iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

My satire, non-topical newspaper newsletter (try saying that five times fast) is now live! Today's post is free, so check it out. Please subscribe and share, because word of mouth > algorithms. #writingcommunity #amwriting #humor #satire

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Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 29/08/2025

And here’s where to search: publicrecords.copyright.gov

publicrecords.copyright.gov

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The Dissociation Gazette @thedissociationgaz.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

What we are: -silly -full of existential dread -your #1 news source for things that don't matter What we are not: -topical -credible -real Sign up for our weekly Substack to receive the regular editions and the Sunday magazine. Tired of the real news? Read us instead!

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

I'm launching a weekly Substack newsletter! I started writing silly, darkly humored, fictional news stories as a way to cope with my anxieties about EVERYTHING, and I just kept going until I had enough for several months of publication. Now I'm sharing it. Check it out! #amwriting #writingcommunity

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

Neville is jealous that he couldn't go to the sidewalk sale at Watermark with me today, but he also can't read.

Image description: a gray cat lying on a teal blanket on a bed with his back to the camera. In the top left of the picture, a paper shopping bag for Watermark Books & Cafe in Wichita, KS sits in front of him. To the right, four books are laid out on the bed: All Fours by Miranda July, Fire Exit by Morgan Talty, Swimming Shelter by Al Ortolani, and a collection of Joan Didion essays.

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Nnedi Okorafor, PhD @nnedi.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

If you need a break, click on #bloomscroll. 🌸💐🌺🌹🌷🌻🌼🪷🪻

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

The other day, I made the conscious decision to take a break from writing my dystopian novel to instead finish drafting my campy murder mystery novel because, well... *looks around* mental health reasons. #skywriters #writingcommunity

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Me: I'm making really good progress on this section of my novel, but I'm still struggling to tie things together. My brain: Here's an AMAZING idea that will solve all of the problems! Me: Yay!! My brain: ...but it requires a complete rewrite of the 10k words you have in the section so far! Me: 😐

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

I wrote* over 1,000 words in my WIP today! *including a 700-word passage I copied over from a previous draft (I'm still counting it!) #skywriters

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

I have been STRUGGLING with one of the narrators in my novel in progress for over a month, and yesterday I had an epiphany: make it horror.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

This is the best that I have made choux buns since the first time I made dairy-free cream puffs, when I had beginner's luck and thought to myself "cream puffs aren't so hard." It took a year and eventually adding another egg to the choux dough to get back here. But I did it! #foodsky

Image description: six large choux buns cooling on a wire rack, which is sitting on a white quartz kitchen countertop with black veining.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

I'm thinking about reading War and Peace. I calculated that if I read 30 pages a day, I can finish it in a month. I did that with Anna Karenina and it worked, but it was also 2018 and I was much more motivated back then. O, to be young and pre-pandemic...

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Anyone else feel like screaming today or is it just me? And by today, I mean constantly.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

I finished the 2nd draft of my novel!!! Now onto the 3rd draft 😂😭📝 #writingcommunity #skywriters #writersofbluesky

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 21/03/2025

Good news for fellow authors disheartened by your books being illegally used to train AI; "If your book was used by Meta, you’re automatically included in the Kadrey v. Meta class action in Northern California..." And @authorsguild.bsky.social has some practical steps you can take.

authorsguild.org

Meta's Massive AI Training Book Heist: What Authors Need to Know - The Authors Guild

Today, The Atlantic published a search tool that allows authors to check if their works are in LibGen, an illegal pirate site AI companies copied for their AI systems. This is a similar tool to the on...

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John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 21/03/2025

Hey, an occasional reminder: Should you be fighting fascism here in the US? Yes, you should! Are you the one who decides how best you can do that? Yes, you are! Should the people who decide that you're not doing it right (i.e., the way they want you to) fuck off into the sun? Yes, they should!

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

I got a copy of Kindscher's Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie, and I'm happy to report that my two favorite plant names in the book are Bastard Toadflax and Panic Grass. Both of them grow throughout most of the U.S. That is all.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

I had to write a brand-new section of my novel, and once I finish it I'll be finished with this draft of the whole thing. I have been half a chapter away from finishing it for like 2 weeks 😂 I know exactly what needs to happen but I keep trying to do everything else except write it. Like clean.

