#GBWritesWithOthers

On Hopepunk, and the Importance of Unhappy Endings By J.R.H. Lawless

On Hopepunk, and the Importance of Unhappy Endings By J.R.H. Lawless

I’ve recently had the opportunity to chat with some readers of my two adult SF humour novels, ALWAYS GREENER and THE RUDE EYE OF REBELLION, and their thoughts highlighted something I’ve been thinking about for a while: why, especially in sub-genres like Hopepunk, which my books are firmly part of, we need more stories that don’t have a tidy, happy ending.

Saying Goodbye To My Toxic Working Style by Gillian Barnes

Saying Goodbye To My Toxic Working Style by Gillian Barnes

I have always given 110%. As such, I have looked up to people, and even more specifically characters, who do so too. Sometimes those characters are less than well-received. Some top ones include Tracy Flick from “Election”, Pearl from “Steven Universe”, Leslie Knope from “Parks & Recreation”, and finally, Joy from “Inside Out”.

A Feast for the Senses: Food as an Element of Storytelling By Liz Perrine

A Feast for the Senses: Food as an Element of Storytelling By Liz Perrine

As writers, we’re advised to use the five senses to bring realism to our work and engage the reader on a deeper level. But instead of considering this concept on a scene-by-scene basis, I challenge you to take it up a notch by incorporating food—and its many contexts—into the fabric of your worldbuilding.

Lilies on the Moon By Saddie Hopes

Lilies on the Moon By Saddie Hopes

For me, storytelling is magical. And the two main ways that I indulge in it are through books and through cinema. I love the movies, including classic films that not too many see anymore. It is amazing that these movies, in the style and character of their times, can still connect and stir us. I have been wondering about this lately, trying to put my finger on what makes them so compelling. And, what triggered these thoughts, actually, was the news that Sidney Poitier passed away.

6 Steps to Quit Your Job By Alex Noonan

6 Steps to Quit Your Job By Alex Noonan

Between The Great Resignation and Beyoncé blessing us with the single “BREAK MY SOUL,” it seems like quitting my job of 6.5 years in May could have just been me jumping in on a current cultural trend. But in 2020, I developed a 3-year plan to slowly phase myself out of that salaried position and into self-employment. Things just did not proceed quite the way I thought they would.

Finding Inner Strength through Turmoil: How Grief Transformed My Self Awareness, How I View Myself and How I View My Relationship With My Mother. By H.L. Dyer

Finding Inner Strength through Turmoil: How Grief Transformed My Self Awareness, How I View Myself and How I View My Relationship With My Mother. By H.L. Dyer

I want to start off by thanking Gillian F. Barnes for providing me with this platform to tell my story. Please understand that this piece will have content that could pose as potential triggers for certain people. This article will touch upon death (namely parental death), medical emergencies, seizures, cancer and discussions of depression and anxiety. I implore anyone that may be affected by this post to take a break if needed, or to seek help in the event of an emergency.

A Little Less by Gillian F. Barnes

A Little Less by Gillian F. Barnes

I have always feared that I am a little less than others. A little less cared for. A little less noticed. A little less liked or loved. This isn’t to say that I don’t come from a family that makes me feel fully loved. Nothing could be further from the truth. This deep-seated fear comes from my friendship and career history.

Being Present in the Moment By Tif Farmakis-Day

Being Present in the Moment By Tif Farmakis-Day

They say you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their shoes, the miles they’ve walked, the journey that lays ahead and so on. It’s a motto that’s been drilled into our heads, yet despite the old adage, how often does a person stop and look down… or up for that matter? How often do we take a moment for ourselves, to slow down and observe everything around us?

Pets By Gillian F. Barnes [TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL VIOLENCE]

Pets By Gillian F. Barnes [TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL VIOLENCE]

[TRIGGER WARNING] I’ve never written a piece with a trigger warning before. This piece actually upsets ME quite a bit. I debated whether or not to put it online… To be honest, it was a bit shocking to discover that I was capable of describing this kind of situation and I wasn’t sure about putting it out there in a place where my parents (who raised me well) will see it.

To give context to the piece, It was written shortly after Roe Vs. Wade was revoked largely due to the fact that I can’t understand this world where my daughter now has less control over her body than I have historically had.

I hope my readers won’t think less of me after reading it. While this incredibly horrifying reality the character in this story is dealing with seems far-fetched, so did “The Handmaid’s Tale” and many have seen striking resemblances to the modern day… so stay alert. Rights must not be taken for granted.

SO…UM…WINTER? YOU SELF-PUBLISHED…? By Winter Krane

SO…UM…WINTER? YOU SELF-PUBLISHED…? By Winter Krane

If you read my Please Reject Me blog, you'd know I'm a big fan of traditional publishing. So, it's probably surprising I struck out on my own. But if you haven't, I'll make this clear- I've had a lot of respect for self-published authors, but I didn't have any interest in taking on all the extra tasks associated with publishing a book. With five kids and an autoimmune disease—I wanted all the help I could get.

Rules of Writing By KL Forslund

Rules of Writing By KL Forslund

My wife took several art classes in college for her degree. The students and teachers fixated on abstract art and called anybody’s work that looked good “commercial.” I quickly gleaned that this was coded speech for “we suck and call it abstract to mask our lack of skill.” Thus, I am wary when somebody says there are no rules in writing. Do whatever you want. Let’s rethink that.