Ryan Southwick
@ryansouthwickauthor.com
Science fiction author, programmer, gamer, agile evangelist, nature lover. Author of the Lost Colonies series, Timeless Keeper Saga, Z-Tech Chronicles. SPSFC4 quarterfinalist (Enigma). ryansouthwickauthor.com
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Ryan Southwick
@ryansouthwickauthor.com
· Feb 22
Seriously, creative folks: Don't be afraid to let people know your stuff is out there for them, or worry that "now is not the time for that." People are stressed and freaked out and looking for the things that will give them a moment of rest and joy. It is EXACTLY the time for what we do. Tell them.
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
My kid's friend came over the other night and I walked in on them working on D&D stuff like they were studying for a test 😆
October 20, 2025 at 12:30 AM
My kid's friend came over the other night and I walked in on them working on D&D stuff like they were studying for a test 😆
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
Huge congratulations to our 17 #BBNYA finalists!!!
a man in a tutu is dancing in a field
ALT: a man in a tutu is dancing in a field
media.tenor.com
September 22, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Huge congratulations to our 17 #BBNYA finalists!!!
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
Also related (or maybe the same): Suspense is not generated by the reader not knowing what happens next. It's generated by the reader CARING what happens next.
Related (or maybe the same) is that "I'm going to trick the reader haha" is not a good path to reader investment, but "I am going to delight the reader, haha!" is. They look the same on the surface but they're not. I always advise being generous to readers, not adversarial.
August 25, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Also related (or maybe the same): Suspense is not generated by the reader not knowing what happens next. It's generated by the reader CARING what happens next.
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
#BBNYA is an annual literary competition for indie writers pf all genres, and there are many fantastic stories out there. The semi-finalists for this year's competition has been announced by @bbnya.bsky.social today - you can follow the authors in this handy starter pack!
go.bsky.app/AdukL2Z
go.bsky.app/AdukL2Z
July 22, 2025 at 5:49 PM
#BBNYA is an annual literary competition for indie writers pf all genres, and there are many fantastic stories out there. The semi-finalists for this year's competition has been announced by @bbnya.bsky.social today - you can follow the authors in this handy starter pack!
go.bsky.app/AdukL2Z
go.bsky.app/AdukL2Z
Yesterday was zero writing, all "where is the story going next?"
Fortunately, I figured it out. =]
Onward!
#TimelessKeeper #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #WritersOfBluesky #AmWriting #WriterSky
Fortunately, I figured it out. =]
Onward!
#TimelessKeeper #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #WritersOfBluesky #AmWriting #WriterSky
August 4, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Yesterday was zero writing, all "where is the story going next?"
Fortunately, I figured it out. =]
Onward!
#TimelessKeeper #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #WritersOfBluesky #AmWriting #WriterSky
Fortunately, I figured it out. =]
Onward!
#TimelessKeeper #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #WritersOfBluesky #AmWriting #WriterSky
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
Actual photo of a D&D party after locking their keys in the car.
July 26, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Actual photo of a D&D party after locking their keys in the car.
Congratulations to Enigma by @ryansouthwickauthor.com Southwick
You are through to round 2 of #BBNYA2025!!
You are through to round 2 of #BBNYA2025!!
July 22, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
Watch this space!! Semi finalists for BBNYA 2025 being announced tomorrow!! 😬
Rue Mc Clanahan Nervous Laughter GIF
Alt: Rue Mc Clanahan Nervous Laughter GIF
media.tenor.com
July 21, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Watch this space!! Semi finalists for BBNYA 2025 being announced tomorrow!! 😬
Wrote 2,600 words over the last 2 days after a long drought. It felt goooooood.
💙📚🪐 #TimelessKeeper #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #WritersOfBluesky #novel #AmWriting #WriterSky #writing
💙📚🪐 #TimelessKeeper #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #WritersOfBluesky #novel #AmWriting #WriterSky #writing
July 15, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Wrote 2,600 words over the last 2 days after a long drought. It felt goooooood.
💙📚🪐 #TimelessKeeper #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #WritersOfBluesky #novel #AmWriting #WriterSky #writing
💙📚🪐 #TimelessKeeper #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #WritersOfBluesky #novel #AmWriting #WriterSky #writing
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
The thing is, one can craft a mediocre thing that everyone will think is kind of ok. Or one can craft something good or great and then there will always be people who love it and people who hate it
My rule of thumb is checking whether critiquer is my target audience before taking critique onboard
My rule of thumb is checking whether critiquer is my target audience before taking critique onboard
Somewhere in the past 16 years I've forgotten what I learned at Clarion:
That it is literally impossible for any group of people (unless self-selected for agreement) to agree on whether a story is good.
That it is literally impossible for any group of people (unless self-selected for agreement) to agree on whether a story is good.
July 6, 2025 at 7:58 PM
The thing is, one can craft a mediocre thing that everyone will think is kind of ok. Or one can craft something good or great and then there will always be people who love it and people who hate it
My rule of thumb is checking whether critiquer is my target audience before taking critique onboard
My rule of thumb is checking whether critiquer is my target audience before taking critique onboard
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
July 3, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Loving this keyboard. My full review.
