#usually i do like 2-3 weeks after something ends. depending on like length and if i specifically know

[lunar-fey]

sorry in advance for the person i will become when missing link comes out. btw

[vinceaddams]

Any tips on learning to make buttonholes? I've been putting it off for.... *checks notes* like three years.... but better late than never and all that. I don't have any fancy machines so I gotta do it by hand but that seems right up your alley.

Thanks!

It IS up my alley, yes, I do most of my buttonholes by hand!

I'm actually part way through filming an 18th century buttonhole tutorial, but I expect it'll be a few more weeks before I finish that and put it on the youtubes, so in the meantime here's the very very short version. (The long version is looking like it'll probably be about 40 minutes maybe, judging by how much script I've written compared to my last video?)

Mark your line, a bit longer than your button is wide. I usually use a graphite mechanical pencil on light fabrics, and a light coloured pencil crayon on dark ones. (I have fabric pencils too, but they're much softer and leave a thicker line.) You may want to baste the layers together around all the marked buttonholes if you're working on something big and the layers are shifty and slippery. I'm not basting here because this is just a pants placket.

Do a little running stitch (or perhaps a running backstitch) in fine thread around the line at the width you want the finished buttonhole to be. This holds the layers of fabric together and acts as a nice little guide for when you do the buttonhole stitches.

Cut along the marked line using a buttonhole cutter, or a woodworking chisel. Glossy magazines are the best surface to put underneath your work as you push down, and you can give it a little tap with a rubber mallet if it's not going through all the way.

I'm aware that there are some people who cut their buttonholes open using seam rippers, and if any of them are reading this please know that that is abhorrent behaviour and I need you to stop it immediately. Stop it.

Go get a buttonhole cutter for 10 bucks and your life will be better for it. Or go to the nearest hardware store and get a little woodworking chisel. This includes machine buttonholes, use the buttonhole cutter on them too. If you continue to cut open buttonholes with a seam ripper after reading this you are personally responsible for at least 3 of the grey hairs on my head.

Do a whipstitch around the cut edges, to help prevent fraying while you work and to keep all those threads out of the way. (For my everyday shirts I usually do a machine buttonhole instead of this step, and then just hand stitch over it, because it's a bit faster and a lot sturdier on the thin fabrics.)

I like to mark out my button locations at this point, because I can mark them through the holes without the buttonhole stitches getting in the way.

For the actual buttonhole stitches it's really nice if you have silk buttonhole twist, but I usually use those little balls of DMC cotton pearl/perle because it's cheap and a good weight. NOT stranded embroidery floss, no separate strands! It's got to be one smooth twisted thing!

Here's a comparison pic between silk buttonhole twist (left) and cotton pearl (right). Both can make nice looking buttonholes, but the silk is a bit nicer to work with and the knots line up more smoothly.

I've actually only used the silk for one garment ever, but am going to try to do it more often on my nicer things. I find the cotton holds up well enough to daily wear though, despite being not ideal. The buttonholes are never the first part of my garments to wear out.

I cut a piece of about one arm's length more or less, depending on the size of buttonhole. For any hole longer than about 4cm I use 2 threads, one to do each side, because the end gets very frayed and scruffy by the time you've put it through the fabric that many times.

I wax about 2cm of the tip (Not the entire thread. I wax the outlining/overcasting thread but not the buttonhole thread itself.) to make it stick in the fabric better when I start off the thread. I don't tend to tie it, I just do a couple of stabstitches or backstitches and it holds well. (I'm generally very thorough with tying off my threads when it comes to hand sewing, but a buttonhole is basically a long row of knots, so it's pretty sturdy.)

Put the needle through underneath, with the tip coming up right along that little outline you sewed earlier. And I personally like to take the ends that are already in my hand and wrap them around the tip of the needle like so, but a lot of people loop the other end up around the other way, so here's a link to a buttonhole video with that method. Try both and see which one you prefer, the resulting knot is the same either way.

Sometimes I can pull the thread from the end near the needle and have the stitch look nice, but often I grab it closer to the base and give it a little wiggle to nestle it into place. This is more necessary with the cotton than it is with the silk.

The knot should be on top of the cut edge of the fabric, not in front of it.

You can put your stitches further apart than I do if you want, they'll still work if they've got little gaps in between them.

Keep going up that edge and when you get to the end you can either flip immediately to the other side and start back down again, or you can do a bar tack. (You can also fan out the stitches around the end if you want, but I don't like to anymore because I think the rectangular ends look nicer.)

Here's a bar tack vs. no bar tack sample. They just make it look more sharp, and they reinforce the ends.

For a bar tack do a few long stitches across the entire end.

And then do buttonhole stitches on top of those long stitches. I also like to snag a tiny bit of the fabric underneath.

Then stick the needle down into the fabric right where you ended that last stitch on the corner of the bar tack, so you don't pull that corner out of shape, and then just go back to making buttonhole stitches down the other side.

Then do the second bar tack once you get back to the end.

To finish off my thread I make it sticky with a bit more beeswax, waxing it as close to the fabric as I can get, and then bring it through to the back and pull it underneath the stitches down one side and trim it off.

In my experience it stays put perfectly well this way without tying it off.

Voila! An beautiful buttonholes!

If you want keyhole ones you can clip or punch a little rounded bit at one end of the cut and fan your stitches out around that and only do the bar tack at one end, like I did on my 1830's dressing gown.

(I won't do that style in my video though, because they're not 18th century.)

Do samples before doing them on a garment! Do as many practice ones as you need to, it takes a while for them to get good! Mine did not look this nice 10 years ago.

Your first one will probably look pretty bad, but your hundredth will be much better!

Edit: Video finished!

And here's the blog post, which is mostly a slightly longer version of this post.

[oneknightstand-if]

Fencing Club Route is a Go!

Update 2: Chapter 1 Part 3 - Fencing Club Route

Don't feel like playing polo? Join the fencing club instead!

Play the Updated Beta Test

(Since there were bugs reported throughout Chapter 1 & 2, your current saves are probably going to reset to the beginning of each section of the game)

*If you're getting error messages or the fencing club route isn't showing up properly for you (after you refreshed and restarted the game), you'll need to clear your cache. More details found here.*

Additional Word Count (Sans Code): 120,000+ Additional Word Count (With Code): 155,000+ New Total Word Count (Sans Code): 614,000+ New Total Word Count (With Code): 833,000+ Average Playthrough: ~60,000 words

Note: You can view the game code on my site the same way you do on Dashingdon just add /scenes to the end of the URL.

Next Update

Merlin's Guide to Minor Enemies

A bucketload of owed texts & e-mails to the MC

Decisions of great import... just where are you sleeping in that motorhome?

A̴ ̴C̴o̶m̴p̷l̷e̵t̷e̴l̴y̵ ̶N̴o̷r̸m̴a̶l̵ ̵G̴a̴s̸ ̶S̵t̵a̷t̷i̶o̷n̸ ̵S̴t̸o̷p̷

Take part in your first multi-user spell! (Potentially depending on the length of the gas station stop?)

Meet the next Harbinger - RO #4 (Potentially depending on the length of the gas station stop?)

Link to New Polls on the Update (Which don't auto close in a week like the Tumblr ones)

Also...

I'm currently coming down with something (Covid test says not that, so maybe just the flu?) so I'll be taking a bit of a break after this.

More (Fiddly) Info on the Update Behind the Spoiler Cut...

The Update Also Includes...

Calmly letting Merlin into your apartment after escaping the monster-under-the-bed no longer removes the mute flag

Fixed Adrian literally calling the MC as "MC" in the pub

Fixed expresso back to espresso AGAIN *stares at it*

Fixed the phil_status 2 bug AGAIN (Somehow I must've reverted a bunch of bug fixes in Chapter 1)

Fixed bug where MC's name permanently changes to their pseudonym if the player tried to back out of the renaming screen

Fixed the "On second thought, let me try a different fake first name…" option so it only asks the player to change their fake first name (as originally intended)

Fixed some dialogue with Adrian depending upon your clothing choices in the polo club branch

Fixed the Adrian text messaging bug. Again. Hopefully third time is the charm.

