Sameem
@sameemwrites.com
Author of SciFi, SouthAsian/Muslim heritage. Work in Clarkesworld, PopSci, ApparitionLit. Sturgeon Award finalist. DC area based. sameemwrites.com (he/him)
Pinned
Sameem
@sameemwrites.com
· Dec 5
I set out to write a very trope-y scifi story, but what came out was really a story about dementia. I never got to open up to my father about my writing pursuits before the dementia got the better of him, of all of us really.
clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
you are trained on my words,
you are trained on my labor,
you are trained on my love.
you are theft.
you are theft.
you are theft.
you are trained on my labor,
you are trained on my love.
you are theft.
you are theft.
you are theft.
March 20, 2025 at 7:28 PM
you are trained on my words,
you are trained on my labor,
you are trained on my love.
you are theft.
you are theft.
you are theft.
you are trained on my labor,
you are trained on my love.
you are theft.
you are theft.
you are theft.
they will build unencumbered highways from Moscow to Florida
they will usher in a new wave of college roadtrip movies
they will clink their cans at all the new people they can hate along the way
they will usher in a new wave of college roadtrip movies
they will clink their cans at all the new people they can hate along the way
March 11, 2025 at 2:59 PM
they will build unencumbered highways from Moscow to Florida
they will usher in a new wave of college roadtrip movies
they will clink their cans at all the new people they can hate along the way
they will usher in a new wave of college roadtrip movies
they will clink their cans at all the new people they can hate along the way
It took a lot of self restraint to not buy this abandoned baby Jesus today. The symbol felt apt.
March 9, 2025 at 9:18 PM
It took a lot of self restraint to not buy this abandoned baby Jesus today. The symbol felt apt.
Honestly feels more like the Fermi logical conclusion sometimes
March 8, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Honestly feels more like the Fermi logical conclusion sometimes
If you were to write a book by hand what would you write in?
Spiral notebook?
Fancy leather (or mock leather) notebook?
A binder of paper?
Composition book?
Random scraps that you will definitely make up a system to keep track of?
Assorted park benches and public bathroom walls?
Spiral notebook?
Fancy leather (or mock leather) notebook?
A binder of paper?
Composition book?
Random scraps that you will definitely make up a system to keep track of?
Assorted park benches and public bathroom walls?
March 8, 2025 at 12:00 PM
If you were to write a book by hand what would you write in?
Spiral notebook?
Fancy leather (or mock leather) notebook?
A binder of paper?
Composition book?
Random scraps that you will definitely make up a system to keep track of?
Assorted park benches and public bathroom walls?
Spiral notebook?
Fancy leather (or mock leather) notebook?
A binder of paper?
Composition book?
Random scraps that you will definitely make up a system to keep track of?
Assorted park benches and public bathroom walls?
“Can the planet be rescued from the psychopaths?” asked Toni Cade Bambara in this 1979 essay.
The answer, so far, 56 years later, is apparently no…
The answer, so far, 56 years later, is apparently no…
March 1, 2025 at 2:36 AM
“Can the planet be rescued from the psychopaths?” asked Toni Cade Bambara in this 1979 essay.
The answer, so far, 56 years later, is apparently no…
The answer, so far, 56 years later, is apparently no…
James Albert Woodburn on the dangers of a two party system, written in 1903…
February 7, 2025 at 2:53 AM
James Albert Woodburn on the dangers of a two party system, written in 1903…
I put this down 100 pages in primarily because of the overt and repeated sexualization of a 15 year old girl. I also found the writing bland af.
Always wondering what I missed in it that people find so phenomenal.
Always wondering what I missed in it that people find so phenomenal.
1. I'm NOT the sort of SF/F nerd who thinks everyone needs to read a "canon" of older works in genre like they're homework before they get to call themselves a fan, nevertheless the book I'm always mildly surprised when people say they haven't read it is "Snow Crash," which to me is era-defining...
January 30, 2025 at 2:06 AM
I put this down 100 pages in primarily because of the overt and repeated sexualization of a 15 year old girl. I also found the writing bland af.
