Happy International Cat Day, from Eddie the Cat (and his humans).

It's August, which means it's time to think about querying, in this week's Writer's Desk. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

Getting in the mood for my next novel.

Almost game time. #WritingFearonthePage @tbrcon.bsky.social

With sub windows coming, it’s time for some short fiction housekeeping, in this week’s “Writer’s Desk”. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

The opening line of SEVEN DAYS ON SAMARKAND: Frank hates being dead, but it's the price of seeing the stars. #QuestPit #A #Q #SF

An agent’s guide to SEVEN DAYS ON SAMARKAND: A haunted survivor, a cynical astronaut, and a determined engineer hope to coexist with an alien biosphere. Will they prove humanity has evolved beyond its destructive ways…or die trying? #QuestPit #A #Q #SF

While I respect the opinion of @cptowers.bsky.social, Imma ride this horse into the ground.

Got a busy week coming. A podcast appearance, a conference panel. It’s all here, in this week’s “Writer’s Desk”. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

I know, I know. But really, it’s not a bad idea. How to edit as you go, and why I think you should, in this month’s tales from the cutting room floor. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

It’s mid-July, which means it’s time to stretch myself out to nine innings. Find out what that means in this week’s “Writer’s Desk”. #WritingCommunity #BookTwt open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

Remember the middle of Return of the Jedi? How to break up dialogue to keep readers from getting bored, in this month's ill-advised writing advice piece. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

Getting a full request changes everything…starting with my query strategy, in this week's "Writer's Desk". #WritingCommunity #Booksky open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

I wasn't planning to make another of these posts until fall, but something came up...#querying #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

I write a lot of short fiction these days. And when you wanna do something right, learn from the best. My take on Ted Chiang's seminal "Stories of Your Life and Others", in this month's "Sci-Fi Reviewed". #Writingcommunity #Booksky open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

It's Friday, #WritingCommunity! Conclusion of family birthday week for me, with storms expected tomorrow. What's everybody planning for the weekend?

A new day, a new format, a whole new approach for my weekly newsletter. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

Modern readers want to know all about their favorite authors. Well…kind of. Building an honest (but limited) “Writer Persona”, in this week’s “If You Build It”. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

In this month's "Science in Fiction": Fusion power. How sci-fi has handled it, how it works, and how the modern science fiction writer can inject realism by harnessing the power of the sun. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

When you put wide-eyed scientists on a planet with alien dinosaurs, shit gets real. #UnhingedPit #A #Q #SF

This gorgeous illustration accomplishes two things: 1. teases the climactic scene of SEVEN DAYS ON SAMARKAND 2. proves I can't draw Scientists vs. alien dinosaurs! #unhingedpit #A #Q #SF

Best run of the season so far

Surviving the summer doldrums of the literary industry, in this week's "Writer's Desk". #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

Writing can be a lonely profession, but it doesn’t have to be. The value of critique groups, how to find the right one, and how to be a good critique partner. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

It's hard to find encouragement in a rejection. But even great things start somewhere. @WritingCommunity #querying open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

Time to talk about the subject every writer hates: building a platform. #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

Your readers don’t need to know every detail of what’s going on. Sometimes, it pays to “yadda yadda.” #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

Do you live in Denver? Wanna meet a really cool author and read his work? Head to Sip & Shop this Sunday for your chance to meet the incomparable Mike Strickland! #WritersoftheFuture #WOTF42

Getting up close and personal with my characters, in this week's "Writer's Desk". #WritingCommunity #Booksky open.substack.com/pub/michaelt...

Hot and humid = outdoor drinking at my favorite local brewery! The author is in.