Behind that door: Your TBR pile.

This comic gets shared every year with the date changed. It is by Brazilian cartoonist Glauco Villas Boas (1957-2010).

— @nilahmagruder.com

What an amazing year for our group. We’ve met brilliant writers, seen amazing progress on all kinds of stories, celebrated dozens of pub’d works. A year of stonking wordcounts, book launches, socials, write-ins, @cymeraf.bsky.social, WorldCon & so much more.

We’re excited for 2025!

Excellent Christmas gift for someone…

So how about that fiveweekiversary Xmas giveaway?

Post a below & share by the 20th to be in the mix for this bundle -

Signed The Last To Drown & We Are All Ghosts In The Forest, 2 bookmarks, a lovingly felted bee that didn't involve me stabbing myself at all & a mini bee cross stitch kit!

— @rainewilson.bsky.social

If you see this, post something monochromatic…

(Does… this… count?)

Tonight!

Celebrating NOVA SCOTIA vol 2, 4th December Old College Just confirmed the writers doing the readings:

Ken MacLeod Rhiannon A Grist Lindz McLeod Ali Maloney

What a bunch!

www.shorelineofinfinity.com/product/shor...

— @shoreinf.bsky.social

This is a fantastic opportunity.

clears throat Also, before I start work for the day, REMINDER to please apply for the Banff Centre science fiction literary arts residency in 2025! If you write sci-fi, it's a great chance to focus on it for a couple weeks along with me, @aijiang.bsky.social , and @amalelmohtar.com !

— @premeemohamed.com

This is lovely.

COVER REVEAL

We're celebrating St Andrew's day with a cover reveal! Feast your eyes upon the cover for @mkhardywrites.bsky.social's sublimely Scottish, sapphic, gothic novel - THE NEEDFIRE!

Out in the UK on 31st July 2025. Preorder now: https://geni.us/needfire Cover art by Holly Macdonald.

— @solarisbooks.bsky.social

Reminder that this is next week!

Celebrating NOVA SCOTIA vol 2, 4th December Old College Just confirmed the writers doing the readings:

Ken MacLeod Rhiannon A Grist Lindz McLeod Ali Maloney

What a bunch!

www.shorelineofinfinity.com/product/shor...

— @shoreinf.bsky.social

We dare you, techbros…

You know what would really disrupt the publishing industry? Fair contracts and decent pay for authors. No AI training without the creator’s consent. Artists and translators on the cover. No NDAs for ghostwriters.

— @joannechocolat.bsky.social

Lots of words being written!

A busy day planned with our writers…

Looking forward to one of our occasional all-day write-in events tomorrow (Sunday 24th). We have a lovely venue just off Royal Mile and space for writers to sit and focus for as long as they need. 10am-5pm, at The Crannnie community hub

www.eotdt.org/crannie/

This cover is delicious!

COVER REVEAL! (UK)

SOME MEMORIES AREN'T LOST, THEY'RE STOLEN

Discover the staggeringly mind-bending new thriller from the bestselling author of ASCENSION.

Also now available for request on Netgalley UK

Preorder UK: smarturl.it/DissolutionHB More here: www.nicholasbinge.com/dissolution

— @bingewriting.bsky.social

Hello! For our new followers, here’s our starter pack of ESFF writers & friends: go.bsky.app/BQYttVS

One week until our next write-in event: a day of writing sprints, with coffee & snacks at a wonderful venue.

#writingcommunity

@simonguy.bsky.social holding court at @cymeraf.bsky.social Writers’ Conference this morning with an excellent key note.

The @cymeraf.bsky.social Writers’ conference is about to start in Edinburgh. Looking forward to the workshops and talks

CYMERA festival director Ann introducing the event…

Pleased to see our friends at Edinburgh Literary Salon on Bluesky. Do give them a follow!

We are the Edinburgh Literary Salon. Based in Scotland's vibrant and historical capital city, we stage a free and inclusive monthly event that is dedicated to supporting the literary community. www.edinburghliterarysalon.org

— @ediliterarysalon.bsky.social

It was a lovely event, with two beautiful readings

With thanks to @annabelcwrites.bsky.social for the photo of the authors.

Launch night in Edinburgh tonight. Such a gorgeous book.

Ghosts on tour!!

It's launch week & I'm ridiculously excited to be starting my series of Ghosts events this week! Please share & come join us - individual events in the thread below

— @rainewilson.bsky.social

While #ednowrimo (& #nanowrimo) targets are entirely arbitrary… this is a time to try to get your words down.

