Katherine Crighton
@katherinecrighton.bsky.social
life goal: infamous recluse. sometimes I write things, too • a Sibling on the @NoStoryIsSacred podcast • experimental archaeology from the Scientific Revolution • interactive media & game design • katherinecrighton.com • they/them (basically bees)
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
This week on Planetside… Behind every game writing job is a test that measures creativity, narrative skill, adaptability, and discipline. Here’s how to prepare.
Portfolios in Game Writing continues with “Skill Tests for Video Game Writers” by @johnryanwrites.bsky.social.
Portfolios in Game Writing continues with “Skill Tests for Video Game Writers” by @johnryanwrites.bsky.social.
Skill Tests for Video Game Writers - SFWA - The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association
by John Ryan. Game writing tests are crucial hiring steps. Learn what they involve, how studios evaluate candidates, and practical tips to prepare, follow instructions, manage limits, and showcase…
www.sfwa.org
December 7, 2025 at 7:02 PM
This week on Planetside… Behind every game writing job is a test that measures creativity, narrative skill, adaptability, and discipline. Here’s how to prepare.
Portfolios in Game Writing continues with “Skill Tests for Video Game Writers” by @johnryanwrites.bsky.social.
Portfolios in Game Writing continues with “Skill Tests for Video Game Writers” by @johnryanwrites.bsky.social.
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
Well 2026 got to being 2026 in a big damn hurry didn't it
January 3, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Well 2026 got to being 2026 in a big damn hurry didn't it
The fact that we have voluntarily chosen to live lives where ligatures are hidden away as special characters or, god help us, absent entirely from our keyboards is a modern tragedy LOOK AT THAT RUN OF GARAMOND "F" LIGATURES AND WEEP FOR THE LOSS OF TYPOGRAPHIC BEAUTY WE HAVE CARELESSLY ALLOWED
These are some of Garamont’s foundry types, he was a master in producing matrices used to cast metal type.
January 2, 2026 at 9:05 PM
The fact that we have voluntarily chosen to live lives where ligatures are hidden away as special characters or, god help us, absent entirely from our keyboards is a modern tragedy LOOK AT THAT RUN OF GARAMOND "F" LIGATURES AND WEEP FOR THE LOSS OF TYPOGRAPHIC BEAUTY WE HAVE CARELESSLY ALLOWED
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
This report in Nature on the costs of competing for & administering scientific grants is shocking: "In other words, European taxpayers will have spent more on the funding process than on the funding itself, and the scientific ecosystem has been drained." www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Point of no returns: researchers are crossing a threshold in the fight for funding
With so little money to go round, the costs of competing for grants can exceed what the grants are worth. When that happens, nobody wins.
www.nature.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:46 PM
This report in Nature on the costs of competing for & administering scientific grants is shocking: "In other words, European taxpayers will have spent more on the funding process than on the funding itself, and the scientific ecosystem has been drained." www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
Watching THE GREEN KNIGHT again
April 22, 2024 at 7:43 PM
Watching THE GREEN KNIGHT again
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
This is a 13,000-year-old mammoth tusk carving of two reindeer swimming, on display at the British Museum.
It was produced in what is now France by people of the Upper Neolithic Magdalenian culture.
It serves no known practical purpose & is the oldest artwork in any British museum collection.
It was produced in what is now France by people of the Upper Neolithic Magdalenian culture.
It serves no known practical purpose & is the oldest artwork in any British museum collection.
December 21, 2025 at 5:58 PM
This is a 13,000-year-old mammoth tusk carving of two reindeer swimming, on display at the British Museum.
It was produced in what is now France by people of the Upper Neolithic Magdalenian culture.
It serves no known practical purpose & is the oldest artwork in any British museum collection.
It was produced in what is now France by people of the Upper Neolithic Magdalenian culture.
It serves no known practical purpose & is the oldest artwork in any British museum collection.
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
At the end of each year I publish a community roundup of awards-eligible work for folks to check out! Go add your information so I can put you on the list for 2026.
2026 Community Awards Eligibility Roundup
It's the time of year when I ask folks to share their awards eligibility with me! Send us your information using this form. We'll round up all the eligibility information people chose to share and wil...
forms.gle
December 1, 2025 at 7:52 PM
At the end of each year I publish a community roundup of awards-eligible work for folks to check out! Go add your information so I can put you on the list for 2026.
