#pennedpossibilites — Public Fediverse posts

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.03.06 —Is there a local writing community near you? Do you participate in it?

You can't get closer than Mastodon :mastodon: (🐘) on my very own computer!!! Too shy to look elsewhere…

I participate in:

#EroticMusings
#PennedPossibilites
#ScribesandMakers
#WordWeavers
#WritersCoffeeClub
#Writephant
#Writever

As well as:

#WritingCommunity
#WritersOfMastodon

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
#cozy #mystery #thriller #romance #fantasy #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSInklingsStory #RSReluctanceStory
#microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic #smallstory

Whilst I try to only rarely cross-announce on the various writer challenge game hashtags I frequent, I'm doing so because March 30th, today, I am answering questions asked of me on Talk To Me Day hosted by Scribes and Makers. To ask, please include a question and these three items:

#ScribesAndMakers #TTMD @sfwrtr

Follow the two hashtags to participate in the answers and fun.

Here's the announcement: https://indieauthors.social/@saposcat/114240655183968909

#BoostingIsSharing

#PennedPossibilites #WordWeavers #WritersCoffeeClub #Writever #Writephant #TimeTravelAuthors

#writer #author #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon

#PennedPossibilites 623. In theory, what would be your SC’s weapon of choice?

(Catching up)

Atosho used both guns and stilettos in the war. She's practical enough to prefer guns; close-quarter fights between women are generally over quickly. Whoever makes the first mistake gets stabbed, and zapped. At that point, they're out of the fight - usually because they're dead.

#PennedPossibilites 623
In theory, what would be your SC’s weapon of choice?

There aren't so many weapons on Ardonna. Mages are born weapons so don't need anything external. Same with most other forms of life. If you do find any, it would be among humans, particularly in the Dragon Age. The queen of Sharren likes her sword, which marks her as a threat to some people when she visits Quenelle.

#PennedPossibilites 623. In theory, what would be your SC’s weapon of choice?

Atosho used both guns and stilettos in the war. She's practical enough to prefer guns; close-quarter fights between women are generally over quickly. Whoever makes the first mistake gets stabbed, and zapped. At that point, they're out of the fight - usually because they're dead.

#ScienceFiction #TimeTravel

Intro Post 2/2
I sometimes write "sample stories" directly. While hashtags may prompt me, I've also had ideas that want out and complain if I repress them. I use this as an excuse to write side stories or explore characters. Part of why I am on Mastodon is introduce myself as an author who is actually writing.

"Being chatty," is usually off-topic from writing. This includes politics, things I've read, photos, or discussing other art and creative endeavors I've discovered thanks to my followers and feeds. I make a point of promoting other author's books and publications when I see them by boosting. which I consider being both collegial and friendly. I boost especially creative artwork, also, and critique when I think my opinion might prove useful to the artist.

Below are spotlight sample stories and posts. There are plenty others that you can look for after you read these. I am writing two sets of stories right now. Inklings is a fantasy romance about a woman named Wintereyes who has befriended wolves. And squirrels. And dragons.... Hashtag: #RSInklingsStory. I am also writing a few stories in what I call the Reluctance series. Hashtag #RSReluctanceStory. Reluctant Accomplice is half-complete and I am starting a short story Reluctant Father right now. The Reluctance series is SF in a universe with a few extra natural laws (that are "reluctant") in which humans have been reengineered and interstellar travel is in the background. For reasons of not wanting to explain things to the Mastodon audience, I use terms like "magic" that aren't used the mainline stories. "Day angels" and other types of people are mentioned, but you'll have to pick up what they are from context, if you can, where it matters. I won't explain my jargon. After reading enough stories, you'll catch the drift. One main character, referred to as the "devil-girl" is a recurring character, as is the main antagonist (provisionally named "Director Rainy Days") who's the protagonist of her own stories.

Click and read:

• https://eldritch.cafe/@sfwrtr/113025288742552021

• https://eldritch.cafe/@sfwrtr/112497915608418589

• https://eldritch.cafe/@sfwrtr/110136451462609798

• https://eldritch.cafe/@sfwrtr/112975175037374655

• https://eldritch.cafe/@sfwrtr/110993252771253246

• https://eldritch.cafe/@sfwrtr/110603595653290409

• https://eldritch.cafe/@sfwrtr/113025104709372637

#Mastodon #boostingIsSharing #writer #author #writing #fiction #sf #sciencefiction #fantasy #romance #writersOfMastodon #writingCommunitity #uspol #writersCoffeeClub #wordWeavers #pennedpossibilites

CW: Intro Post 1/2

Note: Updated for use as a link for friends and pinning.

Most of my current web presence as an author is on Mastodon under the handle @sfwrtr. To view my profile, click this link: https://eldritch.cafe/deck/@sfwrtr

What follows is TL;DR detail explaining Mastodon and how it works. There are clickable links at the end of the second part of this post, but knowing how to drive the car is far better than being buckled into the child seat...

