iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Bianca Michelle Parker 🏳️‍⚧️📚 @bumblebigirl.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

So if you haven't yet made a submission on this bill, if you don't get why resisting it is important, what's happening in the United States should be a wake up call as to what happens if we go down this road. Not much time left to take a stand.

qtopia.org.nz

Submission Guide: Legislation (Definition of Woman & Man) Amendment Bill — Qtopia NZ

Submissions are open for the Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill. This is a guide produced by a collective of transgender people and their allies, to help others who are also opp...

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Lizzie Blackwood @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

It's my honor and delight to be guest hosting #PretendPanel in July! Please join us in talking about the many visual aspects of writing and publishing. 👀

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Maxime Jaz🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @maximejaz.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

#pretendpanel It's end of Pride month soon, so boosting my books a bit. 🌈❤️ You might want to pick up something hot and queer for the holidays. And maybe cry too. 😁😌😘 Links in bio.

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Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️ @karamoonauthor.com · 28/06/2026

Hello #pretendpanel! I have a request this month to all writers in Aotearoa. Please turn your skills with words to the vital task of submitting against the stupid bill which is just about making life harder for trans people. Here's a really good guide about why and how: qtopia.org.nz/news/submiss...

qtopia.org.nz

Submission Guide: Legislation (Definition of Woman & Man) Amendment Bill — Qtopia NZ

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Scarlet Mitchell ⚒️ The Gerzean Blade out NOW!😍 @scarletvmitchell.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Thank you #PretendPanel hosts for another great month! I published my debut this month, and don’t think I shared it here, so: May I introduce my archaeology-obsessed lesbian PI, her bubbly himbo frenemy, and a case involving an Egyptian stone knife that somehow came to the American pyramids!

scarletmitchellwrites.wordpress.com

Scarlet Mitchell

Author

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zofiawarwick.bsky.social @zofiawarwick.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Pleased to see #pretendpanel grow. It's a fun event/writing community presence. Ok, so my question is a bit of a softball one: font of choice. What font do you absolutely have to write in to get the mood right to make the story flow from your head to word document? (Mine's Aptos.)

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PJC Cahill @pjccahill.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

It's been a super slow month for my sales, so any consideration of my released books would be great! pjccahill.carrd.co has my author pages and book links! Itch and Zon available. Also my next book, Demon King Daughter book 2, releases on July 14th! #PretendPanel

Art by Luigiix - cover of "N.I.C.E.F.: Neural-Interface Controlled Exo-Frame" novel. Human eye top left, alien eye top right, title full-center, child facing a riot-police line with a mech bottom left, a Nicef (mech) with a beamsaber bottom center, young woman with half-body prosthetics in a medical cot bottom right.
Luigiix's DA page: https://www.deviantart.com/luigiix
Luigiix's Commission Info page: https://www.deviantart.com/luigiix/journal/Commissions-444182461

Art by Luigiix - cover of "Demon King Daughter Book 1: Raising the Demon King" by P.J.C. Cahill. This text appears in black, red-outlined text at the bottom of the image.
- Top Left (Hideyoshi) is an aged human man with silver hair, a long beard and mustache, and stern features. Top Right is a demon man (Torlash) with long, black hair, tall, thin horns, red-in-black, slitted eyes, and pale gray skin.
- Middle of the image shows seven characters. From left to right:
1) Kiseki: (woman) short black hair, pale skin, brown eyes. Wears a gray sweater and black cargo pants.
2) Hasava: tall woman in a black business suit, with a white shirt and black tie. Her skin is pale, her hair long, black, and straight, and her eyes blue.
3) Issei: tan skin, brown eyes, short, brown hair, and a scruffy beard. There's hints of graying in his hair. He wears a brown jacket, a pale T-shirt, and jeans.
4) Seina: teenage girl in a mostly-white Japanese boy's school uniform. She has mildly tan skin, brown eyes, but vibrant green, neck-length hair.
5) Nori: adult woman holding a young child. Nori has sky-blue, short hair, brown eyes, and is wearing a simple white T-shirt and blue pants.
6) Himari: A little girl in a blue dress and shirt, with the same sky-blue hair as Nori. She is laughing happily with her eyes closed.
7) Yuuto: man in a dark dress shirt and black slacks. He is stern and muscular, with sharp features, short, brown hair with signs of gray, and brown eyes.
- Bottom, foreground of the image features a mother (Masuyo) and daughter (Kyoka) pair. Masuyo is holding Kyoka on her hip, and they're both smiling happily at each other. Masuyo has neck-length, black hair, a tan skin, brown eyes, and is wearing a black leather jacket over a white shirt, with black pants. Kyoka has very dark, brown skin, short, messy black hair, and vibrantly red eyes. She's wearing a black hoodie, baggy shorts, and puffy white socks sticking out of her simple sneakers.

