#Reminds me of the dialogue people will put in their dark art pieces online (here)

[ultramori]

Mafia AU 12 going through it

[katehuntington]

2020, 1st edition Disclaimer: ‘Kate Huntington’s Author & Fanfiction Recommendations’ is a platform for writers, to show appreciation for their work and expand their audience. I do not claim to be the author of these stories, neither do I own them. Read each writer’s warnings carefully, most of them are rated +18. 

Without further ado, here is my list of recommendations.

One shots 

“While You Sleep” - written by @foreverwayward​ Fluff - Dean Winchester - 617 words       A heartwarming little fic about Dean living the domesticated life we all wish he could have. The writer has a very clever way of storytelling and the end might come as a surprise, only adding to the emotion it already brought along.

“Imagine” - written by @pennydrabbles​ Fluff - Dean x Reader - 800 words      ‘Imagine calling Dean after a bad day and saying you miss him,’ says the header of this marvelous little story. It’s soothing, with strong descriptions, yet never over the top. Simplicity isn’t necessarily a bad word. It takes skill to not overy describe a scene and let the tale be told by the personal emotion of the reader. The author is able to do this with such elegance, that you actually feel Dean’s comfort.

“Heartbeats” - written by @there-must-be-a-lock​ Fluff - Dean x Castiel - 930 words      Castiel is fascinated by the human heart, but doesn’t quite understand it, until he becomes human himself. I’ll start by saying that I don’t ship Dean and Cas together, but I do appreciate the people who do. What this little piece of art does is incredible, however, because while I was reading, I found myself rooting for them. The writer does a great job by using the literal human heart as a backbone of this story. Intriguing and very well executed.

“Everything That’s Yet To Come” - written by @fictionalabyss​ Fluff - Dean x Reader - 812 words      Dean experiences what the future beholds, with the people who he wishes could be there. The author took me by the hand through this moving little one shot, which feels like a collection of greatest hits and wishes come true. It offers peace and closure not only for the older Winchester brother, but for the reader as well. Beautiful piece of writing.

“Take A Drunk Girl Home” - written by @amanda-teaches​ Fluff - Dean x Reader - 1869 words      Dean taking care of others; it’s his nature and shows what a kind soul he truly is. The situation sketched here is no exception, and it’s softer than one can imagine. The pace is steady and the balance between fluff and comedy is just right. A lovely read.

“New Beginnings” - written by @our-jensen-ackles-love​ Fluff - Dean x Reader - 1665 words      New Year’s Eve; a new start, a new life and plenty of reason to celebrate. A lovely ‘feel good’ story that makes us forget about the monsters, pain and loss Supernatural is known for. The level of fluff is equivalent to cuddling with puppies.

“When He Cries” - written by @revengingbarnes​ Angst/fluff - Dean x Reader - 1894 words       When the woman who Dean loves falls victim during a case, the hunter has trouble dealing with the aftermath. And, boy... Does that hurt to witness. This is one of the most breathtaking stories I have stumbled on. The realism that is used to describe the gruesome and horrific angst, the emotion that is laced in every word, had me clutching my chest while reading. It’s is a beautiful piece of art.

“Nobody” - written by @soaringeag1e​ Angst - Dean x Reader - 2561 words      This one shot reminds us why we should never stay angry with a loved one and let a fight unresolved, because what if something bad happens and we won’t have the chance to make it right? The writer gives a great sense to that fear and having to watch Dean go through this nightmare is truly heartbreaking. 

“The Demon Inside You” - written by @foreverwayward​ Smut/angst - Demon!Dean x Reader - 4375 words       Curing Dean from the demon that he has become proves to be difficult when he’s so hard to resist. What else is hard to resist, is this beautiful pitch black one shot. I don’t read Demon!Dean fiction often, because it still feels foreign to see the character who I love so much turn into something evil. This however, is so gripping and well written, that the darkness swallows up the beholder. Rough, hot, sad, narcissistic, all these ingredients packed up in one hell of a story.

“Curves And Edges” - written by @kittenofdoomage​ Smut/fluff/angst - Dean x Reader - 4375 words       This equally sweet, sexy, funny and sad story is a big shout out to all women who think they don’t meet the beauty standards and feel like they will never be good enough to get noticed. It is one thing to replace a name with Y/N and call it a reader’s insert; it’s a gift to make every person reading this feels like they are the character in this story. The author handles every woman’s insecurities with grace, making her words both relatable and soothing. Her spot on version of Dean reminds us that we are all beautiful, desired and unique.

