#LunchTimeWriter
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jackietwrites.bsky.social
Spent the holidays revising my novel outline, & folks, I finally got it! There are stakes & tension, & I love it. I've been working on this story for going on 3 years, and it's nice to see where it's grown and changed. I'd love to know when things click for you #books #writersky #lunchtimewriter
January 13, 2026 at 4:43 PM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
If any writers would like to be added to my #StarterPack #LunchTimeWriter drop a comment below. I write mostly across the middle of the day. Nice to gather writers together who aren’t early birds. I’m in awe of #5amWritersClub but never manage to write that early.
#WriteSky #WritingLife #AmWriting
thepaulconnolly.bsky.social Paul Connolly @thepaulconnolly.bsky.social · Nov 18
A lunchtime writer starter pack from the brilliant @katesfwriter.bsky.social Please follow and repost if you can #writingcommunity
November 18, 2025 at 8:57 AM
jackietwrites.bsky.social
Currently reading @authormsbev.bsky.social Nighthawk. Only halfway through but WOW! The research, atmosphere & slow burn are chef’s kiss. If you haven read any, this is your sign. What historical romances have you been loving lately? #lunchtimewriter #romancelandia #historicalromance #whatimreading
October 28, 2025 at 4:14 PM
jackietwrites.bsky.social
Currently in the middle of edits to add more subtext to my narrative. But I think a few scenes do have that simmering angsty tension

#summerofstory #lunchtimewriter #romancewriter #blackhistoricalromance #writersky
cfranciswrites.bsky.social Charlotte Francis @cfranciswrites.bsky.social · Aug 12
Hello #SummerOfStory!

Day 12: Subtext in Dialogue

The art of saying what's not being said. From non-sequiturs to waspish remarks, subtext can elevate dialogue. Have you used it before?

If ever there was a day to drop a snippet, today's the day! Let us read between your lines.

#WritingPrompt
1: Title, Date, & Prompt Introduction This slide features a large torn piece of lined paper with the text "August 12th" at the top and the writing prompt "Subtext in Dialogue" in big script letters. There's a typewriter in the corner with a note saying "TOOLS not RULES". On the right, there's a speech bubble with prompt questions, a Bluesky butterfly, and a palm-leaf background. Transcription:
 August 12th 
Subtext in Dialogue What's your take on this writing technique? Have you used it before — or do you avoid it? Share your thoughts, drop a snippet, or tell us how you'd use it in a scene. 2: What and Why This slide is a piece of lined paper with "What?" and "Why?" highlighted at the top and middle. A small taped tab at the top reads a quick tip about non-sequiturs. There's a Bluesky butterfly and palm fronds in the background. Transcription: Tip: Non-sequiturs (replies that seem off-topic) can be a great tool for subtext. That sudden change of subject can say more about a character's motives than answering the question ever would. What? Subtext in dialogue is the unspoken meaning, emotion, or intent hiding under the surface of dialogue. Characters might dodge the question, talk about something else, or choose words that say one thing but imply another. Subtext lets readers pick up on tension, attraction, deceit, or fear without it ever being stated outright. Why? It makes dialogue more layered, realistic, and engaging. By hinting rather than stating, you create tension, deepen relationships, and keep readers hooked without heavy exposition. 3: In Practice This slide is split: on the left, a torn notebook page shows an excerpt from "The Great Gatsby"; on the right, a grid paper panel titled "Subtext in The Great Gatsby" explains the subtext at work. A Bluesky butterfly sits near the header; palm fronds behind. Transcription: (Excerpt from "The Great Gatsby", F. Scott Fitzgerald) "I've got a man in England who buys me clothes. He sends over a selection of things at the beginning of each season, spring and fall." He took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them one by one before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel which lost their folds as they fell and covered the table in many-colored disarray. While we admired he brought more and the soft, rich heap mounted higher—shirts with stripes and scrolls and plaids in coral and apple green and lavender and faint orange with monograms of Indian blue. Suddenly with a strained sound Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily. "They're such beautiful shirts," she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. "It makes me sad because I've never seen such—such beautiful shirts before." (Commentary) Subtext in The Great Gatsby This conversation isn't really about shirts. Subtext is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Daisy is overwhelmed, not by fabric, but by what the shirts symbolise — Gatsby's wealth, and the life she could have had with him. The dialogue and action never state her regret outright, but the reader can connect the dots through her reaction. That's subtext: the unsaid truth sitting beneath the words. 4: What do you think? This slide is a torn piece of paper with discussion questions for writers about using subtext in dialogue. There's a speech bubble repeating "TOOLS not RULES", a Bluesy butterfly, and palm fronds in the background. Transcription: What do you think? What's your take on Subtext in Dialogue? Do you enjoy reading between the lines, or does it feel frustrating when characters don't just say what they mean? Do you consciously weave subtext into your own dialogue, or let it appear naturally? Share your thoughts, drop a snippet, or share an example you love (or hate). Hot takes welcome—just please don't set anyone on fire!
August 12, 2025 at 12:53 PM
jackietwrites.bsky.social
I love Media Res! My current WIP starts in Media res. Reader feedback has been really positive. They love that it starts like this and not a few moments before the chaos!
#lunchtimewriter #summerofstory #writersky
cfranciswrites.bsky.social Charlotte Francis @cfranciswrites.bsky.social · Aug 11
Hello #SummerOfStory!