Mastodon is organized around "feeds" and "toots." A toot is the same thing as a post on Facebook, eX-Twitter, or other social media, and is a term used interchangeably. It is a single unit of information that might also contain images. A feed is a list of posts with the most recent at the top. My profile is a feed of my posts. Common feeds are:

"Local," posted by account on the "instance" server hosting my account.

"Global," all feeds accessible at the time (aka federated).

"Home," which is customized and discussed below. Other than your home feed, you don't see these feeds unless you click on a button to see them.

Unlike eX-Twitter, Mastodon has no algorithm. Instead, you have a home feed, which shown by clicking a home-shaped button. This feed is customized by you by "following" the account handles of other people you are interested in. For example, you can follow me @sfwrtr. It's done by clicking their handle, which is a link, and clicking Follow. You can also choose to follow keywords, called hashtags. These are also links and begin with a hash/pound-sign. Readers are most interested in hashtags commonly used by others. When you follow a hashtag and another user's post includes a hashtag in the text, that post shows up in your home feed. I commonly use the following hashtags because of my interests and with whom I wish to communicate:

#writer #author #writing #fiction #sf #sciencefiction #fantasy #romance #writersOfMastodon #writingCommunitity.

Because Mastodon has no algorithms, and it exists in reaction to commercialism, trolling, and the hostile environment of eX-twitter, you will find things called content warnings. You'll see CW: text. You'll see a "See More" button. You'll see images marked as sensitive. CWs exist. You can make what you want of it, but ought consider using them in your posts for sensitive topics that might bother others. Click to reveal or hide things. You can mute threads so sets of posts are hidden. You can block hashtags: block #uspol for example if you don't want to see posts about US politics. You can block people, for obvious reasons.

A person's profile is a separate feed. It includes volunteered information. I have pinned some representative posts that always remain at the top. These introduce me and include a few posts in which I list sample stories. Below that you will find my most recent posts, reply posts, posts of other people I have favorited, and posts that I have boosted. By boosting a post, I redirect it so it shows up in the feeds of people who follow me. It's how we share on Mastodon. You will also find a list of my followers, people who receive in their feeds whatever things I post.

Although you can read what I've written publicly (most of it is tagged as public), I recommend signing up for your own account. I will provide an invite to my friends so as to make that process as simple as possible. Ask me for this.

My writing output can be classified into three categories: Hashtag responses, sample stories, and being chatty.

"Hashtag responses," also called hashtag games or challenges, are responses to questions or prompts. Some of them like #writersCoffeeClub and #wordWeavers are posted en masse at the beginning of the month. Another, #pennedpossibilites, is posted daily. I try to answer them on a daily basis. I use them to think through characters, writing technique, plot, or as a way to provide advice to writers. Sometimes the hashtags prompt me to write as one of my characters, or may result in my writing a small story. My account is hosted on an instance server that allows me to "toot" 5000 characters. Most others are restricted to 500. I can use the limit to write around 800 words; sometimes I do. 800 makes for a concise short story.

I’m super excited to show you all the cover for my first novel, A Memory of Blood and Magic.

Consider this a cover reveal teaser 🤣😂

I’m waiting on one technical/business thing before officially announcing it, but expect it soon 😅

#WritersCoffeeClub #WordWeavers #PennedPossibilites #reading #fantasy #SFF #writers #bookstodon

#PennedPossibilities 357 — MC POV: Tell us about one of your bad habits.

Well, I'm... um... People around me know that I am very encouraging and equitable, distributing assignments on merit, listening to suggestions, reprimanding fairly, and demonstrating when necessary. I do tend to observe and evaluate everything. Thankfully, what I think, uh... emotionally in the moment, or angrily or in disappointment, doesn't leak out to effect how I treat people or change my decisions. I know better. Except when I have to deal with stupid. I have some tolerance for people who tease me, less for people who harass me for their own benefit, and almost none for those who work to provoke me—assuming I don't have to tolerate such treatment for the sake of my people or my objective.

When that happens, the snark inside leaks out. I wield my vocabulary like a weapon, which is better than using a fist. I remember this one time a guy wolf-whistled me. When he took exception to my ignoring him, he followed me, taunting me, doing everything from spewing a running commentary for his companions on my "curves," and lack thereof, to trying to lift my skirt. I acted stupid, bubbly even to diffuse his interest—but I was trained enough to be faster at dodging than him grabbing. Made him try harder. I'm afraid my retorts, while sounding stupid, had vocabulary above his head. When he asked my name, I said, "Gelding." Then told him, "It's a verb."

He understood that one. Not happy. Angry. Red faced. Made me grin.

Fortunately, he'd followed me into the territory of a rival gang. That I used my "magic" to push them together and start a fist fight made the evening all the more amusing! That led to more fun with his girlfriend who took exception to me somehow beguiling him in the first place. My fault, huh? Really? (#pennedpossibilites 356: https://eldritch.cafe/@sfwrtr/112675803247963180)

Now that I think of it, all of it was great fun. I really enjoy when people give me permission to play with them!

