Bern

Mechanical engineer. Wannabe novellist. Does noise control for a living. All round nerdy type.
Currently living on Turrbal/Jagera land on the southern side of Meanjin (Brisbane), Australia.

Public Key

npub1crzgkgpwh86clff30uuts2n9k579g6x6h64h3749ca9qa8k9p66s4fyd4t

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsvp3ytyqhtnav055ch7w9c9fjm20z5drdta2mcl2juwjswnmzsadgpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dskmxxx9

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1crzgkgpwh86clff30uuts2n9k579g6x6h64h3749ca9qa8k9p66s4fyd4t

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Last Notes

2026-08-08 04:49:14 GMT

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@nprofile…qjvn oh my, I forgot that complication! Having health insurance bound to employment is so... uncivilized! That was certainly a nice thing you did for your colleague!

2026-08-07 22:44:00 GMT

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@nprofile…qjvn I'll bet they were surprised! Many of them can't conceive of doing something that favours somebody else over yourself.

2026-08-05 12:09:05 GMT

#WritersCoffeeClub for 5th August 2026
5. Share a small selection of something you wrote recently that you’re proud of.
I had an idea this morning, and jotted down some notes, including this scene, for my next planned work:
Cyrina’s eyes narrowed, and she turned her head slightly to speak over her shoulder, keeping her eyes fixed on the prelate.
“Captain Johrel, Prelate Samel appears to be having difficulty controlling his tongue. If it happens again, kindly relieve him of the problem by removing it.”
Samel’s eyes went as wide as saucers, and he shifted his gaze to Johrel just in time to see him draw a long dagger from the sheath at his belt.
“It will be my pleasure to assist the Prelate in this matter, my Lady,” Johrel said, his face grim as he took a step forward. Samel took an involuntary step back to match, and when he turned back to Cyrina, his face was white, and she was pleased to see his hands shake.
“You see how little power your gang of thugs has here, now,” Cyrina said. “You are fortunate that I have decided to let you leave alive, given the crimes your brotherhood has committed.” She stood, and stared down at him. “This audience is ended. If you are to be found within my fief at sundown, your life is forfeit.”
The corner of her mouth twitched upward. “It is seven miles to the Osker River, and it is already well past noon. I suggest you walk briskly.”

2026-08-02 05:09:59 GMT

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@nprofile…qjvn I'm certainly not complaining! It's the weekend, who cares if they come out on the 2nd? 😄
Some good Qs this month, thank you!

2026-07-11 14:22:36 GMT

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@nprofile…p9kg @nprofile…zjr5 I'd agree with this approach - and it's not too far off what I do. Write the ideas down, and see which ones inspire you to expand upon them further, whether that be more notes or the beginnings of drafting scenes. That might help you decide which way to go next (and give you a nice pool of ideas to either massage into the WIP, or keep aside for future projects).

2026-07-10 03:57:52 GMT

#WordWeavers for 10th July, 2026
10. Do you prefer writing characters more like you or vastly different?
Both. I’m sure a lot more of me than I realise bleeds into my characters, but I definitely write some who are not at all like me. All of them go into making the stories what they are.

2026-07-06 22:50:35 GMT

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@nprofile…n93w QR codes for people to scan, *and* a lollipop bowl, nice! 👍

2026-06-28 22:40:07 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 29th June 2026
29. Is writing a lonely endeavor for you?
Not really, no. It’s a solo endeavour, but not a lonely one. I don't mind spending time writing by myself, and having discussions with friends and other writers about the process, about the craft, about the specific stories (or even individual characters or scenes) is quite enjoyable, for me.
#WritersCoffeeClub

2026-06-04 11:12:56 GMT

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@nprofile…mn64 @nprofile…qjvn I thought it probably should be, but also thought I'd check. No big problem. Answers to either variant will be interesting.😄

2026-06-04 08:39:30 GMT

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@nprofile…mn64 @nprofile…qjvn Thank you so much for your efforts with these prompts. Coming up with my own answers, and reading others' responses, has really helped my writing over the last few years. And, of course, it's been a lot of fun! 😀

2026-06-04 07:56:12 GMT

Hey @nprofile…qjvn @nprofile…mn64 , for the question for the 8th, is that MS as in 'manuscript', or should it be 'MC'?
#Wordweavers

2026-05-07 10:01:42 GMT

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@nprofile…mn64 I have to confess I rarely ever cut anything. If I think something isn't working, I re-write it so that it is.
Maybe that results in my prose being verbose or less 'punchy', but my test readers seem to like it, and I like it. When I eventually release something (the last few steps in that process is another problem I keep pushing forward onto future self!), I guess I'll see what a wider audience thinks of my approach.