Fixed bug where your current job being your dream employment wasn't triggering the positive job attitude flavor text

Fixed bug where the mute flag was being toggled off when interacting with Adrian regarding your fancy outfit before the polo club meeting

Choice where Lucid Dreamer MC talks to Modern Arthur about Merlin's dreamwalking advice is now set to toggle only when the MC speaks to Merlin in the Camelot dream sequence

Fixed bug with the user's input option for Business Casual outfit

User's choice option for Business Casual & Business Suit now toggles pants or skirt variable

Fixed bug with the Cracking text effect in darkmode

All piercings & scars now available in one choice during customization.

Fixed bug (AGAIN!) when Lucky MC fails the luck check to escape the bed monster

Added reactions to Camelot-affiliated names belonging to inanimate objects.

Fixed *set ag2 2 -1 bug in Camelot dream sequence (I wonder how that didn't trigger QuickTest)

A Bit More Info on the Update Mechanics

The decision on which club you join is one of the first questions in Chapter 1, so players will have to restart from pretty early on. However the fencing club flavor text will continue to run throughout the rest of the game (including in the Camelot dream sequence with the Courtyard branch for the Lucid Dreamer MC).

Otherwise this current update does not progress the game further into Chapter 2.

Also Part 2....

We lost power to part of the house (thankfully not including my computer), and while I'm usually the one who deals with the circuit breakers, since I'm currently sick I asked my mother to do it this one time. She turned the power off to the entire house. 🥲 The uninterruptible power source did nothing and now my computer and the microwave are bugging out. I'm just going to lie down now.

[jisokai]

hiiiii i’m shae i’m new here !! for the ask game - would you mind answering #17?? i try to write fics but i get so stuck with the planning and organization and then my stuff just sits and i have no idea how to finish them- how do you usually organize and plan for what happens in your stories? <3 ✨✨

hello shae!!! welcome in welcome in 🙂‍↕️ i hope you enjoy your stay <3 this one is such a good question because there's much to talk about... i'm curious—is the planning where you get stuck? or do you get stuck because you lack a plan going in?

warning: this got pretty long oopsie

for me, the fic usually starts with either 1. imagining a scene that i desperately want to write, or 2. a concept that i'm intrigued by—but a mix of both is needed to sustain my interest to make it a proper fic. after the idea first appears, i sit and muse on it for a period of time (usually around a week). i may make a small note in my wip/idea tracking document, but otherwise i try to give the idea time to wander around on it's own, grow and develop organically rather than forcing a plot to form. what usually happens is i'll get ideas for a few new scenes, or a theme that i could run with. some ideas will stick better than others, and some will work after tweaking them. but throughout it, there's always something i can't wait to write, and often it can't happen effectively without proper setup beforehand.

once i have a concept and some visualization that becomes too much to only live in my head, i open a doc. at first it will look like brief list, just enough that i remember future scenes, and maybe some details i worry about forgetting. if the fic is a oneshot (99% of them), there's probably 6-10 bullet points depending on the length.

then i start the story. i work chronologically, even if i still don't know what a "proper" beginning is. it's not the best way to go about it for the sake of time, but it's the way i work, unfortunately. it also means i may write the beginning several times if i don't like it. but once i get started, the rest spills out fairly easily. the story comes to me as i write, so i'll add a more bullet points to my list, which i keep right below where i'm typing—so i can see it at all times 😭 it's like dangling a carrot in front of myself LMFAO, because i'm racing to reach those scenes i can picture so clearly.

even if i don't have an idea for the ending before i start the fic, the ending will come to mind by the time i reach those scenes. it might not be very good, but it's there. writing it isn't as fun as the middle, but by then i'm driven by the want to see the fic to it's end.

throughout all this, there are ups and downs in motivation. and since i don't outline, i often reach the end of a scene and proceed to stare at my computer as i figure out what happens next. some people recommend jumping to the next scene you know clearly, but i struggle writing out of order and rearranging/filling in later. oftentimes what happens in these moments is that i write something mediocre and then highlight it with a note that says "this is bad, fix later" or a reminder for my future self of what i was trying to do. having a shitty placeholder is better than waiting around for the scene to appear in my head and putting the fic on pause entirely.

idk how most people write, if my writing process is in the majority, or if it's considered good. i assume it isn't recommended, since going in with no idea how the piece will conclude is probably a recipe for abandonment. but i can't just sit and think about a fic in it's entirety!! i don't work that way! i'm required to commit to writing before i get to know the end. even for my recent longfic, i made sort of an outline for the first time (vague paragraphs of the plot for each chapter), but i still didn't know how to end it by the time i started writing chapter 1 (my "outline" for the last chapter was verbatim: "some sort of resolution bro on god you’re gonna come up with an ending somehow") 😭 it's unfortunately the most intuitive way for me to work, and i'd rather follow my chaotic intuition than a process that doesn't make sense. another reason i lean into this is because i always come up with more things to add as i write, largely because i'm an autobiographical writer; things happen to me and i want to immortalize them in my stories. i can't guess what might happen in the future, and i can't stop myself from imposing life events on characters if one happens mid-fic.

then editing...

editing is the most tedious part because of all the poorly written scenes, questions to research, and random interjections i leave myself. and sadly, shifting to a critical eye can ruin the entire fic for me. i tend to be very hard on myself 🥺 this is where i'll pare down my sentences, throw some words in a thesaurus, move scenes around, etc. etc.. sometimes i try to wait at least a week before editing, but other times i get impatient and want to rinse myself clean of thinking about the fic ever again LOL

(my writing process can fluctuate a lot depending on the length of the fic and what i'm writing for, but it usually follows this sort of sequence.)

i think this works for someone like me: who only commits to one or two fics at a time, and has a strict sense of duty to complete everything i start. i've been toying with writing more drabbles lately, which i think can help flesh out an idea, or in my case, let me feel like i gave the idea something, enough that i don't need to keep entertaining it, and therefore keep my energy focused on my actual WIPs.

sorry this got so long! and another sorry if i didn't really answer your question. i think the TL;DR is that ultimately i don't really organize other than a few bullet points, and i plan as i go. BUT—i usually have something clear in mind that i'm writing towards, whether that's a scene in the middle or the ending i thought of on the spot. or pure want for the fic to be OVER.

if i were to attempt to offer any advice, i'd say start small and simple! there's no proper way a fic needs to be written—it can be just one scene, or one conversation even! shorter style drabbles can be quite popular here on tumblr. i think working this way first is helpful to understand your own process and what works for you before you tackle longer works or harder concepts. i only started writing again in june after several years of a break, so who knows how my process will change in the future!

fic writer asks!

[spacemancharisma]

Hey you said feel free to ask hygiene questions. How often should you be doing stuff? Like showering, washing hair, washing bedding? Washing re-wearable clothing like jeans or jackets or bras that I think you can wear multiple times without needing to wash?

Idk other esp hygiene or cleaning activities that you need to do sometimes.

