Nostr notes by bluestarultor

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 19: Tell us about some unwanted critique ...

2026-10-19T01:22:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…0a5w
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 19: Tell us about some unwanted critique you've received.

I can barely get critique when I want it. XD

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 18: Talk about a time you had a ...

2026-10-19T01:22:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…5qpq
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 18: Talk about a time you had a revelation.

When I almost gave up my creativity forever. Background: I was on a forum that was... really not good for me. The folks there more or less had me convinced that I had to be a professional to be a creative and I was already dealing with a day job that was draining. Having two jobs wasn't working for me. Then, on my hour commute home, it came to me: I could call myself a hobbyist. Suddenly it was a huge weight off my shoulders, because I realized I didn't need to make a choice between my day job and my games. I could be a hobbyist and they could be fun again.

A lot of that was writing and pixel art and very little of it was code and that's probably for the best, because at the time I was convinced I needed to write my own engines. So I've kept myself sane with the fun parts and it has remained my hobby.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 17: What are the defining traits of your ...

2026-10-17T04:11:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…7ahz
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 17: What are the defining traits of your niche in your genre?

In games generally? Probably complexity. Especially what most would probably consider sprawling elemental systems. Not every game has all that many, or even any at all, but I do have certain games that have one where one wouldn't expect it.

In sci-fi? A probably unusual amount of hope. XD

In fantasy? Probably my modern/recent history tendencies. And the distinct lack of Tolkien.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 16: How do you feel about people reading ...

2026-10-17T03:45:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…5hz9
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 16: How do you feel about people reading your works without buying a personal copy?

As long as I have enough, I don't mind. I've had all my apps on my site for free since like 2010. MediaAlarm is *guaranteed* forever free, despite me regretting it occasionally over the years. I have, in all that time, made exactly $0 on it all despite having had a donation link up the whole time. It's only ever bothered me when I had job insecurity.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 15: What's the last thing you read to ...

2026-10-15T07:51:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…u8c7
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 15: What's the last thing you read to really impress you, prose-wise?

This is going to sound like smelling my own farts, but I cry every time I review the scene between Zeev and Magnolia. It's probably one of the most beautiful conversations I've ever written. A goddess sitting a man down to admit she was wrong, and to say he made the right decision turning away from her. A goddess telling a man how special he is in a way she has no right to claim for herself.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 14: Who do you wish you could share your ...

2026-10-14T01:48:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…ycuh
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 14: Who do you wish you could share your work with, but can't?

Caniba. I miss her. :(

We talked so much more about her work than mine, to be honest, but she was so passionate about her stuff and I was just happy to help with it. Maybe that sounds fake, like it's too selfless, but it was all so cool that it was so easy to get lost in. I'm used to not having anyone to share mine with, but it still hurts to have finally had someone to do it with even if it wasn't 1:1 and lose her. I mean it wasn't perfect; there was some stuff I linked her and I was kind of annoyed she never got around to looking at it, but we talked about it. I dunno, she was so wrapped up in *Cruciform* that maybe she just never found the time. She was shopping *Cruciform* around and had concrete plans; I can't really blame her if that felt more important than my "someday." Hindsight is 20/20. Still, she's the only person I've ever been able to geek out with until far too late at night about writing.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 13: What writerly weakness do you ...

2026-10-13T00:58:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…m0th
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 13: What writerly weakness do you overcorrect for?

I don't think I could be accused of overcorrecting any perceived weakness. I don't think I could even be accused of *properly* correcting a weakness, if anyone pointed to one. Part of writing what I'd want to read is editing to make sure I keep proper momentum, but I feel like beyond that, things are harder to articulate. If I find a problem, I fix it, but maybe I just... lack the language to dice my work up like this question seems to assume.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 12: What do you specialise in, ...

2026-10-12T01:17:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…t6n7
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 12: What do you specialise in, prose-wise?

How charitable are we being here? Because someone could come out swinging with "infodumping" and not be entirely wrong. >_>;

I think, honestly, setting a scene, painting a picture, and, well, absolutely dialogue. Maybe too much dialogue even by my own standards sometimes.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 11: What's a turn of phrase ...

2026-10-12T01:16:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…wsrs
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 11: What's a turn of phrase you've 'inherited' from someone else?

From outside of family that isn't just what everyone says? I think the only thing I can think of is "son of a biscuit" and I didn't realize it was from *South Park* or I might have avoided adding it to my lexicon.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 10: Do you have a guiding principle as a ...

2026-10-12T01:16:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…5y4e
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 10: Do you have a guiding principle as a writer? What is it? (Or why not?)

Not really. There are only two reasons I write: 1) to write something I'd want to read (most of my creative work), or 2) to get something out of my head (many of my blogs).

#WritersCoffeeClub for Oct 9. How does your own sense of ...

2026-10-09T03:14:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…kmvf
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#WritersCoffeeClub for Oct 9. How does your own sense of mortality influence what you write?

In pretty much all cases there is a capital "G" God whether people know it or not and there is an afterlife, even if that's in question.

In some cases, people even come back for big moments.

I don't write death cheaply, even if it's not the end; it's a dramatic thing with weight that I hope people will feel, and then feel again. I don't do "one cry" deaths. If I can get three cries out of a death, I feel like I'm doing pretty good. But there's always going to be at least two.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 8: Tell us about someone who supports you ...

2026-10-08T02:39:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…gl2k
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 8: Tell us about someone who supports you on the sidelines.

In my writing? We'll say I run things past people for approval sometimes, but nobody is actively engaged.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 7: Does your editing process tend towards ...

2026-10-06T23:32:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…78lc
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 7: Does your editing process tend towards addition or reduction?

Given I do it as I go, ultimately, addition. That said, if something simply isn't working, I kind of know it right away and don't move on until something flows out. Really, any advice I've taken to cut something has always turned out terribly, because I write to momentum, not pacing.

