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Gemini had the fucking GALL to get in my email and summarize a 3-line email, taking up more space than the email did visually.

Hit the “thumbs down.” It’s like, what’s wrong??? Was our summary wrong? Were there offensive words? Thank you for helping us improve our AI tools :)

I selected “other.”

Text box popped up. Please elaborate!

Wrote in “I can fucking read” submit comment

Then had to spend several minutes torching all my settings with a flamethrower. Let me be clear: I’m (a lawyer) notoriously picky with my words FOR GOOD REASON (lawyering) so I overwhelmingly reject Gmail’s “helpful” little assistance. My privacy settings were set to “full paranoia” a little less than a year ago when I saw the writing on the wall and knew public defenders could become a target in the future. Better to lock it all down now.

Gemini had crept in there and turned ALL that shit back on. And showed itself by saying “Jane Doe says she’s so sorry for your loss and offers to reschedule for Thursday at 3” over an email from Jane Doe saying “I’m so sorry for your loss. We could reschedule for Thursday at 3?”

Why would I possibly need this. In what universe would I need this. I have eyes and a brain and a reading speed that twenty years ago was measured at 1500 wpm with full comprehension on dense scientific text. Furthermore! If I read a summary, I’m not reading what they actually wrote. If I’m not reading what they actually wrote, I’m not using my own judgment on the words and phrases that they used.

I literally don’t understand why this is helpful at all. This is just avoidance. Using LLMs to write is specifically Not Writing. Using LLMs to summarize is Not Reading. Using them to make art is Avoiding Making Art. Just READ! Just WRITE! I was not put on this fucking planet to not read and not write and not make art! Avoidance is an anxiety symptom and indulging it gives it more power.

If I had an AI to do my most dreaded task, answer the phone for clients, I wouldn’t use it. Because an AI cannot help them. An AI cannot hear the facts of their case, make appropriate noises, be thoughtful and insightful, and then give them a realistic estimate of what could happen in court. I am unique. I cannot be replaced by machine learning. I have style. I have expertise. I don’t hallucinate unless I’m having a really great Friday night and I’m off the clock.

When I need to outsource tasks from my own brain, I give them to people I know can do them and that I trust to do them right.

Fuck, it just sneaks up on you, doesn’t it?? Goddamn Gemini jumpscare right in my own fucking email

project-changeling-zero

genuine writing tip - if you want inspiration for your own magic systems, folk religion is a good place to start, especially if you don't want something very rigid, but still connected and consistent.

luna-azzurra

Quick tips for writing Sleep Deprivation

☽ Memory becomes absolute garbage. Like “why am I in the kitchen?” garbage. “What was I saying?” garbage. Their brain is running on buffering screens and regret.

☽ Fine motor skills? Ha. They’re dropping everything. Pens. Phones. Entire moral compass. They’re basically a malfunctioning claw machine.

☽ Hallucinations creep in. That jacket on the chair? Suddenly a person. That noise? Definitely doom. Everything becomes mildly haunted.

☽ Time gets weird. Five minutes feel like a year. A full hour disappears and they swear they blinked wrong.

☽ Irritation skyrockets. They get mad at chairs. At air. At gravity. At the audacity of other humans continuing to exist.

☽ Their voice sounds weird. Slow, scratchy, like they swallowed sand.

☽ They walk like a drunk baby giraffe. Walls suddenly jump closer. Floors rise unexpectedly. Coordination said: “I’m out.”

☽ Zoning out becomes a hobby. They stare at random objects like they’re trying to understand quantum mechanics.

☽ Vision blurs in and out. Like someone smeared Vaseline over their eyeballs out of spite.

☽ Their body just hurts. Not a dramatic pain, just the “why does my skeleton feel like it’s buzzing?” pain.

☽ Food cravings go feral. They’d fight someone for a stale cookie.

☽ Terrible choices. They will absolutely say “I’m fine” while making decisions that end in disaster.

☽ Random emotional implosions. Crying because their sock feels wrong? Yes.

