Mark McElroy

#Ulysses for long form #writing. #Obsidian for #planning and #PKM. An #author and #novelist whose #graph is packed with #ScienceFiction, #Apple, #LGBTQ+ issues, #journaling, #agility, #facilitation, #FictionWriting, #Tarot, #faith, #Methodism, #ObsidianMD, and #pizza

Public Key

npub137l5xnzm4m6mupquyeqkyl9ftksv9pqda5ftr0ragaqq28e46t8sltyewh

NIP-05 Address

markmcelroy_at_pkm.social@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsgl06rf3d6aad7qswzvstz0j54mgxzssx76y43h375wsq9ru6a9ncpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0wd68ytnsw43qz9nhwden5te0wfjkccte9ehx7um5wghxyctwvs9k8hh7

Publishing to

relay.mostr.pub

relay.nostr.band

relay.noswhere.com

Author Public Key

npub137l5xnzm4m6mupquyeqkyl9ftksv9pqda5ftr0ragaqq28e46t8sltyewh

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Last Notes

2024-09-05 13:31:34

I’m lucky — I get to travel the planet. A lot. You can come along, though, for quirky personal photos and artsy location photos by following markmcelroydotcom on Instagram … or by following @markmcelroy@threads.net right here on Mastodon.

2024-07-29 16:10:22

Without knowing anything about this church, what would you say this logo conveys about it? What tone? What vibe? What else? Any feedback appreciated, and if you’re willing to disclose your age, too, that would really help me.
https://sb-pkm.b-cdn.net/media_attachments/files/112/870/648/827/189/029/original/8a5296ee535a1619.png

2024-05-25 17:12:39

#writerscoffeeclub 25/05/2024 Do you use a cover artist or design your own covers? Share your cover art.
I do it myself, since my background includes graphic art and design work.
https://sb-pkm.b-cdn.net/media_attachments/files/112/502/843/576/742/780/original/d5a880c529bd6831.jpeg

2024-03-29 12:47:55

I think that the perfect #journal, for me, would have a morning page for a day on the left (mind dump, brainstorm, fleeting thoughts), and a diary page on the right (what happened that merits remembering).
I suppose I could achieve that with a blank book of some kind and just write in the dates.
I do love my #Hobonichi #Techo, though. Is there a blank book that compact and well designed?

2024-03-03 16:56:34

OMG, y'all! Last night, at dinner, when two table mates found out I was a writer, they whipped out their phones and bought copies of Parallel Lines then and there.
And today, one of them came up to me and said she'd finished the book in one sitting ... and loved it!
I gotta say ... that's the best part of our cruise so far. 😀
https://sb-pkm.b-cdn.net/media_attachments/files/112/032/805/667/103/430/original/f9737920d3c7b233.png

2024-02-07 13:28:05

#WritersCoffeeClub 2/7: I write because...
... it's about time.
I started writing fiction when I was 9. I got an M.A. in fiction writing, landed trad publishing non-fiction contracts, and then took jobs writing scripts, presentations, and books for others ... but not the novels I dreamed of.
Nothing feels worse than not doing what you always meant to do, day after day, year after year. A half-century later, I'm finally writing for myself. It's about time!
(Write your books now. Don't wait.)

2023-12-02 00:44:44

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@npub1d62…tshf okay: a compromise. How about a *weeping* angel???? 😎

2023-12-02 00:01:16

Is any holiday bush complete with a #Tardis topper?
I THINK NOT!
#DrWho #DoctorWho
https://sb-pkm.b-cdn.net/media_attachments/files/111/507/883/474/148/886/original/8b4bda91d6539e23.jpeg

2023-11-28 12:27:31

Friends: my first novel, #ParallelLines, the gay sci-fi romcom, launches today on Amazon.com!
By purchasing a copy today in ebook, paperback, or hardback, you help make a real difference in the visibility of the book. If my posts here or on my website have been helpful to you, I'd really appreciate your support. Thanks so much!
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3GhJXZ9
Hardback: https://amzn.to/49PQNCJ
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3t2Mfbj
Sample Chapters and More at: https://markmcelroy.com/parallellines/

2023-11-27 16:57:02

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@npub10d5…vvxa Wonderful, wonderful! Very happy for you!

