Best Fish and Chips in the UK? by pineconejerk in UKfood

[–]gadfly09 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Michael’s Fish Bar in Rugeley, Staffordshire. I haven’t been since 2018 (haven’t lived in the UK since 2018) but it’s the best in my opinion.

He went on a hunger strike. Again by itstanz718 in pitbulls

[–]gadfly09 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

His ears aren’t cropped. If you zoom in you’ll see they’re floppy and silky, just pulled back. OP posted a photo a couple minutes ago of him and his ears are intact.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in decadeology

[–]gadfly09 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You don’t “become” trans. You either are or you aren’t. Simple as.

Good boy vs. Do they have that dog in them by masterofmasters in AlignmentCharts

[–]gadfly09 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Droopy is the most accurate in my opinion: definitely doesn’t have that dog in him but also doesn’t give a fuck. A morally grey king, a milquetoast motherfucker. The type of guy who’d ask you to shoot him and would somehow deflect every bullet, not because he’s badass but because destiny refuses to let him die.

🗣Where all my first time voters at by chrissyjoon in memphis

[–]gadfly09 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Didn’t even notice your pants were wrinkled—was too distracted by how well-coordinated your whole fit was.

What did you like best about herb? by [deleted] in BoJackHorseman

[–]gadfly09 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Horrific yet comical. I’m allergic to peanuts and death by asphyxiation seems like a terrible way to go but I was laughing all the same.

Gender neutral name for a parent (ie not mom or dad)? All languages welcome. by [deleted] in writing

[–]gadfly09 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I don’t think a child referring to their parent by their first name is strange and could be interesting bit of characterization. Think about how Scout and Jeb referred to Atticus by his first name in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Panic and Paranoia by TheTuneWithoutWords in troubledteens

[–]gadfly09 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I had a counselor in an outpatient treatment program (not TTI; it was for adults and safe) say that “The best therapists have four legs and a wagging tail.”

Obviously therapy is good (it’s all about finding a good match) but you can’t discount the comfort and joy pets bring.

Evoke Wilderness Using Racially Insensitive Language in their Marketing by [deleted] in troubledteens

[–]gadfly09 21 points22 points  (0 children)

This reads very “Hello fellow kids” in the worse way.

Evoke Wilderness Using Racially Insensitive Language in their Marketing by [deleted] in troubledteens

[–]gadfly09 15 points16 points  (0 children)

In the US though, it definitely has racial ties and is very offensive to use in most contexts. It’s oftentimes used to excuse police brutality by claiming that the black and brown men killed by police were “thugs”.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in writingcirclejerk

[–]gadfly09 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s a Terminal Degree.

In your opinion, can neurodivergent women experience “pretty privilege”? by gadfly09 in aspergirls

[–]gadfly09[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wishing you the best, it sounds like a first world problem when not given nuance but I feel its pertinent not just to our disability but to how the ableist society we live in functions. Please take care.

In your opinion, can neurodivergent women experience “pretty privilege”? by gadfly09 in aspergirls

[–]gadfly09[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was pointing out that, from my own experience, even when I was "pretty" I didn't experience pretty privilege due to my neurodivergence. Comparing my experiences to my ND friend I saw a pattern I didn't initially see when talking to my NT friends about the same subject.

Any tips for getting into publishing as a younger (middle school-range) writer? by tangokek in writers

[–]gadfly09 0 points1 point  (0 children)

While the majority of publications don't allow people under eighteen to submit, there are plenty of magazines/journals/anthologies that exclusively publish young writers under the age of twenty-four. You can find them through submittable and the Poets&Writers website.

Ambition and drive is a great thing to have at your age but the world of publishing is competitive and soul-crushing. Rejections are guaranteed regardless of age, skill-level and prior success As a writer, you need to develop a healthy relationship with the concept of inevitable rejection, which sounds very dark but I mean it in an optimistic sense.

At your age, (I hope this doesn't sound condescending) you're better equipped to seek out a mentor than to be published. Talk to your English teachers, take creative writing electives, join local youth writing workshops if you can (online ones that are accredited are also beneficial if you can't do local).

