Mishell Baker thankfully
@mishellbaker.bsky.social
Author of the Arcadia Project trilogy etc. Terminal cancer, incurable optimist. Currently 38% novelist 25% dungeon master 24% vidyagamer 13% Macbeth's mom
Enjoy life. Be someone you would love. Make things better.
Enjoy life. Be someone you would love. Make things better.
Pinned
I used to be an adventurer like you. Then I took an arrow in the appendix, liver, uterus, ovaries, intestines and spleen.
What I'm saying is now I'm doing a very different kind of adventure.
What I'm saying is now I'm doing a very different kind of adventure.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
A little private (now public) follow up on Matt's runaway post:
November 26, 2025 at 3:27 AM
A little private (now public) follow up on Matt's runaway post:
Meanwhile, my 15yo just texted her friend, "Glad to feel you're hearing better" and didn't notice until she'd already hit send.
November 26, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Meanwhile, my 15yo just texted her friend, "Glad to feel you're hearing better" and didn't notice until she'd already hit send.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
New York City helped my mother become the artist she is today. The next generation deserves a City Hall that lifts up tomorrow's artists as well.
November 26, 2025 at 1:49 AM
New York City helped my mother become the artist she is today. The next generation deserves a City Hall that lifts up tomorrow's artists as well.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
1. I see elsewhere on Bluesky that the discourse has turned toward telling writers not to be ashamed to admit they have day jobs or other sources of income (or spousal/family financial support), and you know what, that's 100% correct. Day jobs and support from loved ones are great if you have them!
November 26, 2025 at 12:35 AM
1. I see elsewhere on Bluesky that the discourse has turned toward telling writers not to be ashamed to admit they have day jobs or other sources of income (or spousal/family financial support), and you know what, that's 100% correct. Day jobs and support from loved ones are great if you have them!
My 13yo just now: "My three genders are: Drag king, drag queen, and like... that thing where you hold a magnet up to a CRT TV."
November 26, 2025 at 2:10 AM
My 13yo just now: "My three genders are: Drag king, drag queen, and like... that thing where you hold a magnet up to a CRT TV."
Anyway.
Today was a lazy day. Still hoping to get in some work on the book and a treadmill session (day's not over) but so far I've mostly spent it prepping DnD, because it fell into that sweet spot where "Stuff Future Me will wish I'd done" and "Stuff I'm able to do with a headache" intersected.
Today was a lazy day. Still hoping to get in some work on the book and a treadmill session (day's not over) but so far I've mostly spent it prepping DnD, because it fell into that sweet spot where "Stuff Future Me will wish I'd done" and "Stuff I'm able to do with a headache" intersected.
November 26, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Anyway.
Today was a lazy day. Still hoping to get in some work on the book and a treadmill session (day's not over) but so far I've mostly spent it prepping DnD, because it fell into that sweet spot where "Stuff Future Me will wish I'd done" and "Stuff I'm able to do with a headache" intersected.
Today was a lazy day. Still hoping to get in some work on the book and a treadmill session (day's not over) but so far I've mostly spent it prepping DnD, because it fell into that sweet spot where "Stuff Future Me will wish I'd done" and "Stuff I'm able to do with a headache" intersected.
What I feel when I see a stranger's post I want to reply to and then see that replies are disabled:
1. Realization that the person does not wish to hear what I think about the thing they felt like saying
2. Acceptance of this
3. Nothing whatsoever
1. Realization that the person does not wish to hear what I think about the thing they felt like saying
2. Acceptance of this
3. Nothing whatsoever
November 26, 2025 at 1:23 AM
What I feel when I see a stranger's post I want to reply to and then see that replies are disabled:
1. Realization that the person does not wish to hear what I think about the thing they felt like saying
2. Acceptance of this
3. Nothing whatsoever
1. Realization that the person does not wish to hear what I think about the thing they felt like saying
2. Acceptance of this
3. Nothing whatsoever
"Don't post if you don't want random strangers to reply" remains one of the most most hilariously illogical things I have seen people say on social media.
Allow me to list several other examples of "Do not allow me to perceive a thing if I cannot personally interact with it" logic at play:
Allow me to list several other examples of "Do not allow me to perceive a thing if I cannot personally interact with it" logic at play:
November 26, 2025 at 12:53 AM
"Don't post if you don't want random strangers to reply" remains one of the most most hilariously illogical things I have seen people say on social media.
Allow me to list several other examples of "Do not allow me to perceive a thing if I cannot personally interact with it" logic at play:
Allow me to list several other examples of "Do not allow me to perceive a thing if I cannot personally interact with it" logic at play:
I think there's a definite line between statements that strike me as "Yeah, that's fair to generalize about people in my category; I don't take offense; that doesn't apply to me specifically" vs statements clearly alleging that by belonging to the category at all I am obviously not worth a damn.
November 26, 2025 at 12:19 AM
I think there's a definite line between statements that strike me as "Yeah, that's fair to generalize about people in my category; I don't take offense; that doesn't apply to me specifically" vs statements clearly alleging that by belonging to the category at all I am obviously not worth a damn.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
Around Portland today...
November 25, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Around Portland today...
