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prettylittlelyres · 3 years

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My Year in Writing (2020)

Hello and Happy New Year! I thought it might be nice to share with you all an overview of what I've written in 2020.

First of all, let me say that I haven't written nearly as much as I wanted to, but that's OK, and it's OK if the amount you've written feels or looks pretty similar. The point is, it looks some way (I daresay pretty) because you've taken up the pen and put some words on a page.

I don't want to gloss over how bad aspects of my 2020 Writing Year have disappointed me, because that would be as silly as casting a damper on the whole thing by focusing only on the trickier bits. What I'm aiming for here is a balanced review - even if it's a rather informal one - of my achievements, and my feelings about my writing this year. In the interest of balance, let's start with something GOOD!

Right at the beginning of the year - around January - I started redrafting a rather fabulously dark fantasy romance, of which you've probably seen a little bit on this blog: Songs from the Crypt Forest, which I dropped after 9,800 words, because I wanted - and needed to work on my first dedicated book, and on my Year Abroad Research Project.

I managed to write about 17,000 words of the dedicated book in its original form before I realised that it wasn't quite working, and that I ought to try a different tack. The story I was telling there is a story I still want to tell, but I just wasn't ready to write it at the time. I'm hoping to pick it up properly in 2021.

I realised I needed to try getting back into the world I wrote in 'Violins and Violets', by writing something set around the same time and involving some of the same characters. In March, I started writing 'Book J', for which I didn’t have a proper title until I was nearly done with its first draft! I gave it the working title 'Book J', because I was writing it for my friend Jenny. By the time summer came round I had 52,000 words, and a first draft that was as complete as I think it ever will be.

Lockdown hit my life quite hard in Spring 2020, and I lost my language assistant job in France when all schools closed, and I had to come back to the UK to live out the academic year with my parents. Nevertheless I had to carry on working with my Year Abroad Research Project, Which I was able to hand in by 18th May, having squeezed all my findings into a dissertation of 6,000 words.

Now that my YARP was out of my way, and I had no more work to do for university, I started redrafting Jenny's book, now called 'Vogeltje', and cut it down to 44,000 words, which I polished until August... when I had copies printed for Jenny, so that she could read a book written especially for her. I would have given it to her in person in France, but lockdown happened, and I ended up posting her copies from one part of South England to another. A rather typical outcome for a meetup planned in 2019 for 2020, I suspect!

During lockdown, I also trained as a proof-reader and copyeditor, and did some volunteer work for a company that needed translators. Online training courses have been a godsend, and I've particularly enjoyed a novel writing course and a travel writing course that I've been following. The novel writing course has pushed me to flesh out plans for a number of books, including more detailed and cohesive outlines for 'Songs from the Crypt Forest' and 'The Night Has Teeth' (two books I want to write in a similar universe), along with my on-again-off-again WIP 'The Manylove Quarter' - and the plans for these three alone come to 7,850+ words!

I moved back to Southampton in July, and took August to start drafting 'The Manylove Quarter ', but that ended up petering out with about 19,200 words of prose on the page. Still, I spent a lot of time querying, and got plenty of reading done, so - especially considering the heatwaves in my area and a pretty enormous academic crisis in my record (fixed in November, after writing a LOT of letters and reports!!! So, this is where I send a million hugs to my lecturers and tutors for all the help they've given me, thank you, thank you, thank you all SO MUCH!!!) - I still felt fairly well-accomplished at the end of the month. I also did quite a bit of painting.

In August and September, I started typing up the journal I've been keeping since the beginning of April, once I'd settled back into life in the UK, to keep track of my feelings about the pandemic and my reactions to what I've seen or heard in the news. I write an average of 6,000 words per month, so I'm coming up to 50,000 words on the whole thing (but have yet to type up November or December). One day, I'll use it to write some extremely illustrious memoirs about how much fun, I had stamping up and down the stairs in my parents' house in order to get my steps in! (I really did get quite fit, though, and I want to get back to it in the New Year!)

At the start of September, I published a 2,500-word travel log my university's "study abroad" blog, all about how much I came to love the French city of La Rochelle, where I spent my 3rd year working. I think I will polish it at least a little before I post it here, but I would love to post a redrafted version on this blog!

My final year of university (BA Modern Languages, French and German) started in October, so all my reading and writing that month - or so it felt - was linked to my course. However. I've lost count of how many pieces I've translated between English, French and German, just to prepare for each class. I love my course, but it doesn't leave much energy for anything else!

Welcome to November, when all my graded assignments were due at once, and the associated stress started taking its toll. Luckily, my tutors were there to help me get extensions for work I couldn't hand in on time because my brain had turned into mashed potato. By the middle of December, I ended up with a 300-word translation and 300-word scripted scene for French, a 1,000-word commentary on a translation into English, a 2,500-word essay for French History, and a 2,000-word short story for German, which I've translated into English, and will post here any day.

This has really been a big year for letter-writing, especially since I came back from France. My cousin and I love writing longhand letters to each other, as I love writing them to my grandmothers, and, as such, I've written about one hundred letters this year! My cousin and I have kept every letter we've ever sent each other, and these collections have approximately doubled in size since the start of 2020.

I keep trying to redraft the first chapters of 'The Manylove Quarter', but never seem to get very far. With about 3 redrafts started since Autumn, I'd say l have about 1,000 words typed up. I can probably say the same of the story I'm trying to write as a kind of Standalone, kind of Sequel to 'This Still Happens' and 'Curls of Smoke', except that I'd put those around the 2,000-word mark.

If my Mathematic capabilities still stand up, I estimate I've written about 210,000 words in total this year (not including text messages, letters, emails and entries in my regular diary (which I keep separately to my pandemic journal)), which. honestly, makes me feel a little like I've failed myself.

