#doing more productive engaging and fun things is a good goal

[green-cargaytions]

gritting my teeth white knuckling the bathroom sink the 6 days between christmas and new years are for the express purpose of doing as little as possible. you are not allowed to feel bad for staring at your phone and eating So Much peanut brittle.

[charlesemersonwinchesteriii]

[slayingfiction]

How I push through writing when I don't feel like writing.

Here are some of the techniques that I use to help me write more often or more consistantly when my laziness/depression/anxiety starts to take over.

I watch TV. I don't do it with the purpose of zoning out though. I watch something popular and well-liked such as the LOR or Harry Potter to get new ideas on how I can develop my story and apply their in-depth world-building ideas to help develop mine. Without plagarizing of course!!!!

Zoning out and daydreaming. As I have mentionned before, daydreaming is a huge part of my story outlining and world-building process. I'll stand in the shower, or take a walk and think about how my charcaters would act/react/behave in situations, mundane or not. Doing this gives me a better sense of my characters, and sometimes gives me ideas for scenes I use later on.

Work on writing related projects. These work well at keeping me distracted while still being productive on my writing goals. Example, I have one story I am working now, I made a new language (alphabet and numbers included) to include as a cool and fun component for the book. So, at times when I don't wan't to write, I continue creating the dictionary (very fun, 8/10 would recommend). Also, for the same book, my characters don't work off the Georigian calendar and 24 hour clock, so I've been working at creating a new calendar (harder than it seems, 2.5/10 dont recommend). These are side projects that help my story, without having to write.

Reading. You saw this one coming, I know. Reading is great, especially when you're editing, your writing style will unconsciously change to be more similar the author you were just reading. Also, most importantly, I'll be reading and think, "this story is really good, but you know what story I like even better? Mine." then change to writing.

This one is my biggest life saver!! I learnt about a year ago that sometimes I'll get bored of writing a story, and have difficulty keeping on track. That's why I finished my first book in 2016 and just started editing the first draft last week. The solution for me was to work on multiple projects at once, because it was much harder to be bored of multiple stories. I stick to 2, but will sometimes add a third. This is easy for me, because I have a list of over a dozen series I want to write. Don't abandon one project for another, use them as a distraction/ motivation for each other, so you're always furthering at least one project. I've never heard someone say, "oh no, i accidentally worked on this other writing project for three months instead of the other writing project I was doing. Dammit." No, we're just happy we have written something. Be sure to have well outlined story lines before starting, don't just start writing randomly or you'll reach a point where you don't know where to go from there.

Author/ writer projects. Maybe this is building a following, or community to share your projects and engage with. Tumblr, Insta, Reddit, whatever it is. My hope this year is to start up my website to offer publishing services (editing, graphic design, short writing courses) and build a following as a writer. (See what I did there? Never a bad time to self-promote ;) ) Having your own projects like this will help you in the future when you're going to try to publish and sell your books!

Talk with friends and a writing community. Never underestimate the passion that will burn inside you when talking about your story, or when others are talking about theirs. Surrounding yourself with a positive writing community can be the best thing for you as a writer.

Write or read (your story) every day. I'm not going to be one of those people that say you need to write 1000 words a day, that's a lot. But maybe try for 100? That could maybe only take 5 minutes, and at the end of the year that's still over 36 thousand words of a novel. Or just read your story, and I've always found it helped me get in the creative mood.

Make a playlist of songs that remind you of your characters, your story, or just puts you in the mood to write. Then play it ONLY when you're having trouble writing. Playing it while writing will not help, you'll get annoyed with the songs.

Just really can't do it today? That's okay, take a break. You deserve it. There's always tomorrow.

Does anyone else have ways they push themselves to keep writing? Let us know in the comments!

Happy Writing!

[idontmindifuforgetme]

You are so productive and living your best life I admire it so much! I don't understand how you do it... do you have any advice for forcing yourself to do the things you know are good for you even when you are feeling sad and not up to it? Have a lovely day ❣️❣️❣️

Plan your day hour by hour. This actually revolutionized my life. Plan when you’ll wake up, plan what you’ll do every hour of the day, and make it as realistic as possible to stick to your goals. Start with simple things and gradually ramp it up. Don��t overwhelm your day with 60 different goals. I’d pair one passive goal (be on your phone less, for example) with one active goal (study more, take more walks, read more) and go from there. It’s better to start small and be consistent than to start big and quit one day in.

Lower the resistance necessary to accomplish tasks. If you have somewhere to be early tomorrow, plan your outfit the night before. If you have studying to do, have your textbooks/notebooks/notes on your desk by the time you wake up. If you have an overwhelming task, break it into smaller subtasks and focus on them one at a time. If you don’t want to be on your phone in the morning, charge it somewhere you won’t be able to see the moment you open your eyes. I’m trying to overcome the phone issue right now, so instead of setting an alarm on my phone I just bought a digital alarm clock bc I know I’m way less likely to get on my phone that way. I’m lowering the effort needed to actually get started on a task.

Have motivational things handy for when you’re down!! I’m a highly visual person, so it actually really helps me to make moodboards. I have moodboards for things I wanna accomplish, moodboards for things I’ve already accomplished, a Pinterest board for affirmations etc etc. I have a list on my notes app for all the reasons why it’s important to me to accomplish my goals. I have another notes app page dedicated to pasting all the motivational quotes that help me whenever I’m in a funk. You could even print them and hang them up on your wall if you want. In times where instant gratification overshadows getting things done, make it very accessible to remember why they’re important to you to begin with.

Romanticize your tasks. I make silly to-do lists, I make sure I’m always in cute outfits when I’m running errands, I put on perfume and mascara and lip gloss even if I’m literally all on my own in my bedroom about to do a 3 hour study session. I love getting manicures bc there’s nothing more satisfying than studying with pretty dark red fall nails. This may sound extra but I go through my notes pretending I’m Elle Woods or something bc it makes it so much fun. A huge part of why I’m consistent with going to the gym is bc I buy pretty workout fits that just make me feel good. I wear lingerie under my clothes wherever I am bc it makes me feel like a bad bitch even if no one sees it. I don’t start a task with the thought in mind that I want to get it done already—I try to make the act of doing it in and of itself as engaging as possible.

To piggyback off that point, switch your environment if your current one isn’t serving you. Don’t just default to quitting if one approach isn’t working. If studying in your bedroom isn’t doing it, go to the nearest coffee shop. If the coffee shop isn’t working, do the library. Study indoors. Study outdoors. Study in nature. Hell study at a beach if you want to. It doesn’t matter where you are if you’re getting things done. Exhaust all your alternatives before calling it quits.

Set firm boundaries with yourself. This is so big. Self-care is absolutely treating yourself, but it’s also being your own parent and disciplining yourself if you feel like you’re not putting your all into something. In a world where it’s very easy to go “just a few more minutes on my phone” “I’ll do it tomorrow” “I can skip working out today” it’s really important to be able to parent yourself and exercise some tough love and do some things even if you don’t feel like you want to. I really struggle with this as a gen z girl bc this is THE era of instant gratification. But my goals are just more important to me than momentary comfort.

No zero days. Just bc you’re not being your 100% on one day doesn’t mean you should just lie down and do nothing. Being at 50% performance is better than being at 0%. I try to make sure I get some light tasks done on days where I don’t feel like going all in. It helps me not feel like I’ve just derailed my whole life, which consequently helps me move on from my ruts faster.

