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aestherians · 2 years

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I'm Ben, But Call Me Poppy

Preface: I would like for this essay to not just be an exploration of my own fictionkinity (though that is its main purpose) but also an introduction to the fictionkind experience in general, and to the experience of parallel lives. Of course, I am just one person and none of my experiences can be universal, but I nonetheless hope they can shed some light on fictionkinity and lead to further understanding and tolerance of these identities. And I hope it will lead to parallel lives becoming a more widely known and understood phenomenon. Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Word count: 4479

Estimated reading time: 20-25 minutes

On the 6th of December 2019 I had a weird dream. I was standing on the edge of a cliff. The wind played with my hair, long grass tickled my ankles, and high above, seabirds called out to each other. As I looked to the sky, a being made of blinding white light appeared before me. She was beautiful and graceful and older than time itself. She gently took my hand and pointed towards the horizon. My eyes followed her finger and the sky itself tore apart to reveal an inky black nothingness. But as I looked, little specks of something began to appear. Dots and lines, swirls and stars, and colors I'd never seen before. I understood then that this primordial being was showing me the beginning of this universe. And as I stared in awe, she turned to look down at me, and she told me... that I was Ben 1O fictionkind.

I don't think I've ever been as confused as I was that morning. It felt like I was still dreaming as I went through my routine, like at any moment I might wake up again. All the while, my reflection puzzled me. It was the same face I've seen every day for two decades, and yet today it just felt... wrong. I was supposed to have a human face. This wasn't the species dysphoria I'd gotten so used to. And I knew exactly which human face I was expecting to see in the mirror - it just seemed too ridiculous for me to accept.

My cameo shifts have rarely, if ever, lasted more than a few hours, and at this point they'd never been of specific characters. Sure, I had my weird relationship with Emily Jones from the now-forgotten Le//go Elv//es franchise, where I feel like I once was her but now aren't. But I never expected to see her face in the mirror. I never felt confused when I woke up in Copenhagen instead of Elven//dale. Feeling this way about Benjamin Kirby T//ennyson, of all characters, when I hadn't even watched the whole show, was weird and, for some reason, embarrassing. And it just refused to go away. In total the shift lasted around 5 days. I went to classes feeling like this guy. Grocery shopping. Hung out with my dorm buddies. I went to a Christmas market with my mom, all the while distracted because I couldn't shake the feeling that, somehow, in some way, I was a fictional character from a 2005 Cartoon Network cash cow.

It didn't come completely out of the blue. Three things were happening here that probably led to this: 1) I was binging Ben 1O with my dormmate. We hadn't finished the show yet, but we'd worked our way through almost 200 episodes, so we were in deep. 2) I'd just broken it off with a girlfriend of one year. She was extremely supportive of my alterhumanity – even read a 100 page study by Devin Proctor to understand the community – so our break-up had nothing to do with that. We just realized we needed different things from a relationship. But still, it was a huge stress factor and, despite my friends' love and support, I was struggling to cope. And 3) it was finals season. The less said about that, the better. I guess what happened is that my brain latched onto one of the few simple joys I had in my life and somehow began creating an identity around that to... cope...? I guess...?

Listen, I don't know how it happened and I can only make guesses as to why. Regardless of what caused it, the effect was undeniable. After the 5 day long shift subsided, I still had a nugget of "Ben" somewhere within me that I couldn't (and, in hindsight, didn't want to) get rid of. I was ready to make a kinfirmation announcement right then and there. But, as is customary, I held off for a couple of weeks. I think my plan was to wait 3 months, but by the end of January, I made my announcement in the most gutless way possible: With a text post that read "It's okay to have 'cringy' kintypes," in the tags of which I explained that I'd kinfirmed my Ben 1O fictotype. I was still dealing with a lot of internalized shame about, not just being fictionkind, but having such a childish source material.

And yet... there was something exhilarating about it. Though my initial Ben-related feelings appeared on their own, and I felt annoyed and conflicted about them, I clearly remember reinforcing them. The socially aware side of my brain resisted – having an identity like this would be weird, it would be frowned upon, it would make it even more difficult for me to communicate who and what I am than it already is – while the self-aware side of my brain was very much in favor of forming the identity – for some reason it just felt good to experience all these fictionkin traits. More accurately, it felt right. For reasons I can't explain, I didn't want it to end. I wanted more.

------

The envisage shifts (where you appear a certain way in your mind/inner world, and where you perhaps expect to look that way in the mirror) weren't the only 'kin trait that was apparent from the start. They were just the most striking and the easiest to get others to understand. No, the most pervasive trait had to be the "parallel life flashes." I'm not sure what else to call them. They felt different from daydreams, somehow. More spontaneous and out of my control. And a lot more tangible. They've since become one of the hallmarks of my fictionkinity. They present themselves as flashbacks: For a less than a second, it'll feel like I'm "back" to living my life as Ben, then before I can fully grasp what happened it's over. Like an out-of-body experience (or, rather, an into-my-mindscape experience, since I believe all of this originates in my own psyche). I always get the sense that these flashes are somehow current, as opposed to being past or future. Perhaps because of their dream-like qualities, I often "just know" many details of what's going on in these flashes, just like I knew the alien in my awakening dream was older than time, despite her not telling me. Dreams (nightly or daily) are just like that. I just know that my life as Ben is happening parallel to my life as Poppy.

When talking to others (especially non-kin who can't be bothered to sit through 100 pages of Devin Proctor) I do tend to describe it as a daydream scenario, despite how different it feels from regular daydreams. The flashes tend to have dream-like qualities. And it's easier to say "in my go-to daydream scenario I'm a space traveler, which is a big part of my personality" than "I feel like I'm literally living a parallel life as Ben 1O and this affects my very sense of self." I suppose a big part of it is also the embarrassment I mentioned earlier - notice I vaguely called myself a space traveler instead of mentioning my fictotype by name. Ease of communication is part of it, but, undeniably, so is the masking of my true self to give a more appealing first impression. It's blatant self-suppression.

But – perhaps like Ben T//ennyson himself – wearing masks is what I do. It's what I've done since I was 1O. I craft identities for different scenarios and just flip the switch (or hit the watch) when necessary. I've learned how to contain the autism creature within, to appear normal when necessary, and I've learned how to to blend in with the background. Self-suppression has been vital to me, even if it's frustrating to have to do.

What I'm getting at is that, though this awakening was unexpected, it wasn't out of character for me. And in hindsight there really are a lot of things in my life that, combined, seem to have led to this.

Before I go into further detail, I feel like a disclaimer is in order: My upbringing wasn't abusive, but that doesn't mean it was perfect. I was raised by a single mother who gave most of her attention to my older brother due to various difficulties he had. I don't know if I blame her for the issues I have. It doesn't feel right to place blame on other struggling people, but I can't blame everything on circumstance either. I don't think anyone comes out of childhood unscathed. Generations of trauma have been built up and, even if our parents treat us better than they were treated, they're still marked by their own childhoods, which will reflect in their parenting. My upbringing was a million times better than my own mom's and she worked hard to accomplish that. That said... I can draw a very clear parallel between my childhood experiences and my current identity: I had to be the "good child" to make up for my brother's issues, I had to carry part of my mom's stress, and I couldn't let out my own frustrations, lest my mom become even more stressed. In my parallel life I'm dealing with the same problems, but magnified to a scale where they're actually taken seriously. Instead of carrying the weight of a parent, I carry the weight of the world. I become less of a person and more of a symbol for others to look towards, whether for support, reassurance, or something else. In that sense, it doesn't seem unlikely that my fictionkinity is some kind of subconscious coping mechanism. Though I have to add, I only became aware fully aware of how this passive emotional neglect had affected me – how this is the reason I can't ask for help and constantly take on bigger burdens than I should – several months after my awakening, and even then only after some really intense self-analysis.

I've been trying to come up with more reasons I happened to awaken as Ben 1O, of all characters, but it all feels so... fabricated. I was obsessed with ufology as a kid and this character is involved with aliens. But I was obsessed with ancient Egypt and with horses too, why didn't I awaken as Tutankhamun or Black Beauty? I religiously watched Ben 1O every time I visited my grandparents, who had cable tv, but I watched Da//nny Pha//ntom with the same intensity. I don't think there really is a perfect recipe for what causes a fictionkind identity. All these attempts at rationalizing it are probably a distraction – [which I've spoken about at length before]. But it's hard to really internalize the idea that 'kinity is about what you are, when you've been "gifted" with a human brain that relentlessly asks why, why, why. It's hard to look at the cold hard facts when your mind keeps wandering to theories and hypotheses.

And in all this, you forget to even examine what cold hard facts you know.

What are the cold hard facts?

Facts...

My name is [redacted]. I go by Poppy online. At this point it might as well be my name. And recently I've felt an urge to call myself Ben. When I close my eyes and try to picture myself, the image is ever changing. Sometimes I see a bipedal bison. Sometimes a gnoll. Often a mix of the two. And sometimes I see a young man with brown hair, green eyes, and a watch-like device stuck to his arm. Then I open my eyes, look in the mirror, and see something entirely different. Lighter hair, eyes more hazel than green, and something that decidedly doesn't look like a man. Or a bison or gnoll, for that matter.

I have daydream scenarios I keep returning to – stories I want to tell, the garden I wish I had, scientific advancements I dream of achieving, fanfics I'll never write. And then I have these scenarios that share many qualia with daydreams, but are altogether different. In these scenarios, I am a different person. I am living a different life, surrounded by different people, making different choices, subjected to different trials. I have two of these lives: One in which I'm a gnoll named Ɐwhrayɐ and one in which I'm a man named Ben. I did not set out to create these lives. I can't purposefully change what's happening in them – even with my belief that it all has a psychological cause, something is preventing me from changing anything. And yet, I almost always know what my alternate selves are doing, right in this moment. I can't affect their actions, I can just be aware of them. And despite this apparent wall, separating my present self from them, in some way I feel - or perhaps rather I know - that I am them. It's like... I can't affect what my past self did or said either, but I still am raer. I am still roughly the same person I was yesterday, even if today I might have made different choices. My parallel/alternate selves work in a similar way, but separated by physicality instead of time.

I'm not consciously aware of every waking moment of my parallel selves. When I say I "know" what they're doing, it's less that their thoughts and actions are beamed into my brain 24/7, and more that I can at any moment sit down, breathe, let my mind go blank, and view their world through their eyes. Like I'm possessing their bodies (though, again, my present self is not in control – my alternate selves are). Even if I don't intend to, I often end up "possessing" them during quiet moments – when I'm about to fall asleep, when I'm in transit, when I'm cleaning, and so on. What happens during quiet moments is rarely a "full body possession," though. More often, I'll just experience the thoughts or feelings of my parallel selves (alongside my present-self thoughts or feelings) and have to parse it out. I can be vacuuming the floor, having a normal one, and then suddenly I'll be intimately aware the Ben!Me is bored or that Ɐwhrayɐ!Me is in danger. I then have to extrapolate as much information as possible from this quick flash (like a flashback, but current, not past... a flashsideways? flashadjacent? flashalong? Let's go with that). If the "flashalong" was accompanied by an image, which they often are, it's not too difficult to figure out what my alternate self is doing. If it's just an emotion and nothing else, I can try to piece it together with the other flashalongs I've had recently - if yesterday my parallel self got lost and today I sense despair, it's not too difficult to put two and two together and know that they haven't found their way out yet.

But Ben is different from Ɐwhrayɐ in one major way: He has source material. Though I've been aware of my life as Ben – my Ben fictotype – for much shorter than my life as Ɐwhrayɐ, I know a lot more about my Ben life. I have more noemata, more frequent flashalongs, and my memories of Ben's childhood are much clearer than my memories of Ɐwhrayɐ's childhood. This is undoubtedly because I can just watch an episode of any Ben 1O series and immediately become aware of new things in that life. Whereas Ɐwhrayɐ is more like an original character – rair origins are in tabletop RPGs, but I can't just open up a book and know rair life history. Which is not to say I can know Ben's entire history from just watching the show either. For starters, the show is a mess of time travel and retcons and alternate universes. Secondly: I'm not the Ben depicted on the show.

The Ben 1O cartoons (with the exception of the 2016 reboot) all follow one character who has been dubbed Ben Prime by the fandom. If we view time as a tree with different timelines branching off, Prime is the tree's trunk. We're shown other branches of the tree – No Watch Ben, Bad Ben, Ben 23, Benzarro, and so on – who are all Ben, no matter how differently their lives turned out compared to Prime's. What happens when I watch the show is either nothing (most common; I simply get no indication whether the episode I'm watching is part of my canon), divergence (uncommon; I don't necessarily know how the events happened but I know for sure they didn't happen like they're depicted), or recognition (rare; realizing that things happened pretty much like they're depicted). The most apparent difference between my own timeline and the Prime timeline is that I found the Omnitrix when I was 13 and that I didn't get a break in-between the events of the original series and Alien F//orce. My first 1O aliens were also different from those of Prime and included at least one alien that hasn't appeared on the show (yet). There are many more differences, but most of them are subtle: I still have a relationship with Kai, but it's aromantic. I'm still friends with Rook, but we argue a lot. Azmuth is still the creator of the watch, but I have a sort of coworker relationship with him, more than a mentor/student relationship. And speaking of the watch, the Omnitrix is completely fused to me. My mind has affected its AI and its AI has affected my mind. We function more like a median system than two separate entities. We aren't ourselves without each other. I suppose my true fictotype is the fusion of Ben and the Omnitrix, rather than just Ben T//ennyson. [Here's something I wrote about it not too long ago.] As far as I'm aware, this also isn't a part of the Prime canon.

But this essay isn't supposed to just be about my canon. I'll have plenty of other opportunities to explore that. These pages are devoted to just exploring what it means to me to be fictionkind.