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𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕖 𝔾𝕦𝕣𝕝 @sundaedivine.lol · 06/03/2025

If you're 60, 69.1% of all job growth since your birth occurred under Democratic administrations. If you're 45, that number is 74.7%. If you're under 30, the number is 100%.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

I think this period of American history should henceforth be known as the Reign of Error.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Our online fiction critique group starts NEXT WEEK! All experience levels welcome. Check out writepittsburgh.com/events for more information on the workshop and your instructor (me!). #skywriters #writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #amwriting #fiction #amwritingfiction #writingworkshop #writinggroup

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

4 spots left! Join our online fiction critique group to get feedback on your work. Starts Feb 23rd. #skywriters #amwriting #writingcommunity #fiction Also, I'm a speculative author myself, as well as classically educated in literary fiction, so you'll get plenty of well-rounded feedback from me.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

I guess it's good that my WIP is a dystopian novel because I can cathartically dump all my terror and existential dread onto the page. #skywriters

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Join the Write Pittsburgh online #Fiction Critique Group! Bring your work to get feedback (including from me!) and give feedback to your fellow writers. Advanced writing knowledge isn't necessary; your opinion is more important than you think! writepittsburgh.com/events #skywriters #writingcommunity

Image description: an info graphic of a notebook page against a red background. A cartoon writer is scribbling at the bottom. The text reads: Write Pittsburgh Fiction Critique Group, Ages 18+, Virtual, Sundays Feb 23-Mar 30 7-8:30pm Eastern, writepittsburgh.com/events

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Allison Van Deventer @allisonvandev.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

If you’re in a particular kind of mood, you can call your reps from the otherwise quiet waiting area while the kids are at their activity, so all the other parents get to listen to your opinions

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Air and Nothingness Press @aanpress.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

FINAL CAMPAIGN WEEK: “Our Dust Earth" a hybrid "Dying Earth" SF anthology & mini TTRPG is 81% base and 67% stretch goal funded. We could use your help to reach our goals this week and fund the project. More info at www.kickstarter.com/projects/526... #sf #sff #rpg #kickstarter

kickstarter.com

Our Dust Earth Anthology

A hybrid "Dying Earth" themed science fiction anthology and micro tabletop role playing game (TTRPG)

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

In less than a month, I'll be leading our NEW fiction critique group for @writepittsburgh.bsky.social. Bring your work, get feedback, and give feedback to your fellow writers on their work. It's a win-win! Check out writepittsburgh.com/events for this and all of our upcoming workshops. #skywriters

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Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 21/01/2025

Bluesky has been flooded with automated reply bots - they'll offer a sort of confrontational opinion as a reply. They're pretty convincing and we all need to train ourselves to not reflexively reply to all responses until we check Dead giveaway is new acct, few followers + original posts

Ketan Joshi ketanjoshi.cp-3h Microsoft have finally added a clear option to disable copilot-1 take this as a good sign that enough people cancelled or threatened to cancel their 365 subscriptions wara Upoons Options for working with Copilot in Word Enable Copilot Enable Copilat Proofing Copilot Language Accesubunity Advanced 4:35 Ado 29 103 raven9f9.bsky.social @raven9f9.bsky.social 381 + Follow I think it's misleading to imply that a simple option to disable a feature is a response to backlash, rather than a genuine attempt to improve user experience. January 21, 2025 M 3:55 PM ث

Language Accessibility Advanced Customize Ribbon Add alt text Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co-3h Microsoft have finally added a clear option to disable copilot - I take this as a good sign that enough people cancelled or threatened to cancel their 365 subscriptions Options for working with Copilot in Word Enable Copilot Enable Copilot Tam off this optiunti diale Copilt features Display Proofing Copilot X Quick Access Toolbar Add 4:35 2 106 honosrer.bsky.social shonosrer.bsky.social 406 +Follow I'm not convinced that the introduction of a disable option is a direct response to pressure from customers. It's likely a standard feature they intended to include all along. January 21, 2025 3:56 PM 1 like

honosrer.bsky.social

@honosrer.bsky.social
1 follower
1 following
29 posts

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‪honosrer.bsky.social‬ ‪@honosrer.bsky.social‬
·
2h
Reply to a blocked post
I disagree. Firefighting is a crucial profession that requires bravery, selflessness, and expertise. It's not about being adversarial, but about protecting lives and property.

