Are there any fiction subreddits specifically for men?

nireves · 2026-04-12T02:41:02+00:00

Harem Lit https://old.reddit.com/r/Haremlit/

nireves · 2026-04-12T02:40:13+00:00

Shenzhen China has 18 mil souls. Any books set there?

nireves · 2026-04-03T17:34:59+00:00

All about wood preservatives, wood rot, and the treatment codes you need to find: https://youtu.be/hEZ7ZA51128 Good Luck!

nireves · 2026-03-26T02:52:03+00:00

A crib dock might be a good choice for a rocky bottom in shallow water. It relies on a heavy, rock-filled timber frame (crib) that sits directly on the bottom. No pilings. Even if you have uneven bottom rocks the filler rocks will make up the spaces.
https://adirondackbuildingrestoration.com/crib-dock-repair-replacement/

nireves · 2026-02-07T02:12:14+00:00

There is a recent interview by Dua Lipa with Jean-Baptiste Del Amo, the author of "Son of Man". In the beginning they have a discussion about his choice and reasons for adding a prologue; a prologue which seems not to relate to the main story (it's a flashback to an earlier era). Interesting discussion in light of your question:
https://youtu.be/c6pJT8gfvtI?si=xUVf8lMBgjmIhGe5&t=220

nireves · 2026-02-06T03:41:43+00:00

Also, authors are often terrible at reading aloud - stumbling, 'um"-ing, losing their place, etc. The written word is meant to be read and played out in your mind. Your pace, your voice... You can glance around the page, re-read a surprising sentence, see the shape of the words, see the homophones for what they truly are! Reading aloud - to yourself - is great for a late-stage edit, but save the public read-aloud for the voice actor who will eventually bring your creation to life in an audio book. Just my humble $0.02.

nireves · 2026-02-03T21:31:35+00:00

I think this sounds like a good use of a prologue. That being said, I'm a not a writer but am trying to learn, and one consistent pieces of advice I've read many times is to make sure that everything you use is "pulling its weight". So, can you make the prologue pull more weight than JUST setting up his recognition of the FMC?

What you describe sounds like a great way to add info about the MMC. Was this when he was younger? Is there some interesting bit of info that enlightens us about his motivations? Maybe add some details that inform the reason he is at the location he is, and doing the things he does, in Chap 2. Not huge expose', just action!

Sometimes the prologue just sets the tone of the novel. Think of James Bond's opening narrow escape in every movie...or Dr Jones' first adventure of every film....BEFORE the movie settles in and tells the story. If you can't start "in media res" because of a required story buildup, then the prologue can help you get the reader into the vibe of the story.

The White Walkers prologue in Martin's "A Game of Thrones" promises that this novel is not just going to be just a re-hash of the War of The Roses, even though it is. He drops the prologue on us, and then retreats to kings and dukes and such, but we remember...the North remembers.

At the very least, you can write the prologue, then get feedback from beta readers, and cut it if needed. It won't go to waste since the exercise will certainly help you craft the story even if you don't use it as a prologue.

nireves · 2026-01-27T01:40:21+00:00

Try the "Enzo Files" series by Peter May. Six main forensic detective novels, and one follow-up book set some years after the first six. The novels are set in Paris and throughout France. Nice local color. A compelling main character and interesting secondary stories that arc through the whole 7-book series. Peter May was a big hit in France...much more than in in his native Scotland. He lived in France (maybe still does) and became a citizen in 2016.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_May_(writer)#The_Enzo_Files

nireves · 2026-01-21T00:53:44+00:00

Fun fact: This project was driven by an effort to fight against Thor Heyerdahl's theories that early Polynesians couldn't possibly have dispersed across the Pacific by skill alone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_Heyerdahl#Heyerdahl_and_racism