2023-11-26 12:53:30

(I am cheating by changing "antagonist" to “protagonist" in the question below. Sorry!)
#WordWeavers 26Nov- What question would your protagonist dread being asked by an interviewing journalist?
Interviewer: "How many people would you say you've slept with?"
Thomas, #ParallelLines: [Long pause] “Today?”

2023-11-23 13:03:13

10 things I’m thankful for as a writer:
- My husband’s encouragement and patience
- My MacBook Pro
- #ObsidianMD
- Having finally published a novel
- Starting to sell short fiction
- Still (barely) at a point in American history when books with gay characters can be bought and sold
- The training I received at the Center for Writers at USM
- The power of independent publishing
- #WritersCoffeeClub #WordWeavers #WritingCommunity
- Readers like you. Thank you. And Happy Thanksgiving!

2023-11-23 12:54:48

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@npub15wt…7rek Yes, I know that kind of apprehension well — especially since so many of our friends and family are conservative and devout.
To top it off, I’m in a very small town, where everyone knows everyone else’s business. Some of the folks saying, “I can’t wait to read #ParallelLines” are not the folks who would usually pick up a gay sci-fi romance.
In the end, all I do is write; I can't control how they respond. But -- I do think about it.

2023-11-23 12:39:51

#WritersCoffeeClub 23Nov- Do you have profanity in your work?
Yes -- but #ParallelLines, my first novel, is the first of my works to have profanity in it. In the end, I decided the characters need to speak the way the characters need to speak. Neither the profanity nor the sensuality in this book are gratuitous; they establish character and move the story forward.
Frankly? I still worry a bit about what friends or family will think when they read it. Do you guys struggle with that at all?

2023-11-20 12:24:46

#WritersCoffeeClub 11/20: Do you have a website for promoting your writing?
I'm looking forward to seeing links to the sites others have set up! (I always get good ideas and inspiration from seeing these.)
I would be really honored if you'd have a peek at my site and give me your one-word first impression:
https://markmcelroy.com

2023-11-17 15:06:06

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@npub10d5…vvxa “When I write, my head is in the story.”
Amen, amen, amen.

2023-11-10 13:05:27

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@npub1jrt…y25n @npub10d5…vvxa I’m proud of you and proud for you. Thanks for choosing to be who you are.

2023-11-10 13:04:17

#WritersCoffeeClub 10 - Biggest Mistake:
Biggest Mistake: Years spent not building a daily writing habit.
-But-
Biggest Learning Based on That Mistake: I can't do anything about what I didn't do back then ... but I can sure as hell do something about whether or not I'm writing daily now.

2023-11-07 14:43:45

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@npub1gvl…8ag7 Wonderful news!

2023-11-05 13:21:43

A project journal is a powerful resource for #writers.
#Obsidian is a great tool for this: just open the daily note and jot down a few notes about how the writing went that day. Did you cut a chunk out of the novel? Paste it in the journal. Toss out a chapter? Paste it in. Learn something new about a character or setting? Link it, tag it, and put it in the project journal.
Later, SuperFans will love these "behind the scenes" director's tracks as ebooks or PDFs.
#PKM #AmWriting #ObsidianMD

2023-11-04 11:43:36

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@npub10d5…vvxa Recently sat through a theater screening of Wizard of Oz, and had forgotten just how magical that film is almost 100 years later.
I remember reading L. Frank Baum's book as a kid, but its charms pale in comparison to the film, I think.

2023-10-28 11:33:54

Yesterday’s inquiry to the #WritingCommunity about #Draft2Digital got me lots of good advice and a great deal of insight. Thank you!
I've been debating whether or not to go with D2D for several days now (a new strategy for procrastination!), but thanks to all your input, I have a verdict:
I'll do Amazon directly and exclusively for the first 90 days. ( I'm already very familiar with and comfortable with their system, after all.) Then, I'll go wide with D2D for all other channels.