‪David Dayen‬ ‪@ddayen.bsky.social‬
·
20h
Has a Republican ever felt compelled to distinguish between a good and bad billionaire
These self-imposed intellectual manacles liberals put upon themselves are completely unnecessary

‪Dave Weigel‬ ‪@daveweigel.bsky.social‬
·
20h
Seated *in front* of the cabinet!

The puzzle for Democrats is how to separate "good" from "bad" billionaires. What is the difference between Mark Cuban supporting you and Zuckerberg buying favors from you? It's not a slam dunk, needs explaining.

‪honosrer.bsky.social‬ ‪@honosrer.bsky.social‬
·
2h
I disagree. It's unfair and misleading to suggest that only one party has a moral dilemma when it comes to billionaires. Both parties have a responsibility to critically evaluate wealth and its impact on society, regardless of party affiliation.

‪John Scalzi‬ ‪@scalzi.com‬
·
9h
Also, it was a fuckin Nazi salute come the fuck on

‪honosrer.bsky.social‬ ‪@honosrer.bsky.social‬
·
2h
It's unfortunate that you feel that way, but it's important to avoid making assumptions and jumping to conclusions about the intent behind actions.

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Bucks County Beacon @buckscountybeacon.com · 20/01/2025

Tomorrow, Donald Trump Becomes a Lame Duck President | This reality limits Trump’s political capital and will be limited further should voters do the usual course correction in the next midterm elections, writes @melissaryan.bsky.social.

buckscountybeacon.com

Tomorrow, Donald Trump Becomes a Lame Duck President - Bucks County Beacon

This reality limits Trump’s political capital and will be limited further should voters do the usual course correction in the next midterm elections.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

Tell your friends! Acquaintances! People you just tolerate! This workshop is solely focused on participant work; you'll be able to get feedback on multiple submissions. New & experienced writers welcome! Check writepittsburgh.com/events for this & all of our workshops #writingcommunity #skywriters

Image description: an info graphic with a notebook page laid over a red background. A cartoon writer is scribbling in the corner. The text reads: Write Pittsburgh, Fiction Critique Group, Ages 18+, virtual, Sundays February 23-March 30, 7-8:30 p.m. EST, www.writepittsburgh.com/events

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Friends! Writers! Countryfolk! We have some amazing @writepittsburgh.bsky.social workshops scheduled for the winter term. Join @mchristinebd.bsky.social on January 25th for Scaffolding Your Novel! Only 4 spots left! #writingcommunity #skywriters #amwriting #novel #wip www.writepittsburgh.com/events

Image description: an info graphic on a pink background with minimalist drawings of books on the bottom. The text reads: Write Pittsburgh, Scaffolding Your Novel, Getting your story from start to finish, January 25, 1-5 p.m. EST, virtual, writepittsburgh.com/events

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Anyway I was bored during a Zoom call this afternoon and doodled some possums.

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Anna Meier @annameier.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

My dudes, turn this shit off. On iOS it's under Settings > Apps > Photos > scroll all the way down.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

We have a great list of upcoming @writepittsburgh.bsky.social workshops for the winter term, but we just announced my online fiction critique group today!!! Get feedback on your work! Give your opinions on peers' pieces! Join us! #writingcommunity #amwriting #fiction www.writepittsburgh.com/events

Image description: an info-graphic flyer of a cartoon notepaper page over a red background. A cartoon character is writing with a pen at the bottom of the page. The text reads: Write Pittsburgh Fiction Critique Group, Ages 18+, Virtual, Sundays February 23-March 30 7-8:30 p.m. EST, writepittsburgh.com/events

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 30/12/2024

"New Year's Nightmare" is by the youngest Holiday Spirit(s) adult workshop participant, Tahlia Smith. If you like rich people being haunted at the holidays, this story's for you! Read the anthology for free here: www.writepittsburgh.com/holiday-spir... #booksky #ghoststories #writingcommunity

Image description: a stock photo of a car driving on a rainy road at night. White text over the image reads: "The dark, slender figure approaches me slowly. It hovers over the ground on the tips of its toes. Its face is a shadow. The tresses of hair are waist-length and matted with debris. I feel its chilling presence as if it’s that night when I ruined my life." New Year's Nightmare by Tahlia Smith, Holiday Spirit(s) Anthology

