Jess Koch
@jesskoch.bsky.social
Author of strange stories & infrequent poetry in Weird Horror, Bourbon Penn, Stoker-Nominated CHROMOPHOBIA, & more.
HWA, SFWA, Codex
New Englander / 3rd Gen immigrant
https://linktr.ee/byjesskoch
HWA, SFWA, Codex
New Englander / 3rd Gen immigrant
https://linktr.ee/byjesskoch
If you spend a lot of time on social media, you’ve surely seen writers romanticizing the act of writing and if there’s anything I’m good for in this world, it’s un-romanticizing things.
#writing #writingcommunity #WritersOfBlueSky
#writing #writingcommunity #WritersOfBlueSky
The Long Road to Writing a Book
Or, how it took me 33 years to finally finish something
open.substack.com
May 18, 2025 at 8:17 PM
If you spend a lot of time on social media, you’ve surely seen writers romanticizing the act of writing and if there’s anything I’m good for in this world, it’s un-romanticizing things.
#writing #writingcommunity #WritersOfBlueSky
#writing #writingcommunity #WritersOfBlueSky
I wrote this back in 2020, right at the beginning of covid, when a lot of us were mulling over what it meant to be alone in our tiny apartments. Back then, I didn’t realize how topical “AI therapists” would end up being.
SHORT FICTION: New Apartment
RE: Ghost bats and the death of the sun
open.substack.com
May 9, 2025 at 2:52 PM
I wrote this back in 2020, right at the beginning of covid, when a lot of us were mulling over what it meant to be alone in our tiny apartments. Back then, I didn’t realize how topical “AI therapists” would end up being.
This was...a choice.
(A really bad one if that was in any way unclear).
(A really bad one if that was in any way unclear).
Statement From Worldcon Chair: We have received questions regarding Seattle’s use of AI tools in our vetting process for program participants. In the interest of transparency, we will explain the process of how we are using a Large… seattlein2025.org?p=3859
Statement From Worldcon Chair
We have received questions regarding Seattle’s use of AI tools in our vetting process for program participants. In the interest of transparency, we will explain the process of how we are using a Large...
seattlein2025.org
May 2, 2025 at 1:39 PM
This was...a choice.
(A really bad one if that was in any way unclear).
(A really bad one if that was in any way unclear).
🇨🇦 FUCK YEAH CANADA 🇨🇦
April 29, 2025 at 3:06 PM
🇨🇦 FUCK YEAH CANADA 🇨🇦
Reposted by Jess Koch
This story probably flew under your radar last year, read it! Read it! Read it!
April 1, 2025 at 7:48 PM
This story probably flew under your radar last year, read it! Read it! Read it!
The whole thing is damning, but this part is particularly sickening. These are the text messages of middle school boys playing Call of Duty.
March 26, 2025 at 2:44 PM
The whole thing is damning, but this part is particularly sickening. These are the text messages of middle school boys playing Call of Duty.
I've been wanting to talk about burnout for a while so here it is, appropriately two months after I initially had the idea.
My Years of Stress and Un-relaxation
On burnout and broken clocks
open.substack.com
March 23, 2025 at 11:11 PM
I've been wanting to talk about burnout for a while so here it is, appropriately two months after I initially had the idea.
I mean, what the fuck.
The fact that this statement could be referencing a hundred different things speaks for itself.
The fact that this statement could be referencing a hundred different things speaks for itself.
February 6, 2025 at 5:43 AM
I mean, what the fuck.
The fact that this statement could be referencing a hundred different things speaks for itself.
The fact that this statement could be referencing a hundred different things speaks for itself.
Your art will outlive them so keep fucking making it.
January 25, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Your art will outlive them so keep fucking making it.
New post for the new year and all its woes:
"Why does the saying 'live in the moment' persist so relentlessly? Have you seen the moment? Have you doom-scrolled The Guardian politics live blog recently? If that’s 'the moment,' I don’t want to live in it."
"Why does the saying 'live in the moment' persist so relentlessly? Have you seen the moment? Have you doom-scrolled The Guardian politics live blog recently? If that’s 'the moment,' I don’t want to live in it."
On Giving Up
My (probably too earnest) admission of guilt
open.substack.com
January 22, 2025 at 12:56 AM
New post for the new year and all its woes:
"Why does the saying 'live in the moment' persist so relentlessly? Have you seen the moment? Have you doom-scrolled The Guardian politics live blog recently? If that’s 'the moment,' I don’t want to live in it."
"Why does the saying 'live in the moment' persist so relentlessly? Have you seen the moment? Have you doom-scrolled The Guardian politics live blog recently? If that’s 'the moment,' I don’t want to live in it."
RE: this DEI firefighter bs, I think it’s good to remember that big media is not REFLECTING the narrative of the people, but rather CREATING a narrative to tell you what and how to think so that your views fall in line with the corporations and special interests that own the media.
January 12, 2025 at 3:55 PM
RE: this DEI firefighter bs, I think it’s good to remember that big media is not REFLECTING the narrative of the people, but rather CREATING a narrative to tell you what and how to think so that your views fall in line with the corporations and special interests that own the media.