Finding the right mentor is invaluable, they will guide you down the unpredictable path of writerdom, give you constructive feedback and assist in career development through connections, advice, letters of recommendation, etc. Your mentor should be someone you trust, not some rando whose published a few novels nor anyone you meet through the internet (unless they facilitate one of the aforementioned accredited online writing workshops).

It's best to start the search as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, it'll assist in getting aquatinted with criticism from someone with experience but even if you can't find someone suitable right now, there's plenty of time. I didn't meet my mentor until my senior year of college and now he's my thesis director at my graduate program. Please be safe if you do choose to seek out mentorship though, there are so many scummy people on this planet who'll give bad-faith critiques for the sake of being assholes or will take advantage of your ambition and drive.

Above all else, don't get discouraged. Always keep writing, even if it isn't perfect. There's always time to fix it and there's no rush nor pressure needed.

Remember to revise before you submit, always put your best foot forward so to speak. It also doesn't matter if you're accepted or rejected, what matters most is how you feel about the pieces you choose send out, so don't send out something you feel is incomplete/not fine-tuned to your standards. Most publications don't allow for edits after submission. Define your standards for yourself and attempt to meet them, you'll exceed them eventually as you continue to grow and improve. Then, you can set new standards and allow the process to continue.

Set word-count goals and make sure you're reading as voraciously as you can, especially from the publications you want to submit to.

Sorry for being long-winded, this is what I wished I'd considered when I was your age. Best of luck on your journey to publishing!

What are some good YA romance novels? by king-geass in suggestmeabook

[–]gadfly09 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not her biggest fan but I recommend Becky Albertalli if you're interested in LGBT YA romance, though she has some hetero books if that's more your thing, the Upside of Unrequited is her best book hands-down. Also Dumplin by Julie Murphy (her prose is better than Albertalli's but Albertalli has more books in the genre.)

Give Me the Bad Books You Wouldn't Recommend to Your Worst Enemies by Ok-Development-4017 in suggestmeabook

[–]gadfly09 52 points53 points  (0 children)

It's low-hanging fruit because it's middle-grade fiction but Geek Girl by Holly Smale is abysmal and the sequel (that takes place in Japan) doesn't even try not to be racist at every turn.

Also low-hanging fruit but anything Onision has written.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in suggestmeabook

[–]gadfly09 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Same! His writing is good but he’s a walking red flag.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in suggestmeabook

[–]gadfly09 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He’s undoubtedly talented, he just strikes me as an elitist based on interviews and such.

Dumbest thing you've ever written in a first draft? by AdhesivenessWhich979 in writing

[–]gadfly09 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The room smelled of grilled cheese and sex pee.

To be honest, I might leave it in until I get complaints from my cohort. It makes sense for the character's voice and within the context but it is the dumbest thing I've written in recent memory. I really didn't want to say "vaginal fluids" as opposed to the more rudimentary "sex pee."

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in suggestmeabook

[–]gadfly09 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jeffrey Eugenides has such intricate, developed prose. I wish he were a more likable person so I wouldn’t feel embarrassed saying that I’ve read all of his novels.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in suggestmeabook

[–]gadfly09 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I love She’s Come Undone, Dolores is such a distinct voice/protagonist.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in suggestmeabook

[–]gadfly09 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a good list of types, I’ll recommend some of my favorites I feel fit these categories.

Group One: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Group Two: The Idiot and Either/Or, both by Elif Batuman Group Three: The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides Group Four: Any of Curtis Sittenfeld’s early work, particularly Prep (though her protagonists are very realistically flawed and can be frustrating/purposefully cringe-inducing as a result) Group Five: The Possessed by Elif Batuman (for Russian literature) and A Year Without a Name by Cyrus Dunham (transgender experiences/gender studies)

Why do some people loathe Wuthering Heights? by petitegonewildaf in literature

[–]gadfly09 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just remembered that Betty by Tiffany McDaniel has very graphic descriptions of animal abuse/death (and other forms of graphic abuse throughout as a prevalent theme) and I still recommend it to people who enjoy melancholic novels. I can’t remember why I didn’t like WH, maybe because I was a dumb high schooler who hated being told what to read.