Look ahead. Can not emphasize this enough. Death motivates me like nothing else. You do not have an infinite time on this earth. You don’t want to be at the same place you’ve been at a year from now. Resist the “I’ll do it tomorrow” mentality as much as possible. Change happens in small increments & there’s no better time for it than the present. What may seem like little things you can skip out on now can quickly snowball into the very things that are preventing you from being where you want to be.

Acknowledge your limits. Someone with two full-time jobs and school should not be comparing themself to the progress of someone with one part-time job and like nothing else. I’m currently studying full-time and also trying to maintain a consistent workout routine, so I don’t expect myself to recreationally read more than 30 minutes a day, even if ideally I’d like that time to be way higher. I know it’s pointless to compare myself to someone who reads 70 books a month but has much less workload than I do. Comparison is inherently flawed bc no one else has been the dealt the cards you’ve been dealt. Tailor your schedule to your own unique situation. Make a list of your priorities and assign them to your hours accordingly.

Listen to your needs!! Mental health is the most important thing. You need to be in tune with yourself to know when you could be pushing yourself a little harder, and when it’s necessary to give yourself time off. If I’m in an actual burnout, I go out with friends. I go see a movie. I give myself the grace of being human and step back for a little bit. It’s completely okay to have those days, and acknowledging them helps you recover quicker. Take care of yourself <3

[homunculus-argument]

I am a hedonist with a protestant work ethic. I absolutely believe that one's purpose on this earth is to just have a good time, and simply find a way to arrange your life in a way that's enjoyable to you, personally. If whatever stupid shit you're up to is fun at the moment, and does not hinder your possibilities of enjoyment later, nor prevent anyone else's fun, it's the correct thing to be doing. While having to do work that is not fun at all is often necessary in order to ensure fun later, the ideal way to live is to find ways to combine the two: figuring out how to make the necessary work more enjoyable, or how to make fun activities productive.

The only true waste of time are activities that are neither enjoyable nor useful. I don't believe in sin but I'm pretty sure that being actively engaged in activities that are neither fun nor productive is a sin. Sitting completely still in a chair staring at the wall and doing absolutely fucking nothing for five hours straight is the ideal state of existing if you're genuinely enjoying that, but being engaged in the exact same activity while you're having a bad time doing it is a crime. The goal is to do what you enjoy and enjoy whatever you do, and if I'm not deriving some kind of satisfaction from whatever I'm doing, I'm literally failing at life.

My philosophical world view and moral code are very clear, internally consistent, and beyond my therapist's comprehension.

[alexanderwales]

Every now and then I try to find a mobile game to play, for when I have downtime while waiting in line or picking my son up from school or whatever.

It's shocking how many clearly competent games have been utterly crippled by predator designs. You start off playing something that's engaging and well-paced, with interesting mechanics and a clear gameplay loop, and then twenty minutes into it they start holding out their hand and saying "money please, give me the money or you can only play at a trickle, or there are some mechanics whose only purpose is to suck the joy out of everything". The sound design is good, the art is good, this was clearly something that a team of people spent a lot of time and effort on ... and the whole thing just buckles under the weight of the monetization.

I started playing Sandship: Crafting Factory and it's a game that's clearly taking some inspiration from Factorio, except you have a mobile "sandship" so have to do some constrained little builds to output iron plates or whatever. The gameplay is in hitting production goals, building and rebuilding these small internal factory floors, and it's exactly what I want in a mobile game ... but then it comes to a standstill unless I want to engage with their microtransactions, or grind through the "free to play" stuff.

I am more than happy to pay money for games. I have more than a thousand games in my Steam library. But there's no option to have the game without that junk, and even if you paid money, you would have to pay money again down the road, because that's how they design their system.

So there are hundreds of games that look fun, and for the first ten minutes are fun, but it's all a colorful, predatory trap. And look, I don't want to be complaining about microtransactions on mobile games in 2024, it's not a new problem, but it's just so damned pervasive and I hate having a hobby where I've got people trying to trick me.

(The use of misleading art has been a whole other thing, because you get these gorgeous, evocative screenshots that lead into shitty games. It's always been a problem, but I think AI art has made it a lot worse.)

[imthepunchlord]

Kwami Personalities

Wayzz is adaptable, patient, and cautious. He likes to work closely with his humans and will pay attention to their interests and try to join in, his means of eagerly bonding with humans and to become a quick friend. He likes to be a voice of reason, forewarn against reckless action and wants humans to think things through before they act. While he is for standing your guard and protecting others, he does stress the value of your own needs, and it's ok to withdraw into your own shell when you need to.

Pollen is sweet and eager, she likes to meet new humans and figure out their purpose and placement in the "hive", she wants to help humans find what they're good at and help them thrive and serve their purpose. She urges humans to be productive, creative, to be ready leaders but also ready team players. Depending on who she's dealing with, she's either going to push a human to be more of a leader or more of a follower. Pollen does have a limit of patience and has little tolerance for anyone unruly and unreasonable. She's more than happy to leave a human powerless until they change their ways.

Trixx is observant, coy, and manipulative. She's able to get a quick sense of what sort of human she's dealing with, getting a good idea of what to say to influence them, and likes to leave things open enough for a human to act on their own. Which can make her a tad chaotic and unpredictable, as while she stands for the greater good, sometimes she focuses on the human and their wants/needs. If she also thinks they need a hard lesson, she's willing to also set them up to fail.

Tikki is dedicated and diligent. She has high values for keeping the order, to a point she can rival Huuxi in how much she cares, and likes to urge her humans to be her ideal heroes. Those that step up to the challenge, and urge them to prioritize others. Tikki likes to push humans to step up as leaders, learn that there is much more they can handle if they put their mind to it. Tikki is also supportive and affectionate, eager to build a human up, it's often her tactic to reignite an unmotivated human. Tikki can be quite the romantic, and can attach herself to the ideas of soulmates and the one true love. She has though witnessed a lot of tragedies involving love so she can be a little wary to encourage it (though she'll glow with happiness when love thrives).

Spook is a kwami of pure chaos. She makes choices on whims and can be sporadic in her nature. The Guardians are the most nervous with her as they never knew what she was going to do. Only consistency with Spook is that she likes to go for humans who are more "orderly" either in personality or lifestyle, and need a good shake up. Spook like to encourage mischief with her humans, to work on the fly, to think out of the box, be aware of new perspectives or to look at things in a different light. To not be afraid of fun and exploring new boundaries. Spook will also like to prepare her humans to be leaders, but not always as tigers are typically solitary.

Nooroo is a gentle and friendly kwami. Open minded, he's eager to work with humans and to help them grow and change and be who they want to be. He relishes being a mentor, adviser, and friend, offering light advise but leaving it up to a human to do as they need. His core strength is covering emotional needs, which has him be very empathetic, easily coming to understand a human's motivation and reasons. Depending on it, he may help the human with their goal or try to gentle sway them in a different direction.

Duusu is bubbly, energetic, flashy, and emotional. She likes to get involved with her humans and is very engaging and animated. Due to her energy, she's been regarded to be one of the cutest of the kwamis. Though she has also been regarded to be an airhead and easily distracted. Duusu can be surprisingly observant, and can throw humans off when she notices details they didn't or didn't think anyone noticed. Duusu likes to urge humans to express themselves, show off their colors and vibrancy, for what they have is beautiful. Duusu is a huge romantic and is engaging in her humans' love life. She doesn't believe in soulmates, but does believe they can be made, but she can also believe that love is fleeting and sporadic, and humans should roll with the emotion and feelings. And if it fades, that's ok, there will be others to catch their eye.