Tips:

• Goals are yours: 50 or 10k, or 20min a day…
• It’s just a bit of fun; don’t stress if you can’t write today!
• Editing is optional
• Share your progress!
• Daily backups

Fantastic work is being done today as part of #ednowrimo. It was lovely to meet writers at various venues in Edinburgh.

First day of #ednowrimo, and lovely to see the words flying on our Discord!

#writingcommunity

So many things happening in November for #EdNoWriMo, plus our amazing friends at @cymeraf.bsky.social have a writers' conference on the 9th! We cannot wait. Tickets can still be found here: www.cymerafestival.co.uk/book-confere...

Tomorrow we're excited to begin our #EdNoWriMo writing month: daily writing sessions, weekly IRL meetups & Zoom, and an all-day hosted writing meet at The Crannie.

What are you planning to write in November?

#writingcommunity #sff

Have they all been used up?

Our November is stacked with events for our writing month, #EdNoWriMo: weekly Zoom & daily writing sessions (online + IRL) and an all day in-person write-in on the 24th. Many of us will also be at @cymeraf.bsky.social’s Writers Conference on the 9th. Our next Social will be in December.

Really enjoyed catching up with local SFF writers yesterday at the @edinburghsff.com social. Top writing chat, some fantastic news & loved hearing what everyone’s working on. Always leaves me feeling inspired. Great turnout, too. Find a group of writers you can hang out with. It’s a massive boost.

— @shellbryson.com

One of our Edinburgh socials today: 20+ SFF/H writers with casual chat about their writing, books & publishing over beer/coffee and food. Always fun!

(We have seen many a story begin over a pint…)

Writers of Stirling, make yourselves known!

#writingcommunity #amwriting #sff #scotland

I'm sure that's not true. Stirling Writers, where are you? Roll call!

— @gsfwc.bsky.social

ICYMI…

We're so pleased to be awarded the BFS best magazine/journal trophy for 2024, that we've decided to discount everything in the Shoreline Shop by 10%.

Thanks to everyone who supported us!

www.shorelineofinfinity.com/shoreline-of...

— @shoreinf.bsky.social

Just one week until our next social. Informal writing/publishing chat over beers and food with more than local writers in an Edinburgh.

edinburghsff.com/events/vg52T...

“More than 20”. Hmm. Piece of that post went missing.

ICYMI, here’s our growing #starterpack of brilliant writers from the ESFF community:

The ESFF writing community is overflowing with wonderful writers! We've created a Bluesky starter pack of our members (& friends) for folks to follow:

go.bsky.app/BQYttVS

— @edinburghsff.com

Fantastic thread of many, many Starter Packs to follow if you are looking for which #sff accounts to follow:

Overwhelmed by all the great #SFF starter packs, or not sure you've seen them all? This thread tries to collect many of them for convenience.. If you know of more, please let me know (ideally not as a reply, to keep this thread 'clean').

#SFF #StarterPack #ScienceFiction #Fantasy #Speculative

— @bmorrisallen.com

@bmorrisallen.bsky.social Oh your list is excellent. Care to add the ESFF community one, too? go.bsky.app/BQYttVS

@carolynnrr.bsky.social Welcome to Bluesky!

The ESFF writing community is overflowing with wonderful writers! We've created a Bluesky starter pack of our members (& friends) for folks to follow:

go.bsky.app/BQYttVS

From last week's @ukpageone.bsky.social Podcast, debut author @davegoodman.bsky.social talks about his spy thriller "A Reluctant Spy" and the importance of writing communities like ESFF:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGwe...

This is shocking. Please write your own stories. Don’t use the plagiarism machines to do it.That’s not your book or your words.

This is not just bots. We are seeing more and more submissions by writers with publication records who are almost certainly using AI to create initial drafts and then are trying and failing to edit things into shape.

— @uncannymagazine.bsky.social

ESFF hq last night awaiting visitors from distant worlds.

Excellent! Do check this out, such a brilliant collection of writers.

Now updated! #Fantasycon2024 kicks off this Friday -- and you can find our full schedule at the link below, including appearances from...

Ruth EJ Booth, Annabel Campbell, Jenni Coutts, Robin CM Duncan, Ian Hunter, Shona Kinsella, Omar Kooheji, Alan Laird, PS Livingstone and Neil Williamson.

— @gsfwc.bsky.social

Still a chance to grab tickets for this event in Glasgow from two brilliant writers from the ESFF community. If you like folklore… this is for you.

