iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

There is another thing that gets me as well. Just to take the given example of chess: having a computer win at chess is a solved problem. Has been for decades now. You don't even need "AI"... you can brute force that shit.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I always have a book I'm reading and a book I'm listening to as an audiobook. Currently I'm listening to 1177BC: the Year Civilization Collapsed. And all I can say is... oh yes... Eric Cline... tell me more about late bronze-age trade networks. 🤤 It occurs to me that I might be kind of weird.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

While I'm waiting on feedback from my bèta-readers I've started on another story. Wrote 989 words today and made a good start. Let's see if I can finish a rough draft in the coming week. Who knows, maybe I'll enter two stories in the Harlands this year. #AmWriting

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I got through the first big round of revisions for the short story I intend to enter into the Harland Prijs writing competition. Right now I am my own least favourite writer. But I know it's because I've so much time revising that one story.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

That last sentence is also why all fiction is inherently political. Any story you write will, due to the assumptions about the world you do an do not incorporate, say something about how you think society should or should not function. And that is politics.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Yesterday I finally finished (the first draft of) a story again. It's been a while and I'm so happy with finishing something again. I just gave it a polish and send it off to my alpha-readers. Now the anxiety inducing wait till I get feedback can begin. #AmWriting

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Mooie jury! Nu hopen dat mij verhaal goed genoeg zodat jullie het ook te lezen krijgen.🤞

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Be there or be square, as the young 'uns used to say before I was born.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I love traveling by train. It's the perfect time to get some reading or writing done! I wrote 930 words on a short story I hope to enter into the Harland Prijs writing competition this Oktober. Finally got through a difficult scene that had me stumped for a while! #AmWriting

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Just to put my metaphorical money where my mouth is: I think the AI bubble is going to burst in the first half of 2027.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

What's your favorite Bible verse? Wrong answers only. Mine is from the Gospel of Pratchett

‘All right,’ said Susan. ‘I’m not stupid. You’re saying humans need… fantasies to make life bearable.’
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
‘Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—’
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
‘So we can believe the big ones?’
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
‘They’re not the same at all!’
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET— Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME… SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
‘Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what’s the point—’
MY POINT EXACTLY.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I don't like angling for likes so I'll just answer the questions because I think it might be fun.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Actually heard in real life: "Quantum computers will make LLMs profitable."

static.klipy.com

The Stupid It Burns

ALT: The Stupid It Burns

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

"You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Every so often it pays to remember that while I do live in a cramp little apartment in a decrepit old building I do get to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the city I love.

A picture taken from the Vollersbrug in Utrecht showing the old canal lines by trees with the Dom tower in the background.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Survived #Eurocon2026! The #MetropolCon crew put together an amazing event. Met a ton of cool people, got to watch interesting panels, got the honor to participate in two panels myself and of course I bought too many books. On to #HSFCon2026 in Deventer in Oktober!

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

So far my journey to Berlin for #Eurocon #Metropolcon featured cat wrangling and a cancelled train that was mysteriously replaced by the same train with a 15 minute delay. A promising start.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Like I always say about my burnout: it left me with a lot more self-knowledge and a Lego addiction. I'm pretty sure that if I have another burnout I'll end up with a Gunpla addiction.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Today isn't just April Fools, it's also the 25th anniversary of a momentous day in Dutch history. On April 1st 2001 the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriages. It's the thing my country has done during my lifetime that I am the most proud of.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

So, while I think there is still a chance the GenAI-bubble will burst spectacularly, I think it's more likely it's going to deflate like a failed soufflé.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Tomorrow the remaster of Tales of Berseria will be available. It's one of my favorite jRPGs of all time. It's a subversion of the "chosen one v.s. dark one" trope by way of Count of Monte Cristo style revenge story. If that sounds interesting be sure to check it out.

media.tenor.com

a close up of a person 's hand in a dark room .

ALT: a close up of a person 's hand in a dark room .

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Humans are simply the worst build bipedal critters on the planet. Take a horizontal design and just turn it upright like a badly balanced stick made of bones and muscles. Which is to say... I'd really like it if my knee would stop hurting, thank you very much.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

The location and dates for the 2026 HSFCon* were announced at the general member assembly of the NSCF (the Dutch Science Fiction Society) yesterday and now the public announcement is out. The local Dutch fandom con will be in Deventer next year and I'm already looking forward to it.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

One of these days I'm going to steal the core concept of Tales of Berseria for a fantasy novel and be considered a genius.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

One of the things I hear quite a bit about LLMs, even from people who despise them is: "but the technology is here to stay". Is it, though? Despite what some (like the techbros) want you to believe technological development isn't a nice exponential curve reaching into the heavens.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

That's it. Late fall and winter is officially audiobook season for me from now on. I'm done feeling guilty for not reading during this time of year.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

Wrote 382 words during this morning's writing session. Started a new chapter in which Ar-Aŝila and her pupil take an elevator up to a sacred place. #AmWriting

