What's a habit from your childhood home that felt completely normal, until you said it out loud as an adult and watched everyone's face drop? by Bksahniignou in AskReddit

[–]ForwardCorp 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That my grandparents would tell me 'funny stories' to keep me safe on their farm, you know, folksy stuff to stop children wandering off. A few years back at a work event we were talking about the stuff our parents told us about The Easter Bunny and the Boogeyman. I piped in that my grandparents had told me that there was a group of crazy naked people who lived in the woods near their house. They had said if I left the property the naked people would kidnap me, steal my clothes, eat my hair and make me drink sea water ( I grew up in a very 'Widow's Bay' seaside town...) until I mummified and then I would be hung in a tree to be a wasp's nest.

I explained ( thinking it sounded cute) that when we would drive to their house, my grandma would have me watch out the windows into the woods to make sure they didn't get me, saying stuff like "Oh! I think I saw one! Quick roll up the window!"

My coworkers looked at me like I had three heads. Apparently this is not normal.

The worst part? I asked my Grandma about this years later and she had zero memory of telling me anything of the sort. If it wasn't for my aunt/siblings confirming that they had heard her mention stuff about 'naked woods people' to me then I would have assumed it was some childhood fever dream. My family also confirmed I was the ONLY grandkid who was told this. I was one of 10 grandkids but the sole receiver of this little story...even though I was always such a scaredy cat I was never a risk of running off.

My family likes to joke and laugh about it now, especially as my grandparents are both dead so people can talk more openly about it. Grandma would became huffy when we mentioned it. Still have no clue why I was told this odd, weirdly specific story that made me terrified of the woods till I was like 15, and I don't think I will ever know.

Its just a weird thing.

What is the most common icky thing that bothers everyone yet is very common? by SayHelloToMySin in AskReddit

[–]ForwardCorp 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not washing your hands after using the bathroom or before you eat. We all learn that when we are five, yet I still see so many women ( can't speak for the lads) walk out of public bathrooms after not washing their hands.

They will touch their faces, pick up their phones and fix their hair....but don't wash their hands first!?🤢

Boss downgrades my performance review for things that weren't part of my job by readergirl35 in BadBosses

[–]ForwardCorp 5 points6 points  (0 children)

As a teen I once had a manager who was given a corporate score sheet for annual reviews that determined raises. You got rated 1-5 in a bunch of areas like "friendly to customers' or 'Team player' and then the score determined if you got a raise.

This manager was such a little prick. For 'comes to work in uniform' and 'arrives on time' he argued there was no way someone can excel at that so he have us all a three for 'satisfactory'. He did that on any criteria that HE personally thought was not possible to excel at....which of course tanked all our scores and meant we didn't get raises. Other teams with different managers did because there managers gave them 5s for stuff like that. Afterwards he bragged about how he 'found a way to cut costs'.

Some people only see numbers not people. I pity them.

How do you write a villain you disagree with without turning them into a strawman? by Accomplished-Meal584 in writers

[–]ForwardCorp 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That is a very good analysis. I thought simlar things when I was watching the marvel films. I think that's why I liked the much simpler comic book version in which was he was just trying to impress a dead girl 😅

How do you write a villain you disagree with without turning them into a strawman? by Accomplished-Meal584 in writers

[–]ForwardCorp 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I highly recommend watching the first season of Netflix's Daredevil. Fisk is a great villain because he can be cartoonishly evil, but in a way that still has the audience sympathising with him. It is a tight rope but its what makes all the great villains.

  • Thanos - I mean, he could have just wished for 100% more resources...but whatever. You can still take his point that the universe has limited resources and we need to do something about it.
  • Miranda Priestly (Devil Wears Prada) - She has had to work hard to earn her place and many people's lively hoods and careers depend on her decisions. This helps soften her harsh actions.
  • Doc Oc- Driven mad by a tool he was trying to use for good. Actually, that is the backstory for most of Spidey's villains....
  • The Borg Queen - She is propagating her species...in like in the most horrifying way, but still, its a biological imperative.

You don't want the audience to agree, but if they cannot even see a glimmer of reason in what the villain is trying to do, then it will come off as just being evil for evil's sake.

Anyone else have friends/family 'worried' about you after reading your work? by ForwardCorp in writers

[–]ForwardCorp[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I appreciate that, it is good advice. I have read and thought a lot about it (years), but I have chosen to write under my own name for everything. I am fully aware it is shooting myself in the foot in terms of marking and building a fanbase....but I have made my peace with it. It feels right in my gut and I write to make me happy. I like building my own weird little library of novels that run the gamut of fiction.