2026-05-06 21:04:49 GMT

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@nprofile…mn64 I know at least part of the problem was that the way I drafted this story, I left myself with the knotty problem of sorting out the timeline - getting the various plot arcs properly temporally aligned. It was a tedious bit of work that I didn't want to tackle, but that's mostly done, and I'm feeling much better about it now.
I'm at the stage of running through the chapters and giving each one a polish (and filling in some placeholder names!) and then sending them out to a test reader for feedback, so I've definitely made some progress recently!
Of course, after filling in some names, I now have more ideas for some of the character arcs I didn't really explore previously, so last night's polishing effort added another 700 words... 😏

2026-05-06 10:20:48 GMT

WordWeavers for 6th May, 2026
6. What writing-related challenges have you encountered recently?
Lack of motivation. I’ve wanted to write, but when I get a chance to sit down at the PC, I’ve just not had the energy. I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve worked on it, and I’ve had some good ideas, but it’s the actual getting started that’s been difficult.
#WordWeavers

2026-03-29 09:52:54 GMT

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@nprofile…n93w That is *awesome*!

2026-03-28 21:34:46 GMT

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@nprofile…n93w @nprofile…t9xa they're all good, but I think the comma one wins for me. 😏

2026-03-26 21:13:06 GMT

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@nprofile…n93w Congrats on completing the plot arc!
Are you going to do something completely different, or are there... ideas... bubbling up in your mind for the same setting? 🤔
(I'm definitely in the latter category, currently working on book six of a standalone fantasy novel... 😏 )

2026-03-05 20:18:16 GMT

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@nprofile…p9kg "Those aren't plot holes, they're just sparkling credibility gaps. Plot holes only come from the Narrative region of France..."

2026-03-01 05:41:44 GMT

WordWeavers for 1st March, 2026
1. What is your greatest fear about your characters?
Ah, I jumped the gun and posted this yesterday, as it was on the Feb list. 🤦
Have my answer again:
That I don’t have the skill to do justice to their stories. These stories deserve to be told, hopefully I don’t screw it up too badly!
#WordWeavers

2026-02-22 05:28:36 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 22nd February 2026
22. Are there types of settings you avoid writing? Why?
Grimdark. I don’t find it entertaining to write about the worst of humanity.
You’ll not find any glittery vampires in my settings, either. Creatures who live by draining the life from other sentient beings are *not* nice people…
I’m not going to write historical fiction, either – primary due to lack of motivation for doing enough research to get it right!
#WritersCoffeeClub

2026-02-17 08:39:25 GMT

Another 'win' for the Australian social media ban.
Unable to use their (age-appropriate) account to watch YouTube, my teen watches it while not logged in, and has just been algorithmically served a video titled "Which colour Skittles taste the best while high?"
Good one, Aus Govt, you're doing *such* a great job protecting kids from harm... 🙄
#AusPol #SocialMediaBan #UnintendedConsequences

2026-02-09 11:33:38 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 9th February 2026
9. Do you subscribe to ‘show, don’t tell’? Why, or why not?
No. Use whatever tools you have in your writing toolbox. The skill is in knowing when and how to use those tools, not whether to use them at all.
#WritersCoffeeClub

2026-02-04 02:45:04 GMT

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@nprofile…xrfx 🫂 Big virtual hugs sent your way.

2026-02-03 00:15:35 GMT

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@nprofile…xrfx It's always hard to say goodbye to them. 🫂

2026-02-03 00:03:18 GMT

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@nprofile…mn64 @nprofile…qjvn @nprofile…s9qc Bonus questions for the best month of the year, right? 😉

2026-02-02 11:38:44 GMT

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@nprofile…qjvn I like the questions this month - good work, as usual! But when do we answer the bonus questions?

2026-01-25 23:53:48 GMT

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@nprofile…xrfx I have had several of these prompts result in additional scenes or plot threads. That's why I like doing them, they help me think about my stories in different ways.

2026-01-18 02:32:28 GMT

#PennedPossibilities 905 — Is your MC responsible for anyone other than themselves? How do they feel about this?
Ah, @nprofile…xrfx says they can't answer this truthfully without spoilers, and I'm definitely in the same boat!
Let's just say Illara is responsible for many things that she didn't even dream of only a few years before.
Mostly, she's okay with this. It's hard at times, but she has help, and she feels like it's a way she can make a real difference to the world.