Huuxi has a strong sense of integrity and responsibility. He is a little haughty and bigheaded, and thinks highly of his morals, but he's not blind to others, their views, and needs. He prefers to going to more "chaotic" humans who clearly need some stability in their life. While he's securing that his humans are stepping up in responsibility and being the ideal heroes that keep the people and the order of the world safe, he will also be working on his human to help them find that foundation in life, for he knows they can't fully function efficiently until they are living without chaos. Which can make it challenging when they're their own source of chaos.

Plagg is lazy, gluttonous, and selfish, often prioritizing his own wants over his duty, which has him be selectively responsible. If there is a disaster that does demand his power, he'll step up then, but most cases he does question how needed is he. It's been noted by the Order that he should be paired with someone who cares greatly about being a hero and on task. Plagg is one of the few kwamis who doesn't bother trying to guide or teach humans, often he found he was ignored so he's deemed consequences for your own actions are the best teacher. It also works for him as he gets to enjoy the chaos of how things play out. While Plagg can be aloof and nonchalant with his humans and their feelings, he can come to care very deeply for them. He may be more limited on how to care and support his humans, but he'll do what he can to help however he feels is best.

[alittlepudge-neverhurtnobody]

kinktober #12

Candy Crush 🍬 / Eldritch Nightmares 👁️

It was Patrick’s idea to put a candy bowl out at the front of the store, years ago when they’d first opened, to make it seem friendlier to families with children and people who might feel intimidated by the phrases body milk or facial polish. 

“Um, I don’t know how to tell you this,” David had hedged, wringing his hands together, “but my vision for the store is actually not that family-friendly.”

Patrick had laughed. “Oh, I know,” he’d said. “But that’s not good business for a community like this one, so we’ve gotta sand down your edges juuuuust a little.”

David had complained then, but it’s been a long time since then, and he and Patrick have come a long way, if the rings on their fingers are anything to go by, and Patrick has also been pretty judicious about sanding down his own edges, so David feels like maybe the scales are even now. Well — the metaphorical scales between them, at least. Patrick is certainly tipping actual, literal scales. And soon, David’s going to sweet-talk him into getting onto the old-fashioned balance scale he found on Etsy for entirely too much money and keeps in the storeroom for um, reasons, the main one being that Patrick says it’s way too unsubtle to keep in the house. Which isn’t totally unmerited, because the one time Alexis had slipped into the storeroom looking for the wine stock, she’d seen it in the corner and had made fun of David over text about it all day, and the last thing he needs is a repeat performance every time he hosts a holiday or has her over for brunch. 

Anyway. The scale stays. It has its uses. 

And, David is finding, so does the candy bowl.

“You know, this really wasn’t what I had in mind when I suggested it,” Patrick remarks as David does a lap around the store, straightening display items and making lines of product uniform, and casually grabs a fistful of candy on his way back around to the register. “I know you’re morally opposed to children in the store, but commandeering the candy isn’t going to prevent their presence.”

David unwraps a mini Snickers bar. “It’s not for me,” he persuades, brushing it against Patrick’s lips. “How far did you say you were from your goal weight?”

A pink tinge heats in Patrick’s round cheeks. “Not fair, David. Engaging in kink at work is not in our business contract.”

“Our marriage contract, on the other hand …” David wheedles, walking his fingers up Patrick’s big belly. “I just think that since we’re paying for the candy, we should get to enjoy some of it, too.”

Patrick’s lips are curling up at the corners, which means David’s almost got him convinced. “We could enjoy it at home.”

“Okay,” says David, “it’s not like I haven’t also proved that I am very willing to provide you with candy at home, too.”

“Provide,” echoes Patrick. “I think ‘shower’ would be the more accurate term.”

David drops his hand to grab at the doughy rolls that spill over Patrick’s belt. “I just think that you’re passing up a very attractive offer. Especially if it stays this quiet. You need something to focus on if the weather keeps everyone out.”

As if on cue, the rain outside gets louder and heavier. Patrick casts a sideways look at David. “Why do I feel like you choreographed that?”

“Um,” says David, trying and failing to look innocent. “Because I have a gifted sense of dramatic timing?”

“Yeah, that’s it,” says Patrick, and he finally takes the candy from David’s hand. “Okay. You get to do this today, but we shut it down if someone comes in.”

“Very fair,” allows David, already on his way back to the candy bowl.

—

It rains all week, and if Patrick weren’t the one in charge of handling their finances and making everything balance out at the end of each month, David would be worried. As it is, he’s already making mental lists of Costco goods they have on hand if the store goes under. And sort of regretting all the Sarah McLachlan he put on the store playlist.

“Hey,” says Patrick, nudging him with his shoulder where he’s standing by the register, nose only inches away from the rain-streaked window. “What’s the face for?”

David furrows his brows. “Am I making a face?”

“Yeah. A glum plum kind of face. I can see it in your reflection.” There’s the creak that David has come to recognize as Patrick settling his considerable weight onto the metal stool they keep behind the counter, mostly because David is too old to be standing all day but refuses to choose footwear with arch support. Patrick, for all of his impressive size, has pretty good endurance, probably because he still hikes every other weekend and religiously puts those gross little orthotic inserts in his Dockers.

“Okay,” says David, “it’s not that I’m, like, glum, per se, and I know that, like, this store is not exactly the staple establishment that the general store was, but it’s been, like, several days since we’ve had more than one person in here, and it’s getting, like, a tad  worrying.”

“David,” says Patrick, in that soft, smooth, reassuring way he has. “The store will be fine. We will be fine. The fact that we don’t have to pay rent on this space puts us a lot closer to breaking even than we would be if we were in that strip mall in Elm Glen.”

“Excuse you, I would never have rented space in a strip mall. Let alone one that still has a Radio Shack.”

“It’s just an example,” says Patrick, except now it sounds like his mouth is full. David pulls his gaze away from the rain-soaked square and the music video in his head. 

Patrick’s got a pile of fun-size candy bars piled on the counter next to him, and he’s unwrapping another as he chews.

“Oh, now you’re on board,” says David, crossing his arms. “A final plea for my goodwill as our business goes under, I see.”

Patrick rolls his eyes. “The business is not going under, David. I won’t let it. I know you need to be kept in luxury skincare and cashmere.”

“My skin is very delicate.”

“I know,” says Patrick, leaning forward to pat his cheek. His belly cants forward in his lap, sagging forward to dip farther between his thighs. And his thighs, god — his thighs, pushed even wider from the way he’s sitting on the stool, are heavy with cellulite that, in the right lighting, David can even see through his khakis sometimes. “Trust me on this one, okay? I’ll take care of you.”

David plucks a candy bar from the pile. “I’m choosing to interpret this as your way of saying that my taking care of you at work is now on the table.”

Patrick lets him pop the candy bar into his mouth. “I’ll let you have that,” he says finally. “On one condition.”

“Which is?”

“At the end of the month, you put me on that very expensive Etsy scale.”

“Yes,” David says breathlessly. “Yes, absolutely.”

“Also, I’m changing the playlist. The energy in here is grim.”

—

Patrick groans and lifts his belly so that it sits in a wobbly mound on the counter. David’s head snaps up instantly from fussing with the layout of the towels.

“Are you okay?” he asks, hurrying over, and Patrick nods, massaging his underbelly.

“I think I need to let my belt out another notch.”

“Oh,” breathes David, and Patrick grins. 

“Yeah, I thought you’d like that.”

“No one’s coming in,” says David, grabbing the box cutter from under the till. “We could go do it in the back. Or I can watch the register while you do it.”

“It doesn’t have to be right now,” says Patrick with a little smile. “I’ll live until we get home.”

“Well, you shouldn’t be uncomfortable,” David tuts. “When was the last time you had to loosen it?”