That's why l'm making this post, actually, to address that feeling - because | know it's not rational, so I'm not going to call it "that fact" - and to tot all my work up in one place, so that I can see my achievements as one big hulk. Looking at my 2020 in terms of projects l've actually finished, it's disappointing! But to look at 2020 as a final wordcount makes me feel an awful lot better. My sister just pointed out that "210,000 words" is "nearly a quarter of a million words", and, put in that way, it's much easier to feel like I've accomplished something of which I can - and Should - feel proud. I've written a lot this year!

Now l'm asking all of you who feel like you've "not done enough work in 2020" to reassess the way you're looking at it all, and to see that:

Productivity shouldn't define how much you feel you're worth, no matter how productive you've been. Please don't fall into the capitalist trap of thinking you're only "doing the right thing" if you're working! You're worth a huge amount and you deserve to be proud of yourself!

You've achieved a lot more than you first thought, whether in the projects you've finished, the number of words you're written, the ideas you've had, the research and planning you've done, the time you've put in, the skills you've honed... OR THE FUN YOU'VE HAD! It all counts, and it's all important, and you can be proud of all of it, just like you can be proud of yourself.

If you don't feel like you've done enough, find a new angle from which to look at what you have done. I'm willing to bet someone out there can see how brilliantly you're doing already. Try to see yourself through that someone's eyes!

#writeblr #blog #writer's life #writing about writing #2020 in writing #motivation #positivity

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junkobears · 6 years

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Here Lies Dreaded V3 Discourse

So I have seemed to cause a huge kerfuffle in the hardcore Ouma conspiracy theorists standom, and a banal (if condescending, but seeing the response to it honestly justifies it more than anything now. “Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it”, you better believe I can take it and will now PROPERLY dish it out right back at you) comment about one of Tsumugi’s anime references has led to someone launching a hilariously personal attack at me for Daring To Disagree With A Theory That Was Posted On A Public Website. Someone who I wasn’t even initially responding too, at that. And has now blocked me before even allowing me to respond and clarify my original comments. Don’t want to deal with the consequences of being a repugnant, rude person I guess? Shock and surprise for Tumblr.

The link to the post is here, but I’ve taken the liberty to screenshot it just in case it gets deleted later, in hope that maybe there’ll be some reflection on this person’s part that this really is not an acceptable way to respond to people who have a dissenting opinion? Anyways, I will be responding to the personal attack post and that will be the last time I interact with this group, because clearly it’s not worth it to actually have a discussion about our respective ending theories. I ain’t got time beyond this for tedious insecure fucks these days.

Anyways, my response is under the cut to save my poor followers’ dashes. Sorry to drag drama onto my blog but I can’t really let this slide. I’m also tagging @jacks-plays-drv3 just because I assume the twin comes with the other with these two, and I want my response to have been seen.

Screenshot In This Link - This post is long enough without the image taking up more space, haha.

Let’s start with this mess, shall we? And I will go into painstaking detail.

Paragraph 1: So this already starts off with a whole lot of needless aggression and projection. So I’m not even going to attempt to be nice back. But: maybe I haven’t proven anything because I literally had not typed up a response to clarify my original comments @ Jacks yet before the rabid attack dog was unleashed? Like, there was literally no attempt from you to have a discussion that was a genuine offer from me, I was not out to get you actually. I also honestly just laughed at being called shallow, JUST LIKE THAT HORRIBLE CHARACTER TSUMUGI SHIROGANE right off the bat as well. That’s a compliment really, honey. Weirdly I don’t share the same opinions as you do. Tsumugi is my fave and unlike you I actually think about and HAVE analyzed/discussed her character in detail previously, which I would’ve been happy to share had you not immediately went into Blind Raging Idiot Mode. Guess we can’t have it all, huh?

As for needing proof that she makes the Flashback Lights... nevermind the CG that literally shows her making them during Chapter 6, but do you have proof that Monokuma is the person who makes the Lights instead of just placing them for the students? I doubt it, somehow. Cuz a lot of your theories don’t actually have any concrete proof. Quelle surprise. Probably why anyone not immediately on board with your headcanon gets you so goddamn angry, huh? Cuz it’s completely baseless and you know it at heart.

As for the Ouma comments, actually I have read the assorted creator comments regarding his character even if you like to believe I’m a slobbering moron who turned my brain off as soon as I finished V3, so yes I already know that his name was chosen to sound mastermind-like. Maybe this was to emphasize and make his fake mastermind reveal appear more legit on first read? JUST A THOUGHT, SWEETIE. You know the entire fucking point of Chapter 5? You’re so slavishly devoted to your theory that you actually are incapable of reading the basic fucking text from the actual game, but again. Not a surprise. Considering what I’ve read from your blog (really, who are you again? I only knew Jacks’ blog from before all this, so you taking such a personal offense at my comments is honestly hilarious but baffling at the same time. It ain’t all about you, babe.)

As for the lab door, here’s an simpler explanation (Occam’s Razor, look it up): The star sign constellation pattern was there as a hint for the player to connect Ouma’s messages from his dorm room to the vault in Amami’s lab once its opened and you can see the star signs in there. Or perhaps it was designed like that by TDR to make the students make that connection as well in the original script and think that Ouma was the mastermind cuz of the connection to Amami’s lab? Literally, there are a lot of possibilities, cuz it’s a NOTHING DETAIL THAT DOESN’T ACTUALLY MATTER IN THE BIG PICTURE. Considering Kodaka’s track record with writing these games I don’t actually believe it’s anything major, personally. He doesn’t really strike me as the type to hide this completely separate story underneath the actual story we got, and with such vague nothing “”””””””””””clues””””””””””””. You and Jacks do yourselves (well you already do cuz you love to jack yourselves off with how CLEVER AND BETTER you are than the rest of us plebs), sure, in believing otherwise (You have way too much faith in him as a writer. Or you’re desperately trying to pretend V3 wasn’t poorly written cuz you don’t like the Ch. 6 twist) but also realize that its nothing more than extrapolation on your part that it actually means anything beyond the.... SHALLOW (horror scream) connection given in-game.

