@writersalchemist.bsky.social
This episode was HYSTERICAL. 100/10
July 7, 2025 at 1:24 PM
This episode was HYSTERICAL. 100/10
Omg I’m so hyped to watch this!
July 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Omg I’m so hyped to watch this!
They were also kind enough to allow said preteen to help out with filing books when she was otherwise roaming around the library, bored while waiting for sibs or new ILL books to arrive. I believe both have now passed on from cancer, but they left the world a brighter place in that small town.
April 9, 2025 at 1:04 PM
They were also kind enough to allow said preteen to help out with filing books when she was otherwise roaming around the library, bored while waiting for sibs or new ILL books to arrive. I believe both have now passed on from cancer, but they left the world a brighter place in that small town.
—whatever I asked for, whether it was adult nonfic on Cleopatra (Mom said no when they told her, but they did at least look it up for me!) or more mythology + fairy tale collections or horse novels. I’ve known so many wonderful librarians, but those two will always hold a special place in my heart.
April 9, 2025 at 1:00 PM
—whatever I asked for, whether it was adult nonfic on Cleopatra (Mom said no when they told her, but they did at least look it up for me!) or more mythology + fairy tale collections or horse novels. I’ve known so many wonderful librarians, but those two will always hold a special place in my heart.
Late to this but when I was a kid, our local library was run by two women: Brenda Y and Brenda R. Those two were the kindest and best thing to happen to an insatiably curious preteen who had just lost their dad. They did their absolute best to find or inter-library loan—
April 9, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Late to this but when I was a kid, our local library was run by two women: Brenda Y and Brenda R. Those two were the kindest and best thing to happen to an insatiably curious preteen who had just lost their dad. They did their absolute best to find or inter-library loan—
Consider what resonates with you and what doesn't. Ask yourself why. Note down things you like about other stories and ways of storytelling. It's only drudgery if you make it that way, which sounds trite, but honestly. (Finding the TIME to get started is a whole other topic, I know.)
15/
15/
March 28, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Consider what resonates with you and what doesn't. Ask yourself why. Note down things you like about other stories and ways of storytelling. It's only drudgery if you make it that way, which sounds trite, but honestly. (Finding the TIME to get started is a whole other topic, I know.)
15/
15/
I know this feels like homework to some. It doesn't have to. Think of something you're curious about and go chase that in stories you consume. And notice HOW those stories are told. Compare it to how you tell stories.
14/
14/
March 28, 2025 at 12:59 AM
I know this feels like homework to some. It doesn't have to. Think of something you're curious about and go chase that in stories you consume. And notice HOW those stories are told. Compare it to how you tell stories.
14/
14/
Watch documentaries. (I'll have a thread on this later.)
Watch movies and TV from other genres and other cultures. Watch/listen to a live-play RPG game. (There are short ones. Maybe don't jump into a 50+ ep RPG right away if you're not used to the format.) Listen to story/reader podcasts.
13/
Watch movies and TV from other genres and other cultures. Watch/listen to a live-play RPG game. (There are short ones. Maybe don't jump into a 50+ ep RPG right away if you're not used to the format.) Listen to story/reader podcasts.
13/
March 28, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Watch documentaries. (I'll have a thread on this later.)
Watch movies and TV from other genres and other cultures. Watch/listen to a live-play RPG game. (There are short ones. Maybe don't jump into a 50+ ep RPG right away if you're not used to the format.) Listen to story/reader podcasts.
13/
Watch movies and TV from other genres and other cultures. Watch/listen to a live-play RPG game. (There are short ones. Maybe don't jump into a 50+ ep RPG right away if you're not used to the format.) Listen to story/reader podcasts.
13/
BONUS: by watching reading creators engage with fiction, you stay more aware of reader trends, which also benefits you as an author. (Just don't engage with reviews you don't like, for the love of decency. I shouldn't have to say it, but there are always bad actors.)
12/
12/
March 28, 2025 at 12:55 AM
BONUS: by watching reading creators engage with fiction, you stay more aware of reader trends, which also benefits you as an author. (Just don't engage with reviews you don't like, for the love of decency. I shouldn't have to say it, but there are always bad actors.)
12/
12/
WATCH READING CREATORS. I've added so many books to my TBR just by watching reading creators. There's a reading creator or a dozen for every genre and niche, so go looking on any social platform. Once you find one you like, they'll often rec others you'll like too.
11/
11/
March 28, 2025 at 12:53 AM
WATCH READING CREATORS. I've added so many books to my TBR just by watching reading creators. There's a reading creator or a dozen for every genre and niche, so go looking on any social platform. Once you find one you like, they'll often rec others you'll like too.
11/
11/
You can do this online too. I have the Libby library app, and I scroll the collections or new releases a lot to find new reads. You can use their tagging system to add books to a list to go back to later. Browse top books on online retailers, or search a genre or trope.
10/
10/
March 28, 2025 at 12:51 AM
You can do this online too. I have the Libby library app, and I scroll the collections or new releases a lot to find new reads. You can use their tagging system to add books to a list to go back to later. Browse top books on online retailers, or search a genre or trope.