2023-10-27 11:17:27

Do any members of the #WritingCommunity here use #Draft2Digital? Essentially, it's a service that "goes wide" with your work, placing novels on all platforms and Ingram. For 10% of profits, they handle all details and provide "universal buy links" that allow folks to purchase from their bookstore of choice and few other bits and bobs. Main disadvantage seems to be books distributed this way can't participate in #KindleUnlimited (because you're not going exclusive with Amazon).

2023-10-23 07:34:53

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@npub1gvl…8ag7 Check to see if “Synchronicity” is turned on in your settings. 🤓

2023-10-14 21:04:13

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@npub1j55…tkvt @npub163r…rfm7 Did ya look at #Screenflow? It’s my go-to for virtually all my quick video editing needs these days.

2023-09-22 11:58:14

Research into #Transcendental #Meditation today took me down the link-hole today, and I ended up reading a PDF of an old copy of #Omni Magazine.
Oh, Omni. Just the layout and the distinctive title and body font swept me backward in time. I must have been between sixteen and twenty when I used to devour every issue of Omni. Just seeing images of the pages made me feel younger and more hopeful.
For a kid growing up in #Alabama and #Mississippi, Omni was a window on a larger, better world.

2023-09-17 12:29:26

One weird #Hobonichi note: after thinking about planners all day yesterday, it struck me that my #Obsidian app *could* be thought of as a sort of planner, with left-hand sidebar "tabs" that go to "sections" where items are files for easy reference later on.
I don't know why, but this perceptual shift made me rethink what I want to see over on the left-hand sidebar. Now I'm working on a vault called Hobonichi incorporating this design idea.
#PKM #ObsidianMD #HereIGoAgain

2023-09-16 13:01:35

Remember Franklin Planners? In the 1990’s, these #GTD-inspired, pre-digital #PKM and project-management systems were all the rage. My planner went with me everywhere.
I really miss the feeling of mastery and being so “in touch” with all I needed to do … and the resulting productivity. That system really worked for me … and there was never an effective digital equivalent.

2023-09-16 13:01:35

2023-08-27 10:24:31

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@npub1kkp…5sfx We share in your happiness! Congratulations to you!

2023-08-20 09:43:04

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@npub1k24…26zw You’re just being a decent and thoughtful human being. Any politics at work here are those of your associate, who seems to feel the need to regulate the choices of others.
You be you.

2023-08-15 10:57:39

A little overwhelmed to report that, within a week, A Guide To Tarot Card Readings — the newly updated 10th anniversary edition — has become the top new release in New Age Reference. This can only be thanks to those of you who have been kind enough to buy copies or read the book via Kindle Unlimited. I’m stunned and grateful and happy and delighted. THANK YOU!!
#SelfPublished #Tarot #AmWriting #gratitude #ThankYou
https://amzn.to/3KIgKsJ
https://sb-pkm.b-cdn.net/media_attachments/files/110/893/272/796/325/360/original/9a1642274af7f73f.png

2023-08-12 07:00:04

#WritingWonders 8/12: Does your MC have any prejudices?
While it’s not the point of the story, Thomas from #ParallelLines embodies an attitude toward straight people that many straight people harbor toward the LGTBQ+ community: at best, they are uninteresting or irrelevant; at worst, they’re the enemy.
In his case, though, the perspective isn’t rooted in an ethic. It comes down to this: if he can’t seduce you or be seduced by you, you aren’t really on his radar.

2023-08-12 06:52:31

For those who are #authors of multiple books and/or multiple series: how do you divide your attention among each? What percentage are you focused on the work you’re creating right now vs. the work released earlier? To what extent does your back catalog need focused promotion vs. becoming self-promoting? Curious about your work flow and schedule.
#amwriting #WritingCommunity #AuthorsOfMastodon #SelfPublishing

2023-08-08 05:00:03

Before leaving on our current trip, I created pages in #Obsidian for each place we would visit.
I created a template called “Destination” and, using the new properties feature, set up a way to tag each Destination I create from that template with nation, province, and city names. I also came up with a new property — Visited — that can be checked if we’ve been there before, left unchecked if not.
Page sections include Itinerary (final notes) and Research (fleeting notes).
It’s working well!

