I love how there's "what, are we in grade school?" preceded and followed by juvenile raving to stop being divisive by caving to slop. The author who wrote this also has a slop "writing coach" she developed, so this is just use the newsletter as advertising for her grift. Waste of email space.

Holly Lyn Walrath@hollylynwalrath.bsky.social · 19h ago

There is a lengthy pro-AI screed in the latest HWA newsletter and it is . . . a mood.

The house, like the girl, never faces the sun.

i know that the lie of "everyone is already using it" is only being perpetuated to get more people to give in to using AI but i feel like we don't say enough that a lot of people are also fucking lying about using AI to avoid being fired.

That HWA pro-AI lady has an AI-powered "writing coach" app she just launched and lol btw I will be your writing coach for free with no AI! Here: Turn off Bsky, you creep closer to death every day so WORK ON YOUR BOOK NOW--the discourse will still be here in the morning. You're welcome! 🥰

Oh wow. Congrats to the finalists. Honored to be included with these authors. Thanks to World Fantasy Con, the judges, @clarkesworldmagazine.com, and @undertow.bsky.social. And thanks to readers who enjoyed and talked about these stories. Really means a lot.

2026 World Fantasy Awards Finalists

The World Fantasy Awards ballot for works published in 2025 has been announced. The awards will be presented during the 2026 World Fantasy Convention, scheduled for October 22-25, 2026 in Oakland C…

locusmag.com

"A.i." is bullshit. "A.i." detection tools are bullshit. "A.i." in education is bullshit. "A.i." in the arts is bullshit. "A.i." in business and government is bullshit.

Ya’ll!! Mohenjo Daro was JUST LIKE THAT Bratz-doll-ass civilisation, respect

Kate Compton@galaxykate.bsky.social · 2d ago

Wait did i show yall the worlds best cow painting?

I’m gonna say virtually all authors need to get serious about textiles. Who is weaving them? Out of what? Who’s turning them into clothes and how much does it cost and do you have any idea how HARD all of that was before modern mills

David J Prokopetz@prokopetz.bsky.social · last wk.

To write in the classic high fantasy mould, you need not be hung up on food specifically, but there must be SOME very mundane thing you're sincerely interested in and prepared to describe in excruciating detail every time it comes up. Clothing. Furniture. Architecture. It doesn't work without it.

The Fae: so we’re going to take you away from here and— Me: I accept! The Fae: and you won’t remember anything and you will not return for a century— Me: I ACCEPT HARDER

I have, with my own eyes, watched my tax dollars in the form of missiles as they hit buildings inhabited by civilians. I'd much prefer subsidizing a grocery story I don't use.

USA TODAY Opinion@usatodayopinion.usatoday.com · 2d ago

Opinion: Mamdani's idea may sound appealing, but it's NYC taxpayers who will take the hit, subsidizing discounts they may never even use.

early Bluesky was very "don't feed the trolls" as the internet used to be and as I wish all social media still was

John Scalzi@scalzi.com · 2d ago

Bluesky oldheads will remember that brief period of time when the conservative trolls tried to storm the place and were flummoxed by the idea they would have to organically grow an audience and that someone who didn't want to talk to them could nuke every interaction they ever had from orbit

That's what taxes are, man. That's the definition of taxes. "You are subsidizing things you might never use" man shut the fuck up. My taxes currently subsidize like oil company exec private jets, you think I'm upset at low-income people eating inexpensive bananas?

USA TODAY Opinion@usatodayopinion.usatoday.com · 2d ago

Opinion: Mamdani's idea may sound appealing, but it's NYC taxpayers who will take the hit, subsidizing discounts they may never even use.

Someone approached me once at an event where I was performing readings, and asked me why I chose tarot as a medium for my art. I replied that, among formats, tarot is the one that makes two key assertions: 1) that there is a place called "the future" 2) that the universe has plans for you there

TrickyC (he/him)@trickyc66.northsky.social · 7mo ago

Single card tarot reading today? yeah, I'll do a free single card tarot readings today. who on bluesky wants a free single card tarot reading today? comment here if you want a single card tarot reading today, and i'll get some coffee and do a few single card tarot readings today.

Not gonna lie, I remain delighted that Bluesky management hates that the platform was immediately co-opted by artists and queers.

I love wearing my Read Queer Books shirt at my job at the library

Queer Liberation Library@queerliblib.bsky.social · 2d ago

"Wait… since when did the library have merch?” Sweetheart the merch has BEEN in circulation! 📚✨ What IS new, is our white tanks 🌀 So tie-dye, color and decorate to your heart's content, then 🖌️POST and 🎨TAG us so we can all celebrate your creativity! shop.worxprinting.coop/collections/...

