Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of Wikipedia, has quietly launched a new social media site focused on accurately reporting the news in an effort to shrink down the amount of misinformation and false articles passed around on other social networks.
For a time, I deemed Wikipedia untrustworthy because it’s open-edit system meant anyone can add anything to any subject, but–so far as I know–Wikipedia has tightened up their practices and data for whatever subject you look up now needs to be cited or it has a warning if information is unsubstantiated.
Anyway, I’m very interested in this site despite being in Heavy Broadcast Mode because checking the news is part of my daily routine, and if there is a place I can read the latest articles under whatever topics I choose and know they have been verified, well, that sounds good to me.
I don’t fully know how the site works. It’s similar to other social networks but seems to have a strong focus on news and articles as opposed to social interaction. Not that social interaction isn’t a part of it, but, at least at this early stage, appears somewhat limited.
The site is free despite not gaining revenue from ads, but you might wind up on a waiting list for a short while before being granted full access. You can skip the line by getting a monthly or yearly subscription. I don’t know, as of this writing, if having the paid version is a way to access more features or if it’s simply a case of supporting the platform and what it stands for.
What I do know is social media is a wasteland of bad news, people complaining, and drama. To have WT.Social doing its thing might pave the way for a new type of social media because, clearly, the current model is causing people mental health issues and that’s never a good thing.
To join me on WT.Social, please visit here or use the little icon on the right or the caption to the image above.
Surprise! It’s ThankYouPatrons Day and you guys get center stage!
Today across the globe, Patreon creators are thanking their patrons for their support and I’m proud to be one of them.
Thank you, patrons, truly, from the bottom of my heart for your support on my Patreon journey, and though my journey is still fairly new, it’s been a fun ride and I have more fun planned for you in the coming months. It’s not easy to be the first to support someone or take a chance on something less familiar, yet that’s exactly what you have done: Stepped out and had been the first to support this writer/artist from the north on the platform.
Again, thank you.
Right now, my Patreon includes various tiers, all of them having an ongoing serial novel–Gigantigator Death Machine is playing right now, a homeage to late-night creature features–as a base, with essays, behind-the-scenes stuff, a book club, and more at other tiers. Please go here to join myself and my patrons as we travel the road of imagination.
And so again, patrons, thank you for your support. I hope you’ve enjoyed what I’ve brought to the table so far and I hope you enjoy the things coming up around the bend.
Best,
A.P. Fuchs
Note: This notice is posted in its own variation both on Patreon and on my blog because I want my patrons to be acknowledged and thanked publicly and know they are appreciated.
As I mentioned in my newsletter this past weekend, a new art and writing studio is on the docket and yesterday I began the process of setting up shop by way of getting a carpet for the floor. It’s laying in there right now, ready to be cut to size. After that comes moving in all my equipment and supplies and doing some decorating. It’s basically going to be a studio/comic shop hybrid when it’s done and will be revealed on Patreon next month for the behind-the-scenes tier and above.
Above is a picture of the blank slate I’m working with.
I’m eager to get this new workspace up and running. The new studio is part of the “more” as hinted at in my posts about Project Rebirth.
Today will be spent drifting back and forth between creative items and setting things up in the new studio so I’m all tucked away for the winter.
More of the “more” of Project Rebirth to be revealed soon enough. Keep checking back for updates.
Full transparency: I’ve never deliberately looked up blog topics (so far as I can recall) but for fun, this morning I decided to do that and see what’s currently out there for blogging ideas. “The Toughest Part About Being a . . .” prompt was something I came across and, maybe because I’m still groggy, resonated with me the most this fine winter morning.
So that said, here is the toughest part about being a writer/artist as per how I feel at the moment I’m writing this:
Getting respect.
When people ask what I do for a living and I tell them I write stories and draw, I’m met with two general responses: “Oh man, that’s so cool!” or, “That’s nice. Maybe one day you’ll get a real job instead of playing all day.” The latter isn’t explicitly stated but is certainly implied by tone, facial expression, and body language, all with an air of disappointment.
The first crowd is, of course, the most pleasant to deal with. Their eyes light up and they smile and are genuinely happy for me. They often become my readers and usually follow up with me the next time I see them and ask how things are going and if I’m still doing it (the “still doing it” part hinting they understand it’s an unstable job but they have my back and are in my corner even if my answer is “No”).
