A Negativity Problem

This world has become too focused on the negative aspects of life. The hatred, confusion, division, and injustice sweeping the world appears to be the only thing anyone can talk about. War. Political Disagreement. Crime. Poverty. Loss. it is everywhere. It is all consuming. 

Consequently, I am tired of it. I am tired of seeing all the media focused on the bad. I am tired of every conversation turning into an argument. I am tired of feeling weighed down by labels. To put it plainly, I am tired. 

I know others complain about this darkness and do not provide solutions. And I know society has gone around in circles trying to find a solution to the negativity. That is why I need to say this.

A Positive Shift

So, I want to talk about love. I want to talk about silly little movies that make you believe that love will always save the day. I want to talk about friendships that last decades and only grow stronger with time. I want to talk about how a family’s love can overcome any obstacle this negative world can throw at it. I also want to talk about how one person’s love saved the entire world.

I want to talk about peace. I want to talk about the quiet mornings spent staring at the sunrises. I want to talk about sitting at the beach with a good book. I want to talk about how peace, true peace comes from one place, and it is forever.

Also, I want to talk about joy. I want to talk about vacations. I want to talk about family game nights that make you laugh so hard you start to cry. I want to talk about friends hanging out and making life long memories. I want to talk about how joy, infinite joy, is a gift from heaven, and it is freely given. 

Also, I want to talk about hope. I want to talk about how hope is not fleeting. Hope can survive war, political disagreements, crime, poverty, and loss. Hope can move mountains and reshape societies. Indeed, hope is able to be a light to you even in the darkest of times. 

How My Faith Helps Me

And this love, this peace, this joy, this hope comes from one person. He sacrificed everything to have a relationship with us. He is your Father, friend, provider, and protector. Without a doubt, He loves you unconditionally. 

I know this world is negative and dark and scary. I know it can be hard to wake up in the mornings some days. 

Still, I also know that the solution to all these problems is right in front of all of us. Above all, we just have to be brave enough to embrace Him.

The post I Need to Say This appeared first on GirlSpring.

a passing haze of touch,

graces the skin of my forehead

and rounded cheeks

like the film of a plastic curtain.

Everything is clouded 

in sheets of slate-gray– 

the sky, the concrete beneath my Adidas sneakers, 

even the birds with their muddied feathers, 

wrapped tightly around their little bodies, 

hop across asphalt streets,

bright blue faded. 

The cold is bone-deep,

the misleading kind that made me think

I’d be fine if I left the house in just a sweater and jeans,

’til it leeched the warm flesh of my body,

made my chest go clammy.

I keep walking along the tall, metal fence,

teeth quivering slightly in my jaw,

cars whistling by the sides of glass buildings.

A song plays in my headphones

from the iPhone shoved in the back of my jean pocket,

a Noah Kahan song,

one of the few that I know by heart,

something about driving with an empty engine,

about moving as slowly as the seasons. 

Each step I take along the sidewalk feels like a mile. 

I keep walking. 

The post Spring: “Growing Sideways” appeared first on GirlSpring.

Your villain is about to deliver the final line. You hit Enter—but ChatGPT refuses: “Sorry, I can’t help with that.”

If you write fiction, you’ve run into the same wall. Filters trim violence, fade romance, and stall momentum. According to AP News, Character.AI even barred under-18 users after recent safety scandals.

So where can teens still create freely? We tested dozens of apps and crowned five standouts that pair creative freedom with reliable memory and student-friendly prices.

Meet your new co-authors.

How we picked the winners

We scored 14 candidates across five criteria and kept only the standouts.

First, the writing. If an app couldn’t craft a vivid scene or remember a plot twist, it was out.

Second, freedom. Teens need space to explore dark forests and first kisses without constant refusals, so we favored tools that stay out of the way while still keeping users safe.

Third, cost. A subscription that rivals a phone bill? Pass. Free tiers or lunch-money prices earned real points.

Fourth, creativity boosters: multi-character chats, image generation, or a context window big enough for a whole novella.

Finally, usability and community. A slick interface saves time, and an active Discord means you never puzzle alone.

Stack those factors and five champions emerged—each excelling on quality, freedom, and value while bringing its own superpower to the table.

1. DreamGen: deep customization and live story steering

Picture a sandbox where you build entire worlds, not just characters. The DreamGen creative writing app ships with a Scenario Codex that works like a living story bible — define plot, setting, writing style, and multiple characters with their own personalities and goals. Write your lore once and trust the AI to keep it straight even twenty pages later. No more vampire suddenly forgetting sunlight hurts.

DreamGen Scenario Codex and Story Steering Interface Screenshot

When you want to shift gears, type a plain-English cue such as “Shift the setting to a storm-tossed pirate deck.” DreamGen pivots instantly. This real-time story steering makes each session feel like collaborative improv, not a static prompt. You can also edit, delete, or add any message in the conversation — including dialogue from other characters — so you have full control over every exchange.