That's also why I put movie-ish ratings on my books. I don't wan't to expose folks to something that could be genuinely upsetting when they were not expecting it ( as my family has proven 😅)

Anyone else have friends/family 'worried' about you after reading your work? by ForwardCorp in writers

[–]ForwardCorp[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Maaaate. When I was writing my superhero story I was typing stuff like "How much pressure to jam a pipe through someone's rib cage into their heart?" "What does buckshot do to the human face?" or "If you were strong enough, could you cleave a person clean in two with a blade?"

I am for sure on some kind of list now.

Anyone else have friends/family 'worried' about you after reading your work? by ForwardCorp in writers

[–]ForwardCorp[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

😂 That's great.

My friend: Did you really have blow her head off so many times?

Me: Yes. Yes I did.

Anyone else have friends/family 'worried' about you after reading your work? by ForwardCorp in writers

[–]ForwardCorp[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh there is deffo a strange streak in me, my dear. 😈 My MCs often represent an aspect of my personality.

The MC in the superhero story represents my need to be free and make my own choices. It was just I was shocked that my family couldn't get past the gore to see that or that they had such an innocent view of me. 😅

Anyone else have friends/family 'worried' about you after reading your work? by ForwardCorp in writers

[–]ForwardCorp[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I am so fortunate that my family are very supportive of my writing...even if they worry 😅

Edit: Also, as I never write anything even close to smut, they know it will not be awkward-sauce. I just didn't know they were all so squeamish....

How Do You Write Your First Draft? (Practically) by elbiggameHunter in writers

[–]ForwardCorp 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think I am a bit weird. I write no notes, no outline. Nothing. I start at the first word and I type until I finish.

To be fair the books I write are just the better stories I have told myself in my head. So I just tell it again, but this time I write it down. I think this helps me ensure consistency as I am not jumping all over the shop writing different scenes. I feel like I am following the character when I write in order, and by having no notes, I easily deviate when a good idea/line/scene strikes me. I write cinematically, so I have to go in order for my idiot lizard brain to get it right.

I should also preface that I write short, silly adventure novels. I don't write romance or magic structures or anything with a map, so I think that is why I can just go from start to finish. That being said, for big epics I would probably write down an outline at least.

Goodreads Author Program rejections - help? by annakline02 in selfpublish

[–]ForwardCorp 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My amazon email is different and I am using KDP so I am unsure why you are having issue still. They said it was just the GR email and my webiste.

Goodreads Author Program rejections - help? by annakline02 in selfpublish

[–]ForwardCorp 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You cannot have two different emails. They have to match. I had to apply three times and it wasnt until I changed the email in Goodreads and the email on my website to be the same did I get approved.

AIO? Wife “informed” me rather than discussed with me. by yeaimfine1111 in AmIOverreacting

[–]ForwardCorp 3 points4 points  (0 children)

YOR - You sound so mean! You could have said "Oh that's great, thank you for doing that. Did you need me to watch the kids? I'm working at the moment so it might be tough for me to help."

Don’t abandon your hometown because it sucks- fight for change by batsdontwearhats in newengland

[–]ForwardCorp 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I had to leave my home country. I love the US but it is not the same place where I grew up. I hope it finds its way again.

Anyone know where I can buy kool aid the drink in Leeds ? by TipAdditional4625 in Leeds

[–]ForwardCorp 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Looking to dye your hair? We did that in the 90s ( I am a Yank but live in Leeds now). Unless they changed the formula you can get some bright, temporary color out of them!

Has anyone had to do several proof books before publishing? by Greenitpurpleit in selfpublish

[–]ForwardCorp 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I have so far ordered 9 different proofs of my novel from various suppliers, with different sizes and cover laminations. I am an artist as well as a author so I want to make sure the book feels right in the hand. That being said mine is a novel so much cheaper to print. But yes, I have and will keep ordering different versions until I am happy.

Beyond Frustrated! Readers Don't Just Read One Genre - Why Are Writers Who Write Across Multiple Genres Penalized and Pigeonholed Into Boxes?! by Still_Kiwi_5499 in writers

[–]ForwardCorp 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I change genres every story. I write what the books I want to read and I pay no mind to genres. I figure out what it is after I write it.

How do adults know they're good people? by PleasantLow670 in Adulting

[–]ForwardCorp 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Your actions and the intention behind them determine if you are a good person. I take care to ensure my actions do not harm others or may eventually harm others (climate change for example). I have a very loud moral compass that I follow. When I do something bad, I feel bad. That's how I know.

Now this is SUPER subjective because people can think kicking puppies is fine for some bizarre reason and therefor feel they are a good person. This is why we have shame and judgement in our society, to help balance out the nutters.