Matt Bell
@mdbell79.bsky.social
Writer, teacher. Out now: APPLESEED, a novel (2021, @marinerbooks). REFUSE TO BE DONE, a guide to novel revision (2022, @soho_press). He/him.
Pinned
Matt Bell
@mdbell79.bsky.social
· Sep 8
I just found out that REFUSE TO BE DONE is going into its 8th printing! I've heard so many stories from writers whose projects have been helped along by this little yellow book over the past three years. Nothing makes me happier!
I’m editing the first chapter of the novel draft I finished a couple weeks ago. I wrote the opening in late 2023. It ends with an image foreshadowing a moment far in the future, a moment I didn’t know what would mean until I finally arrived in it, two years later. Magic. Worth writing a book.
January 3, 2026 at 4:09 AM
I’m editing the first chapter of the novel draft I finished a couple weeks ago. I wrote the opening in late 2023. It ends with an image foreshadowing a moment far in the future, a moment I didn’t know what would mean until I finally arrived in it, two years later. Magic. Worth writing a book.
Finished one last book this morning to put me at 103 books read for 2025. Kind of all over the place this year, between novel research, teaching, event prep, blurbing, and judging a book prize, on top of general reading. But so many good books in the mix!
Reading Log — Matt Bell
www.mattbell.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Finished one last book this morning to put me at 103 books read for 2025. Kind of all over the place this year, between novel research, teaching, event prep, blurbing, and judging a book prize, on top of general reading. But so many good books in the mix!
I know there's a bunch of "good riddance to 2025" posts ahead, but I keep thinking, "2025 is the last year I saw my dad alive, the last year we were alive on earth together." I'm in no hurry to be out of that year.
December 28, 2025 at 6:23 PM
I know there's a bunch of "good riddance to 2025" posts ahead, but I keep thinking, "2025 is the last year I saw my dad alive, the last year we were alive on earth together." I'm in no hurry to be out of that year.
My favorite part of this beautiful Christmas scene, complete with inflatable manger, is the handwritten PICK UP YOUR DOG SHIT sign up front.
December 28, 2025 at 1:58 AM
My favorite part of this beautiful Christmas scene, complete with inflatable manger, is the handwritten PICK UP YOUR DOG SHIT sign up front.
Reposted by Matt Bell
THE FIVE FLAVORS:
*sweet
*salty
*sour
*bitter
*nostalgia
*sweet
*salty
*sour
*bitter
*nostalgia
December 28, 2025 at 1:52 AM
THE FIVE FLAVORS:
*sweet
*salty
*sour
*bitter
*nostalgia
*sweet
*salty
*sour
*bitter
*nostalgia
I truly believe my superpower might be nothing more than immediately orienting my life around any sincere goal I choose, combined with immediately forgiving myself if I try hard but miss the mark.
Some of you are grinding or suffering anxiety because you're not going to make your self-imposed New Years deadline on your manuscript.
Stop. Take a deep breath.
Targets motivate you to get the words out, but the minute that motivation feels bad is when it poisons the well. Finish when you finish.
Stop. Take a deep breath.
Targets motivate you to get the words out, but the minute that motivation feels bad is when it poisons the well. Finish when you finish.
December 27, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I truly believe my superpower might be nothing more than immediately orienting my life around any sincere goal I choose, combined with immediately forgiving myself if I try hard but miss the mark.
Reposted by Matt Bell
The highlight of this book's year (and mine) was being invited to lecture at ASU's Worldbuilding Initiative. If you're a person who loves people on video, the talk is on YouTube. It's a lot about process, but mostly it's about humanity and art during THIS.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUKm...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUKm...
Fall 2025 Worldbuilding Distinguished Lecture with Erika Swyler
YouTube video by Humanities Institute
www.youtube.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:14 PM
The highlight of this book's year (and mine) was being invited to lecture at ASU's Worldbuilding Initiative. If you're a person who loves people on video, the talk is on YouTube. It's a lot about process, but mostly it's about humanity and art during THIS.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUKm...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUKm...
I hadn’t planned to be home for Christmas but I’m so glad I made it back in time. Happy holiday, friends!
December 25, 2025 at 6:15 PM
I hadn’t planned to be home for Christmas but I’m so glad I made it back in time. Happy holiday, friends!
