The sun blazes fiercely. Squinting, I step outside to close the shutters - that light stabs straight into the monitors. I slip back into the half-dark, power up the computer. My ancestors are cave dwellers, creatures of the dark. I open the text. Why go outside, when here I travel so much farther?

Up for a tiny writing challenge? The 7th annual 100-word Microfiction Challenge by @nycmidnight.bsky.social kicks off on March 20th! Learn more at nycmidnight.com/100

Okay, I’ve submitted a short story for the first round of the contest. Not sure what pushed me to apply — I’d only recently written a few flash fiction pieces for a marathon, and I guess I just wanted to keep going. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll still have a story I’m happy with.

Up for a writing challenge? Join me in the 20th annual Short Story Challenge by @nycmidnight.bsky.social on January 23rd! Learn more at nycmidnight.com/ssc

new post in my rat club - about #blnovells #bookreview #writersky open.substack.com/pub/alionapi...

Please, let me further, past what’s safe to name; admit me inward, where the borders flame— to touch each scratch, each bleeding seam in you, as deep as hurt, as close as hurt can do. #verse #poem

I got carried away with writing a new story, so I’ve been a bit off the radar. It feels like the antidepressants are finally doing their job, and I can be at least a little creative again! #amwriting #writesky

I decided to explore the theme of horror. I watch so many horror films and true crime, but coming up with a truly disturbing story is difficult for me. I tend to empathize with what’s supposed to be frightening. It’s hard to be afraid of a demon once you know its thoughts and vulnerabilities...

Today in #wipsnips one of my favorite beasts🥰 From one of my recent short stories. #writingcommunity #amwriting #wordbuilding #fantasyauthor #writesky

As for descriptions, including the highly specific ones—my icon is Janet Fitch. What she does in White Oleander makes me want to reread it forever, and then try literally everything she mentions. #summerofstory #bookrecomendations

Missed couple of days but here I am! #wipsnips with my favorite boys🥰

hey, my story took third place in a writing competition on @writersblockds.bsky.social shared third, so it kinda feels like fourth. joy is sharing the place with a bit of disappointment. still, proud of the piece and grateful it resonated with readers. #jupelwrites #WritingContest #AmWriting

This week for the #reedsy prompts I wrote two stories. They turned out quite different, but in both I’m playing around with the theme of #horror. Though so far it never gets past the foreplay stage. You can read them on my page! #amwriting #shortstory blog.reedsy.com/creative-wri...

Have you ever created a character who ended up completely reshaping the plot you had originally planned? What did you do — did you follow where the character led, or did you "make" them do what needed? what’s easier: changing the plot, or a character who’s already too willful? #writersprompt

Tried Shadow and Bone because everyone raved about it. I made it to page 7 and went to die in the pit. As a Russian-speaking writer… Not sure what hurt more: misspelled Russian words — or what she did with them. People say it gets better by the second book.. should i give it a chance? #amreading

True story, that's how I burned out haha

happily ever after 🥰

One thing about my writing — someone’s always quoting poetry. It might be a romantic haiku, a filthy folk rhyme, or a lullaby, but if the moment allows it, you can be sure a verse will slip in. I’m no great poet, so the verses are almost always short — but I’m helpless to stop myself. #AuthorSky

I’ve written an entire world for my novell, layered thick with legends, literature, saints and their lives, folk tales and old ballads. Much of it deserves at least a short story of its own. It’s not exactly shelved away for “someday” — I do plan to write it all. Unless I die first.

Mor is the master of keeping a straight face — so when even he can’t, I know something’s really off. #wipsnips #writesky #wtiterscommunity #amwriting #writingprocess

So I’ve started a little experiment: a rat’s-eye view on common pitfalls in short fiction. Just curious notes from a writer learning out loud. #writingcraft #writingprocess #writingmistakes #jupelwrites #writingtips #substackwriters #writingblog First entry is up: substack.com/@alionapires...

I’ve been digging through the #reedsy short story pool lately. Writers love being read, but don’t always read each other. Still, that ever-refreshing stack holds lessons in what works… and what doesn’t quite. #ratsdiary #writingcraft #amreading #amwriting

Oh, that’s easy! Mo Xiang Tong Xiu made me reconsider whether my intrigues were layered enough. And overall, her vivid, folklore-rich, deeply internal prose made me reread my draft for the hundredth time and deepen what had seemed like shallow waters. I adore her! #writinginspiration #LoreOutLoud

This week’s plans: working through burnout, step by step. It once spread from drawing to writing-that’s the risk of creative work. Push too hard, and the spark goes quiet. But I’m still here, and writing again, even a little, feels like a good sign. #writingmotivation #creativeprocess #writerslife

Laurent is a classic bastard who blazes past us like a comet — but I kind of like him, so I generously granted him a childhood trauma to make him even more endearing. The sacred right of an author! #wipsnips #writingprocess #characterbuilding #indieauthors #writerscommunity #writesky

Share 4 years of your #art 2021-2022-2024-2025 It’s hard to call myself an artist right now, when I’ve burned out down to embers. But over the past few years I really did push my drawing skills forward. It’s just a shame it’s come to the point where I can’t draw anything anymore.

