I also had periods of unemployment in my late teens & 20s (made redundant twice before I turned 21). One of them was over a year long. It's a crushing experience & it stays with you. I wanted so much better for those yet to come.
Sorry, youngsters, & the very best of luck.
19.02.2026 12:15 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
One of your own for a bit of free promotion. ๐
19.02.2026 12:01 โ ๐ 3 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Surprised Pikachu GIF
Alt: Surprised Pikachu GIF
It's always good to make the younglings do this:
17.02.2026 11:50 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
That'd be Crazy.
11.02.2026 10:24 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Not been to Chester in...well, decades. It's a lovely place to visit, though.
09.02.2026 21:50 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
I'm thinking of building an ark...
06.02.2026 22:59 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Picture of a man in his mid-twenties wearing a blue checked shirt
Me in 1998.
05.02.2026 15:57 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Yeah, I won't be doing Harrogate & I do have books that *need* signing...
05.02.2026 12:01 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
I've never been to Stirling. ๐ค
05.02.2026 11:42 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
Fancy a couple of new books on your Kindle for less than two quid? Of course you do. Links below.
05.02.2026 11:00 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
To the barricades!
04.02.2026 17:37 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Guess it's in line with a lot of other stuff: "[This thing] isn't for you anymore, plebs."
04.02.2026 14:50 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
Other than that, how are you?
04.02.2026 14:48 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
BUT! You do need outside voices/opinions. For that I use 3 beta readers & 'minority report' stuff. It's rare for all 3 to say everything's fine or find fault with the same thing. Then, depending on the point made, its strength, & my own opinion once I've a thing through again, I make a choice.
04.02.2026 14:33 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
As an indie...& much as it pains me as an editor...no. Some people/services, much as I'd like to use them, I simply can't afford esp. once I factor in likely ROI. I'll take breaking even or even a slight loss, but when it's basically throwing 100s away...no can do. (My other half would kill me. ๐
)
04.02.2026 14:30 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
"May have". FWIW I don't think there's any doubt.
04.02.2026 12:39 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
RIP John Virgo.
04.02.2026 10:59 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Yeah, it's an annoying lingering one.
01.02.2026 21:01 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Same here. Three weeks so far. ๐ซค
01.02.2026 20:58 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
Hope the year gets better for you - starting right now.
01.02.2026 10:12 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
I only rewatched this ep a couple of weeks ago. She was so good (as in everything).
31.01.2026 11:29 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Some things just have to be done.
31.01.2026 10:21 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Luke! Are you 'properly' back or just visiting?
31.01.2026 10:20 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
Five jobs I've had:
Factory labourer
Data entry clerk
Accounts administrator
Order picker
Writer/Editor (current-ish)
30.01.2026 20:04 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
I'm not going to be alone in this, but I've found that reading a good book fires my imagination & prompts new/different ideas. With 'slog' books I try to look at *why* I'm struggling with it. Is it pacing, lexical density, plot, theme, or something else.
What I don't do (but should) is quit.
30.01.2026 14:33 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
My other half told me the IT bods at her place sent a mail round on behalf of the higher-ups telling people NOT to use Co-pilot.
29.01.2026 13:34 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
"an MS" rather than 'a ms'. FFS. ๐คฆ๐ปโโ๏ธ
29.01.2026 13:18 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
True. Some men, too. But ultimately it's not going to be a happy union or a fulfilling/satisfying life - for either party.
29.01.2026 10:33 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
a man with a ring on his finger looks at the camera
Alt: a lonely man leaves town, hitchhiking and looking for a new place to be
When a publisher or agent says they're open to submissions, only to be closed again by the time you've got everything together.
29.01.2026 09:12 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Canadian
Author of Beyond the Mark: Ashes of the Hero. ๐ก๐ก๐ฎโจ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธ
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/beyond-the-mark
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM96B5J9
Singer for Violet Outburst ๐ธ๐ค
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Vf4w9Ze38rLniADBEGKSp?si=AcWduGX
Black lab dad. Writer and ambient musician. The Dynasty of the Divine out now!
www.adamrowan.info
Read my book (free in Kindle Unlimited): https://www.amazon.com/Dynasty-Divine-Adam-Rowan-ebook/dp/B0FS3G3WWH/ref
New, real account. Author, composer, keyboardist, university graduate. Author of THE HIDDEN FACE. Links below.
Crime Writer. Author of the Inspector Chard Mysteries
Scots-Italian writer. Winner of Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect 2025.
Venezia fan. Host of @ukPageone.bsky.social Podcast and @Rigorepod.bsky.social.
All views my own.
https://www.marcorinaldi.info/
https://linktr.ee/ukpageone
New York Times bestselling author and audiobook narrator.
Host of It's Storytime with Wil Wheaton
Retired Starfleet officer.
Husband, father, Traveler.
Nazi punks fuck off.
My name is George. I am the senior mouse catcher and I โworkโ at Stourbridge Junction railway station. *not all quotes are my own- but quoted with love
Horror author from the North of England. Reyt Spooky.
Stories of grief, folklore, and the things that move when they shouldnโt.
Duskfield Pines โ ???
Annaโs Veil โ ???
https://ko-fi.com/jackwrightauthor
https://buymeacoffee.com/jackwright
Writer of novels & short stories. Lover of art and clever quotations. Reside in Edmonton, North London. I post story chapters weekly and they're free!!
https://www.mendera-storm.co.uk/
STET Podcasts gathers together some of the leading writing and publishing podcasts in one place for all your writing needs!
https://linktr.ee/stetpodcasts
Danish-British author of Copenhagen crime novels ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฌ๐ง
your daily dose of bunnies โธ(๏ฝกห แต ห )โธโก
SFF author (Planetfall sequence, Split Worlds series, The Vengeance), audiobook narrator, podcaster, tea drinker. Loves LARP, dressmaking and nerdery. Co-host of the Starship Alexandria podcast. www.linktr.ee/emma_newman
Writer, cyclist, biscuit connoisseur. A bit much.
Latest book: โThe Good Liarโ, about junk forensic science and moral responsibility
Cold War Warrior โ๏ธ ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
Published Author of 7 books.
I share lots of humour.
Family is number one, now and forever.
I volunteer with Ex-๐ฌ๐ง HM Armed Forces charities.
Crime writer/screenwriter repped by @Oliagent @AMHeathLtd & Conrad Williams @BlakeFriedmann
web: marihannah.com
Horror Facts (https://horrorfacts.com) #horrorsky #horror #horrorfamily
Military Historian & Analyst | Author, 'Eagle Days: Life & Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain' (out now!) | Broadcaster | RAF Charitable Trust & National Spitfire Project Ambassador | Rep: Georgina Capel | spitfirefilly@outlook.com
Author of the DCI McNeill Scottish crime series. Neurotic dog owner. ND. AS Warrior. Deaf. Fine artist. jacquelinenew.com