@Trajecient@mastodon.world
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

Trajecient

@Trajecient@mastodon.world

Writer, graphic designer, vexillographer, type designer, game developer and composer.

Currently a one-person operation by a mostly gay bisexual (he/him) from Melbourne, Australia. Plays a lot of video games on Nintendo and PC platforms.

Broadly interested in history.

I do project updates and mostly try to be helpful here to others.

Header: Trajecient Logo
Profile Picture: Trajecient Logo (Monochrome Version)

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

HumanServitor, to random
@HumanServitor@mastodon.social avatar

It must be a terrible time for authors named Al or with the initials A.I. Nobody will believe they're human.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@HumanServitor Genuinely, when I come across Ai Weiwei I have found I slightly pause a bit to check that what I have come across is referring to a human by that name and not an AI Weiwei emulating him.

HumanServitor, to gay
@HumanServitor@mastodon.social avatar

What terms can stand in for LGBTQIA+? It really is a mouthful (mindful?). I see and used as catch-alls, but I've also seen people take umbrage with that. Can someone help me out with more here?

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@HumanServitor @aby Sometimes I've seen phrases like 'the sexuality spectrum' being used.

Non-heterosexual, non-hetero and variants thereof can also work, as anyone who is LGBTQIA+ at least has some aspect of themselves who isn't heterosexual, which these terms are understood to address.

'Non-straight' is a loaded term. Indicates one type of sexuality the most normal and rest are 'deviations'. So that one isn't an equivalent synonym.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@HumanServitor @aby At least in terms of the potential for straight and non-straight as terms to become more dated in the future, if not necessarily now.

Obviously not everyone who is LGBTQIA+ would have a problem with such terms, as is the case for terms in general.

geordie, to random
@geordie@aus.social avatar

The "TurboTax" thing blows my mind. Basically in the US there's no way you can just do your taxes online on the revenue/taxation department's website like you can in every other grown-up country. Instead, there's commercial software called TurboTax which cut a deal with the US government that they'd offer a free version for PAYG income tax provided the goverment didn't build a tax filing portal for people to just use like would make the most sense. Anyway, Intuit, the company behind TurboTax, made the free version online but it disallows crawling through robots.txt, and does a whole bunch of other dark shit to try and hide itself.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@stevewfolds @geordie
The whole system is partly kept as complicated and inefficient as it is to force the general public to pay accountants to do their taxes to a much greater extent than ielsewhere.

(Accounting firms have lobbied accordingly).

golgaloth, to books
@golgaloth@writing.exchange avatar

Are there any fantasy novels that use time travel? The only ones I can think of are hidden sci-fi fantasy.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@golgaloth The third book from that very prominent wizarding series by a now deeply controversial author is perhaps the most prominent example.

lowqualityfacts, to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

THAT IS HELPFUL TO KNOW.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@lowqualityfacts This is largely due to BRIAN BLESSED sending out many applications and never being turned away.

AnOrdinaryWriter, to writing
@AnOrdinaryWriter@mastodon.au avatar

So I try and give writing advice because I enjoy it, however, I don’t know everything and I would like to ask for your advice on this topic. I received some feedback from a beta reader, not to end my chapters with dialogues and when I tried to look up what other people's opinions were, I couldn't get a clear reason.

Before I begin, I want to state that I don’t hate my beta reader, I think they did a fine job. I just want to understand the no dialogue endings as maybe it’s a rule within the writing community which I missed.

Some of the points that my beta reader gave me are that it feels like the chapters end mid-conversation, it’s annoying, and repetitive (to be fair I did it a lot).

In my beta reader's opinion, a chapter should end with one of the following: a surprise, a promise, a question (that’s not huh?), humour or themes. I don’t disagree with these statements, I’m just curious why can’t a chapter ending with a dialogue still address one of those points?

To answer your question, eleven out of 15 chapters ended with dialogues. Yeah I can tone it back a little but my beta reader said they could only handle one or two chapters ending with dialogue so I asked the question, does this come down to reader preference or am I missing something in the writing community? I tried looking this up but couldn’t find anyone giving me a good reason to not end chapters with a dialogue. What are your thoughts?

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@AnOrdinaryWriter From reading what you related, it looks like 'no ending on dialogue' may be about how many chapters they can handle ending mid-conversation.

If I kept stuffing up baking chocolate cakes for birthdays, 'don't do chocolate cake at birthdays' may be said and it likely doesn't mean nobody should do it, but just that I shouldn't.