Beyond role-play, DreamGen also offers a story-writing mode with a text editor interface for writers who prefer narrative prose over chat bubbles. Whether you draft an interactive scene or a chapter for your novel, the same scenario codex powers both.

The free tier gives you about 2,000 messages per month with daily credit refills, and paid plans push the context window to 30,000 tokens — enough to hold a novella in memory. We did not run into filter-related interruptions during our testing, which kept sessions flowing.

The interface shows many buttons at first, but an evening of exploration makes the layout intuitive, especially after joining the welcoming Discord to swap prompt tips.

Bottom line: if you want an AI writing partner with deep customization and full creative control, open DreamGen first.

2. Sudowrite: your AI writing coach on call

Some tools pump out words; Sudowrite shapes them.

Open a draft, highlight a flat line such as “The garden was beautiful.” Tap Describe, and the app adds jasmine on the breeze and gravel underfoot. Need a whole scene? Story Engine guides you from beat outline to polished paragraphs, asking for character goals and stakes before it writes a first pass.

Sudowrite Describe and Story Engine Writing Interface Screenshot

That structure is a lifesaver when the cursor blinks at you. Instead of blank-page panic, you answer a few prompts and watch a chapter appear. Because Sudowrite runs on GPT-4, the prose feels smooth and often surprises you with fresh turns of phrase.

The platform stays hands-off on content. Whether you write sensitive romance, gritty dystopia, or slow-burn mystery, the AI keeps going instead of refusing. Yet the interface still feels safe for school projects or wholesome YA.

Pricing is clear: a brief trial, then a Hobby plan at $10 per month for about 30,000 AI-generated words. That covers several short stories or steady progress on a novel. Upgrade only if you draft daily.

Sudowrite shines at refinement. It rewrites clunky dialogue in seconds, pitches plot twists when you stall, and can recast a passage as humorous, noir, or poetic so you can audition voices before choosing one. Think of it less as an endless text faucet and more as a mentor sliding notes across the table exactly when you ask.

If you want to sharpen craft while boosting word count, give Sudowrite a spot in your toolbox.

3. NovelAI: unlimited imagination, now in technicolor

NovelAI feels less like an app and more like a secret clubhouse for storytellers.

Log in and a blank page greets you, but the Lorebook icon waits in the corner. Add character bios, magic systems, or spaceship schematics and the AI treats every entry as gospel, keeping continuity tight even after ten chapters.

Need inspiration? Visit the scenario library. Hundreds of community prompts span cozy cottage-core romances and hard-boiled cyberpunk heists. Choose one, tweak a line, and watch the narrative spring to life.

The party trick is visuals. Type “sun-bleached samurai with a cracked katana” and the built-in image generator returns an anime-style portrait that nails the vibe. Suddenly your protagonist has a face, and the next paragraph practically writes itself.

NovelAI Anime-Style Story Generator and Lorebook Screenshot

Privacy matters. Every story is encrypted with your password, so not even NovelAI staff can peek. That peace of mind is rare on creative platforms and priceless when you draft something personal.

Plans start at $10 per month, giving you thousands of text tokens each day plus a batch of art credits. There’s no permanent free tier, but if fandom or manga aesthetics fuel your muse, NovelAI earns the monthly fee.

It isn’t the most analytical writer in this lineup, but it is the most exuberant. Think of NovelAI as a digital art studio where text and illustrations bounce off each other, turning raw ideas into richly textured worlds in a single sitting.

4. Claude 2: big-memory brain, gentle pen

Claude feels like the classmate who aces every assignment yet still reviews your draft with patience.

The headline feature is recall. Paid users unlock a 200,000-token context window, enough to hold an entire novel or research binder without forgetting chapter one when you reach chapter twenty-six, according to Anthropic.

Claude 2 Long-Context Writing and Research Interface Screenshot

That depth changes your workflow. Paste last month’s chapters, ask Claude to flag plot holes, and it catches every dangling thread. Feed it three Wikipedia pages on Victorian fashion, request period-accurate details for your romance, and the model keeps facts straight while polishing style.

Tone matters, too. Claude was trained under a “constitutional” ruleset that favors helpful, honest, and harmless replies. The prose feels thoughtful rather than robotic, showing empathy when characters wrestle with tough emotions. It will decline explicit scenes, so keep DreamGen or NovelAI on deck for material beyond PG-13, but for most YA or general fiction Claude stays a safe, steady partner.

Access is simple. The free tier offers a handful of chats each day, enough for brainstorming or scene cleanup. Claude Pro costs $20 per month, removes daily limits, and speeds responses while still offering that giant memory.

Claude excels at complex, research-heavy, or sprawling stories where continuity matters. Hand it your puzzle and watch it keep every piece in place while nudging the picture into focus.

5. Immersim AI: write it, walk through it, share the stage

Imagine slipping on a VR headset and stepping into the world you just outlined. With Immersim, that scene is literal.