Like they tell you brush your teeth twice a day but not how often you need to wash other things.

yeah this is a really good question! I’m putting it under the cut since it got p long lol

so showering is ideally every day, but that can be difficult for some people, so as close to that as you can manage is good. if you have days that it’s too much, wiping down with a rag or a baby wipe is good. be sure to thoroughly clean your genitals/butthole every night before bed, just for your health. on baby wipe days, i get that whole zone really clean, and also my armpits, feet, and anywhere my skin folds over bc sweat tends to trap there. wash your face well at least once a day (I do it in the shower) and if you’re up to it, give it a good scrub with just water at the other end of the day. there’s no hygiene gain or loss from shaving any part of your body, so do that as much or little as is your preference. I put on deodorant at least twice a day (when I wake up & after I shower), or whenever I’m feeling sweaty/stinky.

washing your hair really depends on its length and texture and I can only speak to white person hair care, but as far as that goes- I have thick, curly hair, and I wash it every 2-3 days. people with greasier hair tend to wash it more often. like with most things, a good test is to wash whenever it starts to have a smell, or more frequently than that lol. comb your hair out when you wash it to keep it from getting matted. people with straight hair brush it dry, too, but that isn’t something I do personally.

clothes go by the smell principle too, mostly. shirts can get two or three wears unless they’re sweaty/stained/stinky. pants made of a thick material can usually last a week, though some people stretch their jeans out even more if they’re good material. again- if it starts to have a smell, put it in the laundry. bras are also good for a week or so at a time as long as they’re not stinky. jackets and stuff go by the same principle, and they last a long time usually, since they don’t touch your skin directly. underwear should be changed at least once a day and not reworn, same with socks.

washcloths should only be used once, but bath towels can get two or three uses. hand towels should be switched/washed about once a week.

people tell you to change/wash your bedsheets once a week but I don’t know anyone who does that lmao. changing your sheets every two weeks or so is usually good; you might want to do so more frequently though if you’re sick or eating in bed or having a lot of sex or something hfbggjg

like you said, brushing your teeth is standard once in the morning and once at night. if you want to do a bonus one halfway through the day, that’s probably good for you, but most people don’t. brush your tongue when you brush your teeth- it only takes a couple seconds and it does a lot apparently. get a new toothbrush at least every 6 months, if not more often.

body chores: clip your finger/toenails as often as works best for you. I can’t stand having long nails so I trim them once a week, but that would obvs be different if you like long nails. floss as often as you can, but don’t feel bad if you’re not consistent- very few people are. put lotion on your body if your skin gets dry- I recommend aveeno, it’s not greasy and it works really well. if you have sex toys, clean them before and after every use (it’s a pain but you do Not want to fuck with any kind of germs down there).

household chores: clean toilet- once a week. clean bathroom sinks/tub: once a month (clean mirrors while you’re at it). empty trash cans- once a week. clean kitchen counters- every time you cook. clean stovetop- once a week. dust- once a month but this one’s kinda optional lmao. laundry- before you run out of clean clothes/towels. dishes- before you run out of clean dishes. floors- my family vacuumed/swept once a week growing up but as an adult I just kinda follow my heart here lol. change pet litter- at least once a week.

health: you’re supposed to see your GP once a year for a regular health check, and that’s good to get blood work done to make sure your hormones and such are all balanced, but it’s okay if you don’t keep a super strict schedule with that. dentists you really should see once every 6 months, or at least once a year. if you have a uterus, get a pap smear done every 5 years. get checked for STIs with each new partner, or once a year. keep track of your period if you have one so you know if there are irregularities; change tampons/pads as needed, you know best, but remember to never sleep with a tampon in. give yourself a breast self-exam at least once every few months, if applicable. drink water consistently throughout the day, listen to your body and eat when you’re hungry, try to have at least one fruit or vegetable a day (doesn’t have to be whole/raw, just get those nutrients where you can). the average number of times in a day to pee is apparently 6-7, but I’d say anywhere from 5-10 is normal, idk I’m not a pee expert. either way, stay aware of your body and it’s needs and don’t hold your pee if you have literally any other options- your kidneys are important and that hurts them. you should poop 1-2 times a day, not accounting for any health conditions that might change that. do your best to get 8-9 hours of sleep a night, and get your body in motion for at least 30 minutes a day- this could be a gentle walk or even doing household chores, the important thing is to keep your muscles and joints flexible. do some basic stretches once a day.

and some closing remarks- I’m really proud of you for reaching out to ask, cause I know it can be really hard to talk about this stuff. there’s absolutely no shame in ignorance, and similarly, there is no shame in being dirty/smelly. as humans, we tend to keep ourselves and our surroundings clean because it’s better for our health and our sensory experience, and it makes us more pleasant for others to be around, but it’s important to remember that none of this is a moral imperative. I grew up in a house that made it seem like you were a bad person if you were dirty or you smelled like BO, and that’s not a healthy or accurate approach to things. keeping proper hygiene when you can is important, but because it makes your life more pleasant to live, not because it’s a sin or a slight to do otherwise. just do your best to take care of yourself, and you’re doing great 💜

[sarcasticmercy]

Name / Alias : River, Puppeteer

Are you over 18? : Yes/ No

  – W R I T I N G –

Are you selective about who you write with? : No (anyone) /Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people) / Private (mutuals only). --

Are you selective about who you follow? : No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people).

If your muse is canon, how much do you adhere to canon? : Not at all / A little / Some / Mostly / Strictly / Not Applicable.

What post lengths do you write? : One-Liners / Single-Para / Multi-Para / Novella / All of the aforementioned

Do you use icons and/or GIFS? : No / Gifs / Icons / Yes / Sometimes.

Do you write on other platforms? :No / Yes

What level of plots do you write? : Unplotted / Open-Ended Plots / Semi-Plotted / Fully Plotted Epics /All of the aforementioned

How quickly do you usually respond to threads? : Very Slow (more than a month) / Slow (3-4 weeks) / Average (1-2 weeks) / Fast (less than one week) / Very Fast (less than three days)

What types of themes do you like? : Adventure / Romance / Fluff / Angst / Violence / Tragedy / Domestic / Family / All of the aforementioned

What genres do you like? : ( Feel free to add! ) High Fantasy / Supernatural / Science Fiction / Historical / Horror / Comedy / Romantic / Drama / Action / Smut / Adventure / Espionage / Dark / Emotional / All of the aforementioned

Are there any themes you’re uncomfortable writing on your blog? : (Not triggers) No / Yes / Sometimes

Do you have any triggers? How do you request it tagged? : Eye gore. Any variation of common trigger tagging works. My issue is very specifically if the eye is still in the socket and something's happening to it; if the socket's empty or the eye's already out I don't care

  – S H I P P I N G –

What types of relationships are you open to? : Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

What types of pre-established relationships are you open to? : Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

Do you have OTPs? : No / Chemistry Only / Yes

Do you have NOTPS? : No/ Yes

What is your muse’s sexual orientation? : Heterosexual / Heteroflexible / Bisexual / Pansexual / Homoflexible / Homosexual / Demisexual / Sapiosexual / Asexual / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you’re asking

What is your muse’s romantic orientation? : Heteroromantic / Heteroflexible / Biromantic/ Homoflexible / Homoromantic / Panromantic / Demiromantic / Sapioromantic / Aromantic / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you’re asking

Are you comfortable writing smut? : No / Selectively/ Yes

How early in a relationship do you ship romantically? : Autoship / During plotting / After a couple IC interactions / Several IC interactions / Slow burn / Plot dependent / Never

Are you open to toxic ships? : No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure

Are you open to problematic ships? : No / Selectively / Yes/ I am not sure

Are you open to polyamory shipping? : No / Selectively/ Yes / I am not sure

Are you an exclusive shipper? :Never / Sometimes / Yes

Does crack shipping ever happen? : Nope / Yes/ depends

Tagged by: @ryathenaughtykitsune Tagging: @mingos, @belovedcorvid, @nephytale (or whatever blog you're up for), snag it if you feel like it

[ryathenaughtykitsune]

Name / Alias : Rya, K, Kyra, Kanrya (she/her)

Are you over 18? : Yes / No

  – W R I T I N G –

Are you selective about who you write with? : No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people) / Private (mutuals only). --

Are you selective about who you follow? : No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people).

If your muse is canon, how much do you adhere to canon? : Not at all / A little / Some / Mostly / Strictly / Not Applicable.

What post lengths do you write? : One-Liners / Single-Para / Multi-Para / Novella / All of the aforementioned

Do you use icons and/or GIFS? : No / Gifs / Icons / Yes / Sometimes.

