#if i had money I'd commission so many of you

[warpedpuppeteer]

And when buddie start dating and buck posts a photo of him kissing eddie where they're both grinning too wide for it to be a proper kiss on his ig story with the caption "ally" then what 🥹

[casual-eumetazoa]

The job search is sucking the soul out of me. I've started looking into various online gigs/work from home opportunities and it is a sea of slop that I'm drowning in. It pisses me off so much because like, I know I have valuable skills, I have two degrees, I speak three languages, and even after burnout I still have a decently functioning brain. I just have no idea how to apply any of it to a paid job -_-

I literally need like. 500$ a month to survive. That's it. I'd be fine doing 20 hours a week at minimum wage of my country. I just cannot find anything suitable for myself. I still have time to find something but jesus christ, it is exhausting.

[psi-hate]

alright, this really, really sucks but i have an unfortunate update that occurred regarding my recent living situation.

not to get into too much detail for the sake of my friend's privacy, but she and her fiance offered to take me in after i was suddenly on the verge of homelessness this february. i accepted their offer and moved in thanks to everyone's support, and for the last few months, i felt comfortable and capable in getting myself together for the first time in years.

however, despite what i assumed were all positive developments, things started getting a lot more complicated. i become exposed to the treatment and stress my friend has been suffering from her fiance over many years, from being spied on via tracking apps, in-house cameras, a ridiculous jealousy complex and all sorts of other personal issues.

her friends and i have been supporting her over the years, but i didn't realize how bad it was until i started to be subjected to it as well.

my friend decided to break up with her fiance last week, finally standing up for herself but still wanting to remain friends and live as normally as they could, they still had the house and their cats and such. her now ex-fiance hasn't taken kindly to this and has been pretty passively hostile towards us, and has started to take it out on me.

she started stalking my tumblr to find things to get mad at, and checking the cameras when i leave my room. i've not felt comfortable to leave my room in well over a week other than to get some food or use the bathroom in the middle of the night, the tension has been a nightmare.

my friend and i decided we needed to move out, especially me since i'm technically not a tenant and we suspect she's going to call the police on me to get me out of here. my friend will be going to her parents at a later point, but i unfortunately need to leave within a couple weeks as i've already been "indirectly" threatened.

this is sort of a nightmare, and i feel so horrible things turned out this way for my friend. i tried my best, but this feels out of my control. trying to keep the peace has only made things worse, and we think it's best for me to book it before i get blind-sighted.

i suspect if her ex-fiance sees this, she'll retaliate, but at this point i've already made my peace with that.

unfortunately, i won't be able to bring much of my stuff with me, i only have enough money for a ticket to move in with another close friend as an emergency.

i don't have enough to buy any checked bags for most my belongings, especially my desktop pc, so once i move i'm very likely going to not be able to do my art or anything until i can afford a laptop eventually. i'm really sorry to those waiting on any commissions, i'll try my best to get them done before i move. i feel so horrible about this.

if anyone is able to help, i'd really appreciate it. even just a reblog is more than i can really ask. i hesitate to make this request because i feel like i just asked for it only for it to all be wasted once this exploded in my face. but i've been encouraged to reach out, and i apologize if this is too much. my ko-fi:

thank you so much for supporting me so far. i don't want to disappoint anyone anymore. i am so scared but i still want to keep trying.

[godbirdart]

Hey there. Ive been admiring your work a long time and I was hoping I could get some advice from a more experienced artist.

How do you go about deciding which commission submissions will proceed forward? If you decide to decline a request how do you go about it? I recently started accepting commissions and get nervous when certain requests are too vague, too difficult or the requester isn't fully answering my questions and I dont know how to go about justifying a decline. Is it okay to decline a commission submission?

aAA thank you for enjoying my work!!

i could talk for Days about commissions and how I handle my own work, but I'm going to try to keep this short and simple for ease of reading:

i use a Google Form in combination with a number generator for my commission openings

reasons why i use a Google Form and number generator: - to avoid favoritism / client bias - to push my comfort zone with a variety of projects - to ensure i'm not taking on more work that i can handle

The Google form will automatically assign a number to each form, making it easy for me to pull up a website and ask it to generate a number between [insert number] and [insert number]. That said, I will still manually go through each form. Occasionally I'll pick up a project if I notice someone's reapplied a couple times who wasn't selected during previous openings, or if a project especially appeals to me, or isn't something i'd usually draw!

declining a commission / project:

yes, it is always okay to decline a project! you are not obligated to accept every submission that comes into your inbox / form / etc. there are many valid reasons to decline a project, from a conflict with your Terms of Service, to making sure you don't take on more work than you can reasonably handle.

if the project doesn't inspire you or spark that creative passion, it may result in frustration, exhaustion, and you might wind up handing the client a subpar art piece that you're not at all proud of. it's much more honorable to be upfront about it than to subject yourself to such grief as you waste your time and energy and your client's time and money.

ways to decline: it's always important to be polite. depending on your reasoning, you could say "Thank you for considering me for this project, but, ...." - "... This is not a project I'd be comfortable taking on." "... This project conflicts with my Terms of Service and I cannot accept it." "... I cannot accept it at this time." "... but I would not be able to fulfill your request to the detail / complexity you are expecting for this piece."

there's no shame in saying "i would not be a good fit for this project". i've had clients ask me for hyper-realistic work, which is quite far from my art style. while i could do it, i'd rather not put both myself and the client through months of frustration and waiting for a project i am not completely confident in executing.

if a client is being too vague, not answering questions:

it happens! not every client will communicate thoroughly. some clients will over-communicate, and for others there may be a language barrier so their difficultness may be entirely unintended.

you can't do the job if you don't know what you're supposed to be doing. never be afraid to ask your client for clarification on their request. phases you can use would be: - "I do not have enough information to begin work on this, could you clarify these details: [insert questions about details you need elaboration about]" - "I cannot proceed without knowing more about [insert thing], can you tell me more about [thing you need clarification on]". if your client being deliberately obtuse and refusing to supply the necessary information, you can be more firm with them such as: - "I will not proceed any further with this project if I do not receive [insert details]."

on clients being too difficult:

"difficult" is a bit subjective here. what may be considered difficult for one artist may be a walk in the park for another. this said, i'm going to use some very generic common examples here.

too many irrelevant notes, or randomly forwarding details / requests instead of condensing their ideas into one message:

"Thank you for these additional notes, however: ..." - "... please only supply notes that are directly related to the project at hand." [such as notes on the expression, environment, pose, etc - things that you need to know for the artwork you are working on] - "... please condense them into one message instead of sending multiple messages. I want to stay organized / do not want to lose track of your notes."