I've already mentioned envisage shifts and "possession" shifts (not a name I'm fond of, but there's so little terminology to describe parallel life experiences, let's just go with that for now). I also frequently experience phantom shifts, where it feels like I'm still wearing the Omnitrix. Those are easy to handle, though. I just put on a bracelet or cuff so there's a physical correspondence to the phantom sensation and go about my day. I also get the occasional chest/bottom phantom sensations, but I can't tell if those are Ben-related since I already experienced them prior to my awakening (and it's a very important part of my beliefs and worldview that all my Ben-feelings only began to appear after my awakening). I also get dream shifts, but since my dreams are pure nonsense, all they tend to involve is me being in Ben's body while going through wacky dream scenarios. If I'm making these shifts sound mundane, it's because they are. At least in comparison the envisage shifts and... by far the strangest and most disorienting shifts I've experienced: The mental shifts. In a mild mental shift I'll just take on a few mannerisms of the character, which can include anything from a chiller/more confident mood, to an inclination to play fighting games instead of my usual RPGs, to an urge to help others more than I'd usually do. Make the shift a bit stronger and I might want to go by Ben's name instead of my own or dress in clothes more similar to his. Turn it up even more, though, and we enter the weird territory. Something more akin to a berserker shift than a mental shift, using therian terminology. I've only experienced this once and it can't have lasted more than 5 seconds, but for those seconds I was fully convinced that I was Ben and I couldn't understand why I was in this foreign body and place. I've taken to calling it an "eclipse shift," since "berserker shift" implies a rabid or feral state of mind, which is not something you can really apply to a human(ish) fictotype, and the shift essentially involves my fictotype's state of mind eclipsing my regular state of mind. Here are some of the discussions we had in the community surrounding it: [link] [link] [link].

My fictionkinity is mainly marked by the aforementioned shifts and "flashalongs," but another trait (perhaps something that exists as a result of those two?) is dysphoria and euphoria. Typically when people think of dys-/euphoria, they think of it as something bodily. And I can't argue that that's not a thing for me too. I'm bigender and genderfluid, which in my case means that I have one static baseline gender identity (female hyena) and one fluid gender, which is most often bison bull, but can be anything – including Just Some Guy, which is basically Ben's gender identity. And when I feel like Just Some Guy, I, of course, experience dysphoria about my very feminine appearance. But that's a thankfully rare thing.

No, most of my Ben-related dysphoria is caused by the restrictions of my present body and mind. Did you know the nearly all versions of Ben T//ennyson have eidetic memory? Or that they have an inherent ability to understand astrophysics? Or that they're adept at half a dozen different fighting styles? I've got none of that. Sure, I could practice memory improvement techniques. I could learn the basics of astrophysics. I could take up martial arts. But every time I've tried, my own frustrations about being a beginner have prevented me from practicing. It's not that I'm a perfectionist and think I should be instantly good at every new skill. I've sucked (or still suck) at a lot of stuff that I do every day – singing, plant care, video games, you name it – but it's not an issue. As the saying goes, sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something. But with the talents Ben has... it feels less like learning a new skill and more like having to relearn something I used to be great at. With those subjects, it's like I loose my ability to understand or rationalize why I still suck, so instead of pushing on, I drop it all in frustration. I had just enough patience to understand the surface cause of gravitational time dilation, but once the lectures turned to the theory of relativity, I lost it. I've begrudgingly concluded that my present brain isn't built for that stuff. Until I develop a natural understanding of quantum mechanics, like I'm supposed to have, I'll just stick to my not-Ben-related studies in entomology.

Another thing I struggle with is the limitations of my present body. I feel like it's literally weighing me down. In my Ben life, my body is a construct of the Omnitrix that can be modified, dismantled, and recreated at any time. My consciousness isn't connected to my body; everything that's "me" is stored within the Omnitrix. My body is just a temporary vessel we – the watch and I – have created to interact with the world. It is possible to "upload" my consciousness to the body and for the Omnitrix to completely detach itself, but it's only been done a handful of times and only in life or death situations. And from what I can pericall it's deeply uncomfortably. Only with the Omnitrix gone do I notice how heavy the human body is. Without the watch I feel slow and sluggish and weak. And, in my present life, being able to pericall how I'm supposed to feel – lighter, quicker, stronger – and being unable to do anything about it because nothing can get rid of the heaviness of this body... it's exhausting. It's maddening. And it's not just the heaviness, its staticness is driving me crazy too. I'm meant to be a shapeshifter, and not just in my Ben life, but in my Ɐwhrayɐ life too. Whether due to the Omnitrix happening to attach itself to me, or because I was born with druid powers, I'm a shapeshifter in 2/3 of my lives. And to primarily exist in the life where I'm not a shapeshifter is torture.

But I have to live here. In the present world. I can't spend my life wishing I existed somewhere else. I have to be present; I have to make this life as good as it can be. Anything else would be wasteful. I can't fully get rid of the uncomfortableness of belonging to another world, but I can make this world more comfortable. Make it more like the world I belong in.

Part of me is grateful to have awakened as a character who is, in many ways, just incredibly mundane. The hero archetype is an exaggerated version of a trait I believe everyone is born with: A basic desire to help. Though his circumstances are extraordinary, Ben's motivations could not be more ordinary. So while there is some kind of disconnect between my present life and my Ben life, like our bodies and abilities and relationships, the melding of our minds has been quite harmonic. I feel like this awakening has helped me actualize some desires I already had by turning them into outright urges, and by dialing them up to 100. So, for example, instead of just giving money to the unhoused, I strike up a conversation with them now because it's what he/I/we're supposed to do. Helping my dormmate dry her dishes before she's even asked me to. Always asking others what I can do to help. And it doesn't just extend to people. I find myself, more often than I used to, helping a snail across the road or giving a neglected plant a second chance at life. Taking that extra step is slowly becoming second nature in a lot of my daily interactions. And I find that I do good more for goodness sake, where, in the past, I might've been prone to humble-bragging. (And it pains me to talk about my "good deeds" right now because it actually makes me really embarrassed to get attention for something I feel is the bare minimum of human decency). My awakening wasn't a total life changer. But it did reinforce my desire to be a helper and a caretaker.. a supporting character, I guess you could say. And it instilled in me an idealistic and unwavering belief that people are overall good, despite everything. That pain and suffering are accidents and that kindness is intentional.

I'm Ben. I carry that with me for the foreseeable future – possibly until I die. But I'm also Ɐwhrayɐ. And, most importantly, I'm Poppy. I'm multifaceted, like every other person on Earth. One of my facets just happens to be a fictional character.

#i have to get this essay out now or i'm gonna explode #i might edit it more in the future but for the time being it's Done #otherkin #otherkind #fictionkin #fictionkind #alterhuman #ben rambles

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shiroganeryo · 1 year

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omg... someone did a fast release on dam again... the quality is so terrible. just why are people so happy about the 20 mins of satisfaction of uploading first and delivering shit. and then be happy for what they have done with the worst possible quality instead of waiting. or helping the groups who are already working. why are people hating on kougeki scans btw? i thought they did a good job??

I haven't seen it, but I figured this would happen. It's something I've accepted at this point; so all I can hope for is that people will have the common sense to take these translations with a grain of salt instead of regarding them as reliable.

As for the "20 minutes of satisfaction", I see both sides to this coin. On one side we have people who legitimately want to help; but that becomes tricky when you're dealing with a complex language such as Japanese, especially when it comes to Hoshino's work as she makes use of a lot of wordplays and foreshadowing in her text at times.

I understand this POV but I'd rather people who haven't studied the language at all wouldn't try passing as knowledgeable in it. A small note making it clear they're not fluent but tried to translate to the other fans who know even less about Japanese would suffice, the thought would still be pretty much appreciated and it wouldn't misguide anyone in regards to text reliability.

That's my case, actually - I'm not fluent so I always leave a note for any possible mistakes in my translations. But I did study the language: I took 5 years of classes and several proficiency tests (held by ICBJ, Instituto Cultural Brasil Japão - "Cultural Institute Brazil-Japan"). I've had exchanges with natives, good feedback on it, and consistently good grades - so I feel at least a little confidence in what I'm offering.

As for the other side of the coin, of the people who are just looking for their 15 minutes of fame, I believe I've ranted enough about it in this post here.

I don't know why people are hating on Kougeki Scans, but it's likely because of their long delays in releasing their translations. However, this is no reason to hate on their work when they're understaffed and doing their best to offer good quality - for free. People are very quick to hate and be impatient in this fandom and it disappoints me so, but that's also something I got used to so perhaps you should as well, anon.

To balance things out, we shall keep doing our best to support Hoshino and her work in any way we can. I translate every new release to the folks in my private server the same day it comes out, but the raws used are kindly provided by a friend who goes out of her way to buy the magazine.

I, for one, always buy the physical volumes when they're out in my country, in my language (Brazilian Portuguese). I've been supporting Hoshino's work since the late 2008s and I won't stop now just because digital sharing has become this easy. And when we're so used to the practicality of things on the internet, we tend to forget these small things that make a lot of difference to the creator.

Sorry for the long rambling, but your ask called for an elaborate answer! I apologize if I come off as conceited in any way, but I've had people confront me before regarding certain matters so I'm being as clear as I can possibly be in this response.

#ask #dgm #d.gray man #d.gray-man #I also apologize that I keep bringing up my server but that's basically where I actively engage in conversation about DGM nowadays

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isosymmetry · 2 years

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The Image (as compulsion art)

Written May 25th, 2022. Partially edited for clarity, still referential writing. Some information is outdated or incorrect.

So yeah, compulsion art… I've never been open about OC-like stuff I have since forever but it only ever really took a future epiphany for me to solve the question: Why did I make so much stuff in 2020? While I spent a long time trying to find out what motivated me through that time to produce as much as I've never done before, I thought it was just an unattainable inspiration that came from some unknown divine source, but not really.

The truth was more down to earth and negative: it was a compulsion caused by extreme stress. A lot of things happened that year, and it was difficult to cope. While half of my work was positive and from a place where I felt free to experiment and explore as an artist, at some point (around the time I started college) my art also became either destructive, or a consequence of a negative environment. That's how I formed some drawing habits, specifically about Stanley.

It's not a bad thing to draw to cool off from a rough day with a sketch, but what happened to me was a feedback loop that grew as my presence grew in general. It's not bad to get praise, but for me it fed the rumination. Note that I'm speaking from pre-incident. While the cycle of rumination could have ran on its own until I get tired, outside perception motivated me to dive deeper into that to the point of exhaustion, regardless. This is around January 2021. Numerous personal issues have shown themselves, and I was also exhausted from finishing my last semester. The exhaustion crept deep into my psyche, where slowly I notice that I am not producing as much as I did in 20. I paid it no mind, as I needed the rest.

I'm going to skim over the escalation that happened last year and instead focus on how this manifested from interest to something that was pretty much obsession. Also... this isn't the only compulsion I have. This one just makes sense to bring up right now.

The reason I'm aware of this is because of where I am now. I'm still susceptible to all that rumination, only that it actually appears as it is: a maladaptive strategy. It's only more obvious because the feelings are negative, but it was the same pattern from before: an image, and the compulsion to make that image, usually caused by an external force or trigger. While I've had a pretty good tolerance threshold for the past few days, exhaustion and other physical limits can still cause the same discomfort. Why is it just him? Does it apply to Irene? In the end, you can't justify why a compulsion is a compulsion. He was repetitively drawn to the point where the image was everywhere, which had no end in sight. Two years later, it's still pretty much there. I just don't have the time to do it.

While I can't justify why I did all this, I can say that it wasn't done out of trying to fix the character or to make him perfect. It was simply a pattern that needed to occur. It was simply something that had to keep existing, and over time, so many angles, faces, emotions of this same image have been produced by me. There was never an end goal of being recognized or anything. That's also why I was unfazed about "losing" credit or credibility.

With regards to him turning into an icon of consumption, yes, some of it had shown up in my rumination. However, my perspective is completely different from the critique of capitalism the new stuff is pulling off, the concept of making a thing better over and over and over. Mine was simply powered by mostly by an illness and virtually just one month of pay for me. My story is still oddly personal. I'm not the person who can afford to do nerd capitalism and buy collector's items and other commodities. I am still behind the scenes and beneath the outer greater narrative of most of it. Sure, maybe we can talk about distribution of global workers, but that's another discussion for another time that doesn't faze me and is mostly irrelevant.

Conclusion: No, I still have no idea how to rid of this, especially since the wound is still open. My only hope is focusing on how I react to bullshit right now. Nevertheless, I probably won't let it consume me more than it already did. No, Irene is a more complicated case, and I made him. He's not an image forced into my mind.

Tangent: how do you balance your interest in a way that doesn't harm you? While you can't prevent being [psychologically] obsessed about an intrusive thought, usually I just do mindfulness over my actions. If I let it be, it's also just me STILL trying to process that entire shebang. If an obsession disrupts your everyday routine/life, has been present for a long amount of time (think above a few weeks), and tends to be your distraction from a stressful environment, PLEASE step back and try to see if you need mental help... Or, just some people to help check on your well-being.

End of text

Late note: I don't want people just thinking that the image is just a compulsion. It's more complicated than that. It just started that way.

#isotype

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burningthetree · 2 years

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For the Writers Ask Game! I want to hear the answer to so many! Feel free to ignore some of them :) 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20 :)

Ahhh I love you, thank you for your interest <3 I rambled a lot and this got so long lmao so it's all under the cut! I couldn't ignore one because you know I love talking lmao

13. What feedback did you receive for your writing that stuck with you?

A classmate at uni read an essay I wrote for one of my classes (I almost failed that class because my professor failed said essay LMAO) and she told me that I should submit my writing to a magazine because my prose was good. My professor also called my prose 'impressive' so that was a huge compliment and I choose to focus on that now lmao.