Really is a bad habit!

[Author retains copyright (c)2024 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing and #CommentingIsCool

#fiction #sf #sff #sciencefiction #writing #writer #writers #author #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory
#microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic #smallstory

I'm super excited to announce that my first short story Double Crochet is now available (along with other great work) in the first issue of Solstitia magazine from Fiction Fans!

https://www.patreon.com/fictionfanspod/shop/solstitia-issue-1-241350?source=storefront

DOUBLE CROCHET is a heist story set in an industrializing fantasy world with a crochet-based magic system! Read more about this story at:

https://knbrindle.com/short-stories/

Please boost! I can't wait for everyone to read it!

#WritersCoffeeClub #WordWeavers #PennedPossibilites #reading #fantasy #SFF

#WritersCoffeeClub #selfPublishing #writers #WordWeavers #PennedPossibilites

Yep, I make a template file each month that includes all the monthly questions for the #WritersCoffeeClub and #WordWeavers prompts. Cut/paste/delete: It's how I answer reliably and quickly; I minimize the repetitive parts.

I copy the questions to the template from the text source posted with the questions (thank you folks for doing that!), or in the case of #Writever, I OCR the text. I add my introductory lines with double-clickable replacement text and my hashtags so I don't have to bother with each post. See the example below.

To answer a prompt, I duplicate the template file and start writing! For prompts like #PennedPossibilites, I have a template file that I never have to change. I copy past the canonical question directly from @floofpaldi's post.

Below an example of my headers and hashtags. Note I haven't revised the hashtags specifically for this post. Normally I delete the non-applicable ones. I'm being illustrative. Sorry!

EXAMPLE: (For those that don't see it, there is a right facing angle bracket before the first hashtag for my signature formatting flourish.)

#WritersCoffeeClub Ch 9 Nbr nn — Question

text

[Author retains copyright (c)2024 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing and #CommentingIsCool

#fiction #fantasy #sf #sff #sciencefiction #writing #writer #writers #author #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSInklingsStory #RSReluctanceStory
#microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic #smallstory

149: SC POV: When was the last time you felt needed?

Rain: last night, or was it technically this morning. He had the nightmare, again. It hurts his eye, the one he lost.

today, he doesn’t need me.
Maybe he thinks he does. But the signs are there. It is his time.

#pennedpossibilites

R.S. (@sfwrtr) #MastodonAnniversary — Nov 17, 2023

1 year ago, at the urging of an online friend and with a great deal of assistance, I joined Mastodon. It has been a journey of discovery, and plenty more, where I've met a great number of diverse authors and learned /so much/ about the craft and the experience of writing that my mind wants to explode. Along the way, I've met numerous artists—who I'm following as perspective cover artists, as well as for genuine inspiration—photographers, pundits, and other creatives. Every day has been fun. I've enjoyed answering your questions from my experience as a writer. As a shy introvert, who's somewhat #autistic, you've gifted me the opportunity to experience community very unlike my experience as an author, pre-Internet. I might not have burnt out and had to rediscover writing had I had you'all around.

So...

Thank you! ❤️

And to the 499 followers I've garnered, here's a special warm thanks: 💫 I don't award a gold star to just anyone! I hope I've entertained and inspired you along the way.

Any one want to be my 500th follower?

EDIT: @gryphonEschmidt got the honor, but you can still follow. 750 is the next target. 😇​

#BoostingIsSharing
#CommentingIsCool

#mastodon #mastoanniversaire #fiction #fantasy #sf #sff #sciencefiction #writing #writer #writers #author #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #romance #actuallyAutistic #photographer #photography #art #fineart #fediverse
#RSdiscussion

Hashtags I follow:
#writingWonders #WordWeavers #PennedPossibilites #WritersCoffeeClub #TimeTravelAuthors #Writever

@RileyNorman

I've been toying with the idea of taking one of my projects and releasing it as a sort of serial on a blog.

This is a great idea and it looks like you did. There's no guarantee you'll get feedback, but it will stretch your mind to new dimensions.

Being /Shy/ is difficult for writers, and not uncommon. I am also horribly shy... in person. It prevented me from networking when I got an agent, sold, and could get in to all those fabulous parties and meetups at Worldcon and other SF conventions. It's difficult, and crippling. But now you are on the Internet. You can have blogs, you can have webpages, and you have a Mastodon account. You can write to prompts, practice, and get things out there. Like I am.

I recommend following these hashtags /and participating/. Practice makes perfect, and writing lots of stories helps suppress the fear about starting and finishing, and having troubles coming up with ideas.

Remember this about feedback you may get: It is only the opinion of the person providing the feedback (advice, etc.), and it is up to you to decide if it is relevant in anyway to accept or ignore at your whim.

#wordweavers
#PennedPossibilites
#writerscoffeeclub
#writever
#writingwonders (defunct, but a very good read.)

These will give you a sense of community:

#writer #writers #author #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #sf #sff #fiction #scifi #ScienceFiction

Good luck! #shy #shyness