frequent requests for updates, or changes to the WIP / final art:

note: you should always be communicative and receptive to a client's request for updates, but here i am referring specifically to excessive requests such as numerous requests sent multiple times a day. additionally, what is considered "excessive" will vary depending on an artist's average turnaround time. "Thank you for reaching out, ..." - "... but I do not yet have an update for you at this time. I will reach out when I have an update ready for you, thank you for your patience." - "... but these requests are too frequent. Please allow more time to pass between requests for updates." You could also ask your client if they have concerns about the turnaround time, if they need the work by a specific date for a birthday / event, etc. It is important to consider that some clients may have been scammed by an artist in the past and their insistence on updates could be a result from that. if a client keeps requesting edits on the concept / sketch or final piece, you're within your right to say enough is enough. this will also vary depending on the artist's individual work process. if the changes are getting excessive, you could say: - "As we've undergone numerous edits to this, I will permit one final request for editing after which I will -" [move on to the next stage, cease work on this project, issue a partial refund, start asking fees for edits, etc; insert next step of your preference]

ignoring work hours / terms of service / communication channels

as an artist, you should set a firm boundary of what is a working day and what is not. you are not in a profession that is "on-call" 24/7. you can save some headache by having your schedule posted on your website / social media or wherever your queue is publicly posted. anywhere that is readily accessible for a client to easy find. - something you could say is: "My work days are [insert days], I answer work-related messages, work on art, and send out updates [if applicable] on those days. Thank you for your patience." if you prefer to have your work messages confined to one social media account or email, it's okay to enforce that! but be sure to have it posted in easily noticeable spots like pinned posts. - something to say here would be: "If you need to reach me, please do so via [insert platform / email etc]. I will not respond to [comments / DMs on other social media, etc]." terms of service, same as above, should be in an easy-to-find location and should be easy to read. if a client's prompt or action conflicts with your ToS, you could address it with: "As mentioned in my Terms of Service, [address thing that conflicts with your T&C."

language barriers

sometimes you may have a client with a language barrier. we live in a vast world, after all! be patient with them, and depending on their fluency, do your best to simplify your questions for them. if you know your client is using an online translator, try and avoid using jargon. we've come a long way with online translators, but they're not going to spit out the right translation if you ask "are they supposed to be super shredded and beefy" and the translator tells your client "should they be shredded meat".

dropping a client

this is an absolute most extreme last resort, but i bring this up since we're on the topic of difficult clients and this particular stage isn't spoken about often. no artist wants to up and drop a client, but sometimes it's better for all parties involved instead of dragging out a bad experience. dropping a client could result from a variety of factors, including: the artist is retiring from art, something has come up in the artist's life and they are unable to continue, a client has become abusive, or an agreement cannot be made on a project or the project has caused a conflict of interest between the artist and the client. if you must drop a client, you could say: - "I apologize, but for [insert reason] I cannot continue with this project. I will be [refunding / partially refunding] this project." If it's for medical reasons, you can say "due to a medical complication, I am unable to continue" - and leave it at that. Your client does not need elaboration on your private medical information. The same goes for private family matter or other personal issue. artists shouldn't let guilt eat at them if they are physically incapable of completing a project due to personal reasons. things happen, life happens. the vast majority of your clients will be understanding and appreciate that you reached out to them to address the situation instead of leaving them in limbo. If you have to drop a client because they're being genuinely abusive and hostile and not respecting you, your time, or your work, you can say the same thing as above. There's zero need to retaliate or be hostile back. The situation will likely make you feel awful, sure, but firmly staying professional is the best thing you can do. When issuing a refund, always specify when the client should expect their refund to arrive. "A refund has been issued and will be processed through [insert payment method] shortly." or "A refund will be issued on [insert date]."

This wound up long anyway despite my effort to shorten it, but ah well.

If you'd like more elaboration on something, don't hesitate to ask! Some sections did get pruned down in my futile effort to keep it short, so things might've ended up a bit vague or convoluted [my apologies].

[electricpurrs]

hi people

here to bring in an update - after a long time of art block, i'm finally opening commissions again!

to talk about my situation - as i've mentioned in many posts before, my mom has had issues with her job that led her to not receiving her paycheck. this has been our situation for the past 4 months, and without her paycheck my ko-fi money has been neccessary to help with basic necessities at home.

in good news, said job issues have finally been solved, and my mom is going to receive her next paycheck. it won't immediately solve all our problems, specially with all the debt we've had to sink in because of it, but hopefully our situation will be improving from now on

right now, my current focus is that because we don't have the paycheck yet, my mom wasn't able to afford to pay our electricity bill, and i had to pay it myself otherwise our power would be cut off

you can see here how much that is ^ so i'd like to cover for that.

with all that in mind, i'm opening 2 slots for icon commissions and 1 slot for a fullbody commission

it's not much but that's because i really want to avoid accidentally burning myself out by taking too many slots. if it works out i might open more slots in the future

i also have a two furry design adopts open for sale! 1 / 2

if i can sell all this stuff that will be more than enough to cover for my expenses, so i'm deeply thankful for any help ^_^

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Am I the asshole for calling a (now ex-) mutual a stingy asshole?

So to start, I (NB20) am in a pretty rough situation, I'm facing homelessness soon, transphobia at home and work and my hours have been getting cut resulting in me making even less money that can sustain me. I have a toyhou.se forum post up stating I have emergency commissions open to help me out and to please support me if you can. This is where the situation begins. I have a mutual on toyhou.se who I'll call Apple (MTF22) I talk to sometimes to the point I'd say we are friends, not super close but friends nonetheless. She made a bulletin telling people about my commissions and to please comm me if they could which I'm very grateful for since I did get a few customers from her because of that. The thing is, a few weeks later, she made a bulletin talking about how happy she was so many commissions she bought were finished around the same time and posted all of them with the artists tagged in the post. It was honestly... quite a few, I'm talking like 9 pieces of art of her fursona and even a custom vtuber model she got of her sona. I was going to reply all happy for her, but it made me think... how much did she spend on those commissions?? So I went through all the artists socials to find their commission prices and came to a total of fucking $385!!! More than half of my current goal I'm trying to make through commissions to stay out of homelessness!! So I messaged Apple saying since I saw she bought a few commissions if she was interested in buying a comm from me. She replies saying "Ohh! I'd love to <333 but im just not in a place to buy any more comms right now :< sorry >.<!!" So I casually reply really? because it seems like your in the perfect place to help me out after already spending over $300 in commissions. She tells me she's sorry and really wishes someone would be able to help me out but she just wasn't that interested in my art or a custom to which I tell her she could've easily donated to my ko-fi which I have always had since she clearly has money to spend? To this, she straight up IP blocks me. So still fucking annoyed, I vented in a discord server I share with a few friends from being in a few shared CS together, saying how annoying it is rich assholes like her would drop half a thousand for a picture of their fursona but don't even blink twice at their so called friends. anyway, one of my friends takes a look at Apples th profile and notices she has a new bulletin up and sends me a screenshot, but anways the bulletin reads like "hey!! just saying, but please dont come into my dms acting like you know my financial situation better than i do, just because i buy a lot of commissions doesnt mean im made of money! and please dont think that me commisioning artist 1 means i hate artist 2? thats so weird, thanks!!!!!" and seeing all their subscribers just kissing her ass pissed me off so i made my own bulletin that just stated "i thought it was pretty fucking weird to know how bad ur friend's situation was and to go buy a bunch of comms instead of buying a comm from or even throwing a buck to help me out? like yeah im gonna think i know ur situation better than u, you stingy fuck!!!" Anyway, she mustve been block evading (which I reported her for) since she unblocked me, took a screenshot of my bulletin, then went on about how she lived in an abusive household; her dad had thrown her into a sink and chipped her tooth, bruised half her face and scarred it pretty badly. She bought a bunch of commissions immediately afterwards in a panic to make herself feel better, paying everything with her savings. Which to me.. isn't an excuse. Ive been hit and abused and still found scraps of money to pull together to give to mutuals who need it and Ive been bumping my own post like crazy and she had literal weeks to donate or comm me. Not to mention Ive had exmutuals of hers come to me saying that shes never donated anything to them either despite advertising their posts but always had money for plushies, comms and other crap, meaning Im not alone in thinking shes a stingy asshole. This is getting long, so here, tumblr AITA?