Do you write on other platforms? :No / Yes 

I did most of my Rping on forums connected to different animes and fandomless ones as well. Before moving to tumblr i was on a fairytail forum, but due to someone making me lose all taste i changed to here where it was easier. I do rp on Discord as well (and i D&D there too)

What level of plots do you write? : Unplotted / Open-Ended Plots / Semi-Plotted / Fully Plotted Epics / All of the aforementioned

How quickly do you usually respond to threads? : Very Slow (more than a month) / Slow (3-4 weeks) / Average (1-2 weeks) / Fast (less than one week) / Very Fast (less than three days)

What types of themes do you like? : Adventure / Romance / Fluff / Angst / Violence / Tragedy / Domestic / Family / All of the aforementioned

What genres do you like? : ( Feel free to add! ) High Fantasy / Supernatural / Science Fiction / Historical / Horror / Comedy / Romantic / Drama / Action / Smut / Adventure / Espionage / Dark / Emotional / All of the aforementioned

Are there any themes you’re uncomfortable writing on your blog? : (Not triggers) No / Yes / Sometimes

(would prefer to be asked privately)

Do you have any triggers? How do you request it tagged? : I would prefer to talk about it first before anything. its more a pet peeve, but I HATE when people god mode or take over my character or act like they are invincible or are perfect.)

  – S H I P P I N G –

What types of relationships are you open to? : Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

What types of pre-established relationships are you open to? : Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

Do you have OTPs? : No / Chemistry Only / Yes (just ask. Dont push anything please)

Do you have NOTPS? : No / Yes (anything involving characters that are minors)

What is your muse’s sexual orientation? : Heterosexual / Heteroflexible / Bisexual / Pansexual / Homoflexible / Homosexual / Demisexual / Sapiosexual / Asexual / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you’re asking

What is your muse’s romantic orientation? : Heteroromantic / Heteroflexible / Biromantic / Homoflexible / Homoromantic / Panromantic / Demiromantic / Sapioromantic / Aromantic / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you’re asking

Are you comfortable writing smut? : No / Selectively / Yes (It depends on how i feel honestly)

How early in a relationship do you ship romantically? : Autoship / During plotting / After a couple IC interactions / Several IC interactions / Slow burn / Plot dependent / Never

Are you open to toxic ships? : No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure (i mean, i ship her with Lucci. You should see the hell pranks she pull on him at times. The can work to be a good team but also its one of the most toxic relationships she has. also beware the chomps. we go cat mode )

Are you open to problematic ships? : No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure (as long as it does not involve pedo I'm all in)

Are you open to polyamory shipping? : No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure (she had a polyamorous with Thatch and Izo. Foxes gotta fox babe XD)

Are you an exclusive shipper? : Never / Sometimes / Yes (it depends in all honesty, if i feel something, more power to it, there has to be chemistry.)

Does crack shipping ever happen? : Nope / Yes / depends (none until now, but bring it on)

Tagged by: @harpershigh

tagging: @sarcasticmercy, @midnightactual, @seaoftales, @fallesto, @burikubato , @kaizokugaris , @dick-meister , @heroic-endeavors , @herztakt and anyone else

[prince-liest]

Hello! Since I’m binge reading all of your Genshin fanfics I wanted to ask how would you describe your experience contributing to zines? I’m considering it and wanted to ask someone who’s done this before. Is the process fun? Stressful? Both? I’d assume writing with a deadline is not easy! When did you first start? Don’t spare details please, tell me everything about your experience! I have minimal knowledge on the topic

Hey, there! I'm glad you're enjoying my Genshin works!! And of course, I've been in about three fucktillion zines by now so I'd be happy to talk about what it's like! Long post under the cut:

Not all zines are the same but most of them follow approximately the same outline of expectations for you as a contributor, which is:

After you've applied and been accepted, you're sent an acceptance email with a link to the zine server.

You join the server, and after a few days for everyone to trickle in, the mods will post a spreadsheet or a google form where you can submit 2-3 pitches, aka. ideas of what you think you could write for the zine, which should be reasonably different from one another. The reason for having 2-3 is so that not everyone ends up writing the same thing. I prefer when zines give spreadsheets rather than google forms so that I can see what other writers are pitching and make sure I'm not submitting something samey. There will likely be guidelines for what you can pitch (limitations on characters, ships, rating, etc).

(Optional) Some zines do author/artist collabs, and this is usually the time period during which folks figure out if they'd like to collab, and if so, with whom.

After a week or so, you are told which of your pitches you will be writing for the zine.

Creation period! Now you write a fic based on your pitch, usually 2-3k words in length depending on the zine. There's usually 3-4 check-ins scattered throughout the several month period that you get to write during, when the mods basically want to see how far you've gotten to make sure you're making progress. Sometimes you have the option of asking for feedback, but often the writing mod isn't going to be doing that until your final piece is submitted.

At the end of the creation period, you submit your final piece, usually with some formatting stuff like "highlight every time you use italics so the formatting mod can see it." The writing mod will beta it, toss it back to you so you can accept edits, and then that will be the final version in the zine. Voila!

Everything after that is just you waiting for preorders and production. Other stuff that will probably happen at some point includes submitting a snippet for the graphics mod to make a little preview graphic of your piece, and reblogging/retweeting zine stuff during preorders to promote sales.

To answer your more specific questions:

I started in late 2020 when I applied to a Hawks-centric My Hero Academia zine at the same time that I was invited to a My Hero Academia and Harry Potter crossover zine, both of which were an amazing experience. I find that the deadline is really not a source of stress, because you get several months to write 2-3k words and each check-in is only asking for a little bit of progress. My first check-in, for example, is pretty much always just the outline. That said, I'm not really applying to zines anymore (unless something exactly up the alley of my current hyperfixation pops up, which at the time of writing would be a Hazbin Hotel or radiostatic zine, haha) for a few different reasons.

Firstly, I've legitimately been in four dozen zines. I've scratched the itch, haha.

Secondly, particularly in the Genshin Impact space, the zine craze caught on so aggressively that the average quality of zine mod teams declined pretty sharply. There are a number of zine mods that I really trust, and I've been in some phenomenally run zines, but I'm also just kind of tired of the physical production period of a zine taking a year or longer when I know it can be done in like three months. Not to mention the number of times people in the zine space have straight up absconded with money.

Thirdly and most importantly, the actual part of zine writing that I don't enjoy very much anymore is the limitations put on my writing. It's an inherent and understandable part of the process that a fic has to be within a specific word count and topic, but I also have just hit the point where I personally want to write whatever the hell I want without coming up with three separate fic concepts and hoping that the one I actually feel passionate about is chosen - not to mention I've actually ducked out of zines before when the mods were so nitpicky about what they wanted me to write that it felt less like I was a guest writer invited to create something of my own, and more like they were looking for a cheap way to basically custom commission writing from me. And I've also noticed that the pickier the mods are about my writing, the less I end up liking what I create. There's actually three zine fics, now, that I'm never going to publish because I just don't think they turned out very good, and they are all from zines where I felt my writing got micromanaged.

All of that said, I'm basically highlighting the small number of things I disliked out of, again, four dozen zines, so I really encourage you to go for it! A well-run zine is a blast to be a part of, and my favorites have always been ones where it is clearly a labor of love and genuine interest.

Here are some tips when choosing a zine to apply to:

Look at the mods and their pages, and look for mods that have completed zines in the past, but aren't currently part of 4+ incomplete projects. For mods, you want experience, but you don't want someone who's just jumping into every single project they see.

Every P4P zine I've been a part of has been fucking amazing so far. These only get made in certain fandoms, though (mostly danmei). I'm sure they're not all perfect (there's one I know that's a little sketchy), but I think the lack of promise of profit attracts people genuinely invested in the project itself rather than money or clout or whatever.

Pick a zine that you know you will enjoy writing about the subject of. Don't apply to something because you like the character it's about, but you don't actually really know what you'd write for it.

Make sure they have a reasonably large number of followers on Twitter and appealing graphics. This speaks to a couple of things: 1) how well the zine is likely to sell and 2) how well the social media and other mods actually know what they're doing in terms of promo. If a zine has less than several hundred followers and they want to put out a physical copy, I would personally hesitate, because there's a good chance they won't break even on sales. Especially in the Genshin Impact fandom specifically.

