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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 2h

Deserved! It's a great book and the sequels keep the quality up I finally have enough attention span and free time to start Chosen One Con and I'm excited!

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

anyway Barmaid/Blooddrinker are just the two main characters of that book The Soul of War is a play on the magic system (Soul) and the themes (the costs of war, etc). I actually really like this title and yes it took me forever to come up with it

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

I hate titling It takes me almost as long to think of a freaking title as it does to write the book My current WIP doesn't even have a real title yet, I just working titled it Barmaid/Blooddrinker (shit title that I hate) because I HAVE TO CALL IT SOMETHING and at least that's kinda pithy

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

This is the part of enshitification that we don't talk about enough tbh

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

2 weeks or so? Final pass should go much faster than first round revisions

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

I'll drop you a DM when it's ready!

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

for draft 2, but I managed to add about 6k words. It's still short at 61k, but that's fine for a horror/thriller/whatever this is Looking forward to getting feedback, especially since this is my first attempt writing a f/f romance. Hopefully my friends and colleagues can keep me straight there

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Next steps: do a final pass, accept my own revisions, change 2 more things (only 2 I swear!) and then start looking for betas! So among the few who said they're interested, look out for that in the next few weeks Working on this draft, I honestly found a lot to be proud of. Not too much changed/

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

And the first revisions of Barmaid/Blooddrinker are DONE 26/26 chapters, 61k words, wound up just fleshing out the final chapter more rather than merging it. Reworked the resolution of the romantic subplot, but hopefully in a way that still works! #WritingCommunity #Writesky #AmEditing #booksky

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

And with that, the climax of Barmaid/Blooddrinker is edited 24/26 chapters done The resolution is SHORT, I'll definitely add more or just combine those last two chapters into one, we'll see how I feel tomorrow. But for now, let's go make some chili #WritingCommunity #amediting #WriteSky

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

and sad at the end. She has a girlfriend now though!

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

So far, the "responsible one" in the first book doesn't really get corrupted, but she does get the absolute shit kicked out of her (she cares too much and can't help but blow herself up for the team's safety) Gaggle in the current WIP is only 3 strong, but the "normal one" is mostly just tired /

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

No matter what I write, I'm writing a gaggle of weirdos who are in way over their heads And at least one person will be nice to them with no ulterior motive!

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Heyo, glad your time off has been good! My unproductive week is over and I'm back to editing. Beta draft will be done any day now!

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

That's the current project Draft 1 > Edit > Final Pass > Draft 2 > Betas We're at the "edit" step

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

60-65k I'm a serial underwriter (draft 1 was 55k) so my 2nd drafts are often "get this thing to a better length without adding unnecessary fluff"

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Unproductive week is over! (Yay!) Draft 2 just crossed 50k, and we're setting up for the climax To celebrate, here's me in a suit from my job interview Friday, which went pretty well! Been talking to this company for months now so finally moving forward #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #AmEditing

A mirror selfie of me in a grey suit jacket and red tie

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Ran out of characters but also: TUNA STEAKS (personal heaven) Crab is delicious Point is if it came out of the ocean I'm probably down for it. Not the biggest sushi fan though

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Blackened most anything (catfish, redfish, salmon) Shrimp is good pretty much however you make it (shoutout to bbq'd) Personally like my oysters charbroiled Hard to beat a tall plate of fried catfish and french fries (southern fish & chips) Love a crawfish boil, especially the taters & corn

static.klipy.com

Southern Vibin: Crawfish Time Boil

Alt: A big pot of crawfish on a propane burner, being stirred with a metal paddle

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I'm glad someone else also rereads their old stuff and just goes "damn I was cooking here"

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The best critic of anything is a super fan. When we're willing to be honest we know the good and bad like no one else

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

My favorite movie in the world has 6 sequels and .5 good sequels My favorite band's 3rd album has a few gems but mostly just stinks My favorite video game series is cheesy as shit and its lore is held together with spit and duck tape

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Salmon is my shit But I'm a cajun boy so my favorite way is blackened

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

My most niche and unimportant music hot take is that the instrumental to Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles absolutely slaps Then you get to sit through the goofy ass lyrics and the song's momentum screeching to a halt for the "chrous"

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I LOVED it as a teenager and need to give it a rewatch!