What are these acronyms?

[cowgurrrl]

It Ain't Me Babe

Pairing: Joel Miller x fem!reader

Author’s note: A holiday present from me to you ❣️

Summary: Ellie’s first art club meeting [2.8k]

Warnings: creative insecurity, mentions of financial instability, teacher things, Ellie talking about Sarah, more flirty flirt, I think that’s it??

Nothing has ever been as annoying or guilt-inducing as an unfinished piece of art. Sure, every artist— no matter the medium— has felt like an uncreative, unoriginal hack, but it still feels just as new as it did the first time. Moonlight streams through your window as you glare at the canvas, hoping for an idea or stroke of genius. It's late. You should be in bed, especially since it's a Sunday night and you spent your weekend working at the bar down the street. But you're holding a paintbrush between stained fingers and praying for a miracle. It's been eight months since you last sold a piece for a whopping $200, chump change when it comes to living in Austin these days. Even with two jobs and doing commission work, you're living paycheck to paycheck. Maybe that's why it's so hard to create? That has to be the reason. You don't remember it being this hard when you were younger.

Creating art was the only thing that brought you solace during your teenage years. It didn't matter if it was drawing, pottery, painting, sculpting. All that mattered was that you were doing it and you were good. You won awards, scholarships, and attention. Your art teacher, Ms. Henry, was a godsend. Grey-haired, glasses-wearing, colorful Ms. Henry glided through lessons and projects like it was second nature. She always had pencils in her hair, a mug in her hands, and a kind word on her lips when you entered her classroom. She's the one who pushed you to go to your artsy liberal arts college full of people richer and better than you. Even with her love and support, you struggled and almost dropped out after that first semester. 

"There's always someone better," she told you when you ended up crying across from her in a coffee shop. "But there's nobody in the world who can make what you will because there is and never will be another you. I mean, God, what a gift. I'd hate to see you waste it." That sobered you enough to keep going and eventually pursue a teaching certification. Ms. Henry has since retired to the Pacific Northwest with her wife, Mable, and sends you a postcard every once in a while because she believes smartphones will be the downfall of civilization. After so many years in education, you're ready to agree with her. 

You sigh, feeling your motivation fluttering away with your breath, and plop your paintbrush down in the cup engraved with the words "DO NOT DRINK" in bold. The canvas doesn't look like much of anything right now— just a mass of colors and shapes that could potentially pass as an abstract version of a landscape. It looks like the other painting you left at the school to work on when you have time. And the painting before that. And the one before that. You curse at exactly the same time your phone buzzes with a text. 

You awake?

You don't bother responding and go straight to FaceTiming her. She picks up on the second ring, her beautiful, round face greeting you with a smile. You met Andie during high school, and her effortlessly cool attitude and bulky violin kit quickly became a part of your heart. You two were inseparable all four years of high school, dividing your time between rehearsals and time spent in the studio, but college took you to art school and her to a prestigious orchestra program in Vienna. She's been there ever since graduation, playing for diplomats and royals alike, but she comes home for holidays, and you've been trying to save money to go see her. Being so far from her is hard, but you make it work. 

"Why are you awake?" You ask by way of a greeting, more than accustomed to your seven-hour time difference and her early riser habits. She laughs, and you hear a tea kettle whistle in the background. 

"Well, hello to you, too," she says. "I have rehearsals all day today, so I got an early start. Why are you awake?"

"I'm staring at my waking nightmare." 

"Oh, God, are you having another spiral?" 

"I'm a hack."

"You're an artist."

"I got rejected again this weekend," you say as if to prove your point, and she sucks her teeth. "They said my art didn't fit their vision for their exhibition, but to feel free and submit another time."

"Well, they must not know great art when they see it. There will be another exhibition and another chance for you to show off your amazing skills. And when you get accepted, which I know you will, I'll fly in, and we'll drink fancy champagne and talk shit the entire opening night." She says, and you sigh. Her persistent optimism is one of the things you love about her, but sometimes, all you want to do is sulk. 

"Or I could fly to you when your first composition gets performed, and we could do all those things in Austria instead of this shithole."

"Hey, some of us like that shithole."

"Some of us haven't lived in the shithole in ten years." 

"Touche," she concedes. "But I'm serious about what I said. You're a good artist, just going through a little bump in the road. One day, we'll be really sexy and successful, and we'll look back at this and laugh with our rich spouses while drinking expensive wine."

"One day," you say, smiling. "How are rehearsals going?" She groans at the question, and you laugh. Whenever you talk to her, she's working on a new show or with a new conductor and always has something to say. There are many things you could call your best friend, but lazy is not one of them.

"I feel like we're stuck on this one part, but the conductor won't listen to me. He says he knows better than I do, which might be true, but also, if he just listened to me, then we can move on. I don't know. I'm sure if I poke him enough, he'll have to listen to me."

"Sounds reasonable." 

"That's what I'm saying," she says as she shuffles her coffee mug and breakfast to her dining room table before checking the time. "It's midnight there. Don't you have school tomorrow?" She asks, and you sigh.

"And an early morning staff meeting and art club after school." 

"Sometimes, I worry about your mental health." She says, and you laugh a little too deliriously to prove her wrong. You stay up talking with her for a while before finally getting hit with a wave of fatigue and crashing into bed. 

The next day is not any less hectic than your weekend was. The staff meeting early in the morning is mind-numbing and completely unnecessary. The printer in the teacher's lounge breaks halfway through a heavy-duty print job, and you're left scrambling for new activities and lessons. Not only that, but your students were more out of control than usual, prompting a veteran teacher to come in and scold your class on your behalf. It would be kind if it didn't make you feel two inches tall and your students didn't look at you like you betrayed them. You spend your planning period indulging in the silence of your empty classroom and fighting off a migraine. 

The second the final bell sounds, your art club kids are knocking down your door, more than ready to work on their projects for the winter showcase. The winter showcase is hosted by a local art gallery that opens for submissions from students every fall. If a student's work is taken, it gets shown in the gallery, and they get entered into a prize to win money and a chance to paint a mural downtown. It's a big deal. So far, you haven't had a student win first place, but you've had them get very close. You always assure them you're proud of them no matter what, which is especially true when Ellie slinks into your classroom with a shy smile.

"Hey! We're just setting up supplies to work on stuff for the showcase. Do you have something to work on?" You ask, gesturing to the students working around the room in a buzz. 

"I think so. Are you gonna play music?" 

"Who do you think I am?" You make a face, and she laughs. "Why don't you find a spot and get comfortable while I queue up a playlist?" She hesitates for a second before she takes a deep breath and musters up the courage to approach another student to ask if she can sit with them. They start chatting easily, and her shoulders relax as she gets more and more comfortable with all the new people. You put on a random playlist and move around the room to answer any questions about colors or give an opinion when asked for one. Over the course of an hour, Ellie makes her own little group of friends, and they all talk as if they've known each other forever as they work. She seems so in her own element, and you can't fight the pride beaming in your chest. Okay, so maybe your job can be pretty cool sometimes. Not fame and fortune cool or traveling overseas cool, but cool nevertheless.

Students gradually start packing up their things and leaving when they get texts from impatient parents in the parking lot or close to dinner time, but Ellie stays behind, bobbing her head to a beat or bouncing her knee under the table. She's the only one left in the classroom when you start packing your stuff and preparing the room for the next day. "You've got a ride home, honey?" You ask, and she glances nervously between you and her phone.

"Yeah. My dad should be here soon." She says. 

