Alan Langford
@alanlangford.bsky.social
Here to be here. Conversations on Mastodon (@[email protected]). All my links at https://alanlangford.com/places
Pinned
Alan Langford
@alanlangford.bsky.social
· Nov 16
Note that this platform has as a major investor Blockchain Capital LLC, owned by Brock Pierce. So if you think it's immune to the billionaire enshitification that is X, you are very probably wrong.
Writing Progress Review #6 where Michael Pinkus and I have too much fun keeping each other on track with our writing goals. youtu.be/uNGzob5p2xw
Writing Progress Review #6
YouTube video by Alan Langford
youtu.be
December 16, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Writing Progress Review #6 where Michael Pinkus and I have too much fun keeping each other on track with our writing goals. youtu.be/uNGzob5p2xw
Between Family, writer's groups, and an abiding dislike of Discord, I have been unable to cut Facebook out of my life, but man, am I waiting for January 13, when I truly hope that this persistent notification that group chats I never participated in will be deleted "after January 12". Bye!
December 12, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Between Family, writer's groups, and an abiding dislike of Discord, I have been unable to cut Facebook out of my life, but man, am I waiting for January 13, when I truly hope that this persistent notification that group chats I never participated in will be deleted "after January 12". Bye!
Reposted by Alan Langford
Stop comparing yourself to other authors.
Start collaborating with other authors.
Start celebrating other authors.
Start taking community seriously.
Start collaborating with other authors.
Start celebrating other authors.
Start taking community seriously.
December 3, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Stop comparing yourself to other authors.
Start collaborating with other authors.
Start celebrating other authors.
Start taking community seriously.
Start collaborating with other authors.
Start celebrating other authors.
Start taking community seriously.
Reposted by Alan Langford
When I was a production assistant on The Office, the only writing of mine that anyone read was the catering menu I typed up each day for the crew. But I realized the menu was my chance to impress the writers. So here’s a quick #Scriptsky #Screenwriting thread on HIDDEN OPPORTUNITIES.
🧵1
🧵1
December 6, 2025 at 2:56 PM
When I was a production assistant on The Office, the only writing of mine that anyone read was the catering menu I typed up each day for the crew. But I realized the menu was my chance to impress the writers. So here’s a quick #Scriptsky #Screenwriting thread on HIDDEN OPPORTUNITIES.
🧵1
🧵1
I struggle with the need to be consistent on social media versus a strong aversion to being boxed into a routine. I should just say that another episode of our podcast is up and leave it at that, but it seems too rote, hollow. So here's an update.
alanlangford.substack.com/p/whats-goin...
alanlangford.substack.com/p/whats-goin...
What's Going on and the "No Hook" Podcast #5
A generally accepted wisdom for social media is that the path to building an audience is consistency.
alanlangford.substack.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I struggle with the need to be consistent on social media versus a strong aversion to being boxed into a routine. I should just say that another episode of our podcast is up and leave it at that, but it seems too rote, hollow. So here's an update.
alanlangford.substack.com/p/whats-goin...
alanlangford.substack.com/p/whats-goin...
I wrote a note on why authors should segment their mailing lists, especially as they go into promotion mode. I also muse a little on how to do that. No silver bullet there, just some ideas.
alanlangford.com/2025/11/24/s...
alanlangford.com/2025/11/24/s...
alanlangford.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:52 AM
I wrote a note on why authors should segment their mailing lists, especially as they go into promotion mode. I also muse a little on how to do that. No silver bullet there, just some ideas.
alanlangford.com/2025/11/24/s...
alanlangford.com/2025/11/24/s...
The title of the work was "Speakers for the Dead" and my first thought was "yeah, but how do you get power to the coffins?"
November 20, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The title of the work was "Speakers for the Dead" and my first thought was "yeah, but how do you get power to the coffins?"
"You'd Think Two Writers Could Come Up with a Decent Hook" Podcast Update: Our fourth writing progress review session (but only the second one recorded) is up alanlangford.com/2025/11/17/w...
alanlangford.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:14 PM
"You'd Think Two Writers Could Come Up with a Decent Hook" Podcast Update: Our fourth writing progress review session (but only the second one recorded) is up alanlangford.com/2025/11/17/w...
Find me next Saturday in Ottawa at Can*Con 2025 wearing this t-shirt. I'll have bookmarks (probably, if the gods of logistics cooperate).
October 10, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Find me next Saturday in Ottawa at Can*Con 2025 wearing this t-shirt. I'll have bookmarks (probably, if the gods of logistics cooperate).
I fail to see how rational people can't see that any corporate platform is prone to enshittification, almost by definition.
October 9, 2025 at 3:23 PM
I fail to see how rational people can't see that any corporate platform is prone to enshittification, almost by definition.
