P.J. Loop
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pjloop.bsky.social
P.J. Loop
@pjloop.bsky.social
200 followers 200 following 380 posts
A full-stack writer. Forget seven days, whoever heard of someone trying to create an entire world in only their spare time?

Actually, that might explain a few things...

#teowad #scifi #fantasy #chaostheory #humour #heart

https://teowad.co.uk
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pjloop.bsky.social
I said to myself once I got to 200 followers I'd post another short as a mini celebration. These 'ads' have been created & stored waiting for when I finally 'go live' with #teowad.

Not quite there yet, but not far.

Thank you to everyone real for following me.

#WritingCommunity
#AmWriting
#BookSky
November 19, 2025 at 9:41 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
Here's a strange kind of mood-board I put together a while back as part of a demo of bits & pieces. Gives a feel for me doodling new ideas, which eventually build up to better pieces. But I'm slooow and rough. So, it takes a while to get to the more refined pics. Btw. I'd Love to see your stuff too.
An image showing various sketch ideas from a range of time of me sketching and digitally painting. Mostly showing weird character and background designs.
November 18, 2025 at 2:21 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
I don't have this one, but like others, I'll go for 'backwards', which works even if accused of getting the wrong end of the stick..

-- 8< --

It sounded like the noise someone makes when they accidentally trip backwards through an open window.

-- 8< --

#WIPSnips
#WritingCommunity
#WritingPrompts
The text reads: The men jumped and looked up at the device. ⏎ "Oh, blasted thing!" The mayor exclaimed. "What in the __shadow__ of A'arana…?!" But this time it was the mayor's turn to be interrupted. The PhysiScan started whooping its alarm, flashing its light, and then promptly fell off the wall. It landed right between the two men with a __CRASH__, it spluttered and caught fire in the most pathetic way imaginable. The guard jumped into action, stamping out the flame, his eyes wild. The mayor just stood there, still mid-sentence, still uncertain what should happen next. And then… there were a few other heavy beats, those that could have almost been mistaken for footfalls. They started nearby and ended with a slight __thunk__ over by the window. Both men were too shocked by the PhysiScan's behaviour to have properly noticed. The guard thought he had heard something, however. Like the start of a woman's voice. It sounded like the noise someone makes when they accidentally trip backwards through an open window. He shook his head; the day was truly getting to him, →it was starting to make his brain hurt. P.S. The hidden comment is not linked to this section (but I could not get the floaty bubble to sit somewhere else). For the record, I do not find most parties like tripping backwards out a window. Although, I did go forwards out of a window once, whilst at one.
November 18, 2025 at 2:08 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
-- 8< --
Plarry: to plan excessively due to over worrying about everything.

Those who plarry frequently—like Victoria herself—are very rarely caught out when they need something. But, they will be the first to admit they /spend/ a heck of a lot of effort getting ready.
-- 8< --

#WriteSky
#WIPSnips
The footnote text (that contains 'spend') reads: Translation Note: Ms. Victoria Distance herself would be truly shocked to learn we also had no word to use here, until now. This, thankfully, is a somewhat simpler concept than Flaffed. Plarry: to plan excessively due to over worrying about everything. Those who plarry frequently —like Victoria herself— are very rarely caught out when they need something. But… they will be the first to admit they spend a heck of a lot of effort getting ready. The text that's nearby (and I admit doesn't use the footnote) reads: Okay, LightCharm, activated. She checked off her mental list. Everything she could see was cast into a darkened light by the charm, like the last rays of evening. But neither the time nor the true brightness had actually changed. She was just seeing less of it. Most of the light was being twisted around her body by Resonance interference, including the light that would normally reach her eyes. Turning around, she peered up along the wall, up into the now darkly tinted yet still distinctly beautiful blue sky. *Do people tend to break the law when it's solarbright outside, or do they save it up for rainy days?* She pondered. Her thoughts were now firing randomly, in an attempt to distract her mind. To misdirect it from the fact that rules were usually things she believed in, and the further she went, the more of them she was breaking. But something in her head had tripped. She had reached the point where she did *not* care. She had been accused before, which had put her into a spiral. It wasn't going to happen again. The Hidden comment caught in the screenshot reads: Hidden Comment: In case you forget, this scene was added as another way that senses can be confused. We start the book describing a scene which cannot be seen. And here we have a character that can't be seen either. Each time, we use sounds to explain what is going on.
November 17, 2025 at 11:30 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
A major part of Episode Four has finally clicked into place!

