[preparing to get screamed at] I think I officially don’t need to know if you’re mad that an article is paywalled. Perhaps that can be an Inside Thought

Appreciate this piece from Marcus but the piece that’s missing from this essay is the fact that Kenyans and Indians are the primary content moderators or “clean up crew” for the commercially available AI data sets. So yes, he’s right to be upset at the implication but the next step is asking “why?”

This is incredibly important. If you read one thing this week: marcusolang.substack.com/p/im-kenyan-...

In her new essay for Speculative Insight, Donna Glee Williams explores the ways Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey really needs to be challenged. Listen to her explanation in this video, and then read the essay: www.speculativeinsight.com/essays/hero-journey

Zero-G

This is one of my biggest personal gripes with modern media. Podcasts, personal newsletters, movies - everything is too long and not that interesting. Bring back editors and producers ffs.

Oops...almost forgot to turn my work alarm back on...don't be like me

It's unfortunately still Expedition 33 even though the endings make me want to write an angry thinkpiece.

I just think cheesecake is really great

Today is #CreatorDay2025 at Itch, which means they don't take their cut & the money goes to the creator. Great way to support indie artists! Buy Clipped: kqwatson.itch.io/clipped Buy over 70+ items in one fell swoop with the Creator Day Bundle! itch.io/b/3410/creat... Organized by @aimeecozza.com

For no reason at all, I'm going to make a thread of artists who I think are Neat. First is, of course, @gdbee.bsky.social, who has been making atmospheric and intimate portraits of Black women and girls for years. I just bought two prints from her and they look amazing: gdbee.store/products/fra...

My book is out and it’s about the power of archive and voice and my fellow fellows are dope as hell in it nupress.northwestern.edu/978081014906...

it's funny how defensive folks are about something they loudly proclaim is totally morally fine. like why does the author have to agree with you too?

Editors have a really hard job, and the good ones can make something unreadable readable, and the great ones can make something unreadable into something good. But they're basically invisible, until someone tries to write without one.

Crocodile Dance is a 2D/3D Animated Thriller about a Nigerian musician who must confront the curse of a Mami Wata to save her family. Support us on @Kickstarter today! bit.ly/croc-dance-ks

obviously this is bad, but it’s long been true of other countries we praise to the skies for their healthcare and a lot of progressive Americans don’t want to acknowledge that as a huge vector of oppression. there are a lot of places I couldn’t emigrate to even if I wanted bc they have BMI limits

Nia Davenport ( @niadavenport.bsky.social ) is a great writer and friend whose young family just lost a husband and father. If you've loved her books or her presence in the writing community, and you can spare something, please contribute. gofund.me/4299d5593

Today's the deadline to register for @sfwa.org's fall online Nebula event, Quasar, which takes place November 15 and 16. If you took part in this year's Nebula Conference there's no cost to register. 1/ membership.sfwa.org/event-6301796

Hmm...I'm starting to wonder whether our relationship to photojournalism needs to change considering we live in a society where we're being watched at all times. 'Cause why do we need to see close-up photos of this man sobbing in order to care about people being disappeared off the street?

so nobody Black works in news anymore? they fired all of us?

This legitimately makes me sad. Teen Vogue has been a shining example of journalism done right.

I'll be one of the panelists on Saturday's "Collaboration Done Right!" You should stop by!

If I get this job I'm going to buy something incredibly impractical with my severance money.

With #Sinners back in theaters today, thought I'd reshare the article I wrote about the Choctaw Vampire Hunters and why that moment didn't NEED to be centered more even tho we would all love to see more of their story. redpopnews.com/sinners-give... #redpopnews

In the dawn light, ladyfingers stretched toward the sky, glistening with what looked like dew. It wasn't.

When I worked in WaPo Opinions in 2017-2018, senior editors specifically told junior editors not to factcheck Marc Thiessen and other MAGA columnists, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to publish anything by them at all, and “we need them for intellectual diversity.”

Please help or boost if you're able! One Spirit Lakota is raising funds for the food pantry in anticipation of EBT cards possibly not getting filled for November due to the shutdown. Funds go to feeding residents of Pine Ridge, which already has one of the worst food deserts in the country.

