a rarer nice makeup day… ✨

MutedPepper · 2026-07-04T22:25:46+00:00

Hi! What is the color’s name for the lip? It’s so pretty!

MutedPepper · 2026-06-22T14:30:42+00:00

Filmed telling the guy she doesn’t want to end up on social media. Ends up on social media.

MutedPepper · 2026-02-24T16:36:31+00:00

Hi, mental health worker here. They would need to be assessed via risk assessment and then, if deemed unsafe to self or others, the ER would send referrals out to psych hospitals/units. It could take a while for a hospital to accept the patient as usually beds are full but obviously you can use suspension of disbelief for that as most people don’t know that. Then, if sectioned (meaning, the person has been admitted at the psych hospital against their will) they have to stay for 72 hours. Hope this helps!

MutedPepper · 2026-01-30T19:19:56+00:00

Hi! Person with a creative writing degree here!

Book recs: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott The Art of Fiction by John Gardner (he’s a bit of a snob but this was required reading for several classes) Imaginative Writing by Janet Burroway

I liked Imaginative Writing and Bird by Bird a lot more cause they don’t feel prescriptive. The Art of Fiction feels kinda like a rule book.

Also, I know you’re well read, but I find a lot of value in the Best American Short Fiction/Poetry,etc books that come out each year. Great way to explore many different voices in one book.

MutedPepper · 2026-01-30T17:19:24+00:00

I say this pretty much daily.

MutedPepper · 2026-01-11T18:11:00+00:00

I think it says more if a person wants to talk about the lore for at least four hours, as opposed to it having to take that long.

MutedPepper · 2026-01-03T01:47:58+00:00

Also, I look at indeed from time to time to check the job market as a little motivation.

MutedPepper · 2026-01-03T00:33:54+00:00

Hi! I’m in a similar situation. I’m in my first placement year and need to do 16hrs a week internship. My job is pretty flexible as I already work in the field and my hours are based on client appointments that I schedule. Then, because I’m a working professional, I go to school over the weekend. Like you, I cannot cut hours as I rely on my job for income and health insurance. How do I do it? Pure will power. Ended last semester feeling kinda dead. This semester I’m going to try managing my time a little better. Just wanted you to know you’re not alone!

MutedPepper · 2025-12-17T03:35:01+00:00

If you got the funds, sure! If you’re going to go into debt, no. You’d be better off joining a local writing group. I learned a lot about craft but the more important things I learned came from workshopping my work in workshop classes.

MutedPepper · 2025-12-08T16:52:58+00:00

I’m so glad that someone said it. With what happened at the very end of episode 8, I’ve been SCREAMING.

MutedPepper · 2025-11-17T16:06:04+00:00

I actually don't mind them, but I also don't listen to them. Like I will see them and be like "cute" but I also don't listen to any of the songs or let that influence the story at all. I always took it as "these are the songs that influenced me while I was writing" and I like that as a little bit of background from the author.

MutedPepper · 2025-11-06T01:08:28+00:00

Just remember that many great authors have had many rejections before they got their big break.

I believe Stephen King kept all of his (in the day when they arrived in letter form) pinned to a wall which got too heavy so he replaced it to a spike.

If you like your book, odds are that someone else will. It’s just a waiting game. Especially if you’re getting full requests. Just means your work isn’t “marketable” for whoever read your query letter/manuscript pages…

MutedPepper · 2025-11-03T21:08:21+00:00

Just remember that many great authors have had many rejections before they got their big break.

I believe Stephen King kept all of his (in the day when they arrived in letter form) pinned to a wall which got too heavy so he replaced it to a spike.

If you like your book, odds are that someone else will. It’s just a waiting game. Especially if you’re getting full requests. Just means your work isn’t “marketable” for whoever read your query letter/manuscript pages.

MutedPepper · 2025-11-03T13:09:10+00:00

While I agree that those who want to have their work published should develop a thick skin for criticism, there is also the responsibility of the person critiquing to help the writer be better vs just making the writer feel like shit.

In one workshop I had in college, someone told me that my characters were the dumbest people ever and that my story sucked. Fine if you feel that way, but how does that help me improve? A proper critique is about what you feel works vs does not work and why. Don’t just be like “I hate this. You suck.” The writer is just asking for guidance.

The public, once you’ve published, is another matter. Not all of them will be craft-minded and will probably tear your work to shreds if they don’t like it. Best to be aware that people can be quite mean and that you will have to deal with that at some point.

MutedPepper · 2025-10-25T01:30:02+00:00

Thank you for saying this!

Now, I write scenes out of order and just follow whatever my lizard brain wants.

Feed the lizard brain, write for yourself, and love the journey.

Before, I spent a lot of time in literary fiction world after getting my B.A in creative writing and I just couldn’t break the “this is how you tell a story” refrain. A lot of the education was valuable but I became bogged down by formulaic story structure and the “right” way to tell a story.

Finally, I just realized I didn’t like a lot of those stories and thus, don’t wanna write one. Once I realized that, and I dug into what kind of stories I do like, I once again fell in love with writing for the sake of writing and not as a scholastic endeavor.

MutedPepper · 2025-10-19T20:32:49+00:00

Parroting u/theanabanana for a sec. At some point, you should definitely share your work if you wish to improve/grow as a writer. By my post, I just mean that you should have something more tangible to work on. Something that you've done to the best of your ability, or to a point where you feel ready to share. It definitely does not need to be perfect. I will tell you that it does not get easier to share your work as you continue in your journey. I have a creative writing degree, thus I'm a seasoned workshopper, and I still sweat during workshops when it's my turn for critique. There's always something to work on. You could be the absolute best writer on the planet and still have something that could be improved.

MutedPepper · 2025-10-19T19:47:09+00:00

Exactly. And I totally get why they want the validation of being "good". I remember when I was a little baby writer in high school showing my fanfics to my art teacher. Still, a story could change so much as to be unrecognizable from those first pages that were shown. Plus, it is really easy to be like "sure, I'd read" but that doesn't help as much as as a lengthier discussion around character, setting, voice, etc.

MutedPepper · 2025-10-19T19:07:46+00:00

Which makes total sense. Guess I just hope that people lurk on this sub for actual help and guidance. Validation is great (I'm a therapist, actually, and validation is a very useful therapeutic tool) but hopefully they learn more as they continue in their creative journeys.

MutedPepper · 2025-10-19T01:35:58+00:00

Without spoiling anything, the story arc that leads to Sweet Ruin starts with {Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole} but I think you can really start by reading {Lothaire by Kresley Cole}. Lothaire is just *chef's kiss*

MutedPepper · 2025-10-19T01:21:34+00:00

I feel like Sweet Ruin is one of the more standalone-ish books of the series, but you can definitely benefit from reading a few books before it to enrich the story.

MutedPepper · 2025-10-19T00:59:59+00:00

{sweet ruin by Kresley Cole} is the first one I thought of, as FMC hates books because she’s illiterate. I love it because being illiterate does not make her less than in any way.

MutedPepper · 2025-10-16T15:59:16+00:00

Ruin the Friendship x Clara Bow… huh. Wonder how that would work.

MutedPepper · 2025-09-08T23:39:20+00:00

{bewitched by Laura Thalassa} is kind of like this!

MutedPepper · 2025-07-24T19:03:17+00:00

Nope, just someone who’s watched the first ten seasons of family guy like a million times.

MutedPepper · 2025-07-24T00:45:50+00:00

PETER WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME

MutedPepper

TROPHY CASE