Over the past five years, I’ve somewhat evolved a writing process that really worked for me, using Scrivener and Word together. Scrivener was where I put my worldbuilding details. Character notes. Oddball stuff like any weirdnesses about time, including timelines for the stories where timing was crucial. Synopsis. Anything that I needed to know about the backstory, all in one place, with easy access for reference purposes.

At the same time, I would draft a chapter in Word, with Scrivener open to let me refer back to the synopsis, or any other worldbuilding details—mainly because certain formatting things are easier for me to do in Word. As I finished each chapter, I pasted it in Scrivener, because I found it so much easier to look something up in an individual chapter rather than scroll through a full manuscript or open multiple documents to find a niggling continuity detail—or fix a continuity detail that became problematic later on in the story. I also devised methods for updating the synopsis as the characters changed and evolved, documenting the whole process. Oh yeah, I had it together. Really together. Not just for the Martinieres but for a couple of standalone books plus a couple of novellas.

Then 2025 happened.

I had finished the final work in what I had started calling the Martiniere Multiversal Family Saga. There wasn’t anything else I wanted to write in that world (after twelve books). Along with that also came the need to spend time not writing because we had a major project happening elsewhere. Plus, I needed to do something to revive interest in my backlist books. I spent time writing up some essays about my stories and…well, thinking about the next project.

Problem was, what I was facing for the next project was…something I had been poking at for five years (the Martinieres as well as several other writing projects between 2020-2025 kept me from having to deal with That. Damned. Project). I looked at other ideas and…none of them were adequately fleshed out to be ready to write. Either they required more work than the Damned Project or…they needed to cook for longer.

Sigh. The work in question is a followup series to my high fantasy series Goddess’s Honor, set in the world of the Seven Crowned Gods. I’d poked at the notion for five years, because while I had wrapped up the major threads of the Goddess’s Honor series arcs, there were still…things left dangling. I had intended to get back to the followup series but…it was a mess.

Yes, the Big Bad Emperor was dead. The hero(ine) who killed him in a magical duel (spoiler: he cheated first), also died but was raised up to be a Goddess. The fated hero(ine) became Empress. Meanwhile, in the new Empress’s homeland over the ocean, the Empress’s mother had defeated another Big Bad.

All well and good, except…it was clear within the story that the Empire was a mess. The Emperor had been covering up a lot of problems and they all showed up at his death. Over the ocean, that particular Big Bad showed signs of being defeated for now, but lurked as a potential problem.

I had written a few chapters. So once I was finished with the Martinieres, I blew the dust off, did some revisions, and…reached the 30k word mark, whereupon I realized that nope, what I was writing was more exposition than storytelling. I was facing the infamous “muddle in the middle,” plus…it just wasn’t falling together.

After the ease of writing the Martinieres, this was absolutely frustrating. I’d also started the story too late. Deep breath. Instead of that lovely writing process I had been using for the past five years, I needed to go back and rip everything apart. Expand events that I’d just mentioned as asides into scenes. Damnit.

And life just kept yanking me away from writing, so that I couldn’t give this book the concentration it needed.

Then I ended up with a nice cover for a previously released book from 2018 that I wanted to overhaul for various reasons. The process for doing that revision dragged me back into working exclusively in Word.

I didn’t like that. Especially since I’d gotten used to my combined Scrivener/Word system. Nonetheless, despite everything, I got it put back together, adding about 24k words to what was originally a 62k story. Filled in a few holes, added more material at the beginning, then completely rewrote the ending as well as setting it up for sequels. Klone’s Stronghold: Reeni, is a much stronger book than the original (if you want to check it out, it’s available at https://books2read.com/klonesstrongholdreeni).

But then it was back to the fantasy project. The more I hacked at it, the more I realized that the material I had originally considered sufficient for one book is…more like two books. There were conflicts I needed to expand upon, especially since my original concept was for a trilogy—and I couldn’t figure out where on earth the material for the next two books would come from.

I lacked subplots and subarcs.

Well, it was time to do the pantser thing. I had 30k, and too much of it brushed over what I had originally dismissed as not important to the main story. I’d made a big mistake.

So I returned to carefully expanding the story. But something happened as I worked. The stubborn, evasive story started coming to life. More backstory started hollering at me. Before I knew it, all the revisions expanded that initial 30k to 50k. I had a credible early arc, along with development of deeper themes and richer characters.

I’m now at the point where I can start ripping apart the synopsis for this fantasy novel and revising it. Back on track for my original methodology—once that synopsis is written. But at least I’m back on familiar territory, with a method that works for me. And I figured out the problem 30k into the book, rather than falling apart later. Definitely an improvement from my earlier writing days. Both books are stronger, thanks to those revisions. But it’s taken me…several decades of off and on writing to get to this point.

The lesson, of course, is that no one writing process is carved in stone. Different books will require variations in the process. I’ve been known to develop extensive and detailed scene matrices, but that won’t be necessary for this trilogy. The key is remaining flexible, and meeting the needs of whatever the story requires.

Sometimes those needs require a more structured process. Other times…a more flexible process. After twenty-four books, I’m still learning lessons about drafting my stories and—each book is a different lesson.

Which is as it should be. A good writer should never stop learning.

lexin

I spent yesterday volunteering at the local Repair Cafe. It was quite fun, everyone was welcoming, and I even got some sewing work in, which I almost finished. Next month I will remember to bring some sewing needles. I took my sewing machine, but it wouldn’t cope with sewing the fur side of the fur layer.

Thinking about it, I should have sewed the the other side, but that never occurred to me at the time. I just hope no-one ever turns up wanting something lined. That would take too long.

But I will go along next month.

Current Location: Bangor
Crossposts: https://lexin.insanejournal.com/328483.html

james_davis_nicoll

Six works new to me: four fantasy, one mystery, one non-fiction (from an unexpected source)... unless you count the fantasy-mystery as mystery, in which case it's three fantasy and two mysteries. At least two are series. I don't know why publishers are so averse to labelling series.