Art by Luigiix - cover of "Demon King Daughter Book 2: The Demon King and the Paladin" by P.J.C. Cahill. This text appears in black, gold-outlined text at the bottom of the image.
--a fiery gold and dark yin-yang symbol burns around two characters, both smiling and gently reaching open hands toward each other.
--On the left is Himari, in a pale girl's school uniform, her blue hair writhing upward in the magic, her eyes glowing golden as the sun.
--On the right is Kyoka, wreathed in shadows and color, wearing a boy's school uniform, her short, black hair writhing upward as well. Her eyes glow with crimson light.
Luigiix's DA page: https://www.deviantart.com/luigiix
Luigiix's Commission Info page: https://www.deviantart.com/luigiix/journal/Commissions-444182461

Art by Luigiix - extreme close-up of a wolf's eyes. The eye is yellow-gold, surrounded by dirty-blonde fur. At the top is the title 'Cry Wolf' in yellow lettering. At the bottom, in smaller font is 'To a Monster Bound 1' and 'PJC Cahill'
Luigiix's DA page: https://www.deviantart.com/luigiix
Luigiix's Commission Info page: https://www.deviantart.com/luigiix/journal/Commissions-444182461

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Judy L Mohr @judylmohr.com · 27/06/2026

Instead of posting a "promo" for something of my own for today's #pretendPanel, I want to ask a question of #WriteSky and the #WritingCommunity. What part of the process (i.e., drafting, editing, finding beta readers (or ARC readers), typesetting, publishing) do you find the hardest and why?

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Cass Morris @cassmorriswrites.com · 27/06/2026

#PretendPanel Hugo Award voting is open until August 8th, and if you're a Hugo-voting-type person (or would like to be), I would be delighted if you voted for Worldbuilding for Masochists (@worldbuildcast.bsky.social) for Best Fancast! worldbuildingformasochists.podbean.com

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HD Beird @thebeird.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Thanks Claire NO HEROICS, ONLY HORRORS NO REASON, ONLY RECKONING NO SAVIOURS, ONLY SYSTEMS WELCOME TO THE COLONIES OF THE TWAINEARTH "HD Beird's use of visceral and sensual imagery is also a revelation to read and is essential to his writing style." www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08W9KRT1... #pretendpanel

amazon.co.uk

Twainearth Tales

Visit Amazon's Twainearth Tales Page and shop for all Twainearth Tales books. Check out pictures, author information, and reviews of Twainearth Tales

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Artemis Quinn 🏳️‍⚧️🎨📚 @vampireantihero.com · 27/06/2026

Three days left to back Aloe! This is the only way to buy it before its release day on October 23rd, and you'll get it earlier than release day by at least 3 weeks 😁 (You'll make a nonbinary author very happy) Info on the campaign page! www.backerkit.com/c/projects/a... 🔖 #PretendPanel

backerkit.com

Aloe (Tales From The Night Garden, Vol. 2)

Aloe is Book 2 in the Tales From The Night Garden series, an LGBTQIA+ contemporary dark fantasy following two ace-spectrum, nonbinary leads. Acanthus and Cypress are back, and they're fighting Nekane ...

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McKenna/MK Dean Mysteries @mckennadean.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

If you're feeling this heat and looking for a little snowy escapist portal fantasy, then I have the book for you. Frozen meets Practical Magic in Hexes, Lies, and Alibis (The Myth Element series) by M.K Dean. June 30 2026. #pretendpanel www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5L7XPXL

amazon.com

Hexes, Lies, and Alibis (The Myth Element Book 1)

Hexes, Lies, and Alibis (The Myth Element Book 1) - Kindle edition by Dean, M.K. . Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Hexes, Lies, and Alibis (The Myth Element Book 1).

