Tom Mason
@totmac.bsky.social
Science fiction writer from Bristol, via Manchester. Always having to move the cat off the keyboard. Marathon runner. Jobbing oboist. He/him
New blog post: Some thoughts on priorities, writing, and being ok that the work takes a back seat for a while.
underdogwriters.substack.com/p/when-life-...
#substack #writing #booksky
underdogwriters.substack.com/p/when-life-...
#substack #writing #booksky
When life gets in the way of writing
Some thoughts on priorities, writing, and being ok that the work takes a back seat for a while
underdogwriters.substack.com
May 31, 2025 at 3:58 PM
New blog post: Some thoughts on priorities, writing, and being ok that the work takes a back seat for a while.
underdogwriters.substack.com/p/when-life-...
#substack #writing #booksky
underdogwriters.substack.com/p/when-life-...
#substack #writing #booksky
Reposted by Tom Mason
Why I'm scared of writing. A new post on the fear of moving from first draft to second draft.
#Writing #WritersofBlueSky #Blueskywriters #AmWriting #Sciencefiction #SciFi
#Writing #WritersofBlueSky #Blueskywriters #AmWriting #Sciencefiction #SciFi
Why I am scared of writing
Some thoughts on moving from first to second draft
open.substack.com
April 21, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Why I'm scared of writing. A new post on the fear of moving from first draft to second draft.
#Writing #WritersofBlueSky #Blueskywriters #AmWriting #Sciencefiction #SciFi
#Writing #WritersofBlueSky #Blueskywriters #AmWriting #Sciencefiction #SciFi
Reposted by Tom Mason
Just popping in to say it doesn't matter if you've published one book or twenty, you'll never stop comparing yourself to others and feeling moments of inadequacy and frustration that you aren't as 'successful' as your peers.
That's why it's important to carefully define what 'success' is for you.
That's why it's important to carefully define what 'success' is for you.
April 22, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Just popping in to say it doesn't matter if you've published one book or twenty, you'll never stop comparing yourself to others and feeling moments of inadequacy and frustration that you aren't as 'successful' as your peers.
That's why it's important to carefully define what 'success' is for you.
That's why it's important to carefully define what 'success' is for you.
Why I'm scared of writing. A new post on the fear of moving from first draft to second draft.
#Writing #WritersofBlueSky #Blueskywriters #AmWriting #Sciencefiction #SciFi
#Writing #WritersofBlueSky #Blueskywriters #AmWriting #Sciencefiction #SciFi
Why I am scared of writing
Some thoughts on moving from first to second draft
open.substack.com
April 21, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Why I'm scared of writing. A new post on the fear of moving from first draft to second draft.
#Writing #WritersofBlueSky #Blueskywriters #AmWriting #Sciencefiction #SciFi
#Writing #WritersofBlueSky #Blueskywriters #AmWriting #Sciencefiction #SciFi
Lovely morning run from Bristol ➡️ Bath.
April 20, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Lovely morning run from Bristol ➡️ Bath.
Reposted by Tom Mason
Thrilled to bits to have a story coming out in issue 2 this spring. Look at that line-up!
April 17, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Thrilled to bits to have a story coming out in issue 2 this spring. Look at that line-up!
Had a wonderful evening performing last night. Thanks Mark and Mel.
What an excellent evening of stories, poetry & spoken word at Talking Tales! 📖✍️🗣️
Thank you to everyone who read and performed, to our lovely supportive audience and to @markrutterford.bsky.social for hosting.
The flyer pictured is from 10 years ago from the very first Talking Tales! 🥳
Thank you to everyone who read and performed, to our lovely supportive audience and to @markrutterford.bsky.social for hosting.
The flyer pictured is from 10 years ago from the very first Talking Tales! 🥳
April 18, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Had a wonderful evening performing last night. Thanks Mark and Mel.
It’s the @smallcitybookshop.bsky.social book club tonight and I cannot wait to talk about The Other Valley.
One of those books where my eyes could move quick enough across the page.
One of those books where my eyes could move quick enough across the page.
April 15, 2025 at 1:20 PM
It’s the @smallcitybookshop.bsky.social book club tonight and I cannot wait to talk about The Other Valley.
One of those books where my eyes could move quick enough across the page.
One of those books where my eyes could move quick enough across the page.
Reposted by Tom Mason
On the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we thought we'd answer a question that's often asked,
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
April 15, 2025 at 8:21 AM
On the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we thought we'd answer a question that's often asked,
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
A little sci-fi short story from me on AI, job interviews and weird eye tests.
#WritersofBluesky #Scifi
underdogwriters.substack.com/p/the-three-...
#WritersofBluesky #Scifi
underdogwriters.substack.com/p/the-three-...
April 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
A little sci-fi short story from me on AI, job interviews and weird eye tests.
#WritersofBluesky #Scifi
underdogwriters.substack.com/p/the-three-...
#WritersofBluesky #Scifi
underdogwriters.substack.com/p/the-three-...
New blog: Five techniques that have helped me write more #fiction.
#WritersofBluesky #WritingCommunity #AmWriting
#WritersofBluesky #WritingCommunity #AmWriting
Five things that made me write more
As a counterweight to the last blog on what hasn't helped me be a better writer, here's some of the writing techniques that have worked for me over the past few months.
tommasonwriter.co.uk
April 10, 2025 at 12:01 PM
New blog: Five techniques that have helped me write more #fiction.