Come and see me and @samkhorton.bsky.social talk about our folklore fantasy novels with @megintransition.bsky.social!

@torbooks.bsky.social @solarisbooks.bsky.social

Tickets here: www.waterstones.com/events/an-ev...

— @gen-dimova.bsky.social

Author @lyndseycroal.bsky.social introducing the itinerary for today’s ESFF write-in day earlier this morning.

Resident Edinburgh SFF writer Tabitha takes a few minutes to contemplate her next chapter at our Write-In event.

(photo by ESFF writer @bibliofi.bsky.social)

Mysteries, dragons, ghosts, robots… and words.

If you’re in Edinburgh (or even if you’re not!) join our discord to hear all about free events like this. Plus a growing and supportive community of (mostly) Scotland-based writers—published, querying, or just giving it a go

edinburghsff.com/community

Something a little different for our writers tomorrow and our first low-key day long write-in. Room full of writers, focused writing sprints, critique and more at a lovely venue.

#amwriting #writingcommunity

Do you write with music or a soundscape playing? Share your favourite moody project music

#amwriting #writingcommunity

Lots of really good articles & shared experience in this thread:

I have a bunch of new followers, many of whom are writers, so I’m going to repost some older blogs of mine that went down well when I first wrote them.

— @davegoodman.bsky.social

I mean we are here to encourage and support. But also, we’ll put the kettle on.

How to be a writer: Write novel Finish first draft of novel Start editing novel in face of rapidly approaching deadline Realize that novel actually needs to be shredded then put back together asap Swear a bit Start shredding Tea.

— @joannechocolat.bsky.social

Shall we join in? Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and we were #347,151!

Great book launch last night for @davegoodman.bsky.social’s “A Reluctant Spy”, with an intriguing reading from the author. “Right place. Right time. Wrong man” …

When not writing thrillers, Dave is also a SF writer …and part of the ESFF team. How much talent…?

The ESFF badger mascot had fun too.

And we’re off on a spy mission (book launch), hush hush…

(By @davegoodman.bsky.social)

Wild. THREE writers from the little writing group we started over coffee in 2019 have books out TODAY. Such a talented community of diverse writers, we’re thrilled to see so many doing well.

Congrats @davegoodman.bsky.social @shaunalawless.bsky.social & @samkhorton.bsky.social

We couldn’t have put this better.

I'll say again, if your first interaction with me is to correct my English, I'm blocking you.

None of that shitty behaviour is good faith.

Find another place to prop up your self-esteem and fuck right off to that place.

— @tadethompson.bsky.social

We’re looking forward to this!

Friends, witches and forest creatures, it is TWO MONTHS until WE ARE ALL GHOSTS IN THE FOREST comes out!!

To celebrate, here's a blurb from the one and only @naomikritzer.bsky.social and if that maybe entices you, preorder links are here‍

geni.us/weallghosts @solarisbooks.bsky.social

— @rainewilson.bsky.social

Our weekly write-in was a success this morning. Coffee and many words. (Photo by @bibliofi.bsky.social)

The badger also likes touring the coffee places of Edinburgh.

The Cymera Writers’ Conference was excellent last year. We maaaaay have heard whispers of some of the things to expect this year, and you’ll want to grab a ticket.

We're working hard to plan the Cymera 2024 Writers' Conference! The full programme will be announced in October, but in the meantime don't forget to snag your Early Bird Ticket. You'll save £10!

www.cymerafestival.co.uk/writers-conf...

— @cymerafestival.co.uk

From the wonderful book launch event for @lyndseycroal.bsky.social & her “Limelight” collection earlier tonight at @argonautbooks.bsky.social.

Many of ESFF folks will be there tonight! We’re looking forward to celebrating this launch.

Today I am very much looking forward to heading to Edinburgh to meet with friends and go to @lyndseycroal.bsky.social's book launch for her short story collection Limelight

argonautbooks.co.uk/product/5th-...

— @clhellisen.bsky.social

This will be excellent.

#writingcommunity #amwriting

By popular demand, your favourite editors are returning for a deep dive discussion. Editing can seem like a minefield. How do editors decide what stays and what goes? What’s their process for polishing your manuscript into a finished book?

Tickets: britishfantasysociety.org/events-calen...

— @britfantasysoc.bsky.social

We’re very disappointed with the recent statement regarding AI from #nanowrimo & wholeheartedly stand with writers saying enough is enough.