Doing the editing phase on a finished first draft is a lot about clarification more than anything else. If I stumble over something, I refactor. If something isn't working by that point, it's in the last few chapters, probably. That said, sometimes something really does need to be said or established, so I'll maybe add as much as a page if I need to, with purpose.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 6: What might an inattentive reader miss ...

2026-10-06T00:43:19Z

In reply to nevent1q…gurs
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 6: What might an inattentive reader miss in your work?

The amount of attention paid to time. When push comes to shove and I lose track, I'll search out any and all time references and add them up to make sure that I have a full timeline of events, so when something happened "a few months ago," it's in line with every mention of time skips and waking up or going to sleep I could find.

That and, [as I mentioned](https://tech.lgbt/@bluestarultor/117383571684163410 ), sense of space.

And frankly while I'm at it how much the decor or materials can say about a space. Flower language especially; if there's a flower somewhere it's because I scoured all the sites I could find looking for one with the meaning I wanted. There's no memorizing all that, but it contains hidden messages for anyone who cares to look it up. XD

quoting
note1ceq…65ks

#ScribesAndMakers Oct. 4: Do you include details in your work that are important to you even though no one else will likely notice?

I'm very intentional with my details. If there's a detail and I make a point of mentioning it, it's because I think it's worth saying.

What people may or may not notice is the sense of space. You could *build* my environments. I'll even blueprint some of them for consistency.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 5: What haunts the narrative of your ...

2026-10-05T05:13:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…qxef
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 5: What haunts the narrative of your current work?

*The Temperature of Space*: Aiden. But the same could be answered for "what haunts Ethan's life?" Ethan's spent his whole life waiting to meet this man who nobody will say anything bad about, yet ran off as soon as Ethan came along. Then almost 70 years later he ends up with a legally inherited crew who won't say anything bad about him, either. He's seen the highlight reel his whole life; he wants the *dirt,* damn it! XD

*Godskiller*: The game of 4D chess the gods are playing.

*Grey Coded*: The shitty job market. Which is relevant to a lot more things in the story than you'd expect. XD

#ScribesAndMakers Oct. 4: Do you include details in your work ...

2026-10-04T16:25:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…vpvx
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#ScribesAndMakers Oct. 4: Do you include details in your work that are important to you even though no one else will likely notice?

I'm very intentional with my details. If there's a detail and I make a point of mentioning it, it's because I think it's worth saying.

What people may or may not notice is the sense of space. You could *build* my environments. I'll even blueprint some of them for consistency.

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 4: How isolated are your characters in ...

2026-10-04T16:19:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…shwz
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 4: How isolated are your characters in your current WIP?

Ethan really only has the crew. The reason he's in space is to keep him away from anyone he knew to avoid him bringing back lottery numbers and stuff. As robots, the crew are considered 1) unable to benefit, 2) mutual babysitters, and 3) easily handled failing 1 and 2.

Brand has a hometown, but he chooses to run off with Altin and doesn't consider himself isolated so much as adventuring.

Renard is initially *very* isolated, thanks to his entourage being ripped away, but amasses a large party he grows to trust.

Wheeler isn't isolated at all. He has friends and family all around him. Oki and Kage kind of feel redundant at first, until they open new doors.

#ScribesAndMakers Oct. 3: Is there a common thread throughout ...

2026-10-03T18:27:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…rg68
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#ScribesAndMakers Oct. 3: Is there a common thread throughout your creative work (apart from the fact that you created it)?

The fact it's almost all unfinished. >_>

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 3: How do you feel about spoilers? I ...

2026-10-03T18:25:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…a4js
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 3: How do you feel about spoilers?

I wrote 3 fake endings to pad the back of the book; what do *you* think? XD

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 2 (CONT'D) Being really fair to ...

2026-10-02T15:29:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…8ey4
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 2 (CONT'D)

Being really fair to myself, while almost none of that is images, a *lot* of it is "ref" folders for scrapped ideas in an existing thing, probably over half the files are phone notes I need to combine into larger files, and I have a whole "salvage" folder full of not so much half-baked ideas as ingredients.

And to be really fair, *Renard* was one of those: Cass as a mage with really cool visuals who I wrote paragraphs on without being able to explain why Renard and Carmen were tagging along as soldiers, each with one glorious line more or less saying, "right, this exists." You never know when something will crystallize. I randomly looked at the file, saw Renard at the top, thought I should fill him out a bit, and ended up with a new MC, a plot, Chaz being split from Cass, and probably at least one other party member all in one whirlwind session. All because time had made me assume Renard was MC by virtue of being listed first when really it was just to spit him out.

#ScribesAndMakers Oct. 2: Do you think it's important for ...

2026-10-02T01:39:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…rarl
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#ScribesAndMakers Oct. 2: Do you think it's important for authors to use different pen names for different genres?

That depends entirely on the genres. For the most part, no, but as a potential parent I probably wouldn't want to see "E. L. James" on a children's book. XD

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 2: Do you have plans for your next work ...

2026-10-02T01:32:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…frrm
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#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 2: Do you have plans for your next work yet?

Aha. Haha! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!

#ScribesAndMakers Oct. 1: Draw a fish and share it. (It ...

2026-10-01T03:11:54Z

#ScribesAndMakers Oct. 1: Draw a fish and share it. (It doesn't have to be brilliant.)

New quarter; new thread; old one [linked](https://tech.lgbt/@bluestarultor/117363396005736426 ) for posterity.

Coming straight off said linked post, I call it "Clownfish From Memory" and I think I did kind of okay. XD

RE: https://tech.lgbt/@bluestarultor/117363197897847547 ...

2026-10-01T02:09:18Z

RE: https://tech.lgbt/@bluestarultor/117363197897847547

#WritersCoffeeClub Oct. 1: What are you hoping to achieve this month?