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Such a great watch for a superfan like me, for anyone who's a fan of the guest drummers (they all did great), or just for a music/rock/prog lover

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Neil Peart: No One's Disciple is a beautiful tribute to an amazing musician They pay homage to his skill and his genius but also talk about the harsh realities of life and his idiosyncrasies as a human. One couldn't wish for a better legacy 5⭐️ youtu.be/WPAJytx3juY?...

youtu.be

Rush - Neil Peart: No One's Disciple

YouTube video by Todd Losey

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Buuuut what if this movie just rules?

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Yeahhhhh I say at my computer today, watched some youtube, played some music, and knew in my heart no editing was getting done So I went and played cyberpunk 🙃

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It's ok we can have shit week together, mine is last Thursday through this Thursday

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

On the other hand, the fact that I can have 1 week of no chapters as an anomaly means I've been making great progress

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Welcome to the least productive week for my WIP! We have: personal trip last week Work trip this week Father in law in town for the weekend between Had only this afternoon off and... yeah no energy left for editing #Writesky #writingcommunity #amediting

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

It'd just be me buying a bunch of music equipment I don't need But even after a new bass, cymbals, mics, and probably a new computer that would probably only just crest 10k I don't dream big 😅

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I understand and appreciate that agents are busy people But at the point a query is 18 months old... you don't have to send a form rejection. I wasn't still holding out hope that you want the book lol

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Soundtrack today is Music By Men from Florence + the Machine Go listen to Everybody Scream it's an amazing album open.spotify.com/track/1oHxIq...

open.spotify.com

Music by Men

Florence + The Machine · Everybody Scream · Song · 2025

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

20/26 chapters of Barmaid/Blooddrinker down Idk who thought this draft could get to 65k, that guy's an idiot. Will easily clear 60k though As I get deeper I feel like there are more pages and chapters that are just... good? And I wrote them? Wild. #Writesky #WritingCommunity #amediting

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Yes BUT She's a good person who's on the wrong side. She just wants to help people (she's a healer) but ends up face to face with the horrors of war, losing her friends, finding out just how bad imperialist expansion is, etc. (She's my favorite so she gets the most trauma)

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Reminds me of the time wife and I plugged Dairy Queen into maps and wound up at Dairy Freeze in Hope, Arkansas looked like a DQ straight out of the 70s. Very good road trip burger, would go back

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Elden Ring is such a good example, imagine if Demon Souls released today and sold... Demon Souls numbers. Not bad, but not amazing A big publisher would dissolve the studio and there'd be no Dark Souls 1/2/3, no Bloodborne or Sekiro, and without any of those you couldn't make Elden Ring anyway

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Me when I was in Salt Lake City and tried In N Out for the first time It was fine

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

My first book, The Soul of War (which at this point is a trunk novel) has 3 primary POVs, a couple interludes, and an epilogue Helfnir, the protagonist Vries, the leader of the team he joins And Shri, who's part of the team trying to hunt him down and "capture" him

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Barmaid/Blooddrinker has 2 primary POVs (you'll never guess who) and the occasional alt POV from a minor character Jethel the vampire was actually the original concept for the book, and when I decided I wanted a 2nd POV to serve the story better, that's when Tilda was born! #Writesky

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

After actual months of waiting, I may finally be moving forward at the company I actually want to work at Tentative good news is still good news right? 🎉🎉

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Also I can slam dr peppers and my teeth won't all fall out Win-win

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Tilda is a barmaid, but she's explicitly aiming to be a magical optician. She'd be a decent seamstress's apprentice under her mom too Jethel is a swineherd, but he could be most any kind of farmer, forester, etc. Really any job that lets him live outside town and not go out during the day

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The infamous blue line that leads you around is way overused, if the levels were well-designed I could just run through them and figure out where I need to go every now and then I'm told there's a secret ending so I guess I'll do that and see if that saves the story at all 5/10 missed opportunity

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Spoilers (lol) This particular instance of Logan gets amnesia for the THIRD TIME and leaves cause he doesn't remember Jean instead of staying to help take care of the surviving mutants The overall plot is basically three separate storylines that you sift through one after another

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Joe Writes Books @blaguards.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Can confirm, Wolverine was indeed very mid Combat is fun enough but they just love throwing waves of the same enemies at you and can't design a boss who isn't a damage sponge Writing is generally good, particularly the Logan/Jean stuff The plot is almost complete nonsense and the end just sucks

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