What the beta reader said is only internally consistent if they meant something contextual but this wasn't stated clearly enough.

Just my thoughts.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@AnOrdinaryWriter Yeah, given the full context it does read very much more like a general dislike for chapters ending with a conversation rather than a critique grounded in the execution of it.

It is a very odd perspective to come across.

It is common for books to end most chapters the same way in terms of the extremely broad types of 'dialogue,' 'internal monologue' etc.

Usually the content is varied enough readers don't notice. There certainly isn't any rule against such practice.

allisonwyss, to random
@allisonwyss@zirk.us avatar

A question I ask all the time in my classes--and it's not rhetorical--also I don't think there is one answer--is: What makes a story?

I love to think about what it is that gives me (or anyone--and it definitely varies) the sense of narrative, the sense of having read a thing that has... what... something like a point? I can't even define what the feeling is--but the sense that it's a story.

What does that for you? What makes a thing a story?

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@orionkidder @allisonwyss @mcmullin @ajswritesthings @ravenbait @PatternChaser Or to put it another way, it is is using the quantity of engagement to equal quality of engagement.

Once again, it relates to the economic model and the extent to which it is pursued.

Quantity is closely aligned with quality for various social media platforms as the real core product is selling ads and gathering user data to use/sell.

In such settings, quality equates to profitability in a narrow sense.

therobburgessshow, to random
@therobburgessshow@newsie.social avatar

Just checked back in on Twitter/X and hoo boy, somehow it’s gotten worse. Every third post is a diet pill scam ad. This place is an oasis by comparison. Thanks for kicking it with me here instead.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@therobburgessshow @TimWardCam Well, at least it isn't ads of Alex Jones spruiking stuff.

...Yet.

Until Twitter/X actually goes xtinct things can still get worse.

KarenStrickholm, to random
@KarenStrickholm@mastodon.online avatar

In hospital. Trouble breathing
Prayers please!🙏💞🥰

View out back windows of rig during transport
Me awaiting ET room
ER hallway

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@KarenStrickholm Best wishes for your health. 🙏

gavi, to books
@gavi@wandering.shop avatar

Book friends of mastodon, have you ever read a book that you had to stop reading midway thru because it just gave you the urge to angrily chuck it across the room?

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@gavi Not midway. The second page.

This was after flicking through a bit to see if the awfulness was limited to a small section of the book.

But it wasn't.

Unless other responses here, it wasn't the content, but the style. The whole book was written with every line in the style of grandiose movie trailer taglines.

It was just unreadable to me.

orionkidder, to Writers
@orionkidder@writing.exchange avatar

Anybody know what publishers generally prefer when it comes to novel lengths? Is there even a strong preference? I’m writing in SFF, like many of you, in case that makes a difference.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@orionkidder When specified in submission guidelines there is a strong preference or a hard limit.

Some publishers actively say they consider works longer works if they really like it.

Here is an example from Baen, a publisher focused on science fiction and fantasy:

"Preferred length: 100,000 - 130,000 words.

Generally we are uncomfortable with manuscripts under 100,000 words, but if your novel is really wonderful send it along regardless of length." (1/2)

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@orionkidder From when I was looking around science fiction and fantasy publishers years ago when considering whether to self-publish or not, noticed something.

Publishers focusing on science fiction and fantasy tend to at least sometimes have a longer desired length than publishers that accept science fiction and fantasy among a wider range of genres.

May be due to differences in marketing and expectations of likely readers, plus comfort levels in relation to risk and margins. (2/2)

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@orionkidder You don't need an agent though to consider these factors.

As various publishers say, the best way to tell if you could be published by them is to look at their other books (especially by debut/new authors).

The more a work generally fits in (i.e. tone & major themes) the more likely:
(a that those who decide what is published will also like it
(b that it aligns with their brand and marketing tools/strategies
(c that readers reached or reachable by a publisher will want to read it

ashtardeza, to random
@ashtardeza@mas.to avatar

Ok , help me please. In a future where phones have been replaced with neural implants, and participating in society without an implant is next to impossible: What would be the nickname / slur for people who choose not to have an implant?

Things I thought of but didn't like : Relics, Offliners, Discos (as in disconnected).

Any ideas?

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@ashtardeza 404s.

As in the 'not found, can't connect' error.

In the real world, there are often different nicknames used, such as by older and younger generations, so 404s may be better suited to be a slang alternative to a more formally used nickname.

