#What Is Substack And How Can Authors Use It

[jolenes-book-journey]

What Is Substack And How Can Authors Use It

Substack has emerged as a prominent platform for authors seeking to publish newsletters and share podcasts. It offers a streamlined approach to content distribution, but it’s essential to weigh its advantages and disadvantages to determine if it’s the right fit for your author. Jolene’s on Substack with her Publication called “The Indie Author’s Guide to Writing, Publishing, and Thrivin” Continue…

[ekingston]

Hello! So sorry to bother, but have you had any updates on the Word-Stream/Speechify situation?

Just one: like I posted on Xitter and Bluesky last night, as of yesterday afternoon, the links to individual works as they were listed on WordStream are gone from both Google and Bing. Hurray, right? Surely we’re all sick of this whole debacle and there’s far more important things to worry about. If all is well that ends well, surely there’s no need to still be angry.

Well, I am. Here’s why:

When I checked on Wednesday, the links to my own work on WordStream were still listed. So rather than it taking a week after Cliff Weitzman first hid the fanwork from view, it took a little over a week from the moment he first promised privately that they would be deleted. Which, fine. Perhaps Cliff didn’t really know what he was talking about when he gave that timeframe. Or maybe he told a little white lie to create the impression that he always intended to do the right thing. It seems more likely to me, though, that Cliff still believed—even after the backlash he received—that he would get away with honoring only individual takedown requests. Or worse, that he needed just a little bit more time with the stolen material to figure out an alternative way to profit off it—preferably without us noticing, this time.

But who knows? I certainly don’t! All we can do is speculate, because publicly, Cliff Weitzman has remained completely silent on his copyright infringements. All we got was the initial justifications he and his sockpuppet accounts used in comments on the original Reddit and Tumblr posts. After those were so understandably ill-received, Cliff only ever communicated with a few individual authors who contacted him directly and repeatedly, blocking people who addressed the issue on Twitter and quietly distancing himself from WordStream by deleting a blog he’d posted to Speechify.com dated December 20th—where Cliff promoted WordStream’s platform specifically to fanfiction readers. (See my enormous timeline post for details and screenshots of said posts before they were taken down.)

And this is why I’m still angry: As long as Cliff Weitzman faces no real consequences for his actions, he won’t see a need to own up to his mistake; and as long as he’s able to delay taking responsibility, this isn’t over. This didn’t end well.

After all, wasn’t this the next-best scenario for Cliff, second only to him turning WordStream into a (for him) effortless, infinite money-making machine? He took something we provided for free and fed it to AI so he could more easily put it behind a paywall; we found out and protested; Cliff quietly erased all evidence of his crime; and we went—almost equally quietly—away.

I want to make sure you know that I continue to be genuinely amazed and intensely grateful for how quickly the news about WordStream’s copyright infringement was shared—and continues to be shared—throughout fandom, on tumblr in particular. If it hadn’t been for our collective outcry here and on Reddit, WordStream would very likely still be up in its original form, and Weitzman would be reaping the benefits (those subscription prices were steep) today.

But it’s been frustrating to see that, with the exception of mentions in articles on Substack and Fansplaining (the latter of which is a particularly awesome and thorough read on fandom’s decontextualization) and a Fanlore listing, our outrage never really spilled out beyond the safely insulated, out-of-the-way spaces that are tumblr, a handful of subreddits and bluesky. And I believe that—unfortunately—we are collectively responsible for that part, as well.

Most of us seemed content to only spread the word by circulating the same two posts on tumblr. (Have we all given up completely on every other social media platform? Am I the only remaining straggler?) And soon after Cliff Weitzman hid WordStream’s fanfiction category from view, our interest in the issue took a sharp dive even there. Are we genuinely deceived into believing the issue has been fully resolved? Do we truly fail to realize that Weitzman’s refusal to admit that what he did was wrong left the door wide open for the next greed-driven tech bro to wander through? Or is the true naivety in thinking that, as a community, we can keep this kind of attack on fandom from happening again? Has our disillusionment already gotten that bad?

However the situation spins out from here, Cliff’s actions will set a precedent. If we fail to show Cliff and his ilk that attempts to profit off fandom’s unpaid labor have consequences, their tech companies will keep trying until something eventually sticks. They might be a little smarter about it next time; obscure their sources a bit better, maybe leave the titles and the authors’ names off. Or maybe they’ll go a bolder route: maybe next time they cross the line they’ll do it boldly enough for IP holders to take notice and stop tolerating fanwork entirely.

Doesn’t that make you angry, too?

There’s this whole other mess of thoughts I would love to be able to untangle about how commercial influence is contributing to the steady erosion of fandom’s foundations, but I’m tired, and other people have said it all much more eloquently than I ever could. Seriously, go read that article on Fansplaining. Or listen to the podcast version of it. Better yet, as long as you’re wearing your noise-canceling headphones, go listen to a podfic of one of your favorite fandoms’ works, and enjoy the collaborative joy and creativity of the people who Cliff Weitzman refuses to believe exist. (In one of Speechify’s other blogs, Cliff claims there are only 272 podfics on AO3. Would you like to run that ChatGPT prompt again, Cliff?). Honestly, much like Cliff Weitzman’s infuriating denial of the fact that fandom fucking has this covered, thank you very much, there’s so. Many. More. Things for us to talk about. There’s the connotations of WordStream’s dubious ‘upload’ button, for instance, or the fact that the app scraped (and in some cases, allegedly, still lists) copyright-protected original fiction as well, or WordStream’s complete lack of contact information, which is illegal for an internationally operating app. And oh! Has anyone reported more thoroughly on Cliff’s app’s options to ‘simplify’ or ‘modernize’ uploaded works, or—my own very favorite abomination—to translate them into something Cliff calls ‘Gen-Z Language’? Much like his atrocious AI book covers, it would be hilarious, if it didn’t make steam come out of my ears.

Anyway, there it is. I highly recommend you do all of that. And then, if you aren’t familiar with it already, go do some research re: fair use and your rights as the copyright owner of your works. A good number of people commenting on this controversy expressed stunned surprise or fearful hesitation about claiming any sort of ownership of their fanfiction. The more informed we are about our rights, the more willing we will be to defend them.

Please don’t stop writing or sharing your work. If you can’t bring yourself to work on your WIPs today (trust me, I get it), post about this situation instead. Tweets, skeets, whateverthefucks—about WordStream’s theft, about how this reflects on Speechify’s already shady business practices, about how Cliff’s actions and justifications have personally affected you. You’re welcome to share or copy my posts on these platforms, but since Cliff already blocked me, I very much prefer you post your own. If you do, call Cliff Weitzman by his full name and tag or include both WordStream and Speechify to ensure Weitzman will recognize he has both a personal as well as a professional stake in handling the situation with integrity. Leave your concerns in reviews on the Speechify app. (We weren’t provided with a more appropriate place to put them, after all!) Consider calling for a Speechify boycott until Cliff accepts accountability for his actions.

Do avoid making exaggerated claims, and don’t call for physical retaliation against Cliff’s person or his property. We don’t want to give him or Speechify even the weakest of grounds to claim defamation or threats of violence. Focus on the facts: they’re incriminating enough by themselves. Show Cliff that we’re determined to keep bringing up his company’s wrongdoings in public spaces until he demonstrates that he understands why taking these freely shared fanworks and monetizing them was wrong, and takes steps to ensure it won’t happen again.

One last thing—and this is really more of a general reminder—please stop suggesting I handle this situation for you. People have come to me asking for action items. The resulting flashbacks to my days as an office assistant were extremely upsetting. In all seriousness, casting me as some sort of coordinator or driving force behind this backlash actively hurts the cause. Not only does it downplay fandom’s collective efforts, it also makes our message extremely vulnerable. It would be all too easy for Cliff to silence one singular source. Wikipedia will not maintain mentions of this controversy as long as it leads only to Easter Kingston’s attempt to summarize what happened as it was happening. You only know my name because I stumbled upon WordStream’s theft and decided to get my friends involved. I am not more knowledgeable, more skilled or more angrily invested in this issue than you are (or can, or should, be). I draw pictures and I write stories and I worry about the shift I’m seeing in fandom after having been on this ride for even a few pre-livejournal rounds.