☽ Cold hands. Cold feet. Cold heart. (Okay maybe not the last one, but it feels like it.)

dogpuppy

deverauxwrites-deactivated20251

So, you have to kill off a character 🔪🖤

1. Silence > Scream ❖ Don’t let anyone shout “NOOO!” like it’s a bad soap opera. ❖ The gut-punch comes from stillness. A friend realizing the body isn’t moving. A hand slipping from theirs. A breath that doesn’t come back. ❖ Example: “He waited for the next rise of her chest. It never came.”

2. Subtle Details, Not Monologues ❖ Avoid characters delivering five-minute speeches about how much the dead one meant. That’s cheese-drenched exposition. ❖ Instead: show someone trying to tie their shoes with shaking hands. Or refusing to leave the body. Or pocketing some tiny keepsake.

3. Physicality Over Words ❖ Grief is ugly in the body before it’s in the mouth. ❖ Numb fingers. Stomach drop. Knees buckling against a wall. ❖ The best line might be no line at all—just the sound of someone struggling to breathe.

4. Aftermath, Not Just Death ❖ Don’t zoom out as soon as the heart monitor flatlines. The power is in the next five minutes. ❖ How do the survivors react differently? The sarcastic one goes silent. The stoic one cracks. The optimist starts cleaning blood off their hands like if they scrub hard enough, it won’t be real.

5. Tone, Not Tropes ❖ Kill cliché phrases: “Don’t leave me,” “Stay with me,” “No, God please no!” ❖ Replace with something raw and specific: - “You were supposed to outlive us all, you stubborn bastard.” - “Don’t you dare make me the one to tell her.”

seeingteacupsindragons

Was wishing there was a positivity post for original fiction writers since I see so many about how fanfic writers are doing so much for their communities even when they're not actively writing, and then I thought:

Be the change you want to see in the world.

So this is a positivity post for the writers out here who are working very hard on stories with no established community. Who can't talk about their blorbos and plot lines and brainstorming to anyone and expect them to know what any of it means. Who don't have much to share publicly, but are hoping they will one day.

You're doing a lot of hard work, and I recognize and appreciate what you're putting into the world, even when you're resting.

the-golden-comet

Reblogging for all of my Original Fiction mutuals. I see you. I love your works. You’re working hard, and I RESPECT you 👏👏👏

maki505-deactivated20260306

it’s sunday, october 12, and i still don’t know how to sleep early.

i still love reading—never my own works, never my own words—but i think i’m slowly learning to be gentler to myself.

i still have anxiety. i still never know how to properly start a small talk, or how to keep one, but i’m pretty great at talking about love and death and geography, probably.

palestine is still not free. america is still not a great place to live in. there are still too many injustices and cruelties in the world without consequences.

it’s funny, though, how the only social media app i used to have was reddit, and now i’m constantly on tumblr and weverse, and lately even on twitter, though i’m still convinced it’s not for me.

but maybe that’s the point: things change. quietly, stubbornly, all at once and not at all. someday i’ll learn how to talk to people. someday i’ll love reading my own words.

someday there will be peace.

and someday, when the world feels a little softer and the noise in my head grows kind—

i’ll sleep early.

heartstationw

In the meantime, I can love reading your words for the both of us. As I said before, feeling full doesn't feel as heavy as empty does and your words are filled with depth and substance enough to keep me grounded. I hope your better days are chasing you as much as you are chasing them 💕

luna-azzurra

Bitter Outbursts

✮ "Oh, now you care? Where was that when I actually needed you?"

✮ "Don’t you dare act like the victim, you lit the match."

✮ "If you think I’m going to forgive you just because you’re sorry, you’re dumber than I thought."

✮ "You don’t love me. You love the version of me that didn’t talk back."

✮ "Every apology from you feels like a bandage on a bullet wound."

✮ "Do you even hear yourself, or do you just love the sound of your own excuses?"

✮ "I gave you everything, and you gave me nothing but regrets."