2026-01-04 11:58:05 GMT

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@nprofile…n93w Learning the Australian national anthem at primary school, they didn't put the words up for us, just had a selected group of kids sing it to us, and we had to copy them.
For quite a while, I thought the opening line was something like "Australians all eat ostriches" instead of "Australians all let us rejoice".
I found it very confusing!

2025-12-31 06:13:13 GMT

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@nprofile…heqq I have no real😉 idea what hopepunk is, so I'm in for a learning experience either way!

2025-12-31 05:32:36 GMT

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@nprofile…heqq I'm not sure it's the type of book I'd normally like, but the snippets I've seen you post are interesting so I'm going to give it a go, and even if it's not entirely my cup of tea, it's good to stretch the mental envelope!
So much of my headspace around fiction is shaped by the books I read in my teens, and the local library was heavily into 'the greats' of 60s, 70s, and 80s SFF. Sometimes I worry my writing reflects that background too much. The only cure is to branch out more in my reading!

2025-12-31 04:16:21 GMT

WordWeavers for 31st December, 2025
31. Give another writer a New Year gift! Either buy their book or say something you like about them/their story/writing etc.
Well, there have been a few authors who post on here whose books look interesting to me, so I picked @nprofile…heqq and just picked up a copy of The Calling from the Kobo store to add to my TBR pile.
I should really spend a bit more time reading. I have eight or nine physical books on my bedside table (2 fic, the rest non-fic), and about a dozen ebooks on my Kobo Libra that I should get to.
(Don't ask me about the unread books that have made it to the bookshelves during a tidying frenzy... 😆)
#WordWeavers

2025-12-30 08:24:53 GMT

WordWeavers for 30th December, 2025
30. How has your writing been this year? Any achievements/wins/lessons you want to celebrate?
It has been much worse than last year. I finished two novels (~250k words) and a bunch of short stories last year, but this year I’ve had lengthy periods where life has gotten in the way and I’ve had little to no progress, and my tally is about 130k so far, give or take. But I’m still making progress, and I feel like this is going to be a good story when it’s done.
Just recently I've been trying to wrap my head around how to use Scrivener - I'm trying it out to see if it works well for my writing style. The jury is still out on that, but it's early days yet.
#WordWeavers

2025-12-22 23:27:35 GMT

WordWeavers for 23rd December, 2025
23. What’s the first and last line of dialogue for your MC?
In the current WIP, as it stands at present (the ending will likely be tweaked a little, the beginning is more ‘finished’):
“Thank you,” Illara said. She touched the frayed threads again and sighed once more. “It’s such a beautiful shirt. I know it will wear out eventually, but I don’t want that day to come!”
…
“Oh, so I could maybe have enough time to remove a glyph, if I cast one on it by mistake?”
(Yes, this does mean that another character gets the ‘Last Word’…)
#WordWeavers

2025-12-17 22:35:31 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 18th December 2025
18. Are there writing ‘traditions’ which ought to be preserved?
Probably.
“Writing should be done by actual writers, not automatic plagiarism machines” is a good place to start, IMHO.
#WritersCoffeeClub

2025-12-17 09:11:04 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 17th December 2025
17. Give a shout-out to a resource or site you think more writers should know.
Oh, there are many!
You all know Wikipedia, of course.
https://donjon.bin.sh/ can be useful for various things. It’s oriented toward TTRPGs, but as they’re just interactive fiction, many of the tools have writing-related uses.
Maps! This collection is amazing, if you want to look at old maps for inspiration: https://www.davidrumsey.com/
Doing some Conlanging? https://draquet.github.io/PolyGlot/ and https://www.zompist.com/kitlong.html
Writing some future sci-fi? This is a useful reference!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future
Doing some worldbuilding? Oh, so many resources to draw from, but here are a couple of interesting ones I’ve found over the years:
https://worldbuildingpasta.blogspot.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@Artifexian
#WritersCoffeeClub

2025-12-13 02:09:43 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 13th December 2025
13. What have you written for another writer?
Well, there are some of the snippets I’ve shared for WordWeavers, WritersCoffeeClub, and Penned Possibilities hashtags – some of those are extracts from the WIP, others were written in response to the prompts. There are the shorts I’ve written in response to the Wandering Shop Stories prompts. And a couple of other random Tootfics. My primary audience here is other writers, I think, so there you go, I’ve written them for other writers.
#WritersCoffeeClub

2025-12-08 23:39:22 GMT

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@nprofile…hve9 "And exposed in the light..."