The platform pairs a text engine with a Unity-style 3D layer, so each prompt spawns locations, props, and non-player characters on the fly. Draft a moon-lit bazaar and stalls appear. Describe a dragon circling overhead and its shadow glides across cobblestones seconds later.

Immersim AI Interactive 3D Story World Interface Screenshot

Storytelling turns social here. Invite friends, assign roles, and the AI fills the remaining cast. You improvise dialogue through your mic while the model voices the shopkeeper, the rival knight, even ambient townsfolk. Sessions feel like live theater mixed with a choose-your-own-adventure format, perfect for writers who think best while moving, speaking, or riffing with others.

No headset? A desktop spectator mode still lets you type commands and watch the world render in a floating window, though the full effect lands when you can physically peek around alley corners or gesture mid-monologue.

Because Immersim is new, documentation is thin and the AI prose stays simple to keep frame rates smooth. Treat it as an experimental playground, not a final-draft factory. Safety-wise, stick to private rooms with classmates or club members; public realms remain lightly moderated.

Early access plans start at $15 per month after a free 5-hour trial each week, so you can test whether walking through your story sparks fresh ideas before paying.

For creative writing clubs, drama departments, or any teen duo tired of silent keyboards, Immersim swaps the sit-and-type routine for an active, collaborative story safari.

Quick comparison at a glance

You’ve met the stars one by one. Here’s a snapshot that lines them up side by side so you can spot the right fit in seconds.

Use this grid as a cheat sheet. If freedom tops your list, start on the left. If continuity or collaboration matter more, scan right and dive in.

Conclusion

With the right tool, the blank page stops feeling like a wall and starts looking like an open door. Whether you need deep customization, a coach for cleaner prose, or a massive memory for sprawling epics, the five options above offer a partner that fits both teenage imagination and teenage budgets. Pick one, start typing, and let your stories fly.

The post Best AI Writing Tools: ChatGPT Alternative for Creative Writing Reviewed appeared first on GirlSpring.

It shows up anyway
through open windows,
through sleeves rolled up without thinking,
through the quiet decision
to try again tomorrow.

The trees don’t rush it.
They don’t explain themselves
for standing bare all winter.
They trust green to arrive
when it’s ready.

I start doing the same.
Wearing the shoes I kept saving.
Raising my hand once.
Letting unfinished things
stay unfinished.

Some days I still feel small.
Some days I doubt myself.
But the light keeps finding me
on the walk home,
soft and steady.

Spring doesn’t ask me to be new.
Only present.
Only open.
Only brave enough
to grow in my own time.

The post Spring Is Not a Makeover appeared first on GirlSpring.

Instead of hoping for snow this year, we poked fun at the sun. We brought some craft sand inside and made a Christmas village display at the beach. The blue bead tides and candy cane eating shark toys sat on our mantle as we added photos of our faces to the scene. When we went to the actual beach, the lifeguard stand was decorated with Christmas lights and wreaths painted on extra lifesavers.

There were a few Christmas photo shoots going on near the shore. Some of them were funny photos with rolled up pant leg Santas standing near their Mrs. Claus or elf counterparts. The other half were serious families with large color coordinated outfits that would go in hanging frames or generational photo books. We just took selfie photos of our sandmen (or Sandmounds) and patted them into a mountain of shells and sticks before we left. We talked about who had the best one and “if they became magical, like Frosty”. Would it be called Sandy?

We had our gingerbread men, hot chocolate, and Christmas feast food with the option of chocolate popsicles late at night when the humid heat kept us awake. We could go outside late in the evening and listen to crickets chirp while we set up a picnic blanket. There wasn’t any sunlight in our eyes and lanterns kept at a distance set up a calm mood. We could sit or lie down or play a card game.  Our far out friends and family gave us beach bags and totes stuffed with gifts when their ugly sweaters went out of season (It was really useful when you could take a nap on your own while the games quieted down).

The nights after Christmas were filled with oscillating fans and leftover chocolate popsicles. At one point, we planned an indoor snowball fight with fake cotton snowballs and blankets to hide behind. The second we started throwing, the heat had already won the battle. All of us were spread out on the floor like leftover snow angels.

New Year’s heat kept us inside after we were drained by the constant loss of sweat and the fireworks popping in the middle of the night. We watched the ball drop and blew bubbles with whatever air was left in us to save for the mess of confetti and fireworks. I thought of eating twelve ice cubes under the table for the celebration, but I feel like I would be the only one to choke. We decided it was safe to drink at least twelve glasses of water tomorrow. To keep it fun, the person who drank less than twelve glasses of water had to get pelted with the cotton snowballs. Everybody started on their first glass after that.

Although we couldn’t bring winter wonderland to us we still had a blast and made some memories that couldn’t be outdone. Some days gave us moments to rest and the others let us have some fun. When life got busy again, we thought of some ideas for another heatwave holiday.

 What are some of yours?

