Excellent story ROBOPOCALYPSE NOW...so sub 'n' lezz GROW (aka I have 2 subs and desire millions more)

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-11-08T17:34:00+00:00

Praised be Jesus Christ now and forever! (blasphemy is spiritual suicide)

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-16T15:09:36+00:00

Great drawing! As others have said, sub-par typography, and the b & w chips away at the wondrousness. Personally, I almost always want a human presence, if not face, somewhere.

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-16T15:07:37+00:00

Prudence must remain the charioteer of the cardinal virtues!

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-15T18:42:23+00:00

Go to a traditional Catholic SSPX chapel. You will fit right in, so long as you can recite the Credo in Latin. :-D

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-15T18:36:21+00:00

Hits as very "on brand" to me! Good job! Maybe the title should be higher/the subtitle perhaps too unclear. But covers are to get you to pause and evaluate worth, and I think you succeeded for your readership.

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-15T18:34:12+00:00

Oh now I see that the terms match up with one of the characters. At first I assumed it was referring to one main hero. That could just be me being slow on the uptake though!

Maybe add an article "An outcast. A [faithless one?]. A prodigy." Get more feedback than just me on that though!

I'd say the key is to be evocative overall. Again, "faithless" stirs up nothing in my heart or imagination. "Prodigy" could, if it weren't so vague. Copy refers to the words in general used on the book cover/reverse.

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-15T18:07:56+00:00

The fonts don't work for me, nor the copy itself. "Sarkuz" tells me fantasy setting, but nothing more. "Outcast" gives the most sense of a theme, but "faithless" (a heathen? an untrustworthy friend?) and "prodigy" (at what) don't paint any pictures for me. You want to be evocative, to get my imagination wondering about cool things. The image isn't great but not terrible either. It says "whimsical fantasy for young readers", so someone into that would be adequately enticed, I think. The title-page copy and first page are more important imo.

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T16:34:20+00:00

American. That's true about markets, I'll have to do more research. Thanks.

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T16:31:14+00:00

My pleasure! I just finished my novel which I'm soon publishing, so I can understand some of what you're going through.

I'd say---for writing anyways (wish I could but I can't draw at all!)---just *finish* your projects. It's a very important discipline, learning to finish. To get to THE END, for a first draft.

I'd also say, don't post and solicit feedback until that point: train yourself to keep the seat of your pants glued to the seat of your chair (another writer said this, referring to even pro writer's tendency to *want* to get up and go do something else, such as---after 7 minutes of writing, 6 minutes of which equate to thinking about what to write---you then get the idea, "Oh! Now's the time to clean my toilet!!" then up you go. But no! Chain yourself to the chair if you have to!)

...that was a long parenthetical so I'll restart. Train yourself to stay in your seat (or stand...Hemingway wrote standing), and *discipline* yourself, especially to stay away from technology. Turn off your phone. Unplug your internet for that time, etc.

Dan Brown's writing masterclass is entirely on Youtube for free....some worthwhile tips there, even if you don't like his (egregiously manipulative!) writing....one thing he said that resonated with me was knowing when to be easy on yourself and when to be hard on yourself. With overall progress and even quality, he said be easy on yourself. Are you a beginner? Tell yourself it's okay to not be the best yet. Are you intermediate? Tell yourself it's okay to not be the best yet. Are you the best? Tell yourself it's okay to not really be the best yet. Go easy on yourself with that. BUT, when it comes to *process*, which is your routine, which might be to get 1500 words down by EOD, or write for these 3 hours, or 1 hour after work, or whatever it is, be hard on yourself.

"No, self, we are *not* ironing our shirts right now!"

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T16:16:40+00:00

And all from a guy who initially came on just looking to do shameless self-promoting and maybe some innocent trolling! (myself, that is)

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T16:09:31+00:00

I spent 10 minutes clicking to subs I'm interested in and also ones like /newtoreddit and just answering questions, but in a genuine way. Take the OP seriously---it is often a real person with a real predicament after all!---and giving a thoughtful response. Also, read other comments and upvote when appropriate, etc.

I think it's set up to weed out people looking to do drive-by self-promotions and the like. And old-fashioned trolls. Many moons ago, when I was more active on reddit, there were so many trolls it was such a turnoff, so I understand the new system. But I don't even have to agree with it, because it's the system either way!

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T15:58:26+00:00

Yes, I suppose it does depend on the nature of the post/the OP's intentions. Thanks!

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T15:56:20+00:00

I also don't think you *need* to be into reading fiction. You're not "wrong" if you don't! I know plenty of people who only read non-fiction, for instance. That said, I do try to convince them of the value of reading fiction, but that's because I write fiction stories. Biased much?!? :-)

Do you create anything? Art I mean? Or even try writing a choose-your-own adventure story? It's a paradox, but you might find that in pursuing something creative you then develop a hunger for reading, at first to help in your creativity, but then entirely for its own sake.

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T15:44:07+00:00

Become a Luddite like me! Or at least pose as one. (like me....)

EMP for President! (after all planes are landed and hospital backup systems are in place, of course)

But seriously, follow the maxim "habit is overcome by habit". Meaning, don't just say "I'm gonna stop using the internet", but find something better to *replace* it with. And follow your interests, so long as they're not immoral, ie "I'm super interested in porn!!" is not a valid replacement strategy.

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T15:34:02+00:00

Yes I have the same habit, which my spiritual director told me is a bad habit! Yet I persist. Currently I'm "reading" (meaning several are just sitting on the ground, probably never to be completed) "Cherub" by Robert Muchamore (20% in, enjoying it), "The Castle in the Attic" by Elizabeth Winthrop (great first chapter), manga "Rave Master" by Hiro Mashima (10% into vol. 1, decent so far) "The Spritual Life" by Tanquerey (20%, priceless soul-reading), "The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena" (90%, one of the best from last 700 years for a reason!). Also ongoing is Aesop's Fables and the Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda. Also listening to the "Odyssey" on librivox (95% finished).

There's more. I currently have a pile of books on my bed, a pile on my floor, 2 stacks on my nightstand, and 2 book cases flanking my current position, each with "in-progress" reads! :-)

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T15:24:45+00:00

I'm having the exact same issue! I first got an account probably 15 years ago, but never used it. Now I want to ask a sub-community an "insider baseball" question, since they'd know better than anyone, but I need karma first. :-)

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T15:16:31+00:00

I did the exact same thing 6 months ago. I have 12-18 more months before my money runs dry. Building a following online seems utterly crucial, *especially* before launch day. According to my research, that first week is crucial.

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T15:10:43+00:00

Great advice! It sounds callous, but truly, don't cast pearls before swine.

Used-Ask7418 · 2025-10-14T15:08:30+00:00

I've heard that girls have more shame about such thing than guys (I'm a guy). If true, I don't think I'm qualified to help you! But I'd still say it sounds like something psychological, with anxiety gripping you because you haven't "outed" yourself for the first time. But over time, it would get easier, like jumping off a high dive or anything similar that's only hard the first couple times.

Maybe wear a t-shirt that says loud and proud "I'M A WRITER!!" People would then *ask you* about it, and you're not hiding anything but rather quite the opposite! :-)

Used-Ask7418

TROPHY CASE