The first editorial letter I got on a pro sale, literally in 1999, and the most recent editorial letter last week, both contained points where the editor mentioned things they liked, things that were already working. I bring this up AGAIN because positive critique is not "soft soap for weak n00bs."

That’s the other thing that baffles me about AI and creative writing, actually. The work IS the joy for me. I don’t want to be able to snap my fingers and have a completed “product.” I want to be transformed by the process. I’m an author but I do this because I enjoy the rigor of being a writer.

sooooooo, I'm in a new anthology releasing on November 4th and good news! we got a starred review in Publisher's Weekly! even better news? my story is highlighted! pre-order HOWL: An Anthology from Women in Horror ASAP. you want this antho.

omg I love the library. Why did I spend all that money on books I still haven't read

I'm almost at a 1,000 followers??? Holy crap. Where are you people coming from 😅 I feel guilty sometimes because I don't post on here nearly as much as I planned to, but it's also a very Weird moment to be existing publicly as someone visibly Black and queer.

It hasn't even been 2 hours from the LAST post about reaching backer goals but WE'VE HIT 100 BACKERS!! THAT'S ANOTHER 1000 WORDS/ISSUE!! We're also VERY close to reaching our base funding goal. As in LESS THAN $700 TO GET FUNDED!! Help us get there? 👀 www.kickstarter.com/projects/hyb...

Being on this website too long makes my neck stiff...BUT! I do have news! I'll be attending Flights of Foundry this week! I'll be moderating one panel and giving a presentation! Come join! How to Edit Your Fiction for Length (Hour 6) Leave My Escapism Alone, Damnit (Hour 51)

A consistently hilarious thing about bluesky discourse is that for some reason the stakes are always unreasonably high at all times. No one is chiseling anything into stone tablets here, no matter what someone says online you can always decide to give or not give your email to whoever you want

What makes Capital B different? Our stories cut through confusion, confront harmful myths, and shine a light on changemakers. That’s news our communities can use. Help us raise $6,500: capitalbnews.fundjournalism.org/donate/?camp...

As you cancel streaming services, here is a casual reminder that only 16% of Americans read for pleasure anymore, and your local library has hundreds or thousands of books you haven't read. They would love to see you stop by and renew your library card.

the thing about telling men that it's okay to be something other than the domineering manipulative atomized Man is that you have to make it true. "it's ok to be empathetic" but is it okay to be disabled? to be a child, or to be old? the Men In Crisis can see plain as day how Dependents are treated.

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH COVER REVEAL TIME LOOK HOW AMAZING IT IS! i can't wait to share my ace romantasy with y'all. this book has been called a warm hug wrapped in adventure. thank you so much to @leeshahannigan.bsky.social for bringing beenala, tollar and bale to life! #booksky 🌈 📚

What I love about Clair Obscure Expedition 33 is that it has the same effect on artists as Spider-Man Across the Spiderverse! We all love it and it inspires us to be even more creative! It's beautiful!

Mel, my beloved. #Arcane

this is so good www.tiktok.com/@shakingshee...

In what we can all agree is impeccable timing for everyone's pockets, the @neonhemlock.bsky.social Vol 6 novella series kickstarter is now live! It feat. my novella THE DEAD WITHHELD + 6 other fab titles. Give yourself the gift of something to look forward to: www.kickstarter.com/projects/dav...

We’ve been taught to fetishize convenience so thoroughly, and the costs have been hidden so effectively, that we seek convenience while unknowingly reinforcing the system that make us crave ease in the first place. We have to change this whole paradigm. My latest: www.jphilll.com/p/convenienc...

Just found out that I do NOT have immunity to hepatitis B, despite getting a series of three shots when I was an infant. Please get your titers checked! ♥️

Wanna see black culture in action? WWYDIYSWAHCAAOTBFCHH

If you want to do something cool but it scares you, do it anyway.

i'm tired of being told to stop doomscrolling. i'm just scrolling, it's not my fault there's doom on there