It’s a real shame this established writing community found itself using such deeply troubling language in regards of a topic impacting all writers.

Not cool.

Fantastic.

It's publication day for my debut collection, and my first full length book Limelight and Other Stories from @shortwavebooks.bsky.social! So proud of this book, full of tales of near & far futures - I hope folks will give it a chance and enjoy these strange and dark worlds! ️ linktr.ee/lyndseycroal

— @lyndseycroal.bsky.social

Launching this week at @argonautbooks.bsky.social - Limelight, by @lyndseycroal.bsky.social. Lyndsey is one of the Edinburgh SFF founding members and we are so excited to see this brilliant collection in the wild.

A residency opportunity with Typewronger…

www.typewronger.com/home/residency

If you’re a writer new to Bluesky and want to keep your feed clean, this is an excellent list of accounts to block / avoid. Remember you have great control over what you see, and who sees your posts, unlike that other place…

Here’s a block list for content farms. They’re scrapers and they are shit tier accounts:

bsky.app/profile/did:...

— @growlbeast.art

Space murders? Why would we—welllll… <bookmarks>

Interesting, especially if you're writing about space murders!

— @bethkesh.bsky.social

E - Firn-filled Fjords, Tibet S - Mackenzie River F - Kruger National Park, South Africa F - Mato Grosso, Brazil

Join a writing community (there are plenty out there!). Join a critique group. Go from there. Never, ever send unsolicited work. There are no shortcuts.

I don't know what they're telling you in writing workshops these days, but contacting a pro writer you don't know, who didn't give you their email address, and asking them to critique your 150,000-word first draft, which you have attached, is not going to end the way you want it to.

Deleted unread.

— @tadethompson.bsky.social

Did you do those backups yesterday, hmm, hmm?

Scrivener (WIP) files live in Dropbox. Scrivener backup Zips live in iCloud. iCloud syncs with MacBook (and my phone & iPad). BackBlaze backups entire MacBook.

A long time (20+ years) ago I lost the only digital copy of a novel. A lesson well learned.

— @shellbryson.com

Packed full of SFF gems, it’s one of the freshest genre publications out there. We

Just a wee reminder. Our latest issue, Shoreline of Infinity 38, is now available from our website:

www.shorelineofinfinity.com/product/shor...

Released for @glasgow2024.bsky.social

— @shoreinf.bsky.social

Our occasional reminder to backup your work. Nudge nudge. Send it to Dropbox, email it to yourself… go do the thing! Takes seconds. #amwriting #writingcommunity

Eat. Kill. Sleep. Repeat. Words today from @trnapper.bsky.social

This cover is gorgeous. Another fantastic book to celebrate from the Edinburgh SFF community

So excited to share this epic cover for THE OUTCAST MAGE, designed by Ellen Rockell. I can’t even describe how exciting this is - the cover is MAGICAL. It’s an absolute dream.

THE OUTCAST MAGE is out January and available for pre-order now. Links below!

#amreading #fantasy

— @annabelcwrites.bsky.social

As we recover from #worldcon #glasgow2024, we look forward to our next meet-up, local book launches, Cymera Festival, and more. Not to mention that the Edinburgh International Book Festival is also currently underway. It is an excellent time to be a writer in Scotland. 󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

#worldcon #glasgow2024 #hugos Badger.

Badge badger has a new badge. #worldcon #glasgow2024

We’re on an adventure! #glasgow2024 #worldcon

The #worldcon programme is now live! Over 950 events…

guide.glasgow2024.org

So many of our ESFF friends will be at #Worldcon. We'll post a list once the programme is available.

With ten (!) sleeps until Worldcon in Glasgow, excitement is building. What are we hoping for? (exceptional barcon-ing, books, writers, writing…)

The full programme should be announced later this week

@glasgow2024.bsky.social

Long lost mascot found!

PSA: If you have a minute spare, have you backed up your WIP recently? Less time than to make a cup of tea!

Quiet night. We should probably go read a book. 󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

How fantastic is this!? Featuring many Edinburgh SFF writers & friends too

We are delighted to reveal the cover for Nova Scotia Vol 2: New Speculative Fiction from Scotland, edited by @neilwilliamson.bsky.social and Andrew J Wilson. The artwork is by Scottish-based award-winning artist @jennicoutts.bsky.social! www.lunapresspublishing.com/post/nova-sc...

