katherineparker.bsky.social
Veteran, civil engineer, electrical engineer, biomed technician, artist, writer. I have worn many hats, known many failures, and made no shortage of typos.
Longer posts + more rambling of mine can be found on my Tumblr
https://www.tumblr.com/katherine862
193 posts
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Getting Started
Active Commenter
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Evidence or not, the critique is useful. We can only guess how our work is interpreted by others, so what the author thinks does not really matter. For instance: a review of my first book called my writing "logistical" and I honestly never thought about it like that. Facts or not, perspective helps.
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Real show of character when someone thinks reviews have right and wrong answers. A review is a perspective, shone through the lens of the reviewer. A review is no more right or wrong than a color exists or does not.
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I would argue that "perfect" is overrated. During the process of writing you get to see the many flaws of your head-movie manifest and correct them, because in your head those errors never mattered to your ability to watch your own movie. A "perfect" art is one with no artist to refract flaws on it.
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They don't even have to be nice either; feedback is useful. It is just not a good experience when you put your work out there and are met with silence.
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The same could be said in just about all avenues of artistic expression lately: there is no entry level. Expectations are high and if you don't meet that then you are just SOL wandering in the dark trying to improve while hoping for a day when you "appear to be worth giving a shot."
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I think that may be true of just about everywhere, though. You hear that people will support LGBT/minority made books, but if you openly state it anywhere evenly vaguely in promotions you will find it easier to get 1 star ratings over useful reviews or criticism.
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Those feelings are valid, as they validate the strength of your desire for a companion. Finding the right person is no easy task, and many will settle, hoping to forge love instead of finding it. The pain of longing is a struggle, but it is also an important reminder of what it means to you.
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Honestly feels random to me. Same with engagement in general. Can get a random post to go off but no new followers. Can spend hundreds on book promotions, just get a handful of bad ratings with no reviews. Get a review, turns out good, and no one pays attention anyway. Almost paradoxical at times.
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The reward is fulfillment instead of something tangible. It is just unfortunate that so many presume that everyone only seeks tangible rewards often at the expense of the one being helped. Compassion drives a soul to seek goals beyond themselves.
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Money is but a resource. The point of it should be to spend it on some purpose you seek, including the necessary cost of living long enough to get there. Money without purpose is a breeding ground for vice; purpose without money is a recipe for hardship.
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Imagine being an author who does not read books anymore. Wouldn't that be a real paradox of a person... But seriously though books are an art form of their own with their own culture. Some people might not be a fan of reading lengthy flowery descriptions, and in turn prefer movies/shows instead.
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It would be hard to think less of you for it when it shows more of your character. It shows your own journey, your own struggles, and your own growth in the process. You are your own person with your own path in life, one that is unique to you and your personality. I see no shame in that.
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Akin to paving concrete, only with no engineers to tell you what shape to make or what hazards to avoid in the process. Once it sets you have to damage large parts of it to try again, and sometimes the concrete is not too keen on being patch-worked without leaving cracks. A messy, beautiful process.
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It is rough out there. Maybe that might change some day, but I understand what it is like. Hopefully things work out for the better in the future.
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Depends on the context I guess. Could be fanfiction, headcanon, or just the the start of a mind-theater film for one. Just like doodling, all of those could some day evolve into something bigger, but until then they are just the writing equivalent of doodles.
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Equally as important should be a push to get those artists out of obscurity. It is difficult to have any impact when only a handful of creatives get the attention they need to do so.
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Unfortunately that is the point of Malice: isolation and division. It is no easy task dealing with such an environment, especially for long periods of time, and we are starting to see people be worn down through long term exposure and turn hostile in response, perpetuating the cycle unknowingly.
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Indeed. It is also easy to get buried by a handful of bad ratings if people are unwilling to read a book off of that alone. Negative reviews help an author grow, but a handful of negative ratings can bury someone with no idea of what to do.
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Didn't need to call me out like that... But yea, I have and still do to this day.
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I know none of that will be easy or straightforward, but progress is a path not a doorway. Some limitations may be too much to ever break completely, but there are still paths forward that won't be perfect or clean. Motivation is important to keep pushing forward through all of that, keep it fueled.
