iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 30/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 30 - guard The world is a dark place. When I began this story, the world was a dark place, but not as dark as it has become. I've had to darken the story's world to keep pace. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi

Text that says:
As Hope ducked out of sight, Miss Nella said, "Take care of yourself, Child. The world is a dark place."
Hope paused in the shadows to sigh, "Okay," and put her mind back on task. Stay focused. Stay vigilant. Danger lurks. Miss Nella was right. The world was a dark place, and Hope had to be ready and on her guard.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 29/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 29 - well Well, well, well. "Well" occurs 123 times. Well, I think that's a bit much. I go to that well to often and might do well to remove a few. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi

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Hope's food cache was well stocked, but she wanted to add extra food before Monsoon. When she was young and her hiding place had been the swill container, her food supplies were always sparse. Enduring Monsoon often meant days of hunger. She did not want to experience that again.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 22/09/2026

One of my writing tics is the phrase "going to." My current manuscript has "going to" 33 times. My characters are always going to do something. I'm going to have to do something about that. #AmWriting #AmEditing #WritingCommunity

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 10/09/2026

All the world's skies are connected. All the world's skies are one. When you destroy your sky, You destroy everyone's sky.

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 09/09/2026

Rereading Spark by Sarah Beth Durst. I realized what the title meant. I had missed it on my first read in 2019. Pixit to Mina: "You are the spark that can ignite the world." Mina: "I am the spark." Spark isn't in reference to the lightning beast Pixit. The spark is Mina. Roll credits. #AmReading

Book cover for Spark by Sara Beth Durst that says across the top: Even the quietest voice can change the world. The image shows a city of lights in the background. In the foreground, on a hill, stands a girl facing the city. In the air in front of the girl is a dragon-like creature with his wings spread in flight as he looks back at the girl. All around them are sparks of lightning.

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 08/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 8 - mental Hope writes and talks about her experiences. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi

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Miss Nella taught Hope to write and talk about her experiences. By describing painful or overwhelming events, and naming the emotions they caused, she could reorganize them and add meaning, emotional context, and resolution. She embraced writing in her experiences and observations journal, and talking to her stuffed toy Foxy and the dragon egg, because it gave her active control over the memories and reduced the distress they caused, thus improving her mental well-being.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 06/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 6 - sigh Hope sighed, "Okay." When I finish a task and prepare to tackle the next, I sigh, "Okay." So, I give that characterization to Hope. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi

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Hope had survival tasks to do. Survival was a daily struggle. She reminded herself to stay focused and vigilant, because danger lurks. Her fearless and stoic mental state set, she was ready to do what she did most days. With a deep sigh, she whispered, "Okay," slipped out of her hiding place, and faced the world.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 31/08/2026

#WIPSnips August 31 - chip Potato wafers for the baby dragon. I hadn't planned a snip for chip since it doesn't occur in the story. Then I remembered the reason there's no chip is because I had chosen to use wafer. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #Dragons

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"Your teeth indicate you're a carnivore. Are you sure you want to try fruits and vegetables?"
"Ee foo. Ee foo." He opened his mouth.
"Okay." Hope tossed in a two-handed scoop of potato wafers.
He held them in his mouth for a moment, then worked his jaws by sliding his lower jaw forward and backward and side to side several times. Sometimes the left and right sides moved independently of each other. She didn't know how that worked as chewing since he had spiky teeth not chewing molars.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 26/08/2026

Most people read at a 4th- to 7th-grade level. So, I should write like a 10-year-old? My word processor rates the writing in my current story at grade level 5.3. I remember from back in the day, one of the technical papers I wrote rated at grade level 17. #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 25/08/2026

The world is a dark place. Now we've lost one of the world's brightest lights in that darkness.

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 25/08/2026

#WIPSnips August 25 - panic Hope disliked jingling, tinkling, and clinking sounds. Panic occurs 20 times in this draft. That might be too much panicking. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

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Riffraff jingled chimes to warn of approaching militiamen. When Hope heard the sound, she fled. Sometimes, she would hear a tinkling or the clinking of metal hitting metal, and even though it wasn't a warning chime, she felt panic. She disliked jingling, tinkling, and clinking sounds.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 22/08/2026

#WIPSnips August 22 - fresh Hope freshens up. In days past, public restrooms for women were rare. Therefore, when a woman guest arrived, she was offered the opportunity to "freshen up." #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

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While waiting for the baby dragon to wake, Hope performed her morning routine by freshening up in the washroom and doing her morning exercises.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 15/08/2026

Being brave brings light to a dark world.