2025-12-08 21:28:40 GMT

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@nprofile…zshf the last steps in the before and after categories seem the most critical... 😏

2025-12-06 14:05:56 GMT

WordWeavers for 6th December, 2025
6. What kind of food does your antagonist prefer?
Meat. Raw.
If its underlings don’t bring it prey, then one of them will do in a pinch.
#WordWeavers

2025-12-04 23:10:58 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 5th December 2025
5. What’s a no-longer popular trend in writing you’d like to see make a comeback?
- Paying authors well?
- The midlist?
- Retailers *cough*Amazon*cough* who care enough about copyright and moral rights to not sell blatant rip-offs and AI slop?
In terms of the actual prose – everything has its day. That’s not such a bad thing. And there’s usually a niche those older trends can still occupy, which is great for those who enjoy writing and reading them.
#WritersCoffeeClub

2025-12-03 23:08:48 GMT

WordWeavers for 4th December, 2025
4. What’s the worst thing about the world of your story?
That someone, somewhere, once figured out how to summon demons.
Very bad things have happened as a consequence of that one act. The reverberations are still echoing off the mountains thousands of years later, and this story will not signify their end (though as I’ve currently planned it, my current MC helps ensure that they die out permanently).
#WordWeavers

2025-11-30 13:42:18 GMT

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@nprofile…3tmd ...I fail to see the problem here? 😆

2025-11-29 22:21:01 GMT

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@nprofile…t8tt @nprofile…3tmd I thought it looked familiar, but couldn't remember whether the duplicate was this prompt or one of the others I post (there have been duplicates - or very similar prompts - between them several times).
I don't mind at all, though. Sometimes my answers are different, due to having developed my world-building further.

2025-11-20 06:51:07 GMT

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@nprofile…3tmd marketing is the primary reason I have hesitated for so long in self-publishing, and why I have submitted some of my work to traditional publishers (with no success so far).
It's also the part of my day job that I absolutely loathe. 😑

2025-11-17 09:16:54 GMT

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@nprofile…zshf my wife took our older kids to see it last year, and they really loved it. I didn't go, as I'm not a big fan of musicals, and our youngest wasn't at all interested at the time.
I'd say my favourite play I attended would have been a performance of one of Terry Pratchett's Discworld plays. One is the local theatre groups used to perform one every year, and they were very good for amateur players.

2025-11-11 01:21:41 GMT

Look, I know the 'sf' consonant cluster can be a bit tricky to pronounce, but 'sphere' is *not* meant to be pronounced 'sah-feer', mmkay?
#MyPetPeeve #CorporateLife

2025-11-06 04:52:02 GMT

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@nprofile…3tmd I have used several of my responses to the various prompts as a starting point for scenes. They usually need some massaging to make them fit within the story proper, though, but why let the ideas go to waste?

2025-11-02 21:13:20 GMT

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@nprofile…3tmd what is it about the coffins that makes them comfortable? Do they like being in a tightly enclosed space?

2025-11-01 10:00:05 GMT

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@nprofile…3tmd a long night! Hopefully everything works out well.

2025-11-01 05:46:39 GMT

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@nprofile…3tmd Oh dear! Hope everything turns out well.

2025-10-28 23:55:12 GMT

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@nprofile…zshf Woohoo! You made it!
Enjoy your trip, and come back to the writing refreshed!

2025-10-28 21:51:30 GMT

WordWeavers for 29th October, 2025
29. Pick your preference: drafting, editing, formatting, or marketing.
Drafting and editing are almost synonymous for me, but I’d put drafting first by a whisker. Formatting isn't that hard, really (I prepare so many documents for work it's no big deal for me), but it's definitely not my favourite. Marketing is so far down the list, I’ve not even gotten to the point of publishing anything yet!
#WordWeavers

2025-10-27 23:19:21 GMT

WordWeavers for 28th October, 2025
28. MC POV: How would you react if your best friend won the day instead of you?
Illara would be genuinely delighted and proud! She loves Hedy like a sister, and would be sure to correct anyone who mistakenly attributed their victory to her instead of Hedy.
#WordWeavers

2025-10-24 13:33:28 GMT

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@nprofile…zshf perhaps. Or perhaps I (and others) read it too broadly. 🤷‍♂️
I mean, you can argue that all those other elements are aspects of plot, if not *the* plot.