I went dark on here for almost 2 weeks. When that happens, safe to assume my battery ran dead and I forgot to plug myself back in.
January 11, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I went dark on here for almost 2 weeks. When that happens, safe to assume my battery ran dead and I forgot to plug myself back in.
My review of 2024:
2024: A Retrospective
Can I give something negative stars?
open.substack.com
December 29, 2024 at 10:39 PM
My review of 2024:
I hurt my neck the other day (quite badly) and I resent that the heat pack I bought is called a “sport” pack, implying I pulled a muscle doing something resembling sports rather than looking sideways for too long at a bar.
December 29, 2024 at 3:05 PM
I hurt my neck the other day (quite badly) and I resent that the heat pack I bought is called a “sport” pack, implying I pulled a muscle doing something resembling sports rather than looking sideways for too long at a bar.
I wrote 1000 words today so I only need to do that *does math* 79 more times.
Then I will have something resembling a book, at least in length.
Then I will have something resembling a book, at least in length.
December 23, 2024 at 9:27 PM
I wrote 1000 words today so I only need to do that *does math* 79 more times.
Then I will have something resembling a book, at least in length.
Then I will have something resembling a book, at least in length.
This one is short because it was my birthday this weekend and I was hungover and also because when I did get around to writing this, it was midnight.
Excuses aside, here are some thoughts (but no solutions) for feeling lost.
Excuses aside, here are some thoughts (but no solutions) for feeling lost.
These, the Days Misplaced
Short thoughts on feeling lost in life and art
open.substack.com
December 23, 2024 at 4:03 PM
This one is short because it was my birthday this weekend and I was hungover and also because when I did get around to writing this, it was midnight.
Excuses aside, here are some thoughts (but no solutions) for feeling lost.
Excuses aside, here are some thoughts (but no solutions) for feeling lost.
Everything I’ve eaten today has been cheese.
December 21, 2024 at 8:24 PM
Everything I’ve eaten today has been cheese.
Reposted by Jess Koch
The darkest of dark satire is not actually satire.
Musk’s wealth in 2012: $2 Billion
Musk’s wealth in 2024: $447 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2012: $18 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2024: $249 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2012: $44 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2024: $224 Billion
Minimum wage in 2012: $7.25
Minimum wage in 2024: $7.25
Musk’s wealth in 2024: $447 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2012: $18 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2024: $249 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2012: $44 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2024: $224 Billion
Minimum wage in 2012: $7.25
Minimum wage in 2024: $7.25
December 19, 2024 at 11:42 PM
The darkest of dark satire is not actually satire.
Reposted by Jess Koch
Oh God, it's like Christmas next week, it feels like the apocalypse every goddamn day, and the nightmares will only continue to unfurl in the new year. Also you still have to write your book.
December 17, 2024 at 3:11 PM
Oh God, it's like Christmas next week, it feels like the apocalypse every goddamn day, and the nightmares will only continue to unfurl in the new year. Also you still have to write your book.
I can’t remember the last book I finished but I have started about a dozen recently, all of which are on the floor beside my bed because my cat got embarrassed for me, knocked them off the nightstand, and pulled the bookmarks out of them. Thanks, Nadja.
December 17, 2024 at 2:15 PM
I can’t remember the last book I finished but I have started about a dozen recently, all of which are on the floor beside my bed because my cat got embarrassed for me, knocked them off the nightstand, and pulled the bookmarks out of them. Thanks, Nadja.
In which I reflect on querying this year and all the advice I wish I had followed:
Staying Sane While Querying Your Book
Tips from the trenches of rejection
open.substack.com
December 15, 2024 at 11:50 PM
In which I reflect on querying this year and all the advice I wish I had followed:
In my flailing around not knowing what to do with myself, I started a substack. It's mostly for myself but maybe it's for you too?
In the Small Hours | Jess Koch | Substack
Shouting into the void about writing, depression, and existence. Click to read In the Small Hours, by Jess Koch, a Substack publication. Launched 4 minutes ago.
inthesmallhours.substack.com
December 9, 2024 at 1:34 AM
In my flailing around not knowing what to do with myself, I started a substack. It's mostly for myself but maybe it's for you too?
I envy those who can channel their anxiety and outrage into meaningful creative work. All I've done for weeks is play Elden Ring and stress nap.
December 7, 2024 at 6:08 PM
I envy those who can channel their anxiety and outrage into meaningful creative work. All I've done for weeks is play Elden Ring and stress nap.
Everything you have ever written, everything you will ever write, is political.
That isn’t to say “be careful” with your words. Recognize their power and wield them accordingly.
That isn’t to say “be careful” with your words. Recognize their power and wield them accordingly.
November 23, 2024 at 6:26 PM
Everything you have ever written, everything you will ever write, is political.
That isn’t to say “be careful” with your words. Recognize their power and wield them accordingly.
That isn’t to say “be careful” with your words. Recognize their power and wield them accordingly.