Books Received, September 20 — September 26

Poll #33662 Books Received, September 20 — September 26

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 32

View Respondents

Which of these look interesting?

View Answers

An Ordinary Sort of Evil by Kelley Armstrong
9 (28.1%)

Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst (July 2026)
8 (25.0%)

Following My Nose by Alexei Panshin (December 2024)
8 (25.0%)

The Fake Divination Offense by Sara Raasch (May 2026)
5 (15.6%)

The Harvey Girl by Dana Stabenow (February 2026)
5 (15.6%)

Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson (September 2025)
13 (40.6%)

Some other option (see comments)
1 (3.1%)

Cats!
23 (71.9%)

oliveoctupusink_feed

https://oliveoctopus.ink/swatchtools2.htm

Ink Swatching Tools Update

September 26th, 2025

A wooden block with holes to store writing tools filled with glass pens, nib holders, metal dip pens, a long glass stir rod, metal carving spoons, and a pencil.

I wrote a post about testing different fountain pen ink swatching tools over a year ago. My main conclusion at the time was that a variety of non-porous (metal, glass, silicone, plastic, etc.) tools could produce similar swatches that I greatly preferred over cotton swab swatches, and the decision of what to use going forward came down to which tools were the easiest to obtain, use, and clean. Since then, one of the tools I tested has become a significant part of my swatching toolkit.

Another aspect I didn't cover in that first post was considering how well the dip pen or nib used to label the swatch of ink serves as a writing sample "preview" of what an ink might look like from my pens.

A wooden block with 15 slots to store writing tools, filled with glass pens, nib holders, metal dip pens, a long glass stir rod, metal carving spoons, and a pencil.

Since I'm frequently swatching a lot of inks, my use cases might not match the typical fountain pen ink user—we all have our own specific needs and preferences. My aim here is to share my process for choosing swatching tools and dip pens rather than specifically recommending the exact tools and swatching techniques I use. (The topic of why and how to swatch is a whole other post altogether.)

Glass Stir Rods

The first glass stir rods I tried were a bonus item that came with another order, and the answer to "will they swatch?" was yes, surprisingly well! Those rods were 8 inches long—a bit unwieldy, and I worried about their fragility. After finding shorter 6 inch "reusable drink stirrers" in bulk and using glass rods a lot more, this has become the tool that best hits all three criteria of being relatively easy to obtain, use, and clean. It may not be an item someone already has, so on an individual basis another tool may be a better fit by being already available, but as something I can easily recommend and even hand out, nothing has beat the glass stir rod.

Closeup of the end of a 6mm diameter glass stir rod, with two containers of more glass stir rods out of focus in the background.

I use one jar or container filled with clean sticks and an empty jar to collect used sticks. This allows me to swatch a lot of inks quickly without having to clean the swatch tool between each one. A quick rinse under the tap and then spreading out the clean stir rods on a towel to dry is usually all the cleanup that's needed (pigmented inks might need more scrubbing if not rinsed right away). Despite my initial concerns, this setup has actually been pretty easy to take on the go—I've been able to demo and share these glass rods at several pen shows and meetups.

I love the range and character I can see in an ink by making an inky tangle of lines when swatching. I played around with different shapes but like these swirls best—creating a good balance of thin and pooling lines with lots of edges to show a range of character in the ink.

Closeup of an ink swatch with overlapping swirled lines in a rough circle for Van Dieman's Underflow which is a chromashading teal with shades of blue and purple.

I prefer this swatch style to the more solid swatches of ink I had been doing, and they are still pretty quick and easy to do.

Page of swatches for the 16 Teranishi Guitar Taisho Roman Haikara fountain pen inks, each swatch is a rough square shape with the name written below.

Pilot Iro-Utsushi Dip Pen

By far my preferred dip nib for doing a writing sample is the Pilot Iro-Utsushi dip pen with a medium nib. The fine nib is good too, but I tend to write with wider lines so the medium is a better match for me. These are available with either a plastic or wood handle. The plastic is very light and easy to throw into a swatching kit, and will fit into most bottles or sample vials without issue. The wood handle is a nice upgrade and has a flat side to keep the pen from rolling, the wider handle can be more comfortable to hold but may not fit into smaller bottles or vials.

Closeup of the nibs of 3 Pilot Iro-Utsushi dip pens: a medium nib with a translucent pale blue handle, a medium nib with a light wood handle, and a fine nib with a translucent dark gray handle.

I love the way this nib feels on the page. It's very smooth and produces a consistent, slightly wet, medium line. A single dip is plenty for writing out the brand and name of the ink which is all I need most of the time.

Three Pilot Iro-Utsushi dip pens on a desk: one with a translucent dark gray handle and a fine nib, one with a light wood handle and medium nib, and one with a translucent pale blue handle and medium nib.

I've picked this as my favorite, others may prefer a Kakimori dip nib or the newer Colorverse shuttle nib, the Sailor Hocoro dip pens (especially the option to add a feed to hold more ink per dip), a glass pen, etc. I usually carry examples of all these tools with me for people to try because they each have a different feel and their own strengths and weaknesses—trying a few things is a great way to find what fits your own needs and preferences.

Ink Swatch Discbound Notebook

With a glass stir rod and a Pilot Iro-Utsushi dip pen I get a pretty good representation of an ink, so I'll use these tools on multiple fountain pen friendly papers to really dig into a set of inks.

Tangled line swatches of eight Van Dieman's Natura Dualis inks on four different papers.

I've got a discbound punch to put all these loose swatches on different types of paper into an A5 discbound notebook as I explore different brands or series of inks, a particular color of ink, a group of inks picked up at a pen show, etc. So far this notebook only represents a fraction of my overall ink collection, but it's growing all the time.

Page in a disc-bound notebook showing 12 swirled swatches of brown fountain pen inks.