New quarter; new thread. Linking the old one for your reading pleasure.

Honestly? Just getting back into the swing of things after being tapped out. Maybe taking a break from feeling like I "have" to edit was what I needed, but we'll see.

Mostly, I know there are some things I wasn't totally happy with in the ending, but there are ideas I want to put in chapters leading up to that.

I am healing.

quoting
note1jd6…vwvt

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 30: Where did this month's writing take you?

Into branching paths to up the ante in a meaningful way. I feel like it brings real escalation to the events and makes things a bit tighter.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 30: Where did this month's writing ...

2026-10-01T02:04:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…cqaf
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 30: Where did this month's writing take you?

Into branching paths to up the ante in a meaningful way. I feel like it brings real escalation to the events and makes things a bit tighter.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 29: Talk about something with your work ...

2026-10-01T01:37:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…0s2m
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 29: Talk about something with your work this month you're really proud of.

I already mentioned this under [ScribesAndMakers](https://tech.lgbt/@bluestarultor/117350141331249365 ), but I split up repeat visits to an area into a single big event since I'm aiming for 8 mandatory bosses. To elaborate on things:<li>A straightforward area with a single theme. The boss will appear in a later area if this isn't chosen.</li><li>A harder area under a couple themes where the player will need to navigate movement puzzles to work their way through. There are a couple shops to pick up heals, but the player may not need them with good timing.</li><li>An area with a lot of themes that need to be accounted for and some traps. Ultimately pretty hard, but a little grinding goes a long way. The "combat hard" area.</li><li>A grueling 3-theme area rife with traps, but with shops to assist with mitigating them. The boss will appear in a later area if this isn't chosen. The "puzzle hard" area.</li>

quoting
note1mf6…setd

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 28: How satisfied are you with the creative work you've done this month?

Very. I think I gave *Grey Coded* necessary replay value by taking a series of repeat visits to an area and making them a branching path in one big event. I've been filling the details of that out after the initial idea. It's probably a top 5 decision I've made for this game!

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 28: How satisfied are you with the ...

2026-09-28T18:44:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…wzpn
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 28: How satisfied are you with the creative work you've done this month?

Very. I think I gave *Grey Coded* necessary replay value by taking a series of repeat visits to an area and making them a branching path in one big event. I've been filling the details of that out after the initial idea. It's probably a top 5 decision I've made for this game!

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 28: Could you work without the internet? ...

2026-09-28T18:43:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…96nq
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 28: Could you work without the internet? What would change?

Write? Sure. Work? No. The Internet gave me Wikipedia to fall down rabbit holes and niche tech and science news, all of which provided inspiration that majorly influenced most of my modern projects. I love libraries. I love the ability to find things you didn't know you wanted in them. But for things I *do* want, having instant access has become part of my process and my process more or less hinges on a total lack of friction. My writing would be so much poorer if I had to rely on mainstream media. Not awful; just... I look at my fantasy-heavy early work and I'm still happy with it, but my horizons are so much wider now. *I've finished a novel!* If you'd asked me even a year ago if I thought I ever would, I would have called it unattainable, the way I kept losing my work. Dropbox saved me; that's online. All my software was downloaded. Without the Internet, I'd either be writing short fantasy in WordPad or have given up.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep 27: Was there a time you got stuck this ...

2026-09-27T17:27:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…2gny
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep 27: Was there a time you got stuck this month? If so, how did you get through it?

I am currently in recovery from... a lot. Really, any writing at all is good at the moment whether that's notes or game stuff or a blog post.

That said, it's happening, which means I have literally anything left to do it with.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 27: How much time passes between sitting ...

2026-09-27T15:41:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…g028
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 27: How much time passes between sitting down to write and actually writing?

None. If I'm sitting down to write, I'm writing. Even when I had to test whether I could make a job of my creativity, I got dressed up and did it, even if it changed the vibe.

[thread placeholder for the ...

2026-09-26T16:42:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…4d83
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[thread placeholder for the [TTMD](https://tech.lgbt/@bluestarultor/117338401222949765 )]

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 25: Our next featured creator uses a ...

2026-09-26T00:23:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…v2pt
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 25: Our next featured creator uses a separate Fedi account dedicated to their book. Do you use different accounts for different creative purposes?

I maintain my mastodon.social account for reach, boosting my blog posts, but the way federation works, I don't know how much it actually gets me.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 24: Our next featured creator will donate ...

2026-09-26T00:21:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…evk8
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 24: Our next featured creator will donate a portion of proceeds from book sales. Have you ever put proceeds from sales towards a cause you believe in?

I have plans for it for a game, but whether it will ever release is another question.

But honestly, I've been hosting my apps free with donations for over a decade now as charity. MediaAlarm is *guaranteed* forever free. Maybe I'll be hard-up enough that my other tools might get a price tag, but MediaAlarm will only ever accept courtesy donations. And all my apps have netted me a combined total of $0.00 in the ~15 years they've been available. Money has never been the point.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 26: How does your faith feature in your ...

2026-09-26T00:05:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…vpuh
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 26: How does your faith feature in your works?

In most cases, it doesn't very much. In some sense there's always a God, even if it's left more ambiguous or in question. But the more I wrote, the less of an issue I made of it. I got comfortable with the idea different worlds would have their own pantheons and, in my increased wisdom, that's not incompatible, since in Biblical times gods were seen as local to a place. God is the only one who said, "naw, I'm everywhere."

At this point, writing Ethan as a bastard excluded from the family religion is... maybe the culmination of that, because it's worth exploring and sometimes good things do happen, but it's subtle, maybe coincidence. Ethan doesn't need faith to be a good person. But God might love him just a tidge more than he's been taught to believe. :)

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 25: Talk about a communal writing project ...

2026-09-25T23:43:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…zn8x
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 25: Talk about a communal writing project you worked on. How did it go?