Could also possibly fit if in this story people are more used to thinking in code or mindsets associated with 'STEM' ways rather than those of 'the arts/humanities'.

rootwyrm, to random
@rootwyrm@weird.autos avatar

Folks, I am DESPERATELY seeking out Saab/Orio part 5440516 - transmission rebuild KIT. This is a complete kit. Every vendor I've talked to says none left, NLA, or won't even check if they have any.

IT MUST BE THE COMPLETE KIT!! I need a number of parts that are ONLY in the kit and were never sold separately. I have experience and can arrange international shipping if needed.

Boosts appreciated. If I can't find this part, there is no possibility of getting the Viggen back on the road.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@rootwyrm You may want to try getting in touch with Torstad53 from Sweden on Tradera.

It looks like there was a listing for the part you're looking for, described as unused (check the photos yourself to see if it looks right) that ended without any bid just a bit over a week ago: https://www.tradera.com/item/343434/613729203/renoveringssats-man-vaxellada

I am not a gearhead so I cannot make any guarantees, but it is a potential lead.

therobburgessshow, to random
@therobburgessshow@newsie.social avatar

What are you favorite games for the Nintendo Switch and why?

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@therobburgessshow Tears of the Kingdom, Splatoon 2, Splatoon 3 and the Xenoblade Chronicles games.

Tears of the Kingdom is overall a great time.

I much preferred the map design approach of Splatoon 2 over Splatoon 3, but Salmon Run is better in Splatoon 3.

Xenoblade Chronicles are RPGs that go places. Cannot discuss further without going into spoilers.

molly0xfff, to ai
@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io avatar

AI is going just great
https://404media.co/users-cant-speak-to-viral-ai-girlfriend-carynai-because-ceo-is-in-jail/

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@molly0xfff
So it turns out he was setting boxes on fire on the balcony outside his room (boxes which may or may not have contained things).

Before police arrived the apartment had also been ransacked.

Three floors were damaged as a result.

Source: https://www.kxan.com/news/crime/man-faces-arson-charge-following-downtown-high-rise-fire/?ref=404media.co

joannaholman, to random
@joannaholman@aus.social avatar

The people who invent the contents of capsule vending machines are so creative. How do you arrive at the concept of chocolate croissant shark?!?

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@joannaholman Wouldn't have been able to resist doing the same.

Hope it tasted nice.

sergi, (edited ) to writing
@sergi@floss.social avatar

What do you prefer?

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@sergi Em dashes without spaces and en dashes with spaces (with a preference for en dashes except in historical and geographic settings where the use of an em dashes is the appropriate style).

tansy, to books
@tansy@wandering.shop avatar

You want us to do what...?! 😅😅

Texas-based interior designer attempts to cause major family riots...

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@tansy This could make a great episode for a sitcom though...

haikushack, to random

An FYI to artists using Fine Art America.

I recently found out that my photos uploaded there had been scraped for AI training. I emailed support about it. Our email exchange is below.

I am officially done with Fine Art America. If you use the platform, I would recommend leaving too.

I will probably write a case study about this in the near future.

In the meantime, check out my post for basic tips to protect your website from AI scraping: https://creativeramblings.com/ramblings/ai-generated-content

image/png
image/png

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@dancingtreefrog @haikushack Yes they are. Going to the Privacy Policy on Fine Art America specifically names Pixels.com.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@haikushack @dancingtreefrog And since Pixels.com makes use of AI generation services, there is even a probability they directly scraped the content in the same way using anything Google-related (to give one example) can lead to that content being used in Google's AI services.

therobburgessshow, to random
@therobburgessshow@newsie.social avatar

The heads of these AI companies don't need to work to live. They could care less how many jobs their shiny new toys take. They got theirs and the rest of us can just sort out the rest as they plow mindlessly forward.

Trajecient,
@Trajecient@mastodon.world avatar

@therobburgessshow Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis called this part of a technofeudalism and I think that is rather interesting way of thinking about it.

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • JUstTest
  • rosin
  • thenastyranch
  • ethstaker
  • DreamBathrooms
  • osvaldo12
  • magazineikmin
  • tacticalgear
  • Youngstown
  • everett
  • mdbf
  • slotface
  • ngwrru68w68
  • kavyap
  • provamag3
  • Durango
  • InstantRegret
  • GTA5RPClips
  • tester
  • cubers
  • cisconetworking
  • normalnudes
  • khanakhh
  • modclub
  • anitta
  • Leos
  • megavids
  • lostlight
  • All magazines
    •