iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell

Bradley Ramsey @imagine2create.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Fellow writers, a quick reminder: Failure is a badge of honor, because most people don’t even try. So write the thing. Even if you’re not certain. Especially if you’re not certain. It might work out. It might not. Either way, you’ll be glad you tried. 🙏 #writingcommunity #authorsky

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I was trained with the Milford workshop method, so it's always been expected that my responsibility as the writer to figure it out myself, though I'm learning to ask follow-up questions more.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Whatever they're more comfortable doing. They're doing me the service of reading, so while I give guiding prompts of things I'm wondering about, I'll take anything my betas are willing to give me.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Oh, I do an initial editing pass, send it to my beta network, and when the feedback for that comes back, do necessary revisions. If I do end up going indie with Starfall, and if the editor who worked on the first book is open to working on the sequel, I'll also have editorial feedback too.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Yep. The rage I felt when I discovered they actually were right when they said I would feel a lot better if I increased my physical activity. Oh, the betrayal!

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

As I can personally attest, THIS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK! Excuse the caps, but I'm excited by good books. Of which, this is one.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Erendesirel was raised for two things: political marriage and fencing. Sadly, the galaxy doesn’t have much call for a well-trained husband or sword-wielding duelist. Exiled from his homeworld, he joins off-brand Starfleet and does the one thing he’d rather not: make friends. #DVpit #A #SF #SFF #LGBT

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

If I end up with having a say about Starfall's cover (or if I go down indie, in which case, I would have the only say), as much as I wish I could have space elves on there, I recognize elves don't sell, SO. Swords in space! And if it reminds you of OTHER space opera properties...feature, not bug.

Image of a very rough sketch of a hand holding an Italian-style rapier aloft. Faintly, the title "Starfall" is visible at the top and "R. J. Howell" at the bottom.

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Reposted by Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell

John Wiswell @wiswell.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

and that raft was called "the last page of your WIP"

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Hadn't planned to yet, but mostly because I'm in early stages and have no idea what my budget is going to look like, ultimately. This is not going to be fast, I'm easily nearly a year out from an indie release at this point.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The placeholders are usually just for names and proper terms, so I can usually figure it out in revisions through context who that ___ is supposed to refer to. I don't like using actual names, since 1. they tend to stick and 2. they're easy to accidentally overlook in a find-and-replace edit.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I think Starfall stands alone better than Earthshine does. Earthshine picks up where Starfall left off, so while you could probably work out the broad strokes of what's happening and why, since the arc is self-contained, I fear Earthshine alone would lack the context for the emotional payoffs.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Eventually, regardless of which path I ultimately go down, though at this point, I'm leaning indie, I'll be looking for advanced readers for Starfall? If that's something you'd be interested in?

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It's just easier that way. Sure, I may lose one or two between books, but I've tried working with betas who come in just for the sequel and it mostly is just difficult for all of us. Earthshine stands slightly more alone than other book 2's I've written, but it's still the second half of a duology.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Three chapters now! Likely, I'll be asking the readers who worked on Starfall to read Earthshine, since the two are a linked duology. Usually, I do an editing/revision pass, then send it to betas, then incorporate feedback, then maybe another beta round, if needed.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Also, you all are gonna get soooo many fencing updates now.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

My grip is a bit wonky cuz that was a very odd angle for the photo. The rapier is one of the guild's. I'm commissioning my own, but production takes a while. It's 2-3 months *just* for the blade, but I'm hoping to have one by the time I'm ready to move up to foundations?

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

So for the past 3 months, I have had a new hobby: fencing! Specifically, Italian-style rapier fencing. There's a guild in Chicago that teaches rapier and longsword (Forteza) and i just finished my first 12 week course. I'm already signed up for the next session. I'm not very good (yet) but it's fun!

My left hand holding an Italian style rapier.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Thankfully, no, that hasn't happened to me, but then ___ is pretty easy to do a final find-and-replace. If I did use an actual name, I'm pretty sure a placeholder slipping through would be far more common.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Cleanup is usually just tedious, but it does give me a chance to do a sort of preliminary edit pass while filling them all in. If I find I have a placeholder that I don't know or remember what it was supposed to be standing in place of, it's usually a sign I need to cut it or revise it.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Usually, it's names. If I give a placeholder name for a character it will suddenly become that character's name, whether I want it to or not. Occasionally, it'll stand in for a line when I know I need a narrative beat in the flow of dialogue, but I don't want to break the flow while drafting.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

125k! Earthshine has about four more chapters after I finish this scene then END! You get to enjoy what a friend calls my "madlib drafting" with my placeholder underscores. That's going to be a name. Once I decide on said name. On course for finishing two books in one year. Onward!

Screenshot of a novel in progress at 125,000 words.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

And cinnamon rolls! There's a cream cheese frosting that goes with, but I decided to keep it separate so people can put it on themselves (or not). I didn't have high hopes for this one. I hand-kneaded it instead of lugging out the stand mixer, and my apt. is VERY warm and that's butter-based dough.

Photo of homemade cinnamon rolls dusted with powdered sugar.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Loaves #4 and #5! Crumb is better, muuuch less dense, though they are are desperate need of salt. Though I admit, I do have a tendency to undersalt bread. Thus, butter!

Photo of two loaves of homemade sourdough bread.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I have made a slight tactical error with this sourdough starter. It was smelling boozy, but a little close to the top of the small container on the right. So I split it between jars and fed it. With the kitchen at a toasty 75F. THREE HOURS LATER...it exploded. I am going to be baking so much bread.

Photo of two jars of very active sourdough starter.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Momentum has slowed just a tad, but I've been a bit distracted this past week. Big end-game showdown, though! (The knife in question is a parrying dagger.)

Screenshot of a novel in progress at 115,115 words.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Sourdough #3! I was a little more artsy with my vent slices on this one and tried to do a more influencer-esque staging to the photo. No idea what the crumb looks like; it's still cooling.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I'm on a slight sourdough kick. This is Loaf #2. Loaf #1 came out all right, but very dense. I think it's cuz my starter is young, so this time around, I left it out to get bubbly longer and changed how I was doing the proof. Onward, to Loaf #3! I also make a mean sourdough scone and crumpets?

Photo of a freshly baked sourdough round loaf.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Secretly, I both wish to be asked about my writing and deeply dread it. If I can't follow a neat little script, I start free associating and it turns into a confusing muddle. I swear! Things make more sense! In writing! When I can edit and refine! There's a reason I write, not do improv!

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Reposted by Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell

Abhijeet @bingingout.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

"Seneschal of Shattered Tor" is a postcolonial high fantasy about a society trying to Be Better* and the leaders dragging them into the future. I hope you enjoy it! * T&C apply

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

If you'd like to, certainly! The agent guide for book 1 is pinned to my profile. A beta who hasn't read the first book would also get a synopsis, so you wouldn't be thrown in with no context whatsoever.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I honestly have no idea. It's a sequel so I doubt anyone would be interested and, seeing that it's a sequel, the goal would be tightening it to make it a better book rather than tightening it to make it palatable for querying. While I'd like it to be beta'd, I recognize the impracticality of asking.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Bah. I'll probably delete this thread in the morning. I try not to complain on social media.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I'm tired. I'm just so damn tired. And sad. Cuz I have the feeling that even if I did follow the calorie counting advice, by the time I edited it down, the goal posts will have shifted yet again, and I'm *still* a waste of space.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

My frustration is the rules being changed after I've been invited to play that say, "Oh, no, wait, you can't play, ha ha! Joke's on you!" My frustration is the goal posts keep changing, and every time, I try to obey the rules, only for the rules to change, sending me back to square one.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

This isn't about me writing a too-long book. Because it wasn't "too long" two years ago. I submitted a 170k beast two years ago, and I had more options without word count caps than with a shorter book, now. I submitted a 185k behemoth in 2020. 138k now, and...too long.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

And before anyone starts with "just write shorter!" and "have you removed every 'that'!", shut up. No, really. Because the amount of nefarious *joy* people get telling me about how much I must be failing cuz word count looks a LOT like strangers calorie counting for others they deem fat.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Y'know, it's beyond demoralizing to be invited to send my next book the last time I was querying, only to discover the agent put severe word count caps on submissions between then and now. Like, I was looking forward to sharing this with you.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

By getting longer, mostly. I have a tendency to guess low. If it's 150k or under, I'll be thrilled. More likely, though, it'll be 155k.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Rough guestimate based on the outline. I have about 7 chapters to go, assuming plot beats and pacing hits the way I anticipate, and my chapters are roughly 7k, which comes out to about 50k, and thus, 150k.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

We have crossed the 100k barrier! It is officially *chonk*! Also, end game is right about to lock in completely at the end of this chapter, which is a nice spot for it, pacing-wise. Miiiiight end up as 150k, but hey, edits.

Screenshot of a novel in progress at 100,000 words.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Sailors are, by far, my favorites. The themed ones are just so cute! And the pro gear slims are, like, just the right size for my hands. I just weep for the expense! 😭

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

As with the others, photos just don't do it justice.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Fountain pen #3, AKA Starfall's Frankenpen. This is Starfall's *official* fountain pen. I didn't initially like the body that came with the Yumeyoi, it being translucent, so I did some aftermarket tweaks with a Shikiori Vega. Color isn't a *perfect* match, but it's close!

Photo of a frankenpen fountain pen made up of a Sailor Yumeyoi and a Sailor Shikiori Vega. The body is dark blue with silver glitter and the cap is translucent purple-blue with falling silver stars.

Photo of an uncapped frankenpen fountain pen made up of a Sailor Yumeyoi and a Sailor Shikiori Vega. The body is dark blue with silver glitter and the cap is translucent purple-blue with falling silver stars. The nib is silver and has a tapir with falling stars etched into it.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

I am a sucker for Sailors. Like with the Cross, the photo just doesn't do the colors justice.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Fountain pen #2! This one isn't for a novel but for my MFA through Stonecoast. I didn't originally intend for this one to be for that, but the colors are almost exactly USM's and it is such a pretty pen, I couldn't bear hiding it away until I finished a snow-themed book. Thus, rededicated!

Photo of a Sailor fountain pen. The base is deep royal blue and it is covered in gold, white, and pale blue snowflakes, with gold accents.

Photo of a Sailor fountain pen, uncapped. It is dark, royal blue with gold, white, and light blue snowflakes. The nib has a tiny snowflake etched into it.

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Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell @mytherea.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

The photo, sadly, does it little justice. The nib is pretty plain though.

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