And really, who the fuck cares if it doesn’t match the title of ‘Supreme Leader’? It’s already a ridiculous talent as it stands already. The entire point of his character is that everything about him, his motives and his talent is contradictory and weird. That’s why I like him, actually. He isn’t an abused martyr who never lies like you goons believe and he also isn’t the evil monstrous chessmaster some of the fandom thinks. It’s Complex Motives™ .

Anyways moving on. Pointing out an anime reference =/= DISREGARDING PEOPLE’S ANALYSIS. Pointing out that most of the plot leads up to and supports the fiction twist =/= uncritically agreeing with everything Tsumugi says. Actually, after examining the game’s story for myself I came to the conclusion that all the clues in it really only support her version of the story, really. There are a few things I think she lied about, but it is not CONCLUSIVELY proven she lied in my opinion and so I don’t really give a fucking toss until new canon comes out and reveals more of the V3 story. Oumatwin don’t real, gurl. If there was actually anything in-game beyond one obvious joke line in the NON-CANON!!!!!!! bonus mode supporting that he existed, maybe I’d respect your theory more. Even though you don’t deserve respect after your little tantrum.

Paragraph 2: Jesus I already am investing way too much time into this response at people who don’t actually deserve it, oh well. But laughing hard at the attempt to try and act as if you weren’t being a snobby asshole with your comments. Again, HUGE AMOUNTS OF PROJECTION at me about things I literally have never done and said. I have never interacted with you or Jacks prior to my initial comment. No fucking clue why you brought up the SaiOuma shit, cuz I don’t even LIKE Saihara as a character and don’t like that fujobait ship in the slightest? But I guess it’s easier to assume that all your critics are the exact same fucking person with the same opinions, so you can feel more persecuted, huh? You literally did not even wait for me to respond or check my blog that would’ve easily disproven these dumb-as-fuck assumptions. And get off the fucking high horse (pun completely intended), you lot are not the only people in this fandom who are capable of critical thought. How completely self-obsessed can you be?

For someone who claims to have a lot of critical thinking skills compared to this nasty fandom, you really are terrible at parsing other people’s words. You fucking know when I said “group of anime fans” that I was referring to Team Danganronpa, the organization literally mentioned in game as running the game. The group Tsumugi is part of. She literally has a company badge FFS. THEY ARE ANIME FANS. THEY ALL STARTED KILLING GAMES CUZ THEY ALL LOVE THIS SHITTY SERIES. I can’t believe this had to be explained. And the rest of this paragraph word salad is the most pedantic argument. It’s really not hard to believe an organization in this series would have access to all this tech. And yes, it’s a popular TV show in-universe, of course it’ll have funding. And the whole damn point of the ending is that the V3 world is consuming fiction the wrong way by having real-life killing games, missing the entire point of the DR series and fiction in general? What’s your actual point?

Paragraph 3: Again more assumptions, I wasn’t ‘crying’ about being called gullible. I was just pointing it out as part of your extremely unnecessary smug dismissal of my post. That you really haven’t disproved at all, btw. Honestly the childish response you both had to me just makes me laugh out of pity more than anything. And if I was really upset I wouldn’t have offered to have a discussion with you or even continued to reply after Jacks initial (vague) post about what I said. So don’t put words in my mouth. And yes my analysis was not completed in my initial comments. It’s Tumblr fucking replies, I can’t fit the entire fucking dissertation of Tsumugi opinions in there for you to jeer at in there. Again, I offered to share my opinions and got this as a response, so lol. You are your own worst enemy when it comes to trying to get people to take you and your theories seriously.

Paragraph 4: Especially since you immediately jump to PULLING THINGS OUT OF YOUR ASS (seriously, fucking snorted at this part. I want this whole diatribe on my fucking gravestone. It’s by far the most hilariously petty thing ever said about me on this site.) instead of letting me explain my position. If you just want to be in the creepy cult Oumatwin echo chamber you should’ve just said and blocked me ASAP instead of word salading vague bullshit justifications for why actually people who disagree with you are just stupid crybabies who can never hope to understand your genius. Again, my initial comments didn’t whine about not being taken seriously at all, I was pointing out the hypocrisy/rudeness is all. And again, get off the high horse about critical thinking. I have thought about Tsumugi’s character and how she relates to the over-arching plot and how truthful it is, and the overall ‘mystery’ of V3 (spoiler: there is none. it was all solved by chapter 6). I have thought about this game. In fact I dedicate too much time to critical analysis of this series that doesn’t actually deserve it cuz lately I find Kodaka to be a hack writer. Your assumptions are flat-out wrong, dear. And AGAIN. I WOULD’VE. SHARED AND DISCUSSED IN MORE DETAIL HAD I BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY. But rude fucks gonna vomit shit out of their mouth cuz they have literally no self-control and have meltdowns at the slightest difference of opinion, I guess.