Patrick rubs at his soft chin where it doubles. “Man, a while ago. Around three-eighty, maybe? I’m on the last hole of this one, so buckle up.”

Not even the pun can stop David from whining and instinctively grabbing a mini Twix from the stash he’s begun to keep at the counter to shove in Patrick’s mouth. “How much do you think that is?”

“I don’t know, twenty pounds or so? Twenty-five? We could probably figure out how many pounds per hole if we wanted to. Could be some fun math.”

“Okay,” says David, pointing the Twix at him, “I love you so much and I desperately want you to outgrow all of your belts, but I must blacklist the phrase ‘fun math’ from our relationship.”

“Oh, I’ll do the math,” says Patrick, accepting the Twix bar. “You can just enjoy my findings.”

For that, he gets another Twix before he’s even done with the first. 

— 

The rain continues. The candy bowl ebbs lower every day, despite how often David refills it. By the week before Halloween, Patrick can’t do up even his largest belt, and his button-downs are starting to strain against the heavy sag of his belly. 

“I know it’s not the end of the month yet,” says David, somewhere between hesitant and hopeful, “but outgrowing your belts seems like a pretty sizable milestone, so I was thinking that maybe … we could …”

Patrick shoots him a knowing glance. “You just want to put me on the scale.”

“I mean, yes,” says David. “But it’s not like that will change, so we could always, you know, do it today and then again at the end of the month. It could be more incentive to, um, work towards your goals.”

There’s a long, agonizing pause as Patrick unwraps a Reese’s and pops it in his mouth. He makes David wait as he chews, and then he palms his belly and sets it jiggling as he swallows. 

“Mmmm,” he says, stretching his chubby arms over his head and letting not just his button-down, but his undershirt come untucked. His stomach tumbles out, pale and dimpled and perfect, and David experiences a rare moment of total speechlessness. 

“Oh my god,” he manages finally. “This is obviously a yes, right?”

“Yes, David,” says Patrick, squeezing his shoulder. “That’s a yes.”

He practically yanks Patrick into the back room and steers him toward the scale in the corner. Patrick steps on agreeably, then looks at David, who’s been too overcome by the idea of the scale to get weighed down by the particulars.

“Soooo,” he says, drawing the word out as he inspects the sliders and metal brackets and such. “I don’t … actually know … how to use this.”

“Oh, really?” says Patrick politely, and he somehow makes it sound like I know, David.

“I guess I can wait until we get home,” David sighs. “Excruciating as it may be.”

“Well, I have something I think might cheer you up,” says Patrick, stepping off the scale and hugging him from behind. The huge, plush weight of him suffuses David, and he feels the tension melt from his body as he sinks back into him. “I stood on the scale at home this morning, and we couldn’t read it even if we tried, because it zeroed out.”

David springs out of Patrick’s arms. “Oh my god, excuse me? And you were just going to keep this from me?”

Patrick’s struggling not to grin. “Let’s say I was just waiting to deploy that information at a specific time.”

“So we’ll have to replace that,” says David, not a question so much as a plan he’s making in permanent ink. “With a very high maximum. And I’m going to feed you as much of that candy bowl as I can before we close today. If you want that.”

“Oh, yeah,” says Patrick, folding David back into his arms. David nestles his head on Patrick’s shoulder and inhales, exhales his soft fresh air scent. “I want that.”

In the next room, the bell over the door goes off as someone enters the store. Patrick’s eyes go wide, and he hurriedly, lumpily tucks his shirt back in and makes for the counter. But even still, he turns around before he gets to the doorway and grins at David.

“See?” he says, nodding at the scale. “We’ll even be able to afford a nice one.”

[bloomingdarkgarden]

ACOTAR Zodiac Signs

Feyre | Sagittarius

Sagittarians crave expansion and exploration above all. They refuse to be caged and hunger for everything that life has to offer them. They are clear about their intentions and have a strong moral compass, which can sometimes make them overly honest and lacking in tact and consideration for others. Sagittarians tend to be sojourners, seeking new ideas, relationships and experiences that will teach them more about themselves and the world.

Elain | Cancer

Deeply intuitive and sentimental, Cancers can be one of the most challenging signs to get to know. They are highly emotional and sensitive, and prioritize matters related to family and home. They very loyal and empathetic to the pain and suffering of others. Gentle and caring, they often showing their sensitivity to the world without considering the potential for hurt. They often seek the company of those who can understand them through non-verbal communication, shared daily routines, and a deep emotional connection.

Nesta | Scorpio

Intense, passionate and cunning, Scorpios are all or nothing kinds of people. They have a natural ability to enchant others, utilizing their powerful minds to dominate situations and relationships. Deeply emotional, they can brood in the extremes of their feelings. Craving intimacy and psychological depth above all, they navigate the world to win and conquer whatever they set their sights upon. They also tend to be very fixed in their ways and unrelenting. While this intensity may seem shocking, Scorpios actually value transformation and rebirth through their heart regardless if a situation proceeds for better or for worse.

Rhysand | Gemini

Gemini is a zodiac sign that represents two different personalities in one, making them expressive and quick-witted and curious. They are sociable, communicative, and always ready for fun, but can suddenly become serious, thoughtful, and restless. Geminis may have two sides to their personalities, one they show the world, and one they keep hidden. They are always ready to give their life for a brother a friend or a lover. They process things through their minds, rather than just their emotions, which makes them extremely adaptable.

Azriel | Virgo

Virgos are natural-born problem solvers and value consistency, loyalty and productivity. They invest greatly into their goals but can become very critical or obsessive if things do not develop as intended. However, because of their tenacity and intellectualism, they are usually able to create order out of chaos no matter what. The sign of Virgo is associated with Venus's tragic fall and can reflect one's struggle to feel worthy, beautiful, or lovable. Although they can be tender, they may keep their heart closed to the outer world. This sign is often misunderstood not because they lack the ability to express themselves, but because they don't always trust their feelings and tend to prioritize reason over emotions.

Cassian | Leo

Creative, enthusiastic and dramatic, Leos love to live life to the fullest. They tend to have an innate confidence and radiance that gives them the ability to easily assert themselves and stand out from the crowd. They often like to be recognized for everything they bring to the world, sometimes to the point of pride or arrogance. With very big hearts, they can also be quite generous to those who they deem worthy of their affections. Their self confidence and attractiveness make them capable of bringing different groups of people together and leading them towards a common goal.

Lucien | Libra

Charming, social and diplomatic, Libras value peace and balance above all. They strive for fairness in life. Libras are willing to go to great lengths to avoid conflict and maintain peace whenever possible. They are inspired by good books, engaging discussions, and individuals who have a lot to say. Also, as eternal romantics, they crave relationships and partnerships and will dive into union headfirst when they find someone they admire deeply. Gifted in communication, Libras are also excellent negotiators. They tend to process their feelings intellectually but are also deeply sensitive people.

Mor | Aquarius

Deep thinkers and highly intellectual people, Aquariuses love to fight for idealistic causes. They can be eccentric and energetic in their fight for freedom, or at times shy and quiet, afraid to express their true personality. Although they can easily adapt to the energy that surrounds them, Aquariuses have a deep need for alone time to restore their inner power. They see the world as a place full of possibilities and have a need to be spontaneous, follow the moment, and live life to the fullest, never wasting precious time.

Eris | Aries

Bold, pioneering and courageous, Aries are natural born leaders. They are daring and adventurous and are unafraid to strike out into unknown territory where others would be unable to go. An eternal child at heart, Aries are energetic and aggressive, filled with an enthusiasm for life. They can be quick to anger, but also just as eager to laugh and move on. These people tend to be ambitious, active and honest, eager to open themselves up to every one of life’s possibilities. Aries are independent and enjoy sharing their fiery personalities with the world.