I’m not going to stop doing any of those things. But I am going to allow myself to step away for a bit, make my wife dinner, and catch up on our shows.

I trust you’ve got it from here.

[kk-iki]

it's been a long time coming, but. . .

enough is enough. i think i've moved in relative silence when it comes to some of the more odd things that occur in this fandom, but one instance in particular is giving me pause. this honestly feels like something better suited for a substack essay, but i'll hold off on that since i think everyone in this specific sub - tumblr ( ? ) should hear this first.

i feel like so much of the call of duty fandom is trapped in a constant woman - hating epidemic.

and i don't just mean 'oh, there's barely any female character x reader content, there's nothing for the girls who like girls'. that's an entirely different issue i may or may not bring up later.

i'm talking about how a good majority of the writing i read in this fandom is so geared towards men. and i don't mean that there's a surplus of male reader content, because there really isn't. i mean that there's so many fics i read that are drenched in the light of 'doe - eyed, pouty, submissive woman who is always eager to please her man, and the idea that the man may be eager to please her in return is such an incredibly radical concept'.

i click on any 'x reader' tag in this fandom, and i'm met with a tidal wave of two specific archetypes;

the doe - eyed, pouty, submissive fem reader who is always eager to please her man and gets off on him essentially treating her like property, or. . .

a reader who has no character. no structure. no personality. a reader who is meant to be vague enough to where the actual reader can neatly insert themselves into their shoes, but at the cost of any innate substance or realness. a reader who is essentially just a placeholder in words.

somehow, inexplicably, it's more often than not the first.

write and read for this fandom long enough, and you'll see what i see in droves. the attention that is lavished on writing within this fandom is relegated to the specific archetype of the tradwife who knows nothing but to cook for her husband and be a willing conduit for his post - deployment stress relief.

and what truly infuriates me the most is that it will be these kinds of writers who are so adamantly against the idea of tradwives. yes, you say you're against it, but can your words hold up when your writing is essentially tradwife propaganda in disguise?

and it just irks me so badly when these mentalities infiltrate the characters themselves. today's specific instance of this was when i was scrolling through the könig x reader tag and i came across this one headcanon list that advertised itself as "loser!könig". nothing innately malicious, of course, but then i saw the tags.

'but also, he's a sucker for the wife, which makes him a loser. say it with me now.'

i want to make it known that i mean no ill intent towards the original author of this specific headcanon list. i don't want any vitriol to be directed at them because i'm speaking my mind about this fandom as a whole. it most likely was meant to be an affectionate, "haha, he's such a malewife loser"-esque endearment. but this set of tags just. . .baffled me.

. . .because when did it become loser - like or a loser - adjacent trait to be a sucker for your wife?

this isn't even the first instance of this. i've seen it before, the way this fandom—sometimes subtly, sometimes unintentionally—pushes this narrative that has been setting us back decades. the idea that there is not only a beauty standard that women must live up to in order to be considered desirable by men, but there is also a mentality that a woman must have in addition.

there's another fic that i read, a 141 x reader one if memory serves me correctly. it featured a reader who was insecure about her appearance, which is absolutely nothing to frown upon. what startled me, though, was the fact that the author themselves referred to the reader as 'ugly'.

the reader is a single mother. she is stated in the fic to have love handles, breakouts, and a thick waist. she has messy hair and wears baggy clothes and has dark undereye circles. she required the love and special attention of four conventionally attractive men who moved in next door in order to feel beautiful.

she is said, by the author in the precluding note, to be meant as a way to 'show some love to readers who feel ugly, instead of petite girly readers'.

as if people with these traits should feel ugly. as if people with these traits cannot be girly.

i understand i may be reading too much into this. i may be making a mountain out of a molehill. but i'm angry about this and this is my blog and you've read this far, so clearly you want to see where this goes.

and this is where it's going.

i spoke about this briefly in a server i'm in and am extremely fond of—shoutout to the shitheads.

i said, quote: "are you nothing but a slave to the whims of a patriarchal society’s dictation on how someone must present in order to be considered desirable? or are you willingly feeding into this at the risk of the self image of so many beautiful people who cannot recognize their own enchanting presences because of people like you howling at them in your sweetest voice that they are anything but?"

i also said: "have you considered the reason for that might be because she’s a recluse and doesn’t go outside apart from making sure her child is getting sufficient vitamin d and is thus making assumptions about what people will think of her on the basis of one bad man’s words to her?"

maybe she doesn't feel ugly because you think the traits she has are ugly. maybe she feels ugly because she doesn't socialize. maybe, instead of just leaving that in the subtext, you should have started with that.

the writer, if i recall correctly, was a woman. by the way. which makes this worse.

it is so difficult for me to understand how the women in this fandom can be so cruel to each other, even implicitly. from the way we're written in reader - insert fics to how we react to each others' ocs and creations. . .it's just so disheartening.

more than anything, it makes me wonder how someone like me—a lesbian who exclusively writes women for women and tries to veer away from the reader and the character falling into any one archetype—is going to find any sort of platform in this fandom.

the bottom line is that there is so much casual misogyny in this fandom. frankly, i'm a little sick of it.

one might think i'm making a big deal out of this. i know. i'm being a killjoy, i'm being a hater, i won't let anyone have any fun. but we need to remember a couple of key points here:

art is always political because there is no way to create something without a modicum of bias.

the politics promoted by the art in this fandom—specifically, the writing—are pushing an agenda that has been consistently used to strip women of their rights and needs for decades.

most of these writers are women themselves.

obviously, there's nothing wrong with a submissive woman. obviously, the characters in call of duty that are most featured in reader - insert content are canonically framed in a lens that makes it seem like they would be the kind of men to only enjoy this kind of woman. obviously, not everyone in this fandom indulges this.

but it occurs enough. and it sets us back.

and i'm sick of it.

thank you for reading this far, and for hearing out what i have to say. i promise i don't do this often—but i also promise that i absolutely should. i love you.

kiki x

[italian-lit-tournament]

Evangelina Alciati - The reading - 1905 private collection

Italian 🔥Lit(erature) Tournament Bookclub - first edition

After the Commedia dell'Arte micro-tournament ended and the start of the Beef Edition - that will be postponed just one week more, to reach enough options for a complete poll, it's time to present a long term project that I started to think about since this January: the ILT bookclub, a daily, weekly or monthly reading challenge, on the model of Dracula Daily.

My personal aim with the Italian Literature Tournament, since its start a year ago, is to "promote" certain italian authors that maybe outside Italy, or in a literature school program, aren't very famous; I already started it two years ago with Pinocchio Weekly and meanwhile I want to relaunch it now as a parallel project, at the same time I'm thinking to try with other Italian novels, as long as are all public domain.

I've already written a draft list (it's proposed at the end of this post, under the cut) but at the same time I want to engage all of you to the choice of the first novel, so guess what I opened another google fom so all of you can send to me your ideas, yaaay. When a certain quota of names will be reached, I'll open a poll here and we'll decide together the first title to our bookclub. In any case, check carefully the list below if the title that you have in mind is already present.

The novel that you want to propose must follow these criteria:

must be in the public domain - and digitalized: I want to use substack so anyone will have the chapter easily to read in its email address and follow its preferred reading pace;

translated in english - and of course the translation have to be like the point one: it depends actually (check point 3). The English translation will be an easy point for anyone who can't read italian, so must be out of coyright and already digitalized. The copyright for translations according US law usually is of 70 years after the death of the translator - in any case the terms are always written at the start of the book copy/index card on the editor website;

the second point fall if we all decide to read in Italian - in this case only the original work have to be public domain: non Italian speakers don't worry, I will search all the possible translations in english/other languaes and will link the other options beside the challenge post, so if anyone want to read it translated borrowing it from the library or in different terms - it could be possible!

