#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 1: Intro: Shameless Self Promotion.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 10: What are your thoughts on em dashes?
I love 'em! And I maintain that they should be typeset with a non-breaking space before, and a standard space after. The spaces give them visual separation from the surrounding characters, and the non-breaking one on the front means the dash will never be the first thing on the line; that's awkward and impedes reading.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 12: If you write novels, would you consider a short story, and vice versa?
Whenever I contemplate trying to get stuff accomplished in the confines of a short story, my brain locks up and it just looks like way too little room.
Back in my teens, when I previously was an aspiring writer, I actually intended to write short stories. My attempts ballooned into novellas.
Maybe I'll try the "short story challenge" again someday. Not now.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 12: If you write novels, would you consider a short story, and vice versa?
Whenever I contemplate trying to get stuff accomplished in the confines of a short story, my brain locks up and it just looks like way too little room.
Back in my teens, when I previously was an aspiring writer, I actually intended to write short stories. My attempts ballooned into novellas.
Maybe I'll try the "short story challenge" again someday. Not now.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 13: Do you derive joy from writing? In what way?
If it weren't bringing me some kind of joy, I'd stop. Even when I'm running into difficulties or being frustrated by obstacles, I'm still, fundamentally, doing the thing I wanted to do.
I've been living with "what if I were to write a book about...?" in my head for so many years. It feels good to finally be making it happen.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 13: Do you derive joy from writing? In what way?
If it weren't bringing me some kind of joy, I'd stop. Even when I'm running into difficulties or being frustrated by obstacles, I'm still, fundamentally, doing the thing I wanted to do.
I've been living with "what if I were to write a book about...?" in my head for so many years. It feels good to finally be making it happen.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 14: Have you ever written about an ex-partner and changed their name in your story?
No, and I don't plan to.
They're exes for reasons. I don't need to be hauling them around anymore. Not in my brain or my heart, and certainly not in my writing!
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 14: Have you ever written about an ex-partner and changed their name in your story?
No, and I don't plan to.
They're exes for reasons. I don't need to be hauling them around anymore. Not in my brain or my heart, and certainly not in my writing!
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 15: Which conjunctions do you use the most? Does it matter?
I can't imagine that it matters. If I really want to know someday, I guess I'll drop my writing into some kind of thing that generates statistics. But I doubt it.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 15: Which conjunctions do you use the most? Does it matter?
I can't imagine that it matters. If I really want to know someday, I guess I'll drop my writing into some kind of thing that generates statistics. But I doubt it.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 17: How do you promote your writing?
I'm going to wait until I have anything to promote before I get into that.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 17: How do you promote your writing?
I'm going to wait until I have anything to promote before I get into that.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 18: What genres might you try if you wrote outside your chosen genres?
I might give mysteries, and particularly cozy mysteries, a try. Also, I occasionally wonder what it would be like to write a romance or two.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 18: What genres might you try if you wrote outside your chosen genres?
I might give mysteries, and particularly cozy mysteries, a try. Also, I occasionally wonder what it would be like to write a romance or two.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 21: Have you practised your autograph and your selfie pose for your best seller?
I'm deliberately holding off on that kind of thing until the book hits the shelves. I feel like it would be too easy for me to get more into the "fantasizing about having finished the book" stuff than the "actually writing the thing" part. I'm trying to maintain some discipline there.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 21: Have you practised your autograph and your selfie pose for your best seller?
I'm deliberately holding off on that kind of thing until the book hits the shelves. I feel like it would be too easy for me to get more into the "fantasizing about having finished the book" stuff than the "actually writing the thing" part. I'm trying to maintain some discipline there.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 22: Would you ever consider collaborating on a book?
I'd consider it. Not sure what book or with whom, but willing to entertain the idea.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 22: Would you ever consider collaborating on a book?
I'd consider it. Not sure what book or with whom, but willing to entertain the idea.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 23: Do you read your drafts aloud? How does this help?
I pretty much always read things at least "aloud inside my head"; I'm always trying to find the right inflection, rhythm, and tone of anything I read. So "just reading" my drafts is practically reading them aloud.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 23: Do you read your drafts aloud? How does this help?
I pretty much always read things at least "aloud inside my head"; I'm always trying to find the right inflection, rhythm, and tone of anything I read. So "just reading" my drafts is practically reading them aloud.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 25: What keeps you striving concerning your writing goals?
I have a story that I want to tell. I want to get it out there where people can read it, and I have hopes that they'll like it, and like the characters, and it will touch people.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 25: What keeps you striving concerning your writing goals?
