Words Deferred is a blog about writing fiction, in all of its myriad forms.
What am I doing here? I’m reviewing books and giving away my story ideas! But that’s not all…
In 2024 and 2026 I’ve done what I like to call a Year of Short Stories. I spend 52 weeks writing sci-fi and fantasy stories and submitting them to publications. I write weekly updates to discuss my progress, as well as the ins and outs of writing and submitting short fiction in these markets. Read the kickoff, or see all the posts.
Previously, I spent almost two years writing Razor Mountain, a novel that I updated here twice per month. I documented the entire process, from ideas and outlining to the cover design and back-cover blurb to the chapters themselves. You can read all of it on my Razor Mountain landing page.
If you’d rather read some of my free microfiction or hundred-word drabbles, check out the Fiction section.
If you’re looking for something else, use the search, categories and tags in the sidebar, or check out my most recent posts below.
Reblog: Anthropic Settlement — Writer Beware
Writer Beware has long been a great resource for writers, calling out outright scams, questionable services, and bad publishers. Lately, they’ve been following the ongoing saga of the class-action lawsuit against Anthropic, and the proposed settlement. For those who aren’t aware, the settlement revolves around Anthropic’s use of illegally downloaded…
Weeks 27 and 28 — Year of Short Stories 2026
2026 is another year of short stories. In this weekly series, I track my short story writing, from idea and draft to submission. This is the weeks of Jul 6 – Jul 19. Stats Submissions and Responses I had two form rejections come back this week: a magazine submission for…
Cordyceps Cosmicum — The Idea Vault
It’s a common misconception that a great idea makes a great story. The truth is that most great stories come down to execution. A great idea with poor execution rarely works, but a great writer can breathe new life into even the most tired tropes. Like any writer, I have…
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Words Deferred 