Page in a disc-bound notebook showing 8 swirled swatches of fountain pen inks from The Wet Pen in brown, red, blue, green, and purple shades.

Col-o-ring and Col-o-dex Cards

I swatch every ink I have a bottle or sample of on both a Col-o-ring and a Col-o-dex card. I established the style and tools I use for all these cards over 2 years ago, before I had glass stir sticks and the Pilot Iro-Utsushi dip pen, so I continue to use a different set of tools for those cards to maintain consistency.

Single blank Col-o-ring and Col-o-dex ink swatch cards laid out for swatching next to a small metal carving tool and a metal calligraphy dip nib in a swirled resin nib holder.

Inspired by seeing things like letter openers (artisanally bent or otherwise) used for swatching, I went looking around my house for tools to test. I found this tiny metal carving tool shaped like a small spoon in a toolbox—it's small enough to fit into most bottles and sample vials, ink sticks to the metal and collects in the spoon shape, and if I'm careful with the edges it won't scrape the cards. It works well for my needs, but as that specific tool is difficult to find I recommend either looking for a similar random tool or getting something like the glass stir rods that are easier to find.

A medium blue gray ink being spread on Col-o-ring and Col-o-dex swatch cards by a tiny metal carving tool shaped like a spoon that has been dipped in the ink, with the open ink bottle and dip pen in the background.

Close up of a small metal carving tool shaped like a spoon spreading ink diluted in water along one side of the Col-o-ring card.

I start by spreading ink about three-quarters of the way across the top of the Col-o-dex card and along the right side of the Col-o-ring card, then drip drops of water on the cards to dilute the ink left on the metal tool and create an ink wash. On the Col-o-dex card this ink wash finishes out the top band and covers the bottom third of the card, and on the Col-o-ring card the ink wash is along the left side of the card. These diluted areas tell me more about the underlying color(s) in darker inks, the colors may separate a little bit like chromatography, and they show how an ink might look when used for painting. The ink wash on the Col-o-dex card is also an artistic choice as a background for sketches (more on that later).

Closeup of a hand writing on a Col-o-ring card with a flexing metal dip nib including the name and maker of the ink, Colorverse San Francisco Fog, and a series of loops with thin upstrokes and wider downstrokes.

I chose to use a certain shape of slightly flexy, disposable metal "calligraphy" dip nibs for the text. While the flex of that type of nib produces some mix of thin and thick lines and varying levels of ink put down, continuing with this style of nib is a lot more about maintaining consistency (and being a little fancy) than it being the best tool for representing my typical writing with a fountain pen.

At this point I'm familiar enough with how this style of writing compares to when I actually use an ink in a pen to get enough of a first impression, but if you are establishing a style for swatching on cards like these you may prefer using a nib or dip pen that more closely aligns with your typical writing. A loose #6 Jowo nib can also fit in most dip nib holders and be used for swatching. I think one of the most fun things about swatching is figuring out your preferred balance of practical and aesthetic/artistic style.

Glass Dip Pens

The final tool I use on the Col-o-dex cards is typically a glass dip pen for adding sketches related to the name, color, imagery, or inspiration behind an ink, after the ink wash along the bottom of the card has dried. My love of ink goes beyond my lifelong obsession with color—I love the glimpses into the places and things that people are inspired by when creating and naming inks, whether that's something profoundly meaningful, fun and silly, or something in between.

The challenge of trying to represent an ink in monochrome, with limited real estate, continues to be a great exercise for how I want to grow my analog art capabilities and connect with my ever-growing ink collection.

Glass dip pens are by far my favorite tools to use for sketching with ink, with wood pencils being a close second for sketching in general. I rotate through several glass pens which range in price from less than $20 to triple digits.

A green silicone drying mat with six glass pens of different sizes, shapes, and colors.

The higher end pens like those I have from artisans in Japan tend to be smoother and more consistent—and genuine works of art. That doesn't mean I don't still regularly use some good pens I've found for less than $30 too.

Four Japanese glass dip pens from Glass Studio AUN, Hanabi Glass Studio, Takeda Mio, and Kemmy's Labo in a dark olive green pen tray.

A smooth glass nib can move in any direction and function at a range of angles, I find them to be very expressive tools. As I draw I often change how I hold the pen to produce different lines or fill in larger areas with the side of the nib. The varied nib sizes and shapes lend themselves to different uses.

A technique I've been using is after drawing with an ink for a bit, I'll drip water on the glass nib to dilute the ink remaining in the channels to produce more character and lighter shading in the sketches.

Closeup of the nib of a Hanabi glass pen with dark ink in the channels and a sketch of dark leaves out of focus in the background.

Closeup of the nib of a Hanabi glass pen with a dropper of water dripping ink onto the nib and lighter, diluted ink in the channels, and a sketch of dark and lighter leaves out of focus in the background.

Note: If I've added water to a nib, I always rinse and dry it thoroughly before dipping it back in a bottle of ink.

Continued Exploration

Just because I'm pretty happy with my swatching tools doesn't mean I'm not trying anything new! I've tried glass rods with different diameters including 5mm, 6mm, and 10mm.

The ends of three glass stir rods, one 5mm, one 6mm, and one 10mm in diameter.

I've tried other carving tools with a spoon shape at one end, which tend to work well but have a sharp point on the other end, and I still like the shape of the first carving tool I tried best.

A group of three metal tools with a small spoon shape on one end, one a bit shorter and less spoon-shaped than the other two.

I've tried other kitchen or lab tools made of metal or glass. The metal tools usually work ok but often have rough edges that will scrape the paper so additional smoothing may be required to avoid that. At this point I haven't found another shape of glass tool that works significantly better than a simple stir rod. But, trying any random metal or glass tools you already have is worth a shot, since in my experience anything that can fit into the ink bottle or vial and won't scrape up the paper or swatch card usually works surprisingly well.