2025-10-24 10:47:10 GMT

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@nprofile…zshf I definitely assumed it was for arcs in general. My stories generally only have one key plot arc, with a few sidings here and there.

2025-10-23 08:58:21 GMT

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@nprofile…as30 @nprofile…su4n Nothing wrong with bemoaning a shortage of time due to life pressures - we all get that! I got the sense it was more about people who essentially always find an excuse to not have written anything, yet claim to be a writer. If you're a writer, you'll squeeze in some time here and there - or you'll churn over story ideas in your head, ready for when you *get* some time to smash out the words (those can be *very* productive sessions!).

2025-10-20 03:46:07 GMT

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@nprofile…3tmd An intriguing thought. How do the vampires feel pain differently? I presume there is some lore that goes along with this?

2025-09-30 00:38:43 GMT

WordWeavers for 30th September, 2025
30. What author, from any time, would you want as a mentor?
This is a tough one to answer – or at least to narrow down to just one.
Based purely on the books I have thoroughly enjoyed reading, Terry Pratchett would be on the shortlist, and Ursula Le Guin. Then we’d start rattling off a laundry list of great writers of fiction, contemporary and not, so I think I’ll leave it at just those two.
#WordWeavers

2025-09-11 11:19:42 GMT

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@nprofile…009v
Relevant:
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/185/382/726/293/513/original/867c962ce713b05c.png

2025-09-09 21:20:45 GMT

Kidlet was tasked to "write a creative story" in their biochem class yesterday. Didn't realise they would potentially have to read theirs out to the class, so they decided to have fun. 😆
I present to you:
'A Day in the Life of Yeast'
My name is Fungi Ascomycota Saccharomycetes Saccharomycetales Saccharomycetaceae Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. This morning I woke up in a dark container void of happiness or joy. I am a mere fungus, born to live out my life within these paper walls, piled atop my brethren like so many discarded parts. Here I came to life and here will I die.
Light slams into the retinas of my non-existent blue orbs and had I nerves or muscles I would flinch away from it. Instead I can do nothing as it sears every fibre of my very being. The world tilts, manipulated by some greater being, some gamemaster that designed my fate only to sell me off to the group of mediocre white boys with the absurdest sum of money. My petite frame slips from the hell of the packet and I am falling through the air – floating, for I am too light for even gravity to care about me.
I land among the looming forms of grains, mangled in preparation for us and towering above my tiny, 0.000005 metre frame. There is no oxygen around me, and I cannot breathe. Despite this, ravenous hunger hits me, and I begin to consume the grains around me in violent anaerobic respiration (actually its fermentation but I don’t expect anyone to care enough to know the difference), so violently that the other yeast particles shy away in shock despite their larger sizes. They begin to decompose with the force of my hunger and I am suddenly surrounded by sugars. I will not, cannot stop lest the overwhelming hunger consumes me. I continue, though I
choke on the bitter lack of air that is my fate.
Ethyl alcohol pools around me as I deconstruct the very substance of the grains that surround me, and sweet energy fuels my non-existent veins, spurring me on. I am flooded with the
ethanol, and yet, although my tiny frame seeks to float on the top of the fruits of my labours, I struggle with all my might downwards and continue to feast.
I did not notice it grow dark but now light pierces my poor, assaulted, nonextant blue orbs. My hard work, my alcohol, floods out through the hole in my newest prison, and now I am alone with the husks of the food I fermented. Now the ethyl alcohol will be consumed by many white boys who buy more teenage yeasts from their evil mothers, and I am discarded like old news.
#writing #microfic #tootfic

2025-08-19 02:34:05 GMT

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@nprofile…6fay I worry, sometimes, that the writing that has such an emotional impact on me, as the author, will utterly fail to hit home to the reader.
I've definitely got some of those moments in my current WIP. I'm going to be using a few of these techniques - I've already used the second- and third-last ones in the climax of the story. (No, no, I've just got something in my eye, it's got nothing to do with replaying that scene in my head when I mentioned it...)

