Out microfiction comp & subs to our anthology close on 15 Feb! That’s closer than you think!

So... poor Cornwall, hope the Scillies are OK (wind just blew something loud across our garden... hit the ground so hard, our kitchen vibrated) www.itv.com/news/2026-01...

Started reading a sample of Giuffre's Nobody's Girl and didn't even make it through the collaborator's note before my heart sank into my stomach.

I am eating Nerds.

st story of 2026 by @sagetyrtle.bsky.social ! "You are a billionaire’s new, about-to-turn-19 wife. You are the youngest person at the Mint Green Party, which is being held in Central Park." fracturedlit.com/the-billiona...

My evening will be spent going through as many collections as I can find and endless websites until I find an old-ish (2010-2020?) flash about a woman popping caterpillars because someone referred to it, and I semi-remember not only the story, but talking about it, and now it's driving me mad.

Me, 'Oooh, 1st Jan! I'm going to build a whole new spreadsheet to track all my submissions, and I'll log all the submissions I've done before, too! Whoop' Me, a day later, 'OMG, would you look at those rejections.'

Is this your vibe, 2026? We're going with 'phew'? I'll take it. Wordle 1,657 6/6 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟩 🟨🟩⬜⬜🟩 ⬜🟩🟨⬜🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Subbed a thing.

I want to see Hamnet so much.

I want to share this clip from IG, New Yorker interview with Chloé Zhao on Hamnet, and the physical sensation of listening to Shakespeare when you don't understand all of the words: www.instagram.com/p/DR9wG6Fko1Y/ Longer interview available on Apple podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

Today's attempt was, apparently, magnificent. Wordle 1,632 2/6 ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

I am Christmas shopping. It is steampunk.

It's really good.

Jac 26/2/09 - 26/11/25 Good boy

Tonight was supposed to be structured edits, but instead I've been coaxing a very old dog through the night. There was cheese.

Editing a piece: it's 11 words over the count. Eleven. Every remaining word is where it's meant to be.

Bridport's open, I think Bristol opens next week, and SLQ Mikey closes tonight - go, go, go!

Come write with us. It's free. Five events each week between Nov 8 and Dec 14. Promptember will be an energetic promptathon with breakout sessions to awkwardly chat (a tradition at SmokeLong). Do 1 event per week, 3, or all. Donations go to @sundresspub.bsky.social www.smokelong.com/ready-for-pr...

When you write for a 250-word limit, and hit 750 words. Maybe I'll just delete the spaces between.

The flip side of this is the male author who was asked about his writing routine, and who talked about how much he loved the feeling that he could close his door and then “the day is completely yours” to focus on writing. He had, at the time, two young children… and, of course, a wife

Meh Wordle 1,599 3/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬜🟨🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

A word used a LOT where I live. Wordle 1,583 2/6 🟩⬜🟨⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Happy World Bread Day! One of my favourite etymologies is that the words "Lady" and "Lord" come from Old English "hlafdige" and "hlafweard," essentially meaning "one who makes the bread" and "one who guards the bread"

Signed up for this so fast! It's exactly what I need. "All donations will go to SAFTA fellowships/residencies for trans, black and/or indigenous writers." Looking forward to this, @smokelong.bsky.social 💙

Current status: reading positive memes about Alan Rickman.

I just read The Boy Waits by Wendy Oleson @wendyoleson.bsky.social at @wigleaf.bsky.social Good, clever, killer ending: wigleaf.com

So for the first year in decades, I might actually have time to write this October/November. Does anyone know if there's an alternative to NaNoWriMo?

I think I'll watch A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL. Any good?

Today, I’m on a longlist 🙂

In the current furore about Raynor Winn and Moth, do we not still subscribe to "innocent until proven guilty"? I loved her book and I am refusing to judge until more information is available.

Thank you, @bathflashaward.bsky.social, for sending this beautiful treat. What a stunning cover! And it's chock-full of amazing stories... I have a day off today, so going to immerse myself in it now ❤️

I do not want an AI bot that can do my thinking and writing, while I clean the house. I want an AI bot that can clean my house, while I think and write.

This is so good I shared it with my writing group this week. Fabulous, heart breaking and a story which will linger with you long after you’ve finished reading it. A most wonderful piece by @brechtdp.bsky.social 🌟

Have you been craving a piece that plays with narrative perspective? We recommend SLM contributor @sashabrown.bsky.social's new flash in @barrelhouse.bsky.social! "Hijinks Ensue" uses second-person, future-tense address to create a surreal story which you can read online now: buff.ly/avMTBiv

It is the birthday of the novelist who wrote, “Man is born to live, not to prepare for life.” Russian writer Boris Pasternak was born on this day in 1890. #booksky #OTD

Everything about this screenshot sucks.

@davidallengreen.bsky.social do you have a choice? (Is it a badge with a pin, or is it stitched on?)

I read this a few days ago. It was so good, I decided not to enter this year's competition, but instead to read, or reread, past winning stories. This was not due to fear of failure, nor procrastination - it was a gift to myself; a step towards improving my work: a chance to learn.

@davidallengreen.bsky.social '"You should always double-check the legal cases AI comes up with." Aghhhhhh. Do. Not. Use. AI. For. Legal. Research. In. First. Place.' __ and then there's science and medicine.

Congrats to @theguardian.com for co-launching the #89PercentProject - reminding us yet again that vast majority of world’s people want climate action. The climate denial of the populist right is the minority. The media needs to reflect this & governments urgently need to show far greater leadership

Trees, waving in the breeeeeeze. Treeze.

Hadn't realised how cute these were

This looks fun

Few things as good for refreshing the soul as a moors stomp with a favourite person, and some fluffy faces

Jumped into this, this morning, and while it was beautiful, I have not warmed up since.