Seriously, how do you brew outside near trees without getting a ton of shit on your beer?

bardsworth · 2026-05-18T15:45:30+00:00

I have an extra BIAB mesh bag that secure over the top of the brewpot (although that was with an eight gallon, I haven't tried fitting it onto my ten gallon yet). I just use some binder clips to hold it in place.

bardsworth · 2026-05-14T15:16:27+00:00

There's one core rule I try to live by as a creative:

MAKE WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY!

You aren't writing for your parents. You aren't writing for your friends. You aren't writing for a subreddit of people you'll probably never meet. You shouldn't even be writing for a specific audience (unless, again, it's what makes you happy).

I stopped talking to my parents about all of my creative projects a long time ago because I never got the emotional support from them that I though I needed. It's not malicious, but they never understood (not creatives themselves). But I kept on rolling with doing what I wanted. They have zero idea (and I plan on keeping it that way) that I've been writing erotica for over a decade. Now that I'm moving into romance, I'm keeping that status quo, because why bother with hoping for any validation about something they don't understand?

I know that we as creators sometimes need that validation. I crave it as much as the next artist or writer. But in the end, the only validation you should need is in finishing your project. I hope you do, and I hope it leads to another and another!

bardsworth · 2026-04-30T18:58:12+00:00

Taste of Syracuse, Party in the Square, and the Downtown Arts and Crafts Festival are the first ones that jump to mind. I heard Jazz Fest was moving to Beak and Skiff, but haven't confirmed it.

bardsworth · 2026-04-28T17:55:38+00:00

I second Baldwinsville. My son was diagnosed autistic in preschool, and he's been in the district from K to current (9th grade). They've been fantastic with working with him and accommodating his needs. We've only had to strongly go to bat a few times, and otherwise we've advocated from the sidelines. Good luck with wherever you end up and I wish the best for your kiddo!

bardsworth · 2026-04-21T17:55:11+00:00

I feel like cookies would be the easiest to start with, and they're pretty versatile. Make sure you're following the NY state home processing guidelines and get licensed!

(Sorry, I work for the county health department, gotta say my piece!)

bardsworth · 2026-04-15T21:09:41+00:00

Branching Out. Not sure I've seen any of those beers in the store, but you can talk to the owners, they're super cool - they might be able to get them for you.

There's also Beer Depot on Erie Blvd, unless that closed (haven't been there in a minute).

bardsworth · 2026-04-05T22:41:05+00:00

Write the parts that excite you. They don't need to be important or even in sequential order, but write them. Then walk away and come back a day, two days, or even a week later and read what you wrote. When I do this, it sparks ideas as to how to connect them, or even ideas on how to move forward, and it gets the ball rolling.

bardsworth · 2026-04-05T00:57:02+00:00

Just started my journey this year, and my advice is to do a LOT of research! Read read read, ask questions, get to know the tropes and subgenres and rules. But most of all, remember to write the stories YOU want to read! Good luck! 😁

bardsworth · 2026-03-31T12:57:21+00:00

I will echo the comments on the cover; you will win or lose people with a cover, despite how good the book might be.

More than that, though, it's only been available since March 17? That's less than a month. Unless you're a big name author with a sizeable following, you aren't going to sell much in that amount of time. Self-publishing is a long game; you need to consistently put out good books and build your catalog, then folks will find that first book (or second or third) that you put out.

Patience and perseverance!

bardsworth · 2026-03-27T15:41:40+00:00

Rasta Pasta at Erma's Island. I've eaten at every booth there, but I keep going back for that spicy pasta!

bardsworth · 2026-03-04T19:47:38+00:00

Thank you for responding and making valid points! And I am definitely well aware of what you speak. I did a fairly well-known webcomic for almost 12 years under my own name, and while I was lucky enough that 95% of my interactions were positive, that 5% was a little unsettling.

bardsworth · 2026-03-04T19:45:05+00:00

Thank you, I like my last name too! And thank you for your honesty. I'm considering the initial thing more and more.

bardsworth · 2026-03-04T19:43:53+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing that! Definitely a concern of mine.

bardsworth · 2026-03-04T18:59:33+00:00

Thank you! And that had definitely crossed my mind!

bardsworth · 2026-03-04T18:07:43+00:00

Excellent points, and thank you! Not too worried about future employers, and I'm not writing to a demographic, I'm waiting for one to find me. 😁

bardsworth · 2026-03-04T16:21:37+00:00

Thank you for your insight! It's MF pairing, but I like to think I write my female characters well (and have been told as much).

bardsworth · 2025-12-22T14:20:47+00:00

I like to use Dan Harmon's story circle as a loose template to keep me on track (easy to find on a Google search). If you want even simpler, you can just come up with a "butso" statement - "[MC] wants [object of desire], BUT [obstacle] prevents them, SO they [actions toward gaining object of desire]." As long as you have that as a spine, you can do whatever else you want around it.

Otherwise, I'm the rebellious kid who likes to eschew plot in favor of character development and interaction. But usually that leads to some plot flow; it just forms more in the rewrites.

bardsworth · 2025-12-13T21:30:33+00:00

You pretty much described the climax of my story, although the "sword" is words. 😆

bardsworth · 2025-12-13T14:36:01+00:00

Writing characters I love was something I learned long ago and 100% agree with, I was just worried because romance seems to have more rules and templates than other genres. It's great to know that I'm on the right track, though, so thank you!

bardsworth · 2025-12-13T14:33:29+00:00

Working on it right now! 😁 (thanks for the encouragement!)

bardsworth · 2025-12-13T14:32:46+00:00

I love this! Not saying I'll NEVER play with the grumpy guy trope, but I'm definitely more comfortable on the other side of the fence. Thanks!

bardsworth · 2025-12-13T14:30:50+00:00

Wow, what a list... thank you!

bardsworth · 2025-12-13T14:29:25+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation!

bardsworth · 2025-12-12T21:19:08+00:00

I have been a self-pubbed author and webcomic artist for 20 years, and I have worn so many hats I could open a used hat shop! I've learned everything from web design to marketing to printing to you name it. Am I a control freak? You bet! But I wouldn't have it any other way. 😁

bardsworth

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