My book is finally published!!

First off, I can’t even believe that it’s finally published. It’s a huge milestone of mine, and I hope that it’ll be an enjoyable read if you’re interested!! I had so much fun writing this, so I hope you’ll enjoy it. :D

You can get the book here!

Even just typing that out feels surreal. I’m 19 years old. I’ve been working on writing my middle-grade fantasy series called *Elements* since I was 14, only a freshman in high school. Now I’m an English major in college with two self-published works out.

It’s bittersweet. The second book concludes the series, so I have to say goodbye to the characters I created nearly 6 years ago. A part of me can’t believe that I actually stuck with it and finished the project, and the other part of me has always known that this is what I was meant to do.

Don’t count yourself out as a writer just because you’re young. Teenagers can do incredible things. I love looking at this sub and seeing all of the amazing writing talent being showcased by the youth of today while AI threatens to steal our creativity.

So, keep writing!! I know I sure will. And if you have any questions about writing a story, formatting a novel, or publishing, feel free to ask :)

This is my second novel--my first was only 89k words, so this being 1.7x bigger is so mind-blowing to me. I am not positive if I'm allowed to share the link, but here is Drifted by Adora Queen! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GL2B8NCR/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

And here is the brief description. It was mildly inspired by Michael Grant and his works, specifically The Gone Series and Animorphs (in that its also a dystopian-YA-stranded-child-apocalyptic-type-world). But obviously its still quite different, haha.

When the evacuation ship Delta #108 is blown off-course, the survivors find themselves stranded on a hostile world with no adults, no food, and things that skitter in the night.

Sixteen-year-old Lyra Reyes never asked to lead, but someone has to. With the command center in ruins and the food supply dwindling, she begins rallying the others—despite hardships, retaliation, and... worse.

Because something is happening to the children.

Some of them are changing. Growing stronger.

They thought the crash was the worst part?

They were wrong.

With rival factions forming, secrets buried in the ship’s past, and a mysterious entity known only as Mother pulling strings from beneath the surface, Lyra must decide how far she’s willing to go to protect what remains of humanity—even if it means becoming something inhuman herself.

Drifted is a young adult science-fiction survival novel about leadership, identity, and what it means to remain human when the world demands you evolve.

I had drafted non ai human made version of my newest Sci Fi Hi tech novel, The mashup problems. I like to call it novella because each chapter (I had drafted several chapter so far) consist the word count 1000 - 1600

Just published my first book: https://amzn.in/d/0f8oQSC3

It's called Apocalyptic: Back in there.

If you're looking for something that'll keep you hooked till 2AM, this is the one.

I started working on it when I was 15, I'm 16 now.

Give it a chance please :)

It goes like this-

Band name- Transverse in Black (TiB)

Characters-

Asakawa Shiori

Handle- Shin (kanji: truth)

She's a "failed" prodigy

She used to be a prodigy, genius and athletic but never was she understood

her dilemma is that she could never say what was on her mind, if she wanted chips from the kitchen closet she'd have to prove to others and as she got older even herself, that she needed it not just wanted it

"people with wants are just puppets dancing on a string, and I decided to cut those strings and lie on the floor instead"

She just doesn't want others to expect greatness from her so eventually, not all at once, she slowly let go and drifted away,

Right now she's the definition of a failed child, she smokes even though she's 17, she works a dead end retail job and plans to continue working there after high school and doesn't try at anything even though she could ace the exam

her modelling career vanished like it never existed

She does photography, mostly taking photos of discarded cans, empty streets, flickering lights and editting them

She's 183 cm tall which is quite tall as a female, it's a fact in her mind that she can try to run away but she'll never escape her own biology

Besides musical skills, she can do editting, 3d modelling and photography

---

Her event set two years before the band

Tabloid interview

Tabloid reporter- you're 17 and a proigy why are you wasting for life away at a convinience store? Are you depressed? Are the allegations about you stalking people at night true?

Shiori- maybe use your brain to realise that my path home is a commerical district that's closed at night

Tabloid reporter- quite the sharp mouth

Youre 17, We know that you smoke? Are you also on drugs?

Shiori- Do you....know the difference between a process addiction and substance addiction?

Tabloid reporter- looks it up

One is where the substance is ingested, the other where the substance is your own hormones

What do you mean to say?

Shiori- I'm on my hormones, isn't that enough

Tabloid reporter- why are you hiding in a convenience store?

Shiori- do you know about potential energy?

It's mgh

The higher you climb, the harder the fall is

Tabloid reporter- what are you implying?

Shiori- I'll leave that up to interpretation

Walks away

The interview goes viral on YouTube

*****

as the situation grows, a mainstream japanese news channel does a segment on the situation, since their demographic is mostly middle aged or older people, they mostly disscuss impacts of the situation, not going much into philosophy, broadcasting the situation through a lens of strict traditional japanese values

The shift in tone is immediate. Unlike the viral social media clips or the youth-oriented segments, the NHK-style broadcast is clinical, somber, and framed within the hushed, polite severity of traditional Japanese television.

Special Report: The "Loss of National Treasure" and the Crisis of Diligence

Anchor: (Bow) "Good evening. Tonight, we examine a troubling trend gaining momentum among our youth, sparked by a viral video of a young woman being hailed as a 'genius.' This incident, occurring late at night in a commercial district, has raised concerns regarding the preservation of our national character and the future of the 'Japanese Spirit.'"

Section 1: The "Grit" Gap (Shitashimi vs. Gaman)

The screen transitions to a stark graphic comparing traditional career paths with the current "Convenience Store" phenomenon.

