iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Just got word that I get to pick up our @draftingthepast.bsky.social merch for member plus and founding members tomorrow, and I think this calls for my inaugural unboxing video!

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He features prominently in my slides and resource links! 😂

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Drafting the Past @draftingthepast.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Teaching a narrative podcasting intro class for our county library tonight and feeling a little nervous, so I'm revisiting everything @cdc29.bsky.social and @plach.bsky.social ever taught me.

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Reposted by Kate Carpenter

We announced a little launch party over on insta, and you're invited! www.instagram.com/p/DePHCCejcj...

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Helen Betya Rubinstein @helenbetya.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

yes!! writing doesn't have to—shouldn't ever!—be miserable <3

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I'm taking another screenprinting class this weekend and absolutely itching to make some limited edition merch for @draftingthepast.bsky.social...

My aesthetic sensibilities were not prepared for my three-year-old's sartorial choices.

Drafting the Past @draftingthepast.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Reposted by Kate Carpenter

Obviously, when we learned that there was a book festival dedicated to history, Kate had to go check it out. The hardest part was choosing which panels to attend. Read her report here: www.draftingthepast.com/wait-theres-... #booksky #skystorians 🗃️

draftingthepast.com

Wait, there's a book festival just for history?

Kate reports from the tenth annual History Book Festival

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Kate Carpenter @katecarp.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Reading @helenbetya.bsky.social's FEELS LIKE TROUBLE and she suggests that writing doesn't have to be miserable???? Like maybe that means something's wrong and it's not a prerequisite??? 🤯 More research needed...

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Yale University Press @yalepress.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

📚 Available now: REINDEER by Nancy Langston.

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Kate Carpenter @katecarp.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

That first paid subscribers exclusive is a 🔥🔥 q & a. Don't forget to subscribe! www.draftingthepast.com#/portal

draftingthepast.com

Drafting the Past

Reviews, craft essays, news and more for readers and writers of history.

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Kate Carpenter @katecarp.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

There is an academic conference posting a string of AI slop flyers on Instagram and it's driving me up the wall.

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Yesss! I really need to learn about more fiction podcasts, so this is awesome.

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Oh, of course, I should not have assumed you were new to this! In that case, I simply wish you godspeed and lots more sleep soon.

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Help! I'm teaching a class on storytelling through podcasting, and I'm assembling examples of great narrative (not interview) podcasts, in a variety of genres. I want to expand my range -- tell me your favorites!

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It feels interminable and is absolutely miserable but you will make it through and, though it seems impossible now, one day you will barely remember.

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Pure vibes, but I feel like the "as long as you have somewhere to charge it" is a big deterrent

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It was so fun to talk with Thomas--he might be the only person who has led with "I want to talk about how much I love revision strategies"! 🗃️

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After all, my request was pretty straightforward, it just involved adjusting the order details, and the bot seemed to understand my request and asked me clearly to confirm, then confirmed what it understood. Guess what arrived with my order? 🙄

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University of California Press @ucpress.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I recently placed an online order that included some free plastic bottles. I didn't want the bottles and there was no way to remove them, so I emailed customer service after placing the order. An AI customer service agent responded, which annoyed me, but I thought, maybe this is a good use case...

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UC Press’s designers make books that are beautiful and conceptually sharp, and we're looking for a Senior Book Designer to join our Oakland-based team. Love typography, visual storytelling, and books? We’d love to see your portfolio and resume. www.ucpress.edu/about/careers

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Hit a big internet rite of passage today: I got so annoyed by something I bought on Instagram that I posted about it on Reddit. 😂

Matt Gabriele @profgabriele.com · 02/10/2026

Reading it now! What draws you to it?

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Reposted by Kate Carpenter

best part of the night was @colsonwhitehead.com saying "If you use AI for your art, you're a fucking hack" with his whole chest

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I Tried to Take My Own Headshots and Now I've Spent an Hour Researching Retinol Creams: A Story of Middle-Age

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National Council on Public History @ncph.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I really think we can't talk about Cornell and other egregious sexual assault cases without talking about these incredibly high profile cases that people just shrug off because *it's football*

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This is a reminder to mark your calendars for NCPH 2027! We met on AASLH’s schedule for the joint conference this fall but will return to NCPH’s regular spring conference schedule in St. Louis, Missouri, April 21-24, 2027. Keep an eye out for updates and opportunities: ncph.org/conference/n....

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University of Washington Press @uwapress.uw.edu · 01/10/2026

We are thrilled to announce Bathsheba Demuth as the new series editor of Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books, succeeding Paul S. Sutter. We’re grateful to Paul for 12 years of extraordinary leadership and excited to see Bathsheba carry the series into its next chapter! @brdemuth.bsky.social

uwpressblog.com

Bathsheba Demuth Appointed Weyerhaeuser Environmental Series Editor

Bathsheba Demuth steps in as the new series editor for Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books at the University of Washington Press, succeeding Paul S. Sutter.

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Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Let me say a couple words about paywalls. They’re annoying. I feel that (as a news consumer) and know that (as a news publisher). But asking for your email, either to read an article or even to access a gift link (someone said this happened to them a a Times gift link a moment ago) isn’t some …

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Kate Carpenter @katecarp.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

What they don't tell you about running an indie publishing business is just how much time you will spend wrestling with Quickbooks.

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Kate Carpenter @katecarp.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I love bitching about prize lists, and I also love that there are literary prizes.