In the end: how to understand if a book is public domain? Easy: you can search it in various websites that collect and digitalized literary works, like Project Gutenberg, Internet Archive (attention: not all the works present there are open access, some are still under copyright but still present because Internet Archive makes them bookable like a virtual library for the subscribers), Wikisource, Google Books Advanced search (check "only complete visualization/solo visualizzazione completa" or use the publishing time option at the end). You can just search the translated version of the novel on amazon/google books/the press page and find when it was translated, in the colophon is written if it's still under copyright or you can calculate youself if it expired. Other useful links: wikipedia category for all the recent public domain entries.

A draft list of titles that I first thought under the cut

Public domain both in italian and english:

Malombra by Antonio Fogazzaro: One of the few gothic novel from italian literature, which inspired four movies (a silent film in 1917, a 1942 one that is aviable on Raiplay, a 1974 one that's actually a TV movie also this aviable on Raiplay, a 1984 one that's actually a porno).

The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni: A classic of italian literature with various movie, theatre and musical transpositions.

The Decameron By Giovanni Boccaccio: same as above.

The conquest of Rome by Matilde Serao: Francesco Sangiorgio is a newly elected deputy from a small province in Souther Italy. As he travels to Rome, he start to feel the weight of ambition, personal history, and the vibrant life of the city. The story unfolds against the backdrop of political and social dynamics of the time.

Fantasy by Matilde Serao: The novel is about the absolute but unhealthy friendship between the two female protagonists in the Naples at the end of the 19th century.

The Land of Cockayne by Matilde Serao: It explores the lives of various characters from the lower social strata of Naples, particularly focusing on their aspirations and struggles, centered around themes of fortune and despair, often represented through the lottery.

After the divorce by Grazia Deledda: Murder, catholic guilt, innocent people in jail, true love vs fail marriages, forbidden and ultimately destructive affairs!

Nostalgia by Grazia Deledda: Regina is a a young bride who has recently moved from her home in Sardinia to Rome with her husband Antonio. The novel explores the stark differences between her expectations and the reality of life in an unfamiliar environment, and Regina's struggle with homesickness and her journey of self-discovery amidst the vibrant yet isolating backdrop of Rome.

The house by the medlar tree (I Malavoglia) by Giovanni Verga: it follows the failing fortunes of the Malavoglia, a family of fisherfolk who are living through a period of political change following the country's annexation to Italy.

The late Mattia Pascal by Luigi Pirandello: a novel that explores the complex themes of identity and existential crisis through its protagonist, Mattia Pascal. After escaping an unhappy marriage to Romilda Pescatore, Mattia finds himself in Monte Carlo, where he unexpectedly wins at gambling.

Heart by Edmondo De Amicis: a children's novel which was the best known work from its era. Set during the Italian unification, and includes several patriotic themes and has been remade in various transpositions, including an anime.

The Devourers by Annie Vivanti: the author was italo-british and wrote this novel first in English then she translated in Italian. The book explores themes of family, loss, and the complexities of relationships through the lens of Edith Avory and her new family dynamics following the arrival of her half-sister Valeria and Valeria's baby. #familydrama #toxicmotherhood #motherdaughterism.

Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi: if anyone is interested click here.

Public domain in italian but not in english (translation exists but still under copyright):

Any novel from Emilio Salgari

Fosca by Igino Ugo Tarchetti: another of the few gothic novel from italian literature, there is a translation by Lawrence Venuti as Passion: A Novel. Is the basis behind an Ettore Scola movie and an awarded Broadway musical.

Zeno's Conscience by Italo Svevo: translation by Penguin Classics.

The Viceroys by Federico de Roberto: translated by Archibald Colquhoun, published by Verso Books (they often do discount if interested).

The Priest's Hat by Emilio de Marchi: translated by Steve Eaton & Cinzia Russi for Italica Press.

The Beautiful Summer by Cesare Pavese: translated by Elizabeth Strout for Penguin Classics.

[emrowene]

Webserials and Why You Should Read Them

Welcome to a short primer on webserials! The concept behind them is pretty simple: webserials, also called webnovels or webfiction, are serialized online novels. If you read long fanfics OR webcomics, you're probably already familiar with the concept. Authors release new chapters on a fixed basis, usually one chapter a week (but sometimes more, sometimes less).

You can find webserials in several places: on big platforms like tapas and royalroad, on individual authors' websites or patreons, or on newsletter platforms like substack.

So now we know what webserials are, but why should we support them?

Because webserials are fun. Because webserial authors are sharing amazing works online for free! Because the publishing industry is disproportionately hard to get into for queer and marginalized folks, and those are the people writing webserials.

To climb a little higher onto my soapbox, I believe webserials are the future of accessible and diverse publishing. There's been more and more discussion about the problems with traditional publishing: how publishers are turning it into a "fast fashion" industry, spitting out books while overall book quality decreases. Regardless of whether you believe that, it's true that the industry prioritizes "marketability" over anything else. Experimental books, passion projects, books that have a lot of heart but no pithy "tropes" -- they stand little chance in the world of traditional publishing, and self-publishing is incredibly inaccessible for most of us. It's expensive, but more than that, it takes an incredible amount of time and effort. It's a business, and at the end of the day, some of just want to share the stories we love with people we hope will love them too. And that's the beauty of webserials!

One complaint I've seen about webserials is that "you never know what the quality will be like" - and I've seen this from people who regularly read fanfiction! Like fanfiction writers, we have our beta readers, we have our editors, we pour our hearts into developing our stories. So give us a try!!

Some recs and places to get started under the cut:

My webserials:

Fractured Magic - A queer epic fantasy series about a broken hero’s hunt for redemption and an elven prince’s quest to rescue his kidnapped king. The two estranged friends are racing against time - and dead gods - to achieve their goals. Will they make up and work together before it’s too late? (This story is currently ongoing)

The Case Files of Sheridan Bell - An old-school detective mystery set in Tamarley, a fantastical city with magical murders and doors to other worlds. Basically (queer, autistic) Sherlock Holmes but with more faeries. The first mystery is complete; the second will be published soon!

Some other webserials I follow/followed from start to finish:

What Manner of Man by @stjohnstarling - a queer gothic romance novel about a priest and a vampire.

The Warthog Report by @warthogreporter- this substack contains a selection of nonfiction writing, misc. fiction writings, and Battles Beneath The Stars, a serialized story about a tournament in a fantasy world, styled like a fighting game script/walkthrough.

Kiss it Better by DogshitJay - A (definitely 18+) queer adult romance about the messy endings and messier beginnings of love.

Warrior of Hearts by Beau Van Dalen - a queer slice of life romance following an online friendship that blossoms into something more. (Beau has lots of other great webserials as well!)

More places to look:

Tapas (Community novels page)

Royalroad (mostly known for its litrpg scene, but you can find other novels and genres here as well!)

The ao3 "Original Works" tag!

[strangebiology]

Do nonfiction authors really need social media to get a book deal?

I asked successful agents and trad signed authors how important social media is to getting book contracts. Here are some data and quotes about how they responded on my Authors of Nonfiction Books in Progress Substack! Read if you want more details and caveats to the data, as well as my story and why I like social media anyway.

TLDR: Social media is NOT necessary!

Here's an editorial explaining why. But for nonfiction non-memoir, you have to do something to prove that you know what you’re talking about, as you'll see repeated over and over in my Substack article. That proof could be social media.

Trad publishing is very hard and competitive, and sometimes even unfair. But the people who say "you can't get a deal unless you know someone or are TikTok famous" are flat-out wrong. (Also, you can become a person who knows someone by joining communities, attending conferences...hell, you can DM me if you have writing experience and I might hook you up with my agent. There, now you know someone and have no excuse. I've successfully hooked up 4 people I knew from communities I'm in, or something like that, not because they're my family members. I have said "come back when your query and/or experience are better" to 3 people, and 2 people didn't get the deal despite having good pitches and my recommendation, it just wasn't a match.)

Unfortunately, I think some aspiring authors are looking for an excuse, as many of these people don't often tend their writing craft. That is a much bigger indicator as to whether you'll get a deal, even if the trad world still isn't a perfect meritocracy.