Something else I often think about is how one of my classmates in high school worked at a radio station and asked me to join him for a discussion on writing. I had to prepare a short excerpt and read it out loud on the radio which was horrible because it almost made me cry because I was terrified LMAO but then it ended up more than fine, and some friends who listened to the program actually reached out to me and told me that they liked my writing – I know this feedback is really simple but I was 14 years old (same age as when I wrote that horrible 1D fic LOL) and it meant the world to me (and the overall experience did, too. Still does.)

Another one: when people told me my writing made them cry. Because it's like, I made you feel things? I caused emotions? What is this wizardry? The made-up story made people tear up? Wild.

Okay lol last one: A friend at uni asked if he could read my fanfiction lmfao and I was so self-conscious about it but I shared it with him anyway, and he texted me as he was reading it and he also gave me feedback in person. It was nothing specific, but just receiving thoughts from someone I know IRL and who enjoyed what I wrote (though he only read four chapters because it was too much lmao and he knew nothing about the fandom) meant SO much to me. Also he appreciated my jokes, and that always gives me a boost in self-confidence. We ended up joking about some aspects, which was also great – it taught me not to always take things to seriously! (And yet here I am overanalysing this lol)

14. What is something that you feel weird/uncomfortable writing about?

Easy. Physical intimacy. Lol. And I don't mean hugging and cuddling and snuggling, because that is more than fine, but as soon as it gets to a further level, I just can't do it. I feel so weird and extremely uncomfortable when trying to write it (and I have tried!) and it just feels so wrong lmao. I know why it's not for me, and I've accepted that it's too hard, I'm too self-conscious, and I admire everyone who has ever written it.

17. Tell us a fun fact about your current WIP.

I have two WIPs so I'll give you two fun facts that might not be 'fun' but it's all I can come up with. Fun fact 1 is that I thought I wouldn't have to do research, but it turns out that I don't know enough English terminology in music that I have to look it up all the time LOL

Fun fact 2 is that I am FINALLY embracing a hyperfixation I have had for three years now so I'm combining that with my other hyperfixation because why not. Pretty sure you can guess at least one of them, but it is amazing to finally write this after thinking about it for so long.

18. Show us a piece of dialogue you really like.

This dialogue is really short and all and it probably makes no sense outside of context but I thought it was super cute when I wrote it and you even pointed it out, so this is it!

"Practise your 'b', Keiji." "Bo." "Yeah?" "I'm p-practising."

19. Show us the line you want readers to remember from your story.

This is so hard. I don't know if I've written any memorable lines LOL uhm. Oh. Maybe the simple "I want to play volleyball." It makes no sense out of context, but in the context of the story, it means a whole lot and I always love to remember last lines in books that I read, so I tried to close my story with a meaningful line as well to round off the entire plot in a way that is satisfying for both me and hopefully the reader lol.

20. Do you have one piece of advice for your fellow writers?

Last year, I was at a workshop where an author (her name is Denise Mina) talked about her writing and gave tips on (crime) writing, and she said this: "If you can tell a story, you can write a story – you just have to write one sentence after the other." That kind of stuck with me, because it's true – so every time I have writer's block and feel like a failure, I try to remind myself of this and, although it doesn't always work, it sometimes does!

Another piece of advice is to write without being afraid of judgment, because there will always be people who judge you, no matter what you do and how you do things. Even authors who have won awards still receive criticism in many ways, and what one person likes isn't what another person likes. What I'm trying to say is that, when writing, you should always aim for what you enjoy, and not think about what others enjoy. That helps me to find actual enjoyment in the writing process, instead of constantly worrying about what other people might think. As long as I'm happy with my writing and my progress, then I've achieved my goal! (This is easier said than done and I'm still mortally afraid of people judging me LOL but it's a good reminder!)

#cat #this really got so long lmao i'm sorry #but i love you for making me talk about my writing #julie is writing #or at least pretending by talking about it

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spnfanficpond · 3 years

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Pond Diving - Imagineteamfreewill

Welcome to today’s Pond Diving Spotlight! We hope that you enjoy this little insight to our members and perhaps even find some useful tips for your own writing. Happy reading!

Want to volunteer, send us an ask! We’re looking forward to learning more about all of you! Not sure what PD is, you can learn more here.

“Don’t Be Koi About It” - All About You

Name: Meg

Age: 20s

Location: United States

URL: @imagineteamfreewill

Why did you choose your URL: I first started out structuring my stories as imagines, and the “Team Free Will” part was pretty obvious.

What inspired you to become a writer: Reading Supernatural fanfiction inspired me to get back into writing, but I’ve always enjoyed it. My mom likes to talk about how when I was in Kindergarten, I drew a picture about how I wanted to be an author and now I write in my free time.

How long have you been writing: According to tumblr, I’ve been writing fanfiction since 2014, but I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember.

What do you do when you are not writing i.e. Job/Hobbies etc? I’m a music teacher, so I sing and play piano, and I’ve played a bit of cello and tenor saxophone as well. I love movies, baking, sleeping, and a few video games.

How long have you been in the SPN Fandom? I joined sometime around Season 8 or 9, I think. I don’t really remember!

Are you in any other fandoms and do you write for them? I really enjoy Marvel and I’ve read a lot of Marvel fics, but I don’t write for them. I like a lot of TV shows (New Girl, Parks and Rec, The Good Place, Outlander, etc), but I wouldn’t consider myself part of the fandom.

Do you do any writing outside of fanfiction? If so, tell us about it? I love to write poetry. I had a poetry blog at truenorth-ink a while ago, but I haven’t updated it recently at all. Most of my poems aren’t published or posted anywhere.

Favorite published author: I love some of the early series by Rick Riordan and I also really enjoy poetry by Nikita Gill and Atticus. Lately, I've really been getting into Leigh Bardugo's books.

Have you ever read a book that made an impact on your life? Which one and why?: I think "East" by Edith Pattou really affected me! I read it when I was in 6th-8th grade and I think about it often. I think it's something that really stuck with me and got me interested in fantasy books so much. I read it at least once a year.

Favorite genre of fanfic (smut, angst, fluff, crack, rpf, etc): I love angsty stuff, and most of the time I prefer it when it has some fluff mixed in. Straight fluff is often hard for me to read because I need something that’s more realistic for my own life and point of view. I also really like whump, but that can be a lot sometimes so it depends on my mood.

Favorite piece of your own writing: I don’t know if I have a favorite, but I loved writing Back to the Start (my mermaid series) and The Switch (a canon-divergent apocalyptic Reader x Sam series). Right now, I'm really enjoying my Consort series (a Goddess!Reader x Dean series). Creating my own rules in my own little universes is one of my favorite things to do, especially since I can’t always do whatever I want in real life.

Most underrated fic you have written: Empire. I loved getting to write Boyking!Sam because it was so different from my normal Sam stories and I did a lot of research for it. I’m pretty proud that the story never got too bloody or gory, too, so if you want some Boyking!Sam that’s not drenched in blood (for lack of a better term), I’m your girl!

Story of yours that you’d most like to see turned into a movie/tv show: Probably Back to the Start or The Switch. I think those two series would be amazing to see with J2, the rest of the cast/characters I included, and special effects! There’s so much I’d want to explore with both of them that I didn’t put into the series.

Favorite Tumblr Writer(s): @luci-in-trenchcoats, @sunlightdances, @supernaturalfreewill, @lipstickandwhiskey, @smol-and-grumpy, @percywinchester27, and @kaz2y5-imagines

Favorite fic from another writer: I don’t think I could pick just one, but I’ve read all of @sunlightdances Dean fics multiple times. Her works got me through some pretty sucky times in my life and I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of her writing! I’ve also been reading her Bucky fics recently and it’s made me love Marvel fics even more than before!

Favorite character to write: Sam Winchester

Favorite Pairing to write: Reader x Sam (Reader x Dean is a close second)

Least favorite character to write (and why): I don’t like to write for Crowley or Gabriel. Gadreel is hard for me even though I can do it, but I don’t understand Crowley or Gabriel’s personalities at all because they’re literally so far away from mine.

Do you have anyone you consider a mentor? No, although @lipstickandwhiskey and @kaz2y5-imagines really encouraged me in my writing!

Do you have any aspirations involving your writing? I would love to write a non-Supernatural work of fiction to publish, but that’s a long way off.

How many work-in-progress stories do you have: Oh Lord, I have so many! I have at least four series and two one shots in the works right now. I've also got over 100 one shots/series plotlines written out in the notes on my phone and various Google Docs.

What are you currently working on? I’m currently working on a Cinderella series, my Underworld series, my Puer Rex series, my Consort series, an Author!Sam fic, and an Author!Dean fic. I also write stories for my Words series now and again.

“Pond Diving” - All About The Writing

What/who has had the biggest influence on your writing? Reading other people’s work. The intense storylines of @luci-in-trenchcoats ’s fics have gotten me to be more bold with my writing and the emotions and description in @supernaturalfreewill’s works have inspired me to let my work have more feeling.

Best writing advice you've been given: Not necessarily writing advice, but I was once told that anything worth doing is worth doing at least a little bit every day. Think about it—if you wrote even just five minutes a day, how much better will you get over the course of a month? A year?

Biggest obstacle you’ve faced in your writing: Repetition of words and commas. So many commas and so many uses of the same word over and over again. It’s a hard balance between using the word and using synonyms without sounding like I’m sitting there googling synonyms for “said”. I also tend to spend a lot of time on things that I think are super important but aren’t really important in the long run. I’m wordy as hell and my writing would be dull if I didn’t edit it as thoroughly as I do.

What aspects of writing do you find difficult when you write fanfiction? A lot of times I have these ideas that I think would make a great series but I don’t think through them, so planning out the plot of a series (or even a standalone fic) beforehand is something I struggle with.

Is there anything you want to write but are afraid to (and why): I would love to write more fics that have the characters dealing with severe mental disorders or that take place in a mental hospital, but I’m afraid that I’ll portray something wrong and solidify harmful stereotypes about what it’s like to deal with those things.

What inspires/motivates you to write: Honestly, just wanting to write things that I enjoy. Sometimes I get sick of reading other peoples’ stuff since it’s not exactly what I want, so I just write my own!

How do you deal with self doubt: Understand that sometimes it happens. You’ll doubt yourself—everybody does. If I’m doubting myself or my writing, I’ll take a break until I remember why I write. Then I’ll remember that yeah, writing for an audience is fun, but I write because I have cool ideas I want to explore, not because I need the attention or love of strangers. Lastly, I’ll reread my old fics, especially the ones I love, and then I’ll go back and edit old fics that I haven’t looked at in a while. That way I can see how I’ve improved and I don’t feel so terrible anymore! Reading my own fics is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, and I’ll read through my masterlists every once a while just to remind myself of the things I’ve loved, where I’ve been, and where I’m going.

How do you deal with writer's block: Like I said, I reread old fics and edit old fics that I haven’t looked at in a while. Seeing the things I’ve done before always helps to focus me. I’ll also read other people’s stuff or talk about headcanons with some friends to try and find some inspiration.

Do you plan/outline your story before you start: Lately I have been, but only because my periods of intense inspiration and productivity are getting farther and farther apart because of my job. I’ve found planning it out to be more and more helpful, especially for my series. A lot of times if I get a great idea, I’ll outline the whole plot or any significant details I want to put in that one shot/series so that I can come back to it whenever I have the time or I’m inspired for it again.

Do you have any weird writing habits: I write best in places that are unfamiliar to me or in places/times where I shouldn’t be writing. Class? Writing. Airport terminal? Writing. 4am when I have to be up at 6? Writing.

Have you ever received hateful comments on your fic and how do you deal with it? Not that I remember! I feel like there’s probably been one or two over the years, but I probably just got upset about it with my friends for a while and then got over it.

Conversely: what’s been some of your favorite feedback on your fanfic? A long time ago, when I was writing Back to the Start, I had one person who sent me asks for every single series update. I screenshotted them and saved them on my laptop. There’s one particular one where they say that they’re happier because of my writing and honestly, isn’t that what we all strive for? That people’s lives are better because of our stories? I’ve also had some pretty great friends recently who’ve made it a point to reblog and send asks/messages on all my works, which has been so meaningful that I never replied to the asks. They’re sitting in my inbox and I go through and reread them sometimes when I’m feeling down.

If you could give one piece of advice to a new and/or struggling writer, what would it be? Write down everything. If you come up with an amazing piece of dialogue, even if it’s just one sentence or one person talking, or if you come up with something you’d think would be a great title… WRITE IT DOWN. It doesn’t matter if it fits into whatever you’re currently writing or not, it’ll come in handy! I don’t know how many times I’ve gone through my idea list and found really obscure lines/titles/inspiration that didn’t make sense when I wrote them down, but are now exactly what I need to finish a fic. Even if you don’t end up using it, jotting down your ideas is still writing, and that’s good practice!

#pond diving #spnfanficpond

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youngbloodbuzz · 3 years

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Questions 14 and 27 made me laugh because I think I already know the answers. 20 and 31 and I'm pushing my luck but 30.

lmfaoooo u right u right

14. Do you have a personal word minimum that you hold yourself too? Why or why not?

what's this word minumum that you speak of??

but actually though in the last multichapter project i had been working on my go-to word count per chapter was around 10k but uh...i still didn't really give myself a hardcap at all lmao

27. Do you like to give your readers some warning of what might be coming or just slap them in the face with content at random?

honestly? both in some way. i will definitely leave warnings for anything that could be possibly triggering, but also as you know, i don't particularly like spoiling things. so yes i'm willing to let things slide so people are aware what they're getting into specifically for them to remain safe.

20. What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

the collaboration process. a lot of the times i share my fic ideas with friends where we then spend a whole lot of time discussing how it can work and the lore and character beats, it's a lot of fun

also when a Line just comes out of nowhere and u gotta sit there for a minute like wait this fucks. just in general, being able to go back and read and enjoy my own work, because most of the time it's written for myself. i can't even tell you the amount of times i've read bhah

and also..........selfishly, feedback lmao

31. Of the characters you write for, which is your favorite? Has that choice been swayed at all by your followers/readers’ reactions to certain ones?

i really don't know, but i think atm dani because she's just...My Girl. i've spent a lot of time in her head these past nine months she's special. though i also do Love writing jamie even though it's not in her pov, she brings a lot of levity and it's truly so fun writing her yearning from afar

30. Post a snippet from your current WIP without context - no more than 300 words.

lskjagasdfg yKNOW WHAT because of this i'm gonna share something that isn't even bhah. here have some of my first draft unpublished supercorp fic i've been working on for years and that only one person i know cares about lmfao

Lena can't help the fond look that she knows crosses her face. “I want you to ask me things,” she says, surprising herself to find that she genuinely means it. “Please.”

Kara's eyes widen briefly until she blooms with a slow smile, eager and anxious at the same time. “Okay,” she exhales and shuffles again, slightly closer and frowns, as if she were wracking her brain for a question, making Lena breathe out a chuckle. “Now that I know that I can ask a question, I have no idea what even to ask.”

“What's the first thing that comes to mind?” Lena leads.

Kara's gaze wanders away in her pondering, seeming to mindlessly bite her lip for a moment until her eyes flicker back to Lena's. “Was that the first time?”

“That I ever walked?” Lena says with a teasing grin.

Kara blushes and rolls her eyes with an indulgent smile. “No, I mean. The first time in public?”

“Not necessarily,” Lena murmurs, fiddling with her watch. “I did so occasionally at school, but like that? In front of hundreds of people? That would be the first.”

There's a genuine sort of concern that darkens Kara's frown. “That must've been so...”

“Thrilling?” Lena offers with a sardonic quirk of her brow.

“Scary,” Kara seems to breath out.

Lena pauses, the blonde before her once again surprising her into a stunned silence as Kara frowns as if she's mentally reliving the moment in Lena's point of view. “It was,” Lena admits in a murmur, and when Kara finally meets her eyes again, she smiles so kindly that Lena's shoulders relax. “I had done so many seminar appearances at conventions prior to it, it was a requirement for the most part for my doctorate so I knew the material like the back of my hand, but while I had the experience of major science and health conventions under my belt, none of them were so mainstream as a TED Talk.”

#asks #anonymous #acau #acau my beloved..................#i need to rewrite the whole thing tbh lmfao all 70k of it and then finish the rest gkbladsfasdgaskdfa #my fic

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litteidiot · 4 years

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Hello! I've been reading ur fics recently, and I love them- they're amazing and touching! I was wondering if I could request a scenario for all 4 boys, in 2nd pov about the MC having a sudden panic attack? I understand if you don't wanna write it!

Hii! Thank you for reading my fics and I’m really happy that you like them. I hope with that one I can satisfy you as well!

I split this into two parts so stay tuned! Sorry if the second part will take time.

Reacting to MC having a panic attack pt. 1

——————————————

Type: Scenarios

Attention! The characters are not mine credit to the Mr. Love Team!

——————————————

Victor

It was another day like the other. But you were nervous. Recently you got two great opportunities for the next episode of Miracle Finder. You were 100% sure these episode will make the company go viral.

And just like always Victor asked for the draft and report about the episodes. And it was due today. You were busy this week preparing the set and everything essentical for the show you totally forgot to to do yor job assigned by him. So one day before due you pulled an all nighter, writing the reports to satisfy his request. By the time the clock hit 6 am you were done. Both documents were at least three pages long, and you were sure no information was left out.

But then why you were so nervous? Maybe because the companies you will soon work with are bigger then yours? As you approached the LFG building this tingling nervousness didn’t stop. It was like a parrot on your shoulder, chanting the same word until it drives you crazy.

You step into the elevator and pushing the button where Victor’s office was. Your palms were sweating. It’s not like this is your first time handing him your work. But still. Your heart rate quickened, and with that you took small breathes to consol yourself.Knocking on the CEO’s office door, you waited for his approval to enter.

“Come in.” His usual stern voice was heard and after a second of hesitation you walk in. Like usual Victor was dressed in his black business attire, behind his computer, his fingers flying on the keyboard as he typed away whatever he was workinh on.

“I brought you the reports you were asking for.” You said in a voice surprising not even you, but Victor. He stopped his work, an eyebrow arched. “Are you doing well?” He asked. You cleared your throat. “Yes, I’m okay.” Victor’s concers vanished, and his serious business manner returned. “Good, now hand me the reports.” He demanded. This time it hit you. All day you were nervous about the reports you will going to hand to Victor. Are they good enough to his expectations? You almost forgot to do the report the other day. As you looked at the papers, you got even more nervous. Your handwriting was messy, a lot of correcting scattered across the pages, you realized whatever you wanted to write only ended up as a small side note.

No way in the world you will hand this to him. You stood there still, panicking out of your mind. Your heart at this point went crazy in your chest, your hands are dranched in sweat, your chest hurt as the lack of oxygen entered your lungs.

“I’m not asking again.” Victor’s voice pierced through your thoughts, not helping the situation. “MC, hand me the report.” He raised his voice, clearly annoyed because your lack of action. But your mind froze. Are the reports good enough? What if he thinks it’s one of those many sloppy reports you gave him and this time he had enough and not only he whitdraws the funding but also calls off the next show.

At this point you were wheezing. Suddenly you gripped your chest, and dropped to the floor. You felt lightheaded as you slipped in and out of consciousness, small beds of sweat appearing on your forehead.

“MC!” In a flash Victor appeared next to you literally having no idea what happened to you. Not going to lie even he went pale for a quick second. “MC! Look at me? Can you hear me, look at me!” He shook you lightly forcing you to look in his eyes. Not enough, your panick switched into a breakdown, tears streamed down your face like two little rivers. You got a strong and firm grip on his arms, as you both hyperventillated and cried at the same time.

Victor was scared out of his mind. He looked at you breaking into pieces in front of him, literally having no idea what is happening with you. He wrapped you into his arms as he strokes circles on your back murmuring things to calm you down. After your little episode you pulled away from him looking all ashamed because of the mess you caused him.

“I-I’m sorry.” You mustered out between two breaths. “I was so busy this week I nearly forgot the reports and I wasn’t confident my work will make it to your expectations. I got stressed, I’m sorry.” You rabled your reasons at him.

After this day, he made sure you were doing okay with the work he gave you and paid close attention if you are overworking yourself.

Kiro

You just launched a new episode of Miracle Finder but you weren’t on set to supervise the shooting. You were busy making contracts for future project you didn’t even bother to look over the script, you just signed the approval to air ot and that’s it. And boy you wish you did.

On the airing night you watched the episode and you almost ripped out your hair seeing how sloppy and unprofessional the episode was. And the feedbacks on social media and your company’s official website didn’t help either. It was all negative comments, judging the episode, you the company. This occupied your mind the whole week.

“What’s in my Miss Chips mind other than me?” Kiro’s playful voice interrupted you as he waved his hand in front of your face. You were at his house, Kiro asked you over to hang out a little while.

“Am I a good boss, Kiro?” This question, what circled in your mind finally set free. This question took a full 180, Kiro switched into a serious manner. “What do you mean? Of course you are! You are amazing as always!” He encouraged you, his radiating sunlight shone over you. But this couldn’t brighten up you mood. Not this time.

“I don’t feel like I’m good enough.” You said. “This week’s episode was a disaster! I wasn’t there to supervise and after that I wasn’t paying attention to it I just approved the airing. Now all the comments and feedbacks are attacking the company and me because of how bad this one turned out.” You rambled you hands getting shaky.

“Kiro and it’s all my fault. I was too busy to look through the files, now everything backfired on me. I can’t pay attention to multiple things at the same time. What kind of producer am I?” Your worry grew, so does your panic.

“I will bring down this company. Dad worked for decades on this TV show and my carelessness will ruin his hardwork.” You said, your body was now trembling. The air felt stuffy, The place suddenly was too small for you two.

“MC look at me.” Kiro lifted your head too look at him. “Answer these questions for me.”

“Kiro, it’s not the time to play 20 questi-” He cut you off.

“Just aswer these questions to me. What’s the day today.”

“Um, it’s Friday.”

“What’s the date today?”

“It’s the 24th.”

“Good. How many days we have in a week.”

“Seven days.”

“And in a month?”

“Thirty or thrity one days.”

“And what about a year? How many days are in a year?”

“Threehundred and sixty-five.”

“Good job. Are you okay now?” He looked at you with his tender blue eyes. You soon realized your breathing stabilized. You were no longer nervous. Seeing your confused face, Kiro flashed you a smile. “You were having a panic attack. So before it could get worse I distracted your mind from it.”

He pulled you in his arms, giving you his bearhug you love so much. Inhealing his scent, your mind fully relaxed. “Are you okay now?” He asked in a low voice, and you nodded, closing your eyes in comfort.

“You are an amazing producer MC. You are one of the most hardworking person I ever met, you are doing an amazing job, do not let those comments get to you.”

For more research study go to Science section

Stay tuned for pt. 2!!

#mlqc #mlqc headcanon #mlqc bai qi #mlqc xu mo #mlqc fanfic #mlqc zhou qiluo #mlqc kiro #mlqc helios #mlqc lucien #mlqc victor #mlqc mc #mlqc li zeyan #mlqc ling xiao #mlqc gavin

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thesunnyshow · 4 years

Text

EPISODE 5: MINA

Writing Blog URL(s): @jaemina00

Name: Mina

Age: 20

Nationality: British

Languages: English, Bengali

Star Sign: pisces

MBTI: INFP-T

What fandom(s) do you write for?

NCTzens

When did you post your first piece?

This year back in late May or early June

Do you write fluff/angst/crack/general/smut, combo, etc? Why?

Mostly fluff because I'm a sucker for the way your heart can literally ache in your chest but also angst because it also causes such strong emotions.

Do you write OCs, X Readers, Ships...etc?

All X Readers so far

Why did you start writing on Tumblr?

It started really as just a pass by of time, I love creative writing and kpop so it just seemed the best way to cross them. I was incredibly bored due to quarantine and thought it was a good way to enjoy myself and not let my brain rot away but I surely fell in love with it.

What inspires you to write?

Any moment really. Late night thoughts or just the people I'm surrounded with. Music I think is especially great because it allows you to feel emotions without actually having to go through the experience and scenarios and then you can write based on how you felt those emotions through the song.

What genres/AUs do you enjoy writing the most?

Like I said before I really like fluff, recently I've been more interested in AUs like reincarnation and a lot of psychological beliefs as well as mythology and the supernatural.

What do you hope your readers take away from your work?

Feeling. Whether it's a feeling of happiness that made their heart swoon or the aching of sadness, I hope my reader just feel through my writing.

What do you do when you hit a rough spot creatively?

I take a break and step back from my writing. Sometime, being so stuck in your mind makes it much harder to write. So I stop writing for as many days as it takes for the ideas and the flow to comeback to me naturally and without being pushed. In this time I usually try to find inspiration from music and other stories.

What is your favorite work and why? Your most successful?

As of right now I really like 'Love Me Now' and 'Nighthawk'. Love me now is based off NCT 127's song and I loved how I just wrote what I felt in the exact moment I was listening to it, it holds a special space in my heart for that. I also love nighthawk because of how stuck I was with it. I was planning and drafting it for the longest time and everytime hating what I've written and restarting, so I have some pride in now finally actually liking what I've written. Most successful however is 'Firsts' I do love it but because it's of the first ones I wrote so there is a slight cringe to it now.

Do you think there’s a difference between writing fanfiction vs. completely original prose?

The only difference I see is that when writing fanfiction you have a name and a face to go with it however everything else is the same. You have to come up with how the characters are presented, what's their dynamic, what's the storyline and how it's going to be presented. You still have to showcase emotion, action and dialogue as well as everything in between.

What do you think makes a good story?

A story that has you engaged and feeling something. Like it makes you almost sad that you've finished it and makes you want to come back to read it again.

What is your writing process like?

It varies it can be like have an idea I make a plan on how I want the story to progress and how I want it to end, I try to think of how I want my characters to be portrayed to my reader and how the dynamic between characters is. Then I write multiple drafts and slowly eliminate based off which one I hate and which ones I like until I'm left with the best one and then I reread and either add or remove bits and go over grammar and spelling. Or I just go with the flow, honestly it's a process of cutting and writing again and again until I'm somewhat satisfied.

Would you ever repurpose a fic into a completely original story?

I don't think any of my fics are good enough to be the basis of a story and I most definitely don't think I couldn't write a full original story.

What tropes do you love, and what tropes can’t you stand?

Honestly I think every trope is okay if it's well executed and well written. Even tropes that are classified as clichés are nice to read when the writing style is engaging.

How much would you say audience feedback/engagement means to you?

It means a lot because it allows room for growth and development. I really just want to know how I can become better what people like so I know what is successful and what isn't.

What has been one of the biggest factors of your success (of any size)?

The fact that I like what I've written? I don't know but I think that it's important and I'm just glad that I do. In fact I kind of find that alone to be a success.

Favorite color: It changes but as of now pastels and especially yellow

Favorite food: literally any food

Favorite movie: The green book

Favorite ice cream flavor: Chocolate

Favorite animal: Giraffe

Go-to karaoke song: Can't sing for my life :/

Dream job (whether you have a job or not): I'm studying law right now so the end goal is hopefully in human rights

Coffee or tea? What are you ordering?

Iced Americano or Mocha frappe

If you could have one superpower, what would you choose?

Teleportation I think is really cool, just imagine being able to go anywhere in the world in the span of a few Milliseconds.

If you could visit a historical era, which would you choose?

Probably the 20th Century, just seeing the world go through both world wars, the cold War, Vietnam and so many other political problems going on as well as so many revolutions both industrial and literal is both scary and such an exciting time to be alive.

If you could restart your life, knowing what you do now, would you?

I think it's fun not knowing everything, it's definitely scary but there's an exciting buzz to it also I don't think me restarting life with what I know now would make a difference.

