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Tim Clare

@timclare.bsky.social

2.8K followers 270 following 7.6K posts

(he/him) Author, podcaster & tabletop games writer. Books: The Game Changers, Coward, The Honours & The Ice House. https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-game-changers-how-playing-games-changed-the-world-and-can-change-you-too-tim-clare/7687024

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · Oct 12

Intro post to pin to profile:

I'm an author & podcaster. I've written 2 gothic Fantasy novels, The Honours & The Ice House, a book on the science of anxiety & panic called Coward, & a book on how boardgames make us human, The Game Changers.

I make a podcast for writers called Death of 1000 Cuts.

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 2d

You're welcome x

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 4d

Ah thank you!

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 4d

What's the name of the big flying creature that poos out the dreamshit? It's been so long since I read it I can't remember

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 4d

That guy's a real John Downer

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 5d

Thank you Adam

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 5d

The latter half of this week has been unexpectedly very very rough for reasons. It's hard after an optimistic few weeks since medication. I hope it can be fixed, I don't know if it can. But it is currently really tough. Such is life. Hopefully I use this to be a better kinder person.

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Reposted by Tim Clare

Curious Reading Club @readcurious.xyz · 7d

Our October book of the month is "Across the Board: How Games Make Us Human" by @timclare.bsky.social — a fascinating, charming history of games and why they matter.

Join our club now to get brilliant hand-picked non-fiction every month!

newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/cur018-acr...

Curious Reading Club's October book of the month is "Across The Board"

Tim Clare’s “Across The Board: How Games Make Us Human”.

newsletter.readcurious.xyz

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

This is something, if not caused, then certainly amplified, by AuDHD & not really amenable to reassurance, which is not a burden I'd want to put on other parties in a conversation anyway. It's just a sort of cooldown process I have to go through, an uncomfortable social hangover, healed by rest.

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

Basically, having any kind of structured conversation feels for me like sitting in a rowboat metres from a weir, frantically sculling to stay in place & not get dragged over the edge. If I drop the mask the poor other person just gets swamped with monologuing

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

I forget sometimes how much energy it takes me to interview other people, & how I usually finish them feeling like I've been an incredibly tedious berk who they must now resent. I understand that these are not evidence-based feelings, but I do need to schedule time to rest.

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Reposted by Tim Clare

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

Just a general shoutout: if anyone is after a creative writing workshop, writing on tabletop games, or you need an experienced SFF author on a project, hit me up. Also MS critique slots are available on my website. Funds v tight while I finish my book & some extra work would be lovely!

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

I'm sorry you're facing this. The same is true of how a lot of accessibility is managed for ADHD & autism, in terms of arts events & grants. Technically it exists, but to access it you have to navigate lots of bureaucracy, effectively making it inaccessible for its intended recipients.

Reposted by Tim Clare

🌱Elaine Lithgow 🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 7d

It's painfully ironic that the amount of clerical bullshit you have to go through to get ADHD meds is the exact kind of clerical bullshit that most ADHD folk struggle with.

It's equivalent to, 'Ouch, broken leg? Don't worry! We've got some crutches for you at the end of this marathon.'

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

When has the electorate ever failed to be electrified by the clarion call of 'decency'. Stirring stuff

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

& honestly no greater pride than me watching her get better at tricky jumps in Mario Odyssey. She's gone from just handing me the controller & saying 'you do it, I'm too scared' to being willing to try & fail over & over till she gets it.

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

I'm nowhere near close to this because I haven't been able to put the hours & already my daughter is nagging me to get Hades 2 while shaking her head each time I bite it in Silksong

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

I mean I'm not sure complaining about Hitler flirting accusations is the Daily Mail's strongest attack line, tbh

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

(I'm not relying on a single post on Bluesky to sort this out, btw - but it's usually worth trying all sorts of routes to increase the chances of getting lucky)

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

I'm picking myself back up after a long period of illness & underemployment due to the disabling parts of my AuDHD. Now I'm medicated, I can actually do work, but I am climbing out of a hole to compensate for all the time I've missed.

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 7d

This is a terrific, interesting article that made me feel like the resolution of my brain had been upgraded. Even though I don't, ultimately, accept its initial provocation - it's a particularly good argument that leaves you enriched even if you don't entirely agree.

Dan Thurot @danthurot.bsky.social · 8d

For today's article, I'm just griping about why "fun" is a bad word for critics. spacebiff.com/2025/09/30/a...

Anti-Fun

There’s one word I try to never use when writing about board games. The F-word. No, not that one. “Fun.” There it is. My critical curse word. Today I want to talk about why “fun” isn’t an especiall…

spacebiff.com

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 8d

GMs as campfire storytellers is definitely one archetype, GMs as care nurses is another, also GMs as crotchety archivists who just wanted an excuse to read a huge amount of systematised information & feel slightly put out at all these civilians in their library

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 8d

No, you've got me confused with some guy

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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 8d

It's between that & Crack List

Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 8d

He has no hackles. He is a pillow with a face drawn on it