Always wondering what I missed in it that people find so phenomenal.
Always wondering what I missed in it that people find so phenomenal.
The amplitude may change, but the grift is a constant.
January 26, 2025 at 4:43 PM
The amplitude may change, but the grift is a constant.
Reposted by Sameem
Join us and dive deep into “The Secrets Of Character” by Matt Bird. Tap the link in our bio. @lpkindred.bsky.social @sameemwrites.com @shingai-be-like.bsky.social @marshallcarrjr.bsky.social @wilralston.bsky.social
January 24, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Join us and dive deep into “The Secrets Of Character” by Matt Bird. Tap the link in our bio. @lpkindred.bsky.social @sameemwrites.com @shingai-be-like.bsky.social @marshallcarrjr.bsky.social @wilralston.bsky.social
In case you enjoyed my story Driver in last months issue…
clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
January 22, 2025 at 7:45 PM
In case you enjoyed my story Driver in last months issue…
clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
I wrote a bit about an ironic encounter with whiteness during a visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
www.sameemwrites.com/blog/art-joy...
www.sameemwrites.com/blog/art-joy...
Art, Joy, and History — Sameem writes...
I walked into the Museum a bit nervously.
www.sameemwrites.com
January 21, 2025 at 2:31 AM
I wrote a bit about an ironic encounter with whiteness during a visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
www.sameemwrites.com/blog/art-joy...
www.sameemwrites.com/blog/art-joy...
eventually I was right…
January 20, 2025 at 3:44 PM
eventually I was right…
MarioKart8 espouses an interesting socialism, where if you’re in first place, you don’t get boosting items. Mostly you get coins and bananas.
The coins are meaningless, because at that level of wealth, was does money even mean?
The coins are meaningless, because at that level of wealth, was does money even mean?
January 20, 2025 at 12:54 AM
MarioKart8 espouses an interesting socialism, where if you’re in first place, you don’t get boosting items. Mostly you get coins and bananas.
The coins are meaningless, because at that level of wealth, was does money even mean?
The coins are meaningless, because at that level of wealth, was does money even mean?
Reposted by Sameem
Some reviews for #TheNightward say they couldn't find the Caribbean in my book.
1st, it's a secondary world fantasy. I promised you Caribbean mythology, not Caribbean, the place.
2nd, this Caribbean you're not seeing. What is it? A coconut tree? A beach? A hammock? Educate me, why don't you 🙄?
1st, it's a secondary world fantasy. I promised you Caribbean mythology, not Caribbean, the place.
2nd, this Caribbean you're not seeing. What is it? A coconut tree? A beach? A hammock? Educate me, why don't you 🙄?
January 18, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Some reviews for #TheNightward say they couldn't find the Caribbean in my book.
1st, it's a secondary world fantasy. I promised you Caribbean mythology, not Caribbean, the place.
2nd, this Caribbean you're not seeing. What is it? A coconut tree? A beach? A hammock? Educate me, why don't you 🙄?
1st, it's a secondary world fantasy. I promised you Caribbean mythology, not Caribbean, the place.
2nd, this Caribbean you're not seeing. What is it? A coconut tree? A beach? A hammock? Educate me, why don't you 🙄?
“Link in bio” is maybe the shittiest of the enshittifications.
January 17, 2025 at 9:52 PM
“Link in bio” is maybe the shittiest of the enshittifications.
Definitely spent the night waking up from unsettling dreams of being followed around by invisible well meaning but hungry specters.
mmmK, this bullshit just turned up in my Word docs today, with no option to turn it off, so I guess it's time to move on to a new word processor...
January 17, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Definitely spent the night waking up from unsettling dreams of being followed around by invisible well meaning but hungry specters.
mmmK, this bullshit just turned up in my Word docs today, with no option to turn it off, so I guess it's time to move on to a new word processor...
January 17, 2025 at 3:43 AM
mmmK, this bullshit just turned up in my Word docs today, with no option to turn it off, so I guess it's time to move on to a new word processor...
