iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by John Zeleznik

Rose Spears @rosespearsauthor.bsky.social · 17h

CHASING THE DELTA | 88k | Para-romance In a Silicon Valley where Greek gods hide as tech bros, Apollo’s immortality depends on a plant that ornithologist Daphne opposes. They clash as they romp through the Delta, fighting about the plant and against the monsters lurking in the wetlands. #DVpit #A #R

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Reposted by John Zeleznik

Rose Spears @rosespearsauthor.bsky.social · 15h

HADESTOWN x IRRESISTIBLE URGE TO FALL FOR YOUR ENEMY CHASING THE DELTA | 88k paranormal romance 🪶 rivals to lovers ☀️ mythological retelling 🪶 scientist FMC ☀️ bisexual tech bro MMC 🪶 email feud ☀️ romcom romp antics #DVpit #A #R

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Why is Royal Road being all wonky tonight with the formatting? Christ.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Random question: what actors/actresses do you hear everyone in chat's voices as when you read them? #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I think that I'd like my creative partners to have a similar vision as me, though typing this I'm wondering if we need to have the same entry points to our shared interests? #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I had to reorient the way that I gave feedback when I had kids. I grew up with the negative. "What, are you an idiot?" My kids didn't respond to that so I had to change. But I still sort of respond to "what, are you an idiot" when it comes to a crit partner. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I reached out to a friend from HS that I hadn't spoken to in decades to read one of my books. I had a little person character in the story & her daughter is a little person, so I just wanted her feeling on how I did representing the character. She's since become one of my trusted betas. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I tried doing a crit group but it fizzled. Finding the right mix is really difficult especially when considering all the things: trust and skill while trying to find partner's with similar interests. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I've been doing peer editing with my college prep and college writing courses. I'm not one of the "complment sandwich"types, but my editing protocols emphsize the positive. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I have these great ideas for two anthologies but I don't have the name to pull them off. I think it would be fun to work with a bunch of other authors writing in common setting/theme. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

For an agent, I need communication. Just a simple "nothing to report" will soothe me for weeks and that was an issue with my last agent. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I've been lucky that I've had some great betas that know how I do what I do and are really good at showing me what I can do better, which is all I want. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Good one. I've ALWAYS wanted to work with others, as a crit partner and beta for sure. But I've always wanted to co-write with someone. And do a graphic novel....I could go on. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I have this sudden and completely wacky idea to create a pen and paper pro football based TTRPG. I have ZERO skills required to do this, but I've got an itch to create one.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Dammit….write everything down people….I had a great story idea, just a nugget, and I didn’t write it down…now it’s gone…

static.klipy.com

Blade Runner Tears in Meta

ALT: Blade Runner Tears in Meta

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Started a long piece in my notebook that I was going to use for my weekly "Ten Things" post but I was writing it up tonight and I'm already at a thousand words and I'm not ever at third of the way through it. I had said I was going to keep my posts around 1k, so it won't do.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

My notebook is so invaluable to me for this. I just am constantly playing with ideas. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

So I'm in the process of planning...something...I don't know what it'll be but it'll be something and I've been gathering the first step in my research. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I've been writing some of my personal writing with the first draft of one of my recent ideas. It's cranking but I've hit the point in the story where I need a plan to move forward on it. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

This year I added a new wrinkle to my class. Instead of "silent sustained reading" we do silent sustained writing. 15 minutes. Every class. I write with them, so I'm getting an additional 30-45 minutes of writing a day. It's awesome. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Usually starts with with a one sentence idea. If it really sparks me I'll stretch it out into a full pitch. I keep writing it over and over until it sounds right. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I'm in the process of writing a piece about a scene I watched unfold at a high school football game that was straight out of an upper middle grade book. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I've hit this huge uptick in the last two months of my brain just firing. I've got three preps and I'm piecing together three practically new units for each class on top of having all these new, wacky ideas that are demanding my attention. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I love the fall. It always fires me up for writing. It makes me think of writing a big, doorstopper of an epic fantasy. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Great topic. I have been on a tear of ideas lately and I'm just jotting them down in my notebook. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

It feels like every time Jameis Winston throws a ball it goes like a million miles in the air.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I've made it through four episodes of season one of Strange New Worlds. Again, I'm not the biggest Star Trek fan, but man, I'm totally digging it. It's fun. I'll have thoughts when I finish season one. I also have some thoughts on Star Trek as an IP.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

One of my favorite things in the entire LOTR is the "breaking of the Fellowship." It's an appropriate and powerful metaphor today as it ever was. It's sad and tragic and perhaps, most appropriately, inevitable.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I'm going to admit that my knowledge of Tolkien Legendarium is very surface level but I'm watching Fellowship...why couldn't Gandalf just tell them why they couldn't go to Moria? Did he not know for sure? I have to go do some research.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

"That's easy, follow the path of destruction...oh, stupid tornado...hahahaha, it's got Patty and Selma."

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I’m at a HS football game so the my son. He’s with his friends so I’m flying solo. I’m in line for a drink and they’re ahead of me in line. One of his friends just said “Check it out fellas, it’s the Avengers.” I glance over my shoulder it’s five girl their age walking in. I chuckled.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Generally speaking, I am not a HUGE Star Trek guy. Liked The Original Series as a little kid (my dad watched it), watched a lot of the Next Generation and thought DS9 did some of the most interesting storytelling in the entire franchise. There's been a lot of online scuttlebutt over the shows.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Latest post on Substack is up. Please feel free to subscribe. johnzeleznik1.substack.com/p/content-cr...

johnzeleznik1.substack.com

Content Creation

I guess that makes me a content creator...weird.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Got an agent pass from the MGHub pitch contest. Liked the pitch and the idea but didn't fall in love with the voice. I can take that. It's positive in that it tells me the premise is right on and that my writing is good. Voice is completely subjective. I can't fix that. And that's okay.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

It just dawned on me today I’ve been at this query game for nearly 20 years. Been repped twice, dropped once and fired an agent once. Probably over a thousand rejections. I think you know where I’ll be.

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Sad Eeyore: Gloomy Place Map

ALT: Sad Eeyore: Gloomy Place Map

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Reposted by John Zeleznik

Mark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory self-regulated.

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I think sometimes in the writing business we get so used to no that we don't feel we can say no when there's a choice. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

This is actually something I teach to kids in my writing class. Sometimes when someone tells you something about your writing you can say no to them. It's an important part of the editing process, especially when it comes to content not technical aspects. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

My thing is, I'm a mercenary by nature. I have a hard time saying no, especially when compensation is involved. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

One of the most difficult things to me is finding balance. I've said NO a lot over the last 18 months, focusing more on what I'm doing in school. (I've talked about this here before, so I won't rehash it.) Trying to strike a balance this year. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Sometimes a project is rolling for me and eventually it or I say, "Nope...it's not you it's me." I can't tell you what causes it but it happens. #kidlitchat

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John Zeleznik @johnzeleznikauthor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

This is a fascinating topic because my "career" (being whatever that is) is littered with cast aside projects. #kidlitchat

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