"I guess I just like liking things."

INFJ, Midwestern United States. I love writing, baking, visiting New York City, exploring new places, birds, dogs, and Broadway musicals (The Book of Mormon and The Great Comet are my two most favorite things in the world). I like things that make me laugh.

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

Update: Four States Chapter 60

I gots a new one done!

Four States One Journey, Chapter 60: The Yassification of Kevin Price

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

I have a beef to pick with authors. American authors, to be exact. I’m sure other authors do it too, but I’m ignorant to it so they get a pass. I love reading. And I have read many good authors. But this is an annoying trend I’ve noticed among even some great authors. Many authors have no idea what the fuck “rural” or “small town” means.

You ever read a book or something where the character repeatedly references their small-town rural life, and then you find out their hometown is, like, Ann Arbor MI or Boulder CO or Naperville IL or something like that? I need authors who grew up in suburbs of large cities (or places that are little cities in and of themselves) to stop calling that small-town rural living. Here’s a good rule of thumb: if the place you are writing about has 2-plus Walmarts and a Target, it is NOT rural. True small towns celebrate when they get an Arby’s attached to their zip code. Or they riot in the form of annoyed letters to the editor, depending upon the nature of the town.

Ann Arbor MI = not rural 🚫

Pittsford MI = rural ✅

Naperville IL = not rural 🙅‍♀️

Mendota IL = rural 🙆‍♀️

Boulder CO = not rural ⛔️

Lake City CO = rural 🆗

And it doesn’t just happen with suburbs and little cities, lol. I’ve seen places like Albuquerque NM, Columbus OH, and Tulsa OK described as “rural” even though they are cities with 400,000-plus people and over a million in their metro areas. I see this happen so often that I’m tempted to start a blog called “my small-town Seattle life” that just makes fun of this trope in various ways.

None of this is that serious, at all, but it is my pet peeve so just gotta get that off my chest, lmao.

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

So I’m working on the next Four States chapter right now, and it randomly has an entire passage I made up for the Book of Arnold in it, and it is so dumb and dorky and I’m really excited for people to read it.

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

Recently remembered Four States, One Journey and how much it meant to me. I loved reading it, and hope you've been doing well the past few years/

Hi! Thank you so much, and I'm so glad you loved reading four states. I'm not sure if you still want to keep reading it, but I did post a new chapter with some explanation of why I've basically disappeared for a few years. Things are getting better now. Thanks again!

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

Hey, I hope that you’re doing well! I know that you don’t know me but I read Four States, One Journey and loved it! It’s my favorite fic ever. I really hope that you do continue it, but if you don’t I understand. I was just wondering if it’s ever going to be finished. I hope that you have a great day and take care! <3

Hi! Omg, I haven’t logged into tumblr in forever. I’m so glad you love Four States! Back when you first sent this, I was in a terrible mindset for a lot of reasons, and this fic was the furthest thing from my mind. But now I’m starting to feel like myself again, and I think I can do it! A new chapter was just posted. Thanks again!

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

Update: Four States Ch 59

To anyone still following me or still reading this, I did not die. But it’s been a rough few years. Basically I feel like I lost a few years of my life in a giant blur. Long story short, I moved twice due to job changes and was helping to care for a very close sick family member (one of my step-parents, who I think of more as a full parent) who recently passed. It just sucked all creativity and motivation out of me for a very long time.

But I finally got the writing bug again and got back to work. I don’t know how many people are still interested in reading this because it’s been like 100 years, but I’m not giving up on it! I’m not gonna be the quick lest because I’m way overextended at work and juggling my original writing with this, but I’ll keep going, I promise.

Anyway, new chapter is up. You can read it on AO3 here:

Chapter 59: Little Laddy

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

Just wanted to say I enjoy four states so much and am super excited for another chapter:) also am super pumped up about seeing an original work of yours because your writing is so good!!