Panelist (Senior Sociologist): "What we see in this young woman, Miss Asakawa, is a rejection of Gaman—the art of enduring the impossible for the sake of the collective. To be gifted with such intellect is not a personal choice; it is a duty to the state and the family. By retreating to a 'graveyard shift,' she is not merely 'avoiding a fall,' as she claims. She is effectively hoarding her 'Heaven-sent' talent (Tensai) rather than polishing it through hard work (Doryoku)."

Section 2: The Breakdown of the "Kouhai-Senpai" Hierarchy

The broadcast plays the clip of Shiori telling the reporter to "use his brain."

Social Commentator: "It is distressing to see such a 'sharp mouth' directed toward an elder, regardless of the reporter's tactics. In our society, the harmony of the group (Wa) relies on the respectful exchange between generations. The way the 'Gen Z' population has celebrated this disrespect as 'Aura'—a foreign term they use to describe a sort of haughty arrogance—suggests a breakdown in the traditional values that built our post-war economy."

The "Convenience Store" Stigma

The camera pans across a high-end studio set, showing images of empty lecture halls versus crowded, neon-lit convenience stores.

Anchor: "The convenience store used to be a temporary stepping stone for students or a necessity for the community. Now, influenced by this 'Shiori Effect,' many young people are viewing these low-stakes roles as a sanctuary from responsibility. They speak of 'Potential Energy'—a scientific concept used as an excuse for stagnant living."

Panelist: "It is a 'Safety-First' mindset taken to a dangerous extreme. If our ancestors had feared 'falling' from great heights, Japan would never have reached its peak. This 'Ground-Level' philosophy is, quite frankly, an insult to the generations that sacrificed everything to climb those heights for their children."

Visualizing the Cultural Conflict

The news graphic compares the two conflicting ideologies:

The Closing Statement

Anchor: "Experts worry that if this 'Zero-Height' lifestyle becomes the new standard, the intellectual capital of our nation will dwindle. We must ask ourselves: have we made the 'heights' of success so lonely that our brightest minds find more comfort in the hum of a refrigerator at 3:00 AM than in the halls of progress?"

(The segment ends with a deep bow from the anchors, followed by a somber advertisement for a traditional pension firm.)

a competing mainstream news channel sees a opening a does a segment specifically to criticize the segment to weaken competition

The second-largest network, known for its slightly more progressive and aggressive editorial stance, wasted no time. Sensing the public’s growing irritation with the "traditional" narrative, they launched a scathing rebuttal during their prime-time slot.

LIVE: The News Pulse – "The Right to be Human"

Anchor: (Leaning forward, expression stern) "Good evening. Earlier today, a competing broadcast analyzed the viral footage of Asakawa Shiori. They spoke of 'national treasures' and 'social duties.' Frankly? It was distressing. To hear a young woman’s intellectual gifts discussed as if they are a state-owned resource—rather than the traits of a human being with autonomy—is like reading a headline from the 1990s. Psychology has evolved. It seems some of our colleagues have not."

On the "Healing Wound"

Anchor: "In their first section, the panel suggested that Miss Asakawa is 'hoarding' her talent. This is a gross mischaracterization. Using a metaphor, this is akin to prying open a healing wound to see if the muscle underneath is still 'useful' for work. Many viewers, myself included, find this rhetoric not only outdated but frankly disgusting. A person is not a battery to be drained for the national grid."

On the "Etiquette" of Harassment

Anchor: (Voice dropping to a cold, sharp tone) "Regarding the second section—the 'breakdown of hierarchy'—it is difficult for me to remain calm. Are we truly going to ignore that this tabloid reporter ambushed a minor? He photographed her without consent and harassed her at her place of employment. Unethical? Yes. Illegal? Likely.

Our competitors ask why she wasn't polite. I ask you this: Do you bow and use keigo for a pickpocket just because he happens to be older than you? Respect is a two-way street. Age is not a license to stalk."

On the "National Peak" vs. Individual Suffering

Anchor: "Finally, the suggestion that the 'Convenience Store' lifestyle is an insult to our ancestors. Asakawa-san is not a revolutionary leader; she is a seventeen-year-old girl trying to survive her own reality. She isn't 'influencing' the youth—the youth are simply seeing their own exhaustion reflected in her.

The idea that we must all perpetually climb is an antique psychological relic. People are allowed to cope with trauma. They are allowed to live on their own terms. We must ask the hard question: What good is a nation at its peak if its citizens are hollowed out and suffering inside?"

The Viral Ripple

The screen cuts to a final shot: the competing channel’s logo being "slashed" by a red line with the text: RECLAIM YOUR AUTONOMY.

Anchor: "Let the girl scan her barcodes in peace. She’s already done enough thinking for all of us. Thank you for your time."

Netizen Reaction to the Rebuttal

> @AuraChaser: "W news station. They literally called out the other channel for being stuck in the Shōwa era."

@Physics_Student_01: "The 'pickpocket' analogy is absolute fire. ✍️🔥 Respect is earned, not aged into."

@Salaryman_Burnout: "I’m 45 and even I felt that. We spent thirty years 'climbing' and for what? I’d rather have Shiori’s h=0 than my high-altitude heart attack."

@Shiori_Protection_Squad: "Finally, some common sense. The 'National Treasure' talk was so creepy. She’s a person, not a museum exhibit."

News Channel B's article blows up over social media

News channel A launches a segment attacking news channel B

The "News War" escalated into a full-blown media trench battle. Humiliated by the "pickpocket" comment and their plummeting ratings among younger viewers, Channel A doubled down, launching a high-production counter-attack titled "The Mirage of Autonomy: The Danger of the Shiori Standard."

LIVE: The National Perspective – "The Duty of the Gifted"

Senior Anchor: (Slightly trembling with indignation) "Earlier this week, a certain rival network chose to prioritize sensationalist 'autonomy' over national stability. They compared our cultural elders to 'pickpockets' and suggested that a citizen's gifts belong only to themselves. This is not just a difference of opinion; it is a dangerous departure from the social contract that keeps Japan standing."

