Never Have I Felt So Much Like A Protagonist

“Fairy tale does not deny the existence of sorrow and failure: the possibility of these is necessary to the joy of deliverance. It denies (in the face of much evidence, if you will) universal final defeat…giving a fleeting glimpse of Joy; Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien.

HE DID IT FOLKS, HE DID THE THING

I used to hate it when people said the trick was to just do it until ‘do it scared’ started going around, because that’s truly it. Life didn’t start changing until I applied for jobs with one hand in front of my eyes and a trembling hand navigating my computer mouse. Or until I said everything on my mind (in moderation) with my fists clenched and my legs weak. Or until I refused to accept that I’d ‘just’ be shy forever while also kind of being nauseous at the idea of trying to be the opposite. Two things can coexist and that’s exactly the point of believing that you can do anything.

writing badly and cringily is actually an essential part of the writing process, both in terms of individual projects and in gaining voice and confidence as a writer in the long term. there is no way around the cringe. there's no way around the work.

Bilbo really is such a high-quality little person, and he amazes me again and again. Gollum was ready to go back on the deal they made, that he'd show Bilbo the way out of the mountain if he won the riddle game; he was plotting to put the ring on and slay poor Bilbo instead. Bilbo, when he was in an advantageous position to slay Gollum, would do no such thing.

When he escaped, he luckily heard voices nearby and was relieved to find that everyone had escaped too. The dwarves were arguing with Gandalf, because the latter wanted them all to go back in and find Bilbo, and one of the dwarves actually said, "If we have got to go back now into those abominable tunnels to look for him, then drat him, I say." (Its probably best that we don't know which one said it.) But right before this, Bilbo had been unsure about whether they were all still inside and he had just made up his mind to go back in and rescue them - this little hobbit, all alone.

Bilbo is loyal, brave and true; he has a deep sense of honor and won't waver from it, come what may. This is what being a hero is all about.

James Baldwin.

i think ultimately you do really have to kill that part of your brain that vividly imagines how you would redo parts of your life.

I'm just gonna keep this for someday...

this is so mean but sometimes i see published writing and suddenly no longer feel insecure about my own writing ability. like well okay that got published so im guessing i dont have much to worry about

All i wish for 2024 is every creator to start that project they’ve been thinking about, write those fics they have been planning, make messy art, and to have as little burnout as possible.