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
Open for six more days for queer speculative flash fiction. 🪶
December 10, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Open for six more days for queer speculative flash fiction. 🪶
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
Time again for my favorite christmas post ever, one that still makes me laugh every time i read it
December 23, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Time again for my favorite christmas post ever, one that still makes me laugh every time i read it
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
Don't be the kind of complete fucking turnip that misses out of the biggest Threadless sale of the year. All regular tees are $12! All regular mugs are $10! Up to 40% off everything else!
effinbirds.threadless.com
effinbirds.threadless.com
November 30, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Don't be the kind of complete fucking turnip that misses out of the biggest Threadless sale of the year. All regular tees are $12! All regular mugs are $10! Up to 40% off everything else!
effinbirds.threadless.com
effinbirds.threadless.com
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
the world of brands craves powerful, authentic, memorable and accurate advocacy like this. yet the means stares them right in the face: make a tote bag with your logo on it being held by a mouse riding a lobster
Strongly recommend ordering merch from MERL. Its high quality and it will make you highly desirable to your preferred genders and also command the loyalty of farm animals
It's a beautiful day. We just dropped new merch for the first time in a year.
merl-shop.co.uk
(and, yes: we ship internationally!)
🧵
merl-shop.co.uk
(and, yes: we ship internationally!)
🧵
November 26, 2025 at 6:07 PM
the world of brands craves powerful, authentic, memorable and accurate advocacy like this. yet the means stares them right in the face: make a tote bag with your logo on it being held by a mouse riding a lobster
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
One of my favorite things is getting to tell friends who are new to NYC that the subway "stand clear of the closing doors please" voice is a trans woman named Bernie Wagenblast and she's amazing.
November 24, 2025 at 6:19 PM
One of my favorite things is getting to tell friends who are new to NYC that the subway "stand clear of the closing doors please" voice is a trans woman named Bernie Wagenblast and she's amazing.
Much as I appreciate the bookmarking feature, I think I may continue using the 📌 comment, too. Not only does it add it to a second searchable place for me, but it's also a little like an "reread kudos" comment on AO3-- an affirmation, even if I have no other words, of value/interest/appreciation.
November 25, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Much as I appreciate the bookmarking feature, I think I may continue using the 📌 comment, too. Not only does it add it to a second searchable place for me, but it's also a little like an "reread kudos" comment on AO3-- an affirmation, even if I have no other words, of value/interest/appreciation.
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
It's time for everyone's favorite chronologically unanchored holiday, The Story of the Lizard in the Leg.
Because people keep asking, the Story of The Lizard In That Dude's Leg. Some caveats:
1. This happened more than twenty years ago. There are no pictures. There was a small article in a local paper with, again, no pictures (I'm assuming that's what the producers of 9-1-1: LONE STAR found).
1. This happened more than twenty years ago. There are no pictures. There was a small article in a local paper with, again, no pictures (I'm assuming that's what the producers of 9-1-1: LONE STAR found).
November 23, 2025 at 7:50 PM
It's time for everyone's favorite chronologically unanchored holiday, The Story of the Lizard in the Leg.
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
Science will often take you to unexpected and delightful places. In this study, researchers hypothesized that riders in a crowded subway car would be more likely to offer their seat to a pregnant person if there were someone in the subway car dressed as Batman 🧪🦇
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
November 21, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Science will often take you to unexpected and delightful places. In this study, researchers hypothesized that riders in a crowded subway car would be more likely to offer their seat to a pregnant person if there were someone in the subway car dressed as Batman 🧪🦇
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
When you see your old work appear in a Defunctland video...
So you made a robot stand up and talk... now what? In this over 4-hour journey, Kevin follows the promise of Disney's Living Character Initiative, an effort to populate Disney theme parks with free-roaming, interactive beings. It was touted as the future. How's it going? Watch here: bit.ly/49C6vng
November 24, 2025 at 12:58 AM
When you see your old work appear in a Defunctland video...
GOT MY FIRST ONE and I am INTRIGUED
A short novel told in the form of a newspaper delivered to your home for a year. Should be a fun experiment.
November 21, 2025 at 3:36 PM
GOT MY FIRST ONE and I am INTRIGUED
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
I'm in the current issue of Analog. I managed to negotiate to a contract I was willing to sign. Naively, I thought that established writers giving this feedback would eventually make a dent.
It hasn't. I don't know that it will. I just wrote to Trevor withdrawing a story I'd sold to him.
It hasn't. I don't know that it will. I just wrote to Trevor withdrawing a story I'd sold to him.
Did you read my post from last week about how contract woes caused me to withdraw an accepted story from F&SF, ending my 54-year quest to be published in that magazine? But wait (as the saying goes) — there's more! Scroll down at the link for an update. www.scottedelman.com/wordpress/20...
A dream denied: My 54-year quest to publish a short story in F&SF ‹ Scott Edelman
www.scottedelman.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I'm in the current issue of Analog. I managed to negotiate to a contract I was willing to sign. Naively, I thought that established writers giving this feedback would eventually make a dent.
It hasn't. I don't know that it will. I just wrote to Trevor withdrawing a story I'd sold to him.
It hasn't. I don't know that it will. I just wrote to Trevor withdrawing a story I'd sold to him.
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
I've always been annoyed by the assumptions people made about the victims at Pompeii based on where they were found, their position or connection to others.
Making up relationships, assuming genders, etc.
Nice to see that dealt with by science;
www.livescience.com/archaeology/...
Making up relationships, assuming genders, etc.
Nice to see that dealt with by science;
www.livescience.com/archaeology/...
Pompeii victims aren't who we thought they were, DNA analysis reveals
An ancient-DNA analysis of victims in Pompeii who died in Mount Vesuvius' eruption reveals some unusual relations between the people who died together.
www.livescience.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:27 PM
I've always been annoyed by the assumptions people made about the victims at Pompeii based on where they were found, their position or connection to others.
Making up relationships, assuming genders, etc.
Nice to see that dealt with by science;
www.livescience.com/archaeology/...
Making up relationships, assuming genders, etc.
Nice to see that dealt with by science;
www.livescience.com/archaeology/...
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
Heads up #mediastudies: If you use YouTube as a resource for early recorded media (e.g., recordings of broadcast TV, home videos, early digital uploads, etc.), they're rolling out *automatic* upscaling with AI.
blog.youtube/news-and-eve...
blog.youtube/news-and-eve...
5 new features to help creators shine on TV screens
Learn how YouTube is transforming the TV experience for creators & their viewers with 5 new features that boost content quality, engagement & shopping.
blog.youtube
October 30, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Heads up #mediastudies: If you use YouTube as a resource for early recorded media (e.g., recordings of broadcast TV, home videos, early digital uploads, etc.), they're rolling out *automatic* upscaling with AI.
blog.youtube/news-and-eve...
blog.youtube/news-and-eve...
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
October 30, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
important update to the stupid fucking stupid youtube shit!!!
This is incorrect.
1. The opt-out for creators is channel-wide, not per-video. It's available in YouTube Studio right now.
2. The low-res versions aren't going away. YouTube will automatically generate multiple upscaled copies, but you can still choose to view the 144p/240p versions if you want.
1. The opt-out for creators is channel-wide, not per-video. It's available in YouTube Studio right now.
2. The low-res versions aren't going away. YouTube will automatically generate multiple upscaled copies, but you can still choose to view the 144p/240p versions if you want.
October 29, 2025 at 11:50 PM
important update to the stupid fucking stupid youtube shit!!!
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
🧵Thread of cafes, restaurants, bars, bagel joints, etc offering free meals to SNAP recipients, for those who might need it, & so those who don't can give 'em their business.
If you know of such offers in your area & don't see them here, please tell us in @'s.
Here's one! toastedseattle.com
If you know of such offers in your area & don't see them here, please tell us in @'s.
Here's one! toastedseattle.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:44 PM
🧵Thread of cafes, restaurants, bars, bagel joints, etc offering free meals to SNAP recipients, for those who might need it, & so those who don't can give 'em their business.
If you know of such offers in your area & don't see them here, please tell us in @'s.
Here's one! toastedseattle.com
If you know of such offers in your area & don't see them here, please tell us in @'s.
Here's one! toastedseattle.com
Reposted by Katherine Crighton
As a reminder:
On BW&R, we have a resource list of publications where scholars can pitch their op-eds, essays, reviews, excerpts, and more! If you run such a site/podcast/blog/publication and accept pitches, please let me know so I can add you to the list!
blackwhiteandread.com/pitchables/
On BW&R, we have a resource list of publications where scholars can pitch their op-eds, essays, reviews, excerpts, and more! If you run such a site/podcast/blog/publication and accept pitches, please let me know so I can add you to the list!
blackwhiteandread.com/pitchables/
October 29, 2025 at 4:37 PM
As a reminder:
On BW&R, we have a resource list of publications where scholars can pitch their op-eds, essays, reviews, excerpts, and more! If you run such a site/podcast/blog/publication and accept pitches, please let me know so I can add you to the list!
blackwhiteandread.com/pitchables/
On BW&R, we have a resource list of publications where scholars can pitch their op-eds, essays, reviews, excerpts, and more! If you run such a site/podcast/blog/publication and accept pitches, please let me know so I can add you to the list!
blackwhiteandread.com/pitchables/