Jeffrey Ricker (he/him)

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TIME'S UP! Thanks so much for joining us on this year's #FirstDraftFall journey & especially for tonight's chat! We hope to see you in our members-only community for this Saturday's wrap party!

Honestly, I was just throwing around ideas and somehow landed on “[great American novel] but queer… and in space” and now I can’t stop thinking about it. Mostly what I have at the moment is notes. #WeeknightWriters

Ohhhh, that MG book sounds cool.

New project! I’m hesitant to talk about it much because I’m still figuring it out, but I think/hope it’ll be fun. #WeeknightWriters #FirstDraftFall

Can someone else be strong-armed into making the cake for you? Or, pick up at least a slice from a shop. (Seriously, I’m big on cake.) #WeeknightWriters

Wait, I completed #FirstDraftFall last weekend. What did I do to celebrate? WHAT DID I DO?

Clearly, I did nothing. Ooh! But I did buy myself some fluffy socks yesterday, so… that? #WeeknightWriters

There’s something to be said for the inspiration of the collective group working on their #FirstDraftFall projects at the same time. With my specific project, it was a change of pace and just writing it made me happy. #WeeknightWriters

If it’s already at 35K with half the story told… I’m thinking novel? Either way, it will wait until you’re ready. #WeeknightWriters

In diva's name, we pray. 🙏

“All I want for Christmas is a brief respite from the crushing pressure of late-stage capitalism. Please and thank you.” #WeeknightWriters

Important dal update.

Nothing on my end, but how about SecondDraftSpring? 😂 #WeeknightWriters #FirstDraftFall

The key to my success? I set the bar low enough to walk over. 😂 #WeeknightWriters

a woman with long dreadlocks stands in a dark room Alt: Michael Burnham from Star Trek Discovery says to Ensign Tilly, “Cake is eternal.”

Always cake.

Only because I set the bar *really* low! It’s a 20K-word novella, and it needs… a *lot* of work. But I’m taking the win! #WeeknightWriters

Oh, mine has plot holes you could steer an aircraft carrier through. (And I’m pretty sure I forgot to put bathrooms in the blueprints.) But those are second draft concerns. You finished! That counts for a lot. #WeeknightWriters

Do I think I’ll have my #FirstDraftFall draft wrapped up by tomorrow? I can guarantee it!

(But only because it’s already done. I finished it last weekend. #WeeknightWriters)

It’s a well-known fact.

Stealing and fraud? Count me in. #WeeknightWriters

Fantastic!

Truly. It’s been a hectic couple of weeks so I’m not beating myself up about it. (Also, this dal has 20 minutes to go but it already smells AMAZING.)

S.H.I.T.—So Happy It’s Thursday! I’m Jeff, my WIP, depending on the day, is either a queer holiday romcom or a queer retelling of an American classic novel… in space. How’s my writing week going?

….

I’m cooking a really great-smelling dal tonight, if that tells you anything. #WeeknightWriters

I buried this at the end of a thread, which was foolish.

I’ll do the draw tomorrow morning. Want some awesome @gianster98.bsky.social and @hschooner.bsky.social in your ears doing some queer tales?

Ugh, why did I waste precious minutes of my so-called life reading that twaddle. Wherever Kate is, I hope she’s just glad she didn’t waste even more time with that loser.

I’m a bit late in reporting this, but a couple days ago I finished the first draft of my #FirstDraftFall project, tentatively titled “Kiss Me, Grumpy.” Is it messy and full of holes? Absofuckinglutely. But it’s done. #WeeknightWriters

I made it to 0:36, and then I had to either shut it off or set my laptop on fire. (And while I often wake up and choose violence, I need my laptop. Still, yikes.)

Re: last reskeet: If reviews freak you out—and I get it, I ran a bookstore for decades and some of my clerks were *AMAZING* at hand-selling and froze the moment they were handed a shelf-talker cue card—here’s an easy trick for three short sentences that make a useful review:

Reviews and also tell someone in your life who isn’t in online spaces about our books. So many people who read are not online reading reviews. Spread the word anyway you can, for free.

Reminds me of a story about my friend Brad’s father. At his funeral, when people came up to tell Brad how sorry they were, he’d reply: “Don’t feel sorry, it’s not like you killed him.” Then he got quiet, leaned close, and whispered, “*Did* you?”

But especially melting billionaire brains.