Photo by Alexey Demidov on Unsplash

The post Green Winter Memory – Some Ideas for a Warm Winter Season appeared first on GirlSpring.

I am a woman

but I have a voice.

I am a woman

but my tears don’t like to fall.

I am a woman

but my opinions are stronger than steel.

I am a woman

but I can run as fast as a cheetah.

I am a woman

but sometimes my grades are lower
than the titanic.

I am a women

but my face is spotted, with big, red, painful dots all over.

I’m a woman.

I am loud.

I am a woman.

I’m not emotional.

I am a woman.

I don’t hold back.

I am a woman.

I’m athletic.

I am a woman.

I’m not smart.

I am a woman.

I’m not beautiful.

I am a woman.

The post I am a Woman appeared first on GirlSpring.

drags in a new era with the gray,

where the cold dew of winter dusk

slowly fades 

to the beaded light 

of reluctant dawn,

reflected in drops of rain 

left from a fresh pour,

cleansing time clean,

dripping between the gaps

of my fingers,

running my dry mouth wet,

relentless,

a beginning with no certain promises,

another notch added to my belt,

as I tell myself

“no matter”

still clutching onto the last shades of hope 

for revolution and change

to shock life 

back into dead dreams

and cure a drought with a single shower. 

The post New Year’s Eve appeared first on GirlSpring.

You may give and receive gratitude in your lifetime.

Sometimes, “Thank you”  is given as a spoken response.

Sometimes in the form of a card, hand-decorated or color-sorted by slanted shelves.

Sometimes it is the one that reflects a resolve, partially or completely.

Sometimes it is given in the roaring applause or quiet snaps and hoots.

Sometimes it is the look in someone’s eyes that nothing else can explain.

Sometimes it is held in the closing of a hug or the shake between two hands.

Sometimes it feels like something else.

Sometimes it is glanced over like crumpled paper on the street.

Sometimes it comes with some heat to it, stinging like the scent of sea water in the cool air.

Sometimes it feels cold, like a snow-covered doormat when all the lights are off in the house.

Sometimes it is the missing piece in someone’s fragmented heart.

Sometimes it is the start of something better or worse.

Sometimes it is the steps in the routine repeated day after day.

Sometimes it is the eyes of someone who feels stuck in time.

Sometimes it is the word of the world.

Sometimes I hope it means something to you

And this something– and I truly mean it –

Is my Thank You.

(Thank you for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate it :). )

The post Something About Gratitude – Free Verse appeared first on GirlSpring.

By: Victoria Spear

In the past two years, I’ve gone over a lot of hobbies that interested me as an artist as well as an author. Finding them wasn’t hard if you have TikTok on your phone. Bear with me, I know many people despise the app and think it’s over-hyped, but remember your fyp (for-you page depends on the content you absorb, and one of those was ‘Booktok’ for me! Booktok is a community that shares a range of books not broadcast as often, as well as giving recommendations to others after you’ve read said book. Although this community seems straightforward, it does have a number of problems, ranging from problematic authors, bullying, and even going so far as to have unrealistic expectations for toxic men. I know it sounds horrible, but we are not talking about that today. We’re talking about the small corner of ‘booktok’, which is known by the name ‘Bookbinding TikTok’. With this side of the community, were calling into question how fanfiction and copyright come into play with one another when binding said fic for one’s bookshelf and then trying to sell it for monetary gain. 

The Rules of Bookbinding

The bookbinding community is often a spectrum that takes weeks to understand. As we’ve gone over in class, bookbinding is an art that’s been seen over many years within cultures. In the community, they keep the traditions and even teach new people within the community how to bind their own books. An example of this would be if a paperback book is damaged but the text block remains perfectly intact Of course instead of throwing the whole book away, they will want to keep the book and rebind it with a hard cover instead. This is a part of the many reasons I’ve joined the community, learning many things: paper marbling, the history of binding, different forms of binding, learning how to make smaller books, how to emboss your pages, etc. The list can honestly go on.

So you’re probably wondering, how did bookbinding become a huge problem in the first place? Well, the answer lies within another section, primarily a section where fandoms come together to make their works based on their favorite media. You guessed it, fanfiction. Now we’re not strangers to the fanfiction community, but if you are, I’ll go ahead and give you a bit of a rundown. Fanfiction is a form of work written by a fan about a book, movie, or even show. Fandoms are a group of fans of books, movies, and shows as well.  The two of them go hand in hand with one another in this case. Fanfictions are known to be published in all kinds of places on the internet; Wattpad, Fanfiction.net, Tumblr, and my all-time favorite AO3. It’s important to remember that fanfiction is made by fans, not the actual original creators who made the series in the first place. From a monetary gain perspective, it’s hard to get upset with fans in this case with fan works because in a way they’re bringing in more money to the original creators due to fandom engagement. The more fans there are for the media, the more likely people will absorb it and bring in value. 