Remember, I LOVE social media and have over 300,000 followers across platforms. I mostly do recommend that writers and journalists should use it! I find it sad, even, that there are so many writers with no audiences, when there are huge social audiences who would love to hear what these writers have to say! (But there are downsides too, so it's not ideal for all. Check out the pros and cons for science journalists being on TikTok.)

If you’d like to share your experience with trad publishing and social media (or lack of social media!), I still look at the survey results, so feel free to fill it out here and I may share the results in the future. Some questions are optional and of course I redact the (optional, anyway) emails:

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Get Informed

Join the Trump Accountability War Room, which offers fact sheets on the bad actors in Donald Trump’s Cabinet and primers on their policies, and the AFL-CIO’s Department of People Who Work for a Living, which tracks how funding cuts are affecting federal workers.

Follow MeidasTouch Network, a pro-democracy news organization with a massive social media presence and a suite of podcasts. MeidasTouch personalities such as Leigh McGowan (a.k.a. PoliticsGirl) and Aaron Parnas have reinvigorated the resistance on TikTok, Instagram, and Substack.

Monitor constitutional oversteps and the legal challenges to Trump’s executive orders with Lawfare or Just Security.

Get Strategic

Explore Choose Democracy’s interactive Choose Your Own Adventure activity, which asks you to “guide us towards a better, more humane democracy.” In “What can I do to fight this coup?,” the group offers drop-down menus of resistance techniques arranged by level of difficulty. It also provides training agendas on everything from de-escalation to mutual aid.

Study Indivisible’s Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink, which shares strategies for defending the democratic process against authoritarian creep and a list of tactics constituents can use to pressure their elected officials.

Review the tool kits, how-to manuals, and informational leaflets at Build the Resistance’s comprehensive, crowdsourced resource hub.

Get Outside

Check NoVoiceUnheard, which compiles peaceful protest opportunities, viewable by state or by organization, across the country. For an even more expansive inventory, look at The Big List of Protests.

Brush up on your rights at the ACLU’s protesters’ rights page, which shares information on the kinds of locations where you are protected, when you need a permit, and what to do during a police encounter. Call the Resistance Hotline at 1-844-NVDA-NOW or email gotyerback@resistancehotline.org with your questions, and you’ll get a response within 24 hours.

Enlist with the ACLU’s “grassroots army” of volunteers working to safeguard civil liberties. Visit the program’s website for a wealth of actions, including signing the organization’s petitions, that will take just a few minutes.

Get out Your Wallet

Donate to legal defense and bail funds. The National Bail Fund Network maintains a directory of pretrial bail funds and immigration bond funds.

Get on the Phone

Call Congress using 5 Calls, which provides policy guides, office numbers for your representatives, and call scripts.

Get in the Way

Flood the Office of Personnel Management’s anti-DEI tip line at DEIAtruth@opm.gov to protect federal employees targeted by the Trump administration’s crackdown. —Kate Mabus

Timothy Noah

Timothy Noah is a New Republic staff writer and author of The Great Divergence: America’s Growing Inequality Crisis and What We Can Do About It.

[the-inkwell-variable]

author ask tag

thank you so much for the tag, @the-golden-comet! ooh this is gonna be fun!

i'm going to focus on my current wip, Why Should I Be Careful? I'm Going To Die Anyway! because it's still very much in the planning stages (despite how much I'm writing for it) and I have Thoughts

What is the main lesson of your story? Why did you choose it?

I'll be honest, I haven't really thought that far ahead. I suppose, if there is a lesson to take from WSIBC?IGTDA!, it might be that you should always chase your goals and desires, and screw what other people think. Maybe put a little more thought and planning into yours than Aura does hers, though. I mean, she almost dies due to her recklessness. Don't be like Aura.

What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding?

Well, it's a zombie book - I love zombies, in case you can't tell - so the world is an amalgamation of zombie stuff I love. The zombies are based off of the Train to Busan zombies. This is a self-insert mess, so I'm using the town and people I know in the town as location and characters. Little tropes here and there that I love in movies and books alike. It's just a big chimera of stuff that I grab from stuff I remember and shove into it. It definitely needs polish when it's done, but I'm having a blast so far, so I'm'a keep doing it :3

What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness, or help the reader grow as a person?

Uhhhhhh this is a tough question. Right now, Aura is trying to make it to Roger's Grocery Mart to save her girlfriend, but most of the time, she's just trying to have a good time in the zombie apocalypse and hopefully not die. She does eventually grow into a character that (mostly) thinks things through and takes other people's situations into account, so I suppose the lesson is "the world doesn't revolve around you - be kind and helpful to others"?

As for what I'm trying to achieve... mostly, to be honest, I just want people to pick up my book and have a good time reading it. I want to write a zombie book because it's my passion and because there aren't enough zombie books out there. I guess I'm trying to inspire others? To show them that you can survive an impossible situation if you work hard and think things through?

How many chapters is your story going to have?

The only time I've written a full-length book (sorry, the only two times, forgot about Zero: ALPHA), it had about twenty-odd chapters. Z:A had...uh...thirty? That was a long time ago and I sadly no longer have that draft. This one is going to go until it's done. Hopefully more than thirty though!

Is it fanfiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?

Original content! I have no idea where I'm going to post it. I'm torn between Draft2Digital (originally Smashwords) or Substack. Thing is, I'm really bad at marketing and keywords and all that technical stuff that goes into publicizing, so I'm really hesitant to share it at all. I'm the type of person that gets absolutely morally devastated if my own self-inflicted goals aren't met, and I'm not sure if I can handle that kind of crushing heartbreak with this one lol

So yeah. Might publish, might not. Unsure right now.

When did you start writing?

My dad set up a Windows 95 computer for me in his office, his old one, and taught me the basics of using it. I was five, about to turn six. I immediately sat down and wrote a story about unicorns. I've been writing ever since.

I didn't start writing fanfiction until I was thirteen and had just binge-watched Lord of the Rings for the first time. We don't talk about those works. They were awful.

Do you have any words of encouragement for fellow writers of writeblr? What other writers do you follow?

Write it. Oh it's cringe? Who cares? Write it. Oh, it's a rare pair? Write it. You're worried people will hate it? Fuck the haters. Write it. Writing is about having fun. Writing is about pouring your soul onto the page. Writing is about getting those ideas out of your head so they don't drive you insane. It's about reaching that one person that finds your work and loves it. Even if no one reads it - you still accomplished something. You still wrote it. And no one can take that from you.

I have so many writers in my follow list. Uhh. I have no idea how many are still active, so I'm just going to tag who I know and hope for the best lol

@idyllicocean, @keeping-writing-frosty, @bloodtiesnovel, @asher-writes, @kitswrite, @theink-stainedfolk, @karkkidoeswriting, @lavender-gloom, @orphanheirs, @aquixoticwrites, @alinacapellabooks, @marlowethelibrarian, @flock-from-the-void, @dyrewrites, @storycraftcafe, @writer-imagination, @toragay-writing, @inseasofgreen, @stephtuckerauthor, @thatndginger, @finickyfelix, @eternalwritingstudent, @drchenquill, @paeliae-occasionally, @the-golden-comet, @talesofsorrowandofruin, @watermeezer, @goldfinchwrites, @winterandwords, @badscientist, @clairelsonao3, @i-can-even-burn-salad, @leahpardo-pa-potato, @mjparkerwriting, @rowanwriting, @oliolioxenfreewrites, @emelkae, @rita-rae-siller, @rebelxwriter, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @stesierra, @francineiswriting, @sunset-a-story, @chauceryfairytales, @hollyannewrites, @jaydenswaywrites, @captain-kraken, @violets-in-her-arms-writes, @romy-thewriter, @pure-solomon, @writingmaidenwarrior, @koiwrites

go, go follow them. they're all so good and make my timeline glow.

[oxymoronictransfem]

Welcome to my blog 𖤐

I am Mera (she/her). I am a black and Native American Marxist transfeminist who creates theory on underdiscussed topics.

I am a womanist, lesbian, intersex transgender woman.

Temporarily I am removing the link to my essay. It will be back up once it is altered with the intended changes.

For my other intro post.

