Joseph Raup

@ChrisC_Writes Yeah, they're great. It's uncommon but with the right mix a family memeber could be the perfect fit. I agree most family isn't my target audience and a "that's great" with no context hurts much more often than it helps. Especially with newer writers who haven't found their voice.

@JosephRaup That's a goldmine, Joseph. An SO who doesn't write but knows the craft from years of critique groups is a great reader. All the analysis, none of the writer ego. I'm talking about vetting our circle on X Live tonight. Pinned tweet has details if you want to jump in.

Counterintuitive writing advice: Do not let your friends, your spouse, or your family read your early drafts. Relying on casual readers too early forces a raw manuscript to play football without pads. It actively damages your revision process. Disagree? Change my mind.

@SintonCrane Sure. Why not stick a page that people can skip if they want? Other media has them-movies, shows-for profanity, violence, drug use, etc. Vast majority seem cool with that. Not a hot-button issue there. Not sure how we accept it in one medium but not another without hypocrisy.

Authors, what’s your thoughts on content warnings for books?

@SusanSavageLee1 Internal turning points. A character who is different from what they were realizing their change, for better or worse.

What’s your favorite scene to write? Anything with dialogue #writingq #WritingCommunity

@MatthewBockholt 100% OK But don't be surprised if no one in the audience resonates with your story if you didn't put in the work to understand their expectations.

Writer friends, it's ok to write in a genre you don't read.

@Charlie_Novels If it's for a fiction project it doesn't matter. It's a word if you want it to be one. As long as a reader understands it in context, it works.

Genuine question, because I'm seeing varying information online and between dictionaries... Is "unpocketing" a word? As in the action of removing something from a pocket. Spellcheck hates it and merriam-webster is the only dictionary that lists the word. I'm losing my mind 😅

@ThebookishC Reading or writing one? About a year for reading. As for writing, I'll let you know when some of my longer outstanding WIPs switch from TBC to The End.

What’s the longest it’s taken you to finish a book?

@PyresMagicka Not sure how others will give solid advice on what you want to be called but my 2 cents: 1) Go with what you like 2) Look at how other authors in your genre spell their names. (Might help with audience expectations)

I’m having impostor syndrome because I only use my first and last name on my book. In order to be a real author I probably need to have more initials. Thoughts? Ian M. K. Overton I. M. K. Overton I. Overton I (The last I is for “the first” cause I don’t want to be confused with the six other Ian Overton’s out there).

@RiffRoc_ I don't want to be a story. I want to be a person. My SO says I'm not allowed to consume those where I'm from.

u become what u consume. read stories.

@bookslattes Interesting take. In my genres, I find most books start better than they end. Like the author knew what the ending was supposed to be but didn't do the work to get me there.

A good first chapter is harder to find than a good ending.

@BellaDunnWriter "Pet peeves" are minor behaviors that irritate. To me, someone lying about that isn't minor. I'd feel something stronger than "pet peeve". >.<

Pet peeve: when someone says "I just bought your book", when they didn't in fact buy my book

@goodreads The cover's job is to draw interest. We're supposed to judge our level of interest when seeing it. Of course I judge a book by it's cover; it's why it's there.

Do you judge books by their covers? Be honest.

@KWBussard_ On the surface I agree. Of course, it depends on an author's definition of success. People may not be interested in the book "I want to read". Finding your audience and writing what they want to read is also a valid approach. Ideally, you can do both.

Tuesday's Hot Take: Write the book you'd want to read, to the best of your abilities. Forget all that other bullshit and drama.

@IamSriSudharsan Currently in progress: This month's Locus and Clarkesworld, an indie book about werewolves, a trad pub anthology about climate change, and Joel Henry Sherman's "Corpseman" (1988).

What are you reading right now??? #booktwt

@AuthorGFAllen Well said!

I hate marketing, but I’m G. F. Allen, and this is my attempt to pitch my book in less than a minute.

@NatalieO73314 We have different perspectives on this O.O I hope you can raise that 5% to the sky!

Being a writer is 5% writing and 95% struggling with the nasty little voice that tells you you’re not, nor will ever be, a writer.

@MatthewBockholt It's not a rule to not use adverbs. That's advice that got taken out of context along the way. The advice is more like "don't overuse adverbs instead of choosing stronger verbs"

Writer friends, it's ok to use adverbs.

@serialsemantic Happens. As perfect as I like to think I am, I've screwed up plenty of times.

Just received a rejection for a short story they'd already rejected last January!😂

@MalindaDetweil1 Nope.

Has someone ever told you to quit writing?

@PKCarldon After developmental edits. Make sure the prose is clean enough, but I wouldn't go all out on copy/line edits until I knew how the reader experience went.

#writingcommunity When do you seek beta readers? After a rough first draft or after polishing your story as best as you can, then look for feedback to make it better? 🤔