Day 11: In Media Res

Why start at the beginning when you can throw your reader into the thick of it? In Media Res drops them right into the action, questions swirling, tension already crackling.

Do you love it, hate it, or find it confusing?

#WritingPrompt
1: Title, Date, & Prompt Introduction This slide features a large torn piece of lined paper with the text "August 11th" at the top and the writing prompt "In Media Res" in big script letters. There's a typewriter in the corner with a note saying "TOOLS not RULES". On the right, there's a speech bubble with prompt questions, a Bluesky butterfly, and it has a palm leaf background. Transcription: August 11th In Media Res What's your take on this writing technique? Have you used it before – or do you avoid it? Share your thoughts, drop a snippet, or tell us how you'd use it in a scene. 2: What and Why This slide is a piece of lined paper with "What?" and "Why?" highlighted at the top and middle. It explains what "In Media Res" means as a writing technique and why it's useful. There's a Bluesky butterfly and palm fronds in the background. Transcription: What? In Media Res (Latin for 'into the middle of things') means starting your story or scene in the midst of the action rather than at the chronological beginning. You drop the reader straight into a moment of conflict, drama, or change, then fill in the backstory as the scene unfolds. Why? It grabs attention instantly and hooks the reader before they can wander off. By starting with action or intrigue, you raise immediate questions they'll keep reading to answer. 3: In Practice This slide looks like a piece of graph paper and is titled "The OG In Media Res". It explains that these days, In Media Res refers to scenes that start fast or in the middle of action, but originally, when coined by Roman poet Horace, it meant beginning a story in the heart of the action or climax of the whole work. Two diagrams are shown: The first is the chronological narrative structure most books utilise – boxes for "Exposition", "Rising Action", "Climax", "Falling Action", "Resolution", with "Inciting Incident" marked between Exposition and Rising Action. The second is the structure of a story starting In Media Res – starting with "Inciting Incident or Climax", then "Exposition", "Rising Action", "Climax", "Falling Action", "Resolution". A note says: "Your start point comes from this part of the story, but then you go back and catch the reader up on what they missed." A Bluesky butterfly sits in the corner. Transcription: These days, In Media Res refers to scenes that start fast or in the middle of action. Originally though – in the way back when of the Roman poet Horace, who coined it – it referred to a specific story structure, beginning in the heart of the action or climax of the whole work. This is the chronological narrative structure most books utilise: Exposition → Rising Action → Climax → Falling Action → Resolution And this is the structure of a story starting In Media Res: Inciting Incident or Climax → Exposition → Rising Action → Climax → Falling Action → Resolution Your start point comes from this part of the story, but then you go back and catch the reader up on what they missed. 4: What do you think? This slide is a torn piece of paper with discussion questions for writers about using the "In Media Res" technique. There's a speech bubble repeating "TOOLS not RULES", a blue butterfly, and palm fronds in the background. Transcription: What do you think? What's your take on In Media Res? Have you ever started a book like this? Do you enjoy stories that start in the thick of things, or do you find them confusing? Does this technique work best for action-heavy plots, or can it shine in quieter, character-driven drama? Share your thoughts, drop a snippet, or share an example you love (or hate). Hot takes welcome – just please don't set anyone on fire!
August 11, 2025 at 2:20 PM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
My #StarterPack is for writers, especially those who write in the middle of the day. #LunchTimeWriter - is that you? Let me know if you would like to be included.
#WritingLife #WritingCommunity #AmWriting
go.bsky.app/CpnLstj
August 6, 2025 at 9:45 AM
jackietwrites.bsky.social
🙋🏾‍♀️ I’m a fan of sentence the fragment as both author and reader. Like your post says we don’t think in perfect grammar. Also that sentence fragment can really highlight what you want the reader to take away from the passage. #summerofstory #lunchtimewriter
cfranciswrites.bsky.social Charlotte Francis @cfranciswrites.bsky.social · Aug 4
#SummerOfStory

Day 4: Sentence Fragments

In my experience, this technique/style divides opinion among readers and writers. The marmite of the writing world. What do you think?