At birth I was designated female. That event has impacted my experience with and relationship to transfemininity/transmisogyny. Regardless, like any other trans person, I do not identify with the gender assigned to me at birth. I identify as a woman, of which I was not assigned.

If you want to learn about it more, come talk to me! If you don't, do us both a favor and block me.

On this blog, “female” and female assignment refers to the patriarchy's idea of gender that determines that women should be defined by immutability, sexual subjugation and essential biological traits. Trans women too suffer under this assignment. Here, “female” does not refer to biological sex or gender identity. “Female” and woman are two different things.

My essay delves into this further.

I am several times more assertive of my identity and positionality than I used to be. Unless you have meaningful critique of my analysis, don't bother engaging with me. I've heard what you want to say before and I don't care to hear it again.

I'm open to honest conversation and discussion over my theory though I expect a basic understanding of marginalization dynamics on your part.

White people, that means stop making false race comparisons.

I won't tolerate transphobia (associating me with my assigned sex ie. calling me “an AFAB”) or purposeful misrepresentation of my posts or beliefs. If you treat me as “less trans” than other trans women or try to tell me I don't deserve a voice in transfeminine spaces then I will probably tear into you and/or call you pathetic.

TwERFS, transphobes, bigots, fascists/right wing, trans/misogynists, racists and serial harassers go fuck yourselves.

My posts of personal experience are based on my own struggles as a perpetual victim of transmisogynoir, I share them partly because this site needs more black transfeminized narratives and partly to illustrate how someone like me exists as a trans woman.

For more information, see my Bluesky, Substack, or Medium.

Block #transmisogyny tw #transmisogyny cw # transphobia tw & #transphobia cw if discrimination against transgender people triggers you.

Check my featured tags in the search for more!

FAQ

Is this an AFAB transfem blog?

This blog doesn't especially focus on transfems assigned female at birth, it's not a mogai blog or a contradictory label blog. This is a politics blog.

It is mostly about transfeminized people in general. That includes transgender people who weren't assigned male at birth yet have feminine gender identities that fundamentally don't align with their assignments and that defy patriarchal gender norms. I consider them under the transfeminine umbrella.

Do you support AFAB transfems?

In large part yes, I've come to a lot of different conclusions having surrounded myself with the community and in short I can say that I do. If you strongly oppose that I frankly don't care and would like you to consider that your perception of them — like mine was — is based on your assumptions rather than any real source. That's not a good way to build your perception of a minority.

And frankly I don't trust you if vocally obsess over them.

I don't personally appreciate the fact that there is such an emphasis on “AFAB” as part of the label and think that is a large part of why so many transmisogynists identify themselves that way but I understand there isn't much of another common way to communicate the same concept currently. This is why I coined “assignment variant”.

Are you an AFAB transfem?

Even though technically I was assigned female at birth and am transfeminine, please do not call me “AFAB”. Referring to me as “an AFAB” associates me with my assignment which upsets me as it would any other trans person. I would never describe another trans woman as “an AMAB” so don't do that to me. Neither AFAB nor AMAB is a social category or identity, it is a description of the coercive designation society assigns infants at birth that determines what they're supposed be.

I am a trans woman because I am trans in relation to my gender assignment — of which I do not identify — and utterly and entirely a woman.

Are you TME or TMA?

Considering that I am literally a trans woman who's womanhood is subject to being revoked or used against me at any moment, as well as my being frequently targeted and affected by transmisogyny it would be mistaken to consider me TME. This acknowledges my material reality and lived experiences that, regardless of your opinion, directly tie into my oppression.

I have lived with the internal experience of being trans ever since I was born and an external one for years now; excluding transmisogyny from an assessment of my marginalization leaves out crucial factors that contribute to my social position.

Transfeminism?

I am a very avid transfeminist. My theory, my accounts, my blog are all based around it. I have done a lot of reading and a lot of living which has influenced my own analysis. Do not assume that because of my assignment I am somehow naïve around topics within transfeminism. I have intricate knowledge of gender assignment and the functions of marginalization especially.

Don't bother to engage with me if you can't explain to me how marginalization as a whole generally works.

[bitterkarella]

Midnight Pals: Substack Attack

Thomas Monteleone: hey everyone you may how last year i got really mad about the blacks and the trans Monteleone: but I've had a year to think about it Monteleone: and I've decided to start a substack Poe: oh no King: oh no Barker: oh no Koontz: oh no Lovecraft: Monteleone: don't worry, i anticipated your interest in my substack Monteleone: so I've taken the liberty of subscribing you all to MONTELEONE'S MUMBLINGS Monteleone: welcome to my twisted world! Monteleone: you're welcome

Monteleone: i was just thinking that, anytime a non-white person wins an award, they probably don't deserve it Lovecraft: wow your ideas are intriguing to me and I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter Monteleone: good news! Monteleone: YOU ALREADY DID!

Monteleone: a bunch of wokescolds got me kicked out of the HWA for being racist and transphobic Poe: wait, you were being racist and transphobic? Monteleone: Monteleone: no wait let me rephrase that Monteleone: a bunch of wokescolds got me kicked out of the HWA JUST for being racist and transphobic

Monteleone: i just got called racist on substack Poe: tell us what happened Monteleone: got called racist on substack Poe: yeah but why? Monteleone: i was being racist Poe: on substack? Monteleone: yeah it was on substack

Monteleone: now some people were mad when i repeated my statements on a podcast Monteleone: but, in my defense, i was drunk at the time Monteleone: c'mon you can sympathize Monteleone: haven't you ever got drunk and done a thing that you regret? King: you're still doing the thing though? Monteleone: oh yeah no i don't regret it

Monteleone: you guys don't seem all that receptive to my viewpoint Monteleone: here, i'm going to list ALL the minorities who stole awards rightfully deserved by Monteleone: writers of a certain lighter, more deserving hue Monteleone: that will definitely get you all on my side Lovecraft: i'm on your side! Monteleone: glad to see SOMEONE around here has some sense

Monteleone: look, when they gave awards to Thomas Ligotti and Graham Masterson Monteleone: that was all white and proper King: you mean right and proper? Monteleone: Monteleone: did i stutter?

Monteleone: but they also gave an award to koji Suzuki??? Monteleone: c'mon who's ever heard of THAT guy! King: he wrote the ring books Monteleone: Monteleone: well I'VE never heard of him Monteleone: and i know of all the white authors

Monteleone: and owl goingback won an award?! Monteleone: now if you ask me Monteleone: that name sounds VERY ETHNIC

Monteleone: so they gave an award to linda addison Monteleone: now she's a nice lady and i consider her a friend Monteleone: but she doesn't deserve any recognition Monteleone: and i'm totally not being racist Monteleone: i literally just said i had a black friend

Lovecraft: ya know, he's got some interesting ideas Lovecraft: why is it that we see fewer awards won by pure Anglo-Saxon writers? Lovecraft: and instead they're giving awards to- King: you've had enough, howard, its time for bed Lovecraft: i'm just asking questions! Lovecraft: he's right tho! Lovecraft: good Anglo-Saxon writers are being ignored in favor of Saracens and Italians? Lovecraft: why, when i heard they gave an award to William Stanley Braithwaite-- Monteleone: see? this guy gets it Lovecraft: Braithwaite didn't deserve that award Monteleone: right on! Barker: you sure you really want to die on this hill, thom Monteleone: he's just tellin' it like it is! Lovecraft: excuse me, let me finish Barker: oh yeah thom you're DEFINITELY going to want to hear what comes next

[diaryoku]

The Writer's Toolkit

#1. Notion/Milanote

One of the most important tools for a writer is being able to stay organized. There are tons of apps for this, but I’ve found that either Milanote or Notion works best.

My recommendation:

Use Notion if: you’re writing a serial, like to keep chapters in separate documents, like spreadsheets, or complete organizational customization

Use Milanote if: you’re very visual/moodboard-based, like drag-and-drop features, and you’re not keeping a whole lot of your actual text in the app

#2. A Dictionary

Perhaps the most tried-and-true tool for a writer is the dictionary! I’m constantly using a dictionary app to double-check word meanings or to look for synonyms when I’m writing.