A group of potential swatching tools including a long metal tool with a flat paddle on one end and a round ball on the other end, a glass scooping tool with a flattened disc shape on one end, a set of small measuring spoons with one labeled Smidgen 1/32 tsp.

Final Thoughts

I think it's pretty clear by now that I love the process of exploring inks through swatching. I find practical value in building up resources I can reference for myself and share with others. I also love the aesthetic value and artistry that can go into showing off ink—I never get tired of seeing ink swatches, from the simple and straightforward to the elaborate works of art.

If you are looking to start or refresh a swatching practice, consider looking at the items around you for a tool that will produce a swatch you like, fits into your ink bottles or vials, and is relatively easy to use and clean. Maybe you already have a slim letter opener on your desk, or a glass dip pen with a smooth handle and rounded end that would be great for swatching.

Close up of the handle of a glass dip pen that has a smooth round end like a glass stir rod.

Also consider the type of nibs and line widths you prefer in pens when choosing a dip nib for labeling your swatches in the same ink, since the closer these match the more you'll be able to preview what an ink might look like in your own pens.

As far as I'm concerned, aesthetics and artistry in swatches are entirely optional, but if that appeals to you—lean in, even if you aren't confident in your skills to do so! Speaking from experience, you might surprise yourself.

Having the "perfect" tools at hand isn't required, consistency and experience with the tools you have is valuable for getting to know your inks better. There are a lot of other details to consider when swatching like what type of card or paper(s) to use, the format and style of the swatch, how to sort and organize swatches, etc., but assembling your swatching tool kit is a good place to start.

https://oliveoctopus.ink/swatchtools2.htm

ffutures

Anyone want to bet against the possibility that the software needed to make this work will require really recent versions of the OS etc, thus forcing internet users to buy new phones etc.?

james_davis_nicoll

A grieving mother and her best friend break into a ghost museum to conduct illicit but surely harmless Ghost Day celebrations. Revelations await.

Bound Feet by Kelsea Yu

seawasp

... they start drilling.

This time it's the incompetent Secretary of War calling together effectively ALL of the flag officers throughout all branches of the military into a single meeting, in ONE WEEK, publicly announced.

I can't even BEGIN to address all of the reasons this is stupid beyond easy belief, and also highly concerning in other ways, but... holy Jebus.

First of all, wherever the meeting is held -- barring it being a hidden conference room in Cheyenne Mountain, maybe -- you have just created the biggest damn military strategic and tactical target the modern world has EVER seen. You literally have gathered the ENTIRE chain of command, minus the President (who in this case is worse than useless anyway), into ONE ROOM. A single attack could literally behead the USA's military machine in a few seconds.

There's a lot of jokes about how the top brass are expendable, and there's always a few that are, but the fact is if you take away HUNDREDS of people at the top of a regimented, strictly-organized military you will create chaos. There's SO many parts of that machine that assume a reasonably smooth flow of information from top to bottom and back up with carefully-designed succession backups.

But not succession backups fhree or four deep. The PRESIDENT is like a dozen deep, but most officers have one or two people who can step into their places and reasonably well catch the load. A lot of THOSE are people at or near that officer's level.

If you're taking away ALL the people at the top several levels, there's no backup or precedent for that kind of "beheading" strike.

So that's ONE level of stupid.

A level of CONCERNING is that we have no idea of the REASON for this meeting. Why the hell would you suddenly summon every single ranking officer to you?

I can't think of any reason that's GOOD. This could be a "show us this loyalty" moment, where they basically want to make sure every one of the top brass are behind Trump--- or are removed from office and replaced.

This could be a global strategy meeting (recognizing that Hegseth's idea of strategy will be barely superior to Trump's) in which they're going to plan some ridiculously overarching plan to get rid of *ALL* of "America's Enemies" in some bargain-basement James Bondian scheme.

I don't THINK it could be a Vlad Tepesch situation -- we're not quite back in the quaint era of executing all your enemies in a single ballroom -- but I am absolute stymied trying to imaging a halfway sane reason for doing this.

Our current government, ladies, gentlemen, friends, foes: a government of the grifted, by the grifters, for the grifters, run by clowns that would embarrass Pennywise and the Joker.

james_davis_nicoll

ffutures

Our wonderful Prime Minister is pushing a bill to make online digital ID compulsory for Britons. Apart from the sheer impossibility of making it work without crippling the internet, and the huge costs of making it work even it it were possible, especially with multiple countries involved with differing interests and competing schemes, it would massively invade everyone's privacy.

There's a petition against it here if anyone is interested...

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/reject-plans-for-a-mandatory-britcard-digital-id

Incidentally, I would strongly recommend treating any attempt to make this work as phishing and attempted identity theft, because a lot of the emails sent out about it definitely will be be bogus. Including most that purport to come from the government.

sfwa_feed

Posted by Planetside Crew

https://www.sfwa.org/2025/09/25/how-i-created-an-exclusive-london-writing-retreat-for-next-to-nothing/

https://www.sfwa.org/?p=52830

by Deborah Walker

It’s the liminal space between Christmas and New Year, and I’m dreaming of a writing adventure for 2025. There are some wonderful opportunities such as Clarion, Milford, Odyssey, Viable Paradise, offering residential and online experiences: workshops, retreats, residencies in faraway places—on the seas, in European castles, on cowboy ranches—with famous and fabulous writer-mentors and a dozen new writing friends.

I want to do them all.

Imagine, a week of writing immersion and friendship. My stories improving in leaps and bounds. In a few years, my sales are through the roof, I retire my other half, there’s a movie in the works, (but I’m not famous). I want to level up. I want transformation. If I go to one of these events, my writing will finally be everything I want it to be.

But transformative writing experiences are often expensive, selective, and have significant time and travel commitments. Like many of us, I’m pushed for time and troubled by the cost-of-living crisis. This is going to be another year when the opportunities pass me by. I’m disappointed. It seems like these workshops are out of my reach and will always be so.