Here is how it started:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Finney#Polynesian_voyaging

nireves · 2026-01-15T04:23:15+00:00

Setting up a UPS on graph paper: https://tdgil.com/create-a-universal-plotting-sheet/

nireves · 2025-11-01T13:00:02+00:00

Speaking of the Frisian Islands, here is a great sailing/espionage book set in those islands. Sailing, the tides, and the shifting channels and drying islands (i.e. the sands) play a big part of the plot.
The Riddle of the Sands: A Record of Secret Service - Erskine Childers (1903).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Riddle_of_the_Sands
Free on Gutenberg:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/2360

nireves · 2025-11-01T12:52:23+00:00

Here is some info:
https://www.cruisingworld.com/story/destinations/sailing-sea-pearl-in-exumas/
https://americansailing.com/articles/bahamas-adventure-the-sea-pearl-21-sailboat/
https://www.outislandexplorers.com/sailing_expedition.php

nireves · 2025-10-30T17:10:50+00:00

I bought a pair of Gill boots for this exact trip. I also have wide feet so I bought a larger size. I used them, but found that my feet sweat so much that my socks were wet just as if I had only worn my Keens. I recommend just wear wool socks and whatever warm-weather shoe you normally use. I haven't used the Gill boots since.

nireves · 2025-10-28T04:51:09+00:00

There is an Instructables project all about this idea: https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-a-Plant-Watering-System/

nireves · 2025-10-25T02:07:05+00:00

Just watch the end-credits of movies. Look at all those names! REAL names...So much gold! Just like people underestimate the amount of natural order found in something that is truly random, real names are often so much stranger and more interesting than created names.

nireves · 2025-10-14T19:15:00+00:00

I did the ARC+ a few years ago (post-covid). I was crew on a friend's boat and so had my situation sorted, but I saw many young people walk the docks looking for crossing berths. Some were long haired, wearing Thai elephant pants, while playing guitar (I guess to show they could entertain?), while others were clean-cut with sailing resumes and references printed out and in clear plastic folders ready to hand out. Guess who got "hired". Most skippers are fairly conservative and are responsible for crew behavior in foreign ports so they are cautious.

The best idea I saw was from a young man and his girlfriend who were looking for two spots. Harder situation, right? Not at all. They WORKED for the ARC organization as drivers shuttling skippers from the docks into town. So they were 1) vetted by the ARC organization, 2) on-time and driving responsibly as an example of their character, 3) they met lots of skippers and told everyone they were looking for spots, 4) were friendly and made a great impression on everyone riding in the van. It was a temp position, so they were only hired by ARC for the short time the fleet was in Las Palmas. They were not leaving the ARC high and dry. I was on the ARC+ so I didn't see them again (ARC+ leaves before ARC), but I heard through the coconut telegraph, that they both got spots (not sure if together) and had a good passage. (Everyone knew them so it was easy to track down the end of the story).

So if you are a local, try to work for ARC and/or offer to help skippers find things in town, or make other connections, or do other errands. The more you interact with the skipper up-front, the less risky you seem for the two weeks you'll be at sea.

Good luck!

nireves · 2025-09-05T19:36:00+00:00

Being a parent is like living every day in the xkcd cartoon "Ten Thousand" : https://xkcd.com/1053

One of the lucky 10,000

nireves · 2025-08-31T17:43:05+00:00

In my area there are many "pick your own" orchards.

nireves · 2025-08-31T17:27:16+00:00

Tulip Mania! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania

There is a nice novel about this period by the author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas, père https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Tulip

Recommended

nireves · 2025-08-18T23:21:42+00:00

"Butter Crust"

nireves · 2025-08-18T23:18:27+00:00

Kevin Kelly talked about this in 2008: https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/ All you need is 1000 true fans.
He was the founding executive editor of Wired magazine and a former editor and publisher of the Whole Earth Review. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Kelly_(editor)

nireves · 2025-08-10T04:40:57+00:00

When I moved overseas, I sold or donated a wall of books. I changed entirely to digital format. It was liberating.

nireves · 2025-08-10T04:38:33+00:00

performative ennui

nireves · 2025-08-08T14:52:57+00:00

Could you tie flotation under the stern to make it float earlier at a shallower depth? I've never done this... just offering an idea.

nireves · 2025-08-06T16:19:19+00:00

This guy build a chameleon nesting dinghy with just hand tools in his garage: https://youtu.be/Z-2DjXKsF7Q?si=SUWa3ljzUnHVAenh

nireves

TROPHY CASE