Gwyn | Pisces

Especially compassionate and sensitive, Pisces often putting the needs of others before themselves. They are excellent friends, enjoying a social life filled with unique people. Highly empathic, they can tune into energy that most other people ignore. However, this awareness can cause them to become overwhelmed easily. Pisces individuals are connected to art, music, and any form of liberal expression, and every representative of this sign possesses a talent they need to use to feel creative and free.

Emerie | Capricorn

Ambitious, reserved and patient, Capricorns desire to build a life that has a solid foundation. They are especially hardworking, focused on creating career success. However, they just as equally value strong long-term relationships and a domestic life as achievements. They are disciplined and determined. Because of their own sense of practicality, they may be unwilling to be distracted by feelings when it is easier to face facts. Yet, despite this all, Capricorns tend to have a solid sense of humor in order to better connect with others.

Amren | Taurus

Sensual, determined and loyal, Tauruses value security and stability above all. They enjoy the finer things in life and are attracted to the full exploration of the senses. They are drawn to beauty and pleasure and invest themselves entirely in what they believe in. These people are especially hard-working and like to take a practical approach to life. However, Tauruses are very resistant to change, which can make them very stubborn to alter their points of view.

[trubbishrubbish]

Happy Last Day of 2023. Here's a long overdue update over how I have been.

As you recall, Jabberwock Genocide Part 2 was uploaded 3 weeks ago. And the only thing I did this whole month of December after Part 2 was uploaded was that I went to Canada to climb a huge mountain and confront my other self because it’s cheaper than going to therapy.

Just kidding, I just worked on more Jabberwock Genocide, nothing else.

This is a positive as I have made so much forward progress in the animation and the upcoming part 3 that you guys won’t have to wait 9 months for more Genocide Jack fun time. However, there is a cost to just working on Jabberwock Genocide, one that I’m currently struggling to find a way to deal with.

Basically, all my free time, focus and thinking has been dedicated to Jabberwock Genocide, but other stuff I do and create I have left to the dust.

My output in making Genocide Jack posts has just stopped.

I keep neglecting to share updates to my Sho Shrine. I am still getting new stuff for it but I have not yet organized it and taken picture of it.

I have barely played any new games. The last game I have beaten that is new was Super Mario Bros Wonder. I loved that game, but I had a hard time sitting down to play it for long sessions as I wanted to work on Jabberwock Genocide.

And tragically, I have really neglected interacting with my online friends. This I feel the most guilty of as I have no excuse for it. I know there are friends I used to talk to a lot before that I have now stopped engaging with for a really long time. If you are one of those people I just to say that I am sorry for ghosting you. I still consider you a friend I don't want our friendship to slowly die out due to lack of communication on my end.

This is my struggle. I love making Jabberwock Genocide. It’s honestly the most enriching thing I am currently doing in my life. I’m creating a story with my favorite character, Genocide Jack. I’m developing my skill as a sprite animator. I’m constantly thinking about how to create a particular scene with the limited resources I have. I get a real kick of joy when I am creating a scene and suddenly an idea comes to mind that I love and I put it in the animation.

I feel so satisfied when the ideas I have for a scene that I see in my head are transmitted into actual animation on my editor. More often then not, what I make in the final product is better than what I imagine in my head. Every single line, every single detail, every single joke, it all feels so amazing to craft them into a video.

It’s crazy to think that just a few months ago, I was at a low point in the animation where all of my motivation was drained and I struggled to make progress for weeks. But now, I feel so freaking happy and elated just thinking about the animation. Heck, even doing really tedious tasks like making every single sprite jump a little is still enjoyable to me. I’ve been working on this project since August 2022. I never expected this to be what is now when I first started writing down ideas. But I am happy the project did turn into this, because I really, truly enjoy working on this.

But… That’s the problem. I enjoy working on Jabberwock Genocide so much that any other hobbies, I find less fun. I rewrote my brain to dedicate huge parts of it to think about Jabberwock Genocide. I’m fully being this attached to a project like this isn’t healthy. I should be consuming different media and doing other activities and talking to my friends. I know this but I find it difficult to summon the energy to do it.

I’m still trying to find a good balance between working on the project and doing other leisure activities that I enjoy doing. I’m going to make this a goal for 2024, it might take me a while to find that balance but I will try to. Hopefully when I do, I can slowly rekindle friendships that I have abandoned.

That’s what I wanted to say. Thank you for taking the time to read this. See you in 2024.

[sapionic]

Horoscope For All 12 Signs For 3/30/2024

All 12 zodiac signs forecast for March 30, 2024

Aries - Your energy might be so active and possibly on overdrive that you will need to seek something that will ease your mind and bring you down a notch. You are likely to be more scattered than usual. If you can schedule some form of travel, that can help ease your mind, but just pay attention. You may be focused on being outdoors no questions asked or you can be very likely to want all information about communications that arise. You likely have choices between multiple things and should choose what will bring you the most satisfaction. Everything seems loud or extreme for you today so be aware. Some of you can have a high amount of interactions at work or near you in your environment. If you find yourself being extra critical today or nitpicking, just loosen up. Surrounding yourself around fun and positive energy is recommended. Some of you can have rowdy tempers today while others can just be surrounding by lots of stimulation.

Taurus - You may be detached today and focused on yourself. Rightfully so. If others seem detached, it is because this day is meant to be spent by yourself. There could be new opportunities presenting themselves to you one way or the other. You may need peace of mind. You could be very active on social media. If so, you should just post a picture instead of posting your personal business or worries. You may not be too focused on the details today. Some of you are loaded with work or other duties so when you find time to relax or pamper yourself today, do it. You may be busy for the most part, but it seems you definitely want to feel a sense of connectivity. The day is mainly looking dutiful.

Gemini - Just like Taurus, some of you guys could be busy or likely doing something tedious. You are likely productive today in some way. You can be cleaning, organizing, or simply working today. Good day for creators of any kind as you are likely to want to utilize your time wisely today and won't tired easily which you can put towards your ideals or projects. If work is the priority today, you will be more likely to make it fun while finding creative ways to use your time.

Cancer - You are hesitant and not likely to get into anything you dont feel whole about. This is not a day to shy away. It is a day to show up in some type of way. There is a wrapping up of some sort so if you feel heavy, this is why. There is likely something you are doing a lot of. Since you may have a lot of stamina today, this is a good work day or time to focus on projects. Good building day. Ethic, time, patience is the theme of the day. Some of you guys may be more likely to be private with certain things. Good day to keep things to yourself if you truly feel that is the best option. Some of you can be more avoidant on this day while others can tap into things related to beauty or creative art of some sort. There may be multiple things you can engage with, but it's conducive to spend this day with people close to you.

Leo - You may be extroverted today. Let me tell you that you dont have to try to force attention today because the energy supports a natural flow of fame just based on your natural creativity. You want to make sure you are not wearing yourself out for people today and know when to put more focus on yourself because today you are likely to overdo. Good day to volunteer. That would be a better way to utilize this energy. Romance is favored for you today. Big purchases is likely for some of you. You may be goal-oriented today so good day for any personal goals. Maybe you can do things in steps. Attention is definitely a highlight or you are feeling yourself.

Virgo - You are likely to picky with your energy today and you should be. Good day to focus on home and family matters. The energy is conducive for you to focus on yourself and your own comfort. What makes you feel safe? Some of you can be showing a lot of compassion and charm, but mainly to the people you truly value. Good day to do anything charitable. For some of you, you might be a little too quick to chat it up about too much so the day will require you to be cautious with your actions. Avoid unnecessary drama. Be careful that you dont come off rude or inconsiderate today. You might have some scattered energy.