So Many Writing Choices

Downhearted, I do what I always do in these situations, I complain to my writing friend, Sylvia.

And one of us, probably Sylvia, because she’s much smarter than me, suggests a DIY writing retreat. I’m all over this idea. We need to decide what kind of experience we want and how to do it on the cheap.

Retreat: Go somewhere different; write on your projects. In your free time, talk with other writers.
Workshop: Learn craft, often from a famous writer, through lectures, workshops, and feedback, and from peer-led critique.
Residency: Go to a special place and write, often with a commitment to create work for the host.

A DIY experience is undoubtedly different, but in some ways it’s superior. We can tailor our writing adventure to our whims.

Join me in a snapshot tour of our writing retreat, and let me suggest ideas for planning your own.

An Idea Is Born

It’s a week later, things are moving fast. I’m in a mini panic. I’m hosting the retreat, and it feels like a lot. I take a deep breath and start planning. Planning is work. Decide who’s going to do it. Consider travel, budget, and time restraints. Also, how many days will this particular retreat be?

Snapshots from Our London Libraries Retreat

It’s early January 2025, and we’re embarking on our London Libraries Retreat. It’s exclusive, just me and Sylvia, using resources I previously didn’t know existed—all for the cost of a week’s public transport. We’ve planned a real-life, seven-day retreat visiting free libraries and other free writing spaces.

We begin at the National Art Library in the Victoria & Albert Museum. Take time out of your day-to-day schedule—it may be a few hours, a day, a week, a real-life or online retreat, on your own or with others.

Interior of Victoria and Albert Museum Library in London. Rows of reading pews lined by bookshelves. — National Art Library, at Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England. Photo by Junho Jung. Wikimedia Commons.

We’re at the Wellcome Library, sitting in the foyer. I’m thinking about the curator talk I’ve just listened to, thinking about the transformation of lead into gold, eating my packed lunch, and drinking Bovril from a flask. How much is the retreat budget? Who’s going to do the cooking?

The next day, we’re in Wetherspoons, a British pub, enjoying breakfast. We worked for a couple of hours at my dining room table, so this is our second venue of the morning. Moving to a new place gives me a surge of energy. I must remember this when I get back to real life.

We’re in the British Library, which is free, like all the writing spaces we visit. London is a great place for writing, but you can do this anywhere. Google free places to write in your location. Libraries and museums are good places to start. Consider a spot of travel to widen your net. Write in nature. At a writing friend’s house. In a cheap cafe. On public transport with your rucksack as an unsuitable desk. Do you have a room of your own? (I have a settee of my own. Sadly, my family doesn’t acknowledge this.)

British Library Gate Shadow reading — British Library Gate in London. Photo by C. G. P. Grey’s Photography. Wikimedia Commons.

We’re on the tube. I’m reading a craft book. If you want to work on craft elements, consider this unsurprising detail: Writers write books. Pick your favorite craft book, work through a chapter, do the exercises at the end. And we’re part of an incredibly generous community; there are lots of free craft resources on YouTube and on podcasts.

We’re marveling at the neoclassical clutter in the Sir John Soane’s Museum, listening to music in The Guards’ Chapel, we’re in the Tate Modern. If you’re out and about, seek inspiration in your new surroundings. Attend free events, visit special places. Fill the creative well.

We’re walking fast along the dark Southbank. We’re late for a concert. I can see the Shard, but I can’t seem to get to it. I’m worried, but, wow, the view of the Thames at night is mighty pretty. Not everything is going to go perfectly, and that’s fine.

I say goodbye to Sylvia for a few days. Flexibility is our superpower. Sylvia takes the weekend off to visit other family and friends (and possibly to get respite from me).

We’re walking through a park. I’ve only a vague idea of where I’m going, but that building looks a bit familiar. Hold on a minute, isn’t that Buckingham Palace? Don’t forget to enjoy the location.

We’re walking along Holborn Viaduct, chattering like mad about writing. Sylvia really gets it. Find your writers online or in real life and schedule some time with them.

We’re alone in the National Archives study room. Sylvia is critiquing my pitch to Planetside (how very meta). Schedule critiques, co-working, or discussion sessions with other writers. Receive feedback on your work, and develop critical skills along the way.

Planning the Next Retreat

What a fabulous week yomping around London libraries. Writing can be hard at times, but it’s also a gift. Let’s have some fun with it.

We’re at the Quality Chop House, it’s been a very successful week, we’re celebrating our final day and already planning the next retreat. I wanted to attend a special writing event, but I couldn’t afford it until I realized just how rich I was.

We created a writing retreat that was everything we needed it to be, without breaking the bank. It makes me wonder what else we can do.

Editor’s note: Have you tried building your own writing retreat? What worked for you? We’d love to hear about your experiments, whether they were successful or chaotic. Pitch us your DIY retreat stories, and let’s keep the conversation going.

Deborah Walker lives in London with her other half and her two grown-up children. She’s published hundreds of short stories and a half-dozen novels. Her stories have been translated into a dozen languages. Find Deborah in the British Museum, trawling the past for future inspiration.

The post How I Created an Exclusive London Writing Retreat for Next-to-Nothing appeared first on SFWA - The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association.

https://www.sfwa.org/2025/09/25/how-i-created-an-exclusive-london-writing-retreat-for-next-to-nothing/

https://www.sfwa.org/?p=52830

james_davis_nicoll

More stories should dig into the chemistry, biology, and physics of falling in love.

On Writing Romance as Hard Science Fiction

watervole

The Morris Federation have been producing a series of short videos for many of their members. The aim is to get as many shares as possible, in order to boost the number of people reached.

So, here's the short video for Southern Star Longsword. We're a small, friendly team, who welcome men, women and children. We meet in Corfe Mullen on Monday evening. We're especially keen to recruit new musicians at present.