My personal favorite is the Dictionary.com app. Whatever app you choose, you want it to be as convenient as possible, so you can research words/definitions without disturbing the flow of your writing. I like Dictionary.com because you can easily switch between dictionary and thesaurus mode.

#3 Pinterest

Sometimes the creative well runs dry. And when that happens, I turn to my reliable old pal, Pinterest.

I keep several boards for each story:

Characters: faces, similar characters, outfits, traits

Inspiration: anything that has an intriguing element

Aesthetic: VIBES; images that match the tone of the story

World: streets, architecture, maps, important settings

Fill these boards up throughout your scrolling. Then, when you need some inspiration, you can turn back to what you’ve pinned and go from there!

#4 Google Docs

So you’ve got all the tools you need to stay organized and inspired. Time to write! Obviously any Word processor works, but my platform of choice is the infamous Google Doc. Some people hate it, but I find it very useful for writers who often write on the go or switch devices often. You can access drafts on your phone, iPad, or any laptop and pick up exactly where you left off.

I also like Google Docs’ accessibility, price (free), and the outlining features!

In case you don’t want to use Google Docs, here are a few others I’ve heard commonly used:

Microsoft Word ($140)

Scrivener ($49)

Atticus ($147)

World Anvil ($7/month)

#5 Timer App

In Haruki Murakami’s collection of essays, Novelist as a Vocation, he talks about how a “formula” to your writing routine is “absolutely crucial” to finishing a novel. For him, he breaks it up into ten pages a day. For author Anthony Trollope, he is known for his 250-words-in-15-minutes routine, which also corresponds to roughly ten pages a day.

How you choose to structure your routine is up to you, but I’ve found Trollope’s timed method really helpful in reducing perfectionism and forcing myself to just write.

So, I use a timer app (the standard Apple one is fine) to write for 15-minute chunks, aiming for 250 words. Surprisingly, I usually end up with more than that. Breaking my writing into sprints like this has become a bit of a cheat code for jumpstarting my writing process and getting the creative juices flowing.

#6 Substack

A bit of a shameless self-plug here (seeing as I write on Substack, as well), but the amount of talented writers on there that are actively sharing their writing expertise is frankly obscene. There is so much knowledge to be found on Substack, beyond your standard tech newsletters and political ramblings. There’s also FICTION (usually free!) on Substack, and writers talking about writing! All the time!

Here are a few of my favorite newsletters:

A Mug of Insights

Tales from the Triverse (Write More with Simon K Jones)

Beyond the Bookshelf

Chuck Palahniuk’s Plot Spoiler

You can also check out my Substack, where I post installments of my gothic fantasy Monster Monster every Friday!

[asher-writes]

Author Ask Tag

Big thanks to @the-inkwell-variable for this tag!! Follow them!!

I suppose seeing as I'm posting The Anthology of Cardinal Sins, I'll talk about that!

What is the main lesson of your story? Why did you choose it?

So I was raised catholic, and the thing about being raised catholic is that it's like being dumped into a vat of guilt as a young child and then spending the rest of your life trying to make sense of the things you now have to unlearn.

I thought about how we learn that good is someone without sin, and I thought about how I think good people do bad things and try to do better. And then I wrote some stories about good people who do bad things, sometimes because they were just making bad choices, or trusted the wrong people. Sometimes because they thought they were doing the right thing. I also write about bad people who couldn't be worse, for the sake of it.

Ultimately, it's an examination of how goodness doesn't - and shouldn't - present itself as something squeaky clean and "without sin." Bad people are bad because it's easy for them. Good people do bad things, and they learn from them.

It's also about gay polyamory and love <3

What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding?

If I say I hallucinated most of it from a Hozier album, would you believe me? I also take big inspiration from Ghibli for the CS and Sleep of a King world. Other than that, different mythologies, mainly Christian and Greek.

What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness, or help the reader grow as a person?

I have a few MCs, but I'd say most of them are just trying to figure out how to be happy and do their jobs. I want people to forgive themselves, mostly. Nobody can be perfect.

How many chapters is your story going to have?

*is running away*

Is it fanfiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?

Original content and I am posting it on Substack!

When did you start writing?

...I was a very lonely child. Despite being basically blind until I got my glasses, I was telling and writing and somehow reading from the age of 3. The optician could not understand how I was doing this as I had massive spot thingies at the back of my eyes. I don't know how I was doing this either.

Do you have any words of encouragement for fellow writers of writeblr? What other writers do you follow?

There are some days when I am so wrapped up in loathing of my writing. These are the days that you should post something.

I follow many, many other writers, but here's a list (pls take this as an invitation to do this tag):

@tc-doherty (fantastic YA author) @did-i-do-this-write (absolute MVP) @winterandwords (Recommend so highly I could combust), @oh-no-another-idea (Urban fantasy writer - which always has me by the hooks). @aromanticsky (Aromantic stories <3) @seastarblue (fantastic worldbuilder) and that's all I've got, but I Know I'm forgetting people.

[free-luigi-mangione]

According to Dickey, his manifesto isn’t a separate piece of paper at all, it’s a part of his notebook. The guy who leaked the manifesto claims it was in an envelope separate from the rest of his notes. Either way, three pages can be explained away.

The issue is that his notebook supposedly contains details of how he went about planning it. This is where the dating comes in, because if he’s writing back planning for months it shows premeditation which screws him over under both stalking and terrorism charges. They might not be able to validate 100% of it, but they don’t need to. They just need to prove the important parts. For example if he detailed plans of how he went about printing the gun - if they find a delivery for the silencer he ordered on the same date, if they find traces of him downloading the design on any of his systems on the same date, if they find some record of him using a 3D printer on the same date. It is incredibly risky for them to do this instead of just faking only the manifesto.

Again, I’m praying for him to walk free (as blunt as I might sound) so I hope that the Feds have already leaked the worst of the notebook. But if there’s more, and if it’s traceable in any manner, he truly is toast. The longer the premeditation, the longer the sentence they’ll gun for.

Even if they do manage to get a neutral jury, we need to keep in mind that between BT’s murder video, his autopsy, pictures of his dead body, his children’s impact statements, the jury might feel that LM deserves some level of punishment and unfortunately that “some level” is a minimum of several decades by law. A notebook with homicidal, ruthless rambling during what was certainly a dark period in his life is really going to fuck his case over.

wait where did the envelope come from?? i've never heard about that until now :O

i understand what you're saying and i am genuinely not arguing with you, what i find so surprising about this is why would the authorities not release all of it or any of it?? why would the alleged notebook and the alleged feds letter be released on a substack by an independent journalist who very rightly claims that mainstream media did not publish the whole thing despite knowing its contents and happily quoting parts of it?? what exactly are they afraid of?? also is there actually any more to it?? or are they trying show the public that they're doing a great job?? and that their charges are not flimsy anyhow?? and if they do in fact have more to release in front of the jury, why go and release the alleged feds letter on documentaries in an attempt to deliberately taint the jury?? i have so so many questions about their behaviour and i feel like they'd probably go completely unanswered anyways.

also nah you don't sound blunt about wanting him to walk free. most of the people following the case feel that way. and i at least feel no remorse or shame about that and i cannot think of any time when i'd regret feeling that way.

also wait, the ceo's kids can speak in court??? that's something i didn't consider either :O what are they going to say anyways?? we lived with our mom and we're adults/almost adults and dad was a heartless murderer of thousands through his perfectly white collar job and ohh he also frequented strip clubs and yeah mom and dad were still married at the time of his death and we think he's a hero?? anybody with a thinking brain would understand that guy (and his pals too tbh) was a devil walking on earth.

i genuinely hope evidence gets thrown out and the jury thinks very selfishly about what would help themselves and use their hearts while judging Luigi and let him walk. if i were a juror, i'd be sitting in the courtroom with my ears shut, i couldn't care less what the prosecution wants people to believe now or during the trials.

[misfitwashere]

Let's "create a ruckus."

March 28, 2025

ROBERT B. HUBBELL

MAR 28 READ IN APP LISTEN TO POST · 20:12

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I will hold a Saturday Morning Livestream on Substack at 9 am Pacific / Noon Eastern. The livestream is open to everyone via the Substack App. 