The second crowd is the one I don’t understand. The general formula for a working adult is you get out of bed, go to work, come home, eat dinner, then get on with your evening, which may or may not include doing more work. That’s the formula I’ve lived by my entire working life–whether working in the arts or elsewhere–and the formula every working adult I know follows. The only difference is I work from home. So when I “go to work,” my commute is measured in hallways and staircases as I make my way down to the Central’s bunker to get started. I work all day–and get paid for it–turn the computer off, then reverse my commute and wind up back upstairs with the rest of the household. But mention you write stories and draw pictures for a living and suddenly you don’t have a real job (see the “On Freelancing for a Living (This is a Job)” blog post). Upon thinking about it, it’s not even the working from home part that seems to rub people the wrong way (though this can happen). It’s the specific what I do for a living. I’ve seen firsthand where others who work from home who don’t write stories and draw pictures are met with a metaphorical handshake. Me? It’s a metaphorical hands-in-their-pockets.
There is a disconnect that happens–usually with the older generation(s)–where, in the old days, work was something you left the house for and something you didn’t always enjoy. Work was actual work, like a chore, or work was something that demanded such a hard effort that every day ended the same when one came home: a collapse on the couch from mental and/or physical exhaustion. I believe the disconnect also happens because a lot of people tend to forget the entertainment they consume had to be created by somebody. Those books you read? Somebody took a lot of time writing them. Those comics you love? A group of people had to spend a lot of time writing, drawing, coloring, lettering, and printing them. Those movies you go to every Friday night? A whole slew of people had to go somewhere to play dress-up and pretend for a camera to tell you a story. That video game? Tons of people. Tons of artists. Even the very computer or smartphone this entry is being read on was dreamed up and sketched out by people who went to work. Somebody had to write all the code used in that phone. Somebody had to draw all those app icons. Somebody had to make science fiction science fact. Oh, and they got paid to do it because they need food and shelter, too.
Why is my job not normally respectable? Is it the non-steady paycheck? Is it the fact I like it? Is it because I’d rather spend a third of every day enjoying myself versus dragging myself through the motions? Is it because I made up my mind and chose what I was going to do with the old statement that you can either work towards making your own dreams come true or you can work for someone else to make their dreams come true?
Why does a lawyer get the handshake and I don’t? Why does a doctor? Or an accountant? Or a factory worker or a mechanic? Their job puts food on the table and keeps a roof over their loved ones’ heads just like mine does. My income goes towards food and bills, getting stuff for the kids and gas in the car. It buys Christmas presents and pays for date nights. It funds life just like their job funds life.
I work. You work. We all work.
And like I posted to social media forever ago, I want to repeat here: Everything is art. Every. Single. Thing. Creation is God’s canvas and nature is His painting. The stuff humans have made? It’s all based on someone dreaming and asking themselves, “What if . . .?” Then writing it down and drawing it out. Designing your couch is an art form. Writing the code for your car’s computer is an art form. Coming up with how to safely make a handheld drill is an art form. And so on.
In the end, I’ve learned to live with the hits and learned my career choice will be frowned upon by others. But there are also others who don’t frown and instead smile. Those are the people who give respect. The others? I’ll still respect their work because they are my fellow human beings, and perhaps one day I’ll get the same occupational respect in return.
Author’s note: This article isn’t about complaining. It’s pointing out a disconnect that some people seem to have and is hopefully encouraging to those who might be in the same boat.
Lots of comics on the brain these days, both the creation of them and the publishing of them (the latter being the most difficult in the context of distribution; publishing them in general is a non-issue). I’m basically living in my head on the matter and have written notes where and when needed. An overall plan is starting to congeal but there are still a few missing elements which will no doubt present themselves the further I get into the process.
I’m still waiting to hear back from some people on something that will dictate the winter schedule. I expect I’ll be hearing something soon thus helping things on my end.
A good chunk of Project Rebirth is in the can, here is the update, lifting the list from this previous blog entry:
Resumption of my newsletter, The Canister X Transmission: This has been back up and running for a while now and is just as enjoyable now and it was all the years I’ve been doing it. Please subscribe by going here. You get a free novelette as a thank you.
A Patreon account with special content just for patrons: This has also been running for a bit now. It’s a lot of fun and I’m thrilled to provide exclusive content to my patrons. Please join the Patreon journey and get access to an ongoing serial novel (plus other things, depending on the tier you select), by going here.
Order fulfillment of the Axiom-man/Auroraman: Frozen Storm Kickstarter: The paperback is coming off the line at the printer’s right now so a pick up is in the near future. I will sign the books then send them to Jeff Burton for his signature before they go out to backers. The lettered edition is printed and signed on my end. I’m in the process of inserting a piece of exclusive art into the book. Once this is done, these will also go to Jeff Burton for signature then to backers. If you missed the kickstarter but want a copy of the book to complete your Axiom-man and/or Auroraman collection, please go here.
Publication of projects that were temporarily put on hold: A list is made, but this is tied into the “more” below, so as it stands right now, I’m not moving on them just yet.
Bigtime expansion and growth of The Axiom-man Saga and associated products: In process.
Revving up public appearances and media again: To be looked at over the winter.