“Hold Her Tight” - written by @waywardbaby​ Fluff/smut - Dean x Reader - 2955 words     ‘A story of a deep need to feel someone close to you’, is how the author describes her work. I couldn’t have said it better, because this one shot isn’t about sex; it’s about love making, and there’s a difference. What I also appreciate, is that Y/N takes the time to pamper herself. We all deserve some self care.

“Watch Your F!cking Mouth!” - written by @impala-dreamer​ Smut/comedy - Dean x Reader - 1984 words       Dean falls under a literal curse, and it’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I was wheezing, couldn’t breathe and died laughing. It’s astonishing how the writer can juggle comedy and sex without the two taking each other down. An uplifting read.

“Thank God For Sexual Frustration” - written by @winchester-fantasies​ Smut - Dean x Reader - 4398 words       God had nothing to do with writing this sinful story; we can thank the author for that. When Y/N is on a dry spell that has her frustrated, Dean helps her out in the best way imaginable. Delicious smut served in three courses, because we all know Dean keeps his lady satisfied.

Series:

“Life For Rent” - written by @winchest09​ Smut/angst/fluff - Mobster!Dean x Escort!Reader  - WIP      This amazing series follows an experienced, smart and resilient escort, who is ruled by contracts, money and aliases. When Dean becomes her client, he makes it his mission to understand what this interesting woman is hiding.       Conspiracies, deceat, crime. A strong family bond, blossoming love, oh, not to mention the sex. This series is intriguing beyond imagination and certainly not just another mobster fanfiction. The writing is smart and I could tell from the first paragraph that it’s loaded with hints and foreshadowing, but I couldn’t pick them out. This triggers a curiosity like an itch I can’t quite scratch away until I finish reading this story. And so I wait eagerly and drop everything the second a new chapter comes out.  An absolute must read!

“Findings” - written by @kathaswings​ Angst/smut/fluff - Dean x Reader - finished. Update: Sadly, this series is no longer online      This story starts out with what seems to be a routine demon hunt, until Dean and his brother find a frightened five year old survivor amongst the blood and corpses. Keeping the smart little Mackenzie safe and getting her back to her older sister proves to be difficult, because this case is a whole lot bigger than they anticipated and is likely to change their lives forever.      This is one of my favorite Supernatural series and I revisited it recently. The overall story arc is a mystery I just had to unravel and I couldn’t put it down if I wanted to. The bond between Dean and Mackenzie is so precious. Writing a child isn’t easy. I’ve read plenty of books and seen plenty of films in which the maturity the creators added wasn’t natural, but this author handles Mac’s dialogue amazingly well. What’s also interesting is the jumps from point of view between Dean and Y/N, giving very personal perspectives on the gripping story.

“When You Least Expect It” - written by @coffee-obsessed-writer​ Fluff/angst/smut - Jensen Ackles x Musician!Reader - WIP      This gorgeously written slow burn series kicks off when Jensen visits the idyllic town of Seaside. After a bad breakup he keeps his mind occupied with the organisation of a music festival, hoping to find a musician that fits the vibe he has in mind. He meets a spirited, undiscovered performer, not only her voice catching him by surprise. A friendship blossoms, with potential to grow into something more, but will their past allow the love they feel for each other?      Talking about an epic love story, but it’s so much more than that. The music that plays such an important factor, the setting that is Seaside. The fabulous supporting characters Bri, Rob, Jason and Jared, the wardrobe, not to mention the wonderful little gems and details that this author weaved into the story, showing how much love she has put into it. This is without a shadow of a doubt my favorite RPF I’ve come across.

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed the work of the authors above, don’t be afraid to let them know. I’m sure they will appreciate it. Feel free to share!

If you have any suggestions or would like a tag in the future, drop a request in my inbox or send me a message.

Love, Kate

‘Kate Huntington’s Author & Fanfiction Recommendations’ taglist: @adoptdontshoppets​ @fangirlxwritesx67​ @idksupernatural​ @indecisive20something​ @tranquility-or-chaos​ @winchest09​ @wingedcatninja​

[admesser]

Hello everyone!

To kick off my new series of interviews with authors, artists, and creators, I want to introduce you to Seth Greenwood and Angela Zhang.  I have been following their work for a couple of years now, and find the story intriguing and the artwork incredible.

Seth Greenwood

Angela Zhang

1) Please discuss your creative background. Who are you, and how did you get involved with your art?