Reposted by Matt Bell
You will be visited by three spirits. One of them has notes on your novel.
December 24, 2025 at 2:21 PM
You will be visited by three spirits. One of them has notes on your novel.
Came home after three weeks away and a long drive back, immediately went out with friends, then listened to records and watched It’s a Wonderful Life and wrapped presents. Pretty good!
December 24, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Came home after three weeks away and a long drive back, immediately went out with friends, then listened to records and watched It’s a Wonderful Life and wrapped presents. Pretty good!
Reposted by Matt Bell
Having a pretty serious end-of-the-year brain drain, so I'm tapping @mdbell79.bsky.social 's genius advice -- as long as I write one sentence a day on this novel, I'm proud of myself! (Got in 252 words today, so doing all right.)
December 23, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Having a pretty serious end-of-the-year brain drain, so I'm tapping @mdbell79.bsky.social 's genius advice -- as long as I write one sentence a day on this novel, I'm proud of myself! (Got in 252 words today, so doing all right.)
Reposted by Matt Bell
I’ve said this before and I’m gonna say it again: @mdbell79.bsky.social’s REFUSE TO BE DONE, specifically his second draft rewriting and weasel words, changed my life!
(And I say this because I just got done cutting a disgusting amount of justs, verys, looks, and sees from this new story)
(And I say this because I just got done cutting a disgusting amount of justs, verys, looks, and sees from this new story)
December 23, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I’ve said this before and I’m gonna say it again: @mdbell79.bsky.social’s REFUSE TO BE DONE, specifically his second draft rewriting and weasel words, changed my life!
(And I say this because I just got done cutting a disgusting amount of justs, verys, looks, and sees from this new story)
(And I say this because I just got done cutting a disgusting amount of justs, verys, looks, and sees from this new story)
Slightly crazed in Las Cruces after a nine-hour drive that barely got me out of Texas, leaving residency and still working on the book in the bar. Home tomorrow.
December 23, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Slightly crazed in Las Cruces after a nine-hour drive that barely got me out of Texas, leaving residency and still working on the book in the bar. Home tomorrow.
I love @stephanieaustin.bsky.social's writing, and I can't wait to read her story collection. Congrats, Stephanie! So glad we've got another great Arizona book coming next year.
NEWS! My story collection I'm Glad You Didn't Drown Yourself will be published with BOA Editions in 2027.
December 22, 2025 at 11:19 PM
I love @stephanieaustin.bsky.social's writing, and I can't wait to read her story collection. Congrats, Stephanie! So glad we've got another great Arizona book coming next year.
Residency Day 16: Since I finished the draft a couple days ago, I wasn't sure how much more writing I'd do. But I'm six or seven hours in and at negative 2600 words for the day. Today's my last day. But if this residency was two weeks longer, I bet I could delete the whole book before I went home.
December 21, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Residency Day 16: Since I finished the draft a couple days ago, I wasn't sure how much more writing I'd do. But I'm six or seven hours in and at negative 2600 words for the day. Today's my last day. But if this residency was two weeks longer, I bet I could delete the whole book before I went home.
Reposted by Matt Bell
the virgin mary is 8 cm dilated, everything costs a jillion dollars, and our dad is once again claiming that the only gift he wants is “for his children to be happy”
December 21, 2025 at 6:35 PM
the virgin mary is 8 cm dilated, everything costs a jillion dollars, and our dad is once again claiming that the only gift he wants is “for his children to be happy”
Reposted by Matt Bell
the beginning is the most important bc if it isn't good enough, reader might not keep going
the middle is most important bc beginnings are just all potential but the middle is what actually makes a story
the end is most important bc a great one is what's gonna elevate a good story to an all-timer
the middle is most important bc beginnings are just all potential but the middle is what actually makes a story
the end is most important bc a great one is what's gonna elevate a good story to an all-timer
December 21, 2025 at 6:21 PM
the beginning is the most important bc if it isn't good enough, reader might not keep going
the middle is most important bc beginnings are just all potential but the middle is what actually makes a story
the end is most important bc a great one is what's gonna elevate a good story to an all-timer
the middle is most important bc beginnings are just all potential but the middle is what actually makes a story
the end is most important bc a great one is what's gonna elevate a good story to an all-timer
Reposted by Matt Bell
Excited to have a new story (“Vigil”) in the latest issue of @cincinnatireview.bsky.social! It’s free on their site through Sunday!
www.cincinnatireview.com/articles/vig...
www.cincinnatireview.com/articles/vig...
