#ttmd — Public Fediverse posts

#ScribesAndMakers May 14: Our #TTMD featured creator is Patch Arcana @patcharcana

Oh, hey! It feels like I've been following you for a bit!

I don't really have any questions, but if you want to talk mechanics and/or pixels, I'd be happy to talk mechanics and/or pixels. :)

#scribesAndMakers Day 14: #TTMD @patcharcana

Do you prefer a certain gaming system for your #TTRPG ? (DnD5e, Pathfinder? Another one?) Or do you make your own?

#writing #writingcommunity #creativity

@patcharcana

The way I understand the term tisanophile, you like tisanes. Do you make your own mixtures? What's your favourite?

#TTMD #ScribesAndMakers

#ScribesAndMakers May 14. Talk to me day. #TTMD @patcharcana

Happy You Day!

I usually start by perusing the creator's website to find something to ask about. Have to say I am blown away by your prolific endeavors! Where do you find the time? If you had to choose, which of these projects is closest to your heart & why?

Incidentally, my RSS feeder refused to find your site when I tried to add it 😫 I enjoyed your internet highlights.

For reasons I assume have to do with some vaguely-remembered dispute between dot-Art and F-Engineer from some time ago, I can't see this question but fortunately I also exist on Wandering Shop, where I can, so:

#ScribesAndMakers #TTMD @patcharcana Do you come up with settings and do worldbuilding the same or differently for TTRPGs as for novels? (and why?)

I really do worldbuilding the one way, and sometimes I'm not even sure if I'm doing it for a novel or a game when I set out.

My preferred means - in part because the setting for the two novels I do have is an "unplanned mess" and it really shows - is to just pop a new mediawiki instance and start writing. Throw link marks around all your proper nouns and then start killing redlinks.

It takes some many hours but eventually you get a reasonably deep and fleshed out world that is also reasonably documented.

#ScribesAndMakers May 14. Talk to me day. #TTMD

Today's featured creator is: @patcharcana

Would any of your books work as a game? Have you thought about adapting one into a game?

14 Talk to me Day #TTMD where @patcharcana as our featured creator will answer your questions. He's a writer, editor, TTRPG designer and more.

I’m sure you all have your own questions at the ready and join the fun soon. Please remember to tag and use both hashtags. Just copying them from another post won’t work.
The one and only rule: Be kind.

And here is my question:

How did you come to the lock-picking hobby?

If you want to know more about this, check out the about and FAQ page on our website: https://scribesandmakers.mataroa.blog/faq/

#ScribesAndMakers

#ScribesAndMakers 26: #TTMD with @JessMahler

The growth story structure fascinates me, as I tend to do similar (like focus on different characters in the same story), yet with external conflict that I resolve as well. You mentioned a serial and seasons, how do you decide when to finish such an arc? And distinguish temporary stability from actual?

Also curious whether you think there's a max out number on poly?

Finally, anything else you wanted to mention today and didn't yet get the chance?

@TheAuthorVivian

just helping with the tags. #TTMD @JessMahler

@JulieLiddellWhitehead

Hi, this is a question for today's #TTMD featured creator @JessMahler

Maybe you have a question of your own for them?

@Uair

Hi, this is a question for today's #TTMD featured creator @JessMahler

Maybe you have a question of your own for them?

#ScribesAndMakers 26: Talk to me Day @jessmahler

What are the five most important things you would like us to know about you?

2 as an author
and
3 as a person

#TTMD #NMSAM #NMPrompts

#ScribesAndMakers 11 Talk to me day @orionkidder

What are the 5 things you would like for us to remember about you. Two as a writer and three as a person.

#ttmd #NMPrompts #NMSAM

@crcollins #ScribesAndMakers #TTMD #Serial #Serials 2/2

Tips

• Remember, readers, will be reading a bit at a time over months, if not years. Every chapter should include reminders of what just happened. The more subtle the show, the better. Tell is obnoxious used this way. If you later release in novel format, you can go back and edit where this is janky.

• Per above: You need to keep your readers interested over a long period of time. They will not forgive you for breaking your initial covenant with them. (See fanservice below.)

• Have a clear picture of your characters and/or world. Otherwise, your work will wander all over the place. Remember, you don’t have the luxury of going back and editing it for consistency.

• Per above: Once it's out there, it’s out there.

• Readers are more forgiving of McGuffins. You need hooks for later and foreshadowing. Chekhov’s gun only applies if the gun is smoking.

• The pace is different. There is less room for info-dumping, transitional chapters, etc. On the flip side, there is more tolerance for something that is interesting but may not advance the plot.

• Readers like some fanservice, but don’t let it take over. I define fanservice as something your specific audience enjoys, be it sex, food, fights, or heroics. Spread it out, and if you notice that you have delivered on the goodies for a few EPs/chapters, throw something in. If you republish as a novel, you can edit it out if you don’t like it.

• Anchor each character with some identifiable traits so readers don’t lose track of them.

There are a bunch of them, more than enough to give you something to think about.

• Oh, yes. YMMV/ Rules are meant to be broken. I am not a kami of writing, just another hack doing my best.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 2 #TTMD

What do you like/not like about releasing work this way? Any tips, sites, or software recommendations? Anything that surprised you about it? 1/2

What I like best.

• It keeps me honest with writing. I have regular goals that are small enough to envision achieving.
• It is the dominant format in the publication channels I use. Which allows me to write and publish without worrying about marketing, formatting to publication sites' specifications, and Corpo censorship (Amazon and credit card companies, I'm looking at you.)

#Serial #Serials

@crcollins

#ScribesAndMakers 3.2 — Talk to me day. #TTMD

If you could choose anything new to throw into your writing, just something to try in the future, what would you choose? Unexplored tropes, some new characters for us readers, etc.

1. A story that realistically uses the backstage life of an underground idol.

Also, but less than:

• A #Yandere Not a borderline one, or someone who turns from that path, but one who allows obsessive love to take over their life. I've done the former.
• The descent of a good MC into a life of violence and obsession.
• Something partly set in the Heian Era of Japan.
• A fuller development of Takiyasha-tennō (滝夜叉天皇) , formerly Takiyasha-hime. Frog Sorceress and 異界の主 / 霊人
• A story where the MC is a Hikikomori / 引きこもり(social shut-in)

@floofpaldi

19. What's a useful bit of feedback you've received?

I'll exclude Alpha and Beta readers here because that's not just useful, but essential feedback.
What was very helpful recently was asking our friend @willelm a question about child psychology. (He's listed in our knowledgebase list of helpful people in case you wonder: https://write.as/samhelper/knowledgebase)
He's read the chapter in question, answered my question, and also told me where he got confused about some magical facts that I hadn't thought about because, you know, it was all clear in my writerblind head. 😆
Thank you, Will!

Get your questions ready for tomorrow: #TTMD

#TTM D #ScribesAndMakers

#ScribesAndMakers #ttmd 2025.08.03 @JulieLiddellWhitehead Author Talk to Me Day

Sometimes I get the opportunity to research and sometimes I don't, like today (I'm currently unwell). I hope I'm asking a fair question here; beyond that, that it's not something I should have seen in a bio if I'd looked.

Your book collection of short stories appears to be about characters living through hard times and dealing with hard decisions made or needful. It feels like something an author would write in part to work through their own demons or to make sense of a nonsensical world. Is this the case for you? If not, what drives you and your writing? What do you wish the reader to feel they have learned when they finish the reading the last page of your story?

[Author retains copyright (c)2025 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing and #CommentingIsCool

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion

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