Libra - You are advised to operate from a place of observance and innovation today with the outside experience you come across. Generally, the day may be pretty much smooth sailing for you. You may be pampering yourself or just in a good mood overall. This is a day where you will be willing to embrace spontaneity. Caution and sense will be used today fro many of you. It seems like some of you will have some tasks you are taking care of. Very ambitious energy so a lot can get accomplished today as you guys are feeling like you want to be proactive. Good energy for those of you with projects or businesses.

Scorpio - You guys might have some intense emotions today or there is just a lot on your mind today. Some of you may want to use your time wisely. Whatever you do, you are receiving a lot of attention and possibly may be in charge of something in particular. Impulse of some kind is likely today. You may find that you are more curious or invested in information you discover. Some of you can be coming off overbearing or pushy so be aware of that. For others, you can be operating from a place of innocent, immaturity, or playfulness. This is a day where it is better suited to focus on yourself.

Sagittarius - Likely to be a fun day for you and you will be operating from your natural energy as well. There can be a lot of fun about your day. Good day to party or attend stimulating events. You may want someone's attention romantically today and this would in fact be a good day for romance. You want to see what the day has to offer. You either want to spend a lot of time with good friends and company or there is some pressure regarding your friendships today. Something may push some of you guys to space out or distance yourselves. The day is active and full of adventure for you guys so you will likely enjoy it.

Capricorn - Big party energy. You can be entertaining today and also being entertained. Good day to party in some way. Social energy and battery is high. People may be more social with you today. You can be likely showing up with a bold, strong, or playful energy. Good day for creativity and pleasure. Although you are likely to still operate for your usual work-mode energy, you are advised to let loose and enjoy yourself today. It's like you get a pass.

Aquarius - Good day to focus on your own family and lover. This day is better suited for you and your direct family or surroundings. If you feel like you want to relax and be domestic today, the energy is screaming this. Good day to cook, eatm and watch movies or simply hang out with your loved ones. If certain things dont go your way, it is just leading you to relax today. You are likely to be private. People may be wanting to have more information about you, but you are only telling things you want to tell. You may be hiding information today or being selective and practical about your engagement. If you have to work today, you have the energy for it and will tackle your work with ease. Some of you can be a little more quiet than usual or this is an intimate type of day.

Pisces - You may feel like you are dealing with a natural heaviness today. The things you partake in though, you will likely spend a lot of time doing it. Good day to be practical. The energy is more balanced and serious, especially if you only want to spend time with yourself. There can be pressure with family or the home life in some way. Good day to do something useful. Use this day for proactivity. You are likely to be scattered or spontaneous today, but it is better suited for you to be sensible before getting into things. You may also decide this for yourself. You may be tempted to rush into something, but you may choose to be smart about it instead.

[slow-slug]

(not) lonesome practicalism

AN: Okay first of all, the person who forced me into making tumblr account, please do not look at this post lmao I want to save my dignity, let's pretend it's not here. Second of all it's all @angelchigiri fault that I've written it, and thirdly it was not suppose to be that long but my hand slipped. And at the end I want to mention, english is not my first language and I do not have a beta, so yk, probably a lot of mistakes, sorry :,) Enjoy!

Its all fluff I promise! Oh and it's Chigiri x Reader ofc!

🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

You pouted as the ball you just had kicked rolled not into the direction you wanted it to go. You had to admit it was a very pitiful picture, the net of the goal waved slightly with barely noticeable breeze, and the ball was, well, not in the middle of it as you wanted it to be. 

It was really frustrating, you were on the field that belonged to your old school, for quite some time now. Long enough that the sun started to set, and the hot summer temperature was slowly but surely becoming a chilly one. 

You felt like a fool, despite the fact that because of summer vacations no one was nearby, you still were feeling rather embarrassed. How was kicking a ball into the right direction so hard? It just never went the way you wanted it to go, honestly it was so silly, all you wanted to do was learn some basic football movements. That’s all! Was it so bad wanting to be more invested in your boyfriend's activities and passions?

You flopped down on the hard ground, feeling the artificial texture of it beneath your fingers. 

Sighhhh.

Honestly, Chigiri was so amazing in every way. He was caring, a gentleman in always asking about your mood, and making sure you were comfortable in everything you two were doing. Since you started dating, two months ago, suddenly your world felt a lot brighter and colorful. You spent so much time together, and when not, you were texting and sending stupid photos to each other. A true honeymoon phase in all its glory.

But the most important thing to you that he was doing was the way he was so invested in your hobbies and interests. You never had someone so, so genuinely interested in your passions. It was such an amazing feeling, when he sent you links to silly videos that he knew you would be interested in, and what's most important was the fact that he was never scared to spend time with you doing those activities. No matter what it was. Baking? He would research the best recipe that there exists. Dancing? Bring it on, with his coordination skills it was a lot of fun twirling together. Drawing? He wasn’t really good at it, but you still had the portret he drew of you, hanging up proudly above your desk. Hell, he even went shopping with you for new makeup products you needed and later, when you got back to your house, he did face masks with you and cuddled while watching some cheesy kdrama. 

And you wanted to return the favor, so, a whole week you spent walking to the field and practicing the damned football. It was your favorite thing, watching him being all excited about matches and scores. He smiled so widely and his eyes sparkled with such a real passion. And you wanted to be part of this world as well. 

You understood the rules of the game, knew the professional and more inside terms used for different moves, you were there for Chigir’s practice when you only could, you were watching matches with him and engaged in long discussions about them. 

The only thing is that, well, you kindly speaking, sucked at playing the actuall game. 

And it was so embarrassing! 

You heard your boyfriend's wishes that you could play some nice and short matches. He had never said it outloud, but you could read between the lines well enough that you understood his shy smiles and quick looks on the field when you were passing by it. So you did the only reasonable thing. Decided to learn this sport, at least a little bit, so you could surprise Chigiri and see his beautiful smile when you would show him the skills you had. 

You observed the slowly moving clouds. Well, you must admit that the practice you had, everyday for the whole week, was really effortless. Sadly. The ball never went in the direction you wanted it to go, you couldn’t run with it without losing it or falling on your face. You didn’t even attempt dribbling. 

You covered your eyes with your arm sighing quietly, and felt the frustrated tears to prickle them. This isn’t fair, you’ve seen so many matches, and Chigiri’s practices, so why couldn’t you repeat any of the things he did? 

The moment you decided to stand up and try again you felt someone laying down next to you also sighing quietly. Your tensed muscles relaxed as you felt your boyfriend’s comforting smell enveloping you. Dammit, you didn’t even hear him creeping on you.

You laid in silence for some time, breathing quietly. Then you felt his pinky touching delicately yours, and you smiled softly against your will. 

“Are you gonna tell me what you've been up to this past week?” He asked quietly not breaking the tiny physical contact he had with you. 

“It’s stupid” you’ve murmured. 

“It’s not if you spent so much time on it” he responded gently. 

That made you uncover your face and shift it so you could take a better look at him. Pink hair spilled around him, and tickled his perfectly looking skin. His pink eyes blinked at you, patiently waiting for your answer. 

“Promise you won’t laugh?” You’ve asked uncertainly, it was so stupid now that you looked at it. He nodded softly, enveloping your hand fully and giving it an encouraging squeeze. “I just wanted to learn some basic football I guess…” you turned your eyes to your hands observing the color of your skin. You heard a quiet oh, and your face flamed red. 