Amazing how stories do that.

Almost lyrical...

EP1 = Essentially done (giving it space)
EP2 = Currently at 100,000 (but needs work)
EP3 = 100% plotted (50,000 words)
EP4 = 80% plotted (10,000 words)

#teowad
#amwriting
#writingcommunity
These tiny squares of 'digital paper' represent a number of years of planning and plotting, then re-plotting and some de-plotting, world building ideas and story arcs —all distilled down to shouty 'post-it' notes! The image shows a number of blurred little squares of colour on a white background. They cover all the waypoints across EP1 to EP3. EP4 is not there because Miro started glitching too much, and so is off on its own island. Miro definitely used to be faster... but then, so did we all.
November 17, 2025 at 7:00 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
You know those days where everything goes a bit odd, well that's been my Friday. And when that happens I like to write something ridiculous and nothing to do with my usual projects.

Don't ask me why,
I'm the last person who would know that answer.

#amwriting
#writingcommunity
#writesky
#badday
The text reads: Sycamore watched the world turn, and realised it was off-kilter. Trying to see the problem was difficult. There were too many layers of complexity, now. A shift of perspective brought the globe closer. So near that the little threads of fire came into focus. The connections between. Picking up a twiddlestick the builder frustrated the interleaves, probing against the layers, causing more sparks to fly, to coalesce. With each move the space around got darker. Still the turning wasn't right, the world's spin was losing time. Sycamore sighed. Today was not a good day. Then, out the corner of a look the builder spotted something lost. It was a gap, a hole, a space that should not have been. Not with the way things were made. Not these days. Could that be it? How could the simple application of nothing cause such a leak? Sycamore put down the tool with haste and clutched at another, a tendle. It spun around like a flasewarp. Bringing it to the place, the mysterious missing bit. The builder held more than breathing. No thoughts, no plans, no regrets, Sycamore pressed forth. The space filled with meaning, rounding out its swathes. Little trickles of noise escaped as it resounded, reshaped and recovered. A deep breath out. It was good again. Time spiralling correctly. Sycamore leant back to admire the fix, the handiwork… and slipped off the chair. trrrp—a-CRASH! "WHAT IS THAT NOISE?!" Came the voice from upstairs. "SYCAMORE?? YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LOCKING UP! YOU BETTER NOT BE MESSING WITH MY MERCHANDISE?" "It's okay!" Called Sycamore, grinning from the angled floor. "I fixed it." The further words whispered. The builder felt warm and happy.
November 14, 2025 at 8:26 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
Finally!

Everything that was a complete mess (in terms of metadata) has been tidied up in #teowad Episode One.

Even the trash and notes have been emptied. 😮

Fear not ... Anything of use has been moved to a wiki. 😌

Now I need to do the same for EP2.

(and no, I'm not procrastinating!)

#amwriting
A screenshot of my Scrivener project for TEOWAD:EP1 that has never looked so clean. This is probably the tidiest and final-est it will ever be. Now I just need to go through and make sure the formatting is all good for the paperback and ebook layouts after compilation. *grimace*.... looove doing that bit, it's not painstaking at all.
November 9, 2025 at 5:52 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
I wonder if #WIPSnips has ever done the word 'that' just to open the eyes of many writers, like myself, how easy it is to end up with a page full of them?

Was a total eye opener for me when I was shown, err..., the behaviour of which I'm describing.

Avoiding it then goes the other way.