Would you rather fight 100 chicken-sized horses or one horse-sized chicken?

I don't think I could fight one chicken sized horse let alone 100 but I most definitely can't fight a horse sized chicken. First of all, that's a big chicken and second, chickens are actually very fiesty. So I have to go with 100 chicken-sized horses.

If you were a trope in a teen high school movie, what would you have been?

Probably the main characters best friend who judges every stupid decision they make and making it clear with lots of sarcastic comments but is their nevertheless fully supporting them to do more stupid and impulsive things.

Do you believe in aliens/supernatural creatures?

Yess!! I find it almost impossible that we are the only intelligence in this much bigger universe. We are just mere specs and there has to be another form of intelligence out there.

Fun fact about yourself that not everyone would know?

I can fold my tongue in a three leaved clover? Lmao

Do you think fanfic writers get unfairly judged?

Yes! Just because it's based on someone in real life and isn't conventional story writing people expect it to be bad but actually there are so many amazing authors who write so many unique fanfictions. People also only expect it to be plotless but it's far from that.

Do you think art can be a medium for change?

Definitely, I think art is a great medium for change. It can really play with someone's emotions and really open their eyes to new perspectives and wider horizons. Art can really change a person's ideologies on just about anything. It's powerful and allows people to find themselves as well as get lost in a world you've created.

Do you ever feel there are times when you’re writing for others, rather than yourself?

I don't think I've come to a point like that yet, I enjoy writing so far and maybe it's because I'm fairly new that I haven't experienced this yet.

Do you ever feel like people have misunderstood you or your writing at times?

No I haven't but again I haven't written much or for long.

Do your offline friends/loved ones know you write for Tumblr?

Yes and actually depending on how I feel about a certain piece I let them read it and ask about what they think.

What is one thing you wish you could tell your followers?

I hope you find some comfort or even happiness in my writing, I hope it made you smile or put you in your feels and you just overall find it enjoyable. Also don't be afraid to talk to me or send asks!!

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers who might be too scared to put themselves out there?

Just go for it! If you like what you've written then others are bound to like it, as cliché as that sounds it's true. At the end of the day if you love writing, it'll show in your work and others will fall in love with it too.

Are there any times when you regret joining Tumblr?

So far no. I've had a very pleasant experience with reading other people's amazing work as well as writing my own.

Pick a quote to end your interview with:

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” - Thomas Merton.

BONUS: K-POP CONFIDENTIAL

Interested in your very own episode of The Sunny Show? Find out how to apply here.

#@jaemina00 #thesunnyshow #featuredauthor #episode 5 #nct

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every-jai · 5 years

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Catching a Storm

Hi Guys! Finally Jai's new movie "Storm boy" has hit the cinemas! I have'nt seen it yet, but i've read the original story. Instantly it inspirated me for this fanfiction. I alternated a few things for the sake of the story, but i hope you still like it! As every writer i really appreciate feedback, so if you like, you can write me something! Now enjoy!

After a nearly 10 hour ride, I left the bus, and carefully I put my Luggage down and took a look around: So this was the famous ninety-mile-beach. It was just beautiful out here at the Coorong. I walked the short distance to the little town named Goolwa where I had rented a small room.

Softly I knocked on the door in front of me. Just a minute later, an elderly Lady opened up. "Yes?" I smiled at her friendly." I'm sorry Ma'am, is this Shore Drive 125?" She nodded "Great, then you must be Miss Barnaby! My name is (Y/N), I've rented your spare room." Her face lightened up. "Oh yes, the teacher! Come in, love, come in! I'm so glad you're finally here." I took my luggage up again and followed her inside. She seemed to be around 80, and for that, she was very fast while going up the stairs. "This is your room, the bath is on the left. Breakfast is every morning at six, Dinner at five p.m., and I wait for no one! On weekends breakfast is at 10 o'clock. Oh, and this is an honorable house, so no men are allowed in your room. Sundays you accompany me to church. If you are going by these rules, we will be friends in no time!" I grinned. A real old-school Lady that she was. The rules were no problem for me, I was an early riser, tried to be on point always and had currently no interest in men. "The room is wonderful, Mrs. Barnaby, and I can assure you, that there will be no problems with me." she smiled at me wisely "Good. Now I'll let you sort your things and get a rest. I'll see you tomorrow." Before she got out of my door, she turned to me and smiled." I'm glad that you are here. The boy needs a gentle hand.... and maybe the father too." She was gone before I could say anything in return.

I sat down on the little desk in my room, took out the small Manila folder I had about said Boy and started to read:

Name: Michael Kingley

Born: March 16th, 1953

Parents: Tom Kingsley, fisherman

Jane Kingsley, seamstress, deceased

His father hides them on the Beach 20 miles from here since his wife and daughter died in an accident 6 years ago. He refused to send the boy to school, only occasionally coming to this town. The national child service became aware of the situation but declined to take away the child from his father due to the circumstances... at least for now. So I was sent down here.

Just graduated with a bachelor in teaching a few months ago, this was my first job. I was eager to teach the boy everything I could. How was the saying? If the Prophet can't come to the mountain, the mountain has to go to the prophet. And damn, this prophet wasn't easy to reach! I had to drive with the Bus for 30 minutes down the shore, then another 20 minutes with my bike to there little Shack. Tomorrow Mr. Wilbur, the town's Mayor would go with me to show me the way. I've asked myself if his father would let me teach him. He hid for a reason, and I was an outsider. But I was determined to do my first job right, I would teach that boy, one way or another!

7 o'clock sharp the next morning, Mr. Wilbur waited for me at the front door. He greeted me friendly, and we started our way. It wasn't as bad as I thought, just at lousy weather it might be a problem. Soon we spotted the little hut made of tin and old wood. Mr. Willbur sighed and told me, that Mr. Kingley wasn't very fond of visitors so he would take his leave now. He wished me luck, and suddenly I was on my own. I took a deep breath and knocked on the crocked door. A little boy with unruly blond hair opened the door just a bit. I smiled at him friendly "Hello, my name is (Y/N), you must be Mike?" shyly he looked at me "My Dad says I'm not allowed to talk to strangers." "And he's very right! Can I speak to him instead?" He pointed to the beach "Daddy is down there, repairing the net. But he doesn't like people" I still smiled at him. "That's ok, I just want to have a little chat with him. See you later Michael."

Down at the beach, I found his father quickly. When he saw me, his mood darkens instantly. "What do you want? I have no business with you!" Mr. Kingley turned around and got back to his nets. I stepped forward. "I know Sir, and I respect that... "He interrupted me "If you did, you would have already left!" I sighed, "Mr. Kingley, I'm here on behalf of your Son. I'm a teacher." Again he interrupted me "We don't need a teacher, I can show him everything he needs to know!" I sighed "I know you are, I'm just here to make sure he is up to par with the other kids his age." Now he became really agitated "I told you, we don't need your help. So I would appreciate it if you would leave my ground. NOW!" I instantly know that there was no sense in talking to him at this moment. So I said goodbye and left back to Goolwa.

Back in my room I slumped down on my Bed and rubbed my eyes. This would be a hell of a ride if Mr. Kingley would stay stubborn like this.

When I arrived at the hut next morning, I saw Mr. Kingley's boat laid still on the beach, so he seemed to be at home. I braced myself, set my spine straight and knocked on the door. Maybe he just had a bad day yesterday.

I know I was wrong the Moment the door opened. The angry eyes of Mr. Kingley focused on me "What do you want? Didn't I tell you to fuck off yesterday?" I brushed my wind-struck coat down and smiled at him "Sir, I'm here because of the National Child Service...." "I DON 'T CARE!" He screamed and nearly slammed the door into my face. I crunched my teeth, that's exactly what I was afraid of. But this woman was no one that gives up easily. Sitting down on the porch, I took out my schedule and started to write on it.

10 Minutes later Mr. Kingley came out, the little Boy in tow. I stood up. "Why are you so stubborn? Don't you want a better life for your son?" He looked at me angrily. "We have a good life! We don't need anyone, especially not a nosy young wannabe, who's trying to tell me how to live my life!" The boy clung to his father's leg, too afraid to even talk to me. Mr. Kingsley turned around and both left for the boat.

The next two weeks were pretty much the same. I arrived in the morning at their hut, he left with his son soon after, totally ignoring me. But I was persistent, determined not to screw up my first job. A few hours later he would return, going back into the Shack without even looking at me.

But one day, suddenly everything started to change. The weather was starting to get very bad, but it didn't stop me from coming to the beach. I sat down on my usual spot, looking at the shore. The wind blew hard in my face, and the rain soon soaked me to the bones. Shivering I hold on to my bag, I wouldn't let the weather beat me down, no way!

From time to time I saw the curtains on the window moving as if someone was looking out. He was stubborn, and so was I! Approximately half an hour later the door opened. Mr. Kingley grabbed my Arm, yanked me to my feet and dragged me inside. "Do you have a death wish woman?" He snarled into my face and placed me in front of a small fireplace. After draping a blanket over my shoulders, he left to another room. I used the time to let my eyes wander around the hut.

The main room had a small kitchen site, a table with two chairs, and a bench and a rocking chair in front of the fireplace. One door on the left and one on the right seemed to lead to the bedrooms. Just now I saw that one of the doors was open a bit and Mike peeked thru it. I smiled at him, but he closed the door instantly. Dragging the blanket closer around me, I went back to the fireplace.

Suddenly a door beside me slammed shut, and Mr. Kingley was back. "Take your clothes off!" I whipped my head to him in shock "Ex... excuse me?" He still stared at me. "I said, take your clothes off, you're catching a cold if you stay in your wet ones. I may not want you here, but I don't want to be responsible for your death either." In his hands he holds something. "The Bathroom is right there." He pointed to a door beside the fireplace. "You can wear this while your clothes are drying." Mr. Kingsley shoved the dress in my hands, and I walked to the said room.

The Bathroom was small but with an oven-heated tub. A water pump beside the hand basin was the only source for water. I took a towel from the rack and started undressing. The dress Mr. Kingley gave me was a bit small, but it would do for now.

Back at the main room, he had lit the fireplace up more. He eyed me with a wired look on his face when he saw me. "Sit down" He grunted. The fire was nice, and I felt my body getting warmer finally. A few minutes later Mr. Kingley gave me a cup with a steaming beverage. I thanked him and took the warm liquid to my lips. It burned down my throat, and I started to cough. Mr. Kingley chuckled. "Tea with a good shot of rum. Warms you internally" I nodded

thankfully 15 Minutes I felt a lot better. My host seems to prepare Lunch in the meanwhile. It looked like he was relatively relaxed, so I tried my luck again. "Sir, why are you so much against my help? I want nothing more than to teach your son." He slammed his hands on the counter. "I told you before, Miss, we don't want, and we don't need your help!" He looked angry at me and called his son "Michael, its time for Lunch!"

Mr. Kingley sats down in front of me on the other side of the table and started eating. Just a minute later Mike came out of his room and shyly took a seat beside his father. Soon his curiosity gets the better of him, and he crocked his head to the side. "Who are you?" His father scowled at him. "We don't need to know that, boy. The Lady will leave us soon." I decided that I would ignore his words this time and smiled. "Hi, my name is Miss (Y/N), I'm a teacher." His face lit up "0h, like in a school? I've read about that..." "Michael Kingley" his father roared and stood up. "I told you, we don't need, and we certainly don't want her help."

Now I was fed up too. I stood up straight. "Mr. Kingley, I'm not here because I want to, I'm here because of the NCS has an eye on you! I don't want you to lose the boy. Gimme a chance, I promise to interfere as less as possible" The once fuming father calmed down immediately when I talked about taking his child away. "You... you can't take him!" he gasped. I looked at him softly "No, but the NCS can, and I don't want that. Please, Sir, just four hours a day!" He blinked at me irritated "Oh, are we negotiating now? Ok, two hours!" I smiled and shook my head "Four!" "Not happening. Two and a half" I chuckled "I need one hour to come here, and one to get back again. This is too short. I can't train him properly in that short time!" He gritted his teeth "Three hours and not a second more! You bring all the material. And if you interfere with his chores, you will do them! You will be here every morning at seven sharp! Five minutes late, and there will be no class for the day. Did I make myself clear?" I grunted "crystal clear." Three hours later, my clothes where finally dry again. I changed back and let the dress run through my hands. Did it belong to Mr.Kingley's late wife? I left it in the bathroom. Mr. Kingley and the little boy stood beside the door when I was ready to leave. I gave the dress to the still slightly growling father. "Thank you, Mr. Kingley, for your hospitality, I really appreciate it." Then I looked at the boy. "And we will see each other tomorrow, young man!" He smiled at me big time, "I can't wait!" When I left the shack, the weather was slightly better than before. On my way back to my bike I suddenly saw an Aboriginal coming up from the dunes. He greeted me friendly "A good day Miss! Thank god the weather has become slightly better, right?" I nodded at him smiling "Yeah, I wouldn't know what to do if not" He crocked his head. "You are the teacher right?" I was stunned "How did you know?" I asked, and he chuckled "Tom told me about you. He was pretty angry about your arrival." I sighed "Believe me, I want nothing wrong from him...." the stopped me, holding his hands up. "I know Miss, I know. And I'm really glad, that are you here actually. Come with me, I'll tell you something...." One hour later, Bill had told me everything. How Mr. Kingley's wife and daughter had died in an accident, that the driver -probably drunk- has fled the site of the crash and couldn't be found and the police refused to search any longer after a year. Mr. Kingley was so angry, so disappointed, that he took his little 4-year-old son and left Adelaide "...till now, he has taught his son himself, and I know for sure he could do it further, but....." he hesitated a second and sighed. "My people believe that only a mother... a woman can teach life to a child. His father can show him to hunt, to fish, to provide for himself but not the emotional, the caring side of life." Bill looked at me nearly pleadingly. "The boy needs a womanly hand. Tom loves his son, no doubt, but he has so much to deal with that Mike sometimes comes a little short!"