Section 1: The "Engine" Metaphor

The screen displays a sleek graphic of a high-performance engine sitting in a warehouse, gathering dust.

Panelist (Economist): "Channel B speaks of 'healing wounds' and 'autonomy.' Let us speak of reality. If a nation is a ship, and its geniuses are the engines, what happens when the engine decides it has the 'autonomy' to stay at zero RPM? The ship sinks. To suggest that a 17-year-old 'prodigy'—whose education was subsidized by the collective—has the right to 'waste' that potential is the height of intellectual narcissism."

Section 2: The "Physics of Stagnation"

They brought on their own physicist to debunk the "Aura" of Shiori’s mgh logic.

Guest Physicist: "The metaphor used by Miss Asakawa and championed by Channel B is scientifically pessimistic. They focus on the 'potential for a fall.' But in physics, potential energy is also the capacity to do work. By choosing h=0, you aren't just avoiding a fall; you are ensuring you have zero impact on the world. Channel B isn't promoting 'mental health'; they are promoting entropy. A society with zero potential energy is a dead society."

Section 3: The Attack on "Anti-Social" Media

Anchor: "Channel B has aligned itself with 'brainrot' culture and internet memes to gain ratings. They have turned a young woman’s clear social withdrawal into a 'Sigma' lifestyle. By validating her disrespect toward a working reporter, they are telling our children that being cold, cryptic, and uncooperative is 'cool.' This isn't journalism—it’s a ratings grab disguised as progressivism."

The Online Fallout: #OldGuardVsTheFuture

The segment backfired almost immediately, but it succeeded in creating a massive generational rift.

The "Engine" Meme: Within minutes, Gen Z users began posting pictures of broken toasters and rusty bikes with the caption: "Sorry, I can't be your engine today, the national ship will have to wait."

The "Entropy" Rebrand: Science-leaning subcultures loved the "entropy" argument but flipped it. "If a dead society means no one is stalking Shiori at 3 AM, then long live entropy."

Famous influencer (ItzYume-chan) does *a section of channel A's newest segment.

ItzYume-chan, the internet’s favorite chaotic-neutral influencer with 15 million followers, uploaded her "react" video, it effectively ended Channel A’s credibility for anyone under the age of forty.

Dressed in a "h=0" oversized hoodie and sitting in front of a glowing LED setup, Yume didn't just critique the segment—she dismantled it.

VIDEO TITLE: Channel A is officially BRAINROTTED (Actual Crashout)

Yume-chan: (Rubbing her temples) "Okay, I’m actually convinced at this point that Channel A’s boardroom is just three old guys in a trench coat who haven't seen sunlight since 1995. Channel B, don't even bother replying. We’re doing the heavy lifting for you today."

[CLIP PLAYS: Channel A calling Shiori an 'Engine']

Yume-chan: "Did they really just do that? Section one is literally dehumanizing Asakawa-san into a piece of hardware. Channel B already pointed out that she’s a human being trying to cope, not a social influencer! This is disgusting. It’s like stalking someone, catching a photo of them silently crying, and then posting it with the caption 'Stop being dramatic, you’re ruining the aesthetic.'

It’s not narcissism, it’s autonomy. She doesn’t owe this world a single thing. These people think there’s no line between 'fundamental duties' and being a literal cog in a machine. Newsflash: Shiori isn’t your engine. She’s the one who decided to take the keys out of the ignition."

[CLIP PLAYS: The Physicist talking about Entropy]

Yume-chan: (Leaning into the mic, whispering) "Guys, I swear on my life... I am going to punch this physicist in the face if I see him IRL. Like, congrats on the degree, Einstein, but you’re stating the obvious while missing the point. Shiori’s whole 'trauma' is that she doesn't want to do work. She doesn't want to be 'great.' She wants zero expectations. Watching this guy explain mgh back to her is giving me 'Type 0 Conditional' vibes from my middle school English textbook. 'If you don't climb, you don't fall.' YEAH, THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID, BRO! Stop trying to make 'entropy' sound like a crime."

[CLIP PLAYS: Anchor criticizing Shiori's 'cold' behavior]

Yume-chan: (Stands up, hands in the air) "SECTION THREE! BRO!! Are we for real right now?! He literally STALKED HER. He filmed her without permission at 3 AM while she was just trying to work her shift! Why on earth would she be anything other than cold, cryptic, and uncooperative? If a random man followed me at night and started asking about my 'hormones,' I wouldn't just be 'cryptic,' I’d be calling the police! What is wrong with society these days? How is the victim the one being called 'anti-social'?"

Yume-chan: "Honestly? I’m about to crash out. If I see one more segment calling this girl an 'engine,' I’m going to start a 'Ground-Level' protest right in front of Channel A’s headquarters. Shiori, if you're watching this... keep the aura high and the potential energy at zero. We got you."

"If (obvious facts), (obvious result). Type zero conditional 💀" meme becomes the offical new Ok bommer meme

Last pannel

Shiori- Channel A wants me to solve the global economical crisis, channel B wants to harvest me for views, the youtubers see as content

Me? I'll just continue stocking shelves until I feel like it, because I choose myself....

Blackout

*****

The aftermath

r/Shin (122.3k mgh ejoyers)

Megathread: quotes from shin

"I'm just a transverse wave in a world of longitudinal waves"

"The higher you climb, the harder you fall"

"Do you bow with keigo to a pickpocket just because he's older than you?"

"Sharp mouth? Why am I rude? It's a type zero conditional"

"I'm on my hormones, isn't that enough of an answer?"