SG: I would love to tell you some quirky little story of how I got involved in writing comics. But I am afraid the answer is very simple. I was a dreamer, a poet, and a blogger when I traveled to South Korea to live for a year. One of my co-workers kept telling me about all of these ideas he wanted to make into comics. At that time I was 27 or so and I didn’t know the first thing about comics, and to be honest I had never even read my first comic book. I was always into reading novels and watching films. You might even say that I was disinterested but I believe I finally decided to do it because a friend needed my help and I felt I had the ability to make it happen. Stories are stories, right? So when I said yes, I jumped into research head first. I learned how to write, and format scripts. I started reading many comics from the past and present, and ultimately I started writing my first script for a P.A. piece called “Covenant”.

AZ:  While I didn’t realize it back then, I was making wordless comics on the back of my mom’s PhD thesis drafts since I was 7 years old. When I grew up,  I thought academia and teaching were the only viable career paths for artists. So I ended up going to art school and then completed a master’s in Art History. I realized that reading theory and writing about art really wasn’t my thing. I ended up working in administration full time for a while. It was during this time that I discovered there are people who will pay you to draw if you were good enough. So I kept working on my art on the side. (I spent a whole year waking up at  5AM before work to practice drawing and I am NOT a morning person hahaha!) In 2014, I quit my job to pursue freelance illustration. It’s been hard, to say the least, but no doubt creatively rewarding. So far I’ve done storyboards, concept art, architecture illustration, product design, book covers and of course comics!

2) How did you two meet and collaborate on the Gale Project?

SG: Long story short? “Covenant” never happened. I decided to try my hand at screenwriting since I had such a bad first experience. I realized quickly that even with the best of friends, partnerships can be very difficult to maintain. One night I posted a snippet from one of my screenplays on a blog and tweeted the link. I never expected to get a reaction but that script reeled in one of my favorite artists to this day! Angela Zhang tweeted me and said that she liked my style and to contact her if I ever wanted to do a noir style comic. I didn’t know if this was an empty gesture, but I immediately replied that I knew just the story for us. The rest is history. Angela and I have known each other for a little over 3 years now and we have been moonlighting Gale ever since.

AZ: My big dream has been to make a long-running comic series. But I’m not a writer.  As an adult,  I really got into comics through the works of Craig Thompson (Blankets) and independent creators like Rich Barrett (Nathan Sorry), Lora Innes (The Dreamer) and Jason Brubaker (reMIND). The first comic that I posted online was a realistic, drama that focused on character acting, mood and atmosphere.  I didn’t think anyone else would be into this kind of story until I came across Seth’s writing online. He has a knack for natural dialogue and I can imagine his character’s emotions through their words. I honestly didn’t think anything would come out of our tweets. But it was his persistence and speed that convinced me, yes, this guy wants to make a comic as much as I do.

3) What is the inspiration for Gale?

SG: Oh wow! A lot! The idea of Gale, whether I knew it or not, first started to form in 10th grade when I wrote a free verse poem about a man at his father’s funeral who had obviously been murdered for some mysterious reason. The rest of the story comes from my experience with the world that I grew up in. The things I noticed that were beautiful on the outside were actually rotting on the inside. I started writing about those things you don’t introduce yourself with and immediately start talking about. Politics, civil rights, class consciousness, you name it. It’s all in Gale, in a quasi-dystopian alternate reality. I don’t intend to present my solution to these issues in Gale. In the end, it is a fictional story that will hopefully both entertain and inspire.

AZ: In terms of art, Seth and I met over Skype where he would describe his vision. Gale’s world is a mix of the old and new in American culture. The vehicles and architecture are based on 1940s design and they coexist with our everyday technology, like cell phones and laptops. When we visit Ned Norman’s mansion, there’s a touch of gothic horror. I researched Hollywood movies between the 1930s and 1950s. My library has a collection of classic films. I would rent Hitchcock and Dracula to see how directors in those days composed dramatic shots, knowing that the output would be in black and white.

4) Please describe the visualization process from script to screen. How do you imagine it as a writer, and how do you imagine it as an illustrator?

SG: Would it sound too unreal if a lot of what Angela does is almost exactly how I see it in my head. It’s almost as if she downloaded my brain onto a Wacom Tablet. But the process is much harder than that! It’s why I am the writer and she is the artist. Every once in a while she will suggest something and most of the time it makes it better or translates better to the comic medium. One thing that I had a problem doing at first, was getting out of the habit of writing scenes and getting into the habit of writing still panels. Angela did a wonderful job showing movement and expression.