Hopefully that was helpful! If you have any more specific questions, feel free to throw them my way.

[avocado-frog]

Happy STS! (Shh, I'm a day behind.) And because of that, today's a free space! Use it to ramble as you please! ♥️

As I say on the sts asks that I sometimes answer a day late, the S in sts stands for Sunday :)

The other day I deleted like five chapters (i had only WRITTEN one, but there were five outlined) because the arc was Too hard to write so I changed my mind. Now my outline + schedule are off so I've been adjusting that. The good news is that I don't have a chapter count of 55 anymore.

This is going to accidentally be the Here's How I Outline ask but that's okay I got a free space + I can do whatever I want

SO my step one is that i have a document for my basic outlines which include the character POV(s), chapter title, word count, and a few sentences, with a few more details. I do this part all in one go. Once I have an idea of how many chapters I'm going to have, I try and make it a number divisible by three (30 in forget me not, 21 in dahlia) (rosemary has five parts because I rolled a negative in Planning Ahead skills and had 11 characters instead of 12) so now that I have the parts divided I attach a character to it. I usually already have a flower in mind to attach to the character as well. I write my fun little flower paragraphs here :)

Step two is when I add all the chapters for part 1 (or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 etc) with the Basic Outline. This is where I make my Real Outline for each chapter. I usually do this part in one go as well, or at least until I get bored. The Real Outline includes specific details, bits of dialogue that I want to remember, and stuff like that. I like to have this at a ratio depending on the word count I already assigned the chapter. If I want the word count to be 5,000, then the Real Outline is 500 words long. I'd explain my Ratio if I was good at explaining math concepts. but I'm not.

Step three is Draft 1. I do this part as if I am making a Guy. Draft one is Skeleton. Part 1 is the aforementioned Make the Outline a Certain Length. Part 2 is when I start writing the chapter, deleting parts of the outline as I write them until I have no outline left

Step four is when I put the recently outlined chapters on my Big Timeline that has everything on it- including character birth dates, dates of chapters, things included in dated flashback scenes, etc. Basically everything that I need to keep consistent/so that I don't have to go through 50 chapters to see how long ago something was. It's very helpful I strongly recommend having a Big TImeline actually. If anyone ever asks what my writing advice is it'd be to have a Big Timeline

Step five is Draft 2!!! This is where things have a tendency to get a little bit messy for me because I'm not bound by the laws of writing chapters in order anymore and the chapters that I like will probably be finished faster. Draft 2 is what I consider the Meat of my guy that I am creating. Draft 2 part 3 is where I add to each chapter to complete the Word Goal (unless I really just do not want to, or if it's close enough/don't have anything to add) (this step is optional) and Draft 2 part 4 is when I consider the chapter mostly done. This is where I just reread it and make sure everything is in order. I tend to skip this one too because I reread chapters when I'm editing anyway

Step six is my editing step. I don't know why I keep my editing checklist on a whole different thing but I Do. I'm actually going to move it right now really quick. Editing: 1st read through: italicize/mark with "/" (i post on ao3 sometimes and it doesn't automatically italicize) 2nd read through: check for spelling errors/maybe add or delete sentences 3rd read through: look for trigger warnings and write them down somewhere 4th read through: inconsistencies (write down the things that need to be consistent) check timeline if needed (3rd and 4th usually end up getting combined) 5th read through: read again

After I've waited a week, I repeat the 2nd and 5th part of the editing, and THEN the chapter is done and I have created a Guy.

Here's how they're differentiated:

I might've made that more complicated than it needed to be but it makes sense to me lol. Obviously this doesn't work for everyone and etc

[historias-multorum]

Name / Alias: Ghost

Are you over 18? yes / no

|| WRITING. ||

-Are you selective about who you write with? No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people) / Private (mutuals only).

-Are you selective about who you follow? No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people) / Private (mutuals only).

-If your muse is canon, how much do you adhere to canon? Not at all / A little / Some / Mostly / Strictly / Not Applicable / Depends on the muse

-What post lengths do you write? One-Liners / Single-Para / Multi-Para / Novella / All of the aforementioned.

-Do you use icons and/or GIFS? No / Gifs / Icons / Yes / Sometimes.

-Do you write on other platforms? No / Yes

-What level of plots do you write? Unplotted / Open-Ended Plots / Semi-Plotted / Fully Plotted Epics / All of the aforementioned.

-How quickly do you usually respond to threads? Very Slow (more than a month) / Slow (3-4 weeks) / Average (1-2 weeks) / Fast (less than one week) / Very Fast (less than three days)

-What types of themes do you like? Adventure / Romance / Fluff / Angst / Violence / Tragedy / Domestic / Family / All of the aforementioned.

|| WHAT GENRES DO YOU LIKE? || ( Feel free to add!)

High Fantasy / Supernatural / Science Fiction / Historical / Horror / Comedy / Romantic / Drama / Action / Smut / Adventure / Espionage / All of the aforementioned

-Are there any themes you're uncomfortable writing on your blog? (Not triggers) No / Yes / Sometimes

-Do you have any triggers? How do you request it tagged? Yes, generally, if there is something I am triggered by or uncomfortable with, I will ask the person to tag it so the blacklist can do its job.

|| SHIPPING. ||

-What types of relationships are you open to? Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

-What types of pre-established relationships are you open to? Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

-Do you have OTPs? No / Chemistry Only / Yes

-Do you have NOTPS? No / Yes

-What is your muse's sexual orientation? Heterosexual / Heteroflexible / Bisexual / Pansexual / Homoflexible / Homosexual / Demisexual / Sapiosexual / Asexual / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you're asking.

-What is your muse's romantic orientation? Heteroromantic/ Heteroflexible / Biromantic / Homoflexible / Homoromantic / Panromantic / Demiromantic / Sapioromantic / Aromantic / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you're asking.

-Are you comfortable writing smut? No / Selectively / Yes

How early in a relationship do you ship romantically? Autoship / During plotting / After a couple IC interactions / Several IC interactions / Slow burn / Plot dependent / Never / Depends on how well the characters/muns vibe

-Are you open to toxic ships? No / Selectively / Yes

-Are you open to problematic ships? No / Selectively / Yes

-Are you open to polyshipping? No / Selectively / Yes /

-Are you an exclusive shipper? Never / Sometimes / Yes / I would be open to discuss it

-Does crack shipping ever happen? Nope / Yes / Depends

tagged by: @imaginarianisms💓 tagging: @hehosts @sheblomd @super-kame-love @thetoaddaddy @musesofchaos and anyone who wants to give it a go!

[kokyuchusei]

Name / Alias: Lokke/Darth

Are you over 18? : Yes / No

  – W R I T I N G –

Are you selective about who you write with? :

No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people) / Private (mutuals only).

Are you selective about who you follow? :

No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people).

If your muse is canon, how much do you adhere to canon?:

Not at all / A little /Some / Mostly / Strictly / Not Applicable.

I try to be as faithful to canon as possible. But in some muses in particular, as they don't show that much in the canon media, I try to fill the void with on my own. And if anything I hc be disproved I will change it accordingly

What post lengths do you write?:

One-Liners / Single-Para / Multi-Para / Novella / All of the aforementioned

Do you use icons and/or GIFS? :

No / Gifs / Icons / Yes / Sometimes.

Do you write on other platforms? : No / Yes

I tried to write at discord but I admit it causes me some kind of anxiety as for some reason my mind interprets discord as something to be replied as soon as seen. And I feel as if I NEED to reply as soon as possible and if I visualize the reply, I need to reply it immediately. I can't do that. I prefer drafting things and reply at my own accord.

