Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
@jonolfert.bsky.social
Stories in Analog, On Spec, Lightspeed, Beneath Ceaseless Skies. History's eighth or ninth most prolific writer of speculative paleofiction. Polling and policy by day. If we pull this off, we'll eat like kings. http://jonathan-olfert.carrd.co
Wife and I have started watching something called Bridgerton. I grew up on the Colin Firth Pride & Prejudice, and Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is a longtime favorite, so to an extent this is familiar territory.
To an extent.
To an extent.
January 2, 2026 at 4:30 AM
Wife and I have started watching something called Bridgerton. I grew up on the Colin Firth Pride & Prejudice, and Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is a longtime favorite, so to an extent this is familiar territory.
To an extent.
To an extent.
Reposted by Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
Typebar Magazine 2.0 debuts January 26th.
January 1, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Typebar Magazine 2.0 debuts January 26th.
Reposted by Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
Submissions are open now for our final issue! The theme for this issue is 'endings'
inner-worlds.ghost.io/submission-g...
inner-worlds.ghost.io/submission-g...
Submission guidelines
Our next issue will be our last one, so we are looking for stories on the theme of endings. We'd like to read about loss, change, grief, relief, hope, and possibility.
What to submit
* Sci...
inner-worlds.ghost.io
January 1, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Submissions are open now for our final issue! The theme for this issue is 'endings'
inner-worlds.ghost.io/submission-g...
inner-worlds.ghost.io/submission-g...
Good thread of stuff that I don't see said often enough.
This set of observations is produced by my scrolling Reddit and otherwise listening to people talk about "how to write."
A) there is no requirement that any of your characters has any sort of "arc" let alone a redemption.
B) there is also no requirement that your fiction has a plot.
A) there is no requirement that any of your characters has any sort of "arc" let alone a redemption.
B) there is also no requirement that your fiction has a plot.
December 31, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Good thread of stuff that I don't see said often enough.
Full Neolithic novella draft at 31,500 words.
December 30, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Full Neolithic novella draft at 31,500 words.
Short story writers — how do you pick markets to try? (All else being equal, e.g. 'takes open submissions' and 'editor not a jerk.') You get 10 points to allocate. Feel free to add categories if you want to play.
Me, often:
# of readers: 3
Pay: 3
Award chances: 0
Vibes: 1
Hard copy: 2
Community: 1
Me, often:
# of readers: 3
Pay: 3
Award chances: 0
Vibes: 1
Hard copy: 2
Community: 1
December 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Short story writers — how do you pick markets to try? (All else being equal, e.g. 'takes open submissions' and 'editor not a jerk.') You get 10 points to allocate. Feel free to add categories if you want to play.
Me, often:
# of readers: 3
Pay: 3
Award chances: 0
Vibes: 1
Hard copy: 2
Community: 1
Me, often:
# of readers: 3
Pay: 3
Award chances: 0
Vibes: 1
Hard copy: 2
Community: 1
Sorry but I can't buy the thesis that ancient people didn't feel things the way we do now. Have you SEEN the Venus of Willendorf!?!
December 28, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Sorry but I can't buy the thesis that ancient people didn't feel things the way we do now. Have you SEEN the Venus of Willendorf!?!
Laid up too much treasure in heaven for tax purposes
Tommy Robinson says he found Jesus in prison. Churches disagree about how to respond
Tommy Robinson says he found Jesus in prison. Churches disagree about how to respond
C of E faces dilemma as far right claims Christianity to push agenda that often clashes with gospel message
www.theguardian.com
December 28, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Laid up too much treasure in heaven for tax purposes
Watching a caveman-boy-and-his-dog story (lightly edited) with one of the kids. Having a great chat about where people came from and what life was like 20,000 years ago.
December 28, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Watching a caveman-boy-and-his-dog story (lightly edited) with one of the kids. Having a great chat about where people came from and what life was like 20,000 years ago.
This feeling owed thing is real. I can think of a couple of guys I've had to give the 'bud, nobody is actually *owed* publication' talk and a couple more I could or should have.
Every time they feel they're owed a spot on the NYT bestseller lists, in Hollywood writers' rooms, and in academia, my teeth hurt. Who thinks that way?!
It does help contextualize a lot... I'd wondered why some assume Black women are perpetually "jealous." Classic projection! That much is clear.
