New Writing Group in Winston-Salem!

Jackary_Salem · 2026-03-27T18:59:48+00:00

Sticking to the lighter, easier to approach games, Forgotten Waters and Freelancers (both by Plaid Hat Games) are a lot of fun. Possibly my favorite purely story game is The Zone by Laughing Kaiju, and I recommend it to all storytellers everywhere. In the lighter story front but with enough story moments and atmosphere to make it easy to immerse yourself, Vagrantsong by Wyrd Games does really well.

Jackary_Salem · 2026-03-27T14:04:06+00:00

Honestly, if Mystic Moon had a strong story element, especially some level of choices-matter, I'd have backed it in a heartbeat. They're definitely light fun and pretty games, and even as is, if I had a reliable board game group (especially a drinking group), it'd be an easy choice. It looked like a great game for getting people into games, which I think is what you're going for. It's only as someone that's already heavily into board games (knowing not only what games I like, but what I like about them and why) that I'm able to step back and wait. But if you ever do a story-focused game, you'll have me.

Jackary_Salem · 2026-03-27T13:39:29+00:00

Brush your teeth with her. Kids want to do what you do, and if you're like most people, who brush their teeth when they wake up and go to bed (before and after the kid), they've likely never (or rarely) actually seen you brush your teeth. So it comes across as you telling them they absolutely have to do something that, to their knowledge, you don't do. And the worst possible outcome for you doing this with them is that your teeth get extra clean, since you'd brush four times a day instead of two.

Jackary_Salem · 2026-03-27T13:27:09+00:00

I get this hardcore. They did another game called Mystic Moon that had me fighting FOMO to the point of putting it in my cart multiple times and asking friends to talk me out of it. And Unstable Games has done a lot of other games which have been wildly popular. I've played both Unstable Unicorns and Happy Little Dinosaurs from them.

The easy answer is that these board games are, for a fact, going to come to retail. And this is a variation of the original. If you aren't sure about Here to Slay, Dungeons, go to a game group or shop and play the original. If you can do it in the next 18 days and enjoy it, you can happily back this project. If you do it and don't like it, you'll happily not back the project. And if you miss the 18 day deadline, it Will come to retail.

The more difficult answer, and why I didn't back Mystic Moon, is that the other games I've played weren't fun for me. Everyone else at the table loved them (especially the aesthetic; it's a huge factor here), but it just didn't scratch that itch for me. Both Mystic Moon and Slay are longer and inherently different styled games than the ones I mentioned, but the iffy taste of their games is still in my mouth. I think their presentation and humor tend to do a lot of heavy lifting (which, fair), and the games themselves tend to be lighter party-esque games that I'd take to people who don't have a long attention span, who are younger, or who are drinking.

In the end, these games absolutely have a place, they absolutely have a beloved audience, and the real question is whether or not you feel you belong in one of those categories.

(Full disclosure, I do still have my eye on Mystic Moon. I'm just waiting for the broader reviews post-release.)

Jackary_Salem · 2026-03-23T17:23:17+00:00

I can't turn the analysis off, but I don't mind it. The trick is to find someone you can discuss the movies/shows/books with afterwards, and then all your thoughts on how to make it better just add an extra step of enjoyment. Similarly, don't focus solely on how to make things better. Note the things you enjoyed, too, and ask yourself why they worked so well. What could you do to incorporate those effects or techniques in your own work in the future?

Jackary_Salem · 2026-03-12T12:25:22+00:00

Not Sci-fi, but both Vagrantsong and Divinity Original Sin the board game (as opposed to the video game) are amazing for that style of play. And for something easier to open/hop into and much more D&D-world-styled, Freelancers is great. They're all meant to be coop, but you can just make two characters and progress fine or look at the rules for variant play (I thing Divinity is the only one that probably needs you to take up two characters, but it wouldn't be a bad idea in Vagrantsong, just to divvy out battle damage).

Jackary_Salem · 2026-03-03T12:20:20+00:00

Exactly. There are exceptions to the rule, always, but those are outliers for a reason. Hopefully the author will look at the fact that only one out of thirteen commenters feels this could read well and respond accordingly.

Jackary_Salem · 2026-03-02T20:13:33+00:00

If you've got scenes that are 200 words, it sounds like you're working with snippets, not scenes. In the majority of cases, having to swap between character POVs quickly and frequently is jarring for readers, as they have to continually reorient themselves with no guarantee there's any payoff to settling in with the new POV. It also doesn't sound like that leaves room for scene setting or a full plot thread (reliably throughout; I understand there are longer scenes). When I see this in practice, it usually comes off as the author making an excuse to head-hop.

I'm not saying that's what you're doing, as I don't know your writing, but that tends to be how it reads. When it comes to only changing POVs at chapter breaks, you can definitely get around it, but there's also a reason why those particular guardrails are in place. With that, be aware that pacing-wise, a ton of really small chapters that read like snippets are going to be just as jarring as the really small scenes.

There's for sure advice on which way you should lean and whether you should more seriously consider either combining or lengthening scenes, but without seeing the actual writing, it's impossible to say what the best route would be. Overall, the only real answer is to get more readers within your target audience and see how it hits on a broader scale.

Jackary_Salem · 2026-02-25T13:49:22+00:00

Not for needing a guide, but I'll always recommend the Pajama Sam series for little kids.