What level of plots do you write? :

Unplotted / Open-Ended Plots / Semi-Plotted / Fully Plotted Epics / All of the aforementioned

How quickly do you usually respond to threads? :

Very Slow (more than a month) / Slow (3-4 weeks) / Average (1-2 weeks) / Fast (less than one week) / Very Fast (less than three days)

I'm sorry I'm this inconsistent. I may vary from half an hour to months. It really depends. It usually varies from half an hour (if I have A LOT of muse) to a few days or one week or two. But I tend to disappear as my hyperfixation fluctuates to something else until it comes back. I'm horrible, sorry.

What types of themes do you like? :

Adventure / Romance / Fluff / Angst / Violence / Tragedy / Domestic / Family / All of the aforementioned

I'm just not good at writing fluff and domestic. It's not that I entirely dislike it. But my writing drops so many levels when I try to do it.

What genres do you like? : ( Feel free to add! )

High Fantasy / Supernatural / Science Fiction / Historical / Horror / Comedy / Romantic / Drama / Action / Smut / Adventure / Espionage / Dark / Emotional / All of the aforementioned

Are there any themes you’re uncomfortable writing on your blog? : (Not triggers)

No / Yes / Sometimes

Do you have any triggers? Yes

How do you request it tagged? Nothing fancy is needed. Just trigger tw/tw trigger and I'm fine.

  – S H I P P I N G –

What types of relationships are you open to? :

Romantic / Platonic / Enemies / Rivals / Familial / All of the aforementioned

What types of pre-established relationships are you open to? :

Romantic / Platonic / Enemies / Rivals / Familial / All of the aforementioned

Do you have OTPs? :

No / Chemistry Only / Yes 

Do you have NOTPS? :

No / Yes 

What is your muse’s sexual orientation? :

Heterosexual / Heteroflexible / Bisexual / Pansexual / Homoflexible / Homosexual / Demisexual / Sapiosexual / Asexual / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse/verse you’re asking

What is your muse’s romantic orientation? :

Heteroromantic / Heteroflexible / Biromantic / Homoflexible / Homoromantic / Panromantic / Demiromantic / Sapioromantic / Aromantic / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse/verse you’re asking

Are you comfortable writing smut? :

No / Selectively / Yes

How early in a relationship do you ship romantically? :

Autoship / During plotting / After a couple IC interactions / Several IC interactions / Slow burn / Plot dependent / Never

Are you open to toxic ships? :

No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure we have gotta talk about it first.

Are you open to problematic ships? :

No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure 

I'm not gonna lie. I do have a lot of problematic/toxic ships in many fandoms. But I'll still have to analyze the situation first.

Are you open to polyamory shipping?:

No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure 

Are you an exclusive shipper?:

Never / Sometimes / Yes 

Does crack shipping ever happen?:

Nope / Yes / depends

tagged by: @frost-eyed-autumn

[loyalpromise]

Name / Alias: ande

Are you over 18? yes / no

|| WRITING. ||

-Are you selective about who you write with? No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people) / Private (mutuals only).

-Are you selective about who you follow? No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people) / Private (mutuals only).

-If your muse is canon, how much do you adhere to canon? Not at all / A little / Some / Mostly / Strictly / Not Applicable / Depends on the muse

-What post lengths do you write? One-Liners / Single-Para / Multi-Para / Novella / All of the aforementioned.

-Do you use icons and/or GIFS? No / Gifs / Icons / Yes / Sometimes.

-Do you write on other platforms? No / Yes

-What level of plots do you write? Unplotted / Open-Ended Plots / Semi-Plotted / Fully Plotted Epics / All of the aforementioned.

-How quickly do you usually respond to threads? Very Slow (more than a month) / Slow (3-4 weeks) / Average (1-2 weeks) / Fast (less than one week) / Very Fast (less than three days)

-What types of themes do you like? Adventure / Romance / Fluff / Angst / Violence / Tragedy / Domestic / Family / All of the aforementioned.

|| WHAT GENRES DO YOU LIKE? || ( Feel free to add!)

High Fantasy / Supernatural / Science Fiction / Historical / Horror / Comedy / Romantic / Drama / Action / Smut / Adventure / Espionage / All of the aforementioned

-Are there any themes you're uncomfortable writing on your blog? (Not triggers) No / Yes / Sometimes

-Do you have any triggers? How do you request it tagged? they aren't necessarily triggers, per se, but they're squicks that i'd still like tagged and a lot of it is your basic shit of like, clowns, needles, etc. but i'd rather anything dealing with abuse or something super gory be tagged. the usual 'tw ___' is fine.

|| SHIPPING. ||

-What types of relationships are you open to? Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

-What types of pre-established relationships are you open to? Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

-Do you have OTPs? No / Chemistry Only / Yes

-Do you have NOTPS? No / Yes

-What is your muse's sexual orientation? Heterosexual / Heteroflexible / Bisexual / Pansexual / Homoflexible / Homosexual / Demisexual / Sapiosexual / Asexual / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you're asking.

-What is your muse's romantic orientation? Heteroromantic/ Heteroflexible / Biromantic / Homoflexible / Homoromantic / Panromantic / Demiromantic / Sapioromantic / Aromantic / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you're asking.

-Are you comfortable writing smut? No / Selectively / Yes

How early in a relationship do you ship romantically? Autoship / During plotting / After a couple IC interactions / Several IC interactions / Slow burn / Plot dependent / Never / Depends on how well the characters/muns vibe

-Are you open to toxic ships? No / Selectively / Yes

-Are you open to problematic ships? No / Selectively / Yes

-Are you open to polyshipping? No / Selectively / Yes /

-Are you an exclusive shipper? Never / Sometimes / Yes / I would be open to discuss it

-Does crack shipping ever happen? Nope / Yes / Depends

tagged by: stole it lol tagging: anyone who wants to do this

[ask-experiment-1006-theprototype]

GET TO KNOW THE MUN!

-----------------------------------------------------

Name / Alias: Drakon

Are you over 18? Yes / No (21+)

– W R I T I N G –

Are you selective about who you write with? No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people) / Private (mutuals only).

Are you selective about who you follow? No (anyone) / Semi (most people) / Yes (some people) / Highly (few people).

If your muse is canon, how much do you adhere to canon? Not at all / A little / Some / Mostly / Strictly / Not Applicable.

What post lengths do you write? One-Liners / Single-Para / Multi-Para / Novella / All of the aforementioned.

Do you use icons and/or GIFS? No / Gifs / Icons / Yes / Sometimes.

Do you write on other platforms? No / Yes (Primarily write on Tumblr, used to write on Facebook a long while back but haven't touched it and don't really plan to. Discord is another platform I am willing to write on but also plot and just hang out. Like tumblr. )

What level of plots do you write? Unplotted / Open-Ended Plots / Semi-Plotted / Fully Plotted Epics / All of the aforementioned

How quickly do you usually respond to threads? Very Slow (more than a month) / Slow (3-4 weeks) / Average (1-2 weeks) / Fast (less than one week) / Very Fast (less than three days) / (Truthfully it depends on how strong the muse is. He's finnicky but also always present. )

What types of themes do you like? Adventure / Romance / Fluff / Angst/ Violence / Tragedy / Domestic / Family / All of the aforementioned

WHAT GENRES DO YOU LIKE? ( Feel free to add! ) High Fantasy / Supernatural / Science Fiction / Historical / Horror / Comedy / Romantic / Drama / Action / Smut / Adventure / Espionage / All of the aforementioned

Are there any themes you’re uncomfortable writing on your blog? (Not triggers) No / Yes / Sometimes (Mainly not being certain about certain things and being anxious at first. Once I get a hang of things I'm fine.)

Do you have any triggers? How do you request it tagged? I don't have any triggers.

– S H I P P I N G –

What types of relationships are you open to? Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

What types of pre-established relationships are you open to? Romantic / Platonic / Familial / All of the aforementioned

Do you have OTPs? No / Chemistry Only / Yes

Do you have NOTPS? No / Yes.

