Gideon Smith

It's #QueerPit and my incredibly talented friend @abbookster.bsky.social has a great pitch - go go A.B. !

Would love to read this! Such a great, rich concept! :)

The Struggle of Long-Form Writing: How to Overcome Midway Meltdowns Earlier this year, I found myself hitting a wall with my longer writing projects. I don't mean my novels here, I'm referring to the longer short story, novelette territory. The same issue kept cropping up: I'd get to about 7,000 words, and then... poof. The excitement fizzled out, and my story would lose its spark. At that point, I'd hit a frustrating dead end.

The Struggle of Long-Form Writing: How to Overcome Midway Meltdowns

Earlier this year, I found myself hitting a wall with my longer writing projects. I don't mean my novels here, I'm referring to the longer short story, novelette territory. The same issue kept cropping up: I'd get to about 7,000…

Just got an acceptance from @crepuscularmag.bsky.social ! Very happy this strange little piece found a home. :)

I’ve written a lot of stories no one read
This week, one of them got noticed

Traitor to the Wolfguard Creed won the 2025 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award

Thank you to everyone who’s encouraged me along the way.

And to my fellow #writers Keep writing. Believe in yourself. Moments like this are gold :)

Press Release - Baen Books Announces Winner of the 2025 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award Press Release - Baen Books Announces Winner of the 2025 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award

Still reeling, but thrilled to share—I’ve won the 2025 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award!

This story is personal, and having it find a home at @baenbooks.bsky.social means the world to me. Eternal thanks to the judges and everyone who believed in it. 🐉⚔️✨

www.baen.com/pr-2025-fant...

When Is a Story Truly Done? Five years ago, when I sat down to write a short story, it was a different experience entirely. Back then, my main concern was the plot: What was the neat science idea? What was the twist? Once I had delivered a clean arc with a beginning, middle, and end, I called it finished. A quick polish for spelling and grammar, and I moved on.

When Is a Story Truly Done?

Five years ago, when I sat down to write a short story, it was a different experience entirely. Back then, my main concern was the plot: What was the neat science idea? What was the twist? Once I had delivered a clean arc with a beginning, middle, and end, I called it…

Press Release - 2025 BAEN FANTASY ADVENTURE AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED Press Release - 2025 BAEN FANTASY ADVENTURE AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Yay, I made finalist 😲
In disbelief but couldn't be happier 😀
congrats to all finalists, and all who entered, for being brave enough to put your work out there!
www.baen.com/pr-fantasy-a...

The Power of Words Inside Your Brain Sometimes I find it hard to get started. Ironically, this happens most when I have too much time to write. You’d think a wide-open afternoon or a quiet weekend would be ideal—a golden opportunity to sink into the novel, churn out a short story, or finally respond to one of those tempting calls for flash fiction. But instead, my brain spins.

The Power of Words Inside Your Brain

Sometimes I find it hard to get started. Ironically, this happens most when I have too much time to write. You’d think a wide-open afternoon or a quiet weekend would be ideal—a golden opportunity to sink into the novel, churn out a short story, or finally…

Mastering Dialogue: Dos and Don’ts Writing dialogue can be one of the most challenging aspects of storytelling. Well-crafted dialogue brings characters to life, advances the plot, and engages readers. Poor dialogue drags, bores, disconnects your reader from your character and derails your reader's experience. To help you master the art of dialogue, here are some dos and don’ts I have been told and found to be true.

Mastering Dialogue: Dos and Don’ts

Writing dialogue can be one of the most challenging aspects of storytelling. Well-crafted dialogue brings characters to life, advances the plot, and engages readers. Poor dialogue drags, bores, disconnects your reader from your character and derails your reader's…

The Hidden Ground: Layers of Meaning in Storytelling When I paint, I begin with a ground—a foundational layer brushed across the canvas to prepare the surface. Sometimes it’s a neutral tone, sometimes a subtle color. You don’t see it in the final image, not exactly. But it’s there, affecting everything laid on top. A cool blue ground makes the warm tones above it vibrate with contrast. A red-toned ground can lend even a green landscape a strange sense of urgency.

The Hidden Ground: Layers of Meaning in Storytelling

When I paint, I begin with a ground—a foundational layer brushed across the canvas to prepare the surface. Sometimes it’s a neutral tone, sometimes a subtle color. You don’t see it in the final image, not exactly. But it’s there, affecting…

Congrats! This is the good karma you have been building for all these years coming back to be paid off - so I am certain this is just the beginning and even more good news is to come shortly!

Another week, another drabble over at ‪@reachyourapex.bsky.social‬
😀

How to Edit Like a Pro: Tips & Tricks Editing, is actually one of my favorite parts of writing. It’s where your rough draft is polished into something professional, compelling, and clear. But what is the best way to optimize your editing time? I've come to an approach through trial and error, and I hope these tips and tricks will help you refine your writing and bring your best work forward.

