C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween @sarcasmlemons Twitter profile

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

5 months

🎪Now on sub: 🎪 A carnival with a secret🤫 A missing young woman🙈 A Polish medieval town 🇵🇱 A murder🔪 A kidnapping🥷 A labyrinth🐚 A secret❓ And two women who hate each other, fighting back... 🖤 #PopUpPit

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

6 years

Why does every YA character have sex these days? I was so so far from that in high school. Same with all my friends. Normalizing sex is important and cool but we've kind of stopped normalizing NOT having sex. 🤔

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

I like girls and I prefer guys. I've never felt bi enough to say I'm bi let alone queer and it's BECAUSE of people like this agent.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

I'm sick of Cinderella stories. Can someone tell me that it took them two years and four books to get an agent?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

Where are my writers with like 10 WIPs and no agent yet? FIND ME. I AM YOUR PEOPLE.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

Characters can be bisexual without dating two people of different genders in the same story. Characters can be bisexual without dating ANYONE in the story. I know, right?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Your querying journey of "I got an agent in 3 weeks on my first book!" is not inspiring. Your journey of "I already had contacts and leveraged them into an offer!" is also not inspiring. Querying is hell for most ppl. Gimme the stories where it went wrong and you didn't give up.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Who was the first person in your life to really take you aside and say, "You can do this writing thing." ?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

Alright, today's question. What's your favorite sci-fi book that is NOT Red Rising and has nothing to do with Star Wars?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

Writers with day jobs....when do you write?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

6 years

@dancingofpens I literally didn't know he produced those, which I think says a lot.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

I've queried and failed to get an agent on four books. I'm working on the fifth now. I just want you to know that you're not the only one. There are lots of us who haven't had our celebration tweet yet, and that's okay.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

5 years

Writers, published or not. If someone with a PhD in clinical psychology were to run a blog where you could ask WRITING RELATED psych questions (e.g. is X a reasonable reaction to trauma? What would happen to your memory if you hit your head and pass out?)... Would it be useful?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

I'm not gonna be one of those people who tweets about every request, but I just got my FIRST *EVER* QUERY REQUEST EVER IT IS A PARTIAL AND I'M FREAKING OUT A LITTLE AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

5 years

Let's not overlook the fact that many books have been called out for being problematic, and the only authors who have willingly pulled their books and apologized with humility are (you guessed it) authors of color.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

I don't know who needs to hear this, but you can't have every character reveal all their emotions through their eyes

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

Agents, I'm begging you. If there's a rule you have like "don't pull your manuscript" or "explain your changes in your R&R" or "silence within 1 year means no" then PLEASE put this in your submission requirements so authors don't have to guess.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

6 years

What five books are your Brand™? Pretty sure mine are 🖤 Truthwitch 🖤 Wicked Saints 🖤 We Hunt the Flame 🖤 This Mortal Coil 🖤 Red Rising

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

Trying to explain publishing to my family

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

Querying is hard. I've lost a lot of faith in the industry. I've lost of lot of faith in myself as a writer. I don't have solutions. Just figured maybe other people feel the same way.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Updating your friends on your life is hard when they've all got engaged and bought houses and you're single af and still in an apartment, but you know what? I wrote three m-fing books this year and I'm owning that.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

Self-pubbed authors, how do you get over the "No one is reading this so why should I bother writing the sequel" feelings?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

The worst part about being on book Twitter is all the books you can't read yet because they're not published

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

6 years

Another YA thing... cheerleaders and football players. I just realized that I literally can't name a single one from my hs. No one cared about about them. People went to football games to hang out and watch the band. 😅

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

Pitch your book's romance/main friendship like "Nothing says I love you like..." See example in replies

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Oh, and guess what? Tyler from my book REBELLION is bi and dating a girl. And he's STILL BI. So suck it, evil agent.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

@DianaUrban Omg thank you. The memes and the cruel jokes have got me near to tears. I don't care who they were; no one deserves to die that way.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

I wrote 900 words! Clap please.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

7 years

"I don't know why I haven't gotten to it yet!" - every bookworm ever about 90% of their TBR, right before buying 15 more books

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Re: agented authors, It's easy to tell who treats you differently for being unagented vs the people who still treat you like a person with worthy contributions even after they attain that step. Don't think we don't notice.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

10 months

I got a short story acceptance 😭

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

I'm querying my fourth book with little success. But you know what? If this book dies, I have another one. If that book dies, I'll write another one. I'm not ready to give up, even though I'm feeling disheartened. I'm not ready to give up on ME.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Fantasy writers research a lot too, we just research different stuff. Like, how many bolts can you fire from a crossbow in one minute and what is the boiling point of blood.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

✨Come one, come all, come everybody in between...✨ I am thrilled to announce that THE WANDERING DOLLS and I are now represented by the fabulous @MariaBrannan_ at @GreyhoundLitAg !