It does help contextualize a lot... I'd wondered why some assume Black women are perpetually "jealous." Classic projection! That much is clear.
December 27, 2025 at 10:10 PM
This feeling owed thing is real. I can think of a couple of guys I've had to give the 'bud, nobody is actually *owed* publication' talk and a couple more I could or should have.
Reposted by Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
Favourite way to spend Boxing Day, doing one of Wentworth’s madly different jigsaw puzzles! Made of wood, laser cut and with all kinds of random pieces… like two pieces needed to make a corner. Definitely recommended. 🙂
December 26, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Favourite way to spend Boxing Day, doing one of Wentworth’s madly different jigsaw puzzles! Made of wood, laser cut and with all kinds of random pieces… like two pieces needed to make a corner. Definitely recommended. 🙂
Reposted by Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
Our next submission call is right around the corner. Check out our guidelines to learn more: https://bit.ly/3FZcgMA
December 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Our next submission call is right around the corner. Check out our guidelines to learn more: https://bit.ly/3FZcgMA
If any one of you is, or ever was, that masked man dressed in black known as Zorro, reveal himself now!
The Atlantic suggesting, without evidence, that Canada's Global TV broadcasting the '60 Minutes' segment on CECOT that CBS distributed to it may have been an act of "treachery."
🔗: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
🔗: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
December 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
If any one of you is, or ever was, that masked man dressed in black known as Zorro, reveal himself now!
Reposted by Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
The 2025 Headline of the Year Nominees
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December 22, 2025 at 11:48 PM
The 2025 Headline of the Year Nominees
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🧵
Reposted by Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
People, I'm BEGGING you:
If you are going to share that leaked 60 minutes segment, INCLUDE SOME COMMENTARY in your post that makes it necessary for readers to have access to the full video to understand the commentary. CBS has a deep black eye over this and the odds that they'll look to punish ppl
If you are going to share that leaked 60 minutes segment, INCLUDE SOME COMMENTARY in your post that makes it necessary for readers to have access to the full video to understand the commentary. CBS has a deep black eye over this and the odds that they'll look to punish ppl
December 23, 2025 at 12:52 AM
People, I'm BEGGING you:
If you are going to share that leaked 60 minutes segment, INCLUDE SOME COMMENTARY in your post that makes it necessary for readers to have access to the full video to understand the commentary. CBS has a deep black eye over this and the odds that they'll look to punish ppl
If you are going to share that leaked 60 minutes segment, INCLUDE SOME COMMENTARY in your post that makes it necessary for readers to have access to the full video to understand the commentary. CBS has a deep black eye over this and the odds that they'll look to punish ppl
Note to self, write some quirky spicy cartoon-cover-art Paleolithic romance. Gonna Clan of the Cave Bear the crap out of this.
A student's paper just described the interaction between Homo sapiens and Neandertals as "a situationship rather than a relationship" and I'm still laughing ten minutes later 💀🏺
December 22, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Note to self, write some quirky spicy cartoon-cover-art Paleolithic romance. Gonna Clan of the Cave Bear the crap out of this.
Reposted by Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
A student's paper just described the interaction between Homo sapiens and Neandertals as "a situationship rather than a relationship" and I'm still laughing ten minutes later 💀🏺
December 21, 2025 at 1:12 AM
A student's paper just described the interaction between Homo sapiens and Neandertals as "a situationship rather than a relationship" and I'm still laughing ten minutes later 💀🏺
"Some people don’t want to write that because they think it’s boring or Victorian to have to describe a room. I think they don’t want to describe a room because they don’t know how to read social texture, and so a room is just a set of mute artifacts to them."
"It blows my mind that 2020 saw one of the greatest uprisings in modern history, and our novelists and short story writers are acting as though…we were all just inside talking about fruit ninja. Solely because they are afraid of being called didactic."
countercraft.substack.com/p/processing...
countercraft.substack.com/p/processing...
Processing: How Brandon Taylor Wrote Minor Black Figures
The author on embodied characters, writing process, and how “a novel should show people fighting and striving against and with and for and alongside each other.”
countercraft.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 5:39 PM
"Some people don’t want to write that because they think it’s boring or Victorian to have to describe a room. I think they don’t want to describe a room because they don’t know how to read social texture, and so a room is just a set of mute artifacts to them."