10/
10/
"Okay, but how??"
You can start small. Find one genre or niche that crosses over with yours and start there. Or go into a bookstore or library and look at books until a pretty one catches your eye. Read the backs/inside front covers of books until one catches your attention.
9/
You can start small. Find one genre or niche that crosses over with yours and start there. Or go into a bookstore or library and look at books until a pretty one catches your eye. Read the backs/inside front covers of books until one catches your attention.
9/
March 28, 2025 at 12:49 AM
"Okay, but how??"
You can start small. Find one genre or niche that crosses over with yours and start there. Or go into a bookstore or library and look at books until a pretty one catches your eye. Read the backs/inside front covers of books until one catches your attention.
9/
You can start small. Find one genre or niche that crosses over with yours and start there. Or go into a bookstore or library and look at books until a pretty one catches your eye. Read the backs/inside front covers of books until one catches your attention.
9/
Reading outside your niche/genre is vital for the same reasons people are encouraged to learn another language. You don’t realize how narrow your genre/niche context is—even within your own world, let alone in another world or culture—until you learn about another context.
8/
8/
March 28, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Reading outside your niche/genre is vital for the same reasons people are encouraged to learn another language. You don’t realize how narrow your genre/niche context is—even within your own world, let alone in another world or culture—until you learn about another context.
8/
8/
But what they were hearing was "stop baking with strawberries and start using dragonfruit." Only they didn't know what dragonfruit was, so they had no context for what I was saying. (This is obv an example, I have no idea if they knew what dragonfruit was.)
7/
7/
March 28, 2025 at 12:45 AM
But what they were hearing was "stop baking with strawberries and start using dragonfruit." Only they didn't know what dragonfruit was, so they had no context for what I was saying. (This is obv an example, I have no idea if they knew what dragonfruit was.)
7/
7/
I mentioned it to them, and the lightbulb finally went on for them (amazing moment ngl) and we spent the rest of the afternoon discussing where to start.
I'd been trying for two years to put it into words for them, with every rephrasing I could think of.
6/
I'd been trying for two years to put it into words for them, with every rephrasing I could think of.
6/
March 28, 2025 at 12:44 AM
I mentioned it to them, and the lightbulb finally went on for them (amazing moment ngl) and we spent the rest of the afternoon discussing where to start.
I'd been trying for two years to put it into words for them, with every rephrasing I could think of.
6/
I'd been trying for two years to put it into words for them, with every rephrasing I could think of.
6/
They weren't cross-pollinating. They only read books in their niche and/or genre. They only watched movies and TV in that niche, whether it was a genre niche or plot niche. It was the music they listened to as well. It hit me after a long honest conversation with one of them about their MS.
5/
5/
March 28, 2025 at 12:41 AM
They weren't cross-pollinating. They only read books in their niche and/or genre. They only watched movies and TV in that niche, whether it was a genre niche or plot niche. It was the music they listened to as well. It hit me after a long honest conversation with one of them about their MS.
5/
5/
But no matter how many times I red-markered certain issues in their plot and grammar, nothing changed. I did 5+ books for most of of my Bubble Clients, and every single time, the manuscripts they sent had the same issues. It took me months to figure out why, and way longer to put words to it.
4/
4/
March 28, 2025 at 12:39 AM
But no matter how many times I red-markered certain issues in their plot and grammar, nothing changed. I did 5+ books for most of of my Bubble Clients, and every single time, the manuscripts they sent had the same issues. It took me months to figure out why, and way longer to put words to it.
4/
4/
Bubble Clients (think the shiny bubble Glinda's in at the beginning of Wicked) were amazing. I'm talking fantastic to communicate with, wrote darling books, really listened to feedback and asked questions if they didn't get it, and weren't afraid to push back (with reasons) when they disagreed.
3/
3/
March 28, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Bubble Clients (think the shiny bubble Glinda's in at the beginning of Wicked) were amazing. I'm talking fantastic to communicate with, wrote darling books, really listened to feedback and asked questions if they didn't get it, and weren't afraid to push back (with reasons) when they disagreed.
3/
3/
Call it anything you want if cross pollination makes you feel uncomfortable. I also call it learning another writing language.
But it's VITAL either way.
I was a freelance fiction editor full time for seven years. And I noticed a lot of patterns. This pattern is what I call the Bubble Client.
2/
But it's VITAL either way.
I was a freelance fiction editor full time for seven years. And I noticed a lot of patterns. This pattern is what I call the Bubble Client.
2/
March 28, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Call it anything you want if cross pollination makes you feel uncomfortable. I also call it learning another writing language.
But it's VITAL either way.
I was a freelance fiction editor full time for seven years. And I noticed a lot of patterns. This pattern is what I call the Bubble Client.
2/
But it's VITAL either way.
I was a freelance fiction editor full time for seven years. And I noticed a lot of patterns. This pattern is what I call the Bubble Client.
2/
I'M SO PROUD OF YOUUUUU. 🤣🙌
November 22, 2024 at 7:02 PM
I'M SO PROUD OF YOUUUUU. 🤣🙌