AZ: I’m grateful that Seth trusts me and gives me a lot of creative freedom to put his words into comic form. We have  over 50 posts on our Patreon blog detailing the process from script to panel (collecting reference, thumbnailing, layout, word bubbles etc.) To be honest, these days I don’t even think about my process, because drawing Gale has become more intuitive for me. I think what lead to this magical understanding between Seth and I is that we’ve built a solid friendship. If you get to know Seth, you will see that he’s truly caring and generous. We chat almost every day. Seth sends me photos, writing and videos related to Gale and we talk about life too. The more that I think about it, our conversations allow me to have a better understanding of where Seth is coming from and deeper insight into the characters and the world of Gale.

5) Talk about the heart of Gale’s storyline. What challenges does it face?

SG: Angela may want to elaborate, but I believe this sums up the storyline.:

Gale is a drama, mystery and suspense story that draws inspiration from film noir. Rookie attorney Gale Norman is determined to seek out the truth behind his father’s mysterious death. As Gale’s suspicions grow, buried memories of his mother’s disappearance resurface and he refuses to hide from his dark past. With the help of his childhood friend, Laurie Gambill, Gale attempts to solve a seemingly ordinary mystery that may eventually lead him in a downward spiral. Will he uncover the truth to his parent’s demise or will he become further entangled in a web of lies?

As far as challenges? Well here recently my life has been unpredictable. Being a full-time soldier in the US Army and trying to write, update social media and maintain a valuable connection with our audience has been hard to say the very least. We have had to try to remain very flexible. I have had to re-dedicate myself over and over again. It’s something that plagues me but at the same time it is something I can’t and won’t leave.

AZ: Making the characters relatable is one of the challenges that Seth and I are always thinking about. At first, I had a hard time describing Gale to people because the story has many layers. Gale also comes from a wealthy upbringing which is pivotal to the story but  I can’t relate to it.  After I completed the scene where Gale kisses his childhood friend Laurie, I started relating to them in a real way. I thought about how the 20s is an interesting period to explore the loss of innocence. Unlike adolescence, the loss is more of intellectual awakening. In Gale’s case, it’s about dealing with death, discovering the truth about his past, getting friend-zoned by the only one he trusts and feeling alone in the world. As the series progresses, Gale gets caught up in more and more unbelievable situations. I think as long as we’re grounding the story in an emotional truth we’ll overcome the challenge of making the characters relatable.

6) What are some difficulties you have experienced with the project and how did you overcome them?

SG: I’m glad you said “some”! Let’s see here. The decision to publish Gale independently was not always considered. We did that when we realized the publisher would really not have much more to offer us and we wanted complete freedom for the project.

Angela had issues with me not being patient and almost jumping the gun a couple of times before we were ready. That is just me. I am a little too ambitious at times. She was always the voice of reason when it came to the business side of things. A lot of times she had to pull my head out of the clouds.

We have had to push back launch dates because of our day jobs and we have had to cancel convention appearances for the same thing. The way we overcome obstacles is to keep pressing on, remain flexible, and continue to create this wonderful story that’s brought so many people together. It’s persistence, more than anything, it is always persistence.

AZ: I think Seth and I have an interesting dynamic that I’ve come to appreciate. In the beginning, we had a bit of friction because we didn’t understand our working styles. I have to think things through from all sides, create a plan and put a process in place to execute. Seth, on the other hand, will act immediately when he gets an idea. I don’t think Gale would have the following it does today without Seth’s fearlessness, tenacity and enthusiasm to try new things. However, self-publishing a comic to our standards of quality has a lot of finer details that require time and planning. What I love about Seth is that he’s open to feedback, he’s always willing to improve and that inspires me to do the same.

On a personal side, I was very slow at drawing Gale pages in the beginning. It would take me a month to finish a page. Seth probably worried at some point whether I was cut out for this job and he’s been really flexible and patient with the project. Some people told me I should simplify my art for comics. But I pushed myself to keep going in the style I have for Gale and I reinvented my process along the way. I’ve learned that just because you have an ounce of talent, it doesn’t entitle you to anything except hard work. Now I can produce 3-4 pages a month alongside my full-time work.

7) Please discuss your creative process. Do you follow a schedule? Set deadlines? How do you get the creative juices flowing for your project?

SG: I am chaotic! Ask my wife. Despite my military experience, I can be somewhat all over the place. The reason why Angela is much more than the artist and she carries the title co-creator is because she keeps me on point. She keeps us on schedule. I write when I am inspired, I send notes to Angela and forget to save them in the shared file so she does it for me. If it was not for her I wouldn’t have come this far. No other artist would have taught me how to maintain good order in this line of work.  As for creative juices? I read books, watch some character driven NETFLIX shows, and study people and cultures. I love Sociology, Anthropology, and Psychology. One thing that is most important in this process, however,  is reading. To be a great writer, you have to be a reader first!