— @lunapress.bsky.social

ESFF is looking forward to meeting Science Fiction and Fantasy writers and readers from all over the world in August at WorldCon 2024

Did you know WorldCon has a fund for SFF fans from marginalised or underrepresented communities or of limited means?

glasgow2024.org/for-members/...

Unpacking the ESFF CYMERA bag makes us wish it was CYMERA again this weekend.

Little more than a day until this fantastic auction expires, including sub/query packages, beta reads, named characters and much more...

#amwriting #writingcommunity

www.32auctions.com/organization...

A reminder that there is currently a fantastic auction happening in support of Cymera Festival and the Scottish Book Trust New Writers award: edinburghsff.com/events/8MeJj...

Just two days to go…

After a beautiful, busy weekend at Cymera Festival, we’re in recovery mode today… but that doesn’t stop us from kicking off another writing month (but of course). #EdNoWriMo words are flowing.

edinburghsff.com/community

Some incredible things here for writers in this charity auction.

www.32auctions.com/Cymera2024

First outing for these gorgeous new pins too.

First event… #cymera24

Today: panels, workshops, authors, books, games, plays, music, an amazing creators hall and more… Cymera Festival 24 is here. We’re excited to meet all the writers (& readers!) here.

www.cymerafestival.co.uk

@cymeraf.bsky.social

And we’re down to ONE sleep until @cymeraf.bsky.social - the full programme starts tomorrow and runs through the weekend.

Are you a writer in Edinburgh or Scotland? Look out for folks with SFF badges & come say hi

#amwriting #writingcommunity

www.cymerafestival.co.uk/cymera-2024-1

With two sleeps to go, the Friday kick-off at @cymeraf.bsky.social looks great: www.cymerafestival.co.uk/book-2024-ti...

Panels: Writing the Future, For Want of a Hero, Play: A Rose Appears, and Dune the Musical

And… hopefully the sun?

Just look at this lineup. From Friday…

THREE sleeps until Cymera Festival proper. It all kicks off on Friday with a clutch of author events. And if you dare, don’t forget the best SFFH book quiz, from 830pm in the bar (no tickets required)

edinburghsff.com/events/FWWFH...

With just a few days until Cymera Festival, Ann (Festival Director) will be at the Edinburgh Literary Salon tonight, among other guests. edinburghsff.com/events/gBmGh...

We have a list of Podcasts for writers. Do you have a favourite we should be listening to?

edinburghsff.com/pages/podcasts

#writingcommunity

Workshops, check. Authors talking about books, check. Excellent writer banter, check… FOUR sleeps until CYMERA 24 #writingcommunity

There are still tickets for many things: www.cymerafestival.co.uk/book-2024-ti...

Five nights sleep. FIVE SLEEPS! CYMERA festival 2024: authors, workshops, writing… @cymeraf.bsky.social

We have been working on an interactive map for writers in Edinburgh and beyond …and you can now visit the BETA at edinburghsff.com #writingcommunity

Featuring a collection of places to write, events (and venues)…

…and much much more.

Come find us during CYMERA (@cymeraf.bsky.social) next week: we'd love to hear your feedback, ideas or… eh… probably bugs you found. Reward: a shiny badge for you.

We’re super excited about this. Hope to see many writer-friends there.

Glasgow 2024 is only a few months away now, but you can still get a membership! Don't miss out on the most Glaswegian of Worldcons by visiting the convention’s website here:

glasgow2024.org/for-... 1/3

— @glasgow2024.bsky.social

Seven days until @cymeraf.bsky.social 2024.

#amwriting #writingcommunity

Are we ready for @cymeraf.bsky.social?

Narrative folks

My studio is looking for some narrative folks to join us at our brand new Boston studio. All roles are FT, onsite in Boston, and relocation is offered. Details in the thread below. Join us in building a new studio and culture from the ground up

www.cdprojektred.com/en/jobs?proj...

— @annamegill.com

Our @cymeraf.bsky.social tradition continues… with a restock. If you’d like one, look out for the Badger with badges during CYMERA.

Frequent subjects of discussion on the ESFF discord, querying, submissions and the bits that happen after the drafting. This workshops look really interesting.

Learn how to craft a query letter and make your submission shine!

This workshop has two sessions: Saturday 1 June (Digital) and Sunday 2 June (In-Person)

Space is limited for all workshops, so don’t miss out: www.cymerafestival.co.uk/cymera2024-e...

— @cymerafestival.co.uk

Glorious day for one of our monthly(-ish) writer meet-ups. Beer, food, publishing & writing chat. It’s a bit warm…