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10 Years of Furry
3 years ago
No I'm not stealing this from 
dragontzin I tooootally just realized now I've been on this site for ten years now, shut up.
"The powerful otter yelled as he took the attack head on, but he remained firm and strong! He wasn't backing down so easily!"
The young dragonwolf bounced in his seat happily, oh so proud of his (albeit very simple) response. Forum roleplays were so much fun; who would have imagined he'd find one for Redwall, his all time favorite bookseries?! He even got to play as an otter this time, a very popular race in the book! Man, otters were so cool; tall, strong, capable warriors with a fun and playful personality mirroring their IRL counterparts. Ever since the young draolf had that dream where he, too, was an otter, he'd been infatuated with them. Oh, how cool it would be to live in the world of Redwall as an otter?
Well, forum roleplays were close enough, right?
A week later, and the hybrid would receive a notification that would change his life forever. Turns out, one of the people involved actually did doodles from time to time, and even made a quick sketch of the roleplay scene! Now, little Denya knew better than to click on suspicious links from strangers on the internet, but he was so excited to see what this drawing would be; plus, he knew this person to not be a bot! And with a single click, young Denya discovered a certain website called Furaffinity.net
And then he saw there was a "Fat Fur" tab in the search bar and then oh no fat stories came, but that's not something I should write a lil story about probably lmao.
But yeah, I realized it has been about 10 years or so since I first joined the fandom! Learned about furries through Redwall, and uh, fat furries from looking up "fat bowser" in youtube, looking for that coveted scene from the DS game >.>
It's not something I'll ever regret, and I seriously doubt I'll ever "outgrow" it. I've made so many friends, I've met my current boyfriend through this site (with talks of marriage a regular topic between us), I've learned I can write decently when I try. Lately it feels like writing is the only talent of mine that actually matters since it makes others happy. It's the only thing that lets me have any sort of confidence over myself as a person, I feel like.
I feel like I am improving in other ways. It's a slow process, probably much slower than it has any right to be, but it is progress nonetheless. I am learning more about independence, about slogging through college and getting a degree, about making my own money. It'll happen one day, I just have to do my best and not let the bad days reset my progress (because boy is it easy to relapse >.>)
I think I've been around the block a bit, when it comes to furry stuff, so let me offer 5 tidbits of advice in about as many categories as I can think of!
Writing:
1: Less is more! You don't need to get hung up capturing every small detail possible. If two characters are walking from one place to the other, you don't need to describe the entire trip if it's not important! That being said, it does help to have characters emote a bit when they're talking, give the reader something to picture so it's not like reading a script.
2: Conflict is good! What makes a story engaging (in my opinion) is having a character met with a challenge and be forced to overcome it. Even if you're just writing a story about a furry wanting to get fat, try to find ways to introduce problems they must overcome! Do they initially struggle at first and resort to more intense measures, or do they gain weight *too* well and have trouble adjusting to the sudden weight? Are their friends/family supportive, or is there someone who may need convincing that it's ok?
3: Don't worry about word count! There is only a single story I've written where I managed to hit the word count I was aiming for exactly, and it was only a thousand words so I wouldn't exactly call that a success lol. I'm not sure how well this applies to commissions, since I still seriously struggle with them...in my mind, I just go "do they want a long, medium, or short story? Ok, I'll write this many scenes, aaaaand go!" Don't try to artificially inflate or detract from your creative process!
4: Try new things! I don't just mean writing only the kinds of kinks you enjoy, either. Try a story about a kink you're indifferent too, just for a fun change of pace. Even if it's not for your regular audience, I'm sure there are others who would be ecstatic to see your take on a different kind of story. Hell, write a story without a kink if you have a grand idea you really want to put out! The sky's the limit!
5: HAVE FUN! Writing is all about having fun and being quirky! Who cares if something feels a little off? Skip over it and come back to it later. Is there a scene you really wanna write but you're not there in the story yet? Write it anyways, you can always fill in the blanks! Really, I write so much campy, silly dialogue in my stories even though no one comes to my stories for that lol. I do it because it's fun for me and makes writing all the more enjoyable! Be silly, be wacky, but most importantly, be YOU!
Fursuiting:
1: Animate yourself. Try not to stand stock still too much, at least not unless you're resting in the corner or chatting with other fursuiters. If you're out there to perform, try to make sure you're moving or doing something! Standing still and staring at people can be a little scary, heh. Even in the chonk suit, I try bouncing around or nodding along, or swinging a prop around, although admittedly most of it is because of ADHD.
