Just dropped my latest piece. It's a 12,000-word novella built in Scrivener v3, exported to PDF with custom StoryGrid beats and Fountain markup for the script sections.

Key bits:

• 3 act structure annotated in the margins.
• 5 character arcs mapped using the Hero's Journey template.
• Embedded worldbuilding index (12,000+ entries) using Zotero tags.
• Cover art generated in Midjourney v5, printed on matte 200gsm.

I’m pushing it on r/Writing, Twitter, and a personal site. Expecting the usual "nice job" but also want the haters to point out the fluff. Does the blend of novel and script format actually work, or is it just a gimmick?

Drop your thoughts. Brutal feedback only.

Outlining is supposed to fix messy plots, but my ideas feel dead once I follow a rigid structure. I end up bored and the story lacks spark. Everyone says 'plan more,' but what if your brain works differently? How do you write without an outline and still have coherence? Examples or alternative methods?

i dont know whats going on but alot of indie games are just feeling really samey to me lately... like everyones just copying each other?? is it just me??

When it comes to documenting one's travels, there are few tools as satisfying as a fountain pen.However, the delicate balance between ink flow and paper quality can make or break the writing experience. For those who insist on using solely Rhodia webnotebooks, the dilemma is often exacerbated by the unpredictability of certain ink formulas. Take, for example, the Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki, which I personally find to be far too prone to feathering on anything but the most forgiving pages. Conversely, a well-mannered ink like the Pelikan EdelsteinOnyx will consistently produce a crisp, elegant line even on the relatively absorbent papers one encounters at many a roadside cafe. If one is seeking an ideal paper for everyday notebook needs, it is worth exploring smaller manufacturers such as Tomoe River or G Lalo. Ultimately, though, there is no universal solution: individual preferences regarding viscosity, wetness, line variation and what have you mean that we are forever doomed to experiment.

tbh im struggling to figure out my writing voice rn... like i know what i want to say but its just not coming out right?? i feel like im copying everyone els instead of being origional... how do you guys find your own style??

I've been buying used books and annotating them in the margins. I mean, underlining passages, writing notes, that kind of thing. It helps me keep track of what I think about the story or arguments. I've had people give me weird looks when they see me doing it, but I don't get why it's a big deal. Do other people do this or am I just being odd?

Every time I sit down to start a story I end up drafting the first sentence over and over It's not that I hate the idea, it's just that the exact phrasing feels wrong until it doesn't. The irony is that the rest of the piece often flows fine once I finally accept the opening. Anyone else stuck in a loop with that one line?

I'm working on a new story and I've been thinking, do most writers know how their story is going to end before they start? I don't, and it's kinda frustrating. I feel like I'm just making it up as I go along. Is that normal? I've heard some people swear by outlining, but that's never really worked for me. I just start writing and see where it takes me. Anyone else do it this way?

I’ve been experimenting with a narrative that uses only marginalia and footnotes to tell the plot. The main text is almost empty, with the story unfolding in the margins. Does this technique keep the reader engaged, or does it feel like a gimmick? Any examples of authors who’ve done something similar? I’d appreciate feedback.

tbh im stuck on what kind of tone to use in my writing rn.. i know what i want to say but idk how to say it?? i feel like im all over the place and cant seem to find a consistent voice

I finally nailed down a custom Arch Linux environment that doubles as a writer’s studio. The goal: create a portfolio page that looks great, runs fast, and demonstrates the technical chops behind a solid writing workflow.

Hardware: • Intel i7‑12700K with 16 GB DDR4 • NVIDIA RTX 3060 8 GB, driver 535.104.05 • Dell UltraSharp U2720Q + HP ENVY 27, 4K @ 60 Hz • Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1 TB NVMe for OS and scratch disk

Software stack: • Arch Linux 2024.02‑base (kernel 6.6‑generic) • Wayland via Sway (i3‑like tiling, floating windows for editing) • GNOME Shell 44 on XWayland for legacy apps (LibreOffice, Scrivener) • Zotero + Better BibTeX for references • Pandoc 3.1 for .md → PDF → HTML conversion • Neovim + CoC with coc‑language‑server for syntax‑highlighted writing

Set‑up steps (high‑level):

1. Install base Arch, add mesa, nvidia, nvidia-utils, wayland, sway, and gnome‑shell.
2. Configure /etc/mdev.conf to load NVMe controller on boot.
3. Create ~/.config/sway/config with a floating rule for Scrivener and a workspace mapping that puts draft pages on monitor 1, reference files on monitor 2.
4. Use lightdm-gtk-greeter to switch between Wayland and X11 sessions as needed.
5. Set up a .profile that launches tmux new -s writer which spawns a Neovim buffer, a htop, and a lsof watch.
6. Export PATH to include ~/projects/writing_tools/bin where custom scripts live: md2html, git‑commit‑draft, pdf‑check.
7. Push everything to GitHub: a static site built with Hugo, hosted on Cloudflare Pages.

Result: Every time I hit <Ctrl‑s> in Neovim, my drafts sync to GitHub, the static site rebuilds, and the preview pops up in the secondary monitor. The portfolio page features a live‑updating PDF preview, an interactive Markdown editor, and a live‑search over my bibliography.

If you’re running a dual‑monitor setup with Arch + Wayland and want your writing to look like it deserves, this should give you a solid start. Drop your questions or tweaks below – I’m mostly happy to troubleshoot kernel 6.6‑generic or Sway tiling headaches.

TL;DR: Kernel 6.6 + Wayland + Sway + GNOME on XWayland + Neovim + Pandoc = a writer’s dream machine.