Writerly Ways

[cornerofmadness]

No writing thoughts today. I spent the entire day making exams (and thinking about leg-lungs). I did find out one of the stories I finished early for fandomtrees couldn't be used. Before I post I always double check the DNWs etc only to find the prompt I wrote for was no longer there. I think the poster decided it would be too angsty (in my hands it was) and they changed it. (So I don't misremember things I copy prompts into a document and also so I don't have to keep digging in the prompts) No big deal really. I love the story and I'll just post it and start something else for this poster.


Open Calls


Cosmic Horror Monthly January 2026 Window Weird and cosmic fiction under 5,000 words

Three-Lobed Burning Eye January 2026 Window Speculative fiction with strong narrative voices

Dark Age Press January 2026 Window For Fantasy and Science Fiction Novels Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels

Solar Punk Magazine January 2026 Window. Works that stir readers with themes of defiance, change, and achievement

Brink Literary Magazine January 2026 Window Hybrid fiction with the theme of Chaos




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Naming Your Book: Avoiding Title Mistakes That Kill Sales

The Case for Shrinking Your Novel


From Betty


The Last Jedi and the Power of Failure

The Why & How of Character Motivation

5 Rules to Keep Writers Sane on Their Creative Journey

And Now, A Word From One of Our Judges

Four Key Moments When You Should Hold the Conflict

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Intellectualization

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Anticipation

Avoid making the reader repeat what they already know.

4 Anchors Every Writer Needs: How to Slow Down, Find Your Voice, and Reclaim the Joy of Writing

Publishing Paths for Writers: Understanding Your Options With Hybrid Publishing (Part 2)

How Writers Can Turn Their Dream Into a Finished Manuscript: The Power of Measurable Writing Goals

Comments

[dr_zook]

The leg-lungs!! 🤣 So sorry to hear about your students. What's wrong with them these days?

[cornerofmadness]

they have been taught to rely on google and AI and cannot think

[spikedluv]

I first read that as leg lunges and was very confused. *g*

I know you're okay with it, but not cool that you put in the work to write to a prompt/like they deleted.

[cornerofmadness]

at least leg lunges would make sense (first clue that was wrong)

I guess I was more shocked that it was even allowed to do that but maybe we're not. Ah well I got a second good story out of it

[suzume]

Leg-lungs, seriously, what?! XD;

[cornerofmadness]

someone told me the vastus lateralis muscle in the thigh was the lungs and another said the achilles tendon was the carotid artery and I'm ready to yeet myself into orbit

[suzume]

Yikes! Even I know this stuff and I'm not taking your class!