Real life.

I've sorted my life out. I don't want to talk about it too much, but I'm good now. The school year has basically ended as well, so I'm not stuck teaching and have more time for LJ. I'm going to try and focus on more than one fandom. I've been following wrestling, but not participated in fandom as actively as I once did. In fact, I haven't participated at all. I'm going to have a look at my flist, because I noticed a few names have suffered the evil strike-through, so I'm going to remove those.

Hope everyone is doing well!

~

Fandom.

Dear, specific, author.

Saying that the only reason you didn't get a lot of comments on your fic is because it was too much for your readers to understand comes across as full of yourself. Saying that you need to simplify your story because your readers clearly don't understand what you were trying to say doesn't endear you to anyone. In fact, responding to some critical comments by proclaiming exactly that isn't just egotistical, it's also damn annoying.

The reason you didn't get any comments, aside from some critical ones, is that one of your canon characters was unrecognisable and suddenly displayed character traits she did not have prior to your story. That's probably why they didn't like it, not because your writing is too much for them or just that damn intelligent, but because you let your dislike for said character change her drastically. Blaming readers for your inability to get your point across is not cool.

I know that sometimes what you intended to show doesn't quite seem to make it to the readers, but citing their ignorance as a reason for it is just...no.

~

There is also still fic being posted at 'that' yahoo group with a note saying 'don't critique'. *sigh* And then there's the fic that boggles me. Like this one:

( After The DriveCollapse )

Warning: Only for the graphically inclined. (Meaning, the crazy fuckers who are into icon-making.)

*whine*

Getting the aspect ratio right isn't that difficult, people. Please, for the love of my sanity, stop making your subjects look like stretched rubber-men, or the unfortunate opposite of making them appear like half their height and incredibly bloated.

Just... Saying something nice about unfortunately sized icons is so, so hard.

It makes my head hurt. Some of these people have been into icon-making so much longer than I have, but still don't get it right.

!!!

~

Holiday.

A huge picture of the view that we had from our spot on the camp-site in Italy. This was on a cloudy day.

( It's big, but it's pretty.Collapse )

One of these days I'll update with a more extensive post, I promise. (I actually have a picspam halfway ready to go, but am crazily behind. Meh.)

Anyway, wrestlesecrets is two secrets one secret away from reaching the twenty we need to post another batch. So, if you have a secret to share, please head there now! There are some lovely ones there so far. *grin*

wrestlesecrets ~ wrestlesecrets ~ wrestlesecrets

I really don't get it.

*rubs head* Someone tell me why I ever got into icon making? It's really not worth the frustration. *le sigh* Pity I'm already pretty much obsessed with it. XD

~

Anyway, I'm caught up and back from my holiday. If there's something I have to check out that you think I missed, then leave a comment with a link and I'll check it out. ^^ Also, welcome to all my new flisters! I haven't had time to welcome you all individually, so I'm afraid this will have to do.

Cheers, all!

News.

I'll be going on holiday to Italy tomorrow and I won't be back until the 26th. If you need me for something, or I still owe you an icon, you'll get it once I'm back. Unfortunately I won't have internet there, so I can't do anything about it now, but I'll promise that I'll get to it.

I'm still here today, but I'll be busy. So, if there's something important I need to be aware of, either PM/comment/Email me and I'll try to get to it as soon as possible.

Hopefully everyone will have a great time while I'm gone and maybe go on holidays of their own. ;)

Cheers, everyone!

Love,
Sila.

Tutorial.

Because there was interest - one person, at least - I figured I'd try my hand at a tutorial. I'm a newbie still, so there are probably faster and easier ways to do some of these things, but...whatever.

We'll be making something like this:



(Present for bethie_p, please do not take.)

Using: PSP9 and AS.
Translatable: Probably.
Level: Easy/Medium
Notes: This tutorial assumes you can make your own screencaps. If you don't know how to, please check the archives at icon_tutorial for help.

To The Tutorial!
(Links to silawen)


Other examples:



(Also presents, so please don't steal.)

Evening, everyone!

I've been trying my hand at animated icons and figured I'd get more practice if I made some presents for my flisters. I've already given two awesome people their present, but I want to give others an opportunity at some as well.

Here are some examples of what I've done/can do:

The first two are presents, so please do not take. The other two are fair game, however. Now, these aren't anything special, but I'm hoping to get better as I go along.

If you're interested in a free present, please comment to this post with the following:

- Which superstar you want.
(WWE only, as I need easy to find screencaps. I may do TNA later on.)

- Favourite colours.
(Leave blank if you don't care.)

- Type of icon.
(Leave blank if you don't care, or put 1, 2, 3 etc. depending on which example style you prefer.)

It's first come first serve. I'll try to finish as many icons as I can, but I don't promise to do them all. It takes time, making animated icons, and I may get tired of it after a while.

Cheers, all!

Oh, and welcome scarlet_braids to my flist! ^^

~

EDIT: So, I see these are fairly popular. To my fellow icon makers; would there be interest in me writing a tutorial for some of them? It's pretty easy stuff to make if you know the right steps.

Unpopular Fannish Opinions:

( Legend of the SeekerCollapse )

( Wrestling - CanonCollapse )

( Wrestling - Fandom centric.Collapse )

( Harry Potter.Collapse )

( Pirates of the CaribbeanCollapse )

( Star TrekCollapse )

( Lord of the Rings.Collapse )

Not related to this, but... wrestlesecrets is one secret away from reaching the twenty we need to post our first batch. OMG. O_O

Nicked from plenty of flisters.


Give me a fandom and I'll give you three of my unpopular fannish opinions about it

EDIT: To make it easier... Fandoms I am into, or know enough about to at least have an opinion:

Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings/Tolkien, Star Trek, Firefly, Supernatural, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Bleach, Pirates of the Caribbean, Merlin, Gossip Girl, plenty of musicals, and most sci-fi shows.

wrestlesecrets
(Read more.)

Because I absolutely adore the concept. I adore reading people's secrets. I adore sharing mine without other people knowing. I adore seeing the different opinions in fandom. And the wrestling fandom is perfect for this.

If you're familiar with fandomsecrets, then you know what the deal is. People anonymously leave secrets behind - saying how they truly feel but were too scared to ever admit to people - and they get posted for people to respond to.

Now, this doesn't have to be your thing, but I know a couple of people who really enjoy it and I know I do, so I figured I'd give it a go.

So, it'd be awesome if people would join. If not, then that's fine too. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then just say so and I'll give it another try. XD

Cheers, everyone!

- Sila