Finally I didnt forget! #summerofstory #sundayshare #fantasyauthor #writesky

Never thought about archetypes in my novel, but turns out they’re there — and deliciously so. And this is just my boys: #loreoutloud #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #writesky #QueerFantasy #WritersOfBluesky

Made myself a little reminder #writingmotivation #writingcommunity #indieauthors #writersofbluesky #writesky

My suspicions were correct — I practically rewrote this story. I honestly have no idea how people manage to write what they need on the first try 🫠 #AmWriting #AmEditing #WritingCommunity #WritersOfBluesky #authorstruggles

Today my Mor is in trouble. Though, on that day, it was the least of his problems. #wipsnips #darkfantasy #wipwriting #wipsnippet

The word allergic only appears once in the entire book - while my aristocrats are pecking each other. As you can tell, this chapter is still mid-edit. I’ve only done a “what don’t I like” pass, so here’s a little #behindthescenes peek. #selfediting #fantasywriting #writinginprogress #wipsnips

This one came together surprisingly quickly. Compared to the last story, which took four days, this one was done in just one. It feels... almost too smooth. Like I must’ve missed something — but I can’t see where. I’ll let it sit for a few days and look again with fresh eyes. #writinglife #amwriting

My short stories you can read here! blog.reedsy.com/creative-wri... #qweerwriterschat #writersky

The new friday prompt on reedsy is out-and I already know what I’m going to write. I’ll try not to stretch the story too much, but I can’t promise anything. These pieces are going to be part of a short story set in my book’s world, so every time I’m tempted to cram in as much lore as possible…

In todays #wipsnips my girls trying to poke each othes, having no idea what author will make them do later... #writerscommunity

Reedsy sent out one of those “please critique a couple stories” emails, and me-being a perfectionist and a professional overthinker-responded with the gentlest monsters of comment sections. Like, full literary dissection but wrapped in compliments and soft language so I don’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

As a bloom wind-plucked, Butterfly kisseth thy wound— Yet #wings are brittle. #vss365

Renar one of the side characters I love from all my heart, I will definetly give him more time in a book 2-3. #wipsnips #snippets #snippetsshare #writingcommunity #sidecharacter

Page 133 it is a beginning of chapter 11, so here is epigraph and some first lines... Told you, I have verse for everything. Writed a whole library for the one book😅 #jupelwrites #humpday #snippetsshare #snippets #writingprocess

This is one of those scenes in my novel that I heavily rewrote during editing. Originally, it was fairly minor — now I’d like to believe the meaning I’ve layered into it makes the story richer. I might still trim some descriptions in the final proofread… #wipsnips #writingcommunity #writesky #author

Yes, I think this is the only kind of love I’m interested in writing about. I love slow burn, crossing that forbidden line, step by step, along with the struggle against oneself. And I’ll compose three poems and a ballad about impossible love, just so my characters have something to cry over.

Another #wipsnips from my latest short story. Btw you always can read my stories here: blog.reedsy.com/creative-wri... #writingcommunity #jupelwrites #writesky

I took my evening pills too late last night. Now I can’t wake up. I’m not taking on any big tasks at work today. I try to pause on bad days - to slowly pull myself out of burnout instead of digging deeper into it. I know how to push myself. Now I’m learning how not to. #mentalhealth #authorslife

Today’s #wipsnips is from my latest short story. We finally have some dialogue... It was a tough one to write. Still, I’m happy with how it turned out! It will be posted on #reedsy. #writingcommunity #shortstory #author #writer #readingcommunity

A little intro💖💖

Sir Laugh-a-Lot laughed at his foes— oh yes, quite a lot. He believed hearty chuckles made a braver knight— or so he thought. At night, he’d #laugh at the knights— every knight, every night— till one fateful night, Laugh-a-Lot laughed at King Lot, which proved not so bright. 1/2 #vss365 #poem

Today again #wipsnips from my last week #shortstory You still can read it on #reedsy 😘😘 blog.reedsy.com/short-story/... #writingcommunity #readingcommunity #amwriting #author

Morveiyn may be a severe introvert, but he’s managed to throw an entire balance-obsessed confederation into chaos. So yes - he’s very much that guy. 😏 #WritingCommunity #WritingQ #amwriting #fantasywriters

My husband can write a short story in a single day. Yesterday, I wrote a first draft — about 3,000 words. Today, I edited it and rewrote the whole thing from third person into first person. #writingprocess