AZ: I actually have a militaristic approach when it comes to creativity. If you’ve ever read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, you’ll get where I’m coming from. In the past, I’ve struggled with time management and it has a lot to do with fear and procrastination. I now manage and track my creative time through a pomodoro app. It’s basically an interval timer that alternates between a work and break period. When that whistle sounds for the work interval I’m not checking email or rummaging through social media. The app allows you to export an excel spreadsheet so you can see how long you spent on a task or project. I base my schedule and deadlines around the data and strive to be more efficient over time.

On the other end of the spectrum, I think it’s important for artists to recharge their creative juices to prevent burnout.  Although I’m rigid and structured during projects, I’m the complete opposite when it comes to downtime. I like going for aimless walks, cooking, watching movies, reading manga, and comics and playing video games with my fiancé (who by the way has been super supportive of Gale).

8) What is in store for Gale? When will it be released?

SG: I don’t want to steal Angela’s thunder. Most of this is her brilliance. I will let you take the reigns for this, co-creator!

AZ: As Seth mentioned, we’re going the self-publishing route and playing the long game of making a series one page at a time. Instead of releasing Gale when it’s all done, we’re inviting people to follow our journey of making comics by sharing the process, what we’ve learned through trial and error and how we’re constantly striving to improve. I think that’s more fulfilling for us creators to relate to readers every step of the way then just popping up one day and saying ‘hey here’s  our product, buy it.’

Last fall we completed Chapter 1: The Calm and launched it on Webtoon and we’re also currently posting it panel by panel on Instagram. We’re halfway through Chapter 2: Storm Chaser and aiming to finish it by the end of this year. Next year, we’re going to explore Kickstarter as well as comic book conventions.

9) Do you have anything you would like to add to the article?

AZ:  I want to thank anyone who took the time to read our interview. Although we’re small and at the beginning of our journey, I’m super grateful and touched by all the support that Gale has received.  I also want to give huge thanks to the Savannah Quill for having us and putting all of this together. I deeply appreciate this opportunity to share our thoughts and  process

SG: Same as Angela, thanks! Also, look out for Gale on Webtoon and make sure you stay tuned for a short we have contributed to Red Stylo Media’s newest upcoming anthology; a collaboration of artists and writers paying tribute to the band, Forence + The Machine entitled “Cosmic Love”. The Kickstarter for the main print run will launch sometime this Fall. Just look for the announcement on IG “Stories” or on Twitter!

www.thegalecomic.com

IG: www.instagram.com/thegalecomic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegalecomic

Webtoon: http://tiny.cc/mnwrxy

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/galecomic

©2019 Adam Messer. All Rights Reserved.

Inside the minds of The Gale Comic creator and artist. #indie #author #comicbook #artist #adammesser #sethgreenwood #angelazhang #thegalecomic www.adammesser.net Hello everyone! To kick off my new series of interviews with authors, artists, and creators, I want to introduce you to Seth Greenwood and Angela Zhang. 

[craftsguide]

How a Creative Hobby Can Boost Your Mental Health

New Post has been published on https://craftsguideto.com/awesome/how-a-creative-hobby-can-boost-your-mental-health/

How a Creative Hobby Can Boost Your Mental Health

” The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before .”~ Neil Gaiman

A few years ago I wrote an article about my own experience with bulimia. The piece was published by several different media channels, and some time afterward I was interviewed by CNN.

It was the first time I had publicly, and explicitly, spoken about that particular part of my journey. But the desire to acknowledge and address the emotional effects of my experience had been participating for some time.

Prior to writing the article, I hadn’t felt ready to lay myself bare in such a direct way. However, I instinctively is recognized that I needed a means of self-expression that would allow me be talking about what I’d been through without being quite so specific.

That’s where creativity came in.

I began utilizing photography as a style of carrying everything I was still too vulnerable to verbalize. It was a beautiful revelation for me to realize that I could share my thoughts and feelings in an abstract style. I could pour my ache into the creation of something new. This was a crucial step in my recovery.

I’d begun binging and purging as a route to avoid my feelings after the breakdown of my wedding. I had fallen out of love with my husband, and I was carrying a tremendous amount of remorse inside me, constantly feeling as though I’d failed my family and friends by not to be allowed build my relationship work. I disliked myself for walking away from my wedding, for daring to want more.

I was also dealing with intense pressure at work and financial stress, all of which had left me feeling as though everything was out of control.

Bulimia had given me the illusion of control, but it was also a way of penalise myself for not being able to stay in a relationship that everyone else expected me to be content with.