"Alright, well, I've gotta lock up here, but I'll wait outside with you until he gets here."

"Oh, you don't have to do that."

"It'd make me feel better knowing you weren't left behind. Plus, I'm the adult responsible for you until he picks you up, so it's kinda illegal for me to just leave you here." You say, and she looks hesitant again but nods. Together, you walk out of the classroom and through the empty hallways until you get out to the scorching September afternoon. You stand outside in silence for a few seconds, taking in the sunset, before you turn to look at her.

"How'd you like the club?" You ask. 

"It was fun! I met lots of cool people."

"I told you, kid. You just needed to give it a chance."

"I know, I know," she rolls her eyes, and you smile. "Thank you for pushing me to go. I don't think I would've gone without you." She's so genuine and kind in her tone that it throws you off-kilter. You're used to being berated by students, staff, and parents. To be told you actually had an impact on someone is not commonplace, to say the least. 

"I'm sure you would've found your way there without me." 

"Maybe, but you helped me get there a lot sooner than I would've on my own." She says, and you take a deep breath. It feels nice to be acknowledged, especially after the day you've had, and Ellie seems to sense it. You're looking for something to say when she looks down at her shoes and kicks a stray rock. "Just take the compliment and move on. Don't make it a thing." 

"Alright." You say, laughing, and she cracks a smile, too. Traffic will be horrible on the way home, and you have nothing to eat for dinner, but it's okay. You did one good thing today. That's all you need. 

"Sorry, my dad is taking so long." She changes the subject, a touch of anxiety creeping in, and you shake your head. 

"Does he always work late?" You ask, and she shrugs.

"Sometimes. Dad and Uncle Tommy have been picking up jobs to send money to my sister in Boston. "

"What's in Boston for your sister?"

"Medical school. She's about to go into her internship at a hospital there."

"That's a big deal." You say, and she hums. 

"Yeah. She'll probably save the world or something one day." There's a hint of something nostalgic in her voice, and you decide to push just a little. 

"Do you miss her?"

"A lot," she says. "She's my best friend."

"She's lucky to have you." You say. She smiles but doesn't say anything. You want to ask more about her family, but a rickety, greenish pickup truck comes rumbling through the parking lot before you can. Ellie shifts her backpack on her shoulder as her dad and uncle come into view, and you smile at them. Joel, however, looks frantic. 

He's unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the driver's side door before the car can even finish moving. There's dirt on his pants and a little bit of a sunburn across his arms, the muscles straining across the black fabric. He politely pulls the ball cap off his head to reveal sweaty curls as he approaches you, jerking his head toward the truck at Ellie. "Why don't you wait in the truck with Uncle Tommy? He's got a snack for you." He says, and Ellie lights up at the mention of food. When you're alone, he tucks his hands in his pockets and gives you an apologetic look. 

"'M so sorry. We got caught up at work and lost track of time. It won't happen again." He says, wringing his hands like he's waiting to be scolded, but you wave him off. 

"It's okay. Things happen, and I'm just glad she's got someone picking her up." You say. 

"How'd she do today?"

"Really good. I think she fits right in."

"She make some friends?"

"I can't give away all my secrets. What else are y'all gonna talk about at the dinner table?" You tease. 

"I guess that's right," he says as he stares at you, a muscle in his jaw jumping. "Thanks for waitin' with her."

"It was my pleasure." You say. You stand awkwardly for a few seconds, rocking back and forth on your feet. His eyes are locked in yours, and there's a silent competition to see who's gonna blink first. "Well, I should let you get home. Have a good night." 

"Uh," he starts, stopping you before you can even fully take a step. "I wanted to apologize for the other night. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"You didn't make me uncomfortable," you say a little too quickly, and he smirks. "I was very flattered. Besides, it's not the first time."

"Beautiful woman like you, I'm sure you've got 'em linin' the block for a chance with you." He says. You're dancing a delicate dance here. You're not not flirting, and you're not not interested in him, but if your principal finds out, it could cause a whole new world of problems. Still, it's nice to be wanted after so long of being on your own. You're not a saint, but you're also not doing anything inherently wrong, right?

"The teacher thing usually freaks 'em out before they can get very far."

"That's a damn shame." He's quick with it, and you have to resist the urge to roll your eyes at the line. A buzz in your bag reminds you of the time and why you're still at school, and you find your footing again. 

"Uh, I usually give out my contact information to the parents of my art club kids in case they need anything or need to contact me quickly. Since Ellie's an official part of that, I figured I should give you my phone number in case anything comes up. If that's alright?" You say, and he pulls his cracked phone from his back pocket. 

"Yeah, yeah. That's more than alright." He says, handing it to you to punch in your information. 

"It's for emergency purposes only."

"What d'you consider an emergency?"

"Mr. Miller-"

"Joel." He corrects, and you give him a look as you pass his phone back. 

"Don't abuse it. I'd hate to have to put you in a group chat with all the PTA moms."

"You're evil." He groans, and you laugh. Tommy, leaning over and honking the truck horn, interrupts your conversation, and he shoots daggers through the back window. 

"I'll see you next week, Joel." You say, dismissing him, and he hesitates for another second before nodding.

"See you next week." He says and turns on his heels to get back in his truck. You think you vaguely catch Joel scolding Tommy for being impatient, but you ignore his deep voice and the engine sputtering as you walk to your own car with a little more pep in your step than this morning.

TAGLIST: @abbyhaslongshorts @kiwiharrykiwi @sumsworldz @myloveistoolittle @anavatazes @marantha @cosmoscoffeee @shyminnie07 @beezusvreeland @eddiemunsonsbedroom @harriedandharassed @doodlebob-mp3 (look at how many of you there are!)

[elvenbeard]

Reposting the boyo for a little interest check!

No mysterious third or fourth options, but if you have an opinion not covered by the poll, feel free to leave a reply! :D

I'm asking cause I had fun doodling Kerry and I love doodling stuff for others (and it would be a good excercise for sure too!). AND also I'm obviously asking cause I could use the money xD I'm still paying monthly rates for my current laptop since my old one broke at the start of 2023 and I'd be so happy to finally have that monthly monetary burden off my back xD So I'd open a whole bunch of slots - not sure yet how many (probably between 30-50), and how or when I'd go about working through them (most likely a google form where you submit your ref pic - as these would be simple sketches 100% based off of ref pics). I could also imagine streaming some or all of it, for some additional entertainment value xD

A "not more than 1 hour spent per drawing" kinda deal, or even something like pay what you want style comms. Also yeh, not just Cyberpunk as a fandom obviously, anything goes, OCs as well, (and I'll also draw your mom or your pet if you wanna xD) as long as you have 1 good reference screenshot/photo for me to work with! (obligatory disclaimer that exceptions may apply in a few highly specific cases - when in doubt just ask!)

Would super appreciate some feedback and if you'd reblog this so more people see :D tysm!

(also, my regular comms are also still open btw! link in my pinned post!)

[theambivalentagender]

Hello all! So if you follow me, you likely also follow my comic Valley Echoes as well as any of my other art drabbles. You may also know that I've been financially limping along for some time.

For context, my day job is dog grooming. It's a "career" I came into relatively recently and honestly love. However, my location has recently been incredibly dead. I haven't been able to make commission from lack of dogs and my hours have been cut drastically.

I'm currently looking into finding extra work where I can that will still fit with my technically full time schedule. This has been a big part of why the comic updates have slowed considerably in the last few months.