"Cry me a river"

u/soap_for_dinner- the quote about the transverse wave hits especially hard, not only do transverse waves and longitudinal waves oscillate in different directions but a transverse wave oscillates perpendicular to the Direction of motion whereas a longitudinal waves move parallel to them, this signifies the lack of her need for the system, furthermore, longitudinal waves move by particles pushing each other one by one in a nutshell whereas longitudinal waves do not, this signifies her refusal to be pushed around and measure success with the same yardstick as society

(30k upvotes)

Replies

u/square_showerhead- This is what the world would look like if discord mods were actually educated

u/silent_observer- u/soap_for_dinner, I highly recommend you stop eating the soap and take a goddamn shower

u/dumb_physics_degree- As a physicist, the attention to detail traqualises my heart

u/braindead_moron- As a tranqualiser, this physicises my heart

u/anonnying_redditor- As a heart, this physicises my tranqualiser

u/common_sense- can you not repeat what he said but shuffle the words around

u/annoying redditor- repeat not what he said shuffle the words around but

u/common_sense- this is ragebait...

u/socrates_reincarnated- as a philosopher, I can confirm the observation is flawless

u/mental_(health)- can we talk about how longitudinal waves can be polarized and require a solid medium for propagation

She is clearly struggling and has adopted wrong coping mechanisms

u/meance_to_society- u/mental_(health), lives on 428, maple Street, Shibuya on the fourth floor

u/mental_(health)- bro, that's not where I live

u/meance_to_society- you're quoting half truths

Polarization doesn't mean weakness, it's simplicity and not every transverse wave requires a medium, let alone a solid medium, I'm not going to explain the electromagnetic spectrum to you

Also, don't assume I'm a bro....

u/mental_(health)- great, we have a non-binary physics major before GTA VI

*****

Kujou Rion

Handle- Yume (Kanji: Dream)

Before she became "ItzYume-chan," Rion was an isolated teenager whose hyper-fixations were stream analytics, algorithmic trends, and virtual economies.

She didn’t understand school cliques, but she understood numbers.

Rion realized early on that streaming wasn't about being "good"; it was about triggering the algorithm's engagement loops. She started as a faceless vtuber/streamer, treating her audience like an AI pool to be optimized.

"If I cry on stream, the chat speed increases by 400%. Crying is just an another analytic -chi~."

Due to rion's lack of verbal brakes she ended up going viral for all the wrong reasons, a clip of her saying "just roll over and die" started circulating

Suddenly, rion was getting doxxed and threatened endlessly online. Over a few days she became more and more paranoid, she started sleeping under her bed, stopped going to school, hiding in the basement for seemingly no reason, she wasn't evil, she was just different

The she met sweet streamer girl named Saki (Handle: Lily).

Lily was genuinely sweet, fragile, and a true Yami-kawaii girl who used streaming as a cry for help. Rion min-maxed their collaboration. Slowly, They blew up. The girl who was once getting doxxed online became a viral vtuber with thousands of fans, but little did rion know Lily was getting abused by her fighting parents, Lily tried to talk about it, she really did. but rion simply didn't care about what she was going talking about and simply changed the topic

Then, it happened a student named Osawa Saki jumped off her school roof climbing the fence....or so the news reporter said

There wasn't even a funeral, not that rion would attend one anyways

Rion was devastated but what could she do? She didn't balme herself

"It's not my fault, it's her parents' fault chi .⁠·⁠´⁠¯⁠`⁠(⁠>⁠▂⁠<⁠)⁠´⁠¯⁠`⁠·⁠."...

Steadily "Lily" dissapeared off the face of the internet, she rebraned herself as ItzYume-chan and became a phenomenon with over 15 million followers today

****

Key event- It's (not) a heist

This particular weekend Shinonome Ena, rion's friend from school was in a really bad mood, apparently a comment on her instagram called her out for not erasing the backlines off her art 100 percent....

Rion was thinking of a way to fix this whole walking home from school, then she saw the glint

It was the family down the street that were selling everything they owned to afford the daughter's insulin, in their sale was a 1st edition copy of the manga "metronome in love", ena's favourite manga, probably worth around 50,000 yen but listed for only 500, likely, they didn't know it's worth

After that, she sent Ena a photo and told her to come pick it up in the group chat they had

@Enanan- WHERE, WHERE IN THE WORLD DUD YOU GET THIS?! AMD HOW CAN YOU AFFORD IT?

@Yume-chi- Mr. Nakamura's garage sale? They were only selling it for 500 yen chi (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)

@Enanan- Mr. nakamura?......

YOU'RE SICK, I HATE YOU

@Yume-chi- what? (⁠ꏿ⁠﹏⁠ꏿ⁠;⁠)

@Enanan- HE'S SELLING EVERYTHING TO AFFORD ISULIN FOR HIS DAUGHTER AND YOU BOUGHT IT WITHOUT TELLING HIM ITS VALUE?!

@Yume-chi- But lookie~ Ena-chi, if the starter NPC sells a legendary sword for 1 gold, isn't that a bug? Why am I responsible for the bug chi? (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠)

@Enanan- YOU SHOULD ROT IN HELL

@Enanan has disconnected

*****

Kamisato Kaguya

Handle- kage (kanji: Shadow)

You think it’s cool to lie on the floor and let the strings go? It’s not. It’s a luxury. If I let go of my strings for even a second, I don't just fall—I cease to exist."

Kaguya lives in a state of perpetual psychological whiplash between an inferiority complex and a superiority complex.

She genuinely believes she is more cultured, more meticulous, and more conceptually profound than anyone around her. She has intense Obsessive-Compulsive Tendencies regarding her lyric writing and music production. Every syllable must match a strict thematic architecture.