The article ‘What is fanfiction and what does it matter?’  by Lauren V highlights this, breaking down the works of fanfiction as well as the legality behind it. The section ‘Selling Fanfiction Through LuLu Bookstore’ says the following: “Publishing fanfiction online is considered legal in the United States because it is “noncommercial distribution.” In other words, when you post fanfiction on AO3 or another ad-supported, free-to-use site, nobody is making any money from the actual intellectual property itself.” This is the explanation of how authors can publish fandom works online without trouble because they do not have a monetary gain. However, in the next paragraph, it’s said as follows, “Once a piece of fanfiction has been published for sale on the Lulu bookstore (or any other online retailer, for that matter), it has crossed the line into ‘commercial distribution,” which is a copyright infringement and is illegal. In other words, if you are selling, for-profit, derivative work of copyright-protected material, you are breaking the law. ” So people can publish their works online for free if they’re writing fanfic; however, it becomes a problem once they try to sell it for money. The world and characters have already been published and claimed by the original creator of that media, and if found, it will be taken to court.

The Problem With Fanfiction and Bookbinding

The important thing to remember about fanfiction is that the authors and creators have to make sure to give credit to the original media and that they do not ‘own’ it in any way. This way they are protected and they won’t have any issues thrown their way later. That goes for any form of merch trying to be sold or even possibly fan art (again, a whole other section as well). So, how does Fanfiction affect BookBinding TikTok? Well, with lovers of books and having the need to feel pages run through their fingers of their favorite works, there has come a problem for fanfiction. In the community, there has been discussion of fanfiction being bound for personal use. The fandoms have desires to have the actual works by fanfic authors on their shelves instead of worrying about authors deleting their favorite works online and never finding them again. The fanfic authors started to make rules about this issue, asking fans to do as follows: 1. Make sure to give credit for the text block and story to the fanfic author, 2. DO NOT SELL OR DISTRIBUTE FOR MONETARY GAIN, 3. If the binding is not for yourself, then you are allowed to give it to friends or family. 

In late February of 2024, the Bookbinding community was in shambles due to a mass hoard of fanfics being removed from AO3, due to sellers of fanfiction being bookbind. The specific fandom causing the madness? Harry Potter. Now, as a girl who reads a lot of fanfiction, I don’t know if I should be glad I’ve never indulged in the Harry Potter fandom or utterly scared due to the reactions and outrage the fandom truly has at the moment. The fanfics that have sparked this outrage are Dramione fanfics, our enemies-to-lovers (Draco and Hermione). The most popular of these fanfics is the only Manacled made by Senlinyu. The story is basically a dark romance between Draco and Hermione with a heavy Handmaid’s Tale romance. So not only is it infringing upon the Harry Potter series but The Handmaid’s Tale as well, but of course, we can only focus on the crazy fandom that has lost their ever-loving minds by worshiping it as if it’s the best novel ever written.  Personally, I haven’t read the fanfic due to how crazy everyone has been reacting towards it, but from a close friend they did say it was really good. However, it’s not good enough to break the law and risk getting the author sued over it. 

On February 4th, 2024, SenLinYu revealed that they would be publishing her own professional dark fantasy romance of her own inspired by the fanfic she originally wrote called “Alchemised”. She addresses the fandom about staying silent with her publishing journey and not worrying them about her feelings in regards to her famous fanfic Manacled. She sympathized with them but got straight to the issue saying, “During the last several years, there has been a growing issue with illegal sales of Manacled, putting both me and the incredible community that shares fanfiction freely in legal jeopardy.” Here she’s addressing the fact that the bookbinders of her story and the mass out of control of the fandom has led her to take a step back and consider her options. Although the fandom ruined (in my opinion) her enjoyment of her best-written work, she decided to write an ‘original’ story that still holds the ‘spirit’ of Manacled. “Then I suddenly had this idea of alchemy, which was peculiarly appropriate; an academic world filled with unique transmutational abilities, and a necromantic war against people who had discovered the secrets of immortality, and I could see a path to reimagining the story while still holding on to as much of the original spirit of Manacled as possible.”

How to Enjoy Bookbinding While Remianing Respectful

So again, you might be wondering: What went wrong here? Everything seems pretty solid. she’s writing an original story with the same elements of her fanfic that everyone loved so much, but what’s the issue? The issue is her following lines, “Manacled is not going anywhere at present. It will remain online throughout 2024, at which point it will, if you’ll pardon the pun, Alchemise for 2025 and be removed from AO3.” This. This is what sparked outrage out of crazy Harry Potter fans who loved the original story. Because one, they couldn’t read it for free anymore, and two, she was going to publish a completely different work without their favorite characters Draco and Hermione.  For me, I love this author’s integrity and understanding what was going wrong with the fandom in the first place. People were binding and selling the work without her permission when she told them not to, and she got a lawyer because her work was ironically growing more popular than the actual Harry Potter series published by J.K. Rowling. K Rowling. It’s honestly really sad it has to get to the point where the author grew scared but still wanted the fandom to be happy and she wanted to do it by giving them something original. Unfortunately, you can’t keep everyone satisfied. 