In the meantime, however, I did want to show that I am available for commissions at this time. This is the first time I'd be getting into commissions, so if folks do request I just ask for patience as I figure it all out, but I'd love to be able to draw your requests. I have a vgen account that's still being set up at the moment.

I also want to plug my Patreon again - honestly, the fact you all give this much for what I do now is incredible to me. I recently met the fun "milestone" of Patreon temporarily locking access to my withdrawals because I had made enough money this year to require filling out a tax form before my funds could be released, which I did. Maybe it's silly but it made me a little happy. I also have a Kofi though that's updated less.

This next part ended up being much longer and more personal than I expected so I'll put it under a cut.

Anything at this time would help immensely. Cost of living is insane, I just turned 30 and keep wondering how much longer I'll be able to keep renting, let alone ever saving to afford a home. I'm very, very lucky in that I have support from my dad, who has honestly been one of my strongest lifelines for years. But I obviously don't want to have to keep taking so much of that support from someone who should be enjoying retirement.

There are a lot of expenses I keep having, and things I'm putting off. The ipad I use for art has been cracked for months, but is still functional thank god. I recently finally bought myself clothes that aren't falling off my body after losing over 100 lbs in the last year. I have to buy and maintain my own tools for my grooming job, and I have to maintain my own health, both mentally and physically. My left hand/arm probably has nerve impingements and muscle strains science hasn't even named yet lmao. And of course there's taking care of my two terrible feline children who cause nothing but chaos in my home and who I love dearly.

Even if you don't give monetary support though, I so, so greatly appreciate every one of you who shares, likes, or comments on my work. I just recently got an anon who I mean to reply to soon gushing about they love Valley Echoes. Nothing makes my day more than waking up to see a million notifications that's just one person liking each of my comics as they read through it the first time.

Ever since I was 6 years old I wanted to be a storyteller in some way. I used to draw my own Dilbert and Far Side comics, and I constantly wrote wild fantasy stories. But after going through college, dealing with a huge amount of stress, burnout, and just one random person online telling me that I needed to hear the harsh "truth" that my writing skills were garbage, that spark was just gone. Excluding occasional stuttering starts, I didn't really write for years.

Doing this "silly" comic and getting the feedback I have is starting to rekindle that spark. I have so many stories of my own that I'm starting to make tentative plans on producing in some way. But even if I never become some official published recognized author, I feel like just putting out this comic is fulfilling that dream I had as a kid. So thank you again, as cheesy and long winded as this post has become.

[dapper-lil-arts]

So uh. My freelance work here is kind of dying.

I thought i'd keep my long-term followers on the know-how, so i might as well write about my current circumstances here, give y'all an update, so to speak.

So, for several reasons, most of them not even my fault, i've been getting less and less commissions, almost none, actually, and the ones i get are usualy on the cheaper side, which is bad concidering that this is my livelihood, commission money pays my bills, my groceries, and my taxes, and now i sure as hell am strugling to imagine this will sustain me for long. Twitter is a sinking ship ever since elon went over, Specificaly for people like me. I had just broken into 12k followers there, a huge milestone for me, and then i got shadowbanned, and for the last few months i've gotten *nothing*. It's completely dead, i'm stagnated there, all my arts are censored, and there's no way for me to undo it or fix it, and so i've gotten less and less comms out there, which sucks because its the only reason i was even on that stupid site. Here on tumblr, meanwhile, the CEO went on a massive transphobic streak, and a lot of lgbt folk (which composed a lot of my following,) decided to jump ship, and i sure as hell dont blame them, but sadly that's more potential costumers that bailed, and there's no proper website to go to. Anywhere i'd go, i'd be starting from scratch again, which would be utterly disheartening and frustrating, and there no website that is kind to artists, with no algorythim, that also have a messaging system (the latter being ESSENTIAL to the way i do comms) So i'm kind of stuck. I just. have nowhere to go, and nothing to do. And last but not least, my own fault, I've just been drawing and creating what *I* specificaly want, on an hedonistic streak this year. That's why theres so much pony bs on this blog now, and why i was straight up posting poetry a while back, and have written hundreds upon hundreds of fanfiction pages in the last few months; Which, unfortunately, is a terrible business decision if your intent is making money. Which I surely should have prioritized, but in the end, its not up to me, its up to the costumers... So now i'm a bit stuck. I've enjoyed the things ive drawn and written more than anything i've ever done, and yet, i've never been less successful on the actual business side. I'm still considering my venues, my possibilities, but there's not many. Trying to get a job would certainly pull me away from creation, and i'd hate it regardless of what it was, and on another venue, theres no guarantee that going back to furry titties would bring me money.

and that's whats heartbreaking about it too. no matter how much effort i put on my work, theres no guarantee of sucess, so why even spend time trying to craft a masterpiece? why not just follow trends and make a tiktok account or whatever the fuck makes money these days. I'd rather not, frankly. And i wont. Well, that's about it. Thanks for reading this update, that's how my life is goin atm. i'm going to continue doing as i am right now, but yknow... I'm not sure what i should do, if you want to give me suggestions, feel free.

[banrionceallach]

I used to write a moderately popular HP/Good Omens crossover. I started it before JKR made transphobia her entire personality.

I decided to stop writing it in 2021 when I could no longer justify engaging with HP in any way, because making any kind of content for it, even transformative content, contributed to JKR's money pile, even just indirectly.

I left the fic up, because people had got enjoyment out of it and I was proud of the effort that went into creating it, but I left a note on the fic explaining exactly why I personally could no longer engage with HP, even though I had fun writing the fic and really missed doing so.

Most people who read the fic either weren't that invested in it and so moved on with a shrug, or were invested but understood that HP was, to quote a tumblr post 'just covered in the fucking ooze'.

But every now and then I get well-meant comments along the lines of: I want more of this fic, please continue it, it's not harming trans people to continue engaging with HP, you can solve the problem just by adding trans representation to your fic! You can engage with HP all you like as long as you don't directly buy things!

And yes, I can see that argument has a couple of valid poins. Transformative art is one of the points of fan fic. And if the author has been dead for donkey's years and is no longer using the income from their creation to get people oppressed and killed, then I'd agree.

I can, just for example, engage with works by HP Lovecraft and quite like transformative works based on his original material. (Salute to the monsterfuckers!) Because he is six-feet-under and me commissioning art of sexy cthulu in no way benefits him.

But JKR is alive, wealthier than god, and actively engaging in stochastic terrorism against trans people. It is not the same.

And so the undertone to these comments, whether intended or not, is 'can't you compromise on people's safety and human rights? Just a little? Pweez? My personal entertainment is important!'

Do the commenters intend this? No, I don't think so. I think their argument is made in good faith.

But the comments, like HP, are just covered in the fucking ooze.

To those commenters, I am sorry, believe me. It is the most minor, not even microscopic-violin-worthy of problems, but I do resent the fact that JKRs shite spoiled an act of creation for me. I understand that it does suck when you lose something that brought you joy.

But she is helping to get people killed.

There are so many other authors out there who have brilliant stories and are not using their earnings to hurt trans people.

Please try them instead.

[katsukikitten]

Villain!fem reader x subby!prohero deku

Warnings: stepping, degradation, bondage,

No editing or beta read, 2.7k I don't wanna talk about how it's Izuku 😂

They made it too easy, much too easy. Making you grow bored even as you marvel at the fresh jewelry that shines across your throat, fingers and wrist, black bag at your back, heavy with loose diamonds and whatever else you could get your sharp claws on.