What is your muse’s sexual orientation? Heterosexual / Heteroflexible / Bisexual / Pansexual / Homoflexible / Homosexual / Demisexual / Sapiosexual / Asexual / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you’re asking

What is your muse’s romantic orientation? Heteroromantic / Heteroflexible / Biromantic / Homoflexible / Homoromantic / Panromantic / Demiromantic / Sapioromantic / Aromantic / Still trying to figure it out / Depends on the muse you’re asking .

Are you comfortable writing smut? No / VERY Selectively / Yes (Very unlikely considering the nature of the characters. Plus in general it's something that makes me iffy at times.)

How early in a relationship do you ship romantically? Autoship / During plotting / After a couple IC interactions / Several IC interactions / Slow burn / Plot dependent / Never / ???? If it happens it happens

Are you open to toxic ships? No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure

Are you open to problematic ships? No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure

Are you open to polyshipping? No / Selectively / Yes / I am not sure

Are you an exclusive shipper? Never / Sometimes / Yes / I would be open to discuss it

Does crack shipping ever happen? Nope / Yes / depends

Tagged by: @viviskull Tagging: Whoever wants to do it.

[tricoloredillusion]

BASICS

NAME : Dev/Neo

ARE YOU OVER 18? : yes (became 30 this month!) / no

IS YOUR MUSE? : yes (unless I write flashbacks of a younger version, she's an adult by default) / no

ARE YOU SELECTIVE ABOUT WHO YOU WRITE WITH ON THIS BLOG? : no ( anyone ) / semi ( most people ) / yes / highly / private

ARE YOU SELECTIVE ABOUT WHO YOU FOLLOW ON THIS BLOG? : no ( anyone ) / semi / yes / highly

IF YOUR MUSE IS CANON, HOW MUCH DO YOU ADHERE TO CANON? : not at all / a little / some / mostly / strictly / i sometimes change events or add to what happens. (altered timelines only)

WHAT POST LENGTHS DO YOU WRITE? : one-liners / single - para / multi - para / novella

DO YOU USE ICONS AND / OR GIFS? : no (sometimes) / gifs / icons / gif icons

DO YOU WRITE ON OTHER PLATFORMS? : no / yes (Twitter)

WHAT LEVEL OF PLOTS DO YOU WRITE? : unplotted (rare) / open-ended plots / semi - plotted / fully plotted epics

HOW QUICKLY DO YOU USUALLY RESPOND TO THREADS? : very slow ( more than a month ) / slow ( 3 - 4 weeks ) / average ( 1 - 2 weeks ) / fast ( less than one week ) / very fast ( less than three days )

WHAT TYPES OF THEMES DO YOU LIKE? : fluff / angst / smut (selectively) / action (even if I suck at fighting scenes tho) / tragedy / domestic / family / conversational (hah) / hurt - comfort

WHAT GENRES DO YOU LIKE? : high fantasy / supernatural / science fiction / historical / horror / comedy / romantic / drama / action / adventure / espionage / everything

ARE THERE ANY THEMES YOU’RE UNCOMFORTABLE WRITING ON YOUR BLOG? : no / yes (but rarely, if something doesn't strike my fancy I'll say)

DO YOU HAVE ANY TRIGGERS? : no / yes (not a necessity to point them out! I'll be fine, I know how to take care of myself lol)

HOW DO YOU REQUEST IT BE TAGGED? : Not needed!

SHIPPING

WHAT TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS ARE YOU OPEN TO? : romantic / platonic / familial / physical (idk what the difference with sexual is with this one so-) / sexual / queerplatonic

WHAT TYPES OF PRE - ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS ARE YOU OPEN TO? : romantic / platonic / familial / physical / sexual (I very much prefer to develop stuff with interactions, unless it's a canon muse that Neo knows already)

DO YOU HAVE OTPS? : no / chemistry / yes (it's Spicecream, Neo x Cinder)

DO YOU HAVE NOTPS? : no / yes (my Neo with any men) / i don’t know

ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WRITING SMUT? : no / selectively / yes

HOW EARLY IN A RELATIONSHIP DO YOU SHIP ROMANTICALLY? : autoship / during plotting / after a couple IC interactions / several IC interactions / slow burn / depends on partner & muse (I'm a lil picky for these)

ARE YOU OPEN TO TOXIC SHIPS? : no / selectively / yes / never tried it

ARE YOU OPEN TO PROBLEMATIC SHIPS? : no / selectively / yes / i don't know (I mean, Spicecream already enters the toxic label for the major part so I DUNNO)

ARE YOU OPEN TO POLYSHIPPING? : no (Neo has problems holding 1 relationship, she ain't getting into polyamory anytime soon LMAO) / selectively / yes

ARE YOU AN EXCLUSIVE SHIPPER? : no / sometimes / yes

DOES CRACK SHIPPING EVER HAPPEN? : no?? i d k/ sometimes / yes

DOES CROSSOVER SHIPPING EVER HAPPEN? : no / yes / depends

I stole this >:)

[marionmaverick]

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒 –

NAME : Jase

ARE YOU OVER 18? :   yes / no

IS YOUR MUSE? : yes / no (marion a teen, Hebe adult, Ardyn adult with some kid verses)

ARE YOU SELECTIVE ABOUT WHO YOU WRITE WITH ON THIS BLOG? : no ( anyone ) / semi ( most people ) / yes / highly / private ( mutuals only )  

ARE YOU SELECTIVE ABOUT WHO YOU FOLLOW ON THIS BLOG? : no ( anyone ) / semi / yes / highly

IF YOUR MUSE IS CANON, HOW MUCH DO YOU ADHERE TO CANON? : not at all / a little / some / mostly / strictly / ( OC ) / sometimes change events or add to what happens / - vague handgestures -

WHAT POST LENGTHS DO YOU WRITE? : one-liners / single - para / multi - para / novella

DO YOU USE ICONS AND / OR GIFS? : no / gifs / icons / gif icons

DO YOU WRITE ON OTHER PLATFORMS? : no / yes (up for discord but haven’t done it)

WHAT LEVEL OF PLOTS DO YOU WRITE? : unplotted / open-ended plots / semi - plotted / fully plotted epics

HOW QUICKLY DO YOU USUALLY RESPOND TO THREADS? : very slow ( more than a month ) / slow ( 3 - 4 weeks ) / average ( 1 - 2 weeks ) / fast ( less than one week ) / very fast ( less than three days )

WHAT TYPES OF THEMES DO YOU LIKE? : fluff / angst / smut / action / tragedy / domestic / family / conversational / hurt - comfort

WHAT GENRES DO YOU LIKE? : high fantasy / supernatural / science fiction / historical / horror / comedy / romantic / drama / action / adventure / espionage / everything

ARE THERE ANY THEMES YOU’RE UNCOMFORTABLE WRITING ON YOUR BLOG? :   no / yes (brain washing and lobotomy adjacent things.If someone is irreversibly changed I get stressed)

DO YOU HAVE ANY TRIGGERS? : no / yes

HOW DO YOU REQUEST IT BE TAGGED? : no tags needed yet, but I’d usually just go with something simple and easy to remember.

– 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 –

WHAT TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS ARE YOU OPEN TO? : romantic / platonic / familial / physical / sexual / queerplatonic

WHAT TYPES OF PRE - ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS ARE YOU OPEN TO? : romantic / platonic / familial / physical / sexual

DO YOU HAVE OTPS? : no / chemistry / yes

DO YOU HAVE NOTPS? : no / yes  / i don’t know

ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WRITING SMUT? : no / selectively / yes

HOW EARLY IN A RELATIONSHIP DO YOU SHIP ROMANTICALLY? : autoship / during plotting / after a couple IC interactions / several IC interactions / slow burn / depends on partner & muse

ARE YOU OPEN TO TOXIC SHIPS? : no / selectively / yes / never tried it

ARE YOU OPEN TO PROBLEMATIC SHIPS? : no  / selectively / yes / i don't know

ARE YOU OPEN TO POLYSHIPPING? : no  / selectively / yes

ARE YOU AN EXCLUSIVE SHIPPER? : no / sometimes / yes

DOES CRACK SHIPPING EVER HAPPEN? : no / sometimes / yes

DOES CROSSOVER SHIPPING EVER HAPPEN? : no / yes / depends

Tagged by: @pcndaemonium  (Thanks so much for tagging!)