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 29/12/2024

I reached "The Apocalyptic Rock Fight" in It yesterday, and last night I dreamed that my friends and I had a rock fight on an old wooden castle playground. We won because we had the biggest rocks. I'm not sure how those correlate, but it's probably not good. #booksky Bonus: Neville #catsofbluesky

Image description: a gray cat is laying on a white and light green patterned blanket that is spread across my lap. An old copy of It by Stephen King is laying on the blanket next to him. Despite being a copy from the '90s, it was never read before I got it. I ordered it from Thrift Books and the spine was pristine. That detail doesn't really matter to the image, but I just thought it was interesting.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 28/12/2024

From "A Grilled Cheese Ghost Story" by Laine Wilson in our FREE @writepittsburgh.bsky.social Holiday Spirit(s) anthology! For a ghost story collection, we got a lot of heartwarming stories. Ghosts don't HAVE to be scary😉 www.writepittsburgh.com/holiday-spir... #writingcommunity #ghoststory #booksky

Image description: A stock photo of a grilled cheese sandwich on a plate. Over top of the image is a blue box with white lettering. The text, which is an excerpt from a story, reads: "We were sitting at a well-loved kitchen table, in front of steamy bowls of homemade chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese sandwiches as only a grandma could make them; filled with melty, processed cheese product, and toasted almost to burnt at the edges." A Grilled Cheese Ghost Story by Laine Wilson, Holiday Spirit(s) Anthology

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

An excerpt from Stacy Keene's "Bleak Midwinter: A Story To Be Read On A Long Cold Night" in our own @writepittsburgh.bsky.social Holiday Spirit(s) ghost story anthology. Which you can read for free! On our website! Which is here: www.writepittsburgh.com/holiday-spir... #writingcommunity #booksky

Image description: a stork photo of a dark room with a window to the right, looking outside and providing the only light. White text is imposed over the image, and the text reads: "If I am to be believed, and I know that fact is not assured, the story that follows is of an actual haunting. So, I ask you to choose your state of mind at the onset." Bleak Midwinter: A Story To Be Read On A Long Cold Night by Stacy Keene, Holiday Spirit(s) Anthology

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Sravani Hotha @sravaniwrites.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

Delighted to have a story in Write Pittsburgh’s Holiday Spirits Anthology! My story is ‘Magpie and Jay’ and it’s my first publication in 6 years. I’m proud to share space with such talented writers and very grateful to @writepittsburgh.bsky.social and @slbarrett87.bsky.social for their support!

A snippet of my short story ‘Magpie and Jay’ from the Write Pittsburgh Holiday Spirits Anthology

The cover of the Write Pittsburgh Holiday Spirits Anthology

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

This Jolabokaflod, please enjoy our just-released-today Write Pittsburgh Holiday Spirit(s) ghost story anthology!!! You can download it for free on our website! Happy reading 👻🎄❄️ #writingcommunity #booksky www.writepittsburgh.com/holiday-spir...

Image description: The cover of Holiday Spirits: A Holiday Ghost Story Anthology, edited by Samantha L. Barrett, A Write Pittsburgh Publication. The cover is black with white text, and sprigs of holly decorate the upper right and lower left corners.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

Neville "helping" wrap gifts. Funnily enough, I was wrapping his presents to the dogs. #catsofbluesky #merrychristmas

Image description: a gray cat sitting on a carpeted floor. Around him are rolls of wrapping paper and a roll of scotch tape. My legs are folded cross-legged in the foreground, because he sauntered right in and sat it front of me like I had nothing better to do than admire him. He's looking off to the right like he's a supermodel in a photo shoot.

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

My parents when I was a teen: Why are you so into medieval weaponry? That's so morbid. We raised you better than that. My parents 20 years later, watching Wolf Hall: Why didn't they kill Thomas More with a guillotine? They also got a mini lecture about how executioners were often drunk & missed 🪓🤷‍♀️

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S. L. Barrett @slbarrett87.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

I emailed responses to two different students who asked for clarification on revision advice today which said that, if they disagree with me, they should stand up for themselves because "it's not my writing. It's your writing. My writing currently has a lot of cyborgs in it." #writingcommunity

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