Back to the bookbinding community, as of that post you can understand that there’s grown to be an influx in the community growing angry. One tiktoker that stood out to me the most was NeatFreakGreek stitching another Dramione fanfic writer by the name of Emerald_Slytherin author of Secrets and Masks. The fanfic writer talked about how many times she saw her fanfic being bought or sold online even after she told the fandom not to do so and was on the cusp of deleting the whole fanfiction off of  AO3.  NeatFreakGeek  is another well-known bookbinder) begs the Harry Potter community to stop buying fanfiction and that there is bookbinders on the app that are willing to teach them how to bookbind all the way down from the start of the text block to finishing off with the hardcover design. It is insane how bookbinders have tons of tutorials online for people to use for free but they would rather buy from an Etsy owner even though they know it’s illegal. The community knows once the authors are done with the disrespect the fanfic writer could be sued or even get in trouble but it’s a give or take process; as long as people are buying illegal fanfiction, there will be illegal binds being sold. 

Do you know who I blame for this process? Booktok. Oh my gosh! Crazy right we’ve reached full circle! The problem with Booktok is that when fanfiction came into the mix, they all started to invade the community asking for recommendations and even went so far afterward to illegally start purchasing fanfiction. Booktok is a consumer side of the book-loving community, and I hate to say it but they honestly are too busy trying to absorb the book that’s popular of the month, rather than to take their time and enjoy the books they currently have before moving to the next. Another thing would be the aesthetic book lovers have with bookshelves buying books, and trying to look the part. It’s so sad because I was made fun of for reading so much, including fanfiction, when I was younger, and now the community is just filled with just horny individuals obsessed with dark romance and smut scenes. If not done right I will hurl over my bed.  

Here we are two months later and the discussion is still going on. The one thing I’m scared of is losing the bookbinding community on the app due to the drama fanfiction as well as Booktok has brought upon them. In a way, bookbinding was teaching a part of history and something we needed to learn to maintain the books we know and love in tack with something happening to them and they ruin it over fanfiction that isn’t even canon. However, this may be a good thing. Perhaps with the largest fanfiction being gone in that community others will finally learn that doing this will get them nowhere but trouble, and to respect the art and love behind bookbinding one stitch at a time.

Citations 

 V, Lauren. “What Is Fanfiction and Why Does It Matter?” The Lulu Blog | Take Control of Your Creative Journey with Advice from the Team at Lulu., 12 Dec. 2023, blog.lulu.com/what-is-fanfiction-and-why-does-it-matter/.

SenLinYu. “Announcing Alchemised.” Announcing Alchemised, SenLinYu’s Substack, 5 Feb. 2024, senlinyu.substack.com/p/announcing-alchemised.

 NeatFreekGeek. “Make Your Day.” TikTok, 20 Feb. 2024, www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRwMRh2K/.

 (I tried to site tiktok as best as possible here, when you click on the link you should be able to see the video. Let me know if you can’t and I’ll fix it!) 

The post BookTok and BookBinding appeared first on GirlSpring.

By Victoria Spear

Prologue: The Discovery 

Stars.

 A fixed luminous point in the night sky, which is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun.  

The night calms the state of mind for many people, others it’s a nice time to bask in the lonely feeling of solitude. Not that having no friends is a bad thing like many people portray , in the end it’s better to have none than for them to leave you or stab you in the back. A teen in all black traveled down the street of envy. 

The city was much nicer than this, but to the teen boy it was his safe haven. The restaurants felt like home, the stores of clothes and gifts lined up reminded him of his grandmother in a way. The currents of the sea roared, begging him to jump into it and escape all his problems, to wash away the sins and burdens that scared him to the core. 

The streets were filled nonetheless, a huff came from the male teens nose, the hot air visible as he blew out into the cold night. The strip mall was popular due to it being close to the docs and Orion’s Cliff , the hot spot as many people would say for teens and young adults to hang out and go on dates during the summer and winter. His dark green eyes reflected the lights within stores couples and friends walked out of, his dark hair and dyed brown tips tapping-smacking 

his face gently as he walked down the crowded sidewalk. His nostrils were filled with a nice bitter aroma of seafood and overused perfume and cologne. 

Two girls looked at him and giggled, their clothes and phones flaunted their wealth along with the twelve shopping bags they were carrying. 

One waved at him, clearly recognizing who he was, he showed no response and kept walking. The girl glared back in response claiming she wasn’t even interested, no doubt trying to regain pride and fill her ego. 

The lights illuminated the side of his face, his sneakers were worn down and dirty, unlike the rest of his branded sweats that were fresh out the wash this morning.  Although it was a bit chilly outside he stuck to his regular clothing choice, even if he had goosebumps underneath his hoodie. Turning the corner he took a glance at the building titled ‘Force Waves’ a bloody shark taking a sharp bite out of the F in ‘Force’. The sign was freshly replaced to attract more attention from shoppers passing by, with the help of the boy’s donation, the restaurant has been gaining much more profit. 

