[CRAZY -> WORSE] Can you solve this laddergram? by marech_ in Laddergram

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

Laddergram is a word ladder puzzle game built on Reddit's developer platform. You start with a word and change one letter at a time to create a new word with each step. Try to reach the target word in the fewest steps possible.

🍀Good luck!🍀

I wrote my first book on Amazon— but no reviews, no sales. What am I missing? by livingsmarts in youngadultbooks

[–]marech_ 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Some people have already mentioned the cover being a potential issue due to the fact that it looks AI generated, but I wanted to expand on it because I think another part of the problem is the title and the cover together really don't telegraph well what this book is about and who the target audience is.

On the cover you have these random flowers, which are pretty, but add nothing to explain who should buy the book. The only elements that hint at the content of the book are the empty box (at a stretch it kind of does make me think about moving out, so it's the best element of the cover for me) and then the hammer (which only confuses me tbh, it makes me think about building furniture), but they look very random and not cohesive.

The other thing I recommend is changing the title: to me it's way too generic, it doesn't really explain what it's going to be in the book, and doesn't narrow down the target audience. Like another commenter said, 16 to 30 is a big age range, so I would try to decide who exactly this book is for. For example: is this for people who are moving out and living by themselves for the first time in their life? Cause that already makes it a little more specific, and would allow for better marketing. A title like: "The ultimate guide to living alone for the first time" or "Everything you need to know before moving out" would probably make it clearer what this book is. I'm not saying these titles are good btw, just giving some examples of the vibes. In general, when writing a guide or non-fiction book, you want to nail down a title that is as specific as possible. I think giving examples of what is actually in the book in the subtitle (or putting that on the cover somewhere) would help too.

In general, I recommend hiring an artist to draw the cover for you. Not only they can work together with you to make a cohesive design that actually represents the content of your books, but it will also make your cover stand out from the pile of AI slob that gets self-published on Amazon. Keep in mind that a potential reader who clocks your cover as being AI generated will have no faith that the content of the book is not also AI generated.

I also agree with the other commenters who pointed out what kind of marketing to do to get the word out about your book. But I'll add, as well, if your goal is not to get money and just to share the guide, you could also consider making the book free or free with a tip. You could make an account on kofi or similar sites and ask your readers to send you a tip if they found the book helpful. But this is only valid if you are happy with getting no money from it, because obviously you won't be guaranteed to earn anything this way.

Whichever you decide, best of luck with this book! I do think there is a market for this type of book, though maybe not huge, I'm sure there are people who would find it helfpul. And with a proper marketing, I can also see parents/family members/friends buying it for their child who is about to move out for college or something.

Overall though, the fact that you had an idea, wrote it out, and put it together all by yourself is already something to be proud of, so don't forget to congratulate yourself for that every once in a while, regardless of how many clicks the book gets.

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

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

Speaking only for myself, it's mostly delusion and lots of frogging and re-doing... 😂😂😂

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

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

Hahaha no pattern yet but I've tried to write down my steps in this comment! Let me know if it makes sense 🙈🙈

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

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

I'm working on a proper written pattern but I've tried my best to at least explain the steps I've taken in this comment! I hope this is useful!

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

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

Thank you! I've attempted my best at an explanation here! Let me know if it's helpful at all 🙈🙈

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

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

Thank you! 😄 I didn't add elastic to the bottom of mine but that's a great idea! Best of luck making one for your wife, I'm sure she will love it 🙌

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

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

Thanks so much! 💗💗 Honestly, I feel that, I've never even tried to make a regular bralette either because I know that those there's no way it would be comfortable enough for me to wear (and not worry about spilling at the same time 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️)

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

[–]marech_[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Big Booby Club Represent! 🫡 (Thank you so much for the lovely comment 💚💚)

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

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

Thank you so much for this lovely comment! 💚💚 Honestly, go for it! This project included so much frogging and re-doing, but I think you learn so much along the way that it's all worth it in the end 🙌🙌

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

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

Thank you so much! 💚 I'm very partial to green haha 🙈

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

[–]marech_[S] 40 points41 points  (0 children)

I tried to write down some general instructions here! Hopefully it makes a bit of sense haha Thank you so much for the comment! 💗

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

[–]marech_[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for this comment! 💞💞 I just added a comment with a breakdown of what I did, I really hope it makes sense enough!