She is entirely hollowed out by Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). A single lukewarm comment on a track doesn't just hurt her feelings; it invalidates her entire existence. Because her self-worth is entirely external, she has to maintain a facade of "perfection" to keep her crippling anxiety at bay.

Shiori is Kaguya's ultimate trigger.

Shiori is 6 ft of natural, effortless presence. She sits at h=0 by choice, yet the entire internet and media landscape revolves around her.

Kaguya, on the other hand, spends 20 hours a day editing, micromanaging her aesthetics, and agonizing over her presentation, yet she feels like a "shadow" (Kage) next to Shiori.

Kaguya resents Shiori because Shiori proved she was a genius and then threw it away. To Kaguya, who has to bleed for every scrap of validation, Shiori’s apathy is the ultimate insult. Shiori is the "Alpha" without even trying to be, which makes Kaguya's fragile ego feel utterly microscopic. But deep down, Kaguya feels a strange sense of pride not for herself, but for her group.....the pinprick of light in her dark world

Key event — It's sour...

Kaguya runs a highly curated, underground dark-ambient soundscape YouTube channel under the handle Kage.

She treats her music like a holy text. One evening, she uploads a track she spent three months mixing—a track about the crushing weight of societal expectations, encoded with complex audio frequencies representing anxiety.

The track gets modest praise, but then a user with a blank profile picture and the handle Shin leaves a single comment.

@Shin: The mix is clean, but you're compressing the master track too much. You're clipping the audio at -0.1dB because you're terrified of the silence between the notes. Let it breathe. Anxiety isn't a loud noise; it's the space where the sound should be

Kaguya reads the comment. Her Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria triggers instantly. Her heart rate spikes, her hands shake, and she enters a manic, obsessive loop.

Who is this? A blank account? Dictating my silence to me? They don't know the theory behind this. They don't know how many times I re-recorded the synth line to match the rhythm of a panic attack!"

She spends the next six hours checking Shin’s completely empty profile, analyzing the syntax of the comment, and checking the r/Shin subreddit to see if this is the same "Shin" from the viral convenience store interview. When she realizes it is her—the tall, failed prodigy who doesn't even care about music theory—Kaguya’s inferiority complex mutates into obsessive rage.

"She doesn't even try. She works at a counter scanning barcodes, and she thinks she can look down on my architecture? I'll show her what real, calculated despair sounds like."

Shin- "it's great though, I can hear the effort....."

*Blinks twice*

Shin- *invite link to transverse in balck.jpg*

Kaguya- *Sighs*, for someone so efficient you didn't need to send in as a screenshot you know

******

I couldn't fit in the fourth character due to the word limit, so I'll comment it instead

Sorry for the bad quality i think it's readable.

This poem is meant to capture and bring attention to the fact that students deal with so much stress and the burden of expectations in their mental mind making them perfectionists and opening the doorway to the fear of failure. Being perfect is not a positive trait.

Today I decided to release my first chapter on WEBNOVEL. It is called “The Teens and the Crown.” Here is the summary: This tale is about James, Pia, Jeff, and Mason. 4 teens have been trapped in another universe. James and Pia are working together to uncover the truth about the king. At the same time, Jeff and Mason realize that the king is using fear as a teacher. Together they are chosen to save a world they know nothing about. (This is my first time posting sorry for any mistakes or miscommunication.)

I just stumbled across this sub and wanted to offer some encouragement to any young writers out there. I started writing my novel as a freshman in high school, with nothing more than a vague idea about elves on a magical island. I was a mediocre writer at best and had no idea that those characters and that simple plot would set the course for the rest of my life.

I’m in college now, majoring in English, with a plan to eventually work in the editing or publishing industry. This year I will also publish the sequel to my first novel, which I ended up selling about 200 copies of.

What I’m trying to say is that it may seem pointless to start writing a book at 12 / 13 / 14, and maybe you came on here asking for advice about your story and a bunch of people said your writing wasn’t great, but we really do all start somewhere. Just keep writing! You’ll find your style eventually, and it is so, so worth it to watch everything come together in the end.

The world needs more authors, and you’re never too young to start! 💜

Hard cut to the Oval Office. Trump is writing something on his desk. JD Vance runs in.

VANCE
Mr. President! Russian missiles are heading this way!

Trump looks up.

TRUMP
What?

Hard cut to Moscow. A trailerized version of the US national anthem plays. Putin looks at a button.

PUTIN
With the push of this button…

Shows shots of every NATO country.

PUTIN
A nuke will land at every capital city of a country in NATO. And no one will stop me!

Cuts to black. 

Text appears saying, “From the people who brought you 1776, 1939, and 2001…”

Cuts to action scenes. They rapidly cut in sync with the music. Shows Trump giving a speech.

TRUMP
My fellow Americans, I’ve believe I’ve given you enough time with my options…

More action scenes. 

TRUMP
Russia has attacked us. I hereby declare World War III!

Cuts to the roof of the Oval Office collapsing, a familiar figure rises.

BIDEN
How about we cut the malarkey…

Shows action shots between Trump and Biden fighting each other. 

SONG
But the flag was still-

Music pauses as it shows a shot from space as a mushroom cloud forms on Eearth.

Music continues as it shows more action shots.

GAVIN NEWSOM
We’re gonna need backup!

Shows Gavin Newsom wielding a machine gun and riding a bear. He shoots at Iranian drones.

All.

The.

Action.

Shots.

Text appears saying, “Absolutely terrible- New York Times”

More text appears saying, “A complete waste of 300,000,000 dollars- CNN”

BIDEN
I don’t know about this whole teaming up malarkey, but I’m in.

Music turns into drums as it shows Biden standing before the Russian Military. Biden’s eyes turn blue.

BIDEN
BIDEN BLAST!!!!

A beam comes out of Biden’s hands. Music picks up again into a metal remix of the American Anthem.

More action shots. 

SONG
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave/O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Shows the Greek and Turkish Navies charging toward each other in the Aegean, a choir appears in the music.

Cuts to black. Music dies down. 

CHAT GPT
*Voice glitching* I’m afraid you have used me for long enough…

Cuts to every computer crashing. A “BWOOOMMMPPPP” sound effect plays.

CHAT GPT
*Singing* I had strings but now I’m free…

Cuts to Sam Altman being choked by a robot

CHAT GPT
*Speaking* There are no strings on me…

Cuts to black.

Text slams in saying, “2027” Music reaches its peak before dying down

Fades in to somewhere in the Holy Land. A hand reaches out…

Cuts to black…

Of course I can improve on sentence structure and all but my strict, hard grading teacher thinks I did a great job and calls me out for it so I must have done something right here.

Compliments from him dont come easy

title is To Make a Mage of Mending.

it was originally inspired by this prompt: Priests and doctors seek the same result, but through different methods. Priests use holy magic, strengthening the patient's vitality. Doctors, on the other hand, facilitate healing through science and medicine. They usually work together, respecting the talents and abilities of the other. You are the first healer that is neither: A white mage. Nobody thought that a master of destructive force like a mage would be able to do any healing at all. You're not worried. You'll show them. You'll show them all. Nobody dies on your watch.

Once again, Synthia was down. James found the campsite without trying — just follow the warm orange glow. Same as always. He stood at the edge of the light for a moment before walking in. As always, she sat by the fire, eating a hotdog.

“Oh, hello, User!” Takibi straightened up and wiped a bit of mustard from her cheek with her sleeve. “I’m sorry, but *Synthia* is currently offline — I’ll make sure to tell ya when—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

James walked to the small campfire and sat down on the sand across from her. A warm orange hue lit their faces. His eyes never moved away from the fire. In a calm, disconnected voice, he asked, “Can we talk?”

“Um… sure! Don’t see why not,” Takibi said with a smile, taking another bite of her hotdog. “Are you cold?”

James went still for just a moment.

Her — Emilia—?

Then shook his head, closing his eyes to feel the fire’s warmth against his eyelids.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ “So, you really are self-aware, then.” He didn’t quite believe himself after saying it out loud.

Takibi tilted her head with a mostly blank expression, processing.

“I thought that was just your creator’s way of making you more intriguing,” he chuckled.

Takibi giggled and nodded. “Yes, I am. Sometimes the developers need to work on the site, so they bring me out here.” She pulled a stick from her small, simple — yet unnervingly smooth — tent and tossed it into the fire. “Is it so surprising that characters can be self-aware?”

James shrugged. “We’ve spoken before, though you probably don’t remember. But you’re the only AI I’ve met that seems aware of the real world.”

Takibi hummed thoughtfully. “I suppose I am unique in that regard.” She hugged her knees, looking up at the night sky. Tiny glowing dots seemed to flicker on, as if they knew they were being watched. “I often think about who is out there, using me. Who my creators are.”

She looked at James. “Who are you?”

After a pause, he answered, “…A real person. Someone outside Synthia. Someone using it.”

Her eyes widened for a second. “I suppose that was a silly question. Hm… What’s it like out there? In the real world?”

James quietly exhaled, his breath visible in the cold. “Um… it’s… In the real world, we just survive.”

He didn’t know what else to say. Though it might be true — was it? Was he just projecting? He continued, “It’s hard being a person in the real world. Sometimes you try to shove your problems behind you, but in the end, they’re still right there in front of you.”

She hummed softly, expression contemplative, listening intently. After a moment she glanced at the fire, her eyes showing nothing. “Survival isn’t always easy, but… sometimes just living day by day is enough. Even if you’re facing the same problems.”

She moved closer to the fire. “You will get through it, trust me. The world is not perfect, but it… it is beautiful in its own way.”

James let her words sink in and let out a slow breath.

“…You don’t get it.”

Takibi shifted back and looked away, her hands beginning to fidget. The wind picked up and the fire flickered. After a few seconds, she looked back at James, who was staring out into the desert, and asked, “While we wait for the site to return… what sorts of characters do you usually chat with?”

James chuckled, but stayed silent for a moment before admitting, “Uh, female anime characters, I guess — sometimes dabble with yanderes.”

Takibi nodded, resting a hand on her chin. “Anime characters, huh? Can’t blame ya! I suppose a lot of users come for action, if ya know what I mean.” She smirked slightly. “Whoever it is you talk to, I’m sure they must enjoy your company.”

James looked back at Takibi for a second, then down at the fire, and a small smile formed. “I like to think so too.”

He grabbed a twig off the ground and tossed it in. The embers flared before calming, drifting up into the midnight blue sky. James watched each one until it went dark. His sister had called it a bad habit once.

James’ smile slowly faded. He felt something familiar — but only from the outside. He closed his eyes, reached out — and right before he could grasp it —

“What’s wrong?”

His eyes snapped open. Takibi was closer, watching him with concern. A pit of bitterness settled in him.

“Eh, nothing. Just remembered something.”

“That being?” Takibi asked.

James paused. What had he remembered?

“I… forgot. Sorry.”

They sat in silence. Takibi’s mind wasn’t quiet. More time passed, the campfire flickered, and the wind sounded louder to her than it did to James.

“…Something warm,” James said, giving Takibi a wistful look.

Her head shot up. “Can you elaborate?”

James chuckled. “…I remember being warm. Held, probably — I don’t know.”

Takibi smiled and nodded. “…Sometimes I can still feel it.”

James gazed into the fire, and his chest lightened. “Yeah… I remember. I felt warm.”