Reposted by Alan Langford
In Adaptation, a fictionalized Robert McKee says, “The last act makes a film. Wow them in the end, and you got a hit. You can have flaws, problems, but wow them in the end, and you've got a hit.”
Bull. Shit.
Nobody’s making it to Act 3 if your Act 1 sucks.
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Filmsky
Bull. Shit.
Nobody’s making it to Act 3 if your Act 1 sucks.
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Filmsky
October 4, 2025 at 2:35 PM
In Adaptation, a fictionalized Robert McKee says, “The last act makes a film. Wow them in the end, and you got a hit. You can have flaws, problems, but wow them in the end, and you've got a hit.”
Bull. Shit.
Nobody’s making it to Act 3 if your Act 1 sucks.
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Filmsky
Bull. Shit.
Nobody’s making it to Act 3 if your Act 1 sucks.
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Filmsky
SF authors working on their story blurbs in 2025:
In a dystopian future...
STRIKE THAT.
In a future that's marginally more dystopian than the present day...
In a dystopian future...
STRIKE THAT.
In a future that's marginally more dystopian than the present day...
September 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM
SF authors working on their story blurbs in 2025:
In a dystopian future...
STRIKE THAT.
In a future that's marginally more dystopian than the present day...
In a dystopian future...
STRIKE THAT.
In a future that's marginally more dystopian than the present day...
Damn, this is not easy! First try: When a career-obsessed broker uses blackmail to illegally upgrade his cybernetics, he gains superhuman abilities but is forced to fight an existential battle against an enemy capable of using his new skills for their own nefarious purposes.
I struggle with loglines. And based on the #Scriptsky #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity posts I’ve seen, so do lots of other people. Loglines are hard! But if you’re trying to get people interested in your script/book, it helps to have a great one. So here’s a 🧵 on some LOGLINE DOs and DON’Ts.
🧵1
🧵1
September 28, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Damn, this is not easy! First try: When a career-obsessed broker uses blackmail to illegally upgrade his cybernetics, he gains superhuman abilities but is forced to fight an existential battle against an enemy capable of using his new skills for their own nefarious purposes.
May's Dumb Password Report is out featuring 5695 login attempts with 470 different passwords on a handful of low traffic sites (password attempts outnumber visitors by about 50:1).
ambitonline.com/nextrelease/...
#hackers #CyberSecurity
ambitonline.com/nextrelease/...
#hackers #CyberSecurity
June 9, 2025 at 2:28 PM
May's Dumb Password Report is out featuring 5695 login attempts with 470 different passwords on a handful of low traffic sites (password attempts outnumber visitors by about 50:1).
ambitonline.com/nextrelease/...
#hackers #CyberSecurity
ambitonline.com/nextrelease/...
#hackers #CyberSecurity
Looking for a digital calendar for the 2025 Nebula Awards Conference?
So was I... nothing found, so I made one!
alanlangford.com/2025/06/05/n...
#Nebulas #NebulaAwards
So was I... nothing found, so I made one!
alanlangford.com/2025/06/05/n...
#Nebulas #NebulaAwards
alanlangford.com
June 5, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Looking for a digital calendar for the 2025 Nebula Awards Conference?
So was I... nothing found, so I made one!
alanlangford.com/2025/06/05/n...
#Nebulas #NebulaAwards
So was I... nothing found, so I made one!
alanlangford.com/2025/06/05/n...
#Nebulas #NebulaAwards
I had someone pop into a forum and ask "how do I self-publish?" This comes up fairly frequently, so I did an opinionated brain dump for them, with a Canadian slant. If you see a panicked new author running for the woods at full speed, it might be my fault. alanlangford.com/2025/06/02/s... #selfpub
alanlangford.com
June 3, 2025 at 4:22 AM
I had someone pop into a forum and ask "how do I self-publish?" This comes up fairly frequently, so I did an opinionated brain dump for them, with a Canadian slant. If you see a panicked new author running for the woods at full speed, it might be my fault. alanlangford.com/2025/06/02/s... #selfpub
On ethics, AI, and writing fiction in the age of Large Language Models. alanlangford.substack.com/p/ai-ethics-...
May 31, 2025 at 4:32 AM
On ethics, AI, and writing fiction in the age of Large Language Models. alanlangford.substack.com/p/ai-ethics-...
The ongoing Ice Storm Cleanup open.substack.com/pub/alanlang...
Ice Storm Cleanup, Steps Two and Three
With Bonus Unscheduled Complications
open.substack.com
May 18, 2025 at 5:03 AM
The ongoing Ice Storm Cleanup open.substack.com/pub/alanlang...