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 12/08/2026

#WIPSnips August 12 - heartbreak Big Bear Valley eagles Jackie & Shadow and their eaglets inspired several scenes (such as attached) in my current project. Hope would be heartbroken if Baby dispersed and left her. I'm heartbroken that the eagle Jackie passed away. #AmWriting #Dragons #Eagle #Jackie

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Hope had one purpose: love, protect, and care for the baby dragon. But for how much longer would that purpose last? Baby was growing and maturing. He would become an immense and powerful adult dragon. When the young reach a certain age, they leave their home and their parents to go out into the world, self-reliant and living on their own. Would Baby leave her? Was he going to learn to fly, then fly away from her? What would become of her then?
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 10/08/2026

Big Bear Valley eagles Jackie and Shadow and their eaglets inspired scenes in the story I'm writing (caring for the baby dragon, him begging for food, struggling with learning to fly, and Hope realizing he will someday disperse and leave her). Jackie passed away. Loss leaves a hole in one's heart.

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 07/08/2026

#WIPSnips August 7 - handle I was told goat horns are great "handles" to manage goats. Does that apply to baby dragons? #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #Dragons

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Hope woke from a dream where she had been bashing her head against a wall. The baby dragon still slept. Books say babies need a lot of sleep. That must apply to baby dragons as well.
She pondered his horns. He had used the tan-colored, angled-back, handle-like horns to break out of the dragon egg.
That was the dream she had. She still felt the frustration when the wall wouldn't break.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 07/08/2026

Another magic moment happened today. A paragraph appeared on the screen as I let my mind and fingers flow, a paragraph that captured the spirit of the story, a paragraph that led to a chapter ending that brought tears of joy. Days like today make the hard work of writing worthwhile. #AmWriting

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 31/07/2026

#WIPSnips July 31 - twist Didn't think twist in story. Discovered nine — two because I had twist problem with shoulder strap on bag. Kept untwisting wrong. I laughed at my clumsiness and said, "I need to put this in the story." #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

Text that says:
Hope placed the courier bag's strap over her left shoulder to let the bag ride against her right hip, and had a problem: the strap was twisted. After struggling with the strap, at first turning it the wrong way and making the twist worse, she got it straight and flat. Mister Randolph and Miss Kallie both grinned but refrained from laughing.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 30/07/2026

#WIPSnips July 30 - relax The world is a dark place. I had to rewrite part of this story because the dystopian world I had created turned out not to be as dystopian as what the real world has become. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

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The militiamen laughed as they exchanged stories about mentally and physically abusing and traumatizing riffraff; how many they had harassed, humiliated, threatened, or simply chained and hauled away, or sent to work camps; how they had forced them into surrender, into submission, into silence; and how much coin reward they received from the City Lords for each riffraff they abducted.
They were proud of the fear they had instilled, and all with no accountability. They had made the world a grim, miserable, dreadful place where riffraff hurried along, head down, afraid, paranoid, and subject to being disappeared at any moment.
When the militiamen finally left, Hope breathed, silently hummed as she relaxed, and then whispered, "The world is a dark place." She put her mind back on task. Stay focused. Stay vigilant. Danger lurks. After sighing "Okay," she came out of hiding to continue surviving.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 29/07/2026

I have been informed that "welcome to the world" indicates it was written by AI. #WritingCommunity

Text that says:
After she helped the baby dragon hatch out of his egg, Hope tried to wipe away her tears, but smeared slime on her face instead. "Welcome to the world, baby dragon."
The baby dragon said, "Squawk."

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 25/07/2026

You are not a "writer" if you only "write" AI prompts.