Your extreme hatred for Tsumugi as a character truly shines through. Clearly no thought has been put into her from your end, even though you and Jacks rage about people not taking Ouma seriously as a character. Double standards as always with fujos. Nothing I’m not used too, she is incredibly unpopular in this fandom. And everyone is entitled to their own opinions. So I’m not even mad at that. I have never said otherwise. Even you and Jacks are valid in having your own theories and thoughts. The ending of V3 is designed entirely so everyone can analyze the game for themselves and draw their own conclusions about the story and themes. That’s the whole point. Even though I personally dislike that as a writing decision on Kodaka’s part because I would prefer the story to be conclusively ended and the epilogue is a giant turd that misses the entire point of Chapter 6 and enables shit (anal pun intended, dumbass) like this to start spreading as “Analysis”. But hey, to each their own.

However I will not be interacting with either of you again after this post though, even though I was willing to discuss beforehand, because you both have shown yourselves to be incredibly vile with the way you approach other people in this fandom, and especially those who don’t share your conspiracy theory. Despite the absolutely ironic comments I’ve seen from Oumanous in their later, also terrible posts about how you need to understand your opponent before engaging, which they literally failed entirely to do before engaging the firing squad at me and other commentators who responded. So much for the sanctity of discussion, huh? Enjoy your circlejerk. Everyone else who follows me in this fandom though? Please consider blocking these two if you are also a sane human being who is capable of polite discussion/disagreements. They are not worth your time otherwise. They were really not worth my time writing this post, but I felt I had to say something.

In conclusion: Out with the both of you.

#fandom drama #V3 spoilers #long post #i cant believe i have ended up in dr fandom discourse #i have sunk so low lmfao #allowed to reblog this post also I dont mind #unless you are the two chucklefucks this post is about #out. with you.#but I will not be afraid to stand up for myself when I get shit like this #anyways its done bridge burned

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thestylesproject · 7 years

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#51 Milkshake and Concert Tickets (Harry Styles)

Summary: The one where Y/N makes killer milkshakes, and Harry is a little sad.

Snippet: “You know, I make an awesome Belgium chocolate milkshake which is amazing for heart breaks,” I looked up to meet the eyes of the cafe girl wiping glasses. 24/7 this cafe remained open, this girl looked around my age, was it even safe for her?

“Who said I had a heartbreak?” I asked, keeping my voice a little different. I wasn’t in shape to be Harry Styles just this moment.

“It’s killer for midnight blues even,” She said, stocking the glasses back on the shelves.

“It’s extra calories.”

“You’ll burn em,” She laughed. Did she know who I was? I was glad she wasn’t focusing it on that, at least.

“I’d love one.” I saw her work around the shop. Putting one scoop of ice cream, then another, milk, then sugar - I’d need an extra session at the gym tomorrow.

“There you go,” she placed the heavenly looking glass in front of me. God, it’s amazing.

“It’s good,” I nodded. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” She took a seat at the counter and opened her book. Something something…empire.

“What is that book about?” I asked.

“Oh, Britain and its colonies.” She said, taking a sip of the coffee in her glass.

“Of how great it was?” I laughed.

“How it became great by ruining everything else,” I shut up.

----

“Harry, I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what happened to me. It just..happened. And, I’m so so ashamed of myself.” This is how I was still awake at 4 AM. I’m confused if it was an involuntary decision of accepting to meet her in a coffee shop after midnight or there was something left between us.

“Please say something, Harry!” I tried to get myself incognito. I figured the black hoodie and the track pants hid me and my emotion burning inside pretty well in the mirror. “I know you’re mad at me. I know you hate me right now. But,” I wanted to hit her. I wanted to take her to the top floor and push her from there. She did the same to my heart. “It wasn’t technically even cheating, Harry,”

“How many types of cheating are there? You had your tongue pretty much down his throat, his hands on your bare ass, both naked. That pretty much is cheating.” I tried controlling my tears. Crying wasn’t good, crying made you look weak. It didn’t matter if you thought that maybe crying was relieving, refreshing, the world saw it as weak. She saw it as weak.

“We weren’t even together, Harry!” Fuck. Of course. Because I didn’t ask if she’d be mine officially. All the dates, messages, late nights, kisses, fuck.

“Why are we having this discussion then?” I asked. Before she could say anything else, “Just go.” She is leaving. Last chance. Should I? Would I want to stop her? …No.

This is the fourth one, Harry. The last one had a problem with the term girlfriend, the one before that with fame, the one before that found me too available. Shit, shouldn’t bang my head on the table. It hurts now.

“You know, I make an awesome Belgium chocolate milkshake which is amazing for heart breaks,” I looked up to meet the eyes of the cafe girl wiping glasses. 24/7 this cafe remained open, this girl looked around my age, was it even safe for her?

“Who said I had a heartbreak?” I asked, keeping my voice a little different. I wasn’t in shape to be Harry Styles just this moment.

“It’s killer for midnight blues even,” She said, stocking the glasses back on the shelves.

“It’s extra calories.”

“You’ll burn 'em,” She laughed. Did she know who I was? I was glad she wasn’t focusing it on that, at least.

“I’d love one.” I saw her work around the shop. Putting one scoop of ice cream, then another, milk, then sugar - I’d need an extra session at the gym tomorrow.

“There you go,” she placed the heavenly looking glass in front of me. God, it’s amazing.

“It’s good,” I nodded. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” She took a seat at the counter and opened her book. Something something…empire.

“What is that book about?” I asked.

“Oh, Britain and its colonies.” She said, taking a sip of the coffee in her glass.

“Of how great it was?” I laughed.

“How it became great by ruining everything else,” I shut up.

With half my drink down, “Can I ask you something?” She looked around wondering if there was anyone else she was talking to.

“Sure,” She closed her book.

“Why are you working so late at night? It’s not exactly very safe.”

