I've spent all my free time over the last two days trying to create two paragraphs describing WHY my protagonist would do what I need him to do so the rest of the book can happen. I'm not napping. I'm thinking. Promise. #amwriting #writingcommunity

Reason No. 281 for not wanting to be in Toronto in January. #snowstorm #winter #windchillsucks

Cracking 75K in my work-in-progress is a Christmas miracle. 😂 #writingcommunity #amwriting

A last article (for now) talking about AI and writing. Specifically about why AI-generated books aren't likely to be as bad for business as authors suspect. bit.ly/496zEFc #writingcommunity #ai

The area in front of Toronto's City Hall is very busy the Saturday evening before Christmas. #traveltheworld #torontocityhall #chrustmad

The difference between the East and West side of #aruba is massive. All because of the trade wind in the southern Caribbean. #traveltheworld #travelphotography

There's something awesome about watching animals just go about their day. #traveltheworld #aruba #ttavelphotography

I'm pretty certain 'iguana' is an imperial unit of measure. 😂 #aruba #traveltheworld #travelphotography

Sunsets on #aruba are considered to be among the most spectacular in the world. Your call. #traveltheworld #sunset #travelphotography

Suck it, fantasy fans. I got an email from George R.R. Martin the other day, and you didn't. Not only does he want to chat with me, he even signed the email 'Steve Martini', so I'd know he wants to keep this quiet. I live such a blessed life. 😂 #writingcommunity #scams #spam #georgerrmartin

If you're trail running in Arikok on Aruba, be aware that tree branches will jump into your path. Branches with sharp, spiky parts #trailrunning #arikok #aruba #travektheworld

When I don't post pictures, it's usually because I'm in Toronto and there isn't much worth sharing. But right now... #aruba #traveltheworld

Understanding why LLMs are not 'smart' is critical to recognizing their limitations. And why they are NOT a threat to authors, regardless of the hype. My latest Substack post, AI - Breaking it Down, goes into the reasons you have no reason to be afraid. 😆 bit.ly/4izz9b2 #writingcommunity #writing

The ongoing onslaught of spam. First, the name in the email differs from the signature. Second, the person could find the book on Amazon, but damn, that Goodreads interface (owned by Amazon, BTW) is just too much to figure out. 🙄 Still, good for a laugh. #writingcommunity #stopthespam

Just finished a long action scene that sets up the path to the climax. Cracking 70K words means it's all downhill from here. My goal was to get the first draft done by the end of the year, and I now think I might make it. #writingcommunity #amwriting #deadlinessuck

This is the dynamic duo. @jamesletoile.bsky.social has his 'plot hounds'. I have my 'reasons I need to keep a steady paycheck'. Kibble and treats don't pay for themselves. #writingcommunity #dachshunds

Yesterday, while writing a scene, I had a stroke of inspiration that was perfect for the story. Didn't plan it. Didn't see it coming. Honestly, wish I could replicate it on demand, but that's not how these things work. 😆 Moments like that are why I truly love writing #writingcommunity #amwriting

Writing pro tip: Don't name your main characters similarly to your pets. My MC is Sticker. My dog is Snickers. I spend a lot of time backspacing and retyping in my manuscript. 😂 #writingcommunity #amwriting #protip #dachshunds PS - The picture is my dog, not the MC.

I'm not SAYING I overuse the word 'look' in my first draft. Autocrit is saying it for me. 😂 This is for a 6K block of text. I guarantee that number is much, much bigger across the entire manuscript. Turns out, my 90K manuscript is 5% filler words. 😂 #writingcommunity #amediting

For a longer argument in favor of the 'AI is a Bubble' theory, check out this Substack. It drills into the detail, including a discussion of the circular commitments that, IMHO, are the core of why AI based on LLMs is a bubble. substack.com/home/post/p-...

I'm still chuckling at San Altman's response when being asked how his company, with $13B in revenue (not profits), expected to pay for the $1.4T in capital expenses it has committed to over the next eight years. Yeah. It's a bubble. youtu.be/Gnl833wXRz0?...