Tagging:  @lightwithinthenightsky, @grumpyascianteddybear, @princessofmuses

[myhoneststudyblr]

every single student in the world has likely procrastinated at some point - i know i definitely have! sometimes i think it can be quite helpful because means that you don't spend every minute of every day studying... but on the other hand, it can become very hard to beat. there are so many advice posts in the community on this topic but i thought that i would share my own tips! 

disclaimer: everyone studies differently and these are my personal tips. they may not work for you but they can be a good starting point 

What is Procrastination?

i found this little summary of procrastinating on the internet and thought it completely covered everything that i wanted to say on this point:

Procrastination is the habit of delaying an important task, usually by focusing on less urgent, more enjoyable, and easier activities instead. It is different from laziness, which is the unwillingness to act.

Procrastination can restrict your potential and undermine your career. It can also disrupt teamwork, reduce morale, and even lead to depression and job loss. So, it's crucial to take proactive steps to prevent it.

The first step to overcoming procrastination is to recognize that you're doing it. Then, identify the reasons behind your behavior and use appropriate strategies to manage and overcome it.

- How to Stop Procrastinating by Mindtools

so what is learnt from this is that:

procrastination is not being lazy 

it is avoiding tasks by doing other easier tasks

it can have negative effects

you need to proactively take steps to avoid it 

first, recognise the procrastinating then use strategies to break the cycle

Conventional Tips

these are the basic tips that are some of the most well-known strategies for ending procrastination and can be some of the most important steps!

1. get organised. tidy up your desk to study space because there is nothing worse than having to work in a place that is chaotic and mess. collect the information you need for the task, for example, notes you've made or a textbook. 

2. to-do lists are your friend. a lot of people (including me) really struggle with timetables for studying because it can seem really structured and there is no flexibility or real allowance for things that may crop up during the day (your food takes longer to cook, you have to unexpectedly do a task around the house, you get a really bad headache and need to take a break). in my opinion, to-do lists help solve this problem! you can clearly see the tasks that you want to get done for the day but you don't have stressful time constraints. personally, i always use todoist to keep track of everything. to-do lists also make it easier to break tasks down

3. break the task down. one of the biggest cause of procrastination is having a huge task or project ahead of you because it seems really daunting and where on earth are you even going to start? so break it down *completely*. in your to-do list, don't just write ‘german homework’, write down even task that you need to do within it and be specific: for example ‘pg. 11 ex 4a, 4b and 4c’, ‘textbook listening task on pg. 47′ and ‘250-word essay on social media in Germany’. breaking it down makes the tasks seem more attainable and when you’ve done one and you can cross it off your list, it gives you a boost to keep going

4. eliminate distractions. this is a big one. even if you do all of the above, if you are constantly being distracted by things, you aren't going to get much done. try to find a place that is quiet enough that you can focus and you feel comfortable studying in. as well as this you need to think about what to do with your phone as the likelihood is that this will be the most distracting thing. you can simply turn it off, put on do not disturb, leave it in another room or use and app like forest (that last one is what i use and i don't know where i would be without it!)

5. use incentives. finishing a task is an achievement so treat it like one! before you study, decide on something that you will give yourself as a reward for doing it. this may be watching that new episode of your favourite programme or a tasty snack! 

6. set timers. don't just launch yourself into a task, because that again can make it seem daunting and feel unending. rather, set a timer for a specific time because you’ll know that you just need to focus for that specific length of time and then you can go take a break and do something nice. for timing your study sessions, you could use the Pomodoro technique 

7. allow for breaks (but try to avoid long ones). you are not a machine and as much as it would be great to be able to, you cant study for hours on end without giving your mind a break from focusing. so schedule in break time for yourself, particularly for times that you know your motivation dips, and do something nice. but be very careful that you don't accidentally slip back into procrastinating habits and keep breaks short. unless you are very disciplined it is unlikely that an hour-long break will stay just an hour.

8. know how you study but don’t be afraid to mix it up. everyone studies differently and so there are going to be some study methods that work better for some than others. so try to make sure that you are studying smart and that you aren't wasting your own time cause that can be incredibly unmotivating. HOWEVER, if there is anything that I’ve learnt from online school its that doing the same task all the time, every day is mind-numbingly boring and you just want to do anything else. so try to switch up what you are doing. if you usually just type notes from the textbook, maybe try doing it in a mindmap one week, or on flashcards, maybe do some practise questions to keep your mind engaged. 

9. play music. now this one really depends on the person and how you study. some people need absolute silence and that is fine, but others need something to fill the silence or maybe cover up background noise (for example if you live in a busy household). try to pick music however that is not going to distract you - the key tips for this is to pick music without lyrics. this can be classical music, video game music, or general ‘chill’ music (there are so many playlists out there for chill studying music). i personally listen to Francesco Parrino religiously while studying because he does piano covers of pop songs, so i know the songs and enjoy them but there are no lyrics that can distract me 

10. stay hydrated, well-rested and not hungry. this is part of eliminating distractions because if you are thirsty, you are going to be thinking about how you want a drink; if you are tired, you are going to be thinking about how tired you are; if you are hungry, you are going to be thinking about what you want for lunch or whatever. make sure you are hydrated, well-rested and not hungry so you can focus solely on your task or work.

Unconventional Tips

these are some slightly more unusual tips that you might not have seen before but that I've nevertheless found very useful!

1. video yourself or do a timelapse. this is something that I’ve only recently done because i saw a tip on this from someone during my quarantine challenge and thought that it would be cool to do. and it really works! i did it twice once when i was typing notes and a second time when i was handwriting notes and it really made me focus on what is as doing because the video put some pressure on me to look like i was properly studying - i could take a 5-minute break in the middle of my work to mess around with my pen, I just had to keep going so it really forces you to do the work. also watching the video when i was done made me really proud cause i had visual proof of how much i completed!

2. accept that some days you are going to get very little done. this may seem a little bit odd to put on a post that is meant to avoid getting nothing done but it’s actually a very important thing to remember. sometimes you need to take days off because otherwise you are going to burnout and some days you are just not going to be in the right mindset for studying because maybe you are exhausted after a big exam, or you have a headache or you feel unwell. you just need to accept it, draw a line under it, take time for yourself, and resolve yourself to work tomorrow once you feel a bit better. there is no shame in taking time to make sure you stay healthy. if you can, try to get your quickest, easiest task done so you have some sense of accomplishment.

3. ‘churn it out and f**k off’. this was my mum’s motto when she was studying and working in academia. and she recently told it to me when i was getting stressed about all the big tasks during online school. i am a perfectionist and i always want to hand in my very best work, put 100% into everything, but honestly that is impossible. some days you just need to get stuff done and if that isn't your very best then it doesn't matter too much because at least you got it done. and once you get it done you can just forget about it.

4. ask a friend or parent to check up on you. when you are studying by yourself it can be hard to motivate yourself because you know that no ones actually going to check whether you made those votes or did the reading, so ask a friend or someone you live with to check whether you've done the work or get them to read essays. you then get an external reason to study or do your tasks because you need to show them something.

5. rephrase how you think of tasks. when you think that ‘you need to do this task’ or ‘you have to get this done’, a lot of the time this causes unneeded stress and anxiety that is not going to help you at all. also it makes it seem like you are being forced to do something and human beings generally don't act great when they are forced to do something. so try to change your language when thinking about task into one that is more forgiving such as ‘i choose to do this project so that i can go meet my friends tomorrow’ and ‘i choose to read this book now because it will help me in the lecture next week’. this is probably the most difficult strategy on this list and it will take a lot of practice (i am certainly still practising it) but in the long term, it can help you change the way in which you view studying for the better. 

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i hope this was helpful and that these tips will be useful, and perhaps you've discovered some new ones! if anyone has anything to add please feel free to reply or reblog with the advice <3