Tesla’s profit fell 37% in the third quarter. It's been in the process of laying off 14,000 workers. It had more cars impacted by recalls than any other brand in 2024. Yet Elon Musk just got a pay package worth $1 trillion. American capitalism is off the rails.

I regret to inform you that the only way to finish your novel is to keep writing.

No one tells you this is going to be your biggest challenge as a writer! Which final file is the final file???

This is really impressive. They invented racism.

The way they were joking on NPR this morning about Elon becoming a trillionaire so that he can own enough shares in Tesla to retain control of the robot army he's building. Seriously, WTF is wrong with everyone? THIS IS NOT OK!

"The jury — which feasted on sandwiches for lunch on Thursday, according to a person familiar with jury lunches..." Well, someone had fun 𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 it up in this story 🥪 www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

I just read “competitive cycling” as “competitive crying” and thought, “Finally! Something I can win!”

I would love a prompt for a new short story. What do you got?

Good morning #5amWritersClub. Words have continued to elude me for the end of this story, but today's the day. I can feel it. Happy writing, everyone!

the queer literary scheming has moved to my work email 👀

The way so many of us needed to hear this from a Democratic leader 📣

I always share when I come across this quote again:

Having a husband and an agent both named Christopher causes momentary chaos of the heart every time an email from "Christopher" lands in my inbox.

Today is an absolute rebuke of anti-transgender politics, and a real sign that the anti-trans panic is fading. From VA Gov to Loudoun County to New Jersey to New York City and Pennsylvania, anti-trans Republicans are falling left and right.

I was writing to the group chat about a certain brand of jam, and then I got an advertisement via email from said jam company. You guys, I've found the Deep State, and it's fruity and delicious!

Oh, but some Very Good Election News has woken me right up!

It was really hard to coax myself out of bed for #5amWritersClub. Let's see if I can write half asleep 💪

"Criminals posing as US immigration officers have carried out robberies, kidnappings, and sexual assaults in several states, warns a law enforcement bulletin issued last month by the Federal Bureau of Investigation." Wow, who could have seen this coming? www.wired.com/story/fbi-wa...

the queer literary scheming in my texts right now 👀

I'm here for fires in the wood stove, couch blankets, hot tea, good books, binge-able TV, hearty soup, fresh-baked bread, and more time to write. Bring on the dark season!

Whatever is on the ballot for you today, get out and vote!

If you were ever wondering what we're up against, this is a website book banners created to train people to get books banned in their own communities. I found my kids' school in here, and the books this website suggests I get banned from their library. www.takebacktheclassroom.com/school-detai...

Friends in the Publishing Industry! Literary Agents of Change, the Association of American Literary Agents’ DEI committee, are hosting “In Conversation” events designed to provide opportunities for growth across industry lines. The next is Nov 5. Register here:

They had been doing such great work and really changing the game. This is awful.

Yes! I've found this works more than it doesn't.

I spent a large part of yesterday updating financial aid forms for my son's college applications. They want cold, hard numbers, but I think it would be way more relevant to send them samples of my queer, experimental, literary writing. So they can see for themselves how lucrative it surely must be!

I’m doing research for a project and found out about the “don’t buy where you can’t work” movement during the depression, where Black people boycotted and picketed places that wouldn’t hire us. Shout out to everyone who’s not going back to Target!

I've spent the last ten minutes of today's writing session trying to find words for the ending of this story—but they won't come. Feeling good about my chances tomorrow though!

Happy Monday morning #5amWritersClub. I'm feeling a little rusty, but here we go.

I meant to share my recent spooky story yesterday for Halloween, but maybe it will be even better paired with a handful of day-after pilfered candy! Thanks again to @aaronburch.bsky.social and Short Story, Long for giving it a great home! ashortstorylong.substack.com/p/man-next-d...

I spent an hour dusting this morning and I feel mighty

I just remembered I made up a word in my dream last night. A colleague emailed to wish me a "euredere" evening. And I took it to be some proper form of "erudite."

This small but mighty story by @woodardwriter.bsky.social is a great read, especially for a dark and stormy Halloween day!

Jensign Savran Kelly reporting for Halloween. Long live the Terran Empire! @georgetakei.bsky.social: if only I looked as good as you did in the Mirror Universe…

I just ordered a bright red puffer coat. Take that, impending long, gray winter.

At #5amWritersClub we love photos & gifs, so here's your friendly reminder to always include alt text. "Screen readers announce alternative text in place of images, helping users with visual or certain cognitive disabilities perceive the content and function of the images."

Good morning #5amWritersClub. I'm late but here. On the bright side, I stayed up last night to watch the final episode of Somebody Somewhere season 2 💜

American Friends of Jamaica - Relief Effort To give if you can. theafj.app.neoncrm.com/forms/afj-di...

This, this this!!!

Is it ok to admit here that I'd really, really, really like my new novel to be published? Like, I have no chill whatsoever? What if I just whisper it?

Reminder that if you work in publishing, you can join @pubprosabb.bsky.social

As an editor who's also a writer, it's especially painful to read a beautifully crafted submission from a writer with obvious talent and have to reject it—for any number of reasons. Writers, we want every one of you to be our next yes!!

Good morning #5amWritersClub. After a year of working on and off on this novella, I just realized it has a major plot hole. Time to start shoveling, I guess. Happy writing, everyone!

This is so wise & I wish I’d seen/internalized it before my debut came out in 2023. There were numbers I’d been blissfully unaware of until that day. Numbers for everything—from likes to sales ranks to sales to views. I had no clue how they translated into success, & they plagued me til I let go

I’ve been thinking a lot about a new kind of polling I’d like to see. We have polling that measures public opinion, which is obviously important, but I’d love to see a little more empirical work on public knowledge: what do voters know about politics and policy?

Asbestos, Duct Tape, Willow, Bark by @makecommon.bsky.social in a beam of sunlight as it should be. Though “Hostile Books bite the hand that reads them.”

Not to brag, but I'd do everything in this questionnaire for CHICKEN FINGERS

Good morning #5amWritersClub. I've been taking swing dance lessons and the more I mess up, the more fun I have. Bringing some of that energy to writing today. Hope everyone's having fun!

auntifa

Some good news.