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KL Wooderson. @communi-kate.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Anything? Go read 'The Gods of Atalantis' by @professoremily.bsky.social A lot of the themes are shared with my own WIP, but the setting and characters are completely different. For fans of @ajdemas.bsky.social and Megan Whalen Turner. And look at that cover! #pretendpanel #writesky #writing

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Judy L Mohr @judylmohr.com · 26/06/2026

For me, character design on the page really is "slap some ideas down and see what happens." I'm a panster by nature, and it's in the character design where it's almost 100% pantsed... even after years of refining my plot development process. #PretendPanel #WriteSky #WritingCommunity

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✍🏼Winter Simpson @winterandwords.social · 26/06/2026

There was no creative process. There was no design. He just showed up and started telling me stuff. This is my entire process for all the characters in everything I write. Some are louder than others, but they all just appear and then I get to know them (and I love it that way!) 🏷️ #PretendPanel

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Scarlet Mitchell ⚒️ The Gerzean Blade out NOW!😍 @scarletvmitchell.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

#Pretendpanel Vibes first. How do they FEEL? Emotional arc/trauma/issues I want to explore? How did they specifically aquire those issues? Do I want to fuck them, or is that not what this is? What is their story and what do they want? How much are they me? How much are they totally different?🪡

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Bianca Michelle Parker 🏳️‍⚧️📚 @bumblebigirl.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

I might write some test material for a character, just to get a feel for them. But you only really develop a character by putting them in situations and seeing how they react. The more decisions they make, the more defined they become. #pretendpanel

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Claire Hiria @clairehiria.com · 29/06/2026

Hey #pretendpanel, your host for July is @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social She's written not one, but two months of questions on the theme of visualisation! Check it out 👀 #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#pretendpanel
a daily prompt tag hosted by @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social
JULY - VISUALIZATIONS PART ONE
3rd: Do you have a “mental picture” of your story as you write?
4th: How do you decide what your characters and settings to look like?
10th: How much detail do you like to include in your visual descriptions?
11th: As a reader, do you prefer lush, detailed descriptions, or books that leave things vague so you can fill in with your own imagination?
17th: What visual aids do you use when planning your story?
18th: Image share: maps/references/planning
24th: How do you feel about artistic embellishments inside prose books?
25th: How do you feel about artistic embellishments on book exteriors?
31st: Freebie Friday - post anything!
Please support your fellow #pretentpanel posters with replies, likes and reposts
New #pretendpanel questions every Friday and Saturday. Hop in any time!

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Claire Hiria @clairehiria.com · 27/06/2026

Hey folks, just letting you know that next month #pretendpanel will be hosted by long-time steadfast panelist @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social Then in August, Kara Moon returns as permanent host. A completely different person than me, honest. Thanks again to all my question writers this month!

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Claire Hiria @clairehiria.com · 27/06/2026

That ends our first month of questions from the #pretendpanel! Thank you so much to our contributors. And now... June 27th: Freebie Saturday - post anything! #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#pretendpanel
a daily prompt tag hosted by @hiriadunning.com
June 27th: Freebie Saturday!
Post anything you want e.g. plug something, acknowledge someone, ask a question
Please support your fellow #pretentpanel posters with replies, likes and reposts
New #pretendpanel questions every Friday and Saturday. Hop in any time!

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Claire Hiria @clairehiria.com · 26/06/2026

#pretendpanel This is quite a process-less part of the process for me. I can only find the character by writing them. I can fill in all the profiles in the world, I can save the cat as many times as I like, it's not until I'm actually writing the character that I know them properly.

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Claire Hiria @clairehiria.com · 26/06/2026

~Questions from the #pretendpanel ~ June 26th: from @skarabraeauthor.bsky.social : What was your creative process when designing your story's main character? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#pretendpanel
a daily prompt tag hosted by @hiriadunning.com
June 26th: from @skarabraeauthor.bsky.social : What was your creative process when designing your story's main character?
Please support your fellow #pretentpanel posters with replies, likes and reposts
New #pretendpanel questions every Friday and Saturday. Hop in any time!