2025-08-07 23:22:37 GMT

WordWeavers for 8th August, 2025
8. Describe the sensations of one of your characters in the last scene you wrote.
The MC and her companions are riding through a pass in the mountains.
- a breeze blows past them from the high mountains to the west, cool and dry, playing with her hair as it swirls around the riders;
- the rocking motion of her horse’s gait, as it steadily plods along the road;
- the feel of the reins between her fingers, and the comforting weight of her warm cloak around her shoulders;
- the scent of horses and dirt, and the fragrance of some of the plants crushed beneath the hooves;
- the sight of hundreds of soldiers, both before and behind them, as the company moved in a long column;
- the slightly nauseous feeling she got as she looked at the tracks beside the road that said all too clearly that, yes, demons had passed this way.
#WordWeavers

2025-08-03 23:02:54 GMT

WordWeavers for 4th August, 2025
4. MC POV: Have you ever been on a voyage? Where did you go and why?
Illara stared up at the mountains, dark against the twilight sky. She sighed. They were definitely much larger than the mountains around her home. And it was so cold here, for all that they were much further north, and at mid-summer to boot. Captain Luwan said that even the valleys here were very high, thousands of feet above the plains. She shook her head. The gods only knew how many hundreds of miles from home she was. Maybe even a thousand?
And who knew how long it would be before their hunt was done and she would be able to turn toward home.
Home.
She shivered as a chill gust blew her hair in front of her face.
Hunting demons was the last thing in the world she wanted to do, but until they were gone, she couldn't go home. It wouldn't be safe.
#WordWeavers

2025-07-19 01:48:02 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 19th July 2025
19. What is the difference between a writer and a person who writes?
Nothing? 🤔
Some people attach a lot of baggage to the term ‘writer’, but we all have different lived experiences – enough to render meaningless any other definition than ‘a person who writes’.
Beyond that, setting specific eligibility requirements to be called a ‘writer’ just smacks of exclusionary behaviour, and I find that distasteful. I personally neither like nor read romance, or horror, or lit fic, or many other genres, but that doesn’t mean the people who write it aren’t writers, and in many cases, damn good ones!
#WritersCoffeeClub

2025-07-14 01:21:57 GMT

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@nprofile…ucc3 congrats!

2025-06-30 00:58:05 GMT

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@nprofile…ucc3 "It's just the vibe of the thing", right?
https://youtu.be/yGhSuILWyZI

2025-06-29 03:19:27 GMT

WordWeavers for 29th June, 2025
29. What are the 3 big things your reader should remember after finishing your material?
1. That was a really good book!
2. There’s more where that came from!
3. What an awesome author I am! 😉
#WordWeavers

2025-06-19 12:10:00 GMT

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@nprofile…ucc3 Oh, that's a really good suggestion that I wish I'd thought of!

2025-06-15 21:32:44 GMT

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@nprofile…8ewh @nprofile…ucc3 there's always time for a status update!
Q: How is your current WIP going? Anything you'd like to share about it?

2025-06-13 00:39:47 GMT

WordWeavers for 13th June, 2025
13. If your MC magically became a dog, what breed would fit them best?
There are some very unusual questions this month, that have asked me to think about my writing in ways that are completely alien to me. I like that, it stretches the mental muscles… 😁
As for the answer – I genuinely don’t know. It's really not something I've ever thought about - I'm not the kind of person who looks at someone and says "Oh, they're such a chihauha!" 😆 So I’m going to fall back on ‘dalmatian’, for no other reason than that I grew up with a dalmatian.
#WordWeavers

2025-06-11 22:56:08 GMT

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@nprofile…ucc3 I had that feeling when I came up with an alternate ending for one of my stories. In the end, I went for a hybrid that (mostly) ended up in the same place as the original - mainly because I already had ideas for more stories that built upon it!

2025-06-11 21:18:45 GMT

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@nprofile…ucc3 yes and no - I only re-write when I think the first version doesn't work. Maybe I'll like the second version better. Or maybe writing it will give me the insight to figure out how to fix the first version. Or maybe I'll write a third version. 🤷‍♂️

2025-06-10 23:07:47 GMT

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@nprofile…jcdj It's certainly been a popular genre for many years! I've read very little of it, though.

2025-06-10 06:46:31 GMT

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@nprofile…jcdj apparently there are a few in folklore that date back at least hundreds of years (there are references in Icelandic as well as Transylvanian folklore, both about a school run by the Devil). The Murphy & Rowling versions are based on mid-20th century English boarding schools, of course.