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

LLMs take food out of the mouths of already underappreciated and underpaid professions (writers, visual artists, among others) and are based on the large scale theft of the intellectual property of those same people.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

LLMs zijn broodroof op reeds ondergewaardeerde en onderbetaalde beroepen (schrijvers, beeldende kunstenaars) gebaseerd op de grootschalige diefstal van het intellectueel eigendom van diezelfde beroepsgroepen.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Now that writing about 30 min. before going to work become part of my routine I'm going to try and write another 30 min. after coming home. Writing on my novel in the morning and on short stories in the afternoon. Which is how I got to a pretty decent 841 words today! 🎉 #AmWriting

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

457 words this morning. Woot! Arim comes home after a shitty day at work and has a heart to heart with his sister. #AmWriting

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

As I've grown older I've grown to appreciate the value of celebrating the little victories in life. Like the past couple of weeks I've set my alarm clock half an hour earlier to get some extra time before heading to the office. And I've spent that time writing! I'm managing about 350 words a day. 😄

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Dit gaat dus een kabinet worden van D66 + VVD + CDA + BBB (of een andere kleinere rechte partij). Zucht. Waarom is het antwoord van Nederland op de vraag "Rechts werkt niet, wat nu" altijd "nog een keer Rechts!"

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Heb zojuist mijn voorbereidingen voor mijn HSFCon lezing (Proza en Pixels: Intertekstualiteit tussen gelezen en gespeelde verhalen) afgerond. Het bestrijkt een periode van ruim 200 jaar, gerepresenteerd door 64 titels uit 8 verschillende soorten media. Zaterdag 1 november 16:00 in zaal 2.

media.tenor.com

a cartoon toad is screaming with the words hype overload behind him

ALT: a cartoon toad is screaming with the words hype overload behind him

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

My housemates are moving and are spending their first night in their new home. So I'm all alone in the building. Which means... 🤘

media.tenor.com

volume i and volume ii knobs are being adjusted by a person

ALT: volume i and volume ii knobs are being adjusted by a person

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Today I bought a Dutch YA trilogy that was foundational to me as a speculative fiction reader. Strangely enough, these books are identical to the ones I borrowed from the library about 35 years ago.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

I've been listening to the soundtrack of the videogame Rime a lot lately (it's part of the playlist for my current WIP). And every time I hear a song from that soundtrack I can't help but think back at the wonderful way the game used narrative POV. Spoilers to this wonderful game in the replies.

youtube.com

The Song of the Sea (feat. Mirella Díez Morán)

YouTube video by David Garcia Diaz - Topic

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Ik laat me bewust zelden uit over politiek op social media, maar ik voel me verplicht het volgende te zeggen: Fuck fascisme. Fuck de politieke partijen die hebben gestemd voor de motie om antifa als terroristische organisatie te bestempelen. Daarmee laten ze zien dat ze pro-fascisme zijn.

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

I see there's some discourse on whether one should read classic SF novels or not and the role of a canon in the genre. Let me dust off my historian hat for a moment and state that establishing a canon, regardless of the medium or genre, is inherently a destructive act. #sciencefiction

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Reposted by Eddie van Dijk

HSFcon @hsfcon.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

HSFCon's eerste Bluesky post! Een heel weekend sciencefiction, horror en fantasy in november? Daar draaien wij onze hand niet voor om! Informatie vind je op www.hsfcon.nl

hsfcon.nl

HSFCon – We Love Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Literally!

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

De inzendingsperiode voor de NCSF Jubileumschrijfwedstrijd is begonnen! Je hebt tot 31 augustus om een verhaal van maximaal 2500 woorden in te sturen. Wie weet neem jij op 31 oktober de hoofdprijs in ontvangst! www.ncsf.nl/blog/2025/06... #schrijfwedstrijd #sciencefiction #ncsf

ncsf.nl

Jubileumschrijfwedstrijd “60 jaar NCSF” – NCSF

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Using too many words to tell your story is like Star Trek: the Motion Picture's gratuitous use of panning shots over miniatures. They might be pretty, but they don't add anything to the story and just make the whole thing a slog. Guess which movie I just watched 😜

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Eddie van Dijk @karanov.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

post black and white film gifs / vids / images 🎥🖤 #filmsky And yeah, this movie really is THAT good. Which is, considering how it was made, one of the few genuine Hollywood miracles.

media.tenor.com

a man in a trench coat and hat is standing next to a man in a hat looking at a plane taking off .

ALT: a man in a trench coat and hat is standing next to a man in a hat looking at a plane taking off .

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Reposted by Eddie van Dijk

Johan Klein Haneveld @johankh.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Eindelijk mag ik het delen! Quasis Uitgevers komt met een nieuw project na de succesvolle serie 'De zwijgende aarde'. Opnieuw vijf romans, geschreven door verschillende auteurs. Dit keer echter geen SF, maar horror. Deel 3 schrijf ik samen met Jasper Polane en wordt spannende kosmische horror ...

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