Welcome

It's great you've been motivated to write the book again! What helped you get back into it? Your prior comment on how the craft of writing is undervalued in this digital age left an impression. I feel we are on the cusp of an era promising some wild, alarming possibilities. It's easy to feel anxious or lose hope. I worry my approach to making a living will be rendered obsolete in the next decade, and be forced to adapt to a new world using old skills. I always did prefer paper books to digital.

Generally speaking, my tried-and-true method of working through any mental block is to develop a bigger and better perspective. Yes, we are on the cusp. When a dramatic change descends upon people, it's normal for the first reaction to be an overreaction, especially if you are among the directly impacted such as writers/authors.

Looking back at similar historical moments, the early predictions were rarely accurate because they were anxious overreactions. No matter how big the potential for change, the process of change eventually runs up against a wall of stasis, in the form of people's deeply ingrained memories, beliefs, values, and habits. (You've brought up a great example as one of many people who still prefer paper books despite the convenience, cost-savings, and widespread availability of ebooks.) Thus, in the end, though change is inevitable, it is never as fast and dramatic as people fear.

Additionally, modern culture has a short attention span, and the novelty has already started wearing off as people get more familiar with the flaws and limitations of AI. AI is not something you can rely on and trust for final answers on important matters. Mostly, it is there to remove the burden of tedious mental work, which frees up time and energy for more meaningful tasks. One reason human beings still dominate the world is their ability to "domesticate" and neutralize threats, and the process has already begun with AI.

Yes, generative AI threatens to flood society with meaningless content at best and harmful misinformation at worst. The answer to the false and the meaningless isn't to give up on truth and meaning, is it? If you believe it is a matter of grave existential importance, then the answer is to do more to ensure that truth and meaning prevail.

Donro Week Gift Day

I come bearing gift art. :O Day 7, Gift for @donro-week

Each graphic is inspired by a different creator!

For @sikyurame - A family night up on a hill to stargaze, set in the Paralyzed AU. With a special someone. ; ]

For @gyorslab - You had me at "apple farm donro!" Originally proposed a donro week much earlier on in the DT fandom, so I hope you don't mind me making a tribute to you! Would not have had the idea to run this donro week if not for you :)

For @owlsong74 - Inspired by "A Pancake-Sweet Morning". Sweet fic with a very slow, domestic donro dynamic that I adore.

For @endtr0ducin - Gyro Beats Up an Ableist, Part 2: Electric Boogaloo. Sorry Pete, someone had to play the villain for this. tw blood just in case.

If you would like to be untagged/unmentioned in this post please let me know.

QOTD: Which donro creator/fic do you recommend?

Aside from the people mentioned here, @wacky-nameless-inventor-24 and @shychick-52 write Donro fanfiction I enjoy!

Level 7 On the Danger Scale (AO3 account req.) is another fun story with DT17 Donro. As is A Nudge in the Right Direction.

There were many people who came and went making donro art and fic, and I appreciate every one of you. Also, thank you to everyone who participated in the Donro Week; you made this week full of gaiety and, well, gay birds. Two positive things!

Nights and Mornings

The next week....

The dawning horror of realising you are both night people.

QOTD below.

QOTD: What do Gyro and Donald not like in each other?

They adore each other in many regards, but when it comes to Donald's impatience and temper, plus self-loathing-fueled envy, Gyro finds himself more concerned for Donald. It's not always comfortable to watch the lengths Donald might go for a crumb of public validation. On Donald's part, he is unhappy that Gyro stretches himself out thin often, and for so little pay from Uncle Scrooge. Despite chiding him to not overwork, Gyro wants to be useful and disregards his advice. Donald always sticks up for his partner, but it creates some strain when Gyro once again retreats into the workshop for days trying to meet the quota.

For Day 2: Conflict of @donro-week

Integrating Fantasy Into Reality: Tao Tajima's Enchanting Touch On Anime

Take a look at how filmmaker Tao Tajima pushes the boundaries of anime by meaningfully bridging the gap between animation and real life!

View On WordPress

.

Donro for the thing

flexing my donro muscles right now

1. Angst: “What purpose do I have if I’m not pleasing others?” Donald asked, as Gyro, who had also dedicated his life to making others happy, failed to come up with an answer.

2. AU: “Payment is cheap as usual,” Gyro snickered as Donald gave him the money for the scrap-heap; it was only a few days later that Gyro had sold his “friend” a fully functional freeze-ray.

3. Crack!fic: “Gyro, I killed Bumbum and I need you to invent something to help hide the body!”

4. Crossover: The last thing Gyro could remember he was diligently working on an invention as Donald vented to him about his bad luck, but now the two of them were wandering in an unfamiliar forest and making their way towards a light up ahead, no, a building, no, a hotel, which they entered with confused certainty, being greated by a “Would you like a room?”

5. First Kiss: Gyro did a double take, unsure of what just happened, but saw Donald, still incredibly cheerful; well, if Donald was happy, Gyro was too.

6. Fluff: Donald was proud of himself for getting Gyro, already passed out on the hammock, to take a long deserved break; all Donald needed to do was curl around him and fall asleep himself.

7. Humor: “Let’s just say your help was a bit… counterpro-duck-tive,” Gyro said, trying to appease Donald, who would have been much happier simply being “fired.”

8. Hurt/Comfort: Donald rubbed the back of his friend, slumped over in total despair, and said one thing: “We’ll find him, I promise.”

9. Horror: Donald let out a blood-curdling scream as he felt what could only be described as his skin being pulled in every direction, which was not made any better by Gyro grabbing ahold of his midsection and frantically screaming that there was a way to fix this, but nothing could stop it now!

10. UST: “Well, you’re the one who never-” Gyro cut himself off, ending the spat, as he noticed Donald was now pinning him up against the wall.

Alflear Week (3)

Embroidery and rings

The game says Alfred keeps the Pact Ring in an embroidered bag. It also states he dislikes embroidery. He totally made that bag himself.

more @malflearweek shenanigans.

A team is formed...

ducks are not found family. ducks are forced family. by far the funnier trope

Fell Family Week!

Welcome to the Fell Family Week! Celebrate the bond between Alear, Veyle, Nel and Rafal as a family from September 9th to September 15th!

Day 1: Cozy / Masking / Journal Day 2: Spicy vs Sweet / Defect / Post-Engage Day 3: Bucket list / Mourning / Fell Xenologue Day 4: Gift / Missed opportunities / Memory Day 5: Embarassing moments / Perfect / Bad Ending Day 6: Favorite foods / Photograph / Extended Fell Family Day 7: Free!

Remember to tag @fellfamilyweek in your works and/or add #fellfamilyweek for your works to be featured!

The only rule is that because this is a week celebrating the four as a family, works containing romance between them will not be accepted. Other pairings are fine though!

(Artwork by @raikkuno)