"this character acted irrationally and i don't like it :/" people act irrationally in real life all the time. why do you want stories to be boring. "it made me uncomfortable" GOOD. learn to be uncomfortable from harmless fictional situations and perhaps you'll handle yourself better next time you're uncomfortable irl
sad when you go back to dismantle an earlier draft for parts and encounter a section that's both entirely obsolete and maybe one of the loveliest passages you've ever written
Piece of advice to all writers who need a cover but don’t have the money to hire an artist: use the public domain.
Online, you can find quite a lot databases for photography in the public domain that you could use (always check their specific rules regarding commercial use), like Pixabay, Unsplash, or Pexels.
But, even a tad more charming, there are also hundreds of thousands of paintings in the public domain. If the artist has been dead for over 70 years, the image is (typically) in the public domain and can be used however you want it. This is not a new concept, big publishers like Penguin and the Oxford’s World Classics do the same!
When you use such images, always make sure that
1. the painting really is in the public domain (sometimes the art itself may be in the public domain, but the photograph you are using to see it is not!),
and 2. that it is an appropriate image. Sometimes, an image may look innocent and fitting, but would actually cause irritation, like accidentally using a painting of siblings for a romance or using a controversial image for different reasons.
Some places you can find art in the public domain (always double check!): National Gallery of Art, Artvee, Public Domain Image Archive, and most websites of bigger museums.
[Prompt Calender: April 23rd, World Book and Copyright Day]
a clarification: if something is in the public domain, that means nobody holds the copyright on that thing anymore. this is not the same thing as the thing being available for anyone to use as long as they follow the rules.
the entire reason photographers put their work on places such as Unsplash and Wikimedia Commons is to make the photos available for anyone to use as long as they follow the rules. each photo being helpfully labeled with what the rules are, which on Unsplash is usually either (a) "pay for a license", or (b) "free with attribution for non-commercial use, but for commercial use, pay for a license". note that non-commercial use of a category b photo is still a licensed use, it's just a different license.
on Wikimedia Commons, many photos are in the public domain, thus available for anyone with no rules to follow. the rules on the rest vary, but Wikimedia Commons requires those rules to include that modified versions of these photos must also be available for anyone to use and modify. again, that's licensed use. that's the copyright holder saying it's available for anyone to use, here's the rules. anything in the public domain, there are no rules because there is no copyright holder.
I would be very surprised to learn any images available on Unsplash are in the public domain.
Everyone keeps talking about "the writer's barely disguised fetish". But I still haven't heard about "the writer's barely disguised huge ass pet peeve"
wanting ao3 to go against its own anti censorship stance and start banning fics you don’t like is like walking into an orgy or a brothel and expecting the place to be family friendly.
tell me you don’t know why ao3 was created in the first place without telling me you don’t know why ao3 was created in the first place
Because I personally find robots with human genitalia something more hilarious than sexy, I decided to share my personal headcanons.
It's important to note, that for Cybertronians, the word "interface" does NOT mean "sex". It means intercourse. While for humans this word primarily refers to sexual intercourse, for Cybertronians the sexual definition of this word is actually much lesser used. Interfacing is something all bots do, be it for medical or relaxation purposes, be it alone, with other bots or with nonsentient systems. Interfacing is not a taboo or something that is exclusively kept behind closed doors, it's done for many reasons and in many ways.
Content warning for me writing technological word salad that just sounded nice.
Inner thigh ports/cables; pleasure and relaxation system array. Referred to medically as the luxus array, or colloquially as the "lux jack". This is an AUXILIARY interface.
Positioned along the inner thigh plating where armor is thinner and sensory density is higher, these ports are optimized for low-voltage-high-feedback signal exchange. The surrounding conduit mesh is lined with responsive filament wiring designed to distribute soothing charge pulses across all localized systems. Activation of the luxus array promotes system-wide pleasure and/or relaxation, easing processor strain and reducing micro-tension within joint servos. While not critical for survival, regular use can improve long-term performance stability and emotional regulation subroutines.
Back of helm ports/cables; memory/neural data transfer system. Referred to medically as the cortical array, or colloquially as the "mind jack". This is a VITAL interface.
Located at the rear base of the helm near the primary processor housing, these ports are heavily shielded and deeply integrated into neural pathways. The cortical array enables direct exchange of memory files, sensory logs, and higher-order cognition data between units or external systems. Due to its proximity to core identity matrices, improper access can result in memory corruption or personality drift. For this reason, most models include layered security protocols and encryption safeguards that can only be bypassed by mnemosurgeons. The mind jack is essential for advanced communication, diagnostics, and archival backup procedures.
Under chestplate ports/cables; recharge feedline/coupling system. Referred to medically as a recharge conduit, or colloquially as the "charge dock". This is a VITAL interface.
Situated beneath the chestplate near the spark chamber, this interface is designed for efficient energy transfer and sustained recharge cycles. The conduit links directly to the primary energon distribution network, allowing for rapid power/energy intake and balanced flow regulation. Structural reinforcement around the port protects it during high-demand operations, while adaptive seals maintain internal pressure stability. The charge dock supports both solo recharge stations and paired energy-sharing configurations, making it indispensable for maintaining operational readiness.
Hip, neck and wrist ports/cables; defrag link array for general maintenance. Referred to medically as the stability array, or colloquially as a "'frag jack" (as in Defrag jack). These are MAINTENANCE interfaces.
Distributed across key articulation points, these smaller ports provide access to localized systems for diagnostics, recalibration, and code defragmentation. Each node connects to subsystem clusters responsible for movement precision, balance, and feedback response. When linked, the stability array can offload corrupted data fragments, realign motor functions, and smooth out latency inconsistencies. Though individually minor, together they form a network crucial for routine upkeep and long-term mechanical integrity.
Pelvic port and cable (only naturally possessed by non–Cold Constructed bots, but others might have them installed); used for imprinting on other bots and deeper physical bonding*. Medically referred to as the nexum conduit, colloquially referred to as many things, including the simplest "plug & port". This is an AUXILIARY interface.
*Can be utilized with or without the addition of a connected lux jack, frag jack, charge dock and/or mind jack. Direct connection without a cable adaptor can lead to system override or virus. Safe practices recommended.
Positioned within the lower pelvic assembly and often shielded by layered plating, the nexum conduit is designed for high-bandwidth, deeply integrated system linking. Unlike other interfaces, it facilitates simultaneous data, sensory, and varied-level signal exchange, enabling the formation of persistent bonds or imprinting sequences between units. The conduit’s architecture includes adaptive protocols that attempt to synchronize any compatible systems, though mismatched configurations can result in feedback loops or temporary loss of autonomy. Due to this, the nexum conduit has safety governors, signal dampeners, and identity locks to prevent unauthorized access or harmful overload during connection.
bestie boo, let me fill you in on something: if you're going to take any part of 'good grammar' and randomly assign it to She's A Witch! AI, you might as well give up. It's over. You're cooked. Anyone who has spent the last decade or more learning to type properly, anyone who has spent any time writing articles/papers/essays that require you to use 'good grammar' is going to fall into that 'oh no it might be AI' trap.
Stop hunting like it's 1692. You're not going to find Goody Proctor at the ChatGPT sacrament. What you're going to do is exactly what happened back then: harming people who've done nothing wrong.
tangentwithtanner
janainaart
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