2023-08-03 11:50:26

#WritingWonders 8/3 If your favorite side character had a theme song, what would it be?
Welllll … in #ParallelLines the book, I couldn’t actually refer to this (because copyright), but I’m hoping the Netflix series (hoo haa!) will make liberal use of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” for the good times MC Thomas has with his closeted rising star side character boyfriend, Les.
#amwriting #LGBT #romcom #scifi

2023-08-02 12:03:54

#WritingWonders 8/2 How much do you know about your side characters prior to the first draft?
If they play a story function — Guardian, Henchman, Skeptic, Believer, Logic, Emotion — I know a lot about them … and then, as I write them, I learn *more* about them, and learn that some of what I thought I knew was wrong!
If they play a narrative function — existing only to help main characters have reasons to say certain things aloud — I invent them on the spot, as needed. So, nothing!
#amwriting

2023-07-18 13:35:43

Haruki Murakami: If you take a hundred novelists you’ll find a hundred different ways of #writing #novels.
Me: Goodness knows I've tried every other published method, and all that eventually worked was plopping down and blundering my way through. That's not very reassuring to other writers, though ... and it's not a process one can package and sell, so it’s not going to be something many writers (and writing teachers) will admit.
#amwriting #WritingCommunity

2023-07-11 02:08:30

At first, I thought I’d accidentally signed on to #Threads, but then I realized I recognized and liked everyone in my newsfeed.
Ah. Must be Mastodon.

2023-06-16 11:06:51

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@npub1gvl…8ag7 Please keep doing it. I’m doing the same.
The other day, I signed up for Circle because a class I’m taking has a hub there. The profile form provides links to about a dozen social services — and not one place to indicate your Mastodon handle.
Wouldn’t it just make more sense to provide a space for folks to input whatever social links they prefer, without specifying that those be LinkedIn (eeew), Twitter, Instagram, etc.?

2023-06-10 14:36:42

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@npub1yru…7fmx Rub spears with olive oil, then salt and pepper. Pop into a pre-heated oven at 450 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
Enjoy the vibrant color and rich flavor.
You can take this further by chopping the raw asparagus into smaller pieces, roasting as above, and then tossing the result with halved cherry tomatoes, goat cheese crumbles, and a little butter. Or a vinaigrette. Or drop the cheese and toss in ponzu sauce (soy + orange and lemon juice and sesame oil.)

2023-06-10 12:20:38

For the first time ever, I’m creating an “encyclopedia as I go” for the novel I’m writing. Just two chapters in, the notes on where I am and who’s there have helped me avoid some contradictions while drafting. I could have really used this while writing #ParallelLines.
#amwriting #novel #WritingCommunity #OldDogsNewTricks

2023-06-09 01:03:32

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@npub1gvl…8ag7 keep at it! Rooting for you.

2023-05-31 12:18:42

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@npub10n9…tjug For me, writing a story is another way of discovering the story, so in my case, details emerge as I go, and can be worked into the narrative as needed in revision.

2023-05-28 12:36:14

So, #writers and #writingCommunity ... can we chat a bit about traditional #publishing vs. #SelfPublishing?
Do you think non-fiction is a better fit than fiction for self-publishing?
Do you think pursuing agents, navigating contracts, and courting publishers is a waste of time in 2023?
Do you value self- and traditionally-published books differently? Do traditionally published books retain a kind of glamor over self-published books?
#amwriting

2023-05-04 16:50:36

Sold a story today -- a sweet, sad, creepy piece of flash fiction titled "Transplant" -- to the wonderful team at "If There's Anyone Left."
It'll be available online and in print later this year.

2023-05-02 11:35:57

On the Mac, I like how @npub1svs…p66u hides the remaining character count until you get down to like 135 characters or so remaining. It’s a good example of presenting just the info needed … when needed most.
I did, however, flounder around a bit at first, saying, “Hey! There’s no character counter in my compose window.” So: I thought I’d mention it to you. It’s there, and it’ll pop up when needed.