“Before you get any ideas, I will warn you that I’m a black belt, and I can slap real hard.” She said with a straight face and then giggled. I took a deep breath, smiling a bit. Could she see, under my hoodie? “Well, I was free this month because my UNI gives time off for writing my dissertation. So, I took the night shift and changed my sleeping schedule.”

“A lot of trouble for a night shift?” I questioned.

“It pays more, and I needed the money,” She smiled.

“Paying for the UNI?” I asked. I was seriously blessed.

“Umm no,” She shook her head. “Parents got that covered. It’s for my own interests.��

I smiled, taking my hoodie off, watching if her smile changed. It didn’t, “Tell me more,” She laughed.

“Well, you see there is a concert this month, and this girl at school, she can’t go, and she is selling her ticket. I want to buy it. But, I just feel too guilty asking my parents to pay £150 for a concert ticket so, I plan to use my daily pocket money and then, cover up my daily expenses from this job. I will actually come out with more money in the end so, it isn’t a bad deal.” She said, the last thinking more to herself.

“The concert is that important?”

“It’s my dream! I’ve waited seven years to see him perform live. In person live, cause Media just doesn’t do it. It’ll be my first big star concert as well. Plus, he is a brilliant performer so, this late night is worth it.” She looked at me with big eyes of excitement, “Do you want me to make you another one?”

I looked at the glass. A double extra lesson at the gym it is, “Yes, please. It is magic.”

“I told you.” She got working.

“So, when are you writing your dissertation?” I asked.

“I’m trying to in the afternoon and the evening. Unfortunately, London made me a morning person, but it’s all about habit. I have all my material set now, so I just have to get typing.” She kept talking while making the milkshake. It was 5 AM.

“Hello, could I get to Cappuccino’s to go, please.” A lady came in, and I put my hoodie back on.

“Of course, late night flight?” She asked.

“A little too late. My husband’s fanatic as well. Three hours before the flight is mania!” The woman laughed.

“Oh no,” The girl shook her head so, easily conversing with strangers. “I have an uncle who took us five hours before, and the flight got delayed. Your husband is an angel!”

“Five hours! What did you do?” She asked.

“Oh, we ate and talked. Do look for the sleeping benches. They’re located closer to the boarding area. We discovered ‘em too late. There you go, two Cappuccinos!” The lady gave her the money, and some extra tip in the jar.

“I will look for the sleeping chairs first!” the woman laughed.

“Have a safe flight!” The girl waved, so cheerful at 5 AM. “Your milkshake is almost ready! What were we talking about?”

“It’s your first concert?” I asked, shocked a bit.

“Oh yeah! You see, not technically cause, I have gone for the local bands before, but this one is the huge one. I always found the ticket money too obscene. Back home and, here as well. I just can’t give this one up.”

“It’s a dream,” I remembered as she placed the second glass in front of me.

“It is!” She went back to washing everything and keeping it in place while I devoured my shake. “It is like one of those things that you know is too expensive, but you just can’t let it go. Not that I couldn’t afford it,” She was talking a bit to herself too, “but, my parents are paying an obscene amount for College, and it is my post graduation, and then living in London isn’t cheap. And, it’s my obsession. I can’t waste their money on it. If it was my money, it was money well spent, but it isn’t. I’m hoping it’s worth it, at least. He is said to be an angel on stage.”

“Who is this person you’re talking about? Ed Sheeran, umm who else is performing -”

“What time is it?” she looked at the clock. “5:30, well my shift gets over at 6 so, if you want another shake, tell me now!”

“What do you put in this shake? It’s so calming.” I leaned my head back. My heartache seemed to just escape in this ecstasy.

“It works for me, as well! It’s the chocolate, I feel!” She laughed.

“Oh wait, let me pay up since, you’re finalising accounts,“I said, taking out my wallet and giving her a card. She didn’t say anything after she saw my name even. I hardly had such interactions these days.

“There you go,” She gave the card back.

“You know working at night isn’t so bad either. You get to know so many stories. Just yesterday, I had this old woman who came in with a picture of her husband. She ordered for two butterscotch ice creams and kept one for herself, and one in front of the picture. She told me that this was the only memory she had of him that she could remember. Late night butterscotch ice cream to make the memory a little clearer. Like wiping a foggy glass with every bite. I write stories, it’s what I want to do in future as well. You find something new every night.” She smiled, with a dreamy look on her face.

“I really hope that concert is the best night of your life,” I said. Finding a sudden calm to my heart as well.

“I hope too. He never disappoints. I hope it is as magical as that milkshake,” She said with a look of positive belief.

“I’m not late! I know I’m not late!” The door banged open, and we both turned to see an older woman coming in.

“You’re not! You still have five minutes!” The girl laughed.

“Oh thank god! And please sleep when you get home! And, quit the job at the studio! Or quit this one! I’m worried about you! When do you sleep, when do you study! It’s LSE, you can’t give them shit. And when do you eat!” The woman kept talking to herself as she went inside.

“You work two jobs?” I looked at her with wide eyes.

“Just this month, it’s an expensive ticket!” She shrugged smiling.

“You study at LSE?” I asked.

“Yep.” The woman came back, “I’ve set everything to go, so there is not much to do. The truck will arrive in a while so, you’ll have to restock.” She picked up her jacket and her bag. “Are you sure I can’t get you anything else?” She asked, again and I just shook my head. “Well, it was lovely meeting you!” She nodded and walked off.

“Hey!"I called out as she pulled the Cafe door. "You didn’t answer my question.” She frowned, tilting her head, “Who is the artist?”

“Oh, I just served two magical milkshakes to him. Lovely meeting you, Mr Styles!” She smiled and closed the door, behind her. I took a seat, just shocked.

