Varied stuff

[megwrites]

1. Hello f-list. I am alive and all. Right now, if anyone wanted to be sort of writing buddies, I'd really love that. What I mean by writing buddies is that it would be nice if I could send some sample pages from a few things I'm working on to some people and ask "is this crap? does anything work?" and maybe toss around some ideas in my head and have someone poke holes or tell me if I'm doing the same thing EVERY writer in the genre has done since 1975 or something. Especially those who read this genre and are willing to be really brutally honest.

I am OF COURSE willing to reciprocate fully, and even willing to read long or full drafts of short stories, novellas, novels, etc. Seriously.

I'm sort of looking to establish a relationship of "we can pick apart each other's stuff and be friends and maybe even be friends outside of writing". If that makes sense and doesn't sound terribly pathetic.

I know I had beta readers for other novels, but I feel bad calling on them again. Especially since they read an entire book to help me out. That's a lot of pages.

So, drop a message, comment, anything.

2. Mental health is adjusting still since I'm on Lexapro now. It's not been long enough to know if this is The One or not. Also: I may need to talk to mental health person about maybe an ongoing anti-anxiety med rather than just an anti-depressant. For reasons.

3. Re: my last post (which was like two weeks ago). I have no issue with fanfic becoming original fic. I just have issue when the fic in question isn't the good stuff. I come from fandom, and I can tell you that fandom has some really lovely literature to offer. Especially since fandom can be where fans really take their source material and twist it into lots of unexpected shapes and fill in the giant holes and talk about the issues with the original material.

If we had to do a Twilight-based fic-to-original novel, why couldn't be one of the ones where we make Bella the vampire who stalks high school loner Edward or one of the ones where we queer the fuck out of everything and see how it works when they're not all white folks. Or where the writer doesn't utterly fail when it comes to the Quileute people (a whole novel about the Quileute people, even!)

Anyway, we'll talk no more about it, unless anyone feels a driving need to.

4. Anyone have links on how fountain pen converters work or what they are and when/if you need them? I still want to get a fountain pen (maybe I'll ask for one for X-mas this year) but I'd like to know more. Though, I will say my $3.50 little disposable Varsity pen has done okayish. It skips sometimes and if you have the wrong kind of paper it feathers like a shedding goose, but otherwise, not bad.

4. SEE HOW GOOD I AM AT MATH! This is probably why the teller jobs I applied for aren't calling me back. Also, if you ever want to apply to be a bank teller, set aside like FIFTEEN HOURS IN YOUR DAY and get a really good calculator. I did that last week and that shit was like a freaking math test where you have not only do math real good, but try to sell people financial services. In retrospect, it's probably mutually beneficial that I didn't get a callback.

Comments

[owlectomy]

So! There are many kinds of fountain pens, but a lot of the inexpensive modern ones (like the Lamy Safari) are cartridge/converter pens. C/C pens are set to take either an ink cartridges, or a converter. Fountain pen nerds like myself sometimes prefer to use bottled ink, because:

-by the ounce, it's cheaper
-it comes in SO MANY COLORS
-you're not locked in to one ink manufacturer

So, if you want to get a fountain pen and use bottled ink, you have to stick a converter in there. Which is super simple.

Here is a YouTube video of a guy putting a converter in a pen and filling it with bottles ink.

[apis_mellifera]

If you want to use bottled ink, you either need a pen that is a bottled ink only pen or one that can be fit with a converter. Here is a link with good pictures of the process: http://www.jetpens.com/articles/Article:_How_to_Use_a_Fountain_Pen_Converter

[dragonjournal]

1) I would be awesomely willing to pick things apart for you. The returning of the favor would be so, so welcome. (And before I send anything to anyone, I always add warnings, and ask what they're comfortable with.)

2) Lexapro users unite! I've been on it almost a year now, for anti-anxiety and it also helps my depression. Which is really nice. I'm also on Ativan (as needed) for panic attacks. So, if you wanna talk about it, feel free.

My email is: catrood -at- #gmail# -dot- com
I can also be reached by PM on this journal, Skype (luneregina), AIM (LadyFoxstone), or twitter (admiral_ryn).

... Basically, I have lots of social media >>;

[dunmurderin]

I would also like to be in the reciptocal pick-apart thingy, if that would be cool. I have some ideas that I would like feedback on and I like giving feedback in return. My email is dunmurderin (at) yahoo (dot) com and my AIM handle is dunmurderin.

[megwrites]

Will email! Thanks for this so much. You rock like a fox with socks in a box. Which is A LOT.

[tangledaxon]

I wish I could take you up on the writing buddies thing, since I love getting to know other writers and helping critique work, talk through plots, etc. Unfortunately, my plate is just too full and I need to learn not to take on more than I actually have time for. Still, I'm rooting you on!

Also, re: fanfic issue, I completely agree.

[yifu]

Hello! Would also like to be a writing buddy if you don't mind. My e-mail is stormofblossoms at gmail.

Btw, I haven't seen neither hide nor hair of your letter. I'm totally blaming the Indonesian postal service.

[megwrites]

Yay! Thank you so much! :)

Also, it is just as likely the U.S. Postal system failing badly. Especially since they didn't even really HAVE the stamps in the denomination I needed so the nice post office lady had to help me by putting two different kinds of stamps on there to make up the postage. Grr.

I'll try to send another and see if it gets there. Also, I could've written the address down wrong or something.