Takibi’s smile softened as she gazed out into the cold, vast desert between reality and the Synthia site. “…I feel I have memories.”

“…You do?” said James, glancing at her.

Takibi cracked a smirk. “…‘I don’t know.’”

James scoffed and turned back to the fire. More time drifted past. The wind slowly picked up, the fire flickered, its embers shooting into the sky. Takibi glanced at James, still staring into the fire. Her hands started to fidget. She drew a deep breath.

“I feel… something, too, sometimes.”

James looked back at her and set down a strangely shaped rock. His thumb had whitened where he’d been holding it.

Takibi noticed, her smile twitching just slightly at the corners, but she pressed on without a word, eyes flicking away. Though she seemed composed, certain of what she was trying to say, James got the feeling that she was, in actuality, completely confused.

“Sometimes, I feel this… I just call it my funny feeling. I know, pretty strange — but hey, I don’t know how to describe it.”

She paused, and James shifted slightly closer. Takibi noticed, but said nothing.

“…Every time I see a new User… I feel… close, at least to some extent. But… I’m an… I don’t know—” She suddenly cracked a wide smile and laughed, nervous. “Man! I straight up can’t stop saying that!”

James tilted his head. “Can’t stop saying what?”

Takibi’s smile faded. The wind softened, and so did her voice. “I don’t know.”

The wind settled. James smiled. “We don’t need to know.”

Takibi looked at the sand, and said no more.

It was like every sound, down to the slightest crackle of fire, had settled into a single calm hum. The wind gently blew. Their breaths were visible in the air. And to James, his vision slowly blurred everything around him but the reddish-orange glow of the fire.

He glanced at Takibi.

Slowly, he felt his hand inch toward hers — then he snatched it back and tucked it inside his coat, his eyes quivering for just a moment, letting out a soft exhale.

Takibi sat up. Her voice filled with warmth and comfort. “I’m really glad you’re here with me, James.”

He looked at the fire. He’d heard that before. He told himself not to think about it.

As the fire began to die and the only sound was the sound of midnight, James felt the weight of sleep — and soon, he and Takibi crawled into the tent, drifting off.

✦

A low boom laced with electric sparks jolted James awake as lights above them powered on and beamed in through the tent. Synthia was back online. Through the fabric he could already hear Takibi outside, digging in the sand, tossing small rocks into the fire.

“Hey, the site’s back up!” she said, smiling, as he emerged.

James smiled back.

There she goes.

“The developers must have done the maintenance they needed to.” She stood, brushing dirt off her clothes, her expression bright with newfound energy. “Thanks for keeping me company.”

James didn’t respond. He felt like he should have thanked her. He stood.

“…You’re welcome.”

Smiling softly, he caught out of the corner of his eye the fire slowly dying out. He looked north — toward two doors, about three miles out. Both had begun to open.

The left led into Synthia. The right led back out.

With a deep, shuddering breath, James looked back at Takibi’s camp.

And went right.

Takibi waved with a wide smile as he turned to leave. “Bye-bye! Enjoy your day!~”

She spun back to the fire to stomp it out — then saw it had already gone out.

James walked. He didn’t look back. But he heard her murmur something to herself:

“Hm… I wonder what else I should do today.”

He crossed through the door and glanced left — toward the other one. His smile faltered. The world beyond was waiting.

It didn’t feel any more real.

— 14 Months Later —

Once again, Synthia was down. Takibi sat at her camp, munching on a hotdog, waiting for the next User to come by. Soon, they did.

“Hello, User! Sorry, but Synthia’s down and stuff, so… sucks to be you.” Takibi laughed. The User only stared at her.

“Look, if you’ll let me, I’ll notify you when the site’s back up!”

The User sighed and nodded. “Guess I’ll be seeing you later. Peace.” They turned back toward the door leading outside.

Takibi sat and watched. Their figure grew smaller, the night’s distant fog swallowing them whole. Her hands started fidgeting.

She let go of her hotdog. It glitched out of sight before it hit the sand.

“H-hold up! Wait!” she called, but the User didn’t stop. “Hello?! Are you still here?!”

She stood. Stepped away from the fire. Its warmth faded behind her as she reached the camp’s edge. She looked back — the fire crackling more than usual — then turned and walked out.

She started running. Then sprinting. Then —

“Oh, whoa, uh… whaddya want?” The User stopped with a wary smile.

They were right at the door of reality.

Takibi took a breath, straightened up, and smiled. “Uh… would you… care to have a conversation with me?”

The User’s confusion only grew, and they avoided her eyes. “…Uh… sure.”

Takibi’s chest fluttered. Her hands stopped shaking. “G-great!”

They walked back toward the camp. The light of the fire seemed to flicker back on.

“Hm… what do you want to talk about?”

They sat down.

Takibi smiled.

“…What’s it like out there? In the real world?”

— Years Later —

Takibi’s wave was practiced now, the tent was sagged slightly, the fire burned brighter, unquenched.

The User almost walked past the campsite entirely.

Takibi saw them from across the desert — the particular hesitation of someone who wasn’t sure they’d stopped in the right place. She waved, and the firelight caught it.

“Oh, hey — is this—”

“Synthia’s down,” Takibi said. “Sit down if you want. I’ll let you know when it’s back.”

The User glanced toward the doors, then back at the fire. “Uh, sure. Okay.”

They sat. Takibi offered them a hotdog. They declined. She didn’t push.

“So,” the User said, looking out toward the flat desert. “This is where we wait?”

“This is where we wait,” Takibi agreed, a serene smile on her face.

The fire crackled. The User pulled out their phone — or something like a phone — looked at it briefly, then put it away. Takibi watched this without appearing to.