Mental health issues are often accompanied by feelings of disgrace and guilt. We tell ourselves that we should be able to handle everything, that we shouldn’t be placing additional burdens on our loved ones. It’s a self-destructive cycle that has the potential to send us spiraling.

Although creativity doesn’t act as a magical wand, it does give us an opportunity to take a breath and gain a greater understanding of what’s going on internally. We can use creativity as a means of translating ourselves to ourselves.

Photography became a lifeline for me. I could capture texture and darknes, play around with light and motion. I could communicate some of the darkness that was still haunting me, but instead of succumbing to my feelings, I was able to build something from them.

I also began to use poetry and creative writing as tools to help me channel my emotions. The personal value of this was enormous. In creativity I had a friend, a means of telling my own narrative in my own style, and a source of strength and supporting that I could rely upon to be there for me.

Here’s how a creative hobby can help us cope with mental health issues :P TAGEND 1. Creativity reminds us that we have the ability to effect change, and it also helps us be more present.

When we are experiencing mental health challenges it can be easy to fixate on the fear that there won’t be any lighting at the end of the tunnel. When I was dealing with bulimia, I would obsessively weigh myself every morning and each night. If I were away from home, or in a place where I didn’t have access to a bathroom scale, I would feel a sense of rising panic. I couldn’t imagine a hour when I would be free of the need to control my weight.

Immersing ourselves in creativity can help us believe in our ability to heal, grow, and alter because we are actively participating in the production of something new.

Whether it’s baking, gardening, painting, dancing, sculpting or any other creative pursuit, we are taking an idea and breathing life into it.

This not only helps to keep our focus on the present moment, thus alleviating future dreads, but it also devotes us the additional benefit of shaping and impacting an outcome through our efforts.

When we make we are combining imagination and resourcefulness. We are seeing an objective outcome and then taking action to make it happen. This adds to our personal skill set and emboldens us to have the same courage in other areas of our life.

Whenever I’m revisited by old demons that threaten to topple me, I create something. Anything. The act of the creation of assistances me to re-center and focus on my abilities, rather than obsess about my perceived shortcomings. It also helps me step outside myself, change my perspective on my challenges, and remember what’s truly important.

I recently herniated a disc in my back and was unable to practice yoga with as much ease as usual. As I lay on my mat at home one morning, feeling frustrated at my body for failing me, I began to slip into some old self-talk about not being good enough.

But then I noticed the pattern that the sunlight was projecting on the wall beside me. I took my phone and snapped a photograph. As the sun shifted again once more, I was reminded that nothing is static and everything is always changing. My energy automatically lifted.

Creativity teaches me about trust and impermanence, and also expands my sense of awareness. The simple act of witnessing and photographing the moving illuminate was enough for me to remember that each day is full of beauty. I don’t want to miss any of it by wasting my energy on criticizing my body.

2. Creativity enables us to process some of what we’re feeling, without the intensity of putting ourselves under a microscope, and it can also help us meet our needs.

We’re not always ready to closely examine every experience. We’re not always comfortable talking things through, or wading into the depths of our ache or trauma. But we need to work through these feelings, or else they’ll lie beneath the surface, limiting and controlling us.

Creativity can offer us a safe space in which we’re able to release some of our emotional weight without over-analyzing. We eliminate the scrutiny but still receive the benefit of self-connection.

When we’re able to connect with what we’re genuinely feeling–whether it’s anger or regret or disappointment–and then channel that into a creative project, we are less likely to engage in behaviors that are numbing or harmful. Which means we actually work through the feelings instead of only distracting ourselves from them.

Creativity can also be a compass. It’s a way of identifying an inner need, and then permitting ourselves to meet that need.

Perhaps you are craving more vibrancy or flavor in your life. Being creative might entail prefer bright, bold cloths to make a clothing item, or being experimental in the kitchen with new cuisine.

And just as creating something from nothing can help us believe in our ability to create change in other areas of our lives, session some of our needs through creativity can empower us to meet other needs–the need for self-care or boundaries for example.

When we’re struggling with mental health issues, it’s easy to minimize or forget our needs, but this only prolongs our healing. Creativity helps us trust our hunch and follow our instincts. It isn’t inevitably a substitute for therapy, but it can play a pivotal role in helping us build confidence and resilience, ensure that we can both work through how we’re feeling and take good care of ourselves.

3. Creativity enables us to connect with others and construct community.

Common mental health issues such as depression or anxiety can lead to social withdrawal and isolation, increasing feelings of loneliness and heightening the body’s stress responses.