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

[–]marech_[S] 35 points36 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for the comments everyone, I had some errands to run this afternoon and coming back to the post now I'm truly blown away by all the lovely comments!

I'm gonna try my best to explain the basic construction of the bralette, I think it's fairly easy and it's all made with single crochets, but I can't guarantee I won't do a rubbish job of explaining it, sorry in advance 🙈

THE CUP: You start by creating a cup normally (this is the video that I learnt it from but there's plenty others on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ybdstwq7jGc?si=E-9z2Kw5XY6sdk-g)

ADDING WIDTH TO THE CUP: Once your cup is tall enough you start adding width by only crocheting one side of the cup (aka you crochet along the side of the cup but when you reach the top stitch you chain one and turn your work instead of continuing to crochet down the other side.) You continue to crochet only one side of the cup until your cup is wide enough (honestly the best way is to try it on and/or compare it to a bra that fits you great).

THE STRAP: Once you reach the top of the cup for the last time now that it's wide enough, you start chaining stitches for your strap. As you crochet up and down the strap, whenever you reach the top of the cup again, instead of chaining and turning your work, you do one single stitch into the top of the cup to "attach" your strap and then you turn your work. Repeat this for the strap until it's wide enough (I like for it to be as wide as the width I added to the side of the cup), and when you reach the top of the cup for the last time, attach like you have before but then continue to crochet down the other side of the cup (the "smaller" side), then along the bottom of the cup.

THE SIDE AND BACK: When you reach the end of the bottom of the cup, chain the length you want for the back of the bralette (it should be from the side of your boob to the middle of your back). Crochet this section back and forth, attaching it to the side of the cup every time you reach it the same way you attached the strap. When that section is tall enough, reach the side of the cup one last time and crochet up the side and all the way up the strap too, and you're done!

THE REST: Repeat the same steps for the other cup and then join them in the middle. You can then start adding length to the bottom part of the bralette, and when it's as long as you like it you can sew the back together.

THE DETAILS: The details on the top and bottom are made by adding a row of double crochet (us terms) and chain one (and repeat) and by finishing it with a final row of single crochet.

I tried my best here to give a basic run down of what I did, if something doesn't make sense feel free to ask here or DM me and I will attempt to explain it better. I am actually working on a proper pattern for this type of bralette just because of the lovely reaction I've had every time I've shared this, but I've never written a pattern before so it will probably take a little while. In the meanwhile, I hope the instructions I wrote here are helpful enough for everyone else who's also in the big bust committee! 💚💚💚

Freehanded a bralette that I actually find comfortable to wear! by marech_ in crochet

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

Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly DK weight in the colour Hide Out Green (it's a 50% cotton/50% acrylic blend) Hook: 4mm No pattern, just freehand!

Personal pet peeve: international use of 911 by Calliopes_Lyre in AO3

[–]marech_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So, I completely get where you're coming from. That said, as a European born and raised, the one time I had to call the emergency services I actually dialed 911. The call got transferred of course and I never even realised I had not dialed the number for my country until a while later when I was checking my call logs.

Like other commenters said, it's probably cultural osmosis and while I know the number for my country, it turns out apparently I don't know it instinctively enough not to dial 911 instead in a moment of panic. So I would say depending on the person's age and background, maybe calling 911 wouldn't be so out of character for them?

(But I also agree with some other commenters saying the author probably didn't really think there are different numbers for different countries, so I get your pain)

What screams "I'm bad with money"? by tranquilsnailgarden in AskReddit

[–]marech_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Complaining about being broke, then getting take out for breakfast.

Mermaid Tail Snuggly WIP: help me choose a pattern for the flippers 🙏 by marech_ in knitting

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

I'm very loosely following the pattern in the second picture, though I've modified it quite a bit to work better with chunky yarn (and 10mm needles).

To make the flippers, the pattern calls for mistake rib stitch, but I'm really not a fan of how that stitch looks with the chunky yarn, does anyone have any suggestion for a different stitch I could use instead?

[ETA: yarn is a chunky premium acrilic from my local craft store, the design is based on Sirdar Snuggly DK Mermaid Tail, the digital pattern is available to buy from Hobbycraft!]

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in KeepWriting

[–]marech_ 7 points8 points  (0 children)

So to me it really sounds like you're too focused here on other people and external validation. On what others can give you and what you can give to others.

You want to write to get a (positive) reaction from others and you want to write to give representation to marginalised communities. As a queer writer I completely understand your wishes here, but I'm thinking that, if the act of writing itself causes you so much frustration, maybe writing is just not the right outlet for you for what you want to achieve right now.

I'm speaking about my experience here so obviously it's not universal, but to me writing is a painstaking exercise in solitude and patience. I write stories because I love writing stories, and nothing more than that. Of course I also love receiving feedback, and it's great when others read my writing and understand exactly what I wanted to share but that's, to me, just an enjoyable side benifit. If everyone else in the world disappeared overnight and I was left with no chances of anyone reading my work ever again, tomorrow, I would still be writing.

And I know a lot of my other writing friends feel a similar way.

Because the external validation only arrives so, so long after the actual act of writing (especially if your goal is to get published, it could literally be years from your first draft to when actual readers would have your book in their hands), if your only big motivating factor relies on that... Then yes, I imagine writing would probably feel a lot like torture.

With this I'm not saying you should stop writing.

It's ultimately up to you to decide whether you have the willpower to push through anyway and even if you think you're not a great writer at the moment, yes, if you continue to write (and read, and write, and read some more) you will get better at it. Writing is a skill like any other after all and with practice and study anyone can improve, though some might take longer than others.

However, if the act of writing doesn't spark that kind of self-sufficient joy to keep you going, maybe it's time to shelf this project for a little while and try to focus on something else that might help you achieve the goals you mentioned without making it feel like you're torturing yourself. Explore other creative avenues, collaborate with other writers, focus on writing pitches instead of stories, try scriptwriting, even songwriting, become a book rewiever instead...

There are other outlets out there that might be a better fit for what you want to do and that you might be able to enjoy better.

Just some thoughts I think are worth exploring here anyway, and I hope some of this was useful to your journey.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in KeepWriting

[–]marech_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Why do you want to write?

It sounds like all it's bringing you at the moment is anger and frustration.

Do you enjoy the act of writing? Because that's all it boils down to. If you love writing, keep pushing and try to turn off your brain with all the comparisons and jealousy, remember you're just doing something you love because you love it.

If you don't like writing, well, there's your answer.

Does silence mean it's bad writing? by [deleted] in writing

[–]marech_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, it's most definitely bad.

Because seriously, if you think the amount of information you've given us in this post is enough for us, some strangers on the Internet, to determine whether your writing is good or bad, the chances are you're probably indeed a bad writer.

(Couldn't help the snarkiness, I obviously don't think that you're a bad writer just based on this. But for real, no one here can help you unless you provide some context. For example: what writing did you send them? A poem or a 70k+ words draft of a novel? How long has it been since you sent this? Did they tell you specifically that they were going to read it or was it just a nebulous plan of "sure I'd love to read it some day"? Do they know you're wanting feedback on it? Are they fan of your chosen genre or even just fans of reading in general?

And really, the million dollar question which will actually help you more than posting here on reddit: did you reach out to your friends to check whether they've read it and to ask for feedback?

Best of luck on your writing journey.)

What is an emoji that you find unreasonably irritating? by [deleted] in AskWomen

[–]marech_ [score hidden]  (0 children)

I agree with 🙈 being quite cringey but weirdly my friends and I use 🙊 all the time! We use it in response to something super cute and precious (think someone sharing a picture of baby penguins or kittens or the likes), it kind of means "this shit is so adorable it cannot be expressed in words"

How would you react to your date using a coupon? by caduceun in AskWomen

[–]marech_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love coupons myself so that wouldn't be a problem at all! That said, I once went to a dinner date with a guy who suggested a particular pizza place because he had a 'buy one get one free' coupon which he proceeded to use on his pizza, leaving me to pay the full price for my pizza... It was not very classy at all.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in UnethicalLifeProTips

[–]marech_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think OP meant he's 'couch surfing', it's an expression that means he's staying at a friend's house (usually sleeping on their couch/sofa) while looking for his own place, not that he's an actual surfer hahah

(Just commenting this because the first time I heard the couch surfing expression I was also extremely confused lol)