Introduction to R.S., Author, Novelist Updated 03/22/25

First, a few words:

"One thing you learn from watching TV, movies, anime, and reading best sellers, to pulp, to fanfic: No story is perfect. There's always hopeful contrivance and caricature in plot or character, a little or a lot... but it works. We like it. It gets bought, published, produced, noticed, sometimes loved despite the warts.

"Authors and playwrights of all levels... take heart. Complete your project and go on to the next. Complete is the superpower you can have, perfect doesn't exist."

And something that works for me: Are you blocked by your internal censor? Do you worry you're revealing your embarrassing true self? Say what I say to myself:

I am not telepathic.

Repeat that: I am not telepathic.

Louder: I AM NOT TELEPATHIC!

I DON'T know what the reader is going to expect.

I DON'T know if the current scene is going to frighten, trigger, or be too explicit for my audience...

Because I DON'T have anyone looking over my shoulder, clicking their tongue, and saying, "Tch, tch, tch!"

I am going to take a deeeeeeep breath, now,
clear my mind,
and write the flapping scene—
full stop.

Who is R.S.?

• I am a formerly published feminist SF author and a prosaist—which is what a poet is to poetry, but for prose.
• I write #fiction stories that often address issues of gender at least peripherally. I'm aiming to short list for an Otherwise Award.
• My genre tags are #sf, #sff, #sciencefiction, #fantasy, and #romance.
• I'm a fan of rhetoric and elocution; I'm a prosaist, remember? Humor makes life and writing tolerable.
  
• My community is #author, #writer, #writingCommunity, and #writersOfMastodon.
• I hosted the #EngenderedWriting hashtag. See: #EngenderWritingQ.
• I post often to various writing hashtags, which are variously called games, prompts, or challenges: #pennedPossibilities, #wordWeavers, #ScribesAndMakers, #writever, and #writersCoffeeClub,
• If you become confused about my gender, that's intentional. I write gender fiction, so if I revealed mine, it would add subtext to my stories. If you know or learn it, please keep it to yourself. Thanks!
• #ActuallyAutistic, which explains how I can overly focus, seem obtuse, or end up running down rabbit holes. No worries. It's actually a superpower.
• This link leads to a list of shorter stories I've written to post exclusively on Mastodon (#microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic). I retain the copyright on those stories.

https://eldritch.cafe/@sfwrtr/110470537747067765

I'm building a network of authors by entertaining you, and by sharing what I've learned through decades of doing it the hard way. My motto: There Shall Be Content! I want to help our writing community by helping authors overcome what keeps them from completing stories. I'm learning self-publishing as a business. I want to push back the loneliness that's part and parcel of this solitary profession.

I follow serious authors, which means people diligently writing or working at completing stories or articles or anything containing words with the intent to publish, whether that's #fiction, #nonfiction, #scripts, #comics or #manga, or #games. I will read your profile to check for content before following. You need not courtesy follow in return for a follow.

I boost posts that announce authors' work and publications. I want my followers (largely artists, authors, and photographers) to see your work. We're all creatives here, trying to be professional. Everyone needs to promote their work; I want to help you. Don't repeat too often. Since I follow so many people, my timeline is full. Don't feel bad if I miss something. Private mention @sfwtr@eldritch.cafe!

I'll follow an #artist upon seeing interesting artwork, #photography or hand-drawn/painted #art. I am partial to #charcoals and #pastel, appreciate #sketch art, but love #watercolor. If wowed, I'll discuss what's great in reply, or #critique if you're close and I I can help. I commission cover and interstitial art. I do fine art photography and some wedding and event photography.

Life and Everything Else: I have a weird sense of humor, which follows since many of my characters are snide and cynical.

Favorites: My clicking the favorite button means something caught my attention, was particularly apropos to the idea, was entertaining, or somehow pithy. If I reply to your post, I've definitely noticed something!

Hot Buttons: Feminist issues are my bread and butter. So too labor issues, like jobs being automated out of existence without ensuring former employees can support themselves. If you want to use #genAI, #chatGPT, or AI to replace writers or artists, or jobs, you're barking up the wrong tree, buster! I post those road apples under #theComingLaborApocalypse.

I believe Boosting is Sharing. I appreciate when people boost my posts when they affect them.