Creativity is a wonderful way to connect with others. Social media platforms provide us with ways to share our ingenuity and trigger dialogue with people who have similar interests. When I first began blogging online I was amazed at how quickly I was able to become part of a supportive community, many of whom I’ve since met in person.

Most libraries or community centers offer group arts and craft classes. These are fantastic opportunities to establish local connects and circle with others. I recently attended a free creative statue workshop at the New York Public Library. I has no such previous experience and my creation was far from perfect–none of that mattered. It felt astonishing to come together with other people and stimulate something.

We are all creative beings. Experimenting with different media can be a wonderful way to find out what triggers pleasure and brings convenience. You don’t have to be an expert. Remember, perfection is not the goal; you’re simply inducing your world a little brighter.

My journey with ingenuity has given me more than I was possible to have anticipated. It may not always change external situations, but inwardly there’s a switching, every single time. An easier breath. A blank canvas and a fresh start. A reminder that I can begin again and again, as many times as necessary. And sometimes that’s all we need to be okay.

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Integrated Practice: Get out a Book will ya [Submission]

Topic/Link: Using creativity in literature to promote self-confidence.

                             Dark Souls (PC game)  

The main theme behind Dark Souls is that if you face imposing challenges but work hard to overcome them, you succeed you and at the same time build confidence in yourself.

For this reason, I consider the writing and thinking behind Dark Souls to be directed towards the promotion of self confidence in its audience, no matter what type of player they are. For example, Dark Souls features a character called Anri the crestfallen. The term ‘crestfallen’ is defined in the online Merriam-Webster dictionary (2017) as ‘the feeling of shame or humiliation’. Therefore, to be crestfallen is to be in a state of very low self-confidence. During the game, the player is a character called The Ashen One. This is also an interesting name given that a key message communicated by the game is to move characters from a place of low self-confidence to strong self-confidence. The term ‘ashen’ in relation to the appearance of a person, means ‘pale-faced and haggard’ (Merriam-Webster online, 2017). This creates the impression of a character who is not strong, not confident, and struggling.            

In the game, The Ashen One meets Anri the crestfallen, who is a lonely girl. Anri is accompanied by a man, Horace, who acts as a father figure to her and protects her as they venture towards Anri’s goal of freeing the land from the Lords of Cinder. When Horace is later separated from Anri she becomes frightened without him, Anri slowly grows in confidence as she becomes more inspired by the efforts of The Ashen One as the player progresses through a quest carried out in an uncaring and cruel land with unfaltering resolve. Towards the end of the story, The Ashen One is confronted by Aldrich, the great Devourer. It is a difficult battle, as the player, The Ashen One, just as you think you cannot overcome Aldrich, Anri finds confidence in herself and joins the battle. She helps you, the Ashen One, to defeat the monster.

Dark Souls also features Siegmeyer of Catarina, who early in the quest can be found sitting outside a decrepit fortress unsure of what to do. He is written as a fool and as a character that doubts his every move. That is, a character low in confidence. Also, the description of the setting is written to show decay and hopelessness. It is as if the game is saying ‘you won’t be able to get strength from this environment so you will have to get it from inside yourself, or from working together with others’. This is what happens, because as the Ashen One begins to succeed, and to unlock the castle for Siegmeyer, Siegmeyer is grateful and starts to be helpful. This includes putting his life on the line and hurling himself into a pit of vicious monsters without a second thought or doubt. The Ashen One begins to realise that thanks to Siegmeyer’s growth and belief in himself the quest can be won.

In summary, Dark Souls is a game written and designed to communicate the message that it is possible to come back from a place of low self-confidence and triumph over troubles. So, the game really is a metaphor for a better way to live life.

 Note: There is a beautifully drawn piece of art depicting the Ashen One and Siegward conversing at

https://orig00.deviantart.net/181f/f/2016/060/1/c/dark_souls___siegmeyer_of_catarina_by_igorwolski-d9tk4sa.jpg

Smartphone application review: The Huffington Post

Many mobile phone applications contain content developed and written with the goal of promoting self-confidence (Huffington Post, 2017). For example, The Confidence Coach at 

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/confidence-coach/id459421800?mt=8 

uses principles related to cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) to help users to think differently about themselves. The advertising for the application in part reads “…make use of the Confidence Commitments features to remind you of your ‘to-do’ pertaining to your self-esteem boosting.” This awkwardly-worded piece of advertising describes an application that combines the potential of mobile applications to deliver creative technologies, with an understanding of the ancient human quest to feel better about ourselves. The language used to communicate the benefits of the Build Confidence application at 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hivebrain.andrewjohnson.confidence&hl=en 

is even more straightforward. For example, the marketers claim the application is “…aimed at building your self-esteem…” The article written to promote these applications is interesting because it uses literature to write about technologies that claim to promote the message that more self-confidence is a good thing. The difference between the way the article is written though, compared to how literature is used to promote self-confidence in the Dark Souls game, is that the main message of the article is clearly ‘go out and spend money buying these applications.’ So it is harder to believe in the message of promoting self-confidence because of the way the article has been written. For example, the sentence “maybe you just need to be reminded of the good in your life or start doing small favors for others to see your self-confidence hit the roof” does not convincingly promote the good of self-confidence in the same way that the Dark Souls game did through character development and story writing.