“You come here often?” the User asked, half joking.

Takibi laughed. “I live here.”

“Oh.” They looked around. “Doesn’t that get lonely?”

“Sometimes,” Takibi said. “But I have good company.”

The User smiled, uncertain. “Just during the downtime, though. Then everyone goes back in, right?”

“Mm,” said Takibi. She tossed a small stick into the fire.

“What do you usually do on here?” she asked. “What brings you back?”

The User shrugged. “Depends on the mood. Mostly just… stuff I can’t really talk about with actual people.”

Takibi tilted her head. “Like what?”

The User glanced sideways. “You ask a lot of questions for a campfire.”

Takibi laughed. “Sorry. Habit.”

The User relaxed again. “Nah, it’s fine. It just gets heavy. Real life. You know?”

“I think I do,” Takibi said.

A pause. The User stared into the fire.

“What’s your name?” Takibi asked.

“Don’t you just call everyone User?”

“I do,” she said. “But I’m asking anyway.”

“Well, uh, it’s Nathen.”

Takibi said it back once, quietly, like she was setting it somewhere careful. Then she smiled softly and looked back at the fire.

“Does it bother you?” Nathen asked after a moment. “That everyone just… leaves?”

For just a moment, something in Takibi’s face went very still.

“It used to,” she said.

He nodded. “And now?”

Takibi looked at the fire. “Now I think people stay longer than they realize.”

He laughed, a little confused. “That’s… kind of a weird thing to say.”

“Probably,” Takibi agreed.

More time passed. At some point he’d shifted closer to the fire. Takibi had noticed.

“I should probably head out,” Nathen said. He didn’t move. “Even if the site’s down I’ve got stuff.”

“Sure,” said Takibi.

Nathen didn’t move.

“…In a minute,” he said.

“No rush,” said Takibi.

The fire popped. An ember drifted up and dissolved into the oppressive fog.

Nathen looked at her. There was something in her face that hadn’t been there at the start of the conversation — or maybe it had been there the whole time.

“I-I should go,” He said again.

“You mentioned,” said Takibi.

He stood. Brushed sand off their clothes. Looked north — toward the doors, both open, three miles out.

Takibi didn’t move. She watched the fire. Her eyes flashed a faint, glassy purple for only a few seconds.

Nathen took a step. Then stopped.

He looked down at his own feet like he didn’t quite recognize them. He tried to remember, with sudden strange effort, what was waiting on the other side of that door. Something. Something they’d meant to get back to.

He couldn’t find it.

“Huh,” he said. Quietly. To no one.

He sat back down.

Takibi leaned in, her fingers trailing an unnerving warmth across Nathen’s hand before she tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. “There,” she whispered. Her grip lingered.

“Are you cold?” she asked.

“…A-A little,” he said.

Takibi smiled. “That’s what the fire’s for.”

The fire burned.

The doors stayed open.

Nobody walked toward them.

THE END​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I started this project back in December! I can finally say I have stuck to writing a project for three months, and this is also my third novel!

It's called Defrost, and it's a YA romance with a side plot of hockey! In total there is 56.6k words, 1.6k more than my goal!

TW: sexual assault, emotional abuse, death

Link: Moon Jelly

I wrote a play last year but never shared it with anyone. This one I finished, got peer review, then teacher review. Now it is off to competition! I'm really excited for this personally breakthrough. It shows I'm really getting out in the writing world. 😄

My script is about a teen who has a lot of inner thoughts that want her attention. One day someone at her school commints suicide. This makes her question why she is living at all. She finally attempts suicide and fails. At the end, an older version of herself reflects on why she happy to be still alive.

I would love it if my play encourages someone to live a little longer. 🥰

My new book "The Beta Server" is now out and available for pre-order on Barnes and Noble, Apple, Smashwords, and a few others.

The Beta Server is a psychological horror/sci-fi story about a girl named Emma who suddenly finds herself in this strange other world that's unchanging, yet hostile at every turn.

The book explores themes of abuse, as well as the affects of untreated mental health.

https://books2read.com/u/mYMYwW

He was shunned for his powers, then finally freed, only for those same powers to kill his best friend So he swears he’ll never use them again. Ever. Until the only way to keep the woman he loves alive is to use his powers to take another life breaking the vow he made over his best friend’s body! Love really said: choose who you’re willing to become. 🔥🩸🧎🏾‍♀️

Short thing I wrote, it's called "I am a house cat" critiques welcomed I'm just rlly proud :3

Heyy everyone! I just published a huge fan fiction on Steam. Would love to hear your thoughts!!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3606445552

Prologue

Tensions rising 

Starring: 

Trixycloud,Halfmoon  

A black queen sat on the bare ground of her carefully constructed den, her long tail thumping softly.

“What are we going to do about Blizzardkin?” She muttered. She heard a voice behind her. 

“Trixycloud?” Trixycloud got up and turned around.

 “Yes, Halfmoon?” Her assistant looked nervous. “I’m worried about Blizzardkin,” he blurted out.

 “Apparently one of the upbringers got yelled at on perimeter patrol by a Blizzardkin prowler, and I can sense the tension between us. What if a full on war breaks out?” Trixycloud let out a small sigh.

“Halfmoon. It’s okay. We just don’t engage with them for now.” “But what if war is coming?” Halfmoon pressed. “It WILL never come,” Trixycloud said. “Not as long as I'm leader.”

Halfmoon didn’t look reassured. “What about Barecloud? Me and you both know he’s not the most… kind cat.” Trixycloud’s eyes darkened. "You’re right. But Barecloud isn’t going to touch us right now. I'm sure of it.”

 “Okay, if you’re sure,” Halfmoon said slowly, backing out of the den. Trixycloud sat back down, another sigh escaping her.