We perform English longsword dances (no connection to Scottish sword dancing), and write many of our own dances. Our latest dance - sadly, no decent video as yet - is danced to 'The Wellerman'.

james_davis_nicoll

Amid economic downturn and political strife, young American teen discovers her hidden potential.

Random Acts of Senseless Violence by Jack Womack

theyoungprotectors_feed

Posted by Alex Woolfson

https://youngprotectors.com/typ4/fallen-ch2-page-25/

https://youngprotectors.com/?post_type=webcomic7&p=39017

Was it something she ate?

Please note: These are work-in-progress colors. Vero should get me the final colors soon.

You can talk about this page at The Young Protectors Community here.

(Disqus comments are still at the bottom of this web page!)

Link to preview page (page 26) for $5+ Patrons:

https://youngprotectors.com/typ4/fallen-ch2-page-26/

Read the first chapter of my new novel, The Reluctant Incubus for free!

Long-time reader Adam Black let me know in the comments that he’d really like to get a taste for the writing in my new gay urban fantasy duet, Alvin Alonso’s Secret Files, which will be released on Amazon on November 10. Well, now that the editing is complete, I’m totally happy to share!

I’ve been working on this story for over two years. Curious to see what my non-comics writing is like?

Read the entire first chapter of Book 1: The Reluctant Incubus here!

(And please let me know what you think in the comments below.)

NEW PATRON THANK YOUS

The only reason I’m able to keep making The Young Protectors is because of the very generous support of readers like you on Patreon. Especially now. And we had 7 new folks sign up over this past month! So, please join me in sending out a very special thank you and welcome to the new members of the Woolfpack this week!

Comic Zen, Laetli, Martouf, Sebastien, Three Robins in a Bat Suit, Hans I. and and Ronald P.

Thank you so much for your amazing support, Comic Zen, Laetli, Martouf, Sebastien, Three Robins in a Bat Suit, Hans and and Ronald!

Thank you all so much for your amazing support! You and the other members of the Woolfpack are all the real superheroes of this comic!

ANNIVERSARY PATRON THANK YOUS

Your continued support has always been the reason I’ve been able to continue making this comic. And I am especially grateful to our readers who continue to support this comic month-after-month during this time. Thank you for letting me continue to create these pages. Thank you for being the real superheroes of this comic.

And so, I hope everyone will please join me in wishing a very special Woolfpack anniversary “thank you!” to those Patrons who have been supporting our work for a year or more!

First let me thank a pack member who has been supporting our work for the last 12 months as of this past month (Aug 24-Sep 27):

FutureStatic

(You totally rock, FutureStatic!)

I’d like to send out a big thank you to members of the Woolfpack who have been supporting our work for 24 months as of this past month (Aug 24-Sep 27):

Fred, Mark, Bob C., Russell F. and Mark N.

(Two years of support! Thank you so much, Fred, Mark, Bob, Russell and Mark!)

And a heroic thank you as well as for Woolfpack members who have been supporting our work for 36 months as of this past month (Aug 24-Sep 27):

Alex K. and Victor K.

(Three years of support! Thank you so much, Alex and Victor!)

I’d like to send out a big thank you to members of the Woolfpack who have been supporting our work for 48 months as of this past month (Aug 24-Sep 27):

AcheronPar1989, Eric D., Gerald O., Luciano S., Pab S. and Jonathan T.

(Four years of support! Thank you so much, AcheronPar1989, Eric, Gerald, Luciano, Pab and Jonathan!)

I’m sending a huge thank you to Woolfpack members who have been supporting our work for 60 months as of this past month (Aug 24-Sep 27):

Liam B., Stephen B. and Brian M.

(Five years of support! Thank you Liam, Stephen and Brian!)

I’d like to send a big thank you to Woolfpack members who have been supporting our work for 84 months as of this past month (Aug 24-Sep 27):

CodingEntity and Philip P.

(Seven years of support! Thank you CodingEntity and Philip!)

I’d like to give a massive thank you to members of the Woolfpack who have been supporting our work for 96 months as of this past month (Aug 24-Sep 27):

Blue, Greysteel-, Joshua, Kevin King, Setekh, Alex B., Shawn C., Ariel E., Brett H., Amber K., R. N. and Graphic R.

(Eight years of support! Thank you so much, Blue, Greysteel-, Joshua, Kevin King, Setekh, Alex, Shawn, Ariel, Brett, Amber, R. and Graphic!)

I’m sending a big thank you to Woolfpack members who have been supporting our work for 108 months as of this past month (Aug 24-Sep 27):

Liz, Lukyan, Matt C., Paul C. and James W.

(Nine years of support! Thank you so much, Liz, Lukyan, Matt, Paul and James!)

And let me also send out my biggest howl to members of the Woolfpack who have been supporting this comic and our work from the very beginning!

Here are the awesome readers who have been supporting me and this comic for 120 months (10 years!) as of this past month (Aug 24-Sep 27):

Arkenian, Axoto, RelwarcTheMighty and Windy H.

Thank you so much, Arkenian, Axoto, RelwarcTheMighty and Windy! Y’all are so awesome!

Thank you all so much for your amazing, ongoing support! It’s the consistent support that is what really allows me to continue making this comic. You all truly are superheroes!

(Would you like to make sure this comic continues? Ready to dive even deeper into The Young Protectors world? Learn more about all the benefits of joining me and your fellow readers as part of The Young Protectors tribe on Patreon and then join the fun!)

So!

So! We’re back to posting, and Cory and Karthak are back on the Holy Path! And they get the great honor of bearing witness to a true miracle!

Will this finally convince Cory that Almo is a holy being, worthy of his respect?

Tune in next week to find out! Hope to see you there!