2025-06-09 22:53:58 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 10th June 2025
10. Where is the line between homage and theft?
It’s not a bright hard line. For me, homage is “using your own ideas and story, but emulating the style of someone you admire”. Theft, in this context, I interpret as “using someone else’s story or ideas or characters, changing them a little bit, and claiming them as your own”.
For example, if I wrote a story using characters and setting I made up, but emulating Sir Terry Pratchett’s style (very badly, I’m sure), that would be homage.
On the other hand, if I were to write a story about a child from our world who learns there’s a secret hidden magical society, and that they actually have the ability to be a witch or wizard, and are subsequently enrolled in a boarding school to learn how to use magic, and have lots of adventures involving defeating evil characters, playing sports on broomsticks, and getting into trouble with the potions teacher… then I’d *clearly* be writing a rip-off of “The Worst Witch” by Jill Murphy. 😉
#WritersCoffeeClub

2025-06-01 23:10:44 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 2nd June 2025
2. Do you write linearly? Why or why not?
Yes and no. When I’m in the early stages of developing a story, I will write notes & draft scenes for whatever parts catch my imagination and attention. I will jump all over the place here (sometimes including writing the very last scene, sometimes the very first). When it comes time to join the dots, I tend to move linearly through it – at that point it helps mould it into a coherent single story.
#WritersCoffeeClub

2025-05-29 23:12:01 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 30th May 2025
30. Who do you write for?
Me, my family, and anyone else who likes a good story.
I know not everyone will like my writing. I’m fine with that – tastes differ. If some people like it, though, that’ll make me happy.
#WritersCoffeeClub

2025-05-28 10:45:21 GMT

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@nprofile…gk57 it's standard reference levels from a German noise assessment standard, I think.
They really need to add cicadas for Australia, they're horrendously loud! 😆
(We see much quieter ambient noise levels when temperatures drop below about 15°C, because they stop singing then - at least in this part of the world)

2025-05-27 01:05:09 GMT

I have just discovered that the reference library in the noise modelling software includes a "sound power level for one chicken".
It's 47.6 dB(A), in case you were wondering, and the spectrum peaks at 2kHz.
A goose is 65.4 dB(A), and cows are up to 70.9, but the peak level gets up to 112.

2025-05-25 23:14:02 GMT

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@nprofile…6php @nprofile…9ruv ...as a cis-het male, I can honestly say that "Olympus Mons looks like a nipple" is not a thought that had entered into my head before today. 🤔
It just always looked like a mountain to me. More evidence of how differently we all see the world, I guess. 🤷‍♂️

2025-05-21 23:01:48 GMT

WordWeavers for 22nd May, 2025
22. If you could magically write a new genre really well, which genre would you choose?
I write fantasy, which covers just about anything you could imagine, by definition. It is often associated with ‘swords and sorcery’ type works, but of course there are many variations. I like the freedom it gives to do just about anything.
Can I please magically write in *this* genre really well? I don’t need a new one… 😉
#WordWeavers

2025-05-09 21:38:02 GMT

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@nprofile…ucc3 nah, I don't think they need any training for that. 😆

2025-04-08 03:25:20 GMT

WordWeavers for 8th April, 2025
8. MC POV: What are the 3 most important things you always take with you when traveling (besides money, ID and keys if applicable)?
- Clothes are important
- So is some food – you can’t always be sure you’ll find somewhere
to buy food when you need it.
- Illara has also found that an enormous dragon comes in handy in all *sorts* of situations… 😏
#WordWeavers

2025-03-02 23:36:38 GMT

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@nprofile…0av5 I'd change the text in the second panel to "Anti-vaxxers lied to you".
Calling these people idiots is not helpful or constructive. Showing them how they've been misinformed may be (I say 'may' because a lot of them are very resistant to the idea that they may have trusted the wrong people)

2025-02-26 23:10:58 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 27th February 2025
27. Post an image which reflects the tone of your WIP.
There are a few images I could choose from, but I’ve just gone with some of the scenery. I found this photo of Salzkammergut in Austria about two months after I wrote the relevant chapter, and it just felt like someone had taken a photo of what I’d imagined!
#WritersCoffeeClub
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/114/072/704/606/873/464/original/04b4cfbbb6d4997b.png

2025-02-23 23:07:52 GMT

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@nprofile…8ewh @nprofile…ucc3
What gives your characters a sense of self-worth or meaning in their life?
What superpower would best suit your MC, in the context of their story?
What do your characters get nostalgic about? What triggers that?

