I answer things | Still Searching

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Sam

sarcasticsciencefictionwriter asked:

Hello! For the Procrastination Game: 🍄, 🖍,🤔, and ❤️, please! 🙂

Thank you! ❤️ As I said in the ask before I didn’t realise this was quite so fic focused. I just love asks and I really needed to ramble today. So I am incredibly grateful for you guys letting me. It’s being a day and this is a great distraction.

As I said before I can do original novel (vaguely) and art so yeah.

2) 🍄Describe your wip/one of your wips in the format of “___ + ___ =___”

My original novel is probably Stargate + Enchanted Forest (only) Once Upon a Time = well isn’t that just the thing? So = original novel.

For the art… 🤔 how about Ambition + Reality = Fear. Sorry I know, not so positive. How about Dreams + Hope = Desire. I don’t know. I haven’t decided what I am doing for the Librarians exchange piece. I am considering Dancing + Hearteyes but that’s a bit too cliche. I am still thinking.

7) 🖍Post Any sentence from your wip

Covered this in the other ask.

9) 🤔What’s a story you’d love to write but haven’t even started yet?

For original novels I am a little bit terrible at writing first drafts of Book Ones (so starting the verse) and so I have half a dozen going. In terms of one I haven’t actually written yet 🤔 maybe the spaceship rebel civil war, or perhaps the bodyguard romantic suspense, or maybe the archaeological treasure hunt. Honestly I have more ideas than I could write in 10 years. It’s kinda sad because I get new ideas too and I will just never get to them all.

For art I swear I have an even longer project list. I want to draw everything. I have a huge fandom list, like a few dozen ideas. Most just single scenes but I have some thoughts of a handful of panels comic strips. I dream of drawing illustrations for my original novels and perhaps even a graphic novel one day! In terms of specific ideas well I think I have mentioned a few times a Burn Notice Seven and Raffi scene. I picked up a bunch of prompts from last years “Year of the OTP” (is that running again? I should check) like I think I had Ancient Greece Sanctuary, and an Ancient Egypt Bering and Wells. I have a bunch.

12) ❤️Not a question, just a second kudos to send.

Thank you 🥰

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Sam

bookwormchocaholic asked:

Ask Game for writers: 1, 7, 10. 😀

In which I should have read this more carefully 🤣 I saw it was about WIPs and didn’t realise it was so fic focused. I guess I could answer this two ways. I could convert it to art which is fandom, or I could vague talk my original novels. Maybe both? 🤔

1) 🦈Tell us the name of your/ one of your WIP(s)

Hmm well I don’t want to share the name of my original novel 🫣 I know I probably should but I get afraid about it. I sort of put up a division between “personal fan me” and “career me”. Not that I have a career (yet) but I can dream.

As for art well that doesn’t have names exactly, and also I don’t have WIPs in the same way. I have a list of ideas and I tend to take one, and finish it, rather than juggle several projects like I did fanfic.

I am currently signed up to the Librarians Exchange and I will be making something for that. I probably shouldn’t talk about that though because of the whole ‘secret’ gifter thing.

I would like to pick one idea off the list and say “I’ll do that next” and talk about it but truthfully what I am hoping to do is practice basic techniques. I spoke about this earlier with my frustration at being stuck with the ‘tracing’ and wanting to do it properly. I don’t know if I will be able to ‘teach myself’ to any level so that I can use it for the exchange. I mean I have had literal years to do so and not got anywhere with it so far 🤷‍♂️ I got a new sketchbook (because clearly the half dozen I already had weren’t enough) but maybe this time I will commit. I got some erasable coloured pencils and sketching in purple seems very fun so 🤞

7) 🖍Post Any sentence from your wip

As said I can’t really do this. I wish I had some kind of sketch to show, but again as I said art “WIPs” are more just ideas unless I am mid-project and I’m not right now.

To make up for not answering this I have picked another question for you.

11) 🛠Is there a scene or anything in the WIP you are struggling with right now?

For my original novel quite a lot of things 😂 but description is usually the hardest part. I can see it in my head but it’s so clunky when I try and write it down. Way too much frowning or smiling going on lol. I am trying to use more body language and less dialogue tags but I need to find more variety in it.

