Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Abby

@arobertswrites.com

6.6K followers 700 following 39K posts

SFF writer and essayist you’ve never heard of. SocDem/progressive. Tolkien nerd. Armchair medievalist. She/her. Header by beloved.moe. Website: arobertswrites.com Newsletter: buttondown.email/arobertswrites

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Apr 21

For $0.00 you can read what Bret Devereaux (of ACOUP fame) called an "absolute banger of a Tolkien essay" and what my mom (of giving birth to me fame) called "very timely and relevant": "What Lies and Threats: Nationalist Myth-Making in The Lord of the Rings" on @speculativeinsight.bsky.social!

What Lies and Threats — Speculative Insight

Abby Roberts examines the use of national myth-making in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

www.speculativeinsight.com

15 46 140

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 22

Also, sorry for disappearing, if you’ve messaged me I’ll get back to you, I’m just overwhelmed with things and needed a break.

6 31

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 22

Went to a rally last night (supporting the county’s decision to stand up for trans rights) and saw more backbone from county and school board members than I have from some state/federal electeds.

1 33

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

I’m not the biggest DnD fan but that is roughly how it works.

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

That said, most “magic,” loosely defined, as practiced by people who genuinely believe they have some kind of supernatural ability, is taught. Because it’s cultural knowledge. Of course it is.

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

Anthropologists make a distinction between witchcraft (abilities believed to be inherent) and sorcery (abilities believed to be learned) so the concept of inherited magic is widespread enough to get its own cross-cultural category.

Fourth Crown War FPV Drone Operator 🇺🇦🇱🇹🇵🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @dov.bsky.social · Aug 15

The notion of magic being something you're just born with is very old in fantasy literature and probably predates fantasy qua fantasy, let alone JKR. If one wishes to levy a criticism of this trope they probably shouldnt start with her no matter how much a cow she is.

2 1 21

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

This is about me. I’m sorry.

2 2

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

It’s gone now too, although I do wish if you wanted to have words, you would have had them with me directly.

1 1

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

Not the right connotations.

2 1

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

I was being flippant.

1 1

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

Sorry

1 1

Reposted by Abby

Thor Benson @thorbenson.bsky.social · Aug 15

[writing the constitution]

Benjamin Franklin: Write down "no dumb fucks as president"

Alexander Hamilton: Stop saying that

Benjamin Franklin: I'm tellin' you. You're gonna regret not writing that down

150 4K 20K

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

I think Shakespeare would approve of that tho.

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

Don’t tempt me.

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

Hhhh been there.

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

Very tired rn.

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

Anyways I did some drafting tonight.

1 14

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

I don’t try to write in Irish English either, for which I think the whole nation of Ireland is grateful, but overt American English feels odd.

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

What about habby

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

If it were secondary world fantasy I would say “fuck it we ball” but historical fiction feels different.

1 2

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

Baby longboi

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

It is time to be Abby again.

3 15

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

Haha is it too American to describe people “hollering” in my story where realistically everyone would be speaking Old Irish and not English at all.

3 13

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

A longboi

1 1

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 16

I legitimately didn’t realize a bellows was so big.

1 1

Reposted by Abby

Gam Silroy ❌️👑 @gamsilroy.bsky.social · Aug 15

Again. Real happy about California Redistricting fight.

But I would rather vote for the Northern Virginia public school districts for prez

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Aug 15

If you need good news: five public school districts in Northern Virginia are committing to protecting their trans students in defiance of the Department of Education.

ARLnow @arlnow.bsky.social · Aug 15

DEVELOPING: APS holds firm to transgender policy, defying Dept. of Education

www.arlnow.com/2025/08/15/d...

1 2 6