I will post a recording of the livestream on Saturday, which will be accessible to everyone who is unable to attend live.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio unwittingly issued a challenge to all Americans who seek to defend the rule of law. We must “create a ruckus” that offends the tender sensibilities of Trump's mean-spirited, incompetent lackeys. In other words, we must continue doing exactly what we have been doing—but more of it!

There is much positive news to report—mixed with more efforts by Trump to destroy those parts of the federal government that seek to preserve the health, safety, and financial security of all Americans who are not billionaires.

Let’s take a look at today’s developments as we contemplate how we can “create a ruckus” in the time-honored fashion of John Lewis’s “good trouble.”

Rubio says Tufts student “created a ruckus” by writing an op-ed in a university newspaper—which allegedly justified a state sponsored kidnapping-style detention.

On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained the kidnapping-style detention of a foreign student at Tufts by saying, “she was part of a pro-Palestinian movement that caused “a ruckus” on campus.”

What is the “ruckus” that Rumeysa Ozturk created? She co-authored an op-ed in a university newspaper in which she criticized the university for failing to condemn the killing of innocent civilians in Gaza and called for divestment of university investments in Israel.

Rubio authorized masked ICE officers to seize Ozturk on a public street and hustle her into an unmarked car because she had expressed an opinion with which Marco Rubio disagrees.

No modern democracy punishes the expression a political opinion with arrest—much less an arrest eerily like tactics used by Nazi Brownshirts or by South American dictators in the decades-long “dirty war.” See YouTube, Video Captures Moment Turkish Student Is Detained By Masked Federal Agents

Marco Rubio could have instructed ICE to call Ozturk to advise her that her visa was revoked and instructed her to leave the country, post haste. Such a procedure would have achieved the same outcome—but would not have sent Rubio’s intended message that the Trump administration is willing to abuse the instruments of state power to terrorize its citizens and lawful residents.

If engaging in speech that Marco Rubio doesn’t like is a “ruckus” that offends the state, then the only course for patriotic Americans is to create as much of a ruckus as possible to overwhelm the masked paramilitary agents of Trump's agenda of revenge.

The performative state-sponsored kidnapping converted Rumeysa Ozturk into a pawn in Trump's propaganda war—a war staged for the benefit of Fox News viewers. 

A similar propaganda photo opportunity was staged by Homeland Security Secretary Kristy Noem, who posed in front of Venezuelan immigrants illegally deported from the US and turned over to El Salvador—where they are kept in cages (clearly seen in the background of the photo in this story by Jonathan V. Last, The Bulwark, This Is the Land of Wolves Now).

Rubio has allowed the illegal rendition of Venezuelan immigrants to cages in El Salvador based on their tattoos—many of which have no relation to alleged gang activity. In one heartbreaking example, an immigrant was illegally removed to El Salvador because he had a tattoo in solidarity with his brother—who has autism. See Mother Jones, “You’re Here Because of Your Tattoos”.

Marco Rubio has turned into a monster under Trump's tutelage. Democratic Senators voted unanimously to confirm Marco Rubio. Every Democratic Senator owes their constituents an abject apology—and a vow never to vote in favor of any Trump nominee.

It is long past the time to be outraged—as I know that most of you are. But now Marco Rubio has thrown down the gauntlet: Let’s create a ruckus and some “good trouble.” Join the national day of protest on March 29, with TeslaTakedown--Global Day of Action. And join the national “Hands Off” day of protest, sponsored by several groups, including Indivisible, mass mobilization on April 5.

Positive Developments on the legal front

The law firm of Wilmer Hale pushes back against Trump executive order.

Trump signed another executive order targeting a law firm. This time, the target is the firm of Wilmer Hale, where former special prosecutor Robert Mueller worked. As usual, Trump suspended security clearances and ordered an investigation into practices designed to increase diversity in the legal profession. Trump executive order is here: Addressing Risks From WilmerHale – The White House.

Unlike the cowardly leadership at Paul Weiss, the leadership at Wilmer Hale issued a strong statement refusing to bow and scrape before Trump. See The Hill, which reprints Wilmer Hale’s response, as follows:

Our firm has a longstanding tradition of representing a wide range of clients, including in matters against administrations of both parties," the spokesperson said in a statement. The Executive Order references Robert Mueller, who retired from our firm in 2021, and had a long, distinguished career in public service, from his time as a Marine Corps officer in Vietnam to his leadership of the FBl in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks. We remain committed to providing the expert representation that our clients are entitled to and rely upon. We look forward to pursuing all appropriate remedies to this unlawful order.

Kudos to Wilmer Hale for its brave stand. If you know an attorney at Wilmer Hale, give them a note of support. Wilmer Hale’s managing partner is Anjan Sahni, Anjan.Sahni@WilmerHale.Com

Unfortunately, there are reports that Skadden Arps is attempting to negotiate a surrender along the lines of Paul Weiss. See NYTimes, Law Firm Skadden Arps Seeks Deal to Avert Trump Executive Order.

When this brief period of reactionary autocracy is over, the legal profession will be divided into those firms who abandoned the rule of law and those who remained steadfast. The short-sightedness of two of the nation’s largest and wealthiest firms—Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps—is profoundly disappointing.

Federal judges continue to restrain Trump's lawlessness

In two positive developments, federal judges issued orders adverse to the Trump administration’s lawless efforts.

First, Judge Boasberg issued an order requiring the Trump administration to preserve the “self-deleting” messages on Signal—as required by the Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014. See HuffPost, Trump Administration Must Preserve Signal Messages, Judge Says

Lawyers for the administration walked into the hearing ready to surrender, claiming that they had already begun collecting the various versions of the text messages sent on Signal by Hegseth, Waltz, Ratcliffe, Gabbard, Rubio, and others.

Although the use of Signal (and personal phones) to conduct a Principals Committee meeting regarding the attack on the Houthis was a clear violation of federal criminal law, Attorney General Pam Bondi said she is focused on the “success” of the mission and would not investigate the use of Signal. See Raw Story, 'This is so wrong': Onlookers slam Pam Bondi for signaling DOJ won't investigate war chats.

Two comments in response to Bondi:

First, the “success” of the military mission is irrelevant to the violation of federal law in using Signal.

Second, I will bet dollars to donuts that Pam Bondi uses Signal on her personal phone for national defense information in violation of federal statutes. If true, the appropriate course is for her to appoint a special counsel to investigate the administration’s wholesale flouting of the Espionage Act and other relevant statues.

Judge issues preliminary injunction against Hegseth order to ban transgender people from military

Judge Benjamin Settle of the Western District of Washington issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the implementation of the military ban on transgender people serving in the US military. The preliminary injunction order is here: Commander Emily Shilling v. US | Preliminary Injunction.

There is a separate proceeding in Washington, D.C., before U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, who has issued a preliminary injunction against the ban, although she has allowed a short period for the DOJ to appeal her ruling before it goes into effect. See The Advocate, Judge reinstates nationwide stop to Trump’s trans military ban.

Federal judiciary begins effort to protect independence of the judiciary.

In another positive development, the federal judiciary has established a task force to consider how to protect judges targeted by Trump after they issued rulings against the administration. See NYTimes, Federal Judiciary Creates New Task Force With Threats on the Rise. (Accessible to all.)

This development is particularly good news because the task force of judges has been established under a judicial committee that is chaired by Chief Justice Roberts. The task force is operating under “the direction of the Judicial Conference, a policymaking body led by Chief Justice Roberts.”

Chief Justice Roberts clearly regrets creating a monster by granting criminal immunity to Trump. Roberts’ regret may play a role in his decisions in cases that seek to curtail Trump's lawless spree of unhinged executive orders.

Political setbacks for Trump

Trump also suffered political setbacks on Thursday.

First, he withdrew the nomination of GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as US Ambassador to the United Nations. Politico, White House yanks Stefanik’s UN nomination. Trump pulled the nomination because Republican leadership is not confident that a replacement for Stefanik could be elected in a district Stefanik won by 24 percentage points in November 2024.