#amwriting
An image that shows the word 'that' enlarged so much that it becomes that which you cannot miss. That is, unless you cannot see that image. In which case, I've attempted to recreate that effect here, that then —of course— must occur only using that which can be read out loud. Hopefully that explains that.
November 8, 2025 at 10:43 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
This paragraph is old.

-- 8< --
All fidgeting here and there. Packed together in their neat formations. Each bundle of energy happily humming away its own existence. Oblivious to anything beyond its discreet /little/ universe.
-- 8< --

#teowad
#amwriting
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#WritingPrompts
The text reads: It was impossible to see anything in the darkness. As absolute as it was. No shapes to recognise. No detail to notice. And definitely no colour or depth to speak of. But despite the lack of anything visual, there was still an overpowering sense —an unnerving feeling— of being trapped. Wherever or whatever this place was, it was boxed in. The air was warm and stale, with a taste verging on the metallic. Which, for some unknown reason, was infused with the light scent of lemon. The room —if a simple, dark space can be called as such— had the inexplicable, but nevertheless unmistakable presence, of __contents__. Although, trying to describe contents that can be neither seen nor touched, is rather difficult. To put things in a clearer way, the room was obviously not empty. You see, the whole place was alive with the telltale buzz of matter. Multitudes upon millitudes of buzzing particles. All fidgeting here and there. Packed together in their neat formations. Each bundle of energy happily humming away its own existence. Oblivious to anything beyond its discreet little universe. And that is probably how everything would have remained. Had it not been for the arrival of __The Noise__… It burst in on the silent black like an unexpected tax bill. Its high-pitched whistle wavered in a way easily resembling a boiling kettle being forcibly reversed through time. Sound waves resounded off unseen walls and surfaces, echoing back and forth. Intermingling with the other inaudible sounds already lying around in the dark. Then, just as quickly as it had started, it stopped... with a loud pop. Suddenly, all was changed in the darkness.
November 8, 2025 at 10:22 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
Finally done the impossible.

Got Detective Inspector Webb into a short last night. Her character is a tricky one to deal with because she's abrasive & odd upfront, but interesting once you get to know her.

She's a balance.

{ SOUND ON }

(the audio is temporary prior to voice artistry)

#amediting
November 5, 2025 at 12:25 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
Jeesh. Doing all this stuff yourself isn't easy.

But then again.. I knew that when I decided to go the self-publishing route. Querying isn't easy either.

My head is so full of dealing with different things I'm starting to forget to how to be normal.

#teowad
#amwriting
#indieauthor
#selfpublishing
An over-amped promo image that shows off my book 'The End of Worth and Distance : Episode One'. You see the book on a boulder of some sort, pitched up against a view of a forest and the sunset/sunrise.
October 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
Jumping Jigawatts! There's no 'costume' across all 3 books? Let's use dress instead.

-- 8< --
"Hey, oh come on!" She exclaimed. "Don't talk to me about professional, or should I mention the 'Red Dress Fiasco' once again??" She glared over her glasses.
-- 8< --

#WIPSnips
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
The text reads: "Hey, oh __come__ on!" She exclaimed. "Don't talk to me about professional, or should I mention the 'Red Dress Fiasco' once again??" She glared over her glasses. "That was completely different!" He countered, "you know I didn't mean for you to wear it." "No, of course not. Give someone something nice to wear and they'll just leave it gathering dust!" She snapped, with an intensity in her eyes. "That's __not__ what I did, and you know it." He glowered back, shaking his head. "…__anyway__." He breathed the word long and drawn out, with overly theatrical arms, "we're tired. Let's get this meeting of egos underway, shall we?" Flipping open the FarTalk again, he rotated a few dials on the device —for a short while nothing happened— but then the familiar glow rose up from its page, and the __clink-clunking__ returned. The sound seemed to travel along every surface. It had the quality of a low tick from a grandfather clock, but only if with every tock, it changed its size, shape and position. The __clunking__ continued, for far longer than was customary. →Whoever was on the other end, wasn't picking up. ⏎ Worth shifted his weight and gave a sideways look at the woman, she shrugged back …and still the __clink-clunking__ continued. Dropping her shoulders, the woman sighed. And then, with the energy of someone who was __still__ having a long day, wandered over to the nearby bookcase. Which had, thankfully, long since regained its structural integrity.
October 28, 2025 at 12:08 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
I know, I'm getting ahead of myself…

