib's "world".

6/3/23

Tomorrow is the due date for the blog which unnerves me slightly as I'm vastly over the word count and don't feel as if this project is finished; I've not yet posted the images from the Pamela shoot as I've been editing for several days and the website needs more content. The fact that I'm handing in something that feels unfinished is nervewracking but I'm going to persist nonetheless and I'm proud of the work I've done thus far. I've had a fair few difficulties throughout this process - finding a model in the 40-60 age demographic, having my content blocked on TikTok, finding the funds to create the best possible outputs - yet this has all helped build my problem-solving skills.

12/3/23

As the end of my project nears, I have been making sure to tie up loose ends and publish the content I created. This past week, I've finished editing the images from 'Pam: Reborn', uploaded them to the website, posted them to Instagram and altered the 'videos' section of the website.

I was able to set a shoot date with Lib - Friday 17/3. Though this is a little later than I would've hoped it gives me time to make sure I get other facets of the project completed before embarking on the shoot.

My next task was to upload more of the photographs from the Pam shoot to Instagram.

17/3/23

Unfortunately, I became extremely ill over the weekend, however I did not cancel the shoot I did today with Lib. The shoot took place in their bedroom and was themed around embracing plus size women in lingerie.

CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO OF THE FMP FINAL BLOG POST

[glorialayo101]

Evaluation

When coding my website my main focus was to create something that reflected my individual creativity. In terms of web design, It was important that all the colours and fonts meshed together whilst also coordinating with the main focus ; to show my professional and personal identity. One of the aims of this project was to showcase one’s creativity I think I achieved this through my choice of colours and using different software’s to create what one may see when looking at my website. I used Canva and Final Cut Pro to create my video and showcased my video editing skills.

 

When creating this assignment, I took into consideration the importance of audio and visual elements and the importance of them coordinating together. I didn’t want my music to clash with what I am trying to represent this was a trial-and-error process, but I managed to find music that reflect my brand and also coordinate with the information in which I am trying to create. My main Goal when creating my video was to engage my audience in a short amount of time, as a social media coordinator the desire for short form videos has grown and the patience of viewers have decreased , I did not want to give my audience useless information that they would forget. This is why I relied more on the visual elements to tell my story. Using my content creation skills, I realised the rise in videos online that are in fast mode and that had voiceovers , I incorporated this into my work to create my video. At the end of my video, I added my social links: Instagram and Linked in , platforms I use to showcase my work , one thing we learned with Annie Yonkers was the importance of networking hence why I made the decision to add them.

 Initially I faced difficulties when creating my website , what helped me to create my home page was W3 schools that provided me with codes and information and the mentors that provide many of us with clarity and more knowledge . When coding my website, I thought it was important to add a banner in which gave information about who I am and what I do , this was done to target those who work in digital marketing. I used bright colours to convey my creative personality and my ability to create content that is eye catching to potential employers or those who would like to network.

[mcmansionhell]

Coronagrifting: A Design Phenomenon

We now interrupt our regularly scheduled content to bring you a critical essay on the design world. I promise you that this will also be funny. 

This morning, the design website Dezeen tweeted a link to one of its articles, depicting a plexiglass coronavirus shield that could be suspended above dining areas, with the caption “Reader comment: ‘Dezeen, please stop promoting this stupidity.’”

This, of course, filled many design people, including myself, with a kind of malicious glee. The tweet seemed to show that the website’s editorial (or at least social media) staff retained within themselves a scintilla of self-awareness regarding the spread a new kind of virus in its own right: cheap mockups of COVID-related design “solutions” filling the endlessly scrollable feeds of PR-beholden design websites such as Dezeen, ArchDaily, and designboom. I call this phenomenon: Coronagrifting. 

I’ll go into detail about what I mean by this, but first, I would like to presenet some (highly condensed) history. 

From Paper Architecture to PR-chitecture

Back in the headier days of architecture in the 1960s and 70s, a number of architectural avant gardes (such as Superstudio and Archizoom in Italy and Archigram in the UK) ceased producing, well, buildings, in favor of what critics came to regard as “paper architecture.” This “paper architecture” included everything from sprawling diagrams of megastructures, including cities that “walked” or “never stopped” - to playfully erotic collages involving Chicago’s Marina City. Occasionally, these theoretical and aesthetic explorations were accompanied by real-world productions of “anti-design” furniture that may or may not have involved foam fingers. 

Archigram’s Walking City (1964). Source.

Paper architecture, of course, still exists, but its original radical, critical, playful, (and, yes, even erotic) elements were shed when the last of the ultra-modernists were swallowed up by the emerging aesthetic hegemony of Postmodernism (which was much less invested in theoretical and aesthetic futurism) in the early 1980s. What remained were merely images, the production and consumption of which has only increased as the design world shifted away from print and towards the rapidly produced, easily digestible content of the internet and social media. 

Architect Bjarke Ingels’s “Oceanix” - a mockup of an ecomodernist, luxury city designed in response to rising sea levels from climate change. The city will never be built, and its critical interrogation amounts only to “city with solar panels that floats bc climate change is Serious”  - but it did get Ingels and his firm, BIG, a TED talk and circulation on all of the hottest blogs and websites. Meanwhile, Ingels has been in business talks with the right-wing climate change denialist president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro. (Image via designboom) 

Design websites are increasingly dominated by text and mockups from the desks of a firm’s public relations departments, facilitating a transition from the paper-architecture-imaginary to what I have begun calling “PR-chitecture.” In short, PR-chitecture is architecture and design content that has been dreamed up from scratch to look good on instagram feeds or, more simply, for clicks.  It is only within this substance-less, critically lapsed media landscape that Coronagrifting can prosper.

Coronagrifting: An Evolution

As of this writing, the two greatest offenders of Coronagrifting are Dezeen, which has devoted an entire section of its website to the virus (itself offering twelve pages of content since February alone) and designboom, whose coronavirus tag contains no fewer than 159 articles. 

Certainly, a small handful of these stories demonstrate useful solutions to COVID-related problems (such as this one from designboom about a student who created a mask prototype that would allow D/deaf and hard of hearing people to read lips) most of the prototypes and the articles about them are, for a lack of a better word, insipid. 

But where, you may ask, did it all start?

One of the easiest (and, therefore, one of the earliest) Coronagrifts involves “new innovative, health-centric designs tackling problems at the intersection of wearables and personal mobility,” which is PR-chitecture speak for “body shields and masks.” 

Wearables and Post-ables

The first example came from Chinese architect Sun Dayong, back at the end of February 2020, when the virus was still isolated in China. Dayong submitted to Dezeen a prototype of a full mask and body-shield that “would protect a wearer during a coronavirus outbreak by using UV light to sterilise itself.” The project was titled “Be a Bat Man.” No, I am not making this up. 

Screenshot of Dayong’s “Be a Batman” as seen on the Dezeen website. 

Soon after, every artist, architect, designer, and sharp-eyed PR rep at firms and companies only tangentially related to design realized that, with the small investment of a Photoshop mockup and some B-minus marketing text, they too could end up on the front page of these websites boasting a large social media following and an air of legitimacy in the field. 

By April, companies like Apple and Nike were promising the use of existing facilities for producing or supplying an arms race’s worth of slick-tech face coverings. Starchitecture’s perennial PR-churners like Foster + Partners and Bjarke Ingels were repping “3D-printed face shields”, while other, lesser firms promised wearable vaporware like “grapheme filters,” branded “skincare LED masks for encouraging self-development” and “solar powered bubble shields.” 

While the mask Coronagrift continues to this day, the Coronagrifting phenomenon had, by early March, moved to other domains of design. 

Consider the barrage of asinine PR fluff that is the “Public Service Announcement” and by Public Service Announcement, I mean “A Designer Has Done Something Cute to Capitalize on Information Meant to Save Lives.” 

Some of the earliest offenders include cutesy posters featuring flags in the shape of houses, ostensibly encouraging people to “stay home;” a designer building a pyramid out of pillows ostensibly encouraging people to “stay home”; and Banksy making “lockdown artwork” that involved covering his bathroom in images of rats ostensibly encouraging people to “stay home.” 

Lol. Screenshot from Dezeen. 

You may be asking, “What’s the harm in all this, really, if it projects a good message?” And the answer is that people are plenty well encouraged to stay home due to the rampant spread of a deadly virus at the urging of the world’s health authorities, and that these tone-deaf art world creeps are using such a crisis for shameless self promotion and the generation of clicks and income, while providing little to no material benefit to those at risk and on the frontlines.

Of course, like the mask coronagrift, the Public Service Announcement coronagrift continues to this very day. 

The final iteration of Post-able and Wearable Coronagrifting genres are what I call “Passive Aggressive Social Distancing Initiatives” or PASDIs. Many of the first PASDIs were themselves PSAs and art grifts, my favorite of which being the designboom post titled “social distancing applied to iconic album covers like the beatle’s abbey road.” As you can see, we’re dealing with extremely deep stuff here. 

However, an even earlier and, in many ways more prescient and lucrative grift involves “social distancing wearables.” This can easily be summarized by the first example of this phenomenon, published March 19th, 2020 on designboom: 

Never wasting a single moment to capitalize on collective despair, all manner of brands have seized on the social distancing wearable trend, which, again, can best be seen in the last example of the phenomenon, published May 22nd, 2020 on designboom:

We truly, truly live in Hell. 

Which brings us, of course, to living. 

“Architectural Interventions” for a “Post-COVID World”

As soon as it became clear around late March and early April that the coronavirus (and its implications) would be sticking around longer than a few months, the architectural solutions to the problem came pouring in. These, like the virus itself, started at the scale of the individual and have since grown to the scale of the city. (Whether or not they will soon encompass the entire world remains to be seen.) 

The architectural Coronagrift began with accessories (like the designboom article about 3D-printed door-openers that enable one to open a door with one’s elbow, and the Dezeen article about a different 3D-printed door-opener that enables one to open a door with one’s elbow) which, in turn, evolved into “work from home” furniture (”Stykka designs cardboard #StayTheF***Home Desk for people working from home during self-isolation”) which, in turn, evolved into pop-up vaporware architecture for first responders (”opposite office proposes to turn berlin's brandenburg airport into COVID-19 'superhospital'”), which, in turn evolved into proposals for entire buildings (”studio prototype designs prefabricated 'vital house' to combat COVID-19″); which, finally, in turn evolved into “urban solutions” aimed at changing the city itself (a great article summarizing and criticizing said urban solutions was recently written by Curbed’s Alissa Walker).

There is something truly chilling about an architecture firm, in order to profit from attention seized by a global pandemic, logging on to their computers, opening photoshop, and drafting up some lazy, ineffectual, unsanitary mockup featuring figures in hazmat suits carrying a dying patient (macabrely set in an unfinished airport construction site) as a real, tangible solution to the problem of overcrowded hospitals; submitting it to their PR desk for copy, and sending it out to blogs and websites for clicks, knowing full well that the sole purpose of doing so consists of the hope that maybe someone with lots of money looking to commission health-related interiors will remember that one time there was a glossy airport hospital rendering on designboom and hire them. 

Enough, already. 

Frankly, after an endless barrage of cyberpunk mask designs, social distancing burger king crowns, foot-triggered crosswalk beg buttons that completely ignore accessibility concerns such as those of wheelchair users, cutesy “stay home uwu” projects from well-to-do art celebrities (who are certainly not suffering too greatly from the economic ramifications of this pandemic), I, like the reader featured in the Dezeen Tweet at the beginning of this post, have simply had enough of this bullshit. 

What’s most astounding to me about all of this (but especially about #brand crap like the burger king crowns) is that it is taken completely seriously by design establishments that, despite being under the purview of PR firms, should frankly know better. I’m sure that Bjarke Ingels and Burger King aren’t nearly as affected by the pandemic as those who have lost money, jobs, stability, homes, and even their lives at the hands of COVID-19 and the criminally inept national and international response to it. On the other hand, I’m sure that architects and designers are hard up for cash at a time when nobody is building and buying anything, and, as a result, many see resulting to PR-chitecture as one of the only solutions to financial problems. 

However, I’m also extremely sure that there are interventions that can be made at the social, political, and organizational level, such as campaigning for paid sick leave, organizing against layoffs and for decent severance or an expansion of public assistance, or generally fighting the rapidly accelerating encroachment of work into all aspects of everyday life – that would bring much more good and, dare I say, progress into the world than a cardboard desk captioned with the hashtag #StaytheF***Home. 

Hence, I’ve spent most of my Saturday penning this article on my blog, McMansion Hell. I’ve chosen to run this here because I myself have lost work as a freelance writer, and the gutting of publications down to a handful of editors means that, were I to publish this story on another platform, it would have resulted in at least a few more weeks worth of inflatable, wearable, plexiglass-laden Coronagrifting, something my sanity simply can no longer withstand. 

So please, Dezeen, designboom, others – I love that you keep daily tabs on what architects and designers are up to, a resource myself and other critics and design writers find invaluable – however, I am begging, begging you to start having some discretion with regards to the proposals submitted to you as “news” or “solutions” by brands and firms, and the cynical, ulterior motives behind them. If you’re looking for a guide on how to screen such content, please scroll up to the beginning of this page. 

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If you enjoyed this article, please consider subscribing to my Patreon, as I didn’t get paid to write it.  

[treybriggsthewriter]

This makes me nervous, but I’m going to post it. I’m going to try my best to achieve my goals. I’ve put in a ton of work already, so I’m looking for additional help. 

From the campaign:

My name is Trey Briggs, and I'm a black woman who writes paranormal horror, speculative fiction, and other types of fiction. You can find my stories at MaybeTrey , Astrid the Devil , and on Instagram , Medium , and Wattpad .

My stories are aimed at black people who want to read dark stories that focus on original black characters that are complex and interesting. I genuinely believe Black audiences deserve a variety of genres to delve into, and I want to introduce them to paranormal horror, dark romance, and fantasy that they haven't gotten enough of in the past. I also believe that this can be done across multiple mediums, and I spend my money with black creative professionals to make these experiences extend beyond my words. For the last two years, I've run my stories on sites and Instagram to great reception. I like to craft complex experiences that offer looks at character backgrounds, side and backstories, full websites for each title, and more. I also provide encyclopedias, maps, audio journals, and other ways to get into each world. During these last few years, I've run into a lot of walls, jumped a lot of hurdles, and tried my best. I've worked with amazing black artists, voice actors, and actresses, musicians, designers, and more. I trust my ability to run a project, especially when it comes to planning and finding talent. My overall goal is to run a team of black creatives that crafts novels, graphic novels, audio experiences, and animated series for a dedicated audience.

Why I Need Help Long story short: I have the skill, I have the marketing/website building/business experience, and I have the drive. There's a lot I can do on my own, but there's also a lot that gets left behind because I don't have the money I need to proceed at a steady pace. I need help with funding so I can focus, hire the right people, and craft these stories the way they deserve to be crafted. I have thus far spent over $60,000 of my own money on my projects over the past two years - the writing and site-building are easy for me; the rest has to be hired out. I have art, site costs for hosting, domains, templates, specific plugins, and maintenance, audio (and vocal artists to pay), musical, and editing costs. I'm by no means rich or even particularly financially stable. I have taken on tons of extra clients for my digital marketing business, transcribed hundreds of hours of audio for dirt cheap, and taken out personal loans. I even worked a second full-time job along with my full-time business last year to afford to produce the content I love. It's starting to take a toll on my mental health. I plan on continuing to fund these projects out of pocket (and finding ways to do so), but having financial help, however big or small, would allow me to move a lot faster and with less stress. It would let me flesh out ideas and concepts that I have had to scrap because I can only physically handle so much extra work. I run a full-time marketing business from home, homeschool my autistic 10-year-old, and generally have a busy life. Some of the strain is taking a toll on me, and I don't want to give up. Having some financial backing could allow me to drop a client or two after a few months and focus on the work I love to do.

How You Can Help I mainly need a start—a sort of base. I want to emphasize that I plan to continue to provide the main bulk of funding for my projects. I know my goals are ambitious, and I know each step will take time and money. I welcome any help to make the process smoother and to get around the initial hurdles. I'd like to have ebooks and novels offered on my site by the end of the year (along with the free serials and stories). Funding means that I can broaden the projects, include more free aspects to my sites, and secure direct financing through sales of ebooks and audiobooks sooner. It also means that I can offer MORE stories, whether they are online only or fully fleshed out novels and sites. I am swamped with trying to work enough to cover all my bills and creative projects, so I lose a lot of time I could spend plotting and writing. If I have better funding, I can get my stories out quicker (and with fewer mistakes).

The Initial Stories Let's talk about my stories! If you're familiar with my work already, you can skip to the next section. My main story site is Maybe Trey . Currently, I have two big titles and a bunch of smaller ones that I am seeking help with funding: Astrid the Devil

Astrid the Devil is the complicated story of a girl who inherits not only her family's features and DNA, but their fears, struggles, and fights. It's the story of a condition called Devil Syndrome, the women who suffer it, and the monsters that devour them. It's the story of the fight to save the people you love at the expense of innocent lives. At its core, Astrid the Devil is the story of a woman who inherits the chaos of three generations before her. It's a look at what is truly passed down to our children, and how they're left to fight our battles in the aftermath of our failures. It's the tale of an indescribable monster and the women who struggle to defeat it. It's a journey into how their every decision could save or destroy an entire world. Astrid the Devil is the story of Astrid Snow, but her story can't be told without the story of the women before her.

Vicious: On MaybeTrey  and The Vicious site (in progress)

Somewhere, a war is brewing.  That's the only thing that's for sure to Junnie Gorton, a young horned girl suffering from a debilitating disease called Horn Rot. She typically dealt with her low survival rate and abnormally large horns by escaping the world with her best friend, Lewish. Now she's forced to figure out which side is which, save her entire species, and find out the truth behind the sudden uprising in her home. Horn Rot, a highly contagious and violent disease spreading through horned people, is causing mass amounts of madness and death. Normal horns grow in ways that will pierce, suffocate, and maim their owners, and the only one who can stop it is Junnie's mother, Lyria. As Lyria falls deeper and deeper into an anti-social revolt, the country reels. While Junnie broods, her entire species must prepare for mass extinction. Her brother plots with a group of people with less than good intentions and Lewish is quieter than usual. In a civilization brought up on extreme violence and competition, Junnie and Lewish try their best not to get swallowed by their culture, their lives, or their horns.

Bunni and Bosque :

Bunni lives. Bosque dies. We all know how this story starts. Bunni is obsessed with destruction and death. She comes from the healthiest Horned family in her country. She's from the oldest, purest bloodline in the world. And she's bored with it. Bunni spends most of her time trying to escape her duties as a pureblood. She wants things dirty, messy, foul, inconsistent. Having parents that are willing to kill to keep their bloodline pure is annoying. Knowing that she'll live a long, full life, produce more perfect children, and die unscathed is agonizing. Bunni wants something to mourn. We all know how this story ends. Bosque is destined to die an agonizing death, alone on his family's land. He's watched everyone he loved and grew up with perish. Sometimes it was because of their disease. Sometimes it was because of the malice and hatred of others. While he's absolutely withdrawn and satisfied with his life, Bosque has never had a chance to live it. He spends his days basking in the sun, bathing in wood baths, and contemplating the end. Bosque isn't interested in joining the rest of the world. He'd rather die out, alone, where his family belonged. Bosque wants to go peacefully. But neither expected to meet each other one day in a supermarket. Neither expected to fall in love, lust, and every vicious and dirty thing between. Neither expected to be so right for each other, all while being wrong for everyone else. You know the end of this story. Bunni lives, Bosque dies. But maybe something will change.

My smaller titles, Bunni and Bosque /Aite and Jude, can be found at Maybe Trey .

The Business Plan

The initial phase of my business plan is to get the sites populated with ebooks and audiobooks for sale. I also have prints that can be sold. Right now, I am in the audience-building phase while I save up for editing the full novels. 

In terms of an actual business with which to publish the stories, I already have a registered publication company in Illinois: Wolfless Studios LLC. I took this step earlier this year with plans to self-publish Astrid and Vicious. So that is paid for and done.

I have also gotten initial editing done on the first six chapters of Astrid, though it will need to be edited from the beginning again once everything is said and done. I've spent over $1000 on that so far, and it would go a lot faster if I didn't need to save up to edit each chapter.

Astrid the Devil is fully plotted, outlined, and only needs the last three chapters. Bunni and Bosque and Vicious are newer, but plotted and already deep into character development (all being shared across social and Wattpad for audience growth). Aite and Jude and other shorts are plotted, and three other unshared stories are plotted and at the editing phase.

Other costs and ways I would use the funding (I would still put in my own money and do as much on my own as possible):

Initial $30K

$6000 - $7000 Line and Copy edits for Astrid (currently at 250000+ words/expecting over 300000 at $0.02 rate)

$6000 - $7000 Line and Copy Edits for Vicious

$3000 - $4000 Line and Copy Edits for Bunni and Bosque

ISBN Purchases (Separate ISBN for each format for each book) - https://www.myidentifiers.com/identify-protect-your-book/barcode

Covers for Astrid/Vicious/B&B Print Versions

Site Hosting Costs and Maintenance for 2 Years

Site completion for all stories

Initial store and app development

40K - Marketing and Graphic Novels

Social, Print, and Web ads

Email Marketing Campaigns 

Booths at Decatur Book Festival (depending on COVID)

Social ads and promos

50 to 60 pages

First two chapters offered as free promo with email sign-ups

Audio journals for each character

Situational audio journals

Encyclopedia for Astrid (finishing up)/Vicious

65K - Hires and Next Phases

Ability to hire a Full-Time Editor 

Audio Series for each (professionally done)

Vicious Graphic Novel

Additional Title Added

Short animations for both Vicious and Astrid (with plans to fund more with book sales)

Fleshed out Story Sections (Novellas for each character of each series)

Short comic series with Astrid and Vicious side characters

Possible to plan out monthly subscription service with new stories and 'story package' deliveries

75K -

Astrid the Devil Graphic Novel

Vicious Graphic Novel

Astrid the Devil Animated Short

Ability to hire part-time Web Developer

Additional bigger title

Anything Over - I ascend into pure light. And also, I can add titles, cover more mediums, and eventually expand my publishing to other black creatives.

From there, I should be able to handle the funding via sales of books, comics, audio, and more. Again, I will always offer mostly free content across the sites.

I believe in proof of concept, and I have diehard fans on my social platforms. With no outside funding, I've been able to a lot on my own. I'd love to expand my business into one that does the same for other black authors, artists, voice actors, and animators somewhere down the line. 

Thank you so much for your consideration. I appreciate all my readers, present and future, and I appreciate any help!

See incentives and more on the actual campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-trey-publish-black-paranormal-horror-stories

Thank you so much!

[sunnydwrites]

big update incoming!

hey tumblr, sunny here! man, it’s been a minute. i have a big update and a few thoughts to share with you guys, since i’ve definitely not been super active on here as of late. looking for some opinions as well!

summer is in full swing over here, and i’ve been chugging away at a lot of things!

firstly, my focus on a lot of my projects has changed. i am still working at my second short story collection and starting to consider publishers for a more traditional distribution route. things are going well there! i think that in the future, i’d like to look at translating this body of work to spanish too!

i also am making big progress on my choose-your-own-adventure project, kaleidoscope. hoping to perhaps get this guy published to itch.io by the end of the year!

and one new project that initially started off as a short story rewrite of my project, isaac. it’s called the long game now, and i’m looking to publish it as a paranormal romance novella once it’s done! i’m super excited about it. these have been my main three projects over the summer, but i haven’t forgotten about my others! don’t even worry.

now... i really disliked the website that i had before because it was very hard to edit on my end. here is the website i have now through wix, but i’m looking at migrating to wordpress to continue blogging over there. i also want to work on growing my social media presence on a few other platforms like instagram and twitter; i feel like that’s pretty important if i want to pursue a career as a full-time author.

and finally, i’m considering my presence on tumblr. i don’t come here often except to promote things on my discord, which isn’t... super cool. i’m thinking i may transfer my writing tips to my website as a blog and then continue putting out content over there, but tumblr isn’t quite working for me anymore.

of course, i’m open to options and ideas! i’ve not had a little update post like this in a while, and i have a lot of thoughts and ideas right now. please let me know what you think, per the usual!!