The lack of confidence may be a spillover from GOP internal polling for the two seats in Florida that are up for special elections on April 1, 2025. See CNN, Republicans grow concerned about Trump’s handpicked candidate in Florida special election. Although Mike Watlz (now NSA Director) won the district by 33 percentage points, there is some indication that Democratic nominee Josh Weil could upset Trump's handpicked candidate, state senator Randy Fine.

Second, Senator Susan Collins has joined Democrats in the Senate to challenge Trump's cuts to congressional spending. See NYTimes,. Top Senate Republican Protests Trump Bid to Withhold Spending. (Accessible to all.)

Per the NYTimes,

Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine and the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, initiated a letter to the White House, signed by Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the panel’s senior Democrat, asserting that the administration had violated the six-month spending law approved by Congress earlier this month. They pointed to a memo Mr. Trump had sent to Congress on Monday that declared that only a portion of the $12.4 billion designated as emergency funding in the legislation would actually be spent, “because I do not concur that the added spending is truly for emergency needs.”

Senators Collins and Murray told Trump that he had no authority to pare back spending authorized by Congress—a rationale that applies to nearly all of Trump’s Doge cuts.

Signalgate

Oh, boy! This scandal keeps getting worse by the minute. I have limited time to address this story, so I will focus only on two developments:

It turns out that NSA Mike Waltz disclosed highly sensitive, confidential information provided by Israel to the US regarding the damage assessment from the strike. Israel was reportedly upset that the disclosure risked the life of its human intelligence source in Yemen. See WSJ, Exclusive | Israel Supplied Intelligence in Airstrike Discussed in Signal Chat, Officials Say.

Throughout the day on Thursday, internet sleuths posted usernames and passwords for email accounts for Pete Hegseth and Mike Waltz. If those email accounts are still active, the likelihood is 100% that foreign adversaries have been monitoring everything that Hegseth has sent and received since his nomination. See U.S. security officials' passwords found online, including people in Signal chat | Mashable.

Concluding Thoughts

Trump and his surrogates are performing emergency interventions in the Florida special elections for the House seats vacated by Mike Waltz and Matt Gaetz. Although the odds are very long, strong showings by the Democratic candidates would be a boost for Democrats. A win by either Democratic candidate would be seismic.

There is good reason for Trump to fear that Republicans would lose Elise Stefanik’s “safe” Republican district. Each day brings new horrors that seem designed to punish the Ameircan people. The Senate voted on Thursday to overturn the rule limiting bank overdraft charges to $5.00. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the layoff of 10,000 staff from Health and Human Services, a blow that will fall disproportionately on life-saving research. Who does that?

The Trump administration has become a toxic brand overseas. Usha Vance planned a vacation-style visit to cultural sites in Greenland, which sparked outrage among the country's citizens because Trump has become increasingly bellicose in his threats to invade Greenland. See MSN: Trump declares Greenland takeover US security priority, pledges action at any cost.

JD Vance will now join his wife on an all-expenses-paid tour of a US military base in Greenland.

I doubt that Trump will be able to visit King Charles in the UK as planned; if the visit does go forward, Trump should expect massive protests everywhere he goes in the UK.

In short, the expected backlash is developing—on the electoral front at home and on the international relations front abroad. And it will get worse as the tariffs begin to bite and the chaos in social security, health services, FEMA, and NOAA hit home. Things will get worse before they get better, but they will get better—with the help of a little ruckus from us!

[superblysubpar]

Hi everyone! It’s been awhile 💛

I’m sure if you’ve been around for a bit here, you’ve noticed how quiet my account has been lately.

I never thought that when I started a simple blog to scream at people about their incredible stories here for this show and fandom that I would get inspired to write my own fiction for the first time in years, let alone post it for strangers to read. Due to the incredible support and encouragement received here over the past several years, writing is now my career, a thing I’m actively pursuing and doing every single day instead of just dreaming about it.

Because of this though, I simply can’t keep up reading and writing fics here and I wanted to be transparent about that. I definitely will read as often as I can, when that Stranger Things escape I still find myself needing calls to me, because you’re all so talented and so inspiring and I could never not read your incredible stories, it just won’t be as often as you may have come to expect from me.

As far as my writing, I simply am just too inspired lately to write my own characters and their stories, that it’s left little time to dive into the fics I used to daydream and spend so much more time on here - which is sad but also an incredible thing! Right now, I’m leaving Simply the Best and My Girl open, with hopes of finishing, and I plan to continue to poke at them, but as far as any other story that’s been teased or told was coming - they are canceled and are being turned into things with my own characters outside of tumblr (Summertime Magic for instance, is going to largely be in a book I’m writing now!!! And Wicked Game, the eddie vampire slayer thing? I think that might be released in chapters on substack!).

I truly can’t say thank you enough - I have screenshots of all the far too kind messages, and the follower count going up and up and up to a number I still can’t fathom today. Sometimes I get emotional and think about if there were that many of you crammed inside of a bookstore for a tour or author Q&A or a theater for a premiere and I just…anyways. There aren’t enough words to describe how grateful I am for each and every single one of you and this fandom and what you and it has done for my life.

If you’re at all interested in hearing about my writing career, my stories, my life, etc. still, outside of ST fandom and fics, I’d love it if you came along on the journey with me. I’ll post (for a day or two) my Instagram which has links to my substack (free) below. This is where you’ll find my writing and any and all updates about projects I’m working on (like We’ll Call it Love and others), my photography, and so much more. I also have this extremely cool (she said humbly) project I’m going to be announcing over there soon, one that involves opportunities for other creatives to send in their work to be uplifted in a publication of sorts and anyways, you should definitely follow and see what’s coming from me over there, I'd love to stay connected!

Again, thank you thank you thank you for everything. I can’t wait to see a story of mine on a shelf in a store one day with a dedication on its first page to all of you, or to see the list of everyone who deserves all the credit at the end of my movie and know that somewhere, maybe even in the same theater, one of you is also watching it and remembering how it all started too.

Anyways, don’t forget to make someone smile today!

Love you, mean it 💛

[aimmyarrowshigh]

"Right now, many authors are understandably pissed off. Can you believe Meta has decided to steal authors' books to train AI? I’ve gone from anger to rage to… laughing about it?

"The author Emily Henry told her 531,000 Instagram followers that she’s pretty miffed:

“Meta has stolen our books to train its AI. To me, the inevitable end result of this is that someday billionaires will be able to remove writers from the equation and make even more money off other people’s labour than they already do. I’m not sure how much longer I can justify using this app so if you want to stay up to date, make sure you’re subscribed to my Substack.”

"I did the same—tagging Meta on Instagram, as if they were a naughty school kid. But they don’t care! A few authors leaving Instagram won’t make the tiniest difference to them.

"It’s never been more important to think about ownership of your art. Authors spend so much time working on their projects. I recently read about Martha Beck’s writing process—she takes six-mile walks, listens to audiobooks at 2x speed, writes on Post-its notes for a year, and then lies on the floor with huge sheets of paper to bring it all together, and then types it all up before sending a draft to her editor. The manual work authors do with their juicy little brains is intense. I’m sure AI can help with some stuff, but honestly, the reason you enjoyed the book you just read is because someone, a human, spent years churning it over inside their heart and mind, and stuck with it throughout so many ups and downs, just hoping it might change someone’s day.

"I don’t know why I’m surprised by this daylight robbery from tech dudes with no morals. I don’t know what rights actually anyone has. Authors aren’t exactly the type to put on suits and file lawsuits. We sit at home with our animals and soft jogging bottoms and slippers most of the time.

"An author friend of mine, who used to be a lawyer, said that if she worked it out, she got paid the equivalent of 2p an hour for the amount of time it took her to write her book and get it published. Many authors get a pretty low advance, and many also have to pay for legal reads, sensitivity reads, and photography themselves—on top of paying agents and various taxes. It’s becoming increasingly rare to live off solely writing books. So if you feel underpaid for all the manual labour and doing something mainly out of love, it’s pretty galling when someone then comes along and steals it too…"

-- Emma Gannon