Me at 13: “god I can’t wait to go home and read fanfic”

Me at 17: “god I can’t wait to go home and read fanfic”

Me at 21: “god I can’t wait to go home and read fanfic”

Me at 41: "god I can't wait to go home and read fanfic"

Here is a reminder, in case you needed it (as I did yesterday) that you can BREAK YOUR STREAKS

This brought to you by me trying to reduce my phone screen time to stuff I actually want to be doing and not just cycling through the same apps every day, and the surprising revelation that keeping up a streak might not be good for me, actually.

George playing the soundtrack from Lord of the Rings

i love this tweet

“it’s not that deep” it’s not that shallow. now what

From KickthePj

just got an ask that was like, "how does it feel to be washed?"

mf I am currently on the New York Times bestseller list with a nine-month old book about tuberculosis. That is the furthest thing from washed that a fella can be.

And that's not even to mention my wildly successful career as an unpaid coffee salesperson. I'm crushing it.

Lolll *washes up unconscious on the shore* Yaaaaayyy

yes good.

Im weighing in on the discourse. We need to start putting sea monsters on maps again.

recently my friend's comics professor told her that it's acceptable to use gen AI for script-writing but not for art, since a machine can't generate meaningful artistic work. meanwhile, my sister's screenwriting professor said that they can use gen AI for concept art and visualization, but that it won't be able to generate a script that's any good. and at my job, it seems like each department says that AI can be useful in every field except the one that they know best.

It's only ever the jobs we're unfamiliar with that we assume can be replaced with automation. The more attuned we are with certain processes, crafts, and occupations, the more we realize that gen AI will never be able to provide a suitable replacement. The case for its existence relies on our ignorance of the work and skill required to do everything we don't.

Tiny Ways to Make Characters Feel Real Without Info-Dumping

We don’t need a five-paragraph backstory. We need texture.

1. Hint at depth — don’t prove it. Instead of telling us she had a rough childhood: “Her sleeve slid up, revealing the tattoo she never explained.”

2. Give them contradictions. People aren’t neat. A pacifist who snaps. A leader who overchecks his reflection. A cynic who keeps a lucky charm.

3. Let side characters breathe. Give even the one-scene shopkeeper a quirk: “The baker spoke in a whisper like every word cost him coin.”

4. Make habits matter. Not “He was nervous,” but: “He thumbed the frayed seam of his pocket again, again, again.”

5. Tie perception to personality. Someone anxious doesn’t see a forest; they see shadows between trees. Someone nostalgic sees the same forest but softer, full of memory.

How to Describe Without Pausing the Story Dead

Description is strongest when it’s moving.

1. Anchor description in action. Instead of: “The tavern was dim and crowded.” (pause) Try: “She shoulder-checked through the dim tavern, lanternlight slanting across sweat and spilled ale.”

2. Only describe what your character notices. A thief notices exits. A poet notices colours. A soldier notices threats.

3. Mood colours setting. Waiting for bad news? “The sun felt sharp, too bright, like it was watching.”

4. Don’t aim for a full picture — aim for the right details. “A single bootprint in the ash.” Tells a whole story.

Subtle Writing Techniques To Help Make Your Writing Pop

Just little tweaks that level your writing.

1. Use natural actions to foreshadow. Not: “Little did she know the knife would be important later.” But: “Her gaze snagged on the drawer — then she looked away.”

2. Use symbolism instead of clichés. If you hate the metaphor “time was running out”: Plant broken clocks. Or a street performer counting down songs.

3. Trust ambiguity. Real life rarely explains itself. Let readers make theories.

4. Repeat themes in different places. If the story’s about trust, show it in: • a broken promise • a character avoiding eye contact • a shaky hand passing a key

5. Change sentence rhythm to match the scene. Fight scene? Short, sharp lines. Grief scene? Slow, heavy, lingering.