Along with some delicious black mail the small jewelry store owner had in his "hidden" vault under the floorboards beneath an oversized desk that exaggerated his importance, which you found was a common thing among men.

Heroes especially, making a pissing contest of how many people they could save. Who loved them the most. They needed rankings that correlated with their pay as if that wasn't concerning enough, the hero commission had more government subsidies than any other organization including public schools and services.

But in the end it proves one thing and one thing only, money is power.

And you loved both.

Combat boots hitting the concrete and weaving through the alley with ease as the pro hero struggles to keep up. He doesn't even bother to yell stop anymore, he just breathes heavily, green electricity sparking across his muscles as he struggles to keep pace.

"Do you like diamonds, Zuzu?" You ask stopping in your tracks to brandish your wrist covered in the sparkling gems. He quickly digs in his heels, bringing his hulking frame to a halt as he tries to grab onto your wrist.

Moving with unnatural relaxes, ducking and weaving his assault as the frustration grows on his face. Emerald eyes set hard; he flounders every attack and falls for every feint.

"Hey." A bite to your voice, kicking him harshly in his chest before taking the enforced rope at your side and quickly restraining the bulking hero, "I asked you a question."

Stomping your boot onto his chest and he lets out a long loud groan. You had fought the pro several times before and not once did he make a sound like that. Devilish smile to your lips as you pull harder on the unbreakable rope making it tighter on his wrists. He pants as he struggles, fighting against the smothering effect of the restraint that mutes his quirk. Green electricity lighting up his handsome freckled face as you watch him squirm in delight,watching his muscles flex in his skin tight suit.

"Ya know if I didn't know any better," You purr, digging your heel into his ribs making him gasp, jade eyes blown wide, "I'd think you'd like this."

"I-I don't." He pants, swallowing down a whimper as a malicious cat smile pulls your lips up.

"You don't?" A giggle as you lean closer, putting more weight on his chest, "Big strong Deku-chan doesn't like to feel small?"

This time a whimper does escape his scarred lips and you smile, rising back to your full height. Thick thighs pushing at the ground for leverage but the rope was just an extension of your quirk. Sapping the energy from his body faster than he could produce, sweat beads on his brow and you notice how bulge. Taking the toe of your other boot to ghost over the outline of it. Once, twice, and a third time as it grows to attention and when you press harder than you should he lets out a throaty, delicious moan, letting his head fall back with freckled cheeks flushed. Emerald eyes avoiding yours at all cost .

"Please." It's so soft and you let out a loud laugh.

"Begging already?" Pressing harder and he whines so pretty, making arousal pool between your thighs, "Ya wanna be called a good boy that badly?"

Sadistic giggle when he screws his eyes shut, nudging his balls and you watch him bite his lip.

"Zuzu ⁠♡." Sickeningly sweet before it goes dangerously low as you add more pressure, pulling harder at his restraints, "I asked you a question."

"Yes ma'am!" He squeaks, "I want to be a good boy."

He feels dizzy, only ever becoming this submissive when he was exhausted, his body weak and unresponsive aside from his twitching cock from your words and foot.

Even then it was never this easy for him to feel so fuckin high. He blames your quirk but your plush mouth isn't helping.

"Aaahh that's good." You caress his cock gently before yanking him up, moving your planted foot to his stomach making it difficult for him to breathe. Kneeling so you can be nose to nose as you watch saliva gather in the corner of his mouth that he swallowed thickly, "Are you like this for just anybody?"

"N-no ma'am." Deep green eyes hazed so beautifully, "Just for you."

"You just want me to call you a good boy." He whimpers when the rope pulls so tight it starts to make his fingers numb, "But you've got to earn it."

"Yes ma'am."

You giggle, plenty of men have been in Izuku's position, some bigger, with long red hair, some smaller with ruby red wings and others that you couldn't even bother to remember.

"Should I collar you? Keep you as my own pretty boy?" He squirms under your scrutinizing gaze as you tap your claw to your lower lip.

He swallows again, he shouldn't, he shouldn't answer this. He was the number three hero and here he was melting for one of the most chaotic villains on the most wanted list.

Slowly so slowly he nods and your smile grows far too big.

Expertly taking the slack of rope to lasso it around his throat binding him now by his wrists and thick neck. Pulling to make him hunch as he follows.

Silently leading him to one of your many safe houses nearby. Pulling him into the apartment that had little to no personal decorations. Almost as if the place was staged for something else.

Dragging the massive man through the apartment until you're standing in the living room,

"On your knees." He falls faster than you thought he would. Even kneeling Izuku was tall, head by your stomach and he'd have to place his plush ass against the heels of his stupid red boots if to be able to eat you properly. You hook a chair with your foot and pull it to you. Sitting on it as if it were your throne while he keeps his eyes glued to you in your body con suit. Watching his Adam's apple bob nervously makes you smile, even wider as you let a heavy silence settle between the two of you. Watching him squirm as he waits impatiently for your command.

"Kiss it." You purr, lifing your boot to his mouth, he leans over without hesitation and kisses the steel toe shoe, "Lick it."

He takes the broad of his wet muscle and licks it as tears come to his eyes.

"And this one." You switch feet and he obeys. Giving it a kiss before another swipe of his tongue.

"Do you like me, Zuzu bear?" You ask and he nods, "Think I'm pretty?"

"Yes ma'am. Gorgeous, stunning. Strong." He sighs the last word, long lashes fluttering.

You wrap your legs around his neck pulling him to you. His nose pressed right against your clothed cunt, burying his face in further. Taking a fist full of his curly emerald hair and pulling him back harsh enough to make his scalp burn. Looking down into his eyes and it's like he's looking up at a God. It makes your cunt throb.

"I like compliments Izuku." You purr his name, grabbing at your breast roughly and he whines. Imagining the weight of it in his hands. Thinking of all the times you've pressed yourself against him in a teasing manner and he salivates. You push him roughly away from you and he catches himself with his sheer strength of his core alone. Settling himself on the heels of his feet.

You hook your claw on the front zipper to your suit and pull it down until it exposes not only your breasts but your pretty cunt. Your other hand slowly tracing the skin until you gently cup yourself and watch his face contort.

"Ma'am, may I compliment you more?"

"You may." You spread your lips to expose your slick folds, fingers going through them making such a nice sound.

"You always smell so nice, even when I've been chasing you for hours. Your skin is soft in my palms and the way you look right now, you were right to put me on my knees. I should be worshiping every inch of you." Lighting dances under his skin again and it makes the rope glow. The surge of power makes you bite the inside of your cheek, makes the coil in your stomach tight.

Fingers swirling over your clit as he showers you with compliments. Not moving an inch despite how badly he wants to be buried between your thighs. Whining when he watches you buck against your own hand. Small digits disappear into your tight heat making a soft squelch echo around the room as your other hand furiously works your clit. Big eyes staring at you, whimpering as he watches you pleasure yourself. Fighting against the restraints with twitching fingers and the burst of energy makes you cum on your own fingers with a loud moan.

"May I have the honor of cleaning you up ma'am?"

"Who would have thought the goody two shoes hero would be such a fucking pevert?" You giggle, removing your hands and spreading your legs, "You may."

He hovers over you for a moment as he waits for your command.

"Kiss it." He leans down and presses the softest kiss to your cunt, before your voice goes dark, "Lick it."

Quickly he dives into your heat, letting his wet muscle lap at your cunt as he groans at the taste that coats his tongue. Sucking and lapping harder as if he'd never have the chance to eat something this delicious again. Tears in his eyes as he thrusts up into nothing, forcing his tongue into your still contracting cunt.