The Young Protectors: Fallen Chapter Two—Page 25

https://youngprotectors.com/typ4/fallen-ch2-page-25/

https://youngprotectors.com/?post_type=webcomic7&p=39017

hrj

Perhaps the odd thing is that my overall reading patterns *haven't* changed that much in retirement, although I do have more time for it. A substantial amount of my reading continues to be non-fiction for the Lesbian Historic Motif Project, and that continues. In fact, I have to fight the temptation to spend most of my productive time working on that. But today I wanted to talk more about fiction.

Pre-retirement, my pattern was to have an audiobook going for commuting and my lunchtime bike ride (though bike rides were also for podcasts, since they fit better). If an audiobook really grabbed me, I'd find excuses to do things (like house or yard work) to continue listening. I generally also had one print book in progress at any given time, but they took a long time to finish because I didn't have a fixed context for reading. (Sometimes I'd read them during the break in my weekend bike rides.) Despite doing most of my buying via ebooks, they mostly just piled up because by the time I was done with work and other things, I didn't want to stare at a screen any more.

So what's changed? Well, for one thing, I cancelled my Audible subscription as part of paring down fixed expenses while I get settled into my new budgeting. But I decided it was well past time to actually get a local library card, and now I'm discovering the joys of Libby for audiobooks. I can't necessarily get the instant gratification (and there are plenty of audiobooks they just don't have), but I always have something going. And the borrowing logistics mean that once I've borrowed an audiobook, I make sure to prioritize it.

Print books aren't making any more of a dent on my time than they did previously, in part because my bike ride breaks are pretty much all LHMP all the time. So consumption is about the same.

Ebooks are getting a bit more of my attention. I'm trying to keep the iPad with the books (long story, two iPads for different purposes) charged up so that I can grab it when I'm in the mood. I'm gradually capitulating to the need to track about four different ebook apps, since Apple Books can get weird about showing me non-Apple books that I've side-loaded via the laptop. (It's not all-or-nothing. Some non-Apple books show up on my phone but not the iPad. And some do show up on the iPad.)

That brings us to reading during my recent New Zealand trip. Part of the trip plan was to include lots of relaxation time, and I cued up a bunch of books I'd been wanted to get to. One thing I found (when giving myself time and context for reading) was that I want to be more hard-nosed about DNFing when a book just isn't working for me. And one of the things that more and more doesn't work for me is books with blah prose.

There were several of those during the NZ trip. Stories that had a good premise, and themes that should be appealing to me, but the writing was just...not good. Not bad. Not awful. Just not *good*. Stories where if felt like the author was explaining the story to me rather than telling it. Stories where there were too many WTF moments in the plotting. Stories where the prose was relentlessly pedestrian. And because I started half a dozen novels in quick succession on the trip, it was easy to compare the ones that *did* work for me. Books with singing prose. Books with solid plot and character work. Books where I didn't want to get up from the couch until I'd finished them.

I need to get caught up with my "things I've read" posts, which will have more specifics.

james_davis_nicoll

Realtor Reiko Kujirai has many questions, about her apparent rival and about herself, but very few answers.

Kowloon Generic Romance, volume 2 by Jun Mayuzuki

james_davis_nicoll

sfwa_feed

Posted by Planetside Crew

https://www.sfwa.org/2025/09/23/estate-planning-for-authors-and-creatives/

https://www.sfwa.org/?p=52820

by Brenda W. Clough

I’m going to make a big assumption here: You are not immortal. If this is not accurate, email me, and we’ll write another article for Planetside about planning for your endless life. But if you are like the rest of us, you’re going to die someday. And you should think about it.

Why Should I?

The notion of one’s own demise is curiously repugnant for some people. I had an uncle who steadfastly refused to contemplate it or take any action about it. This meant that when he did pass, his affairs were in chaos. This is not a good look for anybody, but 10 times out of 10, it’s particularly bad if you are an author or creative. Because you have more value than just your personal property. You have intellectual property: the copyrights to your fiction or art. And these can be a huge cause of contention after you’re no longer around.

The basic rule of all end-of-life planning is: If you want anything done, set it up now. Everything and anything can be done, if only you’re above ground to do it. Once you’re dead, you get no more say in anything. You want a Viking funeral, to lie on a burning longship as it’s pushed out to sea into a golden sunset? Oral instructions are easily forgotten, misheard, or ignored. Write it down, or better yet, find the business that does Viking funerals and sign a contract in advance for their services, and you’ll happily burn.

The first and most important step is to make your will. It’s not necessary—in fact, it’s downright unwise—to wait until your golden years to do this. When you acquire significant assets, like real estate, a partner, or children? You should make a will. These things are too important not to plan for.

What If I Don’t?

If you die intestate (without a will), your estate will be subject to probate. This means the government will intervene to determine how to distribute your assets. But you, being dead, will get no input into these decisions. The authorities may do things that you’d very much dislike. And going through probate takes ages. My uncle, who was too nervy to ever make a will? He owned property. It took two years for his estate to go through probate, two years during which his widow needed the money, and his sons frantically struggled with New York state’s bureaucracy. It was the last thing the family needed to face after the bereavement.

Depending upon where you live, you may not need a lawyer to draw up that will. There are online forms that allow you to create a simple will. This works if you don’t own a lot of stuff. If it’s you, your car, and your goldfish, you do not have a complicated estate. But if there’s anything complex or important in your life, you should hire an expert, an estate attorney, to be sure it’s done right.

A competent estate lawyer will help you to arrange things the way you want, now, while you still have all your marbles. If you want to provide for your beloved Labrador retriever, if you want to specifically ensure that your worthless son has nothing to squander on riotous living, the lawyer can make this happen. There are hundreds of mystery thrillers and Victorian novels, excitingly plotted around intestate deaths, confusing or badly worded bequests, and squandered inheritances. A properly drawn-up will means you offer no inspiration to novelists. You want this to be boring, legal, and airtight.

