Adventures are nice, but a weekend of lie ins, regular routine, and lots of writing time is also wonderful. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity

Guess who's in here...

I got a short story acceptance today! Can't wait to tell you more about what it is and where it's found its home! #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

Exciting moment as a long time Countdown and @susiedentwords.bsky.social fan the other day when I heard the word 'deplane' in the wild. In spite of taking a lot of flights, I'd never heard it outside of the show before - 'disembark' being far more common.

American readers... I need you to know that in the UK, a 'flapjack' is not a pancake thing, but a syrupy, buttery baked oat bar. That way, you can fully appreciate and visualise this moment from 'Crying Out for Magic'... #writesky #writingcommunity #quotes

Writing café didn't have what I wanted, so I was forced to try something new and it was 😋 Outcomes of today's session: - ate tasty pistachio and yuzu pastry - finished fixing annoying find/replace errors - wrote 565 words on a short story and decided the overall plot arc (probably ish) #writesky

Yes, I am a real writer and I have read over this MS. ...which somehow still included the line 'they again dismiss it again.' #WriteSky #AmEditing

I forgot to post on Monday! Chapter 15 is one of my favourites. Is it because it has satisfying plot progression? Is it because 'tea solves everything' is one of the main messages I want to give? Little of column a, little of column b. Share your mug photos below! #readalong #amreading #writesky

Is there anything more satisfying than hearing readers comment with the exact themes and tone you hoped to convey in your story? NAILED IT! #writingcommunity #writesky

What do you reckon? Does Niall go for it or bottle it? Comment below with your guess, or get the book and find out. #writesky #readalong #portalfantasy #cosyreads

Mess #WIP progress continues - I have a version of my opening scene that I am happy with! (For this draft). #WriteSky #WritingCommunity.

Editing progress is much harder to measure than drafting progress. But this edit now has... ITS OWN FOLDER. Truly, a milestone. #WritingCommunity, do you struggle with any of thes? How do you track your editing progress? Especially if you’re more chaotic. #writesky #amediting

Reading is political. Writing is political. Flood the world with art about love, kindness and fighting for good.

To celebrate getting to the part of the book where my characters finally meet, I did a little read aloud. It's too long for here but you can see it on 📸 (same handle). #readaloud #writesky

I'm P. I write cosy, queer SFF My current (main) projects are querying a gentle book about befriending trees and taking up crafts, and 0th to 1st draft on 'Legends and Lattes X The IT Crowd.' With lots of short stories and other ideas getting occasional headspace. #QueerWritersChat #Writesky

So hyped that Crying Out for Magic is a finalist in not one BUT FOUR categories in the Indie Ink Awards! This really is 'pinch me, I must be dreaming' stuff. Thank you so much to everyone who supported me! #indieinkawards #writingcommunity #indieauthors

Read a snippet from a writing exercise at workshop yesterday, which prompted the question "Is James alright?" To which the answer was "No, James is not alright. James continues to be not alright. This entire book is basically James not being alright." This is now the book's unofficial subtitle.

It was quiet last week in read along land. This chapter opens with a couple of weeks having gone by, and some increased antagonism. I'm excited for the bumper group at the weekend. #AmReading #lbgtqbooks #writingcommunity #fantasy

I just got to use a new keyboard key! Submitting to a magazine that asks for subject info to be separated by a | This makes me oddly and nerdily delighted. I also researched it - it is called a vertical bar and is a style element not a punctuation mark. #WritingCommunity #GeekingOut

The unbelievable pride I feel in myself that I guessed Jamie's pun at the start of an episode of 'World Gone Wrong.' #Podcast #AudaciousMachine

First day in a while that I've done over 500 words. Feels good to have some semblance of rhythm back, even though it feels precarious. #AmWriting #WriteSky

Sat 10th. Crow brain says collect shiny treasure. What was in your hoard of possibly magical treasure when you were a kid? I was obsessed with fifty pence pieces after reading The Queen's Nose. #writingcommunity #writesky #readalong #amreading

A quiet week this week, apart from the crushing of some childhood dreams. Answer below - what's something you've overheard in public that piqued your curiosity? #writingcommunity #readalong #lgbtqbooks

Time is a little crinkly here, as the book is designed for a year where NYE is earlier in the week. So, let's pretend some time has passed, and squeeze in chapter 4. Share your answers below, mine are in the comments. #writingcommunity #amreading

'Crying Out for Magic' read along questions... Ch.2 If you could only wear one colour to work forever, what would it be and why? Ch.3 What's the best thing you've ever got in a charity/thrift/op shop? Answer below even if you're not reading along, or grab the book to see why these are relevant Qs

Looking for your first read of 2026? Grab the ebook of 'Crying Out for Magic' and read along in real time. The story starts at midnight on NYE, and is a warm, cosy hug in book form. Here's which chapters are coming up this week. #WritingCommunity #2026books #amreading

I'm nominated in multiple categories but 'best light read' seems like my best shot at convincing people on vibes alone. So, if you like the list below, consider voting at indiestorygeek.com/a/indie-ink-... Voting closes on NYE. #IndieAuthors #writesky #indieinkawards #writingcommunity

Me, all this week: Okay. I've got time. What do you want to say? Characters: *silence* Me, today: Gotta get up quickly and go meet my sister for coffee. Character: Oh, while you're showering, here's how my monologue should go... #WriteSky #WritingCommunity

Merry Christmas and may there be lots of books under your tree.