✮ "Don’t pretend this didn’t break me. You broke me."

✮ "You only want me now because you can’t stand losing."

✮ "Stop acting like the hero. You’re the reason I needed saving."

✮ "You don’t get to walk away clean. Not this time."

✮ "All your promises turned to ash the second things got hard."

✮ "You wanted the truth? You’re a coward, and I hate you for it."

✮ "You left me in the dark and still expect me to thank you for the light."

✮ "I’m not your second chance. I’m not your anything anymore."

✮ "You’ll never know the damage you’ve done, because you never cared to look."

✮ "You always come back when it’s convenient. I’m done being convenient."

✮ "You don’t get to miss me. You chose to lose me."

✮ "You wanted honesty? Fine. I wish I’d never met you."

luna-azzurra

On writing Nightmares

☽ the impossible logic that makes sense in the dream but collapses when you wake.

☽ running fast but somehow not moving at all.

☽ teeth falling out, hair unraveling, doors melting into walls, the body as a horror show.

☽ familiar places twisted into something wrong: your house, but endless hallways; your school, but empty.

☽ monsters that are blurry but terrifying, because your brain fills in the worst.

☽ screaming as loud as you can but no sound comes out.

falling forever and never hitting the ground.

☽ waking up breathless, heart hammering, body drenched in sweat.

☽ fragments sticking with you all day, a face, a sound, a feeling you can’t shake.

☽ confusing the dream with memory; wondering if it really happened.

☽ the relief of waking up, immediately followed by dread as you realize the dream mood lingers.

☽ trying to explain it to someone else and realizing how absurd it sounds.

☽ dreaming about people you know, but they act wrong, uncanny, cruel.

☽ dream logic deaths that feel real grief.

☽ sleep paralysis: the in-between, trapped in your body while the nightmare leaks into reality.

☽ nights when the same dream loops, like a broken record you can’t escape.

☽ the fear of falling back asleep and picking up where it left off.

writing-chats

the look of love (for writers)

"it's all in the eyes i was once told"

catching the stare of someone across a crowded room

subtle furrowing of eyebrows beyond a blank facade

coldness easing into warmth

a fond mothering gaze

corner of the lip nudged upward

forced glower/glare as they break underneath

batting their lashes, playful

a boisterous laugh

intrigue piercing the stoic

proud smugness at the other's success

lingering glances

a childish joy bursting through

pupils dilate

eyelids shut in a look of peace, calm and trust

look of longing/betrayal

"there was once a time when they were mine"

terseness

features fold into a scowl

an urgent flinching back

coldness returns (as though the warmth had never come)

lips part then purse

invasion of shock

slow stare at the floor

the ripple effect of a swallow

frustrated breath/sigh

bitter laugh in reminiscence

dread tearing through the seams of their composure

look of hatred

"darkness"

mean smirk- teeth bared grimace- scowl

dismissive gaze

gaze of contempt/impatience

threat lowering the voice

sardonic goading grins verging on manic

rolling one's eyes

flicker of irritation in the eyes

stares stubbornly ahead despite distraction

gritted teeth, clenched jaw

fierce biting remarks

even measured complexions betraying no thought

strangling oneself back from violence

utter apathy

murderous silence hanging in the stare

snobbish laughter

smiling at another's downfall

luna-azzurra

Ways to Show a Character is Falling in Love and Doesn’t Want To ...

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They notice the sound of their name in that person’s mouth and hate that it sounds better. Like their name was meant to be said that way.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They start to dress better when they might see them, subconsciously at first. “Oh, this old thing?” Sure. The old thing you ironed twice.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their laugh becomes a trigger. Not in the trauma sense, in the “I suddenly forgot how to breathe and now I want to die” sense.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Every conversation feels like walking a tightrope between wanting to tease and wanting to touch.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They say they don’t care, but they’re paying way too much attention. Who they’re talking to. How they’re smiling. Who made them smile.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They avoid them, dramatically, stupidly and it physically hurts. Like withdrawal. They’ll literally hide behind shelves, peek around corners, act like a spy in their own life.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They start saying their name too often. “Oh, yeah, Alex said that too.” “Alex likes that band.” “Alex once...” Shut up, my dude. Please.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They mock them to their friends, but there’s a softness in the way they do it. A little too much affection in the “ugh, they’re so annoying.”