You’ve quickly sat up, and buried your head in your knees. That’s it for you, never coming back nope. And Chigiri was still silent! He did sit up with you, not so abruptly as you of course. He was always so smooth and elegant in every move. 

“You did?” He sounded weirdly breathless. You nodded without looking at him. You sat there in silence for a while. You wanted to go away, to stand and ask Chigiri to forget it, to never mention it again, so you can just skip this embarrassing chapter of your life. Yet, before you could act on those thoughts, you felt arms wrapping around you from behind and his hair tickle your nape when he leaned on it with his forehead. 

“Gods I love you so much.” He whispered in a hushed tone. You felt the warmth on your cheeks and the butterflies in your stomach. Chigiri never really says it outloud, his love is more hidden in gentle kisses and in the time you two spend together. You muffled a groan, his random declarations of love will always mean so much to you.

He stood up, and turned to be in front of you. When you looked up, the last sun rays made up a halo around his hair and the smile that graced his lips was so fond and kind. He put out a hand in your direction. 

“Come I’ll teach you.” And in what world would you say no to him? 

🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

i feel cringe

[ashen-crest]

a stats report on the rk ashwick books (as of April 2023)

some folks responded positively to the idea of seeing data on how my books have done (for indie author research and benchmark purposes), so here you go!

I'll put everything under the cut:

📚 What do I write?

Cozy fantasy romance under the pen name R.K. Ashwick.

📚 Why do I write?

Because I love it. I have a full-time job that isn't related to writing, so I write in my spare time. I should also note that I do not have dependents, am not a caregiver, and I do have anxiety and ADHD. I am not certain that I want to be a full-time writer, given the financial instability and the joy it could take away from writing. However, I want my books to be and perform the best they can, so I try to be professional about my product and methods.

(To me, this is all important context to be up-front about. Finances, family size, and health all have a huge impact on an author's goals and strategies.)

📚 How many books do I have out?

The Stray Spirit: released August 2022. First in a planned trilogy.

A Rival Most Vial: released March 2023. First in a planned trilogy.

📚 Online Visibility

Here's what I have going on:

Paid:

Website (requires $ for hosting)

BookFunnel for newsletter promos, sales promos, and ARC distribution (site requires $ to join)

Unpaid:

Newsletter (currently managing on free version of Mailerlite, since I'm under 1000 followers)

Facebook page (not consistently maintained, mostly for SEO)

Instagram, posting 5x/wk

TikTok, posting 5k/wk

Tumblr- hi!

using things like LibraryThing, GoodReads forums, Reddit, and FB pages to find more ARC readers

I was doing Amazon ads, but recently nixed them, as I didn't feel they were really getting me anything. I'll likely return to them once I have more books out.

A Note on Follower Count: I have, like 10 FB followers, 400-ish Insta followers, 1500 TikTok folders, and almost 1600 Tumblr followers. I've been on Tumblr the longest and TikTok second longest. TikTok had the fastest growth, Insta the slowest. However, general advice is that engagement rate is more important than follower count. I'll be real, I'm not doing that hot on that front. I'll consistently get around 20 likes on Insta posts and TikTok often caps my video views at around 200 or 300. The videos that do the best on TT often aren't the ones related to my books. Fun times.

A Note on Newsletter Stats: I have a pretty consistent open rate of 25-30%, which I think is okay. I'd like for it to be closer to 40%. (It's also hard to actually track open rates, so that number isn't entirely reliable.)

A Note on ARC Reader Stats: I got 100 readers for TSS and almost 200 for ARMV. This resulted in a ballpark count of 20 reviews for TSS and 30 reviews for ARMV around release time.

📚 Other Marketing Strategies

What you see above under Visibility is my ongoing work. I also do more limited-run strategies, like:

occasional free book giveaways on social media

pre-order gifts for my book

I sent out around 20 pre-order gift envelopes for TSS and 45 for ARMV. I operate the pre-order gifts at a loss, but I really enjoy doing it, so I'm okay with it. I also have lots of leftover stickers and bookmarks that I can bundle with giveaways.

📚 Distribution

I distribute wide through:

Amazon: both ebook and paperback

IngramSpark: paperback only

Draft2Digital: ebook only

📚 Orders & Royalties

So, what did all this work and shennanery get me?

From July 2022-April 2023 (10 months):

Books Sold: 575

Total Royalties, paid and unpaid: $1543.49 ($2.68 per book)

📚 Is that good or bad?

I have no idea!! And I think in the end, it all depends on your goals.

If my goal was to make a living: welp, it's def not enough.

If my goal was to break even: between website set up, DBA set up, cover cost, editing cost, illustrator cost: nah. I'd have to make about $4,000 more to safely say I've broken even.

If my goal was to get strangers, and not just family and friends, to read my books: oh hey, I did that!!

I hope this information helps you set a goal, so you're not mentally wandering around like I am.

📚 Other Notes

A big factor in having a financially successful indie book is fitting genre conventions in your chosen subgenre, or 'writing to market.' I will say that A Rival Most Vial is more written to market than The Stray Spirit is. The Stray Spirit sort of straddles cozy, historical, and academic fantasy without actually leaning in to any of those things, so it's a little harder to market.

I also spent a lot on cover, editing, and illustration. That makes it harder to be a financially viable business, but it's what I wanted to do to have a strong finished product. I am lucky in that my full-time job can cover these expenses.

I'm not very good at social media. I've never had anything go viral on any of the sites.

The most rewarding part of all this is seeing how people react to the book: reviews, videos where they're almost crying over the book, podcast invitations, and [something a bit bigger than I'll announce in the summer.] At the end of the day, if I have a small group of buyers who are vocal in engaging with my books, that's far more rewarding than a large group of buyers who don't engage.

📚 Parting Thoughts

I'm happy to talk about any and all aspects of my self-publishing experience. If you have more questions or want more details, feel free to reply, send an ask, or DM me!

[sitp-recs]

Hey Liv.I would like to start doing recs and since you are my reference in this, could you please share tips?And beyond that do you find the stories by saving the tags?What blogs do you recommend following to find good storys?You also have an organization tip for tumblr? I will enjoy reading your opinion and I wish you a great weekend.

Ahh I’m so pleased to hear that, that’s exciting news!!!! Reccing is hard work but also really fun and rewarding, I’m sure you’ll be great at it! I’m not the most organized person in the world so idk if I’ll be very helpful, but after a few years of reccing I feel like I can share a few tips. Though my top advice is to have fun of course, and not be afraid to use your own voice - get creative, tag the author, babble at your heart’s content (you can keep it simple or find innovative ways to highlight your favorite things about a fic) and try not to compare yourself to others. Let your passion for the fic guide your reccing and I’m sure you’ll find joy and have a great time!

1. Find your own style: no one can rec a fic you love the way you will! Don’t be afraid to rec with your own voice and play around with different aesthetics to make it more personal, engaging and creative. Making banners is still one of my favourite parts of my own process.

2. Don’t set yourself impossible schedules or unachievable goals: reccing should be fun! I found myself quickly losing steam and inspo as I tried to follow a regular schedule. If you can or prefer doing that, great! But don’t turn it into a chore by telling yourself that you need to be productive at all times and put new content out there everyday. Follow your own pace and don’t be afraid to slow down/step back if it becomes too much.

3. Organization tips: I am terrible at keeping track of my recs so no authority whatsoever but I highly recommend creating a masterpost with all the links for easier access (both for you and your followers). I’m lazy and don’t go beyond bookmarking the fics I enjoy on ao3, but you can use tags to sort your bookmarks or create a separate spreadsheet archive compiling all your reads, if you have the time.