I’m looking for recommendations for authors with collections that merge short stories with creative non-fiction essays. Any and all genres welcome.
January 15, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I’m looking for recommendations for authors with collections that merge short stories with creative non-fiction essays. Any and all genres welcome.
Sat down to write a sentence or two about The Collected Schizophrenias, but ended up writing a whole thing about mental health, liminality and the realities we construct.
www.sameemwrites.com/blog/on-limi...
www.sameemwrites.com/blog/on-limi...
On Liminality and Collected Realities — Sameem writes...
I picked up The Collected Schizophrenias mostly because the cover art and the title were enticing. I had no idea what it was about, beyond the title. This is a risky way to read books.
www.sameemwrites.com
January 15, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Sat down to write a sentence or two about The Collected Schizophrenias, but ended up writing a whole thing about mental health, liminality and the realities we construct.
www.sameemwrites.com/blog/on-limi...
www.sameemwrites.com/blog/on-limi...
I just said “have a nice weekend” to the cashier.
Friends, it’s apparently only Tuesday.
Friends, it’s apparently only Tuesday.
January 14, 2025 at 8:49 PM
I just said “have a nice weekend” to the cashier.
Friends, it’s apparently only Tuesday.
Friends, it’s apparently only Tuesday.
My easy 6 step short story writing process:
1) Short story idea! Start writing!
2) Let’s see if I can push this past 1k words!
3) Oh wow 7k words and I’m not done yet, will finish and then trim.
4) Okay maybe this is a novelette…
5) Okay maybe this is a novella…
6) Fuck.
1) Short story idea! Start writing!
2) Let’s see if I can push this past 1k words!
3) Oh wow 7k words and I’m not done yet, will finish and then trim.
4) Okay maybe this is a novelette…
5) Okay maybe this is a novella…
6) Fuck.
January 10, 2025 at 5:10 PM
My easy 6 step short story writing process:
1) Short story idea! Start writing!
2) Let’s see if I can push this past 1k words!
3) Oh wow 7k words and I’m not done yet, will finish and then trim.
4) Okay maybe this is a novelette…
5) Okay maybe this is a novella…
6) Fuck.
1) Short story idea! Start writing!
2) Let’s see if I can push this past 1k words!
3) Oh wow 7k words and I’m not done yet, will finish and then trim.
4) Okay maybe this is a novelette…
5) Okay maybe this is a novella…
6) Fuck.
Reposted by Sameem
“Driver” by @sameemwrites.com doesn’t necessarily lead with the theme, instead developing it slowly through the titular driver Remembering Some Folks and gradually uncovering the gaps in his memory. Great themes, excellent narrative voice clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
Clarkesworld Magazine - Science Fiction & Fantasy
Clarkesworld Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine and Podcast. This page: Driver by Sameem Siddiqui
clarkesworldmagazine.com
January 9, 2025 at 4:11 PM
“Driver” by @sameemwrites.com doesn’t necessarily lead with the theme, instead developing it slowly through the titular driver Remembering Some Folks and gradually uncovering the gaps in his memory. Great themes, excellent narrative voice clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
“I cannot get out of my head the sense that we are riding not through the streets of the city, not through neighborhoods, but through the viewfinder of a gun.” (Bare Feet, by Zahid Rafiq).
January 7, 2025 at 11:21 PM
“I cannot get out of my head the sense that we are riding not through the streets of the city, not through neighborhoods, but through the viewfinder of a gun.” (Bare Feet, by Zahid Rafiq).
Reposted by Sameem
Just got around to reading this yesterday, and it's so beautifully done. Do give it a read.
I set out to write a very trope-y scifi story, but what came out was really a story about dementia. I never got to open up to my father about my writing pursuits before the dementia got the better of him, of all of us really.
clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
clarkesworldmagazine.com/siddiqui_12_...
January 6, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Just got around to reading this yesterday, and it's so beautifully done. Do give it a read.