But sometimes that's the only way you can see what's coming next. Unfortunately, I still have yet to work out how to communicate any useful warnings back to my past or present self…

The last message I got simply said 'watch this space'?!

#teowad:ep2
#amwriting
This is a screenshot of the blurb I've just added to Episode Two's cover. It will likely change, evolve and take over a few planets before I settle on the final version —but this seems ok for now. Message reads: FIRST THERE WAS DARKNESS, THEN THERE WAS LIGHT SCENTS OF WET CAT AND LEMON. WHATEVER NEXT IN EPISODE TWO? The ending continues. Rejoin Webb and Distance as they battle their way through wholly dangerous situations and a few potential misunderstandings. Worth is back doing his awesome thing, learning what the hard way looks like —solely for identification purposes, you understand. And of course, their friends and colleagues are still close by, ever ready to lend a hand, a head shake or a Harmonic. What exactly is going on? Why are there teleporting felines? Which way exactly are the ghostly realms? Do sky explosions count as weather? Can these Onaians ever get a break? Or, at least a very late breakfast? Unfortunately, only time will tell, and that particular instance of chronological measurement has been keeping quiet. Until now. So, read on, dear reader, if you wish to find some answers. But be warned, you may well get lost in this other world we call Onaia... and if you do it well, you may not want to come back.
October 27, 2025 at 1:13 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
-- 8< --

Context Note: Worth has never liked hats. Mostly because they don't seem to like him very much. But also, because nearly every single hat he has ever owned or attempted to wear, always, ALWAYS, looks better on Distance.

-- 8<--
#teowad
#WIPSnips
#WriteSky
#WritingPrompts
#WritingCommunity
The text reads: Standing only a little way away from the table and its air-freshening enigma, he hadn't been looking in the direction of the quirky contraption, its unexpected behaviour however, had stolen his focus away from what he __had__ been doing. Which was investigating. He definitely had his investigative hat on, metaphorically speaking[1]. His pockets were filled with all his most investigational-ready devices, and he was wearing his most inconspicuous boots —whilst trying very hard to emanate a feeling of belonging. Everything around him was a blend of sleek, contemporary and shiny design however, so he was finding the last part rather tricky. Footnotes: [1] Context Note: Worth has never liked hats. Mostly because they don't seem to like him very much. But also, because nearly every single hat he has ever owned or attempted to wear, always, __ALWAYS__, looks better on Distance.
October 26, 2025 at 7:35 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
Is this a vibe or a synonym? ... vibonym?

-- 8< --

"I know what you're like!" Worth added with a smile and a shake of his head, "given half a /chance/ you'd have the sandwich toaster hooked up to some kind of experiment."

-- 8< --

#teowad
#WIPSnips
#WriteSky
#WritingPrompts
#WritingCommunity
The text reads: "Something about there being a temporary shortage of __VibraTechnics__— or something." Worth shrugged, his face showing clear dislike of using words that didn't agree with him. "Oh, really?" She replied, disappointed. "Yep, lots of stuff about unexpected delays and problems in the something whatchamacallits?" "Err…" Distance started, her expression fully aware of quite how many things would fit Worth's less-than-detailed explanation, "Supply chain?" she suggested. "Yep, that's it." He clicked his fingers in agreement. "Brilliant, oh well… I'll have to make do with what we've already got then, perhaps scavenge some parts from things at the office —stuff that we don't particularly __need__." Worth noticed the change in her voice on the last word. "Stay… away… from my storage." He warned, eyes narrowing. "What? I didn't say __anything__." She grinned. "I know what you're like!" Worth added with a smile and a shake of his head, "given half a chance you'd have the sandwich toaster hooked up to some kind of experiment." "It's okay, it's okay." She reassured, hands raised, her expression a picture of honesty, "I'd never harm our sandwich toaster." Worth stared at her, trying to decide which way was up.
October 25, 2025 at 12:40 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
#OctoberWorldbuilders 24. The overall vibe of my story is:

You know that feeling when you suddenly think you've left the gas on, so you quickly turn back homeward. But then you realise you don't use gas anymore, you've upgraded to Resonance. So you chuckle..

Then, your empty house explodes anyway.
#OctoberWorldbuilders image outlining what day people should post with what. The map of Latium Onaia, which shows mountain ranges, desert part, ice areas and rivers, key place names, and city regions.
October 24, 2025 at 2:11 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
-- 8< --

A few moments later, another popped into existence, and then another. Each one thrown a little further across the balcony —until there were six in /total/. They looked like perfectly positioned stepping stones.

-- 8< --

#scifi
#teowad
#WriteSky
#WIPSnips
#WritingPrompts
#WritingCommunity
A partial scene from EP1 involving my character, Distance. The text reads: For some time there was silence, perforated by deep breaths. Jeesh. She thought I should have gone to the Illumination Quarter! A nice breakfast would've definitely been better than this. Once her breathing calmed, further sounds emitted from the blur. A few clinks, some kind of scuffled rearranging, and a metal hoop appeared and fell onto the floor with a light thunk. A few moments later, another popped into existence, and then another. Each one thrown a little further across the balcony —until there were six in total. They looked like perfectly positioned stepping stones. There came a further noise. A strange whistle— one which sounded like a songbird trapped in a salad spinner, tumbling over a waterfall. Immediately the metal rings activated. They rose up from the floor where they had been dropped, glowing blue, and between them a shifting pathway of sapphire light emerged. Satisfied, the Distance-shaped blur hopped down from the wall, and presumably landed on to the Resonance pathway. A bridge which was indisputably levitating only a finger's-width or so from the ground. The blur slowly stepped along the energetic path, until reaching the sixth floating ring. Which had fallen just in front of a tall glass doorway, one that gave entrance into the main building. A few more shuffling noises, →the sound of an item being unclipped, opened and shut. →→And then, a very annoyed word[1] escaped her lips. Footnotes: [1] Translation Note: Frustratingly there is __absolutely__ a translation for this word, but we aren't allowed to include it in print, digital or otherwise.
October 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
Also... In the meantime, here's another style of advert I've been working on to publicise the book —once it's fully available.

I think it has the right mix of silly-seriousness/small-to-grandness (or perhaps vice versa).

But I might also be off my rocker.

Let me know what you think.

#BookSky
October 24, 2025 at 11:03 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
Great news! My editor's feedback mostly was...

I'm very grateful for the lovely words and constructive feedback.

There are still some things to tune and improve, however.

So, I'm back focusing on Episode One again.

Finally —soon— I'll be out of the forest..

#teowad
#amwriting
#writingcommunity
A picture of a humid dark forest, dappled mystery. Along with the teowad logo, this time in tamsin fire.
October 23, 2025 at 11:30 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
Seems there is a subtle art in writing a book that people enjoy reading, but when they summarise the plot of what they've just read it sounds outlandish and ridiculous. For me, this was the skill of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett —more than anything.

To make crazy seem real.