Bluesky oldheads will remember that brief period of time when the conservative trolls tried to storm the place and were flummoxed by the idea they would have to organically grow an audience and that someone who didn't want to talk to them could nuke every interaction they ever had from orbit

mamdani feeling the furry joy is the energy I need this Monday

change in societal norms from "a 14 year old is capable of watching 3 kids for an evening" to "a 14 year old can't be trusted to be in public unchaperoned"

AHAHAHAHAHA who has ever met an author who would SHUT UP about writing That said I am guessing the complainers are not seeking "How do I write" -- of which there are REAMS of advice -- but "How do I get published" And are not satisfied with the answers received

Antony Johnston@antonyjohnston.bsky.social · 2d ago

Seeing complaints online that authors 'gatekeep' information…! Absolute nonsense. There is no industry or craft in the world which is so comprehensively written about, studied, and discussed as fiction writing, and every author I know welcomes new writers who are serious about giving it a go.

I have great concerns that as people are being advertised to about "banking" that pays more than banks, they don't know to check about FDIC insurance.

oh shit you can currently watch The Repair Shop for free on Tubi and the Roku Channel! Let me please take this opportunity to encourage everyone here to watch The Repair Shop! people come with their Old Items, and a bunch of highly skilled craftspeople fix the Items

thingswithwings@thingswithwings.bsky.social · 2d ago

not enough people are out here talking about The Repair Shop!!! what about the sacred quality of objects that humans invest with their own history and emotions! what about the value of handcrafting processes that go back generations! what about the rich interconnections between craft and carework 😭

Video Stock roundup for the entire month of July 2026. Patrons get HD/4K Downloads, Early access and exclusives each month! www.patreon.com/NullEntityStock #FreeStock #creativecommons #Videostock #videoreference

Never mind the fact Twitter's pageviews/popularity is crashing by every metric. The Trillionaire K-hole is not a winning model.

Darryl Mott@gamerstavernshow.com · 2d ago

Quite literally the reason most of us are here - the robust muting and blocking tools. This isn't about being in an "echo chamber", it's that this is NOT my fucking job and NOT my fucking duty to be here. This is RECREATION. I don't want to deal with bullies and assholes while having fun.

I’d put this up alongside “how to budget life alongside your monthly bill total” and “this is how health insurance works” as a critical thing no one tells you in school.

joyeux noel@aiyaruk.bsky.social · 2d ago

they should really have a 'stuff your body just Does sometimes' element of health class

"By asking them to read, professors are arbitrarily withholding information from students by forcing them to get it through this more difficult medium." Your depressing read for the day (gift article). That quote is about students at HARVARD, by the way. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

The End of Reading Is Here

Optimists once believed that universal literacy was inevitable. Now it seems that the age of reading might be a short anomaly in human history.

theatlantic.com

I think everyone whose youth did not foster positive self-regard has at least one completely unexamined child’s idea of the world that will completely fuck their shit if it has the chance, and for these guys, it’s the idea that pretty people have the right to be mean

Widow's Bay DSA@gonebabygone.bsky.social · 2d ago

I think a lot of funny fat guys get in shape and much bigger douchebags because they associate being chill or funny with being fat and are now disgusted by it, same thing happened with Chris Pratt

Okay, so, coming off this: What CAN the average indie do, relative to each of these theories? 1/?

🍁 Levi Kornelsen@levikornelsen.bsky.social · 2d ago

A thread on "Theories about why TTRPGs are so cheap", with notes, including Oversupply (x2), Satiation, Non-Distinction, Production Purchases, Exemplar Pricing, and Confidence Pricing. Notes at end. 1/?

Still mad about seeing the argument that "PC gaming is thriving." It's true, because you can't kill art. But statistically none of the 1000+ games released in a month will pay devs a living salary, because you *can* kill industry. To think this won't eventually hurt players is willfully ignorant.

once you start traveling the english countryside with tom as he finds portals, you never know to what delightful places you may go

Tom Cox@dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social · 2d ago

THREAD/ORIGINAL ART GIVEAWAY This hare linoprint is by my mum, Jo. I'll be sending an original of this to one randomly chosen person who reposts this link to my recently updated website & pops a reply below. www.tom-cox.com The offer is open worldwide. I also have some more art to give away...

Stories need to have more sex in science fiction and we need to lose the military aesthetic that has destroyed us from the inside