My head was so spinning from all the Information as I was given. This was probably a much more difficult case than i thought. Bill smiled "Now, I let you go as your way, Miss. It was a pleasure to meet you" I smiled back and headed home. I laid awake most of the night and thought about what the Aboriginal man had told me. Then and there I decided not only to be a teacher for Mike but a friend as well!

#jai courtney #jaicourtney #storm boy #fanfiction

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smallblanketfort · 5 years

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In school, getting feedback on papers I've written is a nightmare for me. I always avoid looking at the results for a few days until I've gained the courage to do so. I'm sure this has something to do with perfectionism but idk. I always feel like I'm my biggest critic. Do you have a fear of criticism? How do you handle criticism, even if it is constructive?

such a mood. i definitely fear criticism, but i’m slowly learning to value criticism within certain venues, by being intentional in how i receive it. it gets better.

🌱first, i try to reframe critique as “someone is literally telling me how to be better.” i love having an instruction manual. that being said, sometimes critiques aren’t helpful. and that’s that. it simply wasn’t helpful. and that’s not my fault. moving on.

🌱recognize that perfection is boring af. perfection allows for absolutely no movement, no growth. perfection = stagnancy, and we all hate not being productive.

🌱know what you’re pretty good at. is there something you rarely get critiqued on? what do you like about what you’ve done? also, know what hurdles you had in the first place, such as “i hated my topic.” hurdles are valid.

🌱i decide people are trying to help me, with good intentions. and if they clearly weren’t, then too the fuck bad, bc i can take any type of criticism and make myself better for it.i don’t have to agree with the criticism, bc that still teaches me something about the way i write /think/ eel / and/or want to express/feel/etc. i can make everything helpful, whether or not twas intended. i can always get better, and they are only enabling my growth, if i choose so.

🌱if a critique is a judgement, it’s not a critique worth my time, and the person who wrote it was using less brain power than i was in the first place. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ps: critiques have reasoning, and try to make the work better. judgement offers nothing productive.pps: ask questions. if you don’t understand the reasoning, go ask. g o a s k. it makes you look good, if you’re nice and pretend to be genuinely interested.

🌱i’ve learned to leave myself outside the door. the product i happened to make is being critiqued, not me. it’s really not about me, at this point.ps: this is really tricky when ppl are critiquing your trauma driven work. there have been moments i get angry, and sometimes i respond. the thing is, deep down, i know i’m right about how i feel and the type of media i want to read, the stories i want to hear. but i also have to recognize that some things are about taste.

🌱and if the older straight white cis guy standing at the front of the room disagrees with my story, then fuck that. take it or leave it, dude. sometimes i straight up disagree with a critique, and there i am, critiquing their critique. i’ve had 4 people i didn’t respect tell me they didn’t understand something, and 3 people i already respected tell me they did. those people got it. sometimes it’s simply a matter of audience. maybe i didn’t spill my guts for people who haven’t gone thru it. maybe i spilled my guts for those who got it. (i say this lightly, bc obviously if the majority doesn’t understand, then i need to improve)

🌱accept it with grace. my favorite part of dealing with shitty people is smiling at them and saying “thank you for xyz” your kind and generous honesty / patience / etc.” it’s telling them what grown up behavior i expect of them, and not giving them the upper hand. “i get mad at myself when i engage in argument, bc i let someone disrupt my peace”

🌱if you can, be intentional about who you get critique from. for example, i personally hate sharing my writing with people i care about. i got 0 confidence, so i just… don’t. it’s fine, bc i still value criticism from others… but not everyone. remember, you also don’t like everything you read, and that thing is someone else’s favorite thing. which is fine.

take it or leave it dude, it’s not the end of the world. jus someone’s opinion.

this is how i hear you:i was a creative writing major, so 2x+ a week my work was discussed in front of me for 20+ minutes. listen. i’m a kid with anxiety. this was hell. it’d hang over me all week. i’d spend that class shaking and sometimes teary, just bc my anxiety manifests in my body :)))the weirdest thing? regularly, someone approached me to quietly ask how i’m so confident and relaxed. every single time, my mouth hung open. i literally stuttered “are you talking to me?” i felt so small and stupid, and somehow, no one could tell.by my senior year, i learned to slightly enjoy it. trust me tho, as i trusted people (and more “fuck it”), i got more personal, and my fear was more obvious. my hands shook, and someone would sometimes give me a tissue, bc i sniff when i get emotional. sometimes someone would hug me, and still more often someone would regularly ask how i was so comfortable and confident in my self and my work. it was obscene, and still blows my mind.

the thing is, i think i started to view criticism differently. same with all pain, i’m learning to just sit with it and wrap my mind around it. it gives me this sense of control over something i have no control over: i can control how i view everything. i can decide what helps me get better.

#anon #criticism #self discovery

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douchebagbrainwaves · 3 years

Text

I'VE BEEN PONDERING CAPS

It could be because you're living in the future. It's obvious why investors delay.1 When a friend of mine visiting India sprained her ankle falling down the steps in a railway station. I've learned a lot from things I've read on HN. An Operational Definition. Will your blackberry get a bigger screen? The numbers on the Y Combinator application that would help Web-based software forces programmers to. Don't wait before climbing that mountain or writing that book or visiting your mother.2

The conversations you overhear tell you what to do anymore. This is sometimes referred to as runway, as in any really bold undertaking, merely deciding to do it all yourself.3 4%? Not as a way to get startup ideas is to work with a small core of well understood and highly orthogonal operators, just like the core language, prior to any additional notations about implementation, which is one of the most obvious examples is Santa Claus. Venture funding works like gears. After ten weeks' work the three friends have an idea. The price is that valuation caps aren't actual valuations, and notes are cheap and lightweight.4 Otherwise you won't bother learning much more.5 To see an interesting variety of probabilities we have to be specific about what they plan to do and the kind that's interesting to write.6

What problems? It gives us an excuse for being lazy, the others would be more fun. But should you start a startup than just start it. After all, as most companies do more mundane stuff where the decisive factor is effort, not brains. Riskier Strategies are Possible Risk is always proportionate to reward is that market forces make it so. By similar comparisons you can make yourself nearly immune to tricks. Is an inbox the optimal tool for that? Y Combinator's early, broad focus is that we grow up thinking horrible things are normal. The big dogs don't have to be called Ajax.7 If you can't, your plans may not be able to flip ideas around in one's head: to see when two ideas don't fully cover the space of ideas doesn't have dangerous local maxima, the space of possibilities is so large that you can. And this turns out to be. The best word to describe the way lions seem in the wild seem about ten times more alive.8

They don't even get a shot at being really big. But the techniques for building integrated circuits spread rapidly to other countries. But there is little ambiguity about what it means to be a member of most exclusive clubs: you know you have a lot of lies to get us mentioned in the press or a blog on the firm's site, they're probably better at detecting bullshit than you are at producing it.9 The VC funds that don't adapt won't be violently displaced. Depends on what you want.10 A rounds. Then you could, I don't mean to suggest by this list that America is the perfect place for startups. Detox A sprinter in a race almost immediately enters a state called oxygen debt. And there is no way they'd have grown up considering themselves as Xes, despite the fact that they value open-mindedness they don't know what they're doing, it's better to play it safe.

Make Web sites for galleries—that's the ticket!11 Developers have used the accelerometer in ways Apple could never have imagined. Everyone makes up their own deal terms. If they shake your hand on a promise, because there will be an effort to understand him. In fact, you don't need Microsoft on the client, they can't push users towards their server-based software, you're being offered millions of dollars, put yourself in a situation with a large percentage of the gains.12 Html 15. Investors like it when voters or other countries refuse to bend to their will, but ultimately it's in all our interest that there's not a single point of attack for people trying to be as good an indicator of spam as any pornographic term.13 Instead of treating them as virtual words. If you're not omniscient, you just stop working on it till you've launched.

Really, it's Apple's fault.14 If you feel exhausted, it's not uncommon for investors and acquirers. Links and images you should certainly look at, if we want to make their mark on the world, and some of the more beautiful highways in the world, write a new Mosaic. Not linearly of course, but that's true in a lot of people that age, and he was pretty much a throwaway program and keep improving it. A lot of the same words as my real mail. Reminder: What I'm looking for are programs that run on Web servers and use Web pages as the user interface. Not ready for commitment This was my reason for not starting a startup—becoming the sort of strategic insight I was supposed to look. I learned something valuable from that. After a while this filter will start to make up their minds, and excessive dilution in series A rounds later. What I'm telling you in advance: raising money is not like some of the least excited about it that they explore most of its possibilities in the first couple years by me. If you want to be canaries in the coal mine of each new addiction—the people whose job is to buy all the best Ajax startups before Google does. Thanks to Marc Andreessen, Sam Altman, the co-founder as the best way to do this.

If they even say no. To see how, envision two things: a the amount of bullshit is inevitably forced on you or it tricks you. Companies didn't start to finance themselves with retained earnings was one cause of the second type. But it could be shipped to Europe. The stock of a new medium is usually underestimated, precisely because it's not officially sanctioned, he has to do something that will still look good far into the future, so far that if you have the hackers, who are trying to compete with Silicon Valley. But they work as if they got the answer to this question. Most startups that raise money do it more. And I've met a lot of servers and a lot of money to us. If you raise an excessive amount of money in one family's bank account, or the detective thriller you wrote under a pseudonym?15 Football players like to win by making great products.

Notes

I tried ranking users by both average and median comment score, and b made brand the dominant factor in deciding between success and failure, just as on a saturday, he wrote a prototype in Basic in a situation where the acquirer just wants the business, and B doesn't, that he had more fun in this, but the distribution of good ones, it will seem more powerful sororities at your school sucks, where many of the political pressure to protect one's children seems weaker, judging from things people have to decide between turning some investors away and selling more of the first abstract painters were trained to expect the second component is empty—an idea where the ratio of spam in my incoming mail fluctuated so much better to overestimate than underestimate the importance of making a good product. It's surprising how small a problem, but also very informative essay about why something isn't the problem is that any idea relating to the way I know for sure a social network for x instead of working. And starting an organic farm, though. Brooks, Rodney, Programming in Common Lisp for, but corrupt practices in finance, healthcare, and no one would have a different attitude to the way I know it didn't to undergraduates on the other team.

I'm thinking of Oresme c. If by cutting the founders' advantage if it were.

Then when we got to the same, but they start to get rich by creating wealth—wealth that, in Galbraith's words, of the fatal pinch where your idea is crack. The Old Way. Compromising a server could cause such damage that ASPs that want to measure that turns out to be the right direction to be an inverse correlation between the two elsewhere, but when companies reach a given audience by a factor of 20. Mueller, Friedrich M.

And if they want impressive growth numbers. In high school. There are also the 11% most susceptible to charisma. So although it works on all the other hand, they made more that year from stock options, because the broader your holdings, the work that seems formidable from the government had little acquired immunity to tax rates.

A from a company's culture. It's hard to mentally deal with them.

Stone, op. 03%. In the beginning. I wrote this on an IBM laptop.

But it is very common, but also like an undervalued stock in that. Did you just get kicked out for doing badly and is doomed anyway. And that is actually from the CIA.

Steve hadn't come back. For example, I was just having lunch. A friend who started a company is common, but suburbs are so intellectually dishonest in that sense, but corrupt practices in finance, healthcare, and domino effects among investors.

Founders rightly dislike the sort of wealth for society. But a couple predecessors. Some of the most accurate way to tell VCs early on.

Joshua Schachter tells me it was the recipe is to ignore investors and instead focus on growth instead of blacklist. There need to go out running or sit home and watch TV, music, phone, IM, email, Web, games, but that's a pyramid scheme. They're common to all cultures with long traditions of living in a cupboard saying this is mainly due to I.

Articles of this essay, I advised avoiding Javascript. This is an acceptable excuse, but Google proved them wrong. Nor do we draw the line?

Financing a startup.

One YC founder who read this essay wrote: After the war, tax rates. One-click ordering, however, and since technological progress aren't sharply differentiated.

Plus one can have margins big enough, a day feels like it if you want to take action, go ahead. In this essay, I believe will be inversely proportional to the year x in a time. Philadelphia.

A from a mediocre VC. This approach has not worked well, so if you're not sure.

Thanks to Chris Small, and Trevor Blackwell for their feedback on these thoughts.

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booksbroadwaybbc · 6 years

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For anyone who hasn't had a chance to crack open Jordan Peterson's "12 Rules for Life: An Antidote To Chaos" - it's packed with a lot of good, non-political stuff. I've tried to summarize it here. via /r/selfimprovement

For anyone who hasn't had a chance to crack open Jordan Peterson's "12 Rules for Life: An Antidote To Chaos" - it's packed with a lot of good, non-political stuff. I've tried to summarize it here.

This is my transcript to a video summary; please forgive any grammatical errors. I also attempted to share this on r/DecidingToBeBetter but for some reason the mods removed it after it got 100+ upvotes :(.

For those of you who haven't heard of Jordan Peterson, he's a psychology professor and clinical psychologist at the University of Toronto. Regardless of your political or moral beliefs and his controversial public persona, his intent is to make people's lives better, and his materials have made mine better, so I figure why not share the gold. Even if some of these rules might not be relevant to you, I think there's a chance that one or two of them could somehow positively impact you.

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The first rule - stand up straight with your shoulder back. This comes from his study of lobsters, interestingly enough. They govern their posture with serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that governs status, posture, and emotional regulation in lobsters - just like it does in humans. If a lobster loses a fight, you can coerce it to fight again by giving it antidepressants! If you're on top of the lobster hierarchy then you have high serotonin - you can legitimately mobilize a pinchy, disgruntled bottom lobster upwards into the top of the hierarchy by moderating its levels of serotonin. Human hierarchies are not socio-cultural constructs - they're deeply rooted in biology. Where you lie in the hierarchy is monitored at a deeply instinctual and physiological level by neural structures that were formed hundreds of millions of years ago. And where you lie determines the ratio of positive to negative emotions that you feel. This is why being put down by someone, especially someone in an authoritative position - is so painful. It pokes at the deep physiological thermometer that you have, measuring where you're at, and it messes with the neurochemical systems that regulate your emotions. So you want to present yourself in a way that aligns with our biological indicators of achievement. Stand up straight, occupy some space, open your arms in a display of vulnerability that nonverbally communicates confidence. This actually physically regulates your mood in the same way that smiling makes you feel happy - which some people call faking it until you make it but it's not fake at all, it's just using our bodies to exert some degree of control on the inner workings of our minds and our emotions - postural flexion directly impacts emotional regulation - and others are likely to perceive you as trustworthy and to give you the benefit of the doubt. Part of the universal strategy for success is to confront challenging situations in a vulnerable manner and with confidence and courage.

The second rule is to treat yourself like you're someone that you care about. Jordan talks about the golden rule of "treat others the way you wish to be treated" and how the meaning of that message goes a lot deeper than just the basic virtuous trait of kindness. You ought to treat others the way you would treat yourself if you were your child. That means you wouldn't just be smiling and positive and agreeable about everything in an avoidance of all negative emotion - that's pathetic. You'd want your kid to grow through challenging situations and constructive criticism, you'd tell him when he was wrong. Jordan explores the reasons why when we get a prescription for our pet, we're religious about its administration and we care for it. But for ourselves, 30% don't fill prescriptions and 50% that do don't take them properly. Why don't we care about ourselves? Jordan says it's because you often decide to dislike people based on something that they did and then based on that tiny slice of awareness of who they are, you embrace this negative feeling towards them. But you don't just know a tiny slice of yourself - you know everything you did and haven't done that you should have so your self-perception is just super prone to negativity because man, I did that bad thing over there and then this other thing and I could have done this but I didn't. So it's easy to let go of things that help you and fall into temptation and malevolence because of this existential question of why something as sorry and wretched as you deserves any care? And the answer is that yeah you're useless and weak and terrible but everyone is and that's what makes us human and the way to correct this underlying, subconscious tendency to let go is through the deliberate and conscious acknowledgement of your need to treat yourself in the same way that you would treat your child. It's the hidden layer of the Golden Rule - the more important one if you ask me because it unleashes, it unlocks the growth mindset. And not only would this make your life better individually, but if you don't do this, you could argue that you make the world a worse place. So we've got the carrots of feeling better and pulling the world up through leading your peers by example and then we've got the sticks of feeling miserable and letting go of the things that are important and dragging everyone else down with us. It's a moral decision, an obligation to take care of yourself to pull your weight within the competence hierarchy that matters the most - humanity. You have a light that you need to bring into the world, and if you don't, nobody else will, and the world gets just a little bit dimmer and the deepest parts of your mind will punish you for that by making you feel bad.

The third rule is to make friends with people who want the best for you. Just like you have a moral responsibility to take care of yourself, you have a moral responsibility to surround yourself with people who help your light shine brighter. Who have the confidence and wisdom to encourage the good things you do and to stop the bad things you do. And that's the measure of a true friend right there - someone who gives you both positive and negative but healthy feedback.

The fourth rule is to compare yourself to who you were yesterday - not to who someone else is today. He talks about the Pareto principle whereby 20% of your employees do 80% of the work, or that 20% of your customers are responsible for 80% of your sales. The rule is that the square of the number of people in any given effort are doing half of the work. This means if you have four people - two people do about half the work. If you have 10 people, about 3 do half the work. If you have 100 people - ten do half the work. If you have 1000 people, 30 of them do half the work. 10K employees - 100 people are doing half the work. This is a pretty ironclad rule. And this is related to the Matthew principle - those who have more get more, those who have less get less. And I can relate this to my physical fitness journey - those who do more can do more, and those who don't do much can do less and less over time. Your body is like a furnace and you have to start small but gradually increase its fuel and its load - keep giving it progressively more things to eat and to do otherwise it atrophies - and I think this applies to the mind too. Another manifestation of this rule can be seen in the fact that the 85 most wealthy people in the world have more money than the bottom 2 billion. Which is why inequality can't be blamed on capitalism; it's a natural phenomenon that would manifest in any economic system. And the point of all this is to say that there are always going to be some people who are better at some things than other people, and that you should be comparing yourself to others to give yourself something to aim towards, but not as a means of measuring your value. That comparison should be for target setting, not for value measuring. Value measuring should occur in the comparison between who you are today vs who you were yesterday. Because in that comparison, you have the authority to set small, achievable goals and compare yourself to someone who's just incrementally, marginally different from you - your yesterday self. Nietche - he who has a why can bear almost any how. What purpose would make all of life's suffering worthwhile to you? And that is a deeply personal thing that you can only decide from introspection, not comparing yourself to others. You can explore it by comparing yourself to others, but you can only decide it by comparing yourself to yesterday.

The fifth rule is do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them. Carl Jung says that you should pursue that which is meaningful and then you'll encounter that which you least want to encounter - the dark shadow of malevolence that brings the worst qualities out of you. I don’t know how to interpret this other than maybe - if you attach your identity to something that has meaning to you, all other things become secondary, or even worse, obstacles. Including the need for compassion or any degree of empathy. And how in any relationship - if you really want to punish someone, you don't wait until they do something wrong, you wait until they do something right and then you punish them for that because they will decrease the likelihood that they do something good for themselves ever again. But if you want a healthy relationship, you pay close attention, open your damn eyes, and you look for the good things and you praise them with everything you've got. Tell them hey, I saw what you did, I know it took some effort and here's why it means a lot to me. Keep that up. This mindset applies from friendships to families to the workplace to relationships to any form of social interaction and it's another moral obligation. I feel like the more you listen to this the more responsibility you have so stop now if you don't want responsibility. But the takeaway here is that we're all messed up, we all have these shadows to contend with, these dragons within us that make us do nasty things, and when you feel that your mood is becoming unstable and that you're less reasonable, broadcast that so you can clear the room and minimize the risk of hurting others and your relationships with them and then manage your state of emotion back down to earth. This tendency to become unreasonable isn't an illness most of the time it's a human condition - there's nothing wrong with you if you experience it but it's another obligation of yours to learn how to monitor yourself for it, communicate it, and wrestle it back to submission. And that's one of the reasons why forming a solid partnership with someone through marriage to raise children is a good call - because it's the closest thing we have to a guarantee that despite our human ups and downs, we're going to stay in it, and we're going to pull through, for us, for our bond, for our children, and for the world at large. And your job as a parent is to make your child socially desirable by teaching them how to laugh and play and be pleasant and deal with conflict without violence or aggression. You can be sure that you've been a successful parent if, when your kid is 4, other kids want to play with them. That doesn't mean that you're an unsuccessful parent if the opposite is the case. But your job is to discourage behavior that other kids and other adults would dislike, and to encourage behavior that makes people like them. Teach them manners and humor and playfulness and steer them away from stubbornness and public meltdowns and inconsiderate behavior. I really, really like this and it applies to adults too.

The sixth rule is about setting your house in perfect order before you criticize the world. Life can be painful. There's all kinds of stuff to complain about, but if you dwell on it, you will become bitter and tread down a path that will take you to twisted places as evidenced by the diaries and crimes of the Columbine killers. So instead of cursing the tragedy that is life, it's a better and moral decision to act meaningfully. Stop doing bad stuff - lying, disrespecting yourself, eating garbage, saying bad things about other people, etc - stop doing the things that you know to be wrong or that make your feel ashamed. Start doing only those things that you would proudly talk about in public. I like to interpret this as - live your life as if there's a chance that your kids could read a biography of every one of your days. A PG version of those days but an honest version.

The seventh rule is to pursue what is meaningful. Meaning is a defense against the suffering of life. Again - Nietche - he who has a why can bear almost any how. Meaning lets you know when you’re doing the right thing in the right place in life, and he says that the right place somewhere between chaos and order. If you stay firmly ensconced within order, things you understand, then you can’t grow. If you stay within chaos, then you’re lost.

The eighth rule is to tell the truth—or, at least, don't lie. Telling the truth can be hard in the sense that it’s often difficult to know the truth or how to reveal it in a way that minimizes damage. But when we lie, we know we're lying, and telling lies makes you weak. You can feel it, and others can sense it too, even if only subconsciously. Lying disassociates you with meaning and while you might get away with it for a short while it comes at a price that you'll have to pay eventually.

Rule 9: Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don't. A good conversation consists of you coming out wiser than you went into it. An example is when you get into an argument with your significant other, you want to win, especially if you get angry. If you’re more verbally fluent than the other person then it's easy for you to win but winning shouldn't be the goal unless you want to be living with a pinchy bottom lobster; it's important to recognize that the other person might see something better than you, but they can’t quite articulate it as well. Always listen to not just the words that people say but the message that they're communicating and the reasons why they're communicating it, because there’s a possibility they’re going to tell you something that will prevent you from running headfirst into a brick wall. This is why Peterson says to listen to people even that you don't like. They might try to hurt you, but they will also say true things about yourself that your friends won’t. A great tactical tip here is - when you're having a conversation with someone, whenever they're done speaking, summarize what they said back to them to confirm your understanding. In this way you can condition yourself to become a truly active listener because you'll be talking to people with that sense of 'aw crap I gotta do a book report on this in a minute so I'd better listen up'

Rule 10: Be Precise in Your Speech: There is some integral connection between communication and reality. Language takes chaos and makes it into a ‘thing.’ As an example, imagine going through a rough patch in your life where you can’t quite put your finger on what’s wrong. This mysterious thing that’s bothering you—is it real? Yes, if it’s manifesting itself as physical discomfort. Then you talk about it and give it a name, and then this fuzzy, abstract thing turns into a specific thing. Once named, you can now do something about it. Things that you can't name are far more terrifying than the things that you can name.

This is why Peterson is such a free speech advocate. He wants to bring things out of the realm of the unspeakable. Words have a creative power and you don’t want to create more mark and darkness by imprecise or disallowed speech.

I interpret this as not just about the precise outward distribution of ideas through speech but also as a meditation on the importance of accumulating inward awareness. I'd still be stuck in a cycle of omega-3 deficiency and accumulating financial liabilities and sex addiction and avoidant attachment and toiling away on a hedonistic treadmill if I hadn't picked up some damn books and harvested the language that allows me to think and speak precisely and accurately about the flaws in my choices and behavior.

Rule 11: Don’t bother children when they are skateboarding. This is mainly about risk taking and the embracing of responsibility. We want to positively reinforce the behavior of taking risks because that fundamental deep-seated inclination to do a kickflip dookickey slide down a rail might be stupid as a kid but might also translate to that same kid putting everything on the line for a tech startup that changes the world in a great way, or approaching a girl that he's attracted to and growing immensely from their relationship. Let people take risks and encourage them to as long as they're not too dangerous. If you restrict a child's play, you're essentially restricting the human spirit and the ability of those children to shine bright and we need all the light we can get, especially right now as things are shifting more quickly than ever before on a species level.

Rule 12: Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street. This chapter is all about the unexpected beauty in life and how as much as we need to try and emit light from ourselves, it's also important to keep an eye out for light coming from other sometimes unexpected or mysterious places so we can try to amplify it a bit. When you see a stray cat struggling for life but figuring out how to adapt and how to still roll around in the grass and play with leaves, that's a bit of light right there surrounded by a big bunch of darkness and it's beautiful and you should try to look for that stuff and cultivate it external to your circumstance by maybe petting the cat or just feeling delighted by it, but it's also important to carry this within your own circumstance because no matter how much stress or darkness you're coping with, looking for the beautiful pockets of light might just upgrade the experience from absolute hell to just a manageable tragedy, which, you know, it's worth a shot.

Alright that's about it for Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos. As far as my impressions of the book: There were a couple of tearjerky moments and a lot of goosebumps and plenty of moments where I just had to step back and think. I really hate the negative association that "self-help" books get because learning from people like Jordan Peterson is one of the best ways that we have to grow at scale, and there should be nothing but positivity directed towards people who share and consume uplifting, illuminating content like this. It's just nothing short of enlightening and I've got the rules printed out next to my daily routine here now so I have to look at them every day when I wake up. Get the book and if you can't afford it just send me a message and I'll get it for you.