#WritersofBluesky #WritingCommunity #AmWriting
#WritersofBluesky #WritingCommunity #AmWriting
Reposted by Tom Mason
As @aptshadow.bsky.social has just announced, we've started a new podcast called Starship Alexandria. It's cosy, nerdy and relentlessly positive. We take it in turns to recommend a beloved book/film/graphic novel to each other and discuss it enthusiastically. starshipalexandria.com/episode-1-th...
Starship Alexandria: Episode 1 - The Kraken Wakes
For this very first episode of Starship Alexandria, Emma puts forward John Wyndham’s classic SF novel The Kraken Wakes (1953) for Adrian to read and consider (published in the US as Out of the Deeps.)...
starshipalexandria.com
April 9, 2025 at 1:35 PM
As @aptshadow.bsky.social has just announced, we've started a new podcast called Starship Alexandria. It's cosy, nerdy and relentlessly positive. We take it in turns to recommend a beloved book/film/graphic novel to each other and discuss it enthusiastically. starshipalexandria.com/episode-1-th...
Reposted by Tom Mason
I turn 40 this week. If you want to make an ancient man happy, buy a copy of my debut collection.
If you want to make an ancient man unhappy, don't buy it.
If you want to make him confused, buy a copy and then immediately leave a one star review on Goodreads. blackshuckbooks.co.uk/hunting-by-t...
If you want to make an ancient man unhappy, don't buy it.
If you want to make him confused, buy a copy and then immediately leave a one star review on Goodreads. blackshuckbooks.co.uk/hunting-by-t...
Hunting by the River – Black Shuck Books
blackshuckbooks.co.uk
April 8, 2025 at 12:45 PM
I turn 40 this week. If you want to make an ancient man happy, buy a copy of my debut collection.
If you want to make an ancient man unhappy, don't buy it.
If you want to make him confused, buy a copy and then immediately leave a one star review on Goodreads. blackshuckbooks.co.uk/hunting-by-t...
If you want to make an ancient man unhappy, don't buy it.
If you want to make him confused, buy a copy and then immediately leave a one star review on Goodreads. blackshuckbooks.co.uk/hunting-by-t...
Reposted by Tom Mason
Biggest commitment to a 3 second joke I've ever seen
April 9, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Biggest commitment to a 3 second joke I've ever seen
Resolution to catch up with the best TV of 2024 (and a bit of the year before) progressing rather nicely.
Next up: Kaos
Next up: Kaos
April 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Resolution to catch up with the best TV of 2024 (and a bit of the year before) progressing rather nicely.
Next up: Kaos
Next up: Kaos
A new blog from me on the five techniques that have helped me write more #fiction.
#AmWriting #WriterSky
#AmWriting #WriterSky
Five things that made me write more
As a counterweight to the last blog on what hasn't helped me be a better writer, here's some of the writing techniques that have worked for me over the past few months.
tommasonwriter.co.uk
April 7, 2025 at 6:53 PM
A new blog from me on the five techniques that have helped me write more #fiction.
#AmWriting #WriterSky
#AmWriting #WriterSky
Reposted by Tom Mason
happy trying to get the cat into the carrier so we can go to the vet for a checkup day to all those (me) who celebrate.
April 7, 2025 at 7:00 AM
happy trying to get the cat into the carrier so we can go to the vet for a checkup day to all those (me) who celebrate.
You can’t share this on the internet, Tom. It’s too adorable. My heart cannot take it.
A little while ago, my parents' cat Bridget went missing. As the weeks dragged on, they became extremely worried. My dad devised a way to distract himself: he began to paint Bridget's adventures, imagining her travelling through time and popping up in some of art and music's most iconic scenes.
April 6, 2025 at 5:52 PM
You can’t share this on the internet, Tom. It’s too adorable. My heart cannot take it.
Sushi in her happy place.
April 6, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Sushi in her happy place.
Looking forward to #TalkingTales next week. See some of you there?
April 6, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Looking forward to #TalkingTales next week. See some of you there?
Reposted by Tom Mason
my HORRIFYING cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com books
April 5, 2025 at 11:03 AM
my HORRIFYING cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com books
Reposted by Tom Mason
I co-run a storytelling night in #Bristol called Talking Tales. Our next event is on Thursday 17th April - free entry! Join us for stories, poetry, spoken word & more. If you'd like to read or perform, do get in touch. More info:
www.christopherfielden.com/about/stokes...
#amwriting #storytelling
www.christopherfielden.com/about/stokes...
#amwriting #storytelling
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales, Bristol Writing Group
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales: SCW is a writing group based in Bristol. They run TT, a regular short story, poetry & spoken word reading event.
www.christopherfielden.com
April 6, 2025 at 8:51 AM
I co-run a storytelling night in #Bristol called Talking Tales. Our next event is on Thursday 17th April - free entry! Join us for stories, poetry, spoken word & more. If you'd like to read or perform, do get in touch. More info:
www.christopherfielden.com/about/stokes...
#amwriting #storytelling
www.christopherfielden.com/about/stokes...
#amwriting #storytelling
This was taken at the point of my training run where I was thinking it was a lovely morning for it.
3 hours later, I had other thoughts.
#MarathonTraining
3 hours later, I had other thoughts.
#MarathonTraining
April 5, 2025 at 3:54 PM
This was taken at the point of my training run where I was thinking it was a lovely morning for it.
3 hours later, I had other thoughts.
#MarathonTraining
3 hours later, I had other thoughts.
#MarathonTraining