Groaning as his cock throbs painfully, covering the inside of his hero suit with white sticky ropes putting him in an uncomfortable dampness.

"Zuzu did you just cum without my permission?" You giggle, a breathy sound as he tries to hide his embarrassment by eating you with more fervor. Carding your fingers into his hair again to yank his hair back, tears stuck in his lashes as his cheeks burn bright red.

"Yes ma'am. I'm sorry, you just taste so fucking good." He whines and yelps when your boot presses against his mess.

"Don't you want to be a good boy for me?"

"More than anything!" He sounds desperate, more tears in his eyes and he looks so fucking pretty like this.

"Then let me use you." You shove his face back into your cunt and drag his nose across your clit as you grind into his face. Uncaring that he might be struggling to breathe but his whining groans proved he could.

He eats you once you let up on your grip, sucking at the sensitive bud until your legs are shaking around his head and his cock stands at attention again.

"Ah Izuku! Izuku I'm going to cum. Good boy. Good boy!" You moan, grinding roughly into his face once again as you let your head fall back. Chest heaving before you shove him away. His face covered in your slick, falling from his tongue with his own spit as he looks more fucked out than you.

"Stand." He obeys, again his strong core giving him an advantage. He towers over you, even when you stand yourself and yet still looking down at you he acts as if he sees God.

"Sit." Pointing to the chair and he obeys. Groaning when you zip down the fabric of his hero suit and expose his sloppy cock. Covered in his pre and cum. You giggle, wrapping your manicured fingers around his thick length and giving it a teasing pump.

"So messy." You play with his cock for a moment longer as he burns the sight of your hand on him into his memory. Thrusting up into your touch with a desperate whine.

"This cock is so pretty. I could just sit on it." You sigh.

"Use me, please use me." He looks up at you with pleading eyes, frustrated tears in his eyes again. Even his lip is quivering and the sight makes your cunt clench around nothing.

"You'll let me ride you like a dildo? Won't cum til I say so?"

"Yes ma'am. I'll be good. I won't make a sound." You grab his chin harshly, your nails biting into his freckled cheeks as you snarl.

"I didn't tell you to be quiet. I told you not to cum until I say so. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am." He breathes out heavily before you shove his head away. Straddling him and slowly lowering yourself into his cock. The burn making your mouth part into a constant O as Izuku watches himself disappear inside your velvet walls, panting.

"You're like a bitch in heat." You comment and he nods in agreement. Groaning when you've taken him to the hilt. Giving a teasing pace of not enough for him but just enough for you as his cock head brushes over your g spot just right. His dark pubes giving the perfect friction for your throbbing clit. Teasing him for well over an hour as he throws his head back, feeling you flutter around him for the fourth time, your drooling cunt soaking his lap and the chair below him.

His breath comes out in almost unsatisfied groans, it feels good. So good. But he needs more, needs to be able to fuck up into you.

"You want to move?" You dig your claws into his shaking shoulders, drawing blood as you bring them down to his chest. His cock twitches in your heat.

"I want to please you ma'am."

"Then please me." You lean closer to him, lips a breath away from his, "Come on Zuzu, be a good boy and make me cream on your cock."

He wishes he had control of his hands, he wants to dig his scarred fingers into the fat of your hips and bounce you on his cock while he thrusts up with reckless abandon.

For now he thrusts up into you as best he can. Roughly hitting your sweet spot over and over making you moan long and loud. Hardly putting in any effort, just like before as you take your claws all over his chest and shoulders. Not caring that you were leaving red ribbons in your wake.

"Fuck Izuku." Breath caught in your throat as he continues to fuck up into your tight heat before the coil in your stomach snaps. Making your cunt squeeze him tightly as you let out a long loud moan, bucking against him through your orgasm.

"M-ma'am. I'm close I'm so close." He whines, still going since you never asked him to stop.

"You are?" A sadistic smile on your lips.

"Yes ma'am I am." He cries out, biting his lip until he tastes blood. You feel good around him, so warm and wet. Squeezing him so nicely and his sac is tightening with his abdomen.

Suddenly you pop off of him and a frustrated sob racks through his body as he slumps forward, hard cock throbbing painfully with no relief.

"Why?" It's so small and defeated it makes you laugh loudly.

"Oh silly Zuzu. You came without my permission earlier. Only good boys are allowed to cum." You pull him to his feet by the rope around his throat. Tucking his rock hard, soaked cock back into his shamefully sticky pants. Shoving him through the front door before pulling him by the rope close to your face.

"I'll see ya around won't I?" He gives a nod with a sniffle before you take your rope. Shoving him further into the hall before slamming the door shut in his face, sighing as you think a shower sounds devine.

Not realizing all the while a pair of bromine eyes caught the entire exchange through your open window.

[theladyofbloodshed]

is it okay if i ask why you’re thinking of deleting everything? i hope you’re doing okay friend 🩷

It is a combination of many things. Thank you for checking in <3

I'm over SJM's works. I still have so many ideas for fics but I feel like why should I bother? She half-assed the source material and I spend so much of my time writing about her characters or trying to deepen the canon material - for example in AU ACOSF with the Illyrian traditions regarding tattoos or the events in the Spring Court. I love writing but I don't feel like the effort I put into it is worth it anymore as I'm getting less and less comments or likes. (Thank you to the faithful few who are always there for me, I appreciate your support so much and it's for you guys that I'm not throwing the towel in now).

I'd rather focus on writing my original works but they get very little support from people who read my fics. I have something like 14000 kudos on AO3 and if even a 10th of those people supported my own books or even just shared one of my instagram posts, it would help me greatly. I'm just a bit disappointed that the expression of love for my fanfics doesn't then carry over to my original work which I am far prouder of and care about more. I gave away the 1st book of The Story of Old on my birthday, I gave away The Witch and The Monster last year. I'm not doing it to make money as I don't really make money from it - anything I do earn goes back into commissioning art to try and get more people reading. I'm more and more frustrated that I can't boost my books further, so I wonder if I'm just not a good writer - but I have over 400k hits on AO3, so what is it?

Sometimes I find it to be very cliquey on here with little friendship groups which is good for them, but it can feel like standing on the fringes a lot of the time.

I moved countries a few months ago so I'm very home sick. I miss everything about home as much as I love it here too. The language is completely different and most people do not speak English. I don't have a job or a car so I feel like I've lost all of my independence at the moment. We're living with in-laws and I'm so desperate to be in my own house as I've lived alone since I was 18. I lost a good friend a few weeks ago and had her funeral this week but my residency permit still hasn't arrived so I couldn't travel and had to stream the funeral which only added to my homesickness. All of these things have just put my mood down even more.

[yuurivoice]

since you love to write, does your job ever feel like actual work? Kinda like that saying “if you love your job, you’ll never work a day of your life.” Kinda question.

also, how much free time do you normally have?

It felt like actual work from pretty early on. The moment I crossed over from doing it for funsies to sometimes taking commissions I didn't really feel strongly about for money, it was work.

I've had to drag my ass into the booth and record on days when I couldn't even take care of my basic needs because of ADHD struggles, and that sure felt like work.

I've had to write like absolute dogshit and just accept it because I had deadlines and people waiting on me. That felt like work.

I've had to spend hours breaking down different shots needed for visual projects, like a caveman painting on a wall for a renaissance artist to reference. That definitely felt like work.

I've had to deal with community moderation, personal betrayals of trust, harassment, goddamn pr crises, tax nightmares, and shipping hundreds of orders by hand. That was work.

That old cliche of if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life is a crock of shit. But all of that being said, even though it is work, and even though it can be really difficult sometimes?

Wouldn't trade it for the world. There is no other calling for me, my heart is not satisfied if I am not telling stories, and for some reason the universe decided that this was the path forward. I didn't plan on it. I never loved voice acting, but I learned to. I wish there was less bullshit over the years that robbed me of my joy. I wish I wasn't fighting my brain for so much of the time I've been doing this.

But the good will always outweigh the bad.

It's a dream fulfilled. I never needed or wanted to be some sort of massive sensation, or have broad renown or appeal. I didn't need to become a best selling author, or create a hit video game, or do anything like that. I am happy that I've found even a small group of people who love to get lost in my worlds, or spend time with my characters, or hear them get railed in pumpkin patches.

I get to experience the magic of creating something I didn't know was within me. Again and again. Projects like BitterSweet, Shattered, and Echoes of Evalas are precious to me because of the wondrous feeling creating those stories gives me. They could all flop, and I'd do it anyway.

I was creating art when no one was ever there to listen or watch. In that regard, it's never been work. It is a function of my existence. I was made, raised, and shaped to tell stories. It's the one thing I can do. At a table of friends, an audience of hundreds, or on long drives by myself. It's like breathing. It just happens.

Being able to call it work is a privilege. I'm thrilled that I've got the chance to work. I'm happy that I even have the opportunity to have days where I have to push myself. Because it has given me more than I've ever thought it could. I was on food stamps living with family under constant threat of getting kicked out. I was lonely, isolated, and scared of the world. I was considered lazy.

Finding my lane, getting traction, and thriving was something I considered out of reach. I was ready to tap out and accept that I just wasn't quite right for life. Like maybe I just didn't have all the right parts. I was okay with it, even. I was tired.

So yeah. It's work. But I spent a long time desperate to find work I was suited for, and with a lot of recent life changes I've removed many of those points of friction that would make it tough to work. So I'm thrilled.

And that, my friends, is what happens when you ask a professional yapper if they love yapping. 😂

As for free time, it's hard to say. So much of what I do being my own boss and shit, plus creative stuff just constantly churning in my brain, I struggle to clearly define what is and is not "free time". I basically have to be on call. At any given moment something might need my attention, or creativity comes knocking. It's hard to completely disconnect.

I've done a good job of getting into the office about four times a week. That has helped me find some sort of balance, but even recent writing I've done was on my laptop at my little breakfast nook having coffee.

I think the big thing is, I can create my free time whenever I need or want to.

Anywho, this is why you don't open Tumblr when you wake up to pee in the middle of the night because then you spent 30 minutes staring at your phone writing a whole ass essay. I'm gonna go get out of bed and make something awesome now. 💖

[thefandomwritersblog]

Hello! As those who have been following my blog for some time now may know, my name is Liz. I primarily write fanfiction for the Horizon Zero Dawn/Forbidden West fandom, but I also enjoy exploring other fandoms and am currently working on my own book.

I'll get straight to the point. I unexpectedly lost my job last Wednesday. It was a tough blow since I had put in a lot of time and effort to do well at it. I am now actively searching for a new job and have a few potential prospects, but my previous job was what paid for my mortgage and bills. Without it, I'm not sure if I'll be able to cover my expenses until I find something new.

Therefore I am opening commissions. I currently have five slots open, and I can write for a variety of fandoms, pairings, etc. Feel free to DM me for any details!

I do have a couple of rules however:

Anything NSFW can be negotiated with a higher price attached (mostly because I rarely write sexual content/smut) to the final piece but I REFUSE to write the following:

Rape, non-consent Anything involving the abuse of children Over the top, extreme violence and gore

The following are base prices for regular work: .03 cents per word for a max of 1.5K words 500 = 15 USD 1,000 = 30 USD 1,500 = 45 USD

I am willing to go over my 1.5K word limit but for an extra .01 cents to the OG price: 2K = 80 USD 2.5K = 100 USD 3K = 120 USD

Anything with NSFW will be subjected to a price increase of .02 cents to the total word count.

Meaning 1.5 K words = 45 USD + another 30 USD (.02 cents x 1.5K = 30) = 75 USD

I also set up a Ko-fi . My commission info is there too, and you can donate some money if you want to, thought it's absolutely not necessary, as I'd prefer to take commissions.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you can't commission, I would deeply appreciate if you could share this post so I can reach as many people as I can to try and help me out in the coming weeks.

[angelgendered]

Can I interest any of you fine folks in a Good Omens Fantasy AU which I'm affectionately naming The Oath AU?

Here there be a vague outline of the some stuff I jotted down earlier about it. It's vague for now but I'm working kn fleshing it out! I'm Working On The Longfic(tm) and possibly other bonus scenes and further adventures of theirs in this world if this hits a mark with folks and people actually read it.

Rambling under the read more! No CW or TWs I don't think...? Let's jump in!

It's DnD style fantasy (but dark, at the risk of sounding Edgy. This ain't the kind of DnD you'd play with a 13 year old cousin, for example. The world is harsh and unkind, and there be monsters in the woods, child. Inspird partly by Discworld, partly by FFXIV, especially the Endwalker expansion, partly by Mtghew Mercer, Exandria and his players and all their side content to do with Exandria, partly by Dungeons and Dragons shenanigans I've had over the years myself, and partly by the worlds Patrick Rothfuss and our beloved Neil Gaiman, amongst other authors i adore, come up with. Its a big mash of inspirations but km hoping to mold it into something coherent. )

Fiendish Blooded Sorceress and Druid Crowley - who can mold their body and appearance from the very essence of the earth and who transcends mortal ideas of gender and presentation, straddling the lines of male and female and both and none. They have appeared as maiden, mother, crone, ancient warlock, youthful child and more besides, giving rise to many rumours about her 'true' heritage.

Human Holy Knight of The Order Aziraphale - who has crusaded for years in the name of his Goddess, only to be faced with a moral dilemma. He was offered a priceless, holy artifact in exchange for a pact with a Devil - this pact, which has left him visibly facially scarred - dictates that he must kil one person, no more or less, for this Devil at a time and palce of the Devil's choosing. Until now, he hasn't been called to do such a thing... And he hopes that the Devil has forgotten about a lowly Soldier Knight such as himself.

Rituals! Sexy and very unsexy ones! There's a lot of this cos I'm exploring my own spirituality lately so. You get a ritual! You get a ritual! Everyone's naked and dancing! There's a fire! It's great! Until it isn't.

Probably Hurt/Comfort AND Whump.

This is an E rated AU bc everything I write has sex in it, but whatever! Maybe some light kink too, but I'll be guided by my muses on this. This is more story than smut anyway - the 'additional scenes' I may do if people like this AU? They'll be dirtier, lol.

I have Pinboards, Playlists soon, and no doubt a buttload of other worldbuildingy bits to come! Along with the fic et al of course. If you're interested I've made a tag on my blog for the AU where I'll try to remember to organise this stuff cos I'm really into this AU and really want to finish a longfic so I want you guys to hold me accountable tbh.

If you're interested, the tag is on this post and it's 'Good Omens Oath AU'. In time I would adore to commission artists for this project of mine, so if you're up for collaborating and will accept payment (I don't do trades usually cos you're worth money! Your time and art is too! But I could maybe be convinced...) I'd love to hear from you!