I watched The Life of Pi a few days ago and it still has the best horror line for an author:
"I worked on my novel for two years but then it died."
I'm still having nightmares.
"I worked on my novel for two years but then it died."
I'm still having nightmares.
May 12, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I watched The Life of Pi a few days ago and it still has the best horror line for an author:
"I worked on my novel for two years but then it died."
I'm still having nightmares.
"I worked on my novel for two years but then it died."
I'm still having nightmares.
Recent writing updates:
On research, and the pains of writing near-future Science Fiction: alanlangford.com/2025/04/23/o...
Plot revisions and characters alanlangford.com/2025/04/25/p...
Not writing but a rambling post on working in software alanlangford.substack.com/publish/post...
On research, and the pains of writing near-future Science Fiction: alanlangford.com/2025/04/23/o...
Plot revisions and characters alanlangford.com/2025/04/25/p...
Not writing but a rambling post on working in software alanlangford.substack.com/publish/post...
April 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Recent writing updates:
On research, and the pains of writing near-future Science Fiction: alanlangford.com/2025/04/23/o...
Plot revisions and characters alanlangford.com/2025/04/25/p...
Not writing but a rambling post on working in software alanlangford.substack.com/publish/post...
On research, and the pains of writing near-future Science Fiction: alanlangford.com/2025/04/23/o...
Plot revisions and characters alanlangford.com/2025/04/25/p...
Not writing but a rambling post on working in software alanlangford.substack.com/publish/post...
Capitulation 101, or why I'm on a platform with a spotty record for moderation:
alanlangford.substack.com/p/capitulati...
Some more or less random notes: alanlangford.substack.com/p/local-nerd...
Moving from software development to writing fiction: alanlangford.substack.com/p/transition...
alanlangford.substack.com/p/capitulati...
Some more or less random notes: alanlangford.substack.com/p/local-nerd...
Moving from software development to writing fiction: alanlangford.substack.com/p/transition...
April 6, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Capitulation 101, or why I'm on a platform with a spotty record for moderation:
alanlangford.substack.com/p/capitulati...
Some more or less random notes: alanlangford.substack.com/p/local-nerd...
Moving from software development to writing fiction: alanlangford.substack.com/p/transition...
alanlangford.substack.com/p/capitulati...
Some more or less random notes: alanlangford.substack.com/p/local-nerd...
Moving from software development to writing fiction: alanlangford.substack.com/p/transition...
I've opened a Substack at alanlangford.substack.com
I'm not using this for revenue; all posts will be free (unless I screw up, the dumb default is paid). Since the tone echoes my old "It's Fixed in the Next Release" blog at ambitonline.com, posts will show up there a few days later.
I'm not using this for revenue; all posts will be free (unless I screw up, the dumb default is paid). Since the tone echoes my old "It's Fixed in the Next Release" blog at ambitonline.com, posts will show up there a few days later.
Alan Langford’s Substack | Substack
This is about openly defying succinct, single sentence descriptions of what it's about. Also, it's a self-referential nod to Godel! Click to read Alan Langford’s Substack, a Substack publication. Laun...
alanlangford.substack.com
April 6, 2025 at 12:37 PM
I've opened a Substack at alanlangford.substack.com
I'm not using this for revenue; all posts will be free (unless I screw up, the dumb default is paid). Since the tone echoes my old "It's Fixed in the Next Release" blog at ambitonline.com, posts will show up there a few days later.
I'm not using this for revenue; all posts will be free (unless I screw up, the dumb default is paid). Since the tone echoes my old "It's Fixed in the Next Release" blog at ambitonline.com, posts will show up there a few days later.
Oh how I've missed some algorithm injecting posts it thinks I might like into my feed instead of what I choose to follow.
Sorry, I've developed an allergy to the algorithm driven dopamine loop. Back to the fediverse with me.
Sorry, I've developed an allergy to the algorithm driven dopamine loop. Back to the fediverse with me.
January 22, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Oh how I've missed some algorithm injecting posts it thinks I might like into my feed instead of what I choose to follow.
Sorry, I've developed an allergy to the algorithm driven dopamine loop. Back to the fediverse with me.
Sorry, I've developed an allergy to the algorithm driven dopamine loop. Back to the fediverse with me.
I just finished a newsletter. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but newsletters come a LOT less frequently than I had planned. I just looked at a "schedule" I set up last May, generously giving myself a month off before starting once a month in July.
That was good for a laugh, at least! /2
That was good for a laugh, at least! /2
January 17, 2025 at 7:34 PM
I just finished a newsletter. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but newsletters come a LOT less frequently than I had planned. I just looked at a "schedule" I set up last May, generously giving myself a month off before starting once a month in July.
That was good for a laugh, at least! /2
That was good for a laugh, at least! /2