2: Take a break whenever possible. Sometimes you don't know how tired you are until a little too late! I don't think I've been to a con where an ambulance hasn't been called at least once lol. If you're feeling weak or a little too hot, don't be afraid to step away and head to a headless lounge. Honestly, don't be afraid to just take off your head if you really need to. Screw "breaking the magic," your health is more important. This leads to-
3: Don't suit alone! Have a handler on hand, or anyone to help watch over you if you need help! I feel bad, because my fatsuit kinda requires constant help from friends; I'm a huge inconvenience lol. I need help getting in/out, sitting down, etc. Most suits don't have to worry about that, but it's still good to have someone to help guide you if you struggle to see, tell weirdos to not pull on your tail, etc.
4: Play around with others! You're like a mascot, so don't be afraid to be silly! I'm so freaking shy and awkward irl, you have no idea, but in suit I feel like I can be more goofy and fun, it's awesome lol. I'll playfully take someone's hat and wear it, I'll flap my arms when I see a bird suiters, slap a sergal with my wedge of pizza (my favorite activity), it's great! Mimicking someone is also a valid way of trying to interact with someone if nothing comes to mind, but try to be original. There's no such thing as being weird or cringy in fursuit, just as long as you respect people's boundaries.
5: HAVE FUN! Arguably the most important rule, since it applies to the other ones above! If you're having a good time, it will show in your body language! Sure, you don't need to smile, considering your head will cover your face, but darnit it will help you feel great. Plus, people can tell when you're smiling when you talk, even if it is slightly muffled through your head. Relax, have fun, be outgoing, ignore what normies think and just be yourself~
General furry lessons:
1: Leave comments. I promise this isn't me venting about receiving enough comments lol. Anyone who posts art even semi regularly will tell you how amazing it feels to receive a comment on something they worked hard on. Simply praising it, saying something specific you liked, even offering feedback and constructive criticism is *fantastic.* It will always make their day, you have no idea! Plus, it's a totally valid way of making friends.
2: Ignore the big numbers. Unless it's the big numbers on a scale, in which case pump those numbers up as high as possible uwu. Joking aside, what I mean is don't fret if a submission doesn't get as many favs as usual. There's soooo many factors that go into how many favs or comments or even views something will get that are more than just "art wasn't good." Time of day of posting, content, FA having another down time, etc.
3: Don't compare. Don't compare your art to others, your follower count to others, nothing at all. Easiest way to lose self esteem, because someone will always have that trait you wish you had. Friendly reminder that you have a trait that others may also very sorely lack; really don't get hung up over any of it. Go at your own pace. Do not force yourself to conform if it's not for you. Go out of your comfort zone as an experiment for fun, not as a requirement.
4: Be passionate! If something excites you, let it! Don't be embarrassed. We all pretend to be animals on the internet for God's sake, no one has any right to judge you for your likes and interests! If you like to end every post with *hugs round tummy* than by all means you hug that round tummy, just as long as, once again, you're respectful of others' personal space.
5: HAVE FUN Is it a copout to include having fun three times? Probably. The fandom is meant to be a place for fun. We're all here to have fun, to smile and make others happy. These are trying times and things are extremely stressful. Believe me, I was hospitalized last year because of how terrible my mental health became. Part of what got me out was letting my furry life be my escape from harsh realities. It's a place I can vent about my frustrations, while simultaneously gush about how hawt Mr. Wolf is.
You're not alone. You matter so much, even if you don't realize it. Everything is gonna be alright. You've been through a lot lately, and I'm proud of you for getting through it. Now let's see it through together :)
dragontzin I tooootally just realized now I've been on this site for ten years now, shut up. "The powerful otter yelled as he took the attack head on, but he remained firm and strong! He wasn't backing down so easily!"
The young dragonwolf bounced in his seat happily, oh so proud of his (albeit very simple) response. Forum roleplays were so much fun; who would have imagined he'd find one for Redwall, his all time favorite bookseries?! He even got to play as an otter this time, a very popular race in the book! Man, otters were so cool; tall, strong, capable warriors with a fun and playful personality mirroring their IRL counterparts. Ever since the young draolf had that dream where he, too, was an otter, he'd been infatuated with them. Oh, how cool it would be to live in the world of Redwall as an otter?
Well, forum roleplays were close enough, right?
A week later, and the hybrid would receive a notification that would change his life forever. Turns out, one of the people involved actually did doodles from time to time, and even made a quick sketch of the roleplay scene! Now, little Denya knew better than to click on suspicious links from strangers on the internet, but he was so excited to see what this drawing would be; plus, he knew this person to not be a bot! And with a single click, young Denya discovered a certain website called Furaffinity.net
And then he saw there was a "Fat Fur" tab in the search bar and then oh no fat stories came, but that's not something I should write a lil story about probably lmao.
But yeah, I realized it has been about 10 years or so since I first joined the fandom! Learned about furries through Redwall, and uh, fat furries from looking up "fat bowser" in youtube, looking for that coveted scene from the DS game >.>
It's not something I'll ever regret, and I seriously doubt I'll ever "outgrow" it. I've made so many friends, I've met my current boyfriend through this site (with talks of marriage a regular topic between us), I've learned I can write decently when I try. Lately it feels like writing is the only talent of mine that actually matters since it makes others happy. It's the only thing that lets me have any sort of confidence over myself as a person, I feel like.
I feel like I am improving in other ways. It's a slow process, probably much slower than it has any right to be, but it is progress nonetheless. I am learning more about independence, about slogging through college and getting a degree, about making my own money. It'll happen one day, I just have to do my best and not let the bad days reset my progress (because boy is it easy to relapse >.>)
I think I've been around the block a bit, when it comes to furry stuff, so let me offer 5 tidbits of advice in about as many categories as I can think of!
Writing:
1: Less is more! You don't need to get hung up capturing every small detail possible. If two characters are walking from one place to the other, you don't need to describe the entire trip if it's not important! That being said, it does help to have characters emote a bit when they're talking, give the reader something to picture so it's not like reading a script.
2: Conflict is good! What makes a story engaging (in my opinion) is having a character met with a challenge and be forced to overcome it. Even if you're just writing a story about a furry wanting to get fat, try to find ways to introduce problems they must overcome! Do they initially struggle at first and resort to more intense measures, or do they gain weight *too* well and have trouble adjusting to the sudden weight? Are their friends/family supportive, or is there someone who may need convincing that it's ok?
3: Don't worry about word count! There is only a single story I've written where I managed to hit the word count I was aiming for exactly, and it was only a thousand words so I wouldn't exactly call that a success lol. I'm not sure how well this applies to commissions, since I still seriously struggle with them...in my mind, I just go "do they want a long, medium, or short story? Ok, I'll write this many scenes, aaaaand go!" Don't try to artificially inflate or detract from your creative process!
4: Try new things! I don't just mean writing only the kinds of kinks you enjoy, either. Try a story about a kink you're indifferent too, just for a fun change of pace. Even if it's not for your regular audience, I'm sure there are others who would be ecstatic to see your take on a different kind of story. Hell, write a story without a kink if you have a grand idea you really want to put out! The sky's the limit!
5: HAVE FUN! Writing is all about having fun and being quirky! Who cares if something feels a little off? Skip over it and come back to it later. Is there a scene you really wanna write but you're not there in the story yet? Write it anyways, you can always fill in the blanks! Really, I write so much campy, silly dialogue in my stories even though no one comes to my stories for that lol. I do it because it's fun for me and makes writing all the more enjoyable! Be silly, be wacky, but most importantly, be YOU!
Fursuiting:
1: Animate yourself. Try not to stand stock still too much, at least not unless you're resting in the corner or chatting with other fursuiters. If you're out there to perform, try to make sure you're moving or doing something! Standing still and staring at people can be a little scary, heh. Even in the chonk suit, I try bouncing around or nodding along, or swinging a prop around, although admittedly most of it is because of ADHD.
2: Take a break whenever possible. Sometimes you don't know how tired you are until a little too late! I don't think I've been to a con where an ambulance hasn't been called at least once lol. If you're feeling weak or a little too hot, don't be afraid to step away and head to a headless lounge. Honestly, don't be afraid to just take off your head if you really need to. Screw "breaking the magic," your health is more important. This leads to-
3: Don't suit alone! Have a handler on hand, or anyone to help watch over you if you need help! I feel bad, because my fatsuit kinda requires constant help from friends; I'm a huge inconvenience lol. I need help getting in/out, sitting down, etc. Most suits don't have to worry about that, but it's still good to have someone to help guide you if you struggle to see, tell weirdos to not pull on your tail, etc.
4: Play around with others! You're like a mascot, so don't be afraid to be silly! I'm so freaking shy and awkward irl, you have no idea, but in suit I feel like I can be more goofy and fun, it's awesome lol. I'll playfully take someone's hat and wear it, I'll flap my arms when I see a bird suiters, slap a sergal with my wedge of pizza (my favorite activity), it's great! Mimicking someone is also a valid way of trying to interact with someone if nothing comes to mind, but try to be original. There's no such thing as being weird or cringy in fursuit, just as long as you respect people's boundaries.
