Author | Lightnews

Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Jan 13

Lily is just a happy camper! She’s especially happy because I have her favorite winter blankie out and she just cuddles on it all day and night.

Lily, a gray and white cat, is completely asleep and sprawled on a c2c crochet blanket with fluffy purple ombré yarn Rangoon from pale Lilia to dark purple

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Jan 10

I’ve been decent. Not much writing getting done, but I’m getting a lot of worldbuilding done! Which somewhat counts I guess? How have your books been coming? Is Tom still adorable? 😊

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Jan 10

Well well well… if it isn’t the shipment of Lion brand yarn I ordered in 2023! I received a full refund… in 2023… I mean, do I tell them I finally got it? 😂

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Jan 7

Omg hiiiii!!!!! It’s been forever! I’m barely on social media these days but try to check in. How are you?

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Dec 18

I normally don’t, but I had some time (it took less than 10 minutes) and I felt bad. His topic for the semester (that he chose) was work-life balance and he talked a lot about his personal struggles.

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Dec 18

College writing 1, so usually freshmen but this was an upperclassman who put off taking the class and then put minimal effort in.

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Dec 18

Consequences were he’d have to drop out of college… and it only took about 10 minutes to grade. After updating the grade he had a 69.7, so obviously he promptly asked if I’d round him up to a C and boy I let him know how utterly unacceptable the whole thing was (I thought I had before, guess not).

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Dec 18

Nothing like a student email at 8am that starts “I know grades are due at noon but” 🤨
Asked me to grade a rewrite they turned in late (8 days after course grades were released) so they could possibly pass the class. So… do I teach a lesson about responsibility, or let them pass & stay in college?

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Dec 8

The semester is almost over!

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Dec 3

I just realized I haven’t written anything other than comments on student papers in nearly three weeks. That’s pretty bad for someone who needs to finish her book asap so it can be published in a reasonable timeframe. But it’s the end of the semester, so I’m stuck for another week.

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Nov 13

I know I’ve been mostly quiet on here, but boy have I been buried in grading! The world isn’t making it easier with everything that’s happened. I’m just trying to get through the semester, then I can start looking for better ways to speak up and make my voice heard.

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Oct 31

It’s that spooky time of year! Are you dressing up as a monster? I probably can’t help with your costume, but if you wanted to write about monsters, my friend @vivissiah.bsky.social and I have some tips for adding a spooky, monstrous appeal to your worlds!

Writing & Worldbuilding 202: Monsters — Author Vivian Sayan

In today's blogpost, Anne Winchell and I finalize our Spooky October marathon by talking about monsters! Whether real or imagined, we've got you covered!

www.viviansayan.com

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Oct 2

I was Rebecca's TA for a film studies class my first semester at Texas State University. She's intelligent, passionate, & extremely kind, & she's running for State Board of Education in Texas. Whether you're Texan or just want to promote education, consider giving!

Support Rebecca Bell-Metereau

Come to Rebecca's campaign fundraiser Wednesday, October 2, from 5:30 to 8 PM at KMFA-FM's Draylen Mason Music Studio. Net proceeds will be shared with Texas Parent PAC to help elect legislators who ...

contribute.givingfuel.com

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 23

I have an international student who asks endless questions. I teach on zoom & I’ll get questions privately in the chat for everything. I love it so much. She’s literally never learned this stuff so she has no embarrassment asking, while my other students think they “should” know it so they don’t.

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 22

Guess what? I have a new blogpost out! This one is about understanding critiques. I talk about the general groups who might critique your work (like beta readers & editors), what they do, & how to find them, plus how to develop positive relationships with them!

Writing 201: Understanding Critiques — Author Vivian Sayan

In today's blogpost, the great Anne Winchell defines the types of critique and gives tips on how to form positive relationships with your critiquers.

www.viviansayan.com

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 21

I survived a bridal shower for my cousin (who I love) surrounded by 30 very wealthy Southern women talking about fashion & football & redecorating. While I stand there in my $30 dress from Amazon having never attended a college football game & whose redecorating budget might be $100, not $10,000.

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 20

Pro tip, apparently: want your students to find out trump’s dark side? Ask them for examples of historical political scandals. Not a single one said Watergate, it was all just trump’s scandals, which many were learning about for the first time. Bc that is historical to them 😂 (I did redirect them)

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 8

So far, my classes are way better than last semester, but their latest assignment worries me...
Me: Choose a focused topic you have a close, immediate, personal connection to that wouldn't be shared by anyone else.
Student: My topic is climate change because it'll impact everyone in the world.
😭

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 5

In my honors college class today, we were discussing yellow journalism & social media, & after a while, one student said that she didn’t have social media & hadn’t for six years after she decided it was ruining her life. The entire class gave her a round of applause 😂

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 4

Oof. Geography didn’t approve my honors course substitution not because my course doesn’t work as a human geography course (it does), but because their major only requires 32 credits & the students have to take certain classes & don’t get electives. That doesn’t sound like a fun major, honestly.

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 4

Well, we're officially back to school & this week's worldbuilding blogpost is about education! @vivissiah.bsky.social breaks down what education is, why we have it, what the purpose is, & why a liberal arts education is the best education! Oh wait, not the last part? Well, I'm sure it's implied!

Worldbuilding 201: Education Basics — Author Vivian Sayan

In today's blogpost, I discuss the basics of education as well as how to start building your own education system for your worlds.

www.viviansayan.com

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 3

How odd (but nice?) While walking to my car, a first year student randomly started talking to me (complimented my umbrella). We actually had a conversation until we went different ways. She thought I was a student at first lol. Really nice though, and a writer! I hope to run into her again.

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Sep 3

I’m proposing a worldbuilding course in the honors college & I’m trying to get as many substitutions as possible so it counts towards student’s majors. Just heard back that sociology didn’t approve it, which is sad. Fingers crossed it’ll count as geography & anthropology!

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Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Aug 25

The dealer flips over a triangle.
You subtly eye the circles & square in your hand & stifle a smirk. Calmly, you raise the bet.

Now, we don't know what any of this means, but if you have it in a story, it reveals character & relationships & adds tension. I wrote about adding games to stories here!

Worldbuilding & Writing 201: Games — Author Vivian Sayan

In today's blogpost, Anne and I discuss games: what they are and how to incorporate them into your world and your writing!

www.viviansayan.com

Anne Winchell @awinchell.bsky.social · Aug 24

Thank you!