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their stomach does that thing, you know the one, when they catch their scent on something, and it’s not even strong, just a hint, and suddenly they’re useless for the next ten minutes.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They overthink texts. “Okay, no emojis looks cold. Too many looks desperate. Maybe one. No, zero. Period. Wait, does the period look aggressive?”

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They dream about them, not even romantically, just constantly. Their brain won’t let them rest.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their jealousy doesn’t make sense. “Why are you talking to them?” “Because they’re a person.” “Oh, right, cool, yeah, totally fine, no reason, haha.” (proceeds to spiral internally).

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They act colder, on purpose. But it’s performative. The kind of detachment that’s practically begging to be noticed.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They start arguments for no reason. Because fighting feels easier than confessing.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They imagine kissing them during fights. Yes, during. It’s sick. They hate it.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They think about what they’d say if they ever got drunk enough to tell the truth. Then immediately pray that moment never comes.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their pulse spikes when their phone buzzes. It’s embarrassing how fast they grab it. And when it’s not them? Oh, the rage.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They watch their every expression. Like a scientist studying a dangerous animal. “What does that smile mean? Are they flirting or just friendly?” They never know. It’s torture.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They make jokes about being heartless. “Me? Love? Gross.” Meanwhile, they’re literally halfway in love already.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They defend them when no one asked. “They’re not that bad.” Bro. No one said they were. Chill.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They keep trying to rationalize it, listing all the reasons it can’t work, all the flaws they can find, like that’ll stop the feeling. It won’t.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They flinch when someone else flirts with them, then pretend they didn’t notice.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They convince themselves the other person doesn’t feel the same, because that’s safer than hoping.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their denial becomes its own obsession. “It’s not like that.” “It’s nothing.” “I don’t even like them.” Said for the fiftieth time this week.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They get defensive when someone points it out. “Me? Them? You’re insane.” They’re not.

writingpromptaday

A hitman takes their kids out trick-or-treating and can't help but offer critique every time they see blood splatter decorations. The color is off. The droplets are all wrong. They don't even try to get the smell right!

573p5

Moscow, Russia - October 2025

luna-azzurra

Soft little character quirks

✮ always carries tissues and ends up mothering the whole friend group

✮ has a playlist for everything (rainy mornings, making pasta, folding laundry)

✮ says “bless you” to sneezes on TV

✮ talks to plants like they’re roommates

✮ gets excited over new stationery like it’s treasure

✮ keeps their tea/coffee at the “perfect sip” temperature and brags about it

✮ collects postcards but never mails them

✮ always has candy in their bag “just in case”

✮ buys socks with silly patterns and treats them like rare finds

✮ hums while doing chores without realizing

✮ insists on stopping to pet every cat, even the ones that clearly don’t want it

✮ folds receipts into tiny squares and hides them in random pockets

✮ bakes way too much and then panics, handing leftovers to everyone they know

✮ gets emotional over sunsets like it’s the first one they’ve ever seen

✮ has one old stuffed animal they cannot sleep without

✮ keeps saying “one more chapter” and suddenly it’s 3 a.m.

✮ hoards jars for “future use” but never actually uses them

✮ sends friends pictures of clouds because “this one looks like a dragon”

✮ keeps mismatched mugs because “they each have a personality”

luna-azzurra

On writing hate

༒ the way their name tastes bitter in your character’s mouth, like a word they only spit out.

༒ that stiff smile reserved only for them. it’s venom.

༒ noticing every single flaw: the too-loud laugh, the tapping foot, the way they breathe. hate turns people into critics.

༒ overhearing them praised and thinking: if only you knew.

༒ the satisfaction of catching them make a mistake, even a small one, and filing it away for later.

༒ those accidental moments of eye contact that feel like a duel.

༒ the petty thrill of calling them by their full name instead of their nickname.

༒ conversation with them feels like walking barefoot on broken glass: sharp, tense, and bleeding patience.

༒ imagining clever comebacks hours later, because hate fuels rehearsals.

༒ taking the long way around a room just to avoid brushing shoulders.

༒ hearing their voice and immediately wanting to leave, no matter how comfortable you were before.

༒ remembering every single thing they ever said wrong, forever.

༒ laughter that’s too sharp, too quick, every joke at their expense sharpened like a blade.

༒ the subtle joy of withholding kindness: not passing the salt, not holding the door.

༒ hating them so much it almost feels like love, because obsession lives in both.

༒ the relief of silence once they’re gone, like a room airing out after smoke.

thewriteadviceforwriters

Other Words for "Look" + With meanings | List for writers

Many people create lists of synonyms for the word 'said,' but what about the word 'look'? Here are some synonyms that I enjoy using in my writing, along with their meanings for your reference. While all these words relate to 'look,' they each carry distinct meanings and nuances, so I thought it would be helpful to provide meanings for each one.

Gaze - To look steadily and intently, especially in admiration or thought.

Glance - A brief or hurried look.

Peek - A quick and typically secretive look.

Peer - To look with difficulty or concentration.

Scan - To look over quickly but thoroughly.

Observe - To watch carefully and attentively.

Inspect - To look at closely in order to assess condition or quality.

Stare - To look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something.

Glimpse - To see or perceive briefly or partially.

Eye - To look or stare at intently.

Peruse - To read or examine something with great care.

Scrutinize - To examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

Behold - To see or observe a thing or person, especially a remarkable one.

Witness - To see something happen, typically a significant event.

Spot - To see, notice, or recognize someone or something.

Contemplate - To look thoughtfully for a long time at.

Sight - To suddenly or unexpectedly see something or someone.

Ogle - To stare at in a lecherous manner.

Leer - To look or gaze in an unpleasant, malicious way.

Gawk - To stare openly and stupidly.

Gape - To stare with one's mouth open wide, in amazement.

Squint - To look with eyes partially closed.

Regard - To consider or think of in a specified way.

Admire - To regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval.

Skim - To look through quickly to gain superficial knowledge.

Reconnoiter - To make a military observation of a region.

Flick - To look or move the eyes quickly.

Rake - To look through something rapidly and unsystematically.

Glare - To look angrily or fiercely.

Peep - To look quickly and secretly through an opening.

Focus - To concentrate one's visual effort on.

Discover - To find or realize something not clear before.

Spot-check - To examine something briefly or at random.

Devour - To look over with eager enthusiasm.

Examine - To inspect in detail to determine condition.

Feast one's eyes - To look at something with great enjoyment.

Catch sight of - To suddenly or unexpectedly see.

Clap eyes on - To suddenly see someone or something.

Set eyes on - To look at, especially for the first time.

Take a dekko - Colloquial for taking a look.

Leer at - To look or gaze in a suggestive manner.

Rubberneck - To stare at something in a foolish way.

Make out - To manage to see or read with difficulty.

Lay eyes on - To see or look at.

Pore over - To look at or read something intently.

Ogle at - To look at in a lecherous or predatory way.

Pry - To look or inquire into something in a determined manner.

Dart - To look quickly or furtively.

Drink in - To look at with great enjoyment or fascination.

Bask in - To look at or enjoy something for a period of time.

Calling all aspiring storytellers with hearts full of whimsy! Get ready to sprinkle a touch of enchantment into your scenes with my Scene Wo

683 members, 435 posts about #creative writing #creative writers #helping writers • Guiding Writers to New Heights

nondelphic

being a writer is just switching between “i am a literary god” and “why did i write this sentence like an alien who’s never met language.” there is no in between.

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