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Teresa @dimreaper.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

I persist because I have a lot of stories to tell and I am the only one who can tell them. It took a lot of time for me to truly believe that, but it kept me alive when things got bleak. And now it’s so my kiddo can read my stories, because he will. #pretendpanel

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McKenna/MK Dean Mysteries @mckennadean.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

A friend of mine once said, "We are the creators in a world of destroyers." I believe this more than ever. Every act of creation is an act of defiance in the face of those who would devalue & dehumanize our existence. I create for joy (& out of spite) in the face of rejection. (2/2) #pretendpanel

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Eolas Pellor @eolaspellor.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Having looked at the statistics, I know that most if not all rejections are simply reflections of the face agents have an endless stream of manuscripts coming in and limited time. Rejections say more about them, than about my work. #pretendpanel #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

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Evelyn Fenn @evelynfenn.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

#PretendPanel Rejections: I tell myself it isn't personal. I wouldn't know these people if I bumped into them; what does it matter? Maybe next time? But having skin like a rhino would make it easier to bear! Wins: a celebratory meal. Pictures of book covers on my wall to remind me 'You did this!'

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Maxime Jaz🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @maximejaz.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

#pretendpanel I've been self-pubbed deliberately from the start so rejection by trad pub is not on the menu. Being rejected by a reader? They picked up the wrong book, it happens. Same for "negative" feedback. I tend to value those though, they'll tell like-minded readers not to pick up my books.

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Ange | Author A. M. Shilling @gunsmile.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

I remember why I write—because it’s my favorite way to tell stories. And I’m not writing for mass appeal, either, but for myself. As long as I love it, I can keep going. I usually celebrate wins by treating myself to a nice meal or sweet treat. Nothing fancy! #pretendpanel

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Andrew Bruce-Lockhart @andrewbrucelockhart.co.uk · 20/06/2026

~Questions from the #pretendpanel I distract myself. Obviously, every rejection is a blow, and I expect them - the reality is finding an Agent or a publisher relies on so many randoms outside of my control - so I try and distract myself by moving onto the next project... be it book, film or play

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Bianca Michelle Parker 🏳️‍⚧️📚 @bumblebigirl.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

I may be the wrong person to ask about staying positive. I still find rejection gruelling and tend to catastrophise about what it means about my work. If the business side of things isn't going well, though, I bury myself in the creative side. Focus on what I can control. #pretendpanel

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CG Stewart 🖋️ 🫜 @nightoffallengods.com · 19/06/2026

#PretendPanel This doesn’t always work, but the thing that gives me the most momentum is having an emotional beat I want to get to, and the momentum comes from building up to it. Having several tied together increases the effect. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt

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✍🏼Winter Simpson @winterandwords.social · 19/06/2026

I track words when I'm drafting and time when I'm revising. That's mostly because I like fancy graphs though (my sincere thanks to TrackBear). Even without tracking, the momentum just...is. The intersection of creative obsession and big project energy is one of my favourite places. 🏷️ #PretendPanel

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Eolas Pellor @eolaspellor.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Drafting is simple...I'm telling the story, and until it's completely told, the momentum remains about the same. Edits are a bit like knitting: you sometimes have to unravel to go forward but now the pattern starts to show up. #pretendpanel #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

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McKenna/MK Dean Mysteries @mckennadean.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Sometimes I get so bogged down in a story that isn't moving forward that I skip to the scene I really want to write, the one I can visualize the best. I'll worry about bridging scenes later, as long as I get something on the page. It's often better for the story too. #pretendpanel

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Eliwood S(pooky) Ghost @eliwoodsgheist.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Happy #PretendPanel! I, uh, weaponize two specific parts of my personality: 1. I love hitting goals 2. I love proving people wrong (even/especially when that people is me) So I will set a somewhat ambitious goal but for lower than I know what I *can* do. So I can smash it and prove myself wrong 🤣

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でね⚡️o̶c̶t̶o̶b̶e̶r̶ 🍁 (fictional writer) @deneoctober.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

~Questions from the #pretendpanel June 19 I think plantsers are like root systems, feeling their progress until themes spout, characters flower and a more tangible shape emerges. That's the time to shift from wordcount to plotting the garden. #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

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Claire Hiria @clairehiria.com · 20/06/2026

#pretendpanel There's been a few of those over the years. Right now, what keeps me going is that I know -someone- needs my words, because I needed them. I know I can help someone else who is going through the same thing I once went through then turned into fiction.

