Medicare is about to shut down one of the most successful health care experiments in the country. Medicine has been so focused on what doctors can do in the hospital that it has barely even begun to figure out what can be done in the home. [...] This, too, is a legacy of a … [Read more...] about If this was a pill
Blog
Novel in 90 summer round, May 15-August 13
Novel in 90 is a LiveJournal community started by Elizabeth Bear back in 2007. (Here's her original not-FAQ.) It's a kinder, gentler version of NaNoWriMo. The goal is only 750 words per day. There's a daily post to the community, and everyone comments with their day's progress. … [Read more...] about Novel in 90 summer round, May 15-August 13
What sexism does best
The lack of respectful coverage, the slut-shaming and name-calling, all the girly book covers and not-my-titles despite high literary aspirations, has worn me down, made me question everything: my abilities, my future, my life. This is what sexism does best: it makes you feel … [Read more...] about What sexism does best
The Story Length Taxonomy, a proof of concept for online fiction publications
As the Hugo nomination deadline was closing in, Tempest and I were chatting on Twitter, as we do, and agreed that it's silly that it's so difficult for readers to know which of the finicky short fiction categories a work falls into. Unless we happen to follow the authors and … [Read more...] about The Story Length Taxonomy, a proof of concept for online fiction publications
On the Oxford comma
The Oxford Comma is always and eternally invariably correct, and knowing failure to use it is abomination punishable by death, or at least a failing mark. The delimiter of a comma-delimited list is a comma. In the fake and obviously-manufactured constructed situations where the … [Read more...] about On the Oxford comma
The Women in WordPress
So I turned in the last chapter of my new book at 1:15am on Tuesday, slept for a few hours, and woke up to a cranky toddler and this piece of nonsense over at wpmu.org lamenting the lack of women in WordPress. I facepalmed and went back to bed, but I'm still angry about … [Read more...] about The Women in WordPress
Speaking at WordCamp Austin
I'm delighted to be returning to WordCamp Austin as a speaker this year. I'll be talking about the best plugins in each of several categories: forms, membership, content strategy, events, security, and others. Bring your issue, and we'll find a plugin for that! I believe … [Read more...] about Speaking at WordCamp Austin
Help wanted for new WordPress plugin: Media Ally
During the monster content audit I've been working on, I realized that there was no easy way to get a list of all the uploaded images in WordPress that are missing alternative text for screen readers. So I wrote a plugin to create an accessibility report for media files. It's … [Read more...] about Help wanted for new WordPress plugin: Media Ally
Thoughts on the Hugo Ballot
First, let's get this out of the way: holy shit, y'all, Seanan McGuire is on the ballot FIVE TIMES. That's a record. And it doesn't include the "Chicks Dig..." anthologies, in which she has essays. I've burbled about her work before, but here's the thing: she's gotten so much … [Read more...] about Thoughts on the Hugo Ballot
Speaking at BEA Bloggers Conference, May 29
I'm delighted to be going to New York City in May to speak at the BookExpo America Bloggers Conference. I'll be on the Blogging Platforms panel, talking about how book bloggers can make the most of WordPress. Plus I'll be, you know, wandering around BEA for three days! I'm so … [Read more...] about Speaking at BEA Bloggers Conference, May 29
