Apocalypsewriters - I Think I’m Lost

Happy NaNo Week 1!!

I’m finally giving it a crack this month and I’m doing weekly progress checks as more motivation!

I’m actually so proud of myself. I haven’t met the word goal everyday, but I have written everyday!! I think I usually burn out later, but still, 7 days is a good streak for me.

I haven’t been writing the solo novel I’ve had planned for months at this point, but I have finished parts of the project I’m working in with my bestie!

Total words written: 4,967/50,000

Average daily word count: 620

Snippet: bitter & sweet chapter 3

Dawn snorted, rummaging in the bag. “The owners can’t be trusted with their own shop?” “Yeah. Whenever they’re left there alone there are weird scorch marks that take forever to buff out,” Athena said. She leaned against the counter, biting her tongue. No effort was made to greet her. Dawn had just walked in. Her nerve at claiming spaces as her own never ceased to amaze and grate on Athena. Today, unfortunately, Athena would have to defer to Dawn. Today wasn’t about Athena’s expertise. Sensing Dawn wouldn’t begin in a pragmatic way, Athena prompted, “So, what are we baking? What do I need to get out?” Setting some ingredients on the counter – the fanciest cocoa powder Athena had ever seen and a fresh orange – Dawn finally seemed satisfied with her rummaging. She brandished a sheet of paper. “Well, I have the recipe memorized, of course, but I wrote out some of the steps last night to make things easier.” The superiority in Dawn’s tone sent a shiver of infuriation down Athena’s spine.

this is advice I've given friends directly before and I've probably also posted it but I really like giving it so here it is potentially again: do not create something for an imaginary bad faith reader.

there will always be someone who finds fault in your work. there will be people who read the messages on it wrong. there will be people who will take every compelling aspect about your work off of it so they can put in their own.

you cannot make art for these people.

you will never write a story that is free from criticism. you will never draw a piece that everyone finds appealing. you will never compose a song that everyone enjoys hearing. you cannot, fundamentally, set out to create something and only think of how you can avoid someone not liking it.

because, and this is key, there will be someone who sees every angle of your story and feels its intent in their heart and gushes to their friends about it. you will draw someone's favorite art and they will make it their phone wallpaper because they want to see it every day. someone will fall in love with your song and loop it on their way to work because it gets them through the day. and THOSE are the people your work is for. THOSE are the people you have to care about, because they love what you make for what it is - because it's itself.

if you set out to create something and file off every sharp edge, prune every thorn, you will be left with something fragile and weak, and it will be fragile and weak for the sake of someone who does not exist but that you were scared of anyway.

sharing art is complex and tangled and powerful, and anything you care enough to create deserves to flourish as itself. get sillay.

queer stories are still queer if they don't include romance btw

Happy Ace Awareness Week to all my fellow cake enjoyers

trans people i’m happy you’re alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i’m so glad you’re here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep doing your best!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!