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Claire Hiria @clairehiria.com · 20/06/2026

~Questions from the #pretendpanel ~ June 20th: from @evelynfenn.bsky.social : How do you keep the faith in the face of rejection and set backs? What tricks do you use to stay positive and productive? And how do you celebrate your wins? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#pretendpanel
a daily prompt tag hosted by @hiriadunning.com
June 20th: from @evelynfenn.bsky.social : How do you keep the faith in the face of rejection and set backs? What tricks do you use to stay positive and productive? And how do you celebrate your wins?
Please support your fellow #pretentpanel posters with replies, likes and reposts
New #pretendpanel questions every Friday and Saturday. Hop in any time!

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Claire Hiria @clairehiria.com · 19/06/2026

#pretendpanel For drafting, word count, chapter count etc does it for me. When I'm revising, which is much, much slower, I go by the same counts. When I'm there it's either joy sustaining me, or brute force stubbornness.

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Claire Hiria @clairehiria.com · 19/06/2026

~Questions from the #pretendpanel ~ June 19th: from @zprospero.bsky.social : We talk about craft a lot, but when drafting and/or editing, how do you maintain a feeling of momentum? (see the reply for more angles to this question) 1/2 #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#pretendpanel
a daily prompt tag hosted by @hiriadunning.com
June 19th: from @zprospero.bsky.social : We talk about craft a lot, but when drafting and/or editing, how do you maintain a feeling of momentum?
Please support your fellow #pretentpanel posters with replies, likes and reposts
New #pretendpanel questions every Friday and Saturday. Hop in any time!

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N.G.Chloe(Glassflowers: Pixiv Printify) @ngchloe.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

#PretendPanel left: a page that's been cut for the new draft cause it looks like shit. I clearly had no idea what I was doing and my art was creepy unintentionally right: the spread that replaced it. Pure bliss. Love the details, Setsune and Ana look good, and anything unsettling was purposeful

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Julie Bihn, author of Titanic Voyage @juliebihn.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

I wrote at length about the process for Titanic Voyage at juliebihn.com/how-much-edi... My first drafts are ROUGH. For Immigrants' Journey, I didn't know the POV characters at first! I cut things that aren't right for the characters or for word count. I add where the story needs it. #PretendPanel

juliebihn.com

How much editing does a book take? – Julie Bihn

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Lizzie Blackwood @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

#PretendPanel 6/13: I cut a lot more than I add. From my first draft of TSWBOO, I cut: - Five named characters - Conversations about Reshketh swearing and textiles - Several jokes and two meme references Beyond that, it's mostly refining what's left rather than introducing something wholly new.

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Teresa @dimreaper.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

From TIC I cut 60% of the original word count, removed an antagonist, and changed Sangor’s entire arc From TWV I switched antagonists. To Soulkeeper I added a love interest and another major character In Dreamwalker I swapped antagonists and added extra scenes for the new LI #pretendpanel

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Emily Sinclair @butterflyonawheel.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Butterfly on a Wheel was originally conceived as a short story, so that was draft #1. It was completely from Jeanette's perspective. Then it expanded to a novella, then a full novel. While I was working on that I worked on two companion pieces, one the Butterfly timeline told (1/5) #pretendpanel

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Lizzie Blackwood @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

#PretendPanel 6/12: Most of the time, the seed of a story idea is a character dynamic/relationship. I may have lots of free-floating concepts for worldbuilding and plots running through my head at any given time, but that key relationship is needed to help those ideas coalesce. (1/2)

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DD Ward ..."Interim Pirate Queen" @ddwardiswriting.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

I get the kernel of an idea and I start asking questions. The 6 essential questions 1. Who is it about? 2. What do they want? 3. Why can't they get it? 4. What do they do about it? 5. Why doesn't that work? 6. How does it end?

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Cass Morris @cassmorriswrites.com · 12/06/2026

#PretendPanel June 12: I have a very organic process, which I sometimes refer to as gardening and sometimes as chaos muppetry. It's a wildly inefficient way to write books, and I really can't recommend it to anyone else, but it's what works for me. 🧵

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