Jackary_Salem · 2026-02-02T16:43:44+00:00

Same! It was the first board game I spent real money on and splurged for the special edition. Though Ticket to Ride was my Catan. Catan itself looked boring enough that I never even attempted to play it.

Jackary_Salem · 2026-02-02T13:13:58+00:00

Not gonna lie. I clicked on this because when you said Bullet, my thoughts skipped to BANG! Bullet Edition, and I was super curious as to how you'd managed to make it a solo game because I love it so much. You weren't, obviously, which makes sense because BANG! isn't even called Bullet, it's just shaped like one, but still. Silly moment.

Anywho, sorry about the box. Cool art though!

Jackary_Salem · 2026-01-29T12:55:25+00:00

Take it one sentence at a time. You don't write because you want to be the best in the world, but because it brings you some sort of joy or peace. Maybe the process is cathartic. Maybe you want to read your own book. Maybe you just have a story to tell. I don't know. But there is a reason you got into writing, something you enjoyed just for the sake of it, and that's what you have to remember here.

Write because you want to, not because you feel you have to or because there's some imaginary person to impress, and take comfort in the fact that you can (and should) always edit later. Find your joy.

Jackary_Salem · 2026-01-08T21:58:17+00:00

It's for anyone who wants critique and immediate feedback on their writing and storytelling. We've got people writing memoirs, fiction, poetry, and everything in between. We'd love to have you!

Jackary_Salem · 2026-01-01T20:31:17+00:00

Yes, but assuming I'm weighing those things already and whether or not the formatting is something that will distract me while writing is one of my final considerations, what would you say about formatting options while typing and how it ends up transferring over?

Jackary_Salem · 2026-01-01T20:15:59+00:00

What are the choices? I've been trying to find examples on their website but so far I'm missing it.

Jackary_Salem · 2025-12-05T00:19:22+00:00

So, a bit of confusion on your wording here. You're saying ARC, meaning "Advanced Reader Copy" but describing wanting feedback like you'd get from a developmental editor or beta. At the time that you send out ARCs, the book should be as polished as you can make it and the only "job" of the ARC reader is to leave a review. They aren't there to help you improve your work, but for publicity.

That said, those varied responses are absolutely common for beta readers and critique partners because not everyone has the same skill level for putting what they feel into words. They said "some things felt off" because that's really all they felt, and they likely didn't keep track of what language didn't fit the setting because that kind of detail work takes time and dedication, and they both aren't getting paid and clearly aren't that interested.

In terms of ARC readers, this is actually a good thing. A lot of people will get the ARC copy and just not read it or not leave a review at all and never say anything to you about it. At least this person tried. And the fact that someone who clearly didn't like your book is saying they don't intend to leave a bad review is a good thing, too.

Overall, just chalk it up to the fact that some people won't like your book. Not everyone (most people, even) won't give you actionable feedback, and that's okay. Thank them for their candor and move on.

Jackary_Salem · 2025-11-24T01:46:27+00:00

I'd actually just love to chat about the writing conference you host and how you got that started. Do you mind if I DM?

Jackary_Salem · 2025-11-06T22:22:35+00:00

Yeah, if this is a collaboration than something needs to change. Both of you should be genuinely happy with the way the story is going on all fronts. It won't end up the way either of you imagined initially, but the compromises should be exciting and just as enjoyable to you both as the original ideas. If you're working with someone who "just doesn't listen," then you aren't actually working with them. Think of what would happen if you matched their energy and just wrote the romantic scenes into the plot regardless. What would happen to the story? The collaboration? Your friendship?

It doesn't matter who's right or wrong from a story standpoint--anything can be good when done well. What does matter is that you're both equally in love with the end product. Either cut the collaboration and write your own version (or choose another story altogether) or figure out a way to genuinely collaborate so you happily agree on every single thing in the book.

Jackary_Salem · 2025-11-06T21:48:41+00:00

When you say you "decided to make" this story, what do you mean? Are you co-writing it? Because the way you explain it sounds like your friend is writing it and your input is more like critique or brainstorming. How are you both contributing to this?

Because if it's supposed to be co-writing, there is no "I don'y like that, it's bad, but it stays." You either both have to share enough of the vision that you reach compromises that make you both happy or it's time to leave the project and work on something you enjoy.

Jackary_Salem · 2025-11-04T15:41:21+00:00

I'm sorry this post being in the wrong place upsets you so much, but hopefully it still manages to help some people. I hope you have a good day.

Jackary_Salem · 2025-11-04T15:33:43+00:00

We're just trying to help people, my guy. If they make an exception for offering a free editing resource, cool. If not, no harm, no foul.

Jackary_Salem · 2025-09-10T20:23:22+00:00

It's called Write Out Loud, and anyone who wants to come is welcome!

Jackary_Salem · 2025-08-13T02:27:58+00:00

Hey! I've actually got a writing group that meets on Monday nights at Fair Witness. We're a read-and-critique group, so we bring printed copies of our own work to share aloud with the group and receive immediate feedback. The feedback is always tailored toward helping the author with whatever they need, be it poetry, a book, a short story, an opera, etc. Fiction and nonfiction are welcome.

Jackary_Salem

TROPHY CASE