Reposted by Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
For those who missed it way back when, 10207 lives again! Out in reprint with @daikaijuzine.bsky.social (originally in @elegantliterature.bsky.social). It's one of my oldest stories & the one that got people really asking: who hurt you, emma?
#spider #sff #scifi
www.daikaijuzine.org/emmaburnett/...
#spider #sff #scifi
www.daikaijuzine.org/emmaburnett/...
December 22, 2025 at 10:26 AM
For those who missed it way back when, 10207 lives again! Out in reprint with @daikaijuzine.bsky.social (originally in @elegantliterature.bsky.social). It's one of my oldest stories & the one that got people really asking: who hurt you, emma?
#spider #sff #scifi
www.daikaijuzine.org/emmaburnett/...
#spider #sff #scifi
www.daikaijuzine.org/emmaburnett/...
Been in a range of situations where text needed translation, from good budgets to absolutely nil. AI was never required. Someone always got compensated in some way that worked for everyone. There was a workable human angle every time.
Deep breath
Ok I'm going to try and stay calm
But I'll point out that AI translation is literally causing translators to be fired (see the whole Harlequin line in France)
(1/?)
Ok I'm going to try and stay calm
But I'll point out that AI translation is literally causing translators to be fired (see the whole Harlequin line in France)
(1/?)
December 21, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Been in a range of situations where text needed translation, from good budgets to absolutely nil. AI was never required. Someone always got compensated in some way that worked for everyone. There was a workable human angle every time.
Holy shit. LDS Church needing to tell bishops 'please don't use ChatGPT to give members financial, legal, and medical advice; PLEASE don't shovel in the mountain of personal information you have on your ward members.'
Belated? Yeah, maybe. They do own $4.5 billion of Nvidia stock so there's that.
Belated? Yeah, maybe. They do own $4.5 billion of Nvidia stock so there's that.
Church Handbook Offers Enduring Guidance on Artificial Intelligence
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has updated its “General Handbook” to include principled guidance on the use of artificial intelligence.
newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org
December 21, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Holy shit. LDS Church needing to tell bishops 'please don't use ChatGPT to give members financial, legal, and medical advice; PLEASE don't shovel in the mountain of personal information you have on your ward members.'
Belated? Yeah, maybe. They do own $4.5 billion of Nvidia stock so there's that.
Belated? Yeah, maybe. They do own $4.5 billion of Nvidia stock so there's that.
Passed 15,000 words on my novella which is, at its simplest and most profound level, a series of scenes painted on the side of a van circa 1973.
December 20, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Passed 15,000 words on my novella which is, at its simplest and most profound level, a series of scenes painted on the side of a van circa 1973.
Pleased to add to the family shelves a formative piece of militant anti-colonial science fiction.
December 20, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Pleased to add to the family shelves a formative piece of militant anti-colonial science fiction.
Reposted by Jon Olfert 🌾🍁
BCS of 2025! "The Good Life and the Gaze of Staivash" @jonolfert.bsky.social BCS #440 "She'd just tucked three of the gold slips into the hem of her robe, and one into each cheek, when two tall, smiling, sunburned men ducked inside." www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/stories/the-... #BCSof2025
Beneath Ceaseless Skies - The Good Life and the Gaze of Staivash by Jonathan Olfert
She'd just tucked three of the little slips into the hem of her robe, and one into each cheek high behind the teeth, and the last into a crack in the stool as a cache, and the blacksmith was offering ...
www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com
December 20, 2025 at 12:35 AM
BCS of 2025! "The Good Life and the Gaze of Staivash" @jonolfert.bsky.social BCS #440 "She'd just tucked three of the gold slips into the hem of her robe, and one into each cheek, when two tall, smiling, sunburned men ducked inside." www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/stories/the-... #BCSof2025
This post by Olivia Roanhorse has been going around — thanks for flagging it @tiffmorris.bsky.social — and I can't stop thinking how broadly it applies (or needs to apply) to the publishing world.
December 19, 2025 at 12:36 AM
This post by Olivia Roanhorse has been going around — thanks for flagging it @tiffmorris.bsky.social — and I can't stop thinking how broadly it applies (or needs to apply) to the publishing world.