u/CyberSmith31337

Hello all.

I'm not new to reddit, though I am new to this sub. I recently decided in my older age that I wanted to dedicate some time in my life to fulfill a lifelong passion of writing a novel. I did some basic research on what programs to use, how to disable things like Microsoft Recall, purchased a key for Scrivener, etc. I didn't want to put in too much energy into researching all the do's and don'ts associated with just getting started because I am afraid it will serve as too much of a distraction; I thought it would be best to just get the basic set up working and ready, and commit to writing 500 words a day.

That being said... I have never used Scrivener before, nor have I ever written a book before. I had a few questions I wanted to ask here in hopes of getting some starting guidance.

1. As I haven't used Scrivener before, are there any specific features or functions that can be helpful for creating "flow" and guidance to be aware of? Were there any specific functions within Scrivener that helped you out when you first got started writing? Are there any functions you found cumbersome/obtuse that were worth avoiding/ignoring?

2. I'm afraid of AIscraping. While I haven't published anything, I'm wondering if there are any specific things to be worried about when I start writing. For example, as mentioned, I disabled Microsoft Recall because I didn't want Windows taking screenshots without my knowledge. Are there any recommended ways to ensure I have a cloud-backup of my writing within Scrivener, as I often switch between working on an iPad vs. a Windows laptop when I am traveling? Are there any specific services to avoid using (example: Google Drive) to ensure my privacy?

3. Are there any "exercises" you used, especially when you first got started (Note: I haven't written in nearly 20 years; worried about shaking off the rust) that helped you develop consistent, positive habits that reinforced both your desire to write, as well as your desire to become a better writer? Were there any self-sabotaging behaviors you recognized and had to correct early on to avoid getting distracted?

4. Once you got started writing, how did you find other writers to connect with for inspiration, motivation, or reinforcement? I'm not a very social person; it doesn't come easy for me, and I'm also older (closer to 50) so I don't want to be ostracized or stand out too much.

5. What were some techniques you used to avoid looking at your work and tearing it down/hating it? Something I sometimes have struggled with is what I call "retrospective regret", which is to say that when I read when I've written, I look for things to latch onto and criticize vehemently... and it was a huge factor in stifling writing pursuits earlier in my life.

6. When starting out, did you find that it was beneficial or detrimental to work on multiple writings at a time, or did you prefer to stay focused on one at a time with more limited scope. I'm wondering if, as a way to get started, I should focus on smaller narratives vs. long-form subjects to ensure "completion" vs. refinement obsession.

I think that's all I wanted to ask to start. I'm excited to jump into this, and thankful for any support or tips you are able/willing to provide a newcomer!

Topic speaks for itself.

i’m personally leaning towards *”From”* fumbling the bag. over the seasons, it has had significantly lower lows and fewer highs. I think the Boys will end up disappointing everyone more because it was good at one point (s3) whereas I expect From is going to be the actual worse ending because I don’t expect them to answer anything or clear anything up.

I don't know how many of you have gone through this, but I wanted to write and see if anyone else had experienced this phenomena.

Recently, a good friend of mine took his own life. He was a fellow millennial. He was a troubled guy, and I wish things had gone differently for him, but psychiatric issues are a bitch. I've known him since I was a teenager.

Something that hit me, really hard, was the realization that he was the only person I'm friends with who knew me in those years. It's not that other people aren't alive/around, it's just that he was the only person left in my life who has been along for the ride from high school blunder years all the way to nearly 50. with his passing, it occurred to me... I will never revisit so many memories of those years ever again. Without a person who was there for it, who can remember it with you, who can recall little quirks and tidbits about you, your personality, your life choices, your experiences... so many of those experiences are essentially going to be locked in a filing cabinet in my mind, never to be read again.

It's not that I don't have other friends. This is just the one friend who has been through all of that with me. And now they're not here anymore, and they won't be adding any more events to the logbook. There are quite literally decades of my life that will never be mentioned or brought up again because the only person who was around who would think to bring up those memories is resting now. Some of those memories will be happily lost (i.e. bad relationships, stupid decisions of little consequence, random fights over frivolous shit) while others will be almost tragically archived (discussions about first crushes/love, philosophy, envisioning the future, sharing our hopes and dreams and regrets). I remember the first time I skipped school with this friend so we could go loaf around the mall, or the first time we had to lie to our parents to sneak out of the house for a party. I also remember being in his wedding party, and college graduation, or the endless number of games of SOCOM we used to play together in high school like a second job. And now... it's just all finished and over with for good.

Have any of you gone through this yet? I'm not particularly overwhelmed or spinning out or anything... I am just more kind of taking it all in that, moving forward, there won't be nearly as much looking back, or peer-reviewing decisions and outcomes from yesteryear. The man I am now is the only man the world will know going forward, because one of the only gateways to my past is now closed. It feels as though I've lost a part of myself along with my friend, and it's just a really disappointing moment.

Topic.

I figured I'd just roll a strong, out-of-the-box character in SSF mode and test out what has changed since I last played 2 seasons ago. I've previously rolled Pathfinder, AoC, Gemling, and Chronomancer. I was thinking of maybe running a Huntress or a Sorceress since I haven't rolled them before, but given the short timeframe before the next season, I'd prefer something that comes online earlier than later.