2025-01-04 00:34:06 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 4th January 2025
4. As a writer, what do you get from social media?
I love seeing the comments from other writers on mastodon. The diversity of opinions and ideas is just breathtaking and cannot but be inspiring!
It’s also really encouraging. I don’t usually get much feedback (if any) on my posts, but what I do get is really supportive, and it helps to see how other writers are tackling the same issues I’m facing.
It’s also quite humbling at times, which I see as a good thing – it helps to ground my writing a bit more, I think.
#WritersCoffeeClub

2024-10-13 01:23:24 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 13th October 2024
13. Has anything you've written made you cry, either when writing it or on a re-read?
I try to imagine how a character feels, to put myself inside their head when I’m describing their actions and words.
Given the nature of my story, this has required investing in the emotions and thoughts of characters going through some pretty traumatic experiences. That can be quite difficult at times.
And, of course, when you write the death of a favoured character, and how the people around them react… 😭
#WritersCoffeeClub

2024-08-10 00:24:21 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 10th August 2024
10. What's your favourite summer read for a getaway/holiday/vacation?
In no particular order:
- Sci-fi (ranging from hard sci-fi to space opera)
- Fantasy
- The occasional action/thriller
- Non-fiction (my pile’o’shame has too many of these awaiting my attention!)
#WritersCoffeeClub #writing #AmWriting #fantasy

2024-06-17 23:37:13 GMT

Looks like half a century of neoliberal rule has delivered great results for the UK...
Birmingham, Britain's second-largest city, is being forced to dim lights and cut sanitation services due to bankruptcy - ABC News
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-17/birmingham-uk-bankrupt-cutting-public-services/103965704

2024-06-16 22:41:34 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 17th June 2024
17. Do you lose track of time while writing or editing?
All.
The.
Time.
“Hey, it’s only 9pm, I’ve got time for an hour or so of writing…” is surprisingly often a prelude to “Oh, crap, I have to get up in five hours!” 😆
#WritersCoffeeClub #writing #AmWriting #fantasy

2024-06-14 23:25:46 GMT

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@npub1k74…dmux answering the prompts has certainly added depth to my world building, and enriched my writing as a result!

2024-06-05 22:32:14 GMT

WordWeavers for 6th June, 2024
6. MC POV: When was the last time you laughed?
At the point in the story I’m writing: about a month ago. Before… before everything went crazy.
#WordWeavers #Writing #AmWriting #Fantasy

2024-05-15 23:08:37 GMT

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@npub1k74…dmux not confusing, just open-ended, which I definitely like.
I had visions of a "Night at the Museum" type scenario, for the latter interpretation. 😏

2024-05-15 22:30:58 GMT

WordWeavers for 16th May, 2024
16. If your characters were in a museum, how would they act?
In a museum as visitors, or as exhibits? 😉
If the former, their curiosity would have them wandering around trying to learn everything they could about these interesting things, asking many questions of the curators. If the latter… well, let’s just say they wouldn’t appreciate it.
#WordWeavers #Writing #AmWriting #Fantasy

2024-05-06 06:42:11 GMT

Does anyone know what this is?
The pose looks similar to a long-jawed spider, but the legs look too short and chunky for that.
Found sitting on a tent this morning in Upper Mount Gravatt, I took the photo after I relocated it to a nearby gum tree.
#spider #brisbane
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/112/392/770/161/779/104/original/18bb116b2445374b.jpg

2024-04-13 03:45:02 GMT

Writers’ Coffee Club for 13th April 2024
13. Which "unfilmable" novel do you think has worked best on screen?
I think probably The Lord of the Rings – Jackson’s adaptation is an epic of filmmaking.
I do quite like Villeneuve’s Dune, though. But then, I also liked the Lynch version, despite all its flaws and the creative licence taken with certain aspects of the story, and I also enjoyed the TV mini-series. 🤷‍♂️
#WritersCoffeeClub #writing #AmWriting #fantasy

2024-04-09 23:01:12 GMT

WordWeavers for 10th April, 2024
10. How much power does your MC have?
Directly, very little. Indirectly – people pay a *lot* of attention to what she says and does, for reasons that escape her initially, until she learns a bit of history. There’s a very good reason why people pay attention to what she says and does, increasingly so as the story progresses.
#WordWeavers #Writing #AmWriting #Fantasy

2024-03-11 23:06:57 GMT

WordWeavers for 12th March, 2024
12. What would your MC enjoy the most about our world?
I think she’d really like the food – how varied it is, and how accessible other cuisines are. Also the ‘exotic’ (for her) wildlife. She would be stunned at the technology we have, and at the material wealth most in our society benefit from.
#WordWeavers #Writing #AmWriting #Fantasy