—

“Y/N” Maria called me as I entered the shop for my night shift. I hope I didn’t screw anything up since my last work boss was cross with me today. “That guy you like, Harry Styles. He dropped this letter for you. Asked your name and everything. Two girls sitting here went absolutely crazy and then, I realised.

Shocked and a little ecstatic, I took the envelope from her hand. It was in his official paper and his handwriting!

Dear Y/N,

Attached behind are two concert tickets, front row to my show here in London. I hope you have more magical nights in this city, just like that milkshake. I’ll take care of this one.

Thank you for ‘em, Harry

— Please tell me what you think about this?

Comments?

Masterlist

Copyright ©theStylesproject 2017: ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS WORK CONTAINS MATERIAL PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL AND FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAWS AND TREATIES. NO PART OF THIS WORK MAYBE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS WITHOUT EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM theStylesproject.

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How I Get Interview Opportunities Every Time with One Impressive Letter

Let’s admit it, applying for jobs is a time-consuming, and sometimes soul-destroying process. With technology that simplifies the task at hand, we can become a little lazy at the job application game. This definitely does not do us any favours.

Pro Tips from Professionals For A Kick-Ass Cover Letter

Many recruiters still require a covering letter to accompany a CV/resume, and this is your only chance to stand out from the sometimes hundreds of other hopeful, job-hungry applicants. I have interviewed top recruiters and business people who have supplied the very best insider cover letter tips to enable you to be the cream that rises to the top of the applicant pile.

1. Make it personal

Do your research and find a specific person in charge of the hiring process and then address your cover letter to them. It’s much better than a “To Whom it May Concern” or “To Hiring Manager.” — Danny Garcia, Marketing Operations Manager at Stacklist[1]

2. Make it readable

Keep your paragraphs short and easy to understand. It’s intimidating to open a cover letter with two to three GIANT blocks of text.

“I recently received an amazing cover letter that applied someone’s past experience with what we do in our industry. I’d be very impressed if it was a template, because it was so specific. They immediately went on my short list.”

3. Make it quick and specific

Why are you a fit? What does the company do that you love? How can you make a difference? Three quick sentences. If it gets too long and you summarise your career, you’ll lose them. If it’s too impersonal or vague, it will be irrelevant. Be quick, but detailed and relate directly to the company. — Deborah Sweeney, CEO, MyCorporation[2]

4. Show your passion

Show you want a job from THIS company – not just ANY company. Show you’ve done your research (but really do your research). If it’s a company for which you really want to work, it comes across!

5. Endeavour to stand out

My favorite line is, “Mr/Ms. I know you are incredibly busy and I want you to know you have found your candidate so there is no need to look any further”. The reality is that most hiring managers are interviewing candidates in addition to doing their regular job. When you can swoop in with insider information into why you are the right fit you will rise to the top. — Heather Monahan, Workplace expert aka Boss In Heels[3]

6. Make reference to a familiar peer

The best cover letters include the name of someone you and the hiring manager have in common. By finding someone on the inside to advocate for you, you will advance to a face to face interview quickly.

7. Make it different to your resume

The vast majority of cover letters I receive are completely mundane; typically, these letters rattle off a laundry list of achievements and past work experiences. But here’s the thing – that’s what your resume is for. The last thing any HR manager or recruiter wants to read is your resume in a different format. — Lidia Salerno, Human Resources Generalist, Trustpilot[4]

8. Stay in character

Is the job in the creative industry? Then feel free to be creative. Is the job corporate? You get the picture. Without losing who you are, tailor your cover letter with a voice so perfect that you come across as though you were made for the role. — Harrison Peters, Adult Dating Entrepreneur[5]

9. Don’t overdo it

Don’t overuse all the buzzwords and definitely don’t overdo it, be clear, honest and committed. — Gregor Schellhammer, Managing Director, AbroadWise[6]

10. Follow the instructions

Countless times I have been left frustrated by job applications with information missing that I have specifically asked for. If the applicant can’t follow instructions at this stage, I would doubt they can when it comes to doing the job. — Sal Stevens, Human Resources Manager, Older Dating[7]

11. Be you

It’s best to try to be your true self and show your personality as best you can in a few sentences. I’ve always appreciated a cover letter that gives me a sense of the individual. — Jana Tulloch, CPHR, Human Resources Professional, DevelopIntelligence[8]

12. Be unique

Use your cover letter to show off what makes you unique. A strong cover letter can be compared to a good elevator pitch. It should offer something fresh and unexpected–something that makes you, the “product” being pitched, memorable. If what makes you valuable is a bit unconventional, don’t be afraid to say so. — Hannah Steffensen, GPS Trackit[9]

13. Remember the buzzwords

It is important to keep in mind that in today’s fast-paced and technology-infused market, most large employers are utilizing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to search by “key words” on cover letters and resumes to attract the right talent. Sure, a well-written cover letter can set you apart from your competition if it’s appealing and captivating, but if it has not been sprinkled with key words, it may get overlooked. It is critically important to closely study the job posting or advertisement and incorporate some of the qualifications, attributes and buzzwords into your cover letter. Doing so will increase your chances to getting noticed. — Julie R. Woodard, SPHR, Woodard & Associates, LLC[10]

14. Let your enthusiasm shine

It can be such a dull job to sift through hundreds of job applications. When I come across a cover letter where the enthusiasm shines off the page, and that I simply enjoy reading, I really take note. More often than not, I stick that one on the ‘to interview’ pile. — Andrew Hammond, Recruiter, WeLoveDates[11]

15. Be honest

There are countless times that I have received applications for job roles where I can smell the exageration a mile off. When you embellish and lie your way through a job application, it will only come back to bite you on the butt. Most of the time, the successful applicant won’t have all the skills required anyway (and the recruiter is just being a little optimistic/unrealistic), so don’t be put off applying, but be honest about it. — Jessica Munday, Founder, Real Parent & Real Wedding[12]

Covering Letters Examples that Landed the Job

The playful one[13]

“A candidate applying for a position in customer success submitted a cover letter as if I were the customer and he was trying to solve my problem of filling the role. It was playful, yet highly appropriate. It was engaging, but not to the point of entertainment. With this one piece of content, I was able to deduce the candidate’s problem solving ability, work ethic, style and personality – and no, he never once mentioned his past roles in customer success. It was completely apparent that he had experience based on his letter.”