4. Follow and boost other creators: fandom is all about community and I truly believe that the more you give, the more you receive. I’m always happy to boost, reblog and collab with fellow reccers and creators, I’ve learned so much from them! Btw @lostdrarryfics compiled a huge list of Drarry reccers here and I highly recommend checking them out if you’re looking for new blogs. @lostdrarryfics and @drarryspecificrecs also provide a great archive of hidden and older gems, I love going through their posts every now and then and find myself new reads. Back when I had more fandom time I also used to binge read my fave authors and then go through their bookmarks, another great way to find new fics that might meet your tastes.

5. Have fun! The number one only rule 🙌

[edvinception]

i am so baffled at all the asks and stuff on here today 💀 people truly are rude and have nothing better to do and only are brave enough behind a screen and anon. i just cant understand what the point is to send all these asks just degrading and judging edvin?? and discussing his future career as if they know all his goals & plans? and like their opinion is standard fact? like i’m not AS info edvin as i am omar, but all i’ve ever thought of him is that he’s sweet, charming, fun, determined & hardworking, and a dreamer in his own way. he just has different goals than omar which makes sense given their careers & i feel like people cannot stop comparing them when that just doesn’t make sense. and i agree that we need to stop having “success” in the movie/tv/film/music world being equated to only hollywood. i’m sure edvin has had all kinds of offers, auditions, opportunities, etc. etc. that he has thought through and tried for and things are going how he wants. he has seemed quite happy & joyful about the projects he has going that he’s announced so far…aka 2 major movies and YRS3…yes it’s swedish productions bc….HE’S SWEDISH. he’s so incredible to watch on screen and off. i love his interviews. he was so fun on twt when he used to interact and he has every reason to boycott social media ffs. artists like omar cant exactly afford that bc a music career is v different, but these anons are making me just pissed and mainly sad bc wtf did edvin do to them?? why can we not just put good vibes and manifestations out there for him and for the things that will bring him happiness with whatever success he desires?? even if he’s “basic”, god how refreshing to see somebody being themselves. to be honest about his youth and entry into the industry and to offer kind words to other young people entering it. he’s a beautiful person, he has kind eyes and a cute smile and lovely hair no matter the style and he’s loving and engaging and intelligent. he speaks about important things like mental health. he knows how to have fun!! and i have nothing but great feelings about where his career is gonna go and the kind of roles and films he could end up in. i have a feeling something in english or more international is on the horizon…he has traveled and talked with people and definitely more than we’ve seen. it’s just so sad to see these trolls and constant negative discussion. he’s such a cutie and has always been so sweet to fans and open about his struggles and is putting himself first as he should. idk what more you could want from someone who appreciates their job and success and gives their all and stays humble. just because omar is “busier” doesn’t mean edvin isn’t doing things and happy with his career. they’re just different and it’s so telling that people are unhappy with their own lives to be already discussing the downfall of edvin’s career when he’s really just starting. he’s doing what he’s passionate about, what speaks to him, not what just gives him the “best” career numbers and fame wise. people’s priorities and sources of happiness can look very different and it’s quite easy sometimes to see who has it right.

Both Omar and Edvin are hardworking, passionate and very driven.

They have different personalities and of course career paths. This will of course influence how they are and how they act.

It doesn't mean one is more successful or interesting than the other but some people will be mote drawn to Omar and some to Edvin.

It's just pointless to compare or bring the one of them down to hype the other.

Regardless, thank you for your lovely words, anon. Such a positive ask to wake up to.

[therealnightcity]

2, 15 for Hiro 🐱 12, 23 for Ares 🔥 35, 50 for Avi❄️

Character asks for @dreamskug 😘💕💕

Hiro:

2.) Do they have any daily rituals?

Hiro likes having time to relax in the morning before he has to work, and plays on his phone for a bit, while he sips his coffee and goes through any messages/notifications he's gotten. Sometimes it's work stuff, but sometimes it's just for fun, and he might play around with a couple photos to post. The cats don't allow their mealtime to be forgotten, so it's usually the same time every day. Misty comes and feeds them on the rare days he's not home. In the evenings he usually lights a stick of incense or a candle (kept out of reach of the cats--they haven't tried anything stupid yet but he wouldn't put it past them either). Usually followed by a long, hot shower. Hiro tries to set at least a couple minutes a day for spoiling himself--it feels like an impossible luxury that he'd never have even considered before.

15.) Biggest and smallest short term goal?

A small short term goal is to get a regular basis of clients/focus on one fixer so he can be more select in the jobs he takes. There was a point where he was very indiscriminate in the sort of work he's doing, and he'd like to establish himself better, so he can afford turn down jobs on occasion when they don't feel right, or he just needs a day off, and it's something that isn't time sensitive. He knows it's unwise to blow off fixers completely but he can't deny he'd like a little more security and freedom in the gigs he takes.

One of his bigger short-term goals is to set aside enough money to be able to travel more. He'd never want to leave Night City permanently, but there's so many places he's never been and wants to see. He's never seen an actual forest before, or snow and taken time off to sightsee, and not be tangled in the Claws, or working all the time. It matters less where he goes and more that it's somewhere new, a change of scenery, and break in his routine.

Ares:

12.) Favorite book genre?

Ares isn't typically discriminating in her reading tastes. She gets bored on her own, and doesn't come by a lot of books in the Badlands, so she'll read almost anything she can get her hands on, from educational texts, to fantasy novels. Her guilty pleasure is romance books, the trashier the better, and she has a little stash of bodice rippers that she's acquired over the years. She wants to enjoy poetry but seldom has the patience to discern the hidden meanings in it, and usually goes for something that keeps her flipping pages. She also adores mysteries, and has spent many quiet nights with her nose in a book.

23.)How organized are they? How does this organization/ disorganization manifest in their everyday life?

Ares for all the things she is, is not an organized person. She somehow knows where everything is, even if nobody else does. Her garage is immaculate, but her home is usually cluttered, her mind usually on something else, or preocupied with a particularly stubborn problem. She's good at not losing objects, but she's not good at remembering dates/engagements unless they're written down somewhere. It's never for lack of caring, but it's harder explaining that to clients who's appointments she's forgotten. Her desk is usually covered in a bunch of sticky note reminders to herself, and she goes through a mental checklist before she leaves her house--keys, wallet, phone, before she's allowed to close the door.

Avi:

35.) What activities do they enjoy, but consider to be a waste of time?

Avi enjoys salon days, even if it feels like a waste of time. He tells himself that's it's part of his job looking his best, but really he just enjoys feeling spoiled, and enjoying a rare moment that he's not working. He has expensive tastes, whether it's clothing or care products, only the best and he's not shy about voicing it. That being said, he's decent to people who wait from him, if not exactly warm, because they're inclined to perform better if he's not a complete asshole. He's more than capable of being charming if he's so inclined, and the situation suits him.

50.) Is this person afraid of dying? Why or why not?

Avi has always been afraid of dying--that's part of the reason he became involved with Arasaka in the first place. They seemed to be the most likely party to hold the answers he wanted, and the best chance he had of surviving Night City without the protection of a gang, and simultaneously the dangers that come along with it. Arasaka has it's own risks, but they are one's he's well versed in, and he saw them as being worth it, for the rewards of a luxurious lifestyle, and the best cyberware, and training money could buy. It's still something he's paranoid about, and his break from Arasaka only intensified this, but there's another interested party that offers answers, if he's not afraid of his aliances shifting.

Thanks for asking!!! I had so much fun answering these~ 🥺🥺