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Charlie Stross
Charlie Stross
@cstross@wandering.shop  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

#WordWeavers 2 Feb—Do you enjoy writing "good", "bad" or morally gray characters more? Why?

There's no such thing as a "good" character, only gray-scale ones—but the ones who *think* they're good are usually the most morally depraved monsters in the story, which makes them interesting to write.

Although I enjoy writing a truly unhinged supervillain monologue once in a while!

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

#WordWeavers Jan 31: What’s your MC’s relationship with food like?

Elisabeti has a generally healthy relationship with food. She's never really gone without in an significant way, and isn't a gourmand or anything. If it's edible and gives her the energy to keep going, she's good.

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Billy Smith boosted
Charlie Stross
Charlie Stross
@cstross@wandering.shop  ·  activity timestamp 4 weeks ago

#WordWeavers Jan 29. Have you ever written a pet into one of your stories?

(Current WIP): Tabitha has acquired—and dotes upon—a vastly expensive pedigree spaniel named Jasmine who farts horrendously and likes to lick her mistress's face. Jasmine is also a very illegal biological weapons factory who can be programmed to excrete alarming viruses on command, and Tabitha has cracked her DRM so she breeds true.

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Charlie Stross
Charlie Stross
@cstross@wandering.shop  ·  activity timestamp 4 weeks ago

#WordWeavers Jan 29. Have you ever written a pet into one of your stories?

(Current WIP): Tabitha has acquired—and dotes upon—a vastly expensive pedigree spaniel named Jasmine who farts horrendously and likes to lick her mistress's face. Jasmine is also a very illegal biological weapons factory who can be programmed to excrete alarming viruses on command, and Tabitha has cracked her DRM so she breeds true.

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp 4 weeks ago

#WordWeavers Jan 24: Your MC has to start a new business with their current skills. What do they do?

Elisabeti would be delighted and relieved to be able to go back to working as a tailor.

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Charlie Stross
Charlie Stross
@cstross@wandering.shop  ·  activity timestamp 4 weeks ago

#WordWeavers Jan 24: Your MC has to start a new business with their current skills. What do they do?

(Current WIP):

Tabitha: it's obvious, she has to start up a new crime syndicate. Or a hotel chain. Or both. (There are synergies: it's her area of expertise.)

Jum: find an oligarch who's just rich enough to think everyone around them is stupid. Get them to invest heavily in your unicorn fart startup then vanish with the dosh. You know, the usual. Failing that: sell line-dancing robots.

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers Jan 23. How satisfied are you with your current story? Why or why not?

I'm only a few pages in to Elisabeti and honestly not too happy with it. I feel like I'm not landing something.

Considering letting it sit another few months while I work on other stories.

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Jess Mahler boosted
RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist
RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist
@sfwrtr@eldritch.cafe  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers 2026.01.21 — If in the middle of the book your MC discovered a foundling, what would they do with it?

Bolt works for the mob. A primary motivator for how she deals with the civilians trying to enter her life is not letting them get hurt by her employers. Discovering a child needing care, but whom has no parents she can find, would send her into a tail spin (figuratively only, since she's a day angel that can fly). Becoming attached would be catastrophic for her and the kid. There are few things she would go to the constabulary to deal with, but she'd risk the coppers for the sake of a child. No way is she keeping it; no way would she walk away, leaving it on the pavement either.

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#Cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion

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RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist
RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist
@sfwrtr@eldritch.cafe  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers 2026.01.21 — If in the middle of the book your MC discovered a foundling, what would they do with it?

Bolt works for the mob. A primary motivator for how she deals with the civilians trying to enter her life is not letting them get hurt by her employers. Discovering a child needing care, but whom has no parents she can find, would send her into a tail spin (figuratively only, since she's a day angel that can fly). Becoming attached would be catastrophic for her and the kid. There are few things she would go to the constabulary to deal with, but she'd risk the coppers for the sake of a child. No way is she keeping it; no way would she walk away, leaving it on the pavement either.

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#Cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers 22, MC or antagonist more successful at school?

Well.... there isn't an antagonist, and Elisabeti didn't have formal schooling, so... kind of a toss up?

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers Jan 21. If in the middle of the book your MC discovered a foundling, what would they do with it?

Elisabeti would absolutely pick them up and raise them alongside her cub.

Aswathi would be disconcerted by this, but 100% support her.

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers 19 Jan: Who is the most moral character in your story?

Eh. 'Moral' is a tricky word but I don't have the spoons to really dive into this, so I'll go with the simple answer.

Aswathi is the character who will do what he sees as right, no matter what.

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers 1/17: If cost wasn’t an issue, what would your ideal setting be for you to write in?

A dedicated office with a door. Windows that look out on forested mountains. Decorated in soothing colors with enough room for me to pace comfortably.

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers Jan 13: Where was your latest writing session? How did it go?

I have a desk setup on one end of the dining room table. It gives me a clear view of our combined living room/dining room setup (and anything the kids are getting up to) as well as a nice view out the window at the little patch of woods between us and the local high school.

Latest writing session was about normal for me -- lots of distractions and interruptions, but I plan that into my writing goals, so was able to hit the word count I was aiming for.

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Charlie Stross
Charlie Stross
@cstross@wandering.shop  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers Jan 13
Where was your latest writing session? How did it go?

Yesterday, evening because I'm a dirty slacker, 250 words added, 3500 words edited (I'm on a redraft marathon at the moment). Target was double that, but it's midwinter and I'm tired.

Same target today.

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Jürgen Hubert
Jürgen Hubert
@juergen_hubert@mementomori.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers January 13th
Where was your latest writing session? How did it go?

On Sunday. It was mostly #TeXLaTeX typesetting my latest translations for my "Master Volume" - my massive document with all my translations which I send out each month to my higher-tier Patreon supporters. (809 tales and counting.)

It's tedious work, but I am glad I've finished it this early in the month - hopefully, I can now get some work done on my actual book manuscript.

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers Jan 11: What does the opening chapter of your story reveal about the world it’s set in?

That there's recently been a war between werewolves and humans, and the wolves lost.

Many of the wolves are now in a refugee camp overseen by the human army.

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers 10 Jan: SC POV: Describe a perfect setting for you to relax.

Aswathi: Sitting in a tavern with a mug of cider, a plate of dinner, a skilled minstrel playing, and friends gathered 'round.

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Jess Mahler
Jess Mahler
@JessMahler@indiepocalypse.social  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers 9 January: Have you invented any words/sayings/swears etc. for your story?

Not for Elisabeti. I've done it for other stories, but I really didn't put the time into worldbuilding for this one that I usually do for my original worlds. I vaguely recall being so gripped by the story of The Price of Survival that i just had to start writing, before I had done any real worldbuilding.

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Jess Mahler boosted
Jonathan Snyder
Jonathan Snyder
@ItWasntMe223@social.epic-worlds.com  ·  activity timestamp last month

#WordWeavers 1.9 — Have you invented any words, sayings, or swears for your story?

For the #beloveduniverse, I invented an entire language. lol I've always enjoyed #conlangs so it was quite fun. Though it does slow me down when I want to do a sentence, realize I don't have the words, gotta design the words, and then start #writing again. lol #writingcommunity #indieauthor #iamwriting

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