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Much like a tangled ball of yarn, you start with what you can and work your way down the thread. First you need to solidify your motivation to draw. Without that, you will run out of fuel to even try. After that, you need to carefully work your way through your hardships and limitation setbacks.
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Sometimes they don't though. Maybe not specific to artists, but there are plenty of people who become professionals yet still have many basics they either glossed over or forgot with time. I have certainly known engineers who have forgotten entry level formulas from lack of need to use them.
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When walking against the river of life, choices have to be made. Flailing at every drop of water will only get you swept away the current. Focus on staying upright first, you can worry about moving forward later. Being swept away is worse for your progress than being held in place.
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Writing a summary of my work at all is painful. Not that it is actually challenging or something. It's just how do I summarize what I spent months trying to wrangle emotions into a coherent form, and now you want me to take all of that nuance and shove it into a paragraph?
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I am probably out of the loop then, since I don't use the term rendering outside of videos.
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Personally still waiting for the part when either of those happen. Takes a long while before you escape the void of obscurity.
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It can be easy to mistake a lack of affirmation for the presence of discontent. It is a big world, and everyone is living their lives in it. It is a rarity as is when people get to see your content as is, more so when they take the time to vocalize their appreciation for it.
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Art is an iterative process; it grows with you. Each sketch is just a moment in your development, and your improvements and changes can happen at any time. That is why a sketch is only ever a hazy memory until it is inked into stone. Once inked, you have to destroy a part of it to try again.
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Everyone has to start somewhere. What worries me most is that culturally people dogpile what they view as "bad" art when it is just someone trying to get started. People can't improve if their only feedback is "get a day job." Who will make the future art if we are expected to be perfect off rip?
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For my first book, it was the one I planned out the most. I felt like it needed to be my best, but the result was obviously far from that. The first release of it was riddled with errors, which made me learn the importance of using multiple checkers. It is in a better state now, much like myself.
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Huh, maybe I should. Not every 10-30 minutes mind you but maybe like once a week. Wonder if people would find it annoying or not? I suppose it's not like Tumblr where your post lives there for months.
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Honestly I know my books will likely not be appreciated by "literature" community, but I am not making my books for approval. I make my books for a purpose, and that is all that matters. It may never win awards, it may never be popular, but my books were made for my purpose, not their acclaim.
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Depends on your art style. Illustration tends to rely on well drawn lines. I learned I am not very good at that, so I use a lot of tool drawn lines and blurring. Instead of using clean lines, I use heavy shading and effects.
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Applies to finance as well. No money for marketing means no book sales. No book sales means no money for marketing to get book sales. Luck or financing, we end up having to pick one to stand a chance.
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Also frustrating when that engagement does not translate into any degree of interest or engagement beyond just that specific post. The post itself getting engagement feels random, and getting followers who actually want to see what you post feels even more random.
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I think a better phrasing would be "make the book you want to read, but make sure others can comprehend it too." That is the essence of writing, translating your own head-canon language into something others can read.
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We all wish to have our passion be our job, but reality does not always give us the opportunity. You have done well to balance between making passion and product, but it appears that product is winning as of late? Perhaps it is time to reconnect with the emotions driving why you want to create?
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Well, I am willing to learn and offer what I can. All I know is I have a feeling that you are in need, so I am here to offer what I can. Whether or not I can be useful is another story. My messages should be open if you want to talk.
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I feel the need to intervene, yet I must admit how little I understand first. What I feel from you is a desire for guidance to escape your current circumstances, but I suspect you do not know where you want to end up once you do? Just know others can teach you to walk, but you must do it yourself.
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Behind art is emotions, our emotions. In order to share those emotions and make that art, we must first sort out our emotions for our own understanding. Sometimes you can do both in the process of making the art. Either way, emotions are the fuel of the art making process.
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It is in our most desperate times that society and the world hear our pleas the loudest. I hope those that can help you will hear you.
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All you can do is the best you can with what you have. It is easy to say what if, but the truth lies in what you were at the time. You did what you could with what emotions and thoughts you had in that moment. You need not regret that, less you insult who you were when you were vulnerable.
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All good, just know that are people willing and able to help you. Just because some are willing but not able, does not mean you should suffer in silence.
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Well, you are welcome to try me in dms. I have known my fair share of pain. My only fear would be if I am unable to help you, as opposed to any hardship you have to share.