Keychron Q6 Max: The Perfect Writer's Keyboard
They Keychron Q6 Max is, so far for me, the perfect keyboard for writing and programming. This review delves into the quality and features that make it so.
newsletter.ryansouthwickauthor.com
June 21, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Loving this keyboard. My full review.
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
👇👇👇
[Alt-text] post reads “If you are National Guard or Active Duty military and you are being ordered to violate the Constitutional rights of US citizens then this is the number to the GI Rights Hotline. There is support, you don't have to go through with it. tel: 1-877-447-4487
[Alt-text] post reads “If you are National Guard or Active Duty military and you are being ordered to violate the Constitutional rights of US citizens then this is the number to the GI Rights Hotline. There is support, you don't have to go through with it. tel: 1-877-447-4487
June 8, 2025 at 1:35 AM
👇👇👇
[Alt-text] post reads “If you are National Guard or Active Duty military and you are being ordered to violate the Constitutional rights of US citizens then this is the number to the GI Rights Hotline. There is support, you don't have to go through with it. tel: 1-877-447-4487
[Alt-text] post reads “If you are National Guard or Active Duty military and you are being ordered to violate the Constitutional rights of US citizens then this is the number to the GI Rights Hotline. There is support, you don't have to go through with it. tel: 1-877-447-4487
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
In a massive show of cowardice Ice is now putting out video “demanding” Americans be nice to the Gestapo doing terrorism against them or else.
You know what that means America. Time to turn up the volume and show these Nazi cowards what we really think of them and their fascist terror.
You know what that means America. Time to turn up the volume and show these Nazi cowards what we really think of them and their fascist terror.
June 7, 2025 at 3:24 AM
In a massive show of cowardice Ice is now putting out video “demanding” Americans be nice to the Gestapo doing terrorism against them or else.
You know what that means America. Time to turn up the volume and show these Nazi cowards what we really think of them and their fascist terror.
You know what that means America. Time to turn up the volume and show these Nazi cowards what we really think of them and their fascist terror.
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
@ryansouthwickauthor.com One Man's Trash is a fun, clean romantic comedy. "Everything fits together so naturally, from the character dialogue, to the cleaner robots who love Croft, to Maria's relationship talk with a true AI"
amzn.to/4mqUuF2
amzn.to/4mqUuF2
May 22, 2025 at 2:56 PM
@ryansouthwickauthor.com One Man's Trash is a fun, clean romantic comedy. "Everything fits together so naturally, from the character dialogue, to the cleaner robots who love Croft, to Maria's relationship talk with a true AI"
amzn.to/4mqUuF2
amzn.to/4mqUuF2
From my WIP. 💙📚🪐
#WIPSnippet #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #sff #scifi #WriterSky #writing #TimelessKeeper
#WIPSnippet #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #sff #scifi #WriterSky #writing #TimelessKeeper
May 15, 2025 at 6:43 PM
From my WIP. 💙📚🪐
#WIPSnippet #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #sff #scifi #WriterSky #writing #TimelessKeeper
#WIPSnippet #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #sff #scifi #WriterSky #writing #TimelessKeeper
Funny how almost every book I've written began with the flash of a compelling scene in my head. I listed them out for the heck of it. 😁 💙📚🪐
Where did all those book ideas come from?
Yard work, visitors, kids are moving in! Peleos re-plotting. BBYNA 2025 entry. The sparks for each of my series and books. Book reviews for: Wind and Truth; Start-Up Nation.
newsletter.ryansouthwickauthor.com
May 14, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Funny how almost every book I've written began with the flash of a compelling scene in my head. I listed them out for the heck of it. 😁 💙📚🪐
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
Wind and Truth was a love-hate relationship for me. It drew me in with a strong start, then slowed significantly until the final 25%. Great themes and messages, though preachy at times. Full review below.
📚💙 #ReaderSky #sff #BookSky #fantasy #BrandonSanderson #WindAndTruth
📚💙 #ReaderSky #sff #BookSky #fantasy #BrandonSanderson #WindAndTruth
Book Review: Wind and Truth
A golden nugget of epic fantasy that includes current, hard topics everyone needs to hear.
newsletter.ryansouthwickauthor.com
May 5, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Wind and Truth was a love-hate relationship for me. It drew me in with a strong start, then slowed significantly until the final 25%. Great themes and messages, though preachy at times. Full review below.
📚💙 #ReaderSky #sff #BookSky #fantasy #BrandonSanderson #WindAndTruth
📚💙 #ReaderSky #sff #BookSky #fantasy #BrandonSanderson #WindAndTruth
Thanks for having me! Excited to get to know the community and learn about some new authors.
Best of luck to everyone in #BBNYA2025 ! 🪐📚💙
Best of luck to everyone in #BBNYA2025 ! 🪐📚💙
April 25, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Thanks for having me! Excited to get to know the community and learn about some new authors.
Best of luck to everyone in #BBNYA2025 ! 🪐📚💙
Best of luck to everyone in #BBNYA2025 ! 🪐📚💙
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
April 22, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Reposted by Ryan Southwick