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
The mouthpieces of corporations always put the weight and blame on regular people instead of the pure greed of the few.
stupid young people, stop buying a new phone every year if you don't want to be broke. wait no, not like that.
November 25, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The mouthpieces of corporations always put the weight and blame on regular people instead of the pure greed of the few.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
My microwave sings a little song when my Hot Pocket is done. Should it have the right to vote?
November 25, 2025 at 8:44 PM
My microwave sings a little song when my Hot Pocket is done. Should it have the right to vote?
I wonder at what point humanity developed the individual tendency to resent as "condescending" etc. anyone who appeared smarter/more knowledgeable than they were?
Because we could not have survived past the paleolithic period without deep reverence for anyone who'd figured out something we hadn't.
Because we could not have survived past the paleolithic period without deep reverence for anyone who'd figured out something we hadn't.
November 25, 2025 at 8:10 PM
I wonder at what point humanity developed the individual tendency to resent as "condescending" etc. anyone who appeared smarter/more knowledgeable than they were?
Because we could not have survived past the paleolithic period without deep reverence for anyone who'd figured out something we hadn't.
Because we could not have survived past the paleolithic period without deep reverence for anyone who'd figured out something we hadn't.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
Well, yes, that's the problem. It wouldn't be helping, it would just be making more work for me because I would have to clean up its prose. I want to write my own stuff, not edit what an LLM puts out. Plus I am more energy efficient.
I anticipate that if you asked an AI to help you write anything, the quality would be LESS than if you just did it yourself.
November 25, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Well, yes, that's the problem. It wouldn't be helping, it would just be making more work for me because I would have to clean up its prose. I want to write my own stuff, not edit what an LLM puts out. Plus I am more energy efficient.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
Portland residents in possession of a goose or duck should be aware that it is an infraction not to dress them in plaid with a little cap in the winter months. Penalty for noncompliance is in-person viewing of an entire city council meeting.
November 25, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Portland residents in possession of a goose or duck should be aware that it is an infraction not to dress them in plaid with a little cap in the winter months. Penalty for noncompliance is in-person viewing of an entire city council meeting.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
This is the trap the game of thrones writers fell into, causing them to fumble a bajillion dollar franchise and destroy their professional reputations. So set on “subverting expectations” that they subverted everyone’s expectations that the story would be coherent and good. Make good story good
November 25, 2025 at 7:23 PM
This is the trap the game of thrones writers fell into, causing them to fumble a bajillion dollar franchise and destroy their professional reputations. So set on “subverting expectations” that they subverted everyone’s expectations that the story would be coherent and good. Make good story good
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
I think unfortunately Hades falls into the category of games whose very cool writing is forever going to be gated behind the fact that I just find almost all game combat tedious. I'm not even entirely sure why.
November 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM
I think unfortunately Hades falls into the category of games whose very cool writing is forever going to be gated behind the fact that I just find almost all game combat tedious. I'm not even entirely sure why.
The responses to this have really reduced a lot of my writing anxiety. I've been feeling all this time as though if the readers aren't surprised, I lose, and they hate me.
I need to focus more on making the ride enjoyable and less on the binary of did they/didn't they figure it out.
I need to focus more on making the ride enjoyable and less on the binary of did they/didn't they figure it out.
Question for all of you: when you figure out the answer to a mystery story before it's revealed: does that increase or decrease your enjoyment of the story?
November 25, 2025 at 4:47 PM
The responses to this have really reduced a lot of my writing anxiety. I've been feeling all this time as though if the readers aren't surprised, I lose, and they hate me.
I need to focus more on making the ride enjoyable and less on the binary of did they/didn't they figure it out.
I need to focus more on making the ride enjoyable and less on the binary of did they/didn't they figure it out.
A few days ago I read in an RP log, "The fight is indescribable. Don't worry about it." Would that I could use this approach at many points in my current novel.
November 25, 2025 at 4:45 PM
A few days ago I read in an RP log, "The fight is indescribable. Don't worry about it." Would that I could use this approach at many points in my current novel.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
there is almost no feedback I will reflexively ignore as a game developer but “you shouldn’t name something X because people don’t know that word” is one of them. oh no! You might learn a new word! God forbid you take away a piece of knowledge from a game that’s not a brand of gun or some shit lol
November 25, 2025 at 6:52 AM
there is almost no feedback I will reflexively ignore as a game developer but “you shouldn’t name something X because people don’t know that word” is one of them. oh no! You might learn a new word! God forbid you take away a piece of knowledge from a game that’s not a brand of gun or some shit lol
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
November 25, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
Went to my small, very local library this afternoon with my little one. It's an incredible community hub. Newborns doing bounce & rhyme, couple of older SEN kids getting one-to-one tutoring for reading, an adult learning conversational English, pensioners reading, us reading board books & colouring.
November 25, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Went to my small, very local library this afternoon with my little one. It's an incredible community hub. Newborns doing bounce & rhyme, couple of older SEN kids getting one-to-one tutoring for reading, an adult learning conversational English, pensioners reading, us reading board books & colouring.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
You know, I'm not sure I ever really read the Pond Rules at our local nature preserve all that closely before
November 25, 2025 at 1:24 AM
You know, I'm not sure I ever really read the Pond Rules at our local nature preserve all that closely before