NB: These ideas are not my own. I'm not trying to tell anyone how to write, just prompt discussion.

#WritingPrompt
1: Title, Date, & Prompt Introduction This slide features a large torn piece of lined paper with the text "August 4th" at the top and the writing prompt "Sentence Fragments" in big script letters. There's a typewriter in the corner with a note saying "TOOLS not RULES". On the right, there's a speech bubble with prompt questions, a Bluesky butterfly, and it has a palm leaf background. Transcription: August 4th Sentence Fragments What's your take on this writing technique? Have you used it before—or do you avoid it? Share your thoughts, drop a snippet, or tell us how you'd use it in a scene. 2: What and Why This slide is a piece of lined paper with 'What?' and 'Why?' highlighted at the top and middle. It explains what a 'sentence fragment' is as a writing technique and why it can be useful. There's a Bluesky butterfly and palm fronds in the background. Transcription: What? A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence—a phrase that lacks a subject, a verb, or both. In formal grammar, it's technically 'wrong.' In fiction? It's often deliberate. Used well, fragments can mimic thought, emotion, or rhythm. A pause. A punch. A gut reaction. Why? People don't think in perfect grammar, and characters/narrators don't either. Fragments add urgency, tone, emotion, and voice. Used sparingly, they can make prose sharper, rawer, or more intimate. 3: In Practice This slide looks like a piece of graph paper and features two example sections: 'The power of Sentence Fragments'—with a quote from Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road' 'The danger of Sentence Fragments'—with a short badly written example There's a Bluesky butterfly and palm fronds in the background. Transcription: The power of Sentence Fragments In my opinion, few writers use sentence fragments as well as Cormac McCarthy. In his dystopian novel, 'The Road', almost the whole book is written in fragments. This unique style captures a mood that would be impossible to achieve in any other way. 'The frailty of everything revealed at last. Old and troubling issues resolved into nothingness and night. The last instance of a thing takes the class with it. Turns out the light and is gone. Look around you. Ever is a long time. But the boy knew what he knew. That ever is no time at all.' (Excerpt from 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy) The danger of Sentence Fragments When used inexpertly, sentence fragments just look like comma splices or bad grammar. Charlotte sat at her desk. Pondering sentence fragments. She'd noticed some of the greats use full stops instead of commas. Called them fragments. Not sentences. Flexing her fingers. She gave it a go. Then stared at what she'd written. 'Bugger.' Her laptop snapped shut. 4: What do you think? This slide is a torn piece of paper with discussion questions for writers about using the 'Sentence Fragments' technique. There's a speech bubble repeating 'TOOLS not RULES', a Bluesky butterfly, and palm fronds in the background. Transcription: What do you think? So, what's your take on Sentence Fragments? They're pretty divisive in my experience. As a reader, are you someone who loves or loathes them? Do you use them in your own writing? Why not share your experience or a snippet with the community? Hot takes welcome—just please don't set anyone on fire!
August 4, 2025 at 12:04 PM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Writing across the middle of the day works for me. I’m a #LunchTimeWriter.

Today I’m drafting a new chapter of a #HistoricalFiction novel.

#AmWriting #WritingLife
July 28, 2025 at 11:42 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Rain is falling steadily this lunchtime. This means it is a good time to sit at my desk and write.
#LunchTimeWriter #WritingCommunity #WriterSky #AmWriting
a cartoon of snoopy holding a red umbrella with the words stay dry below it
ALT: a cartoon of snoopy holding a red umbrella with the words stay dry below it
media.tenor.com
July 23, 2025 at 11:58 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Today I’m working on two main characters in my newest #HistoricalFiction #WIP - both carry unhealed grief but deal with it differently. I’m working out how they misunderstand one another before bonding over grief & healing - they’re married and it was an arranged match.
#LunchTimeWriter #AmWriting
July 22, 2025 at 11:59 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Who's writing this lunchtime? And where are you working?

I'm writing now. The garden's my desk today.

#LunchTimeWriter #AmWriting #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
a cartoon drawing of a person using a laptop with the words write written around them
ALT: a cartoon drawing of a person using a laptop with the words write written around them
media.tenor.com
July 21, 2025 at 10:46 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Settling down to write this lunchtime. Temperature in the mid-twenties Celsius and climbing which is hot in Northumberland. Feeling sleepy 😴 but going to try and get some words down.
#LunchTimeWriter #WriteSky #AmWriting
📸 not sunset - but the moon last night.
July 11, 2025 at 10:54 AM
jackietwrites.bsky.social
Only 1 hr into the #rsjconvention and I’m enjoying myself so much. So happy to be attending 🥰 #lunchtimewriter #writersky #romancewriter
July 10, 2025 at 5:09 PM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
This lunchtime I'm on @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social's platform hosting Writers' Cafe for #BeingAWriter members. I've been a member for several years.
#LunchTimeWriter #WriteSky #AmWriting #WritingCommunity
Highly recommend literaryconsultancy.co.uk
The Literary Consultancy, Editorial and Manuscript Services
The Literary Consultancy (TLC) is the UK’s longest-established editorial consultancy, pioneering manuscript assessment, and editing for all writers.
literaryconsultancy.co.uk
July 10, 2025 at 10:12 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Working on a #HistoricalFiction novel, set in northern Britannia in AD 100-102. Drafting a chapter during lunchtime today.
#LunchTimeWriter
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity
katesfwriter.bsky.social Kate Sheehan-Finn @katesfwriter.bsky.social · Jul 8
I'm not a member of #5amwriters - I can't function so early. So, I've set up a #StarterPack for anyone who writes during the middle of the day.
Comment if you'd like to join, and please repost. Tell us you're writing with #LunchTimeWriter
#WritingSky #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

go.bsky.app/CpnLstj
July 9, 2025 at 11:21 AM
maykenalanna.bsky.social
Found a bike, got my drink, ready to revise!
#LunchTimeWriter
July 9, 2025 at 11:12 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
I’ve added you to #LunchTimeWriter.

Welcome! We all find writing time when we can. 5am works for many busy people, but not for me. I love writing from noon to 1pm or from 1pm to 2pm. This pack and hashtag are about promoting writing regularly and in short sprints. Small steps to big progress.
July 9, 2025 at 9:12 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Good morning. 5 am is definitely a thing. I’ve added you. Will be writing later on when I’ve woken up properly. #LunchTimeWriter
July 9, 2025 at 8:17 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
First time using #LunchTimeWriter - I'm working on the detailed plot of one of my #WIPs. My Dearest Soul is a #historicalfiction novel about the wives and girlfriends of the Roman armies based along the frontier of #RomanBritain.

What are you writing today?

#AmWriting #WritingSky #WritingCommunity
katesfwriter.bsky.social Kate Sheehan-Finn @katesfwriter.bsky.social · Jul 8
I'm not a member of #5amwriters - I can't function so early. So, I've set up a #StarterPack for anyone who writes during the middle of the day.
Comment if you'd like to join, and please repost. Tell us you're writing with #LunchTimeWriter
#WritingSky #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

go.bsky.app/CpnLstj
July 8, 2025 at 10:53 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Welcome to #LunchTimeWriter - to be fair, the timing can be flexible. Let us know what you are working on later on.
July 8, 2025 at 9:22 AM
janpsolivagant.bsky.social
😁 Yes, please add! #LunchTimeWriter. An odd dream that may inspire the subject or imagery of a poem will appear at 5am, but otherwise I'm in no fit state to be awake or coherent.
July 8, 2025 at 9:18 AM
katesfwriter.bsky.social
I'm not a member of #5amwriters - I can't function so early. So, I've set up a #StarterPack for anyone who writes during the middle of the day.
Comment if you'd like to join, and please repost. Tell us you're writing with #LunchTimeWriter
#WritingSky #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

go.bsky.app/CpnLstj
July 8, 2025 at 8:42 AM
maykenalanna.bsky.social
👋 I'm a #lunchtimewriter. At 1pm Paris time, to be precise.
July 8, 2025 at 5:39 AM
jackietwrites.bsky.social
Took me all last week but I was able finish the full outline of my novel and working on an outline of the new opening scene! #lunchtimewriter #romancelandia #romancewriter #amwriting #writersky
June 3, 2025 at 6:47 PM
jackietwrites.bsky.social
Definitely! That’s the joy of enemies to lovers! #MayWeDance #lunchtimewriter #romancelandia #amwriting #writersky
gunsmile.bsky.social Ange | Author A. M. Shilling @gunsmile.bsky.social · May 29
#MayWeDance Day 29

They say a Happily Ever After is one of the key characteristics of a romance, but is that what will happen for your MC and LI? Why or why not?

#WritingCommunity #WriterSky #WritingPrompt #Romancelandia
#MayWeDance A writing prompt game by @gunsmile.bsky.social for romances in all genres 29. Is a Happily Ever After in store for your MC and LI? Why or why not? The background image is a couple dancing from behind. The man wears a suit, and the woman wears a sleeveless dress.
May 29, 2025 at 4:54 PM