Your lawyer will also help you draw up an end-of-life document, designating a person to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are no longer able to do so. Again, this saves your loved ones a world of hurt at a moment of tragedy and crisis. It becomes especially important if you become incapacitated but don’t die right away. You do not want a fight between your kids about who decides to pull the plug on your life support. A spouse or partner is the usual candidate for this role, but your lawyer should ask you to designate a backup person as well.

Then Your Literary Estate

The above is the absolute minimum in estate planning. But an author or a creative has that intellectual property. The executor of your will acts as you have instructed regarding your money, house, or children. And your literary executor will do the same for your copyrights and intellectual property. They’ll sign contracts for reprints, collect the payments, and transfer those monies where you want them to go. Consult your lawyer about this, because state laws vary. You may need a second document, or at least a letter of your intent, designating someone to handle your literary estate.

Who should your literary executor be? Select someone who knows you and your work. Let them be responsible and reasonably young. A literary executor older than you may predecease you, and then you’d have to do it all again. You’ll want to discuss this with the person in advance, so they know what it entails and can consent to accept the role.

Supply them with a list of all your publications to date, so they have a grasp of how big your literary estate is going to be. Mention to them any vehement feelings you have about media options, or having your stories telepathically transmitted into the reader’s cerebral cortex if that technology comes online before your copyrights run out. These instructions can be as simple or as complex as you like. My son is my literary executor, and my instructions were elementary: “Grab all the money on offer, and run!”

If you have no suitable person you’re comfortable with to act as your executor or literary executor, ask your lawyer again. The law firm may well agree to act on your behalf in this matter. Having an entity be your executor is no bad thing. Law firms don’t last forever, but they’re far more immortal than a human being.

Once you have your literary executor lined up, be sure to tell SFWA’s Estates-Legacy Program, which keeps track of them all. This will allow the Steven Spielberg of the 22^nd century to find your literary executor and negotiate for the telepathic rights to your novel without difficulty. Much more information is available at this link. This would also be the moment to tell any agents you may have, literary or media, that you’ve chosen a literary executor.

Wait, There’s More

This is the absolute minimum for an author. Even if you only have a couple of stories out, it’s only responsible to take care of your physical and literary offspring. But let’s suppose you’re a bigger player. You’re George R. R. Martin or Stephen King, with a dozen New York Times best sellers in your catalog, movie deals in development, or Netflix projects scheduled. Your works are not just sofa change but a major income stream.

At that level, you probably already have a lawyer to organize your career. She almost certainly has already told you this. If she hasn’t, ask her now about setting up living trusts. You can shelter all your assets in a trust that will outlive you. This trust can do anything you want: donate the ongoing income from your movies to worthy causes; allow your as-yet-unborn great-grandkids to afford a Princeton tuition; erect your elaborate tomb next to Chopin’s in Père Lachaise Cemetery. A trust is the main vehicle you can deploy to elude estate taxes. You can set up as many separate trusts as you like to protect one asset from litigation that might devour another.

Most crucially, a trust helps to cut off litigation. Your unborn grandkids may despise one another, but they’ll hesitate to sue if you set up a trust. It’s not a perfect guarantee, but because you’re setting up the trust and declaring your intent for it while you’re still alive, your intent is clear and inarguable in court. Not having a trust is worse. Not having a record of your intent gives your heirs the opening to litigate all the assets away like Jarndyce v. Jarndyce, or to make an embarrassing splash in the media fighting over your millions when you’re incapacitated or dead.

You read in the news now and again of people who did not organize their estates until it was too late. They’re no longer competent, or they died unexpectedly. The rats in their life seized the opportunity to crawl out of the woodwork. Suddenly, accusations fly, the cries of elder abuse or looting of the checking accounts. The dirty laundry is dumped out, the old girlfriends, long-lost offspring, or estranged relatives, all of them clawing for the money the oldster can no longer use. Everyone who admired that actor, author, or artist nods their head. What a shame that this should be her legacy! Do not be the star of one of these loathsome scenarios. Look your demise in the eye—and plan for it.

Editor’s note: SFWA provides the Bud Webster Legacy Kit to help professional creators compile the resources they need to protect their intellectual legacies.

Brenda W. Clough is the first female Asian American SF writer, first appearing in print in 1984. Her 2025 novel is a science fiction novel, His Selachian Majesty Requests. In 2024, she published the 12th book in the Marian Halcombe series, Servants of the Empress. A novelette, “Clio’s Scroll,” appeared in Clarkesworld in July 2023. A historical novel, A Door in His Head, won the 2023 Diverse Voices Award. Her novella “May Be Some Time” was a finalist for both the Hugo and the Nebula awards and became the novel Revise the World. She is active in the SF community, attending conventions and doing podcasts. Her complete bibliography is up on her website, brendaclough.net.

The post Estate Planning for Authors and Creatives appeared first on SFWA - The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association.

https://www.sfwa.org/2025/09/23/estate-planning-for-authors-and-creatives/

https://www.sfwa.org/?p=52820

james_davis_nicoll

would my Framework charge if plugged into one outlet but not another? I tested the outlet from which it did not charge and it works for other devices.

[Update]

I shut it down for an hour and everything works again.

james_davis_nicoll

Oh, the joys (and perils) of visiting unfamiliar places and times...

Adventures in Tourism: Five SFF Stories About Travel

Yog's Law: Money flows *towards* the author

Ink Swatching Tools Update

Glass Stir Rods

Pilot Iro-Utsushi Dip Pen

Ink Swatch Discbound Notebook

Col-o-ring and Col-o-dex Cards

Glass Dip Pens

Continued Exploration

Final Thoughts

So Many Writing Choices

An Idea Is Born

Snapshots from Our London Libraries Retreat

Planning the Next Retreat

Read the first chapter of my new novel, The Reluctant Incubus for free!

NEW PATRON THANK YOUS

ANNIVERSARY PATRON THANK YOUS

So!

Why Should I?

What If I Don’t?

Then Your Literary Estate

Wait, There’s More

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Yog's Law: Money flows towards the author