I honestly can't think of one, though maybe finishing Caniba's work will count since she and I talked so much about it. Ultimately, I was her editor and I think it went well with me supporting her effort. At this point I don't know what her family will want to contribute to it, but they do want a say in it. We'll find out when they're ready to look at it. But we're all glad for each other.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 24: Do you write primarily for yourself ...

2026-09-25T23:39:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…6dt5
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 24: Do you write primarily for yourself or for a reader?

I've made it no secret I write almost entirely for myself. Anyone else who eventually enjoys it is what little light I can offer the world.

Mostly.

There is a little vanity involved and while my audience is probably still in the single digits, that's really all it takes. That said, any time I end up hitting double digits of boosts/faves in these hashtag games, I get butterflies. XD

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 23: Choose a noun that is representative ...

2026-09-23T07:05:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…h8lk
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 23: Choose a noun that is representative of you as a creative person.

Resilient.

My creativity makes me resilient.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 23: What "little thing" really ...

2026-09-23T06:55:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…ecyw
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 23: What "little thing" really helps you write?

A distraction-free environment. Whether that's WordPad or Notepad++ or Fade In, the moment I end up in the weeds on the interface is the moment my flow breaks.

#WordWeavers Sep. 22: If you wrote a memoir on your writing ...

2026-09-22T02:14:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…rt5s
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#WordWeavers Sep. 22: If you wrote a memoir on your writing journey so far, what would it be called?

*Someday*

As depressing as that sounds, it's the process that kept me sane. Finishing things was less important than writing them. And I did finish a fair share of short stories.

#WordWeavers Sep. 21: In your current WIP, which character do you ...

2026-09-22T02:13:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…fk0n
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#WordWeavers Sep. 21: In your current WIP, which character do you relate to the least and why?

It almost feels like cheating to say Kelvin, but Kelvin isn't a traditional villain and that's honestly why I answer almost all SC questions with him. Kelvin is not a good person. He's deeply damaged and chose to take it out on the universe. You end up understanding *why* over the course of 3 books, but it doesn't change the fact that Ethan represents accountability he was missing and that makes Kelvin look in the mirror and not like what he sees.

I may not be perfect, but I can say I don't look in the mirror and regret what I see.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 22: Promotion day. Self or someone else. ...

2026-09-22T02:09:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…8rfv
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 22: Promotion day. Self or someone else. Or both.

As if I'd do anything but shamelessly plug my little straw shack. :J

Main site: https://www.bluestarcreations.net

Blog site: https://blog.bluestarcreations.net

Have Fade In while you're at it: https://www.fadeinpro.com/page.pl?content=download

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 22: What's the latest in the writing ...

2026-09-22T02:08:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…75zk
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 22: What's the latest in the writing process you've found a mistake?

Years after posting. >_>;

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 21 (pers. bonus): What character from one ...

2026-09-21T15:57:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…5afp
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 21 (pers. bonus): What character from one of your own books or someone else's games would you want to spend a day with? What would you do?

Wanted to answer this for my broader body of work, too, but to be fair, limiting it to my own. And also sticking to the ones who would hear me out.

Wheeler of *Grey Coded* is an impossibly good programmer and while he's half my age, I feel like I could both mentor him a bit and enjoy his company. If I could walk away with a NIA* on my phone, so much the better.

In Jerako, Arrow, one of the mercenaries of the starting area. Just to talk. Guy's been through a lot and I think he just needs to hear that he's a good man and worthy of love. I wouldn't have any local currency to interrupt his work, but he takes a lot of odd jobs and I could do that. I'd probably use the pay to hire him to forage with me so I could eat. Jerako's days are 4× ours.

*Network Interactive Assistant, a human-smart A.I. with an avatar to give you a face to punch. XD

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 21: What character from one of your own ...

2026-09-21T07:14:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…t4dh
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 21: What character from one of your own books or someone else's would you want to spend a day with? What would you do?

This may be out of left field, but Bud, from *First Fantasy*. Being a Thief, I'm sure he could come up with some mild mischief that wouldn't cause any lasting damage. He'd also be one of the few characters who wouldn't wring my scrawny neck knowing who I was. XD

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 21: What can a reader know to be true ...

2026-09-21T07:07:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…z7z0
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 21: What can a reader know to be true about you from your work?

That I believe redemption is there for those who work for it, but that it does take work.

That I believe a person is a person no matter what they look like, but I understand that appearances do matter in the world.

That I don't believe you need religion to be a good person, despite having one myself.

(CONT'D) #WordWeavers Sep. 20: I almost forgot about Renard! ...

2026-09-20T03:54:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…jrxg
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(CONT'D)

#WordWeavers Sep. 20:

I almost forgot about Renard! That series has a whole cooking system when you make camp, allowing you to spend foraged ingredients for special effects! Some of the dishes are fancier than they have any right to be. XD

Renard also has the Canteen system, which is a special item system where you fill the Canteens at appropriate fountains and they act as a Get Out of Jail Free card in battle when a character needs emergency healing.

*Superhero League of Wausau* also has a "rest supplies" system that means you can only camp so many times before returning to HQ. It's boring granola bars and water.

Basically anything with a camping system kind of assumes there are basic enough supplies included.

#WordWeavers Sep. 20: How do your characters access water or ...

2026-09-20T03:40:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…86yz
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#WordWeavers Sep. 20: How do your characters access water or whatever they need to drink?

Ethan: The *Hoarfrost* has faucets, but you do need to bear in mind they're *cool* faucets with vacuum drains and his cups have a special teardrop shape to leverage capillary action to make drinking from them more natural.