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Last point I swear but I wish more authors were up front about how big a role luck plays in getting published. EVERYONE works hard. EVERYONE wants it badly. Getting an agent is luck and timing and I hope that if it happens to me, I'll remember to admit that.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

You who draft in Word or Google docs, you are wizards. I don't know how you keep track of things without a scene-by-scene outline. I'd cry.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

5 years

Book tours be like

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

6 years

@adamhclark @ameliewenzhao Deciding not to publish something because others have raised concerns is NOT an infringement of free speech. It would be an infringement of free speech if Amelie published her book and was arrested for its content. Don't cheapen her very poignant decision with inaccuracies.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Kudos to everyone who writes contemporary romances cause I could never write one. I have no idea what's supposed to happen if no one's getting murdered and there's no magic

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

9 months

Guess what? #NaNoWriMo

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

I can't hold it in so I'm going to announce it. Early next year, I'll be self-publishing my novel #RebellionWIP , a tongue-in-cheek NA paranormal romance about a girl who falls in love with a demon while other demons are killing girls like her.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

You can publish a book at any age. You can publish a book at any age. You can publish a book at any age. You can publish a book at any age. You can publish a book at any age. You can publish a book at any age. You can publish a book at

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Saying it again. We need more YA where the protag has mental illness but the book isn't about mental illness.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

For new writers just starting to query, I made a spreadsheet of reputable (and to avoid) agencies. Older writers, please add any I've missed or make comments as needed! #amquerying

Agents to Query

docs.google.com

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Okay writers, here's a weird one. What's the first line of your last chapter?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

5 months

Comps in queries: Now it must be exactly like your vibes and not too famous and no more than two years old and Comps in publicity: It's Harry Potter meets the Bible!

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

@heymintmiller @BiruktiWrites Forget the beta readers and do it anyway. Sometimes we have to be aspirational

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

I'm curious, writers! How many WIPs have you finished (at least one draft) and how many WIPs do you have pending?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

6 years

This year I'm trying to read more adult fantasy and sci-fi. Some favorites already are SHADES OF MAGIC, RED RISING, UPROOTED, CITY OF BRASS, THE POPPY WAR, old school stuff like LOTR and GAME OF THRONES, NAME OF THE WIND, SORCERER TO THE CROWN. Rec me all your favorites please!

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

I've been querying for a year and three months now. A thread of what I've learned, for the #amquerying crowd and general amusement:

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Give me more genre fiction that deals with mental illness. MCs with depression on epic quests. MCs with ADHD solving crimes. MCs with anxiety battling in space. Mental illness shouldn't be restricted to contemporary issue books. People with MI should inhabit every world.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Someday we'll also talk about how many big time authors were independently wealthy but I don't have that in me today.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

What's a book you read way too early? Mine was The Vampire Lestat, c. age 10.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

Oh hey 🍀

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Romance in YA is great, but how about some NO romance, right?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Good morning. I identify as demisexual and bisexual and I don't know that I've ever said both those things out loud in public before. Eep. 🏳️‍🌈

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

What is your WIP a love letter to?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Publishing is waiting. Whatever stage you're at, it's waiting. No one tells you that the best writing skill you can develop is patience.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

My very first book signing 🥺🖤

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Positivity time! Who's an author in this community you admire and respect, someone who seems to treat everyone with kindness?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

Comp your book to two things that are NOT books or movies. Video games, smells, poems, etc. Get creative! I've done this before but it's fun.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

6 months

It's 2024 and querying is different now. So, let's skip the Cinderella stories. Tell me about your LONG, harrowing, and yet successful querying journeys!

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

If you want a book with a bi love interest and a bi best friend (and a demi MC), check out REBELLION

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

What's the first line of your second chapter? #amwriting

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

I've reached the stage of querying where I hate my book, it's dumb, why did I ever think anyone would love my stupid fairy tale romance so yeah that's how I'm doing 🫠

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

What is your WIP's working title vs actual title? I've asked this before but I always love the answers.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

Bob Ross birthday party was a success!

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

In REBELLION, Tyler is dating Chloe Alicia is dating Celeste Logan is dating no one All three of them are bi and valid

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Ngl though, it's hard to keep hope alive when all you hear is "I signed with an agent on my first book in six months!" I'm so thankful to all the trad pubbed authors sharing their much longer, more difficult journeys with me today.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Every day I have to remind myself that there is no deadline for becoming a published author. There is no ideal timeline. No end date.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

You know what I want more of in YA? Crushes that don't work out. People crushing on one person only to fall in love with someone else. Fewer soulmates, more mess.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

5 years

While I admire them so deeply for prioritizing the pain of hurt people over their own pride and career success, While I hope they return to tell their stories, Let's not forget WHO in this industry is allowed to screw up without repercussions and who isn't.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

If I've learned anything today, it's that the wheels of publishing turn EVEN MORE SLOWLY than you could have guessed. But if you persevere, success is still possible. I just have to keep hoping.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

A huge part of querying is luck. It would be great if more people admitted that.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

Authors can be 100% sure their work is ready to submit, then get a bunch of rejections from agents and start to doubt themselves, then worry they're going to blow their one chance with their dream agent, so they pull it.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

5 years

"Kathleen Hale stalked her Goodreads critic. Then the internet called out her inappropriate and possibly criminal behavior." There I fixed it.

BuzzFeed News

@BuzzFeedNews

5 years

Kathleen Hale came for her Goodreads critic. Then the internet came for her.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Querying is like throwing darts at an invisible board.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Writers be like: My book is trash but yours is beautiful No MY book is trash but yours is beautiful No MY book

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

If you're bored this week, here's a round-up of writing games to play! #amwriting #writingcommunity

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

I hate fated mates. First of all, mates are for animals. Can we not think of a better word??? Second, it feels inevitable which is boring. What tropes give you the ick?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Bring portal fantasy back to YA

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Writers! Let's practice. Pitch your book in ONE sentence. #amwriting #writingcommunity

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Your girl wrote 15 words today! Please clap.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

Comp your WIP using two or more things that AREN'T books

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

What's the last line of your WIP's first chapter? #amwriting

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Everyone who sees this tweet is required to reply with one writing thing they're proud of themselves for #amwriting

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

I want to see more LGBT+, BIPOC, and disabled characters in fantasy. We're getting great rep in contemp, but fantasy is often skipped. I know it exists, I just want MORE. I want it to be commonplace instead of something you have to search out.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

We've talked about your WIP being a love letter. So what's it a hate letter to? In what ways is it written to spite something?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

6 years

Yeah the soap is creepy, but where are all the people talking about how it's creepy that ACOTAR is marketed as YA at all? Have you read that shit?!?

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

6 months

Just curious. Do we have any fat female protags in adult fantasy? Preferably second-world fantasy. Fat princesses? Fat assassins? Fat barmaids with secret lives? I NEED. #reading #fantasy

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Absolutely call out S&S but don't boycott the whole publisher, remember that they publish a lot of BIPOC who had nothing to do with this hellish deal and who don't deserve to be hurt by it.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Let's play a game. What does your MC probably need to go to therapy for? #amwriting

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

What's the first line of your WIP? #WanderingDollsWIP : In ten days, the world will end.

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

2 years

If you see this, QT with one out-of-context line from your WIP. ONE LINE ONLY. #amwriting #writingcommunity

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

1 year

✨If you see this tweet and you're a writer, you are morally obligated to QT or reply with one thing you're proud of about your current WIP. ✨

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

Oh hai

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

4 years

Not a contemporary reader? Here's a thread of Black-authored fantasy books you should check out: A SONG BELOW WATER by Bethany C. Morrow Black girl sirens in Portland, coming to you tomorrow!

A Song Below Water (A Song Below Water, #1)

Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep…

www.goodreads.com

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C.J. Subko 🖤 is ready for Halloween

@sarcasmlemons

3 years

I start my new job today. Wish me luck! 🙈

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