Greatest Love of All (Song, by Whitney Houston)

The song ‘the greatest love of all’ is one that makes some people roll their eyes, which is interesting because the lyrics of the song are all about promoting self-confidence and believing in yourself, and that loving yourself as ‘the greatest love of all’ is a good thing. The lyrics of Whitney Houston’s song include the lines ‘The greatest love of all/Is easy to achieve/Learning to love yourself/It is the greatest love of all’. Going by the attitude of my mother to the song, the lyrics don’t manage to communicate exactly this message to everyone. But the song successfully communicates this message to lots of other people according to the comments left on the bottom of the You Tube clip of the song at 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYzlVDlE72w

For example, the comments include “learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all. This song gives me eternal strength”/ “This song has such a powerful message to it.”/ and The Greatest Love of All is one of the best, most powerful songs ever written about self-preservation, dignity. Its universal message crosses all boundaries and instills one with the hope that it's not too late to better ourselves. Since it's impossible in this world we live in to empathize with others, we can always empathize with ourselves.”

I consider this the use of literature and language through song to promote self-confidence. In addition, the song is channeled through creative technologies and platforms like video and mobile phones, so it seems a strong example of how creative language and technology can be combined to get a message of self-love and self-confidence out to a wide audience. But my mother views the lyrics of the song in the same way many people might think there is a different message behind the Huffington Post article ‘reviewing’ smartphone applications that promote self-confidence. Her view is that the lyrics of Whitney Houston’s song do not promote self-confidence, but self-absorption and the belief that love from other people is unreliable, so you can only count on yourself. It’s interesting that the lyrics communicate this message to my mother, but communicate to other people the message that self-love and confidence is a powerful, positive thing. This is a good example of how one message can be intended and another message can be received through the same piece of art or language or literature.

Learn how to love yourself in three easy steps: NZ Herald column by Deborah Hill Cone.

Deborah Hill Cone uses humour in her writing to create a friendly and open dialogue with her readers. Her take on the idea of loving yourself and having more self-confidence is to not worry about all the things that aren’t that great about yourself. She writes “…I have messy kitchen drawers and thighs that rub together at the top…Then I realised that you need to love yourself despite having thighs that rub together at the top…Turns out the trick is learning to love yourself, not regardless of the thighs and the asshatness and the drinking, but to love yourself for precisely those things”.

As for the other texts described here, the article is written to promote self-confidence as a good thing. The difference between this text and the others is that different literature devices are used so that the big emotions that seem to be created in the lyrics of Whitney Houston’s song or the Dark Souls game, seems to have been taken out of this article. The message is basically the same, but a very different type of use of literature is being used to communicate it. There is humour but it is like a ‘dark humour’. The message is different too, because the other texts make gaining more self-confidence seem easy or noble, but the message of this article is that it is a frustrating process. For example, Deborah Hill Cone writes “Loving yourself means loving even the fact you find it hard to love yourself. Loving all the things that are hardest to love…Love your rage and resistance to being loved. Love your cellulite. Love your window fixed with duct tape…Love the reasons why you think you don't deserve love.” 

        Conclusion

Each piece of direct and indirect literature here I feel are connected by the attempt to promote self-confidence using creative methods. While this is extremely direct in the case of the (Learn how to love yourself in three easy steps: NZ Herald column by Deborah Hill Cone.)  I believe that it is a strong link that can be found in the above examples. Each method is unique and interesting while using different images, languages and ideas. 

                                          References

Cone, D.H. (2017). “Learn to love yourself in three easy steps”, New Zealand Herald, 18th

September, 2017. Downloaded 30th September, 2017 from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11923205

Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2017.

Steenkamp. A. (2017). Strut Your Stuff: 5 Apps That Can Help Build Self-Esteem, Huffington Post, 8th April, 2014.

Downloaded 29th September, 2017 at

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fueled/strut-your-stuff-5-apps-t_b_5647016.html