I have a story that I want to tell. I want to get it out there where people can read it, and I have hopes that they'll like it, and like the characters, and it will touch people.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 26: Have you used a MacGuffin in your writing? Be honest.
I have a couple of plot devices in my WIP, in the sense of "things that people want to acquire for Reasons, but those Reasons affect the plot", but no MacGuffins (in the sense of "thing that people want, but exactly what it is has no effect on the plot"). My plot devices have specific attributes and uses. 1/2
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 26: Have you used a MacGuffin in your writing? Be honest.
I have a couple of plot devices in my WIP, in the sense of "things that people want to acquire for Reasons, but those Reasons affect the plot", but no MacGuffins (in the sense of "thing that people want, but exactly what it is has no effect on the plot"). My plot devices have specific attributes and uses. 1/2
To clarify, my plot devices are like the Death Star plans in Star Wars IV: A New Hope, not like Marsellus Wallace's briefcase in Pulp Fiction — or the iconic Maltese Falcon, one of the greatest MacGuffins ever, and a good example of the fact that MacGuffins aren't necessarily bad. 2/2
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To clarify, my plot devices are like the Death Star plans in Star Wars IV: A New Hope, not like Marsellus Wallace's briefcase in Pulp Fiction — or the iconic Maltese Falcon, one of the greatest MacGuffins ever, and a good example of the fact that MacGuffins aren't necessarily bad. 2/2
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 28: Do you practice "kill your darlings" in your work?
I haven't yet gotten to the point of editing, where that advice would be practicable. But I have this suspicion that the "darlings" in description are likely to come at points where something magical and special is happening, and so they'll serve as signposts for readers to pay more attention.
So I may need to cultivate those bits, not kill them.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 28: Do you practice "kill your darlings" in your work?
I haven't yet gotten to the point of editing, where that advice would be practicable. But I have this suspicion that the "darlings" in description are likely to come at points where something magical and special is happening, and so they'll serve as signposts for readers to pay more attention.
So I may need to cultivate those bits, not kill them.
#WritersCoffeeClub 1: Intro: Shameless self-promotion. What's your WIP? What's it about?
My WIP's in early stages (still building the world, characters, etc.) and has no title yet. It's an #UrbanFantasy set in #SanFrancisco, about people who can hear the voice of the City, and who it teaches to do magic. It's about the life and magic of cities, and how San Francisco is at a crossroads, and how people affect the future by our choices in every moment.
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#WritersCoffeeClub 1: Intro: Shameless self-promotion. What's your WIP? What's it about?
My WIP's in early stages (still building the world, characters, etc.) and has no title yet. It's an #UrbanFantasy set in #SanFrancisco, about people who can hear the voice of the City, and who it teaches to do magic. It's about the life and magic of cities, and how San Francisco is at a crossroads, and how people affect the future by our choices in every moment.
#WritersCoffeeClub 2: How often do you write in a typical week? How do you find the time?
I try to write every day, but many days I'm too tired after work to write much. Even then, I try to at least poke at things a little.
Over the summer, I did fairly well at this. Lately, with the sunlight fading, I've been too tired a lot of evenings. I'd say I still do at least a little writing 1-2 weeknights, and also do a fair bit on the weekends.
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#WritersCoffeeClub 2: How often do you write in a typical week? How do you find the time?
I try to write every day, but many days I'm too tired after work to write much. Even then, I try to at least poke at things a little.
Over the summer, I did fairly well at this. Lately, with the sunlight fading, I've been too tired a lot of evenings. I'd say I still do at least a little writing 1-2 weeknights, and also do a fair bit on the weekends.
#WritersCoffeeClub 3: Should a writer have a face shot on their book cover or within their book?
It's absolutely tragic and disgusting that women can still sell better if they hide their gender and use initials (or a full-on male pseudonym). As long as that's true, though, I can't in good conscience say that people "should" have their picture available.
Being a white guy, I could do it. And I won't get judged on whether I'm hot or not. 😒 Not sure if I'll do it or not.
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#WritersCoffeeClub 3: Should a writer have a face shot on their book cover or within their book?
It's absolutely tragic and disgusting that women can still sell better if they hide their gender and use initials (or a full-on male pseudonym). As long as that's true, though, I can't in good conscience say that people "should" have their picture available.
Being a white guy, I could do it. And I won't get judged on whether I'm hot or not. 😒 Not sure if I'll do it or not.
#WritersCoffeeClub 5: What are your writing project goals?
To finish this novel and get it published, and then to follow it up with two more books to make a full trilogy.