The memorable one

“A memorable cover letter for a back-end engineer role started off in standard form but ended with a paragraph of computer code. It was only when I put the letter into a member of our tech team’s hands that we figured out what is said:

This message brought to you by your next all-star developer.

There are times when playing it safe is warranted; I’d never recommend this sort of out-of-the-box approach for a traditional corporate role in most cases. But the best applicants know when to send up a flare to help them stand out from the pack.

And in all cases, quality candidates with good cover letters know how to tell a story that provides a little insight into who they are as a person.”

The humourous one

I work in marketing, and when finding a job, I typically have to compete with a number of other creative types. So, instead of the same old “To Whom it May Concern” intro, I’ve changed things up quite a bit in my intro (which has worked very well a number of times).

“Oh, hello – didn’t see you there. This feels like I’m writing an awkward dating profile, but here we go. My name is Nick, I’ve lived in Chicago for nearly two years, I’m originally from Texas (yes I do wear cowboy boots), I’m an Aries (who knows… maybe you’re into that stuff) and I’m a thoroughly acceptable rec league softball player. Phew, glad we could get that out of the way.

Now down to business. Career-wise, I’ve worked in marketing and PR for over five years in both a B2B and B2C capacity. I enjoy both communications and marketing because they provide a fascinating opportunity to show how impactful media hits, email campaigns, events, and social media can be. After running a particular campaign, going back and using regression to see what worked and what didn’t will only make a department and company stronger. I’ve worked in marketing and public relations for a variety of different companies – starting off in Austin at an oil and gas technology company, transitioning on a whim to Chicago as an account executive with a boutique PR firm, and now a digital marketing manager with a financial services firm. I’ve been able to learn a wealth of information from a variety of different angles – how lead targeting is most effective; how specific pitches and media relationships can truly impact site traffic; and how insanely frustrating social media can be if people don’t appreciate why it exists (I’m sorry to report that just because you tweet, you won’t get thousands of leads). Adding these platforms alongside events, drip campaigns, company newsletters, and press releases can accomplish traffic and leads a huge amount. Finally, I love reporting – it’s something that really helps tell a unique story. I’ve used Salesforce (I’m approximately 1 of 14 people worldwide who loves the product) and HubSpot quite a bit in the past, and it really helps show C-level executives the bottom line as to how certain departments are doing. So if you want colorful graphs with numbers on numbers on numbers, then I’m your guy.

Outside of work, I truly love writing – it’s one of my favorite activities along with traveling, the stock market, and being a bandwagon Cubs fan. My writing is something I take very seriously – I can write a dissertation about Mao’s last years in China, or a magical narwhal that’s lost in the South Pacific – both serious and humorous pieces present their own challenges.”[14]

The dynamic one

“The Marketing Director career opening as advertised on (Advertisement source) has really piqued my interest. If you are seeking to augment your leadership team with an experienced and accomplished marketing professional known for breakthrough results, please consider my resume. I possess over 15 years of marketing and communications leadership and management experience. My core competencies include content generation, data analytics and company branding.

Currently, I serve as the Marketing Manager for ABC Company. For the past seven years, I have been responsible for setting budgets for marketing plans, planning promotional campaigns, initiating market research studies and meeting with clients to provide marketing advice.

In the past, I have worked with Fortune 500 companies where leading marketing operations was my focus. By partnering closely with business leaders, I helped align business goals with marketing strategy. In addition, I possess a proven track record of fostering positive employee relations, communications and enhancing performance management.

I am searching for the right opportunity with a well-established and stable company where I can share my expertise, leadership and “roll up my sleeves” to add value to the company. I am seeking a long-term career opportunity and am excited at the possibility of joining your dynamic team. I am confident in my ability to achieve your expectations and goals as outlined in the job posting.

I may be reached via email at (e-mail) or direct at (telephone number). I look forward to hearing from you to discuss my past work experience and learning more about the opportunity.

Thank you for your time and kind consideration.”[15]

The confident one

“After spending three years managing the internal communications for a 2,000-person company, I could plan a quarterly town hall or draft an inter-office memo in my sleep. What I want to do next? Put that experience to work consulting executives on their communications strategy…”[16]

The upbeat one[17]

The brutally honest and self deprecating one

“My name is (BLOCKED) and I am an undergraduate finance student at (BLOCKED). I met you the summer before last at Smith & Wollensky’s in New York when I was touring the east coast with my uncle, (BLOCKED). I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to talk with me that night.

I am writing to inquire about a possible summer internship in your office. I am aware it is highly unusual for undergraduates from average universities like (BLOCKED) to intern at (BLOCKED), but nevertheless I was hoping you might make an exception. I am extremely interested in investment banking and would love nothing more than to learn under your tutelage. I have no qualms about fetching coffee, shining shoes or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing. In all honesty, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as I can.

I won’t waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or feeding you a line of crapp (sic) about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably special skills or genius eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you. I’ve interned for Merrill Lynch in the Wealth Management Division and taken an investment banking class at (BLOCKED), for whatever that is worth.