Brand and crew: Oh, would you look at the time! Gotta run! Seriously, though, part of it being LitRPG is the fact that the cast rarely eat or drink on-screen. When they do, it's very obviously a cutscene or else a potion. XD

*First Fantasy*: Normally I don't reference this crew because, well, the source material isn't really *mine,* but certain aspects of it are including the fact that all inns serve food and drink, and all save/heal items do, too, as consumable spell items. Tents field fresh water and dry rations. Cabins offer pretty good cooking facilities that come with "meat" and "fish" and plenty of produce of varying vagueness. Houses offer *really* good stuff. :)

(MORE)

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 20: Share an analogy that really stuck ...

2026-09-20T02:27:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…gwpy
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 20: Share an analogy that really stuck with you.

Maybe it's just because analogy is so wired into my own brain explaining things, but other than clichés, I can't really single any out.

And that's beautiful, I think, like asking to pick your favorite flower out of a field of them. :)

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 20: Repossess? A worry of Ethan's for ...

2026-09-20T02:24:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…lquu
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 20: Repossess?

A worry of Ethan's for the *Hoarfrost* since it is very much not paid off.

#WordWeavers Sep. 19. What are three personality strengths your ...

2026-09-19T16:17:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…4uwt
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#WordWeavers Sep. 19. What are three personality strengths your antagonist has?

Kelvin: loyal, good at keeping secrets, good at self-regulating

Ramses: gets his hands dirty, learns his enemies, makes an excellent sales pitch

#WordWeavers Sep. 18. What are three personality strengths your ...

2026-09-19T16:17:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…55u0
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#WordWeavers Sep. 18. What are three personality strengths your MC has?

Ethan: quick study, strong moral compass, kind

Brand: creative, kind, loyal

Renard: recognizes and nurtures potential in others, efficient, classy

Wheeler: loyal, creative, quick study

#WordWeavers Sep. 17. By the end of your story, how many injuries ...

2026-09-19T16:17:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…06jx
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#WordWeavers Sep. 17. By the end of your story, how many injuries has your MC had?

Ethan, physically, none, other than bumping his head on the bottom of a workbench, no blood. Mental/emotional damage... I mean if a motorcycle popped a reverse wheelie and ground the rear wheel on you until the gas ran out, how many injuries is that really? It's a single source and a single act over a prolonged period of time, but in a video game it would probably spit out a stream of numbers rather than just one when it was over.

#WordWeavers Sep. 16. If your MC was elected mayor of your own ...

2026-09-19T16:15:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…f3zt
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#WordWeavers Sep. 16. If your MC was elected mayor of your own town, would you stay or move? Why?

Ethan would do fine as mayor, even if he would absolutely not want it. Chances are Kelvin put him on the ballot and laughed for days when he actually won, but would be hovering over his shoulder in case he actually needed anything.

Brand, I would absolutely move out. Not because Altin wouldn't end up effectively running things and do just fine, but because it would take an entire village of idiots to elect a himbo like Brand. Either that or a whole comedy of errors getting on the ballot and then stumbling his way through the whole election and winning on position because he's a good person. He wouldn't even realize he was a candidate until the debates. XD

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 16: Create a poll listing 2-3 objects that ...

2026-09-19T16:14:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…6nwp
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 16: Create a poll listing 2-3 objects that have featured in your work and one that hasn't. Ask people to pick the one that hasn't.
17: Link to or summarize yesterday's poll and reveal the answer.
18: Change one word in the title of a famous book, a movie, a song, and a play to create four new titles.
19: My mistake was...

Normally I wouldn't dedicate a post to a skip, but I feel like I'm skipping all 4 of these. The objects in my work tend to be pretty banal and rely more on sentimental value or else be deceptively packaged objects of great power. None of that is poll friendly. 18 would have worked best with a theme.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 19: Are you more comfortable writing to a ...

2026-09-19T16:13:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…r5ad
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 19: Are you more comfortable writing to a structure or freeform?

As a pantser, freeform.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 18: Share a word you've used only to ...

2026-09-19T16:12:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…hn7w
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 18: Share a word you've used only to learn later you were pronouncing or using it wrong.

Most words I use are from either reading far above my age or straight-up reading the dictionary as a kid. The dictionary probably got involved either way.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 17: Do you try to have a regular writing ...

2026-09-19T16:12:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…mr5t
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 17: Do you try to have a regular writing goal? Why or why not?

Nope. I have a day job and that often limits my energy.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 16: Is there a topic you could really use ...

2026-09-19T16:12:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…kr9e
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 16: Is there a topic you could really use an expert’s help with? What is it?

Not at this point. My only concern was whether it was more of a nightmare *not* to deal with Amazon and the answer, apparently, is that their death grip must be eroded slowly by availability on alternate platforms to let readers make the moral choice before writers can actually abstain from their evil empire.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 15: What expertise are you happy to offer ...

2026-09-15T00:23:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…rmgl
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 15: What expertise are you happy to offer to your fellow writers for their research?

That depends entirely on how much of a commitment it is. Like, forgive me, but if we're talking about deep expertise, we're either talking about programming or my lived experiences.

I really don't have the energy to be a "source." It was different geeking out with Caniba because anything she needed help with, I knew enough to offer a solution. I was happy to geek out, to edit, to offer those solutions, because she was my friend, and it didn't feel like work. I think, honestly, that it would be good to make more writer friends, but that's not what the question is asking.

#WordWeavers Sep. 15: Your characters get one completely ordinary ...

2026-09-15T00:02:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…emkg
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#WordWeavers Sep. 15: Your characters get one completely ordinary day with no villains, quests, murders, wars, prophecies, romantic disasters, or impending apocalypses. How do they spend it?

Ethan would happily spend it working. Things being normal would be excellent for that for the whole crew.

#WordWeavers Sep. 14: Your MC is offered exactly what they’ve ...

2026-09-14T23:59:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…9f94
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#WordWeavers Sep. 14: Your MC is offered exactly what they’ve always wanted—but accepting it will cost them something they love. What do they choose?