The comforting smell of his favorite food being  grilled filled his nostrils as a smile slowly crept upon his face. With a familiar warmth welcoming him as he opened the door he felt his problems lift from his shoulders for a few minutes. 

“ERIN! My best customer! How’s life been treatin’ ya these days?” , a bellowed laugh and grin erased any frown and left on the teens face. Erin looked up at the father figure before him and gave a quick smile. The owner of Force Waves was no other than Mr. Ibis, he prided himself in keeping his family restaurant afloat along with the rest of his family. 

The restaurant was a building made out of five boxcars, an idea Erin brought to their attention when he was in seventh grade. Not only is it a modern way to catch attention , but it also was a great way of recycling and not letting the boxes rust away in landfills. The walls had a nice warm feel of a diner than a restaurant if he was completely honest, the fact that it was in a nice area gave it top props as well. Not only were the lights giving off a soft yellow, but they gave a nice contrast against the blue walls with printed lettering of sea folk tales he’d heard so many years ago.  

The reason he came and visited so much was due to the family and the food he couldn’t go a few days without even if he tried. 

Mr Ibis’ wife Astrid, most of the time is in the back handling the bills along with keeping up on the stock. Their son Jasper currently works with them on the weekends while away from college, where as their daughter Gaia was a senior like Erin attending Oryn High, from what he’s been hearing the past few days she’s been planning on going to culinary school off in the east to open up her own location to build up Force Waves name. 

“I’ve been doing alright, finishing the second semester has been a real pain,” Erin propped himself up against the front desk, he watched the man behind the grill eyeing the meat as it browned, “But hey, at least I have three more months left and I’ll be done with that hell hole.” His frown returned, he watched his mother’s family friend flip the fresh ground beef on the grill along with fresh battered shrimp swiftly thrown into the fry with a swish and flick. 

Ibis saw his expression knowing that the past couple of months have been surely stressful, especially with his exams and plans to ditch the city of Oryn all together. It’s a routine for Erin to come in around dinner time, he’d always end up getting the usual; the number four combo shrimp hamburger, light onion rings, with a nice orange cream soda to swig it all down.

 Erin simply couldn’t let go of the simple comfort food his mother loved along with him. The Ibis family were all too familiar with the two and grew fond of them over the past years since he was five. The familiar ringing of the bell as Erin ran into the building in excitement greeting everyone he saw while his mother held a soft smile, unfortunately, those times weren’t cherished as they should’ve been. 

“Ah, but you and I both know you’re smarter than you let on,” The chef replied with a soft voice, “You have enough money saved up to buy your own home and start a whole another life altogether. It’s a shame that you haven’t been thinking about other things except escaping.” Erin let out a smack of the lips at his jab, reminding himself it was the only way to be free, to truly reach his goal. 

“Gaia has been helping us run the restaurant after school till seven or so and managed to meet a nice boy around your age,” He continued, he swiftly started adding grilled onions on the sandwich before drizzling his signature sauce and placed the bun on top, “I know how you feel about romance n’ all but it wouldn’t hurt to at least have a friend.” 

He glanced back over towards the teen boy, his shoulders slightly shaking, eyes placed on the floor. The chef let out a rough breath and wrapped the remainder of the sandwich before grabbing the orange soda from the fridge. Five years have passed and it only seems like the teen’s heart was going through endless turmoil. He wouldn’t be surprised if he never gave his father a letter goodbye. 

“Big I, we’ve been over this, my father would only ruin anything that comes into my life. Everything will have to wait until-” Erin was cut off with the adult’s sad stare, his sharp green orbs placed themselves back on the floor. 

The Chef placed the paper bag on the counter, grease from the fried onion rings showed on the bag right next to the restaurant’s logo. The air between the two grew tense, the teen already knew where this conversation was going, the reality was he didn’t want to hear it. He didn’t want to be reminded of the town he’d be leaving behind, the memories he made here with her and his old friend. The laughs, the smiles, the tears shed, the adventures, the promises, all wiped out once that diploma is placed in his hands. 

Yes, he was scared about the sad reality, if he leaves everything, his home of Oryn, …….who would he be exactly? 

His thoughts were interrupted by the chime of the eatery’s entry. Two teens walked in, a boy Erin’s height along with a girl a few inches shorter, her head matching up with his shoulder. The girl immediately  recognized him and flashed a signature Ibis family smile, “Hey Erin! How have you been? Ready for Mr. McCormick’s anatomy exam this friday? You have complained to him over and over again that studying the body is a bit uncomfortable for you!” She let out a loud laugh, slinging an arm around his shoulder a bit awkwardly before yanking off his hood. 