I am currently awaiting admission results for (BLOCKED) Masters of Science in Accountancy program, which I would begin this fall if admitted. I am also planning on attending law school after my master’s program, which we spoke about in New York. I apologize for the blunt nature of my letter, but I hope you seriously consider taking me under your wing this summer. I have attached my resume for your review. Feel free to call me at (BLOCKED) or email at (BLOCKED). Thank you for your time.”[18]

The creative one

“Twenty-year-old Alice Lee used her design skills to create an interactive website, complete with an Instagram stream with the social network’s API. Instagram didn’t end up hiring Lee, but she did get to speak to CEO Kevin Systrom, and Lee’s site eventually led to an internship with another company.”[19]

The ‘flattery gets you everywhere’ one

“Having grown up with the Cincinnati Zoo (literally) in my backyard, I understand firsthand how you’ve earned your reputation as one of the most family-friendly venues in the State of Ohio. For 20 years, I’ve been impressed as your customer; now I want to impress visitors in the same way your team has so graciously done for me.”[20]

The enthusiastic one

“It is with great enthusiasm that I submit my application for the position of Sales Coordinator for the Westeros Castle Project. As an administrative professional with over ten years’ experience, I know my diverse skills and qualifications will make me an asset to the Westeros project team.

As you will see from the attached resume, I’ve built my career in a variety of roles and industries, mostly in small companies where I was not just the admin but also gatekeeper, technology whiz, bookkeeper and marketing guru. I’m not only used to wearing many hats, I sincerely enjoy it; I thrive in an environment where no two work days are exactly the same.

In addition to being flexible and responsive, I’m also a fanatic for details – particularly when it comes to presentation. One of my recent projects involved coordinating a 200-page grant proposal: I proofed and edited the narratives provided by the division head, formatted spreadsheets, and generally made sure every line was letter-perfect and that the entire finished product conformed to the specific guidelines of the RFP. (The result? A five-year, $1.5 million grant award.) I believe in applying this same level of attention to detail to tasks as visible as prepping the materials for a top-level meeting and as mundane as making sure the copier never runs out of paper.

Last but certainly not least, I want you to know that I’m a passionate Westeros fan and a longtime supporter of the new castle. I’ve been following the new castle movement since the earliest days of the original “Save the Tombs” campaign, and I am so excited to see this vision becoming a reality. I’ve already checked out the new castle website, and the renderings of the new throne and great hall are stunning, to say the least – I particularly love the vintage murals and art featured throughout the building. Nice touch!

In closing, I am thrilled at the possibility of being involved in the new castle almost literally from the ground up, and would love the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the value that I can bring to the Targaryen organization and the Westeros Castle Project. I appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you.”

Featured photo credit: Flaticon via flaticon.com

Reference

[1]^Danny Garcia, Marketing Operations Manager at Stacklist[2]^Deborah Sweeney, CEO, MyCorporation[3]^Heather Monahan, Workplace expert aka Boss In Heels[4]^Lidia Salerno, Human Resources Generalist, Trustpilot[5]^Harrison Peters, Adult Dating Entrepreneur[6]^Gregor Schellhammer, Managing Director, AbroadWise[7]^Sal Stevens, Human Resources Manager, Older Dating[8]^Jana Tulloch, CPHR, Human Resources Professional, DevelopIntelligence[9]^Hannah Steffensen, GPS Trackit[10]^Julie R. Woodard, SPHR, Woodard & Associates, LLC[11]^Andrew Hammond, Recruiter, WeLoveDates[12]^Jessica Munday, Founder, Real Parent & Real Wedding[13]^Lidia Salerno, Human Resources Generalist, Trustpilot[14]^Nick Pennebaker, Co-Founder, Awardzee[15]^Julie R. Woodard, SPHR, Woodard & Associates, LLC[16]^The Muse: Source[17]^Visual CV: Source[18]^Forbes Source[19]^Mashable: Source[20]^Forbes: Source

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trendingnewsb · 7 years

Text

How I Get Interview Opportunities Every Time with One Impressive Letter

Pro Tips from Professionals For A Kick-Ass Cover Letter

1. Make it personal

2. Make it readable

Keep your paragraphs short and easy to understand. It’s intimidating to open a cover letter with two to three GIANT blocks of text.

3. Make it quick and specific

4. Show your passion

Show you want a job from THIS company – not just ANY company. Show you’ve done your research (but really do your research). If it’s a company for which you really want to work, it comes across!

5. Endeavour to stand out

6. Make reference to a familiar peer

7. Make it different to your resume

8. Stay in character

9. Don’t overdo it

Don’t overuse all the buzzwords and definitely don’t overdo it, be clear, honest and committed. — Gregor Schellhammer, Managing Director, AbroadWise[6]

10. Follow the instructions

11. Be you

12. Be unique

13. Remember the buzzwords

14. Let your enthusiasm shine

15. Be honest

Covering Letters Examples that Landed the Job

The playful one[13]

The memorable one

This message brought to you by your next all-star developer.

And in all cases, quality candidates with good cover letters know how to tell a story that provides a little insight into who they are as a person.”

The humourous one

The dynamic one

I may be reached via email at (e-mail) or direct at (telephone number). I look forward to hearing from you to discuss my past work experience and learning more about the opportunity.

Thank you for your time and kind consideration.”[15]

The confident one

The upbeat one[17]

The brutally honest and self deprecating one

The creative one

The ‘flattery gets you everywhere’ one

The enthusiastic one

Featured photo credit: Flaticon via flaticon.com

Reference

The post How I Get Interview Opportunities Every Time with One Impressive Letter appeared first on Lifehack.

from Viral News HQ http://ift.tt/2oU8klu via Viral News HQ

#IFTTT #Viral News HQ

0 notes