New YouTube channel: The channel has been up for a short while with more videos being added as time goes on. Please subscribe here.
More . . . : This “more” is tied into the “hearing back from some people” statement above. This step is a big part of my winter so I’m in a holding pattern until I know what’s going on. Watch this space for more info once I have it. I think a Web presence redesign was part of my original plan for “more” so that’s also complete both here on the blog and on social media.
And that pretty much sums up where things are at with Project Rebirth. More news to come as things progress along.
Reminder: A Tip Jar was set up yesterday on Patreon and on Ko-fi. The tips are meant to help fuel the free stuff I put on the Web (daily blogging, YouTube videos, a weekly newsletter, and artwork). Thank you in advance for any beans you throw my way.
Today I added a Tip Jar option to my Patreon page and set one up on Ko-fi. The former is a set amount ($2.49, basically a coffee), the latter whatever you feel like. This is meant for folks who’d like to support me but are unable to subscribe to my Patreon. There are no rewards. It’s simply meant for those who want to back what I do here at Canister X—the Realm of Heroes and Monsters—in terms of supporting the free content I put on the Web: Daily blogging, YouTube videos, a weekly newsletter, and artwork.
That tip—as it is with all my creative income—goes into an overall pot, which in turn funds everything I do. Like I say, those who support me are buying me Time. I enjoy making things for all of you and want to keep doing that, so I hope this Tip Jar helps keep the media machine running.
To support the Tip Jar on Patreon, please go here. To support the Tip Jar on Ko-fi, please go here. (There are also links on the right.)
Thank you in advance for any tip. It’s appreciated.
Forever ago, I used to own the APFuchs dot com domain name. I can’t remember what happened, but I forgot to renew it or something fell through or whatever and I lost it. When I went to re-register the domain, at the time, it took me to a lady’s site which was all in German. Sigh. So, in a pinch, I came up with the CanisterX dot com domain and used that ever since. (For the meaning of the Canister X name, please go here.) Unfortunately, to this day, the dot com that bears my namesake is still unavailable but, being the proud Canadian that I am, and after talking it over with author Melinda Marshall, it was decided I should get a dot ca domain, and so I did.
APFuchs dot ca is now mine and the web domain redirects here.
Why have two domains leading to the same site? The short answer is search engine rankings. The dot ca works to my advantage because I’m in Canada so it helps with Canadian searches. It also helps simply because it has my name in it. And, lastly, it’s just nice to have my name back. Regarding keeping the Canister X name, I’ve done so much marketing and linking with it that to make it disappear would be foolish.
That said, for the interim, the APFuchs dot ca domain will link here to the blog. In the future, it might get its own site, one that will have a link to this blog but won’t be a blog itself. It’ll just be an on-line presence used more as a brochure than something with regularly-changing content. The Canister X blog is for that, so we’ll see what the future brings.
As for today, before writing this blog post I posted a new essay to Patreon about how to write well every time. It’s worth checking out, especially if you’re a writer. For the rest of the day, the plan is to work on a freelance project or two then see where I’m at after that.
Years ago on my old YouTube channel, I had a segment called, “Canister X Mailbag.” Those segments died with the old channel but I’ve decided to bring the segment back. Technically, it started with my first couple of YouTube videos on the new channel because those were unboxings so those have been relabeled accordingly, but you can consider the official relaunch of the segment as of today.
The new segment is now live on YouTube and you can watch it here.
Don’t forget to subscribe and do the “like” thing. (Seriously, subscriptions–which are free–are a big help.)
Other videos on my YouTube channel can be found here.
Thanks, and enjoy!
(Go here for great savings at Book Outlet. In full disclosure, please note that I get reward points if you order through this link.)
This past Monday I went down to Hignell Book Printing in Winnipeg to see the paperback book proof of Axiom-man/Auroraman: Frozen Storm and filmed a video.
It is now live on YouTube and you can watch it here.
Don’t forget to subscribe and do the “like” thing.
Other videos on my YouTube channel can be found here.
The copies being printed up at Hignell are for the Kickstarter backers. If you missed the campaign but would still like a copy, please go here for paperback and eBook options from your retailer of choice.
A peek at the first page of my winter project notebook.
Status report for 110719:
This week was largely spent on Project Media, which introduced the redesign of this blog, my social media pages, and my Patreon page. It took a lot of time behind the scenes here at the Central, which is fine, but by default it interfered with getting other work done.
We’re also doing a big promo push for the Patreon page this week because winter is here and I need to keep warm so I can continue making stuff for you guys. If you’d like to support me on Patreon and get treated to a whole slew of entertainment, please do so here.
Currently pondering: Roll-out plan for Project Jackass, overall plan for Axiom-man (with surprises), Deadline juggling.