#amwriting
#booksky
Possibly a page from the Onaian book 'Resonance Waves'. Text reads in Onaian as: Resonansi, kurso, unda basi kæva. Le matori ko interakte pa sai abiliti dua teorizai partikulen de deriva, una Kuin namei, una Kuaveri namei. Eni partikulen serti Resonansi unden pa eksitai. E eksitasioni moda okura pa dependi, diferenti efekten derivai. Eni karo Kuinen e Kuaveren materi On'eni underpina. Eni en nai reflektai energi kapturo kæva kena soli Kuinen eksitai. Eni sempri invertai vibranen resultai. Nai enien bluai monstrai. Kuinen negati forso komo, Kuaveri pushi ko kontra puli komo vidai pota. Eni en nai simili rekordago vida, ta On'Kuaveri spasi en, infortunate, klini Kuaveri reaktinen refleksioni kapture notoriose difisili kæva. Kari karo Kuaveren Kuinen kampi forti volatili kæva. Ne soli sai solidi materi ko reakta, sai komo On'eni ko reakta e Kuaden kausa. Nai eni fenomeni pa posteri kapituli en forti detali intraro.
October 22, 2025 at 12:15 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
is this 'Charge of the hall-builders hindsight'?

-- 8< --
Even on a normal night, the scene would have had a mystical charge. Edges painted in blended lunarlight. Brightness glinted against contrasting shadows.
-- 8< --

#scifi
#teowad
#mystery
#amediting
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#WritingPrompts
A snippet from TEOWAD:EP2 containing `charge`. The text reads: On a beautiful day you could easily see how it would look impressive. The tall silica windows giving rise to serene views of the park. The solarlight free to dive across the hall's open space like a sparkling whirl of waverns. Illumination split and refracted between the lower and upper levels, casting across the marble floor all the way up to the second-level ceiling. Even on a normal night, the scene would have had a mystical charge. Edges painted in blended lunarlight. Brightness glinted against contrasting shadows. This was no ordinary night, however. And right now, the hall felt tarnished and sinister. If the designers had known how their use of double-height space, aiming to maximise the natural light, would allow for the kind of view laid out before Webb and Distance right now —they would definitely have rethought the approach. Happenings surrounded by the devastation they had caused is a succinct summary. But it does nothing to convey the realisation on seeing such unfiltered reality.
October 22, 2025 at 9:50 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
Just found out 'tone promise' is a thing. And such a thing that it is, I achieved it without cognisance.

I've been told the assurance of tonality for 'The End of Worth and Distance' is:

> Whimsical cosmic mystery with underlying existential dread.

Read into that what you will.

#AmEditing #teowad
A shot that is potentially of "The Pocket Guide to Parrots" but this has not yet been confirmed. We see the outer cover of a plant-leather bound book that is bright green with the word "Parrots" across its front. It is surrounded by some strange leaf plants and what looks to be a writing implement of some kind.
October 22, 2025 at 8:57 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
Last day before I find out what my editor thought about my manuscript.

Think I'm doing quite well at not thinking about it.

True, I've had to do a lot of other things to keep busy.

Including more writing.

pjloop.substack.com/p/back-to-fr...

#scifi
#teowad
#amwriting
#writingcommunity
#writesky
October 21, 2025 at 5:15 PM
pjloop.bsky.social
I find it really affirming that I've learned to do a number of things people with writing advice suggest to do. But I stumbled across them naturally, after decades of rewrites, mini stories and bamboozling my brain.

The benefit over just being told is that I know /why/.

#writesky
#writingcommunity
A map of The Institute of Onaia's ground floor, i.e. the floor that's on the ground. We have research rooms, a very curated courtyard, history rooms and even several water closets. All very square and formal. The contents of each room however are much more fun. The whole map is drawn in a rough style on olde-stylee parchment (which, if I'm honest, is just spilt digital tea on mulched and pressed Rattan food).
October 21, 2025 at 7:56 AM
pjloop.bsky.social
It's that time again.

pjloop.substack.com/p/i-often-fi...

It's okay, not much longer to wait now... and I'll find out what my editor thought of teowad : episode 1

😹😅😌🤯🥲🫣🤗

Then my substack musings will probably evaporate.

#teowad
#amwriting
#writingcommunity
#indieauthor
#scifi
#fantasy
#mystery
An advert image, advertising my post of substack. Entitled "I often find missing words (ambiguous, that is)". The image shows a mini roof garden across an old fashioned town.
October 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM