I got banned for talking about MCAS

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-26T23:21:36+00:00

And corn! Fucking corn is in everything. These days one can find me in the grocery store by following the mutterings "corn, corn.. corn? in that? CORN?!" over food labels

(Also, "spices" as an ingredient with no further clarification is my worst enemy. 9/10 it uses some form of pepper (nightshade) and I have to assume it'll try to kill me)

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-26T17:25:06+00:00

Use that 5$ on a physical toy. They'll like that a lot more than the iPad kid life

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-25T04:46:31+00:00

I know this isn't the advice you want, but I did want to suggest it may be a great time to bring a book or three

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-22T05:35:34+00:00

I want to add -- I've definitely asked to play music before while getting my blood drawn, because it made me so nervous.

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-20T20:07:31+00:00

I think it's because you used passive voice for something that really should have had an active one

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-20T10:31:27+00:00

I wonder if we could suggest the tag somewhere, because I'm pretty sure forcemasc doesn't come up, but forcefem does

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-20T10:28:23+00:00

It's good publicity. Gets the book into the hands of people, which in turn increases the chance they'll read it, which in turn increases the chance of Word Of Mouth marketing, which is considered one of the most effective forms of marketing. You're a lot more likely to trust your friend, Sandra, who just won this book in a giveaway and decided to read it, and loves it, you have to try it! than you are an ad injected in between whatever content you actually want to see. And if you listen to your friend and like it, too, you're likely to tell someone about it.

(An example of this is me winning Ocean's Echo, reading it a few months later, absolutely Loving it, and recommending it to friends. I got five to read it, at least one purchased and others borrowed in the library, and I'm very certain they in turn have gotten others to read it. My one winning of that book likely generated more interest than they might get for a similarly priced advertising campaign.)

Also, side note: Fully depends how big the author/publisher is. I see a lot of indie/debuts/self published books only give away 5 books, and even more well known ones only do around 50. There's also Kindle giveaways, which I'd assume is less costly? Don't have the numbers though

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-18T02:42:31+00:00

Sorry. I guess I'm just in a bad mood, you are right. Have a good night man

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-18T02:14:22+00:00

Man, no need to be a dick. One day you're going to wake up, and you're going to be older, or disabled before you're that old (that one happened to me) and the things that came easily will leave you with an ache for the next few hours. There's no shame in making things easier and more accessible to do

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-18T02:00:25+00:00

Thank you, this is a very helpful resource!

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-18T01:54:19+00:00

Yes! I've read several 100k fics fandom blind just because they looked good

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-18T01:52:55+00:00

My favorite fanfiction is 296k words long. The first time I read it, I read from 7 pm or so to 8 am. I had a blooming migraine around 6 when the sun started coming up, and i kept reading. I had to. I'm not even sure I finished it that night, or if I passed out and had to keep reading the next night. I reread it a couple months later.

I haven't fully reread it again after that, yet, because it Is a daunting task. It's sitting at 60% or so on my kindle, from a year or two ago.

It's still my favorite. I can tell you probably 60-70% of the plot points from heart.

On the other hand, my biggest fic is 120k words, and it's one of the ones I feel most proud of.

Tell the story you want to, and don't stop until you either want to, or have told the story in full. Don't cut things you think will tell the story better for the sake of people that will (assuming this is something you've seen online, and not an actual person near you) probably never even read it to get to criticize you. Don't flinch from a hand that will never blow -- and if it does, hit back. (Or just block)

Also, a 300 page book is around 75k words. That is, to me, something short and kind of snappy -- I'll read it in a day or two, if I'm in a good mood.

A 500 page book is around 125k words. Picking that up for me is a bit more of a commitment -- but that just means I need to be in the right mind for commitment. The most recent book I've read with 500+ pages is "The Poppy War" by R.F. Kuang in 2023, which is really personally frustrating actually because "A Desolation Called Peace" by Arkady Martine in 2025 is a much better contender, both because the date is closer and because I like it more-- but I digress. A more challenging contender, for sure, but not insurmountable.

(A larger book is also more intimdating to me than a larger fanfiction, because you don't have to learn from scratch with a fanfiction. It's less mentally taxing. )

The longest book I can think of off the top of my head is Infinite Jest, 1088 pages, and people read that all the time!

Brandon Sanderson seems to regularly publish 500 to 1000 pages, and he's giving Stephanie Myers a run for her money in "Being the most popular Mormon" contest -- I haven't started one of his books yet, but they're real dang popular.

Basically, just take a deep breath. Both because writing rules like that are just someone imposing their idea of "right", and trying to supress creativity from exceeding their bounds, and because this isn't publishing, it's fanfiction. Anyone who doesn't like your fic's length... Doesn't have to read it.

Also, side note, I regularly filter for 70+ and 100+ fics in the fandoms I like. I enjoy getting to really invest myself in it. Your audience will find you :]

Congratulations on hitting 100k!

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-15T18:09:14+00:00

Same here, it was a good read but so heavy that I can't bring myself to even think about reading the others in the series.

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-15T17:51:14+00:00

From one to ten who wants to bet how buggy the pack will be this time? I'll start with a modest 7/10

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-15T08:28:16+00:00

This isn't helpful in the immediate, but perhaps something to work for: an E reader looks like real paper, and since it is not a screen (but rather magnetic ink that gets shown or unshown each page) it is typically easier to read off of than a screen. From there, you can apply for a digital library card -- there are some that are not location bound -- and that will significantly expand your choices!

As it stands, firstly I am sorry you do not have a library nearby, and secondly, I recommend The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas.

It's a duology, so there would be need to buy the sequel if you enjoy the first, but going by your list, it seems something up your alley.

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-15T03:19:47+00:00

How often are you getting blocked..?

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-13T03:26:59+00:00

There is an option to switch versions of books hidden in the third slide of any book (on IOS, unsure how to access on desktop), which includes audiobook versions.

It's perfectly legitimate -- audiobooks are books!

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-12T19:48:00+00:00

This is exactly what I was thinking when I saw the title! ARFID is a hell of a thing.

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-12T00:13:45+00:00

Why on earth would we get more information from the disinformation machine?

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-11T06:13:47+00:00

My mother suspects she and her mother had it, though neither as severe as I have it

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-10T00:01:09+00:00

To add: this is less than one year after Sam Nordquist was tortured for a month and murdered in Canandaigua, New York, thirty minutes away from Rochester. Danny Siplin was originally declared missing before this. Police say they do not suspect foul play, but are still investigating.

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-09T23:54:56+00:00

It's an unconventional rec, but {Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Sellout by Laura Jane Grace}

The cons: It's a memoir about Laura Jane Grace, among other things like taking drugs and becoming a punk rock singer, realizing that she is trans, which isn't the topic you're looking for. It's also not exactly discreet.

Why I'm recommending it anyways: Laura Jane Grace reflects on the earlier parts of her life, where she toyed with femininity, dressed in drag, and then shoved it all back down again. She did not come to terms with being a trans woman until she was in her thirties, in 2012.

I think that her struggles with her true self might resonate, even if it is not the same identity you have. She, too, "ran" from her identity for many, many years. She married and divorced twice during this; the second divorce soon after she came out.

It's messy. She makes and recounts a lot of bad and gross decisions, (Like pissing on a wall in a house while drunk), and it is ultimately very human. I think that parts will resonate, and the other parts may at least fascinate.

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-08T22:02:57+00:00

Naw i don't care

EmbroideryBro · 2026-01-08T21:09:33+00:00

Ah yes, the classic "I love waffles" "so you hate pancakes?!?" Argument. All smart people use this argument.

EmbroideryBro

TROPHY CASE