As a professional writer, why does it take me an hour to write a single email

At a seething confluence of fury and anxiety, and also need to write my newsletter — so maybe I will simply screech incoherently for this month’s edition.

I'm a deeply flawed individual, but I bring joy to the world.

Don’t discount your chances! Apply!

If you're still thinking about applying for the 2026 Six-Week Workshop, applications close on Friday, February 13 at 12:00 PM PT (Noon!). The 2026 workshop is virtual with instructors @taracampbell.bsky.social, @indrapramitdas.bsky.social, David Thomas Moore, and @rebeccaroanhorse.bsky.social!

One last remaining code that never got spoken for by any of my people. First Kindle user to click on this link gets a free copy of @kerstinhall.bsky.social's "Asunder". Good luck. It's a fantastic book. www.amazon.com/kindle/redee...

i did laugh.

My latest cartoon for @theguardian.com books

Submitted! I worked really hard on it. Hope it’s right for them, because I also took a pretty big swing on the narrative choices.

Of all the easy things you can do to help the environment, conserve water for communities not corporations, not perpetuate scams, support the labor and rights of creators... *not* using generative AI is the fucking easiest. You absolutely deserve to be shamed for using it for image and text creation

Also 2.99 in Canada! (on kobo maybe elsewhere). Excellent work I highly recommend it.

I want all writers to be into writing as much like themselves as possible. I hate to see someone say writing's so good they wish they'd written it. You couldn't have, you're you, & they're them. That's the spirit of plagiarism behind AI. Believe in your capacity to create beauty unique to you.

It's also on sale for $2.99 w/ Canadian e-book retailers (at least with Kobo and Amazon) so now's the time to get on the Asunder train! (Do you like body-sharing? Do you like weird and compelling worlds? Do you want to fight the gods? Try Asunder!)

I'm going to win.

No, but I will.

I needed a banner so I figured I might as well draw all of my favorite things ☁️🏠✨

You are not entitled to the training and labor of your comrades solely because you want it and aren't satisfied with your own work.

If anyone’s interested, this in-depth, spoiler-heavy interview unpacks some of the character choices I made in Chapter 31 of Asunder. (It’s the part where Ferain takes over. Very angsty. Much drama. Check it out?)

My next guest on #BreakdownOfAChapter is author of #Asunder & ruiner of emotions, @kerstinhall.bsky.social. This @tordotcom.bsky.social & @solarisbooks.bsky.social Horror Fantasy deserves, no demands, all eyes on it & I couldn't get enough, so naturally I asked to dive deeper!

Too many people on Bluesky think that relentless expressions of despair are a sign of intellectual sophistication.

Today I will purchase up to five (5) Kindle copies of Asunder, free for any of my moots who desire it. It's really that good. I need more people to read this. (And so does Kerstin.) (re-post to specify Kindle, I do not wish to ship hard copies.)

With the WP book section closing and other publishing news, I think literary people really need to adopt a punk rock mindset. It's DIY or die these days.

Okay, I’m doing a (paid!) writing test for the studio.

#DEAL ALERT! Calling all one-clickers because ASUNDER @kerstinhall.bsky.social is on #sale on #Kindle for a limited time only! amzn.to/4aw8PvT #Asunder #ad #amazoncom

i feel like everyone who quote-tweeted this post should be legally required to purchase and read Asunder.

The quintessential internet experience: seeing a man steal your joke, tell it worse, and get 16000 likes for his trouble.

i know i've been pretty quiet but here's the result of my January: a totally handmade, fully-functional marionette created for a local winter-themed puppet show. she's called the Winter Maw & she'll eat you alive, just like real winter

FRIENDS ENEMIES ANYONE IN THE VICINITY [deep inhale] BUY ASUNDER

I believe the whole point of making art is to be delighted by making it. Or perhaps more precisely to be gratified by making it--some art, for instance, comes from anger, and while anger is not delightful it is important to express, explain, convey, etc. That expression is gratifying.

Buy my favourite book? You should. very affordable giant spiders indeed

You can’t afford NOT to buy these spiders

I finished this two days ago and it was soooo good. I read a library copy but am going to grab a copy for my personal shelf.

This makes me think of the forthcoming TRACE ELEMENTS, a collection of non fiction essays by @adapalmer.bsky.social and @bluejo.bsky.social where they talk about genre expectations in one of the essays...

Got an interview! They seem enthusiastic about me, so I am optimistic.

New Interview: www.newyorker.com/culture/q-an...

Massive deal alert! I know I've hyped this book a lot, but that's cause it's fantastic and I need more people to read it and fall in love with it so we can get the damn sequel!

This is a truly interesting fantasy novel that I very much enjoyed, and you cannot go wrong at this sale price. Go for it.

Have I bugged you about reading Asunder? If so, and you haven't yet, now's the time. If I haven't, then let me correct that shameful lapse: read Asunder!

Asunder was my first read of 2025 and it was an absolute fucking banger. Read it if you want your soul to be destroyed

Starting my February reading with Asunder by @kerstinhall.bsky.social

tell your friends, enemies, and anyone else in the vicinity who might have two dollars and ninety-nine cents. url-shortener.me/ABSD

A Black-capped Chickadee showcasing winter fashion by donning a snowflake accessory.

When you meet all but one of the listed criteria, it is heartening to read the flood of replies/quote posts that scoff at the notion that a suitably qualified applicant should be satisfied with $40 an hour.

Asunder by @kerstinhall.bsky.social is out in paperback! A deathspeaker, locked into an irrevocable compact with a terrifying eldritch being, uses her powers to pay the rent by contacting the newly dead. Then she accidentally binds a man with dangerous secrets to her shadow... 💙📚🪐 #Horrorsky #SFF

"But do you really need an explanation for why someone can’t produce a novel? It’s not weird to be unable to write a novel—most people can’t."

I read glowing reviews by @mollytempleton.com and @hawkwinglb.bsky.social in '24 so I've had this on my radar for a while and yes - whoop - it's moving, exciting, thought-provoking, thrillingly weird and metaphorically rich. Loved it 💜 #booksky

I just sent off my portfolio for a cute games writing opportunity, hold thumbs for me.

Behold my beautiful bread.

can I tempt you into signing up for my newsletter? www.kerstinhall.com/newsletter/

This is tricky to say as an outsider, but I hope the US people on here are doing all right. I find the bravery and the resilience of those resisting tyranny moving, and I fervently hope your efforts are rewarded.