How to Edit Like a Pro: Tips & Tricks

Editing, is actually one of my favorite parts of writing. It’s where your rough draft is polished into something professional, compelling, and clear. But what is the best way to optimize your editing time? I've come to an approach through trial and error, and…

It's not quite in my aesthetic to write a story of rejoicing, but given that was the theme, I wrote one on the end of rejoicing ;)

The latest weekly drabbles are out over at @reachyourapex.bsky.social‬
Want to take part? Next weeks theme just got released 😀

My latest effort at the weekly drabble challenge over at @reachyourapex.bsky.social - come join!

Open House: On Strangers, Judgment, and the Writer’s Unease Today, strangers are walking through my house. They are peering into closets, glancing at the scuff marks on the stairs, maybe silently judging my taste in rugs or the fact that I’ve never fixed that one crooked cabinet door. I’m not there to see it—I’ve been banished to a local café by my realtor, like some ghost of the property, politely asked to vanish so the living can come in and imagine their own futures.

Open House: On Strangers, Judgment, and the Writer’s Unease

Today, strangers are walking through my house. They are peering into closets, glancing at the scuff marks on the stairs, maybe silently judging my taste in rugs or the fact that I’ve never fixed that one crooked cabinet door. I’m not…

Just a heads up that Master short story author and behind the scenes crewmember at Apex Mag, Kai Delmas, has bandwidth right now. You can check out his services for critiques and coaching sessions for writers over at his profile below :)

Here's my latest drabble with @reachyourapex.bsky.social‬
- check out their feed, they have new drabbles from different authors every week!

congrats on the acceptance! Even with a 10% acceptance rate you still beat the odds, and with your first piece??? Major achievement. I think it took many pieces before I got an acceptance at a semi-pro market :)

Keep the Habit: Why Writers Must Keep Writing (Even in the Gaps) One of the biggest dangers for a writer isn’t failure—it’s silence. Life has a way of crowding out creativity. Maybe it’s a high-pressure job, a move, a tough parenting stretch, or the illusion that you’ll "get back to it when things calm down." But here’s the truth: if you stop writing, the skills begin to atrophy. Even more insidiously, the identity begins to slip.

Keep the Habit: Why Writers Must Keep Writing (Even in the Gaps)

One of the biggest dangers for a writer isn’t failure—it’s silence. Life has a way of crowding out creativity. Maybe it’s a high-pressure job, a move, a tough parenting stretch, or the illusion that you’ll "get back to it when things…

Like drabbles? ‪@reachyourapex.bsky.social has a prompt every week :) Try your hand if you like!

How to Pitch Non-Fiction to SFWA, BSFA Focus Magazine, and Other Speculative Fiction Venues A couple of people have asked me to write up some advice on this, so I thought 'Why not!'.... When we think about writing for the speculative fiction community, we often think of short stories, novels, and poetry — the imaginative worlds that readers escape into. But non-fiction is just as vital to the field, offering critical insight, commentary, and connection.

How to Pitch Non-Fiction to SFWA, BSFA Focus Magazine, and Other Speculative Fiction Venues

A couple of people have asked me to write up some advice on this, so I thought 'Why not!'.... When we think about writing for the speculative fiction community, we often think of short stories, novels, and…

SFWA Guest Blog: “Successfully Talking to the Press About Your Art: Plot It, Don’t Pants It!” I have been fortunate to write guest blog posts before for SFWA on writing realistic science in science fiction, and then another one on using the psychological science utilized in video games to help you meet your writing goals. I just published another piece with SFWA, this time on talking to the press. The link to it is below. I hope you enjoy, and as always, please do reach out to me directly with comments, questions or feedback on my contact forms! The post is here:

SFWA Guest Blog: “Successfully Talking to the Press About Your Art: Plot It, Don’t Pants It!”

I have been fortunate to write guest blog posts before for SFWA on writing realistic science in science fiction, and then another one on using the psychological science utilized in video games to help you…

Thanks to @sfwa.bsky.social for this opportunity to share my thoughts!

New Drabble out today with The Horror Tree's 'Trembling with Fear' Series:

(sorry that you have to scroll to find it...)

horrortree.com/trembling-wi...

How Themes in Your Writing Can Help You the Author Some famous author, and of course, I cannot remember who, and Google has failed me, once said they were tired of people asking him/her what the theme of their novel was as “Themes are for cri…

How Themes in Your Writing Can Help You the Author
gideonpsmith.com/2025/03/04/h...

Chronos 2: An Anthology of Time Drabbles (Shacklebound Books Anthologies and Collections) Amazon.com: Chronos 2: An Anthology of Time Drabbles (Shacklebound Books Anthologies and Collections) eBook : Fomley, Eric: Tienda Kindle

I have a drabble in this new collection from Shacklebound, out today. More exciting than that, are the names I share the Table of Contents with! 😀
www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW61J3K6