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 25/07/2026

#WIPSnips July 25 - double The growing baby dragon enjoys sunning himself. Context: Earlier, Hope had been measured for new clothing. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #Dragons

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"I will lie in the light."
In the brightest spot in the meadow, the baby dragon lay flat on his belly. To maximize his exposure to the light, he spread his arms and legs and his primary and tail wings as wide as they would go. Hope hardly ever saw him spread out like that. It revealed how big he had grown.
She counted the steps from the tip of his tail to the tip of his nose, and then from wingtip to wingtip.
"Mommy, what are you doing?"
"I'm measuring you."
"Are you going to make clothing for me?"
"No. I want to know how big you've grown."
When he hatched, he had been about three steps long. Now, he was almost seven steps long, but his primary wings reached out more than 11 steps. His fanned-out tail wings were over two steps wide. He had doubled in size, but Hope expected him to double again or triple by the time he was fully grown.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 23/07/2026

#WIPSnips July 23 - dash So far, dash occurs 12 times. Is that too much dashing? Should some of them be dart or sprint or scamper, or how about scurry? #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #Dragons

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Hope said, "I can catch you." She charged the baby dragon.
"You can't catch me." He dashed away in a zigzag, occasionally pausing to let her come close, and then dodging while making his goik, goik laugh.
Hope, laughing with him, was unable to keep up.
Then he stopped, swung around, and said, "I can catch you."
She had no doubt he could. She stopped laughing and ran. They hadn't made rules for this game and she didn't know what he might think catch meant.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 22/07/2026

#WIPSnips July 22 - grand This is writing experiment. POV is third person limited. How to reveal something Hope does not know? She tells herself story about what she thinks happens, which author knows is actually what happens. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

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Mister Sterling made preserved and canned fruits, vegetables, and meats using methods such as cooking, drying, pickling, salting, and smoking. He also sold fresh meats, fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and honey, and he made wonderful food bars from those ingredients.
His customers seemed to all be riffraff and riffraff run meal shops. Hope didn't think the City Lords purchased food from him. She told herself a story about how privileged people had their own food sources and servants to prepare and serve the food in grand dining halls while riffraff performers entertained them.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Reposted by Lester D. Crawford

Dr. Stephanie @punkrockscience.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

I just saw a meme that said “get in losers, we’re reclaiming the emdash”. People. PEOPLE. Where are your STANDARDS? It CLEARLY should be “get in, losers — we’re reclaiming the em dash.”

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 21/07/2026

While I find benefit in using rhetorical devices and punctuation when I write, it also carries the risk of being accused of using AI.

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 18/07/2026

#WIPSnips July 18 - next In addition to fighting skills, Mister Emery taught Hope music, dance, and acting. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

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The next day was another Mister Emery day. He taught her a new choreographed dance called Perseverance of Truth. In secret, Mister Emery created music, songs, dances, and plays that told stories about perseverance. Publicly, he only created works based on stories praising the City Lords because they required it of him.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 16/07/2026

#WIPSnips July 16 - rush Living in a society where women have no rights, Hope had learned how to dress and act like a man so she could hide in plain sight. #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

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Hope came into a street where three bullyboys had an older riffraff man surrounded and were threatening him. She reminded herself do not surrender to anger, then walked up to the quarrel.
The first boy to notice her gave her an intimidating scowl, at least that's what she assumed from the contorted look on his face. Then, the look crumbled as he turned and ran. The other two boys were confused, but when they saw Hope, their faces also crumbled as they turned and ran.
The riffraff man said, "Thank you for your help, young man."
Hope smiled, but then returned to her emotionless expression, and in a monotone, low-pitch, high-volume voice said, "You're welcome, sir. I've encountered them before. They know what I can do to them."
Then she continued down the street at a brisk, non-rushed, lurching pace, with a long stride and swinging arms.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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Lester D. Crawford @lesterdcrawford.com · 11/07/2026

#WIPSnips July 11 - attack Bullyboys were fixated on Hope's carrysack. What was it they thought she had in it that was of any value to them? #AmWriting #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

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Part way down the alley, three unfamiliar bullyboys stepped out in front of her. Hope turned to run, but the two bullyboys she had tried to avoid came up behind her.
All five bullyboys charged.
She got in several good hits before the bullyboys pulled her to the ground. She curled into a ball as they beat her and clawed at her carrysack trying to pull it off her back.
Then, from the tenement doors facing the alley came several riffraff men and woman. She thought they intended to join in on the beating, but instead they attacked the bullyboys, pulling them off her. She crawled away from the brawl.
A riffraff woman approached and said, "Let me help you, Child."
Hope got to her feet and ran. Several turns and sprints put her far from the conflict. In an alley, she hid behind rubbish and took stock of herself.
— The Dragon Universe Hope (working title, work-in-progress)

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