I like to write.

I'm admittedly not as prolific as a lot of folks, but it's a hobby I enjoy. I have days where I can go all day just letting my fingers fly over the keyboard or write until I have to refill my fountain pen, but more often than not, life gets in the way. I have a job that's mentally draining, so most days I'm a bit of a zombie at the end, and just want to do nothing. But, some days the muse gets restless and the ideas come faster than I can put them down.

So when something's finally done and I'm ready to release it to the world, there's a sense of relief that it's done. However, there's something else that creeps in...a feeling that even though I worked hard on something, it's going to be at best ignored, at worst dragged for not checking everyone's boxes. There's that insatiable desire to go back and re-do everything because it's not good enough, and even a temptation to just chuck the whole thing, forget about writing, and just spend my time playing video games.

That's me most of the time: a major sufferer of Impostor Syndrome.

This is why that December 23, 2024 (yes, this journal's a day late. Don't judge me) is going to be a big day for me from now on. Why? Because it's the day that I finally...FINALLY...published something. I'll grant you, it's not on one of the major furry publishers (yet), but it's out there for public consumption and - this is the scary part - scrutiny.

Yes, it finally happened: 'Oucast' is now available as an ebook from Scribl.com (Formerly Podiobooks.com) The audio version is coming, now that I have a decent sound booth to work with. I just need to take the time to record it.

But yeah. I finally finished a goal that I set out to do a very long time ago. Now it's time to open that new file, crack my knuckles, and get back to work on the 2nd novel in the series.

Oh crap, before I forget...here's the link to 'Outcast' on Scribl: https://scribl.com/books/EC2954/Outcast Yes, it's free for now, but as more people 'buy' it, the price will go up. It's not much, but it's a start.

Ok, so I may have put myself in a bit of a pickle here, but at the same time, I want to get this done.

I'm wanting to get my book 'Outcast' published, and I want to make sure it's as clean as I can get it, and that it's readable (i.e., is this something you would buy). I followed some advice on BlueSky about getting into the Furry Writers Guild Forums, but that poor site looks like it hasn't seen much traffic in a while.

I'd like to get some objective eyes on the story before I start shopping it around to the different furry publishing companies to see if I'm worthy of them :) And, if any of the more literary furs are watching this, any more advice would be greatly appreciated.

I say I'm in a pickle because I set being published as a personal growth goal for work :/ And, knowing it's either published or on its way will help me to work more on the sequel.

Thanks in advance.

Oh, here's the link to the folder and all the chapters:
https://www.furaffinity.net/gallery...../Outcast-Final

*Cue the self-deprecation in 3...2...*

So this past week I decided to do a bit of an upgrade to my living room TV. Yes, I have a TV, and I have a living room. Yes, I do watch TV once in a while. However, the audio from said TV is 'good' but for some of my movies, it's a little...eeeehhhhh.

I purchased a sound bar this week and was working on hooking it up, and it was then that I realized that I. Am. An. Idiot.

So, the cable used to connect the sound bar to the TV is an optical cable...you know, that one connector that's on a lot of things these days, but you never use? Well, it was my turn to finally use it. I unpacked everything, mounted the bar, plugged it all in aaaaaaaaannnnnnnnd...

Nothing.

I did all my usual checks and still nothing worked. I thought that maybe since my TV is so old that the optical port was there as an 'as-yet unconnected feature.' Disappointing, but maybe it was a sign to purchase a new TV. Granted, it's a bit ahead of schedule, but still doable.

Then, I had a look at the cable. Keep in mind I've never used one of these. It fit properly when I tried it...everything clicked into place...

Even with the rubber/plastic protective cap...a cap...a FRAGGING CAP!

I pulled the caps off and reconnected the bar...works great now. *faceplants*

I just ordered a new SSD for my computer, but now I'm wondering if I'm smart enough to actually install it, or if I should just get it professionally done :P

DISCLAIMER: I'm not looking to cause trouble or create drama with this. I have an honest question for you, and it involves <gulp> AI.

OK, everyone calm? Finished throwing tomatoes and/or other things? *Looks back* Ooh, nice splatter pattern on that one. Good job.

