Amber Ward
@amber-ward.bsky.social
puns, pans, pens | subs, subgenres, subtext
thewardsmith.com
thewardsmith.com
Reposted by Amber Ward
"Writers have been using me long before the advent of AI. I am the punctuation equivalent of a cardigan—beloved by MFA grads, used by editors when it’s actually cold, and worn year-round by screenwriters. I am not new here."
The Em Dash Responds to the AI Allegations
“In recent months, a curious fixation has emerged in corners of academia: the em dash. More specifically, the apparent moral panic around how it is...
buff.ly
July 17, 2025 at 6:20 PM
"Writers have been using me long before the advent of AI. I am the punctuation equivalent of a cardigan—beloved by MFA grads, used by editors when it’s actually cold, and worn year-round by screenwriters. I am not new here."
Reposted by Amber Ward
"Help reshelve the books with pics of naked women in them that middle school boys have left strewn around Powell’s."
Ways the National Guard Can Actually Help “War-Ravaged” Portland
“President Trump’s declaration on Saturday that he had authorized the use of federal forces to ‘protect war-ravaged’ Portland, Ore., prompted bewil...
buff.ly
October 1, 2025 at 2:20 AM
"Help reshelve the books with pics of naked women in them that middle school boys have left strewn around Powell’s."
Still one of my favorites. “There are just so many pain points creating an unsatisfactory user journey.”
"UX storytelling should be persuasive, empathetic, and spark imagination. Future child iterations should focus more on context and narrative structure and less on cheese snacks and Band-aids."
The UX on this Small Child Is Terrible
Not only am I VP of Reproduction for this household, but I’ve also been the end-user of this Small Child for over three years now. I’m going to giv...
buff.ly
February 24, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Still one of my favorites. “There are just so many pain points creating an unsatisfactory user journey.”
A new friend is taking this course on San Francisco civics. It looks so useful that I just signed up for the waitlist.
www.writing.civlab.org/p/how-sf-gov...
Check out the teacher’s map of how civics and government works here too: sfgov.civlab.org
www.writing.civlab.org/p/how-sf-gov...
Check out the teacher’s map of how civics and government works here too: sfgov.civlab.org
How SF Government Works
A civics class delivering expertise on the San Francisco city government.
www.writing.civlab.org
February 13, 2025 at 5:55 PM
A new friend is taking this course on San Francisco civics. It looks so useful that I just signed up for the waitlist.
www.writing.civlab.org/p/how-sf-gov...
Check out the teacher’s map of how civics and government works here too: sfgov.civlab.org
www.writing.civlab.org/p/how-sf-gov...
Check out the teacher’s map of how civics and government works here too: sfgov.civlab.org
And this is what happens to these working types after they get married 😬
www.thewardsmith.com/blog/project...
www.thewardsmith.com/blog/project...
January 26, 2025 at 7:55 PM
And this is what happens to these working types after they get married 😬
www.thewardsmith.com/blog/project...
www.thewardsmith.com/blog/project...
It’s the year 2025. I wander into a coffee dispensary run by robot overlords. A latte costs $42.50, which I can barely afford with my UBI payment. I shamefully select the lowest tip option of 2000% and duck out before the lead robot can lock its dead eyes with mine.
January 24, 2025 at 6:27 AM
It’s the year 2025. I wander into a coffee dispensary run by robot overlords. A latte costs $42.50, which I can barely afford with my UBI payment. I shamefully select the lowest tip option of 2000% and duck out before the lead robot can lock its dead eyes with mine.
“It’s giving… global malaise. Bold and feeling good are over. The vibes? Off. They’re demure. And, frankly, kind of shitty.”
www.thewardsmith.com/blog/were-pa...
www.thewardsmith.com/blog/were-pa...
January 24, 2025 at 5:42 AM
“It’s giving… global malaise. Bold and feeling good are over. The vibes? Off. They’re demure. And, frankly, kind of shitty.”
www.thewardsmith.com/blog/were-pa...
www.thewardsmith.com/blog/were-pa...
AI agents are out here coming for the rest of the jobs 😬
January 23, 2025 at 8:44 PM
AI agents are out here coming for the rest of the jobs 😬
Beloved audience of 8: Last year I took some comedy writing classes at Second City! I was incredibly busy and didn’t get as much as I wanted from it, but did get a decent foundation.
While I’m still not published (😞), I did start on some WIP work and I’d love to share some here.
Stay tuned!
While I’m still not published (😞), I did start on some WIP work and I’d love to share some here.
Stay tuned!
January 23, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Beloved audience of 8: Last year I took some comedy writing classes at Second City! I was incredibly busy and didn’t get as much as I wanted from it, but did get a decent foundation.
While I’m still not published (😞), I did start on some WIP work and I’d love to share some here.
Stay tuned!
While I’m still not published (😞), I did start on some WIP work and I’d love to share some here.
Stay tuned!
Ok, people, let’s take it from the top. You—sleep in your crib through the night. You—wait two minutes for food. You—don’t disappear into your laptop. Aaaaand action 👏🏻
Toddler: “Hold my bottle, I’m coming for your bed.”
Cats: “How about meow?”
Husband: *vanishes*
Me: 🤦🏽♀️
Toddler: “Hold my bottle, I’m coming for your bed.”
Cats: “How about meow?”
Husband: *vanishes*
Me: 🤦🏽♀️
January 23, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Ok, people, let’s take it from the top. You—sleep in your crib through the night. You—wait two minutes for food. You—don’t disappear into your laptop. Aaaaand action 👏🏻
Toddler: “Hold my bottle, I’m coming for your bed.”
Cats: “How about meow?”
Husband: *vanishes*
Me: 🤦🏽♀️
Toddler: “Hold my bottle, I’m coming for your bed.”
Cats: “How about meow?”
Husband: *vanishes*
Me: 🤦🏽♀️
*taps mic*
Testing, testing…
Is this thing on?
Testing, testing…
Is this thing on?
January 21, 2025 at 11:03 PM
*taps mic*
Testing, testing…
Is this thing on?
Testing, testing…
Is this thing on?