Can I just say that the inundation of spam requests to help promote my 'books' is growing. These are emails I've received between Wed and Sat. Some of them named books that I've written or been part of, so there's that. But still. #writingcommunity #bookspam #ImNotBuying

If you ever wonder why I constantly seek out warm destinations to visit, these pictures are taken in Toronto 24 hours apart. #traveltheworld #ihatewinter

My latest Substack post, the first in a series on how AI and authors can co-exist, is now live at bit.ly/3XeGwKU #writingcommunity #AIforAuthors #writing

I will never tire of watching the ocean, and being impressed by the people who play on top of it. #maui #northshore #traveltheworld

Whenever I see this sign on a #maui street, I immediately picture sandplows swooping in to clear out the drifts, making the roads safe again. #isitjustme

Adulting makes for soooo many difficult choices. 😂 #bluejays #decisions

My latest Substack post is up. The key plot elements I use to keep a story strong. bit.ly/3WfoBUe #writingcommunity #amwriting #writing

Things you see swimming 50m off-shore in #maui #hawaii #traveltheworld

You can hear the sizzle as the sun hits the water. #maui #sunset #traveltheworld

My favorite comment from the #BlueJays Game 1 #worldseries

If RedBull gives you wings, imagine what the Indonesian version does to my travel talisman @stacy.b.woodson #sumatra #indonesia #traveltheworld

I have a new post on my Substack -- My first attempt at Flash Fiction. Check it out here: bit.ly/42KzPno

After spending a few days in Sumatra, Indonesia, it's time to begin the second half of our circumglobal tour. I leave you with some pictures of #LakeToba and #SamosirIsland. #traveltheworld

Watching a storm roll in on #Samosir #Indonesia. I was really glad this didn't happen yesterday, while my partner was running up that slope @trailofthekingsbyutmb #trailrunning #traveltheworld

It's weird to post these at 10pm my time, so my friends see them in the morning their time. The Merdeka 118 tower in #KualaLumpur #traveltheworld #travelphotography

As I leave Italy on my way to Asia (Kuala Lumpur and Indonesia), I leave you with the two most memorable parts of Sicily -- Mount Etna and pizza 😁 #traveltheworld #italy #sicily #etna #mountetna #pizza

#TrainRunning Mount Etna was interesting. A 600m climb, and I wasn't close to the top. What's more, I had to dodge thousands of ladybugs on the ground as I ran. But the views? Stunning. #mountetna #traveltheworld

First full day in #Sicily, I get to see both mountains and sea. Specifically #mountetna and the #ioniansea #traveltheworld

Last day on Sardinia, so these are the last #trailrunning pictures until Sicily. And yes, even in my advanced age, I could outrun the turtle. Probably. 😆 #traveltheworld

Editing a manuscript often raises difficult life questions.#amediting #writingcommunity

Didn't mention this guy in the collection of fauna I saw while trail running because he decided to jump into our car while traveling at highway speeds. I thought it was a small stone. Imagine our surprise when, 20 minutes later, we discovered that it wasn't. #traveltheworld #sardinia

Some of the disinterested fauna I spotted while on a 12km training run. Running 12k for a 10k race! Have I mentioned how much I love my coach? #trailrunning #sardinia #traveltheworld

Now this is what #trailrunning should look like 😀 #sardinia #traveltheworld #travelphotography

A few pictures taken in #Sardinia while training yesterday. It wasn't the nicest day out, but it would have been a lot worse an hour later when a thunderstorm rolled through #trailrunning #traveltheworld.

My Professional Visual Studio 2013 book seems to have struck a chord with book clubs. About time. Every time I mentioned my authorship in the past, it was met with a lack of enthusiasm by the opposite sex. Apparently, its time has come. 😂 #writingcommunity #spammers

No, none of these are local to Sardinia. Yes, we travelled across the Atlantic with them in our luggage. No, I don't think we have a cured-meat problem. Why do you ask? #traveltheworld

It's travel day, as I head back east for a couple of days, then on to Sardinia. So all I can offer is a few extra photos of things not seen while #trailrunning in Toronto😆 #traveltheworld #nosehillpark #calgary

I love it when spammers make it so obvious. Visual Studio is a tool used by software developers. I wrote books about it over a decade ago. I can guarantee there are no themes that would generate any thoughtful discussion for any book club on the planet. 😂 #writingcommunity #scams #notabookclub

My semiannual visit to see my dogs in Red Deer. Okay, my daughter is there too. But dachshunds are the real reason I'm there!!! #reddeer #dachshunds #pupcups