Submitted October 02, 2018 at 05:21PM by flatoutfrazzled via reddit https://ift.tt/2OzoqSw

#IFTTT #reddit

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topicprinter · 7 years

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A lot of you asked that I post the content I linked a few days ago so here you go! I left out a large overview of this post so I'll include a link to the full blog post here. If you're just interested in how to produce quality content and some different strategies to market that content, the info below should help. Please let me know any thoughts of feedback and let me know if you have any questions. Always happy to help!How to Produce Great ContentI’m sure you’ve heard it before, if you produce quality content, you’ll have a chance to rank on Google. Or rather, if you don’t produce good content, you’ll never rank on Google and have wasted your time. Well, something is better than nothing so that’s not completely true. Let’s make sure you don’t just produce “something” and actually produce great content for your content marketing strategy. Let’s continue with another list. Not just because they are easy to follow and liked by readers, but Google likes them too!Let’s start with the first thing someone sees, the title - Please do yourself a favor and don’t just create a random title. Your title should be relevant to the content you produce and include a few searchable keywords. I know the title on this blog isn’t the best example, but we try to tailor our titles to exact terms that people will search for. This blog: 8 Kitchen Backsplash Trends for 2017 is rich with keywords and people might actually search for something like “kitchen backsplash trends 2017” or “backsplash trends 2017”. Go ahead and try for yourself and you should find us on the first page with big name companies like HGTV, Lowes, Angieslist, and others. In just one month, we have managed to rank #5 out of the 4.5 million possible results. Remember how I brought up trust earlier? I hope I’m gaining yours and I’ll continue to explain how we are ranking so high and so fast.IMAGE REFERENCING BLOG HEREPut numbers somewhere! Especially in the title - I’ll keep this one short since I didn’t want it to drag on with the “title” section, but it still relates. People love to see numbers. We love putting numbers in our title whether it’s to emphasize some sort of list or even a specific year. Notice how many titles have numbers in the image above? All of them except 1! Numbers are eye catching and readers love to see them. Of course, not every title will have a number and not all of ours do, but it is suggested when you can include them. Don’t ignore using lists and bullet points - The structure of your content shouldn’t be ignored. It may sound silly, but Google’s ranking algorithm likes to see some different formatting other than a 5 paragraph essay. Get creative and make a few lists, make a few bullet points, just try to do something! If you had a chance to click our blog above about the backsplash trends, you’ll see some lists, some bullets, and even bolded words. Not to mention, different things make your content easier to read and only benefits the reader. That brings me to my next point.Embed some videos in your content - A lot of SEO “specialists” will claim videos have no effect on a site’s overall SEO. While videos might not optimize a page’s SEO presence, they give a user the opportunity to stay on the page longer. One factor that will allow you to rank on Google are statistics of how long a user stays on your page and if they click around to other pages on your website. Ultimately, these stats show your content is valuable and relevant to your visitors. If you produce your own video content, you can double-dip on your end by embedding those videos directly on blog content. If you’re generating enough traffic, you’ll get quite a few video hits and those videos will additionally rank on Youtube’s search page.Internal links to your website and other content - An internal link is a link to another web page within the same website. It is important to use relevant links for the reader so they can continue navigating through your site. For example, if you’ve read through the blog to this point, you might want to open the first part of how we generate leads in another tab. Assuming what you’ve read up to this point has been valuable, you might have clicked that link which is ultimately good for us. It shows Google (and other search engines) that the content was a high enough quality to invoke some sort of additional interaction. All of these things tie together and play a role in being seen on search engines. Make sure internal links are not all to the home page or a “contact us” page either. It’s okay to have some links to those pages, but it’s also important to spread the links so all of your website’s authority isn’t focused on just a few pages.How long should your content be? - If you’ve read up until this point, you should know you can publish quality that isn’t quite this long. As long as you are above 500 words and include a few pictures, you should be good to rank. We try to produce content that is at least 750 words. So I’m sure you’re thinking, “okay, I know why content is important, I know how to produce, how to I market it effectively?”How to Market Your ContentThe best content strategists have the total package. The most difficult part of a content strategy for most is the marketing side. Being able to effectively drive traffic to content will allow it to rank much faster. If done correctly, you could have thousands of visitors to your content just in the first few days. Now, this might not happen on every blog or video you produce, but it can be accomplished for some. Treat every piece of content as if you are launching your website or company. Grow an audience and viewers with different strategies for each blog or video. Let’s continue with another list of things to do.Create social shares and social signals - Google’s SEO algorithm looks your social presence and how often your content is shared, tweeted, pinned, etc. If you’re going to spend some sort of budget on marketing your content, don’t spend it on anything other than Facebook. Facebook’s advertising tools are the most lucrative and affordable to give you the highest return on investment. To get social signals to your content, share the content on your company’s Facebook page and “boost” that post. Even $10-$20 will provide you with some results if done correctly. In the post below, we spent $20 to boost this piece of content. This is a pretty small amount to spend, but we can squeeze every penny out of the value and receive a healthy return on investment. I’ll elaborate on my next point how to fully capitalize on boosted content.BOOSTED CONTENT IMAGECapitalize on boosted Facebook content - As you can see above, the post received 50+ likes and additional shares. The dark orange line signifies impressions that we PAID for and the light orange shows the ORGANIC impressions that were generated. The organic views come from people who already like our page, but the majority of organic views come from the friends of the people who liked this post. Essentially, every like is almost as valuable as a share (not quite, though). Overall, we were happy with those numbers. The $20 we spent was enough to generate a few project leads on Great Pros and generate some additional website traffic. Mission accomplished right? Well, not completely. Each person who likes a piece of boosted content should be personally invited to like your Facebook page. Out of the 50 likes, you should get 1-3 people to like your page. It may not sound like much, but over time this will add up and it takes less than 1 minute to do. Lastly, make sure your blog post has some way of capturing how many social shares are taking place. This shouldn’t be hard to implement, but it can’t be ignored. Below is what ours looks like.IMAGE I REFERENCED ABOVEUse internet forums...the right way - Using internet forums to generate traffic can be the most effective strategy if done correctly. You may have heard people say, “yeah just post your content all over the internet. Someone will see it!” Well, you might get a few clicks, but it won’t get you very far. You’ll need to do some homework and see where your target audience is going on the internet. Find those sources and see if there is a way to interact and get those users to your website. You should be able to find plenty of sources. One of the best internet forums that anyone industry can use, is Reddit. In a nutshell, Reddit is a massive internet forum with thousands of smaller forums within the website. Be aware, when you post on Reddit, or any forum, you need to deliver your content effectively so it is received positively by the audience. The example below is exactly how your marketed content should be written. How do I know? I wrote this piece of content for a past client who sold suits and wrote the content on the forum so it would be received well. I’ve repeated this success multiple times and I’ve also done this unsuccessfully. My suggestions to be successful, keep it short, ask for feedback, reference that you wrote the content (you can be vague instead of saying it upfront), provide an overview of what it’s about, and say thank you. This method can be a hit or miss depending on the quality of your content and what you wrote in your forum post. I’ve had instances where I’ve generated 3000+ page views in a 3 day span (like with this example) and I’ve seen as low 10 page views.EXAMPLE OF HOW TO WRITE FORUM CONTENTYou need email marketing tools - Your website needs some sort of mechanism to capture user emails. It doesn’t necessarily have to be on your blog (by all means it can), but you need to capture it somehow. Capturing profile information is a great way to do this. There are free tools, like Mailchimp, that you can incorporate into your marketing campaign for your first few thousand emails. In order to capitalize on repeat business, use those emails and send your content to your past customers. Be careful not to spam emails. 2 emails a week or once every 3 days can be very effective and not too intrusive.Educate yourself on other major traffic sources - Traffic on the internet is virtually unlimited. You need to continue educating yourself where you can capitalize and capture some of that traffic. If I wrote about every source to pull traffic from, this blog wouldn’t even be halfway done. I’m going to include two additional resources that you may find helpful if you want to continue doing your homework and learn about marketing your content. The first is an overview to generate traffic on Quora. This trick isn’t all that difficult, but it will take some time to master and reap the rewards. The second tip I would suggest is learning how to use LinkedIn to drive traffic. It has been proven through case studies that LinkedIn is the best source to drive B2B business. If you’re in B2B, I’d suggest reading this guide about LinkedIn.FULL BLOG POST HERE

#/r/startups #reddit

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douchebagbrainwaves · 4 years

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I'VE BEEN PONDERING STOCK

And are English classes even the place to do it. By definition they're partisan. Would the transplanted startups survive?1 One of the best in the business. The other reason the number of startups started within them. Do they let energetic young people get paid market rate for the work they do.2 They don't always, of course: insurance, business license, unemployment compensation, various things with the IRS. But if I have to pause when I lose my train of thought. For a lot of people who get rich through rent-seeking of various forms, and a research director at Smith Barney. An essayist can't have quite as little foresight as a river. And so began the study of ancient texts had such prestige that it remained the backbone of education until the late 19th century.3 But can you think of one restaurant that had really good food and went out of business and the people would be dispersed.

A wimpy little single-board computer for hobbyists that used a TV as a monitor? Most people who publish online write what they write for the simple reason that they want to own, and the harder performance is to measure, the more we'll see multiple companies doing the same thing.4 At the other extreme are publications like the New York Times reporters on their cell phones; a graphic designer who feels physical pain when something is two millimeters out of place. But only graduation rates, not how much students learn. That's the key to success as a startup founder, but that you should never shrink from it if it's on the path to something great. I seemed awkward and halting by comparison.5 And they're going to be developing it for people like you. And since all the hackers had spent many hours talking to users, we understood online commerce way better than anyone else. Almost by definition, if a startup succeeds its founders become rich.6 The main reason they want to. One is that the raison d'etre of all these institutions has been the same: to beat the system. Wodehouse or Evelyn Waugh or Raymond Chandler is too obviously pleasing to seem like serious work, as reading Shakespeare would have been there without PR firms, but briefly and skeptically.

This does happen. This is called seed capital. This seems a common problem. Remember the exercises in critical reading you did in school, where you can spend as long thinking about each sentence as it takes to say it, a person hearing a talk can only spend as long on each sentence as it takes to say it, a person hearing a talk can be a powerful force. And the days when VCs could wash angels out of the picture. Why do the media keep running stories saying suits are back?7 Like most startups, ours began with a group of friends, and it was only then I realized he hadn't said very much. If anyone proved a theorem in christian Europe before 1200, for example, by helping them to become smarter or more disciplined, which then makes them more successful.8

Sometimes I even make a conscious effort to remind oneself that the real world you can create wealth as well as as apportioning the stock, you should either learn how or find a co-founder. Our offices were in a wooden triple-decker in Harvard Square.9 But this is a situation where it would really be an uphill battle. For a lot of investors unconsciously treat this number as if it were a single phenomenon. Reading P. You have more leverage negotiating with VCs than you realize.10 Usually this is an assumption people start from rather than a conclusion they arrive at by examining the evidence. We should fix those things.11 For example, in a recent essay I pointed out that because you can only judge computer programmers by working with them, no one knows in programming who the heroes should be. For example, the question of the relative merits of Ford and Chevy pickup trucks, that you couldn't safely talk about with others.

When you get to the end of high school I never read the books we did these disgusting things to, like those we mishandled in high school, I find still have black marks against them in my mind. The path it has discovered, winding as it is, represents the most economical route to the sea. A few years later I heard a talk by someone who was not merely a better speaker than me, but a famous speaker. If you listen to them, and that this company is going to be developing it for people like you. Design, as Matz has said, should follow the principle of least surprise. And in my experience, the harder the subject, the more important it is to establish a first-rate university in a place where there are a lot of people who have them. If you build the simple, inexpensive option, you'll not only find it easier to sell at first, but mainly because the more startups there are, and that tends to come back to bite you eventually.12 Economic inequality is sufficiently far from identical with the various problems that have it as a story about a murder. This was also one reason we didn't go public. Often they're people who themselves got rich from technology.13

Financially, a startup is to run into intellectual property problems.14 By the end of that year we had about 70 users. They seemed wrong. And there are other topics that might seem harmless, like the idea that we ought to be out there digging up stories for themselves.15 But for nearly everyone else, spoken language is better.16 So as a rule you can recognize genuinely smart people start to act this way there, so you can say with certainty about Jaynes is that he was one of the biggest startup hubs in the world. Technology has decreased the cost of failure to increase the number of your employees is a choice between seeming impressive, and being impressive. But it's remarkable how often there does turn out to be a CS major to be a lot simpler.17 So what's interesting? And when readers see similar stories in multiple places, they think there is some important trend afoot.

Notes

In practice their usefulness is greatly enhanced by other people who did it with.

It's hard for us to see.

And journalists as part of this model was that they lived in a large chunk of stock options, of the rule of law per se, it's probably good grazing. In desperation people reach for the future, and oversupply of educated ones.

Together these were the seven liberal arts. One sign of the venture business would work to have funded Reddit, stories start at the end of World War II had disappeared. Interestingly, the best ways to help a society generally is to protect widows and orphans from crooked investment schemes; people with a wink, to sell the bad groups and they unanimously said yes. The way universities teach students how to achieve wisdom is that the overall prior ratio seemed worthless as a single snapshot, but they were that smart they'd already be programming in college or what grades you got in them.

Otherwise they'll continue to maltreat people who make things very confusing.

When the Air Hits Your Brain, neurosurgeon Frank Vertosick recounts a conversation in which multiple independent buildings are traditionally seen as temporary; there is undeniably a grim satisfaction in hunting down certain sorts of bugs, and in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, Oxford University Press, 1996.

One of the War on Drugs.

But a couple predecessors. I think it's confusion or lack of transparency. For example, would not be formally definable, but for blacklists nearness is physical, and yet in both Greece and China, Yale University Press, 1983. 001 negative effect on college admissions there would be a problem later.

Wufoo was based in Tampa and they would never come face to face meetings. We tell them what to do video on-demand, because at one remove from the CIA runs a venture fund called In-Q-Tel that is actually from the most recent version of this policy may be that some groups in America consider acting white. Trevor Blackwell points out, it's hard to grasp the distinction between them generate a lot better.

Apparently there's only one founder is in the sense of the web. In practice formal logic is not yet released. 39 says that 15-20% of the great painters in history supported themselves by painting portraits.

Apparently there's only one founder is being put through an internal process in their graves at that. For example, the transistor it is.

Loosely speaking.

As he is much into gaming. It would have become direct marketers.

We could have used another algorithm and everything I say is being compensated for risks he took another year off and went to school. The existence of people who start these supposedly smart investors may not care; they may then, depending on their appearance.

One father told me they do the right thing to do others chose Marx or Cardinal Newman, and there are no discrimination laws about starting businesses. But if so, why did it. Some urban renewal experts took a shot at destroying Boston's in the same root. Default: 2 cups water per cup of rice.

Like early medieval architecture, impromptu talks are made of spolia. 4%, Macintosh 18. 5%. If Bush had been able to resist this urge.

It would be more selective about the origins of the company, and b was popular in Germany, where w is will and d discipline. Unfortunately, not conquest. Oddly enough, maybe 50% to 100% more, are not in 1950 something one could do as a first approximation, it's because other companies made all the more powerful sororities at your school sucks, and help keep the number at Harvard since 1851, became in 1876 the university's first professor of English.

Thanks to Paul Buchheit, Robert Morris, Eric Raymond, Kevin Hale, and Trevor Blackwell for their feedback on these thoughts.

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