Mathan Campbell
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mathancampbell.bsky.social
Mathan Campbell
@mathancampbell.bsky.social
170 followers 79 following 310 posts
Author of "A Thoughtful Kind of Monster."
https://www.scribophile.com/authors/mathan-campbell
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mathancampbell.bsky.social
In today's #WIPSnip, Ricarin & company have just delivered a group of settlers to the border town of Locnai, when the leader of the town council - an old friend - asks them to stay and help defend it. Doing so risks all their lives - and is outside the contracts they've signed.
Before she could interject, Ricarin did. “Let’s hear him out, Darin. What do you need, Kester? Speak plainly - we’re all friends here.” “Well, a typical Sealgairean raiding party would be four or five warriors. That we could handle easily enough. But the Glic say there’s a full warband crossing the pass. Their scout didn’t get a good look, but maybe as many as ten. I don’t know that we can survive that.” Lias was confused. “Only five or ten? With the new settlers, there are almost three hundred people here!” Kester shook his head. “Have you ever seen Sealgairean? Their armor makes them very hard to kill, and they’re far bigger and stronger than any Human. Experienced warriors can hold their own, but we have precious few of those here. It could be they just steal sheep and go but…” He sighed. “I know this is a big thing to ask, but I need - we, all of us need - you to stay a few more days. We can pay you well for the delay, and you might not even need to fight.” “And if they do come?” “Then your swords might be the difference between everyone here living or dying. These are good people. They’re better off thanks to the training you’ve given the new folks, but I’m still whipping the Militia into shape and they aren’t warriors yet.” He clearly hated to beg but had no choice. “We need your help.” After saying goodnight to Kester, they all retreated to the newly-built tavern and found a corner to talk. When they were all gathered together, Darin started them off. “Alright folks, if this was a normal decision it’d be up to the four of us who own a stake in the company to make it.” He nodded to Scatha and Lias. “But this isn’t a normal decision and the contracts you all signed to join us weren’t for this kind of risk, so we’ll vote on it. Any objections?”
October 5, 2026 at 1:13 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Just backed out of a crit swap because the other person's book was *painfully obviously* ChatGPT. I refuse to waste my time helping someone improve and humanize AI slop.
If it wasn't worth their time to write, it's not work my time to critique.
Frankly, it's insulting that they would even ask.
/rant
October 2, 2026 at 7:24 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
I've now just about finished A Thoughtful Kind of Monster and am preparing to start querying, but fighting the urge to procrastinate by working on the second book instead.

I love everything about writing. I detest self promotion. This is a problem.
October 1, 2026 at 12:31 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
I'm having a very frustrating experience where when I post a screenshot of text and then add alt text to it, Bluesky is just showing the alt text - with all formatting stripped out - instead of the screenshot. WTF? Is anyone else experiencing this?
October 1, 2026 at 12:27 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
A public service announcement from every resident of #rural #NorthernCalifornia who is sick of tourists adding hours to the time it takes us to get anywhere:

Use the turnouts & let people pass. It's not hard.
September 12, 2026 at 8:49 PM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Just had my sixth beta reader finish the book. The revisions are getting smaller and smaller with the feedback from each pass.

At this point several readers have told me that the ending moved them to tears and demanded that I get working on the second book. That's a good sign, right?
#writer
September 12, 2026 at 6:19 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Classic.
September 3, 2026 at 11:43 PM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
My least favorite reader is the one who comes to an original work and then gets upset when the work does not fit their preconceptions based on common tropes.

I'm sorry Karin / Kevin, I'm not trying to write the same book we've all read 50 times. I'm doing something different.

#fantasy #writer
September 3, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Mathan Campbell
ursuscalifornica.bsky.social
It occurs to me that one of the most dangerous parts of any political or economic system based on inequality is that the people at the top inevitably end up surrounded by people who depend on them for their livelihoods.

And those people can't say "no" without risking those livelihoods.
August 26, 2026 at 6:11 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Reminder that the existence of LLM's (which are not actually AI in any meaningful sense), is predicated on massive theft against IP owners. I'm glad to see someone is attempting to hold them accountable.

The bubble can't pop soon enough.

www.wired.com/video/watch/...
‘We’re Anti-Theft’: Why the New York Times Sued OpenAi and Microsoft
www.wired.com
August 13, 2026 at 6:16 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Mirabelle is back in Port Taig trying to enjoy a beer at the Sailor's song when a group of men start getting loud with each other and Hanna asks her to intercede.

(From 'A Thoughtful Kind of Monster'). #writer #booksky #WIPSnips
At one of the tables a group of people in conspicuously new road leathers was arguing and things were getting heated. Hanna glanced at her and then at them and Mirabelle sighed. She walked over and grabbed a chair, sitting down beside them at the table, to their immense and obvious surprise. “Evening lads, what seems to be the trouble here?” “Excuse me miss, this is a private conversation” The speaker was a sniffy little weasel of a man and she grinned at him, showing teeth. “That may be. But you’re having it loudly in a public place. Hanna doesn’t like people shouting in her bar, so keep it down or have it someplace else.” Another of them tried to get loud at her and she shut him down quickly. “I’m asking nicely this time. Next time I won’t.” The sniffy man seemed shocked. “Are you threatening us? Seriously? There are ten of us here!” “I know, hardly seems fair does it? You’d need at least another ten like you to have any chance at all.” There was mockery in her voice but not meanness and she held up empty hands. “Seriously though lads, this is your last friendly warning. Calm it down or take it somewhere else.” She started to stand but one of the others said “Wait a moment, you might be exactly what we need.”
August 13, 2026 at 5:53 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
I needed to read this tonight. Maybe you do too.
#poetry #depression #peace #nature
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
August 13, 2026 at 5:45 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
One of the things that's interesting to me about my book is that readers seem to have a mental gap between medieval and modern in the fantasy genre. I describe a world where people get around on horseback or by foot and they immediately think "medieval" and act surprised that my characters read.
August 9, 2026 at 6:54 PM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Every time I think this book is done and I go to what I think is my final round of beta readers, I find new ways to make it better. Sometimes from their comments directly but just as often because they see it from new angles and that gives me ideas.