“Gaia! What have I told you about the hood?! People are going to notice-” Gaia yanked the hood back on his head before hitting him on the arm, her hazel eyes held mischief like her older brother, but her dyed blonde shoulder-length curly hair resembles her mother. She was still in her soccer uniform from practice, practically still dripping from sweat and mud and dirt-stained her uniform. Her tanned skin glowed with the light provided in the room, Erin will admit he saw her as his older sister, both of the Ibis siblings treated him as their younger brother much to his dismay, but he couldn’t shake the nice feeling he had at the thought of them referring to him as family. 

“Sorry lil bro! I forget sometimes you don’t like to spark attention since you get enough of it at school as is.” Gaia simply backed towards the boy still in the entryway, he eyed Erin with a look he couldn’t quite catch through the bangs in his eyes. The boy reminded him of a fellow classmate he used to do projects with in chemistry junior year. He held nice brown eyes, a narrow nose, as well as a fade that tampered up to his fro on top, he wore sweats like him, but they were also drenched in sweat. 

“Oh! This is a good time to introduce you two! Erin, this is Raeden Mitchell, we met a few months ago and have been dating since!” 

Raeden walked up and held out a hand to shake, he towered a bit over him, but nonetheless, Erin tried his best not to show too much social anxiety in front of everyone. A laugh erupted from behind startling him, Astrid emerged from the office, her carefree sound bounced off the walls and into his ears, he relaxed and shook the other teen’s hand. 

“Raeden is the quiet type, but he’s more open when you get to know him. You two both have a lot in common, plus he’s in your english class, I’m surprised you look like you two didn’t know each other.” Gaia hugged her boyfriend’s side, Raeden’s face relaxed and fell into an expression of adoration. 

‘They fit perfectly’ was the first thing that popped up in his mind, the two in front of him were currently chatting with Astrid. He seemed to zone out for a while thinking about leaving them, but it’s not like they won’t have anyone else not coming into their lives, they’ll move on while he’s away. 

“We won’t forget about you if that’s what your thinking,” Mr. Ibis stood right beside him, paper bag and orange soda in hand, “You’re an essential member of our family, things won’t feel the same when you leave, just promise us one thing-” He placed his large hand on top of the boys hooded head, the other handing him the food and beverage, “That you’ll visit us as much as you can and never forget to remember your home.” 

He simply nodded, digging his hand in his pocket pulled out a twenty and placed it in the chef’s hand, “I promise, and I promise everyone worldwide will know about Force Waves.” Erin placed a small smile on his lips before leaving his family and friends with a wave, but as he left the restaurant and rounded the corner, it fell, along with a single tear before roughly wiping it away. 

~*~

The waves roared against the distant shore, the rocks looked almost like crystals if you looked hard enough, the moon shone on them brightly causing an illusion of obsidian. 

Erin downed the rest of his orange soda with a sigh, in two hours he’ll have to go home before his father notices he isn’t there. Not that his father notices when he’s out late nowadays , but he always decides it’s better safe than sorry. He stared up at the night sky, the stars shined like bright lights, angels watching every move and action we make. 

‘Just two more months, just two more, and I’ll finally be able to live on my own accord. To finally find my purpose.” Erin smiled at the thought, he’s been writing non-stop in his journal. Adding up the money, days, gas , sweat and tears it would take for him to be as far away from his hometown as possible. 

Two stars shone brightly in the black sparkled sky, one shot in the direction towards the east of Oryn, Erin peared closely towards the second star. A bright yellow and orange hue reflected slightly, the size growing tremendously with each passing second. 

The teenage boy’s eyes widened at the sight of the incoming bright flash of light, his feet moving before he could activate his reaction towards the reality of the big mass about to crash where he was currently standing. His breathing grew ragged as he scrambled to climb the rocks he once sat upon every afternoon around this time of weather, letting out a shout at the incoming heat he took cover behind a rock like wall covered in sand and moss. 

The impact from the crash sent sand and debris shooting out in every direction, Erin held his head down on his knees to prevent anything flowing into his face by mistake. With each wave that rolled onto shore the heat slowly diminished , he lifted his head to be met with the smell of glass and burnt wood. The air felt foreign in comparison to the salty dense air he’d grown accustomed to each afternoon. Pieces of wood were scattered in front , causing Erin to wonder if the landing caused damage to a part of the dock as well.

“The hell?” He looked around at the void area, which usually remained clean from trash and litter from foot traffic, only to find a sparkle of heated sand turned to glass. ‘ The Commission always has their pilots land in the water for a safer landing. Did something go wrong? ’

Gaining his bearings, Erin dusted off his sweatpants and hoodie trying to get rid of any sand laying waste on him. A mello high gasp caused him to still, a struggling breath cut through the silence once more along with a painful groan. 

Erin cautiously peeked out from behind one of the boulders blocking his view, the scene that was provided was breathtaking to say the least, there was a gray line between good and bad on how he saw the sight before him. After all, you don’t see alien girls crashing in escape pods every day.

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