Vigil - The Cincinnati Review
I remember feeling a restlessness in my twenties and moving quite often, not always to different cities or parts of the country, sometimes just to
www.cincinnatireview.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Excited to have a new story (“Vigil”) in the latest issue of @cincinnatireview.bsky.social! It’s free on their site through Sunday!
www.cincinnatireview.com/articles/vig...
www.cincinnatireview.com/articles/vig...
Reposted by Matt Bell
From Susan Cooper's The Shortest Day, a poem of the winter solstice:
"They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
and hope for peace."
That's really everything, isn't is. Not just today, but in life. Everything else either feeds into or draws away from them
"They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
and hope for peace."
That's really everything, isn't is. Not just today, but in life. Everything else either feeds into or draws away from them
December 21, 2025 at 5:32 PM
From Susan Cooper's The Shortest Day, a poem of the winter solstice:
"They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
and hope for peace."
That's really everything, isn't is. Not just today, but in life. Everything else either feeds into or draws away from them
"They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
and hope for peace."
That's really everything, isn't is. Not just today, but in life. Everything else either feeds into or draws away from them
Reposted by Matt Bell
Thanks to everybody who ordered directly from us this season -- it helps so much!
We've got a big printing/reprinting order in the works with the printers, and y'all funded it.
We've got a big printing/reprinting order in the works with the printers, and y'all funded it.
December 21, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Thanks to everybody who ordered directly from us this season -- it helps so much!
We've got a big printing/reprinting order in the works with the printers, and y'all funded it.
We've got a big printing/reprinting order in the works with the printers, and y'all funded it.
10 mile jog with Dog and Dog in the fog!
December 21, 2025 at 3:20 PM
10 mile jog with Dog and Dog in the fog!
100% agree with everything here. No one's making you write a novel! If you don't like writing novels, do something else. I simply cannot imagine doing this for even one second if I didn't enjoy it so much.
I will never use LLM for anything to do with my writing. Even my research is driven by good research practice, not AI. Why would I? I like the work. If you don't like doing the work, ask yourself why you're not actually doing something you do like to do, instead.
December 20, 2025 at 10:13 PM
100% agree with everything here. No one's making you write a novel! If you don't like writing novels, do something else. I simply cannot imagine doing this for even one second if I didn't enjoy it so much.
Reposted by Matt Bell
Thought-provoking panel with @mdbell79.bsky.social @jennahanchey.bsky.social* & Tanvir Ahmed.
Some ideas that are new to me, including "liquid resistance."
(*@storyhour.bsky.social alum)
Some ideas that are new to me, including "liquid resistance."
(*@storyhour.bsky.social alum)
Resistance in Speculative Fiction and Beyond
YouTube video by Humanities Institute
www.youtube.com
December 20, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Thought-provoking panel with @mdbell79.bsky.social @jennahanchey.bsky.social* & Tanvir Ahmed.
Some ideas that are new to me, including "liquid resistance."
(*@storyhour.bsky.social alum)
Some ideas that are new to me, including "liquid resistance."
(*@storyhour.bsky.social alum)
Thanks to @elizmccrack.bsky.social for her A LONG GAME, my daily companion in this residency. I'll be sharing this book with others for a long time. "The first day of workshop, I tell my students that a writer has a mantra, and it's the same one for everybody: I am a genius with much to learn."
December 20, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Thanks to @elizmccrack.bsky.social for her A LONG GAME, my daily companion in this residency. I'll be sharing this book with others for a long time. "The first day of workshop, I tell my students that a writer has a mantra, and it's the same one for everybody: I am a genius with much to learn."
Haha, this is exactly right, again from Elizabeth McCracken: “If you’re not afraid of failing as a writer, it means you haven't risked enough. Or you might be a sociopath. There are some good writers who are sociopaths.”
December 20, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Haha, this is exactly right, again from Elizabeth McCracken: “If you’re not afraid of failing as a writer, it means you haven't risked enough. Or you might be a sociopath. There are some good writers who are sociopaths.”