That's something Ethan struggles with as the story goes on. He has his first birthday out in space and stops as soon as he's about to blow out his candles, because after everything they've been through, Fahrenheit and Celsius are right there. But... they know.

I won't spoil how the scene goes, but even by the end of the book... it would be hard to turn down a chance at going home, even with what he's built with the crew. It's "only" 50 years. He'd still be alive, even if he'd be retirement age. But he'd be leaving behind the friends he made, his only salable skill...

It's not my first isekai story, but the choice to stay or go back is always a deeply personal one, and there are no easy answers.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 15: What's a situation where you feel ...

2026-09-14T23:49:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…6p0v
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 15: What's a situation where you feel a ';' definitely works better than a '.' ?

I may be the only person I know who internalized the rules for semicolons. It's like asking how to tie your shoes; you just know, okay? XD

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 14: What's your favorite type of story ...

2026-09-14T23:47:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…f490
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 14: What's your favorite type of story setting?

If we look at where most of my work resides, it's either semi-modern fantasy or space.

"Semi-modern" because typically they aren't set much past 2005 and nobody has cell phones OR the worlds are either some post-apocalypse or otherwise mix magic and tech in such a way that guns don't simply rule everything. Or else things are just anachronistic enough it's impossible to pin down when they could possibly be.

Space stuff tends to be soft sci-fi for my games because that's more fun, but even my hard sci-fi has allowances for weirdness.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 14: Have you ever read a work of fiction ...

2026-09-14T18:49:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…s3n5
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 14: Have you ever read a work of fiction you felt was advertising something?

I worry I *wrote* one. >.>;

In some sense it's a bit rough writing a teen who consumes media because it becomes a question of what it's safe to fill it with. In some cases I keep it vague; in others I use humorous off-brand things; in still others I risk using an existing brand when there's really nothing else like it. But in some sense it's easiest to err on the side of the things I own and can speak for. At whatever point any of that comes out, then sure, I'm shilling my own stuff, but it gives me 50+ years to make it in if it's ever going to happen.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 13: How pedantic are you? I am very much ...

2026-09-13T01:43:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…2ctu
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 13: How pedantic are you?

I am very much of Camp "Words Mean Things" and while I'm not the kind of person to correct others online, just know it does leave me vibrating in my seat. XD

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 12: Featured creator S.A.M. ...

2026-09-13T01:41:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…jc98
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 12: Featured creator S.A.M. (ScribesAndMakers)

I don't really have any questions, but I do know this will be seen and I really just have to thank y'all for running this. Having run online games before, it's a lot of work, a lot of time, a lot of mental energy. It's really a job.

Cheers to you on your day!

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 11: Our next featured creator is a group ...

2026-09-13T01:38:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…mmen
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 11: Our next featured creator is a group of three collaborators. Have you ever been part of a collaborative group for your creative work?

The only person I ever successfully collaborated with was CannibalMILF[at]mastodon.social, but...

I may as well make it public: she's no longer with us. I tried reaching out to the m.s team to make it a memorial account, but ended up having no luck, even with an obituary.

I am, however, in contact with her family, and they'd like my help finishing her work, since she and I talked so much about it. So in a way, there will be a time for which I still do.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 10: Our next featured creator is an ...

2026-09-13T01:29:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…tqkv
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 10: Our next featured creator is an acronym. Do you use acronyms in your work?

Sometimes, but I either try to keep them short or they're played for laughs and probably don't get a ton of screen time, because I'm old-school enough to feel the need to be formal and type all the periods when I'm writing. It has been a hard, but freeing, habit to break, constructively, in my games where a fixed-width font makes that more attractive.

#WordWeavers Sep. 13: Share a line of dialogue that sounds ...

2026-09-13T01:21:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…d8kx
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#WordWeavers Sep. 13: Share a line of dialogue that sounds innocent without context but absolutely isn’t.

> "Pay me," Kelvin said. "Tell me what you know about your father."

(This is the opening of a conversation where Kelvin absolutely holds all the cards. XD)

#WordWeavers Sep. 12: If you removed one supporting character ...

2026-09-13T01:14:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…tr02
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#WordWeavers Sep. 12: If you removed one supporting character from your story, whose absence would change the plot the most?

Supporting vs. secondary? If we're talking small enough to be supporting, the answer is Charlie, at least for breadth, but Reggie serves a pivotal role near the end without which the book couldn't really conclude.

#WordWeavers Sep. 11: What does your MC believe about themselves ...

2026-09-13T01:11:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…0s57
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#WordWeavers Sep. 11: What does your MC believe about themselves at the beginning of the story that turns out to be completely wrong?

For Ethan? That he's an orphan, but you'll have to see how that's wrong on release. >:)

#WordWeavers Sep. 10: Share a description from your WIP that ...

2026-09-13T01:08:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…dpgc
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#WordWeavers Sep. 10: Share a description from your WIP that establishes atmosphere without explicitly naming the emotion.

*"It'll be fine! We're just passing through!"*

The words echoed as Altin looked at the Mages' College Headquarters in the distance. A towering squarish Gothic building that looked like both a church and castle, stone stained brown with age, towers capped with sharply sloped octagonal rooves of aged blue shingles. Edge details a sandier brown, giving texture to the swooping lines, darker materials enhancing the depth of the structure into a cavernous illusion, with a grand arch with heavy wooden double doors buried at the bottom, windows to greet the southern exposure reflecting the overcast sky in a leaden gray, and plenty of sharp upswept details, jutting out of the ocean of rolling green fields as if to pierce the heavens with spears and needles. Against the featureless clouds in the diffuse light, the whole thing could almost have been mistaken as waterlogged and frozen in time.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 13: What do you need to do before you sit ...

2026-09-13T01:03:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…62nx
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 13: What do you need to do before you sit down to write?

Be conscious, ideally. If the juices aren't flowing, I'm in bigger trouble. XD

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 12: Who do you share snippets of your WIP ...

2026-09-13T01:02:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…5lpy
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 12: Who do you share snippets of your WIP with?

These hashtag games, as of yet.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 11: What's a part of your process ...

2026-09-11T06:13:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…ekql
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 11: What's a part of your process you'd give free advertising to?

I don't think I haven't already worn grooves in everyone's eyeballs banging on about Fade In. :J

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 10: What's something you believe ...

2026-09-11T06:10:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…8grv
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 10: What's something you believe about writing which can't really be proven?

That practice makes perfect and I've gotten good at it. At least until I release something properly. I worry a bit at some of the lukewarm responses I've gotten posting snippets, TBH. XD

#ScribesAndMakers 🧵 (supplemental) Thank you all for enjoying ...

2026-09-09T23:15:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…rhw4
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#ScribesAndMakers 🧵 (supplemental)

Thank you all for enjoying the (heavily abridged) first couple paragraphs page of *Godskiller*.The reaction tells me I am probably best off not trying to cram a cup into a teaspoon, because looking at what I ended up with, trying to pare down words and distill things to only the essentials for one idea kind of doesn't work for me, either. XDYou get almost none of Brand's voice here. I'll have to fix it after work.

We'll see how everyone feels about it now. XD

Brand came across a couple guards actually guarding rather than ...

2026-09-09T23:08:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…j39p
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Brand came across a couple guards actually guarding rather than chatting and pulled out one of his items, a Rubber Duck. He threw it near them and ducked back behind the corner and into a convenient alcove. The Rubber Duck squeaked on landing.

"What the...?" the nearest guard picked it up and squeaked it.

"That rotten—!" it dawned on them. "Get 'im!"

The guards rushed in his direction, but of course assumed he'd go forward. Their footsteps echoed for a bit until they reached the limit of their area and they made the walk of shame back. Brand grinned as they grumbled about nobody believing them and crept onward while their backs were turned. He'd be in real trouble if they ever got better at communicating.

#ScribesAndMakers 🧵 (3/3)

It wasn't really "like clockwork." But it was a lot ...

2026-09-09T19:11:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…dn27
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It wasn't really "like clockwork." But it was a lot like "physics." The village was a convenient target full of physical fighters and woodworkers and they had to *live,* too, so it was always being replenished with things to raid. Medicines, tools, and all the fruits of the trade they engaged in. They were never completely cleaned out, but they were used to having to live with the roughest things of anything they enjoyed, unless they could stash something nice away long enough. Anything that ended up becoming an heirloom tended to be swiped for its particular magical applications and most of the time that just meant getting a replacement that wasn't too fancy. Plastic if it could be plastic. The mages hated the stuff. If anything was completely anti-magical, it was that. Overall, it was a simple, predictable, comfortable life. Altin was just more or less one of the "valuables" they kept taking, but he was the one Brand put his foot down for.

#ScribesAndMakers 🧵 (2/3)

#WordWeavers Sep. 9: What secret would cause the most damage if ...

2026-09-09T01:18:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…f8vp
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#WordWeavers Sep. 9: What secret would cause the most damage if it were revealed in your story right now?

Ethan being a time-traveler. That one is evergreen.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 9: Share something you've been working ...

2026-09-09T01:16:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…xet5
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 9: Share something you've been working on this month.#

INT. MAGES' COLLEGE DUNGEON - NIGHTBrand crept through the dim halls. Altin would be at the bottom in the Deepest Dungeon, like always. Brand didn't even watch his feet on the worn stone stairs. He'd tried a few times before this round, but the price of failure was just getting thrown out and trying again with everything reset. He'd come with items he could throw this time. They didn't need to be good ones. He'd saved the good traps for the town. Magical ones. Once he and Altin were out of here they'd go on the run, let the mages raid again, and maybe teach them a lesson making them leave empty-handed.

It wasn't really "like clockwork." But it was a lot like "physics." The village was a convenient target full of physical fighters and woodworkers and they had to *live,* too, so it was always being replenished with things to raid. Altin was one of the "valuables" they kept taking, but he was the one Brand put his foot down for.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 9: What's your standard operating ...

2026-09-09T01:05:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…5zhl
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 9: What's your standard operating font, size, format? Or do you not have a standard?

Fade In standardizes novels to Times New Roman 12, double-spaced, indented, like an actual book. Which all goes out the window as soon as it makes it an e-book. I didn't get pro software to have the end result look like my fanfic, damn it! XD

Otherwise scripts are all some variant of Courier 12.

My notes are pretty lazy and just use the default font of whatever they're in. Though you can tell my older stuff because that used to be Arial 10 in WordPad and is now Calibri 11. I do, however, always make sure to take off the extra spacing after paragraphs, because I have the Enter key to do that.

#WordWeavers Sep. 8: Which character would be the worst person to ...

2026-09-08T23:59:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…j86w
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#WordWeavers Sep. 8: Which character would be the worst person to get trapped in an elevator with?

Ethan, absolutely. You'd be standing there awkwardly with him more or less giving you the silent treatment to avoid outing himself or just because all of his conversation topics would be comics and maybe video games, and he'd run out of material pretty quickly unless you could talk about 50-plus-year-old retro stuff all the way back to DOS.

On top of that, you have a solid chance of that being in a space station, so if it's a power issue, you bet it's an emergency.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 8: Gauge? It always bothered me a bit how ...

2026-09-08T23:58:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…h9gx
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 8: Gauge?

It always bothered me a bit how the "u" is silent.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 8: International Literacy Day! Share a ...

2026-09-08T01:37:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…4kj9
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 8: *International Literacy Day!* Share a moment when a reading of your work surprised you.

