State of the Writer, June 2017 · 1:34pm Jun 30th, 2017
Ugh, I'm sick. x,x
So apparently 36 is the magical age at which you are officially old; never have I felt more disconnected from the youth of the internet than I have in the last two months. :( I just don't get emojis, man. What is the number 100 supposed to mean?
In writing news, I actually have some writing news, which is a solid step up from the last two times I did this. I've picked up work on the next chapter of Epic Unicorn History finally, and despite a few roadblocks, I'm hoping I can have it out next month. No promises -- I haven't touched it in a week -- but it's a fair sight better a prospect than previously.
I really want to finish EUH, too, not just because I should have done so about four years ago, but because I really feel it's time to start my Fallout: Equestria parody: The Un-Stable Adventures of Puddles the Idiot. This is the story I dropped over $100 on cover art for, something like three years ago, and I really wish I had that money right now. c.c Granted, if I don't get to it before I'm done with Project Horizons (sidenote: Holy crap, I'm almost done with Project Horizons!), it might not happen, because my desire to Fallout is naturally highest when I'm listening to stories from that verse. But we'll see.
Speaking of money, the whole "paid commissions" thing isn't going so hot. :( The next step is to up the word count I'm willing to handle, but that will also necessitate cutting any expectation of turnaround completely. I mean, sure, I'll read your 90k word shipping epic, but it's gonna take me a week at minimum, and meanwhile everyone else is waiting. I should honestly up the price as well, but then literally no one would take me up on it, as opposed to figuratively no one.
I just wish I had a skill that society valued. :(
:(
I don't know that it's just age, or at least that age. To me, the problem with emojis is that there are too many of them. They're also poorly organized and, frankly, based on what Facebook has at least, offer less of a range of expressions than Fimfiction's classic selection of ponies, despite there being so many more. Also emoticons are just more fun. I didn't even know 100 was a thing, so there's that?
Sorry about the sick, good luck with the writing and commissions.
4587517
Most of what I see is on Discord, I dunno if it varies based on app.
I think the 100 thing is supposed to be like grading something an A+, like you really agree with it. I dunno, I don't get kids either and I'm not quite 29 yet
I'd commission you if I wrote fanfiction, but I don't. Sorry. I'd totally pay you to write that My Little Beast Wars fic, though
I don't get all the damn emojis either (I'm 35). It seems like there's a dozen different ways to smile or frown, and I can't tell the difference between any of them. And then there's all the ones that aren't just a smile or frown, and I have no idea when or why you'd use most of those. Makes me miss the old days of emoticons, which were at least expressions I could understand.
My kids like em, though. I'll stick with our ponymotes, personally.
Also, I'd love to help with the commissions, but...my own efforts have stalled lately. I haven't even opened gDocs for a few weeks. Sorry, man.
Again, I am amazed at how astoundingly creative you are. I would have been proud to have come up with a fraction of those ideas!
4587683
I've recently had opportunity to look through my work file, and there are so many ideas in there that just make me think, people would love this, if only I could write it. The fear of failure has turned into a fear of writing.
4587733
Well, if I can give a bit of unsolicited advice, from among the ideas you find most promising, pick one you think will be hard to pull off.
1) If you flub it, well it was damn hard, okay? And maybe you learned something in the process.
2) If it comes out semi-okay, you've learned something and had some success. Next time, you'll do better!
3) If you nail it, you're a FREAKIN' GENIUS!!!
Really, if you go for a difficult goal that might be possible for you to achieve, it's hard to completely fail. If you go for the easy stuff, a win doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment.
4587771
I mean, there's "hard to do right" and just plain "hard to do", which is everything, right now, as far as I'm concerned. D:
4587838
I have faith in you! Trust in yourself, follow your star, and all that hippie bullshit!
Or, fart around doing whatever makes you happy, your choice.
The trouble is, with the shrinking job market and high inflation these days, people have less discretionary income for things like commissions. I'd hire you, but I recently chipped a tooth and I don't know how much it will cost to repair. If it's any consolation, you're not alone; times are tough all over.
Also: 30 years old, and having the same trouble with emojis. But, if it helps get more young people onto Fimfiction, I can live with it.
4588403
How are you younger than me >.<
And there are plenty of people with lots of money to throw around, they just don't come around here (
no more) :B4588652
I didn't realize I came across as older.
It's probably because a lot of weird stuff has happened to me. The inspirations for my stories had to some from somewhere, after all. "It's not the years, it's the mileage."
4588781
I mean, I definitely come across as younger because autism but still D:
4588786
I wouldn't stress about it, since the grass always looks greener on the other side. My upbringing was the equivalent of learning to swim by being thrown into the deep end with weights on my feet. People under those circumstances either grow up fast, or become addicts. (Boy, that took a dark turn...)
4588403
This is exactly why we need universal basic income
To be honest, I see my 60 years old parents use emojis far more often than my 18 years old brother. I think it is less a youth thing than a non-internet-savvy thing.
4591154
I mean, usually I can pick up on memes once I start seeing them enough. Doge, greentext, you name it, I've bought it. But emojis just don't click with me at all. D: