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New Year & Some "Clear-Outs" Readjustment Attempt(s)
2 years ago
General
Another year has come and gone. May 2024 be a good year for you, dear reader(s).
...
So I was pondering whether or not to do a journal for this, as a part of me felt like my current “following” wasn’t really enough to warrant it, especially if I was hoping for much in the way of feedback from folks replying to it. Then another part of me figured that even if only one or two people threw their two-cents in, it would still be more than if I didn’t do it at all, especially if the feedback was positive enough to feel worth it.
And then another part of me contemplated just having this as a way to maybe vent a little, or something, and do it more for me and my mental-processing than for some sort of input from others. Or even just to archive my thoughts and all, at least for a time, even if I deleted it sometime later, out of cringe or otherwise.
So maybe now I’m sort of doing it for both myself while still hoping, at least a little, for some sort of comment from a person or two, whatever exactly it be, though I of course hope that it/they be civil.
Whatever the exact case, I’m going to try to cut to the chase now, since part of this whole journal was meant to announce my plans to try to “trim down” a bit in some ways. So, here goes…
To try to not ramble on and on for *too* much, especially since we all have our own problems, I’ll just say that these past couple of years or so have been quite the ride.
From actually managing to finish writing an anthro-fantasy novel and getting it published by SOME way or other, to trying to do what I could think to do to garner some attention for it, along with moving from the place I had called home for basically my whole life up until late last year, trying to get adjusted to having a “normal” job again (even with it being part-time presently), a health concern or two (including dealing with some very frustrating matters pertaining to insurance), and more, it’s taken a bit out of me, especially in regards to efforts to write more.
And that’s not even taking into the equation the simple fact that, as glad as I am to have written and published Daughters of the East, I feel the endeavor has quite simply “wiped me out” to a point, alongside the “okay, now what?” or “second product/installment syndrome” or whatever you want to call it having been a factor as well, even if not quite as much.
So, I’ve decided to more or less “make dormant” my SoFurry and Weasyl accounts (since, as far as I can tell, I can’t really delete the accounts in question), and have deactivated my DeviantArt account (since I could delete the account, and I can’t say I was particularly stoked with their A.I. stuff either).
Of two chat-forums I had joined a while ago in the wake of the FA forums closing, I’ve pretty much told myself to let one go and stick with the other.
I aim to check in with my Facebook from time to time, but am not aiming to fret about it overmuch, and DEFINITELY don’t plan on doing Twitter/X/whatever, BlueSky or whatever it’s called, Instagram, or whatever other such things, any time soon, if ever (and honestly, I’d just as soon not if I could; an effort toward promoting my book was the only reason I even bothered with Facebook. Simply put, I really, really, really, really, REALLY don’t like to bother with social media very much, but I guess time will tell as to just how far I’ll end up going).
As much as I want to try to get some more awareness/interest generated for my writing, trying to throw a bunch of things out there across different sites to try to get attention AND trying to get myself to be more up for continuing my future writing, only to see precious little, if really any, growth in the prospective audience, has simply left me frustrated, dare I say even depressed to a point. This is all the more so when stacked up with everything else I’ve had going on.
So, I’ve come to the notion, at least for the time being, that as much as I’d like to see a growth in awareness and interest in the first book alone, I’d be better off trying to redirect what willpower I still have for this whole thing toward working on the next project(s). As much as I’d LIKE to make a livelihood out of this, of course, there’s the other side of me that just wants to try to do more, if I can, and getting myself worked up/burned out/bummed out over the struggle of just trying to get things noticed drags me and my will to keep at it down SO MUCH that I just feel like it’d be best to do less flailing around and more actual writing, both for hopefully eventual productivity and my own sanity (or at least my own sense thereof) and health’s sakes.
Of course, there’s still going to be the matter of trying to get me to work at it more, which is all the harder when so much of what you want to do when you’re done with work for the day is other things. And even besides all that, don’t mistake all this as me saying that I’m not planning to post anything here on FA whatever anytime remotely soon. I’d say I still have at least a couple of poems/songs that I’d like to post sometime soon, and maybe I’ll even post some “rough cuts” of some lore or something here and there to possibly interest some people as I try to get something more “proper” put together for another actual publication. And who knows what else may just happen to pop up at one time or another?
Not to mention, as reserved/introverted as I may be, I still hope to engage with folks socially at least from time to time on here, as well as elsewhere.
So in short, I myself might not have the most complete picture of what exactly I will or won’t be up to for the next while, but know that I am still trying to be around here some, as well as continue onwards upon the writer’s path and take care of myself and other concerns. Just how well those efforts will actually stick and pay off is another matter, but there you have it. XD
So, to wrap this up, just a few other things…
If any of you taking the time to read this would like to potentially mingle with some other furries/what-have-yous outside of FA, but don’t like the seemingly immediate/constant “pressure to engage” that sites like Discord have (at least I’ve felt that way about it at times, as nice as it might be for many other folks), then I’d like to give a shout-out to a chat-forum board that was set up in response to the closure of the FA forums (at least that’s my understanding of it).
It’s called FURFACTION, and you can access it through this link, create a free account, and have a more “at your pace” (at least going by my own experience/feelings) spot where you can drop by and partake in chatting about various “furry” and “non-furry” topics with other folks who have signed up.
I got into the forum courtesy of intel from one
redhusky who has been doing an “improv/give-me-a-prompt” writing thread that has since come to incorporate a somewhat book club-like element where we’ve been discussing my book chapter by chapter. His initial and ongoing interest in it are IMMENSELY appreciated, so many thanks to him!
So, if you’re interested in any of that, dear reader, remember:
FURFACTION!
Also, while it may still be a while before it’s released, I have also been interviewed by a Furry YouTuber who goes by “Kame the Turtle.” He’s got a number of videos relating to the “interest of anthropomorphics,” and was very pleasant to chat with! I’ll be looking to announce when the interview is released, but regardless, you can check him out on FA via his page
Kame1 as well as his YouTube Channel.
I’d also like to take a minute to give a shout-out to
Snowsnow11 for the artwork she’s done of several of my story’s/setting’s characters these past couple of years. While I certainly hope to see depictions of characters, places, and events from my writing from other artists someday, I find her style to be very charming, and she’s simply been a pleasure to work with besides! Thanks a bunch, Snow!
I’d also simply like to say thanks to ALL who have taken the time to check out my writing and for their feedback, though in particular
helixthefallen , 
Myshka and the previously mentioned redhusky . I’m thankful to all of you for your interest and input.
…
I guess that’s more or less it for now. Now I’m going to try to ease off a little and see if I can’t start to pull myself together at least a little.
Thank you all.
~ Lucas/Wulfe
...
So I was pondering whether or not to do a journal for this, as a part of me felt like my current “following” wasn’t really enough to warrant it, especially if I was hoping for much in the way of feedback from folks replying to it. Then another part of me figured that even if only one or two people threw their two-cents in, it would still be more than if I didn’t do it at all, especially if the feedback was positive enough to feel worth it.
And then another part of me contemplated just having this as a way to maybe vent a little, or something, and do it more for me and my mental-processing than for some sort of input from others. Or even just to archive my thoughts and all, at least for a time, even if I deleted it sometime later, out of cringe or otherwise.
So maybe now I’m sort of doing it for both myself while still hoping, at least a little, for some sort of comment from a person or two, whatever exactly it be, though I of course hope that it/they be civil.
Whatever the exact case, I’m going to try to cut to the chase now, since part of this whole journal was meant to announce my plans to try to “trim down” a bit in some ways. So, here goes…
To try to not ramble on and on for *too* much, especially since we all have our own problems, I’ll just say that these past couple of years or so have been quite the ride.
From actually managing to finish writing an anthro-fantasy novel and getting it published by SOME way or other, to trying to do what I could think to do to garner some attention for it, along with moving from the place I had called home for basically my whole life up until late last year, trying to get adjusted to having a “normal” job again (even with it being part-time presently), a health concern or two (including dealing with some very frustrating matters pertaining to insurance), and more, it’s taken a bit out of me, especially in regards to efforts to write more.
And that’s not even taking into the equation the simple fact that, as glad as I am to have written and published Daughters of the East, I feel the endeavor has quite simply “wiped me out” to a point, alongside the “okay, now what?” or “second product/installment syndrome” or whatever you want to call it having been a factor as well, even if not quite as much.
So, I’ve decided to more or less “make dormant” my SoFurry and Weasyl accounts (since, as far as I can tell, I can’t really delete the accounts in question), and have deactivated my DeviantArt account (since I could delete the account, and I can’t say I was particularly stoked with their A.I. stuff either).
Of two chat-forums I had joined a while ago in the wake of the FA forums closing, I’ve pretty much told myself to let one go and stick with the other.
I aim to check in with my Facebook from time to time, but am not aiming to fret about it overmuch, and DEFINITELY don’t plan on doing Twitter/X/whatever, BlueSky or whatever it’s called, Instagram, or whatever other such things, any time soon, if ever (and honestly, I’d just as soon not if I could; an effort toward promoting my book was the only reason I even bothered with Facebook. Simply put, I really, really, really, really, REALLY don’t like to bother with social media very much, but I guess time will tell as to just how far I’ll end up going).
As much as I want to try to get some more awareness/interest generated for my writing, trying to throw a bunch of things out there across different sites to try to get attention AND trying to get myself to be more up for continuing my future writing, only to see precious little, if really any, growth in the prospective audience, has simply left me frustrated, dare I say even depressed to a point. This is all the more so when stacked up with everything else I’ve had going on.
So, I’ve come to the notion, at least for the time being, that as much as I’d like to see a growth in awareness and interest in the first book alone, I’d be better off trying to redirect what willpower I still have for this whole thing toward working on the next project(s). As much as I’d LIKE to make a livelihood out of this, of course, there’s the other side of me that just wants to try to do more, if I can, and getting myself worked up/burned out/bummed out over the struggle of just trying to get things noticed drags me and my will to keep at it down SO MUCH that I just feel like it’d be best to do less flailing around and more actual writing, both for hopefully eventual productivity and my own sanity (or at least my own sense thereof) and health’s sakes.
Of course, there’s still going to be the matter of trying to get me to work at it more, which is all the harder when so much of what you want to do when you’re done with work for the day is other things. And even besides all that, don’t mistake all this as me saying that I’m not planning to post anything here on FA whatever anytime remotely soon. I’d say I still have at least a couple of poems/songs that I’d like to post sometime soon, and maybe I’ll even post some “rough cuts” of some lore or something here and there to possibly interest some people as I try to get something more “proper” put together for another actual publication. And who knows what else may just happen to pop up at one time or another?
Not to mention, as reserved/introverted as I may be, I still hope to engage with folks socially at least from time to time on here, as well as elsewhere.
So in short, I myself might not have the most complete picture of what exactly I will or won’t be up to for the next while, but know that I am still trying to be around here some, as well as continue onwards upon the writer’s path and take care of myself and other concerns. Just how well those efforts will actually stick and pay off is another matter, but there you have it. XD
So, to wrap this up, just a few other things…
If any of you taking the time to read this would like to potentially mingle with some other furries/what-have-yous outside of FA, but don’t like the seemingly immediate/constant “pressure to engage” that sites like Discord have (at least I’ve felt that way about it at times, as nice as it might be for many other folks), then I’d like to give a shout-out to a chat-forum board that was set up in response to the closure of the FA forums (at least that’s my understanding of it).
It’s called FURFACTION, and you can access it through this link, create a free account, and have a more “at your pace” (at least going by my own experience/feelings) spot where you can drop by and partake in chatting about various “furry” and “non-furry” topics with other folks who have signed up.
I got into the forum courtesy of intel from one
redhusky who has been doing an “improv/give-me-a-prompt” writing thread that has since come to incorporate a somewhat book club-like element where we’ve been discussing my book chapter by chapter. His initial and ongoing interest in it are IMMENSELY appreciated, so many thanks to him!So, if you’re interested in any of that, dear reader, remember:
FURFACTION!
Also, while it may still be a while before it’s released, I have also been interviewed by a Furry YouTuber who goes by “Kame the Turtle.” He’s got a number of videos relating to the “interest of anthropomorphics,” and was very pleasant to chat with! I’ll be looking to announce when the interview is released, but regardless, you can check him out on FA via his page
Kame1 as well as his YouTube Channel.I’d also like to take a minute to give a shout-out to
Snowsnow11 for the artwork she’s done of several of my story’s/setting’s characters these past couple of years. While I certainly hope to see depictions of characters, places, and events from my writing from other artists someday, I find her style to be very charming, and she’s simply been a pleasure to work with besides! Thanks a bunch, Snow!I’d also simply like to say thanks to ALL who have taken the time to check out my writing and for their feedback, though in particular
helixthefallen , 
Myshka and the previously mentioned redhusky . I’m thankful to all of you for your interest and input.…
I guess that’s more or less it for now. Now I’m going to try to ease off a little and see if I can’t start to pull myself together at least a little.
Thank you all.
~ Lucas/Wulfe
All good things in time. Worry and take care of the work.
To a new year and good productivity.