That's a good thing, right?

#writer #booksky
August 7, 2026 at 7:37 PM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Can I just come out and say that the trend toward writing all fiction in close third person limited or first person is lame? There are stories that it works for, but there are whole categories of stories where it simply doesn't.
August 4, 2026 at 11:42 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Jury nullification - the right of juries to refuse to convict for something that should not be a crime - is the reason why the right to a jury trial is in the US constitution.
oliver48.bsky.social Oliver @oliver48.bsky.social · Aug 3
In a capitalist economy
justice is always biased towards the rich

meme via Durah Ashton
August 3, 2026 at 8:31 PM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Americas biggest and worst crop needs to be abolished.

youtu.be/KLYMjPNppRQ?...
America's Dumbest Crop
YouTube video by Climate Town
youtu.be
August 3, 2026 at 8:26 PM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
If you're a #writer and you're even tempted to use #AI in your work, this is your wakeup call.

#JerryFalade just lost a $2million dollar book deal for using AI.

This isn't a small thing, it is illegal to copyright AI-produced content. Just don't do it.

www.theguardian.com/books/2026/j...
$2m crime novel deal collapses amid questions over AI use
Agents withdraw Jerry Falade’s hotly anticipated debut after saying they can no longer authenticate ‘how the manuscript evolved’
www.theguardian.com
August 2, 2026 at 9:22 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
I love it when I do a post that mentions AI and get multiple replies saying almost the exact same thing in almost the exact same way.

At least Bluesky has a mute button. There are no words for how uninterested I am in talking to bots.
August 2, 2026 at 1:49 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
I've been struggling for a while to find good beta readers who aren't just scammers using AI.

After trying a bunch of sites, Scribophile seems to be the best way to trade critiques with other #writers so I wanted to give them a plug and I just ponied up for a membership. Highly Recommended.
August 1, 2026 at 6:51 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
I have noticed this as well. It is pervasive and not subtle.
roguetaeminbot.bsky.social Rogue @roguetaeminbot.bsky.social · Jul 30
Thinking out loud here:

1. I'm reading a book from the early 90s immediately after reading a book from this year. They're broadly similar books and both excellent but it's stunning to see how much more complex the prose is in the older one, both in sentence structure and vocabulary.
July 30, 2026 at 7:22 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Nothing is inevitable. Keep resisting #AI slop!
July 30, 2026 at 7:09 AM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
In today's #WIPSnips, Richard is on a caravan to the Borders. While camping they get to discussing the threat of sealgairean raiders coming through the passes and Maol, one of his companions, tells a story that will already be familiar to readers of Ailith's story line. #fantasy #writer
“I’ve helped fight off raiders a few times. It’s part and parcel of growing up in the Borders. Sealgair ain’t people, they’re monsters - real monsters. You can reason with a human or a sihean, hell even a glic. We might not always get along but there’s a mind under there you can reach, even if they do look kind of funny.” He smiled at Bélan and added “No offense meant.” Bélan quipped “None taken, humans do look funny” to general laughter from the group and Maol continued. “A sealgair though, all you are to that thing is food.” Richard interjected “They’re supposed to be fantastic metal smiths, that means they can think. They can’t just be animals. If we could find a way to talk to them…” At this Maol practically snarled. “There was someone in the village where I grew up that tried that, and it cost him his life.” “So a folk story from your village. That sounds reliable!” Mirabelle chuckled and Maol scowled at her before continuing. “Not a folk story. I was ten when it happened and I saw the house, saw what that thing left in its wake.” She raised an eyebrow skeptically and said “Well, go on then.” “This fellow, well he and his wife couldn’t have kids and he found an ash-gray baby on the mountain and brought her home. A year later she’s growing fangs and claws and killing livestock for fun. His wife begged him to get the beast out of their house but of course he didn’t listen.” “What happened?” Richard wasn’t sure he wanted to know, but asked anyway. “At eight years old the little monster killed them both and then escaped into the mountains. They found the bodies days later with toothmarks in their flesh. You can’t reason with a thing that would do something like that.” Mirabelle scoffed “You realize how ridiculous that sounds, right? An eight year old girl killed and ate two adults and then vanished into the mountains?” “Not a little girl, a monster - don’t make the mistake he did and try to humanize something like that. And you don’t have to believe me but it happened.” Maol was upset about being challenged and got up to go refill his mug, leaving the rest of them at the fire. Richard didn’t know whether to believe him or not. Hoping to defuse the conversation, he asked Bélan. “How do your people deal with the sealgairean? You’ve been in these lands for a long time.” “They are actually relatively new, almost as new as humans. They first appeared when my grandparents were young, coming up from somewhere far off to the southeast and the deep desert beyond the Eacad mountains. Mostly we avoid them, they cannot attack what they cannot find. But it is in no one’s interest to have them stay on this side of the Eacad’s so we fight when we must, driving them back through the passes. Fortunately, sealgairean are mostly interested in fighting other sealgairean. If that ever changes, all of Talav will be at risk.”
July 27, 2026 at 11:37 PM
mathancampbell.bsky.social
Updating my profile to use my pen name. I'm still me.
July 27, 2026 at 11:14 PM
Reposted by Mathan Campbell
yukidog923.bsky.social
July 25, 2026 at 6:35 AM