All right...*ahem*

When discussing a commission with a potential client, if said client was to send and AI generated image to you to help convey certain aspects of what they would like (pose, colors, etc), how would you feel about that? Would it help or hinder the process?

This came up recently with me as a friend of mine was trying to use AI to design a logo for something, but despite their best efforts it was maybe 80% of what their vision was. My thought was that if an image like that was submitted to an artist to go off of, it would save a lot of back and forth.

Again, not trying to start a fire here, just airing out a thought that's been banging around in my as-yet-caffeinated brain.

We've all heard a phrase similar to "Well, a is *kinda* like b, so you really do use b, so why not go all in and buy all of b since you're already *kinda* using it"

Ok, confused yet? Cool...allow me to explain.

I received an email today from a writing 'resource' that I nearly attended a webinar for. This was one in a loooooong line of emails they've been sending me, hoping I'll spend money on their Zoom call webinars talking about how to be a better writer.

Now, that i can understand. Some folks have the desire, but mechanically...eeeehhhhh. I was cool with it until they posted a new subject: How to use AI to plan, write, and market your book all in a day.

To quote one of my favorite movie critics...ahem..."WHAT...THE...FUCK!"

It's the age of the McNovel, I guess...mass produced by machine, and all you have to do is slap your name on it. So now, these guys' emails have all hit my spam folder for now. But then another one showed up today that made me write this.

Did you know that if you're using a spell-checker or a grammer checker to check your work, you're already using AI? So you may as well go whole hog and join the McNovel movement, right?

Um...no. If this is a hot take, then it is what it is.

Spell/grammar checks are just there to make sure your creative work is legible and doesn't give anyone an eye-twitching migraine from reading it. To me that's a far cry from having a machine actually write your story for you. So, to me, that's a bit of a stretch, and a desperate one to get me to buy something.

Now OK, maybe I'm being stubborn and old-fashioned here, but look...folks on here and other art sites are already crying foul about AI generated visual art. In my opinion, that should encompass literary art too. If you want to use it to maybe lay down a foundation in which you can build, that's fine, but to just say 'write me a novel' and have it on Audible the next day? Sorry, no.

But those are just my thoughts on the matter. Now, back to writing...on paper...from my own head...

Wow, and here I thought I'd already posted something here. Ah well. I guess I haven't had much to say.

Recently, something happened IRL that really moved me. I'm not overly sentimental (contrary to popular belief), but this really hit...in a good way.

In 2021, after a year of unemployment thanks to the UNSPECIFIED VIRUS OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN, I landed a job with a cybersecurity company. It's a work-from-home gig, and they supplied all the necessary hardware for me...even pay a part of my Internet bill (business expense). I've been at it for a couple of years now and it' s been a fun time.

Well, my boss, who leads a team of six (including me) asked me for my mailing address recently. I gave it to him but was a little confused. Why would he need it? Well, a few days later I got my answer: He sent me, of all things, a knife...a hunting knife to be exact. However, it wasn't the fact that it was a knife that hit me in the sentiment, but how it was made...

Damascus Steel...

He had a meeting with all of us to explain: Damascus steel is made by taking pieces of metal that are already strong, and forging them into something even stronger. That's how he views our little team...we all came from different backgrounds, each with our own strengths, and together we became something better...something stronger.

Now, you might be thinking it's a little much for a corporate team to be thought of that way, but here's a few things we've accomplished in the past 2 and some years:
-Piloted a new scheduling process to streamline project progression
-Proved out a new scheduling software to better schedule meetings for our technicians.
-Our team has the top two highest numbers of closed projects in a fiscal quarter....world-wide (I'm one of those two, and we've been that way for over a year now)
-Leader in positive post-project customer feedback
-Recognized by upper management as the team that 'gets shit done'

My boss is also ex-military, and collects knives, so he knows what he's talking about. I'm not sure of FA's policy on photos of weapons, so I'm hesitant to post a pic of it. Needless to say though, upon hearing his explanation, it really touched me that he thinks that highly of us.

Coffee cups and dinner vouchers come and go, but something like this? Now I have something with a story behind it.