For the art it’s like I said I have my current process of bashing together a bunch of different references. Sometimes this includes selfies when I am struggling to get limb angles to match what’s in my imagination, but it just doesn’t work. It’s a) botched together so a lot of the angles are just slightly off/mismatched and it is unnatural and b) so stiff with no flow/life. It has zero style.

10) 🤡How many Wips are you actively working on?

Well I am actively drafting one original novel. I have benched the redraft I am ¼ of the way through, the first draft I need to reboot, the first draft I am only about 70% finished with, and the first draft I only wrote a bit of (I think that covers them 🤔). But really it’s just the one for “actively working on”.

For art… well I can’t lose sight of the gift exchange. I’m wondering if I should pick up ‘Sketch a Day’ again. I definitely want to do the 100 heads challenge. I got a copy of the Loomis Method book (heads and hands) and I think I should go through that. Same with Hamptons book (figure drawing). I was doing some screenshot redraws from “What If?” as I adore that art style. I can’t seem to pick a medium (paint, pencils, markers, ink) and so there’s so many options for rendering practice. It’s a bit overwhelming to be honest all of everything I want to work on.

Thanks for the ask ❤️

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Sam

tinknevertalks asked:

6 and 19 please and thank you. 🙂

6) what’s the best and worst part of being online/a creator?

The best part is generally the people I talk to online are so much nicer than the people I meet IRL. We have whatever the shared interest is as base, and we don’t really have to go beyond that so it doesn’t have to get awkward. We’re not constrained to a certain time or day. We can hold conversations with gaps over hours or days as messages go back and forth.

On a semi-regular basis I have googled wishing there was a writing group, or definitely an art group, locally I could attend to get some feedback (and give obviously, I am not just a taker). But whenever I have found something that sort of fits the bill it is always an epic disappointment. I suppose I don’t fit. I don’t know how to interact with them and I feel all wrong and so I don’t like going.

Now don’t get me wrong I have felt like that sometimes online. I have felt like I’m always the outsider, that I’m not really wanted or welcome. I know I probably try too hard. But the distance of online and the ability to only interact when spoons allow helps. I have never really found “my tribe” that people talk about. I do ache for something more, I want to share more of my projects and have someone care, but we’re all just tired aren’t we? Wishing for enthusiasm from other people is like wishing for a unicorn I think.

Which brings me to the worst part of creating online, which I suppose I have sort of gone into already – invisibility. It’s lonely if you aren’t doing the current popular thing, or if you don’t have a bestie. Screaming into the void is just normal but that doesn’t make it any easier.

19) favourite thing about the day?

The electric lights don’t have to be on and hurt my eyes? Haha. Honestly it’s weird because I have trained myself really to become a morning person (I was up at 5:30am today) but I’m not generally a huge fan of the day because other people are around. The night is safer with less chance of being bothered (although I am afraid of the dark).

Anyway in all seriousness I am going to go with the fact that in the daytime is when I get to see/speak to my mum. She’s my person. We communicate in some form almost every day, even if is just sending those animated sticker things on messenger. I know I really should have grown out of it by now, but she still does have the ability to make the world seem a bit brighter.

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Sam

purlturtle asked:

1, 14 and 21 for the ask game, please!

1) what are 3 things you’d say shaped you into who you are?

I am unfortunately an honest person so this might be a bit of an over share I don’t know. I’m not very good at judging so I apologise in advance. I’m going to put it under a cut as it’s quite personal.

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Posted on November 13, 2023 by Sam

sarcasticsciencefictionwriter asked:

3, 17, and 38 please!

Awesome thank you ❤️

3) 3 films you could watch for the rest of your life and not get bored of?

Oh man. Asking the chronic rewatcher this question, is like asking me which hand I like more. How to choose just three?

Ok weirdly as it should not be my thing at all I have to go with The Princess Diaries. I still have no idea why but I attached to it as a child (so odd as really not my thing) and it was my go to comfort watch for years. I have seen it so many times I can quote almost all of it and yup I will watch it again.

Next I am going to say The Mummy. It was a movie I was afraid to watch for years as I thought it was horror. It’s an absolute delight. A real masterpiece and not scary at all.

And finally… ooof. Ok well I am tempted to say Fools Game as that was also a comfort watch for many years. I am a sucker for a good historical treasure hunt. I really like Ocean’s 8 as you can’t beat heist wives and a clever con. The Lego Movie is a good watch, although weirdly I almost prefer the second one. I listen to the soundtrack regularly. I’m kinda leaning towards Raya and the Last Dragon but hesitating as that’s kinda new so hasn’t stood the test of time yet.

38) favourite song at the moment?

I just answered this! Post below 🙂

Posted on November 13, 2023 by Sam

electricrogue asked:

18 and 38 for the ask thing please?

18) do you believe in ghosts and/or aliens?

Ghosts no, not really. I mean I read a lot of fantasy and I can see the idea of unfinished business, or some kind of emotional imprint on a place, lingering spirit etc. But I can’t say I believe in it. I guess I am open to the possibility – in theory – but probably not in reality. If I went somewhere people thought was haunted I would probably be one of those annoying people looking for the scientific explanation.

Aliens yes. I definitely do believe in aliens. I just find it highly unlikely that with the universe being as vast as it is, that we are the only planet with intelligent life. I am sure there has to be some kind of aliens out there. Side note I find the term “aliens” to be a bit functionally useless because all it really means is “not from here”. It’s sort of an ‘othering’ word and I hope like hell if we ever encountered an ‘alien’ we’d come up with a nicer term. But I digress. Whether if we encountered an ‘alien’ we would recognise it, that I don’t know. I don’t expect there’s little green men, or Star Trek type humanoids. The ‘alien’ life is probably beyond our imagination but who knows! I am certain there is life out there but only time will tell what form it takes.

38) favourite song at the moment?

Oh. Well I decided to make Maroon Five my writing artist of choice for this NaNo serial project. It just felt like it had the right vibe. Apart from that I confess I have been listening to Citizen Soldier which is probably not a good idea as that’s fairly depression-fuelled. I feel seen, same as when I listen to some of the later Linkin Park albums.

I suppose if I had to pick a song then I would go for “Keeping Secrets” off the Strange New Worlds musical because the line “it doesn’t serve me anymore” hits every single time.

Thanks for the ask!! ❤️

Posted on November 13, 2023 by Sam

ussjellyfish asked:

2! I love handwriting

Thanks for the ask ❤️

2) show us a picture of your handwriting?

I wanted it to be natural and not me trying to make it super posh/neat just for this ask so I took a photo of where I have been filling out a challenge in my reading journal. Some of it is done with a fountain pen, a lot with a dip pen so I can use all different colours of ink 🙂 well apart from the rainbow in the title which was fineliners.

I suppose it isn’t the real scrawl… ok go on then have a real scrawl. This is from my NaNo Planner.

Posted on October 23, 2023 by Sam

sarcasticsciencefictionwriter asked:

💢: What was the first fandom you ever got into?

and

💔: Tell me a sad headcannon you have for James Watson.

Just found this! Sorry 😬

What was the first fandom I got into?

I always debate being honest when this question crops up because I was 11 and it was more wanting someone to be nice to me, than any actual personal passion for the show. Anyway! It was The Royal/Heartbeat. That’s been off the air for a long time now but Heartbeat was something of a British institution for 20 years or so. Set in the 1960’s, sort of a slice of life drama I guess. It was more “episode of the week” shenanigans than a pure soap.

When I went to high school I immediately found myself in the library. Friendless 11 year old. I started helping out with shelving books, checking them out etc. The librarian my first year was a very nice lady, sadly she left and her replacement… but that’s another story. Anyway there was a 15 year old who also volunteered and they were trying to write fanfic for The Royal. I think they might have been dyslexic because even though I was a lot younger I beta read for them. Then they wanted to make a fansite and I already knew how to code basic websites so I helped them with that, which led to being a mod on the forum, and eventually I started writing my own stories. I’m a writer and I wanted to be included so it follows.

The experience ended poorly. The forum got members and one of them ended up becoming a mod as well, and they didn’t like me. They were in their thirties I think and I can’t imagine treating an 11 year old like they did me, but I admit I likely didn’t help myself – I was 11 and so obviously not likely to make the best choices always.

I had moved on by then to other fan spaces on the internet. I had started writing for Without a Trace. I then discovered fanlistings and got really heavily into making little fansites. I did some graphic edits, a few music videos. Do people still do those? Set show clips to songs? I quit everything fandom-wise when I was 19. I didn’t start back up again until I was 25.

A sad headcanon for James Watson

I don’t know why but I have just always thought that his father died when he was a child. I don’t recall any basis for this in the show but it was the background I think I wrote in Choosing Fate. Once I have something that works I tend to keep it as a headcanon. Like thinking that originally Helen was given the source blood by an abnormal she helped one day. I can’t remember if I specified an age but I think it was maybe 6-8 years old. Old enough to have a few memories but young enough for the image of his father to be more idealistic dreams and impressions.

Thanks for the ask ❤️ sorry about the delay. It was hiding.

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Sam

purlturtle asked:

💥: Whats a weird talent of yours?

and

❤: Tell me a fluffy headcannon you have for Helen Magnus!

Thanks for the ask ❤️ this is a super hard one though!

What’s a weird talent I have?

This would require me to think I have any talents at all. I mean what qualifies as a talent? Honestly I don’t feel like I am talented at anything. But! I want to answer so I will go with what eventually popped into my head after staring at this ask for a while – my Lego inventory.

I have itemised in a database (Rebrickable) every single Lego part I own. For the sets that’s easy – just add the set. But when I first started getting into Lego I came across a good deal on marketplace. I got a lot of loose parts from that, and since then I have bought more parts on a number of occasions from BrickLink. Anyway thousands of parts all found, not just by part but also by colour. Why do this? Well if I want to build something I need to know if I have the parts, or what parts are missing.

Then the ‘talent’ part if you like is that you can pick any part in my database and I will be able to tell you where it is/find it in my collection. I have all the parts sorted out into… honestly I haven’t counted but probably hundreds of bags and boxes. I tend to repurpose set boxes as larger containers, and then buy freezer bags from the supermarket in varying sizes.

Now to be honest I don’t think this is a talent or special. It is probably quite weird. It took weeks of effort to initially set up and I have obviously had to maintain it. Upgrading parts to larger bags/boxes as I get more of them. Everytime I build something then putting the parts back in the right places etc. Mum has said she thinks it’s special but only because it’s weird, as she says she doesn’t know anyone else who would have the patience or the persistence. I find it soothing rather than annoying. I like sorting the parts, putting them in order. But then I am also the person with a completely alphabetised DVD collection. Having everything in order is a me feature really.

A fluffy headcanon for Helen Magnus

Ooof. Fluffy and Helen Magnus don’t go together all that well. I suppose… I don’t know if I counts but I do headcanon her as a loving mother. I’ve seen a few opposing headcanons that Helen’s first priority is her work, that Biggie probably did most of the raising for Henry and Ashley. That Helen was probably distant and emotionally unavailable but I just don’t see that personally.

The thing that I have always seen in Helen is that she has a personal face and a public face. We mostly see public because even when they are at the Sanctuary they are still working. But there are little glimpses, moments of banter, how Helen will reach a comforting hand. Plus I think the biggest endorsement of her as a mum is that both Henry and Ashley are still so close to her. I don’t sense any coercion or indoctrination. More that yeah Helen believes in her mission and that passion is catching. I’m sure Helen did model a strong work ethic but being a working mother doesn’t mean she wasn’t also a mum.

It’s a balance for sure but as one example I like to imagine Helen did tell bedtime stories, perhaps not read them, maybe sanitised versions of her own adventures with abnormals. Yeah that’s a nice fluffy thought 🥰

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Sam

sarcasticsciencefictionwriter asked:

How about Sanctuary fandom + Once Upon a Time (show)?

Ok cool. This will be the top 5 things off the top of my head, so I reserve the right to facepalm if I forgot something important. Thanks for the ask!!!

send me a tv show/book/fandom and i’ll say the top 5 things i’d change about it

Well first off let’s address the elephant in the room that there are two ways to answer this question. 1) Is how I would change it to make it more like what I wished it was, 2) Is how I would change it to improve on what they actually chose to do. Those are two very different things. I am going to attempt to answer in the vein of number two, accepting canon and just tweaking it to be better, rather than throwing out everything in favour of the show I would have written, as I feel that’s more in the spirit of what the question is actually asking.

So without further ado!

(I am longwinded so cut)

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