5: HAVE FUN! Arguably the most important rule, since it applies to the other ones above! If you're having a good time, it will show in your body language! Sure, you don't need to smile, considering your head will cover your face, but darnit it will help you feel great. Plus, people can tell when you're smiling when you talk, even if it is slightly muffled through your head. Relax, have fun, be outgoing, ignore what normies think and just be yourself~
General furry lessons:
1: Leave comments. I promise this isn't me venting about receiving enough comments lol. Anyone who posts art even semi regularly will tell you how amazing it feels to receive a comment on something they worked hard on. Simply praising it, saying something specific you liked, even offering feedback and constructive criticism is *fantastic.* It will always make their day, you have no idea! Plus, it's a totally valid way of making friends.
2: Ignore the big numbers. Unless it's the big numbers on a scale, in which case pump those numbers up as high as possible uwu. Joking aside, what I mean is don't fret if a submission doesn't get as many favs as usual. There's soooo many factors that go into how many favs or comments or even views something will get that are more than just "art wasn't good." Time of day of posting, content, FA having another down time, etc.
3: Don't compare. Don't compare your art to others, your follower count to others, nothing at all. Easiest way to lose self esteem, because someone will always have that trait you wish you had. Friendly reminder that you have a trait that others may also very sorely lack; really don't get hung up over any of it. Go at your own pace. Do not force yourself to conform if it's not for you. Go out of your comfort zone as an experiment for fun, not as a requirement.
4: Be passionate! If something excites you, let it! Don't be embarrassed. We all pretend to be animals on the internet for God's sake, no one has any right to judge you for your likes and interests! If you like to end every post with *hugs round tummy* than by all means you hug that round tummy, just as long as, once again, you're respectful of others' personal space.
5: HAVE FUN Is it a copout to include having fun three times? Probably. The fandom is meant to be a place for fun. We're all here to have fun, to smile and make others happy. These are trying times and things are extremely stressful. Believe me, I was hospitalized last year because of how terrible my mental health became. Part of what got me out was letting my furry life be my escape from harsh realities. It's a place I can vent about my frustrations, while simultaneously gush about how hawt Mr. Wolf is.
You're not alone. You matter so much, even if you don't realize it. Everything is gonna be alright. You've been through a lot lately, and I'm proud of you for getting through it. Now let's see it through together :)
In short, your are awesome Denya and your stories are phenomenal, tons of hugs from a fellow wolf!
Thank you very much for your kind words though! <3
I can't thank you enough for producing works that are such a joy to read.
Like! :D
But, hey! Your positivity is infectious, so I had to go on another one of my rambling replies. "General Furry Lesson" #1? Check. You are right: optimism is key for self-improvement, and it's always helpful to have a community supporting you. You make fursuiting sound like such a blast, I might one day pluck up the courage (and find the time) to attend a con! Baby steps.
Fauser346 makes a great point: the "campy, silly dialogue" in your stories is engaging and wholesome; those emotions and reactions bring your characters to life. It is part of your signature style, so at least some of us read your stories for that.
I was curious about "Writing" lesson #3: Don't worry about word count! While I do not let word counts pressure me to modify the length of my stories, I wanted your thoughts on word counts as a motivator to keep the creative juices naturally flowing. On one hand, checking the word (or page) count after that initial solid writing session gives me a great sense of accomplishment. On the other hand, I find that afterwards I need to turn off the word count tracker because the next thousand words or so seem to be a slow grind. Has your experience been similar? Perhaps looking at the word count has nothing to do with how storywriting momentum wanes--maybe that deceleration is a typical wall, regardless (like the dreaded marathon "wall"). Alternatively, it may benefit me to not check the word count until the story ends.
It's funny: outside of my last paragraph, your journal post is so uplifting, the feel-good energy that I get from it overrides my tendency to overanalyze everything. Nooooo! You have discovered my weakness! But, really, thank you for this ray of sunshine. You are a great ambassador for the furry community.
What I meant by that is more like, don't worry if your story is too long or too short. I have a bad habit of constantly checking the word count of my stories and getting anxious when they start to drag on and on (Through Thick and Thin comes to mind). I totally support checking how many words you've written in a story as a way of praising yourself for a productive day though, haha.
Something I do is I try to write, say, 200 or so words on days where I want to write. Afterwards, if the creative juices are flowing, I keep going and let it take over; if those 200 words were a real slog, I stop for the day and try again some other time. It's hard to tell when one day is gonna be a good writing day or not, although I feel going out and getting some sunshine, or just driving around is a way to help "reset" my brain and get me ready to write, provided nothing else is really stuck on my mind :p
I'm glad you liked my journal post though! I hope it helps~
Glad you came and been in this site for all this years, just love your stories! ^^