Thank you! I've been enjoying writing it :)

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

Info Regarding Four States

Y'all, it probably seems like this fic is dead but IT IS NOT 😃😃😃

So basically, I've had a crazy year with my job, with my family, and with some other stuff that led to quite a bit of burnout. I've also been researching and planning an original piece, which diverted a lot of my attention (for that, I've had to learn a ton about areas I previously had little to no knowledge of, like international politics, the music industry, organized crime, fun stuff like that). And while I'm still working on that piece and things are still crazy in my life (isn't that how it is for us all now???), I was able to get some of my Four States inspiration back. I'm not sure how many people are still interested in reading, but if you are, I should have another chapter up soon.

FYI, we start Part 3 (aka State 3) in the next chapter. Part 3 does have more time skips than the previous two parts. Basically, as the characters age into full adulthood, they're naturally gonna have more monotony in their daily lives, so we've gotta jump ahead occasionally to keep things interesting.

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

Just wanted to say that I LOVE Four States One Journey! It’s my absolute favourite fic ever and you write it so incredibly - it’s exam season atm and I haven’t been able to concentrate on revising because all I’ve been able to think about is reading it 😂 thank you so much for taking the time to write it and I really hope you do carry on with it because I adore it and would LOVE to see it through to its conclusion ❤️

Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it. I'll get it updated soon, I promise 😊

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

Update: Four States Ch 58

The next chapter is up!

Chapter 58: Five Hundred Seventy-One Miles

[doggosource]

[veryharam]

I hate rich white people

[shadio]

I don’t please donate to my PayPal

[historyandmemes]

Jfc 😂 (tweet)

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

I loved the plot twist in your latest chapter: honestly, I always thought that if this wasn't a McPriceley story, Brynn and Kevin would end up together. Needless to say, I'm glad you said it wouldn't be permanent, but I am excited to see how this turn of events plays out! Also, I love how in 4S1J you reference the two years the main characters spent in Uganda together; would you ever share more of your head canons here on your blog?

Thanks! Kevin and Brynn are fun to write. I’ve always enjoyed working with characters that have a deep emotional connection that isn’t romantic (especially when it’s a guy and a girl), because I feel like sometimes those relationships are overlooked in a lot of media.

I don’t know if you’ve seen them, but I did have a few headcanons that I posted a while back (although a lot weren’t from the Uganda years): http://strengthsbasedmediocrity.tumblr.com/fourstatesheadcanons. I might add more if I get the time to sit down and write any out. Again, thanks! 

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

I think it's amazing that you'e written something so long. What's your process? How do you write a chapter?

Thank you! As for my writing process, it honestly varies. I’ll try to describe it as best I can. 

My writing has been a lot more sporadic than it used to be. Back when I first began writing 4S, I had fewer time commitments and was able to sit down and crank a lot out at once. That was also the only piece I was working on. Now, I have to write in shorter bursts here and there. I also have some original work that will probably take me a thousand years to finish and won’t be in the public eye for a very, very long time, so my writing time gets split between that and 4S. 

I know where 4S ultimately ends, so I have a general understanding of what I want to get out of a chapter before I begin working on it. So then it’s mainly about fleshing out the little details before sitting down and forcing myself to crank out as much as I can in the time that I have in that moment. I don’t always start with the beginning of the chapter; if a middle part is coming easier to me at that time, then I’ll work with that and backtrack later. Also dialogue is much easier for me than description, and it almost always comes first. I usually end up writing out all the dialogue for a section first, and then I’ll go back and fill in everything else.   

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

I've been very sporadically on Tumblr recently and have been horrible about checking my asks. I just realized I have several that have gone unanswered, so sorry about that! It wasn't intentional . I'm gonna try to get them answered now.

[strengthsbasedmediocrity]

hi i just want to pop on in here and say that 4S is my actual favorite fic of all time. it's so extremely well written and well researched and i absolutely love it. i currently live and have lived my whole life in the salt lake city area of utah, and it's incredible how accurate everything you write about life here is. thank you so much for this incredible fic and i hope with everything you have that you never stop writing.

Thank you so much! I haven't been able to write as quickly as I used to, but I'll definitely keep working on Four States :)