I am both excited and nervous about jumping into editing my zeroth draft. I love so much of what I have and I can see the potential, but now I have to make it live up to that, and I know there's so many brain tangles and decisions ahead. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #AmEditing

Bleugh, have multiple ideas for this character's backstory and I can't decide whether they add depth and compliment each other or just over complicate and pull focus from each other. Any tips for working out which it is? #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #AmWriting

Sending some December subs to magazines with a quick turn around, just so I can feel the invigorating sting of rejection one more time before Christmas. #WriteSky #ShortStory

Absolutely thrilled that 'Crying Out for Magic' is nominated in the #IndieInkAwards! Please help it get through to the next stage! Being passed on to the judging panel is based on votes. indiestorygeek.com/a/indie-ink-... #WritingCommunity #LGBTQBooks #WriteSky #IndieAuthors #Fantasy

I read my opening chapter and I can see a bunch of things wrong with it! As I'm meant to be editing, this is a good thing. Even better, I have ideas on how to fix them! Maybe I'm getting the hang of this writer thing? #WriteSky #AmEditing #WritingCommunity

This is TODAY! (Assuming you are reading this on Sunday 14th December). Come along to the Castle Tap in Reading for some cosy vibes, a reading and some bookish chat! #WhatsOnReading #BookSky

Trying to explain that you're doing a reading in Reading is as confusing as it sounds! But if you like cake, cosy fires and lgbtq fantasy romance, come see me this weekend! #WhatsonReading #ReadingBerkshire #fantasy #booksky

I'll be at the Castle Tap, Reading on Sunday. The event: free, and there's cake! The venue: lovely community pub with real ales and a real fire The book: cosy fantasy LGBTQ+ romance with tea, portals and libraries! Come down, say hi, hang out! #WhatsonReading #LGBTBooks #BookSky #Fantasy

Going to be on the edge of my seat watching to see if #PhantomPulse gets funded. Come on, people - there's just over 24 hours left to make this queer, 90s supernatural rock drama happen! #Podcast www.kickstarter.com/projects/aty...

This is giving me #KPopDemonHunters vibes but 90s and queer. If you want a supernatural musical drama full of found family and all the feels, back this in the next 4 days! Everything Lauren Shippen does is AMAZING. Make it happen, people! www.kickstarter.com/projects/aty... #PhantomPulse #Podcast

I invested my feelings in fictional people and then they hurt each other and now I hurt. Again. #podcast #fiction

Honestly, you had me at the words '@laurenshippen.com is making...' but then throwing '90s rock band musical' in there too? Shut up and take my money. I just backed PHANTOM PULSE - a 90s audio drama musical on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/aty...

Rejection but... 'Our Associate Editors enjoyed this story, and passed it up to the Assistant Editors. About 10-15% of submissions reach this stage.' Getting closer! #WriteSky #ShortStory #AmWriting

It's sad when you think a story's found its forever home and then it doesn't work out. But I am accepting that the magazine that took it is gone. I feel bad that they paid me and never got around to using the story, cos I know how tight it is for small pubs... But back into the world it goes.

Today I: 1) tackled my junk drawer and 2) leant that @joannechocolat.bsky.social made a giant sculpture of Chocolat rejections and then set it on fire Both of these things have been really great for how I'm feeling. #WriteSky

My brain is wonderful, because in the phase between sleep and waking, it came up with the whole of a perfect chapter. My brain is frustrating, because it keeps wandering into entirely unrelated things now I'm trying to write it down. #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #WriteSky

Youtuber: If you're watching this, I'm guessing it's because you're interested in changing up your career, getting into this field. Me, who is watching for character research:

One of the morals of this story is 'find someone who will geek out about your favourite books with you.' I think that's a pretty good moral. #Fantasy #LGBTQBooks #WritingCommunity #2025Debuts

Me, before being published: Ooh, these awards look so cool! I can't wait! I'll ask everyone to nominate me. Me, now published: Well this is cringe and I am picturing everyone laughing at my presumption. Nonetheless.... #WritingCommunity #IndieAuthors #IndieInk #Fantasy

Sometimes, the notes I leave to myself are so informative...

A quote from my debut novel, available now in bookish places, and one from my current WIP to celebrate managing over 500 words for the first time in a while. #WritingCommunity #Fantasy