I'm my own only audience so far, but it's always a joy when I make me laugh. Sometimes I'll just be reviewing something and end up completely losing it at a joke. I'll laugh for minutes sometimes. XD

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 7: What's something you thought would ...

2026-09-07T07:28:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…sqdl
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 7: What's something you thought would help your workflow, but didn't work out?

Scrivener. This is how I more or less realized a distraction-free environment was the magic. The reason LibreOffice had friction.

Scrivener is great software for those who need everything in one place, but thank God for free trials, because I am not one of those people. I could not make heads or tails of it and ended up realizing I'd been fighting with it for 10 minutes rather than putting words to page. Cut my losses and went back to LibreOffice until eventually finding Fade In, which obviously I can't shut up about now. XD

#WordWeavers Sep. 7: Describe a moment when one of your ...

2026-09-07T07:09:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…5esw
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#WordWeavers Sep. 7: Describe a moment when one of your characters realizes they’ve made a terrible mistake.

The moment Kelvin realizes he'd become the villain of the book. It's a sobering moment for him, realizing that Ethan doesn't see him as part of any solutions. Scares him, even.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 7: What 'character' (letter, ...

2026-09-07T06:56:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…e363
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 7: What 'character' (letter, number, symbol, punctuation, space) would make a great main character?

Period, full stop. :P

#WordWeavers Sep. 6: What is your MC hilariously bad at? Koosh™ ...

2026-09-06T03:13:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…p4hc
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#WordWeavers Sep. 6: What is your MC hilariously bad at?

Koosh™ tennis. XD

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 6: Have you ever listened to an audiobook ...

2026-09-06T03:12:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…dhf3
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 6: Have you ever listened to an audiobook where the reader had a good voice, but not the 'right' voice?

I've only had the misfortune of hearing two audiobooks, both being listened to by others: *Eragon* and *Jurassic Park*. The problems with the former were mostly to do with the story, but I will say the actor was enthusiastic, even if he didn't do women well. I felt like he was enjoying himself. The latter... I don't think anyone could have saved it from making "said" lose all meaning within 3 pages, even as much as he tried to minimize it. The book had great ideas, but zero variety there. That guy was a little dry, but very easy to parse. Both of them did different kinds of a good job with what they had to work with.

I can really only hope when I do mine, people enjoy it. The last thing I'd want is for anyone to think my performance ruined my own book for them.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 6: If you work digitally, what keyboard ...

2026-09-06T02:46:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…yn8v
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 6: If you work digitally, what keyboard or dictation do you use? If paper, what do you write with?

I write on my trusty laptop. I have no idea how long I've had this thing, but it's on its second battery and everything still works. It's my primary driver and it's... comfortable. :)

#WordWeavers Sep. 5: If your antagonist could justify their ...

2026-09-05T01:58:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…w7ap
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#WordWeavers Sep. 5: If your antagonist could justify their actions in one sentence, what would they say?

Kelvin doesn't justify himself to anyone. But if we're talking about his direct actions as limited to the span between the two covers, if Ethan asked why personally, like, if he was being led off to be wiped and it was the last thing he was ever going to say to him, Kelvin would say, "I did it for you."

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 5: From a purely aesthetic standpoint, ...

2026-09-05T01:57:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…58wc
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 5: From a purely aesthetic standpoint, what is your favorite color of ice cream?

Blue Moon. Somehow it took me almost my whole life to try the stuff, but it's a very nice blue most of the time. Unfortunately, there's apparently no standard to it and it even tastes a bit different from brand to brand, each with their own secret formula.

But the first I did taste it, the first words out of my mouth were "where have you been all my life?" XD

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 5: Do you track your word count? How? ...

2026-09-05T01:55:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…z7xw
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 5: Do you track your word count? How? Why?

Not until it's time to put it on the title page. It's done when it's done.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 4: Reverse of last month's question: ...

2026-09-04T04:08:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…e4h2
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 4: Reverse of last month's question: if e-books stopped being produced, how much would you miss them?

Frankly? Zero. Zip. Zilch. Not at all. Oh, my *God* does it ever suck that .EPUB is yet another "format" that's just .ZIP in a fake mustache, with absolutely no security for anyone who knows how to change a file extension or just has software that recognizes it by default. It's simple HTML and CSS and it isn't even *semantic.* I regret ever opening one up. I bear the burden of knowing as a programmer what a disaster every bit of it is.

#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 3: Which ebook reader do you use? ePub+, ...

2026-09-04T04:08:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…hxvv
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#ScribesAndMakers Sep. 3: Which ebook reader do you use?

ePub+, but I haven't been satisfied with anything I've tried, so the responses here are a goldmine!

#WordWeavers Sep. 4: What seemingly insignificant object in your ...

2026-09-04T04:07:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…t84m
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#WordWeavers Sep. 4: What seemingly insignificant object in your story carries a lot of emotional weight?

Ethan's bangle. You get hints of how important it is in book 1, but it's fully revealed in book 3.

#WordWeavers Sep. 3: Share a line from your WIP that reveals more ...

2026-09-04T04:07:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…63pl
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#WordWeavers Sep. 3: Share a line from your WIP that reveals more than the speaker intended.

> "Nobody knows how much time they have," Ethan shook his bangle.

> Fahrenheit looked back at it and turned away again.

> "No. They don't," he said probably more sharply than he intended.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 4: If you work digitally, what ...

2026-09-04T04:06:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…xddf
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 4: If you work digitally, what application do you use? If analog, what do you write on?

For most of my writing at this point, [Fade In](https://blog.bluestarcreations.net/blues-reviews/fade-in-review ). For blogs, Notepad++ for Markdown. And I still do most of my notes in WordPad.

#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 3: How does what you read influence what ...

2026-09-04T04:06:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…9ujy
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#WritersCoffeeClub Sep. 3: How does what you read influence what you write?

I find the news to be a driving force of my blogs and Wikipedia to be the fuel of my creativity.