And for people who read these books to feel seen, to fall in love with my world, and want to step into it and become a part of it. To hear the things I'm trying to say, and to want to amplify those messages and make them part of their lives.
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#WritersCoffeeClub 5: What are your writing project goals?
To finish this novel and get it published, and then to follow it up with two more books to make a full trilogy.
And for people who read these books to feel seen, to fall in love with my world, and want to step into it and become a part of it. To hear the things I'm trying to say, and to want to amplify those messages and make them part of their lives.
#WritersCoffeeClub 6: Are you self-published or trad-published? How's it going?
I don't have anything to publish yet; I'm still in the early stages of writing.
I plan to try very hard to get traditionally published, once the book's ready. NGL, I'll consider it a bit of a personal failure if I have to self-publish.
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#WritersCoffeeClub 6: Are you self-published or trad-published? How's it going?
I don't have anything to publish yet; I'm still in the early stages of writing.
I plan to try very hard to get traditionally published, once the book's ready. NGL, I'll consider it a bit of a personal failure if I have to self-publish.
#WritersCoffeeClub 8: Rough, complete or not at all. How do you plan your writing?
I'm doing some extremely complete planning of "the situation as it stands at the beginning of the book." Then I'll run it forward from there and... see what happens. (I have a few items I plan to hit at various points, but I'm not yet sure how I'm going to get to them — and that's okay).
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#WritersCoffeeClub 8: Rough, complete or not at all. How do you plan your writing?
I'm doing some extremely complete planning of "the situation as it stands at the beginning of the book." Then I'll run it forward from there and... see what happens. (I have a few items I plan to hit at various points, but I'm not yet sure how I'm going to get to them — and that's okay).
#WritersCoffeeClub 9: Recurring themes in your body of work?
I don't have a "body of work" yet. (Yet!) But things I expect to show up a lot are:
* We create the future. Every moment, every action (to a greater or lesser degree) influences what comes next. So it's up to us to build the kind of future we want.
* People aren't "good" or "evil" because of something inherent, but rather because of what they do.
* You can be one of "the cool people" if you want! It's not a closed or exclusive club.
Gli ultimi otto messaggi ricevuti dalla Federazione
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@TOrynski @getajobmike not learning new things is different from forgetting them tho, and LLM usage can vary a lot in the range from looking at a map to sleeping while the robot drives.
I am convinced coding skills can atrophize but I'm not sure it's a fast process. I haven't driven a bike in a year, but I still know how.
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@cwebber it's really good
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@paco@infosec.exchange why Discourse?
Use NodeBB. We keep our shit in one folder.
You can put that folder anywhere ðŸ«
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@paco this is also important to me. 👊
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But no. The discourse "easy installer" sprays shit all over /var. I'm gonna get some database down in /var/lib/docker/something and I'm going to get assets living in /var/discourse, and umpteen gajillion container images in /var/lib/docker.
But I also have fucking /var/log for OS logs, and /var/run for runtime information like PIDs, and /var/lock and /var/tmp. I think /var/most-important-app-on-the-system is NOT where you put application software. So my volume/filesystem to encapsulate discourse? Is that a big ass /var?
I love #FreeBSD because it is so well organized. They even go to trouble to make packages like postfix or apache fit the idiom, rather than let it install in /var/lib/opt/sbin/etc or some shit.
This public service announcement sponsored by Old Man Yells at Cloud, Inc.
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More moaning about #linux. I'm trying to get a discourse server off the ground. Why the fuck do they insist on installing non-OS stuff in the middle of all the OS stuff.
/var/discourse is not a good default. And then fucking docker wants to be /var/lib/docker. Never mind how /var/lib doesn't make any goddamn sense.
Related to my earlier discussion of hard drive partitioning. What I would like to do is have a volume that is not the operating system, but is instead all the application data. The discourse data, database, assets people upload, etc. That way I can have this nice virtual disk that encapsulates it. I could theoretically build a new node, attach this drive to the new node, and migrate the site. I can snapshot that drive more frequently than, say, the OS drive. Lots of benefits to encapsulating it.
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@getajobmike It's interesting to see it grep in parallel for a dozen likely things in a codebase, like when an error string is constructed from variables and static strings or passed through a couple layers, and you have no stacktrace. But it will also get inverted about what's a diff vs code and point out some non-issue that wastes your time. If you work in a language with a lot of boilerplate like java, I can see it being too handy of a shovel.
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Operazioni aritmetiche e scorciatoie
@matematica - Pare che i maschi siano più portati a usarle rispetto alle femmine.
