Jose Miguel Arguelles
@jemarguelles.bsky.social
Author of "Our Darkest Hours" and "Ordinary World" (both short story collections. Former High School English teacher. Freelance writer.
https://joarghs.substack.com
https://joarghs.substack.com
On my ongoing struggles to finish my 3rd story collection
Current pace: 9/12
joarghs.substack.com/p/evolution-...
Current pace: 9/12
joarghs.substack.com/p/evolution-...
Evolution of a Collection (Part 1)
Only 6 out of 15 original story concepts survived the process
joarghs.substack.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:12 AM
On my ongoing struggles to finish my 3rd story collection
Current pace: 9/12
joarghs.substack.com/p/evolution-...
Current pace: 9/12
joarghs.substack.com/p/evolution-...
I Devoured This Book
A review of "The Starving Saints" by Caitlin Starling
joarghs.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Review of "You Weren't Meant to be Human" by Andrew Joseph White
joarghs.substack.com/p/review-you...
joarghs.substack.com/p/review-you...
Review: You Weren't Meant to be Human
Or how I discovered the limits of my queasiness
joarghs.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Review of "You Weren't Meant to be Human" by Andrew Joseph White
joarghs.substack.com/p/review-you...
joarghs.substack.com/p/review-you...
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Unsolicited writing advice, no. 357:
If you think of your characters as people, so will your readers. That means giving them a past, interests, people in their lives, likes, dislikes, a culture, an education, (dis)abilities, strengths, weaknesses. Your readers don’t need to know it all, but you do.
If you think of your characters as people, so will your readers. That means giving them a past, interests, people in their lives, likes, dislikes, a culture, an education, (dis)abilities, strengths, weaknesses. Your readers don’t need to know it all, but you do.
May 3, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Unsolicited writing advice, no. 357:
If you think of your characters as people, so will your readers. That means giving them a past, interests, people in their lives, likes, dislikes, a culture, an education, (dis)abilities, strengths, weaknesses. Your readers don’t need to know it all, but you do.
If you think of your characters as people, so will your readers. That means giving them a past, interests, people in their lives, likes, dislikes, a culture, an education, (dis)abilities, strengths, weaknesses. Your readers don’t need to know it all, but you do.
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
I know 'reading makes you inherently a better person' is a cringe perspective but I do attribute a lot of my empathy for other people to reading a lot of Jaqueline Wilson books as a kid
March 10, 2025 at 10:56 AM
I know 'reading makes you inherently a better person' is a cringe perspective but I do attribute a lot of my empathy for other people to reading a lot of Jaqueline Wilson books as a kid
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Thought for the Day…
February 12, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Thought for the Day…
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Monday thought:
February 10, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Monday thought:
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Thou shalt accept that DEI didn't hold your career back -- you're just mid, bro.
January 23, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Thou shalt accept that DEI didn't hold your career back -- you're just mid, bro.
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Here’s a New Year’s Resolution:
Be on the side that reads books — not the side that bans them.
Be on the side that reads books — not the side that bans them.
January 1, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Here’s a New Year’s Resolution:
Be on the side that reads books — not the side that bans them.
Be on the side that reads books — not the side that bans them.
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
people tell you the best thing about having written a book is getting to call yourself a published author or sharing your vision with the world but really the best thing about having written a book is that you don't have to write it anymore
December 30, 2024 at 7:13 PM
people tell you the best thing about having written a book is getting to call yourself a published author or sharing your vision with the world but really the best thing about having written a book is that you don't have to write it anymore
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
"One of the great tragedies of mankind is that morality has been hijacked by religion. So now people assume that religion and morality have a necessary connection. But the basis of morality is really very simple and doesn't require religion at all."
Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
December 17, 2024 at 11:55 AM
"One of the great tragedies of mankind is that morality has been hijacked by religion. So now people assume that religion and morality have a necessary connection. But the basis of morality is really very simple and doesn't require religion at all."
Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Finally got to watch "Wicked" today and let's just say that I enjoyed it more than I expected.
December 7, 2024 at 8:09 PM
Finally got to watch "Wicked" today and let's just say that I enjoyed it more than I expected.
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Two stages of writing:
1) This shouldn't take too long
2) Oh no
1) This shouldn't take too long
2) Oh no
December 4, 2024 at 7:36 PM
Two stages of writing:
1) This shouldn't take too long
2) Oh no
1) This shouldn't take too long
2) Oh no
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Goal of the protagonist in:
French novel: "to fall in love"
British novel: "to get married"
Russian novel: "to become a great man"
American novel: "to kill that fuckin' whale, man. I want that GOD DAMN whale to die. FUCK, I hate whales so much!!"
French novel: "to fall in love"
British novel: "to get married"
Russian novel: "to become a great man"
American novel: "to kill that fuckin' whale, man. I want that GOD DAMN whale to die. FUCK, I hate whales so much!!"
December 3, 2024 at 6:49 PM
Goal of the protagonist in:
French novel: "to fall in love"
British novel: "to get married"
Russian novel: "to become a great man"
American novel: "to kill that fuckin' whale, man. I want that GOD DAMN whale to die. FUCK, I hate whales so much!!"
French novel: "to fall in love"
British novel: "to get married"
Russian novel: "to become a great man"
American novel: "to kill that fuckin' whale, man. I want that GOD DAMN whale to die. FUCK, I hate whales so much!!"
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Televangelists ask for your money 'in My name,' but trust me, I haven’t seen a dime of it—those private jets don’t pay for themselves.
November 26, 2024 at 8:07 PM
Televangelists ask for your money 'in My name,' but trust me, I haven’t seen a dime of it—those private jets don’t pay for themselves.
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Reposted by Jose Miguel Arguelles
Do not obey in advance.
PASS IT ON.
PASS IT ON.
November 24, 2024 at 3:09 AM
Do not obey in advance.
PASS IT ON.
PASS IT ON.